Top News – 5/31/2015
Texas floods: Enough rain to cover entire state with 8 inches of water in May
So much rain has fallen this May on flood-ravaged Texas that it could cover the entire state with 8 inches of water, meteorologists say. Every drop of rain these days is a drop too many in much of Texas, where 22 people have died and President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster.
12 injured after earthquake shakes Japan
A violent volcanic eruption in Japan that forced the evacuation of an island appears to have come to a halt, the country’s weather agency said Saturday. The announcement came a day after Mount Shindake, which sits on the far southern island of Kuchinoerabu, sent plumes of ash up to 9,000 metres (29,500 feet) tall shooting into the sky. Television pictures showed the after-effects of the eruption, as ash and rock cascaded down the mountainside towards one of the island’s harbours.
Japanese volcano calm ‘for now’: weather agency
A violent volcanic eruption in Japan that forced the evacuation of an island appears to have come to a halt, the country’s weather agency said Saturday. The announcement came a day after Mount Shindake, which sits on the far southern island of Kuchinoerabu, sent plumes of ash up to 9,000 metres (29,500 feet) tall shooting into the sky.
Why one of the world’s most wanted suspected Nazis never faced justice
In 2012, a journalist visited Vladimir Katriuk at his farm about 40 miles outside Montreal. At one point during the encounter, Katriuk, who was in his 90s, grabbed part of a beehive and started talking about a queen bee. “You see?” he told the Canadian Press reporter. “Here they have started to make the royal cell.” The reporter hadn’t asked about the hive, though. His question was about a list from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which had named the Ukrainian-born beekeeper — who died this month — as one of the world’s most wanted suspected Nazi war criminals.
Activists say Syrian army strikes kill 70 people in Aleppo
Syrian army airstrikes killed at least 70 people, most of them civilians, and wounded scores in attacks Saturday in the northern province of Aleppo that struck civilian areas, including a packed market in a town held by the Islamic State group, activists said.
‘Tyranny is in America’: Anti-Muslim armed rally organizer says he’s headed into hiding after getting death threats
The ex-Marine who organized an anti-Muslim rally outside the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix Friday evening said he’s going into hiding after receiving several death threats. “This is proof tyranny is in America,” said Jon Ritzheimer, revealing he’s come under siege since taking to Facebook to organize the event.
Nigeria army repels Boko Haram as new president starts term
Nigeria’s military on Saturday repelled a Boko Haram attack on the key northeastern city of Maiduguri, hours after President Muhammadu Buhari took office vowing to crush the Islamist group. Related Stories Deadly violence hits northeast as Nigeria president starts term AFP Nigeria’s new president signals early move against Boko Haram AFP Nigeria’s Maiduguri city hit by deadly bomb, overnight attack Reuters Twin bombs in Nigeria’s Borno state kill seven and injure 12 Reuters Boko Haram retakes Nigerian town of Marte in Borno state Reuters The overnight attack on the Borno state capital saw rocket-propelled grenades fired into homes in a bombardment that reportedly lasted several hours.
Third earthquake in one week hits Japan, no tsunami warning or reports of damage
Another earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.4 and a depth of 13.4 kilometres, has hit off the Izu Islands in Japan this morning…
Top Headlines – 5/31/2015
Netanyahu to meet today with Germany’s FM to discuss Iran, peace process
Cyprus arrest of Hezbollah man ‘uncovered large-scale Iranian terror plot across Europe’
Will Europe be pushed to fully ban Hezbollah?
Iran, US eye ‘intense’ month to seal historic deal
Iran says will discuss ‘other solutions’ to nuclear inspections deadlock
Kerry, Zarif fail to make breakthrough in nuclear talks
Kerry airlifted to Geneva hospital after bicycle accident
Netanyahu to Palestinians: Stop delegitimization campaign and return to peace talks
Country-wide drill to prepare for massive three-front rocket attack in Israel
Liberman warns of next cycle of violence as Hamas builds road near border
Lieberman: PM ignoring danger of Hamas war preparations
Palestinians seek energy independence from Israel
Palestinian soccer head under fire after withdrawing motion to suspend Israel from FIFA
Rivlin: Ironic that killers of Israeli athletes seek to oust Israel from FIFA
Israel’s next battle will be over Olympics, diplomats say
‘Israel expects Germany to lead fight against West Bank product labeling’
British woman awarded damages after denial of job due to Shabbat
Anti-Semitic fliers found in neighborhoods across NW D.C.
Sinai Militants target Egypt-Jordanian gas pipeline
Assad regime kills dozens with barrel bombs, rights group says
Activists say Syrian army strikes kill 70 people in Aleppo
Opec under siege as Isil threatens world’s oil lifeline
Truck bombs: the Islamic State’s ‘air force’
Report: ISIS branch in Saudi Arabia calls for expulsion of Shi’ites
Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit bases in Yemeni capital Sanaa
Four Americans taken as prisoners in Yemen
Suicide bomber, rocket grenades kill 30 in Nigerian city
Bombs in southern Thailand kill one police officer, wound seven
Impasse over China’s island-building shows no sign of easing
EU criticizes ‘unjustified’ Russian travel blacklist
Vladimir Putin is not planning annexation of Ukraine enclaves, but diplomacy is flailing
Russian aircraft head off U.S. destroyer in Black Sea
Air Force Getting Closer to Testing Hypersonic Weapon, Engineers Say
Jeb Bush lays into Obama for removing Cuba from state sponsor of terror list
Thousands of Sites Block Congress in Protest Ahead of Patriot Act Expiration
“Ferguson Effect” Triggers Nationwide “Crime Wave”
Detroit is starting to shut off people’s water again – UN warns violates human rights
6.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Izu Islands, Japan region
5.8 magnitude earthquake hits near Hihifo, Tonga
5.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Karakul, Tajikistan
5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Kuripan, Indonesia
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Manokwari, Indonesia
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Panguna, Papua New Guinea
12 injured after earthquake shakes Japan
USGS: Preliminary report shows 3.4 magnitude earthquake in Wayne Co., IL
Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 25,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Texas floods: Enough rain to cover entire state with 8 inches of water in May
Sudden onset of ice loss in Antarctica detected
Mers virus: China tracking nearly 200 for possible infections
SKorean MERS outbreak: 13th case confirmed
Elderly face NHS discrimination under new UN death targets
U.S. appeals court strikes down Idaho law banning abortions after 20 weeks
Police break up unsanctioned gay rally in central Moscow
Colorado school blocks valedictorian’s speech declaring he’s gay
Ireland’s yes vote forces Vatican rethink of gay ‘message’
Mormon leader L. Tom Perry dies at 92, opposed same-sex marriage
Church of England May Rebaptize Transgenders According to New Identity
400 participate in SlutWalk in Jerusalem: ‘No means no!’
