MFS - The Other News

                         Afternoon Posting.

• HT: AhmadiyyaTimes.Punjab, Pakistan:Canadian Ahmadi Muslim woman murdered, 18 months old son seriously injured.An Ahmadi Muslim woman was gunned down near her residence in Sheikhupura, an industrial town about 35 kilometers northwest of Lahore, Pakistan.Shahida Sayed Awais, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani descent, was fired upon by unknown armed men riding on motorcycles, an Urdu language newspaper reported.The victim’s 18 months old son, Hanif Ahmad was also hit in his head with bullets. The child was taken to the nearby District Headquarter Hospital in Sheikhupura where he is listed in critical condition.According to the reports, Shahida Awais was returning home from a clinic after purchasing medications for her ill son.Walking on foot, victim was accompanied by her mother and brother-in-law when four unknown assailants attacked the victims, the report said.Shahida Awais’s body was taken to her native village Mianwala Bangla, Sialkot where she was buried in Ahmadiyya Graveyard.The Police department has registered criminal complaints against four unknown suspects.The members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are routinely victimized in target killing incidents because extremist clerics openly incite violence and killing of Ahmadis in the name of religion, promising instant paradise.Hmmm...."The religion of Peace".Read the full story here.

• NASA Names Muslim Waleed Abdalati as Agency’s New Chief Scientist.NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has named Waleed Abdalati the agency’s chief scientist, effective Jan. 3. Abdalati will serve as the principal adviser to the NASA administrator on agency science programs, strategic planning and the evaluation of related investments.“We are excited to have Waleed return to the agency during such a critical transition period,” Bolden said. “His experience, wide-range of scientific knowledge and familiarity with NASA will greatly benefit the agency. He will be a true advocate for our many and diverse science research and exploration programs.”During his first tenure at NASA, Abdalati served as the head of the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. He also managed the Cryospheric Sciences Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington.Abdalati is a fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, a joint venture between the University of Colorado at Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. His research examines how and why the Earth’s ice cover is changing and what those changes mean for life on our planet.Hmmm....Critical Transition periode,transition to where or whom?Nasa's outreach to Muslims?Read the full story here.

• HT:IsraelMatzav.Who are Israel's 'indigenous peoples'?President Obama made news a few moments ago by announcing that the United States would support the UN Declaration on the Rights of 'Indigenous Peoples.' But who are the 'indigenous peoples' of Israel? Well, according to the UN it's probably the 'Palestinians.'When the declaration was adopted in 2007, four countries voted against: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.The Declaration goes on to provide that the UN’s member states are expected to “provide redress for past transgressions through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property that has been taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs”.The Bush administration likely opposed the declaration because of potential claims by Indian tribes Native Americans, which is also why Canada was opposed. Australia and New Zealand likely opposed it because of fear of claims by Aboriginal tribes. And Israel's government under Ehud K. Olmert likely voted in favor because the Jews are Israel's indigenous people anyway and 'peace' was at hand. But what happens if the world decides that the 'Palestinians' are Israel's 'indigenous people'? And what if they do it with the Obama administration's support? And what if there is no peace? In that light, today's declaration looks like a potential disaster for Israel.Hmmmm....It seems that "They don't trust me because of my middle name"Has found a way around congress to recognize Palestine?Makes me wonder what was in his letter to the Saudi king?Read the full scam story here.

• HT:Mediate.Obama Leaves Briefing Room Again, Different Clinton This Time.This morning, President Obama again appeared before in the White House Briefing Room, again left midway through, and again let a Clinton take control. This time it was Hillary Clinton at the driver’s seat. It’s times like this that you’d think the guy just enjoys getting knocked around by the media.Look, we know being President of the United States is one of the most difficult and busiest jobs in the world. We’d be more worried if you didn’t have some place to be. And we know that this Clinton is actually in the administration and it makes total sense that she’d be up there. You really didn’t do anything wrong. But, after all the talk that happened just last Friday, you’d think someone on the staff would be like, “Hey, Mr. President, lets chill here for a few minutes until Hillary stops talking. Just so snotty bloggers don’t write posts entitled ‘Obama Leaves Briefing Room Again, Different Clinton This Time.’ Just a thought.”Hmmmm...Sometimes people who stop with an addiction,take up another addiction?His eyes sure don't look good lately,Just a thought.Read and see the full story here.

