Meghan Murphy: Why are Men Committing Horrible Massacres?

But what about these men? It's a question that has been avoided by the mainstream media within the context of mass shootings. The recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut sparked thousands of conversations across the continent about gun laws, mental illness, and violence, and sadly, we've been here before. We have had conversations about access to guns. The victims would still be alive today, after all, if there were no gun. We have talked about the need to better address mental illness in Noryh America, about how people need access to services and treatment. With proper support, potential perpetrators could get the help they need before it's too late, and what about the media? We see violence all the time in movies, video games, and on television. Have we become so desensitized to violence that mass murder has become par for the course? Or, worse, a way to achieve fame in a culture obsessed with celebrity as a goal unto itself? All these factors are relevant. All of these conversations should be had, but no one is asking what is, for once, the single most important question: What about the men? In 1984, a 39 year old man opened fire at an upscale nightclub in Dallas, after a woman rejected his aggressive sexual advances. The man, Abdelkrim Belachheb, went out to his car, retrieved his gun, and returned to the bar, shooting the woman to death. He then reloaded his gun, returned to the bar, shooting the woman to death. He then reloaded his gun and killed a total of six more people. Capital punishment quickly became the center of the national conversation. In fact, Belachheb's crime is most remembered as it lead to the passage of House Bill 8 in Texas, the "multiple murder" statute, which made serial killing and mass murder capital crimes. That same year, James Oliver Huberty, a man whose violent temper and history of domestic violence is documented, opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant in California, killing 21 people, before being shot dead by a police officer. At the time, this shooting was the largest single day, single gunman massacre in US history.      

Jack A Smith: What's Behind America.s Gun Violence?

There is more than the act of one individual involved in the mass gin killings that take place in America, the most recent being the massacre of 20 young children and seven school workers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton Connecticut December 14. The main culprit, of course, is the late killer, Adam Lanza, 20. But such events occur within a context of shared responsibility for the unparalleled number of mass and individual shooting deaths that take place in the United States every year. This includes the political system and politicians, the National Rifle Association and other gun lobbies, and federal, state and local governments. Each has played an indirect role in the latest and earlier slaughters. Of these other responsible parties, one is our political system that refuses to strengthen absurdly deficient federal and state restrictions on the possession of various types of arms. Another is the irresponsible politicians who make it relatively easy for criminals, people with mental problems, and those who are unfit to possess weapons for other reasons to accumulate a private arsenal. In recent decades, despite the fact that last year there were over 11,000 murders by firearms in the US, and another 20,000 gun deaths from accidents and suicide, not to mention many more injuries, the great majority of American politicians have been too gutless to fight for tougher laws. President Obama was moved to tears in announcing the deaths of 6 and 7 year old children in Newtown, and said he might take meaningful action of an unidentified nature, but Obama is risk averse, and has shown a disinclination to tangle with the pro gun lobbies throughout his first term, so there's a chance all well get is tears and rhetoric, even though 80% of the American people want gun owners to secure police permits, and nearly 90% would require background checks on all gun sales. On the other hand, the fact that 20 youngsters were massacred, has shocked the nation to the extent that it may be politically advantageous for the White House and Congress to pass token legislation. Most conservative Republicans will do whatever is possible to block progress on gun control, but they may be less obstructive if a proposed law is weak and limited. No major changes are anticipated.         

