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Apocalypse Watch 2009 - September 2009 Flooding

Pictures of today's flooding in Manila

More Pics of flooding in Manila



Flooding in North Carolina and Georgia

More flooding in Georgia





Flooding in Scotland

Flooding in West Africa

Flooding in Australia

Flooding in Turkey

Flooding in Azerbaijan

Need I mention more?

Whoah Baby!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Another 9/11

"An Afghan immigrant wanted to carry out a New York City terror attack involving hydrogen peroxide bombs to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary before federal authorities foiled the plan, a U.S. prosecutor said Friday.

Tim Neff told a federal judge that Najibullah Zazi "was in the throes of making a bomb and attempting to perfect his formulation."



"The evidence suggests a chilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant was intent on making a bomb and being in New York on 9/11, for purposes of perhaps using such items," Neff declared in arguing for Zazi's transfer to New York.

Ken Deal, the chief deputy U.S. marshal in Denver, said Zazi was put on a U.S. government plane and flown out of southern Denver's Centennial Airport at 12:15 p.m. MDT — little more than an hour after U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer ordered Zazi transferred to New York City to face charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.

Deal said it was possible Zazi could appear in federal court in Brooklyn late Friday. The charge against Zazi carries a possible life sentence upon conviction." -- Associated Press

"Obama Would Regret His Accusations"

"Bluntly confronting Iran, President Barack Obama and the leaders of France and Britain accused the Islamic republic Friday of clandestinely building an underground plant to make nuclear fuel that could be used to build an atomic bomb.

"The size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program," Obama said of the formerly secret site, warning of severe consequences if Iran does not come clean about its nuclear efforts and intentions.

He and the other leaders revealed and condemned the plant's existence in a dramatic early morning appearance at a world leaders' summit that was otherwise focused on recovery from the global economic meltdown. They demanded that Iran open all nuclear sites for inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Unbowed, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country had done nothing wrong and Obama would regret his accusations." -- Associated Press

Beware of Twitter Worm (A Virus Thingy)

"We have received multiple reports that a new, convincing, and dangerous worm and phishing scam is making the rounds on Twitter. Hacked accounts are sending DMs to users and stealing their login information. In fact, one of our own has received one of these direct messages....

...If you get this DM, DO NOT VISIT THE LINK. It takes you to a replica of the Twitter() login page where the hackers will steal your account and use it to send out more infected DMs to your friends." -- Mashable

"Thelatest one, a worm called Koobface, has hit all the social networks, includingFacebook, MySpace, hi5, Bebo and Twitter, and can riddle your network with malware,spyware and can steal sensitive data right from your workstations’ hard drives.Like past generations of computer bugs, Koobface wants to not only infect yourcomputer, but then use you as a jumping off point to infect others. But unlike past viruses, Koobface and similarnew malware programs are leveraging your company’s social network account toreach out and infect your online friends and business associates.

“Somewherein the world there are some guys sitting around and dreaming up things thatwill make you click on a link,” said Chip Reaves, global director of ComputerTroubleshooters, the largest international network of outsourced IT providersthat offers onsite computer services to small businesses. “Koobface’s most effective way to spread isto send links to your friends with text like ‘I can’t believe it’s you in thisvideo – were you sober? LOL!’ Koobface combines state-of-the-art software whichcan infect your computer in multiple ways with these creative lures designed tomake you want to click on the infected links. It’s pretty insidious.” -- Booty Daily

Apocalypse? We can only hope!:)

"Dust Storm Blankets Sydney, Disrupts Transport ...SYDNEY (Reuters) - An outback dust storm swept across eastern Australia and blanketed Sydney on Wednesday, disrupting transport and placing health authorities on alert for widespread respiratory illness.

The dust blacked out the outback mining town of Broken Hill on Tuesday, forcing one mine to shut down, and then swept east, shrouding Sydney in a red glow on Wednesday morning.

