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Meteorite Hits Urals, Up to 500 Injured
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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Matt Damon Toilet Strike
Matt Damon, co-founder of Water.org, is taking a stand for the water crisis. Watch his announcement and support the strike by signing up to make your voice heard online through Water Day, March 22, 2013.
Lots of cool pics of useful idiots dedicated water concern people going on strike. In color! Never let a crisis or perceived crisis go to waste. Hollywood stars have all the answers.....
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 02/15/2013 16:16 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'm only for it if Matt Damon is going without water or any sort of fluid for 2 weeks.

Gotta make a stand and a sacrifice for what you believe in dude.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/15/2013 16:33 Comments || Top||

#2  You mean he made another action flik?
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/15/2013 16:38 Comments || Top||

#3  Matt Damon!
Posted by: Matt Damon! || 02/15/2013 17:03 Comments || Top||

#4  He's still alive?
Posted by: Rob Crawford || 02/15/2013 17:57 Comments || Top||

#5  Matt Damon's problem is that he believes Good Will Hunting was a documentary about himself. He's just so much more evolved, doncha know.
Posted by: Dopey Sinatra9196 || 02/15/2013 18:39 Comments || Top||

#6  wasn't he just in an anti-fracking film funded by Gulf Arabs? STFU whore
Posted by: Frank G || 02/15/2013 20:20 Comments || Top||

#7  People diss Matt Damon's acting for being wooden, but I thought he was brilliant as the monosyllabic, emotionless spy in "The Good Shepard". OK, he was a little wooden in "Team America: World Police"
Posted by: SteveS || 02/15/2013 23:06 Comments || Top||

#8  FTLG someone in the US-West had better seriously verify China's Three Gorges + followon engineering plans before they screw up East Asia's water forvever like ancient Egyptians, Arabs allegedly did to North/Upper Africa's.

MORE-N-MORE GIANT SINKHOLES + OTHER NATURAL COLLAPSES ARE OCCURRING IN CHINA, + BEIJING SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN CONTRUCTING NEW DAMS + CITIES FOR THE SAKE OF NATIONAL MODERNIZATION + ECON GROWTH THAN FINDING THE CAUSE.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 23:32 Comments || Top||


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Meteorite hits Russian Urals: Fireball explosion wreaks havoc, up to 500 injured (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
[RT] Russia's Urals region has been rocked by a meteorite explosion in the stratosphere. The impact wave damaged several buildings, and blew out thousands of windows amid frigid winter weather. Hundreds are seeking medical attention for minor injuries.

Follow RT's LIVE UPDATES.

According to unconfirmed reports, the meteorite was intercepted by an air defense unit at the Urzhumka settlement near Chelyabinsk. A missile salvo blew the meteorite to pieces at an altitude of 20 kilometers, local newspaper Znak reports quoting a source in the military.

Regnum news agency quoted a military source who claimed that the vapor condensation trail of the meteorite speaks to the fact that the meteorite was intercepted by air defenses.

A bright flash was seen in the Chelyabinsk, Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions, Russia's Republic of Bashkiria and in northern Kazakhstan.

"As of 13:00 Moscow time, 500 people have sought medical attention [in the disaster area], 22 of whom have been hospitalized," Vladimir Stepanov, head of Russian national crisis management center EMERCOM told Vesti 24 news channel. Among the injured there are 84 children, Emergency ministry reported.

Those in Chelyabinsk who had their windows smashed are scrambling to cover the openings with anything available -- the temperature in the city is currently -6°C
. The Russian army has joined the rescue operation. Army units are searching for meteorite debris in several places, including an area near a military base next to Chebarkul Lake, west of Chelyabinsk. Another search area is 80 kilometers further to the northwest, near the town of Kusa.

Military units are also searching for possible debris in the neighboring Tyumen region.

Radiation, chemical and biological protection units have been put on high alert. Since the explosion occurred several kilometers above the Earth, a large ground area must be thoroughly checked for radiation and other threats.

