Friday, December 25, 2009

Al Qaeda is having a global hissy fit. Bin Laden is calling in all his favors.

Get used to it, nothing it going to change soon. "Tighten it up."

This is no joke, this is a crescendo that has been building since the USA has moved back into Afghanistan and Pakistan has been as successful as it has been. The political rhetoric against the current Pakistani President is all part of the attempts to derail the war against al Qaeda.

We are being successful.

Al Qaeda has had eight years of uninterrupted growth. This is going to do down hard and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

We had to go here. And NATO knows that.

There was no 'soft approach' that was ever going to correct this course. Don't get lazy. It is time to be the best we can be and stop this insane terrorist network.

We can do it.

Oh, yes we can.




Today went exceptionally well. Delta and Northwest Airlines should be congratulated for its attentive and well trained crews. The civilized world is better at being aware and prepared than al Qaeda has resources.

I would encourage the global community to support the current President in Pakistan through a difficult time.

I am proud of our humanity.

They.

Have none.

If there is a time in the history of humanity on Earth to come together over common beliefs and ideals, this is that time.

SOURCE: Al-Qaida Link in Failed Plane Attack (click here)


Last Update: 9:44 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida's instructions, tried to blow up the plane Friday as it was landing in Detroit, law enforcement and national security officials said.

Passengers subdued the man and may have prevented him from detonating the explosives, the officials said.

"We believe this was an attempted act of terrorism," a White House official said.

Federal officials imposed stricter screening measures after the incident.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., ranking GOP member of the House Homeland Security Committee, identified the suspect as Abdul Mudallad, a Nigerian. King said the flight began in Nigeria and went through Amsterdam en route to Detroit. There were 278 passengers aboard the Airbus 330.

There was nothing out of the ordinary until the flight was on final approach to Detroit, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. That is when the pilot declared an emergency and landed without incident shortly thereafter, Cory said in an e-mail message. The plane landed at 11:51 a.m. EST.

One of the U.S. intelligence officials said the explosive device was a mix of powder and liquid. It failed when the passenger tried to detonate it.

The passenger was being questioned Friday evening. An intelligence source said the Nigerian passenger was being held and treated in an Ann Arbor hospital.

All the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.

One law enforcement source said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil.

The official said an official determination of a terrorist act would have to come from the attorney general.

The official added that additional security measures are being taken without raising the airline threat level.

The official declined to describe what additional measures law enforcement was taking.
The White House was coordinating briefings for the president through the Homeland Security Department, the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI.

A law enforcement source said the explosives may have been strapped to the man's body but investigators weren't immediately certain, partly because of the struggle with other passengers.

One passenger from the flight was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, hospital spokeswoman Tracy Justice said. She didn't know the person's condition, or whether the person was a man or woman. She referred all inquiries to the FBI.

Passenger Syed Jafri, a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said the incident occurred during the plane's descent. Jafri said he was seated three rows behind the passenger and said he saw a glow, and noticed a smoke smell. Then, he said, "a young man behind me jumped on him."

"Next thing you know, there was a lot of panic," he said.

Rich Griffith, a passenger from Pontiac, said he was seated too far in the back to see what had happened. But he said he didn't mind being detained on the plane for several hours. "It's frustrating if you don't want to keep your country safe," he said. "We can't have what's going on everywhere else happening here."

President Barack Obama was notified of the incident and discussed it with security officials, the White House said. It said he is monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates from his vacation spot in Hawaii.

J.P. Karas, 55, of Wyandotte, said he was driving down a road near the airport and saw a Delta jet at the end of the runway, surrounded by police cars, an ambulance, a bus and some TV trucks.

"I don't ever recall seeing a plane on that runway ever before and I pass by there frequently," he said.
Karas said it was difficult to tell what was going on, but it looked like the front wheel was off the runway.

"We encourage those with future travel plans to stay in touch with their airline and to visit www.tsa.gov for updates," Homeland Security Department said in a statement.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has been briefed on the incident and is closely monitoring the situation.

The department encouraged travelers to be observant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behavior to law enforcement officials.
------

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


STATEMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

WASHINGTON D.C. – “Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has been briefed on the incident aboard Northwest Airlines flight #253 and is closely monitoring the situation.

