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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.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

3 January - Blogs I'm Following II

Milky Way
Milky Way (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Grid added to File:236084main MilkyWa...
English: Grid added to File:236084main MilkyWay-full-annotated.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: HR diagrams for two open clusters, sh...
English: HR diagrams for two open clusters, showing the main sequence turn-off at different ages. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Vatican City / Radio Vatican
Vatican City / Radio Vatican (Photo credit: trp0)
10:10 pm MST

Benjamin Sebena Charged with first-degree intentional homicide

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 7 minutes ago
The husband of a Milwaukee police officer who was shot dead while on duty over Christmas has appeared in court charged with her murder. Benjamin Sebena, 30, waived his right to a preliminary hearing after being brought into court in a wheelchair wearing a suicide-prevention vest. The Iraq war veteran is accused of ambushing his 30-year-old wife, Jennifer Sebena, while she conducted a solo patrol in the early hours of Christmas Eve. http://news.sky.com/story/1032941/war-veteran-shot-wife-in-face-five-times

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 minutes ago
Open clusters of stars can be near or far, young or old, and diffuse or compact. Found near the plane of our Milky Way galaxy, they contain from 100 to 10,000 stars, all of which formed at nearly the same time. Bright blue stars frequently distinguish younger open clusters. M35, on the upper left, is relatively nearby at 2800 light years distant, relatively young at 150 million years old, and relatively diffuse, with about 2500 stars spread out over a volume 30 light years across. An older and more compact open cluster, NGC 2158, is at the lower right. *Click image for larger s... more »

Say, Dean Baker, what do we really need to know about the fiscal-cliff deal?

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 10 minutes ago
* * *by Ken* When CNN asked economist Dean Baker to sum up in one pithy piece what folks needed to know about the then-merely-proposed (but soon to be enacted) "fiscal-cliff compromise deal," they probably weren't expecting what they got, which would have been more along the line of some swift crunching of numbers (extra credit if the numbers are mostly imaginary) showing that as a result of the "deal" most people will be (a) better off, (b) worse off, or (c) the same. Something along the lines of, say, the jackassery puked up by WaPo's Robert "No Relation to Paul" Samuelson, bett... more »

Vatican Goes Cash Only: Card Payments Stopped

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 minutes ago
Vatican tourists can only pay by cash after card payments for museum tickets, souvenirs and other services were blocked by Italy's central bank over money laundering fears. The tiny city-state can no longer use electronic payments because the Holy See has not complied with European Union safeguards against money laundering. As a result, Deutsche Bank Italia, which has provided the Vatican with the electronic payment services for 15 years, had its authorisation halted on December 31. http://news.sky.com/story/1033112/vatican-goes-cash-only-card-payments-stopped

Chet Raymo, "The Sword And The Scimitar"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 minutes ago
*"The Sword And The Scimitar"* by Chet Raymo "Just before daybreak on June 20, 1631, two ships manned by Barbary pirates and a force of Janissaries - elite troops of the Turkish Ottoman empire - slipped into the harbor of the fishing village of Baltimore, not far from here on the southwest coast of Ireland. With muffled oars they rowed ashore, surprising the villagers in their beds. The village was put to the torch, and nearly two dozen men, thirty-four women and fifty children - mostly English settlers - were hauled away to a life of slavery in Algiers. Some ended up in the gal... more »

Mortgages: Millions 'Struggle With Payments'

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 18 minutes ago
Nearly eight million people in Britain are struggling to keep up with mortgage or rent payments each month, according to the charity Shelter. A total of 1.4 million have already fallen behind, with almost a million people resorting to high-interest so-called 'pay day' loans to make ends meet. "It's shocking to think that so many families will be starting the New Year with a huge weight hanging over them, trapped in a daily struggle to keep their home," said the charity's chief executive Campbell Robb. http://news.sky.com/story/1033099/mortgages-millions-struggle-with-payments

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake TAIWAN REGION - 4th January 2013

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 23 minutes ago
Magnitude 4.8 Date-Time Friday, January 04, 2013 at 03:29:58 UTC Friday, January 04, 2013 at 11:29:58 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 23.996°N, 122.282°E Depth 30.2 km (18.8 miles) Region TAIWAN REGION Distances 68 km (42 miles) E of Hualian, Taiwan

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA - 4th January 2013

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 23 minutes ago
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Friday, January 04, 2013 at 03:00:46 UTC Friday, January 04, 2013 at 12:00:46 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 7.367°S, 128.797°E Depth 141.3 km (87.8 miles) Region KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA Distances 284 km (176 miles) WNW of Saumlaki, Indonesia

3.7 Magnitude Earthquake OKLAHOMA - 4th January 2013

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 23 minutes ago
Magnitude 3.7 Date-Time Friday, January 04, 2013 at 01:59:19 UTC Thursday, January 03, 2013 at 07:59:19 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 35.440°N, 96.529°W Depth 10.7 km (6.6 miles) Region OKLAHOMA Distances 7 km (4 miles) SW of Boley, Oklahoma

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake KURIL ISLANDS - 4th January 2013

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 23 minutes ago
Magnitude 4.7 Date-Time Friday, January 04, 2013 at 00:50:33 UTC Friday, January 04, 2013 at 11:50:33 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 46.024°N, 152.750°E Depth 34.4 km (21.4 miles) Region KURIL ISLANDS Distances 389 km (241 miles) ENE of Kuril'sk, Russia

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake KYRGYZSTAN - 3rd January 2013

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 28 minutes ago
Magnitude 4.1 Date-Time Thursday, January 03, 2013 at 22:10:10 UTC Friday, January 04, 2013 at 04:10:10 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 39.756°N, 73.785°E Depth 17 km (10.6 miles) Region KYRGYZSTAN Distances 45 km (27 miles) E of Sary-Tash, Kyrgyzstan

Jewish Mafia Tied To Death Of America!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 44 minutes ago
Over the last few years, I have covered the impending economic collapse of the United States of America, and much of the world's other nations as well, in great detail. I have said many times that the Jewish Usury banking system is fully responsible for the serious economic doom that we are facing very shortly. It is a fact that throughout history, every nation that adopted the Jewish Usury banking system has collapsed. History will obviously be repeating itself again very soon, but on a global scale! There have been so many reports that show exactly who is responsible for the m... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 hour ago
Catania, Sicilia, Italy. Thanks for stopping by.

WSJ: "Disease Rips Through Florida Citrus"

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 1 hour ago
*The Wall Street Journal *January 2, 2013 p. A3 by A. Campo-Flores The article describes a bacterial disease known as "citrus greening" that in Florida is "ravaging the state's orange and grapefruit trees." The disease slowly kills the trees and causes them to shed fruit prematurely. The USDA just cut its citrus forecast because the disease is so widespread. The chief executive of Florida Citrus Mutual, an industry group, was quoted as saying "We have never seen a crop revision of this magnitude without a freeze or hurricane." The disease is believed to have come from Asia and is ... more »

BC Liberal`s Port Mann Bridge.

