Home » Archives for 01/03/13

Did Libyan Officials Assist The Benghazi Terrorists Who Attacked The U.S. Consulate And Killed 4 Americans Including The Ambassador?

Posted by Aam January 3, 2013 0 comments
A protester reacts as the US Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames during a protest by an armed group on September 11, 2012. Esam Al-Fetori/REUTERS

A Twist In The Benghazi Saga -- Eli Lake, Daily Beast

Did some Libyan government officials assist the Benghazi attackers? That is a question raised—but not answered—in a new Senate report. Eli Lake explains.

If you thought the Benghazi saga ended last month when a State Department review concluded that a handful of State Department middle managers failed to provide adequate security for the U.S. mission, think again: it may no longer be dominating headlines, but with multiple active congressional investigations and an ongoing attempt to hunt down the perpetrators, the story of Benghazi is far from over.

The biggest recent development—which was overshadowed by the fiscal cliff negotiations—came on New Year’s Eve, when the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee released a report that raised the question of whether Libyan officials assisted the Benghazi terrorists.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is so typical of the Benghazi investigation .... for each day that passes there are more questions that are being asked.

U.S. Senate Investigates CIA Contact With ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Producers (Update)

Posted by Aam 0 comments


Zero Dark Thirty: Senate Committee Reviews CIA Contact -- BBC

The US Senate Intelligence Committee has demanded more information about contacts between the CIA and the makers of Oscar favourite Zero Dark Thirty.

Kathryn Bigelow's film is a dramatised account of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and the 2011 mission which killed him.

In a letter to Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, three senators said the film-makers could have been misled by information provided by the CIA.

The film has been nominated for four Golden Globes.

Ahead of the US elections, Bigelow's film was accused of being a propaganda tool intended to assist President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.

The US release of the film was subsequently put back until after November's election.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Senate Investigating Whe CIA Contact With The ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Producers

Zero Dark Thirty: Lawmakers say CIA may have misled filmmakers -- ABC News/AP
'Zero Dark Thirty' Critics In Congress Step Up Pressure On CIA -- Huffington Post
Senators to investigate CIA contact with ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ producers -- MSNBC
Senators: Did CIA tell ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ filmmakers torture led to bin Laden? -- McClatchy News
Did Zero Dark Thirty have secret links to CIA? US Senate vows to find out -- The Guardian
U.S. Senate probes Zero Dark Thirty filmmakers' CIA ties -- CBC
Senate probes Osama bin Laden movie 'Zero Dark Thirty,' report says -- Politico
Senators Have Some 'Zero Dark' Questions for the CIA Director Now -- The Atlantic
Zero Dark Thirty: US Senate committee reviews CIA contact -- The Nation

Picture Of The Day

Posted by Aam 0 comments
SUNSET STATOMETER
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Albert Zaloga uses a statometer aboard the guided-missile cruiser the USS Mobile Bay before a replenishment at sea in the U.S. 5the Fleet area of responsibility, Dec. 28, 2012. The Mobile Bay is deployed with the John C. Stennis Strike Group to conduct maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Armando Gonzales

New U.S. Advancements In Sniper Rifles

Posted by Aam 0 comments


WNU Editor: Tracking Point's website is here.

Hat Tip: Michael Yon

New Russian Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle - VKS "Vykhlop" (With Silencer)

Posted by Aam 0 comments


My Comment: A well done video. The message in this video is clear .... the Americans are not the only ones with excellent sniper rifles.

Update: As a bonus, here is a Russian blonde firing a large caliber Russian ASVK sniper rifle. (The soldiers were laughing at her in the background .... but she did do the shot).

Russia Is Skeptical Of Growing America's 'Pivot' And Arms Sales To Asia

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Communists, Al-Qaeda… China: US To Boost Asia arms Sales In 2013 To Fight New 'Boogeyman' -- RT

US sales of bombers, missiles and rockets to China's and North Korea’s neighbors are forecast to increase sharply in 2013 challenging Beijing’s goal to be the main power in the region.

­The rising arms trade has been predicted by The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), a trade group that includes US defense corporations like Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co and Northrop Grumman Corp, in a report published in December.

Equipping its Asia-Pacific allies has been viewed as a "top priority" for the Obama administration following the re-alignment of security policy in November 2011.

Read more ....

My Comment: The Russians do not like the competition in the arms trade .... as for their remarks on U.S. arms sales to the Asian region .... this is "the pot calling the kettle black".

Grim Statistics On U.S. Military Suicides

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Tallying The Suicide Toll -- Battleland/Time

The Department of Defense has just issued a new report on the sad subject of military suicides.

