World Net Daily attacks Glenn Beck for lampooning its birther smear.

The Hatepublicans are fighting amongst each other again.

in reference to:

"On his radio show yesterday, Fox News personality Glenn Beck lampooned the birther movement, saying its claim that Obama is not an American citizen is the “dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Beck argued that the birthers’ agitation is actually a “dream come true” for Obama because they are constantly “discrediting themselves” and making all conservatives look foolish. Far-right news website WorldNetDaily (WND), which has led the birther charge, took offense to the way Beck “caricatured” its movement’s argument. While both Beck and WND both traffic in extreme anti-Obama fear mongering, the site nevertheless accused Beck of sounding “reminiscent” of “Obama’s apologists” in the media:"
- Think Progress » World Net Daily attacks Glenn Beck for lampooning its birther smear. (view on Google Sidewiki)

Cat Found Frozen Thaws, Survives

Miracle on ice. Sorry.

in reference to:

"In the midst of the weekend's prolonged winter storm, Norfolk Animal Control Officer Hilary Cohen was driving through the snow, responding to a call about a cat. It didn't look promising. Cohen tells CBS Station WBZ Boston that the small gray and white cat appeared dead. She was stiff, showing no signs of life. "I kept her in the blanket and put her on my lap in the cruiser and headed to the hospital. Once in the car, I turned the heaters on and saw a whisker twitch. That was the real only sign of reflex I saw from her." Cohen took the frozen feline to Acorn Animal Hospital, where veterinarians were ready to apply heat therapy and administer IV fluids, among other things. Cohen says the staff there "worked miracles on this little cat.""
- Cat Found Frozen Thaws, Survives - CBS News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Obama, Dems Agree to Closed-Door Health Negotiations

So much for transparency.

in reference to:

"President Obama and congressional Democratic leaders agreed Tuesday to bypass a conference committee and keep negotiations to reconcile the Senate and House health care reform bills a closed-door affair. They concluded that the House will work off the Senate's version, amend it and send it back to the Senate for final passage, according to a House leadership aide, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the private meeting. Obama held an Oval Office meeting Tuesday evening with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his No. 2, Sen. Dick Durbin joined in by phone. Obama himself will take a hands-on role in the final health care talks, convening another meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on Wednesday, the aide said. The aim is to get a final bill to Obama's desk before the State of the Union policy address sometime in early February."
- FOXNews.com - Obama, Dems Agree to Closed-Door Health Negotiations (view on Google Sidewiki)

Michael Steele: Republicans Won't Take Over House in 2010

GOP Chairman, Michael Steele, is a buffoon. And Republicans, whom are trying to play silly politics by pretending they are for African-Americans by appointing a black to head the party, are regretting they ever chose the current head of the party. Included below are transcript excerpt of Steele's latest appearance on FOX:

STEELE ON INTROSPECTION:

HANNITY: Republicans have been wrong. Admit mistakes.

STEELE: Yes.

HANNITY: I love that, because that's the first step to getting well.

STEELE: That's the first step to getting well. And it occurred to me that this really is a step-by-step process. It is taking some baby steps initially. But it really starts with taking your head out of your navel and paying ahead and looking to the...

HANNITY: Some people might use another term.

STEELE: ... The reality of it is you've got to start by looking within.

STEELE ON EMPHASIZING REPUBLICAN PARTY VALUES:

HANNITY: There are those that are saying that, for the Republican Party to be successful, they've got to, quote, moderate -- be more moderate.

STEELE: No, no! ... That's what has gotten us into trouble, when we walked away from principle. Our platform is one of the best political documents that's been written in the last 25 years, honest injun on that.

It speaks to some core principles, conservative principles on value of family, faith, life, economics. Those principles don't change.

STEELE ON EMPOWERMENT:

STEELE: Look, are you going to trust someone who's not free enough with themselves to admit they have a problem? No. you're going to be suspicious. Because if I don't see you admit your problem, then how can I trust what you say going forward?

HANNITY: All right. So...

STEELE: Once you do that, Sean, once you do that, then it's got to be followed up with concrete action. And that's one of the things that -- it's not just in this book right now, drawing out contrasts between Democrats and Republicans. But then saying what it is we should be doing.

How do we begin to address those?

HANNITY: Positive messages?

STEELE: Positive messages. Again, looking to the future with the sense of empowering people, not government.

STEELE ON DIVERSITY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY:

HANNITY: How do you deal with these left wingers in the party that don't stand on those principals?

STEELE: ... That's one of the dynamics that we're now beginning to discover as a party. That yes, we are diverse. The northeast is different from the south. It's different from the west ...

