Monday, February 10, 2014

In the news, Thursday, January 23, 2014


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JAN 22      INDEX      JAN 24
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Some links to some sources may require subscription.

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from AMAC - The Association of Mature American Citizens

Moody’s Downgrades Health Insurers over Obamacare Uncertainty

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from AsiaNews

World Economic Forum: Rouhani opens Iran to world economy
The Iranian president stresses the great potential of Iran's economy whose economic and human development can only be achieved by working with others. Nuclear deal is the first step for long-term relationship with international community.


Geneva II: For the Vatican, dialogue, not war, is the only solution to the Syrian crisis
Mgr Silvano Tomasi spoke yesterday at the Peace Conference, noting that the meeting should consider first the people of Syria, not the quest for power of one or the other faction. In his address, the Holy See delegates laid out five proposals for immediate implementation, including full citizenship for all Syrians irrespective of communal affiliation. He also reiterated Pope Francis' commitment to peace and a culture of dialogue.


Nepal becoming a "hub" for gold smuggling out of China
In the past six months, Nepali police made several arrests and seized 46 kilos of the precious metal in connection with the highly profitable activity. Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption policies are to blame for the growing illegal trade. With India as the main point of destination for Chinese gold, Nepal has become the major transit point for smuggling.


Filipino bishops "join" social media to evangelise
Ahead of its Plenary Assembly, the Bishops' Conference organises a seminar for its members on the use of the Internet and new communication media. For the Conference's president, Mgr Villegas, new social media are a challenge. "Nothing replaces a personal meeting, but the mission can also use these new tools."


Pantura: after decades of "apathy", Catholics revive missionary spirit
For over 50 years, the Church's presence in this region of Central Java has been "insignificant." Now, a renewed commitment in favour of active witness begins with a new pastoral centre, backed by a website. With this in mind, a seminar focusing on interreligious dialogue and evangelisation through the web was held a few days ago.


West Bengal, 20 year-old gang raped: her boyfriend is from another tribe
The head of her village ordered a trial and sexual violence to punish her. Now the victim is in the hospital and identified her rapists, who were arrested by the police. Catholic Bishop : "In order to stop the violence we need to change the mindset, not resort to the death penalty”.

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from The Blaze


THE ‘EARTH-SHATTERING’ NEWS RUSH LIMBAUGH SAYS THE MEDIA IGNORED, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The state of Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is “rapidly falling” and the government’s budget ended the year with a $912 million surplus, Limbaugh explained. He says the dramatic turnaround is due in large part to the conservative policies of Gov. Scott Walker.
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from Breitbart


BOEHNER DECRIES SHUTDOWN, SAYS UNWILLING TO QUIT GOLF, CIGARETTES TO RUN FOR PREZ IN LENO APPEARANCE


DE BLASIO BACKS CUOMO: WANTS CONSERVATIVES TO GET OUT

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from Business Insider


Eric Schmidt Just Revealed A Key Truth About The Economy That Very Few Rich Investors And Executives Want To Admit
The stagnation in middle-class wages is not just a middle-class problem. It's an economic problem. And it's one of the main reasons that global economic growth is so lousy.

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from CNSNews.com (& NewsBusters)


In Front of Sharpton, MSNBC's Wolffe Says 'There Are People Who Enjoy the Politics of Race,' 'Helps Their Ratings'
In the back of his mind, Sharpton probably realized EVERYTHING this guy was saying applied to him! But he just sits there, pretending he agrees.


ABC Ignores Its Own Reporter, Yawns as Jon Karl Grills White House on First Lady's Birthday Bash

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from Collective Evolution
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Spectacular UFO Footage From NASA’s STS-48 Discovery Space Shuttle



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from Columbia Basin Herald

Neighbors helped victim and are now helping police find shooters.

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from EarthSky

Largest asteroid Ceres is venting water vapor into space
This is the first unambiguous detection of water vapor around an object in the asteroid belt.

This date in science: Sweden goes first to ban aerosol sprays
Virtually every country on Earth banned the use of chlorofluorocarbon-propelled aerosol cans with the adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1989. Since the mid-1990s, scientists say, the area and depth of the Antarctic ozone hole have roughly stabilized. But, they said recently, the ozone hole is still not in recovery.