James F Tracy: Chemtrails, Aerosol Geoengeneering

and Bio-engineering: A Massive Biological Experiment of Unknown Purpose. "The ultimate solution is a multiplication of leverage by citizens to the point where it simply cannot be denied". Clifford Carnicom. The materials disbursed in stratospheric aerosol "geo-engineering" operations contain a combination of "ionizable" metallic salts, filaments, gel type materials, and crystals. These are the longstanding and deeply interrogated observations of independent environmental research scientist Clifford Carnicom given on a December 10 conference call organized by Global Skywatch.com director Russ Tanner. During the meeting, coincidentally held on International Human Rights Day, Carnicom asserted that because the system of responsible government has failed, the immediate collective efforts of citizens are necessary to claim their rights on this planet. His remarks were made just three months after his presentation at the Consciousness Beyond Chemtrails conference held in Los Angeles last summer. In that talk, Geo-engineering and Bioengineering: The Unmistakable Link, Carnicom upheld his research detecting such a correlation. Is there a direct relationship between the alteration of living systems (us) and ecosystems (the environment)?" he asks. "My answer is unequivocally, Yes. Mr. Carnicom's work began in 1999, when he noted clear changes in the skies overhead. He has since produced a large body of sound and meticulous, yet accessible research reports examining the nature and contents of such aerosols, all of which are available at carnicom institute.org. Carnicom also oversees the Morgellons Research Group, a body of concerned citizens, health care professionals, scientific researchers and microbiologists who devote their time to investigating this unfolding syndrome. The implications of his observations that virtually every breathing organism is an unwitting participant in a massive biological experiment of unknown purpose have proven terrifying enough to prevent many individuals from even tentatively considering his investigations and hypotheses. There's a personal journey everyone has to take about the reality of this, Carnicom told call participants.       

Israeli Embassy: If alive today, Jesus and Mary would be lynched b

by hostile Palestinians. Israel's diplomatic corps finds itself in hot water, after posting an inflammatory message on an official Facebook page. Although the message has not been deleted, this is not the first time Israel has used social media to post controversial views. The message appeared on the Israeli Ireland Facebook page, which is linked to on the official embassy site, on Monday morning. The post comprised a painting of Mary and Jesus, accompanied by the following caption: "A thought for Christmas. If Jesus and mother Mary were alive today, they would, as Jews without security, probably end up being lynched in Bethlehem by hostile Palestinians. Just a thought." The message sparked immediate heated debate, but was taken down within hours. "An image of Jesus and Mary with a derogatory comment about Palestinians was posted without the consent of the administrator of the Facebook page. We have removed the post in question immediately. Apologies to anyone who may have been offended," said an official statement from the Israeli embassy in Dublin. Since then, the Israeli Ireland page has been shut down altogether, and the link on the official website has been removed. This was not the first time the account, which is updated by an unnamed embassy staff, broadcast strong opinions. It previously claimed that Palestinian children play how to launch a missile in order to hit innocent Israeli children, women and men. The apple does not fall far from the tree, and that Pro Palestinianism is often just a politically correct cover for anti Semitism. Although a popular tourist destination for Israelis, Ireland has a tempestuous relationship with Israel. The Israeli mission, which is headed by Boaz Mozai, who is deputized by his wife, Nurit Mondai, has captured the headlines with its confrontational approach. Last year Tinari Modai claimed in a letter that Ireland based Jews should have their private information made public, if they criticize their homeland, yet the post doesn't appear to be an isolated incident, and appears as an example of Israel's wider policy of hasbara. Hasbara is seen as the concerted effort to forcefully promote Israeli views in the face of what Jerusalem perceives to be predominantly anti Israeli media coverage worldwide. Although the term appeared in the 1970's the policy has gained new impetus with the ascent of social media. 

Stephen Lendman: Gun Violence in America!

US civilian gun ownership is the highest worldwide. Yemen ranks second. America doubles the Yemeni level. Gun related violence follows. In America it's endemic. In Chicago alone, gun related deaths exceed one a day. More Chicago' ans are shot and killed than US forces in Afghanistan by any means. Gun ownership makes it simple as ready, aim, fire. It lowers the threshold between anger and homicide. Proliferation in society leaves everyone vulnerable. On Friday, 28 Sandy Hook Elementary School Newtown, CT children and teachers were murdered. A heavily armed 20 year old man used semiautomatic pistols and a semiautomatic rifle. It was the third deadliest gun related massacre in US history. The second worst occurred in Blacks-burg, VA Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's campus. On April 16, 2007, 33 students and teachers were shot and killed. Others were wounded. In January 1923, shootings and other violence killed 150 Rosewood, FL Blacks. No convictions followed. Governor Lawton Chiles, 1991-1998 later called what happened a "blind act of bigotry." In 2004, Florida declared Rosewood a state Heritage Landmark. Survivors of dead victims are unforgiving. Numerous other gun related lesser scale massacres pockmark US history. The right to own, conceal, and use assault and other deadly weapons is an ugly America tradition. It's long past time it ended. On November 18, 2012, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said "epidemic levels of gun violence claim over 30,000 lives annually." US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data document it. Every gun related death leaves two others wounded. Every year, about 100,000 Americans are gun violence victims. Countless others are irreparably harmed. Nothing whatever is done to curb or prevent what's shocking and intolerable. The 1968 Gun Control Act fell woefully short. Federal regulation enacted was weak and ineffective. Gun manufacturers supported the measure. It prohibits interstate firearms transfers except among licensed manufacturers, dealers and importers. It did nothing to curb gun proliferation across America. 