At least one piece of the fallen object caused damage on the ground in Chelyabinsk. According to preliminary reports, it crashed into a wall near a zinc factory, disrupting the city's Internet and mobile service.

The Emergency Ministry reported that 20,000 rescue workers are operating in the region. Three aircraft were deployed to survey the area and locate other possible impact locations.

Witnesses said the explosion was so loud that it seemed like an earthquake and thunder had struck at the same time, and that there were huge trails of smoke across the sky. Others reported seeing burning objects fall to earth.

The Urals regional center of the Emergency Ministry claimed it sent out a mass SMS warning residents about a possible meteorite shower. However, eyewitnesses said they either never received it, or got the message after the explosion had already occurred.

Classes for all Chelyabinsk schools have been canceled, mostly due to broken windows. Institute students have been dismissed until next Monday. Authorities also ordered all kindergartens with broken windows to return children to their families.

Police in the Chelyabinsk region are reportedly on high alert, and have begun 'Operation Fortress' in order to protect vital infrastructure.

Office buildings in downtown Chelyabinsk are being evacuated. Injuries were reported at one of the city's secondary schools, supposedly from smashed windows.

An emergency message published on the website of the Chelyabinsk regional authority urged residents to pick up their children from school and remain at home if possible.

Those in Chelyabinsk who had their windows smashed are scrambling to cover the openings with anything available -- the temperature in the city is currently -6°C.

Chelyabinsk regional governor Mikhail Yurevich is urgently returning to the region. Yurevich said that preserving the city's central heating system is authorities' primary goal.

"Do not panic, this is an ordinary situation we can manage in a couple of days," the governor said in and address to city residents.

Background radiation levels in Chelyabinsk remain unchanged, the Emergency Ministry reported.
Posted by: || 02/15/2013 05:17 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Yeah, the gubbamint did great things to protect you people, but the internet service let you down, so the warnings came too late. Good thing the air defence boys busted it up so high in the atmoosphere! More funding for air defense and the early-warning folks!
Posted by: Bobby || 02/15/2013 6:07 Comments || Top||

#2  Regnum news agency quoted a military source who claimed that the vapor condensation trail of the meteorite speaks to the fact that the meteorite was intercepted by air defenses.

No, we have no video footage. We do this all the time here in the Urals. You'll simply have to take my word for it.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/15/2013 6:08 Comments || Top||

#3  This is nothin'. I remember back in '57 we had a real fireball...
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 02/15/2013 6:12 Comments || Top||

#4  Intercepted by a missle? Horsehockey.It was travel at about 30 kilometers per second.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 02/15/2013 7:52 Comments || Top||

#5  On of the problems with intercept is target detection. You have to have at least two point to project speed and direction of the incoming target. The equipment has to be fast enough to obtain those two points and then do the calc to tell the missile the intercept location. Those old movie images of rotating radar dishes means that such systems are incapable of executing the function on inbound target traveling beyond a certain speed. Even phased array radars have limitations. That was one of the problems with the original Patriot system in the First Gulf War in getting an intercept calc and launch fast enough to take out incoming SCUDs. Then there's the issue of doing a calc and intercept before the moving target travels beyond range. Unless the Soviets Russians have significantly upgraded their systems, DB is right.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 8:26 Comments || Top||

#6  No news from Fox on the Ural Mountain event; trumped by a lengthy Black History Month report featuring COL(Ret) Robert Henry Lawrence, Jr. and a new fitness book by Jillian Michaels.

[Both COL Lawrence and Michaels, absolute great Americans by the way]
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/15/2013 8:43 Comments || Top||

#7  Intercepted by a missle? Horsehockey.It was travel at about 30 kilometers per second.

