UNO UPDATE: New World Order News Digest

REVOLT AT THE STATE HOUSE

My local Ron Paul [412] Meet-up Group on WISH-TV

The Revolt at the State House Today in Indianapolis drew many supports together to send a message to State Officials that they have neglected the grievences under a varity of issues. Melissa Lineberry the main organizer at todays event who formed Indiana for Liberty and my local Ron Paul [412] meet-up group once again makes it on T.V. getting out and involved with the continuing Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty

neverknwo
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I watched the News 8 clip. I wish that I could say that I am shocked by the outright rudeness and crudeness of the News 8 team. But unfortunately, this junk is what old school journalism has become. Take heart. Few people listen to them anymore.

Melissa Lineberry wrote:

well I am very sad today to see this is what news has become and I want to tell my side since this reporter did not want to tell the news but just make fun of some volunteers that are trying to protect his rights as well as our own.

I was talking to a state rep at a rally we held down in our state house and we were having a great conversation about the rule of law and then I turned around back to my table as I saw someone there and there was a reporter standing there and all that happened is my mind went blank when he asked what CFL stood for since I was completely on a different track in my mind so I picked up so literature to get my brain working since I was on a completely different topic with State Rep Borders and could not find anything in the literature so my mind kind of came back and I said what I said without looking at anything. I asked him to please edit it as I don't usually sound so sloppy and he said he would and low and behold this is what you get. What is sad is we are just volunteers and to make fun of that is so low

Group gather for (Indiana) Statehouse rally (Tea Party/Tax Revolt updates and links)


http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?id=1075529
Citizens Stage “Tax Revolt” at Statehouse

Group gather for Statehouse rally:

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/politics/Group_host_Revolt_at_the_Statehouse_20090325

Protesters hold rally at Statehouse:

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=10066549

Ecletctic group gathers for Indiana Statehouse rally:

http://www.fox59.com/pages/landing_news/?Ecletctic-group-gathers-for-Indiana-Stat=1&blockID=248992&feedID=2319

http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2009/03/revolt-at-state-house-rally_25.html
Revolt At The State House Rally

http://fortwayneright.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/state-house-revolt-a-success/
Group gather for Statehouse rally

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Cuddy On Obama, The New Age, A New World Order

Obama Betray Israel & Prophecy In Islam About a Black Man ...

In “One On One: Regulating the Pursuit of Self” (Jerusalem Post, February 4, 2009), Amitai Etzioni states: “There is no philosophy that better describes Obama’s position than Communitarianism,” which Etzioni defines as a term “that would speak for community and the common good.” (In his March 4, 1801 inaugural address, while referring to majority rule and minority rights, Thomas Jefferson was the first president to refer to the “common good.”) Interestingly, Etzioni in his The Essential Communitarian Reader (p. ix) said the term was coined in 1841 by John Goodwyn Barmby, who founded the Universal Communitarian Association (originally called the Communist Propaganda Society). In Dana Milbank’s “Needed: Catchword for Bush Ideology; ‘Communitarianism’ Finds Favor” (The Washington Post, February 1, 2001), Etzioni was quoted as saying George W. Bush’s Inaugural Address was “a Communitarian Text.” As I’ve mentioned numerous times before, the Power Elite (PE) uses crises to move us toward its ultimate goal of a World Socialist Government. The current global economic crisis is devaluing currencies so that the people of the world will be forced to accept regional currencies and then a global currency, which is an important part of the PE’s plan.

Obama Should Beware The Growing Anger In America

Spring has come to Washington DC and, with it, the sickly sweet smell of scandal. "Who knew what and when did they know it?" roared the House Republican leader, John Boehner, last week. At the White House's daily briefing, agitated reporters besieged the press secretary, Robert Gibbs, with similar questions: "Has the president been satisfied that he found out about this in a timely manner?" asked one. "Somebody clearly dropped the ball," sniped another. "Let's be fair, let's be fair," Gibbs pleaded, his usual easygoing air morphing into defensiveness. The topic of these Watergate-like grillings is not sex or lies, but, rather, Wall Street bonuses. Specifically, the now $218m in awards that the reeling insurance giant AIG, which has already accepted $170bn in US taxpayer aid to keep it afloat, with another $30bn to come, was recently revealed to have paid out to a few hundred of its employees.

