The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia in action (Photo credit: European External Action Service - EEAS)
English: Israeli soldier coming back from the Second Lebanon war. עברית: לוחם ישראלי חוזר ממלחמת לבנון השנייה (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: The Kingswood Arms. The Kingswood Arms was built to replace the Station Hotel which was burned down in 1912. Modernised in 1968 it was for a while named the Pigeon Pair, recalling Kingswood's involvement in the early days of Reuters News Agency. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Britain - spy nation (Photo credit: Clive Power)
English: David Cameron's picture on the 10 Downing Street website (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Israel soldiers accused of assaulting journalists
The Israeli army has been accused of mistreating its journalists after soldiers allegedly assaulted two cameramen before forcing them to strip and kneel in the street, and exploding a tear-gas canister in their faces. One of the cameramen needed hospital treatment after the incident, which is said to have happened in the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday evening. The journalists, Yousri Al Jamal and Ma'amoun Wazwaz, who were both working for Reuters news agency, were driving to a check point where a Palestinian teenager had earlier been shot dead by an Israeli soldier when they w... more »
Movie Review: The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey
Southern Man had mixed feelings coming into this one. Yes, he and his friends found Tolkien in middle school and read the books together and picked the characters they would be (Southern Man *cried* when Gandalf died and rejoiced on his resurrection) and have loved the wonderful world of Middle-Earth ever since. And there's a special place in his heart for the Rankin-Bass animated films, particularly their charming adaptation of *The Hobbit*. And he's grateful that Peter Jackson and his crew put that world on film in such a marvelous fashion. And he's glad for midnight movies and pe... more »
Britain seeks new EU deal from euro zone crisis
Britain must use the upheaval created by the euro zone crisis to forge a new relationship with the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday as he fights a rising anti-EU mood at home that could threaten his chances of re-election. Speaking at the end of a summit of EU leaders that secured the first part of a banking union, Cameron played down fears Britain's future lies on the margins of a two-tier Europe, while euro zone members build an ever-stronger core. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/uk-eu-britain-idUKBRE8BD0SH20121214
Casita en el bosque en invierno
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Brian and Phil Hug it Out
Many of you seem to have read my earlier post knocking the use of assumptions in theory-building, particularly rationalism, and Phil Arena’s defense of it. My earlier post was a little over the top and insulting, which led him to take umbrage. I called him a dick; he called me a dick. We were both Continue reading
France wants more "two-speed" Europe from 2014...Any States that Don't agree or tow the line will be left behind
French President Francois Hollande called on Friday for like-minded EU countries to push ahead with further, deeper integration, even if it means leaving behind more Eurosceptic states which insist on protecting sovereignty. Speaking after a two-day summit on the debt crisis where the 17 states that share the euro agreed on arrangements for a single supervisory system for their banks, Hollande indicated that a two-speed European Union was all but inevitable. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-eu-france-twospeed-idUSBRE8BD0RR20121214
Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman quits after indictment
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned on Friday after being charged with fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could have repercussions on next month's election. "I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and ... also to remove my (parliamentary) immunity forthwith so I can end this matter quickly, without delay and clear my name absolutely," Lieberman said in an emailed statement. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-israel-lieberman-urgent-idUSBRE8BD0QS20121214
Sword Fight Injures 19 In Egypt
At least 19 people have reportedly been hurt in Egypt, after supporters of the country's draft constitution attacked protesters with swords. The clashes in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria come on the eve of a referendum on the charter, which opponents claim does not guarantee basic rights to Egyptians and places emphasis on Islam and Sharia law. http://news.sky.com/story/1025676/sword-fight-injures-19-in-egypt
Hacker Gary McKinnon Faces No Further Action
Computer hacker Gary McKinnon will face no further criminal action, the Director of Public Prosecutions has announced. The decision follows a review of the case after the Government's decision to block his extradition to the US in October on health grounds. Mr McKinnon, 46, from Wood Green, north London, would have faced up to 60 years in prison if convicted in the US of alleged breaches of US military and Nasa networks. http://news.sky.com/story/1025629/hacker-gary-mckinnon-faces-no-further-action
Connecticut Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Under Control
US State Police are responding to reports of a shooting at a school in Connecticut. A number of people are reported to be injured following the incident at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown. Local media says there are unconfirmed reports of multiple victims and two shooters - one who is dead and another who is still at large. Police told local media that a shooter was in the main office of the school and that a person in one room had "numerous gunshot wounds". http://news.sky.com/story/1025646/school-shooting-in-connecticut-us-say-police
Why We Hate Them ...
I'm actually pretty damned busy these days but I just had to vent about this. Scum-bag harpercon lawyer, Arthur Hamilton, bloviates about how election results shouldn't be overturned by legal challenges: "Counting the votes on election night cannot simply mean that just decided who will be the applicant and who will be the respondents, because election night really means something," Hamilton said. "That's when electors get to see how the exercise of their franchise has turned out." Oh! But you might ask, what about the harpercon disrespect for the citizenry (especially those who...more »
Bosque cubierto de nieve
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4.8 Magnitude Earthquake JAVA, INDONESIA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.8 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 16:16:21 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 11:16:21 PM at epicenter Location 7.797°S, 105.782°E Depth 31.6 km (19.6 miles) Region JAVA, INDONESIA Distances 152 km (94 miles) SW (230°) from Sukabumi, Java, Indonesia
4.9 Magnitude Earthquake MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL - 14th December 2012
Magnitude M 4.9 Region MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL Date time 2012-12-14 15:18:49.9 UTC Location 16.10 S ; 41.78 E Depth 10 km Distances 163 km SE Moçambique
4.0 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE - 14th December 2012
Magnitude ML 4.0 Region OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE Date time 2012-12-14 12:26:40.0 UTC Location 36.44 S ; 73.60 W Depth 30 km Distances 54 km NW Talcahuano, Chile
Nearly 1 in 6 Student Loan Borrowers in Default
Martin, Andrew (2012, Dec 13) Building a Showcase Campus, Using an I.O.U. The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/business/colleges-debt-falls-on-students-after-construction-binges.html?_r=0&nl=todaysheadlines&adxnnl=1&emc=edit_th_20121214&adxnnlx=1355497305-twY9ewMbhIUSOcaohzESRw&pagewanted=all "Nearly one in every six borrowers with a student loan balance is in default." Majia here: I wonder how big the derivatives bubble based in student loans is?
Recent Iodine 131 Detections in Japan
Majia's Blog - 38 minutes ago
Increasing nuclear chain reactions at Fukushima Posted on December 4, 2012 by Optimal Prediction http://optimalprediction.com/wp/increasing-nuclear-chain-reactions-at-fukushima/#comments *[Excerpted] I*odine-131 levels from sewage sludge have spiked in September and October in Zushi City and Chiba prefecture, Japan. Zushi is southwest of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, past Tokyo. Chiba is south of Daiichi. Fukushima Diary has a post about the elevation on iodine in Date, Japan in July. High levels of radioactive iodine are due to increasing criticalities in the underground coriums. ... more »
Regalos bajo el arbol de navidad en el hielo
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Shooting reported at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown
Connecticut State Police said they were responding to reports of a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday morning. The shooting was reported at a school on Dickinson Drive at 9:41 a.m., according to state police. The Newtown Bee is reporting multiple police, ambulance and emergency crews are at the scene, and there are multiple reports of injuries being reported. http://www.kltv.com/story/20345707/school-shooting-reported-in-newtown
Angelitos, esferas y pinos para navidad
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Outrunning Collapse: The alternative currency solution
*James Corbett* * *BoilingFrogsPost.com Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below. Sharing on Reddit and Newsvine will help the most.
"I Built This [Lie]"
As the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) virus spreads throughout the United States like a pre-apocalyptic seed of *World War Z*, I recognize that it is no longer cool to recommend fiction and poetry, especially classic fiction and poetry, as texts we might cull some sense from. [1] While my literacy scholarship has strongly recommended creative nonfiction and multicultural works as well as nontraditional texts such as comics/graphic novels and film, I stand firmly beside my colleagues Susan Ohanian and Stephen Krashen who have worked tirelessly [2] to protect the sanctity of rich ... more »
Who Are The Klingons?
