All posts by Bill Maher

News

NORTH KOREA NOW HAS ABILITY TO REACH WEST COAST US WITH ROCKETS


South Korean officials who studied debris from the rocket fired on December 12th have said that it appears North Korea now have the capability to fire rockets to the US West coast, 10,000km away.

“Based on our analysis and simulation, the missile is capable of flying more than 10,000 kilometres with a warhead of 500-600 kilograms,” a South Korean defence ministry official said.

What is still unclear is whether or not North Korea have the technology to allow them to fire a missile capable of surviving re-entry.

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OBAMA PLANS NEW GUN CONTROL POLICY TO BE READY BY JANUARY


President Obama hopes to have a set of recommendations ready to address gun law reform by January. The President has gathered together a team comprising of cabinet members as well as outside agencies.

“This is not some Washington commission. This is not something where folks are going to be studying the issue for six months and publishing a report that gets read and then pushed aside,” Obama said. “This is a team that has a very specific task to pull together real reforms right now.”

The team is to be headed up by Vice-President Joe Biden.

The President has already made it clear he is in favor of banning assault rifles.

“A majority of Americans support banning the sale of military-style assault weapons. A majority of Americans support banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition clips. A majority of Americans support laws requiring background checks before all gun purchases so that criminals can’t take advantage of legal loopholes to buy a gun from somebody who won’t take the responsibility of doing a background check at all,” Obama said.

“I urge the new Congress to hold votes on these measures next year in a timely manner. And considering Congress hasn’t confirmed a director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in six years — the agency that works most closely with state and local law enforcement to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals — I’d suggest that they make this a priority early in the year.”

Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein has also said she will re-introduce legislation that expired in 2004, which banned assault weapons. Sen. Feinstein has been a long term campaigner for gun law reform.

Read More at CNN: Obama Proposals to address gun violence due by January

News

CHRISTIAN PARENTS PLAN TO SUE OVER YOGA CLASSES


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Parents in California plan to sue over yoga classes which are due to be introduced into schools in January.

The Encinitas Union School District plans to introduce yoga classes in all their schools after the Christmas vacation, this is despite protests from Christian parents who say their children will be indoctrinated into an Eastern Religion.

Yoga has it’s roots in Hinduism, but school officials have said there will be no chanting, prayer positions or cultural references. In an attempt to stop legal action the yoga teachers have changed the names of the positions to terms like “aeroplane” and “pancake”.

Encinitas Superintendent Timothy Baird said: “This is 21st century PE. It’s physical. It’s strength-building. It increases flexibility but it also deals with stress reduction and focusing, which kickball doesn’t do.”

The Universities of San Diego and Virginia will be studying the students to see what impact the yoga classes have on the children. The program will be given to 5000 children, starting from Kindergarten.

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FRANCE TAKES STEPS TOWARDS MEDICALLY ASSISTED SUICIDE

French President Francois Hollande has commissioned a report, published today, which supports the legalization of euthanasia for the terminally ill.

The report is the first step towards the legalisation of medically assisted suicide in France.

The French public are already in favor of a change in the law, with polls suggesting that 89% of the population want the law changed.

Legislation could be produced as early as June 2013.

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News

ADAM LANZA’S MOTHER: A PROPHET OF DOOM PREPARING FOR DISASTER

It has emerged that the mother of Adam Lanza was a gun-proud survivalist. Nancy Lanza, was part of the “prepper” movement, who believe we are about to see economic collapse in the nation. The Prepper movement encourages readiness for the collapse of society by hoarding food and weapons.

More details have also emerged about the mental state of her son Adam in the weeks running up to the deadly shooting. A friend of Mrs Lanza, said she feared she was “losing” him, “She said it was getting worse. She was having trouble reaching him,”

Nancy Lanza had five guns, three of which Adam Lanza took with him; he used one assault rifle to kill most of the victims.

The Democrats are now preparing a bill to limit access to assault rifles. The bill is likely to face stiff opposition in Congress.

Spirituality & Health

WILL THE WORLD END DECEMBER 21ST?


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Speculation continues as Bugarach and Rennes-Les-Chateau expect 100’s of visitors this December.

Rennes-Les-Chateau is the site of the Da Vinci code mystery, stories of the Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene and has connections with ancient Israel through the Priory of Zion.

Bugarach – site of UFO’s, occult rituals, stories and myth.

Authorities are concerned that the rituals may turn into mass suicides, as vulnerable people get caught up in the myths and legends of the area, which have circulated across the internet over the last 3 years in expectation of the “end of the world” as the current Mayan calendar ends.

Authorities are monitoring the area with extra Police drafted in and the “magic mountain” peak closed off for 4 days from visitors.

News

ADAM LANZA: THE DEEPLY TROUBLED YOUNG MAN TURNED MASS MURDERER

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As the nation grieves the murder of 20 children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the gunman has emerged to be 20 year old Adam Lanza. People who knew Lanza have described him as a very troubled young man, with a possible personality disorder.

Lanza shot his mother before driving her car to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. There, it appears he forced his way into the school and began to fire. Testimonies from witnesses say he did not speak as he went through the Kindergarten class, then the next class. Police now think Lanza shot himself as police began to surround the building.

A picture of Lanza has emerged, as a child who was unable to connect emotionally with people, highly intelligent, a nerd.

“Adam Lanza has been a weird kid since we were five years old,” said Tim Dalton, a neighbour and former classmate, on Twitter. “As horrible as this was, I can’t say I am surprised.”

