Mysterious Bird Deaths Mapped on Google.

Mysterious Bird Deaths Mapped on Google.The story out of Arkansas late last week that 5,000 blackbirds had fallen out of the sky over Beebe, a small town in the northwest part of the state, had people scratching their heads. What caused the mysterious deaths? Google's custom mapping features were put to use yesterday afternoon to build a map that highlights dozens of similar incidents that have taken place around the world this month. Most of the mass bird deaths have happened over the United States, but reports are also coming out of Sweden, the Philippines, Italy and many other countries.The map provides a quick read on what places have been affected, but it could also help to solve the conundrum. One reader left comments suggesting that the map could be superimposed over a current global oil exploration map to test the hypothesis that the deaths could have been caused by ground penetrating tomography.View -- and interact with -- the map here.Hmmmm....Something poisonous traveling along the Jet stream?Read the full story here.

ObamaCare Exceeds the Limits of Congressional Authority. Judge Miffed.

HT:NewsRealBlog.ObamaCare Exceeds the Limits of Congressional Authority. Judge Miffed.One of the first orders of business for the 112th Congress is for the new House to fulfill its campaign promise to pass a repeal of ObamaCare. This will be a vain effort, however, as repeal will likely die in the Senate. But even if repeal were to get through the Senate, President Obama would surely veto a repeal of ObamaCare.The better way for ObamaCare to be struck down is not by repeal, but by appeal: appeal to the courts. A Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of ObamaCare would set huge precedents having far-reaching ramifications. The end of the first major skirmish in the legal war came December 13 with U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson’s decision in Virginia v. Sebelius. For ObamaCare, Friday the 13th came on a Monday.Created by the states, the federal government is a government of enumerated powers. The 10th Amendment makes this clear. But the Constitution does not specifically grant to the feds the power to do much of what they do. The feds therefore must find that power somewhere in the Constitution. So they invoke the Commerce Clause or the General Welfare Clause or something to justify what they do. But there must be limits to what the feds can do; otherwise America degenerates into just another totalitarian state. Where those limits are was the question before Judge Hudson, who ruled that the Minimum Essential Coverage Provision (Section 1501) of ObamaCare — better known as the “individual mandate” — is unconstitutional. Page 37 of Hudson’s decision:Congress lacked power under the Commerce Clause … to compel an individual to involuntarily engage in a private commercial transaction, as contemplated by the Minimum Essential Coverage Provision. … The unchecked expansion of congressional power to the limits suggested by the Minimum Essential Coverage Provision would invite unbridled exercise of federal police powers.Hmmmm......No to tyranny !Read the full story here.

Islamist Minister of of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali – ‘Religious Freedom Doesn’t Apply to Ahmadiyah Dissenters.

HT:RossRightAngle.Islamist Minister of of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali – ‘Religious Freedom Doesn’t Apply to Ahmadiyah Dissenters.’.But meanwhile, RRA’s ‘old friend’ Suryadharma Ali, Minister for Religious Affairs, has stirred up another row by honouring, among others, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Zainul Majdi, the man who has been hounding Ahmadiyah.As the Jakarta Globe reported 6th January, ‘critics have lashed out at the Ministry of Religious Affairs for recently handing out awards to Muslim leaders, saying it unduly favored Islam over other faiths.The ministry on Monday presented awards to six governors and 10 district heads and mayors for “explicitly including Islamic education in regional bylaws.” Recipients included the governors of Bangka-Belitung, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi…..Ismail Hasani, a senior researcher at the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, said the ministry “showed favoritism” by handing out the awards.“It’s supposed to be the Religious Affairs Ministry, not the Islamic Affairs Ministry,” Ismail said on Tuesday. “I fear that the objectivity of the country’s public officials has been compromised,” he added. “They no longer work for all groups in society, but rather they see things based on the dichotomy of majority and minority….Zainul is an Islamic cleric whose grandfather founded Nahdlatul Wathan, the biggest Islamic organization in the province,” Ismail said. “Now he has ambitions to build the country’s biggest Islamic center there, for which he’s already had two schools bulldozed. Not to mention he’s already quarantined the Ahmadiyah.”Hmmm.....Obama "Indonesia is an example of religious tolerance".Read the full story here.

Pakistan: Incitement | Man who offered reward for killing Taseer arrested.