I expect the news people to downplay that aspect, even if it happened, because the US missile defense effort is carefully lovingly nerfed to never be able to produce anything (because missile defense is impossible, don'tchaknow) and we don't have ABM's in place to do anything if we're attacked in the continental US. I think there's a half-dozen interceptor missiles in AK, and a half dozen in Californica, and that's it.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 02/15/2013 8:48 Comments || Top||

#8  ...a large ground area must be thoroughly checked for radiation...

Call me suspicious and paranoid if you must, but I detect the odor of rat. There's no reason to suspect a meteorite of being particularly radioactive. Could just be journalistic ignorance. Could be an anthropogenic meteorite.
Posted by: Angie Schultz || 02/15/2013 9:04 Comments || Top||

#9  From the article:

"It is believed that the incident may be connected to asteroid 2012 DA14, which measures 45 to 95 meters in diameter and will be passing by Earth tonight"

"Believed" by whom?
Posted by: Barbara || 02/15/2013 9:11 Comments || Top||

#10  Could just be journalistic ignorance.

Seems to be an international trait. So many get their education information from Hollyweird movies.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 9:27 Comments || Top||

#11  Since the trajectory of this meteor(ite) and the asteroid are completely different it is unlikely to be anything except coincidence.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 02/15/2013 10:00 Comments || Top||

#12 
Posted by: Beavis || 02/15/2013 10:36 Comments || Top||

#13  another vid of windows and doors blown in.

How do you say in Russian - Meteors why do they hate us? Метеоры Почему они нас ненавидят? (at least according to Google translate)
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 10:50 Comments || Top||

#14  SMOD
Posted by: Frank G || 02/15/2013 11:05 Comments || Top||

#15  northern Russia. Why is it always northern Russia?

well ... I mean "always" as in once every hundred years or so. Hahahaha!!!
Posted by: Raider || 02/15/2013 11:14 Comments || Top||

#16  @Beavis
It does look like the opening of a medium budget sci-fi film.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 02/15/2013 11:18 Comments || Top||

#17  That one shot of it coming straight on would have me needing to change my shorts if I was the driver!

Posted by: DarthVader || 02/15/2013 11:31 Comments || Top||

#18  Why does everyone in Russia have a dash cam?

Because when a meteor coming right at your nose neither surprises the drivers or is the most dangerous part of the commute.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/15/2013 11:37 Comments || Top||

#19  ....because 'insurance' in Russia has a different mechanism which makes our tort lawyers look like two bit hustles. Wait they are.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 11:51 Comments || Top||

#20  Angie, as Pappy obliquely mentioned, Chelyabinsk was a closed city under the Soviets with a lot of nuclear R&D work. In 1957 there was a huge explosion that killed hundreds and spread radioactive materials widely.

If I lived there today, I'd want reassurance that this event neither added to nor stirred up more of the same.
Posted by: lotp || 02/15/2013 11:56 Comments || Top||

#21  Thanks for the compliment. I thought it was also the site of their ABM radar or something ABMish. I'll bet they're wondering why the meteor couldn't have picked on Chernobyl.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 02/15/2013 12:30 Comments || Top||

#22  I watched the video, it WAS NOT SHOT DOWN, IT LANDED NORMALLY.
(Or as "Normal s a meteor usually is)
There's NO vapor trail, and no interrupt in course.
(A hit would make a "Bobble" there is none)

Showmanship, or a downright lie.
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 02/15/2013 12:59 Comments || Top||

#23  The most decorated sniper in US history who went to heaven recently must be up there shootin at the Russians. :)
Posted by: Dino Shomomp7692 || 02/15/2013 14:21 Comments || Top||

#24  I'm sure Iranian or North Korean anti-missile defenses saved Russia. Just give them a few hours to photoshop together some evidence and you'll see.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 02/15/2013 14:42 Comments || Top||

#25  "And this is the best that you - that the government, the U.S. government, can come up with? I mean, you-you're NASA for cryin' out loud, you put a man on the moon, you're geniuses! You-you're the guys that think this shit up! I'm sure you got a team of men sitting around somewhere right now just thinking shit up and somebody backing them up! You're telling me you don't have a backup plan, that these eight boy scouts right here, that is the world's hope, that's what you're telling me?"

