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Sunday, December 30, 2012
United States Must Destroy All Obama Legislation?Like Rome?s Damnatio Memoriae & Bring Them To Justice!
A Public Condemnation of Barack is Needed to Set America Back on Course
United States Must Destroy All Obama Legislation?Like Rome?s Damnatio Memoriae
By?Kelly O?Connell
What in the name of Zeus does the GOP think it?s going to achieve by bargaining with Barack Obama and his socialist posse? Instead of pretending we have much in common, why don?t the Republicans get a clue and listen to the results of the last election, and heed Conservatism?and allow liberals to keep?listening to Prozac? It is time to use the ancient Roman act of?Damnatio Memoriae, or public condemnation, to bury old Barack along with all his self-indulgent and imbecilic decisions. The following article explores this option.
I. RomanDamnatio Memoriae?Act of Permanent Political Removal
The phrase ?Damnatio Memoriae? means ?posthumousdenigration.? It is a Latin phrase which loosely translates to historical censure, or to be blotted from the official record. The Romans did this punishment to the emperors they considered to be truly abysmal and worthy of the worst ends. This execration was more lowly than death because of the high esteem Romans paid to fame and immortality achieved through noble deeds. Egyptians also practiced a similar kind of posthumous denigration, as well as the?Holy Roman Church. The USSR also practiced this art with great vigor.
Classicist N.S. Gill?writes about this practice,
The Latin term?damnatio memoriae ?condemnation of the memory? is modern, but is used to describe a variety of ancient Roman processes dealing with individuals judged unfit to be members of a community. Such undesirables include traitors, would-be tyrants, and individuals who were enemies of Rome, according to Harriet I. Flowers. This posthumous dishonor was considered the worst that could be done to a former senator.
This act was done by an official vote of the senate, or also unofficially by another emperor?s whim, and then fulfilled through every manner available. For the person posthumously denigrated, their statues would be?destroyed or defaced, their?coinage melted down, paintings desecrated,?inscriptions from across the Empire defiled, and their?name blotted out of historical records.
Gill continues,
Acts subsumed under the rubric of ?damnatio memoriae? include scratching names and titles from inscriptions, defacing likenesses, banning the condemneds? wax masks from funerals, confiscation and destruction of the condemned man or woman?s writing, annulling of wills, marking the birthday of the condemned as a day of ill-omen, marking the anniversary of the condemned?s death with thanksgiving, mutilation of corpses, and more. The condemnations could be started by the Senate, the emperor, or the army.
Emperors who were historically?blotted from the official record included Caligula and Nero.
This?historical scrubbing of figures out of the public record was done by the USSR, not surprisingly. If a politician or military figure fell out with Stalin, or another leader, he could be totally?removed from every photograph or official record. This then?happened to Stalin himself, and Lenin?who had their statutes removed from many public places.
A very recent example of this type of historical censure have been seen in Canada where the?top Canadian military commander, Colonel Russell Williams, was found guilty of murdering two women, and abusing 88 others. The Canadian military decided not to simply recycle his old uniforms but?to burn them so as to never be worn by any other member. His crimes were of a?sexual fetishist nature, bringing great shame upon the military.
II. Purpose of Historical Erasure
Why was this historical censure done upon Roman emperors, the most powerful men in the ancient world? Classical Rome was a place which took great pride in doing things the right way. Public service, and especially elected office, was considered the high point of Roman existence, before the Empire was established. But to do things the wrong way was shameful and society felt a need to publicly address these evil deeds.Damnatio Memoriae was officially established after the Republic ended, but the idea behind it was in keeping with republican principles. The theory was that no scoundrel or criminal should be honored by history who attacks the very country which gives him fame, honor and sustenance. So let it be for Obama.
III. Damnatio Memoriae?of Obama: Ten Criteria
Principled reasons for canceling and reversing Obama legislation ought be done on the following grounds:
First, those decisions made against our Declaration and Constitution and laws.
Second, those choices?made in opposition to the?obvious will of the people, since ourDeclaration condemns this practice: ?Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed??
Third, acts which clearly go against the best interest of all Americans.
Fourth, choices aiding foreign governments at the cost of America or her allies.
Fifth, commands which elevate Islam over other religions. Let?s not forget we are at war with its radicals.
Sixth, acts which are simply unpatriotic.
Seventh, legislation which undermines our capitalist form of economy.
Eighth, choices that harm our armed services.
Ninth, declarations or acts that denigrate America.
Tenth, legislation which weaken America?s sovereignty in the interest of world bodies.
Following is a truncated list of laws and decisions by Obama & Administration that ought be stricken from the record. Plea feel free to add to this short number, as there are hundreds more.
Obamacare
A large majority want this bill completely eviscerated.?It is unconstitutional and willbadly damage the quality and access of American healthcare. A shocking?74% of doctors may quit medicine because of it.
TARP
TARP was an?unconstitutional taking of American funds, arbitrarily given to businesses without any accountability.
Detroit Bailout
Detroit car maker?bailout was an illegal buying of?private businesses with public fundswhich created de facto socialist results.
Stimulus
The Stimulus bill was?wasted funds not even invested in infrastructure, but doled out as tasty pork medallions to countless Democratic constituents, while a trillion dollars drain from our money supply.
Global Warming
Despite the science behind this idea being?utterly exposed as fraudulent, Obama resolutely still attempts to address it legally. He might as well demand laws to protect Little Bo Peep, while he?s at it.
Cap & Trade
This legislation would?wildly prune America?s economy, done in the name of an already failed Global Warming theory. It is really a?global Marxist ruse to redistribute wealth. The?UN admits it?s socialism.
Cancels NASA?S Mission Then Dedicate it to Islam
Why fly to the moon when you can?advertise for Mohammad, instead?!!
Suing States While Ignoring Border Chaos
Who?s more dangerous to America?armed illegals or the?states trying to stop them?
Obama Attacks Our Allies & Helps Our Enemies
Hating on Britain while?turning a blind eye on Iran.
