Incident At Isfahan

Hmmm, I wonder what this is all about?

‘Mysterious explosion rocks Iranian city of Isfahan’

A large explosion rocked the western Iranian city of Isfahan, semi-official FARS news reported Monday afternoon.

According to the report, the blast occurred shortly after 2:00 p.m. FARS did not reveal the cause of the explosion, which was large enough to be heard throughout Iran’s third largest city.

. . .

Isfahan is home to nuclear experimental reactors, and also a uranium enrichment facility for producing nuclear fuel.

See also:
Report: Explosion rocks Iran city of Isfahan, home to key nuclear facility
Report: Huge blast heard in Iranian city of Isfahan
Iran: explosion in Isfahan reported
Loud Blast Reportedly Rocks Iranian City of Isfahan
Mysterious blast heard from Iran’s Isfahan city; reports conflicted
‘Explosion’ in Iran raises suspicions of attack on nuclear missile program
Blast near Iran nuclear facility
No explosion in Isfahan: Iran official
Iran official: Blast near nuclear site caused by military mishap
Sound of blast reported in Iran’s Isfahan city
BREAKING: Explosion Reported at Isfahan, Iran, ‘Home to Key Nuclear Facility’
More “Bad Luck” in Iran; “Huge” Explosion Reported Outside Isfahan
In Iran, a series of mysterious incidents raises sabotage suspicions

Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but this is the second major explosion,in less than two weeks, at or near a facility involved with Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

/or maybe it’s not a coincidence at all, more faster please

Weekly Watch List

ALXN (7/24/11, +8.29%)
ULTA (11/13/11, -10.71%)
MA (9/24/11, +2.72%)
LULU (11/27/11, +0.00%)
DLTR (9/4/11, +7.58%)
RGLD (10/30/11, +2.61%)
NUS (8/28/11, +16.18%)
HANS (10/16/11, -9.91%)
VRSK (11/27/11, +0.00%)
RL (11/27/11, +0.00%)
DG (9/4/11, +6.27%)
DECK (11/27/11, +0.00%)
AAP (11/27/11, +0.00%)
TJX (11/27/11, +0.00%)

Additions:
AAP (11/27/11, +0.00%)
DECK (11/27/11, +0.00%)
LULU (11/27/11, +0.00%)
RL (11/27/11, +0.00%)
TJX (11/27/11, +0.00%)
VRSK (11/27/11, +0.00%)

Subtractions:
CXO (10/30/11, -9.71%)

Last week was a disaster with European news pulling all the major U.S. indexes down on lighter holiday week volume. The NYSE composite cratered 5.3%, the Nasdaq plunged 5.1%, the Dow dived 4.8%, and the S&P 500 lost 4.7%. The IBD outlook remains at “market in correction”. Think about raising cash, it’s the only safe place to be at the moment.

With the market in correction, none of the watch list stocks can be considered as buy candidates.

/as usual, your mileage may vary, always do your own homework

Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Curiosity Right Over

Unlike the Russians, at least we can get our Mars missions out of Earth’s orbit.

NASA launches super-size Mars rover to red planet

The world’s biggest extraterrestrial explorer, NASA’s Curiosity rover, rocketed toward Mars on Saturday on a search for evidence that the red planet might once have been home to itsy-bitsy life.

It will take 8½ months for Curiosity to reach Mars following a journey of 354 million miles.

An unmanned Atlas V rocket hoisted the rover, officially known as Mars Science Laboratory, into a cloudy late morning sky. A Mars frenzy gripped the launch site, with more than 13,000 guests jamming the space center for NASA’s first launch to Earth’s next-door neighbor in four years, and the first send-off of a Martian rover in eight years.

See also:
NASA Rover Begins Long Cruise to Mars
For NASA’s rover Curiosity, it’s ‘Mars or Bust!’
NASA Launches Hefty Curiosity Rover to Mars
NASA launches $2.5 billion rover to Red Planet
Super-size Mars rover blasts off, biggest robotic explorer ever built to roam another planet
Launch of Nasa Curiosity Mars rover could lead to human mission by 2030
NASA launches super-size rover to Mars: ‘Go, Go!’
NASA rover launched to seek out life clues on Mars
Nasa rover begins journey in search of life on Mars
Curiosity on its way to Mars – November 26, 2011
NASA Rover to Begin Journey to Mars
Curiosity Starts Nine Month Journey to Mars
NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Takes Off
Will NASA’s Curiosity rover find signs of life on Mars?
Mars Science Laboratory
Mars Science Laboratory
Mars Science Laboratory

Well, so far so good, the mission is off to a good start. Of course, there’s still plenty of thing that could go wrong, the landing sequence for setting Curiosity down on the Martian surface looks to be extremely complex, like something Rube Goldberg would come up with.

/for $2.5 billion, Curiosity had better perform as advertised and discover something spectacular

Miss Mubarak Yet?

How’s that Arab Spring working out?

