Wednesday, December 31, 2014
As Feared, It’s a Season of High Flu Intensity
(nytimes.com)Union wide, we’re on track for a nasty flu season, with both a large number of cases and many severe ones that require hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It declared an influenza epidemic this week, a status achieved at some point nearly every year, though not usually this early in the season. Twenty-two states and Puerto Rico are reporting high flu intensity. In some parts of the country, flu infections have outpaced those from each of the last few years, according to data from the C.D.C.
Google Flu Trends, which measures flu intensity using search terms, shows a similar pattern of high flu activity.
The worrisome outlook is the result of a confluence of factors: an early start to the flu season, with more people sick in December than usual; a strain that tends to make people sicker; a relatively low vaccination rate; and a mismatch between this year’s flu vaccine and the virus that’s making people sick.
“We’re already above the peak that we saw last year, and we’re increasing,” said Dr. Michael Jhung, a medical officer at the Influenza Division of the C.D.C. who predicts it will be several more weeks before flu infections peak.
The C.D.C. tracks flu deaths, hospitalizations and the percentage of doctors’ visits for flulike illness. The detailed, public data make it easy to watch the flu take off this year. Google Flu Trends tells a similar story, although its algorithm has been criticized for overestimating the prevalence of the flu. Full Story
Are Monarch Butterflies Endangered? Population Down Ninety Percent
(Forbes.com) - Once a ubiquitous symbol of the arrival of spring across North America and elsewhere, the monarch butterfly may be moving towards official listing as an endangered species.
On Monday, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it is beginning a status review of the iconic black and orange species, starting with a request for scientific and commercial data and other information from the public about the monarch and its decline.
The federal agency decided to move forward with the review in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the Center for Food Safety, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and monarch expert Dr. Lincoln Brower. The groups cite data that shows monarchs have declined by 90 percentin the past 20 years. Full Story
On Monday, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it is beginning a status review of the iconic black and orange species, starting with a request for scientific and commercial data and other information from the public about the monarch and its decline.
The federal agency decided to move forward with the review in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the Center for Food Safety, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and monarch expert Dr. Lincoln Brower. The groups cite data that shows monarchs have declined by 90 percentin the past 20 years. Full Story
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
US Abortion Industry on Verge Of "Implosion"
(The following contains sensitive material)
- The “implosion” in America’s abortion industry is continuing, and the only thing that prevents a complete collapse is a series of court injunctions that are preventing various state safety laws from being enforced, according to a new survey of the situation.
“In all, 73 abortion facilities shut down for all or part of the year. The total number of all remaining abortion clinics in the U.S. is currently 739. Surgical abortion facilities account for 551 of that total while the number of medication-only abortion facilities stands at 188,” said the report from Operation Rescue. “Out of 60 surgical abortion clinic closures, 47 were permanent. This represents a 23 percent decline in surgical abortion facilities over the past five years.
“The only things that are preventing total collapse are court injunctions that are blocking several state abortion safety laws from being enforced,” the report said.
The report said 13 surgical facilities were closed, but then allowed to reopen “primarily due to court action that enjoined abortion safety laws that had shut down the substandard facilities.”
“While the abortion clinic closures did not eclipse the high water mark of 93 total closures in 2013, the 73 closures this year far exceeds the two dozen closures recorded in 2012,” the report said. “The 2014 figures represent a net decrease of 31 surgical abortion facilities nationwide. Even though the number of medication abortion facilities increased by 11 over 2013 numbers, they still remain below the high of 196 facilities in 2012.
“We are continuing to witness the implosion of the abortion cartel in America,” said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue. “The only things that are preventing total collapse are court injunctions that are blocking several state abortion safety laws from being enforced. Once those laws clear the courts, we expect to see even more dangerous abortion facilities close. This is great news for women and babies because when abortion clinics close, lives are saved.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/
- The “implosion” in America’s abortion industry is continuing, and the only thing that prevents a complete collapse is a series of court injunctions that are preventing various state safety laws from being enforced, according to a new survey of the situation.
“In all, 73 abortion facilities shut down for all or part of the year. The total number of all remaining abortion clinics in the U.S. is currently 739. Surgical abortion facilities account for 551 of that total while the number of medication-only abortion facilities stands at 188,” said the report from Operation Rescue. “Out of 60 surgical abortion clinic closures, 47 were permanent. This represents a 23 percent decline in surgical abortion facilities over the past five years.
“The only things that are preventing total collapse are court injunctions that are blocking several state abortion safety laws from being enforced,” the report said.
The report said 13 surgical facilities were closed, but then allowed to reopen “primarily due to court action that enjoined abortion safety laws that had shut down the substandard facilities.”
“While the abortion clinic closures did not eclipse the high water mark of 93 total closures in 2013, the 73 closures this year far exceeds the two dozen closures recorded in 2012,” the report said. “The 2014 figures represent a net decrease of 31 surgical abortion facilities nationwide. Even though the number of medication abortion facilities increased by 11 over 2013 numbers, they still remain below the high of 196 facilities in 2012.
“We are continuing to witness the implosion of the abortion cartel in America,” said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue. “The only things that are preventing total collapse are court injunctions that are blocking several state abortion safety laws from being enforced. Once those laws clear the courts, we expect to see even more dangerous abortion facilities close. This is great news for women and babies because when abortion clinics close, lives are saved.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/
Idaho: Woman at Walmart Is Accidentally Shot Dead by 2-Year-Old Son
tragic
(newyorktimes.com) HAYDEN, Idaho — The details are shatteringly ordinary. A 2-year-old toddler, sitting in a shopping cart in a Walmart, his mother’s purse unattended and within reach as she shopped. Three girls, all under age 11 — relatives of the boy and his mother, the police said — tagging along. A frosty morning in the northern Idaho panhandle, the temperature in the teens. Holiday break. The clothing aisles near electronics, back of the store.
Then, shortly before 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, as the store video cameras recorded the scene, the little boy found a gun in his mother’s purse and it discharged once at near point-blank range from where she stood, less than arm’s length away, said Lt. Stu Miller, a spokesman for the Kootenai County sheriff’s office. She died at the scene, he said, her death appearing to be accidental.
“He probably still doesn’t even know what has happened,” Lieutenant Miller said of the boy.
The victim, Veronica Jean Rutledge, 29, of Blackfoot, Idaho, about 380 miles from Hayden in Idaho’s southeast corner, was visiting family members here in this community of about 13,000 people bordering the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, about 40 minutes from Spokane, Wash. Both her parents and her husband’s live in the area, Lieutenant Miller said.
He did not know whether Ms. Rutledge had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Her husband came to the store to collect his son and the girls after the accident.
“This situation is such a tragedy, particularly happening so close to the holidays,” Lieutenant Miller said. Asked why the woman might have felt the need to go armed to the Walmart, he said that carrying a weapon was not particularly remarkable or unusual. Read more HERE
(newyorktimes.com) HAYDEN, Idaho — The details are shatteringly ordinary. A 2-year-old toddler, sitting in a shopping cart in a Walmart, his mother’s purse unattended and within reach as she shopped. Three girls, all under age 11 — relatives of the boy and his mother, the police said — tagging along. A frosty morning in the northern Idaho panhandle, the temperature in the teens. Holiday break. The clothing aisles near electronics, back of the store.
Then, shortly before 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, as the store video cameras recorded the scene, the little boy found a gun in his mother’s purse and it discharged once at near point-blank range from where she stood, less than arm’s length away, said Lt. Stu Miller, a spokesman for the Kootenai County sheriff’s office. She died at the scene, he said, her death appearing to be accidental.
“He probably still doesn’t even know what has happened,” Lieutenant Miller said of the boy.
