The HM Revenue and Customs complex, in Nottingham UK. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
European Parliament, Strasbourg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
European Court of Human Rights (Photo credit: Wikipedia)10:33pm MST
He can't touch Google and Starbucks but the taxman's gone to war with pensioners
While big business exploits loopholes, thousands of OAPs like criminals and face losing £150 a month - because HMRC couldn’t get their tax bills right. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2232501/The-taxmans-gone-war-pensioners.html
Illegal immigrant and failed asylum seeker handed £24,000 by Human Rights judges after ‘British law failed to protect her from slavery’
The Ugandan woman came to Britain on a false passport, became a care worker, and was free to leave the house where she worked and use public transport, the European Court of Human Rights heard. An investigation by police officers found she was NOT a victim of slavery and was a criminal http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232483/Illegal-immigrant-failed-asylum-seeker-handed-24-000-Human-Rights-judges-British-law-failed-protect-slavery.html
Anti-austerity strikes sweep southern Europe
Spanish and Portuguese workers will stage the first coordinated general strike across the Iberian Peninsula on Wednesday, shutting transport, grounding flights and closing schools to protest against spending cuts and tax hikes. Unions in Greece and Italy also planned work stoppages and demonstrations on a "European Day of Action and Solidarity" against austerity policies, which labor leaders blame for prolonging and worsening the continent's economic crisis. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/us-spain-portugal-strike-idUSBRE8AD00020121114
Geithner warns against delaying solution to fiscal crisis
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday warned against extending all the U.S. tax breaks to give Washington additional time to broker a deficit reduction deal, saying it would create more uncertainty in the markets. The Obama administration and Congress have seven weeks to deal with the so-called "fiscal cliff," a scenario in which hundreds of billions of dollars in tax hikes and spending cuts start to take effect next year, driving the economy into recession. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/us-usa-fiscal-geithner-idUSBRE8AC17120121114
Long Island Power Authority CEO resigns in storm's aftermath
Michael Hervey, the embattled chief executive officer of the Long Island Power Authority, has resigned, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by Chairman Howard Steinberg. Hervey's resignation comes on the same day that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo launched an investigation by a special commission into the state's utilities and their response to Superstorm Sandy. More than two weeks after the storm struck the region, about 45,000 LIPA customers still have no electricity. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/us-storm-sandy-lipa-ceo-idUSBRE8AD05920121114
Suspected North Korea missile parts seized en route to Syria in May
A shipment of graphite cylinders usable in a missile program and suspected to have come from North Korea were found in May aboard a Chinese ship en route to Syria in what appears to have been a violation of U.N. sanctions, diplomats said on Tuesday. South Korean officials seized the shipment of 445 graphite cylinders, which had been declared as lead piping, from a Chinese vessel called the Xin Yan Tai, U.N. Security Council diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/us-korea-north-syria-un-idUSBRE8AD07820121114
Iranian army members prepare missiles to be launched
Iran said Tuesday it successfully tested a new air defense system modeled after the US Hawk system during a drill in the country's east. A senior Iranian official called the six-day air defense drill over almost the entire eastern half of the country a 'slap' to America and Israel. The exercise has been said to include Iranian jet fighters, drones and more than 8,000 troops. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowpics/17212303.cms
Moscow to seek Syria progress, bigger Middle East role in Riyadh
Russia is expected to urge Saudi Arabia to allow its regional rival Iran to join moves to end the conflict in Syria in a rare high-level meeting on Wednesday between the world's top two oil producers, diplomatic sources said. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is hoping to raise Moscow's profile in a region where its influence is at risk after blocking three U.N. resolutions meant to put pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to end the bloodshed. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/russia-saudi-idUSL5E8MD36U20121114
Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)
Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far. There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful: - The #CTWW Gang - The Honor Society - My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge - This Week's Challenge Last week we investigated local shopping. Rather than shop at one of the big "box" stores, we searched out ne... more »
Ryan's Last Hurrah?
No, Paul Ryan is not sitting alone in a movie theater watching *Atlas Shrugged, Part 2*, getting his popcorn salty with bitter tears of defeat. He's out hunting (literally)... and looking for revenge and couldn't care less that half the pundits in DC blame his extremism for Romney's loss and for the thrashing the GOP took in congressional races. [He claims it wasn't the ideas he culled from Ayn Rand's childish novels that cost the GOP the election but too many colored people voting-- i.e, what he terms "the takers" rather than "the makers."] And believe me, Wall Street still has ... more »
The reasons Mitt Romney failed are same reasons why David Cameron will lose next election
Romney always looked like a mediocre rich man’s son whose birthright had fast-tracked him to glory. Just like Cameron In Mitt Romney’s failure to become President of the United States, we can see the waning arc of David Cameron’s career – why he failed to bury Gordon Brown at the last election, why he has no hope of winning the next general election and why Boris Johnson will eventually replace him as Tory leader. Romney always looked far too much like one of the men who got the world economy into this mess to be fully trusted. Just like Cameron. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news... more »
Mudslide forces evacuations in California
Authorities are helping people in Daly City, Calif. evacuate after a severe mudslide. They're still investigating the source of the water. They think it could be from a water storage facility on the top of a hill. Several blocks were flooded and eight homes have been evacuated so far. http://www.kxan.com/dpps/entertainment/must_see_video/mudslide-forces-evacuations-in-california-nd12-jgr_4966805
High uranium levels found near Finnish mine leak
Radioactive uranium more than 50 times higher than the normal level has been found in a stream in Finland's rural east after a leak of waste water from a nearby mine belonging to Talvivaara , nuclear safety officials said on Friday. But Finnish authorities said they did not see a risk to public health after taking samples on Tuesday and Wednesday close to the nickel and zinc mine some 30 km (20 miles) outside the town of Sotkamo. The ore from the mine also contains uranium. http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/high-uranium-levels-found-near-finnish-mine-leak
Kenyan Police Massacre: Residents 'Flee Homes'
Thousands of Kenyans have reportedly fled their homes after cattle raiders killed at least 32 police officers in an ambush. Cattle raiders armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades killed the officers in a military-style ambush in the remote Sugata valley, according to reports. http://news.sky.com/story/1011120/kenyan-police-massacre-residents-flee-homes
Elmo Puppeteer Accuser Recants Teen Sex Claims
Sesame Workshop said its own investigation found the allegations of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. The man is now saying his sexual relationship with Mr Clash, who performs on the popular children's programme as Elmo, was adult and consensual. http://news.sky.com/story/1011127/elmo-puppeteer-accuser-recants-teen-sex-claims
Confirmed - US Was Holding "Prisoners" at Benghazi Annex
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=259975 Posted By: Lion Date: Tuesday, 13-Nov-2012 20:13:11 *The US was holding and interrogating Libyan, Arab and African prisoners in Benghazi* http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33018.htm *FOX News Confirms US Was Holding Prisoners at Benghazi Annex* Confirmed : US Was Holding and Interrogating "Prisoners" at Benghazi Annex Jennifer Griffen at FOX News today confirmed that the US was holding and interrogating Libyan, Arab and African prisoners at the Benghazi annex near the consulate compound. at the Benghazi an...more »
Al Hilli Bank Fraud: Nigerian-born Abiodun David John Charged
Police have charged a man with attempting to access the bank accounts of the family murdered in the French Alps in October. Nigerian-born Abiodun David John, 33, was charged with fraud after allegedly trying to get into accounts in the name of members of Saad al Hilli's family after his death on September 5. http://news.sky.com/story/1011130/man-charged-over-al-hilli-bank-fraud
Schizophrenia Care 'Making Patients Worse'
Standards of care in some mental health units are so poor that they make patients worse, not better, a new report has warned. An independent inquiry into schizophrenia describes the care given to some patients on secure wards as "shameful". http://news.sky.com/story/1010963/schizophrenia-report-blasts-patient-treatment
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS REGION - 14th November 2012
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 03:04:46 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 07:04:46 PM at epicenter Location 51.820°N, 130.559°W Depth 15.3 km (9.5 miles) Region QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS REGION Distances 248 km (154 miles) WNW (302°) from Port Hardy, BC, Canada
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake CHIAPAS, MEXICO - 14th November 2012
Magnitude 4.6 Date-Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 00:43:04 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 06:43:04 PM at epicenter Location 17.399°N, 93.438°W Depth 38 km (23.6 miles) Region CHIAPAS, MEXICO Distances 41 km (26 miles) WSW (251°) from Pichucalco, Chiapas, Mexico
4.3 Magnitude Earthquake GUATEMALA - 14th November 2012
Magnitude 4.3 Date-Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 00:09:45 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 06:09:45 PM at epicenter Location 15.315°N, 90.655°W Depth 79.5 km (49.4 miles) Region GUATEMALA Distances 34 km (21 miles) WSW (240°) from Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL TURKEY - 14th November 2012
Magnitude 4.2 Date-Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 00:02:00 UTC Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 02:02:00 AM at epicenter Location 37.251°N, 37.148°E Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) Region CENTRAL TURKEY Distances 27 km (17 miles) NW (309°) from Gaziantep, Turkey
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake ATACAMA, CHILE - 14th November 2012
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 00:00:45 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 09:00:45 PM at epicenter Location 27.372°S, 69.091°W Depth 95.9 km (59.6 miles) Region ATACAMA, CHILE Distances 128 km (79 miles) E (92°) from Copiapo, Chile
