XIAM007

Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World

Monday 20 August 2012

Israel TV: Netanyahu 'determined to attack Iran' BEFORE US elections... -

Israel TV: Netanyahu 'determined to attack Iran' BEFORE US elections... - 




Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is determined to attack Iran before the US elections,” Israel’s Channel 10 News claimed on Monday night, and Israel is now “closer than ever” to a strike designed to thwart Iran’s nuclear drive.

The TV station’s military reporter Alon Ben-David, who earlier this year was given extensive access to the Israel Air Force as it trained for a possible attack, reported that, since upgraded sanctions against Iran have failed to force a suspension of the Iranian nuclear program in the past two months, “from the prime minister’s point of view, the time for action is getting ever closer.”

Asked by the news anchor in the Hebrew-language TV report how close Israel now was to “a decision and perhaps an attack,” Ben-David said: “It appears that we are closer than ever.”

He said it seemed that Netanyahu was not waiting for a much-discussed possible meeting with US President Barack Obama, after the UN General Assembly gathering in New York late next month — indeed, “it’s not clear that there’ll be a meeting.” In any case, said Ben-David, “I doubt Obama could say anything that would convince Netanyahu to delay a possible attack.”

The report added that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak believe Obama would have no choice but to give backing for an Israeli attack before the US presidential elections in November.

There is considerable opposition to an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the report noted — with President Shimon Peres, the army’s chief of the General Staff and top generals, the intelligence community, opposition leader Shaul Mofaz, “and of course the Americans” all lined up against Israeli action at this stage.

But, noted Ben-David, it is the Israeli government that would have to take the decision, and there Netanyahu is “almost guaranteed” a majority.

Other Hebrew media reports on Tuesday also said Netanyahu had despatched a senior official, National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror, to update the elderly spiritual leader of the Shas ultra-Orthodox coalition party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, on the status of the Iranian nuclear program, in order to try to win over Shas government ministers’ support for an attack.

Read more -
http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-determined-to-attack-iran-before-us-elections-claims-israels-channel-10/

Lord Rothschild Betting On Euro Collapse? - Banking titan places $200 million dollar short against single currency -

Lord Rothschild Betting On Euro Collapse? - Banking titan places $200 million dollar short against single currency - 



If the actions of Lord Jacob Rothschild are anything to go by, the long predicted collapse of the Euro may not be far away, with the banking titan placing a $200 million dollar bet against the troubled single currency.

“Lord Rothschild, an elder member of the dynastic Rothschild banking family, has taken the position against the euro through RIT Capital Partners, the 1.9 billion pound investment trust of which he is executive chairman,” reports CNBC.
RIT has upped its short against the Euro from 3 per cent in January to 7 per cent in July.
The European Central Bank continues to try to re-animate a dead corpse by continually pumping bailout money into debt-ridden countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.
However, top investors only see it as a matter of time before the single currency is consigned to the landfill of economic history.
Last week, influential German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that “Banks, companies and investors are preparing themselves for a collapse of the euro.”

Meanwhile, billionaires like John Paulson and George Soros are throwing their financial muscle behind gold as the financial picture looks increasingly unstable heading towards the end of the year.
“According to Bloomberg News, Paulson & Co. and Soros Fund Management bumped up exposure to SPDR Gold Trust to 21.8 million shares and 884,000 shares, respectively. Paulson & Co. now has 44 percent of its $24 billion fund exposed to bullion,” reports ABC News.
The next leg of the financial collapse is being forecast by many to be far greater in severity than the 2008 downturn, with Max Keiser appearing on the Alex Jones Show Friday to predict a systemic economic meltdown before April 2013.

Read more -
http://www.prisonplanet.com/lord-rothschild-betting-on-euro-collapse.html

Scientists Find 'Miracle Molecule' In Red Wine, Blueberries... -

Scientists Find 'Miracle Molecule' In Red Wine, Blueberries... - 



There may be another health benefit drinking red wine.

