Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia): Update; nearby Super volcano Toba showing signs of activity.

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia): lava lobe destroyed, but dome growing bigger; nearby Super volcano Toba showing signs of activity. (VolcanoDiscovery).

The lava dome at the volcano's summit continues to grow at a rate of approx 100,000 cubic meters per day. Small to moderate pyroclastic flows during the past week have mostly removed the viscous lobe on the upper southeast flank.

As lava continues to accumulate at the dome itself, more pyroclastic flows are likely to occur in the near future. Authorities are considering extending the exclusion zone in the southern sector.

The alert level of the volcano was again raised from "siaga" to "awas", the highest on the Indonesian 1-4 scale. The reason is a currently elevated risk of possibly larger pyroclastic flows, that could be triggered by collapse of the increasing volume of the viscous lava lobe emplaced on the upper SE flank.

The alert level of the volcano had been at 4 during late Nov 2013 until April 2014,- the first and so far most violent phase of pyroclastic flow generation after the lava had spilled over the summit crater and built a large lobe that reached the base of the cone.

In addition to the large eruption at Mount Sinabung, we now have other reports that the nearby Toba supervolcano is showing large emissions of steam (from the ground), as well as foul smelling gas.

According to reports from Indonesian press, locals are alarmed by these recent developments.

Toba supervolcano is indeed a “super-volcano” by all measurements. Actually LARGER in eruptive power to the other more well known “Yellowstone” super volcano (located in Wyoming / United States).

Worthy to note, the Toba caldera produced the worlds largest eruption in the past 2 million years, and has not showed eruptive signs in over 75,000 years.

Toba is located near the Sumatra Fracture Zone (SFZ). Stratovolcanoes in Sumatra are part of the Sunda arc. Volcanism is the result of the subduction of the Indian Ocean plate under the Eurasian plate.(See pic left).


From Oregon state University:

Comparison of volumes produced by some of the greatest volcanic eruptions. The Young Toba Tuff has an estimated volume of 2,800 cubic kilometers (km) and was erupted about 74,000 years ago. The Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 2.2 million years ago, has a volume of 2,500 cubic km. The Lava Creek Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 600,000 years ago, has a volume of 1,000 cubic km. The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced 1 cubic km of ash. Not shown is the Fish Canyon Tuff of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The Fish Canyon Tuff was erupted 27.8 million years ago and has an estimated volume of 3,000 cubic km.

“Toba caldera produced the largest eruption in the last 2 million years. The caldera is 18 x 60 miles (30 by 100 km) and has a total relief of 5,100 feet (1700 m).

The caldera probably formed in stages. Large eruptions occurred 840,000, about 700,000, and 75,000 years ago. The eruption 75,000 years ago produced the Young Toba Tuff. The Young Toba Tuff was erupted from ring fractures that surround most or all of the present-day lake. “

quote volcano discovery:

“About 74,000 years BP, more than 2500 cubic kilometers of magma were erupted. The eruption led to the final formation of one of earths largest calderas, the 35×100 km wide Toba caldera. Eruptions of this size are exptremely rare and are called supervolcano-eruptions. T

The Toba caldera is in fact the Earth’s largest Quaternary caldera.

It was formed during four major Pleistocene ignimbrite-producing eruptions beginning at 1.2 million years ago and culminating with the colossal Young Toba Tuff (YTT) eruption about 74,000 years ago. The YTT emplaced about 2500-3000 cu km (dense rock equivalent) of ignimbrite and airfall ash from vents at the NW and SE ends of present-day Lake Toba.” Hmmmm...........You know that long planned holiday...Maybe now is a good time to take it.

MFS - The Other News

                          Morning Posting.

• Egypt - Al Jazeera English - Live Streams From Egypt ! Here .

• Egypt's military rulers suspend constitution.Military to rule for six months, or until election; referendum promised on constitutional changes; Tahrir protesters argue over whether to stay or leave.Egypt's new military rulers said on Sunday they had dissolved parliament, suspended the constitution and would govern only for six months or until elections took place, following the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.In a statement, the Higher Military Council which took over after 18 days of protest ended Mubarak's 30-year rule, promised a referendum on constitutional amendments.Earlier, troops took control of Tahrir Square, the fulcrum of protests that swept Mubarak from power, to let traffic through central Cairo as the army struggled to return life to normal.Protesters argued heatedly in Tahrir Square over whether to stay or comply with army orders to help put Egypt back on its feet. "The people want the square cleared," one group chanted. "We will not leave, we will not leave," replied another.The Arab world's most populous country was taking its first tentative steps towards democracy and protest organisers were forming a Council of Trustees to defend the revolution and urge swift reform from a military intent on restoring law and order.Police officers, emboldened by Mubarak's downfall, gathered outside the Interior Ministry to demand higher pay. Warning shots were fired in the air. No one was hurt.Earlier, troops, some wielding sticks, pushed protesters aside to reopen Tahrir Square to traffic.The cabinet met and for the first time, the portrait of Mubarak, believed to be holed up in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, did not gaze over its proceedings as Egyptians quietly removed images of the 82-year-old former leader.Hmmmm........But the "Spirit" of Mubarak was present? Read the full story here.

• Egypt reportedly losing control of Sinai to Beduin.Israelis urged to return home for fear that peninsula will become launching pad for terror attacks as Egyptian police abandon posts.Concern is mounting in Israel over reports that the Egyptian police force has abandoned the Sinai Peninsula in face of growing Beduin violence, and that the territory will turn into a breeding ground for global jihad.According to information that has arrived in Israel, Egyptian police authorities have abandoned dozens of police stations throughout the peninsula after they were attacked by Beduin armed with missiles and assault rifles.This concern was behind Israel’s decision two weeks ago to allow the deployment of 800 Egyptian soldiers in Sharm e-Sheikh and Rafah.Additional requests since then have been rejected.In recent years, the Sinai hasturned into a launching pad for attacks against Israel, including by Hamas, which several months ago launched Katyusha rockets into Eilat from the Egyptian territory.The Egyptian military has for years encountered difficulty in controlling the Beduin population, which does not hold allegiance to the Egyptian government in Cairo.“The Sinai is already known as a lawless land,” a senior defense official said over the weekend. “There is real concern that if the Egyptians don’t get the Sinai back under their control, it could develop into a major threat to Israel.”Israel, which has urged all its citizens to leave the Sinai immediately, is particularly concerned about the possibility that Hamas will take hold of parts of the peninsula and use it to launch attacks into Israel via the 240-kilometer long Israeli- Egyptian border, with an emphasis on Eilat.There is also concern that without a real Egyptian security presence in the Sinai, Hamas will be able to increase the amount and quality of weaponry and explosives it smuggles into the Gaza Strip via Egypt.Read the full story here.

• Algeria shuts down internet and Facebook as protest mounts. Internet providers were shut down and Facebook accounts deleted across Algeria on Saturday as thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators were arrested in violent street demonstrations.Plastic bullets and tear gas were used to try and disperse large crowds in major cities and towns, with 30,000 riot police taking to the streets in Algiers alone. There were also reports of journalists being targeted by state-sponsored thugs to stop reports of the disturbances being broadcast to the outside world. But it was the government attack on the internet which was of particular significance to those calling for an end to President Abdelaziz Boutifleka's repressive regime. Protesters mobilising through the internet were largely credited with bringing about revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia. "The government doesn't want us forming crowds through the internet," said Rachid Salem, of Co-ordination for Democratic Change in Algeria.On Saturday at least 500 had been arrested by early evening in Algiers alone, with hundreds more in Annaba, Constantine and Oran taking part in the so-called February 12 Revolution. "The police station cells are overflowing," said Sofiane Hamidouche, a demonstrator in Annaba. "There are running battles taking place all over the city. It's chaos. As night falls the situation will get worse." Algeria has the eighth largest reserves of natural gas in the world, and is also oil-rich, but its youthful population suffers mass unemployment, a chronic lack of housing, and widespread poverty. Political corruption is also endemic.Hmmmm....And another one takes the lead?Read the full story here.

• Obama phones Turkish PM to discuss Egypt unrest.Following the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the U.S. president called the Turkish prime minister Saturday night to evaluate developments, marking the two leaders’ third conversation on the subject since the unrest in Egypt began.In their telephone conversation Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed it was positive that the Egyptian people’s demands were met, while Erdoğan particularly emphasized the importance of immediate elections to select a new leader for Egypt, daily Milliyet reported.The website of the Prime Ministry Press Office confirmed the phone call in a statement that said the two leaders “exchanged views on problems within the region, focusing on Egypt.”Following Erdoğan’s call Friday for a swift transfer of power to an elected government, Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Sunday that the Egyptian armed forces should delegate authority to a civilian administration as soon as possible.“We want the Egyptian state and people to come out stronger from this process,” Gül told reporters. “People are leading transformation when leaders cannot do it.”“The armed forces led the process in a way that did not allow any fighting between the brothers and I hope it will exert efforts to hand over the authority to a civilian administration as soon as possible,” Gül said before departing for an official visit to Iran. The trip will make him the first Turkish president to visit the Islamic republic in the past nine years.During his four-day visit to Iran, Gül will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and State Minister Cevdet Yılmaz, who is also the co-president of the Turkey-Iran Joint Economic Commission, as well as members of Parliament, businessmen and journalists.Hmmmmm......Why is Obama contacting so often a Turkish leadership which is so openly supportive of Iran?What's being hidden here by the Obama administration?Read the full story here.

