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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.

Monday, December 31, 2012

31 December - Blogs I'm Following II

Small yacht marina, Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland
Small yacht marina, Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Loch Alsh
English: Loch Alsh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: , seen from castle, in the Scottish H...
English: , seen from castle, in the Scottish Highlands. Français : Le Loch Alsh, vu du château d'Eilean Donan, dans les Highlands d'Écosse. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Iran Air 655 Strait of hormuz
Iran Air 655 Strait of hormuz (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
10:03 pm MST

Happy New Year from all of us here at DWT!

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 4 minutes ago
*by Ken* If there's one thing we can say with near-certainty about the new year, it's that come Dec. 31, 2013, we'll be bitching and moaning about that godforsaken year just (mercifully) past. So in fairness, approaching a brand-new year that hasn't (yet) done a darned thing to us, I think we can start with some "glass half-full" messaging, like the cartoon above and the next couple. * **NOW FOR THE "GLASS HALF-EMPTY" POSITION . . .* The nice thing is that at this point, from the vantage point of horrid old 2012, we can still wish for a safe, happy, and healthy new year for ... more »

Society's Collapse: "Teddy" the porcupine has WAY TOO MUCH corn on New Year's

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 31 minutes ago
* Me (and Lynsey) wish all of our readers an industrious 2013, and hope that you reach your goals. Ours is to acquire 1000 new subscribers to increase the strength of our community, and to continue broadcasting freedom across the world in real-time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.* *We race towards success, together. May God guide and guard us all.* * **-- Matt*

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laura k at wmtc - 36 minutes ago
Happy New Year! Here's to a happy, healthy, revolutionary 2013. Love to all.

Kenya hospital imprisons new mothers with no money (Coming to an America near you)

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 40 minutes ago
The director of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, located in a hardscrabble neighborhood of downtown Nairobi, freely acknowledges that he detains mothers who can't pay their bills. Lazarus Omondi says it's the only way he can keep his medical center running. Now, a New York-based group filed a lawsuit this month in hopes of forcing Pumwani to stop the practice. Two mothers who live in a mud-wall and tin-roof slum near the maternity hospital said Pumwani wouldn't let them leave after delivering their babies. The bills the mothers couldn't afford were $60 and $160. Guards with sticks w... more »

Iran test-fires missiles near Strait of Hormuz

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 42 minutes ago
Iran's navy says it has test-fired a range of weapons during ongoing maneuvers near the Strait of Hormuz, the passageway for one-fifth of the world's oil supply. The Monday report by the official IRNA news agency quotes exercise spokesman Adm. Amir Rastgari as saying the Iranian-made air defense system Raad, or Thunder, was among the weapons tested. Iran says the system fires missiles with a range of 50 kilometers (30 miles), capable of hitting targets at 22,000 meters (75,000 feet). He said torpedoes and underwater and surface-to-surface rockets were also successfully tested. h... more »

Large Shellfish Reef Newly Discovered Off The Coast of Scotland

Flame shells group together on the sea bed and their nests create a living reef to support hundreds of other species. Photo courtesy: Marine Scotland/PA The discovery of a large shellfish reef on the west coast of the UK could be the biggest find of its kind in the world, experts believe. The reef, made up of more than 100 million brightly coloured and rare flame shells, or Limaria hians, was found in Loch Alsh, a sea inlet between Skye and the Scottish mainland. It covers an area of 4.6 sq miles (7.5 sq km) and was discovered during a survey commissioned by Marine Scotland. It is ... more »

How to not teach physics

No one learns physics from being taught physics. Therefore, the best way to teach physics is to not teach physics. It took me twenty years of teaching university physics to finally learn this about teaching physics. I would kill myself trying to explain the concepts, patiently and step by step, repeating and re-casting, and on and on. I would grasp any sign as a proof that my efforts were

2012 is Almost History

John Carroll at Dying in Haiti - 1 hour ago

Obama, Republicans reach deal on fiscal cliff; Senate vote expected tonight

leftdog at Buckdog - 2 hours ago
*"President Obama and Senate Republicans reached a sweeping deal late Monday that would let income taxes rise significantly for the first time in more than two decades, fulfilling Obama’s promise to raise taxes on the rich and averting the worst effects of the “fiscal cliff.”* * * * Vice President Biden arrived at the Capitol just after 9 p.m. to explain the details of the pact he negotiated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). A Senate vote on the package could be held by 10:30 p.m., beating a midnight deadline, Democratic aides said. The Republican-controlled House... more »

In 2013, we can look forward to even savvy economic players like Starbucks' CEO paying heed to self-interested thugs and predators

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
*When I wrote about Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in March, I included this clip from the company's annual shareholders' meeting.* *"How could someone as well connected as Mr. Schultz get such a basic point [about debt reduction and the economy] wrong? By talking to the wrong people -- in particular, the people at Fix the Debt, who've been doing their best to muddle the issue. . . . "What's happening now is that all the ["deficit scold" Peter] Peterson-funded groups are trying to exploit the fiscal cliff to push a benefit-cutting agenda that has nothing to do with the current crisi... more »

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti – "Baby"

Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar - 3 hours ago
Here's the original. There's a wild story behind this one.

Unit 2 Heat Rising, Unit 2 Glowing Blue Green Yesterday

Majia's Blog - 3 hours ago
[Disorder ?] A thermometer of reactor2 RPV indicating the rapid increase of heat, it reached 152.1℃ on 12/30/2012 Posted by *Mochizuki* on December 30th, 2012 ·[Excerpted] According to Tepco’s plant parameter, a thermometer (SUPPORT SKIRT TOP(TE-2-3-69K1)) of reactor2 is indicating the rapid increase of temperature, it went over 100℃ at 5:00 of 12/26/2012. It’s *152.1℃* at 11:00 12/30/2012. Majia here: Yesterday unit 2 had a very definite blue-green glow after the three level 5 earthquakes. That blue-green glow is not currently evident. Here are screen-shots from yesterday. <img a... more »

Happy New Year

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 5 hours ago
A Happy New Year to all visitors, regular or otherwise, to my blog. I wish you a happy, safe and prosperous 2013. I am currently debating whether I should keep this bog running as it currently does, I will let you know what I decide soon...