Top News – 5/30/2015
Preliminary report shows 3.4 magnitude earthquake in Wayne Co., IL
at 7:41 p.m. on Friday, May 29 an earthquake struck southern Illinois. According to the United States Geological Survey a 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit 9km north of Fairfield, Ill. in Wayne County.
5.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Ecuador
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook parts of Ecuador early Saturday, though there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
US surveillance shows ‘China positioning weapons’ in disputed island chain
China has delivered a pointed message to its Asian neighbours and America by staging a military parade on Hainan Island, the province closest to the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
SKorean MERS outbreak: 13th case confirmed
South Korea confirmed a 13th case of MERS on Saturday, as the country grappled with a disease that it had never encountered prior to this month.
Antarctica reaches record ice extent, but temperature trends vary
Scroll down. Antarctic sea ice extent averaged 9.06 million square kilometers (3.5 million square miles) for the month and is now the highest April extent in the satellite record. April extent was 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles) higher than the previous record observed in 2014, and 1.70 million square kilometers (656,000 square miles) above the 1981 to 2010 long-term average.
Waiting For Monsoon: Over A Thousand Die From Heat In India
Deadly summer heat waves are not unusual in India; hundreds died in the events of 2002, 2003, and 2010. But this May has been especially brutal, with temperatures soaring to near 120 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of southeast India.
Murder capital: Baltimore’s homicide explosion in wake of Freddie Gray case dwarfs rate of similar cities
“Criminals feel empowered now. There is no respect. Police are under siege in every quarter. They are more afraid of going to jail for doing their jobs properly than they are of getting shot on duty.”
Magnitude 8.5 quake strikes off eastern Japan, no danger of tsunami
A magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan on Saturday, shaking buildings in Tokyo but with no immediate reports of damage, public broadcaster NHK said. There was no danger of tsunami, it added.
Franklin Graham Says There Is No Tolerance for Christians in Culture After Marine Court-Martialed for Keeping Bible Verse on Her Computer
The Rev. Franklin Graham has spoken out on a case concerning a Marine Corporal who was court-martialed for refusing to remove a Bible verse from her computer at work, stating that it shows that there is no tolerance in culture for Christians.
Little-known quake, tsunami hazards lurk offshore of Southern California
The latest research into the little known, fault-riddled, undersea landscape off of Southern California and northern Baja California has revealed more worrisome details about a tectonic train wreck in the Earth’s crust with the potential for magnitude 7.9 to 8.0 earthquakes.
US military orders review as anthrax mishap widens
The US military said on Friday it discovered even more suspected shipments of live anthrax than previously thought, both in the United States and abroad, and ordered a sweeping review of practices meant to inactivate the bacteria. The Pentagon said a total of 11 states, two more than it first acknowledged, received “suspect samples,” as did Australia and South Korea.
MAGNETIC FILAMENTS ON THE SUN
With no sunspots actively flaring this weekend, solar activity is low. Or is it? There’s more to solar activity than sunspots and flares. “I can’t recall ever seeing as many magnetic filaments on the sun as I have this month,”
Anti-Semitic fliers found in neighborhoods across region
A day after anti-Semitic fliers papered a neighborhood in Chevy Chase, similar fliers turned up in a D.C. neighborhood, and people…had also seen the hateful leaflets at their doorsteps. Multiple people in the Takoma neighborhood in Northwest D.C. contacted the Post to say that they had found the flier — a two-page compilation of declarations about Jews and falsified quotations…
Elderly face NHS discrimination under new UN death targets
The NHS could be led to discriminate against the over 70s to meet ‘highly unethical’ UN health targets which seek to reduce premature deaths in younger people, senior medics have warned. …In an open letter published in The Lancet, an international group of ageing specialists say the new guideline sends out the message that health provision for younger groups must be prioritised at the expense of older people.
US removes Cuba from list of state sponsors of terror
The United States has removed Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. …The change allows Cuba to conduct banking in the United States, among other activities. President Barack Obama announced a historic thaw with Cuba in December, but the US trade embargo against the country remains, and may only be ended by Congress.
Mers virus: China tracking nearly 200 for possible infections
China is trying to track down at least 193 people who may have come in contact with a man with Mers, the country’s first confirmed case of the virus. The alert came as South Korea announced it had two more Mers cases, bringing the total within the country to nine. The outbreak has been traced to a South Korean who visited the Middle East.
US calls for land reclamation ‘halt’ in South China Sea
The US has called for an “immediate and lasting halt” to land reclamation in disputed areas of the South China Sea. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter told the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that China’s actions in the area were “out of step” with international rules. China claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, resulting in overlapping claims with its neighbours.
Islamic State militants in Libya ‘seize Sirte airport’
Islamic State militants in Libya say they have seized the airport in the city of Sirte, as the group continues to make advances in the country. The news was announced by the group and by a Libyan militia that withdrew from the coastal city’s airport on Thursday. Most of Sirte, former leader Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown, fell to IS last week.
