DOOMSDAY 2012 & MARTIAL LAW: President Obama Issues Executive Order - "National Defense Resources Preparedness"?!

President Obama has signed an Executive Order (EO) which is unprecedented. It exceeds the recent admission from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta dismissing the role of Congress in military actions. It exceeds the revelation in the National Defense Authorization Act which declares the U.S. homeland as part of the battlefield allowing American citizens to be indefinitely detained absent any charges being filed.  Why is this EO so heinous? Read it here for yourself.

It doesn’t even require the declaration of an emergency. It’s based upon national defense readiness, both in peacetime and during an emergency. It extends the powers of martial law at anytime the President sees fit. Martial law normally requires a breakdown of law and order. This President has determined he has the authority right now, today, to implement any measures he deems necessary to prepare the troops.

Sec. 102.  Policy.  The United States must have an industrial and technological base capable of meeting national defense requirements and capable of contributing to the technological superiority of its national defense equipment in peacetime and in times of national emergency.  The domestic industrial and technological base is the foundation for national defense preparedness.  The authorities provided in the Act shall be used to strengthen this base and to ensure it is capable of responding to the national defense needs of the United States.

He goes on further to declare that his Agency Heads have the authority to guarantee loans by private institutions (Sec. 301), and even to make the terms of the contracts (Sec. 301(b)). If that’s not enough, he has given the Agency Heads the authority to issue loans (Sec. 302). They are also authorized to stockpile materials in excess of requirements (Sec. 303(b)) and to issue subsidy payments for high cost items (Sec. 304). Section 308 is outrageous.

Sec. 308.  Government-Owned Equipment.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to: (a)  procure and install additional equipment, facilities, processes, or improvements to plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by the Federal Government and to procure and install Government owned equipment in plants, factories, or other industrial facilities owned by private persons; (b)  provide for the modification or expansion of privately owned facilities, including the modification or improvement of production processes, when taking actions under sections 301, 302, or 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, 2092, 2093; and (c)  sell or otherwise transfer equipment owned by the Federal Government and installed under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to the owners of such plants, factories, or other industrial facilities.

The Federal Government has the authority to procure, install or modify private property. In peacetime. Who needs Martial Law? Obama is also creating advisory boards such as the Defense Production Act Committee (DPAC) and the National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER). Not exciting enough for you yet? How about Section 601.

Sec. 601.  Secretary of Labor.  (a)  The Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other agencies, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, shall: (1)  collect and maintain data necessary to make a continuing appraisal of the Nation’s workforce needs for purposes of national defense; (2)  upon request by the Director of Selective Service, and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, assist the Director of Selective Service in development of policies regulating the induction and deferment of persons for duty in the armed services;
(3)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order, consult with that agency with respect to:  (i) the effect of contemplated actions on labor demand and utilization; (ii) the relation of labor demand to materials and facilities requirements; and (iii) such other matters as will assist in making the exercise of priority and allocations functions consistent with effective utilization and distribution of labor; (4)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order:  (i) formulate plans, programs, and policies for meeting the labor requirements of actions to be taken for national defense purposes; and (ii) estimate training needs to help address national defense requirements and promote necessary and appropriate training programs; and (5)  develop and implement an effective labor management relations policy to support the activities and programs under this order, with the cooperation of other agencies as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, including the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the National Mediation Board, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Did you read part 2 concerning the induction of persons for duty in the Armed Forces? That’s called a draft as far as I know. No, this doesn’t mean Obama has instituted a draft, but it says he can anytime he wants. More importantly, this Executive Order establishes that the President doesn’t need Congress to declare war, or even for an emergency situation to be declared, in order to appropriate funding for national defense initiatives. He can work through the Treasury to fund any of it he determines necessary. Just as Panetta stated, Congress is irrelevant. The Constitution is irrelevant. And just who do you think is going to do anything about it to stop him? Any of these provisions can be executed in peacetime. Our Constitution and the rule of law are dead. You’ll see numerous stories coming out in the next days concerning this EO as being nothing more than an update and no reason for concern. How this makes an illegal power grab any more correct, I don’t know. Simply because it hasn’t been exercised doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned it even exists. - Spellchek.

Read the entire Executive Order HERE.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Mount Etna Erupts - Fourth Time In 2012 With Four Mile-Long Plume Of Smoke And Ash Into The Sky!

Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna erupted on Sunday sending a four mile-long plume of smoke and ash into the sky.

Explosions from the fourth paroxysm of Etna in 2012.

