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DECEMBER 2015

Will return Jan. 4, 2016...Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

Wednesday - December 23, 2015 - Today in History:


1783 - George Washington returned home to Mount Vernon, after the disbanding of his army following the Revolutionary War.
1823 - The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" 'Twas the night before Christmas...") was published.
1880 - Thomas Edison incorporated the Edison Electric Light Company of Europe.
1888 - Following a quarrel with Paul Gauguin, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh cut off part of his own earlobe.
1913 - The Federal Reserve Bill was signed into law by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. The act established 12 Federal Reserve Banks.
1941 - During World War II, American forces on Wake Island surrendered to the Japanese.
1942 - Bob Hope agreed to entertain U.S. airmen in Alaska. It was the first of the traditional Christmas shows.
1968 - The crew of the U.S. Navy ship, Pueblo, was released by North Korea. The Captain of the Pueblo, Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, and 82 of his crew were held for 11 months after the ship was seized by North Korea because of suspected spying by the Americans.
1970 - The topping out ceremony for original One World Trade Center (North Tower) took place. The South Tower's ceremony took place on July 19, 1971.
1987 - Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, serving a life sentence for the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ford in 1975, escaped from the Alderson Federal Prison for Women in West Virginia. She was recaptured two days later.
1995 - The bodies of 16 members of the Solar Temple religious sect were found in a clearing near Grenoble, France. 14 were presumed shot by two people who then committed suicide.
1997 - Terry Nichols was convicted by a Denver jury on charges of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter in the 1995 federal building bombing in Oklahoma City. The bomb killed 168 people.
2003 - The government announced the first suspected case of mad cow disease in United States.
2003 - A jury in Chesapeake, Va., sentenced teen sniper Lee Boyd Malvo to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty.
2004 - Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland pleaded guilty to a corruption charge. (He served 10 months in prison.)
2009 - The parents who pulled the "balloon boy" hoax in hopes of landing a reality TV show, were sentenced to jail by a judge in Fort Collins, Colo.

World News

Iraqi troops start attack to recapture Ramadi from ISIS
RT - The Iraqi Army has launched an attack to recapture the center of Ramadi from Islamic State terrorists, a counter-terrorism spokesman, Sabah Al-Numani has told Reuters. The government forces lost control of the city in May.... Ramadi is a key urban settlement in the country and is the capital of the western Anbar province. On Monday, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) militants were reported to prevent civilians from leaving the city as they anticipated an attack.

Saudi strikes result in ‘disproportionate amount’ of destruction in Yemen – UN human rights chief
RT - The Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen is to blame for a disproportionate number of civilian deaths and the destruction of infrastructure in the conflict, said the UN human rights chief who urged the UN Security Council to step up ceasefire efforts. Failure to act decisively does not only spell misery for the millions of vulnerable people in Yemen today. It would inevitably push the country into an irreversible process of Balkanization, the consequences of which would lie outside of anyone’s control,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told the 15-member body.

Source: Hundreds of ISIS Jihadists Already in Europe Preparing Paris-Style Attacks
Paul Joseph Watson - Hundreds of ISIS jihadists have already slipped into Europe and are preparing Paris-style attacks, with hundreds more on the way, according to a source that spoke to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. “The first wave is said to already have travelled to Europe. The second wave is still with the terror group in Syria – after having received training in a militant camp between Sinjar and Mosul in Iraq. The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) confirms to Dagbladet that they are familiar with the information,” reports Dagbladet, Norway’s second largest newspaper. The source, whose information has previously been proven accurate, told the newspaper that 300 jihadists were trained to carry out massacres in Europe. 28 lost their lives in Syria but 272 made it into Europe and have been “instructed to lay low.”

EU People Smugglers Likely Earned at Least $1 Billion in 2015
Economic Policy Journal - More than 1 million refugees and migrants came to the European Union this year, while almost 3,700 died or went missing in perilous journeys which reaped huge profit for smugglers, the International Organization for Migration says. People smuggling operations probably accounted for the majority of journeys and likely earned at least $1 billion, OM chief William Lacy Swing told Reuters, taking "anywhere from $2,000 to maybe $6,000 depending on how many members of the family and depending on which smuggling ring it is".

"Canadians Should Be Concerned" As Energy Sector Job Losses Spike To 100,000 This Year
Zero Hedge - It's grim up north... and getting grimmer. Amid soaring suicide rates, Canada's once-booming oil patch is rapidly accelerating its downward trajectory. "Canadians should be concerned in times like these," warned Tim McMillan, president and chief executive of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, noting that the oil and gas sector will see 100,000 job losses by the end of this year. Apart from the protracted price declines, Alberta’s oil and gas sector has also had to contend with a 20 per cent hike in corporate taxes, increased provincial royalties, a carbon tax and new regulatory policies to limit rein in carbon emissions... and now a new competitor from US exports.

‘Almost too late’ to halt spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria found in pigs – scientists
RT - It is “almost too late” to stop an antibiotic resistant bacteria gene found in pigs and humans creating a global superbug crisis, scientists warn. Experts from Antibiotic Research UK now say there is only a fifty-fifty chance of salvaging the world’s antibiotics and keeping them usable against resistant diseases. The warning comes after scientists found a gene, which makes bacteria resistant to the last gasp antibiotic defense known as colistin. Resistance to colistin is thought to be the final step toward effectively untreatable diseases.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Seymour Hersh: Pentagon Secretly Passed Intelligence to Assad Government
Sputnik News - The Pentagon deliberately subverted American policy toward Syria, sabotaging US efforts to aid Syrian rebels and even sending US intelligence to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to journalist Seymour Hersh. In a nearly 7,000-word piece in the London Review of Books, Hersh says that the Joint Chiefs of Staff, America's top military leaders, decided to deliberately subvert American foreign policy and form a secret alliance with Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin. As his source, Hersh cites one anonymous "former senior adviser" to the Joint Chiefs. In summer 2013, the Joint Chiefs discovered that Turkey had "co-opted" the CIA's program to arm so-called "moderate" Syrian rebels. Ankara decided to redirect US aid to extremists, including Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front, Hersh writes. The Joint Chiefs also discovered that viable moderate Syrian rebels did not exist and that the opposition consisted nearly uniformly of extremists.

Desperate: Pentagon Peddles Suspect Docs to Prove ISIS ‘Evil’
Breitbart - Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren highlighted what may be a forged document to insist that the Islamic State is in “desperation” mode and “beginning to feel the pressure” of the U.S.-led coalition’s efforts against the terror group.

NYPD Detective Among Six U.S. Airmen Killed by Taliban in Afghanistan
Breitbart - All six U.S. service members were airmen, according to “Remember Our Fallen Heroes,” a Facebook page that pays tribute to fallen warriors of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). Four of the airmen were OSI agents and the other two, including the detective, were security forces members of the New York Air National Guard, according to the Facebook page, which identifies six U.S. service members by last name only. Nevertheless, New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton told reporters that Detective Joseph Lemm, a 15-year NYPD veteran, was one of the airmen killed when a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden motorcycle into a joint NATO-Afghan patrol near Bagram, the largest U.S. military facility in Afghanistan, located in Helmand province, along the Pakistan border, Fox News reports.

No Word From Golfing Obama After Deadliest Attack on US Troops in Afghanistan in 3 Years
CNS News - Responding to the deadliest attack against U.S. forces in Afghanistan in more than three years, the White House issued a statement Monday saying its “thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and their loved ones.” “We express our deepest condolences to the families of the six U.S. service members killed and to all of those injured in today’s Taliban attack near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan,” said the statement, issued by White House press secretary Josh Earnest. There was no statement from President Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii with his family. Obama played golf on Monday afternoon at the Mid-Pacific Country Club, after a morning workout at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
* Related: Flashback: Obama Vows Not To Take Vacations If Elected ...

Rep. Franks to Obama: 'How Much Longer Will You Remain Appallingly Silent' on Islamic State Genocide of Christians?
CNS News - In a video address to President Barack Obama, House Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) reminded the president about the brutal persecution of Christians, Yazidis, and other religious groups by the Islamic State, questioned why Obama has been so "appallingly silent" on the issue, and added that Obama's refusal to name these groups as "genocide victims" would be "one of the most disgraceful chapters in your administration's shameful and abhorrent response to the Islamic State."

There Sure Is A Lot Of Buzz About A Potential Terror Attack On Christmas Day Or New Year’s Eve
Economic Collapse - I have never seen more buzz about a potential terror attack during the holiday season than I am seeing right now. Over the past couple of weeks, the mainstream media and the alternative media have both been full of headlines about the possibility of terrorism on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. And personally, I have had numerous people contact me with their concerns or regarding something that they have heard from others. In addition to threats from ISIS, there are many out there that are completely convinced that we could soon see a major false flag incident in the United States.

Mall of America Requests Restraining Order Against Black Lives Matter
Adan Salazar - The Mall of America is requesting a county judge bar Black Lives Matter protesters from holding a demonstration inside the mall tomorrow. On Monday, lawyers for the nation’s largest mall asked Hennepin County Judge Karen Janisch for a restraining order banning demonstrators from the private property amid busy holiday shopping. Any demonstrators defying the order will be arrested, a letter sent to protest leaders reads. Attorneys for the mall are additionally asking for an order forcing the group to remove social media posts promoting the event. “This was widely publicized, that an unlawful demonstration should occur on Wednesday. All we are asking is for the same means to be used to say, ‘Hey this is against the law’ and we are calling it off. That’s all we are asking,” Mall of America attorney Susan Gaertner told CBS Minnesota.

Virginia Will No Longer Recognize Concealed-Carry Permits Issued in 25 Other States
CNS News - As the Obama administration mulls the possibility of gun control by executive fiat, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced on Tuesday that it will no longer recognize concealed-carry permits from 25 states whose qualifications fall short of Virginia's safety standards.... Virginia's law governing concealed carry permits law includes a number of disqualifiers and safeguards designed to prevent potentially dangerous or irresponsible individuals from being able to lawfully conceal handguns, such as...

Well-Armed Activists Openly Defy Texas Law to Feed the Homeless – Hundreds Clothed and Fed
Activist Post - The folks over at the aptly named organization Don’t Comply, took to the streets just outside the Austin Street Shelter in Dallas this weekend to perform, what has now become a revolutionary act – feeding the homeless. “We are not complying with a bad law today,” Matthew Short, PR director of Don’t Comply said. “Evidently the city of Dallas believes that it’s wrong, or bad, or unlawful for us to feed more than a certain number of people at a time. But, during Christmas, we want to show love to our community and give these people a chance to survive the winter, whether it be with blankets or coats, or just giving them a holiday party like today with all kinds of cookies, and goodies, turkey and dressing, and the whole nine yards.” Last December, the Dallas city council enacted Ordinance No. 29595, which makes it illegal to serve food to the homeless without jumping through a statist myriad of bureaucratic hoops, including a fee, training classes, and written notices.

Huge: Spending Bill Forces FDA to Label the New GM Salmon
Natural Society - In the massive spending bill unveiled Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill, 2 small paragraphs contain language that may force the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize guidelines for the labeling of the recently-approved genetically modified (GM) salmon, or “Frankenfish.” In the $1.1 trillion bill to fund the government through September 2016, the agency is instructed to ban the sale of GM salmon until it can complete labeling guidelines and “a program to disclose to consumers” whether a fish has been genetically altered. The FDA is expected to spend a minimum of $150,000 of its funding to develop these guidelines.

Election News

Buchanan: Trump Could Win Working Class Dems
Breitbart - Tuesday on Newsmax TV’s “The Steve Malzberg Show,” former Nixon and Reagan aide and conservative commentator Pat Buchanan said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump could do well among blue-collar Democratic voters who are concerned about the border and unhappy with Bill Clinton-era trade deals. Buchanan said, “My view about Donald Trump is he’s got some real capabilities I think to break out from the normal pattern of basically moderate conservative Republican against centrist Democrat. Part of that I think is his issue with the border, which reaches across party lines, and secondly his issue on trade against NAFTA and GATT and these trade deals. If you run against NAFTA and GATT and hang them around Hillary Clinton’s neck in Pennsylvania and Ohio and Michigan I think you could do very well there among working class Democrats.”

Economy & Business

9 Of The Top 10 U.S. Occupations Pay Miserly Wages
Zero Hedge - Of the 10 largest occupations in the United States, only one - registered nurse - makes more than the national average when it comes to all U.S. jobs. Nurses make $69,790 annually while the average U.S. worker makes $47,230, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau’s Occupational Employment Statistics program provides employment and wage estimates for more than 800 occupations nationwide. More Americans worked as retail salespersons or cashiers in May 2014 than in any other job, accounting for about 6 percent of total U.S. employment. The 10 largest occupations include retail salespersons and cashiers, food preparation and serving workers, general office clerks, registered nurses, customer service representatives, and waiters and waitresses. That combined group of workers accounted for 21 percent of total U.S. employment in May 2014.

At 108 US Colleges, More Than Half Of Students Haven't Paid Even $1 On Their Student Loans
Zero Hedge - That the student loan bubble is one of the many "subprime" crises (because as of this moment there are just too many asset bubbles to count thanks to 7 years of global ZIRP, NIRP and QE) has been documented here ever since 2012. We also explained that the main reason for soaring college costs is the cheap and easily accessible government-funded student debt, which at last check was over $1.2 trillion and rising exponentially. Today, the WSJ had an article on just this, titled "U.S. Helps Shaky Colleges Cope With Bad Student Loans" in which it explained in fine detail what our readers knew already, namely that it is the government's direct intervention with trillions in "aid" that is making the debt default problem far more acute than it would have otherwise been, and leads to keeping millions more "students" in college where they end up learning no marketable skills in a job market that rewards mostly waiters and bartenders, yet loads them up with untenable debt.

Energy & Environment

“Global Warming:” -51°F Temperature Recorded in Colorado
Kit Daniels - A Colorado weather station observed a record low of -51°F only weeks after politicians met in Paris to combat “global warming.” The Antero Reservoir station, located about 100 miles southwest of Denver, said the temperature was the third lowest the station has recorded in over 50 years. “It was verified with another thermometer, both of which have been inspected and approved by the National Weather Service,” said spokesperson Travis Thompson, Sr. The last time the temperature was as low was on Feb. 8, 1989.... Other areas of the globe are also experiencing extreme cold.

Dow Going to Criminal Court in Bhopal 31 Years After Chemical Explosion
Natural Society - The Dow Chemical Company is ranked the second largest toxic waste producer in the United States. In an average year, it dumps more than 600 million pounds of toxic chemical waste on the nation. Though the company has yet to face criminal charges in the US, Dow will be forced to make an appearance in court in Bhopal. Dow faces criminal charges for the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster by its wholly-owned subsidiary the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Dow has ignored three consecutive criminal court summons issued previously since July of 2013.

Science & Technology

EFF to Court: Lifetime GPS Tracking Violates the Fourth Amendment
EFF - All too often, new police surveillance tools are initially applied to only the “worst of the worst” and then slowly—but surely—expanded to include an ever-growing number of less culpable individuals. We’ve seen it with DNA collection. And now we’re starting to see it with GPS tracking. That’s why last week EFF filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeal for the Seventh Circuit urging the court to strike down a Wisconsin statute that required certain individuals—including individuals who already fully served their criminal sentences—to wear GPS ankle bracelets every day for the rest of their lives.

Health

9 reasons you need to be supplementing with vitamin D
(NaturalHealth365) If you are relying on a multivitamin supplement to meet your need for vitamin D, think again. A quick glance at package labels shows most popular multivitamin supplements do not even come close to providing the amount of vitamin D necessary to achieve maximum health benefits and reduce the risk of disease. Most readily available commercial multivitamins contain only about 400 to 600 IU of vitamin D. Yet, extensive research has shown that vitamin D intake in the range of 5,000 to 8,000 IU each day, taken with a meal for better absorption, has been associated with reduced risk of stroke, multiple sclerosis and other conditions.

Natural Cough and Sore Throat Remedies
Health Impact News - Millions of people suffer from sore throats and coughs each year. In the U.S., sore throat is often one of the first signs that you’re coming down with a cold, especially if a runny nose and cough soon follow. In most cases you don’t need to see your physician for a sore throat, and fewer than 1 in 10 people actually do. Even so, sore throat is the second most common acute infection seen by family practitioners.... There are many natural remedies that can not only take the edge off but also help with healing. As a bonus, many of the remedies that follow work for both coughs and sore throats because they tackle the underlying viral infection.

5 Heart Healthy Foods Your Heart Loves
Natural Blaze - In the United States nearly one in every three deaths is due to heart disease. While the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease has dropped in recent years, it still claims almost 1 million people each year, and in many of these cases, simple dietary changes could have prevented death.... Fortunately there are simple, heart healthy foods that you can easily add to your diet to improve your heart’s ability to function.

Can too much fluoride lead to breast cancer?
(NaturalHealth365) Over 200 million Americans live in areas where fluoride is added to their water supply. Sadly, this practice of adding fluoride to the water began over seven decades ago and, by 1960, it was common throughout the United States. In 1999, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fluoridation of water supplies was one of the “ten great public health achievements of the 20th century.” But, what the CDC completely failed to consider is the mounting evidence that connects fluoride to neurological impairments, hypothyroidism and cancer.

Pet News

Beware These Christmas Dangers for Dogs!
Dogington Post - The holidays are a time of joy, love, and light. It’s also the time of year when we dust off the decorations and string up twinkling lights and tinsel in celebration. But, if you’re celebrating with a dog, there are some holiday hazards to keep in mind before you pull those boxes down from the attic or invite the family over for that holiday party!



Tuesday - December 22, 2015 - Today in History:

1775 - A Continental naval fleet was organized in the rebellious American colonies under the command of Ezek Hopkins.
1807 - The U.S. Congress passed the Embargo Act, designed to force peace between Britain and France by cutting off all trade with Europe.
1864 - During the American Civil War, Union Gen. William T. Sherman sent a message to U.S. President Lincoln from Georgia. The message read, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah."
1910 - U.S. Postal savings stamps were issued for the first time. They were discontinued in 1914.
1941 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.
1956 - Colo, the first gorilla to be born in captivity, was born at the Columbus, Ohio zoo.
1961 - James Davis became the first U.S. soldier to die in Vietnam, while U.S. involvement was still limited to the provision of military advisers.
1984 - New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot four black youths on a Manhattan subway. Goetz claimed they were about to rob him.
1991 - The body of Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, an American hostage murdered by his captors, was found along a highway in Lebanon.
1996 - A car bomb exploded in Belfast, injuring a known IRA supporter. Police suspected that Protestant loyalists were responsible for the attack.
2001 - Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers.
2005 - Astronomers announced the discovery of two more rings encircling the planet Uranus.
2010 - President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in America's military.

World News

Iraqi troops start attack to recapture Ramadi from ISIS
RT - The Iraqi Army has launched an attack to recapture the center of Ramadi from Islamic State terrorists, a counter-terrorism spokesman, Sabah Al-Numani has told Reuters. The government forces lost control of the city in May. Our forces are advancing toward the government complex in the center of Ramadi," Al-Numani said, as cited by Reuters. "The fighting is in the neighborhoods around the complex, with support from the air force." Ramadi is a key urban settlement in the country and is the capital of the western Anbar province. On Monday, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) militants were reported to prevent civilians from leaving the city as they anticipated an attack.

Turkish labs turn Afghan opium into heroin for shipping to Europe – Russian anti-drug agency
RT - Afghan opium is being processed into high-grade heroin in clandestine Turkish drug labs for distribution in Europe and Russia, Russia’s anti-drug chief has revealed. The trafficking route was exposed after a joint Russian-Afghan anti-drug operation. “The cargo traveled through Badakhshan-Doshi-Bamiyan-Herat, then further through Iran and into Turkey, where the opium was processed in well-equipped laboratories…into high quality heroin, and then was to be sent to Europe and Russia,” Ivanov said during an anti-narcotics committee meeting. The head of Russia’s federal anti-drug agency (FKSN) Viktor Ivanov reported that 600 kilograms of opium was seized in a joint operation carried out by Russian and Afghan special anti-drug units in the city of Doshi in Afghanistan’s Baglan Province.

Six U.S. Troops Killed in Taliban-Claimed Attack in Afghanistan
Breitbart - A resurgent Taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack near Bagram air base that killed six U.S. troops, bringing the total number of American fatalities in the 14-year-old Afghanistan war to at least 2,235. The six American troops were killed when a suicide bomber on a motorbike struck a joint US-Afghan patrol in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, U.S. officials have confirmed on condition of anonymity because the Pentagon has not officially announced the fatalities. Two U.S. troops and an Afghan were also injured in the attack. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter, inaccurately claiming 19 U.S. soldiers had been killed.

French defense chief to ask Russia to step up anti-ISIS ops
RT - Ahead of his visit to Moscow on Monday, the French defense minister told journalists Paris would ask Russia to increase its action against Islamic State, and would offer intelligence sharing and plans for a joint vision on combating terrorist groups in Syria. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heads for Moscow this Monday in pursuit of enhanced collaboration between France and Russia to combat Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) [but still I-CIA-SIS] on Syrian soil. His main goal is to ask Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to increase strikes against IS, according to AFP.

Israel finishes testing new missile system built with $150mn US aid
RT - A new Israeli mid-range missile interceptor developed in cooperation with the US has successfully passed its final trials and is expected to enter service next year, Israel’s Defense Ministry said. A missile defense system called David’s Sling is designed to intercept a wide range of targets, from rocket artillery strikes, to aircraft, to low-flying ballistic missiles, at ranges of between 100 and 200 kilometers. It is expected to fill the operational gap between Israel’s short-range Iron Dome system and the Arrow ballistic interceptor, which are already in use.

Germans Stock Up on Weapons for Self-Defense
Gatestone Institute - Germans, facing an influx of more than one million asylum seekers from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, are rushing to arm themselves. All across Germany, a country with some of the most stringent gun-control laws in Europe, demand is skyrocketing for non-lethal self-defense weapons, including pepper sprays, gas pistols, flare guns, electroshock weapons and animal repellants. Germans are also applying for weapons permits in record numbers. The scramble to acquire weapons comes amid a migrant-driven surge in violent crimes — including rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults — in cities and towns throughout the country. German authorities, however, are going to great lengths to argue that the German citizenry's sudden interest in self-defense has nothing whatsoever to do with mass migration into the country, despite ample evidence to the contrary.

Sultan of Brunei threatens Muslims who celebrate Christmas with up to five years in prison while Christians must keep theirs secret
Daily Mail - In fear the the religious holiday will affect the faith of its country, the tiny oil-rich nation’s Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has banned the public celebration of Christmas. Any Muslims caught celebrating Christmas, and non-Muslims who are discovered organising celebrations, could face the lengthy prison sentence. While non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate the holiday within their own communities, they must not disclose their plans to the nation's Muslims – which make up 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population.... 'These enforcement measures are…intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community,' said the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a statement.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

100 Year Old Christmas List From A 7 Year Old Boy Shows How Materialistic Our Society Has Become
Michael Snyder - 100 years ago, a little seven-year-old boy named Homer Mellen sent Santa Claus a letter asking for “a box of paints, also a nine cent reader, and a school bag to put them in.” And he added that if Santa happened to have “any nuts, or candy, or toys to spare” that he would love to have some. My, how times have changed. Today, nearly all of us expect to be showered with presents on Christmas morning, and then almost immediately people begin posting photos of their “Christmas loot” on social media websites such as Facebook. And as you will see below, the “Rich Kids of Instagram” have taken boasting about wealth to an extreme that nobody has ever seen before. Our society has become deeply, deeply materialistic, and whatever “meaning” Christmas once may have had has become almost completely lost at this point.

Police “Uncomfortable” About Revealing Motive of Las Vegas Strip Killer
Paul Joseph Watson - Authorities refuse to specify what prompted woman to intentionally drive car into crowd.... Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joe Lombardo said he doubted the attack was “militant” in nature, but refuses to rule it out at this stage. He added that Holloway “didn’t appear to be distressed due to her actions” and was “stoic” when she was arrested. Holloway reportedly had a falling out with her father before the attack and had been living homeless in her car with her 3-year-old child for the past week. According to another eyewitness account, the woman screamed “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, although this is from a dubious source and cannot be considered genuine at this time.

Presenting The Stunning Difference In How Blacks And Whites Are Killed By Guns
Zero Hedge - There's a marked difference between how African Americans and whites experience gun violence in the US. More specifically, "among whites, 77 percent of gun deaths are suicides. But among black Americans, 82 percent of gun deaths are homicides."... when it comes to gun violence, mass shootings really aren’t the problem. That is, as horrific as they are and as often as they seem to be occurring, “less than 2 percent of more than 33,000 gun deaths in [America] are due to mass shootings,”

Unable to Stop Criminals, Texas Cops Now Pull You Over for “Driving Safely” to “Reward” You
Activist Post - Police in Lakeview, Texas are routinely conducting traffic stops without probable cause that a violation has occurred – and have packaged these unlawful detentions in a way that has earned media approval. The pretext offered by the department is its “Doing it Right Safe Driving Campaign,” through which officers who lurk in the shadows like rapists stop drivers who appear to be following all of the rules and then given Starbucks gift certificates – but only if a scan of the driver’s license and registration reveals no outstanding warrants or violations. The confused and anxious motorists are not told the purpose of the traffic stop until the officer returns with the surprise gift – which is actually a species of Trojan Horse that permits the officer to sneak a peek at the driver’s record without a legally valid reason.

Texas CPS Visits Home of Mom Who Hosted ‘Chickenpox Party’
Breitbart - A Texas mom received a visit by Child Protective Services (CPS) for hosting a “chickenpox party.” Amanda Witt believes that it is healthier for a child to catch chickenpox early than to be vaccinated for it. The mother from Plano, Texas, moderates a private Facebook page for 300 plus parents who hold the same belief. She said, “When one child has chickenpox, we promote playdates throughout,” she told the local CBS affiliate. “What is shocking to me about that is there hasn’t been a law broken,” she added. “Chickenpox parties are not considered dangerous. They’re not illegal.” The Texas mother was also reported to say, “I feel bullied and victimized.” I’d like for my parental rights to be respected. I didn’t break the law. My children are well cared for and it is my choice.”

SABOTAGE? CDC investigating another outbreak of different E. coli strain at Chipotle
Government Slaves - Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill hit a 52-week low Monday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it is investigating another, more recent outbreak of a different strain of E. coli linked to the restaurant chain. The CDC does not know yet if the more recent cases are tied to a larger outbreak that began at the end of October. Five ill people were identified in Kansas, North Dakota and Oklahoma as part of the new investigation, on dates ranging from Nov.18 to Nov. 26, 2015. The new Illnesses are not included in the current case count, which is now at 53, the CDC report said.

Election News

New Budget Deal Would Stop IRS from Investigating Secret Campaign Donors
AllGov - “It’s outrageous that lawmakers are interfering with the most modest measures to increase disclosure of political spending,” said Public Citizen's Lisa Gilbert. “The American people want – and deserve – to know who is trying to buy our elections.” The budget deal also includes another Republican-supported rider designed to prevent the SEC from moving forward with a regulation requiring disclosure of political donations by public corporations. “It’s outrageous that lawmakers are interfering with the most modest measures to increase disclosure of political spending,” said Public Citizen's Lisa Gilbert. “The American people want – and deserve – to know who is trying to buy our elections.” The budget deal also includes another Republican-supported rider designed to prevent the SEC from moving forward with a regulation requiring disclosure of political donations by public corporations.

Rand Paul Introduces Bill To Kill Obama Gun Control
Steve Watson - GOP presidential hopeful Rand Paul has introduced legislation intended to block any effort by the incumbent president to enforce gun control by executive action. Paul’s legislation, named the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act, would render any action on gun legislation by the president which circumvents Congress as “advisory only” in nature. Paul’s bill would apply to “any execution action on gun control that either infringes upon congressional authority or potentially violates the Second Amendment.” The bill then mandates that once an executive action has been classified as “advisory only,” it would require Congress to pass it in order for it to take effect. The bill also outlines that it is within their power for a “state official, member of Congress or person affected by an executive action on gun control to launch a civil lawsuit.” The legislation will be fast-tracked through the Senate and is expected to be made a priority after the Christmas recess.

ISIS Recruitment Video Features Bill Clinton and Barack Obama not Donald Trump
Truth Revolt - During Sunday night’s Democrat debate, presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton made the outrageous statement that Donald Trump was featured in ISIS recruiting videos. The lie was swiftly debunked, but what is perhaps most ironic is the fact that there is an ISIS recruitment video currently making the rounds that features, of all people, former president Bill Clinton and current president Barack Obama. The ISIS recruiting video which was reportedly released in late-November, is dubbed “No Respite” and clearly showcases how the Islamic State views itself.

Obama: Trump ‘Exploiting’ Anger, Fear Among ‘Blue-Collar Men’
Breitbart - In an interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep right before leaving for his Christmas vacation, President Barack Obama said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was “exploiting” the anger, frustration and fear of “blue-collar men.” Obama said, “I do think that when you combine that demographic change with all the economic stresses that people have been going through — because of the financial crisis, because of technology, because of globalization, the fact that wages and incomes have been flat-lining for some time, and that particularly blue-collar men have had a lot of trouble in this new economy, where they are no longer getting the same bargain that they got when they were going to a factory and able to support their families on a single paycheck — you combine those things, and it means that there is going to be potential anger, frustration, fear. Some of it justified, but just misdirected. I think somebody like Mr. Trump is taking advantage of that. That’s what he’s exploiting during the course of his campaign.”

Lindsey Graham Quits Race to Avoid Further Humiliation, Finishes at 0.5% Nationwide
Breitbart - According to RealClearPolitics South Carolina polling averages, Graham barely cracked a single percent in his home state that he’s represented in the US Senate for years. His national numbers and his numbers in other early states were in many cases worse than that. Graham – who was tied for last place in the GOP field – only averaged .5 percent nationally, according to Real Clear Politics.

Economy & Business

It’s Official: Over A Trillion Dollars A Year Will Be Added To The Debt During Obama’s Presidency
Economic Collapse - Under Barack Obama, the U.S. national debt has risen from $10,626,877,048,913.08 on January 20th, 2009 to $18,795,033,928,275.59 on December 21st, 2015. That means that the debt that we are passing on to future generations has increased by 8.16 trillion dollars since Barack Obama was inaugurated. There is still a little more than a year to go in Obama’s presidency, and it is already guaranteed that Obama will add more than a trillion dollars a year to the national debt during his presidency. In fact, when you do the math, we are stealing more than 100 million dollars from future generations of Americans every single hour of every single day. It is a crime of a magnitude that is almost unimaginable, and at this point it is mathematically impossible for the U.S. government to pay off all of this debt. To say that we are in trouble would be a massive understatement.

Energy & Environment

America's most toxic nuclear weapons production site which produced plutonium for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki is now a national park
Daily Mail - The nation's most polluted nuclear weapons production site is now its newest national park. Thousands of people are expected next year to tour the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, home of the world's first full-sized nuclear reactor, near Richland, about 200 miles east of Seattle in south-central Washington. hey won't be allowed anywhere near the nation's largest collection of toxic radioactive waste. 'Everything is clean and perfectly safe,' said Colleen French, the U.S. Department of Energy's program manager for the Hanford park. 'Any radioactive materials are miles away.'

Red Blood Cells and Smart Meters
Activist Post - For those who wonder if there are any health issues or problems from exposure to Smart Meters and the electromagnetic frequencies they emit, here is a short video which shows three samples of blood examined using a Darkfield Microscope. For those who wonder if there are any health issues or problems from exposure to Smart Meters and the electromagnetic frequencies they emit, here is a short video which shows three samples of blood examined using a Darkfield Microscope. Below is a chart created by EMF researcher Ronald M. Powell, PhD, which is self-explanatory?

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

State of Michigan Threatens Family Hog Farmer and Veteran Who Stood Up for his Rights
Health Impact News - Michigan pig farmer Mark Baker got some strange holiday greetings from his state’s Department of Natural Resources late last week: a search warrant, served by regulators accompanied by state police. The warrant apparently had to do with a packaging issue discovered with one customer using Baker’s pork–a pretty severe action for one possible packaging problem. Baker describes the warrant, and the response of his neighbors and friends in coming to his aid, in a video: his latest escapade by Michigan authorities is merely their latest effort to make life in Michigan a hell on earth for farmer and U.S. Air Force vet Baker. The state has been after him for the last four years for having the gall to want to raise pigs it considers feral, and illegal. When Baker in 2013 got a judge to uphold Baker’s right to raise his pigs his way, the state wasn’t pleased.

Health

Study: Vitamin D May Repair MS Nerve Damage
Dr. Mercola - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurodegenerative disease of the nerves in your brain and spinal column, caused by a demyelization process. In MS, your immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin, which is a protective coating around your nerve fibers.... While your body does have the ability to repair myelin naturally, this process tends to become less effective as you get older. Now, however, researchers have uncovered a natural option that might play a major role in boosting the repair of damaged myelin in people with MS: vitamin D. The RXR gamma receptor protein is known to be involved in the repair of myelin. Researchers from the University of Cambridge revealed that the vitamin D receptor protein is also involved and pairs with RXR gamma during this process.1 According to the University of Cambridge: "By adding vitamin D to brain stem cells where the proteins were present, they found the production rate of oligodendrocytes (myelin making cells) increased by 80 percent.

Light Therapy Is More Effective Than Prozac In Major Depression
Green Med Info - Bright light therapy has a proven track record of success in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), commonly referred to as the winter blues. A new study from the University of British Columbia shows that this simple and safe therapy is effective for non-seasonal major depression. In fact, researchers showed light therapy was much more effective than fluoxetine (Prozac).... The typical protocol used in clinical studies involved using specialized light boxes providing full-spectrum fluorescent tubes vs. regular tubes. Patients were then instructed to sit three feet away from the light anywhere from 30 minutes a day, up to three hours total, in morning and evening. The antidepressant effect of light therapy is thought to be due to restoring proper melatonin synthesis and secretion by the pineal gland leading to re-establishment of the proper circadian rhythm – the normal rhythm of hormone secretion that occurs each day.

Uranium Contaminates Drinking Water – Sodium Bicarbonate Clears the Kidneys and Soil of Uranium
Natural Blaze - In the western United States notices are springing up, Uranium, the notices warn, tests at levels considered unsafe by federal and state standards. The notices say you can drink the water — but if you drink the water over a period of time, you can get cancer. USGS researchers recently sampled 170 domestic water wells in the San Joaquin Valley, and found 20 to 25 percent bore uranium at levels that broke federal and state limits.... Nearly 2 million people in California’s Central Valley and in the U.S. Midwest live within a half-mile of groundwater containing uranium over the safety standards, University of Nebraska researchers said in a study published in September.... Sodium bicarbonate is effective in treating poisonings or overdoses from many chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs by negating their cardiotoxic and neurotoxic effects. It is the main reason it is used by orthodox oncology – to mitigate the highly toxic effects of chemotherapy.

Cilantro and Chlorella can Remove 80% of Heavy Metals from the Body in 42 days
Natural News Blogs - Many people are not aware of it, but heavy metals – such as mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminum – are more a part of everyday life than they should be. Exposure can come from many sources – public drinking water, air pollution, residues of pesticides or herbicides from conventionally raised foods. And what is worse, they can accumulate slowly in the body without people realizing it and cause serious health problems. Fortunately, there are natural methods of chelation therapy than can help to remove heavy metals safely from the body before they can cause long-term damage. And two of the best chelating agents are cilantro and chlorella, especially when they are used together.



Monday - December 21, 2015 - Today in History:

1620 - The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England, landed at Plymouth Rock, MA. 1849 - The first ice-skating club in America was formed in Philadelphia, PA.
1898 - Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discovered the radioactive element radium.
1909 - McKinley and Washington schools of Berkeley, CA, became the first authorized, junior-high schools in the U.S.
1944 - Horse racing was banned in the United States until after the end of World War II.
1945 - U.S. Gen. George S. Patton died in Heidelberg, Germany, of injuries from a car accident.
1958 - Charles de Gaulle was elected to a seven-year term as the first president of the Fifth Republic of France.
1968 - Apollo 8 was launched on a mission to orbit the moon. The craft landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on December 27.
1971 - The U.N. Security Council chose Kurt Waldheim to succeed U Thant as secretary-general.
1978 - Police in Des Plaines, IL, arrested John Gacy Jr. and began unearthing the remains of 33 men and boys that Gacy was later convicted of killing.
1988 - 270 people were killed when Pan Am Boeing 747 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a terrorist attack.
1990 - In a German television interview, Saddam Hussein declared that he would not withdraw from Kuwait by the UN deadline.
1995 - The city of Bethlehem passed from Israeli to Palestinian control.
1996 - After two years of denials, U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich admitted violating House ethics rules.
1998 - The first vaccine for Lyme disease was approved.
2001 - The Islamic militant group Hamas released a statement that said it was suspending suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Israel.
2002 - Larry Mayes was released after spending 21 years in prison for a rape that maintained that he never committed. He was the 100th person in the U.S. to be released after DNA tests were performed.

World News

Saudi Arabia Not Terrorist Organization, But Finances Terrorism - German Lawmaker
Sputnik News - The global fight against terrorism is not united at the moment, as the United States and Europe are allies with Saudi Arabia which allegedly funds terrorist organizations, Sahra Wagenknecht, member of the Bundestag, said. "Saudi Arabia is not a terrorist organization but it is a country which… finances terrorist formations, and despite this, this country is an ally of the United States and Europe, so unfortunately the fight against terrorism at this moment is not a united fight," Wagenknecht said in a documentary that was broadcast Sunday, on the Rossiya 1 television channel.

Chinese Foreign Minister Demands US Stop Arms Supplies to Taiwan
Sputnik News - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has demanded in a phone conversation with his US counterpart John Kerry that Washington stop arms supplies to Taiwan, the Chinese ministry said in a statement Monday. Last week, the administration of US President Barack Obama sought congressional approval for a $1.83 billion arms sale to Taiwan, including two Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, amphibious assault vehicles, surface to air missiles, as well as shipborne rapid-fire guns intended to counter missiles. Following the announcement of the proposed sale, Beijing threatened economic sanctions against US companies involved.

Europe, Turkey Close Airspace To Russian Warplanes Flying Anti-ISIS Missions, General Says
Zero Hedge - According to Gen. Anatoly Konovalov, deputy commander of Russia’s long-range aviation force, Moscow’s long-range warplanes have carried out 145 sorties against terrorist targets since mid-November. “In total, long-range aviation aircraft in Syria have carried out around 145 mission sorties, some 1,500 bombs have been dropped and about 20 cruise missiles have been fired," Konovalov said… Why is this notable, you ask? Here's Konovalov again: “Europe didn’t let us fly; Turkey didn’t let us fly, but we showed that even is such conditions we’re capable of coping with the task using airfields on the Russian territory." In other words, Europe and Turkey declined to allow Russia to use their airspace on the way to conducting airstrikes against the very same terrorists that attacked Paris just four days before the long-range warplanes were deployed to the fight in Syria.

UN's IAEA Drops Investigation of Iran's Alleged Secret Nuclear Program
The New American - A Reuters report on the decision, which was made by a vote of the UN agency's 35-member board, summarized the IAEA's findings after 12 years of investigation: "The IAEA produced a report this month that strongly suggested Iran engaged in coordinated activities aimed at developing a nuclear bomb up until 2003, though it found no credible sign of weapons-related work beyond 2009."… The IAEA has promised to continue monitoring Iran’s compliance with the agreement reached with the United States, Russia, Germany, China, France, and the United Kingdom, which states that economic sanctions on Iran will be lifted if the Iranian government promises to accept restrictions on its production of nuclear weapons.

IS jihadists stole 'tens of thousands' of blank passports: report
(AFP) - The Islamic State group may have stolen "tens of thousands" of blank passports that it could use to smuggle its fighters into Europe as refugees, a German newspaper reported Sunday. The Welt am Sonntag cited Western intelligence sources as saying that IS could have acquired the stolen travel documents in areas of Syria, Iraq and Libya it now controls. The passports could be issued to would-be attackers to enter the European Union as asylum seekers, according to the report.

'Like a warzone': Truck drivers at Calais fear for their lives as angry refugees attack
RT - There’s a high police presence around the migrant camp at the border. But the drivers still have to make it through a passage lined with migrants at the roadside, throwing large rocks… Truck drivers have been resorting to a variety of tactics to get through without rocks smashing through their window; some even placed bits of pork on their trucks’ rear bumpers to deter the Muslim refugees from climbing in or moving closer to attack. The only safe place for drivers is inside the walls of the port, where the trucks get parked indoors and security officers roam the premises with sniffer dogs… Earlier in the year, Britain and France committed new funds to tackling the crisis at the border. But barbed wire and dogs have done little to reduce tensions among the people, whose numbers continue to grow. Calais’s mayor has made repeated calls to Paris to send in troops for more security, but they haven’t been answered.

Argentinians Are Now Poorer Than Citizens Of Equatorial Guinea After Massive Devaluation
Zero Hedge - On Wednesday evening, Argentina’s FinMin [Finance Minister]… Alfonso Prat-Gay abolished currency controls, fulfilling new President Mauricio Macri’s promise to unify the official and black market peso rates… What does this mean for Argentinians, you ask? Well, as FT reports, “Argentines woke up on Thursday richer than Poles, Chileans and Hungarians [but] by bedtime they were not only poorer than all three, but also more pecunious than Mexicans, Costa Ricans and the good people of Equatorial Guinea.”… Argentineans are now worse off than citizens of Chile, Poland, Equatorial Guinea, Hungary, Lebanon, Panama, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Mexico… While the devaluation is likely the right move from a long-term perspective, in the short-run things will be painful. “The peso devaluation is a bitter pill for Argentinian households who kept their savings in pesos…”

U.S. News, Politics & Government

One Person Killed 37 Taken to Hospital After Car Crashed into Pedestrians in Las Vegas
Breitbart - The latest about a fatal car-pedestrian crash Sunday night on the Las Vegas Strip (all times local):10:28 p.m. Police say a woman intentionally swerved her car onto a busy sidewalk two or three times Sunday and mowed down people outside a Las Vegas casino, killing one person and injuring at least 30 others.... Lt. Dan McGrath says police now believe this was an intentional act by a woman in her 20s who “went up and off these streets, two or possibly three times.” The woman is being interviewed and is having her blood drawn. She is being held in jail with charges pending.

