Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Tokyo Hit By Major Earthquake
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

First reports of 7.3 magnitude quake shaking Tokyo and striking northeast Japan. An earlier tsunami warning has been lifted. The same area was hit by the disastrous March 2011 quake and tsunami.

Soros Remakes America Into Narco Nation
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily NewsCanada Free Press Cliff Kincaid
Categories: Commentary;Warning

As more states embrace legalization of marijuana—a pet cause of George Soros for decades—the British publication The Independent has published a groundbreaking series of articles by journalist Patrick Cockburn on how his son went insane smoking the drug.

Cockburn and his son Henry, who was treated for psychosis and partially recovered, have written an article in which Patrick Cockburn is quoted as saying his son played Russian roulette with cannabis “and lost.”

Henry, who smoked marijuana daily for seven years and was in mental hospitals for about eight years as a result, says, “When I reached a mental hospital, called St Martin’s, I spent three hours walking around the lunch tables trying to listen to my shoes. I thought my shoes were talking to me.”

Patrick Cockburn spent months speaking to the experts in the field and reports on the substantial evidence linking sustained marijuana use with mental illness. One expert, Sir William Paton, professor of pharmacology at Oxford University, reveals “that even limited social use of cannabis could precipitate schizophrenia in people who previously had no psychological problems,” and noted that “smoking a single joint could induce schizophrenia-like symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia and fragmented thought processes.”

“Three-quarters of consumers may take cannabis with no ill effect but the remaining quarter, the genetically vulnerable, play Russian roulette,” Cockburn says.

The added significance of the series of articles by Patrick Cockburn is that he is a left-wing media figure—the son of Marxist author Claud Cockburn—and might be predisposed to believe that marijuana is, as the liberal media constantly tell us, a relatively harmless drug or a substance with “medical” qualities. But he knows the harm it causes firsthand through what it did to his son.

AIM noted back in 2004, in a special report on George Soros, the main financier behind the drug legalization movement, that although marijuana is depicted by the media as a “soft” drug, it has “extremely negative consequences.” The book, Marijuana and Madness, cites studies and evidence from around the world, some of it going back 40 years, linking the use of marijuana to mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and psychosis.

In a previous article for the left-wing publication Counterpunch, Patrick Cockburn took issue with a report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy which played down the dangers associated with marijuana. “They fail to make clear that for people genetically susceptible to psychosis the risks involved in taking cannabis may be lethally high,” he noted. “Cigarettes and alcohol, whatever harm they cause, do not, at a young age, send you mad.”

The Global Commission on Drug Policy is funded by the Open Society Institute of George Soros.

In this country, the case of Pentagon shooter John Patrick Bedell stands out as a case study of the harmful effects of the drug. Bedell, who shot and wounded two guards at the Pentagon in March of 2010, was a psychotic pothead who hated a government that he believed was standing in the way of his desire to use, grow and glorify marijuana. He virtually worshipped the drug. “I’m a cannabis enthusiast,” he proclaimed.

John Podesta, head of the Soros-funded Center for American Progress (CAP), had suggested on ABC News that the taxing and legalization of marijuana on a national basis could be a way to pay for Obama’s health care plan.

“The pro-cannabis lobby says that the so-called ‘war on drugs’ has failed and legalization or regulation should be tried, though critics argue that no government would ever license a drug that sends at least two percent of its consumers insane,” Cockburn reports.

In the first of Cockburn’s articles, “Is this the ‘tobacco moment’ for cannabis?,” the veteran foreign correspondent suggests a connection between marijuana use and psychotic episodes that is comparable to the scientific recognition that tobacco smoking causes lung cancer and other illnesses.

In addition to the dangers of mental illness, Cockburn notes that a major study finds a drop in intelligence associated with heavy marijuana use.

Cockburn’s articles on the link between marijuana and mental illness become increasingly relevant as the public in the U.S. comes to grips with the fact that voters in the states of Washington and Colorado on November 6 passed ballot measures legalizing marijuana, in violation of federal law. Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette has introduced federal legalization that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to assert that federal law does not preempt state laws.

In response, a group called Save Our Society From Drugs, has said, “Many concerned citizens, community groups, law enforcement agencies and elected officials are concerned how these laws will impact their communities, states and the nation, and are urging the Obama Administration to take action by clearly communicating and enforcing federal drug policies.”

The group added, “Keeping marijuana illegal is a treaty obligation under the 1961 International Convention on Narcotic Drugs and is supported by the two other Conventions: the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Drugs and the 1988 Anti-Trafficking Convention. Allowing state marijuana laws to supersede federal drug laws violates our treaty obligations.”

