Passengers help foil attack on Detroit-bound plane
An attempted terrorist attack on a Christmas Day flight began with a pop and a puff of smoke – sending passengers scrambling to subdue a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from al-Qaida to blow up the airliner, officials and travelers said. The commotion began as Northwest Airlines Flight 253, carrying 278 passengers and 11 crew members from Amsterdam, prepared to land in Detroit just before noon Friday. Travelers said they smelled smoke, saw a glow, and heard what sounded like firecrackers. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man, who officials say was trying to ignite an explosive device. “It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase,” said Peter Smith, a passenger from the Netherlands. “First there was a pop, and then (there) was smoke.” Smith said one passenger, sitting opposite the man, climbed over passengers, went across the aisle and tried to restrain the man. The heroic passenger appeared to have been burned. [But as long as we limit the amount of juice a three year old can bring on board and make sure we confiscate grandma’s nail clippers we’ll be safe while flying right? How about we do what the Israelis do and profile the people responsible for nearly 100% of the terrorist attacks on airplanes and other modes of mass transportation, muslims. Bravo to the brave passenger who leapt into action and very well may have prevented a catastrophe…ed]
Official: U.S. Knew for 2 Years Suspect Could Have Terror Ties
An official briefed on the foiled attack on a Detroit airliner says the U.S. has known for at least two years that the suspect could have terrorist ties. The official tells The Associated Press that the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, has been on a list that includes people with known or suspected contact or ties to a terrorist or terrorist organization. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. [Come to think of it the government knew all about that bastard who killed 14 people at Fort Hood and they did nothing about him either. Janet Napolitano and her gang are more concerned about American citizens who believe in our Constitution and aren’t happy about illegal aliens overrunning our borders unimpeded by those who should be doing something about it…ed]
Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack
The suspect in the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 used a highly explosive substance called PETN, a law enforcement official told CBS News Saturday. The explosives were carried in a soft plastic container – possibly a condom – though much of the packaging was destroyed in the fire, the official said. (SNIP) A high-ranking law enforcement official told CBS News that the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into the powder, which was located near his groin. It is a technique not seen in previous attempted attacks and it’s possible that this incident was a test of whether the materials could pass screening and how effective they might be at causing damage, the source said. [There is no doubt in my mind a muslim will take down an American airliner within the next few months. There have been several reports of dry runs designed to test the system and responses lately with muslims getting cover from the politically correct crowd and their buddies over at the anti American aclu…ed]
Investigators: Northwest Bomb Plot Planned by al Qaeda in Yemen
The plot to blow up an American passenger jet over Detroit was organized and launched by al Qaeda leaders in Yemen who apparently sewed bomb materials into the suspect’s underwear before sending him on his mission, federal authorities tell ABC News. Investigators say the suspect had more than 80 grams of PETN, a compound related to nitro-glycerin used by the military. The so-called shoe bomber, Richard Reid, had only about 50 grams kin his failed attempt in 2001 to blow up a U.S.-bound jet. Yesterday’s bomb failed because the detonator may have been too small or was not in “proper contact” with the explosive material, investigators told ABC News. [Does anybody else think it’s kind of odd how quickly so much detailed information is “discovered” about these terrorists so soon after they pull off, or try to, their murderous dastardly deeds?…ed]
Ali Velshi Stops Rep. King From Naming Northwest Airlines Terrorist
CNN’s Ali Velshi on Friday stopped Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) from divulging the name of the terrorist who tried to set off a bomb as a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam began to land in Detroit. Velshi did this claiming, “[W]e have not got any information on anyone being charged. So thank you for bringing us information. But would ask you not to name anybody on TV right now, we do not have any word of official charges.” By this time, other news outlets including the Associated Press, CBS, and Fox News had given the suspect’s name, Abdul Mudallad. For some reason, Velshi twice asked King not to say it. [A muslim working for CNN demands a Congressman not reveal the already released name of the terrorist suspect on the air. Tells you where that network is coming from…ed]
Why Is Islamberg Now a Ghost Town?