Pentagon: Anthrax shipments broader than first thought
The Pentagon said Friday that the Army’s mistaken shipments of live anthrax to research laboratories were more widespread than it initially reported, prompting the Defense Department’s second-ranking official to order a thorough review.
IS claims suicide bombing on Shiite mosque in Saudi, 4 dead
A suicide bomber disguised as a woman blew himself up in the parking lot of a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers, killing four people in the second such attack in as many weeks claimed by the Islamic State group.
U.S. defense chief says China’s island-building erodes security
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter warned on Saturday that Beijing’s island-building in the South China Sea was undermining security in the Asia-Pacific and he called for a diplomatic push to solve the territorial dispute that is driving China’s effort.
Russia steps up propaganda push with online “Kremlin trolls”
Deep inside a four-story marble building in St. Petersburg, hundreds of workers tap away at computers on the front lines of an information war, say those who have been inside. Known as “Kremlin trolls,” the men and women work 12-hour shifts around the clock, flooding the Internet with propaganda aimed at stamping President Vladimir Putin’s world vision on Russia, and the world.
Houthi rebels in Yemen are holding multiple Americans prisoner
The rebel group that has seized power in Yemen has taken at least four U.S. citizens prisoner, according to U.S. officials who said that efforts to secure the Americans’ release have faltered.
How a banking law ensnared former House Speaker Dennis Hastert
“Past misconduct” alleged to have been perpetrated by former US House Speaker Dennis Hastert in a federal indictment would never have come to light were it not for a banking law meant to catch money-launderers.
Top Headlines – 5/30/2015
Six foreign ministers headed to Israel in effort to resume peace talks
Israel soccer association head: ‘We can make soccer a bridge for peace’
Netanyahu: Moves like Palestinian ‘provocation’ at FIFA distance peace
Palestinian Soccer Association Drops Effort to Suspend Israel From FIFA
Anti-Israel activity on US campuses sees ‘marked increase’
Website Counts 127 Minor Terror Incidents in Israel This Week
UN Security Council meets on a plan to fight extremism
UN member states voice anxieties over recent ISIS gains, surge in foreign fighters
Video purports to show Turkish intelligence shipping weapons to Syria
Islamic State claims Saudi Arabia mosque bombing
US military: ISIS not significant threat in Saudi Arabia
Houthi rebels in Yemen are holding multiple Americans prisoner
Kerry and Zarif to meet, with deal deadline a month away
Pressure on Iran Nuclear Talks Builds Ahead of June 30 Deadline
UN report finds continued non-compliance by Iran in nuclear probe
An ethnic war in Iran is only a matter of time
Rocket attack in Libya’s Benghazi leaves 8 dead, 8 wounded
New Nigerian president seeks to crush ‘godless’ Boko Haram
Gunmen kill 20 bus passengers in Pakistan attack
Arizona braces for ‘Draw Mohammad’ contest outside Phoenix mosque
Protesters, some armed, rally against Islam outside Phoenix mosque during prayer
State Department: US formally drops Cuba from terrorism list
Administration warns terror-fighting tools set to expire Sunday, as Senate battles over Patriot Act
U.S. Tried Stuxnet-Style Cyber Attack Against North Korea, but Failed
U.S. defense chief says China’s island-building erodes security
India to Test Barak 8 Missile Jointly Developed With Israel
NORAD jets train in Arctic as Russian flights close to North America increase
Russia stockpiling weapons on Ukraine border
Russia steps up propaganda push with online “Kremlin trolls”
Google working with Levi Strauss to make smart clothes
7.8 magnitude earthquake hits near Chichi-shima, Japan
5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Valdez, Ecuador
5.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Chirikof Island, Alaska
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits the Southeast Indian Ridge
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Kuril’sk, Russia
Strong earthquake swarm in Iceland’s Krysuvik volcano
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 13,000ft
Obama signs disaster declaration for Texas as storm’s death toll increases
Flooding Rain Nearly Ends Drought in Texas
Drought Hurts Agriculture, Costs West Over $40 Billion
Global Climate On Verge Of Multi-Decadal Change
Mass deaths of endangered antelope stumps scientists
US military orders review as anthrax mishap widens
Church-State Separation Group Pressures Public School to Cancel Field Trip to Creation Museum
by Marsha West
Christian New Network reports:
Approximately 100 third graders from Lincoln Elementary School in Glendive were scheduled to visit the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum on Thursday as they have done for the past seven years. The museum is stated to be the second largest in the state and contains “more than 23 full-size dinosaurs, numerous individual fossils and artifacts, informative exhibits explaining the origin of the geologic column and fossil record,” as well as a variety of other archaeological and historical displays.
Permission slips had been sent home to parents to allow their children to go on the trip.
(CN) — Concerns are arising among Christians and online commentators after a homosexual activist recently told a national publication that churches “must be made ‘to take homosexuality off the sin list.’”
Mitchell Gold is the founder of Faith in America, an organization that aims to “end the harm to LGBT youth and families from misguided religious teaching.” He served on the board of directors for the Human Rights Campaign for seven years, and was named one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful Gay People in America” in 2007 by Out Magazine.
Worship Leader in Mourning as Newborn Baby, Toddler Die Following Car Crash
(CN) — A worship leader from North Carolina and his wife are mourning the loss of both of their children following a car accident over the weekend.According to reports, Gentry Eddings of Forest Lake Church in Ballantyne and his wife Hadley traveled to Gentry’s sister’s wedding on Friday where Eddings officiated over the service. The two traveled separately in a caravan of four family vehicles as they returned home the following day. Hadley, eight months pregnant, rode with the couple’s two-year-old son Dobbs.
