MFS - The Other News

                         Afternoon Posting.

• Europe stumbles blindly towards its 1931 moment.It is the European Central Bank that should be printing money on a mass scale to purchase government debt, not the US Federal Reserve.Unless the ECB takes fast and dramatic action, it risks destroying the currency it is paid to manage, and allowing a political catastrophe to unfold in Europe. If mishandled, Ireland could all too easily become a sovereign version of Credit Anstalt - the Austrian bank that brought down the central European financial system in 1931, sent tremors through London and New York, and set off the second deeper phase of the Great Depression, the phase when politics turned ugly.“Does the ECB understand the concept of contagion?” asked Jacques Cailloux, chief Europe economist at RBS. Three EMU countries have already been shut out of the capital markets, and footloose foreign creditors hold €2 trillion of debt securities issued by Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Greece.Bundesbank chief Axel Weber might fairly conclude that it is impossible at this stage to reconcile the needs of Germany and the big debtors. If the ECB prints money on the scale required to underpin the South, it would set off German inflation, destroy German faith in monetary union, and perhaps run afoul of Germany’s constitutional court. If EMU must split in two, it might as well be done on Teutonic terms. All this is understandable, but is Chancellor Merkel really going to let subordinate officials at the ECB destroy Germany’s half-century investment in the post-war order of Europe, and risk Götterdämmerung? Read the full story here.

• Israel demands written US guarantees before freeze. Official says Netanyahu will not present Cabinet with American proposal for renewal of settlement construction moratorium until he receives written security guarantees. Officials: Tension over US refusal to promise not to demand another freeze.Israel has demanded the United States provide written security guarantees before it votes on whether to agree to freeze Jewish settlement building in the West Bank, an Israeli political source said Tuesday. The official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present the offer to his Cabinet only upon receiving written guarantees which "reflect the understandings reached during his talks with Hillary Clinton in New York." Jerusalem is insisting that it is the Palestinians who are delaying a finalized version of the US proposal. "What is causing the delay in drafting an agreed version of the American paper is the Palestinian claim that the understandings between Clinton and Netanyahu are too good for Israel and deny them of pressure means," a state official said.Another official said the agreement includes an American commitment to veto any initiative brought before the UN to bypass the peace negotiations; a US commitment not to demand another freeze extension beyond the agreed upon 90 days and guarantee that the borders issue will not be negotiated on separately. Government officials who are familiar with the issue told Ynet that Netanyahu's demand for written guarantees has resulted in some tension with the Americans. The Americans, one official said, wanted to water down the agreement due to Palestinian opposition to a US commitment that it would not demand another freeze.The officials hinted that Netanyahu is demanding a US pledge that a final peace agreement would not include the return of Palestinian refugees to Israel.Hmmm....by preference carved in granite with matching fingerprints.Read the full story here.

• Caution urged on U.N. resolution.In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution on the defamation of religion. While that may sound like a good thing, Patrick Beard of Indigenous Outreach International (IOI) believes otherwise."There's a difference between freedom of religion and defamation of religion," he relates. "It sounds kind of nice, [it] sounds like religious tolerance and equality -- but in actuality...this resolution...puts a rubber stamp, if you will, on countries that persecute religious minorities, particularly Islamic countries."Beard, executive director of IOI, says the U.N. resolution is non-binding, but points out the fact that it was sponsored by an Islamic conference is cause for concern -- not to mention that it drew support from Pakistan and Saudia Arabia, which are among the biggest violators of human rights. Venezuela also backed the resolution.The ministry has now created the website RighttoBelieve.org, which invites people to sign a petition that objects to the resolution, and offers signers an opportunity to promise to pray for the U.N. General Assembly."Basically, why it matters to us as Americans -- and why it really matters to me as a missionary -- is that countries with an Islamic majority [are] passing blasphemy laws," Beard explains.MFS "Aproving these laws will make of the U.N. an instrument to suppress the Human Rights it should be defending in the first place."Read the full story here.