"Missing Peace" Anthony Freda Art Clint Ward When *I submitted an earlier post* I used the word Vulcan. I have always uses this as an analogy to friends because it best represents how I view things. If we could look into the future 100 maybe 200 years from now who from the fictional series *Star Trek* would we as a race most likely resemble? I would say at this juncture in time I would put my money on the Klingons. I was appalled at the idiocy I saw this last year on a commercial on T.V. It was for some type of reality show where the celebrities go through the rigors of combat. ... more »
Go Vulcan
image source Clint Ward I have come to several conclusions after years of following economic and political news. I believe only real tragedy will effect real change, that power trumps reason and “Truth”. Why, because the human brain is a computer whose output is affected by our unique perception of the world. We each produce our own conclusions which we own and defend. We also each occupy or wish to occupy a specific position in the world, which may require varied actions good or bad. What I believe we lack are the constructs of reason, conclusions that are produced in ways obs... more »
In Israel: Stringent Contraception for *Some*
A story that broke nearly three years ago is back in the news in Israel. The birthrate among Ethiopians in Israel decreased by a dramatic 50% in the last decade, and Israeli journalist Gal Gabai wanted to know why. She investigated the issue for “Vacuum,” her documentary series on Israeli Educational Television, and she discovered some things that left her very uncomfortable — and will surely leave others equally so. Let's go back to January 2010. Health officials in Israel are subjecting many female Ethiopian immigrants to a controversial long-term birth control drug in what Israel... more »
Israel Loses Its Bestest Senator
Congress just got a whole lot more exciting. Not just because of the return of Alan Grayson or the election of Elizabeth Warren or Tammy Duckworth or the nearly four dozen new Democrats that will be taking their places in both chambers but because Senator Droopy Joe Lieberman is finally out of the Senate. You remember Lieberman, don't you? He's the guy who in 2006 couldn't forgive businessman Ned Lamont for taking the Democratic primary victory away from him, saying that Lamont had the "audacity" to think he could represent Connecticut in the Senate better than he, as ... more »
War 2017: Next Generation Drones Ensure It
Nicholas West A debate has heated up about the future of unmanned weapons of war. International human rights groups have issued a *50-page cautionary report* about the potential for losing control over systems that are increasingly autonomous. Cambridge University issued their warning through a study officially known as the *Centre for the Study of Existential Risk*, where they warn that one of the greatest threats that humanity faces are "terminators." While the Pentagon has thus far insisted that automated systems will never supplant human decision making, and various military ... more »
BUDGET BABEL: Missing in action!
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012* *Conclusion—In search of a liberal framework:* At this point, is Social Security adding to the federal deficit? A recent remark by Senator Durbin set off a renewed discussion of this somewhat irrelevant point. But as Krauthammer, Kessler and Drum talked it out, an important figure was missing in action. Missing in action as usual. Who or what was missing in action, away without leave, non-existent? Who or what else? The liberal perspective or framework was missing in action! But then, this has been the case for at least the past thirty years. The pl... more »
'Zero Dark Thirty' Falling on the World
John Galt Kathryn Bigelow is once again drawing attention; this time for the follow-up to her award-winning movie *The Hurt Locker*. The focus of her new movie is on the role torture has played in American foreign policy in a post-9/11 world. Namely, the hunting of Osama bin Laden and his subsequent death. America's torture doctrine is now enshrined, as *courts at all levels *have concluded that it is best for the military to decide American morality. The latest insult comes via Jose Padilla's family who have had to appeal to an *international human rights tribunal* for basic pro... more »
Untitled
*"Train of Hope" departs New Orleans for New York City* *Removal of dam on Bayou St. John will restore flow of water from Lake Pontchartrain*~Hat Tweet @LeveesOrg *Discovery of Human Remains Delays Iberville Redevelopment* *Bonfires of St. James Parish * *Evangeline the Oyster Girl at Bustout Burlesque ~Gambit*
Torture Continues to be Legitimized by U.S. Legal System
Dees Illustration Joe Wright In another blow to human rights, freedom, the law, and morality, the 7th Circuit Court has exonerated Donald Rumsfeld from prosecution for allegations of being a primary architect of U.S. torture policy. At issue are two Americans, Donald Vance and Nathan Ertel, who worked for a private Iraqi security firm named Shield Group Security. Courthouse News reports the harrowing experience the two men encountered after attempting to blow the whistle to the U.S. government about their employer potentially being involved in illegal arms trades and bribery: Shi...more »
Torture Memo Author, John Yoo, Immune from Prosecution: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Dees Illustration Joe Wright A federal judge who ruled that "enemy combatant" Jose Padilla could file suit against John Yoo who authored the torture memo that legitimized the horrific treatment of detainees, has had his decision reversed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today. Jose Padilla, a United States citizen, was incarcerated for four years without trial for an alleged 2002 "dirty bomb" plot and has been trying to sue Donald Rumsfeld as well as other U.S. officials for his mistreatment while detained in a military brig in South Carolina. Padilla asserts that the tortur... more »
Tennessee begins to push back against NDAA tyranny
Madison Ruppert, *Contributing Writer* Tennessee, the Volunteer State, has begun to push back against the tyranny that is the indefinite detention provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2012, better known simply as the NDAA. The state bills currently being considered could be one of the most significant steps taken against the atrocious assault on our most essential liberties embodied by the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA. The Tenth Amendment Center (TAC), a group promoting states' rights (something which I think is an honorabl...more »
post your slow-cooker recipes and tips here
I just bought a slow-cooker, the first one I've owned. Do you use one? If so, what are your favourite things to make with it? Any tips or suggestions? I know there a zillion slow-cooker recipes online, but I'd like to hear what friends and readers like. Thanks!
Syria: Russian position unchanged. Russian missiles and US anti- missiles
A mishmash of news reports: Russia regarding Syria. Russia's new missiles. US Patriots to Turkey (and troops) Hillary Clinton Benghazi testimony, Susan Rice fall out from Benghazi incident. The “big news” yesterday in the Western main stream media that Russia had “changed it’s position” regarding Syria. I read numerous reports and there was nothing in any of the statements made by the Russian diplomat that indicated this was even what was being implied. My take on the statements made fall in line with this..... *“The only conclusion we can make is that the Russian Foreign Ministr... more »
Do Fungicides Used on Produce Make Us Fat?
Potential Obesogen Identified: Fungicide Triflumizole Is Associated with Increased Adipogenesis in Mice. Valerie Brown Environmental Health Perspectives Dec 3, 2012 http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/2012/12/120-a474a/[Excerpted] Obesogens are chemicals that increase either the number of fat cells in an organism or the amount of fat stored in those cells. Obesogens may also act indirectly on obesity by modulating appetite, satiety, or metabolism. Now researchers have identified a common agricultural chemical that appears to qualify as an obesogen because it nudges gene expression and stem ce... more »
5 Fox News Myths about the Fiscal Cliff – and no more ‘Cliff’ Metaphors either… please! stop!
Does anyone else find Fox News strangely appealing to watch? For some reason I watch it all the time. As ideology that is inadvertently entertaining, interwoven with a veneer of ‘news,’ it’s a freaky, terrifying wonder to behold. It is vastly more interesting – maybe because it’s akin to experiencing an alternate reality - than Continue reading
workers rising: global day of action against walmart
In the US, on the biggest shopping day of the year, Walmart workers in 47 states took action against the abusive, illegal retaliatory practices of their behemoth employer. Today, workers in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, India, Nicaragua, Zambia and South Africa will show solidarity with those US workers with a Global Day of Action against Walmart. This will include a moment of silence for the 112 workers who died in a Bangladesh factory fire on November 24. To read about why this is necessary and long overdue, go here. Also: Wal-Mart's Killer Rollbacks: The Human Cost of Lower ...more »
US Torture Victim Takes Case to International Human Rights Tribunal
Dees Illustration *Activist Post* The American Civil Liberties Union and Yale Law School’s Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic today filed a petition against the United States with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IAHCR) for the unlawful detention and torture of José Padilla, a U.S. citizen, whom the United States detained and interrogated for four years. The petition was filed by Padilla’s mother, Estela Lebron, on her own and on her son’s behalf. Padilla and Lebron had previously filed federal lawsuits – since dismissed – against current and former governm... more »
Terrorism Offences
R. v. Khawaja 2012 SCC 69 upholds the terrorist sections of the Criminal Code. The Court holds that Section 83.18 does not violate s. 7 of the * Charter*. A purposive interpretation of the *actus reus *and *mens rea*requirements of s. 83.18 excludes convictions (i) for innocent or socially useful conduct that is undertaken absent any intent to enhance the abilities of a terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity, and (ii) conduct that a reasonable person would not view as capable of materially enhancing the abilities of a terrorist group to facilitate or carry... more »
2012 Documentary of an Uncertain Future
*Chris Greene* * *http://www.amtvmedia.com/ Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below. Sharing on Reddit and Newsvine will help the most.