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL TURKEY - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 4.5 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 23:55:49 UTC Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 01:55:49 AM at epicenter Location 37.126°N, 37.111°E Depth 9.2 km (5.7 miles) Region CENTRAL TURKEY Distances 24 km (15 miles) W (277°) from Gaziantep, Turkey
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 4.5 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 23:43:36 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 01:43:36 PM at epicenter Location 51.731°N, 177.012°E Depth 56.3 km (35.0 miles) Region RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA Distances 288 km (179 miles) ESE (114°) from Attu Station, AK
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake MONTENEGRO - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 4.6 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 23:24:09 UTC Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 12:24:09 AM at epicenter Location 42.533°N, 18.982°E Depth 9.9 km (6.2 miles) Region MONTENEGRO Distances 26 km (16 miles) WNW (287°) from Podgorica (Titograd), Yugoslavia
5.4 Magnitude Earthquake TONGA - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 5.4 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 23:23:49 UTC Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 01:23:49 PM at epicenter Location 21.042°S, 175.934°W Depth 27.1 km (16.8 miles) Region TONGA Distances 74 km (46 miles) W (279°) from NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga
Glenn Beck's Current Take on Secession Movement
A great deal of discussion has taken place on conservative message boards today due to the fact that Glenn Beck has referred to those in twenty states who have signed petitions to “secede” from the union. These petitions seemed peculiar to me since it would be the job of their elected state legislators to secede if such an activity were to take place, not individual citizens. As I elaborated in my video today, on his radio program Glenn has repeatedly urged listeners to move from northern states to Oklahoma and Texas. The inference is obvious. Yet, he implies that people who see se... more »
30 Days Of Gratitude – Day 11 – Elizabeth Esther
*This is a really good article. I have some experience with this kind of thing. This is from the website of the movie Paradise Recovered, which was loosely based on first hand experiences of members of the Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. The creators of the film drew on some of our experiences and were in contact with those of us in WCG reform movement. -AK* http://paradiserecovered.com/30daysofgratitude-day-11-elizabeth-esther/ 30 Days Of Gratitude – Day 11 – Elizabeth Esther Posted NOV 13 2012 by in BEYOND PARADISE, PARADISE RECOVERED, SPIRITUAL AB... more »
n14: european general strike!
In a few hours, people all over Europe will wake up and begin their days. Many will find it difficult to get anywhere or do anything. Many more will not report to work or school, and will instead take to the streets. November 14, 2012 will mark a historic European-wide general strike against austerity and economic insecurity. What makes Wednesday’s strike even more threatening to Europe’s managerial elite is the strong support it is receiving from traditional labor groups that rarely send their members into the streets — foremost, among them, the European Trade Union Confederation, ... more »
Allegations That Tamiflu Useless
On the front page of the Arizona Republic was an article titled “UK Experts Say Tamiflu is Ineffective” by Maria Cheng Nov 13, 2012 A1, A4. The article explains that [excerpted] “a leading British medical journal is asking drug maker Roche to release all its data on Tamiflu, claiming there is no evidence the drug can actually stop the flu.” [end excerpt] The article goes to state that governments all over the world have been stocking up on Tamiflu (i.e., buying large amounts of it) in preparation for a flu epidemic, as recommended by the World Health Organization. A group of resea... more »
Non-party benefits from limitation of liability provision
Richards v. Media Experts M.H.S. Inc., 2012 ONCA 769 is an interesting case in which a limitation of liability was held to extend to a non-party in the context of a wrongful dismissal. The Court held: [1] The appellant sued her employer, the corporate respondent, for damages for wrongful dismissal. She also sued the executive chairman of the corporation ("the personal respondent") for damages for the torts of intentional and negligent infliction of nervous shock. [2] On a rule 21 motion, the motion judge struck out the amended statement of claim against the per... more »
Navajos still dying and fighting new uranium mining
*By Don Yellowman, President of Forgotten People* *Censored News* *http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com* Forgotten People gather in a house at Black Falls, Ariz., near the uranium-contaminated Box Spring well. Photo by Rachel Wise. * *Yah ah teh All: My name is Don Yellowman, President of the Forgotten People, I am Dine, with Inalienable Rights to Clean Air, Clean Water and entitled to live and thrive on our Mother Lands. I am here today before you to share the Forgotten People Resolution regarding the Dine Be Keh Yah Uranium Contamination Problem. I stand before you under this Wind... more »
Chunks of NYC infrastructure continue to return to service, but the Statue of Liberty -- though relit -- remains a distant prospect
*by Ken* Here in the Big Apple, while a lot of people have suffered personal and property loss beyond recovery and a lot of people are still suffering "temporary" hardship like power loss, more and more pieces of the metropolitan area are being gradually restored to something like normal function. This morning, for example, I was able to take the no. 1 Broadway local train, which begins way up in the Bronx at the southern end of Van Cortlandt Park and then runs all the way down the West Side of Manhattan to South Ferry, all the way from my home stop, 190 Street, to my work stop, ...more »
Video Billy Frank Jr. "The Inupiat, Hanging On at the Top of the World"
Published on Sep 26, 2012 by BabyWildFIlms Renowned Indian activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Billy Frank Jr. travels to the Native Village of Barrow, Alaska, the "front line" of the climate crisis. This extraordinary special looks at the impacts of the crisis from the perspective of the Inupiat, and how these dramatic changes are threatening a whaling culture thousands of years old. Produced, written and edited by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Harris, with photography from veteran photojournalist Kevin Ely and original music from Tim Truman.
France gambles on the Syrian opposition
France has become the first European country to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition and says it could consider arming the rebels.
Update by Sheldan Nidle for the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Galactic Federation 11/13/2012
*Update by Sheldan Nidle for the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Galactic Federation 11/13/2012* 2 Ik, 10 Xul, 9 Eb Selamat Jarin! We return with some interesting news. Recently, a flurry of legal activity and agreements concerning the new governance has set the stage for asking our heavenly advisers for a final go-ahead to start manifesting your new reality. Those who have run your world for so long continue to lead your realm toward a series of massive economic and diplomatic disasters. To us, this inevitability is a sure sign that the moment has come for more significant inte... more »
Jihadi Sheik Wants to Destroy Sphinx, Pyramids
The Salafist/Wahhabi strain of Islam is sheer idiocy and barbarism. The U.S. is supporting these barbarians to overthrow Assad and destroy Syria. Source: Newsy.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“In this stunning vista, based on image data from the Hubble Legacy Archive, distant galaxies form a dramatic backdrop for disrupted spiral galaxy Arp 188, the Tadpole Galaxy. The cosmic tadpole is a mere 420 million light-years distant toward the northern constellation Draco. Its eye-catching tail is about 280 thousand light-years long and features massive, bright blue star clusters. *Click image for larger size. * One story goes that a more compact intruder galaxy crossed in front of Arp 188 - from right to left in this view - and was slung around behind the Tadpole by their g... more »
Chet Raymo, "'Let Us Begin…’"
*"'Let Us Begin…’"* by Chet Raymo “…by clearing up the old confusion between the man who loves learning and the man who loves reading, and point out that there is no connection whatsoever between the two. A learned man is a sedentary, concentrated solitary enthusiast, who searches through books to discover some particular grain of truth upon which he has set his heart. If the passion for reading conquers him, his gains dwindle and vanish between his fingers. A reader, on the other hand, must check the desire for learning at the onset; if knowledge sticks to him well and good,... more »
West Conjures Fake "Syrian" Government
Smokescreen meant to cover open-backing of foreign Al Qaeda terrorists inside Syria, while panicking & disrupting Syrian unity. *November 14, 2012* (LD) - Predictably, the Western arranged confab in Doha, Qatar has seen the selection and approval by the US and its allies of a "new opposition coalition" to serve as the face of militants fighting inside Syria. This was in response to overwhelming international condemnation to what has become an open proxy war fought against Syria by Western interests and its regional allies. It is a repeat of the now catastrophically failed NATO int...more »
Blue Versus Red - a War of the Wealthy
The ever widening gap between Red and Blue America exists mainly among the wealthy. *The New York Times* reports that a study based on exit polls shows lower-income Americans, whether from Blue or Red states, tend to favour the Democratic Party. The divide seems to be the battleground of more well-to-do voters. *To picture this, imagine two alternative universes for the 2012 election. In the first, only individuals making less than $50,000 a year can vote; in the second, only those making more than $100,000 a year can. Based on exit polls from Election Day, we have a decent idea o... more »
Stop Imperialism Podcast #47
In this episode: Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Argentina, Anti-GMO Prop 37, and Iran. November 14, 2012 (Stop Imperialism) Podcast Powered By Podbean .... In Today's Episode: *1. Syria - Syrian rebels to get unified command* *2. Iraq - Free Iraqi Army inspired by Syria war* *3. Yemen - Yemenis hold huge anti-US rally in Sana'a over drone attacks* *4. Argentina - A wrong turn in Buenos Aires* *5. Anti-GMO Movement - New "GMO Inside" campaign denounces corporate disinformation campaign that defeated California's Prop 37* *6. Under the Radar - Iran issues a warning for Amer... more »
Jobs: When the rhetoric hits the road
Apparently this GOP trick only works once: The presidential campaigns and outside groups supporting them spent a monumental $588 million on ads focusing on jobs, in an election cycle that often strayed from what both sides seemed to agree were the central issues at hand: jobs and the economy. [...] Despite the millions more spent by Republicans, their candidate lost in every one of those races. They won in 2010 on that same promise. And promptly ignored it. Go figure. The people noticed and remembered in November. Sadly, thanks to gerrymandering in GOP held statehouses, the will ... more »
About using goose eggs
A little video, the main point of which is, to blow out fifty goose eggs, what you want is a Dremel with a conical grinder bit and a basketball pump.