Absurd Decision Making on Gulf Oil Spill
Obama disappeared when crisis came. But that?s OK?it?s his MO!
Disappears While WikiLeaks Hemorrhages State Secrets
Obama can?threaten to kick BP?s ##### but not?little Julian Assange? Clueless!
Insulting America in Foreign Countries
America is so bad?Barack must escape the continent to then?rat us out to other countries.
Taking Great Pains to Honor Islam
Obama apparently loves Islam, but need he?shove it down our throats?, including the9/11 Mosque?
Huge Mistakes With the Housing Crisis
When it came to the mortgage crisis,?Obama made it worse.
Inexplicably Setting a Course for Years of Ruinous Deficits
Obama does not understand economics, proved by his?choosing decades of trillion dollar deficits.
Picking Winners & Losers Between Loyal Americans
Obama told Hispanics that?Conservatives are their enemies and so must be punished.
Insisting America?s Time of Greatness is Over
So Americans elected Obama to fly around the globe announcing?America?s best days are behind us?
Trying to Establish a Foundation for a Socialist Country
Has there been any decision by Obama that has not involved spending more money orgrowing the government larger?
Many Broken Promises
Here are a few?
IV. Good Effects of Obama?s Historical Public Damnation
We cannot wipe out anyone?s existence in the US like was done in ancient Rome, or during the communist regime of the USSR. But we can decisively repudiate the lawless reign of tin-horn tyrant Barack Obama by canceling all of his horrible legislation.
But is this really necessary, anyway? Wasn?t Obama chastened by the last election results? In a word, No! Contra?because, at some level?to save the standards in this country, a public repudiation must be done in some manner, to reestablish democracy, capitalism, the Bill of Rights, and American sovereignty. In other words, teaching future would-be tyrants that America is the land of the free and home of the brave; not the place of brainless imposters who would be depots, is a lesson we desperately need to establish today.
V. Condemning Obama?s Particular Sins
In particular, the Obama legacy must be challenged, including running a campaign that received hundreds of millions in anonymous global funds over the Internet, a tawdry fact never investigated. Campaign irregularities involving ACORN were also observed across the US, some of which helped catapult Al Franken into office for Barack?s supermajority, used for Obamacare. Obama also employed a remarkable barrage of lies to help himself enter office, Chicago style.
Barack must also be condemned for his insipid ?Cabinet,? a staff of leftist toadies nearly as incompetent as he. Elfish Tim Geithner is a prime example, as well as the rodent-like and spectacularly condescending David Axelgrease. Add ham-fisted media-bear spokesperson Bobby Gibbs, and Rahm ?Ram-Beau? Emanuel, ballet student turned politician. All of these come to mind as outlandish misfits. Too bad town square stockades and public floggings are out of style.
Three major flaws of Obama?s present themselves when considering a need for public censure of this colossal misfit: Honesty, Competence and Orientation. First, Barack has such a problem telling the truth that at some point we must suspect he probably doesn?t understand the concept, for starters. For this he needs psychiatric evaluation.
Second, in no possible universe does Barack even begin to measure up to the most basic level of competence for his role as leader. So the 900 pound donkey in the room is?Why did Obama even decide to run for president??Even he admitted he was utterly unqualified by reason of education and experience. Not only was Obama unfit to lead when elected?doesn?t it seem like he has actually devolved since his ascension? It?s time to put down the golf bag and basketball and start studying world history, economics, American constitutional development, and many other subjects for this lazy vagabond of a POTUS.
The most worrisome aspect of Obama?s worldview, believe it or not, is not his dishonesty or incompetence?but his political orientation. Why does everything have to be leftism, socialism or communism to slake his avaricious leadership style? He?s like a robot programmed by Marx, used to deliver pamphlets for the ACLU.
CONCLUSION
Let?s throw Obama out of office and begin the enjoyable task of a total repudiation of his Marxist agenda. If anything will get the attention of progressive Americans who are bizarrely trying to torpedo their own ship, this action will do the trick.
Every one of the above bad laws and decisions was fomented by obdurate Obama, either through ignorance, ill-will, or red-eyed Marxist fervor. There are so many bad decisions by Barack, and so few good, he cannot simply be treated as another failed leftist president. He must be singled out as almost uniquely wicked, publicly condemned and shamed into permanent exile. Otherwise, how else will our children learn to oppose misuse of public offices and funds, while detesting smooth liars?
Publicly condemning Obama is no different than any other kind of calling out wickedly unacceptable public behavior. Barack needs to be disciplined and put in his place just like the bully on the block collecting other kid?s lunch money. Unless the bad politicians of America see Obama put in his place decisively after his giant folly, it will only embolden them, and then we truly will have hell to pay.
CANADA FREE PRESS
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Japan's finance minister Aso to travel to Myanmar, meet president Thein Sein
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deputy prime minister, Taro Aso, travels to Myanmar this week for talks with President Thein Sein to boost relations with the rapidly transforming country and support Japanese business interests in the region.
Aso, who doubles as finance minister, meets Thein Sein and his opposite number Win Shein in the capital Naypyitaw on Thursday in the first high-profile overseas visit by a member of Tokyo's new cabinet since it took office last week.
Prior to his ministerial appointment, Aso had already planned to visit Myanmar as a lawmaker and a member of Japan-Myanmar Association, a group of politicians, businessmen and former diplomats set up to advance Japanese business interests in Myanmar.
Their sales -- and sometimes their premises -- badly damaged by a territorial spat between Tokyo and Beijing, Japanese firms have made an aggressive push back into Myanmar after Thein Sein, a former member of the military junta began overseeing reforms.
Myanmar has introduced a substantial series of social and economic reforms since power was handed to a quasi-civilian government took power in 2011 after nearly half a century of military rule.
Change has attracted large numbers of foreign investors and prompted the United States and European Union to ease longstanding sanctions to encourage further reform.
The move by Aso, one of the closest allies of the conservative premier Shinzo Abe, underscores the importance of the Southeast Asian country, where a joint Japan-Myanmar consortium has signed a deal to develop a 2,400-hectare special economic zone in Thilawa, close to its largest city of Yangon.
