Saturday, February 09, 2013

Ben Carson for President



February 8, 2013, 6:03 p.m. ET

The Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon has two big ideas for America.



Whether this weekend finds you blowing two feet of snow off the driveway or counting the hours until "Downton Abbey," make time to watch the video of Dr. Ben Carson speaking to the White House prayer breakfast this week.


Seated in view to his right are Senator Jeff Sessions and President Obama. One doesn't look happy. You know something's coming when Dr. Carson says, "It's not my intention to offend anyone. But it's hard not to. The PC police are out in force everywhere."


Dr. Carson tossed over the PC police years ago. Raised by a single mother in inner-city Detroit, he was as he tells it "a horrible student with a horrible temper." Today he's director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and probably the most renowned specialist in his field.


Late in his talk he dropped two very un-PC ideas. The first is an unusual case for a flat tax: "What we need to do is come up with something simple. And when I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the universe, God, and he's given us a system. It's called a tithe.


"We don't necessarily have to do 10% but it's the principle. He didn't say if your crops fail, don't give me any tithe or if you have a bumper crop, give me triple tithe. So there must be something inherently fair about proportionality. You make $10 billion, you put in a billion. You make $10 you put in one. Of course you've got to get rid of the loopholes. Some people say, 'Well that's not fair because it doesn't hurt the guy who made $10 billion as much as the guy who made 10.' Where does it say you've got to hurt the guy? He just put a billion dollars in the pot. We don't need to hurt him. It's that kind of thinking that has resulted in 602 banks in the Cayman Islands. That money needs to be back here building our infrastructure and creating jobs."


Not surprisingly, a practicing physician has un-PC thoughts on health care:


"Here's my solution: When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record, and a health savings account to which money can be contributed—pretax—from the time you're born 'til the time you die. If you die, you can pass it on to your family members, and there's nobody talking about death panels. We can make contributions for people who are indigent. Instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy, let's put it in their HSAs. Now they have some control over their own health care. And very quickly they're gong to learn how to be responsible."


The Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon may not be politically correct, but he's closer to correct than we've heard in years.


A version of this article appeared February 9, 2013, on page A12 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Ben Carson for President.



.
.

The Isaiah 9:10 Warning



The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
Isaiah 9:10


.....

Friday, February 08, 2013

Happy Sabbath


Snow hampers manhunt for fugitive ex-cop

Storm batters NY, New England, dumping foot and a half of snow; 500,000 lose power



Blizzard churns toward New York and New England: Storm, poised to dump up to three feet of snow from New York to Boston and beyond beginning Friday afternoon, sends residents scurrying to stock up on food and water and road crews spreading salt and sand.




By Associated Press, Published: February 8 | Updated: Saturday, February 9, 1:00 AM


BOSTON — A storm that forecasters warned could be a blizzard for the history books, with a potential for up to 3 feet of snow, clobbered the New York-to-Boston corridor on Friday, grounding flights, sending office workers home early and knocking out power to half a million customers across the Northeast.

By Friday night, more than 18.5 inches of snow had fallen in parts of central Connecticut, and more than 16 inches covered parts of Mansfield, Mass., a half-hour drive southwest of Boston. Throughout the Northeast, more than 500,000 homes and businesses lost electricity as wet, heavy snow, freezing rain and howling winds caused havoc.



.

P.S. 
The Snow Storm is called Nemo? Is it really OMEN?


.
.

Dr. Ben Carson speaks at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast



Anonymous User
Clip Created Feb 7, 2013

Clipped from:National Prayer Breakfast
Feb 7, 2013


26 minutes, 35 seconds




.
.

Facebook briefly takes over entire Internet with redirection bug



Devin Coldewey , NBC News – 12 hrs.




Facebook
The Facebook error page to which affected users were redirected.



A bug with Facebook's ubiquitous embedded widgets redirected millions from the websites they were visiting to Facebook itself Thursday. It's now fixed, but for awhile, some of the largest sites in the world were inaccessible.

Visitors to such sites as CNN, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, the Gawker network (including Gizmodo), and NBC News were instantly transferred to a Facebook error page upon loading the intended site.

Users not logged into Facebook did not get the error, which led people to conclude, correctly, that the problem was with the Facebook Connect service, which governs "likes," "comments" and other Web-based features of the social network.

Facebook declined to disclose the specifics of the error, but offered the following statement via email to NBC News:


For a short period of time, there was a bug that redirected people from third party sites with Facebook Login to Facebook.com. The issue was quickly resolved.

It was "quickly resolved" for some, at least: On NBCNews.com, the disturbance lasted for less than 15 minutes, from 4:30 to 4:42 p.m. PT. For other sites it was longer; ReadWriteWeb said the bug lasted about an hour, from 4 to 5 p.m. PT.

Those on Twitter (and Facebook, of course) jammed those sites nearly instantaneously with comments on how it was a little disturbing that Facebook could essentially hijack a large part of the Internet — even if it was unintentional.

If the error had not been fixed by Facebook in a timely manner, the affected sites would likely have be able to intervene by disabling the widgets themselves. The temporary loss of Facebook login and likes would be a small price to pay for an accessible website.

Because the outage was so widespread and public, a more thorough explanation can probably be expected from Facebook once officials there have time to take a closer look at what went wrong.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.


Source
.

North Miami Beach Police Department Employees Fired Over Plan To Put Santeria Curse On City Manager






First Posted: 11/30/2011 3:10 pm Updated: 01/30/2012 4:12 am




Two North Miami Beach Police Department employees have been fired for plotting to put a Santeria curse on the city manager.

Officer Elizabeth Torres, a 24-year veteran of the police department, and Yvonne Rodriguez, an office manager for police chief Larry Gomer, were caught plotting to use birdseed to cast a spell to make Lyndon Bonner "go away" in August before a round of planned departmental layoffs.

Torres told Rodriguez she had previous success with the curse, having made her son and daughter move out by sprinkling it on the front porch of their home, according to the police report.

Investigators say the pair were upset with the "negative climate" in the department, and hatched a plan to similarly curse Bonner by gaining access to his office. Torres admitted to police that she brought the birdseed to Rodriguez, then approached janitor Esther Villanueva, asking her to sprinkle the birdseed in Bonner's office as she cleaned.

The two were busted when Villanueva reported the incident to a supervisor. Though Torres confessed to the plan, she told investigators it was just a superstitious idea and the pair meant no harm.

"It was kind of a joke, kind of a superstition," she said, according to interview transcripts. "It did have bases in religious knowledge I had from before...As misguided as it may seem, this idea popped into my head, and I thought, 'Well, it can't hurt anybody.'"

Fortunately for Bonner, University of Miami Religious Studies professor Michelle Maldonado agrees.


"Ultimately, the city manager really doesn't have anything to worry about. In Santeria, you can't just spread bird seed and make the supernatural do what you want it to do," she told WSVN.

The pair, who were fired last week, can appeal their terminations.


.

Thursday, February 07, 2013

The Sunday Assembly, an atheist church in London, is a runaway success that is drawing standing room only crowds



The brainchild of stand-up comedians Pippa Evans and Sanderson Jones, The Sunday Assembly offers monthly services in north London for atheists and nonbelievers. “We’ve been quite surprised — amazed really — that so many people have turned up,” Evans said.


BY DAVID KNOWLES / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013, 7:33 PM




Taking organizers off-guard, large crowds have attended the atheist church's first two monthly services. 


RELATED STORIES
President Obama named Time magazine’s Person of the Year
Readers sound off on TomKat, Justice Nelson and the Higgs boson
India: Enough Higgs, but who put the Bose in 'boson'?
Pakistan shuns Abdus Salam, nation’s only Nobel laureate, because of ‘God particle’ work


In London, losing one’s religion does not mean giving up church.

The Sunday Assembly, a congregation for atheists and nonbelievers started in January, is drawing overflowing crowds to its monthly services at the Nave, a deconsecrated church in the northern part of the city.

“We’ve been quite surprised — amazed really — that so many people have turned up,” co-founder and stand-up comedian Pippa Evans told the Daily News.

While 200 people turned out for the first service, that number swelled to 300 for the second, forcing the church to send more than two dozen people to a bar around the corner to catch a live computer feed of the proceedings.

“We thought we’d have about 20 people.” Evans said. “The idea is about keeping a center of community for those who are losing their religious faith.”

