Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
WATERTOWN, MA -- On Friday, April 19, 2013, during a manhunt for a bombing suspect, police and federal agents spent the day storming people's homes and performing illegal searches. While it was unclear initially if the home searches were voluntary, it is now crystal clear that they were absolutely NOT voluntary. Police were filmed ripping people from their homes at gunpoint, marching the residents out with their hands raised in submission, and then storming the homes to perform their illegal searches.
This was part of a larger operation that involved total lockdown of the suburban neighbor to Boston. Roads were barricaded and vehicle traffic was prohibited. A No-Fly Zone was declared over the town. People were "ordered" to stay indoors. Businesses were told not to open. National Guard soldiers helped with the lockdown, and were photographed checking IDs of pedestrians on the streets. All the while, police were performing these disgusting house-to-house searches.
WATERTOWN, MA -- On Friday, April 19, 2013, the small Boston suburb of Watertown was completely locked down. Governor Deval Patrick ordered that people stay in their homes and that businesses close, as droves of police and soldiers closed down the city. Roads were blocked off, vehicles were prohibited from driving on the roads. Trains, buses, and public transportation was shut down. Anyone caught on the streets would be accosted and searched without probable cause. A No-Fly Zone was imposed overhead. No civilians were allowed in or out of the lockdown zone. National guard soldiers were photographed checking pedestrians' IDs on the sidewalks. The streets were empty, except for armored police vehicles and military Humvees.
Most disturbingly of all, were the systematic house-to-house raids performed throughout the town. SWAT teams swept the streets, raiding citizens' homes one at a time. Homeowners would answer the door to officers with guns drawn and would be told to immediately exit the property with their hands up. Everyone from the homes would be "rescued" (forcibly removed) and searched as they came out of their homes, often barefoot and half-dressed. Police would then enter the property and begin their illegal searches.
After the U.S.-backed Libyan revolution ended the Gadhafi regime, the U.S. government did not deploy sufficient U.S. security elements to protect U.S. interests and personnel that remained on the ground.
Senior State Department officials knew that the threat environment in Benghazi was high and that the Benghazi compound was vulnerable and unable to withstand an attack, yet the Department continued to systematically withdraw security personnel.
Repeated requests for additional security were denied at the highest levels of the State Department. For example, an April 2012 State Department cable bearing Secretary Hillary Clinton’s signature acknowledged then-Ambassador Cretz’s formal request for additional security assets but ordered the withdrawal of security elements to proceed as planned.
The attacks were not the result of a failure by the Intelligence Community (IC) to recognize or communicate the threat. The IC collected considerable information about the threats in the region, and disseminated regular assessments to senior U.S. officials warning of the deteriorating security environment in Benghazi, which included threats to American interests, facilities, and personnel.
The President, as Commander-in-Chief, failed to proactively anticipate the significance of September 11 and provide the Department of Defense with the authority to launch offensive operations beyond self-defense. Defense Department assets were correctly positioned for the general threat across the region, but the assets were not authorized at an alert posture to launch offensive operations beyond self-defense, and were provided no notice to defend diplomatic facilities.
During the Attacks:
On the evening of September 11, 2012, U.S. security teams on the ground in Benghazi exhibited extreme bravery responding the attacks by al-Qa’ida-affiliated groups against the U.S. mission.
Department of Defense officials and military personnel reacted quickly to the attacks in Benghazi. The effectiveness of their response was hindered on account of U.S. military forces not being properly postured to address the growing threats in northern Africa or to respond to a brief, high-intensity attack on U.S. personnel or interests across much of Africa.
After the Attacks:
The Administration willfully perpetuated a deliberately misleading and incomplete narrative that the attacks evolved from a political demonstration caused by a YouTube video. U.S. officials on the ground reported – and video evidence confirms – that demonstrations outside the Benghazi Mission did not occur and that the incident began with an armed attack on the facility. Senior Administration officials knowingly minimized the role played by al-Qa’ida-affiliated entities and other associated groups in the attacks, and decided to exclude from the discussion the previous attempts by extremists to attack U.S. persons or facilities in Libya.
Administration officials crafted and continued to rely on incomplete and misleading talking points. Specifically, after a White House Deputies Meeting on Saturday, September 15, 2012, the Administration altered the talking points to remove references to the likely participation of Islamic extremists in the attacks. The Administration also removed references to the threat of extremists linked to al-Qa’ida in Benghazi and eastern Libya, including information about at least five other attacks against foreign interests in Benghazi. Senior State Department officials requested – and the White House approved – that the details of the threats, specifics of the previous attacks, and previous warnings be removed to insulate the Department from criticism that it ignored the threat environment in Benghazi.
Evidence rebuts Administration claims that the talking points were modified to protect classified information or to protect an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Email exchanges during the interagency process do not reveal any concern with protecting classified information. Additionally, the Bureau itself approved a version of the talking points with significantly more information about the attacks and previous threats than the version that the State Department requested. Thus, the claim that the State Department’s edits were made solely to protect that investigation is not credible.
The Administration deflected responsibility by blaming the IC for the information it communicated to the public in both the talking points and the subsequent narrative it perpetuated. Had Administration spokesmen performed even limited due diligence inquiries into the intelligence behind the talking points or requested reports from personnel on the ground, they would have quickly understood that the situation was more complex than the narrative provided by Ambassador Susan Rice and others in the Administration.