The Japan-Myanmar Association has been central to securing state support for the project, including a waiver of most of Myanmar's debt arrears of more than $6 billion necessary to provide fresh loans for the construction of the zone.
Japan has said it will start waiving the arrears at the earliest opportunity in 2013.
Japan may provide an estimated $12.6 billion over several years in aid to build infrastructure around Thilawa, officials with knowledge of the project told Reuters. The plan is to build the first 450 hectares of the park by 2015 and start luring Japanese and global manufacturers.
Aso is to visit Thilawa and meet Japanese business representatives in Yangon on Friday.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans his first overseas visit to Washington around the end of January.
($1 = 86.0950 Japanese yen)
(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Ron Popeski)
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Homes for Sale Downtown Pleasanton CA November 2012 ...
?2012 Bay East. ?2012 CCAR. ?2012 EBRD. All rights reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This information is provided from three separate sources: Bay East, CCAR and EBRD. The listings presented here may or may not be listed by the Broker/Agent operating this website. Information last updated on 12/29/12 8:24 PM PST.This IDX solution is (c) Diverse Solutions 2012.
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Q&A: Thoughts And Feelings From Past Relationships | The 5 Love ...
Q&A: Thoughts And Feelings From Past Relationships
December 28, 2012
Q: I?m having a hard time separating from thoughts and feelings from?past relationships. I?m dating seriously now and want to be able to focus solely on her.
A: This a common problem. Everything we?ve experienced in the past is recorded in our brain. And when we?ve had intimate relationships in the past, sometimes even involving sexual activity, all those memories are still in the mind and they come back from time to time.
So, what I suggest is this: you take those things to God and say, ?Lord you know what I?m remembering and you know how troubling it is to me. Would you let the blood of Christ flow over those past memories so that they are not so sharp in my mind, so that they become dull in my mind, and I can focus on the relationship that I?m in now.?
There has to be healing in those memories before we can go forward.
Source: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/2012/12/qa-thoughts-and-feelings-from-past-relationships/
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Sandy Weiner: What Makes a Man Sexy Over 50? - Huffington Post
When I was in my 20s, I couldn't imagine associating the word 'sexy' with anyone over 30. A man over 50? Gross! My perspective has drastically shifted now that I'm in my 50s, dating again after divorce. I feel sexier and happier than ever. And I have dated many men who are quite sexy into their 50s and beyond. The secret does not lie in being as handsome as George Clooney, the sexiest man over 50 (according to a Google search). So, what makes a man sexy over 50?
6 Keys To What Makes A Man Sexy Over 50
1. Confidence, Confidence, Confidence! The number one quality that makes a man sexy at any age is self-confidence. A man over 50 has lived a good chunk of his life. If he's happy with who he's become, he is much more sexy. He displays his confidence in the way he dresses and moves, the way he sits and speaks. He smiles easily. And that ease and comfort make him ?ber-sexy!
2. Brains. Smart is sexy. He's a guy with strong opinions and the ability to express them without offending. He also values what you have to say. Sexy smart is not about how many degrees he has or what Ivy League college he attended. He has common sense from a life well lived and decisions well made.
3. Manliness. It's exciting when a man is bold, takes charge, makes plans; a 'manly' man. Men over 50 tend to be more demonstrative with their praise than the men you dated in your 20s. Isn't that a turn on? Give me a take-charge guy any day over one who's passive. That's sexy!
4. Passion. Whether it's about his work or his life, a man with passion is a big turn-on. Over the age of 50, some men are throwing in the towel. They're looking forward to retiring, golfing and sitting in front of the TV in a big easy chair, slugging down a few brewskies every night. Shoot me! I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than be with a man who has no passion or vitality. Don't you love a man who's excited about life and all the possibilities for a bright and exciting future, even if he does retire? There is sexiness in living a full, passionate life. Bring it!
5. Fun. Girls just want to have fun. At least this girl does! Being playful brings out the teenager in both partners, which makes the relationship alive and sexy. Remember the hormones that raged in your teens? They come rushing back when you can access that carefree, playful aspect to your relationship, especially when you're over 50. Don't you find that to be sexy?
6. Integrity. Ultimately, all the sexy qualities in a guy don't mean anything if he's not a good guy. A man I once dated described himself as a Tootsie Roll pop: hard on the outside, soft on the inside. What a great metaphor for a macho take-charge guy who has a soft, kind, sweet heart; a romantic who's not afraid to be vulnerable. Because ultimately, the more open and honest the man, the more loving the relationship will be. And that is so sexy!
What do you find sexy in a man over 50? Please share your comments below.
?
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Celebrity Real Estate - Curbed National
Friday, December 28, 2012, by Amy Schellenbaum
Zillow has named Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton as this year's most "desirable celebrity neighbors." The royal couple of country music eked out a win over Elle Decor cover star Reese Witherspoon and new Cape Cod property owner Taylor Swift. Interestingly enough, Twilight star Kristen Stewart?who just bought an "architectural potpourri" of a home?was ranked No. 7 on the most and least desirable lists. [Zillow Blog]
Source: http://curbed.com/archives/2012/12/28/celebrity-real-estate.php
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Russia's President Putin signs bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children
MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a law banning Americans from adopting Russian children, abruptly terminating the prospects for more than 50 youngsters preparing to join new families and sparking critics to liken him to King Herod.
The move is part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights violators. Although some top Russian officials including the foreign minister openly opposed the bill, Putin signed it less than 24 hours after receiving it from Parliament, where it passed both houses overwhelmingly.
The law also calls for the closure of non-governmental organizations receiving American funding if their activities are classified as political ? a broad definition many fear could be used to close any NGO that offends the Kremlin.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, the Kremlin said. Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said 52 children who were in the pipeline for U.S. adoption would remain in Russia.
The ban is in response to a measure signed into law by President Barack Obama this month that calls for sanctions against Russians assessed to be human rights violators.
That stems from the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested after accusing officials of a $230 million tax fraud. He was repeatedly denied medical treatment and died in jail in 2009. Russian rights groups claimed he was severely beaten.