RELATED: 1 IN 5 HAVE NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: SURVEY



SUNDAY ASSEMBLY WITH SANDERSON JONES
Co-founder and stand-up comedian Sanderson Jones says that The Sunday Assembly will soon set up a YouTube channel to share its message.

The gatherings themselves are not unlike something you might find at regular church, albeit a bit more rollicking in temperament. A live band greets guests, and congregants are encouraged to sing along to secular classics like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

At the first two meetings, guest speakers have included a children’s author, and physicist Harry Cliff, who, along with other researchers at Switzerland’s CERN Large Hadron Collider, helped in the discovery of Higgs boson, the so-called “God Particle.”

Evans and fellow stand-up comic Sanderson Jones came up with the idea of The Sunday Assembly while driving to a comedy show together.

“We both talked about wanting to do something in a church, just without the God bit,” Evans said.

While the congregation is made up primarily of non-believers, Evans says the focus of the services is in no way to demean people of faith.

RELATED: MORE MORMON WOMEN EXPECTED TO SERVE AS MISSIONARIES



With speakers ranging from children's authors to particle physicists, The Sunday Assembly's motto is "Live better, help often, wonder more."

“The point isn’t to put down other religions, it’s to say, we don’t have faith, but what do we have?” Evans said.

Next month’s sermon is titled “Lend a Hand,” and will focus on the need to volunteer to better the world. That civic-mindedness may be one reason that the Sunday Assembly has received such a warm welcome in the community.

“We’ve had a pretty positive response from people of faith. Hardly anyone seems to be saying anything negative.” Evans said. “Atheists, in fact, seem to be the ones most upset with us because some say we’re creating a religion.”

As for the future, Jones says he and Evans will add a second service each month, and he is working on setting up a YouTube channel so that the atheist services can be viewed around the world. The Sunday Assembly’s website also features a page for those who would like to start up congregations in their own home towns.

“At the moment we’re concentrating on honing the service itself and building the organization but, when that is all in place, we will do everything in our power to make your Assembly a success,” Jones and Evans say on the site.

Judging from the response so far, The Sunday Assembly seems all but certain to continue growing. Evans and Jones welcome that possibility, even if it means missing a few more comedy gigs.

DKnowles@nydailynews.com


.

Flights and Trains Canceled as Storm Heads to Northeast




Richard Perry/The New York Times

In Jersey City, Jose Angelo, left, helped Isauro Palacios, a contractor from Belleville, N.J., as he loaded a new snow blower into the back of his truck Thursday as a snowstorm approached the region.

By MARC SANTORAPublished: February 7, 2013





As a major winter storm made its way up the Atlantic Coast on Thursday, local authorities from New York City to Maine began to make preparations for what forecasters said could be the heaviest snowfall for some cities in the Northeast in a century.


Multimedia
Graphic




Follow us on Twitterand like us on Facebook for news and conversation.

National Weather Service

A satellite image taken at 10:15 p.m. Eastern time Thursday. Areas in blue indicate colder cloud tops or deeper cloud cover. The system over the Midwest and the system spread across the East are expected to merge on Friday.



Airlines began announcing the suspension of flights out of New York and Boston airports starting Friday night, as thousands of workers readied their plows, checked their stocks of salt and braced for what will most likely be a cold, wet weekend. Amtrak announced that it would suspend northbound service out of Penn Station in New York and southbound service out of Boston beginning early Friday afternoon.

Gas stations in parts of New York City and New Jersey had long lines Thursday night, according to local residents, a signal, perhaps, that many were taking storm warnings seriously.

More than 2200 flights for Friday had been cancelled, according to the Web site FlightAware, the majority originiting or departing from the areas affected by the storm.

By late Thursday night, schools across New York and Connecticut had announced they would close, or dismiss students early.

On Long Island, where some forecasts said there could be more than 18 inches of snow, the power company, which has received heavy criticism for its response to Hurricane Sandy, promised customers that they were prepared.

The city of Boston, where forecasts called for more than two feet of snow to fall by Saturday, announced that it would close all schools on Friday, joining other localities in trying to get ahead of the storm and keep people off the roads.

“We are taking this storm very seriously and you should take this storm very seriously,” said Jerome Hauer, the New York State Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, at an afternoon news conference.

“If you don’t have to go to work tomorrow, we suggest that you do not,” he said. “If you do, we suggest that you plan for an early departure.”

The latest forecasts, he said, called for between 12 and 20 inches of snow in the New York City region and wind gusts that could exceed 60 miles per hour.

However, with the storm still some distance away, forecasters warned that predictions could change. The first sign of the storm will be a dusting of light snow that is expected to start falling across the region Friday morning.

At some point Friday night, the arctic jet stream will drop down from Canada and intersect with the polar jet stream, which usually travels through the lower 48 states.

“They will cross somewhere between New Jersey and Nantucket,” said Tim Morrin, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. “That is where the center of the storm will deepen and explosively develop.”

If the current models hold, the storm could rival the blizzard of 1978 in New England, when more than 27 inches of snow fell in Boston and surrounding cities. That storm, which occurred on a weekday, resulted in dozens of deaths and crippled the region for days.

Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, said more than 20 agencies had gathered at the agency’s operations center in Framingham, Mass., where they were preparing for a historic storm.

“From our perspective, this is a very severe, blizzard-type storm that we haven’t had for quite a long time,” Mr. Judge said. “Worst-case scenario, this will be the worst one that we’ve dealt with in many, many years. I can’t even come up with something comparable.”

Officials prepared for debris management, snow removal and supplies distribution, he said, as well as widespread power failures, which he said were the major concern. “People will lose their heat when they lose their power, and they’re certainly much more in harm’s way than at other times of the year,” he said.

Boston was bracing for the worst of the storm to hit between 2 and 5 p.m. Friday. Gov. Deval Patrick, who called the pending storm “a serious weather event,” has ordered all nonemergency personnel to work from home Friday and encouraged private employers to keep their workers home.

Governor Patrick asked that all vehicles stay off the roads after noon on Friday and said the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, including all subway, buses and commuter rail services, would close at 3:30. He said mass transit was being kept open until 3:30 to allow the first shift of emergency and hospital workers to get home and the second shift to get to work.

Boston public schools will be shut, and the governor encouraged all other school districts in the state to cancel classes.

The state is preparing “warming centers” to be open in local communities in case of major power failures and will move people into larger regional centers if they need to stay overnight.

At Logan Airport in Boston, long lines were forming by midafternoon as people tried to flee the storm.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Martin Stewart, 50, a service technician standing in a lengthy line at the airport. He had moved up his trip to Scotland to make sure he could get out. “Why mess around?” he said.

Two women waiting in line said they were leaving for London as planned but were somewhat wistful about missing a big storm. “We love the snow,” said Lynne Fistori, 36, who is taking a quick trip with her sister-in-law, Laura Fistori, 36. They expect that the men and children whom they are leaving behind will just ration their food and play in the snow.

The eastern-facing coastline — including cities like Scituate, south of Boston, and the Cape Ann area north of Boston — is at risk for major flooding, which could bring “a lot of beach erosion, potential damage of homes along the coast,” Mr. Judge said.

For the past 48 hours, weather predictions for the region have varied wildly, with forecasts calling for something more than a dusting to a car-burying snowfall.

But by Thursday, Mr. Morrin said, there was “enough evidence right now to say the legacy of this storm will be widespread.”

Just what parts of the New York City metropolitan area will be hit hardest will become clearer as the low-pressure system moves north, but Mr. Morrin said that all the forecasting patterns put the storm on “a historically favorable track.”

The morning commute on Friday could be affected by light snowfall. Temperatures are expected to rise during the day, which could mean a snowy, rainy mix — or just rain, Mr. Morrin said.

However, by Friday night, temperatures are expected to drop precipitously as cold air from the north moves down, turning the precipitation into snow.

“When the door opens, it is going to open wide,” Mr. Morrin said.

For New Yorkers, that could mean that the slushy mess from the daytime could freeze, not only creating hazardous conditions on the roads but also weighing down tree branches and power lines.

Michael Clendenin, a spokesman for Consolidated Edison, said the utility was making preparations for the storm and would have extra crews available to deal with any problems.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg met Thursday with New York sanitation workers who were preparing for the storm.