The Wall Street Journal reports this week that U.S. investigators are discovering that more and more young Muslims are vanishing from mosques, madrassas, and Islamic centers. The disappearances, the Journal notes, are raising grave concerns among FBI and Homeland Security officials who fear that an onset of jihadist activity will take place on American soil in the near future. Hundreds of Muslim men are also missing from Islamberg and this is not a propitious omen. The sentry post is gone and no guards are in sight at the entrance to the 70 acre Islamic settlement located in the dense forest between Deposit and Hancock in upper New York State. Young men in Islamic garb no longer congregate before the makeshift mosque, and no students are in attendance at the one room shack that serves as Sheikh Gilani’s “International Quranic Open University.” Gunfire no longer can be heard from the firing ranges along the eastern parameter of the property – and no grunts come from new recruits at the obstacle course. [Ain’t this bit of news a comforting thought? Keep your powder dry folks…ed]
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U.S. Move to Cover Fannie, Freddie Losses Stirs Controversy
The Obama administration’s decision to cover an unlimited amount of losses at the mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the next three years stirred controversy over the holiday. The Treasury announced Thursday it was removing the caps that limited the amount of available capital to the companies to $200 billion each. Unlimited access to bailout funds through 2012 was “necessary for preserving the continued strength and stability of the mortgage market,” the Treasury said. Fannie and Freddie purchase or guarantee most U.S. home mortgages and have run up huge losses stemming from the worst wave of defaults since the 1930s. “The timing of this executive order giving Fannie and Freddie a blank check is no coincidence,” said Rep. Spencer Bachus of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the House Financial Services Committee. He said the Christmas Eve announcement was designed “to prevent the general public from taking note.” [Obama issues an executive order in virtual secrecy giving Fannie and Freddie a blank check to run amok again. I guess the mortgage meltdown of the last couple of years which cost taxpayers billions means nothing to this guy…ed]
No consequences for lying borrowers
The government shouldn’t reward liars. But that’s the effect of changes to the Obama administration’s failing program to help homeowners modify their mortgages. Until recently the rules were clear: if you grossly understated your income to qualify for the program, you had to restart the loan modification process. It made sense. After all, we got into this housing mess partly because too many people were dishonest about how much they made. Fast forward to today. The federally funded Home Affordable Modification Program was aimed at getting banks to rework mortgages for homeowners in order to slow the pace of foreclosures. The government set a goal of modifying up to 4 million mortgages over the next three years. The program isn’t working like it’s supposed to. [Gobs of dishonesty helped bring about the foreclosure mess we have now so let’s just go ahead and keep the status quo right?…ed]
Salvation Army Major Shot in Front of 3 Children
A Salvation Army worker was shot and killed Christmas Eve in front of his three young children during an attempted robbery outside the charity’s community center in North Little Rock, a Salvation Army official said Friday. North Little Rock police said they were looking for the two men who accosted Salvation Army Maj. Philip Wise outside the community center about 4:15 p.m. Thursday. No arrests have been made. The two men fled on foot into a nearby housing development, police Sgt. Terry Kuykendall said Friday. Police don’t know whether Wise, who was active in the community, knew his attackers, he said. [Since this is an article in the New York Times you can be sure they will leave the race of the assailants out of the story if they are anything other than Caucasian. Fortunately we can go elsewhere for more in depth and honest reporting…ed]
Girl abducted in Phoenix rescued by police
A patrol officer spotted a suspected kidnapper’s car and aided in the rescue of a 5-year-old girl, who was found uninjured in what police are calling Phoenix’s “Christmas miracle.” Natalie Flores was rescued at about 9:30 p.m. Friday, more than seven hours after she was scooped up by a stranger while playing with her sisters outside their Phoenix apartment building. “She is alive and well,” police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said. Hill credited a “very alert” policeman with taking quick action after spotting what appeared to be the suspect’s vehicle driving on a west Phoenix avenue, even though the license plate differed from reports. [The great news post of the day…ed]
The once-great state of California has been reduced to begging from the federal government. But no matter how much help the feds give, the state’s fiscal ills won’t end until its lawmakers stop spending money. To say California is a mess is an understatement. In the current fiscal year, the state is expected to post a deficit of $21 billion as the budget continues to spiral out of control. Even after last year’s epic budget battle, when Californians were hit with $12.5 billion in new taxes and $6 billion more in borrowing, the state still isn’t close to bringing revenues and expenditures into balance. So Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has an idea: He wants President Obama to give him $8 billion — or else, he says, he’ll kill or slash most of the state’s welfare programs, cut pay for 200,000 state workers and end two tax breaks for big corporations. [There is absolutely no way out of the hole the Democrats have dug in California, despite of the “R” after his name Schwarzenegger is your garden variety European socialist, without going bankrupt. Glad I got out of there when I did…ed]
Why the Personal Mandate to Buy Health Insurance Is Unprecedented and Unconstitutional
A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented form of federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States. An individual mandate would have two features that, in combination, would make it unique. First, it would impose a duty on individuals as members of society. Second, it would require people to purchase a specific service that would be heavily regulated by the federal government. [This is a very long read but well worth it. Learn something new today!…ed]
A 31-year-old man is charged with breaking into the home of a Ferndale police officer. Madison Heights police said the officer’s 19-year-old daughter called to report the break-in at their home in the 28000 block of Alden Street about 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 18. The daughter told police she was watching television on the home’s lower level when she saw a man she didn’t know come down the stairs. Police said the daughter used her cell phone to call her father, who was sleeping upstairs. [The mugshot of the perp alone makes it worth clicking on this one…ed]
Quote of the day.
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.
-Theodore Roosevelt
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