So we can blame the global warming fear mongers rabid paranoia on mental illness? Makes sense to me.

(Sydney Morning Herald) — RATES of mental illnesses including depression and post-traumatic stress will increase as a result of climate change, a report to be released today says.

The paper, prepared for the Climate Institute, says loss of social cohesion in the wake of severe weather events related to climate change could be linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and substance abuse.

As many as one in five people reported “emotional injury, stress and despair” in the wake of these events.

The report, A Climate of Suffering: The Real Cost of Living with Inaction on Climate Change, called the past 15 years a “preview of life under unrestrained global warming”.

“While cyclones, drought, bushfires and floods are all a normal part of Australian life, there is no doubt our climate is changing,” the report says.

“For instance, the intensity and frequency of bushfires is greater. This is a ‘new normal’, for which the past provides little guidance. . .

“Moreover, recent conditions are entirely consistent with the best scientific predictions: as the world warms so the weather becomes wilder, with big consequences for people’s health and well-being.”

Keep reading…

HT: Jay

Not like they had to look all that hard.

(INN) — A radical Salafi Islamist group affiliated with the international Al Qaeda terrorist organization has taken responsibility for launching Sunday morning’s Grad rocket attack at southern Israel.

The Jama’at al-Tawhid wa’l-Jihad (JTJ) jihadist organization (Group of Monotheism and Jihad) allegedly issued a statement claiming “credit” for the attack on Be’er Sheva, the largest city in Israel’s southern region.

The missile was intercepted and neutralized by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system at about 7:15 a.m. local time. Residents were warned by the Color Red air raid alert siren before the missile arrived in Be’er Sheva’s air space.

Salafi groups have slowly grown to be a major power in Gaza in the past several years, with thousands of Hamas members switching sides to join the more radical Islamic factions, all of which are linked to Al Qaeda and many of which operate in Judea and Samaria as well.

JTJ was founded by Jordanian Salafi Islamist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi together with Kurdish sympathizers. Zarqawi, who pledged his allegiance to Osama Bin Laden’s terrorist network in October 2004, is the same murderer who beheaded 26-year-old U.S. businessman Nicholas Berg on videotape in May 2004.

The group’s spiritual adviser was Palestinian Authority imam Abu Anas al-Shami, also known as Omar Yusef Juma’a, born in Kuwait and a one-time resident of Yabroud, avillage near the PA capital of Ramallah. In 2003 he joined Zarqawi in Iraq, eventually becoming his second-in-command until he was assassinated in targeted U.S. missile strike on his car in September 2004.

Among the Koranic texts taught by al-Shami and cited by JTJ in justifying its slaughter is an alleged quote from the Islamic prophet Muhammad, “Whoever slaughters a non-Muslim [at war with Islam, or 'enemy occupiers'] sincerely for the sake of Allah, Allah will make hellfire prohibited upon him.”

Another quote allegedly from Allah (G-d) often cited by the group to justify its actions directs operatives to behead its victims: “When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off the fingertip of them.”

Great, we’re on the same side as the Mullahs.

TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran “discreetly” provided humanitarian aid to Libyan rebels before the fall of Tripoli, Jam-e-Jam newspaper quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Sunday as saying.

“We were in touch with many of the rebel groups in Libya before the fall of (Moamer) Kadhafi, and discreetly dispatched three or four food and medical consignments to Benghazi,” Salehi told the daily.

“The head of the National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustafa Abdel Jalil, sent a letter of thanks to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for having been on their side and helping,” he added.

Since the Libyan uprising erupted in mid-February, Iran has adopted a dual approach — criticising the Kadhafi regime for its violent assaults on the rebels while at the same time condemning NATO’s military intervention.

On Tuesday, Iran “congratulated the Muslim people of Libya” after rebels overran the capital Tripoli, but it has so far distanced itself from officially recognising the NTC.

The dumbest of the dumb.

A Poll Tax by Another Name — John Lewis, NYT op-ed

Despite decades of progress, this year’s Republican-backed wave of voting restrictions has demonstrated that the fundamental right to vote is still subject to partisan manipulation. The most common new requirement, that citizens obtain and display unexpired government-issued photo identification before entering the voting booth, was advanced in 35 states and passed by Republican legislatures in Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri and nine other states — despite the fact that as many as 25 percent of African-Americans lack acceptable identification.

Having fought for voting rights as a student, I am especially troubled that these laws disproportionately affect young voters. Students at state universities in Wisconsin cannot vote using their current IDs (because the new law requires the cards to have signatures, which those do not). South Carolina prohibits the use of student IDs altogether. Texas also rejects student IDs, but allows voting by those who have a license to carry a concealed handgun. These schemes are clearly crafted to affect not just how we vote, but who votes.

