10:10 pm MST
Facebook, Twitter, And Other Social Media Sites Are An Elaborate CIA (And Mossad) Spying Scheme!
Ever since I started doing this blog on Blogger, I have had many people come forward and claim that I would reach a larger audience by using so called Social Media sites such as "Facebook" and "Twitter". I have absolutely refused to have anything to do with these so called Social Media sites what so ever, because my research over the last few years has shown them to be nothing more than Data Mining operations used to gather information on their users. There has been a wealth of recent information coming forward that shows clearly the criminal intent of these so called "Social Media... more »
"Melting..."
"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand- and melting like a snowflake." - Francis Bacon Sr.
Weekend
So, vacation created a slight problem with the scale, so I have been back to strictly counting calories since our return. and let me tell you, it sucks. it's so hard getting back into it again, and I have not actually counted calories in a long time, as I have just been trying to eat healthy. I *thought* we did well on vacay, but I think I just eat a lot *more* calories on vacay, and it's a problem. So, from Wed until today, I have been perfect with recording everything and staying under 1200 calories a day. Ugh. After about a week of this though, I get used to it and it will... more »
Lincoln and Slavery
But the president resisted. In Lincoln’s view, the end of slavery was not a matter of if; it was a question of when, and how. Long before he became a national figure, he had predicted that the time would come when all Americans would be forced to choose sides over slavery, and he knew which side he would be on. Slavery was “a great and crying injustice,” he said, “an enormous national crime.” To one friend he said simply: “Slavery is doomed.” On another occasion he said: “I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so th... more »
Wild Dolphins Give "Gifts" to Humans
Wild dolphins have been observed sharing with humans. Photo courtesy: DocklandsTony/CC BY-SA 2.0 While it's already well-known that dolphins rank among the most intelligent creatures on the planet, new research is suggesting that they just might be one of the most magnanimous too. A team of biologists recently published a study examining dozens of fascinating cases of inter-species generosity between dolphin and human, all taking place along the shore of Australia's Tangalooma Island Resort. According to their findings, wild dolphins have been observed bearing gifts, such as dead ... more »
Musical Interlude: Loreena McKennitt, “Dante's Prayer”
Loreena McKennitt, “Dante's Prayer” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eKUdsUH3Gc
Uh-oh! Republicans, says Bob Reich, "may not care a hoot about the opinions of most Americans"
* **by Ken* So White House strategists have probably been crowing that for once they've won the PR battle, or at least gotten the upper hand. That's what the poll numbers show, isn't it? As Robert Reich points out in the blogpost we're about to look at (which you can read on his blog [link below] or via Nation of Change, where I first saw it, the House Republicans are still takin' a whuppin' in the polling on the "fiscal cliff" cliffhanger. Dems are so used to being outmessaged in these battles that the president's people must really think they're in the catbird seat on this one. S... more »
Remains of Ancient Temple Found in Israel
An overhead view of the excavation site. Photo courtesy: Skyview/Israeli Antiquities Authority Israeli archeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient temple that is nearly 3,000 years old and was once home to a ritual cult. "The ritual building at Tel Motza is an unusual and striking find, in light of the fact that there are hardly any remains of ritual buildings of the period in Judaea at the time of the First Temple," excavation directors Anna Eirikh, Hamoudi Khalaily and Shua Kisilevitz said in a statement released by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The temple... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Recognized since antiquity and depicted on the shield of Achilles according to Homer, stars of the Hyades cluster form the head of the constellation Taurus the Bull. Their general V-shape is anchored by Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull and by far the constellation's brightest star. *Click image for larger size. * Yellowish in appearance, red giant Aldebaran is not a Hyades cluster member, though. Modern astronomy puts the Hyades cluster 151 light-years away making it the nearest established open star cluster, while Aldebaran lies at less than half that distance, along the same li... more »
The Poet: John O’Donohue, "For The Time Of Necessary Decision"
*"For The Time Of Necessary Decision"* "The mind of time is hard to read. We can never predict what it will bring, Nor even from all that is already gone Can we say what form it finally takes; For time gathers its moments secretly. Often we only know it’s time to change When a force has built inside the heart That leaves us uneasy as we are. Perhaps the work we do has lost its soul, Or the love where we once belonged Calls nothing alive in us anymore. We drift through this gray, increasing nowhere Until we stand before a threshold we know We have to cross to come alive once more. May... more »
Chet Raymo, "Humility In The Face of Complexity"
*"Humility In The Face of Complexity"* by Chet Raymo "In the September, 2009 issue of "Harper's Magazine," contributing editor Mark Slouka has an essay titled "Dehumanized: When Math and Science Rule the School." The title and subtitle say it all. Education in America today is all about preparing Americans to compete in the global marketplace, says Slouka, all about inflating the nation's GNP. Math and science are key to making our kids competitive. He quotes everyone from Bill Gates to Thomas Friedman on the need for job related skills. What is taught in the schools at any giv... more »
Plane Crashes into Russian Highway, Four Dead
A passenger airliner has careered off a runway at Russia's third-busiest airport, killing four people. There were eight to twelve people aboard the Tu-204 belonging to Russian airline Red Wings. The aircraft broke up and burst into flames in the crash on Saturday. Emergency officials said several people were in critical or serious condition. Interior Ministry spokesman Gennady Bogachev told the state TV news channel Vesti that two people were killed. http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/15735619/four-people-die-in-russian-plane-crash/
The final solution . . .
