DECEMBER 2016
Happy Holiday Season!!! - We will return on January 2, 2017
Friday - December
23, 2016
Today In History:
1783 - George Washington returned home to Mount Vernon, after the
disbanding of his army following the Revolutionary War.
1788 - Maryland voted to cede a 100-square-mile area for the seat of the
national government. About two-thirds of the area became the District of
Columbia.
1880 - Thomas Edison incorporated the Edison Electric Light Company of
Europe.
1913 - The Federal Reserve Bill was signed into law by U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson. The act established 12 Federal Reserve Banks.
1919 - The 1st ship designed to be used as an ambulance for the
transport patients was launched. The hospital ship was named USS Relief
and had 515 beds.
1922 - The British Broadcasting Corporation began daily news broadcasts.
1941 - During World War II, American forces on Wake Island surrendered
to the Japanese.
1942 - Bob Hope agreed to entertain U.S. airmen in Alaska. It was the
first of the traditional Christmas shows.
1968 - The crew of the U.S. Navy ship, Pueblo, was released by North
Korea. The Captain of the Pueblo, Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, and 82 of
his crew were held for 11 months after the ship was seized by North
Korea because of suspected spying by the Americans.
1970 - In New York, the topping out ceremony for original One World
Trade Center (North Tower) took place. The South Tower's ceremony took
place on July 19, 1971.
1987 - Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, serving a life sentence for the
attempted assassination of U.S. President Ford in 1975, escaped from the
Alderson Federal Prison for Women in West Virginia. She was recaptured
two days later.
1997 - Terry Nichols was convicted by a Denver jury on charges of
conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter in the 1995 federal building
bombing in Oklahoma City. The bomb killed 168 people.
2003 - The government announced the first suspected case of mad cow
disease in United States.
2003 - A jury in Chesapeake, Va., sentenced teen sniper Lee Boyd Malvo
to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty.
2009 - The parents who pulled the "balloon boy" hoax in hopes of landing
a reality TV show, were sentenced to jail by a judge in Fort Collins,
Colo.
Syrian Army declares Aleppo under full control, ‘return of
security’ to city
RT - The Syrian Army has regained control over all of Aleppo and
has returned “security and stability to the city,” the army's
general command said. The Red Cross has confirmed that a complex
operation to evacuate those who "wished" to leave has been
completed. The city has been liberated from "terrorism and
terrorists" the statement said, as quoted by Syria's state SANA
news agency. Aleppo will now mark a turning point in the war
against terrorism, the Syrian Army statement said. “It strikes a
smashing blow to the forces that backed a terrorism plot against
Syria,” the statement added…. Syrian President Bashar Assad said
on Thursday that the liberation of Aleppo from terrorism is a
victory not just for Syria but for all those who are effectively
contributing to the fight against terrorism, including Iran and
Russia.
Japan’s cabinet approves record $43.6bn military budget amid
tensions with China & N. Korea
RT - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet has approved a record
$43.6 billion Japan military budget, increasing it for the fifth
year in a row out of concerns over potential threats from China
and North Korea. Abe’s cabinet signed off on a 1.4 percent
increase in military spending, bringing the total to a record
5.13 trillion yen ($43.66 billion) for the fiscal year starting
April 1. Experts say the plan is very likely to be approved by
lawmakers. Meanwhile, China continues to claim disputed
territories in the South China Sea, and North Korea has
continued to carry out missile tests…. With regard to North
Korea, Tokyo has invested in its own intercontinental ballistic
missiles to assure that it is prepared to deliver a proportional
response if attacked by Pyongyang. Part of the new technology
has been developed jointly with the US, such as ship-based
missile interception systems that could come in handy, as four
missiles recently test-fired by North Korea landed a mere 240
kilometers from Japan.
Germany has 7,000 terror suspects at large and is finding it
‘almost impossible’ to monitor them, former UK intelligence
chief says
Daily Mail - Germany is finding it 'almost impossible' to keep
track of around 7,000 potential terror suspects in the country,
a former British intelligence chief has warned. Richard Barrett,
who was head of counter-terrorism at MI6, said the authorities
were finding the number of 'live' cases unmanageable. The grim
assessment came as German security services face difficult
questions following the Berlin Christmas market massacre. It has
emerged that the suspect, Anis Amris, a lifelong criminal,
should have been deported months ago. The 24-year-old, who has a
100,000 euro reward on his head, was under surveillance by
German intelligence for several months following his arrival in
the country in 2015. He had been arrested three times this year
and his asylum application was rejected, but deportation papers
were never served and he disappeared. The Tunisian radical was
known to be a supporter of Islamic State and to have received
weapons training. He also tried to recruit an accomplice for a
terror plot – which the authorities knew about – but still
remained at large.
2.5 tons of fake plastic rice seized in Nigeria
RT - Amid skyrocketing food prices and inflation ahead of
Christmas, Nigerian authorities have intercepted a shipment of
some 2.5 tons of fake rice, supposedly from China. Health
warnings have been issued and an arrest made. The 102 bags of
fake rice, weighing 25kg (a little over 50lb) each and labeled
‘Best Tomato Rice’, are thought by customs officers to have been
smuggled in through the port in Lagos, according to AFP. The
port city is the country’s main commercial hub. The connection
to China is being suggested after 'rice' made from plastic
pellets was discovered at the same port last year. A suspect was
arrested Wednesday, and warnings were immediately issued to
steer clear of the rice, and definitely not cook it. It was upon
cooking the rice that customs officials saw its sticky
constitution, realizing it was not safe.
Ecuadorian Natives Detain Govt Troops as State Attempts to Give
Their Land Away to Big Oil
The Free Thought Project - A bold action by indigenous peoples
in Ecuador is providing a stark contrast to the situation of
Native Americans over the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Kichwa de
Sarayaku indigenous group has detained 11 government soldiers
who were traveling through their territory in northeast Ecuador.
The soldiers were going by canoe along the Bobonaza River, were
not on duty and had not asked permission to enter the territory,
according to the Kichwa. “For security reasons we have been
obligated to isolate them to consult them about their purpose
and where they were headed. Sarayaku guarantees their Human
Rights,” a Kichwa statement read. Pictures of the soldiers
sitting on benches inside a camp were also posted. The
detainment comes as tensions flare once again over
government-enabled corporate exploitation of native lands.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Donald
Trump says he wants to ‘greatly strengthen and expand’ U.S.
nuclear capability, a radical break from U.S. foreign policy
Washington Post - President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday
called for the United States to expand its nuclear arsenal,
after Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country’s
nuclear potential needs fortifying, raising the specter of a new
arms race that would reverse decades of efforts to reduce the
number and size of the two countries’ nuclear weapons. In a
tweet that offered no details, Trump said, “The United States
must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until
such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.”
During the campaign, Trump talked in one debate about the need
to modernize the country’s infrastructure of nuclear weaponry,
saying the United States is falling behind. But it is not clear
whether Trump is thinking of increasing the number of nuclear
weapons the United States possesses, or updating the existing
supply. Trump’s tweet came shortly after Putin, during a defense
ministry meeting, talked tough on Russia’s stockpile of nuclear
weapons.
* Related:
Putin calls for strengthening nuclear potential
Boeing CEO Promises Trump Air Force One Will Be Less Than $4B
Sputnik News - US President-elect Donald Trump met with top
executives from Lockheed Martin and Boeing on Wednesday to begin
negotiating for new aircraft that the incoming President
previously criticized for 'out of control" costs. Trump’s
meetings with Boeing and Lockheed were held separately in Palm
Beach, Florida, and included senior defense officials. The next
Air Force One will have "the best capability" at an affordable
price point, Boeing chairman Dennis Muilenburg claimed,
following the meeting. The aim of the talks was "to get costs
down," Trump said, emphasizing "costs." The President-elect
cried foul over a $4-billion price tag associated with the
presidential plane, but Boeing is "going to get it done for less
than that," the Boeing CEO said following the meeting. The
Chicago-based aerospace giant must work with federal officials
to create an aircraft to Pentagon specifications, including
anti-missile defense systems. Boeing has yet to be awarded a
contract for the physical production of the plane, but the
company has started building out the plane’s systems. Government
contracts analyst Kevin Brancato notes that the Pentagon has set
aside $3.2 billion for the life-cycle of the two planes, from
research and development to construction and acquisition…. Trump
and the Lockheed Martin CEO conversed on the ever-contentious
F-35 fighter jet program, though Trump would not commit to
having gained any victories during the negotiations. "It’s a
dance, you know" he said, indicating the discussions are still
in the preliminary stages, adding that the F-35 program is
“very, very expensive.”
Mysterious Military Flyover Above Manhattan Was A Trump
“Emergency Relocation Drill”
Zero Hedge - One week ago, New Yorkers were captivated, and
unnerved, by a 40-minute long military exercise in which one
USAF C-130 and several HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters could be seen
circling at very low altitudes above Manhattan. While the US
military kept silent about the overflight, U.S. Air Force Col.
Nicholas Broccoli, the vice commander of the Air National
Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing, said the aircraft were conducting
“standard military training.” However, one look at the flight
pattern of the plane shows there was seemingly little that was
“standard” about a C-130 making dozens of circles over midtown
Manhattan. Today we learn that the overflights were far more
than simply “standard military training.” According to DNAinfo,
the military airplane and two helicopters doing loops over
Midtown last week were conducting an “emergency relocation”
planning mission in case they needed to extract President-elect
Donald Trump during an emergency or attack. Citing sources,
DNAInfo said that the flyovers were part of an “emergency
relocation drill” designed to identify locations, primarily in
Central Park, where a chopper could touch down near Trump’s home
inside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and 56th Street, and safely
evacuate Trump and others from the city. “It was the military
doing their homework,” one source said. “They were making plans
how to remove him, mapping plans and strategizing,” added a
second source. In the event of an emergency, the president would
be whisked by the Secret Service north to the park, and then
flown in a helicopter to the nation’s capital or a secret
government site in Virginia or West Virginia, sources said. The
aircraft models spotted during the exercise can fly long
distances without refueling and can also refuel in mid-air if
necessary, sources said. Surprisingly, the NYPD was given only
short notice about the flyovers, and were never informed that
the military would be using a plane as large a C-130 with its
130-foot wing span.
Obama Administration Scraps Entry-Exit Tracking System for
Migrants from Muslim Countries
(AP) - The Obama administration is officially ending a post-9/11
era registration system for immigrant men from mostly Muslim
countries. The decision to scrap the National Security
Entry-Exit Registration System comes amid growing international
terror fears and President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestions that
he could ban Muslim immigrants from the United States. Trump
said Wednesday, “You know my plans.” The NSEERS program was
widely derided by civil libertarians as an effort to profile
people based on race and religion. The administration hasn’t
been using the program since 2011.
The U.S. is no stranger to interfering in the elections of other
countries
LA Times - One professor's database cites 81 attempts by the
United States to influence elections in other countries, notably
in Iran, Guatemala and Chile. The CIA has accused Russia of
interfering in the 2016 presidential election by hacking into
Democratic and Republican computer networks and selectively
releasing emails. But critics might point out the U.S. has done
similar things. The U.S. has a long history of attempting to
influence presidential elections in other countries – it’s done
so as many as 81 times between 1946 and 2000, according to a
database amassed by political scientist Dov Levin of Carnegie
Mellon University. That number doesn’t include military coups
and regime change efforts following the election of candidates
the U.S. didn’t like, notably those in Iran, Guatemala and
Chile. Nor does it include general assistance with the electoral
process, such as election monitoring. Levin defines intervention
as “a costly act which is designed to determine the election
results [in favor of] one of the two sides.” These acts, carried
out in secret two-thirds of the time, include funding the
election campaigns of specific parties, disseminating
misinformation or propaganda, training locals of only one side
in various campaigning or get-out-the-vote techniques, helping
one side design their campaign materials, making public
pronouncements or threats in favor of or against a candidate,
and providing or withdrawing foreign aid.
Texas Moves to Stop Future ‘Faithless Electors’
Breitbart - Texas leaders are moving quickly to prevent a repeat
of Monday’s vote by two “faithless electors” who broke their vow
to cast a ballot for the winner of the presidential vote in the
Lone Star State. Bills have been filed in both houses for the
upcoming legislative session creating penalties for electors who
do not honor their pledge. Governor Greg Abbott has promised to
sign the bill if it reaches his desk. Following the votes by two
faithless electors in Monday’s Electoral College vote in the
Texas State Capitol, State Senator-Elect Dawn Buckingham (R-Lakeway)
pre-filed Senate Bill 394 (attached below), the Texas Elector
Accountability Act. The bill calls for a civil fine and a
permanent prohibition against serving as an elector in any
future presidential election.
Bongino: ‘Mainstream Media Normalizing Anti-Social Behavior
Against Donald Trump’
Breitbart - “Mainstream media are normalizing anti-social
behavior against Donald Trump,” former Secret Service agent Dan
Bongino tells Breitbart News in an exclusive interview. Bongino,
who served in the agency’s Presidential Protection Division for
both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, says
“unlike many in the mainstream media, I’ve actually interviewed
people who have threatened the president. These are the ones who
can have trigger moments that can happen based on something
they’ve read or seen.” “That’s the problem I have with the media
now,” Bongino says, noting that it applied a very different
standard of reporting to President Obama than they are now
applying to President-elect Trump. “The media had that
gatekeeper role, when it came to reporting on comments about
President Obama,” Bongino, who lost the Republican primary in
Florida’s 19th Congressional District in 2016, says. “But with
President-elect Trump, they are reporting every outlandish
allegation, often without providing any balance in the story,”
the former Secret Service agent and New York City Police
Department officer says. The result, he says, is to “normalize
anti-social behavior” against the President-elect. While it is
hard to say exactly what triggers psychologically unbalanced
individuals to undertake violent actions, one recent story
sounds a warning bell that President-elect Trump’s personal
security may require unprecedented levels of protection over the
next four years.
Screaming lawyer chases down Ivanka Trump and yells at her as
she sits with her kids on flight to Florida
Daily Mail - A passenger on a JetBlue flight accosted Ivanka
Trump on Thursday morning. 'Your father is ruining the country,'
said Dan Goldstein, a lawyer from Brooklyn, who had a child in
his arms. He then began demanding to know why Ivanka was on the
flight and not travelling on a private plane while she sat with
her kids. Ivanka ignored him and tried to preoccupy her children
with crayons while the man berated her. A fellow passenger said
later that Ivanka told security and flight staff she did not
want to make the incident a thing and have anyone removed from
the flight…JetBlue released a statement on Thursday morning
saying: 'The decision to remove a customer from a flight is not
taken lightly. If the crew determines that a customer is causing
a conflict on the aircraft, the customer will be asked to
deplane, especially if the crew feels the situation runs the
risk of escalation during flight.’… Members of Secret Service
were on the flight with the family, but did not intervene and
instead chose to let the airline handle the issue.
Missouri Bills Would Require Implementation of the
Unconstitutional REAL ID Act
Tenth Amendment Center - Two bills prefiled for the 2017
legislative session would repeal a Missouri law prohibiting
implementation of the Real ID Act and set the state on a course
to participate in an unconstitutional national identification
system. Rep. Kevin Corlew (R-Kansas City) prefiled House Bill
151 (HB151) on Dec. 6. Sen. Ryan Silvery (R-Kansas City)
introduced a similar bill (SB37) in the Senate. The legislation
would repeal current state law prohibiting “compliance with the
goals or standards of the federal REAL ID,” and replace it with
a program to issue REAL ID compliant driver’s licenses to those
who want them. Under the proposed laws, Missourians would be
allowed to opt out of the federally compliant ID. Congress
passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 and Pres. G.W. Bush signed it
into law. The act essentially mandates a national ID system that
relies on states to implement. Under the act, all 50 states were
supposed to comply with the federal law by 2008. But, states
rebelled against REAL ID for several reasons, including privacy
concerns and the fact that Congress didn’t provide any funding
for the mandates it imposes on states. To date, 27 states,
including Missouri, remain non-compliant, nullifying the
national ID system in effect…. Over the last year, the federal
government has ramped up bullying tactics in an effort to force
reticent states into compliance. On Oct. 13, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) sent letters to five states, denying
their request for a time extensions to bring their driver’s
licenses in compliance with REAL ID. Three other states,
including Missouri, were already under the DHS gun. If the feds
follow through on their threats, this means that in 2018,
residents of Missouri may find themselves on a virtual no-fly
list. They will need to have alternate ID, such as a passport,
in order to clear TSA screening.
Chicago Gun Violence So High It Is Skewing National Murder
Figures
Breitbart - …the Chicago Tribune reports that the number of
murders in Chicago reached 755 by December 21. When these
numbers are added to the murder figures of other cities, they
raise the overall perception of violence considerably —
particularly when it comes to the number of homicides.According
to The Washington Post, the Brennan Center of Justice expects
“the homicide rate for the country’s 30 biggest cities… to go up
by 14 percent this year.” But that increase does not tell the
whole story; namely, that “the killings in Chicago account for
an astounding 43.7 percent of this overall increase in
[homicides].” In other words, if year-end numbers do in fact
show the anticipated “14 percent” jump in homicides nationally,
the deaths in Chicago alone will account for nearly half of that
increase. This means Chicago’s failed gun control experiment is
affecting us all by making murder numbers appear higher across
the nation than they actually are. These elevated numbers give
Democratic politicians an opportunity to claim concealed carry
is not effective, to claim more intrusive government policies
are necessary to keep us safe, regardless of which city or state
we call home. Baltimore has witnessed approximately 299
homicides year-to-date, and Washington D.C. has witnessed
approximately 128. When combined with Chicago, the death numbers
in these three Democrat-run, highly gun-controlled cities
account for well over 50 percent of the murder spike that will
be credited to America’s 30 largest cities.
Atheist Group Demands Town Remove Nativity … But Town Refuses
(‘It’s Here To Stay’)
Off the Grid News - Belen, N.M., is one such community. In 2015
the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to
city officials, warning it that a year-round nativity located in
a city park allegedly violated the U.S. Constitution. The
atheist/agnostic organization wanted the nativity moved to
private property, but a year later, it remains where it’s always
been. “Belen” is Spanish for Bethlehem – the city where Jesus
was born. “Our town was named Belen for a reason, because our
founders wanted it to be named after Bethlehem and of course,
what happened in Bethlehem was the birth of Christ, which is
something we’ve expressed since our founding,” Belen Mayor Jerah
Cordova told KOAT last year. “Where does it stop? If we don’t
stand up for the nativity scene in the heart of Belen, next will
they be asking us to change our name?”… Cordova’s attitude is
similar to that of city officials elsewhere. In Franklin, Pa.,
the city council voted earlier this month to keep a nativity on
public property despite a threat from FFRF. To help guard
against lawsuits, the council decided to add some secular
symbols near the nativity…. FFRF co-president Annie Laurie
Gaylor said she doesn’t think “religion or irreligion should be
on public property.” But some communities still are
surrendering. Gig Harbor, Wash., received a letter from FFRF and
chose not to allow a local resident to put up a nativity on
private property, as had been done in past years. That resident,
John Skansi, told The News Tribune he was disappointed.
* Related:
Vandals smash nativity scenes, abduct baby Jesus in PA, TN, NH
School-to-Prison Pipeline Complete — New Law Makes Schoolyard
Fights a Felony
The Free Thought Project - On January 1, 2017, the state of
Missouri will implement a public school policy sure to
accelerate the descent into police state dystopia. The Hazelwood
School District put out a memo to parents and guardians stating
that, according to Missouri statute, fights at school or on
buses will be treated as felonies — which can result in up to
four years of prison, fines or probation…. Dear
Parents/Guardians: We want to make you aware of a few new State
Statutes that will go into effect on January 1, 2017, which may
have a drastic impact on how incidents are handled in area
school districts. The way the new statue reads, if a person
commits the offense of an assault in the third degree this will
now be classified as a Class E Felony, rather than a
misdemeanor. If he or she knowingly causes physical injury to
another person (hits someone or has a fight with another
individual and an injury occurs) – one or both participants may
be charged with a Felony…. It doesn’t stop there. Even attempts
or threats to cause harm will be treated as a Class A
misdemeanor, which can bring up to a year of prison time. If the
assaulted person is considered a “special victim,” a Class D
felony can be imposed which can mean up to seven years in
prison.
White House Claims Over 80% Of Low-Skilled Jobs Will Be
Automated
Blacklisted News - In a seemingly benign report presented
earlier this month about middle class incomes and innovation,
the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers,
Jason Furman, claimed that jobs with a median wage paying less
than $20 an hour have an 83% chance of being automated. Those
with less than a high school education had a 44% chance of
having their jobs automated. The report was presented to the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on
December 15. It tried to find solutions for the slowdown in
middle class income and labor productivity growth.
Las Vegas Is Now Running Entirely On 100% Renewable Energy
True Activist - Popular Mechanics reports that the city has been working
toward the goal for nearly a decade and was able to achieve the
grandiose feat by launching Boulder Solar 1, a 100-megawatt solar panel
plant located near Boulder City. In addition to powering Las Vegas,
Boulder Solar 1 directs energy to on-site facilities with tree-shaped
solar panels in the City Hall plaza, solar shade canopies at city parks,
and an array of solar panels installed on roofs at the wastewater
treatment plant. Only in 2008 did the city begin its renewable energy
project. Sustainability programs encouraged residents and companies to
reduce their electricity usage, and solar panels were installed on
buildings within the city. To ensure the city can continue to run on
green energy, it will start receiving power from Hoover Dam beginning at
the end of 2017 – a first in history…. Review Journal relays that the
city will save approximately $5 million each year, as the sustainable
initiatives have caused the city of Las Vegas to reduce electricity
usage by 30%. According to Mayor Carolyn Goodman, the city is now a
“world leader in sustainability.”
Google avoided billions in taxes by funneling money offshore
RT - Alphabet Inc.'s Google managed to save $3.6 billion in 2015 by
shifting its profits to a Bermuda shell company, according to filings in
the Netherlands. Google used Ireland and the Netherlands as
intermediaries. According to files obtained by Bloomberg, Google used
the so-called "Double Irish" and a "Dutch Sandwich" tax avoidance
method. The scheme is complicated. First, Google’s taxes outside the US
are sent to Ireland to Google Ireland Limited. Then, the profits are
sent to the Netherlands, which is also acknowledged for low corporate
taxes. Then, the money is sent from the Dutch subsidiary to a Bermuda
shell company known as Google Ireland Holdings Unlimited, which has no
employees but has the rights to Google's intellectual property.
Bloomberg further reported that using the tax avoidance scheme Google
sent 40 percent more of its profits in 2015 than in 2014. In total,
Google has sheltered $58.3 billion from US taxation, according to parent
company Alphabet’s filings. While Ireland closed the loophole last year,
corporations may still enjoy it until 2020. The report may be of
interest to the EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, who has recently
been tackling inappropriate behavior of US companies on the European
market. Just on Tuesday, the European Commission found Facebook guilty
of providing misleading information before winning approval to buy the
WhatsApp messenger in 2014. The company is facing a fine of up to one
percent of annual sales. In August, Apple was fined €13 billion after a
European investigation concluded Ireland provided the iPhone maker with
a favorable tax rate. Vestager is also digging into major US
corporations like McDonald’s, Starbucks and Chrysler.
Milestone Finally Reached in Dental Mercury Fight
Dr. Mercola - On December 13, Charlie Brown, president of
Consumers for Dental Choice and The World Alliance for
Mercury-Free Dentistry, announced an important victory. As of
July 1, 2018, pregnant or nursing women and children under the
age of 15 will no longer be allowed to receive mercury dental
fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, anywhere in the
European Union (EU)— 28 countries in all, with a population
totaling more than half a billion people. “This landmark
achievement still has to be officially ratified,” Charlie says,
“but all three European Union institutions, the [European]
commission, the Council [of the European Union] and the European
Parliament have reached consensus. We are on the way to ending
amalgam for the children of Europe and the children of the
world.” Mercury-containing amalgam is a primitive, pre-civil war
pollutant that has no place in modern dentistry. Compelling
evidence shows that dental amalgams readily release mercury in
the form of vapor every time you eat, drink or brush your teeth.
A single amalgam filling may release as much as 15 micrograms of
mercury per day; 10 micrograms per day is average. To put that
into perspective, eating mercury-tainted seafood can expose you
to about 2.3 micrograms per day, and that alone was enough for
scientists to call for a worldwide warning in 2006. Brown, a
former attorney general for West Virginia, has committed nearly
two decades of his life to protecting children and grownups
around the world from the dangers of mercury amalgam.
17 Reasons Why You Should Eat a Mango Every Day
Natural Blaze - One cup of mangoes (225 gms contain) contains
the following percentages that apply to daily value. 105
calories. 76 percent vitamin C (antioxidant and immune booster).
25 percent vitamin A (antioxidant and vision). 11 percent
vitamin B6 plus other B vitamins (hormone production in brain
and heart disease prevention). 9 percent healthy probiotic fibre.
9 percent copper (copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes
plus production of red blood cells). 7 percent potassium (to
balance out our high sodium intake). 4 percent magnesium. 1.
Fights cancer - Antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin,
astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat present in
mango protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia and
prostate cancers. 2. Keeps cholesterol in check - Mango has high
level of vitamin C, pectin and fibres that help to lower serum
cholesterol levels. Fresh mango is a rich source of potassium,
which is an important component of cell and body fluids that
helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. 3. Skin cleanser
- Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the
face. Mangoes are applicable to any skin type. They help clear
clogged pores that cause acne. Just slice a mango into thin
pieces and keep them on your face for 10 to 15 minutes and then
take bath or wash your face and see the results. 4. Alkalizes
the body - According to natural health school.com, mango is rich
in tartaric acid, malic acid and traces of citric acid that
primarily help in maintaining the alkali reserve of the body….
Terrifying Video Serves as Important Reminder When Traveling With Dogs
Dogington Post - A Colorado woman took to social media to warn dog
owners just how important it is to consider your dog’s safety when
they’re joining you on the road after her dash camera captured a dog
jumping out of a window and right into the middle of traffic on I-70 in
Lakewood. Erica Robles Kannely posted the video (below) to Facebook with
the following caption: Oh wow! My heart is beating so fast after
watching this video that Mike caught while driving on the highway today!
This could have been so much worse!! Please share so people can see how
dangerous it is to let our dogs look out the window! Thank God there was
traffic so they weren’t going too fast! I am so guilty of letting my
dogs look out the windows while I drive. But NEVER again! Remember, when
traveling by car, to always secure your dog with a crash-tested vehicle
harness or inside a crate. Also, check local laws – many require dogs to
be restrained inside a vehicle.
Driving With Your Pet Is More Dangerous Than You Think (Video)
The Dodo - A new crash-test study from the Center for Pet Safety (CPS)
analyzed how well several popular pet carriers, crates, pilot seats and
harnesses kept dogs and cats safe during vehicle collisions — and the
results were, well, alarming. As it turns out, many of the products that
claim to secure our precious companions in the event of a crash actually
offered little in the way of protection. The 2015 study, conducted by
the CPA in partnership with Subaru of America, used weighted dog and cat
dummies in the tests. No live animals were harmed. Eight models of
carrier, designed to ride in vehicle cabins, were tested to see how they
would withstand a simulated front crash at speeds of 30 mph. To be
considered safe, the carrier needed to fully contain the dog within, and
remain fixed to the securing points during the crash. Of those carriers,
only two successfully met CPS's safety criteria. The others either
detached from their anchors, or in some cases, failed to keep the animal
inside…. CPS tested four pet crates for how the structure and anchor
straps held up during collisions of 31 mph. To pass, crates needed to be
secure enough to not contact the simulated rear seat, and the straps and
crate needed to maintain structural integrity, ensuring the animal
remained inside. Only one crate met these standards…. CPS tested four
pet seats, each designed to keep pets secure to a vehicle's cabin seat
but not enclosed. This is the first time pet seats have been subjected
to a CPS study, and therefore a definition of "success" for these
product has yet to be determined. That said, none of the brands tested
kept the dummy animals secure in collisions of 30 mph. CPS expresses
concerns that these products leave pets at risk…. CPS's recent tests did
not include pet harnesses, which are supposed to keep pets restrained to
seats with no form of enclosure, but the group did study eight of these
products in 2013. Criteria for success required dummies to remain in the
seat during the crash tests. Only one brand passed. [See article for
links to individual summery results]
Thursday - December
22, 2016
Today In History:
1775 - A Continental naval fleet was organized in the rebellious
American colonies under the command of Ezek Hopkins.
1807 - The U.S. Congress passed the Embargo Act, designed to force peace
between Britain and France by cutting off all trade with Europe.
1864 - During the American Civil War, Union Gen. William T. Sherman sent
a message to U.S. President Lincoln from Georgia. The message read, "I
beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah."
1910 - U.S. Postal savings stamps were issued for the first time. They
were discontinued in 1914.
1943 - Sporting goods manufacturers received permission to use synthetic
rubber for the core of baseballs.
1941 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington
for a wartime conference with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.
1956 - Colo, the first gorilla to be born in captivity, was born at the
Columbus, Ohio zoo.
1961 - James Davis became the first U.S. soldier to die in Vietnam,
while U.S. involvement was still limited to the provision of military
advisers.
1984 - New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot four black youths on a
Manhattan subway. Goetz claimed they were about to rob him.
1991 - The body of Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, an American hostage
murdered by his captors, was found along a highway in Lebanon.
1996 - A car bomb exploded in Belfast, injuring a known IRA supporter.
Police suspected that Protestant loyalists were responsible for the
attack.
2001 - Thirty Afghans, including two women, were sworn in as part of the
new interim government in Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai was the head of the
post-Taliban government.
Putin says sanctions harming fight against terrorism, hopes
Germany attack will bring West closer
RT - Vladimir Putin says that the rift created by anti-Russian
sanctions is affecting cooperation in the battle against
terrorism, while Russia’s foreign ministry says that recently
introduced US sanctions “will not be left without reply.” “All
these restrictions in the economic and political spheres drive
apart states, and prevent us from joining forces in combating a
common evil – terrorism,” said the Russian President during a
meeting with Russia’s top legislators in Moscow on Wednesday….
Joint anti-terrorism and drug-trafficking operations between
Russia and NATO have been suspended since Crimea’s secession
from Ukraine in 2014. Efforts to build an anti-Islamic State
(IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) coalition in Syria also suffered a
high-profile collapse this autumn, though Moscow has discussed
reviving the drive with the incoming White House administration.
But relations with the US suffered a setback this week, when
Washington announced a raft of new sanctions against individuals
and state-connected companies, and two ships connected to Crimea
on Tuesday. The Treasury said their aim was to “maintain
pressure on Russia by sustaining the costs of its occupation of
Crimea and disrupting the activities of those who support the
violence and instability in Ukraine.”
Al-Nusra Claims Responsibility For Murder Of Russian Ambassador,
Warns Of More Attacks
Zero Hedge - The Jabhat Fatah al-Sham organization (formerly the
al-Nusra Front) claimed to be responsible for Monday's murder of
Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov’s in Ankara. The terrorist
group claimed responsibility via a letter which appeared on the
Internet. The letter was written in Arabic. In its statement,
the group said “one of the heroes of the Jaish al-Fatah, Mevlüt
Mert Altuntas carried out the execution of Russian Ambassador
Andrey Karlov in Ankara,” because the world remains silent to
what is taking place in Aleppo, no support comes to the Muslims
in the Levant and for the victory of the Syrian people….
Signaling similar attacks in the future, the group also said the
assassination of the Russian ambassador was the “first act of
revenge” for the women, children and the elderly killed in
Aleppo as well as all the Muslims killed across the world.
Berlin terror attack: Tunisian suspect was investigated over
earlier terror plot
The Telegraph - It emerged that Anis Amri had been under covert
surveillance for months but German police called off the
operation in September. Ralf Jäger, the interior minister of
North Rhine-Westphalia state, said an investigation had been
launched against as Amri, who was due to be deported, earlier
this year on suspicion of "preparing a serious crime endangering
national safety". He moved around Germany and lived in several
places, Mr Jäger said. Since February this year he lived mostly
in Berlin, but he had been back in North Rhine-Westphalia
recently. The man is aged 21 or 23 and known by three different
names, according to reports in the daily Allgemeine Zeitung and
the Bild newspaper. Both said asylum office papers believed to
belong to the man were found in the cab of the truck. The
documents, which announced a stay of deportation, were found
under the driver's seat of the 40-tonne lorry that barrelled
through the Christmas market in the heart of the German
capital…. A Polish man, killed with a gunshot, was found on the
truck's passenger seat, said de Maiziere. He was believed to be
the original driver of the Polish-registered vehicle. The
37-year-old Pole named Lukasz worked for his cousin Ariel
Zurawski's transport company in northern Poland. Zurawski
described him as a "good guy" and said his body showed signs of
a struggle with the assailant or assailants. An autopsy
indicated that the driver was still alive at the time of the
attack, the daily Bild reported.
Is Saudi Arabia Funding Extremist Islamist Groups In Germany?
Zero Hedge - A newly-leaked German intelligence report states
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar are funding extremist Islamic
groups in Germany. The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and
Northern German public radio broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk
saw the brief and raised concern regarding a reported increase
in Salafism, an ultra-conservative movement within Sunni Islam,
within Germany. The report, compiled by German domestic
intelligence agency Bft and Federal Intelligence Agency (BND)
allegedly accuses Saudi Arabia and the two Gulf nations of
funding various Islamic institutions including mosques and
religious schools, as well as individual strict preachers and
conversion, or “dawah” groups. The three countries supported
missionary groups as a “long-running strategy to exert
influence,” according to the report. More specifically, the
report called out the Saudi Muslim World League, Sheikh Eid Bin
Mohammad al-Thani Charitable Association and the Kuwaiti Revival
of Islamic Heritage Society (which is banned in both the U.S.
and Russia for allegedly supporting al-Qaeda). The report found
that these organizations have strong ties to the governments of
their home countries. Neither of the German intelligence
agencies have confirmed the accuracy of the leaked report. There
are some who say that say the leak was made intentionally so
that Germany would cease controversial arm sales to Saudi
Arabia…. Weeks before the leak, German authorities banned the
Islamic missionary group Germany Die Wahre Religion (DWR), or
“The True Religion,” after officials found was “bringing jihadi
Islamists together across the country under the pretext of
preaching Islam.”… If it is discovered that the Saudis are still
funding extremist Islamic groups, it could prove devastating for
the West, as Saudi Arabia has been considered one of the few
Middle Eastern countries that the West can call an ally.
Austrian Gun Sales Quadruple as Migrant Crime Rises
Breitbart - Gun sales in Austria have “quadrupled” as citizens
of that nation seek to secure means of self-defense in response
to the “immigrant crisis” that has enveloped Europe. Earlier in
2016, the crisis led Austria to “began limiting the number of
asylum applications it would receive.” But gun sales began to
skyrocket prior to this move being made. According to The Local,
the number of weapons permits issued in Vienna and Styria in
particular in September 2015 more than “quadrupled in November
(2015).” This is an indicator of the number of Austrians seeking
out firearms for self-defense. And the increased demand for
firearms has continued. On December 18, 2016, the UK’s Express
reported that Jeffrey Pang—an employee of Joh Springer’s,
Austria’s oldest gun store—said the buying “surge in firearm
sales coincided with reports of robberies, rapes and break-ins
since the migrant crisis began.” He added, “Following the rise
in attacks, customers want pepper sprays, combat training, small
concealed carry weapons.” “Our security level has diminished in
the last couple months. You see the crowds They’re shouting,
they’re drinking, there is no security anymore,” Pang said.
EU agrees on tougher gun laws amid increased terror threat
RT - EU states have reached an agreement on stricter gun
controls following a wave of attacks which have terrorized
Europe over the past two years. The move aims to limit the means
by which extremists could obtain deadly weapons legally. The EU
Commission announced that 28 members reached a political
agreement with the European Parliament to tighten gun control
laws which have been in place since 1991. The debate on stricter
gun control measures has persisted since 2015, following the
Paris attacks, which left 130 people dead…. The main changes to
the Firearms Directive include placing a ban on semi-automatic
firearms. “These include automatic firearms transformed into
semi-automatic firearms, long semi-automatic firearms of length
less than 60cm, long semi-automatic firearms with loading
devices of more than 10 rounds, and short semi-automatic
firearms with a loading device of more than 20 rounds,” the
Commission stated.
5 Arrested After Egyptian Police Bust Staged Photo Shoot Of
"Wounded Aleppo Children"
Zero Hedge - Readers who have been following the crisis in
Aleppo have seen media reports of videos and photos allegedly
originating from innocent children victims, pleading against the
advance of the Assad forces. And while there have been various
accusations that these clips, like the infamous "chemical
attack" YouTube clip from 2013, were staged, such reports were
promptly slammed by the mainstream media as "fake news" and
roundly ignored. However, if one ever needed a reason to be
skeptical of claims, photographs, and/or videos coming out of
the region, and the MSM's appeals to readers emotions based on
fabricated facts, Egyptian authorities have just provided it.
Egyptian police arrested five people in Port Said, Egypt for
making staged "wounded children" photos, which they were
planning to use to misrepresent on social media as photos of
destruction and injured people in Syria's Aleppo, the Egyptian
Interior Ministry said on Monday. The group also made fake
videos that purport to show the wreckage of air strikes in
Aleppo. The shooting team, which included the photographer's
assistants and parents of the children, was detained in the
Egypt's province of Port Said," the Ministry said on Facebook….
The Facebook statement said the videographer, his assistants,
and the parents of two children who appear in the footage were
detained after a trail led police to them at a building site
awaiting demolition. The five have reportedly admitted they were
planning to distribute their footage on social media, which was
supposed to show an eight-year-old girl in a white dress and
bandages, covered in red stains while holding a teddy bear.
Christians and Muslims alike appear to have come together in the
Syrian city of Aleppo to celebrate Christmas (Videos)
David Wolfe - In a video documenting the gathering, a crowd of
people can be seen cheering as a band plays and a giant
Christmas tree is lit. Among the crowd, people hold Syrian,
Russian and Hezbollah flags. According to Russian Television,
this was the first Christmas gathering to be held in Aleppo
since the civil war broke out in 2012. Russian officials say the
war is now over as Syrian troops have reclaimed Aleppo – the
country’s second largest city – from rebels. That doesn’t mean
the conflict is all over yet. At one point during yesterday’s
Christmas festivities, an explosion went off meters away from
the crowd. Russian Television reports there were no casualties.
Still, many in the international community are remembering the
event for the fact that it brought hundreds of civilians
together in a region that has seen intense disorder and
bloodshed over the past three years.
* Related:
Explosion disrupts Christmas celebrations in Aleppo
US Returns Part Of Okinawa’s WWII-Occupied Land To Japan
Press TV - The United States government has officially returned
a large chunk of occupied land on Okinawa Island to Japan, but
is pushing ahead with plans to stay on the prefecture despite
public outrage. US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy joined
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Wednesday in a
ceremony to mark the handover of over 4,000 hectares (about
10,000 acres) of land that the US had occupied after the Second
World War. The land was part of a zone commonly known as the
Northern Training Area, located inside a vast US military base
complex on the Pacific island. The return was the largest of its
kind since 1972, when Washington gave back a large part of the
island to Japan. Despite the latest move, 17 percent of Okinawa
still remains under US occupation.
Spanish banks may be forced to pay billions to swindled mortgage
holders
RT - A ruling by the European Court of Justice may force Spain's
biggest banks to pay back over €4 billion to clients who signed
mortgage contracts that prevented them benefiting from falling
interest rates. According to the ruling, the banks will be
obliged to reimburse customers for what they lost on mortgages
before May 2013, when Spain's Supreme Court declared them
invalid if not presented clearly. The ruling exposes banks such
as BBVA, Banco Sabadell, Caixabank, Banco Popular and Liberbank.
Spanish banks introduced the so-called "floor clauses" as a
safety net during the financial crisis, and most of them have
since removed them. The lenders have prepared €5 billion for
compensations. Most of Spain's home mortgages are linked to the
12-month euro interbank offered rate or Euribor. The benchmark
has fallen, but households are not able to benefit from this.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Judge OKs Trump University settlement, deadline set to 2 days
before he’s sworn in as president
RT - On Tuesday evening, US District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel
issued an order for Trump University to pay $25 million to
settle fraud lawsuits over the president-elect’s educational
real estate program. US President-elect Donald Trump agreed in
November to settle with more than 6,000 students who say they
were cheated by his Trump University with false promises of
teaching them his real estate tricks. Trump University ceased
giving classes in 2010. The decision to settle solves two
class-action lawsuits and a fraud case filed in 2013 by the New
York attorney general. The $25 million settlement must be handed
over to the plaintiffs' lawyers by January 18, 2017, just two
days before Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. If the
University is unable to do so, Trump himself has to come up with
the money…. The settlement includes $21 million for the former
students, while the rest goes to the New York attorney general.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys have already agreed to waive their
fees, and have been working on the case pro bono. The deal would
refund about half of the fees that students of Trump University
had paid, which were typically between $1,500 for a three-day
seminar, and $35,000 for an in-person mentorship program. The
suit states that “Eligible Class Members will receive payments
estimated to amount to 50% of what they spent on the Trump
University Live Events, less any refunds received.” As part of
the settlement, Trump and Trump University did not have to admit
to any wrongdoing. “President Trump is pleased to have this case
behind him so he can focus on every important issue facing this
country,” Trump’s attorney Daniel Petrocelli previously said.
“He was willing to sacrifice his personal interests to put this
behind him and move forward,” the lawyer said back in November.
FBI Warrant For Clinton Emails Released As Democrats Slam
Decision: “I Am Appalled”
Zero Hedge - Since November 8th, disaffected Democrats have
tried and failed repeatedly to undo the 2016 Presidential
election. First their was the failed recount effort launched by
Jill Stein, an obvious front for the Clinton campaign, in
Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Embarrassingly, that
effort actually resulted in a wider margin of victory for Trump
but not before Stein wasted $7 million raised from devastated
Hillary supporters…. Now, with the Electoral College vote done
and no other options left, the angry, demoralized dems have
turned their fury toward the FBI with allegations that the
warrant issued for Anthony Weiner’s computer did not “give rise
to probable cause” which must therefore imply some nefarious
collusion between James Comey, Trump and Putin. Per Bloomberg,
attorney Randol Schoenberg sued for the warrant to be released
and has since expressed that he is “appalled” by its contents
which failed to present “probable cause.” Schoenberg said he
sought the documents because he couldn’t figure out why a judge
found there was probable cause that a crime was committed, given
that the FBI had already concluded its investigation of
Clinton’s e-mails and not charged her. “I see nothing at all in
the search-warrant application that would give rise to probable
cause,” attorney Randol Schoenberg, who sued on Dec. 12 for the
release, said in an e-mail after reviewing the documents. A
judge is required to find probable cause that a crime may have
been committed before issuing a warrant. “I am appalled,” he
added. We assume Schoenberg simply missed the following two
paragraphs which point out that FBI agents, without reviewing
contents, happened upon “thousands of emails” sent to/from Huma
Abedin using State Department email addresses around the same
time they know that classified information was sent out over
unclassified systems.
Gun Range Owner Reveals Secrets to Bypassing California’s
Upcoming AR-15 Ban (Video)
Adan Salazar - Standard AR-15 rifles will no longer be allowed
to be sold or bought under new California laws set to go into
effect January 1, 2017, the owner of a gun range explained in a
recent interview. Standard AR-15 rifles will no longer be
allowed to be sold or bought under new California laws set to go
into effect January 1, 2017, the owner of a gun range explained
in a recent interview. Despite the AR-15 he uses as an example
requiring a special tool in order to detach the magazine,
Belemjian says the feature, which in the past allowed the gun to
bypass detachable gun magazine restrictions, means the gun would
be in violation of the new laws. Under the new law, a “fixed
magazine” is now defined as “an ammunition feeding device
contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm in such a
manner that the device cannot be removed without disassembly of
the firearm action.” Belemjian also described other features on
his example centerfire, semi-automatic rifle that would make it
illegal, such as the aforementioned detachable magazine and any
of the following features: a collapsible, or adjustable, or
foldable stock; a pistol grip that protrudes below the trigger
guard; a forward pistol grip; and a flash hider. But, “if I
remove the flash hider, remove the forward pistol grip, put a
fixed stock on it and change out this [pistol] grip, guess what?
It’s not an ‘assault weapon’ anymore; now it does not meet the
definition.”
U.S. Economic Confidence Surges To The Highest Level That Gallup
Has Ever Recorded
Zero Hedge - Gallup’s U.S. Economic Confidence Index has now
risen to the highest level that Gallup has ever seen… Americans’
confidence in the economy continues to gradually strengthen
after last month’s post-election surge. Gallup’s U.S. Economic
Confidence Index averaged +10 for the week ending Dec. 18,
marking another new high in its nine-year trend. The latest
figure is up slightly from the index’s previous high of +8
recorded in both of the prior two weeks. The first positive
double-digit index score since the inception of Gallup Daily
tracking in 2008 reflects a stark change in Americans’
confidence in the U.S. economy from the negative views they
expressed in most weeks over the past nine years. […] the
results of CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey after the election
was nothing short of historic… The CNBC All-America Economic
Survey for the fourth quarter found that the percentage of
Americans who believe the economy will get better in the next
year jumped an unprecedented 17 points to 42 percent, compared
with before the election. It’s the highest level since President
Barack Obama was first elected in 2008 […] On Tuesday, the Dow
Jones Industrial Average closed at yet another all-time record
high. That was the 17th record close since election day, and
overall the Dow is up a whopping 8 percent during that time
span…. But of course not everything is rainbows and unicorns.
Signs of trouble continue to erupt all over the U.S. economy,
and there are many that believe that Trump will be facing some
very serious economic concerns very early in his presidency.
Small New Jersey Town Sues DuPont for $1.1 Billion over Alleged
100-Million-Pound Toxic Waste Dumping
AllGov - A small town in New Jersey has sued DuPont for $1.1 billion,
claiming it dumped more than 100 million lbs. of toxic waste into soil
and water near the Delaware River, “a disaster worse than Exxon Valdez”
that will take 1,000 years to clean up. The site has been linked to
cancer clusters in the area. Thousands of New Jersey residents have sued
DuPont for contaminating their drinking water. One such case was settled
in 1993 for almost $40 million. In another case, DuPont paid $800 per
household.
MAP: The thousands of U.S. locales where lead poisoning is worse than in
Flint
Reuters - In all, Reuters found nearly 3,000 areas with recently
recorded lead poisoning rates at least double those in Flint during the
peak of that city’s contamination crisis. And more than 1,100 of these
communities had a rate of elevated blood tests at least four times
higher. The poisoned places on this map stretch from Warren,
Pennsylvania, a town on the Allegheny River where 36 percent of children
tested had high lead levels, to a zip code on Goat Island, Texas, where
a quarter of tests showed poisoning. In some pockets of Baltimore,
Cleveland and Philadelphia, where lead poisoning has spanned
generations, the rate of elevated tests over the last decade was 40 to
50 percent…. To identify these locations, Reuters examined
neighborhood-level blood testing results, most of which have not been
previously disclosed. The data, obtained from state health departments
and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tracks
poisoning rates among children tested in each location. The resulting
portrait provides a granular look at places where decades-long U.S.
efforts to stamp out lead poisoning have fallen short.
Kids Connecting on Social Media Are Less Satisfied With Real Life
Bloomberg - Kids who spend more time chatting on social websites feel
reduced satisfaction about all parts of their lives except for their
friendships, research from the Institute of Labor Economics shows.
Looking at a national sample of British children between the ages of 10
and 15 collected from 2010 to 2014, the researchers found that spending
one hour a day chatting on social networks reduced the probability of a
kid being completely satisfied with his or her life overall by about 14
percentage points. Children might have been exposed to cyber bullying,
had less time left over to do other things that would have improved
their well-being, or may have made comparisons about their lives against
others, the researchers suggest. Why does this matter, economically?
Childhood experiences are important in shaping how they'll succeed as
adults, the authors say, so it makes sense to pay attention to something
that's putting a dent in the early happiness of future workers.
Study: Even “100% Safe Listening” Headphones may Cause Hearing Problems
Natural Society - A products recommendation website recently tested 30
sets of children’s headphones to see which ones have the greatest
potential to damage kids’ hearing…. When The Wirecutter, a product
recommendations website, tested 30 sets of children’s headphones, it
found that half of them did not restrict volume to the promised limit.
The worst headphones produced sound so loud that it could damage kids’
hearing in just minutes.When The Wirecutter, a product recommendations
website, tested 30 sets of children’s headphones, it found that half of
them did not restrict volume to the promised limit. The worst headphones
produced sound so loud that it could damage kids’ hearing in just
minutes…. According to a 2015 report by Common Sense Media, half of 8-
to 12-year-olds listen to music daily, and nearly 2/3 of teenagers do.
It’s not just the volume that can be dangerous to hearing; the longer
you listen to something at a high volume, the more damage you can do to
your ears. And while 80 decibels doesn’t sound much louder than 70
decibels, it’s actually twice as loud. That means 90 decibels is 4 times
as loud as 70 decibels. You get the idea. The sound of a lawn mower is
about 100 decibels, and is safe for only about 15 minutes; noise at 108
decibels, however, is safe for less than 3 minutes.
* Related:
The Best Kids Headphones
Antipsychotic drugs increase risk of death for Alzheimer’s
patients
What Doctors Don't Tell You - Antipsychotic drugs are routinely
given to Alzheimer’s patients—but they increase the risk of
death by 60 per cent. And the patient is twice as likely to die
if he or she is given two or more antipsychotics. The most
dangerous time is when the patient first starts taking the drug,
say researchers from the University of East Finland, and
haloperidol and risperidone were the two most lethal
antipsychotics. The researchers came to their conclusions after
they analysed the treatment of 57,755 people diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s between 2005 and 2011; of these, 27 per cent were
given an antipsychotic, and they were compared to healthy people
who weren’t taking the drug. The trouble is, say the
researchers, none of this is news: it was established 10 years
ago that antipsychotics can be lethal, and should be used only
rarely, and for the most difficult cases, such as to treat
agitation or aggression. Despite these concerns, antipsychotics
are still routinely used, and are a common therapy for
Alzheimer’s and dementia, the researchers say.
Serious Dangers of Synthetic Scents Include Asthma, Cancer and
Kidney Damage
Natural News Blogs - Synthetic scents or fragrances are
basically a mixture of different ingredients which include
allergens, respiratory irritants, carcinogens, and so on. These
fragrances are mostly found in cosmetic products, detergents,
cleaning material, air fresheners and so on. In fact, there are
high amounts of scents in hair products, over 95 percent of
conditioners and shampoos have synthetic scents. Studies show
that most of the chemicals in these products are not listed on
the labels…. In the same study, most participants reported
experiencing migraines, respiratory problems, skin problems,
asthma attacks, and mucosal symptoms when exposed to
fragrances…. The Breast Cancer Fund says that you can reduce the
risk of breast cancer by avoiding synthetic scents. These scents
disrupt hormones which consequently increases the risk of
cancer. Some sprays and liquids actually contain styrene (a
chemical found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust). This is one
of the ingredients that have been linked to cancer. Research
shows that exposure to one common ingredient in fragrances
phthalates can cause autism in children. Which means pregnant
women should avoid exposure to synthetic scents. Note that
evidence shows, these ingredients will be present in breast milk
if you use fragrances during pregnancy and when breastfeeding.
Research shows that scents from Cologne can worsen symptoms for
people with asthma. Fragrances can also cause breathing problems
for normal people. The allergic reactions caused by synthetic
scents include sinus irritation, breathing problems, migraines,
skin reactions and so on.
The Biggest Threat to Your Dog’s Health in 2017
Dogington Post -The issue of overweight dogs is on the rise, and there
are many factors contributing to this alarming trend. Poor food choices
and a sedentary lifestyle are the two main components…. It’s no surprise
that the biggest health threat to pets in 2017 is obesity,” says Dr.
Ernie Ward, Petplan Veterinary Advisory Board member and founder of the
Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. “When you consider that over
half of the nation’s dogs and cats are now overweight or obese, it
literally is a growing problem.” This year, Petplan challenges pet
parents to get out and get active with furry friends to avoid the extra
“fluff” that can exacerbate many of Petplan’s most commonly claimed
conditions, including… Tummy troubles: Let’s face it — pudgy pets eat
more than they should. And overeating can easily lead to vomiting and
diarrhea, Petplan’s #1 claimed conditions year after year — in fact,
Petplan sees an average of 900 claims every month just for tummy
troubles! And the cost for relief averages at $850. The Big C: There
have been some indications that certain types of cancer are more common
in overweight or obese pets, and that can put a bump in pet parents’
budgets — the average vet bill for cancer is $2,033. A gimpy gait:
Lameness, or general limping, is often caused by arthritis — and extra
pounds mean extra stress on pets’ joints (and wallets — the average cost
to treat lameness is $966). Not-so bee’s knees: Pets who pack on the
pudge are also at a greater risk for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)
injuries from added joint stress and weak muscles. CCL injuries are the
priciest of Petplan’s common conditions, costing an average of $3,480 to
repair. On the go: Several things can cause a urinary tract infection in
pets, but obese animals may be more at risk because they can’t clean
those hard-to-reach places. The average cost to treat UTIs? $590!…
Wednesday - December
21, 2016
Today In History:
1620 - The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England,
landed at Plymouth Rock, MA.
1913 - Arthur Wynne published a new "word-cross" puzzle in the "New York
World" in England. The name was later changed to "crossword."
1944 - Horse racing was banned in the United States until after the end
of World War II.
1945 - U.S. Gen. George S. Patton died in Heidelberg, Germany, of
injuries from a car accident.
1968 - Apollo 8 was launched on a mission to orbit the moon. The craft
landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on December 27.
1978 - Police in Des Plaines, IL, arrested John W. Gacy Jr. and began
unearthing the remains of 33 men and boys that Gacy was later convicted
of killing.
1988 - 270 people were killed when Pan Am Boeing 747 exploded over
Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a terrorist attack.
1990 - In a German television interview, Saddam Hussein declared that he
would not withdraw from Kuwait by the UN deadline.
1991 - Eleven of the 12 former Soviet republics proclaimed the birth of
the Commonwealth of Independent States.
1996 - After two years of denials, U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich
admitted violating House ethics rules.
1998 - The first vaccine for Lyme disease was approved.
2001 - The Islamic militant group Hamas released a statement that said
it was suspending suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Israel.
2002 - Larry Mayes was released after spending 21 years in prison for a
rape that maintained that he never committed. He was the 100th person in
the U.S. to be released after DNA tests were performed.
US Army Deploys Tanks To Europe Ratcheting Up Tensions With
Russia
Zero Hedge - On December 16, US tanks and armor vehicles arrived
in the Netherlands to be deployed in a storage depot located in
the province of Limburg. The facility, the former Eygelshoven
military base near Kerkrade, will be used to keep and maintain
tanks, armored vehicles and heavy artillery pieces for a US
armored brigade combat team. In January, the US Army in Europe
is due to deploy a total of 4,000 American troops and around
2,000 military vehicles on a rotational basis to Poland,
Romania, Bulgaria and the Baltic nations. NATO forces will move
to the Baltic States in early spring. In an overtly provocative
move, an American battalion will be stationed in Poland near the
border with Kaliningrad, Russia’s Baltic enclave…. The
deployment breaches the Russia-NATO Founding Act (1997). By
signing the document NATO pledged not to seek »additional
permanent stationing of substantial ground combat forces» in the
nations closer to Russia «in the current and foreseeable
security environment». Signed 20 years ago, the agreement
appears all but dead amid the alliance's push to beef up its
military presence on its eastern flank.
Terror Expert: Migrants Radicalized After Coming West, Attacks
Impossible to Stop
Kit Daniels - The Christmas market attack in Berlin was
“impossible to prevent” because many migrants aren’t radicalized
until long after they’ve come west, says a German terrorism
expert. The expert, Rolf Tophoven, said the German government
knew an attack like the one on Monday, which killed 12, was
likely to happen given the overflow of migrants into Germany –
and the ISIS propaganda chief who told followers to use any
means necessary to kill “infidels,” including knives and trucks.
“If a radicalized fanatic decides to use a truck as a weapon,
you don’t stand a chance, unless you know about him and his
plans in advance and arrest him before he can act,” expert Rolf
Tophoven told Deutsche Welle. “It’s impossible to check all
vehicles in the EU or to seal off all Christmas markets to
protect them from any danger.”…. Even if authorities were able
to properly vet all of the migrants, many of them aren’t
radicalized until well after they’ve settled in Western society.
“The authorities are aware of a lot, but with the number of
people coming in, it’s simply impossible to ensure a thorough
enough vetting process for every single one of them,” Tophoven
stated. “Plus, the radicalization process often doesn’t begin
until they are in Europe.”