The victim, Veronica Jean Rutledge, 29, of Blackfoot, Idaho, about 380 miles from Hayden in Idaho’s southeast corner, was visiting family members here in this community of about 13,000 people bordering the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, about 40 minutes from Spokane, Wash. Both her parents and her husband’s live in the area, Lieutenant Miller said.
He did not know whether Ms. Rutledge had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Her husband came to the store to collect his son and the girls after the accident.
“This situation is such a tragedy, particularly happening so close to the holidays,” Lieutenant Miller said. Asked why the woman might have felt the need to go armed to the Walmart, he said that carrying a weapon was not particularly remarkable or unusual. Read more HERE
Play-Doh Under Fire for Deleting Complaints About Toy That Looks Like Male Genitalia
Monday, December 29, 2014
Russians Rage Against America
= If you talk to a Russian about the international political situation, sooner or later you will be informed that there is a country in North America that you’ve never heard of. Its name is ‘Pindosia,’ ‘Pindostan’ or, more officially, ‘United States of Pindostan,’ and you will be told that one part of it, called Alaska, used to belong to Russia. Part of the word—‘stan’—stands for underdeveloped state, as in ‘ Pakistan,’ ‘Kazakhstan,’ or ‘Uzbekistan.’ The citizens of this country in plural form are called ‘pindoses,’ in singular—‘pindos.’
There are more than 316 million ‘pindoses’ in ‘Pindostan.’
Today, this country has a black President, and the Russians have a nickname for him too. He is called Maximka—after a character from a popular Soviet movie, made in 1952, which told the story of a black boy saved by the Russian sailors from the cruelty of the vicious American slave-traders who were terribly abusing him and calling him just that—“Boy.” In the film, the saved boy was fed well by the Russian crew, given the name Maximka, and became one of their own in the end.
But by the modern-day Russian legend, Maximka, unfortunately, has grown up into an ungrateful Russophobe.
Read more at http://observer.com/2014/12/russians-rage-against-america/#ixzz3NLxnhKg7
Sunday, December 28, 2014
U.S. formally ends its war in Afghanistan
The war was to spread "Christian Morale" (Sarcasm)
KABUL, Afghanistan - The United States and NATO formally ended their war in Afghanistan on Sunday with a ceremony at their military headquarters in Kabul as the insurgency they fought for 13 years remains as ferocious and deadly as at any time since the 2001 invasion that unseated the Taliban regime following the Sept. 11 attacks.
The symbolic ceremony marked the end of the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force, which will transition to a supporting role with 13,500 soldiers, most of them American, starting Jan. 1.
Gen. John Campbell, commander of ISAF, rolled up and sheathed the green and white ISAF flag and unfurled the flag of the new international mission, called Resolute Support.
"Resolute Support will serve as the bedrock of an enduring partnership" between NATO and Afghanistan, Campbell told an audience of Afghan and international military officers and officials, as well as diplomats and journalists.
He paid tribute to the international and Afghan troops who have died fighting the insurgency, saying: "The road before us remains challenging but we will triumph."
From Jan. 1, the new mission will provide training and support for Afghanistan's military, with the U.S. accounting for almost 11,000 members of the residual force.
KABUL, Afghanistan - The United States and NATO formally ended their war in Afghanistan on Sunday with a ceremony at their military headquarters in Kabul as the insurgency they fought for 13 years remains as ferocious and deadly as at any time since the 2001 invasion that unseated the Taliban regime following the Sept. 11 attacks.
The symbolic ceremony marked the end of the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force, which will transition to a supporting role with 13,500 soldiers, most of them American, starting Jan. 1.
Gen. John Campbell, commander of ISAF, rolled up and sheathed the green and white ISAF flag and unfurled the flag of the new international mission, called Resolute Support.
"Resolute Support will serve as the bedrock of an enduring partnership" between NATO and Afghanistan, Campbell told an audience of Afghan and international military officers and officials, as well as diplomats and journalists.
He paid tribute to the international and Afghan troops who have died fighting the insurgency, saying: "The road before us remains challenging but we will triumph."
From Jan. 1, the new mission will provide training and support for Afghanistan's military, with the U.S. accounting for almost 11,000 members of the residual force.
Read the rest via cbsnews.com
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Facebook Apologizes For Pain Caused By 'Year in Review' App
(Yibada) - Facebook apologized to a user for the grief its "Year in Review" app has caused. The app shows a series of pictures uploaded in 2014 based on an algorithm
A Facebook user Eric Meyer was hurt by the "Year in Review" app's preview. It showed a picture of his dead daughter, who he lost to brain cancer on the child's sixth birthday.
Meyer, a writer and a web design consultant, wrote his disappointment in a blog post, saying that he is avoiding the app's preview, which automatically appears on his news feed without his consent.
However, Meyer does not blame Facebook directly, but the design flaw in the app.
According to Meyer, some Facebook users might not want "another look" at the past year.
In his blog post, Meyer writes a few suggestions to improve the app, including asking the user first if he/she wants to see a preview.
According to the Washington Post, the "Year in Review" app shows the design problem of algorithms and codes, which are not "intelligent."
Read more: H3R3
Malaysia: Floods Leave at Least 10 People Dead, 130,000 Displaced
(wallstreetjournal.com) - Malaysia is facing its worst flooding in a decade, which has killed at least 10 people and displaced more than 130,000 others.
The flooding has also threatened exports of important commodities such as palm oil and rubber.
State news agency Bernama reported that eight people were missing after the boat they were traveling in was trapped a whirlpool and capsized. Malaysia’s national disaster agency said Sunday the confirmed death toll had reached 10, including five fatalities in Kelantan state.
Meteorologists expect the floods to spread as unseasonably heavy rains move toward southern parts of the country, potentially curtailing palm oil output, which is an important economic driver for many parts of Malaysia. Local benchmark prices posted their largest rise in two months on Friday, rising to 2,249 ringgit, or $643, a metric ton. Continue Reading
The flooding has also threatened exports of important commodities such as palm oil and rubber.
State news agency Bernama reported that eight people were missing after the boat they were traveling in was trapped a whirlpool and capsized. Malaysia’s national disaster agency said Sunday the confirmed death toll had reached 10, including five fatalities in Kelantan state.
Meteorologists expect the floods to spread as unseasonably heavy rains move toward southern parts of the country, potentially curtailing palm oil output, which is an important economic driver for many parts of Malaysia. Local benchmark prices posted their largest rise in two months on Friday, rising to 2,249 ringgit, or $643, a metric ton. Continue Reading
Friday, December 26, 2014
Natural gas prices slump to lowest level since 2012
(star-telegram.com) - Natural gas slumped below $3 per million British thermal units for the first time since 2012 on speculation that record production will overwhelm demand for the heating fuel.
Futures settled at the lowest in 27 months and have plunged 26 percent in December, heading for the biggest one-month drop since July 2008, as mild weather and record production erased a surplus to year-ago levels for the first time in two years. Temperatures are expected to be mostly above average in the eastern half of the U.S. through Dec. 30, according to Commodity Weather Group.
“We don’t see anything scary in the forecast,” said Stephen Schork, president of Schork Group, a consulting group in Villanova, Pennsylvania. “You had this psyche where people were worried about a polar vortex. We had a cold October and a cold early November, and boom, if you were long you are wrong.”
Natural gas for January delivery fell 2.3 cents to settle at $3.007 per million Btu on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures touched $2.973, the lowest intraday price since Sept. 26, 2012.
Full Story
6 things to do with a gift card
- Did you get a gift card for Christmas? If so, here are six things to do:
•Check now to be sure it didn’t get thrown out with the gift wrap or empty boxes.
•Use it soon. Even if it doesn’t expire, you could lose the card’s value if the issuer goes bankrupt or you misplace it. Some retailers will replace lost cards with proof of purchase, but are not required to do so.