GENOCIDE CAN BE CULTURAL, and NativeWritesNow is grateful to Christie Blatchford for the explanation, with a post, "Christie Blatchford is telling the truth". Take a minute and check out how this is so.
there is no justice in murder
First we read about the horrific gang rape, with spectators. Then we learn that the victim has died. Then, on top of all that, we hear authorities may seek the death penalty for the perpetrators. I was heartened by the demonstrations and the vigils. Until I read that people are clamouring for murder. Murder is not justice. It is vengeance. It won't make women any safer.
ALEC - Pushing Nuclear/Uranium Mining
A couple of things came together the past two weeks – a press release about a new report that ALEC sent your ALEC legislator – to get them to deregulate mining – and a story about the disaster that was caused by uranium mining that was documented on Common Dreams. Always look at coincidences like that as the universes way of telling me I need to put something up on the blog. *First the right-wing nasty side of the story:* ALECReleases "Dig It! Rare Earth and Uranium Mining Potential in the States" In-depth report details the economic impact of mineral resource development... more »
chief theresa spence calling for solidarity actions on sunday, december 30
Media Release For Immediate Release December 28, 2012 Attawapiskat Chief Spence heading into day 19 of hunger strike and seeking Canadians, Members of Parliament and politicians to urge Prime Minister Harper to meet and commit to Nation to Nation relations with Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, Ontario Chief Theresa Spence is heading into day nineteen of a hunger strike and concern for her health has been expressed by community members worldwide. Her resolve is unwavering to continue her hunger strike until the Prime Minister and his government agree to a me... more »
Media Quiet About San Antonio Theater Shooting
A recent breakup set off a shooting spree that ended with the suspect wounding a man at the Santikos Mayan Palace 14 movie theater Sunday night before being shot by an off-duty deputy, authorities said. Police are shown questioning men outside the theater Sunday night.. Jesus Manuel Garcia, 19, an employee at a nearby China Garden restaurant, apparently became upset Sunday night after his girlfriend broke up with him. Photo: JOHN DAVENPORT, San Antonio Express-News / San Antonio Express-News Before It's News On Sunday December 17, 2012, 2 days after the CT shooting, a man wen... more »
Continuing skirmishes with CCSS cheerleaders on Diane Ravitch's blog
*"There is no evidence that standards and tests improve school achievement. The money budgeted for standards and tests to enforce the standards should be used to protect children from the effects of poverty." — Professor Stephen Krashen* [image: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) means profits for corporations and reduced critical thinking skills for working class people]The following is my edited commentary in response to comments by a CCSS supporter on the Professor Ravitch post: A Teacher of Latin Writes In Defense of Fiction. Kaye Thompson Peters, I've grown weary of the trite...more »
Romney Plays Pocket Pool, Pumps Gas -- Parting Shots at Willard!
*by Noah* Perhaps God intended something else for Mittens Romney. You don't always get the job you want. Post-election reports of Romney pumping gas -- the camera doesn't lie, even if the subject does. Was this disheveled turn at the pump the logical ending for Big Oil's favorite bitch? Does he really enjoy the smell of gasoline in the night? I coulda been the president, instead of a bum, which is what I am. Well, you won't have Mittens Romney to kick around anymore. I am not a crook. My wife wears a good Republican mink coat with a white ermine collar and the kids' dog was a gif... more »
Saudis Sweat Bullets As Energy Revolution Changes the Rules | Via Meadia
' As the energy revolution unfolds, the Saudis are likely to have less discretionary money for missionary projects and the United States will be in a stronger position to press its longtime partner on a variety of issues. Interesting times.' More here - http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/12/29/saudis-sweating-bullets-over-energy-revolution/ Will this reduce or increase Saudi funding for Islamism around the world.
British man reportedly stopped in Africa while attempting to join terrorist group - Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mauritania/9770742/British-man-reportedly-stopped-in-Africa-while-attempting-to-join-terrorist-group.html Now what about this 'British man' are we not told, but can surmise?
Muslim Member of British Parliament Supports Israel! | United with Israel
http://unitedwithisrael.org/muslim-member-of-british-parliament-supports-israel/ A secular Muslim speaks, ONE Muslim MP who the BBC won't be praising.
