Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Sun’s Bizarre Activity May Trigger Another Ice Age
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily NewsIrish Times
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The sun is acting bizarrely and scientists have no idea why. Solar activity is in gradual decline, a change from the norm which in the past triggered a 300-year-long mini ice age.

Three leading solar scientists presented the very latest data about the weakening solar activity at a teleconference yesterday in Boulder, Colorado, organised by the American Astronomical Society. It featured experts from Nasa, the High Altitude Observatory and the National Solar Observatory who described how solar activity, as measured by the formation of sunspots and by massive explosions on the sun’s surface, has been falling steadily since the mid-1940s.

The sun goes through a regular 11-year cycle with a maximum, when sunspot activity is at its peak, followed by a minimum when sunspot numbers are reduced and are smaller and less energetic. We are supposed to be at a peak of activity, at solar maximum.

Outside the norm
The current situation, however, is outside the norm and the number of sunspots seems in steady decline. The sun was undergoing “bizarre behaviour” said Dr Craig DeForest of the society.

“The sun’s current maximum activity period is very late and very weak, leading to speculation that the sunspot cycle itself could be shutting down or entering a dormant phase,” he said before the teleconference.

Pentagon: Growing Threat As China Expands Missile Arsenal Development
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily NewsThe Washington Free Beacon - Abraham Rabinovich
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

China is developing several new short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, according to a military intelligence report made public this week.

“China has the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world,” the report by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center stated.

“It is developing and testing offensive missiles, forming additional missile units, qualitatively upgrading missile systems, and developing methods to counter ballistic missile defenses,” the report said.

According to the report, “Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat,” China’s missile force is “is expanding in both size and types of missiles.”

China’s nuclear, missile, and missile defenses were discussed this week during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue meeting in Washington.

A senior Obama administration official told reporters on Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s recent comments on nuclear cuts and the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review were discussed in the talks.

“We had civilian, military representatives in the room at the same time, so this was a very good opportunity to add a little bit more texture to what the president was talking about,” the official said.

On missile defenses, “we are trying to explain to the Chinese about some things that, frankly, have concerned them about our announcement a little earlier [of] the increase of our ground-based missiles in Alaska.”

In light of the growing threat of North Korean missiles, “it would be irresponsible not to take actions to protect the United States,” the officials said.

China is continuing to deploy conventionally armed short-range missiles opposite Taiwan, where more than 1,200 missiles are located.

Additionally, the Chinese military is building several new short-range missiles and maintains what the report said is “a very large force” of modern solid-propellant systems. One new short-range missile system revealed for the first time is called the DF-16.

Other short-range missiles include the CSS-6, CSS-7, and CSS-8.

The report includes a chart listing 13 types of Chinese short-range missiles, including the more-than-500 mile-range CSS-11, three versions of the CSS-6, two CSS-7s, a CSS-8, two CSS-9s, two CSS-14s, and developmental CSS-16s and CSS-15s.

The CSS-6s can hit targets ranging from 373 to 528 miles, and the CSS-7s have ranges of 186 and 373 miles. The CSS-8 is a 93-mile range missile and the CSS-9 has two variants, a 93-mile system and a 162-mile system.

The CSS-14s have ranges of 93 miles and 174 miles.

The CSS-16 will have a range of 124 miles and the CSS-15, 174 miles.

Richard Fisher, an expert on China’s military, said the disclosures in the report on short-range missiles were the first mention of the new short-range systems.

“The prospect of the [People’s Liberation Army] building new longer and shorter range missiles to compliment existing forces of around 1,200 600-kilometer range DF-15 and DF-11 missiles points toward a greater threat to Taiwan and to U.S. and Japanese forces on Okinawa,” Fisher said.

The new missiles “could signify a new period for overall PLA [short-range ballistic missile] growth,” he said.

Some of the new missiles likely correspond to new shorter-range missiles that China in recent years built for export, like the B-611/611M, P-12/BP-12 and M-20, Fisher said.

Monsters of the Deep: Jellyfish Threaten the World’s Seas
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily Newsspeigelonline
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

When oceanographer Josep Maria Gili steps onto the terrace from his office, he sees the crowds of people on the beaches of Barcelona at his feet. To the left lies the Port Olímpic, together with a sculpture that Frank Gehry had built there for the 1992 Summer Olympics: a giant fish made of steel, shimmering in the sunshine and gazing majestically out into the Mediterranean.

Unfortunately, it seems evident today that the renowned architect picked the wrong animal. The fish, with its gills and fins, is no longer suited as a trademark of Barcelona. Nowadays fewer and fewer fish swim beneath the glittering blue surface off the coast of Spain; instead, these waters are now filled with massive quantities of jellyfish.