... But the thing that's important to note here, you've got to fall down on those -- those core principles, that thread, that common thread that defines us, regardless of the region of the country we're in. I look at it this way. If you've got four people wearing a hat and they wear the hat differently, what's the thing they have in common? That hat, that one thing that they put on. The GOP, everyday.

STEELE ON THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS:

HANNITY: Predictions for the election?

STEELE: Predictions for the election, I think that overall -- and we're beginning now to do the assessments on the various races. But I think overall, given what we know so far and what this administration's proclivities are, we're going to see, I think, nice pick-ups in the House. I think we're going to see nice...

HANNITY: More specific.

STEELE: Well, I can't give a number right yet. Because like I said, we're just now beginning to look at the races. And we have races where it hasn't been clear...

HANNITY: Do you think you can take over the House? Do you think Republicans...

STEELE: Not this year.


STEELE ON REPUBLICAN READINESS TO LEAD:

STEELE: Well, I don't know yet, because all the candidates we still have vacancies that need to get filled. But then the question we need to ask ourselves is, if we do that, are we ready?

HANNITY: Are you?

STEELE: Are we...

HANNITY: Answer your own question. Are we -- do you think they're ready?

STEELE: I don't know. And that's what I'm assessing and evaluating right now. Those candidates that are looking to run have to be -- have to be anchored in these principles. They have to be -- they have to understand...

HANNITY: I'm agreeing with what you're saying. I think...

STEELE: They have to understand these steps, because if they don't, then they'll get to Washington, and they'll start drinking that Potomac River water. And they'll get drunk with power ...

US scientists may have discovered key to defeating obesity

I hope the scientists don't lose site of the important of food and nutrition.

in reference to:

"Shutting down an energy-controlling mechanism in mice left them leaner than normal mice and could be a new way to fight obesity in humans, US researchers said in a study published Tuesday.And the finding is big news in the United States, where around a third of the adult population is considered obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, according to the American Obesity Association.BMI is calculated by dividing a person's body weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared.The researchers found that by switching off potassium channels which are sensitive to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) -- a molecule in cells that stores the energy we need to do just about everything -- made mice burn more energy and left them leaner than normal mice.The effect was evident even when the mice were fed high-fat "Western" diets and was long-lasting, too, with the mice remaining slim throughout their lives, scientists from the Mayo Clinic, University of Iowa, University of Connecticut and New York University reported in the journal Cell Metabolism."
- US scientists may have discovered key to defeating obesity | Raw Story (view on Google Sidewiki)

War crimes fears force Israelis to cancel UK trip

Finally the Israeli government is being held accountable for it's violations of human rights, especially during wars they've started.

in reference to:

"A group of Israeli military officers called off an official visit to Britain last week, fearing they could face arrest on war crimes charges, officials said Tuesday.The four unidentified officers, holding ranks from major to colonel, are the latest in a string of Israeli politicians and military officials forced to call off travel to Britain over fears of legal prosecution relating to last year's offensive on the Gaza Strip.Britain is one of the European pioneers of universal jurisdiction, a broad legal concept that empowers judges to issue arrest warrants for nearly any visitor accused of committing war crimes anywhere in the world.Pro-Palestinian activists have sought to use this concept to press charges against Israelis involved in military operations in Palestinian territories, particularly since last year's Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. British officials have vowed to change the law.The announcement of the cancellation came as Britain's attorney general, Patricia Janet Scotland, was in Israel on a private visit. She met Tuesday with Israeli deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who called the situation "intolerable," according to a statement from his office, adding, "this makes normal relations between the two countries difficult."The statement said Scotland "stated that she is aware of the importance of finding an urgent solution to this issue" and said her government was considering options to resolve it.The Israeli delegation had been invited to visit by the British army. But officials said they were forced to call off the trip after their British counterparts could not guarantee that they would not be arrested.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter has become a sore point in relations with Britain. Neither the Israeli military nor the British government would comment.Last month, pro-Palestinian activists persuaded a London judge to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli politician Tzipi Livni, who was foreign minister during the war in Gaza last year. The warrant was withdrawn after Livni canceled her trip, but the matter strained relations between Britain and Israel.More than 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed in the three-week offensive, which was launched to stop years of rocket attacks from Gaza on southern Israel. Thirteen Israelis were also killed. A U.N. investigation accused both Israel and Hamas militants of committing war crimes during the fighting.The threat of arrest has forced several former security officials to call off trips to London, including a former general who remained holed up on an airplane at Heathrow Airport in order to avoid arrest. Last fall, Defense Minister Ehud Barak fended off an arrest attempt by successfully arguing he had diplomatic immunity."
- Newsvine - War crimes fears force Israelis to cancel UK trip (view on Google Sidewiki)