The eruption is the fourth of its kind this year sending a lava stream into Sicily's uninhabited valley of Valle del Bove. Etna, which is 11,000ft high and located 18 miles above the Sicilian town of Catania, often erupts but rarely causes damage. 11,000ft high, sits. Nearby airports remained open and continued operations during the eruption athough authorities shut down two nearby flight paths. - Telegraph.

WATCH: Etna's fourth eruption this year.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Mount Sakurajima in Japan, Erupts Violently - Throwing Hot Rocks and Ash 10,000 Feet High!

The following videos, taken from a closed-circuit television, captured several spectacular images of the violent and explosive eruption of the Sakurajima volcano in the Kagoshima prefecture. The Japanese volcano continued its record-breaking eruptons, spewing out hot rocks and ash. Just last week, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) indicated that the exhalations were the most forceful since 2009.

The Agency added that the volcano has been erupting steadily for the last two years, but the eruption on Monday turned violent, throwing 50-centimetre (1 foot 6 inches) rocks nearly 1.2 miles away, the furthest since 2009. In response, the Meteorological agency extended the eruption warning to residents living further away from the mouth of the volcano. The volcano has already had over 300 eruptions this year. Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan’s more active volcanoes, resumed activity in 1955 and has been active ever since. Sakurajima volcano in Japan’s southern Kagoshima prefecture erupts violently in what officials say is the most powerful since 2009, though there has been no damage so far. - DigTriad.

Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 7-9 and 11-13 March explosions from Sakura-jima often produced plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.2-2.7 km (4,000-9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E and SE. Pilots observed ash plumes during 9 and 11-13 March that rose to altitudes of 1.8-3 km (6,000-10,000 ft) a.s.l.

Geologic Summary. Sakura-jima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is a post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera at the northern half of Kagoshima Bay. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow was associated with the formation of the 17 x 23-km-wide Aira caldera about 22,000 years ago. The construction of Sakura-jima began about 13,000 years ago and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kita-dake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minami-dake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76. Map - Weekly Volcanic Activity Report.

WATCH: Sakurajima erupts violently.

SOLAR WATCH: Sunspot 1434 Unleashes M1.3 Solar Flare On The Farside - Sets Off Spectacular Eruption!

Sunspot 1434 located in the southern hemisphere, produced a rapid M1.3 Solar Flare at 20:39 UTC. A Type II Sweep Frequency Event with a velocity of 1140 km/s was detected as well. Analysis of the M1.3 flare is ongoing to determine if it was associated with an Earth-directed CME.

Sunspot 1432 continues to shrink in spot count and sunspot area. Sunspot 1435 on the other hand is growing in the southern hemisphere. There will remain a small chance for moderate solar flares. New Region was numbered today and it got number 1437 . It and the remaining regions are small, magnetically simple, and stable. An aurora watch will be in effect for this weekend due to an expected CME impact from a solar flare on March 15. Minor storming will be possible at high latitudes. NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% chance of geomagnetic storms around the poles in response to a high-speed solar wind stream buffeting Earth’s magnetic field. - Space Weather.

Solar activity was moderate. Region 1435 (S26W37) grew rapidly overnight ending the period as a Dro type group with beta magnetic characteristics. Nearby Region 1434 (S22W27) produced an impulsive M1/Sf flare at 17/2039Z. This flare was accompanied by a Type II radio sweep (1140 km/s). A northward directed wave was visible in SDO/AIA 193 imagery. Region 1432 (N14W39), currently a Cro type group with beta magnetic characteristics, produced a C1 flare at 17/0312, but was generally quiet overnight. New Region 1437 (S34E15) was numbered today. It and the remaining regions were small, magnetically simple, and stable. Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an isolated M-class flare all three days (18-20 March), particularly from the vicinity of Regions 1434 and 1435.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels with isolated minor to major storm levels observed at high latitudes. This activity was in response to the continued presence of a high speed solar wind stream. Solar wind speed, measured at the ACE spacecraft, remained around 650 km/s while Bz ranged between +5 and -5 nT. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during the period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to begin at unsettled levels and increase to active to isolated minor storm levels on Day 1 (18 March) as a CME from 15 March arrives. Activity levels are expected to be predominantlyactive on Day 2 (19 March), declining to unsettled levels on Day 3 (20 March) as effects from the CME subside. Analysis of the M1/Sf flare is ongoing to determine if it was associated with an Earth-directed CME. - SWPC.

WATCH: Spectacular CME from farside eruption.

ANCIENT ALIENS: Season 4 - Extraterrestrials and the Mystery of Puma Punku!