•Ask for cash if the balance drops below $10. In California, merchants must — at the customer’s request — redeem a card worth less than $10 for cash. Again, this only applies to single-retailer cards covered by state law. Read the rest
•Check now to be sure it didn’t get thrown out with the gift wrap or empty boxes.
•Use it soon. Even if it doesn’t expire, you could lose the card’s value if the issuer goes bankrupt or you misplace it. Some retailers will replace lost cards with proof of purchase, but are not required to do so.
•Ask for cash if the balance drops below $10. In California, merchants must — at the customer’s request — redeem a card worth less than $10 for cash. Again, this only applies to single-retailer cards covered by state law. Read the rest
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Chinese-backed Nicaragua canal could be $50B boondoggle
Boondoggle?
WASHINGTON — This week, Nicaraguan dignitaries and officials from a Hong Kong-based consortium inaugurated what could be the most ambitious infrastructure project in the Western Hemisphere. The planned Grand Canal of Nicaragua would span 172 miles across the Central American nation, cutting through Lake Nicaragua, the region’s largest freshwater reservoir. At a cost of about $50 billion, it would dwarf the Panama Canal in terms of capacity and bring untold economic benefits to what remains one of the poorest countries in the Americas.
“With this great canal, Nicaragua expects to move 5 percent of the world’s commerce that moves by sea, which will bring great economic benefits and double the GDP,” said Nicaraguan Vice President Omar Halleslevens at a groundbreaking ceremony on the Pacific Coast.
But there are many reasons to doubt the venture will be a success.
The dream of building a trans-oceanic waterway through Nicaragua is an old one, dating back to the 19th century. American proponents of such a project included the powerful Vanderbilt family and President Theodore Roosevelt. None of the earlier plans were realized.
($ referring to US Currency)
Xmas in Israel/Jordan: Christmas Eve pilgrims gather in Bethlehem
Christians,Catholics,etc from across the world have gathered in the West Bank town of Bethlehem to mark Christmas Eve in the place they believe Jesus was born.
Celebrations culminated with midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity.
In a homily, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, called on Jews, Muslims and Christians to "live together as equals with mutual respect".
Thousands of pilgrims earlier crowded into Manger Square to watch a procession led by Patriarch Twal.
The most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land said he hoped 2015 would be "better than this difficult year".
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope we will have bridges of peace instead," he added. "Peace comes from justice and we have a cause which we hope will be solved soon."
He appeared to be referring to barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem, and the Palestinians' submission to the UN Security Council of a draft resolution that would set a 12-month deadline to reach a peace deal with Israel.
Celebrations culminated with midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity.
In a homily, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, called on Jews, Muslims and Christians to "live together as equals with mutual respect".
Thousands of pilgrims earlier crowded into Manger Square to watch a procession led by Patriarch Twal.
The most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land said he hoped 2015 would be "better than this difficult year".
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope we will have bridges of peace instead," he added. "Peace comes from justice and we have a cause which we hope will be solved soon."
He appeared to be referring to barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem, and the Palestinians' submission to the UN Security Council of a draft resolution that would set a 12-month deadline to reach a peace deal with Israel.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
YouTube May Face $1 Billion Lawsuit For Refusing To Remove 20,000 Songs From Their Site
(AndroidHeadlines) - Usually, when it comes to issues over music rights on YouTube it’s the content creators that are the ones feeling the effects, and usually it’s nothing more than having their videos removed for using background tracks during a recording that they didn’t have licensing rights to. Now it seems, according to Time that a group of some of the most popular musicians in the world are gearing up to face Google in court and slap them with a $1 billion lawsuit over the use of unlicensed music. Not just a few songs either, but some 20,000 songs from various artists.
The musicians themselves are not preparing to sue Google individually though. Global Music Rights is the group responsible for going after Google over the music being shared through their YouTube service, and Global Music Rights represents the collection of artists that those songs belong to. There is apparently a laundry list of involved musicians, including some of the biggest names in music like Pharrell Williams, John Lennon, The Eagles and others. Google claims that it indeed does have the rights to the music that they’re sharing through YouTube, and so they have refused to the demands of Global Music Rights to remove the songs from the site. It’s this display from the search company that will reportedly be earning them the threat of the lawsuit.
Google’s alleged use of songs without the consent and licensing rights from the musicians is sure to stir up some negative attention, but what’s interesting is that Google is not the only company or website where some of this music can be found or shared. Google is said to be the most difficult to work with according to Irving Azoff who is at the head of Global Music Rights, which is part of the reason why GMR is going after Google and seemingly no other companies. This impending lawsuit is in the wake of the recently launched YouTube Music Key where users are offered access to tons and tons of music videos and songs for the paired subscription fee of $9.99, which also grants them the use of the service Play Music All Access for streaming music. The next step for Google it appears as demanded by GMR will be to produce documented proof that they have the licenses for the music that is in question. Full Story
Census: Florida's population overtakes New York's
Florida needs to control their borders..
(USAToday) - They are the Snowbirds Who Stayed in 2014.
Florida has passed New York in population to claim the rank of the USA's No. 3 state, with almost 20 million residents, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
California remains the most populous state, followed by Texas.
Growing strongly again after the housing market's collapse and the Great Recession, Florida added about 800 people a day in the past year — many of them New Yorkers, and many of whom, as former seasonal visitors, were affectionately called "snowbirds." Earlier Census data showed that the Sunshine State is gaining about 25,000 more New Yorkers than it loses to New York each year.
The new state estimates, pegged to July 1, also show that North Carolina surged ahead of Michigan as No. 9 and North Dakota passed Alaska for 47th place.
(USAToday) - They are the Snowbirds Who Stayed in 2014.
Florida has passed New York in population to claim the rank of the USA's No. 3 state, with almost 20 million residents, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
California remains the most populous state, followed by Texas.
Growing strongly again after the housing market's collapse and the Great Recession, Florida added about 800 people a day in the past year — many of them New Yorkers, and many of whom, as former seasonal visitors, were affectionately called "snowbirds." Earlier Census data showed that the Sunshine State is gaining about 25,000 more New Yorkers than it loses to New York each year.
The new state estimates, pegged to July 1, also show that North Carolina surged ahead of Michigan as No. 9 and North Dakota passed Alaska for 47th place.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Japan's emperor turns 81, renews peace commitment
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Emperor Akihito said he "ardently" hoped Japan will strive hard as a peaceful country, as he celebrated his 81th birthday Tuesday ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II next year.
Akihito said he hoped Japan will move forward to play a friendship role with its Asian neighbors as well as the rest of the world. His comment, made at a customary news conference last week, was released Tuesday.
"I ardently hope that Japan will be able to go forward in the world as a stable, peaceful and sound nation, in mutual support not only with neighboring countries but with as many of the world's countries as possible," Akihito said.
Akihito is to visit Palau, one of harsh battlefields in the Pacific during World War II, next year to mourn for the war-dead for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
His commitment to peace as the son of Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japan waged war, is often highlighted at a time Japan's rightwing government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to acquire a greater military role.
Thousands of well-wishers cheered at the palace Tuesday, a national holiday in Japan, as Akihito appeared on a balcony to greet them.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Winter Solstice 2014: Shortest Day Of The Year Marked By Pagan Celebrations
Don't forget to move your clocks ahead!
(huffingtonpost) - In 2014, the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will begin on Dec. 21 at 6:03 p.m. EST. To calculate the turning point in your time zone, click here.
Officially the first day of winter, the winter solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. This is the longest night of the year, meaning that despite the cold winter, the days get progressively longer after the winter solsticeuntil the summer solstice in 2015.
The winter solstice is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the sun, and darkness turning into light. The Talmud recognizes the winter solstice as "Tekufat Tevet." In China, the Dongzhi Festival is celebrated on the Winter Solstice by families getting together and eating special festive food.