Fiscal cliff...
http://twitter.com/GABaines/status/285104585553633280/photo/1
Gang Rape and “Peaceful Death”
The world has payed attention to the gang-rape of a young woman (her name has not been made widely public) in Delhi and her struggle to survive over the last few weeks. The reports of the brutal incident on December 16th broke through the national news of India and set waves of reports through the Continue reading
Christy Clark`s Freudian Slip?
Funny stuff politics is.....Funny enough to make one cry.. These corrupt BC Liberals, this corrupt BC Liberal Government, let`s be absolutely clear on this, we know, the Liberals know from both public polls and their own internal polling that if an election was called today they`re gone, out the door, BC`s combination to the vault and access to our purse strings taken away from this Liberal Government....That is a fact.. And if the polls are in the same range by early April/2013 the same scenario exists, these corrupt BC Liberals know they are gone, no longer Government, and most d...more »
"The Object Of Life..."
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." - Marcus Aurelius
"16 Things About 2013 That Are Really Going To Stink"
*"16 Things About 2013 That Are Really Going To Stink"* By Michael Snyder "The beginning of the year has traditionally been a time of optimism when we all look forward to the exciting things that are going to happen over the next 12 months. Unfortunately, there are a whole bunch of things about 2013 that we already know are going to stink. Taxes are going to go up, good paying jobs will continue to leave the country, small businesses will continue to be destroyed, the number of Americans living in poverty will continue to soar, our infrastructure will continue to decay, global ... more »
BBC News - Drought may last until Christmas: Environment Agency
Hmmm got that right didn't they... http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17690389
Asahi Shimbun Summarizes How LDP Can Push its Pro-Nuclear Stance in Face of Public Resistance
Pro-nuclear bureaucrats back in the picture under Abe December 29, 2012 The Asahi Shimbun http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201212290056 [Excerpted] One reason the LDP is easily overturning the DPJ’s nuclear policy is because the DPJ administration did not put much muscle behind its pronouncements. No Cabinet approval was given for seeking a nuclear-free society--and that objective was not clearly included in the new energy basic plan or any laws passed by DPJ administrations. The LDP’s coalition agreement with New Komeito includes a reduced dependence on nuclear ... more »
Make Your Mark - Just Put an "X"
Today I received a holiday card from a family with two teen-agers in it and the card brought me back to a conversation I had with two colleagues at a recent conference Both colleagues had noted that their teenage children could not write their names. On the card I received today – the signature of one of the children was printed and barely legible – so I thought I’d look around - something to think about. Cursive Writing May Become Obsolete for the Tech Generation Angela Skinner Mullen This fall, the state of Indiana will no longer require their public schools to teach cursive w... more »
"A Longer Shelf Life..."
"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." - Frank Zappa
"75 Economic Numbers From 2012 That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe"
*"75 Economic Numbers From 2012 That * *Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe"* By Michael Snyder "Despite the goings-on in Congress, I don't think the U.S. is bordering on madness. I think Canada and Mexico are." - Robert Brault "What a year 2012 has been! The mainstream media continues to tell us what a "great job" the Obama administration and the Federal Reserve are doing of managing the economy, but meanwhile things just continue to get even worse for the poor and the middle class. It is imperative that we educate the American people about the true condition of our economy ... more »
"It'll Do..."
*Deputy Wendell:* “It's a mess, ain't it, Sheriff?” *Sherrif Bell:* “If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here.” -* *“No Country For Old Men”
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake BANDA SEA - 29th December 2012
Magnitude 4.6 Date-Time Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 20:29:52 UTC Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 05:29:52 AM at epicenter Location 6.610°S, 129.865°E Depth 162.5 km (101.0 miles) Region BANDA SEA Distances 225 km (140 miles) NW (313°) from Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 29th December 2012
Magnitude 4.4 Date-Time Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 20:13:05 UTC Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 12:43:05 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 36.683°N, 71.116°E Depth 239.5 km (148.8 miles) Region HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN Distances 32 km (19 miles) SE of Jarm, Afghanistan
Obama calls the GOP's fiscal bluff
Admit I was getting a little worried last week when the White House was floating so many concessions to get to grand bargain on the fiscal tragicomedy. So feeling relived to see it was apparently a negotiation ploy to set up the GOP for a big fall over the semi-fictional cliff. At a meeting convened at the White House yesterday, Obama laid down his final offer and nobody looked happy on the way out. [Evan Vucci AP photo] It seems President Obama told them in no uncertain terms that he wasn't playing anymore. So they should stop dicking around, get to work and do their damn jobs. ... more »
Women with Guns
http://www.suzannemacnevin.com There's guns and then there's - guns.