• HT:BacktoBasics.It’s gone too far.Naked Scanners paid for by Stimulus money. George Soros holds financial interest in company.It’s about control, not security.Perhaps one of the most controversial topics today is the use of “naked” body scanners at airports by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As this investigation found, it is indeed a matter deserving of such controversy and further investigative focus.Using the attempted Christmas Day 2009 bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 by 23-year-old “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as “Exhibit A” for needing the ultra-intrusive “naked” body scanners, the TSA, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, stepped up their purchases and deployment of the scanners to U.S. airports.In the wake of his flurry of media appearances suggesting that full body scanners would have likely caught Abdulmutallab before he boarded flight 253, and article critical of Chertoff appeared in the January 1, 2010 edition of The Washington Post. The former DHS secretary was criticized for “using his former government credentials to advocate for a product that benefits his clients.” It was disclosed that Chertoff’s security consulting agency included a client that manufactures the controversial scanners. That client is Rapiscan Systems, the leading provider of the scanners to the TSA and numerous other airports across the world.The units often referred to as “naked” or “nuclear” body scanners are more officially known as the Secure 1000 Single Pose scanners, made by Rapiscan. They also produce scanning units for air cargo inspection.A look at OSI Systems, Inc., including its Rapiscan subsidiary identifies Deepak Chopra as the president and CEO. Chopra, individually and through his PAC, has been identified as a significant donor to the Democratic party, including contributions to the campaigns of Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that he accompanied President Obama and his royal entourage by invitation on his trip to India to promote further trade between the two countries. The trip was paid for by U.S. tax dollars.Investigation into the financials of Rapiscan and its parent company becomes even more interesting when it is learned that George Soros also holds a financial stock interest in the company. As of last June, Soros held about 12,000 shares of OSI stock.Instead, it was issued as a result of the number of airline passengers “opting out” of the body scans. The reasoning was that passengers would be more likely to select the more passive and less invasive of the two options. In other words, the directive was meant to “convince” people to choose the (ostensibly) less personal and humiliating scrutiny of a full body scanner instead of being groped by a TSA agent.One might wonder why one option over the other would matter so much to the Department of Homeland Security. The answer might possibly be found in DHS documents described as “conceptual discussions” about trial deployments of the full body scanners to non-aviation public locations, such as sports stadiums, schools and malls. It appears that it is the intent of DHS to eventually install naked body scanners in these venues. But first, the public must be “conditioned” to accept their use at airports.Read the full story here.

• Backlash over naked body scans and groin pat downs grows as pilots push for security check exemptions and 100 scans leak online.A hundred full-body scan images have leaked online showing passengers' bodies - despite Transportation Security Administration promises that such a breach would never happen.It was revealed in August that US Marshals in an Orlando, Florida courthouse had saved 35,000 images on their scanner, and now 100 have been posted online at tech website Gizmodo with identifying features blocked out.The backlash against the full-body scans has grown in recent weeks as the holiday travel season fast approaches.In Chattanooga, Tennessee the TSA conducted a body search of a three-year-old girl, the daughter of television reporter Steven Simon.Simon recording his daughter, who had set off a metal detector, screaming and crying as the TSA guard searched her body.Read the full story here.

• Early Learning Centre bans toy pig from farmyard set for fear of offending Muslims (but keeps sty and oink noise). A children's shop has removed toy pigs from farmyard sets in case they offend Muslims and Jews. The Early Learning Centre ditched the pig from its HappyLand Goosefeather Farm toy set after it upset some customers.One mother realised the pig was missing from the set she bought for her daughter’s birthday when she found a pig sty and a button that made oinking noises, but no pig.When the mother complained, she was told in an email: ‘Previously the pig was part of the Goosefeather Farm. However due to customer feedback and religious reasons this is no longer part of the farm.’Last night, the retailer did a U-turn and agreed to bring back the pigs after disappointed families complained at such a move driven by political correctness.The angry mother, named only as Caroline, told The Sun newspaper: ‘This is political correctness gone loopy. Surely if someone has an issue with a toy they don’t agree with then they don’t buy it.’Hmmmm...pretending an animal doesn't excist doesn't make it dissapear.Read the full story here.