Bruce Willis as Harry Stamper
Movie Armageddon

HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Raider || 02/15/2013 15:40 Comments || Top||

#26  Just seen a very bright meteor over Perth. Perhaps 20 minutes after the asteroid past.
Posted by: phil_b || 02/15/2013 16:05 Comments || Top||

#27  with24
I have seen a couple reports stating that Putin flew up and smashed the meteor into bits moments before impact, saving thousands as well as a horse ranch.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/15/2013 16:37 Comments || Top||

#28  Joe! Joe! Send word, wisdom needed. What does the sky tell you?
Posted by: Shipman || 02/15/2013 17:07 Comments || Top||

#29  Journalists are not strong on science. "CNN anchor Deborah Feyerick asked Bill Nye the Science Guy on her show Sunday if climate change could have had anything to do with the direction of the object's [asteroid's] path."
Posted by: JohnQC || 02/15/2013 17:17 Comments || Top||

#30  They'd better be careful of their lies, IF the Bolide WAS destroyed (Damaged, hit, deflected etc) by a missile, AND IF they bragged about it.

They're responsible for ALL the broken Windows and any other damage.

Watch for a retraction shortly. They won't pay for a damned thing.

Posted by: Redneck Jim || 02/15/2013 18:38 Comments || Top||

#31  Iff I am correct, + what I saw were indeed related to this incident, there were actually FOUR SEPARATE FIREBALLS, coming in over Guam-WESTPAC = Agana/Hagatna Bay from different points on the compass as perpendicular to the horizon, but all seemingly heading towards the same strategic point or area somewhere in or over East Asia + Eurasian mainland.

It would appear that at least ONE of the above is what broke up + struck Chelyabinsk.

I believe I heard + felt one distant "boom", one that caused my teeth to suddenly knock together as iff in stuccato, but I'm not absolutely sure iff its related to this Chelyabinsk fireball.

I am NOT convinced that the above or the Chelyabinsk fireball are only "coincidental" = unrelated to DA14 - THE TIMING IS JUST TOO CLOSE/PERFECT??? Iff anything, I suspect that NASA-JPL, etc. made some kind of [embarrassing] Error(s) in their original + follow-on observation, calcs for DA 14.

Lest we fergit, MSM-NET = NASA-JPL claimed that they were "closely monitoring" DA14, + that despite its projected path there will be "no threat", of "impact", or any other any sort to Earth or Humanity. DA 14's FLYBY DIDN'T HAPPEN AS CONFIDENTLY, AS WIDELY, OR AS PROFESSIONALLY ANTICIPATED, NOW DID IT?

IMO the only thing likely to be correct about NASA-JPL's description per the Chelyabinsk fireball is that it may NOT had been the physical DA14 rock per se.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 19:04 Comments || Top||

#32  "I have seen a couple reports stating that Putin flew up and smashed the meteor into bits moments before impact"

I sure hope he rememebered to put on his cape inside the telephone booth ... before he leaped up into the sky.

HAHAHA!!!
Posted by: Raider || 02/15/2013 19:18 Comments || Top||

#33  FYI at the speed the four fireballs were moving over Guam-WESTPAC, NOTHING MAN-MADE ON THIS PLANET OR IN THE KNOWN/CURRENT USDOD MISSLE INVENTORY - ICBM OR ABM-BMD OR LASER - COULD HAVE INTERCEPTED OR STOPPED THE SAME IFF THEY WERE TO DE FACTO IMPACT EARTH + INTACT.

Not in Single, Several, Dozens or Score(s), or likely even iff in 00's - 000's or 0,000's MAYBE.