It is thought that Lanza may have been on the autistic spectrum, others have suggested that Lanza suffered from an anti-social disorder, sociopathy, often associated with criminal behaviour where the individual feels no empathy or remorse.

It has also emerged that Lanza’s mother was passionate about guns, that she taught her boys how to shoot, and her home was full of them.

She also withdrew Lanza from school, after battling with education authorities over his education. Relatives have described Lanza as very bright and that his home education may have been a result of his needs not being addressed by the school system.

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The Telegraph: Connecticut Shooting Adam Lanza

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NEW REPORT URGES FOR MORE LGBT’S TO BE SEEN ON TV

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In the UK, the BBC commissioned a report into the portrayal of homosexuals and lesbians on television. The report found that only 50% of the population were comfortable with same-sex relationships within programming.

The report recommends that more programs feature lesbian and gay relationships, as well as suggesting children’s programs should be used to familiarise audiences to same-sex couples.

The study found that heterosexual men believed that there were already too many gay and lesbian people on television, but gay and lesbian people surveyed said they believed they were under represented.

It also suggested that drama was a “powerful tool” to educate people, but that comedy could pose a problem as LGBT people are often the focus of jokes.

Read More: The Telegraph

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EUROPEAN UNION AGREES ON NEW BANKING SUPERVISION DEAL AHEAD OF THE EU SUMMIT

The European Union has agreed the terms of a deal which will see centralized supervision of the eurozone banks.

The deal is expected to come into effect in March 2014, and will see the European Central Bank (ECB) acting as supervisor-in-chief of the eurozone banks. The deal will affect financial institutions with assets greater than 30bn euros ($39bn; £24bn) or with 20% of national GDP.

Around 80% of Europe’s banking transactions are conducted through the City of London, though UK banks will not be included in the deal. UK Chancellor George Osborne has stressed that he has worked hard to ensure the deal will protect the City.

The deal is a crucial step towards a full banking union. This is believed by many to be necessary and inevitable, in order to solve the eurozone crisis.

The deal has been reached ahead of the next EU summit, which is about to begin.

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DEADLY SHOOTING AT OREGON MALL

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A masked gun man wearing camouflage opened fire in a busy shopping mall in Portland, Oregon, killing two before turning the gun on himself.

The mall was busy with Christmas shoppers, witnesses say he fired around 60 shots. Another woman was shot, and is recovering in hospital.

Police believe they have identified the gun man, but have not yet released details. Witnessed described the man as wearing what appeared to be, white body armour.

Read More at Fox News

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PANIC SPREADS ACROSS GLOBE AS MANY BELIEVE DECEMBER 21 WILL SEE THE MAYAN APOCALYPSE

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December 21 marks the end of the Mayan Long Calendar, many believe this will mark the end of the world.

The internet is awash with doomsday predictions, ranging from a celestral collision between earth and a mythical planet Nibiru, a massive electromagnetic pulse event, a gigantic solar storm, or the flipping of the earth’s magnetic field.

In nations across the globe many are taking the predictions very seriously. Modern day Mayan priests have been performing rituals in preparation for December 21. Mayans are quick to explain the end of their calendar does not mark the end of the world, but the end of a cycle. December 21 will mark the beginning of a new age upon the earth.

In Russia and parts of China there has been panic buying of essentials, and in America there has been a surge in sales of survival shelters. In the Russian town of Omutninsk, in Kirov region, there was a rush to stoke up on fuel after a newspaper article by a Tibetan monk, supposedly confirmed the end of the world was upon us. The fear and panic became so bad the Russian Prime Minister had to address the situation.

In France the small town of Bugarach is bracing itself for the influx of new agers who are expected to descend on the town, believing it is the place aliens will come to save them from the apocalypse.

NASA has been working hard to calm peoples fears that the planet will be hit by Nibiru, saying there is no evidence of it’s existence.

David Morrison, an astronomer at Nasa, said: “At least once a week I get a message from a young person, as young as 11, who says they are ill and/or contemplating suicide because of the coming doomsday. I think it’s evil for people to propagate rumours on the internet to frighten children.”

In China, which has no history of preoccupation with the end of the world, a wave of paranoia about the apocalypse can be traced to the 2009 Hollywood blockbuster “2012”.

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PARIS HIT BY WAVE OF STREET MUGGINGS AND GRAVE ROBBERIES – TELEGRAPH

Paris hit by wave of street muggings and grave robberies – Telegraph.

The record high price of precious metals and austerity in Paris have led to a wave of street muggings and grave robberies across the French capital.

Pantin cemetery, northern Paris, has seen a number of graves dug up and gold teeth and jewellery stolen. Pantin cemetery is the largest in Paris, with a million graves.

As well as the grave robbers and muggers, precious metal thieves have caused extensive damage and led to long delays on the French rail network. Thieves have been stealing the copper cables used along the railways.

 

 

News

UN CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AGREES TO EXTEND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

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After days of tense negotiations the delegates at the UN Conference on Climate Change in Doha, were able to reach a deal on a package of agreements, as well as extending the Kyoto protocol until 2020.

Kyoto is still the only legally binding agreement on green house gas emissions. The nations who are signed up to Kyoto produce 15% of the total green house gas emissions. The protocol locks in only developed nations, excluding major developing polluters such as China and India, as well as the United States which refuses to ratify it.

The major stumbling block was over climate funding for poorer nations. Delegates agreed that developed countries would increase their contributions from $30 billion in 2010-2012, to $100 billion (76 billion euros) per year by 2020. The fund will be used to help poorer nations deal with the impact of climate change, and switch to greener energy sources.

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