Pakistan: Incitement | Man who offered reward for killing Taseer arrested.MULTAN: Khangarh police on Tuesday arrested a man who had announced a Rs20 million prize for whoever would kill Governor Salmaan Taseer. Sardar Ebaad Dogar had made the announcement at a rally organised last Friday against proposals to amend or reform the blasphemy laws.Talking to The Express Tribune after the rally, Dogar had said that he felt no embarrassment in making the announcement.He had said he would raise the reward to Rs30 million if someone from Khangarh would kill Taseer.Dogar had served as Khangarh’s district nazim on a Pakistan Muslim League-Q ticket. He was accused of association with banned organisation Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan before joining the PML-Q.The police have shifted him to unidentified location and started interrogation.Hmmmm.....Can they arrest the Clerics who called for the killing of the Blasphemer?Read the full story here.

Head Of Mossad ReNamed As Dr Dolittle.

Head Of Mossad ReNamed As Dr Dolittle.As my colleague Dominic Waghorn reports Saudi police have arrested a vulture suspected of spying for Israel.After searching the vulture the authorities say they found a GPS system and an identification tag bearing the words 'Tel Aviv University' and 'R65'.Agent R65, as the bird has not yet been called is still being held. The conditions R65 is being held in are unknown. However it is thought he is singing like a bird.No doubt most sensible people in the Saudi government do not believe R65 is part of the Mossad, but a lot of people in the region will because there is long, amusing, and yet sad history of media reports giving credence to stories in which animals are part of a Zionist plot.Last year, in Egypt, the regional governor of Sinai suggested that a shark which had attacked tourists may have sent there by the Israeli secret service. 'It is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm," said Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha.The Iranians once caught 14 Mossad squirrels inside the Islamic Republic. All were wearing listening devices and cameras. In 2008 they arrested two spy pigeons near a nuclear site. These birds were suspected of spying for either Mossad or MI6. Etemad Melli newspaper quoted a government source - "Early this month, a black pigeon was caught bearing a blue-coated metal ring, with invisible strings," At the time a diplomatic source told me "It must be a shattering blow to our intel boys that that the 'invisible string' has been discovered, after all it's the first thing Britain has invented since the Hovercraft"Another added "It's clear there has been some sort of coo in Tehran", while a third told me, "I don't think this story has legs, but it does have wings"Also in 2008 the Palestinian newspaper WAFA printed a report claiming that jews had trained rats to distinguish between arabs and jews and released them into the Old City of Jerusalem. A year later the Israelis had trained wild boars to destroy Palestinian crops, antelope were patrolling the Lebanese border, and llamas were being trained but turned out to be too unruly and suspected of having pro Hizbollah sympathies.But squirrels wearing cameras? Sharks? Invisible strings, anti arab rats? And now Mossad vultures so stupid they forgot to take off their Tel Aviv ankle bracelets... to believe that, you have to believe that the Head of Mossad is not Tamir Pardo but in fact is...Dr Ben Dolittle.Hmmmm....Contra intelligence is now seeking desperatly to catch one of the Speaking Mossad parrots hoping to question him thoroughly.Read the full animal planet story here.

Obama mouthpiece Robert Gibbs was forced out by new henchman William Daley.

Obama mouthpiece Robert Gibbs was forced out by new henchman William Daley.I wondered yesterday whether Robert Gibbs jumped or was pushed and noted that President Barack Obama’s words indicated that it was “not an entirely voluntary departure”.It’s being reported by John King on CNN right now that Gibbs wanted to be a presidential counsellor – something he’s been putting about for quite a while – but William Daley, the new chief of staff, nixed this because he believed that too many cooks would spoil the presidential broth. So that’s why Gibbs is out.Additionally, King reports that Valerie Jarrett, whose sole qualification to being a senior counsellor seems to be that she’s a long-time Chicago buddy of Barack and Michelle Obama, will have her wings clipped. Daley, not Jarrett, will be the person speaking to the business community.So the next question is: with Gibbs and David Axelrod gone, how much longer will Valerie Jarrett last?Read the full story here.

