10:02 am MDST
Graph of the Day: Decline in Coral Cover of the Great Barrier Reef, 1985-2012
[image: Decline in coral cover of the Great Barrier Reef, 1985-2012. Box
plots indicate the percentiles (25%, 50%, and 75%) of the coral cover
distributions within each year and suggest a substantial decline in coral
cover over the 27-year period. De’ath, et al., 2012]
ABSTRACT: The world’s coral reefs are being degraded, and the need to
reduce local pressures to offset the effects of increasing global pressures
is now widely recognized. This study investigates the spatial and temporal
dynamics of coral cover, identifies the main drivers of coral mortality, and
quantifies the rates ... more »
Drought stressing U.S. farmers and ranchers – ‘If it’s doing this for the next two years, I can’t see us being able to keep going’
[image: For Wayne Boschert and his wife, the 2012 drought has meant no room
for luxury. They have canceled the trip to St. Martin that they take every
January. Dilip Vishwanat for The New York Times]
BUTLER, Missouri – They have canceled vacations. Their children are
forgoing out-of-state colleges for cheaper ones close to home. They are
delaying doctor’s visits, selling off land handed down through generations
and resisting luxuries like new smartphones.
And then there is the stress — sleepless nights, grumpiness and, in one
extreme case, seizures.
Lost amid the withered crops... more »
The Real News - Elements in Iran and US that Want War
The Real News:
Larry Wilkerson: After recent meetings with Iranian leaders, it's clear the
US has lost the ability to understand how other states see their interests.
Watchdog Warns Of Power Shortages By 2015
*A report by the energy regulator warns of the prospect of higher bills and
the potential for power shortages because of falling spare capacity in
electricity generation.*
Ofgem's first Electricity Capacity Assessment for the Government forecasts
a reduction in generation margins over the next four years, falling from
14% to 4% over the winter of 2015/16.
One reason for the deterioration is that coal-fired power stations are
closing earlier than expected under EU environmental legislation, forcing
the UK to import more gas to compensate and therefore risk costs rising.
The watchdo... more »
Krugman outlines a major misstatement!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012*
*But the New York Times offers no fact-check:* This morning, in his New
York Times column, Paul Krugman outlines a major misstatement by Mitt
Romney at Wednesday night’s debate.
What do you call a misstatement like this? As his column begins, Krugman
samples various names:
KRUGMAN (10/5/12): *Romney's Sick Joke*
“No. 1,” declared Mitt Romney in Wednesday’s debate, “pre-existing
conditions are covered under my plan.” No, they aren’t—as Mr. Romney’s own
advisers have conceded in the past, and did again after the debate.
*Was Mr. Romney lying?* Well, either... more »
South Africa's Amplats fires 12,000 wildcat strikers
*(Reuters) - The world's largest platinum producer, Anglo American
Platinum, fired 12,000 workers taking part in a three-week illegal strike
on Friday, following through on tough talk over wildcat stoppages in South
African mines.*
Two months of labor unrest has spread from mines to other parts of Africa's
biggest economy, causing political problems for President Jacob Zuma and
his ruling African National Congress (ANC), the veteran liberation movement
long closely tied to unions.
Shell said on Friday it could not honor fuel delivery contracts around
Johannesburg because of a two-... more »
Merkel to visit Greece as money running out
*(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make her first visit to
Greece next week since the euro zone debt crisis erupted, in a show of
support for Athens after it said it will run out of money at the end of
November without fresh international aid.*
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras hailed the trip as a very positive
development at a time when his country is locked in negotiations with euro
zone and IMF creditors who are holding back some 31.5 billion euros ($41
billion) in urgently needed loans.
"The key is liquidity. That is why the next credit tranche is so importan... more »
TURKEY ATTACKS SYRIA; 'CIA TO DESTROY JORDAN'
*Turkey not in the best of health.*
A mortar shell 'fired from Syria' killed five people in Akçakale, in Turkey.
"It was by no means clear which side was responsible for the shelling,
however, and some commentators in Turkey suggested that it could have been
deliberately staged with the aim of provoking a Turkish intervention."
Moscow’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov has said that the
Western-backed 'rebels' might deliberately provoke fighting on the border
with the aim of drawing Turkey into the conflict."
Turkey attacks Syria after stray shelling
On 3 October 2012, Tu... more »
Actual ad on Craigslist
Yes, people, it's now come to this. On top of vetting your prior employers
and undergoing the humiliation of a criminal and credit background check,
drug screening and a physical and being asked to turn over our Facebook
passwords, now we have to submit to a hair follicle test. Which is one step
away from DNA testing.
The fact that this ad is both ungrammatical and misspelled only heightens
the irony that this fascist fuck is gainfully employed while I remain
unemployed for the fourth straight year.
HIV cases
"Specifically,
today's decisions said that in order to obtain a conviction
for aggravated sexual assault, the Crown must show that an accused
person
failed to disclose his or her HIV status despite there being "a
realistic
possibility" of transmission.
It replaces a previous legal standard that required the Crown to show
lack
of disclosure in a situation involving "a significant risk of bodily
harm.""
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/hiv-disclosure-can-be-waived-under-certain-conditions-top-court/article4591389/?service=mobile
Cleric Abu Hamza Loses Extradition Appeal
*A UK High Court judge has ruled radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza can now be
extradited to the United States to face terror charges.*
Applications to prevent extradition orders against four other terror
suspects - Babar Ahmad, Syed Talha Ahsan, Khaled al Fawwaz and Adel Abdul
Bary - have all also been dismissed.
Judge Sir John Thomas ruled that all five can now be extradited immediately.
After the verdict was announced a spokesman for Ahmad read out a statement,
in front of the Royal Courts of Justice.
He said: "I leave with my head held high having won the moral victory." Read
More
Q Day 1: Jobs Report
longwalkdownlyndale asks:
How important is today's jobs report (unemployment fell to 7.8%!) compared
to the coverage of the debate? And do you know if this changes the
"fundamentals" models in any significant way at all? Or are those sorta set
predicting a close election with Obama as a slight favorite? Superficially
it seems to me that it will squash the "Romney Won" debate meme and makes
his over/under talking point about 8% unemployment look pretty foolish.
Hey, I can outsource this one to John Sides, who has an excellent item up
already:
The shortest answer is: probably not muc... more »
Conservative Cabinet Minister Gerry Ritz's 'Death By A Thousand Cold Cuts'
*"That it took XL Foods until Thursday to not only take full responsibility
for the E. Coli outbreak at its Brooks plant, but also to say anything
about the issue at all says much. One might have thought that corporations
would be more capable in these type of circumstances, given that the gold
standard was established in 2008 by Maple Leaf Foods' handling of the
Listeriosis crisis that led to 22 deaths nationwide.*
* But the truth is that food corporations aren't directly accountable to
the public. They are accountable to government regulators and we must rely
on government to insu... more »
JIM LEHRER’S RERUN: On MSNBC, the confusion was general!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012*
*Part 2—Poisoned fruit of a potted plant:* A striking factual misstatement
was made in Wednesday’s debate.
We don’t refer to Mitt Romney’s confusing statement about his proposed tax
plan. (“First of all, I don't have a $5 trillion tax cut. I don't have a
tax cut of a scale that you're talking about.”)
That statement should have been challenged and clarified (see below). But
it isn’t exactly “wrong.” It pretty much ain’t a “misstatement.”
No, the factual misstatement to which we refer was made by Barack Obama!
Responding to Romney’s representation, Obama m... more »
BAE/EADS Mega Merger 'On Brink Of Collapse'
*Fears are growing that the planned 'mega merger' between BAE Systems and
EADS is at risk because of the equity demands of European Governments.
*
Germany's Spiegel magazine, citing Government sources, has claimed that
French demands have brought the £38bn deal to the brink of collapse.
It reported that Britain wanted to prevent at all costs any one state
owning more than 10% of the merged defence and aerospace company but France
was insisting it should hold more than that while obtaining the option to
buy even more shares later on.
More follows...
Sexual consent vitiated only where misrepresentation leads to a significant risk of serious bodily
R. v. Mabior, 2012 SCC 47 has upheld the test for when consent to sexual
activity is vitiated. The Court holds:
This Court, in Cuerrier, established that failure to disclose that one has
HIV may constitute fraud vitiating consent to sexual relations under s.
265(3)(c) Cr. C. Because HIV poses a risk of serious bodily harm, the
operative offence is one of aggravated sexual assault (s. 273 Cr. C.). To
obtain a conviction under ss. 265(3)(c) and 273, the Crown must show,
beyond a reasonable doubt, that the complainant's consent to sexual
intercourse was vitiated by the accused's... more »
Sheldon Glashow: Does science evolve through blind chance or Intelligent Design?
Five months ago or so, Honeywell organized a series of lectures by the
Nobel laureate Sheldon Glashow at the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) in
Prague.
