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Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

25 December - Blogs I'm Following II

Float plane taking off at the Snye.Float plane taking off at the Snye. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Merry Christmas Wherever You AreMerry Christmas Wherever You Are (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A Very Merry ChristmasA Very Merry Christmas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
10:45 pm MST

Lee Camp brings his special brand of "clarity" to the gun-control debate

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 44 minutes ago
*". . . If the military created a laser handgun tomorrow that could shoot through everything from New York to Idaho in a single shot -- every person, creature, house, barn, every Applebee's, Chuck E. Cheese . . . I think very few people would argue that everyone should be allowed to sit down at a dinner with one in their pocket. No one seems to claim that their Second Amendment rights are infriged upon because they can't own a home Panasonic atom bomb. My point is that people say they are against gun control, but clearly everyone is for some weapon control of some varying degree. If... more »

Update by Sheldan Nidle for the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Galactic Federation 12/25/2012

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 hour ago
Update by Sheldan Nidle for the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Galactic Federation 12/25/2012 5 Kan, 12 Mol, 9 Eb Dratzo! We return! During this holiday season we are preparing a series of final surprises for the dark which will mark the end of our waiting-period. Then our sacred allies' many programs for manifesting your new reality can begin. Much has transpired over the past few months that can finally permit us to start the final moves toward new governance and a formal disclosure announcement. Here it is important to note that disclosure will allow us to address you di... more »

Smiling Boy!

Way Way Up at Fort McMurray Adventures - 1 hour ago
Merry Christmas, son. Daddy loves you.

Chief Spence

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 2 hours ago

Chief Spence's message to First Nation youths

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 2 hours ago

ALEC to Muzzle Attorney Generals and You!!!

2old2care at Because I Can - 2 hours ago
ALEC’s nastiness continues to surface – even on Christmas eve You see, the widespread nastiness of both ALEC legislators and ALEC corporate profit sector members – will continue to proliferate until the US public starts to take action to say - NO MORE ALEC!!! *State AGs and private plaintiffs' firms redux* 12/24/2012 I seem to have opened a Pandora's box when I wrote last week about the ruling by a federal judge in Kentucky that Merck can proceed with a constitutional challenge to the state attorney general's use of private lawyers to bring consumer protection claims against the ... more »

Hallelujah Chorus 2012

Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar - 2 hours ago
This post is a repeat, but for the season, it's hard to beat the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. First up, a neat flash mob version:Next up, Cantillation with the Orchestra of the Antipodes, conducted by Antony Walker:The Robert Shaw version is also quite nice, and then there's this one from the Roches (h/t Steve Audio):

Post Christmas Construction Industrial State Blues

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 2 hours ago
[image: Death lurks in the tall grass.] *Death lurks in the tall grass.* On the heels of the defeat for the environment by the Miramar Hotel, the government is announcing a feasibility study for *a highway between Hualien and Taitung* to cut the travel time for the 180 km route by *one* hour. Lots of people passing this around on social networks, accompanied by expressions of disgust and dismay. It's obviously not for "local residents" (Taitung's population is declining over time and note below comments on highway use), but for the anticipated big busloads of Chinese tourists whose ... more »

Iran, Hizballah setting up terror squads to perpetuate Syrian war post Assad

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 3 hours ago
Tehran is developing its own plans for continuing the Syrian war and maintaining its grip on the country – even as Washington and Russia press on with secret discussions on the fate of Syrian president Bashar Assad, backed by UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi’s mediation efforts in Damascus. Tuesday, Dec. 25, the envoy said after meeting Assad that he would stay on for another six days in the hope of persuading the parties to end their bloody hostilities. At the same time, Iran is putting its military and intelligence assets in place ready for the day after Assad’s departure. de... more »

Merry Christmas! We Thank Our Loyal Supporters

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 3 hours ago
*Global Political Awakening* * **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! * The editors and writers of *the Global Political Awakening team* wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. We would also like to thank each and every visitor from the bottom of our heart. Your support, feedback, news tips, and activism is what has made our news and information blog a success. We look forward to growing the truth and liberty movement with you in the New Year. There is still much work to be done. We hope that you all enjoy this festive season with your loved ones. Let us pray and meditate fo... more »