The statistics are not news. We all know of the steadily rising suicide rate, especially in the Army. The rates of suicide are very high in the military. One a day. What is not often recognized is about the details of the military suicides. The study finds that in 2011:

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The report is here.

Iran's Spy Network Is 30,000 Strong

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Iran Spy Network 30,000 Strong -- Washington Free Beacon

Pentagon report: Iranian intelligence linked to spying, terror attacks.

Iran’s intelligence service includes 30,000 people who are engaged in covert and clandestine activities that range from spying to stealing technology to terrorist bombings and assassination, according to a Pentagon report.

The report concluded that Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, known as MOIS, is “one of the largest and most dynamic intelligence agencies in the Middle East.”

Read more ....

Update: Pentagon Iran report: Anti-MEK campaign a major part of MOIS spy network -- ncr-iran.org

My Comment: I suspect that they spend most of the time on watching dissidents. the Pentagon report is here.

How To Hinder Money Laundering

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How To Halt The Terrorist Money Train -- Robert Mazur, New York Times

LAST month, HSBC admitted in court pleadings that it had allowed big Mexican and Colombian drug cartels to launder at least $881 million. The bank also admitted to using various schemes to move hundreds of millions of dollars to nations subject to trade sanctions, including Iran, Cuba and Sudan, in violation of the Trading With the Enemy Act. “On at least one occasion,” according to a statement by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer, “HSBC instructed a bank in Iran on how to format payment messages so that the transactions would not be blocked or rejected by the United States.”

Read more ....

My Comment: I agree with Robert Mazur's solution ... putting bankers in jail for long periods of time (plus heavy fines) will severely hinder this trade.

Peace Talks Between The DR Congo Government And Rebels Are On The Verge Of Breaking Down

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M23 Rebels Threaten To Quit DR Congo Talks Over Ceasefire -- BBC

The M23 rebel group has threatened to pull out of peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo government unless President Joseph Kabila signs a ceasefire agreement.

Talks are due to start in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Friday.

A DRC government spokesman told the Reuters news agency it rejected a rebel demand he described as "pointless".

A first attempt to negotiate an end to the nine-month rebellion in the east of the country failed last month.

Read more ....

More News On the Conflict In Eastern DR Congo

DRC, M23 Peace Talks to Resume in Uganda Friday -- Voice of America
Congo rebels demand government sign ceasefire for talks -- Reuters
Congo-Kinshasa: M23 Rebels Set Terms for Resumption of Talks -- allAfrica.com
DRC peace mission dispels rebel rumors -- UPI
U.S. Treasury Places Sanctions on Armed Groups in Congo -- Wall Street Journal
2 DRC militant groups subject to sanctions -- UPI
US targets armed groups operating in DR Congo -- Global Times
Rwandan rebels linked to DRC violence -- UPI
Uganda's hidden role in Congo's conflict -- Deutsche Welle

If You Are A Terrorist, This Is How The U.S. Determines Your Fate

Posted by Aam 0 comments
How Obama Decides Your Fate If He Thinks You're a Terrorist -- Daniel Byman and Benjamin Wittes, The Atlantic

A look inside the "disposition matrix" that determines when -- or if -- the administration will pursue a suspected militant.

Over the past two years, the Obama administration has begun to formalize a so-called "disposition matrix" for suspected terrorists abroad: a continuously evolving database that spells out the intelligence on targets and various strategies, including contingencies, for handling them. Although the government has not spelled out the steps involved in deciding how to treat various terrorists, a look at U.S. actions in the past makes evident a rough decision tree.

Read more ....

My Comment: The complete flowchart that is used to determine the status of a terror suspect is here. It appears that #13 (lethal force) is the most popular one for this administration.

President Obama Signs Defense Bill But With Objections

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Obama Signs $633 Billion Defense Authorization Act -- US Department of Defense

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2013 – President Barack Obama signed the $633 billion fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act into law yesterday.

The legislation, which cleared Congress last month, authorizes the department to act in any number of instances. “There are certain things that cannot be done without [the authorization act],” said a senior defense official speaking on background.

The act allows the department to institute pay raises, bonuses and incentive pay for personnel. “All military construction has to be authorized under this act,” the official said.

Read more ....