Conservative proponents have argued for photo ID mandates by claiming that widespread voter impersonation exists in America, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. While defending its photo ID law before the Supreme Court, Indiana was unable to cite a single instance of actual voter impersonation at any point in its history. Likewise, in Kansas, there were far more reports of U.F.O. sightings than allegations of voter fraud in the past decade. These theories of systematic fraud are really unfounded fears being exploited to threaten the franchise. . . .

These restrictions purportedly apply to all citizens equally. In reality, we know that they will disproportionately burden African Americans and other racial minorities, yet again. They are poll taxes by another name.

The Weekly Standard has this to say on Lewis’ bizarre claims voter fraud is an “unfounded fear” and as uncommon as “U.F.O. sightings.”

As for Lewis’ insistence that voter impersonation is not a concern, let me help him out here. Earlier this year, ACORN plead guilty to voter registration fraud in Nevada. Here’s an exhaustive list of ACORN employees who’ve run afoul of voter registration laws since 1998, resulting in dozens of arrests and convictions. Here’s an SEIU-affiliated voter registration group that submitted a huge amount of invalid voter registrations in one Texas county. To say concern over voter registration fraud amounts to “unfounded fears” is abject nonsense.

Nice to see he’s finally dropped the “moderate” facade.

(Herald Scotland) — AMERICA’S most controversial imam — the man at the centre of the storm over plans for the “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York last year — flew into Edinburgh yesterday to tell the Festival of Spirituality and Peace that greater integration between Islam and the West depends on the incorporation of Sharia law into the legal systems of the UK and the United States as well as Muslims adopting the culture of their host countries.

Many see Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf as an Islamic moderate even though he has been vilified in the US press as an apologist for radical Muslims. In an interview with the Sunday Herald, Rauf said he believes the world is in the grip of a “dangerous myth” and “self-fulfilling prophecy” that “Islam and the West are at war. But the real battleground is not between Islam and the West, but between the wise, fair-minded people of all faith traditions and the extremists.”

Although he is a pro-US imam who has argued that America is the embodiment of Islam’s ideal society, Rauf became a hate figure in the US over the so-called Ground Zero Mosque. The plan offended relatives of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and led to a US pastor proposing a “Burn a Koran day”.

Keep reading (log-in required)

Steaming hot load of BS.

Probably got a glimpse of his record-low 38% approval rating.

What the hell is Juan talking about? Perry created half of all U.S. jobs over the last two years.

HT: Human Events

Then again, this is the same woman who converted to Islam because of its “bliss and joy.”

(INN) — Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of Quartet envoy Tony Blair, has called on “Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt liberate Al-Quds [Jerusalem].”

The former British prime minister’s family member has previously sailed illegally to Gaza on a flotilla boat. She joined an anti-Israel rally in London Trafalgar’s Square, where another protest today (Sunday) may be the last as the mayor London vows to crack down on the incitement as the date for the next Olympics approaches.

“The Mayor believes that intolerance of our fellow citizens and hate crimes against specific communities are totally unacceptable, particularly in a city like London and especially in 2012 when the eyes of the world will be on the capital,” said a spokesman for Mayor Boris Johnson, the London Jewish Chronicle reported.

The spokesman added, “The Greater London Authority will not be authorizing political rallies in Trafalgar Square during the Olympic and Paraolympic Games.”

The Trafalgar Square rallies against Israel have featured Hizbullah flags.

During last week’s demonstration, Booth went on another rant against Israel. “We say here today to you, Israel, we see your crimes and we loathe your crimes. And to us your nation does not exist, because it is a criminal injustice against humanity. We want to see Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt go to the borders and stop this now. Liberate Al Quds! March to Al Quds!”

Keep reading…

Oh the humanity!

Via Gallup

What a surprise.

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The Libyan rebels’ interim government says it will not deport the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

The rebel Justice Minister Mohammed al-Alagi told journalists in Tripoli Sunday that no Libyan citizen would be deported, even Abdel-Baset al-Megrahi, who was convicted in a Scottish court and imprisoned for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103, which killed 270 people.

Unreal.

WAUSAU (WAOW) — Labor Day parade organizers confirm that no Republicans will be allowed to participate in this year’s Labor Day Parade.

Council president Randy Radtke says they choose not to invite elected officials who have “openly attacked worker’s rights” or did nothing when state public workers lost most of their right to collectively bargain.

The parade is sponsored by the Marathon County Labor Council. A Wausau city spokeswoman said the city does not contribute any money to the parade.

Rep. Sean Duffy’s chief of staff, Brandon Moody, released a statement to Newsline 9:

“Having walked in this parade in past years, Congressman Duffy was hoping that for a moment, we could set our differences aside and simply have some fun in a family-friendly event.”

It’s not like Germany has a history of anti-Semitism or anything . . . no, wait?

