Tuesday, May 11, 2010

It's a duck!


A few years ago in my hometown "Fun City", there used to be a popular saying:
If it looks like a duck, and it walks like a duck and it quacks?
It's a duck!

I constantly think of this concept when I see people overlooking obvious implications about certain situations where the facts are so easy to discern; Yet, most people see grey areas.
How can a person disregard a "gut feeling"? I believe that our intuition is a God given talent; or a defense mechanism to allow us to distinguish between right and wrong; fight or flight. However, in the sinful world in which we live morals have gradually been replaced with "politically correct" rationale; The traditional values that have existed since the dawn of time have now become ambiguous, and now "everything goes". This process was accelerated during the 1970's when the hippie culture spread the concepts of "If it feels good, do it"; If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with"; "Try it, you'll like it"; And of course, "The devil made me do it". As we look at the ignorance of the day, and the confusion over what's what; Can we deny the facts about any given issue or situation when all the indications are in plain sight? Can we refuse to see what's in plain view.
As I consider these thoughts I wonder about the leaders of the world....Then, the next question is: Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall in the ditch?

Can there be any morality (Truth) in a world that refuses to acknowledge that the Lord's Commandments are His standard; That the Lord's character is manifested in His Ten Commandments. Can there be any sound judgement outside of God's moral and spiritual principles? I definitely doubt it. This brings me to my conclusion of the matter: When people's judgement becomes so distorted that they can no longer distinguish which way is up or down, and can not perceive what's wrong or right; We've reached the point foretold by the prophet Isaiah:
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!.......Isaiah 5:20


Again, I wonder if it looks like a duck; Isn't it a duck? If we get back to the basics (The Lord's Commandments) we can clearly distinguish between what is and what ain't.


Remember: The Lord will judge each individual according to what? According to His Ten Commandments, of course. They are His character. So, to have 20/20 understanding keep His commandments; His instruction manual (The Bible) and His 10 Commandments will allow you to live and see things clearly.
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Please, please! Look and recognize: It's a duck!
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Arsenio.
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Monday, May 10, 2010

Elena Kagan To Be Tapped as Next Supreme Court Justice


Patricia Murphy
Columnist



Posted:
05/9/10





President Barack Obama will name Elena Kagan to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court, Politics Daily has learned. Kagan, 50, is currently the solicitor general of the United States and is the former dean of Harvard Law School. If confirmed, she would be the fourth woman to serve on the high court, and the third woman on the current court.

Kagan was on the short list for the last Supreme Court vacancy that Sonia Sotomayor eventually filled. Both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have interviewed her to fill Stevens' seat on the court.

On Sunday morning, Attorney General Eric Holder hinted that Kagan could be the next member of the high court. "She's done a wonderful job in the Justice Department. I've known her since the Clinton years. And I think she would be a great justice," Holder said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I think people will get an understanding who she is, what her judicial philosophy is, if in fact she is the pick," Holder said.

A native of New York City, Kagan attended Princeton University and Oxford University in England, and finished magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.

In addition to having been the dean at Harvard law, she was also a professor there and at the University of Chicago, where Obama was a constitutional law professor. She also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and was in private law practice in Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Summers, the former Treasury Secretary and current economic adviser to President Obama, named Kagan to be the first woman to be dean of Harvard Law School in 2003.

Although her legal career has included time in private practice, academia and government service, including four years as associate White House counsel in the Clinton White House, she has never served as a judge.

Beyond Kagan's extensive resume, Democrats consider her strongest credential to be the fact that she was confirmed by the Senate in 2009 as the Justice Department's top litigator. The Senate voted then, 61 to 31, to confirm her, with conservatives Tom Coburn, Orrin Hatch and Jon Kyl voting for her. All 31 no votes came from Republicans, including the top GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions.

If the president formally nominates Kagan on Monday, as expected, her nomination will go to the Senate Judiciary Committee and then the full Senate for consideration. The process will likely last throughout the summer, and if successful, Kagan could be seated as a part of the Court's first day of session in October.

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Global Warning



  • 6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

    7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.



  • 8And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.



  • 9And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship
    the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

    10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
    out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
    with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence
    of the Lamb:

    11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.



12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.


Revelation:14:6-12.

Someone in Alexandria is "really" interested in Endrtimes

Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as central Maryland, modern Alexandria has been shaped by its proximity to the nation's capital. It is largely populated by professionals working in the federal civil service, the U.S. military, or for one of the many private companies which contract to provide services to the federal government. The latter are known locally as beltway bandits, after the Capital Beltway, an interstate highway that circles Washington, D.C. One of Alexandria's largest employers is the U.S. Department of Defense. Others include the Institute for Defense Analyses and the Center for Naval Analyses. In 2005, the United States Patent and Trademark Office moved 7,100 employees from 18 separate buildings in nearby Crystal City into a new headquarters complex in the city.
Alexandria is home to numerous
trade associations, charities, and non-profit organizations including the national headquarters of groups such as Catholic Charities, USA, United Way, and the Salvation Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria,_Virginia


Since last week I've noticed on the FEEDJIT feature of (my weblog) Endrtimes that someone is systematically viewing or scanning the blog. This process has methodically examined each category and subject in the blog. It still continues as I tap these keys...


I wonder who that might be?

Could it be a computer scanning, data mining for politically in-correct (inconvenient truth) information?


I first noticed this operation last Wednesday; Since then, it continues around the clock.

All I can wish for that entity is that they will discern that Jesus Christ is coming to earth very soon, and that they will also prepare to meet Him during His triumphant return.


Here's a copy of the FEEDJIT app at about 5:00 AM this morning:

Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: PHILIPPINES" 1 min ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: Austin Fitts" 2 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: Bermuda" 4 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: The Family" 5 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: Bermuda" 6 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: The Family" 6 mins ago.
Melbourne, Victoria arrived from google.com.au on "EndrTimes: February 2009" 7 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: Bermuda" 7 mins ago.
Alexandria, Virginia arrived on "EndrTimes: collectivism" 19 mins ago.
Bad Münder, Niedersachsen arrived from search.1und1.de on "EndrTimes: August 2008" 23 mins ago.

Peek a boo!
He's coming for you, too!.

Arsenio.
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P.S. FEEDJIT demonstrates traffic to the blog; It shows the city and country of visitors to a site. .
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Sunday, May 09, 2010

Uncomfortable Truths and the Times Square Attack


By Ben West and Scott Stewart May 6, 2010

Faisal Shahzad, the first suspect arrested for involvement in the failed May 1 Times Square bombing attempt, was detained just before midnight on May 3 as he was attempting to depart on a flight from Kennedy International Airport in New York. Authorities removed Shahzad, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent, from an Emirates Airlines flight destined for Dubai. On May 4, Shahzad appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan for his arraignment.

Authorities say that Shahzad is cooperating and that he insists he acted alone. However, this is contradicted by reports that the attack could have international links. On Feb. 3, Shahzad returned from a trip to Pakistan, where, according to the criminal complaint, he said he received militant training in Waziristan, a key hub of the main Pakistani Taliban rebel coalition, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Authorities are reportedly seeking three other individuals in the United States in connection with the May 1 Times Square bombing attempt.