Obama's Moment of Truth at the UN

HT:MEForum.Obama's Moment of Truth at the UN.President Obama has affirmed repeatedly that, under his leadership, America's bond with Israel is absolute, unshakeable, and rock solid. But the Israeli public is not convinced. A Jerusalem Post poll in March 2010 found that just 9 percent of Jewish Israelis think his administration is pro-Israel, against 48 percent who think it is pro-Palestinian. J Street's pollster, Jim Gerstein, looked for a different result, but even his survey found that 55 percent of Israelis do not believe that Obama supports Israel.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also is not convinced that Obama is necessarily in Israel's camp. Abbas sees rich opportunities to drive a wedge between Israel and its "most reliable" partner, particularly on what the Arabs consider settlements in Jerusalem. Abbas witnessed, from Obama's first day, this administration's fixation on the most divisive and vexatious issue in the U.S.-Israel relationship. He sees that Obama does not regard the Jewish presence in the parts of Jerusalem that Jordan held before 1967 to be legitimate. (One wonders: Is Obama aware that more than half the Jews in Jerusalem live in this forbidden eastern half of the capital?)Few blame Abbas for exploiting the opening that Obama created. Obama very kindly pointed a finger to his own soft underbelly, and Abbas merely accepted the invitation to target the sweet spot the president so generously exposed. Abbas told Obama that he cannot have the peace talks the president so desperately craves until Obama imposes on Israel the freeze in Jerusalem that the president promised.Secretary of State Clinton admits that the Palestinian leader's demand for a settlement freeze as a precondition for talks is unprecedented. For 17 years, Abbas did negotiate with seven Israeli prime ministers without setting a precondition for a settlements freeze. But now he says a freeze is an absolute and non-negotiable requirement before talks even can begin. Abbas says, "At first, President Obama stated ... that Israel must stop all construction activities in the settlements. Could we demand less than that?" Subtly, and without any audible objection from Obama, Abbas has abandoned the Oslo policy of negotiating with Israel and reverted to the pre-Oslo strategy that it is America's job to impose a solution. Abbas remonstrated to Obama, "You said in the United Nations ... 'A Palestinian state is in the vital national security interest of the United States' ... This is a promise and a debt around your neck."This month, Abbas is taking his campaign to the UN Security Council, where the Palestinians are circulating a draft resolution that would declare Israeli "settlements" in Jerusalem to be "illegal." The draft demands a halt to all construction in the eastern half of Israel's capital city. It's openly a maneuver to hoist Obama on his own petard. "We drafted it using the same words that Secretary Clinton is using and so we don't see why the U.S. would veto it," Abbas said.Hmmmm....."They don't trust me because of my middle name" And about a Million other things?Read the full story here.

What Obama Thinks of America

HT:AmericanThinker.What Obama Thinks of America.Sometimes the best way to find out what a person thinks about you is to find out what he tells others. That's why the report on America's human rights record filed by the Obama administration with the U.N. is particularly interesting. It's more accurate to say that this first-ever report to the U.N. Human Rights Council was from the Obama administration rather than from the United States. Its main theme is what President Obama has done in his short two years, rather than what our great country has accomplished as a beacon of human rights over 234 years.What comes through is that President Obama's crew thinks America is congenitally discriminatory, and his administration is bravely soldiering into this morass against the unwashed masses to create an equal society.As the report states, "[w]ork remains to meet our goal of ensuring equality before the law for all." Which American laws or institutions enshrine discrimination? Not mentioned. No matter -- when you're convinced that Americans are bigots, there is no need to provide proof.The administration crows in the report about passing the incredibly divisive and unconstitutional health care act. It devotes a section to the bill, with glowing aspirations of how it will end the discrimination of a racist medical system. (Remember, these people see everything through the filter of race or identity politics -- even health care.) Yet religious freedom (in which the U.S. excels in contrast to other countries) gets a few measly paragraphs with boilerplate generalities. Whereas the health care bill earned details like how many Asian-American men suffer from stomach cancer, the examples of a defense of religious freedom were a Native American primary school student's right to wear his hair in a braid and a Muslim girl's right to wear a hijab.Maybe this administration is not keen on religious freedom. The issue is so old-school...yesterday's news...Christian. And it inconveniently conflicts with one of President Obama's priorities highlighted in the report, a priority that threatens religious freedom -- privileges for those who engage in homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender behavior. The Obama administration would answer that question in a manner different from how most Americans would. Their report states, "In each era of our history," there is "a group whose experience of discrimination illustrates the continuing debate of how we can build a more fair society. In this era, one such group is LGBT Americans." Did you get that? "In each era of our history" -- that is, America is historically and inherently bigoted. Makes you wonder why they'd want to live here.In the distorted view of the Obama administration, Americans' deep respect for the sanctity of marriage is categorized as "discrimination." In their view, clinging to traditional marriage -- the fundamental building block of society -- is evidence of America's breach of human rights. Deconstructing marriage to be "whatever feels good" is considered progress.President Obama is, as he said in his inaugural address, remaking America. Too bad his image of America -- and what he wants to turn us into -- is so prejudiced.Hmmm....And so Definitely unChristian.Read the full story here.