The lecture you can watch now asked the question whether science evolves by
chance or by design.
It's a sort of a fun, light, philosophically and historically loaded talk.
Maybe the number of the historical episodes will be boring for you: he
could be a professional historian of science right away.
*Typical Czech engineering students are listening to Glashow. ;-)*
But if you like the first part, continue with Part 2 and P... more »
Lies and consequences
By Capt. Fogg
I think there's a kind of hysteresis in politics. You get a certain effect
from telling a bold lie, but you don't lose nearly all that gain by
retracting it, so it pays to lie. You may gain 100,000 votes by saying
your opponent is a cannibal, but if you only lose 30 or 40 thousand when
you admit "I was wrong to say that" why not keep lying? There's no limit
to how many you can tell and a good part of the public, who really wanted
to hear bad things about the other side will tell themselves you were
forced to retract it by "the liberals" and it's really true - he's a... more »
Question Day
It's about time for one of these...regulars know the drill. Leave your questions in comments below, or email them, or via twitter, and I'll get to as many as I can. Apologies in advance if I don't get to yours. Of course I suppose that elections questions are the most obvious ones right now, but I'll take whatever you have, as usual. Looking forward to it!Video: Weathergirl Goes Rogue 2: Still Hot, Still Crazy
It's still hot and that's crazy, but important people aren't talking about
it. Your favourite weather presenter is back with more of the bad news you
hate to love. More videos at Deep Rogue Ram.
Weathergirl Goes Rogue 2: Still Hot, Still Crazy
Technorati Tags: global warming,climate change,coal,conflict,North America,
agriculture,crop failure,famine
Untitled
*Council approves vendor permits ~Danny Monteverde, The Advocate*
*Jimmy Graham: "He Paved the Way for Me"*
*A Timely Record……..a Comncnts Opinion ~Whodat Warriors*
*Mysterious tremors raise questions across the bayou ~Daily Comet*
*Hurricane Isaac deals blow to two critical bird nesting islands ~WWLTV*
*NO City Council passes ordinance requiring permits for vendors at second
lines*
No Gateway
Northern Gateway, Jeffrey Simpson writes this morning, is dead:
Yes, regulatory hearings before the National Energy Board will continue
until the NEB approves the project. And yes, Enbridge will keep pushing for
it. And yes, the Harper government, which is so publicly committed to the
project, will continue to extol its virtues as part of the need to get
Canadian resources to Asia.
But it will never happen:
To survive, the Gateway pipeline would have to push past the growing
opposition of British Columbians in general, the opposition of the current
Liberal provincial government ... more »
Georgia's election: Will Saakashvili play Spoiler? You can bet he will!
*Recall this post from a couple days ago?* * Georgia: Saakashvili’s
election loss. Will he relinquish power?*
Before Turkey false flagged on Syria? It was an important post, in my
opinion, for the very question I asked in the title. With more then a year
left on his term, will Saakashvili relinquish power?
I will repeat from the previous post the West seems to be very sanguine
that all is well in Georgia. When reality tells us they should not be. It
makes me suspicious.
"Much can happen in a year. Perhaps Ms Clinton was very happy with the
facade of "democracy" at this time. "
... more »
Climate-change denial getting harder to defend, but ‘skeptics’ keep shifting their arguments
[image: Drought-damaged corn plants stand in a field during harvest in Le
Roy, Illinois, 11 September 2012. Daniel Acker / Bloomberg]
By Glen M. MacDonald
4 October 2012
It was a long hot summer.
The United States experienced the warmest July in its history, with more
than 3,000 heat records broken across the country. Overall, the summer was
the nation's third warmest on record and comes in a year that is turning
out to be the hottest ever. High temperatures along with low precipitation
generated drought conditions across 60% of the Lower 48 states, which
affected 70% of the corn... more »
Friday Morning Linkage
- Georgetown University's debate coach comments (video) on the first
presidential debate of 2012.
- PM's not the only one to respond to John Quiggin's post on the US
Navy; Robert Farley also has a lot to say.
- Jeremy Keenan provides an overview of the Mali civil war at *allAfrica*
.
- The Syrian civil war continues.
- Michael Krepon revisits Robert Jervis' *The Meaning of the Nuclear
Revolution*.
- Ryan Evans: "All Politics and Civil War is Local: Helmand's
Micro-Conflicts."
- Dave Schuler riffs on Walter Russel Mead's analysis of Mitt Romney's... more »
Stuff Political Scientists Like #17: Outside Offers, or Stuff Other Political Scientists Like
Political scientists like to complain about how little they are paid, which
tends to be irritating to any number of other groups, most notably anyone
who has a job other than that of a political scientist and has to be into
the office say, before noon.
Part of the reason that political scientists are so poorly compensated for
their great contribution to humankind is that they are only rewarded when
others from outside their organization value their work. This is because
political scientists most like what other political scientists like. Professor
Cumubbins has 10,000 citations thi... more »
Coal Ash Spill Ruled Negligent
Rachel Rindfleisch at Contaminated Nation - Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste locations - 3 hours ago
By: Duane Craig
Hundreds of property owners who have taken the Tennessee Valley Authority
to court over the 2008 spill of contaminated sludge near Kingston, Tenn.,
were pleased with a judge’s opinion that TVA is liable for damages stemming
from the spill, according to this report.
Still, many admit they will never recover what they lost and that any
settlements will not change the damage that’s been done. The spill released
5 million cubic yards of ash that was being stored in a containment pond.
The material contained all the by-products released from the burning of
coal, includin... more »
Two Visions For Going Forward-- Austerity vs Prosperity... Target: New Hampshire
The Austerity agenda Romney and Ryan are advocating for is being played out
in real time in Spain, Greece, Italy, England, Portugal, Ireland and across
Europe. It isn't working and social cohesion is breaking down. Former
members of the Spanish middle class are looking for food for their children
in garbage cans and the Greek Nazi Party, Golden Dawn, is rapidly gaining a
substantial following. The Austerity agenda is a failure in every single
country it's been deployed and it is the entire basis of the Romney-Ryan
plan. President Obama is far from the world's best advocate of the
... more »
Washington Marijuana Legalization Measure In Strong Position
Phillip Smith
*Stop The Drug War*
A little more than a month out from Election Day, Washington state's I-502 marijuana
legalization, regulation, and taxation initiative looks to be
well-positioned yet to actually win at the ballot box, with powerful
supporters, lots of money, and a healthy lead in the polls. But it's not a
done deal yet.
Sponsored by New Approach Washington, I-502 would legalize the possession
of up to an ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and over, but not allow them to
grow their own. Instead, it would create a scheme of licensed, taxed, and
regulated commercia... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Glynis Johns, 89. Mother of Diane Chambers. Also some
other things.
The good stuff:
1. Brendan Nyhan on how the press constructs debates. I disagree with him
on the raw material here (I think that Obama was clearly flat), but his
overall points are solid. One additional point: I think the insta-polls,
especially the CNN one, gave the press license to go with a totally
one-sided story.
2. I think Andrew Sprung is right to say that insisting that Mitt Romney
wants a $5T tax cut leaves him with an obvious out -- mainly because stated
that way, it's not really true. ... more »
Why Did The Lawyer Put This In My Settlement Agreement?: Tax Indemnification
This will continue my series of posts about deconstructing the legalese in
employment contracts. This week I'll discuss some language I frequently see
in severance or settlement agreements when at least some of the money being
paid isn't having taxes withheld. The clause will look something like this:
*Employer makes no representation as to the taxability of the amounts paid
to Employee. Employee agrees to pay federal or state taxes, if any, which
are required by law to be paid by Employee with respect to this settlement.
Moreover, Employee agrees to indemnify Employer and hold it ha... more »
Does naval success invalidate the need for navies?
Acting was a big part of *Battleship*.At *Crooked Timber*, John Quiggin writes
a post that seeks to sink a thousand ships:
*The trillions of dollars that have been spent on building, maintaining and
scrapping fleets since 1945 has yielded almost zero benefits to the nations
that have spent this money, in the belief that all respectable countries
should have a navy. China’s carrier is an extreme example. About the best
that can be said is that a zero benefit-cost ratio is substantially better
than that for military expenditure in general.*
Quiggin's smart, but I'm surprised he overlo... more »
Strange sight on Mars triggers speculation
*Scientists are trying to identify the strange black spidery objects in
these images. (Michael Benson/NASA/JPL/University …
*
*
*Someone alert Ziggy Stardust, there appear to be spiders on Mars.
Strange black objects seen from 200 miles above the surface of Mars are
generating interest and speculation that the unidentified objects could be
anything from geysers to sunbathing colonies of microorganisms.