An Economic Fairy Tale
Anthony Freda Art Brandon Smith, *Contributor* Once upon a time there lived an independent and industrious people in a land called Ameristan deep in the realm of Middle Income. Their kingdom was unlike any other recorded in the ancient histories, primarily because they had no “king”. Instead, the Ameristanians had decided long ago that kings were much more trouble than they were worth, and, using cost/benefit ratio analysis, came to the conclusion that it was better to hang such ambitious power mongers by their necks and govern themselves instead. Unfortunately, many generations ... more »
Another Awards Update
Here’s where things stand: Nominees for Best Blog (Group): Abu Muqawama Arms Control Wonk Crooked Timber The Disorder of Things IPE at UNC Mideast Matrix Kings of War Nominees for Best Blog (Individual): Abu Aardvark’s Middle East Blog (Marc Lynch) Chris Blattman Dart-Throwing Chimp (Jay Ulfelder) Daniel Drezner International Political Economy Zone (Emmanuel Yujuico) iRevolution (Patrick Meier) M. Taylor Continue reading
Lawyers, Guns and Money
By Capt. Fogg Is the title of the song and as the song goes, the shit has hit the fan, at least for John Hammar, an ex-Marine from Ft. Pierce, Florida, a town just a few miles north of me. I'm sure you've heard that he's been jailed under one of Mexico's tough and comically ineffective gun control laws. Of course your sense of comedy may differ on this point. Seems Hammer and his friend had planned to drive across the Mexican border near Matamoros in a Winnebago filled with surfboards and camping gear -- and an old shotgun he'd inherited from his great grandfather which, as purch... more »
fighting for democracy in the courts and in the street: #idlenomore, democracy 24/7
I no longer see TV news, but I have it on good authority that if your primary news source is CBC's The National, you haven't been hearing about two important developing - and exciting - stories. Idle No More is a campaign led by First Nations peoples to fight back against Canada's destruction of natural resources and its continued profiting from Native lands. The movement, including a hunger strike by Chief Theresa Spence, is being framed as opposition to the Harper Government's latest omnibus budget bill (C-45). It is that, but it's also much more. In their own words: *MANIFESTO* ...more »
Our Favorite Elf on the Shelf Ideas
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We, like a lot of you, have a little elf that visits our house during the month of December. Our little Elf, Pixiedoodle, likes to do silly things during the night. She doesn't get into too much mischief, just enough to make our little girl giggle in the morning. Here are some of our favorite situations our little elf has found herself in. 1. All tangled up in thread in mom's sewing machine. 2. Taking a marshmallow bath in a mug. This one made my little girl laugh so hard our elf wants to do this again on a grander scale. 3. Dyeing the milk in the fridge. A friend suggested makin... more »
ALEC - A Primer Reminder
As we get ready to spend time with friends and families over the holidays - we should consider that it would be a good time to educate them on ALEC. As we get ready to start a new political year and we hopefully activating friends and family to help us with our on-going exposure of ALEC - let’s review a little bit of what we know so far. *What is ALEC?* The American Legislative Exchange Council is an organization that focuses on the promotion and nationwide distribution of specific political policies and issues. ALEC facilitates the writing of “model legislation” and holds meeting... more »
Eastern Seaboard Superfund Sites Spread Worries in Wake of Sandy
Rachel Rindfleisch at Contaminated Nation - Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste locations - 3 hours ago
By: Duane Craig Wherever Hurricane Sandy traveled over land and along waterfronts, the risks of all types of contamination increased. From every minor little spill to major stockpiles of contaminated land waiting for shipment to disposal facilities, the possibility increased dramatically for their contaminated payloads to be dislodged and spread around. But perhaps the potential largest threats came from Superfund sites in New Jersey and New York. Residents in Brooklyn, N.Y. with properties near Newtown Creek and the Gowanus Canal take great precautions as they clean up their prope... more »
Mao: The Tall Stalk Gets Cut Down-- But Not In America... The Sad Saga Of The Estate Tax
2 out of 1,000 estates are paying estate taxes this year. But even those taxes expire December 31. Obama would like to replace the current legislation with a slightly fairer tax-- but *so* slightly that it's almost not worth mentioning. Obama's proposal would tax 3 estates out of 1,000. The Republicans, of course, want to abolish the estate tax altogether. I thought Chris Hayes put the estate tax into context very well in his book, Twilight of the Elites. The topic he's discussing is why it's so tough to move America more forthrightly towards genuine equality and how people who be... more »
IPCC AR5 not acknowledging cosmoclimatology
In a few years, the IPCC climate panel plans to release the fifth assessment report, AR5. Alec Rawls (firstname at lastname dot org) has leaked the current draft (he thinks it's 100% legal to do so) and he, much like other skeptics, seemed to be enthusiastic about the IPCC's finally admitting the existence of natural climate drivers, especially those related to the Sun. Dana Nuccitelli, a notorious climate demagogue and fearmonger writing for Skeptical Science.com, wrote a guest blog for the Guardian blogs where he claims that the IPCC isn't saying anything of the sort even though h... more »
MYSTERIOUS MALTA
Claire Marie Busuttil was crowned *Miss World Malta 2011* on July 16, 2011 at the Grand Master’s Suite of the Hilton Malta in St. Julian’s. Jimmy Savile became a Knight of Malta. *Other Knights of Malta include Edward Garnier, Franz von Papen, Francis Spellman, Prince Laurent of Belgium, William J. Casey...* * * "Beginning with the Aug. 23, 2010 unsolved murder of Russian strategic analyst, Alexander Pikayev, then spreading outward from there, there have been multiple unsolved deaths (mostly stabbings) on Malta's north shore..." Latest Malta Murder Again At St Paul’s Bay–Hungari...more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Jeff Robinson, 51. And one day late: Jeff Robinson, 52. The one whose birthday is today is, to me, the other Jeff Robinson; he's the one who came up with the Tigers and pitched from 1987-1992. The one whose birthday was yesterday is the one who came up with the Giants and pitched from 1984-1992. The other Jeff Robinson, the Tigers one, is a great case study. His ERA+ over his career was 79, 128, 82, 67, 72. What happened that year? He led the league in hits per 9, with a rate over 2 hits per 9 lower than his career rate, even though a large chunk of his career was ... more »
Job Loss Not Irreparable Harm? In What Universe?
Employers are using noncompete agreements to force employees to stay in lousy jobs with lousy working conditions more and more. The poor employee is put in a situation where, if they leave a crappy job, the employer sends a nastygram to their new employer and threatens to sue unless the employee is fired. Then the employee is left to defend themselves with no job and no money. What's an employee to do? Well, they can file a suit against an employer for something called declaratory relief, asking the court to determine their rights. The problem is, there's no quick way to get declar... more »
The Truth? What's That?
For those who wonder why Peter MacKay is stiill in cabinet, Michael Harris has a straightforward answer: Very simple; Peter MacKay has done no worse on this file than Stephen Harper. In fact, he has merely followed the core of Stephen Harper’s communications strategy: the Conservatives aren’t bound by the facts, they create them. What they say is fact becomes fact. Here are a few examples from the Boss himself on the subject of the F-35. “A lot of the developmental costs you’re reading in the United States, the contract we’ve signed shelters us from any increase in those kinds of... more »
Feldstein on the Fiscal Cliff
Marty offers his recommendation.
Activist Post Writing Contest: Solutions - Final Day to Enter and Win $750 in Total Cash and Prizes
*1st place receives a $250 cash prize & $250 gift certificate to Offgrid Outpost 2nd place receives a $250 gift certificate to Offgrid Outpost* It is no secret that we're living in incredibly challenging times. It appears that we have reached critical tipping points across the board; politically, economically, environmentally, socially, and spiritually. Many of the old systems are self destructing and causing great harm in doing so. Yet, this presents a fantastic opportunity to remake the world a more just and peaceful place. It's not enough anymore to identify and blame the ruling...more »
Peter Van Loan
I sometimes like to post my reflections of yesterday's news. Peter Van Loan made headlines recently for waddling across the floor of the House of Commons Chamber to wag his finger in the face of NDP House Leader Nate Cullen, chastising him for having raised a procedural challenge during voting on one of the harpercons' atrocious omnibus bills. While Van Loan was doing this, Speaker Scheer was looking the other way like a referee in a professional wrestling match instead of the referee in a chamber of democratic debate like he's supposed to be. A little later, both Van Loan and Sch... more »
2012 Documentary of an Uncertain Future
*Youtube* Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below. Sharing on Reddit and Newsvine will help the most.