Belfast Car Bomb: Two Men Arrested Two men are arreste

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 5 hours ago
Two men have been arrested in connection with a car bomb found underneath a Belfast police officer's car on Sunday. The men, aged 25 and 34, were detained in Belfast after the constable discovered a bomb under his car at his home in the city on Sunday. Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton revealed the officer was with his wife and two young children when he checked the car as a matter of routine. http://news.sky.com/story/1032007/belfast-car-bomb-two-men-arrested

Next Steps for EZLN

Roberto Rodriguez at Dr Cintli - 5 hours ago
Monday, December 31, 2012The Zapatista Army of National Liberation Announces Next Steps Mexico December 30, 2012 To the People of Mexico: To the Peoples and Goverments of the World: Brothers and Sisters: Compañeros and compañeras: This past December 21, 2012, in the pre-dawn hours, tens of thousands of indigenous Zapatistas mobilized and we took over, peacefully and in silence, 5 municipal seats in the Mexican southeastern state of Chiapas. San Cristobal, Chiapas. December 21, 2012In the cities of Palenque, Altamirano, Las Margaritas, Ocosingo, and San Cristobal de las Casas, we ... more »

2013- The New Year

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 5 hours ago
*2012 * * * *2013* *PEACE: REAL PEACE* *PROSPERITY: REAL PROSPERITY* *MEASURED BY HEALTH, HAPPINESS, FAMILY BONDS THAT ARE STRONG EXTENDING INTO THE COMMUNITY, GOOD NEIGHBOURS & GOOD FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD* * * *THE BEST TO YOU ALL!!!*

Why I Think Merkely/Udall Has It Wrong

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 5 hours ago
On Senate reform, suppose you're in the group -- which according to what they say publicly includes most leading Democratic Senators -- who wants to find a middle ground between the current dysfunctional Senate on the one hand and creating a House-like strict majority party rule on the other hand. Yes, I know, there are plenty of people who just want to eliminate the filibuster entirely, but let's put that argument aside; even if it's correct, which I don't believe it is, it's not going to happen anyway right now. So if you accept that a middle ground solution is what they should be... more »

Reports: Russia sends another naval ship to Syria

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 6 hours ago
Reports: Russia sends another naval ship to Syria Russian news agencies say the navy is sending another ship to the Syrian port of Tartus, where Russia has a naval base. The reports Sunday by the ITAR-Tass and Interfax news agency cited an unidentified official in the military general staff as saying the Novocherkassk, a large landing ship, has set sail from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. The ship is expected to arrive in the Tartus area in early January. The reports gave no information on the ship's intent. But Russian diplomats have said that Moscow is preparing a plan to ev... more »

Hillary Clinton 'Should Make Full Recovery'

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 6 hours ago
Doctors treating US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a blood clot in a vein between her brain and skull have said she should make a fully recovery. She was admitted to the New York Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday after the discovery of the clot stemming from an accident earlier this month. Mrs Clinton, 65, initially fell ill with a stomach bug that led to her fainting and sustaining a concussion. http://news.sky.com/story/1031720/hillary-clinton-should-make-full-recovery

Mohawk Nation News 'To Save our Mother'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 6 hours ago
MNN: TO SAVE OUR MOTHER   TO SAVE OUR MOTHER MNN. Dec. 30, 2012 http://www.mohawknationnews.com   Our Mother Earth is instructing us to protect her from corporate Canada’s murder and rape. The “Idle No More” movement to stop Omnibus Bill C-45 is gaining worldwide momentum. They too are listening to our Mother. Canada’s chief financial officer, Jim Flaherty and

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 6 hours ago
Magnitude 4.6 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 21:37:35 UTC Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 07:37:35 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 6.949°S, 154.656°E Depth 51 km (31.7 miles) Region BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Distances 115 km (71 miles) SW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea

Old Fashioned Family Planning

What Is Sustainable at What Is Sustainable - 6 hours ago
The bubble of cheap energy has enabled a sharp increase in food production, and a sharp increase in population. All bubbles are temporary. The coming decades will be a time of huge and turbulent change. Food production is being threatened by rising energy costs, an increasingly unstable climate, unsustainable water mining and soil mining, and the growth in chemical-resistant pests, weeds, and pathogens. We are approaching Peak Food, while population growth continues. It is most perplexing that population remains a taboo subject for polite conversation among friends and family, ... more »

Mollycoddling A Nation(Silencing Needed Dissent with Bribes)

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 6 hours ago
Crude Rises on 'Cliff' Deal Hopes Do you see that headline from CNBC stock market and business web site.. Crude oil rises on cliff deal hopes, there it is in a nut shell, capitalism at its finest, crony capitalism that is, I have seen this pattern in spades over the last 6 years, remember oil rising to $150.00 per barrel at the same time the Wall Street meltdown/securities fraud/derivative ponzi/mortgage pump and dump scandal... Oil quickly fell down to $70 dollars per barrel as the world teetered on economic collapse and as stimulus packages were implem... more »

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Starwalkers"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
2002, "Starwalkers" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SovcBYRFIxw • "Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn

(Shock! Shock! Obama Gives In) Cyber-Sleuths Blocked Rove's Nefarious Election-Stealing Machinations: Deprogramming Progressives

Yes. Foretold on this blog and many others for a very long while. The change candidate only changes from his promises to the powerless. What a Shock: Obama Gives In – Bush Tax Cuts “Extended Permanently” by Scott CreightonThe mythological "fiscal cliff", the new Red Menace, the Islamo-fascist terrorist hiding under your bed, has done it's work. Obama has been "forced" to cave in and is

Harper government bills that enraged First Nations and sparked Idle No More

leftdog at Buckdog - 7 hours ago
*"The federal government continued to strengthen our relationship with First Nations over the last year."* Prime Minister Stephen Harper 2012 Year End Statement One of the first questions that people ask about the *Idle No More movement*is what the movement is all about. While the historical injustices experienced by First Nations are too many to list, activists say the current government is pushing through a range of new bills that violate treaty rights. "Never in history has there been so many bills regarding and impacting First Nations been pushed through the House of Commons at o... more »

Is anyone surprised to find the NRA's fingerprints smudging our so-called health-care reform?