“The good news, I guess, if you like snow, is that we’re going to have snow,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

“The better news is that if it’s going to happen, having it happen overnight Friday into Saturday is probably as good timing as we can have,” he added, “because the Sanitation Department then has the advantage of being able to clean the streets when there’s normally less traffic.”

New York State canceled all Civil Service examinations scheduled for Saturday.

Mr. Hauer said that coastal areas of Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island could see flooding and should be prepared to seek alternative shelter. While the storm surge is only expected to be 3 to 5 feet — well below the 14-foot surge that Hurricane Sandy delivered — he said large waves could bring water inland.

“If you see flooding, have plans for somewhere to go,” he said.

As the storm moves north, the heaviest bands of snow and rain would tend to occur northeast of the storm’s center.

“A lot depends on where the heaviest bands of snow develop,” he said. “If a band sits over an area, you can get three inches of snow an hour.”

By Friday morning, he said, it will be clearer where the worst of the storm is likely to hit.




Marc Santora reported from New York. Jess Bidgood and Katharine Q. Seelye contributed reporting from Boston.


This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: February 7, 2013

An earlier version of a picture caption with this article misidentified the occupation of Jose Angelo. He is an employee of Isauro Palacios, a contractor. He is not a hardware store employee.



A version of this article appeared in print on February 8, 2013, on page A19 of the National edition.



.

Zubin Mehta at the Vatican




CatholicNewsService

Published on Feb 5, 2013


On February 4, 2013, the conductor Zubin Mehta performed with an orchestra at the Vatican honoring Pope Benedict XVI and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. The concert marked the 84th anniversary of the Lateran Pacts, which recognized the sovereignty of Vatican City State.
.

.
.

The Menendez - Melgen investigation continues

For an update on the widening Bob Menendez - Salomon Melgen Case

Here are a few brief healines:


Comeuppance for Menendez, Obama and Hagel

Washington Post (blog) - ‎48 minutes ago‎

And when Melgen needed help with a port security contract in the Dominican Republic last year, Menendez urged U.S. officials to press the country to carry out the multimillion-dollar agreement.” Democrats haven't yet thrown him overboard, but his days ...




Sen. Menendez: No Undue Influence on Behalf of Political Donor

ABC News - ‎15 minutes ago‎

Still, Menendez's close ties to Melgen have sparked scrutiny in recent weeks. The Senate ethics committee is investigating two free trips he took to Melgen's residence in the Dominican Republic in 2010. He recently paid Melgen $58,000 from his personal ...



Report cites more ties between Menendez, under-fire doctor

Philadelphia Inquirer (blog) - ‎1 hour ago‎

Robert Menendez twice spoke to federal health officials about a Medicare billing dispute involving his friend and donor Salomon Melgen, the Washington Post reported today, raising more questions about the ties between the Democratic senator and South ...



Menendez says he called gov't in way to help donor

Boston.com - ‎9 minutes ago‎

The senator called federal health officials in 2009 and met with them again in 2012, each time urging them to change what he called an unfair payment policy which had cost his friend Melgen $8.9 million, according to an official close to the investigation who ...



Sen. Menendez acknowledges he contacted US gov't amid billing fight with ...

Washington Post - ‎33 minutes ago‎

This was during a dispute between CMS and Salomon Melgen, a longtime friend and donor. The FBI searched Melgen's Florida offices last week. Menendez says, “The bottom line is, we raised concerns with CMS over policy and over ambiguities that are ...



Report: Menendez pressed officials over donor's federal audit

The Hill (blog) - ‎4 hours ago‎

Melgen, a close friend of Menendez's, reportedly overbilled the U.S. government by almost $9 million, inviting a federal audit. Menendez aides said that the senator contacted officials on two occasions to complain that the billing rules were unclear and that the ...



Cough: Menendez Repeatedly Intervened on Disgraced Donor's Behalf

Town Hall - ‎1 hour ago‎

Just for reference, Melgen donated $700,000 to Menendez and other Senate Democrats in 2012 alone. It gets better: Other Florida doctors have asserted that Melgen used his close relationship with Menendez to intimidate critics within his profession.



Senator Bob Menendez Is Under Investigation For Sordid Ethics Violations

Business Insider - ‎1 hour ago‎

US media reported that the FBI conducted a raid on Tuesday on the West Palm Beach offices of Salomon Melgen, a friend who has made financial contributions to the political campaigns of Democratic Senator Robert Menendez. The Miami Herald said ...



Where could Svetlana be?

The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog) - ‎14 hours ago‎

The original source of the scandal surrounding Melgen and New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, a tipster who goes by “Peter Williams,” first told ABC News' Rhonda Schwartz about this woman in early 2012. “Williams” identified her as “Svetlana B.” ...





Controversy surrounding Menendez deepens.

PolitickerNJ - ‎34 minutes ago‎

Melgen has donated heavily to Menendez and last year donated $700,000 to a Democratic PAC that spent more than $600,000 on Menendez's race against challenger Joe Kyrillos. Menendez had a two to one money advantage over Kyrillos in the race.




Sen. Menendez Suggested Feds Shouldn't Be So Hard on His Shady Doctor ...

New York Magazine - ‎5 hours ago‎

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez hasn't said much about the various allegations surrounding his relationship with donor/shady doctor friend Salomon Melgen — including claims that he solicited underage prostitutes, failed to disclose $60,000 in flights on ...



Capital Eye Opener, Feb. 7: Menendez Ties to Donor Deepen, Hutchison Joins ...

Center for Responsive Politics - ‎2 hours ago‎

As we reported last week, the donor, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen -- who's now under investigation by the FBI -- and his family have given more than $426,000 to federal candidates since 1992. The list of recipients includes Republicans and many ...



Senator Menendez sticks up for his benefactor against Medicare overbilling ...

Human Events - ‎3 hours ago‎

The rest of it went into luxuries such as a private jet – which Menendez suddenly remembered he owed Melgen $58,000 for using, just as conservative bloggers began digging into a story the mainstream media had studiously ignored throughout the election ...



Reports: Menendez intervened for Palm Beach donor doc in Medicare dispute

Palm Beach Post - ‎2 hours ago‎

North Palm Beach resident Melgen, his family and businesses have given more than $1.1 million to federal and state political candidates and committees over the past 20 years, with the bulk of the money going to Democrats. Menendez has been the largest ...



Robert Menendez Contacted Federal Officials In Medicare Dispute With Top ...

Huffington Post - ‎25 minutes ago‎

Robert Menendez Contacted Federal Officials In Medicare Dispute With Top Donor Salomon Melgen. The Washington Post | Posted: 02/07/2013 11:16 am EST.  Robert Menendez Medicare. The Washington Post reported ...



Menendez Went To Bat For Florida Eye Doctor In Medicare Dispute

TPM - ‎3 hours ago‎

Bob Menendez (D-NJ) reached out to top federal officials on behalf of Salomon Melgen after the Florida eye doctor was audited for overbilling the government, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. Menendez aides said Wednesday that the junior New ...



Menendez Waded Into Top Donor's Fraud Case

Newser - ‎1 hour ago‎

Robert Menendez twice tried to intervene on behalf of pal and major campaign donor Dr. Salomon Melgen in the optometrist's ongoing battle with Medicare over alleged fraud, the Washington Post and New York Times report. Melgen is accused of overbilling ...




Bob Menendez Sex Scandal Intensifies As FBI Shifts Focus to New Jersey

PolicyMic - ‎3 hours ago‎

According to the Daily Caller piece, the two women said they met Menendez around Easter at Casa de Campo, a 7,000-acre resort in the Dominican Republic owned by West Palm Beach, Fla. ophthalmologist Dr. Salomon Melgen. The women, who asked for ...



More on Melgen and Menendez

WJNO - ‎42 minutes ago‎

The lawmaker reached out to federal officials back in 2009 about the government's audit into Dr melgen. That audit found the doctor overbilled medicare by nearly $9 million. Menendez reportedly complained to the director overseeing medicare payments, ...



"Bob": A Corrupt Senator

Cubasi.cu - ‎16 minutes ago‎

A republican senator for Georgia, Johnny Isakson, declared that a few days back FBI agents raided one of Melgen's residences, located in West Palm Beach, under the suspicion of embezzling the health system for the elder, Medicare. The wealthy oculist has ...

,
.
Source: Google News
.
.

