This is no small matter. All those involved in seating guests and allowing people into the State Dinner should testify. It's only right.

...Rogers' late father, Roy Glapion, (click here) was president of the prestigious Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, New Orleans' oldest black Mardi Gras krewe. She was Queen of Zulu, an honor usually extended to a debutante or young woman deemed to be socially important, in 1988 and 2000. After college at Wellesley and business school at Harvard, Rogers and her then-husband, John Rogers (president of Ariel Capital Management) cut a high-profile swath through Chicago's glittery gratin. And she's regularly cited as one of the country's best (and okay, most adventurously) dressed women.
All great preparation for her current job at the White House.
But Rogers' style and glamour are a double-edged sword, one that might have drawn a little political blood over the past few days after the gate-crasher snafu....

I am please President Obama feels very sage in his home at 1600 Pennsylvania Blvd., but there is a limit to being generous when it comes to securing himself and the First Lady and their daughters.

The White House, the Senate and House need to come to understand how this all occurred. It can be an upsetting set of circumstances that should be taken very seriously. All the facts need to be known and I don't see that one set of 'particulars' are any more or less important than another.

Basically, what went right and what didn't.

This isn't that difficult.

There is absolutely no reason for blood sport. This isn't about anything except understanding the issues as they presented themselves.

I would hope everyone at the State Dinner would be eager to solve this mystery. I would hope.

The Beluga Whale has critical habitat protected after a severe drop in population.

The current population of Beluga Whales is very low, only 300 individuals. That number runs the risk of genetic loss and diversity. The Beluga whales of Cook Inlet must be protected. There is little time to waste.

Habitat protection proposed for endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale (click title to entry - thank you)
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 10:31
THE United States federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today took an important step toward protecting critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the Cook Inlet beluga whale in Alaska by proposing to designate more than 3,000 square miles of the endangered whale’s habitat for protection.
The overdue proposal comes after a 2007 petition by various local and national groups to NMFS to list the beluga under the ESA, and on the heels of a formal notice of intent to sue by the Center for Biological Diversity.
Once habitat is designated, federal agencies are prohibited from taking any actions that may “adversely modify” it. Species for which critical habitat has been designated have been found to be more than twice as likely to be recovering, and less than half as likely to be declining, as those without it.
“NMFS has clearly relied on the best available science to identify and designate the habitat needed to give the Cook Inlet beluga whale a fighting chance at survival,” said marine mammal biologist Craig Matkin, Executive Director of the North Gulf Oceanic Society.
In October 2008, NMFS listed the whale as endangered over the objections of then-governor Sarah Palin. The listing occurred following petitions and litigation by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and local and national organizations. However, rather than designate critical habitat for the beluga at the time of listing as required by the Endangered Species Act, NMFS deferred habitat protection for a year. That year came and went with no action by NMFS, and on October 29, 2009, CBD formally notified the agency that it would file a lawsuit to force the overdue designation.
“If we quickly act to designate and protect the critical habitat of the Cook Inlet beluga, this highly imperiled whale has a real chance of recovery,” said Rebecca Noblin, attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Anchorage office. “A species as critically imperiled as the Cook Inlet beluga whale should not have to endure further delay before its habitat is truly protected.”
Today’s proposal triggers a public comment period and likely public hearings before the rule is finalized and takes legal effect.
“Cook Inlet beluga whales are one of the most endangered populations of marine mammals in the world,” said Taryn Kiekow, staff attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Marine Mammal Protection Project. “The decision to designate critical habitat is long overdue and absolutely necessary to preserving and protecting this unique population from further harm.”
The Cook Inlet beluga whale is a genetically distinct and geographically isolated population whose numbers have plummeted in recent decades. Recent surveys show the Cook Inlet beluga whale’s population now hovers between 300 and 400 animals, down from an estimated population of approximately 1,300 whales in the 1980s. The Cook Inlet beluga whale is one of five populations of beluga, or white whales, in Alaska.
“Historic data shows that ESA listings and healthy economies go hand in hand, said Toby Smith, Executive Director of the Alaska Center for the Environment. “This habitat designation will bring about the balance we need to promote truly responsible development while protecting one of Alaska’s most popular wildlife icons.”
The original decline of the Cook Inlet beluga was likely caused by unregulated harvests, but the population has failed to rebound since hunting was curtailed in 1999, indicating that other factors likely are interfering with its recovery....

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is:

Local Time: 11:51 AM AKST (GMT -09)

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Temperature :: 39 °F

Conditions :: Scattered Clouds

Windchill :: 33 °F

Humidity :: 70%

Dew Point :: 30 °F

Wind :: 9 mph from the SSE

Pressure :: 30.18 in (Rising)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Scattered Clouds 5000 ft
(Above Ground Level)

Elevation :: 33 ft

12/1/09

The Native American whale hunt should be banned. The children, especially, should not be exposed to these high levels of toxins. It is a matter of health care policy and public concern and not native American rights.


...Alaska Native beluga whale subsistence hunt at Point Lay, Alaska (Chukchi Sea). With the assistance of the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, specimens from this population of beluga whales have been archived by AMMTAP. Samples of blubber from these animals have been analyzed by NIST and DFO Canada (D. Muir) for PCB's and chlorinated pesticides; liver samples have been analyzed by NIST for 35 elements, including: mercury, methyl mercury, selenium, cadmium, silver, arsenic, copper, and zinc. (This photo is from the collection of G. Carroll, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Barrow, AK)

President Obama took responsibility for all the nations involved in Afghanistan and got a good response from NATO.

The follow up to the President's speech regarding the efforts with Afghanistan is impressive. It looks as though all the 'good will' and speeches by our President resulted in a NATO commited to filling in the gap to 40,000 troops requested by General McCrystal. The General should find some solice in realizing his President has provided a strong international platform for his strategy.