China school knife attack in Henan injures 22 children
A man with a knife has wounded 22 children - at least two of them seriously - and an adult at a primary school in central China. The attack happened at the gate of a school in Chenpeng village in Henan province. Police arrested a 36-year-old local man at the scene. Security at China's schools has been increased in recent years following a spate of similar knife attacks in which nearly 20 children have been killed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20723910
Russia rejects blame in murder of ex-spy Litvinenko
Russia denied on Friday that it was involved in the murder of Kremlin critic and former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. A British lawyer on Thursday told a preliminary hearing into Litvinenko's poisoning that the Russian government was most likely involved in his death, which has soured relations between Moscow and London. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/uk-russia-uk-litvinenko-murder-idUKBRE8BD0H420121214
Journalist Anna Politkovskaya Murder: Ex-Policeman Jailed
A former policeman has been jailed for 11 years in a prison camp over the murder of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Politkovskaya so that she could be assassinated in 2006. The established journalism was well known for her hard hitting reporting and her criticism of the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin. http://news.sky.com/story/1025496/russia-journalist-murder-ex-policeman-jailed
Poisonous Nocturnal Monkey Found In Borneo
A monkey that comes out at night and has a bite so poisonous it could kill a human has been discovered by scientists. The new species, which is a type of slow loris, releases poison from glands at its elbows which it then takes into its mouth. Their bite can prove deadly because it can cause anaphylactic shock in humans, killing them. http://news.sky.com/story/1025410/poisonous-nocturnal-monkey-found-in-borneo
'Plague Ship' Oriana Returns After Norovirus Bug
A luxury cruise liner described as a "plague ship" after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug has returned to dock in Southampton. Around 300 passengers on P&O's Oriana are thought to have been struck down with norovirus during a 10-night Baltic cruise. The company's owners, Carnival, initially said there had been "an incidence of a mild gastrointestinal illness" among the 1,800 people on board. http://news.sky.com/story/1025425/norovirus-cruise-ship-oriana-docks-in-uk
Earthquakes Hit US West Coast In Pacific
Two large earthquakes have struck off the coast of southern California and Mexico. The US Geological Survey said the two first quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 and hit 163 miles southwest of the Californian city of Avalon. A second quake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck 88 miles from Avalon. Both were recorded at relatively shallow depths, although no tsunami warning has been issued. http://news.sky.com/story/1025501/earthquakes-hit-us-west-coast-in-pacific *NOTE: USGS Has since removed the 6.1 which struck 88 miles from Avalon at a depth of 11.1 km*
Impermissible to reject accused’s testimony solely as a consequence of believing Crown witnesses
*R. v. E.M.W.,* 2010 NSCA 73 para 56 is a good source for the foundational (but often ignored) principal that an accused's evidence ought not to be rejected just because Crown witnesses are believed. The Court held: The defence is neutered in the starting gate regardless of how the accused presents or testifies. The accused has not really been disbelieved. He has been marginalized. So it is impermissible to reject the accused's testimony solely as a consequence of believing the Crown witnesses. The trier of fact should address both whether the Crown witnesses are believed a... more »
Brent Troy Bartel 911 call after carving Pentagram on his 6 Year old sons Back with a box cutter
A North Texas father was arrested for allegedly carving a large pentagram into his six-year-old son's back, telling a 911 dispatcher that he did it because ‘it's a holy day.’ Brent Troy Bartel, 39, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of attacking his young son with a box cutter. He's jailed in lieu of $500,000 bond. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247235/Texas-man-carves-son-large-PENTAGRAM-year-olds-honor-12-12-12.html
Annette Morales-Rodriguez sentenced to life in prison without parole
The Milwaukee woman who brutally killed a pregnant mother and tried to steal her full-term fetus has been sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of extended supervision. Annette Morales-Rodriguez, 34, was convicted earlier this year of two counts of first degree intentional homicide; one each for Maritza Ramirez-Cruz and her unborn son. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247820/Milwaukee-woman-cut-unborn-fetus-womans-womb-killing-mother-baby-sentenced-life-prison-parole.html
'76er fan shoots celebratory Bulls fan in subway after basketball game'
Authorities say it was an argument over the Chicago Bulls' win against the 76ers that led to the violent feud on Wednesday night, landing two men in a Philadelphia hospital. The gunman is still at large. Seen captured on camera the two suspects, between 16 and 19 years of age, appear to calmly exit the SEPTA El train before one in a blue puffer vest unexpectedly turns back to face them, swiping a gun out from his right pocket. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247900/Surveillance-video-captures-moment-76er-fan-shoots-celebratory-Bulls-fan-subway-basketball-game.html
Susan Rice defends Benghazi comments as she drops out of running for secretary of state blaming 'disruptive' partisan politics
Susan Rice, the current U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, created a stir Thursday when she shockingly announced that she was withdrawing herself from contention for the top foreign policy post. Rice explained on NBC’s ‘Rock Center’ Thursday night that while she wasn’t a victim of circumstance in the weeks that followed the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, she had no desire to weather out the ‘very prolonged, very criticized, and very disruptive’ confirmation process. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247926/Susan-Rice-defends-Benghazi-comments-didnt-want-politic... more »
Nicholas Wieme dies texting his girlfriend for help after falling into 22-storey hotel smokestack
Nicholas Wieme (top right) was out on a date when he decided to climb the roof of the InterContinental Hotel on Chicago's Magnificent Mile to take pictures, which ended with him falling 22 feet down a scorching chimney (left). Wieme then became wedged in an angle of the chute and was able to send a text message to his girlfriend, asking for help, but it took firefighters four hours to reach him, at which point it was too late. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247770/Nicholas-Wieme-Comedian-23-falls-hot-smokestack-atop-landmark-Chicago-hotel-illegally-taking-photos-texts-girlf... more »
Brandon Woodard executed over missing cash confiscated by cops in California'
The law student assassinated on a busy New York City street worked as a drug courier and was assassinated after a large sum of money he was carrying was confiscated by police in California, it was claimed on Thursday. Brandon Woodard, 31, reportedly flew to New York from his home in Los Angeles to try to smooth things over with his angry bosses. Instead, he was coldly executed in Midtown Manhattan in broad daylight on Monday. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247931/Brandon-Woodard-Law-student-murdered-New-York-drug-courier-killed-missing-cash.html
U.S. defense chief orders Patriot missiles to Turkey
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta signed an order on Friday to send two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey with 400 American personnel to operate them, in a move by NATO members to bolster Turkey's defenses against the threat of Syrian missiles. The order was signed shortly before Panetta arrived on an unannounced visit to Turkey to meet American troops stationed at the Incirlik Air Base, the last stop on a week-long trip that took him to Afghanistan and Kuwait. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-syria-usa-patriot-idUSBRE8BD05R20121214
Egyptian Islamists rally support before referendum
Flag-waving supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi staged a final rally on Friday before a divisive referendum on a new constitution that the Islamist leader hopes will bring an end to weeks of political crisis and street clashes. Cairo and other cities have seen a series of often violent demonstrations over the past three weeks since Mursi assumed sweeping new powers to push through the constitution, which he sees as a vital element of Egypt's transition to democracy after the overthrow of autocratic predecessor Hosni Mubarak last year. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/... more »
Germany's Merkel sets limits on euro zone risk-sharing
European leaders agreed on Friday to press on with further steps to tackle their debt crisis but German Chancellor Angela Merkel threw out a proposal to boost risk-sharing with a fund to help euro zone states in trouble. Germany's rejection of an idea strongly backed by France showed the potential for more tensions over crisis management, a day after the bloc clinched a deal on euro zone-wide banking supervision and approved long-delayed aid to Greece. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-eu-summit-idUSBRE8BB1T720121214
MP Margaret Moran Guitly of £53,000 Fraud, Given Supervision Order
Former Labour MP Margaret Moran has been given a two-year supervision and treatment order for fiddling her expenses. Moran, 57, who represented Luton South for 13 years, received more than £53,000 from the taxpayer as a result of the fraud. http://news.sky.com/story/1025401/mps-expenses-moran-given-supervision-order
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 10:50:29 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 02:50:29 AM at epicenter Location 32.153°N, 119.158°W Depth 10.1 km (6.3 miles) Region OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA Distances 153 km (95 miles) SSW of Avalon, California
6.1 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 6.1 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 10:36:18 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 02:36:18 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 32.413°N, 119.372°W Depth 11.1 km (6.9 miles) (poorly constrained) Region OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA Distances 93 km (58 miles) S (172°) from San Nicolas Is., CA
6.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE WEST COAST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 6.4 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 10:36:01 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 02:36:01 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 31.219°N, 119.551°W Depth 10.1 km (6.3 miles) Region OFF THE WEST COAST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA Distances 262 km (162 miles) SSW of Avalon, California