A prison doctor who was the only official charged in the case was acquitted by a Moscow court on Friday. Although there was no demonstrable connection to Putin's signing the law a few hours later, the timing underlines what critics say is Russia's refusal to responsibly pursue the case.
The adoption ban has angered both Americans and Russians who argue it victimizes children to make a political point, cutting off a route out of frequently dismal orphanages for thousands.
"The king is Herod," popular writer Oleg Shargunov said on his Twitter account, referring to the Roman-appointed king of Judea at the time of Jesus Christ's birth, who the Bible says ordered the massacre of Jewish children to avoid being supplanted by a prophesied newborn king of the Jews.
A painting depicting the massacre and captioned "an appropriate response to the Magnitsky act" spread widely on the Internet. The phrase echoed Putin's characterization of the ban while it was under consideration.
U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell expressed regret over Putin's signing the law and urged Russia to "allow those children who have already met and bonded with their future parents to finish the necessary legal procedures so that they can join their families."
Vladimir Lukin, head of the Russian Human Rights Commission and a former ambassador to Washington, said he would challenge the law in the constitutional Court.
The U.S. law galvanized Russian resentment of the United States, which Putin has claimed funded and encouraged the wave of massive anti-government protests that arose last winter.
The Parliament initially considered a relatively similar retaliatory measure, but amendments have expanded it far beyond a tit-for-tat response.
UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia while about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt a child. The U.S. is the biggest destination for adopted Russian children ? more than 60,000 of them have been taken in by Americans over the past two decades.
Russians historically have been less enthusiastic about adopting children than most Western cultures. Putin, along with signing the adoption ban, on Friday issued an order for the government to develop a program to provide more support for adopted children.
Lev Ponomarev, one of Russia's most prominent human rights activists, hinted at that reluctance when he said Parliament members who voted for the bill should take custody of the children who were about to be adopted.
"The moral responsibility lies on them," he told Interfaxe. "But I don't think that even one child will be taken to be brought up by deputies of the Duma."
Many Russians have been distressed for years by reports of Russian children dying or suffering abuse at the hands of their American adoptive parents. The new Russian law was dubbed the "Dima Yakovlev Bill" after a toddler who died in 2008 when his American adoptive father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours.
In that case, the father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and Russia has complained of acquittals or light sentences in other such cases.
The Investigative Committee, Russia's top investigative body, on Friday complained that its attempts to have the acquittals overturned or reconsidered had been ignored by the United States. Under U.S. law, acquittals are final except in rare cases.
Russians also bristled at how the widespread adoptions appeared to show them as hardhearted or too poor to take care of orphans. Astakhov, the children's ombudsman, charged that well-heeled Americans often got priority over Russians who wanted to adopt.
A few lawmakers even claimed that some Russian children were adopted by Americans only to be used for organ transplants or become sex toys or cannon fodder for the U.S. Army. A spokesman for Russia's dominant Orthodox Church said that children adopted by foreigners and raised outside the church will not enter God's kingdom.
___
Mansur Mirovalev and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this story.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russias-president-putin-signs-bill-banning-americans-adopting-174305243.html
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Russian FM says Assad won't go
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi shake hands during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, welcomes U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi talk during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia's foreign minister said Saturday that Syrian President Bashar Assad has no intention of stepping down and it would be impossible to try to persuade him otherwise.
After a meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.'s envoy for the Syrian crisis, Lavrov also said that the Syrian opposition risks sacrificing many more lives if it continues to insist on Assad leaving office as a precondition for holding talks on Syria's future.
Assad "has repeatedly said publicly and privately, including in his meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi in Damascus not long ago, that he does not intend to leave for anywhere, that he will stay to the end in his post, that he will, as he expressed it, defend the Syrian people, Syrian sovereignty and so forth," Lavrov said. "There's no possibility to change this position."
Brahimi warned that the country's civil war could plunge the entire region into chaos by sending hundreds of thousands of refugees into neighboring nations, but his talks in Moscow produced no sign of progress toward settling the crisis.
Brahimi and Lavrov both said after their meeting that the 21-month-old Syrian conflict can only be settled through talks, while admitting that the parties in the conflict have shown no desire for compromise. Neither official hinted at a possible solution that would persuade the Syrian government and the opposition to agree to a ceasefire and sit down for talks about a political transition.
Brahimi, who arrived in Moscow on a one-day trip following his talks in Damascus with Assad this week, voiced concern about the escalation of the conflict, which he said is becoming "more and more sectarian."
The envoy warned that "if you have a panic in Damascus and if you have 1 million people leaving Damascus in a panic, they can go to only two places ? Lebanon and Jordan," and those countries may not be able to endure half a million refugees each.
Brahimi said that "if the only alternative is really hell or a political process, then we have got all of us to work ceaselessly for a political process."
Russia has been the main supporter of Assad's regime since the uprising began in March 2011, using its veto at the U.N. Security Council along with China to shield its last Mideast ally from international sanctions.
Lavrov said Russia would continue to oppose any U.N. resolution that would call for international sanctions against Assad and open the way for a foreign intervention in Syria. And while he again emphasized that Russia "isn't holding onto Bashar Assad," he added that Moscow continues to believe the opposition demand for his resignation as a precondition for peace talks is "counterproductive."
"The price for that precondition will be the loss of more Syrian lives," Lavrov said.
Both Brahimi and Lavrov insisted that efforts to end the civil war must be based on a peace plan that was approved at an international conference in Geneva in June.
The Geneva plan calls for an open-ended cease-fire, a transitional government to run the country until elections, and the drafting of a new constitution. But it was a non-starter with the opposition because of Russia's insistence that the plan leave the door open for Assad being part of the transition process and the fact that it didn't mention possible U.N. sanctions.
Brahimi said that while some "little adjustments" could be made to the original plan, "it's a valued basis for reasonable political process."
With the opposition offensive gaining momentum in Syria, there is little hope that the initiative would have any more chance of success than it had when it was approved.