The Daily "Near You?"
Boise, Idaho, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
The Economy: "The Fiscal Cliff is a Mole Hill Compared TAG Program Expiry"
*"The Fiscal Cliff is a Mole Hill Compared TAG Program Expiry"* by Shah Gilani "Everyone is afraid of falling off the "fiscal cliff." But there's another dangerous countdown clock about hit to zero. And no one is talking about it, even though it will spell even more financial problems for us all. At midnight on December 31, 2012, the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program will expire. The TAG program was initiated at the height of the credit crisis when depositors were fleeing banks for fear they would go under. To quell what was turning into a run on banks, the FDIC upped ... more »
George Lucas Will Donate Disney $4 Billion To Education
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/02/george-lucas-donate-4-billion_n_2067145.html *George Lucas Will Donate Disney $4 Billion To Education* Posted: 11/02/2012 5:54 pm EDT Updated: 11/05/2012 9:38 am EST George Lucas is ensuring that the force may be with young Jedis everywhere. The "Star Wars" director will donate the $4.05 billion he will receive from the sale of Lucasfilm Ltd. to Disney to a foundation focused on education, according to the Hollywood Reporter. On Tuesday, the Walt Disney Company announced it had paid the huge sum to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd., whic... more »
The Economy: "Lemmings in Wonderland"
*"Lemmings in Wonderland"* by Joel Bowman “If I had a world of my own,” declared Alice, Lewis Carroll’s red pill-popping protagonist while wandering around her author’s Wonderland, “everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” What’s going on, Fellow Reckoner? What’s happening…now that we’re through the looking glass? Stocks dawdle. Gold drags its chain. And the whole economy — to the extent that such a thing even exists — marches head... more »
Q: How does the Queen answer the phone?
[image: Queenbo]*Cartoon by Nick Kim* In the only reference yourself you’re likely to see on this blog, however oblique, to the fact we have A Royal Walking Amongst Us this week, allow me to help answer the important relevant questions for you. Such as, how does the Queen answer the phone? And does she really say, “Wassup! This is Liz.” Answers here. [Hat tip Geek Press] Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
It's two for one day! "The Present"
Today in Australia, (tomorrow in the USA), is the birthday of an angel and we are getting the present! My first born son, who is older and oh so much wiser than I was when he was born, has written a love letter to the world. Enjoy this, share this and send some of your own love light “down under”. He would like that. *it's after midnight, i'm 28 now, and i love you. i don't care who you are. i don't care what your name is, what you look like, where you live, or what you've done with your life so far. i love you because it's a choice, because it's my god-given ri... more »
Deep Green
Since I’ve just posted below just some of the dopiness promoted by Hard Labour activists, I thought it only fair to update my on-going study of their coalition partners favourite word: “ban.” I first examined this back in 2006 when a a commenter took issue with my claim "that the Greens always want to ban things." Turned out my commenter was right. The Greens didn’t want to ban everything, and they still don't. Just this lot: - Californian grape imports - ferrets - trade in cat and dog fur - trade in furniture and timber from China - imports of all Chinese milk-... more »
Pundits do the CYA dance
This is hilarious. He is always wrong, about everything. So much so, his predictions are considered the proverbial kiss of death. Still it's significant that Dick Morris is willing to tell us he lied in order to keep the Rmoney campaign alive. "I think that there was a period of time when the Romney campaign was falling apart, people were not optimistic, nobody thought there was a chance of victory and I felt that it was my duty at that point to go out and say what I said." -- Dick Morris, in an interview on Fox News, explaining why he predicted a landslide for Mitt Romney in the... more »
Filibuster Thoughts: Coalitions
In my post last week, I said that I'd like to increase incentives for cross-party incentives. An anonymous commenter quite sensibly asked: "Why?" It's worth a response. Basically, I'm for strong parties -- but at the same time parties where are relatively non-ideological and non-hierarchical. In other words, I think that democracy is best served when parties cooperate *and* internally compete to make policy. At their best, American parties have done a pretty good job of that. Part of that involves real intraparty differences. Our parties are stronger, in my view, if they can accomm... more »
Zombie Regeneration
Zombies are not really good for much. They're stupid, psychotic, and cannot be domesticated. Did I mention they smell really bad too? But they are a profitable foil for the film and video game business. And, according to this innovative regen idea from Detroit, zombies could be an answer to that city's urban blight epidemic.