Editing: Jim W. Dean: Israeli Foreign Minister Liberman

resigns following indictment. A 12 year investigation resolved with indictment a month before elections. Israeli politicians beat a lot of these corruption charges. This could easily follow that path. Rampant Israeli corruption spawns investigations lasting more than ten years. Avigdor Lieberman has resigned as Israel's foreign minister following his indictment for fraud and breach of trust. "I have committed no offense but wish to put behind me this issue, which is what remains of many years of investigation," Lieberman said in a statement Friday. Lieberman said he would also step down as vice prime minister, and lift his immunity from prosecution, to which he is entitled as a member of Knesset. On December 13, Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein closed a 12 year investigation on Lieberman, dismissing most of the charges, but he indicted Lieberman for fraud and breach of trust for advancing former ambassador to Belarus Ze'ev Ben Aryeh's position in the Foreign Ministry, allegedly in exchange for information about an investigation against Lieberman being conducted in Belarus. Last spring, Ben Aryeh confessed that he had received and passed documents to Lieberman in 2008. In his statement, Lieberman added: "I am stepping down also because I believe the citizens of Israel deserve to go to the ballot box with this thing already settled, so I can resume serving the state of Israel and its citizens." According to Ynet, Lieberman does not plan to resign as number two of Halikud Beiteinu, the merger of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, and the movement headed by Lieberman, Yisrael Beiteinu. Lieberman has said he wished for a "quick trial" but it is not known whether this could be concluded ahead of Israel's general elections scheduled for January 22.  

Joshua Holland: How an Astounding New Right Wing Lie Is Born!

There's a new economic myth that's now being amplified by the conservative media. It demonizes vital public services, and suggests that the poor are doing just fine, thanks to the largesse of the country's "makers." Conservatives are being told that the United States is now spending vast fortunes combating poverty, more than we dedicate to national defense, Social Security and Medicare. This new spin is notable not for its mendacity, although it is completely divorced from reality, but because its origins are easily traced, allowing us to see how these kinds of distortions come to be. This one originated with the work of an analyst at the Heritage Foundation, which is well known for its intellectual dishonesty. It was then picked up by Republican staffers on Capitol Hill, who lent the claim credibility by requesting a Congressional Research Service report on the analysis. They then further distorted the narrative before distributing it to friendly writers at conservative media outlets, who dutifully reported the falsehood. It will soon become conventional wisdom on the Right, further distorting conservative's view of taxes and spending. Several conservative outlets had the story before Daniel Halper at the Weekly Standard, but his piece is the one that's been cited by hundreds of conservative blogs, right wing radio talkers and Fox News. Halper, citing "the minority side of the Senate Budget Committee," framed the story like this: "Welfare spending per day per household in poverty is $168, which is higher than the $137 median income per day. When broken down per hour, welfare spending per hour per household in poverty is $30.60, which is higher than the $25.03 median income per hour." For fiscal year 2011, CRS identified roughly 80 overlapping federal means tested welfare programs that together represented the single largest budget item in 2011, more than the nation spends on Social Security, Medicare, or national defense. The total amount spent on these federal programs, when taken together with approximately $280 billion in state contributions, amounted to roughly $1 trillion. Common sense should tell you that this is a ridiculous claim. Given that the United States has one of the weakest social safety nets in the world, it's pretty obvious that we're not spending more on each family in poverty than the median income, or more on the poor than we spend on defense, Social Security and Medicare.