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago
*What? "Crazy Wayne" LaPierre's mug atop a story about "health-care reform"? Well, crazy the NRA's front man may be, but nobody has ever accused the slimebag -- or his DC assault team -- of being ineffective.* *by Ken* Surprise is sometimes expressed about the tenacity and durability of the right-wing interest groups on the workings of government, like the gun-and-armaments lobby so ably fronted by the National Rifle Association. What's often forgotten by those who are surprised is that those interests aren't bolsterd by mere ideology. Indeed ideology as such is almost the least o... more »

Central African Coup

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 7 hours ago
"Rebels near Central African capital" by Lydia Polgreen and Josh Kron | New York Times Syndication, December 28, 2012 JOHANNESBURG — Rebels on Thursday inched closer to the capital of the Central African Republic, threatening to topple an elected government that has had an unsteady grip on power for nearly a decade. Thousands of *civilians fled cities and towns into dense forest* as embassies and humanitarian aid organizations evacuated many of their staff members from the capital, Bangui. The rebel group, an amalgamation of several factions fighting under the name ‘‘Seleka Coali... more »

Crisis in the Congo

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 7 hours ago
*Related(?): **Around Africa: Calling the Congo* "Congo leader says Rwanda aids revolt" Associated Press, July 30, 2012 KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Congo’s president accused Rwanda of backing a *new rebellion* in Congo’s east and called their support an *open secret*. President Joseph Kabila told journalists late Saturday that the government will investigate accusations that Uganda may also be backing the M23 rebellion in the east, though the country said it was not involved. The uprising has brought the *worst violence in years* to the already volatile Congo. It has *... more »

Fiscal Cliffs Notes

PM at Duck of Minerva - 7 hours ago
Judging by the rumors coming out of the media, it appears that we have a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. This is troubling on a number of levels. First, the deal will be agreed to by the outgoing Congress–what we at the Duck are ashamed to call the lame-duck session–instead of the Congress just Continue reading

Musical Interlude: Ottmar Liebert, "Heart Still Beating"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
Ottmar Liebert, "Heart Still Beating" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNJXflfneQo

Censored News Readers' Heroes and Tribute to Russell Means 2012

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 7 hours ago
Russell Means, seen in this 1995 file photo,  passed to the Spirit World on October 22, 2012. He was 72. (Kirk McCoy/Los Angeles Times/MCT) Censored News Heroes and Tribute to Russell Means    By Brenda Norrell Censored News http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/12/censored-news-readers-heroes-and.html The Native American heroes for 2012 selected by Censored News readers are Debra and Alex

Something to get the party started

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 8 hours ago
"Delilah" - This version is by the Leningrad Cowboys and the Russian Army Choir... A great version and I think I'll be posting more of the Leningrad Cowboys cover versions in 2013.

Taxmageddon is upon us! It's the Fiscal Cliff!

Eric Whitney at Reality Pimp - 8 hours ago
Seems too late to stop us from going over the fiscal cliff. Good, say I. The fiscal cliff, or better, the fiscal bluff (don't know who coined that, but it is much better than the idea of a sudden drop off that ‘fiscal cliff’ brings to mind, and it also calls up the idea of a poker bluff, which I like) is more likely because because negotiations to avoid going over the bluff or cliff or whatever have broken down due to John Boehner's House having gone home. Both sides, of course, wanted very badly to screw the common man in favor of their rich campaign donors and the various lobbyi... more »

'Heavy Handed' Harper Happy That Canada Is #1 Nation For Business - Too Bad It's Not #1 Nation For Its CITIZENS!!

leftdog at Buckdog - 8 hours ago
*Stephen Harper is a bully who despises democracy for getting in the way of his plan to further enrich the interests of the wealthy.* *By ramming hundreds of pieces of legislation through in his infamous 'Omnibus Bills' he attempts to hide details and to prevent debate in the nation.* * **The sooner Stephen Harper is no longer Prime Minister of Canada, the better that average working Canadians will be.* * **Happy New Year to everyone who spoke out or acted out against the Harper Gang this year.* *-Winnipeg Free Press*

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mollymew at Molly'sBlog - 8 hours ago
*PREDICTABLE AND OTHERWISE PART 2* *RECENT REBELLIONS:* * Once more it has been an extended time since I posted here. All this time I have been quite (excessively ?) active on Facebook, Almost always reposting the stories of others. If this blog continues to exist it has to have some purpose. I think that its purpose is to be a sounding board for my own personal opinions. Too bad that it can no longer be a collection of links to other anarchist sites. All my links got dumped into the aether when I foolishly signed up for the 'new look' Blogger. Live and learn I guess, though I g... more »

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake BALLENY ISLANDS REGION - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 8 hours ago
Magnitude 5.2 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 20:02:04 UTC Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 06:02:04 AM at epicenter Location 61.596°S, 154.288°E Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) Region BALLENY ISLANDS REGION Distances 666 km (413 miles) NW of Young Island,

Remembrance

risa bear at A Way to Live - 8 hours ago
A repost ... I had no sisters or brothers growing up -- a kindred spirit, but something more than a brother -- my first sisters were at the Brethren/Hutterite farm where I lived awhile in the early seventies. Sisterhood has come on strong of late, though. And last best. She's written this poem, and I asked if I could share it here.* * *Remember*When I am gone Remember that once I laughed Great gulping gasps of delighted rollicking roars of merriment That once I delightedly ran over the new spring grass with tender bare feet feeling each blade bend beneath them - and the sharp scent o... more »

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 hours ago
*Happy New Year, folks! * I wish you all the very best for 2013, and good luck to us all. - CP

The Case for Fossil Fuel Divestment

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 8 hours ago
Major investors are beginning to sense danger from the fossil fuel bubble we're in and are demanding corporations divest their fossil fuel investments. This spells trouble ahead, particularly for the most carbon-intensive fossil fuels and, yes, I mean the Athabasca Tar Sands. The president of the business advocacy, *Ceres,* Mindy Lubber, outlines the powerful case for fossil fuel divestment. *We cannot simply accept Wall Street refrains that divesting is hard because fossil fuels are embedded in our economy, and are profitable to boot. Such thinking denies the ‘true’ negative cost... more »

The Verdict Is In

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 8 hours ago

twirl

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 8 hours ago

Angola's Election

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 9 hours ago
*And why they are important enough to appear in my paper*: "Angola’s ruling party wins 73 percent of vote" Associated Press, September 03, 2012 LUANDA, Angola — President Jose Eduardo dos Santos’s ruling party has won 73 percent of the national vote assuring his government, in power for 32 years, another five years in power.... Both opposition parties criticized the elections for not being free and fair. The elections were largely peaceful and relatively well-organized in this former Portuguese colony of 21 million that is *Africa’s second largest oil producer*, a diplomatic obser... more »

Eulogizing Ethiopia's Prime Minister

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 9 hours ago
*War criminals always receive the kindest words.... * "Ethiopia gives Meles Zenawi state funeral" Associated Press, September 03, 2012 ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Thousands of mourners gathered near a public square in Ethiopia’s capital on Sunday to pay their final respects to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who was praised for lifting many out of poverty but vilified by some for restricting freedoms. It's the war crimes against the Somalis and the Ogaden* that I find vilifying.* Meles, who ruled for 21 years, died Aug. 20 of an undisclosed illness in a Belgian hospital. He was 57. Durin... more »

Squatters storm Pope's Embassy in Paris: Riot police called in as activists stage protest over homeless immigrant row

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
Riot police were called to the Vatican Embassy in Paris today after it was occupied by campaigners for homeless immigrants. The invasion of a sacred diplomatic space was being viewed with ‘extreme seriousness’, said an officer at the scene, who added that ‘around fifty people had got inside’. However, by lunchtime there had been no arrests, and the protesters had pledged to leave peacefully after making their point, said the police officer. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255281/Squatters-storm-Vatican-Embassy-Paris-Riot-police-called-activists-stage-protest-homeless-immigr... more »

"Thoughts For The New Year"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
“What can be said in New Year rhymes, That's not been said a thousand times? The new years come, the old years go, We know we dream, we dream we know. We rise up laughing with the light, We lie down weeping with the night. We hug the world until it stings, We curse it then and sigh for wings. We live, we love, we woo, we wed, We wreathe our prides, we sheet our dead. We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear, And that's the burden of a year.” - Ella Wheeler Wilcox “For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a... more »

Happy New Year

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 9 hours ago

The Cheque Is In the Mail, Yeah Sure.