U.S. Jesuit Network Welcomes Bipartisan Action for Immigration Reform, Reiterates Call to Address the Broken Immigration System

29 January 2013



The U.S. Jesuit Conference, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and the Kino Border Initiative welcome the framework for comprehensive immigration reform released yesterday by a bipartisan group of senators. Likewise, we were encouraged by President Obama’s remarks in Las Vegas, Nevada today calling for a “common sense” approach to swiftly address an “out-of-date and badly broken immigration system.”

Through our ministries, on a daily basis we witness the tragic consequences of our nation’s flawed and outdated immigration laws and policies. We can and must do better. As our elected officials attempt to craft a viable immigration system, we urge them to place family unity, human dignity, transparency and accountability at the center of their debates. Very Rev. Thomas H. Smolich, S.J., President of the Jesuit Conference of the United States stressed, “We assess each immigration policy proposal by whether it adheres to the Catholic and American value of promoting and affirming human dignity.” As was established by the Justice for Immigrants campaign of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and reiterated by the U.S. Jesuit Provincials in their joint letter to Congress in June 2010, a comprehensive and humane approach to immigration reform must:

  • Establish a pathway to citizenship that ensures that undocumented immigrants have access to full rights;
  • Expedite family reunification and emphasize family unity for all immigrants;
  • Restore due process, accountability, and transparency, particularly in the context of detention and deportation processes to foster humane enforcement of our immigration policies;
  • Include policies that address the root causes of migration from developing countries; and
  • Create a legal employment structure for future workers that protects both migrants and the U.S. citizen labor force.

While we are encouraged by the bipartisan tone of yesterday’s release and its call for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals, we are concerned that earned legalization in the plan is contingent upon a “secure border.” We caution that the concept of achieving an impervious border before implementing legalization will leave millions of lives in limbo and prolong indefinitely the irregular status of our undocumented brothers and sisters. A genuine understanding of the realities faced by border communities will yield the best policy. We contend that our borders are best secured and our communities best kept safe by humane, transparent, and accountable practices which foster trust between border communities and law enforcement entities. Said Rev. Sean Carroll, S.J., Executive Director of the bi-national Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Arizona, “Law enforcement agencies like CBP and ICE must take local community input into account for true security and respect for human rights to become a reality along the U.S./Mexico border.”

We look forward to working with lawmakers as they develop legislation that meets the need for comprehensive and humane immigration reform.


.

Obama during prayer breakfast laments divisiveness in Washington




By Rachel Rose Hartman, Yahoo! News | The Ticket – 13 mins ago


The annual National Prayer Breakfast attended by the First and Second families is a celebration of faith, unity, togetherness, and spirit. But too bad it doesn't last a little longer.

President Barack Obama, a Christian, during his speech at the national breakfast Thursday morning at the Washington Hilton hotel lamented the current tone in Washington.

"I do worry sometimes that as soon as we leave the prayer breakfast, everything we've been talking about the whole time at the prayer breakfast seems to be forgotten. On the same day of the prayer breakfast," Obama said, and paused as the attendees laughed. "I mean, you'd like to think the shelf life wasn't so short. I go back to the Oval Office and I start watching the cable news networks and it's like we didn't pray."

Obama used his speech to call for the country's most powerful lawmakers, including himself, to conduct themselves with humility to God, and for Americans and lawmakers alike to strive to find common ground. Obama noted fights over the deficit, taxes, and education.

"This morning I want to summon the resolve that comes from our common faith," Obama said, speaking of the country at large.

Obama used Thursday's speech to reflect on the bibles he used during his inauguration last month: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s traveling bible; and the bible President Abraham Lincoln used for his swearing-in in 1861. He noted the adversity and challenges they each faced as president and their desire for guidance from God.

Obama also reflected on his personal faith and his use of the scripture, saying:

"As president I sometimes have to search for the words to console the inconsolable. Sometimes I search scripture to determine how best to balance life as a president and as a husband and as a father. I often search for scripture to figure out how I can be a better man as well as a better president."


.

Related:

NETWORKS

By Betsy Rothstein on February 7, 2013 9:29 AM



When discussing heathens, the media is always a safe place to start, right?

President Obama took a moment at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast to ding the cable news networks, using them as a punching bag as to what can happen when a person forgets about prayer and everything discussed at the annual solemn breakfast.

“We have to do it everyday,” Obama said of staying in faith and humility. “Not just at a prayer breakfast. I have to say, this is now our fifth prayer breakfast, and it is always just a wonderful event. But I do worry sometimes, as soon as we leave the prayer breakfast, everything we’ve been talking about seems to be forgotten. On the same day of the prayer breakfast. I mean, you’d like to think the shelf life wadn’t so short. [LAUGHTER] I go back to the Oval Office and start watching the cable news networks and it’s like we didn’t pray.”

But never fear. MSNBC “Daily Rundown” Host Chuck Todd found a silver lining in the message. “The President acknowledged he’s watching [the cable news networks,” noted Todd. “Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t.”


.

Puerto Rico's Battered Economy: The Greece Of The Caribbean?


by DAVID GREENE
February 06, 2013 2:58 AM


Listen to the Story


Morning Edition
7 min 47 sec
Playlist
Download
Transcript




Coburn Dukehart/NPR


Puerto Rico's population is declining. Faced with a deteriorating economy, increased poverty and a swelling crime rate, many citizens are fleeing the island for the U.S. mainland. In a four-part series, Morning Edition explores this phenomenon, and how Puerto Rico's troubles are affecting its people and other Americans in unexpected ways.

Edward Bonet's mom no longer tries to convince him to join her in Florida. Unlike his family, the 23-year-old from Puerto Rico refuses to leave the island and its shattered economy.



Genoveva "Veva" Camacho raised her family in Puerto Rico, and still lives in the town of Cabo Rojo with her grandson, Edward. Her daughters and granddaughter moved to Florida in search of a better life.
Coburn Dukehart/NPR

With Puerto Rico's unemployment rate at 14 percent, many former residents like Edward's mom, Arlene Bonet, have left the island's economic and social troubles for better opportunities on the U.S. mainland.

"What kind of life can I give my grandchildren in the future if Puerto Rico, instead of going up, is going down?" says Arlene, who left after her real estate business died.

On the island, Edward works as a scuba instructor, trying to make a living for himself. Like many other young Puerto Ricans, he started college but couldn't afford to finish.

And though he briefly lived in Florida as a kid with his mom, Edward says he doesn't want to go back because it seems foreign. Puerto Rico may be a U.S. territory, but the move would feel like going to a new country as an immigrant, he says.

"In the U.S., at school we had to sing the national 'Star-Spangled Banner' every morning," he recalls. "And here, most schools don't do that at all."

A Love For The Island

One member of his ever-shrinking family still on the island is his grandmother, Genoveva Camacho, 74. He lives with her near the city of Cabo Rojo.

"My grandma, oh, she's great," Edward says when describing her. "She parties more than I do."

On a warm, breezy night, he sits with her on their patio listening to the chirps of coquis, or small frogs — a symbol of Puerto Rico.

Camacho is full of pride. She says she loves her island and used to go dancing with friends about every night. But today, she worries about escalating crime and paying her bills.

Her daughter, Arlene, urges Camacho to join her in Florida, but she insists she won't leave until she gets older. Then "save a room for me," Camacho tells her daughter when they speak on the phone.

As she talks about her daughter, Camacho chokes up until Edward dances with her under the porch light.

Puerto Rico's 'Informal Economy'

The failing economy may not be enough to keep Edward and his grandmother off the island, but it's a predicament that economists mull over time and again.

Rosario Rivera, an economics professor at the University of Puerto Rico, uses the phrase "informal economy" to diagnose some of the challenges facing the island.

At the Rio Piedras market in San Juan, Rivera picks up a juicy, sweet fruit for 25 cents, from a man with a shopping cart.


Coburn Dukehart/NPR


"That orange ... goes to the informal economy," Rivera explains.

Because those tax-free purchases are repeated so often, Rivera says the government is missing the chance to tax billions of dollars of income each year. Like many Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico has little industry of its own — and when times are bad, they struggle even more than other places to create jobs.

"There is a problem deep inside the economic structure, that you cannot create jobs," Rivera explains. "You cannot create productive activity, so you just have to rely on economic activity from abroad."

Around the market, men and women sell ice cream, discounted jewelry, perfumes and purses — yet most of the goods are imported and not made by anyone on the island. After a six-year recession, Puerto Rico is buried in debt.