Berlin attacker ‘still at large’ after police ‘arrest wrong
man’, according to reports
London Independent - Police have arrested the wrong man in the
hunt for a lorry driver who killed at least 12 people in a
suspected terror attack on a Christmas market, according to
German media reports. Sources told Die Welt a Pakistani man
detained near the scene of the massacre in Berlin is not
believed to be linked to the atrocity, meaning the attacker is
still on the run. “We have the wrong man,” the newspaper quoted
a Berlin police official saying. “And therefore a new situation
— that the real attacker is still at large and can do more
harm.” A spokesperson for Berlin police said he could not
confirm the report when contacted by The Independent. Germany’s
top prosecutor, Peter Frank, said the massacre could have been
carried out by more than one person, adding that the suspect in
custody “may not have been the perpetrator or belong to the
group of perpetrators”
Thwarted Peace? Assassination of Russian Ambassador “A False
Flag Operation By the West”
Mac Slavo - Was this event staged to thwart peace talks between
Turkey and Russia to prevent an end to the Syrian war? It is
bizarre enough to have even mainstream sources suggesting the
whole thing could have been – an inside job. Putin was
reportedly about to announce a total ceasefire across Syria.
This shooting happened just before Russia and Turkey were
scheduled to hold peace talks with Iran concerning Syria – but
now, officials from both countries will be dealing with an
investigation of this assassination. These peace talks were
planned without the involvement or participation of the United
States or United Nations in what was being referred to as “a
snub to Washington”. Now, several Russian officials, including
Putin, are convinced it was an effort at sabotage by the West;
and President Erdogan has made similar statements for the
Turkish side. According to Unilad, President Putin vowed to find
out who ‘directed’ the gunman’s hand: [Putin said:] “This murder
is clearly a provocation aimed at undermining the improvement
and normalization of Russian-Turkish relations, as well as
undermining the peace process in Syria promoted by Russia,
Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in settling the
conflict in Syria.” Meanwhile, Erdogan called the assassination
a provocation aimed at destroying bilateral ties. [Erdogan said]
“I believe this is an attack on Turkey, the Turkish state and
the Turkish people, and also a clear provocation … [in terms of]
Turkish-Russian relations. I am sure our Russian friends also
see this fact. Both Turkey and Russia have the will not to be
deceived by this provocation.” Several Russian figures went
further, suggesting an all-out false flag effort to derail the
peace talks.
Russian diplomat 'found dead from gunshot wounds at home just
hours after ambassador killed at art exhibition'
The Mirror - A Russian diplomat has been found dead from gunshot
wounds at his home, it is reported. Petr Polshikov, 56, was
discovered with a bullet injury to his head at his flat in
Moscow's Balaklavsky Prospekt, according to local media. The
alleged shooting came just hours after the news broke of the
assassination of Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov.
Karlov was killed by his police protection officer who screamed
“Allahu Akbar” and “Don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria.”…
In Polshikov's shooting, reported by Ren TV early today, two
empty bullet shells were found in the high-ranking diplomat's
flat. A gun was also reportedly discovered under the sink in the
bathroom. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear, and
it is understood police are examining all possible theories as
to Polshikov's death…. Polshikov was said to be a senior figure
in the Latin American department of the Russian foreign
ministry. Some reports claim he had left the Foreign Ministry,
but it is unclear if he worked for any other branch of the
Russian government.
Explosion disrupts Christmas celebrations in Aleppo
RT - A well-attended Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in the
Syrian city of Aleppo was rocked by an explosion meters away
from the gathered crowd. No casualties have been reported. “We
saw a huge flash of light,” reported RT’s Lizzie Phelan, who was
covering the event, in an online broadcast. “At least half of
the people on the square immediately fled.” Phelan said that
eyewitnesses were unsure if the explosion was produced by a
launched mortar or a planted explosive device.
US extends sanctions against Russia over Ukraine – Treasury
statement
RT - Seven Russian individuals, eight entities and two vessels
have been added to the US sanctions list over the conflict in
Ukraine, the US Treasury Department said in a statement. Moscow
said it reserves the right to respond asymmetrically. The
Treasury also named 26 subsidiaries of Russian Agricultural Bank
and gas producer Novatek, both of which had already been
sanctioned in 2014. The American sanctions on those firms are
relatively narrow, prohibiting the US citizens from dealing in
certain kinds of debt with the companies, Reuters reported.
"Today's action is in response to Russia's unlawful occupation
of Crimea and continued aggression in Ukraine," John E. Smith,
acting director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control, said in a statement…. The sanctioned companies include
Institut Stroiproekt and Karst, which are both involved in the
construction of the Kerch Bridge, which is to link Crimea and
Russia. Crimean Railway, Crimean Ports and entities linked to
Sovfracht vessel operator were also blacklisted by the
Treasury…. In response, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey
Ryabkov said that Moscow will answer the extension of US
sanctions with “asymmetric” measures at a time that it sees fit.
"Gold Is Now Effectively Illegal" In India - The Consequences Of
Creating A Cashless Society (Video)
Zero Hedge - Jayant provides the clearest explanation of where
India is (and where it is going) in the brief interview with
ProvenAndProbable.com's Maurice Jackson ... There are clear
signs that in a very convoluted way, possession of gold for
investment purposes will be made illegal. Expect capital
controls to follow. Assaults on people’s private property and
the integrity of their homes through tax-raids continue. In a
recent notification, government has made it clear that any
ownership of jewelry above 500 grams of gold per married woman
will be put under the microscopic scrutiny of tax authorities.
Steep taxes and penalties will be imposed on those who cannot
prove the source of their gold. In India’s Orwellian new-speak
this means that because bullion has not been explicitly
mentioned, its ownership will be deemed to be illegal. Courts
will do what Modi wants. Huge bribes will have to be paid. Sane
people are of course cleaning up their bank lockers. The
secondary consequence of this will be a steep increase in
unreported crimes, for people will be afraid of going to the
police after a theft, fearing that the tax authorities will then
ask questions. At the same time, the gold market has mostly gone
underground, and apparently the volume of gold buying has gone
up.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Berlin Truck Attack Puts U.S. Cities on High Alert
Daily Mail - Police are boosting their presence at holiday
villages and major sites around cities such as New York, Chicago
and Boston as the US remains on high alert. It comes after a
Christmas market in the German capital was deliberately targeted
by a man, who is believed to have used a hijacked 25-tonne lorry
to murder 12 people and injure 48 more. And in New York, police
confirmed highly trained specialist units and its anti-terror
squad would be deployed to high profile locations around the
city. Also under close surveillance by the security services are
the world-famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, Times
Square and Herald Square, home to department store Macy's. In a
statement, the NYPD said: 'The NYPD is monitoring the events in
Germany and around the world. 'The Department has moved highly
trained teams, including the Critical Response Command, to high
profile locations around New York City. Meanwhile, Chicago
Police also confirmed they would be ramping up their presence at
the annual Christmas market in in an outdoor plaza in downtown
Chicago. … in Boston, the city's mayor Martin J. Walsh confirmed
barriers would be put in place in a bid to protect the 'Boston
Winter' holiday market in City Hall Plaza…. News of the
increased security comes after President-elect Donald Trump
called the incident in Berlin a 'horrifying terror attack' and
added it would push the US and its 'freedom-loving partners' to
take on ISIS…. However, President Barack Obama has yet to
comment on the incident as he is currently enjoying his annual
Christmas vacation in Hawaii.
* Related:
Video: As World Leaders Condemn Berlin Attack, Russian
Ambassador Assassination, Obama Golfs
Los Angeles Plans $10M ‘Legal Fund’ for Illegal Immigrants
Breitbart - Los Angeles officials announced that a $10 million
illegal immigrant fund would be set up to pay for the legal
expenses of those facing deportation under the incoming Trump
administration, according to the Los Angeles Times. The “LA
Justice Fund” is a joint effort by the City of Los Angeles and
Los Angeles County, where the county’s Board of Supervisors will
put forward $3 million and the city is expected to designate at
least $1 million for the fund. The remaining funds will be
gathered from “philanthropic groups,” according to the Times.
Los Angeles is the latest city to create a somewhat
taxpayer-funded effort to pay for illegal immigrants’ legal
expenses, as Chicago has recently set up a similar fund to
shield illegals, according to the Chicago Herald. Under Trump’s
immigration plan, illegal immigrants with a criminal record will
be deported and a southern border wall will be built under a
massive infrastructure program.
California Electors Pass ‘Russian Hacking’ Resolution
Breitbart - The 55 members of the Electoral College from
California cast their votes unanimously for Democratic
presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — and passed a resolution
calling for an investigation into Russian hacking and
interference in the election. Christine Pelosi, daughter of U.S.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), serving as the
elector from the elder Pelosi’s 12th congressional district,
offered the resolution during her remarks on the floor of the
meeting, the Associated Press reports: We do not let the
politics of personal destruction drive the narrative of scandal
over policy, stop us from standing up, speaking up, answering
our call to service, and making a difference … That is why I
move that we, California’s electoral college members, demand an
independent, bipartisan investigation into Russian interference
into our election and steps we can take to protect the integrity
of our democracy going forward. The resolution was reportedly
passed unanimously. However, the American public is apparently
not as concerned about Russian hacking allegations as Democrat
electors are. A new Morning Consult poll released Tuesday
suggests that only one-third of Americans believe Russia
influenced the election.
As the Coup Against Trump Fails, the Threat Against His Life
Rises
Paul Craig Roberts - The use of the presstitute media to deny
Trump the Republican presidential nomination failed. The use of
the presstitute media to deny Trump victory in the presidential
election failed. The vote recount failed. The effort to sway the
Electoral College failed. But the effort continues. The CIA
report on Russia’s alleged interference in the US presidential
election ordered by Obama is in process. Faked evidence is a
hallmark of CIA operations. In their determination to seal
Trump’s ears against environmental concerns, a group of
environmentalists plan to disrupt the inauguration. This in
itself is of little consequence, but chaos presents opportunity
for assassination. Trump himself seems to think he is in danger.
According to MSNBC, Trump intends to supplement his Secret
Service protection with private security. As there is evidence
of CIA complicity in the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy (film shows Secret Service agents ordered away from
JFK’s limo immediately prior to his assassination), Trump, who
is clearly seen as a threat by the military/security complex, is
not being paranoid. MSNBC implies that Trump’s private security
is to suppress protesters, as if government security forces have
shown any compunction about suppressing protesters.
More borrowers are losing Social Security benefits over old
student loans
MarketWatch - About 114,000 student loan borrowers over
50-years-old are losing out on a portion of their Social
Security benefits because of an old student loan and the number
of borrowers over age 65 facing this predicament has increased
540% over the last decade, according to a report released
Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan
investigative arm of Congress. The government provides federal
student loan borrowers with a variety of options to avoid
defaulting on their loans, but once a borrower defaults the feds
have access to incredible powers to collect on the debt,
including garnishing Social Security benefits, wages and tax
refunds…. The report indicates that often collections on student
loans are increasingly pushing seniors closer to the financial
edge. The government has to leave borrowers with a minimum of
$750 in Social Security benefits, but that floor was created in
1996 and hasn’t been adjusted for changes in cost of living. In
2016, the poverty threshold for a single adult was $990. About
67,300 borrowers have had their benefits garnished below the
poverty line, compared with 8,300 in 2004…. More than 70% of the
$1.1 billion collected through Social Security benefits to pay
off student loans only applied to fees and interest — meaning
that those funds likely barely made a dent toward paying back
the borrower’s debt. More than 50% of borrowers at least
50-years-old who are losing out on Social Security benefits had
no portion of that offset applied to their principal.
Tis The Season For Credit Card Debt: This Christmas Americans
Will Spend An Average Of 422 Dollars Per Child
Economic Collapse - For many Americans, the quality of Christmas
is determined by the quality of the presents. This is especially
true for our children, and some of them literally spend months
anticipating their haul on Christmas morning. I know that when I
was growing up Christmas was all about the presents. Yes, adults
would give lip service to the other elements of Christmas, but
all of the other holiday activities could have faded away and it
still would have been Christmas as long as presents were under
that tree on the morning of December 25th. Perhaps things are
different in your family, but it is undeniable that for our
society as a whole gifts are the central feature of the holiday
season. And that is why so many parents feel such immense
pressure to spend a tremendous amount of money on gifts for
their children each year. Of course this pressure that they feel
is constantly being reinforced by television ads and big
Hollywood movies that continuously hammer home what a “good
Christmas” should look like…. Another new survey has found that
close to half the country feels “pressure to spend more than
they can afford during the holiday season”… The SunTrust Banks,
Inc. (NYSE: STI) annual Holiday Financial Confidence survey
reveals that 43 percent of Americans feel pressure to spend more
than they can afford during the holiday season. Pressure to
overspend is up four percent since the survey was first
conducted in 2014 by Harris Poll, but down slightly from a high
of 46 percent last year. Ultimately, much of this spending ends
up going on credit cards, and credit card debt is one of the
most insidious forms of debt.
Obama Blocks Offshore Driling In Arctic, Atlantic Oceans
Zero Hedge - In a move that will likely be overturned promptly by the
administration of Donald Trump, president Obama on Tuesday formally
blocked offshore oil and gas drilling in most of the Atlantic and Arctic
Ocean, responding to a call from environmentalists who say the
government needs to do more to prevent drilling in environmentally
sensitive areas of U.S.-controlled oceans. The president had been
expected to take the action by invoking a provision in a 1953 law that
governs Outer Continental Shelf offshore leases, and he did just that to
block drilling in federal waters in the Arctic's Chukchi Sea and most of
its Beaufort Sea. He also protected 21 underwater canyons in the
Atlantic Ocean from drilling. Furthermore, Canada will block drilling in
all of its Arctic Ocean acreage, a moratorium officials will review
every five years, the White House said…. U.S. acreage in the Arctic is
estimated to contain 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic
feet of natural gas. The industry has opposed government efforts to
block drilling there, saying the U.S. will hurt the rural Alaskan
economy if it prevents oil production, and also cede an economic
advantage to other Arctic countries like Russia, which has more relaxed
rules on drilling.
4 more face criminal charges in Flint water poisoning scandal
RT - Michigan’s attorney general has filed charges against four more
people involved in the decisions that led to the Flint water crisis,
including felony counts with multiple 20-year sentences, citing a
fixation on finances and “numbers over people.” All too prevalent and
very evident during the course of this investigation there has been a
fixation on finances and balance sheets. This fixation has cost lives,”
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette told reporters during a press
conference on Tuesday. “This fixation came at the expense of protecting
the health and safety of Flint. It is all about numbers over people,
money over health.” “We are announcing charges that reach a higher level
of responsibility. We are announcing charges against four individuals,
two former state appointed emergency managers, and two employees for the
city of Flint.” Former Flint emergency managers Darnell Earley and
Gerald Ambrose were charged with multiple 20-year felonies for their
failure to protect the city’s residents from health hazards caused by
contaminated drinking water.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
12 Unusual, Off-Grid Uses For Onions (No. 5 – Removes
Splinters!)
Off the Grid News - 1. Natural pesticide. You can rub a peeled
onion on your skin as a simple – and smelly – bug repellent. You
also can help keep bugs out of your garden with an onion spray….
2. Soothe bites, stings and minor burns. Simply place a freshly
cut onion slice on the affected area of your skin to soothe the
pain and swelling. 3. Ease a sore throat. Onion tea doesn’t
taste great, but it does the job. Boil one cup of water with the
peels of half a medium onion. Remove onion and sip to soothe a
painful throat. 4. Fight dizziness and fainting. You can use
onions in place of smelling salts. Place a piece of freshly cut
onion under the nose of someone who is feeling faint, and it
will decrease the feeling of light headedness. 5. Remove a
splinter. Got a nasty splinter that won’t budge? Try taping a
piece of raw onion to the area for about an hour. Afterwards,
the splinter should be easier to remove. 6. Polish metal. Mix
crushed onion with water. Then dab the mixture on the metal
surface with a soft cloth. Rub until clean. 7. Remove rust from
knives. Simply plunge your rusty blade into an onion several
times and then wipe dry for a rust-free surface….
Alert: Lithium Batteries the Death Traps At The Back Of The
Drawer
Natural Blaze - We all have one…a junk drawer. The place we
shove things that we will want again, but we’re not sure when
and items which just don’t have another ‘home’…. The deaths of
several children in the UK has been linked to these drawers…or
rather a particular item we often store in them: Lithium
batteries. The small round shape, nice and shiny attracts young
children almost immediately. Now a child choking on a battery is
bad enough but lithium batteries are responsible for far more
than choking hazards. These small batteries don’t even have to
be broken, chewed or damaged in any way to cause a terrible
death from internal bleeding. Once inside the body the battery
creates an electrical current, and that current causes a build
up of sodium hydroxide the common name of which is caustic soda.
The caustic soda burns through the oesophagus and continues on
to burn through major blood vessels leading to catastrophic
internal bleeding. Even after removal, if enough sodium
hydroxide has built up the burning will continue causing death
anything up to a week later. Once major internal hemorrhaging
starts it is all but impossible to stop, death is almost
inevitable. Put all batteries, but lithium batteries in
particular in a tin, box or some kind of container that’s stored
well out of the reach of children. Even just a few minutes
sucking on one of these batteries can trigger the reaction and
leave the child with severe oral burns that can, in the worst
cases, leave them with injuries that will affect them for life.
Video: NICU Nurse with 30 Years Experience Quits Over Premature
Infants Being Harmed by Vaccines
Health Impact News - The VAXXED film crew recently interviewed a
nurse in California who has worked as a NICU nurse for nearly 30
years. She states in the interview that she is retiring early,
because she can "no longer do what we were taught to do." She
goes on to state that her philosophy on vaccines has changed,
because she does not believe they are safe. She explains how it
is routine to vaccinate premature infants, and that even though
she brought in documentation, including medical journal studies,
explaining that they should not be vaccinating these premature
infants, that doctors will not change the procedure. So she
decided to retire early, rather than continue harming these
vulnerable babies.
This Hospital Prescribes Fresh Food From Its Own Organic Farm
EcoWatch - Five years ago, when Lankenau Medical Center was
confronted with evidence that it was serving the unhealthiest
county in Pennsylvania, the hospital decided to embrace the
findings with an unconventional approach: building a half-acre
organic farm on its campus to provide fresh produce to
patients…. Because the doctors, nurses and other staff were not
farming experts, the hospital paired with Greener Partners, a
nonprofit advocate for local food systems in Pennsylvania, to
build and maintain what would become the Deaver Wellness Farm.
Onyekere, who heads community needs programs for the hospital,
oversees the project. Since the farm's launch in 2015, it has
provided more than 4,000 pounds of organic food to hospital
patients at no cost. The produce is used for educational
demonstrations and served in the hospital cafeteria…. While
patients wait for appointments, medical assistants bring in
fresh kale, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplant, arugula and other
produce for them to select. The hospital also provides recipes,
and, during an appointment, physicians use the produce to show
how a patient can make healthier lifestyle choices. In the
Lankenau waiting rooms, hospital employees lead nutrition
courses and food demonstrations. An employee might bring in the
materials for a carrot salad, discuss the nutritional
significance of each of its ingredients and then chop and
assemble the salad in front of patients. Afterward, patients are
given the ingredients and a recipe to try at home…. Lankenau is
not the nation's only hospital-run farm. Others include St.
Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital,
both in Michigan; and St. Luke's University Health Network in
Pennsylvania. But Onyekere is aware of none that have so
extensively incorporated their own organic food into hospital
life.
Need Help With Vet Bills or Pet Food? There ARE Resources Available!
Dogington Post - We can all agree that before bringing an animal into
your heart and home, it’s important to be prepared for the financial
responsibilities – veterinary care, quality food and treats,
preventative measures, etc. – that come along with pet parenthood.
However, over the course of that 15-20+ year commitment, things happen.
Jobs are lost, injuries or accidents make it impossible to work,
economies take a hit. Unfortunately, in many cases of financial
hardship, it’s the family pet that suffers. Fortunately, there IS help
available! Below is a list of national and state-specific organizations
that assist pet parents in need of financial assistance. These
organizations understand that the very best place for a pet is with the
family that loves them. Some provide help paying veterinary bills, some
help with food, some offer free or low-cost spay and neuters, while
others assist pets that meet specific requirements.
Tuesday - December
20, 2016
Today In History:
1790 - The first successful cotton mill in the United States began
operating at Pawtucket, RI.
1803 - The United States Senate ratified a treaty that included the
Louisiana Territories from France for $15 million. The transfer was
completed with formal ceremonies in New Orleans.
1820 - The state of Missouri enacted legislation to tax bachelors
between the ages of 21-50 for being unmarried. The tax was $1 a year.
1860 - South Carolina became the first state to secede from the American
Union.
1879 - Thomas A. Edison privately demonstrated his incandescent light at
Menlo Park, NJ.
1928 - Mail delivery by dog sled began in Lewiston, ME.
1946 - The Frank Capra film "It's A Wonderful Life" had a preview
showing for charity at New York City's Globe Theatre, a day before its
"official" world premiere. James Stewart and Donna Reed star in the
film.
1946 - In Indochina (Vietnam), full-scale guerrilla warfare between
Vietnam partisans and French troops began.
1998 - In Houston, TX, a 27-year-old woman gave birth to the only known
living set of octuplets.
1999 - Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled
to the same benefits and protections as wedded couples of the opposite
sex.
2001 - The U.S. Congress passed a $20 billion package to finance the war
against terrorism taking place in Afghanistan.
2001 - The first British peacekeepers arrived in Afghanistan to help the
nation heal after decades of war.
Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead by gunman in Ankara art
exhibition (Videos, Photos)
Daily Mail - The Russian ambassador to Turkey was tonight shot
dead by an off-duty Turkish police officer at an art gallery in
Ankara in 'revenge' for the conflict in Syria. Ambassador Andrei
Karlov, 62, was repeatedly shot in the back at close range by a
gunman shouting: 'Allahu Akbar (God is Great). We die in Aleppo,
you die here!' He also screamed: 'Only death will take me out of
here.' The gunman has been identified as Mevlüt Mert Altintas,
22, a member of Ankara's police riot squad. He reportedly fired
into the air before taking aim at the ambassador. Three others
were also injured, according to local media.... The killer was
later shot dead after a 15-minute standoff with police.... He
shouted: 'Allahu Akbar' ('God is greatest') and then talks about
pledging allegiance to jihad in Arabic. Switching to Turkish, he
then said: 'Don't forget about Syria, don't forget about Aleppo.
All those who participate in this tyranny will be held
accountable'. He also screamed: 'Stand back! Stand back! Only
death will take me out of here. Anyone who has a role in this
oppression will die one by one.' It is believed he used his
police ID to bypass security staff at the exhibition. One
pro-Kremlin news website reported that Mr Karlov was shot 11
times. He was taken to hospital but later declared dead.
Putin says Turkey ambassador murder is ploy to wreck Syrian
peace process
Reuters - President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the
killing of Russia's ambassador to Turkey was a despicable
provocation aimed at spoiling Russia-Turkey ties and derailing
Moscow's attempts to find, with Iran and Turkey, a solution for
the Syria crisis. In televised comments, Putin, speaking at a
special meeting in the Kremlin, ordered security at Russian
embassies around the world to be stepped up and said he wanted
to know who had "directed" the gunman's hand.... "A crime has
been committed and it was without doubt a provocation aimed at
spoiling the normalization of Russo-Turkish relations and
spoiling the Syrian peace process which is being actively pushed
by Russia, Turkey, Iran and others," said a stern-faced Putin.
"There can only be one response - stepping up the fight against
terrorism. The bandits will feel this happening."... "We must
know who directed the killer's hand," Putin told Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, Sergei Naryshkin, the head of his SVR
foreign intelligence service, and Alexander Bortnikov, the head
of the domestic FSB security service.
Berlin truck crashes into Christmas market
Washington Times - In a rerun of the Bastille Day terrorist
attack in Nice, a truck driver plowed his vehicle through a
bustling Monday evening Christmas market in Berlin, Germany,
causing mass carnage for which the Islamic State quickly took
credit. The Berlin police said on Twitter, according to a
translation by The Washington Times, that “we can confirm 9
deaths.” The department has told German media that at least 50
more people were injured.... The Berlin police said the truck
contained two men, one of whom “died on the spot.” A man
suspected of being the driver “was arrested in the vicinity.”
“The backgrounds are still unclear,” the Berlin police wrote on
Twitter. But according to the German newspaper Die Welt,
“indications are gathering that the arrested truck driver is
Pakistani.” The Twitter feed of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization
Force said that the Islamic State was claiming credit for the
Berlin attack, based on jihadist accounts the IPMF tracks using
encrypted technology.... Die Welt reported, citing eyewitnesses,
that the truck was driven into the crowd without having its
lights on, which “would indicate that the deed was planned.”...
According to multiple German news outlets, the truck had Polish
plates and was en route back home from Italy, and German police
confirmed that the dead man was a Pole. According to Die Welt,
truck owner Ariel Zurawski said his cousin had custody of the
truck, but he had had no contact with him since the afternoon.
“I’ve known him since my childhood. I vouch for him,” he told
Die Welt. About the dead man in the truck, Sky News reported
that “there is some information that … he might have been killed
before the attack.”
* Related:
VIDEO: The Truth About the Berlin Christmas Market Attack
US Press Silent as Syria Presents Evidence of US-Backed Rebels
Using Mustard Gas on Civilians
The Free Thought Project - Amid a blackout by U.S. corporate
media - who are now unironically waging a war against ‘fake
news’ - Syria handed over evidence to an international watchdog
organization reportedly proving rebels used chemical weapons
against civilians. Syrian authorities gave documents and samples
evincing the use of mustard gas by rebels to the mission of the
Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - a group of eight experts from the
United States, the U.K., Australia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, who
have been stationed and working in Damascus at the behest of the
Syrian government since December 12. “We have provided all the
documents to the mission, they were vetted and accepted,”.... In
January, the samples will be delivered to the Hague — site of
OPCW headquarters - via a charter flight.... While the West
continues to accuse the Bashar al-Assad Syrian government of
using chemical weapons against civilians - an allegation
vehemently denied by both Syria and its ally, Russia - no solid
evidence has yet been discovered suggesting as much. Daesh, the
self-titled Islamic State, is widely suspected to have used
chemical weapons; but the evidence given to the OPCW mission was
believed to have been used by anti-government rebels — as in,
the laughably-monikered ‘moderate rebel’ terrorists trained and
supported by the U.S. to fight the former.
HuffPo: ‘Women to Blame’ for New Year’s Sex Attacks
Breitbart - A Syrian refugee columnist for the Huffington Post
has said that women are mostly to blame for the New Year’s Eve
sex attacks across Germany last year. Aras Bacho, 18, tweeted
that women should not be out alone at night. In a perhaps
revealing statement about the attitudes of Syrian refugee men,
Bacho — who writes frequently for the Huffington Post’s German
website — said: “Most of the time the women are to blame. To be
alone at night. On the other hand, the refugees should behave”.
He tagged the tweet “Silvester” or “New Year’s” in German. His
tweet, on his verified account, has been live for over 5 days at
the time of publication, and the Huffington Post shows no signs
of relieving him of his duties as a columnist, with his latest
column being filed 5 days after the offending tweet…. Bacho
moved to Germany from Syria five years ago and has become a
regular columnist on migrant issues across German media. He has
previously said that people who are unhappy with Chancellor
Angela Merkel’s open border policies should leave the country.
IMF's Lagarde keeps job, escapes penalty after negligence
conviction in France
Yahoo News - International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde
kept her job and escaped punishment on Monday despite a
conviction on negligence charges by French judges over a state
payout made while she served as France's finance minister in
2008.... In Monday's ruling, the judges did not find negligence
in Lagarde's decision to seek an out-of-court settlement with
tycoon Bernard Tapie. But they said her failure to contest the
award to him of about 400 million euros ($417 million) was
negligent and led to a misuse of public funds.... "The context
of the global financial crisis in which Madame Lagarde found
herself in should be taken into account," Martine Ract Madoux,
the main judge on the case, said in explaining the absence of
any sentence. She also cited Lagarde's good reputation and
international standing as reasons why the court did not order a
punishment. The charge against Lagarde could have carried a
sentence of up to a year in prison.... The case was only the
fifth ever heard by a special French court created in 1993 to
try government ministers. The court of 15 judges, including 12
lawmakers, has never handed down a firm prison sentence.
Ministers using middle men and mobile phones to circumvent
Theresa May 'ban' on making contact with Nigel Farage
The Telegraph - The news came after Mr Farage, the former leader
of the UK Independence Party claimed Cabinet ministers had been
banned from talking to him by the Prime Minister. There is
speculation that Mr Farage will be made a trade adviser to Mr
Trump, forcing ministers to deal with the Ukip MEP over UK/US
trade talks.... This has forced some ministers to create their
own back channels to make contact with Mr Farage, and so – they
hope – the team around Mr Trump.... Mr Farage said: “If you
wanted to get business from the biggest company in the world and
there was someone there that had the contacts and connections,
the first thing you do is to employ that person. "I find the
fact that Downing Street don't want to acknowledge me, have
banned Cabinet ministers from even talking to me, it shows you
the sort of very small-minded, petty, tribal level that British
politics is at - it's a shame." Quizzed on his relationship with
the president-elect and what he would compare it to, he said: "I
can't make big decisions, but I tell you what I can do, what I
genuinely can do. "It is I can help to be a bridge between the
government in this country and the new trade department in this
country and not just Donald Trump, but his team and his
administration. And I would like to do that."
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Donald Trump surpasses 270 votes in Electoral College to
formally win presidency
Breitbart - There were many protesters but few faithless
electors as Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote Monday —
ensuring that the billionaire will become America’s 45th
president. An effort by anti-Trump forces to persuade Republican
electors to abandon the president-elect came to practically
nothing and the process unfolded largely according to its
traditions. Trump’s polarizing victory Nov. 8 and the fact
Democrat Hillary Clinton had won the national popular vote had
stirred an intense lobbying effort, but to no avail. Even one of
Trump’s fiercest Republican rivals, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, said
it was time to get behind the president-elect. With several
states still voting, Trump had 304 votes and Clinton had 169. It
takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency. Texas
put Trump over the top, despite two Republican electors casting
protest votes.
* Related: First "Faithless Elector" Emerges In Minnesota,
Refuses To Vote For Hillary Clinton
More Electors Mutiny Against Hillary: Three Cast Votes For Colin
Powell, One For "Faith Spotted Eagle"
Awesome! GOP Electors Sing “God Bless America” as They March to
Statehouse to Vote For Trump (Video)
The GatewayPundit - In response to the Democrat effort to
undermine the American Electoral College, some electors are
fighting back. They’re showing the side they’re on. And they’re
doing it by singing while they march. And note what they have on
their sign: “Thank You President Elect Donald J. Trump – Make
America Great Again”
* Related:
Liberal LOSERS Cry & Complain After Wisconsin Electors Vote For
TRUMP!
Obama rushes out 11th-hour regulations targeting coal mining
Washington Times - At virtually the last possible moment, the
Obama administration on Monday rolled out new regulations making
it even more difficult and more costly to mine coal in the U.S.,
a final shot against the already beleaguered coal industry as
the president leaves office. The Interior Department’s
[1,648-page final] Stream Protection Rule will go into effect 30
days after its official release and publication in the federal
register, meaning it likely will be implemented Jan. 19 — one
day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.... The
broad new rules require coal companies to “to avoid mining
practices that permanently pollute streams, destroy drinking
water sources, increase flood risk, and threaten forests.” More
importantly, companies themselves will be required to test and
monitor the conditions of all streams that could be affected by
their mining, “before, during and after their operations,” the
Interior Department said. The testing is meant to provide
baseline data that would help government agencies determine if
there had been any pollution due to coal mining.... influential
Republicans in Congress say the proposal will not survive long
past Jan. 20.
Obama Pardons 78 Inmates, Shortens 153 Sentences
Opposing Views - President Barack Obama just broke the record
for the most ever presidential clemency grants on a single day,
after he pardoned and commuted the sentences of 231 inmates on
Dec. 19. After the president granted 78 pardons and 153
commutations just days before Christmas, Obama has now commuted
the sentences of 1,176 inmates in federal prisons, and he has
more than doubled the number of pardons he gave in the last
seven years of his term, most of which were mandatory-minimum
drug sentences, notes USA Today.... As he prepares to leave the
White House in 32 days, the president is looking to cut into the
backlog of clemency cases waiting on his desk, which totaled
1,937 pardon requests and 13,042 commutation petitions on Nov.
30.... Indeed, Donald Trump has spoken out against Obama's
pardons – of which both Presidents George W. Bush and Bill
Clinton granted more than the current president so far – and
commutations, of which Obama has granted far more than the total
from all presidents since Harry S. Truman – saying that Obama
has freed "bad dudes," according to Business Insider. "These are
people who are out, they're walking the streets," Trump said of
Obama's clemency acts at an August campaign rally. "Sleep tight,
folks."
Judge orders unsealing of search warrant in Clinton email probe
Politico - A federal judge has ordered the unsealing of a search
warrant that played a role in the controversial public renewal
of the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton's email just before the presidential election. The
warrant was issued by a federal magistrate in late October,
after the FBI requested permission to search emails contained on
a laptop belonging to Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of
Clinton aide Huma Abedin. The FBI discovered the Clinton-related
emails after initially seizing the laptop during a probe over
Weiner's alleged sexually explicit online exchanges with a
minor. U.S. District Court Judge P. Kevin Castel issued an order
Monday that the warrant linked to the Clinton probe and related
records be unsealed at noon Tuesday, unless a higher court steps
in. The judge acted after E. Randal Schoenberg, a California
lawyer who mainly investigates art thefts, filed a suit seeking
to force unsealing of the files. The records to be unsealed will
show how the FBI framed its arguments for the search warrant to
access the emails. An affidavit submitted when seeking the
warrant could reflect what the FBI told the magistrate involved
about how likely the emails were to contain evidence of a crime.
100 CEOs Have as Much Retirement Savings as 116 Million
Americans
Common Dreams - While many Americans are facing a "frightening
retirement reality," 100 CEOs are looking at "colossal nest
eggs" and can look forward to monthly retirement checks of over
$250,000 for the rest of their lives.... In fact, these 100 CEOs
have retirement funds that total $4.7 billion. That's as much as
the retirement savings of the 41 percent of U.S. families with
the smallest nest eggs—that's 116 million people. The report
also notes that 37 percent of U.S. families have no retirement
wealth at all. The retirement divide is even greater when
accounting for race. The CEOs' combined retirement funds are
equal to the retirement savings of 59 percent of
African-American families and 75 percent of Latino families.
Topping the list is Progressive CEO Glenn M. Renwick, who can
expect a monthly retirement check of $1,035,733. How does that
compare with regular workers lucky enough to have 401(k) plans?
With an average balance at the end of 2013 of $18,433, these
workers can count on a monthly check of just over $100.
Missouri Bill Would Allow People to Opt Out of Smart Meters; Undermine
Federal Program
Tenth Amendment Center - A bill prefiled in the Missouri legislature for
the 2017 session would ensure customers can opt out of installing “smart
meter” technology on their homes and businesses. Passage of the bill
would allow Missourians to protect their own privacy, and it would take
a step toward blocking a federal program in effect. Rep. Tim Remole (R-
Excello) prefiled House Bill 196 (HB196) on Dec. 12. The legislation
would require utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission to
allow customers to choose between smart meters and traditional meters,
and would prohibit utilities from disincentivizing traditional meter
usage. Smart meters monitor home energy usage in minute detail in real
time. The devices transmit data to the utility company were it gets
stored in databases. Anybody with access to the data can download it for
analysts. Without specific criteria limiting access to the data, these
devices create significant privacy issues. Smart meters can also be used
to remotely limit power usage during peak hours. HB196 would require
utilities to encrypt data communicated by a smart metering network. Law
enforcement agencies would be required to get a warrant of lawful court
order before accessing any such data…. While encrypting smart meter data
and warrant requirements for law enforcement address some of the privacy
issues, refusing to allow a smart meter on your property is the only
sure-fire way to ensure your energy use data won’t fall into the hands
of government agents or private marketers, or end up stored in some kind
of government database. Passage of HB196 would make opting out an option
for Missourians and give them control over their own privacy.
3,000 US Cities Have Worse Water Contamination than Flint, Michigan
Sputnik News - ... a recent study of poisoning levels across the US has
shown close to 3,000 areas throughout the country where contamination
rates greatly outpace Flint’s, but only receive a fraction of the
attention. A combination of government negligence and corruption led to
five percent of Flint’s children being diagnosed with lead poisoning. A
new examination, conducted by Reuters, found that in places like Warren,
Pennsylvania, 36 percent of tested children had high levels of lead, and
in major cities like Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Baltimore had elevated
rates of 40 and 50 percent over the last ten years.... These areas are
similar to Flint in that their contamination issues stem from industrial
waste, plumbing, aging paint, and governmental negligence, though locals
do not receive nearly the amount of funding of Flint. Using US Census
Data, Reuters found that nearly 300 zip code areas (with an average
population of 7,500) and 2,606 census tracts (areas with up to 4,000
residents apiece) had rates of lead poisoning that doubled Flint’s.
Fancy Devices May Track More Than Your Steps
LifeZette - Care to know who else is keeping an eye on all of your
health-related activities?... Estimated sales for fitness trackers in
2016 alone were $102 million.... A new study raises privacy and security
risks, showing that advertisers and Big Pharma companies want consumers'
personal health data badly. And it's so easy for them to get it.
Researchers at American University and at the Center for Digital
Democracy, both based in Washington, D.C., found that a "weak and
fragmented health-privacy regulatory system fails to provide adequate
safeguards." The report, "Health Wearable Devices in the Big Data Era:
Ensuring Privacy, Security, and Consumer Protection," looks at how much
more data will be collected about consumers as the use of personal
fitness trackers becomes more widespread — and the technology more
sophisticated. "The extent and nature of data collection will be
unprecedented," the authors note. "Biosensors will routinely be able to
capture not only an individual's heart rate, body temperature, and
movement, but also brain activity, moods, and emotions. These data can,
in turn, be combined with personal information from other sources —
including health-care providers and drug companies — raising such
potential harms as discriminatory profiling, manipulative marketing, and
security breaches."
Surgeon faces disciplinary hearing for reversing diabetes
‘inappropriately’
What Doctors Don't Tell You - An orthopaedic surgeon is facing
disciplinary proceedings for reversing a patient’s diabetes
‘inappropriately’. Dr Gary Fettke, an Australian doctor who has
already been barred from advocating a high-fat diet, had
recommended the approach to his patient. Although the patient’s
type 2 diabetes reversed, Dr Fettke had gone against current
dietary advice, which recommends a low-fat, high-carbohydrate
diet to prevent heart disease and diabetes. The new charge was
made almost immediately after a secret hearing of Australia’s
medical regulator, the Australian Health Practitioner’s
Regulatory Authority (AHPRA), had banned Dr Fettke from talking
about a high-fats diet or treating patients with it. In his
testimony, Dr Fettke, who practises in Tasmania and lectures at
the local university, had told the AHPRA: “My patients are lying
around in hospital with obesity-related conditions, amputated
limbs and non-healing rotting flesh. I believe it is the
nutritional advice that they have been given that has put them
there in the first place.” He said that the evidence for the
low-fats diet was “wanting in substance and riddled with
vested-interest politics.” The case against Dr Fettke was
brought by a dietitian, who has remained anonymous, on the
grounds that he wasn’t qualified in nutrition, and so wasn’t
trained to give advice on diet. Since proceedings began, Dr
Fettke has suffered threats and harassment…
Natural ways to combat chronic insomnia
(NaturalHealth365) Ashwagandha outperforms Ativan - Also known
as Withania somnifera, winter cherry, and Indian ginseng,
ashwagandha has been revered in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries
as a rasayana – an anti-aging herb that promotes health of body
and mind. Modern research confirms the ability of ashwagandha to
reduce stress and anxiety, which are strongly associated with
sleep disorders…. Melatonin promotes restful sleep naturally - A
hormone produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness,
melatonin helps regulate the sleep/wake cycles. Since melatonin
levels decrease with age, supplementation can be particularly
effective for elderly people. In addition, try to avoid
artificial light from computers, T.V.’s or mobile devices – at
night – because that will block the production of melatonin
needed at night…. Tryptophan, the calming amino acid, improves
both mood and sleep - Sleep disorders are associated with
depletion in serotonin, a mood-stabilizing neurotransmitter.
Tryptophan helps your body produce serotonin – along with
melatonin – and researchers have found that boosting serotonin
levels can help reverse anxiety and insomnia…. ryptophan can
even have a positive effect on obstructive sleep apnea, a
dangerous condition that can raise risk of heart disease. In a
study published in Bulletin of European Physiopathology and
Respiration, people who took 2500 mg of tryptophan at bedtime
showed marked improvement in sleep patterns, and spent more time
in REM sleep – an important component of a good night’s sleep….
Edible Food Parts You Never Knew You Could Eat
Dr. Axe - Across America, food “scraps” are often trimmings,
skins and seeds tossed in the garbage. But as I started
investigating these “waste products,” I quickly found many of
these actually serve as edible food parts with robust nutrition.
In fact, many ancient cultures, including Chinese medicine and
Native American remedies, tapped the healthy compounds in some
of the edible food parts below. 1. Squash Scraps - Squash
blossoms aren’t just for honeybees. In fact, scientists found
that the spinasterol compound isolated from squash flowers
harbored anticarcinogenic potential. The concentrated form of
spinasterol applied to skin tumors in a mice study decreased the
number of tumors by 65 percent. (2) You can eat the blossoms raw
in salads, but they are notoriously delicious fried. For a
healthier version, coat in egg whites, almond flour and lightly
fry in avocado oil. Squash skins - …the skin is raging with
powerful antioxidants that mop up harmful free radicals. Perhaps
the best part? The oven-dried samples showed higher phenolics
and antioxidant activity values, perhaps due to increased
bioactivity after roasting it in the oven. 2. Kiwi Skins - The
fuzzy texture of kiwi fruit is strange to some, but others liken
it to the skin of a pear or a peach. The kiwi industry
encourages people to eat the fruit’s skin, noting that the skin
contains triples the amount of fiber as the fruit. Not peeling
the skin also provides more vitamin C. Always wash the skin and
choose organic whenever you can. 3. Corn Silk - Based on folk
remedies, corn silk has been used as an oral antidiabetic agent
in China for years, thanks to its potential impact on blood
sugar levels. Corn silk contains proteins, vitamins,
carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, magnesium, fixed and volatile
oils, steroids such as sitosterol and stigmasterol, alkaloids,
saponins, tannins and flavonoids. Over time, researchers also
discovered corn silk harbors anti-fungal properties, too. Corn
silk has also been used in many parts of the world for the
treatment of edema, as well as for cystitis (a common cause of
cloudy urine), gout, kidney stones and certain prostate
problems…
Monday - December
19, 2016
Today In History:
1776 - Thomas Paine published his first "American Crisis" essay.
1777 - General George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to
Valley Forge, PA, to camp for the winter.
1842 - Hawaii's independence was recognized by the U.S.
1843 - Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was first published in
England.
1957 - Air service between London and Moscow was inaugurated.
1959 - Walter Williams died in Houston, TX, at the age of 117. He was
said to be the last surviving veteran of the U.S. Civil War.
1972 - Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, ending the Apollo program
of manned lunar landings.
1986 - The Soviet Union announced it had freed dissident Andrei Sakharov
from internal exile, and pardoned his wife, Yelena Bonner.
1986 - Independent counsel Lawrence Walsh was appointed to investigate
the Iran-Contra issue.
1989 - U.S. troops invaded Panama to overthrow the regime of General
Noriega
1998 - U.S. President Bill Clinton was impeached on two charges of
perjury and obstruction of justice by the U.S. House of Representatives.
1998 - A four-day bombing of Iraq by British and American forces ended.
2000 - The U.N. Security Council voted to impose sanctions on
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers unless they closed all terrorist training
camps and surrender U.S. embassy bombing suspect Osama bin Laden.
2003 - The new design for the Freedom Tower at the World
Trade Center site were released. The building slopes into a spire that
reaches 1,776 feet.
Liberation of E. Aleppo has allowed ‘genuine’ separation of
‘moderate rebels’ from radicals – MoD
RT - The Russian backed operation in eastern Aleppo has allowed
for a “genuine” separation of radicals from the ‘moderate
opposition,’ opening a “new window of opportunity” for a
ceasefire in other places in Syria, says the Russian Defense
Ministry. The operation to liberate eastern Aleppo has, in fact,
proven unique, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General
Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday…. According to Konashenkov,
“first and foremost, it is about a genuine and complete
separation of militants of the so-called ‘moderate opposition’
from the irreconcilable radicals, thanks to the efforts of
Russian officers from the Reconciliation Center.” Konashenkov
stressed that Moscow has managed to accomplish “what for a year
our American partners considered to be impossible to implement
in practice.” An obligation to pressure ‘moderate opposition’ to
differentiate themselves from the terrorists in Syria was part
of Russia-US agreements signed in Geneva in February and
September…. Nearly 3,500 militants from eastern Aleppo have
surrendered to the Syrian government, while thousands have
seized the chance to leave through special corridors with light
weapons. The evacuation was partly halted on Friday after
militants tried to leave the city with heavy weapons, which is
not permitted under the agreement allowing them to exit eastern
Aleppo.
Syrian "Rebels" Attack, Burn Aleppo Evacuation Buses
Zero Hedge - Five buses were attacked and burned by “armed
terrorists” while en route to militant-held villages after an
evacuation deal was struck between the Syrian government and
rebels, Syrian state television has reported. According to
Reuters, the deal was reached earlier on Sunday, citing al-Ikhbariya
TV news. It will see the remaining militants and their families
evacuated from east Aleppo in return for the evacuation of
people in militant-held villages in Idlib province, al-Foua and
Kafraya. As BBC adds, the convoy was traveling to Foah and
Kefraya, besieged by rebel fighters. Pro-government forces have
been demanding that people be allowed to leave the mainly Shia
villages in order for the evacuation of east Aleppo to restart,
with thousands of people waiting to leave in desperate
conditions, reports say.... Despite delays caused by
disagreements over the new evacuation plan, convoys were said to
be traveling to both eastern Aleppo and the government-held
villages in Idlib province on Sunday.... It had reported earlier
that the "moderate rebel" group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly
known as the Nusra Front, was preventing buses entering the
villages. As a reminder, earlier in the year, Jabhat Al-Nusra,
rebranded itself Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham, a cosmetic change which
was apparently sufficient to convince the US government to brand
them "moderates" and send them arms and equipment, equipment
which today may have been used against innocent Syrian citizens.
Hospitals in Italy Ordered to Kick Out Patients to Make Way For
Migrants
Paul Joseph Watson - Il Giornale reports that a scandal is
brewing after government officials told hospitals to discharge
their existing patients so that hundreds of “refugees” arriving
in Porto Torres could be sent for health check ups. The advisory
tells staff that they need to send patients home in the morning
if possible and in the afternoon by the latest, and that doctors
and nurses should prepare themselves for “a load of very heavy
work”. According to the report, “approximately 198 men, 126
women and 68 children” arrived at Porto Torres in one night
alone. Another report described the order as “a communication
between madness and total ruthlessness”. In 2014 and 2015, a
staggering 320,000 migrants arrived on Italian shores. Boats are
often sent to just off the coast of Libya to rescue huge numbers
of “refugees”. This is by no means the first instance of native
Italians being moved aside to make way for migrants. Last month,
we reported on an 80-year-old hotel owner who was forced by
police to house numerous migrants in his small guest house.
Video footage shows Luigi Fogli pleading with authorities as the
African migrants take up residence. “Do you want to put them in
my apartment too?” Fogli cries as his protest falls on deaf
ears. Similar cases are happening across the country, with DMF
reporting, “In some places, as in the incident described above,
the proprietors resist; in other cases they cooperate and
defence is left to the local citizens.” Later that month,
Italy’s Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano announced that
the program would be accelerated and that citizens who resist
the “requisition” of their private property to house migrants
could be thrown in prison.
Berlin whistleblower behind German-NSA secret data leak, not
Russian hackers – sources
RT - Russian hackers are not the source behind the recent
WikiLeaks release of leaked secret data on German-US
intelligence cooperation and a parliamentary inquiry into it,
Der Spiegel reports, citing unnamed security officials who have
indicated it’s an inside job. The respective German officials
are “confident” that the documents published by WikiLeaks were
not obtained through a cyberattack last year on the Parliament
(Bundestag), allegedly committed by Russian hackers. “Contrary
to various media reports, there is absolutely no indication that
the documents were stolen during a cyberattack on the Bundestag
in the year 2015,” Der Spiegel writes, citing its own source.
Back then, the intruders seized some 16 GB of information….
According to the latest information, Bundestag police, a
separate security unit, now assume that the source for the
WikiLeaks release of some 2,400 documents was from within the
parliament itself, an unnamed spokesperson confirmed, according
to Der Spiegel. “Following the release of confidential documents
from the NSA Investigation Committee [in the German parliament],
the Bundestag police are investigating the perpetrators in the
parliament,” the outlet says.
Maduro Halts Cash Ban Amid "International Sabotage" Conspiracy
Theory; Blames Obama, US Treasury
Zero Hedge - Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro suspended the
elimination of the nation’s 100 bolivar bill until Jan. 2 after
the government’s decision to pull its largest denomination note
out of circulation left the country short of cash, deepening
Venezuela's economic crisis, and sparking violent protests and
looting. As Bloomberg reports, Maduro’s decision to extend use
of the most-widely-used bill came as the president said
replacement higher-denomination notes were unavailable because
three planes transporting them to the country were “victims of
international sabotage.”.... He did not give details of the
alleged sabotage.... Since last Sunday’s shock announcement that
almost all 100-bolivar notes were being called in by the
government to combat the hoarding of currency so worthless that
it needs to be weighed to be spent, the past week’s daily scenes
of frustrated people crowding banks and automated teller
machines to deposit the bills culminated Friday in utter
exasperation following Maduro’s announcement late Thursday that
the new money would be late.... Despite claims about fighting
criminals, foreign influence, and corruption, ordinary
Venezuelans are those most affected by the government’s fiscal
whims. Already suffering from inflation that is wiping out the
nation’s savings and purchasing power – the IMF calculates that
inflation will rise to 470% by the end of the year, and 1,660%
in 2017 – ordinary citizens are now forced to scramble to meet
the government’s absurdly tight deadline.
Putin Lashes Out At Obama: "Show Some Proof Or Shut Up"
Zero Hedge - Putin has had enough of the relentless barrage of
US accusations that he, personally, "hacked the US presidential
election." The Russian president's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov,
said on Friday that the US must either stop accusing Russia of
meddling in its elections or prove it. Peskov said it was
"indecent" of the United States to "groundlessly" accuse Russia
of intervention in its elections. You need to either stop
talking about it, or finally show some kind of proof. Otherwise
it just looks very indecent”, Peskov told Reporters in Tokyo
where Putin is meeting with Japan PM Abe, responding to the
latest accusations that Russia was responsible for hacker
attacks. Peskov also warned that Obama's threat to "retaliate"
to the alleged Russian hack is "against both American and
international law", hinting at open-ended escalation should
Obama take the podium today at 2:15pm to officially launch
cyberwar against Russia. Previously, on Thursday, Peskov told
the AP the report was "laughable nonsense", while Russian
foreign ministry spox Maria Zakharova accused "Western media" of
being a "shill" and a "mouthpiece of various power groups", and
added that "it's not the general public who's being
manipulated," Zakharova said. "the general public nowadays can
distinguish the truth. It's the mass media that is manipulating
themselves." Meanwhile, on Friday Sergei Lavrov, Russia's
foreign minister told state television network, Russia 24, he
was "dumbstruck" by the NBC report which alleges that Russian
President Vladimir Putin was personally involved in an election
hack.
China’s Top Grain Producing Province Bans GM Crops
Sustainable Pulse - Farmers in northeast China’s Heilongjiang
province, China’s top grain producer, will be prohibited from
growing Genetically Modified (GM) crops, according to a
provincial regulation passed on Friday. The regulation will
become effective on May 1, 2017. Growing of GM corn, rice and
soybean will be banned, while illegal production and sales of GM
crops and supply of their seeds will also be prohibited. The new
regulation also bans illegal production, processing, sale and
imports of edible GM farm produce or edible farm products that
contain GM ingredients. It requires all GM food be sold in a
special zone, clearly indicated in stores. The decision comes
after 91.5 percent of responses in a survey in the province in
October raised objections to GM crops. “We support the research
and development of transgenic technology, but we should be
cautious in applying the techniques in crop production,” said
Yao Dawei, director of the provincial legislature…. Russia will
also be very pleased with the news from Heilongjiang province,
which is the Chinese province with the longest border with
Russia. Russia has a full ban on GM crops in place.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Obama Threatens to Send “Clear Message” to Russia… Then Boards a
Plane to Hawaii for 2 Weeks
The GatewayPundit - NBC News reported: President Barack Obama on
Friday defended his early response to suspicions that the
Russian government attempted to influence the 2016 election and
appeared to threaten retaliation against those plotting
cyberattacks against America. “Our goal continues to be to send
a clear message to Russia, and others, to not do this,” he said,
adding “Because we can do stuff to you.” He urged that U.S.
investigations of cyberattacks should not become a “political
football.” “I think we handled it the way it should have been
handled,” he said during his final scheduled news conference of
2016. Then after his final presser Obama boarded a plane to
Hawaii for two weeks. Putin must be shaking in his boots.
Obama’s vacations have cost taxpayers over $85 million.
'Faithless' Electors Will Not Receive Intelligence Briefing, NPR
Says
Zero Hedge - The list of Democrat electors that demanded an
intelligence briefing on Russian interference in the election
prior to casting their vote continued to grow. As of last night
we noted that 40 democrats had signed the petition and, as of
this morning, the list has grown to 55. Not surprisingly, the
list is loaded with disaffected Hillary supporters from
Democratic strongholds like California and Virginia…. As The
Hill reports, sources to NPR said the electors will not receive
any national intelligence before they cast ballots this Monday.
NSA Whistleblower Destroys Obama's Russia Narrative - "Hard
Evidence Points To An Inside Leak, Not Hacking"
Zero Hedge - A group of retired senior intelligence officials,
including the NSA whistleblower William Binney (former Technical
Director, World Geopolitical & Military Analysis, NSA), have
posted an open letter on consortiumnews.com that destroys the
Obama administration's "Russian hacking" narrative. Within the
letter, Binney argues that, thanks to the NSA's "extensive
domestic data-collection network," any data removed remotely
from Hillary Clinton or DNC servers would have passed over fiber
networks and therefore would have been captured by the NSA who
could have then analyzed packet data to determine the
origination point and destination address of those packets. As
Binney further notes, the only way the leaks could have avoided
NSA detection is if they were never passed over fiber networks
but rather downloaded to a thumb drive by someone with internal
access to servers.
A CIA-led Coup Against American Democracy Is Unfolding Before
Our Eyes
Paul Craig Roberts - The extraordinary lies that are being
perpetrated by the media and by members of the US government
have as their obvious purpose the prevention of a Donald Trump
presidency. There is no other reason for the extraordinary
blatant lies for which there is not a shred of evidence. Indeed,
there is massive real evidence to the contrary. Yet the coup
proceeds and gathers steam. President Eisenhower warned us more
than a half century ago of the danger that the military/security
complex presents to US democracy. In the decades since
Eisenhower’s warning, the military/security complex has become
more powerful than the American people and is demonstrating its
power by overturning a presidential election.... In my opinion,
former and present members of the US government and the media
would not dare to so obviously and openly participate in a coup
against democracy and an elected president unless they expect
the coup to succeed.... The only ones speaking against the coup
are the voters who elected Trump—all of whom are alleged to have
been deceived by Russian fake news— the Russian government, and
the 200 websites falsely described by the Washington Post and
the secret organization PropOrNot as Russian agents. In other
words, those objecting to the coup are the ones described by the
coup leaders as those who made the coup necessary.... Therefore,
we should take very seriously the expectation of success that
those who control levers of power are demonstrating.