Leaving Afghanistan isn't as easy as leaving Iraq. I am not referring to logistics, I am referring to treaties and allies. We aren't the only North American country committed to this effort. That is what is so reprehensible about the negligence of the previous administration in regard to supporting the Afghan government and the allies that see the effort as vital to their National Security.

I have listened and read the view points of my peers and they are correct. This is very painful. We have a President we love and are loyal to, yet, we disagree sincerely with his decision. The decision by the way was praised as 'contemplative' during the time he took to make it. We praised his reflection on the facts. He believed in him during that time.

When McCarther wasn't allowed to move against China, we had only one goal in mind and that was to secure South Korea. We did that. When Ford removed the troops from Vietnam it was a unilateral decision with hideous conditions. It was an easy decision to make. Vietnam was about wrongful economics and politics as well as a country without nuclear ambitions.

The decision President Obama made with a great deal of fact finding and thought wasn't as easily reached as his predecessors. He had a lot hanging in the balance and needed to believe in his General and the possibility NATO didn't carry the burden through years of neglect by the USA for no reason.

I would be more critical of President Obama if he hadn't been so transparent and forthright about the vast corruption that existed in Afghanistan as he executed his fact finding mission and made tough choices. However, this is still a very painful period of time.

The USA has been manipulated in its priorities with Iraq vs Afghanistan and we are all very suspicious of a continued war, even if both Iraq and Afghanistan engagements end in 2011. However, I understand his priorities and we are contributing to the national security of our allies as we are compelled to do under treaties. President Obama is going above and beyond with this commitment to NATO. He didn't have to do it, but, felt it necessary to uphold the integrity of our alliances. He is correct on that count. This is also not a strategy that is being touted as a 'marginal' effort. General McCrystal is stating he anticipates victory and success.

I don't look forward to the next 18 months in anticipation of a successful and rewarding war. I find nothing thought provoking about discussions of strategies and death of enemies. But, I do recognize the fact that NATO has 'stood the line' while Bush and Cheney dabbled in Iraq. They stood the line in hopes that a USA President would be elected to finish the fight and establish stability in the region. We have an obligation to them and we can't look the other way.

I hope General McCrystal is successful, he states he will be. The USA by majority is not a warring country, it is difficult for its citizens to support prolonged wars, especially when they have gone as "W"rong as this one. But, through the graces of an intelligent President, the effort has more time and more troops. I am pleased President Obama has resolved to put a limit on this effort and return economic stability to the USA over and above prolonged efforts in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan need to believe in their country and take on the responsiblity of defending it. It is time for that transition and we can only hope the Afghan people live up to their responsibility as we stand down from ours.

If I were President Obama I wouldn't pay much attention to the media, except for pundits and sincere journalists, during the next eighteen months. They are going to use it to hack away at his credibility in regard to this effort, as example, even the wayward Rove is attempting to be Advisor and Chief. I mean, who is he to say squat? I guess its a paycheck for him. Then in a completely laughable moment, Murdoch's Hannity stated, "He doesn't think the deployment is worth the effort, so why bother at all." There is no way that is ANYTHING but propaganda for the Right Wing seeking a political 'wedge' on the issue for their own priorities and outcomes.

I stand with my President. I believe he did the 'best' he could, but, I look forward to the return of our troops. These next eighteen months will give all the NATO countries time to make their own decisions and prepare for an Afghanistan yet to be realized.

More U.S. troops in Afghanistan will help Canada’s mission: minister (click here)
By Peter O’Neil and Allison Cross, Canwest News Service
Canada’s Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Wednesday an injection of 30,000 more American troops into Afghanistan will help Canada better achieve its own objectives in the war-torn country.
Mr. Cannon made these remarks in a teleconference with media from Brussels, where he is meeting with other NATO foreign leaders.
“Canada welcomes the additional military and civilian resources the U.S. will deploy to Afghanistan, in particular to the south,” he said. “This will allow Canada to further concentrate its efforts on its . . . priorities and . . . signature projects.”...

From (L), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (click title to entry - thank you), Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, 02 Dec 2009, before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on US strategy in Afghanistan Gerald Herbert

...The Secretary of State spend a full day in Congress Wednesday with other senior administration officials defending President Obama's decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
After another hearing Thursday, she leaves for Brussels for talks on Afghanistan Friday with fellow NATO foreign ministers, and those of other participants in the 43-nation International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, ISAF.
Clinton said she spoke with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen between Congressional hearings and said he gave an encouraging report on his efforts to generate new troop pledges among the allies....

NATO chief: Allies will provide 5,000 more troops (click here)
By Craig Whitlock

Washington Post Foreign Service

Wednesday, December 2, 2009; 2:28 PM

...In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen pledged that U.S. allies would "send at least 5,000 more soldiers to this operation, and probably a few thousand on top of that." He told reporters in Brussels, "This is not just America's war. This is our fight, together."...

Tiger needs to realize his wife loves him before anyone else. He should value her more.

From what I was reading about Rachecl Uchitel, she was dating a whole lot of male atheletes. Tiger was one of many. Scary thought if it were me, both from an emotional issue, a father issue and an STD issue.

Men don't often put the possibility of they being ONLY one of many as a reality when they cheat. That should cross their minds before they take the ultimate dive into sexual excitement for the sake of variety and testing their limits.

The conversations released were racy, but, lacked real substance. It was about sex. So. There is no substance there. Is the old adage that states, "All men want is sex anyway.," really true? Is that what men live for? Is that what they see as paramont as respect by other men?

Tiger is the luckiest man, he has a wife that loves him, provided him a family and wants a marriage and not just a 'Romper Room Bedroom.'

I hope it works out. I hope she decides to stay with him. I hope the couple can put all this mess behind them and I hope he goes on to continue a successful career.

See, because, if it doesn't? He is the only one that will be miserable when he finds out, "He wasn't the only one."