The Destruction Of Historic Timbuktu By Religious Fanatics

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
Far right "Christian" fundamentalist Bryan Fischer is one of America's noisiest and most virulent anti-Islamic hatemongers. Barely a day goes by when he isn't tweeting some crap about how Islam is not a religion of peace because some crackpots did something outrageous in the name of Allah. Fisher's rage against religionist excess, he never seems to understand, is what lumps him and his followers in with the loathsome Muslim fundamentalists and extremists he derides. He is them; they are him. A few years ago, Roland and I spent a month traveling through Mali, a unique and edifying ... more »

Republicans Disgusting Lack of Decency

2old2care at Because I Can - 3 hours ago
Republicans lack all the decency in the world! They continue to prove over and over again that they are out of touch with the American public. Americans for Prosperity has launched a “send your congressional delegate” an email postcard campaign – basically saying no new taxes for the rich. They have a lost of emails postcards to choose from. But I thought that in today’s atmosphere you would be interested in the first email postacard on the list – yes the very first one. Republicans have no decency. They may think it is cute In today’s political environment – I think it is totall... more »

Geoengineered Snow Storms Wreaking Havoc around the Globe

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 3 hours ago
Dane Wigington, *Contributor* What do a mountain of data including recorded experiments, satellite imagery, lab tests of snow, observations on the ground, and existing patents, say absolutely? Two known patents for the process of “artificial ice nucleation for weather modification” are posted at the bottom of this article. The Chinese government has openly admitted they are creating ”artificial snow storms” but later backtracked after causing a billion dollars of damage to Beijing. If the Chinese government can routinely create snow storms out of what should have been a rain eve... more »

Zero Greenhouse Effect: The Only Thing That Can Save Climate Science

Harry Dale Huffman at The Earth and Man: Setting the Stage - 4 hours ago
Prof. Claes johnson has returned to the greenhouse debate, with another argument for zero greenhouse effect, to which I have responded: *Academics, I have found, are one and all confused about "blackbodies", to such an extent that just a competent, independent physicist (not climate scientist) like myself knows enough more than they (you) do to be competent -- there are no competent climate scientists, in my professional (but heretical, according to consensus scientists) estimation. * *One can gain insight by using the Standard Atmosphere model of the Earth's troposphere, whose valid... more »

Merry Christmas

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 6 hours ago
Sorry, no story today...You`ll have to wait til tomorrow... Just wanted to say... I love you friends, symbiotic need does indeed run deep....and yes, I have pissed many of you off, that won`t change...However.... We have a job to do, and finish... I`ll need your help..... The Straight Goods Cheers Eyes Wide Open

KIDNAPPINGS AT SANDY HOOK?

Anon at aangirfan - 6 hours ago
*Drill at Sandy Hook, November.* There is a theory that the Sandy Hook children were 'kidnapped'. 'Photos of the no doubt incredibly bloody crime scene' are *missing* On 25 December 2012, at Global Research, *Prof. James F. Tracy* wrote: * **The Sandy Hook School Massacre: Unanswered Questions and Missing Information* *According to the professor:* * * *1. * The only people who claim to have seen any dead bodies are medical examiner H. Wayne Carver and his staff. *Emilie Parker* *2.* There is no visual evidence of the shooter's alleged violent entry into the school. There is no e... more »

Merry Christmas

Seth R. Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 6 hours ago

Economist Bill Black: "Everyone involved in creating the fiscal cliff acted irresponsibly and inhumanely in seeking to inflict austerity, cause a recession, and unravel the safety net." "The fiscal cliff was an act of idiocy in pursuit of a policy of depravity called 'the Grand Bargain' that was actually the Grand Betrayal." "President Obama wants to begin to unravel the safety net and cut social programs even though an overwhelming majority of Democrats oppose it and even though doing so will inflict even greater austerity. That will cause a deeper recession and likely make the deficit larger, so it is as nonsensical as it is cruel."