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Catholic Money and Tax Dollars Finance Illegal Alien Rally

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)


REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst



By Cliff Kincaid April 30, 2010

A group organizing a May 1 “May Day” rally in favor of “immigrant rights” in Lafayette Park in front of the White House is financially supported by the Catholic Church, Big Business, the federal government, and various Maryland governmental entities.


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Bloomberg 'Terror Gap' Argument Shot Down By Pro-Gun GOP Senators

First Posted: 05- 5-10 02:31 PM Updated: 05- 5-10 02:57 PM



New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's appeal to what he called "common sense" at a congressional hearing Wednesday morning failed to sway two Republican senators who said that giving the government the ability to block the purchase of guns by suspected terrorists would undermine the Second Amendment's right to bear arms.

"Shouldn't FBI agents have the authority to block sales of guns and explosives to those on the terror watchlists -- and deemed too dangerous to fly? I actually believe that they should," Bloomberg told senators. Federal law currently only allows the government to block guns sales for a very limited number of reasons, and being on that list is not one of them. (For more background, see Tuesday's article on the subject.)

"This common-sense legislation is not anti-gun -- it's anti-terrorist," chimed in Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), the sponsor of a bill that would close what Bloomberg has called a "terror gap."

But GOP Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina wouldn't go along.

Admitting that "at first blush" the bill "seems to be an obvious step that we should take," Collins said that many people on the FBI's watchlist don't belong there. "None of us wants a terrorist to be able to purchase a gun, but neither should we want to infringe upon a Constitutional right of law-abiding Americans," she said.

Graham described the bill as an instrument of those who would ban guns altogether. "We're talking about a constitutional right here," he said, explaining that he could not support a bill that would force "innocent Americans" to "pay the cost of going to court to get their gun rights back."

Graham wasn't nearly as concerned about rights when he launched into a disquisition on the treatment of American citizens accused of terrorism. "I am all into national security," he said. "I want them to stop reading these guys Miranda rights."

Like many of his fellow Republicans, Graham assailed the administration for respecting the constitutional rights of suspected terrorists, suggesting instead that they should be treated like enemies on the battlefield.

"Even if you're an American citizen helping the enemy, you should be seen as a potential enemy," he said, "not as someone who committed a crime in New York."

After the hearing, Bloomberg told reporters he had no problem with federal investigators reading Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in this weekend's Times Square bomb plot, his Miranda rights, saying that "our democracy is strong enough" for that.

As for the Second Amendment concerns, Bloomberg said in his testimony: "Our founding fathers did not write the Second Amendment to empower people who wanted to terrorize a free state; they wrote it to protect people who could defend 'the security of a free state.' Today, the security of our free state is being tested by terrorists."

A new Government Accountability Office report out today disclosed that from February 2004 through February 2010, individuals on the terrorist watchlist were involved in firearm or explosives background checks 1,228 times. Of those, 1,119, or 91 percent, were allowed to proceed because there were no legally disqualifying factors.

New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Shahzad had purchased a gun in Connecticut in March, shortly after returning from a trip to Pakistan. Officials found a 9mm pistol and ammunition in Shahzad's car. Shahzad was not put on the terror watchlist until Monday, the day before he was captured.

"It appears March is when he decided to put this plan in motion," Kelly said, noting that for a terror suspect to buy a gun "may well be an indicator of putting something catastrophic in motion."

*************************
Dan Froomkin is senior Washington correspondent for the Huffington Post




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"Out of the Cities"


Finding Your Home In The Country


“And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel,
saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an
exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring
us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and
honey” (Numbers 14:7-8).

This promise is for us as well as for the children of Israel long
ago. In fact, the Lord gave it to us again through the pen of
Ellen White:
“Parents can secure small homes in the country, with land for
cultivation, where the children will not be surrounded with the
corrupting influences of city life. God will help his people to
find such homes outside the cities” (Ellen G. White, The Review
and Herald, July 5, 1906).

In this chapter we are going to look at some of the most important
characteristics that should be considered when looking for country
property. While you most likely will not find a property that is
“perfect,” attention to the issues outlined in this chapter will help to
assure that your country living experience is a positive one.

Out of the Cities
80

Water

While there are certain characteristics that are more important to
some than others, this is one thing that I consider absolutely essential
for any piece of country property. There are a variety of ways that
this water can come. It may come in the form of a spring, creek,
or river. The property might even border a lake. In such cases, you
will need to have an adequate filtration system for household use. In
most cases, the water will come from a well.

When evaluating the water supply on a piece of property, it is
important to be realistic about your water needs. While a family
can get by with very little water in terms of drinking, bathing, and
cooking, remember that one of the reasons for country living is to
grow your own food. Agriculture requires much more water than just
a typical family would use for their personal needs. For example, we
have fruit trees, berries, a small garden, lawns and flowers which
require more than 2,000 gallons each day to sustain them during the
summer months. If you are depending on a spring or creek, make
sure it flows year-around, and make sure you know how much water
is available during the driest season.

If the property does not already have a well, and there is no other
source of water, do not assume that you will be able to get water
when you drill a well. I would not purchase such property without
sufficient evidence that there is the potential for finding sufficient
water within a reasonable depth. Average well depth in a given area
can be determined by checking well logs which are on file with the
state. Often they can be searched online. Keep in mind however, that
well logs can be highly inaccurate in terms of gallons per minute
production. This is because the water output listed on well logs is
usually based upon an estimate made by the driller, not an actual

Finding Your Home in the Country
81

pump test. It has been my experience that drillers are sometimes
overly optimistic when estimating well water production. A more
accurate method of determining water potential would be to check
with neighboring property owners who have a well to find out how
their wells are performing. It might also be advisable to purchase
such property with a contingency that you are not obligated to buy
the property if you do not find a minimum specified amount of water
within a specified depth. Even then, consider carefully whether or
not you can afford to spend the money to drill with the potential of
not finding any water at all.

Thus far, in discussing water, we have only considered the question of
quantity. However, just because the land is rural doesn’t mean there
couldn’t be a problem with the quality of the water. If the property
already has a water source, it is advisable to have a test to determine
that it is free of bacteria and other contaminants such as uranium
and arsenick. We know of several families who discovered after the
purchase that their water was dangerously high in uranium. This
required a special filtration system costing thousands of dollars.
Another potential use for water is in the generation of electricity. If
there is a creek, spring, or river on the property, you may be able to
install a hydro-electric system. To do this you need sufficient flow
and adequate drop in elevation. Keep in mind, however, that some
local or state governments may require permits for such systems.

Accessibility

The most ideal country properties provide privacy, which means they
will be somewhat remote. (For a discussion of how far out a property
should be, see chapter eight.) Such properties are generally more
affordable since most people prefer the convenience of being closer

Out of the Cities
82

to populated areas. However, make sure the property is accessible
year around. If you are in an area where it snows, find out whether
or not the road is maintained or if you would have to do your own
plowing in the winter. Mud can also be a problem, either due to
rain or spring break-up in colder climates. Roads in the far northern
regions can become impassible in the spring thaw, so make sure this
will be manageable if you are considering a property in such an area.
The only way to really know about these things is to talk to several
people living in the same area, preferably on the same access road.

