by
Michael C. Ruppert
JULY 7, 2009 I have been back from Oregon and the sexual-harassment hearing for over a week. Having run out of money I had to fly up and represent myself. I relied heavily on excellent pre-trial work by local counsel Lee Werdell. I cannot ever find a way to express my gratitude to Mark and Emanuel for coming down to Medford for the hearing in the three-year old case. Their presence stopped an absolutely rude, bullying Case Presenter (the Labor Board's version of a prosecutor) from calling me names or screaming at me non-stop. They were the only witnesses in a 10 X 20 hearing room. The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) was utterly professional and had to admonish someone from his own Department about six or seven times a day; (six times in the closing argument alone). I never lost it once.
I have every confidence that I won. My accuser, Lindsay Gerken, was caught lying several times and, in the end, her story just fell apart. Her own mother even impeached Lindsay's testimony. And Scott McGuire was a true and honest friend who stood up to tesify about things he had seen. She had no witnesses. I had photos disproving her story. I had some records. She had nothing. I will receive the Administrative Law Judge's ruling within about 50 days now. Most importantly for me though, I sat there and fought in that crucible which had been hanging over me for three very long and painful years. I have always needed to look all my demons in the eye. There is no other way to know the truth.
I have now proved and documented that a horribly flawed and biased police report, written by an officer terminated after I left, (who had formerly worked for an L.A. area police department), was improperly leaked to reporter Bob Plain of the Ashland Daily Tidings. I had already had a knock-down, drag-out with the Tidings (and won) before Ms. Gerken came along. I can use her name now. It's a public record. Based on that flawed and biased police report, the reporter (Bob Plain) and his editor (Scot Bolsinger) published two of the nastiest and most vicious news stories I have ever seen after I wnet to Venezuela. They hurt. The Case Presenter -- Patrick Plaza -- introduced them as evidence against me in the harassment case. I got all of the trash about Bolsinger and Plain on the record to impeach the two hit pieces. Plaza's case kept falling apart like that. The ALJ (from Eugene) was listening. Legally, I deconstructed Plaza's entire case. At the end he was getting desperate.
Yeah, it was nasty.
The Ashland Police Department in 2007 and 2008 apologized first in front of attorney Ray Kohlman, and later Jenna Orkin. The APD abjectly apologized for the series of "really bad screw ups". At the second meeting the Deputy Chief, Rick Walsh, came in and apologized also. I was not a suspect in the burglary and they twice refused to give me a Voice Stress Analyzer test; in front both Jenna and Ray. A break came because the Detective who met with us, Randy Snow, was also an Army Ranger and familiar with the Pat Tillman case.
Scot Bolsinger, the former editor of the Ashland Daily Tidings, is now in prison for unlawful sex with a minor and under ongoing investigation for racketeering in defrauding at least three Ashland businesses out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Bob Plain has disappeared. All of that is in the record at the sexual harassment case. It's public now........
(paragraph removed by JO pending consultation.)
My ten-year business relationship with Ken Levine is... OVER.
It's over... It's all over. There is nothing hanging over my head.
I have no more battles left to fight. I have kept all the work we all did, clean and unblemished. My duties are discharged.
It's time to...
No, it's just happening that I am walking away from all of this for a while. I am still working closely with Chris Smith and Kate Noble on CoLLapse. (http://www.collapsemovie.com). Watch the site closely now. It seems the whole world is holding it's breath. We should see it in early August and that will coincide with the publication of "A Presidential Energy Policy" by Variance Publishing and a real marketing campaign. The book will be in bookstores when the movie comes out. -- I guess I've been fighting a great many battles for a while... thirty years or so.
In the meantime Cynthia McKinney sits in an Israeli prison for trying to smuggle crayons and medical supplies in Gaza... Well, she is a few years younger than I am.
But I'm not reading any news stories for a while. I'm not anaylzing or pondering. I'm not thinking about Peak Oil or collapse, or die off or any of it. Life has given me a second shot at some things that have long been missing; like music, singing, romance, friends... and more. The re-emergence of music in my life has set off a freight train train that I just have to ride for a while. I have two special friends to thank for that: Doug Lewis and Andy Kravitz... But then there's also this guy named Jim Sullins.