Nashua, New Hampshire, Schools Closed for 'Detailed Threat of Violence'
ABC News - Officials in Nashua, New Hampshire, told all public school students Sunday to stay home Monday because of a "specific" threat aimed at two high schools. "We have received a detailed threat of violence to harm students and staff at both high schools," Superintendent Mark Conrad announced on the school district's website Sunday...In a statement Sunday, Governor Maggie Hassan said that officials "are closely monitoring the situation in Nashua" and that "State Police and state emergency management officials are working closely with the Nashua Police Department, local public safety officials and the FBI."

White House Schizophrenia - Kerry: 'Assad Can Stay'; Obama: 'Assad Must Go'
Global Research - Just three days ago, emerging from Moscow meetings with Russian foreign minister Lavrov and president Putin, US Secretary of State John Kerry signaled a major shift in US foreign policy toward Syria. “The United States and our partners are not seeking so-called regime change,” he told the media. The media rightly reported the apparent US about-face as, “Assad can stay.”… But then President Obama opened his mouth at his end-of-year press conference this afternoon and hung his Secretary of State and entire foreign policy apparatus out to dry. No, Obama decided this afternoon, Assad cannot stay. Assad must go… Here is the US president returning the US to the “Assad must go” policy three days after John Kerry said he could stay: [Video].

Who Wrote the Omnibus? Four Lawmakers, Many Lobbyists
Breitbart - Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Republican of Alabama, in a blistering interview Thursday night, shed some light on the details. According to Sessions, lawmakers found out what was in the bill by talking to lobbyists, who had a better idea than they did as to what was being included in the bill. “No member of even the House and Senate knew what was going on,” he told Portland, Oregon talk show host Lars Larson. “Special interests did because we heard from lobbyists what some things were being considered.” Sessions went on to note that basically four members of congress put the deal together without consulting their colleagues. “It’s not right for ultimately four members, in secret — for reasons we have no understanding of — to make critical decisions on things,” he said. Sessions also bristled and how the bill was quickly presented to members of congress with little time to consider it.

U.S. Drone Program Seeks Taxpayer Bailout
Activist Post - Another government program is apparently being deemed too big to fail. The truth of the matter is that there is only one real problem with the drone program – pilots are quitting in higher numbers than those seeking this type of employment. The reasons range from overwork to lack of on-base housing to whistleblowers who have revealed the horrific mental toll that is exacted upon those who engage in a culture of remote control death. Moreover, these whistleblowers have argued that the program, even if accepted at face value, is not effective and is most assuredly creating more terrorism than it purports to combat.... The Air Force is now requesting from Congress (read: taxpayer) a five-year, $3 billion dollar commitment to expand the number of drones and pilots, as well as add additional bases. Perhaps most telling is that the Air Force is offering $125,000 bonuses to pilots who renew their five-year contracts.

Gun Control Executive Orders Expected Within Weeks
Activist Post - White House communications director Jen Psaki told Bloomberg that within a matter of “weeks, not months” Obama will review the recommendations for executive orders he’s been given by the Department of Justice. The DOJ is currently trying to figure out what options Obama has, which could legally circumvent Congress and survive any lawsuits that gun rights groups are sure to throw at the order.

Missouri Bill Would Set the Stage to Nullify Presidential Executive Orders
The 10th Amendment Center - Rep. Tim Remole (R-06) prefiled House Bill 1791 (HB1791) on Dec. 11. The bill would require the state general assembly to “adopt and enact any and all measures as may be necessary to prevent the enforcement of regulations, rules, and memorandums issued by a presidential executive order.” HB1791 calls executive orders not justified by federal law or the limited constitutional authority of the president of the United States “repugnant to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Missouri.” Language in the bill goes on to declare such executive orders “null void and of no effect” in Missouri.

Right name, wrong man: Knoxville veterinarian can't get off no-fly list
Knox News - Dr. Patrick Stephen Hackett is a veterinarian — not a terrorist… He's on the no-fly list… Hackett has never been arrested and never traveled to the Middle East or other centers of terrorist activity, but he found out more than a decade ago he's on the federal watch list because he shares the same name as notorious Irish Republican Army terrorist Patrick Joseph Hackett, who was jailed in the 1970s for planting bombs in Britain. The difference should be easy to spot. The terrorist is missing an arm and a leg — blown off when a bomb exploded prematurely — while the Knoxville veterinarian has all his limbs intact. "I don't know how I got on the list, and I don't know how to get off the list," Hackett said.

UN Representatives: U.S. Abortion Protesters Are 'Terrorists'
Breitbart - The women, from Poland, the United Kingdom and Costa Rica, were especially shocked to find protesters outside an Alabama abortion clinic they visited and to witness the deep polarization surrounding abortion in the United States. “We were harassed. There were two vigilante men waiting to insult us,” said UK delegate Frances Raday. She claimed the men repeatedly shouted, “You’re murdering children!” at the three women as they approached the clinic. “It’s a kind of terrorism,” said the Polish delegate and abortion activist, Eleonora Zielinska… During their U.S. visit, the three UN women travelled to Alabama, Texas and Oregon to assess American policies and attitudes, as well as school, health, and prison systems. The women claim that the U.S. is far behind “international human rights standards” in areas such as its “23 percent gender pay gap, maternity leave, affordable child care and the treatment of female migrants in detention centers.”

Trooper charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of Brandon Ellingson
KRCG 13 - A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper has been charged in the death of Brandon Ellingson. Trooper Anthony Piercy has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Ellingson drowned after falling off a Highway Patrol boat while wearing handcuffs at the Lake of the Ozarks in May 2014 after being taken into custody for boating while intoxicated. Special Prosecutor William Seay filed the charges at the Morgan County Courthouse in Versailles Friday morning. Piercy has been suspended from all Patrol duty, and will turn himself in to the Morgan County Jail on the night of Friday, December 18.

Parents read Bible verses cut from 'Charlie Brown Christmas' school play (Video)
EAG News - A Kentucky school district banned students from performing the most important part of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” after a single complaint, but parents happily filled in the blanks at the student play Thursday… Parents expressed outrage over the decision, both online and in protests at district offices, but school officials refused to reverse the ban, EAGnews reports… When students at Castle Elementary reached the controversial monologue in their play Thursday, when Charlie Brown questions whether anyone really knows the meaning of Christmas anymore, parents in attendance were ready and waiting to fill in the blanks, WKYT reports. They read aloud Luke 2:8-14.

Video: The Other Christmas Gift
With so many people focused on getting instead of giving, UP TV set out to ask these kids the toughest question they'd face this Christmas season. [Warning, you will need your kleenex!]

Election News

**DRUDGE POLL** Who Won The 3rd DNC Debate '16?

DEMS GET TRUMPED: Only 8 Million View ABC Dem Debate
Gateway Pundit - The numbers are in and only 8 million people bothered to tune in to the Democrat-Socialist debate on ABC Saturday night. The Republican debate last week with Donald Trump drew an audience of 18.5 million viewers.

Clinton Went Missing From Democratic Debate (Briefly)
WSJ - Hillary Clinton went missing during the Democratic debate, and it did not go unnoticed. After the first commercial break – almost an hour into the third Democratic debate on Saturday night, ABC returned with two candidates at the podium, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. The former secretary of state was missing. Rather than waiting, moderator David Muir moved forward, asking Mr. Sanders a question. Mrs. Clinton came walking in, and said “sorry” into the microphone.... In the first Democratic debate in October, Mrs. Clinton was also late to return to the stage after a break, and said “You know, it does take me a little longer,” a comment referencing that it can take women longer to use the bathroom.

Bernie Campaign Under Attack After Accusing Hillary of “Encouraging Islamic Extremism”
Mac Slavo - Perhaps now we know what was behind the timing of the most recent scandal for Bernie Sanders – concerning improper access to a Democratic database by members of staff.... Bernie Sanders has now accused Hillary over her role in the rise of ISIS, and intends to point out her dangerous and disqualifying flaws in the course of his campaign. The London Guardian reports: Bernie Sanders has accused Hillary Clinton of encouraging Islamic extremism in Libya, in a prelude to a Democratic debate on Saturday during which he is expected to go on the attack for the first time over the unintended consequences of the former secretary of state’s more interventionist foreign policy. [T]he senator from Vermont criticized Clinton for carelessly fomenting regime change in Libya “without worrying” about the ensuing instability that has helped Islamic State forces take hold in the country. “Regime change without worrying about what happens the day after you get rid of the dictator does not make a lot of sense,” Sanders said....

Clinton Claims ‘Videos Of Donald Trump’ Being Used By ISIS
The Hill - Hillary Clinton has claimed that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is showing videos of Donald Trump’s comments about Muslims in an effort to “recruit more radical jihadists.” During the Democratic presidential debate on Saturday evening, Clinton said, “We need to make sure that the really discriminatory messages that Trump is sending around the world don’t fall on receptive ears.” “He is becoming ISIS’s best recruiter. They are going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists,” the party front-runner added. It is unclear whether the former secretary of State was speaking metaphorically or had evidence to back up the specific charge that footage of Trump was being used by ISIS.

Video: HEATED ABC 'This Week': Trump, Stephanopoulos Battle Over Charges Putin Killed Reporters
Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump got into a heated exchange with host George Stephanopoulos over Vladimir Putin’s praise of Trump....

Paul: Nobody Read The $1.1 Trillion Omnibus Bill
The Hill - Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday said he voted against the $1.1 trillion government spending bill that passed Congress last week because nobody had a chance to read the behemoth legislation. “It was over a trillion dollars, it was all lumped together, 2,242 pages, nobody read it, so frankly my biggest complaint is that I have no idea what kind of things they stuck in the bill,” Paul told host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on New York’s AM-970. “I voted against it because I won’t vote for these enormous bills that no one has a chance to read,” he added. “We were given it yesterday or the day before the bill came forward, and so this is not a way to run government. It’s a part of the reason why government is broke.”

Veteran News

It’s Official! City Of Philadelphia Effectively Ends Veteran Homelessness
Activist Post - Positive news! On Thursday, city and federal officials announced that homelessness among military veterans has effectively ended. This means that every veteran in the city of Philadelphia who wants or needs housing officially has access to it. Since August 2013, reports Philadelphia News, 1,390 Philadelphia veterans have been connected to permanent housing. Only 15 remain on the street, and that’s their choice as they “don’t want to be housed,” says the city’s mayor. At a recent City Hall news conference, Mayor Nutter addressed the remaining veterans living on the streets: I have a message for each of you who are still out there. We honor your service and your sacrifices. You deserve a home. We won’t give up on you. The Philadelphia effort was led by Philly Vets Home, a coalition of local government agencies, nonprofit groups and the local Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital in the city.

Economy & Business

Oil prices plummet to 11-yr low as US lifts export ban
RT - Brent crude prices have fallen close to $36 per barrel, their lowest level since 2004. This comes on worries of global oversupply as Washington lifts the ban on oil exports and US oil reserves reach an 85-year high. As of 8:30 a.m. GMT Monday, Brent blend was trading at $36.15 a barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was at $34.32. On Thursday, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that the current US oil inventories stand at 490.7 million barrels, while refineries operated at 92 percent of their capacity in the week ending December 11. Oil was dealt a double blow Friday, when US President Barack Obama signed a bill to lift the US export ban. The ban was established during the US oil shortages in the 1970s, as part of a bigger deal that included tax breaks for renewable-energy companies and refiners.

Economy & Business

The Rate Hike Stock Market Crash Has Thrown Gasoline Onto An Already Raging Global Financial Inferno
Economic Collapse - If the stock market crash of last Thursday and Friday had all happened on one day, it would have been the 7th largest single day decline in U.S. history. On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 367 points after finishing down 253 points on Thursday. The overall decline of 620 points between the two days would have been the 7th largest single day stock market crash ever experienced in the United States if it had happened within just one trading day. If you will remember, this is precisely what I warned would happen if the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. But when news of the rate hike first came out on Wednesday, stocks initially jumped. This didn’t make any sense at all, and personally I was absolutely stunned that the markets had behaved so irrationally. But then we saw that on Thursday and Friday the markets did exactly what we thought they would do. The chief economist at Gluskin Sheff, David Rosenberg, is calling the brief rally on Wednesday “a head-fake of enormous proportions“, and analysts all over Wall Street are bracing for what could be another very challenging week ahead.

Science & Technology

Juniper warns of backdoor spying code in firewalls
PCWorld - Juniper, a major manufacturer of networking equipment, said on Thursday it found spying code planted in certain models of its firewalls, an alarming discovery that echoes of state-sponsored tampering… The unauthorized code was found during a recent internal review, wrote Bob Worrall, Juniper’s chief information officer. He did not indicate where Juniper thinks the code originated… The compromise of such a prominent vendor with code specifically designed for spying echoes operations by the NSA described in documents leaked in 2013 by former contractor Edward Snowden. A December 2013 story in the German publication Der Spiegel described a 50-page catalog of hardware and software tools used by the NSA to infiltrate the equipment, including one targeted at Juniper’s NetScreen appliances.
* Related: CNN's version of the same story...

Online Actions That Spark NSA Monitoring
Off the Grid News - Simply using certain encryption services or investigating alternatives to Microsoft Windows could get you placed under surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other intelligence organizations, according to a new report. Utilizing encryption solutions such as TOR could result in monitoring by the NSA and its allies, including Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), according to the report in the German me­dia out­let Ta­gesschau. The NSA tracks people with a surveillance tool called XKeyscore. “Anyone who is determined to be using Tor is also targeted for long-term surveillance and retention,” Corey Doctorow wrote at the BoingBoing.net blog. The German outlet said computer experts watched the XKeyscore code and found that the NSA was constantly monitoring TOR users on servers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, the National Journal reported.

Survival/Preparedness

This Spring Create a Bee Friendly Garden and Help Save the Bees: Our Survival Depends On It
Natural Blaze - When we think about nature, normally we think about designated wilderness areas. What we don’t realize is that bees love living in urban settings with short flight paths and a variety of different plants and flowers to sample. Bees especially thrive in backyards and gardens because there are a many different plants to choose from. By creating a hospitable place in your garden for bees, you will not only triple your yield of fruit and veggies, but you will also help improve the bee population.

Health

The Cold Truth About Essential Oils that Nobody Talks About
Realfarmacy - Despite the fact that thousands of people report successful use of essential oils to help support various body functions, the mainstream community tries to dismiss their claims. Essential oils are everywhere; if you follow any blogs, you will find them in DIY, survival, natural health, and mommy blogs. So do essential oils really work, or are they just expensive fragrant quackery?

Mandatory Meningitis Vaccine Bill Author Caught Red-Handed Taking $420k From Big Pharma
Realfarmacy - State Senator Kemp Hannon, Chair of the New York Senate Health Committee, and author of the recently passed law that will require all seventh and twelfth graders in the state to get meningitis shots, has been caught with his hand in the pot, according to the New York Daily News: specifically, the pharma pot. And to no small sum, mind you. His investments in pharmaceutical and health companies is at $100,000 while it is also being alleged that he has received more than $400,000 from the same interest groups. Hannon’s investments are a direct conflict of interest and he should be charged criminally. This is an act of using your position to influence and write laws for the sole result of personal gain.

7 Functional Foods That Reduce Brain Inflammation & Clear Brain Fog
Natural News Blogs - Brain inflammation & Brain fog Inflammation is an innate response to injury, stress, or illness, poor gut function or eating toxic foods and induces an inflammatory response. Brain fog is a sign of leaky brain or brain on fire. In other words, brain fog is a sign of inflammation. Inflammation in the brain causes neurons to fire more slowly, slowing down mental acuity, recall, and reflexes. Sluggish neurons also shut down the production of energy in the cells. This means that cells fatigue easily, and you may lose your ability to focus for long periods of time.



Friday - December 18, 2015 - Today in History:

1787 - New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1862 - The first orthopedic hospital was organized in New York City. It was called the Hospital for Ruptured and Crippled.
1865 - U.S. Secretary of State William Seward issued a statement verifying the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment abolished slavery with the declaration: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
1903 - The Panama Canal Zone was acquired 'in perpetuity' by the U.S. for an annual rent.
1916 - During World War I, after 10 months of fighting the French defeated the Germans in the Battle of Verdun.
1917 - The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. Senate and then officially proposed the states.
1935 - A $1 silver certificate was issued for the first time in the U.S.
1936 - Su-Lin, the first giant panda to come to the U.S. from China, arrived in San Francisco, CA. The bear was sold to the Brookfield Zoo for $8,750.
1940 - Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Operation "Barbarossa" was launched in June 1941.
1944 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the wartime relocation of Japanese-Americans, but also stated that undeniably loyal Americans of Japanese ancestry could not be detained.
1950 - NATO foreign ministers approved plans to defend Western Europe, including the use of nuclear weapons, if necessary.
1972 - The United States began the heaviest bombing of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The attack ended 12 days later.
1987 - Ivan F. Boesky was sentenced to 3 years in prison for plotting Wall Street's biggest insider-trading scandal. He only served 2 years of the sentence.
1998 - The U.S. House of Representatives began the debate on the four articles of impeachment concerning U.S. President Bill Clinton. It was only the second time in U.S. history that process had begun.
1998 - Russia recalled its U.S. ambassador in protest of the U.S. attacks on Iraq.
2002 - Nine competing designs for the World Trade Center site were unveiled. The Lower Manhattan Development Corp. expected to choose a design by January 31, 2003.
2009 - James Cameron's movie "Avatar" was released in the United States. On January 26, the movie became the highest-grossing film worldwide.
2010 - In Nanjing, China, the Zifeng Tower opened

World News

Treason! Lawmaker Discovers It's Bad Idea To Accuse Erdogan Of Supplying Sarin Gas To ISIS
Zero Hedge - Two weeks ago, CHP lawmaker Eren Erdem said he, like Moscow, will soon provide proof of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s role in the smuggling of Islamic State oil. … The charges come just two days after Erdem gave the following interview to RT in which he says ISIS "received all necessary materials to produce deadly sarin gas via Turkey." He insists there are grounds to believe a cover up is in the offing. And so, just as Erdogan arrested Can Dundar, editor in chief of Cumhuriyet, and Erdem Gul, the newspaper’s capital correspondent in Ankara on charges of spying and aiding a terrorist organization after they published video depicting an MIT truck transporting weapons to Syria, and just as Ankara arrested the generals who stopped the truck, AKP will now try a member of the opposition for treason. Just another day in Erdogan's thriving, NATO-supported "democracy".

Ukraine defaults on $3bn Eurobond to Russia
RT - Kiev has imposed a moratorium on the $3 billion Russian debt repayment, said the country’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk at a cabinet meeting on Friday. The announcement comes ahead of the December 20 deadline for the debt repayment. "Considering that Russia has refused, despite our efforts, to sign an agreement on restructuring and to accept our proposals, the cabinet is imposing a moratorium on payment of the Russian debt worth $3 billion," said Yatsenyuk. The payment is halted "until we make restructuring proposals or a relevant court decision is made," added the Prime Minister. Late on Thursday, Ukraine's Ministry of Finance said Kiev couldn’t pay off Russia’s $3 billion Eurobond loan without breaking a debt restructuring deal reached with other international creditors.

Secret US mission in Libya revealed after air force posted pictures
The Guardian - A secret US commando mission to Libya has been revealed after photographs of a special forces unit were posted on the Facebook page of the country’s air force. Libya’s air force said 20 US soldiers arrived at Libya’s Wattiya airbase on Monday, but left soon after local commanders asked them to go because they had no permission to be at the base. It was unclear if another branch of the Libyan military had authorized the mission… Wattiya’s proximity to Sabratha, site of the Islamic State’s western Libya base, has heightened speculation that the US is poised to launch strikes on the terror group.

US Refuses to Tell France Who Financed Paris Terror Attacks
Sputnik News - United States authorities have yet to respond to multiple requests from France on sources of funding for Daesh terrorists tied to the November 13 Paris attacks, a French Finance Ministry source told Reuters. The US and the European Union signed an agreement called the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program in 2010, which allowed EU countries to rely on the US for information on terrorist groups' finance flows. Prior to the Paris attacks, the US turned down requests from France to reveal the financial flows funding the January 7 attacks on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a Jewish supermarket, saying France "did not provide enough details."

EU Exploits ‘Refugee’ Crisis it Created to Push Draconian Plan For Occupying Army
Paul Joseph Watson - The European Union is exploiting the refugee crisis it helped create by pushing draconian plans for an occupying army that would have the power to take control of national borders without the consent of sovereign governments. After rolling out the red carpet for potentially millions of migrants – most of whom are not Syrian – to enter Europe in search of welfare havens like Sweden and Germany – the EU has proven its total incompetence when it comes to dealing with border security. However, instead of handing more power to national governments to address the crisis, the EU is set to eviscerate the sovereignty of member states further under a new proposal which would permit the deployment of up to 2,500 armed guards wearing EU uniforms, along with naval patrol vessels, helicopters and drones.

USAID's Millions Often Spent Blindly in Afghanistan, with Taliban as Occasional Beneficiary
AllGov - Many USAID projects were intended to “stabilize” the country and demonstrate to the local populace that they should support the U.S.-backed Afghan government. But an internal investigation (pdf) of USAID efforts in the war-torn country found that many of them had the opposite result. For instance, “villagers believed that the projects would not have been allowed to take place without the Taliban’s approval, and so their support for the Taliban, rather than for the United States or the Afghan government, actually increased because of the aid,” The New York Times reported… In other cases, USAID did such a poor job of managing its projects that Taliban leaders were able to successfully submit requests through intermediaries for American aid projects for villages under their control. The study also found that USAID’s targeting of some villages not under Taliban control resulted in increased violence from the Taliban.

European Parliament Rejects Imports of Monsanto’s GM Liberty Link Maize
Sustainable Pulse - Today, the European Parliament dealt another blow to the Commission over GM crops, objecting to the import of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready™ Liberty Link™ GM maize into the EU . The Parliament said the decision to authorize the import of this GM crop was “not consistent with Union law” that aims at a high level of health and environmental protection.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

The US Knows Where ISIS Videos Are Produced - But Does Nothing About It
Zero Hedge - As outlined extensively by Charlie Winter in a study entitled "Documenting The Virtual 'Caliphate'”, ISIS produces nearly 40 pieces of propaganda each day in various formats ranging from video, to print, to radio. The workload is divided between dozens of individual production units hailing from all corners of the caliphate from Libya to Raqqa to Mosul…Importantly, ISIS propaganda isn't limited to murder montages. In fact, quite a bit of Islamic State media focuses on portraying life in the "caliphate." The idea, of course, is to project some semblance of normalcy - to show potential recruits that a society governed by Sharia Law can still have the trappings of modernity…. As it turns out, the US has "spent months" mapping the locations of the various media production units shown in the org chart above. Despite knowing their locations, Washington has refrained from destroying them - supposedly for fear of inflicting civilian casualties.

Cops Demolish Single Mom's Home By Mistake, Destroy Children's Christmas - Offer No Help
The Free Thought Project - On Tuesday, Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves and his heroic team of militarized storm troopers descended on the home of a single mom and her four kids. Upon removing the mother and her four children from the house, police entered into a 20-hour-long standoff — with the empty house.

Video: What is a United Nations Multinational Force Observer doing on U.S. soil?
The Daily Sheeple - A strange video is making waves in alternative media circles after it revealed that at least one United Nations Multinational Force Observer is currently operating on U.S. soil… The fifteen second video clip shows a UN employee inside his vehicle after getting gas in northeastern Pennsylvania. The concerned citizen who filmed the exchange attempts to ask the man what type of work would require him to be in the country, to no avail… What makes this sighting so interesting besides the fact that it was within the United States is the fact that the man was filmed with his UN indication clearly in the open as if he was there in an official capacity. Even more interesting and shocking, noted in detail by YouTuber Professor Doom, is the possible connection between this sighting and recent UN job postings for America in which the United Nations sought US-based disarmament, demobilization and reintegration specialists.

TPP May Be Delayed Until After 2016 Elections
Activist Post - The controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement might not be voted on until after the 2016 presidential elections, or possibly into the next presidential term, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In an interview with the Washington Post, McConnell said he does not support the idea of voting on the TPP before the election. “It certainly shouldn’t come before the election. I don’t think so, and I have some serious problems with what I think it is,” he said. “But I think the president would be making a big mistake to try to have that voted on during the election. There’s significant pushback all over the place.”

Congressional spending bill good on GMOs, bad on COOL
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance - There is some good news: 1) The bill does NOT include the Monsanto rider that would prohibit states from labeling genetically engineered foods (a.k.a. the DARK act). The fight isn’t over. Key Senators have pledged to work on legislation that would overturn state labeling laws when they return in January. 2) The bill does include an amendment to require labeling of genetically engineered salmon, so that consumers will be able to make informed choices as to whether or not to buy this GMO animal to eat. Now the bad news: Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for beef and pork is being repealed, out of fear of international trade retaliation. The damage is less than we feared, because Congress left COOL for chicken in place (earlier proposals would have repealed COOL for all meats, even though the World Trade Organization had only ruled that the beef and pork labels were trade barriers). This decision shows, yet again, how international trade agreements undermine our democracy.

Disney Beefs Up Theme Park Security: Metal Detectors, Extra Patrols, Bans on Toy Guns and Costumes
Breitbart - Disney has beefed up security protocols at its theme parks in Anaheim, California and Orlando, Florida as fears of terrorism have grown in recent weeks due to recent high-profile deadly attacks in San Bernardino and Paris. Visitors at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure theme parks in Anaheim will be randomly selected to go through metal detectors at the parks’ entrances, reports local ABC affiliate KABC. The parks have also added extra security patrols and ceased selling toy guns at gift shops. Additionally, patrons over the age of 14 are now prohibited from wearing costumes or masks while inside the parks.

Election News

Donald Trump: Congress ‘Threw In The Towel’ on Budget Deal
Breitbart - GOP frontrunner Donald Trump told Breitbart News that Republicans in Congress “threw in the towel” when drafting the 2016 budget. “The only special interest not being served by our government is the American people,” he said late Thursday night. “If anyone needed more evidence of why the American people are suffering at the hands of their own government, look no further than the budget deal announced by Speaker [Paul] Ryan,” Trump said about the Omnibus spending plan, which will likely be finalized on Friday morning. The budget allows $1.1 trillion in 2016 spending. “The American people will have to absorb higher deficits, greater debt, less economic liberty and more corporate welfare. Congress cannot seem to help itself in bending to every whim of special interests. How can they face their constituents when they continue to burden our children and grandchildren with debts they will never be able to repay? Our government is failing us, so we must do something about it. Who knows how bad things will be when the next administration comes in and has to pick up the pieces?”

Donald Trump Praised as 'Talented' by Russia's Vladimir Putin
NBC News - Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Donald Trump as "talented," describing him as the "absolute leader" in the Republican race for the White House. Speaking to reporters after his annual three-hour televised news conference, Putin welcomed the GOP front-runner's stance on relations with Moscow. "He is a bright personality, a talented person, no doubt about it," the Russian leader said. "It is not up to us to appraise his positive sides, it is up to the U.S. voters. but, as we can see, he is an absolute leader in the presidential race." Putin added: "He is saying that he wants to move to a different level of relations with Russia, to a closer, deeper one. How can we not welcome that? Of course, we welcome that." However, Putin said it was "not up to us to make judgments" on Trump's remarks on U.S. issues or "other means he uses to boost his popularity."
* Related: Trump: Putin’s Praise of Me ‘Terrific,’ Mutual Dislike With Obama Is Cause for Conflict...

Hillary Clinton Claim: ‘I Don’t Know That I Ever Have’ Gotten Cash From Oil Companies
Breitbart - “Well, I don’t know that I ever have, I’m not exactly one of their favorites,” Clinton replied when asked at a campaign stop in Iowa City if she would agree not to accept Big Oil donations. Not true, according to research compiled by a Super-PAC, “America Rising.” Even the liberal Huffington Post reported that “nearly all” of Clinton’s bundlers have worked for Big Oil. Additionally, the Clinton Foundation has mopped up some Big Oil donations and she benefits from a multi-million dollar mutual fund that invests in Big Oil. Clinton also appeared Wednesday with billionaire Warren Buffett, where she planned to roll out some new tax hikes like the kind that Buffett has proposed on rich folks like himself.

Economy & Business

Veterans Administration Hospital Bans Holiday Cheer, ‘Merry Christmas’
Breitbart - The Veterans Administration hospital in Salem, Virginia–a government run hospital–is banning “religious” carols, Christmas trees and “Merry Christmas” from public areas, according to The Becket Fund, a nonprofit law firm to protect religious liberty. “Our veterans stare down the most hostile threats to freedom the world has ever known. But I’m pretty sure the words ‘Merry Christmas’ are not one of them,” said The Becket Fund’s Executive Director Kristina Arriaga. “Hospital leaders should have a Christmas cookie and lighten up; a little Christmas cheer never hurt anyone.” The Becket Fund released a press release on Thursday awarding the hospital the Ebenezer Award, “awarded for the most ridiculous affront to the Christmas and Hanukkah,” because of the ban on holiday cheer.

Economy & Business

Martin Shkreli Arrested on Securities Fraud Charges
Bloomberg - Martin Shkreli, the boyish drug company entrepreneur, who rocketed to infamy by jacking up the price of a life-saving pill from $13.50 to $750, was arrested by federal agents at his Manhattan apartment early Thursday morning and charged with securities fraud. After pleading not guilty in Brooklyn federal court he was freed on a $5 million bond… Prosecutors in Brooklyn charged him with illegally taking assets from Retrophin Inc., a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it to pay debts from unrelated business dealings. He was later ousted from the company, where he’d been chief executive officer, and sued by its board.

Science & Technology

Reliance on Internet Places 2020 Census at Risk of Fraud
AllGov - A report (pdf) prepared by Mitre Corp. for the Census Bureau’s JASON scientific advisory panel said gathering census information electronically could leave the process at risk to fraud by hackers, pranksters and phishers. Particular concern should be paid to “large-scale, organized fraud,” according to the report, which “could pose a threat to the integrity of the census.” It also warned “the threshold for effectively manipulating the census process is surprisingly low.” Census officials will use the Internet in the 2020 count in order to better reach “previously undercounted populations to improve accuracy,” according to Government Executive. The Census Bureau plans to mail postcards to households containing an Internet link as text URL and scannable QR code. The postcard will include a unique identification that links the postal address to records maintained by the bureau.

A Secret Catalogue of Government Gear for Spying on Your Cellphone
The Intercept - The Intercept has obtained a secret, internal U.S. government catalogue of dozens of cellphone surveillance devices used by the military and by intelligence agencies. The document, thick with previously undisclosed information, also offers rare insight into the spying capabilities of federal law enforcement and local police inside the United States. The catalogue includes details on the Stingray, a well-known brand of surveillance gear, as well as Boeing “dirt boxes” and dozens of more obscure devices that can be mounted on vehicles, drones, and piloted aircraft. Some are designed to be used at static locations, while others can be discreetly carried by an individual. They have names like Cyberhawk, Yellowstone, Blackfin, Maximus, Cyclone, and Spartacus.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

What Christmas Dinner Looks Like Without the Bees
Natural Blaze - According to the USDA, in the United States the total number of managed honey bee colonies has decreased from 5 million in the 1940s to only 2.5 million today. Meanwhile, University of Bristol research claims that honeybees and other pollinators are responsible for 80 percent of all plant species in Europe, including fruits and vegetables.... According to the USDA, in the United States the total number of managed honey bee colonies has decreased from 5 million in the 1940s to only 2.5 million today. Meanwhile, University of Bristol research claims that honeybees and other pollinators are responsible for 80 percent of all plant species in Europe, including fruits and vegetables. One wonders if a turkey would even exist considering that the diet of poultry in the U.S. consists of grain feed. Oils would eventually go by the wayside without bees, too.

Health

The Effects of Grounding
Dr. Mercola - The Earth carries an enormous negative charge. It's always electron-rich and can serve as a powerful and abundant supply of antioxidant and free-radical-busting electrons. Your body is finely tuned to "work" with the Earth in the sense that there's a constant flow of energy between your body and the Earth. When you put your feet on the ground, you absorb large amounts of negative electrons through the soles of your feet. The effect is sufficient to maintain your body at the same negatively charged electrical potential as the Earth. This simple process of grounding is one of the most potent antioxidants we know of.

New studies: Coffee consumption reduces risk of mortality and chronic diseases
(NaturalHealth365) While studies have shown this popular beverage to be beneficial for health in many ways, contradictory information has arisen throughout the years about the negative effects of caffeine on the body. But, wait, several new studies are suggesting that this dark black beverage should have its place in our diet – as there are many health benefits such as, reduced risk of mortality and chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more.... Whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, positive results have been detected in several forms of cancer, such as...

Mistakes You Make Before 10 AM
Dr. Mercola - Each morning, you have an opportunity to start the day fresh and set a healthy, positive tone for the rest of the day. The first few hours of your day could easily be described as the most important, as they can make or break the hours that follow.In fact, one thing that most successful, happy people have in common is a morning routine. It varies from person to person, but figuring out a few morning habits that work for you, and then sticking to them each day, can be invaluable for your health and well being.

Pet News

Fecal Transplant: An Amazing Cure You've Probably Never Heard Of
Dr. Becker - Dr. Margo Roman, an integrative veterinarian who offers many cutting-edge alternative therapies at her practice in the Boston area, discusses microbiome restorative therapy, also known as fecal transplants. Dr. Roman has used fecal transplants to successfully treat dogs and cats with a wide variety of conditions, including severe gastrointestinal disease, behavioral issues, atopic dermatitis, and coprophagia (poop eating).

Humor & Satire

A Country Founded by Geniuses but Run by Idiots
IowaDawg Blog - Jeff Foxworthy is funny, and right to the point!

VIDEO: The 12 Bans of Christmas
Campus Reform - With so many schools across the country taking steps to ensure that holiday celebrations are devoid of any reference to Christmas, we here at Campus Reform simply couldn’t resist the urge to poke a little fun at the situation. And in the spirit of the season, we could think of no better way to do so than with an old-fashioned Christmas song. Drawing on policies and guidelines issued by colleges in almost every region of the country, our “Twelve Bans of Christmas” is intended to humorously highlight the ridiculous lengths that some school administrators have gone to in their efforts to promote inclusivity. We laugh only to keep from crying.
 


Thursday - December 17, 2015 - Today in History:

1777 - France recognized American independence.
1791 - A traffic regulation in New York City established the first street to go "One Way."
1903 - The first successful gasoline-powered airplane flight took place near Kitty Hawk, NC. Orville and Wilbur Wright made the flight.
1944 - The U.S. Army announced the end of its policy of excluding Japanese-Americans from the West Coast which ensured that Japanese-Americans were released from detention camps.
1953 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to approve RCA’s color television specifications.
1957 - The United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.
1969 - The U.S. Air Force closed its Project "Blue Book" by concluding that there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings.
1969 - Television history was made when Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki Budinger were married on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.
1975 - Lynette Fromme was sentenced to life in prison for her attempt on the life of U.S. President Ford.
1986 - Davina Thompson became the world's first recipient of a heart, lungs, and liver transplant.
1992 - U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.
1997 - U.S. President Clinton signed the No Electronic Theft Act. The act removed protection from individuals who claimed that they took no direct financial gains from stealing copyrighted works and downloading them from the Internet.
2002 - U.S. President George W. Bush ordered the Pentagon to have ready for use within two years a system for protecting American territory, troops and allies from ballistic missile attacks.
2002 - Congo's government, opposition parties and rebels signed a peace agreement that ended four years of civil war.
2004 - U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law the largest overhaul of U.S. intelligence gathering in 50 years. The bill aimed to tighten borders and aviation security. It also created a federal counterterrorism center and a new intelligence director.

World News

US calls on Turkey to withdraw ‘unauthorized’ troops from Iraq
RT - The US has urged Turkey to withdraw its “unauthorized” military forces from northern Iraq, calling on Ankara to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi regarding Turkey’s troop deployments. The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity and called on Turkey to do the same by withdrawing any military forces from Iraqi territory that have not been authorized by the Iraqi government,” the White House said in a statement. The call between Biden and al-Abadi came two days after the Vice President’s talk with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Western Media Shows Russian Airstrikes as US-Led Coalition’s
Sputnik News - Western Media often rebrand the footage of Russian airstrikes in Syria as the US-led coalition’s actions – due to the lack of cooperation, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Due to poor US-led Coalition intelligence, the Western media is unwilling to credit Russia’s Aerospace Forces for its successful strikes against Daesh terrorist targets, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. “I have to stress that no-one has ever heard of the reporters’ press-tours to the anti-Daesh coalition’s bases. As a result, it confuses even the most reliable sources like TV channels and newspapers — and they unintentionally brand our [Russian] airstrikes as those of the US-led coalition,” Konshenkov explained.

What’s Behind Washington Pulling 12 Fighter Jets From Turkish Base?
Sputnik News - In the latest sign of Turkey’s increasing isolation, the United States has announced plans to remove 12 fighter jets from Incirlik air base. According to Reuters, a spokesman with the US military’s European Command has confirmed that the US will withdraw 12 F-15 Eagles and Strike Eagle fighters from Turkey. The spokesman said that the aircraft had completed temporary deployment, despite having only been moved to Incirlik air base one month ago. According to a news release, the aircraft will be returning to RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, beginning December 16.

Turkey abuses refugees, deports them back to warzones – Amnesty
RT - The Turkish government has been rounding up refugees and transporting them to detention centers where they are abused and mistreated, according to Amnesty International. From there, many are deported back to "warzones" in Iraq and Syria. In a Wednesday report titled 'Europe's Gatekeeper,' Amnesty alleges that Turkey has been “herding scores – possibly hundreds – of refugees and asylum-seekers onto buses” and transporting them “more than 1,000 kilometers to isolated detention centers where they have been held incommunicado,” the organization said in a press release.

Something Strange Is Taking Place In The Middle Of The Atlantic Ocean
Zero Hedge - In the latest sign that the world is simply running out of capacity when it comes to coping with an inexorable supply of commodities, three diesel tankers en route from the Gulf to Europe did something rather odd on Wednesday: they stopped, turned around in the middle of the ocean, and headed back the way they came! "At least three 37,000 tonne tankers - Vendome Street, Atlantic Star and Atlantic Titan - have made U-turns in the Atlantic ocean in recent days and are now heading back west," Reuters reported, citing its own tracking data. The Vendome Street actually made it to within 800 miles of Portgual (so around 75% of the way there) before abruptly turning around. "Ship brokers said a turnaround so late in the journey would come at a cost to the charterer," Reuters notes. The problem: low prices, no storage capacity, and soft demand.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Paul Ryan Betrays America: $1.1 Trillion, 2,000-Plus Page Omnibus Bill Funds ‘Fundamental Transformation of America’
Breitbart - Rep. Paul Ryan'sfirst major legislative achievement is a total and complete sell-out of the American people masquerading as an appropriations bill. Too harsh, you say? Let the programs, the spending, and the implications speak for themselves...

New York State Supreme Court Says NO to Mandatory Flu Vaccinations for Kids 6 Months to 5 Years in Order to Attend Head Start, Pre-school or Day Care
Activist Post - His Honor, Judge Manuel J. Mendez, J.S.C., handed down the decision overturning a Mayor Bloomberg-era regulation requiring all children 6 months through 59 months of age must obtain a flu vaccine in order to attend pre-schools, day care centers and Head Start Programs regulated by the City of New York. Interestingly, the Judge in his order wrote on page 6, “The Court of Appeals further stated that §558(b) of the New York City Charter ‘contains no suggestion that the Board of Health has the authority to create laws’.”… Judge Mendez further stated that NYC Board of Health, et al, lacked statutory authority to require such vaccinations.

US Congress Republicans agree to lift 40-year ban on oil exports
RT - Republican leaders in the US Congress announced late Tuesday a measure allowing American oil exports for the first time in four decades. However, Democrats haven't confirmed the agreement. Both the House and Senate still must pass it and President Barack Obama must sign it into law. “We have the best technology, the best oil and over time we will drive out Russian oil, we will drive out Saudi, Iranian,” Republican Representative Joe Barton of Texas told Bloomberg. “It puts the United States in the driver’s seat of energy policy worldwide. It is a huge victory,” he added.

$1,800,000,000,000 Omnibus Increases Number of Unskilled Guest Workers…
Breitbart - The year-end spending deal unveiled early Wednesday morning includes a provision that would increase the number of guest worker visas available to unskilled foreign nationals seeking employment in the U.S. According to Ian Smith, an attorney with the Immigration Reform Law Institute, language inserted into the omnibus spending deal would nearly quadruple the number of H-2B visa workers admitted to the U.S. next year to about 250,000.

Planned Parenthood Funded by Taxpayers in Spending Deal
Breitbart - Though many Republicans in Congress have expressed horror at the apparent activities of Planned Parenthood, revealed through numerous investigative videos, the $1.6 trillion [2,009 page] omnibus deal announced by House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan would still give taxpayer funds for the nation’s largest abortion provider.... According to the Washington Examiner, House and Senate lawmakers reached an agreement that will fund the government through 2016. A vote on the bill is expected as early as Thursday or Friday in the House.... McConnell said he expects the Senate would take up the bill and move it along quickly after the House passes it.

‘Black Lives Matter’ Supporters Threaten Riots After Freddie Gray Mistrial
Paul Joseph Watson - Some ‘Black Lives Matter’ supporters are already threatening to stage riots in Baltimore after a mistrial was declared in the Freddie Gray case. Jurors told a judge today that they could not reach a verdict in the trial of Baltimore Police Officer William G. Porter, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. A retrial date is expected to be set tomorrow. Baltimore was gripped by days of rioting at the end of April in response to the death of Gray, who died while in transport in a police vehicle. During the unrest, over 300 businesses were damaged and 27 stores looted, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency and the deployment of the National Guard. Although community leaders are appealing for calm after the announcement of the mistrial, with a heavy police presence currently out in force, some ‘Black Lives Matter’ supporters immediately took to Twitter to call for more unrest.

