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sarc/ Imagine being at DHS or the US State Department and receiving a letter like this: ATTENTION: Dear Sir/Madam in United States Department of Homeland Security, Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Umaru Abdul Mutallab. I am the retired chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria. I have the courage to Crave indulgence for this important warning believing that you will never let me down or those travelers in your great country, especially to the City of Detroit, either now or in the future. I am concerned very much over the welfare of my beloved son Mr.Abdul Farouk...

Last night, the models were all in pretty good agreement with taking this storm system from north-central Texas up through western Missouri and then into Minnesota which lead me in the direction of providing you the information in the latest post. Things may be on the change again. Not a huge surprise to me, though. As I had previously mentioned until the storm system really moves into the U.S. the upper air data would not be that great and that would influence the model outputs.

It is appearing more likely that the heaviest snow, in excess of 6” and as much as 2 feet, will be falling Wednesday through Christmas Day from the Panhandles of Texas/Oklahoma to Wisconsin. Some cities that will be affected includes:

How Will It Impact Your Travel? Still watching the likely development of a BIG winter storm from the Southwestern US to the Heartland but details are still sketchy. To explain why I say this, I chose to provide you with another video blog post. I hope it helps clear some fuzziness up.

Still a lot of questions for the upcoming holiday week storm but things are becoming a bit clearer. However, I won't be comfortable nailing this one down until the storm moves on shore in the Pacific NW over the next day or two so the models have better initial data to use. I explain the very latest in today's video blog entry. Enjoy!

Landscapes can be a tough subject for any photographer. Black and white landscape photos can be particularly tricky to make interesting. This collection, however, manages to bridge that gap and create some astonishing images. If you would like to try your hand, then check out our list of tutorials at the end of the collection.

Lot going on so did a video blog post today. Wish quality was better. Will give it a try again tomorrow but hopefully it helps get the ideas across.

Since the publication of the first Interim Report on 2 July 2009, the investigation has continued, still in close association with foreign investigation organisations and the companies involved and in coordination with those responsible for the judicial investigation. The working groups have continued their work of gathering and analyzing information useful to the investigation. Their activity has focused on * the elements of wreckage recovered, * the meteorological situation, * the maintenance messages transmitted by ACARS, * the certification and the continuing airworthiness of the Pitot probes, * events where speed inconsistencies were encountered in cruise. This second interim report...

Are you “Dreaming of a White Christmas”? Many of us each year dream of a white Christmas but we know it is just going to be a dream unless we head to the mountains or someplace else where we know snow will be. This year, though, many of us who normally have to just hold on to a dream of a white Christmas may actually get what we dream for as a present from Mother Nature. As I hinted to last week, the weather pattern setting up for Christmas week appears generally to be cold. Specifics were up in question...

Reports of heavy violence in Mexico should not deter tourists, said U.S. Consul Michael Barkin. “Really, Mexico is no worse than the south side of Chicago,” Barkin assured the McAllen (Texas) Chamber of Commerce. “Your odds of coming through without being robbed, kidnapped or murdered are relatively good. There’s probably less than 10% chance you will be a victim.” The Consul advised that “if you are one of the unfortunate minority who is victimized and are still alive afterwards, please contact the Consulate so we can fill out the proper ‘after-incident’ reports.” Barkin expressed the hope that immigration reform would...

I planning to travel to Jerusalem some time next week and would need to make the travel cost as cheap as possible. I plan to visit a monastery for a few months and then continue to Spain. Does anyone have experience traveling on the cheap? One thought I had was to get myself to somewhere in Europe such as London or Kiev and then book myself another flight to Ben Gurion. I realize this is a peak time and any advice would be welcome.

A very fast and active weather pattern will continue across the United States for the next week or more. The pattern is definitely setting up as anticipated with El Nino in charge. The southern jet stream is very active with a quick flow across the southern tier of the U.S. This is bringing several quick-moving storm systems from the Pacific Coast through the southern Rockies and into the Southeast. In addition, several surges of cold-arctic airmasses have made it south through the Plains and eastward into the Ohio Valley and portions of New England. This has already set up to...

"...The 3rd stewardess informed them that they were not to have electronic devices on at this time. To which one of the men said "Shut up infidel dog!" She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic. At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say "I got your back." I grabbed the man who had been...

Air Tran Airways Flight 297 was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 4:43PM in route to Houston Hobby Airport. Because of my position as Corps Commander of the Houston Regional Community Chaplain Corps, I frequently wear my Chaplain jacket as I travel. Like some sort of heavenly magnet, the Chaplain jacket invites discussion with a wide variety of people who are struggling with issues in need of a comforting ear. My connecting flight was late and the door to the jet way closed prior to my boarding. So, even though I was rescheduled on a much later flight far from C16...