Scientists report a so-called “miracle molecule” found in red wine might help improve mobility and prevent falls among older adults. The ingredient is called ‘resveratrol.’ Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Duquesne University Jane Cavanaugh says they tested the effect on laboratory mice.

“As these animal age, they lose some of their motor coordination. Very similar as to humans do as they age. And when we gave them out the resveratrol, the older mouse has less loss of motor coordination.”

Resveratrol is also found in grapes, blueberries and other dark-skinned fruits.

“We just used blueberries in our study and actually when they eat the whole fruit it’s actually more effective than the resveratrol alone and you don’t need as much.”


A person would have to drink at least a bottle of wine compared to only a handful of fruit to get the same amount.

The finding was presented at the American Chemical Society meeting in Philadelphia on Sunday.

KYW Newsradio Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough says, “We already know resveratrol helps reduce inflammation of the body. It helps lower cholesterol and there have been some studies that show it reduces the risk of heart disease and certain forms of cancer.”

But, Dr. McDonough says its effects on mobility were previously unknown. “This report takes a look at balance issues in the elderly. If there was something out there that could help reduce the incidence of falls it would be critical and certainly beneficial.”

Eager to incorporate resveratol-rich ingredients in your diet? Dr. McDonough says it probably wouldn’t hurt (although he stresses moderation when drinking any alcohol).

“There’s obviously no harm in red grapes, blueberries and nuts and people who drink red wine in moderation seem to do well as well.  I really believe at this point you could look at these options. Studies will be done and manufacturers are going to take a look at how they can make a magic pill of some sorts.  But at this point you can do a great deal with diet.”

Read more - 
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/08/20/scientists-find-miracle-molecule-in-red-wine-blueberries/

Cellphone companies can predict your movements -- from calls... -

Cellphone companies can predict your movements -- from calls... - 


From telling us when our train is coming, helping us when we're lost and letting us watch our favourite TV shows, there seems no limit to how involved our smartphone is with our day-to-day life.
Now the gadget promises something so advanced it verges on the supernatural: it will know exactly what we're doing tomorrow.
Scientists have found a way of predicting an individual's future movements by analysing information their mobile phone. 
A team of computer scientists at the University of Birmingham successfully predicted future locations with an error margin of just 60ft, which has fuelled fears of privacy invasions.
While mobile phone networks can already track where a handset is in 'real time', the scientists have developed an algorithm - or formula - to forecast our future movements.
They compared data from one individual and their closest social network to predict a person’s future location based on places and areas visited in the past and the frequency of contact between those studied, The Sunday Times reported. 
For example, if two individuals who have close contact visit a particular restaurant, it is highly likely that this is where they will be the next time they are both heading towards the area where the restaurant is.
This means that mobile phone providers will be able to predict the future whereabouts of their customers .


The study used mobile phone data from a group of 200 people living in the vicinity of Lausanne in Switzerland.
Dr. Mirco Musolesi, who led the study, said: ‘Information extracted from the usage of a mobile phone is an intriguing source of data about people behaviour.'


He added: ‘We have shown that the accuracy of the prediction of an individual’s future locations could be improved if his or her previous movement and the mobility information of his or her social group are taken into account.’
He said that the formula may not reflect the general population and would be more accurate in cities where people’s moves tend to be synchronised.
Although it will be of great help to marketing companies and possibly law enforcements, privacy groups such as Big Brother Watch fear it will invade privacy. 
‘This development highlights huge privacy concerns’, Emma Carr, deputy director of Big Brother Watch told the Sunday Times.
Mr Musolesi tweeted plans of releasing the algorithm as an API (application programming interface) which would open up commercial possibilities for app-wizards and mobile phone service providers.
In terms of marketing it means that advertising agencies will be able to target individuals with personalised advertisements using information about where the person has been and where he or she might be going.
But it could also be a tool for third-party apps offering discounts and other offers where the app would be able to provide real-time deals available at venues and areas where a person is predicted to beat a specific time and day.
The team also expressed hopes that their algorithm could be used by the police force in prediction of the future location of criminal events.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2190531/Mobile-phone-companies-predict-future-movements-users-building-profile-lifestyle.html