‘Charlie Charlie’ Ouija Board-Like Challenge Has Youth Trying to Summon Demon
(CN) — A new challenge being shared on Twitter has youth across the nation and around the world engaging in an Ouija board-like ritual in an attempt to summon a demon.According to reports, the “Charlie Charlie” challenge involves a Mexican occultist ritual of writing “yes” and “no” on a sheet of paper and crossing two pencils. The ritual is stated to be a type of “rite” for Mexican children.United Methodists Propose Change to ‘Church Law’ to Allow Homosexual Behavior
(CN) — A panel within the leadership of the United Methodist Church has voted to submit a proposal to change the denomination’s law book to remove prohibitions against homosexual behavior and to allow clergy to officiate same-sex ceremonies.The Connectional Table voted 26-10 on Monday to present the amended language during the 2016 General Conference, which would then place the matter up for another vote for official approval.Other Top News Stories of Interest:
- ‘Pope Francis’ Claims Devil Keeping Evangelicals, Roman Catholics Divided: ‘We Are One‘
- New Fox TV Drama ‘Lucifer’ to Glamorize Devil as ‘Charming’ Nightclub Owner in ‘City of Angels’
- Church of England Considering Ceremony to Re-Baptize ‘Transgenders’ in Their New Name
- ‘To God Be the Glory’: Student Talks Taking Podium as Emergency Unfolded During Graduation
News In Review
- May 13 – The world economy is starting to look a lot like the Titanic, HSBC chief economist warns
- May 13 – Planet reeling from a series of earthquake strikes – may be indicator more quakes are on the horizon
- May 14 – In Canada, aboriginal pastors mix Christianity with Native spirituality
- May 14 – China, Russia Seek New Internet World Order
- May 11 – In September, The UN Launches A Major Sustainable Development Agenda For The Entire Planet
- May 19 – UNHCR, Accenture provide global biometric identity management system to help refugees
- May 15 – World population-food supply balance is becoming increasingly unstable
- May 13 – Vatican and ‘State of Palestine’ agree to treaty safeguarding religious liberty
Can We Have Religious Liberty In Modern America?
“It is no exaggeration to say we are at a tipping point of one of the pillars of the American founding: Religious liberty. Can religious liberty be sustained in the America of today which understands itself, and the idea of liberty, in a different way than our forefathers did? John Adams, that venerable founder of our republic, once wrote that we are “a government of laws, not of men.”
After Indictment, Dennis Hastert Steps Down From Wheaton College’s Hastert Center Board
Former House speaker Dennis Hastert resigned from the school’s board of advisers of its J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy, a $10 million project housed in the college’s politics, international relations, business and economics departments. Hastert, 73, was indicted Thursday [May 28] by a federal grand jury on charges that he violated banking laws in a bid to pay $3.5 million to someone to cover up “past misconduct.”
‘Gay’ Activist’s Call for Churches to Be Forced to Take Homosexuality Off ‘Sin List’ Draws Concerns
Concerns are arising among Christians and online commentators after a homosexual activist recently told a national publication that churches “must be made ‘to take homosexuality off the sin list.'”
The Stage Is Being Set: Is Anybody Paying Attention?
A rehearsal is an event that occurs as preparation for a performance. It is undertaken as a form of practicing, to ensure that all details of the subsequent performance are adequately prepared and coordinated.
Most commonly employed in the performing arts as preparation for a public presentation, rehearsals are nevertheless used in other contexts, as well, to prepare for the performance of any anticipated activity.
Well I want to mention a rehearsal of sorts that just took place in Jerusalem:
The Danger of “Calling On Spirits”
Every generation must deal with the latest repetition of age-old practices that threaten to infiltrate and destroy the relationship between man and his Creator. Throughout the ages, man has intuitively known that “something” exists beyond this earthly realm, and has been tempted to communicate with the spirit world. In our youth, we were introduced to the Ouija Board, a board “game” in which one could supposedly summon spirits from “the other side”, who would respond to questions by moving a pointer around the board. Little did we know how dangerous that so-called “game” really was.
Today’s kids are now engaged in an equally dangerous pastime called “Charlie Charlie”.
| End-times expert exposes ‘Trumpets’ in the sky
Posted: 30 May 2015 08:31 PM PDT Mysterious sounds have been reported around the world, and many witnesses are likening them to the trumpet blasts described in the biblical book of Revelation. WND reported on the phenomenon that has been puzzling people in Britain, Ukraine, the U.S., Germany and Belarus. The reports have prompted new speculation about the end times. But several authors who have addressed that subject in their books say a good dose of caution is appropriate, concluding the sounds may be a spiritual warning rather than a literal announcement of the end of days. Pastor, talk-show host and author Carl Gallups, who used the symbol of the trumpets of Revelation as the basis for his exploration of the end times in “Final Warning: Understanding the Trumpet Days of Revelation,” says believers should be wary of hoaxes. “Of course, some would expect an author who has written a book about the ‘trumpet days’ of Revelation to be absolutely giddy about the reported phenomenon of mysterious trumpet sounds coming from the sky at various locations around the world. However, the opposite is true,” he said. FULL REPORT
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| Avian flu spread raises some concerns about Human PandemicPosted: 30 May 2015 08:24 PM PDT
At least for now, chickens, turkeys and other fowl are the only direct targets of the avian flu outbreak that has spread across the U.S. Yet scientists say there is a subtype of the virus that may have the potential to become a human pandemic. The outbreak, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture says has affected 20 states, has resulted in the destruction of at least 6 million chickens and turkeys and has put upward pressure on poultry prices. It has also triggered fears that much worse could be in store. Daniel Janies, professor of bioinformatics and genomics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who co-authored a paper this year on the spread of an avian influenza, admits it’s “hard to say” whether the flu could make the jump from contained to catastrophe. Still, according to his research, bird flu has the potential to be “highly pathogenic and periodically infect humans.” FULL REPORT The post Avian flu spread raises some concerns about Human Pandemic appeared first on . |