The FBI Checked the Wrong Box and a Woman Ended Up on the Terrorism Watch List For Years
ProPublica - As the Senate debated a proposal earlier this month that would have barred gun sales to people on the government’s terrorism watch lists, Republicans decried the lists as unfair, unreliable and un-American.... Rahinah Ibrahim, a Malaysian architect with a doctorate from Stanford, knows from personal experience that they have a compelling point. Ibrahim is the only person since 9/11 to file a court challenge that ultimately removed her name from the watch lists. It took her almost a decade to prevail in court and even that victory has proved phyrrhic. While a federal judge agreed that her inclusion on the no-fly list was groundless, she remains unable to obtain a visa that would allow her to visit the United States even to attend academic conferences.

Election News

Hillary Clinton plans to use executive orders as president to go around GOP Congress
The Washington Times - On the campaign trail, Mrs. Clinton has said on three occasions so far that she would use executive actions to help execute her domestic policy agenda on issues such as gun control, ending corporate “inversion” deals and immigration, where she promises to unilaterally shield more people from deportation. “I want to push hard to get more sensible restraints,” Mrs. Clinton said on NBC’s “Today” show, outlining her plan for gun control in October. “I want to work with Congress, but I will look at ways as president” to impose her agenda.

Surge: GOP Debate Ratings Beat Previous Two — 18 Million Viewers
Breitbart - Anyone looking for further proof of where the energy, intensity, interest and excitement is this election season need only look at the ratings. After 4 previous Republican debates you would expect interest to wane. The exact opposite happened. A full 18 million tuned into Tuesday night’s CNN debate, which bests the previous two debates by 4 million and 2.5 million. This is good news for Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, both of whom did very well last night. This is especially true for frontrunner Trump who, in my opinion, has never looked better — even if the bubble-dumb media is swooning over Jeb Bush and Sen. Lindsey Graham

Economy & Business

Fed finally lifts key interest rate from near zero
(AP) - The Fed coupled its first rate hike in nine years with a signal that further increases will likely be made slowly as the economy strengthens further and inflation rises from undesirably low levels. The central bank said in a statement after its latest meeting that it was lifting its key rate by a quarter-point to a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. Its move ends an extraordinary seven-year period of near-zero borrowing rates. But the Fed's statement suggested that rates would remain historically low well into the future, saying it expects "only gradual increases."

The Latest: JPMorgan, US Bancorp lift prime lending rate
(AP) - The latest on the Federal Reserve's landmark two-day policy meeting that ended Wednesday. The central bank raised interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. All times local. Two other major consumer banks wasted no time in raising interest rates on their consumer products, following the Fed's decision to raise interest rates. JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bancorp said Wednesday that their prime rate would rise 0.25 percentage points to 3.5 percent, effective tomorrow. A bank's prime rate is the interest rate banks use to price several of its consumer products, including auto loans and credit cards. If a bank raises its prime rate, it means your credit card rate is also rising.

Energy & Environment

CA Water Board Nixes New Fish-Over-People Drought Plan
Breitbart - The California State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to back away from a controversial plan that would have held water back from cities and farmers in order to save an endangered species of salmon. The plan, announced by the Board last week, would have required an additional 200,000 acre-feet of water to be held back in Lake Shasta through next fall in order keep the Sacramento River at a relatively cool 56 degrees when the water would ultimately be released.

Toxic Firefighting Foam Has Contaminated U.S. Drinking Water
Blacklisted News - Cervera, a mother of four and grandmother of two who was 46 at the time, was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer. That July she underwent surgery to remove both the tumor and almost half her right kidney. Cervera returned to her home in Warrington, Pennsylvania, relieved to be alive but also perplexed.... Her research quickly led her to a recent report on PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as C8, a chemical that for six decades was used by DuPont in the production of Teflon and other products. Research on people in West Virginia and Ohio who had consumed water contaminated by leaks from a nearby DuPont factory showed probable links between the chemical and six diseases, including kidney cancer. Cervera soon discovered that the very same chemical, as well as a related one, PFOS, had been found in drinking water in her area.

Survival/Preparedness

The Crop-Killing, Snow-In-June American Disaster You’ve Never Heard Of
Off the Grid News - It was the year 1816, often called “The Year Without a Summer,” and it just might be the most important meteorological event you have never heard of. Spring arrived on time, but then the weather went into reverse, with cold temperatures and continually overcast skies. Dim sunlight and frigid temperatures became so severe and widespread that major crop failures were reported across the United States, the rest of North America and Europe for a period of three years. New York state and Maine experienced snow in June.... Scientists now believe that this three-year period of severe climate change was set off by a volcanic eruption. On April 15, 1815, Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in what is now Indonesia erupted, spewing lava and dust for a week and then continuing to rumble for three months.... Floods, drought, disease, famine – all caused by a volcanic eruption half a world away. With the world’s population so much greater than it was in 1816, the effects of another eruption on the scale of Mount Tambora would be unthinkable. Today, the year 1816 stands as a startling reminder of how one world event — even a volcano in Southeast Asia — can have dire consequences on our food supply.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

Warning: Feral hogs can be aggressive
Conservation Commission of Missouri. - Feral hogs can be aggressive and have been known to attack humans. But perhaps the greater risk is that of contracting diseases through handling tissues of infected hogs. Swine brucellosis and pseudorabies have both been documented in feral hogs in Missouri, and both can affect humans. Feral hogs have excellent senses of smell and hearing, and they typically avoid contact with humans. However, they have occasionally chased hunters and other outdoor recreationists up trees. If you find yourself confronted with a feral hog, the best defense is to climb the nearest tree. If the pig charges, sidestep quickly, taking care to avoid the swing of its tusks, and promptly find a tree to climb.
* Related: Coping with Feral Hogs: Frequently Asked Questions-Wild Pigs

Health

Holidays Got You Stressed? Try These Essential Oils
Off the Grid News - The Christmas season is supposed to be a joyful time, filled with warmth, love and memories. But for many people, it can be quite overwhelming. All of the shopping, commitments, to-do lists and cooking can take a toll on us physically, mentally and spiritually. For those of us who prefer to manage our health naturally, essential oils can help us keep our spirits up and maintain our energy during this very busy season of the year. Here are some common conditions and the oils that have been found to provide relief...

Selenium deficiency linked to increased risk of premature death
(NaturalHealth365) Recent research reveals that a deficiency in an essential trace mineral may result in a greater risk of mortality among older adults.... Selenium is known to work with vitamin E to act as an antioxidant in stopping the formation of free radicals. Study results are now helping scientists to understand that this trace mineral plays a significant role in fighting a number of cancers and other conditions impacted by oxidative stress and inflammation.... There are selenium supplements available or you may alter your diet to assure adequate levels of selenium through the foods you eat. One of the simplest ways to add selenium to your daily intake is to increase your consumption of foods containing high levels of selenium. For example, Brazil nuts have a whopping 543 mg of selenium in a one-ounce serving. Certain foods from the sea, such as halibut, lobster, oysters and tuna, contain relatively high amounts of selenium compared with other foods. In addition, foods containing relatively high levels of selenium include sunflower seeds, egg, and whole grain bread.

Pet News

A realistic look at whether vitamins are the best investment you can make in your dog’s health
Dogs Naturally - Most people think vitamins are natural. But most of the vitamins you’ll find in your dog’s supplements or food are made from waste products from the petroleum and coal industries and hydrogenated sugars.... The truth is, vitamins are often made from these industrial waste products simply because it’s cheaper and because they last longer than the vitamins found in real foods. This means they can sit on shelves for months or years and can also be added to foods in super high doses.... Naturally occurring vitamins and synthetic vitamins are different … really different. They’re not in the same chemical form and your dog’s body will have trouble recognizing and using the fake, synthetic vitamins. There are many studies showing that synthetic vitamins aren’t as bioavailable (which means your dog can’t use them like real vitamins from food).

Stella & Chewy’s Recalls Four Pet Food Products for Listeria Risk
Food Safety News - Stella & Chewy’s is voluntarily recalling four of its products sold in the U.S. and Canada due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affects a total of 990 cases (964 cases in the U.S and 26 cases in Canada). The recall was prompted by a positive test confirming Listeria monocytogenes in Stella’s Super Beef Dinner Morsels for Dogs, 8.5 oz. frozen bags, lot #165-15, “Use by 6-25-2016,” during routine surveillance testing by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. As a precautionary measure, Stella & Chewy’s is voluntarily recalling all products from Lot # 165-15, which includes...
* Related: Animal food recalls and alerts announced by the U.S. FDA and/or manufacturers in the last 90 days
 



Wednesday - December 16, 2015 - Today in History:

1773 - Nearly 350 chests of tea were dumped into Boston Harbor off of British ships by Colonial patriots. The patriots were disguised as Indians. The act was to protest taxation without representation and the monopoly the government granted to the East India Company.
1835 - In New York, 530 buildings were destroyed by fire.
1944 - During World War II, the Battle of the Bulge began in Belgium. It was the final major German counteroffensive in the war.
1950 - U.S. President Truman proclaimed a national state of emergency in order to fight "Communist imperialism."
1960 - A United Air Lines DC-8 and a TWA Super Constellation collided over New York City, killing 134 people.
1981 - The U.S. Congress restored the $122 minimum monthly social security benefit for current recipients.
1993 - The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for negotiations on a comprehensive test ban.
1995 - Many U.S. government functions were again closed as a temporary finance provision expired and the budget dispute between President Clinton and Republicans in Congress continued.
1995 - NATO launched a military operation in support of the Bosnia peace agreement.
1998 - The U.S. and Britain fired hundreds of missiles on Iraq in response to Saddam Hussein's refusal to comply with U.N. weapons inspectors.
2000 - U.S. President-elect George W. Bush selected Colin Powell to be the first African-American secretary of state. Powell was sworn in January 20, 2001.
2001 - In Tora Bora, Afghanistan, tribal fighters announced that they had taken the last al-Quaida positions. More than 200 fighters were killed and 25 captured. They also announced that they had found no sign of Osama bin Laden.
2001 - Cuba received the first commercial food shipment from the United States in nearly 40 years. The shipment was sent to help Cuba after Hurrican Michelle hit Cuba on November 4, 2001.
2001 - A British newspaper, The Observer, reported that a notebook had been found at an al-Quaida training camp in southern Afghanistan. The notebook contained a "blue print" for an bomb attack on London's financial district.
2009 - Astronomers discovered GJ1214b. It was the first-known exoplanet on which water could exist.

World News

Hackers trace ISIS Twitter accounts back to internet addresses linked to Department of Work and Pensions
Mirror Online - Hackers have claimed that a number of Islamic State supporters' social media accounts are being run from internet addresses linked to the Department of Work and Pensions. A group of four young computer experts who call themselves VandaSec have unearthed evidence indicating that at least three ISIS-supporting accounts can be traced back to the DWP's London offices. Every computer and mobile phone logs onto the internet using an IP address, which is a type of identification number.

Turkish MP faces treason charges after telling RT ISIS used Turkey for transiting sarin
RT - An investigation on treason charges has been opened against a Turkish MP who alleged in an exclusive interview with RT that Islamic State jihadists used Turkish territory as a transit route to deliver deadly sarin gas to Syria. Ankara’s Chief Prosecutor's Office opened the case against Istanbul MP Eren Erdem of Republican People's Party (CHP) after his interview about sarin was aired on RT on Monday. "Chemical weapon materials were brought to Turkey and put together in ISIS camps in Syria, which was known as the Iraqi Al-Qaeda at that time." Erdem noted that the chemicals used for the production of weapons did not originate from Turkey. “All basic materials are purchased from Europe. Western institutions should question themselves about these relations. Western sources know very well who carried out the sarin gas attack in Syria,” Erdem told RT.

NATO nations training, recruiting jihadists
Wayne Madsen - Serbian and Russian intelligence operatives in the Balkans have pinpointed Turkish and Albanian government-supported radical mosques that are radicalizing Albanian Muslims from Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia for the Islamic State (Da’esh) ranks in Syria and Iraq. The use of two NATO nations, Albania and Turkey, in supplying fresh troops for the Islamic State, has strengthened the resolve of Russian President Vladimir Putin to punish the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan for its support for the Islamic State and its military actions against Russian and Russian-supported forces in Syria. The Albanian mosques, chiefly financed by money from Saudi Arabia, have churned out hundreds of Albanian Muslim fighters for the Da’esh jihad in Syria and Iraq.

Iran’s Ballistic Missile Test Violates UN Resolution - Expert Panel
Sputnik News - A UN panel has prepared a confidential report suggesting that Iran has violated a UN Security Council resolution by launching a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon, and should be punished with new sanctions. Tehran’s test firing of a medium-range Emad rocket in October was investigated by the panel and is now considered to be in violation of a UN resolution, Reuters wrote. The ten-page report, to be discussed Tuesday at the UNSC, suggests that the rocket was designed to carry a nuclear warhead. Under UN standards, rockets that can carry a 500 kg payload with a range of at least 300 km (186 miles) are capable of delivering a nuclear weapon.

‘We see Syria fundamentally very similarly’ – Kerry after talks with Putin, Lavrov
RT - Russia and the US have agreed on a number of ‘critical’ issues, particularly with regard to Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said following talks in Moscow. “The US stands ready to work with Russia,” Kerry told journalists after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday. He added that the two countries’ officials had had “a productive day” and the discussions had been “constructive.” “Despite our countries’ differences, we demonstrated that when the United States and Russia pull together in the same direction, progress can be made,” Kerry said.

Putin gives Russian Constitution priority over international court rulings
RT - President Vladimir Putin has signed into law the bill allowing the Constitutional Court to overrule the decisions of international courts if such decisions contradict the principle of supremacy of the Russian Constitution. The new act published on the government website on Tuesday reads that the Constitutional Court will look into every decision of any intergovernmental body based on an international treaty and find if it matches the Russian Constitution and the rights and freedoms guaranteed by it. Upon such consideration the Constitutional Court can allow the decision to be executed in Russia, in full or in part, or ban its execution – also in full or in part. The ban would automatically cancel any national acts allowing the execution of the unconstitutional ruling.

Turkey Cuts US Treasury Holdings by 25%!
Economic Policy Journal - Overall foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries fall $145 billion in October as China Japan and Russia cut holdings. China remains the largest holder of U.S. Treasuries. China shed $3.2 billion in U.S. Treasuries in October, while Japan shed $27.9 billion. The grand total of foreign holdings of US Treasuries fell $145 billion from $6.191.7 trillion in September to $6046.3 trillion in October. Overall foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury Bonds fell $145.4 billion in October 2015 from September. Since the financial crisis the Turkish lira has been falling against the US dollar, now it appears that even aggressive selling of US Treasury securities is not enough to stop the downward pressure on the lira.

Denmark To Confiscate Gold, Jewelry, & Valuables From Refugees
Zero Hedge - Danish Justice Minister Soren Pind recently announced his intention to have border guards confiscate gold, jewelry, diamonds, and other valuables from refugees as they enter the country. After a bit of popular backlash, wedding rings are now off limits. But just about anything else ranging from cash to expensive wristwatches, is fair game for confiscation, as long as the ‘loot’ (as they call it) is valuable. So apparently Danish border guards are expected to discern whether a refugee is wearing a $15,000 IWC Schaffhausen or a $15 knock-off.... The Danish government’s excuse is that they need to confiscate assets from refugees in order to pay for the services they’re providing to those same refugees. This might even sound reasonable… until you realize that a government could make the same argument for every other public service they provide.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

U.S. visas continue to be handled by foreign contractors
Wayne Madsen - The U.S. State Department, under both presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and current Secretary of State John Kerry, has continued a policy of outsourcing the preparation and acceptance of U.S. visa forms by outside contractors. In fact, the U.S. embassy in Islamabad referenced on its website a “new system” operating worldwide that handles visa applications. Accused San Bernardino Islamic State terrorist Tashfeen Malik was approved for a K-1 fiance visa by the U.S. embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan even though she had a history of involvement with radical jihadist Salafist groups in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and jihadist-oriented social media sites.... The corporate media is reporting that Malik passed three background checks conducted by the U.S. visa office at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. However, what the State Department is not saying is that foreign nationals, including Pakistani nationals at U.S. visa offices in Islamabad and Karachi, are integrated into the visa application process.

More than 30 Immigrants Admitted to USA Recently Implicated in Terrorism
Breitbart - In an email to reporters Tuesday, a Sessions aide listed more than 30 examples of immigrants admitted to the U.S. who were recently implicated in terrorist activities. Sessions, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, and other conservative lawmakers have warned against passing a spending bill that does not place limitations on admissions — in particular refugee admission — to the U.S.... The Sessions aide noted that the 30 examples are listed represented just a “partial” inventory of recently implicated terrorist migrants. Read the list...

Which Corporations Own The White House
Zero Hedge - The president and his top advisers have kept an open door for CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, keeping almost 1,000 appointments with them, a Reuters review of White House records shows. Of the hundreds of appointments listed, Obama himself was present at about half. As the corrupting hand of government intervention spreads, so CEOs and the White House have become allies in advocating for immigration reform, the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and reauthorization for the Export-Import Bank. So who really owns The White House? And the winner is...

'It WAS a hoax': Investigators say LA and New York school terror threat was a false alarm, as Bill Bratton blasts West Coast 'over-reaction' after they closed 1,000 schools and evacuated 640,000
Daily Mail - The threat that shut down every school in Los Angeles on Tuesday was a hoax, according to a House Intelligence Committee member. More than 640,000 children were ordered to stay home after the district's superintendent received an email from a self-professed extremist Muslim jidahi threatening to attack schools with bombs and rifles. LA police, school boards, and politicians even stuck by their decision after New York officials highlighted major flaws in the email - such as the misspelling of 'Allah' with a lowercase 'a'. Finally, almost six hours after SWAT teams descended on the county's 900 campuses, a House Intelligence Committee member has told the Associated Press the email has been ruled a hoax.

Arizona Sheriff Tells Citizens: ‘Step up and defend yourselves’
Adan Salazar - A sheriff’s department in Arizona is calling on residents to acquire firearms and learn how to use them in order to defend against armed attackers or terrorists. “I wish we could have a cop in every corner, in every neighborhood, in every school… we just can’t,” Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu told residents at a news conference Saturday. Speaking from the Caswells shooting range in Mesa, Sheriff Babeu urged first time gun purchasers to consider taking a firearm safety course which would teach “weapon familiarization, weapon qualification, how to carry and education on the laws.” “We want a citizen to add to the equation,” Sheriff Babeu told news crews. “Be armed to protect yourself, protect your family until we can get there.”

Freddie Gray: Judge tells deadlocked jurors to keep deliberating
(CNN) - Jurors who've said they're deadlocked in the trial of Baltimore police Officer William Porter will have a night to sleep on it before they return to court. The judge sent the jury back to the deliberation room Tuesday afternoon after jurors said they'd been unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Deliberations continued for about two hours and are set to resume on Wednesday morning. Porter is the first of six police officers to be tried in Gray's death from a neck injury sustained while in police custody. The jury began deliberating Monday, 12 days after testimony began. They've deliberated for nearly 11 hours so far.

Election News

**DRUDGE POLL** Who Won 5th Republican Debate '16?

Video: FULL CNN 5th GOP DEBATE Prime-Time Part 1, 5th Republican Presidential Debate, December 15, 2015
Round 2 Prime Time: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, George Bush, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie, John Kasich, Rand Paul. 2016 Presidential Debate Round 1 Undercard: Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki. . CNN, Republican, Debate. Stage set for final GOP debate of 2015.

Republican Debate Grades: Trump Actually Won This Time
Breitbart - Tonight’s Republican debate did little to shift the field. After tonight, Donald Trump will remain the frontrunner; Jeb Bush will continue to bring up the rear; John Kasich will continue to be the boil festering on the ass of the American public. The debate did, however, highlight weaknesses with some of the second-place contenders – all of whom hope to overcome Trump with a bit of luck and a lot of their fellow candidates dropping out. Without further ado, here are my debate grades....

Trump: I’m Not Going to Be Doing a Third Party, ‘No Matter What’
Breitbart - Tuesday after CNN’s Republican presidential debate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said, “I’m going to be a Republican. I’m not going to be doing a third party.” When asked if he would honor the pledge to stick with the Republican Party and not run as a third party candidate, Trump said, “I didn’t know that question was going to be asked. But when they asked it I did not hesitate. I decided to say, yes, I’m a Republican and I’m going to be a Republican. I’m not going to be doing a third party. ” Host Chris Cuomo asked, “No matter what?” Trump confirmed, “No, No matter what.

Trump Spot On: Jeb’s Brother Flew Saudis Out of the Country After 9/11
Kurt Nimmo - During the Republican debate Tuesday Jeb Bush took exception to Donald Trump’s assertion George W. Bush flew Saudis and members of the Bin Laden family out of the country. Despite the corporate media insisting this is a conspiracy theory we have definitive proof Jeb’s brother gave preferential treatment to Saudis—including Saudis who were considered principle witnesses to the September 11 attacks. The review of how the FBI dealt with and reported on the travel of the Florida-based Saudis, and their subsequent departure from the United States with other Saudis, shows that the FBI failed to interview principal witnesses; relied on erroneous second-hand information; misinterpreted the orders under which the FAA managed the closure and subsequent reopening of U.S. airspace after the 9/11 attacks; misreported the means of travel; and even got Prince Sultan’s identity wrong.

Journalists Experience the Debate Terror Narrative Firsthand: TSA Goes Full Gestapo
Infowars - Republicans called in the TSA and subjected journalists to aggressive screening at the “debate” in Las Vegas Tuesday. JNReports: When talking to @TSA agents at the #CNNDebate in Vegas, one agent told me that they're part of a #TSA ground force.

Clinton tops list of candidates backed by US weapons-makers
RT - With the war on terror swelling their stock prices, the US defense industry is spending at least some of the cash to support their preferred presidential candidates. Hillary Clinton tops the list, followed by Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Bernie Sanders as #6. Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, has received almost $95,000 in contributions from the defense industry, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) data for the current presidential race compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. In second place, with a take of $82,582, is Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a strong contender for the Republican candidacy. Though he is currently polling at five percent with the GOP voters, Jeb Bush is the third most popular recipient of arms-makers’ donations, with $45,450. The hawkish South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham received $36,275, while the dovish Kentucky Senator Rand Paul raked in $30,880, rounding off the top five.

Economy & Business

Global Stocks, US Futures Greet Historic Fed Day With Euphoria
Zero Hedge - The day has come when the boxed-in Fed has no choice: with the vast majority of the market expecting a rate hike, Yellen has to deliver or suffer a crushing confidence blow like no other. And deliver she will, with expectations that said hike will be "as dovish as possible." For now however, the market is desperate to convince itself that just as more easing and more QE were bullish for the market, so rate hikes are just as bullish. Recall from late 2013: "tapering is not tightening," then the 2015 version of this refrain is "tightening is not tightening." It remains to be seen just what happens after the Fed's announcement but in the last few hours before it, the surge higher in global stocks and equity futures continues as the last ounces of a "dovish rate hike" are fully priced in. Asian and European stocks, S&P futures all rise ahead of Federal Reserve’s rate decision.

Gold Analyst Warns: “There Are About 325 Paper Ounces For Every Physical Ounce Backing It”
Mac Slavo - As of December, notes Hemke in his latest interview with Crush The Street, we’ve hit an all-time low in registered physical metal at the COMEX which has in turn led to a massive amount of leverage. We’re at an all time low of about 120,000 [ounces of registered holdings]. But yet the total open interest- the amount of paper contracts based upon that declining amount of physical metal – has stayed the same. Now, there’s about 325 paper ounces for every one physical ounce backing it. In the past that number was always around 10-to-1 or 20-to-1.

Energy & Environment

Flint, Michigan: State of Emergency Declared Over High Levels of Lead in Children’s Blood
Washington Post - The Hurley Medical Center, in Flint, released a study in September that confirmed what many Flint parents had feared for over a year: The proportion of infants and children with above-average levels of lead in their blood has nearly doubled since the city switched from the Detroit water system to using the Flint River as its water source, in 2014. The crisis reached a nadir Monday night, when Flint Mayor Karen Weaver declared a state of emergency.... The mayor said in the statement that she was seeking support from the federal government to deal with the “irreversible” effects of lead exposure on the city’s children. Weaver thinks that these health consequences will lead to a greater need for special education and mental health services, as well as developments in the juvenile justice system.... Although city and state officials initially denied that the water was unsafe, the state issued a notice [January 02, 2015] informing Flint residents that their water contained unlawful levels of trihalomethanes, a chlorine byproduct linked to cancer and other diseases.

Science & Technology

Congress Drops All Pretense: Quietly Turns CISA Into A Full On Surveillance Bill
Techdirt - Remember CISA? The "Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act"? It's getting much, much worse, with Congress and the administration looking to ram it through -- in the process, dropping any pretense that it's not a surveillance bill.... Not only is Congress looking to include it in the end of year omnibus bill -- basically a "must pass" bill -- to make sure it gets passed, but it's clearly dropping all pretense that CISA isn't about surveillance. Here's what we're hearing from people involved in the latest negotiations.... In short: while before Congress could at least pretend that CISA was about cybersecurity, rather than surveillance, in this mad dash to get it shoved through, they've dropped all pretense and have stripped every last privacy protection, expanded the scope of the bill, and made it quite clear that it's a very broad surveillance bill that can be widely used and abused by all parts of the government.

GM Chicken Approved “For Medicinal Purposes”! Are Humans Next?
ANH-USA - Last week saw the approval of another genetically modified animal— this time a chicken genetically altered to produce a drug in its eggs. The drug is designed to replace a faulty enzyme in people with a rare genetic condition that prevents the body from breaking down fatty molecules in cells. The genetically engineered (GE) chicken is not approved for human consumption, but it is the third so-called “farmaceutical” approved in the US market. Preceding the chicken was a GE goat that produces antithrombin, an anticoagulant, in its milk. Last year the FDA also approved a drug for treating hereditary angioedema that is produced by transgenic (GE) rabbits.... Scientists are also working on performing DNA transplants into human embryos to eliminate genetic diseases. A baby born this way would have genetic material from three different people and pass on its genetic makeup to future generations. Scientists are learning, however, that changing even one gene can result in harmful DNA mutations that reverberate throughout the entire DNA structure.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

GE Chestnuts: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Natural Blaze - In the midst of the holiday season, while thoughts turn to roasting chestnuts, a handful of scientists are working to genetically engineer the iconic American chestnut tree which they hope to release throughout the Appalachians and the Eastern United States. Indigenous Peoples, scientists and others are raising alarms about the risks of these trees, cautioning about their dangerous impacts to forests, wildlife and human health. Due to these unassessed risks, they warn, GE chestnuts, or any GE trees trees should never be approved for planting.

Health

California Parents Must Act By December 31, 2015 to Maintain Vaccine Exemptions
Health Impact News - SB 277 - the bill eliminating all nonmedical exemptions for the 10 vaccines currently required before a child can attend public or private school, preschool or daycare - was signed by California Governor Brown on June 30, 2015 and goes into effect on July 1, 2016. However, what everyone in California who is planning on using a personal or religious belief exemption needs to know to take advantage of the grandfathering of these exemptions beyond July 1st and until the next grade span (preschool, kindergarten inclusive and including transitional kindergarten, or 7th grade), you MUST have an exemption on file at your school or day care by December 31, 2015! For those programs with a winter holiday, the deadline may be even sooner with offices closed.

Newsweek: Antidepressants used during pregnancy could increase chances of autism by as much as 87%
Health Nut News - New research suggests women considering pregnancy who are taking one popular class of anti-depressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs) should seek out the advice of a physician, because use of SSRIs during pregnancy can significantly increase a child’s risk for autism. Popular SSRIs include Prozac, Zoloft and Lexapro (thank you big pharma). The recently published study found that the autism risk for newborns increased by 87 percent among women who took SSRIs during pregnancy. The study found the medication had the highest chance of causing harm in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, with a lesser risk if taken in the first trimester.

Liver Friendly Recipes: 3 Drinks That Detox Liver And Flush Out Fat
Natural News Blogs - An unhealthy liver may lead to many unpleasant symptoms, such as lack of energy, obesity, mood disorders, an upset stomach and bloating, headaches, bad breath, skin problems, dark urine, abdominal pain, digestive problems, back pain, constipation, asthma, depression and chronic fatigue. When your liver becomes toxic, fatty or scarred, you will have some of these symptoms. For liver detoxing, an important step is care of what you eat, it’s essential to maintain a healthy, organic diet to keep the liver clean. And consume the mixture of vegetable juices, fruit juices or herbs over a period is also an effective way for a liver cleanse.
 


Tuesday - December 15, 2015 - Today in History:

1791 - In the U.S., the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect following ratification by the state of Virginia.
1877 - Thomas Edison patented the phonograph.
1890 - American Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, SD, during an incident with Indian police working for the U.S. government.
1938 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt presided over the ground-breaking ceremonies for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.
1939 - "Gone With the Wind," produced by David O. Selznick based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell, premiered at Loew's Grand Theater in Atlanta. The movie starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
1941 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into practice Bill of Rights Day.
1944 - American forces invaded Mindoro Island in the Philippines.
1961 - Former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death in Jerusalem by an Israeli court. He had been tried on charges for organizing the deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
1973 - J. Paul Getty III was found in Italy after being held captive for 5 months, during which his right ear was cut off and sent to a newspaper in Rome.
1978 - President Carter announced he would grant diplomatic recognition to Communist China on New Year's Day and sever official relations with Taiwan.
1979 - In a preliminary ruling, the International Court of Justice ordered Iran to release all hostages that had been taken at the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979.
1983 - The last 80 U.S. combat soldiers in Grenada withdrew. It was just over seven weeks after the U.S.-led invasion of the Caribbean island.
1995 - The U.N. Security Council authorized NATO to take over the peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
1999 - Syria reopened peace talks with Israel in Washington, DC, with the mediation of U.S. President Clinton.
2000 - The Chernobyl atomic power plant in Kiev, Ukraine, was shut down.
2000 - New York Senator-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed to accept an $8 million book deal with Simon & Schuster. The book was to be about her eight years in the White House. The advance was the highest ever to be paid to a member of the U.S. Congress.
2010 - The U.N. Security Council gave a vote of confidence to the government of Iraq when they lifted 19-year-old sanctions on weapons and civilian nuclear power.

World News

‘Islamic coalition against terrorism’: Saudi Arabia presents 34-state military block
RT - A Riyadh-based “Islamic military alliance” has been formed with a mission to fight terrorism, Saudi Arabian state TV has announced. The coalition consists of 34 countries, including the Gulf States, a number of African countries, Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia and Pakistan. Countries involved in the coalition aside from Saudi Arabia, include Jordan, the UAE, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Turkey, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Djibouti, Senegal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Gabon, Guinea, the partially-recognized state of Palestine, the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros, Qatar, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Yemen.

South China Sea: Australia steps up air patrols in defiance of Beijing
The Sydney Morning Herald - Australia has stepped up military surveillance flights over the South China Sea in a signal to Beijing that it means to continue operating in the regional flashpoint area despite heightened tensions provoked by territorial disputes. In a move that is likely to grate with the Chinese government, an RAAF P-3 Orion aircraft carried out patrols in the air space in recent weeks, prompting a demand from Chinese naval forces in the waters below to explain itself. Defence confirmed the recent flight, though only after the plane's presence happened to be noticed by a BBC journalist in the area, who recorded an Australian crewman telling the Chinese navy that the plane was "exercising international freedom of navigation rights".

Israel ‘Openly’ Helping Syrian Rebels Trying to Overthrow Assad
Sputnik News - Israel has provided medical assistance to Syrian militants, including members of al-Qaeda, the terrorist group behind countless atrocities, including the 9/11 attacks in the United States, the executive director of the Ron Paul Institute asserted.... Tel Aviv maintains that the $13-million program is purely humanitarian. The Israeli Defense Forces have saved at least 2,000 Syrian militants as part of the initiative, which was launched three years ago. However, many are concerned that Israel has essentially cut a "deal with the devil" by backing groups which are trying to overthrow the legitimate government in order to establish an Islamic state in Syria. In other words, Israel might be contemplating using Syrian militants as a weapon to stage a regime change in neighboring Syria.

Ankara Sends Reinforcements to Its Military in Iraq, Decides to Stay
Sputnik News - Ankara has sent reinforcements to its military contingent in northern Iraq in order to protect its Turkish instructors and hold its military presence in the country, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday. On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval… On Saturday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it had officially filed a complaint with the UN Security Council, calling on the United Nations to ensure an immediate withdrawal of the Turkish forces from its country's territory. The same day, Russia expressed its firm support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and its actions in line with international law and the UN Charter.

Merkel Backpedals On Migrants Amid Growing Furor
Zero Hedge - Merkel looks to be backpedaling on the migrant issue in the face of growing pressure from lawmakers and from the German populace. “We want to, and will, appreciably reduce the number of refugees, because it's in everyone's interest," she said, in her keynote speech during the CDU party congress in Karlsruhe, Germany… Merkel seems to understand that the long-term effects of Berlin’s open-door policy are hard to predict and while there’s certainly something to be said for proving that Germany can serve as a beacon of hope for the millions of refugees who have lost nearly everything, the government must also consider the consequences both for German society and for the Chancellor’s legacy of allowing several more million migrants to enter the country in the year ahead.

Court Finds Monsanto Responsible for Poisoning French Farmer
Natural Blaze - The court of appeals in Lyon, France, has found agribusiness giant Monsanto guilty of poisoning a man named Paul François. François is a farmer who claimed that he suffered a multitude of ailments, including headaches, memory loss, neurological problems and stammering, after he unintentionally inhaled Monsanto’s herbicide, Lasso. François used Lasso for over 15 years, and in 2004 accidentally inhaled the product. After the incident, the farmer began getting severe headaches and experienced moments of mental absence and an inability to speak. The chemical’s effects on François were so severe that he fainted, was hospitalized and fell into a coma. François was diagnosed with monochlorobenzene poisoning by his doctors, who found that the chemical permanently damaged his brain. Monochlorobenzene makes up 50% of the herbicide Lasso. During the court hearing, Monsanto’s attorneys repeatedly claimed that the herbicide Lasso was not dangerous.

History Rewritten: Museum Conducts Politically Correct Purge Of Art
Breitbart - A leading European art museum has expunged politically incorrect words such as “Negro”, “Indian”, “dwarf” and “Mohammedan” from its entire historical collection. The cultural cleansing has occurred as the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam, and is endorsed by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) whose code of ethics is employed by many British Museums. “The point is not to use names given by whites to others,” said Martine Gosselink, head of the history department at the Rijksmuseum, who initiated the project. “Our main concern is to get rid of the insulting descriptions online. Until now we’ve found 132 descriptions with the word ‘negro’ in them, and it’s quite easy to change that”.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Obama Strikes Back! President To Force US Into New International Carbon Market
Gateway Pundit - According to Bloomberg Business, the Obama administration is planning to force the U.S. into helping create and participate in a new international carbon market in order to hasten the transition to a carbon free economy: “Eighteen nations including the U.S., Japan and Germany will work together to develop international carbon markets to help speed the pace of emission reductions under the Paris climate deal struck Saturday, according to the New Zealand government. The nations will develop standards and guidelines to ensure trading of carbon credits has environmental integrity, according to a statement sent by Jonathan Franklin, spokesman for Tim Groser, New Zealand’s climate and trade minister".... Even though the Obama administration is using the new U.N. COP 21 agreement as the reason for participating in this newest carbon trading scheme, it is clearly just a flimsy excuse to yet again do an end run around the American people since the U.N. agreement is non-binding and therefore not legally enforceable.

Top U.S. lab regulator replaced in wake of incidents with bioterror pathogens
legitgov - Here are the seeds of your next bioterror false flag, right here: 08 Dec 2015 | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has replaced its longtime director of national lab regulation in the wake of several high-profile incidents involving bioterror pathogens and an internal review that identified areas of improvement for the [so-called] oversight program, USA TODAY has learned. The CDC, in a statement Tuesday, declined to say why it replaced Robbin Weyant on Nov. 9 as director of the agency's Division of Select Agents and Toxins, which [allegedly] regulates hundreds of U.S. labs working with the organisms that cause anthrax, plague, Ebola and other deadly diseases that are deemed to pose bioterror risks. The change occurred 18 days after the completion of an internal CDC review of the national lab oversight program that was launched after a USA TODAY NETWORK investigation prompted congressional probes and revealed CDC's inspectors have allowed labs to keep experimenting despite failing to meet key safety requirements on inspection after inspection, sometimes for years.

L.A. Sheriff: Man Shot ‘on the Ground’ in Lynwood Was Armed
Breitbart - On December 13, the Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s Department released photos and video to suggest that the suspect shot and killed by deputies in Lynwood on Saturday had a gun and continued to point it even after being shot and falling to the ground.... The Lynwood shooting has already sparked outrage from Black Lives Matter activists and the broader community as the latest death of a black man at police hands–this time, a father with children. It was unclear why he was armed or what he was doing.
* Related: VIDEO: Police Shoot Man in the Back as He Walked Away — Execute Him as He Crawled for His Life

Obama to Expand Modern-Day Slave Trade With TPP
Kit Daniels - Not long after the White House invited Thailand to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the AP reported the country was relying on slave labor to ship shrimp to the U.S. And it’s unlikely Thailand’s billion-dollar slave industry would prevent it from joining the TPP considering that Obama previously removed an anti-slavery provision from the TPP and also allowed Vietnam to join the partnership despite its flourishing slave trade.... It was only in Oct. that the Obama administration invited Thailand to join the TPP “with open arms.”... Thailand has been under a military dictatorship with severe restrictions on free speech since 2014, and if that won’t stop the White House from inviting the country to join the TPP, the slavery in Thailand won’t either.

Prominent Tennessee Senator Fails To Disclose Millions In Hedge Fund, Real Estate Investments
Zero Hedge - … it turns out Tennessee Senator Bob Corker… failed to disclose millions in income from hedge funds and real estate investments… The new forms show that Mr. Corker had failed to properly disclose at least $2 million in income from investments in three small hedge funds based in his home state… He also didn’t properly report millions of dollars in income from commercial real-estate investments due to an accounting error… And he didn’t disclose millions of dollars in other assets and income from other financial transactions… So millions upon millions upon millions… Just last month, the Campaign for Accountability (CFA), a D.C. watchdog, called for an SEC and ethics investigation of Corker in connection with his family's trading in shares of CBL & Associates (a REIT based in Tennessee)… As CBA also notes, "as a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Corker has advanced legislation that would financially benefit UBS and CBL.

Report: Immigration Officials Blocked from Reviewing Visa Applicants’ Social Media Posts
Breitbart - Although social media postings are public, Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson refused to end a “secret” policy prohibiting immigration officials from reviewing the online posts of all foreign nationals seeking a U.S. visa in early 2014 due to concerns about “bad public relations” for the administration, according to an ABC News report.

33 Unanswered Questions on Sandy Hook’s 3rd Anniversary
Activist Post - Sandy Hook has become colloquially known as the Sandy Hook Hoax or Sandy Hoax, the first false flag in recent history to be exposed as an entirely fabricated event, replete with a fake setting (a fake school) and fake victims. It marks the first in a series of false flag hoaxes where fake victims and fake victims’ families (crisis actors) have been used. Since the majority of people still cannot fathom that Sandy Hook was a staged event, the template of using crisis actors has been used again and again (e.g. at the Boston Marathon). Now that we are passing the Sandy Hook 3rd anniversary, it’s time to turn back the clock and re-examine some unanswered questions pertaining to the event.

For the First Time, Majority of NYT Readers Oppose Assault Weapon Ban
Activist Post - For 20 years The New York Times has periodically surveyed their readers, asking them if they would support an assault weapons ban. For the first time since 1995, a majority of their readers opposed the ban. In January of 1995, 67% of readers supported the ban, and 27% opposed. By 2011 there was a slight shift, with 63% in favor and 34% opposed. By 2015 there was a dramatic change with only 44% in favor of a ban, and 50% opposed.... he gun control crowd should be deeply concerned. If a majority of the readers for a dying, left-leaning, pro-government rag no longer support more heavy handed gun regulations, then clearly the gun grabbers are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of America.

LAPD Performs Random ‘Stop-and-Frisk’ Searches Before Star Wars Premiere
Kit Daniels - The LAPD and private security are targeting random people with ‘stop-and-frisk’ searches on public sidewalks before the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Police have also installed metal detectors on the sidewalks near the famous TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Calif.... “LAPD and private security officers are already blanketing several square blocks around the famed Chinese Theatre, where The Force Awakens event is going down,” TMZ revealed. “We’ve learned anyone strolling through the [public] area could be searched, frisked, and even wanded with metal detectors.”

GunTV to Mimic Home Shopping Networks by Offering Firearms for Sale on Late-night TV
The New American - Starting January 20, insomniacs and fervid firearms enthusiasts will have a place to go: GunTV. The home shopping network television show will provide six hours of early morning programming initially, from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. ET, with plans to expand to 24/7 within its first year… all the rules about purchasing a firearm still apply. Through an arrangement with Sports South, a Louisiana firearms distributor, when a viewer sees a product hit his “price point” on the program, he calls the toll-free number to order the item. That store then sends it to a FFL (Federal Firearms Licensee) dealer close by, and the customer picks it up there after completing the paperwork.

Public School Hosts ‘Walk a Mile in Her Hijab’ Day
Prison Planet - An Illinois high school held a “Walk a Mile in Her Hijab” event last week in an attempt to help students better understand the Islamic religion. According to the Daily Herald, six members of Vernon Hills High School’s Muslim Student Association spent Wednesday morning “placing hijabs on 17 non-Muslim girls.” “You can’t really understand or judge a person and their beliefs until you understand why they do it and what it’s like for them to do what they’re doing,” said Yasmeen Abdallah, the group’s president.... As noted by education watchdog EAG News, word of the incident stirred controversy online by those who felt the group received preferential treatment. “I have a serious problem with this,” one person wrote on Facebook. “We take Christianity and prayers out of school, but this is allowed! We are not allowed to put up Christmas or Easter decorations at schools but this is allowed. Why is this acceptable?