• Biden Condemns Attacks on Iraqi Christians at UN Meeting.Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden expressed optimism about the future of Iraq but said the attacks against faith groups, including Iraqi Christians, were among security challenges in the country.The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has called on the U.S. government to "redouble its efforts" on protecting the religious rights and safety of Iraqi Christians.Earlier this week, the independent federal group issued a statement calling on the government to use the Security Council meeting to highlight the plight of Christians and other small religious minorities in Iraq.Responding to Biden's comments made Wednesday, Elizabeth K. Cassidy, USCIRF Deputy Director for Policy and Research, told The Christian Post, "We were pleased that he mentioned that issue in his statement although it was a fairly general statement,"Hmmm...The President stil has not said anything on the persecution of Christians  - WHY?But he reacts immediatly when Muslims bomb other Muslims - WHY??Read the full story here.

• WASHINGTON DIARY: We hypocritical Muslims —Dr Manzur Ejaz.Muslims have convinced themselves that they are super-humans. They believe that the world should be very attentive to the Muslims’ religious and cultural sensitivities while they can persecute any minority.On an international level, people from every religion exchange greeting cards to commemorate different occasions. We all know that most of these cards are meant for the wastebasket. What if a Christian or Jew saw a Muslim salesperson throwing his card with Jesus or Moses’ name on it and called the police to register a case of blasphemy against him/her and the police arrested the violator? Most western readers would laugh out loud at this unlikely scenario but it is not a laughing matter for a physician from Hyderabad, Pakistan, who, unwittingly, threw a Muslim’s visiting card in the trash basket. He apologised to the offended party and yet the police arrested him under pressure from religious fanatics.Presently, the religious parties are using the Blasphemy Law for a proxy war. The support for religious causes has been going down because of terrorist acts by the Taliban and other jihadi groups. Therefore, the campaign for the preservation of the Blasphemy Law is being deployed to regain lost ground and to keep their monopoly over the ideological discourse. Actually, this is a smokescreen to defend the Taliban and other jihadis and provide the ideological basis for the continuation of terrorism.The mainstream parties are either spineless or secretly in agreement with the mullahs. Different levels of administration, security agencies and even some courts are not enlightened enough to understand the negative impact of such discriminatory practices.While having laws like blasphemy and indulging in the persecution of poor minorities, Pakistan is never going to be a respectable country in the world community. Which foreign business will invest in Pakistan if they fear that the mistake of throwing away a business card can cost them their lives? However, the religious monopoly over the ideological discourse and madness is going to dominate the country until a counter-movement takes shape.Hmmm....Which Administration would be stupid enough to give tens of Billions of Dollars to Pakistan?Read the full story here.

• The Red Cross bans Christmas.Christmas has been banned by the Red Cross from its 430 fund-raising shops.Staff have been ordered to take down decorations and to remove any other signs of the Christian festival because they could offend Moslems.The charity's politically-correct move triggered an avalanche of criticism and mockery last night - from Christians and Moslems.Christine Banks, a volunteer at a Red Cross shop in New Romney, Kent, said: 'We put up a nativity scene in the window and were told to take it out. It seems we can't have anything that means Christmas. We're allowed to have some tinsel but that's it.'When we send cards they have to say season's greetings or best wishes. They must not be linked directly to Christmas.'When we asked we were told it is because we must not upset Moslems.'Mrs Banks added: ' We have been instructed that we can't say anything about Christmas and we certainly can't have a Christmas tree.' I think the policy is offensive to Moslems as well as to us. No reasonable person can object to Christians celebrating Christmas. But we are not supposed to show any sign of Christianity at all.'The spokesman said: 'The Red Cross is trying to be inclusive and we recognise there are lots of people who want to buy Christmas cards which they know will benefit us.'The charity's umbrella body, the Swiss-based International Red Cross, has also had politically-correct doubts about its famous symbol. But efforts to find an alternative were abandoned in the face of protest and ridicule five years ago.Hmmm....Is it the "Red Cross" or the "Red Cresent" when is the name change taking place?Read the full story here.