International flights were diverted from Sydney, ferries on Sydney Harbour were suspended and commuter motorists warned to take care on roads as visibility was dramatically reduced." -- Reuters


Click HERE for Sydney Storm Pics

"Sydneysiders have woken to a red haze unlike anything seen before by residents or weather experts, as the sun struggles to pierce a thick blanket of dust cloaking the city this morning.




Callers flooded talkback radio, others hit social networking sites and scores of emails were received from smh.com.au readers as Sydney residents expressed their amazement at this morning's conditions." -- Sydney Morning Herald

Internal Terror Warnings.

"WASHINGTON – Counterterrorism officials have issued security bulletins to police around the nation about terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels — the latest in a flurry of such internal warnings as investigators chase a possible bomb plot in Denver and New York.

In the two bulletins — sent to police departments Monday and obtained by The Associated Press — officials said they know of no specific plots against such sites, but urged law enforcement and private companies to be vigilant. These two bulletins followed on the heels of a similar warning about the vulnerabilities of mass transit systems.

The bulletin on stadiums notes that an al-Qaida training manual specifically lists "blasting and destroying the places of amusement, immorality, and sin... and attacking vital economic centers" as desired targets of the global terror network." - Associated Press - To read more, please see Yahoo News.

What Is Most Important?

Iran. Quite Likely Nuclear.

"The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said his agency was in a "stalemate" with Iran as it faces a deadline to respond to an offer of nuclear talks or face more sanctions. Sept. 8" -- New York Times

"_ The IAEA's assessment that Iran worked on developing a chamber inside a ballistic missile capable of housing a warhead payload "that is quite likely to be nuclear."

_ That Iran engaged in "probable testing" of explosives commonly used to detonate a nuclear warhead _ a method known as a "full-scale hemispherical explosively driven shock system."

_ An assessment that Iran worked on developing a system "for initiating a hemispherical high explosive charge" of the kind used to help spark a nuclear blast.

In another key finding, an excerpt notes: "The agency ... assesses that Iran has sufficient information to be able to design and produce a workable implosion nuclear device (an atomic bomb) based on HEU (highly enriched uranium) as the fission fuel." -- Associated Press

Note: Saw that coming.

Sunday Will Come

California's Still Burning

"LOS ANGELES – Just as firefighters were intensifying their efforts Monday to contain the flames menacing the foothill neighborhoods of the San Gabriel Valley, another part of the deadly fire in the Angeles National Forest flared up.

Fire officials canceled plans to burn out brush and create a buffer south of the ferocious fire to protect communities from Azusa to Pasadena.

Incident Commander Mike Dietrich said at a Monday night news conference that the weather — including 30-40 mph winds and 10 percent humidity — didn't cooperate, and the aircraft needed to support and monitor the burnout operations were diverted to the fire's northeastern flank.

The blaze was 56 percent contained and had blackened 157,220 acres, or 246 square miles, as it burned deeper into the wilderness in its 13th day, feeding off leaf litter on the ground, old growth and dead timber.

"Even the mountain goats won't climb in there because it's so steep and rugged," U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy said."
-- To read more click HERE

Labor Day

"Labor Day is an American holiday, celebrated the first Monday of September. New York City union workers held the first Labor Day parade on Sept. 5, 1882. President Grover Cleveland signed a law designating the holiday as a day off for workers in the US. Take advantage of this celebratory day off by enjoying it to the fullest!"

To read more, click HERE

Sabbath Day, Hope

Hope. - "Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.[1] Hopefulness is somewhat different from optimism in that hope is an emotional state, whereas optimism is a conclusion reached through a deliberate thought pattern that leads to a positive attitude." -- Wikipedia

“Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask yourself... 'How did I get through all of that?'” -- Unknown

How things are supposed to flow.

From USA.gov, I found this nifty flow chart for the US government. Notice that "The Constitution" is at the top of the chart.

Does anyone else find this interesting?

"RECLAIM OUR LAND FROM THE HEIRS OF, YES: BIN LADEN"

"An intriguing scene from a town-hall meeting in California hosted by GOP Rep. Wally Herger, courtesy of the Mount Shasta Area Newspapers:

One speaker said he could trace his ancestors back to the Mayflower and said “they did not arrive holding their hands out for help.”

