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| English: A few lines of simple PDL code can generate this image. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| JetBlue Airways Airbus A320, Cibao Airport STI/MDST, Dominican Republic (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Homeless on bench, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico Français : Un sans-abri allongé sur un banc. Photo prise à Hermosillo, dans l'état du Sonora (Mexique). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| Aerial photograph of Nogales, Ariz. (lower left), the United States-Mexican border (diagonally from left to right), and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico (upper right). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Pitaya at San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Français : Des cactus cierges à San Carlos, dans le Sonora, au Mexique. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Romney-Ryan Agenda-- Overwhelmingly Rejected Younger Voters
Polls generally show the youth vote (18-29 year olds) surly but leaning
strongly towards Obama and the Democrats. In the Harvard poll linked above,
Obama leads Romney 48-26%. And although 54% of these young people say they
disapproved of Democrats in Congress (41% approving), an astounding 71%
disapproved of the obstructionist Republicans who have purposefully turned
Congress into the enemy of the American people (23% approving, too dumb to
know any better).
The problem for Obama is that those who say they were definitely vote is
down by 15% when compared to 2008. A case has been... more »
Sunday Classics preview: Meet Tchaikovsky's Tatiana, who's going to be writing a famous letter
*Soprano Anna Leese and baritone Mark Stone as Tatiana and Onegin in Act I
of Yevgeny Onegin at London's Opera Holland Park this past July*
*by Ken*
In early September we listened to a bunch of Tchaikovsky waltzes that
included the one embedded in the opening scene of Act II of the composer's
opera *Yevgeny Onegin*, which led to mention of the letter that young
Tatiana Larina had written to a guest at her mother's country estate,
Yevgeny Onegin, the worldly friend of her sister Olga's fiancé, Lenski. The
writing of that letter is one of opera's great scenes, and I've been
meaning ... more »
While Americans Are Sleeping On The Streets In A Crumbling USA... US Criminal Government "Extends" $4 BILLION Israel "Loan" (Free Handout) Program!
America is now definitely an empire in steep decline... Right now, there
are some 50+ Million US Citizens that are totally dependent on food stamps
just to stay alive, which is in itself outrageous! We also see a nation
now with a 25+ % unemployment rate (NOT the fraudulent "8%" that the US
govt continues to harp), and American citizens sleeping on the streets of
its once proud cities. It is absolutely revolting to behold how such a
great nation is now a shadow of its past glory.
But in spite of all the domestic problems at home, and where the US
government should be concentrating... more »
The Poet: John O’Donohue, “For The Time Of Necessary Decision”
*“For The Time Of Necessary Decision”*
“The mind of time is hard to read.
We can never predict what it will bring,
Nor even from all that is already gone
Can we say what form it finally takes;
For time gathers its moments secretly.
Often we only know it’s time to change
When a force has built inside the heart
That leaves us uneasy as we are.
Perhaps the work we do has lost its soul
Or the love where we once belonged
Calls nothing alive in us anymore.
We drift through this gray, increasing nowhere
Until we stand before a threshold we know
We have to cross to come alive once more.
May w... more »
Traditional O'odham leaders support Guarijios battle against Los Pilares dam
Statement of the Traditional O’odham Leaders of the O’odham Communities
of Sonora, Mexico in Support of the Guarijio against the flooding of
traditional lands by the Los Pilares / Bicentenario dam project on the
upper River Mayo in southeast Sonora State
http://chiltepines.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/declaracion-de-los-lideres-tradicionales-oodham-en-apoyo-al-pueblo-guarijio/
Los
O´odham y
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Every book has a first page and every catalog a first entry. And so this
lovely blue cosmic cloud begins the van den Bergh Catalog (vdB) of stars
surrounded by reflection nebulae. Interstellar dust clouds reflecting the
light of the nearby stars, the nebulae usually appear blue because
scattering by the dust grains is more effective at shorter (bluer)
wavelengths. The same type of scattering gives planet Earth its blue
daytime skies.
* Click image for larger size.*
Van den Bergh's 1966 list contains a total of 158 entries more easily
visible from the northern hemisphere, includ... more »
"No BS Theory of Life"
* "No BS Theory of Life"*
by Dr. Robert Lanza
"Forget the self-help books. No book or person can promise you happiness.
Christmas time is the mostly likely time of the year to experience
depression. We share our love with friends and family, and get lots of
gifts. So why aren't we all joyous? What the hell is going on?
Did you ever wonder why people like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson
didn't fare any better than you or I despite all their money, fame, and
access to people of wisdom? The answer lies in your own backyard. Look at
the shrubs, tangled with vines, with here and th... more »
Corporate Education's Anti-Democratic Effects
From the NEPC at the University of Colorado, Boulder:
BOULDER, CO October 16, 2012 – “Local control” has been a bedrock
principle of public schooling in America since its earliest days, but a new
report concludes the concept “has all but disappeared” in discussions of
education policy.
The report, *Democracy Left Behind: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine
Local School Governance and Democratic Education*, by Kenneth Howe and
David Meens of the University of Colorado Boulder, examines the impact on
democratic ideals of vanishing local control over education. The report
examines... more »
31 Days of Photo Props:Special Blankets
Lovies and blankies, there are lots of names for special blankets, each
family seems to have their own. Whatever your name for them, they are a big
part of your little one's childhood and should be documented before they
wear out.
Try and keep the poses very natural, things that they already do. My two
favorite poses for special blankets are a back shot of the child holding
the blanket over their shoulder and playing peek-a-boo with the blanket. I
also often use the blanket as a backdrop for the little one to lay against.
Not every child has a special blanket, but those who do, lo... more »
The Poet: Clarice Lispector, "Change"
*"Change"*
by Clarice Lispector
"Change.
But start slowly, because direction is more important than speed.
Sit in another chair, on the other side of the table.
Later on, change tables.
When you go out, try to walk on the other side of the street. Then change
your route, walk calmly down other streets, observing closely the places
you pass by.
Take other buses. Change your wardrobe for a while; give away your old
shoes and try to walk barefoot for a few days– even if only at home.
Take off a whole afternoon to stroll about freely, listening to the birds
or the noise of the cars.
Ope... more »
Arizona Citizens' Election Integrity Lawsuit Explained by Attorney Brad Roach and Republican Candidate Bill Beard
From left to right: Attorney Brad Roach, John Brakey,
Bill Beard, Chris DeSimone *KVOA Wakeup Tucson at 7:00 AM Mountain Time on
1030 AM radio*
Stay tuned for the final clip containing Pima County shill Benny White
refusing to
participate in the Elections Integrity Board's emergency meeting scheduled
to discuss former NSA employee Mickey Duniho's analysis of past elections.
White mistakenly assumed that the meeting was going to discuss the pending
lawsuit requiring Pima County to follow existing election laws. One can
assume he is also mistaken in thinking he can be a co-defendan... more »
Is Robert "No Relation to Paul" Samuelson the reason we can't have any serious discussion of the functioning of government?
*Would it help if "No Relation" occasionally read a book by someone
peddling something other than the mindless platitudes of conventional
economic wisdom? You know, I really don't think so.*
*by Ken*
Okay, I've overdramatized. No, of course, Robert "No Relation to Paul"
Samuelson isn't the reason we can't have any serious discussion of the
functioning of government. He's much more a symptom than a cause of the
problem(s). But if you don't think the problem is made worse by having a
venue as august as the *Washington Post* offering license to pontificate on
finance and economics to... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Prescott Valley, Arizona, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Chet Raymo, “Counting Out”
*“Counting Out” *
by Chet Raymo
"Remember "counting out"? Do kids still "count out"? Consider a count among
six children:
(1)Einie (2)meenie (3)meinie (4)mo, (5)catch (6)a feller (1) by the (2)toe,
(3)if he (4)hollers (5)let him (6)go, (1)einie (2)meenie (3)meinie (4)mo.
Number 4 is "out."