The Administration’s decision to respond to the Benghazi attacks with an FBI investigation, rather than military or other intelligence resources, contributed to the government’s lack of candor about the nature of the attack.
Responding to the attacks with an FBI investigation significantly delayed U.S. access to key witnesses and evidence and undermined the government’s ability to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice in a timely manner.
We are writing to request a classified briefing on Department of Homeland Security information and actions related to the case of the original person of interest in the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 22, 2013.
On Thursday, April 18th, you testified before the Committee on Homeland Security and responded to a question related to this individual’s immigration status by saying that you “were unaware of anyone being deported for national security concerns at all related to Boston.” However, media reports have continued to raise concerns about this individual and adjustments that may have been made to his immigration status, including possible visa revocation and terrorist watch-listing, in the days following the bombing.
We request the Department provide a detailed overview of the records associated with this individual to include his law enforcement and immigration records prior to April 15, 2013, as well as his current status. We request briefers from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.
We appreciate your immediate attention to this issue and anticipate your prompt reply.
• Speaker: Nigel Farage MEP, Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Co-President of the 'Europe of Freedom and Democracy' (EFD) Group in the European Parliament -http://nigelfaragemep.co.uk
• Debate: Current situation in Cyprus Council and Commission statements [2013/2603(RSP)] .................................. Video source: EbS (European Parliament) Music excerpt from Summer of '68, Atom Heart Mother - Pink Floyd ..................................
Years ago, Mrs Thatcher recognised the truth behind the European Project. She saw that it was about taking away democracy from nation states and handing that power to largely unaccountable people.
Knowing as she did that the euro would not work she saw that this was a very dangerous design. Now we in UKIP take that same view and I tried over the years in this parliament to predict what the next moves would be as the euro disaster unfolded.
But not even me, in my most pessimistic of speeches would have imagined, Mr Rehn, that you and others in the Troika would resort to the level of common criminals and steal money from peoples' bank accounts in order to keep propped up this total failure that is the euro.
You even tried to take money away from the small investors in direct breach of the promise you made back in 2008.
Well the precedent has been set, and if we look at countries like Spain where business bankruptcies are up 45% year on year, we can see what your plan is to deal with the other bailouts as they come.
I must say, the message this sends out to investors is very loud and clear: Get your money out of the Eurozone before they come for you. What you have done in Cyprus is you actually sounded the death knell of the euro. Nobody in the international community will have confidence in leaving their money there.
And how ironic to see the Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev compare your actions and say, ' I can only compare it to some of the decisions taken by the Soviet authorities.'
And then we have a new German proposal that says that actually what we ought to do is confiscate some of the value of peoples' properties in the southern Mediterranean eurozone states.
This European Union is the new communism. It is power without limits. It is creating a tide of human misery and the sooner it is swept away the better.
But what of this place, what of the parliament? This parliament has the ability to hold the Commission to account. I have put down a motion of censure debate on the table. I wonder whether any of you have the courage to recognise it and to support it. I very much doubt that.
And I am minded that there is a new Mrs Thatcher in Europe and he is called Frits Bolkenstein. And he has said of this parliament - remember he is a former Commissioner: 'It is not representative anymore for the Dutch or European citizen. The European Parliament is living out a federal fantasy which is no longer sustainable.'
How right he is. ..........................................
• EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Prescott is a destination that transcends the Arizona archetype. No sweltering summers or miles of cactus covered moonscape. The town's mile-high location in the Grand Canyon State's central highlands brings four mild seasons, an average annual daytime temperature of about seventy degrees, and over 300 days of sunshine. Just ninety miles north of bustling metro Phoenix, downtown Prescott is an idyllic hamlet nestled comfortably within a verdant national forest. "Everybody's Hometown" has a mix of unbeatable weather, outdoor adventure opportunities, natural beauty, and strong cultural heritage roots drawing increasing numbers of domestic and international travelers. Prescott! A great place to live, work, and play.
Secret emails obtained exclusively by Breitbart News show the libertarian Cato Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) are colluding on immigration reform messaging in the wake of the Boston Marathon terror attack in order to push the “Gang of Eight” bill that was released this past week.
Dramatic photos of perceived anti-Muslim, Western actions are provoking Muslims worldwide. "A Russian-speaking Chechen, an Arabic-speaking Yemeni, and a Malay-speaking Thai--Muslims all--will find the glue of Islam-defending unity in the anti-Americanism inspired by such photos, as will many Muslims born in the United States and Europe" (Hell, p. 153). "Moscow puts heavy culpability on Saudi Arabia and other Arabian Peninsula states for funding Islamist insurgents organizations, allowing their nationals to fight alongside the Chechens and others in the region, and sending Islamist NGOs to the North Caucasus to inculcate Wahhabism among the inhabitants" (Marching, p. 169). "Chechnya is included to warn those in the West who believe the Islamist threat would dissipate if Bin Laden is captured or killed." Since 2002, after the Russians killed the leading Islamist Ibn-al-Khattab, the "pace and lethality" of attacks increased (Hubris, p. 86).