Until the 16th century, the winter months were a time of famine in northern Europe. Most cattle were slaughtered so that they wouldn't have to be fed during the winter, making the solstice a time when fresh meat was plentiful. Most celebrations of thewinter solstice in Europe involved merriment and feasting. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun god and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log.
In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. Lasting about a week, Saturnalia was characterized by feasting, debauchery and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, many of these customs were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations. Read the rest.
(huffingtonpost) - In 2014, the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will begin on Dec. 21 at 6:03 p.m. EST. To calculate the turning point in your time zone, click here.
Officially the first day of winter, the winter solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. This is the longest night of the year, meaning that despite the cold winter, the days get progressively longer after the winter solsticeuntil the summer solstice in 2015.
The winter solstice is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the sun, and darkness turning into light. The Talmud recognizes the winter solstice as "Tekufat Tevet." In China, the Dongzhi Festival is celebrated on the Winter Solstice by families getting together and eating special festive food.
Until the 16th century, the winter months were a time of famine in northern Europe. Most cattle were slaughtered so that they wouldn't have to be fed during the winter, making the solstice a time when fresh meat was plentiful. Most celebrations of thewinter solstice in Europe involved merriment and feasting. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun god and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log.
In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. Lasting about a week, Saturnalia was characterized by feasting, debauchery and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, many of these customs were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations. Read the rest.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
As Christmas Draws Nigh, Crowds Find Discounts but Less Variety
(nytimes) - Some of the year’s steepest discounts are attracting unusually large crowds as retailers, as they did last year, try to lure last-minute holiday shoppers. But while the sales may be enticing, consumers may not find as broad an assortment of merchandise as they found in forays made right before the holidays in previous years.
“There are plenty of deals to be had, but they may not be the product you want,” said John D. Morris, a retail analyst with BMO Capital Markets.
Last year, retailers were awash in goods. The government had experienced a shutdown, weather was awful and consumers seemed less eager to spend money. That forced retailers to slash prices over a broad selection of items just to move inventory, a boon for procrastinators who waited until the final days before Christmas.
This year, retailers vowed not to repeat the same mistakes. Read the rest
US: Protesters Mass at Mall of America to denounce police brutality, racial crime
(nbcnews.com) - Parts of the massive Mall of America were temporarily closed Saturday following a demonstration against racial profiling and police brutality at one of the unions's largest shopping centers. A large crowd gathered in the Bloomington, Minnesota, mall rotunda just before 2 p.m. local time and staged a "die-in," despite warnings from mall officials that the protest was not permitted and could lead to arrests.
A similar protest occurred in the food court of the also-massive King of Prussia Mall in suburban Philadelphia Saturday, organizers said.
An hour after the protests began, and after many in the crowd had already left the rotunda, the mall said on Twitter that some areas of the shopping center "are temporarily closed for the safety our guests due to an unauthorized protest," but most of it was open.
Demonstrators at the Mall of America shouted "Hands up, don't shoot!", referring to the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and "Black people cannot breathe, while we're on our shopping sprees," referring to the chokehold death of Eric Garner in New York.
Mall of America officials had warned that protests weren't allowed on private property and said in statement Saturday they were "extremely disappointed" that organizers chose to ignore their policy. "It's clear from their actions that these political activists were more concerned about making a political statement and creating a media event than they were about the safety of others," the mall said in the statement. Officials said earlier that violating those policies would result in removal and possible arrest.
Friday, December 19, 2014
CDC: Flu widespread in 29 States
(NBC NEWS) This flu season is ramping up earlier than last year’s.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the flu is widespread in 29 of the 54 states and territories that it tracks. This time last year, it was widespread in only four.
Eleven children have died so far this year, the CDC said. Pregnant women and the elderly are also especially vulnerable.
Read the full story ›
Read more at wnd.com/
Thursday, December 18, 2014
U.N. members want North Korea in international court for rights abuses
(Reuters) - Member countries of the United Nations on Thursday urged the Security Council to consider referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity as alleged in a U.N. inquiry report released earlier this year.
There were 116 votes in favor of the resolution, with 20 against and 53 abstentions. The resolution, which was drafted by the European Union and Japan, was approved last month by the 193-member assembly's Third Committee, which deals with human rights.
The vote followed a U.N. Commission of Inquiry report published in February detailing wide-ranging abuses in North Korea, including prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities.
The resolution linked the alleged abuses to policies of North Korea's leadership and urged the Security Council to consider sanctions against those responsible.
The vote increases political pressure on North Korea, but it is largely symbolic and non-binding.
There were 116 votes in favor of the resolution, with 20 against and 53 abstentions. The resolution, which was drafted by the European Union and Japan, was approved last month by the 193-member assembly's Third Committee, which deals with human rights.
The vote followed a U.N. Commission of Inquiry report published in February detailing wide-ranging abuses in North Korea, including prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities.
The resolution linked the alleged abuses to policies of North Korea's leadership and urged the Security Council to consider sanctions against those responsible.
The vote increases political pressure on North Korea, but it is largely symbolic and non-binding.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Fueled by Recession, U.S. Wealth Gap Is Widest in Decades, Study Finds
(nytimes) - The wealthy are getting wealthier. As for everyone else, no such luck.
A report released on Wednesday by the Pew Research Center found that the wealth gap between the union’s top 20 percent of earners and the rest of America had stretched to its widest point in at least three decades.
Last year, the median net worth of upper-income families reached $639,400, nearly seven times as much of those in the middle, and nearly 70 times the level of those at the bottom of the income ladder.
There has been growing attention to the issue of income inequality, particularly the plight of those earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour or close to it. Read the rest
In Denial: Sydney Terrorist Attack Proves Australia Is Radicalizing
Denial is a river in Australia..
At 9:45 a.m. on December 15, a gunman walked into a Lindt chocolate cafe in downtown Sydney and initiated a 16-hour hostage situation that locked down the heart of the city and resulted in the deaths of two hostages.
Initial images of the attack showed Lindt staff and patrons pressed against the cafe windows with their arms raised. Two held aloft a black flag with white Arabic writing scrawled across it. Another woman appeared to gesture, sliding a finger along her neck. Behind them, a man wearing a bandana stalked back and forth.
Seventeen hours of tense negotiations ended when police resorted to a frontal assault into the shop after hearing gunfire within. The tragic finale was the end of Australia’s most publicized terrorist attack since the wide-scale police raids on potential Muslim terrorists in western Sydney earlier this year. Along with the publicity came the debating.
Denial
With the uncertainty and media-fueled hype, one commonality was peddled by the media and political elites alike. The assailant, Man Haron Monis, was a) insane and b) acting completely alone and independent of any religious or political group.
This denial constitutes the greatest flaw in Australia’s handling of the situation. It also highlights just how bound up in politically correct behavior the nation is—to the point where a terrorist can no longer be called a terrorist.
It is understandable that the police commissioner, prime minister and other authorities would not state the political motivations behind the attack until it was resolved, but now that the dust has settled the only thing we hear is denial.
At 9:45 a.m. on December 15, a gunman walked into a Lindt chocolate cafe in downtown Sydney and initiated a 16-hour hostage situation that locked down the heart of the city and resulted in the deaths of two hostages.
Initial images of the attack showed Lindt staff and patrons pressed against the cafe windows with their arms raised. Two held aloft a black flag with white Arabic writing scrawled across it. Another woman appeared to gesture, sliding a finger along her neck. Behind them, a man wearing a bandana stalked back and forth.
Seventeen hours of tense negotiations ended when police resorted to a frontal assault into the shop after hearing gunfire within. The tragic finale was the end of Australia’s most publicized terrorist attack since the wide-scale police raids on potential Muslim terrorists in western Sydney earlier this year. Along with the publicity came the debating.