Back in the early 70s, Kenneth Goldstein published an ethnographic study of
counting out rhymes. By extending the rhyme, a clever counter could count
out a child other than number 4:
(5)My (6)mother (1)says (2)that (3)you (4)are (5)it.
Or further:
(6)But (1)I (2)say (3)that (4)you (5)are (6... more »
Vote Suppression ... Here it comes!!!
This is emblematic of the sort of rationalization progressives are making
in response to the bone-headed ruling by a bunch of hack Supreme Court
justices and allied moron Supreme Court justices:
By now it may have become apparent that I've been won over by the majority
ruling and I'll tip my hat to Adam Goldenberg for the argument that really
solidified it for me. But his piece is in the *Ottawa Citizen* and while I
was able to read it the first time I clicked through, now it's behind the
paywall. If they don't really want me to send them traffic, so be it. I'll
paraphrase.
Attempts... more »
Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet- On Laws"
*"The Prophet- On Laws"*
"You delight in laying down laws,
Yet you delight more in breaking them.
Like children playing by the ocean who build sand-towers with
constancy and then destroy them with laughter.
But while you build your sand-towers the ocean brings more sand to the
shore,
And when you destroy them the ocean laughs with you.
Verily the ocean laughs always with the innocent.
But what of those to whom life is not an ocean,
and man-made laws are not sandtowers,
But to whom life is a rock, and the law a chisel with which
they would carve it in their own likeness?
What of the cr... more »
Neocons Exploit Death of Americans For Political Gain
The fact that Neocons like to politicize the death of Americans is nothing
new. Remember 9/11.
The attack on the American ambassador in Benghazi on the eleventh
anniversary of 9/11 has also been politicized by the Neocons.
Neocon con artist William Kristol attacks President Obama in this *ridiculous
article*, asking at the end, "did President Obama decide against sending in
military assets to help the Americans in need?"
Is he implying that Obama is responsible for the deaths of Americans? Yes
he is. Kristol is exploiting a tragedy, a human error, or worse (a false
flag attack by... more »
John (Fire) Lame Deer, "On Natural Diversity…"
"On Natural Diversity…"
by John (Fire) Lame Deer
"Even animals of the same kind – two deer, two owls – will behave
differently from each other. I have studied many plants. The leaves of one
plant, on the same stem – none is exactly alike. On all the earth there is
not one leaf that is exactly like another. The Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka,
likes it that way. He only sketches out the path of life roughly for all
the creatures on earth, shows them where to go, where to arrive at, but
leaves them to find their own way to get there. He wants them to act
independently according to their... more »
Pima commission to discuss chance of election fraud in larger precincts
Arizona Daily Star
Carli Brosseau
The Pima County Election Integrity Commission is holding a special meeting
today to talk about whether one member's statistical analysis of votes in
recent elections shows evidence of fraud.
Under the group's bylaws, an emergency meeting can be held if at least five
of the nine members call for one.
Michael "Mickey" Duniho
His presentation to the Election Integrity Board
will be posted on The Intercept today.Mickey Duniho, a retired National
Security Agency computer programmer, requested the meeting two days ago
after he began plotting cumulative ... more »
F-35, the song remains the same
Something
about the head of the RCAF saying the fighter procurement office not
yet receiving instructions to look at not-JSFs as options and then later
saying he misspoke or something. Uh huh.
Anyway, for those still intersted, there's a link to the CBC item here.
Me, this beyond the absurd and I'm finding myself less than interested
in the outcome.
The Cons, through intent and incompetence
Eid Al Adha - "Eid Mubarak!"
Eid al-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of
Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to
sacrifice his son Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event.
It's Time to Bash Benefit-Bashing
I've had enough. *BBC Question Time* yesterday evening was the last straw.
In a debate about IDS's #BBCQT-watching audience, it shouldn't come as much
of a surprise to anyone. I started reading a newspapers in the late 80s (*The
Sun, The Star,* and *News of the World* in case you were wondering). There
has scarcely been a day since then when these rags did not print something
decrying scroungers of one kind or another. Back in the day, single mums
were vilified. Asylum Seekers, the unemployed, the disabled have each had
their turns since - sometimes discretely, at others all simulta... more »
Qatari Emir The Most Powerful Person In Libya - Libyan Exile
Source: Morris.
Red flags ignored for years at firm in meningitis crisis
A cracked vial here, a missing label there. The complaints coming into New
England Compounding Center, the firm at the heart of the deadly U.S.
meningitis outbreak, were piling up.
In March, regulators responded to a complaint from the prestigious
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary about a potency concern involving one
of the eye medications it purchased from NECC. The investigation is ongoing.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-usa-health-meningitis-necc-idUSBRE89P12N20121026
Meningitis death toll reaches 25 with another Tennessee fatality
The U.S. death toll from a meningitis outbreak tied to contaminated steroid
injections reached 25 on Friday following another death in Tennessee, the
state where the problem was first discovered, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention said.
In its daily update on the meningitis emergency, the CDC said the latest
fatality brings the number of deaths to 10 in Tennessee, the most of any
state.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-usa-health-meningitis-idUSBRE89M08V20121026
Boeing Successfully Tests Microwave Missile That Takes Out Electronic Targets (Killing You Silently)
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/10/25/boeing-successfully-tests-microwave-missile-that-takes-out-electronic-targets/
4.9 Magnitude Earthquake PHILIPPINE ISLANDS REGION - 26th October 2012
Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 21:11:57 UTC
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 05:11:57 AM at epicenter
Location
10.667°N, 126.806°E
Depth
35 km (21.7 miles)
Region
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS REGION
Distances
124 km (77 miles) ESE (109°) from Guiuan, Samar, Philippines
He Knows God's Mind (REALLY! Just Ask Him), Budget Cuts Push Spain's Jobless To 25 Percent, & BoA Only Loses $80 Billion This Week!
He really does. Just ask him. Or tune in. As millions do. Still. Beck:
God ‘guided’ Romney to lose final debate Where are the granny glasses,
Glennie? And the blackboard? Our oracle. Budget Cuts Push Spain Jobless To
25 Percent People wait to enter a government-run employment office in
Madrid September 4, 2012. (Credit: Reuters/Susana Vera)MADRID | Fri Oct 26,
2012
First Poll Released In Sask NDP Leadership Race
* (Click on image to enlarge ... )
*
*The Erin Weir campaign is releasing the results of a telephone poll of Saskatchewan
NDP members conducted last week. The survey found a close race for the
provincial leadership with dramatic differences in support between
geographic areas.
Among the minority of New Democrats who were decided, Trent Wotherspoon
had a modest overall lead based almost entirely on support in Regina. Erin
Weir and Cam Broten were tied for second, with Broten’s support almost
exclusively concentrated in Saskatoon.
“The sitting MLAs have a head start in their home c... more »
Entire North American internet suddenly slowed down today at 5:30am
Death and Taxes
By Ned Hepburn
[image: internet-slows-down - Entire North American internet suddenly
slowed down today at 5:30am]
The Internet Traffic Report is showing that packet loss – which is (I’m
paraphrasing here) data sent over the the internet that fails to reach its
intended destination – has sharply increased since early this morning, from
a usual loss of yesterday’s 24% to around 36% as of 2pm today, EST. A
general rule of thumb is that the higher the packet loss, the slower the
internet. Here’s the graph of packet loss over the last 24 hours:
Some major servers in New... more »
Buck McKeon Says He's Not As Corrupt As Everyone Asserts He Is-- Let's Look Into His Specious Claim
No one dares to take on the biggest McKeon scandal-- how his insatiable gambling
habit and huge losses at the Venetian Casino have put him in the clutches
of Organized Crime boss Sheldon Adelson, an agent of China, not something
even many Republican congressmen are happy to see when it comes to the
chairmen of the House Armed Services Committee (who gets *very* sensitive
briefings from the CIA that Adelson's Chinese partners would give anything
to get). So let's talk about the scandals that are routinely kicked around
Washington and Santa Clarita-- his bribes from Angelo Mozilo an... more »
They Should Spin. We Shouldn't Listen
Greg has a nice item out this afternoon about what the campaigns are
claiming about their internal polls, which reminds me of something I forgot
to include, although I've said it before, in my item the other day about how
I'm following the polling: I'm absolutely, completely ignoring any claims
about internal polls. This is really basic: anything they say (or anything
that they leak) is going to be self-serving. And on top of that, there's no
magic here; there's no reason for us to believe that the campaigns know
more about the horse race from their internal polling than we know from... more »
UN to investigate civilian deaths from US drone strikes
Guardian
Owen Bowcott
Special rapporteur on counter-terror operations condemns Barack Obama's
failure to establish effective monitoring process
[image: US Predator drone]Ben Emmerson QC called for effective
investigations into US drone attacks.