An upper level storm system will be digging south-southeastward out of Colorado and into eastern Texas during the next 24-hours. You can see the storm system spinning on this water vapor image.

A one two punch storm system is organizing across SE New Mexico and will be tracking eastward over the next 24 hours. In addition, a second storm system will be dropping south through the Northern Plains. These two systems will be phasing, or coming together, on Wednesday and a powerful low pressure system will track from the southeast Texas coast to near Louisville, Kentucky by Wednesday evening. A sharp shot of cold air will sink rapidly southward behind this moisture rich system and likely rainfall will be changed over to accumulating snow.

There's no word on whether or not the man who picked up the tab for her trip, aka the Donald Trump of Abu Dhabi, was with her entourage.

In Montreal, Quebec five Italian cafes have been firebombed in less than a month, and none of the victims are talking as reported by Sidhartha Banerjee for The Star: The head of the Montreal police arson squad said his detectives are mulling a number of theories, but, with merchants remaining mute, all they have are hypotheses. There's the possibility that a Mafia war has erupted. Or perhaps a brazen street gang is trying to move in on the Mob's turf. Or maybe rival gangs are battling among themselves. Police have even considered an arsonist with a particular penchant for putting...

In a story that first surfaced Sunday in The Washington Post and was reprinted by FOXNews.com, President Obama’s subordinates have expressed a desire to get a grip on the nation’s rails. Administration officials cite poor management and lack of oversight as their reasons for taking over the light-rail industry, which leads me to wonder: could the American people take back the federal government using the same line of logic? Cities affected by the federal usurpation would include Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and every other city, large or small, that uses a rail system, such as a subway. Washington...

Greeting fellow freepers. I am looking for any advice you can offer as I plan a family vacation to southern Germany. Looking at the end of November or first part of December. Not a lot of time to plan so I am open to all your input

The British Library formally opened it’s landmark photography exhibition Points of View last night at a well-attended private view. The exhibition marks the librarys first ever photographic exhibition. It opens to the public free. At a risk of running out of superlatives Points of View is quite simply the best exhibition that the library has ever put on. It is a large show, but never feels unapproachable. It is well designed and laid out and presents a wealth of the library’s treasures... The poison in the veins: “After the fall of Ceausescu, the country has long delayed the opening of...

War, oil shortages, global warming, nuclear bombs, and economic collapse... All of it seems unlikely, but don't you want to be prepared? If you have to jump on a plane (or a boat or a train or a hot air balloon) and head for safety, you want to know where in the world you should go.

I have been a resident of the Hamra district for two years now, where there is anything but routine. As a Chicagoan as well, I compare Hamra to Wicker Park, Chicago. Concentrated with hipsters, artists, intellectuals, old money, and yuppies, it is a neighborhood consistently updating its face with new chains and cozy pubs and demolition of old relic buildings and businesses. It comprises one of the most mixed populations in Lebanon and caters to that with anything from a brothel to a Dunkin Donuts coffee. I entered Hamra as a stranger, meeting individuals at this party or that pub....

And now, it's time for a little FR musical interlude--everybody sing along! :-)

Great Manifestation anti-avortement à Madrid (English Translation) Over one million people participated in this mobilization organizers said. They were protesting against the proposed liberalization of abortion which would abort freely within 14 weeks. Seniors, families with children and strollers, groups of adolescents, religious and priests: A human tide has flooded the center of the Spanish capital. They were more than one million Catholics supported by the Church and the right to protest Saturday in Madrid against the proposed liberalization of abortion from the socialist government. The organizers have amounted to 1.5 million people participating in this event, while the Madrid...

I know Dart is extending light rail to D/FW Airport. Which is going to be great. Still, I can't help but wish Dallas would be on the cutting edge of something like this. Why aren't we building a high-speed airport train? We've talked about state-wide high-speed rail, but what about local high-speed train? How cool would it be to have a bullet train that goes from downtown Dallas to downtown Ft. Worth at over 125 mph? I'd take it. Comments Posted by Jeffrey J. Brown @ 7:58 AM Fri, Oct 16, 2009 This past weekend, at a conference in Denver,...

Seattle pilot, others "should have walked away" from crash By LEVI PULKKINEN SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF Gravity and, likely, a mechanical failure brought down the helicopter in August 2007, impacting on a hillside a few miles outside of Easton. It was the fire that followed that ended the lives of four on board, a timber owner, two Korean furniture makers and the pilot. And that fire, attorneys for one of the dead now claim, could have easily been prevented had the helicopter's manufacturer acted to remedy a long-known design flaw in the popular aircraft. Ilyas Akbari, an attorney representing killed furniture manufacturer...

