Activity 29 2 Matching Acts And Agencies: Fill & Download for Free

​​​win win for bothIf Apple cares really so much about the customers and consumers whether they are terrorist or not, it has really good explanation to give in wake of NSA Prism program which it clandestinely joined, Patriot Act and the more recently Freedom Act. For the uninitiated they are explained subsequently.​​The PRISM (surveillance program) (a) PRISM is a clandestine surveillance program under which the United States National Security Agency (NSA) collects internet communications from at least nine major US internet companies. Since 2001 the United States government has increased its scope for such surveillance, and so this program was launched in 2007. (b) PRISM is a government code name for a data-collection effort known officially by the SIGAD US-984XN. The PRISM program collects stored internet communications based on demands made to internet companies such as Google Inc. under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to turn over any data that match court-approved search terms. The NSA can use these PRISM requests to target communications that were encrypted when they traveled across the internet backbone, to focus on stored data that telecommunication filtering systems discarded earlier, and to get data that is easier to handle, among other things.​Some of the world's largest internet brands are claimed to be part of the information-sharing program since its introduction in 2007. Microsoft – which is currently running an advertising campaign with the slogan "Your privacy is our priority" – was the first, with collection beginning in December 2007.It was followed by Yahoo in 2008; Google, Facebook and PalTalk in 2009; YouTube in 2010; Skype and AOL in 2011; and finally Apple, which joined the program in 2012. The program is continuing to expand, with other providers due to come online.Collectively, the companies cover the vast majority of online email, search, video and communications networks.Patriot Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaABOUT:The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. Its title is a ten-letter backronym (U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T.) that stands for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001".On May 26, 2011, President Barack Obama signed the PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011, a four-year extension of three key provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act: roving wiretaps, searches of business records, and conducting surveillance of "lone wolves"—individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to terrorist groups.Following a lack of Congressional approval, parts of the Patriot Act expired on June 1, 2015. With the passage of the USA Freedom Act on June 2, 2015 the expired parts were restored and renewed through 2019.USA Freedom Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaABOUT:The USA Freedom Act (H.R. 2048, Pub.L. 114–23) is a U.S. law enacted on June 2, 2015 that restored in modified form several provisions of the Patriot Act, which had expired the day before. The act imposes some new limits on the bulk collection of telecommunication metadata on U.S. citizens by American intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency. It also restores authorization for roving wiretaps and tracking lone wolf terrorists. The title of the act originally was a ten-letter backronym (USA FREEDOM) that stood for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection and Online Monitoring Act.".The bill was originally introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress on October 29, 2013, following publication of classified NSA memos describing bulk data collection programs leaked by Edward Snowden that June.

A military coup d'état is unlikely. But more likely than you think.Over the last 60 years, there have been 459 coup attempts around the world. About 50% have been successful.Storm clouds are gathering for the United States.The U.S. political system is slowly spinning down. This started with the New Deal, and accelerated rapidly during the 1960s. Meanwhile, global capitalism is speeding up.These tectonic forces will inevitably collide.U.S. government finances deteriorate each year. This is occurring at the Federal, State, and Local levels. On the other hand, capitalists grow stronger each year.The biggest clash in the U.S. is not between Left and Right. The biggest battles are between the Capitalist Class and the Political Class.Trump supporters on the Far Right have much in common with anti-globalists on the Far Left. Both groups are:PopulistAngryAlienatedBoth Far Left and Far Right groups:Complain bitterly about free trade.Seek political solutions to economic problems.Contain true believers in Politics.Want government to “fix” things.On the other hand, the typical owner of a McDonald’s, UPS Store, or 7–11 is a capitalist. So are most stock and real estate investors. They are not populists.Capitalists are not true believers in the Political system. They wish politicians would pursue lengthy vacations or cryogenic stasis. The longer, the better.They do not want the government to fix anything. Capitalists want the government to leave them alone.Tens of millions of U.S. citizens have no investments. 15% have a negative net worth. Their liabilities exceed their assets.For the bottom one-third of the population, net worth ranges from negative to +$8,000.Each day in America: 11,000 babies are born and 7,000 people die.1,600 of these 7,000 Americans die in debt. After 80 years, they leave this world with a lower net worth than they had at birth.Each day, 10,000 new people retire at age 65 with full government benefits. That will occur 365 days each year. Forever.A tsunami of additional debt is coming our way.This is our current situation.If government debt is assigned to citizens pro rata, the majority of Americans are in debt.Total debt per American family is $793,000. If unfunded commitments are totaled, the U.S. owes more money than all the other 195 nations combined.We are in debt up to our eyeballs.If you believe Donald or Hillary will change the course of events, then you haven’t been paying attention. There are far bigger historical forces at work.This is a Battle Royale. A grudge match. This is one of the few things Karl Marx got right. His magnum opus was Das Kapital. Not Das Politik.Consider these anecdotes:George Bush and Bill Clinton were political arch-enemies. Now they are great friends.A Republican now campaigns against free trade, while a Democrat gives $300,000 speeches to Goldman Sachs.President Obama (unaware his microphone is hot) calmly mentions to Mr. Putin: Announcements now would cause problems. After the election, I can be more open.President Bush’s cabinet members and press secretary observed discussions for the Iraq War before 9–11 terrorists were identified.In the Wikileaks e-mails of Hillary, she makes it clear her real position on Wall Street is the obverse of her public position.Retail politics is not what it appears to be.The third rail of American politics is redistribution from the Top 30% to the Bottom 30%. That third rail is deadly. It is more complicated than taking from the rich and giving to the poor. It is also taking from the Capitalist Class and giving to the Political Class.Politicians lie daily. Relentlessly.They need Capitalists to fund their campaigns, and they need Populists to garner votes. To retain power, politicians have no choice but to lie. Any politician who tells the truth will be zapped—either by Capitalist donors or Political voters.Side Note: Studies have found politicians and used car dealers live longer than the average American. Experimenters wrote: These subjects are less stressed by moral ambiguity.Despite all the campaign speeches, debates, and lies, politics spins in tiny circles. That’s why Capital supersedes Politics in the long run. Over time…Money always wins.When the British Empire went broke, Winston Churchill could not save it. When the French Empire was bankrupt, Napoleon could not bring it back to life.Spanish Hapsburgs extracted silver from the New World. They hit the Mega Trillion Lottery. But Spaniards spent that windfall like drunk sailors on shore leave—which they were.In 1570, poor people in Spain were rich thanks to government entitlements. But today, poor people in Spain are poor.Debt killed the Spanish Empire. Over time, they spent the original trillions…and then they kept spending. Spanish hegemony began spinning down long before the Battle of Trafalgar.Most people believe Empires exist due to Noble