• White House Calls on Religious Leaders to Help Push DREAM Act Over the Finish Line.With Congress working on finishing up all 2010 business, the White House is again pushing for final passage of the Dream Act, hosting a conference call with religious leaders who are hoping to drive the deal home before everyone on Capitol Hill heads home for the holidays.Hmmm.... "...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."Read the full treason story here.

• IAF jets intercept unidentified object near Dimona reactor. IDF sources say unmanned object had an engine, was flying in closed airspace in Dead Sea area; shots fired after Air Force considers possible damage; army looking into incident.IDF sources said that the unmanned object had an engine, and was flying in closed airspace. After considering possible damage to surrounding structure, including the reactor, the IAF decided to intercept the object.The IAF was investigating the circumstances of the incident, including the possibility that intelligence was being gathered on the Dimona plant.Hmmmm....Remember"Iran will hit Dimona if attacked"?Read the full story here.

• New York taxis may boost Ford Turky Otosan’s US sales,sorry no jobs for Americans, only Turkish Muslims get work it seems?Shortlisted for a contract to supply thousands of taxis to New York City, Turkey’s Ford Otosan aims to increase car sales to the United States by 50 percent next year. There will be high demand for the Transit Connect model from taxi companies as well as post officies, says Nuri Otay, chief executive of Ford Otosan.Hmmm...Damd that "outreach to Muslims" seems to works good,so does the American food stamps industry?Henri Ford must be turning in his grave?Read the full scandal story here.

• Pope calls Christians the most persecuted.Pope Benedict XVI singled out Christians as the religious group that suffers from the most persecution on Thursday, denouncing lack of freedom of worship as an "intolerable" threat to world security.The message reflected a pressing concern by Benedict in recent months for the plight of Christian minorities in parts of the world, especially in the Middle East."At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution on account of its faith," the pontiff asserted, and cited Christian communities suffering from violence and intolerance particularly in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Holy Land."This situation is intolerable, since it represents an insult to God and to human dignity" as well as "a threat to security and peace," Benedict wrote in one of the 17-page-long message's strongest passages.He appealed to authorities to "act promptly to end every injustice" against Christians.Benedict didn't cite countries, but in past years church officials have lamented that Christians — most of them migrant workers — are forbidden to worship in Saudi Arabia.He blasted what he called "more sophisticated forms of hostility to religion, which, in Western countries, occasionally find expression in a denial of history and the rejection of religious symbols which reflect the identity and the culture of the majority of its citizens.A.k.a. "The War on Christmas'"Hmmm...In numbers the Christians are perhaps the largest group ,but lets not forget the Hindus and last but probaly most severely persecuted the Jews.Still it seems it will take a lot more then 17 pages to let this American President speak up for the Christian cause!Read the full story here.

• A “Leaked” Letter From Barack Obama to George Soros 2 Years In.Dear George,I know that you are frustrated with your “investment” in the election but look at these 10 things we have accomplished in less than two short years.George, keep the faith. It is all about control. Our citizens are too stupid to see that their freedoms are being taken away right before their eyes. They are too worried about the economy, football, and Lindsey Lohan. We may have had a few bumps in the road, but our grand plan is still intact!Regards,Barack.P.S. When your lawyer pals speak to Julian, thank him for me!Hmmm........Read the full "story" here.

• Turkey to build ‘national, original’ fighter aircraft.Turkey's top defense procurement committee decided late Wednesday that Ankara would develop and manufacture its next air-to-air fighter aircraft, either by itself or in cooperation with another country, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül said.Gönül also said Turkey has rejected an offer by the Eurofighter consortium for the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighters. "The Eurofighter is off Turkey's agenda," he said.The minister said Turkey may cooperate with South Korea, but implied that this is a small possibility. "We can manufacture the new fighter aircraft with them, we don't rule this out. But the decision we have taken now calls for the production of a totally national and original aircraft," he said.Minister Gönül said Turkey's newly designed fighter aircraft "would be a next-generation type, would replace the [U.S.-made] F-4Es and would function well with the F-16 and the F-35." He therefore confirmed that the new aircraft mostly would be meant for air-to-air fighting.Separately, Turkish and South Korean officials earlier have said that Turkey, South Korea and Indonesia jointly may develop the South Korean-led KF-X fighter aircraft.But Turkey is now stepping back from this option. "What we need is a true and equal partnership for the development of a fighter".Hmmm....Let me guess "equal partnership" Like Islamic Iran kind of partnership?Read the full story here.