ADVANTAGE = BRUCE WILLIS + BOYZ, iff only NASA-JPL, etc. can GUARANTEE they won't be sideswiped + destroyed by a rock(s) or fragments NASA-JPL Perts missed???

OOOOOOOOPPPPPPPSSS ....

Amers may want to RE-SUBMIT that Petition to POTUS Bammer as per BUILDING A STAR WARS-STYLE "DEATH STAR". Keep resubmitting it until Washington surrenders like France + says "yes".
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 19:24 Comments || Top||

#34  Damn lamers!

33 comments and not one about Klendathu!

Get with the program!

The only good bug is a dead bug!
Posted by: badanov || 02/15/2013 19:39 Comments || Top||

#35  OWG-NWO "The Govts-Perts Consensus is that there is no Consensus" also applies to EFFECTIVE-N-RELIABLE OWG SPACE DEFENSE + MANAGEMENT.

OR LACK THEREOF.

Ditto as per Peak Resources, Solar Storms, Pulsar, etc.

[COMET APOPHIS + 2030 GUAM, EARTH-VISIBLE MOON EXPLOSIONS here].

To paraph KRAUTHAMMER = SAY IT WID ME, AMERIKKA ...
> COMET APOPHIS = SMALL ROCK; MOON = B-I-G ROCK.
> SHOEMAKER-LEVY NINE = BIGGER-THAN-APOPHIS ROCK, POST SL9 IMPACT JUPITER CHUNKS = BIGGER-THAN-MOON ROCK = EARTH-SIZED? ROCK(S).
> "THIRD SECRET OF FATIMA" RIDERLESS WINGED HORSE
= SUN-DESTABILIZED PLANET MERCURY = PLANET-SIZED ROCK.
> PLANET MERCURY ABOVE = AKA NOT-NIBIRU/PLANET X.
PLANET X???

Since OWG/GG = akin to SPACE GOVT-ORDER, is Washinton really sure they wanna cancel that Death Star???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 19:54 Comments || Top||

#36  no word from Boeing as to the status of the latest DreamFryer battery burning tests.......
Posted by: USN,Ret. || 02/15/2013 20:10 Comments || Top||

#37  Meteors and asteroids: What is the difference?
Posted by: tipper || 02/15/2013 20:54 Comments || Top||

#38 
Posted by: linker || 02/15/2013 21:07 Comments || Top||

#39  Thank God for Russian dashboard cams.
Posted by: Classical_Liberal || 02/15/2013 21:24 Comments || Top||


Meteor blast injures more than 100 in Russia
A meteor exploded in the skies above Russia’s Urals region, creating a shock wave that shattered windows, injuring about 100 people.

The meteor disintegrated over Chelyabinsk at about 7:25 a.m. Moscow time, the local Emergencies Ministry’s division said today on its website. Burning streaks lit up the sky, caught by drivers on dashboard cameras and posted on YouTube.

Billionaire Sergey Galitskiy, chief executive officer of OAO Magnit, said in a post on Twitter, “A serious meteor fell. At our hypermarket in Emanzhelinsk, windows were blown out, the roof shook, there was a strong shock wave.”

As many as 20,000 emergency staff and three aircraft have been deployed in the Urals region, the Emergencies Ministry’s regional division said on its website.

“No further pieces of the meteor are expected to fall,” according to the ministry’s statement.
Posted by: ryuge || 02/15/2013 02:19 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  A likely story.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 02/15/2013 3:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Well something's hit the ground... Because I hear the russian military claimed it intercepted it I think its not a meteor...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 02/15/2013 4:14 Comments || Top||

#3  Given the speeds of meteors (6 miles per seond for the slowest ones) what chances has the Russin military of intercepting one?
Posted by: JFM || 02/15/2013 4:57 Comments || Top||

#4  Video
Posted by: tipper || 02/15/2013 5:37 Comments || Top||

#5  An up-date by the Russian Military said the claim of a missle interception was from local reporters and had no basis in fact. There are now pictures of small impact craters available.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 02/15/2013 11:09 Comments || Top||

#6  Next on the internet -

Dear Mr. Smith,

We have recently come into possession of valuable meteor fragments, but do not have the means to move the material out of country to fetch a very lucrative return on the international market.....
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 11:55 Comments || Top||

#7  I wonder how long it will take for the Meteorite Men to get there.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 02/15/2013 16:45 Comments || Top||

#8  FREEREPUBLIC Artics say the number of injured is now up to 900 [Fox News + CNBC TV say 1000].