The seed money of major North Caucasus or Chechen terrorist groups such as the Caucasus Emirate, the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (IIPB), the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs (RSRSBCM) can all be traced back to Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
Chechnya
Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq by Michael Scheuer, pp. xvi, 150, 153, 168-169, 230, 231, 278n.
Osama Bin Laden by Michael Scheuer, pp. 67, 73, 180
Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror by Michael Scheuer, pp. 12, 86, 92-93, 94, 95, 96-97, 99, 225
Then, in 2008 or 2009, Tamerlan met Misha, a slightly older, heavyset bald man with a long reddish beard. Khozhugov didn’t know where they’d met but believed they attended a Boston-area mosque together. Misha was an Armenian native and a convert to Islam and quickly began influencing his new friend, family members said.
“The seed for changing his views was planted right there in Cambridge.”
Tamerlan was interested in finding a copy of the book “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” the classic anti-Semitic hoax, first published in Russia in 1903, that claims a Jewish plot to take over the world.
The complex entrance is at 42 West Hill Road, south of Interstate 195 and between Route 140 and Hathaway Road.
a silver mini-van with consulate license plates arrived at the Carriage Drive apartment along with the FBI and Homeland Security, and stayed a half an hour longer than the agents. The van left with two women, neither of whom appeared to be restrained. One was carrying a pink backpack as she exited the apartment and ran into the van, which sped away as the women told reporters they did not wish to comment.
UMass Dartmouth has a transient population and people come and go frequently.
In the 1940s, Anzor Tsarnaev's parents were deported to Kyrgyzstan from their native Chechnya after Josef Stalin's regime realized the Caucasian Muslim ethnic group of were Nazi collaborators.
Putin and Obama discussed counter-terrorism and security issues which may simply mean Obama will give more bargaining ground to Putin. And, what is the nature of their cooperation on counter-terrorism? What did Putin know about the Boston jihadis? "We'll decline to provide further details at this point," according to Caitlin Hayden, National Security Staff spokesperson.
FBI/Foreign government warned about Boston Marathon jihadi in 2011
410 Norfolk St. Apt 3, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
The brothers shared an address—410 Norfolk St. Apt 3, in Cambridge, Massachusetts—with Zubeidat K. Tsarnaeva, who is believed to be their mother and was was charged with shoplifting last June, according to the Natick Police Department.
Chechnya is a hotbed of jihad activity. On September 1, 2004, on the first day of school, Muslim terrorists from Chechnya stormed School No. 1 in Beslan, North Ossetia, took everyone hostage, and eventually committed one of the most grotesque and unspeakable crimes (even for jihad) in recent history, murdering 331 hostages, including 186 children.
A 2011 study by David Yerushalmi, America's leading lawyer on sharia and free speech cases, and Professor Mordechai Kedar, Assistant Professor, Bar Ilan University, Israel, wrote a study of mosques in the U.S. and found that 80% teach, advance, promote violent jihad as dictated by Islamic teaching.
One of the Chechen terrorists who carried out the Boston Marathon bombings could have been deported years ago after a criminal conviction and the other was granted American citizenship on the 11th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the 26-year-old killed in a wild shootout with police, was a legal U.S. resident who nevertheless could have been removed from the country after a 2009 domestic violence conviction, according to a Judicial Watch source. That means the Obama administration missed an opportunity to deport Tsarnaev but evidently didn’t feel he represented a big enough threat.
Adding insult to injury, the other bomber, little brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was rewarded with American Citizenship on September 11, 2012 in Boston, according to JW’s source. The 19-year-old, who is still on the run, was granted asylum in Arlington Virginia on September 27, 2002, JW’s source reveals.
Years before these Chechen terrorists carried out the Boston Marathon bombings Judicial Watch uncovered critical intelligence documents detailing al Qaeda’s activities in Chechnya, including the creation of a 1995 camp—ordered by Osama bin Laden—to train “international terrorists” to carry out plots against Americans and westerners.
Djohar Tsarnaev
Tsarnaev was a student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The City of Cambridge awarded "Dzhokhar Tsarnaev" a $2,500 scholarship in 2011, according to Boston.com report. "The city is awarding the $2,500 scholarships to 45 students using contributions from citizens and businesses. About 35 to 45 scholarships are awarded each year, according to the city," reported Boston.com's Brock Parker. Tsarnaev was a senior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School then.