Judge Jeanine Slams "Hopeless" Michelle: "Americans Rejected You
And Everything You Stand For" (Video)
Zero Hedge - Yesterday we noted Michelle Obama's appearance on
Oprah in which she hinted that Trump's election was the end of
"hope" for America, saying "now we're feeling what not having
hope feels like." The comments from Michelle have received a lot
of backlash over the past two days but perhaps no one has
crushed her new "hopelessness" narrative better than Judge
Jeanine Pirro of Fox News. Pirro's opening monologue last night
was full of epic one-liners slamming the First Lady's
comments....below are a couple of favorite quotes but the full
video is definitely worth a listen. ”This from a woman, who in
2008, at 44 years old, said for the first time in her life she
was proud of her country when her husband was running for
president. And now, 8 years later, you're out of "hope,"
Michelle?" "An outrage is when your husband struts up to the
microphone at a national prayer breakfast and tells Christians
to get off their high horses because Christians are afraid of
Muslim terrorists cutting their heads off." "Like the 13 hours
those heroes were on a rooftop in Benghazi, your all powerful
husband never bothered to explain to us where he was and what he
was doing that night. All we know is that the only power that he
was ready to unleash was Air Force One to fly to Las Vegas for a
fundraiser the next morning so that you guys could live the life
another four years in the White House." "Michelle, you may not
realize it, but Americans rejected you and everything you stand
for. They know what hope is. Hope is when people, 30,000 at a
time, stand in line, in the cold, with their children, hoping to
get the glimpse of a man they think can change the course of
their lives from the downward spiral that you and "Mr. Hope &
Change" have put them on." "I'll tell you what "Hope & Change"
is, "Hope & Change" is when people show up 20,000 strong, after
an election, desperate to see the man who actually brought back
jobs, almost a 1,000, when your husband said it was impossible
to bring them back at Carrier.”…
Sheriff Joe Arpaio: Obama's Birth Certificate a Forgery
Newsmax - Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio held a
press conference on Thursday to release information he says
proves that President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate
is a forgery. Arpaio said he received information in 2011 that
indicated the certificate could have been forged, and he
consulted forensic experts from around the world who agree it is
not authentic. Arpaio and his team are not claiming that Obama
was not born in Hawaii, but only that the long form birth
certificate is not authentic…. "We had to follow the evidence,"
Arpaio said before turning the briefing over to lead
investigator Mike Zullo. Zullo showed video of Obama's birth
certificate alongside one of a person named Johanna Ah'Nee.
Zullo said that the forensic experts found "nine points of
forgery" from which parts of Zullo's birth certificate was
copied to the one purporting to be Obama's. Among them was a
stamped date that had the exact same angle. By comparison, a set
of twins born five minutes apart had birth certificates where
the stamp did not align exactly…. Arpaio would not take
questions from the media afterward, but called on Congress to
look into the matter.
* Related:
Video: Sheriff Joe Arpaio Releases New Information on President
Obama's Birth Certificate
U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under
surveillance
Reuters - The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an
estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic
communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online
surveillance programs intended for foreigners, U.S. lawmakers
said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The estimate,
requested by members of the U.S. House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee, is expected to be made public as early as
next month, the letter said. Its disclosure would come as
Congress is expected to begin debate in the coming months over
whether to reauthorize or reform the so-called surveillance
authority, known as Section 702, a provision that was added to
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 2008. “The timely
production of this information is incredibly important to
informed debate on Section 702 in the next Congress— and,
without it, even those of us inclined to support reauthorization
would have reason for concern,” said the letter signed by 11
lawmakers, all members of the House Judiciary Committee….
Section 702 will expire on Dec. 31, 2017, absent congressional
action. It enables two internet surveillance programs called
Prism and Upstream that were revealed in a series of leaks by
former NSA contractor Edward Snowden more than three years ago.
Prism gathers messaging data from Alphabet Inc's Google,
Facebook , Microsoft, Apple and other major tech companies that
is sent to and from a foreign target under surveillance.
Upstream allows the NSA to copy web traffic flowing along the
internet backbone located inside the United States and search
that data for certain terms associated with a target.
Obamacare subsidies set to increase by $10 billion as costs
spiral out of control
Washington Times - The federal government will spend $42.6
billion to subsidize customers’ Obamacare plans, up from $32.8
billion this year, the Center for Health and Economy said, amid
widespread questions over the law’s ability to survive. Premiums
for Obamacare’s benchmark plans are expected to spike an average
of 22 percent next year, but under the complex law’s operations,
taxpayers finance most of the costs. As a result, the average
monthly government bill for each Obamacare customer will rise
from $291 this year to $367 next year, the analysis found.
“That’s not sustainable,” said Rep. Kevin Brady, Texas
Republican and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee,
which will have a major hand in trying to rewrite the health
care law when Congress convenes next month. Lawmakers also fear
there is costly fraud in the program. The Government
Accountability Office on Thursday said federal and state-run
exchanges approved coverage for nine out of 12 fictitious
enrollees who signed up outside of the normal enrollment period
because of major live events, such as losing coverage or getting
married.
Church Faces Fines For Giving Shelter to Homeless People
REALfarmacy - Homeless community members have been using the
church for shelter during the late night hours to get away from
the bitter cold. Since Maryland winters are extremely rough, the
church became a lifesaver for many who otherwise had slept out
on the street. The church has been able to provide shelter to
these homeless individuals without many complaints from the
surrounding community. However, Chester Bartko’s property line
lies just behind the church, and has insisted that the church
put an end to providing shelter to those in need. Bartko has
alerted local officials about the church’s actions repeatedly.
He has also said that one of his apple trees has been ruined by
the church’s homeless visitors., but these reports have no been
confirmed. The church does not have the proper permits that
would allow homeless visitors to reside there overnight. Because
of this, the city is demanding that the church pay a $12,000
fine by December the 18th.
Update: Judge Orders School To Allow Charlie Brown Christmas
Poster
Off the Grid News - Charles E. Patterson Middle School clinic
aide Dedra Shannon had placed a large poster of Linus on her
door with the words from the classic cartoon, “For unto you is
born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the
Lord … That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown – Linus.”
On Thursday, a Bell County judge issued a temporary order,
ruling the poster could be placed back on the door as long as it
also had the words “Ms. Shannon’s Christmas Message.” Texas
Attorney General Ken Paxton also appeared in court, supporting
Shannon. “Religious discrimination towards Christians has become
a holiday tradition of sorts among certain groups,” Paxton said
following the decision. “I am glad to see that the court broke
through the left’s rhetorical fog and recognized that a
commitment to diversity means protecting everyone’s individual
religious expression.”… The Killeen Independent School District
board on Tuesday voted 6-1 to develop new guidelines for the
school system related to Christmas decorations, essentially
affirming the principal, who had ordered it taken down. The
suit, filed by Texas Values, had argued, in part, “The inclusion
of Bible verses or religious messages on student or
teacher-sponsored holiday decorations does not violate Texas
law.”
Maine Gas Distributor Won’t Deliver to Trump Supporters
LifeZette - Michael Turner, owner of Turner LP Gas in Skowhegan,
Maine, recorded a voicemail greeting that leaves little question
as to his feelings for those in his community who supported
Trump. “Thank you for calling Turner LP Gas. If you voted for
Donald Trump for president, I will no longer be delivering your
gas — please find someone else,” the message states. Turner
isn’t the first person to refuse to do business with Trump
voters — in late November, Mathew Blanchfield, CEO of an
Albuquerque, New Mexico-based marketing firm, issued a statement
saying he would no longer work with Trump supporters. But unlike
Blanchfield, who lives in a county that voted solidly for
Hillary Clinton, Turner lives in a county that overwhelmingly
supported Trump. Trump won Somerset County, Maine — in which
Skowhegan is located — 57.73 percent to Hillary Clinton’s 35
percent.
This Pipeline Would Cut Through America's Most Celebrated Hiking Trail
EcoWatch -The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline would carry natural gas
300 miles from northwest West Virginia to southern Virginia, crossing
the Appalachian Trail and clearing trees on its way. Cutting through one
of the most celebrated hiking trails in America, the proposed Mountain
Valley Pipeline threatens wildlife habitat, recreational lands and the
health of local Appalachia communities, while setting a terrible
precedent of building energy infrastructure through our national
forests. The construction of the pipeline sets a dangerous precedent,
requiring the clearing of 125 foot wide corridor of forest lands
protected by the Forest Service's Roadless Rule. Under the protection of
the Roadless Rule, these unspoiled forest lands are protected from road
building, logging, mining and other development…. Through Dec. 22 the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is seeking public input on
the proposed plan to build the Mountain Valley Pipeline. We need to
speak up and tell FERC Secretary Kimberly Bose to revise the current
plan and more directly address the pipeline's lasting impacts on the
Appalachian Trail and adjacent wildlands, like Brush Mountain Wilderness
Area and Peter Mountain Wilderness Area…. Undermining the Forest Service
Roadless Area Conservation Rule sets a dangerous pattern for the nearly
58.5 million acres of wildlands protected from road construction, mining
and timber harvesting…. Add your voice: No natural gas pipeline through
the Appalachian Trail!
Washington Post automatically inserts Trump fact-checks into Twitter
Ars Technica - In an apparent first for any American news outlet, the
Washington Post released a Chrome plug-in on Friday designed to
fact-check posts from a single Twitter account. Can you guess which one?
The new "RealDonaldContext" plug-in for the Google Chrome browser,
released by WaPo reporter Philip Bump, adds fact-check summaries to
selected posts by President-elect Donald Trump. Users will need to click
a post in The Donald's Twitter feed to see any fact-check information
from the Washington Post, which appears as a gray text box beneath the
tweet. With the extension installed, Trump's Twitter account now
includes dozens of fact-check notes on any post with a statement that
WaPo's editors deem inaccurate or misleading. In these cases, the added
gray box includes a simple headline, a few explanatory sentences, and a
link to a longer WaPo article that offers fuller context.
George Soros Is Funding Facebook's "Third-Party Fact Checking"
Organization Targeting "Fake News"
Zero Hedge - Just yesterday, Facebook posted the following press release
to their website detailing their plans to use a "third-party fact
checking organization," known as The Poynter Institute, to flag "fake
news." The role of the "fact checkers" will be to review news stories
and flag anything they deem to be "fake" so that it can be deprioritized
on Facebook's news feed. Of course, that raises any number of questions
including what will be deemed to be "fake news" (e.g. will dissenting
opinions be deemed "fake") and who exactly gets to oversee such a
powerful position that basically has been given carte blanche to censor
media outlets of their choosing? Surely such an organization would have
to be an extremely transparent, publicly funded, bi-partisan group,
right? Well, not so much apparently. A quick review of Poynter's website
reveals that the organization is funded by the who's who of leftist
billionaires including George Soros' Open Society Foundations, the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, and Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar's
Omidyar Network. Well that seem fairly bipartisan, right?
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
EPA Recommends Deregulating Highly Invasive GE Grass
Natural Society - The EPA released a final environmental impact
statement on December 7 giving the green light to creeping
bentgrass, a highly invasive type of grass genetically
engineered by Monsanto and Scotts Miracle Gro-Co. to withstand
what would normally be a lethal dose of glyphosate. The agency
recommended the deregulation of the plant because it “is
unlikely to pose a plant pest risk.” Nothing could be further
from the truth, based on past experience. The grass was
developed by the companies primarily for use on golf courses,
but in the past, bentgrass has escaped from “controlled” plots
and invaded irrigation ditches, river banks, and the Crooked
River National Grassland in Oregon. It crowds out native plants
and the wildlife which depends on them, according to the Center
for Food Safety (CFS). CFS said that Monsanto and Scotts have
spent more than 10 years and millions of dollars trying to
exterminate bentgrass escapes, but have been unsuccessful.
Despite this, the USDA seems poised to grant the industry’s
request that the department relinquish any authority over the
genetically modified grass. So far, the GE bentgrass has
illegally contaminated at least 3 counties, and its ultralight
seeds and pollen have been impossible to eradicate, CFS said. In
fact, GE creeping bentgrass was declared a noxious weed in
Oregon’s Malheur County in 2016.
The Indoor Winter Garden: 5 Vegetables You Didn’t Know You Could
Grow In Hanging Baskets
Off the Grid News - Dwarf varieties are best for hanging
baskets. Compact plants that produce small, light fruits will
keep your baskets healthy and manageable. Some plants, like
tomatoes, have varieties bred specifically for baskets. For
others, such as cucumbers, choose cultivars with smaller fruit.
1. Tomatoes: There are lots of great choices when it comes to
tomatoes. Florida Basket and Micro Tom are just two of the
varieties bred for baskets and pots. Tomatoes that mature early,
such as Tumbler F1 and Tumbling Tom, are also good choices for
growing indoors. 2. Peas and beans: As a cool weather crop, peas
are particularly well-suited to growing indoors during the
winter. Since they can tolerate light frosts, you don’t need to
worry about the vines getting too close to frosty windows. Keep
your beans more protected, though, because they prefer warmer
temperatures. Both peas and beans require only about six hours
of sunlight daily. Plan to water once a day and fertilize once a
week for best results. 3. Cucumbers: Choose your cucumber
varieties carefully. Some, like Carmen, are bred to grow indoors
— or, rather, in greenhouses. These cultivars have a high
propagation rate, high yields, good disease resistance, and most
importantly for the indoor gardener, they self-pollinate.
However, Carmen produces large 14-16 inch fruit, which will be
difficult to manage in hanging baskets. 4. Salad greens: Lettuce
and other salad greens like kale and spinach are cool weather
crops, and are well-suited to growing in your home’s cooler
nooks and crannies. They are also very easy to grow from seed.
However, these veggies do need a lot of light — 14 to 16 hours a
day is ideal. 5. Strawberries: Strawberries grow well indoors as
well as in hanging baskets. The best variety for indoor baskets
is the Alpine strawberry, which produces small, fragrant and
flavorful fruit. Strawberries do just fine in regular indoor
temperatures and need only six hours of sunlight per day. Plan
to fertilize about every 10 days, and break out your cotton
swabs, because you’ll need to pollinate your strawberries as
well.
CBD Ban? DEA Tries to Reclassify Non-THC Cannabis Oil as
Schedule 1
Natural Blaze - A CBD ban appears to have been put in place by
the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), an agency of the US
Government. Two days ago on their website, they posted a notice
that they had made a “new rule“, effective Dec. 14th 2016, to
classify “marihuana” (their antiquated spelling, not mine) as a
schedule 1 drug. What this means is that CBD (cannabidiol)
extracts which have trace amounts of, or absolutely no THC, and
are therefore non-psychoactive, are now reclassified to be on
par with psychoactive or THC-containing cannabis, heroin, LSD
and peyote. This latent stunt by the DEA is sure to be met with
fierce resistance by a legion of Americans who are well aware of
the health benefits of the cannabis plant. Legally speaking, the
move is also highly dubious in nature, given that the DEA is by
definition part of the executive branch of government (tasked
with carrying out laws and enforcing them), not the legislative
branch of government (tasked with making laws).… This strange
new DEA rule is going against the tide of the recent movement to
legalize marijuana or cannabis, as was evidenced in the recent
November 2016 elections where California, Maine, Massachusetts
and other states voted to make it recreationally or medically
legal. You can be sure that many cannabis lawyers, businesses
and consumers are going to do their utmost to stop governmental
overreach and prevent a CBD ban from occurring.
Tocotrienols: A new way to combat cancer
(NaturalHealth365) With the recent discovery by scientists that
two natural substances can target and remove aging and “senile”
cells, the battle against cancer is moving in promising new
directions. Research has confirmed that the combination of
quercetin and a form of vitamin E – called tocotrienols – works
to rid the body of the aging cells that are a major cause of
chronic inflammation and disease – while simultaneously
promoting the health and growth of normal cells. When “old”
cells stop dividing, they stop creating new cells. These
obsolete cells also lose the ability to die off, a condition
called cellular senescence. Senescent cells then accumulate in
the body, emitting pro-inflammatory chemicals – promoting aging
and increasing cancer risk. However, there is a scenario in
which cellular senescence is desirable. Triggering senescence in
malignant cancer cells not only stops their uncontrolled
replication, but causes them to die. By clearing away senile
cells and inducing aging in malignant cells, quercetin and
tocotrienols could stop tumors from growing…. The current
recommended dose of quercetin is 500 to 800 mg a day for three
months to rid the body of senile cells, followed by a
maintenance program of 150 mg a day. Benefits have been seen
with dosages of tocotrienol ranging from 40 to 400 mg a day. For
chemopreventive effects, experts recommend 150 mg of tocotrienol
a day for 90 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 100 mg a
day.
9 natural antifungal remedies to eliminate candida overgrowth
(NaturalHealth365) Candida albicans, the most common type of
yeast that causes infection in humans, is actually a type of
fungus. …uncontrolled candida overgrowth can cause a wide range
of symptoms, including mood swings, “leaky gut,” brain fog and
depression. (keep reading for some great antifungal remedies)
Caprylic acid: Caprylic acid is probably the “gold standard” of
natural candida treatment. This beneficial fatty acid has been
clinically proven to kill candida albicans – while helping to
restore natural stomach acidity. For maximum benefit, you can
obtain your caprylic acid in the form of coconut oil, which also
contains the natural antifungals lauric acid and capric acid.
Grapefruit seed extract: Grapefruit seed is a potent antifungal
agent that is also packed with bioflavonoids and antioxidants.
It not only attacks candida by breaking down yeast cell walls,
but also enhances the immune system and helps to repair damaged
liver cells. Oil of cloves: Oil of cloves is another effective
antiseptic and antifungal that quickly kills candida cells while
simultaneously boosting the immune system. Its active
ingredient, a compound called eugenol, gives cloves their spicy
flavor – and their antifungal powers. Make a tea from clove oil
by adding 15 to 30 drops of the oil to warm water; you can drink
the tea up to three times daily. If you find the taste
objectionable, you can flavor it with a few drops of cinnamon
essential oil. Cinnamon: Studies show that even
multidrug-resistant varieties of candida yeast are susceptible
to cinnamon…. To make cinnamon tea, simply boil a few cinnamon
sticks in water for 30 minutes, then let them steep until the
mixture is cool enough to drink….
Healthy 3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
The Big Man's World - You only need three ingredients and five
minutes to whip up these healthy 3 ingredient no bake oatmeal
cookies! Chewy and refined sugar free, these cookies are
suitable for those following a gluten free, dairy free and vegan
diet- The perfect healthy snack! Ingredients: 1. 1 1/2 cups
gluten free rolled oats (Can sub for oat bran, quick oats or oat
flour, however see notes) 2. 1/2 cup smooth almond butter (Can
sub for any nut butter) 3. 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (can sub for
any sticky sweetener however see notes) 4. Chocolate
chips/fruits etc (optional)…
45 Cats Infected with Rare Bird Flu, Officials Fear it May be Spreading
The Catington Post - Veterinarians and public health expects became
quite concerned when 45 cats at Animal Care and Control in Manhattan,
New York, came down with a rare strain of the bird flu. Influenza A
virus, known as low pathogenic avian influenza H7N2, has been identified
in the 45 cats housed at the Manhattan shelter. While the virus poses a
low risk to humans, health officials are concerned that it could have
infected additional cats that have already been adopted from the
shelter…. Symptoms of the flu include persistent cough, lip smacking,
runny nose, and fever. Officials are urging anyone who adopted a cat as
recently as November from the shelter in Manhattan to call the Health
Department at 866-692-3641 for care instructions and to keep their cat
separated from other animals if they show any of these signs. To date,
one of the infected cats – an older kitty who had underlying health
issues – has died as a result of pneumonia from the infection. This flu
virus is spreading from cat to cat and may be able to spread to other
animals and possibly even humans. Officials are also advising these pet
owners to call the Health Department if they develop fever with a sore
throat, fever with a cough, or red, inflamed eyes.
Friday - December
16, 2016
Today In History:
1773 - Nearly 350 chests of tea were dumped into Boston Harbor off of
British ships by Colonial patriots. The patriots were disguised as
Indians. The act was to protest taxation without representation and the
monopoly the government granted to the East India Company.
1944 - During World War II, the Battle of the Bulge began in Belgium. It
was the final major German counteroffensive in the war.
1950 - U.S. President Truman proclaimed a national state of emergency in
order to fight "Communist imperialism."
1981 - The U.S. Congress restored the $122 minimum monthly social
security benefit for current recipients.
1991 - The U.N. General Assembly rescinded its 1975 resolution equating
Zionism with racism by a vote of 111-25.
1993 - The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling
for negotiations on a comprehensive test ban.
1995 - Many U.S. government functions were again closed as a temporary
finance provision expired and the budget dispute between President
Clinton and Republicans in Congress continued.
1995 - NATO launched a military operation in support of the Bosnia peace
agreement.
1998 - The U.S. and Britain fired hundreds of missiles on Iraq in
response to Saddam Hussein's refusal to comply with U.N. weapons
inspectors.
2000 - U.S. President-elect George W. Bush selected Colin Powell to be
the first African-American secretary of state. Powell was sworn in
January 20, 2001.
2001 - In Tora Bora, Afghanistan, tribal fighters announced that they
had taken the last al-Quaida positions. More than 200 fighters were
killed and 25 captured. They also announced that they had found no sign
of Osama bin Laden.
2001 - Cuba received the first commercial food shipment from the U.S. in
nearly 40 years. The shipment was sent to help Cuba after Hurrican
Michelle hit Cuba on November 4, 2001.
2001 - A British newspaper, The Observer, reported that a notebook had
been found at an al-Quaida training camp in southern Afghanistan. The
notebook contained a "blue print" for an bomb attack on London's
financial district.
2009 - Astronomers discovered GJ1214b. It was the first-known exoplanet
on which water could exist.
US MANPAD supplies should worry Pentagon, not ‘small arms'
seized in Palmyra – Russian military
RT - The US-led coalition should worry about potential
deliveries of US arms to Syria rather than weapons left behind
in Palmyra, as the city fell again into the hands of Islamic
State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), the Russian Defense Ministry
said. The response came after a Wednesday report given by US
Lieutenant-General Stephen Townsend, commander of Operation
Inherent Resolve, the US-led coalition fighting the terrorist
group Islamic State. Asked by journalists, the general voiced
concerns over reports that Islamic State militants captured
weapons in Palmyra which could be used against American troops
and their allies. “We believe it includes some armored vehicles
and various guns and other heavy weapons, possibly some air
defense equipment,” he said, adding that “if the Russians and
the regime don’t strike it, we will.” The Russian Defense
Ministry described the stash of weapons as “a few small arms and
several disabled military vehicles that cannot pose any threat
to the international coalition.” “The thing that should really
worry Gen. Townsend is the latest permission of the US Congress
to deliver American MANPADs to the Syrian militants in 2017,”
Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian ministry,
said. He added that it “was not hard to guess who will get them
after they are delivered to Syria.” The Russian general warned
the US against using the authorization to deliver anti-aircraft
weapons to Syrian rebels, saying that expecting the weapons to
be used “against aircraft of one side only” would be wishful
thinking, and was not supported by the previous record of arms
transfers to the region.
Hundreds leave besieged east Aleppo on first day of evacuation
The Guardian - More than 2,000 people have been evacuated from
besieged districts of east Aleppo under a deal brokered by
Turkey and Russia and overseen by the Red Cross, and thousands
more are expected to make the journey in the coming hours and
days. Thursday’s evacuations, carried out using ambulances and
green buses, will end months of deprivation and suffering for
some of the desperate residents of east Aleppo. They have been
living under siege in a shrinking patch of land controlled by
the opposition, surviving bombardment by forces loyal to the
regime of Bashar al-Assad, Iranian-backed militias and the
Russian air force. More than 1,000 people are thought to have
been killed in the Syrian government’s latest campaign in
Aleppo, and tens of thousands more have been displaced…. The
effort to treat and house tens of thousands of civilians, many
of whom have had no access to medicine or much food for the past
several weeks, is likely to be immense. The Turkish government
has said it is prepared to receive the wounded and is readying
refugee camps to house as many as 80,000 people in northern
Syria and inside Turkey.
EU MPs debate stripping Poland of voting rights after new law
restricts public meetings
RT - Adoption of a controversial law limiting freedom of
assembly in Poland provoked a wave of criticism at home and
prompted the EU parliament to discuss the possibility of
stripping Poland of its voting rights within the bloc. The
debate was provoked by an adoption of amendments to the Polish
freedom of assembly law that give priority to the rallies that
authorities deem to have “national importance." The move has
been sharply criticized by the opposition, as well as some human
rights groups and even the Polish Supreme Court, as
disproportionate and unjustified. The legislation proposed by
the MPs from the ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) Party
and passed by the Polish Senate late Tuesday envisages the
possibility for any group to “book” a place for holding
“periodical” rallies for up to three years with the consent of
local authorities. All rallies held at the specified place by
other groups and organizations during that period would be
regarded as illegal, Polish Gazeta Wyborcza daily reports. In
addition, any counter-rallies could be held no closer than 100
meters away from the place “reserved” by the authorities for a
specific organization. The bill, which is still pending approval
by the Polish president, also provides a legal basis for
prioritizing those rallies that the authorities see as
“nationally important” – such as those dedicated to
commemoration of historical events.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
‘Russian Hacking’ a “Disinformation Campaign” Against Trump,
Says Congressman
Paul Joseph Watson - Intelligence agencies are refusing to brief
members of Congress on claims that Russia hacked the U.S.
presidential election, as Rep. Peter King charged that false
information is being leaked to the media as part of a
disinformation campaign to discredit Donald Trump. “There is no
consensus opinion, and yet we find it in the New York Times and
the Washington Post and yet the House Committee on Intelligence
was told nothing about this,” said King. “This violates all
protocols and it’s almost as if people in the intelligence
community are carrying out a disinformation campaign against the
president elect of the United States,” added King, noting that
someone in the House or Senate could also be leaking false
information. “Somebody has the time to leak it to the New York
Times and the Washington Post but they don’t have the time to
come to Congress and it’s the House Committee on Intelligence
that has the absolute jurisdiction over the CIA and the
intelligence community,” said King, emphasizing that he had seen
no evidence for that claim that Russia hacked anything and that
it was more likely an attempt to discredit Trump’s
administration. “Why didn’t they tell the House Intelligence
Committee?” asked King. “If something so dramatic happened
between November 17th and this week to change their assessment,
didn’t they have the obligation to come before the Congress and
tell us that.” Nobody at the CIA is speaking, no one’s on the
record, if it is true they’re leaking it and that’s a crime,”
added King, concluding that the whole thing “stinks”….
Meanwhile, NBC News is reporting that, “U.S. intelligence
officials now believe with “a high level of confidence” that
Russian President Vladimir Putin became personally involved in
the covert Russian campaign to interfere in the U.S.
presidential election.”
Long-Shot Bid to Block Trump Arrives at Electoral College Monday
Bloomberg - The Electoral College’s 538 members gather Monday at
50 state capitols to cast the ballots that matter the most when
it comes to electing a U.S. president. Normally sedate affairs
that pass with little notice, this year’s proceedings have been
injected with a bit of drama and a dash of uncertainty with an
unprecedented campaign by a small group of electors to overturn
the results of Election Day. The attempt to deny Donald Trump
the presidency by trying to convince Democratic and Republican
peers to back someone else is almost sure to fail. But it
injects still more rancor in what already has been a divisive
political season and serves as a capstone for a 2016
presidential election that will go down as one of the oddest in
U.S. history. Behind the drive is a group calling itself
Hamilton Electors, led by two Democratic electors from western
states. The name is a nod to Alexander Hamilton and his
explanation of the need for the Electoral College, an entity the
first U.S. Treasury secretary said existed to make sure that
“the office of the president will never fall to the lot of any
man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite
qualifications.”
"They Are Standing Strong By The Will Of Our Voters" - GOP
Crushes Democrats' Hopes, Confirms Electors Back Trump
Zero Hedge - While a liberal group responsible for fomenting the
Electoral College rebellion claims to have at least 20 of the 37
GOP defectors needed to pull an upset and send the election to
the House, The Hill reports that, among Republicans on the
ground, though, there is no chatter or speculation surrounding
that possibility…. Republican state party chairmen and local
officials expect nearly every GOP elector to fulfill their
pledges to vote for Donald Trump for president on Monday when
delegates gather across the country to cast their Electoral
College ballots. Despite a media frenzy around the scattered
groups of liberals suggesting a groundswell of Republican
opposition to Trump, there is little evidence to suggest that
many GOP voters will go against the popular vote in their home
states. An Associated Press poll of more than 330 electors
published Thursday found similarly long odds for any Electoral
College revolt, with both Democrats and Republicans convinced
Trump will clinch the vote Monday. The Hill reached state party
chairmen or officials for 10 of the 30 states Trump won in
November, accounting for 170 of the 270 electoral votes he needs
to win. The officials in those states, most of whom said they
are in close contact with their full slate of delegates and are
working in tandem with the Republican National Committee’s whip
operation, promised to deliver 169 of the 170 electoral votes up
for grabs…. The lone exception is a rebel elector in Texas, who
has written an op-ed in the New York Times and said in media
interviews that he will not vote for Trump. Two others have said
they will resign in protest. They are likely to be replaced by
electors the party is certain will vote for Trump.
Clinton Investigation Back On: FBI Agents In NY Ordered To
Continue Foundation Probe
Zero Hedge - Officials at FBI headquarters instructed its New
York field office to continue its corruption investigation into
the Clinton Foundation following the election of Republican
candidate Donald Trump, according to a former senior law
enforcement official. The instructions ordered agents to “go
forward” with their ongoing inquiry into the Clinton Foundation
which is focusing on issues of corruption and money laundering,
according to the source. “There were no instructions to shut it
down, to discontinue or to stand down on the investigation, but
to continue its work,” the former official told the Daily Caller
News Foundation in an interview. He said he received this
information about a week ago and that the order originated from
the bureau’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. well after the
Nov. 8 election. He did not know who at FBI Headquarters issued
the order. The same source broke the news to TheDCNF that the
FBI was conducting a multi-city probe of the foundation in as
many as five cities: New York, Little Rock, Washington, D.C.,
Los Angeles and Miami. The source did not know the status of the
bureau’s work in the four other cities.
"Fake News": What's behind the steep career of the new Buzz word
RT -The fight concept "Fake News" has been on everyone's mind
for several days in Germany. Coincidence? No. Behind the slogan
is a story that originated in the USA. "Fake News" is linked to
conjectures about a Washington pedophile ring around Hillary
Clinton. Suddenly he is there, the term "fake news". Mark
Zuckerberg promises on 19 November that Facebook wants to take
action against the alleged problem. Deutsche Leitartikler take
on the topic with a campaign-like verve. The time goes on for
even the US "Internet pioneers" Jeff Jarvis. Even Angela Merkel
discussed "Fake News" in her government statement on Wednesday.
The fact that the term in the past few weeks has laid a very
steep career, impressively illustrates a simple search with
Google Trends. The curve shows the global public interest in
certain search terms, in this case the term "fake news”… Before
"Fake News" was #Pizzagate. Looking back on 9 November, the day
after the presidential election: In the US, the hashtag spread #Pizzagate
like wildfire. Behind the slogan is no less than the accusation
that Hillary Clinton's campaign leader John Podesta is in
connection with a supposed pedophile ring. There are a lot of
internet forums around. In the podesta mails published by
WikiLekas, there are often conspicuous terms that are used in
pedophile circles as code words for their criminal needs. So the
term "cheese pizza" stands for "Child Porn" due to the same
initial letters of the words in pedophile travels. While in the
social media of the Hashtag #Pizzagate with partly over 200,000
Tweets within 24 hours to the Megawelle grows, the Washington
operator of the pizzalade James Alefantis gets into the thread
crosses of the conjectures. From today still unexplained reasons
, the QC magazine lists the restaurateurs number 49 of the 50
most powerful people in Washington, a city with perhaps the
highest concentration of power around the world at all. [Read
more]
Owner Puts Up THIS Sign After Seeing Homeless People Around Her
Store
David Wolfe - This week in Dallas, Texas, temperatures dropped
to the low 30s. This was fine for everyone with a home and
electricity. But for the homeless, it was misery and even
dangerous. Though there are shelters, many homeless people can’t
make it to one and are forced to spend their days and nights
roaming the streets. This isn’t unusual in a big city like
Dallas. With their busy lives and schedules, many people don’t
stop to think about how the weather might be affecting those in
need. One taco shop owner did. For the second year in a row,
Emilia Flores, owner of The Taco Stop, set out a fully-stocked
coat rack just outside her shop. The idea struck her when
visiting Mexico. Seeing how they went the extra mile for their
homeless, Flores thought it would be a great idea to emulate.
“This is a way of people not being embarrassed about asking,”
said Flores. “They just come and pick what they need and leave.”
Flores’ only intention is to help those in need. And not just
the homeless, but anyone struggling financially. “In small ways,
you can actually make a difference. And this year, particularly,
I thought that the world is so polarized and the country is so
polarized, it’s just another reminder that it takes very little
to make life easier for people.” The whole wardrobe was stolen
four times last year. While this might have deterred others in
their act of kindness, Flores continues to put it back up.
Without fail, there will always be help at The Taco Shop in
Dallas, Texas.
Jill Stein Spends $1mm Of Recount Donations On “Staff, Admin and
Consultants”
Zero Hedge - After promising to spend “every dollar” of the
donations she raised from disaffected Hillary supporters on
recount efforts, Jill Stein has just released the following
budget which reveals that over $1mm (or nearly 15% of the total
$7.3mm raised) was used to fund her “staff payroll,”
“consultants,” “administrative expenses,” and “compliance
costs.” This looks eerily similar to some Clinton Foundation
budgets we recently reviewed which claimed to have spent “every
dollar” of their donations on “charity work.” Of course, to add
insult to injury, Stein’s efforts in Wisconsin actually widened
Trump’s margin of victory while recount efforts in Michigan and
Pennsylvania were shut down by courts based on merit. Therefore,
given that Wisconsin’s net votes changed by a grand total of
131, Stein effectively paid $56,759 for each changed vote. And
while that may sound like a complete failure to most of us,
Stein, in a press release posted to her website, was a bit more
upbeat describing the recounts as a “resounding success.
Students petition to fire professor for shaming Trump supporters
CampusReform - Students at Orange Coast College have started a
petition to fire Olga Perez Stable-Cox, the professor who called
the election of Donald Trump “an act of terrorism” during an
in-class tirade. Cox, who teaches Human Sexuality, has made
national headlines for claiming that Trump is a “white
supremacist,” and stating that Vice-President-elect Pence is
“one of the most anti-gay humans in this country.” The petition
denounces Cox not merely for her comments about Trump and Pence,
but also for asking all Trump supporters to stand up in front of
the entire class, which the anonymous student who submitted the
video asserts was an attempt to isolate and publicly shame those
who voted for Trump.
Coalition of 24 states urges Trump to kill Obama's carbon emission plan
Reuters - Officials in 24 states have urged U.S. President-elect Donald
Trump to kill the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's strategy to
combat climate change and shut down coal-fired power plants. The
coalition requested the incoming Republican government undo the Clean
Power Plan enacted by the current Democratic administration. The law was
designed to lower carbon emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants
by 2030 to 32 percent below 2005 levels. The group, headed by West
Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Texas Attorney General
Ken Paxton, suggests Congress take action to prevent the Environmental
Protection Agency from drafting similar regulations in the future. "The
order (to withdraw the plan) should explain that it is the
administration's view that the (Clean Power Plan) is unlawful and that
EPA lacks authority to enforce it. The executive order is necessary to
send an immediate and strong message to States and regulated entities
that the administration will not enforce the rule," according to
Morrisey.
700+ Acres of Ohio's Only National Forest Sold for Fracking
EcoWatch - Despite heavy opposition from public health and environmental
groups, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has leased 759 acres of
Ohio's only national forest for fracking. According to the Associated
Press, oil and gas companies from Texas, Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Colorado and Oklahoma forked over $1.7 million for the right to explore
parts of Wayne National Forest for drilling operations. Lessees still
need to obtain a permit before any drilling can start. The online
auction took place on Dec. 13 with the minimum acceptable bid for as
little as $2 per acre. The Columbus Dispatch reported that offers made
by the 22 registered bidders ranged from the $2 minimum to a high of
$5,806.12 per acre. Opponents of the federal auction, cited concerns
over public health impacts and effects on air and water quality, and
submitted more than 17,000 comments to the BLM during its 30-day comment
period…. The BLM reportedly received 100 "valid" complaints but they
were all denied by the agency on Monday and the auction moved forward….
In addition to allowing fracking on public lands, Ohio lawmakers passed
House Bill 554 last week, which will freeze renewable energy mandates
for another two years if Gov. John Kasich signs the bill. More than
25,000 clean energy jobs are at risk.
Poisoned Snow Geese in Butte: the New “Canaries” Warning us Humans About
the Toxic Nature of Copper Mining
Natural Blaze - In November of 1995, a large flock of migrating snow
geese, heading south for the winter, took refuge from a snowstorm and
landed on the unfrozen surface of an open pit copper mine on the
outskirts of Butte, Montana. The old mine, called the Berkeley Pit, had
been inactive for decades, but it was full of dissolved heavy metals and
highly acidic water. 342 of the geese died during that event, autopsies
showing perforated esophageal ulcerations from drinking the water…. On
November 28, 2016, 21 years after the first reported snow goose die-off
at Butte, an estimated 10,000 migrating snow geese landed on the
permanently-poisoned water toxic water of the Berkeley Pit and began
dying. Witnesses said that the lake was “white with birds.”… Severe
poisoning with heavy metals are essentially incurable and untreatable,
even in humans, because those toxins are so rapidly lethal to nerve,
liver and kidney cells and so damaging to the body’s mitochondria and
the enzyme systems that are so critical to health…. Clean-up
responsibility for the massive pollution problem in Butte has been
assumed by the EPA as a Superfund site, which is not fully funded by the
under-regulated mining companies that created the problem in the first
place. Remediation costs are so astronomical that mining companies could
never be expected to voluntarily set aside large enough escrow accounts
to pay for real clean-up.
Facebook partners with fact-checking organizations to begin flagging
fake news
The Verge - Facebook is introducing tools designed to make it easier to
report links shared in the News Feed as fake news, and it’s working with
four independent fact-checking organizations to assess the accuracy of
viral stories. Facebook users who try to share a story that has been
marked as false will be warned that “independent fact-checkers have
disputed its accuracy.” To start with, Facebook is working with Snopes,
Politifact, ABC News, and FactCheck.org. (It plans to add more over
time, it said.) All are members of the Poynter International Fact
Checking Network, who have agreed to abide by a common set of
principles. Together, Facebook and the news organizations will attempt
to identify fast-spreading hoaxes and discourage users from sharing
them. For its part, Facebook will use a variety of signals to identify
stories that are likely to be false. These signals include stories that
people post but later delete, and stories that include lots of comments
about them being fake. Facebook says it will use these and other signals
to populate a dashboard of dubious stories. Its fact-checking partners
will get access to the dashboard. After they investigate the article’s
claims, they can mark it as disputed and link to their own article
debunking it. If at least two fact-checking organizations mark a story
as disputed, users will begin seeing a banner under the article if it
appears in their News Feed…. Facebook will also penalize the disputed
article so it shows up lower in the News Feed, Facebook says. If a user
decides to share the link anyway, a pop-up dialog will warn them the
article’s content has been disputed by its fact-checking partners. Users
can still tap “continue” and share the article if they want to. But
disputed articles will not be eligible to be promoted using one of
Facebook’s advertising tools.
The Associated Press Announces It Is Joining The "Fight Against The
Scourge" Of Fake News
Zero Hedge - As part of its broader fact-checking efforts, The
Associated Press announced Thursday that it will work with Facebook to
help identify and debunk trending “news” stories being shared online
that are false. AP stories dispelling patently false trending news
articles already appear on the AP wire, on APNews.com and on the AP News
app. These stories, which will now say “AP Fact Check” in the headline,
include details on AP’s efforts to verify the facts in fake news
stories…. “AP has long done some of the most thorough fact-checking in
the news business,” said Sally Buzbee, AP’s incoming executive editor.
“This initiative is a natural extension of that tradition, and of the
AP’s long-standing role setting the standards for accuracy and ethics in
journalism.”
Coming soon, iris scanning cars that talk to traffic signals
MassPrivateI - Delta Id wants every car to scan your iris, so they can
authenticate the driver before ignition. "ActiveIRIS system scans the
iris of the driver to authenticate him or her, before enabling
ignition." ActiveIRIS identifies the driver, monitors (spies) your
driving and spies on your seat, infotainment and temperature
preferences. "With Delta ID's ActiveIRIS system, all the driver needs to
do is look to unlock the vehicle and personalize the cabin settings as
he or she gets ready for the ride. Additionally, the ActiveIRIS system
can monitor the eyes..." New technology allows vehicles to talk to
traffic lights. Since 2006, Audi has been working on developing vehicles
that talk to city/state infrastructure, otherwise known as 'V2I'. Their
selling point is a car that knows when a traffic light is about to turn
red or green. But what they don't want you to think about is big brother
knows how fast you're traveling. The technology essentially allows the
smart cars and traffic signals to “talk” to each other, relaying
information about the length of time for red lights, Malhotra said. The
dashboard display is equipped with a countdown clock that keeps track of
the time until the next green light while also advising how fast a
vehicle should travel to make it. What they're really saying is, 'V2I'
communications allows Big Brother, to spy on you at all times.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
Use Ash From Your Fire to Nourish Your Plants
REALfarmacy - Bonfires and wood burning stoves are great during
colder months. The ash that is produced is also extremely good
for gardens! Wood ash is a great addition to any garden because
it contains potassium or potash. Potassium is a vital nutrient
for crops. Potassium regulates the water balance of plants so
that their tissue is firm and juicy. It also plays a part in
transporting food within the plant and creating sugars and
starches. Without enough potassium, vegetables are more
vulnerable to drought, frost, pests, and diseases. Many people
use wood burning stoves to heat their houses during the winter
months…. One cord of wood, measuring 4 x 4 x 8 feet, is likely
to produce around 25 lbs of ashes…. Wood ashes make a great
addition to any compost heap and aid fertility. If you have a
lot of ash, don’t add it all at once because they are alkaline
and could raise the pH too much. This can affect the bacteria
and worms that are at work in your compost…. Since ashes are
alkaline, you can substitute them for the usual ground
limestone…. Since it is alkaline, wood ash is not an ideal
addition to soil that already has a pH of 7.5 or greater. There
is no point in spreading it around acid-loving plants like
blueberries. It is also not recommended for areas where potatoes
grow (though they enjoy potassium) because increased alkalinity
can encourage potato scab…. Sprinkling ash straight into the
soil deters slugs and snails. Some people sprinkle ash in the
drills when sowing carrots. Some also dust turnips to keep
carrot and turnip flies away. Adding ash to the soil in spring
and autumn is beneficial, but it can also be spread around at
other times as well. Root vegetables like carrots, parsnips,
peas, and beans and fruit all appreciate potash.
CDC Wants MMR And MMRV Vaccine Comments By December 19, 2016
Natural Blaze - Time is running out to submit your comments to
the CDC regarding the problematic MMR and MMRV vaccines given to
infants and toddlers, which many think have an adverse impact on
Autism. I filed a 10-page comment, which is below, on December
14th. Guess how many comments were posted as of that date? A
measly 236! The last time the CDC asked for comments, consumers
posted over 15,000!… You can get some ideas from what I said in
my filing, so please file your comment before midnight of
Tuesday, December 19, 2016. Please don’t let an important
opportunity slip by regarding vaccines that harm infants,
toddlers and children.
Ten Herbs To Utterly Change Your Life
1. St John’s Wort–This list is started with a herb all of us
could use more of. It’s sedative properties help you cope with
stress. And isn’t the world just one huge ball of stress
spinning in this expanse of space? 2. Valerian Root–Valerian
Root is one of the best herbs to counteract the nervous effects
of caffeine. Take a couple of capsules of valerian before you go
to bed, and you’ll sleep like a baby. ( That is, if a baby was
allowed to drink coffee and then swallowed a few valerian root
capsules.) 2. Uva Ursi–Kidney stones, urinary tract infections,
and bladder problems are all becoming an epidemic in
industrialized nations. For this reason, I recommend Uva Ursi,
as it is a magnificent cleanser of the urinary system. 3.
Turmeric–I bet you’ve never heard of this herb until a couple of
years ago. Thanks to this meteoric rise in popularity, we now
know how effective Turmeric is in battling inflammation. Because
of this, Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties benefit
sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, arthritis, and hepatitis.
3. Siberian Ginseng–Diabetes and High Blood Pressure are a
growing issue in America. But Siberian Ginseng is here to help!
Taken daily, you can easily normalize your blood sugar and blood
pressure in just one easy herb….
VICTORY! South Korea’s Most Infamous Dog Meat Market Shuts Down
In a huge victory for dogs and dog lovers across the world, South
Korea’s most infamous dog meat market, the Moran Market in Seongnam City
in the Gyeinggi-do-province, has finally shut down for good. The Moran
Livestock Association and Seongnam City have agreed to stop the
slaughter, confinement, and sale of dogs. Moran Market is South Korea’s
biggest livestock market and, until now, sold up to 80,000 dogs for meat
each year…. Although this is a positive step forward in the fight to end
the horrific dog meat trade, In Defense of Animals urges caution. The
city of Seongnam has committed to encouraging dog meat vendors to
venture into other trades, but the dog butchers may take their business
elsewhere. In Defense of Animals will not be satisfied until dog meat is
ended entirely.
Video: Bikers Join Together To Help Dog Stranded On A Busy Bridge
The Dodo - Video has emerged showing the heartwarming moment a group of
motorcyclists in Turkey put their own lives on the line to help a
trapped dog make it to safety. It's unclear from the footage how the
desperate animal came to be stranded there on one of Istanbul's busiest
bridges, but it was likely only a matter of time before he was struck by
a passing car. Fortunately, the quick-thinking bikers knew just what to
do to help. They formed a human shield around the dog as protection,
escorting her to a pedestrian area where she could escape the traffic.
After the dog is out of danger, one of the bikers appears to linger
behind, perhaps to guide her the rest of the way to where a car is
parked on the shoulder a short distance ahead. But while we may never
come to know the dog's full story, it's heartening to see that, in her
most desperate moment, she had the kindness of strangers to help see her
through it.
Recall Alert: Several Pet-Branded Carpet Cleaning Powders Recalled
Dogington Post - Several brands and Lot numbers of dry carpet cleaning
powders, many marketed specifically to pet owners, have been recalled
due to the risk of exposure to harmful bacteria. The 6 brands recalled
include Arm & Hammer, Capture, Healthy Home, Oreck, Resista and Riccar
brands, sold at Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, Oreck, Walmart and other
specialty carpet and vacuum stores nationwide from July 2015 through
September 2016. The dry carpet cleaning powder involved in this recall
can contain harmful bacteria. Exposure to bacteria poses a risk of
respiratory and other infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Consumers with healthy immune systems are generally not affected by the
bacteria.
Thursday - December
15, 2016
Today In History:
1791 - In the U.S., the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known
as the Bill of Rights, went into effect following ratification by the
state of Virginia.
1890 - American Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe
members were killed in Grand River, SD, during an incident with Indian
police working for the U.S. government.
1938 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt presided over the
ground-breaking ceremonies for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.
1939 - "Gone With the Wind," produced by David O. Selznick based on the
novel by Margaret Mitchell, premiered at Loew's Grand Theater in
Atlanta. The movie starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
1941 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into practice Bill of
Rights Day.
1944 - American forces invaded Mindoro Island in the Philippines.
1966 - Walter Elias "Walt" Disney died in Los Angeles at the age of 65.
1973 - J. Paul Getty III was found in southern Italy after being held
captive for 5 months, in which his right ear was cut off and sent to a
newspaper in Rome.
1983 - The last 80 U.S. combat soldiers in Grenada withdrew. It was just
over seven weeks after the U.S.-led invasion of the Caribbean island.
1995 - The U.N. Security Council authorized NATO to take over the
peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
1996 - Boeing Co. announced plans to pay $13.3 billion to acquire rival
aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas Corp.
1999 - Syria reopened peace talks with Israel in Washington, DC, with
the mediation of U.S. President Clinton.
2000 - The Chernobyl atomic power plant in Kiev, Ukraine, was shut down.
2000 - New York Senator-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed to accept an
$8 million book deal with Simon & Schuster. The book was to be about her
eight years in the White House. The advance was the highest ever to be
paid to a member of the U.S. Congress.
2010 - The U.N. Security Council gave a vote of confidence to the
government of Iraq when they lifted 19-year-old sanctions on weapons and
civilian nuclear power.
ISIS attack on Palmyra directly linked to US waiver on rebel
arms supplies – Assad to RT (Video)
RT - President Obama’s announcement of a waiver for arming
unspecified rebel groups in Syria came shortly before the
terrorist group Islamic State launched a massive attack on
Palmyra. Syrian President Bashar Assad believes it was no
coincidence, he told RT. "The announcement of the lifting of
that embargo is related directly to the attack on Palmyra and to
the support of other terrorists outside Aleppo, because when
they are defeated in Aleppo, the United States and the West,
they need to support their proxies somewhere else," he said.
"The crux of that announcement is to create more chaos, because
the United States creates chaos in order to manage this chaos,"
Assad added. He added that Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL)
forces “came with different and huge manpower and firepower that
ISIS never had before during this attack, and they attacked on a
huge front, tens of kilometers that could be a front of armies.
ISIS could only have done that with the support of states. Not
state; states." In the interview, the Syrian leader explained
how his approach to fighting terrorism differs from that of the
US, why he believes the military success of his forces in Aleppo
was taken so negatively in the West, and what he expects from US
President-elect Donald Trump. The full transcript of the
interview is below….
US Trims Some Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia Over Yemen Civilian
Deaths
Antiwar - In a surprise move, the United States has announced
that they will halt sales certain munitions sales to Saudi
Arabia yesterday, citing growing concerns about “flaws” in Saudi
targeting in the Yemen war, which is leading to a huge number of
civilian deaths. Officials quoted in Reuters described a
“systemic, endemic” problem with Saudi targeting in the war, and
decided that they could no longer sell certain “air-dropped”
weaponry to the Saudis. The shift is surprising, as US officials
have repeatedly claimed support for the Saudi war, but it isn’t
necessarily a huge shift. The US sells an enormous amount of
arms to Saudi Arabia yearly (under Obama, the United States has
sold more than $115 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and that
includes cluster bombs, an explosive that’s been outlawed by 119
countries), and officials aren’t providing clarity on just how
big this “certain” sales halt amounts to. The expectation is
that it is minor. Perhaps more problematic, the US is going to
continue to provide mid-air refueling for the Saudi warplanes to
continue the objectionable bombing campaign. US officials say
they wanted to make it clear that sales to Saudi Arabia weren’t
a “blank check,” though in practice the big concern was likely
legal liability, as a growing number of groups have warned the
US may face legal repercussions for participating so heavily in
Saudi war crimes. Halting even a few sales may provide some
legal cover for administration lawyers to argue they acted to
limit Saudi war crimes, but at the end of the day, US warplanes
are still refueling US-made warplanes dropping US-made bombs on
civilians.
Greece on collision course with lenders as ESM freezes debt
relief
The Guardian - The dispute between Greece and its creditors has
turned more ugly after the European body financing the country’s
€86bn (£72bn) bailout programme decided to freezea debt relief
deal. The prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, was taken by surprise
on Wednesday when the European Stability Mechanism announced it
would not honour an accord to ease the burden of Greece’s debt
pile. The decision, taken in direct retribution for a series of
surprise social welfare measures unveiled by the leader, is
likely to put Athens on a war footing with lenders amid mounting
signs of the Greek crisis flaring again. Last week, Tsipras took
the unexpected step of declaring a one-off pre-Christmas bonus
for an estimated 1.6 million retirees living on €800 or less a
month. This week he added that the Aegean islands would be
exempt from a sales tax demanded by creditors.
Venezuelans fight to protect their savings as government pulls
bills from circulation
Fusion - Venezuelans are rushing to the banks this week in a
desperate attempt to protect their savings from the government’s
latest spasm of reckless financial policymaking. On Tuesday
morning thousands of people across Venezuela played hooky from
work to line-up outside banks and deposit bundles of cash into
their savings accounts after the government gave everyone a
72-hour countdown to turn in all their 100 bolivar notes before
they’re removed from circulation. The 100 bolivar note, the
highest denomination of Venezuelan currency, is currently worth
about 3 cents on the U.S. dollar. But Venezuela’s government
announced on Sunday that it is removing the bills from
circulating because they’re being purchased in bulk by
“international mafia groups” that are allegedly trying to
“overthrow” the struggling socialist government by hoarding
money abroad and starving Venezuela of cash. President Nicolas
Maduro said that by making his country’s 100 bill illegal, he is
“hitting back” against the mafia groups, who he claims have ties
to the U.S. State Department, although he’s never offered any
solid proof to back his claims. Maduro also closed Venezuela’s
border with Colombia for three days, in a move designed to stop
“the mafia groups” from bringing their crate loads of 100
bolivar bills back into Venezuela to deposit at banks. But not
many people believe Maduro’s narrative about withdrawing the
currency to fight the mafia.
4 years & counting: Putin again tops Forbes ‘most influential’
list as Obama sinks to 48th place
RT - Forbes has named Vladimir Putin the world’s most powerful
person for a 4th year running, saying the Russian leader
“continues to get what he wants” at home and abroad. Meanwhile,
US President Barack Obama dropped dramatically from 3rd to 48th
spot. “Russia’s president has exerted his country’s influence in
nearly every corner of the globe; from the motherland to Syria
to the US presidential elections. Putin continues to get what he
wants,” Forbes argued, adding that the Russian President’s
“reach” on global affairs “has magnified in recent years.”
Picking up on the claims of Moscow’s alleged interference in the
US elections, initially promoted by Hillary Clinton’s camp, as
well as the claims of the US President-elect Donald Trump’s
connections to Russia, the magazine went on to say that “in 2016
Russian hackers were accused of tapping into email accounts
owned by members of the US Democratic Party in a bid to aid the
campaign of Donald Trump, who has regularly praised Putin's
leadership style.” Trump placed second on Forbes’ list, outdoing
Angela Merkel, who thus dropped to the third place in the
ranking. However, it was the outgoing US President Barack
Obama’s fall from grace in the magazine’s list that appeared to
be the most striking. Obama, who was placed third last year,
dropped 45 places and found himself squeezed between Haruhiko
Kuroda, the head of Japan’s central bank, and Khalid Al-Falih,
the petroleum minister of oil-rich Saudi Arabia. North Korean
leader Kim Jong-un was ranked above Obama, retaining his 43th
place.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Trump Michigan Elector: Democrats Threatened to Put a Bullet in
My Head (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - Mike Banerian, a GOP Electoral College
voter in Michigan, says he has received several death threats
from Democrat voters. The Electoral College voters are meeting
on December 19 to cast their vote for president. Mike says he
has contacted police and was threatened to be shot in the head
if he cast his vote for Trump. Mike Banerian is a youth chair of
the Michigan Republican Party and an official elector obligated
to cast his electoral vote for President-elect Donald Trump.
Mike Banerian: I’ve been inundated with hundreds and hundreds of
letters to my house and Facebook messages and some of those
Facebook messages are death threats. I’ve had people threaten to
put a bullet in the back of my mouth. People saying to throw
myself in front of a bus, sending me pictures of a noose. Saying
if I don’t do the right thing that they’ll get me…. He said most
of the threats were coming from blue states.
DC Area Marching Bands Are Boycotting Trump Inaugural Parade
The Gateway Pundit - Local DC high school marching bands are
reportedly boycotting the Trump Inaugural Parade. Their teachers
don’t like Trump – so they’re denying their students the honor
of marching in the Inaugural parade. NOT ONE DC area school has
applied to march in the Inaugural Parade. The good news is these
schools open up slots for bands from other states.
Entire Town’s Police Dept Quits Because Officials Kept Asking
them to “Do Illegal, Immoral Things”
The Free Thought Project - Thomison and the other four officers
who comprised the entire police force in Bunker Hill —
population 888, according to the 2010 census — decided they’d
had enough of the town council’s demands, and on Monday night
tendered letters of resignation. According to Thomison in an
interview with the Kokomo Tribune, members of the town council
had requested he perform criminal background checks on other
council members and that he share confidential information. “I
have had to educate them on the things they were asking from me
and explained that I would not take part in any of these
actions,” he noted. Thomison also explained the town reduced the
number of reserve deputies from nine to just four and reduced
the area they were permitted to patrol. Worse, the former
marshal accused the council of curtailing his hours to part time
in order to avoid paying his health insurance after he was
diagnosed with cancer. “They came at me and said it is costing
the town way too much money because of my insurance and they
said we are taking you down to part time,” he told Fox 59.
Thomison plans to file a lawsuit over that issue…. Bunker Hill
is desperately seeking officers to fill the void left by
Thomison and the deputies, but he told Fox 59 no one wants the
job. […] the police department isn’t Bunker Hill’s only loss —
the town no longer has a building department after Building
Commissioner Bill Gornto also submitted his resignation Monday,
citing issues similar to those of the resigning police…. Even
Council Vice President Jim Panther tendered resignation
effective at the end of the year, but only cited personal
reasons in his decision.