In 1982 I had a band and Jim was the first guy I hooked up with. He'd written songs for Sheena Easton, Ray Charles and Julios Iglesias. He played one of the crispest rhythm guitars and we sang some crazy-ass harmonies. Well I've heard from Jim a few times lately. I've sent him some lyrics that seem to be pouring out of me. Jim's a songwriter in Nashville and after twenty-five years he screaming at me, "Sing! Sing! Be with music. Be happy." I am happily a member of the Venice Arts Club. Scroll down at the site and you'll see a few pics of me being happy with some fine people. http://veniceartsclub.wordpress.com/
The daimon which brought me this far, through all this, to meet and be with you guys... to do the work we've done, is now dragging me into a place I'll call... happiness. I am not resisting.
I'll be there for whatever the movie asks and I'll do all for the book. But otherwise, I'm done. Now I can really retire.
Jenna, the blog is all yours. I may send a few things out. But Jenna Orkin has been this blog's parent for a long time and we all know it. What a job she has done. I'm not looking back for a while.
Love to all,
MCR
***********************************************************************************
From Jenna Orkin:
A cursory glance at the news would suggest that The Powers That Be and their spokesmen, the Mainstream Media, aren't trying to save the patient (us) from our current crises; they're trying to anaesthetize us through the dying process. The neverending story of Michael Jackson advances this agenda as we calmly moonwalk backwards off stage.
Not to torture that metaphor since I have no understanding of the moonwalk, but it would seem reasonable that all you need to do to fall behind in the world is to stay put while the world moves forward. Just keep on doing the same ol' tricks, crank out a few trillion more of that trusty ol' currency, while around you the scene has evolved; the currency, lost its trustiness.
But who could have known? Such a thing never happened before (except in Rome before the collapse of the Empire, China under Kublai Khan, France after John Law, Germany after World War I......)
Collapse
Economic Fragility Underestimated - Collapse May Be Imminent (from Rice Farmer)
Debt Burden Accelerates Global Power Shift as G-8 Countries Lose Influence
U.S. Should Consider a Second Stimulus Package, Obama Adviser Tyson Says
No Amount of Stimulus Will Work
Oil price rollercoaster
Is this another inflationary spike that could derail the economy?
Pope Calls for New Political and Financial World Order
California - and the U.S. - Headed for Permanently Smaller Economy
Who Killed California's Economy?
Who'll take California IOUs?
Goldman Sachs Says Morgan Stanley All Wrong About Fed's Quantitative Exit
GM to Fire 4,000 Managers by October, Become ‘Greener’: WSJ Link
Will General Motors Kill Its Electric Car?
US Weekly raw steel production down by 46.1pct YoY (from Rice Farmer)
Americans are working fewest hours on record (from Rice Farmer)
Forbes' Layoff Tracker
Social Security Number Can Be Guessed From Government Data, Web Sites
Office Vacancies Near 4-Year High; 24% Vacancies in Suburbs; Rents Fall
Twitter Vital for National Security
500,000 Canadians 90 Days Behind on Credit Payments
Hotels Feel the Pain of a Glut of Empty Rooms and Lower Room Rates
FBI detains Russian programmer for stealing secret Goldman Sachs codes
Pentagon IG Probes Afghan Headquarters Contract
UK
Police Fear Far-Right Terror Attack
Anti-terror police face budget cuts
The Secret Torture Evidence MI5 Tried to Hide
MI5 Accused of Bribe Offer
Straw Proposes New Powers to Prosecute War Criminals in Britain
Britain to face 100,000 swine flu cases a day by end of August (from Rice Farmer)
Summer of chaos feared as BA workers reject plans
Asia
Riots, Street Battles Kill At Least 156 in China
China's Uighurs March to Protest Detention of 1,000 After Deadly Rioting
China Signals End of Commodity Stockpiling (from Rice Farmer)
"It is possible that the entire commodities / equities rally and economic ‘green shoots’ were spillover effects of Chinese stockpiling."
China Arrests Four Rio Tinto Employees
...in dispute over iron ore prices.