• HT:OpposingViews.Flasback !In Some Islamic Nations, Valentine's Day Means Severe Punishment.This Monday, February 14, marks Valentine’s Day, the sacred day that intimate companions mark to celebrate their love and affection for one another. If you’re thinking about making a study of how couples celebrate this day, the Muslim world and the milieus of the radical Left are not the places where you should be spending most, or any, of your time. Indeed, it’s pretty hard to outdo jihdists and “progressives” when it comes to the hatred of Valentine’s Day. And this hatred of this special day is precisely the territory on which the contemporary romance between the radical Left and Islamic fanaticism is formed. The train is never late: every time Valentine’s comes around, the Muslim world reacts with ferocious rage, doing everything in its power to quash the festivity that comes with the celebration of private romance. Imams around the world thunder against Valentines every year and the celebration of the day itself is literally outlawed in Islamist states. The Saudis, for instance, ruthlessly punish the slightest hint of celebrating Valentine’s. Just a few days ago, the Kingdom and its religious “morality” police officially issued a stern warning that anyone caught even thinking about Valentine’s Day will suffer some of the most painful penalties of Sharia Law.This is typical of the Saudis of course. As Daniel Pipes has reported, the Saudi regime takes a firm stand against Valentine’s every year, and the Saudi religious police monitor stores selling roses and other gifts. They have even arrested women for wearing red on that day. This time around, the narrative is no different: the Saudis have announced that, starting the week of Valentine’s and until February 15, it will be illegal for a merchant to sell any item that is red, or that in any way hints of being connected to Valentine’s Day.As Claude Cartaginese reports at Newsreal Blog, any merchant found selling such items as red roses, red clothing of any kind (especially dresses), toys, heart-shaped products, candy, greeting cards or any items wrapped in red, must destroy them or face the wrath of Saudi justice.The Iranian despots, meanwhile, are trying to make sure the Saudis don’t outdo them in suffocating Valentine’s. Iran’s “morality” police order shops to remove heart-and-flower decorations and images of couples embracing on this day – and anytime around this day. In Pakistan, the student wing of the fundamentalist Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami has called for a complete ban on Valentine’s Day celebrations. Khalid Waqas Chamkani, a leader in the party, calls it a “shameful day.”Typical of this whole pathology in the Islamic world was a development witnessed back on February 10, 2006, when activists of the radical Kashmiri Islamic group Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of the Community) went on a rampage in Srinagar, the main city of the Indian portion of Kashmir. Some two dozen black-veiled Muslim women stormed gift and stationery shops, burning Valentine’s Day cards and posters showing couples together.Hmmmm.........Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.”Marcus Fabius Quintilian.Read the full story here.

• Pupils must not be forced to eat halal Church tells schools.The Church of England has told its schools to ensure they are serving non-halal food after concerns that a number are only providing meat slaughtered according to Islamic law.The official guidance was issued after Church members complained that the use of halal meat was effectively ‘spreading sharia law’ across Britain.The Church’s financial arm has also come under pressure to withdraw its investments – worth millions of pounds – in supermarkets that do not clearly label halal food.The moves follow disclosures by The Mail on Sunday last year that halal products were widespread in schools, hospitals, pubs and sporting venues but members of the public were not informed.More than 10,000 Christians, many of whom have reservations about eating meat from animals that are bled to death while an Islamic prayer is recited, have signed a petition calling for proper labelling.Animal rights campaigners have also expressed anger because animals are often not stunned before their throats are cut with a sharp knife.Alison Ruoff, a long-standing member of the Church’s ‘parliament’, the General Synod, said: ‘The Church is only just waking up to this. We have been pathetic and mealy-mouthed but we should be really concerned about this.‘There is a lot of fear about upsetting Muslims but as a Christian you have to stand up for Christian values. Because we are unwittingly eating halal meat, we are spreading the practice of sharia law.’An influential official body representing both Muslim and Christian leaders also said non-Muslims should not be compelled to eat halal meat.The Christian Muslim Forum, set up by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams four years ago, said there were concerns about ‘some public authorities which provide only halal products in schools and other institutions’.It said in a statement: ‘We urge all food outlets, catering organisations and public authorities to label halal food properly, for the benefit of both non-Muslim and Muslim consumers.’The Rev Patrick Sookhdeo, an Anglican cleric who runs the international Barnabas Fund charity for Christians facing persecution, said some extremist Muslims viewed the growing use of halal food as part of their efforts to ‘impose’ sharia law on the West.Hmmmm......Finally!Read the full story here.

• HT:AmnonAndJonathan.From Zahi Hawass's blog : Sad News.The staff of the database department at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo have given me their report on the inventory of objects at the museum following the break in. Sadly, they have discovered objects are missing from the museum.The objects missing are as follows.Read the full story here.

• Shame of Britain's Muslim schools: Secret filming shows pupils being beaten and 'taught Hindus drink cow p***'.Undercover footage shows pupils being taught religious apartheid Muslims who adopt Western ways will be 'tortured in afterlife'. Unprovoked beatings captured on camera in Yorkshire madrassa . It is an assembly hall of the sort found in any ordinary school. Boys aged 11 and upwards sit cross-legged on the floor in straight rows. They face the front of the room and listen carefully. But this is no ordinary assembly. Holding the children’s attention is a man in Islamic dress wearing a skullcap and stroking his long dark beard as he talks.‘You’re not like the non-Muslims out there,’ the teacher says, gesturing towards the window. ‘All that evil you see in the streets, people not wearing the hijab properly, people smoking . . . you should hate it, you should hate walking down that street.’ He refers to the ‘non-Muslims’ as the ‘Kuffar’, an often derogatory term that means disbeliever or infidel.Welcome to one of Britain’s most influential Islamic faith schools, one of at least 2,000 such schools in Britain, some full-time, others part-time. They represent a growing, parallel education system. The school is the Darul Uloom Islamic High School in Birmingham, an oversubscribed independent secondary school. Darul Ulooms are world-renowned Islamic institutions and their aim is to produce the next generation of Muslim leaders. In fact, these schools have been described as the ‘Etons of Islam’.This school is required by its inspectors to teach tolerance and respect for other faiths. But the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches filmed secretly inside it – and instead discovered that Muslim children are being taught religious apartheid and social segregation. We recorded a number of speakers giving deeply disturbing talks about Jews, Christians and atheists. We found children as young as 11 learning that Hindus have ‘no intellect’ and that they ‘drink cow p***’. And we came across pupils being told that the ‘disbelievers’ are ‘the worst creatures’ and that Muslims who adopt supposedly non-Muslim ways, such as shaving, dancing, listening to music and – in the case of women – removing their headscarves, would be tortured with a forked iron rod in the afterlife.In 2009 this school was praised by Government-approved inspection teams for its interfaith teachings. The report said that ‘pupils learn about the beliefs and practices of other faiths and are taught to show respect to other world religions’. It seems that the inspectors were unaware of the teaching methods revealed by our undercover reporter, Osman. He was taken on as a volunteer at the Darul Uloom school in Birmingham in April 2009 and was allowed to sit in on some lessons – but not their Islamic classes.Madrassas in the UK are part-time after-school or weekend classes, often held in mosques, where children are taught to read the Koran. In Keighley it is not what they are being taught that is the problem, but how.Again, Osman went into the mosque and left the camera in the room where classes took place. The film shows children as young as six sitting on the floor of a large room in the mosque, one of the biggest in the country. The boys are hunched over wooden benches, rocking backwards and forwards as they rote-learn the Koran in Arabic. A man with a long white beard dressed in a traditional shalwar kameez – tunic and trousers – sits at the head of the class. Periodically he gets up and walks behind the boys. As he passes, the children appear to cower and watch him nervously. It soon becomes clear why.He unexpectedly raises his hand and slaps a young boy hard on the head. Moments later he strikes another. And then he kicks a third child.In just two days of filming in December 2010, the camera recorded the teacher hitting children as young as six or seven at least ten times, in less than three hours of lessons.From what we could see, every ¬single blow was pretty much unprovoked. We soon realised that the beatings were routine. The behaviour of the boys, the way they flinched and backed away when he approached, indicated that they were long-accustomed to being hit and kicked as they studied.In another incident an older boy, left in charge of a class while a teacher is out at prayer, picks up a bench and threatens to hit a younger boy with it.Osman was subjected to beatings at four separate madrassas in the East Midlands as a child. He says that for the nine years he spent going to after-school Koran classes, he was hit regularly, at least a couple of timesa week. ‘It destroyed my confidence,’ he says, ‘and the worst bit was never knowing when it was going to happen. I had a horrible teacher who would use his fists, a stick, a shoe, anything he could find. He’d just get angry and lash out.’Regarding the Keighley madrassa, we were told that the Jamia Mosque committee was firm in its resolve to take whatever action was necessary to protect children being taught at the mosque and that it would give its full co-operation to any enquiries resulting from our film.If the law on physical punishment does change, that would be one way to protect the very young that attend these classes. But these part-time and full-time Muslim schools also need closer scrutiny – the regulatory system needs to be tightened up. However, we have a Government that, on the one hand, gives grand speeches about tackling the causes of extremism, as David Cameron did last week, while, on the other, encouraging local communities to set up their own schools – including faith schools. It’s time to stop these mixed messages. And Muslims can no longer sweep this under the carpet – they need to face up to what is happening behind closed doors. Many warn that if we don’t all tackle this toxic mix of hatred and violence head on, we will reap the whirlwind in years to come.Hmmmm....... "Praised for it's Interfaith teachings"Welcome to Eton A.D. 620?Read the full story here.