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 9 hours ago
What if you got that old lie - from your insurance company? Relax, that's almost sure not to happen but you might as well expect potentially big changes in your insurance dealings in the coming years. Coverage is going to become more expensive and the range of risks covered is going to narrow. The miners' canary is the United States where insurers are starting to hunker down. *Ceres* looks at the "Stormy Future for U.S. Property/Casualty Insurers". *Today, rising losses related to extreme weather events are significantly impacting the insurance industry and will increasingly c... more »

Morgan Gliedman arrested with her Occupy Wall Street boyfriend after cops find 'a bomb and weapons' in their NYC apartment

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
The daughter of a prominent New York doctor and her Occupy Wall Street-organizer boyfriend were arrested after police discovered an explosive used for making bombs and a cache of weapons in their upscale New York City apartment, it was claimed. Morgan Gliedman, 27, and Aaron Greene, 31, were taken away from their home in Manhattan's pricey Greenwich Village on Saturday. Gliedman, who is nine months pregnant, remains in jail, where she is likely to stay until at least New Year's Day, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office told MailOnline. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2... more »

Second terrorist bomb found near Northern Ireland police station as officers investigating first foiled attack reveal policeman target was about to take family for a drive

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
A second viable pipe bomb-type device has been discovered near a police station in Northern Ireland. Elderly residents were evacuated from their homes in Tandragee, Co Armagh, but have been allowed to return as the security alert has ended. Army technical officers examined the object close to the gates of the town's Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) station, a short distance south of Portadown. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254940/Second-terrorist-bomb-near-Northern-Ireland-police-station-officers-investigating-foiled-attack-reveal-policeman-target-family-drive.html

How to Live to a Ripe Old Age

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 9 hours ago
This is how it is going to be everywhere. The benefits are plainly obvious and good health at a hundred is plausible and possible. Meat once a week is good enough light alcohol on occasion is fine and beneficial and working a couple hours in your garden is a really good plan. I am not organized for that yet but it is on my list over the next three years. I must say though that reaching my age, one discovers that all those unhappy people who drink and smoke are no longer about anyway and it be comes really easy to develop sound habits. And yes, nuts are a great idea as t... more »

The Neverending Quest for a More Redistributionist Tax System

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 9 hours ago
I just listened to President Obama's latest remarks on fiscal policy. This passage caught my attention: I want to make clear that any agreement we have to deal with these automatic spending cuts that are being threatened for next month, those also have to be balanced, because, remember, my principle always has been let’s do things in a balanced, responsible way. And that means the revenues have to be part of the equation in turning off the sequester and eliminating these automatic spending cuts, as well as spending cuts. Now, the same is true for any future deficit agreement. Obvi... more »

Saying Goodbye to Ghana's President

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 9 hours ago
*His death was unexpected, huh? * "Mourners gather for Ghanaian president’s funeral" Associated Press, August 11, 2012 ACCRA, Ghana — World leaders joined thousands of Ghanaians on Friday for the funeral of President John Atta Mills, who came to symbolize Ghana’s maturing democracy in a region long plagued by coups and disputed votes. Atta Mills, 68, came to power in 2009 after winning the closest election in the country’s history. The peaceful transition of leadership after that vote was lauded as was the swift and orderly inauguration of the country’s vice president last month fo... more »

Greenwich Village couple busted with cache of weapons, bombmaking explosives

Rich Rifkin at Lexicon Daily - 9 hours ago
 Morgan Gliedman: daughter of privilege Decades before *terrorist* became synonymous with *Islamic radical* in the minds of most Americans, the United States had left-wing actors like the Weathermen who murdered innocents and robbed banks to push their pro-Soviet cause. Today, the New York Post is reporting that a well-educated and wealthy left-wing couple associated with the far-left Occupy Wall Street movment has been arrested on terrorist charges. The privileged daughter of a prominent city doctor, and her boyfriend — a Harvard grad and *Occupy Wall Street activist* — have ... more »

"Why We're Addicted to New Year's Hope...and How to Make the Most of It"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
* "Why We're Addicted to New Year's Hope...* *and How to Make the Most of It"* by Kelly McGonigal, PhD “Do you think you are smarter, nicer, or funnier than most people you know? Most people answer yes, a quirk psychologists call the "better-than-average" effect. Although it's statistically impossible, everyone likes to think of themselves as at least one standard deviation above the norm. Our positive illusions aren't totally self-centered, though. We have the same faith in our sports teams. A recent study from Yale found that football fans always expect their favorite team to... more »

Ivory Coast Investigations

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 9 hours ago
"New mass graves found near site of Ivory Coast attack" by Robbie Corey-Boulet | Associated Press, November 07, 2012 ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Up to 10 new *mass graves* have been discovered near the site of a July attack on a *camp for displaced people*, officials said Tuesday, amid allegations that initial *casualty totals were downplayed* to *mask killings carried out by the national ­army*. * **I don't think they have to worry. * * **Related: World Court Whitewashes Ivory Coast War Crimes* *Going nowhere for the obvious reasons. * Rights groups claim *summary executions* were carr... more »

Admission of Unauthorized Chemical Spraying in St. Louis

Intercept at The Intercept - 9 hours ago
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Tell Them All - We Want Our Canada Back

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 9 hours ago
As the year draws to a close I fear for the future of our country. Our degeneration into a petro-state has exacted a heavy price on Canada and our people and what we can hope to be in the difficult years that lie ahead. It is as though we can no longer afford to do what is right and good. We were once respected around the world for our fairness and commitment to peace and resolution. Now we're respected in corporate boardrooms and on generals' plotting tables. We have "stepped up to the plate" and joined the Big Boys in whacking the living Hell out of the little boys. It pass... more »