U.N. stops food aid to 1 million in Somalia

More evidence of a world in chaos

in reference to:

"The U.N. food agency on Tuesday suspended the distribution of aid in southern Somalia because of attacks on its staff, a decision affecting up to 1 million people that highlights the dangers of humanitarian work there.The lawless Horn of Africa nation is one of the most dangerous places in the world to live, but few can remember a time when aid workers have faced so many attacks.At least 43 aid workers were killed between January 2008 and fall 2009, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Four humanitarian workers remain in the hands of their captors."
- U.N. stops food aid in southern Somalia - Africa - msnbc.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Michael Steele Book: Republicans 'Screwed Up' After Reagan

You think?:

Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele offers a simple explanation for why the GOP all too often lost touch with typical Americans since the Ronald Reagan era: "We screwed up," he claims in a new book offering a blueprint for the party's resurgence.

That "we" includes the last two Republican presidents and the most recent Republican candidate for president.

In "Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda," released Monday by Regnery Publishing, Steele says the GOP should acknowledge where "we most glaringly compromised our principles" in the past decade and hold its elected officials accountable.

"We must support Republican officials who assert these principles," he writes. "When elected Republicans vote against Republican principles, the voters must withhold their support – withhold it vigorously and consistently."

On Tuesday, Steele accused the Obama administration of pursuing an inconsistent policy toward terrorism.

Steele said on NBC's "Today" show the administration is wrong in putting terrorism suspects on trial in civil courts, saying "the public doesn't view them as having rights in the criminal system."

Republicans are especially running away from George Bush's legacy:

When he first took office as governor, Rick Perry acknowledged, "I'm not George Bush." And in the decade that followed, he has sought to prove it.

As the 10-year incumbent, Perry is the dominant force in the campaign that formally began Monday, and in Texas politics in general. And one way he got there was by studiously separating himself from George W. Bush.

If Bush reflects the rise of the Republican Party in Texas, Perry represents its political dominance and recent populist shift.

"There's no doubt that psychologically, Perry has tried to step away from the shadow of George W. Bush," said GOP political consultant Matt Mackowiak, a former aide to Perry's Republican challenger, Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Monday was the deadline for candidates to file to run in March 2 primary, setting off a ferocious two-month sprint for offices around the state. No race will attract more attention than the battle between Perry and Hutchison, the Republicans who have dominated state politics since Bush went to Washington.

Perry, who succeeded Bush in 2000, has become the state's longest-serving governor and has charted his own course. He has replaced all Bush appointees with his own. He tells voters he's a fiscal conservative and Bush was not. He has abandoned his predecessor's bipartisanship and pressed his own distinct agenda.

Last month, Perry rejected national English and math accountability standards in public schools – rebuffing a signature Bush theme as governor and president.

"His populist, anti-government definition of himself is one that has more in common with Sarah Palin than it does with George W. Bush" by resonating with the emerging tea-party movement, said University of Texas political scientist Bruce Buchanan.

Hume to Tiger: Convert to Christianity

This is shocking, bigoted, and disgusting. It is proof once and for all that FOXNews is not a legitimate news outlet. They are a propaganda channel. We fear for our democracy when have a major news outlet spouting bigotry:

On Monday night on the "O'Reilly Factor", Brit Hume had the chance to reiterate the personal advice he offered to Tiger Woods last Sunday morning: for a full recovery, the scandal plagued (and Buddhist) golfer should "turn to Christianity."

O'Reilly played a clip of Hume's comments, then asked him: "Was that proselytizing?"

"I don't think so," Hume said, and added that the content of Woods' character was "not what we thought it was."

Hume went on to reassert his belief that "Jesus Christ" offers something that Woods "badly needs."

"He needs something that Christianity especially provides and gives and offers, and that is redemption and forgiveness. I was really meaning to say in those comments yesterday more about Christianity than anything else...I think that Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something that Tiger Woods badly needs."

Buddhists should be offended:

Fox newsman Brit Hume is evangelizing to Tiger Woods - and upsetting some peaceful Buddhists along the way.

Hume, speaking on Fox News Sunday, said he wants the beleaguered golfer to convert to Christianity because he believes Buddhism leaves no place for the "redemption" Tiger needs.

"Whether he can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it's a tragic situation with him," Hume said.

"The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith," Hume continued. "He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith."

Hume said his message to Tiger would be, "Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.'"

Buddhists were not happy with Hume's homily.