More News On President Obama Signing The U.S. Defense Bill

President Signs Sequestration Delay, Pentagon Policy Bill -- Defense News
After veto threat, Obama signs $633 billion defense bill -- CBS/AP
Obama signs defense measure he once vowed to veto -- Washington Times
Signing Defense Bill, Obama Challenges Detainee Provisions -- New York Times
Obama signs defense bill, notes regrets -- Politico
Obama irks rights groups on Guantanamo with defense bill -- AFP
Obama signs 2013 National Defense Authorization Act -- al.com
Obama objects to whistleblower protections in defense bill -- FCW
Obama signs laws delaying sequestration, establishing defense policy -- Defense Systems

Proposed 2014 U.S. Defense Budget Will Be Delayed

Posted by Aam 0 comments
Proposed 2014 U.S. Defense Budget Could Face Delay -- Defense News

The fiscal uncertainty that continues to engulf Washington could delay the submission of the U.S. Defense Department’s 2014 budget proposal, according to a senior Pentagon official.

With funding levels for 2013 still up in the air despite being more than three months into the fiscal year, DoD might not be able to submit a 2014 budget next month.

Typically, DoD and the rest of the federal government submit a budget proposal to Congress in early February. Will that happen this year?

Read more ....

More News On The 2014 U.S. Defense Budget Facing Delays And Sequestration

Congressional chaos could delay DOD budget -- Stars and Stripes
Fiscal cliff deal leaves Pentagon sour, still eyeing sequestration -- E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Inside the Ring: No fix for defense cuts -- Washington Times
Fiscal cliff legislation doesn't solve defense problem -- North County Times
Spending deal leaves future unclear -- FCW
Panetta Urges Congressional Action on U.S. Deficit -- Defense News
Legislators Avoid Fiscal Cliff, Delay Sequester Process -- US Department of Defense
Analysis: Sequestration postponed? What's does that mean? -- Michael O'Connell, Federal News Radio

Why 2013 Will Be A Tough Year For Iran

Posted by Aam 0 comments


Iran Faces a Rough 2013 -- Alireza Nader, Real Clear World

For Iran, 2013 could be one of the most challenging years-both at home and in relations with the outside world-since the 1979 revolution. The Islamic Republic faces the potential of stronger economic sanctions and even an Israeli and/or U.S. military strike because of its intransigence in complying with U.N. resolutions on its nuclear program.

But the world's only modern theocracy also must deal with twin domestic challenges-- deepening malaise among the young and increasing tensions among the political elite. Both could be important factors in the presidential election scheduled for June 14, which will feature a new slate of candidates since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will have served the two-term limit. Home-grown problems could outweigh the regime's foreign policy woes.

Read more ....

My Comment: The economy is going to be the number one story for Iranians in 2013 .... high prices, high unemployment, tougher times for those who are dependent on the government for the basics.

The U.S. President's Year In Pictures

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(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Hang time with the A-list: (Left to right) Don Cheadle, Obama, Tobey Maguire and George Clooney take a break from the basketball court as Clooney's girlfriend Stacy Keibler and two of Clooney's long-time friends look on

The President's Year In Pictures (Part Two): Master Of Self-Promotion Barack Obama Releases Another Bulging Collection Of Official White House Photographs -- Daily Mail

* More images of Obama with family and colleagues in 2012 posted to Flickr by official photographer Pete Souza

Days after Barack Obama carefully selected his favorite (and most flattering) pictures of himself in 2012, comes another glut of photographs from the White House.

Obama, always a savvy operator when it comes to capturing the touching or comic shot which wields most political power, is seen in another round-up from 2012.

The pictures were selected by official White House photographer Pete Souza, some of which have never been seen before, and uploaded on to Flickr today.

Read more ....

My Comment: More razzle dazzle. For more pics .... go here. And yes .... Pete Souza is an excellent White House photographer and President Obama's "secret weapon".

The U.S. - Saudi Alliance To Combat Al Qaeda In Yemen

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Saudi Jets Bolster US Drone Attacks On Yemen: Report -- France 24

AFP - Saudi Arabia has provided fighter jets to assist the United States with its drone strikes against Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen, the London Times reported on Friday.

US drones are backing Yemeni forces combating militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The group's Yemen branch is considered by Washington to be the most active and deadliest franchise of the global jihadist network.

The Times cited a US intelligence source as saying that "some of the so-called drone missions are actually Saudi Air Force missions".

Read more ....

My Comment: I am not surprised by Saudi Arabia's involvement .... the last thing that they want is an Al Qaeda bastion on their border. What I am surprised about is that people are talking about it.