Ideals, Constitutions, Politics, Laws, Geography, Resources, or Military Power. Karl Marx knew better.Empires run on cash.Money = PowerSuper Money = SuperpowerIt also works in reverse. Debt killed the Roman Empire, Islamic Empire, Portuguese Empire, French Empire, Ottoman Empire, British Empire, et al.This is not new. Cash is King predates the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Assyrians. Historically speaking, Cash is King predates both cash and kings.Consider the Soviet Empire. The USSR never lost a world war. The Soviet Navy was never sunk. Their vast natural resources were not squandered. The KGB never liquidated the Politburo.The Soviet collapse was more pedestrian. They went broke.By the 1980s, expenditures exceeded receipts. Debt skyrocketed. Internal conflicts flared.Dasvidaniya, Comrade.Someday, debt will kill the U.S. Empire.If our military takes a more pronounced role, it will not occur because hothead generals seize power. It will occur because Americans lose faith in “democracy” and demand the military restore order.2,300 years ago, Plato wrote: All democracies end in tyranny.Plato believed democracies decline when citizens vote themselves benefits and loot the public treasury. Two millennia of history have proven Plato prescient.200 years after Plato, Gaius Gracchus in Rome began Annona bread subsidies. Citizens were thankful for the freebie in 123 B.C. But within two years, farmer revolts in Sicily led to skyrocketing grain prices. Romans said: The government must pay all costs. Not us.So much for gratitude.Soon, Roman politicians competed for power by promising ever-greater handouts to the masses. Emperors expanded the dole to include bread and circuses.Roman leaders eventually wised up, but it was too late. Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar both worried freebies could not be stopped without sparking street riots.Side Note: In the Spanish Empire, the term bread and circuses was replaced by bread and bulls. But the concept of unearned handouts is always the same, Empire to Empire.Roman plebeians demanded government gifts decade after decade. Angry protests were routine. Citizens wanted continual increases in State benefits. Sound familiar?Each Empire has a slightly different tipping point — a point of cascading failure. The danger is most acute when there are more citizens taking than working.This character flaw is not unique to Romans, Spaniards, and Americans. All Empires suffer these internal battles over resources. Why?Because human nature never changes.Government handouts end badly. The problem is not politics, but mathematics. Populists want more. Always more. But there is never enough money. There never can be enough money.At the peak of the Roman Empire, Rome had a population of 1 million people. By the time the Empire fell, the population of Rome had decreased 95% to 50,000.Where Emperors once paraded with a huge entourage and Praetorian Guard, wild goats now munched on overgrown weeds. There were few humans to bother them. By 1870, the population had slowly grown to 200,000 — still 80% below the peak.In the long run: Money always wins.Is that outcome good or evil? Personal opinions are highly correlated with personal assets. But no personal opinion can alter historical facts: Debt is a killer.Karl Marx got it right.For 4,000 years, the progression of empires has followed the same path.First, the treasury is emptied. Then, taxes are raised. Then, money is borrowed from citizens. Then, from bankers. Then, from foreigners.Next, government debases the currency.The Romans clipped coins. We Americans print money. Same thing.More money is borrowed, and often dispensed within days. It is usually targeted to politically important groups.Almost nothing is spent on long-term investment. Most of the borrowed money fuels short-term consumption by the masses. After awhile, huge sums must be borrowed just to pay compound interest.A vicious debt cycle has been set in motion. Those who receive government benefits — whether in Rome, Spain, America, or somewhere else — simply do not care.They worry about Grandma’s Medicare and pension checks. Not their country’s future.In the next phase, politicians plot to confiscate private assets. They devise a clever name like …Save the Dolphins Asset Redeployment ActCapitalists are not fooled. Rich people are not stupid. The wealthy start plotting themselves, usually in secret. Some plot to flee with their capital, others plot a revolt.Politicians announce even higher taxes and capital controls. But the Capitalists are wily. Using lawyers, technology, and suitcases, capital leaks out to more friendly jurisdictions.As capital leaves, economic activity decreases. Some workers lose their jobs and become welfare recipients. Deficit spending increases.Finally, desperate politicians are forced to reduce benefits and freebies for the masses. That’s when the shit hits the fan.The military observes this Battle Royale from the sidelines, silently contemptuous of both lying politicians and crooked capitalists. For those who have dedicated their lives to Duty, Honor, Country, it’s like watching a poisonous snake battle a rabid mongoose.When hungry people break into your home or rob your store, lofty political ideals are no longer your top concern. Hobbes argued: Safety and stability are the highest priorities of the State.If we ever get to the point of a military coup d’etat, most Americans will be relieved. Pentagon specialists have already written Ops Plans for most contingencies.It is not because they are planning a takeover. They are not. It is because they plan for every possibility.If Canada invades Mexico, there’s a dusty Ops Plan somewhere in the Pentagon basement.In 1974, General Alexander Haig sent a FLASH message to top military commanders. It instructed them to disregard any orders from President Nixon to:Mobilize military forces to take control of CongressAttack the USSR or any other foreign powerGenerals and Admirals dedicate their entire lives to defending America. They will prevent any politician — even a President — from destroying our country.Most citizens have never interacted with a Flag Officer. The American public is not familiar with the military’s jaded view of politicians and bureaucrats. That is probably for the best.Ben Stein is an economist and movie star. While teaching Economics at the University of Chicago, his father established Stein’s Law: If something cannot go on forever, it won’t.Our Generals and Admirals know we will reach a crisis point. It is now inevitable. Average Americans are too emotional to see the truth. For 25 years, global futurists and scenario planners at the 3-letter agencies in Washington have analyzed these dangers.Back in 1940, actuaries knew FDR’s programs were creating a demographic time bomb. But politicians pay no attention to actual numbers. Why would they pay attention?Asking a politician to stop spending … is like asking a shark to stop swimming.Admiral Mike Mullen, General James Mattis, and other officers have made sharp comments about our downward financial spiral.The Federal Reserve, with its hundreds of PhD economists, has been silent as a tomb. The Fed is reticent to criticize free-spending politicians.Similarly, experts at CBO, GAO, and CIA are also quiet. They have produced hundreds of terrifying forecasts — which are promptly archived without widespread distribution. Some economic reports are even classified Secret “to prevent undue alarm.”No bureaucrat in Washington wants his budget chopped because he told the truth.On the other hand, Pentagon leaders have been blunt. Amazingly blunt. Our out-of-control debt is now a national security issue.Some U.S. Senators were incensed military officers would lecture them on runaway debt.The same thing happened In 410 AD.At the Pentagon, almost all Flag Officers hold a Masters or PhD.Admiral Mullen graduated from Harvard. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dunford, holds advanced degrees from Georgetown and Tufts. General Seng received her Masters from MIT and PhD from Stanford.Senior officers are better educated than the politicians who issue their orders.Military leaders have a deep understanding of political economy and history. They know any nation with deteriorating finances is vulnerable. As debt increases, so does risk. Threats multiply quickly on the back side of the curve.Updates:Admiral Mullen retired as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.General Mattis retired as Secretary of Defense.The U.S. has detailed procedures for Continuity of Government. The most sensitive COG annexes require a Top Secret (SCI) clearance. Use your imagination.Since 1789, every service member has taken this oath: I do solemnly swear… to protect against all enemies, foreign and domestic. So help me God.Over the last 80 years, the U.S. has developed a redistribution ethos — a culture of gimme. In 1935, receiving unearned money from the government was considered shameful.Back then, government payments were indicative of personal failure.But today, tens of millions boldly seek bigger monthly payments.I demand my rights!Mass culture has changed individual thinking — in Rome, Spain, and America. If a future government violates the gimme expectations of Americans, many will become angry. Angry people are dangerous. Mobs of angry people are very dangerous.The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 forbids the use of the military against civilians inside the United States. But there are many loopholes. This Act will be bypassed if there is widespread civil unrest.Los Angeles 199254 people were killed during riots after the Rodney King verdict. Property damage was $775 million. The Posse Comitatus Act and Insurrection Act of 1807 were quietly ignored. The California National Guard, Army Rangers, and Marines restored order.Some believe the Mayor incited the violence with his populist comments on the verdict. While the military patrolled with loaded weapons, His Honor the Mayor continued making populist statements. After all, the rioters were his longtime political supporters. Not U.S. Marines.That’s not Political Class. That’s Political Low Class.Similarly, the Capitalists whose stores were looted and burned were not a political priority. When wealthy Korean, Indian, and Chinese shopkeepers lost their life savings, angry looters did not care. Neither did populist politicians.Yet the movie stars in Beverly Hills were never in danger. Neither were the Capitalists in Bel Air.L.A.P.D. moved its officers from poor areas to wealthy areas. Marx would say: Of course.Money always wins.At first, rioters assumed the Rules of Engagement for civilian police and military police were identical. That was a terminal error for some criminals. If you attack Marines or MPs, you will not be going to jail.The events in L.A. were racial. But Marx and Hegel believed the most fundamental battles are economic — not racial, not ethnic, not religious.The anger of black thugs in Los Angeles mimics the anger of white rednecks in the Deep South. And the anger of Appalachian poor mimics that of sophisticates in Seattle and New York.It’s not about race, ethnicity, religion, social class, or politics. It’s all about the Benjamins. Empires crack due to internal competition for resources. Debt exacerbates the fractures.Some economic transitions are orderly, some are ugly.American “preppers” have survival manuals, automatic weapons, electric generators, years of food, and stacks of silver and gold.To us, they seem crazy. They may not seem crazy in the future.Sir John Glubb believed empires (democratic/republican/representative) become unstable beyond 250 years. Here are his stages of Empire.The Age of PioneersThe Age of ConquestThe Age of CommerceThe Age of AffluenceThe Age of IntellectualismThe Age of DecadenceIn my opinion, we will enter stage 6 within 50 years. Some believe we are already there.China and India are still in stage 2 or stage 3.Sir John calculated these lifespans in his books.231 years Greek Empire207 years Roman Republic250 years Ottoman Empire234 years Romanov Russian Empire250 years British Empire265 years United StatesThere are many common themes among these societies. Debt and devaluation of the currency are the most obvious. Most Empires disintegrate from within.From 1880–1900, London newspapers were filled with stories about whether the British Empire might someday end. Most Englishmen said: Impossible!Today those same stories appear in U.S. newspapers.Empire disintegration does not mean the society ceases to exist. The Spanish, French, and British settled into gracious “retirement” after ruling the world. They still exert enormous influence beyond their borders.On the other hand, Russians have been uncomfortable with their new role in the world. This intensified following bankruptcies in 1991 and 1998. Russians are trying to find their niche. Many there are still conflicted about the breakup of the U.S.S.R.Russians are proud, but enigmatic. They recently sent their only carrier (Admiral Kuznetzov) into British waters and down the English Channel.Navy corvettes from Norway, Spain, and Great Britain shadowed the Russian flagship.Sonar was not required. Kuznetzov belches smoke like a 1972 Ford Pinto.Mr. Putin is a KGB-trained genius. He and his spooks once devised a secret plan to crash the U.S. dollar in conjunction with the Chinese. The Chinese replied not yet.Mr. Putin understands the subtleties of global capitalism. The debt of Russia is de minimis compared to that of the United States.All U.S. rivals analyze the finances of our government and corporations. They are searching for vulnerabilities to exploit.65% of officers for the Russian SVR and Chinese MSS engage in economic analysis or espionage.These Chinese Army officers were indicted for economic espionage.This Chinese spy ring below (Wang Lei, Wang Hongwei, Ye Jian, Lin Yong, Shaoming Li) engaged in economic spying and theft.Two were busted on their return flight to Beijing. FBI agents boarded the plane just prior to takeoff and arrested them.[C’mon, fellas. Where is your creativity? James Bond would never steal secrets using Orville Redenbacher Microwave Popcorn.]Other convicted spies include: Larry Wu-Tai Chin, Katrina Leung, Peter Lee, Chi Mak, Moo Ko-Suen, Fei Ye, Ming Zhong, and Hua Jun Zhao.Some Chinese and Russian spies have been jailed, some deported, and some “turned” by our counterintelligence people.Mo Hailong is now in U.S. Federal prison. FBI agents caught Mo and his stooges Red-handed.[Bad pun. Too much beer…]Of all the Chinese spies, Shaoming Li took the best mug shot.Perhaps he attended the Hilton School of Espionage.The Russians have more spies in the U.S. today than during the Cold War. Their primary taskings are industrial spying and theft of commercial secrets. Most famous is Анна Васильевна Кущенко (Anna Vasilyevna Kushchenko).To her neighbors, she was known as Anna Chapman — an apparently shy young woman. At gatherings, she would discuss her love of cooking.Ms. Chapman had plenty of cash and lots of free time. She spent hours shopping and attending parties. She dined with two billionaires, multiple millionaires, and one cryptologic linguist.She quickly initiated a relationship with the latter. He thought:Wow! I am a lucky guy. It’s difficult to find a nice girl with wholesome values.Cryptologists don’t get out much.Anna even started a small business, and it boomed. Former Communists make the best Capitalists.As it turned out, Ms. Kushchenko was neither shy nor a good cook. But she was very proficient at pulse transmissions from inside Starbucks. An unmarked vehicle on the street would collect the data, and drive on.Apparently, not all Russian diplomats at the U.N. are actually diplomats. Who knew?When instructed to buy a “burner” cell phone, Ms. Kushchenko did so promptly. In her haste, she discarded the receipt into a trash can in front of the Verizon store.U.S. counterintelligence agents quickly retrieved the receipt, listened to her calls, and busted the entire spy network. Ten Russian “sleeper agents” were arrested.Mr. Putin gave her a bear hug back in Moscow. Lyudmila Putin skipped the homecoming.Jerry Chun Shing Lee is a naturalized U.S. citizen and former CIA officer. He sold valuable U.S. secrets to the Chinese. The Chinese, in turn, forwarded some of those secrets to the Russians.Twelve U.S. agents in both China and Russia were interrogated and executed. One was dragged out of his cubicle and shot as co-workers watched. No trial required.Lee also had a side gig. He would tip off the Chinese and North Koreans about private detectives investigating smuggling. These detectives were either arrested or disappeared.Some believe Lee should be shot as a traitor. But I have a better recommendation. Let’s shoot the dumbass at CIA who recruited him.Corporations embrace the farce of political correctness. But military and intelligence agencies operate in the real world. Life and death. They cannot allow political correctness to impede their mission.China and Russia are playing for keeps. With the zeal of reformed smokers, former Reds now spend their time hustling Green.The United States is more threatened by financial competitors than ICBMs. People who focus on Politics — those depending upon Hillary or Donald — are amateurs.Politicians