Al-Qaida link in failed plane attack

************This picture provided by J.P. Karas shows Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on the runway after arriving in Detroit **************************************************************************************************** Al-Qaida link in failed plane attack****** ROMULUS, Mich. – A Nigerian man who said he was an agent for al-Qaida tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane Friday as it was preparing to land in Detroit, but travelers who smelled smoke and heard what sounded like firecrackers rushed to subdue him, the passengers and federal officials said. Flight 253 with 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard was about 20 minutes from the airport when passengers heard popping noises, witnesses said. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man. Shortly afterward, the suspect was taken to the front of the plane with his pants cut off and his legs burned, a passenger said. One U.S. intelligence official said the explosive device was a mix of powder and liquid. It failed when the passenger tried to detonate it. "It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase," said Peter Smith, a traveler from the Netherlands. "First there was a pop, and then (there) was smoke". Smith said a passenger sitting opposite the man climbed over people, went across the aisle and tried to restrain the man. Syed Jafri, another passenger, said he saw a glow and smelled smoke. Then, he said, "a young man behind me jumped on him". "Next thing you know, there was a lot of panic", said Jafri. Smith said the heroic passenger appeared to have been burned. The White House said it believed it was an attempted act of terrorism and stricter security measures were quickly imposed on airline travel. It did not specify what those were. The incident was reminiscent of Richard Reid, who tried to destroy a trans-Atlantic flight in 2001 with explosives hidden in his shoes, but was subdued by other passengers. Reid is serving a life sentence. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect in Friday's attempted attack as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. One law enforcement official said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing. The man was being questioned Friday evening. An intelligence official said the Nigerian passenger was being held and treated in an Ann Arbor, Mich., hospital. One passenger was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, hospital spokeswoman Tracy Justice said. She referred all inquiries to the FBI. The trauma burn center at the hospital said it did not have Abdul Mutallab in its unit. Flight 253 began in Nigeria and went through Amsterdam en route to Detroit, said Rep. Peter King, 'Reuters'-N.Y., the ranking GOP member of the House Homeland Security Committee. A spokeswoman for police at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam declined comment about the case or about security procedures at the airport for Flight 253. Schiphol airport, one of Europe's busiest with a heavy load of transit passengers from Africa and Asia to North America, strictly enforces European security regulations including only allowing small amounts of liquid in hand luggage that must be placed inside clear plastic bags. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the flight until it was on final approach to Detroit, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. That is when the pilot declared an emergency, she said. The flight landed at 12:51 p.m. EST, she said. 'Delta Air Lines' Inc., which bought 'Northwest' last year, said that "upon approach to Detroit, a passenger caused a disturbance." It said the passenger was subdued immediately and the crew asked that law enforcement officials meet the flight. "The passenger was taken into custody and questioned by law enforcement authorities", the airline said. According to the airline, eight flight attendants and three pilots were on board. Smith said while he was leaving the plane, he looked at where the man had been sitting and saw a pillow that seemed to have been burned. Melinda Dennis, who was seated in the front row of the plane, said the man involved was brought to the front row and seated near her. She said his legs appeared to be badly burned and his pants were cut off. She said he was taken off the plane handcuffed to a stretcher. President Barack Obama was notified of the incident and discussed it with security officials, the White House said. It said he is monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates from his vacation spot in Hawaii. Federal officials said there would be heightened security for both domestic and international flights at airports across the country, but the intensified levels would likely be "layered", differing from location to location depending on alerts, security concerns and other factors. Passengers can expect to see heightened screening, more bomb-sniffing dog and officer units and behavioral-detection specialists at some airports, but there will also be unspecified less visible precautions as well, officials said. The FBI and the Homeland Security Department issued an intelligence note on Nov. 20 about the threat picture for the holiday season, which was obtained by The 'Associated Press'. At the time, officials said they had no specific information about attack plans by al-Qaida or other terrorist groups. In 2003, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden purportedly marked Nigeria for liberation in a recording posted on the Internet, calling on Muslims in the oil-rich country to rise up against one of the "regimes who are slaves of America". But links to al-Qaida remained rare, though security forces claimed to break up such a linked terror cell in November 2007. Security at Nigeria's two major international airports in the capital Abuja and in its megacity Lagos remain a point of concern. Uniformed federal police officers often focus their time on keeping hagglers and taxi drivers out. Bags quickly pass through X-ray scanners and those watching incoming passengers do not typically conduct tests for explosive residue on passengers' carry-on baggage nor shoes. At the gate, airline workers often check passengers again with handheld metal detectors before they board their flight. 'Delta', which is days away from obtaining a single operating certificate from the FAA to fully integrate itself and 'Northwest', has been hosting military personnel who have to travel over the holidays in a lounge at the Detroit airport. **************************************************************************************************** Source:

Christmas evening with my Friends...

