From Hawaii News Now:
The Koran Riots are an Indictment of All Islam?
That’s the argument I make in my new NewReal Blog post. Here’s a taste:
There is no other religious group on Earth that murders and rapes more people whenever they feel attacked and insulted nor is there one that attacks and insults other religions as regularly. While the Muslims in Afghanistan murdered innocent people because one man in Florida burned a Koran, Saudi authorities tortured and arrested two Indian Christians for praying. During the arrest Saudi religious police trampled the victims’ Bibles and tore the holy books.
Where are the Christian riots? How many people will be murdered in retaliation for Saudi Arabian religious police desecrating Bibles?
Malaysian authorities desecrated Bibles headed to their country’s Christians, but so far there have been no mass murders by Christians there. Why is that?
The Fogel Family massacre was celebrated by Palestinian Muslims who passed out sweets in joyous revelry over the butchering of Jewish children. Does anyone remember Jews worldwide attacking Muslim families in protest?
Of course not, because Jews and Christians are part of a Western moral tradition that seeks to rise above barbarity. Even hate cults like the Westboro Baptists don’t murder their critics and the Branch Davidians only took up arms when they believed they were backed into a corner–and had never terrorized their neighbors. Our religious extremists are less prone to violence that the average Muslim in any Islamic country.
Read the rest. You’ll love it (or hate it).
S&P Downgrades Portugal and Greece Again
No doubt what is partially fueling our stock market bubble. From The New York Time:
PARIS — Standard & Poor’s said Tuesday that it had cut its sovereign credit ratings for Portugal and Greece, piling further pressure on the countries as they both seek to come to grips with a heavy debt load and weak economies.
S&P cut Portugal’s rating to BBB- from BBB, with a negative outlook — its second downgrade in less than a week. BBB- is the lowest investment grade rating at the agency, or just one notch above junk.
The Portuguese government collapsed last week after it was unable to push through Parliament further measures to plug its deficit and fend off the need for outside aid. The country now faces weeks of political uncertainty before general elections.
S&P said the country would probably need an international bailout. Lisbon has about €9 billion, or $13 billion, of bond redemptions coming due in April and June. Analysts suggest that Portugal’s current cash position is sufficient enough to cover the April redemption, but not the one in June.
The Greek rating, already junk, was cut by S&P to BB- from BB+ amid concerns the country may be required to restructure its debt.
The Eurozone is dying which is giving the American stock market a bounce, but we’re in no better shape. Time to stock up on tangible assets.
Mysterious Explosion Destroys Ontario Lowrise
Bomb lab?
h/t Vlad Tepes
Somali Terrorists Smuggled Across Mexican Border
From WOAI:
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Federal officials believe suspected terrorists are in the United States and that a Somali man in custody helped them in through Mexico and Texas.
A Justice Department memo and other documents obtained by the San Antonio Express-News says federal officials believe the suspects, who remain at large, are members of East African groups.
Last spring, U.S. Homeland Security officials issued an alert asking Houston-area law enforcement to be on the lookout for a suspected member of the al-Shabaab group, an al-Qaida ally based in Somalia. That was after the new charges were added against 24-year-old Ahmed Muhammed Dhakane, who had been picked up in Brownsville in 2008. On Nov. 2, Dhakane pleaded guilty to making false statements in support of his asylum application and is to be sentenced April 28.
h/t N.T.A.