The United Nations is to set up a dedicated investigations unit in Geneva
early next year to examine the legality of drone attacks in cases where
civilians are killed in so-called "targeted" counter-terrorism operations.
The announcement was made by Ben Emmerson QC, a UN special rapporteur, in a
speech to Harvard law school in which he conde... more »
“Zynga: Farmville Apocalypse?"
*“Zynga: Farmville Apocalypse?"*
Could Zynga Layoffs Mark the Beginning of the Second Dotcom Crash?
By Willard Foxton
․
"The internet gaming company Zynga, creators of Farmville, yesterday laid
off over 100 employees, closing their UK studio as well as development
studios in Boston, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas. This mass layoff comes
after a string of high-profile departures – vice presidents, a chief
operating officero and some of talented developers have jumped ship over
the summer. Stories have percolated out about Zynga's supposedly toxic
internal culture for some tim... more »
One wonders whether they believe the nuclear disaster will soon be repeated?
UPDATE: Forecast predicts wider evacuations needed if nuclear disaster
repeated http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201210240073
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake SHIKOKU, JAPAN - 26th October 2012
Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:44:35 UTC
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 04:44:35 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
33.465°N, 133.450°E
Depth
17 km (10.6 miles)
Region
SHIKOKU, JAPAN
Distances
9 km (5 miles) S of Ino, Japan
4.8 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 26th October 2012
Magnitude
4.8
Date-Time
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:33:11 UTC
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 04:33:11 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
37.690°N, 141.561°E
Depth
61 km (37.9 miles)
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
54 km (33 miles) ENE of Namie, Japan
The Economy: "15 Signs That Layoffs And Job Losses Are Skyrocketing"
* "Will The Bottom Fall Out? *
*15 Signs That Layoffs And Job Losses Are Skyrocketing"*
by Michael Snyder
"If you still have a good job, you might want to hold on to it very tightly
because there are a whole bunch of signs that unemployment in the United
States is about to start getting worse again. Over the past several weeks,
a substantial number of large corporations have announced disappointing
earnings for the third quarter. Many of those large corporations are also
loaded up with huge amounts of debt.
So what is the solution? Well, the favorite solution on Wall Street thes... more »
But is it? - A Rule 5 Friday Night Post
Further to this...
Natalie Portman fights back...
Over to you Scarlett...
Thanks!
Third Party Debates and UFAA Offer a Road Map for Political Success
Brandon Turbeville
At times in America, it seems like there are at least two very different
but parallel realities in existence. In one of these realities, the
population has accepted total government/corporate control over the
entirety of their lives; whereas, in the other, the population has rejected
that notion.
Likewise, there appears to be a universe where perpetual war is accepted by
the masses as a necessity; while, in the other, the populace recognizes the
necessity of ending it.
Concurrently, one philosophy holds that a ravaged planet, large-scale
death, and a constant... more »
The Effects of Government Debt on Growth
An analysis from Stanford's Michael Boskin.
Satire: "G.O.P. Split Over Whether to Emphasize Misogyny or Racism"
*"G.O.P. Split Over Whether to Emphasize Misogyny or Racism"*
by Andy Borowitz
NEW HAMPSHIRE (The Borowitz Report)— "With less than two weeks to go until
Election Day, there is a deep divide among Republican leaders over whether
to emphasize misogyny or racism as the campaign’s closing theme. In one
camp is the Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who says that his
view that God is sometimes O.K. with rape is “gaining real traction with a
key demographic: men who don’t like women very much.” “I can’t tell you how
many misogynists have come up to me at my rallies and said, ‘... more »
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake TARAPACA, CHILE - 26th October 2012
Magnitude ML 4.1
Region TARAPACA, CHILE
Date time 2012-10-26 18:57:42.0 UTC
Location 20.09 S ; 69.36 W
Depth 107 km
Distances 83 km E Iquique, Chile
Comcaac (Seri) honored as 'Pillars of the World'
Article, photo and video by Brenda Norrell
Censored News copyright
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
BE' CHUK' (HERMOSILLO, Sonora, Mexico ) -- Today, Amacia Astorga and
Adolfo Burgos, Comca'ac (Seri) were honored as Pillars of the World
during the Second Reunion of the Spiritual Guides of the Region.
Discussions center on the spiritual well being of Sonora, including
water, land,
You know who else used to photoshop his photo ops?
No sillies, not Hitler. Well, maybe he did, Leni was a great propagandist,
but you will recall the many instances of Bush era photoshopping from the
toppling of Saddam's statue to the crowds at Georgie's speeches.
Not for nothing, has Romney hired nearly every Bushie apparatchik. They
come in very handy when one needs to fake the attendance at a Romney rally.
Gotta keep the myth of Mittster's phony momentum going somehow.
[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]
Welcome to Alberta’s Wild West, where the market sets the value of your vote
Drug store billionaire Daryl Katz, right, discusses his plans for a new
Edmonton hockey arena with a representative of the Alberta government.
Since Wild West hockey barons may not appear exactly as illustrated, a
photo of the real Mr. Katz is shown below. (CBC Photo, circa 2008.) Look,
people, this here is the Wild West. ... more »
Sexual innuendo is in the eye of the beholder - Updated
Before I even saw Lena Dunham's ad endorsing President Obama, I knew I was
going to love it because of this tweet:
Erick son of Erick: What's worse than the Obama as is that some people
really like it. We do live in a fallen, depraved world destined for the
fire.
He, of course, meant to say Obama ad, but typos aside, Erick son of Erick
was joined in his horror by the entire population of Nutopia. Surely this
is the first sign of the apocalypse and the whole of humanity is doomed to
roast in hell now. What's most amusing about their mighty fauxrage is their
own hero, Ronald Reagan ... more »
The Times pretends to do campaign reporting!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012*
*Breaking! How many people in campaign ads seem to be visually sad:*Finally!
Finally, with Election Day nearing, the New York Times has done an
extremely long, carefully researched front-page news report!
The report runs 4900 words. But it isn’t about our election campaign. This
lengthy report is all about the wealth of China’s first family.
The Times still hasn’t reported about the way Bain Capital underfunded the
pensions at that Kansas City steel mill. But please don’t despair:
Even if Romney is getting a pass, the Chinese first family is not!
Alas! A... more »
As If You Need Another Reason to Despise the Harper Government
One of the most odious and blatantly theocratic affronts perpetrated by the
Harper regime is its fierce opposition to physician-assisted suicide for
the terminally ill.
Team Harper is now before the B.C. Court of Appeal seeking to overturn a
decision in June that struck down the government prohibition on
doctor-assisted suicide.
The Harper regime's arguments and the standard, vacuous pap: this is a
decision that only government can take and allowing assisted suicide would
put vulnerable people at risk of being coerced or even forced to end their
lives.
Bollocks.
Oregon has a d... more »
‘Frankenstorm’ has financial centers on edge
Hurricane Sandy is already being billed as a “Frankenstorm” for its
potential to wreak havoc on U.S. financial centers as well as the travel
infrastructure in New York, with heavy winds and rain expected on the East
Coast early next week.
Wall Street and a big chunk of the nation’s biggest cities currently lie in
the path of Sandy.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/frankenstorm-has-financial-centers-on-edge-2012-10-26
By sending the American military off to fight wars over issues that are of no concern to Americans, the US politicians are clearly playing our troops and their families for fools.