• Teenager’s hand cut off over affair.Eight men armed with axes attacked a teen age boy in Kuwait and cut his hand off to punish him for his relationship with a girlfriend of one of them, newspapers reported on Sunday.Police said they arrested six and are searching for the other two after the attack that also seriously wounded the 17-year-old boy.Newspapers quoted a police spokesman as saying the assailants would be tried on charges of attempted murder.Source.

• Pope: All Christians must help vocations in this time when God's voice seems stifled.Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Particularly in these times, when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by "other voices" and his invitation to follow him by the gift of one’s own life may seem too difficult, every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs consciously to feel responsibility for promoting vocations" and “especially missionary vocations”. The call to the responsibility for the whole Christian community to foster and support vocations to characterizes the message of Benedict XVI for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, celebrated May 15, released today. “People will always have need of God, - writes the Pope - even in an age marked by technical mastery of the world and globalization:” but “the workers are few." Reflecting on the theme of the Day, "Proposing vocations in the local Church," Benedict XVI noted that " The work of carefully encouraging and supporting vocations finds a radiant source of inspiration in those places in the Gospel where Jesus calls his disciples to follow him and trains them with love and care. We should pay close attention to the way that Jesus called his closest associates to proclaim the Kingdom of God (cf. Lk 10:9). In the first place, it is clear that the first thing he did was to pray for them: before calling them, Jesus spent the night alone in prayer, listening to the will of the Father (cf. Lk 6:12) in a spirit of interior detachment from mundane concerns”.Read the full story here.

• Pakistani Priest warns Christians are at risk. A young man tortured and killed.Lahore (AsiaNews) - The situation of Christians in Punjab is becoming more critical, Fr Joseph Xavier, from Lahore tells AsiaNews. "The incidents against Christians are increasing at an alarming rate. Central Punjab is the area most affected. Over the past three years there have been over 35 incidents, and most of them have not been reported because of the influence that local landlords have in the areas, and the influence of local MPs. They hold police and judges in the palm of their hands; the roam freely after having killed or robbed. This issue requires special attention; otherwise this problem will become even more frequent. Christians are not safe, many are forced to convert to Islam to save themselves. Also, if the Ministry of minority groups is abolished, what will happen to minorities in Pakistan?". The most recent episode involves a young man killed by his Muslim employers, who were reported to police, after public outcry, after the police dallied, reluctant to take up the case. Imran Masih, 24, a resident of Ghakkar Mandi Gujranwala, was killed by employers, who say he committed suicide. Imran Masih, married for eight months, worked as a driver for two Muslims, Bashir Ahmed Cheema and Munir Ahmed Cheema. Imran’s father, Lal, had held the job before but because of age he passed to his son.On February 5, Imran was unable to go to work because he felt sick. The next day he went to work. It seems there was a verbal confrontation with Munir Ahmed Cheema. And immediately after Imran was attacked and killed. Munir Cheema sought the help of some friends, and Imran's body was hung from the ceiling, and his father, Lal, was told his son had killed himself. Lal Masih received her son's body, covered in blood, and with clear signs of torture. Lal Masih told AsiaNews: "My son was killed by these animals. Cheema and his son used to insult me every day, they said that we Christians were their slaves. They have abused my son, he responded and then they killed him. There are signs of torture on the body. " Lal Masih went to the police to complain, but the assistant sub-inspector (ASI), Zubair Cheema, refused to accept the "Fir" (First Information Report) due to Bashir Ahmed Cheema’s influence in the area. The neighbours, however, hadheard noises and voices of people who insulted Imran, and then attacked him.Hmmmmm......"Islam the religion of peace". Read the full story here.

• Turkey keeps close watch on new US Congress.Turkey is keeping a close watch on the new members of the US Congress, with one eye trained on followers of the tea party movement. While Turkish officials aim to tell congressmen about Turkey’s foreign policy perceptions, Turkish-American citizens frequently visit new congressmen to discuss the needs of Turkish voters in their districts.Turkey has started establishing close contacts with new members of the U.S. Congress, including those affiliated with the conservative and libartarian tea party movement, according to a senior diplomat.“We want to have intense dialogue with new members of the Congress, including members of the tea party movement. We try to tell [congressmen] about Turkey in order to make them more familiar with our policies,” a senior Turkish diplomat told the Hürriyet Daily News.Turkish associations in the U.S., along with the Turkish Embassy in Washington, are increasing efforts to include more congressmen in the Turkish-American Friendship Group. “Their numbers decreased from 125 to 96 when Democrats left the Congress. However, that figure will soon exceed 125, since we have good relations with Republicans,” Kaya Boztepe, president of the Federation of Turkish-American Associations, or FTAA, told the Daily News on Wednesday.“We try to reach as many congressmen as we can,” he said. “We have a study of newly elected congressmen. The first parties to reach those congressmen always win. Therefore, we have started an intense campaign to have meetings with new congressmen, and we do it as U.S. citizens,” Boztepe said.“The Turkish ambassador can do this to a certain extent, but we, as the voters, aim to convince them,” he said, adding that they notify congress members who have Turks living in their electoral districts. “We, as the Turkish society, were always in the defensive position. From now on, we make our own agenda.”The FTAA and the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations will hold a “National Leadership Conference” in March. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu are expected to participate. Turkish-American relations and Israeli-Turkish relations are to be discussed at the conference.“We want to bring our youngsters together and organize them. We want to show them options to study and ways to work in the White House and Congress,” Boztepe said. Twelve young Turks already have had internships in the U.S. Congress and three are working in Congress.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s manner of address to Ahmedinejad as “his friend” drew reaction from political circles in Washington. Especially during his visit to Iran, Erdoğan’s declaration of his support for Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear program created anxiety in the U.S. over the course of relations between Turkey and Iran, he said. “However, we tried to tell them Prime Minister Erdoğan gave that statement in order to commit Iranians to the promise they gave us at meeting,” he said.President Abdullah Gül will pay an official visit to Iran on Feb. 13. Although Washington reads the intention of Turkey on its relations with Iran better, some diplomatic circles in Ankara say, “It would be better if the visit had not come up now.”Hmmmm.......Erdogan....Ahmadinajad.....study and ways to work in the White House and Congress,Turkish-American relations and Israeli-Turkish relations are to be discussed at the conference,off course without the presence of Armenians or Israelis i presume?Read the full story here.

• Iran hinders web searches leading up to planned rally, sources say.Iranian authorities have blocked the word "Bahman" -- the 11th month of the Persian calendar -- from Internet searches within the country, according to an opposition website.The measure appears to be an effort by Iranian authorities to obstruct access to several websites that are promoting a rally on Monday -- the 25th day of Bahman -- proposed by Iranian opposition leaders in support of the uprising in Egypt, Saham News reported Saturday.Two Tehran residents also confirmed the block via e-mail to CNN.Iranian authorities on Wednesday warned against any attempt by the opposition movement to hold the rally, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency."We definitely see them as enemies of the revolution and spies, and we will confront them with force," Revolutionary Guard Cmdr. Hossein Hamedani told IRNA.The White House issued a statement Saturday condemning the Iranian government for attempting to block the protests."By announcing that they will not allow opposition protests, the Iranian government has declared illegal for Iranians what it claimed was noble for Egyptians," National Security Advisor Tom Donilon said in the statement. "We call on the government of Iran to allow the Iranian people the universal right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate and communicate that's being exercised in Cairo."Opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Moussavi asked that the rally take place in Tehran's Azadi Square, the site of mass protests by Iran's opposition movement after the disputed 2009 presidential elections.The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, based in the United States, called Friday for an end to restrictions on the movements of Karroubi and Moussavi."The (Iranian) government is doing all it can to intimidate Iranians and deny their right to peaceful assembly," the U.S.-based group said in a statement. "With recent events in Egypt, we see another round of repression in Iran aimed at silencing a people frustrated and dissatisfied by the denial of their human rights."Hmmmmm......Only the great peacemaker is silent ,it's easyer to bully and stab allies?Read the full story here.