ATTENTION: IMAGES ARE SHOCKING . http://www.fdesouche.com/articles/70467#/ (SHORT SUBJECT :: MY PAL RACHID) Court métrage – 1995 – Mon copain Rachid - Réalisé par Philippe Barassat – Avec Jonathan Reyes, Nordine Mezaache, Mathieu Demy et avec la participation de Frédéric Mitterrand (SHORT SUBJECT :: MY PAL RACHID) This video, with intro and voice over by Frederic Mitterrand has surfaced. Frederic Mitterrand, already in hot water in France for his impassioned defense of child rapist Roman Polanski, and his autobiographical "confessions" of participating in "sex tourism" to poor, impoverished third world countries to patronize brothels for sex with young boys. French Minister...

Monday evening, 9-11pm ET,,, 6-8pm PTSpecial Guest: Terri K, the instigator of the Hawaiian open records law investigation of Barack Obama's Birth Certificate and related documentation. There are new developments. Hear how she and Leo Donofrio each continue to uncover the cover-up... You may also wish to hear the prior Monday's Awakening, with guest, Leo Donofrio. For further information, see "The Hawaiian Investigation of Birth Certificate Attestations & Realities," in Investigating Obama. The Awakening, with Arlen Williams Upcoming Episodes10/13/2009 9:00pm ET - The Dave Levine Show 10/14/2009 9:00pm ET - Weekly Candor with Wish - The Truth About Vaccines

PHILADELPHIA -- Dan McSweeney has a few ideas for saving the United States. That would be the SS United States -- the fastest ocean liner in the world. Bigger than the Titanic and fast enough to water-ski behind, she's a steamship so sophisticated, her capabilities remained a Cold War secret for decades. She transported royalty and starlets. Her crew served frog legs in first class. Before the dawn of the jet age, the SS United States was the Concorde of her era. 'Big U' in Big Trouble? Admirers call her the "Big U." Today, she could be in big trouble....

Yesterday, Paul-Emic, a conservative French Blogger (Politique, émois et moi) alerted our readers on the below Journal du Dimanche (JDD) articles that were causing quite an stir from Paris to Rio. I have attempted to translate from French to English each of the articles. Please remember Pilots are called “Drivers” in the translation. I have also included a You Tube video for a F14 “Flat Spin” to illustrate a “Flat Spin”. I seriously doubt the FO as well as most pilots would have been able to pull out of a flat spin. The best way to get out of a...

A stunned media was left speechless when President Barack Obama’s personal sales pitch on behalf of Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Summer Games failed to sway the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Of the four contending bids, Chicago’s was the first to be rejected—giving it a last place finish in the event. MSNBC’s Ed Schultz called the outcome “fishy.” “When the most persuasive man on the planet can’t sell a bunch of Eurostiffs on the benefits of a great city like Chicago, something ugly and obscene is going on,” Schultz opined. “One can only wonder if the racism fomented by...

Video showing a walk-through from the scene on American Samoa.

...There was this old Buick, a big late 60’s road yacht, crammed into the back of the trailer. The man and wife inside were hurt although not terribly so. But behind them was the little Datsun pickup truck (remember those?) that had hit the Buick hard enough to shove it into my trailer. The two girls inside were badly injured. The driver’s forehead had been essentially peeled back and the flap of skin was hanging down over her face. I eased it back into place and held it there to slow her bleeding until an ambulance arrived. The other girl’s...

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am overwhelmed by the number of suggestions offered for visiting New York City. There were so many that I decided to offer a joint thank you rather than post individually. I've printed the suggestions to take to our planning meeting next week, so the six of us can narrow down our priorities for the short time we are there. I just knew the folks at Free Republic wouldn't let me down. Thanks again.

Governor Sarah Palin said the US government was wasting taxpayer’s money and could aggravate poverty, said delegates at her first speech outside North America on Wednesday. Sarah Palin, gave hundreds of financial big-hitters at the CLSA Investors' Forum in Hong Kong a wide-ranging speech that covered Alaska, international terrorism, US economic policy and trade with China.

I guess you might consider this a "vanity" post, but didn't know where to post it. Myself and five other gals are going to New York City for five days in Nov. for sight-seeing, shopping, Broadway shows, etc. Has anyone here ever bought/used the New York Pass and/or hop-on hop-off bus pass? None of us have been to New York City before (at least not in the last 30 years) and wonder if this is something we should purchase ahead of time, or is it a big rip-off? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Hong Kong — Governor Sarah Palin is expected to speak about US foreign policy and China in her first keynote speech outside North America, Hong Kong organizers said on Monday. The Governor is due to address hundreds of financial big-hitters at the CLSA Investors' Forum on Wednesday. "We have asked her to address US foreign policy, to discuss her views on governance, healthcare, and of course, China," Jonathan Slone, chief executive officer of the Asia-focused brokerage.