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 7 hours ago
------------------------------ * rsn** (Reader Supported News) Subscribe to free newsletter* President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner. (photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Kill the 'Fiscal Cliff' Instead of the Economy By William K. Black, Reader Supported News 24 December 12 veryone now agrees that the so-called "fiscal cliff" is a stupid policy that threatens our economy and our people. Everyone agrees why the "fiscal cliff" is stupid -- it inflicts austerity at a time when it is likely to throw the nation i... more »

Chinese man mows down 23 students with car after despairing over daughter's murder

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 7 hours ago
A man angered by a court ruling in the murder of his daughter rammed a car loaded with a gas tank and firecrackers into a group of middle schoolers, injuring 13 in the country's latest attack on students. The man ran down 23 students at Fengning No. 1 Middle School in northern China's Hebei province on Monday, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday, citing local police. Xinhua said the man, identified as 48-year-old Yin Tiejun, later lit a bottle of diesel in an attempt to set his car on fire. Police put out the fire and found the gas tank and firecrackers in the trunk of the... more »

Trust the gun crazies to find the one preposterous reason for deporting Piers Morgan

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago
*by Ken* A couple of days ago Howie passed on a heads-up about this brilliant idea of deporting British CNN talking head Piers Morgan, the man who (gasp!) replaced Larry King, with the note: "sounds like a good idea to me, for any number of reasons... except this one." Now the *L.A. Times* is carrying this Reuters-based report: Thousands sign U.S. petition to deport Piers Morgan over gun commentsBy Eric Kelsey and Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES | Mon Dec 24, 2012 5:55pm EST (Reuters) -- More than 48,000 people have signed a petition that they posted on the White House website demandi... more »

Economist Bill Black: "...since everybody agrees now that the fiscal cliff is incredibly stupid and really dangerous, in the sense that it's designed to impose austerity, and they're saying that if we were to continue this austerity for very long, we would throw the nation back into recession, I went back and looked. How did we come about—you know, who's the moron that created this fiscal cliff that they're talking about? And it turns out it's President Obama."

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 7 hours ago
------------------------------ * the**REALnews Permalink* December 23, 2012 *Black: Too Big to Prosecute and It's Obama's Fiscal Cliff* Bill Black: Criminal money laundering goes unpunished and Fiscal Cliff was created by Obama *Watch full multipart The Black Financial and Fraud Report:* * * More at The Real News *Bio * William K. Black, author of THE BEST WAY TO ROB A BANK IS TO OWN ONE, teaches economics and law at the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC). He was the Executive Director of the In... more »

Iran Sells Clean Fusion-Based Electricity Across South Asia

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 8 hours ago
Reposted from: http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=264290 *Iran Sells Clean Fusion-Based Electricity Across South Asia* Posted By: hobie Date: Monday, 24-Dec-2012 11:53:38 (Thanks, B. :) Reader B. sends us this item with link to a 2-minute YouTube clip. Here's the URL to the site Gordon Duff mentions in that clip: http://www.lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.com/ ===== http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/alternative-energy/iran-sells-clean-fusion-based-electricity-across-south-asia.html I saw a bottle of wine in the store the other day that was ... more »

Ex-TSA Screener: Officers “Laughing” At Your Naked Image

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 8 hours ago
A former TSA screener turned blogger who is now causing embarrassment for the federal agency has revealed that TSA officers routinely laugh at and make fun of passengers’ nude body scanner images in back rooms. In a blog entitled Taking Sense Away, the anonymous ex-TSA worker reveals how he, “Witnessed light sexual play among officers, a lot of e-cigarette vaping, and a whole lot of officers laughing and clowning in regard to some of your nude images, dear passengers.” The revelation was in response to a reader who asked, “Tell us, please, what really happens in that private room an... more »

People In Northland ‘Panic-Buying’ Military-Style Rifles

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 8 hours ago
Northland gun dealers are reporting a spike in military-style gun sales. Pat Kukull, owner of Superior Shooters Supply, says they are out of semi-automatic rifles due to people “panic buying.” Some buyers are afraid of possible changes the federal government could make to gun laws. She says other guns are selling fast as well and she’s never seen anything like it in her 35 years in business. Glen’s Army Navy Store in Grand Rapids ran out of the semi-automatic rifles by Thursday morning and operators aren’t sure when more will arrive. Scott Van Valkenburg is owner of Fisherman’s Corn... more »

Happy Holidays and Peace For All

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 8 hours ago

Investigative Reporter Gary Webb Who Linked CIA to Crack Sales Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 8 hours ago
Democracy Now Gary Webb, Investigative Reporter Gary Webb, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who wrote a series of stories linking the CIA to crack cocaine trafficking in Los Angeles, is dead at age 49. We hear an 1998 interview with Gary Webb on Democracy Now! and we speak with his colleague, veteran investigative journalist Robert Parry. [includes rush transcript] Gary Webb, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who wrote a series of stories linking the CIA to crack cocaine trafficking in Los Angeles, is dead at age 49. Webb was found Friday morning at... more »