Fiscally Similar To Greece

"They have compared us to Greece a lot of times," Rivera says. "Especially since Greece had a lot of debt, and they had to take these austerity measures. Even if we are part of the United States, we have a lot of problems that resemble those countries that we look at with such disdain."

Puerto Rico has been through austerity and made tough decisions: It's cut government jobs, privatized a couple of highways, and is in the process of privatizing the international airport.

But unlike the case of Greece, the economic mess is on America's hands.

For U.S. citizens on the mainland who have a 401(k) account or pension for retirement, it's possible that they have money invested in Puerto Rican bonds, which are now no longer worth much. So citizens in the states could feel the pain if Puerto Rico's economy collapses.

At the moment, though, Puerto Ricans left on the island are bearing the brunt of the economy, where fewer services and resources are available to people than before. With many educated people leaving the island, Rivera admits she's thought of moving to the mainland — but she won't do it.

"If you had asked me a few years ago, I would say no with capital letters — I won't leave the island. I'm here for the long haul," Rivera says. "And I am here for the long haul. But it gets tiresome."


.

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Prison officer busted after becoming pregnant by cop-killer she was guarding: feds


By MITCHEL MADDUX

Last Updated: 5:52 PM, February 5, 2013

Posted: 11:51 AM, February 5, 2013



Paul Martinka

Federal Prison guard Nancy Gonzalez leaving Brooklyn Federal Courthouse.


Gonzalez has told friends that she is now eight months pregnant with a baby because of her relationship with Wilson, sources said.

"Now I am carrying his child," the guard allegedly told a colleague, according to court documents.

Justice Department investigators had launched a probe that spanned several months, ending in the prison guard's arrest today.


.

Obama's Pick For CIA Chief To Face Senate Scrutiny




NPR - ‎42 minutes ago‎ 

John Brennan, President Obama's choice to lead the CIA, can look forward to a grilling Thursday on Capitol Hill. As Obama's chief counterterrorism adviser, he has been associated with some controversial policies, including the use of armed drones.



Related:


Early life and education

Brennan, the son of Irish immigrants from Roscommon, Ireland, was raised in North Bergen, New Jersey.[10] He attended the Immaculate Heart of Mary elementary school, and graduated from Saint Joseph of the Palisades High School in West New York, New Jersey.[6]
While riding a bus to class at Fordham University, he saw an ad in The New York Times that said the CIA was recruiting, and felt a CIA career would be a good match for his "wanderlust" and his desire to do public service.[6] He received a B.A. in political science from Fordham in 1977.[3] His studies included a junior year abroad learning Arabic and taking Middle Eastern studies courses at the American University in Cairo.[3][6] He also received a Master of Arts in government with a concentration in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980.[6] He speaks Arabic fluently.[10]

Sourcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O._Brennan

.

Fla. police want to use drones for crowd control


Posted on Wednesday, 02.06.13


BY BILL KACZOR
ASSOCIATED PRESS


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Police want lawmakers to make an exception for crowd control in a bill that bans the use of drones for law and code enforcement, but the measure won committee approval Wednesday without that change.

The request prompted the bill's sponsor to ask what if King George had sent a drone to the Boston Tea Party.

The Community Affairs Committee unanimously approved the bill (SB 92) to ban drones with exceptions for certain emergencies, suspected terrorism and surveillance that's been approved by a judge.

"What we're talking about here is Big Brother and the idea that Big Brother is watching," said Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando.

Thompson is among several committee members who urged Sen. Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican sponsoring the bill, to consider loosening some of its restrictions although they voted for the measure.

"We have a responsibility to protect people's liberty, but I think we have also a responsibility to protect people's lives," said Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater.

Negron, though, said he would vote against his own bill if a crowd control exception is added.

"We know something about crowds," Negron said. "We had a crowd back in the 1700s. It was called the Boston Tea Party. Can you imagine if King George had sent a drone to hover over the Boston Tea Party to see what the American patriots were up to?"

Orange County Sheriff's Capt. Michael Fewless told the committee that taxpayers would save money if law enforcement could use drones instead of helicopters for crowd control at football games and other events where thousands of people converge.

"They have no firearms on them," Fewless said. "We can't blow people up. The only thing we can do is take a picture."

Negron wants to restrict drones to protect people's privacy rights, but Fewless said there's no reasonable expectation of privacy at public events.

"We do not want to use the drone to fly over people's houses, seeing what they're doing in their backyards," he said. "What we are looking for is large scale events."

Fewless also said he was worried that restrictions on drones could lead to similar limits on helicopters, but Negron disagreed. He said people can see and hear helicopters unlike the much smaller and quieter drones.

"Helicopters yes, drones no, because we have to draw lines," Negron said. "That is what legislating is all about."

Latvala said he was more concerned about such uses as spotting marijuana growing areas than about crowd control.

The bill already would permit that as long as authorities obtain search warrants from judges, Negron said.

It also allows drone searches for escaped fugitives and for emergencies such as an imminent threat to life or property. That includes fires, missing children and kidnappings.

Fewless said the Orange County Sheriff's Office would support the bill if it had a crowd control exception.

Keri Silver, a lobbyist for the Florida Sheriffs Association, said her organization no longer oppose the bill with such a provision but still wouldn't endorse it. She said it isn't necessary at this time.

Only a few Florida law enforcement agencies currently have drones, but Negron said the technology is expanding rapidly and he wants to get a law passed now. Florida is one of at least 11 states considering limits on drone use.

Florida Police Chiefs Association lawyer Tim Stanfield said his organization wants changes in the emergency situation language to give its members more comfort.

American Civil Liberties Union of Florida lobbyist Ron Bilbao said the ACLU supports the bill he advocated a more restrictive emergency provision.

The bill must get through three more committees before it can get a floor vote. A similar House bill (HB 119) is scheduled for its first committee hearing Thursday.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/06/3220135/fla-police-want-to-use-drones.html#storylink=cpy



Source
.

Menendez: $58,500 Cost of Trips ‘Fell Through the Cracks’


February 5, 2013

By Fred Lucas




Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) (CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)



(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), whose net worth if valued between $317,005 and $680,000, according to his 2011 financial disclosure form, told CNN he was not initially aware of the cost of two 2010 trips to the Dominican Republic, lasting a total of six days, valued at a combined $58,500.

“It unfortunately fell through the cracks that our processes didn't catch -- moving forward, and making sure that we paid,” Menendez told CNN. “When it came to my attention that payment had not taken place, I personally paid for them in order to meet my obligation.”





He later said, “Now, if it had come to my attention before, I would have in fact, done it before. When it came to my attention, I did what was right, and I paid for it myself.”

The near $60,000 that fell through the cracks that the senator later became aware of made up between eight percent and 18 percent of his total assets. Menendez ranks 79 out of 100 in the Senate net worth, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Menendez is facing scrutiny for having accepted two trips to the Dominican Republic aboard the private plane of wealthy campaign contributor Dr. Salomon E. Melgen, a Florida eye surgeon. On Jan. 4, Menendez reimbursed Melgen for the two flights in 2010.The Senate Ethics Committee in investigating whether Menendez acted inappropriately in not reporting the plane trips. Last week, the FBI raided the West Palm Beach office of Dr. Melgen.

At the time of the trips, Menendez was chairman of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, which raises money for Democratic Senate candidates, from 2009-2011.

One of the flights in 2010 by Menendez aboard Melgen's plane was a campaign fundraising journey to the donor's residence in the Dominican Republic. That trip was reported to the Federal Election Commission.

However, Menendez categorized the other two trips as personal; one from Aug. 6-9, 2010, a round trip from South Florida to the Dominican Republic; another from Sept. 3-6, 2010, from New Jersey to the Dominican Republic and back.

Menendez press secretary Patricia Enright did not respond to CNSNews.com phone and e-mail inquiries on Monday and Tuesday.

Menendez spoke for the first time to a national audience on CNN Monday, when reporter Dana Bash asked him, “Senator, if you can explain why it took so long to pay back almost $60,000 in flights that you took with your friend?”

Menendez answered, “Well, I was in a big travel schedule in 2010 as the chair of the DSCC, plus my own campaign getting ready for a re-election cycle, and in the process of all of that, it unfortunately fell through the cracks that our processes didn't catch -- moving forward, and making sure that we paid. When it came to my attention that payment had not taken place, I personally paid for them in order to meet my obligation.”