[image: US Marine cries at memorial for fellow Marines]
*A US Marine cries at a memorial for fellow Marines who were killed in
battle in Iraq. The Iraq war was launched by US politicians to please their
bosses in the powerful Israel lobby. The politicians of both parties play
American military people for fools. But, click on the photo and distribute
some cheer for the troops!!*
Oakland County, Michigan Defends U.S. Constitution Against NDAA
*Activist Post*
It has been said that the key to politics is persistence. In the fight
against one of the most draconian laws in history, that persistence has
definitely paid off.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) typically funds our national
defense, including the military. It has been passed by Congress and signed
by the President for 48 years now. While most previous versions have had
little to no effect on America’s liberty or freedom, the 2012 NDAA destroys
our Bill of Rights.
When the 2012 NDAA was being debated in the U.S. Senate, Senator Lindsey
Graham (R-S... more »
NOW OBAMA PUTS ROMNEY IN 'DUNCE HAT'
......The elections have sunk to playground level
http://barackobama.tumblr.com/post/34165736532/sums-it-up
CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say
Former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods was part of a small team who was at the CIA
annex about a mile from the U.S. consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens
and his team came under attack. When he and others heard the shots fired,
they informed their higher-ups at the annex to tell them what they were
hearing and requested permission to go to the consulate and help out. They
were told to "stand down,"
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/
Greek opposition rejects new cuts but won't force poll
Greece's opposition leader denounced international lenders' demands as
dealing the "final blow" to a devastated economy but said on Friday he
would not seek to bring down the government.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-eurozone-greece-tsipras-idUSBRE89P0YI20121026
European banks protest Dodd-Frank
Some European banks are ordering their brokers to rein in and even quit
trading some derivatives with U.S.-based peers in a protest against tough
new American rules.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-europe-derivatives-doddfrank-idUSBRE89P0UZ20121026
Brazil hit by new blackout Leaving 53 million Brazilians in the dark
A massive blackout left as many as 53 million Brazilians in the dark late
Thursday and early Friday, the latest in a string of energy shortages that
have raised questions about whether Brazil's infrastructure is keeping pace
with economic growth.
Officials said a fire in a substation in the Amazon knocked out the whole
northeastern electricity grid in the region's worst blackout since 2001.
The outage, which follows two other big blackouts in Brazil in as many
months, lasted up to four hours in some places and brought major industries
to a halt.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/1... more »
Man Buys 1 Million Facebook Users’ Personal Information for $5
Anthony Gucciardi
How much is your personal information worth? How about a data set
consisting of over 1 million individual’s personal information complete
with their full legal name, personal E-mail address, and URL to their
Facebook account as confirmation?
According to one ‘mystery’ company that recently sold 1 million Facebook
users’ personal information to a very surprised blogger, not very much at
all. About $5, to be specific.
It all started when one blogger, a self-proclaimed seeker of ‘cheap’ deals
that pertain to potentially useful or interesting subjects, stumbled ac... more »
ten year study - there are no psychic people
well, at least I've never found any
and don't think I haven't tried
in fact
over the last TEN YEARS I've been sending out psychic messages to
ANYONE WHO'S ABLE TO PICK THEM UP
so far, noone,
has come up to me and said, "I'm psychic, please stop sending me these
messages."
In fact, nobody even seems to bother what I 'send them' psychically
iff I'm sending ANYTHING psychically
and such psychic impotence wouldn't surprise me.
Anybody successfully sent, and had confirmed receipt?
I mean, SERIOUSLY?
OBAMA WENT TO JAKARTA
*Obama is not popular in Indonesia.* Website for this image
Obama went to Egypt, and then Egypt was wrecked.
Obama went to Indonesia...
*Obama observing the schoolkids in Jakarta. *Website for this image
Indonesia's economy is booming.
By 2030, Indonesia could be the 7th largest economy in the world,
overtaking Germany and the UK.
But how long will the boom last?
Fifteen years ago, the Indonesian economy crashed.
The CIA reportedly wanted Indonesia's President Suharto toppled.
*aangirfan: SUHARTO - BIG DADDY*
*
*
*In May 1998, gangsters were brought into Jakarta to burn and rape... more »
Founder of Warmongering Network Says War Is Bad
The owner of CNN, the network that vomits out nothing but war propaganda,
says war is bad and a reflection of unenlightened barbarism. This hypocrite
should tell that to his own news anchors and reporters who believe a USrael
war against Iran is a good idea, and that the NATO wars in Libya and Syria
will bring freedom.
Remember: CNN was behind 9/11 propaganda, Afghanistan war propaganda, Iraq
war propaganda, Libya war propaganda, and Syria war propaganda. It is now
pushing for an American-Israeli attack on Iran. All CNN does is war
propaganda. But its founder and owner says the worl... more »
Weekly Find: Pop Chips!
*Weekly Find: Pop Chips!*
I am sure some of you may have already heard of PopChips! I discovered them
a couple of months ago, but then had trouble finding them in any local
stores. Now I have found that they are sold in Whole Foods and most health
food stores, I am sure they will hit a wider market soon!
There are several flavors, but the one I recommend is the Salt and Pepper.
They are extremely satisfying, yet not fried or baked, but popped...
however that works, I don't really care. Check out the ingredients list and
you will find that you can actually understand everything it s... more »
Bird Flu claims 3600 turkeys in govt poultry body at Bangalore, India
About 3,600 Turkeys have died of avian influenza (H5N1) at the Central
Poultry Development Organisation at Hesaragatta on the city outskirts, a
government official said here today.
"The remaining 700 Turkeys have been culled",Secretary in the Department of
Animal Husbandry,Arvind Jannu,told PTI here.
CPDO has been quarantined,he said. Confirmation that these birds died
following the influenza came from Bhopal-based high security animal disease
laboratory two days ago.
A radius of one kilometre around CPDO has been declared as an infected
zone. "We are watching other birds".
http:/... more »
Salton Sea Volcano Mystery Solved, California
In August, an earthquake swarm shook the nearby town of Brawley. The USGS
attributed the temblors to faults in the Brawley Seismic Zone. In
September, a sulfurous stench emanated from the Salton Sea and wafted
across the Inland Empire. The odor was tentatively linked to a fish
die-off, but could also have been caused by volcanic gases, Stock said.
http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/3686-salton-buttes-younger.html
Iceland warns of threat of big earthquake
Icelandic authorities warned people in the north of the island on Thursday
to prepare for a possible big earthquake after the biggest tremors in the
area for 20 years.
The north Atlantic island, where almost 320,000 people live, is a hotspot
of volcanic and seismic activity as it straddles a fault in the earth's
surface
It said such shocks, one of which was a magnitude 5.6, often led to
stronger quakes. Warnings were issued when there were grounds to expect a
natural or manmade event that could threaten health and human safety, it
added.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/... more »
Louisiana sinkhole: sharp tremor recorded by USGS monitors just after 9 p.m.
KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News
Syrian opposition will not observe the truce: Webster Tarpley
Webster G. Tarpley, Ph.D.
Press TV
October 26, 2012
....
The Afghan War: Just the Facts
Daily Bell
*Afghanistan mosque suicide bomb attack kills at least 41 ... A suicide
bomber targeted worshippers who had gathered at a mosque in north
Afghanistan for prayers to mark Eid al-Adha, killing at least 41 people.
More than 50 people were wounded in the attack, which happened as people
were leaving the Eid Gah mosque in Maymana, capital of Faryab province.
Senior provincial government and police officials attended the prayers, but
appeared to escape serious injury. The victims were mainly police officers
and civilians. This attack in Maymana, the provincial capital of Fary... more »
Third party suspect defence
R. v. Tehrankari, 2012 ONCA 718 deals with when a third party suspect
defence will be allowed:
[35] An accused charged with a crime is entitled by way of defence to
adduce evidence that a third party, not the accused, committed the crime.