Police launch manhunt for 'terror suspect' Ibrahim Magag who went missing on Boxing Day... while under close surveillance

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
A terror suspect who was under close police surveillance has gone missing, it emerged this evening. Counter terrorism detectives today appealed to the public for help in tracing 28-year-old Ibrahim Magag who was last seen on Boxing Day. He is believed to have absconded from a terror control order known as a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures notice (TPIM). Counter terrorism detectives urged anyone who sees Magag to ring 999 immediately. He was last seen in north London. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255394/Ibrahim-Magag-Police-launch-manhunt-terror-suspect-w... more »

to boldly go: in which captain james t. kirk returns to my tv

laura k at wmtc - 9 hours ago
I am so enjoying re-watching the original Star Trek series, in order, from the beginning, on my US Netflix/Roku. I half-dread writing about "Star Trek TOS", because of... well, you know. The whole Star Trek thing. The whole sci-fi thing. If you read the "what i'm watching" and "what i'm reading" posts on wmtc, you know I am not a science fiction aficionado. *Obviously* I am not a Trekkie or a Trekker. I don't know or care about Star Trek trivia. Shatner* memes can be mildly amusing, but that's something that other people do. I just like this show. (This is a problem when you casual... more »

2012 Resolutions- How I Failed and Succeeded

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 9 hours ago
I am a big believer in setting New Years Resolution. I set somewhere around 20 each year. I like setting goals in general and the beginning of the year just offers itself as a reminder to make my list. I don't normally share my resolutions with anybody but my husband, but since one of my 2013 resolutions is to be more open, I am going to start a day early. These were the things I wanted to accomplish in 2012, some I completed and some I failed miserably at. 1. Read 30 books, including Tarzan. - I usually set a much higher book reading goal, but in 2012 I wanted to focus on other thi... more »

Extrapolating Radiation Effects: The Problems With Laboratory Research

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 10 hours ago
Efforts to predict the toxic genomic effects of chemicals and radiation typically involve one or both of the following extrapolations: 1. Effects for humans are extrapolated from effects on animals studied in labs 2. Low dose effects are extrapolated from high dose effects in lab animals. As Gary E. Marchant notes in his chapter on Toxicgenomics and Environmental regulation: "risk assessors have had to rely on models to extrapolate results from high to low dose levels." p. 12 Each of these extrapolations poses problems. For example, Marchant notes that "A finding that gene expres... more »

Kenyan Chaos

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 10 hours ago
*I'll bet they need some **help**, 'eh?* "48 slain in attack on village in Kenya" Associated Press, August 23, 2012 MOMBASA, Kenya — Hundreds of *farmers attacked a village*, *killing at least 48* people in southeastern Kenya in an *escalation of ongoing clashes*between the *farming and pastoral communities over land and resources*, an official said Wednesday. Some people were *burned to death in their houses*, while others were *hacked to death or shot* with arrows, said Tana River region police chief Joseph Kavoo. The majority of those killed were *women and children*, said area ... more »

'Oompa Loompa' Attack: Police Hunt Pair

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 10 hours ago
Police are hunting two men dressed as 'Oompa Loompa' characters who, along with two other people, attacked a man in a city centre. The 28-year-old victim suffered cuts to his face, nose and lip, as well as two black eyes, after being confronted by the pair, posing as the fictional chocolate factory workers, as he left a kebab house in Norwich. The 'Oompa Loompas', accompanied by a man and a woman not wearing fancy dress, attacked the man in the early hours of Thursday on Prince of Wales Road, officers said. http://news.sky.com/story/1031937/oompa-loompa-attack-police-hunt-pair

TODAY! Alaska Rally to Oppose Shell Drilling in Arctic

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
  MEDIA ADVISORY Alaska groups and Tribes Rally to oppose Shell drilling in the Arctic Dec. 31, 2012 12:00 pm noon Rally at the intersection of E. 36th & A street Anchorage, Alaska Contact: Carl Wassilie: 907- 382-3403 Alaska’s Big Village Network Nikos Pastos: 907-764-2561 Center for Water Advocacy Delice Calcote: 907-563-9334 Alaska Inter-Tribal Council What: 12:

Malcolm Levesconte's Body found in the sea near Dover

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
A pub landlord who vanished after £30,000 disappeared from a Christmas thrift fund has been found dead. Police have confirmed that a body found in the sea near Dover is the body of Malcolm Levesconte, a pub landlord from Shrewton. http://news.sky.com/story/1031910/pub-landlord-found-dead-after-theft

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Magnitude 4.4 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 15:33:53 UTC Monday, December 31, 2012 at 09:33:53 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 14.083°N, 92.184°W Depth 62.4 km (38.8 miles) Region OFFSHORE GUATEMALA Distances 37 km (22 miles) SW of Champerico, Guatemala

Fails of the year - women's edition

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 11 hours ago
I think the overall message of these is 'avoid alcohol'!

The Idiocracy Files, Part 5: The U.S. $enate Meets with Its Landlord

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 11 hours ago
*"And the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And, frankly, they own the place."* *-- Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), May 2009* *by Noah* On June 13 of this year, almost exactly three years after the above quote from one of the few of the more honest men in Washington, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee gave us more of what Congress does best: a classic dog-and-pony show, a farce meant for public consumption, to be cut down, shined up and packaged for the nightly news by ... more »

Politics: A New Catastrophe Reinsurance Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Roger Pielke, Jr.) at Roger Pielke Jr.'s Blog - 11 hours ago
In a new report out today on the state of the catastrophe reinsurance industry, Willis Re has this interesting passage (here in PDF): Superstorm Sandy has yet again demonstrated the danger of overreliance on catastrophe models, due to the complexity of the original loss as well as the emergence of a new and as yet unmodeled uncertainty: the politicization of policy form interpretation. Buyers who have relied on covers with indexed, non-indemnity triggers may yet find their reinsurance protections do not respond to Superstorm Sandy loss recoveries in the way they had planned. What... more »

Oliver Stone to RT: ‘US has become an Orwellian state’

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Americans are living in an Orwellian state argue Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick, as they sit down with RT to discuss US foreign policy and the Obama administration’s disregard for the rule of law. ­Both argue that Obama is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and that people have forgiven him a lot because of the “nightmare of the Bush presidency that preceded him.” “He has taken all the Bush changes he basically put them into the establishment, he has codified them,” Stone told RT. “It is an Orwellian state. It might not be oppressive on the surfac... more »