| Another Housing Collapse Looms Over HorizonPosted: 30 May 2015 08:09 PM PDT
It’s always interesting to see a long term chart that reflects your real life experiences. I bought my first home in 1990. It was a small townhouse and I paid $100k, put 10% down, and obtained a 9.875% mortgage. I was thrilled to get under 10%. Those were different times, when you bought a home as a place to live. We had our first kid in 1993 and started looking for a single family home. We stopped because our townhouse had declined in value to $85k, so I couldn’t afford to sell. In 1995 I convinced my employer to rent my townhouse, as they were already renting multiple townhouses for all the foreigners doing short term assignments in the U.S. We bought a single family home in 1995 with the sole purpose of having a decent place to raise a family that was within 20 minutes of my job. Considering home prices on an inflation adjusted basis were lower than they were in 1980, I was certainly not looking at it as some sort of investment vehicle. But, as you can see from the chart, nationally prices soared by about 55% between 1995 and 2005. My home supposedly doubled in value over 10 years. I was ecstatic when I was eventually able to sell my townhouse in 2004 for $134k. I felt so smart, until I saw a notice in the paper one year later showing my old townhouse had been sold again for $176k. Who knew there were so many greater fools. FULL REPORT The post Another Housing Collapse Looms Over Horizon appeared first on . |
| WAR DRUMS – Reports Indicate China Placing Artillery On Disputed IslandPosted: 30 May 2015 08:06 PM PDT
Vietnam’s deputy defense minister said on Saturday that reports China had placed mobile artillery weapons on a reclaimed island in the disputed South China Sea were, if true, a very worrying development. “If it has actually happened it is a very bad sign for what is already a very complicated situation in the South China Sea,” General Nguyen Chi Vinh told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore. The United States said on Friday that China had placed mobile artillery weapons on a reclaimed island in the disputed South China Sea. Analysts said the artillery could pose a threat to nearby Vietnamese bases, also on disputed territory. The development was described by the Pentagon as one that creates more “uncertainty” in a situation that has grown increasingly tense over the past six months after satellite images showed significant land reclamation activities by China. The U.S. says the Chinese have added some 2,000 acres to five outposts in the resource-rich Spratly islands, including 1,500 acres this year. FULL REPORT The post WAR DRUMS – Reports Indicate China Placing Artillery On Disputed Island appeared first on . |
| Russian aircraft Scrambled To Head Off US destroyer in Black SeaPosted: 30 May 2015 08:01 PM PDT
Russian military aircraft were scrambled to head off a U.S. warship that was acting “aggressively” in the Black Sea, state news agency RIA reported on Saturday, citing an anonymous source in Russia’s armed forces in Crimea. The source was quoted as saying that the U.S. destroyer Ross was moving along the edge of Russia’s territorial waters and heading in their direction. “The crew of the ship acted provocatively and aggressively, which concerned the operators of monitoring stations and ships of the Black Sea Fleet,” RIA quoted the source as saying. “Su-24 attack aircraft demonstrated to the American crew readiness to harshly prevent a violation of the frontier and to defend the interests of the country.” Russia’s Defence Ministry was not immediately available to comment on the report. The incident is the latest example of encounters between Russian and Western militaries, as tensions continue over the crisis in Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, last year. FULL REPORT The post Russian aircraft Scrambled To Head Off US destroyer in Black Sea appeared first on . |
| Southern Baptist churches fading, Arabic Baptists RisingPosted: 30 May 2015 07:52 PM PDT
Attendance at the Southern Baptist church on Scenic Drive had dwindled to about 15 most Sundays. The potted plant by the pulpit was from yet another member’s funeral. There was $5,000 in the church bank account and $6,000 in bills when Larry Montgomery, a deacon, reached a conclusion once unthinkable in the heart of the Bible Belt. “We’re just not going to make it,” he announced to the members of Scenic Drive Baptist, and then he told them he might have found a solution. There was another congregation, he said, a small one that had been meeting in living rooms and whose pastor carried business cards that quoted from John 4:35: “Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” Maybe they wanted to buy the church. And so phone calls were placed, and a few days later, the prospective buyers held a prayer meeting about what to do. “Abuna Semawi, nashkurak,” the pastor began in Arabic. “Heavenly Father, we thank you.” FULL REPORT The post Southern Baptist churches fading, Arabic Baptists Rising appeared first on . |
| Mysterious low-flying plane over Twin Cities raises questions of surveillancePosted: 30 May 2015 07:42 PM PDT
Aviation buff John Zimmerman was at a weekly gathering of neighbors Friday night when he noticed something peculiar: a small plane circling a route overhead that didn’t make sense to him. It was dark, so a sightseeing flight didn’t make sense, and when Zimmerman pulled up more information on an aviation phone app he routinely checks, he had immediate concerns. The plane’s flight path, recorded by the website flightradar24.com, would eventually show that it circled downtown Minneapolis, the Mall of America and Southdale Center at low altitude for hours starting at 10:30 p.m., slipping off radar just after 3 a.m. “I thought, ‘Holy crap,’ ” said Zimmerman. Bearing the call sign N361DB, the plane is one of three Cessna 182T Skylanes registered to LCB Leasing of Bristow, Va., according to FAA records. The Virginia secretary of state has no record of an LCB Leasing. Virtually no other information could be learned about the company. Zimmerman’s curiosity might have ended there if it weren’t for something he heard from his aviation network recently: A plane registered to NG Research — also located in Bristow — that circled Baltimore for hours after recent violent protests there was in fact an FBI plane that’s part of a widespread but little known surveillance program, according to a report by the Washington Post. FULL REPORT The post Mysterious low-flying plane over Twin Cities raises questions of surveillance appeared first on . |