The marine creatures — blind and lacking both a heart and a brain, driven by waves and currents — billow toward the coast, many with poisonous tentacles in tow, not just in Catalonia in northeastern Spain, but virtually everywhere in the world. It has become painfully clear to anyone who has had the bad luck of getting in the way of a poisonous jellyfish that this creature is the new queen of the seas. Such encounters sometimes end fatally — for the human being, that is.

The ‘Jellification of the Seas’

Oceanographer Gili’s interest in jellyfish began at about the same time Gehry created his giant fish. It was an exotic discipline, even for a biologist from the Institut de Ciències del Mar. What no one could have known at the time is that today, more than 20 years later, the jellyfish has become the main topic at international conferences. Entire books are written about the supposed “jellification of the seas,” and scientists argue over whether jellyfish are displacing fish and other ocean creatures, whether they are assuming control over entire ecosystems and whether we will have to eat them in the future to keep them in check, as the Chinese have done for centuries.

The fact that human beings and jellyfish tangle with one another more frequently than in the past is unpleasant for both sides. It also costs many millions each year, although the exact costs are difficult to estimate. For instance, jellyfish often cause power outages and equipment damage when they enter the cooling water systems of power plants and desalination plants.

Jellyfish are also harmful to fishery. They ruin nets and cause chemical burns on the hands of fishermen. If a jellyfish bloom collides with the nets that separate fish farms from the open water, the creatures’ toxins can sometimes kill all of the animals in the enclosures.

Let the Headlines Speak
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Scientists Angry Over College’s ‘Disturbing’ Hire of Astronomy Professor Who Embraces Intelligent Design
Creationism and intelligent design are causing quite a stir at Ball State University...In addition to sparking an internal investigation into Professor Eric Hedin, a Christian who is accused by...Freedom From Religion Foundation ...of potentially indoctrinating students, there’s yet another new target. The FFRF is now joining evolutionary scientists in speaking out against the...university’s hire of Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez, an astronomy professor who embraces intelligent design.  

Yet Another Horror: Christian Man Allegedly Abducted and Decapitated in Egypt
It’s no secret that Christians living in Egypt are facing increased dangers...Magdy Habashi, 60, was a Christian, which may have been the main reason he was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday from the town of Sheikh Zweid. It wasn’t until Thursday that his body was discovered; Habashi is said to have been decapitated and found inside of a cemetery, officials told the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.  

Guilty verdict for dead Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky
If the posthumous prosecution of Sergei Magnitsky, the lawyer who was jailed as he tried to expose a huge government tax fraud and died four years ago in a Russian prison after being denied proper medical care, seemed surreal from the moment the authorities announced it, the verdict and sentencing Thursday did not disappoint.  

Iran exile group claims evidence of hidden nuclear site
An Iranian opposition group in exile has claimed it had obtained information revealing the existence of a secret underground nuclear site located in tunnels beneath a mountain 45 miles north of Tehran. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said the site had been recently been completed but could not specify what type of nuclear activity it believed would be carried out there.  

Report: Snowden to meet rights groups at Moscow airport
Edward Snowden, the alleged National Security Agency leaker, will meet with human rights groups at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Friday, reports said.  

Islamist leader to militants: 'Do everything possible' to prevent Sochi 2014 Olympics
The leader of an Islamist insurgency has called on militants to "do everything possible" to prevent the upcoming Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi. Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov also accused Russian authorities of showing little respect for Muslim traditions.  

Spread of DNA databases sparks ethical concerns
You can ditch your computer and leave your cellphone at home, but you can't escape your DNA. It belongs uniquely to you - and, increasingly, to the authorities. Countries around the world are collecting genetic material from millions of citizens in the name of fighting crime and terrorism - and, according to critics, heading into uncharted ethical terrain.  

Eyeball-Scanning Is Now a Reality, Coming to a Middle School Near You
Like something straight out of Gattaca, scientists have developed iris-scanning technology to be deployed at schools, airports and banks, CNN.com reports. ...The software is being rolled out at some schools this fall. Kiddies will simply look into the binocular-shaped scanner, and it will “beep if they’re on the right bus and honk if they’re on the wrong one.”  

Key Free Syria Army rebel 'killed by Islamist group'
A senior member of the Free Syrian Army is reported to have been killed by a rival rebel group linked to al-Qaeda. Kamal Hamami, of the group's Supreme Military Council, was meeting members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant "to discuss battle plans". A Free Syrian Army spokesman said he received a call from the group saying they had killed Kamal Hamami.  