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GOD IS OUTRAGED AT THE MAGIC NEGRO MESSIAH ABORTION POLICIES, .....CHANGES YOU CAN BELIEVE IN

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

VIDEO: Catholic Outrage Over Scheduled obama Commencement AddressNearly 65,000 people have signed an online petition protesting President obama's scheduled commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, citing the president's views on abortion and stem cell research that "directly contradict" Roman Catholic teachings.Phil Donahue and Father Jonathan Morris discussed this today on Fox's "The Live Desk".Fox News reports: Nearly 65,000 people have signed an online petition protesting President obama's scheduled May 17 commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, saying the president's views on abortion and stem cell research "directly contradict" Roman Catholic teachings. "It is an outrage and a scandal that 'Our Lady's University,' one of the premier Catholic universities in the United States, would bestow such an honor on President obama given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage," the petition at notredamescandal.com reads. The Cardinal Newman Society, an advocacy group for strengthening ideals at the nation's 224 Catholic colleges and universities, created the Web site to end what it calls the "travesty" of obama's selection. The petition, which had garnered 64,051 signatures as of midday Tuesday, asserts that thousands of other "accomplished leaders" in business, law or education would have been more appropriate selections. The group says it is sending the list to an independent firm Wednesday to ensure that there are no duplicate names. "Instead Notre Dame has chosen prestige over principles, popularity over morality," the petition reads. "Whatever may be President obama's admirable qualities, this honor comes on the heels of some of the most anti-life actions of any American president, including expanding federal funding for abortions and inviting taxpayer-funded research on stem cells from human embryos." David Constanzo, communications director for the Cardinal Newman Society, said Notre Dame's tradition of inviting sitting U.S. presidents to its commencement should be rethought. "There is a time when policies need to be reconsidered in light of the fact that the individual invited may have a history of standing in direct opposition to some of the most prominent aspects of our faith -- the biggest case in point is that of the pro-life agenda," Constanzo said. "The obligation of Notre Dame as a Catholic institution is to follow the directives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who clearly stated in 2004 that Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles." George Weigel, a Catholic theologian and distinguished senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said the invitation is not a "neutral act" and will significantly damage Notre Dame's reputation in Catholic circles following obama's decision to reverse restrictions on embryonic stem cell research and for family planning groups that provide abortions. "I think Notre Dame should not have issued the invitation," Weigel told FOXNews.com. "This is a colossal mess. This is their mess to fix right now, but they should know that they have forfeited an enormous amount of credibility as an institution that takes moral reasoning seriously."

Justice, Supremes confirm
getting eligibility challenge
Taitz documents demanding proof
of Obama's birthplace to be reviewed

BRILLIANT COMMON SENSE: Alan Keyes holds the truth on King TOTUS'S Radical Communist Abortion Record