NPR presents several photos of the objects, including one taken by the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter on Jan. 27, 2010, that appears to show "little black
flecks dotting the ridges, most... more »
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION - 5th October 2012
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck the VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION at a depth
of 86 km (53.4 miles), the quake hit at 11:23:01 UTC Friday 5th October 2012
The epicenter was 85 km (53 miles) NNE from Settlement, Anegada, British
Virgin Islands
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake TONGA REGION - 5th October 2012
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck the TONGA REGION at a depth of 35 km
(21.7 miles), the quake hit at 11:19:23 UTC Friday 5th October 2012
The epicenter was 197 km (122 miles) SSW of `Ohonua, Tonga
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
Gunmen kill at least 26 students at Nigerian college.
*Oct. 4 - Twenty-six people are dead after an attack on a university hall
of residence in northern Nigeria.*
Syrian rebels say capture air defense base near Damascus
*(Reuters) - Syrian rebels say they captured an air defense base with a
cache of missiles outside Damascus, a rare advance in a city where
President Bashar al-Assad's forces have them on the back foot.*
A video posted on YouTube shows dozens of rebels dressed in army fatigues
celebrating as black smoke rises from a military installation behind them.
A middle-aged man holding an assault rifle says the assault on the base, in
the Eastern Ghouta area was carried out by a rebel battalion from the town
of Douma - both places are a few miles east of the capital.
Rebels say the operation ... more »
Spotlight on Germany as EADS, BAE inch towards deal
*(Reuters) - EADS and BAE Systems have edged closer towards winning
political backing for a $45 billion merger to create the world's biggest
arms group amid positive signals from Britain and France, but German
misgivings over control is a big obstacle, sources close to the talks said.*
A number of potential stumbling blocks have emerged since the proposed
tie-up between the Airbus manufacturer and the British defense group was
announced last month. These include conflicting political interests in
Britain, France and Germany, as well as some shareholders' dissatisfaction
with the te... more »
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL TURKEY - 5th October 2012
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck CENTRAL TURKEY at a depth of 4.8 km
(3 miles), the quake hit at 10:25:28 UTC Friday 5th October 2012
The epicenter was 9 km (5 miles) East of Kaman, Turkey
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
The "Death Threat" Internet Scam Continues!
It is clear the original email went to hundreds if not thousands in the
legal community -- my entire office got it!
But I got a follow-up... So I guess I am special!
Candidly it is about as scary as a rampaging teddy bear -- but some may
fall for it. Based on the time the email was sent (2:32 am) I am guessing
the scam is out of the former Soviet Union:
*
*
*"... the ball is in your court,.*
*there is two things involve here.*
*1. I meet with you in person and give you the file that contains the names
and queries sponsors. This is a good evidence that can be used to sue if
you wish... more »
J Douglas Crane QC tribute dinner
J. Douglas Crane, QCLast night was the J Douglas Crane QC tribute dinner.
While Doug continues to be an active lawyer the stories of his years at the
Bar were very special. KUDOS to Doug for a distinguished past and an
exciting future!
Joseph Benett Dies after inhaling laughing gas at a party
* A 17-year-old public schoolboy has died after inhaling laughing gas at a
party.*
Joseph Benett suffered a cardiac arrest after taking the popular party drug
with friends on August 31 and fell into a coma.
The teenager, from Hampstead, north London, died on Thursday last week with
his family at his bedside.
"He just never woke up. He had such terrible brain damage and his fits were
getting worse," his grieving sister Camille, 27, told the Ham&High
newspaper.
"When he stopped breathing, my dad and I were holding his hand.
"I found it hard to leave him. As a big sister I felt a re... more »
Turkey Attempts to Trigger War Vs. Syria
*Turkey fires rounds into Syria after unknown attackers fire mortars into
Turkish border town. *
Tony Cartalucci, *Contributor*
After over a year of harboring foreign terrorists and supporting their
operations near and across the Turkish-Syrian border, NATO-member Turkey
has claimed it has retaliated with military force against "targets" inside
Syria for an alleged attack on Turkish territory that it has blamed on the
Syrian government.
Despite heavily armed listed-terrorist organizations operating in large
numbers on both sides of the Turkish border with Turkey's explicit approva... more »
GMO Study Broadcast: Russian GMO Rat Experiment to be Broadcast 24/7
GMO rat experiment. ( from RT)
Lisa Garber
Russian researchers will stream a live experiment to show the effects of
GMO feed on rats. This comes after a French study found GMOs to have
negative effects on rats, which lead to a provisional Russian suspension on
imported Monsanto genetically modified corn.
*Russian Scientists Condemn GMOs, Plan a Unique Experiment*
French scientists at the University of Caen sounded the alarm on September
19 after publishing images from their study of tumors on rats fed American
GM maize. The National Association for Genetic Safety (NAGS) research... more »
Did the new Alternative Media actually save American lives?
James Smith, *Contributor*
Put this in the “I don’t believe it” file, but something unusual has
happened. The Department of Homeland Security /Immigration Customs
Enforcement (DHS/ICE) has CANCELLED their request to purchase 176,000
rounds of .308 hollow point boat tail ammunition. According to an email
that was passed onto me, Harry at the Federal Service Desk stated that a
notice could be cancelled for a variety of reasons.
This isn’t the story of one man writing an article and the government
folding. This is the story of one man writing one article, and according to
Google, ... more »
How Investors Can Protect Themselves in a Politicized Economy
Dees Illustration *Casey Research*
Right on the heels of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions,
the recent Casey Research Summit in Carlsbad, California—cosponsored by
SprottGlobal—focused on a timely theme: "Navigating the Politicized
Economy." The somber revelations of the summit contrasted with the buzz of
the party conventions. The Gold Report sat down with Louis James, Casey
Research's chief metals and mining investment strategist, Rick Rule,
founder and chairman of Sprott Global Resource Investments and chairman of
Sprott US Holdings, and Marin Katusa, Casey Res... more »
Smart Meters: How the Government Monitors Your Every Move
Susanne Posel, *Contributor*
Smart meters have been approved by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) who says their risks are minimal. However, many customers blame them
for causing health problems and house fires. These devices are responsible
for two-way communication with utilities corporations and government;
helping them spy on their customers.
Researchers in Germany have concluded that when privacy implications were
analyzed, they proved that customers were being surveilled by their utility
company with encrypted data to determine whether or not the customers were
... more »
Positive Attitude = More Control Over Your Life, Better Health
[image: Positive & In Control]
Elizabeth Renter
For some of us, recent research from the Melbourne Institute of Applied
Economic and Social Research will be no surprise. Researchers there have
found that people who have a generally positive mental attitude and outlook
on life are more likely to live a healthier lifestyle. If you’re happy,
you’re healthy, say their findings.
*The Power of a Positive Mental Attitude*
The research was published in the Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series (
pdf) and examined the outlooks and lifestyles of more than 7,000 people in
Australia.
“O... more »
3D Printed Drones & Guns: Post Scarcity & The World of Tomorrow
*Hidden battle lines in the war for global hegemony*
Tony Cartalucci, *Contributor*
Recently, the Wall Street-London corporate-financier Lowy Institute's "Interpreter"
posted an article titled, "Printing a drone" that conveyed the following
concerns:
3D printers are both accessible and affordable in Australia. Effectively,
this means that an individual or group has the ability – with minimal
investment – to avoid the cumbersome task of purchasing expensive overseas
technology and instead print their weapon. A 3D printed drone is legal and
possible; weaponizing it would be a matter... more »
General: ‘My Career Was Done’ When I Criticized Flawed Warplane
Wired
David Axe
Don Harvel, near his home in Georgia.Don Harvel thought he was cruising to
a well-deserved retirement after 35 years flying cargo planes for the U.S.
Air Force. Then in the spring of 2010 he was tapped to investigate the fatal
crash of a high-tech Air Force tiltrotor aircraft – and everything changed.
What Harvel discovered about the controversial hybrid aircraft drew him
into a battle of wills with his superiors at Air Force Special Operations
Command. Harvel, then a brigadier general, uncovered evidence of mechanical
problems — and resulting safety woes — in the V-2... more »
ACLU of Michigan exposes police surveillance cameras being used in residential neighborhoods
Image: MI ACLU Madison Ruppert, *Contributor*
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan recently put out a
fascinating report (PDF) on the use of surveillance cameras in residential
Lansing, Michigan which seems to be congruent with the ongoing rise of the
use of surveillance cameras and associated technologies.
The growth in the use of surveillance cameras coincides with the
increasingly common use of armored surveillance vehicles as well as expansion
of the American surveillance state as a whole.
Remember, as a recent Senate panel discovered, invasive surveillance
t... more »
"I'll fix it, I said I'll fix it, OK!!!"
Sorry, Mrs NotaSheep!
Brookings Institution's "Which Path to Persia?" Report Detailing Conspiracy Against Iran Redirected on Website
*Activist Post*
*Update from Tony Cartalucci: Brookings has moved around their documents,
leaving dead links for anyone who cited them over the years. All documents
cited by Land Destroyer will now be hosted online using Scribd, and linked
to that way.*
Those who have been following Tony Cartalucci's articles about geopolitics
and the strategies employed by Western governments to destabilize the
Middle East and surrounding regions have no doubt seen many references to
the 2009 "Which Path to Persia?" report.