come and go. Presidents and Prime Ministers are here today, gone tomorrow. But Capital compounds. So does debt. Year after year, decade after decade.Money always wins.Is there a way to fix our country? Yes! We must stop borrowing money we can never repay. Every Empire has the same long-term solution:We must live within our means.Will the Political Class agree we must live within our means and follow a budget? Not a chance. Will the Capitalists agree to ever-increasing benefits for the Political Class? Not a chance.That angry standoff forces America into ever-deepening debt. The Ship of State slowly sinks into the mud — just like so many great Empires before us.Imagine a brutally honest or religiously devout candidate for President:“We Americans cannot consume more than we produce. We must pay our monthly bills. We cannot charge trillions more on the national Visa and MasterCard.We must control government spending, even if this hurts welfare recipients and retirees. We are honorable people. We must live within our means, just like everyone else.”Voters reply:Eight years ago, President Obama promised to cut our annual deficit in half. In actuality, the national debt soared $8 trillion. Mr. Obama racked up more debt in a single year than the U.S. accumulated in our first 200 years combined. Whoops.But it gets worse. The current candidates are not even pretending to reduce the national debt. At least Mr. Obama said pleasant things. Give the President credit for lying well.Mr. Trump’s announced plans will lead to $3.6 trillion in additional debt. Ms. Clinton’s plans will lead to $3.5 trillion. The actual numbers will obviously be much higher. This election forces us to choose between the Titanic and the Lusitania.There are two Americas.Group 1 of 2: The Capitalist ClassThis first group is comprised of gold collar workers, white collar workers, investors, lifetime savers, and blue collar workers who own their own business.These people work long hours, 6 days a week. Compared to most of the 7.1 billion people on Earth, they make enormous amounts of money. These people avoid taking vacations and are often stressed out. But they have money in the bank. Some have billions in the bank.They own real estate and other investments. Their children grow up with every possible advantage. Their lifestyle is luxurious compared to most.Whatever happens over the next 50 years, these people will be fine. They know how to compete and win anywhere in the world.Despite the stress and lack of sleep, these people are happy.American movies and television focus on the luxurious lifestyle of this first group. Our popular culture is a primary export to other nations.People around the world exert enormous effort to become U.S. citizens. America is often their first and only choice for new citizenship.But we Americans should temper our delusions of grandeur. Newcomers aspire to wealth. Not America.No one travels thousands of miles to experience U.S. democracy. Foreigners do not gaze in awe at our well-dressed and slightly-crooked politicians.What causes people to leave behind family, friends, country — everything they know?They come to America to get rich. Filthy rich.It has been that way for 250 years.Group 2 of 2: The Political ClassThis second group contains true believers in the political system. This group is mainly comprised of Populists. These people work less and make less. They often live paycheck to paycheck. Some are highly educated, some poorly educated.Some Populists have been discriminated against, some have health problems, some want “balanced” lives, and some are just plain lazy.Some suffer from bad luck. More suffer from bad choices.This group wants the U.S. government to make things “fair.” They see Politics as a way to bring equality and justice into American society. From a philosophical point of view, this group has many strong arguments. They are often idealists, and they are usually right.But from a practical point of view, this group is in big trouble. They are fighting both history and destiny.These people will not be fine over the next 50 years. They can barely compete now, even with all the built-in advantages of the American system.As future globalization forces them to compete with Indians, Chinese, Russians, etc., many of these Americans will sink. As Marx predicted, capitalism is becoming hyper-capitalism.Harvard University conducted a poll in April 2016. 51% of millennials aged 18–29 agreed with this statement: I do not support capitalism.This is an astounding result for a country built upon capitalism. On the other hand, a change in values is common in late-stage Empires.Populists dislike global competition, international trade, and hyper-capitalism.They do not want to:study hard for 4–8 additional yearswork long hours under stresstake laptops with them on vacationcomplete extra work on weekendsTheir opinion…“If government must tax Capitalists 73% or enact disastrous trade barriers, so be it.If exploding government debt results in more money for my family, then let’s borrow all we can. When something disastrous happens in the future, the U.S. can stop borrowing then.I want a balanced and happy lifestyle right now.Someone owes me that!The government is my ticket to the Good Life. I fervently believe in Politics and Equality. Not global competition.Additional education? Long work hours? Acute stress?That’s for other people. Not me.”Who would possibly object to people over profit?Plato would object. So would Aristotle. Both believed democracy was parekbaino (deviant and perverse) because it leads to bankruptcy of the State.2,300 years of historical data support their view. Democracies go bankrupt when too much is confiscated from workers and given to takers.People Over Profit = Expropriation and RedistributionOf course, there are many different ways to bankrupt an Empire. Possible paths include:military defeatsdiplomatic errorscivil warsecological problemsethnic uprisingsclass divisionsnatural catastrophesimperial overstretchBut citizens cannot know ex ante if these problems are temporary or fatal. There are too many variables to predict the trajectory of an Empire — with one notable exception.There is one guaranteed path to disaster:Emptying the public treasury followed by exploding debt.Money always wins.True to form, today’s populists (on both the Left and Right) want happy and balanced lives. And they want the US government to help pay for it. That really means they want their fellow citizens to pay for it — just as Plato and Aristotle predicted.When the expectations of populists are disappointed, they get angry and take to the streets.Observers often equate populism with Leftist movements such as Occupy Wall Street. But there are also Right-leaning populists, such as AARP, trade warriors, tariff-seekers, and those who seek to ban all immigration.Populists on both the Left and Right ask for government intervention to advance their interests against the Capitalists. Populists are not concerned about government debt or their country’s future — as long as their advocacy group gets what it wants. This focus on narrow self-interest is precisely what offended Plato and Aristotle.When populist demonstrations become violent, the military intervenes.Could the military also be used against Capitalists? Yes. But this is rare.Historically, capitalists are more likely to take their capital and flee. Pudgy bankers have no interest in fighting Marines.Capitalist cocktails are Stolichnaya. Not Molotov.On both the political Left and Right, populists engage in fantasy. They mistakenly believe Capitalism can be stopped by voting. Politicians offer sweet lies, and populists gobble it up:Vote for me. I’ll protect your job, even if you are uncompetitive. Plus, I’ll boost your pay!It is a sham. A con job. A brazen fabrication.Global Capitalism cannot be stopped by voters, politicians, or protesters. It would be easier to stop a tsunami with a raincoat.When it comes to global competition, we have 5,000 years of anecdotal data and 2,000 years of quantitative data. There is no free lunch. Not here, not anywhere.We Americans must compete.Roman politicians and American politicians are similar. But Roman capitalists and American capitalists are different.In Rome, capital was physical property. In America, most liquid wealth is digital and intellectual. That makes it portable. The stocks of GE, IBM, and Honeywell are worth the same in New York, Zurich, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Same thing for bonds. Portable.At first glance, digital wealth seems like a great thing. American entrepreneurs and capitalists have created enormous value-added (and huge riches) around the world. Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook are just a few examples.But look deeper. If populist revolts start in Detroit, Baltimore, or San Francisco, the government cannot dispatch its Praetorian Guard to confiscate Big Money.Modern capital is not held in estates, vineyards, and other physical property.If things get bad in the U.S., modern wealth (financial assets) will flee in a blinding flash of electrons. Even the military would be powerless to stop it. America needs that capital.There is an invisible cap on tax rates today. There was no cap in ancient Rome. The emperors could confiscate everything you owned.If tax rates are doubled tomorrow, Google multi-millionaires will not be sticking around Silicon Valley or the USA. Gold collar workers are in demand worldwide. They will not remain in any locale which assesses 73% tax rates.This 73% rate was suggested by Paul Krugman and Thomas Piketty. How can two wunderkind be so smart and yet so dumb?In Great Britain in 1967, the top tax rate was 98%. 83% base rate + 15% surtax = 98%The wealthy kept £2 out of every £100 earned. 98 of 100 pounds went to the politicians. Wealthy Brits failed to maintain a stiff upper lip. The Beatles were so irritated they stopped singing about love. Instead, they wrote a hit song about taxes. Then, they left the U.K.We have census data from that period. Some of the smartest people in England left. Many never moved back. It was a huge Brain Drain in pursuit of “equality.”In older Empires, the Political Class could easily threaten the Capitalist Class using the military. All governments (then and now) enforce a monopoly on:taxationimprisonmentuse of force against individualsBut for modern empires like the U.S., it becomes more difficult to tax liquid assets with each passing year.Inequality is a genuine problem. But many proposed solutions simply will not work. Politicians make bombastic speeches and voters applaud loudly. But that’s about it, folks.If the U.S. tries to screw rich people, the wealthy will send their capital out of the country — just like sending their kids to boarding school in Switzerland.If populists really go crazy, rich people will leave the United States. And they will take their Big Brains and their Big Assets with them.Money always wins.Voters want to soak the rich. But that is easier said than done. Liquid capital can flow overseas at the touch of a button.On the other hand, taxes on real estate have not changed much since Roman times. After all, you cannot easily move a 40-room mansion overseas. Similarly, restaurants, shopping malls, grocery stores, oil wells, coal mines, dairy farms, and hydroelectric dams are not going anywhere.Prediction: over the next 50 years, expect to see taxes on U.S. real estate rise and taxes on financial assets decline. Politicians cannot tax it…if the County Sheriff cannot impound it.Clearly, this is not fair. But this is the real world. The global system runs on Capital Flows. Not Ethics. Not Politics. Not Equality.So what does this have to do with the military? Just this…Many Americans have a notion of “fairness” which can never be achieved except in populist daydreams.When voters are finally told the truth — that we must encourage and reduce taxes on Capital for the long-term good of our country — Regular Joes will become very unhappy.If they are simultaneously out of work or having trouble providing for their families, that simmering anger could lead to civil disorder.No one likes arrogant billionaires. Egomaniacs!But we need them…and their money.ConclusionThe gathering storm for the U.S. is still far away — on the distant horizon. But it is coming. Government debt never goes away. It just gets bigger and bigger.Our problem is not unique. Many other Superpowers have been in this predicament before us. Unlike them, we Americans still have a chance to solve our problems.We are rapidly running out of time. The vicious cycle of debt has already started to accelerate. $8 trillion in 8 years — that is unprecedented in all human history.If we do not live within our means, then we will face crisis after crisis. It is inescapable. The United States is powerful. But worldwide capital flows are more powerful.“Retirement” could be rough for us. The American national character is not suited to being a gracious loser. But we may have no choice.If we continue our out-of-control spending, we will be forced to join the Brits, French, and Spanish in the Superpower Emeritus Club.Bottom LineThe probabilities of a military coup d'état within the U.S. are very small. But if economic chaos becomes acute, Americans will be grateful the military is prepared.Further ReadingDas Kapital, MarxThe Republic, PlatoWhy Nations Fail, Acemoglu and RobinsonColossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire, FergusonEmpire: Rise and Demise of the British Order with Lessons for Global Power, FergusonCivilization: The Six Killer Apps of Western Power, FergusonThe Ascent of Money, FergusonFrom Hegel to Marx, Hook21 Trends for the 21st Century, G. MarxEnd of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations, BremmerCapitalism and Freedom, FriedmanSinking Nation: Unraveling the Complexities of U.S. Debt, MarshallSuicide of a Superpower, BuchananCoup d' État: A Practical Handbook, LuttwakDebt and Disorder: International Instability and U.S. Imperial Decline, MacEwanGlobal Debt Crisis: U.S. and European Federalism, Peterson and NadlerThe Rise of the West, McNeillDebt: The First 5000 Years, GraeberWealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor, LandesBooks by Sir John GlubbThe Fate of EmpiresThe Course of EmpireThe Story of the Arab LegionA Soldier with the ArabsBritain and the Arabs: A Study of Fifty Years, 1908 to 1958War in the Desert: An R.A.F. Frontier CampaignThe Great Arab ConquestsThe Empire of the ArabsThe Yezidis, Sulubba, and Other Tribes of Iraq and Adjacent RegionsThe Lost Centuries: From the Muslim Empires to the Renaissance of EuropeSyria, Lebanon and JordanThe Middle East Crisis: A Personal InterpretationA Short History of the Arab PeoplesThe Life and Times of MuhammadPeace in the Holy Land: An Historical Analysis of the Palestine ProblemSoldiers of Fortune: The Story of the MamlukesThe Way of Love: Lessons from a Long LifeHaroon Al Rasheed and the Great AbbasidsInto Battle: A Soldier's Diary of the Great WarArabian Adventures: Ten Years of Joyful ServiceThe Changing Scenes of Life: An AutobiographyBad Books - Fuzzy Opinion from Fuzzy AcademicsCapital in the Twenty First Century, Piketty and GoldhammerPeddling Prosperity, KrugmanThe Limits to Growth: A Report to the Club of Rome, Meadows and RandersThe Population Bomb, EhrlichGuns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, DiamondCollapse, DiamondThe Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, KennedySaving Capitalism, ReichPolitical Order and Political Decay, Fukuyama

The lindbergh baby kidnapping.One of the many unsolved cases still trying to be solved to this day.I learned about this topic in only the fitfh grade. We were going to be working on a project about unsolved mysteries. There were several topics, I forgot because it was three years ago, but I chose the lindbergh baby kidnapping and I can never forget about it.Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., 20-month-old son, (yes only 20 months year old. He was a one year old, not even two yet.) of the famous aviator and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was kidnapped about 9:00 p.m., on March 1st, 1932, from the nursery on the second floor of the Lindbergh home near Hopewell, New Jersey. The child’s nurse, Betty Gow, discovered the absense of the baby a little later and notified the parents immediatly. They also found a ransom note demanding $50,000 if they ever wanted to see their son again.During the search at the kidnapping scene, traces of mud were found on the floor of the nursery. Footprints, impossible to measure, were found under the nursery window. Two sections of the ladder had been used in reaching the window, one of the two sections was split or broken where it joined the other, indicating that the ladder had broken during the ascent or descent. There were no blood stains in or about the nursery, nor were there any fingerprints.Household and estate employees were questioned and investigated. Colonel Lindbergh asked friends to communicate with the kidnappers, and they made widespread appeals for the kidnappers to start negotiations. Various underworld characters were dealt with in attempts to contact the kidnappers, and numerous clues were advanced and exhausted.A second ransom note