Friends18.com Christmas Greetings *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Cand fost-a prunc Iisus [1'53] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Ce-ati vazut pastori ? [2'55] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Aseara pe-nserate... [2'31] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Crestinilor, noi astazi... [3'37] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Colo sus in vremea aceea... [4'02] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Cerul si Pamantul ! [4'25] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - O, ce veste minunata ! [6'26] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Trei pastori [2'03] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - In poarta la Tarigrad [4'30] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Colindul cerbului [2'40] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Ninge [4'29] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Afara ninge linistit [2'35] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Dalbu-i dealu' [3'51] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Dimineata lui Craciunu' [2'58] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Sfanta-i sara de Craciun ! [2'13] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Ninge la fereastra [4'38] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Cetinita, cetinioara [4'00] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Gand de iarna [3'50] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Sus, in varful muntelui [5'33] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Florile dalbe [2'20] *** STEFAN HRUSCA - Linu-i, lin [3'54]


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US Actress Brittany Murphy Dead At 32

Los Angeles County Coroner's Office: Brittany Murphy Dead At 32*** Brittany Murphy steps out at the Across The Hall Los Angeles premiere on December 1, 2009 ********************************************************************************************** LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Brittany Murphy died on Sunday morning, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has confirmed to Access Hollywood. She was 32.*** According to the Coroner's Office, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Hollywood reported to them that an individual named Brittany Murphy died in the hospital on Sunday.*** A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman told 'TMZ' that a 911 call was made from a home belonging to the star's husband, Simon Monjack early Sunday morning. The actress was pronounced dead upon arrival at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Just weeks ago, a smiling Brittany spoke with Access Hollywood at the Tt Collection Pop-Up Party in LA on December 3, where she discussed her hopes for the coming year.*** "As far as having a New Year's resolution, I'd love to have a child next year", she said at the time. "But that's kind of a large one !"*** The actress also spoke of her love for her family, whom she said she was very close to.*** "I've been very blessed to have a really great loving husband", she said. "I spend more time with my family than anyone else in the world".*** Brittany rose to fame after a memorable role in 1995's Clueless. She went on to star in such films as 8 Mile, Just Married, Girl, Interrupted, Sin City and Riding In Cars With Boys, among others.*** She also made a splash in the music world with the track Faster Pussycat Kill, with Paul Oakenfold in 2006 - the track topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart that year. She also sang a pair of songs for the animated film Happy Feet, in which she was also a voice actress.*** Brittany was married to screenwriter Simon Monjack, whom she wed in May 2007. *** Reuters - Actress Brittany Murphy, who starred in such films as Just Married and Uptown Girls but saw her fortunes fade in recent years, died on Sunday after going into cardiac arrest, the 'Los Angeles Times' reported. *** AP - A Los Angeles hospital spokeswoman says actress Brittany Murphy has died. She was 32. *** The 32 year-old actress Brittany Murphy reportedly went into full cardiac arrest Sunday morning. *** Brittany Murphy died early on Sunday after going into full cardiac arrest, TMZ.com reports.*** A 911 call originated from her home at 8 a.m., according to the website. Murphy was then transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and pronounced dead on arrival. *** Allison is thrilled to see Brittany Murphy. The two starred in Arthur Miller's The View From the Bridge on Broadway ten years ago. *** The 30-year-old actress stops to pose with her husband, writer/director Simon Monjack. The couple hope to start a family within the next year, according to reports.(March 12, 2008 !!!)*** R.I.P. Brittany !!! 'ACCESS EXCLUSIVE': Brittany Murphy's Husband Speaks Out: 'My World Was Destroyed' ************************************************************************************************ *** Just one day after the death Brittany Murphy, her husband Simon Monjack has spoken out exclusively to 'Access Hollywood' about the untimely loss of his wife.