Minggu, 30 September 2012

Di Bandara Ini, Pesawat Mendarat di Pasir Pantai


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Semua penumpang pesawat pasti deg-degan kalau mendarat di Bandara Barra, Skotlandia. Betapa tidak, alih-alih mendarat di landasan beraspal, pesawat mendarat langsung di pasir pantai. Busyet!


Bandara Barra di Pulau Barra, Skotlandia memang berbeda. Kalau biasanya, sebuah bandara memiliki landasan pacu yang datar dan beraspal, Bandara Barra malah memilih tepi pantai yang berpasir sebagai landasan.

Ya, Bandara Barra atau yang juga dikenal dengan nama lain Barra Eoligarry Airport, memiliki landasan pacu tepat di tepi pantai. Bandara ini pertama kali dibangun pada 14 Juni 1933, dan hanya melayani dua penerbangan dengan menggunakan pesawat kecil, yaitu Benbecula dan Glasgow, seperti yang diintip dari situs Highlands & Islands Airports, Kamis (20/9/2012).


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Berada di Bandara Barra, Anda bisa menemukan sensasi terbang yang tak terlupakan. Penumpang pesawat bisa merasakan serunya terbang dekat dengan lautan biru dan mendarat langsung di tepi pantai.

Bandara Barra memiliki tiga landasan pacu yang bisa digunakan setiap saat. Sebagai pembatas antar landasan, Bandara Barra menggunakan tiang-tiang kayu yang didirikan.

Uniknya, jam operasi Bandara Barra sangat ditentukan oleh kondisi air laut karena berada di tepi pantai. Bila air laut sedang pasang, maka pendaratan akan ditunda, dan diatur ulang. Namun, pesawat bisa mendarat sembari melibas air pasang yang belum terlalu tinggi di tepi pantai.

Meski berada di tepi pantai, fasilitas yang dimiliki Bandara Barra sangatlah lengkap. Bandara ini memiliki kamar mandi yang bersih dan ruang tunggu yang nyaman.

Barra Airport buka setiap hari dengan jam penerbangan awal pada pukul 09.45 pada waktu setempat, dan penerbangan terakhir pada pukul 16.30 waktu setempat.

Biasanya Bandara Barra tidak mengizinkan ada pendaratan pesawat pada malam hari. Tetapi kalau memang ada kondisi darurat, pendaratan malam terpaksa dilakukan dengan lampu-lampu yang dipasang di tepi pantai sebagai penerangan.

Nah, untuk traveler yang ingin naik pesawat lewat bandara ini, tidak perlu khawatir soal keamanan. Bandara Barra sangat taat dan memperhatikan keselamatan penumpangnya.

Pondok Ini Terbuat dari 26.000 Tulang Dinosaurus

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Sebuah pondok yang berada di pinggir jalan Medicine Bow, Amerika Serikat, menarik perhatian wisatawan. Betapa tidak, dinding pondok ini dibuat dari 26.000 tulang dinosaurus!

Berlokasi di Medicine Bow, Wyoming, Amerika Serikat, pondok yang dinamakan Fossil Cabin Museum ini menjadi perhatian para wisatawan. Pondok milik keluarga Boylan ini dibuat menggunakan tulang dinosaurus sebagai pondasi pondok tersebut.


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Keluarga Boylan yang terdiri dari Thomas, sang istri bernama Grace, dan satu anak bernama Edward, membuat pondok ini sebagai tempat pribadi. Tertulis dalam situs Road Side America (21/9/2012), dinding rumah ini terbentuk dari 26.000 tulang dinosaurus.

Meskipun hanya dindingnya saja yang terbuat dari tulang-tulang dinosaurus, pondok ini tetap menarik perhatian wisatawan. Kebanyakan wisatawan penasaran apakah pondok ini benar-benar terbentuk dari tulang dinosaurus atau tidak. 

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Thomas Boylan yang berprofesi sebagai pengusaha, sudah mengumpulkan tulang dinosaurus selama 17 tahun. Keluarga Boylan mendapatkan tulang hewan purba ini dari situs penggalian Bluff Como. Hingga akhirnya pada tahun 1933 keluarga Boylan bisa menyelesaikan Fossil Cabin Museum.

Uniknya, tanpa disadari tulang-tulang itu berasal dari berbagai spesies dinosaurus. Thomas membuat dinding pondoknya menggunakan semen, baru ditambahkan potongan-potongan tulang dinosaurus.

Keunikan pondok pribadi ini pun terdengar sampai ke seluruh dunia. Sampai tahun 1938, pendiri Ripley's Belive It or Not!, Robert LeRoy Ripley menyebut pondok ini sebagai yang tertua di dunia.

Namun setelah Thomas Boylan meninggal, pondok ini dijual kepada keluarga Fultz. Bukan hanya sekadar pondok, keluarga Fultz memanfaatkan pondok ini sebagai museum fosil.

Setelah pindah kepemilikan, pondok ini pun terbuka untuk umum. Pelancong bisa melihat berbagai jenis fosil dalam bentuk bebatuan dan tulang dinosaurus di dalam museum ini.