Herbal Healing: 4 Little-Known Herbs and their Uses for Health by Elizabeth Renter
Source of poster: http://www.facebook.com/holisticdadHerbal Healing: 4 Little-Known Herbs and their Uses for Healthby Elizabeth Renter Natural Society, 14 December 2012 *You might know that **Echinacea is good for fighting a cold**, chamomile can help you relax, and that dandelion is great for detoxification (and if you didn’t, now you do). But, there is a world of healing herbs and plants that we don’t commonly hear about. These herbs might not get as much air-time as the more common powerhouses, but they have wonderful benefits worthy of note. Here are 4 little-known herbs an... more »
Israel's AG announces major charge dropped against FM Lieberman
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein on Thursday said he was closing the main case against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, concluding a 12-year investigation into allegations of money laundering and fraud. However, Weinstein said he would indict Lieberman on lesser charges of fraud and breach of trust, in the case concerning Israel's former ambassador to Belarus. Lieberman implied he would not resign and said he would decide whether to do so after consulting his lawyers and considering "the effect it will have on my voters." He accused the State Prosecutor's Office of persecuting h... more »
22 Chinese children injured in knife attack outside primary school
Twenty-two children and one adult have been injured in a knife attack outside a primary school in central China, according to police. A police officer said the attack in the Henan province village of Chengping happened shortly before 8am on Friday as students were arriving for classes. The officer said a 36-year-old villager, Min Yingjun, was in police custody. She declined to give her name, as is customary among Chinese civil servants. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/14/chinese-children-knife-primary-school
Talks over global internet regulation collapse
An attempt to establish global oversight of the internet has collapsed after many Western countries said a compromise plan gave too much power to United Nations and other officials. Delegates from the US, Britain and other countries took to the floor at a UN conference in Dubai to reject a treaty governing international phone calls and data traffic. While other countries will sign the treaty, the absence of so many of the largest economies means that the document, already watered down to suit much of the West, will have little practical force. http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1214/inter... more »
Russia says position unchanged on Syria after envoy comments
Russia said on Friday it had not changed policy on Syria, distancing itself from comments by a diplomat who said it could not be ruled out that President Bashar al-Assad's opponents might win. The comments on Thursday by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov were welcomed by Washington, where State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Russia had "finally woken up to reality". But Russia's Foreign Ministry said Bogdanov had merely reiterated the country's position on Syria. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-syria-crisis-russia-idUSBRE8BD06L20121214
UFOs Have Sri Lanka Military On High Alert
Second time in a month we have heard an asian military on high alert due to UFOs. The other being the Indian army after seeing over 100 sightings in Jammu & Kashmir over the course of the year. At least SOME militaries take UFos seriously.. http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/12/ufos-have-sri-lanka-military-on-high-alert-video-2513850.html
Nima Arkani-Hamed on visions of particle physics
If you have 100.25 minutes, you may want to watch Nima's Wednesday talk about naturalness and his favorite class of SUSY models in Santa Barbara: Get the Flash Player to see this video. *Other formats via KITP. The player above has a fullscreen button.* A goal is to determined the interactions of the newly found Higgs boson. If its spin equals two, Nima will quit physics, and if the particle is a techni-dilaton, he will kill himself. I share these sentiments – but won't repeat Nima's pledges. The possibility that the spin is two is already being excluded experimentally but I have ... more »
Untitled
When one wanted to arrive at the incomparable, the fabulous, the like nothing-else-in-the-world, where was it one went? Back in time to that smouldering treasure island of dark intrigue, cheap wine, overcrowded churches and lyrical youth. Back to Malta! *Gozo, sister island.* Malta used to be (twenty years ago) a quaint little island, the unique selling point of which was friendliness. Now Malta has become a trifle less friendly. But, go into a Labour Party club; and start talking. "What do you think of that escape from the jail?" I asked the burly worker at the bar, who was... more »
TWO KILLED AS TROPICAL CYCLONE EVAN HITS SAMOA
Two people have been confirmed dead after Cyclone Evan hit Samoa, causing widespread destruction around the capital. The category-two storm made landfall in Apia on Thursday, bringing heavy rainfall and winds of up to 110 kilometres per hour. A state of disaster has now been declared in the Pacific nation. http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/15623964/two-killed-as-tropical-cyclone-evan-hits-samoa/
A sick world: We live longer, with more illness
The world has made huge progress fighting killer infectious diseases, but as a result we now lead longer and sicker lives, with health problems that cause us years of pain, disability and mental distress. This "devastating irony", as researchers describe it, is the main conclusion of a five-year study that forms the most comprehensive assessment of global health in the history of medicine, according to the journal publishing the research. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-global-idUSBRE8BC12K20121214
North Korea Rocket: Mass Rally Staged
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have gathered for a government-staged rally to celebrate a long-range rocket launch, state TV has shown. Below a grey sky and with flags flying high, the huge crowd of soldiers and civilians stood in neat ranks and applauded various speeches from officials. http://news.sky.com/story/1025325/north-korea-rocket-mass-rally-staged
2nd bite to challenge Obama’s eligibility?
*Famous justice has had ‘serious questions’ about birth certificate* A longstanding eligibility case challenging Barack Obama’s presence in the White House soon could be headed to the state Supreme Court in Alabama, where one justice already in a court filing has questioned the authenticity of Obama’s documentation, and the incoming chief justice is a dyed-in-the-wool Constitution supporter with little tolerance for those who want to bypass the document. http://www.pakalertpress.com/2012/12/13/2nd-bite-to-challenge-obamas-eligibility/
Pentagon Cries Poor, Starts $10 Billion Nuclear Weapon Upgrade in Europe
The Pentagon is facing its worst cash crunch in more than a decade, with potential cuts of up to a half-trillion dollars over the next decade if Congress doesn’t act soon. Yet the U.S. military still somehow found the money on Tuesday to put a down payment on a $10 billion upgrade of its nuclear weapons in Europe — y’know, just in case there’s another Cold War. http://www.pakalertpress.com/2012/12/13/pentagon-cries-poor-starts-10-billion-nuclear-weapon-upgrade/
Twin NASA spacecraft prepare to crash into moon
Los Angeles: The moon is about to take another hit. Twin NASA spacecraft are preparing to crash into the lunar surface next week after a successful mission mapping the moon's gravity. Scientists say the crash won't be visible from Earth. The spacecraft - named Ebb and Flow - are too small and light to carve a crater or kick up a lot of dust. They're aiming for a mountain that's far away from the Apollo landing sites. http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/twin-nasa-spacecraft-prepare-to-crash-into-moon-305211
Flood Threat As Heavy Rain Hits South Coast, UK
Britain is on flood alert this morning as high winds and heavy rainfall begin to sweep in from the South West. The Environment Agency has warned residents - many still mopping up after last month's widespread flooding - to brace themselves for a combination of heavy rain and storm surges. Thirteen flood warnings have been issued across the South West and Wales, while a further 47 areas across Scotland, England and Wales have been told to prepare for possible flooding. http://news.sky.com/story/1025283/flood-threat-as-heavy-rain-hits-south-coast
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 05:07:04 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 03:07:04 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 37.522°N, 143.795°E Depth 33.4 km (20.8 miles) Region OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN Distances 240 km (149 miles) ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan
Unlawful Killing by Keith Allen - full version online
*Unlawful Killing* is Keith Allen's investigation into the death of Diana *Princess of Wales* in a Boston-brakes car crash in a tunnel on the *peripherique* in Paris. This film is a journalistic 'inquest of the inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice' that alleges a massive Establishment cover up in the UK and France and this is why it has not been seen in the UK but can be watched now on an overseas website. *CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FILM* Highlights, for me, from this Al Fayed-funded film is the undercover journalist who 'did the dirty' on his fellow journalists in the press tent at t... more »
The Next Twenty Years
It is easy to project visible trends into the future and assume that they matter. It is generally a flawed methodology. New trends emerge and grow exponentially until they achieve equilibrium. Recall that twenty years ago that the internet was not even imagined. Twenty years before, the core protocols of the computer age were still been test driven and Exxon was advertising how they had driven the price of oil down for years. Twenty years before that we hardly understood labor saving devices and lived with the tyranny of youthful sexuality and the necessary early pregnancies.... more »
Lignin Based Thermoplastics
This is actually quite important. In the long term we will be exiting the petrochemical economy as a prime energy source and feedstock for the plastics industry. An open question was what could replace feed stocks for the plastics industry that had enough real volume? This was not as easy a question as one would like. This pretty well shows us the answer. Our long term sustainable economy will be rich in plant based feed-stocks and the two big ones are cellulose and lignin. Converting separated lignin into a natural plastic is also attractive as it will also likely degra... more »
Native Americans and Northern Europeans Paleolithic Cousins