Bash followed, “Because that's a lot of money, and as chair of the DSCC, you do so much traveling -- you know the rules. That's a pretty big chunk of money not to pay back.”

Menendez said, “Well, it's certainly the responsibility of myself, when it came to my attention to do so. Now, if it had come to my attention before, I would have in fact, done it before. When it came to my attention, I did what was right, and I paid for it myself.”

Bash followed up, “And you, of course, understand the perception that when you say it came to your attention, that you didn't pay for it until you got caught.”

Menendez responded, “Well, that's not the case. The bottom line is, when it came to my attention, I paid for it. There are a series of flights that were alleged. Several of them were shown not to be the case. But after the election, when I got to look at the allegations, and I did my own self-inspection, I ultimately came forward. As a matter of fact, one of those flights, I self-reported. It wasn't even anybody raised it.”

Menendez, the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was previously chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, which has jurisdiction over matters involving the Dominican Republic.

In 2010, Melgen bought the Caribbean-based ICSSI that had been awarded a contract to provide screening of cargo from ports in the Dominican Republic, the New York Times reported last week. However, the Dominican government was refusing to honor the contract, complaining that it was exorbitant.

Menendez chaired a subcommittee hearing on July 31, 2012, where he brought up the matter, without naming Melgen or the company.

“You have another company that has American investors that is seeking to -- has a contract actually given to it by the Dominican -- currently ratified by the Dominican congress to do its X-Ray of all of the cargo that goes to the ports, which have been problematic, and for which in the past, narcotics have been included in those cargo,” Menendez said at the July hearing, according to a Congressional Quarterly transcript of the hearing.

“And they don't want to live by that contract either. You have, you know, some of the other countries that I have mentioned today with arbitration awards that have gone against them, and yet, they don't want to live by that. Well, what are we willing to do?” he added.

The witnesses at the hearing were Francisco Sanchez, undersecretary for international trade with the Department of Commerce, Jodi Bond, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Americas Division and Eric Farnsworth, vice president for Council of the Americas.

“Mr. Secretary, this might be more of your alleyway, but what are we willing to do with our directors at the IDB, IMF and other entities, because it just seems to me that if you do not send a message that you cannot, with impunity, go ahead and violate those agreements, trade agreements and arbitration awards which you agreed to as a process, and then still have us voting for you to get monies for a variety of purposes, then, you know what, if those countries can get away with that, they will?” Menendez said to Sanchez. “And that puts American companies at a tremendous disadvantage.”

Bash did not ask the senator about this on the air, but she said on CNN she asked him about it after the camera was off.

“As we were walking away, I also asked him about the allegations that he was trying to help his friend, Dr. Melgen, who is now somebody who is the owner of a potentially lucrative contract with the Dominican Republic, trying to help him to get that contract enforced,” Bash said. “And his answer was that he was just trying to do -- whatever he did was not because of a friend, but trying to do what was right for the policy of the United States with regard to his influence and position as then as a subcommittee chair overseeing that region “

According to Menendez’s 2011 financial disclosure form filed on May 9, 2012, he has rental property in Union City, N.J. valued at between $250,001 and $500,000; between $50,001 and $100,000 in a Congressional Federal Credit Union account; between $15,001 and $50,000 in Senate Federal Credit Union account; between $1,001 and $15,000 in Hudson City Savings Bank and Metropolitan Life Insurance stock valued between $1,001 and $15,000.


.

The Broad Way To Progress And Destruction!

Volume XXXII Issue II February 2013
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org




"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken."
Jeremiah 6:14-17

"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! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!"
Isaiah 5:20-23

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
Hosea 4:6

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Matthew 7:13-14



In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will thoughtfully consider the current path of the human race and the many indicators that this world is undergoing a rapid transformation right before our eyes. Throughout the years of his presidency, Barack Obama has often declared that the United States of America is heading in the "right direction." However, if a person is willing to make an honest assessment of this world's present condition, it becomes clear that the situation is not improving but rather growing worse. For example, the recent re-election of Barack Obama as President of the United States seems to usher in a cultural shift, which those of a liberal mindset call "progress." This so-called progress has set the masses on a path which leads them further away from God and ever closer to destruction. This dangerous mindset is highlighted in Jeremiah 6:16 which reads, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein." Jesus also warned us of the propensity of man to take the wrong path and go the wrong direction in Matthew 7:13-14 when he told us, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

In this present age, what was once considered moral and good is now considered immoral by the population at large. For example, those who embrace traditional family values are often criticized for doing so. Conversely, the slaughter of innocent babies through abortion is now considered a virtuous choice by many of the leaders, such as Barack Obama and the liberal politicians who support him here in the United States. Recent research indicates that the majority of the population is also becoming more accepting of the murderous practice. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of respondents believe that Roe versus Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case which resulted in the legalization of abortion in the United States, should not be overturned. In other words, 63 percent of the poll's respondents are in favor of abortion. (1)

Sadly, abortion is a booming business for groups such as Planned Parenthood. According to a report released in January 2013, Planned Parenthood performed 333,964 abortions in the fiscal year 2011. On average it was the equivalent of one abortion every ninety-four seconds. (2) Regarding these figures, the organization released a statement boasting their accomplishments. "We are so proud of the year's many successes and deeply grateful for all the partners, sponsors, volunteers, staff and friends who helped make them possible," said the statement, which was signed by the group's president, Cecile Richards, and the group's chairwoman, Cecelia Boone. (3) It has also come to light that Planned Parenthood has been cutting back on other health services, such as cancer screenings, in order to facilitate more abortions. (4) These cutbacks on other services have come even as government funding to the group has increased. In 2006 Planned Parenthood received 305.3 million dollars from the United States government. In 2012 that amount rose to 542.4 million dollars. (5) It is a troubling state of affairs when the government sanctions the mass-murder of young children, and the people consider it an acceptable practice.

As readers of the Last Trumpet may recall, I wrote a lengthy section in the January 2013 issue of this newsletter detailing the proliferation of the homosexual lifestyle into mainstream society. Although the Bible firmly condemns homosexuality, there is a constant pressure on the Christian people to embrace it as an acceptable way of life. In a new development, a well-known pastor from the United Kingdom by the name of Steven Chalke has firmly given his support to the homosexual community. "When we refuse to make room for gay people to live in loving, stable relationships, we consign them to lives of loneness, secrecy and fear. It's one thing to be critical of a promiscuous lifestyle - but shouldn't the Church consider nurturing positive models for permanent and monogamous homosexual relationships?" Chalke wrote. (6) Another pastor by the name of Tony Campolo made the following statement regarding Chalke's position: "Steve's public declaration in support of Civil Partnerships will cause reverberations far and wide. His statement represents the first time that a major evangelist and leader in the Evangelical community has come out in support of same-sex relationships." (7) Another report quoted Campolo as stating, "Whether or not we change our positions on accepting same-sex relationships or even gay marriage, we Evangelicals have to face the reality that the time has come for many of us to change our attitudes towards gay people, and show something of the love and grace of God in the name of His Son Jesus." (8)

For those who dare to follow the Biblical doctrine regarding homosexuality, the consequences can be severe. This became obvious when a pastor known as Louie Giglio was forced to withdraw from giving a prayer at Obama's inauguration ceremony after it was discovered that he preached a "vehemently anti-gay" sermon in the mid-1990s. In a statement announcing his withdrawal from the ceremony, Giglio said, "Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda a focal point of the inauguration." (9) In response, a spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee by the name of Addie Whisenhunt declared that her committee was "not aware of Pastor Giglio's past comments at the time of his selection and they don't reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration's vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans." (10)

In yet another indicator that the American people are straying further away from God, journalists from the mainstream media are now openly denigrating the Holy Bible. In a recent television segment on MSNBC, the host of a program known as "The Last Word" urged Barack Obama to forgo any use of Scripture at the presidential inauguration ceremony. "No one accepts all of the teachings of the Bible - no one. There are no literal followers of the word of God as presented in the Bible left on earth. If there were any, they would have to be burning people at the stake all day, every day," the show's host, Lawrence O'Donnell, declared. Rather than use a Bible at the ceremony, O'Donnell suggested that Barack Obama place his hand on one of his daughter's shoulders. (11) Piers Morgan, a man who a hosts television show on CNN, also criticized the Bible on his program. "But you and I know the Bible is, in many places, a flawed document. My point to you about gay rights for example - it's time for an amendment to the Bible. You should compile a new Bible," Morgan stated. (12)