Eits, tunggu dulu! Bila Anda tertarik dan berencana pergi ke Fossil Cabin Museum, sebaiknya harus menunggu waktu yang tepat. Ya, untuk sementara pondok dari tulang dinosaurus ini ditutup untuk umum karena masih dalam proses akuisisi.

Tapi, untuk pelancong yang sedang berada di dekat Kota Medicine Bow tetap bisa berfoto di depan museum ini. Meskipun ada penutupan sementara, Fossil Cabin Museum tetap ramai dikunjungi wisatawan

Inilah Perbatasan Negara Paling Berbahaya di Dunia

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Siapa yang tak suka kaki kirinya menginjak satu negara, sementara kaki kanan di negara lain? Anda bisa melakukannya di perbatasan negara. Tapi, beranikah menginjakkan kaki di 6 perbatasan negara paling berbahaya ini?

Jangankan negara, menginjakkan kaki di batas provinsi saja wisatawan bisa sumringah. Di perbatasan provinsi, hal yang paling banyak dilakukan tentu saja berfoto lalu pergi lagi, melanjutkan perjalanan ke provinsi lain. Tapi di perbatasan negara, wisatawan tak bisa sekadar senang-senang lalu pergi.

Perbatasan negara adalah lokasi serius dan rawan. Ini adalah check point bagi para traveler yang pergi lintas negara. Pemeriksaan paspor dan bukti identitas lain sudah pasti dilakukan.

Tapi, beberapa perbatasan negara bisa jadi sangat menyeramkan. Hal ini karena berada di antara 2 negara yang punya konflik politik, etnis dan konflik lain. Beberapa perbatasan juga berada di tengah hutan, gurun pasir, dan lanskap alam ganas lainnya.

Dari situs Huffington Post, edisi Minggu (13/9/2012), berikut 6 perbatasan paling bahaya di dunia. Hati-hati kalau lewat sana!

1. Korea Utara-Korea Selatan

Dua negara Korea ini sudah sangat lama bersitegang. Wilayah perbatasan pun terletak di tengah-tengah dataran Korea, namanya Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Wilayah ini membentang sepanjang 250 km dengan lebar 4 km.

DMZ adalah perbatasan yang paling termiliterisasi di dunia. Inilah tempat Anda melihat banyak tank baja dan ranjau darat. Tentara yang membawa senapan sudah tak asing lagi tampaknya.

Namun selain itu, DMZ juga merupakan wilayah konservasi. Beberapa jenis fauna seperti Amur Leopard dan Bangau Mahkota Merah juga ada di sini.

2. Meksiko-AS

Sejak pihak militer ikut andil di kawasan ini, perbatasan Meksiko-AS sudah terkenal sebagai lokasi Drug War. Perang ini dilakukan oleh kartel penjual obat-obatan terlarang untuk mempertahankan batas regional. Bahkan konflik tersebut masih berlangsung hingga sekarang.

Hal itu bukanlah satu-satunya alasan perbatasan ini berbahaya. Lanskap gurun di sekitarnya telah membunuh ratusan orang karena kehausan.

3. Pakistan-India

Pakistan dan India punya ketidaksukaan satu sama lain. Oleh karena itulah, perbatasan antara dua negara ini terutama daerah Kashmir menjadi bahaya untuk turis. Namun lucunya, terdapat upacara penutupan gerbang perbatasan antara kedua negara ini yang sering menjadi daya tarik wisatawan.

4. Bangladesh-India

Beberapa bagian perbatasan antara India dan Bangladesh adalah kawasan hutan yang lebat. Namun, bahaya tak hanya datang dari lanskap alamnya saja. Ada peraturan yang ditetapkan oleh petugas perbatasan India (Border Security Force/ BSF) yang disebut-sebut sebagai "shoot-to-kill".

Selama 10 tahun terakhir, BSF telah membunuh hampir 1.000 orang Bangladesh. Perbatasan ini menjadi "ladang pembunuhan" terbesar di Asia Selatan.

5. Kolombia-Ekuador

Perbatasan Negara Kolombia dan Ekuador bukan berbahaya karena adanya campur tangan militer. Adalah pemberontak FARC, kelompok separatis yang melakukan perdagangan obat-obatan terlarang. Mereka mengambil alih wilayah perbatasan, mereka pula yang pegang senjata.

6. Niger-Chad

Niger dan Chad adalah dua negara yang sama stabilnya, tanpa konflik politik atau lainnya. Perbatasan antara kedua negara ini menjadi bahaya bukan karena adanya militer atau organisasi obat-obatan terlarang, tapi karena lanskap alam yang mematikan. Bayangkan saja, perbatasannya terletak di antara Gurun Sahara!

Hotel Unik - Di hotel ini Anda akan menjadi 'narapidana'

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Biasanya hotel-hotel menyediakan fasilitas mewah untuk memanjakan para pengunjungnya. Tapi tidak di Hotel Alcatraz, Jerman. Di hotel ini Anda akan menjadi 'narapidana' saat bermalam di sana!