Senate Judiciary Committee Refers Planned Parenthood For
Possible Criminal Prosecution
Breitbart - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley
is referring Planned Parenthood to the FBI and the Justice
Department for investigation and possible prosecution. The
announcement comes following an investigation into allegations
the abortion chain and its partners in biomedical procurement
have been harvesting the body parts of aborted babies and
selling them for a profit. In his referral letter to the FBI and
Justice Department, Grassley notes, “[T]he facts uncovered raise
a reasonable suspicion that these organizations, and/or
individuals employed by them, may have engaged in a conspiracy
to violate the fetal tissue law.” In 2015, the Center for
Medical Progress (CMP) conducted an undercover investigation of
the fetal tissue practices of Planned Parenthood. CMP released a
series of videos focused on these practices.
Missouri Bill Would Eliminate State Marriage Licenses
Tenth Amendment Center - A bill pre-filed in the Missouri House
would start the process of eliminating government-run marriage
in the state, effectively nullifying both sides of the
contentious debate. Missouri State Rep. T.J. Berry introduced
House Bill 62 (HB62) on December 1. If passed into law, it would
amend current marriage-related state laws by replacing marriage
licenses with “contracts of domestic union.” In practice, the
state’s role in marriage would be limited to recording marriage
contracts entered into by consenting adults or with parental
consent if under the age of 18…. SB 62 would reduce the state’s
role in defining and regulating marriage, which has become a
contentious issue and places a burden on government officials
torn between the legal requirements of their jobs and their
personal religious convictions. By limiting the state’s role in
marriage, SB 62 would allow Missourians to structure their
personal relationships as they see fit without interference or
approval from the government. Removing state meddling in
marriage would render void the edicts of federal judges that
have overturned state laws defining the institution. The
founding generation never envisioned unelected judges issuing ex
cathedra pronouncements regarding the definition of social
institutions, and the Constitution delegates the federal
judiciary no authority to do so. Constitutionally, marriage is
an issue left to the state and the people.
Missouri Bill Would Introduce Price Competition into Healthcare
System, Set Foundation to Nullify Obamacare
Tenth Amendment Center - A bill prefiled in the Missouri House
for the 2017 legislative session would open the door to price
competition and increased healthcare choices in the state,
setting the stage to nullify ObamaCare and other federal
healthcare programs in practice. Rep. Keith Frederick (R-Rolla)
prefiled House Bill 123 (HB123) on Dec. 2. Titled the “Missouri
Right to Shop Act,” the legislation would create a system
allowing patients to find the lowest price for non-emergency
medical procedures and require insurance companies to reward
consumers who comparison shop with part of the savings. The
legislation would also allow patients to shop for better value
in or out of network. Insurers would have to share any savings
regardless of network, and count costs against out-of-pocket
limits. A Forbes article explained how Right to Shop works.
Right To Shop empowers patients with the knowledge they need to
make smart choices about how and where they consume health care.
They’re given tools to find the best value providers and, when
they choose those options, they get a share of the savings – in
cash.
Court Rules CNN Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Can Proceed
Breitbart - Former CNN producer Stanley Wilson’s racial
discrimination lawsuit against CNN may proceed after a
California appellate court reversed a lower court’s ruling on
Tuesday. The 51-year-old Wilson, who is black, originally filed
suit against CNN in 2014, alleging that the company
discriminated against him on the basis of race over his
17-year-career at the network. As Deadline reported at the time,
the longtime producer was promoted just once, in 2003, despite
applying for a dozen job openings. Wilson was fired in January
2014 after the network accused him of plagiarism; according to
the $5 million lawsuit, the real reason for his termination was
discrimination, and Wilson further claimed he was unable to find
a job at another network after CNN allegedly published false and
defamatory statements about him.
University Says Using “Holiday” Instead of “Christmas” is Not
Politically Correct Enough
Paul Joseph Watson - Texas Woman’s University has warned
students that describing Christmas parties as “Holiday” parties
is now not politically correct enough and may offend Muslims,
suggesting that the term “end of semester party” be used
instead. According to an advisory which described tips for an
“all-inclusive, multicultural holiday party at the office,”
describing Christmas as a “holiday” is not longer multicultural
enough because, “Not all faith traditions have holidays in
December, and not everyone identifies with a particular faith
tradition.” Mark Kessler, professor of multicultural women’s and
gender studies, says that in order to avoid “missteps” that
might offend Muslims, Jews or atheists, party planners should
refrain from using the word “holiday” because it “connotes
religious tradition and may not apply to all employees.” The use
of “religious symbolism, such as images of Santa Claus,
evergreen trees, or red-nosed reindeer” is also discouraged, as
is “red and green sugar cookies shaped like Christmas trees.”
Halal or kosher food should be offered to meet the “requirements
of non-majority groups in your organization.” Music “associated
with a faith tradition, such as Christmas carols,” is also
discouraged, with a “multicultural playlist that reflects all
faith traditions” preferred. mParties scheduled for December
should be renamed “end of semester” parties or “end of fiscal
year” parties. Meanwhile, over in Italy, a priest has announced
that there will be no nativity scene at a local cemetery because
it might offend Muslims and atheists.
School Board Votes to Ban Charlie Brown Christmas Display
Breitbart - A Texas school board has ignored the advice of the
state attorney general and voted to back the ban on a Charlie
Brown Christmas display because it contains the word “Christ.”
he trustees for the Killeen The trustees for the Killeen
Independent School District voted 6-1 to continue the ban….
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton responded by calling the
principal’s directive “an attack on religious liberty and a
violation of the First Amendment and state law.” He urged, “I am
calling on the school board of the Killeen Independent School
District (ISD) to immediately reverse their unlawful decision.”
Paxton [..] voted for the “Merry Christmas law” when he was a
Texas state legislator. He said, “We passed that law precisely
because of this type of discrimination against people of faith.
No school official in Texas can silence a Biblical reference to
Christmas.”… The “Merry Christmas Law” as it is referred to, was
passed in 2013 to address such issues say opponents of the
school and school district’s actions. Texas HB 308 amended Texas
Education Code to protect the right of students and teachers to
celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Texas State Representative
Dwayne Bohac was the author of the “Merry Christmas Bill.”
Trump: ‘We Are Going to Say Merry Christmas Again’ (Video)
Breitbart - Tuesday at a stop on his “Thank You” tour in West
Allis, WI, President-elect Donald Trump opened up his appearance
by fulfilling a campaign promise regarding the use of “Merry
Christmas” as a holiday greeting. “So when I started 18 months
ago, I told my first crowd in Wisconsin that we are going to
come back here someday and we are going to say merry Christmas
again,” Trump said. “Merry Christmas — so, merry Christmas
everyone. Happy New Year, but Merry Christmas. And I am here
today for one main reason: to say thank you to the people of
Wisconsin.”
Video: USAF Band WWII Holiday Flashback
Published on Dec 4, 2015. A special holiday musical presentation
from Union Station in Washington, DC celebrating the service and
sacrifices of our nation's World War II veterans and
commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.
Featuring The USAF Band, Washington DC, an extraordinary dance
troup from NYC (choreographed by Jessica Hartman), and a cameo
appearance by Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.
Claim: Carnival Forces U.S. Workers to Train Foreign
Replacements Before Christmas
Breitbart - Americans working at Carnival Corporation say the
company’s Christmas gift to hundreds of its college-graduate
employees was the news that they are being fired and must train
their low-wage foreign replacements. “I am still processing my
emotions and my disbelief,” said Matthew Culver, a senior
Miami-based IT worker with Carnival…. On December 6, 2016, my
coworkers and I were asked to attend a town hall meeting,”
Culver explained, adding: We were informed that 200 to 300 of
our jobs were being terminated and we were offered jobs with an
outsourcing company named Capgemini. Our last day with Carnival
would be February 3rd. We are going to be training foreign
workers inside and outside the United States to take over our
jobs; then we are not guaranteed any future with Capgemini. The
workers are in Florida, California and Washington State. We must
decide by December 19th if we plan to train our foreign
replacements and work with the outsourcing company in their goal
of off shoring the jobs. The jobs are being transferred because
Carnival is outsourcing critical tasks to Capgemini, a French
outsourcing firm. The firm has been known to exploit federal
guest-worker programs by importing thousands of foreign workers,
primarily from India, to work in U.S. jobs that likely would
otherwise be filled by middle-class American college graduates.
While Carnival denies the workers’ allegations, the
anti-American worker business model of outsourcing U.S. jobs to
imported foreign labor has received growing media attention in
recent years, and has taken place at companies such as Siemens,
Disney, Fossil Inc., Southern California Edison, Xerox,
Northeast Utilities, and Abbott Labs. The salary-slashing
business model is made possible by federal cheap-labor
outsourcing programs, which are strongly supported by Wall
Street because they convert suburban white-collar salaries into
investors’ capital gains. Companies in the United States now
employ roughly one million white-collar temporary foreign “guest
workers.” That total includes at least 650,000 lower-wage
graduates on H-1B visas.
DOJ Rejects Crowd Control Assist Request for Pipeline Protest
Breitbart - The federal government won’t send 100 federal officers to
help police protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline in North
Dakota as requested, drawing a sharp rebuke Wednesday by the county
sheriff who wanted the help as well as the head of the National
Sheriffs’ Association. Sending border patrol and members of the U.S.
Marshals Service Special Operations Group might escalate, not ease,
tensions between law enforcement and protesters who’ve camped on federal
land for months, Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle told The
Associated Press. A dozen North Dakota law enforcement officials
implored President Barack Obama in a letter released Monday to send
in-person help plus financial assistance, citing costs, fatigue and a
growing fear of vigilante justice. The officers, led by Morton County
Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, said they fear for the safety of themselves,
area residents and protesters. In explaining that DOJ won’t fill the
request, the agency noted it offered training and technical assistance
to local law officers and has worked to facilitate dialogue among law
enforcement and opponents of the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline. But
Kirchmeier, who has long been critical of what he perceives to be a lack
of federal aid, told the AP that the Justice Department’s efforts have
not defused tensions and that local officers who have policed the
protests for 127 days and made 571 arrests are stretched beyond
capacity.
Hacked Again: ‘More Than A Billion’ Yahoo Accounts May Have Been
Compromised
Sputnik News - Internet company Yahoo! Inc. announced Wednesday that
they are working closely with law enforcement to secure more than a
billion user accounts that may have been affected by a 2013 hack. Law
enforcement presented Yahoo with data from a third party claiming that
it was Yahoo-user data. The company employed investigators to confirm
that the information belonged to their users, and said the hack is
“likely distinct” from a similar incident in September 2016. Telephone
numbers, birth dates, email addresses as well as security questions and
answers, may have been compromised. There is no indication currently
that debit, credit card or bank account information was stolen, as that
data is not stored in the area of their network that was affected. The
company has a separate ongoing investigation into the use of forged
cookies, whereby hackers could access accounts without a password. Based
on company findings it is believed that an unauthorized third party was
able to obtain the site’s proprietary code as means to fabricate the
cookies. Yahoo believes this is related to the September 2016 data
theft. In the September incident, Yahoo said a "state-sponsored actor"
was responsible for the theft of data from 500 million user accounts.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
How “open source” seed producers from the U.S. to India are changing
global food production
Ensia - Frank Morton has been breeding lettuce since the 1980s. His
company offers 114 varieties, among them Outredgeous, which last year
became the first plant that NASA astronauts grew and ate in space. For
nearly 20 years, Morton’s work was limited only by his imagination and
by how many different kinds of lettuce he could get his hands on. But in
the early 2000s, he started noticing more and more lettuces were
patented, meaning he would not be able to use them for breeding. The
patents weren’t just for different types of lettuce, but specific traits
such as resistance to a disease, a particular shade of red or green, or
curliness of the leaf. Such patents have increased in the years since,
and are encroaching on a growing range of crops, from corn to carrots —
a trend that has plant breeders, environmentalists and food security
experts concerned about the future of the food production. A determined
fellow dedicated to the millennia-old tradition of plant breeding….
[Morton] continues to work with what is available, breeding for traits
he desires while being extra careful to avoid any material restricted by
intellectual property rights. He has also joined a movement that is
growing in the U.S. and around the world: “open source” breeding….The
Open Source Seed Initiative, where U.S. breeders take a pledge
committing their seeds to remain available for others to use for
breeding in the future, is in contrast to the practice of patenting
seeds and crop traits…. While the U.S. seems to be leading the
open-source charge, the concept is rapidly spreading around the world.
In India, the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, which describes itself
as a professional resource organization, runs an open-source seed
program, working with farmers to preserve seeds for traditional food
varieties and to involve them in breeding new varieties that meet
specific needs.
One in six Americans taking a psychiatric drug
What Doctors Don't Tell You - One in six adults in America is
taking a psychiatric drug, such as an antidepressant or a
sedative. Around 40 million people are taking at least one
prescription drug—and that’s at least 14 million more than
earlier figures had suggested. The true picture could be even
worse because the latest figures rely on people reporting their
own use of psychiatric medications, says Thomas Moore from the
Institute for Safe Medication Practices based in Virginia.
Around 80 per cent of the users are taking the drugs long-term,
even possibly as a ‘prop’ to help them through life, which goes
against strict prescribing guidelines. Benzodiazepines have a
long history of dependency problems, and withdrawal and
‘rebound’ symptoms, for instance. Some people are also taking
more than one psychiatric drug. The researchers analyzed data
from the 2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to calculate the
percentage of American adults who were taking an antidepressant,
a sedative or hypnotic, or an antipsychotic. The most common
drug was the antidepressant, which was being taken by around 12
per cent of the users. Overall, one in six adults was taking a
prescription psychiatric drug, a figure that’s far higher than
the 11 per cent suggested by earlier research.
5 Incredibly Beauty Benefits of Papaya Fruit
Natural News Blogs - 1. Papaya Fruit Moisturizes Skin: If you
have dry skin, papaya might be your way out of that. Papaya face
pack can help to make your skin supple and soft. There are
enzymes present in papaya. Not only can they help you to remove
every traces of flaky and dry skin, but they can also hydrate
it. A proper blend of a tablespoon of mashed papaya and a
teaspoon of honey can do the magic. Apply the mixture to your
face and rinse it after 10 minutes. 2. Clears Pigmentation: Make
papaya come to your rescue if you are struggling with uneven
pigmentation. It can also help you get rid of ache that has left
your skin with scars. There are skin lightening properties in
papaya. They can help you to clear pigmentations and blemishes.
Other elements present in papaya are phytochemicals, enzymes,
beta-carotene. They all help to promote fairness as well. The
enzyme papain and alpha-hydroxy acids are forms of a powerful
exfoliator. They are very active in dissolving dead skin cells
and inactive proteins and dead skin cells. 3. Reduces Wrinkles:
Papaya has lots of natural alpha-hydroxy acids. It helps the
skin look smoother, plumper and brighter. Papaya fruit also has
a low quality of sodium. This is why it does amazing work in
hydrating the skin. It also helps to increase the suppleness and
elasticity of the skin. Papaya peel is also very helpful when it
comes to reducing the signs of aging. According to some, this
peel of papaya fruit is as effective as Retin-A. The peel has
enzymes that are active in removing dead cells that are on the
surface of the skin. With this, the signs of aging such as age
spots or wrinkles can be removed. You can also use the pulp of
green papaya on the under-eye dark circles. It is a good way to
get rid of it. It serves as a natural bleaching agent, and it
can help you get rid of discoloration as well. You can do it
every day for faster result. All you need is to just rub the
papaya peel on your face and rinse after 20 minutes with cold
water….
Video: Dog First Aid: How to Help a Choking Dog
Dogington Post - Would you know what to do if your dog suddenly began
choking? How many miles are you currently from the nearest emergency
veterinarian? Taking a few minutes today to watch this video could some
day mean the difference between the life and death of your dog.
Wednesday - December
14, 2016
Today In History:
1799 - The first president of the United States, George Washington, died
at the age 67.
1819 - Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.
1896 - Gen. James H. Doolittle, who led the first air raid on Japan
during World War II, was born.
1903 - Orville Wright made the first attempt at powered flight. The
engine stalled during take-off and the plane was damaged in the attempt.
Three days later, after repairs were made, the modern aviation age was
born when the plane stayed aloft for 12 seconds and flew 102 feet.
1911 - Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach
the South Pole.
1946 - The U.N. General Assembly voted to establish the United Nation's
headquarters in New York City.
1959 - Archbishop Makarios was elected Cyprus' first president.
1983 - The U.S. battleship New Jersey fired on Syrian positions in
Lebanon for the first time after American F-14 reconnaissance flights
were fired on.
1997 - Iran's newest president, Mohammad Khatami, called for a dialogue
with the people of the United States. The preceding Iranian leaders had
reviled the U.S. as "The Great Satan."
1997 - Cuban President Fidel Castro declared Christmas 1997 an official
holiday to ensure the success of Pope John Paul II's upcoming visit to
Cuba.
1998 - Hundreds of Palestinian leaders renounced a call for the
destruction of Israel.
1999 - U.S. and German negotiators agreed to establish a $5.2 billion
fund for Nazi-era slave and forced laborers.
1999 - Charles M. Schulz announced he was retiring the "Peanuts" comic
strip. The last original "Peanuts" comic strip was published on February
13, 2000.
2000 - It was announced that American businessman Edmond Pope would be
released from a Russian prison for humanitarian reasons. Pope had been
sentenced to 20 years in prison after his conviction on espionage
charges.
2001 - European Union leaders agreed to dispatch 3,000-4,000 troops to
join an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
2013 - The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 3 became the first spacecraft to
"soft"-land on the Moon since 1976. It was only the third robotic rover
to land on the moon.
‘West has been blaming Russia for everything, now there’s
backlash’ – Gorbachev
RT - There is a need for Moscow and Washington to cooperate, but
it's hard for Russia when it understands “it’s being cheated,”
former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said in an interview
with AP, focused on Russia-US relations. Gorbachev said the
West’s scapegoating Russia for such a long time couldn’t but
leave a trace. “They have been badgering Russia with accusations
and blaming it for everything. And now there is a backlash to
that in Russia.” It doesn’t mean that Moscow doesn’t want the
collaboration with Washington, he hastened to add, but there are
issues interfering with it – for example, the US itself. “Russia
wants to have friendly ties with America, but it's difficult to
do that when Russia sees that it's being cheated," Gorbachev
told AP. He added that the tension between modern Russia and the
West dates back to the collapse of the USSR. “They were rubbing
their hands, saying, ‘How nice! We had been trying to do
something about the Soviet Union for decades, and it ate itself
up!’” Gorbachev said, slamming Western “triumphalism” as a key
issue in relations between Russia and the West. Nevertheless,
Russia and the US should develop amicable relations because they
are “so important and concern everyone else, so we must take the
interests of others into account.” Gorbachev also voiced his
opinion on President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Donald
Trump. Putin, according to the former Soviet President, is “a
worthy president.” “He has proven his worth. He is a strong
person,” Gorbachev added. “I almost fully supported him first,
and then I began to voice criticism. I can't renounce my views,
and he wants something else.” As for Donald Trump, Gorbachev
said, “He has little political experience, but maybe that's a
good thing.”
Italy’s biggest bank to ax 14,000 jobs in major overhaul
RT - UniCredit has announced a radical restructuring plan to
raise €13 billion in capital to return the Italian bank to
profitability. It includes cutting 11 percent of its workforce
and getting rid of its vast debt portfolio. The bank also plans
to embark on the country's biggest share issue in the first
quarter of 2017. UniCredit intends to remove €17.7 billion worth
of bad debt from its balance sheet to increase profits and
dividend payouts. The bank wants to increase its capital ratio
to above 12.5 percent in 2019. As part of the three-year plan,
the lender will cut an additional 6,500 jobs, bringing the total
to 14,000. UniCredit expects the measure will bring €1.7 billion
in annual savings. "We are taking decisive actions to deal with
our non-performing-exposure legacy issues to improve and support
recurring future profitability to become one of Europe's most
attractive banks," Chief Executive Jean Pierre Mustier said in a
statement.
‘Anti-intrusion’ wall built in Calais to stop migrants from
jumping on UK-bound trucks
RT - A four-meter “anti-intrusion” wall to stop migrants from
jumping into trucks on the way from France to the UK has been
completed, less than two months after the notorious ‘Jungle’
camp was dismantled. The wall has been built along a
kilometer-long part of the main road leading to the Calais port,
near the former camp area. The wall is said to have cost 2.7
million euros (about $3 million), and its primary goal is to
thwart migrants from going to the UK, mainly on trucks. The
structure, financed by the British government, is now complete,
a spokesman for the local prefecture told AFP late Monday.
Delingpole: The £300 Billion Climate Change Act is Costing
Britain the Earth
Breitbart - British taxpayers will be forced to squander more
than £300 billion over the next 15 years on pointless climate
change schemes – more than double the cost of HS2, the Heathrow
airport extension, and Hinkley Point C combined. This is the
massive public spending scandal exposed in a report for the
Global Warming Policy Foundation by MP Peter Lilley. It’s all
thanks to the 2008 Climate Change Act which has committed
Britain to the ludicrous goal of reducing its carbon dioxide
emissions by 57 per cent by 2030. Lilley was only one of a
handful of MPs to vote against the Act which was largely written
by an activist from the hard-left environment campaign group
Friends of the Earth (Bryony – now Baroness Worthington),
introduced under the last Labour government by the then Energy
and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband – and enthusiastically
supported by the then Opposition leader David Cameron who was
warming up to lead the “greenest government ever”.
Astonishingly, as Lilley details in the report, no one at a
senior level in government since has ever submitted the Climate
Change Act to any kind of cost benefit analysis, let alone
thought to question whether Britain’s handicapping its economy
in this way will make the blindest bit of difference to climate
change.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
The 'Soft Coup' Builds: More 'Electors' Demand "Russian
Interference" Briefing Before They Vote
Zero Hedge - Donald Trump could have the election legally stolen
from him on either December 19th when the Electoral College
casts their votes or on January 6th when a joint session of
Congress gathers to count those votes. As The Economic Collapse
blog's Michael Snyder notes, the establishment is in full-blown
panic mode at this point, and they seem to have settled on
"Russian interference in the election" as the angle that they
will use to unleash this 'soft coup' as today, the Hill reports
more Democratic electors are joining the call for an
intelligence briefing before they cast their votes for president
on Monday…. But ultimately, as The Economic Collapse blog's
Michael Snyder warns, this is not about Russian interference in
our election. Rather, this is all about the elite doing whatever
is necessary to stop Donald Trump. The elite are going to fight
against him every step of the way, and they are never, ever
going to give up…. On Monday, members of the Electoral College
will gather in Washington D.C. and in all 50 state capitols to
cast their votes. We know that at least one Republican elector
that is supposed to be pledged to Trump will not be voting for
him, and that elector claims that there are others that also
will not be voting for Trump. If 37 Republican electors can be
persuaded to cast their votes for someone other than Trump, that
would throw the election into the House of Representatives, and
it is unclear what the House would do in that scenario. If Trump
is not stopped at the Electoral College, there is also the
possibility that he could be derailed when a joint session of
Congress gathers to count the Electoral votes on January 6th.
…all it takes to force a vote on the validity of Electoral
College votes is an objection in writing that is signed by at
least one member of the House and one member of the Senate. As
the official House.gov website explains, if both the House and
the Senate vote to approve the objection, the votes covered by
the objection are not counted…. Of course if the election was
stolen from Donald Trump that would likely throw the entire
nation into a state of chaos, but I think that at this point the
elite would be willing to risk just about anything to keep
Donald Trump out of the White House.
Anti-Trump Elector Chris Suprun Paid For Ashley Madison While
Bankrupt And Married With 3 Kids
Zero Hedge - Anti-Trump Texas faithless elector Stephen
Christopher “Chris” Suprun, who wrote a widely-shared op-ed in
The New York Times about his decision, in which he claimed
ideological superiority over Trump, which would prevent him from
voting for the President-elect on December 19 as he is required,
joined and paid for cheating website Ashley Madison in 2012,
using the same address registered to his 9/11 charity, while
bankrupt, likely unemployed, and married with three young kids,
after he and his working wife owed over $200,000 to multiple
creditors — and that’s just the start of it. GotNews’ research
into Suprun’s bizarre and unexplained flip-flop against
President-elect Donald J. Trump turned up Ashley Madison data,
damning bankruptcy records, and a series of P.O. boxes and what
appears to be an association with a payday loan scam site. Since
turning against the decision of the people of Texas to elect
Trump, Suprun also became a client of a “social justice media
strategy” PR firm run by left-wing CNN commentator Van Jones.
Trump MAY Be Shaking Things Up at the FDA
Alliance for Natural Health - Last week, Bloomberg News reported
that President-elect Trump is considering Jim O’Neill as the new
FDA commissioner. O’Neill is a Silicon Valley investor,
libertarian, and associate of Peter Thiel, a billionaire who
supported Donald Trump. O’Neill previously worked for the
Department of Health and Human Services in the George W. Bush
administration. News reports say that O’Neill would be an
“unconventional” pick because he isn’t a physician and has
little scientific background. This could be a good thing,
considering the problematic ties to the pharmaceutical industry
of current and past FDA commissioners. The appointment of an FDA
chief who isn’t in the pocket of Big Pharma is a welcome
development. In addition, O’Neill has signaled a desire to
reform and overhaul the FDA… In 2014 O’Neil spoke to a
regenerative medicine group where he said, “Every time the FDA
commissioner approves something and someone gets sick who used
it, the commissioner is summoned to a congressional committee
that also controls his budget and forced to testify under oath,
why he made this rash decision.…It’s a miserable process.”
ILLEGAL ALIEN Who Tried to Assassinate Trump at Vegas Rally
Given Just 12 Months in Prison
The GatewayPundit - Anti-Trump protester Michael Sandford was
arrested Saturday at Donald Trump’s Las Vegas rally at the
Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in June. Sandford said he
wanted to get an autograph from a police officer at the hotel
but instead went for the officer’s gun. He was practicing his
shooting at a gun range before the rally. Sandford is an illegal
alien. A court this week sentenced Michael Sandford to just 12
months in prison. The BBC reported: “A British man has been
sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison over his attempt to
grab a gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump. Michael Sandford, 20,
pleaded guilty in September to being an illegal alien in
possession of a firearm and disrupting an official function. He
was accused of grabbing a policeman’s gun at a rally in Las
Vegas in order to shoot at the candidate. His mother says “he is
remorseful over what he did”.
House Passes Bill to ”Microchip Citizens with Mental
Disabilities”… And Then Those Who Speak Out
True Activist - Though the bill only targets those with
conditions such as Alzheimers and autism, critics say the bill's
passage will open a “pandora's box” of invasive government
surveillance. Six years ago, NBC Nightly News boldly predicted
that all Americans would be fitted with RFID microchips by the
year 2017. Though at the time, NBC’s prediction seemed
far-fetched, the House recently passed a bill that would bring a
micro-chipped populace closer to reality before year’s end. Last
Thursday, the House passed HR 4919, also known as Kevin and
Avonte’s Law, which would allow the US attorney general to award
grants to law enforcement for the creation and operation of
“locative tracking technology programs.” Though the program’s
mission is to find “individuals with forms of dementia or
children with developmental disabilities who have wandered from
safe environments,” it provides no restriction on the tracking
programs inclusion of other individuals. The bill would also
require the attorney general to work with the secretary of
health and human services and unnamed health organizations to
establish the “best practices” for the use of tracking devices.
Mysterious Military Plane Circles Above Manhattan; Residents
Puzzled (Video)
Zero Hedge - Many New Yorkers were alarmed this afternoon by a
USAF C-130 and several Black Hawk helicopters that could be seen
circling at low altitudes over Manhattan. Per the Washington
Post, U.S. Air Force Col. Nicholas Broccoli, the vice commander
of the Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing, said the aircraft
were conducting "standard military training." That said, there
is seemingly very little that is "standard" about a C-130
circling at low altitudes over Manhattan for 30 minutes…. The
aircraft apparently flew in a crisscrossing pattern over Midtown
Manhattan with the center of the pattern roughly aligned over
Trump Tower. So while the mission of the aircraft has still not
been revealed, it's certainly not difficult to see how it might
have something to do with defending President-elect Trump.
Charity Still Needs ‘Few Thousand Wreaths’ to Cover All
Headstones in Arlington National Cemetery
Breitbart - The executive director of Wreaths Across America,
Karen Worcester, told Breitbart News Daily Sirius XM host Matt
Boyle on Tuesday, “The cutoff for Arlington is December 14.
We’re just a few thousand short” to cover every headstone at
Arlington National Cemetery with a fresh evergreen wreath on
December 17, which is National Wreaths Across America Day….
There are several ways to help them reach their objective of
covering as many military heroes’ graves as possible with a
wreath on December 17. Along with planning to cover every grave
at Arlington, the group is also instrumental in getting wreaths
placed on the graves of veterans buried in more than 1,200
cemeteries across America. A gift as small as $15 can sponsor a
wreath for Arlington or at a cemetery and graveside of one’s
choosing. Wreaths Across America is a non-political,
non-denominational 501c3, whose purpose is “to remember the
fallen, honor those that serve, and most importantly, to teach
kids the value and the cost of what freedom is,” said Worcester.
IBM unveils plan to hire 25,000 in US on eve of Trump meeting
US technology giant IBM said Tuesday it would hire 25,000 people
in the country over the next four years, a day before
President-elect Donald Trump meets with tech industry leaders.
About 6,000 of those hirings will occur in 2017, IBM chief
executive Ginni Rometty said in an opinion article published in
the newspaper USA Today. IBM, which has undertaken in recent
years a restructuring of its activities, will invest $1 billion
on employee training and development in the next four years,
said the IBM president, chairman and CEO…. The IBM jobs
investment news came before the highly anticipated meeting
Wednesday of the Republican property tycoon-turned-next US
president and the leaders of several major technology companies.
Among those expected to attend are Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's
Tim Cook, Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Larry Page of Alphabet
(Google) and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, according to US
media. Trump is expected to push them to create jobs after
saying last week that he would like Apple -- whose coveted
iPhones are made in China -- to open a large factory in the
United States. But he will be stepping into hostile territory.
The tech sector overwhelmingly supported the Democratic
candidate Hillary Clinton during this year's election campaign
and has expressed fear about the effect Trump's policies will
have on the industry. The sole notable exception is the
controversial PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor
Peter Thiel, currently a member of Trump's transition team.
Web Bots Predict Massive Financial Shock In Early 2017:
‘Confusion, Bond Market Degradation, Crumbling Of Everything’
Mac Slavo - There are scores of organizations working on ways to
interpret user data on the internet to help predict future
events. Law enforcement agencies and financial institutions
having been working on this predictive technology for over a
decade. In most cases, none of that information is ever shared
with the general public. Clif High of HalfPastHuman, however,
has taken a different course. Since the mid-1990’s High’s
algorithms have been scouring the internet. With the advent of
social networks and tens of thousands of citizen-driven blogs,
that data has gotten ever more accurate. So accurate in fact,
that on October 27 High’s automated “Web Bots” predicted that
not only would Trump win by a landslide, but that Hillary
Clinton would be “missing” following the election, a prediction
that was so accurate it blew away just about every professional
analysis firm in the world. Now the Web Bots are predicting
another paradigm-shifting event. According to Clif High, it
appears that a massive financial shock is brewing for early
2017… If Clif High’s web bot data sets are correct, we’re in for
a very rocky 2017 and one that could far exceed the financial
calamities we witnessed in 2008. Should debt destruction
originating in the bond market begin in the early part of 2017,
the Federal Reserve will no doubt dump trillions of dollars of
“liquidity” into the system in order to stave off collapse. But
as High notes, this will be the beginning of hyperinflation that
will take hold after mid year, the effect of which will be a
skyrocketing Dow Jones index and gold prices exceeding our
wildest expectations.
After Visiting Standing Rock, Swedish Bank Puts Companies Behind DAPL on
Watch
EcoWatch - After a visit by its representatives to Standing Rock,
Swedish financial institution Nordea announced today that it will not
back the Dakota Access Pipeline if it violates the demands of the
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Nordea met with tribal representatives on the
ground, including Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman David Archambault
II. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe urged Nordea to divest and respect the
rights of Indigenous communities via a letter delivered by Sami artist
and activist Sofia Jannok and Greenpeace. At a meeting with Greenpeace
and Nordea regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline, it was announced that:
Nordea will demand guarantees from the companies building the Dakota
Access Pipeline that it will not go through the Standing Rock Sioux
Tribe's reservation land. If the companies do not respect this, Nordea
will start the process of selling its holdings in the companies; Nordea
will place these companies in quarantine for six months; Nordea will
send a letter to the companies by Friday with a clear requirement: They
must respect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's demands not to route the
Dakota Access Pipeline in the vicinity of their land; If the companies
do not meet that requirement within the next six months, Nordea's
Sustainable Finance team will recommend selling Nordea's holdings in
these companies. If the companies concerned are found to be in violation
of indigenous peoples' rights, Nordea's Sustainable Finance team will
recommend selling holdings in them; If the companies win a lawsuit in
relation to the last stretch of the Dakota Access Pipeline, or if a
change in the political situation allows companies to legally be allowed
to route the pipeline near Standing Rock Sioux Tribe land, the Nordea
Sustainable Finance team will recommend that Nordea sells off holdings
in the companies.
Energy Department says it won’t give Trump team list of climate change
staffers
Ars Technica - On Friday, Bloomberg leaked a 75-question memo sent from
the Trump transition team to the DOE, asking the department to provide
information about the kinds of work it’s doing and the legal and
procedural basis for certain programs. While such a questionnaire is not
uncommon for transition teams to send federal agencies, the
questionnaire also included demands that the DOE provide a list of names
of staffers who worked on climate change issues. Those demands came
across as deeply concerning and highly unusual to career staffers and
contractors, some of whom worked at the DOE not only during the Obama
administration but under the Bush and Clinton administrations as well….
The Trump transition team’s request for the names of all staffers who
attended meetings about the social cost of carbon, as well as any
Conference of the Parties hosted by the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, suggested to DOE staffers that the team
could be looking to fire staffers for their work on climate change or to
marginalize their role at the department. According to the Washington
Post, DOE officials sent an e-mail to employees this morning assuring
them that no individual names will be provided to the Trump transition
team… This morning, the Trump transition team announced its nomination
of Rick Perry, former Texas governor with ties to the fossil fuel
industry who has rejected climate science, to head the DOE. His
appointment will need to be approved by the Senate to become official.
Amid this uncertainty about the future of climate science under the new
administration, the Washington Post also reported this morning that
“scientists have begun a feverish attempt to copy reams of government
data onto independent servers in hopes of safeguarding it from any
political interference,” including efforts to copy irreplaceable data
from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a “guerrilla
archiving” event in Toronto, as well as efforts to compile online
portals for scientific information.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
Monsanto is Being Sued by Missouri’s Largest Peach Grower
Natural Society - The lawsuit was filed November 23 on behalf of
Bill Bader, operator of Bader Farms near the town of Campbell.
The legal action seeks compensation for the extensive damage to
the farm’s peach trees over the last 2 years. The timeline
coincides with Monsanto’s release of crop varieties resistant to
the dicamba herbicide. Monsanto rolled out its dicamba-resistant
Xtend crops in 2015, but the corresponding herbicide was not
approved for use until last month. In the interim, it is
suspected that some farmers began using highly volatile,
unauthorized forms of dicamba, which tend to vaporize and drift
to surrounding areas where it can harm unresistant crops…. The
lawsuit states that in 2015, about 7,000 trees in Bader’s
orchards were damaged, resulting in a loss of $1.5 million.
Bader estimates that about 30,000 of his trees are considered a
permanent loss, and the severity of the financial loss has yet
to be fully realized. The future looks dim for Bader Farms.
Insurance companies won’t cover damage from illegal herbicide
use. And since peach trees take 5 years to mature and become
profitable, the financial impact to Bader “is more long-term and
far-reaching,” according to one of Bader’s attorneys. For that
reason, the lawsuit doesn’t seek a specified dollar amount.
According to Monsanto, the company did its best: “…to remind
growers, dealers, and applicators that dicamba was not approved
for in-crop use at the time, and we do not condone the illegal
use of any pesticide.” Monsanto also said that the lawsuit:
“…attempts to shift responsibility away from individuals who
knowingly and intentionally broke state and federal law and
harmed their neighbors in the process. Responsibility for these
actions belongs to those individuals alone.”
15 Surprising & Practical Off-Grid Uses For Olive Oil
Off the Grid News - 1. Skin care: Olive oil works well as
a skin moisturizer, and, despite what you may think, it does not
leave your skin with an oily, greasy feeling. Apply it to rough,
dry areas on your face and body or add several tablespoons of
olive oil to your bath water. 2. Eye makeup remover: You
also can use olive oil as a gentle eye makeup remover. Simply
dab a little oil on a cotton ball and wipe makeup away. 3.
Shaving lotion: Treat your skin to a layer of olive oil
before your next shave. Not only will your razor glide along
smoothly but also you will get a close shave with fewer nicks.
4. Sore throat remedy: Soothe an itchy, scratchy throat
by swallowing a tablespoon of olive oil. It coats the back of
your mouth, which also may decrease snoring. 5. Hair
treatment: Apply several tablespoons of warm olive oil to
your damp hair and massage into your scalp and through the ends.
6. Ear ache relief: Place a few drops of warm olive oil
into the painful ear for soothing relief. 7. Paint/sticky
substance remover: You can remove paint, sap, chewing gum
and other sticky substances from your hands by scrubbing them
with a little olive oil and salt. Pour one teaspoon of olive oil
and one teaspoon of salt into your dry palms and rub the mixture
vigorously through your palms and fingers. Rinse with water.
8. Furniture polish: Olive oil gently and effectively cleans
wood. When you add a teaspoon of olive oil to a quarter cup of
lemon juice, you can create a non-toxic polish for your
furniture….
Want Holes in Your Stomach? Eat More GMOs
Alliance for Natural Health - Feeding GM food soaked in
Monsanto’s Roundup causes liver and kidney problems, fertility
issues, tumors, fatigue, paralysis, allergic reactions, and more
in animal studies. Now it appears that some GMO foods may be
perforating your stomach as well. You may have heard of
Monsanto’s “Bt” crops, like Bt corn. “Bt” is short for Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium that produces a toxin—one that
punches holes in the guts of insects and kills them. Bt toxin
was commercialized and used for decades as a natural pesticide
with no apparent problem. Then Monsanto came along and hacked
the code for it into the DNA code of food crops as a way of
making them toxic to insects. The same toxin that punches holes
in the guts of insects may be doing the same to humans. We know
that eating Bt-engineered, genetically modified (GM) food
destroys the delicate gut system in animals. When researchers
fed Bt GM potatoes to mice, it looked like a bomb had gone off
in their guts. Some cells were destroyed; others were growing
wildly. The results caused the researchers to question the
safety of Bt–engineered GM food…. There’s more. Bt corn was fed
to pigs for thirty-one days. While they ate more food than
before, they converted it less efficiently and did not gain
weight. When researchers looked at their guts, they saw the same
type of damage as in the mice. The researchers attributed the
animals’ failure to gain weight to their damaged guts. Mice fed
a diet of GMO corn for ninety days experienced substantial
damage to their digestive tract and were likely on their way to
life-threatening nutritional deficiencies, perhaps even cancer.
British Town Mass-Medicating School Children with Free
Fluoridated Milk
Natural Blaze - The town of Blackpool, located on the northwest
coast of England, began distributing fluoridated milk to about
8000 primary school children, after The Blackpool Town Council
approved the program in early 2016. Fluoridated milk is now
available via the town’s free school breakfast program. This
program aims to address the problem of tooth health in children,
and the Council states that half of the 12-year-olds in
Blackpool have at least one decayed, missing or filled tooth,
whereas the average for England is 33%, and 41% of 5-year-olds
in Blackpool have tooth decay, 13% higher than the national
average. Despite the plan’s roll out, there are many opponents
to mass medication via programs such as milk fluoridation. There
is a lot of conflicting evidence about adding fluoride to milk,
including that it cancels out the good effects of calcium. You
can’t mass medicate children, which is what they are doing. Who
is going to monitor how much fluoride children will have in
them? ~ Blackpool Councillor Tony Williams… Councillor Williams
voices another concern about how public health officials will
monitor the level of fluoride in each child. There is no way to
ensure that children will not be over-medicated. Under the
fluoridated milk scheme, each 189ml carton will contain 0.8mg of
fluoride, which is equivalent to 4.2 parts per million (ppm).
For comparison, the recommended safe level of fluoride in water
in the U.S. is 0.7 ppm. This was lowered in 2015 by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services from the range of
0.7-1.2 ppm, who decided that it was a potential danger to
maintain the higher levels.
If a Trip to the Emergency Vet isn’t on your Cat’s Christmas List, Then
Be Aware of These Holiday Hazards
The Catington Post - Live Christmas Trees: What would Christmas be
without a tree? But be careful – they are full of potential hazards for
cats! Many live trees have been sprayed with harmful chemicals and
pesticides, and the stagnant water in a tree stand is a breeding ground
for bacteria. So keep it covered. Be sure to secure that tree, too, so
it doesn’t topple over on your curious kitty! Artificial Christmas
Trees: Before you ditch your live tree for a fake one, consider where it
was made. Many are manufactured in China and may contain lead or
materials that could pose a danger to destructive pets. Lights: Check
your lights carefully for bite marks and loose wiring and use a grounded
extension cord to plug them in. Electrical shock can cause burns, loss
of consciousness, and even death. Tinsel and Ribbons: All that sparkling
tinsel and curly ribbon looks inviting to a curious cat, but is an
invitation to disaster. When ingested, it can cause a serious,
life-threatening intestinal blockage. Look for symptoms like vomiting,
diarrhea, inappetence and lethargy. If you see ribbon exiting your cat –
do not pull it out. That can cause more damage. Call your vet
immediately! Holly and Mistletoe: Poinsettias are widely known to be
mildly toxic to pets, but popular yuletide floral decorations, like
holly and mistletoe are even more toxic! When ingested, they can cause
severe stomach upset. Look for signs like drooling, lip smacking, and
head shaking. Holiday Visitors: If you have visitors in your home for
the holidays, be sure they are all warned to watch the doors! Keep
identification on you cats at all times when guests are in your home, in
the event one of them should get out. Provide a special retreat for your
kitty, in case he wants to escape the noise and stress of the party.
INFOGRAPHIC: Watch Out for These Holiday Doggie Dangers
Dogington Post -The holidays are a time of joy, love, and light. It’s
also the time of year when we dust off the decorations and string up
twinkling lights and tinsel in celebration. But, if you’re celebrating
with a dog, there are some holiday hazards to keep in mind before you
pull those boxes down from the attic or invite the family over for that
holiday party! We can’t think of a worse way to spend the holidays than
at the emergency room with your dog! To keep your dog safe and have a
happy holiday, print, post, and share this important infographic.
Tuesday - December
13, 2016
Today In History:
1636 - The United States National Guard was created when militia
regiments were organized by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony.
1862 - In America, an estimated 11,000 Northern soldiers were killed or
wounded when Union forces were defeated by Confederates under General
Robert E. Lee, at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
1913 - In the U.S., the Federal Reserve System was established.
1918 - U.S. President Wilson arrived in France, becoming the first chief
executive to visit a European country while holding office.
1921 - Britain, France, Japan and the United States signed the Pacific
Treaty.
1944 - During World War II, the U.S. cruiser Nashville was badly damaged
in a Japanese kamikaze suicide attack. 138 people were killed in the
attack.
1964 - In El Paso, TX, President Johnson and Mexican President Gustavo
Diaz Ordaz set off an explosion that diverted the Rio Grande River,
reshaping the U.S.-Mexican border. This ended a century-old border
dispute.
1978 - The Philadelphia Mint began stamping the Susan B. Anthony U.S.
dollar. The coin began circulation the following July.
1993 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that people must receive a hearing
before property linked to illegal drug sales can be seized.
2000 - U.S. Vice President Al Gore conceded the 2000 Presidential
election to Texas Gov. George W. Bush. The Florida electoral votes were
won by only 537 votes, which decided the election. The election had been
contested up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which said that the Florida
recount (supported by the Florida Supreme Court) was unconstitutional.
2000 - Seven convicts, the "Texas 7," escaped from Connally Unit in
Kenedy, TX, southeast of San Antonio, by overpowering civilian workers
and prison employees. They fled with stolen clothing, pickup truck and
16 guns and ammunition.
2001 - The U.S. government released a video tape that showed Osama bin
Laden and others discussing their knowledge of the terrorist attacks on
the United States on September 11, 2001.
2001 - U.S. President George W. Bush served formal notice to Russia that
the United States was withdrawing from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile
Treaty.
2002 - Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Boston archbishop because of the
priest sex abuse scandal.
2003 - Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces
while hiding in a hole under a farmhouse in Adwar, near his hometown of
Tikrit.
2007 - The Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball
was released, implicating seven MVPs and 31 All-Stars.
Battle for Aleppo is over as rebels withdraw, monitor claims
The Independent - The battle for the Syrian city of Aleppo has
reportedly ended after rebels withdrew from six remaining
districts in the opposition-held east of the city.... The Syrian
military claimed to have taken control of 98 per cent of
rebel-held east Aleppo early on Monday morning after seizing the
large industrial district of Sheikh Saeed.... Rebel fighters are
now confined to tiny pockets in the south-east of the city after
withdrawing from the east side of the Aleppo river following the
loss of Sheikh Saeed. “The situation is extremely difficult
today,” said Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group....
The approximately 8,000 rebels – among them al-Qaeda affiliated
fighters – and 250,000 civilians in the area have been cut off
from reinforcements, aid and food supplies since August....
President Bashar al-Assad is now close to retaking the entire
city of Aleppo, which has been contested since 2012 and seen
some of the almost six-year-long conflict's fiercest fighting.
Aleppo would be a major victory for the government, removing the
last US-backed rebel groups from Syria's urban centres.
IMF chief Lagarde goes on trial in Paris on negligence charges
RT - International Monetary Fund head, Christine Lagarde, has
appeared before court on Monday in Paris, facing negligence
charges over allowing a handout of $425 billion to a French
tycoon, while being the country’s finance minister in 2008....
Lagarde, who faces up to a year in prison if found guilty,
denies any wrongdoing.... Back in 2008, Lagarde as a French
finance minister approved a handout of 403 million euro ($425
million) to tycoon, Bernard Tapie, in an arbitration deal in
2008 over the sale of Adidas sportswear maker. The
investigation, which was launched due to an unusually high
award, came to a conclusion that the whole affair was rigged in
favor of Tapie, who had connections in the highest circles of
French society, including then-President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Lagarde is accused of serious negligence “not only from a
questionable carelessness and precipitation, but also from a
conjunction of faults which, by their nature, number and
seriousness, exceed the level of mere negligence,'' the judges
wrote after the investigation concluded.
Schengen zone nations MUST border check as terrorists are
pretending to be refugees
Daily Mail - Germany has admitted Schengen zone nations must
bring back border checks amid fears terrorists pretending to be
refugees are moving freely across the continent. Minutes from a
meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels suggest introducing a
'filter function of the external borders', according to reports
in Germany. Although free movement is allowed within Europe's
Schengen area, some member states have brought passport border
checks back in.... According to Der Spiegel, minutes from the
ambassador's meeting suggest Germany wants to extend the
controls following a tip-off over terror suspects trying to
enter the country disguised as asylum seekers.... Magazine Der
Spiegel reported on an internal meeting of EU ambassadors in
Brussels in which Germany said it needed to keep the checks in
place in order to thwart Islamic terror plots. The BND,
Germany's foreign intelligence agency, said that ISIS was
training its agents how to apply for asylum and answer questions
from officials that did not betray their true intentions.
Intelligence officials estimate hundreds of Isis Jihadists have
infiltrated into the country in the refugee wave, waiting for
orders from the middle east to carry out attacks.
Cologne to have 10 times more police for New Year's Eve party
The Local - This year around 1,500 officers will be deployed,
which is more than ten times the amount who were supposed to be
on duty last year. There will also be 600 public order officers
and “significantly more” private security workers, a city
spokeswoman said without giving an exact number. After more than
1,000 women reported being robbed or sexually assaulted or both
on New Year’s Eve 2016, Cologne police came under fire for their
handling of the events, accused of covering up the refugee
background of attackers as well as the details of the attacks,
and not providing sufficient security. Cologne's police chief
was suspended from his position after the mayor said police had
failed to inform her fully of the sexual assaults. This year the
main area where the celebrations and assaults occurred - between
the famous Cologne Cathedral and the main train station - will
have extra security. The area around the cathedral will be
blocked off with control points and no fireworks will be allowed
within this area. The area around the train station will have
more video surveillance. Within the station, trains will be
scheduled to reduce the amount of people having to change
platforms so often, with the aim of reducing some travel chaos.
Police said they will also be monitoring social media like
Twitter and Facebook for topics related to New Year’s Eve....
Police are also using the help of translators to understand
social media posts in other languages, as well as to send out
messages in other languages.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
FBI Disputes CIA's "Fuzzy And Ambiguous" Claims That Russia
Sought To Influence Presidential Election
Zero Hedge - ... at least one investigative agency, the FBI,
isn't buying the "fuzzy and ambiguous" assertions from the CIA
that Russia "quite" clearly meddled in the U.S. elections on
behalf of the Trump campaign.... Meanwhile, the Washington Post
also points out that the whole disagreement likely comes down to
"cultural" differences between the FBI and CIA. The competing
messages, according to officials in attendance, also reflect
cultural differences between the FBI and the CIA. The bureau,
true to its law enforcement roots, wants facts and tangible
evidence to prove something beyond all reasonable doubt. The CIA
is more comfortable drawing inferences from behavior. “The FBI
briefers think in terms of criminal standards — can we prove
this in court,” one of the officials said. “The CIA briefers
weigh the preponderance of intelligence and then make judgment
calls to help policymakers make informed decisions. High
confidence for them means ‘we’re pretty damn sure.’ It doesn’t
mean they can prove it in court.".... Well, that certainly seems
reasonable...who needs "facts and tangible evidence" when the
CIA can just "draw inferences"...they're supposedly really smart
so we should probably just believe them.
Flashback: Judge Napolitano Says It Was The NSA, Not The
Russians Who Hacked DNC (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - Back in August, Judge Napolitano made some
comments regarding the DNC hack. On his show “Judge Napolitano’s
Chambers”, Judge Nap shared his own thoughts on the leaked DNC
emails: The DNC and Clinton campaign decided to blame of all
people, the Russians! They accused Vlademir Putin of being in
cahoots with Donald Trump and having his intelligence services
hack the DNC to expose e-mails to make Mrs. Clinton look bad and
thereby benefit Donald Trump. But the Russians had nothing to do
with it. ….a former high ranking NSA official who developed a
software that the NSA now uses said the NSA hacked the DNC…the
members of the intelligence community simply do not want Hillary
Clinton to be President of the United States because she doesn’t
know how to handle State secrets.
Clinton Camp Wants Intelligence Briefing on Russia Before
Electoral College Vote
The Gateway Pundit - Hillary’s top advisor John Podesta wants an
intelligence briefing on Russia before the Electoral College
vote on December 19th. The Politico reported: Hillary Clinton’s
top political adviser John Podesta said the campaign is
supporting an effort by members of the Electoral College to
request an intelligence briefing on foreign intervention in the
presidential election. “The bipartisan electors’ letter raises
very grave issues involving our national security,” Podesta said
in a statement Monday. “Electors have a solemn responsibility
under the Constitution and we support their efforts to have
their questions addressed.” “Each day that month, our campaign
decried the interference of Russia in our campaign and its
evident goal of hurting our campaign to aid Donald Trump,” he
said. “Despite our protestations, this matter did not receive
the attention it deserved by the media in the campaign. We now
know that the CIA has determined Russia’s interference in our
elections was for the purpose of electing Donald Trump. This
should distress every American.” Podesta’s statement is the
first public statement from the Clinton campaign raising
questions about the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s victory. It
follows an open letter from 10 presidential electors — including
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s daughter Christine — requesting
an intelligence briefing ahead of the Dec. 19 vote of the
Electoral College.
Trump Officially Nominates Retired Marine General John Kelly As
Homeland Security Secretary
Zero Hedge - This morning Trump has confirmed his intention to
nominate retired Marine General John Kelly to head the
Department of Homeland Security, a pick that had been rumored
for days. In a statement, Trump highlighted Kelly's experience
in defending the homeland from threats of terrorism and said
that he was the right person to "spearhead the urgent mission of
stopping illegal immigration and securing our borders."....
Immigration hard-liners had been rooting for Trump to appoint
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as head of the Department
of Homeland Security. Kobach was generally viewed as the
candidate most likely to draw the hardest line on illegal
immigration after helping to draft one of the toughest pieces of
immigration law in the country, Arizona's SB 1070, which
requires law enforcement officers to demand to see the
immigration papers of anyone they suspected of being in the
country illegally.... others, including the ever skeptical New
York Magazine, view Kelly simply as a "Trojan Horse" who has a
better chance at Senate Confirmation for the top DHS position
but will then use that role to appoint an immigration
hard-liner, like Kobach, to the Deputy Secretary position.
Hillary pleads to dismiss lawsuit against her
WND - Lawyers for twice-failed Oval Office aspirant Hillary
Clinton have asked a federal court in Washington, D.C., to
dismiss a lawsuit over her statements as secretary of state
about the Benghazi terror attack that left four Americans dead.
The plaintiffs are arguing the case should to go trial because
she doesn’t deserve special treatment as a member of the
“political elite.” Clinton narrowly averted a default judgment
in the case earlier when a judge adopted claims that she wasn’t
properly served. Then she argued in court filings that the case
should be dismissed, claiming the plaintiffs, Patricia Smith,
the mother of Sean Smith, and Charles Woods, the father of
Tyrone Woods, haven’t properly claimed they were injured.... But
the claims are plain, according to a new filing in the case,
which contends that the plaintiffs have properly presented false
light claims, correctly provided claims of intentional
infliction of emotional distress and “properly alleged” other
damages.... The case is based on claims by family members that
when Clinton met with them at Joint Base Andrews, she told them
the Benghazi attack was “a result of an Internet video
criticizing the prophet Mohammad.” She said this even though she
knew the statement to be false, the claim asserts. But she later
changed her story, and “negligently, recklessly, and/or
maliciously defamed plaintiffs by either directly calling them
liars, or by strongly implying that they are liars, in order to
protect and enhance her public image and intimidate and
emotionally harm and silence them to not speak up about the
Benghazi attack.”
Philly Democrat Chaka Fattah Gets 10 Years for Corruption – Used
Charity Donations to Buy Vacation Home
The Gateway Pundit - Chaka Fattah was a super-delegate for
Hillary Clinton…. The AP reported via American Survival Guide:
Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was sentenced Monday to a 10-year
prison term by a judge who said he was “astonished” that a
veteran legislator would steal government and charity funds to
pay his son’s debts and buy a vacation home. Fattah, a Democrat
who was born into a family of black activists in west
Philadelphia, spent two decades in Congress working on housing,
education, gun control and other issues of concern to his mostly
poor district. Fattah and his TV anchor wife meanwhile took in
more than $500,000 a year. Yet Fattah’s finances grew
increasingly dire after a failed 2007 run for mayor, when he
faced new campaign spending limits that led him to take an
illegal $1 million loan from a friend. The trouble escalated
when the friend called in the debt. As he awaited his sentence,
Fattah told the judge he had mixed emotions: saddened to find
himself in court but grateful for the work he was able to do
over 37 years as a state and federal lawmaker. “I’ve helped tens
of millions of people,” said Fattah, 60. “(That) has nothing to
do with the fact that I’ve been found on the wrong side of these
questions by a jury.”
ICE spends $100 million ferrying illegal immigrant children
around U.S., watchdog reports
Washington Times - Government figures obtained by the
Immigration Reform Law Institute through an open records request
show Immigration and Customs Enforcement spent an average of
$665 per juvenile in 2014, with most of that going to the cost
of airplane flights to shuttle the children among government
agencies, to relatives here in the U.S. or back to their home
countries — if they’re deported. At that rate, ICE will spend
about $4.5 million flying just the children nabbed at the border
in October, and somewhere north of $100 million since the surge
began in earnest in 2014.... ICE officials couldn’t provide
updated cost data for ferrying children inside the U.S., but
said the overall cost to deport any illegal immigrant in 2015
averaged $12,213. That includes identifying, catching, holding,
processing through the courts and then shipping the person back
home. Just the removal part alone averaged $1,962, ICE said.