...“I have let my family down (click title to entry) and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart,” the allegedly guileful golfer apologized online.

The eloquent mea culpa stood in stark contrast to a sext message he purportedly sent to California cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs this fall: “I will wear you out. . . When was the last time you got (expletive)?” It was one of several published by Us Weekly magazine, reportedly sent on Sept. 27....

Iran is playing politics while they expand their nuclear capacity and develop long range weapons.

The release of 'innocent' people being detained wrongly is not a reason to elevate the trust of Iran.


Britons captured in Iran: Luke Porter (click here)
Age1, Luke Porter has been sailing since the age of eight. His parents, Charles and Beverly, run the Beachland Hotel near Weston Super Mare and live in a nearby village....

British sailors released: Luke Porter's family speaks of relief (click here)
With wide grins and relief etched on their faces, Charles and Beverly Porter got the call they had been waiting for shortly after 8am on Tuesday morning.
...Mr. Porter said hew did not think they would see their son until December 17: “I think he is going straight back to work, he has got a great work ethic.
“He is fit and ok and I am sure they will be put back to work.”
Both parents paid tribute to the Foreign Office Mrs Porter said: “We owe so many thanks to the Foreign Office for their hard work. We do appreciate that so much must have gone on behind the scenes.
“We are grateful to Iran for seeing it for what it was.”
Mr Porter said: “All the people involved could see it for what it was – a pure mistake.
“It appears now there was a problem with the boat – they never meant to be there.”
He joked: “I think Luke’s mother may give him a bit of a telling off…”
His wife joined in: “It may not be the first thing I say, but a close second. And maybe there won’t be so much washing to bring home as he normally does.
“We might have to have a few words about his navigational skills, maybe get him an early Christmas present and send him on a course.”

The imprisoning of any Iranian citizens due to demonstrations regarding the illegitmate vote count in the last Presidential election is a human rights violation. We have witnessed people being beaten and killed as well, as they demonstrated peacefully for a redress of the vote counting. Iran claims it had no control over the violence that occurred which caused citizens their lives. That in and of itself is of grave concern indicating Iran does not have control over its sovereignty if there are militias at work on the streets.

There is absolutely no reason for jailing any demonstrator as that is an act of oppression, especially considering there was indeed an inconsistency in the vote count. The citizens were acting peacefully within their rights of freedom of speech and it is inexcusable any harm came to them. They acted lawfully in casting votes in the first place in belief of their Constitution.

Iranian pro-reform economist jailed for nine years (click here)
Page last updated at 10:14 GMT, Wednesday, 2 December 2009
A prominent Iranian economist has been jailed for nine years for protesting over the disputed election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June, his lawyer says.
Saeed Laylaz was convicted of attending illegal gatherings and possessing classified documents by a court, Iranian media reported.
Mr Laylaz, a prominent reformist, had been critical of President Ahmadinejad's policies.
Reports say 81 people have been jailed since the protests over the polls....

In recent days President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been in in the Western Hemisphere using inflammatory rhetorical words against the USA. He has stated we are an occupying force and trouble to the global community, therefore there was need by Iran to continue its nuclear program.

Those are lies, propaganda and used to justify Iran's actions in regard to its continued escalation of its nuclear program. Those words are a very clear indication that Iran seeks not peaceful use, but, weapons use of its uranium enrichment.

A peaceful nuclear program would not in any way amount to an understanding as an enhancement to national defense. We are left to conclude by that statement alone that Iran wants a nuclear weapon arsenal.

We have witnessed this pattern many times before with Iran in order to ignore the global community and its responsibility to run a peaceful nuclear program. Iran continues to increase its enrichment practices even after agreeing to work with Russia and Europe to dismantle those facilities and receive 'energy grade' uranium in a peaceful method.

Iran rejects IAEA resolution as "illegal" - TV (click here)
Wed Dec 2, 2009 7:45am EST
TEHRAN, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected on Wednesday as "illegal" a U.N. nuclear watchdog resolution over the country's disputed nuclear activities, state television reported.
Ahmadinejad also said Israel could not do a "damn thing" to stop the Islamic state's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is a front to build bombs. Iran denies the claim.
"Under pressure of a few superficially powerful countries ... the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed an illegal resolution against the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech in the central city of Isfahan.
The IAEA passed a resolution on Friday censuring Iran for covertly constructing a second enrichment plant near the holy city of Qom, in addition to its IAEA-monitored one at Natanz, and demanding a construction halt....

Iran is completely ignoring its responsibility to its people and the international community. This is still ANOTHER nation too unstable to allow nuclear proliferation to continue.

The United Nations as well as all the party countries to the Iran issue need to approach this assault against civilization differently. Rather than simply 'disenfranchisement' of 'good will' as measures against its nuclear activities, the World Court needs to recognize its responsibility with these countries. Their sovereignty is not intact and they have very dangerous programs. They are a danger to the entire populous of the planet and they should be disarmed.

It is time to hold President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for 'crimes against humanity' in its aggressive enrichment of nuclear material while demonstrating its intention to increase the range of its missile systems. This is in direct violation of human rights laws and international treaties in 'the threat' exists when it should not. Iran is not one of the five legitimate nuclear countries in the world, THAT itself, is a human rights violation by the simple fact the leadership acts as criminals to treaties widely recognized.

Iran will enrich uranium to 20%: Ahmadinejad (click here)
By Hiedeh Farmani (AFP) – 3 hours ago
TEHRAN — A defiant President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that Iran will itself enrich uranium up to 20 percent purity in a blow to Western efforts to stop Tehran's sensitive nuclear activities.
Ahmadinejad also said that even the Islamic republic's arch-foe Israel would be unable to do a "damn thing" about Iran's nuclear programme.
He reiterated that as far as Tehran is concerned, the nuclear issue is "over" and said the Islamic republic will "not back down from its rights."
"The Iranian nation will by itself make the 20 percent (nuclear) fuel (enriched uranium) and whatever it needs," the hardliner announced in a speech broadcast live on state television from the central city of Isfahan....