Denial
With the uncertainty and media-fueled hype, one commonality was peddled by the media and political elites alike. The assailant, Man Haron Monis, was a) insane and b) acting completely alone and independent of any religious or political group.
This denial constitutes the greatest flaw in Australia’s handling of the situation. It also highlights just how bound up in politically correct behavior the nation is—to the point where a terrorist can no longer be called a terrorist.
It is understandable that the police commissioner, prime minister and other authorities would not state the political motivations behind the attack until it was resolved, but now that the dust has settled the only thing we hear is denial.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Over 120 Pakistanis, mostly children, killed in Taliban high school attack
(Reuters) - At least 126 people, most of them children, were killed on Tuesday when Taliban gunmen stormed a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, taking hundreds of students hostage in the bloodiest insurgent attack in the country in years.
Troops surrounded the building and an operation was underway to rescue children still trapped inside, the army said.
Hours into the siege, three explosions were heard inside the military-run high school, and a Reuters journalist at the scene said he heard heavy gunfire.
Outside, as helicopters rumbled overhead, police struggled to hold back distraught parents who were trying to break past a security cordon and get into the school.
Bahramand Khan, director of information for the regional Chief Minister's Secretariat, said at least 126 people were killed and 122 wounded.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Cards Against Humanity sells 30,000 boxes of actual poop to mock holiday consumerism
(cbc.ca) - Word to the wise, online power shoppers: If a company offers to sell you a $6 box of "bullsh*t" and explicitly states that you'll be receiving “literal feces, from an actual bull," you're probably going to end up with some cow poop in your mail box.
The purveyors of every "horrible" person's favourite party game Cards Against Humanity announced this exact sales promotion at the end of last month as part of a cheeky affront to the increasingly frenzied culture of Black Friday (and Christmas consumerism in general.)
"To help you experience the ultimate savings on Cards Against Humanity this Black Friday, we’ve removed the game from our store, making it impossible to purchase," read the company's website on Nov. 28th.
The homepage linked to an online store with only one item for sale: $6 worth of "bullsh*t" packaged in a Cards Against Humanity box with some cartoon poop emblazoned on the side.
Hopeful that the company (which has been known to prank customersin the past) would perhaps include something better than animal poopinside the box, many of the game's fans shelled out $6 for some Cards Against Humanity bullsh*t on Black Friday.
The sale got so much hype, in fact, that all 30,000 of the available poop packages were sold within just 30 minutes of the sale going live.
Yet, despite several prominent assertions on the company's website that customers were definitely buying actual poop in a box, a good chunk of those early buyers did not want to receive poop this Christmas.
The purveyors of every "horrible" person's favourite party game Cards Against Humanity announced this exact sales promotion at the end of last month as part of a cheeky affront to the increasingly frenzied culture of Black Friday (and Christmas consumerism in general.)
"To help you experience the ultimate savings on Cards Against Humanity this Black Friday, we’ve removed the game from our store, making it impossible to purchase," read the company's website on Nov. 28th.
The homepage linked to an online store with only one item for sale: $6 worth of "bullsh*t" packaged in a Cards Against Humanity box with some cartoon poop emblazoned on the side.
The sale got so much hype, in fact, that all 30,000 of the available poop packages were sold within just 30 minutes of the sale going live.
Yet, despite several prominent assertions on the company's website that customers were definitely buying actual poop in a box, a good chunk of those early buyers did not want to receive poop this Christmas.
Gas for less than $2 is now widespread
NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
- It was a good weekend for drivers to fill up. Cheap gas spread across the nation faster than holiday cheer.
After a weekend of price cutting at stations, gas for less than $2 can be found in 13 states across the country. Two weeks ago there was only one gas station in the country selling gas that cheap.
Data from price tracker GasBuddy.com shows that three states -- Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio -- have at least one station each selling regular gas for less than $1.90 a gallon. Cheap gas is most frequently found at stations in Oklahoma, which was the first state to break the $2 a gallon mark on Dec. 3.
Another ten states -- Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas and Virginia -- also have gas for less than $2.
Gas below $2 a gallon can only be found at a handful of stations in all these states, even in Oklahoma. Four of the states only have one station each with gas that cheap. All these states still have statewide averages well above $2 according to AAA. Missouri has the lowest average price at $2.25.
And with the statewide average in New York finally falling below $3 over the weekend, every state in the lower 48 now has an average below that benchmark. The nationwide average is now $2.55 a gallon, the lowest it has been since October 2009. Full Story
- It was a good weekend for drivers to fill up. Cheap gas spread across the nation faster than holiday cheer.
After a weekend of price cutting at stations, gas for less than $2 can be found in 13 states across the country. Two weeks ago there was only one gas station in the country selling gas that cheap.
Data from price tracker GasBuddy.com shows that three states -- Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio -- have at least one station each selling regular gas for less than $1.90 a gallon. Cheap gas is most frequently found at stations in Oklahoma, which was the first state to break the $2 a gallon mark on Dec. 3.
Another ten states -- Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas and Virginia -- also have gas for less than $2.
And with the statewide average in New York finally falling below $3 over the weekend, every state in the lower 48 now has an average below that benchmark. The nationwide average is now $2.55 a gallon, the lowest it has been since October 2009. Full Story
Sunday, December 14, 2014
US Citizen Enters N. Korea, Slams US Government
(VOA News) - An American citizen has appeared at a news conference in North Korea to denounce U.S. domestic and foreign policy and its human rights record.
Twenty-nine-year-old Arturo Pierre Martinez from El Paso, Texas, told reporters in Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally and wants to seek asylum in Venezuela.
"My name is Arturo Pierre Martinez, I'm a 29-year-old U.S. citizen born and bred in the city of El Paso, in the state of Texas," he said. "I have taken up a risky journey to the DPRK so that I can pass on some very valuable and disturbing information I felt that its government would appreciate.''
It was not clear how he got into North Korea or whether he will be allowed to leave the country. Pyongyang is reported to have said he entered the country from China last month.
Martinez' mother, Patricia Martinez, told CNN her son is bipolar and that he had traveled to China in November, shortly after his release from a psychiatric hospital.
The U.S. State Department says it is aware that an American has crossed into North Korea and stands ready to provide consular assistance.
It said the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is a top priority and repeated warnings against travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea.
North Korea has released three other Americans in recent months, including two who were in the country on tourist visas. Read the rest
Twenty-nine-year-old Arturo Pierre Martinez from El Paso, Texas, told reporters in Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally and wants to seek asylum in Venezuela.
"My name is Arturo Pierre Martinez, I'm a 29-year-old U.S. citizen born and bred in the city of El Paso, in the state of Texas," he said. "I have taken up a risky journey to the DPRK so that I can pass on some very valuable and disturbing information I felt that its government would appreciate.''
It was not clear how he got into North Korea or whether he will be allowed to leave the country. Pyongyang is reported to have said he entered the country from China last month.
Martinez' mother, Patricia Martinez, told CNN her son is bipolar and that he had traveled to China in November, shortly after his release from a psychiatric hospital.
The U.S. State Department says it is aware that an American has crossed into North Korea and stands ready to provide consular assistance.
It said the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is a top priority and repeated warnings against travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea.
North Korea has released three other Americans in recent months, including two who were in the country on tourist visas. Read the rest
Australia: 'Very disturbing' hostage siege in Sydney
(USAToday) - At least one armed person held an undisclosed number of hostages in a cafe in downtown Sydney on Monday, and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the events may be "politically motivated.''
A flag with Arabic script was displayed through the cafe window.
The standoff gripped downtown Sydney, shutting down government offices, public transit and schools as it dragged through the day.