The strong linkage between these populations has always been empirically apparent. This finally settles what has been obvious and clearly establishes the time line. Thus later incursions merely topped up an already European palette. What has been more troubling has been the avoidance of this topic from the academics. Now DNA research is systematically reducing sophism for what it truly is. Ignoring and even denying obvious evidence should be made into a capital crime in academe. It all starts with denigrating the technical abilities of our ancients by denying them the ...more »
New Lion Species Recognized
There were once several species of lion certainly during the Pleistocene when that included the mega lion. Yet as humanity knocked down the huge herds they also rooted out local lion prides and generally eliminated them pretty well everywhere except Africa. It was a long process though. In fact, the African lion is sorely in need of protection itself and will be ultimately tightly managed in wild preserves. Thus protecting a subspecies is a timely and necessary move. At least now we know that they are in fact distinct species. I suspect many other creatures also fit that ... more »
SEX IN ARGENTINA - JUST LIKE USA AND EUROPE
*Missing Maria (Marita) Veron* What makes the USA and Europe just like Argentina? In Argentina, three judges have been accused of corruption. The allegedly corrupt judges have just cleared 13 people of sex slavery charges. Reportedly, one of the sex slaves is Maria Veron. *Argentina's Admiral Emilio Massero trafficked in children. He was involved with P2, the international masonic lodge which, as part of the CIA's Operation Gladio, helped carry out terrorism in Italy.* Maria was reportedly kidnapped and forced into prostitution ten years ago. Maria was kidnapped by people who go... more »
Hundreds March In Regina As Saskatchewan’s First Nations Fight Against Harper's Bill C-45
*(Photo courtesy* *Stewart Manhas*) *(Photo courtesy Don Healy , Regina Leader-Post ...)* *REGINA — Saskatchewan’s First Nations are “idle no more.” On Thursday, hundreds of aboriginals and their supporters marched down snowy Regina streets in protest of the Harper government’s passing of Bill C-45. Similar walks have taken place across Canada throughout the week.* *“I’m standing in solidarity with my people because I’m tired of the government’s imposition and governmental discrimination policies; I’m tired of it all. They try to determine what is best for us, we know what we want,... more »
BP to send team to check if EVEN MORE oil slicks stem back to the Deepwater Horizon leak after satellite pictures show new sheens
A team of investigators is scheduled to check if any further oil is leaking from the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. CBS News reports that BP is sending a crew to look at the security of the containment dome that was put in place in 2010 to secure the massive oil leak after an explosion left 7 million gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. This would not be the first time that oil was spotted in recent months, as BP confirmed that a oil slick roughly 50 miles south of Louisiana had originated from the same well that caused the fatal 2010 explosion. http://www.dailymail.co.u... more »
European Court of Justice squanders opportunity to save £14m after rejecting bid to slash sessions in Strasbourg
The Strasbourg building stands almost vacant for more than 300 days a year and accrues 12 million euros in maintenance costs. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247707/European-Court-Justice-squanders-opportunity-save-14m-rejecting-bid-slash-sessions-Strasbourg.html
Lords vote to axe law banning insults that had led to countless arrests of ordinary people
Free speech campaigners have hailed a vote by the House of Lords to scrap a draconian law that made it a crime simply to insult someone. The controversial legislation led to countless arrests of ordinary people for making jokes and expressing opinions about religion and sexuality. Section 5 of the Public Order Act criminalised ‘insulting’ words and behaviour – without defining what the term meant. Critics warned that over- zealous police and prosecutors were abusing the law, leading to ludicrous scenarios such as the conviction of a teenager for saying ‘woof’ to two dogs. http://ww... more »
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 5.1 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 04:58:51 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:58:51 PM at epicenter Location 14.012°N, 91.764°W Depth 45.9 km (28.5 miles) Region OFFSHORE GUATEMALA Distances 59 km (37 miles) S (188°) from Retalhuleu, Retalhuleu, Guatemala
A two-tier Europe as Britain opts out of banking union: Cameron vows to secure 'better deal' for nation
David Cameron vowed to secure ‘a better deal for Britain’ yesterday after an historic deal on EU banks established a two–tier Europe. The agreement will prevent eurozone countries from ganging up on those that have not adopted the single currency – and protect the City of London from financial regulations drawn up by the debt-stricken bloc. After 14 hours of talks, eurozone countries agreed that the European Central Bank should directly supervise 200 banks – none of which are British – in the most far-reaching step towards a single-currency superstate since the euro crisis began. ... more »
Shelley Pratt Missing: Fears grow for missing 14-year-old as police release CCTV of her talking to a stranger on night she went missing
Shelley Pratt is pictured talking to the stranger in Croydon town centre, in south London, at 9.30pm on November 8 - the day she was last seen. Officers say the man was earlier seen chatting to other women and they are appealing for information about him. Murder team detectives are leading the search for Shelley, who is white and around 5ft 6in tall with long brown hair. On November 8 she was spotted at George Street tram stop in Croydon town centre (bottom right). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247716/Fears-grow-missing-14-year-old-schoolgirl-police-release-CCTV-talking-s... more »
Korean American tourist detained in North Korea
A Korean-American tourist who visited North Korea last month for what was to have been a five-day trip has been detained by police in the reclusive state, associates of his family and activists in Seoul said. Kenneth Bae, 44, was in a group of five tourists who visited the northeast city of Rajin, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, citing a report by the Kookmin Ilbo newspaper. Bae entered North Korea on November 3 for a five-day visit. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-korea-north-tourist-idUSBRE8BD04020121214
Japan largely excludes foreign firms in Fukushima clean-up
Nearly two years after a massive earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Japan is failing to keep a pledge to tap global expertise to decommission its crippled reactors, executives at nuclear contractors from the United States and Europe say. The result, they warn, is that a process expected to take more than 30 years and cost at least $15 billion could take longer and cost more as contracts are channeled through domestic heavyweights such as nuclear reactor makers Toshiba Corp and Hitachi Ltd, and general contractors such as Taisei Corp. http://www... more »
U.S. lawmaker says Syria's chemical weapons are ready to use
Syria's chemical weapons could be used at "a moment's notice" and the international community should not accept any assurances from Syrian officials that they will not be used, U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said on Wednesday. U.S. and other Western officials recently issued sharp warnings to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to deploy chemical weapons. Syria called those warnings a "pretext for intervention" in the civil war. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/us-syria-crisis-chemical-idUSBRE8BC17E20121213
Syrian opposition leader: Fighters no longer need foreign forces
The Syrian people no longer need the intervention of international forces as rebels push towards the heart of the capital of Damascus to topple President Bashar al-Assad, the new leader of Syria's opposition told Reuters. Mouaz al-Khatib, the scion of a Damascene Muslim religious dynasty, said the opposition would consider proposals from Assad to surrender power and leave the country, but would not give any assurances until it saw a firm proposal. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/us-syria-alkhatib-idUSBRE8BC0TR20121213
U.S., rebels urge gloomy Moscow to help oust Assad
Syria's rebel leadership and the United States seized on Russian pessimism over President Bashar al-Assad's future to urge Moscow to help push its ally into ceding power and end the battles closing in around his capital. "We want to commend the Russian government for finally waking up to the reality and acknowledging that the regime's days are numbered," the U.S. State Department spokeswoman said after a senior Kremlin envoy conceded publicly on Thursday that Assad's opponents could win the 20-month-old civil war. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE8AJ1... more »
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.2 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 04:21:43 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:21:43 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 13.393°N, 89.694°W Depth 69.1 km (42.9 miles) Region OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR Distances 26 km (16 miles) SSE of Acajutla, El Salvador
Merkel Says 2012 a Year of ‘Great Progress’ in Tackling Crisis
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this year has been marked by “great progress” toward solving Europe’s sovereign debt crisis. “At the end of the year 2012 I want to say that we have achieved a lot,” Merkel told reporters in Brussels today before a meeting of European Union leaders. “It was a very laborious year, but it was also a year in which we made great progress,” she said, citing the establishment of the euro area’s permanent financial backstop and a pact on budgetary discipline. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-13/merkel-says-2012-a-year-of-great-progress-in-tackling-...more »
Philippine death toll rises to 902 after Typhoon Bopha; 80000 homeless
Typhoon Bopha killed more than 900 people and left almost 80,000 others homeless in the Philippines, the government said Thursday, a week and a half after the storm devastated large parts of the southeast Asian island nation. The death toll, which the government set Thursday at 902, is likely to rise significantly, as 934 other people remained unaccounted for. More than 2,600 people were injured. http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/13/15894035-philippine-death-toll-rises-to-902-after-typhoon-bopha-80000-homeless?lite
Geminid Meteor Shower Brings Shooting Stars
Stargazers have been looking up to the heavens for a glimpse of a meteor shower in the night sky. The spectacle was expected to peak at 11.30pm in the UK on Thursday night. Tens of "shooting stars" were expected to streak across the sky each hour but would only be seen if conditions were good, said Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society. http://news.sky.com/story/1025210/geminid-meteor-shower-brings-shooting-stars