*** "My world was destroyed yesterday", an emotional Monjack told 'Access Hollywood' on Monday afternoon.*** Following the news of the actress' death at the age of 32 on Sunday, the Hollywood community offered an outpouring of love and condolences for Murphy - and one message, in particular, was very moving to Monjack.*** "I loved what Ashton [Kutcher] wrote on 'Twitter'. It was comforting to me", Monjack told 'Access Hollywood', adding he did not know his wife's former Just Married co-star personally. "I couldn't have said it better".*** The message posted by Ashton read, "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon. See you on the other side kid".*** As far as what happened inside the actress' home early Sunday, when Murphy was found unresponsive in the shower, Monjack said up to that point, it had just been "a regular day".*** "[Her mother] Sharon went into the bathroom because she had been in there a long time. Her mom screamed for me and I ran. Then called 911", he revealed.*** As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a 911 call from the home at 8 AM on Sunday and eventually transported Murphy to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She was pronounced dead at the facility at 10:04 AM.*** While LA County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told 'Access Hollywood' the actress' death "appears to be natural at this time" on Sunday, an autopsy was being conducted on Monday to determine the exact cause of death.*** With regards to the coroner noting she may have suffered from flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death, Monjack admitted Murphy had been sick - but it did not seem like it was anything serious.*** "She had laryngitis", he said, noting she had seen a doctor. "She had been tired at the end of the year. She had made a couple movies".*** In his interview with 'Access', Monjack - who married Murphy in 2007 -- took exception to the idea that his wife may have been linked to people who were bad influences on her.*** "I don't know why anyone would think that", he said. "She found love. We found love. Brittany didn't get to where Brittany was with anyone controlling her... Brittany was Brittany".*** **************************************************************************************************** Coroner completes Brittany Murphy autopsy *************************************************************************************************** The Los Angeles County coroner's office said it has completed an autopsy of Brittany Murphy but will defer releasing a cause of death until after toxicology tests are complete.*** It said there was no evidence of trauma to Murphy's body.*** Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter says the autopsy was completed Monday.*** Murphy died Sunday after collapsing in the bathroom of her Hollywood Hills home. Winter said her family told coroner's investigators she had been suffering from flulike symptoms in the days before her death.*** **************************************************************************************************** A Look Back: The Films Of Brittany Murphy *** Clueless (1995) *** Bongwater (1998) *** Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) *** Girl, Interrupted (1999) *** Cherry Falls (2000) *** Trixie (2000) *** Summer Catch (2001) *** Sidewalks of New York (2001) *** Don’t Say A Word (2001) *** Riding In Cars With Boys (2001) *** 8 Mile (2002) *** Spun (2003) *** Uptown Girls (2003) *** Just Married (2003) *** Little Black Book (2004) *** The Dead Girl (2006) *** The Groomsmen (2006) *** Happy Feet (2006) *** The Ramen Girl (2008) *** Across The Hall (2009) *************************************************************************************************** In her all too short life - Brittany Murphy acted in 22 feature films, bursting on the scene at age 18 in 1995’s Clueless and we were with Brittany as she set out to conquer Hollywood. R.I.P. *************************************************************************************************** *** HAPPY FEET (2006) - Testo Eppure Sentire (Un Senso Di Te)[4'07] - sung by Brittany Murphy playing Gloria the penguin *** HAPPY FEET (2006) - Gloria hartsong [1'44] - sung by Brittany Murphy playing Gloria the penguin *** HAPPY FEET (2006) - Gloria heartsong, (child and adult) Long version [8'40] - sung by Brittany Murphy playing Gloria the penguin *** HAPPY FEET (2006) - You Are The Music in Me [3'50] - sung by Brittany Murphy playing Gloria the penguin & Robbie Williams as penguin Mumbo

Religious blasphemy in New zealand ?

A Religious blasphemy in New Zealand ? A handout picture released by the St Matthew-in-the-City Anglican church in Auckland shows an apparently naked Virgin Mary and Joseph in bed together. The billboard has sparked the ire of conservative Christians in New Zealand.

A turkey checking Pres. Bush

REUTERS PICTURES OF THE DECADE. A turkey named "Liberty" surprises U.S. President George W. Bush at the annual turkey pardoning event at the White House, three days ahead of Thanksgiving, November 19, 2001. The fortunate bird will spend the rest of his days on a farm in Virginia. With the president are turkey industry representatives Jeff Radford (L) and Stuart Proctor.