Lavrov has said that Moscow is ready to talk to the main Syrian opposition group, even though it had earlier criticized the United States and other Western nations for recognizing the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
On Friday, coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib rejected the Russian invitation for talks and urged Moscow to support the opposition's call for Assad's ouster. Lavrov said Saturday that al-Khatib's statement was surprising after his earlier contacts with Russian diplomats in Egypt during which the opposition tentatively agreed on a meeting in a third country.
Lavrov said the coalition leader should "realize it would be in his own interests to hear our analysis directly from us."
Lavrov rejected the opposition claim that Russia's continuing weapons supplies to Assad's regime make it responsible for mass killings in Syria, saying that Moscow bears no responsibility for the Soviet-era weapons in Syrian arsenals. He said that defensive weapons such as anti-aircraft missiles that Russia has continued to supply to Damascus couldn't be used in the civil war.
"We aren't providing the Syrian regime with any offensive weapons or weapons that could be used in a civil war," Lavrov said. "And we have no leverage over what the regime has got since the Soviet times."
Georgy Mirsky, a leading Mideast expert with the Institute for World Economy and International Relations, a top foreign policy think tank, said President Vladimir Putin's stand on Syria is rooted in fear that joining international calls for Assad's resignation would make him look weak at home.
"It would look like an inadmissible concession to America, a virtual surrender. The Kremlin would lose its face, look like a loser," said Mirsky.
He wrote in his blog that Putin is resigned to Assad's eventual collapse and the loss of any Russian influence in a future Syria, but firmly opposes international sanctions. That stand allows Putin to tell his domestic audience that Russia has defended its ally until the end against overwhelming odds, said Mirsky.
__
Jim Heintz contributed to this report.
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Would-be adoptive parents look beyond Russia
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Russia's new ban on U.S. adoptions is the latest setback for hopeful American parents as countries increasingly impose restrictions.
Other countries, including China and Guatemala, have erected hurdles for adoptive families as they create their own domestic adoption programs. The signing of the Hague Convention on adoption in 2008 drastically improved regulation of the process, which had been rife with corruption. But it has also led to a slowdown in adoptions or shutdowns in some countries. Internal politics and abuse concerns are additional reasons why countries have tightened controls.
In 2004, U.S. citizens adopted 22,991 children who had been born abroad, an all-time high, according to Adoptive Families magazine. By 2011, that number had fallen to 9,319. (For a graphic view of how international adoptions have fallen in various countries, see http://link.reuters.com/tut84t)
There are still other options for Americans wanting to adopt an international child. Bulgaria, Columbia and many African nations are some of the new, go-to countries for U.S. adoptions.
But even that's not a sure thing. For would-be adoptive parents the best bet is to widen their search to include special needs kids, sibling groups and older children.
AFRICA'S ADOPTION EXPLOSION
Africa, which represented 22 percent of adoptions in 2009, is expected to be a bigger player in the future. "A decade ago, there were very few adoptions (in Africa)," according to Susan Soonkeum Cox, vice president policy and external affairs at Holt International, a Christian adoption organization. "Now, there's an explosion."
African countries seeing an increase in adoptions include South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Ivory Coast.
Adoptions in Ethiopia, meanwhile, have declined from a peak of 2,511 in 2010 as the country overhauled its oversight process. But it is still a viable option, Cox said.
Cox advises working with an adoption agency that has staff on the ground in Africa and other countries to handle paperwork and advocate for U.S. families.
Other countries that still welcome American adoptions include Bulgaria and Colombia, said Megan Montgomery, international adoption coordinator for Adoption Star, based in Amherst, New York. Adoption Star primarily deals with adoptions from Bulgaria, a country that has gone from five placements in 2008 to 75 adoptions in 2011.
Placements from Vietnam and Cambodia, which shuttered their U.S. adoption programs, should resume soon, adoption experts say.
FAMILIES CAN'T FLIP A SWITCH
Adoptions of Russian children peaked in 2004, according to Dale Eldridge, coordinator of adoptive services at Jewish Family Services' Adoption Choices, a non-profit adoption program based in Framingham, Massachusetts. Right now, fewer than 50 U.S. adoptions of Russian children are formally in the works while another 250 U.S. families have identified kids they would like to adopt, adoption experts said.
Unfortunately, families that already have started an adoption in Russia can't just flip a switch and redirect their efforts to another country. "I wish it was as simple as taking some families who have been waiting (for Russian children) to just move over to another country," said David Nish, chief program officer at Spence-Chapin, a U.S.-based adoption agency that finds homes for children in the United States and around the world. "But it's a whole other process."
That's because every country has its own eligibility requirements. Criteria can include parents' marital status, age of the parents, employment, financial status, medical issues, and even the age difference between the adoptive parents and adoptee child. The adoption process remains restrictive for single-sex couples.
And the cost can be prohibitive. For example, the median fee in 2011 was $8,000 for the Dominican Republic, $15,355 in Panama and $26,063 in South Africa, according to the U.S. State Department's Intercountry Adoption Annual Report. Adoption fees for many of the 30-plus countries on the State Department's list are in the range of $20,000. That's not including travel costs.
Even so, international adoptions are often cheaper than domestic ones for newborn babies, which can cost $40,000 or more.
OLDER CHILDREN
To speed up the process, would-be adoptive parents should consider a school-age child, experts say.
According to the State Department, 233,934 international adoptions were made by Americans from 1999 to 2011. Nearly 94,000 of those adoptions involved children under the age of one. Just about 20,000 children aged three or four were adopted during that period. And for kids aged 5 to 12, it was 29,712.
The benefit of adopting a school-age child is that it is easier to identify developmental and emotional problems ahead of time. "There's more you can do to prepare and put resources in place to support what they need," Spence-Chapin's Nish said.
School-aged children can be challenging if pre-adoptive experiences affect their development, he said.
A special needs child is also a possibility. One way to fast-track an international adoption may be to apply for a child with known medical or special needs, said Adoption Star's Montgomery. "For families with resources, it can be great option," Montgomery said. "Of course, you really have to find the right family to take on that kind of known medical need."
