December 2009 Archives

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/30/tracking-taxes-defense-bill/21/

Despite the billions in pork, the White House says it's making progress. The earmarking total is 14 percent lower than it was on last year's defense bill, and the Obama administration says federal agencies found more than $19 billion in contract savings for 2010. The president has also succeeded in killing funding for the pricy F-22 Joint Strike Fighter and a new presidential helicopter.

Members of Congress are also defending their earmarks. Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., who added the Ted Kennedy Institute to the defense budget, says it is a tribute to the late Senator's leadership on military technology and safety for our troops.

Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., says she was "proud" to secure $20 million for a new wing of the National World War II museum in her home state.

But a study by the Center of Defense Information says earmarks like those in this bill -- including those for the solar film, prostate cancer research, and the New York sprinkler system -- mean less money for pilot training, supplies, repairs and ammunition.

Harrison is especially disappointed Congress cut $300 million from a successful counterinsurgency program used by Army field commanders.

"That money is used by commanders on ground in Iraq and Afghanistan to fund small projects that help win over the local population," he said.

Anthrax is almost everywhere. It is part of nature. Just because some people want to turn it into a weapon, and have found ways to do so, does not mean that all or even most incidents are terrorism. This is a great example of that.

Beware where you drum! The odds are one in a billion that you could get sick.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581460,00.html?test=latestnews

A New Hampshire woman diagnosed with a rare gastrointestinal anthrax case may have swallowed spores propelled into the air by vigorous drumming, a state health expert said.

Officials haven't confirmed how the woman contracted the disease but are focusing on a drum circle gathering she attended Dec. 4 at the United Campus Ministry center in Durham shortly before becoming ill. Public health officials who learned of her diagnosis last week immediately began investigating, and earlier this week shut down the ministry center after anthrax spores were found on two drums.

Some health officials believe it's the nation's first case of gastrointestinal anthrax, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is unsure.

Dr. Elizabeth Talbot, an adviser to the state's public health division, said one theory is that the woman ingested airborne spores from a drum's animal-hide covering.

"This was a wild type of anthrax that is found ubiquitously in our environment. It can become stirred up or agitated to a place where it briefly suspends in the air, and this patient likely contacted it on her fingers and introduced it into her mouth or inhaled a ... spore into her mouth and then swallowed it," she said.

Two recent U.S. anthrax cases involved African drums covered with animal hides, but those involved spores that were inhaled or entered through the skin.

http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2009/12/obama-officials-tip-off-al-qaeda-in-yemen-retaliation-strikes-are-on-the-way/

Obama officials tipped off Al-Qaeda in Yemen (al-Qaida on the Arabian Peninsula) that retaliation strikes are being planned against the local terrorists.
CNN reported, via Kristinn:

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. and Yemen are now looking at fresh targets in Yemen for a potential retaliation strike, two senior U.S. officials told CNN Tuesday, in the aftermath of the botched Christmas Day attack on an airliner that al Qaeda in Yemen claims it organized.

The officials asked not to be not be identified because of the sensitive nature of the information. They both stressed the effort is aimed at being ready with options for the White House if President Obama orders a retaliatory strike. The effort is to see whether targets can be specifically linked to the airliner incident and its planning.

U.S. special operations forces and intelligence agencies, and their Yemeni counterparts, are working to identify potential al Qaeda targets in Yemen, one of the officials said. This is part of a new classified agreement with the Yemeni government that the two countries will work together and that the U.S. will remain publicly silent on its role in providing intelligence and weapons to conduct strikes.

Related... The Washington Times reported today that Anwar al-Awlaki, the same Muslim imam suspected of radicalizing the Fort Hood shooting suspect, blessed the Detroit undie bomber's mission.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/29/they-arrived-skeptical-but-leave-reassured/?test=latestnews

A bipartisan Congressional delegation expressed serious concerns Tuesday about Afghan President Hamid Karzai's ability to halt corruption and clean up his weak government after meeting with the Afghan leader, but said they are now more confident in Gen. Stanley McChystal's plan for fighting the Taliban.