Piers Morgan also holds a low opinion of the United States Constitution. "Both the Bible and the Constitution were well intentioned but they are basically, inherently flawed. Hence, the need to amend it," Morgan said. (13) The opinion that the Constitution is a flawed document is a sentiment also expressed by Obama. It was in 2001, long before Obama would even be considered a presidential candidate, when he declared, "I don't think the two views are contradictory to say that it was a remarkable political document that paved the way for where we are now, and to say that it also reflected the fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day." (14)

Even as liberal values are being embraced wholeheartedly in the United States, an effort is being made to silence conservatives and to even paint them as potential terrorists in some cases. A recent report, published by the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, warned that people they consider to be part of the "far right" on the political spectrum may be dangerous. According to the report, people in this subset of the population "espouse strong convictions regarding the federal government, believing it to be corrupt and tyrannical, with a natural tendency to intrude on individuals' civil and constitutional rights." The report also declares, "While liberal worldviews are future - or progressive - oriented, conservative perspectives are more past-oriented, and in general, are interested in preserving the status quo." (15)

The world as we know it is changing in many ways, and it is not for the better. However, this is not surprising to the Christian people. In fact, the present condition of this world was foretold long ago in the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul plainly warns us in II Timothy 3:13, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." Thankfully, we can put our hope and trust in our Lord and Saviour with the understanding that He will give us strength to withstand the intense spiritual pressure now so evident in this present age. Yes, the majority may be taking that broad way to destruction spoken of by Jesus, but that does not have to be your fate. If you have not yet completely given your heart to God, I urge you to do so now.

Barack Obama's King Complex!

In previous issues of the Last Trumpet, I have written about the messianic undertones often attributed to Barack Obama. The recent re-election of Obama has only stirred the passions of his followers as they give their hearts to this unholy man whom they consider to be a god. One such example of blasphemy occurred on the 2012 Soul Train Awards event, which aired on the BET television network. "It's like church over here. It's like church in here. First of all giving honor to god and lord and savior Barack Obama. Barack Obama," declared Jamie Foxx, whose comments were met with enthusiastic applause. (16) Mr. Foxx tried to downplay his comment later saying he was only attempting to make a joke. "I'm a comic [and] sometimes I think people get a little too tight. And, it's getting a little tougher for us comedians [because] some people take it and want to make a huge story out of it, but it's a joke," Foxx said. (17) Even if he was only joking, it was a blasphemous statement that never should have been made.

Another example of Obama worship occurred in Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day as street vendors sold their wares to the gathering crowds. One of the items being sold was a poster which featured the following declaration, "Barak is of Hebrew origin and its meaning is 'flash of lightning' in the Bible. Barak is a valiant fighting man who cooperated with the prophetess Deborah to win victory in a battle against overwhelming odds. Hussein is of Biblical meaning: good and handsome. So you see Barak was destined to be a good and handsome man that would rise like a flash of lightning to win victory in a battle against overwhelming odds." The poster then features the words "Prophecy Fulfilled" in large letters under a pious photograph of Barack Obama. (18) Messianic undertones attributed to Barack Obama were also present on the cover of the January 18, 2013, issue of the digital magazine known as Newsweek. The cover features a picture of Barack Obama with the caption "The Second Coming." (19) Additionally, former governor of the state of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, made an appearance on the ABC television program "This Week" where she tried to make the case that the American people should not fear new gun control regulations because Barack Obama is our "protector-in-chief." (20)

It is worthwhile to note that while Obama promised to unite the nation when he was given his first term as president, the United States is now more divided than at any time since the Civil War. Sometimes those who oppose the Obama Administration are not people you would normally expect to do so. One such example is Kesha Rogers, a black woman who was a Democratic nominee for the 22nd Congressional District in Texas. Ms. Rogers lost all support of the Democratic Party when she called for the impeachment of Barack Obama. "Mr. Obama is a puppet of the bankrupt financial system, and has pushed policies made notorious by the Adolph Hitler regime, and since condemned by the entire world," Rogers declared. (21)

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from the state of Kentucky, also had harsh words for Obama. Speaking of the announcement of twenty-three new executive orders signed by Obama regarding gun control, Senator Paul stated, "That cannot happen. The court struck (President Bill) Clinton down for trying this, and I'm afraid that President Obama may have this king complex sort of developing, and we're going to make sure that it doesn't happen." (22)

An Uproar Over Climate Change!

In recent years, the planet earth has been pummeled by numerous incidents of extreme weather. However, rather than realizing that this calamity is a sign of the times in which we live, politicians and scientists keep fretting over what they call "climate change." The year of 2012 was one of the worst years on record for extreme weather, and the year of 2013 has begun on a very unpleasant note in some regions of the world. "Each year we have extreme weather, but it's unusual to have so many extreme events around the world at once. The heat wave in Australia; the flooding in the U.K., and most recently the flooding and extensive snowstorm in the Middle East - it's already a big year in terms of extreme weather calamity," said Omar Baddour of the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. (23) In the United States, extensive drought has been persistent even as we enter a new year, and some areas of the country are facing widespread shortages that require drastic action. One such example is the small farming community of Wapanucka, Oklahoma, which saw its water source become completely exhausted. The town was forced to run a line to a neighboring district in order to provide water for its citizens. (24) Officials from several states have expressed worry over the drought that just does not seem to go away. "It's going to be dry again this year. We consider this a really big deal," stated Lane Letourneau of the Kansas Agriculture Department. (25) Ronald Gertson, chairman of Colorado Water Issues Committee, has also expressed concern over the water shortages now becoming problematic in his state. "We've got a shortage of water. People are going to be both hungry and thirsty before they wake up to this problem," Gertson said. (26)

Addressing the nation on January 21, 2013, Barack Obama promised to renew his efforts to fight the effects of climate change. "We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms." (27) Obama's plan will likely involve enacting strict new regulations on energy providers in the United States. In fact, new regulations forced Georgia Power, an energy provider from the state of Georgia, to permanently close fifteen coal-fired power plants, which resulted in the loss of 480 jobs. (28) It is probable that we will see many more such closures in the forthcoming months around the United States as the Obama Administration implements new regulations.

Occasionally, environmental extremists will come out and say what they believe is required to actually fight climate change effectively. One such example is Sir David Attenborough, a notable broadcaster and naturalist from the United Kingdom. "We are a plague on the earth. It's coming home to roost over the next fifty years or so. It's not just climate change; it's sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now," Attenborough declared in a recent interview. (29)

New Evidence That The Earth Is Cracking Apart!

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 24, verses 19-20, we find the following text, "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again." These verses seem fitting for today when we consider new evidence that the earth itself is beginning to crack apart. One area of concern for geologists is the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which is a fault line that covers a massive expanse of land in the United States. This fault line has the potential to cause a devastating impact in several states, including Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. (30) The New Madrid Seismic Zone was given its name due to a catastrophic earthquake in 1812, which had an epicenter in a small town known as New Madrid, Missouri. The earthquake was so severe that church bells reportedly started ringing in cities as far away as Boston, Massachusetts, and New York, New York. (31) The potential for quakes in the region have caused alarm for Gary Patterson, a geologist at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information in Memphis, Tennessee. "I think most people are aware that earthquakes can occur here, but they just can't remember the last time one shook them. You take the same magnitude earthquake, put one in California, one here. The one here is going to affect ten to twenty times larger an area. That's incredible… We know that the earthquakes of 1811, 1812, were felt 1,000 to 1,200 miles away," Patterson said. (32)

The renewed attention given to this region was spurred by three recent earthquakes which occurred in November 2012. The first of the quakes had a magnitude of 4.3 and occurred in Whitesburg, Kentucky. This shallow quake was reportedly felt in ten states. (33) The other two quakes, which also occurred in November 2012, were felt in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, and Edmond, Oklahoma. (34) Although these quakes were only minor and did not cause damage, it could be an indicator that the New Madrid Seismic Zone is waking up. However, this is not the only area of the world experiencing earthquakes. We must remember that the earth is now shaking on an almost constant basis, a fact which becomes evident after just a quick visit to the U.S. Geological Survey website. According to their earthquake tracker, 1228 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 or greater have occurred around the world over the last thirty days as of this writing. (35)

It has also come to light that large sinkholes have been appearing at various locales around the world. There is presently a mysterious sinkhole measuring over eight acres in size, which has forced over two hundred people to evacuate their homes in Bayou Corne, Louisiana. (36) Meanwhile, an incident which occurred in January 2013 forced thirty homes in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to be evacuated after a series of sinkholes formed on one of the city streets. (37) A small village located in China, known as Lianyuan, has reportedly suffered from the formation of over twenty sinkholes in their community since September 2012. (38)

We live in a time when the earth continues to shake, quake, and crack apart. There is a constant barrage of threats to the earth's inhabitants, and it is imperative that the children of God cry out to their Lord and Saviour all the more as we see these fearful sights occurring around the world. I believe these perils will only intensify as we draw ever closer to that notable day when Jesus Christ returns.