It is irresponsible of the World Court to allow such dangers to exist for the global community and needs to act to remove leaders such as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from their seats of power to a court where they can be held responsible for threats against any other nation. To wait in anticipation of 'peaceful use of nuclear materials' with Iran is foolish when the President of that country has openly exhibited hostility and genocidal ideals toward other nations as well as demonstrating oppression of the will of the Iranian people to conduct democratic principles. Iran's intentions are obvious, it is not a stable nation and oppressive practices with its own people clearly demonstrate misuse of the authority of their laws.

Security Council
5612th Meeting (AM)
SECURITY COUNCIL IMPOSES SANCTIONS (click title to entry - thank you) ON IRAN FOR FAILURE TO HALT URANIUM ENRICHMENT, UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1737 (2006)

Measures Will Be Lifted if Iran Suspends Suspect Activities;
Report Due from Atomic Energy Agency on Compliance within 60 Days
Determined to give effect to its unmet 31 July demand that Iran suspend all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, the Security Council today imposed sanctions on that country, blocking the import or export of sensitive nuclear materiel and equipment and freezing the financial assets of persons or entities supporting its proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or the development of nuclear-weapon delivery systems.

This has gone on too long with no demonstration by Iran to comply with the global community. Iran is making fools of everyone in definance of 'reasonable' requests with formal proceedings recognized globally as legitimate. It is time to indict the authorities in the Iranian government responsible for the threats to the global community.

In this case, words are not benign, they are indications of hate and intentions to kill. It will be too late when Iran covertly assembles it's missiles and kills millions of people in a single act of hatred.

Pre-empting a nation like Iran from developing nuclear weapons is a responsible act by the World Courts. It is a methodology that maintains peace while denying 'economic war strategies' from taking place as witnessed in recent years with Iraq. When seats of power are held responsible for their escalation of danger to humanity in irresponsible and oppressive policies, the world will be a far better place and diplomacy will have deeper meaning.

The Afghan People need to Deploy to the Defense of their Nation. The USA has a Real President and a General willing to lead a victory.

If we can get past the numbers and just go forward with assisting the Aghan people to securing their nation. The troop deployment ends July 2011. No time to waste.


Map: Foreign forces in Afghanistan (click here)
Of the 71,030 NATO troops, 34,800 are from the USA (click here - bottom of page)

NATO needs to commit their troops to end the war in Afghanistan, the USA will not fight a forever war. All nations are accountable for their participation. The USA is carrying the heaviest burden to secure NATO, while building a strong Homeland Security, by sending American troops into the most dangerous regions of Afghanistan. Regions the Afghan military have to come to defend by themselves.

I am proud of my President. I wish General McCrystal success and above all valor for his commitment and dedication to his country. I thank them both.

It is my estimate there should be no weakening of the Pakistani forces in regard to their efforts, regardless, of the strategy of General McCrystal. There are methods the General can use that do not have to be disclosed to anyone. Quite frankly, it would be better if the American effort in the toughest regions of Afghanistan were left in secret while carrying out a successful campaign.

...He said (click here) that US National Security Adviser James Jones had contacted Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Frankfurt and informed him about the US decision.
Mr Qureshi said that Pakistan had no objection to the increase in the number of US troops in Afghanistan, but wanted details about their deployment.
‘We want to know how they will be deployed and in which areas,’ the foreign minister said.
President Obama called President Asif Ali Zardari a few hours before the announcement of his new Afghan strategy.
According to presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar, President Obama mentioned broad outlines of the new policy.
President Zardari was among the five world leaders contacted by the US president, the others being the leaders of France, Canada, Australia and Afghanistan....

The issue with al Qaeda does not exist in Afghanistan alone.

Aid workers feared kidnapped by al-Qaeda's north Africa wing (click here)
Three Spanish aid workers kidnapped in Mauritania on Monday are believed to be being held by the group linked to al-Qaeda which beheaded a British hostage in June.
By Mike Pflanz, West Africa Correspondent
Published: 6:00AM GMT 01 Dec 2009
Gunmen fired shots to stop the vehicle carrying the two men and one woman, which was at the back of a 13-car convoy heading north from the capital Nouakchott to deliver aid.
"I heard my colleagues in one of the cars who said 'soldiers, soldiers, machine guns, machine guns'," Joseph Carbonell, head of the aid group Barcelona-Accio Solidaria, told Reuters....

As the noose tightens on Afghanistan Opium, the 'enterprise' of kidnapping gains momentum for the terrorist network. I looks as though Africa is choice real estate for the funding operations of al Qaeda and the Somali pirates. Something tells me 'times are getting tough' for al Qaeda.

Sahel: Al-Qaeda and the "business" of Western hostages (click here)
ennahar 01 December, 2009 03:50:00
DAKAR - For Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), always menacing but in financial difficulty, the kidnapping of Westerners in the Sahel countries constitutes increasingly a "business" to bail out, according to experts.
In less than a week, a French has been kidnapped in north-eastern Mali and three Spaniards captured in northern Mauritania: two actions usually attributed to the jihadist movement, even if they have not yet been claimed. The abductions have "multiplied in recent months, the degradation is continuous for over five years," said Alain Antil, a researcher at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) in Paris....





Brown’s Bin Laden remark irks Pakistan (click here)
Azhar Masood
Arab News
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office of Pakistan expressed its surprise on Monday over the latest British demand that Pakistan should hunt Al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama Bin Laden’s second in command, Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
“We have eliminated about 7,000 pro-Al-Qaeda militants and Pakistan’s forces are still making extraordinary efforts to track down and eliminate militants,” said Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit. “We ask the British government or other NATO powers to provide us intelligence reports that suggest a presence of Al-Qaeda elements. We totally deny these inaccurate reports that Al-Qaeda’s leaders are present in Pakistan.”
Interior Minister Rehman Malik also urged the British government to pass on any information about whereabouts of Bin Laden. “If anyone has information about the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, then it must be shared with our government. We would take action,” he told reporters....