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood holds anti-Semetic rally, draws thousands at Cairo’s top mosque vowing to ‘one day kill all the Jews’

A Muslim revival at Cairo’s most prominent mosque Friday that drew 5,000 worshippers reportedly turned into a hate-fueled rally, complete with repeated vows to “one day kill all the Jews.”

Led by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest and best-organized political party, the crowd that gathered at the al-Azhar Mosque chanted “Tel Aviv! Tel Aviv! Judgment Day has come!” according to Israeli website Ynetnews.com.

Palestinian guest speakers and spokesmen for the Muslim Brotherhood roused the crowd with speeches aiming to incite Jihad directed at Israel, specifically promoting a “battle against Jerusalem’s Judaization.”

See also:
Cairo rally: One day we’ll kill all Jews
Muslim Brotherhood activists vow to ‘one day kill all Jews’
Islamists Chant “One Day We Will Kill All Jews” at Cairo Rally
‘One day, we’ll kill all the Jews’
Cairo rally: One day we’ll kill all Jews
Ruthless men hide behind veil of religion
ANALYSIS-Islamists strong ahead of Egypt poll, unrest seen an asset
New Clashes as Egypt Prepares for Elections
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood Versus Army: Disastrous Elections or Bloody Civil War?
Obama Administration supporting objectives of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

Call Mubarak a dictator, a thug, call him whatever you want, at least he was able to keep a lid on the Muslim Brotherhood and, for the most part, order in the streets. What Egypt has now is rioting in the streets and the Muslim Brotherhood openly advocating genocide against the Jews.

/oh and Parliamentary elections in Egypt are supposed to start Monday, what if the Muslim Brotherhood does well?

“Occupy” In A Nutshell

Contest’s over, we have a winner. Lefty wants free stuff.

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.

/Margaret Thatcher

Apocalypse Confirmed?

Believe it or not, the Mayans did.

End of the world speculation after new Mayan discovery

Archaeologists in Mexico have confirmed the discovery of a possible second Mayan reference to the date 2012, offering further ammunition for doom-mongers predicting an apocalypse next year.

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History acknowledged the reference had been found in a 1,300-year-old inscription made on a carved brick fragment at a ruin at Comalcalco in the south of the country.

Most experts have previously cited only one surviving Mayan reference to the date, on a stone tablet from a nearby site at Tortuguero.

See also:
Mexico adds yet another brick to the 2012 Maya legend
Another Mayan Reference to 2012 Revealed
Mexico archaeologists acknowledge 2nd Mayan reference to 2012
Brace Yourself: The World Could End In 2012
Apocalypse 2012 Back On? Second Mayan Inscription Uncovered
Mexico acknowledges 2nd Mayan reference to 2012
Boffins find new 2012 glyph on ‘secret’ Mayan brick
Mexico Acknowledges a 2nd Mayan Reference to 2012 Date, But Insists Apocalyptic Predictions are Misinterpretations
Mexico Admits To Second Mayan 2012 End-of-World Reference
2012 Mayan Apocalypse Update – The Comalcalco Brick
Experts admit second Mayan prediction of 2012 as end of the world

Could the Mayans have been predicting Obama’s reelection?

/because that certainly would bring about end of the world as we know it

Secret Code For Kindergartners

How dumb is this?

‘Pizza’ Party Codeword May Have Doomed CIA Spies

All the CIA’s Lebanon spies wanted was a slice. What they got, allegedly, was a big intelligence failure.

Hezbollah may have just rolled up the CIA’s network of spies devoted to cracking the secrets of the Lebanese Shiite extremist group. If so, it’s because of one of the stupidest, least secure code words in history.

According to ABC News, Hezbollah operatives figured out that CIA informants who had infiltrated the Iranian proxy group were meeting with their agency handlers at a Beirut Pizza Hut. How could Hezbollah deduce that location? “The CIA used the codeword ‘PIZZA’ when discussing where to meet with the agents,” ABC reports.

See also:
Exclusive: CIA Spies Caught, Fear Execution in Middle East
CIA in Lebanon damaged by capture of spies by Hezbollah
The Pizza Hut Connection: CIA Exposes Own Spies in Iran and Lebanon
CIA’s ‘pizza’ blunders leave informants facing execution
Iran and Hezbollah Caught All the CIA Spies at Pizza Hut
Iran and Hezbollah Caught CIA Spies at a Pizza Hut in Beirut
American ‘Pizza Hut’ Spies Captured in Lebanon
CIA informants in Iran, Lebanon outed over ‘pizza code-word’ blunders
Hezbollah unraveling CIA spy network in Lebanon
CIA spy ring busted in Iran and Lebanon
Reports: U.S. Operatives Caught In Lebanon, Iran
White House: No Comment on Spies Outed in Iran, Lebanon
Hezbollah uncovers CIA informants
CIA spies captured in Lebanon
‘CIA spies busted in Iran, Lebanon’

What were they thinking? It’s unfortunate that people working for us have or are about to lose their lives over something this stupid and easily avoidable. Not only is it extremely damaging to our intelligence gathering efforts, but it’s also going to have a chilling effect on future recruitment efforts. Seriously, who wants to work for amateurs, especially if your life depends on it?

