Did the ALP spend enough when they were in government? Craig Thomson has some expense issues related to his time in office. Greens profit from AGW alarmism. Advocates of drowning profit from weak boat person policy.
IPA in support of free speech is the organisation championing Australian Democracy.
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Happy birthday and many happy returns to those born on this day, across the years
- 1485 – Catherine of Aragon, Spanish wife of Henry VIII of England (d. 1536)
- 1716 – Louis Jules Mancini Mazarini, French diplomat (d. 1798)
- 1775 – Jane Austen, English novelist (d. 1817)
- 1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer (d. 1827)
- 1787 – Mary Russell Mitford, English author and playwright (d. 1855)
- 1882 – Jack Hobbs, English cricketer (d. 1963)
- 1899 – Noël Coward, English actor, playwright, and composer (d. 1973)
- 1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, English-Sri Lankan author (d. 2008)
- 1928 – Philip K. Dick, American author (d. 1982)
- 1938 – Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress
- 1943 – Steven Bochco, American screenwriter and producer
- 1945 – Tony Hicks, English guitarist and singer (The Hollies)
- 1946 – Benny Andersson, Swedish singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (ABBA and Hep Stars)
- 1999 – Bryce Robinson, American actor
Matches
- 755 – An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Yanjing, initiating the An Lushan Rebellionduring the Tang Dynasty of China.
- 1497 – Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope, the point where Bartolomeu Dias had previously turned back to Portugal.
- 1773 – American Revolution: Boston Tea Party – Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
- 1838 – Great Trek: Battle of Blood River – Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius and Sarel Cilliers defeat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- 1850 – The Charlotte Jane and the Randolph bring the first of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton, New Zealand.
- 1937 – Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe attempt to escape from the American federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay; neither is ever seen again.
- 1942 – The Holocaust: Heinrich Himmler orders that Roma candidates for extermination be deported to Auschwitz.
- 1950 – Korean War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman declares a state of emergency, after Chinese troops enter the fight in support ofcommunist North Korea.
- 1965 – Vietnam War: General William Westmoreland sends U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara a request for 243,000 more men by the end of 1966.
- 1968 – Second Vatican Council: Official revocation of the Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain.
- 1985 – Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumes leadership of New York's Gambino crime family
- 1997 – A Japanese airing of the "Dennō Senshi Porygon" episode of Pokémon induces seizures in 685 viewers.
Despatches
- 401 – Pope Anastasius I
- 1859 – Wilhelm Grimm, German folklorist and author (b. 1786)
- 1944 – Betsie ten Boom, Dutch Holocaust victim (b. 1885)
- 1965 – W. Somerset Maugham, British author, playwright and spy (b. 1874)
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ALTONA MOVES
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (4:44pm)
According to the ABC:
Julia Gillard’s inner Melbourne home sells for $921,000 at auction
Looks like a job for the fact checkers.
UPDATE. Further on Gillard and her Twitter-lovin’ media advisor:
Thousands of emails leaked to the ABC show Julia Gillard’s chief media adviser John McTernan used a “Twitter army” to attack Coalition figures, promoting the Labor-generated attacks to journalists as evidence of broader public opinion …The emails also show government staffers co-producing a meme about deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop to “push on Twitter”.
Bishop increased her vote at the last election. It’s another triumph for McTernan, who evidently was part of a Labor fakery operation:
In one email a Government staffer revealed it was in contact with and pushed messages through an account parodying the Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne called @FakePyne.When Mr Abbott told his party room Ms Gillard would be a tough opponent because she “won’t lie down and die”, Mr McTernan asked staff “can the tweet army who hounded Grahame Morris [a right wing lobbyist] take this one on?” …When Fairfax journalist Jonathan Swan published an article reporting the Coalition’s pledge to deliver “cheaper” broadband, Mr McTernan wrote to his press secretaries “Can someone: A. Speak to him B. Smash him C. Direct him to twitter mockery D. Smash him.”
Swan still has his job.
FEAR THE NATIONAL ROADS AND MOTORISTS’ ASSOCIATION
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (5:26am)
Sure, their roadside assistance deals could be a little more flexible, but this still seems to be an overreaction:
BROTHERS IN FRAUD
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (5:17am)
A ridiculous and unqualified faker took to the stage last week during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service. And next to Barack Obama was some guy who hasn’t quite mastered sign language.
Thamsanqa Jantjie’s erratic performance provoked international ridicule, but all he really did was turn the failed president’s words into a disappointing jumble of incomprehensible nonsense. As is now apparent, Obama is quite capable of achieving this by himself.
Thamsanqa Jantjie’s erratic performance provoked international ridicule, but all he really did was turn the failed president’s words into a disappointing jumble of incomprehensible nonsense. As is now apparent, Obama is quite capable of achieving this by himself.
Continue reading 'BROTHERS IN FRAUD'EXCEPTIONAL FIGURES
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (3:40am)
Online polls are unreliable. Well, let’s put that more clearly: online polls are the least reliable things on earth besides North Korea’s state-run media.
Continue reading 'EXCEPTIONAL FIGURES'ABOVE AVERAGE JOE
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (3:36am)
I know too much about Joe Hildebrand, but there is still a great deal to surprise and delight even the experienced Hildebrand observer in his wonderful new book.
It isn’t entirely Joe in goofy mode, which would be fine in any case. Chapters on his younger brother Patrick are achingly well written and extremely moving. Joe hasn’t seen his sweet little brother since 1987. Tragically, nobody has.
CARBON PROMISE
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (3:14am)
Queensland PhD student Jeremy Webb – who believes we’ve reached “the advent of peak car” – considers recent events:
With the demise of Holden – and in all probability now of the whole Australian car industry – it’s timely to look now at the future of the car itself.
Hey, why not? And while we’re at it, with the dismissal of Stuart Broad in the Third Test it’s timely to look now at the future of all ball sports. Holden sells around 120,000 cars in Australia every year, which is only 0.16 per cent of the global total. Jeremy continues:
A final nail in the car’s coffin promises to be carbon emissions.
Go tell it to China, friend, where automotive production has increased from two million cars in 2000 to nearly 20 million cars so far this year, with a whole lot of peak still to come. While we’re on the topic, take a look at Britain’s carbon tycoons.
(Via Waxing Gibberish)
THEIR LOSS
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (3:06am)
Ex-Fairfax radio guy Jason Morrison is now writing excellent columns for the Daily Telegraph.
MUSLIM PATROL
Tim Blair – Monday, December 16, 2013 (2:33am)
Happy hour in the UK:
Dozens of Muslim protestors gathered to demand that businesses stop selling alcohol in a popular East London area yesterday.The group, led by former Al-Muhajiroun leader Anjem Choudary, warned restaurants and shops in the Brick Lane area that they face 40 lashes if they continue to sell the product, which is banned under Sharia Law.
They look like they could use a drink.
Choudary … also defended three ‘fantastic’ men who were jailed last week for attacking drinkers while on a ‘Muslim patrol’.He was referring to an incident in which Jordan Horner and another Islamic extremist told a couple they could not hold hands while walking down the street, because it was in a ‘Muslim area’.
I’m guessing gay marriage isn’t high on the agenda.