"I don't like to point out other's faults, but given the record, I would think Christians would show a little more humility about offering advice to the sexually wayward," wrote Barbara O'Brien on her Buddhism.about.com blog.

This from Andrew Sullivan:

An on-air message to Tiger Woods:

"The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith. He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger would, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

The pure sectarianism of this comment - its adoption of the once-secular stage of political journalism to insert a call for apostasy - is striking. It even seemed to catch Bill Kristol off-guard a little. But it has long been established that non-evangelical Christians have at best an auxiliary role in today's religiously defined GOP, and the slow morphing of Fox News into the 700 Club is not exactly new. What earthly reason do these pundits now have to prevent or stop it? Once you have abolished the distinction between secular and religious discourse, as they routinely insist on doing, their politics is their religion and their religion is their politics. And both are corrupted.

Secret Service: Third Gate-Crasher at Dinner with Obama

There is a pattern here. On three separate (Fort Hood, Christmas underwear bomber, White House party crashers) occasions within the last 3 months there have breeches of security that could have been disastrous. You can bet America's enemies' mouths are watering. This President is starting to look the disastrous previous occupant of the White House. It's only a matter of time before there is a disaster (alas 9-11, Katrina, or the Stock Market crash) during the tenure of this administration.

The Salahis weren't the only gate-crashers living it up at the White House state dinner last November.

The Secret Service revealed Monday that a third individual who was not on the guest list made it into the dinner, though the agency says the individual went through security screening and did not appear to have any interaction with President Obama.

The Secret Service, which did not name the individual, said the information about the third party-crasher came out in the course of the investigation into the breach at the Nov. 24 dinner honoring India's prime minister. The Secret Service said in a written statement that the individual traveled from a "local hotel" where the Indian delegation was staying and arrived with the group at the dinner.

"This individual went through all required security measures along with the rest of the official delegation at the hotel, and boarded a bus/van with the delegation guests en route to the White House," the Secret Service said.

The investigation was launched after the Secret Service found that Michaele and Tareq Salahi got into the state dinner without an invitation. The agency acknowledged the officers on duty did not check whether they were on the list. President Obama has since called the breach a "screw-up" while the Salahis have maintained their innocence.

Here's another security breech:

A former senior intelligence official is confirming that the suicide bomber who killed eight people inside a CIA base in Afghanistan was a Jordanian doctor recruited by Jordanian intelligence to support U.S. efforts against Al Qaeda.

The bombing killed seven CIA employees -- four officers and three contracted security guards -- and a Jordanian intelligence officer, Ali bin Zaid, according to a second former U.S. intelligence official. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

The former senior intelligence official confirmed an NBC News report Monday that the bomber was Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, a 36-year old doctor from Zarqa, Jordan. He was arrested over a year ago by Jordanian intelligence, and was thought to have been flipped to support U.S. and Jordanian efforts against Al Qaeda.

U.S. Embassy Closed in Yemen: Qaeda Threat Cause

They got us running scared again. This is the third straight President unable to deal with the al Qaeda threat. We keep getting brought to our knees by a handful of murderers. The greatest solution is to start treating the average Muslim with some respect. Stop supporting Arab dictators, and giving Israel a blank check.

U.S. President Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism advisor says a threat from an al-Qaida affiliate led to the closure of the American embassy in Yemen. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports this same group has been linked to the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner.

John Brennan says the embassy was closed to protect the lives of its staff.

"There are indications that al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is targeting our embassy and targeting our personnel and we are not going to take any chances with the lives of our diplomats and others who are at that embassy," he said.

The president's homeland security advisor told the FOX News Sunday television program the United States is working with the Yemeni government to deal with the terrorist threat.

On NBC's Meet the Press, he was asked if that means Yemen is a major new front in the war on terrorism.

Brennan said it has long been an area of concern.

"We have been focused on this issue," he added. "We need to make sure that we continue to provide the training, the support that Yemen needs to counter this very serious threat."

The United States and Britain have agreed to fund a new counter-terrorism police unit in Yemen. The British government, which has also closed its embassy there, is hosting a conference later this month designed to boost Yemen's ability to fight terrorism.

On Saturday, President Obama said an al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen apparently trained and equipped the Nigerian man accused in the failed Christmas Day attack on a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight.

Brennan - who is leading a White House investigation into the incident - told ABC's This Week there were bits and pieces of information about the suspect, but no definitive evidence.

"There was no single piece of intelligence, a 'smoking gun' if you will, that said that Mr. Abdulmutallab was going to carry out his attack against that aircraft," he explained.

Congress is planning hearings into the matter over the coming weeks. The top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee says he wants to know why so many Yemenis held at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have been sent back home in recent years.