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 29th December 2012
Magnitude 4.2 Date-Time Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 18:42:03 UTC Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 09:42:03 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 52.541°N, 169.470°W Depth 6.5 km (4.0 miles) (poorly constrained) Region FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA Distances 60 km (37 miles) SW of Nikolski, Alaska
SANDY HOOK - SIMULATION EXERCISE; KEVIN ANZELLOTTI; SCHOOL RECORDS
"By grim coincidence, even as the terrible events were unfolding in Newtown on Friday morning, the Putnam County Emergency Response Team (“ERT”) happened to be assembled for regular training in Carmel, and *team members were at that very moment engaged in a mock scenario of an active-shooter in a school."* *southeast.patch.com/articles/afternoon / *The Information Underground "The ERT is comprised of specially trained and heavily armed officers from the Sheriff’s Office and the Carmel and Kent Police Departments. When news broke of the Newtown shooting, the Putnam County ERT comm... more »
ALEC Right to Work - Why Now???
I found an article last weekend and started working on it and lost it in the holiday mess of things to do – so I had to start over today and it brought me to places I had not gone last weekend – probably meant to be First of all, (off onto an ADD tangent - that happened while I was researching - but still applicable to the post) I found the divisive language perpetuated by ALEC over the decades to their members in newsletters and magazines that they distribute to ALEC legislators: Members of labor unions are forced by union leaders into paying tribute to the union bosses, with much... more »
New government top secret project?
Ascension an isolated little Island of the coast of Africa. Here is what is known so far...A lot of curious people are thinking what is going on in that Island why so many different types of Antennae... so What did some government entity do...they ORDERED GOOGLE to the reduce the resolution to that island's views...We can get a better resolution of Guantanamo Bay than we can get out of this Island...So something really interesting must be going on in there. Go to the island here... If they already have this Antennae array, Why all the others and their strange bases? http://www.pa... more »
Maybe the Rs and Ds are both wrong
Click here to read my column in Sunday's *NY Times*.
Kings dodge big collapse to beat Knicks on buzzer-beater
I don't watch every Sacramento Kings game. And when I do tune in, I will often surf other channels and miss good portions of their games. The problem for me--a bandwagon fan, if you will--is that the Kings lose most of the time. It's just not that much fun to see my local outfit stink. But last night, aided by the New York Knicks not having their best player, Carmelo Anthony, available, and not having their starting point guard, Felton Spencer, healthy enough to play, the Kings held on for a 1 point victory at home on a last-second shot. Earlier in the game Sacramento was up by ... more »
What Mattered This Week?
Senate reform matters, so I'll say that the bipartisan group put out a proposal that wasn't a complete joke probably counts. If you don't like that: Hawaii's new Senator may well be there for 25 years or more, so that matters, too. Can I use that it doesn't matter whether a fiscal cliff deal is reached this week or next? Because I don't think that it does. Matter, that is. Starts mattered after that, though... Well, that's what I have. What do you think mattered this week?
Pakistan authorities investigate cough syrup believed to have killed 33 people
Pakistani authorities are investigating allegations that cough syrup has killed 33 people over the past three days, a government official said Saturday, the second time in recent months medicine is suspected of causing multiple deaths. Also Saturday, an explosion ripped through a passenger bus while it was at a terminal in the southern city of Karachi, killing six people and wounding 52 others, police and hospital officials said. It's unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb or a gas canister exploding. The deaths from the cough syrup occurred in the eastern city of Gujranwala and... more »
“6 Steps to Release Your Fear and Feel Peaceful”
*“6 Steps to Release Your Fear and Feel Peaceful”* by Nicolas Perrin “We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn.” ~ Mary Catherine Bateson “It was a balmy spring morning and I started my day as per usual, but I soon realized that my mind was entertaining fearful thoughts about my financial insecurity. With many new ventures within the seedling stage, my income flow was erratic and unpredictable, while my financial responsibilities were consistent and guaranteed. At the time I ignored these thoughts as “petty,” like a parent dismissing a crying child after a mil... more »
200 passengers on Queen Mary 2 fall sick on exclusive Christmas Cruise - as those on SECOND liner become ill with 'norovirus'
Hundreds of passengers hoping to enjoy a pampered Christmas cruise on the imposing Queen Mary 2 are instead below deck with an unknown illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Earlier this week, 189 passengers and 31 crew members had come down with symptoms, which are consistent with the norovirus, a highly-contagious virus that is easily passed from person to person through contaminated food or water. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254566/Queen-Mary-2-Passengers-sick-norovirus-Caribbean-cruise.html
US Senate leaders work to avoid New Year's 'fiscal cliff'
Congressional negotiators burrowed into their Capitol offices on Saturday to see if they can stop the U.S. economy from falling off of a "fiscal cliff" in just three days when the biggest tax increases ever to hit Americans in one shot are scheduled to begin. Aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell were expected to work through the day on a possible compromise that would set aside $600 billion in tax increases and across-the-board government spending cuts that are set to kick in next week. http://www.reuters.com/article/2... more »
Here's a Helpful Nudge, Mayans
Well, since the December 21st apocalypse turned out to be another Harold Camping-class clusterfuck and all-around disappointment, what better way to help move things along than to settle for second-best and embrace, if not the physical destruction of earth, the intellectual flatlining of western civilization? Hell, even if I can't facilitate evangelical Bible-bangers' rise to heaven like Spider Man on Broadway, the least I can do is to shoo along our inevitable transition to the stunningly prescient documentary, *Idiocracy*. One foot was put squarely in the primordial ooze... more »
"If"
"If it isn’t good, let it die. If it doesn’t die, make it good." - Ajahn Chah • *“If”* by Rudyard Kipling, read by Michael Caine "If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim... more »
When I was young this programme was one of the highlights of the week
No, not Doctor Who but Superstars. I can still remember Brian Jacks' dips. Jodie Scheckter's questionable sliding squat trusts and yes, Kevin Keegan's wobbly bike crash. I know it won't be as good now but somehow I'm sitting here ready for it to start. Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah and some others... Put your money on Anthony Joshua (the boxer) or one of the Brownlees and in the women Christine Ohuorogu, Nicola Adams or Jade Jones.