How to con the Canberra gallery the Labor way. Tell them a mate’s tweet is “public opinion”
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (5:00pm)
Today the ABC “exposes” what every press gallery journalist should have known at the time - that John McTernan, Julia Gillard’s communications director, was using Twitter to con them:
Remember how the media let McTernan talk them into hailing Julia Gillard’s infamous misogyny speech - deceitful, unfair, divisive and a diversion - into a brilliant success after he and his staff referred them to praise on the web? Take Laurie Oakes:
===Similarly, when the Coalition released its broadband policy in April earlier this year, Labor pointed to the hashtag #fraudband used by online critics to ridicule the watered down version of the National Broadband Network.The ABC fell for McTernan’s spin because too many Leftist journalists are only too eager to have their prejudices confirmed, and too many even now mistake the Left-leaning twitterverse for public opinion. The World Today fell for McTernan’s fraudband strategy:
Mr McTernan emailed his staff asking for regular samples of “Twitter coverage” of the Coalition’s policy, beginning with the left-leaning user @geeksrulz as it would be “good to point [the] gallery at?".”
And instead of the government’s plan to bring fibre optic cable into each and every home, they’d deliver it by using existing copper phone wires.How often did this happen?
Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s the latter point that’s attracted the most attention, particularly on social media. Twitter users have created a special hashtag for the occasion, they’re calling it: “fraudband”.
Here are some of their thoughts.
TWEET 1: Hey Tony and Malcolm, 1980 called and they want their modem back.
TWEET 2: I actually felt sorry for Malcolm Turnbull today, imagine having to spruik that with a straight face.
TWEET 3: Coalition has lost my vote this election, their new internet plans are out of touch and so last century.
Remember how the media let McTernan talk them into hailing Julia Gillard’s infamous misogyny speech - deceitful, unfair, divisive and a diversion - into a brilliant success after he and his staff referred them to praise on the web? Take Laurie Oakes:
ON Wednesday night, the Prime Minister’s communications director, John McTernan, was with a group of Labor staffers in a Canberra bar.In fact, very senior journalists were even impressed by praise overseas for Gillard’s speech written by a McTernan mate he’d been talking to:
Realising who they were from their conversation, the 19-year-old barmaid commented that “Julia Gillard’s done well in Parliament this week”.
“Were you watching Question Time?” McTernan asked. “No,” the young woman said, “I’ve been reading jezebel.com.”
Jezebel is a popular American website for women that lauded Gillard as “one badass motherf ... er” after what it called her “epic speech on sexism”....
... it was clear within days the PM’s gender-based declaration of war had made quite an impact with many Australian women.
The way it went viral via the internet was a significant factor in ensuring it registered as a powerful moment.
Women’s Weekly was convinced Julia Gillard’s furious speech last week “has the whole world talking”. It was particularly struck by praise from one source:.
[It ] was even praised by conservative British magazine The Spectator.How important those few paragraphs in a Spectator blog proved to be in persuading journalists that everyone from American feminists to British conservatives were cheering Gillard.
“No matter what you think of her politics, there’s much to admire in the manner in which Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister, sets about Tony Abbott, the Leader of the Opposition,” columnist Alex Massie wrote.
Michelle Grattan:
On The Spectator blogs, Alex Massie directed readers to the video of Tuesday’s House of Representatives, writing: ‘’Anyone who admires the cut and thrust of parliamentary theatre and debate will enjoy these 15 minutes. Mr Abbott does not look best amused. But then he’s just been carved to pieces, so he wouldn’t would he?’’Jacqueline Maley:
Gillard’s thunder clap of lady-rage echoed east to west across the interwebs, from the tweedy corner of the conservative British magazine The Spectator, to the hip US femmo website Jezebel (who anointed Gillard a ‘’badass motherf---ker’’).Same with Stephanie Gardiner at The Age, who went on to quote Massie at length:
Under the headline ‘’More than just a man’s bitch’’, in reference to part of Ms Gillard’s speech, the website for the British conservative magazine The Spectator also lauded the Prime Minister.Reality check. So how did Massie come to take interest in Gillard’s speech? Did someone alert him? Why was he disposed to like it and to write about it? Who then alerted journalists here to Massie’s praise?
Well, one clue may lie in the fact Massie is actually friends with fellow Scot John McTernan, Julia Gillard’s chief media adviser:
How did Labor dare do this to us? How greedy were voters not to cry “enough”?
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (7:14am)
Labor should be in the dock for recklessly spending us into such dangerous debt:
UPDATE
Paul Sheehan:
===FEDERAL budget deficits for the next four years are set to double to more than $100 billion in a drastic revision to the nation’s outlook, as Tony Abbott vows to embark on a “repair job” to cut spending…Add the astonishing blowout in the NBN and it shames us that we for so long tolerated a government which spent so much on so little to such disadvantage.
Federal cabinet will meet in Sydney today to sign off on dire new forecasts that will show a deficit of about $50bn this financial year and $30bn the next, sharpening the political debate over the cuts needed to balance the budget.
UPDATE
Paul Sheehan:
At 12.30 on Tuesday, Hockey, who has also been the stand-out thespian of the new federal parliament, will unveil the real horror, dysfunction and narcissism of Kevin Rudd’s contribution to Australian political history, disably assisted by Julia Gillard. Hockey will release the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook, known in the trade as MYEFO, which will show a budget deficit much worse than Labor led us to believe, probably close to $50 billion, debt obligations much higher than Labor led us to believe, and unfunded liabilities that are so irresponsibly crushing the government will have to walk away from many of them. The most monumental folly is the National Broadband Network, whose economic rationale was worked out on a piece of paper by Rudd. The scheme subsequently created by former communications minister Stephen Conroy would cost more than $70 billion and never recover its cost of capital. The Abbott government will have to start again.
Craig Thomson claims again. And again
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (5:15am)
Astonishing. Craig Thomson, already facing court over the alleged abuse of expenses, charged taxpayers almost $14,000 in expenses for him and his family around the time of a Bali family holiday, as well as for business class travel to Melbourne on the day of a court hearing.
His excuses lack a little something.
===His excuses lack a little something.
Green profits of doom
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (4:52am)
Britain’s Mail on Sunday on the great green gravy train:
===A three-month investigation shows that some of the most outspoken campaigners who demand that consumers pay the colossal price of shifting to renewable energy are also getting rich from their efforts…
Four of the nine-person Climate Change Committee, the official watchdog that dictates green energy policy, are, or were until very recently, being paid by firms that benefit from committee decisions.
A new breed of lucrative green investment funds, which were set up to expand windfarm energy, are in practice a means of taking green levies paid by hard-pressed consumers and handing them to City investors and financiers.
Cut in boat arrivals, Age says nothing. Cut in boat activists, Age says plenty
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (4:41am)
The Abbott Government cuts the number of boat people arriving last week to just three.
The Age does not report this.
The Abbott Government cuts the number of psychologists, psychiatrists and activists on one of its advisory committees on boat people to just one.
The Age is in a fury.
Note also in The Age report a blurring of the distinction between government advisers and people who actually treat those in detention.
===The Age does not report this.
The Abbott Government cuts the number of psychologists, psychiatrists and activists on one of its advisory committees on boat people to just one.
The Age is in a fury.
Note also in The Age report a blurring of the distinction between government advisers and people who actually treat those in detention.
Not immigration but colonisation
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (4:31am)
Some forms of immigration to the West now look like colonisation instead:
Protesting against such colonisation, however, is still the height of bad manners, as Clarrisa Dickson Wright found last year:
===Dozens of Muslim protestors gathered to demand that businesses stop selling alcohol in a popular East London area yesterday.