Siapa yang tak kenal Alcatraz di AS? Pulau bekas penjara di 2,4 km lepas Pantai San Fancisco, California, Amerika Serikat, ini menjadi tempat mendekamnya penjahat-penjahat kelas kakap. Tetapi, Alcatraz yang itu berbeda dengan Alcatraz di Kota Kaiserslautern, Jerman. Ini adalah sebuah hotel dengan tema penjara.


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Dari situs resmi hotel (25/9/2012), Alcatraz Hotel membuat desain dengan detil yang cukup mirip dengan penjara sebenarnya. Ruangan jeruji besi, sepi, dan dengan penjagaan yang ketat menjadi suasana yang paling terasa begitu memasuki lobi hotel.

Para petugas hotel juga berpakaian layaknya seorang sipir. Hotel ini sengaja dibuat khusus untuk para traveler yang ingin mencoba sensasi bermalam di balik jeruji besi.

Pintu kamar hotel juga dibuat dari besi dengan lubang persegi yang tidak terlalu besar. Dari lubang tersebutlah nantinya makanan yang Anda pesan diantarkan. Jendela kamar juga tak luput dari jeruji besi.

Jangan harap Anda bisa mendapatkan kamar mandi di dalam ruangan, sebab ini adalah penjara. Jadi, bagi Anda yang ingin mandi atau membersihkan badan, harus izin terlebih dahulu kepada petugas untuk mengantarkan Anda ke kamar mandi umum.

Masih kurang mirip dengan penjara? Di sini Anda akan diberikan pakaian khas narapidana berupa kaus dan celana bergaris hitam-putih. Ada-ada saja...

Walaupun begitu, Anda tetap mendapatkan ranjang ekstra nyaman dan fasilitas TV di kamarnya. Alcatraz Hotel punya 56 kamar untuk bermalam. Harganya bervariasi, mulai dari 59 Euro atau sekitar Rp 730.000 untuk hingga 159 Euro atau sekitar Rp 1.960.000.


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Ingin makan malam di bar? Alcatraz Hotel juga punya tempat yang Anda inginkan. Namun, tetap saja bar tersebut ada di balik jeruji besi. Bahkan jika ingin tur keliling Jerman dari fasilitas hotel, Anda akan diantarkan dengan bus bertuliskan Alcatraz yang mirip dengan bus pengantar napi.

Bagi yang ingin mencoba bagaimana rasanya menginap di balik jeruji besi, sepertinya Anda harus datang ke Alcatraz Hotel.

Fenomena Alam Tercantik di Dunia Yang Pernah Ada

Aurora, sunset, sunrise adalah sebagian kecil dari fenomena alam cantik yang bisa dilihat. Masih banyak fenomena alam lain yang memesona, yang bisa Anda saksikan di belahan dunia lain. Penasaran apa saja?


1. Aurora Borealis, Norwegia


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Aurora Borealis biasa disebut juga dengan fajar utama (Dawn of the North) adalah fenomena alam unik yang hanya muncul di langit belahan bumi utara. Cahaya ini memiliki kombinasi warna yang cantik, yaitu kuning, pink, merah, biru, ungu dan hijau.

Penasaran dengan Aurora Borealis? Anda bisa datang ke Norwegia. Negara yang berada di bumi belahan utara ini adalah tempat terbaik untuk melihat cahaya utara. Ada beberapa kota di Norwegia yang menawarkan pemandangan aurora, namun yang terbaik adalah Tromso.

Tromso terletak di 571 km dari lingkaran Artik. Aurora Borealis bisa dilihat sekitar pukul 18.00 sore sampai pukul 01.00 malam waktu setempat. Cuaca memiliki peran penting dalam pertunjukan aurora, jadi sering-seringlah melihat perkiraan cuaca. Januari adalah bulan terbaik untuk berkunjung.

Traveling Tromso, Anda tidak hanya bisa melihat keindahan cahaya aurora saja, tetapi juga melihat serunya festival yang sengaja ditujukan untuk menghormati dewa fajar.

2. Danau Ubur-ubur Kakaban, Indonesia



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Siapa sangka Indonesia punya danau air payau terbesar sekaligus danau yang memiliki ubur-ubur tak menyengat. Berada di Pulau Kakaban, danau ini memiliki nama yang sama dengan pulau, yaitu Danau Kakaban.

Danau Kakaban dikenal sebagai danau yang memiliki ekosistem unik. Betapa tidak, Danau Kakaban memiliki algae, anemon yang berwarna putih, dan ubur-ubur yang kehilangan kemampuan menyengat.

Danau Kakaban juga sangat terkenal di dunia sebagai danau yang memiliki 4 jenis ubur-ubur yang berbeda. Keempat jenis ubur-ubur tersebut adalah ubur-ubur bulan, ubur-ubur totol, ubur-ubur kotak, dan ubur-ubur terbalik.

Yang disebut terakhir adalah yang paling unik karena ubur-ubur ini berada di dasar danau dengan tentakel menghadap ke atas. Suatu hal yang aneh, karena biasanya ubur-ubur berada di atas dengan tentakel menghadap ke bawah.