Merry Christmas

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 8 hours ago
*Carm forwarded this. Towards the end is a very funny commentary on the American political process. -AK*

Global Political Awakening: the Threat to the Global Elite and our Hope for the Future

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 8 hours ago
Sabine Kurjo McNeill *Victims Unite* English: Network diagram showing interlocks between various U.S. corporations and institutions and the Council on Foreign Relations, in 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) *It’s been a while* since global strategist Zbigniew Brzesinski expressed his fear of ‘global political awakening‘ at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Relations: - CFR Meeting- Zbigniew Brzezinski Fears Global Political Awakening - No matter where you go, politics is a matter of social engagement. Mankind is now politically awake. - Zbigniew Brzezinski Still Admit... more »

Andrew Evans: Man found dead standing up in his kitchen in bizarre case of death

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 8 hours ago
A coroner has described a man's death as 'bizarre' after he was found dead standing up in his kitchen. Andrew Evans was discovered by a friend, who visited him at his home in East Grinstead, West Sussex, on May 10 this year. Horsham Coroner's Court heard how the 35-year-old had injured his head earlier in the day, but is not believed to have realised how serious the injury was. The court heard how Mr Evans had consumed a lot of alcohol on the day and was four times over the drink drive limit. It is believed he died after blacking out as he reached into a cupboard in his kitchen, ... more »

Snow for Boxing Day

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 8 hours ago
Dress warmly!

Queen to Disappear From English £10 Banknote?

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 9 hours ago
Reader Matthew caught this on a guitar blog: * * http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/wtf/the_beatles_mick_jagger_robbie_williams_considered_for_new_16310_banknote.html *The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Robbie Williams Considered For New £10 Banknote* 12/24/2012 The Beatles, Mick Jagger and Robbie Williams are among the names being considered to appear on the new £10 banknote, NME reveals. According to The Mirror, the Bank Of England has released a list of 150 great Britons who have been suggested by members of the public to be the face on one side of the new notes when they are printe... more »

Cantore Warns This Could Be ‘Worst Tornado Outbreak On Christmas Day In History’

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
A strong storm system that moved across Texas on Christmas Day spawned at least three tornados, severe thunderstorms and brisk winds that knocked down trees, killing one person near Houston. More than 60,000 customers in the Houston area were without power — down from a previous estimate of more than 70,000 — as the National Weather Service’s tornado and thunderstorm warnings continued through Tuesday the storms moved west to east, gaining strength as they approached Louisiana. Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Gilliland said a 25-year-old man died after winds knocked a tree ont... more »

Christmas 2012

Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar - 9 hours ago
Mr. Bean's Nativity Scene. (Hat tip to Blue Gal for the reminder. If British comedy is your thing, you can also check out Terry Gilliam's Christmas Carol.)

Mohawk Nation News 'Idle No More Mapquest'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 9 hours ago
MNN. IDLE NO MORE MAPQUEST Posted on December 24, 2012 IDLE NO MORE MAPQUEST  By Mohawk Nation News http://www.mohawknationnews.com   MNN,  Dec. 24, 2012.  We call for the reinstatement of the only legal contract allowing the settlers to live here, the Guswentha [Two Row Wampum].   It is the basis of the Great Peace of Montreal 1701.   According to

"We've super-sized our weather"

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
Paul Douglas is running against the mainstream grain in two significant ways. One, he is Republican and acknowledges the reality of human-caused climate change. Republicans tend not to agree with the science, despite the overwhelming - 97 percent - consensus among climatologists that human-created emissions are warming the planet, causing climate change - and triggering extreme weather. For example, a Bloomberg national poll, released in early October, said that while "78 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of independents believe humans are warming the earth ... almost two out of ... more »

US Birth Rate Hits New Low

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
The rate of babies born in the United States hit a record low in 2011, a new analysis shows. Researchers say the drastic drop in the birth rate among immigrants has greatly contributed to the overall decrease. Based on preliminary data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Pew Research Center calculated that the overall birth rate — the annual number of births per 1,000 women between 15 to 44 — was 63.2 last year. That's the lowest since such reliable record collection began in 1920 and close to half the birth rate in 1957, amid the Baby Boom years. http://news.yahoo.c... more »