This date in science: A record-setting dive into the deepest ocean
The submersible vehicle Trieste made a record-setting dive to the deepest surveyed part of the ocean. Trieste was a bathyscaphe – “deep boat” – owned by the U.S. Navy. It was a free-diving, self-propelled deep-sea submersible, and it dove – with two crew members aboard – into the Marianas Trench east of the Philippines, whose deepest portion is called the Challenger Deep. It took nine hours to descend 6.83 miles (10,911 meters) to the deepest ocean.

What’s a safe distance between us and an exploding star?
With the new supernova in M82 (11-12 million light-years away), you might be wondering ... how close is too close? Scientific literature cites 50 to 100 years as the closest safe distance between Earth and a supernova.

What makes a halo around the sun or moon?
Halos around the moon – or sun – are a sign of thin cirrus clouds drifting high above our heads. They are a sign of nearby storms.

KABOOM! Nearby Galaxy M82 Hosts a New Supernova!

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from Facecrooks

Fake Message from Facebook Security Stating You Violated a Policy
[Phishing Alert] Don't believe any emails or messages stating that you have been reported, violated a policy, or you must confirm account, etc. These are phishing schemes designed to steal your Facebook user name and password.
See also Snopes.com: Terms of Service Violation Scam

The EFF Has Your Back
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has released an annual report titled, “Who Has Your Back?” taking a closer look at the privacy policies of major Internet companies.

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from The Farmacy (& Strawbale City)
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

The Top 10 Healthiest Seeds on Earth
Chia, Hemp, Pomegranate, Flax, Pumpkin, Apricot, Sesame, Sunflower, Cumin, Grape.



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from The Federalist



from Fox News (& affiliates)

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from The Heritage Foundation


Why They Marched, in Their Own Words
Despite temperatures in the teens and wind chills below zero, people from across the country marched in Washington, D.C., yesterday, to speak up for life.


IRS Targeting Hollywood Conservative Group


Sean Hannity for Congress? Talk Show Host Says He's Open to Political Run


Obama Taps B-List Actor to Promote Obamacare
In a new move, the White House has enlisted B-list actor Kal Penn, most famous for his role in the “Harold & Kumar” franchise, to sell Obamacare.


Bill Gates: Raising Minimum Wage Can Destroy Jobs

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from The Hollywood Reporter


'2016: Obama's America' Filmmaker Indicted for Violating Campaign Finance Laws
Conservative filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza, whose documentary 2016: Obama's America took a critical look at President Barack Obama and was a surprise hit in 2012, is accused of giving too much money to a candidate who sought to replace former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Producer Gerald Molen tells The Hollywood Reporter the charges are politically motivated.

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from Independent Journal Review


What O'Reilly And Krauthammer Said About Major News Networks And Why They Hate Fox

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from International Christian Concern
(PERSECUTION.org)

Egypt: Coptic Christians Kidnapped Weekly, Held for Ransom by Radicals
Organization Records 69 Cases of Kidnapping in 2013
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt continue to be targeted for kidnapping and extortion on a weekly basis. The most recent case occurred on Tuesday morning when masked men abducted 52-year-old Nady Farag Massad at gunpoint in the governorate of Minya. According to local sources, Mr. Massad was purchasing bread for his family at a local bakery when the gunmen forced him into their vehicle and fled the scene. Two days later, Mr. Massad’s kidnappers have yet to contact anyone demanding a ransom.


Kazakhstan: Foreigners Who Share Faith Targeted for Deportation
Typically outside of the international media spotlight, Kazakhstan has slowly but surely tightening restrictions on the religious freedom of 16.8 million citizens. As the following article points out, foreigners who share their faith are deported, despite the countries commitment to upholding international human rights standards. ICC has also highlighted the case of Pastor Kashkumbayev, a Presbyterian minister from the capital of Astana, who has been imprisoned since May of 2013. The Kazakh government denies it is committing any human rights violations, despite protests from international human rights organizations.