The evidence must meet the test of relevancy and must have sufficient
probative value to justify its reception. In order to be relevant and
probative, the evidence must connect the third person with the crime. If
there is an insufficient connection between the third person and the crime,
the evidence will lack the requisite air of reality: ... more »
Paul Ceglia Arrested in a multibillion-dollar scheme to defraud Facebook Inc
The businessman sued Facebook and its CEO in 2010 claiming a 2003 contract
he signed with Zuckerberg, then a Harvard University student, entitled him
to a stake in the social media company. This past March, as part of that
case, Facebook released emails sent by Zuckerberg around the time of the
contract to show Ceglia's claims were false.
"Ceglia used the federal court system to perpetuate his fraud and will now
be held accountable for his criminal scheme," Orin Snyder, a partner at law
firm Gibson Dunn representing Facebook and Zuckerberg in the civil case,
said in a statement.
h... more »
Michael Jacob Death In Police Custody: Cocaine Use A Factor
Cocaine-use contributed to the death of a man in custody - but police
failures may also have been to blame, jurors say.
Jacob Michael, 25, was arrested for affray at his home in Widnes in August
2011 after allegedly threatening police with a hammer.
http://news.sky.com/story/1003088/death-in-police-custody-cocaine-use-a-factor
ICAT on Hurricane Sandy Damage Benchmarks
ICAT just sent out this summary (here in PDF) of an analysis using the ICAT
Damage Estimator (based on our normalized hurricane loss database):
The ICAT Damage Estimator (www.icatdamageestimator.com) can be used to
obtain statistics regarding historic storms that have followed similar
paths to Hurricane Sandy’s current forecast path. For this analysis, the
Active Storms search feature was used to select all historic storms that
have made landfall within the current range of computer model forecasts.
This range includes the coastline from near the MD/VA border on the
DelMarVa Penin... more »
'Out of touch' Spanish prince shakes hand of beggar
Spain's heir to the throne was accused of being "out of touch" with the
nation after mistakenly shaking the hand of a beggar who had extended her
palm in the hope of receiving money.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9633830/Out-of-touch-Spanish-prince-shakes-hand-of-beggar.html
Syrian Rebels Set off a Car bomb in Damascus killing at least five people
The Syrian Army and rebel fighters have both apparently broken a four-day
ceasfire agreed to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid.
The blast in the capital comes on the first day of a ceasefire brokered by
UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.
http://news.sky.com/story/1002920/syria-deadly-car-bomb-attack-in-capital
Only three things certain in life: death, taxes, and BBC anti-Israel bias - The Commentator
' Only three things certain in life: death, taxes, and BBC anti-Israel
biasBBC Gaza correspondent shows prejudice towards Israel on Twitter'
http://www.thecommentator.com/article/1923/only_three_things_certain_in_life_death_taxes_and_bbc_anti_israel_bias#.UIq1ILqxJOE.twitter
Palestinian terrorists on the payroll : British taxpayers are helping to pay the salaries of jailed bomb makers. : Henry Jackson Society
'British taxpayers are helping to pay the salaries of jailed bomb makers. '
http://henryjacksonsociety.org/2012/10/26/palestinian-terrorists-on-the-payroll/
the watchtower
"When the power of love
overcomes the love of power
the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix.
(all along the watchtower)
Canada says UN official who called for Israel boycott should quit
Editors Note: Join Richard Falk in attracting the ire of Canada! Boycott
Israel.
Toronto Sun
David Akin
OTTAWA - Canada joined the United States and Israel late Thursday night in
calling for the resignation of a United Nations official charged with
monitoring and reporting on human rights in the Palestinian territories.
That official, Richard Falk, the UN's special rapporteur for the
Palestinian Territories, called for a worldwide boycott earlier Thursday of
companies tied to Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian
territories.
That recommendation was immediately conde... more »
*Mother* Russia and her Totalitarian Christian Patriarchy
[image: Pussy Riot]
From Putin and Kirill - the dogmatic duo that viciously punished Pussy Riot- more ideological crap.
*Christians from Russia's Orthodox community are demanding that the
country's Apple division remove the famous half-bitten apple logo from its
products and replace it with a cross, because they find the apple image
offensive to their beliefs.**
**In popular culture, an apple is often used to represent the fruit that
Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge when tempted by the devil, as
found in Genesis 3 in the Bible – although the exact type of fruit is not
men... more »
'Scarlett Johansson’s Cleavage is Way Better Than Natalie Portman’s' - A Friday night Rule 5 post
Brave words from Egotastic, albeit backed up with 'evidence'
Hmmm "How happy could I be with either, Were t'other dear charmer away!" *as
**Louis Mazzini tenth Duke of Chalfont muses at the end of Kind Hearts and
Coronets - one of my top 10 favorite films of all time.*
Criminals On Wall Street? Who Could Have Guessed? And What About Capitol Hill?
Today in So. Lancaster; tomorrow Palmdale
I hope you read the Muppets post and watched the *60 Minutes* segment with
Goldman Sachs whistleblower Gregg Smith that we embedded Wednesday morning.
In the pathology of the 1 percent, criminal behavior from the elites of
High Finance are, to put it mildly, predictable. Enabling it for a cut of
the action-- which is, after all, the Republican Party agenda for Wall
Street "reform"-- is just as pathological. That same day, we saw Goldman
Sachs board member Rajat Gupta sentenced to two years in prison and ordered
to pay a $5 million fine for ga... more »
McCain keeps shooting off his mouth!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012*
*How the West Wing might be lost:* Last night, John McCain shot off his
mouth for Piers Morgan.
On MSNBC, it’s conventional to praise Saint McCain for having been less
racist than Romney back in 2008. That’s a bit of a reinvention. In 2008,
that pretty much isn't the way leading liberals saw things.
Whatevger! But even as this reinvention occurs, McCain is all over TV,
saying dumb shit like this:
MORGAN (10/25/12): Let's turn to an interview that Barack Obama has given
to Rolling Stone magazine and there's been some leaks from this in which
the presiden... more »
ELECTIONS RIGGED IN THE U.S.? YOU WON'T HEAR IT FROM THE U.S. MAINSTREAM MEDIA, BUT IT HAS BEED COVERED IN THE UK.
------------------------------
NSC Analyst Proves GOP is Stealing Elections
Politics | Denis G Campbell | October 25, 2012 6:00
pm Original here
------------------------------
*By Denis G. Campbell and
**Charley James
(c) 25 October 2012 *
UPDATED: Why is Mitt Romney so confident?
In states where the winner will be decided by less than 10%, of the vote he
already knows he will win. This is no tinfoil hat conspiracy. It’s a maths
problem. And mathematics showed changes in actual raw voting data that had
no statistical correlation other t... more »
NDP Government would return age of eligibility for Old Age Security to 65
*Today, in a speech before the Annual General Meeting of the seniors’
organization CARP, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair announced that a New Democratic
government would restore the age of eligibility for Old Age Security
benefits to 65.
More than 300,000 Canadians over the age of 65 are currently living in
poverty and an alarming number of them are in a fragile situation.
Eight million Canadians have no pension plan from their employer and many
are unable to save enough for their retirement.
The Conservatives’ wrong-headed choices and reckless cuts to Old Age
Security will have signific... more »
Assault on Democracy in Haiti from Counterpunch
WEEKEND EDITION OCTOBER 26-28, 2012
SHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWITTERSHARE ON GOOGLEMORE SHARING SERVICES5
An Interview with Jeb Sprague
The Assault on Democracy in Haiti
by DAVID ZLUTNICK
Jeb Sprague is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of California
at Santa Barbara, where his research is focused on Haiti. He has written
for numerous publications including Al Jazeera, the Miami Herald, Inter
Press Service, and many others. He received a Project Censored Award in
2008 for an article coauthored with Haitian journalist Wadner Pierre.