Cornstalks Everywhere But Nothing Else, Not Even A Bee

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
We'll start in a cornfield — we'll call it an Iowa cornfield in late summer — on a beautiful day. The corn is high. The air is shimmering. There's just one thing missing — and it's a big thing... ...a very big thing, but I won't tell you what, not yet. Instead, let's take a detour. We'll be back to the cornfield in a minute, but just to make things interesting, I'm going to leap halfway around the world to a public park near Cape Town, South Africa, where you will notice a cube, a metal cube, lying there in the grass. http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/11/29/166156242/cornstalks... more »

Insurance report: Extreme weather already costing us dearly

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
On the eve of the US elections, Hurricane Sandy rudely popped the bubble of global warming denial that has enveloped the US political system. But we can't say we weren't warned. Indeed, less than a week before Sandy first started forming as a tropical storm, global reinsurance giant Munich Re issued a report about the long-term trend of increasing extreme events, and the threats to life and property that they pose. Severe Weather in North America: Perils · Risks · Insurance runs 277 pages, focusing on the period 1980-2011 - during which losses totalled just over $1 trillion - and n... more »

With Carbon Dioxide Emissions at Record High, Worries on How to Slow Warming

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
Global emissions of carbon dioxide were at a record high in 2011 and are likely to take a similar jump in 2012, scientists reported Sunday — the latest indication that efforts to limit such emissions are failing. Emissions continue to grow so rapidly that an international goal of limiting the ultimate warming of the planet to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, established three years ago, is on the verge of becoming unattainable, said researchers affiliated with the Global Carbon Project. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/world/emissions-of-carbon-dioxide-hit-record-in-2011-researchers-say.html... more »

Pesticide exposure harms memory

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
A review of 14 separate studies has shown that chemicals can reduce memory and the ability to process information quickly. The findings, by researchers at University College London and the Open University, are the most comprehensive evidence yet that organophosphates can harm human health at low levels. Doctors have long recognised that in high doses the chemicals, which are used to kill or repel insects and are also ingredients in aviation fuel and in some flame retardants, can be toxic, but the effects of lower doses have remained controversial. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/... more »

Scientists link Colo., Okla. temblors to drilling activities

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 10 hours ago
Scientists are saying with increased certainty that two damaging earthquakes in 2011 -- one in Colorado, the other in Oklahoma -- were triggered by oil and gas production activities. Studies by seismologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Oklahoma and Columbia University have found the quakes were caused by the deep underground injection of drilling waste. The researchers are to present their findings this week at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco. http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2012/12/03/1

Debunking Common Core Curriculum's so-called Four C's

Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene at Schools Matter - 10 hours ago
*"When you go to doctors, they don’t take all your blood, they only take a sample." — Professor Stephen Krashen* [image: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) means profits for corporations and reduced critical thinking skills for working class people]Professor Diane Ravitch had a brief comment entitled The True Goals of Education?this morning where a reader suggested a sort of whole child approach based on virtues as opposed to tedious test preparation. That in itself wouldn't merit much attention, but oddly one of the readers posted a comment suggesting that those self-same virtues ... more »

A very nerdy Christmas

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 10 hours ago
How nerds do Christmas lights. [photo via] For the hobbit lovers a wonderful gallery of Middle Earth paintings by various famous artists. This one by John Howe was one of my favorites. And for the Trekkies, a gallery of the weirdest and sexiest costumes from Star Trek the original series. Hard to pick a favorite here, but gotta love the colors in this one. And this is more cool kidz than nerdy but one of Buzz Feeds better efforts I thought. Hot 2012 trends done in cookies. *Update*: This just in. Christmas lights for Trekkies.

Mighty Old Trees Are Perishing Fast, Study Warns

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 10 hours ago
The death rate of many of the biggest and oldest trees around the world is increasing rapidly, scientists report in a new study in Friday’s issue of the journal Science. They warned that research to understand and stem the loss of the trees is urgently needed. “It’s a worldwide problem and appears to be happening in most types of forest,” said the study’s lead author, David Lindemayer, a professor at Australian National University and an expert in landscape ecology and forest management. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/07/mighty-old-trees-are-perishing-fast-study-warns/?ref=e... more »

Idle No More Turtle Island Movement Border Blockade

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
Idle No More Ottawa, Dec 21, 2012 By Idle No More Censored News http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com We are calling for ALL border crossings to be shut down on January 5, 2013, to show the government that we are willing to escalate this to a point where we shut down the country. The reason Turtle Island Movement has called for a peaceful blockade of the borders in Canada is in solidarity of

Clif High: Chase f...ing Bank is about to explode......