Election News

DNC craves tax dollars for convention
Washington Times - Already struggling with finances, the Democratic Party has drafted a plan to have taxpayers help pay about $20 million for next summer’s nominating convention, reversing a change Congress approved just a year ago. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is also a congresswoman from Florida, has drafted a bill to restore money that both parties used to receive from the federal government to help defray the costs of running their quadrennial conventions. The Congressional Budget Office revealed the move in a letter released Friday, which said Ms. Wasserman Schultz’s proposal to tap a presidential campaign fund would likely mean each party could get about $20 million in taxpayer money to help with costs.

How The Republican Establishment Can Keep Donald Trump From Getting The Nomination
Michael Snyder - It is going to be much more difficult for Donald Trump to win the Republican nomination than most people think. In order to win the nomination, a candidate must secure at least 1,237 of the 2,472 delegates that are up for grabs. But not all of them will be won during the state-by-state series of caucuses and primaries that will take place during the first half of 2016. Of the total of 2,472 Republican delegates, 437 of them are unpledged delegates – and 168 of those are members of the Republican National Committee. And unless you have been hiding under a rock somewhere, you already know that the Republican National Committee is not a fan of Donald Trump. In order to win the Republican nomination without any of the unpledged delegates, Trump would need to win 60.78 percent of the delegates that are up for grabs during the caucuses and primaries. And considering that his poll support is hovering around 30 percent right now, that is a very tall order.

Trump hits a new high in national poll
Politico - Donald Trump just got a little more vault in his ceiling. Nationwide, the polling-obsessed Manhattan multi-billionaire and leading Republican presidential candidate broke into the 40s on Monday. According to the results of the latest Monmouth University poll surveying voters identifying as Republican or independents leaning toward the GOP, Trump earned 41 percent, nearly tripling the support of his closest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who took 14 percent.

Trump is Right Say U.K. Police: No-go Zones Do Exist
The New American - … when presidential candidate Donald Trump recently said that such Islamized areas exist in London, he was castigated by British officials. But now some U.K. police officers have come forward with a startling admission: Trump is right… Despite this, British politicians and officials have roundly rejected or condemned Trump’s statements. Prime Minister David Cameron called Trump’s allegations “divisive,” Home Secretary Theresa May said they were “absolutely wrong,” Member of Parliament George Osborne and London Mayor Boris Johnson called them “nonsense,” and London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith labeled the real-estate tycoon “an appalling creature.” Even Scotland Yard weighed in, though more respectfully, stating “Mr Trump could not be more wrong.” Yet critics might say this brings to mind Upton Sinclair’s observation, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”The New American

Economy & Business

This Is What A Financial Crisis Looks Like
Economic Collapse - Just within the past few days, three major high yield funds have completely imploded, and panic is spreading rapidly on Wall Street. Funds run by Third Avenue Management and Stone Lion Capital Partners have suspended payments to investors, and a fund run by Lucidus Capital Partners has liquidated its entire portfolio. We are witnessing a race for the exits unlike anything that we have seen since the great financial crash of 2008, and many of those that choose to hesitate are going to end up getting totally wiped out. In case you are wondering, this is what a financial crisis looks like. In 2008, other global stock markets started to tumble, then junk bonds began to crash, and finally U.S. stocks followed. The exact same pattern is playing out again, and the carnage that we have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg.

More than half of millennials have less than $1,000
MarketWatch - More than half of millennials (nearly 52%) have less than $1,000 in savings, according to a recent survey from howmuch.net, a personal finance site. The study was carried out online by Google Consumer Surveys last month among more than 2,550 people ages 18 to 24 and ages 24 to 35. But before you fret about the younger Americans… take note: About 62% of Americans overall have less than $1,000 in savings, a survey from personal finance GoBankingRates.com found earlier this year.

Meet The Burmese "Slaves" Helping Wal-Mart Maintain Margins
Zero Hedge - Peak globalization? Burmese men, women and children are being sold to factories in Thailand - "no names are used, just numbers" - and forced to peel shrimp that ends up in global supply chains. As a recent AP investigation uncovered, U.S. customs records show the shrimp made its way into the supply chains of major U.S. food stores and retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Dollar General and Petco, along with restaurants such as Red Lobster and Olive Garden.

Energy & Environment

Another Unit Shuts Down At Indian Point Nuclear Plant
(CBSNewYork) - A generating plant at the Indian Point nuclear facility in Westchester County shut down Monday evening, prompting an immediate investigation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office reported that Unit 3 at Indian Point shut down at 7 p.m. The cause was unknown late Monday, but Cuomo reported that he directed the state Department of Public Service to investigate. The operators of Indian Point said no radioactivity was released into the environment. Control rods shut down just nine days ago at the Indian Point 2 reactor at the plant. Following that incident, opponents of the plant said Indian Point should close for good, pointing to a handful of mishaps this year including a transformer fire and water pump problem. Indian Point reactors 2 and 3 are up for relicensing. The two reactors supply about one-fourth of the power for New York City and Westchester County.

E.P.A. Broke the Law by Using Social Media to Push Water Rule, Auditor Finds
The New York Times - The Environmental Protection Agency engaged in “covert propaganda” in violation of federal law when it blitzed social media to urge the general public to support President Obama’s controversial rule intended to better protect the nation’s streams and surface waters, congressional auditors have concluded… The E.P.A. rolled out a social media campaign on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and even on more innovative tools such as Thunderclap to counter opposition to its water rule, which imposes new restrictions on how land near certain surface waters can be used. The agency. said the rule would prevent pollution in drinking water sources. Farmers, business groups and Republicans have called the rule flagrant government overreach.

Science & Technology

Want to fly a drone? Be sure to do this first
CNBC News - The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday announced new rules that will require nearly all owners of remote-controlled recreational drones to register in a national database, an attempt by the agency to address safety fears about the machines. Federal officials have rushed to issue new rules on drones before the holidays, when an estimated 700,000 new drones are expected to be bought. Drone owners will be required to submit their names, home addresses and email addresses with the F.A.A., disclosures meant to nudge users to be more responsible, officials said.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

New Monsanto Chemical Silences Genes to Kill Bugs: Will They Silence Yours, Too?
Natural Society - Monsanto’s latest sprays are powered by a genetic technology called RNA interference, which promises to kill specific insects and weeds by silencing genes crucial to their survival while “leaving non-target species unscathed.” ‘RNA interference’ is a fancy scientific name for silencing gene sequences.... Monsanto uses the technology by killing RNA messages that generate extremely important genes – thus killing their prey. In this case, prey are bugs and weeds, but with any of Monsanto’s chemicals, the target is not always precise. Those in the field of biotechnology think that RNA sprays will completely overhaul the way genetically modified food is grown. But it could also completely overhaul our own genetic code – leading to more disease than we’ve ever imagined.

City of Fort Worth Levies $3,000 Fine to Raw Milk Dairy, Located Outside of City Limits
BrettSanders.me - Eldon Hoolely, who runs a small, family operated dairy farm is being summoned to court on Monday after some of their raw milk product was found inside the city limits of Fort Worth. The City of Fort Worth is now claiming that Rosey Ridge Farms, which is located nearly 40 miles south of city limits has somehow committed $3,000 worth of city ordinance violations. Elmer DePaula, a health superintendent for the city claims that Rosey Ridge Farms was operating an illegal food establishment within the city limits. When in actuality, a food cooperative was purchasing the raw milk and transporting the product back to Fort Worth to distribute to their members. Hoolely is licensed to sell his raw dairy products out of Rosey Ridge Farm, and says he’s being targeted as if he was running an establishment in Fort Worth itself. Once the raw milk leaves Hooley’s farm, he has no operational control as to where the product ends up.

Health

Will Sugar Soon be Genetically Modified to ‘Help Fight Skin Cancer?’
Natural Society -L-fucose, a rare sugar found in seaweed, mushrooms, seeds, and other foods, may help treat skin cancer, experts have revealed. he sugar was linked to certain cancers and inflammation in previous studies, but a new study suggests that by tinkering with L-fucose metabolism, the substance could stave off the spread of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. “Not only were the tumors affected but also their micro-environment – the cells surrounding the tumor that play a critical role in sustaining the cancer – making the discovery even more impactful,” said Dr. Ze’ev Ronai, senior author of the study.

Martin Shkreli Poised To Increase Price Of Another Pharmaceutical Drug By 99,900%!
Natural Blaze - The New York Times reports that Shkreli is likely to increase the price of another decades-old drug used to treat Chagas disease, a parasitic infection that can cause potentially lethal heart problems.... Shkreli has purchased a majority share in KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, which allows him to apply for the exclusive right to sell benznidazole, which is used to treat Chagas in South America. At present, the drug costs as little as $50 and as much as $100 for two months of treatment. It has never been approved for sale in the US but is provided free to patients by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an experimental basis. If benznidazole gets the FDA’s approval, KaloBios will have exclusive rights to sell it in the United States for at least five years. Shkreli’s plan is to hike its price similar to that of hepatitis C drugs, which cost $60,000 to nearly $100,000 for a course of treatment. That could be as much as a 99,900% increase in cost!

Hundreds of mothers and infants may have been exposed to tuberculosis at Northern California hospital by infected nurse
Daily Mail - More than 1,000 people may have been exposed to tuberculosis at a Northern California hospital by a nurse who was exposed to the disease - and hundreds of infants could be at risk. All 350 infants born at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose from August to November will have to take a daily oral antibiotic for six to nine months as a precaution, even if they test negative. Officials also identified 368 mothers and 338 employees that may have also been exposed at the hospital's Mother and Infant Care Center.

Pet News

3 Puppy Vaccination Mistakes: Too Early, Too Often, Too Much
Dogs Naturally - Any vaccine given at any point in a dog’s life has the ability to kill him or cause serious harm. If pet owners want to avoid vaccine-related dangers, then the best option would be to not vaccinate at all. This is a viable option for many who would gladly trade the risk of vaccine related damage for the risk of acute infection from puppy diseases. Pet owners who don’t vaccinate – and the vets who support this practice – realize that the risk of distemper is very low and that parvovirus in unvaccinated and healthy puppies is treatable in the majority of cases. They also realize that vaccines are ticking bombs that can create immediate and devastating disease in puppies... Here is a list of potential adverse vaccine reactions, according to noted veterinary immunologist, Dr. Ronald Schultz. If you vaccinate, these vaccine risks are not completely unavoidable. There are steps that you can take however, to decrease the risk of disease in your puppy. The first step is to have a fundamental knowledge of the immune system and what vaccines can and can’t do.

Ohio officer shoots 5 kittens in family backyard as child watches in horror
WKYC Jun 11, 2013 - The Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals wants Humane Officer Barry Accorti fired for allegedly shooting five kittens in a home's back yard on Monday. OSPCA Executive Director Teresa Landon says Accorti should be fired and charged with five counts of animal cruelty. Accorti retired as a sergeant with the North Ridgeville Police Department a few years ago and was hired as a part-time humane officer with the department.... Accorti responded to a home Monday afternoon where a feral mother cat and her five kittens were living in a woodpile. He allegedly told the homeowner that shelters were full and that the cats would be going to kitty heaven. He then pulled out his gun and shot to death the five, 8- to 10-week-old kittens.
* Related: A Year After Shooting Five Kittens, North Ridgeville Officer Back In News For Shooting Young Raccoon In Front of Kids
 


Monday - December 14, 2015 - Today in History:

1799 - The first president of the United States, George Washington, died at the age 67.
1819 - Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.
1903 - Orville Wright made the first attempt at powered flight. The engine stalled during take-off and the plane was damaged in the attempt. Three days later, after repairs were made, the modern aviation age was born when the plane stayed aloft for 12 seconds and flew 102 feet.
1911 - Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole.
1939 - The Soviet Union was dropped from the League of Nations.
1945 - Josef Kramer, known as "the beast of Belsen," and 10 others were executed in Hamelin for the crimes they committed at the Belsen and Auschwitz Nazi concentration camps.
1946 - The U.N. General Assembly voted to establish the United Nation's headquarters in New York City.
1995 - AIDS patient Jeff Getty received the first-ever bone-marrow transplant from a baboon.
1997 - Cuban President Fidel Castro declared Christmas 1997 an official holiday to ensure the success of Pope John Paul II's upcoming visit to Cuba.
1998 - Hundreds of Palestinian leaders renounced a call for the destruction of Israel.
1999 - U.S. and German negotiators agreed to establish a $5.2 billion fund for Nazi-era slave and forced laborers.
2000 - It was announced that American businessman Edmond Pope would be released from a Russian prison for humanitarian reasons. Pope had been sentenced to 20 years in prison after his conviction on espionage charges.
2001 - European Union leaders agreed to dispatch 3,000-4,000 troops to join an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
2001 - The first commercial export, since 1963, of U.S. food to Cuba began. The 24,000 metric tons for corn were being sent to replenish what was lost when Hurricane Michelle struck on November 4.
2013 - The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 3 became the first spacecraft to "soft"-land on the Moon since 1976. It was only the third robotic rover to land on the moon.

World News

US and Turkey caught covering up ISIS oil trade
Hang The Bankers - Both Ankara and Washington were obliged to inform the UN Security Council about ISIS illegally trafficking stolen oil, but didn’t, Russia’s UN envoy said in an interview, adding that this is against the UN resolution on financing terrorism. “We’ve got serious complaints about the implementation of [UN] resolution (#2199, banning financing of the terrorist organization),” Vitaly Churkin told RIA Novosti news agency. “Under Resolution 2199, adopted on our initiative in February, countries are obliged to provide information (about financing terrorists) to the Security Council – if they have such information. That means the Americans had to provide such information, and of course Turkey, which should have reported any illegal [oil] trade going on there. They didn’t do it,”Churkin said.

Crude falls below $35 per barrel for first time since 2009
RT - Crude prices on Monday plunged to their lowest level since 2009 as OPEC continues high volume production and Iran plans to boost exports. Brent crude was down almost 50 cents trading at $37.47 a barrel by 11:06am GMT on Monday while US benchmark WTI plummeted 30 cents to $35.31 per barrel. There’s “absolutely no chance” Iran will delay its plan to increase shipments even as prices decline, Bloomberg cited Amir Hossein Zamaninia, Iran’s deputy oil minister as saying. Tehran which expects international sanctions over its nuclear program to be lifted early in January, aims to double crude exports. The country currently exports 1.1 million barrels per day. Oil prices could slump to $30 per barrel in 2016 and could stay low throughout the year, said Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, warning of tough times ahead.

Mercenaries operating in Yemen tied to Blackwater
Hang The Bankers - Receiving scant attention from Western mainstream media outlets except for a few notable exceptions, Americans and many alternative media outlets have remained ignorant to the fact that private mercenaries from Blackwater (aka Academi) appear to have been contracted by the GCC Gulf state feudal monarchies to assist in the military war of terror in Yemen against the Houthi rebels and the embattled Yemeni people. Still, on December 9, a flurry of reports from media outlets such as Press TV, TeleSur TV, Al-Manar, Al –Bawaba, and Colombia Reports have revealed that around 15 Blackwater mercenaries have been killed in a fierce battles with the Houthi forces since Tuesday.

A321 Crash Commission Studies Data on Pilots, Plane Routes, Technical State
Sputnik News - The international investigative committee into the Russian A321 crash in Egypt has reviewed all the data on the plane’s technical status and routes, as well as the pilot data, Ayman Mokaddem, who heads the committee, said in a preliminary report obtained by Sputnik on Monday. "The operation group within the investigation committee, with the Russian side, examined the pilot information related to their pilot licenses and their medical checks. The technical status, and the detailed repairs that were carried out on the airplane, its structure, systems and engines since the date of production up to the date of the accident, are being studied now," the preliminary report reads.... The preliminary report revealed that the committee has not yet obtained any information indicating unlawful interference as the cause of the plane crash.

Greece: EU backs housing scheme for stranded migrants
(AP) - The European Union has pledged to spend 80 million euros ($88 million) on a housing scheme for migrants and asylum speakers stranded in Greece.... Kristalina Georgieva, the EU Commissioner for Budget and Human resources, signed an agreement Monday for a rent subsidy program due to launch next year. More than 750,000 migrants and refugees have crossed through Greece this year, hoping to travel to central and northern Europe, but Macedonia and other Balkan countries last month toughened border rules, restricting crossings to nationals from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Under the scheme, migrants will receive hotel vouchers or checks to live in vacant apartments.

Russian Military Told To Boost "Strategic Nuclear Forces Amid Rising Tensions With The U.S."
Zero Hedge - … Syria was a secondary topic on Putin's mind today when during a meeting with his defense chiefs, Putin gave the order "to strengthen Russia’s strategic nuclear forces amid rising tensions with the U.S. over the global balance of power… According to Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s military will have five new nuclear regiments equipped with modern missile complexes next year, adding that more than 95% of the country’s nuclear forces are at a permanent state of readiness. About 56 percent of Russian nuclear weapons are new, including modern missiles, upgraded aircraft and a strengthened submarine capacity, Shoigu said. Russia has also expanded the military’s combat capabilities by reinforcing its western and south-western army groups and building four bases in the Arctic region, he said… Russia has always said it will respond with by expanding its nuclear armament if NATO continues its expansion. Today, it did just as promised.

Russian warship fires 'warning shots' at Turkish vessel in Aegean Sea clash
The Independent - A Russian destroyer has fired warning shots at a Turkish vessel in the latest clash between the two countries in the Aegean Sea, officials have said. The Russian Defence Ministry told reporters it had summoned the Turkish military attache over the incident, which according to Russian media reports involved a Turkish fishing vessel. According to the Interfax news agency, the destroyer Smetlivy fired shots after the Turkish vessel ignored repeated warnings it was on a collision course for the warship. It said the boat sharply changed its course after shots were fired, at its closest passing within 540m of the Russian ship.

ISIS moves closer to the West – Libyan city of Sabratha taken
The Independent - Fears are mounting that Islamic State terrorists could destroy an ancient Roman site in Libya which they have seized in their march towards the capital Tripoli and move closer to the West, Italian and British media report. ISIS fanatics traveling in 30 pick-up trucks stormed the coastal city on Wednesday night after three of their men were captured by a rival militia. Black-clad militants overpowered residents and set up checkpoints in the city, which is just 50 miles from Tripoli, before successfully retrieving the three men. There are now concerns that the priceless landmarks in the city, a Unesco world heritage site, will be destroyed by ISIS, including a 3rd-century Roman amphitheater. In Syria, the group has already blown up historic sites at the Unesco world heritage site in Palmyra, including temples, columns and sculptures which the Islamist group claims depict ‘false idols’.

US orders all ′non-emergency′ personnel to leave Burundi as violence flares
Deutsche Welle - As a result of the continuing violence in Burundi, the US State Department announced it would be pulling all non-emergency US government personnel and family members of US government employees out of the country “as soon as it is feasible to do so.”… Political violence continues throughout the country following contested elections, an attempted coup and the controversy over President Pierre Nkurunziza controversially standing for - and winning - a third term in office, the warning said… More than 150 armed men attacked three army installations on Friday, leaving 79 of them dead, army spokesperson Col. Gaspard Baratuza said on Saturday… In the hours following the attacks, residents reported seeing army officers moving from door-to-door in some districts and dragging people from their homes and shooting them dead.

"Emergency" Measures May Be Written Into The French Constitution
The Intercept - This 60-year-old law gives French law enforcement wide and sweeping powers, freeing them from much of the normal judicial oversight. The law gives prefects, the French government’s local representatives, the ability to place people under house arrest, based merely on the suspicion of the intelligence service that they pose a threat to national security… François Hollande, speaking in front of both chambers summoned in Versailles two days after the attacks, announced his plan to modify the French constitution in response to terrorism… The first measure would write the state of emergency into the constitution, because the 1955 law, even in its renewed 2015 form, is likely unconstitutional… The main political parties and their representatives have been supportive of both the state of emergency measures and the modification of the constitution…

UK citizens may soon need licenses to photograph some stuff they already own
Ars Technica - That's the result of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, which extends the copyright of artistic objects like designer chairs from 25 years after they were first marketed to 70 years after the creator's death. In most cases, that will be well over a hundred years after the object was designed… Photographers, for example, will need to worry about whether any of the objects in a picture they are taking is covered by copyright, in which case it may be necessary to obtain a licence to include them in the photo… Another group likely to be hit by this major copyright extension—publishers of books with pictures of design objects—is also being told to like it or lump it.

Nearly 200 Nations Adopt 1st Global Climate Change Pact
Washington Times - Nearly 200 nations adopted the first global pact to fight climate change on Saturday, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposing no sanctions on countries that don’t. The “Paris agreement” aims to keep global temperatures from rising another degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) between now and 2100, a key demand of poor countries ravaged by rising sea levels and other effects of climate change. Loud applause erupted in the conference hall after French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius gaveled the agreement. Some delegates wept and others embraced. The agreement, South African Environment Minister Edna Molewa said, “can map a turning point to a better and safer world.”

U.S. News, Politics & Government

House to probe claims of intelligence manipulation
Washington Examiner - Leaders of three House panels on Friday said they had established a joint task force to probe whether the Obama administration pressured intelligence analysts to skew data to make the Islamic State and its allies seem weaker in their reports. Reps. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., and Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, will lead the investigation on behalf of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The Pentagon inspector general's office also is investigating the allegations from analysts at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla., and Defense Department officials have promised lawmakers a full accounting.

State Department belatedly finds 1300 emails on Anwar Al-Awlaki
POLITICO - The State Department has belatedly discovered about 1,300 emails relating to deceased Islamic cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki in official accounts belonging to top aides to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, more than four years after a conservative group requested all such records, a new court filing reports. At a federal court hearing in Washington last month, Justice Department attorneys assigned to the case brought by Judicial Watch told a federal judge that State‘s “executive secretariat” — the repository of records for the secretary's office — was searched in response to the initial Freedom of Information Act request from Judicial Watch.

Homeland Security deployed hi-tech spy plane which scoops up tens of thousands of phone calls at one time above San Bernardino for days after massacre
Daily Mail - The Department of Homeland Security is said to have put up the single engine craft over the California city and ordered it to make repeated circles overhead. The craft would likely have been equipped with 'Dirtbox' technology which can scan tens of thousands of phones in one go to identify suspects.... The Sofrep report stated that the Pilatus PC-12 plane that was used - was similar to the craft deployed by the military on missions over Africa.... The device works by pretending to be a cell phone tower - mobiles automatically connect to the nearest one so latch onto the box - and can sweep up data on tens of thousands of phones in one go.... It can monitor an entire city and can track a pedestrian's entire journey and the route taken, allowing investigators to track all of their movements.

VIDEO: ‘Homeland’ refugee screening coordinator can’t answer basic questions about program
American Mirror - The Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Screening Coordination in the Department of Homeland Security had one job Thursday: answer questions about the review of Syrian refugees. She couldn’t do it. “I would like to see if you could give us some numbers, so that the committee and the American people have this information,” Ohio U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, co-chairman of a joint subcommittee hearing on “Terrorism and the Visa Waiver Program,” told senior DHS employee Kelli Ann Burriesci yesterday. In a 5 minute exchange posted to YouTube, he questioned: “How many Syrian refugees have entered the United States in the last year?” “I’m sorry, I didn’t bring any of the refugee numbers with me, because I was prepared to talk about visa waiver, but I can certainly have us send that to you,” she replied.....
* Related Video: DHS Official Gets Blindsided by Trey Gowdy

Video: Obama’s Press Secretary Cannot Explain How More Gun Control Would Stop Shootings
Steve Watson - The White House cannot name one single shooting incident that would have been prevented by gun control legislation. As President Obama prepares executive action to pass further gun control legislation, one errant reporter asked the White House press secretary exactly how such proposals would have prevented any recent mass shootings. Josh Earnest couldn’t directly answer the question and floundered around repeating the same talking points over and over again. Reporter Byron Tau referred to a statement made by Sen. Marco Rubio that no mass shootings in recent memory would have been prevented by gun legislation, which even the Washington Post fact-checked as true.

Missouri Sheriffs to Lower Cost of Concealed Carry Permits, Citing Recent Terror Attacks
Activist Post - The Sheriffs of the Laclede, St. Clair and Vernon counties in Missouri announced this week that they will encourage more applicants for concealed carry permits by lowering the price of the application. Wayne Merritt, the sheriff of Laclede County, told KY3 News that he wishes to see trained, responsible citizens who are armed, considering the government’s inability to keep track of home-grown terrorists in light of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks.... Starting this week, the price of concealed carry permits inside Merritt’s jurisdiction will be slashed from $100 to just $65.

5 total confirmed incidents of suspicious phone buys in Missouri
ABC News - Another suspicious purchase was made in Ava, Missouri on Saturday. Authorities in at least five Missouri cities have now gotten reports of suspicious phone purchases at Wal-Mart stores. ABC 17 News reached out to law enforcement in Ava, Missouri and has confirmed through a news release that last Saturday a man purchased a large amount of cell phones from a Walmart there. Police said they reached out to Walmart employees at the Lebanon and confirmed the same man had also purchased about 60 cell phone at that Walmart earlier that day. They released the man after they found they had no legal reason to detain him. The latest report is in addition to four other reports of similar incidents in Columbia, Jefferson City, Macon and Lebanon. Authorities in all five cities said they had contacted FBI agents. However, The FBI only confirmed it is investigating three of those reports.
* Related:  * Prepaid phone purchase investigation continues
                   * Cell phone trafficking: Far from harmless

VIDEO: Police Shoot Man in the Back as He Walked Away — Execute Him as He Crawled for His Life
The Free Thought Project - The short video, which was released yesterday, clearly shows 28-year-old Nicholas Robertson walking away as police opened fire on him. After the first deputy fired over a dozen rounds, the man can be seen falling to the ground, and in a desperate attempt to save his life, begins crawling away from the officer. At this point, a second officer arrives, and after a brief pause, both begin firing recklessly as the man crawls just feet away from a gas pump. In total, officers fired over 30 rounds at this man. According to police, deputies were responding to several calls of a person described as a black man wearing a checkered shirt who was seen with a gun near Magnolia and Alpine avenues, Lt. Eddie Hernandez said. The deputies claim they gave him “several commands” to drop the gun, but the suspect turned and pointed the gun at the deputies. However this cannot be seen on the video.

This New Bill Would Require Background Checks On All Parents
Off the Grid News - All parents of children in public and private schools would have to undergo social services background checks when enrolling their kids in school in Ohio under a new proposed state law. The bill by State Senator Capri S. Cafaro (D-Youngstown) specifically exempts most homeschoolers, although it doesn’t exempt homeschool families who form what is called a non-chartered, non-tax-supported school. The bill also would require school officials to inform Child Protective Services (CPS) if a parent who was under investigation enrolled a child in school. CPS would be required to continue the investigation or open a new one. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has spoken out against the bill, saying that while it opposes child abuse, this bill is not the solution. HSLDA attorney Mike Donnelly is concerned that the law would open up sensitive state databases to school officials.

School principal bans Santa, Thanksgiving and Pledge of Allegiance
NY Post - Santa Claus is banned. The Pledge of Allegiance is no longer recited. “Harvest festival” has replaced Thanksgiving, and “winter celebrations” substitute for Christmas parties. New principal Eujin Jaela Kim has given PS 169 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a politically correct scrub-down, to the dismay of teachers and parents. “We definitely can’t say Christmas, nothing with Christmas on it, nothing with Santa,” PTA president Mimi Ferrer said administrators told her. “No angels. We can’t even have a star because it can represent a religious system, like the Star of David.”

Election News

Ted Cruz, Donald Trump to Keynote 2016 South Carolina Tea Party Convention
Breitbart - Breitbart News has confirmed that Senator Ted Cruz will address the 2016 South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention on Saturday Jan 16 at 2:20pm. The convention, seen by analysts as “a seminal event” in the run-up to the state’s “first in the South” primary, runs daily from January 16th – 18th, from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum are also scheduled to speak. The South Carolina GOP primary is slated for Saturday, February 20.

Cruz Soars to 10 Point Lead Over Trump in Iowa; Carson Sinks
Breitbart - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has taken a commanding 10-point lead over billionaire businessman Donald Trump in the all-important first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state of Iowa, a new poll from the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg shows. Cruz is now towering over the whole field at 31 percent, while Trump has fallen 10 points behind the Texas Senator to 21 percent. Dr. Ben Carson, another outsider, is in third place with 13 percent. The Washington establishment and donor class-backed Sen. Marco Rubio is in fourth place with 10 percent.... The poll of 400 likely GOP caucus-goers was conducted Dec. 7 through Dec. 10, by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines.... The GOP candidates all head to Las Vegas, Nevada, this coming week for the next debate, moderated by CNN–and held inside GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson’s Venetian Resort and Casino on Tuesday evening.

Ben Carson threatens to bolt Republican Party
MarketWatch - Carson remains among the leading contenders for the GOP presidential nomination, though his poll numbers have dropped in recent weeks. He suggested in a statement Friday that he would consider an independent bid, following a Washington Post story about Republican leaders preparing for the possibility of a brokered convention. The story said several Republican power brokers argued that if Trump storms through the primaries, the GOP establishment must lay groundwork for a convention-floor fight in which the party’s mainstream wing could rally around an alternative.

Now There’s Video=> Jimmy Carter Bans Iranian Immigrants from US, Deported Students During Hostage Crisis
Gateway Pundit - The liberal media and Republican Party elites erupted this week after Donald Trump announced his plan to ban Muslim immigrants from the US until the government can assure it is safe to do so. But Democrat Jimmy Carter did the same thing, and much more during the Iranian hostage crisis.... Here’s the transcript from ABC News...

VIDEO: Kids Scream “I Want to Kill Him!” While Beating Trump Piñata to “Stop Hate”
Gateway Pundit - A new food cart in Portland, Oregon, El Diablito, staged its grand opening celebration by featuring dancers and a Donald Trump pinata. A banner on the stage read “El Diablito” which means “the little devil.” Little kids and adults lined up to take turns battering the effigy, which they say they were destroying to “promote peace” and “fight hate.” One little kid screams out “I want to kill him!” when he takes his turn beating the Trump piñata. The food cart owner claimed this wasn’t about politics. Of course, if it would have been an Obama piñata the media would have called this a “racist” act but since it’s a Republican it’s all good.

Economy & Business

December 14th To 18th: A Week Of Reckoning For Global Stocks If The Fed Hikes Interest Rates?
Economic Collapse - Are we about to witness widespread panic in the global financial marketplace? This week is shaping up to be an absolutely critical week for global stocks. Coming into December, more than half of the 93 largest stock market indexes in the world were down more than 10 percent year to date, and last week stocks really started to slide all over the world. Here in the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down about 600 points over the past week or so, and at this point it is down more than 1000 points from the peak of the market. That brings us to this week, during which the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates for the very first time since the last financial crisis. If that happens, that could potentially be enough to accelerate this “slide” into a full-blown crash.

Dow, DuPont To Merge In $130 Billion Deal; 10% Of DowDuPont's Workforce To Be Fired
Zero Hedge - … two of America oldest publicly traded companies will combine, with Dow and DuPont merging as equals in a combined company that will have a $130 billion market cap and will be named DowDuPont. And while shareholders already benefited from the deal with shares of both constituents rising by 10% in the days preceding the official announcement, the biggest loser are once again the employees: the combined company announced that as part of the $700 million in restructuring efforts, 10% of the combined company's employees will be laid off… The parties intend to subsequently pursue a separation of DowDuPont into three independent, publicly traded companies through tax-free spin-offs. This would occur as soon as feasible, which is expected to be 18-24 months following the closing of the merger, subject to regulatory and board approval.

Science & Technology

15–year-old schoolgirl found hanged after developing an allergic reaction to WiFi in her school
(NaturalHealth365) 15-year-old Jenny Fry was found hanged in woodland in June this year. According to her parents she suffered from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), which caused her to suffer diverse symptoms including tiredness, headaches and bladder problems.... An inquest heard that it was her allergic reaction to her school’s WiFi that made her life a misery. Her mother Debra told the hearing that Jenny was severely affected by the wireless internet connections at Chipping Norton School in Oxfordshire, England, where she was a pupil. After becoming increasingly distressed by her symptoms, which were never investigated by a doctor, Jenny Fry was found hanged in Brooke Woods, near her home on June 11 this year. Mrs. Fry and her husband Charles Newman told the Coroners’ Court dealing with the inquest that they believed their daughter became ill because of WiFi radiation exposures. They had removed the internet connection from their own home.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

Superbugs are on the Rise, and so is the Sale of Antibiotics for Livestock
Natural Society - Bacteria that are resistant to ALL antibiotics have been found in China, and Denmark health officials in the U.K. believe the bug has made its way to that part of Europe. Health experts the world over agree that the spread of these antibiotic-resistant superbugs could erase modern medicine, and place the blame squarely on antibiotics fed to animals to promote growth and keep them healthy while living in flocks and herds, NOT to cure them from an actual illness. That’s why this news is so disheartening: federal regulators said recently that U.S. sales of medically-important antibiotics approved for use in livestock rose by 23% between 2009 and 2014.

Big News! Hawaii’s Big Island Moves Closer to Being GMO-Free!
Natural Society - Mayor Kenoi on the Big Island, in Hawaii, recently signed Bill 113 into law, prohibiting GMOs. The bill prohibits biotech companies from operating on the island, and stops farmers from growing new GM crops. This is a historical moment for Hawaii, a place which has been called ‘ground zero for GMOs.’ Mayor Kenoi has taken a huge stand against agrichemical companies and actually followed the will of the people. Big Island, Hawaii will hopefully lead the way for the rest of the islands as well as the rest of the United States.... The Islands of Hawaii also have to import 90% of their food, much of it being genetically modified. Monsanto, BASF, DOW Agri-Sciences, Syngenta and DuPont Pioneer conduct field trials and grow GMO Seed for export on 24,000 acres on Hawaiian Islands.

Health

Avoid Drugs & Surgery for Prostate Issues with Flaxseed
Green Med Info - Millions of men face prostate issues, with treatment with drugs and surgery often making their problems worse. A new study reveals that simply eating flaxseed may be the best way to improve your symptoms, and take back control of your health. A new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food titled, "Efficacy and Safety of a Flaxseed Hull Extract in the Symptomatic Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Parallel, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Pilot Study," reveals that men who consumed an extract of flaxseed for swollen prostate (i.e. benign prostatic hyperplasia) saw significant improvement.

Everything You Need To Know About Golden Paste and How To Make It
Natural Blaze - Golden paste is a turmeric-based paste that taken orally provides health benefits to humans as well as animals (dogs and horses). Turmeric, known for is anti-inflammatory properties and used medicinally for over 4,000 years, is great for arthritis, skin health, immune system, and even cancer. Recent studies have confirmed that it may be as effective as 14 different Rx drugs – without the side effects. Taking it daily in a paste designed to improve absorption an easy way to tap into its enormous benefits.

Author Of Mandatory Meningitis Vaccine Bill Caught Taking $420k From Big Pharma
Blacklisted News - State Senator Kemp Hannon, Chair of the New York Senate Health Committee, and author of the recently passed law that will require all seventh and twelfth graders in the state to get meningitis shots, has been caught with his hand in the pot, according to the New York Daily News: specifically, the pharma pot. And to no small sum, mind you. His investments in pharmaceutical and health companies is at $100,000 while it is also being alleged that he has received more than $400,000 from the same interest groups. Hannon’s investments are a direct conflict of interest and he should be charged criminally. This is an act of using your position to influence and write laws for the sole result of personal gain.

Whistleblower Says She Was Fired from Hospital for Pointing Out Patient Safety Concerns
Natural Society - The registered nurse, Mercedita Desumala first began working for Kaiser in 2005. She recently filed a lawsuit against Kaiser in Alameda Superior Court, alleging she was fired from San Leandro Hospital in Oakland after complaining about the removal of monitor technicians from the hospital’s fifth floor telemetry department. In her 33-page complaint, she states: The fifth floor … was traditionally staffed by monitor technicians who are entrusted with the crucial job of monitoring the heart rhythms of patients on the floor. If … irregularities are not caught, they can be extremely dangerous and often fatal for the patients. As part of a cost-saving initiative, Kaiser removed all the monitor technicians from the fifth floor of the San Leandro Hospital.” The nurse believes that this move puts patients’ lives as risk, and after submitting Assignment Despite Objection forms to the California Nurses’ Association as well as making verbal complaints to supervisors, specifically nurse manager Norie Bustamente, she was fired from her position.


Friday - December 11, 2015 - Today in History:

1816 - Indiana was admitted to the Union as the 19th American state.
1872 - Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback became America's first black governor when he took office as acting governor of Louisiana.
1928 - In Buenos Aires, police thwarted an attempt on the life of President-elect Herbert Hoover.
1930 - The Bank of the United States in New York failed.
1941 - Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. in turn declared war on the two countries.
1946 - The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established by the U.N. General Assembly. The fund provides relief to children in countries devastated by war.
1961 - The first direct American military support for South Vietnam occurred when a U.S. aircraft carrier carrying Army helicopters arrived in Saigon.
1980 - U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed into law legislation creating $1.6 billion environmental "superfund" that would be used to pay for cleaning up chemical spills and toxic waste dumps.
1985 - General Electric Company agreed to buy RCA Corporation for $6.3 billion. Also included in the deal was NBC Radio and Television.
1998 - Majority Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee pushed through three articles of impeachment against U.S. President Clinton.
2001 - U.S. Attorney General Ashcroft announced the first federal indictment directly related to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Zacarias Moussaoui was charged with six conspiracy charges. Moussaoui was in custody at the time of the attacks.
2001 - It was announced that U.S. President George W. Bush would withdraw the U.S. from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia.
2001 - Federal agents seized computers in 27 U.S. cities as part of "Operation Buccaneer." The raids were used to gain evidence against an international software piracy ring.
2013 - Standard & Poors announced that Facebook would join its S&P 500 index "after the close of trading on December 20."

World News

Any targets threatening Russian forces in Syria must be immediately destroyed - Putin
RT - Jihadists in Syria pose a direct threat to Russia, Putin has told a defense meeting in Moscow, adding that any targets threatening the country's military there should be destroyed. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Islamic State’s influence in Syria continues to expand. The Russian military’s actions in Syria are being coordinated with Russian special services such as the FSB, who are disclosing terrorist cells, including Islamic State, Putin said. All forces threatening Russian servicemen in Syria should be destroyed, according to the Russian president

Triple terror: up to 60 killed, 80 wounded, 3 car bombs explode in Syrian Christian town
RT - Three car bomb explosions in the town of Tell Tamer in Syria's northeastern Al Hasakah province killed up to 60 and injured some 80 people on Thursday. The blasts struck near a Kurdish militia forces field hospital and in the crowded Souk Al Jumla market square, where the majority of the fatalities occurred. Most of the affected people were civilians, but there were some Kurdish and Assyrian self-defense fighters among them. he vehicles were allegedly packed with large amounts of explosives, which also inflicted significant damage to nearby buildings and infrastructure. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Security guards at European UN headquarters carry submachine guns; officials are working with French police
The Guardian - Geneva on maximum alert in hunt for four Paris attack suspects. Geneva security officials have said they have raised the alert level in the city and are looking for suspects in connection with investigations into the Paris attacks on 13 November. Policemen armed with submachine guns were posted at the entrances to United Nations institutions as well as the airport, train station and other key landmarks. UN buildings were evacuated shortly before midnight on Wednesday night. According to the Geneva press, a photograph of four bearded men suspected of being members of Isis in the area was being circulated among police patrols, following a tip-off from US intelligence.

100,000 foreign troops incl. Americans to be deployed in Iraq, MP claims
RT - The US is to send some 10,000 troops to Iraq to provide support for a 90,000-strong force from the Gulf states, a leading Iraqi opposition MP has warned. The politician said the plan was announced to the Iraqi government during a visit by US Senator John McCain. During a meeting in Baghdad on November 27, McCain told Prime Minister Haider Abadi and a number of senior Iraqi cabinet and military officials that the decision was ‘non-negotiable’, claimed Hanan Fatlawi, the head of the opposition Irada Movement. “A hundred thousand foreign troops, including 90,000 from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan, and 10,000 troops from America will be deployed in western regions of Iraq,” she wrote on her Facebook page. She added that the Iraqi prime minister protested the plan, but was told that “the decision has already been taken.”

‘Out of question’: Erdogan rules out Turkish troop withdrawal from Iraq
RT - The withdrawal of Turkish troops from Iraq is out of question, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, promising to “cooperate” on the issue with the US-led anti-ISIS coalition. Baghdad has condemned the “invasion” as a breach of international law. “Our servicemen went to Iraq as instructors, their mission is limited to training,” Erdogan claimed during a news conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara. “It is out of the question, at present, that Turkey will pull out its military from Iraq,” he stressed. The Turkish leader made no mention of possible talks with Iraqi authorities to resolve the controversy. Commenting on the United Nations Security Council’s failure to produce any statement on the incident as per Russia’s request, Erdogan said that Turkey “will follow the process” but “has chosen to cooperate with the international coalition.”

‘Turkey acts like ISIS ally, should not be EU member’– Czech president
RT - Turkey should not become an EU member, said Czech President Milos Zeman, adding that Ankara sometimes behaves like an Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) ally, even though Turkey is part of NATO… Zeman suggested Turkish policy stems from the principle “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” referring to Turkey’s suppression of the Kurds, “who are the only ones who have fought effectively with IS,” the newspaper reported. The president maintained this is the reason why Turkey should be approached with caution and has no reason to be an EU member. President Zeman also dismissed the EU’s intention to pay €3 billion (US$ 3.28 billion) to Ankara in order to better cater for the needs of 2.2 million Syrian refugees in the country.

'Sick of being targeted': French authorities conducting warrantless raids on Muslims
RT - Emergency legislation enacted after last month's Paris attacks has led to a fierce crackdown on France's Islamic population. Warrantless searches and raids have become commonplace, a move which many say violates the civil liberties of Muslims. Speaking to RT, the manager of the Pepper Grill restaurant on the outskirts of Paris recalled a police raid at his restaurant on Saturday night. "They blocked the roads with trucks, and up to 40 armed men stormed our restaurant...Several officers rushed downstairs, then suddenly...they began breaking the doors with battering rams. The door wasn't even locked," the restaurant manager said. After police failed to find any weapons during the search, they raided so-called "undeclared prayer rooms" above the restaurant.