Climate

In my opinion, the most important reason to consider climate has to
do with the growing season. Find out when the first and last freeze
are each year. You can still grow food, even in colder climates, but
you might have to use a greenhouse. I know of one family that has
an “indoor” orchard. While these things can be done, it is much
easier to be able to grow a significant portion of your food outside.
Other issues to consider relating to climate include wind, humidity,
precipitation, and sunshine. While some of these things are a matter
of preference, for some people, living in an area where there is cloud
cover much of the year becomes almost unbearable. Another reason
to consider sunshine and/or wind is related to the possibility of
generating your own power using solar panels or wind generators.
Go to your local library or use the internet to research these climate
related issues.

Location

How is the property situated? Who owns the properties bordering
the piece you’re looking at? Is there a privacy buffer along all

Finding Your Home in the Country
83

boundaries of the property? (Generally that would come in the form
of trees located on the property you would be purchasing.) It is most
ideal to border national or state forests. Large logging interests have
often been considered to be good for bordering property owners, but
keep in mind that they can at any time come in and log their land,
possibly even clear cutting their property. Consider how such an
event might affect the property under consideration.

It is also important to consider the slope of the property. Ideally,
you want a south facing slope for better growing, and household
warmth in the winter. Properties with a north facing slope can have
less sunlight in the winter which can also mean slippery roads,
depending on the part of the country.

Another issue relating to location has to do with telephone and
power service. Whether or not you decide to live off the grid, it is
a good idea to have a way to produce your own electricity, at least
in the event of power outage. It can cost many thousands to bring
power from the local utility company to a location that is off the
grid. The same goes for phone lines. It might be that you can receive
cell phone service from such a location. There is also the option of
VOIP which utilizes the internet through a satellite system.

Employment

A very important consideration in selecting a country property has to
do with the reality of providing for your family. Is the property close
enough to a populated area to facilitate employment? While there
are many employment opportunities within a reasonable distance to
rural areas, in some cases, it might be advisable to be reeducated to
enter a different field. We’ll discuss that more in the next chapter.
Another issue pertains to the discrepancy in wages paid in rural areas

Out of the Cities
84

versus metropolitan areas. It is often the case that some occupations
do not command as much pay in less populated areas. It is important
to research these things before purchasing country property to avoid
either selecting a bad location, or purchasing more than you can
feasibly afford without undue hardship.

Government

Certain areas of the country offer more liberty than others, and this
should be taken into consideration when contemplating where you
want to live. It might surprise some to discover that there can be
considerable difference in how these issues are handled in various
parts of the country. Some of the questions you should research
include:
• What kind of restrictions or fees exist on building and
property improvements?
• Are there restrictions for home-schooling in the state or local
government?
• Is the area friendly toward home business or selfemployment?
• What are the property taxes in the area of interest?

Air

One might suppose that pure fresh air would simply be a given
with any rural property. However, this is not necessarily the case.
Some areas are especially prone to inversion layers which can trap
pollution from nearby metropolitan areas. How serious an issue is
this? Consider this statement from the pen of inspiration:
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Finding Your Home in the Country
85

“Fresh air will prove far more beneficial to sick persons than
medicine, and is far more essential to them than their food. They
will do better, and will recover sooner, when deprived of food,
than when deprived of fresh air” (Counsels on Health, p. 55).
It is also a good idea to spend some time researching the EPA
website (http://www.epa.gov/radon/) to determine which parts of the
country have a radon problem. If you are considering purchasing a
home with a basement, have it tested for radon prior to purchase as it
can be costly to install an air filtration system appropriate for radon
removal after the fact. If you will be building in an area known for
high radon levels, make sure you follow the guidelines for installing
such a system during the building process.

Avoiding Pitfalls

Here are some other important things to consider when purchasing
country property. Keeping these points in mind could save you a
world of grief...

For the remainder of this chapter, visit the following web site:
http://backtoenoch.org/out-of-the-cities-the-book.html

This document is an excerpt from the book:
"Out of the Cities" - by Dave Westbrook
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Saturday, May 08, 2010

America - Governed by Organized Crime!


Volume XXIX Issue V May 2010
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/




America - Governed by Organized Crime!

"For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy they do not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?"

Jeremiah 5:26-31



"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain: Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James 4:1-4



In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will once again use the Word of God as our compass and navigation system as we view the end times. We know that something is seriously wrong with the United States of America. Furthermore, we are continually warned by the many signs in God's creation that something is about to happen that has never happened before. We have an American tradition of freedom, liberty, and justice. We have the protection of the United States Constitution, which was designed to protect every individual from the government.

Quite recently, we have discovered how oppressive a government can be. The Obama Administration listens to no one except his invisible antichrist superiors. Every day we are seeing radical transitions and changes to which the vast majority of the people are opposed. We are clearly moving toward a communist one-world dictatorship.

The Bible verses above tell us of wicked and deceitful men who seize upon a people for total exploitation of their souls. Satan and his antichrist dictator demand complete allegiance in "their world." Their success will be temporary and short-lived because our Saviour will soon return to bring all things into judgment. If you are reading this and have not yet surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus, I urge you to do it now. Time is so short.

Marshalling the Forces of Antichrist!

While the United States of America is going through an incredibly obvious change toward dictatorship, the rest of the world looks on with great wonder. For the first time in modern history, many secular politicians and world leaders are using religious and Biblical terminology to describe what is happening. On March 24th, 2010, the London Daily Mail newspaper featured a shocking headline as follows: "Almost a Quarter of Republicans Think Obama May Be the Antichrist As Fourteen States Sue Over Healthcare Reforms." In Washington, D.C., the President is being compared to the Antichrist! (1) In a recent Harris poll, 57% of Republicans believed Obama is secretly Muslim, and 67% believed he is a Socialist.

As antichrist powers arise, every other kind of evil rises with it. We are living in a time of historic firsts as new and outrageous things continue to arise. On March 10th, 2010, Washington, D.C., gave its blessing to gay marriages, and leading the way were two female ordained ministers. (2) Countless others are to follow. Truly the spirits of Sodom are active in the capital of the United States. In addition to that, laws are now being changed that legalize both homosexual and bisexual activity between military personnel. The bill is being called the "Military Readiness Enhancement Act 2010." (3)

As spiritual waves of antichrist power surge across America, many people are left in a state of confusion in not knowing what to do. Many thousands have responded in protest with so called "tea parties." (4) In many cases, these protests receive very little news coverage. And as voices falling on deaf ears, the Obama Administration refuses to listen to the people, and our country becomes ever more unstable.

In addition to the distressing activities of Obama regarding the Unites States, we also see his peculiar foreign policies coming forth in order to reshape the international order. On April 9, 2010, Barack Obama, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, and Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus met at Prague Castle and signed a nuclear treaty (5). While a nuclear treaty may sound like a good thing, we must remember that there are other nations that possess powerful nuclear weapons and that a treaty by definition is just a plan for another war. A treaty is an agreement between nations to come to the aid of each other if any one of them is attacked. This always ensures a much larger war. Who would have thought that the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand in Sarajevo would trigger World War I? It did so because of the treaties that existed among all the nations to come to each other's aid, creating a domino effect that devastated the world in the early years of the twentieth century. At the end of World War I came the Versailles Treaty in France, which guaranteed that the next war would be global as well. In fact, when British Representative Lloyd-George left the Versailles Treaty and reporters asked him what was accomplished that day, he answered, "War in twenty years." Exactly twenty years later, Germany began activities which were fomented into World War II. Such is the nature of a treaty.