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 10 hours ago
Interesting article from Clif High at halfpasthuman.com about the crappy way Chase Bank does business. My wife had a WAMU account, and several credit cards at WAMU. Once Chase took over the bank the fees were hiked, her credit lines axed. Which lowered her sterling credit record (thank you FICO algorithm!). She moved to US Bank which treats people like human beings who are actually welcomed by the bank. Since she has a great credit history it was easy for her to move her credit balances out of the hands of Chase's nasty service personnel. Its almost as if Chase purposely set o... more »

Xmas, 1914-5

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 11 hours ago
(*This was a post I'd put up on Christmas Day four years ago. Out of my thousands of posts written over the last eight years, it's one of my personal favorites and I just thought it was worth reposting. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all and may today, and every day thereafter, be marked with joy, love for your fellow man, safety and hope. While you're at it, please give a thought or two for our troops who still, amazingly, have to spend a 12th consecutive Xmas in Afghanistan instead of with their families, with at least one more to go.*) Every Christmas, ever since... more »

Way to go, Clarence.

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 11 hours ago
Sometimes there is nothing to be said. Words do not improve art, once viewed the message is complete. As many times as I’ve watched George Bailey’s transformation in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, it’s held a different sort of inspiration. Today I see George’s life and transformation as a mirror to ours this 2012 year. Despite everything, the treasure he was searching for was in the eyes of the people he was surrounded by. The answers came from there. The solution was love. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Happiest of holidays. ~Sophia

Christmas is All About Ungrateful, Psycho Cats

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 11 hours ago
Since I didn't have anyone else to see after I dropped my kids off, the only thing left to do was give Popeye his stocking full o' cat toys. As with every year, he was practically tearing the house apart when he heard the bells. I took one of the cloth toys and impregnated it with catnip and, as usual, it put him in a quasi-murderous frenzy. Catnip's supposed to have a soothing effect on cats and enervate them but for some reason, it brings out my cat's aggressive side. This is why all the pictures I'd just taken of him are blurred, because he was in a homicidal frenzy. I think ... more »

GAIA PORTAL: Subtleties in Tone are Enhanced

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 11 hours ago
*Subtleties in Tone are Enhanced* by ÉirePort Subtleties in tone in all senses are enhanced as "experiences" become increasingly in the 5D realm. Separation from all formerly embraced 3D aspects will be the normal state for Hue-manity, and for humanity general. The illusion can no longer be embraced. Attunement with Higher D Gaia is most helpful to Hue-manity development, as all individual Ascension processes are intended for Gaia Ascension. Flowering of seeming lower entities occurs as this collective "Attunement with Higher D Gaia" intensity rises. Fantasies are droppe... more »

"Idiocracy" Moments for 2012, Part 2

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 11 hours ago
*FOX "News" in the age of Idiocracy* * * *"As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent, but as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down. How did this happen? Evolution doesn't necessarily reward intelligence. With no natura... more »

Happy Christmas from The Big Bang Theory - NSFW

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 11 hours ago
OK that's not actually a Big Bang Theory still but one of the spoof photos from Planet Suzy - Warning - Some are very NSFW

give a damn

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 12 hours ago

Merry Christmas baby

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 12 hours ago
Not so big on celebrating the holidays as I once was but going to try to avoid politics today out of respect for the tradition. So here's Otis. Hope he's singing this to Jack Klugman and Charles Durning up in heaven right now... Okay, maybe just a little bit of vague politics from 1969. John and Yoko wish NYC a Happy Christmas. [photo via NYTJim] Photo came from this gallery of vintage Christmas photos of Hollywood stars. And I've been trying to decide whether to post this one, but it did make me laugh if you take it in the kindest way possible. Everyone's favorite doorstop:

Merry Christmas

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 12 hours ago
"Bu-u-u-ullets in... the a-a-a-i-i-ir-r-r..." I'll be heading out soon to spend a little Christmas time with my sons, after which the highlight of my day will be watching Popeye tear open his Xmas stocking. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get a brief call from Mrs. JP. In the meantime, I'll try to think of something to write after I get back on the offchance you have a spare minute to drop by and wish ole JP and kitty a Merry Christmas. And, in case you're bereft of any last minute gift ideas, please remember the Paypal button on the top right corner.