3. Danau Milkshake Stroberi, Senegal

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Selain Indonesia, ternyata masih ada negara lain yang juga memiliki danau unik, yaitu Senegal. Negara di Benua Afrika ini memiliki danau unik yang berwarna merah jambu, mirip dengan milkshake stroberi.

Adalah Danau Lac Rose Retba nama danau dengan fenomena unik ini. Mirip Danau Kelimutu yang ada di Flores, Danau Lac Rose Retba di Senegal juga bisa berubah warna. Ada kalanya danau ini berwarna ungu, kemudian menjadi ungu muda hingga merah muda, mirip milkshake stroberi.

Usut punya usut, warna cantik ini ternyata dihasilkan oleh mikroorganisme yang ada di dalam danau. Biasanya, warna merah jambu seperti milkshake dihasilkan pada saat musim kemarau tiba. Saat itu, mikroorganisme di dalam danau menyerap, dan menggunakan cahaya matahari untu menghasilkan pigmen merah.

Ternyata, fenomena Danau Lac Rose Retba bukan sekadar dari warna airnya, tetapi juga banyaknya kadar garam yang ada. Turis yang datang pun bisa berenang di danau tanpa perlu repot mengayuh kaki, karena Anda bisa langsung mengapung.

4. Gurun Garam Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

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Hamparan pasir biasanya menghiasi seluruh permukaan gurun, tetapi tidak dengan gurun yang ada di sebelah tenggara Bolivia, dekat puncak Pegunungan Andes. Di sini, Anda bisa melihat gurun terputih dan terasin di dunia, karena ini adalah gurun garam.

Bisa dibilang, Salar de Uyuni adalah dataran garam paling luas di dunia. Dataran ini memiliki luas hingga 10.582 km2. Wow!

Traveler yang datang ke Salar de Uyuni akan disuguhkan dengan gunung-gunung batu garam yang tersusun rapi. Tidak hanya itu, jika datang saat musim hujan tiba, Anda bisa menemukan permukaan gurun yang basah membentuk genang air, mirip seperti cermin raksasa.

Keindahan Salar de Uyuni ternyata tidak sampai di situ. Traveler yang datang juga bisa melihat tempat perkembangbiakan si unggas pink nan menawan, flamingo. Peternakan ini memiliki 3 jenis flamingo, yaitu flamingo Chili, Andes dan James.

5. Air Terjun Darah, Antartika

Di antara gumpalan es yang hampir menutup seluruh daratan Antartika, air terjun di Gletser Taylor, Lembah McMurdo, cukup menarik perhatian. Tidak seperti air terjun lain pada umumnya, air terjun di McMurdo memang bisa dibilang unik karena warna airnya yang semerah darah.

Air terjun di McMurdo juga biasa disebut sebagai air terjun darah atau blood-red waterfall karena warnanya. Seolah darah sungguhan, kucuran air terjun ini mengeluarkan busa di kolamnya. Setelah diteliti, busa ini muncul karena air merah ini mengandung kadar garam yang cukup tinggi.

Penasaran dengan asal usul warna ini? Ternyata, warna darah berasal dari mikroba yang terjebak di dalam danau beku di bawah gletser. Tidak memiliki kesempatan untuk keluar, mikroba pun mulai berkembang biak dengan memanfaatkan mineral yang banyak terdapat di dalam danau.

Saat ini, banyak turis yang datang ke Antartika untuk melihat langsung air terjun darah ini. Tapi sayangnya penginapan tidak tersedia di sana. Anda pun harus membangun tenda jika ingin menginap dan melihatnya secara langsung.

6. Pintu Neraka, Uzbekistan


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Ada objek wisata menarik dan dijamin memukau di Kota Darvaz, Uzbekistan, The Door to Hell namanya. Dinamakan demikian karena ada lingkaran besar yang terus memancarkan api, diibaratkan seperti api neraka.

Jika penasaran dengan lokasi The Door to Hell, Anda bisa datang ke bagian tengah Padang Pasir Kara-Kum. Letaknya sekitar 260 km ke utara dari Kota Ashgabat.

Sampai di lokasi, turis akan dibuat tercengang dengan lubang besar dengan diameter yang mencapai 70 meter, dan terus memancarkan api.

Saat terbaik untuk datang dan melihat The Door to Hell adalah pada malam hari. Lokasi lubang yang menghasilkan api menyebarkan panas di lingkungan sekitar. Jadi, bila Anda tidak ingin kepanasan, datanglah pada malam hari. Selain itu, saat malam tiba warna merah api yang keluar dari lubang akan terlihat sangat jelas.

Report: Azerbaijan Assisting Israel With Iran Strike?

This is a very interesting article from Arutz Sheva:




 Azerbaijan has looked into the possibility of assisting Israel with a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a report Sunday by Reuters reveals.

The report, published by correspondent Thomas Grove, is based on "local officials with extensive knowledge of Azerbaijan’s militarypolicy." According to these sources, Azeri authorities have, along with Israel, looked into how Azeri air force bases and the drones at its disposal could help the IAF to carry out attacks in Iran.