Terror alert as two 'incendiary devices' release smoke and sulphur in Maryland government buildings.Mailrooms quarantined across the state in hunt for other packages.Two people received minor injuries after two packages about the size of small books ignited and released a sulphur-like smell when they were opened at government buildings in Maryland.The fiery devices, one found in Hanover, another in Annapolis, caused the evacuation of mailrooms at government offices across the state. One of the packages was address to Governor Martin O'Malley and concerned officials intercepted two other suspicious deliveries amid the distress, though one was found to be a toner cartridge; the other laptop batteries.The opening of the dangerous packages caused the incendiary device inside to activate, according to State Fire Marshal William Barnard.Explosive material wasn't found in either package that ignited, Barnard said. When one was opened, it produced a 'puff of smoke and a sulphur-type smell, like if you would strike a match'. State police spokesman Greg Shipley added: 'When both packages were opened there was a reaction that caused a flash of fire, a brief flash of fire, smoke and a smell.'This is not to be compared with a significant explosion that you think of when you say that word.'The Annapolis package, addressed in typeface to the recently re-elected governor adorned with holiday stamps, was opened first around 12:30 p.m. local time at the Jeffrey Building, where mail for Mr O'Malley's office is routinely checked. The building is just blocks from the governor's office, which is inside the State House in downtown.That package contained a message from a disgruntled person, a government official familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press.It had a zipper feature and when ripped open, a 'flame popped out'.Hmmm...A disgruntled person,who might bring terrorists to new ideas?Or the TSA installing scanners at every post office?Read the full story here.

The Zionist Organization of America Calls On Obama To Condemn Islamist Terror Attacks On Christians In Middle East & Africa.

HT:IMRA.The Zionist Organization of America Calls On Obama To Condemn Islamist Terror Attacks On Christians In Middle East & Africa.The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has called upon President Barack Obama to condemn by name the Islamist terrorists who carried out attacks in Egypt, Iraq, Palestinian-controlled areas and Nigeria that have occurred in recent weeks and months. The ZOA has argued that it is inadequate that President Obama merely expresses condolences for the victims while failing to condemn the perpetrators by name or to put public pressure on the relevant governments to ensure the protection of Christians and other minorities.ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “The ZOA shares the anguish and concern expressed by many, including President Obama, for the victims of these attacks, which deliberately targeted Christians. However, we believe it is simply inadequate for President Obama to condemn the attacks without identifying and condemning their perpetrators and their ideology. This is as delinquent as trying to combat the Soviet Union without mentioning communism.“We should be offering more than our condolences to the victims of Islamist terrorism – we should be condemning the perpetrators by name and the jihadist cause they espouse. Unfortunately, the Obama administration refuses to do this most of the time.President Obama generally refuses to speak about the Islamist enemy. Instead, he has spoken (in Ankara, Turkey, April 6, 2009) of “rolling back the violent ideologies that people of all faiths reject,” falsely suggesting that the terrorism is entirely unrelated to Islam, a suggestion he also repeated in his June 2009 Cairo speech.“In his 2009 presidential statements on the anniversaries of the 1983 killing of 242 U.S. servicemen in Lebanon by Hizballah or the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran by the Iranian regime, to name two examples, President Obama failed to even mention the perpetrators of these acts. Terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, like that of Fort Hood sniper Nidal Hassan, are described as the acts of isolated extremists. Terms like Islamists and jihad are not even used.“The U.S. should also be pressuring the governments concerned to afford better protection to Christians and other minorities. This we have not been doing.Hmmmm....."They don't trust me because of my middle name"?Read the full story here.

Nearly 50 House Republicans offer bill to block EPA climate rules.