| WAR DRUMS – US Rebukes China over sea reclamation, vows more patrolsPosted: 30 May 2015 07:36 PM PDT
The United States on Saturday called for an immediate end to China’s intensifying reclamation works in the South China Sea and vowed to continue sending military aircraft and ships to the tense region. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told a high-level security conference in Singapore that Beijing was behaving “out of step” with international norms. China insists it has sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, a major global shipping route believed to be home to oil and gas reserves. “First, we want a peaceful resolution of all disputes. To that end, there should be an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation by all claimants,” Carter said at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue on security with a high-level Chinese military delegation in the audience. “We also oppose any further militarisation of disputed features,” he said. He acknowledged that other claimants have developed outposts of differing scope and degree, including Vietnam with 48, the Philippines with eight, Malaysia with five and Taiwan with one. “Yet, one country has gone much farther and much faster than any other. “China has reclaimed over 2,000 acres, more than all other claimants combined and more than in the entire history of the region. And China did so in only the last 18 months,” Carter said. FULL REPORT The post WAR DRUMS – US Rebukes China over sea reclamation, vows more patrols appeared first on . |
| Obama looks to force LGBT hirees on faith-based charitiesPosted: 30 May 2015 05:08 PM PDT
The Obama administration is preparing to force every charitable organization receiving federal grants to end prohibitions on hiring people based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In its latest “Friday Fax,” the Center for Family and Human Rights, or C-Fam, cites an unnamed but well-placed administration source, who says the administration is definitely headed in that direction. “Our source told us that the administration is moving very quietly to insert sexual orientation and gender identity language into the application process for grantees. They cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and there is no exemption for religious believers,” said C-Fam President Austin Ruse. “Quietly” appears to be the key word in this process. Ruse said this revelation comes as news to just about everyone. “This caught a lot of faith-based groups off guard. When we started calling around to get comments yesterday, two very big groups had heard nothing about this,” said Ruse, who would not divulge which groups he contacted. “Grantees get grants for carrying out certain tasks that they were doing already,” Ruse said. “A lot of them are faith-based groups. A lot of them are faith-based groups doing work overseas.” FULL REPORT The post Obama looks to force LGBT hirees on faith-based charities appeared first on . |
| Shallow 6.4M earthquake follows Deep Japan 8.5M (7.8 magnitude) — North of previous eventPosted: 30 May 2015 04:58 PM PDT
A shallow 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off the Eastern coast of Japan, approximately 250 miles Northeast of the previous 8.5M (7.8 magnitude revised) earthquake which occurred earlier today . We were expecting to see SHALLOW follow up movement strike in an adjacent area from the large deep earthquake this morning due to the fact that the deep earthquakes are proved to cause shallow earthquakes elsewhere nearby. Just as expected, the area nearby moved at a shallow depth within hours of the deep earthquake. I expect additional shallow larger movement to occur over this coming week, no doubt this 6.4M is just the first compensation movement we’re seeing. FULL REPORT The post Shallow 6.4M earthquake follows Deep Japan 8.5M (7.8 magnitude) — North of previous event appeared first on . |
Obama’s JV Team ISIS Now Threatens The Entire Global Oil Supply (VIDEO)
Thick black smoke rising from the Baiji oil refinery could be seen as a dirty smudge on the horizon as far away as Baghdad after fighters from ISIS set fire to the enormous processing plant just over 100 miles north of the capital last week.
The decision to torch the refinery, which once produced around a third of Iraq’s domestic fuel supplies, was made as the insurgents prepared to pull out of Baiji, which they captured last June in a victory that sent shock waves across world oil markets.
A year on from the start of the siege and a shaky alliance of the Middle East’s major Arab powers, with the limited support of the reluctant US government, has failed to contain the expansion of ISIS.
According to Daniel Yergin, the energy expert and vice-chairman of IHS, the business information provider, the biggest threat to oil prices is the political chaos that threatens to engulf the Middle East, combined with the West’s reluctance to intervene.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Yergin argued that the price of a barrel of oil could skyrocket to levels above $100 per barrel if Isil is allowed to press deeper into Iraq, the second-largest producer in the cartel after Saudi Arabia.
“ISIS represents a whole new reality for the region, which just isn’t reflected in the oil market at the moment,” said Mr Yergin. “It’s an increasingly grave situation for most of Opec and the Middle East. At some point the security issues will start to come back into the price of oil.”
ISIS takes over major Iraq oil refinery, blockades 150 troops inside:
Against this cataclysmic backdrop of bombs falling in Sana’a and with ISIS literally at the gates of the major Iraqi city of Ramadi, many US energy and security experts were shocked to hear President Barack Obama ignore the danger in a recent keynote speech in which he pinpointed global warming as an equally big risk for Americans.
“Climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security, an immediate risk to our national security,” warned Mr Obama in a speech that many have criticised as symptomatic of the administration’s desire to disengage from the region which still provides a significant share of its oil.
Despite the growing focus on climate change and the campaign to limit fossil fuel production, ISIS will be a bigger concern for the majority of oil ministers around Opec’s table next week.
The Obama administration’s reluctance to intervene marks the end of a US policy to protect the region’s oil which has remained in existence since President Franklin D Roosevelt first met with modern day Saudi Arabia’s founder King Abdulaziz in 1945. It was this commitment that drew America into the first Gulf War in 1991 and again in 2003 when it decided to bring down the curtain on Saddam Hussein’s regime.