The normally busy and crowded business district of the city was on virtual lockdown, with hundreds of officers on the scene.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said at an afternoon news conference that "an undisclosed number of hostages'' were being held by "an armed offender.'' Some media reports said 13 people were being held hostage, but there were conflicting reports of larger numbers.
"We have not yet confirmed this is a terrorism-related event,'' Scipione said.
Television and still images from the scene showed several people inside the cafe holding their hands up in the air, pressed against windows, with a visible black flag bearing what appeared to be Arabic script.
"It's a flag that we've had people looking at. We're still trying to work out what it stands for,'' the police commissioner said.
He said that police had not established direct communication with the hostage taker.
"We do not know the motivation of the perpetrator,'' Abbott said in a televised address. He called it "very disturbing.''
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Zuckerberg Considering the Inclusion of 'Dislike' Option on Facebook
Even as the 'dislike' option is the most requested feature among users, there are understandable concerns over how it could be used to demean people using the site. On the other hand, the site might come up with the feature using a different name while it still manages to portray the same emotions of the 'Unlike' button.
The advertisers might particularly not warm up to idea of introducing the 'Unlike' feature since it could mean brands or products being given the thumbs down. While speaking on the issue, Zuckerberg added, "There are more sentiments that people want to express than positivity [but] we need to figure out the right way to do it so that it ends up being a force for good, and not a force for bad, or demeaning the post that people are putting out there."
The Q&A session tackled numerous other issues as well, chief among them being the concern that addiction to Facebook resulted in laziness and lack of productivity. The CEO dismissed these notions and supported the presence of social networks which helped people to stay in touch with family and friends.
Mississippi: 4 killed after 8-wheeler hits halted highway traffic
Mississippi needs a motor vehicle registry..
(ChicagoTribune) - Four people were killed early on Saturday after an 18-wheel truck smashed into a row of vehicles that had stopped on a Mississippi Interstate highway to avoid hitting debris spilled by an overturned pickup truck trailer, state police said.
A father and his daughter in one car and two young men in another car died in the nearly dozen-car wreck on Interstate 10 in coastal Hancock County, near the Louisiana border, just after midnight, Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Johnny Poulos said
"It's a tragic situation," Poulos said. "You have families that are going to be grieving through the holiday period."
The crash occurred after the pickup truck with a trailer carrying used computer equipment overturned, littering the highway with debris. Oncoming vehicles ground to a halt to avoid hitting it, and the 18-wheeler plowed into the stalled traffic.
Four people also received injuries that were not life- threatening, Poulos said.
Six cars and four trucks were involved in the crash, he said, adding that the highway was closed for several hours.
(ChicagoTribune) - Four people were killed early on Saturday after an 18-wheel truck smashed into a row of vehicles that had stopped on a Mississippi Interstate highway to avoid hitting debris spilled by an overturned pickup truck trailer, state police said.
A father and his daughter in one car and two young men in another car died in the nearly dozen-car wreck on Interstate 10 in coastal Hancock County, near the Louisiana border, just after midnight, Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Johnny Poulos said
"It's a tragic situation," Poulos said. "You have families that are going to be grieving through the holiday period."
The crash occurred after the pickup truck with a trailer carrying used computer equipment overturned, littering the highway with debris. Oncoming vehicles ground to a halt to avoid hitting it, and the 18-wheeler plowed into the stalled traffic.
Four people also received injuries that were not life- threatening, Poulos said.
Six cars and four trucks were involved in the crash, he said, adding that the highway was closed for several hours.
20 dead, 88 missing after mudslide in central Indonesia
BANJARNEGARA, Indonesia (AP) -- Heavy rains in central Indonesia loosened soil and collapsed a hill, setting off a landslide that killed at least 20 villagers and left 88 others missing under piles of mud, officials said Sunday.
Residents of Jemblung village in Central Java province's Banjarnegara district said they heard a roaring sound followed by the rain of red soil that buried more than 100 houses late Friday.
Read more: HERE
Residents of Jemblung village in Central Java province's Banjarnegara district said they heard a roaring sound followed by the rain of red soil that buried more than 100 houses late Friday.
Read more: HERE
Friday, December 12, 2014
China: Newborn Baby Survives After Mom Flushes Him Down Toilet
(LifeNews) In the second case in recent weeks, a newborn baby survived being flushed down the toilet as people heard him crying and came to his rescue.
A newborn baby boy was discovered in sewer in north-east China. The baby, who has been named ‘Xiaoxiao,’ which means “teeny tiny,” had been flushed down the toiled by his mother. Fortunately he was rescued in such a fast time that he did not require medical care after officials brought him to a local hospital.
Police are now looking for the boy’s mother. Read the full story ›
(Via wnd.com )
A newborn baby boy was discovered in sewer in north-east China. The baby, who has been named ‘Xiaoxiao,’ which means “teeny tiny,” had been flushed down the toiled by his mother. Fortunately he was rescued in such a fast time that he did not require medical care after officials brought him to a local hospital.
Police are now looking for the boy’s mother. Read the full story ›
(Via wnd.com )
Thursday, December 11, 2014
The Christmas of Hindu radicals: We will reconvert 5,000 Christian and Muslim families
COEXIST
- The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a radical hindu paramilitary group, plans to convert 4,000 Christian and 1,000 Muslim families to Hinduism next 25th of December, in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh). Militants call it the "Ghar Whapsi" (returning home) programme, and claim it will be "the greatest ever happened". If it will really happen, it would be the fourth case in less than three months, always in Uttar Pradesh.
Personalities from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Central government ruling Hindu ultra-nationalist party, will attend the event.
Father Francis Arackal, a Dominican priest and head of the department of Communication at St. Joseph's College (Bangalore), downplayed the event. "The RSS which claims to be upholding the culture of India and Hinduism hasn't really understood the essence of Indian culture and the essence of the Hindu religion. No wonder they are doing the cheap conversions," he said.
"Aligarh was chosen because it's time we wrest the Hindu city from Muslims. It is a city of brave Rajputs and their temples on whose remains Muslim institutions have been established," said RSS regional pracharak Rajeshwar Singh.
"Christmas was chosen as the day for conversion because the event is a shakti pariksha (test of strength) for both religions," said Singh. "If their religion is better, they can stop them. It is a test for both of us. If they come to us on Christmas, it is the biggest rejection of the faith."
For the priest "the proposed reconversion drive by RSS is being planned as a conspiracy politics keeping in mind the State Assembly elections which is due in Uttar Pradesh in 2016 as 'diverting attention trick'. The other intention is to hide all the wrong doings and criminalizing politics and communal violence in India."
Personalities from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Central government ruling Hindu ultra-nationalist party, will attend the event.
Father Francis Arackal, a Dominican priest and head of the department of Communication at St. Joseph's College (Bangalore), downplayed the event. "The RSS which claims to be upholding the culture of India and Hinduism hasn't really understood the essence of Indian culture and the essence of the Hindu religion. No wonder they are doing the cheap conversions," he said.
"Aligarh was chosen because it's time we wrest the Hindu city from Muslims. It is a city of brave Rajputs and their temples on whose remains Muslim institutions have been established," said RSS regional pracharak Rajeshwar Singh.
"Christmas was chosen as the day for conversion because the event is a shakti pariksha (test of strength) for both religions," said Singh. "If their religion is better, they can stop them. It is a test for both of us. If they come to us on Christmas, it is the biggest rejection of the faith."
For the priest "the proposed reconversion drive by RSS is being planned as a conspiracy politics keeping in mind the State Assembly elections which is due in Uttar Pradesh in 2016 as 'diverting attention trick'. The other intention is to hide all the wrong doings and criminalizing politics and communal violence in India."
Burger King's move to Canada wasn't about taxes so they claim
The company could be spared at least $400 million from its U.S. tax bill over the next four years, according to the liberal group Americans for Tax Fairness.
