The Whole Creation Groans

*This Blog Is updated daily as a running weekly tally.

Alert Focus: Creation Groans / Pestilence / Birth Pangs

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Luke 21:25-26 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Matthew 24:7b ...and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. Luke 21:11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. Jeremiah 23:19-20 "Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath, Even a whirling tempest; It will swirl down on the head of the wicked."The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it. Revelation 6:8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. Revelation 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Isaiah 29:6 From the LORD of hosts you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire. Psalms 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. Psalms 65:7 Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.

Spain set for warmest year on record

REUTERS - December 19, 2006 -- MADRID -- This year is on track to be the warmest on record in Spain, a country which was already hot before global warming set in, the government said on Tuesday.So far this year, temperatures have been 1.46 degrees Celsius above the 1961-1990 average as a searing summer gave way to mild autumn and winter, the Environment Ministry said.Experts warn global warming will be especially painful for Spain, and some have even forecast its southern beaches could become too hot for tourists later this century.Last year the country logged its driest year since records began and this December started with a few hardy daisies still to be found growing in Madrid parks where many trees have still to lose their leaves....Last week the Netherlands said it was on track for its warmest temperatures since records began 300 years ago, and a British study said 2006 would be the sixth-warmest worldwide since records began.http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-12-19T163016Z_01_L19271747_RTRUKOC_0_US-SPAIN-HEAT.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

Warmth seen lingering into early January

REUTERS - December 19, 2006 -- NEW YORK -- Mild weather was expected to linger in most of the United States until at least early January, continuing a prolonged spell of balmy conditions that has cut deeply into heating demand, government and private forecasters said on Tuesday."We see no end at this point to the moderate weather pattern that virtually all of North America is experiencing," said Mike Palmerino of DTN Meteorlogix. "It is very unlikely anyone in the Northeast is going to get a white Christmas."The National Weather Service said Tuesday that almost all of the United States, with the exception of parts of southern Texas, would have normal or above normal temperatures for the next two weeks...."This is classic El Nino," DTN's Palmerino said, referring to the warming of Pacific Ocean waters that can affect weather around the world. ...http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-12-19T152734Z_01_N19265915_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-WEATHER-WARMTH.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

Las Vegas: "Unusual" Snow in the valley

KVBC/DT NBC NEWS 3 LAS VEGAS/CLARK, NEVADA - December 19, 2006 -- LAS VEGAS -- The early morning storm had some kids dusting off their sleds for a little fun in the snow. News 3's Angela Martin shows us how Fox Ridge Park in Henderson was bustling with activity....It's an unusual sight in the valley; a steady stream of snow coating cars and palm trees. The wet roads caused some accidents and made for a slippery and in some cases slow drive into work. ...