Senator Kit Bond of Missouri told Fox News Sunday many of those returned to Yemen are now active in al-Qaida.

Meet the Press (1-3-2010) Transcript, Video

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Complete transcript. Excerpt below:

MR. GREGORY: This security threat, the reason to close the embassy, is it because of specific intelligence that says an attack is coming?

MR. BRENNAN: Yes, there are indications that al-Qaeda's planning to carry out an attack in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. I spoke with our ambassador down there, Ambassador Seche, this morning, as well as last night. Both the U.S. and the British embassies have been closed to give the Yemeni government an opportunity to thwart that threat and the plans that are afoot right now from al-Qaeda.

MR. GREGORY: A threat against our embassy?

MR. BRENNAN: It's a threat--they--we know that they have been targeting our embassy, our embassy personnel, and we want to make sure that we do everything possible to safeguard our diplomats and others that are down there. So that was the prudent step to take.

MR. GREGORY: The president talking about al-Qaeda in Yemen. Is Yemen a new front in this battle against al-Qaeda?

MR. BRENNAN: No, it's not a new front. We've known about it for quite some time; and that's why from the very first day of this administration, and even in the last administration, there has been tremendous focus on Yemen. I traveled out to Yemen twice over the past several months, I spoke with President Saleh. I spoke with President Saleh this week. We have been focused on this issue. We need to make sure that we continue to provide the training, the support that Yemen needs to counter this very serious threat. There are several hundred al-Qaeda members right now inside of Yemen, and the fight is being taken to them. Events during the last month demonstrated the Yemeni government resolve, and there are a number of operatives and leaders of al-Qaeda in Yemen that are no longer with us today because of those actions.

MR. GREGORY: Is the U.S. providing fire power to the, the Yemen government?

MR. BRENNAN: The U.S. is providing a range of support that includes security, intelligence, and military support to the Yemeni government. We're doing this in close cooperation with the Yemenis, we're doing it the right way, and we've been able to make some progress.

Transcript: ABC This Week (1-3-2010)

Complete transcript. Excerpt below:

MORAN: Well, this morning, there is news out of Yemen that the United States embassy has been closed for security reasons and the British embassy closed, as well. What can you tell us about the intelligence? What is it showing about the new threats to U.S. interests there?

BRENNAN: Well, I think it underscores the threat that Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula poses to U.S. interests. I spoke with our ambassador in Sana’a, Steve Seche, there earlier this morning and last night, looked at the intelligence that’s available as far as the plans for Al Qaida to carry out attacks in Sana’a, possibly against our embassy, possibly against U.S. personnel, decide that it was the prudent thing to do to shut the embassy, but we’re working very closely with the Yemeni authorities to address the threat that is out there. But, again, it just demonstrates that Al Qaida is determined to carry out these attacks and more determined to thwart those attacks.

MORAN: There’s a live threat, there’s an active threat?

BRENNAN: There is. Al Qaida has several hundred members, in fact, in Yemen, and they’ve grown in strength. That’s why, from the very first day of this administration, we’ve been focused on Yemen. I’ve traveled out to Yemen twice, talked with President Salih, in fact, just this past week. We’re continuing this dialogue. We’ve provided equipment, training. We’re cooperating very closely.

So this is something that we’ve known about for a while. We’re determined to destroy Al Qaida, whether it’s in Pakistan, Afghanistan or in Yemen, and we will get there.

MORAN: And there’s a report that the British and -- and the United States are now setting up a counterterrorism police force in Yemen. The efforts that you’ve described, counterterrorism police force, is this evidence that this is a new front? And does it require more American boots on the ground in Yemen?

BRENNAN: Well, we’ve been investing in Yemen for many, many months now, and we’re working very closely not just with the Yemenis, but with our international partners, with the British, with the Saudis, and others to make sure that we provide the Yemeni government the wherewithal to carry out this fight against Al Qaida.

So it’s not a new front. It’s one that we’ve known about. It’s one that we’ve been able to make tremendous, I think, progress and gains. Just this past month, we and the Yemenis were able to identify the location of some of these Al Qaida operatives and commanders and leaders, successful strikes that were carried out, and there are several of the Al Qaida members, operatives, and the senior leaders who are no longer with us today as a result of those actions.

Transcript: Face the Nation (1-3-2010)

Complete transcript. Excerpt below:

SCHIEFFER: Thank you. Well, let’s get right to the big story. And the news overnight of course was that the U.S. embassy and the British embassy in Yemen had been closed because of a security threat.

David Martin, what have you been able to find out about this?