On March 29th, 2010, the London Daily Mail newspaper featured an article stating that Obama sets his sights on merging Mexico and the United States. (6) It is being done in a very clever way and is really an offshoot of health care reform. Ever since the health care reform passed, the focus has shifted to modernizing our immigration system to provide health care for all illegal aliens and allowing them the freedom to pass to and from Mexico unrestricted. Thus, in effect, the American border would disappear if this is allowed to happen.

Another question that must be asked regarding the foreign policies of Obama is why he would grant offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to Russia. Russia is moving further and further westward gaining continual leverage, and while Russia continues its western domination, the United States seems to shrink back into the obscurity of an uncertain future. (7)

Probably one of the greatest outrages of our time is a recent decision of Obama to order American troops to march in Red Square Parade, complete with posters of Stalin, on May 9th. The event is to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. British, French, and American troops plan to march under the red flag in Red Square amidst countless posters of Stalin at the Kremlin. (8)

Health Care - The Devil Behind the Dream

As is always the case with any legislative act or project of the government, there is always an occult connection and basis for it. The recently passed national health care reform bill is certainly no exception. So much has been said about how it will bankrupt our country, dissolve our liberties, and force governmental interpretation of so-called health needs upon us. But looking beyond that as a former occultist, I can see some amazing signs that reach far beyond the realm of coincidence. When the first measure was passed, I had predicted it would happen during the occult witches' sabot of Yule, and right on cue, that's what did happen. Then with all of the debate, closed door sessions, and conspiracy regarding the final bill, I predicted that the final passing would take place on March 21st, 2010, which is the witches' sabat of Astarte. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened. (9) This left only one thing remaining to be done to bring it into law, and that was for the signature of the President of the United States. Obama wasted no time and signed it into law the very next day, which was March 22nd, 2010. If we look at the numbers of that date, 3-22, and if we know anything about secret societies and occult organizations, we will immediately recognize that the number 322 appears in bold numerals on the logo of the Skull and Bones Society. The Society of Skull and Bones is a small but powerful secret organization located on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. I have personally been there and have fought them with prayer on various occasions. Their letterhead and logo feature large skull crossbones and the number 322. This organization must have 322 members at all times. From this we know that the universal health care plan, which is now in effect, is truly a project of the Illuminati itself for the purpose of depopulation and the micromanagement of the bodies of every American. Another important point that must be made is that the date of March 22 is vitally important to the Illuminati because it is the day when the sun enters the sign of Aries, who is regarded to be the god of war, bloodshed, and turmoil. Another occult aspect regarding the signing of this health care bill on 3-22-10 is that when Obama signed it, he used twenty-two different multicolored pens.

It is becoming increasingly obvious to those who are watching and praying that those who are now in charge of our government are operating under the pressure of a severe invisible force, and to a great extent they don't know what they're doing. This is reflected in a statement made by Nancy Pelosi on March 10, 2010, when she said, "But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy." (10)

If one is to explain the politics of Barack Obama, we would have to refer back to the Chicago underworld. As we look back in history to the early part of the twentieth century, there was a period of time when Chicago was the haven of every kind of racketeering and underworld activity. During the time of the Prohibition, Chicago was being shot up by the most notorious gangsters that ever lived. Their names are well remembered to this day: John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Dutch Schultz, Two-Gun Crowley, Frank Nitti, and the infamous Al Capone. It was Al Capone who fancied himself as a kind of hero of the people. Capone is famous for his statement that "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Chicago was the very heartland of America, but those who engaged in business activities and owned stores and shops found that freedom, liberty, and justice were only idealistic words. Throughout the city there was gambling, prostitution, illegal stills, and speak-easies. One of the biggest games was called the "protection racket." The way the protection racket worked is that so-called "salesmen" would go into business and commercial districts. Going from one business to the next, they would ask to see the owner. The "salesmen" would compliment the owner on his business and then inform the owner that they would hate to see anything happen to interrupt his enterprise. The salesmen usually had a couple scars on their faces, pinstripe suits, and violin cases that did not contain violins. The store keeper was then told he must pay an insurance premium to prevent anyone from coming in and breaking up the place with violence and destruction. If the storekeeper paid the exorbitant payment on a regular basis, all was well. If not, trouble was guaranteed. It was the perfect sales pitch. Buy it or suffer consequences. We know from studying the Bible that there is a certain geography regarding evil spirits and how they operate. We refer to spirits of Sodom and spirits of Babylon, but there are certain types of spirits that have their roots of operation in one place and yet manifest their power in another place. At this present time, we have a President and much of his cabinet with roots in the Chicago underworld. Can any thinking person not see the similarities of operation between the Obama "syndicate" and the Chicago underworld? The health care legislation that was railroaded through is a prime example of invading not only business places but the lives of individual Americans with that perfect sales pitch "buy it or be fined and jailed."

There has been so much confusion regarding the new health care plan. Confusion is the very nature of politics. Politicians seem to have a continual presence of evil around them. The political oligarchy in America, including both Democrats and Republicans, is outspokenly opposed to deficits. Yet all we have are deficits. If all of the politicians stand against inflation and higher taxes, why are we constantly getting what they are supposedly standing against? The fact is that politicians are the only people in the entire world who create problems and then campaign against them. Senate majority leader Harry Reid surprised everyone during the December vote for the health care bill. After putting almost all of his time and effort into getting it passed, he stood up and voted against it! Of course, he quickly changed his vote. But how could such an obvious mistake be made by the forceful proponent of the measure? And yet during the March 22nd vote, he did it again, voting nay and then quickly changing it. (11) Such confusion at the outset of a project this large will certainly work its way into every phase and facet of health care. Destruction and failure are ahead, but so is the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Economic Changeover

While we continually hear that Wall Street is doing well, we know that the cities and states of our nation are literally crumbling economically. On March 12th, 2010, an associated press article revealed that Kansas City, Missouri, school officials determined that they must shut down half of the district schools by the start of classes in the fall. (12) In Detroit, Michigan, family homes are now selling for just ten dollars. The London Daily Telegraph recently reported in an article that the BBC revealed the horror story in a documentary called "Requiem for Detroit." According to Real Estate agent Tim Prophit, there were numerous homes on the market for one hundred dollars, but an offer for just ten dollars would likely be accepted. (13) All indicators now reveal that our current economy is breathing its last, and a new one will try to rise in its place. With it will come a new government because in all of recorded history no government has ever outlived its economy. On February 24th, 2010, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, announced that it was bracing for a new wave of bank failures. The FDIC has recently placed 702 lending institutions on its list of problem banks. It is the insurance fund of the FDIC that safeguards the deposits of the people of America. Everything in this arena is now getting very shaky. (14)

The national debt level of over thirteen trillion dollars is beyond comprehension. On April 5th, 2010, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Obama budget has brought the United States government close to the tipping point, and that tipping point is when the national debt reaches 90% of the domestic gross profit of the Unites States. (15) According to the Wall Street Journal, our U.S. Government's year-to-date deficit ballooned to a record 651.6 billion dollars in February. The February reading of 221 billion was the largest ever monthly deficit. (16) Now we have learned that on March 26th, 2010, the Federal Government CBO, or budget office, has now indicated that Obama's fiscal 2011 budget will rise to 90% of the gross domestic profit. (17) In short, we can't keep up with our debt.