The Third Way (An Economic False Flag That Will Kill Off the Weak and Many Present-Day Strong)
Read the essay below for a generational tale of unspeakable evil and earnest betrayal on the part of those who were allowed (hell, encouraged) to thrive previously on the backs of the now dead meat "moochers." Wall Street's Plan to Push Obama to Betray William K. Black Reader Supported News 13 November 12 Through its lobbying group Third Way and media mouthpieces, Wall Street is determined
Given A Real Choice, Voters Pay Attention-- Alan Grayson, Thomas Paine And The Lame Duck
A lot is being made about how voters in states where Republican legislatures tried making it more difficult to vote, voters responded by helping defeat Republicans. That makes sense. Many Americans take democracy seriously. Unfortunately, it isn't only the Republicans who sometimes try to subvert it. This whole bullshit about using the lame duck session-- filled with defeated congressmembers who have no accountability to voters-- to seriously alter America's social contract is a disgrace being foisted on us by our transpartisan (conservative consensus) political elite. This isn't ... more »
Treasury's Geithner warns against postponing fiscal crisis
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday warned against extending all the U.S. tax breaks to give Washington more time to broker a deficit reduction deal, saying it would create more uncertainty in the markets. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-usa-fiscal-geithner-idUSBRE8AC17120121113
A Salacious CIA Chief
*It's dominating the corporate press and media channels*: "CIA chief Petraeus resigns over affair uncovered by FBI" by Bryan Bender | Globe Staff, November 10, 2012 WASHINGTON — CIA director and retired Army General David H. Petraeus, the accomplished battlefield commander credited with turning around American fortunes in Iraq before retooling the military strategy in Afghanistan, *resigned in disgrace* on Friday after admitting to an *extramarital affair* that some specialists suggested could have compromised national security.... According to the New York Times, government offi... more »
Horrible: Owners ‘Devocalizing’ Dogs To Curtail Pets From Barking
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/11/13/owners-devocalizing-dogs-to-curtail-pets-from-barking/
Paul Ryan rejects reality in election results
Paul Ryan emerged from whatever rock he was hiding under for the last six weeks to announce he's certain it wasn't his agenda that was rejected on election day. No, he just knows that everybody still loves granny starving and his team would have won the damn race if only all those moochers didn't turn out to vote: In his first interview since losing the election, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) wouldn’t admit that voters rejected his economic vision and instead chalked up President Obama’s victory to a large turnout of the “urban vote.” “I don’t think we lost it on those budget issues, espe... more »
PLAN DE TLAMANALCO: RESPONSE TO TUSD
*EL PLAN DE TLAMANALCO: * *A COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THE TUCSON DESGREGATION PLAN* By Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez The most important aspect of the proposed plan for the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) – to get out of its desegregation order – is that beyond individuals, the community is coming together to respond, both as a local and national community. Perhaps soon, we will hear of El Plan de Tlamanalco (Tucson) or something similar that our community is putting together. And why Tlamanalco? Because the fire and the drum have been there at every step of the way. What’s before... more »
Can a right of first refusal bind a non-party? Yes
Benzie v. Hania, 2012 ONCA 766 provides a properly registered right of first refusal can bind a non-party: [1] Can a right of first refusal bind non-parties? Is it registrable under the *Land Titles Act*, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.5 (the *Land Titles Act*)? These questions lie at the heart of this appeal. ... [84] The parties expressly consented to registration of the Agreement on title to the Property. It has been so registered for almost twenty-five years. It was properly registered at the outset; it remains properly registered today. Accordingly, s. 71(2) ope... more »
The Bright Side of The Petraeus Sex Scandal: At Least He's Not A Pedophile
"This culture is so sick, so hypocritical, and so enmeshed in the worst and most outlandish of lies, that it all but renders itself immune to criticism, let alone correction. This culture, this country approaches a state of psychosis, a state so profoundly disconnected from reality at any and every point, that it is almost entirely futile to attempt to address its numerous, ungraspably awful failings. (It occurs to me that I should add, in what I consider the all but impossible event that this should be the case, that if the affair *is* the actual reason for Petraeus's resignation... more »
Keira Knightley's breasts - Not Safe For Work - Rule 5 post
According to The Mail, 'Keira Knightley bares her modest cleavage as she blasts Hollywood bosses for giving her 'droopy' big bust on film poster'. It seems that: 'She also told how she has a strict 'no bottom half' clause when it comes to getting naked on film. She told the U.S. fashion magazine: 'No bottom half! 'I don't mind exposing my t*ts because they're so small - people really aren't that interested!' Here's some video of Keira Knightley's completely uninteresting breasts... And some pictures for the totally uninterested
Maestra Angelbertha Cobb Nov 13-19 Tucson
*Nov. 13-19th 2012 – * *Maestra Angelbertha Cobb of Xicoxixico,* *Sierra de Puebla, Mexico* "*Maestra Angelbertha Cobb of Xiloxixico from the Sierra de Puebla, Mexico should not exist. By all rights, she defies the rules of Western knowledge - defies the accepted historical, archaeological, anthropological and linguistic narratives of this continent. Maestra Cobb is a living treasure, a repository of memory and a link to all of Indigenous America. She can speak with Hopi elders in mutually intelligible conversations in her own native Nahuatl language. Nahuatl, Mexicano or Macehual ... more »
Oil spill Post being held for now
Until I get confirmation, I will have to hold back the post..... Something`s going on.. Be patient.. No information as of yet, maybe the containment boom was placed out of precaution, I just spent the last hour and a half walking the Chevron perimeter .....There is a lot of digging going on, all the asphalt around one of the big tanks has been dug up, .. In attempting to evesdrop on the workers digging and moving asphalt, they unfortunately are speaking Mexican, A report 2 weeks ago came out about the seabird decline in Vancouver harbour, the decline has been blamed on man... more »
Hard Labour is coming for you
Want to know what dangerous fantasies inhabit Labour activists’ minds? Wonder no longer, as all the dopy policy remits activists have dreamed up for consideration at this weekend’s Hard Labour conference have now been published online. Fortunately, DPF has done the hard work of extracting the remits from the 25-page conference document. As he says, “Do not read these if you are of a nervous disposition”: - Nationalisation of partially-sold assets - A state owned insurance company - State-owned and managed retirement homes - Every NGO receiving even minimal government ... more »
Important Health News: New Video By Mike Adams, The Health Ranger: "The Dark Side Of Science"
I came across a most interesting video just the other day that was posted by my friend, Noor, who writes the blog: Snippits And Snappits ( www.snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.com). It comes from Mike Adams, who is also known as the "Health Ranger" and is the main editor behind the website: Natural News (www.naturalnews.com), and after viewing it myself, I knew that I had to present it here for my own readers to watch. This video is entitled: "The Dark Side Of Science (Here's what Scientists don't want you to see)", and it contains some important information and some warnings about e... more »
Summit of 15 EU countries shows split on EU budget
Divisions among the 27 European Union countries over increasing the region's €1 trillion budget deepened Tuesday as the region's two opposing camps set out their arguments over raising spending in the midst of a three-year debt crisis. A group of 15 of the political leaders meeting in Brussels Tuesday called for an increase in the EU budget, which is used to fund pan-European programs designed to ensure a level economic playing-field across the region. Meanwhile on a visit to Rome, David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the euroskeptic U.K. called on the EU to "live within its means".... more »
France recognises new Syria opposition....Hardly surprising, they will back anyone
France became the first European power to recognise Syria's new opposition coalition as the sole representative of its people and said on Tuesday it would look into arming rebels against President Bashar al-Assad once they form a government. Twenty months into their bloody uprising against Assad, fragmented Syrian opposition groups struck a deal in Qatar on Sunday to form a broad coalition and their leader immediately appealed for European backing. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/uk-syria-crisis-idUKBRE8AB0HV20121113
Petraeus' Successor John Allen In Email Probe
US President Barack Obama "has faith" in America's top commander in Afghanistan, a spokesman has said - as more details emerged connecting him to the scandal surrounding the CIA's ex-director. General John Allen is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with Jill Kelley, who is said to have received threatening emails from a woman conducting an extramarital affair with General David Petraeus. http://news.sky.com/story/1010723/petraeus-successor-john-allen-in-email-probe
"So Petraeus And Mistress Are Cyber-Illiterate?"
*"So Petraeus And Mistress Are Cyber-Illiterate?"* by Karl Denninger “I'm literally having trouble breathing right now I'm laughing so hard, and in addition I spat my afternoon espresso all over my keyboard, so if there's a letter that is missing in my text, that's the reason (I shorted it out!) It is being reported by CNBC this afternoon (I just heard it) that Petraeus and his mistress, in an attempt to conceal their email traffic, had a "shared" Gmail account and used the "drafts" folder as a means of communicating; each would sign in, write a "draft", not send it, then the o... more »
CHILD ABUSE: ROCHDALE, JERSEY, WALES, IRELAND, SPOOKS