A detroit radio station called the Kenyan embassy after the election of Obama. After a a few minutes they get through to the ambassador of Kenya. The ambassador of Kenya says that obama was born in Kenya and that his birth place has become a national shrine. Listen to the recording here The quote is around 12:35, so if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing, you can jump ahead. The transcript reads: Radio Jockey: President elect Obama's birth place over in Kenya -- is that going to be a national spot where he was born Ambassador Peter Ogego: its already an attraction. his paternal grandmother is still alive Radio Jockey:But his birth place...they'll put up a marker there Ambassdor Peter Ogego: It would depend on the government. Its already well known. Here is an abridged Utube version of the the radio interview. So you can hear just the relevant parts. It can be reasonably pointed out that the DJ was trying to entrap the Ambassador and that the Ambassador fell into his trap. However, if you listen to the long version of the radio interview --you’ll notice he used the same strategy on two different occasions and the ambassador gently brushed him off. First, he tried to force the ambassador to sing the Kenyan national anthem. The ambassador referred him to the kenyan website. Second he tried to push the ambassador into saying something about maybe Kenya becoming the 51st state. Again the ambassador said that Kenya was a sovereign country. ie No. He used the same technique on the question of Obama’s birth place. This time the ambassador did not brush him off. Rather in answer to the question as to whether Obama was born in Kenya --he says "It is well known." Because the ambassador answered no in the two previous examples -- you can't say that the ambassdor was either a fool or ill advised. Finally, you might ask well doesn't he know that saying Obama is born in Kenya would make trouble for Obama? The answer there is why should he be concerned? He has heard no suggestion in the mainstream media that there might be a problem there. So to say what is already well known--as he says--would be no problem. Here is a utube video of Ambassador Peter Ogego speaking at a conference. Ambassador of Kenya H.E. Peter Ogego To verify that the voice on the radio is Ambassador Ogego-- compare the radio voice with the DJ to the voice on the Utube that goes with Ambassador Ogego. Ambassador Peter Ogego is introduced a bit after minute 18.. They are the same. Subsequently, the Kenyan ambassador said that he meant Obama's father was born in Kenya. However, when pressed about Obama's birth place: "I don't know," he said with a tone of irritation. "You should ask your government. I know his father is Kenyan." However, that's not what the original transcript suggests. clear="all" /> Finally, there is a Affidavit of Bishop Ron McRae which is part of the Berg case. The Bishop says pretty much the same thing as the Ambassador. "Additionally, it is common knowledge throughout both the Christian and Muslim communities in Kenya, that contrary to news media propaganda here in the United States, US Senator Barack Obama is a Muslim and not a Christian, and that he was born in Mombasa, Kenya and not in the State of Hawaii as falsely purported by the Obama campaign for presidency of the United States." While you cannot impeach the ambassador's character, you can impeach McCrae's character. After all, he's just an itinerant preacher. But McCrae has been to Kenya. Still that makes two people who say that it is common knowledge in Kenya that Obama was born in Kenya. Then of course there is a video of Obama's grandmother saying that Obama is born in in her village in Kenya There is a case to be made that Obama mother didn't mean Obama was born in her town but rather that he is a "son of this village". If taken alone, she could well be ignored. However, her take is in keeping with others both high and low. Again here is a pdf transcript of Kenyan National Assembly on Nov 5, 2008, the day after Obama was elected. Over and over again there are references to Obama being a "son of the soil" of Kenya and a Kenyan. On page page 3275 there is this passage: HOUSE SHOULD ADJOURN TO DISCUSS ELECTION OF MR. BARRACK OBAMA Ms. Odhiambo: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is not on this issue. I stand on a point of order under Standing Order No.20 to seek leave for adjournment of the House to discuss the American presidential election results. (Applause) Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President-elect, Mr. Obama, is a son of the soil of this country. Every other country in this continent is celebrating the Obama win. It is only proper and fitting that the country which he originates from should show the same excitement, pomp and colour. Again. It is not the one thing. Rather it is the tide. The Obama administration could put this to rest by releasing his long form birth certificate. But he doesn't. Rather he spends -- now over a million -- on flaks. Why bother. The Arnold would have run for president long ago and likely won if he were a "natural born" american. He's not. He's naturalized. So he can't run. And he knows it. (though there were some trial balloons sent up a couple years back about changing the law--that went nowhere.) Like the Arnold, Obama looks to be a naturalized citizen--but maybe he's not even that.

Red, red meat: Mark Levin on statism and Limbaugh as conservative leader

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Via Greg Hengler and Townhall, a crowd-pleasing palate cleanser to mark the release of his new book, which the boss pronounces must-reading. Hopefully success won’t mellow him: I don’t get a chance to listen to his show often but he’s much more subdued here than what I’m used to. Exit question: Imagine this lineup. Beck at 7, O’Reilly at 8, Hannity at 9 … and Levin at 10? They could move Greta’s Sarah Palin/Natalee Holloway hour of power to 11 and push the O’R/Hannity reruns back an hour. You’d watch, admit it.

Whoops! She let it all slip out! (view this one)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 8:09 PM

From:"Patrick Henry"

Freudian slip = TRUTH about the Democracy

AND NOW WE KNOW
Don 't miss this one!
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D)
Tells the Truth and then attempts to get out of it..

-- Oopsie! Only 1 1/2 minutes You NEED to Watch It Congressional agenda - It Slipped out! This 1 1/2 minute video exposes exactly what many have tried to warn us about, before, during, and after the election. This hearing was conducted before the elections. Maxine Waters (D) California and President of Shell Oil Maxine Waters (D-CA) gets the award for being the most honest! She exposes the truth behind the Dem's playbook on how to fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, by letting out the liberal agenda...socialism...where the government runs the oil companies. Watch the reaction of the two seated next to her when she slips ..........

Nephilim Stargates: The Year 2012 and the Return of the Watchers
"Dr. Horn has convinced me of a frightening, supernatural reality that I never anticipated. 'Nephilim Stargates' is excellently researched and thoroughly fascinating. I read it from cover to cover in one night... Those that do the same should probably switch on as many lights in their house as possible and not be alone at the time." David Flynn, author of Cydonia: The Secret Chronicles of Mars READ MORE!