The History Channel continues its popular series on extraterrestrials, alien theories and ancient civilizations with season four of Ancient Aliens. The following video playlist constitutes program six, entitled Extraterrestrials and the Mystery of Puma Punku.

At nearly 14,000 years old, the ruins of Puma Punku are the oldest and most baffling on the face of the Earth. No one knows who designed and built this complex of sophisticated inter-locking blocks, and then vanished. Researchers investigate the ruins on-location in Peru and present new computer analyses. Forensic evidence on the ground, together with local myths and legends, suggest this site may have been designed and even once inhabited by a species of extraterrestrials. - History Channel.

WATCH: Part 1 - Extraterrestrials and the Mystery of Puma Punku.

WATCH: Part 2 - Extraterrestrials and the Mystery of Puma Punku.

WATCH: Part 3 - Extraterrestrials and the Mystery of Puma Punku.

CELESTIAL CONVERGENCE: Fire in the Sky & Deep Impact - Near-Miss Asteroid to Return Even Closer Next Year!

An amateur team spotted the unusual asteroid, named 2012 DA14, on February 22. Its small size and orbit meant that it was observed only after it had flown past Earth at about seven times the distance of the Moon. However, current predictions indicate that on its next flyby, due on 15 February 2013, it will pass Earth at just 24 000 km - closer than many commercial satellites.

"This is a safe distance, but it is still close enough to make the asteroid visible in normal binoculars," said Detlef Koschny, responsible for near-earth objects in ESA's Space Situational Awareness (SSA) office. The asteroid was discovered by the La Sagra Sky Survey observatory, in the southeast of Spain, near Granada, at an altitude of 1700 m, one of the darkest, least light-polluted locations on the European mainland. "Considering its path in the morning sky, its rather fast angular motion, the quite faint and fading brightness and its orbit high above the plane of Earth's orbit, it was a slippery target - and easily could have escaped undetected during this Earth visit," said Jaime Nomen, one of the discoverers. "A preliminary orbit calculation shows that 2012 DA14 has a very Earth-like orbit with a period of 366.24 days, just one more day than our terrestrial year, and it 'jumps' inside and outside of the path of Earth two times per year."  While an impact with Earth has been ruled out on the asteroid's next visit, astronomers will use that close approach for more studies and calculate the Earth and Moon's gravitational effects on it. "We will also be keen to see the asteroid's resulting orbit after the next close approach in order to compute any future risk of impact," said Koschny.

The La Sagra Sky Survey is operated by the Observatorio Astronomico de Mallorca and has recently joined ESA's SSA programme. In the future it will provide observations to the asteroid data hub that ESA is developing. Together with information on space weather and debris, its information will help European scientists and policy-makers understand and assess hazards, particularly if an Earth-threatening asteroid is ever found. The discovery of 2012 DA14 is particularly significant for the Agency's SSA office, because it is typical of the estimated half a million undiscovered near-Earth objects up to 30 m across. "The goal is to be able to spot them at least three weeks before closest approach to Earth. We are developing a system of automated optical telescopes that can detect asteroids just like this one, with the goal of being able spot them at least three weeks before closest approach to Earth," said Koschny. To achieve this, ESA specialists supported by European industry are planning a network of 1 m-diameter telescopes with a combined field of view large enough to image the complete sky in one night. - Phenomenica.

WATCH: Orbital path of Asteroid 2012 DA14.

SOLAR SYSTEM DISTURBANCE: Another Satellite is Falling to Earth - Russian Express AM4 to Fall From Space on March 20th?!

The Russian government will guide the large Express AM4 telecommunications satellite, which was launched into a useless orbit in August, into a controlled atmospheric descent starting March 20 so that any surviving pieces will land in the Pacific Ocean, a senior official from Russia's state-owned satellite telecommunications operator said March 15. The 5,800-kilogram satellite has been stuck in a too-low orbit following the failure of the Breeze M upper stage of the Russian Proton rocket.

An artist's illustration of the Russian Express-AM4 telecommunications satellite in Earth orbit.

Dennis Pivnyuk, chief financial officer of the Russian Satellite Communications Co. (RSCC), which had planned to operate Express-AM4 for 15 years as part of its expansive development plan, said Russian authorities had considered and rejected multiple salvage scenarios for the satellite. "We have decided to splash it between March 20 and March 26," Pivnyuk said here during the Satellite 2012 conference. "While the satellite was not damaged, it has spent seven months in an orbit that exposes it to radiation that has left it in not good shape. There is not much lifetime left. We've reviewed different proposals from different entities, but none was really feasible." Express-AM4 was built by Astrium Satellites. Using its insurance payout from the loss of about $270 million, Moscow-based RSCC has ordered a replacement satellite, the Express-AM4R, which Astrium has promised to deliver in time for a launch in late 2013. Express-AM4 carried 63 active transponders in C-, Ku-, L- and Ka-bands.