Central African Republic's President Refuses To Resign As Rebels Advance On The Capital

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Facing Rebels, Central African Republic's President Consolidates Power -- Christian Science Monitor

Under a rebel insurgency, President Francois Bozize of Central African Republic took full control of the military, dismissing his son as acting defense minister. Other African nations have sent hundreds of soldiers to Central African Republic to help fight the rebels.

Facing an insurgency by a new rebel coalition, the president of Central African Republic consolidated military power under his control Thursday after dismissing his own son as acting defense minister along with his army chief of staff.

President Francois Bozize said in a decree read on state radio late Wednesday that he was taking over the position held by his son, Jean Francis Bozize as neighboring countries sent troops to help.

Hundreds of soldiers from Chad, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon have been in arriving this week in this desperately poor, landlocked country where rebels have seized 10 towns in a month's time.

Read more ....

More News On The Rebellion In The Central African Republic

Central African Republic president refuses to leave power, defying rebels -- Reuters
CAR President Sacks Defense Minister -- Voice of America
C. African Republic leader fires son from post -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Central Africa on the Brink, Rebels Halt Their Advance -- New York Times
Central African Republic rebels halt advance on Bangui -- BBC
Regional Troops Warn C.A.R. Rebels to Stop Advance -- Voice of America
Central African Republic: Tension Engulfs CAR After Arbitrary Arrests -- allAfrica.com
A decade after C. African Republic president seized power he now faces rebel threat of his own -- Washington Post

Re: [MacBook] MS Office Access

Posted by Aam 0 comments
Not true. You already own a copy of Windows, and 8 can be installed on
Parallels as a bare drive.
Bob

On Thursday, January 3, 2013, wrote:

> **
>
>
> Actually...
>
> The link takes you to a Windows 8 site, but the $40 is for an upgrade.
>
> If your MAC does not have Windows on it, the usual cost is in the low
> $100.
>
> Cheers
>
> Jonathon M. Johnson
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rocky" rocky_35_35@yahoo.com <javascript:_e({}, 'cvml',
> 'rocky_35_35%40yahoo.com');>>
> To: macbook@yahoogroups.com <javascript:_e({}, 'cvml',
> 'macbook%40yahoogroups.com');>
> Sent: Thursday, January 3, 2013 8:47:35 AM
> Subject: [MacBook] Re: MS Office Access
>
> You should have no issue then, Mike. I am not a Windows 8 fan but I did
> install Office 2010 on a Win 8 PC recently and all was well. someone else
> said Win 8 avail from MS for 40 so that sounds like a good deal as long as
> Parallels works with 8. You can install the OS via download from MS and
> Office via your drive. So Parallels, Windows OS, Office install in that
> sequence. Win 8 includes Windows Defender so you will not need to get
> another VP for your Windows install.
>
> Have fun!
>
> --- In macbook@yahoogroups.com <javascript:_e({}, 'cvml',
> 'macbook%40yahoogroups.com');> , "mike.pinder@..." wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Rocky, I have 8GB of memory and I've been looking online at youtube
> videos about Bootcamp but that seems too complicated for me at the moment.
> So, I think the Parallels method will be the one I go for.
> > However, I do not have installation discs for my Windows 7. But I have
> the Microsoft Office 2010 discs.
> > Do I understand correctly: I have to buy Parallels and install that.
> Then buy a PC version of Windows 7 (I think I would rather have Window 8
> but that is not available other than an upgrade is it?) Once I've installed
> those I then install the Office 2010. And I can install them via the
> external DVD drive I've just bought.
> > Thanks for your advice
> > Mike
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


--
-Bob


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Re: [MacBook] Re: MS Office Access

Posted by Aam 0 comments
 

Actually...

The link takes you to a Windows 8 site, but the $40 is for an upgrade.

If your MAC does not have Windows on it, the usual cost is in the low $100.

Cheers

Jonathon M. Johnson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rocky" rocky_35_35@yahoo.com>
To: macbook@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 3, 2013 8:47:35 AM
Subject: [MacBook] Re: MS Office Access

You should have no issue then, Mike. I am not a Windows 8 fan but I did install Office 2010 on a Win 8 PC recently and all was well. someone else said Win 8 avail from MS for 40 so that sounds like a good deal as long as Parallels works with 8. You can install the OS via download from MS and Office via your drive. So Parallels, Windows OS, Office install in that sequence. Win 8 includes Windows Defender so you will not need to get another VP for your Windows install.

Have fun!