Freedom Watch 7: Ron Paul, Beck, Schiff, Rockwell, Boaz

Watch the entire show below, or if you have problems you can watch the playlist directly on youtube.

Watch all the previous shows (and this one) at FreedomWatchOnFox.com.

The latest installment of Judge Andrew Napolitano’s simply awesome online show “Freedom Watch” aired today. His guests included Glenn Beck, Shepard Smith, Ron Paul, Peter Schiff, Lew Rockwell, and David Boaz (CATO).

Glenn Beck kicked off the show via phone and discussed the AIG nonsense. The Judge had a few choice words for Andrew Cuomo and his “influencial” tactics.

Ron Paul came on with about 10 minutes left in the show. The Judge asked him about his and others tough questioning of Geithner and Bernanke yesterday. Schiff asked the same question I had for Paul yesterday about asking a question right away to allow for follow up questions rather than using up the time pontificating and asking a question at the end.

Glenn Beck With Neocon John Bolton On Global Take Over (New World Order)

How To Survive The New World Order

We have been witnessing, over the past year or so, the effects of a deteriorating world economic system with all round job cuts and liquidity problems. The economic crisis is reminiscent of the Great Depression of the 1930s and is assuming its proportions. The world economic system has never been so vulnerable and even more so its effects on small economies such as Malta which are totally dependent on international economic factors and developments. What occurs in America affects Europe and subsequently Malta, irrespective of whether it is of a positive or catastrophic nature. The new world order seems to be promising a quick fix solution to all the evils besetting the world. But will the world be unwittingly placing itself under greater economic bondage as the entire world banking system collapses (as governments continue to feel the credit crunch and yearn for economic "bail outs") and slowly but surely placing itself in the hands of a few who will not be accountable to anybody because of the power they will wield?

German President Calls For New Global Financial Order

German President and former International Monetary Fund chief Horst Koehler urged countries on Tuesday to agree on a new financial order and to more than double their funding for the IMF. "I stand by my suggestion of organising a Bretton Woods II under the auspices of the United Nations to push forward a fundamental reform of the international economic and financial system," Koehler said in a high-profile annual speech in Berlin which focused on the financial crisis. In 1944, the Bretton Woods conference helped draw up a post-war financial system and created the IMF and World Bank. Koehler also said members of the European Union should bundle their interests in their representation at the World Bank and IMF, adding that the two bodies -- which help states facing a weak financial situation -- were under-funded. "There seems to be a consensus emerging to double the IMF's financing. That is good. More would be better," he said.

G20: Unrest Will Sweep Globe

A wave of social and political unrest could sweep through the world's poorest countries if G20 leaders fail to come to their aid, the World Bank warns today, as new research says the credit crunch will cost developing countries $750bn (£520bn) in lost output and drive millions more into poverty. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, managing director of the World Bank, is urging G20 leaders to use the London summit in less than a fortnight's time to help protect the developing world against the worst effects of the financial crisis. "We have to look at the impact of this on low income countries. Otherwise, without wanting to sound alarmist, social unrest and political crisis could be the result. It's in the self-interest of everyone to prevent that," she told the Observer Her stark warning came as a new report from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said the collapse of the global economy would cost 90 million lives, lead to an increase to nearly a billion in the number of people going hungry and cost developing countries $750bn in lost growth. "Tens of millions of people will be forced back below the poverty line. There will be irreversible effects on the very poorest," said Simon Maxwell, the ODI's director. The ODI is calling for an extra $50bn in aid for Africa, and urging G20 countries to set aside a "significant proportion" of the cash they are spending on fiscal packages, to help build up the infrastructure in poor countries, and lift people above the breadline.

Geithner tells Council on Foreign Relations he is 'open' to new Global currency to replace US dollar

Geithner, at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the U.S. is "open" to a headline-grabbing proposal by the governor of the China's central bank, which was widely reported as being a call for a new global currency to replace the dollar, but which Geithner described as more modest and "evolutionary."

"I haven’t read the governor’s proposal. He’s a very thoughtful, very careful distinguished central banker. I generally find him sensible on every issue," Geithner said, saying that however his interpretation of the proposal was to increase the use of International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights -- shares in the body held by its members -- not creating a new currency in the literal sense.

"We’re actually quite open to that suggestion – you should see it as rather evolutionary rather building on the current architecture rather than moving us to global monetary union," he said.

"The only thing concrete I saw was expanding the use of the [special drawing rights]," Geithner said. "Anything he’s thinking about deserves some consideration."