Hamas leader calls for 3rd intifada, suici... JPost - Middle East

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 12 hours ago
Something you won't find reported on the institutionally anti Israel BBC. ' A senior Hamas leader Tuesday called for a third intifada and the resumption of suicide bombings against Israel. Ahmed Halabiyeh, director of the Jerusalem Department in Hamas, said that armed Palestinian groups, including Hamas, should initiate a confrontation with Israel over its plans to build new houses in Jerusalem and its suburbs.' More here... http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?

Christmas Day...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
*in North Idaho.* Cold and crisp. *Early morning* *Now*

Merry Christmas to All

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 13 hours ago
The turkey is brining, preparing for the pan. The pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce are next. (Hint - if you want to tweak your cranberry sauce try substituting orange juice for the water and, as it cools, adding the zest of one navel orange.) Christmas will be much different this year. Just one gift each. And, no, that doesn't mean a Porsche 911. Under a hundred bucks. I told my kids no presents for me this year. It's too much of a nuisance to conjure up something I really need much less want for - oh, other than that Porsche 911. And the tree is different this year. ... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 13 hours ago
*Roger “Ratchet Mouth” Goodell Spouts Off Against Saints Again ~Saints Tailgate* *Chris Rose: Peace on earth?*

A 'dad' is tenth most popular Christmas list request for children

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 14 hours ago
A 'dad' is tenth most popular Christmas list request for children with youngsters happy to forgo the latest iPad, toy or new pet, a survey has found. When it comes to Christmas, it might be safe to assume children will ask Santa for an extensive list of toys, games and treats. But a survey of their typical lists for Father Christmas has shown many have more serious concerns, requesting "a dad" instead. A study of 2,000 British parents found most children will put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, closely followed by a request for a real-life reindeer... more »

Happy Merry from the Duck of Minerva

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 14 hours ago
Thanks so very much for your continued support, interest, and engagement with the Duck of Minerva. This has been an exciting year for the blog thanks to all of you. At the same time, 2012 has, like every other year, been a difficult 12 months for many. Our hearts go out to all those who Continue reading

A present . . .

Edstock at The Galloping Beaver - 14 hours ago
MACROPHAGES AND VIRUSES can kill cancer: According to George Dvorsky's article in io9, "Researchers create a ‘trojan-horse’ virus to eliminate cancer in mice". clinical trials on humans could start as early as next year

The Night Before

Judy Rabin at Schools Matter - 15 hours ago
*Thank you Rosalie Friend for sending this from Fred Smith at Change the Stakes in New York* * * * * *The Night Before…* * * *‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the state* *Tisch was telling the Regents that she couldn’t wait.* *The new year was coming, surely bringing the best;* *Every school overflowing with test after test.* *The Common Core Standards would arrive any day,* *Educational nirvana was well on its way.* *And in the Tweed Courthouse joy was also in season.* *Tests, yet more tests on top of tests were the reason.* *Dasher Klein passed the torch to Walcott, the ... more »

Mark Steel shows why he's one of the BBC's favourite comedians

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 15 hours ago
What a lovely chap.

Does The GOP Have A Future? Not All Republicans Who Go Cruising Are Lindsey Graham, David Dreier And Aaron Schock

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
Reagan would definitely rejoin the Democratic Party today Joe Hagan's *New York* article, Blues Cruise has nothing whatsoever to do with Muddy Waters, Sonny Joe Williamson, Bessie Smith, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush or even Duane Allman or Derek Trucks. Nope, this cruise was a *National Review* scheme to make some money from a bunch of white reactionaries seeking solace after the GOP debacle in November. The cruise to the Cayman Islands-- "a kind of ark of American alienation," albeit a comfortable one-- featured right-wing operatives like Ralph Reed, John Yoo, Cal Thomas, Scott Rasmussen, J... more »

Is it time to stuff the bird yet?