"US Budget For Dummies"
*"US Budget For Dummies"* by War News Updates ․ "From my inbox, submitted without comment: ● U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 ● Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 ● New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 ● National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 ● Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000 Let’s now remove 8 zeros and pretend it’s a household budget: ● Annual family income: $21,700 ● Money the family spent: $38,200 ● New debt on the credit card: $16,500 ● Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710 ● Total budget cuts so far: $38.50" *"Any questions?"* - http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/
Egypt lets building material cross its border into Gaza
Islamist-led Egypt allowed building materials into Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Saturday for the first time since Hamas seized control of the Palestinian enclave in 2007, an Egyptian border official said. It was part of a shipment of building materials donated by the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, which has pledged $400 million to finance reconstruction in Gaza. The Islamist group Hamas has run Gaza since driving out its rivals in the Palestinian Authority. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-israel-palestinians-egypt-rafah-idUSBRE8BS08V20121229
Alan Greaves Murder: Two People Arrested
Police have arrested two men over the murder of pensioner Alan Greaves, who was attacked as he walked to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The 68-year-old from Sheffield was found with head injuries on the pavement close to his home on Greengate Lane at around 11.15pm on December 24. The suspects, both from Sheffield, were arrested on suspicion of murder, South Yorkshire Police said. One is in his 20s and the other in his 40s. http://news.sky.com/story/1031345/alan-greaves-murder-two-people-arrested
Survivor's Family Sue Over Sandy Hook Massacre
Lawyers for a six-year-old who survived the Sandy Hook massacre are seeking permission to sue the state of Connecticut for $100m (£62m) for failing to protect its schoolchildren. The legal notice was filed earlier this week with the claims commissioner, who will decide whether the state's usual immunity from prosecution should be waived. It is the first apparent litigation attempt following the mass shooting two weeks ago, which killed 20 children and six members of staff. http://news.sky.com/story/1031268/survivors-family-sue-over-sandy-hook-massacre
5.8 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 29th December 2012
Magnitude 5.8 Date-Time Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 17:50:53 UTC Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:20:53 PM at epicenter Location 35.697°N, 70.545°E Depth 115.9 km (72.0 miles) Region HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN Distances 41 km (25 miles) SSW of `Alaqahdari-ye Kiran wa Munjan, Afghanistan
Michael Moore tries to figure out, why are we so violent?