Among the proposals submitted to Russian authorities for salvaging Express-AM4 was a bid by Polar Broadband Systems Ltd. Former NASA human spaceflight chief William Readdy co-founded the Isle of Man-based company last year with the aim of repositioning Express-AM4 to provide researchers in Antarctica with 14-16 hours a day of broadband communications. Readdy told Space News March 15 the company had not given up on persuading Russian authorities to reposition the satellite through a series of orbit-raising burns between the end of March and the beginning of June. Polar Broadband Systems aims to sell Express-AM4 services to the U.S. National Science Foundation, which issued a request for information in April 2011 seeking industry recommendations for obtaining satellite-based broadband communications services for the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, which is largely beyond the reach of Antarctica's extremely limited satellite coverage. - Discovery News.

EXTREME WEATHER ANOMALIES: Britain's Heritage Buildings Feel the Heat and Cold - Increasingly Erratic Climate Conditions Taking Toll!

The curators responsible for preserving Britain's historic sites already have to cope with falling subsidies and the effect of the economic gloom on visitor numbers. Now they have another problem: our increasingly extreme and erratic weather.

Freezing temperatures, drought and torrential rain are all proving increasingly damaging to sites that, in some cases, are almost 1,000 years old. Earlier this month, parts of the roof of St John the Baptist Church in Woodhurst, Cambridgeshire, collapsed, with masonry falling from the chancel, causing damage that will cost up to £40,000 to repair. Experts said the problems were caused by the drought's effect on soil that is found particularly in the east of England. The trees close to the walls of the Grade II-listed building sucked up too much water from the ground after two years of low rainfall, causing the clay to contract. This moved the foundations, and the walls cracked.

Ian Harper, an architect with English Heritage said: "The problems with the drought's effect on the clay have emerged recently and we haven't worked out how to prevent it." Finding funding for the necessary repairs is becoming increasingly difficult. "Every year we have a grants programme and every year there are about twice the applications we can fund. This is becoming more of a problem. It has been developing over the past 10 years," he said. Other churches have been affected in similar fashion. St Mary's, in the village of Mundon, Essex, had to undergo significant repairs as a result of clay shrinkage, which led the building's foundations to start "falling apart". The restoration work, following a £140,000 grant from English Heritage, averted the collapse of the chancel and preserved its Georgian murals. - Independent.

MONUMENTAL EARTH CHANGES: Most Remarkable Phenomena - Massive Algae-Coated Ice at the Princess Astrid Coast in Antarctica!

A few weeks ago, NASA’s Terra satellite flew over East Antarctica and detected swirls of green amidst the ice off the Princess Astrid Coast. For three weeks since, scientists have been trying to figure out what Terra saw in this remote region of the world’s most remote continent. The size of the bloom is estimated to be 200 kilometres (E-W) by 100 kilometres (N-S). Its colour is so rich that it is easily visible from space. Green shading in an otherwise blue ocean usually indicates a bloom of phytoplankton, plant-like organisms that turn sunlight into biomass. Phytoplankton is the center of the ocean food web, feeding everything from krill to penguins to whales.

This natural color image above was acquired by Terra’s Moderate Resolution
Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on February 27, 2012.

Stanford University marine biologist Kevin Arrigo—who led NASA’s ICESCAPE research ship expeditions in 2010 and 2011—was skeptical of blooming ocean. It doesn’t look like a phytoplankton bloom to him. He explain that the spatial pattern resembles the sea ice too closely. He points that it’s very late for such a bloom in the Antarctic. According to him it looks suspiciously like green sea ice. Oscar Schofield, a biological oceanographer at Rutgers University, had his own long-distance interpretation. He suggest that this could be an ice edge bloom, though it is unlikely we can say what species. He points that ice edge blooms are not unusual there, though it is late in the season. Researchers at the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center previously examined the MODIS image and declared on their website: “Wind blowing snow off the Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica appears to have released nutrients which have triggered a massive algal bloom (believed to be phaeocystis).”