The exceptional U.S. wildfire season of 2012 – The top 5 U.S. wildfires of 2012

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 11 hours ago
[image: Aerial view of the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire, Wunderphoto submitted by AZMountaineer21. wunderground.com] By Dr. Jeff Masters 31 December 2012 The 2012 U.S. fire season was the 3rd worst in U.S. history, with 9.2 million acres burned – an area larger than the state of Maryland. Since the National Interagency Fire Center began keeping records in 1960, only two years have seen more area burned – 2006, when 9.9 million acres burned, and 2007, when 9.3 million acres burned. Although the 2012 fire season was close to a record for most acreage burned, the total number of f... more »

Updated: Normalized Hurricane Losses 1900-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Roger Pielke, Jr.) at Roger Pielke Jr.'s Blog - 11 hours ago
The graph above shows an updated estimate of the 1900 to 2012 normalized hurricane losses for the United States. The normalization methodology is described in Pielke et al. 2008 (here in PDF) and the data presented in the graph comes from the ICAT Damage Estimator, which extends the analysis of Pielke at al. through 2011. Today Willis Re released a report (here in PDF) on the state of the reinsurance industry, and presents an estimated $20-25 billion in insured losses for Sandy. As is conventionally done, to arrive at total losses for 2012 I have doubled the $25B figure to arrive ... more »

Chef Meyer in the land of Che Guevara

Carlos at Viva Bolivia - 11 hours ago
This last day of 2012 has a good feel to it, and when thinking of Bolivia I see some harbingers of good for 2013. So it is appropriate to end this year with an upbeat article about the famous chef Claus Meyer, who is in Bolivia using local ingredients to create a new style. Appropriate - as this country has conrtibuted so much gastronomically to the world - what with the potato and so many other members of the Solanaceous family - Brazil nuts (see post on this blog about them, most are actually grown in Bolivia), etc. Hopefully when I make my trip to Bolivia Chef Meyer's eatery will... more »

Prediction isn't the right method to learn about the past

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 11 hours ago
*Happy New Year 2013 = 33 * 61!* The last day of the year is a natural moment for a blog entry about time. At various moments, I wanted to write about the things that the year 2012 brought us. The most important event in science was the discovery of the \(126\GeV\) Higgs boson (something that made me $500 richer but that's of course the least important consequence of the discovery) but those of us who were following the events and thinking about them rationally have known about the \(126\GeV\) Higgs boson since December 2011. Lots of other generic popular science sources recall the... more »

Housing Deal Fails to Prosecute Criminal Misdeeds

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 11 hours ago
Settlement Expected on Past Abuses in Home Loans By Jessica Silver-Greenberg, The New York Times 31 December 12 Published: December 30, 2012 * http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/31/business/settlement-expected-with-banks-over-home-loans.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20121231&_r=0 * [Excerpted] Banking regulators are close to a $10 billion settlement with 14 banks that would end the government's efforts to hold lenders responsible for foreclosure abuses like faulty paperwork and excessive fees that may have led to evictions, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.... more »

andy barrie, war resister, awarded order of canada

laura k at wmtc - 11 hours ago
Congratulations to Andy Barrie, former CBC broadcaster, on being awarded the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. This CBC storysays that Barrie "left the U.S. and moved to Canada during the Vietnam War". But if you listen to this interview, you will hear how Barry "left" and "moved": he had volunteered for the war in Vietnam, then deserted, and fled to Canada. Andy Barrie is a war resister, and was a deserter. (Do you hear that, Jason Kenney? Andy *volunteered* and *deserted*, and he was still allowed to stay.) Andy has been a longtime and active supporter of the... more »

Climate Central: Hurricane Sandy tops list of 2012 extreme weather and climate events

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 11 hours ago
[image: Aerial view of coastal flooding in Mantoloking, New Jersey, after Hurricane Sandy, taken from a New Jersey Air National Guard Helicopter. NJNG / Scott Anema] By Andrew Freedman, Michael Lemonick, and Dan Yawitz 27 December 2012 (Climate Central) – From unprecedented heat waves that shattered "Dust Bowl" era records from the 1930s, to Hurricane Sandy, which devastated coastal New Jersey and New York, 2012 was the year Mother Nature had it out for the U.S. No country on Earth rivaled the U.S. in 2012 in terms of extreme weather and climate events, as one rare episode after a... more »

NYE Links

Adrienne LeBas at Duck of Minerva - 11 hours ago
Happy New Year to all. While you’re sticking the bubbly in the fridge and mapping out 2013 resolutions, consider nominating your favorite blogs for the 2013 OAIS awards sponsored by the Duck. Tomorrow is the deadline for nominations. See Dan’s last update on current nominees for more information. The heavy bias toward counterinsurgency links in Continue reading

Signing off for today...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 11 hours ago
*to celebrate my birthday by doing some shopping.* * **First I'm headed to Black Sheep Sporting Goods in Coeur d'Alene. Gosh, wonder what I'm going to buy...* *Then a quick stop at Tomato Street for a light lunch.* *Next up is Hobby Lobby:* After a quick stop at the grocery store (I just may eat a doughnut there), it's home to make dinner. *Salad:* *King Crab Legs:* *Shredded Potato Casserole:* *To all my readers:* *Have a safe and sane New Year's Eve. *

It's Monday...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 11 hours ago
*what's going on.* Nice Deb: Yes, Fascism Has Come to America Lonely Conservative: Obama Admin: We Will Force Americans To Violate Their Faith Diogenes: How far we’ve fallen when the biggest resistance to tyranny is done by arts and crafts stores. Maggie's Notebook: First They Came For The Guns… T.L. in Exile: You Have Been Drafted MOTUS: A Very Special MOTUS Retrospective: the Best of 2012

2012: Year of Deception and Distraction

Rufus News From Atlantis at News From Atlantis. - 12 hours ago
And so 2012 draws to an end. This year has been one marked by the outright lies of the Establishment and of self-appointed leaders, and the willingness of the masses to believe them. The Mayan Calendar ended on the 21st of December, and with it the New Age fantasy that the world itself would end. The amazing ability of the Mayans to produce an accurate calendar which lasted for 5,125 years (calculated from 13 b'ak'tuns of 144,000 days each) was cited as proof that by not continuing the calendar after that period, they must have believed that the world would end. Isn't it more li... more »

Ukraine rescuers fish man out of 18 meter well

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 12 hours ago
Rescuers help a man to safety after his fall into a 18-metre (59 feet) well in Ukraine.

