SM1'S BLOG 4 U

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Gov. Brown Declares CA Drought Emergency...

Gov. Brown Declares CA Drought Emergency | NBC Southern California
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Governor-Brown-California-Drought-240821841.html

Friday, January 17, 2014

China encroaching on U.S. military dominance in Pacific, says top admiral... No thanks to traitorous Obama Regime surrendering US to China!

China encroaching on U.S. military dominance in Pacific, says top admiral - Washington Times
http://www.drudgereport.com/

Why Did the Benghazi Story Change? The devil made them do it!

Why Did the Benghazi Story Change?

01/17/2014

The truth about the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, is finally coming out.

An explosive intelligence report made public this week revealed that officials knew it was a terrorist attack that killed four Americans on September 11, 2012—and they knew right away. It also revealed that the lapse in security was preventable, based on intelligence the U.S. already had about the area.

These new answers are unsettling.

“Every step of the way, the White House’s response to Benghazi has been appalling,” said Heritage expert Helle Dale, who has followed the tragedy closely from the beginning.

The most shocking revelation, as Dale described it:

The country’s top military commanders clearly understood the assault on the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, was a terrorist attack from the moment the first reports came in, just 15 minutes after the assault began on September 11, 2012.

This news is shocking because the Obama Administration aggressively pushed the story that the violence was a protest against an anti-Muslim video that had simply gotten out of hand. “As a result, there was no attempted military rescue or response, and false information was peddled to the American people to shift the blame,” Dale explained.

“This testimony indicates beyond any doubt that the narrative of the Benghazi tragedy was changed within the White House. The question remains why and by whom.” Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton added insult to grave injury when she was questioned a year ago about the distinction between a protest and a terrorist attack. Her infamous response, “What difference, at this point, does it make?” showed an Administration entangled in the mess of its own making.

The difference Clinton downplayed at that time is crucial, because “the same White House that declared victory in the war against terrorism and pulled U.S. military assets out of Libya also failed miserably to take responsibility for its own miscalculation,” Dale said.

Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN) told The Foundry this week that Members of Congress were “misled”—just like the American public. “It’s just outrageous that the Administration thought they could get away with blaming the cause of Benghazi on a false story.”

The American people—beginning with the families of those who were killed—deserve to know why the Administration denied what was apparently known. Our military and intelligence personnel around the world also deserve a full accounting, because they continue to enter dangerous situations every day.

Read the Morning Bell and more en español every day at Heritage Libertad.

Quick Hits:

A new ad campaign demands Congress stop “toying” with Americans.
What is a "Christmas tree bill" and should you consider it “Washington’s weapon against conservatives”?
Even late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel noticed Obamacare isn’t going over well with young people.
HealthCare.gov somehow still isn’t ready.
Happening now: An important Supreme Court case related to free speech on abortion.

Print | Comments | Forward | Donate

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Google’s Home-Invasion... Perhaps Sanctioned by the Regime...Beware!

Posted By Mark Horne on Jan 16, 2014 | 4 Comments

After learning how Google is pairing off with the military and even the NSA, one might be tempted to turn off one’s computer and phone. But what about your thermostat?

Google has just acquired Nest for $3.2 billion. Nest had built a thermostat “that adjusts to your living patterns.” It also developed a fire alarm that links to the thermostat. Basically, observers think getting the Nest technology allows Google to learn what we are doing when we are not on the internet.

Dan Hanon writes for Wired,

It’s not just an acquisition — it’s an annexation. The kind that involves planting a flag. Because now we’re talking physical territory, which is the case as the internet inexorably and increasingly reaches into the real world. Simply put: People invited Nest into their houses. Not Google.

It was one thing when services like AdMob got acquired by Google or Flickr and Tumblr got acquired by Yahoo! It’s another thing when the companies — really, their devices and users — getting acquired are services that have a persistent physical presence in our lives. People have always thought of online places as distinct spaces, but with a sense of place comes a sense of territory, belonging, and community.

That’s why, despite Google and Nest’s statements that Nest would remain separate, Google essentially bought its way into your house — literally so if you’re a Nest user. An annexation indeed: You didn’t have a choice. You woke up and the new ruler was in town. There was no resistance. There are no good alternatives to Nest (yet). In fact, gaining users this way is the M&A equivalent of the military shock and awe tactic — rapidly dominating through billions of dollars instead of firepower; imposing will upon user communities without consent.

Hanon critiques Google with another term from the war on terror. “And nowhere in this campaign does anyone put effort into winning hearts and minds.” Do we really want them to? If our household utilities are hooked up to the same database that monitors our online activity, how will they use that information?

Still, we need to examine why Google gaining a foothold into our houses with home automation devices feels creepier than, say, Xfinity providing us with home security. Do we actually trust a cable provider more than we trust Google here — if so, how can that be? I think it’s because Google’s stated mission of organizing the world’s information is in danger of becoming significantly more creepy. Because there will always be more information to organize. It turns out that “all the information in the world” includes not only streetviews of houses but might even include our heating patterns or when we’re away from home (which, to be fair, Google already knows about because our plane tickets are in Gmail and our searches on its servers).

Given the NSA’s known strategy of working with internet companies to get information about people, it would be nice to know exactly what Google was planning to do with their new powers.

A challenge for 2014 4 U...

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:3

In many contexts, VIP means “Very Important Person.” But the acronym also offers us a character test as we begin our journey into 2014.

The V stands for VISION, for “where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18. Having a vision means seeing what can be done, what ought to be done, and how to get it done. The highest vision we can have is to glorify God by discovering God’s will for our lives—and then doing it.

The letter I stands for INTEGRITY, meaning that we are the same on the inside as we appear on the outside. There must be no discrepancy between what we say and what we do, between our walk and our talk.

The P stands for PRESENCE—God’s presence in our lives. Without God’s help we are powerless. Only in Christ do we find out who we are, why we are here, and where we are going—and only in Him do we find the power to fulfill our God-given vision.

So, with much prayer and supplication, may we be steadfast to our commitment to Christ, and be a real VIP—a person with vision, integrity and God’s presence.