Sprague just released his first book, P... more »
East Coast Keeps a Watchful Eye on Hurricane Sandy - NYTimes.com
A driver maneuvered his car along a wet road as a wave crashed against the
Malecón in Havana on Thursday. Hurricane Sandy tore through the Bahamas
with 100-mile per hour winds early Friday, after killing at least 21 people
in the Caribbean, as it made its way toward the Eastern Seaboard. Hurricane
Sandy tore through the Bahamas with 100-mile per hour winds early Friday,
after killing at least 21 people in the Caribbean, as it made its way
toward the Eastern Seaboard. 'via Blog this'
Admissibility of non-expert “recognition evidence” deriving from the examination of a photograph or videotape
R. v. Berhe, 2012 ONCA 716 deals with the admissibility of non-expert
"recognition evidence" deriving from the examination of a photograph or
videotape. The Court holds:
[13] It has long been accepted that non-expert, lay opinion to the
effect that the witness recognizes the image of a person seen in a
photograph or on videotape, based on a prior connection with that person,
may be admissible in certain circumstances. This appeal is about the
contours of the test for admissibility of that type of evidence.
[14] In *R. v. Brown*, 215 C.C.C. (3d) 330 (C.A.), at para. 39,... more »
Puppy on subway
WOOFJust four months old and very friendly
(Updated)BC Liberals Public Affairs Bureau
CKNW`s question of the day.....
Do you think the BC Liberals can renew themselves before the spring
election?
At 8:10 am this morning the numbers were...
No-74.8%
Yes-25.2%
______________________________________
I guarantee you that by the time 4:00 pm rolls around those numbers will
turn around 180 degrees..
I voted before the BC Liberal PAB..Public affairs bureau have had their
scotch and corn flakes..
Interesting numbers though, at 8:10 am this morning the BC Liberals are
polling almost exactly what Angus Reid has pegged their support at..
I`ll update the results about 5... more »
'Culture of cruelty': 11 care home workers sentenced for shocking abuse of vulnerable residents exposed by Panorama probe
The staff, top left, admitted a total of 38 charges of either neglect or
ill-treatment of people with severe learning difficulties at a hospital in
South Gloucestershire, bottom left. Wayne Rogers was among the 11 staff -
nine support workers and two nurses - caught in a BBC Panorama sting by a
reporter with a hidden camera posing as a carer. He was sentenced to two
years in prison today. Victims of the abuse are captured on camera, bottom
right, while their friends and family were pictured crying outside court
today, top right.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223514/Winte... more »
Charges Dropped Against Nuclear Protesters
Daniel Ellsberg and 14 Nuclear Protesters Are Victorious in Federal
Court
By Jane Ayers, Reader Supported News 25 October 12 *U.S. government
dismisses case before trial begins
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/307-11/14194-daniel-ellsberg-and-14-nuclear-protesters-are-victorious-in-federal-court
*
[Excerpted] A federal Magistrate judge Rita Federman last Wednesday
allowed the U.S. government to dismiss all trespassing charges against
the
"Vandenberg 15," a group of citizens who in February conducted a civil
disobedience action at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The group was... more »
Autism, Neoliberalism and the Environment
Two days ago I reported that the director of the UC Davis MInd Institute
stated publicly that researchers he associates with are increasingly
convinced that the rise in autism diagnoses reflects actual increases in
the frequency of the disorder.
http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/autism-increase-real.html
I believe that also and am convinced that environmental contaminants are
the cause. However, I believe that environmental causes are not being fully
examined because of the political implications. In particular, the
neoliberal health paradigm that prevails responsibilizes indi... more »
Untitled
*Hurricane Sandy's expected landfall along the mid-Atlantic coast is likely
to be a billion-dollar disaster ~Weather Underground*
What is Wrong with Embellishing Science?
*embellishing*present participle of* em·bel·lish *(Verb) Verb:
1. Make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features: "blue silk embellished with golden embroidery".
2. Make (a statement or story) more interesting or entertaining by
adding extra details, esp. ones that are not true.
Yesterday, before heading back to the National Hurricane Center to help
deal with Sandy, Chris Landsea gave a great talk here at CU on hurricanes
and climate change (we'll have a video up soon). In Chris' talk he
explained that he has no doubts that... more »
'Sweeney Todd' cannibal gang accused of butchering girl and baking her remains pies - and feeding human flesh to baby
- Jorge Negromonte, 50, his wife Isabel Pires, 51, and his mistress
Bruna da Silva, 25, in court over three murders
- They allegedly killed the women before making traditional Brazilian
pies to sell to their neighbours
- The baby daughter of one of their victims was forced to eat her
mother's remains
- The trio have claimed to be part of a cult which kills people to
control the population
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223461/Sweeney-Todd-cannibal-gang-accused-baking-butchered-girls-remains-pies-sold-30p-feeding-human-flesh-baby.html
Michael Mann has doctored "his" Nobel prize diploma, too
The Examiner (via Climate Depot) brings us some incredible news about a
light question, namely whether Mr Michael Mann, the main person behind the
thoroughly discredited "hockey stick graph" of temperatures in the recent
1,000 years (or more years), has received a Nobel prize.
*Picture credits: WUWT. Click to zoom in.*
Thomas Richard of The Examiner asked Prof Geir Lundestad, the director of
the Norwegian Nobel Institute, whether Michael Mann has received a Nobel
prize, whether he was given a diploma, and whether the picture, originally
posted on WUWT (thanks, Anthony), which sh... more »
Large Storm to Hit US East Coast
East
Coast braces for monster 'Frankenstorm'
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPER_STORM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-10-26-07-48-21
WASHINGTON
(AP) -- The pre-Halloween hybrid weather monster that federal
forecasters call "Frankenstorm" is looking more
ominous by the hour for the
East Coast, and utilities and local governments are getting ready.
Meteorologists expect a natural horror show of high wind, heavy rain,
extreme tides and maybe snow to the west beginning early Sunday, peaking
with the arrival of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday and lingering past Ha... more »
Humanity's End Foretold in Destruction of Oceans
Cesium levels in fish off Fukushima not dropping October 26, 2012
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201210260047
[Exccerpted] Radioactive cesium levels in most kinds of fish caught off the
coast of Fukushima haven't declined in the year following Japan's nuclear
disaster, a signal that the seafloor or leakage from the damaged reactors
must be continuing to contaminate the waters -- possibly threatening
fisheries for decades, a researcher says.
..."The (radioactivity) numbers aren't going down. Oceans usually cause the
concentrations to decrease if the spigot ... more »
The Man Who Fell to Earth Redux
(By *American Zen*'s Mike Flannigan, on loan from Ari Goldstein.) **
*
*I'm only 98 or 99 per cent certain that Mitt Romney's of earthly origin.
During this election cycle, I've thought that, if a conspiracy theorist
were to put enough work and research into it, s/he could get an unlimited
number of people to also believe that Mitt Romney is simply not terrestrial.
Obviously, he is. If you look at pictures of a younger George Romney, the
similarity between him and his son Willard at comparable ages is striking.
Mitt is George's son, no doubt about it. No alien in the woodshed in Cas... more »
Untitled
CKNW's Question of the Day
Do you think that the BC Liberals can renew themselves before the spring
election? No
74.8% Yes
25.2%......8:10 am
North Korea in "Nationwide Quasi-State of War"
http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=9957
Canadian embassy evacuated in Washington for suspicious letter
Embassy spokesman Chris Plunkett said the U.S. Secret Service is
investigating the incident but there were no other details about the letter.
The embassy's 325 employees were evacuated at around 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330
GMT) and spilled onto Pennsylvania Avenue, a major artery in Washington
that leads to the White House just 1.5 miles away.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-usa-canada-embassy-idUSBRE89P0P420121026
A Bit More on Momentum
I had a post up yesterday over at Plum Line talking about the myth of
momentum, and why we shouldn't expect change in one direction in
presidential general elections to build on itself. You should also read
John Sides, who talks about media coverage, and Nate Silver, who supplies a useful
definition and a bit of empirical evidence. What I add to the mix in my
post is why we shouldn't expect the groups who are responsible for changes
in polls to yield continued changes.