The continued use of the dollar as a reserve currency, he added, "depends..on how effective we are in the United States...at getting our fiscal system back to the point where people judge it as sustainable over time."

President Obama flatly rejected the notion of a new global currency at last night's press conference.

UPDATE: Evidently sensing a gaffe, moderator Roger Altman told Geithner that it would be "useful" to return to the question, and asked if he foresaw a change in the dollar's centrality.

"I do not," Geithner said, adding several forceful promises, including, "We will do what's necessary to say we're sustaining confidence in our financial markets."

British Thinktank Warns Of 'Global Pandemic Of Unrest'

A leading British thinktank Friday warned of the "grave threat" of social unrest in response to the global recession over the next two years. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), in a paper published Friday, rated the risk of upheaval that could "disrupt economies and topple governments" as "high or very high" in 95 countries. "Popular anger around the world is growing as a result of rising unemployment, pay cuts and freezes, bail-outs for banks, and falls in house prices and the value of savings and pension funds," said the EIU paper, entitled ‘Manning the Barricades.’ "As people lose confidence in the ability of governments to restore stability, protests look increasingly likely."

Globalization and the New World Order

During the past few centuries the theme of a "new secular order" has grown in public consciousness in the Western World, coasting on the magic carpet of the American dollar bill (novus ordo seclorum) and the more esoteric doctrines of secret societies. Interpretations of what it means, what forms this new order might take in the world, and how sinister (or not) it could be, range from the dire to the enthusiastic, and everything in between. It is often erroneously equated with, and conflated with, developments in globalization. The latter is a broad complex phenomenon that has more to do with the increasing interconnectedness of regional economies, and with the technological revolution in communications that has shrunk the barriers imposed by distances and time. It grows primarily through the increasing integration of markets, international trade, the flow of capital, ideas, people, culture, technology, and the development of transnational regulations... It is not my purpose here to sort through the mass of wildly conflicting theories proposed by others who have written on the matter. But as a starting point we cannot deny that the concept of the new world order is now gaining prominence as the banner or rally-cry under which radical changes in the world community may soon be enacted.

Speaking Of A Superclass, The Most Powerful Elite Prepare To Meet In Athens

The Bilderberg club is famous for gathering the most powerful people in the world at least once per year. There, they can talk behind closed doors. This year, the club will organize its meeting in Athens between 14th and 16th of May, says Elefterios Tipos newspaper. Except for the 30-35 permanent members of the Bilderberg Club, the list of invited people change every year depending on who can influence the developments on the international scene. On the meeting will be present also the management of NATO, politicians, publishers, and journalists. “The silence law” is the first rule, which all invited to the world of Bilderberg must abide to. This is why the daily schedule remains secret but the current events leave no doubt that the main topic of discussion will be the global economic crisis. The history of Bilderberg Club passes through secret meetings in distant hotels and discussions, which no one learns about. The three day meetings in the club are covered by a veil of mystery and many conspiracy theories start, which create different hypothesis for the activities in the club. “Times” daily newspaper writes that “the Bilderberg Club is the camarilla of the richest economically and politically powerful people in the Western world, who meet in secret, in order to plan events, which later on just happen.”

O'Hare UFO Video Surfaces On Youtube

The following video was leaked from a News room, showing unedited discussion of the Chicago O'Hare Airport UFO case among news broadcasters.
2006 O'Hare International Airport UFO sighting



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A video posted March 21, 2009, on Youtube claims to be the real deal of the Nov. 7, 2006, Chicago O'Hare Airport UFO sighting. The video is posted with the headline - "Chicago O'Hare Airport UFO Witness Breaks His Silence." The username is ohareufowitness, age 39, someone who joined Youtube on the same day as the posting. Illinois MUFON Director Sam Maranto, who has studied this case extensively, was able to watch the video from his Chicago area home today. "The footage is shot at an impossible angle," Maranto said. "It was 1500' to 1900' above gate c-17, 200' - 400' below the solid overcast...too bright of backdrop...too big of an object. Unless this person was in the tower where it could not have been seen." On the Youtube page, this person related the following story. "I have sat on this evidence for over 2 years, mainly because of the nature of my background, if you knew who I was then you would understand. Back on November 7th 2006, I was near Chicago O'hare International airport when I was witness to what was arguably one of the most important UFO incidents in modern times. After the incident, many people jumped on the UFO bandwagon and came forward with false evidence, I can't speak for these individuals, I can only speak for myself. I witnessed a gigantic UFO hovering over the Airport at precisely 4:32 p.m. The UFO was...