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 1 hour ago
It only took a cursory look to find the information needed for this post, a story about ice build up on bridge surfaces but after reviewing the data and thinking about it, there is a much bigger story hidden, lurking, snatching lives and stealing futures, mourning families and victims litter our province, and it can be prevented, and or at least, reduced.. ___________ *Why do bridges ice before the rest of the highway?**­On a cold, rainy day, ice forms more quickly on bridges and overpasses for two reasons:* - *The freezing wind strikes the bridge above and below and on both ... more »

2012’s surreal record warmth in the United States – ‘362 all-time record highs, zero all-time record lows’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 2 hours ago
[image: 2012 temperatures in the U.S. compared to normal. The only large region where temperatures were slightly cooler than normal was the Pacific Northwest. High Plains Regional Climate Center] By Jason Samenow 3 January 2013 (Washington Post) – We await the inevitable “official” announcement from NOAA that 2012 was the warmest year on record in the Lower 48, by a huge margin. Recall, in mid-December Climate Central calculated there was 99.99999999 percent chance this feat would be achieved. In the mean time, it’s amazing to watch related records stream in at national, regiona... more »

"Those Who Say 'I Support the Troops' Really Don't"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*"Those Who Say 'I Support the Troops' Really Don't" * by Michael Moore “I don't support the troops, America, and neither do you. I am tired of the ruse we are playing on these brave citizens in our armed forces. And guess what -- a lot of these soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines see right through the bullshit of those words, "I support the troops!," spoken by Americans with such false sincerity- false because our actions don't match our words. These young men and women sign up to risk their very lives to protect us- and this is what they get in return: *1.* They get se... more »

Can Republicans Learn Lessons In Reality That Contradict Their Inhumane Ideology? Ask Senator Mark Kirk

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
*Vice President Biden (a stroke survivor himself) greets IL Sen. Mark Kirk on his return to the Senate today. Senator Kirk, who walked up the Capitol's 45 steps, says, "Had I been limited to [the 11 rehab visits generally allowed stroke victims by Illinois Medicaid rules], I would have had no chance to recover like I did."* *THE WASHINGTON POST* *Mark Kirk makes dramatic return to the Senate* Posted by Ed O'Keefe on January 3, 2013In a dramatic return to Capitol Hill less than a year after suffering a stroke, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) climbed the stairs of the Senate Thursday as most ... more »

Mark Kirk makes dramatic return to the Senate

Rich Rifkin at Lexicon Daily - 3 hours ago
The Washington Post is reporting that Sen. Mark Kirk returned to work todayafter a year away, due to the stroke he suffered Jan. 21, 2012. In a dramatic return to Capitol Hill less than a year after suffering a stroke, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) climbed the stairs of the Senate Thursday as most of his colleagues watched and cheered. Shortly after 11:30 a.m., Kirk emerged from an SUV parked by the Senate carriage entrance of the Capitol and walked over to the main staircase, where he was greeted by Vice President Biden, his fellow Illinois senator, Dick Durbin (D) and close friend, Se... more »

Idle No More! Navajos in Window Rock, Arizona

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 3 hours ago
. Video above Window Rock, Ariz. Dec. 28, 2012 Idle No More Celebration 2013 Honor Indigenous Rights Monday, Jan. 21, 2012 10 am to 5 pm King Holiday Celebration 2013 Window Rock, ArizonaHealthy Futures ~ Mind, Body, Spirit & Families FITNESS & HEALTH FAIR CIVIL RIGHTS & HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS

Desdemona Despair app now available in the Windows Store

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 4 hours ago
[image: Screenshot of the Desdemona Despair app for Windows. Leftopia / desdemonadespair.net] Desdemona was busy over the holidays and is happy to report that the Desdemona Despair app is live in the Windows Store. If you’d like a convenient way to get fresh doom updates on your desktop, install Windows 8 and then search for “Desdemona Despair” in the store. Desdemona Despair app for Windows in the Windows Store Technorati Tags: doom

Unity through silence: A Tucson Story

Roberto Rodriguez at Dr Cintli - 5 hours ago
* *By Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez A special length commentary Human beings are defined by the sum total of our values… what we believe in and that which guides us in our daily lives. Yet, values are virtually worthless if one preaches them, but does not adhere to them. So too ethos? Ethos are not what one believes per se, but what one lives by. This discussion is not abstract, but is about the footprints that have been left behind the past several years in the monumental struggle in Tucson, in defense of Ethnic/Raza or Mexican American Studies (MAS). The battle here has never re... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 5 hours ago

"An Open Letter To Our Youth"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 5 hours ago
*"An Open Letter To Our Youth"* by Karl Denninger "This week you are no doubt off school and enjoying your friends and freedom from studies. In a few short days, however, you will return to your classrooms and once again engage in what is your job - learning enough to hopefully be able to become independent on or near your 18th birthday. The other night Congress engaged in its latest version of fraud upon the public. Congress lied to America with flowery speeches about how our government has an obligation to come to the aid of those people in need, how unemployment must be exten... more »

Catch of the Day

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 6 hours ago
Here's one for Jonathan Chait, who notes not only that it's really not actually possible for House Republicans to meet their policy goals without negotiating with the President of the United States -- but that by telling Speaker Boehner not to do so, they're actually buying into the very strategy which they themselves believe didn't work over the last two weeks. Which is nuts, of course. The best part is that, as he reports, apparently some Republicans really think that Joe Biden was negotiating on his own, without White House guidance, in this last round. I think that one goes more... more »

The swearing in of Senator Chris Murphy

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 6 hours ago
Apparently darlin' Joe Biden was having fun at the swearing in ceremony in the Senate. The maniac media gone into a feeding frenzy at CSPAN collecting Biden's most charmingly unguarded utterances, but this is my favorite moment of swearing in day. You'll recall Chris Murphy is the Democrat who beat crazy wrestling mogul lady Linda McMahon in Connecticut.

So, what’s been happening?

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 6 hours ago
So, what’s been happening? I’ve ben away at a place called Te Maika—without phone, without power, but with a generous supply of friends and alcohol—so I have no idea what’s been going on in the world, except in my own little part of it. All I have to impart therefore is that Kawhia Harbour has made more history than it’s been able to consume locally, that Hilary Mantel and Dashiel Hammett write damned well, and that you can’t make a martini without ice cubes—but it’s worth trying. So what’s been happening with you? Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for... more »

The President Who Lost Afghanistan

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 6 hours ago
*You have been warned, America.** * * **"By pulling out troops too quickly Obama would become the president who lost the war and enabled another devastating attack on America"* * **Yeah, except it turns out Muslims didn't do 9/11; Israel and her helpersin various western governments and intelligence agencies did. * "Risk at heart of debate on withdrawal from Afghanistan" by Lolita C. Baldor | Associated Press, December 04, 2012 WASHINGTON — The debate over *how many US troops will remain* in Afghanistan after 2014 comes down to risky business. * **Then it's not really a withdrawal, i... more »

Bachmann - STILL a Waste of MN Taxpayer $$$

2old2care at Because I Can - 6 hours ago
Bachmann – wasting Minnesota taxpayers money – still. As I stated a couple days ago - she should not be getting paid - she is worthless. Here's another example of it - the first day the first thing she did as a member of the 113rh Congress. From Think Progress (my emphasis): *With Millions Still Waiting For Sandy Relief, Republicans Reintroduce Obamacare Repeal* By Adam Peck posted from ThinkProgress Health on Jan 3, 2013 at 3:06 pm The 112th Congress gaveled to a close on Thursday afternoon without passing a relief package for victims of Hurricane Sandy or reauthorizing the Vio... more »

Boehner revolt fails

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 7 hours ago
As I predicted last night, Boehner hung onto his gavel but just barely. Boehner only got 220 votes. There were nine outright defections and seven more GOPers abstained from voting. Three of the latter, including crazy eyed Bachmann caved after it was clear Boehner had won. Admit I was half-cheering for the Republican rebels who could have pulled it off. The Fire Boehner gang of more than a dozen aggrieved House conservatives could conceivably have forced Boehner into a second ballot if they’d organized and made a point of casting viable votes. Certainly the Zombie Breitbart Brig... more »

Boehner Wins Back Some Love From Confederate Republicans By Blocking Aid To SuperStorm Sandy Victims In The Hated North

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago
So today Speaker Boehner was reelected to his post, 220-192 over Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi -- with 14 Republicans defecting and 3 voting for the Speaker's "partner" in the leadership, Majority Leader Eric Cantor. (Which Republicans didn't vote for their leader? See Aaron Blake's WaPo report below.) Everyone's been talking about how only 85 Republicans voted for the Obama/Boehner Grand Bargain while 151 Republicans voted against it-- and that 172 Democrats voted yes and just 16 voted no. But there's another way to look at this than just the Republican-Democratic split. Of the 8... more »

And the Winner Is . . . . (Is This Really a Police State (Already) ?)