“I am a proud right wing terrorist,” he declared to cheers.

Herger praised the man’s attitude.

“Amen, God bless you,” Herger said with a broad smile. “There is a great American.”

It appears from the context that the audience member was attempting to venture an ironic reference to descriptions of the town hall hooligans, and to publicly identify with them. So at best Rep. Herger offered a full-throated endorsement of the disrupters here. At at worst…"

-- The Plum Line

Okay, so I tried to look on Obama's official site regarding the whole rumor of "2 Phone Calls on 9/11". Here is what I found...

my.barackobama.com

"Invalid Event URLThe URL you clicked references an event that does not exist. This event may have existed at one time but been subsequently deleted.

If you clicked a URL in an email, please check that the URL in your browser matches the one shown in your email client. Email clients sometimes load an incorrect URL when clicking a link in an email. You may need to copy and paste the URL from the email into your browser by hand."

When I went to the "cached" version of the link, here is what I found...

"The Details2 PHONE CALLS ON 9/11 - Illinois! (Health Care Organizing Event)
STAY HOME FOR THIS EVENT! DO NOT GO ANYWHERE!
Stay HOME:
---* The Event consists of ALL OF US Making Two Phone Calls on one particular, single day.
---* We call each of our State Senators (phone numbers are below) on that day.

What day? Our US Senators return to DC the Tues after Labor Day. That next FRIDAY, Sep 11, is Patriot Day, designated in memory of the nearly three thousand who died in the 9/11 attacks.

All 50 States are coordinating in this – as we fight back against our own Right-Wing Domestic Terrorists who are subverting the American Democratic Process, whipped to a frenzy by their Fox Propaganda Network ceaselessly re-seizing power for their treacherous leaders.

DO YOU WANT to ensure passage of the Public Plan? Since 75% of Americans support it, I guess it's time for us Seventy-Five Percenters to be heard. Why Public Plan? = Because It’s American To Take Care Of Our Own!

And, according to a White House Advisor to the President with whom I spoke ten days ago at a DNC Panel, he said, "ON ONE DAY you 'burn-up' the Senate Switchboards - THE NEXT DAY you've got the Senator's attention". We will achieve that effect, on Friday, Patriot Day 9/11.

Auto-generated emails will remind you about our Armchair Public Plan Slam-Dunk Two-Phone-Call Call-A-Thon. Plus I will email you that day, too. And, if you're proud you joined-in, then email me (the Host) back, when you've made your calls. I will be honored to report our massive numbers to OFA for them to brag on the web.

2 PHONE CALLS ON 9/11 – BE A TRUE PATRIOT –

DEFEAT ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES OF HATE WHO CONSPIRE TO REMAIN HEALTHY + WEALTHY WHILE THE PUBLIC LANGUISHES UNDER THE BURDEN OF OUR PRESENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM –

---* TELL THEM: "I'm calling from the city of [xxx] – and I AM mad as Hell – and I AM NOT going to take it anymore, If You Don't Mind!"...
---* TELL THEM: "Please make the Public Plan the Law of the Land –
---* TELL THEM: “Because IT’S AMERICAN TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.”
---* TELL THEM: “Tell that to my Senator – Thank you, Good-bye."

That's it – simple – all you need is a calendar, an armchair and a phone, for us to have a good strong voice.

Ask your friends if they want to join our Public Plan Call-A-Thon on 9/11: Patriot's Day –

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Burris, Roland W. - (D - IL)
387 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2854

Durbin, Richard J. - (D - IL)
309 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2152
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
---* RECLAIM OUR LAND FROM THE HEIRS OF, YES: BIN LADEN *---* YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE *---

In case you haven't seen it in the News: Republican Representatives, Senators, GOP Party Leader, GOP Political Machine top personnel (e.g., Gingritch), etc etc etc --- they're ALL every one of them applauding and encouraging their zealot-horde by merrily referring to them as "Proud Right-Wing Terrorists". Google it - I'm not pulling your leg.