Intehwesting, FREEREPUBLIC AGAIN > RUSSIAN MP CLAIMS IT WAS A WILY DASTARDLY "US BALLISTIC MISSLE TEST".
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 19:35 Comments || Top||

#9  See also RELATED WAFF > ALIEN ATTACK ON RUSSIA!

Not-ET is coming, not-ET is coming!

On a serious note, the thread's Videos as per the the meteorite's awesome overhead smoke trails is a small or benign indicator of that FRIGHTENINGLY BIGGER-N-BADDER Humanity may witness in coming years + decades.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 20:03 Comments || Top||


Africa Subsaharan
Thousands Flee Central African Rebels for DR Congo
[An Nahar] More than 8,500 refugees have fled the Central African Republic for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo or Republic of Congo, which is much smaller and much more (for Africa) stable. DRC gave the world Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Mobutu, followed by years of tedious civil war. Its principle industry seems to be the production of corpses. With a population of about 74 million it has lots of raw material...
since last week for fear of attacks by rebels, a Congolese official said Thursday.

Between February 7 and 13, "8,646 people have fled Mobaye", a Central African border town close to positions held by the rebel Seleka coalition, which signed a peace accord with the government last month, Willy Isekusu, local district commissioner for DR Congo's North Ubangi province, told Agence La Belle France Presse.

"According to several sources, we now have more than 11,000 Central African refugees in several parts of North Ubangi", added Simplice Kpandji, a front man for the United Nations
...boodling on the grand scale...
' refugee agency in Kinshasa.

A large number of the refugees are children, many of them unaccompanied, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

U.N. agencies on Thursday began an evaluation mission, mainly to consider setting up a humanitarian site and establish a crossing place for the refugees. Many of those who have fled are being hosted by Congolese families.

Refugees started crossing the Oubangui river, which forms part of the 800-kilometer (500-mile) border, on February 7 to flee shooting blamed on the Seleka coalition, which last Friday acknowledged that there had been an incident but said it was over.

Isekusu said at the time that the shooting had rapidly stopped, but added that it was "fear of the unknown" which was driving refugees into neighboring DR Congo.

On Wednesday, Isekusu said the exodus was still going on because of person or persons unknown who were looting and carrying out atrocities.

Forces of the Seleka -- which means "alliance" -- took up arms against President Francois Bozize's regime in mid-December and came within striking distance of the capital Bangui in the unstable and impoverished country.

Leaders in the central African region helped to bring about peace talks, which led to an accord in Gabon's capital Libreville on January 11. Under that agreement, Seleka members were granted posts in a national unity government.
Posted by: Fred || 02/15/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cf of natural gas in Spratly Islands
MANILA, Philippines – The disputed Reed Bank in the Spratly Islands is estimated to contain up to 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas, according to a newly published report by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Quoting data from the US Geological Survey, the EIA estimates the disputed Spratly Islands territory may contain significant deposits of undiscovered hydrocarbons.

“USGS assessments estimate anywhere between 0.8 and 5.4 (mean 2.5) billion barrels of oil and between 7.6 and 55.1 (mean 25.5) tcf of natural gas in undiscovered resources,” the EIA said in the Feb. 7 report.

“Evidence suggests that most of these resources are likely located in the contested Reed Bank at the northeast end of the Spratlys, which is claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam,” the EIA also said.

