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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
4/18/2013 3:56:35 PM

Colorado River tops 2013 endangered waterways list

Group ranks Colorado River the nation's most endangered waterway, citing drought and demand

Associated Press -

FILE - This Nov. 19, 2012 file photo shows the high-flow release of water into the Colorado River from bypass tubes at Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Ariz. An advocacy group is calling the Colorado River the nation's most endangered waterway. An annual American Rivers report being released Wednesday April 17, 2013, doesn't call pollution the problem. It instead cites drought and demand. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, file) MARICOPA COUNTY OUT; MAGS OUT; NO SALES

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Drought and demand are pushing the Colorado River beyond its limits — with the needs of more than 40 million people in seven Western states projected to outstrip dwindling supply over the next 50 years, according to an advocacy group's report on endangered rivers released on Wednesday.

The annual top-10 list by Washington, D.C.-based American Rivers points to a three-year federal Bureau of Reclamation study that warned last December that the river won't always be able to serve all the residents, businesses, ranchers, Native Americans and farmers who rely upon it.

Already, the Colorado River is drained of nearly every drop by the time it reaches Mexico, American Rivers spokeswoman Amy Kober said.

The list, produced with Protect the Flows and Nuestro Rio, notes that the Colorado is sometimes called the most controlled and plumbed river on Earth, and has more dams and diversions planned. River water irrigates nearly 4 million acres of farmland, which yield about 15 percent of the nation's crops, and serves as a primary drinking water supply for cities including Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

The report lists 10 other rivers at risk from drought, overuse and pollution, including the Flint River in Georgia, the San Saba River in Texas, the Little Plover River in Wisconsin and the Catawba River in the Carolinas.

Federal and local officials planned to highlight the threat to the Colorado River at a news conference Wednesday at a marina on the scenic but drought-scarred Lake Mead reservoir behind Hoover Dam. A white "bathtub ring" of minerals stretches more than 100 feet up the rocky shoreline from the current water line to the 1983 high-water mark. Officials say Lake Mead is still about half-full.

The listing drew an endorsement from a top Interior Department official, who praised it for "bringing further visibility to the problems facing this critical resource."

"The river is the essential foundation to the health and prosperity of the American Southwest." Assistant Interior Secretary for Water and Science Anne Castle said in a statement. It "provides multiple and diverse benefits including water supplies for agriculture and people, outdoor recreation, clean energy generation, and unparalleled ecosystems."

Kober noted the Colorado River also topped the America's Most Endangered Rivers list in 1991 and 2004, and made the list in 1992, 1997, 1998 and 2010. Rankings are determined by nomination from river groups and advocates based on the size of the threat, the significance of the waterway to people and nature and whether it can help influence action in the coming year.

"The bureau report underscores that there's not enough water to meet demand," Kober said. "No one is going to fix the Colorado River in one year. But we need people to come together and we need Congress to fund efforts like WaterSMART and Title XVI."

Title XVI is a Bureau of Reclamation-led water recycling and reuse program. WaterSMART, an acronym for Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow, was established in February 2010 to coordinate and encourage the efficient use of water and a blend of hydrologic and energy policies.

Castle noted that in addition to completing the 163-page Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study, the federal government signed a recent supplement to a Colorado River water use treaty with Mexico. It provides for international cooperation to ensure that river water reaches the Gulf of California for the first time in decades.

The 1.1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota ranked sixth on the Endangered Waters list, followed by the Black Warrior River in Alabama, the Rough and Ready and Baldface creeks in Oregon, the Kootenai River in Canada, Montana and Idaho and the Niobrara River in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The Merced River, which flows through Yosemite Valley in California, was added to the list due to concerns that Congress may weaken wild and scenic protections, Kober said.

___

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"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
4/18/2013 4:00:29 PM

What we know about the Waco-area fertilizer plant explosion


A sizable part of the town of West, Texas, was destroyed late Wednesday in a massive explosion

Before Wednesday evening, the small town of West, Texas — a dozen miles north of Waco and just south of Willie Nelson's home town, Abbott — was known mostly for its Czech pastries. Then, at just before 8 p.m., the West Fertilizer plant exploded, sending a mushroom cloud into the sky, breaking windows and doors up to a mile away, and leveling buildings in a five-block radius. More than 160 people were injured, and there were an unknown number of casualties. (Watch an amateur video of the explosion here.)