“That is a far cry from the massive firepower and diplomatic cover that Netanyahu wants from Washington. But, by addressing key weaknesses in any Israeli war plan -- notably on refueling, reconnaissance and rescuing crews -- such an alliance might tilt Israeli thinking on the feasibility of acting without U.S. help,” says the report.


At the same time, two Azeri former military officers with links to serving personnel and two Russian intelligence sources told Reuters that Azerbaijan and Israel have been looking at how Azeri bases and intelligence could serve in a possible strike on Iran.
"Where planes would fly from --- from here, from there, to where? - that's what's being planned now," a security consultant with contacts at Azeri defense headquarters in Baku said. "The Israelis ... would like to gain access to bases in Azerbaijan."
Rasim Musabayov, an Azeri lawmaker and a member of parliament's foreign affairs committee, told Reuters that he understood that Azerbaijan would probably feature in any Israeli plans against Iran, at least as a contingency for refueling its attack force.


Foreign Policy magazine reported in March that Israel has purchased an Azeri airfieldon Iran's northern border, prompting the United States to watch very closely, believing Israel may use the site as a springboard for an attack on Iran's nuclear plants, or as a landing and refueling spot following one. 






Also tonight - it looks like riots are spreading through Europe as the economy continues to decline:












"Massive" (7.1) But Fortunately, Deep Earthquake In Columbia

Massive Deep Earthquake Felt All Over Columbia And Ecuador


Earthquake overview : A massive subduction earthquake occurred below the Colombian Andes at 11:31 local time.
Update 18:21 UTC : USGS has changed his Pager color from Green to Yellow, a move we do not like at all. This indicates that there is certainly a chance on fatalities from secondary effects like landslides and Rockfall. We do not expect any shaking fatalities as the max. shaking reported is a V MMI (moderate shaking)
Update 17:52 UTC : The massive earthquake wave is now travelling around the world and will be noticed on every seismograph worldwide. A good example is the below graph at El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. The wave departed at the epicenter at 16:31:34 UTC and arrived at El Hierro at 16:42. It took the earthquake wave only 11 minutes to travel this huge distance from Colombia to the Canary Islands* 2 million people are expected to have felt a moderate shaking* 14.5 million people a light shaking and 10 million people a weak shaking. These 3 shaking values are normally NOT generating any damage. Small cracks in walls and falling objects are often experienced though.





"Absolutely Uncertain": Genesis 12:3 Judgment Coming To America?

Face it - God wasn't kidding around when He issued the declaration of Genesis 12:3 as He informed Abram and told him of Israel's future:

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse."

That was not a conditional statement. It was a declaration that was given to all generations for all time and there were no exceptions given. I repeat - no exceptions given. That includes the U.S. 


One can read the facts in a number of publications:






Book DescriptionApril 8, 2008God s everlasting promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel is still in effect today.  Throughout its history, America has been in a unique position to bless the Jewish people, and has experienced many blessings as a result.  In more recent years, however, America has failed to consistently stand by Israel and suffered dramatic disasters.
In this interesting and thorough book, McTernan traces the history of the Jewish people in America and how America s spectacular rise to power was tied to blessing the Jews.  He examines America s integral role in fulfilling God s plan for the rebirth of the Jewish nation, and details the times when our nation defaulted on this call.  Through a step-by-step analysis of political events, McTernan gives conclusive proof that God s judgment on those who curse Israel is still active.  In every case where America has failed Israel, it has faced dramatic consequences within 24 hours.

And this:





With that as a backdrop, the following video is a must see, and it has already gone viral with over 700,000 hits. Could this video serve as a warning?





A roughly 20-minute YouTube video analyzing President Obama’s relationship with Israel, narrated by a 23-year-old former Obama supporter, has gone viral.  In just three days, the little-reported on video “Absolutely Uncertain” has logged roughly 650,000 hits.Irina, the 23-year-old “Jewish New Yorker” who narrates much of the documentary, explains that she has always seen American-Israeli relations as a cornerstone of American politics, reaching into both parties.
On Obama’s promises that Iran will be stopped and the Middle East is becoming more “democratic,” the young woman simply says: “I’m not sure I believe it anymore.”

Featuring interviews with leading international journalists and politicians, the movie intersperses Irina’s growing awareness of American politics and realities across the Middle East with contemporary news clips and quotes from the president himself.“It didn’t seem like the president did a good job handling the revolutions of the Arab Spring,” Irina says at one point in the film.  “Instead of becoming more open and democratic, it feels like the Middle East is becoming even more extreme than before– a real danger to Israel.”
Irina also discusses President Obama’s seemingly tenuous relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the ever-changing Democrat position on Jerusalem, Obama’s position that Israel should return to its “indefensible” 1967 borders, and most importantly, Iran.

Alternating with a clip of Obama saying he has Israel’s “back,” Irina says: “When I stop to think about the situation and the possible outcomes, it really scares me.  Rather than doing what we can to make Israel safer, we have allowed Iran’s nuclear program to inch toward the point of no return.”“I’m just not sure the president really does have Israel’s back, and I know I’m not alone.”Harvard’s Alan Dershowitz and others then weigh in: “The great fear…is that a second Obama term could be more dangerous for Israel than the first Obama term.”Irina continues: “Israel may soon find itself fighting for its very survival once again.  And while I am proud that Israel is strong enough to defend itself, I’m extremely disappointed that President Obama has managed to put Israel in an even more difficult situation than it needs to be.”