* **"There is a level of arrogance in the otherwise friendly American spirit, conning ourselves into believing there's something exceptional about us that separates us from all those 'other' countries (there are indeed many good things about us; the same could also be said of Belgium, New Zealand, France, Germany, etc.). We think we're #1 in everything when the truth is our students are 17th in science and 25th in math, and we're 35th in life expectancy. We believe we have the greatest democracy but we have the lowest voting turnout of any western democracy. We're biggest and the b...more »
Nobody Does It Better: Republicans Take Over for Al Qaeda
*Yertle, Boehner, and the Cancer Man -- drinks all around!* *by Noah* When Al Qaeda attacked us on 9/11/01, their main stated goal was to destroy us by pushing us into compromising our system's balance between laws and freedoms and by damaging our economy via a hit on the World Trade Center. They knew us well. In no time at all, our Congress, Repugs and Conservadems alike, bent to the will of so-called President Dubya and force-fed us the Patriot Act, perhaps the most misnamed piece of legislation to ever cross an Oval Office desk (well, except for things like Dubya's "Healthy For... more »
Avalanche deaths rise dramatically in U.S. over long term
[image: Emergency officials work near Stevens Pass ski resort in Skykomish, Washington, on 19 February 2012, after an avalanche killed three skiers. Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times] By Hector Becerra 28 December 2012 (Los Angeles Times) – A Lake Tahoe-area resort ski patrol member for nearly 30 years, Bill Foster would have understood the dangers of avalanches better than most. But even knowing the exact date and time of a planned avalanche didn't save the 53-year-old's life. Moments after another member of the ski team set off an avalanche with explosives late Monday morning a... more »
George Bush and the NRA
By Capt. Fogg * ". . . and forgetting long-passed mischiefs, we mercifully preserve their bones and piss not on their ashes."* *-Thomas Browne-* _______________ I have to admit that there was a time I considered joining the NRA -- a couple of times actually. The first was when I heard that Michael Moore belonged to it and I thought that membership would mean that my frequent maledictions might find their way to someones desk, and the second was when I found that the one local rifle range that allowed black powder muzzle-loaders like my flintlock Kentucky long rifle required NR... more »
Saturday Afternoon Linkage
James Scott Linville passes along Anuradha Roy’s comments on the protests engulfing India and the death of the 23-year old victim whose brutal rape galvanized them (via 3QD). Reactions to the Japanese election as covered by the Rising Powers Initiative blog. You know, GWU is much better at Georgetown at establishing a presence for its programs. Just Continue reading
Mohawk Nation News: C-45 UN Agenda 21
MNN: C-45 IS UN AGENDA 21 – THE CREATION OF ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT By Mohawk Nation News http://www.mohawknationnews.com MNN. 28 Dec. 2012. Prime Minister “Pudge” Harper faces the final dissolution of the corporation of Canada. He and his cabinet signed C-45 into law. It’s an unconstitutional illegal corporate by-law to enhance UN Agenda 21 to set up a one world government. To do this
New York newspaper Journal News plans to release more gun owner permit holder names...
*what a bunch of dangerous dopes.* They're making a huge miscalculation of how this is being received by the public. I wandered over to the Huff & Puff to read comments on this story. Guess what? Even the libtards over there are a bit outraged. The comments were probably 95% against what this newspaper is doing. *A few Huff & Puff comments:* What about the victims of violent crimes that have a permit for a handgun? Did the newspaper think that they might be putting them in danger by publishing their names and addresses? Did the newspaper check to see if anyone they named have... more »
stephen harper, meet with chief theresa spence before it is too late
When our ancestors made treaties with the British Crown to allow the Queen's subjects to live in our territories, it was for as long as the sun shines, the waters flow and the grass grows. The Crown's only legal access to our lands is contingent upon the fulfilment of the promises made in the negotiations of treaty. Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions. As nations, we held up our end of the treaty, yet Canada continues to only pay lip service to our relationship. — Chief Theresa Spence If the M... more »
Philip Klass and the FBI
A while back we discussed Phil Klass’ habit of writing to the employees of those who thought they had seen a UFO, or who investigated them, or just disagreed with him. He seemed outraged that there were people who didn’t accept everything he said, and took great offense at that. He would express his disappointment with those by creating a little trouble for them. A few skeptics who visit here thought I was being overly harsh and a little unfair to Klass. They thought several examples were needed. But even with some acts I thought were over the top, those skeptics thought Klass had ... more »
Privatization of Risk III: LDP Privatizes Risk in Push to Re-Start Reactors
I previously posted about the Japanese nuclear complex, drawing upon a research article written by a Japanese sociologist: The Nuclear Complex in Japan: How Public Safety is Trumped by Elite Industrial and Government Interestshttp://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-nuclear-complex-in-japan-how-public.html I also described how the nuclear complex in Japan is so very happy with the election results, which swept Japan's former ruling party, the LDP, back into power here Now we see why: Abe government questions 'no nuke' future hours after taking office. The Asahi Shimbun (2012... more »
National Security and Civil Liberties meet Securitization and State Formation
Corey Robin’s Jacobin essay is getting a lot of attention, including from Jon Western at the Duck and Scott Lemieux at Lawyers, Guns & Money. I don’t think that it detracts from Robin’s essay to note that the argument he’s making is long-standing in international-relations scholarship. It appears in David Campbell’s seminal Writing Security and, more recently, Continue reading
Income Distribution Under Conservatives and Labour
Here's a very interesting graph: This shows the distribution of income under the 1979-97 Conservative government, and the 1997-2010 Labour government. Something tells me the present bunch will be edging toward the former rather than the latter. I guess this is what the Liberal Democrats mean when they talk about 'building a fairer Britain'. Graph source is page 30 of this Joseph Rowntree/Institute for Fiscal Studies report here. (H/T @BenCooper86)
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) Delivers Weekly GOP Address ...
*“Inaction shouldn’t be an option."* “Hi, I’m Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri. As we bring 2012 to a close, leaders in Washington have an opportunity to kick off the New Year by working together to solve some of the big challenges facing our country today. “At a time when our federal debt’s topped a record $16 trillion, it’s been more than three years since the Democrat leaders in the Senate have passed a federal budget, and the Senate Majority Leader has refused to bring any appropriations bills to the floor this entire year. There’s an old saying that when you fail to plan, you... more »
What noise wakes you up at the North Pole around March 18?