However, Mr Obama’s lack of a viable alternative foreign policy for the region has put world energy markets at risk. source
The post Obama’s JV Team ISIS Now Threatens The Entire Global Oil Supply (VIDEO) appeared first on Now The End Begins.
| Magnitude 3.8 Earthquake strikes near Indio, California
Posted: 30 May 2015 06:07 AM PDT A shallow, magnitude 3.8 earthquake was reported Friday evening 11 miles from Indio, California according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 10:23 p.m. at a depth of 3.7 miles. According to the USGS, the epicenter was 13 miles from Coachella, 17 miles from Palm Desert and 17 miles from La Quinta. In the past 10 days, there have been three earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby. Los Angeles Times The post Magnitude 3.8 Earthquake strikes near Indio, California appeared first on . |
| Magnitude 3.8 Shakes Up Anthony, KansasPosted: 30 May 2015 06:02 AM PDT
The USGS has reported a Magnitude 3.8 Earthquake in the region of Anthony, Kansas. USGS The post Magnitude 3.8 Shakes Up Anthony, Kansas appeared first on . |
| Strong 7.8 quake strikes off Japan’s remote Bonin Islands
Posted: 30 May 2015 05:56 AM PDT A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in the ocean off Japan’s remote Bonin Islands at 11:23 GMT on Saturday, USGS reports. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage, nor any tsunami alert. The populated area closest to the quake’s epicenter is the Japanese island of Chichi-Shima with a population of about 2,000 people. It is 189 kilometers from the impact point. The quake hit at a profound depth of almost 677 kilometers below the ocean bed. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also issued a statement saying “a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no threat to Hawaii.” FULL REPORT The post Strong 7.8 quake strikes off Japan’s remote Bonin Islands appeared first on . |
| Experts Baffled After 10 Dead Dolphins Wash Ashore In Mumbai, IndiaPosted: 29 May 2015 08:01 PM PDT
While marine biologists, environmental activists and researchers are baffled over the continued rise of dead dolphins washing ashore Mumbai’s coastline over the last month, the State Environment Ministry, on the other hand, is completely oblivious to these incidents, said a report in DNA. Pravin Pote-Patil, the Minister of State for Environment claimed that he was not aware of any such incidents, adding that the municipal corporation should have informed the environment department about dead dolphins washing ashore immediately as the civic body was primarily responsible for anything related to the city’s beaches. But he assured that the cause of death would be determined. “Till we don’t pin-point the cause of death, we cannot start any specific mitigation strategy. I will talk to the Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and initiate a probe,” Patil Told DNA. FULL REPORT The post Experts Baffled After 10 Dead Dolphins Wash Ashore In Mumbai, India appeared first on . |
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Over a Thousand Fish Found Dead in Connecticut River Posted: 29 May 2015 07:56 PM PDT Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection why thousands of fish died in the past week in the state’s coastal waters. Multiple natural fish kills were reported during the past week. The kills were reported in several locations on the Thames River between Norwich and the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, in the lower Connecticut River, in Clinton Harbor and on the Quinnipiac River. Thousands of Atlantic menhaden, and smaller numbers of other species were found dead at each location. The population of Atlantic menhaden has grown in local waters for the past two years, most likely due to limits placed on menhaden harvest along the Atlantic coast. Menhaden are caught commercially and made into animal feed and used as bait in lobster, crab and other fisheries. FULL REPORT The post Over a Thousand Fish Found Dead in Connecticut River appeared first on . |
| ‘Dementor’ wasp turns cockroaches into zombiesPosted: 29 May 2015 07:45 PM PDT
It’s the stuff of nightmares – a newly-discovered wasp that turns cockroaches into zombies. The Ampulex Dementor, named after the terrifying soul-suckers from the “Harry Potter” movies, is one of a 139 new species discovered in Asia’s Mekong Delta in 2014, according to a World Widlife Fund report. The wasp, which was discovered in Thailand, injects venom into a mass of neurons on the cockroach’s belly that turns the roach into a passive zombie, according to the report. “Cockroach wasp venom blocks receptors of the neurotransmitter octopamine, which is involved in the initiation of spontaneous movement. With this blocked, the cockroach is still capable of movement, but is unable to direct its own body,” the report explained. It gets worse for the wasp’s unfortunate victim. “Once the cockroach has lost control, the wasp drags its stupefied prey by the antennae to a safe shelter to devour it,” the report added. Visitors to the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin voted to name the wasp Ampulex Dementor in a poll, noting the insect’s similarity to the dementors that terrorize Harry Potter and his fellow wizards. FULL REPORT The post ‘Dementor’ wasp turns cockroaches into zombies appeared first on . |
| Expert calls 2015 ‘worst year’ Ever seen for copperhead snakes in VirginaPosted: 29 May 2015 07:40 PM PDT
Neighbors in Central Virginia are reporting a recent surge in copperhead snake sightings. In fact, viewers have contacted our newsroom saying the poisonous snakes are slithering near their homes. One woman posted on the WTVR CBS 6 Facebook page that she had been bitten Wednesday by a copperhead near the family’s woodpile in her Chesterfield County backyard. “I am currently in the ER because I got bit on the ankle by a copperhead! Please watch the ground and watch your kids!” Traci Byrd-Eagles warned. “I am forever telling my husband and kids to watch for copperheads, especially when around the firewood… We live in a subdivision but are surrounded by woods.” Nearly 24 hours after Byrd-Eagles was bitten, she was recovering at home and “not feeling so great.” She shared a photo of her swollen ankle. WTVR CBS 6 reporter Shelby Brown went in search of answers to find out what folks should do if they spot a copperhead on their property. FULL REPORT The post Expert calls 2015 ‘worst year’ Ever seen for copperhead snakes in Virgina appeared first on . |
| A Recession Within A RecessionPosted: 29 May 2015 07:27 PM PDT