"I came here with a healthy skepticism about sending more troops to Afghanistan," said Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY). "But after two days here, my comfort level with General McChrystal's plan has increased immeasurably."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Technology/EXCLUSIVE-Stem-Cell-Glue-Saves-Injured-Climbers-Leg-Thomas-Moore-Reports/Article/200912315500907?lpos=Technology_Carousel_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15500907_EXCLUSIVE%3A_Stem_Cell_Glue_Saves_Injured_Climbers_Leg._Thomas_Moore_Reports

Andrew Kent broke his leg so badly while rock climbing in the Lake District that traditional surgery failed.

For the first time in Britain, doctors then used his own stem cells to heal the bones in a technique they believe could revolutionise orthopaedic operations.

"I've got a good prognosis. I'm very pleased with the way things have turned out," Mr Kent told Sky News.

He and his son were climbing in the Langdale Pikes earlier this year when a large boulder fell on his right leg, breaking it in five places.

His tibia - the shinbone - had broken through the skin just above his ankle.

I have always liked Stephen King. His literary skills are excellent and he always comes across as a real nice guy. Sure, I seem to remember a few incidents where he came across as a jerk in the press, but who hasn't? You check up on me and you might find dirt on me too! I have had the occasional irrational rant or bout of sarcasm online.

This more than makes up it though. Thank you Mr and Mrs King!

Oh, at first I thought the dollar short of $13,000 was kind of weird, but then I remembered who was donating and realized that if anyone had a right to be paranoid about the supernatural, well... duh!

I raise a toast to the King family for this holiday gift for our fighting men and women. What a great gesture.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580128,00.html?test=latestnews

BANGOR, Maine --

Author Stephen King and his wife are donating money so 150 soldiers from the Maine Army National Guard can come home for the holidays.

King and his wife, Tabitha, who live in Bangor, are paying $13,000 toward the cost of two bus trips so that members of the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Unit can travel from Camp Atterbury in Indiana to Maine for Christmas. The soldiers left Maine last week for training at Camp Atterbury. They are scheduled to depart for Afghanistan in January.

Julie Eugley, one of King's personal assistants, told the Bangor Daily News that the Kings were approached about giving $13,000.

But Stephen King thought the number 13 was a bit unlucky, so the couple pitched in $12,999 instead. Eugley chipped in $1 to make for an even $13,000.

http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archive/2009/12/video-in-honor-of-copenhagen-carlin-on-t/index.shtml

http://www.homeland1.com/homeland-security-products/emergency-preparedness-response-education-training/articles/679100-civilian-disaster-scenario-training-why-and-how-we-should-do-it/

Too much media coverage of disasters is really just the same thing over and over: "Oh, look! There's Anderson Cooper in his slicker, and the rain is going sideways!"

These are the words of Amanda Ripley, author of "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes -- and Why" and senior writer for Time magazine whose reporting on Hurricane Katrina helped Time win two National Magazine Awards, at a Tuesday morning session at the 57th annual IAEM conference.

Ripley explained that her book grew from the fact that she likes to ask disaster survivors what they wish they had known.

The year off that she took to report and write the book taught her that there are three phases of "disaster think."

Phase 1
The first is Denial/Disbelief, which can actually start years before an event. When the brain is under stress, the amygdala takes over from the higher centers and responds based on existing patterns. "New information doesn't work well in these moments," Ripley commented.

Part of the brain's limbic system, the amygdala has an important role in emotional rea

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.couple.in.court.over.comments.about.islam/24840.htm

Christian couple in court over comments about Islam
by Jenna Lyle
Posted: Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 11:31 (GMT)
Font Scale:A A A

Christian hotel owners Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang go on trial today for comments they made about Islam.

The couple, who own the Bounty House Hotel in Liverpool, are being prosecuted for a religiously aggravated public disorder after a Muslim guest complained they had made offensive comments to her on March 20.

They allegedly described Muslim dress for women as "bondage" and described the Prophet Mohammed as a "warlord".

Their legal defence is being funded by the Christian Institute. Its director Colin Hart is appealing to Christians to pray for the couple as they stand before Liverpool Magistrates' Court today and tomorrow.

"We believe that it is the first case of its kind in the UK and could have significant implications for the religious freedom of all Christians," he said.

Christian Institute spokesman Mike Judge said previously that there were "significant free speech and religious liberty issues at stake".

The Vogelenzangs fear the court case could lead to financial ruin after a nearby hospital stopped referring patients to the hotel over the accusations. The Christian Institute said the move had led to an 80 per cent drop in the hotel's income. They face a £5,000 fine and criminal record if found guilty.