The group, led by former Al-Muhajiroun leader Anjem Choudary, warned restaurants and shops in the Brick Lane area that they face 40 lashes if they continue to sell the product, which is banned under Sharia Law…
Choudary … also defended three ‘fantastic’ men who were jailed last week for attacking drinkers while on a ‘Muslim patrol’.
He was referring to an incident in which Jordan Horner and another Islamic extremist told a couple they could not hold hands while walking down the street, because it was in a ‘Muslim area’.
Protesting against such colonisation, however, is still the height of bad manners, as Clarrisa Dickson Wright found last year:
The television chef has caused outrage by saying that her visit to a Muslim area of Leicester was “the most frightening experience of my life”, and claiming that it left her feeling like a “pariah” in her own country.
Dickson Wright, 65, who reached fame as one half of the Two Fat Ladies, said visiting the city made her feel like a “complete outcast” and she described the area as a “ghetto”.
Yudhoyono wants an even stronger bond
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (4:22am)
Some high quality massaging from the Abbott Government must have gone on:
Let’s see Labor’s media mates spin that.
===INDONESIAN President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is determined to restore his country’s relationship with Australia, telling The Australian he hopes it will be better than ever by the time he leaves office next year.Labor spied. Abbott repaired.
Dr Yudhoyono’s comments are the most positive statement he has made about the relationship since it emerged last month that in 2009 Australian agencies spied on Indonesian targets, including the President, his wife and senior advisers…
On Saturday, The Weekend Australian revealed that DSD, which has since been renamed the Australian Signals Directorate, targeted her because she had become the President’s most important adviser, was assuming an important role in government decisions and was playing a broader role in Indonesian politics…
Dr Yudhoyono instructed [Indonesian ambassador to the US Dino] Djalal to ring me to convey the President’s personal reaction to the stories…
Dr Yudhoyono also pointed out that ... the dispute over the spying story had hurt him personally. The President said he was determined to repair the relationship and would work towards a solution. This needs to happen through the steps the two nations had agreed on. It also needed to happen in a way that satisfied his domestic needs.
Let’s see Labor’s media mates spin that.
ABC poll-axed
Andrew Bolt December 16 2013 (4:02am)
ABC host Barrie Cassidy draws comfort from an on-line poll by a Leftist publication:
===A recent online poll on ABC funding in the Fairfax media drew 21,145 respondents. Of that, 72 per cent agreed the ABC was an excellent and essential service that deserved more money.Tim Blair draws a lesson from an on-line poll by a News Corp publication:
To test Cassidy’s call, over the weekend I ran a poll at my own Daily Telegraph site, simply asking what should be done to the ABC. It quickly drew more than 22,000 responses. Of those, only 3.1 per cent agreed that the ABC deserved a funding increase.
Another 96.9 per cent preferred these options:
Slash funding; privatise it; mass fraud trials for ABC management and staff; compulsory salary repayments from all ABC staff; sell all ABC properties, equipment and presenters on eBay; Bataan-style ABC march from Melbourne to Darwin; relocate ABC headquarters in Pyongyang; and nationalise private assets of ABC staff.
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In Lawrence of Arabia, he hold his hand in a flame, as a child watches. "How do you do it?" asks the child, "How do you not feel the pain?" He replies "The trick isn't to not feel the pain. The trick is to not care" - ed
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Larry Pickering
IS ABBOTT PLAYING DUCKS AND DRAKES?
I made a call to my Constitutional lawyer golfing friend: “Hi mate. Can an elected Government make an executive decision regarding bringing forward or delaying a tax, legislated for by a previous Government, without introducing new legislation? Because the Labor Government did exactly that in respect to Company tax. What do ya reckon?”
“Well, Larry", he said, “the ATO is not interested in the minutiae of tax legislation, only what is due. It depends on what the legislation actually says, but I would be surprised if it had not allowed for timeous variations in collection. The ALP would want the ability to make tax ‘provisional’ or be collected in advance.”
“Thanks mate, we’ll organise a game in January, ok?”
So I checked with Greg Hunt, Minister for Environment: "The first payment for carbon tax liabilities incurred during 2014-15 is due on 15 June 2015 with final payment due 1 February 2016.
"However, as the existing legislation will be abolished effective 1 July 2014, there will be no further liabilities beyond the current financial year. Hope that helps, Larry”, he replied
Hmmm, interesting.
So, it seems the new “tuff” Tony, the one who this morning suggested the Indonesians should wake up to themselves and not act illegally, could have set a trap for Labor’s Left.
There seems no impediment to Abbott simply ordering the ATO that the collection of all carbon and mining taxes be placed in abeyance until July 1, 2014. Then simply abolish it! But he cannot negate the tax without Senate concurrence.
Abbott also said he was determined to have the Carbon tax repeal Bill “done and dusted” before the new year. Now why would he say that, knowing the Senate had already rejected it?
Was he purposefully allowing Labor to first reject the Bill in the Senate thereby forcing them to take full ownership of it forever?
Would Labor now be on record as having defied the mandate given an elected Government? This would surely make for political advantage in elections yet to come.
Is Hockey drawing a line under Labor’s disasters at tomorrow’s MYEFO announcement, leaving both disastrous taxes, and Labor's refusal to allow the repeal legislation, in their deficit bin and indelibly imprinted on Shorten’s forehead?
If that’s the game, it’s a clever one, and something Shorten could never be expected to see through.
I detect a certain confidence in Abbott's delivery!
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[exclusive]
THE GREENS INFILTRATE NAURU’S SALVOS... while Honiara becomes the new processing centre
The Government has secretly called for tenders to build a new offshore processing centre in another recipient of substantial Aussie aid, The Solomons, according to an informant.
A senior Government official stationed on Nauru has described the current state of affairs as alarming, and in some cases almost comical, with costs running completely out of control.
“There are no port facilities here, we have to use barges and the only crane keeps breaking down”, he said
Daily 737 flights carrying supplies between Brisbane and Nauru are costing $114,000 each and often they transport as few as 3 or 4 people for specialist care.
“People don’t realise that Nauru is half way to the US (I presume he means Hawaii) and the larger C17s are burning up $400,000 a week in fuel”, said the official.
“The Salvation Army has been infiltrated by pink-haired, tattooed people with rings hanging from every orifice and boy, are they are causing havoc”, said the informant.
“The transferees are getting their clothing via the Salvos who in turn get it from Aussie collection bins. Thing is that they refuse to wear anything other than big brand name stuff like Dolce, Levi, Nike, Adidas etc.
“So the Pink Salvos are picking out the best stuff and giving it to the boaties while needy Aussies back home are getting left with crap”, he said.
“Iranians and Afghanis, who are banned from having cigarettes since they burnt the place down, are dealing in contraband and, assisted by the Pink Salvos, are now getting all the smokes they want from down town.”
The official described the tolerated sexual behaviour of the all-male Iranians as disgusting and they have now been isolated in No. 2 Centre for health reasons.
“The Tamils are the best behaved and mostly follow Hinduism which does not allow masturbation, so it was arranged that they form circles on the floor and masturbate each other. Apparently that's permissible”, he said.
“The Pink Salvos also supplied inmates with hundreds of jars of Vegemite saying the vitamin B component would act as a repellent to the mosquitoes.