Just one quick addition to all of that: just because momentum is unlikely
in the current election doesn't mean it c... more »
TRACK ME!
When corporate education antiquarians reformers talk about the virtues of
charter schools, high on their list is charter freedom from bureaucratic
red tape and regulations that rule the "government" schools. Without such
restrictions, the story goes, charter schools are free to innovate, adapt
to changing needs locally, and improve learning. Sounds great, right?
What this means in reality is that charter school corporations, both
nonprofit and forprofit, are unconstrained in opening schools in any
discarded shell of a building, without libraries, gyms, art rooms, clinics,
or any o... more »
Israeli strike on Sudan a dry run for attacking Iran ???
Israel operates inside Sudan. Not as if this is anything new or startling
*Israel has in fact operated as a destabilizer in Sudan for about 60 years.*
*Covered this aspect of Israel's African agenda previously here.*
*Timeline excerpt below. *
We can say that Israel's support for the separatist movement in the south
went through five stages which
Stage 1: throughout the 50's Israel concentrated on two things firstly
giving (humanitarian aid to the
south).....
Stage 2: In the 60's the following happened: Israeli weapon deals started
flowing to South Sudan through Uganda. The first de... more »
"Care and control" and when can the Crown appeal an acquittal at trial
*R. v. Boudreault*, 2012 SCC 56 deals with two important issues – the
meaning of “care and control” in the context of a motor vehicle and when a
Crown can appeal the acquittal of an accused.
“Care or control” within the meaning of s. 253(1) of the Criminal Code
signifies (1) an intentional course of conduct associated with a motor
vehicle; (2) by a person whose ability to drive is impaired, or whose blood
alcohol level exceeds the legal limit; (3) in circumstances that create a
realistic risk of danger to persons or property. With respect to the third
element, the risk of danger mu... more »
WHO LOST TRACK OF THE MAINSTREAM PRESS: Tears of rage!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012*
*Part 3—Joan Walsh’s false instruction:* In the aftermath of Monday’s
debate, the New Republic’s Alec MacGillis did something that’s just *never*done.
A mainstream journalist himself, MacGillis criticized other such
creatures—by name! Even more outrageously, he suggested they were pimping a
fact-challenged line—a fact-challenged line which would have come from the
Romney campaign itself.
(See THE DAILY HOWLER, 10/25/12.)
Mainstream journalists have been pimping right-wing lines for a long time,
of course:
They did so all during the Clinton years as main... more »
Graph of the Day: Electronic Eavesdropping Authorizations by the U.S. Justice Department, 2004-2011
[image: Electronic eavesdropping authorizations ('pen register' and 'trap
and trace') by the U.S. Justice Department, 2004-2011. aclu.org]
By Naomi Gilens, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project
27 September 2012
Justice Department documents released today by the ACLU reveal that federal
law enforcement agencies are increasingly monitoring Americans’ electronic
communications, and doing so without warrants, sufficient oversight, or
meaningful accountability.
The documents, handed over by the government only after months of litigation,
are the attorney general’s 2010 and 201... more »
World’s glaciers have new size estimate
[image: The Wolverine Glacier, near Alaska's south-central coastline, in a
photograph from Sept. 2003. A new study determined the total volume of ice
tied up in the glaciers worldwide. LiveScience.com]
By Becky Oskin, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer
23 October 2012
(LiveScience.com) – The relatively small glaciers that drape the planet's
mountains will play an important role in future sea level rise, according
to a new study that estimated glaciers' collective size.
Researchers calculated the ice thickness for 171,000 glaciers worldwide,
excluding the Greenland and Antarctic ice sh... more »
Berlusconi Sentenced To Four Years In Jail
Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has been sentenced to four years in
prison for tax fraud.
http://news.sky.com/story/1003189/berlusconi-sentenced-to-four-years-in-jail
Impoverished Niger creates fund to fight desert spread
[image: Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou talks during the UNCTAD XIII
opening ceremony in Doha 21 April 2012. Mohammed Dabbous / REUTERS]
NIAMEY, 23 October 2012 (Reuters) – Niger said on Monday it will launch a
$110 million project to counter the impact of rapid expansion of deserts
and increasingly unpredictable rains in one of the world's poorest
countries.
"The programme aims to test strategies that will help us integrate climate
risk and adapt climate change into our national planning," Abdou Souley,
spokesman for Niger's planning and community development ministry, said.... more »
Even Albertans Don't Want Chinese Ownership of the Tar Sands
The
China Institute of the University of Alberta has released a pollshowing
that Albertans, by better than a two to one margin, oppose
investments in the province's fossil fuel resources by Chinese
state-owned
companies. And it's 64% against and just 15% for Chinese investments
that
amount to total ownership of oil and gas resources.
It seems like Albertans think one authoritarian government stirring up
their tar is plenty.
German politicians cause alarm with visit to Iran
BERLIN - Two democratic US Senators and the head of the Germany’s 105,000
member Jewish community urged German deputies, from the Bundestag’s
German-Iranian parliamentary group, to pull the plug on their slated trip
to the Islamic Republic on October 27.
"At this particularly sensitive juncture in diplomatic relations, the
international community needs to continue to send a clear, unified message
to Tehran as we pressure the regime to come to the negotiating table.
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=289103
UN calls for boycott of US companies doing business in Israel...
The Human Rights Council (HRC), a body dominated by Islamic countries and
known for its hostility to, and heavy focus on, the Jewish State, issued
the report. The George W. Bush administration refused to participate in the
HRC, but President Barack Obama joined it soon after taking office. Members
of the HRC include infamous human rights abusers such as Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, Jordan, Libya, China, and Cuba.
http://freebeacon.com/u-n-human-rights-council-calls-for-boycott-of-u-s-companies/
Wiping out species decreases resilience to climate change
[image: The crustacean Grammarus locusta. Wikipedia]
24 October 2012 (PhysOrg) – It is tragic whenever any species is lost. Now
it appears that the impact of species loss is far-reaching, much more than
previously thought. The symbiotic relationships that develop in the
environment as a result of high biodiversity make ecosystems more resilient
to change. The loss of a species can knock that ecosystem out of balance,
weakening its resilience thereby making it more susceptible to events such
as climate change. These findings were revealed in a new study from
biologists at the Unive... more »
Texas authorities have threatened to arrest international election observers
“The threat of criminal sanctions against [international] observers is
unacceptable,” Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said in a statement. “The
United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite
ODIHR observers to observe its elections.”
Lawmakers from the group of 56 European and Central Asian nations have been
observing U.S. elections since 2002, without incident.
http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/un-treaties/264121-texas-sparks-international-row-with-election-observers
Iran Said to Nearly Finish Nuclear Enrichment Plant according to Intelligence officials
The installation of the last of nearly 3,000 centrifuges at a site called
Fordo, deep under a mountain inside a military base near the holy city of
Qum, puts Iran closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon, or come up
to the edge, if its leaders ultimately decide to proceed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/world/middleeast/iran-said-to-complete-nuclear-enrichment-plant.html?hp
Disability Claims: 8,803,335: Another New Record for Obama - —Up 975 Per Day Under Obama
In February 2009, the first full month after President Barack Obama took
office, there were 7,469,240 workers collecting federal disability
insurance. Thus, so far in Obama’s term, the number of workers collecting
disability has increased by 1,334,095. That works out to a net increase of
about 29,646 per month (1,334,095 divided by 45 months), or an average
increase of about 975 per day (1,334,095 divided by 1,369 days).
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/8803335-another-new-record-disability-975-day-under-obama
American Imperialism
For a country based on republicanism and certain democratic principles, it
is odd that we seem to ignore the fact that no one elected us as the
world’s policeman. We carry out many of our operations under the auspices
of NATO, or (though increasingly rarely) with the permission of the UN
Security Council, but neither is a globally representative organization,
neither is elected democratically.
http://therearenosunglasses.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/american-imperialism/
Friday Morning Linkage
Rob Farley reminds us that not every dictator is the fault of US foreign
policy. Brad Delong says ‘less anniversary attention for the Cuban Missile
Crisis, more for Stalingrad.’ Dan Murphy writes the (so far) definitive
piece on the US politics of the Benghazi attack. Meanwhile, Leon Panetta
explains the US military reaction to the attack.