My thoughts since the last decade's stealing of the Presidential elections have been that there must have been sooooooo much wealth generated by our (U.S.) underpaid workforce that they have to almost make up new names for ways to steal it and conceal it more effectively. Keep your gaze focused on those shiny baubles, folks! Keep blinking! From our friends at Naked Capitalism (and they really

National Opt Out Day January 7

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 7 hours ago
From Peg with Pen:Children are NOT Numbers: National Opt Out Day, January 7th Teachers, as you plan how to resist corporate education reform and rebuild public schools on National Opt Out Day (Jan.7th) - or any day for that matter - here is one way to do it - *do not allow others to refer to children based on their test scores*. Children cannot be called "UnSats" or "Partials" or any other label attached to a number. It is beyond disrespectful and allows teachers to become removed from the actions they are taking, therefore, they/teachers are less likely to wake up to the pain and... more »

Feb. 2: Michigan Journal of Race and Law hosts Robert King, John Conyers, James Forman, Jr. and others

angola3news at Angola 3 News - 7 hours ago
On February 2, 2013, the Michigan Journal of Race and Law is hosting a symposium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. As described by the flyer posted below and the Journal's website, the all-day event will be held on campus in Room 1225, South Hall. The keynote address will be given by James Forman, Jr. *Please help us spread the word about this important event!*

Tested to Destruction

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 7 hours ago
A clip from The Guardian: With the demise of the "big society", the coalition's claims to be anything more than an unimaginative deficit-cutter are in tatters – except in education, where it has been extraordinarily radical. Last year saw, among other things, plans to impose performance-related pay on teachers, the development of the EBacc exam, and the introduction of£9,000 university tuition fees. What lies behind this hyperactivity? Critics accuse the government of softening up the sector for privatisation. But the education secretary, Michael Gove, and the universities minister,... more »

Al-CIA-Duh Still Active in Afghanistan

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 7 hours ago
*Then we simply must stay, 'murkn. * "Al Qaeda is weakened but stays active in Afghanistan" by Deb Riechmann | Associated Press, October 23, 2012 KABUL — A *diminished but resilient Al Qaeda*, whose 9/11 attacks drew America into its longest war, is *attempting a comeback* in Afghanistan’s mountainous east as US and allied forces wind down their combat mission and *concede a small but steady toehold* to the terrorist group. * **Uh-oh! * * **See*: *The President Who Lost Afghanistan* * **And if they ever got a **nuclear bomb**.... goodbye, Chicago!* That concerns US commanders, who ... more »

ASSA Humor Session

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 7 hours ago
Many of the world's professional economists are spending the next few days in San Diego for the annual ASSA meeting, where economists network, get some publicity for themselves, and learn what other economists are up to. I am skipping this year's meeting to spend more time with family. You might think that is lazy of me. But heck, my marginal tax rate just went up. A bit of extra laziness is optimal. If I were there, one event I would certainly attend is the annual humor session. Here is some information about it, in case you are interested: It is 8 pm on Saturday January 5 in ... more »

Updated 12/29/12: The Complete Background Story of Why the POOF Video Went Away Temporarily

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
I thought I'd share the emails I received after Christmas. Kauilapele actually saw these before I did. They were addressed to both of us. I was up late on Christmas and slept in until 11 AM the following day. Its not uncommon for me to be up to 2 AM. I am a bit of a night owl. Brian will conducting an interview with Heather Ann Tucci-Jarraf, the Trustee from The One People's Public Trust (TOPPT) soon. We should have that up in a few days after that is completed. Hopefully that will answer everyone's question in a non-legalese format. The reason for all the legal "mumbo-... more »

Iran: Police announce more arrests around currency crisis

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
http://www.payvand.com/news/12/dec/1272.html *Iran: Police announce more arrests around currency crisis* Source: Radio Zamaneh The Tehran Police force has announced that 88 "gold and foreign currency brokers" have been arrested, as disputes have intensified between the Iranian government and the Central Bank over handling the crisis in the currency and gold markets. Police officials reported today, December 30, that 88 people had been arrested for being engaged in the illegal and criminal handling of gold and foreign currencies, the Fars News Agency reports. The detainees... more »

NEW UN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES EFFECTIVE 12/31/12

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
This information was posted at the United Nations, all rates show are in reference to the US Dollar. http://treasury.un.org/operationalrates/OperationalRates.aspx UN Operational Rates United Nations Treasury Country Currency Code Currency Effective Date Operational Rate Afghanistan Afghanistan Afghani AFN 12/31/12 0:00 52.05 Albania Albania Lek(e) ALL 12/31/12 0:00 105 Algeria Algerian Dinar DZD 12/31/12 0:00 78.08 American Samoa US Dollar USD 12/20/95 0:00 1 Andorra Euro EUR 12/31/12 0:00 0.754 Angola Angolan Kwanza AOA 12/31/12 0:00 95.57 Anguilla E.C. Dollar ... more »

Sydney Morning Herald: The four business gangs that run the US

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
http://m.smh.com.au/business/the-four-business-gangs-that-run-the-us-20121230-2c1e2.html * * *The four business gangs that run the US* ROSS GITTINS December 31, 2012 Illustration: Michael Mucci. IF YOU'VE ever suspected politics is increasingly being run in the interests of big business, I have news: Jeffrey Sachs, a highly respected economist from Columbia University, agrees with you - at least in respect of the United States. In his book, *The Price of Civilisation*, he says the US economy is caught in a feedback loop. ''Corporate wealth translates into political power throu... more »

UPDATED: YOU CAN SEND QUESTIONS TO THE ONE PEOPLE'S PUBLIC TRUST

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
We've decided to make the questions and answers a very transparent process. We won't be doing a town hall type meeting online as others have done, as that spends a lot of time in idle chat rather than productive transfer of vital information. I don't want to put you through 2 hours of audio to get 15 minutes worth of information. We don't care to get our egos stroked, all of humanity created this moment. What we would like you to do is submit any questions you have to the One People's Public Trust (TOPPT) to the following email address: TOPPTQUESTIONS@GMAIL.COM. We'... more »

EUTHANASIA IN THE UK: 60,000 patients put on death pathway without being told but minister still says controversial end-of-life plan is 'fantastic'

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Outcry: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt provoked outrage by saying the death pathway was a 'fantastic step forward' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255054/60-000-patients-death-pathway-told-minister-says-controversial-end-life-plan-fantastic.html *60,000 patients put on death pathway without being told but minister still says controversial end-of-life plan is 'fantastic'* * * Pathway involves the sick being sedated and usually denied nutrition and fluids Families kept in the dark when doctors withdraw lifesaving treatment Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said pathway was a... more »

We're All Still Here

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
We're All Still Here (Funny music video about Dec. 21st, 2012) by Laurell Eden * * *About Laurell:* Billboard Magazine called Laurell, "an ethereal poet with a talent for writing contagious hooks". She is a critically acclaimed, gold record selling recording artist and songwriter whose songs have charted on 3 continents. The dance song, "We're All Still Here" is a great example of Laurell Eden's fabulous sense of humor and her "talent for writing contagious pop songs" as Billboard Magazine put it. Laurell is a critically acclaimed recording artist, songwriter and prod... more »

Sundogs in the Yukon

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
On Dec 30, 2012, at 1:07 PM, K. wrote: Hello to you both! *[KP and AK]* I live in Faro, Yukon, Canada, and I just thought you should see this. On December 24th, from the moment the sun rose (10:11 a.m.) to when it set (3:50 p.m.), two huge sundogs appeared. I’ve never seen sundogs appearing ALL DAY! It was absolutely spectacular and impressive. The pictures don’t really do it justice, but it was truly an amazing event. And I want to say thank you for the work that you do, and wish you both a wonderful holiday season! With gratitude and joy, K.