“Unfortunately none of them liked the taste so they smeared it over every part of their bodies. All you could see was their teeth.
"It then attracted every creepy crawly on the island and the whole camp had to be fumigated the next day.”
But the official had high praise for Minister Morrison, “At least he has been up front with us as to where this is all going”, he said.
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Warren Truss
Today marks 100 days since the election of the Abbott Truss Coalition Government.
Australian's made a clear and distinct choice on 7th September, 2013. We are getting on with the job of cleaning up Labor's mess, delivering on our election commitments and implementing our plan.
Read more on the first 100 days:
http://bit.ly/1cKMwyV
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Israel Defense Forces
Today we grieve with the family of Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31 years old, from Afula. Master Sgt. Cohen was killed last night when a Lebanese Armed Forces sniper shot at him as he was travelling in his vehicle near an IDF post on the Lebanese border. May his memory be blessed.
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Will exercise a potty mouth for food .. ed
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I loved the film on its merit. That scene where he approaches a police officer covering up a rape, and says to him "I am going to kick you in the face with this foot, and here is nothing you can do about it" and does precisely that. I disliked the film for its' politics .. it inflates something that never happened .. serving a purpose before an election .. ed
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www.news.com.au
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I want to thank you for putting your life on the line for all of us every day. I know that being a rapper is tough work. I have tried to rap, and it is very difficult to keep up with the pulse of the rhyme flow … although when Ice Ice Baby comes on the radio, I can usually keep up with ol' Vanilla. Anywho, your job is just some very dangerous work. Most people don't consider ... if you rap really fast, without a chance to inhale, you could pass out and hit your head.
That last paragraph was covered in sarcasm. I'm letting you know, just so you do not think I agree with your very ignorant assessment of your career (or any other performer) as it relates to a person in the military or a police officer's service. You sir, are as misguided as they come. I do have a suggestion for you. Since you are accustomed to danger, from your life as an international rapper, I am strongly encouraging you immediately abandon you career as a super star and join the military. After joining, I would like you to volunteer to be deployed in Afghanistan or one of the numerous other forward locations where our men an women are currently serving. When the Taliban starts shooting at you, perhaps you could stand up and let the words flow. It could be something like "I'm Kanye West, wearing a flak vest." I'm sure they would just drop weapons and surrender. You could quite possibly end all wars, just from the enemy being starstruck.
Your line of thinking is part of the problem in the world today …. which include entertainers thinking they are something more than just entertainers. I know it is supply and demand and the demand for your services is high. I get economics. What I do not get is you EVER comparing what you do for a living to our heroic military members, who are always in harm's way … and my brother and sister police officers who have to go to work carrying weapons and wearing a bulletproof vest to protect themselves.
Check yourself, before you wreck yourself …. Chief Oliver.>
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www.news.com.au
My friends tell me that NZ even employs people to remove rubbish from camp sites .. in Australia it becomes part of nature .. ed===
www.news.com.au
from a golden age of silver screen - ed===
Not Islamic, but Islamic terrorism .. - ed
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A weak US President is a threat to world peace. Even if the fool likes to bomb people. - ed
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It is unwise for Islamic authorities not to separate themselves from terrorism. It is bad for Islamic peoples who are innocent. - ed
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Post by Diamond Imports.
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From the album: Timeline Photos
By Chloé Simone Valdary
Time to TURN UP! You asked for it, you got it! Here Is Ari Lesser's all new song, ISRAEL APARTHEID!
Be sure to LIKE and SHARE on FB and YT! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOZv3SIHOnM&feature=youtu.be
#makeitviral
===Be sure to LIKE and SHARE on FB and YT! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOZv3SIHOnM&feature=youtu.be
#makeitviral
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As you may have heard, over the past few days Israel has been hit with a massive winter storm, the most severe in 150 years. While heavy snowfall has turned much of Israel into a winter wonderland, heavy flooding, freezing temperatures and icy road conditions have paralyzed many of Israel's population centers. Due to the frigid weather, there has been a sharp increase in requests for warm winter clothing for IDF soldiers on military bases throughout Israel. While the IDF provides all military gear, winter items such as extra-warm coats, hats, gloves and thermals are not supplied. Unfortunately, many needy families as well as lone soldiers are not able to provide these essential items. But here's how you can help... You can send a winter care package along with a personal note of support to Israeli soldiers all over the country. The IDF 'Warm Winter' campaign is ongoing and there is no better time than now to participate. Click here to send your gift --> https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers/?c=e4a We feel privileged to thank the brave young men and women of the IDF who risk their lives every day to protect and defend the People of Israel. As we saw first-hand at this year's Chanukah party on the Shechem military base, the soldiers are truly touched by your concern. It means so much to them! Now is the time to express appreciation with much-needed winter care packages. The soldiers thank you very much for your kindness and generosity. Send your Warm Winter Gift and personal note: https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers/?c=e4b With Blessings from Israel, The 'United with Israel' Family . Soldiers' gifts can be mailed to a US address: United with Israel PO Box 151 Lawrence, NY 11559 United States Soldiers' gifts can be mailed directly to Israel: United with Israel 8/19 Nachal Maor St. Box 71530 Bet Shemesh 99623 ISRAEL Click below to send your gift using our online system https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers/?c=e4c===
 
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Events[edit]
- 755 – An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Yanjing, initiating the An Lushan Rebellionduring the Tang Dynasty of China.
- 1431 – Hundred Years' War: Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at Notre Dame in Paris.
- 1497 – Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope, the point where Bartolomeu Dias had previously turned back to Portugal.
- 1575 – An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 8.5 strikes Valdivia, Chile.
- 1598 – Second War of Jeong-yu: Battle of Noryang – Chinese General Chen Lin heavily damages the Japanese fleet; however, the Japanese army succeeds in retreating.
- 1653 – English Interregnum: The Protectorate – Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of theCommonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.
- 1689 – Convention Parliament: The Declaration of Right is embodied in the Bill of Rights.
- 1707 – Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan.
- 1761 – Seven Years' War: After a four-month siege, the Russians under Pyotr Rumyantsev take thePrussian fortress of Kołobrzeg.
- 1773 – American Revolution: Boston Tea Party – Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
- 1811 – The first two in a series of four severe earthquakes occur in the vicinity of New Madrid, Missouri.
- 1826 – Benjamin W. Edwards rides into Mexican-controlled Nacogdoches, Texas, and declares himself ruler of the Republic of Fredonia.
- 1838 – Great Trek: Battle of Blood River – Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius and Sarel Cilliers defeat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- 1850 – The Charlotte Jane and the Randolph bring the first of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton, New Zealand.
- 1863 – American Civil War: Joseph E. Johnston replaces Braxton Bragg as commander of the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
- 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Nashville – Major General George Thomas's Union forces defeat Lieutenant General John Bell Hood'sConfederate Army of Tennessee.
- 1903 – Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel in Bombay first opens its doors to the guests.
- 1907 – The American Great White Fleet begins its circumnavigation of the world.
- 1912 – First Balkan War: The Royal Hellenic Navy defeats the Ottoman Navy at the Battle of Elli.
- 1914 – World War I: German battleships under Franz von Hipper bombard the English ports of Hartlepool and Scarborough.
- 1918 – Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas declares the formation of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.
- 1920 – The Haiyuan earthquake, magnitude 8.5, rocks the Gansu province in China, killing an estimated 200,000.