Here's what we know so far about the massive explosion in West, population about 2,800:

How did the explosion happen?
A fire was reported at the West Fertilizer plant at about 7:30 p.m., local time, and firefighters responded. "The fire spread and hit some of these tanks that contain chemicals to treat the fertilizer,"Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) tells The New York Times, "and there was an explosion which caused wide damage."

SEE MORE: Background checks defeated: A death knell for gun control?

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the explosion as a "crime scene," according to Waco Police Department Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton, but only out of an abundance of caution. There's no indication of criminal activity, he said, but it's easier to switch from investigating a crime to an industrial accident than vice versa.

How many people were killed?
Swanton said early Thursday that the death toll so far is between five and 15, almost certainly including some firefighters and other first responders who went to put out the fire and evacuate workers. More fatalities are expected when the houses and other buildings around the plant are searched. An initial estimate, since disavowed by police, was for 60 to 70 casualties.

SEE MORE: WATCH LIVE: Coverage of the Waco-area fertilizer explosion

Just to put the devastation into perspective: 60-70 dead in a town the size of West is the equivalent of 200,000+ dead in New York City.

— James Decker (@jamesdecker2006) April 18, 2013

How big was the explosion?
The U.S. Geological Survey says that the explosion registered as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake, "but seismologists say their sensors can only record the ground motion, and that people who felt the shockwave above ground actually experienced a much larger event," says Amy Powell at ABC News. It was felt as far away as Amarillo, Texas, 430 miles away.

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At at press conference, state trooper D.L. Wilson compared the scene at the plant to a war zone. "I can tell you I was there, I walked through the blast area, I searched some houses earlier tonight. It was massive, just like Iraq, just like the Murrah building in Oklahoma City."

Why was the explosion so massive?
"The plant uses ammonium nitrate in fertilizer production, the same chemical used in 1995's Oklahoma City Bombing," says Siobhan Morris at Newstalk 1010. Timothy McVeigh used a truck packed with about two tons of ammonium nitrate to set off his deadly blast, killing 168 people and wounding hundreds more. "The West Fertilizer plant may have had as much as 100 tons of the chemical on hand."

SEE MORE: WATCH: Chilling video of the Waco-area fertilizer explosion

Has anything like this ever happened before?
Yes. The biggest recent ammonium-nitrate accident was a 2001 explosion in Toulouse, France, that killed 31 people and injured more than 2,000 others. That blast was in a hanger holding 300 tons of ammonium nitrate; in 2006, the blast was blamed on negligence.

A much worse explosion happened in Texas, nearly 66 years ago to the day. On April 16, 1947, a fire aboard the SS Grandcamp, docked at Texas City, on the Gulf Coast, detonated 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate on the ship, a neighboring vessel, and a nearby warehouse. At least 581 people were killed, including all but one of Texas City's firefighters.

SEE MORE: Apple's stock price reaches new low: Why are investors so jittery?

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"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
4/18/2013 4:02:57 PM

Hagel, Dempsey Warn of Involvement in Syria

ABC OTUS News - Hagel, Dempsey Warn of Involvement in Syria (ABC News)

ap chuck hagel martin dempsey lpl 130411 wblog Hagel, Dempsey Warn of Involvement in SyriaChuck Hagel

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempseyboth warned Congress on Wednesday about theunintended consequences of a U.S. military intervention in Syria. Hagel also provided the first details of the Pentagon's efforts in assistingJordan's military for the possibility of having to secure Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, including $70 million worth of training and equipment.

Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee both Hagel and Dempsey cautioned that a U.S. military intervention in Syria could have unintended consequences and should be reserved as a "last resort."

Two years of fighting to bring down the regime of Syrian President Basher al Assad have killed an estimated 70,000 Syrians and created a million refugees. Both Democratic and Republican senators on the committee have advocated the Obama administration consider some form of U.S. military assistance to assist the Syrian opposition in the form of a no-fly zone or the establishment of a humanitarian aid corridor.

"We have an obligation and responsibility to think through the consequences of direct U.S. military action in Syria," said Hagel. He added that "military intervention at this point could hinder humanitarian relief operations. It could embroil the United States in a significant, lengthy, and uncertain military commitment."

More importantly he warned that it could have "the unintended consequence of bringing the United States into a broader regional conflict or proxy war. " He stressed that "the best outcome for Syria - and the region - is a negotiated, political transition to a post-Assad Syria."