HT:TheHill.Nearly 50 House Republicans offer bill to block EPA climate rules.Dozens of Republicans used the opening day of the new Congress on Wednesday to introduce legislation that would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse-gas emissions.Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, sponsored the bill. The measure’s 46 co-sponsors are all Republicans except for Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.).Co-sponsors include Oversight and Government Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). Absent from the list at the moment: Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who is weighing his approach to stifling greenhouse-gas rules he alleges will burden the economy.The bill would amend the Clean Air Act to declare that greenhouse gases are not subject to the law, according to a brief description in the Congressional Record. While GOP leadership’s specific legislative approach to attacking EPA remains to be seen, the quick introduction signals that blocking climate rules is plainly on the agenda for the new GOP majority.Hmmmm...Before passing such laws look at Europe what the "Green" legislators have done there and how much damage it has caused!And how quickly they were kicked out of government ,after imposing legislation that businesses couldn't even implement.Read the full story here.

US keeps ‘dual use' manufacturers in Turkey under close surveillance.

US keeps ‘dual use' manufacturers in Turkey under close surveillance.The US has been closely monitoring 54 Turkish companies that produce materials which could potentially be used in Iran's nuclear program and the Turkish government has banned these companies from trading with Iran upon a request from the US administration, a reliable source who insisted on remaining anonymous has told Today's Zaman. US diplomatic cables published earlier by WikiLeaks made it clear that the operations of Turkish companies Durmazlar, Baykal and Ermaksan were being closely followed by the US. The three companies were listed among companies “whose loss or attack by terrorists” could have a “critical impact” on US security.Responding to questions by Today's Zaman on the issue, Trade and Industry Minister Nihat Ergün didn't want to go into details, but said: “We are not exporting products that are needed for Iran's nuclear program. Turkey has fulfilled the requirements of UN sanctions imposed on Iran so far. There is a list that lists which products are banned from being exported to Iran. Many of these products are those which can be used as part of Iran's nuclear program. Dual use technological equipment and aluminum are included in this list. The Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretariat also has this list.”Noting that Turkey’s trade with Iran stood at around $1 billion in 2002, Tüzmen said this figure rose to $10 billion in 2010, complaining that the sanctions have cost Turkish companies nearly $1 billion.Durmazlar Machinery manufactures products for airlines and electronic industries. This company was a contractor for the Chalk River Laboratories in Canada. Chalk River is the world’s number one producer of isotopes. Another important point about Durmazlar is that it does business in Iran’s Strait of Hormuz.Hmmmm....Sanctions that "Bite" up from $ 2 Billion to $ 10 Billion?Read the full story here.

Hamas leader denies Nazi Holocaust.

Hamas leader denies Nazi Holocaust.On 2nd anniversary of Israeli airstrike on UN school, Zahar says 'this lie has crumbled with the holocaust of Beit Hanun, the holocaust of Al-Fakhura and the other countless holocausts'. A senior Hamas leader on Thursday accused Israel of carrying out "countless holocausts" against the Palestinians while saying the Nazi genocide was a "lie."Mahmoud al-Zahar made the remarks during a memorial ceremony for 43 Palestinians who were killed at a UN school in the Jabaliya refugee camp during Israel's 22-day war on Gaza that began in December 2008."The lie according to which they were a victim of a holocaust and the (Jewish) people are a victim -- this lie has crumbled with the holocaust of Beit Hanun, the holocaust of Al-Fakhura and the other countless holocausts ... committed by the Zionist enemy," he said.Hmmmm...Accepting the Holocaust would also require to recognise the role of Arafats uncle the Grand Muftiof Jerusalem Mohammad Amin al-Husayni with Nazi Germany?Read the full story here.

Republicans introduce bill to eliminate presidential 'czars'.

Republicans introduce bill to eliminate presidential 'czars'.A group of House Republicans introduced a bill on Wednesday to rein in the various "czars" in the Obama administration. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and 28 other House Republicans introduced legislation to do away with the informal, paid advisers President Obama has employed over the past two years. The legislation, which was introduced in the last Congress but was not allowed to advance under Democratic control, would do away with the 39 czars Obama has employed during his administration. The bill defines a czar as "a head of any task force, council, policy office within the Executive Office of the President, or similar office established by or at the direction of the President" who is appointed to a position that would otherwise require Senate confirmation.Republicans had complained about the president's use of czars to help advance his agenda in Congress. In particular, the GOP had harped about the personal history of Van Jones, the president's czar for "green jobs," over past comments Jones had made about Fox News came to light. Jones eventually resigned.Hmmmm.....It's revolution time in America?Already 39 czars that many,who are these guys?Read the full story here.