- 1922 – President of Poland Gabriel Narutowicz is assassinated by Eligiusz Niewiadomski at the Zachęta Gallery in Warsaw.
- 1930 – Bank robber Herman Lamm and members of his crew are killed by a 200-strong posse, following a botched bank robbery in Clinton, Indiana.
- 1937 – Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe attempt to escape from the American federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay; neither is ever seen again.
- 1938 – Adolf Hitler institutes the Cross of Honor of the German Mother.
- 1941 – World War II: Japanese forces occupy Miri, Sarawak.
- 1942 – The Holocaust: Heinrich Himmler orders that Roma candidates for extermination be deported to Auschwitz.
- 1944 – World War II: The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest.
- 1946 – Thailand joins the United Nations.
- 1947 – William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain build the first practical point-contact transistor.
- 1950 – Korean War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman declares a state of emergency, after Chinese troops enter the fight in support ofcommunist North Korea.
- 1957 – Sir Feroz Khan Noon replaces Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
- 1960 – 1960 New York air disaster: While approaching New York's Idlewild Airport, a United Airlines Douglas DC-8 collides with a TWALockheed Super Constellation in a blinding snowstorm over Staten Island, killing 134.
- 1965 – Vietnam War: General William Westmoreland sends U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara a request for 243,000 more men by the end of 1966.
- 1968 – Second Vatican Council: Official revocation of the Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain.
- 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The surrender of the Pakistan Army brings an end to both conflicts. (This is commemorated annually as Victory Day in Bangladesh, and as Vijay Diwas in India.)
- 1971 – Britain recognizes Bahrain's independence. (This is commemorated annually as Bahrain's National Day.)
- 1978 – Cleveland, Ohio, becomes the first major American city to default on its financial obligations since the Great Depression.
- 1979 – Libya joins four other OPEC nations in raising crude oil prices, which has an immediate, dramatic effect on the United States.
- 1985 – Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumes leadership of New York's Gambino crime family
- 1986 – Gennady Kolbin replaces Dinmukhamed Konayev as First Secretary of the Kazakh Communist Party, prompting the Jeltoqsanprotests which began the next day.
- 1989 – Romanian Revolution: Protests break out in Timișoara, Romania, in response to an attempt by the government to evict dissidentHungarian pastor László Tőkés.
- 1989 – U.S. Appeals Court Judge Robert Smith Vance is assassinated by a mail bomb sent by Walter Leroy Moody, Jr.
- 1991 – Kazakhstan gains its independence from the Soviet Union.
- 1997 – A Japanese airing of the "Dennō Senshi Porygon" episode of Pokémon induces seizures in 685 viewers.
- 1998 – Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox – The United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq.
- 2012 – 2012 Delhi gang rape: A 23-year-old woman is viciously gang raped on a bus in Delhi, India, sparking an international outcry.
Births[edit]
- 1485 – Catherine of Aragon, Spanish wife of Henry VIII of England (d. 1536)
- 1584 – John Selden, English jurist and scholar (d. 1654)
- 1614 – Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg (d. 1674)
- 1716 – Louis Jules Mancini Mazarini, French diplomat (d. 1798)
- 1717 – Elizabeth Carter, English poet (d. 1806)
- 1742 – Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, German field marshal (d. 1819)
- 1775 – Jane Austen, English novelist (d. 1817)
- 1775 – François-Adrien Boieldieu, French composer (d. 1834)
- 1776 – Johann Wilhelm Ritter, German physicist (d. 1810)
- 1778 – John Ordronaux, French-American privateer (d. 1841)
- 1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer (d. 1827)
- 1787 – Mary Russell Mitford, English author and playwright (d. 1855)
- 1790 – Leopold I of Belgium (d. 1865)
- 1804 – Viktor Bunyakovsky, Russian mathematician (d. 1889)
- 1834 – Léon Walras, French economist (d. 1910)
- 1836 – Ernst von Bergmann, German surgeon (d. 1907)
- 1861 – Antonio de La Gandara, French painter (d. 1917)
- 1863 – George Santayana, Spanish philosopher and author (d. 1952)
- 1865 – Olavo Bilac, Brazilian poet (d. 1918)
- 1866 – Wassily Kandinsky, Russian-French painter (d. 1944)
- 1867 – Amy Carmichael, Irish missionary (d. 1951)
- 1869 – Hristo Tatarchev, Bulgarian revolutionary and author, co-founded the Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committee (d. 1952)
- 1872 – Anton Ivanovich Denikin, Russian general (d. 1947)
- 1882 – Jack Hobbs, English cricketer (d. 1963)
- 1882 – Zoltán Kodály, Hungarian composer (d. 1967)
- 1882 – Walther Meissner, German physicist (d. 1974)
- 1883 – Károly Kós, Hungarian-Romanian architect, ethnologist, and politician (d. 1977)
- 1883 – Max Linder, French actor, director, screenwriter, and producer (d. 1925)
- 1884 – Seibo Kitamura, Japanese sculptor (d. 1987)
- 1895 – Marie Hall Ets, American children's writer and illustrator (d. 1984)
- 1888 – Alexander I of Yugoslavia (d. 1934)
- 1888 – Alphonse Juin, French marshal (d. 1967)
- 1889 – Kim Chwa-chin, Korean guerrilla leader (d. 1930)
- 1899 – Noël Coward, English actor, playwright, and composer (d. 1973)
- 1900 – V. S. Pritchett, English author and critic (d. 1997)
- 1901 – Margaret Mead, American anthropologist (d. 1978)
- 1902 – Rafael Alberti, Spanish poet (d. 1999)
- 1903 – Hardie Albright, American actor (d. 1975)
- 1905 – Piet Hein, Danish mathematician, author, and poet (d. 1996)
- 1907 – Barbara Kent, Canadian-American actress (d. 2011)
- 1913 – George Ignatieff, Russian-Canadian diplomat (d. 1989)
- 1913 – Salik Lucknawi, Indian journalist and poet (d. 2013)
- 1915 – Turk Murphy, American trombonist and singer (d. 1987)
- 1916 – Birgitta Valberg, Swedish actress
- 1917 – Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, Pakistani author and scholar (d. 2011)
- 1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, English-Sri Lankan author (d. 2008)
- 1917 – Ruth Johnson Colvin, American educator, founded ProLiteracy Worldwide
- 1918 – Pierre Delanoë, French songwriter (d. 2006)
- 1918 – Vida Hope, English film actress (d. 1963)
- 1920 – Frederick Rotimi Williams, Nigerian lawyer and politician (d. 2005)
- 1922 – Cy Leslie, American record producer, founded Pickwick Records (d. 2008)
- 1923 – Menahem Pressler, German-American pianist (Beaux Arts Trio)
- 1924 – Nicolas Sidjakov, Latvian-American artist and illustrator
- 1926 – James McCracken, American tenor (d. 1988)
- 1927 – Randall Garrett, American author (d. 1987)
- 1928 – Terry Carter, American actor, director, and producer