This report is key proof that what we are seeing around the world today i... more »
Military Employed For Crowd Control At College Football Game This Saturday
Dees Illustration Brandon Turbeville
In yet another example of the blurring of the lines between civilian police
and US military forces, Columbia, South Carolina police “officials” have
announced that US Military Police from Ft. Jackson will be on the streets
alongside civilian law enforcement after the South Carolina-Georgia
football game this Saturday night, October 6.
According to reports by WISTV, Columbia will be spending more than $11,000
worth of overtime for 50 officers who will be placed in the Five Points and
Vista areas after the game. The teams will be made up of Univ... more »
The US and the Middle East
Thousands Protest for Peace After Turkey Declares War on Syria
*Telegraph*
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The Truth About Fukushima
*Youtube*
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"Five A", the Evidence of Bo Xilai's Coup Exposed
Bo Xilai, former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Secretary
for Chongqing, was recently detained, interrogated and transferred to the
judiciary department for trial.
Bo was suspected of more serious crimes,
which have subsequently been exposed.
Overseas Chinese media quoted sources,
stating Bo Xilai launched a "Five A" project.
This project focused on a total
take over of power in the regime.
Reports also pointed out that the CCP is investigating
evidence of Bo Xilai's involvement in murder. This includes organ
harvesting.
Knowledge of these crimes isn't new, so why
are some media focusing... more »
Flood Warnings As Heavy Rain Lashes UK
*Flooding could hit parts of the UK as heavy rain sweeps across areas of
the country, forecasters have said.*
People in southwest England and Wales have seen deluges of 15-20mm
overnight, with the wet weather expected to spread further east during this
morning before clearing.
But more downpours are expected later on Friday and a severe weather
warning of heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office for Wales, the West
Midlands and southwest England.
Commuters have been warned of possible travel disruption from flooding.
Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said further rai... more »
Mark Bridger Arrested on suspicion of murder
*The man held over the disappearance of April Jones has been arrested on
suspicion of her murder, police have announced.*
The 46-year-old continues to be questioned, police said at a news
conference, and the arrest "does not detract from our efforts to locate
April and we remain committed to finding her".
Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan said: "Her family has been informed of
this development and as you would expect they continue to be supported by a
family liaison officer."
Sky's Martin Brunt said: "Clearly it appears that the police are looking
for a body now and have given up... more »
Why Central Bankers Prefer a Long Depression (Article 2011)
*“The problem of leverage, the sheer volume of debt in the economy, is
still very large and this poses massive macro-economic challenges. I think
these macro-economic challenges will last many years.”*
So says Bank of England Governor, Mervyn King.
Meanwhile, in Happyville, Eric Johnston informs readers of The Age:
“Westpac has delivered a seven per cent increase in first-half cash profit
to $3.17 billion as charges for bad debts fell away sharply in a further
sign the worst of the financial crisis is behind the banking sector.”
He’s right. It is behind the banking sector. Close be... more »
Google Play and Lawyers Win?
Seven years is a long time in this digital age and much has happened since
Google first attempted to land grab all the content, adopt the orphans and
hoodwink the industry. Seven years of litigation, seven years of fat legal
expenses and seven years which on reflection were sometimes sad as
positions were taken and sometimes it appeared the industry was hell bent
on a programme of civil war. It was somewhat inevitable it would be settled
‘out of court’ and behind those now richer lawyers’ doors and yesterday the
Association of American Publishers (AAP) and Google announced a settle... more »
US agencies seize 686 websites accused of selling fake drugs
ICE and the DOJ have now seized more than 1,500 websites for alleged
copyright infringement in the past two years
Computer World
Grant Gross
Two U.S. agencies have seized 686 websites accused of selling counterfeit
and illegal medicines as part of an international crackdown on online sales
of fake drugs.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security
Investigations division, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, seized
the websites in the past week, ICE said in a press release. The U.S.
operation, nicknamed Bitter Pill, was part of an Interpol operation aime... more »
New South Wales Fires Update: More than 30 blazes burn across NSW
*Homes have been evacuated on the NSW central coast as more than 30 blazes
burn across NSW, with authorities warning it could be one of the worst fire
seasons in years.*
About 75 firefighters and water-bombing aircraft were battling a blaze at
Pretty Beach and Lobster Beach, near Gosford, about 4pm (AEST) on Friday.
The fire jumped containment lines during the afternoon and was threatening
a number of homes, with police escorting people from houses on High View
Road.
"We've not been going along counting houses. They've been going along
evacuating," a Rural Fire Service (RFS) spoke... more »
Václav Havel Airport Prague: the new name
If you ever land in Prague again, you will be told that you're arriving to
the Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (Google Maps).
*Rudé Právo, the official communist daily, published this entertaining
birthday wish in October 1989, a month before the Velvet Revolution. It
says that Ferdinand Vaněk (hero of some plays by Havel) of Malý Hrádek (a
place where he had cottage) celebrates birthday on October 5th, 1989, and
friends and colleagues are thanking him for the work he's been doing and
he's still doing and wishing him lots of successes at work and health for
the years to come. ;-) It a... more »
France begins debate on EU austerity treaty
*The French parliament Tuesday opened a difficult debate on an EU fiscal
pact that is key to efforts to overcome the eurozone debt crisis but which
critics slam as austerity forced by Brussels.*
The National Assembly debate comes after tens of thousands of left-wing
protesters marched through Paris on Sunday denouncing EU-imposed
belt-tightening, although they insisted they were not criticising the
government of Socialist President Francois Hollande.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault set the tone, saying France would not be
sacrificing its "sovereignty" by ratifying the text.
"The ... more »
US Households Face $3,446 Tax Increase From 2013 Fiscal Cliff
*U.S. households are facing an average tax increase of $3,446 in 2013 if
Congress doesn’t avert the so-called fiscal cliff, the nonpartisan Tax
Policy Center said in a study released Monday in Washington.*
The top 1 percent of households face some of the largest tax increases and
would see their average federal tax rates hit 40.5 percent, up 7.2
percentage points from this year. That would translate to an average tax
increase of $120,537.
About 88 percent of U.S. households would see their taxes increase in 2013,
with a typical middle-income household facing a tax increase of about... more »
Golden Dawn opens Canadian branch in Montreal
*Montreal - Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) the ultra-nationalist Greek political
party that has recently soared in popularity, has now expanded its overseas
branches, opening a chapter in Montreal, QC.*
With an established support base in both Melbourne and New York, Golden
Dawn has now attracted a small following in Montreal.
Xryshavgh made an announcement on their web-site on Sept. 18 saying the
core of Golden Dawn supporters in Montreal proves once more the precious
dedication to deserving Greeks. In addition to appealing for food, toys and
other basic goods, the party noted that it ... more »
QE Infinity: What Is It Really About?
Ellen Brown
QE3, the Federal Reserve’s third round of quantitative easing, is so
open-ended that it is being called QE Infinity. Doubts about its
effectiveness are surfacing even on Wall Street. The Financial Times
reports:
Among the trading rooms and floors of Connecticut and Mayfair [in London],
supposedly sophisticated money managers are raising big questions about QE3
— and whether, this time around, the Fed is not risking more than it can
deliver.
Which raises the question, what is it intended to deliver? As suggested in
an earlier article here, QE3 is not likely to reduce... more »
Golden Dawn Under Fire in New York
*The opening of a New York office by the Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn,
that has 18 seats in the Parliament, has set off a storm of protest by
groups ranging from the AHEPA to American Jewish organizations denouncing
its anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant platform and reported violent actions.
They condemned what they called this “dangerous phenomenon.”*
But now there are reports that the group has closed its office in Astoria,
a once-predominant Greek-American enclave that still has a large segment of
the community living there.
The Federation of Greek Organizations in New York in As... more »
Egypt releases Coptic children held in blasphemy case
*A court in Egypt has ordered the release pending investigation of two
Coptic Christian children detained on Tuesday for blasphemy against Islam.*
A Muslim cleric in Izbat Marco, a village in Beni Suef province, said he
saw the boys, aged nine and 10, take pages of the Koran and urinate on them.
A Coptic priest said local Islamists attended demonstrations calling for
revenge for the desecration of a Koran.
Human rights groups say allegations of contempt of religion are on the rise.
Seventeen cases have been filed since the 2011 uprising, many of them
against Copts, who make up abou... more »
Dutch abortion ship 'blocked' from Morocco port of Smir
*A Dutch campaign group says its ship offering women medical abortions has
been prevented by authorities from entering the Moroccan port of Smir.*
The group, Women on Waves, provides abortions and advice from boats
anchored in international waters near countries where abortion is illegal.
The group's leader, Rebecca Gomperts, told the BBC it planned to launch "a
surprise" in response.