The deal, known as a "corporate inversion," could also save Burger King (BKW)shareholders as much as $820 million in capital gains taxes, according to the group.
"Burger King's inversion adds up to a 'whopper' of a tax dodge," the group said in its report.
Burger King rejected those numbers and said "we do not expect our tax rate to change materially."
"The analysis in the report is materially flawed and the figures do not accurately represent our facts and circumstances," Burger King said in a statement. "As we've said all along, this transaction is driven by growth, not tax rates." Full Story.
Web inventor says Internet should be 'human right'
Oh glob..
LONDON (AP) — The computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web says affordable access to the Internet should be recognized as a human right, as a report showed that billions of people still cannot go online and government surveillance and censorship are increasing.
Tim Berners-Lee said Thursday the Internet can help tackle inequality — but only if it comes with the rights to privacy and freedom of expression. The Briton, who launched the Web in 1990, made the remarks as he released his World Wide Web Foundation's latest report tracking the Internet's global impact.
The Web Index found that laws preventing mass online surveillance are weak or nonexistent in more than 84 percent of countries. It also said that almost 40 percent of surveyed countries were blocking sensitive online content to a "moderate or extreme degree," and that half of all Web users live in countries that severely restrict their rights online.
Almost 4.4 billion people — most of them in developing countries — still have no access to the Internet, the Web Index said.
"It's time to recognize the Internet as a basic human right," Berners-Lee said. "That means guaranteeing affordable access for all, ensuring Internet packets are delivered without commercial or political discrimination, and protecting the privacy and freedom of Web users regardless of where they live."
Denmark, Finland, and Norway were ranked as top overall, meaning they were best at using the Internet for economic, political and social progress. At the bottom of a list of 86 countries were Yemen, Myanmar and Ethiopia.
Berners-Lee was working an engineer at the CERN laboratory in Geneva when he proposed the idea of a World Wide Web in 1989. Full Story
LONDON (AP) — The computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web says affordable access to the Internet should be recognized as a human right, as a report showed that billions of people still cannot go online and government surveillance and censorship are increasing.
Tim Berners-Lee said Thursday the Internet can help tackle inequality — but only if it comes with the rights to privacy and freedom of expression. The Briton, who launched the Web in 1990, made the remarks as he released his World Wide Web Foundation's latest report tracking the Internet's global impact.
The Web Index found that laws preventing mass online surveillance are weak or nonexistent in more than 84 percent of countries. It also said that almost 40 percent of surveyed countries were blocking sensitive online content to a "moderate or extreme degree," and that half of all Web users live in countries that severely restrict their rights online.
Almost 4.4 billion people — most of them in developing countries — still have no access to the Internet, the Web Index said.
"It's time to recognize the Internet as a basic human right," Berners-Lee said. "That means guaranteeing affordable access for all, ensuring Internet packets are delivered without commercial or political discrimination, and protecting the privacy and freedom of Web users regardless of where they live."
Denmark, Finland, and Norway were ranked as top overall, meaning they were best at using the Internet for economic, political and social progress. At the bottom of a list of 86 countries were Yemen, Myanmar and Ethiopia.
Berners-Lee was working an engineer at the CERN laboratory in Geneva when he proposed the idea of a World Wide Web in 1989. Full Story
In a first, more Americans support gun rights than gun control, poll finds
By a margin of 52 percent to 46 percent, Americans say protecting the rights of gun owners is more important than gun control, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center released Wednesday. It is the first time Pew found more support for gun ownership than gun control in more than two decades of surveys on the issue.
“Support for gun rights has edged up from earlier this year, and marks a substantial shift in attitudes since shortly after the Newtown school shooting,” the Pew report says. The second anniversary of the massacre is this Sunday.
Right after the mass shooting, in which a gunman killed 27 people and then himself, the balance of opinion favored gun control. But since January 2013, support for gun rights over gun control has risen from 45 percent to 52 percent, while the percentage who prioritize gun control has gone down, from 51 percent to 46 percent. Full Story.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Swastika wrapping paper withdrawn after complaint
(The paper in question)
A shopper noticed the paper in a Hanukkah display at a branch of Walgreens in California, US, and complained.
Hallmark Cards has since apologised and said that any similarity to a swastika was unintentional, adding that the pattern has been in the company's reference archives for several years.
"As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we began taking steps to remove the gift wrap from all store shelves and we will ensure the pattern is not used on any product formats going forward," a company statement said. "We sincerely apologise for this oversight and for any unintended offense."
Roughly 6m Jews were murdered by the Nazis in Germany during the Second World War, and the swastika is seen by many as a symbol of support for the Nazis.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
US: Whooping Cough Back With a Vengeance in California
(abcnews) - California is again the the grips of a whooping cough outbreak, and this time it's even worse, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state is facing its worst outbreak in 70 years and has nearly 1,000 more cases than it did in 2010. As of Nov. 26, the state had 9,935 reported cases.
"The last time a series of outbreaks occurred across the country, California started the parade," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. "And so this is a harbinger we are fearful of."
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is caused by bacteria and considered cyclical because cases peak every three to five years. It's especially serious in infants, who are more likely to catch it. About 50 percent of all children under a year old who catch whooping cough need to be hospitalized, and up to 2 percent of them die, according to the CDC.
Since children aren't due for their whooping cough vaccine -- called TDaP -- until they are 2 months old, the CDC recommends it for pregnant women so they can pass along the immunity to their unborn children. Van Tornhout said her doctor never told her about it, but now she works as an advocate for Every Child by Two, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about vaccine-preventable diseases. Full Story
Monday, December 8, 2014
Syria Civil War: Syria Calls For United Nations Sanctions on Israel
(newwsweek.com) UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Monday to impose sanctions on neighbouring Israel, a day after accusing the imaginary state of bombing areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon.
Israel has struck Syria several times since the start of the three-year conflict, mostly destroying weaponry such as missiles that Israeli officials said were destined for their long-time foe Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Chad, Security Council president for December, Syria said that "such aggressions will not stop it from fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestation across the entire territory of Syria."
Sunday, December 7, 2014
U.S. gasoline prices fall to four-year low: Lundberg survey
(Reuters) - The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has dropped one dollar since early May, the lowest price in more than four years, according to the Lundberg survey released Sunday.
Prices for regular-grade gasoline fell to $2.72 a gallon, down 12 cents since the last survey two week ago.
The recent drop has been compared by many to the extreme price plunges that took place after the 2008 recession.
The decline in prices was driven by slower demand coupled with dramatic growth in oil supply production, especially in North America and Canada. The strengthening U.S. dollar also played a role.
"We may see a few more pennies drop before Christmas," said the survey's publisher, Trilby Lundberg. "All this presupposes that crude oil prices don't bounce up significantly in the near future."
The highest price within the survey area in 48 U.S. states was recorded in San Francisco at $3.04 per gallon, with the lowest in Albuquerque, at $2.38 per gallon.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
US fast food worker protests expand to 190 cities
(punchng.com) - The United States fast food worker protests expanded to 190 cities on Thursday as the movement to raise the minimum wage in the US to $15 (£9.57) an hour reached a two-year anniversary.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, in cities from Boston to Chicago, fast food workers and union organisers marched outside of various McDonalds.
The movement has seen some success, with cities such as San Francisco and Seattle raising the minimum wage.
US President Barack Obama has said he supports their efforts.
The so-called “Fight for 15” movement has organised eight protests and walk-outs in the past two years, but billed Thursday’s efforts as their biggest yet.
Fast food workers, airport employees and home-health aids, amongst others, have argued that the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough to allow workers to live.
The campaign is backed by the Service Employees International Union, which has provided financial support and organisational help to the effort.