Key in Afghanistan Is Economy, Not Military
Workers Have Daily Smile Scans
General
Baltic Exchange made changes in calculating BDI (from Rice Farmer)
"Maritime Global Net reported that the Baltic Exchange has made changes to the way it calculates the Baltic Dry Index in a move it says is designed to help boost derivative trading."
Will Improving Farming Solve the Food Crisis ?
Scientists create test-tube sperm
Don't leave us, Mike.
ReplyDeleteWe need you still. I, for one, have invested endless hours following your road map the past 5 years. It has effected my life in profound ways, as I've gone so far as to halt my 401K, call in modest investments, avoided new loans, spread awareness... As a journalist at a daily newspaper, I've even proposed a Sustainability blog to my incredulous editors for our Web site -- and not be paid for it. The proposal was largely ignored.
We know you deserve the rest and diversion, and you're exhausted from your journey.
But your more selfish fans want you to keep dropping in. Offering greater overall perspective -- tying it all together, referencing FTW, Rubicon and PEP, as you do so well.
We still see you as the brightest of lights amid the encroaching darkness.
Either way... enjoy the music, and the peace of mind.
And congratulations!
I'll miss your insight and analysis, MCR. But I totally understand checking out of some parts of one's life. Good luck with the tunes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Michael, and congratulations on reaching closure in Oregon. We know you have too much invested in the Story of Our Time to disappear quietly into the sunset. Keep up the great work, as you can, enjoy your music, and Peace be With You. A new more peaceful world is just ahead.
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun Mike. Enjoy!
But you'll never retire. May your vacation be pleasant. Still, I know you'll have plenty more to do and say in this Time of Oddness.
Yes, enjoy. Thanks so much.
See you later.
Ditto! On Guy Fawkes post. I'm glad to hear that you're going to rest and rejuvenate through music--what better way?-- but must it be all or nothing? I too really value your occasional (or more) post....there just aren't any others to compare.
ReplyDeletesalut Mike,
ReplyDeleteOh right! Such good news to hear from you. Yes, get out of here, enjoy life, enjoy the moment, you deserve it. You did your job, it's time to take care of your soul.
Finally thank you mike for your great work. Because of you I felt less alone, as most of the people around me did not believe that we were in shit 10 years ago.
Thank you for your spirit, your hope, your determination....and most of all, your love of life..
...if it's not the case yet, I wish you to find a great loving and beautiful woman...they can feed your soul...
...I am taking the same exit...music, love...and the mountain...see u there :)
If you don't scale the mountain, you can't view the plain...
We do what we gotta do. Later.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike,
ReplyDeleteThank you for FTW.
Thank you for Rubicon.
Thank you for A Presidential Energy Policy.
Etc,Etc,Etc.
Enjoy yourself!
Mike,
ReplyDeleteYou've set us on the path and helped show us the way.
With Jenna's continued guidance we'll either make it ... or not. It's up to each of us now.
Go in peace.
namaste
All the happiness in the world to you, Uncle Mike! Thanks for letting your light shine.
ReplyDeleteHappy Trails to you, Mike! I'm glad to see that this departure from the blog is a happier one than the departure you had from FTW.
ReplyDeleteTake care you yourself,
and Peace,
Shamba
Congrats Mike, and make sure you take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteI started playing the guitar recently myself, but if you're ever in need of a great percussionist, or if you're ever in the Bay Area and want to roll up some of Oakland's finest, holla at me.
Thanks Mike,
ReplyDeleteWhen I discovered FTW several years ago, I was able to tie together all my studies and see the big picture-the map. Then with your help I found so many more truths.
If anyone deserves a retirement, it is you.
Love and peace....
Mike
ReplyDeleteIm a new poster and only a recent follower for the past year or so. I just bought rubicon, and I'm spreading the word like wildfire to everyone who will listen, I dont want anyone to be "left at the bar while the Titanic is sinking". To me, and to many others here, as well as yourself know, this is the defining moment in man kinds history. We all need to clone Mike's herculean effort to make the world aware. We need to pick up where he is leaving off,(Jenna is doing such a good job)
and make sure the world knows whats going on.
