Ancient Mars: "The Water Planet"

From The Daily Galaxy. Excerpts:

"We can now say that the planet was altered on a global scale by liquid water about four billion years ago." - John Carter of the University of Paris

Minerals in northern Mars craters observed by two NASA orbiters suggest that a phase in Mars' early history with conditions favorable to life occurred globally, not just in the south.
..
In recent years, the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found clay minerals that are signatures of a wet environment at thousands of sites in the southern highlands of Mars, where rocks on or near the surface are about four billion years old. Until this week, no sites with those minerals had been reported in the northern lowlands, where younger volcanic activity has buried the older surface more deeply
And:
CRISM Principal Investigator Scott Murchie of Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, said that the findings aid interpretation of when the wet environments on ancient Mars existed relative to some other important steps in the planet's early history.

The prevailing theory for how the northern part of the planet came to have a much lower elevation than the southern highlands is that a giant object slammed obliquely into northern Mars, turning nearly half of the planet's surface into the solar system's largest impact crater. The new findings suggest that the formation of water-related minerals, and thus at least part of the wet period that may have been most favorable to life, occurred between that early giant impact and the later time when younger sediments formed an overlying mantle.

With each new discovery, with every advancement in knowledge, those outlandish theories about Mars don't sound as far fetched as they once did..

Having Trouble Understanding The Machinations and Implications Of The EU Financial Crisis?

Gonzalo Lira can help. Why is the EU Crisis important? Globalist financial/banking policy has tangled not only neighboring European countries economies together in a way impossible to decouple without serious turbulence, but the majority of the world's collective economy is also locked in a larger magnification of what currently ails the EU. And, as goes Europe, so goes the Global Financial System. Lira writes simply, directly, distilling complex financial situations into an easy to understand narrative of real-time economic events, and why there are no easy or immediate answers to this rapidly blooming global catastrophe..

Lira also thinks the European situation is deteriorating rapidly, even more than he recently predicted. I know, I know.. The economic crisis is no where near as fun as Bristol Palin or even the Royal Engagement, but hopefully a few of you will take the 15 minutes or so required to read both articles. You should, then, have a much better handle on the implications this has for America's immediate financial future.

Short answer: Huge, and Terrible.

Maps from 1942 of the never-was Nazi invasion of North America

From IO9

These diagrams from the March 2, 1942 issue of Life detailed the Nazi invasion of America shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Check out such alternate reality battles like the bombing of Detroit and invasion of Norfolk, Virginia.

These maps were created as a follow-up to an article about an American defeat in WWII by pioneering science fiction author Philip Wylie, who wrote the proto-superhero novel Gladiator. These maps were made in the early days of US involvement in World War II, so there was a sense that this invasion was a real possibility.

Although an American created these plans, it is a little chilling to see the maps and think about the possibility that they probably weren't too far from actual Nazi planning, and implementation and/or success in at least one multiverse..

When Is An Earthquake Swarm Much More Than An Earthquake Swarm?

47 Earthquakes between Mag. 4.3 and 5.2 off the Yemini coast and Gulf of Aden as of 7 p.m. CST November 16.

Three thoughts come to mind..

Increased geologic activity(in overall magnitude, not in amount of quakes--note the distinction), not only in this region, but worldwide(including volcanoes)..

Man-made tectonic activity. But why would this be? A poster from my favorite conspiracy site (from China, too!) says "There was an article on Veterans Today about the difficulties of a US invasion of Iran and that a possible way in is through the Yemeni port of Gwardar, but it's totally inadequate at the moment.


No worries. Cause a buncha earthquakes on land or out in the seabed to cause a tsunami in the area. Next, shout out, "You poor Yemeni victims! Here, let us help and rebuild! No charge for now, pay later! We'll send the Seabees first, and you won't know the place when we're done!"

Nice..

But my favorite involves Aliens AND Pirates!

The beauty of Conspiracy Theory is the divergent interpretive directions each perspective can travel. From the sublime to the insane to the infinitely sinister, they can all co-exist on not only collectively on the web, but within each of our own contradictory natures. To embrace the extremes of thought, to live the dissonance, is part of my wonder of life itself. Information as drug? Yeah; I'm hooked..

Long Term Silver Prices Can't Be Stopped, But The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Is Still Gonna Try, Baby..

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) raises margins on commodities again, Excerpts:

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is continuing its assault to stem the speculation on commodities that threaten to go parabolic due to the Fed's QE2 and subsequent inflation.

Last week, silver took a plunge immediately after the CME raised margin rates 30% from $5000.00 to $6500.00, and it is affecting other commodities such as copper as well.

Tyler Durden from ZeroHedge says:

Look for a second round of imminent margin hikes in cotton, sugar, coffee and wheat, as the exchanges are suddenly very concerned about what retail margin collapses may mean for the non-existent wealth effect.

Change is afoot, friends, and all sectors of our (and the world's) economy are fluid. Watching CNBC will be so much more exciting in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To Anyone, No Matter How Jesusy They May Be..

Westboro protesters face jeers and slashed tires. I'm sure this incident won't shut them up, and it's not very nice(or legal), but they sure deserve every bit of good will they receive, don't you think?

Spot Silver Price, Tuesday, November 16, 2:02 a.m. CST

Silver $25.69
Gold  $1360.90

Chart courtesy of UrbanSurvival.  Both metals on the rise again after being beat down in the four previous market days.  Silver manipulation, anyone?

Political Double Standard Much?

From Xymphora:

"Imagine if a prominent American politician of Latino descent emerged from an hour long meeting with the President of Mexico to triumphantly announce that he would side with the President of Mexico against the policies of the President of the United States."

The right wing hounds would NEVER stop barking would they? Insert another country, and well.. Do you hear any barking?

This Is The Tipping Point, Or A Contributor Thereof..

Yuan Bets Reined In After ‘Masterful Job’ at G-20: China Credit

Abhisit calls on Asia to use yuan in trade Huh. Thailand's thinking of dropping the Dollar.

Ireland Goes Bust, Irish Bank Run

Obama didn't have any fun at the G20 at all..

Just because you can't hear them doesn't mean massive financial bombs aren't exploding all over the place.

A Little Ominous.

Authorities don't know why thousands of jellyfish packed a three-mile long section of San Francisco's Ocean Beach.

I did not find it odd, either, that CNN didn't mention the "animals as earthquake barometers" angle, not even one bit.