They have exerted pressure on McDonalds, Burger King and other fast food restaurants to raise wages, in addition to working with local politicians to get wage-raising measures on the ballot during election season.
McDonalds has said that the protestors do not necessarily represent the opinions of all of its employees, and that wage decisions are up to individual franchise owners.
“It’s important to know approximately 90 per cent of our United States restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who set wages according to job level and local and federal laws,” it said in a statement.
In New York City, hundreds of workers gathered at a McDonalds in downtown Manhattan, chanting slogans and walking in step with a marching band.
They briefly went into a franchise, before leading a march toward’s New York’s City Hall.
“I’m going to cry – we went from 200 workers in New York City to workers in countries around the world,” said one organiser who addressed the crowd.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two years.”
Shantel Walker has been with the movement from the beginning and has attended six protests.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, in cities from Boston to Chicago, fast food workers and union organisers marched outside of various McDonalds.
The movement has seen some success, with cities such as San Francisco and Seattle raising the minimum wage.
US President Barack Obama has said he supports their efforts.
The so-called “Fight for 15” movement has organised eight protests and walk-outs in the past two years, but billed Thursday’s efforts as their biggest yet.
Fast food workers, airport employees and home-health aids, amongst others, have argued that the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough to allow workers to live.
The campaign is backed by the Service Employees International Union, which has provided financial support and organisational help to the effort.
They have exerted pressure on McDonalds, Burger King and other fast food restaurants to raise wages, in addition to working with local politicians to get wage-raising measures on the ballot during election season.
McDonalds has said that the protestors do not necessarily represent the opinions of all of its employees, and that wage decisions are up to individual franchise owners.
“It’s important to know approximately 90 per cent of our United States restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who set wages according to job level and local and federal laws,” it said in a statement.
In New York City, hundreds of workers gathered at a McDonalds in downtown Manhattan, chanting slogans and walking in step with a marching band.
They briefly went into a franchise, before leading a march toward’s New York’s City Hall.
“I’m going to cry – we went from 200 workers in New York City to workers in countries around the world,” said one organiser who addressed the crowd.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two years.”
Shantel Walker has been with the movement from the beginning and has attended six protests.
Friday, December 5, 2014
US: Court: Chimpanzees are not people
(usatoday) ALBANY, N.Y. — Tommy the chimpanzee is not a person, according to a New York appeals court.
A Florida group's efforts to free a chimpanzee fell short on Thursday when the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Albany upheld a lower court's decision that found that such animals aren't entitled to basic legal rights.
The case centered around Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee kept by his owner in a cage in Gloversville. Attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that chimpanzees display enough attributes similar to humans to be eligible for protections from unlawful imprisonment.
The five-member court ruled unanimously against Wise and Tommy, who is named as the plaintiff in the case. Full Story
A Florida group's efforts to free a chimpanzee fell short on Thursday when the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Albany upheld a lower court's decision that found that such animals aren't entitled to basic legal rights.
The case centered around Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee kept by his owner in a cage in Gloversville. Attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that chimpanzees display enough attributes similar to humans to be eligible for protections from unlawful imprisonment.
The five-member court ruled unanimously against Wise and Tommy, who is named as the plaintiff in the case. Full Story
Thursday, December 4, 2014
US: 17 States sue Obama administration on immigration
RACIST
(Reuters) - A coalition of 17 U.S. states sued the Obama administration on Wednesday saying it acted illegally by issuing an executive order to ease the threat of deportation for millions of immigrants who are in the country without the proper documents.
The case being led by Texas and filed at the Federal Court in the Southern District of Texas said the executive order announced by Obama last month violated constitutional limits on presidential powers. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican and the Texas governor-elect, said the lawsuit is not asking for monetary damages but is seeking to have the order declared illegal.
The White House has said the executive order falls within presidential powers, and has argued that the ultimate answer is for Congress to pass meaningful immigration reform.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
North Dakota unveils proposal requiring high school students to pass U.S. citizenship test to graduate
SAVAGES!
(foxnewslatino) - How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? What were the original 13 states?
High school students in North Dakota may have to answer these questions under a proposal being discussed in the state legislature — they would have to take the same test that immigrants must pass to become a U.S. citizen.
North Dakota's first lady Betsy Dalrymple and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler unveiled a proposed bipartisan legislation on Monday that would require every high school students to get a passing grade on the civics exam to graduate.
Initiative spokesman Sam Stone says the goal is to enact similar laws in all states by 2017, when the Constitution turns 230 years old.
He says that eight states, including the Dakotas, are supporting the idea so far.
(foxnewslatino) - How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? What were the original 13 states?
High school students in North Dakota may have to answer these questions under a proposal being discussed in the state legislature — they would have to take the same test that immigrants must pass to become a U.S. citizen.
North Dakota's first lady Betsy Dalrymple and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler unveiled a proposed bipartisan legislation on Monday that would require every high school students to get a passing grade on the civics exam to graduate.
Initiative spokesman Sam Stone says the goal is to enact similar laws in all states by 2017, when the Constitution turns 230 years old.
He says that eight states, including the Dakotas, are supporting the idea so far.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Russia Takes Key Step Toward Annexing a Slice of Georgia
On paper, “joint control” means Abkhazia has as much control over Russian forces as Moscow has over Abkhazia’s. In reality, however, Abkhazia’s influence over Russia will be approximately as robust as Mercury’s gravitational influence on the sun.
The treaty comes as tensions rise sharply between Russia and Ukraine, which, like Georgia, was part of the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991. Most people in Georgia believe Russia’s moves in Abkhazia parallel its moves in Ukraine.
“Putin’s treaty with Abkhazia is very similar to Crimea’s scenario,” Dr. Irakli Bokuchava, a resident of Tbilisi, Georgia, told the Trumpet. Putin’s clear plan, according to Bokuchava, is the “creation of a renewed USSR.”
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that in signing the new treaty, Russia took a “step toward the de facto annexation” of Abkhazia.
Abkhazia broke away from Georgian authority in a 1992-1993 war. In 2008, after Russia’s five-day war with Georgia, Moscow recognized Abkhazia—and Georgia’s other breakaway region of South Ossetia—as independent. Moscow then asserted Russian control over the two regions. Only a handful of other nations have recognized the two regions’ declarations of independence, and Georgia insists that they remain part of Georgia. Read the rest
Monday, December 1, 2014
Black Friday Fatigue? Thanksgiving Weekend Sales Slide 11 Percent
Have Americans finally had enough of Black Friday madness?
(nytimes) - Sales, both in stores and online, from Thanksgiving through the weekend were estimated to have dropped 11 percent, to $50.9 billion, from $57.4 billion last year, according to preliminary survey results released Sunday by the National Retail Federation. Sales fell despite many stores’ opening earlier than ever on Thanksgiving Day.
And though many retailers offered the same aggressive discounts online as they did in their stores, the web failed to attract more shoppers or spending over the four-day holiday weekend than it did last year, the group said. The average person who shopped over the weekend spent $159.55 at online retailers, down 10.2 percent from last year.
Over all, 133.7 million people shopped or planned to shop at stores or online over the four-day weekend, 5.2 percent fewer than last year, the federation said. And shoppers spent an average of $380.95 over the four days, 6.4 percent less than the $407.02 they spent last year. Read more
(nytimes) - Sales, both in stores and online, from Thanksgiving through the weekend were estimated to have dropped 11 percent, to $50.9 billion, from $57.4 billion last year, according to preliminary survey results released Sunday by the National Retail Federation. Sales fell despite many stores’ opening earlier than ever on Thanksgiving Day.
And though many retailers offered the same aggressive discounts online as they did in their stores, the web failed to attract more shoppers or spending over the four-day holiday weekend than it did last year, the group said. The average person who shopped over the weekend spent $159.55 at online retailers, down 10.2 percent from last year.
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