GAIA PORTAL: Channels of 5D energy have widened upon Gaia

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
* * * * *Channels of 5D energy have widened upon Gaia* by ÉirePort Channels of 5D energy have widened upon Gaia. These widened channels part of process of Gaia upliftment into 5D. Sensation of floating, and/or "not being present in 3D" are currently the norm. As these sensations are embraced, as much as possible, infusion of 5D energies into Gaia occurs. "humanity (small 's')" dissolves. Hue-manity awakens. ÉirePort December 30, 2012 at 18:50 URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-5T

GAIA PORTAL: Aspects of Higher Dimensional life implanted in DNA have been activated

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
* * * * *Aspects of Higher Dimensional life implanted in DNA have been activated* by ÉirePort Aspects of Higher Dimensional life implanted into DNA during the past 5 millennia have been activated, and are now being en-fulled [Eireport note: this apparently means, "brought into fullness" or "brought into full expression"]. Real-ization (Real-I AM-ation) occurs now. Vortices on and within Gaia meld to become a UNITY Galaxy-Gate. Individual vortices/portals lose their "distinction" as separate entities. This correlates with 100th monkey level of Hue-manity being attained as of... more »

POOF: Always Darkest Before the Dawn

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Greetings and Salutations; ...in the Kingdom of 'Reap what you Sow'. The Indians call this the law of karma. The crap you put out always comes home to roost. Humans have never been able to get away from it. No amount of physical denial can disconnect the connection between thoughts and deeds and its' return to its source. So, as cocky and arrogant that these folks have been, they are headed for places unknown for some reason. http://www.thecommonsenseshow.com/2012/12/25/ex-feds-and-wall-street-execs-are-going-into-hiding-why/ There are some bones in this stew so let ... more »

Keep an Ear on Sheldan Nidle

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Sheldan Nidle, who some have tried long and hard to defame, is proving to be one of the more interesting sources of information. Sheldan is called a channeler by most (even me), but he has claimed he was fitted with a communication implant by the Galactic Federation to be their spokesman. He's a different sort of "channeler" than most of them. I've noticed over the years and months that Sheldan often announces events mere weeks before they happen. Others have noticed too: 1. During my interview with Cobra he told me that many human telepaths are fed erroneous dis-info... more »

Sheldan Nidle - January 1, 2013

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
*Wow! -AK* *Sheldan Nidle’s Update for the Galactic Federation of Light and Spiritual Hierarchy* A divine time schedule exists, and you as a people are very shortly to become not only capable of welcoming your many families to this world but also, joyously, to become one of them! Sheldan Nidle - January 1, 2013 12 Ben, 19 Mol, 9 Eb Dratzo! Taj Jai Dan! (Happy New Dawn!) We return! A new epoch is dawning for humanity! Let us start with a brief description of what has happened so far. Our sacred secret allies, with the assistance of your Ascended Masters, have put into positi... more »

We Are Definitely on a Different Time Line....

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Will Smith & Son in a SciFi adventure on a class 3 quarantined planet. Earth. "Fear is not real, fear is a choice..." And then there's this quirky Zombie movie where love un-Zombies humans via the human heart.... "Love Makes Us Human"

RT.COM: AMERICANS CHAINED BY ILLUSION

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago

India launches new social welfare system

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
* * India has 440 million people living below the poverty line * * *India launches new social welfare system* Updated: 15:31, Tuesday, 01 January 2013 India will send billions of dollars in social welfare money directly to its poor under a new programme beginning today. The scheme aims to cut out the middlemen blamed for the massive fraud that plagues the system. Previously officials often only handed out cash to the poor after taking a cut and were known to enrol fake recipients or register unqualified people. The country has 440 million people living below the poverty line. The ... more »

Israel's former foreign minister indicted on fraud charges

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Avigdor Lieberman, then Israel's foreign minister, is shown during a Nov. 21 news conference at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. (Abir Sultan / European Pressphoto Agency) http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-former-israeli-official-lieberman-indicted-20121230,0,4069446.story *Israel's former foreign minister indicted on fraud charges* *Ex-foreign minister indicted in Israel* By Batsheva Sobelman December 30, 2012, 9:52 a.m. JERUSALEM — Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's controversial former foreign minister, was indicted Sunday on charges of fraud and breach of... more »

GAIA PORTAL: New post Seminal Frequencies Have Been Activated and Empowered

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
*Seminal Frequencies Have Been Activated and Empowered* by ÉirePort Seminal frequencies planted last year have been activated and empowered. These Higher frequencies could only be activated post 12-12-12 to 12-21-12 period, and post 12-31-12. Today's 1-1-13 at 11:13 provided ideal gateway for activation, Gaia planet-wide. Those experiencing pulsations in body and heart chakra resonate with identical pulsations occurring Gaia planet-wide. There is no precedent for this, and many will depart as a result. Alignment/harmonization with the Higher Frequency Gaia Pulsations brin... more »

The One People's Public Trust: Q & A

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
Heather Tucci-Jarraf Dec 27 (3 days ago) to Brian, American, kauilapele, Trustees, Advisors Thank you, Brian, for sharing your wonderful insight, experiences, and Truth. Your generous energy is willingly fused with all creation and that is the key :) I accept. So we go forward to co-create...I will forward you the emails I have responded to for the last four hours or so just so that you can sense the "flavor" of what is manifesting in the collective conscious...that way we can all begin to have the same "database" so to speak in order to co-formulate and do-create consciously.... more »

THE ONE PEOPLE'S PUBLIC TRUST: A Conversation With Trustee Heather Tucci-Jarraf

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
*A conversation with Trustee Heather Tucci-Jarraf of The One People's Public Trust* January 3, 2013 by American Kabuki, Brian, and D. Brian from the *American Kabuki* ground crew and D. from *Removing the Shackles* discuss with Heather Tucci-Jarraf how she got started investigating banking fraud and the events that led to her being invited into the TOPPT as a trustee. To give you an overview of the concept of what this organization is doing you have to understand how our current reality has been manipulated. Some time, long ago, humanity made the choice to experience separate... more »

AA Michael's Visit to Joe Crane

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
December 26, 2012 Visit It was the day after Christmas here where I live when Michael and Shekinah showed up having something to give. That is all the poetry you are going to get. My daughter Gabby is spending the time with me till after the New Year, so I stayed up until after she went to bed. I was ready to turn in and call it a night when I noticed a light start to form in the office. No bedtime for me I thought, because angels are afoot or maybe on the wing. I strolled to the office because I knew nothing was going to take place until I got there. The light was a l... more »

How US Banks And Federal Law Enforcement Worked Together Bringing Down Occupy Wall Street

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
*This shouldn't be too surprising because the US Corporation is owned by Wall Street -AK* *How US Banks And Federal Law Enforcement Worked Together Bringing Down Occupy Wall Street* Naomi Wolf, The Guardian Jan. 1, 2013, 10:14 AM Occupy Wall Street May Day Lisa Du, Business Insider It was more sophisticated than we had imagined: New documents show that the violent crackdown on Occupy last fall — so mystifying at the time — was not just coordinated at the level of the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and local police. The crackdown, which involved, as you may reca... more »

Executives at collapsed Iceland bank jailed for fraud

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/iceland-crisis-idUSL5E8NS4TN20121228 * * *Executives at collapsed Iceland bank jailed for fraud* REYKJAVIK | Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:17pm EST Dec 28 (Reuters) - Two former executives at an Icelandic bank which collapsed in the 2008 financial meltdown were sentenced to jail on Friday for fraud which led to a 53 million euro loss, in the first major trial of Icelandic bankers linked to the crisis. All three of the small North Atlantic island's top banks collapsed in quick succession in October 2008 due to big debts incurred during a rapid over... more »

We have some good news for you.

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
* * * * *We have some good news for you. * As channeled by Ron Head December 30, 2012 in Michael, Ron's Channeled Messages Michael As we begin our last message for your year of 2012, let us give our deepest appreciation to each of those who have followed our channelings throughout these months for all of their dedication and efforts toward your planet’s ascension. None of you has had an easy time of it, and yet, here you are, preparing for another year of the same. Well, we have some good news for you. While there is still quite a way for you to go on this journey, you will... more »

This Is Your Life

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago

The Right to Mindlessly Look at You-Tube Videos

amurdie at Duck of Minerva - 8 hours ago
Happy New Year! I hope you are still enjoying a wonderful break. The holidays for me always mean one thing: a lack of Internet access. As a duck-ling who is from Deliverance/mayonnaise/4-H country, I’m particularly attuned to the argument UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur, Frank La Rue, made a couple of summers ago about Continue reading

Afternoon Miscellany: Latour, Podcasts, and Big Data

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 8 hours ago
This post would be much more interesting if it concerned the nexus of its three subjects. Sadly, it does not. I’m working on a forum piece with Vincent Pouliot on Actor-Network Theory (ANT) — one written from the explicit perspective of outsiders. We’ve been puzzled by the apparent lack of theorization of “the body” in Continue reading

If Only ONE Fact Can Shoot Down G.W. Bush's Conspiracy Theory of 911 This is the One!