• White House to Hold Private Meetings on Health Care Law.Republicans are criticizing the White House for quietly inviting “industry stakeholders” to a meeting on Friday with Medicare chief Donald Berwick – the first of several private meetings on implementing the new health care law, The Hill newspaper reported."We are kicking off a series of White House meetings between senior administration officials and healthcare providers to exchange ideas on areas in need of attention," the invitation reportedly said. "We invite you (or a representative) and your organization to join us."According to The Hill, the invitation was sent to specialty medical societies, which have a lobbying component. The White House initially promised to keep lobbyists at arm's length, the newspaper noted.Hmmmm...Sure's gonna be a "Busy" holiday time,who's been good and who's been naughty?Read the full story here.

• Congress: No to Palestinian statehood declaration.House of Representatives unanimously decides to remind Obama it supports Israel, passes motion saying US will not recognize Palestinian state declared without Israel's approval, veto UN resolution to this effect if it is brought forth.The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a motion opposing a move being promoted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for recognition of a state within the 1967 borders without Israel's agreement.The decision, which was reached by general consensus rather than a vote among house members, states that the US would not recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state and would veto any resolution for recognition brought forward in the UN Security Council without an agreement between the two sides.Meanwhile, US special envoy George Mitchell has proposed six weeks of "parallel" negotiations with Israeli and Palestinians negotiators, a Palestinian official said on Wednesday.Mitchell, who met Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday, suggested the US administration hold "parallel talks with the Palestinian and Israeli sides separately, and not negotiations," he told AFP, on condition of anonymity.Hmmm.....I wonder what was in Obama's letter Biden gave to the Saudi King?Read the full story here.

• Danny Ayalon : 'Include Jewish refugees from Arab lands in talks'.Foreign Ministry pushing to include Jews who fled from Arab countries in core issue discussion with the US about refugees. With the Palestinian refugee issue one of the core issues expected to be at the center of the US's new diplomatic push, the foreign ministry is actively engaged in an effort to ensure that Jewish refuges who fled Arab lands are not forgotten.Deputy Foreign Ministry Danny Ayalon, who is leading the push to include Jewish refugees in the core issue discussion with the US about refugees, said "it is vitally important to return this issue to the international agenda. It is a matter of justice, closure and righting a wrong."Ayalon, whose father came to Israel after being forced out of Algeria, said this issue has "a practical as well as a moral aspect. The demands from the two sides are asymmetrical, the Palestinians talk of rights and justice [for Palestinian refugees], yet the rights and justice of the Jewish refugees from Arab lands have been ignored and suppressed for too long. ""We are going to make an effort now to bring to the forefront the plight of the Jews from the Arab countries,” he said.The foreign ministry, in an effort to place this issue high on the international agenda, has appointed an official to coordinate the matter. He has met over the last few weeks with historical and legal experts, and is preparing a detailed position paper that will be entered into the discussion on the refugee issue.“We will make sure that this will be an important and integral part of the negotiations for a final settlement," Ayalon said. "Just as the Arab refugees is an issue, so is the Jewish refugees.”Hmmm.....It's never too late to do what is just.Read the full story here.