Memorial Services Held on 20th Anniversary of Iranian Pastors Martyrdom
Pastor Haik Hovsepian gave everything for his faith. In 1994, Pastor Haik, the superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church in Iran, was murdered just days after holding a successful protest for the release of a fellow pastor. At the time his murder sparked widespread media coverage and drew attention to the lack of religious freedom in Iran. Sadly, two decades later, little has improved for religious minorities in the country. Today Christians continue to face "systematic persecution" and imprisonment. Perhaps the most well-known religious prisoner in the West currently, Pastor Saeed Abedini, has been in imprisoned in Iran for over a year.


World’s Oldest Christian Communities Threatened with Extinction
The following article provides an excellent overview of the situation for Christians across the Middle East who, if current trends continue, are facing extinction. It also asks the pivotal question, why isn't the West outraged? For a decade the Middle East has been emptying of Christians by the hundreds of thousands as radical Islamic movements in the region become increasingly violent. Syria, Iraq, and Egypt are perhaps the best examples of this trend. ICC is actively working to raise awareness and bring assistance to many of these communities.


Christians in Nanle County, China, Continue to Face Persecution
The arrest of Pastor Zhang Shaojie and 23 of his church members ten weeks ago has sparked one of the most egregious incidents of Christian persecution in China in recent months. While about half of the believers have been released, many continue to face intimidation and harassment, including Pastor Shaojie's family. Lawyers attempting to defend the Christians legal rights have been roughed up by government sponsored thugs and even international film crews have been attacked. Now Pastor Shaojie faces trumped up charges of "fraud" and "disturbing public order." Genuine religious freedom in China remains an elusive dream for its tens of millions of Christian adherents.


US: Christian Business Owners Face Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Fines
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries has found that Aaron and Melissa Klein, the Christian owners of a bakery in Portland, are guilty of violating the civil rights of a lesbian couple after refusing to bake a cake for their wedding. The Klein's refused on the basis of their Christian faith and now face possible fines. The Klein's have already moved their bakery out of its location and into their home after pro-LGBT groups targeted the business and its supplies with threats and intimidation. The Klein's children were also issued death threats at school.


Rights Organizations Demand Sri Lanka Protect Its Religious Minorities
In an open letter published in a popular Sri Lankan newspaper, human rights and religious organizations in Sri Lanka have called upon the government to protect religious minorities, including Christians. In 2013 alone, Christians in Sri Lanka have been attacked 103 times. Most of these attacks are perpetrated by Buddhist nationalist groups who believe religions other than Buddhism are foreign to Sri Lanka and are willing to commit acts of violence to protect what they believe is Sri Lanka's Buddhist heritage. Below is an excerpt from the open letter to the Sri Lankan government.


Attacks on Christians Rising in Two Indian States
According to a recent report released by the Catholic Secular Forum, attacks on Christians in two Indian states have been on the rise in 2013. In the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra, attacks on Christians have seen a dramatic increase. Mainly driven by Hindu nationalists, these attacks on Christians are reported to be "low intensity, but widespread." Please pray for the Christians suffering these attacks.


Christian Persecution Continues to Run Rampant in Nigeria
A large number of Christian villages across north and central Nigeria have reported attacks by Islamic extremist in January. According to some reports, as many as 15 Christians have been murdered in these attacks. Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist network operating in northern Nigeria, is though to be behind these attacks. Some attacks have been attributed to Muslim Fulani herdsmen, though many in Nigeria are beginning to suspect that Boko Haram is inciting these groups to attack Christians. Please pray for all Christians living in northern and central Nigeria.

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from The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com

Netanyahu: Rouhani continues trying to fool the world
PM says goal of the "regime of the ayatollahs hiding behind Rouhani's smiles" is to ease sanctions without giving up nukes.

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from Money Talks News
from Mother Nature Network

Przewalski's horse: 10 things you didn't know about the last wild horses on Earth
These small, stocky horses are the only truly wild horses left on the planet, and they have a fascinating history. Here's everything you need to know about this endangered species.

What does your handwriting say about your personality?
[from 5 Jul 2013]
See also Wikipedia: Forer effect

5 spicy chocolate dishes
1. Aztec Bark; 2. Mexican Hot Chocolate; 3. Spiced Chocolate Pudding; 4. Ginger Chocolate Eskimo Pies; 5. Venezuelan Chocolate Chicken.