Human Tracking Bill Passes House
The Daily Caller - H.R. 4919, which passed 346 to 66 in the
lower chamber, also known as Kevin and Avonte’s Law, mandates
the U.S. attorney general award grants to law enforcement
officials so that those agencies can create, establish and
operate “locative tracking technology programs.” The programs
mission would to find “individuals with forms of dementia, such
as Alzheimer’s Disease, or children with developmental
disabilities, such as autism, who have wandered from safe
environments.”.... While advocates of the legislation — like
Texas Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and New Jersey Republican
Rep. Chris Smith — point to tragedies that could be averted by
law enforcement using such technology to find those with mental
disabilities who wander into dangerous circumstances, others,
like Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, say the good
intentions of the bill could be broadly interpreted.... Gohmert
explained, “It is absolutely staggering that the Republican
majorities in the House and Senate could be so blind to
government overreach that they would allow a federal tracking
program, not for criminals in the U.S., not for terrorists, not
for illegal immigrants or even immigrants who commit crimes, but
for people with ‘developmental disabilities’ a term that is
subject to wide misinterpretation. The Senate Republican leaders
even brought it to the floor with almost no one there and asked
that the new Big Brother program be passed without even having a
vote at all – someone just asks for ‘unanimous consent.’ Since
no one is advised about the bill being brought up, no one who
would object knows to be there, so it passes without anyone ever
actually voting for it.”
Recount efforts end: Trump wins in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania
AP - Presidential election recount efforts came to an end Monday
in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with both states certifying
Republican Donald Trump as the winner in contests that helped
put him over the top in the Electoral College stakes. Trump's
victory in Wisconsin was reaffirmed following a statewide vote
recount that showed him defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton by
more than 22,000 votes. Meanwhile, a federal judge issued a
stinging rejection of a Green Party-backed request to recount
paper ballots in Pennsylvania's presidential election and scan
some counties' election systems for signs of hacking.... The
numbers barely budged in Wisconsin after nearly 3 million votes
were recounted. Trump, a billionaire New York real estate mogul,
picked up 162 votes and still won by more than 22,000 votes. The
final results changed just 0.06 percent. In Pennsylvania, state
officials certified the results of the election in the hours
following the decision by U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond.
Trump beat Clinton in the state by about 44,000 votes out of 6
million cast, or less than 1 percent, according to the final
tally after weeks of counting provisional and overseas ballots.
Green Party voters had petitioned some counties to do partial
recounts, affecting few votes, county officials said.
Ten Electoral College Electors Want Briefing On "Russian
Interference" Before Presidential Vote
Zero Hedge - ...ten Electoral College electors have asked U.S.
intelligence officials for more information on ongoing
investigations surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s
relationship with Russia, complying with the narrative as laid
out on Saturday. The group of electors, which includes the
daughter of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, wrote an open
letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper asking
for the information ahead of their Dec. 19 meeting to formally
vote for the next president, the Hill reports. “The Electors
require to know from the intelligence community whether there
are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his
campaign or associates, and Russian government interference in
the election, the scope of those investigations, how far those
investigations may have reached, and who was involved in those
investigations,” the letter read. “We further require a briefing
on all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact
the core factors in our deliberations of whether Mr. Trump is
fit to serve as President of the United States.” To be sure, the
Electoral College's appeal faces a steep uphill climb if it is
to succeed: nine Democrats and only one Republican signed the
letter. The Republican, Christopher Suprun, has said that he
won't vote for Trump when the Electoral College meets. So far no
other republicans have expressed an interest in challenging the
vote outcome.
Lockheed falls as Trump tweets that F-35 program is costly
CNS News - Shares of Lockheed Martin fell Monday, wiping out
nearly $2 billion of the company's market value, as
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that making F-35 fighter
planes is too costly and that he will cut "billions" in costs
for military purchases. Shares of other defense contractors,
including Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, also tumbled Monday.
Trump didn't mention any specific company in his tweet, but
Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed makes the F-35 one-seat
fighter aircraft and is a major U.S. defense contractor. The
F-35 program made up 20 percent of Lockheed's total 2015 revenue
of $46.1 billion. And U.S. government orders made up 78 percent
of its revenue last year. The F-35 program directly or
indirectly supports more than 146,000 U.S. jobs, according to
the company's website. In a statement Monday, Lockheed said that
it has worked to lower the price of the F-35 by more than 60
percent and said it expects the aircraft to cost $85 million in
2019 and 2020.
Republican Leaders to Oppose Trump Tax Cuts
The Gateway Pundit - Republican leader Mitch McConnell warned
today he will not pass Donald Trump’s tax cuts. Senate Majority
Leader McConnell has a different plan. Bloomberg.com reported:
President-elect Donald Trump’s race to enact the biggest tax
cuts since the 1980s went under a caution flag Monday as Senate
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned he considers current
levels of U.S. debt “dangerous” and said he wants any tax
overhaul to avoid adding to the deficit. “I think this level of
national debt is dangerous and unacceptable,” McConnell said,
adding he hopes Congress doesn’t lose sight of that when it acts
next year. “My preference on tax reform is that it be revenue
neutral,” he said. During a news conference, McConnell also
poured cold water on the idea of a massive stimulus package,
effectively laying out markers on taxes and spending that that
could cramp Trump’s ambitions. The Committee for a Responsible
Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank, has projected that
Trump’s plans would increase the debt by $5.3 trillion over a
decade, with deficits already over $600 billion a year and
rising on autopilot.
Tax Code Complexity Now Costs U.S. Economy up to $1 Trillion
Annually
Tax Revolution Institute - That is the present size of Title 26
of the U.S. Code, i.e. the “Internal Revenue Code.” One would
think this would be nearly impossible for an enterprise wielding
an army of tax experts to absorb, let alone the average
taxpayer. However, it doesn’t stop there. The IRS has added an
additional 7.7 million words of tax regulations designed to
clarify what the original 2.4 million words mean. You can’t make
this stuff up. Add 60,000 pages of tax-related case law
essential to accountants and tax lawyers, and the burden is
revealed. More than 10 million words with a hidden annual
compliance cost of up to $1 trillion. This is what Title 26 of
the U.S. code and the Federal Register is estimated to cost the
United States economy each year. To put this into perspective,
the Encyclopedia Britannica — 32 volumes that contain the
general knowledge of man — is 44 million words in length. This
means that in order to understand the federal tax code and its
supplementary regulations in their entirety, one would have to
absorb highly complex tax language that is nearly one quarter
the length of the entire Encyclopedia Britannica.
Wells Fargo Fake Accounts Scandal Spreads To Life Insurance
Business
ShadowProof - Today, Prudential Financial announced it would
suspend the distribution of a low-cost life insurance policy
through Wells Fargo. The low-cost life insurance policy, called
MyTerm, had been promoted by Wells Fargo since 2014 throughout
its large number of retail banking outlets. The suspension comes
shortly after a wrongful termination lawsuit was filed by three
former Prudential employees, which alleged that Wells Fargo
employees signed up customers for MyTerm life insurance policies
without the customer’s knowledge to hit sales goals. The
plaintiffs, who worked at Prudential’s corporate investigations
division, claim their reports of the fraud led to their
termination because Prudential management did not want to take
any action that could damage its business with Wells Fargo. If
true, those allegations would fit an already established pattern
of Wells Fargo employees creating fake customer checking,
saving, and credit card accounts. ... Hopefully not lost in all
this is that the initial plan by Wells Fargo executives was to
scapegoat low-level employees for this entire scandal.... In
all, over 5,000 low-level employees have been terminated and are
likely never going to work in banking again, while the CEO and
the executive responsible for managing the program, Carrie
Tolstedt, will walk away with millions upon millions of dollars.
Kellogg Credit Rating Downgraded Amid Loss of Youth Market
Breitbart - Citing a loss of market, Credit Suisse has lowered
its rating for shares of cereal giant Kellogg from outperform to
neutral. The bank insists that Kellogg’s has lost the youth
market severely crimping profits. Once a staple of every
American child’s breakfast, cereal is apparently now on the outs
with consumers, especially millennials, and the waning interest
in cereal products is impacting Kellogg heavily. Kellogg’s sales
fell 2.4 percent in the third quarter.... Analyst Robert Moskow
added that thus far Kellogg’s efforts to re-tool advertising and
products to appeal to today’s youth have not worked. “The
company took several positive steps to re-engage Millennial
consumers with more granolas, mueslis, and ‘fashion-forward’
ingredients. But from what we can tell, these efforts have not
fully stabilized the business,” Moskow told his investing
clients.... The downgrade comes as over 400,000 people joined
the #DumpKelloggs movement after the far-left company canceled
advertising on Breitbart.com saying its “values” do not align
with Breitbart and its 45 million monthly readers.
20+ Proposed Pipelines Threatening Indigenous Communities
"There are probably 20 or so pipelines being protested in various ways
at any given time, and they affect many more reservations and
traditional homelands than that," Aaron Carapella, a Cherokee
cartographer in Warner, Oklahoma, told MintPress News. Carapella
recently designed a map showing how pipelines under development in the
U.S. cross dozens of indigenous territories, many of which are the sites
of contemporary Native communities. "There are tens of thousands of
existing pipelines throughout the land, so I chose to focus on those
projects that are not quite completed, that are being resisted or that
are only in proposal stages," he said. Carapella, whose maps illustrate
the past and present indigenous presence in the Americas, combined them
with new information from various sources…. In one little-remarked
struggle, the Ramapough Lunaape Nation, a small community nestled among
the Ramapo Mountains chain of the Appalachians in northern New Jersey
and southern New York, face the looming threat of the Pilgrim Pipeline.
"The Pilgrim Pipeline is another of the many needless pipelines running
through the Lunaape homeland which is endangering the water of millions,
while it appears to be criminally circumventing federal law," Ramapough
Lunaape Chief Dwaine Perry told MintPress.
Exxon’s Pro-Fracking CEO Is Suing to Stop Fracking Near His Mansion
The Nation - Fancy a side of irony with your corporate hypocrisy? Last
night on MSNBC, Nation Editor-at-Large Chris Hayes profiled ExxonMobil
CEO Rex Tillerson, a vocal proponent of hydraulic fracking, who is suing
to prevent the construction of a water tower near his eighty-three-acre,
$5 million horse ranch in Bartonville, Texas. The purpose of the tower?
Storing water for fracking. Tillerson and his super-wealthy neighbors
are concerned, the lawsuit states, that the fracking tower might
“devalue their properties and adversely impact the rural lifestyle they
sought to enjoy.” As Hayes put it, “Rex Tillerson is leading the
fracking revolution, just not in his backyard.”
—Sam Adler-Bell
Scientists Use Orange Peels to Suck Mercury Out of the Ocean
REALfarmacy - Justin Chalkner, a researcher at Flinders University in
Australia, was trying to develop a new polymer made from sustainable
materials when he found a new compound that sucks mercury out of the
water and soil. Made from a combination of sulfur and limonene, a
compound found in orange peels, the nontoxic polymer turns from dark red
to brilliant yellow when it absorbs mercury. This makes it useful as a
mercury sensor and removal tool…. Tests of the new compound, called
sulfur-limonene polysulfide found in orange peels, conducted by the
research team found that it can remove over 50% of the mercury in a
sample of water after one treatment. Subsequent treatments brought the
mercury concentration in contaminated water down to near-drinkable
levels. This find is very important because the product is both nontoxic
and inexpensive to produce. This makes large scale cleanup of
contaminated water and soil simpler and more attainable task than ever
before!
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
Threat to Maryland Raw Milk Dies
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund - A threat to Maryland
producers of raw pet milk quietly went away on November 28 when
the state Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Bartenfelder sent out
a letter to interested parties stating that the Maryland
Department of Agriculture (MDA) would not be including a
requirement to put a dye in raw pet milk in regulations MDA
would be issuing governing raw pet milk sales. Inclusion of the
dye requirement would have collapsed the market for raw pet milk
in the state. It was suspected that the Maryland Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene (MDHMH) was pressuring MDA into
adopting the dye mandate. MDHMH has jurisdiction over raw milk
production and sales for human consumption, which are prohibited
in Maryland, while MDA has jurisdiction over raw milk production
and sales for pet consumption. Pet milk producers in the state
became worried when officials at MDA did not respond to
inquiries about the dye requirement over a several month period.
It was the letter from Secretary Bartenfelder on behalf of the
Governor’s office that broke MDA’s silence on the matter.
NEWS Fats in processed foods help spread cancer
What Doctors Don't Tell You - The saturated fats in processed
foods—and even the toothpaste we use—help spread cancer, new
research has found. Palmitic acid, a major component of palm oil
that is used in processed foods, peanut butter and popular
brands of toothpaste, could help metastasize (spread) cancer
cells in up to half of all sufferers. The discovery is being
hailed as a breakthrough—although the researchers at the
Institute for Research in Barcelona (IRB) have so far seen it
happen only in laboratory mice, and the theory hasn’t been
tested on humans. However, part of the picture has been seen in
human cancer patients. A protein called CD36 has been found in a
range of cancer cells, including oral tumours, melanoma skin
cancer, ovarian, bladder, lung and breast cancers—and the
protein feeds off palmitic acid. In the experiment on laboratory
mice, the researchers gave them food that contained palmitic
acid, and discovered that the cancer spread in half of them.
Conversely, the researchers, funded by Worldwide Cancer
Research, also discovered that tumour cells stopped
metastasizing when the CD36 proteins were blocked.
Growing Incidence of Cardiotoxicity and Heart Damage After
Chemotherapy
Dave Mihalovic - The evidence against the use of chemotherapy
continues to mount, especially if you're diabetic. Heart damage
caused by chemotherapy is worse in cancer patients with
metabolic diseases, according to a study presented EuroEcho-Imaging
2016. The overall contribution of cytotoxic chemotherapy to
5-year survival in adults is well below 3 percent. Oncologists
are now being advised that the toxic treatment has dire
consequences for those with metabolic diseases such as diabetes
and insulin resistance. Heart damage is most often related to
the total (cumulative) dose of chemotherapy drug given. "We've
always known chemotherapy is damaging to the heart but the level
of damage to those with metabolic disease is extensive and the
risks may outweigh the benefits," stated oncologist Dr. Maven
Rowland commenting on the study. Cardiac damage can occur even
with lower doses of drugs if the person has had previous
radiation and specific types of drug therapy. "Whether it be in
the EU, U.S, Russia, Canada, India, Australia among other
countries, the treatment is still not advanced enough to spare
cardiac muscle cells from damage," concluded Dr. Rowland. "Cardiotoxicity
induced by chemotherapy with anthracyclines is being
increasingly reported, mainly because a smaller proportion of
patients now die from cancer," said lead author Dr Ana Catarina
Gomes, a cardiologist in training at the Hospital Garcia de Orta
in Almada, Portugal. "In the coming years this cardiotoxicity
looks set to increase the burden of heart failure in cancer
survivors."She continued: "The good news is that cardiotoxicity
can be reversible in the early stages before overt heart failure
develops. Surveillance programs are hugely beneficial,
particularly in the first year of treatment when up to 80% of
the systolic dysfunction develops."
More Doctors Confessing To Intentionally Diagnosing Healthy
People With Cancer To Make Money
Natural Blaze - Preventing disease doesn’t make money, but
treating disease certainly does. Take Dr. Farid Fata, a
prominent cancer doctor in Michigan who admitted in court one
year ago to intentionally and wrongfully diagnosing healthy
people with cancer. Fata also admitted to giving them
chemotherapy drugs for the purpose of making a profit…. Fata was
charged with running a $35-million Medicare fraud scheme that
involved billing the government for medically unnecessary
oncology and hematology treatments. … According to the
government, Fata had a patient load of 1,200 people and received
$62 million from Medicare; he billed for more than $150 million.
U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said she plans to seek life in
prison for Fata, calling his case is “the most egregious” health
care fraud case her office has seen. She said Fata not only
bilked the government — which is typical in such cases — but he
also harmed patients. Prostate cancer is another great example
which doctors falsely give prognoses about without giving
patients the facts. A prostate (PSA) blood test looks for
prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by the prostate
gland. High levels are supposedly associated with prostate
cancer. The problem is that the association isn’t always
correct, and when it is, the prostate cancer isn’t necessarily
deadly. Only about 3 percent of all men die from prostate
cancer. The PSA test usually leads to overdiagnosis — biopsies
and treatment in which the side effects are impotence and
incontinence. Repeated biopsies may spread cancer cells into the
track formed by the needle, or by spilling cancerous cells
directly into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. More than 90%
of Doctors who encourage cancer treatment for prostate cancer
will generate a commission from each treatment the patient
receives.
Monday - December
12, 2016
Today In History:
1787 - Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S.
Constitution.
1791 - The Bank of the United States, also known as the First Bank,
opened for business in Philadelphia, PA.
1800 - Washington, DC, was established as the capital of the United
States.
1901 - The first radio signal to cross the Atlantic was picked up near
St. John's Newfoundland, by inventor Guglielmo Marconi.
1912 - The Mother's Day International Association was incorporated with
the purpose of furthering meaningful observations of Mother's Day.
1917 - Father Edward Flanagan opened Boys Town in Nebraska. The farm
village was for wayward boys. In 1979 it was opened to girls.
1937 - Japanese aircraft sank the U.S. gunboat "Panay" on China's
Yangtze River. Japan apologized for the attack, and paid $2.2 million in
reparations.
1951 - The U.S. Navy Department announced that the world's first nuclear
powered submarine would become the sixth ship to bear the name Nautilus.
1975 - Sara Jane Moore pled guilty to a charge of trying to kill U.S.
President Ford in San Francisco the previous September.
1985 - 248 American soldiers and eight crewmembers were killed when an
Arrow Air charter crashed in Gander, Newfoundland after takeoff.
1989 - Britain forcibly removed 51 Vietnamese from Hong Kong and
returned them to their homeland.
1995 - The U.S. Senate stopped a constitutional amendment giving
Congress authority to outlaw flag burning and other forms of desecration
against the American flag.
1998 - The House Judiciary Committee rejected censure, and approved the
final article of impeachment against U.S. President Clinton. The case
was submitted to the full House for a verdict.
2000 - The U.S. Supreme Court found that the recount ordered by the
Florida Supreme Court in the 2000 U.S. Presidential election was
unconstitutional. U.S. Vice President Al Gore conceded the election to
Texas Gov. George W. Bush the next day.
2000 - Timothy McVeigh, over the objections of his lawyers, abandoned
his final round of appeals and asked that his execution be set within
120 days. McVeigh was convicted of the April 1995 truck bombing of the
Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, that killed 168
and injured 500.
2001 - Gerardo Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison for being the
leader of a Cuban spy ring. His conviction was based on his role in the
infiltration of U.S. military bases and in the deaths of four
Cuban-Americans whose planes were shot down five years before.
2002 - North Korea announced that it would reactivate a nuclear power
plant that U.S. officials believed was being used to develop weapons.
After Aleppo Debacle, Obama Sends More US Troops To Syria, Lifts
Weapon Embargo To Some Rebels
Western Journalism - With U.S.-supported rebel groups in Aleppo
facing defeat in the more than four-year-old battle for the
eastern part of Syria’s second-largest city, President Obama
suddenly decided to waive prohibitions on the delivery of
American military equipment to “foreign forces, irregular
forces, groups, or individuals” in Syria. The president took the
measure after the Russian-led coalition of the Syrian army,
Hezbollah and Iranian-backed Shiite militias already seized 90
percent of rebel-held territories in east Aleppo. The
presidential waiver still needs Congressional authorization, and
it’s fair to assume that Obama’s help will come too late to
prevent the fall of Aleppo to the pro-Assad coalition. Russian
commentators ridiculed Obama’s action and suggested the measure
had nothing to do with saving the Jaish al-Fatah coalition of
Sunni Islamist groups in Aleppo but with “setting the tone for
U.S. involvement in Syria, and to set a certain algorithm of
actions for his successor, Donald Trump.”.... The rapid advances
by the pro-Assad coalition in Aleppo came to a halt Saturday as
the Jaish al-Fatah rebels regrouped and launched a
counter-offensive near the old city of Aleppo. The
counter-attack came as Russia and Syria said they had reduced
their actions in Aleppo to allow for the evacuation of civilians
who were trapped in the city. Rebel commanders denied the
pro-regime forces had slowed down their operations and claimed
the grinding offensive was the result of their counter
attacks.... The fall of Aleppo is not expected to end the civil
war in Syria.
Islamic State fighters re-enter ancient Palmyra in Syria
BBC News - Islamic State group fighters have re-entered Palmyra,
nine months after losing the ancient Syrian desert city.
Monitoring groups say militants and pro-government forces fought
fiercely in the centre of Palmyra. An activist there told the
BBC that the city was now "more or less" in IS hands.... The
surprise setback for the government of President Bashar al-Assad
comes as Russian-backed Syrian government forces are closing in
on the remaining rebel-held area of the city of Aleppo.... IS
held Palmyra and its nearby ruins for 10 months before it was
recaptured by Syrian government forces in March.... Palmyra has
been seen as a strategic location for IS, because of its close
proximity to oil fields. Syrian government reinforcements were
sent from Aleppo to fight in this new battle earlier this week.
In Just 48 Hours, Islamic Extremists Kill More Than 200 Across
Five Countries
The Daily Caller - Terrorist groups killed more than 200 people
across the Middle East and North Africa since Friday, in an
unprecedented slew of global attacks. The highest profile attack
killed 39 people outside of a popular Istanbul soccer stadium,
wounding another 155. The attack utilized two remotely detonated
car bombs, which have been a signature tactic of the Kurdish
Workers Party.... Another deadly attack struck at the heart of
Egypt’s coptic christian community at a Sunday morning mass,
killing 25 and wounding nearly 50. Egyptian authorities told
reporters almost all the victims were women and children.
Egypt’s christian community has been targeted in the past by
elements of the Islamic State, fighting in the western Sinai
peninsula.... Other attacks since Friday killed 50 in Yemen, 60
in Nigeria, and 29 in Somalia.
Dutch populist leader Wilders rises in polls after conviction
Yahoo News - The party of populist anti-Islam Dutch MP Geert
Wilders has risen strongly in the polls since the lawmaker was
tried and convicted of discrimination, according to a survey
published Sunday.... During the trial, but before his conviction
on Friday, its estimated share rose to 34 seats. It currently
has 12 lawmakers.... Wilders was found guilty of discrimination
against Moroccans but acquitted of hate speech over remarks he
made at an election rally in March 2014. He had asked supporters
whether they wanted "fewer or more Moroccans in your city and in
the Netherlands." When the crowd shouted back "Fewer! Fewer!" a
smiling Wilders answered: "We're going to organize that."....
The judges were strongly critical of Wilders' "inflammatory"
remarks at the rally but decided not to impose any sentence or
fine. The outcome of the Dutch vote will be keenly watched given
the anti-EU outcome of Britain's Brexit referendum and the
November election of populist Donald Trump as the next US
president. Wilders has among other things vowed to confiscate
Korans, close mosques and Islamic schools, shut the borders and
ban migrants from Islamic countries.
74% of ‘underage’ asylum seekers in Denmark are adults, teeth &
bone tests show
RT - The Danish Immigration Service has questioned the age of
some 800 asylum seekers who said they are younger than 18. In
almost three out of four cases, ‘unaccompanied minors’ proved to
be adults, according to a report. Experts at the University of
Copenhagen's Department of Forensic Medicine have been
investigating the age of unaccompanied asylum seekers who
arrived in Denmark this year and said they are under 18,
Jyllands-Posten daily reported. The Danish Immigration Service
suspected that 800 asylum seekers lied about their real age.
Using X-rays of teeth and finger bones, the institute concluded
that 74 percent of those tested (almost 600 persons) are in fact
aged over 18.
Venezuela seizes almost 4mn toys to distribute among poor
children at Christmas
RT - Venezuela’s country fair pricing watchdog Sundde seized
toys that distributor Kreisel kept in three warehouses located
in Caracas and Guarenas on Friday, local media reported.
Meanwhile, authorities ensured local supply committees (CLAPs),
created in April, would distribute subsidized food and
commodities, to “fairly” spread the confiscated toys among poor
children. “Children in our country will have a happy Christmas,”
Sundde’s chief William Contreras told reporters after the
seizure. Kreisel underreported its inventory, planning to sell
the toys at higher prices, Contreras said. Kreisel has not
officially responded to the allegations, although it answered to
messages of support on Twitter.... The operation is expected to
teach other companies in Venezuela that it’s prohibited to “play
with the rights of Venezuelans,” Contreras said, according to
AFP.... Venezuela is currently struggling with the highest
inflation in the world, estimated at 475 percent by 2016,
according to the IMF. Its Bolivar lost 75 percent of its value
since last September.... Last week, the government ordered
stores to slash prices by 30 percent, with business owners
complaining that the move pushes them to bankruptcy. However,
many customers welcomed the decision.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Senate Quietly Passes The "Countering Disinformation And
Propaganda Act"
Zero Hedge - U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy
(D-CT) today announced that their Countering Disinformation and
Propaganda Act – legislation designed to help American allies
counter foreign government propaganda from Russia, China, and
other nations – has passed the Senate as part of the FY 2017
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report. The
bipartisan bill, which was introduced by Senators Portman and
Murphy in March, will improve the ability of the United States
to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation by establishing
an interagency center housed at the State Department to
coordinate and synchronize counter-propaganda efforts throughout
the U.S. government. To support these efforts, the bill also
creates a grant program for NGOs, think tanks, civil society and
other experts outside government who are engaged in
counter-propaganda related work.... In other words, the Act will
i) greenlight the government to crack down with impunity against
any media property it deems "propaganda", and ii) provide
substantial amounts of money fund an army of "local journalist"
counterpropaganda, to make sure the government's own fake news
drowns that of the still free "fringes." So while packaged
politely in a veneer of "countering disinformation and
propaganda", the bill, once signed by Obama, will effectively
give the government a full mandate to punish, shut down or
otherwise prosecute, any website it deems offensive and a source
of "foreign government propaganda from Russia, China or other
nations." And since there is no formal way of proving whether or
not there is indeed a foreign propaganda sponsor, all that will
be sufficient to eliminate any "dissenting" website, will be the
government's word against that of the website. One can be
confident that the US government will almost certainly prevail
in every single time.
CIA Veterans Urge Caution on Leaks Saying Russia's Putin Tried
to Get Trump Elected
Newsweek - CIA veterans—none of them fans of Donald Trump–are
urging caution about leaked allegations that Russia waged a
secret campaign to put the New York Republican into the White
House.... Reports on the alleged Russian effort have been
anything but cohesive, or complete. During a closed-door
briefing to the House Intelligence Committee last week, a senior
FBI counterintelligence official reportedly scoffed at the CIA’s
conclusion that Russia had plotted to put Trump in office,
calling the evidence “fuzzy” and “ambiguous.” Details of the
meeting were leaked to The Washington Post.... [Nada] Bakos, a
10-year CIA veteran who worked through a political storm over
Iraq intelligence after the September 11 , 2001 terrorist
attacks, appealed for a thorough investigation where all the
evidence can be examined. “For the collective good of the
American people,” she wrote in a stream of tweets starting
Friday, “a thorough Intel Community assessment or NIE [National
Intelligence Estimate] should be drafted immediately.”.... Bakos,
a key member of the CIA team charged with analyzing the
relationship between Iraq, Al-Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks, said
the public should be cautious about reports citing leaked
intelligence from anonymous officials. Ill-founded and false
reports–that Iraq possessed chemical and biological weapons and
had acquired yellow-cake uranium for a nuclear bomb– she
reminded readers, were used by the George W. Bush administration
to justify the invasion of Iraq.
Mapping The Top States For Resettling Refugees In 2016
Zero Hedge - The Obama administration admitted nearly 85,000
refugees into the United States in fiscal year 2016, the highest
number since 1999.... Of course, not every state is doing their
"fair share" to house the massive influx of immigrants with Pew
Research Center recently pointing out that the top ten states
are taking in 54% of refugees. As Pew points notes, California,
Texas and New York alone resettled 24% of incoming refugees
while Nebraska took in the most on a per capita basis.
California, Texas and New York resettled the most refugees in
fiscal 2016,... together taking in 20,738 refugees, or about a
quarter (24%) of the U.S. total. Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, North
Carolina, Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois, which each
received 3,000 or more refugees, rounded out the top 10 states
by number of resettled refugees. Overall, 54% of refugees
admitted to the U.S. in 2016 were resettled in one of these 10
states. At the other end of the spectrum, some states and the
District of Columbia took in few or no refugees in fiscal 2016.
Arkansas, the District of Columbia and Wyoming resettled fewer
than 10 refugees each, while two states – Delaware and Hawaii –
took in none. In fiscal 2016, Nebraska (76), North Dakota (71)
and Idaho (69) resettled the most refugees per 100,000
residents. Other states like Vermont (62), Arizona (60) and
Kentucky (54) far exceeded the U.S. national average of 26
refugees per 100,000 residents.... And while the Obama
administration has announced plans to admit even more refugees
in 2017, we suspect president-elect Trump may have other ideas.
The Intercept: A Clinton Fan Manufactured Fake News That MSNBC
Personalities Spread to Discredit Wikileaks Docs
The Intercept - Back in October, when WikiLeaks was releasing
emails from the John Podesta archive, Clinton campaign officials
and their media spokespeople adopted a strategy of outright
lying to the public, claiming– with no basis whatsoever – that
the emails were doctored or fabricated and thus should be
ignored. That lie – and that is what it was: a claim made with
knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard for its truth –
was most aggressively amplified by MSNBC personalities such as
Joy Ann Reid and Malcolm Nance, The Atlantic’s David Frum, and
Newsweek’s Kurt Eichenwald. That the emails in the Wikileaks
archive were doctored or faked — and thus should be disregarded
— was classic Fake News, spread not by Macedonian teenagers or
Kremlin operatives but by established news outlets such as
MSNBC, The Atlantic, and Newsweek. And, by design, this Fake
News spread like wildfire all over the internet, hungrily
clicked and shared by tens of thousands of people eager to
believe it was true. As a result of this deliberate
disinformation campaign, anyone reporting on the contents of the
emails was instantly met with claims that the documents in the
archive had been proven fake. The most damaging such claim came
from MSNBC’s intelligence analyst Malcolm Nance. As I documented
on October 11, he tweeted what he — for some bizarre reason —
labeled an “Official Warning.” It decreed: “#PodestaEmails are
already proving to be riddled with obvious forgeries & #blackpropaganda
not even professionally done.” That tweet was re-tweeted by more
than 4,000 people. It was vested with added credibility by
Clinton-supporting journalists like Reid and Frum (“expert to
take seriously”). All of that, in turn, led to an article in
something called the “Daily News Bin” with the headline: “MSNBC
intelligence expert: WikiLeaks is releasing falsified emails not
really from Hillary Clinton.” This classic fake news product —
citing Nance and Reid among others — was shared more than 40,000
times on Facebook alone.
Macy’s Ends Support for Planned Parenthood
The New American - Macy’s department store has announced that it
will no longer wire a portion of its dollars to the bank of
Planned Parenthood — the nation’s largest provider of abortions.
The pro-life organization 2ndVote had compiled a list of
corporate sponsors in October, and since then, four major
companies (AT&T, Coca-Cola, Ford, and Xerox) have discontinued
their support of the giant abortion-provider. Now, Macy’s, which
is reputed to have the world’s largest store, has joined
them.... Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council commented
on the change of heart by Macy’s and the other corporations.
“While we are 100 percent supportive of corporations making
their own decisions and setting their own policies, we believe
that consumers have choices too — like taking their business
elsewhere. That’s the beauty of the free market. If CEOs want to
enter the culture wars, that’s their prerogative. But they
shouldn’t be surprised when the market fires back.”
Musician Builds Tiny Homes for the Homeless -- City Promptly
Seizes and Destroys Them
The Free Thought Project - Elvis Summers crowdfunded tiny homes
in part through his nonprofit, Starting Human, and raised over
$100,000 for what he viewed as a decent, if temporary, solution.
And with the help of volunteers in the contracting and
construction business, built some 40 tiny homes of wood with
steel-reinforced, locking doors to provide solid shelter for
struggling tent-city residents.... Summers’ project went
swimmingly.... That is, until the city of Los Angeles put its
foot down, kicked several tiny home residents, out, and
transported the structures for demolition.... Suddenly evicted
tiny house residents weren’t permitted to retrieve their few
belongings — including medications — before police and garbage
trucks hauled the homes away. Summers managed to pack up a few
of the tiny homes on public property, but was forced to evict
residents, himself — simply in hopes of saving the structures
from the city.... Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti doesn’t see
the tiny homes as sufficient. “Unfortunately, these structures
are a safety hazard,” Garcetti’s spokeswoman, Connie Llanos,
said in March, after several houses were confiscated. “These
structures, some of the materials that were found in some of
them, just the thought of folks having some of these things in a
space so small, so confined, without the proper insulation, it
really does put their lives in danger.” Additional controversy
and conflict with local, permanent residents arose from the
location of a smattering of these tiny homes. While many nestled
onto private property... others sprung up on highway overpasses
and in neighborhoods, much to the chagrin of locals who viewed
the shelters as safety hazards and nuisances.
Michigan Supreme Court Officially Ends Jill Stein's Recount
Effort
Western Journalism - Michigan’s highest court threw cold water
on former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s
petition for a statewide vote recount Friday. The Michigan
Supreme Court voted Friday to uphold a lower court ruling that
denied Stein’s petition for a recount, which had begun earlier
in the week. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that
Stein, who won only 1.07 percent of the state’s vote, stood to
gain nothing from the effort, and thus she was not an “aggrieved
candidate.” A state judge agreed a day later. The state Supreme
Court said in a statement Friday evening, “We concur with the
Court’s denial and with the Court of Appeals’ judgment that it
leaves in place.”... The decision is the end of the line for the
last-ditch effort to change the outcome of the election.
Pioneer Astronaut John Glenn Has Died
NASA - Former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn died
Thursday at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in
Columbus. Glenn, who served four terms as a U.S. senator from
Ohio, was one of NASA's original seven Mercury astronauts. His
flight on Friendship 7 on Feb. 20, 1962, showed the world that
America was a serious contender in the space race with the
Soviet Union. It also made Glenn an instant hero. His mission of
almost nine days on the space shuttle orbiter Discovery,
launched Oct. 29, 1998, when he was 77, made him the oldest
human to venture into space.... Glenn will always be remembered
as the first American to orbit the Earth during those tentative,
challenging, daring days when humans were just beginning to
venture beyond the atmosphere that had nurtured them since the
species began.... Glenn entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program
in March 1942. He graduated and was commissioned in the Marine
Corps in 1943. After advanced training, he joined Marine Fighter
Squadron 155 and spent a year flying F-4U fighters in the
Marshall Islands. He flew 59 combat missions during World War
II.... In Korea he flew 63 missions with Marine Fighter Squadron
311. As an exchange pilot with the Air Force Glenn flew 27
missions in the F-86 Sabre. In the last nine days of fighting in
Korea, Glenn shot down three MiGs in combat along the Yalu
River. Glenn attended Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Test
Center, Patuxent River, Md. After graduation, he was project
officer on a number of aircraft.... Glenn resigned as an
astronaut on Jan. 16, 1964. He was promoted to colonel in
October 1964 and retired from the Marine Corps on Jan. 1,
1965.... He won his Senate seat in 1974, carrying all 88
counties of Ohio. He was re-elected in 1980 with the largest
margin in Ohio history. Ohio returned him to the Senate for a
third term in 1986, again with a substantial majority. In 1992
he was elected again, becoming the first popularly elected
senator from his state to win four consecutive terms.
Record High Lease Returns Set To Wreak Havoc On Used Car Prices
Zero Hedge - As Bloomberg recently pointed out, strong used car
pricing is a critical component required to prop up the overall
auto market. While American's love their brand new cars, if used
car prices become too soft then substitution can hurt new car
sales.... Typically a lease lasts about three years, after which
the customer returns to the showroom for another vehicle --
which is when things could get difficult for the industry.
"There's going to be a lot of units coming back over the next
several years," Ford Motor Co. warned last month. "They're going
to get to levels that we have never seen on an absolute basis in
the industry before". In 2017, about one million more off-lease
vehicles will be available in the U.S. compared with 2015. That
additional volume will put downward pressure on used car prices.
If cars depreciate too quickly, consumers will be unwilling to
pay high prices for new vehicles. High residual values also help
to keep monthly lease payments low. In other words, if used car
prices fall, the whole system comes unstuck: automakers'
earnings will likely fall and car finance companies (often a
subsidiary of the manufacturer) may have to book write downs on
the value of their leased assets.
18 States Sue Feds Over Expanding ‘Critical Habitat’ to Areas With No
Protected Species
CNS News - The Final Rules, Listing Endangered and Threatened Species
and Designating Critical Habitat, which were published in the Federal
Register on February 11 and went into effect March 14, expand the
definition of “critical habitat” to include areas in which “species
presence or habitats are ephemeral in nature, [or] species presence is
difficult to establish through surveys (e.g. when a plant’s ‘presence’
is sometimes limited to a seed bank).” “The Final Rules are an unlawful
attempt to expand regulatory authority and control over State land and
waters,” argues the multi-state lawsuit,.... “The Final Rules allow the
Services to declare areas occupied critical habitat that are not
occupied by the species and that could not support the species were it
moved there, on the supposition that one day the essential physical and
biological features might develop and the species might return,”
according to the lawsuit.... “Under this interpretation, [the federal
government] could designate entire States or even multiple States as
habitat for certain species” in contravention of congressional intent,
the lawsuit maintains.... The Final Rules on critical habitat were made
in response to President Obama’s Executive Order 13563, in which he
directed federal agencies to update their existing regulations.
Georgia says it's traced an attempted voter hack to DHS
ITworld - The allegation by Georgia Secretary of State Brian
Kemp is one of the more bizarre charges to come up in the recent
spate of alarms about voting-system hacks. He said in a Facebook
post on Thursday that he had been made aware of the failed
attempt to breach the firewall protecting Georgia's voter
registration database. The attack was traced to an Internet
Protocol address associated with DHS, he said. “This morning I
sent a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson demanding to know
why,” he said in the post.... The hacking attempt reportedly
took place on Nov. 15, after the presidential election,
according to the Wall Street Journal, which saw a copy of the
letter. “At no time has my office agreed to or permitted DHS to
conduct penetration testing or security scans of our network,”
Kemp wrote in his letter. “Moreover, your department has not
contacted my office since this unsuccessful incident to alert us
of any security event that would require testing or scanning of
our network.” Kemp is also asking if the department has scanned
any other states in the same way.... Reportedly, Kemp had been
resisting election security help from the federal government.
Kemp said he was worried that the Obama administration was
exaggerating the cyber threat to intrude on the state's
authority, according to Politico.
6 Execs from Pharma Co. Arrested for Bribing Docs to Push Deadly
Fentanyl
Natural Blaze - According to Reuters, six former Insys
Therapeutics Inc executives and managers were arrested on
Thursday on charges that they engaged in a nationwide scheme to
bribe doctors to prescribe a drug containing the opioid,
fentanyl, U.S. prosecutors said. Along with the executives,
Michael Baich, the former CEO, was also charged in an indictment
filed in federal court in Boston this week. They have all been
brought up on charges of racketeering for their scheme…. What
makes this information so damning and hypocritical is that in
September, the Free Thought Project helped to expose Insys
Therapeutics for paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep
marijuana, a plant that has never killed anyone, illegal…. These
people not only advocated that pot is dangerous, but they were
bribing doctors to prescribe a drug responsible for one of the
most deadly epidemics in the history of the United States — for
entirely unnecessary reasons. About 129 people died each day
nationwide in 2014 from a drug overdose and more than half of
those were opioid, heroin, or fentanyl related, according to the
DEA.
Decades-Long Trend of Rising Life Expectancy in U.S. Undergoes
Mysterious Reversal
AllGov - U.S. life expectancy is in decline for the first time
since 1993, when HIV-related deaths were at their peak. But this
time, researchers can’t identify a single problem driving the
drop, and are instead pointing to a number of factors, from
heart disease to suicides, that have caused a greater number of
deaths. A study... on mortality rates released Thursday by the
National Center for Health Statistics showed that Americans
could expect to live for 78.8 years in 2015, a decrease of 0.1
from the year before.... Dr. Peter Muennig, a professor of
health policy and management at Columbia University’s Mailman
School of Public Health, said in an interview that the decline
was a “uniquely American phenomenon” in comparison with other
developed countries, such as Japan or Sweden. “A 0.1 decrease is
huge,” Muennig said. “Life expectancy increases, and that’s very
consistent and predictable, so to see it decrease, that’s very
alarming.” For researchers, the numbers reflect a culmination of
problems. Eight of the top 10 causes of death showed an increase
in death rates, including those from heart disease, diabetes and
kidney disease. Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease rose 15.7
percent, unintentional injuries rose 6.7 percent and suicide
rose 2.3 percent.
DHA deficiency increases anger and hostility
(NaturalHealth365) There’s now a considerable amount of evidence
that shows the negative effects of a DHA shortage in the brain.
While the scientific community was already aware of the benefits
of DHA and omega 3s in reducing inflammation and promoting
optimal neuronal functioning; more recent studies are confirming
that DHA is crucial to the health of brain neurotransmitters,
cognitive functioning and a positive mood…. Seven of the top
brain benefits of DHA and omega-3 supplementation include: 1.
Reduced anger and hostility: Low DHA levels are associated with
high levels of hostility and anger, while the benefits of omega
3 include more even-keeled and consistent moods. Students tested
for increased angry, hostile behavior close to final exam time
in college were found to be up to 65 percent more aggressive if
they were not taking DHA or omega 3 supplements. 2. Improved
memory and learning: Studies have shown that taking DHA
supplements can support the brain’s hippocampus in optimal
neurotransmitter release. DHA is associated with improved
neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to repair itself. This
can help to preserve memory as well as reverse age-related
memory loss. 3. Increased levels of healthy brain
neurotransmitters: DHA deficiencies have been linked with
depressed levels of dopamine, the chemical that gives you that
positive, rewarded feeling. It also seems to act on other brain
chemicals like serotonin, glutamate, acetylcholine and
norepinephrine, promoting optimal levels and a chemical balance
in the brain and body. 4. Improved cognitive functioning: DHA
and other omega 3s are also associated with a better attention
span and an increased ability to focus, learn, and follow
through with tasks. This is in large part due to its positive
regulatory effect on neurotransmitters….
20 Medications That Have Been Shown to Cause Memory Loss
REALfarmacy - If you are taking any prescription medication, the
odds are that it falls into one of these three categories of
drugs known to cause memory loss and other cognitive problems:
The “Anti” Drugs: If you take a drug that starts with “anti,”
such as antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics,
antibiotics, antispasmodics, or antihypertensives, it’s likely
that it will affect your acetylcholine levels. Acetylcholine is
the primary neurotransmitter involved with memory and learning.
Low acetycholine can lead to symptoms that resemble dementia
including mental confusion, delirium, blurred vision, memory
loss, and hallucinations. Sleeping Pills: Prescription sleeping
pills are notorious for causing memory loss. The popular drug
Ambien has been coined by some as “the amnesia drug.” Some users
experience night terrors, sleep walking, sleep driving, and
hallucinations. Prescription sleeping pills have been found to
put you in a state similar to being passed out drunk or in a
coma while bypassing the restorative sleep your brain needs.
Statin Drugs: These cholesterol-lowering medications might just
be the single worst group of drugs for your brain. Memory loss
is now required to be listed as a side effect on the label. One
quarter of your brain is made up of cholesterol. Cholesterol is
necessary for memory, learning, and fast thinking. So it is not
a total surprise that cholesterol-lowering drugs negatively
effect the brain…
The Problem With Seizure Medications and a New Therapy to Consider
Dr. Becker - Lots of dogs and cats with seizure disorders don't do well
on traditional drugs for epilepsy like phenobarbital and potassium
bromide. Some pets' seizures can't be well controlled with medication,
and virtually all these drugs produce adverse side effects and long-term
consequences. That's why an increasing number of pet parents and
veterinarians are looking for alternative therapies like acupuncture to
help dogs and cats with epilepsy. Recently I ran across an interesting
human seizure study conducted in China that evaluated the use of
acupuncture to treat the disorder. The study examined the function of
the brain's thalamus, which plays a critical role in epilepsy and is
also instrumental in mediating the effects of acupuncture in the brain.
The researchers concluded that acupuncture could be a promising therapy
in the management of refractory (unmanageable) epilepsy. Although
currently there are no accepted (double-blinded, placebo-controlled)
studies on the use of acupuncture to treat seizures, there is enough
anecdotal and experimental evidence to support its use.
* Related Video:
PBS Spotlight on Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM)
Friday - December
9, 2016
Today In History:
1803 - The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the
U.S. Congress. With the amendment Electors were directed to vote for a
President and for a Vice-President rather than for two choices for
President.
1907 - Christmas Seals went on sale for the first time, in the
Wilmington, DE, post office.
1917 - Turkish troops surrendered Jerusalem to British troops led by
Viscount Allenby.
1940 - During World War II, British troops opened their first major
offensive in North Africa.
1941 - China declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy.
1958 - In Indianapolis, IN, Robert H.W. Welch Jr. and 11 other men met
to form the anti-Communist John Birch Society.
1975 - U.S. President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan
authorization to prevent New York City from having to default.
1990 - The first American hostages to be released by Iran began arriving
in the U.S.
1992 - Clair George, former CIA spy chief, was convicted of lying to the
U.S. Congress about the Iran-Contra affair. U.S. President George H.W.
Bush later pardoned George1992 - U.S. troops arrived in Mogadishu,
Somalia, to oversee delivery of international food aid, in operation
'Restore Hope'.
1993 - The U.S. Air Force destroyed the first of 500 Minuteman II
missile silos that were marked for elimination under an arms control
treaty.
1993 - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor completed repairs to
the Hubble Space Telescope.
1994 - Representatives of the Irish Republican Army and the British
government opened peace talks in Northern Ireland.
1999 - The U.S. announced that it was expelling a Russian diplomat that
had been caught gathering information with an eavesdropping device at
the U.S. State Department.
2013 - AMR Corporation and US Airways Group completed a merger and was
listed on the NASDAQ as American Airlines Group, Inc.
Putin: Moscow will never accept attitude of intl bodies towards
deaths of Russian medics in Syria
RT - Commenting on the recent shelling of a Russian mobile
hospital in Aleppo, Syria that killed two Russian medics,
President Vladimir Putin said Moscow “will never accept” the
absence of reaction from international organizations to the
deaths. “It is obvious to everybody that our medics came [to
Syria] to resolve humanitarian issues only. They came there not
to take part in the military action, but to help people,
civilian population in particular,” Putin stressed. Yet
according to Russia’s president, Moscow “has seen no assessment
of what happened from any international organization.” According
to Putin, the absence of international reaction “triggers some
thoughts about how objective the coverage of some our partners
is on what is happening [in Syria].” Putin added that he is
talking about big international structures “that have put our
medics who have been killed on one shelf with those who hit
their hospital, and did it deliberately, as they knew where it
was.” He stressed that such an attitude is “inadmissible” and
“we [Russia] will never accept it.” Militants shelled a Russian
mobile hospital in western Aleppo earlier this week, killing two
paramedics. A chief pediatrician was also severely injured in
the attack.
Obama grants waiver for military support of foreign fighters in
Syria – White House
RT - President Barack Obama has ordered a waiver of restrictions
on military aid for foreign forces and others in Syria, deeming
it “essential to the national security interests” of the US to
allow exceptions from provisions in the four-decades-old Arms
Export Control Act. A White House press release Thursday
announced that foreign fighters in Syria supporting US special
operations “to combat terrorism in Syria” would be excused from
restrictions on military assistance. I hereby determine that the
transaction, encompassing the provision of defense articles and
services to foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or
individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating ongoing U.S.
military operations to counter terrorism in Syria, is essential
to the national security interests of the United States,”
President Obama affirmed in the presidential determination and
waiver. The order delegates responsibility to the US secretary
of state to work with and report to Congress on weapons export
proposals, requiring 15 days of notice before they are
authorized. Obama announced a similar waiver of the Arms Export
Control Act in September 2013, following the Ghouta chemical
attack in August of that year. That order facilitated the
transfer of US military weaponry to "select vetted members" of
opposition forces battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,
while Thursday's order appears less narrow in scope.
Le Pen Vows to End Costly Benefits for Foreigners
LifeZette - Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s right-wing
populist Front National, called for end to state benefits for
illegal immigrants Thursday — including providing them with free
health care and their children with free education. “I’ve got
nothing against foreigners but I say to them: If you come to our
country, don’t expect that you will be taken care of, treated
and that your children will be educated for free,” Le Pen said
in a speech. “That’s finished now, no more playtime,” she added.
In what will surely be a surprise to absolutely no one, Le Pen’s
comments have drawn an intensely hysterical reaction from the
progressive powers-that-be. “With these words, which I condemn
with the utmost force, Mrs. Le Pen shows … her utter
indifference terrible humanitarian situations affecting young
children,” wrote France’s Education Secretary Najat Belkacem. Of
course, Belkacem is a member of France’s ruling socialist party,
so it’s hardly shocking that she would do her best to depict Le
Pen’s words as somehow “bigoted.” It is Belkacem herself who is
open to charges of indifference to the terrible strain that
illegal immigrants place on the social services and
infrastructure of their host countries. The cost of illegal
immigration to the U.S. taxpayer, for example, is staggering —
and the incoming Trump administration would be wise to follow Le
Pen’s lead. A July 2016 report by the Center for Immigration
Studies (CIS) discovered illegal aliens could be costing
American taxpayers over $1.4 billion in food stamp benefits
alone.
Dystopia Now - Japan to Tag Dementia-Afflicted Old People With
Barcodes
Sputnik News - Japan, experiencing an aging population, has
introduced a new method to keep track of those prone to be lost
or otherwise helpless. Dementia-suffering seniors, who suffer
from age-induced mental degradation, are likely to get lost, and
may not be able to remember their way home. One possible
solution is to pin a note to your relative's clothes, with an
address and a phone number. Another is to tag their clothing
with a barcode for police to scan. People suffering from
dementia have been known to go without clothing, however, so it
has been proposed that the barcode be placed somewhere on the
body. A permanent tattoo would do the job, but there are
limitations to how a QR-code tattoo would work on aging human
skin. A company from the city of Iruma, north of Tokyo, has
developed a solution, using seals imprinted with QR-codes that
are attached to finger- or toenails. Advertized as being
attached to a person's thumbnail, the scannable barcode image
would be included in social-protection programs and provided
free of charge. The stickers are sturdy, but not intended to be
permanent. According to the manufacturer, they would stay in
place for two weeks, even if wet, helping police to contact a
lost person's family.
Tsunami warnings after 7.8 quake strikes off Solomon Islands’
coast
RT - A tsunami warning has been issued for the Solomon Islands,
Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Nauru after a 7.8 magnitude
earthquake struck 70km off the Solomon Islands, according to
USGS. The USGS initially reported the quake as 8.0, but later
downgraded it to 7.8. "Hazardous tsunami waves from this
earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some
coasts of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New
Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae," stated the warning issued by the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. A tsunami watch was also issued
for all Hawaiian islands, the US National Weather Service
reported. It was later canceled, as based on “all available data
there is no tsunami threat to the state,” the Pacific Tsunami
Weather Center reported.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Senate Sends Veto-Proof Defense Spending Bill To Obama's Desk
The Daily Caller - The Senate passed a long-awaited defense
spending bill Thursday by a massive 92-7 vote, sending the bill
to President Barack Obama’s desk with a veto-proof majority. The
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (NDAA)
had a rocky path through Congress. Obama threatened to veto any
NDAA bill with increased spending unless similar caps were
removed on domestic programs. Despite Obama’s objections, the
current NDAA adds $9 billion more to the defense budget than
requested by the administration. “With today’s overwhelming 92-7
vote in the Senate, the NDAA has now passed the Congress with
veto-proof majorities in both houses,” said Sen. John McCain and
Rep. Mac Thornberry, the heads of the Senate and House
Committees on Armed Services, in a joint statement Thursday.
“This legislation marks another important step toward reforming
our defense enterprise to meet current and future threats.” The
bill addresses several military readiness concerns.
Additionally, it includes a 2.1 percent pay raise for all
service members, the largest in six years. It also includes an
overhaul of the military’s malfunctioning healthcare system and
acquisition processes.
U.S. Military on the ‘Brink of Collapse’
LifeZette - Forget about the longtime standard of a military
capable of fighting two major wars simultaneously, which the
United States abandoned four years ago. The current military
would have trouble fighting one major conflict. That is the
assessment of some prominent defense experts, who contend the
military has degraded to dangerous levels after eight years
under President Obama. “We have lost our edge,” said Daniel
Goure, senior vice president of the Lexington Institute. “We are
no longer technologically superior in a whole list of areas …
This is a military that is on the brink of collapse.”… According
to a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. Armed Forces produced
last month by The Heritage Foundation, military power is
“marginal,” with the Army rated even worse, as “weak.” At the
same time, the think tank rates as “high” six major threats to
U.S. vital interests — Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Middle
Eastern terrorism, and terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The assessment of the North Korean threat represents a downgrade
from the the “severe” rating found in last year’s Heritage
report — the report found that risks from Iran and Middle
Eastern terrorism have worsened…. Trump has drawn heavily on the
think tank to put together his defense proposals. Venable, who
spent 25 years as a combat pilot, said he wrote an article for
Defense One earlier this year pointing to deficiencies in the
Air Force. He said that military branch has fallen to levels of
readiness not seen since the “hollow force” days of the Jimmy
Carter years.
Border Patrol Council: Trump DHS Pick ‘No-Nonsense Law and Order
General’
Breitbart - The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) cautiously
applauded President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of retired
General John Kelly as the incoming secretary of Department of
Homeland Security, saying it expects the administration to work
with it. The NBPC warned in a statement Wednesday that of all
Trump’s cabinet appointees, Kelly will be under the most
pressure to perform: We have faith in President-elect Trump, and
although General Kelly does not have immigration experience, we
recognize that he comes in with stellar credentials. We caution,
however, that because President-elect Trump’s meteoric rise was
built on border security, we believe no other cabinet-level
nominee will be under more pressure to produce…. NBPC represents
approximately 17,000 border agents and gave its first-ever
presidential Primary endorsement to Trump after he pledged to
model border security plans on the advice of agents on the
ground, not remote political appointees.
Missouri Bill Would Limit ALPR Data, Help Block National License
Plate Tracking Program
Tenth Amendment Center - During the 2017 session, the Missouri
legislature will consider a bill that would put limitations on
the storage and sharing of information collected by law
enforcement agencies using Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs)
in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a
federal program using states to help track the location of
millions of everyday people through pictures of their license
plates. Sen. Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit) prefiled Senate Bill 85
(SB85) on Dec. 1. The legislation would require government
entities to destroy any data captured by automatic license plate
readers within 30 days unless they get a court issued
preservation order or a warrant. Additionally, the proposed law
would allow law enforcement agencies to preserve ALPR data
longer than 30 days pursuant to a one year limited published law
enforcement organization policy restricting data to detectives
or system auditors after the initial 30 days. SB85 would also
limit sharing ALPR data with the federal government. The feds
would be required to obtain a preservation request or a warrant
in order to access Missouri license plate data unless exigent
circumstances made the release of the data necessary. The use of
any data or evidence derived from automated license plate reader
systems preserved in violation of the law could not be received
into evidence in any proceeding. Passage of SB85 would prevent
the state from creating permanent databases using information
collected by ALPRs, and would make it highly unlikely that such
data would end up in federal databases.
Brian Williams Complains About Fake News After Losing Job for
Fake News
Mikael Thalen - MSNBC’s Brian Williams bemoaned the prevalence
of “fake news” Wednesday evening despite losing his job with
NBC’s Nightly News last year for spreading fake news. Williams,
who lost his position as NBC anchor in 2015 after lying about
being under RPG fire while in a helicopter during the Iraq war,
warned viewers of the “growing and booming” business of
fabricated content. “And lately there’s been a lot of coverage
in the real news about the growing and booming business of
creating fake news,” Williams said. The disgraced anchor also
lamented the Trump transition team for spreading “fake news”
post-election. “Fake news played a role in this election and
continues to find a wide audience,” Williams added. Social media
was quick to criticize Williams following the report for what
they saw as both hypocrisy and irony. While the term “fake news”
initially referred to websites that knowingly published
fictional stories, the establishment press, whose approval
rating among the public is at an all-time low, has now aimed the
term at the increasingly popular independent media.
Hillary Clinton Emerges from the Woods to Warn About ‘Threat’ of
Fake News
Breitbart - Hillary Clinton appeared on Capitol Hill to warn the
world about “fake news,” explaining that Americans learned of
the “real world consequences” of it in 2016. Clinton called for
Congress to pass legislation to stop it and for tech moguls in
Silicon Valley to continue searching for a way to block it from
entering readers’ Facebook and Twitter feeds. “It’s a danger
that must be addressed and addressed quickly,” Clinton said.
Clinton made her comments during a speech honoring Senate
Minority Harry Reid’s retirement from the Senate.