/taking the intelligence out of Central Intelligence Agency

Weekly Watch List

ULTA (11/13/11, -6.65%)
ALXN (7/24/11, +8.71%)
MA (9/24/11, +6.94%)
DLTR (9/4/11, +6.67%)
RGLD (10/30/11, +5.35%)
HANS (10/16/11, -3.56%)
NUS (8/28/11, +22.02%)
DG (9/4/11, +10.12%)
CXO (10/30/11, -4.61%)

Additions:
None

Subtractions:
None

Last week, the major indexes took a dive. The Dow lost 2.1%, the S&P 500 gave up 3.8%, the NYSE composite fell 3.9%, and the Nasdaq dropped 4%. The mounting downward pressure culminated on Thursday to break the uptrend’s back and roll the IBD outlook over to “market in correction”. Don’t make new purchases, consider taking profits on any winners, don’t let profits turn into losses, and never take a loss of more than 7-8% on any stock. Between Europe and the worthless “Super Committee”, the probability of more bad news is high. Hunker down and wait for the next uptrend.

With the market in correction, none of the watch list stocks can be considered as buy candidates.

/as usual, your mileage may vary, always do your own homework

It’s The Jihad, Stupid

Oh look, it’s yet another Muslim spreading Islam’s message of peace and tolerance.

NYC Arrests Terror Suspect Accused of Plotting to Bomb Police Cars

An al-Qaida sympathizer who plotted to bomb NYPD patrol cars and postal facilities and envisioned targeting U.S. soldiers returning home from overseas has been arrested, officials said.

Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced the arrest of Jose Pimentel, 27, Sunday evening at City Hall.

Bloomberg said Pimentel, of Washington Heights, was “inspired by al-Qaida propaganda” but not part of any larger group and was not believed to be working with others. He was also “motivated by his own resentment of the presence of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Bloomberg said.

. . .

Pimentel, also known as Muhammad Yusuf, was denied bail and remained in custody.

See also:
Latino al-Qaida Sympathizer Accused of NYC Bomb Plot
Bloomberg: NYPD thwarts al Qaeda-inspired terror plot
The Charges Against Jose Pimentel, and Details from the Investigation
N.Y. Man Charged in Terror Plot After FBI Said to Decline Case
NYC terror suspect was building test bomb
Mayor Bloomberg On Foiled NYC Terror Plot: “Sick People” Want To Take Others’ Freedoms
Jose Pimentel’s Arrest a Timely Reminder That Terror Threat Is Still Very Real
Awlaki killing was trigger for NYC plot suspect
Terror plot shows al-Awlaki’s influence lives on after death
New York City bomb plot suspect a ‘total lone wolf’
Mother of Bomb Plot Suspect Apologizes to NYers
‘I apologise to the city of New York’: Catholic mother says sorry for Muslim convert son ‘who was one hour from finishing DIY bomb’
NYC Bomb Plot
Jose Pimentel: Terror Suspect Arrested

It’s amazing how the authorities keep foiling these jihadi plots and that there hasn’t been a successful mass casualty terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11. It’s not like there aren’t plenty of disgruntled Muslims willing to give it a try.

/are we good or just lucky?

A Preview Of Coming Attractions

So much for Homeland Security. From Russia, without love, hitting us where it really hurts.

Foreign hackers targeted U.S. water plant in apparent malicious cyber attack, expert says

Foreign hackers caused a pump at an Illinois water plant to fail last week, according to a preliminary state report. Experts said the cyber-attack, if confirmed, would be the first known to have damaged one of the systems that supply Americans with water, electricity and other essentials of modern life.

Companies and government agencies that rely on the Internet have for years been routine targets of hackers, but most incidents have resulted from attempts to steal information or interrupt the functioning of Web sites. The incident in Springfield, Ill., would mark a departure because it apparently caused physical destruction.

See also:
Was U.S. water utility hacked last week?
Foreign cyber attack hits US infrastructure: expert
Illinois Water Utility Pump Destroyed After Hack
H(ackers)2O: Attack on City Water Station Destroys Pump
Cyberattack investigation centers on Curran-Gardner water pump
Feds investigating whether Illinois “pump failure” was cyber attack
Broken water pump in Illinois caused by cyber-attack from Russia, claims expert, but DOH denies terrorism
Cyberattack on Illinois water utility may confirm Stuxnet warnings
Water utility hackers destroy pump, expert says
UPDATE 3-U.S. probes cyber attack on water system

The SCADA vulnerabilities to a remote attack have been known for years. The solution is real simple, DON’T CONNECT YOUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE INTERNET!

/how hard is that, is it going to take a disaster for us to learn this basic lesson?