Special needs can range from a baby born with a minor medical problem, such as a cleft palate, to more serious issues, such as a heart condition, blindness or spina bifida. "It's not about families getting a child quicker," Nish said. "It's about a family accepting a child into their household that they can provide for and love and nurture."
China's Waiting Child program, which includes children who have special needs or correctable medical conditions or are part of sibling groups, has wait times that are typically much shorter than the traditional program, according to Adoptive Families magazine. In 2011, more than half of adoptions from China were through this program.
Would-be parents must be prepared to wait. The Associated Services for International Adoption, a non-profit adoption group, says the wait time for an adoption referral in China is 73 months as the country has clamped down on U.S. adoptions. "If the wait time is becoming impractical, it's better to close the intake process" and start again, advised Holt's Cox.
Tracy Downey and her husband, Jason, who live in suburban Des Moines, Iowa, tried to go the traditional international Chinese adoption route in 2006. But after waiting for 18 months to bring home a baby from China, Tracy switched gears and started combing the official Chinese list of children with special needs along with additional lists from adoption agencies and orphanages.
The Downeys have since adopted a daughter, Angel, along with two sons - Corban and Tegan - from China, all with large, potentially disfiguring moles known as a giant congenital nevi. They started the process to bring home the two boys, now aged 3-1/2, last January. It took about 10 months.
Aside from their large moles - which are on two of the children's faces and on the other's lower body - all three kids are healthy and thriving, Tracy said.
"If we wanted a non-special needs child, we'd still be waiting," Tracy said.
(Follow us @ReutersMoney or at http://www.reuters.com/finance/personal-finance; Additional reporting by Chelsea Emery and Beth Pinsker Gladstone; Editing by Linda Stern and Steve Orlofsky)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adoptive-parents-look-beyond-russia-192952945.html
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Fresh fighting in C. African Republic; US leaves
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) ? Renewed fighting between government forces and rebels seeking to overthrow the president broke out Friday in Central African Republic's third largest city, a military official said, hours after the U.S. ambassador and his team were evacuated from the capital.
Government soldiers appeared to be in control of Bambari following the clashes, according to military officials. The town is located about 385 kilometers (240 miles) from the capital and had been under rebel control for five days.
The United States evacuated about 40 people, including the U.S. ambassador, on an U.S. Air Force plane bound for Kenya, said U.S. officials who insisted on anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the operation. The United States has special forces troops in the country who are assisting in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive rebel leader of another rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army. The U.S. special forces remain in the country, the U.S. military's Africa Command said from its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.
The evacuation of the U.S. diplomats came in the wake of criticism of how the U.S. handled diplomatic security before and during the attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. The ambassador and three other Americans were killed in that attack.
French diplomats are staying despite a violent demonstration outside its embassy earlier this week. Dozens of protesters, angry about a lack of help against rebel forces, threw rocks at the French Embassy in Bangui and stole a French flag. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius spoke via phone with President Francois Bozize, asking him to take responsibility for the safety of French nationals and diplomatic missions in Central African Republic.
Bozize on Thursday urgently called on former colonial ruler France and other foreign powers to help his government fend off rebels who are quickly seizing territory and approaching the capital. But French President Francois Hollande said France wants to protect its interests in Central African Republic and not Bozize's government.
This landlocked nation of some 4.4 million people has suffered decades of army revolts, coups and rebellions since gaining independence in 1960 and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The current president himself came to power nearly a decade ago in the wake of a rebellion in this resource-rich yet deeply poor country.
Speaking to crowds in Bangui, a city of some 600,000, Bozize pleaded with foreign powers to do what they could. He pointed in particular to France. About 200 French soldiers are already in the country, providing technical support and helping to train the local army, according to the French defense ministry.
"France has the means to stop (the rebels) but unfortunately they have done nothing for us until now," Bozize said.
Bozize's government earlier reached out to longtime ally Chad, which pledged to send 2,000 troops to bolster Central African Republic's own forces.
The rebels behind the most recent instability signed a 2007 peace accord allowing them to join the regular army, but insurgent leaders say the deal wasn't fully implemented. The rebel forces have seized at least 10 towns across the sparsely populated north of the country, and residents in the capital now fear the insurgents could attack at any time, despite assurances by rebel leaders that they are willing to engage in dialogue instead of attacking Bangui.
The rebels have claimed that their actions are justified in light of the "thirst for justice, for peace, for security and for economic development of the people of Central African Republic."
Despite Central African Republic's wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium, the government remains perpetually cash-strapped.
The rebels also are demanding that the government make payments to ex-combatants, suggesting that their motives may also be for personal financial gain.
Paris is encouraging peace talks between the government and the rebels, with the French Foreign Ministry noting in a statement that negotiations are due to "begin shortly in Libreville (Gabon)." But it was not immediately clear if any dates have been set for those talks.
The U.N.'s most powerful body condemned the recent violence and expressed concern about the developments.
"The members of the Security Council reiterate their demand that the armed groups immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from captured cities and cease any further advance towards the city of Bangui," the statement said.
___
Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal. Jason Straziuso in Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this story.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fresh-fighting-c-african-republic-us-leaves-142621359.html
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ASBDC Biz Blog: Effective online marketing techniques by business ...
Online marketing is a critical component of making your business successful in this day and age where 97% of internet-connected consumers go online to research services and products. But with so many ways to market yourself online, you may be suffering from analysis paralysis... so to get you started, here is the top action item I recommend depending on your type of business.