Somali pirates hijack Greek-flagged supertanker (click here)
Agencies
NAIROBI, Kenya: Somali pirates seized a supertanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to the United States in the increasingly dangerous waters off East Africa, an official said on Monday, an attack that could pose a huge environmental or security threat to the region.
The Greece-flagged Maran Centaurus was hijacked on Sunday northeast of the Seychelles about 1,300 km off the coast of Somalia, said Cmdr. John Harbor, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force....

With a month to go in 2009, The Boston Globe starts to look back at the year that closes the first decade of the 21st Century.

Notable deaths of 2009 (click title to entry - thank you)



Harvard buys Updike archive (click here)
Collection includes late writer’s reviews, letters, manuscripts
By Tracy Jan
Globe Staff / October 7, 2009
...The university will announce today that Houghton Library, Harvard’s primary repository for rare books and manuscripts, will house the John Updike Archive, making the library the center for studies on the life and work of the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and prolific novelist, poet, and critic. College officials would not disclose how much Harvard paid to acquire the papers of Updike, who died in January at 76....

Michaele Salahi was "Miss District of Columbia" in the "Miss USA" pagent. Huh? The scandal is a political stunt. Wait and see. Where is Rove?

See it goes like this. If the Republicans can portray the Obama Administration as being vulnerable in enough buffoonery, they can start to instill more fear in the electorate in saying America is more vulnerable.

Why do you think Cheney is out there ranting and carrying on? To protect his own hide? No. To do the same exact 'Darth Vader' fear mongering that won him the war in Iraq. That is why Cheney is out there.

If this proves to be the case, the Salahis lives aren't ruined. They have made a name for themselves in a far different way than they expected. They have a 'beef' with whomever started this rumor and not anyone else.

Evidently, the Salahis may very well be very connected in "DC Social Circles" (click title to entry - thank you) and may have even been 'set up' to have this play out.

Mrs. Salahi is obviously involved in the public rhelm and may very well feel very 'at home' at a state dinner, an official function, of the White House. If that is the case, the media and everyone that jumped to faux conclusions owe them a sincere apology. I think the evidence 'on the web' speaks somewhat for itself.

Apologies to the Secret Service as well if it is discovered this was nothing more than a political trick to embarrass the President and First Lady. We await the investigation.



...The crew followed the Salahis to the White House (click here) but could not get into the dinner.
"Everything we've worked for," she told NBC, "for me -- 44 years -- destroyed."
The Salahis declined to tell NBC who invited them to the dinner, saying they had turned over documents including e-mails to Secret Service investigators....

I believe any government has the right to 'limit' the building and influence of religion as an issue of sovereignty.

The Swiss are not excluding the practice of Islam nor are they advocating for the destruction of buildings where the faith is practiced.

This is not a matter of hate or bais.

The Swiss are simply saying 'enough' Islamic structures already exist in the country considering the populous that practice the faith. No religion should ever overpower a government's right to freedom of expression or cultural standards.

Iran condemns Swiss minaret ban as "Islamophobic act" (click title to entry - thank you)
www.chinaview.cn

2009-12-02 01:37:49
TEHRAN, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tuesday condemned a Swiss referendum banning the construction of minarets in the country, local English language satellite Press TV reported.
Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast described the Swiss minaret ban as an "Islamophobic act" and a blow to the religious freedom declared in the West, the report said.
"We consider such acts as inappropriate, a move that is against the Western claims of democracy and religious freedom," he told reporters, adding that "surprisingly some of the actions of the West have Islamophobic roots."
The majority of Swiss voters on Sunday said yes to a ban on the construction of Muslim minarets. The Swiss government said in a statement that it respected the decision made by Swiss voters, and "consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted."
Minarets are distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques. As well as providing a visual cue to a Muslim community, the main function of the minaret is to provide a vantage point from which the call to prayer is made.
Also on Tuesday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that the Swiss minaret ban is contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms.
"This is a shame for the Swiss," Gul was quoted by the semi-official Anatolia news agency as saying at the Esenboga airport in Ankara prior to his departure for an official visit to Jordan.

Does every child have a right to life unencumbered by disease? World AIDS Day.

Happy Holidays America, compliments of Georgie and Dickie.

The Republicans will continue to attempt to derail domestic improvements in the USA, including a national health care reform strategy. They will argue the cost of the wars cannot increase the USA debt, but, must be fought while trimming domestic programs and entitlements. The Democrats maybe seeking a tax to support the remaining years of the war.

...When asked whether the Bush administration's focus on Iraq (click here) was responsible for the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, Cheney reportedly said, "I basically don't," without elaborating....



...As President Barack Obama prepares to unveil his new way forward for Afghanistan which, according to reports, includes a surge of 30,000 troops, some of the greatest skeptics, interestingly enough, are to be found in Afghanistan....

...One of the Afghans' major concerns is that the additional troops will only add to the sense among Afghans that the U.S. is an occupying force....

That point of view is bogus. We are not occupying Afghanistan and they know it. The fact of the matter is, Karzai has a corrupt infrastructure and those benefitting from it don't want to lose their control or influence. The bias against NATO and the USA has to do with a corrupt nation 'hooked' on power and poppies.

It is only the beginning of the end. Why are men killing police officers so successfully and with ambush tactics?