(Ynet) — More than 1,000 Muslims marched Saturday in Berlin and chanted anti-Israel slogans to mark al-Quds Day, set by Iran following the Islamist revolution in the country.

The protestors in the anti-Israel rally were faced by hundreds of Israel fans who also arrived at the site.

Police in the German capital deployed in force to separate the two camps and prevent violent clashes.

The Islamic march was led by Iranian clerics, accompanied by anti-Zionist Neturei Karta Jews living in Europe.

“What’s taking place in Israel is a Shoah for the Palestinians,” one of the radical ultra-Orthodox Jews, Rabbi Beck, told Ynet. “We are waiting for the day Zionism collapses, and then Jews and Muslims would be able to live side by side in peace.”

While the rabbi spoke, protestors behind him were chanting “Allahu Akbar” and “Israel is a terrorist.”

he Muslim protestors held up banners accusing Israel of committing war crimes, as well as photographs of late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini. They chanted “Freedom for Palestine” and “End the killing of civilians in Gaza.”

Arab Spring!

(INN) — The demonstrators who gathered for protests outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo on Friday not only called for the cancellation of Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel and for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador, but also called for the destruction of the Jews.

The protesters shouted the following:

“Jews, remember the Battle of Khaybar (an oasis north of Medina which was inhabited by Jews who were murdered by the forces of Muhammad — ed.), the Army of Muhammad is already here”; “Oh Zionists, please be patient, there’s an Egyptian digging your grave,”; and “There is no god but Allah, Zionism is the enemy of Allah and so are the Americans”.

The protesters also demanded to “open the borders (for Jihad) to the Egyptian people.”

While the protests were far short of a “million man protest,” as was originally called for, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo. The turnout was far short of what organizers had hoped for perhaps because the Muslim Brotherhood announced its Freedom and Justice Party would not be participating in the demonstrations.

The protests came amid tensions following the deaths of three Egyptian security officers apparently shot inadvertently by IDF troops pursuing the terrorists who carried out last week’s lethal terror attack near Eilat that left eight Israelis dead.

The website of the Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported Friday that thousands of Egyptians had protested against Israel in the six different governorates.

Ignorant kook.

WINTERSET, Ia. — Two weeks away from the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, presidential candidate and Texas Rep. Ron Paul says that U.S. intervention in the Middle East is a main motivation behind terrorist hostilities toward America, and that Islam is not a threat to the nation.

At a campaign stop on Saturday in Winterset, one man asked Paul how terrorist groups would react if the U.S. removed its military presence in Middle Eastern nations, a move the candidate advocates.

“Which enemy are you worried that will attack our national security?” Paul asked.

“If you’re looking for specifics, I’m talking about Islam. Radical Islam,” the man answered.

“I don’t see Islam as our enemy,” Paul said. “I see that motivation is occupation and those who hate us and would like to kill us, they are motivated by our invasion of their land, the support of their dictators that they hate.”

Regarding 9/11, Paul said that attacks against the U.S. from Middle Eastern groups at home and abroad can be traced to the foreign presence of U.S. troops, as well as America’s relationships with dictator regimes.

Paul referred to a military base in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, as a key motivator in the Sept. 11th attacks. Osama bin Laden viewed it as an American desecration of holy land.

“After 9/11, (people said) ‘Oh yeah, it’s those very bad people who hate us,’ but 15 of (the hijackers) came from Saudi Arabia,” said Paul. “One of the reasons they attacked us, is we propped up this Sharia government and the fundamentalists hated us for it.”

Priorities.

(Fox News) — Delaware was pounded by Hurricane Irene on Saturday night, but Vice President Biden got in one last round of golf in his home state before the heavy stuff started coming down, Fox News has learned.

Biden played golf at a Wilmington-area course on Saturday morning, according to two sources familiar with his schedule.

Asked directly whether Biden played golf on Saturday, Biden’s office would not comment to Fox News.
Biden’s official schedule released Friday showed him spending down time at home in Wilmington after a 10-day official trip to Asia.

Later on Saturday with gusts of wind measuring up to 58 mph in one part of the state, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell ordered “driving restrictions” statewide, according to Delaware Online.

While driving a golf ball may not have been restricted, Markell decided to ban non-emergency driving of vehicles starting at 6 p.m. ET in Sussex County, along the coast. The same restrictions applied at 8 p.m. in Kent County and 10 p.m. in New Castle County.

Around the time that Biden was reported to be playing golf, President Obama visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington for a high-level briefing on preparations for the storm that is slamming the East Coast of the nation.

(RCP) — Countdown: AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka discusses his plan to cut back financial support for Democrats in 2012. He accuses president Obama of making a tragic mistake — by confusing a job crisis with the debt crisis and then “playing on Republican ground.”