- 1928 – Philip K. Dick, American author (d. 1982)
- 1929 – Nicholas Courtney, English actor (d. 2011)
- 1930 – Bill Brittain, American author (d. 2011)
- 1930 – Sam Most, American flute player and saxophonist (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Karl Denver, Scottish singer (d. 1998)
- 1932 – Rodion Shchedrin, Russian pianist and composer
- 1932 – Quentin Blake, English author and illustrator
- 1934 – Rodolfo Llinás, Colombian-American neuroscientist
- 1936 – Morris Dees, American lawyer and civil rights activist, co-founded the Southern Poverty Law Center
- 1937 – Joyce Bulifant, American actress
- 1938 – Frank Deford, American sportswriter and novelist
- 1938 – Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress
- 1939 – Philip Langridge, English tenor (d. 2010)
- 1941 – Robert Kerman, American actor
- 1941 – Lesley Stahl, American journalist
- 1942 – Donald Carcieri, American politician, 73rd Governor of Rhode Island
- 1942 – Eugene Robert Glazer, American actor
- 1943 – Steven Bochco, American screenwriter and producer
- 1944 – Jeff Kanew, American director and screenwriter
- 1944 – Don Meyer, American basketball coach
- 1945 – Patti Deutsch, American actress
- 1945 – Bobby George, English darts player
- 1945 – Yukio Hattori, Japanese television host
- 1945 – Tony Hicks, English guitarist and singer (The Hollies)
- 1946 – Benny Andersson, Swedish singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (ABBA and Hep Stars)
- 1946 – Charles Dennis, Canadian actor
- 1946 – Christopher Ellison, English actor
- 1946 – Terence Knox, American actor
- 1946 – Trevor Pinnock, English conductor and harpsichordist
- 1946 – Tom Stern, American cinematographer
- 1947 – Ben Cross, English actor
- 1947 – Vincent Matthews, American sprinter
- 1948 – Christopher Biggins, English actor
- 1949 – Billy Gibbons, American musician, songwriter, and actor (ZZ Top and Moving Sidewalks)
- 1950 – Claudia Cohen, American journalist (d. 2007)
- 1950 – Roy Schuiten, Dutch cyclist (d. 2006)
- 1951 – Mike Flanagan, American baseball player (d. 2011)
- 1951 – Robben Ford, American guitarist and songwriter (L.A. Express and Yellowjackets)
- 1951 – Mark Heard, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 1992)
- 1952 – Joel Garner, Barbadian cricketer
- 1952 – Francesco Graziani, Italian footballer
- 1953 – Rebecca Forstadt, American voice actress and scriptwriter
- 1955 – Xander Berkeley, American actor
- 1955 – Carol Browner, American lawyer and environmentalist, 8th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
- 1955 – Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
- 1956 – E. B. Lewis, American illustrator
- 1957 – Antonio Vega, Spanish singer-songwriter and guitarist (Nacha Pop) (d. 2009)
- 1958 – Katie Leigh, American voice actress
- 1958 – Bart Oates, American football player
- 1959 – Alison LaPlaca, American actress
- 1959 – Steve Mattsson, American writer and illustrator
- 1959 – Larry Poindexter, American actor and singer
- 1960 – Pat Van Den Hauwe, Belgian footballer
- 1961 – LaChanze, American actress, singer, and dancer
- 1961 – André Andersen, Russian-Danish keyboard player, composer, and producer (Royal Hunt)
- 1961 – Shane Black, American actor, screenwriter, and director
- 1961 – Bill Hicks, American comedian (d. 1994)
- 1961 – Gretchen Palmer, American actress
- 1961 – Sam Robards, American actor
- 1961 – Jon Tenney, American actor
- 1962 – Maruschka Detmers, Dutch actress
- 1962 – William Perry, American football player
- 1962 – Melanie Smith, American actress
- 1963 – Benjamin Bratt, American actor
- 1963 – Jeff Carson, American singer
- 1963 – James Mangold, American director and screenwriter
- 1964 – Heike Drechsler, German sprinter
- 1964 – Gail Harris, English actress
- 1964 – Georgie Parker, Australian actress
- 1964 – Billy Ripken, American baseball player
- 1964 – Paul Vogt, American actor and comedian
- 1964 – Todd Glass, American comedian
- 1965 – Chris Jones, American baseball player
- 1965 – Melanie Sloan, American lawyer, founding director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
- 1965 – Nancy Valen, American actress
- 1966 – Clifford R. Robinson, American basketball player
- 1966 – Dennis Wise, English footballer
- 1967 – Donovan Bailey, Canadian sprinter
- 1967 – Indrek Kaseorg, Estonian decathlete
- 1967 – Miranda Otto, Australian actress
- 1968 – Peter Dante, American actor
- 1968 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer
- 1968 – Mark Dean Schwab, American rapist and murderer (d. 2008)
- 1969 – Shane, American porn actress
- 1969 – Florencia Lozano, American actress
- 1969 – Adam Riess, American astrophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1969 – Dmitri Tymoczko, American composer and theorist
- 1970 – Valerie Chow, Hong Kong actress
- 1970 – Daniel Cosgrove, American actor
- 1971 – Michael McCary, American singer-songwriter (Boyz II Men)
- 1971 – Seyhan Kurt, French-Turkish poet and sociologist
- 1971 – Paul van Dyk, German DJ and producer
- 1972 – Angela Bloomfield, New Zealand actress
- 1972 – Charles Gipson, American baseball player
- 1972 – Željko Kalac, Australian footballer
- 1972 – Paul Leyden, Australian actor
- 1972 – Travis Morrison, American musician (The Dismemberment Plan)
- 1973 – Sarah Kozer, American model and actress
- 1973 – Themba Mnguni, South African footballer
- 1973 – Jason Molina, American singer-songwriter (d. 2013)
- 1973 – Luisa Ranieri, Italian actress
- 1973 – Scott Storch, American songwriter and producer, founded Storch Music Company
- 1974 – Frida Hallgren, Swedish actress
- 1974 – Earl C. Poitier, American actor
- 1975 – Valentin Bădoi, Romanian footballer
- 1975 – Nao Kawakita, Japanese drummer (Maximum the Hormone)
- 1975 – Benjamin Kowalewicz, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (Billy Talent)
- 1975 – Jonathan Scarfe, Canadian actor
- 1977 – Éric Bélanger, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1977 – Sylvain Distin, French footballer
- 1978 – Joe Absolom, English actor
- 1978 – John Morris, Canadian curler
- 1978 – Gunter Van Handenhoven, Belgian footballer
- 1979 – Trevor Immelman, South African golfer
- 1979 – Mihai Trăistariu, Romanian singer-songwriter
- 1979 – Jessie Ward, American wrestler
- 1981 – Krysten Ritter, American actress
- 1981 – Anna Sedokova, Ukrainian-American singer and actress
- 1981 – Gareth Williams, Scottish footballer
- 1982 – Garnon Davies, Welsh actor
- 1982 – Justin Mentell, American actor (d. 2010)
- 1982 – Antrel Rolle, American football player
- 1982 – Stanislav Šesták, Slovakian footballer
- 1983 – Kelenna Azubuike, American basketball player
- 1983 – Frankie Ballard, American singer
- 1983 – Danielle Lloyd, English model
- 1984 – Theo James, American actor
- 1985 – Amanda Setton, American actress
- 1985 – Keita Tachibana, Japanese singer (w-inds.)