• Internet Traffic from U.S. Government Websites Was Routed Via Chinese Servers.Nearly 15 percent of the world's Internet traffic -- including data from the Pentagon, the office of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other U.S. government websites -- was briefly redirected through computer servers in China last April, according to a congressional commission report obtained by FoxNews.com.It was not immediately clear whether the incident was deliberate, but the April 18 redirection could have enabled malicious activities and potentially caused an unintended "diversion of data" from many U.S. government, military and commercial websites, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission states in a 316-page report to Congress."We've certainly seen a lot of Internet crime coming out of China and a lot of criminals that are based out of China, but as far as an actual link back to China Telecom, it's very difficult to say," Masiello said. "Who's to say criminals did not get into China Telecom? But the fact of the matter remains, we've seen a lot of cybercrime emanating out of China in the past year."Regardless of the intention behind the breach, Masiello concluded: "This type of attack shows there is a vulnerability in the Internet system, even if someone if able to hijack it for a very short period of time."Hmmmm.....do i hear someone saying we need the ability to shut down the internet if needed?Read the full story here.

• Muslims Torch Christian Homes in Southern Egypt.CAIRO-- Muslims set fire overnight to at least 10 houses belonging to Coptic Christians in a village in southern Egypt over rumors that a Christian resident had an affair with a Muslim girl, security officials said Tuesday.The officials said security forces have sealed off the village of al-Nawahid, in Qena province some 290 miles south of Cairo, to prevent the violence from spreading to neighboring towns. They said several people were arrested.The attacks started after locals spotted a young Copt and a Muslim girl together at night inside the village cemetery, the officials said. They added that both were put under police custody as authorities investigate. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.Clashes between Christians and Muslims occasionally occur in southern Egypt, mostly over land or disputes over church construction. But sectarian tensions have also been on the rise recently in the capital.Hmmm...interfaith dialog in it's natural element?Read the full story here.

• Ministry: Iran security agents strike French diplomats.French Foreign Ministry summons Iranian ambassador over ' unacceptable violence' at entrance to ambassadorial residence in Tehran on November 14.Iranian security agents struck French diplomats in scuffles at a Tehran embassy residence, prompting France to summon Iran's ambassador and complain of "unacceptable violence", officials said Tuesday."Its entry was blocked by unidentified security services who proceeded to arrest guests of the French ambassador and carried out unacceptable acts of violence including against French diplomatic personnel," it added.Yes but according to Turkey Iran is not a threat.Read the full story here.More here.

• At Turkey’s Insistence, NATO Will Not Name Iran As a Missile Threat.Ahead of a key summit this week, NATO’s secretary-general has confirmed that the alliance will not identify Iran as a threat requiring the deployment of a NATO-wide missile defense umbrella in Europe.Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s comment indicates that Turkey, a NATO member, will get its way on the matter. Turkey’s Islamist-leaning government has deepening political and economic ties with Tehran, and it has insisted that Iran not be singled out in NATO documents.The Obama administration also appears to be backing away from mentioning Iran in the context of the missile defense threat.U.S. envoy to NATO Ivo Daalder – a foreign policy advisor to the 2008 Obama-for-president campaign – presented “The case for NATO missile defense” in a New York Times op-ed published Monday, referring numerous times to the missile “threat” and “danger” but not identifying its source by name.Get Turkey out of Nato,you don't give the keys of your defences to your potential enemies friends,political correctness is a poor defence on the battlefield!Read the full story here.

• NATO missiles in Turkey would defend Israel's 'crimes' - Iran.The possible deployment of NATO missile defense systems in Turkey is solely aimed at defending Israeli interests, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday."There are dubious intentions behind the story which raised concerns in regional and Islamic countries. We are not a threat to regional countries, and the countries in our region, except the Zionist regime, are not a threat to us," Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.Earlier this month, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey would not agree to host a missile shield that targeted Iran, Turkey's trade and political ally."Mentioning one country, Iran... is wrong and will not happen. A particular country will not be targeted...We will definitely not accept that," Gul said in an interview with the BBC's Turkish service.Turkey is expected to announce its final decision on the missile defense shield during the NATO summit in Lisbon on November 18-19.Hmmm....perhaps they should mention two particular countries?Cause it's pretty obvious that Turkey will never allow Nato to defend itselves against Iran.Read the full story here.

