The Octopus: Secret Government and the Death of Danny Casolaro

If you learn nothing else after reading this book, at least take home the following: striking a nerve in the government is a surefire way to make an exit the way it's done in Shakespeare: all the characters are surrounded by pools of blood and no longer breathing. In fact, while reading "The Octopus," I felt the act of turning each page was putting me more and more in danger, especially given that the original author of "Octopus," Danny Casolaro, died suspiciously while compiling notes for the book -- the coroner ruled his death suicide but when the family sought their own investigation, they found his body had already been illegally embalmed. And an editor for this book based on Casolaro's notes, Jim Keith, died suspiciously as well -- on the operating table during routine knee surgery, with a rare bacteria working through his system. Forget "The Da Vinci Code." "The Octopus" is more gripping, less contrived and, perhaps most importantly, actually well-written. And for the conspiracy curious who are merely dipping their toes in the kiddie pool, where else to dabble in such accusations as JFK was popped off by his driver, Oliver North started the drug trade in Colombia, cattle mutilations are blamed on UFOs but are part of biological warfare experiments, and the eight people who pull the strings in this world (the tentacles of The Octopus) began their conquest through a simple act of revenge? This is the kind of book, that were -- god-fearing Puritan-hicks forbid -- it to be discussed on CNN, people would burn CNN to the ground, which is why CNN will never seriously discuss the ideas in this book. Casolaro, whose starting point is research into a computer programming husband-and-wife team who had software stolen by the government, builds a very strong case that our government indeed operates in the shadows and has a penchant for toying with people's lives. Octopus is a quick, jaw-dropping read that acts as a good starting point to paranoia. The only argument I have, like another reviewer below, is that the editors never convincingly approach the Octopus eight who are argued to control all the governments of the world. That accusation, unlike the rest of the book, comes off sounding like the far-flung conspiracies that give this kind of research a bad name.

This delves into Danny Casolaro's investigation of the U.S. Justice Department's apparent crooked dealings with Inslaw, the software company that developed the spy software, PROMIS, for Justice under an agreement in which Inslaw apparently retained all proprietary rights to PROMIS. Justice reneged on paying Inslaw, yet PROMIS turned up illegally at other government agencies and foreign governments. This opened a Pandora?s Box involving what Sir Winston Churchill called the High Cabal and Casolaro dubbed the Octopus; a handful of arrogant self-appointed aristocrats who are determined to force upon mankind the New World Order that madmen like Adolf Hitler and George H.W. Bush have raved about for centuries; a world government controlled by these elitists; one without constitutional rights. These murderous zealots stop at nothing to achieve their objectives. Aside from very few inaccuracies (like the time of George deMohrenschildt's death) this is well researched and written.

Kenn and Jim's magnum opus. (RIP, beloved friend to humankind.) This book is as scary as they come, and stranger than fiction. As a conspiracy writer, I found myself shaking while reading it. THEY are real, and THEY can do and have done horrifying things. The Octopus is the Matrix vivified.This book is especially important for anyone who still naively believes "there are no conspiracies." The word "conspiracy" means "to breathe together." Only two people are needed to make a conspiracy, and this book will leave you breathless.Danny Casolaro is a heroic figure who bravely and, perhaps, foolhardily attempted to foil the Octopus, whose tendons reach into the most intimate parts of all our lives. He should never be forgotten. Thank goodness for the valiant likes of Kenn Thomas and Jim Keith for telling his story. Movie studios should be clamoring for this highly untold story - but they are no doubt part of the Octopus. Danny, Kenn and Jim should be lauded for their audacity and courage in bringing forth this treacherous tale of murder and mayhem. Such valor is akin to that of Gary Webb in his expose of CIA drug-dealing.Carry on, fellow warriors for truth.Acharya S; Archaeologist, Historian, Mythologist, Linguist; Member, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece; Associate Director, Institute for Historical Accuracy; Director, Center of the Research and Study of Theology; Author, "The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold"

Jim Keith died after knee surgery on September 8, 1999. He was a dear friend of mine and an important person to the world. The loss is immeasurable. He was not just the co-author of The Octopus, but a dharma combatant who demonstrated time and again that the world is far more multi-dimensional, far more interesting, than the pablum that usually passes for news, information and normal discourse. Unfortunately, it is also far more dangerous. Rumor has it that Jim may have been killed because he mentioned the name of the physician who declared Diana was pregnant at the time of her death. I have long noted the connections between Diana's death and the Octopus. Diana was the subject of Jim's last column for Nitro News, which has been linked via the web site of my magazine, Steamshovel Press, for the past couple of weeks. Nitro News has not been accessible since Jim's death, although I reached it just before receiving word of his passing. This rumor may be nonsense. Casolaro may have committed suicide. It is the way of the Octopus. It exists but it doesn't exist. These are blood clots or suicides or non-suspicious homicides or real accidents. They just happen to cluster coincidentally around a certain set of facts or a certain perception of an organized conspiracy. And if Jim Keith did not die as a result of a conspiracy, then I'm sure he would want us to make it look that way! I hope all will remember Jim Keith for his good humor and for his fearlessness. He wrote what he knew and he let the chips fall where they might. He lived on the edge, where I usually tried to catch up with him. I hope he taught me enough about the place to keep up the work to which we were both committed. Thank you again. Remember Jim! Kenn Thomas

This book is an outstanding bit of investigative journalism...The authors quoted Danny Casolero notes, ...Danny found out on the Island of Dominica that there was a secret satellite transmitting and receiving base built in conjuction with the PLA, rogue intelligence agents and with US funds and US corporations involved. He was about to receive information from a Hughes Corporation employee when he met his untimely death. This information would tie a loose cabal together. This book is the "key" for uncovering probably the greatest threat to freedom for the 21 century. It is an easy read, yet exciting and very factual.