She said the entire harbour was blocked and no-one was being allowed to
enter.
Women on Waves has said it was invited to Morocco by a youth group called
Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms. ... more »
The Price We Paid for the GOP's Free Lunch with Ruling Elites
*by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy *
I am in a cranky mood!
C'mon Obama! Take the golves off! Obama did not mention several issues that
may be found in his own ads. Why not hit Romney with the infamous '47
percent'? Obama could have beaten Romney with his own words. Obama could
have held Romney to his his own failed 'standard'.
Obama might have, could have disproved the utter and often meaningless crap
that passes for speech these days. Obama might have hit Romney on the issue
of the many jobs Romney cut at Bain. Will Democrats never learn this
lesson: put the GOP on the rope... more »
NEW 4-Mile Long Oil Slick Near BP’s Gulf Oil Well
Washington's Blog
BP’s Macondo Well May Leak for Years
CNN reports:
An oil sheen about four miles long has appeared in the Gulf of Mexico near
the site of the worst oil spill in U.S. history, a Coast Guard spokesman
said Thursday.
It was not immediately clear where the oil is coming from, said Petty
Officer 3rd Class Ryan Tippets. [Although previous oil has been matched as
a "dead ringer" to the BP well.]
Coast Guardsmen went to the location after seeing the oil on a satellite
image, Tippets said.* *The response team collected samples and sent them to
the Coast Guard Marine Safe... more »
Spain's tax take tumbles as companies go abroad
*(Reuters) - Spain's corporate tax take has tumbled by almost two thirds
from pre-crisis levels as small businesses fail and a growing number of big
corporations seek profits abroad to compensate for the prolonged downturn
at home.*
Attractive tax benefits can accrue to companies expanding overseas, but for
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government, which now seems resigned to
accepting a European financial rescue, the income flow is reversed.
Rajoy has passed 65 billion euros ($84 billion) of austerity measures
including public sector wage cuts and consumer tax hikes but has been ... more »
U.S. jobs report looms over White House race
*Oct. 5 - The U.S. unemployment rate is forecast to edge ahead to 8.2
percent in September, with the weak labour market certain to dog Barack
Obama in the run-up to the November 6 presidential election.*
Israeli forces kill American gunman in hotel shoot-out
*(Reuters) - Israeli forces shot and killed an American man who opened fire
in a seaside hotel packed with tourists on Friday, killing one person, a
police spokesman said.*
Police surrounded the hotel the Red Sea resort city of Eilat after the man
"grabbed a weapon from a security guard and shot a hotel worker", who died
of his injuries, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
The gunman barricaded himself in the hotel kitchen, shooting back at law
enforcement officers. He was shot dead by members of a military
counter-terrorism squad, a military source said.
Rosenfeld said the motive for... more »
Turkey says it doesn’t want war with Syria
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a
news conference in Ankara on Thursday, October 4, 2012.PressTV
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country does not plan
to wage any war against Syria after the Turkish parliament gave the nod for
military operations outside the country.
"We have no intention of starting a war with Syria," Erdogan said in a
joint press conference with the visiting Iran's First Vice President
Mohammad Reza Rahimi in Ankara on Thursday.
Turkey is not a warmongering country while we have witnessed the
consequences of warmonger... more »
Sharmine Narwani on Russia Today - Turkey's chest thumping to find backdoor to UNSC
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U.S. backs Turkey, hopes Syria dispute cools
*(Reuters) - The United States expressed hope on Thursday that Turkey's
border clash with Syria Escalates further does not escalate further, but
stood by its NATO ally's right to defend itself against aggression spilling
over from Syria's internal armed conflict.*
The State Department said Turkey's decision to mount retaliatory artillery
strikes after a Syrian mortar killed five civilians in southeastern Turkey
on Wednesday was appropriate and proportional.
Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters, "We hope that this doesn't
escalate into a broader conflict. We hope that the... more »
South African strikers say police kill another miner
*(Reuters) - South African police shot and killed a striking miner when
they used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up a crowd of demonstrators
gathered overnight on a hill near a Rustenburg area platinum mine, miners
said on Friday.*
Mbubhu Lolo, a striker from Anglo American Platinum, said one of his
colleagues was shot in the stomach by a rubber bullet, an incident likely
to inflame already fraught tensions between security forces and miners.
"He was shot here by the police," Lolo told Reuters, pointing to his
midriff.
Police on the ground near the shanty-town 120 km (70 mil... more »
Greek PM says can't manage beyond November without next aid tranche
*(Reuters) - Greek leader Antonis Samaras told a German paper in an
interview published on Friday his country could not manage beyond November
without the next tranche of international aid and suggested the ECB could
help by easing the terms of its Greek debt holdings.*
"The key is liquidity. That is why the next credit tranche is so important
for us," Samaras told the business daily Handelsblatt. Asked how long
Greece could manage without it, he said: "Until the end of November. Then
the cash box is empty."
The European Central Bank could help by accepting lower interest rates on ... more »
Debt-laden companies cashing in on ECB pledge
*(Reuters) - Heavily indebted euro zone firms are reaping the benefits of
the European Central Bank's pledge to pull the region out of crisis,
allowing them to borrow more cheaply and draw investors back into their
shares.*
In the aftermath of the 2008 credit crunch, Portuguese power company EDP
(EDP.LS) and Italian peer Terna (TRN.MI) were among the companies
refinancing large debt burdens in the face of a complete collapse in faith
in borrowers.
That has changed, firstly with the sovereign debt crisis - which made banks
and governments the main sources of lenders' distrust - and... more »
UN Security Council Condemns Strike On Turkey
*The UN Security Council has condemned "in the strongest terms" Syria's
shelling of a Turkish town, which killed five women and children.*
A council press statement late on Thursday said: "This incident highlighted
the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbours
and on regional peace and stability."
The council demanded an immediate end to such violations of international
law and called on the Syrian government "to fully respect the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of its neighbours". Read More
April Jones: Search Enters Fifth Day
*Specialist search teams have endured torrential rain as they worked
through the night in the hunt for missing April Jones - and police are to
give an update on the search at 10.30am.*
With the investigation entering a fifth day, detectives have until 5pm to
charge or release their main suspect Mark Bridger - unless they apply for a
further warrant of detention.
The search for April continued overnight in persistent rain. At around
midnight, a specialist unit from the London-based British Transport Police
set out from Machynlleth Leisure Centre to join in the operation.
Welsh Moun... more »
5.0 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHEAST OF TAIWAN - 5th October 2012
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck NORTHEAST OF TAIWAN at a depth of
154.7 km (95.9 miles), the quake hit at 08:13:19 UTC Friday 5th October 2012
The epicenter was 175 km (109 miles) Northwest of Hirara, Taiwan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.0 Magnitude Earthquake PUERTO RICO REGION - 5th October 2012
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake has struck the PUERTO RICO REGION at a depth of
36 km (22.4 miles), the quake hit at 06:37:30 UTC Friday 5th October 2012
The epicenter was 175 km (109 miles) NNE from Suárez, Puerto Rico
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
William Saroyan, "The Time of Your Life"
"In the time of your life, live — so that in good time there shall be no
ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches. Seek
goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place
and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of
the values, for these are things that hold death and must pass away.
Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption.
Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and
sorrow by the shame and terror of the world. Ignore the obvious, for it is
unw... more »
Reality Check: Who Is Really Behind The Presidential Debates?
Fox19
FOX19.com-Cincinnati News, Weather
But one local teacher was surprised to find out with her students recently
that these two men aren't the only two running for President.
We carried it live as President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney held the
first of their three presidential debates.
So why are their only two candidates debating? Who makes that decision and
why it is one that is becoming more unpopular.
Ben has the Reality Check you won't see anywhere else
Help Us Transmit This Story
Add to Your Blogger Account Put it On Facebook Tweet this post
Print it fr... more »
Comment in Nature on Proposal to Slack Ethical Requirements on Gene Therapy Research
So, if anyone's interested, I just posted a comment in *Nature*'s online
edition on a proposal from gene therapy research specialist Fulvio
Mavilioto slack the research ethical requirements for clinically
introducing gene
therapy. A few typos managed to find their way in, but I don't think the
message is muddled by that.
*Philosophical Comment Blog: Christian Munthe, Professor of Practical
Philosophy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Chief interests are
ethics/moral philosophy, political philosophy and their applications to
practical issues*
"Moments..."
"Time passes in moments. Moments which, rushing past, define the path of a
life, just as surely as they lead towards its end. How rarely do we stop to
examine that path, to see the reasons why all things happen? To consider
whether the path we take in life is our own making, or simply one into
which we drift with eyes closed? But what if we could stop, pause to take
stock of each precious moment before it passes? Might we then see the
endless forks in the road that have shaped a life? And, seeing those
choices, choose another path?"