WE ARE ALL PAUL REVERS's
BLESS YOU MIKE AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy all the minutes you have. You have provided so much valuable insight and given us SO much to think about. I hope I'm a better and more prepared person after reading all of your FTW articles and more recent blogs. You've earned every minute, and more, of happiness. All the best and Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNick
Michael. It's been good hearing from you; my sentiments and perception are with you. ENJOY YOURSELF! Don't be shy, check in once in a while, keep us posted. We love you, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteI think you are incorrect in thinking that you can be happy without participating in this effort; for which you have given already so much. Yes, the Oregon nightmare is past. The closure is a relief. Don't make the judgement error and push away the community that LOVES you. You know, in your deepest heart, that your true happiness comes from being engaged.
Yes, play in the band and revel in the joys of life. Please don't restrict your happiness and that of the rest of this community, because of the terrible events of the last three years. The headlines won't hurt you, and you can take a breather from the helm. Don't allow those of us who owe you so much to think you have removed your guiding light!!
Thanks Mike. I'm a musician myself, I'd go nuts without it. Congrats on your retirement.
ReplyDeleteThank you still to Jenna & Rice Farmer, I come back here every day.
Thanks for checking in with us, Mike. We miss you, but you gotta do what's best for you. You've blazed a great trail for all of us, and for this I am eternally grateful to you.
ReplyDeleteNow since music is becoming a priority for you again, feel free to send us another MP3 recording of you singing whenever you're ready!
About a year ago in this Blog I mentioned how organized religion is very important to the people who really run and control things. Because with organized religion, the people in control don't need to control billions of individual people worldwide...they just need to control their religious leaders...and the leaders will then help them to control the people.
ReplyDeleteIn the article on the main page discussing the Pope's most recent written encyclical, the article says, "One of his most senior advisers, cardinal Renato Martino, said: 'The encyclical is not asking for a super- or world government.' But it comes very close to doing so. It proposes a 'true world political authority' that 'would need to be universally recognised and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice and respect for rights.' It would be asked to 'manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis [and] to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis.'"
If this isn't the Pope doing the bidding for the people who really run and control things in the world, I don't know what is.
The article further states "The pontiff made the appeal in a 144-page encyclical--a reflection on doctrine that is the highest form of papal writing--three days before he was due to discuss the global downturn with Barack Obama."
Maybe it's just me, but proposing a "true world political authority" in a written encyclical that's supposed to be "the highest form of papal writing" seems to be way off base from helping people experience a closer relationship with God.
Have you seen "Home" incredible
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/homeproject
"You'll be baaa-a-ack", Mike the Terminator. Yes you will.
ReplyDeleteUntil then, much love.....
IMHO--
ReplyDeleteMichael C. Ruppert has done us all a very good thing by bowing out as "parent" of our FTW family forum, and electing to now define himself as "friend". (Typically brilliant move there, ol' buddy; we needed that every bit as much as did you.) And, unless Jenna just wants to hang onto and enjoy the label of "parent" of this blog (which Mike so nicely pinned exclusively to her psyche) we'll also gain to see Jenna as just a fellow sibling who's our family forum's current "blog master & manager". (We of course want and need to hear from you on that, Jenna.)
From RanD's perspective, we socio-psychologically benefit ourselves immeasurably to see ourselves as equals contributing whatever personal attributes we have, in this instance, to this forum. Hanging onto anything that in any way smacks of hierarchical structuring merely keeps us anchored to the very organizational paradigm that consistently moves us to cause disruption of our social potentials right along with the disruption of our planetary environment's well-being. As necessarily goes the profit motive, so goes the presidents and the popes.
Questions and comments heartily invited.
I would like to hear from MCR once every two weeks. All those in favor say "Aye."
ReplyDeleteAs a high school history teacher, I have the wonderful job of opening up the world that is hidden behind the textbook. MCR has been a big part of my education, and more importantly, my critical thinking processes.
His "map," along with other who have contributed over the years, has had a positive effect on my life. I was laid off from my teaching job this Summer. Mortgage will be due shortly. I am not sad, nor depressed, and especially not surprised. I knew I would be laid off in 2002, thanks to the map that MCR started me on.