Passengers may notice additional screening measures put into place to ensure the safety of the traveling public on domestic and international flights.

As always we encourage the traveling public to be observant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behavior or activity to law enforcement officials.

We encourage those with future travel plans to stay in touch with their airline and to visit www.tsa.gov for updates.”

It wouldn't be Christmas without retaliation by The Taliban. This is an earlier picture of Pfc. Bergdahl. I have just one thing to say.


"The Geneva Conventions, you slimeballs !"
Merry Christmas, Pfc. Bergdahl.

...and to all a good night.



This map shows the geographic distribution of cities. It clearly shows that cities are concentrated in Europe, the eastern United States, Japan, China and India. It is a better map for showing the geography of night time electricity consumption for outdoor lighting than it is for showing the geography of population. For example: the eastern United States is very bright but the more densely populated areas of China and India are not nearly as bright in this image. NASA Image.

2 degrees is to high. Earth is heating now, that is bargaining with disaster. This is a vortex street.


December 25, 2009
0631 gmt
Global Pacific Satellite

Market Report - U.S. Home Sales Push Markets Higher (click here)

2009-12-23 9:35

In today’s market report… Asian markets were mostly higher after a jump in U.S. housing sales suggested the economy is picking up speed.

November home re-sales rose 7.4 percent, above a forecast 2.5 percent. It adds to upbeat technology forecasts and corporate deal making.

A slew of mining activities also pushed commodity shares higher -- shares in Australia's Macarthur Cole soared after it offered to buy Noble unit Gloucester Coal in an all-share deal worth almost $600 million.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's state-owned coal miner, Bukit Asam, expects coal sales to increase by more than a fifth next year. That’s due to strong demand from China and India. The company says it plans to ramp up infrastructure in the coming years.

And Newcrest Mining gained after Australia's top gold miner said it had resumed operations after bad weather caused by Tropical Cyclone Laurence shut down its Telfer gold mine.

And in Japan, the market was closed for a holiday


December 25, 2009
0622 gmt
Western Pacific Satellite



The current wet weather in Australia has resulted because of the heating over Antarctica.


WIDESPREAD RAIN FOR NSW AND QUEENSLAND OVER THE NEXT WEEK
(click here)


Updated 4 pm 24th December 2009

The remnants of tropical cyclone "Laurence" have combined with a low pressure trough to the south to form a slow moving rainband that will produce substantial rain over much of NSW and southern Queensland over the next week.

Flooding is predicted for several of the rivers that drain into the Murray Darling catchment, so this is expected to see a significant boost during this time.

7 day totals of 300 to 400 mm are possible over northern and central inland NSW and adjacent Queensland areas, generating one of the most significant rain events for these areas for several years.




December 25, 2009
0632 gmt
Indian Ocean Satellite

Storm Laurence Triggers Extreme Weather Warnings In Indonesia (click here)

Tropical storm Laurence has triggered Indonesia’s Geophysics, Climatology and Meteorology Agency (BMKG) to issue an extreme weather warning on their Web site for December 22 to December 24.

According to the agency, the activity of Laurence in West Australia is triggering rain clouds in Indonesia, namely in the western part of Indonesia and south of the equator. The warm sea water south of the equator is increasing condensation in the area.

The agency also said that high temperatures during the day stimulated atmospheric activity and could trigger rainstorms and lightning.

The areas with the highest potential of rainstorms and lightning are:

-The east coast of north, central and southern Sumatra
-Western, central and southern Kalimantan
-Jakarta-Bogor-Tangerang-Depok-Bekasi
-West Java
-Central Java and northern parts of East Java
-Northern, central and southern parts of Sulawesi
-Bali and Nusa Tenggara
-North and southeastern areas of Maluku
-West and central areas of Papua

JG




December 25, 2009
0129 am est
Africa Satellite

Africa is the least turbulent of the continents. It is the least industrialized as well. The reason these nations need subsidies is to maintain their lack of industrialization, to minimize the extent agriculture overtakes valuable carbon sinks such as the jungles of the Congo, while the people improve their quality of life. South Africa is least hit, but, countries such as Ethiopia have been devastated by Human Induced Global Warming.


‘Lovely weather’ at Xmas (click here)


THE weather will be lovely over the Christmas weekend despite the rainy conditions at the beginning of the week.