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 15 hours ago

Christmas rumor: \(105\GeV\) dimuon excess at 5 sigma

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 15 hours ago
I hope that the TRF readers are enjoying their Christmas, their Saturnalia, their Hanukkah, or at least their first days after the winter solstice (except for TRF readers in Islamic countries where all such pagan holidays are banned: those readers are wished to survive instead). We have gotten used to the news from the LHC that meticulously and precisely confirms every small feature of every graph of every final state that may possibly occur when a proton pair collides. Because of this "habit" of ours, the following rumor may sound shocking, stunning, unbelievable. Well, it's a r... more »

Merry Christmas...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 15 hours ago
*to all my friends in the blogosphere.* Please say some extra prayers for *our precious Bunni. *

follow-up memo to children's aid: we told you so. happy christmas.

laura k at wmtc - 16 hours ago
Back in May, I blogged about a family in my area who faced a nightmare: social services had threated to remove their child from their home. Both parents have disabilities, and although they had proved themselves completely capable of taking care of a baby, Children's Aid said they must hire round-the-clock assistance, or the family could not stay together. When the story came to light, there was a huge outcry, not only from the disability community but from the general public, too. Children's Aid backed down, and, according to this follow-up story, has become their support and thei... more »

In other words... Merry Christmas

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 16 hours ago
"I wonder if I might crave your momentary indulgence in order to discharge a by no means disagreeable obligation which has, over the years, become more or less established practice... as we approach the terminal period of the year — calendar, of course, not financial — in fact, not to put too fine a point on it, Week Fifty-One — and submit to you, with all appropriate deference, for your consideration at a convenient juncture, a sincere and sanguine expectation — indeed confidence — indeed one might go so far as to say hope — that the aforementioned period may be, at the end of th... more »

Some Christmas Music

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 16 hours ago
Yellowman - 'We wish you a Reggae Christmas' And also... Mariah Carey(?) - 'All I Want for Christmas is Jews' The GoGo's - "I'm going to spend my Christmas with a Dalek" Save Ferris's "Christmas Wrap" and the song that that is based on The Waitresses - "Christmas Wrapping"

What Does $8 Billion in Oil Subsidies Buy? | Franz Matzner's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

What Does $8 Billion in Oil Subsidies Buy? | Franz Matzner's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

Breaking: We’re reliably told that it’s Christmas today!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 20 hours ago
*TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2012* *With all the season entails:* We’re reliably informed by the analysts that it’s Christmas morning. For that reason, we’re off to clean the pasture spring! We don’t expect to post until the weekend. Did you happen to watch It’s A Wonderful Life last night? We’ll guess that Zuzu broke a few extra hearts at the end of the movie this year, what with the problems folk have had with J. Crew’s gift-wrap policies. We had forgotten: It’s “teacher” who told this adorable child that, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings. To check Zuzu’s sourcing, go ... more »

Putting Christ back in Christmas: maybe Christians themselves need to ‘press reset’

david at Alberta Diary - 20 hours ago
Jesus, centre, separates the sheep from the goats. Don’t ask what happens to the goats. Below: St. Paul and modern Evangelical favourite Ayn Rand. Today is Christmas, and thus an opportunity for many who think of themselves as adherents of the Christian faith to lecture everyone else sternly about the need to “put Christ back ... more »

Will Ohio legislation reveal secret fracking chemicals?

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 20 hours ago
Each year, tanker trucks carrying fracking fluid or fracking wastewater log hundreds of miles on Ohio’s rural roads. What if one crashes into a car and tips, injuring and spilling fracking fluid on the car’s passenger? Or what if gas-laden wastewater explodes, destroying an on-site impoundment and drenching onlookers with the chemical-laden water? Accidents like these have happened before, and they can expose people to fracking fluid or wastewater, which holds a cocktail of potentially hazardous chemicals. http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/12/10/will-ohio-legislation-reveal-secr... more »

Rise in renewable energy will require more use of fossil fuels

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 20 hours ago
The Delta Energy Center, a power plant about an hour outside San Francisco, was roaring at nearly full bore one day last month, its four gas and steam turbines churning out 880 megawatts of electricity to the California grid. On the horizon, across an industrial shipping channel on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, scores of wind turbines stood dead still. The air was too calm to turn their blades — or many others across the state that day. Wind provided just 33 megawatts of power statewide in the midafternoon, less than 1% of the potential from wind farms capable of producing ... more »
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