Slain Boston bomber had Muslim convert wife and 3-year-old daughter but had 'dedicated' his life to Jihad
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was shot dead during a gunfight with police Thursday
Had videos dedicated to terrorism and Jihad on his YouTube channel
Said in 2010 he has 'a single American friend' and he doesn't 'understand' Americans
Studied accounting as part-time student at Bunker Hill Community College
Police on the hunt for his younger brother, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
Tsarnaev family came to the US in 2003 as refugees, and Tamerlan became a permanent resident in 2007
Tamerlan became US citizen on September 11, 2012 - 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Aunt said he was a married father of 3-year-old daughter named Zahara
24-year-old college graduate who converted to Islam.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2311686/Tamerlan-Tsarnaev-Slain-brother-suspected-bombing-Boston-Marathon-Golden-Gloves-boxing-champion-radicalized-Islamist.html
Feiz Mohammad: Radical Muslim Preacher Who Inspired Boston Marathon Bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/459253/20130419/feiz-mohammad-tamerlan-tsarnaev-boston-marathon.htm
MUSLIM CLERIC WHO INSPIRED BOSTON JIHADIS CALLS JEWS PIGS AND SAYS "THERE IS NOTHING MORE BELOVED TO ME THAN WANTING TO DIE AS A MUHAJID"
Boston jihad bomber's YouTube page features videos by Sheikh Feiz Mohammed, who called on Muslims to kill enemies of Islam
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/04/boston-jihad-bombers-youtube-page-features-videos-by-sheikh-feiz-mohammed-who-called-on-muslims-to-k.html
Members of Chechen Wahhabi Saudi cell
http://app.debka.com/p/article/22911/Two-Dagestani-brothers-nembers-of-Chechen-Wahhabi-cell-identified-as-responsible-for-Boston-terror
Boston Shootout Footage - Watertown, MA - April 18 2013
Paul K. Curtis|45|Booneville, MS
Paul K. Curtis
Aliases:K Curtis
Kevin Curtis
Kevin Curtis Paul
Booneville, MS
Tupelo, MS
Verona, MS
Jack Curtis
Kevin Curtis
Laura Curtis
Accidentally discovering refrigerator full of body parts, 2007
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.~ Abraham Lincoln ~
"The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." -Samuel Adams
A Saudi national originally identified as a “person of interest” in the Boston Marathon bombing was set to be deported under section 212 3B — “Security and related grounds” — “Terrorist activities” after the bombing
As the story gained traction, TheBlaze’s Chief Content Officer Joel Cheatwood received word that the government may not deport the Saudi national, originally identified as Abdul Rahman Ali Alharbi
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano refused to answer questions on the subject when confronted by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) on Capitol Hill.
An ICE official said a different Saudi national is in custody, but is “in no way” connected to the bombings.
A congressional source, however, says that the file on Alharbi was created, that he was “linked” in some way to the Boston bombings (though it is unclear how), and that documents showing all this have been sent to Congress.
Key congressmen of the Committee on Homeland Security request a classified briefing with Napolitano
Fox News’ Todd Starnes reports that Alharbi was allegedly flagged on a terrorist watch list and granted a student visa without being properly vetted. Sources close to the investigation also told him the Saudi is still set for deportation.
New information provided to TheBlaze reveals Alharbi’s file was altered early Wednesday evening to disassociate him from the initial charges
Sources say the Saudi’s student visa specifically allows him to go to school in Findlay, Ohio, though he appears to have an apartment in Boston, Massachusetts
Sources tell us this will most likely now be kicked from the DHS to the DOJ and labeled an ongoing investigation that can no longer be discussed.
Obama Buries Boston Massacre Saudi Connection
Moochelle visits Saudis in hospital
Michelle visited the soon to be expelled, Alharbi, and the other injured Saudi at the hospital, a female doctor named Nura Khalid Saleh al-Ajaji:
“Michelle Obama visited the two injured Saudis Abdulrahman Ali Essa Al-Salimi Al-Harbi and Nura Khalid Saleh Al-Ajjaji to check on their medical conditions.”
Adding credibility to this report seems to be multiple tweets made by the inner circle of the Al-harbi family:
Saudi National and Boston Student Abdulrahman Ali Alharbi Is Being Deported by ICE
Kerry meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister abruptly closed
Here is the video of the man with a large, heavy, black bag.
Boston Bombing Culprits Saudi terror cell, possibly al Qaeda, behind Boston Marathon bombings. Manhunt for escaped suspect
Abdul Rahman Ali Alharbi
Three Saudi Students at the Boston Marathon
FBI report: Florida family had ties to people linked to 9/11 attacks
The third fatality is a Chinese national who has now been identified.
Before and After
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/10010384080855/exclusive-fbi-investigating-photo-that-shows-bag/
WHDH-TV 7News Boston Ricin
Ricin is a highly toxic substance derived from castor beans. As little as 500 micrograms -- an amount the size of the head of a pin -- can kill an adult. There is no specific test for exposure and no antidote once exposed.
Napolitano does not have any clue here: she had already declared that there is no indication that Boston was part of 'broader plot,' but then the ricin was delivered. Why and how she could make such a overarching assessment is not clear when we know so little. The Obama administration has slashed the budget for domestic bombing prevention by 45 per cent.
Importance of the day
The bombings took place near the finish line inside the Fairmount Copley Plaza Hotel, according to multiple local reports. The horror unfolded as the city marked the 238th annual Patriot's Day, commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Devices
Similar pressure-cooker explosives have been used in Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, according to a July 2010 intelligence report by the FBI and Homeland Security. Also, one of the three devices used in the May 2010 Times Square attempted bombing was a pressure cooker, the report said. An al Qaeda magazine, Inspire, in 2010 directed terrorists to use kitchen materials to make bombs, including pressure cooking bombs, for killing “tens” of people.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/al-qaeda-propagandist-called-attacks-sports-events
According to Poe, the explosives used were “similar” to IEDs used in Afghanistan. He even said that early reports he had heard said there may have been “ball bearings” inside.