The millions of Americans who are on Social Security of the United States will soon be in for another sad shock. The US Treasury Department plans to take social security money from the elderly for unpaid loans. Up until this time, no one could touch Social Security money, but the U.S. is not collecting debts owed to offsetting agencies. (18) The United States economy is suffering greatly on every side, and when the health care reform bill was passed, it sent shock waves through the major corporate world because all major companies and many small businesses will be forced to carry insurance for all of their employees. One example is AT&T, which stated that in the first year alone, 2010, the company will lose one billion dollars. With one stroke of a pen, that value disappeared from the company, just as billions more disappeared from other American companies and enterprises! (19)

Who Is At War With Whom?

For the past forty years, I have watched the illuministic and occult powers that run the governments of the world destroy this beautiful creation of God as they try to reshape the world according to satanic specifications. The Lord Jesus forewarned us in Matthew, chapter 24, that there would be wars and rumours of wars, and to this very hour, it is true. In any war there are protagonists and antagonists, but in recent history, many wars, battles, and strifes seem to be undefined. In reality these wars are not fought just among men. Wars are also fought among angels, and you can read about that in the twelfth chapter of Revelation. Ultimately, the great battle is between heaven and hell, and the real enemy of hell is the remnant people of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must know the enemy, and we must never be ignorant of his devices.

In the 1980's, I watched a strange phenomenon as jet airplanes began to release chemicals into the atmosphere in massive quantities. These chemtrails were much different than the narrow and dissipating contrails, and something strange was going on. The evidence was obvious as patterns appeared in the sky. Sometimes shapes like wheels with spokes and various other designs appeared. Some of the designs were occult in nature. On April 6, 2010, Avion News published a story regarding a commission that presented this problem to the European Union. While the people of the world were told to stop using their spray cans to protect the ozone layer, thousands of planes were spraying the skies with persistent milky veils due to the presence of barium, aluminum, and iron. (20) One of the primary problems with the chemtrails is that the substance eventually falls to earth, destroying the eco systems of our planet and causing upper respiratory sicknesses to many people. We know that Satan is called the prince of the powers of the air, and these activities are literally poisoning our planet.

On April 6th, 2010, the Pentagon requested another thirty-three billion dollars more for the war in Afghanistan. (21) This war in Afghanistan has been going on for nearly a decade with no progress, but, of course, that's the way they intended it to be. Our excuse for going into Afghanistan was based on the incidents that took place on September 11, 2001. This is the day when the towers came down and changed our nation forever, but we were not attacked by Afghanistan, nor were we attacked by Iraq. However, on the premise that the perpetrators were hiding there, the United States went in and began to systematically decimate those countries. Much propaganda and many lies came forth regarding the twin towers and who destroyed them. The conspirators know full well that when people are stricken with grief their emotions do not allow them to be completely rational, so the incidents and the propaganda were brought forth, and suddenly we had two major wars on our hands. Here let it be noted that on April 6th, 2010, the Intelligence Daily published a report by Joel S. Hirschorn revealing that one hundred million Americans are questioning and finding fault with the official 9-11 story. There were conspirators with an agenda that stood to gain from this manufactured tragedy, and without a doubt it was an inside job. (22) One thing can be said about Afghanistan is that the nation has prospered exponentially since our troops have walked across their soil. Afghanistan is now not only the world's largest producer of opium, but it has also overtaken Morocco as the top producer of hashish. (23) It appears a country's agriculture can do quite well with our armies protecting it. As amazing as this story is, it was published on March 21st, 2010, by the New York Times and the headline stated "U.S. Turns Blind Eye to Opium in Marjah." (24)

Unwitting Guinea Pigs

Truly it can be said that some of the most horrible and dreadful activities that ever came out of the perverted minds of men involved human experimentation. Those are words that you would probably expect to hear in regard to Nazi concentration camps, but the fact is these things are going on among the general population of the entire world all the time. On March 23rd, 2010, CNN News published a story that revealed a horrible tragedy. Thirty million kids got Rotarix vaccine tainted with pig virus. The FDA uncovered the pig virus while researching the vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline. The manufacturer quickly stated that the pig virus is not known to cause disease in humans. (25) Of course, there are many other problems with vaccines and high tech chemicals that are causing serious conditions. The February 2010 issue of the Journal of Modern Genetics revealed the following shocking headline: "Gender-Bender Chemicals Are Turning Boys into Girls." A 326 page report issued by the government of Denmark affirmed that endocrine disrupting chemicals are continuing to birth fewer males and causing the feminization of existing ones. Chemicals such as PVCs, flame retardants, phthalates, dioxins, PCBs, and bisphenol-A all mimic estrogen in the body. These are being blamed for falling sperm counts worldwide and fewer boys being born than ever before. These chemicals are literally feminizing the world. (26) Another incident of human experimentation was reported on March 11, 2010, by the London Daily Telegraph. The incident took place in 1951 in a quiet village in southern France, which was mysteriously struck down with mass insanity and hallucinations. Five people died, dozens were injured, and hundreds were inflicted. It has now been admitted that our own United States government Central Intelligence Agency spiked French bread with LSD. (27) It was an experiment to see the extent of reaction upon a small number of people before bringing it into this country where it became popular in the 1960's and 70's. We must also note that it was Dr. Timothy Leary who was used to introduce and distribute LSD. He made the statement that when you are on LSD, you are not hallucinating, but you are seeing another world that does exist. Dr. Leary said that the drug gives you the ability to cross the bridge to that other world, much like the crossing of the mythological river Styx to the land of the gods and goddesses. Thus the drug becomes a "bridge over troubled waters."

We know that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, and this is exemplified in a March 11, 2010 article by AFP News, which tells us of a new brain scan that can read people's thoughts. This is being researched by the University College London. (28) How long will Almighty God allow such things to go on? Certainly we are near the end!

The Earth Under Pressures

In recent months, we have seen the signs and wonders for which the Lord told us to watch, and they are happening on an ever increasing basis. In the past several newsletters, I noted the climbing number of earthquakes and how they are increasing also in intensity and frequency, just as labor pains come upon a woman with child. After decreasing slightly in the past few weeks, they're now increasing again. On March 9th, 2010, Okcular, Turkey, was hit by a strong earthquake. It happened in the early dawn, and within moments people were trying to climb through their windows and into the streets. It was a 6.0 earthquake with numerous aftershocks. We know that earthquakes in various places are one of the great signs of the end. Here let it be noted that earthquakes are rarely powerful enough to literally move and transplant an entire city. However, the 8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile in February moved the city of Concepcion ten feet to the west. (29) The word of God tells us in Revelation 16, verses 19 and 20, "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." This is a description of the final earthquake that will cause this present world to crumble, and all of these quakes that are now happening are leading up to this event. The U.S. Geological Survey lists earthquakes in thirty day increments. We know that the date March 15th, which is always known as the Ides of March, is ominous because it was the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated in Rome. It is interesting to note that on the Ides of March 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey posted exactly 666 earthquakes within the past thirty days of that date. (30) On April 4th, 2010, a 7.2 magnitude quake hit Baja, California, and was felt over much of the West coast of the United States. It was listed as a major quake because of the structural damage and widespread effect. (31)

Another great sign that we are near the end is the eruption of the great volcano in Iceland. This event took place on March 22nd, 2010. Countless tons of volcanic ash spewed for miles into the upper atmosphere over Iceland. This thick ash continued to pour out for many days, and since it is easily capable of choking out jet engines, airline flights all over Europe and the North Atlantic had to be canceled. (32) The Icelandic eruption is a stern reminder of something much greater to come. In Isaiah, chapter 64, verses 1-3, we read of how it will be on the day the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth. "Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we look not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence."

