CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities have detained a Coptic Christian student accused of posting a drawing of Islam's prophet on Facebook that triggered two days of violence in southern Egypt.

Gamal Massoud has been accused by fellow students of ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad.
According to a security official, the 17-year-old student denies that and says friends posted the picture on hisFacebook page. The official spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Since Wednesday, villagers have attacked Massoud's house while chanting "Allahu akbar," or "God is Great." They have set fire to other Christians' houses. Many Christian villagers fearing retaliation have left their homes.

A Better Idea for National Defense
by Robert Ringer - Monday, December 26, 2011

If there’s one thing that bothers me this time of the year, it’s seeing ex-servicemen in wheelchairs or sporting titanium arms and legs on television. If peaceful, rational humanoids from another galaxy landed in the U.S., I have to believe they would be appalled. I can just hear them asking, “Who sent all these healthy young men and women off to be maimed and killed?” And, “Did the people who sent them lead the charge into battle?”

Many argue that having the lives of thousands of young adults destroyed — or lost — is the price of preserving our freedom. And during World War II, when America was a very different nation, most people had no trouble buying into that proposition. But in today’s corrupt, semi-socialist America, the biggest threat to our freedom comes not from abroad, but from the criminal class in Washington — and, unfortunately, no one is talking about invading the nation’s capital.

It’s time to skip the political-correctness silliness and face up to reality: Most wars are transfer-of-wealth scams — transferring money from you and me to the companies that build the planes, tanks, bombs, uniforms, drones, etc. that politicians say they need to protect us. The military-industrial complex has been dominant in all advanced civilizations throughout history, and it’s never been in better health than it is today. We’re talking very big business here. So big that those who benefit the most from it are willing to have people killed in order to keep the war assembly lines moving ahead at full speed.

As a third-generation tyrant (Kim Jong Un, a.k.a. “Chublet II”) steps to the fore in North Korea, one can’t helping thinking about the infamous Korean War that ended without victory in 1953 — even though victory was in the palm of General Douglas MacArthur’s hand.

Or the infamous Vietnam War that ended in defeat in 1975 — even though the U.S. could have won that war years earlier had it been willing to use overwhelming force.

Or the infamous Gulf War that ended, curiously, with Saddam Hussein still in power in 1992.

If you want to be ahead of the curve, you can add the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War to the above list as well. Bet the farm on this one: The Iraq story is going to have a very unhappy ending. The only question is whether the country will be overwhelmed by civil war or by an Iran takeover.

As to Afghanistan, it will end the same way that all Afghan wars end — meaning never. Its latest attackers — the Americans — will go back home with their tails between their legs, just as the Russians did before them. And the Afghans will continue to do what they’ve always done — fight.

It’s not possible to win a war against Afghanistan, because it’s not a real country. It’s a down-and-dirty suburb of the moon, filled with tribesmen who get up every morning, put on their skirts, and do what they‘ve been doing for thousands of years — fight anyone who is willing to enter the ring with them. And if there are no takers, they’re happy to fight each other.

I don’t doubt the courage or patriotism of the young Americans for whom wheelchairs or prosthetics are now a way of life. They acted in good faith and did what they thought was right. They believed they were being patriotic and defending our freedom. But it makes me angry that their lives have been shattered because corrupt men and women in Washington got them to believe they were fighting for a noble cause. They were not. That will become obvious to all in the coming years as we watch events unfold in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, along the way, a trillion dollars got transferred from the pockets of taxpayers into the coffers of the military-industrial complex.

With drones, bunker busters, and, in a pinch, nuclear weapons, war should by now be passé. It’s not necessary to risk the lives of young men and women in far-off lands. If I were a hawk (which I most definitely am not), I’d free the North Korean people in about seventeen minutes — without harming any young Americans. Iran might take a week — just long enough to turn things over to the pro-Western youth in that country whom Barack Obama was so pleased to see crushed.

But, as I said, I’m not a hawk, so I wouldn’t take either of the above actions. I’m just your average libertarian-centered conservative who is tired of war … tired of seeing young people’s lives shattered … tired of seeing American taxpayers forced to hand over their money to politicians so they can pursue never-ending overseas military adventures.