The devices, based on examination of post-strike video, appear to have been small and may have been concealed in small bags or boxes, officials said. The size of the device can be judged by the lack of structural damage to the windows and buildings adjacent to the blast sites, they explained. The smoke seen after detonation was consistent with the results of a low-velocity improvised explosive mixture, perhaps something like flash powder or a sugar chlorate mixture. Based on the relatively small number of casualties and the types of wounds caused, it is likely that the attackers packed the devices with nails or other improvised shrapnel.
Rep. Bill Keating said he had been told two more devices were found, but not detonated. One was said to be at a hotel near Copley Square, the other was at an undisclosed location. "The authorities also found a device at St. James and Trinity Streets that did not explode, the person said, and two other devices were found, including one in Newton, outside of Boston." "A senior U.S. intelligence official said two other bombs were found near the end of the 26.2-mile course."
Islamist connections
Mohammad al-Chalabi, from a Salafi Islamist group praised the act of terrorism. Islamists such as CAIR - Council on American Islamic Relations immediately went to social media to express concern this could be an act of an Islamist.
Obama begins cover up; refuses to call terrorist bombings an act of terrorism, and warns against rushing to judgement before justice, as in a criminal investigation, is dealt.
Obama meets with Saudi foreign minister, was not on public schedule.
Abdulrahman Ali Alharbi, a Saudi national, was not regarded as a suspect.
His prominent family includes senior jihadists, Gitmo prisoners.
http://mobile.wnd.com/2013/04/released-saudi-man-member-of-al-qaida-clan/#204eDY22Qhir8SIr.99
Boston terror interest a well connected Saudi
The military already had a presence at the scene. "National Guardsmen [were] assigned to the race for crowd control."
"Intelligence officials told The Associated Press stated two unexploded devices were being dismantled," now a third incident near the JFK Library in the Columbia Point section of Dorchester was considered a fire investigation.
LIVE Finish Line Camera
Ground Video From Scene, Dartmouth and the north side, 671 Boylston Street.
Two powerful explosions just seconds apart.
Copley Square
One person of interest has been cleared. There are no suspects.
Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas)confirmed that law enforcement officials are “watching” a 20-year-old “person of interest” which he called a “Saudi national” who is here on student visa. The DHS has recently eased restrictions and allowed Saudis easier access to the country.
"A civilian claims the person was acting suspiciously and chased him down and tackled him after the explosions." "Authorities have recovered surveillance video from the area which shows a man with what looked to be two backpacks near the scene just moments before the blast." "One of those, a person in whom there is some interest, is a young person who was here on a student visa." The person of interest is in Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Authorities say they are searching for a darker skinned or black male with a black backpack and black sweatshirt, possibly foreign national from the accent of the individual. Five minutes before the first explosion, officials said this person attempted to gain entry to a restricted area. When turned away, he broke eye contact and pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head and left, officials said.
Law enforcement is also looking for a yellow Penske box truck that tried to gain access with "medical supplies" approximately 1 hour after the explosion.
The Chabad event in Great Neck resulted in hundreds who came out to hear Pamela Geller and to stand for free speech. The rooms at the Chabad House were all jammed, with people standing in the aisles. It was an overflow crowd with another 400 to 500 people who watched the event on a jumbotron set up outside in an outdoor theater. Glen Buckley, father of Lance Cpl Greg Buckley who was shot and killed in a green on blue attack, also spoke.
- 1 PM, Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer - Free Speech Demo at Habeeb's "Human Rights Commission" Office, 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY.
News 12 report on Pamela Geller's speech at Chabad Great Neck and the subsequent free speech rally calling for the resignation of Habeeb Ahmed of the Nassau County Human Rights Commission, April 14, 2013.
About 200 patriots were there for the rally, declaring that they weren't intimidated. Robert Spencer started off with a succinct explanation of the war on free speech and why much more was at stake in this incident than just one speech; then Ashraf Ramelah of Voice of the Copts detailed how the Muslim persecution of Christians in Egypt and elsewhere is justified by the same Islamic law that denies freedom of speech. Helen Freedman of Americans for a Safe Israel drew out more about the importance of standing up against these intimidation tactics, and Pamela Geller concluded the rally with a point-by-point refutation of the smear flier about Pamela that the enemies of freedom had distributed outside the shul that morning.
- 7 PM, Pamela Geller and Greg Buckley Sr at the -- Temple Beth-El, 91 Jefferson Boulevard, Edison, NJ.
"But for true private sector private investment, we have countless opportunities and we welcome that investment. One of the things I’ve discussed with the State Councilor tonight was the possibility of China investing in infrastructure. We have proposals in the United States Congress to creature infrastructure bank. We have huge infrastructure needs in the United States for a certain series of projects like water projects, transportation projects, energy projects. Those are all revenue-producing projects. So they are projects from which pension funds and other kinds of investments can make a return on investment and everybody benefits. It’s a win-win-win. It’s a win for the investors, it’s a win for the countries, and ultimately it’s a win for the place where the infrastructure gets built."
"the two countries announced that they endorsed the principle of ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons, though China did not state publicly what steps it might take to achieve that goal."
"Previous administrations responded to North Korean provocations by eventually offering aid to tamp down tensions, only to see the North’s promises to relinquish its nuclear program evaporate once the aid had been delivered."
Qur’an 3:32—Say: Obey Allah and the Apostle; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers.