Jan Lieser, a scientist with that Australian research group, added that he witnessed this bloom in East Antarctica at about the same time. The largest single patch was in the Cape Darnley region, between the Amery Ice Shelf and Mawson Station. He also saw smaller blooms to the west of the West Ice Shelf and off the Mertz Glacier region in recent weeks. Blooms are not unusual in Antarctica and have been reported before, but usually at a different time of year (early December). Lieser’s colleagues were in a position to be able to redirect the Australian vessel Aurora Australis to take a few surface water samples of the bloom when she was on return mission from Mawson Station to Hobart, Tasmania. Reports from the ship as it was sampling and traversing through the bloom indicate that the region was covered by small pancakes of sea ice with algae visible on the sides and undersides, apparently floating in a sea of greenish brown. The samples were due back in Hobart by late March. The green waters off Antarctica this February might have been phytoplankton blooming in the water, adhering to the edges of the ice, or growing on top of the ice altogether. Perhaps there could have even been a different explanation that did not include life at all. But until someone could sample the water and ice directly, it would be difficult to know for sure. - Earth Observatory.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Tracking Worldwide Volcanic Activities - From The Volcano Discovery Reports!

The following constitutes the new activity and unrest report from the Volcano Discovery.

Explosions from the third paroxysm of Etna in 2012.

Etna Volcano, Italy: Another paroxysm from the new SE crater.

Since this morning, weak explosive activity has been observed from the new South East crater of Etna volcano. This could be the start of the foreplay towards another paroxysm if Etna's eruptive behavior stays as has been during the past 14 months. Another paroxysm is occurring at the New SE crater of Etna volcano. This marks the 22nd eruption of this type since the start of the series in January 2010. The strombolian activity from the crater which had started yesterday (17 March) continued during the night. From 03:30 local time, the glow had been continuous and the frequency of explosions rose to 25-30 per hour. Large incandescent bombs were observed landing on the outer flanks of the cone. At the time of writing (8:30 local time), another paroxysm is about to occur. Strong explosions generating a rising ash plume and a steep increase of tremor can be observed.

Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii: Pressure reaches lava flow-front.

Another cycle of deflation-inflation (DI) is nearing completion on Kīlauea, with reduced pressure leading to a slow-down in the advance of active lava flow-front. However, sluggish lava flows are still filling in the base of the pali, mostly inflating but with perhaps a dozen small breakout spots at the leading edge. Renewed pressure and summit inflation should bring an increase in activity over the next 24 hrs, that is until the next deflation cycle once again! The big question is whether these events can stall the progress of lava closer to the ocean, and as usual we wait and see! As expected, activity is increasing at the lava flow-front as renewed pressure propagates along the magmatic system, even as further (apparently smaller) pressure variations occur. Stay tuned for more pictures and detailed updates as our tour schedule and the eruption allows!

El Hierro, Canary Islands: Scientists publish first video of the active submarine volcano.

Scientists from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) aboard the research vessel Atlantic Explorer have published the first videos of the underwater volcanic cone in the Sea of ​Las Calmas south of El Hierro. The videos, taken by an underwater robot during their latest campaign, show that the eruption is continuing, but also suggest that the summit is still at 120 m rather than the 88 m found during the previous research campaign just 2 weeks earlier. In their press release, the scientists say that there is no "tremor" on the surface of the water, but a "shower of glowing stars" can be seen under water (note: probably, they refer to white ash and tephra particles floating as seen in the video). They conclude that the vent remains active, and generates a convecting column of hot water rising up to 40 m depth. Temperatures of over 60ºC were measured in the area where the robot could approach. Also, fish and other marine life could be seen in some videos proofing that life persists despite the eruption.

Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka: Ongoing ash emissions reaching 6 km altitude (17,000 ft).

Moderate fumarolic activity at the lava dome was observed during 2 and 5-8 March; cloud cover prevented observations on the other days. Satellite imagery showed a weak thermal anomaly over the lava dome during 3, 5, and 7-8 March.  Shiveluch volcano in Kamchatka is now erupting and generates a tall plume of ash reaching 17,000 ft (around 6.5 km altitude), the Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reports. The ash cloud is drifting E to SE.

Cleveland Volcano, Alaska: Small ash eruptions and growing lava dome.

Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands has had a few small explosive ash eruptions, the last one on 14 March, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reports. The lava dome in the summit crater continues to grow slowly and more eruptions are likely. AVO writes: "As long as the volcano remains active, additional explosions are likely. Some may produce ash clouds exceeding 20,000 feet above sea level. These clouds may go undetected in satellite imagery for hours. If a large ash-producing event occurs, seismic, infrasound, or volcanic lightning would likely be detected by local and regional monitoring networks. There is no real-time seismic monitoring network on Cleveland volcano."