• Iran Unveils Islamic Doll, Hijab Software, And Islamic Tie.Iran has unveiled a number of "Islamic" products including an Islamic tie.The tie, which is shaped like the sword of Imam Ali (cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad who is considered by Shi'a as his rightful successor) and decorated with an Islamic hadith (a saying attributed to Muhammad), has been registered in the Islamic republic by inventor Hemat Komeili. (For a picture, click here.) Komeili has been quoted as saying that his tie has been approved by some of the sources of emulation. He says it appears beautiful like a tie in addition to being based on Islamic values. Ties came under attack in Iran following the 1979 revolution as one of the symbols of "decadent" Western cultures. It was reported that men with ties were detained in the early days of the revolution and according to unconfirmed reports in some cases their ties were cut off. Some Iranian men still wear ties in public even though it is generally condemned and disapproved by the country's leaders and clerics. Meanwhile an Iranian company says it has created the first Islamic doll.Hmmmm....a tie shaped like a sword,real peacefull country according to Turkey of course.Read the full story here.

• HT:WizBang."Islamophobia?" Redux.Over the weekend, my colleague Rick posted a piece about the latest strain of violence in Iraq -- the deliberate targeting of that nation's relatively few Christians. And that got me thinking. And Rick's other piece this morning gave me another push.Iraq is hardly the only place where Christians are being specifically targeted by Muslims for oppression and attacks. It's not that safe to be a Christian in Pakistan, either. I could cite a few more examples, but let's move on. Do I really need to bring up the treatment of Jews by Muslims -- and not just in Israel? And then there's Africa. Islam is pretty well established on that continent, especially the north -- and it's moving south. For example, the ongoing Darfur genocide is being carried out by Muslim Arabs against both Muslim and non-Muslim blacks -- it appears that race trumps religion in this case.In brief, there's a whole hell of a lot of religious-based killing going on around the world. And the vast majority of it seems to be done by Muslims.So, where the hell is this "Islamophobia" going on? Where in the world -- literally -- are Muslims being targeted and killed in large numbers purely because of their faith?As I said, a "phobia" is an unreasonable fear. When the fear is entirely reasonable, though, that fear has another term.It's called "a survival instinct."Read the full story here.

• Mob in Athens abuses Muslims during Eid prayers.Dozens of far-right activists and local residents threw eggs and taunted hundreds of Muslim immigrants as they gathered to pray in a central square for Eid Al Adha surrounded by a protective cordon of riot police.Greece, which has become the main immigrant gateway to the European Union, has a growing Muslim community and tensions between locals and incomers have run high in some Athens areas such as Attiki square, the scene of Tuesday's incident.Athens' Muslim community is without an official mosque and prayers are usually held at cultural centres or community halls or private apartments around the city. The Muslim community in Greece is estimated at about 1 million, in a country where most people are Greek Orthodox Christians.While the Muslims prayed, some locals shouted obscenities from their balconies and waved Greek flags. Leaflets that depicted pigs -- an animal Muslims consider unclean -- were scattered across the square."There is a (unofficial) mosque near here but we're afraid to go there," said a 30-year old migrant from Bangladesh, who gave his name as Shamasul. "Sometimes Greeks in the neighborhood threaten to kill us."Margarita Vassilatou, 56, who has lived in the square for more than 35 years said she wanted to leave as a result of the immigrants:"This is not a life ... We are afraid of them. Many of them are criminals, they carry knifes and deal drugs."Read the full story here.

• Obama Praises Indian Chief Who Killed U.S. General. President Obama's picture book for kids, Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters (Knopf, $17.99), pays tribute to 13 Americans whose traits he sees in his own children.The 31-page book, for kids ages 3 and up, is filled with lyrical questions for Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, opening with, "Have I told you lately how wonderful you are?"The book, out Tuesday, is illustrated with Loren Long's paintings of the Obama girls and their dog, Bo, as well as the 13 famous Americans as kids and grown-ups.A series of two-page spreads asks questions ("Have I told you that you are creative?") across from short tributes. He writes of Georgia O'Keeffe: "She helped us see big beauty in what is small: the hardness of stone and the softness of feather." His most controversial choice may be Sitting Bull, who defeated Custer at Little Bighorn: ("A Sioux medicine man who healed broken hearts and broken promises.")Hmmm...that's what happens when you think you're smarter then the average American .....they find out who you really are?Read the full story here.

• And now for something completely different.Fat cell hope for heart attacks.Fat cells taken from the waistline could hold promise in treating heart attacks, say researchers.A pilot study on 14 patients in the Netherlands and Spain found that stem cells extracted from fat and delivered to the heart appeared to boost heart function after a heart attack.Doctors now plan to extend the study to over 300 heart attack patients at 35 clinics in Europe.A UK heart charity said the approach was "promising".Read the full story here.Read the full story here.