--- In macbook@yahoogroups.com , "mike.pinder@..." wrote:
>
>
>
> Rocky, I have 8GB of memory and I've been looking online at youtube videos about Bootcamp but that seems too complicated for me at the moment. So, I think the Parallels method will be the one I go for.
> However, I do not have installation discs for my Windows 7. But I have the Microsoft Office 2010 discs.
> Do I understand correctly: I have to buy Parallels and install that. Then buy a PC version of Windows 7 (I think I would rather have Window 8 but that is not available other than an upgrade is it?) Once I've installed those I then install the Office 2010. And I can install them via the external DVD drive I've just bought.
> Thanks for your advice
> Mike
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- January 3, 2013

Posted by Aam 0 comments


Analysis: Soaring Syria Death Toll Brings Intervention No Closer -- Yara Bayoumy and Alistair Lyon, Reuters

(Reuters) - The death toll in Syria now exceeds 60,000, the United Nations says. Another 100,000 may die this year, warns U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. About 220 were killed on Wednesday alone.

"When numbers get serious, they leave a mark on your door," goes a song by American musician Paul Simon.

But in Syria those bloody notches show no signs of braking a headlong struggle to the death watched from afar by divided outside powers, most of whose leaders seem convinced that the risks of direct intervention outweigh any possible rewards.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

What's next for Syria in 2013? -- CNN Staff

The Promise of the Arab Spring: In Political Development, No Gain Without Pain -- Sheri Berman, Foreign Affairs

The Year the Arab Spring Went Bad -- F. Gregory Gause, Foreign Policy

Iran Faces a Rough 2013 -- Alireza Nader, Real Clear World

The real challenge for Pakistan -- I.A Rehman, DAWN

Obama-Karzai talks near: How many US troops should stay in Afghanistan? -- Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor

Is China the OPEC of Rare Metals? -- Daniel McGroarty, Real Clear World

Could gang-rape protests mark beginning of an age of activism for India? -- Vaishnavi Chandrashekar, Christian Science Monitor

Japan's Growing Sovereign Debt Time Bomb -- Anne Seith, Spiegel Online

Nigeria - where every problem is too hard to fix -- Gwynne Dyer, NZHerald

British look in the mirror, shocked by what they see -- Barry Neild, Global Post

Greece's only certainty in 2013? Predictions are futile -- Nick Malkoutzis, The Guardian

Getting Latin America Right -- Julia E. Sweig, National Interest

Falklands again? Why Argentina's Kirchner keeps pushing the issue with Britain. -- Jonathan Gilbert, Christian Science Monitor

World News Briefs -- January 3, 2013 (Evening Edition)

Posted by Aam 0 comments


Syrians Killed in Gas Line; U.N. Raises War’s Casualty Figures -- New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — An explosion at a gas station outside Damascus, the Syrian capital, on Wednesday turned a long line of cars waiting for rarely available fuel into a deadly inferno that killed at least 30 people sitting in their cars or on motorcycles, according to videos and reports from witnesses who blamed a government airstrike.

The violence came as the United Nations released a study showing that more than 60,000 people had been killed in Syria’s 22-month-old conflict, a number that is a third higher than estimates by antigovernment activist groups.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Nusra Front reportedly leading Syrian rebels’ fight for key Damascus area.

Fighting rages for control of Syrian air base. Syria conflict: Fierce fighting near strategic airports.

Turkish villagers take in Syrian refugees that humanitarian groups don’t serve.

UN body: Around half-million Syrians now refugees.

Attacks in Iraq kill at least 32 pilgrims.

Protests engulf west Iraq as Anbar rises against Maliki.

Turkish government in talks with Kurdish rebel chief.

Iran moves Rafsanjani daughter to solitary confinement.

Israeli raid in West Bank triggers clashes with Palestinians.

Turkey arrests ex-military chief of staff.

Yemen's ex-president to seek treatment abroad before talks start.

ASIA

UN warns Burma on airstrikes in Kachin.

U.S.: Time not right for Google executive's North Korea trip.

China warns Vietnam over South China Sea islands.

Myanmar says jets used against Kachin rebels.

India gang rape: Five suspects charged in Delhi. Indian rape accused charged; victim's father calls for hanging.

Taiwan undersea oil plans raise neighbors' eyebrows.

In South Korea, Kim Jong-un's New Year speech generates surprise - and doubt.

South: Drop in N. Korea defectors linked to tighter border security.

Video fuels rumor NKorean leader's wife gave birth.

Japan’s population falls by record in 2012 as births decrease.

AFRICA

Central African Republic president refuses to leave power, defying rebels. M23 rebels threaten to quit DR Congo talks over ceasefire.

Diplomats seek progress on Central African Republic crisis.