In all, the EIA estimates the South China Sea to contain approximately 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 tcf of natural gas in proved and probable reserves.
Posted by: Water Modem || 02/15/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Vietnam repor is not happy also about China's successful new rapprochement wid Cambodia + Laos.

Iff NDTV's claims about China mass mobilizing PLA Troops + Veehiiikles in the provinces across from TAIWAN are true, as for possib mil conflict wid JAPAN, China is also putting itself in a good strategic position to strike at the Northern PHIL in support of any major PLA attack agz PHIL from HAINAN [Cambodia?].

Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/15/2013 1:06 Comments || Top||

#2  The EIA said:
The United States consumed a total of 687 billion barrels (18.83 million barrels per day) in 2011 and 7.0 billion barrels (19.18 million barrels per day) of refined petroleum products and biofuels in 2010. For both years, this was about 22% of total world petroleum consumption..
That means the South China Sea contains a 5.8 day supply of oil as consumed by the USA in 2011.
Whoop-te-doo!
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 02/15/2013 3:25 Comments || Top||

#3  How much oil does the United States consume per year?

Correction: The United States consumed a total of 6.87 billion barrels (18.83 million barrels per day) in 2011 and 7.0 billion barrels (19.18 million barrels per day) of refined petroleum products and biofuels in 2010. For both years, this was about 22% of total world petroleum consumption.
Estimates of South China Sea oil in toto are still less than 2 years of US consumption at the 2011 rate.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 02/15/2013 3:35 Comments || Top||

#4  Thanks Joe. Please keep us updated.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/15/2013 6:11 Comments || Top||

#5  A funny thing happened to "peak oil" on the way to the future.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/15/2013 6:30 Comments || Top||

#6  The future has hit 'peak oil' several times. Yes, I'm looking at you.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 8:17 Comments || Top||

#7  But...but...but, we've passed Peak Oil™! We're all gonna freeze and diiiiieeeeeee!

/leftist loon
Posted by: Barbara || 02/15/2013 9:01 Comments || Top||

#8  Get a quick look, you'll not be seeing many of these anymore.

Note: Old Fairbanks Morse engine powering pump jack being run by natural gas regulated from the same well. Soybeans in the background.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/15/2013 9:14 Comments || Top||

#9  If only there was a peak stupid.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 02/15/2013 10:19 Comments || Top||

#10  We may or may not have reached Peak Oil but the concept is real and it will occur relatively soon.
Posted by: Glenmore || 02/15/2013 10:23 Comments || Top||

#11  While the perspective of American consumption is interesting, it's not about America. It's about the nations involved in claims. For the Philippines ranking around 43rd in GDP, that oil/gas has a far more significant impact upon their economy, both the national and the traditional graft/corruption (google 'PEMEX corruption' for a model).
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 10:30 Comments || Top||

#12  Oil is about as relevant as peak flint would be to neolithic man...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 02/15/2013 11:20 Comments || Top||

#13  It's about the nations involved in claims.
I agree. However, the total amount estimated is piddling on the world stage, and the report is misleading to even hint otherwise.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 02/15/2013 12:12 Comments || Top||

#14  Anguper ... good point. Supports the general idea that "all the sources of good, cheap oil have been found already". There is still oil that can be discovered, but it's either in smaller deposits or the extraction costs will be higher in the future. It all points to price pressure on oil as we go forwards, and pressure on the USA to cut its oil consumption.
Posted by: Raider || 02/15/2013 15:10 Comments || Top||

#15 
Posted by: Simon || 02/15/2013 16:48 Comments || Top||

#16  Troll/bot alert, mods!
Posted by: Barbara || 02/15/2013 17:44 Comments || Top||


Europe
Brussels Central Office Issues Warrant of Arrest for Pope Benedict XVI
Looks like the conspiracy theories are starting. See some others at the site.
Pope Benedict XVI is wanted by the Brussels Central Office over crimes against humanity and ordering a criminal conspiracy.