On Friday, the federal government announced that the U.S. economy contracted at a 0.7 percent annual rate during the first quarter of 2015. This unexpected shrinking of the economy is being primarily blamed on “harsh” weather during the first three months of this year and on the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Most economists are confident that U.S. GDP will rebound back into positive territory when the numbers for the second quarter come out, but if that does not happen we will officially meet the government’s criteria for being in another “recession”. To make sure that the numbers for Q2 will look “acceptable”, the Bureau of Economic Analysis is about to change the way that it calculates GDP again. They are just going to keep “seasonally adjusting” the numbers until they get what they want. At this point, the government numbers are so full of “assumptions” and “estimates” that they don’t really bear much resemblance to reality anyway. In fact, John Williams of shadowstats.com has calculated that if the government was actually using honest numbers that they would show that we have continually been in a recession since 2005. That is why I am referring to this as a “recession within a recession”. Most people can look around and see that economic conditions for most Americans are not good, and now they are about to get even worse. FULL REPORT The post A Recession Within A Recession appeared first on . |
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New Madrid Seismic Zone Illinois Earthquake — 3.4 Magnitude Hits Forecast Area Directly Posted: 29 May 2015 07:22 PM PDT This morning an earthquake forecast was issued for the New Madrid Seismic Zone , calling for 3.0M to 4.0M activity to strike South Illinois towards the Indiana border over the next 7 days. Move forwards about 12 hours, and we now see a very rare 3.4M earthquake has struck South Illinois towards the Indiana border in the EXACT area warned, for the exact magnitude warned. I’ll be waiting for them to contact me tomorrow. Unless of course they’re too scared to admit they were wrong, and are not science / logic minded. At this point they need to set aside their egos, and preconceived notions, and learn the forecasting process. FULL REPORT The post New Madrid Seismic Zone Illinois Earthquake — 3.4 Magnitude Hits Forecast Area Directly appeared first on . |
| Alaska Experiences Warmest Temperatures in May Since Records Kept in 1890’s
Posted: 29 May 2015 02:45 PM PDT For those of you wondering where the infamous Texas Heat is, it appears it is in Alaska. Parts of Alaska have already climbed into the 90s this year. The warmest so far in Dallas-Fort Worth has been 88 °F. The high of 91 °F in Eagle, Alaska is the hottest ever recorded in the state of Alaska for so early in the season since temperature records began in the 1890s. This is over 30 degrees above normal for them and is the tenth record high they have had this month! This caught my eye since Eagle, Alaska was one of the random weather stations I had my students collect data from to perform a 100-year temperature analysis. And they found that temperatures in the polar latitudes are heating up faster than those in lower latitudes (like us here in Texas). Of course, there are seeming exceptions. India (a little farther south in latitude compared to most of Texas) is currently experiencing a searing heat wave with day-after-day temperatures above 110 °F! But the monsoon should be kicking in for them by summer which should cool things down. FULL REPORT The post Alaska Experiences Warmest Temperatures in May Since Records Kept in 1890’s appeared first on . |
Christian Headlines Daily – Sunday, May 31, 2015
http://www.christianheadlines.com/
Top Headlines
How I Escaped from North Korea
’19 Kids and Counting’ Josh Duggar’s Cousin Amy Addresses Molestation Charges, Urges Christians ‘Never Stop Praying’
Former House Speaker Indicted, Resigns from Wheaton Advisory Board
5 Ways North Korea Is Much Worse Than You Think
India’s Christians Concerned about Growing Attacks on Religious Minorities
Tim Tebow still passionate about football, but there’s something more important for him – charity work
Russell Wolfe, Producer of ‘God’s Not Dead,’ Dies at 50
London Rabbis Run Women Off the Road
Alberta creationist Edgar Nernberg digs up what scientists are calling the most
5 Things Christians Should Know about George Pataki’s Faith
Opinion
Matt Chandler, The Village Church offer apology to Karen Hinkley
A Word to Self-Righteous Christians Attacking Josh Duggar
IRS Admits Massive Identity Theft
What Marriage Means to Young Evangelicals
Boy Scouts of America Face Moral Disaster
Christian Headlines Daily – Saturday, May 30, 2015
http://www.christianheadlines.com/
Top Headlines
5 Ways North Korea Is Much Worse Than You Think
India’s Christians Concerned about Growing Attacks on Religious Minorities
5 Things Christians Should Know about Rick Santorum’s Faith
Al Sharpton Asks: Are Texas Floods God’s Judgment on America?
Texas Senate Advances Bill Banning Sharia Law in Family Court When in Conflict With U.S. Law
Alberta creationist Edgar Nernberg digs up what scientists are calling the most
5 Things Christians Should Know about George Pataki’s Faith
Christian Rappers Drop Bombs for Aspiring Bomb-Dropper Ted Cruz
Franklin Graham Says There Is No Tolerance for Christians in Culture After Marine Court-Martialed for Keeping Bible Verse on Her Computer
The faith of Denzel Washington in 8 quotes
Opinion
Matt Chandler, The Village Church offer apology to Karen Hinkley
A Word to Self-Righteous Christians Attacking Josh Duggar
IRS Admits Massive Identity Theft
What Marriage Means to Young Evangelicals
Boy Scouts of America Face Moral Disaster
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner?
“My Last Day” — the Jesus Anime
9 powerful minutes of animation that begins with a thief behind bars watching the scourging of Jesus, and it ends with the thief dying next to Jesus, and waking to see Him in a beautiful place.
The dying thief: What was so great about his faith?
Remember the thief.
It can be a difficult situation if someone you are witnessing to asks about the fate of a loved one who died and was not a Christian. Simply say, “Only God knows the eternal destiny of the person, and the Scriptures assure us that He will do what is right. So we can take consolation from that.” Some may be tempted to say that the loved one went to hell, but the truth is that we don’t know what happened minutes before their death. Remember the thief on the cross.
Our Time is Short
Don’t be Left Behind
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Ready to start your new life with God?
Who do you think that I am?
With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.
Consider what the Bible says about Him: Read more
Look to Jesus
Have you ever felt a little lost and wished there was a quick-start guide to your relationship with God? This is it!
30 Day Next Steps
John Beckett, a leading Christian businessman, has written a series to read over 30 days for new believers.
New Believers Guide
The New Believer’s Guide is a series of articles designed to show you how to walk in the new life Christ has given you— a life of faith and freedom.
Jesus Booklet
Jesus is the Savior of the world. Discover who Jesus is today in this series.
About Christianity
Know Jesus Christ and your life will be transformed
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