MARTIN: Usually when you close an embassy, it’s because there has been chatter on the Internet and on cell phones about some sort of vague attack against Western interests. That’s different from what almost happened on Christmas Day in Yemen.

There was a specific plot to attack the American embassy on Christmas Day, and the U.S. preempted that attack with an air strike of its own. It launched jets off a carrier and cruise missiles from ships offshore. And it hit two training camps in Yemen.

And General David Petraeus has said that they intercepted four suicide bombers who were on their way to the capital. And they also killed some senior al Qaeda in Yemen operators. So when you look at that and you remember what else happened on Christmas Day, namely the near-miss on the bombing of the airliner in-bound to Detroit, Yemen -- al Qaeda in Yemen really was planning a Christmas surprise.

SCHIEFFER: So what you’re telling us here is these were U.S. aircraft flying off a U.S. carrier that carried out the strike. We heard about that they had -- that there had been some strikes, but the credit seemed to be going to the Yemenis. This was a U.S. operation?

MARTIN: It was. The Yemenis gave the green light. It was done with their permission. But this was an American strike conducted with American intelligence and designed to preempt an attack against an American target.

SCHIEFFER: But apparently, Bob Orr, they still think the threat is out there because today both the British embassy and the American embassy in Yemen have been closed. What about this guy that was caught on this attempt on the U.S. airliner? He has been talking a lot since they took him into captivity.

ORR: After he was arrested, we’re talking about Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the man on Northwest Flight 253. After he was arrested, he almost immediately gave up everything to the FBI. In fact, he was so cooperative, that one investigator said it was almost like he was bragging. And there was some fear that maybe he was spreading disinformation.

It turns out so far that the story he has told has checked out every step of the way. He said he went to Yemen, check. He said he got explosives there. Said he trained with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula there.

He told us one thing that’s very haunting -- or he told investigators (INAUDIBLE). And that is that when he was training in Yemen, he trained with a number of other people. He didn’t know how many. He called them his brothers. He said though we were segregated. And he felt that was because he wasn’t supposed to know too much about what other people were up to.

If you take that information at face value, you have to assume there may be something out there.

Full-Body Scanners: British Airports Now Using Them

Why did it take this latest incident, 8 years after 9-11, to employ them. Until recently airport security required us to take off our shoes. Obviously, the politicians are not stupid enough to require us to take off our underwear. I had been arguing for some time that the practice of removing shoes was a false sense of security. Now we have a new excuse that will not make us safer. We need a government that has an effective worldwide strategy for fighting terrorism. We need a new agency made up of skilled counter-terrorists. We need an agency that connects the dots. We obviously have a government that is clueless:

Prime Minister Gordon Brown says full-body scanners will be introduced in Britain's airports in the wake of the failed Christmas Day bombing attempt of a U.S. airliner.

Brown told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday that all airport security would be increased in Britain, and all passengers even those only transiting through the country will have their hand luggage screened for traces of explosives.

The suspect in the failed Northwest Airlines bombing had changed planes in The Netherlands and gone through security but not through a full-body scanner.

Britain's main airport operator BAA says it has ordered full-body scanners and would introduce them as soon as possible. BAA operates Europe's busiest airport, Heathrow, as well as other British airports.

Heathrow and Manchester airports have had trials using the full-body scanners.

This individual should have been on the radar. It was laughable failure:

British intelligence officials knew that the Nigerian man suspected of trying to bomb a Detroit-bound airliner had ties to U.K. extremists did not consider him enough of a high risk to alert American authorities, a senior British official said Sunday.

Officials realized about a year after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab came to London to study in 2005 that he was in contact with Islamic extremists whose communications were being monitored, a senior government official told The Associated Press on Sunday.

But there were no signs that Abdulmutallab wanted to target the United States or was considering turning toward violence, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his work.

"It was clear he was reaching out to radical extremists in the U.K. but there was nothing to indicate he was violent," the official said. "There is a very large number of people in the U.K. who express interest in radical extremism but never turn to violence. He only pinged up on our radar because of other people we were interested in."

French New Year: Cars Burned by Youths

It is a sign of a deteriorating West. Poverty and despair always lead to bad things.

Youths burned 1,137 cars across France overnight as New Year's Eve celebrations once again turned violent, the French Interior Ministry said on Friday.

Car burnings are regular occurrences in poor suburbs that ring France's big cities, but the arson is especially prevalent during New Year's Eve revelry.

The number of vehicles torched was only 10 short of the record 1,147 burned this time last year, even though the Interior Ministry mobilized 45,000 police during the night -- 10,000 more than 12 months ago.