CNN Spends Election Cycle Calling Trump Supporters Racist, Then
Gets Hit With Class Action Racism Suit
The Daily Caller - After months of calling Trump supporters
racist, CNN now faces a multi-million dollar class action
lawsuit alleging racism from their own black employees. Odd,
considering how vigorously CNN leveled those same charges before
and after the election. CNN host Van Jones called the election
of Trump a “whitelash” against a black president, while a CNN
contributor accused Trump of “a lack of tolerance for other
people.” Now, the channel that openly called Trump a “bigot,
racist and misogynist” who would “embolden bigotry” faces its
own allegations of racial discrimination from black employees.
Former and current black employees filed a lawsuit alleging
racial discrimination against CNN, Turner Broadcasting and Time
Warner, reports the Daily Mail. Filed on behalf of two black
employees, Celeslie Henley and Ernest Colbert Jr, the lawsuit
alleges that black employees were paid less and had fewer
opportunities for promotions. “Dramatic’ differences in pay,
harsher evaluations for black males and fewer available
promotions are among evidence of the prejudice,” the lawsuit
claims. Lawyer Daniel Meachum explained that he uncovered the
alleged discrimination when investigating a lawsuit for a
different client of his, DeWayne Walker. Walker currently has a
lawsuit against CNN for $50 million.
Duke Approves ‘Safe Space’ For Illegal Immigrants
Breitbart - The Duke University Student Senate has unanimously
passed a resolution demanding “sanctuary campus” policies which
would create a “safe space” for illegal immigrants, shielding
them from federal immigration law. Following the election of
President-Elect Donald Trump who has proposed strict immigration
laws and tough border security, left-leaning universities around
the country have demanded such action, with Duke being the
latest to follow, according to the Duke Chronicle. The sanctuary
campus policy, pushed by Duke student Elizabeth Barahon, will
withhold illegal immigrant students’ status from federal
immigration officials unless they have a court subpoena. The
policy will also mandate that officials with Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) be barred from the Duke University
campus unless a warrant is given. Under the policy, illegal
immigrant students who cannot find work due to laws such as
E-verify, which Trump has promised to enforce, will have their
university expenses paid for. Duke student Senator Olivia
Simpson proudly touted the sanctuary campus policy as one that
riffed off sanctuary city policies, which shield illegal
immigrants from being turned over to federal immigration
officials even after they’re suspected of committing a crime….
Most recently, Florida International University has proposed the
same sanctuary campus policy, demanding that illegal immigrant
students not be subject to federal immigration law under Trump,
as Breitbart Texas reported.
Navy Admiral Burns Colin Kaepernick on Pearl Harbor Day… Gets
Standing Ovation (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - Admiral Harris said the men and women who
died that fateful morning 75 years ago, “Never took a knee and
never failed to stand whenever they heard our national anthem
being played.” The admiral got a lengthy standing ovation. CNN
reported: In a speech commemorating the 75th Anniversary of
Pearl Harbor, U.S. Pacific Command Commander Admiral Harry
Harris decided to slip in an apparent jab at noted national
anthem protester Colin Kaepernick. “You can bet that the men and
women we honor today, and those who died that fateful morning 75
years ago, never took a knee and never failed to stand whenever
they heard our national anthem being played,” he said.
Video: Millikin Football Player Stands Alone During National
Anthem
The Gateway Pundit - The Millikin University football team voted
this month to remain in the locker room during the national
anthem in protest against perceived racial injustice. But one
player decided to stay on the field and stand at attention.
Connor Brewer made headlines for his patriotic action. He wasn’t
going to just follow the crowd and did what he believed was the
right thing to do. Now there’s a viral video honoring this
football player.
REVEALED: Michigan Recount Uncovers Serious Voter Fraud in
Detroit- VOTES COUNTED UP TO 6 TIMES
The Gateway Pundit - More bad news for Democrats—Green Party
candidate Jill Stein’s Michigan recount unintentionally exposed
this major voting fraud scandal. Once they started the Michigan
recount in earnest, and knowing he would be exposed, the Detroit
City Clerk Daniel Baxter all of a sudden started claiming that
the optical scanners which read the paper ballots did not work
the day of the election. Baxter blamed the discrepancies on
decade-old voting machines. That is his cover story. Nothing
like this was mentioned until he realized their voting fraud
scheme would be detected. Baxter’s claim is that, when trying to
push the ballots through the readers, the ballots would be stuck
and they’d have to push them through again thus ‘ACCIDENTALLY’
resulting in a double count. He says the poll workers sometimes
‘FORGET’ to adjust the machine count and instead let the ballot
count twice…. And, it’s much worse than that. In one Detroit
Precinct, a recount team was given a box of ballots with an
unbroken seal where everything appeared proper and in place. The
tag on the box said there were 306 ballots. The book said 306,
and the ticket said 306, so that means there should be 306 paper
ballots on the box. When they pulled out the ballots, there were
exactly FIFTY paper ballots in a locked sealed box that again
was supposed to have 306. The official canvasser approved count
for this precinct was 306. For FIFTY ballots. It looks like
Detroit counts each vote more than SIX TIMES! No wonder they get
such high turnout rates!
Dismal Jobs Report
Paul Craig Roberts - The...media delivered the false news, not
from Russian propaganda websites such as the Washington Post
accuses this one of being, but from Obama's US Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The false news is that the collapsing economy
continues to boom with 178,000 new jobs in November and a
further fall in the rate of unemployment to 4.6%...The facts are
that November produced only 9,000 full time jobs, an improvement
over the previous month when full time employment declined by
103,000 jobs--another fact that you did not hear about from the
[media]. According to the BLS payroll jobs report, the jobs
available in November were waitresses and bartenders, temporary
help, and ambulatory health care services. These are not the
kind of jobs that result in home ownership or an independent
existence. As there are no jobs, which is reflected in the
continuing decline in the labor force participation rate, how
did the rate of unemployment fall to 4.6%? The answer is that
the unemployed are simply moved into the uncounted category of
discouraged workers who are so discouraged about finding a job
that they have ceased looking. If you are not looking for a job,
you are not considered to be part of the labor force. Therefore,
your unemployment is not counted.
Fukushima radiation has reached U.S. shores
Statesman Journal - For the first time, seaborne radiation from Japan's
Fukushima nuclear disaster has been detected on the West Coast of the
United States. Cesium-134, the so-called fingerprint of Fukushima, was
measured in seawater samples taken from Tillamook Bay and Gold Beach in
Oregon, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are
reporting. Because of its short half-life, cesium-134 can only have come
from Fukushima. Also for the first time, cesium-134 has been detected in
a Canadian salmon, the Fukushima InFORM project, led by University of
Victoria chemical oceanographer Jay Cullen, is reporting. In both cases,
levels are extremely low, the researchers said, and don’t pose a danger
to humans or the environment. Massive amounts of contaminated water were
released from the crippled nuclear plant following a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. More radiation was released to the
air, then fell to the sea. Woods Hole chemical oceanographer Ken
Buesseler runs a crowd-funded, citizen science seawater sampling project
that has tracked the radiation plume as it slowly makes its way across
the Pacific Ocean. The Oregon samples, marking the first time cesium-134
has been detected on U.S. shores, were taken in January and February of
2016 and later analyzed. They each measured 0.3 becquerels per cubic
meter of cesium-134.
‘Ring of Fire’ Generates 6.5 Mag Earthquake Storm off CA Coast
Breitbart - The magnitude 6.5 earthquake that hit the Mendocino fault
line off California’s northern coast early on Thursday is only part of
an “earthquake storm” from the infamous volcanic “Ring of Fire” that is
slamming the Golden State…. Approximately 90 percent of all earthquakes
and 80 percent of all volcanic eruptions in the world occur along the
Ring of Fire. The entire West Coast of the United States sits along an
intense area of the Ring of Fire that is impacted by a massive network
of faults that runs underneath California, Oregon, and Washington. The
December 8 tremor was first reported as a magnitude 6.8 on the Richter
Scale, but was later downgraded. But what has not been reported is the
entire state of California has been slammed by over 200 quakes in the
last week, with over 100 seismic events in the last 24 hours. The first
warning of the intensity of this Ring of Fire’s activity cycle came in
mid-April 2014, when 100 quakes of up to 5.3 magnitude rolled through
Southern California, an 8.1 magnitude monster pummeled Chile, and a 5.8
magnitude tremor shook Panama. This latest active cycle officially began
in 2012 with a string of noteworthy volcanic eruptions and small
earthquakes along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean. Geologists fear
that it could be bad news that the West Coast has not experienced any
devastating seismic events in decades, because that means the
underground stress is building.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
Missouri Bill Would Legalize Hemp Farming, Set Foundation to
Nullify Federal Ban in Practice
Tenth Amendment Center - A Missouri bill prefiled for the 2017
legislative session would authorize the commercial farming,
production and sale of industrial hemp in the state, effectively
nullifying federal prohibition of the same. Sen. Rob Schaaf
(R-St. Joseph) filed Senate Bill 120 (SB120) on Dec. 1. The
legislation would remove industrial hemp from the state’s list
of controlled substances and set up a regulatory structure
allowing growers to cultivate the crop in the state. If passed
into law, SB120 would reclassify hemp from an illegal substance
into an agricultural product under state law. It would also
expressly legalize hemp farming. Anyone with a hemp license
would be able to grow and produce hemp crops subject to state
regulations. Notably, the bill addresses some concerns voiced by
those who oppose the idea of a license for hemp farming on
philosophical grounds by making the license “shall issue,” a
legal term requiring the state to issue the license to any
applicant who meets the statutory requirements. Without this
section, a state department could deny applications for a myriad
of reasons. Unlike two other hemp bills filed for 2017 in
Missouri, SB120 does not require growers to get federal
permission to cultivate hemp in the state.
Parkinson's Starts In The Gut
Mae Chan - The composition of our gut microbes may change
through the development of many diseases. Parkinson's disease
may be triggered by gut microbes, according to a California
Institute of Technology (Caltech) study that points to
probiotics as a potential therapy for the disease. Findings from
the team point to the gut as the origin of Parkinson's disease,
not only in the brain as previously thought. Gastrointestinal
problems such as constipation often precede the decline in motor
skills seen in patients with Parkinson's. Beneficial bacteria is
the gut are known to attack pathogens, manufacture vitamins and
even act as anti-cancer agents. Recent research has strengthened
the scientific understanding that the microbes that live in your
gut may affect what goes on in your body. Trillions of bacteria
are hostile and can cause disease, while many others are
friendly and have established a symbiotic, mutually beneficial
relationship with us over the millennia. These friendly bacteria
have also been referred to as "probiotics" and are being used
increasingly by mainstream clinicians for both preventive and
therapeutic purposes.
How to Make Alkaline Water To Fight Fatigue, Cancer and
Digestive Problems
Natural News Blogs - We all know that water is good for our
bodies. But you’ll get more health benefits if you drink
alkaline water. Most people’s bodies are acidic due to eating
unhealthy foods and stress. High acidity causes fatigue,
digestive problems and increases the risk of cancer. Drinking
alkaline water will make your body less acidic and consequently
protect it from the health problems mentioned above…. How to
make alkaline water at home: What you need: 2 liters of purified
water, 1 tbsp. of Himalayan salt, 1 organic lemon, a large glass
jar…. If you drink alkaline water every morning you’ll be more
energetic, have less digestive issues and lower risk of cancer.
Thursday - December
8, 2016
Today In History:
1776 - George Washington's retreating army in the American Revolution
crossed the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
1863 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the
Reconstruction of the South.
1941 - The U.S. entered World War II when it declared war against Japan.
The act came one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Britain
and Canada also declared war on Japan.
1982 - Norman D. Mayer demanding an end to nuclear weapons held the
Washington Monument hostage. He threatened to blow it up with explosives
he claimed were inside a van. 10 hours later he was shot to death by
police.
1984 - In Roanoke, Virginia, a jury found Hustler magazine publisher
Larry Flynt innocent of libeling Reverend Jerry Falwell with a parody
advertisement. However Falwell was awarded $200,000 for emotional
distress.
1987 - U.S. President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev
signed a treaty agreeing to destroy their nations' arsenals of
intermediate-range nuclear missiles.
1992 - Americans got to see live television coverage of U.S. troops
landing on the beaches of Somalia during Operation Restore Hope. (Due to
the time difference, it was December 9 in Somalia.)
1993 - U.S. President Clinton signed into law the North American Free
Trade Agreement.
1994 - In Los Angeles, 12 alternate jurors were chosen for the O.J.
Simpson murder trial.
1998 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police could not search a
person or their cars after ticketing for a routine traffic violation.
1998 - The FBI opened its files on Frank Sinatra to the public. The file
contained over 1,300 pages.
1999 - In Memphis, TN, a jury found that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had
been the victim of a vast murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin.
2008 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told the Guantanamo war crimes tribunal he
would confess to masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks; four other men also
abandoned their defenses.
Syrian Army retakes 70% of E. Aleppo, evacuates over 1,200
civilians – Russian military
RT- Syrian government forces have liberated 15 more eastern
Aleppo neighborhoods in the last 24 hours, the Russian
Reconciliation Center in Syria said, adding that the advance has
allowed the Syrian Army to evacuate 1,200 residents of the city.
The Syrian authorities now “fully control 50 neighborhoods in
the eastern part of [Aleppo] that account for 70 percent of the
territory that was initially controlled by the militants,” the
Reconciliation Center’s statement reads. On Wednesday, 1,224
civilians were able to flee militant-held areas for
government-controlled neighborhoods, as the Syrian Army
continued its offensive. The people have been provided with
water, food, and medical assistance at humanitarian centers set
up by Russia. At the same time, 66 militants laid down their
arms and left for western Aleppo, the statement adds. In
accordance with the Syrian president’s offer, all militants who
are local residents were immediately pardoned. Earlier, SANA
news agency also reported that governmental forces had liberated
the Old City and evacuated more than 200 civilians from that
area. On Wednesday, Syrian government forces were able to seize
control over two districts north of the Aleppo Citadel – the
Aghiour and Bab al-Hadid neighborhoods – as militants left their
positions and retreated further south, the news agency added.
In Rare Admission, Israel Takes Responsibility for Attacks in
Syria
Sputnik News - A Syrian state news agency reported on Wednesday
that Israel was responsible for bombings that occurred near a
military airport in Damascus. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s
Defense Minister, was unwilling to specify which attacks were
carried out by the Israeli forces, according to an official
statement. The attacks were intended to prevent “advanced
weapons, military equipment and weapons of mass destruction”
from falling into the hands of Israel’s arch-enemy, Hezbollah,
the Times of Israel reported. Israeli officials have previously
expressed concern that Hezbollah could receive WMDs or chemical
weapons from the Syrian regime. Still, Lieberman is hopeful that
a peaceful settlement can be reached in nearby Syria, even if he
does not expect violence and tensions with Palestinians to stop
anytime soon. Lieberman stated that he would be open to a peace
deal in Syria of any variety, as long as it does not include
Iran or Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Iran takes fight to UN in strongly-worded letter as US extends
sanctions
RT - Iran has lodged an official complaint with the UN over
Washington’s extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, which Tehran
deems a “violation of US commitments” made last year. In a
strongly-worded letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon,
Ambassador Gholamali Khoshrou wrote: “The government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran considers the recent US Congress
approval on renewal of anti-Iran sanctions as blatant
contradiction to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
and violation of the US commitments under the nuclear
agreement.” The US Congress voted to extend the sanctions by 10
years. According to Iran state news agency IRNA, Khoshrou then
reminded the UN chief of the commitments the US made last year
under the nuclear deal established under the ISA and the JCPOA,
while urging the UN chief to note the alleged violation in his
upcoming report to the UNSC. He also stressed that the US will
be to blame for any consequences resulting from the extension.
EU fines JPMorgan, HSBC and Credit Agricole $520mn for rate
manipulation
RT - After a five-year investigation, the European Commission
has fined three major banks €485 million for rigging the crucial
Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor). The Commission said on
Wednesday they were part of a seven bank cartel that colluded on
setting the euro interest rate instead of competing with each
other between September 2005 and May 2008. JPMorgan was fined
€337 million and Credit Agricole €114 million for five-month
involvement in the conspiracy. HSBC got a €33 million penalty
for its one-month participation. The trio had refused to join a
multi-bank settlement with four other lenders while denying any
wrongdoing. By refusing to settle with the Commission, they
missed the chance of a 10 percent discount on any fines. The
other four banks – Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Deutsche
Bank and Societe Generale – settled with the Commission in 2013
for €820 million. “We have cooperated fully with the European
Commission throughout its five-year investigation. We did not
engage in any wrongdoing with respect to the Euribor benchmark,"
JPMorgan said, adding the bank will continue “to vigorously
defend our position against these allegations, including through
possible appeals to the European courts.”
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Colorado Electors Sue For Right to Vote Against the Will of
Their State
Sputnik News - Two presidential Electors in Colorado are suing
their governor and secretary of state in an effort to overturn
rules stating that they must vote for the ticket that received
the most votes. Polly Baca, a former state Senator, and Robert
Nemanich are fighting for the right to vote against the will of
the people and instead choose their own candidate when they vote
as Electors on December 19. They are arguing that all
presidential Electors have a constitutional right to cast their
vote for any qualified candidate, regardless of the November 8
election outcome. The case is assigned to Judge Wiley Daniel, a
President Bill Clinton appointee.
Winning: Trump ‘Person of Year’
Breitbart - Time magazine taps Donald Trump as “Person of the
Year,” and is announcing the news on the Today show. Trump has
had a rocky relationship with the magazine. Despite a cover
story featuring photos of the president-elect with a bald eagle,
other Time covers declared his campaign a “meltdown” as he
struggled in the general election. Time Magazine’s Nancy Gibbs
said on the Today show that it wasn’t a hard choice to choose
Trump. “When have we ever seen a single individual who has so
defied exceptions, broken the rules, violated norms, beaten not
one but two political parties on the way to winning an election
he entered with 100-1 odds against him?” she asked. Trump called
into the Today show to discuss the decision, calling it a “great
honor,” noting that he grew up reading the magazine. Hillary
Clinton was selected as the number two person of the year.
NYC mayor requests $35mn for Trump Tower security, gets $7mn
RT - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio estimated the cost of
protecting the president-elect and his family living in
Manhattan’s Trump Tower to be $35 million, but Congress is only
offering to cover one-fifth of his request. A haggling battle
between Mayor de Blasio and Congress is drawing attention to the
price of the Trump Tower’s security. While President-elect
Donald Trump assembles his cabinet from Trump Tower, at least
100 police officers are patrolling the area, including 40
traffic and police officers stationed on the rooftops of nearby
buildings watching the perimeter, according to DNA Info. De
Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
co-authored letters to President Barack Obama’s administration
as well as numerous congressional leaders requesting a $35
million reimbursement from the federal government for the
round-the-clock protection to the Trump family while they reside
in Manhattan.
Methodist Churches Converting to “Virtual Mosques” For Muslim
Migrants
Kit Daniels - The United Methodist Church is reportedly
implementing a statewide plan to revamp Texas churches into
“virtual mosques” catering to incoming Muslim migrants. The UMC,
which has been criticized for perceived liberal drift in its
theology, is preparing its congregations for Catholic-style
“sanctuary” protections for migrants, including those with
terrorist ties, according to an insider. This sanctuary church
program is ostensibly in response to President-elect Donald
Trump’s intention to defund sanctuary cities. One member of the
Bosqueville United Methodist Church, who spoke anonymously out
of fear, said he learned about the “virtual mosque” program
after an interim pastor began preaching Sufi Islamic parables in
an attempt to “tenderize” the church to accept Islamification,
according to the Geller Report. In addition, the small church
apparently installed a state-of-the-art surveillance system
which can’t be accessed on-site. Bosqueville United Methodist
Church couldn’t be reached for comment at the of this writing,
but interestingly, its web site was taken down “due to fraud and
other unethical actions by some members.” “After weeks of
inundating the congregation with watered down, Islamized
scripture, the board of trustees at the church was later asked
by the reverend to approve a (surprise, surprise) federally
supervised refugee scheme, which they ultimately refused, the
source added,” reported the Geller Report. “After the church
trustees said, ‘No,’ UMC sent its district supervisor to ask the
congregation directly, ‘How would you feel about taking in some
Syrian refugees?’”
California Warns Citizens: You Better Buy Your Guns Before Jan.
1
Off the Grid News - Many popular guns, including specific
semiautomatic rifles and pistols, will disappear from California
gun stores on New Year’s Day 2017, the California Department of
Justice Bureau of Firearms is warning gun owners. The bureau
recently sent out a notice to firearms dealers detailing which
weapons will be banned beginning Jan. 1. It is based on a new
law – S.B. 880/A.B. 1135 – that bans “bullet button” firearms
and redefines what is an “assault” weapon. The law allows
persons with such guns to keep them, but only if they are
registered. The National Rifle Association is telling California
gun owners that because of the 10-day waiting period, the
purchasing “process must be started no later than December
21st.” The Bureau of Firearms is warning dealers and gun owners
that there will be no exceptions.
The moment a mom, 42, with breast cancer was ‘violated’ and
reduced to tears by TSA agents who patted down her medical port
Daily Mail - A woman fighting breast cancer said she was
‘violated’ by TSA officers who attempted to perform ‘a body
cavity search in public’ after she alerted them of a medical
cream in her bag. Denise Albert, a morning show contributor and
co-host of The Moms, a SiriusXM radio show, was traveling
through Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday when the
‘humiliating’ experience left her in tears. Albert detailed the
experience of removing her wig, exposing the sores on her feet,
and telling the TSA agents she had a medical port in her chest
that she didn’t want them to touch – a warning that was not
heeded. Albert said she notified TSA about her medical port and
removed the cream from her bag, as she has done numerous times
before without an issue. The security agents then pulled her
aside, and said she would have to take off her shoes and undergo
a full body pat-down 'with pressure' if she wanted to take the
medical cream with her, Albert wrote. The agents flouted the TSA
pre-check protocol by asking her to take off her shoes, leaving
her bare feet freezing for 20 minutes due to her medical
treatment, she claimed. Albert asked to sit down, since her
chemotherapy has left her feet covered in sores, which she did
not want touching the ground. They later offered to conduct the
search in the privacy of a room, but Albert said she couldn't
walk there because they wouldn't return her boots…. Later, when
they went through her bags, they joked about finding her fake
eyelashes, and Albert told her she had lost all her hair as a
result of the cancer treatment. A supervisor finally intervened
and gave Albert a 'regular soft pat down' inside a private room.
Journalism Fail: Washington Post Story on ‘Fake News’ Was Fake
Sputnik News - Following public backlash, legal threats, and
sustained mocking, the Washington Post has added an editor’s
note distancing the newspaper from a shadowy website called
PropOrNot which they had preciously endorsed as “experts” on
“fake news” and “Russian propaganda.” In an ironically fake news
article about “fake news” by Craig Timberg the Washington Post
claimed that Russian propaganda helped Donald Trump win the US
presidential election. A large part of the basis for the piece
was centered on evidence the paper presented that was gleaned
from an aggressively anonymous website called PropOrNot, which
lists over 200 websites that they accuse of peddling what they
call Russian propaganda, and other false narratives. Popular
news websites on all sides of the political spectrum are listed,
including The Drudge Report, Zero Hedge, TruthOut, Sputnik News,
and WikiLeaks…. After the publication of its article, the Post
was slapped with a letter from Naked Capitalism, one of the
websites listed, demanding a full retraction and threatening a
defamation lawsuit. While declaring that the entities behind the
PropOrNot operation were “experts,” the Post refused to name
them. Though their motives remain unknown, the organization
previously promoted a Ukrainian hacker group on their Twitter
feed. Interestingly, a bill was introduced November 22, just two
days before the Post published the November 24 article in
question, which would allow lawmakers to crack down on websites
deemed to be “Russian propaganda” or “fake news.” Tucked neatly
inside the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017,
the bill appears to be aimed at cracking down on free speech.
Michigan Lawmakers Push Law to Force Jill Stein to Pay 100% for
Her ‘Frivolous’ Recount
The Gateway Pundit - Stein will pay nearly $1 million for her
Michigan recount leaving taxpayers to foot the the rest of the
bill that is expected to be as much as $12 million. Conservative
Review reported: Michigan lawmakers are considering legislation
to discourage futile recount efforts by candidates who lose
their election bids by an incontestable amount, forcing the
candidate to foot the bill for the recount. Introduced by
Republican state Sen. Lisa Lyons (R-Alto) last week, the bill,
H.B. 6097, would make a candidate who lost by more than 5
percent pay for the full cost of the recount for each precinct
referred to (there are 6,300 precincts in Michigan) in his or
her petition. The bill passed on a 5-3 vote in the House
Elections committee Tuesday, and now moves to the state’s full
House of Representatives for consideration.
Radical Far Left Group Demands World War I Memorial to Fallen
Soldiers Be Torn Down Because It Includes a Cross
For 90 years, a war memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland has
reminded passersby of the ultimate sacrifice made by local
soldiers in World War I. Yet today the ironically-named American
Humanist Association argued in federal court in Richmond,
Virginia, that the memorial honoring fallen soldiers must be
torn down because it includes a cross. Known locally as the
Peace Cross, the memorial was erected in 1925 on private land
with funds raised by the American Legion. It was designed by
mothers of local soldiers who died in the war. They modeled the
cross after those memorialized in the celebrated poem “In
Flanders Fields” that stood “row on row” to “mark [the] place”
where their sons lay. The memorial was intended to serve as a
memorial gravesite for all families who would never see their
sons again. Today the Peace Cross stands among a number of other
World War I memorials and is owned by the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Commission as a historic site.
TRUMP to Attend 117th Army-Navy Game – Something Obama Skipped
Every Year But One
The Gateway Pundit - Army-Navy games are an annual pilgrimage
for the last 8 years for me. It is an awe-inspiring experience,
full of pageantry, flyovers and a stadium filled with Americans
who aren’t afraid to belt out our anthem and, like me, shed a
tear or two as the gravity of the the choices our Midshipmen and
Cadets have made truly hit home. It is a football game, but it
is so much more. The field and the stands are filled with our
future officers, their proud families, the veterans who came
before them and grateful Americans like me (who also happen to
love football.) Today brings the news that President-Elect
Donald Trump will be attending this Saturday’s 117th Army-Navy
game in Baltimore. This may be a first, a President-Elect
attending the game. The last time President Obama could spare an
afternoon for these young men was 2011. Biden attended in 2012.
What a way to begin his official duties! Honoring our future
leaders, veterans and all of the Americans who love and respect
them. In keeping with Presidential tradition, Trump is expected
to seat with the Cadets for the first half and move to the
Midshipmen side for the second half.
US Steel wants to accelerate investments, bring back jobs, CEO
says (Video)
CNBC News - United States Steel would like to accelerate its
investments and hire back laid-off employees now that Donald
Trump will be occupying the Oval Office, CEO Mario Longhi told
CNBC on Wednesday. "We already structured to do some things, but
when you see in the near future improvement to the tax laws,
improvements to regulation, those two things by themselves may
be a significant driver to what we're going to do," he said in
an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch." In addition, the belief
that the U.S. economy can grow at least 3.5 percent also adds to
what the company can do, Longhi noted. "I'd be more than happy
to bring back the employees we've been forced to lay off during
that depressive period," he said, which could be close to 10,000
jobs. Shares of the Pittsburgh-based company have soared about
80 percent since Trump's stunning victory on Nov. 8. Investors
appear to be betting on increased infrastructure spending, which
the president-elect has promised, as well as further
restrictions on China-produced steel. Corporate America is also
cheering Trump's promises of less regulation. Longhi said
regulation has a role to play, but believes it "has to be done
smartly."
Silicon Valley’s Melting SunPower Cuts 2,500 Solar Tech Jobs
Breitbart - San Jose-based SunPower Corp. will slash 25 percent of its
total workforce as one of the prime beneficiaries of President Barack
Obama blowing $200 billion of taxpayer cash to increase renewable energy
by 1 percent of total energy consumption. Blaming the average selling
price for solar panels dipping by 25 percent during the third quarter of
2016, SunPower Corp (SPWR.O), the number two U.S. solar panel maker, has
embarked on a new restructuring that calls for dumping California
employees and closing a 700-megawatt solar cell fabrication facility in
the Philippines. The company stated that its goal is to reduce 2017
annual operating costs to less than $350 million, according to a
statement. President Obama has been spending at least $39 billion a year
on green energy projects, according to the Institute for Energy
Research. But despite the huge subsidies, the current contribution of
solar power to the electricity generation mix is expected to be just 0.6
percent.
FDA Cancels Release of GMO Mosquitoes in Florida Keys
Sustainable Pulse - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced
that it will not move forward with the controversial release of millions
of genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes in the community of Key Haven
in Monroe County, Florida. The release of the GE mosquitoes would have
been the first-ever in the United States, but FDA failed to conduct
adequate testing for potential impacts to people, threatened and
endangered species, and the environment. During the November 2016
election, local citizens voted against the release of the insects. A
coalition of public interest groups – including Center for Food Safety (CFS),
Friends of the Earth (FOE), Foundation Earth, the International Center
for Technology Assessment (ICTA), the Florida Keys Environmental
Coalition, and Food & Water Watch – yesterday received a response to
their 60-day notice of intent to sue FDA under the Endangered Species
Act (ESA) for failing to take into account impacts to federally listed
species in a fast-tracked approval of the release of the GE mosquitoes.
In a letter to CFS attorneys, counsel from FDA noted, “per the public
referendums which took place on November 8, 2016, and the subsequent
board meeting of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) on
November 19, 2016, the proposed field trial is no longer moving forward
in Key Haven. Because residents of Key Haven voted against the trial,
FKMCD commissioners agreed that the trial will not be conducted there.”
Lemon grass tea shown to have 9 great health benefits
(NaturalHealth365) mon grass is packed with essential vitamins
and minerals like A, C, calcium, magnesium, folate, iron, zinc,
potassium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and traces of B
vitamins. Citronella oil and candles is made from lemon grass;
however, it can also be steeped and brewed into a very healthy
tea. 1. Detoxification: Drinking lemon grass tea can help to
flush out toxins and waste products from the body. This in turn
supports kidney, bladder and liver health. 2. Lowers
cholesterol: Lemon grass also contains compounds that support
healthy cholesterol levels, reducing LDL and raising the HDL
component. 3. Anti-microbial and anti-fungal: Drinking lemon
grass tea regularly can assist with fighting pathogens that
could otherwise lead to infections, gastrointestinal issues, and
other microbial health problems. Some of the infections that can
be fought by drinking lemon grass tea include candida, ringworm,
scabies, urinary tract infections, and infections from cuts or
sores. 4. Reduces fever: Lemon grass has been called “fever
grass” due to its ability to soothe and lower fevers. 5. Cuts
down cold and flu symptoms: Lemon grass tea also eases
respiratory disorders like colds, coughs, flu, sinus issues and
bronchial asthma….
Your Rhythm of Breathing Controls Emotional Judgement and Fear
Joe Battaglia - Air is necessary for life and it aids in
healing, but proper breathing can do so much more. Full, free
breathing is one of the most powerful keys to enhancing
physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Northwestern
Medicine scientists have discovered for the first time that the
rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in the human
brain that enhances emotional judgments and memory recall…. With
each inhale, we receive and take life in. With each exhale, we
let go and give back. We are in touch with and part of the
essential rhythm of life. When we constrict or stop our breath,
we lose touch with what is happening in the present moment.
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered for the first
time that the rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in
the human brain that enhances emotional judgments and memory
recall. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
These effects on behavior depend critically on whether you
inhale or exhale and whether you breathe through the nose or
mouth. Do-it-anytime breathing exercises remove allow the mind
to enter this state while releasing tension, anger, annoyance,
fear and exhaustion. As adults, many people tend to breathe
small and shallow, mostly in the chest, with little visible
movement. To make matters worse, most people contract and
literally stop breathing for short periods during stressful or
mentally focused situations. These periods of contraction and
breath holding create a low-grade suffocation in the body.
Suffocation leads to suffering. The lack of oxygen and increased
tension hinders the flow of blood, nutrients, and vital energy.
Wednesday - December
7, 2016
Today In History: In
1941 on this Day in History Pearl Harbor was bombed
1787 - Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. constitution
becoming the first of the United States.
1796 - John Adams was elected to be the second president of the United
States.
1836 - Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United
States.
1941 - Pearl Harbor, located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was
attacked by nearly 200 Japanese warplanes. The attack resulted in the
U.S. entering into World War II.
1972 - Apollo 17 was launched at Cape Canaveral. It was the last U.S.
moon mission.
1972 - Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos,
was stabbed and seriously wounded by an assailant. The man was then shot
and killed by her bodyguards.
1982 - Charlie Brooks Junior, a convicted murderer, became the first
prisoner in the U.S. to be executed by injection, at a prison in
Huntsville, TX.
1983 - Madrid, Spain, an Aviaco DC-9 collided on a runway with an Iberia
Air Lines Boeing 727 that was accelerating for takeoff. The collision
resulted in the death of all 42 people aboard the DC-9 and 51 on the
Iberia jet.
1987 - Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev set foot on American soil for
the 1st time. He came to the U.S. for a summit with U.S. President
Reagan.
1988 - Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev announced the reduction of
the number of Soviet military troops by half a million.
1993 - Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary revealed that the government had
conducted more than 200 nuclear weapons tests in secret at its Nevada
test site.
1993 - Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders suggested that the U.S.
government study the impact of drug legalization.
1998 - U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to seek an independent
counsel investigation of President Clinton over 1996 campaign financing.
1999 - A U.S. federal grand jury indicted a former convict in the 1995
disappearance of atheist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair.
2003 - A 12-inch by 26-inch painting of a river landscape and sailing
vessel by Martin Johnson Heade was sold at auction for $1 million. The
painting was found in the attic of a suburban Boston home where it had
been stored for more than 60 years.
US withdraws Aleppo proposals, says no consultations yet –
Lavrov
RT - Just as the US and Russia were preparing to discuss a
solution for Aleppo, which was to involve free passage for all
rebels from the part of the city still under their control,
Washington abruptly withdrew its own proposal, Russia's Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov said. According to Lavrov, the Americans
are currently working on an alternative plan for the city. He
said the Wednesday consultations are canceled at this point. The
minister remarked that there would apparently be no serious
discussion of the Syrian crisis with the administration of
outgoing US President Barack Obama…. US Secretary of State John
Kerry has intensified contacts with his Russian counterpart
after Republican candidate Donald Trump won the presidential
election in November. According to reports in the US media, he
is making last-ditch attempts to secure a place for rebel
forces, which President Obama supported in Syria, in the future
of the country.
Moscow slams West for staying silent on Russian hospital bombing
RT - The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized western leaders
after none appeared to condemn the shelling of a mobile Russian
hospital by militants in Syria. Two Russian medics were killed
after around a dozen of shells hit the facility in Aleppo. "On
December 5, a Russian military medic died as a mortar shell
fired by militants directly hit the reception ward of a Russian
mobile military hospital set up in Aleppo. Two medical
specialists were also severely injured and one of them later
died," the ministry said. "However, no words of condemnation can
be heard from western capitals," it added, criticizing western
governments for their "politicized approach" to the assessment
of the situation in Syria. We call on our partners to abandon
the politicized approach and finally join the counter-terrorist
efforts in Syria as well as the search for a political solution
to the Syrian crisis” instead of waging a smear campaign in the
media, the ministry said in its statement. It then went on to
criticize Paris and London, saying they are waging a “propaganda
campaign” – in particular over the delivery of humanitarian
aid…. It also slammed western governments for their repeated
calls to stop the government operation in Eastern Aleppo, which
“increasingly resembles the last desperate attempt to shield and
save the terrorists and extremists supervised by [the West], who
are on the losing side in the Aleppo [battle].”
Saudi Arabia Is Astroturfing America To Roll Back 9/11 Law
Daily Caller - The government of Saudi Arabia and its agents
appear to be recruiting U.S. military veterans and people with
foreign policy credentials to submit basically the same op-ed to
newspapers around the country in an effort to concoct the
appearance of an organic groundswell of opposition to a new
federal law that allows civil lawsuits against state sponsors of
terrorism. The law — the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism
Act (JASTA) — creates a way for American citizens to file civil
claims against foreign governments for deaths, injuries and
other damage related to terrorist acts if the foreign
governments financed those attacks. The immediate effect of the
new legislation is to allow a group of plaintiffs to proceed in
a longstanding lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The
plaintiffs point to evidence that the Saudi government partially
financed the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which killed 2,996 people.
A cursory review of five different newspaper submissions
allegedly written by five different authors — and placed in five
different major newspapers from Oct. 5, 2016 to Nov. 28, 2016 —
strongly suggests an astroturf campaign conducted by some single
source.
“Hate Speech”: Facebook Bans German Woman For Posting Picture of
Migrant Rapist
Paul Joseph Watson - After an Afghan migrant raped and killed a
19-year-old woman in Germany, Facebook responded by banning a
German woman for “hate speech” because she posted a picture of
the murderer. Hussein K., a 17-year-old Afghan asylum seeker,
was arrested on Friday on suspicion of rape and murder after a
sample of his hair was found at the crime scene in Freiburg. His
victim, 19-year-old medical student Maria Ladenburger, was
cycling home after a party when she was ambushed, raped and then
drowned in a nearby river. The incident has prompted uproar in
Germany, with the country currently suffering an explosion of
rapes and violent crimes since its borders were opened to
migrants last year. A reader contacted us to report that she had
found the Facebook profile of the alleged killer (here it is,
but don’t expect it to stay up long). “He looks lifeless. His
stare is blank. All I can see is hatred. But when I scrolled
down, I saw a shocking post. He posted a picture of a vicious
wolf that is holding a fragile white woman. It looks like he is
about to rape the women and then rip her apart. Just like he did
it to his victim,” Lena Kirschbaum told us in an email.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Barack Obama Declares “Bitter” WWII Veterans Need To Get Over
Over Attack On Pearl Harbor
DCWhispers - He just can’t help himself, can he? In what could
have been a solemn, dignified moment that saw the Pearl Harbor
memorial being visited by the current Japanese Prime Minister,
President Obama took time to focus on the “embittered” feelings
that still reside among survivors of that unprovoked attack
which killed more than 2400 Americans. Via the Daily Mail : “So
yes, there may be some who feel personally embittered, but I’m
confident that many will set aside their own personal
bitterness, not because they’re personally satisfied by the
words of the prime minister but because they recognize how
important this moment is for the United States. Adding, ‘And
that’s certainly why they qualify to be described as the
greatest generation.” The president’s words were classic Obama –
a compliment by way of the back of his hand. Inform these WWII
veterans that they have HIS approval so long as they subscribe
to HIS belief regarding how they should act and feel – these men
and women who gave all to defend a country Mr. Obama long ago
made clear he has little regard for, just as he has so little
regard for them.
Repealing Obamacare to be first on Senate agenda in 2017
Reuters - Repealing Obamacare will be the first order of
business in the U.S. Senate in January, Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said on Tuesday. Republicans will
replace President Barack Obama's signature health insurance
program that provides coverage to millions of Americans "step by
step," said Senator John Thune, another member of the Republican
leadership. McConnell did not say when the repeal of the
Affordable Care Act, as it is officially known, would go into
effect. Senator John Barrasso said it might be effective in two
or three years, and that the timeframe was still being debated….
To repeal Obamacare, congressional Republicans are expected to
resort to a special procedure known as budget reconciliation to
get around Democrats in the Senate, where rules protect the
rights of the minority party.
On Obama’s Nod, Major Defense Contractors Plan To Build Jets In
India
The Daily Caller - The Obama administration gave the defense
industry the go-ahead on plans to build classic American fighter
jets in India. With the support of the current administration,
both Lockheed Martin and Boeing have been in talks with the
Indian government to build the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the
F/A-18 Super Hornet for the Indian Air Force in India, according
to the Washington Post. The companies intend to move their
production facilities to India. Lockheed may relocate its entire
F-16 assembly line, moving manufacturing from Texas to India.
While the F-16 has been produced in other countries through
joint ventures before, this could be the first time that the
entire assembly line has been moved abroad…. Furthermore, in
addition to manufacturing and exporting U.S. fighter aircraft,
India will also be involved in supporting thousands of F-16s
operating worldwide…. The deals are expected to boost the “Made
in India” initiative at a time when President-elect Donald Trump
is fighting to “make America great again” and keep jobs in the
U.S. The deal with Lockheed could create 1,000 new jobs for
India.
Trump Hits Boeing for ‘$4 Billion’ Air Force One: ‘Totally Out
of Control’
Breitbart - Tuesday in the lobby of Trump Tower, President-elect
Donald Trump elaborated on an earlier tweet he posted decrying
Boeing’s escalating costs of the new Air Force One. Trump called
the price tag “out of control” and accused the aerospace giant
of “doing a little bit of a number.” The plane is totally out of
control,” Trump said. “It’s going to be over $4 billion. It’s
for the Air Force One program. And I think it’s ridiculous. I
think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing
to make a lot of money but not that much money.”
* Related:
Trump tweet sends Boeing stock into tailspin
Wikileaks: Colbert Report Gave Clinton Foundation Control Over
Production
Kit Daniels - The Colbert Report apparently colluded with the
Clinton Foundation to create a favorable public opinion of the
controversial organization, according to an email released by
Wikileaks. In the 2013 email, Craig Minassian, the foundation’s
Chief Communications Officer, said he had the comedy show
produce two skits about the Clinton Global Initiative which
promoted positive aspects of the Clinton Foundation. “John, I
hope you got a chance to see The Colbert Report‘s two special
episodes I had them do about CGI University that we taped in St.
Louis this weekend,” wrote Minassian. “This is the link to last
night’s with a sketch about commitments and the monologue and
WJC [Bill Clinton] interview aired Monday.” “Hope you enjoy and
looking forward to your feedback. Next will be your Colbert
appearance!”… The wording of the email is fueling speculation
that the Clinton Foundation was given unprecedented control over
the content of the episode, much like how the New York Times
gave the Hillary Clinton campaign “veto power” over which of her
statements journalists could use.
FL Trump elector barraged with 4,000 emails from Hillary
supporters — IN A DAY
American Mirror - One Florida elector, Blaise Ingoglia, told Fox
Business Network on Monday that yesterday alone, he received
4,000 emails urging he switch his support from Trump to Clinton.
“We are seeing some of our 29 electors getting veiled threats,
some of them are getting overt threats, but there’s a lot of
harassment going on,” Ingoglia told Lou Dobbs. “We are getting
inundated with phone calls, emails, Facebook messages, text
messages. “Just today, I got 4,000 emails, asking me to vote for
Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College,” Ingoglia said. “I
mean, it’s a lot of harassment.” A Harvard law professor is
offering to assist electors pro bono who want to flip away from
Trump. The Week reports: Any member of the Electoral College who
wants to vote against Donald Trump but would violate state law
by doing so has the support of a Harvard University law
professor and a California-based law firm. Larry Lessig has
started “The Electors Trust” in order to give free counsel to
electors through the firm Durie Tangri. Lessig said his group
will also give electors guaranteed anonymity so they can
determine if there are enough electors set on keeping Trump from
winning the presidency. The number of electors Hillary Clinton
and her allies need to flip may actually decrease, if an
Obama-appointed judge gets his way. U.S. District Judge Mark
Goldsmith ordered the state of Michigan to undergo a hand
recount and to have it completed by December 13 and if it’s not
done by that date, the state’s electoral votes could be in
jeopardy. “If allowed to proceed, the statewide hand recount
could cost Michigan taxpayers millions of dollars and would put
Michigan voters at risk of being disenfranchised in the
electoral college,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette
said.
Time Urges 65 Million Americans Who Voted For Hillary Not To Pay
Taxes
Zero Hedge - Under the twisted premise of losing the popular
vote and "no taxation without representation", TIME's Mark
Weston proclaims that the approximately 65 million Democrats who
voted for Hillary Clinton should pledge "we won’t pay taxes to
the federal government.. until democracy is restored.”… Sadly,
it appears, Mr. Weston missed out on what America's
constitutional democracy means. As we noted previously, despite
what the disaffected left now says about the "outdated"
electoral college system, there was and still is solid reasoning
behind it's existence. The power of the individual states
weighed very heavily on the founding fathers who created the
electoral college system specifically to avoid the mass
centralization of power in high population density areas. And,
while we certainly understand why the left would look to now
discredit such a system, the fact is that there would be no
United States of America without it as smaller states simply
never would have opted in to the union. Per the map above,
absent the electoral college system, presidential elections
would be almost entirely determined by a handful of cities
including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San
Francisco. And while the left would prefer to ignore the
opinions of those in the "fly-over" states, we would suggest
that their representation in the electoral college is a vital
underpinning of American democracy...without such representation
we're not sure why the fly-over states would choose to remain a
part of a union where they had no say.
Hillary Clinton Is Throwing A Party To Thank Her Millionaire
Donors
The Daily Caller - According to Page Six, the former Democratic
nominee is hosting a celebration at the Grand Ballroom in the
Plaza Hotel in New York in mid-December to honor the financial
team that worked for Hillary for America. Notable guests include
Harvey Weinstein, Anna Wintour, Alan Patricof, Tory Burch and
Marc Lasry…. Kaine will throw his own celebration on the same
day.
Early Results from Wisconsin Recount Increase Donald Trump’s
Margin of Victory
Breitbart - Trump had widened his victory margin over Clinton in
Wisconsin by 146 votes, with 23 of the state’s 72 counties
having finished their recounts as of Tuesday. In those counties,
Trump gained 105 votes and Clinton dropped 41 votes. Trump
defeated Clinton in Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes. A federal
judge has scheduled a hearing for Friday in a lawsuit filed last
week by a Trump voter and two super PACs seeking to stop the
recount.
Trump: Japan’s SoftBank To Invest $50 Billion Towards New Jobs
In The U.S.
The Daily Caller - President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday
that Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank will invest $50 billion
in American start-up companies. SoftBank Group Corp founder and
chief executive officer Masayoshi Son visited Trump Tower
Tuesday. Trump made the announcement about the investment after
their meeting on both Twitter and in front of the press in his
tower’s lobby. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Masa from Japan.
He’s just agreed to invest $50 billion in the United States and
50,000 jobs. He’s one of the great men of industry, so I just
want to thank you very much,” Trump said. The SoftBank CEO then
told the press, “I just came to celebrate his new job. I said,
‘This is great, the U.S. will become great again.'” He added
that the $50 billion investment will go towards start-ups. Trump
tweeted out about the investment, “Masa said he would never do
this had we (Trump) not won the election!”
Veterans Apologize To Indigenous On Behalf Of U.S. Army At Standing Rock
[Watch]
Natural Blaze - With heartache and humility in the air, veterans led by
Wesley Clark Jr. did something remarkable today. Hundreds of veterans
gathered before tribal leaders of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and
begged for forgiveness for crimes committed toward indigenous people in
the name of the U.S. military…. According to Jon Eagle, who is the
tribal historic preservation officer for the Standing Rock Sioux, Leksi
Leonard Crow Dog – a Sioux spokesman – forgave the veteran military
members present for the past actions of their government. In turn, he
asked for forgiveness for the Battle of Big Horn – also known as
Custer’s Last Stand – when Sioux warriors killed approximately 268 U.S.
soldiers affiliated with the 7th Cavalry. Redhawk wrote that they were
“forgiven for actions taken to dehumanize the indigenous of this
country, and a step towards solitary has been made.”
Video: Have You
Passed Through This Night?
[Warning graphic content - Standing Rock footage begins at the 2:30
minute mark] This Standing Rock short film sheds light on the insanity
of for-profit wars, in contrast to the peaceful power behind a movement
to protect life. Our hearts are leading us back to a better way.
North Dakota crude pipeline shut down after spill
RT - A crude oil transmission pipeline has been shut down in western
North Dakota following a leak that spilled oil into a creek. The state’s
health department said it has sent personnel to the site. A series of
booms have been placed across the creek to prevent downstream migration
and a siphon dam has been constructed four miles downstream of the
release point," Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager for the
North Dakota Department of health, said, according to Reuters. The
health agency said the spill was discovered on Monday and an unknown
volume of oil leaked from the pipeline operated by Bell Fourche Pipeline
Company into Ash Coulee Creek, 16 miles northwest of Belfield in
Billings County. The leak is 200 miles away from protests taking place
over the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline…. It is not the first
time the Bell Fourche Pipeline has had a spill. According to records
from US Department of Transportation, the company has had 10 reported
spills over the past five years. Those spills accounted for the loss of
nearly 5,000 barrels of oil and caused $2.26 million in property damage.
Honda’s latest electric car detects ‘human emotions’
RT - Car manufacturer Honda has come up with a better way to interact
with humans: it has created a car that it says can feel emotions. Called
the ‘NeuV,’ the latest vehicle will be unveiled at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas early next year, according to a statement
from the Japanese automaker. According to the company, it is a “concept
automated EV commuter vehicle equipped with artificial intelligence (AI)
called ‘emotion engine’ that creates new possibilities for human
interaction and the new value for customers.”… The process involved
aiming for the car to “utilize conversations with the driver, together
with other information obtained from various sensors and cameras
installed on the mobility product, both to perceive the emotions of the
driver and to engage in dialogue with the driver based on the vehicle’s
own emotions.”
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Microsoft join forces to target terrorist
propaganda
CBS News - Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube are joining forces
to more quickly identify the worst terrorist propaganda and prevent it
from spreading online. The new program announced Monday would create a
database of unique digital “fingerprints” to help automatically identify
videos or images the companies could remove. The move by the technology
companies, which is expected to begin in early 2017, aims to assuage
government concerns - and derail proposed new federal legislation --
over social media content that is seen as increasingly driving terrorist
recruitment and radicalization, while also balancing free-speech
issues…. Under the new partnership, the companies promised to share
among themselves “the most extreme and egregious terrorist images and
videos we have removed from our services -- content most likely to
violate all our respective companies’ content policies,” according to a
joint announcement Monday evening. When such content is shared
internally, the other participating companies will be notified and can
use the digital fingerprints to quickly identify the same content on
their own services to judge whether it violates their rules. If so,
companies can delete the material and possibly disable the account, as
appropriate. Most social media services explicitly do not allow content
that supports violent action or illegal activities. Twitter, for
example, says users “may not promote violence against or directly attack
or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national
origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious
affiliation, age, disability or disease.” “We really are going after the
most obvious serious content that is shared online - that is, the kind
of recruitment videos and beheading videos more likely to be against all
our content policies,” said Sally Aldous, a Facebook spokeswoman.
Federally Funded Tech Helps Police Seize Money from Prepaid Cards
Tenth Amendment Center - A new technology at least in part funded by the
federal government has made it even quicker and easier for cops to grab
money via asset forfeiture. The device is called ERAD, short for
Electronic Recovery and Access to Data, and it has already been deployed
in Oklahoma…. This device looks like a card reader at you local store.
When you swipe the card, it reads the balance. It is geared toward
accessing information on prepaid cards. What is the fuss? The assumption
is that organized criminals are funding their activities, whether they
be identity theft or drugs, through prepaid cards. The ERAD device
allows a police officer to seize money on a prepaid card if he suspects
its related to drug or other criminal activities…. The police addiction
to seizing assets doesn’t stop at prepaid cards. Oklahoma Department of
Public Safety (DPS) wanted much more from the ERAD technology. According
to ACLU, who obtained the contract bid, DPS requested that the card
reader be able to look up banking information such as a router number
and account number. The police wanted the ability to be able to freeze
and seize bank accounts as well.
These Toys Don’t Just Listen To Your Kid; They Send What They Hear To A
Defense Contractor
The Consumerist - According to a coalition of consumer-interest
organizations, the makers of two “smart” kids toys — the My Friend Cayla
doll and the i-Que Intelligent Robot — are allegedly violating laws in
the U.S. and overseas by collecting […] voice data without obtaining
consent…. These particular toys — basically a “girl” and “boy” theme on
the same core idea — both use voice recognition tech to “listen” to the
kids that play with them. They connect via Bluetooth to a mobile phone
app, usually belonging to a parent, and then from there access the
internet in order to interact with kids and answer their questions. To
accomplish that feat, the apps record and collect conversations between
the toys and the kids, and use speech-to-text protocols to turn kids’
questions into searchable queries. When users first set up the app for
their toy, they may be sharing data you don’t want shared. Cayla in
particular asks for multiple pieces of personal information — the
child’s name, their parents’ names, their school name, their hometown,
among other questions — so it can converse more naturally. The app also
allows for location setting, and both the Cayla and i-Que apps collect
users’ IP addresses…. The Terms of Service for both toys say that they
collect data in order to improve the way the toys work, and for “other
services and products.” Researchers studied the way the toys work, the
complaint continues, and it turns out that they send audio files to a
third party: Nuance Communication’s servers at the company’s
headquarters in Massachusetts. Nuance is a giant company best-known — to
consumers, at least — for its Dragon-branded suite of speech-to-text
dictation software. The company also has a significant presence in
healthcare dictation, and is — like more large corporations than you’d
think — a defense contractor that sells products, including “voice
biometric solutions,” to military, intelligence, and law enforcement
agencies.
9 ways to stimulate your lymphatic system and boost immune
function
(NaturalHealth365) The truth is: a variety of factors –
including poor diet, exposure to toxins, food allergies and
sedentary lifestyle – can create an excess of waste and debris
in the lymph, or lymphatic system fluid. The result is a
sluggish or congested lymphatic system, which can set the stage
for respiratory infections, ear and sinus infections, edema and
swollen glands. Fortunately, the holistic techniques – which
will be highlighted in this article – can help you unclog,
stimulate and purify your lymph system naturally. Rebounding:
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system lacks a
propulsive center, or pump. Instead, lymph is moved via the
relaxation and contraction of muscles and joints. You can
stimulate circulation and help propel lymph throughout the body
by jumping on a trampoline for 10 to 30 minutes. Eat raw,
organic foods: You can help clear a congested lymphatic system
by raising your consumption of raw foods – particularly fruits
and vegetables, which have naturally-occurring enzymes that help
clear toxins and promote their exit from the body. Stay
hydrated: As the lymphatic system is 95 percent water, it is
important to avoid becoming dehydrated. Experts advise drinking
half your weight, in ounces, of water a day. Remember, not all
water is created equal – so (if possible) drink pure spring
water or purified water to reduce your toxic burden. For added
health benefits, use fresh (organic) lemon juice to flavor the
water, and take advantage of this citrus fruit’s antibacterial,
antifungal and antivirus benefits, along with its
infection-fighting vitamin C content….
Hair color warning: The clear link between hair coloring
chemicals and cancer
(NaturalHealth365) Some of the risks and side effects of the
chemicals found in hair dyes include cancers of the kidney,
bladder, and breast as well as blood-based cancers like leukemia
and lymphoma. But, don’t expect your local salon to post any
warning signs in the near future – for obvious reasons. The
“official word” on hair color products that contain harsh
chemicals is far from cautionary. However, one of the common
chemicals used called p-Phenylenediamin (PPD) is documented as
causing side effects like asthma, gastritis, severe dermatitis,
eye irritation, vertigo, tremors, convulsions, kidney failure,
and coma in those who are exposed to it. However, PPD isn’t the
only risk. Some hair color products can contain as many as 5,000
chemicals, including substances like lead acetate and ammonia.
The chemicals in hair color products also interact with the
substances in human hair to produce harmful effects.
The Lump You Never Want to Ignore
Dr. Becker - …cysts, tumors and other growths are fairly common in
kitties, and while these masses are often harmless, some are definitely
not. One such mass is the vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS), also known
as the feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS). A VAS is a type of
malignant tumor in cats associated with two vaccines in particular, in
addition to other types of vaccines, as well as injected medications. A
sarcoma is a type of cancer caused by changes in connective tissue
cells. According to the Pet Cancer Center, the tumors that occur in
kitties after vaccination are usually fibrosarcoma, but can also be
rhabdomyosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, undifferentiated
sarcoma, extraskeletal osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma.
Vaccine-associated sarcomas are typically more aggressive than
non-vaccine sarcomas. A study of 100 cats diagnosed with VAS reported
that 60 percent of kitties had high grade (highly aggressive) tumors,
while only 6 percent had low grade (mildly aggressive) tumors. Feline
vaccine-associated sarcomas are primarily triggered by either the feline
rabies vaccine, or the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) vaccine. However,
VAS has also been linked to the administration of injectable Lufenuron
(the active ingredient in some flea/tick and other pest control
products), long-acting antibiotics and corticosteroids, microchips and
locations on a cat's body where non-absorbable suture materials have
been used.
Tuesday - December
6, 2016
Today In History:
1790 - The U.S. Congress moved from New York to Philadelphia.
1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The
amendment abolished slavery in the U.S.
1883 - "Ladies' Home Journal" was published for the first time.
1884 - The construction of the Washington Monument was completed by Army
engineers. The project took 34 years.
1889 - Jefferson Davis died in New Orleans. He was the first and only
president of the Confederate States of America.
1907 - In Monongah, WV, 361 people were killed in America's worst mine
disaster.
1923 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge became the first president to give
a presidential address that was broadcast on radio.