*The Classic Liberal politician - Sir Cyril Smith.* Sir Cyril Smith "sexually abused boys" and "reduced them to quivering wrecks", an MP has claimed. *Sir Cyril Smith 'sexually abused boys and reduced them to quivering wrecks',* A member of the UK parliament, Simon Danczuk, has described the late Sir Cyril Smith as a "29 stone bully" who "imposed himself" on his victims whom he "humiliated and terrified". Sir Cyril, who had freemason connections, was investigated by Lancashire Police in the 1960s but no action was taken. *BIG CYRIL * * *Barry Fitton, a former resident of the Cam... more »
Dump Trump Petition Gains 400,000 Signatures
Macy’s has prided itself on it’s holiday campaigns with the slogan “The Magic of Macy’s”. For some reason, this year they thought The Apprentice star, Donald Trump, would help usher in holiday shoppers. However, a recent petition is demanding Macy’s to “Dump Trump” from their holiday campaign. The campaign has gotten over 466,000 signatures so far and is just a few shy of the 500,000 signature goal. An excerpt from the petition on Signon.org states: “Donald Trump engages in especially unpleasant, nasty and despicable behavior. http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/2012/11/13/dump-... more »
Sphinx Destruction Urged By Egyptian Salafi With Taliban Connections
The Sphinx destruction as well as the Giza pyramids are being called for by an Egyptian Salafist. Murgan Salem al-Gohary is a Muslim jihadist leader with connections to the Taliban who went on TV over the weekend to announce jihad on one of the seven wonders of the world. “The idols and statues that fill Egypt must be destroyed. Muslims are tasked with applying the teachings of Islam and removing these idols, just like we did in Afghanistan when we smashed the Buddha statues,” Gohary said in a Saturday night television interview, according to Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm. “God or... more »
China Airshow: Drone And Fighter Jet Unveiled
China has taken the wraps off its latest military drone and fighter plane as the country builds up its defence capabilities. The unmanned Yi Long drone can carry two missiles and although it looks similar to the MQ-9 Reaper used by the British and US military it is likely to be priced far more cheaply. http://news.sky.com/story/1010961/china-airshow-drone-and-fighter-jet-unveiled
3.6 Magnitude Earthquake SPAIN - 13th November 2012
Magnitude ML 3.6 Region SPAIN Date time 2012-11-13 19:18:24.0 UTC Location 41.20 N ; 1.11 W Depth 15 km Distances 3 km SW Herrera de los navarros, Spain
H.R. Giger scuplture CAPRICORN - understanding Free Planet
as I was born in the month of January, I'm a Capricorn. Austrian hyper-surrealist and inventor of the Alien creature, H.R. Giger did a series of astrological sculptures in 1995 or so; here's Capricorn - joy. image copyright H.R. Giger (c)1995 and this creation, this weird and confusing work of art, sorta made me realise, "Artists aren't supposed to be understood," and by that (of course) I'm refering to this ponderous Free Planet mantra I keep hammering out. It's a MIND SET; Free Planet is supposed to be lived, not 'understood'. What's that allegory about an unfamiliar path, "Never... more »
Divisions overshadow Europe's plan to control banks
Divisions in Europe over a new regime to supervise banks overshadowed fresh attempts by EU finance ministers on Tuesday to agree a centerpiece reform that some officials fear could unravel. After three years of piecemeal crisis-fighting measures, agreeing on a banking union would lay a cornerstone of wider economic union and mark the first concerted attempt to integrate the bloc's response to problem lenders. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-eu-bankingunion-idUSBRE8AC0BF20121113
Simple truths
Not being much of a voyeur, I've been rather bored with the Petraeus scandal. Far as I can tell it's pretty much just an excuse to indulge in Villager gossip. If they get around to investigating the shirtless FBI guywho apparently is some kind of tea party nut and may well have been trying to sabotage the Obama administration for a long time, I'll start paying attention. There is real stuff to talk about but I've been occupied with real life for the last couple of weeks. So while I pull myself together to start blogging again, here's the best graphic I've seen on the election reacti... more »
Petraeus scandal derails another general's promotion
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/nov/13/petraeus-scandal-derails-another-generals-promotio/ *Petraeus scandal derails another general's promotion* By Stephen Dinan The Washington Times November 13, 2012, 12:38PM Petraeus scandal derails another general's promotion The Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday said it is putting off a hearing on the nomination of Gen. John Allen to be NATO's Supreme Allied Commander after his name popped up in the same investigation that toppled CIA Director David Petraeus. *Early Tuesday Defense Secretary Leon Panetta s... more »
Washington ex-city official sentenced in bank fraud case.... to home arrest
The former No. 2 official in the Washington city government was sentenced to home arrest, probation and community service on Tuesday on a bank fraud charge, the latest stage in financial scandals surrounding local officials in the U.S. capital. Kwame Brown, 42, a Democrat, who had been the City Council chairman, pleaded guilty in June to a federal charge of overstating his income in applying for bank loans in 2005 and 2007. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-usa-dc-citycouncil-idUSBRE8AC0Y920121113
SC12 Day 3
Yesterday was long and tiring but Southern Man got up with the alarm and had breakfast with his colleagues and made haste over to the Salt Palace for the keynote address by Dr. Micheo Kaku. Dr. Kaku and a few book titles. Southern Man was kicking himself for forgetting to bring his copy of *Parallel Worlds* but (as it turned out) wouldn't have been able to get close enough for an autograph anyway. Photo stolen from Teh Interwebs. He gave a very exciting and upbeat talk about both the past and the future. His thesis is that (a) science and technology create wealth and (b) that wea... more »
The Apollo Moon Hoax: Excellent Documentary Exposing The Moon Hoax - "What Happened On The Moon"
It has been a while since I put up any articles pertaining to NASA's FRAUDULENT Apollo moon landings of the late 1960's- early 1970's, and I figured this was a good time to delve into that massive hoax and swindle. For this article, I want to present a great documentary that is finally available over Youtube for everyone to view in its entirety. It is entitled: "What Happened On The Moon" and I have it right here for my own readers to view. It is over 3 hours long, but contains a wealth of information that shows how the Apollo moon landings were indeed an impossibility and are sti... more »
4.9 Magnitude Earthquake MYANMAR - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 4.9 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 18:28:14 UTC Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 12:58:14 AM at epicenter Location 22.828°N, 95.943°E Depth 21.8 km (13.5 miles) Region MYANMAR Distances 93 km (58 miles) N (351°) from Mandalay, Myanmar
Did Expert Witness, Activists Thwart a Rove Ohio Vote Plot?
The Justice Integrity Project By Andrew Kreig [image: Michael Duniho]A software expert’s testimony last week may have thwarted a plot to flip enough votes to secure a victory for GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Building on years of efforts by activists, election software critic Michael Duniho testified in Ohio's state court that secret software installed on Ohio machines could enable officials to flip enough votes to select a different statewide winner that the one chosen by voters. Duniho, a retired National Security Agency analyst, is shown at right in similar testimon... more »
Satellite images suggest North Korean working on missiles, group says
Undeterred by the embarrassment of a failed rocket launch earlier this year, North Korea appears to be pressing ahead with the development of long-range missiles, according to an analysis of satellite images by a U.S. academic website. Drawing on commercial satellite imagery, the website 38 North suggests that the reclusive North Korean regime has carried out at least two tests of large rocket motors at the Sohae Satellite Launch Station on the country's west coast since April. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/13/world/asia/north-korea-missile-work/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
这是女人的一个犹太间谍吗？
*American Scofflaw* “这是其他完全不同的东西，真理将出来，”他告诉“每日新闻”。 “有很多更是走出来的...你等着瞧吧。有很多比满足眼睛。“ 他说，他的女儿，谁的争议，中央情报局局长戴维·彼得雷乌斯辞职从他的文章的中心，是人格谋杀的受害者，而且有更大的东西背后潜藏着的窗帘。 克兰茨还表示，他支持他的女儿“100％”，并说他不能制定任何进一步的。 为什么，你好
38 Kenyan officers killed in ambush
In the worst single incident for Kenyan police in living memory, 38 officers were killed in northern Kenya over the weekend by heavily armed cattle rustlers, according to injured police reservists who were on the scene. Local media reports put the number at between 37 and 42 dead. Internal Security Minister Katoo Ole Metito would not give a total figure on how many police officers had died. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/13/world/africa/kenya-ambush/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
John Friend's Truth Militia Broadcast For Monday, November 12th, 2012, With Special Guest John Kaminski
My friend, John Friend (www.johnfriendsblog.blogspot.com), has been doing a Blogtalk radio internet telecast for the last two weeks now, at 6PM Pacific Standard Time (8PM Central) on the Truth Militia site (www.truthmilitia.com), and for this, his third show, he had a very special guest, John Kaminski, on his program. I have the link to that broadcast for everyone to listen to for themselves right here: http://blogtalk.vo.llnwd.net/o23/show/3/995/show_3995069.mp3 John Kaminski is indeed a wealth of information in this fight against the criminal Jews who want to conquer our world a... more »
"I always think that impartiality is in our DNA - it's part of the BBC's genetic make-up."
"I always think that impartiality is in our DNA - it's part of the BBC's * genetic* make-up." That was Helen Boaden, the then director of BBC News. ‘No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin.’ That's Martin Plaut, the BBC World Service Africa editor. He was being interviewed in The KentishTowner. I wonder how unbiased any reports of his would be if they involve any mention of the Conservative lead coalition government? I wonder how... more »
Voyager 12.10 - Small can be Beautiful...
Link: http://youtu.be/VytEh3DMEgw *Xubuntu*, the small footprint version of Ubuntu with Xfce Desktop Environment, is used as a basis for this French adaptation, called: Voyager. I couldn't get more information because the voyager-legtux.org website appeared to be hacked and was temporarily closed. So you'll have to try later to find more. Nevertheless for smaller laptops and people requiring a low footprint this might be an interesting product for testing. John
Stephen Harper's Conservatives ARE The Worst Fiscal Managers In The History Of Canada!