He later used blunter language in describing how all factors should be weighed in considering a U.S. military option in Syria. "You better be damn sure, as sure as you can be, before you get into something, because once you're into it, there isn't any backing out, whether it's a no-fly zone, safe zone, protect these - whatever it is. Once you're in, you can't unwind it. You can't just say, well, it's not going as well as I thought it would go, so we're going to get out.

Gen. Dempsey also told the committee that " before we take action, we have to be prepared for what comes next." He noted that the use of force in an area like Syria where the ethnic and religious divisions "dominate" is "unlikely to produce predictable outcomes." He explained that such a scenario "is not a reason to avoid intervention in conflict, rather, to emphasize that unintended consequences are the rule with military interventions of this sort."

In his opening remarks Hagel presented the most detailed outline yet of American efforts in helping Jordan prepare for the possibility of having to secure the Assad regime's large chemical weapons stockpile should the regime collapse. For much of the past year Pentagon officials have declined to provide details about such efforts, instead making vague references about contingency planning with regional partners for such a scenario.

Hagel told the committee that the Pentagon "has plans in place to respond to the full range of chemical weapons scenarios." He disclosed that the U.S. has provided $70 million in funding to Jordan "for training and equipment to detect and stop any chemical weapons transfers along its border with Syria, and developing Jordanian capacity to identify and secure chemical weapons assets."

However, when Sen. John McCain asked Gen. Dempsey if he was confident that American troops would be able to secure Syria's chemical weapons, Dempsey said, "Not as I sit here today, simply because they've been moving it and the number of sites is quite numerous."

According to Hagel, the U.S. military has also prepared for other contingencies such as " the potential spillover of violence across Syria's borders that could threaten Allies and partners." Furthermore, he said, the Pentagon had "been developing options and planning for a post-Assad Syria," though he said he was not able to provide details in public.

Hagel also announced that last week he ordered the deployment to Jordan of a headquarters element from the 1 st Armored Division based at Fort Bliss, Texas.

They will replace the several hundred American military members from various units who have been in Jordan since last summer working with the Jordanian military in contingency planning related to Syria's chemical weapons, humanitarian efforts and preventing a spillover of violence from Syria into Jordan.

A Defense official said the headquarters will provide "a cohesive command and control element with our Jordanian counterparts." The official also said that if needed its structure would enable it to "be capable of establishing a Joint Task Force headquarters that would provide command and control for Chemical Weapons response, humanitarian assistance efforts and stability operations."

Hagel also referred to the other forms of assistance the U.S. is providing to Syrian refugees and opposition groups. That includes $385 million in assistance to help ease the humanitarian and refugee crisis in Syria, as well as $117 million in non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition in the form of communications and medical equipment.

The Defense secretary told the committee that he would be visiting Jordan next week as part of a Middle East tour that will see him making stops in Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
4/18/2013 4:09:55 PM

Iran's president slams 'foreign presence' in Gulf


Associated Press/Vahid Salemi - Wearing ghilli suits, Iranian army troops march in a parade marking National Army Day in front of the mausoleum of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 18, 2013. Ahead of the parade, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed "foreign presence" in the Persian Gulf, claiming it's the source of insecurity in the region. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranian army troops march in a parade marking National Army Day in front of the mausoleum of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 18, 2013. Ahead of the parade, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed "foreign presence" in the Persian Gulf, claiming it's the source of insecurity in the region. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian army troops march in a parade marking National Army Day, in front of the mausoleum of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 18, 2013. Ahead of the parade, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed "foreign presence" in the Persian Gulf, claiming it's the source of insecurity in the region. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The Iranian president on Thursday slammed the West for its naval presence in the Persian Gulf while the country's army commanders warned archenemy Israel against any military strikes on Iran.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said "foreign presence" was the source of insecurity in the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which about one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes.

Iran, on the other hand, he claimed, has "always guarded peace and security."

The remarks — typical rhetoric from the Iranian president — came ahead of a military parade in Tehran as Iran marked National Army Day. And while the Iranian president didn't name any specific country, his remarks were an apparent reference to Western nations and the U.S. 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain.

Iran sees the large American-led naval presence in the Gulf as foreign military meddling in the Mideast. Tehran has in the past year warned it could close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for tighter Western sanctions over its controversial nuclear program, but later stepped back from those threats.