If you?re a local business and you see your customers face-to-face, either when they walk into your location, or because you go and see them at theirs, the #1 thing to do is take control over your listing in online directories. That means claiming your Local listing with all the big search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Once you?ve claimed your listing, here are the top things you should do: ??????? Pick the business category closest to what you do. If they don?t provide exactly the category you wanted, just pick the one that is closest rather than creating a new one. That?s because a custom category may not be part of the search algorithm or site navigation so while it may seem more relevant, you may end up not getting found at all. ??????? Fill out your profile as completely as possible and include the services you provide or the brands your store carries. ??????? Include images and videos to make your business look its best. If you?re a service business, reviews will play a significant role in the decision-making process for consumers. Make sure you know where your business is getting reviewed and monitor these sites regularly so you can respond when there is a new review. ??????? When there?s a happy review, acknowledge it and say thanks. ??????? When there?s a negative review, apologize and offer to make it right... the author of the review may even replace their unhappy review with a positive one. If you are a pure-play online business, building a great website with lots of useful content should be your top priority so you can get a high ranking in the search engines. There are many straightforward best practices that make your site easier to index by the search engines, so make sure you?re doing at least the following: ??????? Give every page a useful and unique title and meta description since this is what Google uses when they show your website in the search results. Do a search on Google for site:mysite.com (where you replace mysite.com with your website address) and see what the results look like. If the titles and descriptions don?t look great, go and update your page titles and meta description tags. ??????? Make sure that www.yoursite.com and yoursite.com are seen as one and the same website, otherwise you?re splitting your ranking between the two. A simple 301 permanent redirect from one site to the other takes care of this. Do a search for ?301 redirect? in your hosting company?s help center to look up how to do this. ??????? Make it easy for people to share your content on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ by adding social sharing buttons on every page. The easier it is for users to recommend your content to their friends, the more referrals you may get. Frederick (?Fred?) Vallaeys joined Google in 2002 to help AdWords grow into a leading online marketing platform and he served as the AdWords Evangelist until 2012.? Now he runs his own marketing business, Top Tier, to make online marketing more accessible to small businesses through education, tools and services. He speaks at numerous events, including the annual ASBDC conference, helping companies get their business online and grow through online marketing and technology. Read Frederick?s online marketing blog, follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Frederick on Google+
If you?re a local business and you see your customers face-to-face, either when they walk into your location, or because you go and see them at theirs, the #1 thing to do is take control over your listing in online directories. That means claiming your Local listing with all the big search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Once you?ve claimed your listing, here are the top things you should do: ??????? Pick the business category closest to what you do. If they don?t provide exactly the category you wanted, just pick the one that is closest rather than creating a new one. That?s because a custom category may not be part of the search algorithm or site navigation so while it may seem more relevant, you may end up not getting found at all. ??????? Fill out your profile as completely as possible and include the services you provide or the brands your store carries. ??????? Include images and videos to make your business look its best. If you?re a service business, reviews will play a significant role in the decision-making process for consumers. Make sure you know where your business is getting reviewed and monitor these sites regularly so you can respond when there is a new review. ??????? When there?s a happy review, acknowledge it and say thanks. ??????? When there?s a negative review, apologize and offer to make it right... the author of the review may even replace their unhappy review with a positive one. If you are a pure-play online business, building a great website with lots of useful content should be your top priority so you can get a high ranking in the search engines. There are many straightforward best practices that make your site easier to index by the search engines, so make sure you?re doing at least the following: ??????? Give every page a useful and unique title and meta description since this is what Google uses when they show your website in the search results. Do a search on Google for site:mysite.com (where you replace mysite.com with your website address) and see what the results look like. If the titles and descriptions don?t look great, go and update your page titles and meta description tags. ??????? Make sure that www.yoursite.com and yoursite.com are seen as one and the same website, otherwise you?re splitting your ranking between the two. A simple 301 permanent redirect from one site to the other takes care of this. Do a search for ?301 redirect? in your hosting company?s help center to look up how to do this. ??????? Make it easy for people to share your content on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ by adding social sharing buttons on every page. The easier it is for users to recommend your content to their friends, the more referrals you may get. Frederick (?Fred?) Vallaeys joined Google in 2002 to help AdWords grow into a leading online marketing platform and he served as the AdWords Evangelist until 2012.? Now he runs his own marketing business, Top Tier, to make online marketing more accessible to small businesses through education, tools and services. He speaks at numerous events, including the annual ASBDC conference, helping companies get their business online and grow through online marketing and technology. Read Frederick?s online marketing blog, follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Frederick on Google+
Source: http://asbdcbizblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/effective-online-marketing-techniques.html
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Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012
In a rare and now controversial investigation, scientists have been asked by Connecticut's medical examiner?to study Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza's DNA?? but the DNA community doesn't think that's such a good idea. Though details on the research are scant, University of Connecticut geneticists will apparently be looking for?biological clues that might explain Lanza's extreme violent behavior.?The New York Times's Gina Kolata reports that this undertaking is thought to be the first time scientists have studied the genome of a mass killer. ...
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/google-names-12-best-android-apps-2012-174530724.html
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
Greek public sector cutbacks trigger strike
ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? Civil servants in Greece staged a 24-hour strike Wednesday, as thousands gathered to protest new pay cuts as well as suspensions that are expected to lead to layoffs.
The strike led to public transport stoppages in Athens, while public hospitals were running on emergency staff, and other public services were disrupted.
Greece has promised its bailout creditors more steep spending cuts despite a deep recession that is heading into a sixth year.
Nikos Stamatopoulos, leader of the Athens subway workers' union, said a skilled maintenance employee with 20 years of experience at state-run transport services has seen his monthly salary cut from pre-crisis levels of ?1,700 ($2,240) to ?800 ($1,050) next year.
"We can no longer live on what we earn, so what's the point?" he said, as protesters gathered for a march to parliament. "We'll keep fighting these (cuts) because we have to."
The protesters, displaying their union's official color orange on caps and flags, chanted anti-government slogans. One group of marchers held up a mock clothes line with the words "Take These Too" written across 16 pairs of underpants.
Greece's largest labor union, the GSEE, which also covers the private sector, joined the strike with a three-hour work stoppage, while many individual unions plan to continue strikes Thursday.
Under a new staff reduction scheme, some 27,000 public servants will be suspended in 2012-13 on reduced pay for a year pending their transfer or dismissal.
"They call it suspension. But we know this means firing people," said Themis Balasopoulos, leader of the local government workers' union.