• HT:Antisemitism.org.Antisemitism goes mainstream: Wiesenthal center to release “top 10 antisemitic slurs” of 2010.Center says antisemitic canards normally attributed to the lunatic fringe has been bought into by opinion makers in Western Society.In response to an alarming rise in antisemitic statements, the Simon Wiesenthal Center will release its “Top Ten Anti-Semitic Slurs of 2010” The list emphasizes that more than ever, anti-Jewish statements publicly made by prominent figures have become commonplace and not just from Al Qaida, Hamas, Hezbollah members, or media outlets in the Middle East.“Never before, in recent memory, has the Simon Wiesenthal Center seen such a proliferation of anti-Semitism going mainstream,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Center adding that “Our list of top ten anti-Semitic slurs runs the gamut of well-known personalities including journalists, government officials, celebrities, a prominent film director, and academics.” Many of the quotes are classic Jewish conspiracy theories updated to reflect current anxieties, blaming the control of the media and banking sectors on Jews. “Unfortunately, our list shows that antisemitic canards normally thought to belong to the lunatic fringe have, in fact, been bought into by major elements of Western society,” Rabbi Hier concluded.Hmmm.....Jewish persecution 5.000 years and still growing stronger.Read the full story here.

• Taliban preparing for strike against Indian embassy.New Delhi: Government has ordered "maximum security" for Indian Missions and other assets in Afghanistan in the wake of a heightened threat from Taliban and other Pakistan-based terror groups which could carry out a wave of attacks, including car bomb blasts.Sources said intelligence inputs suggested that apart from the embassy in Kabul, consulates in Kandahar, Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat and development and reconstruction projects being carried out by Indians could be targeted by Haqqani faction of Taliban or terrorist groups based in Pakistan like Laskhar-e-Taiba, which has lately been expanding its base in Afghanistan.The terrorists could launch a wave of attacks, involving explosion of car-bomb followed by assault by gunmen, the sources said.Hmmm.....Merry Christmas ....peace on Earth?Read the full story here.

• HT:TeaandPolitics.Meeting between Iran and Venezuela “to study house construction in the country”. did not know that Iran was a “house construction power”…The President of Venezuela on Friday meets a delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to study housing in the country.The meeting, as explained by President Chavez, is aimed at the massive building decent housing for those affected by the constant rains that have plagued the country.Chavez will be accompanied by the housing, economic and employment committee. Among those attending is the Minister of Industries and Mines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Akbar Mehrabian.Hmmmm....Minister of Industries and mines....Like in Uranium mines??Read the full story here.

• HT:CreepingSharia.College that bowed to CAIR, won’t bow to pressure to reinstate Islam course.Lane Community College has been flooded by mostly out-of-state phone calls and e-mails since its decision to cancel a noncredit course on Islam, but LCC officials say they have no intention of reinstating the class.However, the instructor now has the backing of a conservative legal group that has sent LCC a letter demanding that it reinstate the class or face a federal lawsuit claiming breach of contract and violation of free speech rights. The letter was sent by the American Center for Law & Justice, a group founded by televangelist Pat Robertson that has championed conservative causes.LCC said it won’t bow to the pressure and maintains that its decision to cancel the class was not influenced by outside groups.“We really take our responsibility for instruction and creating the learning environment seriously, and that responsibility resides within Lane Community College and it’s not based on outside individuals or entities telling us what to do,” said Sonya Christian, LCC’s vice president for academic and student affairs.Instead of reinstating the class, the college plans to add a credit course on Islam in spring term taught by UO religious studies professor Frederick Colby, who specializes in early Islamic thought and popular Islam. Christian said LCC also is planning a series of public seminars on Islam during winter term that will be aimed at a general audience.Too bad Lane Community College didn’t have the to courage to take as strong a stance against the terror-linked Islamist group CAIR.Hmmm....I guess the legal suit will go ahead then,will be intresting to follow.Read the full story here.