• Genies blamed for girl’s disappearance.After a visit to Koran reciters, she had to be carried out as she appeared to be in a trance.A Yemeni girl has been missing for nearly a month in Saudi Arabia and her family believe she could have been snatched by jinn (genies), a newspaper reported on Thursday.The 23-year-old girl stepped out of her house in a mountainous village near the western town of Taif and never returned, prompting a massive police search campaign, Sabq Arabic language daily said.“Some people told police they saw her walking on a hill not far from her house then vanished again,” the paper said.“Her brothers and some residents in the village said she sometimes appears at night and then suddenly disappears…they told police that they believe she has been haunted and taken by jinn.”Hmmmm.......I'm pretty sure the Disney lawyers are preparing their defence by now.Read the full story here.

• Saudi Arabia: Islamic Morality Police Order Shops to Remove all Red Items Until Valentine’s Day Is Over…Flower shops and gift shops have been asked to remove all red items and heart-shaped gifts until after Valentine’s Day by the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia).Celebration of the so-called day of love is frowned upon by authorities in the Kingdom.Every year, Haia officials visit the shops a few days before Valentine’s Day, giving them instructions to remove all goods that have even the slightest hint of red, including roses, chocolate, wrapping paper and stuffed animals.“We’re used to seeing Haia members a couple of days before Valentine’s Day asking us to put away all red items until after that day,” said Alan, a salesman at a gift shop.“They also threaten that if we sell even one red rose or gift they will shut the shop down and get all the staff fired.”Chocolate shops usually manage to make big sales the day before Valentine’s.“Many young men come in a day before Valentine’s Day and ask for red chocolate boxes for the day of love,” said Hassan, a salesman at a chocolate shop in Rawda Street.Hmmm......Khomeini "There's no fun in Islam"?Read the full story here.

• HT:SteynOnline.The Superpower as Spectator. If you missed my TV and radio appearances this week, here's a recap of my thoughts on Egypt: This is not a happy ending but the beginning of something potentially very dark. The end of the Mubarak regime is the biggest shift in the region in 60 years, since Nasser overthrew King Farouk's dissolute monarchy and diminished London's influence in Cairo. We are witnessing the unraveling of the American Middle East - that's to say, of the regimes supported by Washington in the waning of British and French imperial power after the Second World War. The American Middle East was an unlovely place, and perhaps the most obviously repellent illustration of the limitations of "He may be an SOB but he's our SOB" thinking. It's "our" SOBs who are in trouble: After the fall of Mubarak, what remains to hold up the Hashemites in Amman? Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood is more radical than Egypt's, the regime is less ruthless, King Abdullah's Arabic is worse than his English, and pretty westernized Queen Rania, who seems so cute when CNN interviewers are fawning all over her, is openly despised outside the palace gates. Iran is nuclearizing, Turkey is Islamizing, Egypt is ...what exactly? Well, we'll find out. But, given that only the army and/or the Muslim Brotherhood are sufficiently organized to govern the nation, the notion that we're witnessing the youthful buds of any meaningful democracy is deluded.Read the full story here.

• HT:TheAmericanDream.Could An Eruption Of The Yellowstone Supervolcano Destroy The United States As We Know It?When most Americans think of Yellowstone, they tend to conjure up images of Yogi Bear and "Old Faithful". But the truth about Yellowstone is much more frightening than that. Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is actually sitting right on top of a massive supervolcano. This supervolcano has erupted before, and scientists tell us that when it fully erupts again it will destroy the United States as we know it. So could such an eruption happen any time soon? Well, scientists tell us that Yellowstone is actually overdue for a major eruption and there are thousands of earthquakes in the Yellowstone area every single year. In addition, scientists that monitor Yellowstone have been quite alarmed that some areas of Yellowstone have risen by as much as ten inches over the past few years. So yes, there are some good reasons to be really, really concerned about what is going on at Yellowstone.The truth is that the Yellowstone supervolcano is the biggest volcano in North America by far. A major eruption at Yellowstone would permanently change all of our lives in just a single day.In fact, a major eruption at Yellowstone would permanently end America's status as a superpower in just a single day.So exactly what would an eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano look like?What exactly would a full eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano mean for the United States and for the rest of the world?Well, the following are 11 facts about the Yellowstone supervolcano that are more than a little bit frightening....Read the full story here.

MFS - The Other News

                         Afternoon Posting.

• Halal Britain: Schools and institutions serving up ritually slaughtered meat.Halal meat is being routinely served at some of Britain’s most popular sporting venues, pubs, schools and hospitals without the public’s knowledge, it has emerged.All beef, chicken and lamb sold to fans at Wembley Stadium has been secretly prepared in accordance with strict Islamic law.And hundreds of pubs and restaurants in Britain, as well as top racecourses, schools and hospitals, now only serve chicken that has been ritually slaughtered according to Sharia Law.Under Muslim laws, animals are slaughtered by having their throat slit to allow all the blood to drain out. Research suggests that animals can die a slow painful death because religious slaughter houses are exempt from laws that require animals to be stunned before killing.Last night there were growing concerns that members of public were unwittingly supporting a cruel form of butchery.A RSPCA spokesman said: 'The public has a right to know how their meat is produced.'Many people are extremely worried about animal welfare.'Lots of food products have not got any form of information on them.'It is similar to battery eggs which used to be the norm but now consumers prefer to buy free range ones because they are concerned about the welfare of chickens.'The key to a more humane death for these animals is that they are stunned before slaughter.'Animal rights group Viva! said: 'Other practices which may be undertaken for religious reasons – such as polygamy or the stoning of adulterers – are not permitted in the UK.'Religious freedom does not override other moral considerations and the suffering caused by this form of slaughter is so severe that it cannot be allowed to prevent action being taken.A spokesman was unable to give details of what percentage of the meat was ritually slaughtered.Last night a Football Association spokeswoman said she was investigating the decision to ensure all meat sold at Wembley is halal.She added: 'All beef, chicken and lamb sold at Wembley Stadium is halal.'Hmmmm......"We don't want to take over your country"?Read the full story here.

• U.S. states must be allowed to declare bankruptcy to reduce pension bills, say Republicans.Republican politicians are fighting to win U.S. states the right to declare bankruptcy in a bid to free them crippling pension bills and other punishing debts.Currently states such as Illinois and California, which are struggling to pay back loans, are forbidden from claiming federal protection from insolvency.But advocates, including Senator John Cornyn and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, say states are so burdened by debt that bankruptcy may be the only feasible way out.For example, bankruptcy would allow allow governors to reduce contractual pension payments, which are often protected by state constitutions.It could also provide an alternative to bailouts, which Republicans have shown themselves determined to oppose since Barack Obama’s election as president.But there are also fears in Congress that states’ bonds could be reduced to junk and it would put investors off buying U.S. debt.Paul Maco, a former head of the Office of Municipal Securities at America’s financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, told the New York Times that fear of the words “state bankruptcy” has proponents in Congress going about their work on tiptoe. So policy makers have been forced to work behind the scenes to change the rules, which could require a difficult constitutional amendment as states are considered sovereign by Washington.No draft bill is in circulation yet, and no member of Congress has come forward as a sponsor, although Senator Cornyn, of Texas, asked Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the central bank, the Federal Reserve, about the possibility in a hearing this month. Discussion of a new bankruptcy option appears to have begun in November following a speech by Mr Gingrich about soaring debts.Hmmmm......"Together we thrive" over the cliff off bankruptcy?Read the full story here .

• 'Marry a Muslim or die' threat to Harry Potter actress revealed as brother is jailed for beating her up.The full horror of a three-hour attack on one of the stars of the Harry Potter films was revealed in court for the first time as her brother was jailed for beating her up.Ashraf Azad has been locked up for six months after setting upon his sister Afshan having discovered she was involved in a relationship with a non-Muslim man.Manchester Crown Court heard he left his younger sister bruised and swollen after grabbing her by the hair, throwing her across a room and punching her in the head and back as she cowered on the floor of the family home.Her married brother Ashraf Azad, 28, pleaded guilty in December to assaulting her at the family home.Azad was handed the six-month sentence at Manchester Crown Court despite a plea from his sister for leniency.The actress wrote a letter to Judge Roger Thomas QC asking for her brother not to be locked up and saying that she had forgiven him.The court heard that Ms Azad has never supported the prosecution despite giving police an initial statement.But Judge Thomas said it was a 'prolonged and nasty attack', adding that domestic violence in the home could not be tolerated.He called Azad's assault an 'ill-tempered attempt to dissuade her from continuing the relationship'.The court heard Azad heard his sister talking as he was in the bathroom then swore at her, saying: 'Watch what I will do.'He burst into her bedroom as she ended the call and attempted to hide the mobile phone and its sim card. Azad began to shout at her then grabbed her by the hair and threw her across the bedroom. The court heard Ms Azad was crying and begging him to stop.Azad, the court heard, then punched her in the back and to the head as she cowered in a ball on the floor. He punched her several times more before his wife came in and told him to stop.Mr Vardon said: 'He told his wife to stay out of it because he would do what he wanted to do with his little sister.'The court heard Azad pulled her up by the hair and dragged her downstairs to his father Abul Azad's room.Azad then told his father to 'sort your daughter out' and called her a 'slag'.Ms Azad, the court heard, was then pushed head-first onto her father's bed, where she heard the words 'just kill her'.Azad, who had been drinking, then attempted to strangle her, Mr Vardon said.He added: 'She was struggling to breathe and was scared for her life.'The court heard Ms Azad's mother and Azad's wife then entered the bedroom and she was told that she would have to be sent to Bangladesh to marry.Mr Vardon added: 'Her mother called her a prostitute and asked why she was obsessed with sex.'Azad then ran downstairs, where the court was told Ms Azad heard knives rattling in a drawer after threats were made to kill her.Mr Vardon said: 'She was told that she had to marry a Muslim or die. She was feeling very scared.'Hmmmm....."The religion of Peace".Read the full story here.