- Gillian Anderson as "Dana Scully", "The X-Fil... more »
Azeri gas flow on pipeline to Turkey halted after explosion
*(Reuters) - Flows on a pipeline carrying Azeri natural gas from the Shah
Deniz fields were halted due to an explosion in Turkey late on Wednesday,
Turkish energy officials said on Thursday.*
An explosion occurred on the pipeline between the eastern Turkish cities of
Kars and Erzurum, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, and when the gas flow
will resume, they said. Source
Meningitis Outbreak: Warning Over Suspect Drugs
*Doctors and hospitals have been urged to avoid all drugs from a chemist
linked to an outbreak of a rare kind of meningitis that has killed five
people in the US.*
The outbreak is believed to linked to steroid medication produced by the
New England Compounding Centre after investigators found contamination in a
sealed vial, according to Food and Drug Administration officials.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we advise all health care practitioners
not to use any product" from the company, said Ilisa Bernstein, director of
compliance for the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Rese... more »
Congo Fever Case Confirmed In Scotland
*A man who recently returned home to the UK is being treated in complete
isolation in hospital for a potentially deadly disease.
*
Tests revealed the 38-year-old, who flew into Glasgow from Dubai, has
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF).
He was admitted to hospital less than three hours after arriving in
Scotland, and is now said to be in a critical condition at Gartnavel
General Hospital's Brownlee Centre in Glasgow, which specialises in
infectious diseases.
Passengers who sat close to the man on Emirates flight EK027 on Tuesday, as
well as airline, airport and hospital staff,... more »
US Tourist Opens Fire At Israeli Hotel
*Israeli police say an American tourist has opened fire at a hotel in the
resort city of Eilat, killing at least one person.*
Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the tourist fired a number of shots on
Friday morning at the Leonardo Club hotel in the Red Sea resort city.
The suspect is still inside the hotel and a large number of police units
are a the scene, he added.
The identity of the suspect and the motive behind the attack are unknown.
More follows...
Black death and hantavirus spread fear through US camping zones
*A third person who had traveled to Yosemite National Park and contracted
hantavirus has died, the BBC and AP reported yesterday.*
The news comes as other rodent-borne disease stories flood in from western
parts of the US where camping zones are prevalent.
Seven-year-old Sierra Jane Downing was brought to a Colorado emergency room
last week suffering from a high fever and seizures days after camping.
Downing was diagnosed with bubonic plague (also known as the black plague)
which she may have caught from close contact with a dead squirrel. Bubonic
plague is transmitted via flea bit... more »
HOMES EVACUATED AS BUSHFIRES WORSEN IN NEW SOUTH WALES
*Homes have been evacuated as fire crews battle two serious bushfires north
of Sydney this afternoon.
*
A bushfire at Pretty Beach, on the New South Wales central coast, has
jumped containment lines and is again threatening property.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) has issued an emergency telephone alert to
local residents.
It says the fire is heading towards homes on High View Road, Ocean Road,
Venice Road and Como Parade.
Some homes on High View Road have been evacuated.
The 14-hectare blaze is moving quickly in unpredictable conditions after a
southerly wind change moved through t... more »
New South Wales Homes under Threat from Bushfire
*A bushfire has jumped containment lines on the NSW central coast and is
threatening a number of homes.*
Firefighters are rushing to extinguish the 14-hectare bushfire near Lobster
Beach ahead of an expected southerly wind change that will fan the fire
towards houses, a Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokeswoman told AAP.
About 75 firefighters are battling the blaze, assisted by three
water-bombing aircraft and 18 trucks.
Earlier on Friday, the RFS was backburning on the Lobster Beach fire trail
behind homes in a bid to contain the fire on the northern side.
The RFS said it did not know... more »
JIMMY SAVILE - USA AND EUROPE - DUTROUX, BONACCI...
*Politicians are involved. Child Abuse, Iran-Contra, BCCI, Bush, Dutroux,
Franklin*
"Didn’t the Dutroux child abuse/murder scandal in Belgium... create a
political crisis? THATCHER AND JIMMY SAVILLE- 11 YEARS - Ian Bone
*Savile in Belfast 1976. *aangirfan: Kincora Boys / aangirfan: JIMMY
SAVILE; ROTHSCHILD; ANTHONY BLUNT; MI5
"SEVERAL Haut de la Garenne abuse victims have named Jimmy Savile as a
sexual abuser, a UK lawyer representing them said today."
"Everyone But Jersey Calling For Full C.O.I"
Up to five girls, some as young as nine, say they were abused at the Haut
de le Gar... more »
Non-Christian prison chaplains chopped by Ottawa
Perhaps I am biased but to me this is wrong. Yes, of course a Christian
minister can provide spiritual counsel to a Muslim or a Jew; but if one
faith is paid for all should be (assuming numbers suffice - and there are
lots of non-Christians in federal institutions)
Story
The federal government is cancelling the contracts of non-Christian
chaplains at federal prisons, CBC News has learned.
Inmates of other faiths, such as Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jews, will
be expected to turn to Christian prison chaplains for religious counsel and
guidance, according to the office of Public Safet... more »
Bee Deviled: Scientists No Longer Bumbling Over Cause Of Colony Collapse Disorder
Photo courtesy of Kyle Anderson Photography *The Huffington Post*
*Bee Deviled: Scientists No Longer Bumbling Over Cause Of Colony Collapse
Disorder*
Annie Spiegelman
Posted: 09/19/2012 12:14 pm
Though worldwide bee health has been on the decline since the 1990s, it
wasn't until the fall of 2006 that beekeepers nationwide began noticing
millions of bees vanishing from their hives. This syndrome, named colony
collapse disorder, or CCD, is characterized by the disappearance of adult
honey bees from the hive, leaving the newborns to fend for themselves.
If you're not a huge fan... more »
God Save the Queen
Neil Young, bless him, recorded this ode to HM
GMO - A Global Alert
19 September 2012
French researchers secretly studied, for two years, 200 rats fed with
transgenic maize. Tumors, serious disorders... full-fledged slaughter. And
a bomb for the GMO industry.
*For more information:*
*http://www.gmo-global-alert.net*
Black Mambo Venom Contains Painkiller Superior to Morphine
A surprising bit of news that could prove valuable. Morphine's liability
is its ability to inflict addiction as it is an opiate. Thus a pain killer
that blocks pain and does not induce dependency is much to be desired. This
is the promise of this discovery, otherwise we would be quite happy with
morphine.
The black mamba is one of those snakes that you do not wish to encounter
accidentally ever. They are a good reminder why a high level of alertness
is mandatory when you are in any snake rich environment. There is even an
island off China that is unfit for human visita... more »
Diabetes Cure Indicated in Mice
This may be big. After all, it is a matter of stem cell choice when it
comes to deciding what cells are generated. Just successfully regrowing new
pancreatic tissue in a lymph node is a revolution in therapeutic care. That
it has worked so well from the get go in mouse models bodes ell for human
trials. This is a curative protocol for all replacing all damaged tissue
that has to be dealt with and it can use the patients own tissue avoiding
any possibility of rejection.
We will also figure out how to sustain the process right up to a fully
generated new organ. What we ... more »
OGM, Alerta Mundial
19 setembro 2012
Pesquisadores franceses estudaram em particular, por dois anos, 200 ratos
alimentados pelo milho OGM NK603. Tumores, doenças graves, um verdadeiro
massacre.
Veja o sitio :
*http://www.ogm-alerta-mundial.net** *
*Escolha um tema da lista abaixo para ver o conjunto de documentos
disponíveis para ler e descarregar. Alguns documentos aparecem em mais do
que uma categoria. Os artigos científicos têm a indicação "AC" a seguir à
data. Esta página é regularmente actualizada com novos trabalhos. No
entanto, nenhuma destas obras reflecte necessariamente a posição da
Pl... more »
Erasing Memory of Fear
There is something important here that everyone needs to understand about
memory. You absorb what your brain allows and you then have to allow this
memory to consolidate before you disturb your brain's processor with a new
task. There is a necessary break or pause or cycle of memory refreshing
that formally secures the memory in the brain for latter use.
It is actually counter productive to attempt cramming unless this cycle is
adhered to. Before actual 'cramming' it is necessary to organize the
material into bites to process this way. One has to presume photographic
me... more »
Khoe San Genome Confirms Antiquity
The study of the Khoe San genome appears to be a gold mine for testing
later variation in human populations. Add in the additional work underway
on the Neanderthal genome and additional possibilities with the apparent
alien DNA of the Starchild and prospective DNA from Sasquatch and we have
excellent tools for separating out a wide range of specific genes to pay
close attention to. As I posted before, this is providing us the equivalent
of the Rosetta stone.
Even better, the Khoe San can work with us and this is wonderful. I
suspect that we will also want to do much the... more »
Sun News Network apologizes … sort of … while the CRTC runs and the CBSC surrenders
Intrepid CRTC investigator looks into Sun News Network’s on-air
obscenities. Agents of the Canadian broadcast regulator may not be exactly
as illustrated. Below: Sun News commentator Ezra Levant; Bernie M. Farber.
