3 Killed by Explosion in Lebanon

Three people were killed and dozens injured by an explosion in Baalbek, Lebanon, Wednesday morning.

No cause for the explosion has been listed, and Hezbollah moved into secure the area, almost immediately after the blast.

Officially the building was used to house car parts, but sources say it was a weapons depot for Hezbollah.

Baalbek is a center for weapons and drugs, in the region.

5 Killed in Turkey Due to Syrian Shelling

Five people were killed, in Turkey, Wednesday morning, when shelling from Syria struck their village.

At least a eight more were injured from the 

The shells were not meant to be aimed at Turkey, but were clearly badly aimed.

It is unclear if it was fired by national or rebel forces.

 Fire crossing the border has become more and more common.

Turkey has repeatedly warned Syria over it, but as fighting becomes heavier, along the border, it becomes more likely to occur.

Breaking addition: Turkey has fired artillery into Syria, in retaliation.

33 Killed in Suicide Blasts in Syria

At least thirty-three people were killed and more than one hundred and thirty people were wounded when four car bombs exploded in Aleppo, Wednesday morning.

Two of them struck hotels on Saadallah al-Jabri Square where state reporters and military officers were staying.

The other two hit the municipal building and chamber of commerce.

All areas around the bombs were devastated, showing much more damage than the human toll suggests.

State TV also showed the bodies of three people it described as suicide bombers, who the military had shot and killed, before they could blow their vests.

Jabhat al-Nusra, an Al Qaeda group, is considered the most likely suspects for the bombings, as they have claimed responsibility for similar attacks.

Report Uncovers VA Corruption -- House To Investigate

Eric Shinseki, the "Beret General", now failing to oversee the VA he heads.

The Veterans Administration's Inspector General conducted an investigation into possible fraud, waste, and abuse involved in two professional development conferences in Orlando, FL in 2011. The investigation was initiated over a five million dollar price tag associated with the conference. What the IG discovered was much more.

It turned out the conference, as well as a couple of planning conferences prior to the main one, cost over $6.2M, far exceeding authorized expenditures. That sum is $1.2M beyond the $5M reported to congress. In addition, incomplete accounting and poor receipt management indicates that number may be lower than the true cost to taxpayers. This is taxpayer money that was directed for the service and care of our republic's military veterans and their families. So, this excess represents a theft from two key demographics: Military Veterans and US Taxpayers.

During the investigation, the VA-IG also uncovered systematic graft and corruption among eleven senior VA administrators who accepted "inappropriate gifts" that serve as graft or bribery. They accepted free meals, room upgrades, free massages, and other items of "significant monetary value". Taking such gifts is a violation of federal law and a criminal offense.

Details within the report draw concern for potential other incidents of waste and fraud VA officials may be committing against our veterans and our taxpayers. For instance, a "motivational" video used to introduce the training conference was produced for over $49,000. That video featured an actor doing a parody of George C. Scott's portrayal of General George S. Patton.

Other indicators of abuse and corruption include "special contribution awards" to VA workers totaling $43,018.

The compiled total of extraneous expenses at the conferences is currently estimated at $762,000. Examples:

$280,000+ in lodging expenditures above the agreed upon contract with Mariott

$154,000+ in unauthorized travel pay given to private contractors

$97,900+ in excessive and unauthorized promotional items

The House [of Representatives] Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) is conducting its own review and investigation of the findings in the report. 

The average disability stipend for a veteran rated at 100% disabled is approximately $20,000 a year. Consider how many disabled veterans this wasted tax money could have actually helped instead of being wasted by these leeches.

The waste itself raises eyebrows. However, this executive branch bureaucratic department wasted this money during times when our national debt is exceeding our GDP, government spending is out of control, and many Americans are calling for decreased and more responsible spending. After the GSA conference debacle reported earlier this year, the combination indicates wanton waste in this current presidential administration. It is unethical, immoral, and intentionally destructive to our nation.

The IG places the blame directly on the causes of poor leadership and a lack of supervisory oversight. However, those the IG names as responsible are likely just scapegoats with the systemic problem reaching higher up the chain. After all, they are just following the examples of their appointed and elected leaders.