But don't hate them: Misguided citizens are easy-pickings for demagogues, whom they blindly follow because they’ve been trained all their lives not to question the dogma of their religion, so it’s natural for them NOT TO QUESTION what’s being spoon-fed to them by their FALSE PROPHETS who, themselves, shamelessly seek Worldly Glory.

They don’t apply the simple Test: “Am I being led closer to God, when I do what these folks say? – Or, am I on a Bullet-Train to the Devil, and I’m just a pawn to make these folks richer and more powerful?” Because, you know: the Faith one has in God, is different from faith one should have in Man. And you need to be even MORE skeptical, when one of ‘em says that God picked them for something or another. You can bet whatever they’re doing is making them more powerful/ more wealthy, and certainly less pious, no? Ooops, and following them is making YOU less pious too, in thought, and in deed. Yesseree, it’s a real thing to chew on.

Just remember: We Are The Super-Heroes Who Yes WE DID, and YES, WE SHALL commence administering Super-Hero Karate Chops, beginning now.

Oh, and can some of you facebook and tweat this around? I'm not that good at it yet.
IF YOU MISS THIS DAY, JUST DO IT OVER THE WEEKEND – IT'LL ALL GET REPORTED TO THE RESPECTIVE SENATORS ON MONDAY, ANYWAY.

"Zero Pride-of-Ownership", here Folks! - Cut and Paste all of this together your own Event or create your own wording, at the city/town of your choosing, since lots of people look for an event that's 5 miles close.
Time: Friday, September 11 9:00 AM
Host: like- mind
Location: In the Privacy of Your Own Home! (Chicago, IL)
Chicago, IL 60601

Signup for '2 PHONE CALLS ON 9/11 - Illinois!'Will you attend: Yes, I will attend. No, I will not attend.
How many attendees total: (incl. yourself)
Add a comment: (optional)

Your comment will be sent to the event host.
I don't want an account, just RSVP
Email address:
Zip Code:
Please sign me up for an account
Your First Name:
Your Last Name:
Zip Code:
Email Address:
Password:
Password (again):

I already have an account
Email Address:
Password: Remember Me
Forgot Your Password?

Other Signups 41953690525 people have signed up to attend this event."

-- Cached Link

Remember this?

"Statement by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the Threat of Right-Wing Extremism

Release Date: April 15, 2009

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

The primary mission of this department is to prevent terrorist attacks on our nation. The document on right-wing extremism sent last week by this department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis is one in an ongoing series of assessments to provide situational awareness to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on the phenomenon and trends of violent radicalization in the United States. I was briefed on the general topic, which is one that struck a nerve as someone personally involved in the Timothy McVeigh prosecution.

Let me be very clear: we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don’t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence."

-- www.dhs.gov

More...

"(U//FOUO) This product is one of a series of intelligence assessments published by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch to facilitate a greater understanding of the
phenomenon of violent radicalization in the United States....

(U) Key Findings

(U//LES) The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific
information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence, but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the first African American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.

— (U//LES) Threats from white supremacist and violent antigovernment groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts. Nevertheless, the consequences of a prolonged economic downturn—including real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability to obtain credit—could create a fertile recruiting environment for rightwing extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and government authorities similar to those in the past.

— (U//LES) Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.

(U//FOUO) The current economic and political climate has some similarities to...

Growth of these groups subsided in reaction to increased government scrutiny as a result of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and disrupted plots, improvements in the economy, and the continued U.S. standing as the preeminent world power....

(U) Exploiting Economic Downturn

(U//FOUO) Rightwing extremist chatter on the Internet continues to focus on the
economy, the perceived loss of U.S. jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and home foreclosures. Anti-Semitic extremists attribute these losses to a deliberate conspiracy conducted by a cabal of Jewish “financial elites.” These “accusatory” tactics are employed to draw new recruits into rightwing extremist groups and further radicalize those already subscribing to extremist beliefs. DHS/I&A assesses this trend is likely to accelerate if the economy is perceived to worsen."

-- Source Here...DHS

If there has ever been a more hateful group, other than Hitler and the Nazis, please let me know. This just isn't right!