Egypt needs to learn the art of compromise
The Egyptian opposition’s willingness to permit a referendum on the country’s constitution is a welcome and important course correction. The constitution is flawed, and President Mohamed Morsi’s tone-deaf decree placing him above judicial oversight — since repealed — was an enormous overreach. But the referendum scheduled for Saturday is a sign that Egyptians of varying views are finally playing politics, not just planning protests. Washington should embrace this in its newfound role of providing guidance without interfering. In other words, it should be coach, not captain. http://... more »
Israel Is Right To Distrust Chuck Hagel-- But For Entirely Different Reasons
Unless AIPAC can force Obama to change his mind-- or talk enough of the senators they control into defeating the nomination-- it looks like Chuck Hagel will be the next Secretary of Defense. Let's leave his long record of ugly homophobia out of the discussion for now, although "he consistently voted against legislation that would have expanded hate-crime protections to LGBT Americans [and], according to the Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard, he earned a 0 percent for the 107th, 108th and 109th sessions of Congress." Many Democrats like him because he was the first Repu... more »
Western Intelligence on Syrian troops readying chemical weapons for use prompted Obama’s warning
Western intelligence agencies observed Syrian units making advanced preparations for the potential use of chemical weapons, including loading trucks with ready-to-use bombs and shells, prompting President Obama last week to warn Syria against using the banned munitions, according to Western and Middle Eastern officials. Soldiers at one Syrian base were monitored mixing precursors for chemical weapons and taking other steps to ready the lethal munitions for battlefield use, the officials said. It was the first hard evidence that Syria was moving toward possible activation of its vast... more »
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.4 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 04:15:23 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:15:23 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 13.958°N, 92.035°W Depth 45.6 km (28.3 miles) Region OFFSHORE GUATEMALA Distances 39 km (24 miles) SSW of Champerico, Guatemala
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The Cheeseburger Nebula (NGC 7026) is a very bright bipolar planetary nebula of a little over one light-year across at its longest dimension, located about 6,000 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan). It is approaching us at approximately 40.6 kilometers per second. Despite their name, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets. The name of planetary nebulae arose because of the visual similarity between some round planetary nebulae and the planets Uranus and Neptune when viewed through early telescopes. *Click image for larger size.* A planetary nebu... more »
Meteor hits Turkish City Ordu
Meteorite has fallen on the territory of Turkish city Ordu. According to Turkish media, the fall of the meteorite last night caused panic among the city's population. Ordu Mayor Orhan Duzgun said that he learned the fall of the meteorite only in the morning. "The fall of the meteorite was captured by an observation camera of one of the institutions of the city. Now its place is being specified. Thousands of meteorites fall every year on various parts of the earth. There is no reason to panic. According to preliminary data, the meteorite was small and fell to the coastal area of the ... more »
Chet Raymo, “Knowledge And Power”
*“Knowledge And Power” * by Chet Raymo “Two paintings by the French neo-classicist Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). The first is of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, the chemist, sometimes called "the Father of Modern Chemistry", who I blogged about on Friday, and his wife Marie-Anne. It was painted in 1788, on the eve of the French Revolution. The second, of course, is Napoleon, pictured crossing the Alps with his army, painted in 1800, not long after Napoleon took power in France. The paintings bracket a dozen of the most tumultuous years in French history. Click to enlarge. They... more »
Plague on the Christmas cruise: Passengers 'angry and mutinous' after they are told to stay in their cabins as Norovirus strikes 400
It was billed as a luxurious cruise around the romantic and atmospheric traditional Christmas markets of northern Europe. Instead hundreds of passengers have been left quarantined in their cabins after a severe outbreak of norovirus – the winter vomiting bug – swept through the P&O cruise liner Oriana. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247398/Plague-Christmas-cruise-Passengers-told-stay-cabins-winter-vomiting-strikes-400.html
Sally Bercow Sued By Lord McAlpine For £50k
Sally Bercow, the wife of the Commons Speaker, is being sued for libel over a tweet which allegedly linked a former Conservative politician to false child abuse allegations. Law firm Carter-Ruck confirmed it is representing the outspoken former Celebrity Big Brother contestant and ex-Labour council candidate against a £50,000 claim by Lord McAlpine. http://news.sky.com/story/1025227/sally-bercow-sued-by-lord-mcalpine-for-50k
5.2 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 5.2 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 04:04:08 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:04:08 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 13.956°N, 91.741°W Depth 45.6 km (28.3 miles) Region OFFSHORE GUATEMALA Distances 42 km (26 miles) SSE of Champerico, Guatemala
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 5.1 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 02:34:53 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 12:34:53 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 5.018°S, 152.944°E Depth 52.5 km (32.6 miles) Region NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Distances 123 km (76 miles) SE (137°) from Rabaul, New Britain, PNG
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake MYANMAR - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 02:17:33 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 08:47:33 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 22.751°N, 95.903°E Depth 23.5 km (14.6 miles) Region MYANMAR Distances 86 km (53 miles) NNW (348°) from Mandalay, Myanmar
4.9 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 14th December 2012
Magnitude 4.9 Date-Time Friday, December 14, 2012 at 01:22:05 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 11:22:05 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 37.429°N, 143.547°E Depth 39.8 km (24.7 miles) Region OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN Distances 225 km (139 miles) E of Namie, Japan
The Daily "Near You?"
Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
5.7 Magnitude Earthquake EAST OF SEVERNAYA ZEMLYA - 13th December 2012
Magnitude 5.7 Date-Time Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 23:03:38 UTC Friday, December 14, 2012 at 07:03:38 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 80.795°N, 121.451°E Depth 9.9 km (6.2 miles) Region EAST OF SEVERNAYA ZEMLYA Distances 1542 km (958 miles) NNE (21°) from Noril'sk, Russia
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake ALBANIA - 13th December 2012
Magnitude 4.5 Date-Time Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 21:39:26 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:39:26 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 41.111°N, 19.793°E Depth 10.1 km (6.3 miles) Region ALBANIA Distances 7 km (4 miles) NNE of Peqin, Albania
5.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR - 13th December 2012
Magnitude 5.5 Date-Time Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 21:26:40 UTC Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 03:26:40 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 13.140°N, 90.004°W Depth 13 km (8.1 miles) Region OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR Distances 49 km (30 miles) SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador
Paulo Coelho, “Discovering The Real Fear”
*“Discovering The Real Fear”* by Paulo Coelho “A Sultan decided to make a voyage with some of his best courtiers. They embarked at the port of Dubai and set out across the open seas. As the ship sailed away from the land, one of his subjects, who had never seen the sea and had spent much of his life in the mountains, had a panic attack. Sitting in the hold of the ship, he wept and wailed and refused to eat or sleep. Everyone tried to calm him down, saying that the journey really wasn’t all that dangerous, but although their words reached his ears, they did not touch his heart. Th... more »
Google Maps back on iPhone: Apple software debacle
*Google has introduced its Maps app for the iPhone, in the wake of complaints about Apple's software.*Apple controversially replaced the search giant's mapping service with its own when it released its most recent handset, the iPhone 5. Google's app introduces functions previously restricted to Android devices. The firms are forced in part by a desire to gather data routinely generated by handsets using their respective software, as well as users' own feedback. Google offers a similar facility via Google Earth which is promoted in its main maps app, but involves switching into a... more »
The Great Turning Inward: Why Paranoid Conspiracy Loons Became Domestic Terrorists
"It is always the case, not sometimes, not usually, but always the case that civil liberties abridgements, abuses of core rights, extend beyond their original application to all sorts of unanticipated groups. And you can look at the history of the Patriot Act over the last ten years, which has been applied overwhelmingly - eighty-five percent of the cases - to matters having nothing to do with terrorism. Or you look at the FBI's strategy of creating their own plots and financing their own plots and luring people into their own plots and at the last minute heroically breaking up th... more »
Why the world didn't end.... yesterday??!!
Link: http://youtu.be/QY_Gc1bF8ds NASA a week early? John
Pruning
Apparently when I write, I say the same thing in different ways. When I'm reviewing my work and it seems confusing, very often I can solve the problem by saving the best version of a duplicated thought, and pruning away the other.
Unions Should Defy Bullshit Law From Illegitimate Regime
Big deal. The election fraud party passed a hypocritical bill forcing unions to disclose everything about their spending, supposedly because union dues are tax exempt. It's harassment, pure and simple. It's also the work of a lawless bunch of thugs and thieves. To hell with 'em. The labour movement should just tell the harpercons to go fuck themselves. NOBODY is under any obligation to respect the works of this illegitimate regime.