Qur’an 5:51—O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
Qur’an 9:29—Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
Qur’an 9:30—And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
Qur’an 9:73—O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.
Qur’an 9:111—Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Taurat and the Injeel and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement.
Qur’an 9:123—O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
Qur’an 47:35—Be not weary and fainthearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost: for Allah is with you, and will never put you in loss for your (good) deeds.
Qur’an 48:29—Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves.
Qur’an 98:6—Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islam, the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures.
Sahih Muslim 33—It has been narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Umar that the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer, and pay Zakat and if they do it, their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when justified by law, and their affairs rest with Allah.
Sahih Muslim 4366—It has been narrated by ‘Umar b. al-Khattab that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim.
Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad 1103—Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not give the People of the Book the greeting first. Force them to the narrowest part of the road.”
Sahih al-Bukhari, Ch. 88—Narrated Ibn Umar that the Prophet said, “My livelihood is under the shade of my spear, and he who disobeys my orders will be humiliated by paying Jizya.”
“You must argue that Jews are evil, and use solid rationale from government propaganda to convince me of your loyalty to the Third Reich!” read the description on the assignment, which the school superintendent said reflects the kind of sophisticated writing expected of students under the new Common Core standards and was meant to hone students’ persuasive argument abilities.
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R) of Colorado began quoting from what he said was an unclassified version of the DIA report, which has not yet been made public. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, the nation’s top military officer, appeared caught off-guard.
“They say, ‘DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency] assess with moderate confidence the North currently has nuclear weapons capable of delivery by ballistic missiles. However, the reliability will be low.’ General, would you agree with that assessment by DIA?” he asked
“I can’t touch that one,” Dempsey answered.
The problem was that the report hasn’t been released, he said. “Some of it’s classified, some of it’s unclassified.”
Lamborn tried asking the question again, heedless of the sensitivity of the topic. “This is public; this is unclassified, so I can make it public.”
“And your question is do I agree with the DIA’s assessment?” Dempsey repeated.
“Yes,” Lamborn responded.
“Well,” Dempsey answered, “You said it’s not publicly released, so I choose not to comment on it.”
A mother at a Wisconsin public school said her daughter’s eighth grade class was assigned a worksheet with definitions for “conservatism” and “liberalism.”
Conservatism, it stated in part, believes in “preserving traditional moral values by restricting personal freedoms” while liberalism is for “equality and personal freedom for everyone.”
“This is indoctrination,” Tamra Varebrook, a Republican activist in Racine, Wis., told TheBlaze on Thursday after her 13-year-old daughter showed her the crossword-style vocabulary sheet from Union Grove Elementary School.
Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order;
Info World: Information Technology News, Computer Networking & Security;
Information Week: Business Innovation Powered by Technology:
Infostor: The Leading Source for Enterprise Storage Professionals;
Infrastructure Insite: Bringing IT Together;
Insurance Technology: Business Innovation Powered by Technology;
Integrated Solutions: For Enterprise Content Management;
Intel Premier IT: Sharing Best Practices with the Information Technology Community;
Irwin, Robert, Dangerous Knowledge: Orientalism and Its Discontents;
Jeffrey, Grant R., The Global-Warming Deception: How a Secret Elite Plans to Bankrupt America and Steal Your Freedom;
Jewkes, Yvonne, and Majid Yar, Handbook of Internet Crime;
Johnson, Chalmers, Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire;
Journal, The: Transforming Education Through Technology;
Judd, Denis, The Lion and the Tiger: The Rise and Fall of the British Raj, 1600-1947;
Kagan, Donald, The Peloponnesian War;
Kansas, Dave, The Wall Street Journal Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It: What You Need to Know About the Greatest Financial Crisis of Our Time--and How to Survive It;
Karsh, Efraim, Islamic Imperialism: A History;
Kasser, Rodolphe, The Gospel of Judas;
Katz, Solomon, The Decline of Rome and the Rise of Medieval Europe: (The Development of Western Civilization);
Keegan, John, Intelligence in War: The Value--and Limitations--of What the Military Can Learn About the Enemy;
Kenis, Leo, et. al., The Transformation of the Christian Churches in Western Europe 1945-2000 (Kadoc Studies on Religion, Culture and Society 6);
Kepel, Gilles, Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam;
Kiplinger's: Personal Finance;
Klein, Naomi, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism;
KM World: Content, Document, and Knowledge Management;
Koestler, Arthur, Darkness at Noon: A Novel;
Kostova, Elizabeth, The Historian;
Kuttner, Robert, The Squandering of America: How the Failure of Our Politics Undermines Our Prosperity;
Lake, Kirsopp, The Text of the New Testament, Sony Reader;
Laur, Timothy M., Encyclopedia of Modern US Military Weapons ;