Also see:






On Friday, TheBlaze reported that the MTA changed its guidelines on what advertising it will accept from now on after losing in court to Geller and her group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, thus being forced to display the ads which read: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.”Specifically, the MTA has set a new litmus test for ads and will no longer display those which the MTA “reasonably foresees would incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace, and so harm, disrupt, or interfere with safe, efficient, and orderly transit operations.”




Speakers throughout the day condemned abortion, gay marriage and what the Associated Press described as “population control” as practiced by Planned Parenthood.Christian rock music filled the historic mall as speakers challenged the crowd to overcome their sins and pray for the country’s leaders.“Jesus, we pray for America,” one man tweeted.  “She was founded on the principles of God. She has been a force for good in this world. Use us still.”The rally was held outside of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.  Pennsylvania is also where evangelist George Whitefield preached during the first Great Awakening, the 18th-century religious revival that spread through the American colonies.

We're all aware that America is nowhere to be found in the detailed descriptions of the Tribulation as given in Revelation 6-18, where we see all major world powers described. This has always been a topic of discussion among prophecy watchers, with speculation ranging from the Rapture of the Church  effectively taking America out of the picture vs other potential scenarios (EMP attack, terrorism, being 'folded up into the 10 kings' form of world government, etc.)


But perhaps God enacts His warning of Genesis 12:3 before the Tribulation (it will happen if we continue our current course - its just a matter of time). 

It will happen if America continues to set the stage for Israel's demise - its a guarantee from God. 

So the question then becomes: Will America support Israel -  in an era when Israel faces its largest threats since her regathering in 1948, or will America abandon Israel? 

The evidence thus far strongly appears that America is not only abandoning Israel, but is actually assisting in Israel's destruction by supporting her enemies - enemies who are sworn to eliminate Israel from this planet. 

So far, it isn't looking good for America. 




Sabtu, 29 September 2012

Fordo Sabotage Bought Netanyahu More Time On Iran Strike


Fordo Sabotage Enabled Netanyahu To Move Iran Red Line To Spring 2013

This informative article is packed with interesting information:





The sabotage of the Fordo uranium enrichment facility’s power lines on Aug. 17 gave Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu extra leeway to move his original red line for Iran from late September 2012 – now – to the spring or early summer of 2013. The disruption of the underground enrichment plant's power supply caused several of the advanced IR-1 and IR-4 centrifuges producing the 20-percent grade uranium to burst into flames. Work was temporarily halted and the accumulation of 240 kilos for Iran’s first nuclear bomb slowed down by at least six months...
Hence Netanyahu’s new red line timeline of “late spring, early summer” - before which preventive action is imperative - in his speech to the UN General Assembly Thursday, Sept. 27.

Our military sources report that the advantage gained is already proving short-lived. Iran has pounced back fast with two aggressive counter-moves on Israel’s doorstep:

1. Thousands of elite Al Qods Brigades officers and men are being airlifted into Lebanon and Syria and deployed opposite Israeli borders (as DEBKAfile has reported);

2. Shortly before the Israeli Prime Minister rose to speak in New York, Syrian President Bashar Assad again removed chemical weapons out of storage. Some were almost certainly passed to the incoming Iranian units. The weapons’ movements were accounted for as a precaution for “greater security,” but in practice they will be ready for use against Israel when the order is handed down from Tehran.

Friday, Sept. 28, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was specifically asked by a reporter if it was believed that “Iran’s Revolutionary Guards or Syrian rebels had been able to get possession of any of the chemical weapons” which the secretary had just disclosed were on the move. He left the door open, saying only that he had “no firm information to confirm this.” That sort of question never comes out of thin air.

It was also the second time in three weeks that the defense secretary mentioned the movements of Syrian chemical weapons out of storage. This time, he said, ‘‘There has been intelligence that there have been some moves that have taken place. Where exactly that’s taken place, we don’t know.” But he did not rule out the possibility that they were being made ready for use.

Syrian chemical weapons movements out of storage, the presence of crack Iranian fighting units on Israel’s borders and Tehran’s determination to keep Assad in power “whatever it takes” hung in menacing silence over Netanyahu’s powerful cartoon presentation of the Iranian nuclear peril.

Both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have repeatedly stated that the transfer of chemical weapons to Hizballah would necessitate Israeli military action.The IDF’s large-scale military call-up and firing exercise on the Golan of Sept. 19 failed to deter the Iranian military buildup opposite Israeli northern borders in Syria and Lebanon. The Iranian airlift continues and US intelligence has not denied that some al Qods arrivals may now be armed with chemical weapons.