• HT:IslamTodayOregon.Related :Professor Frederick Colby The New Islam Teacher at LCC,Ex faculty advisor to the Muslim Students Association in Miami. Prof. Colby has a narrow area of study: the ascension and night journey of Muhammed. Now do not get me wrong, the ascension and night journey are important pieces of Islamic tradition, as is the death and resurrection of Jesus to Christians. To have a historically factual and accurate overview of Islam presented correctly, it should be done by someone who has studied Islam in a broad context, rather than one who's area of expertise is so small and specific.It is not just his particular studies which make him unqualified to teach this LCC class, there are some unsavory connections Prof. Colby has well. During his time teaching in Miami, the good professor was the faculty advisor to the Muslim Students Association between 2004 and 2008. In what capacity did Prof. Colby assist the MSA in Miami, and what was his roll exactly? The MSA is an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, a group who has as it's goal the destruction of the west through its "own miserable hand", and has consistently supported Hamas, Israeli genocide and jihad through the sword (9-29). Does Prof. Colby disavow the MSA, it's program of hatred and it's direct connection to the Muslim Brotherhood?Just as disturbing, Prof. Colby lists as a presonal reference Dr. Carl Ernst of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. If you do not know Dr. Ernst, he is of the same vein as John Esposito of Georgetown University, Karen Armstrong, Grover Norquist and Robert Crane. Islamic apologism is rampant at colleges and universities across the country, and with personal references such as Dr. Ernst, one needs to seriously ask why Prof. Colby would even be considered for tenure.Dr, Ernst, within the past few years has accepted a literary award from Egypt, Yes, he received the coveted Shaykh Muhammad Salih Bashrahil Prize for Outstanding Cultural Creativity, and he also recently shook the hand of Ahmadinejad while receiving another prize, the The Farabi International Award, named for a 10th-century Persian philosopher. The honor bestowed is for his Colby's book on Ruzbihan, a 12th century Sufi poet born in what is now Iran. Translated twice the book is widely used in university courses. Hmmmm....Did CAIR propose Prof Colby to the LCC?Read the full story here.

• Failed asylum seeker who left girl, 12, to die after crash can stay in UK as deporting him would 'breach his human rights'.A failed asylum seeker who left a 12-year-old girl dying under the wheels of his car while banned from driving will be allowed to remain in the UK, judges ruled today.Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, 33, an Iraqi Kurd, was jailed for four months over the 2003 crash which cost Amy Houston her life.Her father, Paul Houston, 41, begged judges at a recent deportation hearing to bring 'my seven years of hell to an end' by sending Ibrahim back to Iraq.Last month he handed in a letter to judges, containing an impassioned plea asking for Ibrahim to be deported.Mr Houston, from Darwen, Lancashire, said he was 'frustrated and angry' at the decision.'I'm really angry. We should all be angry. It is a ridiculous state of affairs,' he said.'I'm battling away here on my own. This is a perversity of our society.'What are the judges saying here? They are saying it doesn't matter what you do when you come here, who you kill, what laws you break, as long as you have a child here you can stay?'You work hard, play by the rules, pay your taxes and this is how you get treated. What does that say about politicians, our leaders and the legal system? It's a joke.'They are obsessed with the rights of others from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. Where are my human rights?'This man is a criminal, do we have no say who we allow in this country?Ibrahim knocked down Amy near to the home of her mother, Joanne Cocker, from whom Mr Houston is divorced.He was already serving a nine-month driving ban for not having insurance or a licence. He ran off but later handed himself in to police.Ibrahim was jailed for four months after admitting driving while disqualified and failing to stop after an accident.The Regional Director of the UK Border Agency in the North West, Jo Liddy, said they Ibrahim should have been removed from the country.'We are extremely disappointed at the tribunal’s decision to allow Mr Ibrahim to remain in the UK,' she said.'He was convicted of committing an offence that led to the tragic death of a twelve year old child and it is our view that he should be removed. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family of the victim.'Hmmm....One of these days they have to stop that PC idiocy and start doing the right thing.Read the full story here.

• Questions that Vladimir Putin did not answer.Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin spoke on multiple topics during a televised phone-in session lasting four-and-a-half hours on Thursday, but some sensitive questions remained unanswered.Putin received over two million questions by telephone, SMS or internet, according to the state-run Rossia television, the event's organiser.Hmmm....He's the Prime minister not a Prophet.Read the full story here.