Most Greek public servants have strong legal job guarantees, in contrast to the private sector, which has seen huge job losses that have helped push the national unemployment rate above 26 percent.
The new pay cuts, starting Jan. 1, will be generated by merging categories of public servants. That will effectively reduce the number of pay grades, stripping many employees of financial benefits.
Since May 2010, the country has survived on billions in rescue loans from the other 16 eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund. In return, it raised taxes and slashed wages and benefits, driving hundreds of thousands into poverty.
Last week, the government bought back a large slice of its debt held by private sector investors, scratching some ?20 billion ($26.4 billion) off the national debt.
The ratings agency Standard & Poor's on Tuesday upgraded Greece's credit grade by 6 notches, from default to the B- junk rating.
The action spurred a bank-led rally on the Athens Stock Exchange Wednesday, with shares up nearly 3 percent at 862.88 in afternoon trading.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/greek-public-sector-cutbacks-trigger-strike-130651458--finance.html
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M 2.2, Central California
Earthquake Details
- This is a computer-generated message -- this event has not yet been reviewed by a seismologist.
| Magnitude | 2.2 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time | |
| Location | 37.573?N, 118.842?W |
| Depth | 10 km (6.2 miles) |
| Region | CENTRAL CALIFORNIA |
| Distances |
|
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.3 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 0.5 km (0.3 miles) |
| Parameters | Nph= 26, Dmin=2 km, Rmss=0.05 sec, Gp= 86?, M-type=duration magnitude (Md), Version=1 |
| Source | |
| Event ID | nc71907901 |
- Did you feel it? Report shaking and damage at your location. You can also view a map displaying accumulated data from your report and others.
Scientific & Technical Information
Source: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71907901.php
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Abigail's Alcove: Thoughts about Honesty & Motherhood for Advent
There is so little honesty in our public discussion of motherhood. Mothers are either described in the pious underpinnings of Hallmark Mother's Day Cards or complained about as the ultimate horror show on Dr. Phil message boards.
Being a mother has two facets---the "office" and the "individual."
I have trouble with the office of Mother. I'm not used to being in authority. I like running the cheerful camp counselor sort of Motherhood where obedience is mostly inspired, rather than demanded. It's taken baby number five to start to realize that I'm actually running a small country here and there will be lots of household routines that are based on respectful order, versus unanimous agreement.
As an "individual", I'm finding so much more peace breaking out of the mold and discovering that the individual soul named Abigail is enhanced by marriage and motherhood, rather than diminished.
It's a strange dance I'm doing. As I become more "me" my family starts to look different. We do home-schooling differently than other families in my parish. We do Daily Mass differently. We pray, eat, and do the laundry in our own unique style.
Yet the more I become an individual in my motherhood, the more respect I have for the "office" of Mother. There are beautiful, beautiful things that are common to all Mothers, in all times, in all cultures. We all get our source from Mary, the Mother of God.
This Advent, I'm focusing on our Mother's life as explained in our Gospel of Luke. Our Mother had such an embarrassing birth story--so strange and so wonderful. She was humble. She encourages me to embrace the things about my own Motherhood that are little and shameful. She reminds that the Infant Jesus will still find me at Christmas, now matter what state I'm in.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Source: http://abigails-alcove.blogspot.com/2012/12/thoughts-about-honesty-motherhood-for.html
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As "Doomsday" looms, Serbs cash in on mystical mountain
RTANJ, Serbia (Reuters) - If doomsday really falls on Friday, the residents of this Serbian mountain region are cashing in while they can.
"We're booked out December 20-23. We have a New Age convention and guests are coming because of the end of the world," said Nebojsa Gajic, manager of the 160-bed, Communist-era Millennium Hotel on the slopes of Mount Rtanj.
The region is selling itself as the best place to survive the looming apocalypse - which will fall on December 21, according to mystics whose calculations depend on the ending of an era in the 5,125-year-old Mayan calendar.
It is basing its promise on the mystical powers that locals say have flooded the area since its pyramid-shaped mountain swallowed a castle belonging to a well-to-do sorcerer, trapping him inside.
About 250 km (155 miles) east of the capital Belgrade, towards Bulgaria, Mount Rtanj is part of the Carpathian range and famed in Serbia for its herbal tea, pristine nature and clean air.
Like the French Pyrenean village of Bugarach - which is guarded by another magical mountain - Rtanj is offering salvation from Friday's cataclysm and safe passage into a golden age.
Residents say they have been inundated with enquiries from Serbia and abroad.
"We're booked out," said Darko Jovic, manager of the Balasevic hotel. "People were even calling from the United States and we had to say 'No'. I couldn't even get a room for my own mother and sister."
The Serbian daily Blic reported the going rate for private accommodation had shot up to 500 euros ($660) per night.
A Reuters reporting crew in Rtanj said the area appeared quiet, but bulldozers were clearing the roads of snow in preparation for the expected influx.
"We came because of the end of the world," said Dragoljub Arandjelovic from the nearby town of Paracin. It was unclear if he was serious, or in search of a good party.
"We tried to find a room but without success. If we can't stay here, we'll just have to grin and bear it," he added.
Locals say the sorcerer still lives in the mountain and that there have been sightings of fireballs hovering above Rtanj's foggy peak.
Serbian media reports say physicists have recorded magnetic anomalies in the area, which is riddled with abandoned coal-mine shafts dating from the 19th century.
Retired show-business promoter Dragan Milenkovic, 65, said the mountain, with its striking pyramid shape, was built by aliens who would return on Friday.
"On December 21, on the summit of Rtanj, we'll see a beautiful violet and red light that will engulf the planet for about five seconds and they (the aliens) will come," he told Reuters. "That will mark the beginning of a golden era that will last 1,345 years."
Others were unconvinced.
"For me, doomsday comes every month when I have to cover monthly expenses of 300 euros with a salary of 250 euros and a family of three to feed," said 36-year-old nurse Dragana Djordjevic.
($1 = 0.7568 euros)
(Editing by Matt Robinson and Andrew Heavens)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/doomsday-looms-serbs-cash-mystical-mountain-151835139.html
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