• HT:CreepingSharia.Muslim tries to kill Kurt Westergaard, judge censures Westergaard.A Danish judge has had to call the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard to order after an outburst against the man who is accused of trying to kill him.“He’s just a cowardly liar, a terrorist!” exclaimed the 75-year-old, who has drawn the wrath of the Muslim world for his caricature of the Prophet Mohammed wearing a turban that resembled a bomb.The accused man, a care worker of Somali origin, broke into the cartoonist’s home a year ago, wielding an axe. On Wednesday, at the outset of the trial, Mohammed Geele, 29, said that he had used the axe to enter the house and that his aim was to frighten Mr Westergaard and express his anger about the cartoon.Mr Westergaard rejected his version. “He was like a religious insane young man,” he told the court in Aarhus yesterday. “I believe he entered the house as a holy warrior who wanted to kill an infidel.” He turned to look at his assailant – the first time that they had actually seen each other.The judge reprimanded Mr Westergaard for prejudging him by calling Mr Geele a terrorist. The prosecution has so far failed to establish a clear terrorist motive.Hmmmm....Talk about an upside down world?Read the full story here.

• HT:ForeignPolicy. New Iran nuclear talks kick off in Istanbul. Iran and six major world powers began a new round of nuclear talks in Istanbul today. As with last month's talks in Geneva, Iran is refusing to discuss any suspension of its nuclear enrichment program, which it says is peaceful. Nonetheless, an Iranian delegate sounded a positive note at the outset of talks. "Compared to the Geneva talks, the negotiations in Istanbul are being held in a more positive way," negotiator Abolfazl Zohrevand said. The six powers may return to earlier proposals including a nuclear fuel swap to keep Tehran's research reactor running, and a package of economic incentives to entice the Iranians to suspend enrichment. The Iranian side is looking for somewhat wider ranging discussions. "We want to discuss the fundamental problems of global politics at Istanbul talks," said Iranian chief negotiator Saeed Jalili. This would include global disarmament, Israel's clandestine nuclear program, and the U.S. military presence in Iraq.Hmmmm.....Looking at Turkey's scorecard this last year the result of the talks will be a bashing of Israel and a bashing of the the US in Iraq and a gloryfication of their business partner Iran.Read the full story here.

• HT:BigPeace.US Domestic Oil Production Reduced ‘To A Trickle’ Thanks to Obama.Kiplinger’s sees huge problems with declining US domestic oil production, thanks to new strict guidelines from the Obama Administration. No doubt producers around the world are enjoying this. An excerpt:“Domestic oil production faces a long-term decline in the wake of curtailed offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, stemming from the BP oil spill last year. In four to five years, a loss of several hundred thousand barrels a day from the Gulf is likely, enough to significantly boost U.S. reliance on imported oil.It’s no surprise, really. New deepwater drilling has largely come to a standstill in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the October end of the White House moratorium on deepwater drilling, not a single new permit has been issued for drilling in waters more than 500 feet deep. And even permits for shallow-water drilling are currently taking twice as long to complete — roughly 60 days — as before. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement — the federal agency responsible for approving new drilling permits — notes that, in the aftermath of the BP spill, new applications require increased scrutiny from regulators and can’t be rushed.Hmmm....No wonder the Saudi King loves "They don't trust me because of my middle name"?Read the full story here.

• Pictured: The women charged with murder, conspiracy and theft for assisting 'House of Horrors' abortion doctor the philadelphia "Mengele".These are the first pictures of the employees charged alongside abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell for their part in his ‘House of Horrors’ clinic murder investigation.Gosnell, 69, has been charged with murdering seven newborn babies and a 41-year-old mother in botched operations that resulted in ‘barbaric’ killings at his Philadelphia practice.He was assisted by nine under-trained - sometimes untrained - people at the Women’s Medical Society and they have also been charged with various crimes; four with murder.Lynda Williams, 42, who allegedly performed operations and gave anesthesia without a license, faces with multiple murder charges.

1. Unlicensed Adrienne Moten, 33, is charged with the murder of a baby.
2. Sherry West, 54, is charged with third-degree murder.
3. Gosnell's 49-year-old wife Pearl is charged with illegal abortion and conspiracy.
4. Elizabeth Hampton, the doctor's sister-in-law, is charged perjury and obstruction of justice.The other clinic employees facing charges are unlicensed medical school graduate Eileen O'Neil, 54, who is charged with theft by deception, conspiracy and perjury, while clinic manager Maddline Joe, 53, faces accusations of conspiracy. Tina Baldwin, 45, is charged with racketeering, conspiracy and corruption of a minor, having allegedly allowed her 15-year-old daughter to administer anesthesia.A ninth defendant, Steven Masoof, 48, is yet to be arraigned but is expected to face baby murder charges.Hmmm.....punishment"To the maximum extend of the law"No parole!Read and see the full story here.

• Islamist movement at forefront of Tunisia's protests.Tunisia's underground Islamic movement has emerged at the forefront of nationwide protests against its leadership and appears set to emerge as the strongest political force in elections.Al-Nadha is lead by the London-based exile Rachid Ghannouchi who has said that he will return to the country as soon as the threat of life in prison is lifted. Mr Ghannouchi has the best claims to an electoral following in Tunisia after the disintegration of the ruling party. He has wide core support at the country's universities and his followers secured 17 per cent in 1989's election – an unrivalled following in Tunisia's rigged electoral system. Senior lieutenants of the fundamentalist leader were yesterday prominent in the thousands strong crowd that demanded the resignation of all ministers – including Prime Minister Mohammed Ghanouchi – tainted by service to ousted dictator, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Sadouk Chourou, a Tunis lawyer, has been seen organising groups within the protest. Ali Laraiedh, the Al-Nadha vice president, said that party activists of the banned movement had been mobilised.While repeating the group's message, he gives only guarded signals about the agenda the group would pursue if it tastes power. Mr met with the prime minister during the week to set out Al-Nadha's demands. "The people have not yet achieved everything they could have done. We want a government that is able to make a democracy and that means the prime minister must go," he told The Daily Telegraph. "It is too early to talk about what happens after the election but we will move like other Islamic parties, just that we will be a little more emancipated." Tunisia's strong record of promoting women's rights and liberal stance on social issues such as the sale of alcohol is vulnerable as its political system is torn apart by the popular uprising. Sana Bel Mkaddem, a Tunis resident, said she was fearful her rights would be eroded after elections. "We need to know what the parties represent. Most Tunisians are open-minded and view religion as a private issue but because of the past of this country, I'm worried that we could see the Islamisation that we've seen in other countries."While the party leaders have refused to outline specific plans Ennadha supporters have expectations of change. "I want my fiancé to wear a veil but she says she can't because the university rules don't allow covered women in the classrooms," said one unemployed Tunis man. "I think women can work but must follow the family's wishes."Hmmmmm.....Just what the word needed another Islamic extremist country?Read the full story here.

• HT:TheDailyBail.Tim Geithner Says The United States Is Insolvent.The U.S. government is insolvent. Who says so? Timothy F. Geithner, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Geithner sent a letter to Congress on Jan. 6, 2011 asking for the debt limit to be raised. If it is not raised, he warned, the U.S. will default on its debt.In his words:

1. Geithner's debt limit letter to Congress.
2. "Never in our history has Congress failed to increase the debt limit when necessary. Failure to raise the limit would precipitate a default by the United States."He didn’t say that the government will be inconvenienced. He didn’t say that the government would be forced to muddle through by delaying payments, raising taxes, and cutting non-obligatory programs and services. He said the government will default. This means that the government doesn’t have enough cash to pay its obligations to the many and sundry persons to whom it owes cash unless Congress authorizes an issue of even more debt.Hmmm....Understand now why states are passing legislation to use other means of legal tender?Read the full story here.

• "Life or Death in Iran's prisons".More Women Political Prisoners Transferred to Methadone Ward of Evin Prison.Iranian-Dutch citizen Zahra Bahrami and political activist Fatemeh Khorramjoo who were held in the General ward of Evin prison have been transferred to the Methadone ward.According to RAHANA, this ward is normally reserved for dangerous criminals and drug addicts. The ward is a closed hall that measures no more than 30 to 35 meters in length. The prisoners in this ward are allowed to step outside for fresh air less than one hour per day. Additionally, the prisoners are excluded from some facilities like the library, deprived of their right to use the phone, only allowed cabin visits, and are prohibited from face-to-face meetings.Zahra Bahrami was transferred to the Methadone ward on December 7th along with Mahdieh Golroo and Bahareh Hedayat, but she was returned to the General ward before her transfer back to the Methadone ward. Mahdieh Golroo and Bahareh Hedayat remain in the Methadone ward and are deprived of face-to-face visits.Zahra Bahrami was detained in December 2009 and was sentenced to death. Fatemeh Khorramjoo was detained in January 2010 and is held in the Methadone ward of Evin prison for allegedly having contacts with foreigners.Read the full story here.