1957 - AFL-CIO members voted to expel the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters. The Teamsters were readmitted in 1987.
1957 - America's first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit failed
when the satellite blew up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL.
1973 - Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the vice-president of the United
States after vice-president Spiro Agnew resigned.
1884 - Washington Monument completed
1985 - Congressional negotiators reached an agreement on a
deficit-cutting proposal that later became the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings
law.
1989 - The worst mass shooting in Canadian history occurred when a man
gunned down 14 women at the University of Montreal's school of
engineering. The man then killed himself.
1990 - Iraq announced that it would release all its 2,000 foreign
hostages.
1990 - U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle was enshrined in the Little League
Museum's Hall of Excellence.
1992 - Germany's primary political parties agreed to tighten postwar
asylum laws.
1994 - Orange County, CA, filed for bankruptcy protection due to
investment losses of about $2 billion. The county is one of the richest
in the U.S. and became the largest municipality to file for bankruptcy.
1998 - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour connected the first
two building blocks of the international space station in the shuttle
cargo bay.
2002 - Officials released the detailed plans for a $4.7 million memorial
commemorating Princess Diana. The large oval fountain was planned to be
constructed in London's Hyde Park.
New report reveals spread of US war on Al-Qaeda to six new
countries
RT - A White House report on efforts to target so-called
extremists abroad shows a broadening use of war powers in the
fight against Al-Qaeda, beyond military operations in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The 60-page report shows
deployments in over half a dozen new areas – including Somalia,
Yemen, Jordan, Niger, Cameroon, Central Africa, the Red Sea,
Somalia and South Sudan – with troops on the ground, regular air
strikes, and surveillance efforts, all in the name of
counterterrorism. In a presidential memorandum released on
Monday, the White House said US military operations are grounded
in the October 7, 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military
Force (AUMF), by which Congress approved military operations and
counterterrorism combat operations against Al-Qaeda. Since
August 2014, those have expanded to include operations against
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), which was “formerly
known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq.”
US must stay in Iraq after ISIL defeat: Carter
PressTV - Addressing the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi
Valley, California, on Saturday, [US Secretary of Defense
Ashton] Carter said terrorist groups were headed for a lasting
defeat but the US-led coalition, which has been striking
purported Daesh positions in Iraq since 2014, had to stay and
keep training local security forces. “But there will still be
much more to do after that to make sure that, once defeated,
ISIL stays defeated,” the Pentagon chief said. “We'll need to
continue to counter foreign fighters trying to escape and ISIL's
attempts to relocate or reinvent itself. To do so, not only the
United States but our coalition must endure and remain engaged
militarily.” “In Iraq in particular, it will be necessary for
the coalition to provide sustained assistance and carry on our
work to train, equip and support local police, border guards and
other forces to hold areas cleared from ISIL,” he added....
Carter did not say that how many of the foreign forces were
going to stay in the Arab country and how long the operation was
going to take. Currently, there are over 5,000 US forces
stationed in Iraq.
Teen's murder-rape arrest reignites refugee debate
The Local - The German government pleaded for calm on Monday
after the arrest of a teenage Afghan asylum seeker for the
alleged rape and murder of a German student triggered fresh
criticism of the country's liberal refugee policy. The
anti-migrant Alternative for Germany party (AfD) blamed the
crime on the "uncontrolled" influx of foreigners, while the head
of a police union warned of the "dangers that always go along
with massive immigration". But Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel
said the murder of the 19-year-old medical student should not be
used to whip up hatred against all refugees.... The 17-year-old
suspect, who arrived in Germany in 2015 as an unaccompanied
minor, was arrested in the southwestern town of Freiburg on
Friday after his DNA was found at the crime scene and he was
identified on CCTV. The victim was found dead on a river bank on
October 16th. An autopsy found that she had drowned. News of the
arrest triggered strong reaction on social media with some
people saying an ironic "thank you" to Chancellor Angela Merkel,
whose open-door asylum policy brought a record number of
migrants and refugees into Germany last year.... AfD co-chief
Jörg Meuthen, whose party has made gains on rising discontent
over the arrival of refugees, said: "We are shocked by this
crime and at the same time we see that our warnings about the
uncontrolled arrival of hundreds of thousands of young men from
Islamic-patriarchal cultures are written off as populist." But
others still echoed Vice Chancellor Gabriel, pointing out that
violent crimes are committed by all types of people.
* Related:
Recently Arrived Migrant Arrested After Rape and Murder of EU
Official’s Teen Daughter
Mysterious "Thunderstorm Asthma" Now Strikes Kuwait –
Hospitalizing Nearly A Thousand
Mac Slavo - A week or so ago, conspiracy theorists were
scratching their heads as to why more than 8500 people in
Australia would suddenly have to [be] hospitalized in a
concentrated wave [of] allergies that left several people dead.
Now, a similar event has been reported in Kuwait, where reports
claim that thunderstorm activity has triggered a mass reaction
and nearly a thousand people were taken to the hospital with
severe asthma; again, several people died.... Whatever the
explanation, the pattern is completely bizarre, especially since
it has now happened in back to back cases, despite the fact that
the phenomenon has been sparsely documented and extremely rare,
to the point of being unheard of.... The following was
translated from Arabic to English via Google, so there may be
errors or poor interpretations. But at this point, there isn’t
much else to go on. Via Hamrin News (a Kurdish-oriented news
outlet published from Germany): "Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti
Ministry of Health, Dr. Khalid Al-Sahlawi said that the
country’s hospitals and five deaths were recorded during the
past two days due to emergency cases of patients with asthma
were suffering from suffocation and breathing difficulties. He
Sahlawi in a press statement Friday that the 844 emergency
entered into the country’s hospitals during the past two days
died, including five cases, three of which in Mubarak Hospital
and two at the Amiri Hospital while entered the 26 cases in
intensive care and 45 cases to the wings with out the rest of
the cases after receiving the necessary treatment. He explained
that the sections of accidents in hospitals declared a state of
emergency and prepare to receive critical situations and make
the necessary first aid and called for emergency contact numbers
in case of any emergency through the 112 ambulance and 151
medical consultations."
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
State Dept. releases 340 pages of deleted Clinton emails
Washington Examiner - State Department officials published 342
pages of Hillary Clinton's private emails Monday, the third such
batch of records released since her defeat in the presidential
election. FBI agents recovered the roughly 80 emails included in
the pages from Clinton's private server during their year-long
investigation of her treatment of classified information....
Many of the emails released Monday were nearly identical to
emails already published by the State Department during the
roughly eight months between May 2015 and February of this year
that the agency posted from the troves of the emails Clinton
designated as work-related and turned over in late 2014. But the
emails presently streaming out of the State Department were not
included in the original batch of 30,000 records. Clinton
deleted these along with thousands of other emails she deemed
personal in nature. Agents later identified them as official
documents.
Judicial Watch Asks Court To Unseal Videos Of Depositions In
Hillary Clinton Email Case
Zero Hedge - The conservative watchdog site, Judicial Watch,
today announced it filed a motion seeking to unseal the
audiovisual recordings of the depositions of top Clinton aides
and State Department officials. The depositions come in
connection with a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
lawsuit that seeks records about the controversial employment
status of Huma Abedin, deputy chief of staff to former Secretary
Clinton (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No.
1:13-cv-01363)). Judicial Watch argues that “even though the
election is over, the news media and the public continue to
monitor and follow the proceedings in this case.” A coalition of
19 news media organizations is already on record with the Court
supporting public access to the videos. The motion is opposed by
the State Department, as well as Abedin, former State Department
Director of Information Resource Management of the Executive
Secretariat John Bentel (who took the Fifth Amendment in
response to questions at his deposition); Cheryl D. Mills,
Clinton’s chief of staff throughout her four years as secretary
of state; and Bryan Pagliano, State Department Schedule C
employee who has been reported to have serviced and maintained
the server that hosted the “clintonemail.com” system. Pagliano
also asserted his Fifth Amendment right in refusing to answer
questions in his deposition in this case.
Obama administration can no longer fight Obamacare lawsuit
Washington Examiner - The Obamacare lawsuit filed by House
Republicans has been virtually assured victory, with the federal
appeals court postponing further action on the lawsuit until
after President-elect Trump is inaugurated. The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has put the lawsuit on hold until
Feb. 21, a month after Trump is scheduled to take office,
meaning the Obama administration can no longer try to reverse a
ruling upholding it. The lawsuit seeks to block the law's
federal subsidies that help low-income Americans pay for
out-of-pocket costs that come with their health plans. Last
spring, U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled in
favor of Republicans, who charged that the Obama administration
unconstitutionally awarded the funds to insurers even though
they hadn't been allocated by Congress. House Republicans had
asked the appeals court last month to delay further proceedings
until late February. The issue may become moot, if Congress
votes to repeal most of the Affordable Care Act next year under
the new administration.
Trump Announces Role For Ben Carson
The Federalist Papers - “Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is
passionate about strengthening communities and families within
those communities,” Trump said in a statement released Monday.
“We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our
message of economic revival, very much including our inner
cities.”.... The retired doctor – and one-time presidential
rival of Trump’s – is a relatively unorthodox pick for the
agency that is charged with enforcing fair housing legislation
and overseeing affordable housing programs, The New York Times
reports. Carson has no managerial experience in that area....
Carson said he was honored to accept the opportunity to serve in
Trump’s administration. “I feel that I can make a significant
contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are
most in need,” he said.... Carson grew up in Detroit, Mich., in
a home headed by a single mother. He told Fox News’s Neil Cavuto
last month his upbringing made him well-suited for this
particular role. “I grew up in the inner city and have spent a
lot of time there, and have dealt with a lot of patients from
that area and recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if
we have weak inner cities,” Carson said.
Charlie Daniels on Trump Bypassing MSM with Social Media: Bring
It On, Mr. President-Elect
CNS News - .... For the first time in the history of the world,
a communications entity exists by which the un-doctored,
un-rearranged, unbiased, riddled words of a president can be
instantly communicated, bypassing all other mass media outlets.
Cut to the chase, straight ahead transcripts of un-minced words
and naked information, a president actually taking his case to
the people without it being filtered through the auspices of an
obviously slanted media. Christiane Amanpour's, meant to be
disparaging statement, “He did an end run around us,” referring
to President-elect Donald Trump's taking to cyberspace, instead
of press conferences to let his opinion and policies be made
public, to me, heralded a whole new way of news coming out of
the White House, free of the snide remarks and on-camera raised
eyebrows. Does this make the media irrelevant in presidential
coverage? It absolutely does not. Does it somewhat “hold their
feet to the fire” in presidential coverage? It absolutely does.
From Ms. Amanpour's remarks she seems to accuse Trump of playing
dirty pool. “How dare he” speak directly to the people who
elected him without benefit of editing, analysis and slicing and
dicing by the contingent of talking heads who pollute our
television screens. Now, myself, I favor a “from the horse’s
mouth” approach and think it's a wonderful way for the president
to communicate with the public. I would encourage him to adopt
Meerkat or Periscope and stream it live. Let the people hear,
see and decide for themselves without straining it through the
innuendo and obvious vocal moderations of some news anchor whose
tacit intention it is to spin the meaning. So bring it on, Mr.
President-elect. Take it to the people. Empower America to make
up its own mind free from media influence.
California Speaker Rejects National Unity: ‘We Need to Fight’
Trump
Breitbart - Anthony Rendon, the Speaker of the California State
Assembly, used the swearing-in ceremony of the California
legislature on Monday to issue a call to arms against the
federal government and President-elect Donald Trump.
“Californians should be wary of the national calls for unity and
healing,” Rendon (D-Paramount) said, according to the text of
his remarks as prepared for delivery. “Unity must be separated
from complicity. And we must be defiant whenever justice,
fairness, and righteousness require. “Californians do not need
healing. We need to fight,” he declared. Rendon called the Trump
administration a “major existential threat” on a par with the
Second World War. He also repeated false charges against Stephen
K. Bannon, the Executive Chair of Breitbart News (on leave) who
was appointed CEO of the Trump campaign in August and has been
named incoming White House Chief Strategist and Senior
Counselor. “White nationalists and anti-Semites have no business
working in the White House,” Rendon said of Bannon. Citing a
wartime speech by Winston Churchill, Rendon declared that
Californians would defy the federal government’s efforts to
enforce immigration law, and would protect the state’s
“interests.”
San Francisco city officials to ask Kate Steinle’s family to
dismiss lawsuit
KRON4 - The U.S. government and the City of San Francisco are
asking Kate Steinle’s family to dismiss the wrongful death
lawsuit in a hearing on Friday.... The family of Kate Steinle
filed the federal lawsuit in May of 2016 against former San
Francisco sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, Immigration and Custom’s
Enforcement, and the Bureau of Land Management. The lawsuit
seeks to hold the Bureau of Land Management, ICE, and former
Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi accountable for providing “the means and
opportunity for a repeat drug felon to secure a gun and kill
Kate,” according to the complaint. Mirkarimi refused to hold
Lopez-Sanchez for ICE, citing San Francisco’s sanctuary city
law. Kate Steinle’s parents argue the gunman would have been
kept in custody and deported if the city and federal officials
had done their jobs.
Congressman Preps National Concealed Carry Bill For Next
Congress
The Daily Caller - A Republican congressman is prepared to
introduce national concealed carry legislation in the next
Congress after Donald Trump is sworn in as president. North
Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson introduced a similar
bill in February 2015, H.R. 986. Now known as the Concealed
Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, the bill, which The Daily Caller
obtained exclusively, would allow a person with a concealed
carry license from one state to carry a concealed handgun in any
other state that permits its resident to concealed carry, as
long as the person is not banned from possessing or transporting
a firearm under federal law. The bill excludes carrying “a
machine gun or destructive device,” and the person must follow
“the restrictions of that state.” “Our Second Amendment right
doesn’t disappear when we cross state lines, and I plan to
introduce legislation in the first days of the 115th Congress to
guarantee that. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is a
common sense bill to provide law-abiding citizens the right to
conceal carry and travel freely between states without worrying
about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits,” Hudson
wrote in a statement to The Daily Caller. “As a member of
President-elect Trump’s Second Amendment Coalition, I look
forward to working with the administration to advance policies
that support and protect our right to keep and bear arms.”
Houston Cops Gifted Protective Vests for Rifle Rounds
Breitbart - For the first time, front-line Houston police
officers are being issued ballistic vests capable of protecting
them from rounds fired from high-velocity rifles. The Houston
Police Department received a gift of 200 ballistic vests from
the Houston Police Foundation and the 100 Club of Houston. An
additional 400 vests will be donated from the organizations, the
Houston Chronicle reported. The vests, described as super-tough
exoskeletons, are designed to protect the line officers from
ambush attacks like those that claimed the lives of 5
Dallas-area officers and officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
this summer. “These vests will stop just about anything,”
Tillman J Fertitta, Houston Police Foundation chairman and
chairman and CEO of Landry’s Inc., told the Houston newspaper.
“Remember, 95 percent of the budget of the Houston Police
Department is labor. Only 5 percent is what they need to protect
them in safety. … We’re able to give these police officers the
right tools to do their job.”… Charlene Floyd, executive
director of the Houston Police Foundation said the vests cost
about $300 each. The foundation and the 100 Club plan to spend
about $180,000 to provide the officers the extra protection the
city cannot afford to buy.
WHAT'S GOING ON? Trump Loses 16,648 Votes in Pennsylvania In the
Last Week
The Gateway Pundit - The final certified results in Pennsylvania
show Donald Trump winning the state with 2,961,658 votes, while
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won 2,913,903 votes.
The difference is 47,755 votes. This is what is now reported
after absentee ballots were counted as reported on Friday,
December 2nd. Before the recounts on November 29th, the New York
Times reported that Donald Trump was winning the state with
2,959,839 votes, while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
won 2,895,436 votes. The difference was 64,403 votes. This means
that of the 20,736 absentee ballots cast, 18,467 went to
Clinton— This is highly suspect. In addition, there were 41,120
more votes cast for President than for the Senate race in
Pennsylvania when looking at the final tallies. This too is
suspect.
Jill Stein’s Election Recount Picks Up Five Votes for Hillary
Clinton In Deep Blue Philadelphia
Breitbart - The great Philadelphia recount has ended, and
Hillary Clinton got five more votes than she had in her previous
total. Donald Trump’s number stayed the same, as did the totals
for Independent candidate Gary Johnson and the Green Party’s
Jill Stein after the City Commissioners Office recounted votes
in 75 of Philadelphia’s more than 1600 voting divisions. The
recount had been launched by 250-plus Philadelphia residents
answering the call of Stein, who asked for three petitioners in
each of Pennsylvania’s voting district to file recounts to
assist in her attempts to get a statewide recount through a
Commonwealth Court and then Federal Court lawsuit.
Man crashes chair over head of 69-year-old female Trump
supporter in election argument, police say
The Observer (PA) - An argument over the recent presidential
election in the lobby of a Donora high-rise apartment complex
ended with a resident of the building hitting a 69-year-old
woman over the head with a chair, police said. Matthew Pugh, 27,
of Donora Towers, 685 Meldon Ave., was arrested Wednesday on a
warrant obtained by Donora police on charges of attempted
homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless
endangerment...Donora police Officer Keith Charlton said Pugh is
a supporter of Hillary Clinton, who lost to Donald Trump in the
presidential vote. The woman apparently made a comment either
against Clinton or in support of Trump, sparking Pugh's attack,
said Charlton.
VA Staff QUITS After Finding Dead Body; But It Gets MUCH Worse
The Federalist Papers - The horrific story about the veteran who
died in an Oklahoma veterans’ administration facility has gotten
even worse. It was discovered that his family actually asked the
medical staff and senior medical staff to increase his
medication so his bandages could be changed and was ignored.
Recall that the 73-year-old Owen Reese Patterson went to the
southeastern Oklahoma veterans’ facility with a wound. Maggots
were discovered in the man’s wound while he was still alive. He
died of sepsis on October 23rd. It turns out that he was not
properly cared for, and he ended up dying because of it. Fox
News reported: Four staff members have resigned from a
southeastern Oklahoma veterans’ facility rather than face the
possibility of getting fired, after a resident was found to have
maggots in a wound. The agency said a physician’s assistant and
three nurses, including the director of nursing, resigned after
an investigation was conducted. Spokesman Shane Faulkner said
all four chose to resign before the termination process began.
The incident was reported to the Oklahoma State Department of
Health and the district attorney for LeFlore and Latimer
counties to determine if any charges should be filed.
VA Dentist Resigns After Possibly Infecting 600 Veterans with
HIV, Hepatitis
Breitbart - Officials at Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center
announced Friday the dentist, who placed veterans at risk by
reusing his tools, resigned after initially moving to an
administrative role, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported....
The Tomah VA launched an investigation after a fill-in assistant
reported the dentist had been using his own medical tools and
would clean and reuse them, violating VA rules, according to
CNN. “It was purposeful that he was violating VA regulations,”
Brahm said. “During all of the orientation, he used our
equipment. He used it appropriately, so it was very purposeful
from what we found in our investigation that he knew exactly
what he was doing, and preferred to use his own equipment
against procedure.” The dentist worked at the facility and
treated 592 patients who were notified they may have been
exposed to the diseases. “The most important part is the actual
risk of infection is low here — it is out of an abundance of
caution that we are doing this,” Tomah VA spokesman Matthew
Gowan said.... Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and House
Speaker Paul Ryan, both of Wisconsin, called for the dentist’s
resignation after it was announced he would remain in an
administrative position.
Trump hasn’t taken office yet, but he’s probably already had an
impact on your finances
Circa - Donald Trump hasn’t even taken office yet, but the
president-elect has probably had an impact on your money. n the
weeks since the American presidential election, the U.S. stock
market has rallied some 3 percent, global markets have seen some
gains and your 401(k) is probably looking pretty good. The Dow
Jones surged past the 19,000 milestone for the first time in its
120-year history in a post-election rally.
Oil Company Responds To US Army Corps’ Announcement, Will Continue To
Proceed With Pipeline
Natural Blaze - Sunday afternoon, hundreds of thousands of “water
protectors” celebrated around the world – and specifically at the
Standing Rock protest camp near Cannon Ball, ND – as word spread of the
US Army Corps’ decision to deny an easement to Energy Transfer Partners
(ETP) and Sunoco Logistics Partners (SLP) for the construction of the
Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s Assistant
Secretary for Civil Works, said in a statement: “The Department of the
Army will not approve an easement that would allow the proposed Dakota
Access Pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe in North Dakota.” Darcy added
that the decision was based on the need to explore alternate routes for
the pipeline crossing…. Finally, on Sunday, the US Army Corps of
Engineers denied an easement for the pipeline to cross Lake Oahe,
meaning the DAPL would need to be rerouted. Shortly after that
declaration, however, ETP and SXL released their own statement, making
it very clear that the companies have no intention of delaying or
stopping construction…. ETP and SXL call the Army Corps’ decision a
‘purely political’ one and maintain that all legal requirements have
been met in the past. Therefore, construction will continue. Because of
this, water protectors are urged to continue camping out. A ‘victory’
might have been obtained yesterday, but the ‘fight’ is far from over.
New court software is so awful it’s getting people wrongly arrested
Ars Technica - Most pieces of software don’t have the power to get
someone arrested—but Tyler Technologies’ Odyssey Case Manager does. This
is the case management software that runs on the computers of hundreds
and perhaps even thousands of court clerks and judges in county
courthouses across the US. (Federal courts use an entirely different
system.).... Typically, when a judge makes a ruling—for example, issuing
or rescinding a warrant—those words said by a judge in court are entered
into Odyssey. That information is then relied upon by law enforcement
officers to coordinate arrests and releases and to issue court summons.
(Most other courts, even if they don’t use Odyssey, use a similar
software system from another vendor.) But, just across the bay from San
Francisco, one of Alameda County's deputy public defenders, Jeff Chorney,
says that since the county switched from a decades-old computer system
to Odyssey in August, dozens of defendants have been wrongly arrested or
jailed. Others have even been forced to register as sex offenders
unnecessarily. “I understand that with every piece of technology, bugs
have to be worked out,” he said, practically exasperated. “But we're not
talking about whether people are getting their paychecks on time. We're
talking about people being locked in cages, that's what jail is. It's
taking a person and locking them in a cage.” Odyssey is used not only in
Alameda County and additionally in 25 of California’s 58 county courts,
but also in counties nationwide , from Miami-Dade County, Florida, to
Kane County, Illinois. Lawyers in at least three counties in as many
states have reported problems nearly identical to Alameda's and have
begun formal legal proceedings as a result.
Hormone Therapy After Menopause Damages Kidneys
Marco Torres - Estrogen treatment after menopause increases the
risk of new kidney damage, according to a study by Tulane
University School of Medicine researchers published in the
American Journal of Physiology--Renal Physiology…. The research
team studied three groups of middle-aged rats without ovaries,
which simulates the low estrogen environment of menopause. One
group ("short-term") was given a short course of estrogen. A
second group ("long-term") received a longer regimen of
estrogen. The estrogen groups were compared to a control group
that did not receive hormones. Researchers found that after the
hormone treatments, the long-term group had more damage to the
tiny tubes that collect and carry urine than the short-term and
control groups. The rate at which the kidneys filtered blood
decreased, and creatinine levels and protein in the urine
(markers of impaired kidney function) increased in the rats
receiving long-term estrogen. The long-term group showed more
kidney damage in each marker than the short-term or control
groups…. While many may feel stuck between harmful
pharmaceuticals and the harsh realities of non-medicated
menopause, natural alternatives are available…. If you do use
progesterone cream, do your own research and make sure you have
a high quality brand such as Life Choice. They formulated a
cream with natural ingredients such as red clover leaf,
pomegranate and chastetree berry, make a great alternative for
natural hormone balance. For those who prefer capsules to
creams, there are products like Balanced Female capsules that
contain these ingredients, plus many more, such as black cohosh
root, false licorice root, and dong quai root.
5 Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar My Grandmother Taught Me
Natural News Blogs - These remedies have been tried and tested
in our family for generations and I am now teaching my own
children to discover the benefits of apple cider vinegar….
Restoring Damaged Teeth: Apple cider vinegar has been known to
remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. Perhaps more
remarkable, is that the good doctor that taught me also had
evidence that apple cider vinegar could restore damaged and
rotten teeth to a near-new condition. …most people would begin
to see results at around the 3-month mark. The rule of thumb
suggested by most natural health practitioners is a teaspoon of
apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces or one glass of water twice
daily. Getting Rid of Psoriasis: Apple cider vinegar helps
restore the pH balance of your body. This, in turn, has an
effect on the skin as well as all of your organs in the body. A
body in good health has a natural ph balance. Foods like red
meat, potato chips and ice cream all create an acidic
environment in the body. This acidic environment is what enables
disease conditions to develop. It may seem counterintuitive but
apple cider vinegar, being and acid food, has the effect of
increasing the body’s alkalinity. When this alkaline in balance
is addressed the body naturally and readily begins to heal
itself. Dealing with Dandruff: The usual rule of thumb is to mix
a quarter of a cup of apple cider vinegar with the same amount
of water. One easy application is to put the mixture into a
spray bottle. … wrap a towel around ahead and leave them next to
him for about 15 minutes and then go and have a shower to wash
it off we only needed to do this twice a week and dandruff would
clear up very quickly. Losing Weight: It is said that the acid
in apples, and especially apple cider vinegar, helps with the
digestion of which proteins. These proteins are the building
blocks for many of our hormones. In particular, the growth
hormones. These growth hormones are said to be especially
important in breaking down fat cells…
Veteran With Service Dog Struggled To Find A Job — Until This Store
Hired Them Both
The Dodo - Judy Dechert Rose, a customer at Lowe's in Abilene, Texas,
posted the image online this week with a caption describing the
heartwarming story behind it. "This is a retired vet who struggled to
get a job because he needs his service dog! Lowes hired them BOTH!!" The
Dodo reached out to the store's human resource manager, Jay Fellers, who
identified the employee and pup as retired Air Force vet Clay Luthy and
his dog Charlotte. When Luthy interviewed for the position a few months
ago, his faithful companion was by his side then, too. "We didn't
realize he was having a difficult time finding a job," said Fellers. "He
applied here and went through a normal interview process, and brought
Charlotte in as part of the interview. He told us about Charlotte, and
how she supports him. He ended up being our top candidate." Although
some other employers apparently thought that hiring Luthy would be
problematic because of his service dog, this store has found having them
both on staff to be quite the opposite. "If someone is a good worker, it
shouldn't matter if they have a service dog. But in our case, it's been
an absolute benefit to have Charlotte around," said Fellers. "She's a
great hit with the folks who come around our store, especially the kids.
Our customers really love and appreciate her. It's been a good time
having them as part of our staff." This isn't the first time Lowe's has
made headlines for welcoming a new employees service dog onboard — and
we hope more and more stores will soon follow suit.
Monday - December
5, 2016
Today In History:
1776 - In Williamsburg, VA, at the College of William and Mary the first
scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized.
1797 - Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris to command forces for the
invasion of England.
1812 - Napoleon Bonaparte left his army as they were retreating from
Russia.
1848 - U.S. President Polk triggered the Gold Rush of '49 by confirming
the fact that gold had been discovered in California.
1908 - At the University of Pittsburgh, numerals were first used on
football uniforms worn by college football players.
1932 - German physicist Albert Einstein was granted a visa making it
possible for him to travel to the U.S.
1933 - Prohibition came to an end when Utah became the 36th state to
ratify the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
1934 - The Soviet Union executed 66 people charged with plotting against
Joseph Stalin's government.
1935 - In Montebello, CA, the first commercial hydroponics operation was
established.
1936 - The Soviet Union adopted a new Constitution under a Supreme
Council.
1944 - During World War II, Allied troops took Ravenna, Italy.
1945 - The so-called "Lost Squadron" disappeared. The five U.S. Navy
Avenger bombers carrying 14 Navy flyers began a training mission at the
Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station. They were never heard from again.
1983 - In west Beirut, Lebanon, more than a dozen people were killed
when a car bomb shattered a nine-story apartment building.
1984 - Iran's official news agency quoted the hijackers of a Kuwaiti
jetliner parked at Tehran airport as saying they would blow up the plane
unless Kuwait released 14 imprisoned extremists.
1998 - James P. Hoffa became the head of the Teamsters union, 23 years
after his father was the head. His father disappeared and was presumed
dead.
2010 - NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft became the longest-operating
spacecraft ever sent to Mars. It entered orbit around Mars on Oct. 23,
2001.
2014 - NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) debuted when it
was launched for a four hour test flight. It landed on target in the
Pacific Ocean.
Leaked Files Show U.S. Armed And Trained Both Sides of War in
Yemen
The AntiMedia - The documents were produced and exchanged during
Hillary Clinton’s term as Secretary of State, as well as during
the first two years of John Kerry’s tenure, ending just as the
Yemen war broke out.... While the partnership between Saudi
Arabia and the United States in Yemen has been well-documented,
direct U.S. efforts in Yemen are often neglected. In one of the
documents leaked by WikiLeaks, U.S. Colonel Randolph Rosin told
Major General Ahmed Ali al-Ashwal, the General Chief of Staff
for the Yemeni Armed Forces from April 2006 to December 2014,
that he looked “forward to building strong, fruitful, and
mutually beneficial relations between our armed forces.”....
diplomatic cables also released by WikiLeaks showed president of
Yemen between 1990 and 2012 Ali Abdullah Saleh, “secretly
[offering] US forces unrestricted access to his territory to
conduct unilateral strikes against” al-Qaeda-aligned “terrorist
targets,” demonstrating the close relationship between Saleh and
the U.S. government. Later, Selah was also accused of being
responsible for helping arm Houthi rebels. Additionally, a
United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) document from November
2012 outlining the course of action of the Yemeni weapons and
training plan.... The military material listed in this document
includes armored Humvees, machine guns, handguns, grenades, and
ammunition, among other items.... In other words, whether the
Barack Obama administration is aware of it or not, the same
weaponry and training provided to the Yemeni government through
the years appear to have fallen into the hands of militants
whose main enemy is a close U.S. ally — Saudi Arabia.
Italian PM Matteo Renzi to resign in wake of referendum defeat
Sky News - Mr Renzi had staked his future on a "Yes" vote,
vowing to quit if voters rejected his plans to reduce the role
of the country's Senate and take back powers from regional
authorities.... early results suggested he may have lost by as
much as 20 points. Opposition parties denounced the proposed
changes as dangerous for democracy because they would have
gotten rid of important checks and balances on executive
power.... Spearheaded by the populist Five Star Movement, the
biggest rival to Mr Renzi's Democratic party, the "No" campaign
took advantage of the Mr Renzi's declining popularity, a
struggling economy and problems caused by tens of thousands of
migrants arriving from Africa. The vote is a major victory for
Five Star leader Beppe Grillo.... But it is another blow to the
European Union, which is struggling to overcome a number of
crises and was keen for Mr Renzi to continue his reform drive.
Turbulence on the markets also looks inevitable. Some analysts
fear a deeper crisis of investor confidence that could derail a
rescue scheme for Italy's most indebted banks, triggering a
wider financial crisis across the eurozone.
Freedom Party's Hofer Defeated By Greens' Van der Bellen In
Austria's Presidential Election
Zero Hedge - Austria voted against the anti-immigrant, "far
right" Freedom Party candidate Hofer as head of state in a
presidential election race which became the latest test of
rising anti-establishment forces in Europe after the election of
Donald Trump as US president. Norbert Hofer, the Freedom party
candidate, won 46.7% of the vote in Sunday’s contest according
to early results and projections. His opponent Alexander Van der
Bellen, a Green politician who ran as an independent, won 53.3%.
A mapped breakdown shows that most of Austria voted for Hofer,
however it was the big cities that again came to Van der
Bellen's aid.... The result will come as a relief for Europe’s
mainstream political leaders, suggesting support for political
disruption make have reached a limit following Mr Trump’s
election and the UK vote to leave the EU.... Don't count the
Freedom Party out yet though: according to opinion polls,
Freedom party could become Austria’s largest political party
after parliamentary elections due by September 2018 but expected
to be called early. That could see the party’s leader
Heinz-Christian Strache becoming the country’s next chancellor.
Venezuela to issue larger bill as currency continues to melt
Associated Press - The central bank said in a statement Saturday
that six new bills ranging from 500 to 20,000 Bolivars will
begin circulating on Dec. 15. Currently the largest-denominated
bill is 100 bolivars, while a 2-liter soft drink bottle can cost
25 times that amount. The issuing of new bills comes as
Venezuela is bordering on economic collapse. The currency lost
67 percent of its value on the black market last month, falling
to 4,587 bolivars per U.S. dollar - the steepest monthly plunge
ever, according to data by Dolar Today, which tracks the black
market rate by monitoring transactions with the currency at
foreign exchange houses across the border in Colombia. Inflation
meanwhile is soaring and expected to surpass four digits next
year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Venezuela's
government hasn't published price data since 2015.
Putin: Trump is smart, will soon be aware of different level of
responsibility (Video)
RT - “The fact that Trump managed to achieve success in
business, suggests that he is a smart man,” Putin said in an
interview with Russia’s NTV channel. “And as he is smart, that
means he will fully and quite quickly be aware of a different
level of responsibility. We assume that he will be acting this
way,” he added. Vladimir Putin also touched upon the current
geopolitical situation, saying that he could see it changing, as
attempts to establish a unipolar world have failed. “I believe
that it is not a secret, everyone can see, that many of our
partners prefer to refer to the principles of the international
law, because the balance of power in the world is gradually
being restored,” he said. “But this is inevitable! Attempts to
create a unipolar world have not succeeded. We are living in a
different dimension. Russia has always held this point of view –
that, while protecting our national interests, we must respect
the interests of other countries. So, this is the way we
establish relations with other countries.”
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
House Quietly Passes Bill Targeting "Russian Propaganda"
Websites
Zero Hedge - On November 30, one week after the Washington Post
launched its witch hunt against "Russian propaganda fake news",
with 390 votes for, the House quietly passed "H.R. 6393,
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017", sponsored
by California Republican Devin Nunes (whose third largest donor
in 2016 is Google parent Alphabet, Inc), a bill which deals with
a number of intelligence-related issues, including Russian
propaganda, or what the government calls propaganda, and hints
at a potential crackdown on "offenders." A quick skim of the
bill reveals "Title V—Matters relating to foreign countries",
whose Section 501 calls for the government to "counter active
measures by Russia to exert covert influence … carried out in
coordination with, or at the behest of, political leaders or the
security services of the Russian Federation and the role of the
Russian Federation has been hidden or not acknowledged
publicly.” The section lists the following definitions of media
manipulation: Establishment or funding of a front group, Covert
broadcasting, Media manipulation, Disinformation and forgeries,
Funding agents of influence, Incitement and offensive
counterintelligence, Assassinations,[and] Terrorist acts. As
ActivistPost correctly notes, it is easy to see how this law, if
passed by the Senate and signed by the president, could be used
to target, threaten, or eliminate so-called “fake news”
websites, a list which has been used to arbitrarily define any
website, or blog, that does not share the mainstream media's
proclivity to serve as the Public Relations arm of a given
administration.
Bergdahl asks Obama to pardon him before Trump takes office
Washington Examiner - Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who deserted his Army
outpost and was taken prisoner by the Taliban, has asked
President Obama to pardon him before leaving the White House
next month, according to a report Friday evening.... Bergdahl's
lead defense lawyer, Eugene Fidell, requested a pre-emptive
pardon that would preclude his client's trial on desertion and
misbehavior charges. His trial is scheduled to start April 18,
2017. Fidell said if the case has not been approved by
Inauguration Day, he will submit a motion to have it dismissed.
Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees aided by Harry Reid's filibuster
'nuclear option'
Washington Times - It’s unlikely Mr. Reid had a President Trump
in mind when he pulled the so-called “nuclear option” trigger
three years ago, changing Senate rules to eviscerate the use of
a filibuster to block presidential nominees. Set up to help
President Obama’s picks overcome GOP opposition, those same
rules now will clear the path for Sen. Jeff Sessions to become
the new attorney general, Rep. Tom Price to head Health and
Human Services and two billionaires to lead the Treasury and
Commerce departments. Liberal interest groups are pleading with
Democrats to fight the nominees, even though there’s not a lot
they can do without the filibuster and against a unified GOP....
Democrats had been confident of keeping control of the White
House with Hillary Clinton and of taking back control of the
Senate. Mr. Reid, who is retiring at the end of this year, even
encouraged Democrats to consider expanding his use of the
nuclear option to eliminate the 60-vote threshold for Supreme
Court nominees.... Now it’s the GOP that is considering that
step, with Mr. Trump poised to make a Supreme Court pick and
Democrats’ incoming leader, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, threatening
a filibuster.
Judge Jeanine Compares Trump To Reagan On Carrier Deal: Leaders
Get Things Done (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - [Judge Jeanine] Pirro compared Trump’s
ability to cut such a deal before even being sworn-in to how
President Ronald Reagan worked to free more than 50 Americans
held hostage in Iran– something his predecessor, Jimmy Carter,
could not accomplish in their 444 days in captivity, she noted.
She criticized President Obama for telling a steelworker, in a
discussion on the topic of keeping jobs in America, that instead
of preventing outsourcing, workers should learn more
contemporary skills and adapt to new technology like clean
energy. Regarding other critics of Trump’s plan to keep
companies from moving operations out of the country, she noted
that many illegal immigrants are offered incentives to come to
America, while it is an unpopular idea to treat American jobs
the same way: “We do all kinds of generous things for illegal's
[and] refugees– We educate them, medicate them, house them, give
them food stamps– we even give them ObamaCare, although the
president said it wouldn’t cover them… Where’s our incentive?”
“You’re watching in real-time a president-elect who is not all
talk, a leader who is going to show us real hope and change…
You’re watching Ronald Reagan,” Pirro said.
Obama TV: Is Obama Planning A “Fake News” Outlet Of His Own?
Zero Hedge - After spending the past month blaming Hillary’s
loss on the rampant spread of “fake news,” because choosing a
failed candidate subject to numerous active federal criminal
investigations and/or Obama’s failed policies couldn’t possibly
be to blame, Mic is reporting that Obama is contemplating
starting a propaganda machine media company of his own after
leaving the White House…. According to another source, Obama met
privately with Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg in
Lima, Peru, on the sidelines of the recent APEC summit to
discuss the matter…. Of course, if true an Obama media company
would threaten a long-standing tradition of former Presidents
withholding criticism of their successors.
Democrats Against Funding Investigation of Aborted Baby Parts
Trafficking: ‘Fake Committee’ Will Fuel ‘Fake News’
CNS News - During House floor debate Thursday over providing
additional funding to the Select Investigative Panel on Infant
Lives, which is looking into the ethics of the medical practices
of abortion service providers and the business practices of the
procurement organizations who sell baby body parts, Reps. Gwen
Moore (D-Wis.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) called the committee
“fake” and claimed it would fuel “fake news.” Moore opened her
argument saying, “We’ve heard so much about fake news lately,
and now we are being asked for taxpayer funding for fake
congressional committees.” “The fake committee’s only goal is to
create Orwellian unfacts,” she claimed.... Deutch argued that
Republicans know the panel’s investigation “will feed fake news
sites on the Internet.... “This panel serves no true
investigatory purpose. It is a political tool. It is a
disgrace,” he concluded. However, Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah)
countered the claims that the panel was “useless” and “fake”....
She pointed out the panel’s discovery that “the University of
New Mexico was violating their state anatomical gift act by
receiving tissue from late-term abortion clinics,” which is
currently being investigated. “The panel discovered that a
university in Ohio was trafficking in baby body parts,” Love
added, “an illegal act under Ohio state law.” Love said that the
panel also learned “StemExpress and certain abortion clinics
were violating HIPAA privacy rights of vulnerable women for the
sole purpose of increasing and harvesting fetal tissue to make
money.” “The panel discovered that an abortion clinic in
Arkansas violated state law when it sent tissue to StemExpress,”
she continued.... The House voted Thursday - 234 to 181 along
party lines - to provide the $800,000 in additional funding to
the panel.
Feds halt new citizenship approvals after spotting hole in
background checks
Washington Times - The government suspended naturalization
ceremonies and banned officers from approving any new
applications for citizenship earlier this week after realizing
its background check system was broken and ineligible people may
have been slipping through, a key congressman revealed Friday.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, whose office
was tipped off to the monumental error, said he was stunned by
the problem — and also by the fact that the administration never
bothered to inform him of it. In the internal email Mr.
Goodlatte obtained, the associate director at U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services ordered all officers “not to approve or
oath any naturalization cases in ELIS,” referring to the
Electronic Immigration System that’s the case management system
for processing applications. “At this point we are not confident
that proper FBI Name Checks have been run on certain ELIS cases.
At this point we are uncertain of the scope of the problem,”
Daniel M. Renaud, the associate director, said in the email. FBI
name checks are a critical part of the application process,
giving immigration officers a look at potential criminal
histories or other national security red flags that would make
someone ineligible for citizenship.
Texas Gov: Sanctuary Campuses Will Lose State Funding
The Daily Caller - Texas Gov. Greg Abbot says the state will cut
off funding to any public school that declares itself a
“sanctuary campus” for illegal immigrants. Abbot made the
announcement Thursday via Twitter, in response to a petition
effort in the state by students seeking to have their
universities protect illegal immigrants. Abbott made it clear
such a move wouldn’t fly in Texas.... It isn’t clear how much
funding Abbott could personally cut off, without obtaining
support from the state legislature. Abbott previously pledged to
ban sanctuary cities in Texas, and claims he has cut some state
funding to them, but The Dallas Morning News disputes that
claim, saying state money has yet to be truly cut off. If Abbott
needs the legislature’s backing, he will have to wait until the
upcoming 2017 legislative session.
College Brings Back U.S. Flag After Mass Denunciations
The Daily Caller - The announcement reverses a decision to
remove the flag that made the school a subject of protest and
ridicule for the past two weeks. Hampshire initially placed its
on-campus flag at half staff following President-elect Donald
Trump’s surprise victory in the election. But several student
activists agitated for the flag to be removed entirely, saying
it represented oppressive forces like the police and the U.S.
military. Then, the night before Veterans Day, an unknown person
took down the flag and burned it. The school put another flag up
for Veterans Day, but a few days later announced it was taking
the flag down indefinitely.... The school was sharply criticized
by the mayor of Amherst, and a large crowd of military veterans
showed up to publicly protest. Initially, the school tried to
limit the controversy by barring protesters from campus and
telling the press not to speak with its students. Now, though,
the school has reversed course entirely, and announced that it
will fly the flag at full-staff like it did before the election.
After making the announcement, Lash complained about the
hostility he had encountered from people angry over the school’s
removal of the flag. “I’ve received many e-mails, a lot of them
extremely unpleasant,” Lash told The Boston Globe. “Our phone
lines have been clogged with people calling to express their
anger. People can disagree with us, but we’ve also received very
explicit threats.” Lash also praised the entire controversy as a
valuable lesson in the First Amendment.
Green Party Drops Statewide Pennsylvania Recount
CBS News - The decision came two days before a court hearing was
scheduled in the case. Saturday’s court filing to withdraw the
case said the Green Party-backed voters who filed the case “are
regular citizens of ordinary means” and cannot afford the $1
million bond ordered by the court by 5 p.m. Monday. However,
Green Party-backed efforts to force recounts and analyze
election software in scattered precincts were continuing....
Stein had said the purpose of Pennsylvania’s recount was to
ensure “our votes are safe and secure,” considering hackers’
probing of election targets in other states and hackers’
accessing of the emails of the Democratic National Committee and
several Clinton staffers. U.S. security officials have said they
believe Russian hackers orchestrated the email hacks, something
Russia has denied. Stein’s lawyers, however, had offered no
evidence of hacking in Pennsylvania’s election. They sought
unsuccessfully in recent days to get various counties to allow a
forensic examination of their election system software. Lawyers
for Trump and the state Republican Party argued there was no
evidence, or even an allegation, that tampering with
Pennsylvania’s voting systems had occurred. Further,
Pennsylvania law does not allow a court-ordered recount, they
argued, and a lawyer for the Green Party had acknowledged that
the effort was without precedent in Pennsylvania.
UPDATE: Jill Stein says she'll 'escalate' Pennsylvania recount
case after earlier plans to drop it
CNN - Stein on Saturday cited a major cost placed on voters due
to a state court ruling that says the voters requesting the
recount must pay a $1 million bond. But shortly after midnight
Sunday Stein tweeted about plans to continue on the recount
bid…. A statement from the Stein campaign shortly after said it
will file a lawsuit in federal court Monday seeking a statewide
recount. "Over the past several days, it has become clear that
the barriers to verifying the vote in Pennsylvania are so
pervasive and that the state court system is so ill-equipped to
address this problem that we must seek federal court
intervention," said Jonathan Abady, lead counsel to the Stein
recount efforts. "As a result, on Monday the Stein campaign will
escalate our campaign in Pennsylvania and file for emergency
relief in federal court, demanding a statewide recount on
constitutional grounds.”… Stein campaign spokeswoman Jordan
Brueckner later clarified Saturday that while petitioners
withdrew their case for a statewide recount, recounts in
hundreds of precincts in some Pennsylvania counties -- including
Philadelphia, Allegheny and Lehigh -- will continue. The
campaign is also still pushing for forensic audits of voting
machine software in the state.
Day 2 of Jill Stein's Wisconsin recount nets Donald Trump 3
additional votes
The Duran - The Wisconsin recount vote is not turning out quite
how Jill Stein, Hillary Clinton or George Soros had hoped. With
day 2 now in the books, Donald Trump has moved ahead by a three
more additional votes. After a second day of wasting everyone’s
time and money, Wisconsin now has Trump ahead by an additional
three votes. Heavy.com reports on Stein’s massive recount
failure… "The candidates each lost and gained a smattering of
votes in towns, cities, and villages that are reporting, so any
losses were basically cancelled out.... Here’s what the returns
show so far: Day 2 totals - Clinton gained 89 votes but lost 86
for a net gain of 3 votes. Trump gained 98 votes but lost 92 for
a net gain of 6 votes.".... That means that Trump inched ahead
by a grand total of 3 votes in a recount expected to cost more
than $3.5 million.
Dakota Access Pipeline Permit Denied
Common Dreams - In a long-awaited victory for the Standing Rock Sioux
Tribe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit for the
Dakota Access Pipeline, tribal leadership announced late Sunday. The
agency will not allow the pipeline to be built under Lake Oahe, a
reservoir near the tribal reservation, without a full environmental
impact assessment that examines alternative routes for the pipeline.
While acknowledging that it may only end up being a temporary pause in
pipeline construction, many see it as an incredible victory for the
water protectors, who have faced water cannons, mace, rubber bullets,
mass arrests, and more in their months-long struggle to protect their
drinking water and treaty land. Other activists expressed suspicion and
caution, as the U.S. government has historically betrayed its promises
to Native Americans, and warned that the water protectors must remain
vigilant. Yet many expressed joy and relief, and celebrated the
victory.... In a statement, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe also expressed
gratitude for the decision: Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
announced that it will not be granting the easement to cross Lake Oahu
for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline. Instead, the Corps will be
undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible
alternative routes. We wholeheartedly support the decision of the
administration and commend with the utmost gratitude the courage it took
on the part of President Obama, the Army Corps, the Department of
Justice and the Department of the Interior to take steps to correct the
course of history and to do the right thing.
Thousands of Veterans Arrive at Standing Rock to Act as 'Human Shields'
for Water Protectors
EcoWatch - The "Veterans Stand for Standing Rock" action has garnered
widespread support, with the National Nurses United (NNU) union sending
$50,000 to fund their expenses and a popular fundraiser surpassing
$1,000,000 Sunday morning. The 2,000 veterans, which include Rep. Tulsi
Gabbard (D-Hawaii), plan to act as an unarmed militia and peaceful human
shields to protect the Indigenous activists from police brutality. "I
signed up to serve my country and my people and I did that overseas,"
Indigenous U.S. Navy veteran Brandee Paisano told the CBC. "I didn't
think I'd have to do it here, on this land, so here I am. This is what I
need to be doing." The "deployment" is officially planned for Dec. 4-7,
but veterans who have arrived early have already taken their stand in
front of the militarized police blockade stopping traffic into and out
of the camp… The "Veterans Stand for Standing Rock" action has garnered
widespread support, with the National Nurses United (NNU) union sending
$50,000 to fund their expenses and a popular fundraiser surpassing
$1,000,000 Sunday morning. "We salute the brave veterans who are
standing up for the rights of the water protectors, and all of us who
support this critical defense of the First Amendment right to assemble
and protest without facing brutal and unwarranted attacks," said NNU
co-president Jean Ross.
LAME DUCK: Obama Rushing Out Tons Of Last Minute Environmental
Regulations
The Gateway Pundit - The Obama administration is introducing a
last-minute barrage of costly environmental regulation pronouncements
that Republicans have vowed to repeal as soon as possible after Donald
Trump’s January 20 presidential inauguration. The recent outpouring adds
to the administration’s dubious record of producing more than 600 major
regulations — those estimated to cost more than $100 million each —
during its tenure, according to a study by the American Action Forum, a
Washington-based think tank. Case in point: an announcement by the
Environmental Protection Agency, one of the administration’s most
energetic rule-makers, on Wednesday that after lengthy study, it would
push ahead with tougher greenhouse gas emission standards, equivalent to
54.1 miles per gallon fuel efficiency, for passenger cars and light
trucks for the years 2022-2025. EPA says the standards will prevent
emission of some 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases over the
vehicles’ life span. Technically speaking, EPA’s administrator has until
April 18, 2017, to make a so-called “final determination” about the
rules — but is doing it sooner, the agency says, for reasons of
“long-term regulatory certainty and stability.” Translation: EPA
Administrator Gina McCarthy is certain to be out of the job by then, and
the ruling will likely hit a brick wall in a much more climate-skeptical
Trump administration.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
“Under Contract” Farm Freedom Docu to Show in D.C.
#StandWithFarmers (Video)
Natural Blaze - Corporations are ravaging the land, crops and
seed supply – they are running the vestige of real farmers out
of America…. One of these under-the-radar problems is…contracts.
AKA, the “Walmart method” of absolutely smashing the little guys
after having milked them for all their labor and value. Did you
know that only 3% of poultry farms are entirely independent and
that contract farmers raise 97% of the chicken consumed in the
United States? But they face unfair challenges and hidden risks
under the production contracts that are commonly offered by
large corporate firms today. That’s what Under Contract is
about. It looks like a riveting film, sure to raise
consciousness and shine a light in a dark place…. Did you know
that only 3% of poultry farms are entirely independent and that
contract farmers raise 97% of the chicken consumed in the United
States? But they face unfair challenges and hidden risks under
the production contracts that are commonly offered by large
corporate firms today. That’s what Under Contract is about. It
looks like a riveting film, sure to raise consciousness and
shine a light in a dark place…. On Monday, December 5, join
Congresswoman and Maine farmer Chellie Pingree (D-ME) [she is an
organic farmer herself], the National Farmers Union, National
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and Rural Advancement
Foundation International-USA for a film and panel discussion
examining the struggles of contract farmers and the opportunity
to reform this unjust system via the USDA’s “Farmer Fair
Practices” rules, which will soon be available for public
comment and review.
RSVP HERE
Forced Psychiatric Treatments Expanded under Fast Track Bill
Before Senate - Action Alert
Health Impact News - On November 30th, the House passed HR 34, a
996-page bill, known as the 21st Century Cures Act. They are now
rushing to get it introduced and passed by the Senate on Monday,
December 5th, at 5:30 EST. This bill must be defeated because it
contains some very dangerous provisions relating to psychiatric
treatments. This is an urgent call to action as we must let our
Senators know that they need to oppose it…. It drastically
broadens the criteria for who qualifies for forced psychiatric
treatment. For example, if you are labeled mentally ill, you can
be court-ordered for psychiatric treatment just because you are
“substantially unlikely to voluntarily participate in
treatment.” All states already have their own laws regarding
involuntary treatment and so there is no need for Federal
legislation, especially with such dangerously broad language. It
undermines FDA regulations that are essential for making sure
medical and drug research is conducted ethically, scientifically
and safely. Meaning it could cost lives. Additionally, this
996-page bill is being fast-tracked through as it is being
introduced with no time for the Senators to fully study and
understand the broad implications of it.
Experimental Vaccines Unleashed on Public? Lame Duck Congress
Fast Tracking Bill- Action Alert
Health Impact News - Just when you thought you could start to
prepare for your holiday season, a lame duck Congress is about
to “Scrooge” the public over vaccines and give a huge holiday
bonus to drug companies. Your action is urgently needed to email
and fax your two US Senators over the weekend and call them on
Monday to demand the removal of three sections (3091, 3092 and
3093) from a “Christmas Tree Bill” called The 21st Century Cures
Act, HR 34 that was just passed by the US House of
Representatives…. “The 21st Century Cures Act is a drug company
stockholder’s dream and a consumer’s worst nightmare,” said
Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC Co-founder and President. “Making
experimental drugs quickly available for the sick and dying, who
voluntarily choose to use them, is one thing but Congress should
not be greasing the skids to license experimental vaccines that
government will recommend and legally require healthy children
and adults to use. It is a prescription for disaster.”
How Lingzhi Mushrooms (Reishi) Combats Aging, Disease and Cancer
Green Med Info - Lingzhi mushrooms has literally hundreds of
unique bio-active compounds that have life extending properties,
stimulates brain neurons, searches out and destroys cancer cells
and prevents the development of new fat cells in obese
individuals.[5] In terms of life span extension it has been
shown to increase life in studies by 9% to more than 20% in
animal studies…. While mushrooms such as shitake, maitake, and
cordyceps, all share similar immune boosting properties, Red
Reishi has also the longest history and has been known to be
effective in the treatment of the widest range of health
conditions. Unlike other mushrooms, only Lingzhi has many
important compounds such as triterpenes (ganoderic acid) that
gives them a unique characteristic of being bitter in taste….
Out of the functional compounds found thus far in Lingzhi, the
largest group is terpenes, of which triterpenes are a
derivative. You know that aroma from pine trees? From clove? Or
anise, oregano, menthol, cinnamon, and citrus? That largely
comes from terpenes (more commonly referred to as essential
oils). Terpenes are considered the strongest anti-inflammatory
and anti-tumor compounds found in nature. Numerous triterpenoids
have been shown to possess rapid acetylcholine action, our
brain’s main neurotransmitter. Oral administration of Lingzhi
show triterpenes appearing in blood plasma in high quantities in
under 20 minutes from ingestion…. Regular consumption of Lingzhi
mushrooms can enhance our body's immune system and improve blood
circulation, thus improving better health conditions. Generally,
Lingzhi is recommended as an adaptogen, immune modulator, and a
general tonic. These mushrooms are also used to help treat
anxiety, high blood pressure, hepatitis, bronchitis, insomnia,
and asthma.
What Will Happen In Your Body If You Consume This Pineapple
Turmeric Smoothies
The health benefits of pineapple and the healing properties of
turmeric are well known for all of us. But do you know you can
combine these two powerful ingredients too? Here is a smoothies
recipe you should try. Ingredients: 1 cup diced pineapple, 1
teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, half a peeled
lime, 1 tablespoon shredded coconut, 1 cup coconut water, Little
black pepper ( To improve the absorption of curcumin in
turmeric)… Turmeric has great antioxidant and antibacterial
properties, it has been proven to be able to help rebuild the
immune system. Pineapple is a good source of vitamin C, which is
essential to fight off viruses. This drink is also helpful for
loosening mucus and relieving coughs that caused by colds….
According to researches, a cup of pineapple can provide 73% of
your body requirement for manganese, which is one of the most
important nutrients to maintain and build strong bones. Turmeric
is a natural painkiller thanks to the curcumin, which is said
that may work just as well as ibuprofen for pain relief in
arthritis patients. Pineapple also has good anti-inflammatory
properties, makes it as an effective agent to alleviate
arthritis and joint pain. Bromelain in pineapple helps regulate
the secretions in the pancreas to improve digestion. Turmeric is
believed to help in digestion as it helps in releasing of bile,
which is essential for a healthy digestive system. Turmeric
works well to relieve depression, anxiety and may protect
against the effects of sleep deprivation.
Video: Hilarious Trump Christmas Parody “It’s The Most Wonderful Time in
8 Years”
Truth Seeker - Goodbye Obama! Songwriter Dana Kamide performs vocals on
This wonderful, hilarious Christmas song parody which says it all! - -
Based on the song Andy Williams made popular in the 60's... This version
also parodies the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" When George Baily begs
God (through his guardian angel Clarence) to let him live again... This
time he begs God to help Donald Trump "Make America Great Again" Hillary
makes an appearance as the Abominable Snowman in the end... Singer,
songwriter and Entertainer Dana Kamide wrote the lyrics and performed
the lead vocals and produced the video. Democrats got Shellacked in last
3 elections. Yet Obama and the media still trying to make up stories why
Donald Trump was elected instead of admit that for the last 8-10 years
their policies have FAILED AMERICA!