Norovirus: World health systems battle superbug

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 12 hours ago
Poor Larry isn't looking too good. He's pale and clammy and he's been projectile vomiting over and over again while his carers just stand by and watch. Yet their lack of concern for Larry is made up for by their intense interest in how far splashes of his vomit can fly, and how effectively they evade attempts to clean them up. Larry is a "humanoid simulated vomiting system" designed to help scientists analyze contagion. And like millions around the world right now, he's struggling with norovirus - a disease one British expert describes as "the Ferrari of the virus world". http://w... more »

Teresa Cowley Missing From North Sea Ferry from Hull to Rotterdam

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 12 hours ago
Police say they fear for the safety of a woman who went missing from a North Sea ferry. Teresa Cowley, from Mickleover, Derby, was last seen heading towards the deck of the Pride of Rotterdam ferry in the early hours of Friday. The 43-year-old's disappearance is being investigated by Harbour Police in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, who are liaising with Derbyshire police. http://news.sky.com/story/1031884/fears-for-woman-missing-from-north-sea-ferry

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 12 hours ago
Magnitude 4.5 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 15:11:59 UTC Monday, December 31, 2012 at 05:11:59 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 52.788°N, 171.431°E Depth 48.4 km (30.1 miles) Region NEAR ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA Distances 118 km (73 miles) W of Attu Station, Alaska

Dear Canadian Racists: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 12 hours ago
Seriously. I'm nauseous from the stench of your hypocrisy, selfishness, ignorance, stupidity, whining and lying. Just can it! From the stooges in charge of our corporate media, to our illegitimate regime of morons, thugs, frauds, religious freaks and self-hating closet-cases, all the way down to huckster preachers like whatsisface of the "Caledonia Wake-up Call" (or whatever) to the grassroots of mouth-breathing, shit-headed scum like KKKate MakkkMillan and her brood at SDA. The Sixth Estate blog brought this atrocity to my attention. It's from the *Globe & Mail*. [You know, corp... more »

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake GUERRERO, MEXICO - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 12 hours ago
Magnitude 4.0 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 15:00:16 UTC Monday, December 31, 2012 at 09:00:16 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 16.625°N, 98.755°W Depth 35 km (21.7 miles) set by location program Region GUERRERO, MEXICO Distances 7 km (4 miles) NE of Marquelia, Mexico

Catch of the Day

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 12 hours ago
Here's one for Ezra Klein, who summed up the GOP extremely well by pointing to a Marco Rubio tweet. Ezra: Today’s Republican Party thinks the key problem America faces is out-of-control entitlement spending. But cutting entitlement spending is unpopular and the GOP’s coalition relies heavily on seniors. And so they don’t want to propose entitlement cuts. If possible, they’d even like to attack President Obama for proposing entitlement cuts. But they also want to see entitlements cut and will refuse to solve the fiscal cliff or raise the debt ceiling unless there are entitlement cuts... more »

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 13 hours ago
Magnitude 4.5 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 14:21:28 UTC Monday, December 31, 2012 at 08:21:28 AM at epicenter Location 14.306°N, 92.027°W Depth 62.7 km (39.0 miles) Region OFFSHORE GUATEMALA Distances 12 km (7 miles) W of Champerico, Guatemala

Breaking: We’re reliably told that it’s New Year’s Eve!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012* *With all that the evening entails:* Has it really been twenty-nine years since we did the Richmond Comedy Club with Bill Maher on this, the most disappointing night in all of American show business? Due to Bill’s surprising deportment, millions of people now claim they were there. Let’s just say that Bill, whom we’ve always admired except when he's wrong, went over the daiquiri cliff. We plan to do a half-Howler tomorrow. What does this seasonal mess mean to us? All week long, we will have questions for the new year—and we'll even have some topics we d... more »

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA - 31st December 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 13 hours ago
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Monday, December 31, 2012 at 14:15:23 UTC Monday, December 31, 2012 at 11:15:23 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 7.683°S, 128.402°E Depth 82.2 km (51.1 miles) Region KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA Distances 323 km (200 miles) W of Saumlaki, Indonesia

Bargaining Chips and Chomping Chains

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 13 hours ago
How can I put this delicately? If you are old, or if aging is in your future plans, your president just doesn't seem to think your life is worth very much. That average $1200 monthly Social Security check you've been counting on? Way too extravagant for Barack Obama's refined sensibilities. In the past, he has been more circumspect about his plans for a "balanced approach" in which the little people share the sacrifice are sacrificed to the predators of the financial class. But yesterday, he got his machismo up. It probably had a lot to do with being mere inches away from fellow ... more »

Paul Krugman hits the nail on the head!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012* *Dueling portraits of Maya MacGuineas:* Paul Krugman keeps telling the same story well. Today, he starts his column with Starbuck’s version of Steve Jobs. He discusses Howard Schultz, a man who is said to be spreading confusion about our budget mess: KRUGMAN (12/31/12): *Brewing Up Confusion* *Howard Schultz, the C.E.O. of Starbucks, has a reputation as a good guy, a man who supports worthy causes.* And he presumably thought he would add to that reputation when he posted an open letter urging his employees to promote fiscal bipartisanship by writing “... more »

The Connecticut Elementary School Shooting: Video By Ken O'Keefe -Sandy Hook False Flag Psy-Op

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 13 hours ago
It should be obvious to everyone by now that the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting of December 14th, was definitely a Psy-Op conducted by criminals, especially those within the US Government itself, to convince the American public to surrender their guns and repeal the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution. Everything told by our media, and government officials, about this "shooting" has to this point been proven to be false and a pack of lies. It is definitely time that everyone call out these scoundrels for spinning their pack of lies to the public! I came across a most interes... more »

North Korean New Year: First ever Fireworks Display

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 13 hours ago
North Korea welcomes 2013 with reportedly the first ever New Year's fireworks display the country has held. It follows one of the most impressive New Year fireworks displays which took place in Sydney, Australia, as it became the second major city to welcome 2013. http://news.sky.com/story/1031731/fireworks-first-for-north-korean-new-year

NEW WONKS ON THE BLOCK: Who are these guys!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 14 hours ago
MON*DAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012* *Part 1—Did Ezra Klein really mean that:* We were struck by several year-end lists at the Washington Post. For one example, we were struck by Glenn Kessler’s list of “the biggest Pinocchios [sic] of 2012.” (To peruse that list, click here.) The biggest “Pinocchios” of the past year? In our view, this is part of the muddled logic of the modern fact-check. Kessler doesn’t seem to have a clear, pre-existing term for what it is he’s checking. We would assume he’s correcting “misstatements,” or something of that ilk. Why not use the term?) At any rate, Kess... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 14 hours ago
*Brees: Payton's return will be ''eye-opener''* *Street lights still out along I-10 in N.O. East, year after deadly 40-car pileup * *What I was Loving in 2012 ~He Said/She Said NOLA* *In Memoriam: 2012 ~WWOZ*

Finally... Justice For Víctor Jara-- But War Criminal Henry Kissinger Is Still On The Loose