* The crack of dawn! *
Feinstein's Gun Control Bill Will Trigger The Next American Revolution
Brandon Smith, *Contributor* *All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party* - Mao Tse Tung *After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military* - William Burroughs Revolution? Yes, it all sounds rather “extreme”, but the cold hard reality of our era is not going to comfort us with diplomacies and niceties, so ... more »
Abu Qatada may be re-homed AGAIN at taxpayers' expense after details of his latest address are leaked on internet
Hate preacher Abu Qatada could be rehomed at the expense of tax-payers after details of his latest address was leaked online. The 52-year-old's current £450,000 home in North London was publicised on a Facebook page and discussed on Twitter. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254515/Hate-preacher-Abu-Qatada-homed-AGAIN-taxpayers-expense-details-latest-address-leaked-internet.html
French 75% income tax struck down by constitutional council
France's constitutional council has struck down a top income tax rate of 75% introduced by Socialist President Francois Hollande. Raising taxes for those earning more than 1m euros (£817,400) has been a flagship policy for Mr Hollande. The policy angered France's business community and prompted some wealthy citizens to say they would emigrate. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20864114
Ron Paul: Republicans And Democrats Are a Bunch of Drug Addicts Looking for Their Next Fix
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Understanding Indefinite Detention in the 2013 NDAA - Part 2
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Slavery By Consent: Understanding The Human Farm
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Berlusconi accuses Monti of plot with Italy's centre left
Silvio Berlusconi on Saturday condemned outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti's plan to lead a centrist alliance in Italy's election in February, accusing him of a plot to favor the left, but centrist leaders denied any secret accord. Monti, who replaced Berlusconi as prime minister last year as Italy scrambled to avert a financial crisis, said on Friday he wanted to unite a broad coalition of factions around a reform agenda aimed at easing the country's economic woes. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-italy-vote-idUSBRE8BS09L20121229
More from economist Bill Black on the "fiscal cliff," austerity, the "Grand Bargain" (more correctly termed the "Grand Betrayal") ...and Obama's role in inventing the cliff as an excuse to inflict on the American people austerity (which would result in more and deeper recessions and give rise to higher unemployment and national debt) and the Grand Betrayal (which would cut social programs and safety nets just when Americans would need them the most).
------------------------------ * the**REALnews Permalink* December 28, 2012 *Fiscal Cliff: Going Nuclear and the Grand Betrayal* Bill Black: GOP threatens to use debt ceiling as leverage, creates conditions for more austerity measures by Obama 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 Institute for Fraud Prevention from 2005-2007. He ... more »
5.5 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 29th December 2012
Magnitude 5.5 Date-Time Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 14:59:37 UTC Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 11:59:37 PM at epicenter Location 38.762°N, 142.141°E Depth 40.4 km (25.1 miles) Region NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN Distances 123 km (77 miles) ENE (62°) from Sendai, Honshu, Japan
Council on Foreign Relations Plan for Global Governance in 2013
Council of Councils Members Nicholas West It is incredible that mention of a one-world government in many circles is still considered to be conspiracy talk. Fortunately, the global political awakening that arch-globalist, Zbigniew Brzezinski has referred to as a significant challenge to those in power is forcing ever-increasing justifications for their use of globalist language. One would hope that a relatively new Council on Foreign Relations initiative that is expanding can lay to rest any debate about the desire to form a global government in the name of supposedly solving glob... more »
Russia Plane Crash: Four People Killed
Four people have died after a passenger plane overshot an airport runway as it landed in Russia. The crash took place during high winds and a snowstorm in Moscow, but the cause of the accident was not clear. After a hard landing, the Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence onto a motorway next to the city's Vnukovo airport. http://news.sky.com/story/1031274/russia-plane-crash-four-people-killed
10 Predictions for 2013
*Activist Post* This past year, 2012, was an eventful year. We had another Olympics, a U.S. presidential election, the warmest year on record, and lived through the Mayan apocalypse. However, many things did not occur that many of the trend seers predicted, especially dramatic events that made the boldest predictions. As we enter 2013, time itself seems to be speeding up or condensing to make the potential for dramatic events more likely. Tipping points appear to have been breached on many fronts, and what waits on the other side is difficult to know. But let’s break out the c... more »
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* rsn** (Reader Supported News) Subscribe to free newsletter* President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina 10/19/08. (photo: Jim Young/Reuters) Obama Should Listen to Obama By William K. Black, Reader Supported News 27 December 12 n Friday, December 21, 2012, President Obama announced: ** *"As of today I am still ready and willing to get a comprehensive package done," Obama said, specifically urging lawmakers to craft a deal that would protect middle-class Americans fro... more »