Leffler, Melvyn P., and Jeffrey W. Legro, To Lead the World: American Strategy After the Bush Doctrine;
Lendon, J. E., Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity;
Lenin, V. I., Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism;
Lennon, John J., There is Absolutely No Reason to Pay Too Much for College!;
Lewis, Bernard, The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror;
Lewis, Bernard, What Went Wrong?: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East;
Lifton, Robert J., Greg Mitchell, Hiroshima in America;
Limberis, Vasiliki M., Architects of Piety: The Cappadocian Fathers and the Cult of the Martyrs;
Lipsett, B. Diane, Desiring Conversion: Hermas, Thecla, Aseneth;
Livingston, Jessica, Founders At Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days;
Livy, Rome and the Mediterranean: Books XXXI-XLV of the History of Rome from its Foundation (Penguin Classics);
Louis J., Freeh, My FBI: Bringing Down the Mafia, Investigating Bill Clinton, and Fighting the War on Terror;
Mackay, Christopher S., Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History;
Majno, Guido, The Healing Hand: Man and Wound in the Ancient World;
Marcus, Greil,Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes;
Marshall-Cornwall, James, Napoleon as Military Commander;
Maughm, W. Somerset, Of Human Bondage;
McCluskey, Neal P., Feds in the Classroom: How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples, and Compromises American Education;
McCullough, David, 1776;
McCullough, David, John Adams;
McCullough, David, Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt;
McLynn, Frank, Marcus Aurelius: A Life;
McManus, John, Deadly Brotherhood, The: The American Combat Soldier in World War II ;
McMaster, H. R., Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam;
McNamara, Patrick, Science and the World's Religions Volume 1: Origins and Destinies (Brain, Behavior, and Evolution);
McNamara, Patrick, Science and the World's Religions Volume 2: Persons and Groups (Brain, Behavior, and Evolution);
McNamara, Patrick, Science and the World's Religions Volume 3: Religions and Controversies (Brain, Behavior, and Evolution);
Meacham, Jon, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House;
Mearsheimer, John J., and Stephen M. Walt, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy;
Meier, Christian, Caesar: A Biography;
Menzies, Gaven, 1421: The Year China Discovered America;
Perrett, Bryan, Cassell Military Classics: Iron Fist: Classic Armoured Warfare;
Perrottet, Tony, The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Olympic Games;
Peters, Ralph, New Glory: Expanding America's Global Supremacy;
Phillips, Kevin, American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush;
Pick, Bernhard; Paralipomena; Remains of Gospels and Sayings of Christ (Sony Reader);
Pimlott, John, The Elite: The Special Forces of the World Volume 1;
Pitre, Brant, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper;
Plutarch's Lives, X: Agis and Cleomenes. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. Philopoemen and Flamininus (Loeb Classical Library®);
Podhoretz, Norman, World War IV: The Long Struggle Against Islamofascism;
Posner, Gerald, Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK;
Potter, Wendell, Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans;
Pouesi, Daniel, Akua;
Premier IT Magazine: Sharing Best Practices with the Information Technology Community;
Price, Monroe E. & Daniel Dayan, eds., Owning the Olympics: Narratives of the New China;
Profit: The Executive's Guide to Oracle Applications;
Public CIO: Technology Leadership in the Public Sector;
Putnam, Robert D., Bowling Alone : The Collapse and Revival of American Community;
Quintus of Smyrna, The Fall of Troy;
Rawles, James Wesley, Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse;
Red Herring: The Business of Technology;
Redmond Channel Partner: Driving Success in the Microsoft Partner Community;
Redmond Magazine: The Independent Voice of the Microsoft IT Community;
Renan, Ernest, The life of Jesus (Sony eReader);
Richler, Mordecai (editor), Writers on World War II: An Anthology;
Roberts, Ian, The Energy Glut: Climate Change and the Politics of Fatness in an Overheating World;
Rocca, Samuel, The Army of Herod the Great;
Rodgers, Nigel, A Military History of Ancient Greece: An Authoritative Account of the Politics, Armies and Wars During the Golden Age of Ancient Greece, shown in over 200 color photographs, diagrams, maps and plans;
Rodoreda, Merce, Death in Spring: A Novel;
Romerstein, Herbert and Breindel, Eric,The Venona Secrets, Exposing Soviet Espionage and America's Traitors;
Ross, Dennis, Statecraft: And How to Restore America's Standing in the World;
Roth, Jonathan P., Roman Warfare (Cambridge Introduction to Roman Civilization);
SC Magazine: For IT Security Professionals;
Scahill, Jeremy, Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army [Revised and Updated];
Schama, Simon, A History of Britain, At the Edge of the World 3500 B.C. - 1603 A.D.;
Scheuer, Michael, Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War On Terror;
Scheuer, Michael, Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq;
Scheuer, Michael, Osama Bin Laden;
Scheuer, Michael, Through Our Enemies Eyes: Osama Bin Laden, Radical Islam, and the Future of America;
Scholastic Instructor
Scholastic Parent & Child: The Joy of Family Living and Learning;
Schopenhauer, Arthur, The World As Will And Idea (Sony eReader);
Schug-Wille, Art of the Byzantine World;
Schulze, Hagen, Germany: A New History;
Schweizer, Peter, Architects of Ruin: How Big Government Liberals Wrecked the Global Economy---and How They Will Do It Again If No One Stops Them;
Scott, Sir Walter, Ivanhoe;
Seagren, Eric, Secure Your Network for Free: Using Nmap, Wireshark, Snort, Nessus, and MRTG;
Security Technology & Design: The Security Executive's Resource for Systems Integration and Convergence;