Canada’s broadcast regulator has dropped its investigation of foul-mouthed
commentator Ezra Levant’s obscene on-air language last June after Sun News
Network issued a vague ... more »
OGM, le moment de vérité ?
19 septembre 2012
Des chercheurs français ont étudié secrètement, pendant deux ans, 200 rats
nourris au maïs transgénique. Tumeurs, pathologies lourdes... une
hécatombe. Et une bombe pour l'industrie OGM.
Plus d'information sur le site:
*http://www.ogm-alerte-mondiale.net*
Welfarism 22: Populism and Anti-Capitalism, LRI Forum, HK
Political populism and democracy -- the will of the majority is coerced on
the minority in society -- has been with humanity ever since governments or
other forms of forced collectivism were invented. In modern times, such
populism often takes the form of anti-capitalism, of seeing profit as bad,
corporations as evil, economic freedom as unfair. So the populists are
advocating more and bigger government -- more and wider regulation of
almost anything, more taxation, more prohibitions. Such populists can be
explicit or implicit socialists, that the state should regulate and plan
almo... more »
The Seeds Of Doubt Conference in Los Angeles on October 6, 2012
The Seeds of Doubt Conference Presents...
GMOs
"The Compelling Research"Renowned experts present the latest science &
research behind the detrimental effects of GMOs and the impact on our
health and environment.
*Saturday October 6, 2012*
9:00am - 1:00pm
This is the science you need to know!
*Please Join Us...*in this 4 hour event to hear from the world’s top
researchers concerning GMOs. These are the experts and researchers who have
studied genetically modified organisms (GMO) and genetically engineered
foods (GE) and are here to present their research and discuss the findings
of w... more »
PROJECT CAMELOT: CHINESE FRIGATE IN SF HARBOR
*To say something unusual is going on offshore from San Francisco is
perhaps stating the obvious, what it is nobody is quite sure. So much
disinformation is being thrown out to bloggers. Kerry Cassidy, Gordon Duff,
and John Kettler have all written about it from information gained from
their sources. Its a real fog of confusion right now. San Francisco is no
stranger to fog, but we don't usually see this kind of fog. Kerry is right
to be skeptical until more facts are in. In addition to the Gordon Duff
articles at Veterans Today listed below, John Kettler has written several
a... more »
"Leaning Into The Light..."
“How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully
aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness
not only in one's culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which
an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the
irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the
midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction,
because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse.
There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You ... more »
An Apple a Day Does Keep the Doctor Away
Photo courtesy: Flickr/multisanti/CC BY 2.0
Few fruits have the same mystique as the apple, which is curious given its
ubiquitous presence in our lives. Now it turns out that Aphrodite’s
favorite fruit – the edible pome that provided eternal youth for Norse
gods, had a starring role in the Garden of Eden, wreaked havoc for young
Snow White, and has become the cult icon for hip tech geeks everywhere –
may also save your heart.
In a new study of healthy adults, the simple act of eating an apple a day
for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL (“bad” cholesterol),
which has ... more »
WILL THE BIG BANKS NOW START PAYING FOR THEIR CRIMES?
------------------------------
October 2, 2012 at 22:14:36
*Promoted to Headline (H3) on 10/2/12:* *Permalink*
* *
About time! New York Charges JPMorgan with Mortgage Fraud
*By **Michael Collins (about the author)*
opednews.com
Michael Collins
(New York Times, Oct 1) "*The federal mortgage task force that was formed
in January by the Justice Department filed its first complaint against a
big bank on Monday, citing a broad pattern of misconduct in the packaging
and sale of mortgage securities during the housing boom. The civil suit
against Bear Stearns & Company, ... more »
Japanese Find Novel Use For Old Unused Telephone Booths
Photo courtesy: © Kingyobu collective
Dr. Who's phone booth may function as a futuristic time machine, but such
booths, in real life, tend to be relics of the past. What to do with this
nostalgic bits of our pre-iPhone past? An artist collaborative known as
Kingyobu has arrived at a novel solution by turning Osaka's old booths into
giant goldfish aquariums.
According to The Atlantic, Kingyobu loosely translates to “goldfish club”
in English. Rather than letting Osaka's old phone booths rust and decay --
or worse, get hauled off to the landfill or scrapyard -- the five members
of t... more »
Obama Campaign Ad Breaks Down Some of Romney's Debate Lies
Last night at the first presidential debate the Romney campaign tossed
aside any pretense of decorum and decided to essentially lie about
everything. In fact, when Romney shook hands with Obama at the beginning of
the debate, if you read his lips you could see that he said, "Good
morning." It got worse from there.
It won him the debate, at least according to CNN's snap poll. It also made
him vulnerable to devastating ads like the one out today by the Obama
campaign that show him to be the liar that he is.
NPR's Mark Memmott and Scott Montgomery summarize "the first wave of fact
c... more »
THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, BEING NEGOTIATED IN SECRET, MAY "MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR COUNTRIES TO HOLD CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CONDUCT -- AND WOULD IN FACT HOLD GOVERNMENTS LIABLE FOR ANY 'DAMAGE' INCURRED BY CORPORATIONS DUE TO THE INSTITUTION OF REGULATIONS." WE ARE SO SCREWED!
------------------------------
The TPP: A Quiet Coup for the Investor Class
By Hilary Matfess, September 25, 2012
------------------------------
It would be a relief to report with any certainty that the negotiations
over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—a massive proposed free-trade zone
spanning the Pacific Ocean and all four hemispheres—are definitely
empowering corporations to the detriment of workers, the environment, and
sovereignty throughout the region. Unfortunately, the secretive and opaque
character of the negotiations has made it difficult to report much of
any... more »
Karzai Accuses US of Duplicity in Fighting Afghan Enemies
*KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, on Thursday
accused the United States of playing a “double game” by fighting a war
against Afghan insurgents rather than their backers in Pakistan, and by
refusing to supply his country with the weapons it needs to fight enemies
across the border. He threatened to turn to China, India and Russia for
those arms.*
He also accused the Western news media of trying to undermine the
confidence of the Afghan people by publishing articles suggesting that a
civil war and economic collapse might follow the departure of NATO troops
at... more »
In an unassuming laboratory on the outskirts of Edinburgh, scientists attempt to mimic black holes
*Scientists are to mimic black holes in a laboratory as part of a £2.35m
project looking at how matter and energy interact.*
A team at Heriot-Watt University on the outskirts of Edinburgh will produce
laser pulses whose energy is measured in trillions of watts.
They will be used to simulate conditions found around a black hole – a
place where gravity is so strong that light cannot escape and the normal
laws of physics break down.
Daniele Faccio, the lead scientist, said: "What we are creating is the same
space-time structure which characterises a black hole. But we' are doing
this... more »
KRYON: The Recalibration of GAIA
LIVE KRYON CHANNELLING
"The Recalibration of GAIA" As channelled by Lee Carroll for KryonThis
live channelling was Given in Melbourne, Australia
March 18, 2012
*To help the reader, this channelling has been revisited [by Lee and Kryon]
to provide even clearer understanding. Often what happens live has implied
energy within it, which carries a kind of communication that the printed
page does not. So enjoy this enhanced message given in Melbourne, Australia
2012.*
Greetings, dear ones, I am Kryon of Magnetic Service. The family before me
is known and I will say it yet again, th... more »
Iran Offers Plan, Dismissed by US, on Nuclear Crisis
*WASHINGTON — With harsh economic sanctions contributing to the first major
protests in Iran in three years, Iranian officials have begun to describe
what they call a “nine-step plan” to defuse the nuclear crisis with the
West by gradually suspending the production of the uranium that would be
easiest for them to convert into a nuclear weapon*.
But the plan requires so many concessions by the West, starting with the
dismantling of all the sanctions that are blocking oil sales and setting
off the collapse of the Iranian currency, that American officials have
dismissed it as unworkab... more »
Romney says his 47 percent comment was "completely wrong"
*(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Thursday
his comment on a secretly taped video in which he disparaged 47 percent of
voters as dependent on government "was just completely wrong," as he
attempted to repair the damage from the controversy.*
Romney's interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity was the first time he
completely disavowed remarks he made at a private fundraiser in May and
which have emerged as a major stumbling block in his campaign against
Democratic President Barack Obama.
The "47 percent" videotape did not come up in his Wednesday night de... more »
Hamza Extradition Fate To Be Decided In Court
*Radical cleric Abu Hamza and four other terror suspects are expected to
find out today if they have won their latest legal move to avoid
extradition from the UK to America.*
Two judges at the High Court in London heard from Home Secretary Theresa
May's QC on Thursday that if they rule in her favour, then that
"effectively is the end" of the matter, as no further appeal was available
in criminal cases.