Paris Universal Climate Agreement Final Draft Released
Reason - The presidency of the Paris climate change conference released, as promised, the final draft text of the proposed universal climate accord at around 10 p.m. on Thursday… Rich countries more or less got what they wanted with regard to having every country eventually submitting hard greenhouse gas reduction or limitation targets, although the poorest countries get some leeway… In addition, rich country governments have apparently agreed that $100 billion in annual climate finance by 2020 is a floor and that funding should increase during the next decade. On the other hand, the text seems to say that the money will only be handed over if poor countries can demonstrate that they are making good efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions… Rich country governments are keen to establish a unified and robust monitoring, reporting, and verification procedures in order to track how well each country is doing with regard to keeping its promises… The agreement also sets 2023 for a first global “stocktake” of how the agreement is working and how faithfully countries have fulfilled their climate change promises.

French MPs vote to force supermarkets to give away unsold food
The Guardian - French MPs have voted unanimously to force supermarkets to give away unsold food that has reached its sell-by date. Shops will also be banned from destroying food products, as they have in the past – sometimes by soaking them in bleach – to prevent them being distributed. The proposal was passed as part of another law in May but was subsequently annulled by France’s constitutional court because of procedural faults.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

US Intel: ISIS May Have Passport Printing Machine, Blank Passports
ABC News - With the U.S. and other countries on high alert for ISIS attacks, American authorities are warning the terror group’s followers may have infiltrated American borders with authentic-looking passports ISIS has printed itself with its own machines, according to an intelligence report obtained by ABC News. The 17-page Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Intelligence Report, issued to law enforcement last week, says ISIS likely has been able to print legitimate-looking Syrian passports since taking over the city of Deir ez-Zour last summer, home to a passport office with “boxes of blank passports” and a passport printing machine. Another passport office was located in Raqqa, Syria, which has long been ISIS’s de facto capital.

San Bernardino shooters planned bigger attack, investigators believe
LA Times - An examination of digital equipment recovered from the home of the couple who killed 14 people in San Bernardino last week has led FBI investigators to believe the shooters were planning an even larger assault, according to federal government sources. Investigators on Thursday continued to search for digital footprints left by Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, scouring a downtown San Bernardino lake for electronic items, including a hard drive that the couple was hoping to destroy, sources told The Times.

Obama Brings In 13,000+ Muslims Who Support Suicide Bombing – PER YEAR.
DC Whispers - As reported here earlier today, Muslim immigration into the United States has DOUBLED during the Obama years. With that fact in mind, consider this chilling reality via Pew Research polling: 13% of Muslims inside of the United States support suicide bombing at least some of the time. The U.S. now has over 100,000 Muslims being granted entry into the United States each year. That means according to the Pew Research data, 13000 of those Muslims coming into America EACH YEAR support suicide bombing some of the time. One percent of those polled indicated it was justified most of the time. That figure represents a truly radical mindset and is growing by 1000 Muslims into the U.S. every year. It also accounts for over 350,000 Muslims in America who support suicide bombing. (13% of the total current Muslim population)

Is the U.S. Bill of Rights REDACTED or GUTTED?
Catherine J. Frompovich - The other day I received an email with the subject line “Redacted/gutted Bill of Rights.” Boy, did that get my attention, especially since I consider myself to be somewhat of a constitutional admirer and scholar. As I read that email, the original Bill of Rights were listed and each Right that the person, who did the ‘redacting’ thought had been gutted from citizens, was superimposed with red font text. The provision(s) by which each Right was interpreted to be obliterated or gutted was typed in red.

Obama Plans to Bypass Congress, Issue Executive Order Expanding Background Checks
Kurt Nimmo - Obama’s senior adviser Valerie Jarrett indicated the unconstitutional order will expand background checks. She said Obama instructed his team to complete a proposal and submit it for his review “in short order.” In November Senate Democrats urged President Obama to circumvent Congress by using executive actions. Sens. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) spearheaded the effort. Sens. Chris Coon (D-DE), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have joined their colleagues. Obama and the Democrats have received support from the Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety organization. It is unclear if Obama will also sign an order to deny Americans on the government’s secret no-fly their right to practice the Second Amendment.

Connecticut to ban gun sales to people on watch lists: governor
Reuters - Connecticut would become the first U.S. state to ban the sale of guns to people on government watch lists under an executive order that Governor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, said on Thursday he will sign. The measure, which Malloy said needs federal approval, would require state police to review whether a potential gun buyer was on the federal no-fly list or on a watchlist for people suspected of ties to terrorism. It would also revoke existing gun permits issued to people whose names were found on such a list. The move follows a call by President Barack Obama for Congress to prohibit people on the no-fly list from purchasing firearms in the wake of the last week's massacre in San Bernardino, California, of 14 people by a married couple inspired by Islamic State militants. "I am taking this commonsense step with this executive order simply because it's the right thing to do," Malloy told reporters in Hartford. "If you can't fly without clearing government watchlists, you shouldn't be able to buy a gun."

The Secret Government Rulebook For Labeling You a Terrorist
The Intercept - July 23 2014 - The “March 2013 Watchlisting Guidance,” a 166-page document issued last year by the National Counterterrorism Center, spells out the government’s secret rules for putting individuals on its main terrorist database, as well as the no fly list and the selectee list, which triggers enhanced screening at airports and border crossings. The new guidelines allow individuals to be designated as representatives of terror organizations without any evidence they are actually connected to such organizations, and it gives a single White House official the unilateral authority to place entire “categories” of people the government is tracking onto the no fly and selectee lists. It broadens the authority of government officials to “nominate” people to the watchlists based on what is vaguely described as “fragmentary information.” It also allows for dead people to be watchlisted.
* Related: The government's biggest terrorist watchlist has more than a million names

Election News

Cruz: Benghazi Attack Was ‘Direct Result’ of Rubio’s Support for Clinton’s, Obama’s Toppling of Qaddafi in Libya
Breitbart - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News here in his campaign office on Monday, escalated his battle with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on the 2016 campaign trail to a whole new degree: Now, Cruz is laying out why Rubio is responsible for the terrorist attack in Benghazi. Cruz’s argument goes like this: Rubio backed now former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential frontrunner, and President Barack Obama in their efforts to take Muammar Qaddafi out in Libya. As a result, that spiraled the nation into the control of jihadists, who then carried out the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012.

GOP preparing for contested convention
Washington Post - Republican officials and leading figures in the party’s establishment are preparing for the possibility of a brokered convention as businessman Donald Trump continues to sit atop the polls in the GOP presidential race. More than 20 of them convened Monday near the Capitol for a dinner held by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, and the prospect of Trump nearing next year’s nominating convention in Cleveland with a significant number of delegates dominated the discussion, according to five people familiar with the meeting.

GOP Establishment Works Through Seven Stages of Grief Over Donald Trump
Breitbart - The Seven Stages of Grief are usually rendered as shock, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, and acceptance.... For now, we’re at depression, with a growing number of mournful op-eds recognizing how Establishment Republicans and their establishment pals in the Democrat Party created Trump. The American people are ready to pass out from the stench of their combined establishment’s bipartisan failure, and Trump’s the first one to come along and suggest cracking a window. Granted, he opens windows with sledgehammers, but there’s a refreshing breeze afterward nonetheless. This election must see the demise of establishment Can’t-Do America, because that attitude is killing us. People are tired of being told everything is impossible, unconstitutional, unthinkable. They’re tired of hearing that every well-connected interest group is “entitled” to everything it wants, paid for by people it hates. They can clearly see the fiscal and physical security of the country in a nose dive, and they’re tired of being told the controls are locked, and only the Ruling Class get parachutes. Let me put this in the context of the latest Trumpnado...

Snap Polls Show Support For Trump’s Comments on Muslim Immigration
Paul Joseph Watson - Trump caused controversy earlier this week when he suggested putting a halt to all Muslim immigration until a proper vetting process could be put in place to identify terrorists. The media reacted with vitriol, framing Trump as a fascist and insisting that he had finally gone too far. However, poll results suggest that the Republican frontrunner has only increased his popularity amongst likely voters.

Economy & Business

The Global Commodity Crash Tells Us That A Major Deflationary Financial Crisis Is Imminent
Economic Collapse - If we really are plunging into a deflationary global financial crisis, we would expect to see commodity prices crash hard. That happened just before the great stock market crash of 2008, and that is precisely what is happening once again right now. On Thursday, the Bloomberg Commodity Index closed at 79.1544. The last time that it closed this low was 16 years ago. Not even during the worst moments of the last recession did it ever get so low. Overall, the Bloomberg Commodity Index is down more than 28 percent over the past 12 months, and it has plummeted by more than half since mid-2011. As a result of this stunning commodity collapse, extremely large mining companies such as Anglo American are imploding, giant commodity trading firms such as Glencore and Trafigura are in full-blown crisis mode, and huge portions of the global financial system are in danger of utterly collapsing.

$416,014,000,000: Federal Taxes Set Record in First 2 Months of FY16; $2,785 Per Worker; Feds Still Run $201.1B Deficit
CNS News - The federal government continued to collect taxes at an unprecedented pace in the beginning of fiscal 2016, raking in a record of approximately $416,014,000,000 in revenues through the first two months of the fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2015 through the end of November), according to the Monthly Treasury Statement released today. In the entirety of fiscal 2015, which ended on Sept. 30, the federal government collected a record $3,248,723,000,000, which worked out to about $21,833 for every person who held a job in the country as of September.... Despite the record tax revenues of $416,014,000,000 in the first two months of this fiscal year, the government spent $617,116,000,000 in those two months, and, thus, ran up a deficit of $201,102,000,000 during the period.

Pew Study: Middle Class Declining, No Longer Majority
Breitbart - The middle class in America is declining and no longer constitutes a majority under President Barack Obama, according to a Pew Research study, which found that “after more than four decades of serving as the nation’s economic majority, the American middle class is now matched in number by those in the economic tiers above and below it.” Pew found that the “share of American adults living in middle-income households has fallen from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2015. The share living in the upper-income tier rose from 14% to 21% over the same period. Meanwhile, the share in the lower-income tier increased from 25% to 29%.”

Health

Consuming Ashwagandha Root Shows Improvements In Muscle Strength, Size and Recovery
April.McCarthy - There's a host of health benefits available through ingestion of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root, but some lesser known benefits have been published in the Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition including improvements in muscle strength, size, and recovery, according to results of a new randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.... The roots of the ashwagandha plant have been employed for millennia by Ayurvedic healers. Numerous modern studies have found that ashwagandha shows great promise for being effective in reducing inflammation, decreasing stress, increasing mental activity, invigorating the body, and as an antioxidant. It is even known to relieve arthritis better than medication.

Unique Sleep Habit Linked to a Whopping 46% Higher Stroke Risk
Dr. Mercola - Researchers have linked poor sleep to a number of ailments, from short-term memory loss and behavioral problems, to weight gain, diabetes, and even increased risk of cancer, just to mention a few. Yet while most of the literature emphasizes the ramifications of insufficient sleep, research shows too much sleep isn’t good either. Studies have linked excessive sleep to health risks ranging from depression to an increased risk for stroke, just to name a few.... According to one of the most recent analyses, seniors who regularly slept more than eight hours per night had a 46 percent increased risk of stroke compared to those who slept between six and eight hours per night.

Pet News

Vets Warn Fleas Becoming Resistant To Chemical Treatments
(CBS SF) - Experts say fleas may be mutating and becoming more resistant to topical anti-flea treatments peskier than ever for Bay Area pet owners trying to get rid of them. One vet KPIX spoke to said the smelly solutions designed to kill fleas that pet owners have been applying to their cats and dogs may not help thanks to survival of the fittest flea. Katherine Van Ekert with VetPronto is one of many Bay Area vets that are telling pet owners the anti-flea solution produced by companies like Frontline and Advantage that they are buying isn’t working.
* Related: Why Spot-on Flea and Tick Products Are Hazardous to Pets

Humor & Satire

Video: Trumpnado
Joe Dan Gorman - It worked against Bush, it worked against Sarah Palin but it ain’t working against Donald Trump. And the establishment, including the media appears to be having a nervous breakdown. For six months now— everything they hit Trump with…just makes him stronger.... Also in this episode… we meet the racially diverse white supremacists that support Trump…including ‘the brothers’ that want to help build the wall. DO NOT miss the ending song. Trust me.

Weekend Viewing

Hacking Democracy - Documentary investigating mass voting fraud
The documentary follows Bev Harris and Kathleen Wynne, director and associate director for nonprofit election watchdog group Black Box Voting, as they attempt to discover the extent to which it would be possible to alter results on the electronic voting machines of Diebold Election Systems (now Premier Election Solutions). Andy Stephenson, an employee of Black Box Voting from July–December 2004, assisted with comparisons of audit documents in Volusia County and obtained a secret videotape of Harris interviewing a voting machine testing lab. Kathleen Wynne captured live video of Harris finding voting machine records in a Volusia County trash bag, and captured video of Cuyahoga County elections workers admitting that the initial 3% recount ballots had not been randomly selected during the 2004 presidential election. Harris and Wynne then embarked on a series of five voting machine hack tests with Dr. Herbert Hugh Thompson and Harri Hursti in 2005 and 2006. During the course of the documentary, multiple methods of tampering with the votes are shown.
 


Thursday - December 10, 2015 - Today in History:

1817 - Mississippi was admitted to the Union as the 20th American state.
1845 - British civil engineer Robert Thompson patented the first pneumatic tires.
1869 - Women were granted the right to vote in the Wyoming Territory.
1898 - A treaty was signed in Paris that officially ended the Spanish-American War. Also, Cuba became independent of Spain.
1906 - President Roosevelt became the 1st American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for helping mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War.
1931 - Jane Addams became a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, she was the first American woman to do so.
1941 - Japan invaded the Philippines.
1953 - Hugh Hefner published the first "Playboy" magazine with an investment of $7,600.
1958 - The first domestic passenger jet flight took place in the U.S. when 111 passengers flew from New York to Miami on a National Airlines Boeing 707.
1964 - In Oslo, Norway, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the youngest person to receive the award.
1990 - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved Norplant, a long-acting contraceptive implant.
1994 - Advertising executive Thomas Mosser of North Caldwell, NJ, was killed by a mail bomb that was blamed on the Unabomber.
1995 - The first U.S. Marines arrived in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to join NATO soldiers sent to enforce peace in the former Yugoslavia.
1999 - After three years under suspicion of being a spy for China, computer scientist Wen Ho Lee was arrested. He was charged with removing secrets from the Los Alamos weapons lab. Lee later pled guilty to one count of downloading restricted data to tape and was freed. The other 58 counts were dropped.
2003 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld new restrictions on political advertising in the weeks before an election. The court did strike down two provisions of the new law that involved a ban on political contributions from those too young to vote and a limitation on some party spending. (McConnell v. FEC, 02-1674)
2003 - The U.S. barred firms based in certain countries, opponents of the Iraq war, from bidding on Iraqi reconstruction projects. The ban did not prevent companies from winning subcontracts.
2009 - President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with a humble acknowledgment of his scant accomplishments and a robust defense of the U.S. at war.

World News

Turkish jets strike Kurdish positions in Iraq amid rising tension between Ankara & Baghdad
RT - Ankara carried out airstrikes targeting Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) forces in northern Iraq, the Turkish army said on Wednesday. The action comes in the wake of rising tensions between Ankara and Baghdad over the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq. Ten F-16 fighter jets launched an attack between 10pm and 10:50pm on Tuesday, targeting PKK positions in the Kandil, Hakurk, Zap and Avasin-Baysan regions in northern Iraq, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement. It added that the targets were “destroyed in an aerial campaign.”

Kim Jong Un says N Korea has hydrogen bomb, becomes powerful nuclear state
RT - North Korea has now developed a hydrogen bomb and can use it along with nuclear warheads to defend its sovereignty, the country's central news agency has reported. “We managed to become a great nuclear power capable of defending the independence and national dignity of our homeland by mighty nuclear and hydrogen strikes,” leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the central news agency. He also said North Korea “has to continue with actively developing its military industry.” The statement came as Kim Jong Un was on a tour inspecting an upgraded arms plant in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to TASS quoting the N. Korean central news agency.

Watch: John Kerry Admits American CO2 Cuts Wouldn’t Change Anything
Breitbart - Secretary of State John Kerry made an astounding confession today at the COP-21 climate conference in Paris: Emissions cuts by the U.S. and other industrialized nations will make no difference to global climate, he said. Here are Kerry’s exact words: "… The fact is that even if every American citizen biked to work, carpooled to school, used only solar panels to power their homes, if we each planted a dozen trees, if we somehow eliminated all of our domestic greenhouse gas emissions, guess what – that still wouldn’t be enough to offset the carbon pollution coming from the rest of the world. If all the industrial nations went down to zero emissions –- remember what I just said, all the industrial emissions went down to zero emissions -– it wouldn’t be enough, not when more than 65% of the world’s carbon pollution comes from the developing world." This is the first time such a senior government official has admitted the utter futility of American carbon dioxide emissions cuts. That’s a consequential admission even if you believe the claims of climate alarmists about the danger of emissions.

‘Hopefully, no nukes will be needed’ against ISIS – Putin
RT - Vladimir Putin has praised the Russian cruise missiles fired against terrorists in Syria from the sea. He expressed hope that these weapons would not have to be armed with nuclear warheads. Meeting in the Kremlin with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, who reported the latest results of the anti-Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) ops in Syria, the Russian president made a notable remark. We must analyze everything happening on the battlefield, how the weapons operate. The Kalibrs (sea based cruise missiles) and KH-101 (airborne cruise missile) have proved to be modern and highly effective, and now we know it for sure - precision weapons that can be equipped with both conventional and special warheads, which are nuclear,” Putin said. “Naturally, this is not necessary when fighting terrorists and, I hope, will never be needed,” the president added.

UK: Veterans discard medals at Downing St. in opposition to decision to bomb Syria (Video)
Ruptly TV - Several war veterans representing the organization 'Veterans for Peace' discarded their medals outside Downing Street in London, Tuesday, in protest against the decision made in Parliament last week to bomb Syria. SOT, Veteran throwing his medals outside Downing Street (English): "Innocent, vulnerable, sentient beings are being killed: men, women and children, we cannot sow bloodshed and reap peace, I no longer require these medals." SOT, Ben Griffin, SAS veteran (English): "[Dave, another veteran] he never got over his experience of war, I’m returning his medals also."...

The IMF Just Entered The Cold War - Forgives Ukraine's Debt To Russia
Zero Hedge - The IMF has now been drawn into the U.S. Cold War orbit. On Tuesday it made a radical decision to dismantle the condition that had integrated the global financial system for the past half century... By doing so, it announced its new policy: “We only enforce debts owed in US dollars to US allies.”

Video: Epidemics fears in EU: HIV, polio, cholera & more detected in refugee camps
RT - The influx of asylum seekers has brought health concerns to Europe. About 15% of newly arriving migrants (approx. 200 000 people) require immediate treatment. Doctors admit some of the illnesses have been transmitted by refugees and the EU is not ready to provide its citizens with appropriate treatment. Several diseases represent a real people's life threat: cholera, HIV, Hepatitis A, B, C, E, polio, malaria, leishmaniasis, etc.

Greece evicts 2,300 migrants from Macedonian border camp (VIDEO)
RT - Greek police have conducted an operation near the town of Itomeni on the border with Macedonia aimed at removing and further deporting from Europe more than 2,000 people, designated by officials to be “economic migrants” not coming from war zones.... The migrants who are primarily from non-war-torn Pakistan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria and Bangladesh will be sheltered in an indoor sports stadium and disused premises at the former airbase of Hellinikon in Athens, the statement said, adding that about 350 police officers were deployed to hold the operation.... Greece has decided to remove the migrants from the Macedonian border after Macedonia had started to accept only refugees from war-torn countries: Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Norway Offers to Pay Refugees to Leave: “$9,300 Dollars And Free Flights Home”
Mac Slavo - Frustrated with the influx of migrant refugees from Syria, Somalia and other war-torn countries in the region, Norway is leading a new path against the cultural invasion of Europe. Rather than make empty promises to its citizens about better policies, the Scandanavian nation frequently rated as having the highest standard of living in the world is paying out money for asylum seekers to avert a lengthy bureaucratic wait and just leave instead. As Fox News reports: A family with two children is eligible for up to $9,300 dollars – and free flights home, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration told the media outlet. More than 900 people reportedly have accepted.... Norway has even recently taken to putting out advertisements in the countries of origin to dissuade people from trying to come, on fears that they will be turned away...

Philippines Supreme Court Confirms GMO Eggplant Ban
Sustainable Pulse - The Philippines Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 8, permanently stopped the field testing for Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) talong (eggplant), upholding the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) which stopped the field trials for the genetically modified eggplant.... In its ruling, the High Tribunal also explained its application of the precautionary principle, which holds that “lack of scientific certainty is no reason for inaction at the risk of potentially serious or irreversible harm to the environment.”

U.S. News, Politics & Government

House Weighs Directly Arming Kurds in Northern Iraq, Skirting Baghdad
Bryant Jordan - Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday will take up legislation calling on President Barack Obama to provide weapons and equipment directly to Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq instead of sending them through Baghdad. The Peshmerga have been the most aggressive and committed fighters in the country opposing the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, since the group spread from Syria into Iraq in 2014. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have previously supported efforts to go around the Baghdad government to get arms to them.

Congress to Consider Easing Passage into U.S. for Immigrants
Washington Free Beacon - Congress is set to vote on Thursday on what some have called an “unprecedented” right that would allow immigrants easier access to relocate to the United States, according to new legislation offered by a Democratic senator. The legislation, which is being offered by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.) as an amendment to a larger bill governing nuclear safety, would prohibit the U.S. government from barring any individual from entering the country based on their religion. The bill comes amid a fierce national debate about immigration to America, particularly for individuals coming from Muslim-majority nations.... Congressional critics of the legislation warn that the amendment would facilitate an unprecedented right to immigration that has never existed under U.S. law.

Pentagon to Confer with Justice on Having Women Register for the Draft
Hope Hodge Seck - A new legal analysis released by the Defense Department finds "the landscape … has changed" since a 1981 Supreme Court case ruled that women could be excluded from registering for the draft. The gradual opening of combat positions to female troops, culminating in Defense Secretary Ash Carter's Dec. 3 announcement that all military jobs would open to women, changes the factual context of the male-only draft, the two-page analysis found. Currently, only male United States residents between ages 18 and 26 are required to register for the military draft. The 1981 case Rostker v. Goldberg found the male-only draft to be constitutional because women were excluded from combat by law and policy.

Why Is Nobody Investigating The Russian Air Force Plane Over California and Nevada?
Jeremiah Johnson - As initially reported by Gary Franchi, reporter for N3 the Next News Network, a Russian Air Force jet (a Tupolev Tu-154 M) with a registration with the Russian Air Force (RA 85655) apparently flew in an erratic pattern over U.S. airspace over the weekend, both in California and Nevada. The aircraft varied in flight altitude from 4,500 feet to 10,000 feet, at approximately 445 km/hr. The aircraft flew over San Diego on a 60 degree bearing, then doglegged back and returned again to the original heading but in a zigzag pattern, going around Sacramento. Other “tourist sights” seen in the flight were Edwards AF base, China Lake, a part of Area 51, San Diego’s naval base, the USMC’s 29 Palms, the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, Las Vegas, and the Hoover Dam. The flight of the aircraft was tracked on YouTube by several observers, and the film was visible on fr24.com/82bbdcc@TheAviationist, @ CivMilAir.

Texas Sheriff Urges Residents to Arm Themselves Amid Gun Control Push
Adan Salazar - Responding to Obama’s rare Oval Office Address Sunday, in which the president expressed a desire to curtail American gun rights, Hughes Springs County Sheriff Randy Kennedy uploaded a video commentary to Facebook defending law abiding gun owners. “I know that there are a lot of law-abiding gun owners out there and nobody who is a legal gun owner has ever wanted to harm or kill anyone,” Sheriff Kennedy said. “But I know that we do not seek to harm or kill anyone but nor are we going to allow anyone to seek us out and kill us or do harm to our families.” “So, I strongly encourage you to help me by arming yourselves because I know that we as law enforcement do the very best we can to protect our citizens and we do a good job,” the sheriff continued. Sheriff Kennedy added that armed citizens are essential not only to protecting their families, but to saving law enforcement lives as well....

Pro-Gun Groups to Stage Fake Mass Shooting at University of Texas
Adan Salazar - Gun rights groups are issuing a call for crisis actors to take part in a fake mass shooting at the University of Texas campus in Austin, in an effort to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of gun free zones. Yesterday, pro-Second Amendment groups Come and Take It Texas and DontComply.com announced the “Life and Liberty Event to End Gun Free Zones,” an event which will include a theatrical performance of a mock mass shooting, reports The Hill. A spokesman for the two groups said actors would ... Prior to the event, attendees will also participate in an open carry walk armed with “rifles and legal black powder.” Short said the groups will not be asking permission from the university or the city to hold the event.

Homeland Security Chair: 'We Don't Have the Ability to Monitor' the 2000 Syrian Refugees Already Here
CNS News - Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, says the Obama administration is "playing Russian Roulette with national security" by bringing thousands of Syrian refugees into the country. "I will say 2,000 of them have been brought in already, and we don't have the ability to monitor them," McCaul told Fox News's Sean Hannity Tuesday night. "I think we need to put a pause on the program, put the brakes on it, pass my legislation to ensure the safety of Americans. I've had this both publicly and privately from the intelligence community and law enforcement that this poses a serious and imminent threat to the United States." McCaul says the United States government has information indicating that people tied to terrorist groups in Syria already have tried to get into the U.S. through the refugee program.

Angela Merkel Named TIME’s Person of Year After Opening Borders… Mag Praises German Chancellor: ‘Stands firm against tyranny’
Breitbart - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named Time’s Person of the Year, praised by the magazine for her leadership on everything from Syrian refugees to the Greek debt crisis. “Leaders are tested only when people don’t want to follow,” Time editor Nancy Gibbs said in a statement issued Wednesday. “For asking more of her country than most politicians would dare, for standing firm against tyranny as well as expedience and for providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply, Angela Merkel is TIME’s Person of the Year.” The seven other finalists include Donald Trump, the Black Lives Matter protest movement and Uber’s CEO, Travis Kalanick.
* Related: Trump Accuses Merkel Of "Ruining Germany" In Response To Time "Person Of The Year" Snub

New Mexico Legislators Sue City For Refusing To Follow New Asset Forfeiture Law
Techdirt - Earlier this year, the state of New Mexico passed one of the most solid pieces of asset forfeiture reform legislation in the country. All it asked for was what most people would consider to be common sense: if the government is going to seize assets, the least it could do in return is tie the seizure to a conviction. Now, the state is finding out that bad habits are hard to break. CJ Ciaramella reports that the government is going after another part of the government for its refusal to stop taking stuff without securing a conviction.

California to Allow Consumers to Sue Over Deceptive Food Labels
Natural Blaze - The California Supreme Court ruled recently that under California law, consumers have a right to file lawsuits alleging food products are falsely labeled “organic.”... The basis of the decision was a class-action lawsuit filed by California consumer Michelle Quesada against Herb Thyme Farms Inc. that alleged the company falsely labeled its food, mixing organic and non-organic herbs together under the organic label. Herb Thyme advertises its products as 100% organic, and had received the USDA’s authorization to use the organic label. Prior to the California Supreme Court’s ruling, the law stated that private citizens could only file complaints with the USDA but had no right to sue a company for violating the federal law. A Superior Court judge and the appellate court ruled that such lawsuits would interfere with uniform nationwide standards. The California Supreme Court unanimously disagreed, saying that private suits under state laws actually promote the goals of national organic regulation.

Election News

Poll: 65 Percent Of GOP Likely Primary Voters Support Trump’s Plan
Breitbart - The online survey, conducted for Bloomberg, found that 65 percent of likely GOP voters support Trump’s plan. When the poll participants were told both sides of the argument, support remained almost unchanged at 64 percent. The poll also found that 37 percent likely 2016 voters said they’re more likely to vote for Trump because of his decision to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country. Doug Usher, who runs the group that conducted the poll concluded that the poll, “indicates that, despite some conventional wisdom expressed in the last 48 hours, this is unlikely to hurt Trump, at least in the primary campaign.”

This STUNNING New Pentagon Email Should Disqualify Hillary Clinton for President
Top Right News - A stunning email that had been hidden for more than 3 years by the Obama Administration has been released after legal action by Judicial Watch, and it presents a stunning indictment of Hillary Clinton as un-qualified to be America’s Commander-in-Chief. This critical email shows the Pentagon urgently offering help to the unfolding attack in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. And although it came after the first wave of the attack at the consulate, it occurred before a mortar strike on the CIA annex killed Ty Woods and Glenn Doherty. As Judicial Watch notes, the new email ‘leaves no doubt military assets were offered and ready to go, and awaiting State Department signoff, which did not come.” In other words, the Pentagon was offering military assets that potentially could have saved the lives of American citizens — if only the State Department had signed off.

Rand Paul unleashes on the White House after it dubbed Trump 'disqualified'
Washington Examiner - Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul unleashed on the White House Wednesday after press secretary Josh Earnest suggested Republican front-runner Donald Trump disqualified himself from the 2016 horse race for suggesting the U.S. should temporarily block Muslims from entry. "What he said is disqualifying. And any Republican who's too fearful of the Republican base to admit it has no business serving as president either," Earnest told reporters during a press briefing Tuesday. Paul, whose own amendment to halt visa issuance to individuals seeking to come to the U.S. from 32 Muslim-majority countries failed 10-89 to pass the Senate last Thursday, decided to respond to Earnest's claim on Twitter with a tirade demonstrating why, he believes, President Obama is "unqualified" for the Oval Office. Here are the 10 reasons the Kentucky senator and White House hopeful cited...

Economy & Business

Video: Who’s Afraid of Bitcoin and Peer-to-Peer Lending?
James Corbett - WiredWired has allegedly found elusive Bitcoin creator “Satoshi Nakamoto” in Australia…and less than 24 hours later he’s being raided by the Australian Federal Police. Sadly, given the attempts by the MSM and governments around the world to link the P2P economy to terror, mayhem and criminality, this is hardly surprising.
* Related: Wired: Bitcoin’s Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Is Probably This Unknown Australian Genius

Energy & Environment

2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure
ASCE - Once every four years, America’s civil engineers provide a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s major infrastructure categories in ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure (Report Card). Using a simple A to F school report card format, the Report Card provides a comprehensive assessment of current infrastructure conditions and needs, both assigning grades and making recommendations for how to raise the grades. An Advisory Council of ASCE members assigns the grades according to the following eight criteria: capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience, and innovation. Since 1998, the grades have been near failing, averaging only Ds, due to delayed maintenance and underinvestment across most categories.

Science & Technology

How the TPP Will Affect You and Your Digital Rights
EFF - Below is a list of communities who were excluded from the TPP deliberation process, and some of the main ways that the TPP's copyright and digital policy provisions will negatively impact them. Almost all of these threats already exist in the United States and in many cases have already impacted users there, because the TPP reflects the worst aspects of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The TPP threatens to lock down those policies so these harmful consequences will be more difficult to remedy in future copyright reform efforts in the U.S. and the other eleven TPP countries. The impacts could also be more severe in those other countries because most of them lack the protections of U.S. law such as the First Amendment and the doctrine of fair use.

Cable Company Publicly Shames, Lectures Overdue Customers On Facebook
Techdirt - Apparently bored by the traditional route of collection agencies and courtesy, one Canadian cable operator recently decided to try something different: it started posting the names and account balances of customers with overdue accounts on Facebook. After complaining that it "always get excuses from everybody," Senga Services in Fort Simpson, Canada started posting the notices to all manner of local community Facebook pages. Not content with that, at least one of the company's representatives thought it was a good idea to lecture locals on fiscal responsibility and living "within one's means"...

Health

5 powerful health reasons to eat miso soup everyday
(NaturalHealth365) Miso has been enjoyed on a daily basis by generations as a flavorful and essential component of traditional Japanese cuisine, revered for its health-promoting attributes. Thanks to its generous store of friendly bacteria, essential amino acids, digestive enzymes, vitamins and absorbable protein, miso has been effectively used to treat a host of diseases and conditions, including heart disease and cancer.

Top 20 Addictive Foods: Are You Hooked?
Green Med Info - Can't resist a slice – or two or three – of pizza? You may well be addicted. Researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan and the New York Obesity Research Center at the Mount Sinai – St. Luke's Hospital in New York wanted to know what foods felt addictive to real people. They posited that highly processed foods may trigger an addictive response in some people that leads to unintended overeating. And they observed that these foods share common traits with highly addictive drugs.

Why the U.S. Doesn’t Crack Down on Toxic Chemicals
Dr. Mercola - The United States permits more than 84,000 chemicals to be used in household products, cosmetics, food, and food packaging, and a majority of these have never been tested for safety. More than 10,000 chemical additives with questionable safety — as most have never been tested in humans — are allowed in food and food packaging alone. Roughly 13,000 chemicals are used in cosmetics, of which only 10 percent have been evaluated for safety. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 85 percent of new chemical applications include no testing whatsoever.... What little safety testing is done is typically done on chemicals in isolation, and scientific investigations reveal this is a major mistake that generates a false sense of security, because when chemicals are combined, their synergistic toxicity can increase exponentially. It's thought that 1 in 5 cancers may be caused by exposure to environmental chemicals, and according to a recent study published in the journal Carcinogenesis, this includes chemicals deemed "safe" on their own.


Wednesday - December 9, 2015 - Today in History:

1803 - The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. Congress. With the amendment Electors were directed to vote for a President and for a Vice-President rather than for two choices for President.
1907 - Christmas Seals went on sale for the first time, in the Wilmington, DE, post office.
1940 - During World War II, British troops opened their first major offensive in North Africa.
1941 - China declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy.
1958 - In Indianapolis, IN, Robert H.W. Welch Jr. and 11 other men met to form the anti-Communist John Birch Society.
1975 - U.S. President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent New York City from having to default.
1990 - The first American hostages to be released by Iraq began arriving in the U.S.
1992 - Clair George, former CIA spy chief, was convicted of lying to Congress about the Iran-Contra affair. Pres. George H.W. Bush later pardoned George.
1992 - U.S. troops arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia, to oversee delivery of international food aid, in operation 'Restore Hope'.
1993 - The U.S. Air Force destroyed the first of 500 Minuteman II missile silos that were marked for elimination under an arms control treaty.
1993 - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor completed repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope.
1999 - The U.S. announced that it was expelling a Russian diplomat that had been caught gathering information with an eavesdropping device at the U.S. State Department.
2002 - United Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing $4 billion in the previous two years. It was the sixth largest bankruptcy filing.
2013 - AMR Corporation and US Airways Group completed a merger and was listed on the NASDAQ as American Airlines Group, Inc

World News

Iraqi parliament defense committee calls to review & cancel security agreement with US - MP
RT - The Iraqi parliament's Security and Defense Committee has called for a review and cancelation of the agreement with Washington on security, a committee member has stated. Iraq needs either to overhaul the terms of the agreement on security or annul it, Hamid Mutlak, an Iraqi Parliamentarian and member of the Defense and Security Committee told Sputnik. “The [Iraqi] government and the parliament need to be review its security agreement with the US, because Washington is not serious about its implementation. We will demand its cancelation,” Mutlak stated. He also commented on the deployment of the Turkish troops in Iraq. "Iraq will be defended only by its sons, but Turkey will withdraw [its troops], since the land of Iraq is sacred, and its sovereignty is a red line. We have a right to give this issue an international character and to demand from the UN Security Council the withdrawal of Turkish troops," he said.

34 Syrian civilians reported killed in suspected US-led coalition airstrikes
RT - The death toll from a suspected US-coalition airstrike on a Syrian village could be as high as 34, according to local sources. The US military say they are investigating the allegations. The alleged attack by US-led coalition forces on the Syrian village of Al-Khan was carried out on Monday. Western sources have put the death toll at 26, but Syrian political commentator Alaa Ebrahim said the figure is likely to be even higher.... Ebrahim believes if the US-led coalition is responsible, this would prove to be a boost for Syrian President Bashar Assad’s claims that all forces against IS must unite with Damascus in order to work effectively.

It Will Take 10 Years To Recapture Mosul From ISIS, US Army Officer Says
Zero Hedge - According to one US soldier who fought in Mosul from 2005 to 2006, all of the "loose talk" about retaking the city from ISIS is wishful thinking. "Look at the stories from Fallujah — a city that is 20 percent the size of Mosul," he cautions adding that even if the city could be captured and sealed off from ISIS supply lines, troops would need to "settle in for a siege and a ten-year war of attrition."

Russia strikes ISIS targets in Syria from sub in Mediterranean for first time (VIDEO)
RT - Russia has, for the first time, targeted Islamic State targets in Syria with Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles launched from a submarine in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Russia’s Defense Minister.... “We can say with absolute confidence that significant damage has been inflicted upon ammunition warehouses and a mine production plant, as well as the oil infrastructure.”

Downed Su-24’s black box to reveal truth about Turkey’s treacherous strike – Putin
RT - The flight recorder of the Russian Su-24 recently downed by Turkey in Syria has been recovered and presented to President Putin, who said it must be opened in the presence of international experts to reveal truth about the treacherous “stab in the back.” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with the recovered flight recorder on Tuesday during their meeting in Moscow. Shoigu said that Russia has been actively conducting operations on Syrian territory, where the Russian Su-24 pilot was “gunned down” by Turkmen militants after he had ejected from the plane. “As a result of this work, these territories were liberated by the special operations forces and the Syrian army’s special force tasked with the crew search. Surveying the area, the Syrian military found the plane’s crash site,” he said. The militants, who “actively” fled the area, had no chance to dismantle anything which was among the debris from the plane, the minister added.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Video: The Truth About The San Bernardino Terrorist Attack — What they're not telling you
Joe Biggs - Infowars reporter Joe Biggs breaks down the extensive list of strange and unusual occurrences surrounding the terror attacks that took place in San Bernardino, Calif.

'Craft Intl mercenaries carried out San Bernardino shooting'
Press TV - Mercenaries from the Craft International, a tactical training company for the US military, carried out last week’s false flag operation in San Bernardino, California, according to Steven D Kelley, a former NSA/CIA contractor.... Kelley told Press TV on Tuesday that the shooting “is just one in a long string of false flag events that I am afraid to say are not over.” “We’ll probably be seeing several more before the end of the year, because of the events that are going on in the world, specifically with the NATO being implicated in the buying of oil from Daesh and other events,” he stated. “So when these things happen they need to have a rapid response which requires a false flag attack. This was very obvious that this was going to happen,” the analyst added.
* Related: Flashback: Private Military Contractors Under Suspicion at Boston Bombing

Video: ISIS Funded by the West and Turkey (Redsilverj)
Redsilverj - We need people to understand this first... the talking points are distractions..

1 Christian: 236 of 237 Syrian Refugees Admitted Since Paris Attacks Are Muslims
CNS News - Since the Paris terror attacks on November 13, the State Department has admitted 237 Syrian refugees into the United States – 236 Sunni Muslims and one Christian (0.4 percent), according to data from the State Department Refugee Processing Center. The Christian, a Greek Orthodox individual, is the sole non-Sunni Muslim admitted to the U.S. since the attack, which fueled concerns that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL) may move terrorists into Western nations under the cover of refugee resettlement programs.

House tightens controls on visa-free travel to U.S.
The News & Observer - The House has approved legislation tightening controls on travel to the U.S. and requiring visas for anyone who's been in Iraq or Syria in the previous five years. The bill was approved 407-19. It takes aim at the "visa waiver" program, which allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. without first obtaining a visa. Belgium and France, home to most of the perpetrators of the Paris attacks, are among the participating countries.

One Billion Dollars Later, Government Audit Finds Biological Terrorism Detection System Unreliable
AllGov - The BioWatch system consists of 600 air-collection units positioned at public places and special events, such as Super Bowls. Homeland Security spent $1 billion on the system, claiming it can detect deadly biological agents released into the atmosphere. That assertion has been challenged by the GAO, which says that BioWatch often produces false alarms because it cannot distinguish between “harmless germs and the lethal pathogens that terrorists would be likely to unleash in an attack."

Cops Fighting Mandatory Drug Tests – Claim it’s ‘Unconstitutional’ to Screen Police Urine
The Free Thought Project - In an unprecedented protest against the routine offenses against due process and bodily integrity carried out in the name of the “war on drugs,” the union representing Pittsburgh police officers has condemned workplace drug and alcohol testing as a violation of the Constitution. Their zeal for the right to privacy only applies to themselves, however, not to the public they supposedly serve. NBC affiliate WPXI reports that the Pittsburgh Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police “has filed a civil rights grievance against the city, claiming officers have been order to undergo drug and alcohol testing that is in violation of their contract.” Union attorney Bryan Campbell describes the policy as “an illegal search and seizure.”

Ole Miss renames Christmas event because it ‘connoted too much Christianity’
Campus Reform - For more than six years, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) has celebrated the start of the Christmas season with a festive event called “A Grand Ole Christmas.” This year, however, the event was renamed “Hotty Toddy Holiday” in an effort to be more inclusive. “We really wanted to change the atmosphere from last year and that would explain the name change,” Kayp Maye, co-director of special events for the Student Activities Association (SAA), told News Watch 99. “‘Grand Ole Christmas’ connoted too much Christianity on campus and so we wanted to have a more inclusive environment for the holidays this year.” In addition to the name change, Maye noted that the official colors of this year’s festivities were red, blue, and silver, which he described as part of an effort to “attract a more mature audience” with a Winter Wonderland, rather than Christmas, theme.... The choice of “Hotty Toddy Holiday” as the new name is a reference to a popular cheer used by Ole Miss football fans, but its origins are difficult to trace, according to AL.com.

Election News

Ted Cruz introduces ‘common sense’ bill letting governors reject refugees
RT - Senator Ted Cruz on Tuesday presented the State Refugee Security Act of 2015, a bill empowering governors to “opt out” of refugee programs. But the press conference ended with a focus on Donald Trump’s plan for a total ban on Muslim immigration to the US. “If President Barack Obama wants to send refugees to a certain state, the governor could refuse to participate,” Cruz, a Texas Republican, told reporters Tuesday. The presidential candidate sat beside Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who supported the legislation. To “protect authority of the states,” Cruz said governors should be allowed “to conclude that the federal government has not done a sufficient job ensuring that the safety and security of the citizens of the state will be protected.” Cruz also highlighted two other recent bills. One lays down a three-year freeze on accepting refugees from countries such as Syria or Iraq, where the Islamic State covers considerable territory. The other is a bill to remove the citizenship of Americans who travel abroad to fight for a terrorist organization.