That said, let me make it clear that I’m a big advocate of having a strong national defense. My message to rogue nations would be simple: Mess with us and yesterday will always be remembered as the best day of your life. And, yes, we will use nukes if that’s what it takes to make you behave.

Imagine all the lives and money that could have been saved had we hit the Tora Bora mountain range with a string of nuclear bombs in 2001. No U.S. casualties, no trillion dollars wasted, no ten years of political posturing. And, best of all, from Russia to China, from North Korea to Iran, the rest of the world would live in fear of what might happen to them if they messed with the Great Satan. How much more comforting it is to be feared rather than liked.

The holiday season is a good time to reflect on how nice it would be if young Americans didn’t lose any more arms or legs and taxpayers would not have to fund a military-industrial complex with such a voracious appetite.

Strong national defense: Yes! Unwarranted wars and wars that we’re not serious about winning: No!

http://robertringer.com/2011/12/a-better-idea-for-national-defense/

You have permission to reprint this article so long as you place the following wording at the end of the article:

Copyright © 2011 Robert Ringer
ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. He has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, The Lars Larson Show, ABC Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show, and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times.

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage."

The Obituary follows: Born 1776, Died 2012
It doesn't hurt to read this several times.
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul , Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the last Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Obama:19 McCain: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Obama: 13.2 McCain: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Did you feel the ground shake yesterday?  Something of great significance… no, historical significance… happened in our State Capital.  Patriots from all walks, all backgrounds, came together for the largest Ohio Tea Party leadership meeting yet held.  The event sponsored by the Ohio Liberty Council was not an “OLC” meeting but welcomed all leaders (members and non-members) within the Tea Party movement though out our state. 
 
 As anyone knows when you set out to do vitally important things in life, you are going to run into a little chop.  Our Founders did (well, OK, a lot of chop).  The Tea Party movement has too.  When you put in the same room, 100 plus Patriot leaders who love their Country with all their hearts… that’s a lot of passion in one place.  The potential for conflict not only existed but, was expected.  Thankfully, as if an answer to prayer, the storm clouds that were brewing, gathered quickly.  At the beginning of the meeting the anticipated conflict arose and was wisely dealt with. The initial ten-minute storm served to clear the atmosphere, the clouds dispelled and the sun came out.  Then something amazing began to take place…. We communicated.  We talked to each other.  We listened to each other. We revisited the past year’s successes and failures.  We spoke and heard truth.  Misunderstandings and misinformation was addressed.  Mistakes were acknowledged, as well as victories shared.  Respect and thankfulness for one another was expressed.  And… that’s when it happened.  Did you feel it?  Did you have a sense that your children’s and grandchildren’s futures were being snatched from the devourer’s teeth?  Did you feel the earth beneath your feet shake a bit as collectively Progressives, Marxists and Communists suddenly felt a cold shiver?  If they didn’t feel a shiver, they should have.  Because what happened yesterday in Columbus is more powerful than any political strategy we could come up with, any cutting edge technology we could utilize, any funds we could raise, any research data, any polling results or any political machinery we could create.  Yesterday, together, we put our hands on a mighty weapon.  It is the weapon that will win the battle for our nation.  It was right here all along, lying underneath the debris of division.  The weapon?  Unity.  It is an ancient weapon, but it never becomes outdated.  It never rusts.  It never decays.  It has remained a formidable weapon from one age to the next.   It is always there, at the ready for good men to use.  It is powerful in our hands when carried along side “truth”, “courage” and “perseverance”.  It is the weapon our Founding Fathers knew they had to utilize and or they would surely face defeat.  Benjamin Franklin said at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately”.  Our hearts and minds united together for the just cause of reforming our nation is powerful beyond description. 
 
 Americans who believe in TEA Party principles far outnumber those who don’t.  When we figuratively link arms and present ourselves as a united front, how can our enemies advance?  If I am standing alone, raising a solitary voice, I am an easy target.  But if I am joined with hundreds, thousands or even millions of brothers and sisters in this battle… the dynamic of the fight changes immediately.  Who can shout us down?  How can the Progressive machine win against such an enormous number of freedom loving Americans all focusing on founding principles and working together to reform and restore our nation to greatness?    As Dr. Matthew Spalding of the Heritage Foundation stated at last July’s annual Tea Party convention, “American’s instincts are good”.   We never truly believed the progressive message.  Freedom, woven into the fabric of our very beings, shielded the majority of us from completely embracing the Progressive lie.  So if the majority of Americans believe what Tea Party activists believe, there is only one thing that can defeat us.  Our unwillingness to stand united. 
 