Len Hart at The Existentialist Cowboy - 8 hours ago
*By Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy* A 757 is said to have struck the Pentagon on 911! If that is true, then a MIRACLE occurred at the Pentagon on 911 and that miracle is this: an airliner VANISHED. Completely! It was a 'Biblical' miracle that defied the law of the Conservation of Matter and Energy. A 757 has TWO LARGE ENGINE COMPRESSOR ROTORS (sometimes called Turbo-Fans) They are made of HARDENED INDUSTRIAL STEEL to withstand the very high temperatures INSIDE the engine. They would have survived any fire short of a NUKE! *Only ONE survived and was found* It is about ONE THIR... more »

Bipartisan comity

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 8 hours ago
And the 113th is off to a blazing start. They're setting the tone for the next two years with this display of grace and harmony. First the Republicans welcome new Democratic Congresspeople: In releases targeting all of Pelosi’s new colleagues, the National Republican Congressional Committee is welcoming new members “to Washington with his very own official Nancy Pelosi Obedience School Lap Dog Kit.” A page from their brochure: But don't get on your high horses Dems, it's bi-partisan. The DCCC has a retort for the new GOPers: Press releases in their individual districts identif... more »

Interview 570 – New World Next Week with James Evan Pilato

Intercept at The Intercept - 8 hours ago
Good to hear that we can look forward to continued broadcasts of "New World Next Week" through 2013 Help Us Transmit This Story Add to Your Blogger Account Put it On Facebook Tweet this post Print it from your printer Email and a collection of other outlets Try even more services

Don't let the door hit you on the way out

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 8 hours ago
The 112th Congress is history and while the 113th doesn't look much more promising, at least we can say goodbye to some of the worst miscreants in the House and Senate. Think Progress lists ten members we're not sorry to see go. I know Joe Lieberman is at the top of my list. There were some notable omissions, like Scott Brown though he wasn't the biggest vandal, I have a strong personal dislike for him and Ben Nelson who never should been allowed to call himself a Democrat. Sadly, we're still saddled with way too many crazies, which can't be better illustrated than with this tweet:... more »

Why Did The FBI Not Warn Occupy Wall St Activist of Assassination Threats?

Intercept at The Intercept - 8 hours ago
12160 *PDF -Nationwide FBI [Redacted] monitoring fileon #OWS describes OWS as a "criminal and terrorist threat"* *Released FBI documents reveal plans to assassinate Occupy Wall Street Leaders With Snipers* FBI knew of plot to kill OWS activists, remained silent Only one month into the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations last year, plans were formulated to identify key figures in the movement and execute them with a coordinated assault using sniper rifles, new documents reveal. Confessions of an Undercover Cop Bafta-winning film-maker Brian Hill unravels the extraordinary story of ... more »

Al Jazeera buys TV from Al Gore et al.

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 8 hours ago
There's been lots of interesting science news – for example, Neil Armstrong has apparently lied to us when he was saying that he invented the "one small step for man" line on the Moon. He had been thinking about it for quite some time, his brother recently told the BBC, and he was even collecting feedback e.g. from his brother. I am sure that most readers follow the news, especially those related to science. But this news is kind of special: Al Jazeera buys Current TV, will launch new channel (CNN Money) The failed 2000 U.S. presidential candidate and the failed demagogic promoter ... more »

In this column, Paul Craig Roberts reflects on the natures of the people who visit his web site, lamenting that most of those who stumble upon it are looking for confirmation of things that they already believe in. He emphasizes that such biases pertain to both right- and left-wingers and uses the example of left-wingers rejecting his views when they discover that he was a member of Ronald Reagan's cabinet. Being a progressive democrat myself, I may be "the exception that proves the rule": My esteem for Reagan rose considerably just by knowing that he sought out Dr. Roberts' wisdom. The people (like me) who return to his site are looking for the truths that they know the "mainstream" media have not, and never will, touch. The most important of these truths is what really happened on 9/11/2001. In this context, Dr. Roberts mentions a scientific publication with lead author Niels Harrit reporting the presence of a large quantity of military grade thermite (an explosive) in the dust of the fallen World Trade Center towers. As it happens, I was one of the peer reviewers of that excellent paper. (Find out more about this in the link below.)

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 8 hours ago
* http://impactglassman.blogspot.com/2010/09/911-truth-evidence-of-energetic.html * ------------------------------ *Does Truth Have A Future In America? — Paul Craig Roberts * ------------------------------ January 2, 2013 | Original Here This site, www.paulcraigroberts.org, is for readers. There is nothing on this site except information. The site will continue as long as readers support it. There is no political, social, economic, or ideological agenda associated with this site. For the most part, readers who come to this site are capable of independent thought. They are aware tha... more »

Spain: The UFO That Terrorized a Village (1980)

Inexplicata (IHU) at Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology - 9 hours ago
*Source: Misterios del Hombre y del Universo http://pedromariafernandez.blogspot.com.es/2012/07/el-ovni-que-atemorizo-un-pueblo.html Date: 01/02/2013* *Spain: The UFO That Terrorized a Village* Merida is a city sufficiently attractive to cause a visitor to stop and look around. With Roman ruins over 2000 years old, historians consider it one of the most important Roman cities in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the most noteworthy ones after Rome itself. The enclave remained important during the Visigothic Age and also under Arab domination, remaining an important... more »

URANTIA

Anon at aangirfan - 9 hours ago
The Urantia religious cult is allegedly being used by the CIA. The Urantia cult may be involved with CIA mind control. Neal Waldrop, a Urantia Foundation trustee, was employed and trained by the US National Security Agency. General Duane Faw, a Urantia legal advisor, is linked to the CIA. Alex Constantine. *Mo Siegel, President, Urantia Foundation.* "The Urantia Brotherhood’s holy text was supposedly channelled by a member of the Kellogg family, which had four members enrolled in the Skull and Bones fraternity at the time the book was produced." "The Urantia book preaches World... more »

Roger Swanson

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 9 hours ago
But among voyagers around the globe, he's known as the man who circled the world not once -- but three times -- on a 57-foot sailboat whose home port is listed as "Dunnell, MN." He died December 25th 2012. "R.I.P. Roger Swanson."

Hertzan Chimera Unit - how atoms grow - easy as one, two, three

Mike Philbin at FREE PLANET - 9 hours ago
we've all done it, we've all tried to remember something, then someone has taken us (mentally or physically) back to the place where we used to know that thing and BANG there is the memory. Does this really suggest that 'memory is geo-related'? I ask this because I'm back from my Xmas family holiday in France and once again I've been tempted down the path of this illusive 'subatomic vortex in space' I've dubbed the HC (or *Hertzan Chimera *) Unit. "Easy as one, two, three!" thus sang Michael of the Jackson Five. You'll understand what I mean when you see how these atoms grow. So, I ... more »

Lightning Round--Lead and Violent Crime, Dish Goes Rogue, Al Jazeera Buys Current, Maron Talks to Michael Keaton, Books, More

Jay Allbritton at Jay Allbritton - 9 hours ago
*Mother Jones*: Kevin Drum posted a chilling article about the horrific effects of atmospheric lead (h/t *TPM*). The article cites copious studies that demonstrate a pretty clear link between lead and violent crime, as well as a bevy of health concerns, many of which still linger because even though the lead is no longer in our gasoline, it's not gone. *The Dish*: Next month Andrew Sullivan and crew are moving to a subscription model. In this post Sullivan outlines how transparent he plans to be about their numbers. *UPDATE:* While I was composing this post, *The Dish* posted their ... more »

The second great depression deepening across the globe

Intercept at The Intercept - 9 hours ago
PressTV Webster Tarpley In Charles Dickens’ celebrated short story A Christmas Carol (1843), the Malthusian miser and London stock exchange speculator Ebenezer Scrooge is told by the ghost of his deceased partner Jacob Marley that “it is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men, and traveled far and wide” for the purpose of doing good works of charity and thus alleviating human suffering. In this spirit, let us briefly examine the economic condition of humanity at the close of 2012. Our finding is sadly that the ongoing world eco... more »

Schoolboy, 12, who admitted 22 offences including sexual assault, theft and criminal damage is released without sentence because he has an IQ of just 58