Today's Issues...

Here's the news that seems to be causing issues today.

Healthcare:_____________________________________________________________________
"It's no secret that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been gauging how Sen. Edward Kennedy's death affects the health care debate.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gave an unusually blunt assessment in an interview with a local newspaper.

"I think it's going to help us," the Nevada Democrat told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

...Reid made his comments Friday, the day before Kennedy was buried. He offered two reasons for the assessement. One, Kennedy's death clears the way for a new chairman on the Senate health committee. Two, Kennedy serves as an inspiration.

..."He hasn't been around for some time. We're going to have a new chairman of that committee. It'll be, I don't know for sure, but I think Sen. (Chris) Dodd," Reid told the news paper. "He has a right to take it. Either him or (U.S. Sen. Tom) Harkin, whichever one wants it can have it. I think he (Kennedy) will be a help. He's an inspiration for us. That was the issue of his life and he didn't get it done." -- Fox News

"Congresswoman Watson heaped praise on Cuba’s health care. Not stopping at admiring a system where access to simple everyday medications is often an epic struggle, Congresswoman Watson went on to extol Cuba’s former dictator Fidel Castro, a man who has murdered, tortured and exiled his own countrymen as "one of the brightest leaders I have ever met". It is no surprise that journalists and citizens alike have responded the Congresswoman’s remarks with shock and trepidation." -- www.speroforum.com

"WASHINGTON -- A top White House adviser said Tuesday he doubts two Senate Republicans at the center of health-care talks are negotiating seriously, as Democrats adopted a new, more confrontational tone accusing key Republicans of blocking change.

Senior adviser David Axelrod, responding to recent broadsides against Democratic health plans by Republican Sens. Mike Enzi of Wyoming and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, said Democrats would reach out to other Republicans to finish a deal this year. He added that President Barack Obama is considering laying out a more detailed vision of what he wants in a health-overhaul plan." -- Fox News



Education:_____________________________________________________________________
"Let those of us who are gathered here today read this poem as “The Teacher’s Obligation.” We, too, must move in and out of windows, we, too, must build a project of radical imagination and fundamental change. Venezuela is poised to offer the world a new model of education– a humanizing and revolutionary model whose twin missions are enlightenment and liberation. This World Education Forum provides us a unique opportunity to develop and share the lessons and challenges of this profound educational project that is the Bolivarian Revolution.

Viva Mission Sucre!
Viva Presidente Chavez!
Viva La Revolucion Bolivariana!
Hasta La Victoria Siempre!" -- Posted in: Bill Ayers, Education, -- MichelleMalkin.com

California Burning

Updates on the California fires...

"The owner of a preserve of exotic animals near Los Angeles that houses big cats once owned by Michael Jackson says she is ignoring evacuation orders and staying put as a wildfire rages nearby." -- Fox News

"The fire that has threatened Los Angeles County since August 26 doubled in size on Sunday night, and is nearing the Mount Wilson Observatory, used by researchers from UCLA.

As of 7:20 a.m. local time, the fire was five percent contained and had destroyed 122,000 acres, with an estimated $7,671,000 in damage according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Public Affairs Section.

The origin of the fire is unknown, and has an estimated containment date of September 15, said Steve Zermeno, a spokesman from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

UCLA faculty members who work in the Mount Wilson Observatory were evacuated on Friday due to the proximity of the wildfires, said Roger Ulrich, emeritus professor of astronomy." -- UWire

"The fire that has threatened Los Angeles County since August 26 doubled in size on Sunday night, and is nearing the Mount Wilson Observatory, used by researchers from UCLA.

As of 7:20 a.m. local time, the fire was five percent contained and had destroyed 122,000 acres, with an estimated $7,671,000 in damage according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Public Affairs Section.

The origin of the fire is unknown, and has an estimated containment date of September 15, said Steve Zermeno, a spokesman from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

UCLA faculty members who work in the Mount Wilson Observatory were evacuated on Friday due to the proximity of the wildfires, said Roger Ulrich, emeritus professor of astronomy." -- ABC News