Mike, PLEASE WRITE A BLOG ENTRY AT LEAST ONE EVERY TWO WEEKS. When I turn on my computer, I check two things, the price of gold and silver, which I own partly because of MCR, and your blog.
NEVER!
ReplyDeleteNever say never; but NEVER put someone in a BOX, expecting something of value, on your timeline (one word/concept); that is the infantile/selfish aspect of Amae.
Dependency is/should be a voluntary action! It can never be a demand, otherwise we both become Slaves to oneanother (ditto)!! We are anyway, Think; there is no FREE WILL as expressed? Are you confused?
I made the mistake of mentioning the post I have been working on; like Mike's Movie, it just generated anticipation. Nothing is done--until it is done--but never wait for something/anything! It the iron is hot/the option is open, ACT!!
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur
Look up the July, 7, 09; cartoon, which is the GP rated/picture= 1,000 words summation of the movie,
"Lust, Caution, at least for me!
Post what "Meaning" means to you, please.
thanks mike.... again
ReplyDeleteenjoy being allowed to live your dreams like the rest of us.
my family's gratitude and love to you always.
ray
ps. to everyone demanding mike stay and keep you company... enough!
It was nice to catch Mike's interview on Dave Emory which he repeated just the other day. from the pre 9/11 days when it was just govt. drug running on his radar!
ReplyDeleteAgape... Carefully repost method (or post some other method altogether) of access to 'the GP rated/picture= 1,000 words summation of the movie, "Lust, Caution"'... I had no success getting there via the method you originally posted re what "Meaning" means to [me]. OK?
ReplyDeleteRanD
Saying 'thank you' just seems trite compared to what you've shared Mike so I'm not going to say it. But, rather, a salute to a courageous and heroic soldier and his dog, Rags.
ReplyDeleteBe well, be happy and never forget to dream a little when you have a moment :-)
Warm hug to both you and Rags.
**Thank you Jenna for your continued participation on the blog. Hug and salute to you too :-)
Godspeed Mike - your spirit will continue here even if you are no longer physically present.
ReplyDeleteI feel you are leaving the blog in good safe hands.
As RanD says, there comes a time when the parent-child relationship must be broken!
Mike...When you re-engaged and began participating in the Blog regularly many months ago, it seemed like the reconnection with everyone was very invigorating for you. I even mentioned that hopefully you'd be getting involved once again while keeping a little more balance in your life this time.
ReplyDeleteSo it's possible that everything involved around getting the book completed and launched, combined with filming the movie and dealing with the lawsuit, along with anything else going on in your life, has maxed you out once again.
So take it easy and relax...and without all of that other stuff going on in the coming months...you may just find down the road that posting to this Blog could invigorate you once again.
I linked from;
ReplyDeletehttp://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur
as posted here, below the cartoon on the right.
"View comic by date", you have to page
down to the 7th.! Worked for me.
Here are two other links which work for me,
I'll try linking from FTW. The last is one I stumbled upon.
http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/07/07
http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2008/03/09/
I have been following you for years and I have the upmost respect for you. I feel a closeness to you and want the best for your future. I hope you stick around and enlighten us with your life and wit. If I dont get to meet you in this lifetime, we will meet in another.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Mike - Bella Ciao! and all that song means...
ReplyDeleteecosutra - Yes! "Home" is awesome. After I saw it on line I ordered DVD copies for myself, extended family, and friends. Beautiful cinematography that really helps get the message across.
another link for it:
http://www.home-2009.com/
"Who are WE"? - #1, 7/11/09
ReplyDeleteThis is perhaps (...up to you, Jenna) the first of a tentative FTW/RanD post series (from A potentially to Z) that is coming about in response to 1.) Agape wins' question "Who are WE?"; 2.) the fact that Ruthie and I (David) are at this moment experiencing an "impromptu" internet disconnect (our CenturyTel technician is scheduled to 'fix' things later today); and 3.) the fact that I am feeling/thinking powerfully compelled to express myself to my FTW siblings.