• ‘Islamophobia’.What kind of dinner parties do you go to, Baroness?Baroness Warsi has always struck me as a thoroughly modern Muslim. She wears her faith lightly and has no truck with militant Islam. She has been commendably forthright in her stand against religious extremism and her willingness to face down the Toytown jihadists earned her a ­fusillade of rotten eggs in the martyrs’ paradise of Luton.So why has she chosen now to claim that prejudice and bigotry against Muslims is widespread in Britain?In politics, as in comedy, timing is everything. With the inquiry into the London Transport terrorist attack reminding us daily of the atrocities committed in the name of Allah, not to mention the recent revelations about gangs of Muslim men targeting and raping filthy infidel whores on the streets of British cities, Sayeeda Warsi has hardly picked the most opportune moment to accuse the rest of us of raging ‘Islamophobia’.She alleges that anti-Muslim bigotry has crossed the dinner party threshold and is socially acceptable.I don’t know what kind of dinner parties Sayeeda goes to. The last time we had a few friends round for a meal was over Christmas. And although my recollection of the ­conversation dims after the sixth bottle, I’m certain we talked about the new Springsteen box set; why Spurs needed David Beckham like a hole in the head; the extortionate price of ­petrol; and what precisely have ­Cameron’s ­Conservatives actually done for the millions who voted for them?I can’t remember any breath being wasted on attitudes to ­Muslims in British society.But Sayeeda sees ‘Islamophobia’ round every dinner table, on every street corner and in every school playground and workplace.‘In the factory, where they’ve just hired a Muslim worker, the boss says to his employees: “Not to worry, he’s only fairly Muslim.” ’Really?‘In the school, the kids say: “The family next door are Muslims, but they’re not too bad.” Do they‘And in the road, as a woman walks past wearing a burka, the passers-by think: “That woman is either oppressed or is making a political statement.” Are you sure?Most of us just think anyone who wears a burka in Britain is barking mad and wonder why someone who so utterly rejects our society and our liberal values would want to live here. Surely they would be much happier in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan.It’s instructive that in all the TV footage of the unrest in devoutly Muslim Tunisia, there hasn’t been a burka in sight.Sayeeda even has a pop at the media, accusing us of dividing ­Muslims into ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’. In a sense, she’s right. It is impossible to write about Islamic terrorism without including prominently a caveat about ‘the vast majority of peace-loving Muslims’.Newspapers bend over backwards to distance the headbangers from mainstream British Muslims. It’s good manners, as well as good business.So sensitive are the authorities to accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ that even when Muslim gangsters of Pakistani origin are found guilty of raping white teenage girls, the police go out of their way to insist ludicrously that there was ‘no ­cultural, racial or religious’ motive — despite all the ­evidence to the contrary.After 9/11 and 7/7, we were urged to ‘reach out’ to Muslims. Some people thought maybe the ‘reaching out’ should come from the other direction. After all, these attacks were committed in the name of Islam, whoever was responsible.We’re also told that thousands of young Muslim men became radicalised after 9/11. You might have thought that any sane individual would have been horrified by one of the worst acts of mass murder ever witnessed in peacetime — not seen it as a call to arms.But many people are now genuinely concerned about the past decade of Islamic expansionism. Rightly or wrongly, they fear the transformation of British society in some areas, from the intrusive call to prayer in the inner cities to the ubiquity of halal meat in supermarkets.That doesn’t make them racists or guilty of the lazy, catch-all smear ‘Islamophobia’.I’m sure that Baroness Warsi is genuinely concerned with improving race relations in Britain. ­Traducing her fellow citizens isn’t the best way to go about it.Hmmm......Ever heard about Al - Taqiyya?Read the full story here.

• "Life or Death in Iran's prisons".Two Young Kurdish Men Face Death by Public Stoning.Based on unofficial reports, two young Kurdish men from the city of Piranshahr (in Iran Kurdistan) have been sentenced to death by public stoning. The sentence was determined after two court sessions and issued to Ayoub and Mosleh for what appears to be the crime of engaging in an illicit sexual relationship with a teenager who was between the age of 15 to 17 at the time. It is understood that the two young men did not have any legal representation at any stage from the time of their arrest. According to Iran’s Islamic law, the age of criminal responsibility for boys is set at 15 lunar years. Ayoub and Mosleh were reportedly 18 and 19 years old.The two young men are accused of filming the sexual act to extort the alleged victim. While in custody, the teenager confessed against Ayoub and Mosleh, claiming that he was repeatedly raped and blackmailed for money. Human rights defenders state that the teenager’s claims are unlikely since, normally, youth in small towns do not have access to much money, and having reached fifteen years of age, he too would have been charged if he was a willing partner in the sexual act.Various sources and human rights activists have reported that Ayoub and Mosleh were taken into custody after the video of the sexual act was discovered on one of their cellphones. A credible source has indicated that the sexual act in question was consensual.It is difficult to determine the real facts since authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not made public the official charges against Ayoub and Mosleh or the details surrounding the case. Additionally, no lawyers are assigned to defend the two young men and the families are unwilling to publicize the matter, most likely for reasons pertaining to upholding their honour, as other similar cases have suggested.Reports circulating by various news sources and human rights websites indicate that there is a high possibility that Ayoub and Mosleh who are held in Orumiyeh prison will be transferred to Piranshahr to be stoned on January 21st. Although, no official date has been announced by authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.One of the human rights groups, The Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO), issued a statement urging the Iranian people to intervene and prevent another tragedy that will wound the soul of the people in the country.It is evident that regardless of the charge against Ayoub and Mosleh, stoning is an unacceptable and inhumane punishment. The reality is that two people are set to be stoned to death by the Islamic Republic of Iran, a regime that has executed at least 69 people since the beginning of 2011.Since public pressure has proved effective in the past, international communities are urged to raise their voices louder against the barbaric acts of stoning and execution before more lives are snatched away.Read the full story here.

• Potential Lebanon kingmaker supports Hezbollah.Support of Walid Jumblatt crucial for any candidate trying to form new Lebanon government.A potential kingmaker in Lebanese politics threw his support Friday behind Hezbollah, a major boost to the Shiite group that brought down the country's Western-backed government last week.Walid Jumblatt, the influential leader of the Druze sect, refused to say exactly how many lawmakers are with him, but his support is key for any candidate trying to form a government.In recent days, Jumblatt has gone to Damascus for meetings with Hezbollah's patron, Syria."The party will stand firm in support of Syria and the resistance," Jumblatt told reporters, referring to Hezbollah by the popular term. Ministers from Hezbollah and its allies walked out of the government, forcing its collapse, last week when Prime Minister Saad refused to renounce the tribunal investigating the assassination of his father, former PM Rafik Hariri. Once one of the most ardent supporters of the tribunal, Jumblatt on Friday launched a scathing attack on the court, saying it poses a "threat to national unity and national security."The support of at least 65 lawmakers is required to form a government in Lebanon's 128-seat Parliament. Hezbollah and its allies already claim 57 seats. Saad Hariri - who has stayed on as caretaker prime minister and will seek the post again - has 60. Jumblatt refused to say whether he had secured the support of enough lawmakers to allow Hezbollah and its allies to form their own government. But he is known to have at least five from his 11-member bloc, which means he needed to get just three more to tip the balance. President Michel Suleiman will launch formal talks Monday on creating a new government, polling lawmakers on their choices before nominating a prime minister. According to Lebanon's power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.Read the full story here.

• FEMA To Use Social Media For Emergency Response.Administrator Craig Fugate discusses the agency's plans to employ text messaging, GPS, and other tools for improved 'situational awareness' and disaster relief.The Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to engage the public more in disaster response by sharing data and leveraging reports from mobile phones and social media, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said today. People are increasingly connected in disaster areas, and FEMA needs to factor that into its disaster planning, Fugate said in a keynote speech at ESRI's government user conference in Washington, D.C. As an example, Fugate pointed to the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, where rescue workers and survivors used text messages, e-mail, and social media to communicate amid chaotic and dangerous conditions."One of our assumptions has been that when there's a big disaster, we lose all communications, we lose all wireless," Fugate said in a follow-up interview. "Haiti was sort of a validation that that's no longer the case. We can adjust much quicker if we can figure out how to have this two-way conversation and if we can look at the public as a resource. The public is putting out better situational awareness than many of our own agencies can." Fugate, who regularly posts on Twitter himself, said FEMA is building applications for popular mobile platforms and that he is pushing to establish more open data feeds. "These are the baby steps," he said. "Government has to change the mentality that, love it or hate it, you have to adapt to us. We need to adapt to them."Read the full story here.