Punctuating this waste, however, is another key detail of  the VA-IG report. Many of the names associated with the corruption are redacted. This begs the questions:  "Who are they protecting? What are they hiding?".  On could reasonable conjecture that this corruption goes to the top, to Clinton and Obama's shining star, Eric Shinseki, who ordered the investigation. Perhaps this leads even higher, to the one who has refused to reign in spending or enforce accountability, Barack Obama.

Original article at Mental Aikido.

Review: Salman Rushdie's Joseph Anton

Freedom of expression is a fundamental value and is in no way comparable to violence against others, author Salman Rushdie said during his latest book launch on Tuesday. The book, entitled Joseph Anton, is a memoir of the nine years he spent in hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a death warrant against him in 1989. Khomeini accused the British-Indian of blasphemy following the release of his novel The Satanic Verses.

Rushdie, an atheist, touched upon what he deems to be inappropriate reactions to the expression of free speech:

''The pope gets ridiculed every day, but you don't see Catholics organizing terrorist attacks around the world. I don't like the word Islamophobia. We must distinguish between attacking ideas and attacking people.

The response to words must always be more words. People are using offense as an excuse for revenge. But there is no intrinsic right to not be offended, it's absurd.''

The title of his latest literary contribution is a composite of the names of his two favorite authors, Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov. It is also the alias he adopted upon going into hiding.

Aside from writing books from a variety of genres, Rushdie has also been knighted. Be sure to check out his complete bio on Wikipedia.

Body Found in West Aurora

Aurora, Colorado police were called about a body lying along the 1900 block of East Cornell Circle, Tuesday morning.

No details have been given out, but they are calling it a "suspicious" death.

A blood trail, leading away from the body, suggests that it was a violent act that ended the man's life.

Some witnesses say they over heard police discussing stab wounds.

Further details are supposed to be announced, Wednesday, after an autopsy is completed.

Smoked Salmon Recalled Due to Salmonella

At least three hundred people, in the Netherlands and the US, have become sickened with salmonella after consuming smoked salmon.

The salmon was distributed by Foppen and Kirkland, and sold in supermarkets all over the Netherlands, but only at Costco in the US.

It is not believed that tainted fish has been sold in any other countries.

Foppen is investigating their processing facilities.

Hezbollah Leader Killed in Syria

A top leader of Hezbollah was killed in a road side explosion, in Syria, according to the Free Syrian Army, and other sources in the country.

Hezbollah has long denied that they are in Syria, aiding the forces of President Assad.

The United States and other countries have repeatedly stated that they are active in the country though.

For awhile, obituaries for Hezbollah members have shown up in Lebanese papers, but they've not listed any locations for the deaths, and barely any reasons.

In August, a funeral was held for another top ranking Hezbollah member.

It is thought that Nassif had been the leader of the Hezbollah forces in Syria.

38 Dead After Chinese Boats Collide

At least thirty-eight people were killed, Monday night, when two boats collided in Hong Kong harbor.

Rescuers are continuing to search for dozens of missing people, and have rescued one hundred and twenty-three.

One of the boats involved was a passenger ferry, whilst the other was owned by the Hong Kong Electric Company and was carrying company employees and their families.

The electric company's boat flipped and began to sink, eventually resting with only the bow, and the front of the cabin, above water.

Seven crew members, of the two boats, have been arrested for suspicion of endangering lives.

Border Patrol Agent Killed by Drug Runners

Three US Border Patrol agents were responding to a ground sensor alarm, along the border when they came under fire.

One of the agents, Nicholas Avie, thirty, was shot and killed, and a second wounded, by suspected drug runners.

They were five miles inside the border, near Naco, Arizona, when the shooting started.

This marks the fourth Border Patrol death, in that area, along the Mexico/Arizona border, over the last two years.

Arizona's Governor Janet Brewer released a statement saying, "Flags will be lowered in honor of the slain agent. Elected officials will vow to find those responsible. Arizonans and Americans will grieve, and they should. But this ought not only be a day of tears. There should be anger, too. Righteous anger at the kind of evil that causes sorrow this deep, and at the federal failure and political stalemate that has left our border unsecured and our Border Patrol in harm's way."