Two of the guns found at the scene of shootout between Mexican drug cartel and state officials were linked to Fast and Furious scandal

Two of the guns found at the scene of a recent Mexican drug cartel shoot out- where a beauty queen was found to have both fired at military officers and been used as a shield- were a part of the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal.

CBS News reports that two of the guns that were found at the scene of the fatal shooting in Sinaloa, Mexico last month can be traced to Fast and Furious exchanges, as one was purchased by an American agent involved in the case and another was brought in by a suspect.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250823/Two-guns-scene-shootout-Mexican-drug-cartel-state-officials-linked-Fast-Furious-scandal.html

Noah Pozner Site: Scammer preys on Sandy Hook victim's families setting up fake donation website

The family of Noah Pozner was mourning the 6-year-old, killed in the Newtown school massacre, when outrage compounded their sorrow.

Someone they didn't know was soliciting donations in Noah's memory, claiming that they'd send any cards, packages and money collected to his parents and siblings.

An official-looking website had been set up, with Noah's name as the address, even including petitions on gun control.

Noah's uncle, Alexis Haller, called on law enforcement authorities to seek out ‘these despicable people.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250910/Noah-Pozner-site-Scammer-preys-Sandy-Hook-victims-families-setting-fake-donation-website.html

Systemic failures in Benghazi

US condemns 'provocative' Israel settlement building

The Obama administration called Israel's settlement-building programme "provocative" and a threat to peace in one of its harshest condemnations yet of Benjamin Netanyahu's policy.

Israel rebuffed the criticism however, by announcing plans for 3,600 homes in east Jerusalem and the West Bank on land claimed as part of a future Palestinian state.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/9756199/US-condemns-provocative-Israel-settlement-building.html

Staff Sergeant Robert Bales: Army Seeks Death Penalty In Afghan Massacre

The US Army has said it will seek the death penalty for a soldier charged in the killing of 16 Afghan villagers during a pre-dawn raid.

Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is accused of going on a shooting rampage in two southern Afghanistan villages on March 11.

Wednesday's announcement followed Bales' pre-trial hearing last month, during which several witnesses testified from Afghanistan via video conference.

http://news.sky.com/story/1027784/army-seeks-death-penalty-in-afghan-massacre

'Free Darwin' Protest In Toronto

A rally has taken to place to demand a pet monkey found wandering in an Ikea car park in Canada is returned to his owner.

Yasmin Nakhuda has launched a legal battle to get her pet, Darwin, back from the animal control officials she claims have illegally taken him.

She and 15 supporters held a protest on Wednesday outside Toronto Animal Services, where they could be heard chanting "free Darwin".

http://news.sky.com/story/1027895/ikea-monkey-darwin-owner-in-custody-battle

Oz Customs Staff Held Over Drug Smuggling

An alleged major drug smuggling operation involving a network of customs officials has been uncovered at Australia's biggest airport.

Eight people have been arrested - with more expected - after police swooped on Sydney Airport following a two-year corruption probe.

It is claimed large quantities of drugs were smuggled through the airport in backpacks and suitcases, with corrupt officials using their knowledge of security systems to allow the narcotics to pass through the international terminal undetected.

http://news.sky.com/story/1027915/oz-customs-staff-held-over-drug-smuggling

Dec. 21, 2012: Fearful 'end of world' callers flood NASA

If there's one government agency really looking forward to Dec. 22, it's NASA.

The space agency said it has been flooded with calls and emails from people asking about the purported end of the world — which, as the doomsday myth goes, is apparently set to take place on Dec. 21, 2012.

The myth might have originated with the Mayan calendar, but in the age of the Internet and social media, it proliferated online, raising questions and concerns among hundreds of people around the world who have turned to NASA for answers.

Dwayne Brown, an agency spokesman, said NASA typically receives about 90 calls or emails per week containing questions from people. In recent weeks, he said, that number has skyrocketed — from 200 to 300 people are contacting NASA per day to ask about the end of the world.

"Who's the first agency you would call?" he said. "You're going to call NASA."

latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/12/dec-21-2012-fearful-end-of-world-callers-flood-nasa-phonelines-.html

Why hipsters can go on food stamps (and why a college education, especially a PhD is an absolute waste of time and money, a must-read)

In the John Waters-esque sector of northwest Baltimore -- equal parts kitschy, sketchy, artsy and weird -- Gerry Mak and Sarah Magida sauntered through a small ethnic market stocked with Japanese eggplant, mint chutney and fresh turmeric. After gathering ingredients for that evening's dinner, they walked to the cash register and awaited their moments of truth.


Those are two "hipsters", and the punchline is that they pay for their foodie porn with foodie stamps, which sounds like it should be a terrible thing, except it's in Salon.com, which means they're going to try and tell you how it's a good thing, which they don't, because they can't. It's madness.

It's very easy and satisfying to hate these two, and nothing would make me happier than to hit them square in the back with a jack-o-lantern. But I also recognize that I am being told to hate them, so I have to take a step back and find out why it is so important that I hate them. I did. I should have just reached for the pumpkin.

No one but the state and psychiatry can profit from another's misery, and they are the same thing, so let's see why Election Day doesn't matter.

http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/11/hipsters_on_food_stamps.html

Hipsters on foodstamps: You pay taxes, they eat five-star for free (Sounds fair to me)

In the John Waters-esque sector of northwest Baltimore — equal parts kitschy, sketchy, artsy and weird — Gerry Mak and Sarah Magida sauntered through a small ethnic market stocked with Japanese eggplant, mint chutney and fresh turmeric. After gathering ingredients for that evening’s dinner, they walked to the cash register and awaited their moments of truth.

“I have $80 bucks left!” Magida said. “I’m so happy!”

“I have $12,” Mak said with a frown.

The two friends weren’t tabulating the cash in their wallets but what remained of the monthly allotment on their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program debit cards, the official new term for what are still known colloquially as food stamps.

Magida, a 30-year-old art school graduate, had been installing museum exhibits for a living until the recession caused arts funding — and her usual gigs — to dry up. She applied for food stamps last summer, and since then she’s used her $150 in monthly benefits for things like fresh produce, raw honey and fresh-squeezed juices from markets near her house in the neighborhood of Hampden, and soy meat alternatives and gourmet ice cream from a Whole Foods a few miles away.

http://www.salon.com/2010/03/16/hipsters_food_stamps_pinched/

CTA Passenger Attacked With Sock Filled With Human Feces: Merry Christmas, World

A woman riding the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line in Oak Park told police she was last week attacked by another passenger wielding a sock filled with human feces.

"He had a sock full of his poop on me," the 21-year-old college student told the Pioneer Press. "It was everywhere; on my face, my hair, my clothes."

The victim, requesting anonymity, said she screamed and tried to follow her attacker, but he escaped up the Austin Boulevard exit and ran northbound on Austin.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/traffic/transit/chicago-transit-cta-passenger-attacked-sock-human-feces-184148911.html

Obama Warns Cameron that Britain should not Leave the European Union

Barack Obama has warned Britain against leaving the European Union, it emerged today.

The US President used a call to David Cameron to urge him to resist calls to abandon Brussels, ahead of the PM delivering a major speech on Europe in the New Year.

But President Obama is understood to be backing Mr Cameron's approach in his fight for a 'better deal for Britain'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250579/Obama-tells-Cameron-Britain-stay-European-Union.html

Bamboo rats caged and ready to cook in China