was received by Colonel Lindbergh on March 6, 1932, (postmarked Brooklyn, New York, March 4), in which the ransom demand was increased to $70,000. A police conference was then called by the governor at Trenton, New Jersey, which was attended by prosecuting officials, police authorities, and government representatives. Various theories and policies of procedure were discussed. Private investigators also were employed by Colonel Lindbergh’s attorney, Colonel Henry Breckenridge.real photo of the ransom note ^^The third ransom note was received by Colonel Lindbergh’s attorney on March 8, informing that an intermediary appointed by the Lindberghs would not be accepted and requesting a note in a newspaper. On the same date, Dr. John F. Condon, Bronx, New York City, a retired school principal, published in the “Bronx Home News” an offer to act as go-between and to pay an additional $1,000 ransom. The following day the fourth ransom note was received by Dr. Condon, which indicated he would be acceptable as a go-between. This was approved by Colonel Lindbergh. About March 10, 1932, Dr. Condon received $70,000 in cash as ransom, and immediately started negotiations for payment through newspaper columns, using the code name “Jafsie.”About 8:30 p.m., on March 12, after receiving an anonymous telephone call, Dr. Condon received the fifth ransom note, delivered by Joseph Perrone, a taxicab driver, who received it from an unidentified stranger. The message stated that another note would be found beneath a stone at a vacant stand, 100 feet from an outlying subway station. This note, the sixth, was found by Condon, as indicated. Following instructions therein, the doctor met an unidentified man, who called himself “John,” at Woodlawn Cemetery, near 233rd Street and Jerome Avenue. They discussed payment of the ransom money. The stranger agreed to furnish a token of the child’s identity. Condon was accompanied by a bodyguard, except while talking to “John.” During the next few days, Dr. Condon repeated his advertisements, urging further contact and stating his willingness to pay the ransom.A baby’s sleeping suit, as a token of identity, and a seventh ransom note were received by Dr. Condon on March 16. The suit was delivered to Colonel Lindbergh and later identified. Condon continued his advertisements. The eighth ransom note was received by Condon on March 21, insisting on complete compliance and advising that the kidnapping had been planned for a year.On March 29, Betty Gow, the Lindbergh nurse, found the infant’s thumb guard, worn at the time of the kidnapping, near the entrance to the estate. The following day the ninth ransom note was received by Condon, threatening to increase the demand to $100,000 and refusing a code for use in newspaper columns. The tenth ransom note, received by Dr. Condon, on April 1, 1932 instructed him to have the money ready the following night, to which Condon replied by an ad in the Press. The eleventh ransom note was delivered to Condon on April 2, 1932, by an unidentified taxi driver who said he received it from an unknown man. Dr. Condon found the twelfth ransom note under a stone in front of a greenhouse at 3225 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, New York, as instructed in the eleventh note.Shortly thereafter, on the same evening, by following the instructions contained in the twelfth note, Condon again met whom he believed to be “John” to reduce the demand to $50,000. This amount was handed to the stranger in exchange for a receipt and the thirteenth note, containing instructions to the effect that the kidnapped child could be found on a boat named “Nellie” near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The stranger then walked north into the park woods. The following day an unsuccessful search for the baby was made near Martha’s Vineyard. The search was later repeated. Dr. Condon was positive that he would recognize “John” if he ever saw him again.On May 12, 1932, the body of the kidnapped baby was accidentally found, partly buried, and badly decomposed, about four and a half miles southeast of the Lindbergh home, 45 feet from the highway, near Mount Rose, New Jersey, in Mercer County. The discovery was made by William Allen, an assistant on a truck driven by Orville Wilson. The head was crushed, there was a hole in the skull and some of the body members were missing. The body was positively identified and cremated at Trenton, New Jersey, on May 13, 1932. The Coroner’s examination showed that the child had been dead for about two months and that death was caused by a blow on the head.The Investigation: 1932-1934On March 2, 1932, after a conference with the Attorney General, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had contacted the headquarters of the New Jersey State Police at Trenton, New Jersey. He officially informed the organization that the U.S. Department of Justice would afford Colonel H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, the assistance and cooperation of the FBI in bringing about the apprehension of the parties responsible for the kidnapping. He advised the New Jersey State Police that they could call upon the Bureau for any facilities or resources which the latter might be capable of extending. The special agent in charge of the New York City Office of the Bureau, which at that time covered the New Jersey district, was instructed accordingly and, upon instructions from the Director, the special agent in charge communicated with the New Jersey State Police and the New York City Police, offering any assistance which the Bureau might be able to lend in this matter.During the next few weeks the Bureau was acting merely in an auxiliary capacity, there being no federal jurisdiction. However, on May 13, 1932, the President directed that all governmental investigative agencies should place themselves at the disposal of the state of New Jersey and that the FBI should serve as a clearinghouse and coordinating agency for all investigations in this case conducted by federal investigative units.On May 23, 1932, the FBI in New York City informed banks in greater New York that the Bureau was the coordinating agency for all governmental activity in the case. A close watch for ransom money was requested.The New Jersey State Police announced on May 26, 1932, the offer of a reward not to exceed $25,000 for information resulting in the apprehension and conviction of the kidnapper or kidnappers. In compliance with a request made by Colonel Schwarzkopf, copies of this notice of reward were forwarded by the FBI to all law enforcement officials and agencies throughout the United States.On June 10, 1932, Violet Sharpe, a waitress in the home of Mrs. Lindbergh’s mother, Mrs. Dwight Morrow, who had been under investigation by the authorities, committed suicide by swallowing poison when she was about to be requestioned. However, her movements on the night of March 1, 1932, had been carefully checked and it was soon definitely ascertained that she had no connection with the abduction.In September, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in a meeting with Director Hoover that all work on the case be centralized in the Department of Justice. He requested the Director to convey his views to Attorney General Cummings with the suggestion that the Attorney General make a request of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), either through the President or directly, for a detailed report of all work performed by the IRS Intelligence Unit. On October 19, 1933, it was officially announced that the FBI would have exclusive jurisdiction in so far as the Federal Government was concerned in the handling of any investigative features of the case.The President’s Proclamation requiring the return to the Treasury of all gold and gold certificates was a valuable aid in the case, inasmuch as $40,000 of the ransom money had been paid in gold certificates and, at the time of the Proclamation, a large portion of this money was known to be outstanding. Therefore, this phase of the investigation was emphasized.On January 17, 1934, a circular letter was issued by the New York City Bureau Office to all banks and their branches in New York City, requesting an extremely close watch for the ransom certificates and, in February 1934, all Bureau Offices were supplied with copies of the Bureau’s revised pamphlet containing the serial numbers of ransom bills. The New York City Bureau Office distributed copies of this pamphlet to each employee handling currency in banks, clearinghouses, grocery stores in certain selected communities, insurance companies, gasoline filling stations, airports, department