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 9 hours ago
A boy of 12 who carried out more than 20 criminal acts was today released without charge - because the courts have no legal way to deal with him. A judge heard the child's behaviour has 'deteriorated beyond control' but his low IQ means that he cannot properly understand the court process. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2256661/Schoolboy-12-admitted-22-offences-including-sexual-assault-theft-criminal-damage-released-sentence-IQ-just-58.html

Hey, rubes: We wish our team didn’t do this!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 9 hours ago
*THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013* *Big Ed Schultz tinkers with time:* When Hillary Clinton declined to testify in December, all the usual suspects suggested that she was faking her medical condition. This upset the folks at MSNBC—the same people who had insisted, for roughly a month, that George Zimmerman simply *couldn’*t have a broken nose. (In fact, Zimmerman did have a broken nose. Our leaders kept insisting he didn't well past the point when it was clear that he almost surely did.) Whatever! At present, our fiery leaders are very upset that the usual fools at Fox played this card a... more »

White House wins fight to keep drone killings of Americans secret

Intercept at The Intercept - 10 hours ago
RussiaToday [image: Reuters / Pascal Lauener] A federal judge issued a 75-page ruling on Wednesday that declares that the US Justice Department does not have a legal obligation to explain the rationale behind killing Americans with targeted drone strikes. United States District Court Judge Colleen McMahon wrote in her finding this week that the Obama administration was largely in the right by rejecting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and The New York Times for materials pertaining to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to exe... more »

Life and death in the Americas

Left I on the News at Left I on the News - 10 hours ago
Prensa Latina reports that Cuba has once again recorded the lowest infant mortality rate in the Americas, 4.6/1000 live births. "In the American continent, the only country with an infant mortality rate of five was Canada, followed by the United States (seven [6.4 per the CDC), Chile (eight) and Costa Rica and Uruguay (nine), according to UNICEF." There were 4 million births in the U.S. last year. If the U.S. had the same infant mortality rate as Cuba (which means it would need the same universal, proactive health care as Cuba), 7200 fewer American babies would have died last year.... more »

US Drones

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 10 hours ago

Runaway Deer In Chelmsford: Woman Injured

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 10 hours ago
A woman had to be treated in hospital after being injured by a runaway deer as it tried to hurdle her in a busy high street. The wild animal sent pedestrians flying as it bolted down Chelmsford High Street before smashing into a shop window. A woman in her 20s suffered cuts and bruises when the deer attempted to jump over her and had to be taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries. http://news.sky.com/story/1033044/runaway-deer-in-chelmsford-woman-injured

"The New Year’s First Heist"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"The New Year’s First Heist"* by Douglas French "The high priests of the civic religion are very worried that people no longer seem to trust government. The law stands discredited. Once-hallowed institutions are under fire and losing status. People are openly loathing public officials. Movies, television, and best-selling books urge revolt. Most people don’t bother to vote. And these priests wonder why. Here’s an example of why. As the year opened, the House, Senate, and president all collaborated to enact the largest tax increase in human history — under the cover of night on... more »

Trotskyite Reactionaries

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 10 hours ago
Partisanship Blogging Warning. This post contains no academic content. What follows is a series of block quotes designed to illustrate the title of the post. This is simply remarkable…. First, Erick Erickson at RedState: The McConnell Tax Hike raises taxes on people making over $400,000.00, but it also raises taxes on the middle class. “More than 80 Continue reading

The Economy: "Too Much of a Good Thing"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"Too Much of a Good Thing"* By Bill Bonner "In the years 2007-2012, Nobel Prize winning economists Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz — along with celebrity economist Jeffrey Sachs and practically all their colleagues — failed to notice the most-important thing to happen in their field. But not noticing things came naturally, easily to them. In fact, you might say they had built their careers on not noticing things, especially the most-important thing in economics. It was part of their professional training. It was what allowed them to be economists and to win coveted prizes and... more »

Globe Xmas Gift: Afghan Going Away Present

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 10 hours ago
*That would be the best thing we could give Afghans, 'murkn.** * * **"Growing Afghan anger at what they see as an unwelcome occupation by the United States and its allies"* *Then we have truly **lost**. * "Afghan police sergeant kills US civilian adviser in Kabul" by Rod Nordland | New York Times, December 25, 2012 KABUL — A *female police sergeant* *shot and killed* a *US civilian adviser*at police headquarters in Kabul on Monday, Afghan police officials said, breaking a relative lull in the so-called insider killings that have strained the relationship between Americans and Afgha... more »

Afghan Army Casualties on the Upswing

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 10 hours ago
*And the AmeriKan media declare progress!* "Deaths of Afghan soldiers rise as coalition withdraws" by Azam Ahmed | New York Times, December 31, 2012 KABUL — The Afghan government has hit a *grim record* in its quest to take over the country’s security from coalition forces: more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers died in 2012.... Though the Afghan Army’s *death rates* have outstripped those for international forces in recent years, the new figures show the widest margin yet, as more Afghan units have taken the field. International troops were reported to have lost about 400 soldiers in 2... more »

David Cameron is standing up for the right of self-determination for the Falklanders

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 10 hours ago
Oddly he's not so keen on giving us British a referendum on whether we should stay in, or leave, the EU. Most odd!

Investigating the Afghan Army

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 10 hours ago
*You know who is going to be paying for it, American?* "Hoping to foil infiltrators, Afghans will spy on recruits; ‘Insider’ attacks killed 9 from US in past 12 days" by Kevin Sieff | Washington Post, August 21, 2012 KABUL — The Afghan measures include the *deployment of dozens of undercover intelligence officers* to Afghan security units nationwide, *increased surveillance of phone calls* between Afghan troops and their families, and a ban on cellphone use among new recruits to give them fewer opportunities to contact the insurgency, Afghan officials say. * **They are learning th... more »

Sunday Globe Special: Afghanistan War is Almost Over

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 10 hours ago
*And guess what? We won! * "US commanders are upbeat about Afghan war progress" by Robert Burns | Associated Press, December 16, 2012 KABUL — US commanders are offering *glowing reviews* of their 2012 war campaign, upbeat assessments that could be interpreted as leeway for President Obama to order another round of troop withdrawals next summer. * **If lies mean removing troops, let's do it! Let's just declare victory and get the hell out, 'eh?* Obama faces a tension between calls by Democrats and even some Republicans to *wind down the war more quickly* and the military’s desire t... more »

Revealed: first image of a new planet being formed with star dust

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
The world’s highest radio telescope, built on a Chilean plateau in the Andes 5,000 metres above sea level, has captured the first image of a new planet being formed as it gobbles up the cosmic dust and gas surrounding a distant star. Astronomers have long predicted that giant “gas” planets similar to Jupiter would form by collecting the dust and debris that forms around a young star. Now they have the first visual evidence to support the phenomenon, scientists said. The image taken by the Atacama Millimetre-submillimetre Array (ALMA) in Chile shows two streams of gas connecting th... more »

Flu cases up almost half in a fortnight

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Consultation rates in England rose from 23 per 100,000 in mid-December to 33 per 100,000 in the week ending December 30, according to the Health Protection Agency. There was even more flu over the Christmas week in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with consultation rates of 37 and 44 per 100,000. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9778866/Flu-cases-up-almost-half-in-a-fortnight.html

David Cameron rebuffs Argentina over Falklands

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
The future of the Falkland Islands is up to its inhabitants - not Argentina, Prime Minister David Cameron has said. It comes after Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner urged the prime minister to abide by a 1965 UN resolution to "negotiate a solution" to the dispute. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20897675

Remember Current TV? You know, Al Gore? Keith Olbermann? Will anyone notice when it gives way to Al Jazeera America?