Seibel, Peter, Coders at Work;
Sekunda N., & S. Northwood, Early Roman Armies;
Seneca: Naturales Quaestiones, Books II (Loeb Classical Library No. 450);
Sewall, Sarah, The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual;
Sheppard, Ruth, Alexander the Great at War: His Army - His Battles - His Enemies;
Shinder, Jason, ed., The Poem That Changed America: "Howl" Fifty Years Later;
Sidebottom, Harry, Ancient Warfare: A Very Short Introduction;
Sides, Hampton, Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West;
Simkins, Michael, The Roman Army from Caesar to Trajan;
Sinchak, Steve, Hacking Windows Vista;
Smith, RJ, The One: The Life and Music of James Brown;
Software Development Times: The Industry Newspaper for Software Development Managers;
Software Test Performance;
Solomon, Norman, War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death;
Song, Lolan, Innovation Together: Microsoft Research Asia Academic Research Collaboration;
Sophocles, The Three Theban Plays, tr. Robert Fagles;
Sound & Vision: The Consumer Electronics Authority;
Southern, Pat, The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History;
Sri, Edward, A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do In The Liturgy;
Sri, Edward, Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility;
Stair, John Bettridge, Old Samoa; Or, Flotsam and Jetsam From the Pacific Ocean;
Starr, Chester G., The Roman Empire, 27 B.C.-A.D. 476: A Study in Survival;
Starr, John Bryan, Understanding China: A Guide to China's Economy, History, and Political Culture;
Stauffer, John, Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln;
Steyn, Mark, America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It;
Strassler, Robert B., The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories;
Strassler, Robert B., The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War;
Strassler, Robert B., The Landmark Xenophon's Hellenika;
Strategy + Business;
Streete, Gail, Redeemed Bodies: Women Martyrs in Early Christianity;
Sullivan, James, The Hardest Working Man: How James Brown Saved the Soul of America;
Sumner, Graham, Roman Military Clothing (1) 100 BC-AD 200;
Sumner, Graham, Roman Military Clothing (2) AD 200-400;
Suskind, Ron, The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11:
Swanston, Malcolm, Mapping History Battles and Campaigns;
Swiderski, Richard M., Quicksilver: A History of the Use, Lore, and Effects of Mercury;
Swiderski, Richard M., Quicksilver: A History of the Use, Lore, and Effects of Mercury;
Swift, Jonathan, Gulliver's Travels;
Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution;
Talley, Colin L., A History of Multiple Sclerosis;
Tawil, Camille, Brothers In Arms: The Story of al-Qa'ida and the Arab Jihadists;
Tech Briefs: Engineering Solutions for Design & Manufacturing;
Tech Net: The Microsoft Journal for IT Professionals;
Tech Partner: Gain a Competitive Edge Through Solutions Providers;
Technology & Learning: Ideas and Tools for Ed Tech Leaders;
Tenet, George, At the Center of the Storm: The CIA During America's Time of Crisis;
Thackeray, W. M., Vanity Fair;
Thompson, Derrick & William Martin, Have Guitars ... Will Travel: A Journey Through the Beat Music Scene in Northampton 1957-66;
Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenina;
Trento, Joseph J., The Secret History of the CIA;
Twain, Mark, The Gilded Age: a Tale of Today;
Ungar, Craig, House of Bush House of Saud;
Unterberger, Richie, The Unreleased Beatles Music & Film;
VAR Business: Strategic Insight for Technology Integrators:
Virgil, The Aeneid
Virtualization Review: Powering the New IT Generation;
Visual Studio: Enterprise Solutions for .Net Development;
VON Magazine: Voice, Video & Vision;
Wall Street Technology: Business Innovation Powered by Technology;
Wallace, Robert, Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda;
Wang, Wallace, Steal This Computer Book 4.0: What They Won’t Tell You About the Internet;
Ward-Perkins, The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization;
Warren, Robert Penn, All the King's Men;
Wasik, John F., Cul-de-Sac Syndrome: Turning Around the Unsustainable American Dream;
Weber, Karl, Editor, Lincoln: A President for the Ages;
Website Magazine: The Magazine for Website Success;
Weiner, Tim, Enemies: A History of the FBI;
Weiner, Tim, Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA;
West, Bing, The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq;
Wharton, Edith, The Age of Innocence;
Wilcox, Peter, Rome's Enemies (1) Germanics and Dacians;
Wise, Terence, Armies of the Carthaginian Wars 265 - 146 BC;
Wissner-Gross, What Colleges Don't Tell You (And Other Parents Don't Want You To Know) 272 Secrets For Getting Your Kid Into the Top Schools;
Wissner-Gross, What High Schools Don't Tell You;
Wolf, Naomi, Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries;
Wolf, Naomi, The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot;
Woodward, Bob, Plan of Attack;
Woodward, Bob, The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House;
Wright, Lawrence, The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11;
Wright-Porto, Heather, Beginning Google Blogger;
Xenophon, The Anabasis of Cyrus;
Yergin, Daniel, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, & Power;
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of this blogger. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited, before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but not hostile, libelous, or otherwise objectionable statements. Original writing only, please. Thank you.
A tax on toilet paper; I kid you not. According to the sponsor, "the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act will be financed broadly by small fees on such things as . . . products disposed of in waste water." Congress wants to tax what you do in the privacy of your bathroom.
Posts