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
The song above, "Plegaria a un Labrador" ("Prayer to a Worker") is one of Víctor Jara's classic songs. You need to know who this guy was. On September 11, 1973, Nixon, Kissinger and the CIA gave the go-ahead for a violent fascist coup against Chile's democratically elected government. The presidential palace was bombed and shelled and Chile's beloved president, Salvator Allende, was murdered. But that was just the beginning. Within hours of Allende's murder thousands of his supporters were rounded up (eventually 80,000) and herded into a stadium and many were tortured (40,000) an... more »

Secret Human Testing Revealed in Declassified U.S. Army Documents; Lawsuit Follows

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 15 hours ago
Dees Illustration Nicholas West It is always a challenge attempting to describe how sick and power mad are some of the elite who have taken up positions within the military-industrial-scientific complex. However, it is becoming easier, as more of their past demented actions are coming to light with such a preponderance of evidence that even the most naive must take notice. These actions only hint at what is likely going on all around us today, as well as the future plans of those who see the planet Earth as nothing more than a giant Petri dish. The video below covers Dr. Lisa Mar... more »

22 killed in three attacks in Nigeria

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 15 hours ago
At least 22 people have been killed in three separate attacks in northeastern Nigeria since Friday, including 15 Christians shot Sunday inside a church, according to officials. The violence began early Friday when unidentified gunmen raided a village in Musari, in Borno state, killing five people, said Joint Task Force Lt. Col. Sagir Musa. JTF troops responded, and a gun battle ensued. Three of the attackers were killed, and troops recovered weapons and ammunition. Musa declined to provide further details of the attack. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/30/world/africa/nigeria-violence... more »

Deadly weather in 2012

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 15 hours ago

Out of Touch

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
There is no love lost between Stephen Harper and Joe Clark. When Clark's official portrait was hung in the Centre Block four years ago, Stephane Dion and Paul Martin attended the ceremony. But, breaking with tradition, Harper managed to be away in Europe. So, when Clark came out in support of Theresa Spence last week, it's a sure bet that Mr. Harper was not pleased. Michael Harris writes: But for a former prime minister, and a Conservative one at that, to pay his respects to Chief Spence presents a challenge to the sitting PM. After all, Harper has shown himself to be the Tin Man... more »

Map shows a dot for everyone of the 308,450,225 people logged in the U.S. Census...and it even shows people living in New York's Central Park

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 15 hours ago
This stunning map of the United States puts a dot down for every one of the 308,450,225 people recorded in the 2010 Census - illustrating perfectly the population density of the nation and how large swathes are empty. The visualization of the huge numbers involved allows the user to zoom in to see some pretty unusual quirks of the once-in-a decade survey, which includes a number of individuals designated as living in New York's Central Park. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255002/Stunning-map-shows-dot-308-450-225-people-logged-U-S-Census--shows-people-living-New-Yorks-Cent... more »

Police tighten New Year's Eve security as Times Square emerges as potential terrorist target

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 15 hours ago
When revelers pack Times Square for the annual New Year's eve celebration on Monday night, police will observe a tradition of their own: giving them lots of company. Each year, the New York Police Department assigns thousands of extra patrols to festivities - in ways seen and unseen - to control the crowd and watch for any signs of trouble. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254936/Times-Square-Police-tighten-New-Years-Eve-security-spot-emerges-potential-terrorist-target.html

Daily Links, Monday, Dec 31, 2012

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 15 hours ago
Happy New Year to you all! What can we pick up from the blogs this week? *BLOGS*: - Drew's marvelous pics from this year. - Oz's takedown of the ROC denial that Honduras is switching to the PRC. - Taiwanese Identity on land takeovers for "development". - Taiwan to start oil exploration in South China Sea. A move guaranteed to peeve the states in the area for no real gain for Taiwan. Phils vs Taiwan, this time. The Ma gov't policy of using the Senkakus to unsettle relations with Japan and the US and the South China Sea to unsettle relations with its southern n... more »

Lostprophets Singer Ian Watkins In Court On Abuse Charges

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 15 hours ago
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has appeared in court to face allegations of plotting to rape a baby. The 35-year-old, whose band has sold more than 3.5m records worldwide, was arrested with two women earlier this month. As well as being charged with conspiring to rape a child under the age of 13, Watkins faces five other sex abuse charges. http://news.sky.com/story/1031842/lostprophets-singer-in-court-on-abuse-charges

The Community Reinvestment Act is remembered and allocated its share of the blame at last

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 16 hours ago
The reason blog reports that: ''twas Wall Street greed what done it, some folks say, when it comes to explaining the spectacular housing meltdown of recent years, which had its roots in a great many astonishingly risky loans. Other folks suggest that the federal government just may have played something of a role in inducing, even strong-arming, banks to take risks they otherwise would have avoided. Specifically, the Community Reinvestment Act and related policy pressures are pointed to as culprits, part of a government effort to extend home-ownership in lower-income neighborhoods. ... more »

Recumbent Weekend

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 16 hours ago
My friend Michael Cannon recently purchased a recumbent bike due to recurring back pain and other issues. We rode from Taichung to Kaohsiung for two days this weekend, down the 3 and then to the 1. Michael got lots of attention from passers-by (Michael's post is here). The ride was nice in good weather on Saturday, a wonderful and easy 120 kms for me, but Sunday's ride from Chiayi started in pouring rain and cold and blasting winds, and ended in the cold and Kaohsiung traffic, on Rte 1. Still, it was lots of fun watching people honk and yell at Michael, and video, photo, and stop ... more »

Warren Jeffs followers 'prepare for end of the world' TONIGHT

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 16 hours ago
Followers of cult leader, Warren Jeffs, who is behind bars for sexually assaulting young girls, are reportedly preparing for the end of the world tomorrow, after their former leader warned of Armageddon before midnight. The only supermarket and major meeting point of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints community across the movement's key sites - Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah - has been closed, and an expert in the sect has warned CNN the preparations could be a dangerous signal. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255093/Warren-Jeffs-fol... more »

‘Unemployed Man Who Refused A Job Because He Didn't Want To Get Up At 8am’

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 16 hours ago
listen to ‘Unemployed Man Who Refused A Job Because He Didn't Want To Get Up At 8am’ on Audioboo LBC's Julia Hartley-Brewer was discussing whether benefit cards are a good idea but this call diverted the discussion somewhat as this caller revealed that he was recently offered a job, but didn’t want to have to get up at 8:00 in the morning. I think this makes the point about the difference between strivers and shirkers more eloquently than any politician’s speech. As an aside can you imagine a BBC presenter being that shocked by such a caller? Most would side with him.
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