512. General Petraeus Begins to Fade Away

During their affair, retired Army Gen. David Petraeus and his alleged former mistress Paula Broadwell used a cyber trick known to teenagers and terrorists in an effort to hide their communications. Sources say they often composed draft emails which they both could read on a shared private email account -- without having to transmit the messages.

497. North Korea, cont.

(PYONGYANG, North Korea) — North Korea was poised Thursday to send a rocket into space as the nation's young leader ascended to new top political posts strengthening his hold on power. There was no word early Thursday morning on the timing of the launch, which the North has said will take place sometime between Thursday and Monday. The launch, which the North says is for peaceful purposes, has raised international concern. more: http://alturl.com/nbnop

486. Deepsea Challenger

Film director and explorer James Cameron became the first human to travel on his own to the world’s deepest abyss, the Challenger Deep, which lies 62 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean in the Mariana Trench. Mr. Cameron found a bleak terrain that was all but barren of life.
Mr. Cameron’s achievement is a triumph of engineering. At 35,756 feet below the surface — two leagues under the sea — where his sub, the Deepsea Challenger, hit bottom.
The dive had been attempted only once before, in 1960, when Don Walsh, a retired United States Navy captain, and Jacques Piccard, a Swiss engineer, reached the spot in the Navy submersible Trieste, but their view was obscured by vast diatomaceous ooze. Here's what they didn't see.

(tags: Politics, Ecology, Earth, Alien, Challenger, ooze, Alien, Mariana Trench)

484. The Medical Referral

(tags: Doctor, Economy, Health, Insurance, Patient, Politics, Election, fogies)

483. Obama Goes to Florida

Police in Sanford, Fla., have become the target of anger and protest around the country for failing to arrest George Zimmerman after he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
But Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law may have given them little choice.
That law grants immunity to anyone who uses deadly force, inside or outside his home, if he can reasonably claim he was defending himself.
According to 911 telephone records, 28-year-old George Zimmerman described Trayvon as a suspicious-looking black male wearing a hooded sweat shirt.

(tags: Political Series, Politics, Barack Obama, Florida, Murder, Crime, Hoodie, Trayvon, Zimmerman)

481. Soldiers: The 99.9%

(tags: Politics, Political Series, War, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran,  Soldier, Bales, Terrorism, Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, Flag)

480. Mitt Romney Confidence

(tags: Political Series, Politics, Mitt Romney, GOP, election, 2012,  Alfred E Neuman, MAD)

479. Captain America

(Tags: Politics, Political Series, Entertainment Series, Captain America, War,  PTSD, Military, Gwot, Prosthetic)

478. EVOLUTION

(tags: Politics, Political Series, Religion, War,  Evolution, Nukes, Nuclear, Earth, Peace, humans, mankind)

477. Birth Control

(tags: birth control, Political Series, Politics, election, Equality, Women, Smiley Face, Guns, GOP, Election 201)

476. Obama and Netanyahu Confer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking sharply different stands, President Barack Obama urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his nation's right to a pre-emptive attack. Even in proclaiming unity on Monday, the leaders showed no give on competing ways to resolve the crisis.
and in related news: (CBS News) At a news conference at the White House on Tuesday, President Obama lashed out at Mitt Romney and the other GOP presidential candidates for "the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war," saying their rhetoric on Iran reflects the fact that they "don't have a lot of responsibilities."
and in related news:
UNITED NATIONS – Key U.N. Security Council members began discussing a possible new resolution Tuesday that demands an end to the violence in Syria, first by government forces and then by opposition fighters, in hopes of overcoming opposition from Russia and China.
and in related news:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking sharply different stands, President Barack Obama urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his nation's right to a pre-emptive attack. Even in proclaiming unity on Monday, the leaders showed no give on competing ways to resolve the crisis.
(tags: Politics, Political Series, Barack Obama, netanyahu, Middle East, War, Flag, Religion)

475. Iran and Russia Vote, 2012

Iran and Russia held national level elections this week, and I think the results went something like this.
(tags: Political Series, Politics, Russia, Iran,  Putin, Ayatollah, election, vote)

474. Rush Limbaugh: Sad Clown

Rush Limbaugh said today he was "sincere" and "heartfelt" in his apology to Sandra Fluke, as he explained that he never believed the Georgetown University student was a "slut" or "prostitute" when he said those words last week. (more: http://alturl.com/sv5oj)

(tags: Political Series, Politics, election, GOP,  Rush Limbaugh, Clown, birth control, 2012)

472. Slut

Is Rush Limbaugh damaging the Republican Party? On Friday Limbaugh drew withering criticism from all colors of the political spectrum for his comment that Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke is “slut” and a “prostitute” for testifying in favor of mandatory coverage of contraception in employer-provided health insurance.

(tags: Political Series, Politics, birth control, Health, Health Care, condom, GOP,  rush, limbaugh, Equality, contraception)

471. Iran Votes

Iranian state media claim a "massive turnout" for the country's parliamentary elections Friday, which are likely to solidify Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's control over conservative rivals tied to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (more: http://alturl.com/7ueym)
(tags: Iran, Political Series, Politics, Ayatollah, Khameni, Flag)

469. The Coming Endorsement

(Political Series, Politics, GOP, 2012, election, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney)

468. Gas Prices

NEW YORK -- The nationwide average for gasoline prices approached $3.74 a gallon Thursday, continuing a steady rise for the 23rd consecutive day, according to the motorist group AAA.
The average price rose 0.7 cent a gallon in the latest 24-hour period, AAA said. A month ago, the nationwide average was $3.44 a gallon.
Gas prices are up 14% so far in 2012. The average price is down 37.6 cents, or about 9.1%, from the record high of $4.11 on July 17, 2008.
(tags: Barack Obama, Obama, Political Series, Politics, Energy, Gas, Fuel, Petrol, Economy, election, 2012, DNC)

465. Free Syria

Marie Catherine Colvin (12 January 1956 – 22 February 2012) was an award-winning American journalist who worked for the British newspaper The Sunday Times from 1985 until her death. She was killed while covering the siege of Homs in Syria.
(tags: Political Series, Politics, Syria, War, Marie Colvin, AF Flag, Obituary Series, democracy)

462. Moral Outrage?

Kabul, Afghanistan -- A large crowd swarmed a military base and numerous demonstrations turned deadly Friday in Afghanistan, the fourth day of fallout after NATO troops burned Qurans at a military base, officials said.

The developments came a day after U.S. President Barack Obama apologized for the incident at Bagram Airfield this week, calling it an unintentional error.
(tags:Foreign Policy, Political Series, Politics, Defense, Military, 9-11, Koran, Quran, War, Terrorism, Afghanistan)

460. The Koran Burning Incident

Kabul, Afghanistan -- A large crowd swarmed a military base and numerous demonstrations turned deadly Friday in Afghanistan, the fourth day of fallout after NATO troops burned Qurans at a military base, officials said.

The developments came a day after U.S. President Barack Obama apologized for the incident at Bagram Airfield this week, calling it an unintentional error.
(tags: Political Series, Politics, Defense, Military, CJCS, Martin Dempsey, Leon Panetta, SecDef, War, Afghanistan)