• HT:ViciousBabuschka.Jewish Virginians Shun Gun Video.While a rabbi prayed in a Richmond synagogue, a group of Orthodox Jews passed around an AK-47 before a ceremony celebrating the end of the Sabbath.Asher Meza, a 32-year-old Orthodox Jew, made a video of himself showing guns to a group of young men at a private synagogue in his friend's home and then posted the video on YouTube and Facebook.The whole thing doesn't sit well with the Richmond Jewish community."I wasn't trying to make a statement, but a statement was made," said Meza, a former Baptist preacher who converted to Judaism and studied to be a rabbi."I'm not advocating for everyone to walk around with an AK-47, but I walk around with a handgun on the Sabbath, and I think it would be better if most Jews did. It's better to have the gun and not need it than need it and not have it, especially in a religious environment."But Tommy Baer, a Richmond attorney who was president of B'nai B'rith International, a Jewish service organization, called that statement "vigilante nonsense." He said he viewed the video with "complete revulsion" and found it offensive.Hmmm....If they bring a knife....I'll bring an AK-47?Read and see the full story here.

• Turkish authorities arrest two suspected organ traffickers.Two of 12 suspected members of an organ trafficking ring taken into custody during a recent 12-province operation have been arrested, Doğan news agency, or DHA, reported Friday.Among the 12 people questioned over two days on allegations of “forming a gang” and “trading organs,” Osman Kökyıldırım and Savaş Günay were arrested while the rest were released on their own recognizance to await trial.During the operation, code-named “Hunting Season,” 33 people were taken into custody, including the 12. The simultaneous operation took place at 46 different addresses in Adana, Istanbul, Batman, Ankara, Şırnak, Kocaeli, Bursa, Mersin, Hatay and Bingöl provinces.Hmmmm....Not the Jews but the Turks are organ dealers?Read the full story here.

• HT:IslamTodayOregon.Obama, Islam and Kenya.How can we make sense of the utterly incoherent foreign policy of the Obama administration ?This policy may seem rational to the BHO White House but it is nonsense to everyone else. Barrack Hussein's relationship with Raila Odinga of Kenya makes this as clear.as anyone could want.Mark Hyman's Washington Times article for October 12, 2008, "Obama's Kenya ghosts,"describes matters in memorable terms. The gist of the essay is a strait forward observation.What does it mean when someone pretending to be a moral exemplar for all of the United States associates with a violent criminal ?Not that Odinga is known to have personally taken part in massacres or other bloodshed,but he certainly is guilty of incitement and of indifference to the violence of Muslims who have acted on his behalf. Yet you would think that even this possibility deserves attention since, as a younger man, he played some role in the coup attempt of 1982 which killed an unknown number and nearly toppled the government of Daniel Arap Moi, who espoused openly pro-American policies. But we can leave that matter aside...As everyone knows, Odinga lost a disputed election in late 2007 despite Obamacampaigning for him. Then came the reaction of Odinga's followers. After a temporary lull, the backlash began in earnest on January 1, 2008. On that day, in the town of Eldoret, some "50 parishioners were locked into the Assemblies of God church before it was set ablaze. They were mostly women and children. Those who tried to flee werehacked to death by machete-wielding members of a mob numbering 2,000."This was only the opening act.Within two months large parts of Kenya were in ruins as 500,000 people, mostlyChristians, were forced to flee for their lives, their homes and businesses trashed.While it was also the case that some Christians defended themselves with all meansat their disposal, the weight of the attacks were carried out by Luo Muslims. By the some time in February approximately 1,500 people were dead, mostly Christians,and mostly hacked into pieces with machetes by angry Muslims Obama, in Kenya in 2006, could plausibly make the case that Odinga was unaffiliated with Muslim interests. This was his for-public-consumption position. There was no proof to another effect even though his support from Muslims was an open secret which was known to one and all, including Obama.And Barrack Hussein knew he could count on the ignorance of the American press and its disinterest in things African to get away with any claims he chose to make.As well, Obama was well aware that far more than 3/4ths of the press corps venerated him as if he was a messiah, incapable of wrong, someone to worship.He had few worries about anyone in the news media breaking a story about politics in Kenya.Things got so bad that the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, as the article continued,"released a statement in which church leaders said Raila [ Odinga ]...‘comes across as a presumptive Muslim president bent on forcingt which was known to one and all, including Obama.And Barrack Hussein knew he could count on the ignorance of the American press and its disinterest in things African to get away with any claims he chose to make.As well, Obama was well aware that far more than 3/4ths of the press corps venerated him as if he was a messiah, incapable of wrong, someone to worship.He had few worries about anyone in the news media breaking a story about politics in Kenya.Things got so bad that the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, as the article continued,"released a statement in which church leaders said Raila [ Odinga ]...‘comes across as a presumptive Muslim president bent on forcing Islamic law, religion and culture down the throats of the Kenyan people in total disregard of the Constitutionall guaranteed rights of freedom of worship and equal protection of the law’”This , of course, should have given Obama, a self-professed "Christian," all the excuse he might have needed to have spoken out in favor of his ( presumed ) fellow believers.But he did no such thing, just as he has yet to do any such thing during his presidencyto actually make the least difference on behalf of Christians in Muslim countries beyond decrying the most conspicuous attacks on churches and the worst cases of carnage,essentially rhetorical responses. He didn't even do that much when Muslims in Kenya killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands.For a self-professed "Christian" Obama is remarkable for his indifference to the suffering of millions of Christians in the Muslim world. Outrages are perpetrated literally every day and, while the State Department may make noises a couple of times a year, that is the extent of it. What other conclusion can be drawn than that Obama simply doesn't care what happens to Christians ?Here are two propositions worth thinking about :

         ( 1 ) He doesn't care because he isn't really a Christian himself.
         ( 2 ) He doesn't really care because he is a crypto-Muslim.Hmmm......Which one you think is  
                the correct answer?Read the full story here.

• HT:MiddleEastForum.What Palestinians Are Saying Online.Despite the fact that their Internet access is free of outside manipulation, most Palestinian activists do not reveal their names online. Indeed, few Palestinians maintain personal Facebook or Twitter accounts, presumably to ensure that their viewpoints or posts cannot be attributed to them directly. Rather, the majority of Palestinian web users engage in political debate on impersonal discussion boards. Writing under pseudonyms, they maintain anonymity while discussing the most heated issues of the day without fear of retribution.The bulk of Palestinian political discussion online takes place on these web forums, which typically provide space for like-minded people to express their views. For example, some are pro-Hamas (paldf.net) whereas others are pro-Fatah (palvoice.com). And while some sites feature adversarial posts, such as pro-Hamas users posting on Fatah sites, most are dominated by sympathizers of the owner faction.In a sense, the tribalism and factionalism that traditionally dominate Palestinian society can be observed in the form of similar groupings online. Groups allow individuals to break with their thinking, but only to a point.This examination of the Palestinian Internet social media environment found the following trends:Many Palestinians do not support the efforts to achieve peace. Despite the Obama administration's recent push to bring an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and perhaps even help the Palestinians declare a state, not to mention its online efforts through a State Department initiative to win Palestinian hearts and minds, Palestinian web users show a distinct lack of interest in peace. The language of rejectionism remains prevalent, commentary on peace talks is overwhelmingly negative, and potentially positive diplomatic steps are generally ignored.Palestinian Salafism is on the rise. There is a small but distinct Salafist influence in the Palestinian online environment. Whether this translates to growing popularity on the ground in either the West Bank or the Gaza Strip remains a subject of debate. Yet Washington cannot discount the potential for cooperation between Salafists and Hamas.Fatah, which currently represents Palestinians in the U.S.-led peace talks, is in disarray. Fatah's online supporters typically vilified Israel, and few expressed positive sentiments about peace. They break down into two factions of roughly equal strength: one that supports nonviolence, and one that seeks armed conflict and terrorism against Israel.The Islamist Hamas shows little desire for a negotiated peace with Israel. While Hamas is not monolithic, nearly all of its supporters on the Internet continue to support violence against Israel. On this issue, Hamas showed no apparent disagreement with Salafists. On the contrary, Hamas's online supporters often seek common ground with these radical groups.The three-year conflict between Hamas and Fatah is not likely to end soon. The two sides regularly trade barbs online, and the study found little evidence of rapprochement. Indeed, Hamas members appeared to be more interested in reconciling with Salafists than with Fatah members. Social media suggests that the Palestinian internecine conflict stemming from Hamas's violent 2007 takeover of Gaza remains a challenge to the Obama administration's peace plan.Palestinian reform factions are weak. These groups have little influence online, raising red flags about institution building and liberalization. The lack of positive sentiment, or even mentions of Palestinian political reform, is striking. This raises troubling questions about the Obama administration's lack of emphasis on Palestinian political institutions as well as concerns about the viability of a Palestinian state if one is to be created.Apparently displeased with the findings of this study, Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki has reportedly dismissed "the idea of having a representative sample by looking at the Internet" as "absolutely ridiculous."Yet it is precisely because Palestinian polling data (including Shikaki's own) has been so wildly inaccurate that the need to gauge Palestinian public opinion by alternative means has become so urgent. Indeed, while it remains unclear how accurate social media is as a bellwether of Palestinian political beliefs, the administration should consider the extent to which these findings represent the broader Palestinian population, perhaps through additional long-term studies, preferably before Washington suffers more humiliating setbacks in its efforts to promote Middle East peace.Hmmm...Peace perhaps....when crows wear stilleto heels?Read the full story here.