Not only is the earth trembling and shaking, but it is also being attacked from an invisible star. The economic Times of London reported on March 12, 2010, the strange story. Scientists have claimed that an unseen star five times the size of Jupiter is lurking near our solar system and is beginning to kick comets toward the earth. The star has been named Nemesis or the "death star." It lies just beyond the edge of our solar system. As this death star spins, it gathers destructive power. Professor John Matese of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette said that most comets come from some part of the Oort Cloud. (33)

In closing, I urge everyone to continue to pray without ceasing. If you have prayer requests and would like to send them to us, our intercessors will be more than happy to give them individual attention. My sincerest thanks to all who support this end time prophetic ministry. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

David J. Meyer

Acknowledgments

1. London Daily Mail, March 24, 2010, By David Gardner, London, England, UK.
2. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 10, 2010, AP Washington, D.C.
3. CNS News.com, March 8, 2010, By Nicholas Ballasy.
4. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 8, 2010, By Bill Glauber, Milwaukee, WI.
5. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 9, 2010, By Jennifer Loven, AP Prague.
6. The London Daily Mail, March 29, 2010, London, England, UK.
7. Washington Times, March 18, 2010, Washington, D.C.
8. PZ News Watch, March 27, 2010, Moscow, Russia. http://www.armybase.us/2010/03
9. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 22, 2010, By Diana Marrero, Milwaukee, WI.
10. CBS News Service, March 10, 2010, By David Freddoso, Washington, D.C.
11. CNN News, March 22, 2010, Washington, D.C.
12. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 12, 2010, By Heather Hollingsworth, Kansas City, MO.
13. London Daily Telegraph, March 12, 2010, London, England, UK.
14. FCIC Report, February 24, 2010, By Eric Dash, Washington, D.C.
15. San Francisco Chronicle, April 5, 2010, By Caroline Lochhead, San Francisco, CA.
16. Wall Street Journal, March 10, 2010, New York, NY.
17. The Washington Times, March 26, 2010, By David M. Dickson, Washington, D.C.
18. The Wall Street Journal, March 10, 2010, New York, NY.
19. Bloomberg News Service, March 26, 2010, By Amy Thompson and Ian King, New York, NY.
20. AvionNews, April 6, 2010, By Erik Meijer, London, England, UK.
21. Newscom, March 25, 2010, By Gordon Lubold, Washington, D.C.
22. Intelligence Daily, April 6, 2010, By Joel S. Hirschhorn, New York, NY.
23. Reuters News Service, April 1, 2010, Kabul, Afghanistan.
24. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 21, 2010, By Rod Mordland, Kabul, Afghanistan.
25. CNN News, March 23, 2010.
26. Journal of Modern Genetics, February, 2010.
27. London Daily Telegraph, March 11, 2010, London, England, UK.
28. AFP News Service, March 11, 2010.
29. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 9, 2010, By Burnhan Ozbliici, Milwaukee, WI.
30. U.S. Geological Survey, March 15, 2010.
31. The New York Times, April 4, 2010, By Steinhauer and Archivold, New York, NY.
32. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 22, 2010, AP Reykiavik, Finland.
33. Economic Times, March 12, 2010.

http://lasttrumpetministries.org/


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Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec


Hebrews 5



1For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

3And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

4And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

5So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

6As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
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Dozens Hurt as Staten Island Ferry Hits Terminal

Updated: 1 hour 30 minutes ago
Hugh Collins


(May 8) – A Staten Island ferry boat crashed into the ferry terminal this morning, injuring dozens of people, New York police said.

The boat accelerated as it approached the pier, then crashed, eyewitness Alex Gonzalez told CNN.

The accident occurred around 9:25 a.m., CNN reported. Authorities said 252 passengers and 18 crew members were on board.

Reports varied on how many were injured, with CNN saying that at least 55 were hurt, while The New York Times put the figure at nearly 40.




Robert Mecea, AP
Emergency personnel lift a person into an ambulance at the St. George Ferry Terminal in the Staten Island borough of New York, Saturday, after a ferry boat struck a pier.




"It was chaos, pandemonium," Gonzalez said. "There were a lot of people hurt."

The ferry was the Andrew J. Barberi, the same boat that crashed in 2003, killing 11 people and injuring dozens, according to The New York Post.

The boat may have crashed because of an engine malfunction as it approached the terminal.

The captain sounded the alarm about one minute before the crash because he was unable to slow the boat down, CNN reported. Crew members tried to move passengers to the back of the ferry as it collided with the terminal at a speed of about 5.75 miles per hour.

"It just didn't slow down at all – it was coming so fast everyone in the terminal started yelling and running," eyewitness Judy Jones told The Post.

The impact left two breaches in the boat's hull, one about 4 feet by 6 feet and the other 4 feet by 4 feet, authorities said.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing flames rise and black smoke coming out of the back of the boat, according to CNN.

The boat crashed in 2003 after the pilot, Richard Smith, lost consciousness at the helm because he had been taking pain medication, The Post reported.

Smith fled the scene and later tried to commit suicide at his Staten Island home. He eventually pled guilty to 11 counts of seamen's manslaughter.

The Barberi was recommissioned at a cost of nearly $9 million and put back in service after the accident, The Times reported.

Governor David Paterson said today's accident would have "no long-term consequences" for the ferry system. Paterson visited the scene of the accident and returned to Manhattan by ferry.

The Staten Island Ferry transports 65,000 people on the 5.2 mile journey between Staten Island and Manhattan on weekdays, according to CNN.
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Source: http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/dozens-hurt-as-staten-island-ferry-hits-terminal/19469761?icid=mainhtmlws-main-ndl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Fdozens-hurt-as-staten-island-ferry-hits-terminal%2F19469761
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Thursday, May 06, 2010

Ukip plane crash leaves ex-leader Nigel Farage in hospital

Anti-EU party's candidate in Buckingham injured along with pilot after aircraft gets tangled in campaign banner it was towing


Owen Bowcott
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 6 May 2010 19.45 BST
Article history

The Polish-built light plane that crashed with Ukip MEP and UK election candidate Nigel Farage on board. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

The former leader of the UK Independence party, Nigel Farage, was being treated for head and chest injuries tonightafter a light aircraft in which he was flying for an election day stunt nosedived into the ground, crushing the cockpit.