stores, post offices, and telegraph companies.Following the distribution of these booklets containing the serial number of the ransom currency, there were also prepared and similarly distributed by the Bureau currency key cards which, in convenient form, set forth the inclusive serial numbers of all of the ransom notes which had been paid. This was followed by frequent personal contacts with bank officials and with individual employees in an effort to keep alive their interest.Prior to this time, the passing of ransom bills had been reported to either the FBI, the New Jersey State Police, or the New York City Police Department, none of which had complete information on this point. Therefore, arrangements were effected whereby investigation of all such ransom bills detected in the future could be immediately conducted jointly by representatives of the three interested agencies.One of the by-products of the case was a mass of misinformation received from well-meaning but uninformed, highly imaginative individuals, and a deluge of letters written by demented persons, publicity seekers, and frauds. It was essential, however, that all possible clues, regardless of the prospect of success, be carefully followed, and it was impossible in the vast majority of instances to determine at the inception whether they would be material or false.On March 4, 1932, a con man named Gaston B. Means was approached by Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington, D.C., who felt that she might be of material assistance to Colonel Lindbergh in procuring the return of his child. Mrs. McLean had become acquainted with Means as a result of some investigative work which means had performed for her husband some years before. Means informed her that he felt certain he could secure a contact with the kidnappers inasmuch as he had been invited to participate in a “big kidnapping” some weeks before but had declined. Means claimed that his friend was responsible for the Lindbergh kidnapping. The following day, Means reported to Mrs. McLean that he had made a contact with the persons who had the child. He successfully induced Mrs. McLean to hand over to him $100,000, to be used in paying the ransom which he said had been doubled. Until April 17, 1932, he kept Mrs. McLean waiting, daily expecting the return of the child. During this period, he purported to be effecting negotiations with the alleged leader of the kidnappers, whom he called “The Fox.” Mrs. McLean finally requested the return of the $100,000 and additional money which she had advanced him for “expenses.” When he failed to do so, the case was turned over to the FBI. Means and “The Fox,” who was found to be Norman T. Whitaker, a disbarred Washington attorney, were apprehended, and Means was later convicted of embezzlement and larceny after trust, and sentenced to serve 15 years in a federal penitentiary. Whitaker and Means were later convicted of conspiracy to defraud, and were sentenced to serve two years each in a federal penitentiary.There were other attempted frauds which required extensive investigations before they could be completely eliminated from consideration in connection with the Lindbergh case.In all, there were literally thousands of leads in all sections of the United States which were followed to their definite conclusions by the Bureau. The results of all these investigations, no matter how trivial, were reported. The activities of the known and suspected members of the so-called “Purple Gang” of Detroit, and various rumors and allegations concerning this gang were carefully and thoroughly investigated. Numerous registries of boats were examined in a fruitless endeavor to locate the boat “Nellie,” on which the baby was to have been found according to the 13th and last ransom note handed to Dr. Condon at the time he paid the ransom money to “John.” Records of cemetery employees who were employed in various cemeteries in certain sections of New York City and near Hopewell, New Jersey, were examined. Information accumulated in various other kidnapping and extortion cases handled by the FBI was examined in closest detail and studied with particular reference to any bearing they might have upon the solution of the Lindbergh case. Hundreds of photographs and descriptive data of known criminals of all types and other possible suspects were exhibited to the few eye-witnesses in this case in an endeavor to identify the mysterious “John.”On May 2, 1933, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York discovered 296 ten-dollar gold certificates, and one $20 gold certificate, all Lindbergh ransom notes. These bills were included among the currency received at the Federal Reserve Bank on May 1, 1933, and apparently had been made in one deposit. Immediately upon the discovery of these bills, deposit tickets at the Federal Reserve Bank for May 1, 1933, were examined. One was found bearing the name and address of “J.J. Faulkner, 537 West 149th Street,” and had marked thereon “gold certificates,” “$10 and $20” in the amount of $2,980. Despite extensive investigation, this depositor was never located.Examination of the ransom notes by handwriting experts resulted in a virtually unanimous opinion that all the notes were written by the same person and that the writer was of German nationality but had spent some time in America. Dr. Condon described “John” as Scandinavian, and believing he could identify the man, spent considerable time in viewing the numerous photographs of possible suspects and known criminals. In this connection, the FBI retained the services of an artist to prepare a portrait of “John” from descriptions furnished by Dr. Condon and Joseph Perrone, the taxi cab driver who had delivered one of the ransom letters to Dr. Condon.In a further endeavor to identify the individual who received the ransom payment, representatives of the New York City Bureau Office engaged Dr. Condon to prepare a transcript of all conversations had by him with “John” on March 12 and April 2, 1932, the dates on which Dr. Condon personally contacted the kidnapper in order to negotiate the return of the child and the payment of the ransom. These conversations were, during March, 1934, transcribed in detail on phonograph records by Dr. Condon who imitated the pronunciations and dialect of “John.” In this manner the nationality, education, mentality, and character of the kidnapper were more clearly defined and permanently preserved for future use.Another interesting attempt to identify the kidnapper centered around the ladder used in the crime. Police quickly realized that it was crudely built, but built nonetheless by someone familiar with wood who was mechanically inclined. The ladder had been thoroughly examined for fingerprints and had been exhibited to builders, carpenters, and neighbors of the Lindberghs in vain. Slivers of the ladder even had been analyzed, and the types of wood used in the ladder had been identified. Perhaps a complete examination of the ladder by itself by a wood expert would yield additional clues, and in early 1933, such an expert was called in—Arthur Koehler of the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture.Koehler disassembled the ladder and painstakingly identified the types of wood used and examined tool marks. He also looked at the pattern made by nailholes, for it appeared likely that some wood had been used before in indoor construction. Koehler made field trips to the Lindbergh estate and to factories to trace some of the wood. He summarized his findings in a report, and later played a critical role in the trial of the kidnapper.Hauptmann is LocatedA series of ransom notes following the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby led to a meeting between Dr. John Condon, a representative of the Lindbergh family, and a mysterious man named “John.” An artist sketch of “John” was developed from the verbal description of Dr. Condon and proved to be very similar to Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was ultimately arrested on September 19, 1934 following a massive investigation led by the New Jersey State Police and supported by the FBI.A series of ransom notes following the kidnapping led to a meeting between Dr. John Condon, a representative of the Lindbergh family, and a mysterious man named “John.” An artist sketch of “John” was developed from the verbal description of Dr. Condon and proved to be very similar to Bruno Richard Hauptmann (right), who was arrested on September 19, 1934.For a period of seven months prior to August 20, 1934, no gold certificates were discovered except for those received in the Federal Reserve