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 11 hours ago
*If you've been silently concerned about what's been happening lately on (or to) Current TV, you can stop worrying.* *by Ken* My goodness, was Current TV really concocted *seven years ago*? This is from nytimes.com "Media Decoder" Brian Stelter ("Al Jazeera Acquires Current TV"): Al Jazeera on Wednesday completed a deal to take over Current TV, the low-rated cable channel that was founded by Al Gore and his business partners seven years ago. Current will provide the pan-Arab news giant with something it has sought for years: a pathway into American living rooms. Current is availa... more »

Simon Huxtable and Deborah Dale Crushed By Car In Bruges, Belgium

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Two British tourists have suffered terrible injuries to their legs after being struck by a car as they crossed a road in Belgium. Simon Huxtable, 44, and Deborah Dale, 34, were strolling through the picturesque city of Bruges when they were hit by a drink-driver, police have said. Doctors treating the holidaymakers could be forced to amputate their legs following the crash, which led to the arrest of a 22-year-old Belgian man. http://news.sky.com/story/1033001/british-couple-crushed-by-car-in-bruges

a comment on the Common Core from the 14th century

skrashen at Schools Matter - 11 hours ago
Hafiz, 14th century Sufi poet, comments on the Common Core: "Dropping Keys The small person Builds cages for everyone She Sees. Instead, the sage, Who needs to duck her head, When the moon is low, Can be found dropping keys, all night long For the beautiful, Rowdy, Prisoners." (For this and other great quotes, see http://www.susanohanian.org/quotes.php)

Chris Christie Bares His Fangs at Boehner and Congressional Republicans

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 11 hours ago
New Jersey's popular Republican governor, Chris Christie, has turned on the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and House majority leader John Boehner is reeling. *"Americans are tired of the palace intrigue and political partisanship of this Congress, which places one-upmanship ahead of the lives of the citizens who sent these people to Washington DC in the first place," Christie said.* *He added: "America deserves better than yet another example of a government that has forgotten who they are there to serve and why." Referring specifically to the failure to act on th... more »

Putin gives citizenship to tax exile Depardieu

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin has granted citizenship to Gerard Depardieu, the French movie star who is quitting his homeland to avoid a tax hike on the rich, the Kremlin said on Thursday. The "Cyrano de Bergerac" actor bought a house across the border in Belgium last year to avoid a new tax rate for millionaires in France planned by Socialist President Francois Hollande but said he could also seek tax exile elsewhere. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/03/us-russia-depardieu-idUSBRE90206G20130103

Syria rebels in push to capture air base

Lynsey at The Coming Crisis - 11 hours ago
Rebels battled on Thursday to seize an air base in northern Syria, part of a campaign to fight back against the air power that has given President Bashar al-Assad's forces free rein to bomb rebel-held towns. More than 60,000 people have been killed in the 21-month-old uprising and civil war, the United Nations said this week, sharply raising the death toll estimate in a conflict that shows no sign of ending. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/03/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE8AJ1FK20130103

Mujer sentada en la playa bajo la luz de la luna

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 11 hours ago
[image: mujer sentada en la playa] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de Playas* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

Hermoso lago azul entre las montañas

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Lago azul en las montañas] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de Lagos Azules* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

Trippy watching fireworks in reverse...

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 12 hours ago
This video is of the fireworks in melbourne for New Years Eve.

Don’t shoot—he wants to grow up!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013* *Was Bazelon’s aim true:* On this morning’s front page, the New York Times reports on the homicide rate in Chicago. The report features a photograph of a young black child in Chicago. We’ll guess that he’s eleven or twelve. He’s at a peace vigil, holding this sign: “DON’T SHOOT. I want to grow up.” Younger kids stand beside him. For our money, Monica Davey’s report was a bit light on the information. In Chicago, homicides were up 16 percent from 2011, she says, even as overall crime in the city dropped. But how did the number of homicides in Chicago com... more »

Arenas del desierto

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Arenas del desierto] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de Desiertos* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

On How the American Judicial System Sanctions Growing US Fascism

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 12 hours ago
Judge backs Obama administration on secrecy of targeted killings of terrorism suspects By Karen DeYoung, Published: January 2 The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/2013/01/02/83799c18-5515-11e2-8b9e-dd8773594efc_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines [Excerpted] The Obama administration acted lawfully in refusing to disclose information about its targeted killings of terrorism suspects, including the 2011 drone strikes that killed three U.S. citizens in Yemen, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. But the judge also described a “veritable Catch-22” of secur... more »

Pequeños lagos en la montañas

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Lago en las montañas] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de Lagos azules* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

Heatwave across Australia set to break records – ‘Most serious bushfire threat in more than a decade’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 12 hours ago
[image: Australians escape the 2013 heat wave on the beach. Ryan Osland / SMH] By Peter Hannam, Carbon economy editor 4 January 2013 (Sydney Morning Herald) – LONG-STANDING temperature records may be broken in coming days as a massive heatwave sizzles much of the country. A huge swath of central and south-eastern Australia is poised to swelter on Friday with temperatures expected to peak at 41 degrees in Melbourne, 44 in Adelaide and even 39 in Hobart. "We probably will get close to some of the really significant Australia-wide records," said Aaron Coutts-Smith, the NSW climate s... more »

Airstrikes and Other Explosions in Afghanistan

Rocker at MSM Monitor - 12 hours ago
*As reported by my printed Boston Globe these last few months:* "Taliban insurgents die in airstrike KABUL — A *coalition airstrike* *killed more than 20* Taliban insurgents who gathered to oversee a public execution in northeastern Afghanistan on Saturday, Afghan officials said. Some Afghan officials in Kunar Province, where the strike occurred, put the death toll much higher, at *40 to 50*. NATO said only that ‘‘at least two dozen’’ insurgents were killed. The bombing took place in the Chapa Dara district of Kunar Province, an area near Pakistan (New York Times)." "A *coalition a... more »

Paisajes de otoño en el bosque

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Colores del Otoño] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *Arboles en Otoño* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

Paisaje de casas lindas

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Casas lindas] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *Fotos de Paisajes* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

Lindo caballo blanco en el campo

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 12 hours ago
[image: Caballos] *Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de Caballos* Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com

An Answer to harperscum Critics of Chief Spence

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 12 hours ago
Making my rounds of the mainstream news online I notice that harperscum trolls have all been trained to parrot the lie that Chief Spence was given $90 million to provide housing for her community of 2,000 people and yadda-yadda-yadda, These disgusting cretins insinuate that Chief Spence's hunger-strike (so-far onto its 21st day) is merely a ploy to mask her siphoning of Canadian taxpayers' dollars into an offshore bank account.* The thing is, these racist pieces of shit have forgotten that Chief Spence's community, Attawapiskat, was under co-management with the federal government. S... more »

As pheasants disappear, hunters in Iowa follow

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 13 hours ago
[image: Hunter Mike Wilson looks in vain for pheasant in Iowa. The pheasant, once king of Iowa’s nearly half-a-billion-dollar hunting industry, is vanishing from the state. Surveys show that the population in 2012 was the second lowest on record, 81 percent below the average over the past four decades. Daniel Acker for The New York Times] By JOHN ELIGON 31 December 2012 ELKHART, Iowa (The New York Times) – Mike Wilson glared dejectedly through the mist on his silver-frame glasses at the soggy field of tall, dense brush, tilting the barrel of his 12-gauge shotgun toward the gray c... more »

Boreal forests dying as Alaska warms

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 13 hours ago
[image: In almost every patch of boreal forest in Interior Alaska that Glenn Juday has studied since the 1980s, at least one quarter of the aspen, white spruce, and birch trees are dead. In the Interior, Juday sees significant numbers of dead trees, which he attributes to higher air temperatures here since the mid-1970s. Along with less moisture available to trees, some of the warmer temperature events have triggered infestations of insects. Anchorage Daily News] By Ned Rozell 31 December 2012 Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage Daily News) – In almost every patch of boreal forest in I... more »

Falklands row: Cameron vows to defend Islanders

Matt at The Coming Crisis - 13 hours ago
The news came as Buenos Aries told the Prime Minister should return the islands to Argentina 180 years to the day since they were “forcibly stripped” from the south American country. Downing Street said that the Prime Minister would “do everything to protect the interests of the Falkland Islanders”. The source added: “The people of the Falklands have a clear desire to remain British and the Argentine government should respect their right to self-determination.” The commitment from Downing Street comes despite repeated warnings from ex-admirals that Britain might not have the mili... more »