Also Thursday, Iran's navy held its own show of force near the Strait of Hormuz, with state TV broadcasting a display of Russian-made Kilo class submarines that Tehran obtained in the early 1990s.

On the sidelines of the parade in the Iranian capital, Iran's army chief of staff warned Israel.

"We see Israel's threat as a scream that comes out of fear," said Gen. Hasan Firouzabadi. "If they do anything wrong, there will be no Israel left on the world's political map."

Iran's army chief Gen. Attaollah Salehi also warned Israel, saying that "Iran's army is ready to carry out" any order by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei against the Jewish state. In March, Khamenei warned that Iran will raze the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities.

"They (Israeli leaders) have no capability except to bark," Salehi said.

Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat and has not ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, which the West suspects are geared to produce a nuclear weapon.

Tehran denies the charge, saying its nuclear activities — mainly uranium enrichment — are meant for peaceful purposes only, such as power generation and cancer treatment. Iran also asserts it has a right to enrich uranium under international law.

During the parade, Iran showcased its S-200 air defense system, which was first displayed in September. The S-200 is a Russian-made, medium to high altitude surface-to-air missile system designed primarily to track, target, and destroy aircraft and cruise missiles.

Also on display was an Iranian-made drone, dubbed Sarir or throne in Farsi. The drone can carry missiles and has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles), which puts much of the Middle East within operating distance of Iranian territory.

The Sarir was first displayed in September.

In 2011, Iran seized the American RQ-170 Sentinel drone after it went down in Iranian territory. Last April, Iran said it was building a copy of the RQ-170.

Since 1992, Iran has tried to achieve a military self-sufficiency program under which it has produced light submarines, jet fighters, missiles and torpedoes.


"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Jim
Jim Allen

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
4/18/2013 4:44:01 PM
Such a hypocrite. Yes she was shot by a mentally disturbed person. Almost all the recent shootings were done by folks that couldn't get guns legally but still found a way to get them and commit a deadly assault on innocent unarmed victims.

Ms. Gifords is a hypocrite because she holds a conceal and carry permit and her husband just recently tried to or did buy an AR15. If these aren't hypocritical actions I don't know what is.

The senate did the right thing. Enforce current laws and help the mentally ill, but foremost protect the children the way you protect yourselves, your money, your offices, your persons. And that is trained good folks with guns. This trumps creating barrels of fish ripe for the slaughter. IMHO

Jim



Quote:

Gabby Giffords' furious response to the Senate's gun-bill flop

The former congresswoman pens a scathing critique of the Senatein The New York Times

On Wednesday, the Senate considered and failed to pass several amendments to an increasingly endangered-looking gun bill. Most notably, a broadly supported amendment expanding background checks failed to overcome a GOP-led filibuster. Lots of people were angry about the failure, including President Obama.

One of those angry supporters of background checks, former Rep.Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), was able to voice her displeasure in The New York Times. She didn't hold back. "We know what we're going to hear: Vague platitudes like 'tough vote' and 'complicated issue,'"she says. But this was neither, Giffords argues. She says it was senators deciding to do the wrong thing, "based on political fear and on cold calculations about the money of special interests like theNational Rifle Association." Some of those senators have met with the parents of children killed in the Newtown, Conn., shootings, and some "who voted no have also looked into my eyes as I talked about my experience being shot in the head at point-blank range in suburban Tucson two years ago.... Shame on them," Giffords admonished. Here's an excerpt:

Speaking is physically difficult for me. But my feelings are clear: I'm furious. I will not rest until we have righted the wrong these senators have done, and until we have changed our laws so we can look parents in the face and say: We are trying to keep your children safe.... I am asking every reasonable American to help me tell the truth about the cowardice these senators demonstrated. I am asking for mothers to stop these lawmakers at the grocery store and tell them: You've lost my vote. I am asking activists to unsubscribe from these senators' e-mail lists and to stop giving them money. I'm asking citizens to go to their offices and say: You've disappointed me, and there will be consequences.

Our democracy's history is littered with names we neither remember nor celebrate — people who stood in the way of progress while protecting the powerful. On Wednesday, a number of senators voted to join that list.

Read the entire article at The New York Times.

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May Wisdom and the knowledge you gained go with you,



Jim Allen III
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