Bank, previously mentioned. Starting on August 20, 1934, and extending into September, a total of 16 gold certificates were discovered, most of them in the vicinity of Yorkville and Harlem. The long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived. As each bill was recovered, a colored pin marking the location of the recovered bill was inserted in a large map of the Metropolitan Area, thus indicating the movements of the individual or individuals who might be passing the ransom money. When the first few made their appearance, it was decided to concentrate on gold certificates, as experience had proven the futility of tracing the ordinary currency included in the ransom money. In keeping with the cooperative policy previously established with the New Jersey State Police and the New York City Police Department, teams composed of a representative of each of these police agencies and a special agent of the Bureau were organized to personally contact all banks in Greater New York and Westchester County. As a result, the various neighborhood banks discovered the bills close to the point at which they were passed, and it then became possible for the investigators to trace the bills to the person who had originally passed them. For the first time in the history of the case, the investigators succeeded in finding that the description of the individual passing these bills fit exactly that of “John” as described by Dr. Condon. It was determined through the investigation that the bills were being passed principally at corner produce stores.About 1:20 p.m. on September 18, 1934, the assistant manager of the Corn Exchange Bank and Trust Company, at 125th Street and Park Avenue, New York City, telephoned the New York City Bureau Office to advise that a $10 gold certificate had been discovered a few minutes previously by one of the tellers in that bank. It was soon ascertained that this bill had been received at the bank from a gasoline station located at 127th Street and Lexington Avenue, New York City. On September 15, 1934, an alert attendant had received a bill in payment for five gallons of gasoline from a man whose description fitted closely that of the individual who had passed other bills in recent weeks. The filling station attendant, being suspicious of the $10 gold certificate, recorded on the bill the license number of the automobile driven by the purchaser. This license number was issued to Bruno Richard Hauptmann, 1279 East 222nd Street, Bronx, New York.Hauptmann’s house was closely surveilled by federal and local authorities throughout the night of September 18, 1934, until at approximately 9:00 a.m. on September 19, 1934, an individual, closely fitting the description of “John,” as supplied by Dr. Condon, and the description of the purchaser of the gasoline, as supplied by the service station attendant, left his house and entered his automobile parked nearby. He was promptly taken into custody by representatives of the three interested agencies.After some investigating, he was found to be Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the individual to whom the automobile license had been issued, a German carpenter who had been in this country for approximately 11 years. A $20 gold ransom certificate was found on his person. His description fitted perfectly that of “John” as described by Dr. Condon, and in his house was found a pair of shoes which had been purchased with a $20 ransom bill recovered on September 8, 1934. Hauptmann admitted several other purchases which had been made with ransom certificates. On the night of September 19, 1934, he was positively identified by Joseph Perrone as the individual from whom he had received the fifth ransom note to be delivered to Dr. Condon. The following day, ransom certificates in excess of $13,000 were found secreted in the garage of Hauptmann’s residence. Shortly thereafter, he was identified by Dr. Condon as “John” to whom the ransom had been paid. It was also ascertained that he was in possession of a Dodge sedan automobile which answered the description of that seen in the vicinity of the Lindbergh home the day prior to the kidnapping.A painstaking analysis of Hauptmann’s handwriting by the Bureau’s new crime lab showed a remarkable similarity between the lettering of the author of the ransom notes and of Hauptmann. This evidence proved valuable in helping to convict Hauptmann of the murder.A painstaking analysis of Hauptmann’s handwriting by the Bureau’s new crime lab showed a remarkable similarity between the lettering of the author of the ransom notes and of Hauptmann.Shortly after his apprehension, specimens of Hauptmann’s handwriting were flown to Washington, D.C., where a study was made of them in the FBI Laboratory. A comparison of the writing appearing on the ransom notes with that of the specimens disclosed remarkable similarities in inconspicuous, personal characteristics and writing habits, which resulted in a positive identification by the handwriting experts of the Laboratory. Upon the apprehension of Hauptmann, it was found that he bore a striking resemblance to the portrait of “John” which had previously been prepared from descriptions furnished by Dr. Condon and Joseph Perrone.Further investigation developed that Hauptmann, 35 years old, was a native of Saxony, Germany. He had a criminal record for robbery and had spent time in prison. Early in July 1923, he stowed away aboard the SSHanover at Bremen, Germany, and arrived in the Port of New York City on July 13, 1923. He was arrested and deported immediately. After another failed attempt at entry in August, Hauptman successfully entered the United States in November 1923, on board the George Washington. On October 10, 1925, Hauptmann married Anna Schoeffler, a New York City waitress. A son, Manfried, was born to them in 1933. During his illegal stay in New York City and until the spring of 1932, Hauptmann followed his occupation of carpenter. However, a short while after March 1, 1932, the date of the kidnapping, Hauptmann began to trade rather extensively in stocks and never worked again.Indictment, Trial, and ExecutionHauptmann was indicted in the Supreme Court, Bronx County, New York, on charges of extortion on September 26, 1934, and on October 8, 1934, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, he was indicted for murder. Two days later, the Governor of the State of New York honored the requisition of the Governor of the State of New Jersey for the surrender of Bruno Richard Hauptmann and on October 19, 1934, he was removed to the Hunterdon County Jail, Flemington, New Jersey, to await trial.The trial of Hauptmann began on January 3, 1935, at Flemington, New Jersey, and lasted five weeks. The case against him was based on circumstantial evidence. Tool marks on the ladder matched tools owned by Hauptmann. Wood in the ladder was found to match wood used as flooring in his attic. Dr. Condon’s telephone number and address were found scrawled on a door frame inside a closet. Handwriting on the ransom notes matched samples of Hauptmann’s handwriting.Lindbergh takes the witness stand during the 1935 trial of Hauptmann in Flemington, New Jersey. Hauptmann was found guilty on February 13, 1935. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.Lindbergh takes the witness stand during the 1935 trial of Hauptmann in Flemington, New Jersey. On February 13, 1935, the jury returned a verdict. Hauptmann was guilty of murder in the first degree. The sentence: death. The defense appealed.The Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey on October 9, 1935, upheld the verdict of the Lower Court. Hauptmann’s appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States was denied on December 9, 1935, and he was to be electrocuted on January 17, 1936. However, on this same day the Governor of the State of New Jersey granted a 30-day reprieve and on February 17, 1936, Hauptmann was resentenced, to be electrocuted during the week of March 30, 1936. On March 30, 1936, the Pardon Court of the State of New Jersey denied Hauptmann’s petition for clemency, and on April 3, 1936, at 8:47 p.m., Bruno Richard Hauptmann was electrocuted. Now since Hauptmann never admitted to the crime, they just assume that he was the person responsible. People are still making theories of who it could be, some people say it was the baby’s nurse, or it was the father. But now it’s too late to find out. But the person who killed Charles is a sick monster who killed an innocent baby out of greed and for money. It makes me ashamed to be a human being.Sorry for it being so long. If you read all this way, thank you :).Stay hydrated,Sofia <3