Yesterday morning’s cold and rainy start will be replaced by temperate weather over the festive long weekend.

Forecaster Venetia Magane of the South African Weather Bureau says Christmas morning will be sunny in Gauteng at 19 to 32 degrees in Pretoria and 17 to 31 degrees for Johannesburg.

It will be partly cloudy with a 30percent chance of thundershowers in the afternoon. The fine weather will persist until after the weekend.

“The temperature will be warm. It will be a fine day on Christmas. People can go on picnics or outdoor activities but should start packing up in the afternoon since there is a possibility of thundershowers,” Magane said.

Durban and the KwaZulu- Natal North Coast will be partly cloudy in the morning with a 30percent chance of rain. The temperature will range from 20 to 24 degrees.

Cape Town will be fine but cool with temperatures of 16 to 23 degrees. The weekend will be cloudy with a 30percent chance of rain.



December 25, 2009
0328 gmt
Europe Satellite

Been a little self absorbed?

European weather deaths pass 100 (click here)

Freezing weather brings death and disruption in Germany, Italy and across eastern Europe

Lizzy Davies

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 December 2009 17.31 GMT

More than 100 people have been killed in the cold snap across Europe, with temperatures plummeting and snowfall causing chaos from Moscow to Milan.

In Poland, where temperatures have dropped to as low as -20C in some areas, police appealed for tip-offs about people spotted lying around outside. At least 42 people, most of them homeless, died over the weekend.

In Ukraine 27 people have frozen to death since the thermometer dropped last week. Authorities in Romania said 11 people had succumbed to the chill, and in the Czech Republic the toll was 12. In Germany, where temperatures have fallen to -33C in certain parts, at least seven people are known to have lost their lives in the freezing weather.

For millions of others across the continent, the cold snap has brought severe disruption, with flight cancellations and traffic jams thwarting pre-Christmas travel plans....



December 25, 2009
0337 gmt
Africa-Europe Satellite



A goldeye was among the waterfowl counted at Saturday's Christmas Bird Count. (CRAIG LARCOM PHOTOS)

Count down: Fewer birds seen on annual Christmas Bird Count (click here)

By MICHAEL BABCOCK • Tribune Outdoor Editor • December 24, 2009
Members of the local Audubon chapter found fewer birds during this year's annual Christmas Bird Count but they chalked that up to the weather: Not the weather the day of the count, but two nasty spells in October and November that may have hurried the birds on their way south....

It also could be there are simply fewer birds.


December 25, 2009
0317 gmt
South America

Last time there was this level of severe weather over South America, it spawned a 'nameless' hurricane in the South Atlantic off the Brazilian coast.
First time in recorded history there ever was such a storm, it was 2004. (click here)



December 25, 2009
0323 gmt
Western Hemisphere Satellite

Normally, 'vortex street' is usually found in the Arctic.



December 25, 2009
04:30:15z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of the North and West Hemisphere (click title for 12 hour loop - thank you)

This is just one wave of storms after another. Blizzard warmings does not necessarily mean 'staying at home.' There are areas of the country where people may need to seek shelter. Sorry, it is just the way the world is these days. No one listened. I gave up being cheery along time ago. It has come down to the reality of whether or not lives are being saved. Doesn't matter the day, time or event. The global has been demoralized by Neocons. Ain't my fault. The world has been sugar coated enough by political rhetoric.

Unless people are confident they have provisions to sustain them, they need to seek shelter.

49 Storm Team Forecast: BLIZZARD WARNINGS in effect (click here)


By Ed Bloodsworth, Ashley Meenen, Matt Miller

BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR Anderson, Brown, Coffey, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lyon, Marshall, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Geary, Riley, and Morris counties UNTIL 6:00 PM CHRISTMAS DAY

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR Clay, Dickinson, and Washington counties UNTIL 6:00 PM CHRISTMAS DAY

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR Cloud county UNTIL 6:00 PM CHRISTMAS DAY

A major winter storm continues to affect most of Northeast Kansas. The worst weather is expected to occur through 6:00 AM Christmas Day. Winds will gust up to 45 mph tonight, which will create blowing and drifting snow. Travel will be nearly impossible tonight. We urge Kansans to stay off of the roads tonight. Snow is expected to continue for Christmas with gusty winds. Stay warm and stay safe.