According to a statement by the Brussels Central Office, the pope, known as Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger resigned to avoid an impending warrant of arrest for him. His arrest, according to the statement, would also see to it that the property of the Vatican be seized.
Posted by: tipper || 02/15/2013 09:07 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The secret manuscripts of the caves of St. Bartholomews have been found ?
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/15/2013 9:45 Comments || Top||

#2  Vatican has assets; assets are always targets for lawyers; cause is irrelevant.
Posted by: Glenmore || 02/15/2013 10:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Slow news day in Kampala.
Posted by: Grunter || 02/15/2013 11:33 Comments || Top||

#4  Last time I checked the Vatican was a sovereign country. It wouldn't be a seizure of property but an Anschluss annexation by another governmental entity (re - EUcrats). The Revelations folks would be excited.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/15/2013 11:47 Comments || Top||

#5  "It is our further decision to proceed as well with the indictment and arrest of Joseph Ratzinger’s successor as Pope on the same charges; and to enforce the commercial lien and “Easter Reclamation Campaign” against the Roman Catholic church, as planned. We call upon all citizens and governments to assist our efforts to legally and directly disestablish the Vatican, Inc. and arrest its chief officers and clergy who are complicit in crimes against humanity and the ongoing criminal conspiracy to aid and protect child torture and trafficking.”

Oh, so THAT explains it.
Posted by: Bobby || 02/15/2013 13:04 Comments || Top||

#6  Oh brother.

Do these people seriously have nothing better to do?
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/15/2013 13:09 Comments || Top||

#7  Do these people seriously have nothing better to do?

No. And they're well-paid to do it.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/15/2013 14:40 Comments || Top||

#8  Heads of state are generally immune from prosecution so him resigning to avoid something seems bizzaro.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 02/15/2013 14:40 Comments || Top||

#9  If they want to find a religion condoning slavery and trafficking, I think need to look towards Mecca.
Posted by: Rob Crawford || 02/15/2013 17:58 Comments || Top||

#10  @9 as 1.6 billion islamites do five times daily..
...Huston
Posted by: Cretinous Humongous || 02/15/2013 18:18 Comments || Top||

#11  The ONLY time Americans place an O and a U together is when I get it wrong... Doh!
Posted by: Cretinous Humongous || 02/15/2013 18:21 Comments || Top||

#12  Who the hell died and left a pipsqueak little country the king of the world? What gives them the right to issue international warrants for things that didn't even happen there?
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 02/15/2013 20:16 Comments || Top||

#13  I wouldn't tout that, CH
Posted by: Frank G || 02/15/2013 20:18 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2013-02-15
  Meteorite Hits Urals, Up to 500 Injured
Thu 2013-02-14
  Pakistan asks Taliban to announce 30-day cease-fire for talks
Wed 2013-02-13
  Syrian rebels say they captured military air base near Aleppo
Tue 2013-02-12
  KCNA confirms: Pudgy sets off a nuke
Mon 2013-02-11
  Seven killed, 11 injured in attacks across southern Thailand
Sun 2013-02-10
  Syrian troops, rebels clash over Damascus highway
Sat 2013-02-09
  India Executes Man Convicted in 2001 Attack on Parliament
Fri 2013-02-08
  Suicide bomber hits north Mali, troops clash in capital
Thu 2013-02-07
  Syrian Army Launches 'All-Out Attack' on Capital Region
Wed 2013-02-06
  Fat Lady Sings for Abd el Kader Mahmoud Mohamed el Sayed
Tue 2013-02-05
  Second big turban nabbed in northern Mali
Mon 2013-02-04
  Ansar Dine #3 arrested in northern Mali
Sun 2013-02-03
  Yemen Troops Kill 12 'Qaida Militants' in Restive South
Sat 2013-02-02
  Syria Suicide Attack on Regime Kills 53
Fri 2013-02-01
  Binori Mosque cleric among 10 killed in Karachi


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