A Perfect Storm Of Crises!

In recent years, it seems mankind has fallen under a perpetual cycle of "wars and rumors of wars." Regarding the volatile state of world affairs, particularly in the Middle East, British Foreign Secretary William Hague recently made the following statement at a lecture in Sydney, Australia: "2013 will be a crucial year in the Middle East. We could see a perfect storm of crises converging if the conflict in Syria continues, the Middle East peace process remains stalled, and if Iran will not enter into meaningful negotiations over its nuclear program." (39)

Even as the Middle Eastern nation of Iran suffers from the consequences of sanctions against them, the Iranian government continues to show no fear of the United States and Israel. Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh recently declared that Iran would not stop its nuclear enrichment program "for a second." (40) Meanwhile, the Iranian military has declared it is prepared to defend its borders against any attacks. "The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) Navy enjoys full command over all maritime borders and today we are at the highest level of readiness and might," Iranian Navy General Alireza Tangsiri declared. He further went on to say, "The IRGC Navy has a full control over the entrance and exit of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, we question all ships, vessels and military ships which enter the Strait of Hormuz about their destination, type of vessel, nationality, etc," Tangsiri stated. (41) Ali Akbar Velayati, who is a senior aide to Iran's Supreme Leader, has warned that any attempt to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria would be a "red line." "If the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is toppled, the line of resistance in the face of Israel will be broken. We believe that there should be reforms emanating from the will of the Syrian people, but without resorting to violence and obtaining assistance from the (United States of) America," Velayati said. (42)

Tensions have flared between Barack Obama and the nation of Israel in recent weeks. Controversy arose after Obama reportedly declared, "Israel doesn't know what its own best interests are." (43) In response, the recently re-elected Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, was quoted as saying, "I think everyone understands that only Israel's citizens will be the ones to determine who faithfully represents Israel's vital interests. Over the last four years we stood up against strong pressure, and I will continue to do so for Israel's security." (44) It is interesting to note that a recent Bloomberg news report suggested that the nation of Israel may not survive if it alienates itself from the United States. (45) Essam el-Erian, the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, has also suggested that the nation of Israel will cease to exist within ten years. (46) While it is not surprising that such a strong opponent of Israel would make such a statement, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made a similar remark in September 2012 when he reportedly said, "In ten years, there will be no more Israel." (47)

In the meantime, a controversy between the nations of Japan and China has intensified over a disputed chain of islands in the East China Sea. On January 20, 2013, it was reported that Japan has warned China that it may fire warning shots if an unauthorized presence of the Chinese military is detected in the region of the islands. "Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures. We have response measures ready that are consistent with global standards," stated Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. (48) In response, Major General Peng Guangqian of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences declared the following: "Japan's desire to fire tracer warning shots as a way of frightening the Chinese is nothing but a joke that shows the stupidity, cruelty and failure to understand their own limitations. Firing tracer bullets is a type of provocation; it's firing the first shot. Were Japan to dare to fire tracers, which is to say fire the first shot, then China wouldn't stint on responding and not allow them to fire the second shot." (49)

In closing, I know there is much more that could be said about the amazing events occurring all over the world. We at Last Trumpet Ministries will strive to keep you as informed as we possibly can in the coming months as we continue to watch and pray while the signs that unfold around us declare that Jesus Christ is coming soon. Thank you to our supporters which make this ministry possible. We could not do what we do without your help. We appreciate your kind letters and correspondence, but most of all we appreciate your prayers. If you have any prayer requests, please do not hesitate to send them our way. Each prayer request is always given individual hands-on attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.Samuel David Meyer

Acknowledgements
01. Reuters News Service, January 16, 2013, By Mary Wisniewski, http://news.msn.com.
02. CNS News, January 7, 2013, By Penny Starr, http://cnsnews.com.
03. Ibid.
04. Life News, January 17, 2013, By Rita Diller, http://lifenews.com.
05. Ibid.
06. The Independent, January 15, 2013, By Jerome Taylor, http://independent.co.uk.
07. Ibid.
08. The Huffington Post, January 17, 2013, By Cavan Sieczkowski, http://huffingtonpost.com.
09. CNN, January 10, 2013, By Eric Marrapodi, http://cnn.com.
10. Ibid.
11. The Blaze, January 11, 2013, By Billy Hallowell, http://theblaze.com.
12. The Daily Mail, December 27, 2012, By Daily Mail Reporter, http://dailymail.co.uk.
13. Ibid.
14. Newsmax, October 27, 2008, By David A. Patten, http://newsmax.com.
15. The Washington Times, January 17, 2013, By Rowan Scarborough, http://washingtontimes.com.
16. The Christian Post, December 5, 2012, By Christine Thomasos, http://christianpost.com.
17. Ibid.
18. Fox News, January 20, 2013, By Todd Starnes, http://foxnews.com.
19. Ibid.
20. The National Review, January 20, 2013, By Patrick Brennan, http://nationalreview.com.
21. Your Black World, September 13, 2012, By Your Black World, http://yourblackworld.net.
22. CNS News, January 17, 2013, By Susan Jones, http://cnsnews.com.
23. The New York Times, January 10, 2013, By Sarah Lyall, Worchester, England.
24. Reuters News Service, January 17, 2013, By Carey Gillam, http://news.msn.com.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. The Telegraph, January 21, 2013, Transcript of Inaugural Address, http://telegraph.co.uk.
28. Fox News, January 8, 2013, By Fox News, http://foxnews.com.
29. The Telegraph, January 22, 2013, By Louise Gray, http://telegraph.co.uk.
30. Wikipedia, New Madrid Seismic Zone, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_Fault
31. WREG News, November 15, 2012, By George Brown, http://wreg.com.
32. Ibid.
33. The Examiner, November 10, 2012, By Atlanta Page, http://examiner.com.
34. The Examiner, November 21, 2012, By Atlanta Page, http://examiner.com.
35. The U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquakes - 30 Days, January 23, 2013, http://earthquake.usgs.gov.
36. The Huffington Post, November 30, 2012, By The Huffington Post, http://huffingtonpost.com.
37. CBS 21 News, January 1, 2013, By Kirk Wilson, http://whptv.com.
38. MSN News, January 14, 2013, By Isan Jones, http://news.uk.msn.com.
39. The Times Of Israel, January 17, 2013, By Stuart Winer, http://timesofisrael.com.
40. Reuters News Service, January 19, 2013, By Reuters News Service, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
41. Fars News Agency, January 21, 2013, By Fars News Agency, http://english.farsnews.com.
42. Reuters News Service, January 20, 2013, By Sami Aboudi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
43. Bloomberg News, January 14, 2013, By Jeffrey Goldberg, http://bloomberg.com.
44. The Jerusalem Post, January 16, 2013, By Herb Keinon, http://jpost.com.
45. Bloomberg News, January 14, 2013, By Jeffrey Goldberg, http://bloomberg.com.
46. The Telegraph, January 1, 2013, By Richard Spencer, Cairo, Egypt.
47. The New York Post, September 17, 2012, By Cindy Adams, http://nypost.com.
48. Associated Press, January 20, 2013, By Eric Talmadge, Tokyo, Japan.
49. Ibid.

Special Note: A new tribute website for Pastor David J. Meyer can now be accessed at http://pastormeyer.org.

Comments regarding this newsletter or topic suggestions may be submitted to editor@lasttrumpetnewsletter.org.
If you would like to submit a prayer request, you may send email to prayer@ltmmail.org or mail it to our postal address.






.