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from Natural Society
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Activists Halt Monsanto Seed Plant Construction in Argentina

Why GMO-Free Cheerios are Nice, But Far From a Major Victory

9 Cleansing House Plants to Detoxify the Air in Your Home

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from New York Times
[may require subscription]


Leaning Right in Hollywood, Under a Lens
In a famously left-leaning Hollywood, where Democratic fund-raisers fill the social calendar, Friends of Abe stands out as a conservative group that bucks the prevailing political winds. Now the Internal Revenue Service is reviewing the group’s activities in connection with its application for tax-exempt status.

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from NPR


Virginia's New Attorney General Will Not Defend Gay-Marriage Ban

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from NWCN

Measure would bump Washington’s minimum wage to $12/hr
At $9.32 an hour, Washington state already has the highest minimum wage in the nation, followed by Oregon's $9.10 an hour. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

Spokane, Lincoln counties see spike in moose-related calls
A warning to NOT feed moose in your area. Spokane officials say there's a spike in moose related-calls because some animals are habituated to humans who were feeding them.

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from One Minute Healings


ENZYMES-A KEY TO CREATING DIGESTIBLE FOOD
High Enzyme Smoothie: Pineapple Orange-Mango-Papaya Smoothie

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from Popular Science


'Placebo Sleep' Can Improve Cognitive Skills
If you tell people they slept better than they did, they are likely to perform better on math and word association tests.


School Snow Days Are Good For Education
Even if some students make it to the classroom, keeping schools open on the snowiest days can hurt learning.


Why Babies Fake Cry – And Why It Isn’t Fake

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from Slate's The Vault Blog


1919 Map of New York City's Manufacturers Shows a Bygone Industrial Landscape

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from Smithsonian Magazine


No, an Abandoned Ship Full of Diseased Rats Is Not Floating Towards Britain
If you believe the headlines, a ghost ship full of cannibal rats is heading for England. Don't believe the headlines.

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from Space.com (& CollectSpace)


Ancient Mars May Have Been Habitable for Hundreds of Millions of Years
Mars may have once been capable of supporting microbial life for hundreds of millions of years in the distant past, new findings from NASA's Opportunity and Curiosity rovers suggest.


NASA's Opportunity Rover: A Decade of Mars Exploration
No one ever expected this to happen. That after 10 years, a Mars Exploration Rover would continue to operate on the surface of Mars — well beyond its original 90-day mission. This was not in anyone's wildest imagination, to have a rover to continue to function, and continue to function productively and in good health.


Milky Way's Huge Black Hole to Gobble Gas Cloud Soon
A giant gas cloud is set to spiral into the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's core in the next few months, and scientists should get a great view of the dramatic celestial action.

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from The Spokesman-Review

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from ThatsNonsense.com

"Parcel Undelivered" Email spam targets Mac OS X users
Don't think your immune to malware if you use OS X/Mac - there are still scams lurking out there!


Whale slaughters in Faroe Islands - Internet/Facebook Rumour


Facebook Privacy Stories – The Hapless Fugitive
As we often warn our readers, social media can be a powerful tool that can have very real, undesirable consequences on your offline life if not used responsibly.

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from The Washington Post
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from The Weekly Standard


Iran President Rouhani: No Destruction of Centrifuges
The Iranian president tells Fareed Zakaria of CNN that, under the nuclear deal, there will be no limitations to nuclear technology and no destruction of centrifuges.

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from The Wenatchee World
[may require subscription]



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from The Western Center for Journalism
(Western Journalism)


This GOP Leader Just Joined The Amnesty Bandwagon
Despite the fact that a majority of Americans oppose rewarding those who live in constant violation of our immigration laws, leftists continue to push for legislation bestowing legal status on illegal immigrants. As is too often the case, many Republicans are either unwilling to stand up to such demands or actually subscribe to the same belief. In a recent statement, U.S. House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy indicated he belongs in the latter category.

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from WND (World Net Daily)


Obama, Clintons accused in Egypt of aiding terrorists
Two new, classifed documents leaked by Egyptian security implicate President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton in the aiding and abetting of terrorists.

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