Watch As The White House Says "Fake Hair" Trump's Comments "Disqualify Him From Serving As President"
Zero Hedge - White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest lambasted Donald Trump's "carnival barker routine" Tuesday, as Mediaite.com reports Earnest proclaiming the Republican presidential candidate's recent proposal to ban Muslims from the United States is "disqualifying." But the bastion of respectability did not stop there... "The Trump campaign, for some time now, has had a 'dustbin of history'-like quality to it, from the vacuous sloganeering, to the outright lies; even the fake hair," Earnest said, adding the pertinent question is whether Republicans are "going to be dragged into the dustbin of history" with the Trump campaign. Earnest told reporters that Trump’s proposal shows the business mogul is incapable of preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution, and thus “disqualifies him from serving as president.” Earnest - reading this straight from his notes - explains...

GOP Panic? Republican 'Operatives' Unleash "Anti-Trump" Super-PAC
Zero Hedge - It appears Donald Trump's latest outburst has pushed the GOP to hit the panic button (just as we warned was probable). Just four months after Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus said that Donald Trump is offering his party’s voters a breath of fresh air, WSJ reports that Republican 'operative' Liz Mair is launching "Trump Card LLC" - a SuperPAC aimed at torpedo-ing The Donald's campaign. Mr. Trump’s durability at the top of polls has surprised establishments Republicans, who are starting to push back. As The Wall Street Journal reports... Liz Mair, former online communications director for the Republican National Committee, created a limited liability company in October called Trump Card LLC - a super PAC that could collect unlimited funds from individual donors. The anti-Trump effort is focusing on the two states hosting the earliest nominating contests, Iowa and New Hampshire... Ms. Mair has declined to identify any sources of funding for the limited liability company, but a new super PAC would eventually have to disclose contributions and expenses to the Federal Election Commission.

Poll: Donald Trump nearly doubles lead in New Hampshire
(CNN) - Donald Trump has a growing lead among likely primary voters in New Hampshire, and both he and Marco Rubio have gained ground in the state since September, according to a new CNN/WMUR poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Overall, 32% say they support Trump (up 6 points since September), with Rubio a distant second place with 14% (up 5 points). That 18-point lead is almost double the 10-point lead Trump held in September over businesswoman [corporatist fraud] Carly Fiorina.

Ted Cruz: I’d Hire Donald Trump To Negotiate Trade Deals
Breitbart - Sen. Ted Cruz says if he’s president, he’ll have real estate magnate and current national GOP frontrunner Donald Trump on his team in more ways than one: working on trade and immigration. Last week, Cruz vowed on Jeffrey Kuhner’s radio program that he would hire Trump to build the wall along the southern border with Mexico. “There is no doubt that Donald Trump would be a phenomenal negotiator with China and if you look at TPP [Trans Pacific Partnership], I have come out against TPP, it is an incredibly long and complicated mess of a bill,” Cruz told Breitbart News when asked if Trump would make a good negotiator for the nation’s trade deals.... Earlier in the day, during a press availability in his Greenville office, Cruz reiterated he has no plans whatsoever—as many other candidates have tried but failed doing—to attack Trump.... A poll from Monmouth University released this week shows Cruz with a five-point lead over Trump in Iowa. Cruz’s 24 percent in that poll is five points better than Trump’s 19 percent.
* Related: Trump holds 13-point lead in the latest CNN/ORC Iowa poll

Economy & Business

Guess What Happened The Last Time Junk Bonds Started Crashing Like This? Hint: Think 2008
Economic Collapse - The extreme carnage that we are witnessing in the junk bond market right now is one of the clearest signals yet that a major U.S. stock market crash is imminent. For those that are not familiar with “junk bonds”, please don’t get put off by the name. They aren’t really “junk”. They simply have a higher risk and thus a higher return than other bonds of the same type.... If stocks are going to crash, you would expect to see a junk bond crash first. This happened in 2008, and it is happening again right now. On Monday, a high yield bond ETF known as JNK crashed through the psychologically important 35.00 barrier for the very first time since the last financial crisis. On Tuesday, high yield bonds had their worst day in three months, and JNK plummeted all the way down to 34.44.

Did Merrill Lynch Just Cancel Christmas?
Zero Hedge - From "Thundering Herd" to thundering-mad. Having recently laid off 100s of staff and cut compensation plans, AdvisorHub reports that Mother Merrill may be canceling Christmas for its roughly 14,500 brokers - "we’re hearing that in many regions the Bank of America-owned brokerage firm has sent out word that there will be no Merrill-financed holiday parties this year." Such Grinch-like moves have little precedent, and brokers in some areas have retaliated. One large office in the New York area quietly arranged a party but was so cautious that it issued no email invitations and kept it so far below the radar “for fear of Big Brother ‘catching them” that a good number of people “missed the event amidst general disarray,” a well-connected source tells us.... Interestingly, Bank of America’s wealth management business is having a very good year, booking a profit margin of 24% last quarter, better than archrival Morgan Stanley’s 22%. Perhaps what’s changed is parent company expectations.

Energy & Environment

Control rod failures force shutdown of New York nuclear power plant
legitgov - Entergy 'not yet clear' on what caused problem. One of the Indian Point nuclear power plant's reactors was shut down over the weekend after several control rods lost power, the plant owner said, marking the latest in a series of mishaps at the suburban New York nuclear plant this year. Control room operators shut down the Indian Point 2 reactor around 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, owner Entergy Corp. said in a statement, adding the reactor did what it's intended to do if control rods lose electricity. Entergy reported no radiation was released into the environment, said Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has complained that there have been too many problems at Indian Point and has called for closing down the plant. [I wouldn't believe anything Entergy said if its tongue came notarized.]

Science & Technology

Google Exec Proposes Algorithms to Weed Out Online Terrorism, Hate Speech
Sputnik News - In an op-ed for the New York Times, Eric Schmidt, the Executive Chairman of Alphabet (the company which owns Google), has called for the introduction of programs and policies which would allow tech firms and law enforcement agencies to put measures in place to fight terrorism and hate speech.... The article came out after Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton urged Silicon Valley last week to "disrupt ISIS (ISIL/Daesh)", calling the terrorist organization the "world's best recruiter". She told an audience at the Brookings Institution, a DC think tank, that doing this would necessitate "depriving jihadists of virtual territory" by cutting their means of communications. She added, "They are using websites, social media, chat rooms and other platforms to celebrate beheadings, recruit future terrorists and call for attacks. We should work with host companies to shut them down."

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

US FDA Deregulates 2 More GE Corn Strains, Unleashing More Toxic Crops on America
Natural Society - Though the FDA stated in September that it planned to implement more strict protocols for permitting GE wheat strains due to non-GMO crops being contaminated through cross pollination, they have apparently decided the two more GMO corn varieties don’t pose the same exact threat! The agency’s comparative laxity in deregulating the GE corn strains is in stark contrast to increasing worldwide concern over GE crops and the increased pesticide use they reportedly bring. Here’s the big shocker – the infiltrated US FDA decided that Monsanto’s rootworm and glyphosate-resistant strain, MON 87411, merits a non-regulated status. The agency also sold us all out to the Swiss biotech company by deregulating Syngenta’s glyphosate-resistant strain, MZHGOJG.

Health

Artificial Sweeteners Contribute to Diabetes
ANH-USA - Microbes in our gastrointestinal tract power our immune systems and keep our insulin and blood sugar in balance. Aspartame and other manufactured no-calorie sweeteners are killing them.... An important study published in the journal Nature shows that all artificial sweeteners actually induce glucose intolerance, which leads to type 2 diabetes. A team of immunologists, molecular geneticists, and digestive tract disease specialists found that consumption of products containing artificial sweeteners actually change the composition and function of our intestinal microbiota.... One widely used NAS, aspartame (marketed under the names NutraSweet and Equal) is an ingredient in approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide, including...

Try Nature's Flu Shot Instead of a Toxic Jab - 9 Ways To Keep Your Immune System Strong
Dave Mihalovic - There's a long list of reasons why flu vaccines don't work. Besides unquestionably interfering with your immune system, they increase infection rates and hamper flu prevention more than any other intervention that exists. Nature has the ultimate flu shot with pure, ultra immune boosting power that a vaccine can never match.

Social isolation and loneliness cause chronic disease and early mortality
(NaturalHealth365) New scientific data confirms that feeling lonely increases the risk of premature death at all ages. Additionally, a study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science found there was no difference in actual and perceived social isolation. In fact, early mortality was a risk for both.... The study included quantitative data for a period of 34 years on mortality as affected by loneliness, social isolation, and living alone. The increased likelihood of mortality was 29 percent, 26 percent, and 32 percent respectively. Results were consistent across gender, length of follow-up, and world region. Social deficits were more predictive of death in people under the age of 65 – something that should be taken very seriously.... Another groundbreaking study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal confirmed for the first time that loneliness triggers biological changes that make people sick with chronic disease. The study found that white blood cells are disrupted due to the “fight or flight” response. Genes responsible for inflammation and fighting off illness is also responsible for loneliness.

Pet News

This Kitty Condition Can Be Fatal If Not Caught Immediately
Dr. Becker - I read a rather disturbing article recently about the side effects of anti-anxiety medications given to indoor cats. The article said not a word about the causes of feline stress or how to prevent the problem... It simply described the signs to look for, and then went on to talk about the increase in recent years of serotonin syndrome in house cats. Serotonin syndrome is a potentially fatal condition in which there is excessive nerve cell activity. It is usually caused by the use of antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). In the traditional veterinary community, these drugs are prescribed (and in my opinion, over-prescribed) to treat behaviors including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
 


Tuesday - December 8, 2015 - Today in History:

1776 - George Washington's retreating army in the American Revolution crossed the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
1854 - Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The theory holds that Mary, mother of Jesus, was free of original sin from the moment she was conceived.
1863 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction of the South.
1941 - The United States entered World War II when it declared war against Japan. The act came one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Britain and Canada also declared war on Japan.
1953 - Los Angeles became the third largest city in the United States.
1982 - Norman D. Mayer demanding an end to nuclear weapons held the Washington Monument hostage. He threatened to blow it up with explosives he claimed were inside a van. 10 hours later he was shot to death by police.
1987 - U.S. President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed a treaty agreeing to destroy their nations' arsenals of intermediate-range nuclear missiles.
1992 - Americans got to see live television coverage of U.S. troops landing on the beaches of Somalia during Operation Restore Hope. (Due to the time difference, it was December 9 in Somalia.)
1993 - U.S. President Clinton signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement.
1998 - The FBI opened its files on Frank Sinatra to the public. The file contained over 1,300 pages.
1999 - In Memphis, TN, a jury found that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been the victim of a vast murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin.
2008 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told the Guantanamo war crimes tribunal he would confess to masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks; four other men also abandoned their defenses.

World News

Illegal Turkish Troops Remain in Iraq After Partial Withdrawal
Sputnik News - Turkish troops remain in Iraq despite a partial withdrawal, Iraq's Defense Ministry spokesman Nuseir Nouri told Sputnik Arabic. In a convoluted statement, the spokesman first denied that Turkish troops were present in Iraq, then saying that there are troops protecting the camps training Masoud Barzani-linked fighters. On Friday, up to 150 Turkish military personnel had been deployed in northern Iraq's Nineveh province allegedly to provide training to the fighters.... On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi gave Turkey 24 hours to withdraw its troops from Iraq to avoid the matter being reviewed by the UN Security Council. Turkey has refused to do so.
* Related: Iraqi Forces on Standby to Take Action if Turkey Refuses to Withdraw Troops

Finns could receive €800 as basic monthly income
RT - Finland is planning to pay each citizen €800 (US$870) per month as a national basic income. The sum will be the same for everyone, regardless of a person’s income level, and is expected to replace welfare benefits. The proposal is set to be presented in November 2016, although for the moment it is not clear how the country will handle the exorbitant costs of €52.2 billion a year for 5.4 million Finnish people – €47 million counting adults only. Finland’s revenue for 2016 is expected to reach €49.1 billion, and the predictions for the country’s financial situation are grim.

Syria slams US-led coalition deadly strike against troops as 'act of aggression'
RT - Damascus has labelled as an “act of aggression” the US-led coalition’s missile strike which killed three Syrian soldiers at an army base in the Deir ez Zor province. On top of the fatalities, 13 personnel were injured and a number of military vehicles were destroyed when warplanes fired nine missiles at the Saeqa military camp. The incident is the first of its kind since the coalition started to bomb Syrian territory more than a year ago, though the US-led alliance continues to deny it carried out the airstrike.
* Related: US Blames Russia After Syria Slams Airstrike on Government Forces

Singapore greenlights US spy plane deployment amid South China Sea tensions
RT - Under the agreement reached by Washington and Singapore, an American P-8 Poseidon military aircraft will be deployed to Singapore later this month for stepping up maritime security in the South China Sea region, a joint statement said on Monday, according to Reuters. Both US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Singapore's defense minister, Ng Eng Hen has expressed satisfaction with the results of their meeting also mentioning that further deployments in Singapore could be expected… Beijing claims control over most of the South China Sea, which includes most of the sea routes supplying China with energy resources and a number of island rich in natural resources… The US claims China’s actions pose a threat to freedom of navigation in the region and refuses to acknowledge Beijing’s sovereignty over the islands.

China "Disappears" More Bank Executives As Witch Hunt Intensifies
Zero Hedge - “CITIC Securities is not able to contact two of its top executives, China's biggest brokerage said on Sunday, following media reports that they had been asked by authorities to assist in an investigation,” Reuters says, adding that Jun Chen - Citic’s head of investment banking - and Jianlin Yan - who runs investment banking at the company's overseas unit - have been unreachable since at least Friday. As is usually the case when Beijing "disappears" some folks, no one is sure whether Jianlin and Jun are implicated in the probe or whether they are merely "assisting" authorities. Here's Reuters again: "Chinese business publication Caixin said on Friday the pair had been detained, although it was not clear whether they were subjects of an investigation or merely being asked to assist with it."

Venezuela elections: opposition handed mandate for change after landslide win
The Guardian - Venezuela faces a new political landscape after a landslide opposition victory in parliamentary elections… The result marked the first time in 16 years that supporters of the late president Hugo Chávez had lost its majority in the 167-seat unicameral national assembly… Maduro will still maintain control of the executive and judicial branches of government, including the supreme court. But a simple majority in the assembly will be enough for the opposition to influence government spending and censure cabinet ministers. It will also allow them to pass an amnesty law to free political prisoners jailed for their dissent of Maduro’s government – which opposition leaders have said will be their first move once they are sworn in.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

San Bernardino LA Shooting - 3 hours of uninterrupted LIVE news coverage
YouTube - Raw San Bernardino LA shooting complete coverage from different sources including SWAT, PD, Sheriff, probation, ATF, bomb squad and many others with suspect shot during shootouts with police including Police scanner audio. This is a link to a YouTube video with 3 hours of uninterrupted live news coverage from a local news station. It gives an excellent perspective on what was going on in the hours just after the shooting, and the moments that led up to the "shootout".. Watch the entire video when you have time. throughout the entire incident, witnesses say 3 shooters.

Low on Ammo: US Running Out of Bombs While Daesh Thriving
Sputnik News - Wasting its limited military resources on a "failed strategy" puts the US national security at increasing risk in case of a full-scale war, national security analyst Daniel L. Davis wrote for the National Interest. Citing an article on USA Today, Davis points out that the US Air Force has fired over 20 thousand bombs and missiles against Daesh (ISIL/Islamic State) targets in Syria and Iraq since August 2014, leaving its stock of munitions depleted and "prompting the service to scour depots around the world for more weapons and to find money to buy them." The US Department of Defense will now have to divert money that would have been otherwise spent on training troops and maintaining combat readiness on replacing the spent munitions, according to Davis.

Outsourced: Putting Civilians in US Troop Support Jobs Could Save Billions, Report Says
Defense One - Replacing military personnel in Defense Department support jobs with civilian employees could eventually save the federal government billions annually, according to a new Congressional Budget Office analysis. Converting 80,000 full-time jobs held by active-duty service members to civilian positions could yield between $3.1 billion and $5.7 billion per year in eventual savings, the nonpartisan CBO estimated. CBO analyzed compensation costs, including pay, health insurance, and other benefits that military personnel and civilian employees receive.

Declassified CIA Manual Shows How US Uses Bureaucracy to Destabilize Governments
Activist Post - When most people think of CIA sabotage, they think of coups, assassinations, proxy wars, armed rebel groups, and even false flags — not strategic stupidity and purposeful bureaucratic ineptitude. However, according to a declassified document from 1944, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which later became the CIA, used and trained a curious breed of “citizen-saboteurs” in occupied nations like Norway and France. The World War II-era document, called Simple Sabotage Field Manual, outlines ways in which operatives can disrupt and demoralize enemy administrators and police forces. The first section of the document, which can be read in its entirety here, addresses “Organizations and Conferences” — and how to turn them into a “dysfunctional mess”...

San Bernardino False Flag: Multiple Witnesses Reported Three White Men Shooting
Kurt Nimmo and Adan Salazar - As the event unfolded last week early reports indicated there were three people involved in the shooting.... An eyewitness account by Sally Abdelmageed, a worker at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, reported “three men dressed in all black, military attire, with vests on they were holding assault rifles. As soon as they opened up the doors to building three… one of them… started to shoot into the room.” Abdelmageed said “I couldn’t see a face, he had a black hat on… black cargo pants, the kind with the big puffy pockets on the side… long sleeve shirt… glove… huge assault rifle… six magazines… I just saw three dressed exactly the same.” “It looked like their skin color was white. They look like they were athletic build and they appeared to be tall,” she told CBS News.... Another witness backed up Abdelmageed’s story. Juan Hernandez told a local NBC affiliate he saw “three white men in military fatigues” leaving the scene...

ACLU Opposes the No-Fly List, But Is Okay with Using It to Take People's Guns
Reason - Even though the ACLU opposes the no-fly list—and is suing the federal government for violating the due process rights of several people on it—the civil liberties advocacy group is theoretically okay with depriving people on the list of their gun rights. A spokesperson for the ACLU told Buzzfeed News that the organization had no formal position on legislation, supported by the Obama administration, which would deny the right to purchase firearms to people on the no-fly list… Libertarian-leaning Republican Rep. Justin Amash criticized the ACLU for its inconsistencies on Twitter… Amash also wrote: “Putting someone on the no-fly list without due process and infringing on someone’s right to keep and bear arms without due process are both wrong.” He’s exactly right. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many consistent defenders of universal due process outside the libertarian sphere.

Obama, Six Years Later, Calls Fort Hood a Terrorist Attack
CNS News - More than six years after a Muslim army major shot dead 13 people at Fort Hood, President Obama on Sunday night – for what may be the first time – publicly identified it as a terrorist attack. In his primetime Oval Office address on the threat of terrorism in the wake of last week’s attack in San Bernardino, California, Obama said the threat had evolved in the years since 9/11. “As we’ve become better at preventing complex attacks like 9/11, terrorists turn to less complicated acts of violence like the mass shootings that are all too common in our society,” he said. “It is this type of attack that we saw at Fort Hood in 2009, in Chattanooga earlier this year and now in San Bernardino.”

Homeland Security Introduces New Terror Alert Warning System
Kurt Nimmo - Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has announced a new terror threat warning system. It replaces the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) that replaced the original cartoonish color-coded terror warning system instituted after September 11, 2011.

Video: Latest Update from the Hammond family – BLM Destroying Ranches by Fire
Ammon Bundy - This BLM fire reportedly killed more than 80 head of cattle. Put ranchers trying to save their cattle in extreme danger, injured other cattle, burnt homes and structures, burnt fences and power poles and threatened the town of Frenchglen.

Syrian Refugees Arriving in Texas Despite Governor’s Orders
Breitbart - Despite the order to the contrary from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Syrian refugees will begin arriving in at least two Texas cites on Monday. The arrival follows last week’s withdrawal of a request for a restraining order by the Texas attorney general. Twelve Syrian refugees are set to meet up with their families who already live in the Houston and Dallas areas later on Monday. An additional nine Syrians are set to arrive in Houston on Thursday, according to KHOU-CBS11 in Houston.

Gulf Cartel Kidnapped 21 Migrants on Way to Texas
Breitbart - Cartel gunmen kidnapped 21 Mexican migrants that had hoped to cross illegally into Texas. The gunmen had been holding them for ransom for several days in the Mexican border city of Reynosa until the Mexican army rescued them. In a separate raid, authorities arrested 25 other aliens.... Just one day before the rescue of the 21 migrants, Tamaulipas police officers arrested 25 illegal immigrants from El Salvador and HOnduras who were preparing to cross into Texas.... The illegal aliens were turned over to Mexican Immigration (Instituto Nacional de Migracion INM) authorities to oversee their deportation.

Cops Respond to Hostage Situation by Killing the Victim - Who Had a Lawsuit Against Them
The Free Thought Project - The only casualty of an hours-long SWAT raid and hostage situation in Neenah, Wisconsin was a disabled veteran who had filed a $50 million civil rights suit after he survived a similar SWAT raid three years ago. Michael Funk, a co-owner of Eagle Nation Cycles, was shot and killed by police after being held hostage for several hours on December 5… A suspect was taken into custody at about 1:00 PM. His name has not been released, nor has the name of the officer who killed Funk. The official story is that Funk, who had a concealed carry license, refused to drop his gun in response to police commands after he fled the building. According to the preliminary police account, the still-unidentified officer who killed Funk was shot and suffered trivial injuries. It isn’t known how the hostage situation began.

Election News

Donald Trump Calls for ‘Complete Shutdown Of Muslims Entering the United States’
Breitbart - In a statement released Monday, Trump pointed to a poll from Center for Security Policy to show that segments of the Muslim population detest Americans. According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population. Most recently, a poll from the Center for Security Policy released data showing “25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad” and 51% of those polled, “agreed that Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to Shariah.” Trump reiterated in the statement that America must understand radical Islam before allowing Muslims into the country. Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.

Report: Jeb Bush Website Redirects to Donald Trump Campaign Page
Breitbart - A website with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s name is redirecting visitors to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump’s campaign page. “A site with the domain name JebBush.com redirects to the real estate mogul’s official presidential campaign page, donaldjtrump.com, and features Trump’s slogan with options to support or donate to his campaign,” reports The Hill. Bush’s official campaign website is Jeb2016.com.

Hillary Clinton Urges Silicon Valley to ‘Disrupt’ ISIS
NY Times - Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that the Islamic State had become “the most effective recruiter in the world” and that the only solution was to engage American technology companies in blocking or taking down militant websites, videos and encrypted communications. “You are going to hear all the familiar complaints: ‘freedom of speech,’ ” Mrs. Clinton said in an hour long speech and question-and-answer session at the Saban Forum, an annual gathering at the Brookings Institution that focuses mostly on Israel’s security issues.

Economy & Business

Guess What Happened The Last Time The Price Of Oil Plunged Below 38 Dollars A Barrel?
Economic Collapse - On Monday, the price of U.S. oil dropped below 38 dollars a barrel for the first time in six years. The last time the price of oil was this low, the global financial system was melting down and the U.S. economy was experiencing the worst recession that it had seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. As I write this article, the price of U.S. oil is sitting at $37.65. For months, I have been warning that the crash in the price of oil would be extremely deflationary and would have severe consequences for the global economy. Nations such as Japan, Canada, Brazil and Russia have already plunged into recession, and more than half of all major global stock market indexes are down at least 10 percent year to date. The first major global financial crisis since 2009 has begun, and things are only going to get worse as we head into 2016.

Peter Schiff Warns: "The Whole Economy Has Imploded... Collapse Is Coming"
Mac Slavo - Back before 2008 Peter Schiff was harshly criticized and laughed at for his predictions about a coming economic collapse. Among other things Schiff warned that consumer spending had hit a wall, stocks were overpriced and lax credit lending practices would lead to a detonation of the banking system. Shortly thereafter, of course, Schiff was vindicated and much of the doom he had forecast came to pass… The reality is that the American economy is on its last leg. Black Friday sales were pitiful, some of the world’s leading companies are warning of recession, and U.S. national debt will soon surpass $20 Trillion. Just as was the case before the Crash of 2008, all of the signs are there. And just like before, the stock market continues to hover near all-time highs. If you’ve been paying attention you know what happens next.

Energy & Environment

Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Nestlé from Stealing 1,838,451,342 Gallons of Water in CA
Natural Society - The US Forest Service was allowing Nestlé to extract water and sell it back to Californians even though the company’s permit to do so had been expired in 1988. Though Nestlé ‘s permit was waiting in a pile of other permit applications, activists sued the National Forest Service when news of Nestlé’s extreme level of greed first came to light. They were also incensed because Nestlé has a long history of tapping public water supplies and then selling the water back to the public at an exorbitant cost. Nestlé’s recent tapping of the San Bernardino National Forest reserve means that the company essentially stole 1,838,451,342 gallons of water from the public trust.

Science & Technology

James Clapper has found another reason why he lied about NSA spying
The Register - Speaking during a panel discussion last week, Clapper's general counsel Robert Litt said that Clapper had not had time to prepare an answer to the question posed to him by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) about storing data on Americans. "We were notified the day before that Sen. Wyden was going to ask this question and the director of national intelligence did not get a chance to review it," Litt said, according to The Hill. "He was hit unaware by the question. After this hearing I went to him and I said, 'Gee, you were wrong on this.' And it was perfectly clear that he had absolutely forgotten the existence of the 215 program." If that answer sounds incredibly unlikely, it is actually more plausible than the other four reasons Clapper has given over why he denied the existence of the NSA's spying programs.

World Scientists Call for Moratorium, but No Ban, on Inheritable Gene Editing of Humans
AllGov - The organizing committee for the International Summit on Human Gene Editing, a gathering of several hundred scientists and ethicists last week in Washington, urged a moratorium on gene editing in what’s called the germline—eggs, sperm and embryos—of humans until more research can be done on its effects. Unlike gene therapy, which is currently practiced for some medical conditions, gene editing actually transforms the DNA of its subject and those changes are passed down to subsequent generations and thus affect the world’s gene pool, potentially altering the very nature of the human species… In spite of the committee’s recommendation to press the pause button on actual gene editing, it endorsed the continuation of laboratory research to perfect the editing technique, including the manipulation of human cells. “The modified cells should not be used to try to establish a pregnancy,” cautioned Baltimore. “That is the important statement for the present.”

Vehicle Alerts Police After Driver Attempts to Flee Hit-And-Run
Mikael Thalen - "Your car called in saying you had been involved in an accident... Did you leave the scene of an accident?” A Florida woman was arrested for a hit-and-run late last month after her vehicle automatically alerted law enforcement. The driver, 57-year-old Cathy Bernstein, reportedly struck another vehicle from behind last Monday before fleeing the scene in her black Ford Focus. As first responders attended to the victim, who was taken to a nearby hospital with possible back injuries, police dispatch received an automated call from the Ford’s “911 assist” system. The feature, which must be enabled manually to operate, syncs to a driver’s cell phone over Bluetooth and notifies law enforcement when an accident is detected.

Health

California reintroduces mercury-laced flu shots for toddlers due to supposed vaccine shortage
Vaccines.News – The state of California has granted what they’re calling a “temporary exemption” allowing small children to receive flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a derivative of mercury known to be a potent neurotoxin, which can harm the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver, according to the National Vaccine Information Center. Thimerosal in vaccines contains about 50 percent mercury, reports VaxTruth.org. California’s temporary allowance is supposedly in response to an “inadequate supply” of thimerosal-free influenza vaccines designed to be injected into children and infants. The exemption allows children three years old and younger to receive thimerosal flu vaccines beginning October 9 and lasting through December 31, according to California’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), which states that both Iowa and Illinois are also experiencing thimerosal-free flu shot shortages.

Boron can cut your risk of prostate cancer by 64%
(NaturalHealth365) Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, second only to lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, an astounding 1 in every 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, and 1 in 38 will die of the disease. Fortunately, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting the trace mineral boron can play a key role in protecting men against this deadly cancer, with both preventive and therapeutic properties. And unlike some conventional treatments, research shows boron to have the ability to selectively kill cancerous cells while leaving healthy tissue unharmed.... Consuming enough boron from food alone can be challenging. Choosing a supplement can help to assure boron is consumed in levels high enough to provide some protection. So, plan to to take 3 to 6 mg of boron in a supplement, although some people have found they need closer to 7 to 9 mg. Obviously, it’s best to work with a trusted, healthcare provider – that has experience with nutritional therapies and anticancer protocols.

10 Things Your Nails Can Reveal About Your Health
Dr. Mercola - The shape, texture, and color of your natural nails act as a window into your body, and while some nail symptoms are harmless, others can be indicative of chronic diseases, including cancer. As noted by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): "Nails often reflect our general state of health. Changes in the nail, such as discoloration or thickening, can signal health problems including liver and kidney diseases, heart and lung conditions, anemia, and diabetes." Even the growth rate of your nails may give clues about your underlying health. Healthy nails grow, on average 3.5 millimeters (mm) a month, but this is influenced by your nutritional status, medications, trauma, chronic disease, and the aging process itself.



Monday - December 7, 2015 - Today in History:  Pearl Harbor Day

1787 - Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. constitution becoming the first of the United States.
1796 - John Adams was elected to be the second president of the United States.
1836 - Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United States.
1941 - Pearl Harbor, located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese warplanes. The attack resulted in the U.S. entering into World War II.
1972 - Apollo 17 was launched at Cape Canaveral. It was the last U.S. moon mission.
1972 - Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was stabbed and seriously wounded by an assailant. The man was then shot and killed by her bodyguards.
1987 - Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev set foot on American soil for the 1st time. He had come to the U.S. for a Washington summit with President Reagan.
1987 - 43 people were killed when a gunman opened fire on a fellow passenger and the two pilots aboard a Pacific Southwest Airlines jetliner.
1988 - Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev announced the reduction of the number of Soviet military troops by half a million.
1993 - Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary revealed that the U.S. government had conducted more than 200 nuclear weapons tests in secret at its Nevada test site.
1996 - The space shuttle Columbia returned from the longest-ever shuttle flight of 17 days, 15 hours and 54 minutes.
2002 - Iraq denied it had weapons of mass destruction in a declaration to the United Nations.
2003 - A 12-inch by 26-inch painting of a river landscape and sailing vessel by Martin Johnson Heade was sold at auction for $1 million. The painting was found in the attic of a suburban Boston home where it had been stored for more than 60 years.
2011 - Ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption.

World News

Syria slams US-led coalition deadly strike against troops as 'act of aggression'
RT - US-led coalition warplanes have inflicted a missile strike on a camp of Syrian regular troops in the Deir ez Zor province, killing three soldiers. Damascus has slammed the incident as an “act of aggression.” This is the first time coalition planes have hit Syrian troops. The Syrian government has confirmed that there are three fatalities and 13 personnel injured, as well as a number of military vehicles destroyed. The coalition jets fired nine missiles at an army camp in the Deir ez Zor province, which remains mostly under the control of Islamic State. The incident is the first of its kind since the coalition started to bomb Syrian territory more than a year ago. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has filed an official protest with the UN Security Council regarding the US-led coalition’s airstrikes on Syrian troops, Syria’s SANA official news agency reported Monday.

The Isis papers: leaked documents show how Isis is building its state
The Guardian - The 24-page document, obtained by the Guardian, sets out a blueprint for establishing foreign relations, a fully fledged propaganda operation, and centralized control over oil, gas and the other vital parts of the economy. The manual, written last year and entitled Principles in the administration of the Islamic State, lays bare Isis’s state-building aspirations and the ways in which it has managed to set itself apart as the richest and most destabilising jihadi group of the past 50 years.
* Related: The Isis papers: a masterplan for consolidating power

Front National wins opening round in France's regional elections
The Guardian - The far-right Front National has made a significant breakthrough in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, winning the opening round of regional elections and coming top in half of France’s regions. The spectacular showing is the highest ever performance for the anti-immigration, anti-European party and, if it maintains the strong lead in in next week’s second round, it could reshape France’s political landscape. FN, which pushed a hardline stance on Islam, security and national identity, was the only political party to make solid gains in the wake of the Paris attacks three weeks ago in which gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 at bars, a concert hall and the national stadium. With 95% of ballots counted, the far-right party topped the poll nationwide with 28.6% of the vote, compared to only 11% in the last regional elections in 2010. The FN also came top in six out of 13 mainland French regions – a historic moment for the far right which has never before held the leadership of a French region.

Iraq Could Ask Russia for Help After 'Invasion' by Turkish Forces
Sputnik News - Numerous reports suggest that on Friday Turkey sent approximately 130 soldiers to norther Iraq. Turkish forces, deployed near the city of Mosul, are allegedly tasked with training Peshmerga, which has been involved in the fight against Daesh, also known as ISIL. On Saturday, Baghdad described the move as "a serious violation of Iraqi sovereignty," since it had not been authorized by Iraqi authorities. "We may soon ask Russia for direct military intervention in Iraq in response to the Turkish invasion and the violation of Iraqi sovereignty," Iraqi lawmaker al-Zamili said.

Poland considering asking for access to nuclear weapons under Nato program
The Guardian - Poland’s deputy defence minister has said the ministry is considering asking for access to nuclear weapons through a Nato program in which non-nuclear states borrow the arms from the US. Tomasz Szatkowski said the ministry was discussing whether to ask for access to Nato’s “nuclear sharing” program to strengthen the country’s ability to defend itself… Among Nato’s 28 members there are three nuclear powers – the US, France and Britain – but only the US has provided weapons to allies for nuclear sharing. Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey have hosted nuclear weapons as part of the program.
* Related: Why Poland Should Forget the Very Idea of Hosting US Nukes

Putin seeks alliance to rival TPP
RT - Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to form an economic bloc, as an alternative to the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He has asked the government to start making contacts with Asian countries. "I suggest that we and other Eurasian Economic Union countries should kick-off consultations with members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on a possible economic partnership," said Putin, addressing the Russian Parliament on Thursday. SCO includes China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan. Other countries holding observer status with the organization include India, Iran, Belarus, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Belarus. ASEAN unites Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and other Asian countries. Putin added that these Asian countries make up a third of the world’s economy.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Obama talks tougher gun control & fighting ISIS in key address; slammed for lack of new strategy
RT - Obama called for tougher gun control measures, urging Congress to pass legislation that would prohibit individuals on the US no-fly list from purchasing a gun. “What could possibly be the argument for allowing a terrorist suspect to buy a semiautomatic weapon? This is a matter of national security,” he said. Moreover, Obama said that the US needs more stringent laws when it comes to buying powerful assault weapons, similar to those used in the San Bernardino.... He also said that the US will press on with airstrikes, special forces missions, and the training of local military and rebels fighting IS on the ground in Iraq and Syria. “We will continue to provide training and equipment to tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian forces fighting ISIL on the ground so that we take away their safe havens.” Obama claimed the US is also working to cut off IS financing and quash its recruitment efforts.

72 DHS Employees on Terrorist Watch List
Washington Free Beacon - Rep. Stephen Lynch (D., Mass.) disclosed that a congressional investigation recently found that at least 72 people working at DHS also “were on the terrorist watch list.” “Back in August, we did an investigation—the inspector general did—of the Department of Homeland Security, and they had 72 individuals that were on the terrorist watch list that were actually working at the Department of Homeland Security,” Lynch told Boston Public Radio. “The [former DHS] director had to resign because of that,” he said. DHS continues to fail inspections aimed at determining the efficiency of its internal safety mechanisms, as well as its efforts to protect the nation.

Here He Goes Again: Obama Says It’s “Insane” For Millions of Americans On Watchlists To Own Guns
Mac Slavo - In what can only be described as nothing short of a full-court Obama press against America’s gun owners, in his weekly Saturday address to the nation the President has now taken his disarmament agenda to the next level, suggesting that it is “insane” for anyone on a watch list to own a gun.... Keep in mind that, as Senator Rand Paul warned on the Senate floor, Someone Who Has Guns, Ammunition, 7 Days of Food can be considered a potential terrorist. Moreover, a recent report highlights scores of other reasons for why someone may qualify as a domestic terrorist...

Farook Family Lawyer Suggests San Bernardino Attack Was Faked, Along With Sandy Hook
Daily Mail - A lawyer representing the family of San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook has questioned accounts of the massacre which saw Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik kill 14 at a holiday party on Wednesday morning. Attorney David Chesley said they doubted the accuracy of information released by the police and FBI. Farook, 28, and his Pakistan-born wife Malik, 27, died in a gun battle with police after the mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center. To illustrate his point, Chesley made a bizarre reference to the Sandy Hook massacre, suggesting it didn't take place as described in the official narrative.

Journalists Refuse to Talk About Storming San Bernardino Suspects’ Home
Breitbart - Journalists gathered at the home of Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the terrorists who carried out Wednesday’s attack in San Bernardino, will not talk about whether they had permission to storm inside. Breitbart News’ Michelle Moons and Raheem Kassam arrived. Breitbart News’ Michelle Moons and Raheem Kassam arrived on the scene shortly after MSNBC, CNN, and other networks burst through the door, which had been opened with a crowbar after the landlord allegedly gave permission to journalists to enter. Inside, journalists poked in every corner, handled documents, held Qurans and stuffed animals up to the cameras, and generally trampled through what was, at least until recently, a crime scene and potential intelligence resource.

Anatomy of False-Flag Events…
Activist Post - Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, London 7/7 bombings, Madrid train bombings, Osama bin Laden Capture/Death, 2011 Norway Attacks, Charlie Hebdo, Boston bombing, Sandy Hook, JFK, RFK, MLK, Pearl Harbor, Lusitania, USS Maine, Gulf of Tonkin, USS Liberty, Aurora, CO shooting, Charleston church shooting, Tucson, AZ shooting, Port Arthur, AUS, all very real illusions. The purpose of this article is to break down false-flag events into their parts, deconstruct them. In so doing then create a template on how to study an event and determine if it is a false flag. Normally when one thinks or speaks of a false-flag event they are referring to the Main Event. This presentation is about the entire operation or plan of which the Main Event is but one part.

Former President Jimmy Carter announces he's cancer-free
Abc News - Jimmy Carter's grandson says no cancer was detected the last time the former president underwent a scan. Jason Carter told The Associated Press in a text message that his grandfather "told me that the doctors couldn't find any cancer in his most recent scan." It was not immediately known when the scan took place, or when Carter received the news from his grandfather. The elder Carter apparently shared the good news before giving a Sunday School lesson at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Jill Stuckey, a church leader who was present, said Carter had announced that a brain scan this week showed no cancer. Carter, 91, announced in August that he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain.

Chicago Cover-Up Deepens as 80 Minutes of Footage Confirmed Missing
Common Dreams - Chicago's cover-up scandal is deepening after city officials were forced to release additional surveillance footage of the deadly shooting of 17-year-old African American Laquan McDonald by a white officer—and it showed an unexplained 80-minute gap covering the time the teenager was killed. The missing footage aligns with the account of Jay Darshane, the manager of the Burger King that is located roughly 50 yards from the killing, who told a grand jury in November that police tampered with the restaurant's surveillance system, erasing roughly 86 minutes of footage. In addition, the manager told the Chicago Tribune that the FBI confiscated the restaurant's surveillance images.

NYT Smashes Zuckerberg's "Donation"
EPJ - Mark Zuckerberg did not donate $45 billion to charity. You may have heard that, but that was wrong. Here’s what happened instead: Mr. Zuckerberg created an investment vehicle… In doing so, Mr. Zuckerberg and Ms. Chan did not set up a charitable foundation, which has nonprofit status. He created a limited liability company, one that has already reaped enormous benefits as public relations coup for himself. His P.R. return-on-investment dwarfs that of his Facebook stock. Mr. Zuckerberg was depicted in breathless, glowing terms for having, in essence, moved money from one pocket to the other...

Texas Hospital Seeks to End Life of Conscious Patient, Says Mother
Breitbart - The patient’s mother says that a hospital administrative death panel is “Playing God” in deciding whether her son has the “quality of life” to continue to live. Her son, Christopher David Dunn, 46, a fully-conscious former peace officer, is receiving life-sustaining care. Hospital officials in Houston are fighting to stop that care. The man, his mother, and his lawyers, have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to save the man’s life.... Trey Trainor, another lawyer with the same firm who is representing Dunn, says Texas law gives a hospital the right to make life or death decisions without consulting the patient or the patient’s family.... Dunn is a former sheriff’s deputy and has worked as a Homeland Security officer but had no health insurance when he got sick. He has been in the hospital for eight weeks since a noncancerous mass was found where his small intestine connects to the pancreas.... “When they found out that Chris did not have insurance, they said they were done,” Chris’ mother claimed.

Shock Video: Police Execute Bank Robbery Suspect Armed with Straight Razor
Adan Salazar - Warning: Video contains graphic content.... Miami Beach police open fire on a man accused of robbing a Bank of America. On Saturday, police say they responded to a hold-up alarm and emergency call made from inside of the bank. The caller told police the man, who has not yet been identified, passed a teller a note demanding money and indicating he was armed with an explosive device, according to WPLG. When police arrived, the bald man had fled to a nearby barbershop, reports WPLG, from where he soon emerged shirtless and armed with a straight razor.... The police chief says the robber was unsuccessful in stealing cash from the bank.... Upon closer analysis of the video, it appears as though one officer tazes the man, just before another officer fires his assault rifle as the suspect is already falling to the ground.

Industry Group Files Suit Over NYC Salt Warnings
Natural Society - The National Restaurant Association filed suit just 2 days after the city started requiring chain restaurants to put a salt-shaker icon beside menu selections containing more than 2,300mg, the daily limit recommended by nutritionists.... The association argues that the salt warning is “nonsensical” as it applies only to some food vendors and not to others, and that the rule violates restaurant owners’ free speech by forcing them to post a warning they say is based on “scientifically controversial opinion.”... The group points out that new federal regulation is set to take effect next year as part of the Affordable Care Act that will require establishments with 20 or more locations to share calorie counts and other nutritional information – including sodium content.