Suspected cop killer slain by police (click here)
By CASEY MCNERTHNEY and SHANNON FEARS
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
...The officer shot and killed Clemmons, wanted for gunning down four Lakewood cops, as he fled in a Rainier Valley neighborhood.
"Everything indicates that this is the person we've been looking for," Seattle Police Assistant Chief Jim Pugel told a news conference at the scene about 5:20 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Clemmons was the sole suspect in the slayings of four Lakewood police officers as they sat in a coffee shop Sunday morning....

Clemmons should not have been out of prison in the first place. What the heck was Huckabee thinking? There is something very "W"rong here. Who was getting paid for pardons?

...Huckabee (click here) is one of the Republican Party's most popular figures, but he has been dogged by questions over the more than 1,000 commutations and pardons he issued -- more than his three predecessors combined -- during his 10-year tenure.
In his 2008 presidential campaign, he faced similar questions over the release from prison of convicted rapist Wayne DuMond, who was convicted of another rape and a murder....

The Executives of Halliburton OWE the people of Dubai a great deal of money. I suggest King Abduallah be sure they get it.

Otherwise tell them to take their business elsewhere.

5 Places Halliburton Executives Need To Know In Dubai (click title to entry - thank you)

March 15, 2007 at 12:12 PM

Gold Souk

...Dubai loves gold. Local Indians and Iranians take their wares to Gold Souk where hundreds of shops compete for your attention and dollars. You can find virtually any type of gold object you are looking for, and more often than not bargaining pays off. Even if you don't want to buy golden objects, Gold Souk is a great place to people watch....

We need more stimulus funds. The desire of the American people for sustainable energy alternatives reaches beyond available funding.

$68 million ain't 'nothin' when it comes to 'catching up' with Alternative Energy 'Supply and Demand.' The Economy awaits.

Nexamp employees installed solar panels atop NewStream in Attleboro last month. (Jonathan Wiggs/ Globe Staff)

...A $68 million state fund (click title to entry - thank you) to provide sizable rebates to homeowners and business owners who install solar panels was expected to last three or four years. But the program - offering homeowners rebates that averaged more than $13,000 - proved so popular that the $68 million was tapped out in October, just 22 months after the program began....

The problems in Dubai are due to the fact the affections of their Prince were misdirected.

It is the first time Dubai learned it has finite resources to manage its government. The Prince found out through hard lessons, "Wealth ain't all that." Literally.

As a leader in an Arab nation, it is easy to indulge, but far, far more difficult to actually manage. The infrastruture of the small nation was never built, so much as 'indulged' in 'accommodation' allowing its wealth to be diverted to 'services' rather than investment.

As a result the only recourse it has is to pump more and more oil wealth out of the ground, on the treadmill of failure. The Prince needed to love the future of his children more and discipline his indulgences. He listened to the "W"rong people. He listened to all those that would use the wealth of his nation for their own purpose, rather than the benevolence and benefit of his own people.

He should understand this, the people of the USA are designing a future where oil is a mistake of history and a new leader will releave them of their own indulgences to believe they could live a life of indulgence as well, without regard to the future of their children. The price of oil will never attain the prices of the past and we will need less and less from now on. Dubai should adjust its vision accordingly.

Dubai tried to 'piece together' a functional infrastructure. No one ever 'lead' the Prince and his associates in a direction of 'sustainable growth,' so much as 'infrastructure dysfunction' that would sap the country of its wealth. Collapse was inevitable.

No one ever cared about the Dubai people enough to tell them the truth. They were disregarded as important to the lust for money by Oil Barrons.

...In a statement Sunday (click here),

the UAE's central bank said it had sent notice to Emirati banks and foreign banks with branches in the country making clear they would have access to "a special additional liquidity facility."
The offer comes after Dubai World, the conglomerate that has long been the chief engine behind Dubai's explosive growth, on Wednesday announced it needed at least a six-month reprieve from paying its roughly $60 billion debt. The news sent global markets tumbling.
The UAE has been guaranteeing bank deposits since October 2008, but the pledge for new help at generous terms stems from concern that UAE banks have some of the biggest exposure to Dubai World's debt. Several have been downgraded by international ratings agencies or been placed on review for downgrades....

The USA got Halliburton back again? Dear God, what did we ever do so "W"rong? Protests and plenty of them!

The slime balls will be demanding government contracts again to make up for what they lost in Dubai. No, No, No more Halliburton. Water board them!

I few months back I jokingly said that Halliburton (click title to entry - thank you) would move its headquarters back to Houston. In light of recent events I no longer think it's a joke. Here's why.

Many, if not most of these senior-level managers took the leap and bought super-expensive houses and condos when they left for Dubai 2 years ago, at the peak of the Dubai bubble. Dubai real estate is now cascading down a cliff, where I think it will crash down a full 90% from peak value.

Put yourself in the shoes of a Halliburton fatcat. The asset they bought via an onerous mortgage for, say, $2 million, is now worth two thirds what they paid. The value of that asset continues to bleed. In most of the world, the options for the Halliburton fatcats are civil in nature, at most involving foreclosure....

Get out of my country and stay out of my country!

We don't want you here anymore ! You're nothing but blood sucking parasites !

2009 Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2009

HALLIBURTON AWARDED INTEGRATED TURNKEY DRILLING CONTRACT FOR SOUTH GHAWAR (click here)

Five-year project, with an option for an additional five years, to drill and complete oil wells utilizing the turnkey concept -->
HOUSTON and DUBAI - Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) has been awarded the integrated turnkey drilling contract in South Ghawar. Located approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the city of Dhahran, the Ghawar field is the world's largest oil field and the contract would involve work in Uthmaniyah, Haradh, Hawiyah and Shedgum.
The five-year contract, with an option for an additional five-year period, calls for the provision of drilling rigs, directional and horizontal drilling, logging while drilling, cementing, mud engineering, wireline logging, completion, perforating, and other well construction activities, including engineering and management of the entire drilling operations. The project is expected to utilize three to four rigs, and will involve between 153 and 185 oil production, water injection and evaluation wells.
This contract is Saudi Aramco's first-ever award for an integrated turnkey drilling contract and is an important part of Saudi Aramco's plan to explore new avenues of collaboration with major oil field services providers....