Coveting horns, ruthless smugglers’ rings put rhinos in the cross hairs

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 13 hours ago
[image: A white rhino after it was dehorned at the ranch of John Hume, a South African entrepreneur who now owns more than 800 rhinos, with names like Curly, Titan, Hillary, and Pinocchio, and has amassed a 2,000-pound mountain of horn worth millions of dollars. Joao Silva / The New York Times] By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN 31 December 2012 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, South Africa (The New York Times) — They definitely did not look like ordinary big-game hunters, the stream of slender young Thai women who showed up on the veld wearing tight bluejeans and sneakers. But the rhinoceros carcasses k... more »

NEW WONKS ON THE BLOCK: A somewhat peculiar favorite book!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013* *Part 3—High praise for those who failed us:* Who knows? Dylan Matthews may turn out to be the best “policy journalist who focuses on taxes, budgets, and other elements of US economic and fiscal policy” in journalistic history. (For part 2 of this award-winning series, see THE DAILY HOWLER, 1/2/13.) That’s the way Matthews describes himself at his personal web site. At the Washington Post’s Wonkblog site, the gent is profiled as follows: “Dylan Matthews covers taxes, poverty, campaign finance, higher education, and all things data. He has also written ... more »

Light absorption speeds melting of Arctic sea ice

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 13 hours ago
[image: image]By FELICITY BARRINGER 31 December 2012 (The New York Times) – The record-setting disappearance of Arctic sea ice this fall was an indication to many climate scientists and ice experts that the pace of climate change was outstripping predictions. Now a new study published this week in the journal *Geophysical Research Letters* provides a look at a dynamic that may further accelerate the process: the rate at which the ocean underneath the ice absorbs sunlight. The bottom line of the study, which was done by four scientists, three at the Alfred Wegener Institute for P... more »

Looking Back at the Cliff

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 13 hours ago
I'm late to this post, so I'm just going to do it scattershot-style... First, I'll give you some links. Of course you're going to want to start with what Sarah Binder says. See also Simon Jackman on voting in the House, And Jared Bernstein is worth reading on the policy and the politics. Meanwhile, I wound up not having a post-length reaction, but I have a bunch of small points, so here they are before they get too stale: * "Permanent" in budget-speak is meaningful and important, but it doesn't mean what "permanent" means in ordinary language. If Democrats have the votes to do it in... more »

Happy, no Lucky, New Year 2013 !?

address-withheld@my.opera.com.invalid (Dr. John v. Kampen) at - 14 hours ago
Link: http://youtu.be/Xcm9qsVaf0o I wish all of you a good, prosperous, creative, healthy and happy New Year! John

More snow

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 14 hours ago

Argentina: Strange Light Over Carlos Paz

Inexplicata (IHU) at Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology - 14 hours ago
*Argentina: Strange Light Over Carlos Paz* *By Andrés Ferreyra Date: Wednesday, 02 January 2013* *The sighting took place on Friday, 7 December 2012* Carlos Paz Vivo! (website) gained access to two videos taken onn 7 December 2012 from a residence in Barrio Becú. SEE THE IMAGES HERE:http://www.carlospazvivo.com/carlos-paz/hechos/13120-ovni-extrana-luz-sobrevolo-carlos-paz After 8:00 p.m. on that day, a woman and some children in a house of that neighborhood of western Carlos Paz saw a strange light in the sky at dusk. They turned on their little camera and recorded tw... more »

The Dearth of Bestselling Economists

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 14 hours ago
Last October, Amazon introduced a new feature: a list of bestselling authors, aggregating across all books an author has written. Here is the list of the top 100 authors. For an economist, perusing the list is a humbling experience. As far as I can tell, not a single member of our profession made the list. I wonder whether Galbriath might have made it in his day, as he had written a large number of books accessible to general audiences. But these days, not a single one of us has wide enough readership to make it onto the list. The next time you are tempted to lament the sad state o... more »

Read Stuff, You Should

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 14 hours ago
Happy Birthday to Sarah Alexander, 41. "Coupling" is almost certainly in my top 5 sitcoms of 00s, the last season notwithstanding. Although I'm very slow getting to things and so I'm open to dumping it for something else. To the good stuff: 1. Andrew Sullivan, on his own. I've come to believe that, oddly enough, and whatever you think of his (and his team's) evolution into a blogazine or whatever it is (I think it's terrific, but that's another story), he's an underrated blogger. And he's always been incredibly nice to me and Plain Blog. Consider subscribing! 2. Excellent series o... more »

UN's Syria number fudging: Russia & the "writing on the wall"

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 14 hours ago
Yesterday I worked and worked at this posting. It got so long, I broke it up. Still I couldn't get it to come together even as I worked at it more last evening It's a new day, so here we go yet again. Now that the holiday’s are over. Whew! (Wipes brow) Let's get back to the ‘news’. Or what passes for it? What is presented as news, doesn't strike me as informative or realistic, it is more like a hard sell. The steady drum beat growing louder and faster punctuated by shrieks and calls to keep your attention, in order to advance the war agenda. Often reinforced with gruesome images an... more »

Housing Benefit Cuts and Social Engineering

Phil at A Very Public Sociologist - 14 hours ago
This is a familiar story. Yesterday, Stoke's *Sentinel* reported that the City Council is having problems getting its tenants to "downsize" ahead of housing benefit cuts. For readers unfamiliar with the new rules due to come in, if you are, for example, a single person renting a two bed terrace, or a family living in a three bedroom house with a boy and a girl under the age of 10, you will be deemed to be "under-occupying" the property and get your housing benefit cut - hence it's being dubbed the "bedroom tax". As the *Sentinel* notes, there are significant difficulties because onl... more »

Why? 25 Good Questions To Ask....

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 15 hours ago
It is now 2013, and although the world did not end as the Mayans had "predicted", there are some very serious issues that this world faces this year. As I have said many times already, 2013 could be the year that we either defeat the criminals out for our enslavement, or we lose this battle and allow them to have the finishing pieces put into place for their push for world domination. I want to present a very interesting article, that I came across from the website: "The American Dream" at www.endoftheamericandream.com, simply entitled: "Why?". This article presents 25 important... more »

Getting Fit with Lean Moms and a Giveaway ($67 Value)

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 15 hours ago
One of my major resolutions this year is to see my pre-baby weight on the scale. I am a stress eater. I have always know that about myself and moving across the country and then living apart from my husband for two months before moving again was NOT good for my goals. I had worked so hard to lose 25 pounds last year and then I saw some (luckily not all) of that come right back on. After all that stress and the holidays, I knew I had to take action, I needed a program, something to stick to, but I have never found something that fit me. I have always wanted a program that focused on ... more »

Spring Revolution in Iraq

Hani Fakhouri at Middle East Today - 15 hours ago
The recent mass protest movements that have been taking place in several Iraqi governates can be classified as the beginning of a spring revolution in that country. These protests took place when in al-Anbar, Nineveh, Salahuddin, Mosul Fallujah and Al-Ramadi. The Sunni protestors are reacting to Prime Minister Nouri-al-Malik’s (Shiite) suppression against them and the jailing of some of their Sunni political leadership including the Sunni Iraqi women’s ill treatment in prison. The arrest of members of the Sunni community in Iraq on suspicion of terrorist activities is in reality... more »

For Once Congressional Republicans Are Right And Obama Is Completely Wrong

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
Jeff Merkley Obama is wrong often enough, but rarely does that coincide with the Republicans being right about the same issue. He may suck-- he does-- but they're even worse. He's always been a solid "D" or, at best, an occasional "C." The Republicans never rise beyond an "F." Never. Even when they stumble onto the right decision, it's always for the wrong reason. And that's what we're talking about today. Obama signed an Executive Order giving congressmembers a raise. A raise! Their salaries should be cut in half! The first sign I had of it was a tweet from progressive Oregon Senat... more »

Canadian Class Warfare

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
Michael Valpy -- whose new address seems to be the *Toronto Star* -- writes that Canadians are becoming markedly intolerant of one another -- and Stephen Harper is reaping the political benefits: What we have are profound, systemic demographic divisions of age and education that aren’t going to go away for years, if ever — divisions which Harper, like Shakespeare’s Brutus, has recognized as a tide in the affairs of men that, taken at the flood, can lead to victory. He’s deftly caught the baby-boom on the boomerang — the young and rebellious of the 1960s and ’70s who grew into ... more »
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