It said police detained 549 people overnight, compared with 288 in 2009 New Year celebrations. However, unlike in previous years, there were no direct clashes between police and youths. "The few disturbances that did take place were brought swiftly under control," the ministry said in a statement.

It's that same terrible poverty that leads people to do terrible things to other people:

Tribal elders in a Pakistani village where a suicide car bomber killed nearly 100 people insisted Saturday that residents will keep defying the Taliban, even as the bloodshed laid bare the risks facing the citizens' militias that make up a key piece of Pakistan's arsenal against extremism.

The New Year's Day attack on the northwest village of Shah Hasan Khel was one of the deadliest in a surge of bombings that has killed more than 600 across Pakistan since October. Police believe the attacker meant to detonate his 550 pounds (250 kilograms) of explosives at a meeting of tribesmen who supervise an anti-Taliban militia. Instead, the blast went off at a nearby outdoor volleyball court, killing at least 96 people.

The explosion leveled some three dozen mud-brick homes and covered the village with dust, smoke and the smell of burning flesh. On Saturday, numerous homes received visitors offering condolences, and funeral prayers were held. Many of the residents in the village of 5,000, which lies near Pakistan's militant-filled tribal belt, were too scared to name any possible culprits, but others were defiant.

"The people are in severe grief and fear -- it is a demoralizing thing," said Raham Dil Khan, a rifle-toting, 70-something member of the tribal council. "We want the government to provide security, but one thing is very clear: The committee will stand against every type of terrorism and despite this great loss we will continue our work."

None of the elders at the gathering was killed. The 28-member council had been debating punishing relatives of militants suspected in the recent killing of a fellow tribal leader, Khan said.

Across Pakistan's northwest, where the police force is thin, underpaid and under-equipped, various villages and tribes have taken security into their own hands over the past two years by setting up citizen militias to fend off the Taliban.

The government has encouraged such "lashkars," and in some areas they have proven key to reducing militant activity. In the Bajur tribal region, for instance, the militias helped turn the tide against militants during a 2008-2009 army offensive. And in the northwest's Swat Valley, citizens have set up militias to prevent militants from staging a comeback as the army continues an offensive there.

Rush Limbaugh: I Got the Best Medical Treatment Money Could Buy

Rush Limbaugh once got into trouble because of getting access to powerful medication from different sources to treat an addiction that would not have been possible for you and I.

Now he is bragging about getting superior medical treatment from the best health care system in the world. You can bet he did not spend 8 hours waiting to be taken care of. He did not die because he was waiting for medical care in a hospital that was overwhelmed. And he doesn't have to worry about insurance or medical bills. After all, he's a millionaire.

In turned out Limbaugh was not having a heart attack. But you can bet he got a battery of tests. Just to make sure:

...Those tests can include an EKG to test the heart's electrical rhythm, a blood test for enzymes that may indicate damage to heart tissue, and a chest X-ray.

Patients could be given a stress test to see how the heart functions under pressure.

Doctors could also order an angiogram, in which dye is injected to examine the coronary arteries.

"Sometimes there may be one that's blocked and one or two, it's amenable to a stent. Put a stent in there to allow the blocked area to open up," Zunin said.

Treatment could involve a stent or angioplasty to open a clogged artery. The patient might have open heart surgery with a multiple bypass.

People with an angioplasty usually stay in a hospital for a day or two and are then asked to avoid strenuous activity for two weeks. Bypass surgery usually means several days in a hospital and a six to 12-week recovery.

And how many of us can afford to be vacationing in Hawaii at the time we're feeling chest pains. That's what you call going in style:

The Republican Party here in Hawaii says Limbaugh had been staying in Kona, not far from another high ranking democrat, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. And since President Obama is also here so is the national press corp. who have been staking out the hospital following the Limbaugh story.

Limbaugh arrived in Hawaii December 23 and planned to stay until January 4. It's unknown if he will return to the mainland sooner. A statement on his website says he appreciates your prayers and well wishes.

The greatful patient even found the time, in a conference room alloted to him, something not done for just anybody, to give medical advice. He conveniently ignored the fact that many millions of Americans neglect their health because they lack health insurance. This is something Mr.Limbaugh didn't mention while opposing health care reform:

With the physician who treated him, Dr. Joana Magno, by his side, Limbaugh made a plea for others who may have a similar experience not to wait around before calling 911.

"I'm 58, will be 59 in a couple of weeks - you start thinking about these kinds of things. Don't mess with it,” he said. “Any time you have heart pain or chest pain and you have no idea what it is and it's something you've never experienced before, turn it over to professionals right off the bat."

Limbaugh thanked well wishers who have reached out to him over the past two days.