Please don't delay in establishing this man on the FBI's most wanted list and elevating it to a national all points bulletin.

My first instinct is to have the police retrace steps, including, whom knows for sure this is the suspect, whom provided false information to his location and why it would be benefit the killer to escape and the leave the area.

Clemmons family and acquintances should be called and asked to participate in his 'safe' capture to stand trial. If there is blood at the scene that a forensics expert could have captured that might be the killers does it match the known blood type AND DNA of Clemmons.

People are carrying a real grudge against the police of this region of the country. Why? Talk to community leaders and ascertain the reasons why these men decided to kill police officers and if they might know of any plans being formulated to carry out more of the same.

The Seattle/Tacoma area of the country may not have the 'manpower' to dedicate a sincere search for the cop killer that is still out and about. It is why the FBI needs to be involved to add support to the police force there. It would be better if all police activity were conducted within the confinds of police headquarters, even it is temporary quarters set up while all this mess continues. No 'single person' patrols either. Buddy up and realize there is not one moment when on duty they can let their guard down. It is going to be an interesting balance to have these officers functional while still on high alert for their own safety.

Any and all eyewitnesses that can contribute to a better picture of the violence, why and what the clues might be that will lead to the cop killer's where abouts and capture should come forward with a promise of rewards if the information proves invaluable to his capture and conviction. Until, Clemmons is captured it would be prudent to continue to build the knowledge base of this crime and entertain other suspects.

Clemmons may be too scared to come in and surrender, realizing he might not survive if confronted by armed police or agents. He should be given every chance to peacefully surrender, even if he is innocent, to protect himself from harm or any possible vigilante with a grudge.

I have a feeling it is easy to be a cop killer in this area of the country which usually enjoys reasonable peace and tranquility. Budget cuts are probably contributing to this as well. Any pending prosecutions that would send a message to speak to the violence should go forward and with public display of same. This has to stop and there needs to be every effort by every method to establish the sanctity of police officers and their benevolence to the community.

If only I could wave a magic wand and this was all over for everyone. Clemmons or any other possible suspect should be considered extremely dangerous as we already know this is some kind of 'methodology' that includes bomb making. I sincerely don't believe this is a mimic event. I believe there is a problem with a systematic methodology. There is no reason to proceed differently.

Citizens can be more helpful than they know if they call and report accurately any suspicions that would lead to the capture of this man or any other potential suspect. To act autonomously without training is not prudent and could disrupt capture if tried.

We'll get him. It is just a matter of time and SAFETY.


Smoke rises after police set off an explosive device at a house police had surrounded where they thought a suspected cop killer may have been hiding in the early morning hours of Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in Seattle. A suspect in the slaying of four police officers gunned down in a suburban coffee shop was holed up at a Seattle house early Monday, wounded and possibly dead, police said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Tiger Woods did the same thing most drivers do, he didn't pay attention to his driving, over steered while adjusting his radio or some such thing...

...and plowed into the fire hydrant and then the tree. It happened quick, he probably was injured from the impact and he was lucky it wasn't worse. The neighbor has no recourse for damages except what was done to the mailbox and the tree.

This is that difficult to figure out?

Come now. Last time I checked, Tiger Woods was still classified as a human being. I don't think he owes anyone an explanation except the insurance company if he filed the accident with them and his neighbor. There wasn't any need to get the police involved either. I mean for real here. I suppose no one in the world has ever hit a fire hydrant before, right? There are the laws of physics. Impact happens in only one way.

...The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident was not alcohol-related, that Woods briefly lost consciousness and that his Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash the rear window of her husband’s SUV to get him out....

...He has frequently said that anonymity is one of the things he misses most from his days as a student and it is no coincidence that he named his luxury yacht Privacy....

Head injuries can be funny things. One never knows in the long run how the results will turn out. I believe it was just this past winter when a celebrity lost her life after a skying accident. And there was that run in with a tree with Sonny Bono. I believe he made the right decision to 'sit this tournament out.' I hope his recovery is uncomplicated.

It was prudent to call 911 if he was unconscious. His wife did the right thing and she was scared for her husband. Let's not get celebrities afraid of dialing 911, okay?

We don't need anymore Michael Jacksons or covert behavior because they become worried about their image. The public needs to respect the privacy of celebrities when such events happen, no different than if it happened to them.

Last I checked, medical information was still confidential.

I also believe police can be harassed by the public into investigations that don't lead anywhere simply because it is a celebrity. Police have more responsibility than chasing down the ghost or dog that Tiger might have steered to avoid. If he has sustained a head injury, he might not remember much of the incident at all.

Going back to Afghanistan to fight the War of September 11, 2001. It is one lousy reality inherited from Bush and Cheney.

I don't believe President Obama will ever be considered, "The War President." I am confident that name will only apply to George Walker Bush. It is up to General McCrystal now.

...The president is now briefing the UK, French and Russian leaders on the plan. (click title to entry - thank you)
The moves come as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would send 500 more soldiers to the country.
According to US media reports, Mr Obama is set to formally announce that a further 30,000 troops are to be sent to Afghanistan in a televised address on Tuesday....

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs looks stressed. He stated, "...this is not an open ended commitment...." In order to be sure that is the case I see President Obama leading this country until the troops are finally home. No one else will be sure the war in Afghanistan is limited with the troops returning home after having to return to the war that should have been fought in the first place.

This has got to be the most difficult days for this administration. No one envisioned an Afghanistan corrupt and out of control on January 20, 2009. No one, except the Executive Branch that was leaving that day.

Afghanistan was the best kept secret of the Bush Executive Branch yet. Talk about blindsiding the American people. First it was Wall Street and then it was Afghanistan, what's left to know?