- 1986 – Candice Crawford, American model and journalist
- 1986 – Alcides Escobar, Venezuelan baseball player
- 1986 – Zoltán Kovács, Hungarian footballer (d. 2013)
- 1986 – Pärt Uusberg, Estonian actor, composer and conductor
- 1987 – Mame Biram Diouf, Senegalese footballer
- 1987 – Beau Dowler, Australian footballer
- 1987 – Hallee Hirsh, American actress
- 1988 – Mats Hummels, German footballer
- 1988 – Anna Popplewell, English actress
- 1990 – Julito McCullum, American actor
- 1992 – Ulrikke Eikeri, Norwegian tennis player
- 1993 – Lola Créton, French actress
- 1999 – Bryce Robinson, American actor
Deaths[edit]
- 401 – Pope Anastasius I
- 705 – Wu Zetian, Empress of China (b. 625)
- 714 – Pepin of Herstal, Frankish military leader and politician, Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia (b. 635)
- 867 – Eberhard of Friuli, Frankish literary patron, diplomat and saint (b. 815)
- 999 – Adelaide of Italy, Burgundian wife of Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 931)
- 1263 – Haakon IV of Norway (b. 1204)
- 1325 – Charles, Count of Valois, French nobleman and military leader (b. 1270)
- 1378 – Secondotto, Marquess of Montferrat (b. 1360)
- 1379 – John FitzAlan, 1st Baron Arundel, English military leader, Lord Marshall of England (b. 1348)
- 1470 – John II, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1425)
- 1515 – Afonso de Albuquerque, Portuguese admiral (b. 1453)
- 1598 – Yi Sun-sin, Korean admiral (b. 1545)
- 1669 – Nathaniel Fiennes, English politician (b. 1608)
- 1687 – William Petty, English scientist and philosopher (b. 1623)
- 1751 – Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, Prussian general (b. 1700)
- 1765 – Peter Frederick Haldimand, Swiss-British military officer and surveyor (b. 1741)
- 1774 – François Quesnay, French economist (b. 1694)
- 1783 – Johann A. Hasse, German composer (b. 1699)
- 1783 – Sir William James, 1st Baronet, British navy officer (b. 1720)
- 1809 – Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy, French chemist (b. 1755)
- 1859 – Wilhelm Grimm, German folklorist and author (b. 1786)
- 1892 – Henry Yesler, American businessman and politician, 7th Mayor of Seattle (b. 1810)
- 1897 – Alphonse Daudet, French author (b. 1840)
- 1898 – Pavel Tretyakov, Russian businessman and art collector (b. 1832)
- 1914 – Ivan Zajc, Croatian composer (b. 1832)
- 1916 – Ognjeslav Kostović Stepanović, Serbian inventor (b. 1851)
- 1917 – Frank Gotch, American wrestler (b. 1878)
- 1921 – Camille Saint-Saëns, French composer (b. 1835)
- 1922 – Gabriel Narutowicz, Polish politician, 1st President of the Republic of Poland (b. 1865)
- 1925 – Maurice Lecoq, French target shooter (b. 1854)
- 1928 – Elinor Wylie, American poet and author (b. 1885)
- 1930 – Herman Lamm, German-American bank robber (b. 1890)
- 1935 – Thelma Todd, American actress (b. 1905)
- 1940 – Billy Hamilton, American baseball player (b. 1866)
- 1944 – Betsie ten Boom, Dutch Holocaust victim (b. 1885)
- 1945 – Giovanni Agnelli, Italian businessman, founded the Fiat Automobile Company (b. 1866)
- 1945 – Fumimaro Konoe, Japanese politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1891)
- 1948 – Denham Fouts, American prostitute (b. 1914)
- 1949 – Sidney Olcott, Canadian director (b. 1873)
- 1952 – Robert Henry Best, American broadcaster and Nazi propagandist (b. 1896)
- 1956 – Nina Hamnett, Welsh painter and author (b. 1890)
- 1961 – Hans Rebane, Estonian politician, diplomat and journalist, 8th Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1882)
- 1963 – Nam Phuong, Vietnamese wife of Emperor Bảo Đại (b. 1914)
- 1965 – W. Somerset Maugham, British author, playwright and spy (b. 1874)
- 1968 – Futabayama Sadaji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 35th Yokozuna (b. 1912)
- 1968 – Muhammad Suheimat, Jordanian general and politician (b. 1916)
- 1976 – Réal Caouette, Canadian politician, founded the Ralliement des créditistes du Canada (b. 1917)
- 1977 – Risto Jarva, Finnish director (b. 1934)
- 1980 – Harland Sanders, American businessman, founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) (b. 1890)
- 1980 – Hellmuth Walter, German engineer (b. 1900)
- 1982 – Colin Chapman, English engineer and businessman, founded Lotus Cars (b. 1928)
- 1983 – Debs Garms, American baseball player (b. 1907)
- 1985 – Thomas Bilotti, American mobster (b. 1940)
- 1985 – Paul Castellano, American mobster (b. 1915)
- 1988 – Sylvester, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1948)
- 1989 – Óscar Alfredo Gálvez, Argentine race car driver (b. 1913)
- 1989 – Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (b. 1930)
- 1989 – Aileen Pringle, American actress (b. 1895)
- 1989 – Lee Van Cleef, American actor (b. 1925)
- 1990 – Douglas Campbell, American pilot (b. 1896)
- 1991 – Tamási Eszter, Hungarian actress (b. 1938)
- 1993 – Charizma, American rapper (b. 1973)
- 1993 – Moses Gunn, American actor (b. 1929)
- 1993 – Kakuei Tanaka, Japanese politician, 64th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1918)
- 1995 – Johnny Moss, American poker player (b. 1907)
- 1995 – Mariele Ventre, Italian singer and director (b. 1939)
- 1996 – Quentin Bell, English historian and author (b. 1910)
- 1997 – Lillian Disney, American illustrator (b. 1899)
- 1997 – Nicolette Larson, American singer (b. 1952)
- 1998 – William Gaddis, American author (b. 1922)
- 2001 – Stuart Adamson, English-Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Skids, Big Country, and The Raphaels) (b. 1958)
- 2001 – Stefan Heym, German author (b. 1913)
- 2003 – Robert Stanfield, Canadian politician, 17th Premier of Nova Scotia (b. 1914)
- 2003 – Gary Stewart, American singer-songwriter (b. 1945)
- 2004 – Ted Abernathy, American baseball player (b. 1933)
- 2004 – Deyda Hydara, Gambian journalist, co-founded The Point (b. 1946)
- 2005 – Kenneth Bulmer, English author (b. 1921)
- 2005 – Ed Hansen, American director and screenwriter (b. 1937)
- 2005 – John Spencer, American actor (b. 1946)
- 2006 – Don Jardine, Canadian wrestler (b. 1940)
- 2006 – Taliep Petersen, South African singer, composer, and director (b. 1950)
- 2006 – Pnina Salzman, Israeli pianist (b. 1922)
- 2007 – Dan Fogelberg, American singer-songwriter (b. 1951)
- 2009 – Roy E. Disney, American businessman (b. 1930)
- 2009 – Yegor Gaidar, Russian economist and politician, Prime Minister of Russia (b. 1956)
- 2009 – Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, South African physician and politician, 22nd Minister of Health (b. 1940)
- 2010 – Melvin E. Biddle, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1923)
- 2011 – Dan Frazer, American actor (b. 1921)
- 2012 – Axel Anderson, German-Puerto Rican actor (b. 1929)
- 2012 – John Chen Shi-zhong, Chinese bishop (b. 1917)
- 2012 – Peter Clarke, English cartoonist (b. 1935)
- 2012 – Doyle Conner, American politician (b. 1928)
- 2012 – Febo Conti, Italian actor (b. 1926)
- 2012 – Robert Derleth, American football player (b. 1922)
- 2012 – Elwood V. Jensen, American academic and medical researcher (b. 1920)
- 2012 – Iñaki Lejarreta, Spanish cyclist (b. 1983)
- 2012 – Sheila McKinley, Scottish singer (The McKinleys) (b. 1941)
- 2012 – Adam Ndlovu, Zimbabwean footballer (b. 1970)
- 2012 – Enrique Oltuski, Cuban politician (b. 1930)
- 2012 – Jim Patterson, Scottish footballer (b. 1928)
- 2012 – Nikolai Parshin, Russian footballer and manager (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Josh Weston, American porn actor (b. 1973)
- 2012 – Lynda Wiesmeier, American model and actress (b. 1963)
- 2012 – Jake Adam York, American poet (b. 1972)
Holidays and observances[edit]
- Christian Feast Day:
- O Sapientia (Anglicanism)
- Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Kazakhstan from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- National Day, celebrates the withdrawal of United Kingdom from Bahrain, making Bahrain an independent emirate in 1971. However December 16 is only the date on which the state celebrates the event, while the actual day on which the independence of Bahrain was declared was August 15, 1971 (see Bahrain Independence Day)
- National Sports Day (Thailand)
- Nine-day celebration of Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay where Jesus could be born begins (Hispanidad):
- The first day of Las Posadas (Mexico, Latin America)
- The first day of the Simbang Gabi novena of masses (Philippines)
- Victory Day (Bangladesh)
- Victory Day (India)
December 16: Kingdom Day in Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten (1954); National Day inBahrain; Victory Day in Bangladesh and India (1971)
- 1689 – The Parliament of Englandadopted the Bill of Rights, declaring that Englishmen possessed certainpositive civil and political rights.