 Yesterday, leaders from the shores of Lake Erie to the banks of the Ohio River advanced greatly in the process of setting aside our differences, standing together and joining our hearts and minds.  The Tea Party movement in Ohio has moved further down an essential road that should we continue to tread, will not only bring much needed reform to Ohio but, will indeed set the pace and be the example for other states and their respective Liberty movements.  The blessed results of yesterday’s meeting must be expanded upon.  We must continue to look each other in the eye and hold each other accountable.  We must strengthen each other with our words and deeds, share our talents and move forward as one body, each member doing its part, all serving in their vital roll.  It begins with the Leaders, now it must flow outward to the Tea Party membership within our groups.  We must pray for a fire to be lit within all our hearts.  We must not wait.  The hour is late.  Delay will ultimately sacrifice our blessed nation on the altar of complacency.  And we… our children and their children will suffer greatly for the loss of freedom.  If we neglect our duty, future generations will judge us.  They will tragically look back on this time and say this was when freedom was lost to all men.
 
 “United we stand, divided we fall” is a statement we have heard many times for multiple reasons.  However, its truth is not diminished.  We must stand together, trusting in Divine Providence, turning our hearts to Almighty God.  Then surely “No weapon formed against us shall prosper”!  Yesterday served to solidify the Patriot movement.  The spirit of 1776 lives on.  Freedom and liberty, as truth always does, will prevail if we continue to carry its flame.
 
 Will you be my brother or sister in this fight?  Will you walk with me? Will you stand with me?  Will you link arms with us?  Will you add your voice?  The movement is not fading away, as the enemies of freedom would have you believe. Yesterday’s gathering was the largest statewide leaders meeting I have yet attended.  We are growing.  We are gaining in strength.  We are learning.  And… “We have not yet, begun to fight”!  Join us.

The following short news story IS TRUE! It is NOT a joke or gag! Be sure to read this in its entirety:

Global Warming -- (from The Washington Post)

”The Arctic Ocean is warming up. Icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from Consulafft, at Bergen, Norway.

Reports from fishermen, seal hunters, and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes!

Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the Gulf Stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared.

Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.

Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable.”

(My apologies, I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922, as reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post 89 years ago!)

HAVE A NICE DAY.

By SARAH PALIN

Wall Street Journal - Nov. 18, 2011

Mark Twain famously wrote, "There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." Peter Schweizer's new book, "Throw Them All Out," reveals this permanent political class in all its arrogant glory. (Full disclosure: Mr. Schweizer is employed by my political action committee as a foreign-policy adviser.)

Mr. Schweizer answers the questions so many of us have asked. I addressed this in a speech in Iowa last Labor Day weekend. How do politicians who arrive in Washington, D.C. as men and women of modest means leave as millionaires? How do they miraculously accumulate wealth at a rate faster than the rest of us? How do politicians' stock portfolios outperform even the best hedge-fund managers'? I answered the question in that speech: Politicians derive power from the authority of their office and their access to our tax dollars, and they use that power to enrich and shield themselves.

The money-making opportunities for politicians are myriad, and Mr. Schweizer details the most lucrative methods: accepting sweetheart gifts of IPO stock from companies seeking to influence legislation, practicing insider trading with nonpublic government information, earmarking projects that benefit personal real estate holdings, and even subtly extorting campaign donations through the threat of legislation unfavorable to an industry. The list goes on and on, and it's sickening.

Astonishingly, none of this is technically illegal, at least not for Congress. Members of Congress exempt themselves from the laws they apply to the rest of us. That includes laws that protect whistleblowers (nothing prevents members of Congress from retaliating against staffers who shine light on corruption) and Freedom of Information Act requests (it's easier to get classified documents from the CIA than from a congressional office).

The corruption isn't confined to one political party or just a few bad apples. It's an endemic problem encompassing leadership on both sides of the aisle. It's an entire system of public servants feathering their own nests.