What You Absolutely Need To KNOW About The Movie KNOWING

In the movie, a school fifty years ago (1959) wanted to put children's drawings of the future into a time capsule to be dug up in 2009. On of the young children goes into a trance and channels a long list of numbers onto a piece of paper. She appeared to be a little peculiar and ends up in a closet bloodied and was obviously not doing anything of God. When the capsule is dug up in the present, a MIT astrophysicist’s (Nicholas Cage) son opens the letter with all the strange numbers. The father who is a random type cosmological scientist stumbles onto the fact that these numbers are really predictions of disasters and accidents both past, present and future which rocks his world. Also, his father is a Pastor who he has not spoken to since his wife accidentally died in her sleep in a hotel fire. Although his father the Pastor believes that everything including his son’s wife’s death happens for a reason, this does not make this movie religious determinism... Cage, the astrophysicist discovers that everyone on earth will be annihilated by a mass solar ejection in the near future. This sounds very much like all the hysteria about 2012, when according to the Mayan Long Calendar, our solar system will intersect the galactic equator and will coincide according to NASA with a terrific solar storm greater than anything ever before. Cage goes to the isolated trailer of this former girl of 50 years ago with his son and her daughter and granddaughter to learn more. He finds a picture of a sun with the name of the Prophet Ezekiel underneath...

Space storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe

Related editorial: We must heed the threat of solar storms

IT IS midnight on 22 September 2012 and the skies above Manhattan are filled with a flickering curtain of colourful light. Few New Yorkers have seen the aurora this far south but their fascination is short-lived. Within a few seconds, electric bulbs dim and flicker, then become unusually bright for a fleeting moment. Then all the lights in the state go out. Within 90 seconds, the entire eastern half of the US is without power.

A year later and millions of Americans are dead and the nation's infrastructure lies in tatters. The World Bank declares America a developing nation. Europe, Scandinavia, China and Japan are also struggling to recover from the same fateful event - a violent storm, 150 million kilometres away on the surface of the sun.

It sounds ridiculous. Surely the sun couldn't create so profound a disaster on Earth. Yet an extraordinary report funded by NASA and issued by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in January this year claims it could do just that.

Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on technology, has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed from the surface of the sun could wipe out our power grids, with catastrophic consequences.

The projections of just how catastrophic make chilling reading. "We're moving closer and closer to the edge of a possible disaster," says Daniel Baker, a space weather expert based at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and chair of the NAS committee responsible for the report.

It is hard to conceive of the sun wiping out a large amount of our hard-earned progress. Nevertheless, it is possible. The surface of the sun is a roiling mass of plasma - charged high-energy particles - some of which escape the surface and travel through space as the solar wind. From time to time, that wind carries a billion-tonne glob of plasma, a fireball known as a coronal mass ejection (see "When hell comes to Earth"). If one should hit the Earth's magnetic shield, the result could be truly devastating.

The incursion of the plasma into our atmosphere causes rapid changes in the configuration of Earth's magnetic field which, in turn, induce currents in the long wires of the power grids. The grids were not built to handle this sort of direct current electricity. The greatest danger is at the step-up and step-down transformers used to convert power from its transport voltage to domestically useful voltage. The increased DC current creates strong magnetic fields that saturate a transformer's magnetic core. The result is runaway current in the transformer's copper wiring, which rapidly heats up and melts. This is exactly what happened in the Canadian province of Quebec in March 1989, and six million people spent 9 hours without electricity. But things could get much, much worse than that.

Scientists see asteroid hurtle to Earth - "As soon as I looked at it and did an orbit manually, it was clear it was going to hit Earth,"

Stunned astronomers watched a car-sized asteroid explode into a brilliant meteor shower as it crashed into Earth's atmosphere, and then wandered into a Sudan desert to pick up the pieces, a study has reported.

It was the first time ever that scientists recovered fragments from an asteroid detected in space, according to the study, published in the British journal Nature.

"Any number of meteorites have been observed as fireballs and smoking meteor trails as they come through the atmosphere," said co-author Douglas Rumble, a researcher at the Carnegie Institution.

"But to actually see this object before it gets to the Earth's atmosphere and then follow it in -- that's the unique thing."

The drama unfolded like an overheated Hollywood script, according to a reconstruction of the event by Nature. On October 6 last year, an amateur star gazer in Arizona submitted the coordinates of an asteroid he had spotted to the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was a routine logging, one of hundreds.