- 1773 – To prevent the unloading of tea that was taxed without their consent under the Tea Act, a group ofcolonists destroyed it (pictured) by throwing it intoBoston Harbor.
- 1938 – Adolf Hitler instituted the Cross of Honour of the German Mother as an order of merit for Imperial Germanwomen.
- 1960 – Two airliners collided in mid-air in heavy clouds over Staten Island, New York City, killing 134 people.
- 1997 – "Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”” Luke 1:30-33 NIV
===
Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Morning
"Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her."
Ruth 1:14
Ruth 1:14
Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in their lot with the Lord's people; but upon still further consideration Orpah with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter. How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master's sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt's treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed. Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings. Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ's sake can renounce all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which may be no better than Orpah's kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus.
Evening
"And lay thy foundations with sapphires."
Isaiah 54:11
Isaiah 54:11
Not only that which is seen of the church of God, but that which is unseen, is fair and precious. Foundations are out of sight, and so long as they are firm it is not expected that they should be valuable; but in Jehovah's work everything is of a piece, nothing slurred, nothing mean. The deep foundations of the work of grace are as sapphires for preciousness, no human mind is able to measure their glory. We build upon the covenant of grace, which is firmer than adamant, and as enduring as jewels upon which age spends itself in vain. Sapphire foundations are eternal, and the covenant abides throughout the lifetime of the Almighty. Another foundation is the person of the Lord Jesus, which is clear and spotless, everlasting and beautiful as the sapphire; blending in one the deep blue of earth's ever rolling ocean and the azure of its all embracing sky. Once might our Lord have been likened to the ruby as he stood covered with his own blood, but now we see him radiant with the soft blue of love, love abounding, deep, eternal. Our eternal hopes are built upon the justice and the faithfulness of God, which are clear and cloudless as the sapphire. We are not saved by a compromise, by mercy defeating justice, or law suspending its operations; no, we defy the eagle's eye to detect a flaw in the groundwork of our confidence--our foundation is of sapphire, and will endure the fire.
The Lord himself has laid the foundation of his people's hopes. It is matter for grave enquiry whether our hopes are built upon such a basis. Good works and ceremonies are not a foundation of sapphires, but of wood, hay, and stubble; neither are they laid by God, but by our own conceit. Foundations will all be tried ere long: woe unto him whose lofty tower shall come down with a crash, because based on a quicksand. He who is built on sapphires may await storm or fire with equanimity, for he shall abide the test.
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Today's reading: Amos 1-3, Revelation 6 (NIV)
View today's reading on Bible GatewayToday's Old Testament reading: Amos 1-3
1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.
2 He said:
“The LORD roars from Zion
and thunders from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel withers.”
and thunders from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel withers.”
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
3 This is what the LORD says:
“For three sins of Damascus,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael
that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will break down the gate of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says the LORD....
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael
that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will break down the gate of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says the LORD....
Today's New Testament reading: Revelation 6
The Seals
1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
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Uzziel [Ŭz'zĭel]—god is strong. There are six Bible men bearing this suggestive name.
- A son of Kohath, son of Levi, kinsman of Aaron on his father’s side (Exod. 6:18, 22;Lev. 10:4; Num. 3:19,30; 1 Chron. 6:2; 15:10; 23:12, 20;24:24).
- A Simeonite who, in Hezekiah’s reign, led a successful expedition against the Amalekites (1 Chron. 4:42).
- A son of Bela, son of Benjamin (1 Chron. 7:7).
- A son of Heman, an instrumentalist, set by David over the service of song (1 Chron. 25:4 ).
- A Levite, son of Jeduthun, who assisted Hezekiah in his work of reformation (2 Chron. 29:14).
- The son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith, who repaired a part of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 3:8).
Members of the tribal family of Uzziel are spoken of as Uzzielites ( Num. 3:27; 1 Chron. 26:23).
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GOVERNMENT
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders...and of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. -Isaiah 9:6-7
Government. Does that word strike a positive note in you, or negative note? The word has good and bad connotations. Over the centuries, many corrupt governments run by greedy and power-hungry people have imposed tyranny rather than justice. Their form of order is more often a form of chaos.
It's a shame that government has gotten such a bad name-because it is, at the same time, a necessary function of any society hoping to be civilized. The ungoverned life is chaos, anarchy, and injustice. Without governing, people would not volunteer to pitch in for the common good, and they would be unwilling to enact laws that require them to sacrifice and set limits on their lives And so government is a necessary constraint on our impulses and independence, a way for a person to say, "I need to have standards in my life, and I know that my neighbors and I need to live under those standards for them to be meaningful."
God knows we need governing. That's why he calls himself King, Shepherd, Master, Lord and Father-and when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the world gained its greatest governor.
Have you ever considered a governing individual, and wondered how he or she can bear the sheer weight of immense responsibility? Yet, governing-real, life-shaping authority-ultimately rests on Christ's shoulders alone "The government will be on his shoulders." Now, there is a future time when he will reign as undisputed ruler, but in the meantime he is exercising considerable governing power. Since Bethlehem, the world has changed. It is not that evil has disappeared, but its counter-the power of Christ-has been triumphant in one life after another. We see it in the person who gains victory over an addiction, in someone who stands up for justice, in reconciled relationships, in people whose characters are being shaped by the character of Christ.
We can thank God this Christmas that he did not leave us to our chaotic, ungoverned state. A shepherd-king came to stand in the Davidic line, not to be like other kings, but to govern our lives from the inside out, as he changes our hearts and enlivens our consciences.
Prayer for Today:
Lord, I confess that there is much in me that does not want to be governed. Help me to see joy in the fact that your governing will never end, and because of that, peace will increase.
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