None of this surprises me. I've been fighting this type of corruption and cronyism my entire political career. For years Alaskans suspected that our lawmakers and state administrators were in the pockets of the big oil companies to the detriment of ordinary Alaskans. We knew we were being taken for a ride, but it took FBI wiretaps to finally capture lawmakers in the act of selling their votes. In the wake of politicos being carted off to prison, my administration enacted reforms based on transparency and accountability to prevent this from happening again.

We were successful because we had the righteous indignation of Alaskan citizens on our side. Our good ol' boy political class in Juneau was definitely not with us. Business was good for them, so why would they want to end "business as usual"?

The moment you threaten to strip politicians of their legal graft, they'll moan that they can't govern effectively without it. Perhaps they'll gravitate toward reform, but often their idea of reform is to limit the right of "We the people" to exercise our freedom of speech in the political process.

I've learned from local, state and national political experience that the only solution to entrenched corruption is sudden and relentless reform. Sudden because our permanent political class is adept at changing the subject to divert the public's attention—and we can no longer afford to be indifferent to this system of graft when our country is going bankrupt. Reform must be relentless because fighting corruption is like a game of whack-a-mole. You knock it down in one area only to see it pop up in another.

What are the solutions? We need reform that provides real transparency. Congress should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act like everyone else. We need more detailed financial disclosure reports, and members should submit reports much more often than once a year. All stock transactions above $5,000 should be disclosed within five days.

We need equality under the law. From now on, laws that apply to the private sector must apply to Congress, including whistleblower, conflict-of-interest and insider-trading laws. Trading on nonpublic government information should be illegal both for those who pass on the information and those who trade on it. (This should close the loophole of the blind trusts that aren't really blind because they're managed by family members or friends.)

No more sweetheart land deals with campaign contributors. No gifts of IPO shares. No trading of stocks related to committee assignments. No earmarks where the congressman receives a direct benefit. No accepting campaign contributions while Congress is in session. No lobbyists as family members, and no transitioning into a lobbying career after leaving office. No more revolving door, ever.

This call for real reform must transcend political parties. The grass-roots movements of the right and the left should embrace this. The tea party's mission has always been opposition to waste and crony capitalism, and the Occupy protesters must realize that Washington politicians have been "Occupying Wall Street" long before anyone pitched a tent in Zuccotti Park.

Ms. Palin, a former governor of Alaska, was the Republican nominee for vice president in 2008.

I give thanks to all of you that are trying to save the goodness and traditions of America.Step by step making sure our children have true liberty when they find themselves in a world beyond our control.Dee,Skip,Phoenix,John,John,Gary,Elricmlbone,Bryant,Sam and many more...

So many friends I've met here,I've never seen,shaken hands or hugged.Thank You!

Jeff

Written By James Fitch
This helps explain why we have not had any real conservatives to vote for as president in the past, since Reagan and none in the led now. Michele Bachmann had called for rallies to Washington DC and helped led the battle against government controlled health care. We in Cincinnati who ran and won as precinct committee people, found out the hard way that the republican establishment was not going to let us make any real difference, they just wanted us to rubber stamp them. We had elections where there was little to no information on who we could vote on and they ran un-opposed. Later we did not even get to vote or have an influence on who would run for offices, like Green Township Trustee or State Representative. The real Tea Party and 912 people were never even considered. In Green Township, the republicans will not allow us conservatives to speech at trustee meetings, unless approved ahead of time by them, that is in violation of the 1st Amendment. None of the republicans from my experience will talk about Mike DeWine, a know Rino. There are many examples of republicans not supporting conservative positions, I will talk about some more later. Other counties have lost their freedoms and been plundered by both parties, who each claim to clean up things before the elections, but stab the people in the back after the elections, this is the norm. The Evil Elitist Ruling Class don't believe in competition, they seek to own both or all parties. John Boehner and most of the republicans stabbed us in the back, with the budget and other things. I was told it was about the republican cause, as opposed to the conservative Principled cause. That did not work on me, I tried to explain history and Principles to them, to win them over. While some of them gave lip service to me and I think some lower level republicans agree, the system does not allow real conservatives to move up. One precinct committee person, a young Tea Party woman told me that a republican told her if she did not support the republican cause, she should resign. Jeffry K. Smith is running for Green Township Trustee against the establishment republican and the democrat. He has been fighting the establishment in Green Township and been a part of the 912 group. For further information he encourages you to contact him at his website www.GTExaminer.com