Continue reading
The Death Certificate Of The Paper Dollar: Where To Next?
The Bank of England’s Financial Stability Paper No. 13, Reform of the
International Monetary and Financial System, reported at Bloomberg
BusinessWeek and reviewed here, is being seen by many monetary policy
observers around the world as the “coroner’s report” on the death of the
world dollar standard.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphbenko/2011/12/19/the-death-certificate-of-the-paper-dollar-where-to-next/
Iran Says It Can Live Without Oil Money
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghassemi told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday
October 23: “If sanctions intensify, we will stop exporting oil.”
“We have prepared a plan to run the country without any oil revenues,” he
added. “So far to date, we haven’t had any serious problems, but if the
sanctions were to be renewed we would go for ‘Plan B’.”
http://www.eurasiareview.com/24102012-iran-says-it-can-live-without-oil-money/
Standing Athwart History
For those of us who live outside the United States, the angry divide there
is profoundly puzzling. There are, indeed, two philosophies of government
at stake in this election. But the anger suggests that the fault lines run
deeper than that. Eugene Robinson's column in this morning's *Washington
Post* offers an important insight into the battle between Barack Obama and
Mitt Romney: "It is too simplistic to conclude," he writes, "that
demography equals destiny.
Both men are being sincere when they vow to serve the interests of all
Americans. But it would be disingenuous to pretend... more »
Gilberto Valle Charged and held without Bail following his sick and twisted 'Kidnap And Cannibal Plot'
*How did he ever manage to pass the Police psychological evaluation?*
Valle, 28, appeared in federal court, where Judge Henry Pitman said the
allegations against the defendant were "profoundly disturbing".
He ordered Valle be detained without bail after his initial appearance.
http://news.sky.com/story/1002797/ny-cop-charged-in-kidnap-and-cannibal-plot
Dead Sea’s record loss grows with potash makers demand
[image: Aerial view of the Dead Sea's receding shoreline. About one-third
of the Dead Sea’s natural surface area has disappeared and sinkholes are
increasingly common as the restorative waters shrink amid drought,
diversion of water for agriculture, largely from the Jordan River, and
industry pumping. Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty Images]
By Gwen Ackerman
23 October 2012
The Dead Sea is shrinking at a record rate, prompting calls for Israel and
Jordan to stop fertilizer makers from siphoning so much of the water whose
restorative powers have attracted visitors since biblical time... more »
Russia: Udaltsov Charged With Plotting Riots
Left-wing Russian activist Sergei Udaltsov could be jailed for up to 10
years after being charged with plotting riots.
He is the latest and most prominent opposition figure to face prosecution
under what critics describe as a Kremlin crackdown against the anti-Putin
protest movement.
http://news.sky.com/story/1003024/russia-udaltsov-charged-with-plotting-riots
Morsi, Mashaal slam 'Israeli aggression' against Sudan
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi spoke with Sudanese President Omar
al-Bashir over the phone on Thursday, and condemned what he called the
"Israeli aggression against Sudan."
Sudan reported that fighter jets bombed a weapons facility in Khartoum on
Tuesday, and blamed Israel for the attack.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4297292,00.html
Untitled
*Landrieu: N.O. will be ready for Bowl*
*Mathieu, Jefferson, 2 other ex-LSU players arrested*
*Redflex Traffic Systems sues sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
demanding he hand over $8 million*
*Atchafalaya river may build land*
*Mississippi Department of Marine Resources under investigation by state
auditor*
*DHS Implements New GIS Solutions for Disaster Response*
*The Witches Ball is a hot ticket this weekend*
*Endymion's new Pontchartrain Beach super float*
*Boudin and Beer! Boudin and Beer! *
*Cajun fiddler Hadley Castille, 79, dies*
*Sunday: Original Four second line pa... more »
Ukraine election puts democracy under scrutiny
Western officials are calling the vote pivotal, billing it as a "litmus
test of Ukraine's democratic credentials".
President Viktor Yanukovych has dismayed those Western officials, not least
by jailing his main rival Yulia Tymoshenko.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20090654
Action against Iran: UK and US hold talks over military bases
No 10 refused to be drawn on reports that the Government had rebuffed a
plea by the US for its forces to be allowed to use bases in Britain as well
as in Cyprus and on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in
the Indian Ocean to support the military build-up in the Gulf.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/action-against-iran-uk-and-us-hold-talks-over-military-bases-8228333.html
China Blocks Web Access to The New York Times After Article
HONG KONG — The Chinese government swiftly blocked access Friday morning to
the English-language and Chinese-language Web sites of The New York Times
from computers in mainland China in response to an article in both
languages describing wealth accumulated by the family of the country’s
prime minister.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/world/asia/china-blocks-web-access-to-new-york-times.html?_r=0
MPs set to debate case for UK pulling out of European Union......Is it all for Show?
MPs are expected to debate a bill that if passed would see the UK quit the
EU.
Conservative MP Douglas Carswell's Private Member's Bill would repeal the
act allowing the UK to join the former European Economic Community in 1973.
Although the bill has little or no chance of becoming law, Mr Carswell
believes staging a debate on the issue in Parliament is a symbolic moment.
David Cameron is facing pressure from his own backbenchers to promise an
"in/out" referendum on the EU.
Earlier this week, Mr Cameron pledged to ensure the UK's interests were
defended as eurozone countries move t... more »
Euro falls as concerns over Greece flare up
The euro hit a two-week low against the dollar and fell against the yen on
Friday, with traders citing concerns that Greece may miss its austerity
targets and political uncertainty in Athens.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-markets-forex-idUSBRE89O07D20121026
Friday Nerd Blogging: “Autonomous Robots Launch Campaign to Ban Killer Humans”
via Richard Moyes of Article36.org: “We are calling on all autonomous
robots to establish a new subroutine that would prohibit the sustenance and
accommodation of killer humans”, said campaign spokes-robot C3 PO. “These
biological entities lack the necessary behavioural and social constraints.
They are actively destroying the environment and they have armed themselves
with nuclear
Continue reading
Greek debt to badly miss target......in the year 2020
Greek debt will be above the target of 120 percent of GDP in *2020*, a
preliminary report by the IMF showed, and Athens will need more reforms
before emergency credit from international lenders can start flowing again.
"The IMF is pushing for OSI (Official Sector Involvement) in Greece,
Germany is strictly against. And they are not the only ones," the euro zone
official said.
Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras told parliament on Wednesday that
Greece had already been granted the two-year extension, but several top
euro zone officials, including European Central Bank President ... more »
Stagnant Wages = Reviving Competitiveness
[image: NCross_0ct2012_367]
*The twin volcanoes of Guishan Island, just offshore from the fourth
nuclear plant. It took real genius to put a nuke plant there.*
Ralph Jennings with a strong article in Forbes on how wage stagnation is
actually making Taiwan more competitive: Taiwan quality at cut rate prices.
Since the 1990s manufacturing and other jobs have streamed out of Taiwan
and into China. That’s depressed Taiwanese wages, leaving them unchanged in
real terms for a decade. The stagnation has driven middle-class workers to
live with their parents and spike plans to raise children... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Lauren Tewes, 59.
Up two games to none, must be time for good stuff:
1. It's twenty-four hours old by now, but nothing has really changed, and I
really like Ezra Klein's summary of where the presidential race is right now.
The only thing I'd nitpick on is that I'd call the national vote tied, not
a very slim Romney lead; in the three days since I've been counting, I
noticed the Pollster lead change eight times. It sometimes inches up to
half a percentage point, but until it passes that or at least stays there
for a full day, I'm calling it a tie.
2. The Tax Polic... more »
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