OK: here's why I got kicked out of the U.S. Navy, short version. Autumn, 1984: I was a 4.0 (top-performing) sailor, a petty officer (NCO) right out of "A" School (Navy vocational training school), and was on the fast track to a great career as a naval nuclear power worker -- until I lost my marbles. Summer, 1985: It happened while I was in Nuke School (Naval Nuclear Power School, then located in Orlando, Florida): the stress levels, lack of sleep, and physical environment of Rickover City triggered in me a full-on case of clinical depression, complete with physical symptoms...

This article focuses on health care issues when going on vacation. Everyone loves a vacation. Americans are known to for going on vacation during various times of the year, and usually those times coordinate with work schedules or school calendars. Spring break, summer time, and major holidays are the most frequent times. You can spend a little or a lot, and you can have tons of activities or do nothing at all--just relax. Vacations are what you make them, and many times can be the best way to get time away from work, school, or the hectic pace of everyday...

Some may remember that due to the job market I had planned on leaving California for Boston for work. Fortunately God had better things planned for me and provided me with work in Dallas, TX (Lewisville to be exact). So I was wondering if any Freepers had any hints on where to live in the area, general comments on places to go with a young family (3 kids under the age of 5), etc. I think we're going to love Texas (minus the weather - we're coming from CA)! Thanks for the help FRiends! This is exciting AND scary, I've...

Lately I have been looking at the moon and wondering if it will someday kill me. If I live another 50 years (which is entirely possible) I assume I will eventually be a robot, having shed my old skin and bones body and uploaded a scanned and digitized version of my brain to a machine. My fellow robots and I will live among the meat people for eons until the moon's orbit degrades, either gradually or because a meteor gives it a nudge, and Earth is annihilated in the collision. You might say I worry too much. But I've successfully...

Czechs feel betrayed, Poles irked, Romanians slighted. Ask them who's to blame, and the answer may come as a surprise: Obama. George W. Bush fawned over Eastern Europe, and its leaders rushed to join his post-9/11 "coalition of the willing." Now many—officials and ordinary citizens alike—are grumbling over what they perceive as the Obama administration's neglect. It's a startling shift in a region long accustomed to cozy ties with the United States.

The Hill has reported that the media will not be permitted to attend Governor Palin’s keynote speaking engagement on Wednesday the 23rd of September. This is great news considering the media has become an embarrassment and in my opinion the most dangerous entity in the world, al Qaeda #2. It is very simple, they have sided with radical Islam verse America, put Obama into power and continue to cover for him, at our detriment, despite the disaster he is and is creating.

From Alex M. in Belgrade, Serbia:For all my friends abroad - those of you who wish to learn about Belgrade or are planning to come for a visit, and for my countrymen abroad who feel nostalgic for home, I have written my own guide to Belgrade. A lot of effort went into this. I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Read it slowly, and try to imagine the pictures as you are reading. Enjoy!NOTE from Ravnagora: I have included the photos in Alex's piece and they have been taken from various sources on the internet. ***** According to...

This is a phenominal video. Would not have believed it unless I had seen it. Makes me want to take a trip over there and spend some time with these old boys to experience it in person. HUNTING WOLVES WITH GOLDEN EAGLES IN MONGOLIA Big birds those. Wouldn't want a couple of those sic'ed on me I will tell you. Look at the size of those talons. Looks like in many cases they go after the throat and then hold them there...and in a couple of cases when it looked like the wolf might get the upper hand...another Eagle quickly...

I have been spending some time in Thailand and it is amazing to me what I see there, America in the 60's. I see things there that were in America in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but no longer. Makes me remember when I was going up we had: - pick up games of Baseball and football with the neighborhood kids. I do not see this today. - Dogs without leashes - riding in the back of a pickup - go carts - and this list goes on. Stuff that pisses me off: - Riding lawnmowers that cannot reverse without...

Attention Texas Patriots: Diane Kraft has last minute news for those that want to go to the nationwide rally September 12th in Washington, D.C. Please contact Diane Kraft at kraftranches@wildblue.net to RSVP. A bus driver that's taken Diane's group on three trips in the past few months can arrange travel to and from D.C. "The bus is great and has a bathroom ---and he's a good driver!!" says Diane. Anyone from San Antonio up IH-35 all the way to Dallas can join. The bus driver can pick up anyone along the way, so you don't have to join the trip...

police have targeted those who “break their fast publicly” and if caught eating or drinking anything in daylight, police have arrested them immediately, including one man who was purchasing juice for his family. That man, Ahmed Mustafa, was quoted by al-Youm al-Saba’a as saying “I was standing at the store buying juice for my children for Iftar [meal that breaks the fast],” adding that he was indeed fasting. He is just one of many citizens who have felt the heavy hand of Egyptian police during the holy month. It is part of an odd campaign launched by the interior ministry...