Their defence lawyer David Whiting said: "Ben and Sharon do not accept they were threatening, abusive or insulting."

http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue7908.html

Kenyan Christian group rejects Islamic courts in constitution

The head of the National Christian Council of Kenya has called for the removal of provisions for Islamic courts from a draft constitution for the east African country, saying this contradicts with the principle of equality for all religions, reports Ecumenical News International.

"We have said they [Islamic courts] have no business being in the national constitution," the church council general secretary, the Rev. Peter Karanja, told journalists on 3 December in Limuru near Nairobi.

Karanja said that Christians fear the maintenance of the Kadhi courts, as they are known locally, in the latest draft constitution will be a further step towards Islamic rule in Kenya, where Muslims account for 10 percent of the 39 million people and Christians almost 80 percent.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579309,00.html

U.S. Marines have launched their first major Afghan operation since the U.S. troop surge was announced, Fox News has learned.

Marine Major Bill Pelletier at Camp Leatherneck tells Fox News that an operation involving 1,000 Marines, U.K. forces and Afghan Army members is under way in the northern Helmand Province on Friday morning.

Pelletier says the aim of the operation is to target Taliban strongolds in the area. There has been significant engagement with the enemy, and several enemy casualties are reported.

Hundreds of troops from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and the Marine reconnaissance unit Task Force Raider were dropped by helicopter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft behind Taliban lines in the northern end of the Now Zad Valley of Helmand province, scene of heavy fighting last summer, according to Pelletier.

http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/5901/1197330?title=homeland1_hp&wpid=812

http://www.debbieschlussel.com/13158/another-muslim-hijacking-dry-run-if-true-tedd-petrunas-my-new-hero/

Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 11:32 AM

Subject: Long story short....

One week ago, I went to Ohio on business and to see my father. On Tuesday, November the 17th, I returned home. If you read the papers the 18th you may have seen a blurb where a AirTran flight was cancelled from Atlanta to Houston due to a man who refused to get off of his cell phone before takeoff. It was on Fox.

This was NOT what happened.

I was in 1st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back.

As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permitted at the time. He ignored her as if she was not there.

The 2nd man who answered the phone did the same and this took out the 2nd stewardess. In the back of the plane at this time,

http://www.thejidf.org/2009/12/uk-muslim-teens-boast-about-becoming.html

GUN-toting members of a new Birmingham teenage gang are boasting about becoming suicide bombers, it was claimed last night.

The chillingly named Bang Bang Taliban have told community workers they want to dominate the city's gangland - and that they would gladly be "martyred" as Islamist terrorists.

The gang, thought to be linked to the notorious Burger Bar Boys, mainly consists of Asian youngsters from the Handsworth area.

"They're threatening rivals with violence and talking about becoming suicide bombers," said one community worker, who asked not to be named. Their affiliation is with the Burgers, and nine out of 10 of their members will start off as couriers and runners for the bigger gangs.

"It's a real shock to hear them talking about suicide bombings and grinning about it.

This article is very right about the lack of critical elements.What is interesting is the spin that the programs ended before the Department of Homeland of Security was created, and it is the DHS fault for not restarting it while they built an entire new agency out of the scraps from dozens of other places.

Building all this has not been easy and has included many mistakes. The good outweighs the bad, however, and things are getting better all the time. There is still a long way to go and this article points that out. I am kind of ticked about their approach, but they are the Times, and will find a way to slant things to make the Democrats look good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/us/23helium.html?_r=1

The Department of Homeland Security has spent $230 million to develop better technology for detecting smuggled nuclear bombs but has had to stop deploying the new machines because the United States has run out of a crucial raw material, experts say.

The ingredient is helium 3, an unusual form of the element that is formed when tritium, an ingredient of hydrogen bombs, decays. But the government mostly stopped making tritium in 1989.

"I have not heard any explanation of why this was not entirely foreseeable," said Representative Brad Miller, Democrat of North Carolina, who is the chairman of a House subcommittee that is investigating the problem.

An official from the Homeland Security Department testified last week before Mr. Miller's panel, the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Science Committee, that demand for helium 3 appeared to be 10 times the supply.

Some government agencies, Mr. Miller said, did anticipate a crisis, but the Homeland Security Department appears not to have gotten the message.

http://www.understandingthesurge.org/screening-room/

Understanding the Surge from ISW on Vimeo.