• John Boehner's Crying: Is He Drinking Too Much?Incoming House Speaker John Boehner's recent interview on "60 Minutes" with Lesley Stahl, where he once again cried publicly, has created a minor controversy among pundits, with observers trying to figure out the cause of his unusual behavior.Is it depression? Or is Boehner simply in touch with his emotions? Does he wear his heart on his sleeve, or does he cry on a dime because he has a tender spot for all things American?While it's impossible to know, some are beginning to speculate that Boehner's penchant for turning on the waterworks might have some connection to his consumption of wine. Liberal MSNBC host Ed Shultz, half-jokingly, called Boehner a "cheap drunk" the other day, Capitol Hill aides of both parties are wondering, and there's even a web page devoted to it.So is drinking the issue -- and why might a person struggling with drinking be more prone to weeping in public?Sobriety certainly wasn't the issue with them. Bush 41 was known to drink only occasionally, always in moderation, and by the time Bush 43 became president he was a teetotaler. Their penchant for waterworks was so well known to them that father and son avoided eye contact at the younger Bush's inauguration. "We Bushes cry when we're happy, and when we're sad," the senior Bush said. Younger son Jeb Bush copped to being a crier, too, and seemed to blame it on the old man. "Bush men always cry," Jeb Bush said in 2002. "It's a little genetic problem I got from my dad."Most experts I talked to said that if a person exhibits strong emotional behavior over the span of a lifetime, there is little to be worried about.One might also argue that public crying could also be seen as positive sign that a man is in touch with his emotions and not afraid to show them. As Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf once said, "I don't trust a man who doesn't cry."Hmmm....I agree a man should be cautious of the guy who shows no emotions or phony emotions!Read the full story here.

• Putin pledges new mosque for Moscow.Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised on Thursday that a new mosque will be built in Moscow."The construction of the mosque has been planned in Moscow. It will be done," Putin said during his annual Q&A session.The mosque will be built in southeast Moscow, in a district with a large number of ethnic Tatars, the vast majority of whom are Muslims.Local authorities vowed however to coordinate the construction of the mosque with the non-Muslim residents of the district.There are currently only four mosques in Moscow - or one for every 500,000 Muslims in the Russian capital.Hmmm....There are how many mosques in NY?New York City has more than 100 mosques ! Read the full story here.

• Top Anti-extremist muslim cleric Shot Dead In Volatile Caucasus was warned of 'death sentence'.The top Muslim cleric in Russia's volatile region of Kabardino-Balkaria has been shot dead.A spokeswoman for the regional investigators said that Anas Pshikhachev, the region's top mufti, was attacked by two unidentified assailants just outside his home in the town of Nalchik on December 15.He received several gunshot wounds and died of his injuries on the spot.President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to the mufti's family.Hmmm....It seems it's 's a dangerous thing to advocate non violance in Islam?Read the full story here, and here.

• HT:MichelleMalkin.Boston Tea Party: 237th anniversary.On December 16, 1773, the taxpayers of Boston had had enough.The Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum website recounts the story:On the cold evening of December 16, 1773, a large band of patriots, disguised as Mohawk Indians, burst from the South Meeting House with the spirit of freedom burning in their eyes. The patriots headed towards Griffin’s Wharf and the three ships. Quickly, quietly, and in an orderly manner, the Sons of Liberty boarded each of the tea ships. Once on board, the patriots went to work striking the chests with axes and hatchets. Thousands of spectators watched in silence. Only the sounds of ax blades splitting wood rang out from Boston Harbor. Once the crates were open, the patriots dumped the tea into the sea.The silence was broken only by the cry of “East Indian” as patriots caught Charles O’Conner filling the lining of his coat with tea. George Hewes removed O’Connor’s coat, threatened him with death if he revealed the identity of any man present, and sent him scurrying out of town. The patriots worked feverishly, fearing an attack by Admiral Montague at any moment. By nine o’clock p.m., the Sons of Liberty had emptied a total of 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor. Fearing any connection to their treasonous deed, the patriots took off their shoes and shook them overboard. They swept the ships’ decks, and made each ship’s first mate attest that only the tea was damaged.When all was through, Lendall Pitts led the patriots from the wharf, tomahawks and axes resting on their shoulders. A fife played as they marched past the home where British Admiral Montague had been spying on their work. Montague yelled as they past, “Well boys, you have had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper, haven’t you? But mind, you have got to pay the fiddler yet!”Montague’s words were to be an omen for the patriots. The party was indeed over for Boston.Hmmmm...History has a tendency of repeating itself.Read the full story here.