Central African Republic leader fires son after rebel threat. Central African Republic rebels agree to talks.

Presidents of Sudan, South Sudan to meet Friday.

Egypt panel implicates Mubarak, military in deaths.

Civilian armed groups fight crime, wreak havoc in Niger Delta.

Ivory Coast to investigate deadly stampede.

Mandela's recovery "on track" at home: South African government.

EUROPE

Russia's 2012 oil output hits post-Soviet high.

Putin orders change in election rules.

Spanish politician calls for inquiry into auto accident that killed Cuban dissident.

British government extradites al-Qaida suspect.

Three women killed after gunman's drunken rampage in Swiss village.

Putin gives tax exile Depardieu Russian citizenship.

Icelandic girl fights for right to her own name.

AMERICAS

Fed may reduce efforts to stimulate US economy.

With Chavez ill and inauguration near, uncertainty reigns in Venezuela. Venezuela opposition seeks answers on Chavez.

Fiscal cliff: US urged to tackle budget deficit.

Argentina presses claim to Falkland Islands, accusing UK of colonialism. UK prime minister rebuffs Argentina over Falklands.

Gun checks soar 39 percent, set new record: FBI.

Mexico troops kill 12 in gun fight in Zacatecas state.

Mississippi River nears historic lows, shipping at risk.

Clinton discharged from hospital, doctors expect full recovery.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Defense bill’s Guantanamo Bay provisions have human rights groups upset with Obama.

US drone strike kills 5 'militants' in South Waziristan.

Pakistan militant Mullah Nazir 'killed in drone attack'. Pakistani officials: Suspected U.S. drone strikes kill 15, including a Taliban leader.

The top terror takedowns of 2012.

US drones killed 2,183 Jihadis, 487 civilians since 2004.

Congress OKs bill to grow rewards for terrorism justice program.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

World's 100 richest gained $241B last year.

FTC ends long Google probe with mild reprimand.

Geithner said to plan departure before debt ceiling deal.

Hollywood's record haul: why 2012 was a great year for movies.

Boeing soars past Airbus in deliveries.

Starbucks to open first Vietnam store next month.

Al Jazeera buys Al Gore's Current TV.

Mystery Surrounds The Health Of Venezuelan President Chavez

Posted by Aam 0 comments


Venezuelan Leaders Gather At Bedside Of Hugo Chávez -- The Guardian

Recently re-elected president has undergone his fourth cancer-related surgery and his health is said to be 'delicate'.

Senior Venezuelan leaders have gathered in Cuba where Hugo Chávez is recovering from his fourth cancer-related surgery, amid growing speculation that the recently re-elected president will be unable to attend the 10 January inauguration of his fourth term in power.

Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Assembly, and Chávez's brother Adan, a regional governor, joined the vice-president, Nicolas Maduro, in Havana where Chávez underwent surgery three weeks ago.

Maduro described Chávez's health as "delicate" after reporting on New Year's Eve that the oil-rich nation's leader had suffered a new complication from a respiratory infection.

Read more ....

My Comment: I have zero knowledge on what is the present health condition of Hugo Chavez .... but with more Venezuelan officials arriving in Cuba to be at the bedside of Venezuelan President Chavez, this is beginning to look more like a "death watch" than a trip to wish someone well.

Iraq Hit By Bomb Attacks Amid Anti-Government Protests

Posted by Aam 0 comments
Iraq Is Still Bloody -- The Economist

Though violence has dipped since June, Iraqis are still a sad and fearful bunch.

ON THE last day of 2012, a year after the last American troops left Iraq, ending nearly nine years of military occupation, at least 36 Iraqis perished in a wave of bombings and shootings across the country that targeted policemen, government officials and ordinary people of varied sects. According to Iraq Body Count (IBC), a meticulous mainly American and British monitoring group, the overall toll in deaths of civilians due to political violence last year was 4,471, slightly more than the year before. On average, there were 18 bombings and 53 violent deaths a week. Iraq is hardly a country at peace.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

At least 70 killed during religious festival as bombers target Iraq pilgrims, cops -- NBC
Suicide car bomber kills 27 Shi'ite pilgrims in Iraq -- Reuters
Deadly car blast shatters Iraqi town -- Al Jazeera
Car bomb kills Shia pilgrims south of Baghdad Iraq -- BBC
Car bomb stokes Iraq sectarian tensions -- Financial Times
Anti-Maliki Protests Sweep Iraq -- Al-Monitor
Protests engulf west Iraq as Anbar rises against Maliki -- BBC
Iraq PM warns Sunni protesters to end rallies -- Al Jazeera
IBC says 4417 killed in Iraq in 2012 -- Aswat

Israeli Military Preparing Hospitals For Massive Casualties From Missile And Chemical Attacks

Posted by Aam 0 comments
The Israeli military is preparing hospitals to deal with ‘security threats.' (File photo)

IDF Preparing Hospitals For Chemical Attacks -- Jerusalem Post

Military official says Home Front Command preparing hospitals for range of security threats including large-scale missile attacks.