Election News

Clinton Super PAC Donor Is Former Goldman Exec and Foreclosure Crisis Profiteer
The Intercept - One major donor to her Super PAC, Priorities USA, is Donald Mullen Jr… Mullen, while a Goldman Sachs employee, pioneered the trades that allowed the mega-bank to profit from the collapse of the housing market. Mullen’s team utilized financial instruments called collateralized debt obligations to essentially bet against subprime mortgages… In 2012, Mullen left Goldman Sachs to do the opposite of what he did in 2007: He started a hedge fund, the purpose of which was to buy up foreclosed homes and rent them out… Mullen gave $100,000 to Priorities USA Action on June 30… Interestingly, in 2008 he gave $30,800 to the Obama Victory Fund, $2,300 to the Obama campaign, and $28,500 to the Democratic National Committee. But in 2011, he gave $2,500 to the Romney campaign and nothing to Obama, reflecting how much of the finance world abandoned Obama in 2012 to tilt toward Romney. Now it appears that the Clinton campaign has won him back.

Cruz pledges relentless bombing to destroy ISIL
POLITICO - Ted Cruz on Saturday promised a ruthless campaign against terrorists in the Middle East, promising to find out “if sand can glow in the dark.” “We will utterly destroy ISIS,” he said of the terrorist group also called ISIL. “We will carpet-bomb them into oblivion. I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but we’re going to find out!” The 2016 contender tore into the Obama administration, The New York Times editorial board, and Democrats for talking about increased gun controls rather than terrorism after last week’s mass shooting in California.

Donald Trump opens 'yuge' lead over GOP field in CNN/ORC national poll
POLITICO - Donald Trump is the top choice of more than one out of every three Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters, according to the results of a new CNN/ORC poll released Friday. And it's not even close — at 36 percent, Trump's closest competitor for the GOP presidential nomination is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, at 16 percent. Ben Carson, who finished second in the October CNN/ORC poll, fell to third this time with 14 percent. Following the retired neurosurgeon, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio earned 12 percent, with no other candidate finishing in the double digits. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie earned 4 percent, followed by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina at 3 percent each, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 2 percent each and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at 1 percent. Other candidates failed to register support, while 2 percent said they had no opinion.

Economy & Business

JPMorgan Warns Of "Eye-Catching" 76% Probability Of Recession
Zero Hedge - Just days ago Citi pronounced, much to the chagrin of the status-quo-hugging Fed faithful, that given the turn in corporate profits (and concerns over margin sustainability) that the chance of a recession in the US had risen to 65% ... Now, as other major sell-side shops jump on the equity un-bullish narrative, JPMorgan's Michael Feroli warns that in the past, a low unemployment rate, rising compensation, falling margins, and elevated durables investment have historically signaled an elevated risk that an expansion is nearing its end... and puts the probability of a US recession within 3 years at 76%.

A Beleaguered Wal-Mart Sues A Broke Puerto Rico For "Astonishing" Tax Hike
Zero Hedge - As regular readers are no doubt aware, Puerto Rico is broke… Regular readers are also no doubt aware that Wal-Mart has gotten itself into trouble this year after bowing to calls for increased wages for its lowest-paid employees… Well don’t look now, but a beleaguered Wal-Mart is suing a beleaguered Puerto Rico after the latter’s attempt to lift government revenue by raising taxes pushed the company's tax burden in the commonwealth to nearly 92% of net income. As Bloomberg reports, “Puerto Rico’s Act 72-2015 increases to 6.5 percent from 2 percent the tax on goods imported from offshore affiliates to local companies with gross revenues of more than $2.75 billion.” Wal-Mart “biggest private employer and hands over more sales tax to the island government than any other business,” Bloomberg continues, before noting that the company is “asking a federal judge to declare the new measure unconstitutional and block its enforcement.”

Housing Market

'Bankrupt' Mortgage Lenders Unveil The Zero-Money-Down "Friends-And-Family" Mortgage
Zero Hedge - … the government's bankruptcy mortgage guarantors have just announced "HomeReady Mortgages." These so-called 'enhanced affordable lending products - provided by the US taxpayer - enable 97%-plus Loan-to-Value loans to borrowers based not on their income (which is too low) but on "non-borrowers" like extended family or children! So, to sum up - if you don't have any savings, the government will give you some to use as a down-payment (which as long as you stay poor will be forgiven over time).. and then the government will allow you to borrow 97% of the value of the home on the basis not of your income and ability to pay but of any rag-tag bunch of friends, family, or pets you can gather under your 'new' roof... and all subsidized by the good 'ol US Taxpayer...

Health

Do Not Sign the Refusal to Vaccinate form!
Parents Against Mandatory Vaccines - The Refusal to Vaccinate document was created by the CDC or the American Academy of Pediatrics ‘legal department’ as a response to the growing number of toxic vaccines recommended by them and the growing number of parents who are becoming educated on this issue.... This document, now being used to overcome vaccine awareness, is the most diabolical strategy possible! It is unlikely that physicians have any idea what they are asking their patients to sign . . . or to sign away. It is essentially a signed confession. So please read and understand why no one should sign it and why it is really something other than what it appears to be. Here are 12 reasons why no parent can sign this document unless they are interested in being statutorily charged with neglect or intentionally causing harm...

Banning kratom: Wisconsin treats a safe herbal supplement like a dangerous drug
Wisconsin Watchdog - In 2014, the state Legislature included two of the chemicals found in kratom in a long list of chemicals to be banned because there are also found in synthetic opiates — so-called designer drugs — despite the fact that kratom is neither synthetic nor an opiate. Because those chemicals were on the list, kratom is now considered a Schedule 1 drug in Wisconsin, the same as heroin or LSD.

Dollars for Docs: How Industry Dollars Reach Your Doctors
Pro Publica - Pharmaceutical and medical device companies are now required by law to release details of their payments to a variety of doctors and U.S. teaching hospitals for promotional talks, research and consulting, among other categories. Use this tool to search for general payments (excluding research and ownership interests) made from August 2013 to December 2014.

Blood sugar spikes increase the risk for cancer
(NaturalHealth365) There is no shortage of reasons to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. The many serious problems associated with blood sugar-related diseases like diabetes have long been reported, from increased risk of vision loss and kidney problems to heart attack and stroke. But now, a growing body of research suggests a new health risk should be added to the list: an increased risk of deadly cancers. That’s because study after study is revealing a link between diabetes and several of the most devastating forms of cancer, and in some cases, heightened mortality among diabetic cancer sufferers.

Most Candles are as Toxic as Cigarettes. The Candles You Should Use!
Living Traditionally - Many candles are made with paraffin or paraffin blend. This petroleum derivative is an inexpensive wax which is why it is often utilized by manufacturers.... Benzene and toluene are known carcinogens that are released into the air from melted paraffin causing headaches to lung cancer.... In 2003, the use of lead in candle wicks were banned in the USA. The lead was used in the wicks to help them stand up straight and stiff but when lit, they release lead into the air at dangerous levels. Unfortunately, imported candles do not have the same regulations and still include lead wicks, releasing 5 times the amount (of lead fumes) the EPA considers to be hazardous.... According to California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, there are up to 20 toxins in paraffin candle wax, including: acetone, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene.
 



Friday - December 4, 2015 - Today in History:

1783 - Gen. George Washington said farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York.
1918 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson set sail for France to attend the Versailles Peace Conference. Wilson became the first chief executive to travel to Europe while in office.
1942 - U.S. bombers attacked the Italian mainland for the first time during World War II.
1945 - The U.S. Senate approved American participation in the United Nations.
1965 - The U.S. launched Gemini 7 with Air Force Lt. Col. Frank Borman and Navy Comdr. James A. Lovell on board.
1979 - For the 2nd time, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to urge Iran to free American hostages that had been taken on November 4.
1980 - The bodies of four American nuns slain in El Salvador two days earlier were unearthed. Five national guardsmen were later convicted of the murders.
1983 - U.S. jet fighters struck Syrian anti-aircraft positions in Lebanon in retaliation for attacks directed at American reconnaissance planes. Navy Lt. Robert O. Goodman Jr. was shot down and captured by Syria.
1984 - A five-day hijack drama began as four men seized a Kuwaiti airliner en route to Pakistan and forced it to land in Tehran. Two American passengers were killed by the hijackers.
1986 - Both U.S. houses of Congress moved to establish special committees to conduct their own investigations of the Iran-Contra affair.
1991 - Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson was released after nearly seven years in captivity in Lebanon.
1992 - U.S. President George H.W. Bush ordered American troops to lead a mercy mission to Somalia.
2001 - O.J. Simpson's home in Florida was raided by the FBI in an ongoing two year international investigation into drug trafficking, satellite service pilfering and money laundering. Some satellite equipment was taken from Simpson's home and no drugs were found.

World News

NATO Warships Enter Black Sea to ‘Ensure Peace and Stability in the Region’
Sputnik News - Three NATO frigates and a US guided missile destroyer have entered the Black Sea in what the US naval command described as part of an ongoing effort to enhance regional stability and a sign of support for NATO member-states, Russian media reported on Friday. The American guided missile destroyer USS Ross is accompanied by three missile frigates, Francis Almejida (Portugal), Blas de Lezo (Spain) and Winnipeg (Canada).

German Bundestag approves sending 1,200 troops on anti-ISIS 'support' mission in Syria
RT - Germany's lower house of parliament has approved joining the military campaign against Islamic State in Syria. Germany will send six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to help protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, refueling aircraft, and up to 1,200 military personnel to Syria, Reuters reported. However, Germany will not join in airstrikes, which are currently being launched by the US, Britain, France, and Russia.

Moscow ‘welcomes any effort to fight ISIS’ as UK joins US-led bombing campaign
RT - The Kremlin said it welcomed any extra help in the fight against terrorist group Islamic State after Britain started combat sorties in Syria. Moscow observed, however, that it is the only foreign party acting in Syria legitimately. We continue to welcome any effort aimed at fighting terrorism and Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL] in particular. We believe that if such efforts are coordinated as part of a single coalition, they would become more effective,” said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on British bombings on militants in Syria.

Paris attacks: France 'to extend state of emergency indefinitely' - reports
IBTimes - The French government is looking to extend the state of emergency for six months or even "indefinitely", according to new reports. Government sources told AFP that a draft law of the bill includes plans to change the constitution to carry on with the state of emergency way beyond the three-month limit. The legal framework will be submitted to ministers on 23 December. The state of emergency, which went into effect after the November 13 attacks on Paris that killed 130 and wounded more than 350, gives security forces extra powers to investigate and combat terrorists. It allows authorities to ban public demonstrations and conduct several arrests across the country. A total of 276 people have been placed under house arrest since the powers came into effect, and more than 1,000 addresses searched by police.

Putin wants Russia to become world's biggest exporter of Non-GMO food
RT - Russia could become the world's largest supplier of ecologically clean and high-quality organic food, said President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. He also called on the country to become completely self-sufficient in food production by 2020. "We are not only able to feed ourselves taking into account our lands, water resources – Russia is able to become the largest world supplier of healthy, ecologically clean and high-quality food which the Western producers have long lost, especially given the fact that demand for such products in the world market is steadily growing," said Putin, addressing the Russian Parliament on Thursday.

Huge: Monsanto Going to Trial for Crimes Against Humanity In the Hague, Netherlands, International Criminal Court
Natural Society - Finally, Monsanto, the US-based, transnational company responsible for introducing multiple genetically modified crops and numerous toxic chemicals into our environment – including saccharin, aspartame, polystyrene, DDT, dioxin, Agent Orange, petroleum based fertilizers, recombinant bovine growth hormones (rGBH), Round Up (glyphosate), Lasso (an herbicide used in Europe), Bt toxic plants, and more – will have to answer to the world... The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), IFOAM International Organics, Navdanya, Regeneration International (RI), and Millions Against Monsanto, along with dozens of global food, farming, and environmental justice groups announced at the United Nations conference held recently in Paris that an international court of lawyers and judges will assess Monsanto’s criminal liability for their atrocious acts. acts. The court, in The Hague, Netherlands, will use the UN’s ‘Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights’ developed in 2011 to assess damages for Monsanto’s acts against human life and the environment.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Senate approves bill repealing much of ObamaCare
The Hill - The Senate on Thursday passed legislation repealing the core pillars of ObamaCare, taking a major step toward sending such a bill to the president’s desk for the first time. Republicans hailed it as a political messaging victory and a fulfillment of their promise from the 2014 midterm election to force President Obama to veto the landmark healthcare reform law named after him. The measure passed 52 to 47 after the Senate voted to significantly strengthen the bill originally passed by the House and brought straight to the floor by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The House will need to approve the amended legislation before it can be sent to the White House. Thursday’s vote was a major event in the Senate, as Democrats never allowed a standalone vote on an ObamaCare repeal bill when they controlled the chamber.

Pentagon Task Force: We Want Villas and Flat-Screen TVs in Afghanistan
ProPublica - In its latest salvo, the inspector general dings the controversial task force for spending $150 million on private housing in Afghanistan, including fancy meals and round-the-clock bodyguards. Sounds more like a celebrity rider than a description of Afghanistan accommodations for U.S. government employees. But that’s what the Pentagon’s Task Force for Business and Stability Operations requested — at a cost of $150 million, according to a letter released today by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR.

San Bernardino shooting suspect traveled to Saudi Arabia, was married, appeared to be living 'American Dream,' co-workers say
LA Times - Police officials said Farook had worked for the county for five years. San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said that there were reports of a dispute before Farook left the party. Co-workers told The Times they were shocked to hear Farook's name linked to the shooting. Two who were in the restroom when the bullets began to fly said he was quiet and polite, with no obvious grudges. They said Farook recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and returned with a new wife he had met online. The couple had a baby and appeared to be "living the American dream," said Patrick Baccari, a fellow health inspector who shared a cubicle with Farook. Baccari and Christian Nwadike said Farook, who worked with them for several years, rarely started a conversation. But the tall, thin young man with a full beard was well liked and spent much of his time out in the field. They and other colleagues said Farook was a devout Muslim, but rarely discussed religion at work.

Obama White House: Terrorists Will Stop Attacking if We Pass Gun Control Laws
Paul Joseph Watson - After all, it worked great in Paris. The Obama administration reacted to yesterday’s shooting in San Bernardino – likely carried out by a Muslim terrorist – by insisting that “common sense” gun laws will deter jihadists who are planning attacks... The Obama White House is essentially arguing that passing more gun laws which disarm law-abiding citizens will somehow make jihadists, who have access to international terrorist contacts and back-door weapons smuggling rings, less determined and less capable of carrying out massacres. Right, because it worked great in Paris didn’t it? According to the L.A. Times, Obama is planning “to use executive authority to close the so-called gun show loophole that allows thousands of people to buy guns each year without a background check.” Meanwhile, Obama is still saying that the massacre, carried out by a devout Muslim who memorized the Koran, was radicalized by terrorists, and traveled to Saudi Arabia could just be an act of workplace violence.

No, There Have Not Been 355 Mass Shootings This Year
Steve Watson - The figure was unquestioningly repeated by The New York Times, the Washington Post, Boston Globe, CBS News, MSNBC, and Newsday, despite the fact that it is inaccurate and does not in any way dovetail with FBI statistics. Television newscasts also repeatedly cited the figure without checking the facts. According to the FBI, only 21 of the 355 shootings identified by the anti-gunners can actually be categorized as mass murder with a firearm. It is still too many, but it isn’t any where close to 355. An FBI report released last year details that over a thirteen year period, between 2000 and 2013, there were 160 “active shooter incidents.” Those also include incidents where nobody was shot or killed. Gang violence is not counted among these statistics. The FBI categorizes mass shootings as “a number of murders (four or more) occurring during the same incident, with no distinctive time period between the murders.”

Critics: Keep Syrian, African refugees out of Redlands, CA
Redlands Daily Facts - Some members of Redlands Townhall and the Redlands Tea Party Patriots have called on city officials to keep Syrian and African refugees from resettling here. They asked City Council members Tuesday what their plan will be if the city is asked to resettle some of the 85,000 refugees expected to come to the United States in 2016.... “Where will they be housed? How will their expenses be paid and by whom? And what will be done to ensure the safety of our community? Our biggest concern is the safety of our family, our children and our grandchildren,” Victoria Hargrave of Redlands Townhall said the council on Tuesday. “The Obama administration would like to bring in 85,000 Syrian refugees into our country in the calendar year that just started on Oct. 1 and they have admitted that they have no database or source of information with which to vet these refugees,” she said. “There are primarily Sunni Muslims. Al-Qaida are Sunni Muslims whose culture and ideology are completely contrary to our Constitution.”

Ulster County Sheriff: All Licensed Handgun Owners Should Carry Them
(CBSNewYork) – All licensed handgun owners in Ulster County should carry their pistols. That’s the message Thursday from the Ulster County Sheriff. Ulster County is located about two hours north of New York City. “In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to please do so,” wrote Sheriff Paul J. Van Blarcum in a Facebook post. “I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm. To ensure the safety of yourself and others, make sure you are comfortable and proficient with your weapon, and knowledgeable of the laws in New York State with regards to carrying a weapon and when it is legal to use it.”

Man faces criminal charges for passing out jury rights fliers in front of Michigan courthouse
WQAD 8 - Michigan man is charged with a felony for obstruction of justice and misdemeanor of tampering with a jury for passing out fliers about jury nullification rights on the sidewalk of the Mecosta County courthouse. Keith Wood, 39, faces charges after handing out 50 fliers on Nov. 24, which describe juror rights that are typically not given by judges during jury instructions before a trial. Wood's Attorney Dave Kallman told WXIN the charges are "outrageous," especially after Wood posted bond set at $150,000 last Tuesday. Obstruction of justice is a five-year felony with up to $10,000 in fines, and attempting to influence jurors is a one-year misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000.

Election News

Rand Paul: Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio Have Same Foreign Policy
Breitbart - “Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio have basically the same foreign policy. They believe in regime change and they think that somehow it’s going to be better over there,” Paul told Bannon. “But what has happened every time we’ve toppled a secular dictator, we’ve gotten chaos and the rise of radical Islam.” “Because of Marco Rubio and because of Hillary Clinton, because they toppled Gadhafi in Libya, we now have a failed state,” Paul explained, saying that now a third of the people in Libya pledge allegiance to ISIS and America is more at risk of an attack. “He’s also opposed making border security more stringent so we can keep people from coming into attack us,” Paul said of Rubio.

Ted Cruz Reacts to San Bernardino: Now, More Than Ever, Americans Must Be Armed
Breitbart - Cruz said: Unfortunately, the goal of both President Obama and Hillary Clinton, is to consistently–at every turn–to look to weaken the constitutional rights of American citizens. And in particular, to undermine our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. You don’t get rid of the bad guys by getting rid of our guns. You get rid of the bad guys by using our guns. And, rather than respond to radical Islam and terrorism with a commitment from the president to keep this nation safe–to kill the terrorists–instead, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton refuse to even utter the words “radical Islamic terrorism.”

Economy & Business

27 Major Global Stocks Markets That Have Already Crashed By Double Digit Percentages In 2015
Economic Collapse - Right now, there are 27 major global stock markets that have declined by double digit percentages from their peaks earlier this year. And this is truly a global phenomenon – we have seen stock market crashes in Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East. But because U.S. stocks are only down less than a thousand points from the peak earlier this year, most Americans seem to think that everything is just fine.

U.S. Health Spending Hits $3 Trillion as Obamacare and Rising Drug Costs Kick In
LA Times - The massive expansion of insurance coverage under the health law and rapid growth in specialty drug spending fueled the uptick in medical costs, officials said. Annual spending growth was 3.7%, on average, during the last five years. The country spent $9,523 per person on healthcare in 2014, including Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance. That’s far higher than what other developed countries pay, and healthcare spending now accounts for 17.5% of the U.S. economy. Experts aren’t predicting a return to double-digit increases in medical spending. But the latest trend underscores how difficult it will be for policymakers, employers and insurers to control healthcare costs going forward.

There Go The Truckers: Unprecedented 59% Plunge In November Heavy Truck Orders
Zero Hedge - The rout beneath the relative calm of the market surface continues today as another sector has gotten crushed today in reaction to the domestic and global collapse in trade, the spreading domestic manufacturing recession and the bursting of the commodity bubble: truckers, and especially the heaviest, Class 8 trucks, those with a gross weight over 33K pounds, those which make up the backbone of U.S. trade infrastructure and logistics.

Auto Loan Madness Continues As US Car Buyers Take On Record Debt, Lunatic Financing Terms
Zero Hedge - Way back in June, we noted that auto sales had reached 10-year highs on record credit, record loan terms, and record ignorance. We based that assessment on the following set of Q1 data from Experian: Average loan term for new cars is now 67 months — a record. Average loan term for used cars is now 62 months — a record. Loans with terms from 74 to 84 months made up 16% of all used vehicle financing — a record. The average amount financed for a new vehicle was $28,711 — a record. The average payment for new vehicles was $488 — a record. The percentage of all new vehicles financed accounted for by leases was 31.46% — a record. n short, the “renaissance” in US auto sales is being driven (no pun intended) by increasingly risky underwriting practices and this is leading directly to the securitization of shoddier and shoddier collateral pools in a return to the “originate to sell” model that drove the housing bubble over a cliff in 2008.

Energy & Environment

Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected offshore
Phys.org - Scientists monitoring the spread of radiation in the ocean from the Fukushima nuclear accident report finding an increased number of sites off the US West Coast showing signs of contamination from Fukushima. This includes the highest detected level to date from a sample collected about 1,600 miles west of San Francisco. The level of radioactive cesium isotopes in the sample, 11 Becquerel's per cubic meter of seawater (about 264 gallons), is 50 percent higher than other samples collected along the West Coast so far, but is still more than 500 times lower than US government safety limits for drinking water, and well below limits of concern for direct exposure while swimming, boating, or other recreational activities.
* Related: Flashback: Obama Approves Raising Permissible Levels of Nuclear Radiation in Drinking Water. Civilian Cancer Deaths Expected to Skyrocket

Science & Technology

California Terror Attack PROVES Mass Spying Doesn’t Keep Us Safe
Washington's Blog - For example, the former head of the NSA’s global intelligence gathering operations – Bill Binney –explained to Washington’s Blog that the mass surveillance INTERFERES with the government’s ability to catch bad guys, and that the government failed to stop 9/11, the Boston Bombing, the Texas shootings and other terror attacks is because it was overwhelmed with data from mass surveillance on Americans. Binney told Washington’s Blog: A good deal of the failure is, in my opinion, due to bulk data. So, I am calling all these attacks a result of “Data bulk failure.” Too much data and too many people for the 10-20 thousand analysts to follow. Simple as that. Especially when they make word match pulls (like Google) and get dumps of data selected from close to 4 billion people.

Health

Study finds essential oils may improve cognitive functioning in Alzheimer’s patients!
Natural News Blogs - Essential oils provide sensory stimulation that helps decrease agitation, improves sleep and overall quality of life associated with Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia! Oils can be applied to the skin, inhaled or even placed in food or beverages if the oils are safe for human consumption. In addition to the benefits associated with the oils themselves, studies also show that sensory stimulation helps decrease agitation, improves sleep and improves the overall quality of life associated with the disease. One study found that used rosemary, lemon, lavender and orange essential oils for 28 days on patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. All patients showed significant improvement in cognitive function following aromatherapy. Researchers used the Gottfries, Brane, Steen scale, Functional Assessment Staging of Alzheimer’s disease, and the Touch Panel-type Dementia Assessment Scale to assess progress following aromatherapy.... If you or someone you love is struggling with dementia or Alzheimer’s, consider using the following oils...

It's Like a Massage for Your Brain, Can Improve Your Memory in 20 Minutes
Dr. Mercola - There are many reasons to exercise. Protecting your brain health and optimizing your thinking ability is one of them. In fact, there's compelling evidence that exercise produces large cognitive gains, improves memory, and helps fight dementia.... Strength training in particular has been shown to have a very beneficial impact on brain function and memory. In one study just 20 minutes of strength training was found to enhance long-term memory by about 10 percent.... Another recent study supports these findings, and suggests that working your leg muscles helps maintain cognitive function as you get older. According to the authors, simply walking more could help maintain brain function well into old age.... Previous research has demonstrated that exercise promotes brain health by releasing hormones from the muscles, which encourage the growth of new brain cells — a process known as neurogenesis or neuroplasticity.

Fermented Foods Can Dramatically Improve Your Digestive Health and Immunity
John Summerly - Increased intakes of fermented foods are associated with significantly reduced risks of skin conditions, digestive problems and even autoimmune disease. Diets which have a high content of food enzymes and beneficial bacteria from lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages are highly correlated with better physical and emotional health.... Friendly bacteria have a powerful, beneficial effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line defense against pathogens, and aid in the production of antibodies. Your gut bacteria can reveal whether you suffer from many different diseases such as diabetes and many others.

Pet News

Ways to Help Outdoor Cats Survive the Cold, Snowy Winter
Dr. Becker - Winter is upon us, and while neighborhood stray and feral cats prefer to live outdoors regardless of the season, there are steps we can take to help them survive the harsh winter weather. One of the most important things you can offer feral cats during miserable weather is shelter. Placing inconspicuous shelters off the beaten path helps keep outdoor kitties from seeking shelter in places that are dangerous or where they're not welcome. Alley Cat Allies, a feral cat advocacy organization, offers these guidelines for outdoor shelters...

Humor & Satire

Syrian Refugee Vetting Assigned To VA, 10-Year Backlog Announced
Duffel Blog - Vowing “swift, efficient action” on Syrian refugee admissions, the Obama Administration last month assigned the Department of Veterans Affairs responsibility for vetting the refugees, according to sources. “Really, it’s a perfect fit,” said one White House official. “The VA is already used to dealing with dangerous, unstable people looking for jobs.”... To date the VA has successfully vetted one Syrian, Dr. Basma Hosseini. Hosseini, a pharmacist who fled from Raqqa last month, has had mixed results with the Department. “I asked for a house, but they give me bottle of horse tranquilizers. No prescription, they just said, ‘Take pills, go home,’ in a weird accent,” she reported. “I am a pharmacist. Even in Raqqa we have procedures, we have prescriptions. We use therapy, not pills. And I still need house.” None of the other 10,000 refugees has been vetted, and none properly housed. But according to records received through a Freedom of Information Act request, VA employees in the new Refugee Office have received $275,000 in bonuses thus far.
 


Thursday - December 3, 2015 - Today in History:

1792 - The trial of France's King Louis XVI began. He was eventually put to death for the 33 charges.
1818 - Illinois was admitted as the 21st state of the union.
1828 - Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States.
1833 - Oberlin College in Ohio opened as the first truly coeducational school of higher education in the United States.
1835 - In Rhode Island, the Manufacturer Mutual Fire Insurance Company issued the first fire insurance policy.
1948 - The "Pumpkin Papers" came to public light. The House Un-American Activities Committee announced that former Communist spy Whittaker Chambers had produced microfilm of secret documents hidden inside a pumpkin on his Maryland farm.
1950 - Paul Harvey began his national radio broadcast.
1967 - In Cape Town, South Africa, a team of surgeons headed by Dr. Christian Barnard, performed the first human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky. Washkansky only lived 18 days.
1973 - Pioneer 10 sent back the first close-up images of Jupiter. The 1st outer-planetary probe had been launched from Cape Canaveral, FL, on 03/2/1972.
1982 - Doctors at the University of Utah Medical Center removed the respirator of Barney Clark. The retired dentist had become the world's first recipient of a permanent artificial heart only one day before.
1983 - 3-foot-high concrete barriers were installed at two White House entrances.
1984 - In Bhopal, India, more than 2,000 people were killed after a cloud of poisonous gas escaped from a pesticide plant. The plant was operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary.
1987 - U.S. President Reagan said there was a good chance of progress toward a treaty on long-range weapons with Mikhail S. Gorbachev.
1992 - The UN Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.-led military mission to help starving Somalians.
1992 - The Greek tanker "Aegean Sea" ran aground at La Coruna, Spain and spilled 21.5 million gallons of crude oil.
1997 - In Ottawa, Canada, more than 120 countries were represented to sign a treaty prohibiting the use and production of anti-personnel land mines. The United States, China and Russia did not sign the treaty.
1999 - The World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded a four-day meeting in Seattle, WA, without setting an agenda for a new round of trade talks. The meeting was met with fierce protests by various groups.
1999 - NASA lost radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander as it entered Mars' atmosphere. The spacecraft was unmanned.
2010 - The Boeing X-37 returned to Earth on successfully after its first orbital mission. It launched on April 22, 2010.

World News

Putin addresses Russian legislators Live updates
RT - President Vladimir Putin is delivering his annual report to the Federal Assembly, the two chambers of the Russian Parliament, on Thursday. Traditionally, such addresses tend to focus on domestic issues.

Kurds & US Special Forces should be used to seal Turkish-Syrian border – Russian FM
RT - With Kurdish militia and US Special Forces on the ground, there is a realistic way to shut off the illegal flow of oil from Syria into Turkey, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at talks with his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dacic. Sealing the border between Turkey and Syria is more important at the moment than finding out who is buying the oil produced by Islamic State (IS, ISIS/ISIL), Lavrov said while speaking with Dacic in Belgrade on Wednesday. The talks come on the eve of a two-day conference of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), currently chaired by Serbia.

Israel was prime force behind 9/11 attacks: American scholar
Press TV - An American scholar and journalist in Wisconsin says not only was the Zionist regime the primary force behind the 9/11 attacks, it was Israeli spies working for Mossad - not Arab Muslims - who celebrated the burning Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Dr. Kevin Barrett, a founding member of the Scientific Panel for the Investigation of 9/11, made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Monday, a day after an international Jewish organization based in the US denounced Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s claim that dozens of Arab Muslims cheered as the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11 as unsubstantiated.

Russia presents proof of Turkey’s role in ISIS oil trade
RT - The Russian Defense Ministry held a major briefing on new findings concerning IS funding in Moscow on Wednesday. According to Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, Russia is aware of three main oil smuggling routes to Turkey. “Today, we are presenting only some of the facts that confirm that a whole team of bandits and Turkish elites stealing oil from their neighbors is operating in the region,” Antonov said, adding that this oil “in large quantities” enters the territory of Turkey via “live oil pipelines,” consisting of thousands of oil trucks. Antonov added that Turkey is the main buyer of smuggled oil coming from Iraq and Syria. “According to our data, the top political leadership of the country - President Erdogan and his family – is involved in this criminal business.”

US-led coalition not striking ISIS oil trucks despite evidence - Russia’s General Staff
RT - Despite mounting evidence of ISIS oil smuggling, the US-led coalition in Syria and Iraq is not striking convoys of oil trucks heading to Turkey, Russia’s General Staff has said. It’s hard not to notice” the thousands of trucks used by terrorists for oil smuggling, Lieutenant General Sergey Rudskoy, deputy commander of the General Staff, said at a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday. However, we see no strikes on those convoys by the coalition - only a tripling in the number of strategic UAVs has been observed,” he said. With the US and its allies unwilling to act, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported the locations where Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) oil tankers are concentrated, Rudskoy said. The deputy commander stressed that defeating IS would be impossible without curbing its main source of income - the illegal oil trade - and urged the coalition to strike IS oil infrastructure.

ISIS Brags About Exploiting Refugee Program to Send “Sleeper Cells” to Europe
Paul Joseph Watson - Manifesto reveals agenda to create Muslim “no go zones” in western cities as bases to launch more attacks. A newly uncovered 99-page manifesto produced by the Islamic State brags about how the terror organization has exploited the refugee program to send jihadist sleeper cells to Europe since 2012, with the goal of creating Muslim “no go zones” in western cities that can be used as a base from which to launch further Paris-style attacks. The manifesto, entitled Black Flags from Rome, serves as a shocking reminder of the danger posed by allowing potentially millions of Muslim migrants to enter Europe and America via the “refugee” red carpet.

3 French mosques closed in 1st major crackdown on places of worship after Paris attacks
RT - French authorities have shut down three mosques in the past week as a part of a crackdown on "Islamist radicalization" launched after Paris terror attacks. This marked the first time such action has been taken against places of worship. A major police raid on a mosque was conducted in the town of Lagny-sur-Marne east of Paris on Wednesday in the presence of the president of the Association of French Muslims, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement. The Wednesday raid resulted in nine people being placed under house arrest as they were considered to be “radicalized.” Twenty-two more were banned from leaving the country, French media reported. Additionally, an individual who was described as of the mosque’s “leaders” was immediately taken into custody after police seized his 9mm revolver, according to French media reports. During the searches in the mosque, police officers found jihadist literature and a hard drive hidden in a wall, French media reports. An undeclared Koran school was also discovered.

New Documents Show UK Intelligence Agencies Hacking Computers With Little To No Oversight
Techdirt - Broad warrants at home — signed by someone who may not have had any idea exactly what they were authorizing. No warrants, for the most part, for extraterritorial hacking. Testimony on behalf of the GCHQ by its director of cyber-security points out that the Secretary of State (who handles surveillance warrants) is rarely consulted when the target is foreign. The only exceptions are if the GCHQ feels the target may be “sensitive” or “politically risky.” Otherwise, the GCHQ grants itself permission to carry out these attacks.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Neighbor Didn’t Report San Bernardino Shooter Over Fears Of Being Called Racist
Paul Joseph Watson - A neighbor of San Bernardino killers Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik refused to report the pair to authorities after witnessing suspicious activity at their apartment over fears she would be labeled racist.... According to Fox News correspondent Will Carr, a neighbor of the pair did not alert authorities because “she did not want to racially profile.” Carr also revealed that neighbors became suspicious when a group of three to four Middle Easterners moved into a nearby apartment and began “getting a lots of package deliveries.” If confirmed, this underscores how overhyped concerns about being politically correct have now taken precedence over reporting genuine security concerns – with deadly consequences.... Meanwhile, within minutes of the shooting, a deluge of leftists on Twitter immediately blamed the massacre on white people, conservatives, Donald Trump supporters, the NRA, the Second Amendment, pro-lifers, and men in general.

2 suspects dead in San Bernardino mass shooting, both identified
RT - San Bernardino police have confirmed that two suspects – a man and woman – died during a gun battle with police officers following a shooting at the Inland Regional Center that left 14 people dead and 17 wounded. The FBI is investigating the situation but have said they don’t know for sure if it is related to terrorism. San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said the two deceased suspects were "dressed in assault-style clothing, armed with assault rifles and hand guns." We don’t have a motive. We don’t know ethnicity," he added.
* Related: San Bernardino shooting Live updates

Obama Calls For Gun Control With Killers Still At Large
Breitbart - After the shooting in San Bernardino, California, President Obama went on CBS News to talk about gun control. It is unclear whether there was just one shooter or multiple shooters at the time of publication, but they were reportedly still at large as Obama weighed in.
“The one thing we do know is that we have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world,” he said, during an interview with CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell. Obama argued in favor of gun control laws that he says could prevent mass shootings, including a law that would ban people on the national “no-fly list” from purchasing firearms.

14 Dead, 14 Wounded After Mass Shooting In Southern California, 3 Gunmen Escaped - Live Feed
Zero Hedge - San Bernardino officials are reporting at least 14 dead and 14 more wounded following a mass shooting in the 1300 block of South Waterman the Inland Regional Center - a center serving people with developmental disabilities.. Authorities are advising all motorists to stay away from the area around. The gunmen, who were heavily armed (with long guns and body armor) escaped the scene of the crime and police are now searching for 3 males dressed in military gear.
* Related: San Bernardino Police Scanner: “Middle Eastern male with long beard, tactical shorts and a backpack”

Infowars Reporters Quizzed by Terror Task Force For Investigating ‘Islamberg’ (Video)
Paul Joseph Watson - Infowars reporters Joe Biggs and Josh Owens were quizzed by the New York Police/FBI Terror Task Force for investigating Islamberg, the small Muslim community that some have claimed is a terror compound. Biggs and Owens arrived at Islamberg, a small hamlet in the town of Tompkins, Delaware County, to look into reports that the area is a staging ground for jihadist training after eyewitnesses reported [on Fox News] hearing, “unusual sounds of gunfire and explosions….emanating from the compound.”

‘Black Lives Matter’ Supporter Who Threatened to Massacre 16 White Students Allowed Back on Campus
Paul Joseph Watson - A ‘Black Lives Matter’ supporter who threatened to massacre 16 white students as part of a revenge attack for the shooting of Chicago teen Laquan McDonald has been allowed to return to campus by a federal judge. 21-year-old Jabari Dean was arrested on Monday after threatening to kill students and staff at the University of Chicago. Dean posted a message on social media over the Thanksgiving weekend in which he laid out the details of his plan to carry out the racially-motivated rampage. “This is my only warning,” wrote Dean. “At 10 a.m. on Monday mourning (sic) I am going to the campus quad of the University of Chicago. I will be armed with a M-4 Carbine and 2 Desert Eagles all fully loaded. I will execute approximately (sic) 16 white male students and or staff, which is the same number of time (sic) Mcdonald (sic) was killed.” “I then will die killing any number of white policemen that I can in the process. This is not a joke. I am to do my part to rid the world of the white devils. I expect you to do the same,” the post stated.

SWAT Team Raids Innocent Woman’s Home, Terrorize & Mock Her, Threaten to Kill Her Dogs
The Free Thought Project - In a case of mistaken identity, SWAT officers issued a no-knock search warrant on Sunday, kicking down an innocent woman’s door and holding her at gunpoint. Instead of apologizing for their mistake, the officers insulted her and threatened to kill her dogs.... With no criminal record and having moved into the apartment two months earlier, Bintliff repeatedly attempted to tell the officers that they had apprehended the wrong person. Handcuffed at the foot of her bed for roughly 40 minutes, Bintliff wept as the cops mocked her and threatened to shoot her dogs.... Although the police claim they had a warrant to search her apartment, Bintliff questions how the cops obtained probable cause. Detained in her bedroom for an hour, Bintliff was released without charges and left with property damage to her apartment.

Proposed National Law Would Crack Down on Swatters with Serious Jail Time
Motherboard - Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Rep. Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania introduced the Interstate Swatting Hoax Act of 2015, a federal anti-swatting bill. Swatting is the act of calling in a fake police emergency in order to send a SWAT team to someone’s house. It’s one of the most extreme forms of online abuse. It is in essence, assault by proxy. Under the newly proposed law, sending false or misleading information over interstate communications networks to intentionally cause an emergency response would be a felony. Although there’s already federal legislation on the books criminalizing calling in fake terrorist attacks or bomb threats, it doesn’t cover calling in other fake emergencies, according to the lawmakers' press release. This bill purports to close that “loophole." The penalty for calling in a fake emergency under the bill would depend on what happens after the call. It’s only a crime if an emergency response is actually dispatched—if the police simply don’t believe you, you’re not on the hook. You get up to five years for a mere dispatch and up to 20 if “serious bodily injury” results. If someone dies from being swatted, you could be in prison for life.

Election News

Donald Trump Dares To Say That Turkey ‘Looks Like They’re On The Side Of ISIS’
Michael Snyder - During an appearance on Sirius XM’s “Breitbart News Daily” on Tuesday morning, Trump stated that the Turkish government “looks like they’re on the side of ISIS more or less based on the oil”. This makes Trump the first presidential candidate to tell the truth about this to the American people. By now, just about everyone knows that ISIS is using Turkey as a home base, and I have previously written about how Turkey is “training ISIS militants, funneling weapons to them, buying their oil, and tending to their wounded in Turkish hospitals”. But a major U.S. politician, especially one running for the White House, could get into really hot water for saying these kinds of things about our NATO ally. You see, the truth is that the American people are not supposed to know that Turkey is actually on the same side as ISIS and has been facilitating the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars of oil that has been stolen by ISIS.

Video: Trump Shocks Establishment Media, Appears on Alex Jones Show
Paul Joseph Watson - Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump told Alex Jones the two would be “speaking a lot” in future after a surprise radio interview that rocked the political establishment earlier today. The Donald joined Jones live from Trump Tower in New York City for a 35 minute discussion on everything ranging from Hillary Clinton’s corruption, to ISIS, to his most recent controversy about Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11.... Numerous ‘progressive’ news outlets began bashing Trump for doing the interview within an hour of it concluding, with Obama White House front group Media Matters the first to pile in.

Private memo lays out how the GOP would deal with Trump as its nominee
Washington Post - Donald Trump has become such a force in the Republican Party that the official overseeing next year’s Senate races has proposed a delicate strategy for GOP candidates: Tap into Trumpism without mimicking Trump. In a seven-page confidential memo that imagines Trump as the party’s presidential nominee, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee urges candidates to adopt many of Trump’s tactics, issues and approaches — right down to adjusting the way they dress and how they use Twitter. In the memo on the “Trump phenomenon,” NRSC Executive Director Ward Baker said Republicans should embrace his tough talk about China and “grab onto the best elements of [his] anti-Washington populist agenda.” Above all, they should appeal to voters as genuine and beyond the influence of special interests.

As Hillary Runs, Marine Will Be Ousted for Emailing Classified Documents
PJ Media - A Marine and U.S. Naval Academy graduate who self-reported that he improperly stored classified documents will be separated from the Marine Corps Reserve following a decision by Assistant Navy Secretary Juan Garcia, the Washington Post reported Monday.... However unfortunate, the decision to expel Brezler for mishandling classified information is essentially orthodox. But it came the same day the State Department released a new batch of emails Hillary Clinton sent from her private server while secretary of State. The latest wave contained 325 "confidential" and one "secret" email, rendering the batch's classification rate 6.3 percent, and the highest so far, according to the Washington Times.

Economy & Business

The Filthy-Rich 50: Meet the richest person in each U.S. state
MarketWatch - Ever wonder who the richest person in your neighborhood is? Private wealth consultancy Wealth-X has (almost) figured it out for you by naming the richest person in each of the 50 U.S. states. There are a few surprises on the list, and 9 of the 50 states don’t have any billionaires. (The deprived states are Utah, New Mexico, Mississippi, Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, South Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming.) Some really wealthy Americans — for example, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, who has an estimated wealth of around $16.4 billion — don’t make the list because they live in the same state as some even wealthier people. (In Allen’s case, his old friend Bill Gates, who has a net worth of $81.5 billion.)