Mr James Edie agreed with Sir John Thomas, President of the Queen's Bench
Division, that he will be saying to the court that "the Secretary of State
would be entitled to move instan... more »
China Landslide: Bodies Of 18 Children Found
*Chinese state media has confirmed that all 18 schoolchildren buried in a
landslide in the country’s southwest are dead.*
The landslide toppled an elementary school building in a mountainous area
of China on Thursday.
Eighteen students were buried at the Tiantou Primary School and a 19th
victim was buried in a house, the official Xinhua News Agency reported,
citing local officials.
Another person was seriously injured in the landslide, which occurred in an
area ravaged by a deadly earthquake last month.
About 2,000 local people, medics, police and military personnel tried to
resc... more »
How Toxic Will Paul Ryan Prove To Be For Congressional Republicans Next Month?
Short of picking a deranged Bible thumper like Bryan Fischer or Todd
Akinas a running mate, Romney couldn't have dealt the GOP a worse blow
than his
selection of Wall Street darling Paul Lyin' Ryan. Last week we looked at
how
he hurt his own chances of winning the White House. Now it looks like it
was Ryan who gave Romney the idea of castigating 47% of Americans, even
if
Ryan's own percentage of Americans he wants to throw away is "just" 30%.
Ryan's own elitist dogma-- never forget his entire so-called philosophy
comes straight from Ayn Rand's adolescent novels extolling elistism--
... more »
Vegan Recipe - Tossed Kale Salad
*Welcome to the first Friday of the month and my favorite feature on Reduce
Footprints ... Recipe Day! Each month we share a delicious dish with you.
Why? Because our food choices are one of the easiest ways to live green.
Choosing plant-based meals, even once a week, can dramatically improve our
impact on the earth. But put those thoughts right out of your mind because
... as you'll see ... we're simply talking about good food.
This month's guest chef is my friend JC of The Accessory Lady. Some of you
might know her from Change The World Wednesday ... she participates often.
Or, yo... more »
Musical Interlude Liquid Mind, “Laguna Indigo II” (“Aurora”)
Liquid Mind, “Laguna Indigo II” (“Aurora”)
Images Courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory,
NASA Johnson Space Center, "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of
Earth".
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfvKD_SaQdQ
Gender, Violence, War, Political Memory
The sailor (George Mendosa) and nurse (Greta Zimmer Friedman) depicted in
this iconic photo snapped moments after the announcement that World War II
had ended turned out to be complete strangers, and apparently Greta
Friedman, the nurse, wasn't kissing back:
Mendosa: "It was the moment. You come back from the Pacific, and finally,
the war ends,' Mendonsa told CBS. 'The excitement of the war being over,
plus I had a few drinks. So when I saw the nurse, I grabbed her, and I
kissed her."
Friedman: "I did not see him approaching, and before I know it... more »
California Gas Stations Shut as Oil Refiners Ration Supplies
Gasoline station owners in the Los Angeles area including Costco Wholesale
Corp. (COST) are beginning to shut pumps as the state’s oil refiners
started rationing supplies and spot prices surged to a record.
Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) stopped selling gasoline on the spot, or
wholesale, market in Southern California and is allocating deliveries to
customers. Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) is also rationing fuel to U.S. West
Coast terminal customers. Costco’s outlet in Simi Valley, 40 miles (64
kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, ran out of regular gasoline yesterday
and was selling premium... more »
The answer isn't always Occam's razor
I've been checking the reaction to the debate all day. Really diverse and
interesting mix but my pal Lance Mannion had the best take:
Mitt won last night by being a liar, a bully, and an all-around jerk. That
should be the story.
Of course, this was not the media story, nor was it a general consensus.
Everyone has their own preferred narrative. But read Lance's whole post.
Everything I've seen on the internets today suggests he's spot on.
This didn't play as well on the street as our very influential punderati
thinks it did. Mitt's all new style may have played very well with the ... more »
The goal of the war against teachers: A conjecture
VILIFY and PUSH OUT TEACHERS, replace with temps and technology, make a lot
of money for the .01%.
S. Krashen
"No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up." - Lily Tomlin,
The goal of the war against teachers is to eliminate the concept of
teaching as a profession, to be replaced by temps (Teach for America, or
TFAs) and eventually be replaced altogether by technology (ultimate goal of
flipped classrooms). The reason is 100% financial – so that the .01% can
grab nearly all of the money teachers earn as well as profit from
electronic/virtual teaching.
They want as mu... more »
Stealing wheelbarrows and the move to digital texts
Comment on “Arne Duncan calls for textbooks to become obsolete in favor of
digital,” Huffington Post, Oct 2.
S. Krashen
Posted on:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/education-chief-wants-tex_0_n_1933469.html#postComment
Remember the old joke about the worker who left the factory everyday with a
wheelbarrow full of sand? The guards suspected him of stealing and examined
the sand carefully each day. It turned out he was stealing wheelbarrows.
How will the private sector make money from the move to digital texts? The
money will come from stealing wheelbarrows: To use digital text... more »
Justin the Thunderbolt Trudeau
The contrast of political fortunes is striking, on one hand we have a
shooting star blazing a trail across Canada and on the other hand we have a
comedy of errors, actually it`s far worse than that, Christy Clark has
descended into a sad pathetic role, she`s been exposed as unintelligent,
shallow scripted soap opera actress, playing a role and playing it badly,
there will be no Emmy award coming her way..
Christy Clark, a lifetime Federal Liberal member, the reason a right wing
BC Liberal(Liberal in name only) party chose her as leader was obvious, who
would want Kevin Falcon as pr... more »
The Great Romney Healthcare Hoax
POLITICS
How Romney Pushed State Health Bill Emails Show Governor
Defending Insurance Mandate for Massachusetts Residents
By MARK MAREMONT June 5, 2012
When Mitt Romney left office as Massachusetts governor, his aides removed
all emails from a server computer in the governor's office, and purchased
and carted off hard drives from 17 state-owned personal computers,
according to a current state official. But a small cache of emails
survived, including some that have never publicly surfaced surrounding Mr.
Romney's efforts to pass his now-controversial health-care law. The emails
s... more »
RAG RADIO / Thorne Webb Dreyer : Composer, Musician & Beat Movement Pioneer David Amram
David
Amram at the studios of KOOP-FM in Austin, Texas, September 28, 2012.
Photos by Jim Retherford / The Rag Blog.
Rag Radio Podcast:
Virtuoso composer, jazz musician &
Keroauc collaborator David Amram
By Thorne Webb Dreyer / The Rag Blog / October 5, 2012
David Amram, a virtuoso composer and musician who has been a trailblazer
in the American arts scene for decades and was a pioneer of
Romney lies and lies and lies during the debate
Excellent post here:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/how-many-of-the-27-lies-will-the-lemmings-believed/
It lists 27 Romney lies. Well done!
Here's another link leading to an article about Romney's clean energy
bankruptcies whopper; it expands on the Occupy article's lie number 26.
Pillaging Afghanistan's Wealth
The article is titled "Doubt Cast on Afghan Mining: US Says High Cost of
Railway May Quash a Pillar of Kabul's Economic Strategy" 10/4/2012 by D.
Nissenbaum p. A20
[Excerpted] Afghanistan's hopes of transforming its $1 trillion in mineral
deposits into an economic engine could be derailed by obstacles to the
construction of a railway system needed to transport minerals out of the
country...
...Backed by U.S. Defense Department strategists, the Afghan government has
been aggressively selling off its biggest mining interests to companies
from China, India, Canada and the U.S., from ... more »
Tainted Water Wells Linked to Gas Fracking
Cabot’s Methodology Links Tainted Water Wells to Gas Fracking By Mark
Drajem and Jim Efstathiou Jr. - Oct 2, 2012 Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-02/cabot-s-methodology-links-tainted-water-wells-to-gas-fracking.html
[Excerpted] Methane in two Pennsylvania water wells has a chemical
fingerprint that links it to natural gas produced by hydraulic fracturing,
evidence that such drilling can pollute drinking water.
Chart: EPA Data Shows Marcellus Gas in Water Wells
Cabot Oil & Gas, which used hydraulic fracturing to tap gas reserves in the
Dimock, Pennsylvania area, ma... more »
The Debate: A Sorry Affair
"They had a draw, America lost." - Tom Ferguson.
Are the debates rigged? Sure, but they're rigged jointly by the two campaigns
*"Voters are not allowed to know about the current backroom fix between
Obama and Romney."*
*-- Ralph Nader, in a CounterPunch post,*
"Rigging the Presidential Debates"
*by Ken*
What I really wanted to talk about tonight had nothing to do with the
debates. It would have led off with a luscious Peter Steiner *New
Yorker*cartoon with the caption ""On the Internet, nobody knows you're a
dog." I
had this idea that I could say just one thing about The Debate and then
get
on to some serious funny business. Then the one thing grew to two, and
the
two to three, and the three things called ... more »
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