The MEP, who is standing for parliament in Buckingham against the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, was pulled out of the wreckage, his face bloodied and badly bruised. As soon as he was freed, he asked for his mobile phone and lit a cigarette, witnesses said.

Although "in and out of consciousness" after the crash, his condition was said to be "not life-threatening". He was initially taken to Horton General hospital in Banbury but later transferred to John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford after complaining of chest and midriff pains.

In a statement by his spokesman, Duncan Barkes, Farage said of the crash, which also injured the pilot, Justin Adams: "We've both had a miraculous escape. We are both very lucky to be alive."

A hospital spokeswoman said Farage was likely to remain "for a few days".

Barkes added: "He is not going anywhere today. There is no way he will be at the count tomorrow. He's got two broken ribs, a small chip to his spine and damage to his sternum." The pilot, who had to be cut from the wreckage, is in a stable condition in hospital, Barkes said.

The plane crashed at 8am today beside Hinton-in-the-Hedges airfield in Northamptonshire. Ukip's chief spokesman had climbed into the Polish-manufactured PZL-104 Wilga 35A fixed-wing aircraft for a flypast.

The plane was towing a banner with the slogan "Vote for your country – vote Ukip'. It had completed several low passes for photographers. On its last turn the banner appeared to get tangled in the tail fin and the aircraft – 10 metres (30 ft) up – turned over and plunged into the ground.

Neil Hall, a photographer for the INS agency in Reading who had been asked by the MEP to capture the stunt, said: "One minute [the aircraft] was in the air, the next it was a cloud of dust. It simply nosedived without any warning.

"It looked like the front of the plane had completely flattened. I could see Nigel's leg sticking out, and feared he was dead.

"Then I heard him moaning saying 'Get me out', 'Get me out'. With the help of a passing cyclist, we managed to pull Nigel out. Blood was pouring from his mouth. He was dazed and confused."

The pilot could not be freed immediately but used his mobile phone to talk to the emergency services. He was airlifted to Walsgrave hospital in Coventry and later transferred to London.

The crash is being investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, supported by Northamptonshire police; there was no suggestion of sabotage.

Farage's campaign manager, Chris Adams, confirmed that the MEP had injured his face and ribs. "Nigel was unconscious but he can talk," he said. "He's been coming in and out of consciousness and is being x-rayed."

A spokeswoman for John Radcliffe hospital said Farage would be kept in overnight. "He will be with us for a few days."

If all had gone according to plan, Farage, after alighting from the plane, would have spent a "relaxing day" visiting polling stations in the constituency.

The aircraft had been hired to fly over Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire promoting Ukip.

The anti-EU campaigner stood down as party leader last September in order to concentrate on his parliamentary election battle. Farage defied the political convention by which the main parties do not contest the seat held by the Speaker.

Farage said his decision to launch the challenge was in protest at Westminster's handling of the MPs' expenses scandal. The former Tory MEP John Stevens is also standing and has attracted the support of the former independent MP Martin Bell.
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Dow Plunges Most Since 1987 Before Paring Losses; Euro Tumbles


May 06, 2010, 3:26 PM EDT


By Michael P. Regan and Rita Nazareth

May 6 (Bloomberg) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its biggest intraday loss since the market crash of 1987, the euro slid to a 14-month low and yields on Greek, Spanish and Italian bonds surged on concern European leaders aren’t doing enough to stem the region’s debt crisis. U.S. Treasuries rallied.

“It’s panic selling,” said Burt White, chief investment officer at LPL Financial in Boston, which oversees $379 billion. “There’s concern that the European situation might cool down global growth and freeze the credit markets.”

The Dow lost as much as 998.5 points, or 9.2 percent, before paring its loss to 383.17 points at 3:17 p.m. in New York. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell as much as 8.6 percent, its biggest plunge since December 2008, before trimming its decline to 3.6 percent.

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet held interest rates steady at a record low of 1 percent today and said the bank didn’t discuss whether to purchase government bonds to stem the region’s debt crisis, defying market speculation that he would take such measures. The euro maintained losses even as Greece’s parliament approved austerity measures demanded by the European Union and International Monetary Fund as a condition of its 110 billion ($140 billion) bailout.

Market ‘Horrified’

“The ECB can fix this instantly by doing what the Fed has done -- instantly providing liquidity by buying bad fixed-income instruments and paying cash in U.S. dollars,” said David Kovacs, head of quantitative strategies at Turner Investment Partners in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, which manages $18 billion. “The reason the market is horrified now is Trichet said it’s not even being discussed. Smart investors are basically selling risk assets.”

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index today joined the MSCI World Index and the Stoxx 600 Index in erasing its advance for 2010. The Dow and S&P 500 briefly erased their yearly gains before paring losses.

Bank of America Corp., General Electric Co. and Boeing Co. tumbled more than 5 percent to lead declines in the Dow Jones Industrial Average as the 30-stock gauge.

The benchmark index for U.S. stock options surged as much as 62 percent, the most since February 2007, to 40.26. The VIX, as the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index is known, measures the cost of using options as insurance against declines in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

Treasury Yields

Yields on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note plunged 14 basis points to 3.398 percent on demand for assets considered the most safe. The Dollar Index, which measures the currency against six major trading partners, jumped as much as 1.4 percent.

Yields on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage securities that guide U.S. home-loan rates jumped the most relative to Treasuries in almost a year as investors flocked to the safety of U.S. government notes on concern Europe’s leaders aren’t doing enough to halt their debt crisis.

Spreads on Fannie Mae’s current-coupon 30-year fixed-rate mortgage bonds widened about 0.1 percentage point to 0.89 percentage point more than 10-year Treasuries as of 2:45 p.m. in New York, the biggest jump since May 27, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The gap touched a record low of 0.59 percentage point on March 29 as the Federal Reserve that month completed its purchases of $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage bonds.

“Fear is taking over, and images of Greek mobs aren’t helping,” said Larry Peruzzi, equity trader at Cabrera Capital Markets in Boston, Massachusetts, referring to televised images of demonstrations against austerity measures in Athens. “Buyers are stepping aside and disregarding fundamentals.”

--With assistance from Mark Gilbert and Keith Jenkins in London, Simon Kennedy in Paris, Simone Meier in Dublin, John Detrixhe, Elizabeth Stanton, Inyoung Hwang and Michael Tsang and Mark Shenk in New York and Pham-Duy Nguyen in Seattle. Editors: Chris Nagi, Dan Hauck.

To contact the reporters on this story: Michael P. Regan in New York at Mregan12@bloomberg.net; Rita Nazareth in New York at rnazareth@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Nagi at chrisnagi@bloomberg.net.

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Stocks slump on European woes





The Dow plunges more than 300 points. Greece's parliament votes for the EU-IMF bailout despite intense protests. Moody's warns that the economic crisis could weigh on European banks. Europe's central bank keeps rates on hold.

Posted by Elizabeth Strott and Charley Blaine on Thursday, May 6, 2010 9:14 AM
Updated at 2:41 p.m. ET


Stocks were suffering their worst one-day decline since February 2010, despite a vote by Greece's parliament to pass the 110 billion euro ($146 billion) European Union-International Monetary Fund bailout package.

Worries that the package won't prevent the crisis from spreading to Portugal and Spain overshadowed any optimism from the vote.