It said, “Marijuana legalization will significantly impact our environment, school scores and drop-out rates, accident and vehicle fatality rates, employee productivity, and healthcare and treatment costs.”

But the Soros-funded Drug Policy Alliance is rallying behind the DeGette bill, saying it would “end federal marijuana prohibition and allow states to set their own marijuana policy without federal interference.”

Paris: NATO - Arab Syria Intervention Imminent
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

Sources close to the French Defense Ministry reported Friday, Dec. 7, that a Western-Arab military intervention against the Assad regime is due to begin shortly with the participation of the US, France, Britain, Turkey, Jordan and other anti-Assad Arab nations. debkafile: The reference is to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar’s special forces.

Our military sources add that the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle carrying a complement of marines is deployed in the Mediterranean, having joined the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and at least five British warships which are also carrying a large marine force.

In the second and third weeks of November, British and French naval forces, plus 2,600 special ops combatants from both nations, performed landing-and-capture exercises against fortified locations on the coast and mountains of Albania as practice for potential operations against similar terrain in Syria, where the Alawite Mountains loom over the coastal towns of Latakia and Tartus.

The troops landing there would head for the Alawite Mts. to prevent Assad and his loyal units from retreating to his mountain stronghold and fighting on from there - as he plans to do if he is forced to flee Damascus.
French sources told Le Point magazine that the NATO mission for Syria, including the UK and the US, would be modeled on the Western intervention in Libya in 2011. It would combine an aerial blitz with ground action by special forces for destroying Assad’s chemical weapons stocks, his air force and his air defense systems.

Let the Headlines Speak
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Lone German Keynesian Advocates Pooling Euro Debt
“Germany would be the biggest loser in a euro breakup,” he says. With his right hand, he does an emphatic knife chop onto a small round table. “Somehow, we need to save this thing.”

EU sets out detailed "map" for euro zone's overhaul
European Union leaders will examine a detailed plan for completing a banking union and strengthening euro zone fiscal policy next week, with officials concerned that momentum is waning in tackling the debt crisis. In a report prepared for a December 13-14 EU summit, policymakers have set out a three-step process they hope will strengthen economic and monetary union and help prevent a repeat of the problems that have threatened the survival of the euro.

Obama 'Absolutely' Willing to Go Over Fiscal Cliff
The President who once claimed that he wanted to unify the country has a funny idea of how to make peace. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told CNBC that the White House is "absolutely" ready to careen over the fiscal cliff if they don’t get their way on taxes for the wealthy.

FEMA teams told to 'sightsee' as Sandy victims suffered
That’s what first responders were left to do after being deployed by FEMA to assist in the storm-ravaged areas in the initial days after superstorm Sandy, FoxNews.com has learned. A FEMA worker who spoke to FoxNews.com described a chaotic scene at New Jersey's Fort Dix, where emergency workers arrived as the storm bore down on the Atlantic Coast. The worker said officials at the staging area were unprepared and told the incoming responders there was nothing for them to do for nearly four days.

Year Of Fires
Records maintained by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and NASA both indicate that 2012 was an extraordinary year for wildfires in the United States. NIFC statistics show that more than 9.1 million acres had burned as of November 30, 2012—the third highest total in a record that dates back to 1960.

FILAMENT ERUPTION
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) detected a cloud of plasma emerging from the blast site; however, Earth does not appear to be in the line of fire.

Earthquake hits eastern province of Iran
An earthquake measuring 5.5 in magnitude struck eastern Iran on Wednesday, killing eight people and injuring 12 others as emergency teams scrambled to rescue others and treat the injured, Iranian media reported. People fled their homes as the quake struck and brought walls and buildings down. But others were left trapped under rubble in villages across the district of Zohan in South Khorasan province, Fars news agency said.

Russia, U.S. talk as Syria events "accelerate on the ground"
The two superpowers divided by Syria's civil war met head to head on Thursday, with signs emerging that Russia might curb its support for President Bashar al-Assad and Washington saying events were gathering speed on the ground. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Dublin on the sidelines of a security conference, at a time when rebel advances have brought the 20-month war to the doorstep of the capital DAMASCUS.

Strong quake hits off Japan near Fukushima
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and thousands of coastal residents were ordered to evacuate to higher ground, but the tsunami warning was lifted two hours after the tremor struck.

Landslide-Driven Megatsunamis Threaten Hawaii
It's almost unimaginable: a tsunami more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) high bearing down on the island of Hawaii. But scientists have new evidence of these monster waves, called megatsunamis, doing just that. The findings were presented here yesterday (Dec. 5) at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Unlike tsunamis from earthquakes, the Hawaiian tsunamis strike when the island chain's massive volcanoes collapse in humongous landslides.

Large, Peanut-Shaped Asteroid Headed Toward Earth
A giant asteroid is set to buzz Earth next week, and astronomers are already keeping their eyes on the skies—but not because 4179 Toutatis poses any danger.

In euro zone, a bleak economic outlook turns darker
The European Central Bank now sees the euro zone economy contracting by 0.5 per cent this year, slightly worse than its original projection of 0.4 per cent. The new 2013 forecast for the 17-nation group calls for a contraction of 0.3 per cent, compared with an earlier projection of 0.5-per-cent growth, while 2014 would see growth of 1 per cent.

Israel’s ‘iron shield’ a warning to Iran: we’re ready for you
Israel is close to completing a missile defence shield that will destroy Iranian ballistic missiles in space or on their launch pads, a development that has sharply increased the odds of an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defence system successfully knocked out 421 rockets — an 84-per-cent success rate — in a stunning demonstration of its capabilities during the conflict with Gaza last month.

G.I.s mass on border with Syria
At least 400 NATO soldiers from the U.S. and the Netherlands were beefing up Turkey’s border with Syria and readying Patriot missiles. “Nobody knows what such a regime is capable of and that is why we are acting protectively here,” German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said of NATO’s move.

U.S. commander: N Korean situation 'very dangerous'
The commander of American troops in Japan said Thursday that the situation ahead of North Korea’s planned launch of a long-range rocket this month is “very dangerous.” Lt Gen Salvatore Angelella said U.S. troops in the country are closely monitoring activity in North Korea as it prepares for the launch. He said the United States sees the launch as a violation of U.N. restrictions in place to keep North Korea from developing its long-range missile capabilities.

Japan poised to shoot down North Korean missile
The order to destroy the missile should any part of it threaten to fall onto Japanese territory was issued after a meeting of the Security Council of Japan met in the morning and was informed that North Korea has begun has filling a fuel tank alongside the launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in preparation for the launch.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal kisses Gaza soil on first visit
Accompanied by his deputy, Mussa Abu Marzuk, and other senior officials, Meshaal drove through the crossing and then got out and kissed the ground before embracing Gaza's Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya. "I hope God will make me a martyr on the land of Palestine in Gaza," Mr Meshaal said.

NHTSA gets White House OK to mandate vehicle 'black boxes'
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to finalize a long-awaited proposal to make event data recorders standard on all new vehicles. In a notice posted Thursday, the White House Office of Management Budget said it has completed a review of the proposal to make so-called vehicle "black boxes" mandatory in all cars and trucks, clearing the way for NHTSA to publish its final regulation.

Germany's growth forecast cut by Bundesbank
Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, has cut its growth forecast for next year, saying the country's economy might be entering recession. Growth in 2013 is now expected to be just 0.4%, compared with a forecast in June of 1.6%, but is expected to bounce back to 1.9% in 2014. This year, Germany is expected to grow 0.7%, down from an earlier 1% forecast.

Japan earthquake sparks tsunami scare
A 7.3 magnitude quake has struck off Japan's eastern coast, triggering a small tsunami and sparking evacuations. A one-metre wave hit Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture and many people heeded calls to move to higher ground before all alerts were later lifted. The quake epicentre was about 245km (150 miles) south-east of Kamiashi at a depth of about 36km, the US Geological Survey said.

Egypt braces for protests after Morsi calls for talks
Egypt is bracing for a day of fresh protests after opposition leaders reacted angrily to a televised speech by President Mohammed Morsi. Mr Morsi, under fire for issuing a decree that gives him sweeping new powers, had invited all major political factions to a meeting on Saturday. But an opposition spokesman said the president had missed a historic chance for compromise.

Khaled Meshaal Arrives in Gaza
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The long exiled Hamas leader arrives in the Gaza Strip for the first time, crossing through the Rafah crossing from Egypt. Exiled from the West Bank in 1967, he will take part in the 25th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement.

A Defecting Iranian Scientist Reports “Catastrophic” Nuclear Safety Levels
Dec 7th, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

An Iranian scientist who defected last week over lax safety at his country’s nuclear sites reports that the Bushehr reactor is too faulty to last more than 18 months and mysterious illnesses are spreading through Isfahan from four nuclear facilities.