The IDF Home Front Command is preparing all hospitals in Israel for a range of security threats, including large-scale missile attacks and chemical attacks, a senior military source told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

The preparations have been planned three years in advance, and bear no relation to current events or recent threat assessments. Exercises include training hospital staff to deal with conventional missile attacks, mass-casualty incidents and “mega-mass casualty incidents,” – involving 1,000 or more injuries.

Read more ....

Update #1: Israeli military preparing hospitals for chemical attacks – report -- RT
Update #2: Israel preparing hospitals for mega-mass casualty incidents: Report -- Press TV (Iran)

My Comment: Why all the preparations now? Is Israel preparing for war against Iran, a spillover from Syria's civil war, Islamic extremists conducting a terror attack using chemical WMDs or a Hezbollah conflict where chemical weapons are used .... your guess is as good as mine. But one thing is definite .... Israeli planners have made the decision that Israel must be prepared for the possibility of conflict in the weeks/months/year ahead.

President Obama's Drone Strategy Has Resumed In Earnest

Posted by Aam 0 comments
Air Force technicians perform maintenance on a Predator drone in Iraq, November 2007. Photo: U.S. Air Force

Obama’s New Year’s Resolution: More Drone Strikes -- Danger Room

It’s barely three days into 2013, and the Obama administration’s lethal campaign of drone strikes has resumed in earnest. Missiles fired by remotely piloted planes struck targets in Pakistan and Yemen three times in the past several hours, killing several people, including two prominent militant commanders.

In Pakistan’s South Waziristan province, at least 4 MQ-1 Predators or MQ-9 Reapers operated by the CIA killed a Pakistani Taliban commander, Maulvi Nazir, according to media reports that cite unnamed Pakistani intelligence officials. Nazir had struck a detente with the Pakistani government but, according to drone watcher Bill Roggio at the Long War Journal, maintained ties to al-Qaida and attacked U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The drones fired on Nazir’s vehicle, killing him and at least five others.

Read more ....

My Comment: As I have said on many occasions .... America's drone war is not only expanding in places like Afghanistan or Pakistan .... but it is also now reaching into places like Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and God knows where else. And while this is being done, there is little if any debate in Congress, the media, academia, and even in the anti-war movement on what is essentially a policy shift that gets America involved in the wars and conflicts of scores of other nations.

Update: Just for everyone's info .... in Pakistan alone US drones have killed 2,183 Jihadis and 487 civilians since 2004.

[MacBook] Sent Mail is missing

Posted by Aam 0 comments
 


Macbook 10.6.8
I had a few hundred items in the Sent folder of my macmail yesterday, today there are 5....poof! Any ideas on what caused this? Settings for the Sent mail says never delete.

Thanks.

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Top Pakistani Taliban Commander Killed In U.S. Drone Strike

Posted by Aam 0 comments


'Good Taliban' Leader Mullah Nazir Killed In US Drone Strike -- Long War Journal

The US killed a senior Taliban leader in one of three drone strikes that took place in the Pakistani tribal areas over the past 24 hours; he had identified himself as an al Qaeda leader and also was favored by the Pakistani state. A separate strike killed a commander in the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan along with two Uzbeks.

Mullah Nazir, the leader of the Taliban in the Wazir area of South Waziristan, was killed by the CIA-operated Predators or Reapers in a strike in the Birmal area of South Waziristan, tribal leaders and Pakistani intelligence officials told Dawn. The remotely piloted drones fired a pair of missiles at a vehicle, killing Nazir; two of his deputies, Atta Ullah and Rafey Khan; a commander known as Rata Khan; and two other fighters.

Read more ....