The Role of Assumptions
Earlier today, Brian Rathbun criticized “rationalists” for making assumptions.* I have some thoughts on the matter, and I expressed many of them on Twitter. And in the language of Twitter — snark. That was not the best response, and I regret the tone of my reaction, if not the substance thereof. I’d like to try Continue reading
Suppression of Congressional Research Service Report Reversed
Just as quietly as it happened, the Republican suppression of a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report showing the lack of relationship between top tax rates and economic growth has apparently been overcome. Jared Bernstein reports today that the report is back up. You can find it on the CRS website here. What made this report so objectionable to Republicans was that it showed no relationship between the top tax rates and economic growth rates, and went beyond simple correlation analysis to more complex analysis that statistically controlled for other potential causes, known a... more »
By the new "Susan Rice standard," no Republican should ever be confirmable again for any post that doesn't lead to a lethal injection
*The not-future and the incumbent secretary of state* *by Ken* Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to see the world through Village eyes. Like today we have the *Washington Post*'s Dana Milbank weeping uncontrollably over "Joe Lieberman's sad send-off" -- not, as one might assume, because the world's largest pile of pus finally dragged his loathsome carcass out of a Senate chamber to which, even in its current degraded state, he became a disgrace. No, Dana weeps because Holy Joe, self-made hypocrite and crook, "was drummed out of his party because of his willingness to embrace... more »
The road to nowhere
http://straightfresh.net/editorial-racism-the-war-on-drugs-2/ A good read from the always engaging Richard Branson, this time on the senseless "war on drugs." Hope I live long enough to see us shake off that grand bit of foolishness, but I'm not counting on it. I come from British Columbia, a land where the marijuana grows so abundantly and well that the veteran growers driving that $6-billion-industry would be winning agricultural awards and international acclaim for their products were it any other crop. Now I live in Honduras, a country situated halfway between the world’s largest... more »
Susan Rice: Israel's 'Gladiator' at the UN
Earlier this week, Glenn Greenwald posted an excellent article exploring the myriad reason why U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice is awful. It's not just her "long record of cheering for US wars, including being an outspoken and aggressive advocate of the attack on Iraq," as documented by former CIA analyst Ray McGovern. Or her apparent and well-documented "fondness for tyrants
Doomed Soldiers In Polish The "Smoleńsk Widow" Exposes the "Smoleńsk Lie" - An interview with Mrs. Beata Gosiewska
The Doomed Soldiers *“In the end, they finally eliminated the enemies they hated for so many years."* * * It is difficult to even find an analog in history to these events. Deaths that befall much of a nation's leadership aren't usually accidents, either legitimate or designed to look like such. [image: Beata Gosiewska - The Smolensk Widows]Above: Beata Gosiewska; her children. Of course, part of this is that any major accident wiping out a good measure of a nation's leadership is invariably assured of some investigation by disinterested parties - except in this case, where the R... more »
"5 Unbelievably Creepy Surveillance Tactics"
*"5 Unbelievably Creepy Surveillance Tactics"* by Tana Ganeva "Since the erosion of Americans' civil liberties depends on high levels of public apathy, some of the most dangerous privacy breaches take place incrementally and under the radar; if it invites comparisons to Blade Runner or Orwell, then someone in the PR department didn't do their job. Meanwhile, some of the biggest threats to privacy, like insecure online data or iPhone GPS tracking, are physically unobtrusive and therefore easily ignored. And it'll be at least a year or two until the sky is overrun by spy drones. S... more »
Walker (WI-ALEC) in Naples FL Feb 2012
In case you care about it - I don't. But I did find this interesting. In Naples, 1500 miles south of the Badger state, his fiscal policies were met with the ire of some 200 demonstrators, many of whom were union members and part of the “Occupy Naples” group.
Angels we have heard on high
Doing my part to build the Christmas spirits, just now found this on the facebook. First for real LOL I've had all week. [Joe Heller cartoon]
"You Can Go to Prison for Pot, While Big Banks Get Away With Laundering Drug Cartel Cash"
*"You Can Go to Prison for Pot, * *While Big Banks Get Away With Laundering Drug Cartel Cash"* By Matt Taibbi, Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez "The banking giant HSBC has escaped indictment for laundering billions of dollars for Mexican drug cartels and groups linked to al-Qaeda. Despite evidence of wrongdoing, the U.S. Department of Justice has allowed the bank to avoid prosecution and pay a $1.9 billion fine. No top HSBC officials will face charges, either. We’re joined by Rolling Stone contributing editor Matt Taibbi, author of "Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the... more »
US Recognition of Opposition Syrian Coalition Contradicts Geneva Statement
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Project @DroneStream
[photo via The Guardian] As a project for an NYU graduate class, Josh Begley set out to tweet "a complete history of known U.S. drone strikes Tuesday with the goal of doing it all in ten minutes." The first one was: Nov 3, 2002: In the first known US targeted assassination using a drone, a CIA Predator struck a car, killing 6 (Yemen) Each tweet includes a link to the source news story reporting the strike. It's going to take a little longer than ten minutes to complete the project. When this was posted at Atlanic Wire, @DroneStream had been at it for five hours with no end in si... more »
For North Korea, next step is a nuclear test
North Korea's next step after rattling the world by putting a satellite into orbit for the first time will likely be a nuclear test, the third conducted by the reclusive and unpredictable state. A nuclear test would be the logical follow-up to Wednesday's successful rocket launch, analysts said. The North's 2009 test came on May 25, a month after a rocket launch. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/us-korea-north-rocket-idUSBRE8BB02K20121213
Right to Work - States in the Bullseye - PA, AK, MO, MT
“If Michigan can do it, then I think everybody ought to think about it,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. He said he thinks at least one more state will adopt such a law before the end of 2013, and listed Alaska, Missouri, Montana and Pennsylvania among the top contenders. “Very confident. It will happen. [But] I can’t tell you where the next one is.” Nothing else to say.
GAIA PORTAL: Immense Higher Dimension Energy Input into Gaia on the 12-12-12
* * *Immense Higher Dimension Energy Input into Gaia on the 12-12-12* 13 December 2012 Achievement of immense Higher Dimension Energy input into Gaia occurred on the 12-12-12. The planet-wide participation of Hue-mans, Light-workers, and Higher D elementals and other beings, caused an upsurge of integration of these new energies with the new Gaia grids. Corner was turned. Shadow elements and so-called dark entities fade to nothingness, as the veil has been removed. Much gratitude to all.
The country is “booming” for the upcoming Doomsdate
Unexplained booms were reported across the country last week. Most remain a mystery as to their source. They are reported at a time where people may be on edge regarding the upcoming Mayan Doomsdate. Mystery mongering sites have taken notice and associated them with a coming catastrophe. Monday night, in Rhode Island. House-rattling boom remains a mystery – Warwick Beacon. On Monday night at approximately 11:20 p.m., reports of a loud boom flooded police stations and social media sites alike. Sources from the Warwick Police Department said they received nearly 100 phone calls report... more »
The banking union is the first part of Herman Van Rompuy's 'road-map' to a European superstate. Why is David Cameron backing it?
David Cameron is in Brussels today listening to Herman Van Rompuy set out his "road-map" to a European superstate. Overnight, the first plank of that programme was agreed by European finance ministers. Banks with balance sheets stretching over €30bn will now be directly regulated by the European Central Bank rather than by their domestic authority. Around 200 of the 6,000 deposit banks in the eurozone will be affected from March 2014, almost all of them French. On one hand, this is another remarkable coup for France. The agreement effectively places responsibility for recapitalising... more »
WHILE MANY ORDINARY AMERICANS ARE SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR THE MOST TRIVIAL NON-VIOLENT CRIMES, TODAY'S TOO-BIG-TO-FAIL BANKS COMMONLY COMMIT MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR CRIMES, YET ARE ALLOWED TO KEEP THEIR BOOTY AND LET OFF BY THE U.S. JUDICIAL SYSTEM WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A SLAP ON THE WRIST.
------------------------------ HSBC, too big to jail, is the new poster child for US two-tiered justice system DOJ officials unblinkingly insist that the banking giant is too powerful and important to subject to the rule of law ------------------------------ Glenn Greenwald guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 December 2012 10.14 GMT ------------------------------ Assistant attorney general Lanny Breuer said taking away HSBC's US banking licence could have cost thousands of jobs. Photograph: Richard Drew/AP *(updated below)* The US is the world's largest prison state, imprisoni...more »
FRIDAY MORNING RAMBLE: The ‘can’t the David Bain trial be made to go away’ edition
*It should have been over years ago, and if police hadn’t buggered it up so badly it’s impossible to know whodunnit, it could have been. It should have been over this year and, but for Judith Collins’s decision to promote competing reports, it would have been. Welcome to another year of discussing a case that started in 1994.* You want the idiot’s summary of the idiotic extra-judicial stoush about the Bain reports? Here it is. *Fisher Binnie Idiot’s Summary (I am the idiot)* – DIM POST Collins’s real problem with the Binnie report? Here’s a clue: “anger and simple upset over the ... more »
Refreezing The Artic? Is This a Viable Option?
Arctic sea ice running low? No problem, according to scientists – technology can refreeze it. Photo courtesy: Yahoo!News 2012 marked a new record low for the extent of Arctic sea ice, but apparently that's not a problem. We can just refreeze it! Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the key to a lasting solution to 'human-enhanced' climate change, however since governments and industries aren't doing a very good job of meeting reduction goals, strategies to reduce the worst effects of climate change may be needed. Dr. David Keith, a Canadian physicist, climate scientist and public p...more »
Matt Lauer is creepy and overpaid
You've probably heard about Anne Hathaway's "wardrobe malfunction" the other day. She slid out of limo and her dress hiked up exposing her lady bits. Which the pack of feral paparazzi who lurk around star studded events duly photographed. So she subsequently does an interview with Matt Lauer who immediately went into "creepy guy at the hotel bar who's engaged in an endless and futile attempt to cheat on his wife" mode. “Seen a lot of you lately,” he said after welcoming the actress to the show. After the tasteless quip, he continued: “Let's just get it out of the way, you had a... more »
Pres. Obama's record on civil liberties, war, detention, drones: Glenn Greenwald
*How would a patriot act?* Like Glenn Greenwald. YouTube video description [Channel - maurice morales]: Columnist Glenn Greenwald addresses a Dec. 8, 2012, Connecticut conference ("An Injury to One Is an Injury to All") about abridgments of Americans' rights since 2001; the Obama administration's claimed right to arrest and imprison citizens, and to assassinate both citizens and "enemies" abroad; and other federal policies, including surveillance. The conference, sponsored by a range of groups concerned about preserving civil liberties and ending indefinite detention, also featured ... more »
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