I am keenly aware that some members (perhaps most) of my FTW family would be pleased if "RanD" didn't exist (a disposition I fully understand and empathize with). Having long been working to overcome my own morass of socio-environmentally inculcated prejudices and bigotries, I know well the nature and source of prejudice and bigotry:
All human beings are, to greater and lesser extents, naturally & necessarily given/disposed to develop attitudes and behaviors during the course of our lives, many if not all of which along the way require modification or being eliminated altogether for the sake of bettering/maintaining one's place in our intrinsically alive and thus ever-changing world. And, as we all know, this process of necessarily both maintaining some while modifying or doing-away-with-altogether certain others or aspects of our attitudes and behaviors is a variously challenging, frequently unpleasant, yet routine feature of human life. Hence, in fact, the source, nature, principle, and actuality of "conservatism" versus "liberalism" throughout our societal constructs at large, for instance.
So just what-in-the-hell-does-all-this-goddam-socio-psychological-bullshit-have-to-do with Peak Oil, our tumultuous global economy, and the road map that our wonderful and self-admitting reluctant messiah gave us to help guide us through what we're going through?
Short answer: "Everything."
*****
Whoopee! Internet's on again! After sending this RanD's heading back to ...what "Meaning" means.... HA! (I so love you, Agape!)
This Blog has been criticized for censorship/excess control, of
ReplyDeletecontent; here you know when you are being turned down!!
The CST prints a paper copy and two on line editions, I can
purchase the printed paper in total as a daily single issue, or
subscribe & receive the print copy, along with the internet one.
If I find something in the print edition that I would like to save on my computer, I can go "on line", research & save---ALMOST; some information is withheld from one of their digital editions. I do not subscribe because I do not find the quality of their news consistent enough to justify the expense, in time or resources (cash or paper/ink), therefore
I can not access their subscription "copy"; although I paid a premium for the information!
I subscribe to the New York Times, on line & FREE; plus several other
digital papers/magazines, which I can access anywhere in total.
Each publication has a device/feature whereby some information is restricted until a code or password is entered; the CST or Journal have no notice or warning that they are censoring the news, which, by the way
I can find other places-You bet I do get all their Advertisements FREE!
They have done nothing to awaken Wyoming to the perils of the peak of anything, especially Water, which we continue to pollute to extract a little/too late methane gas! What about encouraging the State, and City of Casper to set up a reserve of Gas & Oil for when the SHTF?
I have donated to them a copy of "A Presidential Energy Policy".
Quotation of the day. New York Times, July 11,09
"The credit pendulum is stuck at ‘stupid.’ I am turning down loans every
day that my grandfather in his Ponca City, Okla., savings and loan in 1935 would have been happy to make. And he was tough."
LOU S. BARNES, an owner of a Colorado mortgage bank.
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/todaysheadlines/
Did you expect him to be enlightened AND quoted in ANY mass media?
Sometimes/whenever we each of us needs reinforcement; what happens
when it is nut cracking time, & you are in a small town?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090710/ap_on_re_us/us_upside_down_flag
Amae,
Wow. Finally a happy platau for MCR...well deserved. I'm reading Presidential NRG policy and loving the knowledge of the knowledge of facts and the whole scheme of things. Congrats to MCR for having this new attitude and relief. Someone who has worked this hard has earned happiness and it makes me happy to know he's finally being lifted. Life without music is no life at all.
ReplyDeleteDon't ever quit your music. Love to you both. mrsp
Edit this if it's old:
Off subject but did either of you see the following, it's old and could be bunk or fake and you might not care. The "net" is so watched everywhere anyway but thought I should pass it along.
see below re: Facebook
Over 200,000,000 people have Facebook entries. Facebook claims over 100,000,000 access their accounts every day. The CIA is one of the backers. So is the Department of Defense. Corporate and government surveillance has never been easier. Details:
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/603.html
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. We've got the map, we know what's to come, now it's time to enjoy life. You've got the write frame of mind. I've been feeling the same way too. Now, we just sit back and watch and protect our families and those we love. A little faith in the Good Lord above or whatever higher power we subscribe to never hurts. Bless you for all the hard work, sacrifices and pain you've had to go through all your life to give us an insight that is honest, true, and pure. You are a true patriot.
Gary
Life is sacred.
ReplyDeleteBlessed be!