More News On The U.S. Drone Strike Targeting Pakistani Taliban Leader Maulvi Nazir

U.S. Drone Strike Kills a Top Pakistani Militant -- New York Times
Pakistan says US drones kill senior Taliban figure -- AP
Pakistan militant Mullah Nazir 'killed in drone attack' -- BBC
US drone strike kills Pakistan Taliban commander -- The Guardian
US drone kills senior Pakistan tribal leader -- Al Jazeera
US Drone Strike Kills Top Pakistani Militant -- Voice of America
Local Pakistani officials: U.S. drone strike kills at least 6, including militant commander -- Washington Post
2 drone attacks kill 15 in Pakistan -- CNN
US drone strike in Pakistan kills influential Taliban commander -- Christian Science Monitor
“Good Taliban” leader’s death a significant blow, Pentagon says -- E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Taliban's Mullah Nazir death spells trouble for Pakistan -- M Ilyas Khan BBC News

Hillary Clinton Will Testify On The Benghazi Consulate Attack

Posted by Aam 0 comments
Going home: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday after being treated for a blood clot

Hillary Clinton 'Will Testify About Benghazi Consulate Security Shambles' Despite Concussion And Blood Clot -- Daily Mail

Hillary Clinton will testify in front of Congress about the terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya - despite receiving a concussion and being hospitalized for a blood clot, it was revealed on Thursday.

The Secretary of State cancelled appearances before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee after she fainted and hit her head on December 9.

She sent two aides to testify in her place.

Some conservatives initially claimed she was using the health issue to dodge testifying on the contentious issue.

Read more ....

My Comment: Here is an easy prediction .... the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will treat her with "kid gloves", and none of the hard questions that need to be asked will not be asked .... and if they are ... it will be classified as secret and held behind closed doors.


[MacBook] Re: MS Office Access

Posted by Aam 0 comments
 

You should have no issue then, Mike. I am not a Windows 8 fan but I did install Office 2010 on a Win 8 PC recently and all was well. someone else said Win 8 avail from MS for 40 so that sounds like a good deal as long as Parallels works with 8. You can install the OS via download from MS and Office via your drive. So Parallels, Windows OS, Office install in that sequence. Win 8 includes Windows Defender so you will not need to get another VP for your Windows install.

Have fun!

--- In macbook@yahoogroups.com, "mike.pinder@..." wrote:
>
>
>
> Rocky, I have 8GB of memory and I've been looking online at youtube videos about Bootcamp but that seems too complicated for me at the moment. So, I think the Parallels method will be the one I go for.
> However, I do not have installation discs for my Windows 7. But I have the Microsoft Office 2010 discs.
> Do I understand correctly: I have to buy Parallels and install that. Then buy a PC version of Windows 7 (I think I would rather have Window 8 but that is not available other than an upgrade is it?) Once I've installed those I then install the Office 2010. And I can install them via the external DVD drive I've just bought.
> Thanks for your advice
> Mike
>

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Is Peace In Afghanistan Possible?

Posted by Aam 0 comments
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mark Martin, center, and U.S. Army Spc. Vancil Casebolt, left, talk with Mawlawi Guhlam M. Ruhaani, director of hajj and endowment, during a leadership meeting in Farah City, Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2012. Martin is civil affairs team lead and Casebolt is a civil affairs team member for Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Josh Ives

Is Peace Really In The Air In Afghanistan? -- Jim Maceda, NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan - There’s something wafting in the air in Afghanistan, and for once it’s not the smell of detritus, diesel or cordite. People – rivals, even enemies -- are talking about peace. Not just talks about talks – those have been going on – and off – for a couple of years now. But serious, genuine moves toward reconciliation are – for the first time since I can remember – actually squeezing into an otherwise depressing narrative of stalemate and loss.

Take the Pakistani government’s Dec. 31 release from prison of eight former Taliban members, including Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s right-hand man and former justice minister, Mullah Turabi. This move, Afghan analysts say, is part of a new strategy, formulated in a November meeting between Afghan and Pakistani officials in Islamabad. The release, they say, was more than a goodwill gesture between bitter rivals. The clear hope was that freed former Taliban officials with the stature of Turabi would serve as emissaries, clearing the way for peace talks between Hamid Karzai’s government and the current Taliban leadership – based in Pakistan – and with the Pakistan government’s blessing.

Read more ....

My Comment: Sectarianism, tribalism, religious animosities .... there has been war and conflict on these isues in this part of the world for centuries .... if not more. So no .... peace is not really in the air in Afghanistan?

Re: [MacBook] MS Office Access

Posted by Aam 0 comments
 

Mike,
>
>
You can find Parallels on sale easily. Also, you can purchase Win8 Pro
directly from MS for $40 (via download) but only until the end of January,
then the price will be $200.

I have this on my MBP. Added advantage is the trackpad supports most Win8
gestures, but you can also memorize a couple keyboard shortcuts to make up
for lack of touchscreen.

Bob

--
-Bob

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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