The ten worse US mistakes of the decade

What were they thinking ? Let's review This Nov. 5, 2002 photo provided by the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, shows Vice President Dick Cheney hunting quail in Gettysburg, S.D. Former Vice President Dick Cheney stands with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 in Houston during a campaign stop for her gubernatorial bid. Former Vice President Dick Cheney meets with people as he accompanies U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, not pictured, in support of her gubernatorial bid Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 in Houston. Former Vice President Dick Cheney waits on the side while U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, gives a campaign speech in her gubernatorial bid Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 in Houston. Cheney gave his endorsement to Hutchison. **************************************************************************************************** Every decade has its mistakes, of course, but one nice thing about the past 10 years' foibles, foul-ups and flubs is that so often they came with neat, two-word monikers, almost like keepsakes: "Wardrobe malfunction." "Mission Accomplished." "Balloon boy". Here's a review of 10 what-were-they-thinking moments. 1. Bernie Madoff has been called many names. For one federal regulatory sleuth, he was ... "a wonderful storyteller". For years, the Securities and Exchange Commission received detailed complaints that Madoff's investment operation was certainly fishy and probably criminal ("Nothing more than a Ponzi Scheme", a tipster wrote in 2000, eight years before Madoff confessed). SEC examiners found, instead, "a very captivating speaker" who assured them he was not "greedy" and all was OK. An SEC branch's decision to shelve the probe turned out to be a mistake — one of, oh, several billion blamed on Madoff, who's now charming fellow inmates in prison. 2. White House flight of fancy, 2003: Advance folks had almost everything right: the golden sunset light, President George W. Bush's dramatic landing on the carrier deck, the speech. But that giant "Mission Accomplished" sign, with years of mission still ahead, who came up with that ? Reporters launched the "bannergate" investigation. 3. White House flight of fancy, 2009: We always thought Air Force One takes a good picture in any setting — but an aide to President Barack Obama thought a few snaps with lower Manhattan as a backdrop would be dramatic. How's this for drama: panicked office workers, seeing the low-flying 747 shadowed by a fighter plane, streaming out of buildings, phrases like "stupid and alarming" coming from local officials, and pretty much everybody mad about the taxpayer-funded photo op's price tag: $328,835. The aide was, er, grounded. 4. Aerial ambitiousness also gave us the balloon boy. When a homemade foil-covered balloon supposedly slipped its tether with a 6-year-old inside, we all held our breath — except some heavy-breathing cable anchors. The balloon finally landed — empty — and the kid was found safe at home, hiding, his father said. But why ? "You had said that we did this for a show", the tyke told Dad, a would-be reality TV star, live on 'CNN'. Whoops. Hoax charges followed. 5. Publishing mistake of the decade, coming in 2006: "If I Did It", O.J. Simpson's book about how the murders of which he was acquitted might have been carried out. Amid furious protest, the project was aborted, the book was ordered "pulped", and the publisher acknowledged its "ill-considered project". And that wasn't the biggest faux pas of the decade for OJ. No. 1 was going to that Nevada hotel with weapon-toting friends to "reclaim" his sports memorabilia. "It was", said the sentencing judge, "much more than stupidity". 6. In 2006, after former Vice President Dick Cheney shot an orange-clad hunting buddy who looked nothing like a quail, the pockmarked victim graciously allowed that accidents happen. How did others react ? A Texas Monthly cover threatened: "If you don't buy this magazine, Dick Cheney will shoot you in the face". A hockey team held a "Cheney Hunting Vest Night" — "Don't Shoot, I'm Human", the vests said. Even Bush joked about his veep's middle initial: "B. stands for Bull's Eye". 7. Looking for guv in all the wrong places. That's how you might categorize a couple of high-profile statehouse mistakes. South Carolina's family-values Gov. Mark Sanford missed the Appalachian Trail and ended up in Buenos Aires, with his Argentine "soul mate". New York's crime-fighting Gov. Eliot Spitzer turned up far from Albany and as "Client-9" in a hooker's black book. 8. "So, we were watching the boob tube Sunday..." So began an editorial in the Lebanon (Pa.) 'Daily News', commenting on the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show during which Justin Timberlake tore away part of Janet Jackson's costume, momentarily exposing her breast in what was later called a "wardrobe malfunction". Knowing the offense given to millions of live viewers (plus those offended again and again as they cued up the 'YouTube' rerun), Federal Communications Commission smut-busters imposed a fine — but that, too, turned out to be a mistake. Arbitrary and capricious, a federal appeals court ruled. 9. What caused California's energy crisis back in 2000-2001 ? Deregulation ? Too many hands on the AC switch ? What about "creativity" by 'Enron' employees ? On Jan. 17, 2001, amid rolling blackouts, a fellow at the energy-trading firm told a power plant worker to "get a little creative" and find a reason to shut down, tightening electricity supply. "OK, so we're just coming down for some maintenance, like a forced outage type thing ?" the worker offered. "I knew I could count on you", his colleague replied on a tape revealed in a lawsuit. California's grid eventually stabilized, but 'Enron' itself blinked out — under hefty fines and criminal charges. 10. Finally, it must be acknowledged there were a few mistakes in the entertainment world — and we're not just talking about "American Idol" auditions. No, at least those didn't cost $100 million, the amount investors plowed into the 2002 movie The Adventures of Pluto Nash. Basically, nobody showed up at the box office. Well, not quite nobody. "I know two or three people that liked this movie", said the star, Eddie Murphy. Who knew there'd be no audience for a comedy about a nightclub arson on the moon ? Source:

Craciunul 2009

Craciun

In toata lumea Craciunul este sarbatorit pe 25 Decembrie celebrand nasterea Domnului Iisus Christos. Craciunul este o faptura sacra care simbolizeaza prin excelenta tipul creator, ceea ce romanii numeau tempus factum, in care toate se faceau si desfaceau. In mitologia geto-daca e posibil sa fi fost reprezentat printr-un stramos care simboliza echilibrul elementelor in stadiul facerii lor, a inceputului procesului celor necreate si nedate in vileag. Pe pamant marcheaza hierofania timpului sacru in solstitiul de iarna, a sfarsitului de an sau rastimpul dintre doi ani.

Asa se face ca majoritatea celor care au cautat sa explice structura personajului mitic si a caracterului divin al Craciunului au ajuns la etimologii care converg in semnificatii temporal-creatoare. Dupa Ovid Densusianu, Alex Graur si Alex. Rosetti, apelativul Craciun deriva din creatio, care in latina inseamna nastere: nasterea naturii, transfigurata mai apoi in nasterea lui Craciun sau din incarnationis incarnare - deci renastere: renasterea naturii prin incarnarea lui Craciun.

In orice caz, ipoteza denumirii latine a Craciunului nu justifica originea lui, care putea sa fie anterioara si care, in limba daca, putea sa fi insemnat tot creatio sau ceva asemanator.

Mitul arhaic al unui cioban zeu-mos este transfigurat in mitul unui cioban demonic care refuza sa primeasca pe fecioara Maria sa nasca in staulul lui. Sotia lui Craciun o primeste intr-ascuns si moseste pe Iisus, fapta pentru care Craciun ii taie mainile iar Fecioara Maria ii lipeste mainile la loc. Minunea il converteste pe Craciun la crestinism (inca nedefinit la acea data in istoria religiilor).

De bucurie ca nevasta sa a scapat de pedeapsa lui necugetata, Craciun aprinde un rug din cioate de brad in curtea lui si joaca hora cu toate slugile lui. Dupa joc imparte Fecioarei Maria daruri pastoresti (lapte, cas, urda, smantana pentru ea si copil. De aici transfigurarea lui Mos Craciun intr-un sfant care aduce de ziua nasterii lui Iisus daruri copiilor, obicei care se suprapune cu amintirea darurilor pe care, dupa legenda evanghelica, le aduceau regii-magi in staul noului Mesia. Mos Craciun, persoana mitica anterioara crestinismului primitiv in Dacia, transsimbolizeaza in versiune mitologica crestina pe cei trei magi.

Cantecele de bucurie adresate de slugile lui Craciun cu prilejul minunii lipirii mainilor bunei lor stapane Craciuneasa s-au transformat in colinde ce glorifica in mitologia crestina nasterea lui Iisus.

Mai multe despre Craciun puteti citi – aici -

Tuturor vizitatorilor acestui blog, in special cu prilejul sarbatorilor Craciunului, as dori sa le adresez o calduroasa si sincera urare de, CRACIUN FERICIT !!!