The Iranian threat to Israel is therefore far from static; it is gaining substance and menace, keeping two IDF divisions on call in northern Israel after the exercise was over.
Netanyahu’s red line for preventing Iran achieving a 240-kilo enriched uranium stockpile does not cover an Iranian preemptive attack on the Jewish state before then – as threatened explicitly by the Iranian missiles Corps chief Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizade on Sept. 24.
Neither had Israeli officials anything to say about the Hamas leaders’ trips to Beirut and Tehran this month to sign military accords with the Revolutionary Guards and Hizballah pledging the Palestinian extremists’ participation in an attack on Israel.The red line on the cartoon bomb which Netanyahu held up so effectively at the UN Thursday covered only one segment of the peril Tehran poses for the Jewish state. A more immediate danger lurks in the north.



The obvious fear here is the strong possibility that Iranian troops now have access to these chemical weapons and Israel would represent an inviting target for their use. This could be another step in the progress towards the Isaiah 17 scenario, and definitely worth watching closely. 




Also see:










Accelerated Warming in the Arctic

Why is warming in the Arctic accelerating and where will this lead to?

Where does the extra heat go? 

Global warming is causing Earth to heat up. As shown on the image below, by Nuccitelli et al., most heat goes into the oceans.



Warming of water in the Arctic Ocean

White arrows mark ice drift directions. Red arrows mark
the transport path of warm Atlantic water entering the
Arctic where it submerges under the cold, ice-covered
surface layer.  Robert Spielhagen (IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel)
Global warming is heating up the oceans big time. As above image shows, the global ocean heat content has been rising for many years.

The Arctic is affected in particular by the Thermohaline Circulation.

Water flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean is about 2°C warmer today than it has been for at least 2,000 years, according to a study published in Science. The current of warm water lies 50 metres below the surface, and can reach 6°C in summer — warm compared to Arctic surface waters, which can be -2°C.

At the same time, cold water and sea ice are driven out of the Arctic Ocean, along the edges of Greenland. The net result is a marked increase in the temperature of the water in the Arctic Ocean, especially the top layer of the water which causes the sea ice to melt.


The Arctic radiates comparatively less heat into space 

Cold layers of air close to the surface make it difficult for infrared radiation to go out to space, according to a study published in Science. These layers do warm up, but warming of these layers is directed downwards, thus amplifying warming in the Arctic.


Surface air temperatures in the Arctic are rising rapidly

Anomalies for surface air temperatures are higher in the Arctic than anywhere else on Earth. This is illustrated by the interactive images and text in the box at the bottom of this post.

The increase in temperature anomalies appears to be an exponential rise. This is caused not only by the above-described impacts of cold air close to the surface, but also by feedback effects as further described below.


Feedbacks further accelerate warming in the Arctic

Feedbacks are described in more detail in posts such as Diagram of Doom (image below) and Changes to Polar Vortex affect mile-deep ocean circulation patterns.


One such feedback is albedo change — retreat of Arctic sea ice results in less sunlight being reflected back into space, as further discussed in Albedo Change in the Arctic. Loss of Arctic sea ice is effectively doubling mankind's contribution to global warming. Increased absorption of the sun's rays is the equivalent of about 20 years of additional CO2 being added by man, Professor Peter Wadhams said in a recent BBC article.

One of the most threatening feedbacks is release of methane that are held in the currently frozen seabed. As the seabed warms up, it starts to release methane in what can be rather abrupt ways. Due to methane's high global warming potential, this can further accelerate local warming, triggering further methane releases, in a vicious circle that threatens to spiral into runaway global warming.

Saturday News And Commentary

In no particular order:



Panetta: We've Lost Track Of Some Syrian Chemical Weapons


The U.S. has lost track of some of Syria’s chemical weapons, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday, and does not know if any potentially lethal chemicals have fallen into the hands of Syrian rebels or Iranian forces inside the country.
“There has been intelligence that there have been some moves that have taken place. Where exactly that’s taken place, we don’t know.” Panetta said, in a Pentagon press briefing.
Panetta said that the “main sites” in Syria storing chemical weapons with which the Pentagon is most concerned remain secured by the Syrian military. But there is “some intelligence” that “limited” movements of weapons from other sites have occurred, he said, “for the Syrians to better secure what they – the chemicals.”
Panetta's statement follows reporting that Syrian rebels claim to have taken control of a military base that contains chemical weapons.

Syria’s chemical weapons are top concern for the U.S. and for regional allies worried that they could let be stolen by rebels or terrorists organizations, or given to Iran for safekeeping. Another fear is that President Bashar al-Assad also could use them against neighboring countries, including Israel, to defense against potential outside military intervention by NATO, the U.S., or other powers. Panetta's comments come as rebels say they've begun a major battle for Aleppo "on all fronts."




Hundreds of shops were burning in the ancient covered market of the Old City of Aleppo on Saturday as fighting between rebels and state forces in Syria's largest city threatened to destroy a UNESCO world heritage site. By noon on Saturday, 40 people had been killed in fighting across Syria, according to the Observatory for Human Rights.
Activists said the fire might have been started by heavy shelling and gunfire on Friday and estimated that 700 to 1,000 shops had been destroyed so far. The accounts are difficult to verify because the government restricts access to foreign media.
Aleppo's Old City is one of several locations in Syria declared world heritage sites by UNESCO, the United Nations cultural agency, that are now at risk from the fighting.