Also adding to the day's stress were weaker-than-expected April sales reports from retailers.


At 2:37 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) was down 324 points, or 3%, to 10,544. That's the biggest point loss since Feb. 10, 2009.


The Nasdaq Composite Index ($COMPX) had lost 90 points, or 3.5%, to 2,311, and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) had shed 39 points, or 3.4%, to 1,126.

Read More...


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Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Lutheran group reinstates gay ministers

Associated Press / May 5, 2010


ATLANTA — A gay Atlanta pastor and his partner who have been at the center of a battle over the treatment of gay clergy by the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination are being reinstated to the group’s clergy roster, church officials announced yesterday.

The Rev. Bradley Schmeling and his partner, the Rev. Darin Easler, have been approved for reinstatement, the Chicago-based Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said in a news release. The approval came roughly eight months after the denomination voted to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy, and just weeks after the ELCA’s church council officially revised the policy on gay ministers.

Schmeling, who serves as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Atlanta, was removed from the clergy roster in 2007 for being in a same-sex relationship with Easler. A disciplinary committee ruled that Schmeling was violating an ELCA policy regarding the sexual conduct of pastors.
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Source: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/05/05/lutheran_group_reinstates_gay_ministers/
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Bishops to the Left of Senate Dems on Immigration




AIM Column By Cliff Kincaid May 2, 2010



On the Fox News Channel, Father Jonathan Morris denied that official Catholic Church opposition to the bill was about keeping Hispanics in the pews.

In commenting on the "Real Enforcement with Practical Answers for Immigration Reform" (REPAIR) proposal offered by Senate Democrats, the top Catholic in the U.S. on immigration issues says that it spends too much money on border enforcement and not enough on bailing out the economies of Mexico and Central America.

Bishop John C. Wester, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration issued a statement on Friday declaring that the Bishops "have concerns about the increases in enforcement resources contained in the framework" because "the United States has poured billions of dollars into immigration enforcement" and the money "has not only not solved the problem but in some cases led to the abuse of migrants." He suggested more foreign aid was the answer to keeping immigrants in their home countries.

However, Jim Russell, head of Catholics for a Moral Immigration Policy, told AIM that more money, not less, should be spent on border security, and that the Bishops are wrong to oppose Arizona's new immigration law.
Conservative Catholic James Todd of Pewsitter.com, which is "the voice of the Catholic lay faithful," has taken Cardinal Roger Mahony to task for comparing the Arizona law to Nazism. "His comments really served no purpose but to ratchet up the rhetoric," Todd noted. "One wonders if he even read the law. It's only seventeen pages and having read it, there is nothing in it that would justify such an over-the-top slam. I would call it a quite reasonable and commonsense law--and one that I support."

Todd says that he is surprised that conservative Bishops have joined the liberals to express opposition to the law and he cannot understand why they fail to comprehend the desire of the majority of the citizens of Arizona and the U.S. itself to see laws against illegal immigration enforced.

The Washington Post noted that the Senate Democratic proposal or "framework" includes "a slew of new immigration enforcement measures aimed at U.S. borders and workplaces." It added, "The Democrats' shift underscores how, in the struggle between enforcement advocates and legalization backers, the former seem to be gaining, experts said." The Democrats releasing the proposal were Charles Schumer (NY), Harry Reid (NV), Robert Menendez (NJ), Patrick Leahy (VT), Dick Durbin (IL) and Dianne Feinstein (CA).

Of the Bishops, perhaps the most far-left on the immigration issue is Cardinal Mahony, who participated in the "May Day" rally in Los Angeles in support of illegal aliens. It was one of dozens of such rallies across the U.S.

In Washington, D.C., in a rally sponsored by Casa de Maryland, which is financed by the Catholic Church and various governmental entities, demonstrators labeled Arizona as a reincarnation of the Nazi state and comparable to the old South African regime that segregated people in an apartheid system. Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez fired up the crowd before getting himself arrested in a protest at the White House.
One demonstrator was spotted and photographed wearing a communist Che Guevara T-shirt, while members of the Socialist Workers Party and Party for Socialism and Liberation mingled with the crowd, passing out Marxist literature. At a previous March 21 illegal immigration rally, Marxists were selling copies of the Communist Manifesto in Spanish.

Meanwhile, as the U.S. Catholic hierarchy rallies to the cause of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America, Catholic parishioners in Cleveland, Ohio, are protesting a plan by Bishop Richard Lennon to "downsize the diocese" and close 50 churches. The parishioners are calling themselves "Endangered Catholics" and have launched a website to save the ethnic European and black Catholic churches targeted for closure.

The closures are being blamed on financial shortfalls and "changing demographics," meaning that Hispanics have become more important to the church and whites have become less important.
Indeed, Dan Gilgoff of U.S. News & World Report has cited evidence that four times as many Catholics are leaving the faith as are joining it but that a surge in Hispanic immigration "has offset the steady decline of white Catholics."

The latest figures show that 40 percent of U.S. Catholics are Hispanic. The same evidence shows that many immigrant workers in the U.S. are "undocumented" and 74 percent of them are Catholic.

It is this demographic, rather than moral or religious concern, that is driving official Catholic concern for immigrants, legal and illegal. In fact, seventy percent of the country's largest Catholic diocese in Los Angeles, run by Cardinal Mahony, are Hispanic.

Rocco Palmo, who covers the politics of the Roman Catholic Church, recently told National Public Radio that Hispanics constitute half of other major archdioceses like New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. "It's been a staggering shift in the life of the American church," he said. This shift explains Catholic support for legalizing illegal immigrants.

In a bow to reality, Lisa Miller points out in Newsweek magazine that the bishops "have a practical stake in fighting the [Arizona] law and supporting federal immigration reform." She writes, "The number of Hispanics in America has grown from about 6 million in 1960 to about 50 million today. Nearly 70 percent of Hispanics in America are Catholic. With whites abandoning Catholicism in droves, a growing, vital American church depends on Hispanic families."
On the Fox News Channel, Father Jonathan Morris denied that official Catholic Church opposition to the bill was about keeping Hispanics in the pews. Morris, a paid network contributor, gave a confusing and contradictory performance, saying that he supported enforcement of immigration laws in general but was opposed to the Arizona law in particular. However, regarding Mahony's incendiary rhetoric, Morris would only say, "I would not use those words."

Those words appear to reflect the heavy presence of Hispanics in the area. The Vatican in early April named Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, Texas, as the new Archbishop of Los Angeles, replacing Mahony, who leaves his post next year. The media have noted that the appointment puts Gomez on track to become the first Hispanic Cardinal in America.
Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist, in his book, Minutemen: The Battle to Secure America's Borders, declared, "Churches pander to illegal aliens, seeking financial windfalls when more church members come across the borders. This is especially true of the Catholic Church, because so many of the Mexicans coming here are Catholic."

Gilchrist and his co-author, Jerome Corsi, wrote a story for Human Events in 2006 accusing Cardinal Mahony of using the immigration issue to "build his base of parishioners." They said that the $200 million used to build his Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, which was dedicated in 2001, should have been used "to provide some of the benefits illegals already here are demanding" rather than dumping these costs on taxpayers who bear the brunt of their illegal presence.


Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org

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