• Cyber attack strikes as pictures of 'Putin's palace' go online.A Russian website in the WikiLeaks mould suffered what it claims was a cyber-attack this morning – possibly in connection to a story about Vladimir Putin.Ruleaks.net posted exclusive pictures of a luxury building which it described as “Putin’s Palace”, and within a few hours was forced offline by a wave of cyber attacks.According to site stats at one point there were 25,500 simultaneously open connections, forcing the server out of action and blocking access to the site.By Wednesday afternoon the site was back in operation, but Pavel Rassudov told RIA Novosti: “We assume the cause was a DDoS-attack.”RuleaksThe site was set up by members of Russia’s “Pirate Party” and opened on Jan. 14.Taking inspiration from Wikileaks, which is supporting the project, it aims to uncover and publicise evidence of corruption and wrong-doing in Russia, technology website digit.ru reported.The images in question claimed to show a lavish palace owned by Russia’s Prime Minister on the Black Sea.Reports of a luxury residence first surfaced late last year in the Washington Post, and were denied by Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov, RIA Novosti reported.It had been claimed that the seaside home had been built using donations from Russian entrepreneurs.Read the full story here.

• Birmingham muslim cleric calls Queen "disgusting".A BIRMINGHAM imam has sparked controversy by branding the Queen a “disgusting woman”.Shaykh Asrar Rashid criticised the monarch for knighting author Salman Rushdie, whose novel The Satanic Verses outraged muslims and left him under a “fatwah” death threat.His comments came during a BBC WM interview in which he also said Muslims should not fight for Britain in the Armed Forces.He said they should refuse to serve on conscientious grounds due to British troops’ presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.Mr Rashid, who lives in Sparkbrook, makes his living as a visiting cleric, preaching at mosques around Birmingham.He said: “If a foreign government invaded England tomorrow we, as Muslims, would defend these areas and our way of life.“It’s not that I hate English people, or English soldiers who have gone abroad, or that I don’t feel for the mothers of these soldiers.“But the fact is they should make conscientious decisions as well. We must only fight wars which are in our interest, and invading Iraq and then oppressing the Iraqi people and Afghani people, is not the English way.”The Muslim Council of Britain distanced itself from the imam’s views. A spokesman said they were not representative.He said that disrespecting the Queen, as the British head of state, was a “disgusting” thing for a Muslim to do. “As Muslims we are ready to show respect to leaders. We may disagree with some of the things she might do and say but that does not give us the right to be insulting to her,” the spokesman said.Hmmmm....Now just try to imagine if an EDL spokes person would have said this outrageous statement?Every newspaper in Britain would be headlining it!Read the full story here.

• With praise from Michelle Obama, Wal-Mart announces healthy food campaign.First lady Michelle Obama joined Wal-Mart executives at a Southeast Washington community center Thursday morning to announce a campaign by the low-priced retail giant to offer more healthful foods and push its suppliers to do the same. In a glowing endorsement of the type that first ladies have rarely, if ever, made of major corporations, Obama called Wal-Mart's effort "a huge victory for folks all across this country" and said it has the "potential to transform the marketplace." "When I see a company like Wal-Mart launch an initiative like this, I feel more hopeful than ever before," said Obama, who has made fighting childhood obesity and increasing nutritious food options in poor neighborhoods a top priority. "We can improve how we make and sell food in this country." Obama said Wal-Mart's announcement was a sign that her signature "Let's Move" campaign is gaining traction among businesses, families and governments. "When healthier options are finally affordable, that can affect every meal a child eats," she said, standing before a mock produce counter on the stage of the community center's auditorium. "All these small changes can start to make a big difference in our children's health." Wal-Mart has drawn criticism from advocacy groups in the District and elsewhere because of its anti-union policies. Obama resigned from the board of a Wal-Mart vendor in 2007, days after her husband - then vying for the Democratic presidential nomination - said he would not shop at the store.Hmmmmm......If you see or hear something suspicious call Wall-Mart?Read the full story here.

• HT:BeforeItIsNews.Volcanology: “Yellowstone Supervolcano Bulges as Magma Pocket Swells”."Yellowstone National Park's supervolcano just took a deep "breath," causing miles of ground to rise dramatically, scientists report. The simmering volcano has produced major eruptions - each a thousand times more powerful than Mount St. Helens's 1980 eruption - three times in the past 2.1 million years. Yellowstone's caldera, which covers a 25- by 37-mile (40- by 60-kilometer) swath of Wyoming, is an ancient crater formed after the last big blast, some 640,000 years ago. (See "When Yellowstone Explodes" in National Geographic magazine.) But beginning in 2004, scientists saw the ground above the caldera rise upward at rates as high as 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) a year. (Related: "Yellowstone Is Rising on Swollen 'Supervolcano.'") The rate slowed between 2007 and 2010 to a centimeter a year or less. Still, since the start of the swelling, ground levels over the volcano have been raised by as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) in places. "It's an extraordinary uplift, because it covers such a large area and the rates are so high," said the University of Utah's Bob Smith, a longtime expert in Yellowstone's volcanism. Scientists think a swelling magma reservoir four to six miles (seven to ten kilometers) below the surface is driving the uplift. Fortunately, the surge doesn't seem to herald an imminent catastrophe, Smith said.Hmmmm......Don't exhale?Read the full story here.

• HT:HotAir.Verizon files challenge to FCC’s “Open Internet” order.It didn’t take long for one of the telecoms to challenge the FCC on its latest arrogation of regulatory jurisdiction over the Internet. Verizon went to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, the same venue that rebuked the FCC and its chair Julius Genachowski for attempting to regulate the Internet without authority from Congress.House Republicans cheered Verizon’s challenge, which rests on four arguments. The two that will probably carry the most weight with the court will be that the FCC has abused its regulatory discretion, and that the FCC has exceeded its statutory authority. Congress made the latter argument last year — with large Democratic majorities — as Genachowsko’s first attempt at treating the Internet as a public utility foundered. The same court ruled in favor of Comcast that Congress had not granted the FCC the authority to regulate the Internet, and that without a Congressional mandate, their actions were invalid.The FCC claims that they have tailored the new rules to fit within their authority, but that may change anyway. A statement from the new leadership in the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a warning to Genachowski:“Equally important is putting a check on an FCC that is acting beyond the authority granted to it by Congress. Between our legislative efforts and this court action, we will put the FCC back on firmer ground,” they said.The message is as clear as one can make it: Stop your regulatory adventurism, or we’ll stop it for you. It may not take a court to settle this question in the short run, especially with the remainder of the FY2011 budget in Republican hands.Hmmmm.....Step away from the Internet and keep your hands where we can see them?Read the full story here.

• World 'running out of Internet addresses'.The world will run out of Internet addresses "within weeks", according to one of the founding fathers of the web, a report said Friday.Vint Cerf, who helped create the web by connecting computers using Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, said it was his "fault" that the 4.3 billion addresses created were running out, the Sydney Morning Herald reported."I thought it was an experiment and I thought that 4.3 billion would be enough to do an experiment," Cerf, who is Google's vice president and "Chief Internet Evangelist", was quoted as saying in an interview."Who the hell knew how much address space we needed?"In 1977, Cerf created the web protocol IPv4, which connects computers globally, as part of an experiment while working with the US Department of Defense. He said he never expected his experiment "wouldn't end"."It doesn't mean the network stops, it just means you can't build it very well," Cerf said.IP addresses are the unique sequence of numbers assigned to each computer, website or other internet-connected devices. They are not the same as website domain names.The overwhelming number of devices now accessing the internet means the addresses are running out fast.To resolve the crisis, an updated protocol for the Internet, IPv6, currently being planned by the industry, will create trillions of addresses.As Google vice president Cerf, who was in Australia to address a conference, said he thought the new chief executive of the California-based giant, Larry Page, was ready to lead the company into the future.Read the full story here.

• And now for something completely different.Woman Partially Paralyzed by Hickey.A New Zealand woman was temporarily partially paralyzed by a hickey on her neck from her amorous partner, AFP reported Friday.The 44-year-old woman went to the emergency department of Middlemore Hospital in Auckland last year after experiencing loss of movement in her left arm while watching television, doctors reported in the New Zealand Medical Journal.Doctors concluded the woman had suffered a mild stroke but were puzzled about its cause until they found a small vertical bruise on her neck near a major artery, a hickey, she received a few days earlier."Because of the physical trauma it had made a bit of bruising inside the vessel. There was a clot in the artery underneath where the hickey was."Wu said the clot dislodged and traveled to the woman's heart, where it caused a minor stroke that led to the loss of movement."We looked around the medical literature and that example of having a love bite causing something like that hasn't been described before," he said.The medic said the woman recovered after being treated with an anti-coagulant.Hmmmm.....Warning....Hickeys can seriously damage your health?Read the full story here.