The US Embassy in Cairo issued a terrorist threat warning on Friday for American citizens living in Egypt.
The diplomatic mission stated on its website that it has “credible information suggesting terrorist interest in targeting US female missionaries in Egypt.”
The embassy urged US citizens to “exercise vigilance, taking necessary precautions to maintain their personal security.” Americans in Egypt were also advised to maintain valid travel documents and to regularly monitor the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which lists updated travel warnings and alerts.





The Obama administration notified Congress on Friday that it planned to transfer $450 million to Egypt to help the country's new government, but the move was quickly blocked by a skeptical lawmaker who said she saw no immediate need for the cash infusion.
Representative Kay Granger, the Texas Republican who chairs the House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee for foreign operations, said the administration's $450 million bailout proposal for Egypt was premature.
"This proposal comes to Congress at a point when the US - Egypt relationship has never been under more scrutiny, and rightly so," Granger said.
"I am not convinced of the urgent need for this assistance, and I cannot support it at this time," she said, adding that she had put a hold on the funds.Granger's action reflects unease among some US lawmakers over the new Islamist government that has taken the reins in Egypt after a pro-democracy uprising overthrew longtime US ally Hosni Mubarak last year.







The Palestinian Authority will submit a resolution seeking enhanced UN observer status for ‘Palestine’ later this year after the U.S. presidential election, a Palestine Liberation Organization official said on Friday.
"We have begun consultations on the format of the text that will be presented to the General Assembly to upgrade the Palestinian status to an observer state status," Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO's executive committee, was quoted by AFP as having told reporters.
"Most people are looking at the completion of consultations before the end of the year. There are others who have suggested that we target the 29th of November because it's the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People."

"The president said openly that he is not going to present it before the American elections," on November 6, she added.




A “serious diplomatic incident” took place in Russia on Friday when Russian officials strip-searched Israeli security personnel accompanying an Israeli minister on an official visit, the Foreign Ministry stated Friday.
Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov was asked to represent the Israeli government at an economic conference in Nizhny Novgorod, about 420 kilometers east of Moscow. When he arrived on Friday at the hotel where the event was held, officials of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) approached the security guards accompanying Misezhnikov and asked to check them to ascertain they were unarmed, Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said in a statement.
“Despite the minister’s explanations that this was a ministerial delegation, and that the guards are unarmed, the Russians forced the Israeli security guards to accompany them to a side room, where they forced them to undress for inspection,” Palmor stated.
The Israeli Embassy in Moscow immediately turned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in “vehement protest” and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem filed a “vigorous protest” with Russia’s ambassador in Israel, Palmor added.







In meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told his international counterparts that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was the biggest obstacle to a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking with the foreign ministers of Russia, France and Spain, among others, Liberman focused his criticism on Abbas’s 30-minute UN speech on Thursday, which accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and planning a new “nakba,” or catastrophe, for the Palestinians.
According to a statement issued by Liberman’s office, the foreign minister told diplomats, “As long as Abbas continues to hold office, there is no chance that Israelis and Palestinians will come to an agreement.” He added that “Abbas is the main and biggest obstacle currently facing the peace process.”
Liberman noted the Israeli government had recently transferred funds to the PA, effectively saving it from financial collapse.
“But that didn’t prevent Abbas from delivering a speech full of slander and incitement against Israel, a speech that we would have expected to hear from the leaders of Iran or Hamas,” Liberman reportedly told counterparts.








Israel issued a complaint to Russia on Friday after bodyguards for Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov were forced to strip as part of a weapons search during an official visit by the minister to the city of Nizhni Novgorod on Friday.
Miseznikov arrived at a hotel in the city to attend an economic conference, when members of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) asked the bodyguards to enter a room and disrobe in order to prove that they were not armed.
The Russian officials insisted on the search despite Miseznikov's explanations that they were part of an official ministerial delegation that was invited to the conference and they were unarmed.





Like the Big Marxist Lie, the die has already been cast.  Everything that had to be said has already been said and has been recycled by a fraudulent mainstream media.  

Don’t allow the news of the day depress you. It is part of the plan to demoralize you.  Don’t get waylaid along the way by those hanging on to their free telephone like it is a lifeline.  Don’t look behind you; don’t look away, don’t lose your focus.  Keep a mental picture of your children and grandchildren in mind between now and whenever you get to exercise your vote.
On the way to the voting booth, you’ve being pummeled with faux poll results.  The truth about the polls—they’re skewed—is the same truth about the presidential election.  It’s not just another election, it is in fact the end of the line if the activist president who wants to fundamentally transform America gets four more years to continue his evil and deliberate mission.
Like the propaganda dished out daily by the mainstream media, the skewed polls serve only Obama and Obama election team strategy.
They create the perception that only Obama is in the presidential race; that only Obama can win.
Skewed polls aim to demoralize Americans seeking deliverance from Obama’s Marxist misery. 
That’s because the poll that matters most is the one they count up when polls close on Election Night.
To get there from here, discount all the white noise created by the talking heads.  They know no more than you do.  They just have the byline, the mic and the television camera.



Also see: