THE DAILY WAR!
Non-pagan/papal date: 10-01
THE HOLY ROMAN
More than 2.8 million people have already attended encounters and Masses with B16 in the Eternal City. The average number of pilgrims who have participated in audiences, liturgical celebrations and the Angelus is greater than that recorded for these types of meetings with JP2 at this point in the Polish Pontiff's pontificate.
B16 says that terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism are the current threats to world peace.
An essay by B16 on "Europe and Its Discontents" is published in the January issue of the US-based journal First Things. In the essay, he identifies "Europe" as a cultural identity, not simply a geographical concept. Its civilization extends to all of the continents, especially North America.
The mother of the messiah has been called many things in the last 2000 years –the Virgin Mary, Our Lady, the Blessed Mother. But call her “the Mother of God,” and you’ll see some Christians squirm.
[WAR: I don't know why any Xian would squirm, since their whole religion is based on Christ being "God" - which would ipso facto make her the "Mother of God"! But the reality is that Mary was the mother of Yahshua - who had existed as the Word, but emptied himself completely, lived life as a 100% human, died, and then had his glory restored when he was born-again as Elohim (God).]
EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION
Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is experiencing an upswing. After 5 years of stagnation, the economy is finally on the move. The driving force is external demand, as Germany, the world's second-largest exporter, profits from the global boom.
Angela Merkel has said that she opposes suggestions to ban Iran from the World Cup because of controversial remarks by the country's president. Meanwhile, German champions Bayern Munich have arranged to play top Iranian club side Persepolis in a friendly in Teheran on January 11.
EUROPE/RUSSIA
Austria plans to revive the moribund European constitution and will promote expansion of the EU, but it will also raise a critical voice on issues like the involvement of European institutions in the domestic affairs of the 25 member states.
Russia took Europe to the brink of a winter energy crisis yesterday when it carried out a Cold War-style threat and halted gas deliveries to Ukraine, the main conduit for exports to the West. With a quarter of its gas supplied by Russia, Europe is facing serious disruption and price rises for as long as the dispute rumbles on.
MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA
"Don't you think that continuation of genocide by expelling Jews from Europe was one of their aims in creating a regime of occupiers of Al- Quds (Jerusalem)? Isn't that an important question?" He said Europeans had decided to create a "Jewish camp" as the best means for ridding the continent of Jews.
Attacking Iran will be different, because the use of nukes will affect every man, woman, and child in the world. The world will regard the Bush administration as criminal. This is likely to result in a worldwide shunning of everything American. A tidal wave of boycott America fervor is likely to result, and no matter how powerful America is today, the rest of the world acting together can bring America to its knees.
[WAR: I'm posting this article again and strongly urge you to read it if you didn't before.]
Iran has dismissed a proposal that it conduct uranium enrichment in Russia as a way out of an impasse in talks over its controversial nuclear programme.
Iran warned on Sunday of a "crushing" response if its nuclear and military facilities were attacked by the US or Israel. "Iran has prepared itself ... they will get a crushing response if they make such a mistake."
The widely trumpeted threat of another war breaking out between Ethiopia and Eritrea is an attempt to divert international attention from the growing internal crisis that is the prelude to the collapse of the western backed Ethiopian regime.
HOUSE OF ISRAEL
With Patrick J. Fitzgerald working full-time to bring the corruption at the heart of the Bush presidency to light, and other investigations into the dark heart of this administration making substantial progress, the prognosis for 2006 may seem unnaturally bright. However, it wouldn’t hurt to take a walk on the dark side, if only to tamp our expectations down to a more realistic level. This means conducting a threat assessment: that is, listing and analyzing the major factors threatening the peace of the world, looming darkly just over the horizon.
Barring extraordinary good luck and/or the undeserved mercy of God, Canada today verges on what could prove the most calamitous year in its 139-year history as a confederated state. It has 5 central problems and is effectively confronting none of them.
ECONOMY
Four months ago I wrote an article, "Doomsday; the Final Months of the Housing Bubble," that predicted a dramatic fall in housing prices that would have a catastrophic effect on the American economy. In truth, I'm a lousy forecaster and simply collected the relevant data from a number of sources that convinced me that the end was quickly approaching. Now, it seems that dismal day is upon us and the Grim Reaper has begun churning out the disappointing statistics that we've dreaded from the very beginning.
Thirty-two privately operated Venezuelan oilfields returned to state control Sunday. At midnight Dec. 31, a deadline expired for all private companies with contracts to independently pump oil to agree to joint ventures that will give Venezuela's state oil company majority control. Chevron Corp., BP PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Brazil's state oil company Petrobras S.A. were among those that signed earlier.
MISC
The ink is not yet dry on the eagerly awaited sequel to The Da Vinci Code, but already fans of the publishing phenomenon believe that they have deciphered clues to its plot. The CIA, the Freemasons, the Mormons and an unfinished pyramid on the US dollar bill are all expected to figure prominently in Dan Brown’s next adventure when it is published this year or early next. Fevered speculation has been building among the author’s legions of fans since it emerged that hints to The Solomon Key were incorporated into the design of The Da Vinci Code’s American dustjacket.
Would you like sugar and cream with that?...
Would you pay $175 for a pound of coffee beans which had passed through the backside of a furry mammal in Indonesia? Apparently, some coffee lovers wanting to treat themselves to something special are lapping it up.
#10-01