Egypt prepares for rival Ramadan protests
Supporters and opponents of the ousted Egyptian Islamist President Mohammed Morsi are preparing to stage large rallies in Cairo on the first Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan. Mr Morsi's supporters are gathering in their thousands in the east of the city to call for his reinstatement. Those whose mass demonstrations led to his removal by the military last week are expected to mass in Tahrir Square.  

Ireland's parliament approves 'life-saving' abortion
Lawmakers in the Republic of Ireland have voted to legalise abortion under certain conditions for the first time. The move - approved by a 127-31 vote in the Dáil - would authorise a termination when doctors deem that a woman is at risk of taking her life. It needs upper house endorsement, too.  

Egyptian army kills dozens of Hamas gunmen
The Egyptian army's new offensive against terror organizations operating in the Sinai Peninsula is well under way, and one of the groups paying a heavy price is Hamas. Many expected Hamas to suffer as a result of the recent ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, which is the parent organization of Hamas.  

Anti-Assad rebels say U.S. arms needed, vow to control distribution
Syria's opposition said on Thursday that it was concerned U.S. lawmakers had succeeded in holding up U.S. weapons deliveries to rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and repeated assurances the arms will not go to Islamist militants.  

Assad Fiddles While Damascus Burns
In June 2013 a resolution of the UN Security Council expressing “grave concerns” about the military offensive in the town of Qusayr by the Syrian regime of Bashar al Assad against rebel forces failed to pass because of the opposition of China and Russia. The response of the United States Administration, delivered by Jen Psaki, the spokesperson of the State Department, was, “We fail to understand Russia’s reasoning as it continues to block attempts at the UNSC to address the urgent situation” in Syria.

Exclusive: Mice With Human Chromosomes
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily NewsThe Independant
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Scientists have created genetically-engineered mice with artificial human chromosomes in every cell of their bodies, as part of a series of studies showing that it may be possible to treat genetic diseases with a radically new form of gene therapy.

Airman Punished for Objecting to Gay Marriage in Military Chapel
Jul 12th, 2013
Daily Newsfoxnews.com - Todd Starnes
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A 27-year veteran of the Utah Air National Guard said he was reprimanded after he wrote an email objecting to a gay wedding in the West Point chapel and was later told to prepare for retirement because his personal beliefs about homosexuality were not compatible with the military’s policies.

“The military is trying to make examples of people who have religious beliefs that homosexual conduct in the military is wrong,” said John Wells, an attorney representing TSgt. Layne Wilson. “The end game is to force conservative Christians out of the military.”

Last December Wilson wrote a letter to a person believed to be a chaplain at West Point. He stated his displeasure at news of a same-sex ceremony held in the Cadet Chapel.

“This is wrong on so many levels,” Wilson wrote. “If they wanted to get married in a hotel that is one thing. Our base chapels are a place of worship and this is a mockery to God and our military core values. I have proudly served 27 years and this is a slap in the face to us who have put our lives on the line for this country. I hope sir that you will take appropriate action so this does not happen again.”

Instead of responding to the private email, the Commandant of Cadets notified the Utah Air National Guard – leading to an accusation that he had brought disgrace and discredit upon the Air National Guard and his conduct was inconsistent with the United States Air Force.

The Air National Guard determined that Wilson’s email “failed to render the proper respect to a commissioned officer.”

“You are hereby reprimanded,” read a letter from Lt. Col. Kevin Tobias. “As a noncommissioned officer you are expected to maintain a standard of professional and personal behavior that is above reproach. You have failed!”

A public affairs officer with the Utah Air National Guard told Fox News they could not comment on Layne’s case because of possible litigation.

Ironically, Wells pointed out, the Defense of Marriage Act was still the law of the land and TSgt. Layne was simply reporting “what he believed was a violation of the law.”

In addition to his reprimand, the Air National Guard terminated a six-year reenlistment contract. Instead, they gave Layne a one-year extension.

“Due to the fact that I expressed my views on homosexuality in uniform; Lt. Col. Tobias stated that I was no longer compatible with further military service,” Wilson wrote in a letter detailing the discrimination allegations.

Tobias confirmed Wilson’s allegation in a memorandum dated June 19, 2013 and obtained by Fox News.

“We talked about his feelings about DADT and how he doesn’t agree with it,” Tobias wrote. “I then told him that maybe this is a good time for him to move on because we’ve been ordered to not have an opinion about gays in the military and we need to treat them as we would treat anyone else in the service of our country.”