NV Bill - To Pay ALEC Memberships
From Nevada– hidden at the end of an article on lobbyists – how fitting. the Legislative Commission last week *approved a budget* of $56.6 million for the coming two fiscal years. *That’s 0.4 percent lower than the current biennium and 4.9 percent below the 2009-11 spending.* GOOD they are lowering costs. Combs said the commission followed the direction of Gov. Brian Sandoval to present a flat budget for the next biennium. *The proposed budget does not include restoration of the cut in pay and benefits for legislative workers.* BAD – they couldn’t find money for workers in their sta... more »
How Not To Buy An Airplane
David Olive writes that the F-35 fiasco is a case study in how to bungle a military purchase: If anything’s to be gained from the monumental botch that is the costliest and most multi-functional military aircraft project ever attempted, the Joint Strike Fighter program from which the F-35 is derived should be taught at the Royal Military College and its peers worldwide. It is an epic case history of supplier over-reach on the part of defence contractors, and deficient decision-making by public policy makers. From the beginning, the F-35 was too much airplane -- and it promised t... more »
'Stellar Wind' Whistleblower Reveals More About NSA Domestic Spying
image source *Activist Post* Former top NSA mathematician and code breaker, William Binney, has gone on record to publicly reveal the scope of a top-secret surveillance program called Stellar Wind which led to his resignation in 2001. It is a program that has directly targeted everyday Americans following 9/11. Binney has endured harassment by his own government, as many other whistleblowers have when trying to reveal illegal activities and corruption. Binney has stated that the scope of the data collection conducted by the NSA forms a map that can "show your entire life over time... more »
Bomb Blast in Pakistan's Karachi kills six on bus, 48 hurt
A bomb went off on a bus in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday killing six people and wounding 48, police and a hospital official said. Pakistan's commercial capital and biggest city has seen numerous militant attacks over the past 10 years and is also plagued by violence between rival ethnic-based factions. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/us-pakistan-blast-idUSBRE8BS06O20121229
Sentencing for sexual abuse
R v D.M. 2012 ONCA 894 deals with the appropriate range for sentencing for sexual abuse of minors. The Court held, in reducing a sentence to four years : "....in those cases where this court has either upheld or imposed penitentiary sentences of 5 years or more, one or more of the following aggravating circumstances has been present: . Sexual intercourse . Oral sex . Incest . More than one victim . Grooming of the victim . Other acts of physical violence Or threatened physical violence to obtain compliance and keep the abuse secret . A previous criminal record for Sexual a... more »
Congress Disgracefully Approves the FISA Warrantless Spying Bill for Five More Years, Rejects All Privacy Amendments
image source Trevor Timm *EFF* Today, after just one day of rushed debate, the Senate shamefully voted on a five-year extension to the FISA Amendments Act, an unconstitutional law that openly allows for warrantless surveillance of Americans' overseas communications. Incredibly, the Senate rejected all the proposed amendments that would have brought a modicum of transparency and oversight to the government's activities, despite previous refusals by the Executive branch to even estimate how many Americans are surveilled by this program or reveal critical secret court rulings inter...more »
Only political process can save Syria from "hell" - envoy
The international mediator seeking peace in Syria warned of "hell" if no deal is struck to end 21 months of bloodshed, but his talks in Russia capping a week of intense diplomacy brought no sign of a breakthrough. U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both said there was still a chance for a negotiated solution to the conflict, which has killed more than 44,000 people and set world powers against one another. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/29/uk-syria-crisis-russia-idUKBRE8BS03J20121229
Russia Plane Crash: Two Dead And Ten Injured
Two people have died after a passenger plane overshot an airport runway as it landed in Russia. The Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence onto on a motorway next to Moscow's Vnukovo airport, state television said. The Tu-204 plane was carrying four crew members and eight passengers. http://news.sky.com/story/1031274/russia-plane-crash-two-dead-and-ten-injured
Fiscal Cliff Minuet Turning Into A Frenzy Over Estate Taxes?
If you hear Miss McConnell in coming days lisping that this proposal or that proposal in the Fiscal "Cliff" Minuet is "unfair to the American people," he means it's unfair to rich white people, the only people Republicans care about or consider worth their attention. As we warned a few weeks ago, the Grand Bargain has come down to Republicans and their ConservaDem allies trying to get away with whatever they can on eliminating, or at least lowering, estate taxes for the super-rich (people with estates worth tens of millions, hundreds of millions and billions). McConnell can play t... more »
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*More on return of Sean Payton* *Video: Benson talks about Payton contract* *Sean Payton Will Be Coaching The Saints For A Long Time* *Chris Rose: Do you remember?* *Dock strikes averted* *Funds to litigate oil leak damages running low* *Morganza work to continue in 2013* *Program helps veterans reintegrate through music*
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