*Conservative Party supporters like to advance the myth that their party is the party of 'fiscal conservatism'. This is total B.S. * *Put aside all of the outrageous wasteful spending (Bev Oda's orange juice - flying limos to India - fighter jets, etc etc) .... the main reason for this ongoing record Canadian deficit is the massive giveaway that the Canadian corporate sector is receiving from the Harper administration. Corporate tax cut after tax cut has put the nation into a fiscal mess ... and Harper is to blame.* *"In a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Fredericton, Flahert... more »
Marc Faber: Prepare for a Massive Market Meltdown
The markets are going to go into meltdown soon, so expect stocks to lose 20 percent of their value, Marc Faber, author of the Gloom, Boom and Doom report told CNBC on Tuesday. “I don’t think markets are going down because of Greece, I don’t think markets are going down because of the ‘fiscal cliff’ — because there won’t be a ‘fiscal cliff,’ ” Faber told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “The market is going down because corporate profits will begin to disappoint, the global economy will hardly grow next year or even contract, and that is the reason why stocks, from the highs of September of 1,47... more »
Wall Street Kind Of Lost-- But Not Really, Of Course
Did you help elect Obama? Watch him reward Wall St. for your efforts Wall Street certainly wanted Romney to win the presidency and, overall, backed a GOP takeover of the Senate and continued, even expanded, GOP dominance of the House of Representatives. Last Tuesday Wall Street was thwarted by the voters. But... no need for anyone there to panic-- or even frown. The little chart from OpenSecrets.org below shows the top 5 biggest direct donors to the Romney campaign. This doesn't count the tens of millions of dollars Wall Street poured into PACs and SuperPACs supporting his campaign. ... more »
Swept away by Sandy: Shocking before-and-after images of East Coast show ghostlike seaside towns with flattened houses, ravaged beaches and broken piers
The dramatic before and after photos of the New York and New Jersey shoreline reveal in minute detail just how much the land was altered in just a few moments. They are part of a large-scale survey of the damage by the U.S. Geological Service, which stretches from the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the South to as far north as Massachusetts. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232274/Swept-away-Superstorm-Sandy-Shocking-images-East-Coast.html
UN Must Make Amends for Cholera (Posted by Roger Annis)
*UN must make amends for cholera that organization brought to Haiti* Editorial, Boston Globe, November 13, 2012 http://bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2012/11/13/united-nations-must-make-amends-for-cholera-that-organization-brought-haiti/Mf46PlZ9WMSZa2mAuakq6N/story.html When the international aid community descends on a vulnerable place, the first objective must be to do no harm. But all too often, good intentions make a bad situation even worse. That’s what happened two years ago, when United Nations peacekeepers arrived in Haiti in the wake of a devastating earthquake, bringi... more »
Stephen Colbert's Magic Lawyer Hides His SuperPac Money For Him
Money laundering 101. Welcome to Scalia's America. The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cColbert Super PAC SHH! - Secret Second 501c4 - Trevor Potterwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogVideo Archive
Ecotrust 2012 Indigenous Leadership Awards
Brian Cladoosby, Chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Photo by Benjamin Drummond Ecotrust announces winners of 2012 Indigenous Leadership Awards*Today Nov. 13, 2012, at the Portland Art Museum* ** *Gwich'in Steering Committee said past winners Sarah James and Clarence Alexander will be in attendance* *Censored News* http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com ** *PORTLAND, Oregon -- *Ecotrust announced today the winners of the 11th annual Indigenous Leadership Award, an honor bestowed on exceptional Native leaders who are working throughout the region to improve the social, econom... more »
Callous couple caught on camera stealing a collection box minutes before Remembrance Day parade
The woman snatched a box containing around £200 for the Royal British Legion from a Costcutter store in Hockley in Essex as proud veterans prepared to march through the village. The thieves are believed to have targeted Poppy Appeal tins at another two stores in nearby Rochford. Shop owner Peter Wood, 49, branded the crooks a disgrace.
Japan still wary of restarting huge nuclear plant
Tokyo Electric Power Co sees no imminent resumption of operations at the world's biggest nuclear plant, shut down after last year's Fukushima disaster, further raising its costs as it spends more on fossil fuels to generate electricity. A wall to protect the 8,212-megawatt Kashiwazaki-Kariwa station's seven reactors against tsunamis will not be finished until June next year, said Shiro Arai, deputy site manager. "It is too premature to talk about when reactor restarts will happen," Arai told Reuters in an interview at the plant in Niigata prefecture on Japan's northwest coast. htt... more »
(updated)Breaking News, Oil Containment boom deployed after spill/Vancouver harbour
From Capitoal hill, Burnaby BC, I have phoned Kinder Morgan...No answer from the Kinder Morgan control room, .. Oil Containment boom just deployed around Oil Tanker terminal in Vancouver Harbour, .. Not sure how big the spill is, more to come.... Heavy Fog has now obscured the view, ... *Updated..9:49: am*....Containment boom now has cornered around oil tanker site, from my vantage point on Capital Hill, there does appear to be an oil sheen on the water.. Still no one answering phones at Kinder Morgan... *Updated again 10:05 am*, it isn`t Kinder Morgan, it`s the Chevron termin... more »
Syria now fighting off attacks from Turkey and Israel
*Updated* ...... the war mongers in France- Hollande, the 'socialist' recognized the NATO merc government. Apparently France had a change of heart? In just one day? Why? Libya, yet again. What a farce. France on Tuesday became the first European country to recognize the newly formed Syrian rebel coalition and raised the possibility of arming the group as it begins taking charge of the opposition’s role in the civil war. Covering the ongoing "unofficial" attacks on Syria. No declaration of war by the nations of Turkey and Israel. Nor NATO, for that matter. Though Turkey and Isr...more »
Filibuster Thoughts: Superbill!
I was finally getting around to responding to some comments to a post I wrote last week about filibuster reform...my responses were getting long, and so I decided to just make new posts out of them. I have at least a couple of these, maybe a bit more. The general point, to recall from last week, is that if we're to have reform it's terribly important to get it right. So here goes. First up, Philosophical Ron asks about "Superbill" -- my proposal for basically a revved up reconciliation. The idea is that the majority party in the Senate could designate one bill a year as Superbill! -... more »
Hundreds of Smuggled Cobras Seized By Thai Customs Officials
Thai customs officials have seized 600 deadly cobras after stopping a vehicle at a checkpoint in a central region of the country. The reptiles came from Malaysia and were being shipped through Thailand for use in traditional medicine or for food in another country, according to customs officials. They were apparently destined for Laos. http://news.sky.com/story/1010857/smuggled-cobras-seized-by-thai-customs-officials
31 Days of Photo Props: Rompers
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If you want to talk trends in children photography, you have to mention rompers. Rompers are a fun way to dress up simple photographs. Little girls love them and they are so cute. What do I look for when I buy a romper? I always buy the rompers with straps. They stay up and I don't end up with unusable photographs because of wardrobe malfunctions. Rompers in general run pretty small, so I like to go up a size, but they also stretch like crazy, so it is pretty much a matter of preference. I just think it is easier to have a slightly bigger romper. Typically I love to do romper pic... more »
Lists from history
*Historical Haemorrhoid Sufferers* Alexander the Great T.S. Eliot Viv Richards Marylin Monroe Percy Bysshe Shelley Socrates Nero Napoleon Gerard Manley Hopkins Martin Luther *Historical Druggies (and their drugs)* Admiral Nelson - opium Lord Liverpool - ether Tsar Nicholas the 2nd - hallucinogens, cocaine and opium Winston Churchill - barbiturates Anthony Eden - amphetamines Richard Nixon - amphetamines Leonid Brezhnev - sleeping pills *Historical Phobics (and their phobias)* Nicolae Ceausescu - bacillophobia, fear of germs Sigmund Freud - siderodromophobia, fear of trains Samuel Johnson ... more »
Back Up Generators and Nuclear Power Plants
On November 2, 2012 The Wall Street Journal reported that "Few Big FEMA Generators Humming: Federal Officials' Tally of Emergency Power Supplies Shifts: Stricken States Tap Fraction of Equipment" page A4 by D. Barrett The article examine the problem of making back-up generators available in the event of wide-spread power outages, as illustrated with the case of Sandy. The article notes that matching the size/type of generator to the need is challenging and takes time. The article does not discuss the types of back-up generators needed for nuclear power plants. I wonder how diffic... more »
Untitled
*Sheriff Gusman seeks 60% increase; Criminal Court faces major cut ~Tom Gogola, The Lens* *Tolls will remain on the CCC* Agreeing that he wants an alternative to the oft-derided price-per-prisoner amount he collects from the city, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman submitted a fixed-cost budget to the City Council today. Gusman is asking for $37 million for 2013. That’s not going to happen, city officials said.
A Libertarian God
An excerpt from Glenn Greenwald's article, *"FBI's abuse of the surveillance state is the real scandal needing investigation"*: But, as unwarranted and invasive as this all is, there is some sweet justice in having the stars of America's national security state destroyed by the very surveillance system which they implemented and over which they preside. As Trevor Timm of the Electronic Frontier Foundation put it this morning: "Who knew the key to stopping the Surveillance State was to just wait until it got so big that it ate itself?" It is usually the case that abuses of state pow... more »
Long bus rides, and the high cost of lousy infrastructure in Honduras
A new bridge installation didn't go so well in Olancho last month; communities will continue to be isolated in the rainy season I’ve made the trip to Tegucigalpa, the capital, a couple of times in the last few weeks. It take about eight and a half hours from Copan Ruinas, with a stop in San Pedro Sula to change buses. It’s comfortable. Cuso encourages people to use Hedman Alas, a high-end bus line that makes a big deal about security. Airport-style check-ins, with hand baggage checks, a metal detector and a digital snapshot of every passenger. (I’m not sure how that is supposed to in... more »
Chile: "Friendship" and Its Collateral Effects
[*One of the most perplexing cases to ever come out of Latin America in recent decades has been known as the “Friendship” case – a mixture of encounters, audio recordings and sightings of strange characters, largely human, who claim to belong to “The Friendship” - identified by some as space aliens, Nazi survivalists by others, and even Protestant missionaries from North America. We have presented articles on Friendship since the 1990s, when Josep Guijarro visited the Chile and kindly allowed us to translate his findings for the INEXPLICATA Journal. Today, thanks to our ...more »
Untitled
*State orders Texas Brine to take safety steps* *Missouri Gov Nixon tells Corps its Missouri River plans could be disastrous * *A Rant: Treme Sucks ~Blackened Out* *3rd Annual Outlaw Homebrew Contest ~The Beer Buddha* *New Orleans Fringe Festival takes to stages across the city this week ~WWOZ *
BBC's 30 "experts" who decided in 2006 that balance on AGW wasn't needed
The British Broadcast Corporation is legally obliged to be impartial. However, at one point, the BBC Trust has boldly informed the public that after a seminar held on January 26th, 2006, the public news organization has decided that no balance was needed in climate reporting anymore and the organization would continue to spread the demagogy of the unhinged climate alarmists only. The organization would insist that the decision was made by a few dozens of top invited scientific experts and it would use every trick to hide the identity of these "experts". Indeed, last Friday, a ju... more »
The US Should Cut Number of Nuclear Weapons
Cutting the U.S. nuclear arsenal can help cut the deficit by Walter Pincus Nov 12, 2012 Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cutting-the-us-nuclear-arsenal-can-help-cut-the-deficit/2012/11/12/350ddd1e-2ac2-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines [Excerpted] One of the ironies in Obama’s negotiations with Republicans to get support for the treaty [2010 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia] was his agreement to spend up to $200 billion to modernize the nuclear weapons manufacturing complex and build a new generation of strategic su... more »
Alan Waldman : 'Rebus' is Fine Scottish Cop Series
The grizzled Ken Stott played the older Rebus. The earlier shows featured John Hannah (inset photo below). Waldman's film and TV treasures you may have missed: Rebus is an excellent Scottish TV series based on Ian Rankin's outstanding mystery-crime novels. Fourteen episodes of this fine Edinburgh cop show aired from 2000-2007. By Alan Waldman / The Rag Blog / November 13, 2012
[In his
Moving Forward Will Congress Treat Grover Norquist As Just Another Rapacious K Street Lobbyist?
Of the three Democrats who signed Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge only one, Rob Andrews (NJ), will be returning to Congress. Nebraska reactionary and corporate whore Ben Nelson was driven from office and will return to lobbying and Kentucky Blue Dog Ben Chandler was defeated despite hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted on his race by the DCCC. Not that big a deal in Norquist-world. In the current Congress all but 6 of the 242 Republicans had signed-- plus 40 of the 47 Republican senators. Yesterday in *The Hill*, Russell Berman reported that the next Congress will be very diff... more »
Susan Rice, please report under the bus!
*TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012* *Rachel abandons her too:* Early on last evening’s program, Rachel Maddow even mentioned Susan Rice—although she stuck to the script here too: MADDOW (11/12/12): Senator Kerry had mostly been talked about as a potential replacement for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. *The [Washington] Post reporting tonight that that nomination for secretary of state is instead almost certain to go to United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice. * Republicans tried to make into a scandal Susan Rice’s Sunday news show comments after the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya... more »
It's a Start
I couldn't resist borrowing the Ann Coulter line. A woman in the state that thinks Jan Brewer should be their governor has run down her husbandbecause (a) he didn't vote and (b) Barack Obama won re-election to the White House. ** *Holly Solomon, 28, was arrested after running over husband Daniel Solomon following a wild chase that left him pinned underneath the vehicle.* * Daniel Solomon, 36, was in critical condition at a local hospital, but is expected to survive, Gilbert police spokesman Sergeant Jesse Sanger said. Police said Daniel Solomon told them his wife became angry over hi... more »
Paul Krugman, please report under the bus!
*TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012* *Rachel joins Matthews and David:* Last Friday, Paul Krugman said Obama should be willing to go down the fiscal cliff before accepting a *bad*“grand bargain.” To read his column, click this. That night, he was mocked by Chris Matthews and David Corn, right there on The One Liberal Channel! See THE DAILY HOWLER, 11/10/12. Corn is billed as Our Man from Mother Jones. Even *he* wouldn’t speak up for Krugman, who’s just a columnist. Last night, Rachel effectively joined them. No, she didn’t criticize Krugman; she pretended he doesn’t exist. In a twenty-... more »
Ozone Histories of Convenience: Grundmann on Sunstein
*NOTE: This is a guest post by Reiner Grundmann, a professor of Science & Technology Studies of the University of Nottingham. * Last weekend the eminent legal scholar Cass Sunstein commented in the New York Times expressing his optimism that the new Obama administration will finally embark on a policy leading to climate change mitigation. He draws a parallel to a previous global challenge, ozone depletion. The Montreal Protocol for the protection of the ozone layer, signed in September 1987, is commonly regarded the only successful international treaty in matters regarding globa... more »
thank you, senator harb: help end the commercial seal hunt
Canadian Senator Mac Harb has been fighting for many years to end the commercial seal hunt in Canada. I admire him and his struggle, which must be lonely at times, and at the moment has little to no official support. The Canadian commercial seal hunt is a shameful waste of life that contributes very little (if at all) to the economy of Atlantic Canada. It is a vestige of a bygone era, and it should be retired along with the specious arguments propping it up. Despite claims to the contrary, abolishing the seal hunt will not harm aboriginal sustenance hunters, as their native status e... more »
A Matter Of Trust
"Trust -- or the lack of it --" Tasha Kheiridden writes, "can make or break a political career." She then goes on to list three politicians who lost the public's trust and retired quickly -- the mayors of Montreal and Laval and Dalton McGuinty. Which brings us to Stephen Harper. The 2012 Americas Barometer poll is not good news for the prime minster: The survey of 40,971 people in 26 countries measures people’s trust in their politicians and institutions. It reveals that only 16 per cent of the 1,500 Canadians polled place “a lot of trust” in Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Keit... more »
SLOWEST CHILDREN OF THE PRESS CORPS: Our own!
*TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012* *Part 5—Slowest children love novels:* In last night’s opening twenty minutes, Rachel Maddow joined David Corn, Our Man from Mother Jones. She threw Paul Krugman under the bus! So it goes in Potemkin press culture. We’ll review that segment in our next post. For today, let’s consider a pleasing novel Rachel gave us near the end of last evening’s program. This novel involves Richard Carmona, Democratic candidate for the Senate from Arizona. On election night, Carmona conceded. This week, he may be taking that back, Maddow said last night: MADDOW (11/12... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Whoopi Goldberg, 57. Plus a bit of good stuff: 1. More on how Team Obama used social science insights, reported by Benedict Carey. I'll keep linking to this stuff, because it is interesting...but be careful; there's a strong tendency to want to attribute election results to campaign actions, and stuff like this has an enormous appeal to people. Especially people who are reporters. We don't know how important any of it turned out to be. 2. More discussion of pollsters, pundits, and how Team Romney could have been so wrong, from Henry Farrell. Same caution as befor... more »
Two Microsieverts an Hour Measured in Children's Park in Fukushima
Majia's Blog - 15 hours ago
Someone of 148production went to a park in Fukushima and measured the background radiation level. He recorded 2 microsieverts an hour. <img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAYsAAAETCAIAAABIt73yAAAgAElEQVR4nNS9Z1gVy7Y26p97n+fc+31n73P22msts5JzzooBFRVzDqCYETDnDGbFDAoCgooKSM45mnMiSU4Cc3aOs7vnnDjvj5a26Inr7Of7tW/94OlZXTVqjFFjvDVGdXUzDIIgeKAgCIIgiFgjXkAQhCCIeBesF1vCMIyiKIZhYr34U2wp/oQGF5Cs2BJBEAzDpCFQFJUYEK+lccX2EgWlUimxJ12IRaIMciLRgWFY7Cu1kRqAMoJkwUqZHkAiIsMSDyiKSiPq60G8K7En04NI4VfjSm1AyhLDkuokjf1KD2BfcCCZPcgmdEg9/CuC6OtBRlZsg2EYONfgtWxcyRRByuDUgJagb7pSe+laag8OJOsCjg...more »
Golden Dawn Lands in Italy as Race Attacks Increase in Athens
Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party has set up an Italian branch in the north-eastern city of Trieste, according to local reports. Alba Dorata (Golden Dawn Italy) was founded by Alessandro Gardossi, formerly a member of Forza Nuova, a neo-fascist organisation that has ties with Greece's far-right party, Huffington Post Italy reported. Gardossi said he has already registered the party's emblem, a crowned squared spiral on a blue-coloured background. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/404143/20121112/golden-dawn-italy-race-attacks-increases-athens.htm
Facebook censors Golden Dawn members
Following hundreds of complaints Facebook has decided to censor Greece's ultra-nationalist party Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi), by blocking the profiles of some MPs and party members. TVXS reported Facebook stated the profiles of Golden Dawn members "violate the policy against violence and racism." http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/336749
On streets of Athens, racist attacks increase
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The attack came seemingly out of nowhere. As the 28-year-old Bangladeshi man dug around trash bins one recent afternoon for scrap metal, two women and a man set upon him with a knife. He screamed as he fell. Rushed to the hospital, he was treated for a gash to the back of his thigh. Police are investigating the assault as yet another in a rising wave of extreme-right rage against foreigners as Greece sinks further into economic misery. The details vary, but the cold brutality of each attack is the same: Dark-skinned migrants confronted by thugs, attacked with ...more »
Tuesday Morning Link-up
Welcome, Venezuela and Hugo Chávez, to a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. The US also won a seat. Worth noting, Hugo’s seat wasn’t contested but the seat the US won was contested. Don’t worry, though, Council may just be there for “rhetorical inaction.” Or, maybe it does more than that. And, new members Continue reading
Nebraska Takes on Nitrate Challenges
Rachel Rindfleisch at Contaminated Nation - Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste locations - 15 hours ago
By: Duane Craig Farmers and residents in the area of York, Nebraska met recently to discuss the elevating levels of nitrates being found in groundwater, according to this report. To date, 17 communities have had one or more administrative orders on their municipal water supplies for elevated nitrate levels. Nitrate levels in large areas of Nebraska exceed the 10 ppm threshold. Not only that, levels are continuing to escalate. Elevating levels of nitrates have been expected for at least a decade, even with drastic reductions in the amount of nitrogen that farmers are using to grow ... more »
Boehner Cracks The Whip On The Nuts And Kooks
16 Republican incumbents lost their seats to Democrats Tuesday-- Dan Lungren (CA), Brian Bilbray (CA), Mary Bono Mack (CA), Allen West (FL), David Rivera (R), Joe Walsh (IL), Robert Dold (IL), Judy Biggert (IL), Bobby Schilling (IL), Roscoe Bartlett (MD), Chip Cravaack (MN), Frank Guinta (NH), Charlie Bass (NH), Nan Hayworth (NY), Ann Marie Buerkle (NY), and Quico Canseco (TX) and Jeff Flake (AZ) was the only one of the 4 current Republican House members who gave up their seats to run for the Senate wasn't defeated. The losers: Denny Rehberg (MT), Rick Berg (ND), Todd Akin (MO) an... more »
Germany eyes "bundled" loan payment to Greece
European countries deliberating on the payment of delayed loans to Greece could decide to bundle several tranches together in a single transfer of roughly 44 billion euros, a German government source said. Under the terms of its second bailout programme, Greece was due to receive 31.2 billion euros by the end of June, plus an additional 5 billion by the end of September and 7.2 billion euros by the end of December. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-eurozone-greece-report-idUSBRE8AC0HL20121113
Iran unveils new missile systems on second day of drills
Iran unveiled new missile and artillery systems on Tuesday, Iranian media reported, on the second day of large-scale military exercises which officials said were aimed at sending a warning to those threatening the Islamic Republic. Played out against a backdrop of high tension between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear program, the "Velayat 4" man oeuvres across a vast swathe of the eastern half of the country have focused on air defenses. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/13/us-iran-military-missile-idUSBRE8AC0L920121113
3.4 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 3.4 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 13:40:05 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 05:40:05 AM at epicenter Location 39.047°N, 123.091°W Depth 0.9 km (~0.6 mile) (poorly constrained) Region NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Distances 11 km (7 miles) SE (146°) from Talmage, CA
'Zombie Firms': Mass Unemployment Warning
More than 100,000 so-called zombie firms – debt-laden companies surviving only because of ultra-low interest rates – are at risk of failure, a think tank has warned. According to the Institute for Turnaround (IFT), a 'zombie collapse' is threatening to hit the country once interest rates return to more traditional levels. "The number of businesses only able to pay off the interest on their debt, has escalated to somewhere between 100,000 to 150,000," the IFT said. http://news.sky.com/story/1010810/zombie-firms-mass-unemployment-warning
4.3 Magnitude Earthquake MINAHASA, SULAWESI, INDONESIA - 13th November 2012
Magnitude 4.3 Date-Time Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 12:42:50 UTC Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 08:42:50 PM at epicenter Location 0.274°N, 122.312°E Depth 155 km (96.3 miles) Region MINAHASA, SULAWESI, INDONESIA Distances 91 km (57 miles) WSW (250°) from Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia
''Big Brother alert: Microsoft wants to know how many friends you've got in your living room''
''One of Microsoft’s latest patent applications is a humdinger. It proposes to turn the Kinect camera into a snitch for movie studios, reporting back just how many friends you’ve got in your living room and what they’re watching. Think that sounds alarmist? Here’s what it actually says: “*The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken.” It’s that blatant – a system to spy on private viewing habits.*'' http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/micwright/100008237/big-brother-alert... more »
''Europe’s plan A for a monetary union may hold the answer to the euro crisis''
''Europe’s politicians nowadays are desperately looking for someone to blame for the euro crisis. Germany blames France, and vice versa. Even lawyers are getting into the act, trying to identify legal responsibility for the monetary union’s design flaws.Meanwhile, as the crisis has deepened, a new consensus about Europe’s monetary union has emerged. The euro, according to this view, was devised in a fit of giddy and irresponsible optimism – or, alternatively, panic at the prospect of German hegemony over Europe – in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall.'' http://www.dailystar.co... more »
UK: ''Hard-up families are turning to short-term loans with interest rates as high as 4,214 per cent to pay off their bills, pay for rent and even to buy food''
And research from Which? has found that 48 per cent of borrowers find they cannot afford to repay their payday loans after getting the credit and, incredibly, almost a third make a short-term loan application KNOWING they cannot pay it back.'' A third of respondents also revealed they had been hassled by debt collection agencies in the last 12 months. http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-2229918/Half-taking-payday-loans-afford-pay-back.html
Toronto war memorial defaced in ‘hate crime’
TORONTO - Toronto Police are calling the vandalism of a west-end war memorial “a hate crime.” A woman walking Sunday night by the sculpture in Coronation Park — at the foot of Strachan Ave. and Lakeshore Blvd. W. — called police after noticing someone had taken a black marker and written “Canada will burn; Praise Allah” on the memorial. http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/12/coronation-park-war-memorial-defaced-canada-will-burn-praise-allah
Nelson Report on Asia People in Obama's Second Term
This got sent around. From the Beltway insider Nelson Report: *+++++++++++++* Since Bader left for Brookings and private sector consulting, the heavy China load has been carried by Donilon, State's Kurt Campbell, with key starring roles by Sec. Clinton, DOD Sec. Panetta, and the President himself. Whether this "senior China person" serves at State or the NSC can be critical, given lines of communication and personal relations issues. Richard Bush, former NIO at the CIA for Asia, former President of the US Institute on Taiwan, former House Foreign Affairs Committee China person, cur... more »
Ohioans’ food stamp aid to be reduced - Benefit to fall $50 a month starting in January
Ohio families receiving food stamps could get an unwelcome surprise come January: $50 less every month in assistance. For the 869,000 households enrolled in the program for the poorest Ohioans, that could amount to about $520 million annually out of the grocery budgets. Because of the way the federal government calculates utility expenses for people receiving the benefit, a mild winter nationwide last year, and a lower price for natural gas, many families could experience a significant cut in aid, those familiar with the program say. http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2012/11/12/Ohio...more »
'Bombshell story is just a smoke screen for something bigger'...
The mystery woman who blew the lid off former CIA Director David Petraeus’ career-ending affair is also tied to the military — a sexy social liaison for an Air Force base in Tampa who says she and the ex-general are just “friends.” http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ap-source-target-emails-petraeus-paramour-state-department-military-liaison-article-1.1200299#ixzz2BzTkJJUE
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