Alarm Bells Go Off As 11 Critical Indicators Scream The Global Economic Crisis Is Getting Deeper
Economic Collapse - Economic activity is slowing down all over the planet, and a whole host of signs are indicating that we are essentially exactly where we were just prior to the great stock market crash of 2008. Yesterday, I explained that the economies of Japan, Brazil, Canada and Russia are all in recession. Today, I am mainly going to focus on the United States. We are seeing so many things happen right now that we have not seen since 2008 and 2009. In so many ways, it is almost as if we are watching an eerie replay of what happened the last time around, and yet most of the “experts” still appear to be oblivious to what is going on. If you were to make up a checklist of all of the things that you would expect to see just before a major stock market crash, virtually all of them are happening right now. The following are 11 critical indicators that are absolutely screaming that the global economic crisis is getting deeper…

Energy & Environment

Obama's Organizing for Action Group: 'Call Out the Climate Change Deniers'
PJ Media - It's always been clear that to Barack Obama, his only real enemies are his political enemies, including all conservatives, the entire GOP and everyone who resists "fundamental transformation." I wish I was making this up, but I'm not. It's from the president of the United State's "community organizing" non-profit group, Organizing for Action... There follows a list of so-called "deniers" -- the Holocaust terminology is both offensive and deliberate -- with thumbnail pictures of folks like Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan, with a button below each so the Obamabots can call them out. If this isn't enough, the other side of the page consists of a form by which the Believers can "Find Deniers" simply by typing in the name of a suspect.

Science & Technology

11 Years Later, We Finally Know What’s in a National Security Letter (It’s Bad)
Liberty Blitzkrieg - For the first time, as part of a First Amendment lawsuit, a federal judge ordered the release of what the FBI was seeking from a small ISP as part of an NSL. Among other things, the FBI was demanding a target’s complete Web browsing history, IP addresses of everyone a person has corresponded with, and records of all online purchases, according to a court document unveiled Monday. All that’s required is an agent’s signature denoting that the information is relevant to an investigation.

Scientist Who Discovered GMOs Cause Tumors in Rats Wins Landmark Defamation Lawsuit in Paris
Natural Blaze - Was French Prof. Gilles-Eric Séralini correct when he discovered that scientific feeding experiments past 90 days with GMO food and rats can cause serious health problems including tumors? The answer to that question has been debated ever since the initial publication of his study, culminating in a republication of the study in another peer-reviewed journal that wasn’t nearly as well covered as the initial retraction was by the mainstream media. Now, Prof. Séralini is in the news again – this time for winning a major court victory in a libel trial that represents the second court victory for Séralini and his team in less than a month.

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

The No-Till, Super-Easy Gardening Method (That You’ve Got To Start NOW)
Off the Grid News - Lasagna gardening is a great, time-saving, no-ill, easy form of gardening. With a little start-up work, you can create an almost completely weed-free garden of rich soil in which your plants will thrive. A lasagna garden, as its name suggests, is made up of layers. These layers need time to break down, so it’s best to put your layers on the ground in the fall and let the garden cook over the winter months to give it a jumpstart on the composting. Allowing time for decomposition over the winter is key to getting a great and easy start in the spring. Lasagna gardening mimics what happens every year in the forest. Layers form, begin to break down over the winter months, and then in spring, plants grow, continuing to break down the layers to release more nutrients. It’s a beautiful cycle.

Health

Eleven States Join the Push for Medical Monopoly
Alliance for Natural Health - It’s being spearheaded by a secretive, private, and powerful organization called the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).... To go into effect, the compact required approval by seven state legislatures; so far [Link to Map], eleven states have approved the legislation, with bills pending in nine other states. You will not be surprised to hear that the FSMB has historically been hostile to integrative medicine. Despite having no public funding, transparency, or accountability, FSMB also wields a tremendous amount of power over the practice of medicine in all fifty states. The organization has demonstrated its antipathy toward natural health since the mid-1990s, when it discussed altering the definition of health fraud to include alternative medical care! It would appear that FSMB considers innovative approaches to healthcare to be nothing more than exercises in “quackery.”

6 Touch Points On The Ear To Heal Everything From A Stiff Back, Shoulders To Digestion and Sinuses
Natural Blaze - Ear reflexology, or Auricular therapy has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for hundreds of years. Like other forms of reflexology, ear reflexology can be used to treat internal ailments in different parts of the body. It can also be a viable substitute for foot reflexology when it isn’t suitable, or other health problems prohibit it. Reflexology is an ancient healing method. It can be used simultaneously with conventional treatment methods to relieve a multitude of ailments. It is a gentle and non-invasive form of healing that originated in Egyptian and Chinese medicine over 5,000 years ago, and is still popular today. Each of our ears contains a complete reflex map of our body, full of nerve endings and multiple connections to our central nervous system. Ear reflexology is based on zones and points in the ear that relate to energy centers in the body known as meridians.

Pet News

FBI to start tracking animal cruelty in 2016
Tri-City Herald - The FBI will begin tracking cases of animal cruelty nationally in 2016, a move advocates hope will bring more attention to the crime among law enforcement agencies and underscore the link between animal abuse and other violent crimes. Until now, animal-related crimes have been reported into a catch-all category in the FBI’s National Incident Based Reporting System. The database collects crime reports from police departments across the country.... Randour and others say tracking animal cruelty cases is especially important because research has shown that violence against animals can be an early indicator that a person will be violent toward humans, and that animal abuse often occurs alongside other crimes such as domestic violence.

Is Your Pet's Skin Itching Like Crazy? Could Be One of These 4 Things
Dr. Becker - Winter can be especially hard on your pet's skin. But, you can retain good skin quality even in the dry winter months. First of all, figure out which of these 4 culprits is the root cause of the problem. And treat them to a TLC massage with this natural immune builder.
 



Wednesday - December 2, 2015 - Today in History:

1804 - Napoleon was crowned emperor of France at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
1816 - The first savings bank in the U.S., the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, opened for business.
1823 - U.S. President James Monroe outlined his doctrine opposing European expansion in the Western Hemisphere.
1917 - During World War I, hostilities were suspended on the eastern front.
1927 - The Ford Motor Company unveiled the Model A automobile. It was the successor to the Model T.
1939 - New York's La Guardia Airport began operations as an airliner from Chicago landed at 12:01 a.m.
1942 - A self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated by Dr. Enrico Fermi and his staff at the University of Chicago.
1970 - The Environmental Protection Agency began operations.
1980 - The Central Committee of Poland’s Communist Party announced major Politburo changes. The changes were aimed at coping with labor unrest.
1982 - Doctors at the University of Utah implanted a permanent artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Barney Clark. He lived 112 days with the device. The operation was the first of its kind.
1993 - The space shuttle Endeavor blasted off on a mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope.
1994 - The U.S. government agreed not to seek a recall of allegedly fire-prone General Motors pickup trucks. A deal was made with GM under which the company would spend more than $51 million on safety and research.
1995 - NASA launched a U.S.-European observatory on a $1 billion dollar mission intended to study the sun.
1997 - U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to seek an independent counsel investigation of telephone fund-raising by President Clinton and Vice President Gore. She had concluded that they had not violated election laws.
1998 - Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates donated $100 million to help immunize children in developing countries.
2001 - Enron Corp. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. The filing came five days after Dynegy walked away from a $8.4 billion buyout. It was the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
2010 - NASA announced the discovery of a new arsenic-based life form.

World News

NATO foreign ministers agree to offer Montenegro membership
RT - NATO foreign ministers have agreed to invite Montenegro to join the military alliance. The move is likely to lead to further deterioration in NATO’s relations with Russia, which sees the alliance’s expansion eastward as a threat to its national security.... The accession of Montenegro into NATO would force Russia to cut a number of joint projects and programs, including military ones, warned Victor Ozerov, who chairs the Defense and Security Committee in the Russian Senate. The Kremlin said a response to Montenegro joining NATO would follow, but details are still under consideration.
* Related: Kremlin says NATO expansion to east will lead to retaliation from Russia

Russia wants to stop ISIS’ illegal oil trade – Churkin
RT - Russia is working with the UN Security Council on a document that would enforce stricter implementation of Resolution 2199, which aims to curb illegal oil trade with and by terrorist groups, Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin told RIA Novosti. The draft resolution intends to quash the financing of terrorist groups, including Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) extremists.... US Ambassador Samantha Power said that America has “a shared objective” with Russia on this, since it is also working towards bringing the financing of terrorism to a halt. The new document is a follow-up to Russian-sponsored Resolution 2199, which was adopted by the UN on February 12 to put a stop to illicit oil deals with terrorist structures using the UN Security Council’s sanctions toolkit.

The Power of Hypocrisy: Six Turkish Jets Enter Greek Airspace
Sputnik News - Six Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated Greek air space over the Aegean Sea on Tuesday, Greece's National Defense General Staff (GEETHA) stated.... Greek aircraft were scrambled to intercept the Turkish jets, and force them to leave Greek airspace, said the defense ministry. The incident is one of many airspace violations committed by Turkey of Greek airspace; on October 9 the Greek authorities reported 39 violations of the country’s airspace by Turkish military aircraft.

Russia to Provide Up to $5.3Mln in Humanitarian Aid to Palestine - Decree
Sputnik News - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the country’s Foreign Ministry to provide up to $5.3 million in humanitarian aid to Palestine, a document on the official Russian legal information Internet portal said Wednesday. According to the decree, the Russian Foreign Ministry was ordered to coordinate conditions and methods of providing humanitarian aid with Palestine’s authorities. Humanitarian aid is expected to be delivered to Palestine by the end of 2015, the decree said.

Russia To Deploy New ‘Doomsday Plane’ in Readiness For Nuclear War
Paul Joseph Watson - Russia announced today that it would deploy the latest version of its high-tech doomsday plane, the Ilyushin-80, which is designated for use during nuclear war or national emergencies. “The flying command center will be able to coordinate the worldwide operations of its ground, naval, air and missile forces, including nuclear weapons, as well as the country’s satellites,” reports Debkafile. According to Global Security, the command and control aircraft, also known as the Maxdome, “Is meant to fly the President of Russia and/or surviving authority figures and highest ranking members of the Soviet (now Russian) government to safety in the event of all-out nuclear war.” The jet is designed to be used when command infrastructure is disrupted due to nuclear conflict and will be, “permanently staffed with senior generals, operational commanders and technicians,” according to the report.

Russian government ratifies economic sanctions against Turkey
RT - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree prohibiting the import of food from Turkey and banning charter flights between the two countries. This is in response to Turkey shooting down a Russian warplane in Syria a week ago.
* Related: Turkey could lose $20 billion over dispute with Russia

Germany commits to anti-ISIS coalition, rules out cooperation with Assad
RT - The German government says it will join the military campaign against Islamic State in Syria, but has ruled out any cooperation with the country’s president Bashar Assad. The plans will see Berlin sending 1,200 personnel to the region, but in an advisory role. The decision to commit to the fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) was taken by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet on Tuesday, according to a government official cited by Reuters. Under the plans, Germany will send Tornado reconnaissance planes, refueling aircraft, a naval frigate and as many as 1,200 military personnel, who will be used to support and pilot German aircraft sent to the region. However, the move still has to gain approval from the lower house of parliament, who will hold a vote regarding the issue on Wednesday.

Imprisoned Al Qaeda Fighters Freed by U.S. Allies to Rejoin Fight Against Assad
Washington’s Blog - Some of the world’s top Al Qaeda operatives were freed from a Lebanese prison on Tuesday December 1st, to rejoin the U.S.-led war against Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. America’s anti-Assad ally, Qatar, the chief financiers of the Muslim Brotherhood, negotiated with the neutralist Lebanese government, to swap the 26 imprisoned Al Qaeda jihadists for 16 Lebanese soldiers who had been captured by Al Qaeda in Lebanon. Lebanese and Syrian Al Qaeda are called Al Nusra. Al Nusra had captured these soldiers in Lebanon this past summer. Lebanon will get its 16 soldiers back, and Al Qaeda (Al Nusra) will get its 26 fighters back, including the former wife of ISIS’s founder, Sheikh Ibrahim Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. London’s Daily Mail headlined about her on 21 February 2015, “Scheming Bride of ISIS they all idolise: Mesmerising tale of wife of terror chief who inspires girls to join bloody ranks.” So, she’s free again, to rejoin the U.S.-led forces.

"Western firms plan to cash in on Syria’s oil and gas ‘frontier’"
Blacklisted News - US, British, French, Israeli and other energy interests could be prime beneficiaries of military operations in Iraq and Syria designed to rollback the power of the ‘Islamic State’ (ISIS) and, potentially, the Bashar al-Assad regime. A study for a global oil services company backed by the French government and linked to Britain’s Tory-led administration, published during the height of the Arab Spring, hailed the significant “hydrocarbon potential” of Syria’s offshore resources. The 2011 study was printed in GeoArabia, a petroleum industry journal published by a Bahrain-based consultancy, GulfPetroLink, which is sponsored by some of the world’s biggest oil companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Saudi Aramco, Shell, Total, and BP.

Global Crisis: Goldman Sachs Says That Brazil Has Plunged Into ‘An Outright Depression’
Economic Collapse - One of the most important banks in the western world says that the 7th largest economy on the entire planet has entered a full-blown economic depression. Brazil’s economy has now contracted for three quarters in a row, and many analysts believe that things are going to get far worse before they have a chance to get any better. Earlier this year, I warned about “the South American financial crisis of 2015“, and now it is in full swing. The surging U.S. dollar is absolutely crushing emerging markets such as Brazil, and if the Fed raises interest rates this month that is going to make the pain even worse.

Greeks Told To Declare Cash "Under The Mattress", Jewelry And Precious Stones
Zero Hedge - Here is the take of Keep Talking Greece, whose stunned response mirrors ours. Cash "under the mattress" totaling more than 15,000 euro, jewelry and other valuable items such as diamonds and gemstones, should be declared to electronic system of tax authorities, Taxisnet, as of 1 January 2016. Next to properties and vehicles and shares, now the taxpayers will also have to declare their deposits. And not only that. They will have to fill if they rent bank lockers and if yes, also the name of the bank and the branch, even if abroad. A joint ministerial decision issued by the Ministries of Justice and Finance indicates that taxpayers in Greece should add all their valuables into a new category of the tax declaration, the “Assets declaration.”

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Prison abuse victim shot dead just before he could collect $450K settlement
RT - It was almost time for Robert Hinton to collect a $450,000 check from the City of New York as compensation for a cruel beating at Rikers Island prison, but before he could get his hands on it, he was murdered – and the NYPD has no lead in the case. The $450,000 was awarded on September 14, but the city was allowed 90 days to send the check. Hinton, 28, was on the verge of receiving the money when he was shot in the head and the stomach late Thanksgiving night.

US Special Operations Forces Expanding in Iraq to 'Battle ISIS'
ABC News - Defense Secretary Ash Carter told Congress today that the U.S. would establish a special operations "targeting force" in Iraq as part of the intensified military effort to fight ISIS. The special operations force would conduct raids, could free hostages held by ISIS, gather intelligence and capture ISIS leaders in both Iraq and Syria. It is part of the broader role for U.S. special operations forces that Carter said would occur in the wake of the raid in late October where U.S. special operations forces helped free 70 ISIS hostages in northern Iraq. That same raid resulted in the death of Master Sergeant Joshua L. Wheeler, the first American fatality from combat in Iraq since the return of U.S. forces to that country in mid-2014.

Obama Criticizes Lack of U.S. Gun Control While in Paris, Pledges Executive Action
Breitbart - Speaking from Paris, France, on December 1, President Obama criticized the lack of gun control in the U.S. and pledged to remain focused on using executive action to enact new controls where possible.... During a press conference, Obama was asked about the November 27 Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood attack that killed two civilians and a police officer. He responded by claiming “mass shootings” are a something specifically American–a problem not witnessed in other countries–then criticized Congressional inaction toward passing more gun control.
* Related: Obama’s 8 Most Idiotic Statements in Paris

Chicago police superintendent fired by mayor amid outcry over video of shooting
Washington Post - The head of the Chicago Police Department was fired Tuesday amid widespread criticism over how authorities responded to the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer last year. Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D-Wall Street) said he formally asked Garry F. McCarthy, the Chicago police superintendent, for his resignation on Tuesday morning, a week after video footage of the shooting was released and the officer was charged with murder.

Black Friday breaks record with 185K gun background checks
USA Today - More Americans had their backgrounds checked purchasing guns on Black Friday than any day in the on record, according to data released by the FBI this week. More Americans had their backgrounds checked purchasing guns on Black Friday than any day in the on record, according to data released by the FBI this week. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed 185,345 requests on November 27, one of the largest retail sales days in the country.

Election News

Ted Cruz: ‘Overwhelming Majority of Violent Criminals are Democrats’
Mikael Thalen - “You can almost see the media salivating… hoping desperately that the murderer happens to be a Republican.” Speaking to the recent shooting at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic during an appearance on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” the presidential candidate accused the Democrat party of being “soft on crime” within its ranks. “Here is the simple and undeniable fact – the overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats,” he said. “There is a reason why for years the Democrats have been viewed as soft on crime. They go in and appoint to the bench judges who release violent criminals.” “They go in and fight to give the right to vote to convicted felons. Why?” Cruz continued by accusing the media of covering up the connection between the left and crime statistics, also noting the push to point the finger at Republicans following any violent incident. “The Democrats know that convicted felons tend to vote Democrat,” the senator said. “The media never reports on any of that. It doesn’t want to admit any of that.”

Hillary Invokes 9/11 AGAIN To Defend Wall St. Connections
Steve Watson - Hillary Clinton used the 9/11 attacks as justification for accepting huge donations from Wall Street fat cats for a SECOND TIME this week in an interview about her Presidential campaign. In the appearance on CBS with Charlie Rose, Hillary invoked 9/11 once again when confronted by Rose on close connections with the financial mafia. Rose asked if Clinton believes she has “suffered from the fact that” some say she is “too close to Wall Street.” Clinton shot back “So yes, do I know people? And did I help rebuild after 9/11? Yes, I did.” It seems that Hillary’s default position on the matter is to just blurt out “9/11” and hope that any detractors shut up about it. Clinton has received sizeable donations from officials at Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase to name a few. But never mind, because 9/11.

Trump Will Debate if CNN Donates $5M
Truth Revolt - On Monday, presidential candidate Donald Trump demanded that CNN donate $5M to veterans if they want him to participate in the next GOP debate. “I won’t do the debate unless they pay me 5 million dollars,” Trump said. Back in September, Trump wrote a letter to CNN president Jeff Zucker and said “While I refuse to brag, and you know very well, this tremendous increase in viewer interest is due 100% to ‘Donald J. Trump.” Due to the interest in the debate, Trump said, at the time, Zucker should donate all the profits that CNN was receiving from increased advertising rates to veterans groups. Trump made his new demand at a campaign rally in Macon, Georgia.... The next GOP presidential debate is schedule for December 15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Economy & Business

U.S. Total Debt Soars By $674 Billion In November
Zero Hedge - When the US reached a debt ceiling deal in the beginning of November, it was common knowledge that there would be a debt accrual "catch up" to make up for lost time when the US was operating under emergency measures to avoid breach of the debt ceiling. And sure enough, when the accurate total debt number was released on November 2, this was indeed the case, when we learned that the US had added some $339 billion in debt during the "emergency measures" period. However, what is unclear is how in the remaining 4 weeks of November, the US managed to add another $335 billion in total debt, bringing the total increase for the month of November to a whopping $674 billion, and total US debt to a record $18.827 trillion.

Big Banks Suffer Rare Fail as Congressional Deal Cuts Nearly $1 Billion a Year in Handouts
The Intercept - Big banks will lose a portion of a multi-billion-dollar government handout they’ve enjoyed for over 100 years, thanks to a compromise highway bill released Tuesday. One estimate pegged the loss to the banks at $8 billion to $9 billion over a 10-year time frame. The bill, as it emerged from a House-Senate conference committee, pays for roads, bridges and mass transit projects in part by reducing what is currently a 6 percent annual dividend on stock that the big banks buy to become members of the Federal Reserve system. Fed membership offers many perks, from access to processing payments to cheap borrowing. But the dividend could be the sweetest gift, because banks cannot ever lose money on the stock; they’re even paid out if their regional Fed bank disbands. Despite the total lack of risk, member banks have received the 6 percent dividend payout every year since 1913.

Energy & Environment

Quest to drill into Earth’s mantle restarts
Indian Ocean expedition resumes a six-decade campaign to bore right through the planet’s crust. Jules Verne would have dug this plan: drill into the sea floor, through kilometres of the planet’s rocky crust to penetrate the denser underlying mantle. It is one of geology’s classic quests, conceived almost 60 years ago, at the peak of the plate-tectonics revolution. Since then, many have attempted it and failed. But an expedition starting this month is taking up the challenge once again.
* Related: Fears scientists about to 'frack' volcanic sea bed could 'trigger mega earthquake'

Health

Dangerous Chemotherapy Treatments Now Being Pushed for Some of the Fastest-Growing Diseases in America
Natural Blaze - “If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians may elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it may be helpful,” according to ChemoCare, a chemotherapy informational site funded by The Scott Hamilton Cares Initiative. Cytoxan® was never approved for the treatment of lupus, arthritis, or vasculitis; and CellCept® was never approved for lupus. How is this possible? According to the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, “The FDA does not limit or control how the medications are prescribed by physicians once the medications are available on the market,” therefore any commercially approved drug can be used to treat anything as long as the doctor decided to do so. Believe it or not this is a fairly common practice as about 21% of prescription were an off-label use in 2006; in an intensive care unit the number was over 36%.

Oh, the tragic irony: These "life-saving" cancer drugs could eat up your entire life savings in under a year
(NaturalNews) The pharmaceutical industry is generally known to be a greed-driven, profiteering racket. However, the real danger for average Americans isn't just getting ripped off while suffering horrific side effects as a result of taking drugs — it's the threat of going bankrupt simply due to having a chronic illness for which the medical-industrial complex now prescribes "cures" that cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars to manage.... Here's an overview of some of these so-called experimental drugs and the costs associated with each...

5 natural antihistamines that stop allergy symptoms
(NaturalHealth365) Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies or are susceptible to common year-round allergy triggers, such as certain foods or dust, allergy symptoms can impact your everyday life. Allergens release histamines that attack your body’s cells, causing the familiar symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. While there are dozens of over-the-counter antihistamines to choose from, their negative effects can far outweigh the benefits. Rather than risk the problems associated with these drugs, you can choose from several effective, natural antihistamines that can put a halt to your symptoms without putting your health at risk.



Tuesday - December 1, 2015 - Today in History:

1835 - Hans Christian Andersen published his first book of fairy tales.
1913 - The first drive-in automobile service station opened, in Pittsburgh, PA.
1941 - In the U.S., the Civil Air Patrol was created. In April 1943 the Civil Air Patrol was placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Forces.
1942 - In the U.S., nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect.
1952 - In Denmark, it was announced that the first successful sex-change operation had been performed.
1955 - Rosa Parks, a black seamstress in Montgomery, AL, refused to give up her seat to a white man. Mrs. Parks was arrested marking a milestone in the civil rights movement in the U.S.
1959 - 12 countries, including the U.S. and USSR, signed a treaty that set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, which would be free from military activity.
1965 - An airlift of refugees from Cuba to the United States began.
1969 - The U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II.
1984 - A remote-controlled Boeing 720 jetliner was deliberately crashed into California's Mojave Desert to test an anti-flame fuel additive. The test proved to be disappointing.
1986 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan said he would welcome an investigation of the Iran-Contra affair if it were recommended by the Justice Department.
1987 - Construction began on the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France.
1987 - NASA announced four companies had been given contracts to help build a space station. The companies were Boeing Aerospace, G. E.'s Astro-Space Division, McDonnell Douglas Aeronautics, and Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International.
1990 - Iraq accepted a U.S. offer to talk about resolving the Persian Gulf crisis.
1994 - The U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval to the 124-nation General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
1998 - Exxon announced that it was buying Mobil for $73.7 billion creating the largest company in the world to date.
2013 - Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos revealed "Amazon Prime Air" on "60 Minutes." The services was planned to use unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver packages to customers.

World News

By ‘covering’ Turkey politically, NATO took responsibility for downing of Russian Su-24 – envoy
RT - By refusing to render an opinion on Turkey’s “intentional” downing of Russia’s bomber over Syria, and instead providing Ankara with political backing, NATO’s leadership has taken responsibility for the incident, Russia’s NATO envoy, Aleksandr Grushko, said. Grushko gave his comments to reporters on Monday after it emerged that he had met with NATO’s Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow to discuss the November 24 incident when a Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by a Turkish F-16 while striking terrorist positions in Syria.

Turkey Won't Let Russian Ships Into Bosphorus
Sputnik News - In a clear violation of international norms, Turkish authorities have created hurdles for Russian vessels passing through the Bosphorus Strait; as a result, dozens of Russian ships have been waiting for hours to obtain the green light from Turkey for passage, media reports said. RIA Novosti quoted Viktor Kravchenko, former chief of staff of the Russian Navy, as saying that a possible unilateral closure by Turkey of the Bosphorus Strait for Russian ships would be out of line with international law.

World War III Draws Closer As Russia Accuses Turkey Of Being ‘Secret Allies’ With ISIS
Economic Collapse - Are Russia and Turkey on the verge of going to war? In remarks that were almost entirely ignored by the western media, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the Turkish government of being “secret allies” with ISIS on Friday. And on Monday, the Russians announced that they would be attempting to seal the border between Syria and Turkey, and we also learned that the Russians have been rushing heavy artillery units into Syria. As tensions between Russia and Turkey continue to escalate, could we be in danger of seeing World War III erupt in the Middle East?

BRICS bank to begin borrowing in yuan
RT - The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) could start operations by borrowing in the Chinese currency, according to the bank’s Vice President Vladimir Kazbekov.... “Considering the stability of the Chinese currency and the scale of the Chinese debt market, I think that one of the first steps in providing the New Development Bank with funds may be entering the Chinese market to borrow in yuan," Kazbekov said on Tuesday at the opening of a BRICS media summit in Beijing.

Russia Sends NATO A Clear Message By Arming Fighter Jets With First Air-To-Air Missiles
Zero Hedge - US and Russian military officials signed a memorandum of understanding that included steps their pilots should take to avoid an inadvertent clash over Syria as they carry out separate air strikes against armed groups. That MoU has now been shredded, as it certainly did not involve Russian fighter jets operating above Syria being armed with short and medium range air-to-air missiles as a direct threat to other fighter jets also operating above Syria - mostly those of Turkey, France and the US… Igor Klimov, spokesman for the Russian Air Force, said that "today, Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers have made their first sortie equipped not only with high explosive aviation bombs and hollow charge bombs, but also with short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles The planes are equipped with missiles for defensive purposes."

Erdogan Says Will Resign If Oil Purchases From ISIS Proven After Putin Says Has "More Proof"
Zero Hedge - On Monday, Putin was back at it, saying that Russia has obtained new information that further implicates Turkey in the Islamic State oil trade… [Erdogan] now says he will resign if Putin (or anyone else) can present "proof"… The real question is how NATO will react now that Turkey is quickly becoming a liability. Furthermore, you can be sure that the US, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar (who are all heavily invested in the Sunni extremist cause in Syria), are getting nervous. No one wants to see this blown wide open as that would mean the Western public getting wise to the fact that it is indeed anti-ISIS coalition governments that are funding and arming not only ISIS, but also al-Nusra and every other rebel group fighting to wrest control of the country from Assad. Worse, if it gets out that the reason the US has refrained from bombing ISIS oil trucks until now is due to the fact that Ankara and Washington had an understanding when it comes to the flow of illicit crude to Cehyan, the American public may just insist on indicting "some folks."

Prosecutors ban Soros Foundation as ‘threat to Russian national security’
RT - In a statement released on Monday, prosecutors said the activities of the Open Society Institute and the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation were a threat to the foundations of Russia’s Constitutional order and national security. They added that the Justice Ministry would be duly informed about these conclusions and would add the two groups to Russia’s list of undesirable foreign organizations. Prosecutors launched a probe into the activities of the two organizations - both sponsored by the well-known US financier George Soros - in July this year, after Russian senators approved the so-called “patriotic stop-list” of 12 groups that required immediate attention over their supposed anti-Russian activities. Other groups on the list included the National Endowment for Democracy; the International Republican Institute; the National Democratic Institute; the MacArthur Foundation and Freedom House.

Saudi Interbank Rates Soar, Deposits Flee As Cash Crunch Intensifies
Zero Hedge - Faced with a sharp deterioration in government finances, the Saudis have resorted to tapping the bond market and delaying contractor payments in an effort to avoid further depletion of the kingdom's SAMA reserves. Now, Saudi banks are bleeding private and public sector deposits, while interbank rates have spiked the most since 2008.

14,000 Undocumented Migrants Vanish Without a Trace in Sweden
Sputnik News - The country's Migration Agency told 21,748 people to leave Sweden a month ago, Aftonbladet reported on Friday, but now 14,140 of them have been listed as "departed" or "wanted," with no further information. Some are thought to be keeping a low profile somewhere within the country; others are believed to have crossed the Swedish border. "We simply don't know where they are," the newspaper quoted Patrik Engström, Director of Sweden's National Operations Division (NOA), as saying. The remaining 7,608 migrants, awaiting deportation, are reportedly either in custody, still living in refugee centers or have registered private addresses.

Sweden: “No Apartments, No Jobs, No Shopping Without A Gun”
Zero Hedge - The Swedes see the welfare systems failing them. Swedes have had to get used to the government prioritizing refugees and migrants above native Swedes. "There are no apartments, no jobs, we don't dare go shopping anymore [without a gun], but we're supposed to think everything's great. ... Women and girls are raped by these non-European men, who come here claiming they are unaccompanied children, even though they are grown men. ... You Cabinet Ministers live in your fancy residential neighborhoods, with only Swedish neighbors. It should be obligatory for all politicians to live for at least three months in an area consisting mostly of immigrants... [and] have to use public transport." -- Laila, to the Prime Minister.

Is the Trip Worth the Gas? Paris Climate Talks Spew 300,000 Tons of CO2
Sputnik News - When taking into account all of the far-reaching cities from which attendees are traveling, the average distance per traveler is roughly 9,000 miles. Most of those journeys will be taken by airplane, which means when making a conservative calculation, 27 million gallons of jet fuel will be used to ferry individuals to and from Paris. "When burned, every one of those 27 million gallons of jet fuel releases about 21 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Added up, all those planes flying to the Paris climate talks will release about 575 million pounds of CO2," Nick Stockton writes for Wired… In light of these facts, maybe a global, 50,000-person conference call would have been more appropriate.

UN Climate Summit: Causes of Climate Change “Unequal Distribution of Wealth and Power”
Gateway Pundit - Over the past several years the Global Warming fanatics have changed their tune. Many of us in the “new” media have been warning about their true motives for year. Now, instead of the climate crisis being caused by carbon emissions, it is being caused by inequality. On Monday, during a press conference at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, Ms. Camille Risler, a representative of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) which is an organization listed as an official consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, stated that the cause of Climate Change is the unequal distribution of wealth, carbon, and power... Ms. Risler goes on to say that the solution to the Climate crisis is to create more “just and equitable economies”. Roughly translated that means an economy based along the lines of Socialism and Communism.

Ban on Tuna Labeled Dolphin-Safe Shows How TPP Will Crush Consumer Rights
The Anti Media - In the last 25 years, dolphin-safe labeling of tuna managed to reduce unnecessary annual deaths of the mammals from over 100,000 to only 3,000—an astounding 97% reduction—but the World Trade Organization just effectively nullified this critical program. In order to placate Mexico as a member nation of the upcoming (and seemingly inevitable) Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the WTO deemed dolphin-safe labeling a “technical barrier to trade”—even though that environmentally-conscious label is voluntary and applies equally to domestic and foreign companies.... This ruling by the WTO is the fourth and final against U.S. attempts to continue dolphin-safe labeling, despite modifications and improvements that sought to rectify any difficulty experienced by the Mexican tuna fishing industry. Rejecting claims the label is both “legitimate” for the protection of dolphins and important for “the conservation of exhaustible natural resources,” the WTO’s decision stated the voluntary label has been applied “arbitrarily.”

Unimaginable Carnage From Fukushima - Killing Pacific Ocean
News With Views - One of the most prominent of them is Dr Helen Caldicott, an Australian physician and long time anti-nuclear activist who warns of "horrors to come" in Fukushima. Chris Busby, a professor at the University of Ulster known for his alarmist views, generated controversy during a Japan visit last month when he said the disaster would result in more than 1 million deaths. "Fukushima is still boiling its radionuclides all over Japan," he said. "Chernobyl went up in one go. So Fukushima is worse."

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Chicago cop who fatally shot teen makes bail
USA Today - A Chicago police officer facing a first-degree murder charge for shooting a teen 16 times was released from county jail Monday evening, hours after a judge set bond at $1.5 million. Officer Jason Van Dyke had been in jail since Tuesday after prosecutors charged him with the Oct. 20, 2014, shooting of Laquan McDonald. Also on Tuesday, the city released dashcam video that shows the teen, who is black, being shot by Van Dyke, who is white. Ben Breit, a Cook County sheriff's department spokesman, said late Monday afternoon that Van Dyke posted bail — 10% of the bail set by the judge, or $150,000 — and was released.

Obama signs NDAA, approving $800 million aid to ‘moderate’ Syrians, Kiev
RT - Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2016 on the eve of Thanksgiving, a four-day holiday for most Americans. He previously vetoed the $612 billion bill in a well-publicized ceremony in October, arguing that the lawmakers dodged the spending limits by shifting money into the warfighting slush fund. Although Congress then trimmed the bill down to $607 billion, the cuts did not affect the $300 million aid to the Ukrainian government, or the “zombie” surveillance blimp program that has cost nearly $3 billion so far. It also left almost $500 million dedicated to arming and training “moderate rebels” in Syria – a program the Pentagon had already abandoned.

Unholy Alliance: Christian Charities Profit from $1 Billion Fed Program to Resettle Refugees, 40 Percent Muslim
Breitbart - Though they are officially “non-profit” organizations, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, and several other Christian organizations are profiting from lucrative contracts with the federal government to resettle refugees in the United States. Of the 100,000 refugees resettled in the United States in 2014 under the Refugee Resettlement program, an estimated 40 percent were Muslims. In FY 2015, the State Department, through the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, spent more than $1 billion on these programs, which settled international refugees “vetted” by the United Nations High Commission on International Refugees in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The federal government spent hundreds of millions of dollars more than that on refugees, however. The Department of Health and Human Services also provided a number of “entitlements” to these refugees. Much of this $1 billion in annual revenue goes to voluntary agencies (VOLAGs), several of which are Christian non-profits, such as Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, World Relief Corporation, Church World Service, and Domestic and Foreign Missionary Service of the Episcopal Church of the USA.

Texas Doubles Down: Threatens to Sue Groups Bringing Syrian Refugees
Breitbart - Texas officials are doubling-down on their opposition to Syrian refugees settling in the state. Help them and we may sue you and may terminate your funding from the state, state officials warn.
Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Chris Traylor sent letters and admonished agencies in the state who help Syrian refugees while refusing to cooperate with Texas officials, saying, “I must ask that you fulfill your statutory duty to conduct your activities ‘in close cooperation and advance consultation’ with the State of Texas pursuant to section 1522 of Title 8 of the United States Code.”

Pentagon Slush Funds: How the US Gets to Buy Its Expensive New Weapons
Sputnik News - US has set ambitious plans to modernize all three legs of its nuclear triad over the next thirty years, already awarding contracts to various defense contractors. However here's the rub – where can it get the money for weapons it can barely afford?... There are certain “budget gimmickries” that the US can use, according to Sarah Tully, a Policy Analyst at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and Council for a Livable World. “One option is to divvy up the bill, paying for all or part of the program from a pot of money apart from the normal budget,” she wrote in an article for The National Interest magazine. “Congress is currently working to create a loophole to pay for the navy’s leg of the nuclear triad, its submarines, outside of its standard budget: the so-called National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund, a scheme set up by Congress to fund the Ohio-class replacement subs,” the author adds.

White House Demands Congress Pass Gun Control For Christmas
Breitbart - The Obama administration is pressing for gun control, repeating a demand that Congress pass a ban on gun ownership for Americans on the no-fly list. “If the U.S. Government has determined that it is too dangerous for you to board a plane then you shouldn’t be able to buy a gun,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said during a press conference in Paris today.

Election News

McCain: Trump’s Rhetoric Turning Muslims Against the U.S.
Breitbart - Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sen. John McCain said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rhetoric was turning Muslims “against the United States of America.” McCain said, “As all of our candidates bloviate about the refugees, Bashar Assad is a major cause of the refugees which are now flooding Europe and causing such consternation in the United States.” When asked specifically about Donald Trumps rhetoric McCain said, “I think it has an interesting effect of turning Muslims all over the world against the United States of America which is 99 and 44/100 percent of people who practice honorable religion. By the way, the fact is that we can succeed here and ISIS is not that strong but the longer they say in power the more this poison spreads and metastasizes from as far away from Afghanistan, Africa, other parts of the world.”

Economy & Business

Number Of Millennials Living In Parents' Basement Climbs (Again); Weddings Blamed (Again)
Zero Hedge - According to a study by the Pew Research Center in Washington, 36.4% of young women have now moved back to the basement, so to speak. The culprit: weddings. No, really. From Bloomberg: Eternal happiness can wait. Millennials are much less likely to be married than their parents were at their age, and marriage often serves as an impetus to move out… Of course the real reason why 18-34 year-olds are moving home is because the US economic "recovery" is characterized by a labor market that, far from being a "robust" creator of breadwinner jobs, actually churns out bartenders and waiters. The sad thing is, between lackluster wage growth, crippling student debt, and bad decision making when it comes to picking a college major, some millennials are finding out that serving drinks is a far better way to make ends meet than taking a full-time job for a meager salary that all but guarantees you a spot among America's growing peasantry…

Energy & Environment

The Pentagon, The Climate Elephant. The US Military Machine is the World’s Worst Polluter of Greenhouse
Global Research - The US military machine, is the world’s biggest institutional consumer of petroleum products and the world’s worst polluter of greenhouse gas emissions. The role of the US military is not on the agenda of the Paris COP21 Climate Conference.... It is well understood by every possible measurement that the Pentagon, the U.S. military machine, is the world’s biggest institutional consumer of petroleum products and the world’s worst polluter of greenhouse gas emissions and many other toxic pollutants. Yet the Pentagon has a blanket exemption in all international climate agreements. Ever since the Kyoto Accords or Kyoto Protocol negotiations in 1998, in an effort to gain U.S. compliance, all U.S. military operations worldwide and within the U.S. are exempt from measurement or agreements on reduction. The U.S. Congress passed an explicit provision guaranteeing U.S. military exemptions. (Interpress Service, May 20, 1998)

Science & Technology

Humans Mold Animals at Will: Gene Editing Hits Full Throttle
AllGov - Researchers have taken gene manipulation to a new level and are now able to edit out unwanted characteristics from animals while adding in more desirable traits. Whether this should be pursued is another question… Bruce Whitelaw, a professor of animal biotechnology at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, told the Times. “It’s going to change the societal question from, ‘If we could do it, would we want it?’ to, ‘Next year we will have it; will we allow it?’”… Gene-edited animals used as food is indeed a particular concern. There may be some as-yet unknown problem with gene editing that could cause a problem for humans down the road, so farmers are taking a wait-and-see attitude… Human gene manipulation is the logical next step, a prospect that excites some (curing disease) and frightens others. “Picture the precision and ease of the find-and-replace function on a word document -- that’s how easy it now is to change the human genome,” wrote Huffington Post’s Lila Shapiro. “What happens if it ends up in the wrong hands? If sci-fi has taught us anything, it’s that it won’t end well.”

 Gardening, Farming & Homesteading

FDA Approves Controversial Drug To Beef Up Farm Animals Despite Being Reported As The Most Dangerous
(NaturalNews) If it’s been deemed bad in other countries, that’s often when the United States comes in and welcomes it with open arms. In this case, we’re talking about the fact that a California judge recently dismissed two lawsuits that claimed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) illegally approved a harmful drug additive – ractopamine hydrochloride – used in animal feed.

Health

CBS: Studies Shows Ritalin ‘may not treat ADHD’ & can cause poor sleep
Health Nut News - There were nearly a million prescriptions for Ritalin, the best known brand name of the drug methylphenidate, and related drugs dispensed last year. ADHD affects an estimated 5 per cent of children; sufferers may have difficulty focusing attention and remaining “on task” and show excessively impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. The review, published in the Cochrane Library, found that Ritalin appeared to produce modest improvements in symptoms, general behavior and quality of life, but the researchers said that the quality of evidence was poor. There were also signs that children on the drug were more likely to experience sleep problems and loss of appetite, leading the researchers to urge more caution in its use.
* Related: Ritalin Schedule II Substance Side Effects and Warnings

New Flu Vaccine Contains Adjuvant Linked to Gulf War Illness
Health Nut News - ...the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new flu vaccine with an adjuvant added to try the coming season.... Known as Squalene, the oil-based adjuvant is claimed to boost immunity. And while it has been used in European vaccines, in the US, it has been restricted in use. The reason is most probably the reported adverse effects, like autoimmune diseases caused in lab animals on which the vaccine was tested. The most serious and well-known of these effects is the condition called Gulf War Syndrome... One fourth of the war vets in the Gulf wars experienced the illness characterized by chronic fatigue, muscle aches and pain, and a range of cardiovascular, neurologic, and respiratory problems as well as psychological issues like depression and sleep issues like insomnia. Research found strong link to anthrax vaccine administered to the military personnel in these wars. Now the same Squalene-carrying flu vaccine has been approved for civilian use...

Move Over Kale: Four Healthy Greens You Need to Try
Natural Blaze - If you haven’t added healthy greens to your eating plan, you’re missing out! They are not only incredibly nutritious, they are readily available, inexpensive, and delicious. You know the most common leafy greens such as kale, spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. There are articles about them everywhere and their benefits have been proven beyond a doubt. Today, I want to talk to you about healthy greens you might not have considered yet.


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