I am sick and tired of Glenn Beck saying hurtful things against Ron Paul.He should stop calling  himself a Libertarian.Today he said Dr. Paul's logo was a reference to evolution because of the backwards E,but if you payed any attention at all Mr. Beck you would see the word LOVE is captured between a square.Just because he believes because we meddled in the middle east business,like putting the Shaw in power,over 30 or so years ago caused hatred against our government,and also believes Israel can take care of business,like a war with Iran would be over in about three minutes and Israel would defiantly be the winner.You Mr. Beck,I've promoted you for 3 solid years,but now you would Never vote for Ron Paul.I've made a pledge that I will vote Republican this time around to make sure Obama doesn't have a chance to finish his job of destruction,even if I have to hold my nose and vote for Huntsman,then hold my head over the toilet and get rid of my breakfast...

Wounded Ohio Contractor: ‘I’m in Disbelief’

On October 1, 2011, By NRTW Committee Staff

Shooting Victim’s Workers, Firm Have Long Been Big Labor Targets

(Source: September 2011 NRTWC Newsletter)

Having grown over the course of several decades into one of the largest union-free electrical contracting businesses in the Toledo, Ohio, area, King Electrical Services and its employees are seasoned in dealing with Big Labor harassment, threats and violence.

John King started the firm during the 1970′s, after first working for a unionized electrical contractor and serving a stint in the military. In his business’s early days, Mr. King recalls, “it was nothing to have to regularly buy a new set of tires. The ice pick was the weapon of choice.”

During a mid-eighties strike, King Electrical, which then had just eight or nine employees, was picketed by more than 50 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW/AFL-CIO) union militants. One employee had his car trashed and was also beaten up by IBEW thugs.

The harassment and violence have never stopped. Just during the first half of this year, goons hurled rocks through King Electrical’s shop-front windows, and smashed the windows and slashed the tires of the company’s trucks in separate incidents.

But somehow none of this prepared Mr. King for what happened to him on the night of August 10, while his wife was away with their grandchildren.

After waking up at his home in Monroe County, Mich., 2.5 miles from Toledo, Mr. King noticed that the motion lights in his driveway had come on. He then looked out his front window and saw a man who appeared to be breaking into his SUV.

‘It’s Not So Surprising That Union Militants Think They’re Above the Law’

As a resident of a neighborhood where violent crime is practically unheard of, Mr. King unhesitatingly walked out his front door to yell at the apparent thief.

So confident was Mr. King that his home was his “safe haven” from the Big Labor thuggery he and his employees have often faced on the job, in fact, that, prone and bloodied in front of his house a few seconds later, he didn’t realize he’d been shot.

Now he and the police know that the still-at-large intruder who fled the scene after shooting Mr. King with a handgun was not breaking into his vehicle, but planning to slash its tires after having scrawled “SCAB” across the side of the SUV.

Mr. King still finds it hard to accept that union zealots would go so far as to make his home, where his grandchildren are often to be found, part of their battlefield against his independent firm. “I guess I’m in disbelief,” he told Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney a few days after he’d been shot.

National Right to Work Committee President Mark Mix commented: “Employees, business owners, and other Americans are often shocked to find out how vicious union bosses and their fanatical followers can be.

“But it’s not so surprising that union militants think they’re above the law.

“In all 50 states, federal labor policy grants them the unique, monopolistic privilege to ‘represent’ employees who refuse to join the union as well as those who do in contract negotiations with the employer.

“Having wielded their monopoly-bargaining privileges for decades, union bosses now take them for granted.”

Revoking Union Bosses’ Monopolistic Legal Privileges Would Help Curtail Violence

Mr. Mix continued: “They think, if under federal law they have uncontested power to ‘negotiate’ the terms and conditions of employment for union nonmembers in unionized businesses, why shouldn’t they also have the power to ‘negotiate’ the terms and conditions of employment for independent workers in union-free firms?

“And why shouldn’t they be allowed to get rough if the employees and owners of union-free firms refuse to go along?”

The local police effort to identify, capture and bring to justice the forced-unionism militant who shot John King continues as this Newsletter edition goes to press.

But the long-term remedy for Big Labor lawlessness, Mr. Mix said, “is to take away union bosses’ federal monopoly-bargaining and forced-dues privileges. And that’s a job that Congress is obliged to do.”