Friday - December
2, 2016
Today In History:
1804 - Napoleon was crowned emperor of France at the Cathedral of Notre
Dame in Paris.
1816 - The first savings bank in the U.S., the Philadelphia Savings Fund
Society, opened for business.
1823 - U.S. President James Monroe outlined his doctrine opposing
European expansion in the Western Hemisphere.
1917 - During World War I, hostilities were suspended on the eastern
front.
1927 - The Ford Motor Company unveiled the Model A automobile. It was
the successor to the Model T.
1939 - New York's La Guardia Airport began operations as an airliner
from Chicago landed at 12:01 a.m.
1942 - A self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated by Dr.
Enrico Fermi and his staff at the University of Chicago.
1954 - The U.S. Senate voted to condemn Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy for what
it called "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and
disrepute." The censure was related to McCarthy's controversial
investigation of suspected communists in the U.S. government, military
and civilian society.
1961 - Cuban leader Fidel Castro declared in a nationally broadcast
speech that he was a Marxist-Leninist and that he was going to lead Cuba
to communism.
1969 - The Boeing 747 jumbo jet got its first public preview as 191
people flew from Seattle, WA, to New York City, NY. Most of the
passengers were reporters and photographers.
1970 - The Environmental Protection Agency began operations.
1982 - Doctors at the University of Utah implanted a permanent
artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Barney Clark. He lived
112 days with the device. The operation was the first of its kind.
1993 - The space shuttle Endeavor blasted off on a mission to fix the
Hubble Space Telescope.
1994 - The U.S. government agreed not to seek a recall of allegedly
fire-prone General Motors pickup trucks. A deal was made with GM under
which the company would spend more than $51 million on safety and
research.
1995 - NASA launched a U.S.-European observatory on a $1 billion dollar
mission intended to study the sun.
1997 - U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to seek an independent
counsel investigation of telephone fund-raising by President Clinton and
Vice President Gore. She had concluded that they had not violated
election laws.
1998 - Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates donated $100 million to help
immunize children in developing countries.
1999 - The British government transferred political power over the
province of Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive.
2001 - Enron Corp. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. The filing came
five days after Dynegy walked away from a $8.4 billion buyout. It was
the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
2010 - NASA announced the discovery of a new arsenic-based life form.
Erdogan backtracks on Syria goals after call with Putin, says
terrorists are only target
RT - Turkey’s military operation in northern Syria does not
target any country or individual, and is aimed only at terrorist
groups, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. He had earlier
stated that Turkey was in Syria to “end the rule of the cruel
Assad.”.... This drew surprise from Russia, which asked for
clarification of the remarks. According to Kremlin aide Yury
Ushakov, this was provided when Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Turkish leader Erdogan discussed the issue by phone on
Wednesday. "I can only say that a telephone conversation between
our president and Erdogan took place yesterday, and the topic
[of Turkey’s presence in Syria] was addressed. Yes, he [Erdogan]
gave an explanation," Ushakov told reporters on Thursday,
without elaborating.
Putin calls for unity with the West under Trump administration
Deutsche Welle - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wants
to cooperate with the incoming US administration and combine
efforts against terrorism at his unusually diplomatic annual
state-of-the-nation address in the Kremlin on Thursday….
"Attempts to break the strategic parity are extremely dangerous
and can lead to a world catastrophe," Putin told the gathering
of Russia's political elite. "We don't want confrontation with
anyone. We don't need it. We are not seeking and have never
sought enemies. We need friends. "We are ready to cooperate with
the new U.S. administration. We have a shared responsibility to
ensure international security.”… "It's important to normalize
and develop our bilateral ties on an equal and mutually
beneficial basis. We share responsibility for ensuring global
security and stability and strengthening the non-proliferation
regime."
Another False Flag? "Destructive Iranian Hackers" Allegedly
"Wreak Havoc" With Saudi Computer Systems
Zero Hedge - In what may soon emerge as the latest middle-east
diplomatic scandal, not to mention roil the just concluded OPEC
deal, Bloomberg reports that state-sponsored hackers have
conducted a "series of destructive attacks on Saudi Arabia over
the last two weeks, erasing data and wreaking havoc in the
computer banks of the agency running the country’s airports and
hitting five additional targets." Additionally, “several”
government agencies were also targeted in attacks that came from
outside the Kingdom, according to state media. However,
according to early reports from a Saudi probe, "digital
evidence" suggests the attacks emanated from Iran. While
Bloomberg believes that this could present President-elect
Donald Trump with a major national security challenge as he
steps into the Oval Office, it also threatens to destabilize the
recent detente between the two countries, which granted Iran
bragging rights to be the only country allowed to boost output
as part of the Venna OPEC production cut deal. To be sure, one
can't discount the possibility of a false flag attack, with the
intentional purposes of destabilizing relations. According to
Bloomberg, unlike a 2012 attack on Saudi Aramco or the one by
North Korea against Sony Pictures in 2014, "the latest was
perpetrated by detonating a cyber weapon inside the networks of
several targets at once. Concerns over a broader campaign set
off a search in computer networks throughout the Gulf for more
traces of the digital bomb." It is unclear whether Iran has the
technological wherewithal to engage in such a complex
cuberattack.
France Debates Bill to Criminalize Online Pro-Life Advocacy
CNS News - French lawmakers on Thursday will debate and vote on
a Socialist government-backed draft law that could criminalize
online pro-life advocacy. The legislation would extend the ambit
of already-illegal “interference” in abortion to cover digital
media. Any website carrying material that is deemed to be
“deliberately misleading, intimidating and/or exerting
psychological or moral pressure” aimed at persuading a mother
not to abort her child could face criminal charges, with
punishments of two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros
($31,800).... France legalized abortion on demand until the end
of the 12th week of pregnancy – or what is known officially as
“voluntary interruption of pregnancy” (L’interruption volontaire
de grossesse or IVG) – in 1975. In 1993 another law was passed,
creating the offense of hindering or interfering in an abortion
– aimed at preventing pro-life activists from physically
blocking access to, or occupying or otherwise targeting abortion
facilities. The law was later broadened to cover “moral and
psychological pressure” aimed at dissuading abortion, and the
legislation now under consideration seeks to widen that further
into the digital realm. In the new law’s crosshairs are websites
like IVG.net, which offers counselling, practical support, and
resources that include information about medical and
psychological risks entailed in having an abortion.... The
government site instead recommends a handful of – hardly neutral
– websites, including that of the International Planned
Parenthood Federation’s French affiliate, Planning Familial, one
run by a national association of abortion clinics, and a
feminist blog that includes a searchable database of abortion
clinics across France.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Trump has chosen retired Marine Gen. James Mattis for secretary
of defense
Washington Post - President-elect Donald Trump has chosen
retired Marine Gen. James N. Mattis to be secretary of defense,
according to people familiar with the decision, nominating a
former senior military officer who led operations across the
Middle East to run the Pentagon less than four years after he
hung up his uniform. To take the job, Mattis will need Congress
to pass new legislation to bypass a federal law stating that
defense secretaries must not have been on active duty in the
previous seven years. Congress has granted a similar exception
just once, when Gen. George C. Marshall was appointed to the job
in 1950…. Mattis, 66, retired as the chief of U.S. Central
Command in spring 2013 after serving more than four decades in
the Marine Corps. He is known as one of the most influential
military leaders of his generation, serving as a strategic
thinker while occasionally drawing rebukes for his aggressive
talk. Since retiring, he has served as a consultant and as a
visiting fellow with the Hoover Institution, a think tank at
Stanford University. Like Trump, Mattis favors a tougher stance
against U.S. adversaries abroad, especially Iran. The general,
speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
in April, said that while security discussions often focus on
terrorist groups such as the Islamic State or al-Qaeda, the
Iranian regime is “the single most enduring threat to stability
and peace in the Middle East.”
Video: President-Elect Donald Trump Holds Rally In Cincinnati,
OH
Right Side Broadcasting - Thursday, December 1, 2016: Live
streaming coverage President-Elect Donald J. Trump’s Thank You
rally in Cincinnati, OH at the US Bank Arena.
Trump Vows: Companies Will Not ‘Leave the United States Anymore’
LifeZette - President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice
President-Elect Mike Pence appeared at the Carrier plant in
Indianapolis Thursday to discuss the deal they made with Carrier
to prevent over 1,000 U.S. jobs from being moved to Mexico. The
surprise deal was announced earlier this week — but Thursday was
the first time Trump addressed it publicly beyond a few tweets.
The fact that Trump was able to save over 1,000 American jobs
before even taking office has been widely celebrated and held up
as proof that he will do everything in his power to boost
American jobs…. Trump’s economic “plans have given us renewed
confidence in the future of manufacturing in America,” said Greg
Hayes, CEO of United Technologies Corp., Carrier’s parent
company.
* Related:
Video: President Elect Trump Carrier Plant Announcement - Full
Event
Cherokee Nation sues US govt, multiple agencies over trust fund
RT - The Cherokee Nation names the US government and seven
agencies in a lawsuit alleging mismanagement and a lack of
transparency about the tribe’s trust fund. The tribe claims a
lack of accountability has hindered its development. The
Cherokee Nation commemorated the 231st anniversary of the first
treaty it signed with the US government by announcing a lawsuit
on Monday. The Treaty of Hopewell was signed in 1785 and defined
the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, but like more than 40
other treaties the nation signed with the government, it was not
honored…. The problems the lawsuit addresses have to do with the
14 million acres of Cherokee land that was either sold or leased
by the government without any documentation of the value or
money paid to the government for it. On top of that, there has
been no kind of accounting for the resources taken from these
lands, such as coal and timber…. The lawsuit names the
Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the
Office of Trust Fund Management, the Bureau of Land Management,
the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, the Office of the
Special Trustee for American Indians and the United States
Department of the Treasury, along with the United States of
America as defendants.
Obama Administration to Implement Smoking Ban in All Public
Housing
Breitbart - The Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) said the no-smoking rule will go into effect in 2017, but
“public housing agencies would have a year and a half to put
smoke-free policies in place,” The New York Times reported.
Officials say up to 1.2 million households could be affected....
Some public housing agencies have voluntarily adopted smoke-free
policies that have gone into effect in an estimated 200,000
homes. HUD proposed the ban a year ago in its campaign to combat
secondhand smoke exposure.... Housing agencies that already
enforce the ban say they enforce the rule through warnings,
fines, counseling, and aids to quit smoking such as nicotine
patches. “We don’t see this as a policy that is meant to end in
a whole lot of evictions,” HUD Secretary Julian Castro said.
“We’re confident that public housing authority staff can work
with residents so that that can be avoided.”
Civil Forfeiture: US Man Fights Back After $11K Seized at
Kentucky Airport
Sputnik News - Charles Clarke, who had his $11,000 in life
savings seized at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
Airport (CVG) in 2014, reached a settlement with the US
government on Tuesday, as authorities returned his money with
interest. Clarke was a 24-year-old college student when airport
authorities seized his cash through civil asset forfeiture, a
questionable legal process in which police seize a person’s
property if they are suspected of a crime, even if they are not
convicted or charged, which Clarke was not. He had been saving
for the money for five years, and after a ticket agent claimed
Clarke smelled like marijuana, agents made the logical
connection, based only on their own experiences, that the money
must be related to drug-trafficking activities. Clarke was
represented pro bono by the Institute for Justice (IJ), a
nonprofit civil liberties group. IJ noted that CVG had conducted
almost 100 similar seizures in 2013, with over two million
dollars falling into the hands of federal and local agencies.
SF’s Millennium Tower Sinking Rapidly, as Seen from Space
Breitbart - The 58-story “game of Jenga” has been dubbed the
“Leaning Tower of San Francisco” because it is tilting two
inches to the northwest. It has reportedly sunk about 16 inches
into landfill since it was first opened in 2009. “What can be
concluded from our data, is that the Millennium Tower is sinking
at a steady rate,” Petar Marinkovic, founder and chief scientist
of PPO Labs — which analyzed the satellite’s radar imagery for
the ESA along with Norway-based research institute Norut — told
the Associated Press…. Despite numerous lawsuits against the
building’s developer, and involving the City of San Francisco,
the developer, Millennium Partners, reportedly insists
Millennium Towers is safe for occupants and suggests that it
could withstand an earthquake. The apartments are in the
multi-million dollar range. According to the San Francisco
Business Journal, a UC Berkeley engineer, Jack Moehle, and his
colleague, Hardip Pennu, who originally certified the tower’s
design as structurally sound, were subpoenaed by San Francisco
Supervisor Aaron Peskin on Tuesday after refusing to testify.
#DumpKelloggs: Breakfast Brand Blacklists Breitbart, Declares
Hate for 45,000,000 Readers
Breitbart - Kellogg Co. announced on Tuesday its decision to
pull ads from conservative media giant Breitbart.com because its
45,000,000 monthly conservative readers are not “aligned with
our values as a company.” In response, Breitbart News, one of
the world’s top news publishers, has launched a #DumpKelloggs
petition and called for a boycott of the ubiquitous food
manufacturer. The decision by Kellogg’s, which makes Pringles,
Eggo waffles, as well as Special K and Frosted Flakes cereals,
among others, will make virtually no revenue impact on
Breitbart.com. It does, however, represent an escalation in the
war by leftist companies like Target and Allstate against
conservative customers whose values propelled Donald Trump into
the White House.
Oregon school district bans Santa, ‘religious-themed’ Christmas
decorations
EAG News - “We will not be holding a door decorating contest
this year,” district officials wrote in a memo to staff at area
high schools. “You may still decorate your door or office if you
like, but we ask that you be respectful and sensitive to diverse
perspectives and beliefs of our community and refrain from using
religious-themed decorations or images like Santa Claus.”
Hillsboro spokeswoman Beth Graser told WGRZ the memo was sent to
secondary school principals because the Christmas door
decoration contest made some people uncomfortable in years past,
and the district wants to maintain “inclusive and welcoming
spaces” for all, including students who don’t believe in Santa.
“We were NOT banning Santa, nor were we going to be the
‘decorations police’ and scold people if they happened to have
decorations up that might be too Christmas-y … unless they were
totally over the top,” Graser said.
Report: Drunk Hillary Demanding Recount to “Lift Her Spirits”
Kit Daniels - “She is weepy, looks ten years older and is very
whiny,” a Clinton insider told the media. “She has been drinking
wine pretty heavily, much more than usual.” “She mopes around
all day, swimming in a sea of recriminations and complaining
that her campaign managers were ‘incompetent,’ Bill and Chelsea
‘didn’t work hard enough,’ FBI Director Comey was ‘in league
with Trump.’” Additionally, President Obama, who pressured
Clinton to concede to Donald Trump on election night, also
encouraged her to jump on board Jill Stein’s recount effort to
make the globalists look less defeated. “The president felt that
the progressives were acting stunned and helpless and had to
rise out of their stupor and show that they weren’t going to
take their defeat lying down,” said the insider. “Contesting the
results of the election was the best and fastest way to stir the
morale and fighting spirit of the demoralized party.” “Obama
felt that a recount would plant a seed with the base that the
election was somehow dishonest; he wanted to raise serious
questions about the legitimacy of the Trump presidency.” This
confirms a report from the American Thinker which states the
recount is intended not to install Clinton as president, but to
make Trump look illegitimate. “The recounts, if done by hand,
which can be demanded, may take longer than the last day for
completing the official counts in a state and directing
Electoral College voters,” reported American Thinker
correspondent Richard Baehr. “If all 3 states miss the deadline,
Trump is at 260, Hillary at 232. No one hits 270.” If this were
to happen, the GOP-controlled Congress would pick Trump as
president, according to Baehr.
Montgomery County judge dismisses recount petitions
The Times Herald - A Montgomery County [Pennsylvania] judge has
dismissed the petitions of voters in 78 precincts to recount
votes or forensically analyze voting machines.... The judge did
not give an explanation of his dismissal, but objections made by
Forzato focused on two areas: first, that there was insufficient
evidence to suggest that the machines had been tampered with in
any way and second, that the petitions were not filed properly
with the proper fees.... During the hearing the judge questioned
whether the recount request would require a statewide audit of
votes, as Pennsylvania law requires that a recount effort
include every district in which the office in question was on
the ballot.... The Stein campaign will continue to seek a
recount in Pennsylvania through attempts in other counties and a
statewide recount petition that will be heard by the
Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg on Monday. [Trump campaign
attorney Lawrence] Tabas said the efforts were so far-fetched
that it would “insult the term ‘Hail Mary pass’ to say that’s
what it is.”
Breaking: Dem Operative Confirms Electors’ Plot to Sabotage
Trump (Video)
Paul Joseph Watson - According to TV host David Pakman, who
yesterday broke news of a plot by 15 electors to not vote for
Trump and lobby others to do the same in an effort to prevent
him from getting the 270 electoral votes he needs to become
president, the claim has been corroborated by a second source.
Described as a “longtime successful Democratic operative,” the
source told Pakman that based on “direct contact” with electors,
there is an organized group “that is indeed planning to not vote
for Donald Trump” but have not decided to make their decision
public at this stage. Pakman also talked with two other sources
who confirmed that some electors in states Trump won, outside of
the coalition mentioned previously, are also planning to refuse
to vote for Trump. Pakman speculates that the two groups of
electors planning to not vote for Trump could be separate,
meaning the total number could be higher than 15. If no
candidate reaches 270 electoral votes, the decision goes to the
Republican-controlled House of Representatives. In an article
for The Hill today, Washington state elector Levi Guerra wrote
about how she was “encouraging Electors from both red and blue
states” to vote for an alternative candidate to Donald Trump,
confirming the fact that such an effort is underway amongst some
electors.
These numbers should SHUT UP liberals about the Electoral
College once and for all
Allen B. West - The following list of statistics has been making
the rounds on the Internet and it should finally put an end to
the argument as to why the Electoral College makes sense…. There
are 3,141 counties in the United States. Trump won 3,084 of
them. Clinton won 57. There are 62 counties in New York State.
Trump won 46 of them. Clinton won 16. Clinton won the popular
vote by approx. 1.5 million votes. In the 5 counties that
encompass NYC, (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Richmond & Queens)
Clinton received well over 2 million more votes than Trump.
(Clinton only won 4 of these counties; Trump won Richmond)
Therefore these 5 counties alone, more than accounted for
Clinton winning the popular vote of the entire country. These 5
counties comprise 319 square miles. The United States is
comprised of 3, 797,000 square miles. When you have a country
that encompasses almost 4 million square miles of territory, it
would be ludicrous to even suggest that the vote of those who
inhabit a mere 319 square miles should dictate the outcome of a
national election. Large, densely populated Democrat cities
(NYC, Chicago, LA, etc) don’t and shouldn’t speak for the rest
of our country.
VA may have infected 600 veterans with HIV and Hepatitis
McClatchy - Nearly 600 veterans could have been infected with
HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C at a Veterans Affairs facility
in Tomah, Wis. because a dentist didn’t properly clean his
instruments. The Tomah VA is investigating the dentist, who has
not been fired but was removed from patient care. According to
acting Medical Center Director Victoria Brahm, the dentist was
using his own equipment for routine dental exams, then cleaning
it and using it again. This violates VA rules, which require use
of disposable equipment to ensure sterility…. As a precautionary
measure, the VA is contacting all 592 veterans he treated to
test for possible infections. It will provide free medical care
to anyone who has an infection. VA spokesman Matthew Gowan said
there is no indication any infections were transmitted, but “out
of an abundance of caution it’s still the proper things to do.”
He said the doctor was removed from patient care as soon as
senior staff became aware of his actions on Oct. 21. A review
board will meet next week to determine disciplinary action for
the dentist, who is currently performing administrative tasks.
Gasoline Prices Could Jump Back to Summertime Levels Before
Christmas
Economic Policy Journal - Before Christmas, prices for gasoline
at the pump could climb to levels not seen since the summer
driving season, as a result of OPEC’s agreement to curb crude
production, writes MarketWatch. “Motorists will soon be facing
higher gasoline prices as a result of [Wednesday’s] tremendous
gains in crude oil,” Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at
GasBuddy, told MarketWatch. Oil prices climbed more than 9%
yesterday following OPEC's decision to cut production and have
climbed another 4.5% today. DeHaan said that based on Wednesday
and Thursday’s oil rallies, national average prices for gasoline
could climb to the $2.30’s level before Christmas—about 10 cents
to 15 cents higher than current prices. Retail gasoline prices
haven’t been above $2.30 since June, during the summer driving
season, according to data from GasBuddy.
Death toll from Tennessee wildfires increases to 10
Breitbart - Crews discovered the remains of three more people as they
searched the rubble of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and
businesses near the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to
10, officials said Thursday. Authorities set up a hotline for people to
report missing friends and relatives, and after following up on dozens
of leads, they said many of those people had been accounted for. They
did not say whether they believe anyone else is still missing or may
have died. “I think it’s fair to say that the search is winding down,”
Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said. “And hopefully we will not find
any more.” He said the searches would likely be completed Friday. Nearly
24 hours of rain on Wednesday helped dampen the wildfires, but fire
officials struck a cautious tone, saying people shouldn’t have a false
sense of security because months of drought have left the ground bone
dry and wildfires can rekindle.... More than 14,000 residents and
visitors in Gatlinburg were forced to evacuate, and the typically
bustling tourist city has been shuttered ever since. At least 700
buildings in the county have been damaged.... Starting Friday,
homeowners, business owners, renters and lease holders will be allowed
to go see most of their Gatlinburg properties, said City Manager Cindy
Cameron Ogle. The city is hoping to open main roads to the general
public on Wednesday.
Video: Ex-Cop Astonished After Taking Medical Marijuana for
Parkinson’s
Mikael Thalen - Larry Smith, who’s suffered from the
debilitating ailment for over 20 years, was filmed ingesting CBD
oil for a recently released documentary entitled “Ride with
Larry.” Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in cannabis that
unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does not produce intoxicating
effects. The compound has been found in some studies to have the
possibility of “improving quality of life measures in PD
patients…” Meeting with a fellow Parkinson’s sufferer in
California, Larry, who had previously been hesitant to try CBD,
saw his symptoms nearly vanish within just a few minutes. “With
a few drops of cannabis oil under his tongue, Larry’s severe
dyskinesia (uncontrolled movements), loss of voice, and tremors
are calmed within in minutes!” the video’s description states.
“We didn’t even edit the footage because the results were so
startling.”… The documentary reveals Larry spent years and years
prior to trying CBD oil looking for any treatment that would
provide him with relief. “Larry has exhausted every conventional
method of treatment, every drug, and even brain surgery,” the
film’s trailer states. Following his experience with medical
marijuana, the film continues by documenting Larry’s 300-mile
bike ride across South Dakota aimed at giving hope to others
with his disease.
Congress Prepares to Vote on Bill That Would Speed up Drug
Approval
Natural Society - If the bill is approved, it would speed up the
approval of new drugs and medical devices. The House has been
heavily criticized for allegedly rushing piece of legislation
through without sufficient scrutiny. The legislation, dubbed the
21st Century Cures Act, sets aside $6.3 billion for biomedical
research, opioid abuse prevention, and support for the FDA,
which oversees the safety of drugs. Multiple provisions are
contained in the bill that are designed to loosen the
requirements for drugmakers seeking approval from the agency to
market their products. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle
largely support the bill, but consumer advocates say major
trade-offs in the legislation could actually strip the FDA of
some of its regulatory power…. Drug and medical device companies
are thrilled with the legislation, which lobbyists have been
working overtime to try and get passed. According to the Center
for Responsive Politics, more than 1,400 lobbyists have pushed
for the bill’s passage, including drug companies and
universities, which would all benefit from an increase in
biomedical research funding…. But fast-tracking drugs has cost
people their lives in the past. The best example of this is
Vioxx, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). During
the review process for the pain reliever, an FDA medical officer
looking at clinical trials noted a threefold increase in
cardiovascular problems by people taking it, but could not
definitively say Vioxx was the cause.
Low glutathione levels increase risk of disease
(NaturalHealth365) Glutathione, a nutrient vital to health, is a
mixture of three amino acids: glycine, glutamine, and cysteine.
It exists in every cell – with particularly large amounts in the
liver – and is endogenous, meaning it is created naturally
within the body. Glutathione is the body’s most important
antioxidant, protecting cells from damage, amplifying the immune
system and assisting with DNA repair. It also helps shift
metabolism from fat production to muscle growth. Probably
glutathione’s most important function is the role it plays in
binding to, and neutralizing, dangerous free radicals — which
otherwise can create the oxidative stress that destroys tissue
and sets the stage for disease…. Common threats to glutathione
levels include environmental toxins and pollution,
pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medications, poor diet,
trauma, infection and stress. Keep in mind, glutathione
naturally declines with age… Although you should ideally obtain
about 250 milligrams a day of glutathione from diet, most people
consume closer to 35 milligrams – a dismally low amount, and
insufficient for optimal health. … eat natural, organic foods
that contain glutathione – or the amino acids your body needs to
make it. Foods rich in glutathione include melons, grapefruit
and peaches. Glutathione is also found in leafy greens such as
spinach. Cruciferous vegetables – such as cabbage, Brussels
sprouts, broccoli, and kale – and members of the allium family –
including garlic, onions, leeks and chives – are rich sources of
sulfur-containing compounds, important in the production of
cysteine. Another great food to boost cysteine production is a
high-quality whey protein, made from denatured proteins from
non-pasteurized and non-industrially-processed milk. …eat foods
rich in antioxidant vitamin C – such as citrus fruits, red bell
peppers and strawberries. These can assist in the recycling of
glutathione in the body. Supplements can help your body produce
and optimize more glutathione…. Alpha-lipoic acid, another
powerful endogenous antioxidant, increases glutathione
production in the body, as does the sleep hormone melatonin –
which stimulates production of the antioxidant enzyme
glutathione peroxidase.
An animal shelter and an assisted living facility are saving kittens and
it's the positivity we need
HelloGiggles - Basically everybody loves kittens, right? Seriously, how
can you not love tiny baby cats? Upsettingly, however, kittens that
aren’t weaned from their mothers before being separated have a low
chance of survival. That’s why this animal shelter has teamed up with
this assisted living facility to help save orphaned kittens. Now, we
totally obsess over cute cats on Instagram, baby animals in general, and
have already started planning our cat’s Christmas presents. But this
story about how the Pima Animal Care Center in Arizona has joined forces
with the Catalina Springs Memory Care facility to help save the baby
cats is the sort of heartwarming and positive news we need in the world
right now. Two kittens, Peaches and Turtle, made their way over to
Catalina Springs in October to launch the program. Weighing just 7
ounces each (!), the two little ones needed round-the-clock attention
and feeding. That’s where the residents of Catalina Springs stepped in.
The idea was the genius move of Rebecca Hamilton, Catalina Springs’
health service director, who also fosters kittens herself. Approaching
the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC), Hamilton thought that teaming up the
needy kittens with the residents of the care home could serve two
purposes, helping the kittens stay alive and giving the residents
something to care for. “To some it may seem peculiar at first: Residents
who are in need of around-the-clock care themselves, given the task to
care for these young kittens,” Sharon Mercer, Catalina Springs Memory
Care Executive Director, said. “But there are skills, emotions and needs
that do not just leave a person with Dementia or Alzheimer’s. The desire
to give love and receive love remains. The kittens have given us the
opportunity to nurture this human condition that lies in each and every
one of our residents.”
Keep Them Safe With These 8 Winter Tips
The Catington Post - Winter can be a dangerous time for pets. From
plunging temperatures to toxic chemicals, there are extra perils to
beware…. Pets don’t have it so easy, so here are a few tips for you to
follow to keep the pets in your life safe all winter long. 1. If it’s
too nasty for you to be outside; it’s too nasty for your pet. Domestic
pets don’t have inherent mechanisms to protect them from the elements
any more than we do. 2. Beware toxic chemicals. Where there’s ice,
there’s antifreeze. Antifreeze is highly poisonous to pets, and the neon
green puddles can be tempting for pets to try to drink from when all
other water is frozen. Likewise, de-icers such as salt and other
chemicals can be harmful to pets who walk on ground that has been
“de-iced” and later lick their paws, ingesting the toxins. If your pet
has been exposed to de-icers, make sure to rinse his paws in warm water
to clean them off. 3. Dehydration can happen in winter, too. If your pet
relies on an outside water source, make sure you have a way to keep it
from freezing. Pets can’t get sufficient water from eating snow. 4.
Protect the feet. Ice loves to cling to hair and fur. Keep your
furry-footed friend’s paw hair neatly trimmed, and if your pet has been
outside, inspect his paws for ice balls. 5. Be aware of heated “hiding
places”. It’s not uncommon for cats and other small animals to burrow
next to the still-warm engine of a parked car. Before you start your
car, knock on the hood or honk the horn a few times to scare stowaways –
you will be saving their life. 6. You are not the only one whose joints
can tell the temperature. If you have an older pet, he can be
experiencing increased discomfort during cold weather as well. 7.
Prepare your pet’s emergency kit. …this should include food, water,
litter, medication, towels, blankets, and maybe a favorite toy.
Additionally, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a recent picture of your
pet with you in case you get separated….
Thursday - December 1, 2016
Today In History:
1824 - The House of Representatives convened to decide the presidential
election because no candidate had received a majority in the Electoral
College. (John Quincy Adams was eventually chosen the winner over Andrew
Jackson and William Crawford.)
1835 - Hans Christian Andersen published his first book of fairy tales.
1862 - President Abraham Lincoln sent his Second Annual Message to
Congress, which was read aloud by the Secretary of the Senate. In it,
Lincoln called for the abolition of slavery, saying that "in giving
freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free,"
1913 - Ford Motor Co. began using a new movable assembly line that
ushered in the era of mass production.
1941 - In the U.S., the Civil Air Patrol was created. In April 1943 the
Civil Air Patrol was placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air
Forces.
1942 - In the U.S., nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect.
1943 - In Teheran, leaders of the United States, the USSR and the United
Kingdom met to reaffirm the goal set on October 30, 1943. The previous
meeting called for an early establishment of an international
organization to maintain peace and security.
1955 - Rosa Parks, a black seamstress in Montgomery, AL, refused to give
up her seat to a white man. She was arrested marking a milestone in the
civil rights movement in the U.S.
1959 - 12 countries, including the U.S. and USSR, signed a treaty that
set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, which would be free from
military activity.
1963 - The Beatles' first single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand," was
released in the United States.
1965 - An airlift of refugees from Cuba to the United States began.
1969 - The U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War
II.
1990 - Iraq accepted a U.S. offer to talk about resolving the Persian
Gulf crisis.
1994 - The U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval to the
124-nation General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. withdrawal in 18
months.
2013 - Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos revealed "Amazon Prime Air" on "60
Minutes." The services was planned to use unmanned aerial vehicles to
deliver packages to customers.
Hundreds Deported After Bulgarian Migrant Riot
Breitbart - In the aftermath of a massive riot that engulfed
Harmanli for almost an entire day, authorities have announced
the plans to deport 250 Afghans who contributed to the
disturbance. The government said on Monday that 50 of the Afghan
nationals had already agreed to leave voluntarily with a further
200 being processed for deportation, reports Austria’s largest
paper Kronen Zeitung. Bulgarian authorities report that many of
the men who took part in the riot were from Afghanistan and that
the leader who masterminded the violence was an Afghan
previously deported from Germany.... Authorities admitted that
skin diseases, viruses, and smallpox were present in over a
hundred migrants at the camp and decided to put the entire
population of 3,000 under lock down. The mandatory quarantine
led to anger from the migrants who then began to riot and fight
with police, throwing stones and injuring several officers.
Bulgaria has only recently had a problem with a growing number
of migrants due to the fact that it has become, like Greece, the
first and often last stop for migrants entering the EU.
UN to Free Assange, Final Ruling Says 'Arbitrary Detention' Must
End
The Free Thought Project - In a stunning win for Wikileaks,
London and Stockholm must end the ‘arbitrary detention’ of the
organization’s founder Julian Assange after the United Nations
rejected an appeal by the U.K. of a previous ruling as “not
admissible.”.... In February, the U.N.’s Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention found Assange to be arbitrarily detained in
the Ecuadorian Embassy in London due to actions of both Britain
and Sweden, and each government should ensure the Wikileaks
founder’s human rights.... While the ruling would theoretically
grant Assange the freedom to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy for
the first time in years, the push to have him extradited to the
United States leaves him in a precarious position.... Assange
still faces potential charges of rape in Sweden -but no
complaint has yet been filed. Most notably, he faces extradition
to the United States - where it is widely believed he would be
charged with espionage. Now, Julian Assange has the unimpeded
right to walk away from the Ecuadorian Embassy that has
graciously provided asylum to the arbitrarily detained Wikileaks
founder without fear of being arrested and taken into custody -
at least theoretically. Without grounds for further appeal, the
British and Swedish governments are left without tangible
justification for continuing to tacitly force Assange to remain
secreted inside his haven in London.
University Pledges End to Bans and Censorship On Campus,
Supports Free Speech
Heat Street - Cardiff University in Wales has said it will no
longer ban events by controversial speakers, declaring
“censorship is not the answer.” The decision was made by the
Cardiff University Students’ Union at their annual conference
last week, where they passed a motion called “Challenge, Don’t
Censor.”.... The move pushes back against the tide of safe space
culture which seeks to insulate students from opinions they
might find challenging. Cardiff itself was the scene of one such
incident last year, playing host to a virulent campaign to shut
down a speech by feminist Germaine Greer over her views on
transgender surgery.... Speaking to Heat Street about his
decision to propose the motion, Cardiff student James Daly said
the “negative perception” of the student body’s approach to free
speech after the Greer debacle helped spur him on. He added that
few people opposed the motion at the crucial moment, though some
have criticised it on social media since. The stand against
being told what they can hear and think echoes the response of a
group of sixth-form students, who were due to hear from Milo
Yiannopoulos before his speech was shut down by the UK
Government. In an open letter to censorious authorities, pupils
from Simon Langton Grammar School expressed their dismay, saying
“we do not need to be protected” from controversial speakers.
Oil prices surge as OPEC reaches deal to cut production by 1.2
million barrels
RT - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC) has agreed to cut supply by 1.2 million barrels per day
(bpd) to 32.5 million barrels, the head of the organization
announced. Ahead of the official announcement, Bloomberg broke
the news, quoting an unnamed delegate in Vienna. Crude prices
soared more than 7 percent on the report. s of 16:29 GMT, Brent
crude was trading at nearly $50 per barrel, while US crude
benchmark WTI was above $48. Calling the decision "historic,"
the organization said the output cut would be in effect from
January 1, 2017. The deal was reached after weeks of
negotiations, as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran fought for the very
last barrel of production. This is the first coordinated cut
from OPEC in eight years. According to the new agreement, Saudi
Arabia will reduce its production by 486,000 bpd, the official
announced. Ministers of Iraq and Kuwait said their countries
would reduce supplies by 209,000 bpd and 130,000 bpd
respectively. Meanwhile, Indonesia has suspended its OPEC
membership and is not taking part in the reduction. The
agreement also expects non-OPEC countries to cut about 600,000
bpd. Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak welcomed the OPEC
decision, saying Moscow would contribute its part if the
organization keeps to its commitments.
U.S. News, Politics & Government |
Former NIST Employee Speaks Out, Says Building 7 Investigation
Bogus, Govt 'Denied Evidence'
The Free Thought Project - Peter Ketcham, who spent almost
fifteen years working at NIST [National Institute of Standards
and Technology], described how the flawed investigation methods
were significantly different from the normal standards used by
NIST, in a letter to the editor of the respected Europhysics
News magazine. Ketcham’s letter was published in the November
2016 issue and comes just months after the magazine’s August
2016 report examining the Building 7 collapse in detail.... The
root problem with the WTC Building 7 report is that NIST could
not perform a definitive study under common standards of the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) because it lacked
the physical evidence. Most of the structural steel was removed
and melted down beginning within days after September 11, and
some beams were stolen as reported by Telegraph. “The NIST I
knew was intellectually open, non-defensive, and willing to
consider competing explanations. The more I investigated, the
more apparent it became that NIST had reached a predetermined
conclusion by ignoring, dismissing, and denying the
evidence....".... The main pre-determined conclusion which
Ketcham refers to is the theory created to explain why the
47-story building fell to the ground in about 12 seconds....
NIST’s WTC 7 report concludes that fires led to the thermal
expansion of long-span steel beams which supported the floors,
causing one beam on the 13th floor to fall off of its seat. The
report claims part of the 13th floor collapsed, triggering a
chain reaction of floors failing around one specific vertical
support column, which caused the building to fall in on
itself.... However, the initial cause of the collapse receives
the most scrutiny as researchers proved NIST did not accurately
model the steel’s connection at the stated point of initial
failure. NIST left out multiple smaller design elements shown in
the construction plans which would have built a stronger
connection in the computer model.
Obama Raids Health Programs to Pay for Illegal Immigrants
LifeZette - Barbara Clark, a deputy director of the department,
sent a letter to congressional staffers indicating that HHS
Secretary Sylvia Burwell intends to shift $167 million to pay
for housing, health care, schooling, recreation, and other
services for unaccompanied minors until the current temporary
spending bill expires Dec. 9.... Clark wrote that the department
will still be short $40 million to $165 million for the
unaccompanied minors. Under federal law, Burwell has authority
to redirect 1 percent of any program’s budget without
authorization from Congress. “What Burwell did was took a little
bit from almost every account,” [Center for Immigration Studies
director of policy studies, Jessica] Vaughan said.... Health
programs taking a hit include: $14 million from the Health
Resources and Services Administration... $14 million from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... $72 million from
the National Institutes of Health... $8 million from the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... $8
million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...
$39 million from the Children and Families Services Program...
$4 million from the Aging and Disability Services Programs; $3
million from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency
Fund.
Trump Opts to Keep US Attorney Preet Bharara
Weasel Zippers - This is actually good as US Attorney’s Office
out of the Southern District (Preet Bharara’s office) is leading
the Clinton Foundation case. Via Newsmax: President-elect Donald
Trump has chosen to retain U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the
prosecutor confirmed after their Wednesday meeting at Trump
Tower in New York, Politico reported. “We had a good meeting,”
Bharara told reporters. “I agreed to stay on. I have already
spoken to Senator Sessions, who is as you know the nominee to be
the attorney general. He also asked that I stay on, and so I
expect that I will be continuing to work at the southern
district.” Bharara was appointed by President Obama in 2009 as
lead prosecutor of the southern district in Manhattan. Bharara
has earned a high profile for getting convictions of corruption
cases and white collar crimes.
Trump Quits All Business To Focus On Presidency
Steve Watson - President-elect Donald Trump sent out a series of
tweets Wednesday indicating that he is leaving business behind
entirely in order to focus solely on his time in office. Trump
noted that he plans to hold an event in New York City in two
weeks to renounce all ties to several businesses. He noted that
while there is no law that mandates those in office not to have
businesses, he sees it as “visually important, as President, to
in no way have a conflict of interest.”
Carrier Employee Issues Heartfelt Thank You To Trump For Helping
1,000 American Workers Keep Their Jobs (Video)
Daily Caller - Robin Maynard, a 24-year Carrier employee, issued
a heartfelt thank you to Donald Trump and Mike Pence during a
Wednesday morning interview on Fox News…. “I would like to tell
him thank you for going out of your way and taking your time
away from your family, working on the Carrier and employees’
deal,” Maynard stated. “Sticking to your word and going to bat
for us all at Carrier and keeping our jobs here. I’d like to
thank him and Mike Pence for doing it so quickly.” Maynard added
that he hadn’t expected “an announcement for three or four
weeks, and we’re what? Two days from the meeting with them, and
they’ve already made their announcement?” “I’m very excited and
would like to thank both of them personally and shake their
hands hopefully tomorrow.”
Ohio State Attack: Student Tells CNN 'Military Men' Guarded
Doors on Campus
Breitbart - Roughly an hour and half later, after the ordeal was
over and the campus safe, Albany, New York, Fox 23 anchor John
Gray put up a Facebook post in which he recounted hearing Molley
Clarke’s phone interview with CNN. Gray wrote: Lost in all the
chaos at Ohio State University today was something that most
people probably missed. About an hour into it, when everyone was
“sheltering in place” all over campus, CNN took a phone call
from a young woman who was locked inside a classroom right near
where the suspect was hurting people. She said she was a
graduate student and she and many others were huddled together
scared and not sure what was happening outside. Then she said
something made me tear up. She said casually to the TV anchor
over the phone, “But we happened to have a few ‘military guys’
in my class and the minute we got the text message alert of an
‘active shooter on campus’ they moved the rest of us away from
the door and then all of them stood guard right by the door.”
She said they were standing there as she spoke making certain if
a shooter or someone with a knife or whatever calamity tried to
come through that door, they would be the first thing he’d see
and they’d stop it and protect the other students or die trying.
Gray closed his post, writing: Those “military guys” instantly
put themselves on the clock and assumed the position to protect
those unarmed, vulnerable students. I thought that was
impressive. I thought that was brave. I thought that was oh so
very American. I also thought you’d want to know. Gray’s
Facebook post went viral with over 500,000 shares at the time of
this writing.
Charlotte Braces For Riots After Officer in Keith Scott Shooting
Escapes Charges
Paul Joseph Watson - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer
Brentley Vinson shot 43-year-old Scott when he refused to drop a
gun during an incident on September 20. The shooting prompted
two nights of rioting during which National Guard troops were
deployed to the city. After Vinson’s attorney announced that he
would not face charges and that Vinson had “acted lawfully” in
using deadly force, Charlotte Uprising, a coalition of protest
groups, immediately revealed plans to mass outside
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police headquarters at 6:35pm this
evening. “CMPD officers have been put on alert and will work
12-hour shifts beginning Wednesday in case violent
demonstrations occur when the decision is made known,” reports
the News & Observer. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police’s
specialized riot squad unit has already been mobilized. Building
managers are also being urged to prepare for potential violent
unrest by chaining down tables and chairs as well as hiring
extra security staff. Meanwhile, some Twitter users responded to
the news that Vinson would not face charges by saying they
expected riots.
Ole Miss Pulls 'Sanctuary Campus' Proposal After Backlash
Breitbart - Hours after Breitbart Texas reported on the push to
make Ole Miss a sanctuary campus, the resolution was pulled from
being voted on by the Student Senate after alumni and the
general public flooded the university’s and Sen. Chris
McDaniel’s (R-Ms) office with concerns over the resolution,
according to Mississippi Pep. Under the proposed sanctuary
campus policy pushed by social justice groups and the Ole Miss
College Democrats, campus police would have been barred from
cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and
Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The resolution also
demanded that Ole Miss “refuse” ICE and federal immigration
officials the ability to set foot on the public campus. Under
the resolution, the use of E-verify would have been banned while
the creation of a university office for illegal immigrant
students would have been established.
Election/Post-Election News |
The Latest: Wisconsin judge refuses to order hand recount
StarTribune - The state Elections Commission has ordered the
recount to begin Thursday but rejected Stein's request that
county clerks conduct the recount entirely by hand. Stein filed
a lawsuit seeking an order for a statewide hand recount. Stein's
attorneys argued during a hearing Tuesday evening that the best
way to determine if a cyberattack occurred is to check ballots
by hand against electronic tabulations from Election Day. State
lawyers countered there's no evidence to suggest any attack took
place. Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn refused to
issue the order, saying Stein's team failed to show any mistakes
or irregularities that would bring a machine recount into
question.
DEMOCRATS HAVE LEARNED NOTHING: Vote To Keep Nancy Pelosi As
House Minority Leader
The Gateway Pundit - Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio sounded the alarm for
Democrats after Trump’s win. He challenged Nancy Pelosi for
leadership of House Democrats because he was afraid their party
would be relegated to attracting only rich coastal elites and
those dependent on government. For his trouble, Ryan was accused
of sexism. Now the Democrats have voted to keep Nancy Pelosi as
House minority leader. In other words, they learned nothing from
the election. The Hill reports: …Pelosi got 134 votes to Ryan’s
63 — winning 68 percent of the votes after declaring before the
election that she had the support of two-thirds of the caucus.
The victory sends a message that while there’s a growing
appetite for major changes in the party’s leadership structure
and messaging tactics, it’s not strong enough to loosen Pelosi’s
grip on a liberal-heavy group that’s rarely challenged her
authority. Ryan and his supporters had argued that the
Democrats’ grim performance in this year’s elections — the
latest in a string of cycles planting Republicans firmly in the
majority — was a clear signal that Pelosi’s leadership strategy
has failed to attract the broad coalition of voters required to
return the Speaker’s gavel to the Democrats’ hands.
Republicans Are PUMPED Nancy Pelosi Won Her Leadership Race
The Daily Caller - Republicans are thrilled Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi beat Ohio Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan in the race to
hold onto her leadership post Wednesday, with a number saying
her continuation of power will help keep the GOP in the
majority. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy — who told
reporters Tuesday her continuation of past policies, like
keeping the current staff at the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee in place after the party’s devastating
election results Nov. 8, would only further her party’s losing
streak — congratulated his Democratic colleague on her win.
Navy Veteran’s Home Torched And Vandalized With Anti-Trump
Graffiti (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - FOX 13 reports: There are lots of questions
surrounding a fire that gutted a home on Johnson Street in Plant
City overnight. Along with heavy damage, anti-Trump graffiti was
sprayed on the house, inside and out. The family who lives there
was spending the night with relatives, but Navy veteran Matthew
Smith says his home was targeted because he is a Donald Trump
supporter. “It’s not what I expected out of America,” says
Smith. “It should be us figuring problems out together.” Smith
flies three flags in front of his house: the American flag, the
POW flag, and the Navy flag. “We supported Trump from when he
started running for office,” says Matthew’s wife Brittany. “We
never made it public. We never had a sign in our backyard, so no
one really knew we were pro Trump.” But Matthew says he’s been
very active on Facebook, with posts supporting Trump, the Second
Amendment, and other conservative causes.
Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Plan To Cost Taxpayers $137
Billion, GAO Finds
Zero Hedge - ... the Government Accountability Office has
released a report blasting the Education Department's
understanding of basic mathematics and accounting concepts after
finding the department drastically underestimated the costs of
Obama's student loan forgiveness programs. The 100-page report
entitled "Federal Student Loans: Education Needs to Improve Its
Income Driven Repayment Plan Budget Estimates" found that
taxpayers could be on the hook for $137BN of student loans to be
forgiven over the coming years as a result of Obama's executive
actions on "income-driven repayment" (IDR) plans.... As the Wall
Street Journal points out, the so-called IDR plans set caps on
borrowers' monthly student loan payments at 10% of discretionary
income, which is defined as earnings above 150% of the poverty
level. Then, whatever principal balance is left over on the
loans at their maturity date is simply forgiven.... Congress
approved the IDR plans in the 1990s and 2000s, but Obama used
executive actions, starting in 2010, to extend the most-generous
terms to millions of borrowers. Ironically, that is precisely
when loan volumes under the program started to skyrocket.
Thousands of U.S. Veterans to Serve as ‘Human Shields” for Dakota
Pipeline Protesters
AllGov - As many as 2,000 veterans plan to gather next week at the
Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota to serve as “human
shields” for protesters who have clashed with police for months over the
construction of an oil pipeline, organizers said. The effort, called
Veterans Stand for Standing Rock, is planned as a nonviolent
intervention to defend demonstrators from what the group calls “assault
and intimidation at the hands of the militarized police force.” The
veterans’ plan coincides with an announcement Tuesday by law enforcement
officials that they may impose fines to block supplies from entering the
main protest camp after a mandatory evacuation order from the governor.
Officials had warned earlier of a physical blockade, but they later
backed away from that, Reuters said. Protesters have vowed to stay put.
Last-ditch effort to prevent changes to law enforcement hacking rule
fails
TheHill - The updates to Rule 41 address two issues raised by modern
cyber investigations. Currently, when suspects use technical means to
disguise their location of their computers, it is impossible for law
enforcement to determine in which jurisdiction officers must apply for a
warrant. The updates would allow any judge to issue a warrant to hack a
computer of a suspect hiding its location. The new rules would also help
fight botnets - networks of hijacked computers used to send spam or as a
component of attacks that flood targets with too much traffic to
properly function. Currently, law enforcement needs individual warrants
to hack each computer it desires, slowing the process of shutting down a
botnet. The updates to Rule 41 allow law enforcement to use a single
application to apply to hack five or more computers.... Digital and
civil liberties advocates believe that the new rules create a boundless
new tool for surveillance. They fear that warrants for computers roped
into a botnet permit the government to hack innocent victims, and that
granting the right to approach any judge for a warrant would mean the
government would cherry-pick judges.... In a series of blog posts, the
Department of Justice has argued that all of the hacking powers
described in the rule changes are powers the government already have.
The only change, Justice argued, is the procedure for getting a warrant.
Android 'Gooligan' Hackers Just Scored The Biggest Ever Theft Of Google
Accounts
Forbes - A new variant of Android malware is responsible for what’s
believed to be the biggest single theft of Google accounts on record.
The so-called Gooligan strain has infected as many as 1.3 million
Android phones since August, completely prizing the devices open and
stealing the tokens users are given to verify they are authorized to
access their accounts. It’s main aim, though, is not to pilfer all that
juicy data in Gmail or Docs, but to force users into downloading apps as
part of a huge advertising fraud scheme, making as much as $320,000 a
month.... since the start of this month, it’s been racking up an average
of 13,000 new infections every day, according to researchers from Check
Point. The malicious software first gains a foothold on devices when
users visit a website and download a third-party app.... Once Gooligan
has control of the phone, the victim’s Google account token is siphoned
off to a remote server and could be used to gain access to their Gmail,
Docs, Drive, Photos and other data, even where two-factor authentication
is turned on. Check Point’s researchers were able to trace that server,
uncovering a stash of 1.3 million real Google accounts. Looking at
server logs, they were also able to determine as many as 30,000 apps
were being downloaded every day by infected phones, reaching a total of
2 million so far.
Gardening, Farming & Homesteading |
United States Is Turning Into a Factory Farm for China, With
Devastating Environmental Consequences
Dr. Mercola - Foreign corporations are also circumventing
American farmers altogether by purchasing farm land in the U.S.
In 2011, Chinese companies owned $81 million worth of American
farmland. By the end of 2012, Chinese ownership had skyrocketed
by 1,000 percent, to $900 million. They’re also buying up food
producers. In 2013, pork processor Smithfield was bought by
Shaunghui, the largest meat processing company in China. At $7.1
billion — 30 percent above its estimated market value — it was
the largest-ever Chinese buyout of an American company. Also
included in the deal was $480 million worth of American
farmland. With this buyout, the Chinese now own 1 out of every 4
pigs raised in the U.S…. Smithfield Foods, now owned by a
Chinese company, produces and releases vast amounts of waste
into our environment. According to the 2016 report, “Corporate
Agribusiness and the Fouling of America’s Waterways” by
Environment North Carolina, Smithfield discharged 3.6 million
tons of toxic pollutants from its hog slaughtering plant in Tar
Heel, North Carolina, in 2014…. Crazy enough, in 2015,
Smithfield asked a federal judge to forbid people living near
facilities from mentioning the fact that the company is Chinese
owned when arguing nuisance lawsuits in court…. More than 500
North Carolina residents have brought suit against the company,
saying the manure lagoons are harming their health and lowering
property values…. For Americans, the sale of farmland and food
production to foreign nationals is an absolute disaster, and may
make efforts to improve sustainability even more difficult than
it already is. A foreign company is likely going to be less
concerned about environmental and human health since they don’t
have to live with it.
Stop depression, stiff muscles, and chronic headaches with just
one grapefruit a day
Living Traditionally - Grapefruits contains powerful
antioxidants and valuable nutrients, such as Vitamins C, A, K,
D, and B complex. Other important nutrients contained in
grapefruits are potassium, folic acid, calcium, phytonutrients
and phosphorus. Consuming grapefruits on a regular basis boosts
the immune system and helps prevent colds. Additionally,
grapefruit juice is effective in healing sore throats,
eliminating coughs, and reducing fevers. Grapefruits are also
instrumental in increasing the body’s alkalinity and reducing
acidity, and in preventing or treating various diseases.
Grapefruits additional benefits include: *Promoting proper
functioning of the digestive system. The fibers in the fruit aid
in preventing constipation. *Controlling blood pressure.
*Lowering cholesterol. *Helps to control blood sugar levels.
Grapefruits are an excellent addition to a diet for diabetics.
*Alleviates fatigue. Those needing a quick pick-me-up will find
that a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice, mixed in equal
parts, will dispel general fatigue. *Relieves insomnia. People
suffering from this condition should drink one glass of
grapefruit juice before going to sleep. *Daily consumption of
grapefruits seems to relieve inflammation caused by inflammatory
disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. *And, last but
not least, grapefruits contain fat burning enzymes that are
instrumental in promoting weight loss…. It should be noted,
however, that grapefruits do interact with certain medications
which may cause potentially dangerous side effects. This is due
to the fact that they interfere in the absorption of certain
medications.
Marijuana Kills Cancer Cells, Admits the US National Cancer
Institute
Natural Society - National legalization of marijuana may be
drawing a smidgeon closer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI),
one of the federal government sponsored agencies, has just
updated the FAQs on its website to include recent studies on
marijuana showing that it can and has killed cancer cells. These
are the findings of studies NCI have included: • Cannabinoids
may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell
growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by
tumors to grow. Laboratory and animal studies have shown that
cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting
normal cells. • Cannabinoids may protect against inflammation of
the colon and may have potential in reducing the risk of colon
cancer, and possibly in its treatment. • A laboratory study of
delta -9-THC in hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) cells
showed it damaged or killed the cancer cells. The same study of
delta-9-THC in models of liver cancer showed that it had
anti-tumor effects. Delta-9-THC has been shown to cause these
effects by acting on molecules that may also be found in
non-small cell lung cancer cells and breast cancer cells. • A
laboratory study of cannabidiol (CBD) in estrogen receptor
positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells
showed that it caused cancer cell death while having little
effect on normal breast cells. Studies of metastatic breast
cancer showed that cannabinoids may lessen the growth, number,
and spread of tumors….
* Related:
Video: What if Cannabis Cured (Cancer) Full Version
Why Do Cats Purr? It’s Not Just Because They’re Happy
Midnight in the Desert - No one is certain exactly why cats purr, though
there are a number of good guesses. The obvious observation is cats seem
to purr when they’re pleased and feeling good. But that’s not always the
case: Some cats also purr when they’re hungry, injured, or frightened.
And most surprisingly, purring frequencies have been shown to stimulate
bone regeneration…. Domestic cats purr at a frequency of about 26 Hertz,
in a range that promotes tissue regeneration. That’s not as crazy as it
sounds: High-impact exercise promotes bone health for the same reason,
because bones respond to pressure by making themselves stronger. In
their natural setting, cats spend a lot of time lying around waiting to
hunt, so purring may stimulate bones so that they don’t become weak or
brittle. In fact, purr-like vibration devices have been patented for
potential use in therapy, and some researchers have proposed strapping
vibrating plates to astronauts’ feet during long space flights to retain
bone density.
Owning a Specimen of the World’s Rarest, Most Controversial Cat Breed
Costs $23,000
Midnight in the Desert - Created by crossing a wild Caracal and an
Abyssinian cat, the Caracat is currently the world’s rarest and most
expensive cat breed. It numbers only 30 specimens, and owning one costs
1.5 million Russian rubles, or $23,400…. The Caracat is an extremely
rare and controversial breed. According to Ruptly TV, an outfit of
Russia Today, there are only 30 Caracat specimens in the world today,
which has to do with the difficulties of mixing two different size
felines – a wild Caracal, which weighs around 30 pounds, with a domestic
Abyssinian, which weighs about 10 pounds. Cat Breeder Jacquie Barnes-Hookey
says that “because of the difference in the length of gestation, the
kittens only rarely survive.”… Cat breeder Barbara Galbraith Furbish
also agrees that while the Caracat “is an amazingly beautiful animal, to
intentionally cross a species that would not otherwise be inclined to
cross ‘au naturale’ is the wrong kind of ‘gene fiddling'”. She adds that
because of the unnatural cross between a Caracal and a Abyssinian cat,
one can see both “the wild animal pleading behind those eyes to be
released” and “the panicked domestic.”
Missing Florida dog found in New Jersey three years later
UPI - A missing Maltese Pomeranian mix from Florida was reunited with
her owner after turning up in New Jersey three years later. Bill
Gerstein of Fort Lauderdale shared a photo with his newly found dog,
Bella, to a Facebook page dedicated to finding the beloved pet. "Almost
three years later, miracles do really happen," a post on the Facebook
page said. "Bella was turned in as a stray in New Jersey. Will be
returning home shortly." Gerstein told North Jersey News Bella
disappeared while playing outside of his law office in Dec. 2013.
PAST NEWS
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