The people that acted 'in majority' for six years were nothing but 'censors' to information and liars to the truth. They were completely untrustworthy and the people had no way of knowing. I never thought I'd see the day the USA would be blinded and controlled by propaganda and rhetoric. Wow.

The 'lack' of an exit strategy is EXACTLY what is "W"rong with the way Republicans USE war for crony policy unending.

Bench marks leading to a successful exit strategy is the ONLY methodology that should be preceived by the American people as 'legitimate.' The most powerful country on Earth has to 'sneak around' mentioning an exit strategy when confronting the Taliban.

You've got to be joking ! This is a Republican methodology to insure a FOREVER war. I am glad Kyl brought it up.

The way to a successful war for any approach by the USA military is to plan, plan and plan some more. Not to simply waltz into a country just because it is politically advantageous to the Republicans to do it.

In his 'speech' on FOX, Kyl stated it would be a mistake to 'talk about' an exit strategy as it would cause the Taliban to lay in wait for our exit to simply return to business as ususal. That is about the most moronic statement I have ever heard anyone make. That is a 'favored' Republican 'line' that Bush resorted to frequently in regard to Iraq and otherwise. The Taliban and al Qaede knows the USA will eventually leave a country and not occupy it. Kyl is a moron.

The war in Afghanistan and Pakistan is as much about poverty as it is religion. It is as much about returning function to the governments of those countries as it is defeating al Qaeda. The favorite way for al Qaeda to establish its presence in a country is to 'convert the people to fear' from within its own infrastructure. Al Qaeda cannot wage a legitimate war, so it seeks to undermine the national security of a country and undermine the government through chants that it can level violence whenever it wants and the government can't stop them.

That strategy by al Qaeda and the Taliban is used 'all the time' to remind the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan whom exactly are the real bosses. It is chronic terror and fear laced with abject poverty that erode the confidence of the people in regard to their governments of these countries and create turmoil within their political framework. It is why Karzai's government was corrupted.

If Kyl were remotely correct, the 'idea' of talking about an exit strategy would then cause the Taliban and al Qaede to 'lay low' for years. That sounds like a very good idea, actually. If the opposition to peace, stability and economic opportunity could be left alone to flourish within these countries we wouldn't have to worry about the Taliban or al Qaeda ever revisiting the power to the government again.

However, that is NOT how it works. If all we had to do was talk exit strategy, we basically wouldn't need a military presence, except, to set out some 'Police/Military Parker Cars' to scare them off while the propaganda was the USA and NATO will be leaving on December 31st of this year. To have the pleasure of simply talking exit strategy to oppress the Taliban and al Qaeda from violence while bring peace and stability to the region would be nice and a real victory for "Psy-Ops," but, that ain't ever going to happen.

Al Qaeda, 'The Base' creates scenarios of violence on a regular basis and with the focus of 'soft targets' including children's schools and functional government offices of top level authority and police stations that seek to patrol the streets to assist citizens IF ONLY THEY HAD A CHANCE. All those targets are chosen to undermine the confidence of the people of the region and for the most part when the USA is preceived as lacking the strength or the knowledge to actually carry out a strategy to establish sovereignty to a country, the violence escalates. The terrorist network claims they are successful as the precense of the USA and NATO is nothing but a 'failing daily grind.'

Having benchmarks and an exit strategy shows confidence and realistic expectations by our military and if they 'leave the path' of benchmarks there then needs to be some serious talks with Pakistan regarding the nuclear capacity of their country and global security from terrorists and THEIR OWN citizens that seek power to kill over benevolence to economy.

Kyl is exactly why the USA was defeated in Afghanistan under Bush. The Republicans 'war all the time' and feel confident they can revisit any war so long as there is enough threat to the national security of the USA and allies. Revisiting Afghanistan was a 'signature' moment to the Republicans when the reality of the region was so grossly out of control and there was more danger to the global community than before September 11, 2001. The Republicans NEVER intend to win wars, simply to exploit the USA's military industrial complex for cronies and political strategy for wars without end.

If President Obama is sending troops to General McCrystal, it will be the FIRST strategy for the region in decades. It will map out a victory that will secure our nation and that of allies while bringing an economy the people of those nations can find a better quality of life. The problem for "Psy Ops" is to bring the feeling of 'fear and turmoil' under control while the military does 'its thing.' Sometimes people become used to violence and when it no longer has a presence or is sounding off rather than birds singing, it becomes somewhat unnatural. Peace, prosperity and a quality of life are so 'distant' ideas to the peoples of these countries it would almost be a threat to their basic instincts if it actually occurred.

Talking about an exit strategy will be good for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan in the framework of priorities of the governments. Talking about an exit strategy by the peoples of these nations that will result in better lives, economies and actual longevity without debilitating injury SHOULD be a priority of the governments and their people.

Enough of the Republican 'fantasies' of PERHAPS PEACE. It is time the USA and NATO get their best results known to them and if they find out that the citizens of these countries are not capable of enough backbone to bring about a peaceful economy with the rest of the world, then Pakistan HAS TO disarm from nuclear capacity before it will become an inconceivable danger to the globe while it is ALSO trying to stabilize economies and cultures.

Kyl is such a joke. But completely indicative to Republican Horse Hockey. When are Democrats going to be elected in Arizona? It is has the most extremist of Republicans in Kyl and McCain and their replacement is LONG overdue!

Maybe it is all those alien encounters, both terrestrial and space ship that is the problem there.


Kyl in the Senate for the Republicans. Warmonger and crony politician.

...Secondly, talk of an exit strategy is exactly the wrong way to go. And I hear that on the -- in the media. I certainly hope the president doesn't do that, because all that does is signal to the enemies and also to our allies, to the folks in Pakistan as well as the Afghanis, that we're not there to stay until the mission is accomplished....