Report: Guns Drawn in NBA Locker Room

This is insane. Violence by professional athletes has become an epidemic. We have a sports industry that puts profit above education and personal responsibility. An athlete is basically treated like a god in our culture. That has to change. They are viewed as role models in the poor communities they come from. This behavior sends the wrong message. Is it any it wonder that gun violence has gotten out of control. Although the greatest factor in the profusion of guns in our society is the NRA, and the whore politicians they've bought off. Even this President has remained silent on this issue because of the fear of the powerful gun lobby. If true, both of players should be suspended for at least one year from the NBA. And I guarantee that won't happen. No one wants to do the right thing.

in reference to:

"The last-place Washington Wizards might have wanted a new run and gun offense - but not like this. Star point guard Gilbert Arenas has been tweeting about reports that the locker room of the team (formerly known as the Bullets) almost became the OK Corral, when Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittendon allegedly drew guns on each other during an argument over a gambling debt: Wizards player Mike Miller told reporters he'd never seen Arenas and Crittendon argue in the locker room at the Verizon Center, and had never seen firearms there. Arenas responded with a flurry of messages on Twitter, at times making light of the news but also making one tweet that read somewhat like a denial: "I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me." Arenas later tweeted he couldn't talk about the report the way he wanted to."
- Report: Guns Drawn in NBA Locker Room - CBS News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Obama Ties Failed Plane Attack to Al Qaeda

Not very reassuring. This failure is no where near as that of Bush. But it was bad enough. Can we trust the government to do everything to public us. I'm not convinced. How about hearings about how to fix something that should have been fixed by now. Better yet, we need a non-partisan commission on reform our terrorism fighting strategy. In those hearings, there should be consideration of new agency/department set up specifically to fight terrorism. That's what's really lacking. Homeland Security is a toothless and worthless agency. And CIA and FBI are not cutting it.

in reference to:

"In his first radio and Internet address of the new year, Mr. Obama also rebutted attacks by former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans who since the incident have accused him of not recognizing that the struggle against terrorists is a war. Mr. Obama said he was well aware that “our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred.” The president’s speech, taped from Hawaii where he is nearing the end of a 10-day holiday vacation, was the third time he has publicly addressed the failed attack on Northwest Flight 253 bound for Detroit on Dec. 25. Mr. Obama noted that he has received preliminary reports about the incident but gave no more details about how a Nigerian man with known radical views was allowed to board a flight to the United States with explosives in his underwear. Mr. Obama’s comments about the involvement of Al Qaeda, however, were the most direct to date by the highest reaches of the American government. Administration officials and intelligence analysts previously had said they were increasingly confident that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemeni branch calls itself, was involved, as it claimed. But the president until now had shied away from referencing that until analysts were further along in their assessment of the group’s activities and its ties to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian charged with attempting to blow up the airliner. “We’re learning more about the suspect,” Mr. Obama said in the Saturday address. “We know that he traveled to Yemen, a country grappling with crushing poverty and deadly insurgencies. It appears that he joined an affiliate of Al Qaeda and that this group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, trained him, equipped him with those explosives and directed him to attack that plane headed for America.”"
- Obama Ties Failed Plane Attack to Al Qaeda - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Heritage Foundation: “Term Limits: The Only Way to Clean Up Congress”

Public support for term limits has not wavered since this article was written over 15 years ago.

in reference to:

"Such substantial public support suggests widespread distaste for careerism in politics, as well as a conviction that continual infusion of fresh blood into the federal legislature will be good for both the Congress and the country. Support for term limits extends to significant majorities of diverse demographic groups: polls show that majorities of men, women, blacks, whites, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all favor term limits, typically by 60 percent or better. (New York Times/CBS survey of 1,515 adults, April 1990.) Such politically diverse figures as Ed Koch, Doug Wilder, Ralph Nader, Paul Tsongas, and George Will support term limits; over 100 Members of Congress have signed a discharge petition to force a vote in the House of Representatives on a constitutional amendment; and both Ross Perot and numerous United We Stand America chapters have made term limits a central goal. The United States Supreme Court has preempted a major argument of opponents — that term limits are clearly unconstitutional — by accepting a state case for review. Regardless of the outcome of the case, however, term limits are here to stay as an important issue on the American political landscape. Term limits are a powerful political force, as demonstrated by the results of numerous state referenda, state legislative outcomes, and candidate election results. Term limits are a vital political reform that would bring new perspectives to Congress, mandate frequent legislative turnover, and diminish incentives for wasteful election-related federal spending that currently flourish in a careerist congressional culture."
- Heritage Foundation: “Term Limits: The Only Way to Clean Up Congress” « People's Term Limits Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)