http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5835118

Northwest Storm Leaves 1.5M in the Dark

ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Gene Johnson - December 17, 2006 -- SEATTLE -- Residents of the Pacific Northwest struggled to stay warm Saturday after the worst windstorm in more than a decade knocked out power to more than 1.5 million homes and businesses and killed at least six people. About 950,000 customers in Washington and Oregon remained without power Friday night. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency, and with temperatures expected to drop over the weekend, officials warned people not to use outdoor grills, propane heaters or other carbon monoxide-producing equipment indoors.... Winds gusted to a record 69 mph early Friday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, breaking the old mark of 65 mph set in 1993. Winds were clocked at 113 mph near Mount Rainier. ... http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061216/D8M208000.html Thousands in region bracing for fifth night without power SEATTLE TIMES - By Lornet Turnbull Seattle Times staff reporter - December 18, 2006 --Thousands of Puget Sound-area residents are preparing to spend what for many will be their fifth night without power tonight, unable to heat their homes or cook as temperatures drop near the freezing level.... Retailers in the region reported running out of fire logs and batteries, and wood for burning was in short supply. Long lines continued at gas stations. While some churches were closed, others held limited services Sunday, minus heat and power. ... http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003482605_webstormmainbar17.html Earthquake kills 7 on Indonesia's Sumatra island ASSOCIATED PRESS - December 18, 2006 -- JAKARTA, Indonesia -- An earthquake killed seven people and injured more than 100 others Monday, spreading panic across a large swath of the Indonesian island worst hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami, witnesses and officials said. The 5.5-magnitude tremor struck just before dawn, triggering landslides that hampered emergency efforts, destroying or damaging more than 680 homes and sending frightened residents of Sumatra fleeing into the streets. It was followed by several aftershocks that kept people on edge in the worst-hit region. ... http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-12-18-indonesia-quake_x.htm?csp=34 Quake causes panic in western Algeria AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE - December 17, 2006 -- An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale rattled Chlef in western Algeria, causing widespread panic, the Algerian geophysics centre CRAAG said.... The Chlef region was hit by a deadly earthquake on October 10 1980, registering 7.1 on the Richter scale, which killed at least 5,000 people. http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/061217212115.rgx8cpyb.html Manila says needs $1 bln to rebuild typhoon areas REUTERS - December 18, 2006 -- MANILA -- The Philippines needs about 50 billion pesos ($1.01 billion) to rebuild villages and farms destroyed after four typhoons crashed into the country in the past three months, a Cabinet official said on Monday. At least 1,850 people were dead or missing, and tens of thousands homeless. "We're appealing for help through the United Nations," said Esperanza Cabral, secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development, adding that it could take several years to revive communities destroyed by landslides, flash floods and high winds. ... http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAN65884.htm Red Cross: Asia storm toll may hit 1,000 ASSOCIATED PRESS - December 3, 2006 -- PADANG, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of national calamity Sunday after a massive typhoon ravaged the eastern Philippines and the Red Cross said it feared more than 1,000 people were killed, officials said. Arroyo's declaration would allow her government to more rapidly release funds needed to bolster search and rescue efforts and help several eastern provinces recover three days after Typhoon Durian struck, killing at least 309 people, presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said. Nearly 300 people remained missing, officials said. Sen. Richard Gordon, who heads the local Red Cross, said his group has recorded a death toll of at least 406, with 398 others missing, based on figures provided by mayors of devastated towns, specially in worst-hit Albay province. "We're estimating the casualties could reach 1,000, perhaps more," he said. No survivors are known to have been pulled from the swampy land since the first hours after Durian blasted ashore Thursday with winds gusting up to 165 mph. The storm affected 800,000 people, officials said. ... http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2006-12-02-philippine-typhoon_x.htm Air pollution killer in Asian cities AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE - December 17, 2006 -- Air pollution is killing more than half a million people in Asian cities each year and shows no sign of improving as urban centers expand, studies by the Asian Development Bank show.... Experts cited the increase in an air pollutant known as fine particulate matter or PM10 that "enters the lungs and stays there." PM10 is a result of burning fossil fuels and much of the PM10 in Asian cities is emitted by motor vehicles, the experts said. "The concentration of the fine particulate matter is serious in Beijing, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kathmandu, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Shanghai," the ADB warned in a report. ... http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/061217233337.uk38hc9k.html London struck by a tornado THE SUN - By ALI MARTIN - December 7, 2006 -- A TORNADO has ripped through a north London street causing millions of pounds worth of damage and injuring six people. The sweeping winds, described by one resident as "some sort of cyclone", hit Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise.... Dave Bonner, of the London Fire Brigade, said one house had had its roof completely removed while another had seen an exterior wall demolished. He said: "There were reports of a mini tornado, and freak weather conditions have severely damaged houses in an area of around a quarter of a square mile. "The damage ranges from roofs with a few tiles missing, trees uprooted by the wind, but we’ve also had one building I’ve seen that’s had an exterior wall collapse." He said about 10 streets were affected, and fire officers had searched around 100 properties to make sure everybody was safe.... "We do occasionally suffer from freak weather conditions in the UK, and from wind and rain in December, but it’s very unusual for this type of damage to be done." ... http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006560657,00.html Alps warmest in 1,300 years as "winter" sets in REUTERS - December 5, 2006 -- VIENNA -- It is warmer in Europe's Alpine region now than at any time in the past 1,300 years, the head of a wide-ranging climatic survey said on Wednesday. From Ottawa to Moscow, temperatures generally have been way above average at the start of winter in the northern hemisphere, with flowers blooming on snow-starved slopes of Alpine ski resorts and bears struggling to hibernate. "We are now experiencing the warmest period (for this season) in the past 1,300 years," said Reinhard Boehm, chief climatologist at Austria's Central Institute for Meteorology and Geo-Dynamics in Vienna. ... http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-12-05T192934Z_01_L03188806_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-WEATHER-WINTER-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=SciHealth-C3-Science-9 El Nino drought here for months THE AUSTRALIAN - By Natasha Bita - December 7, 2006 -- AUSTRALIA'S drought will continue at least until March, the World Meteorological Organisation predicted yesterday as it revealed unusually high sea temperatures in the Pacific. The tropical Pacific basin is in the grip of a drought-inducing El Nino climate event, the Geneva-based WMO said, with ocean temperatures already 1C to 1.5C higher than usual - and set to rise over summer. A modest further intensification of El Nino was expected over the next three months, the organisation said in its latest El Nino update.... Unusual and sometimes severe climate patterns are known to have occurred during El Nino events of the current magnitude. The WMO said the duration of this El Nino would depend on climatic developments in the Pacific between March and May next year. The worst-case scenario of El Nino conditions stretching 12-18 months, as happened in 1986-87, is unusual but cannot be ruled out. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology warned yesterday that the drought had taken a distinct turn for the worst since August, with a near-total failure of the late-winter and spring rains. South Australia, southwest Queensland, southern Western Australia, and the tablelands and western slopes between the ACT and Dubbo, in central NSW, were in the grip of the worst spring drought on record, the bureau said. ... http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20872566-30417,00.html?from=public_rss Midwest, Northeast Recover From Storm ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Don Babwin - December 3, 2006 -- CHICAGO -- Thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity for heat and lights Saturday after the Midwest's first big snowstorm of the season. The storm was blamed for at least 11 deaths as it cut a swath from Texas to Michigan and then blew through the Northeast late Friday and early Saturday. Schools and businesses were shuttered and hundreds of airline passengers had been stranded by canceled flights.... Many areas of Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri got more than a foot of snow, including 14.5 inches at Racine, Wis., and Chicago measured 6.2 inches. As far south as Oklahoma, Tulsa measured more than 10 inches.... Wind hit more than 50 mph in parts of Pennsylvania, and peaked at 67 mph in western New York state, according to the National Weather Service. "There's tons and tons of trees down everywhere" in New York's Ulster County, south of Albany, said state police Trooper Steven Missale. The wind blew the windows out and ripped down ceiling tiles at Mr. Z's Food Mart in Mountain Top, Pa., and about a half-dozen people suffered minor injuries, fire officials said. ... http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061202/D8LOQQ000.html Stomach virus likely caused Olive Garden illnesses

REUTERS - December 18, 2006 -- LOS ANGELES -- A contagious stomach virus is likely to blame for sickening about 370 people who ate at an an Indianapolis Olive Garden restaurant last week, a county health official said on Monday.Stool tests of three Olive Garden employees and one customer tested positive for norovirus, according to Marion County Health Department spokesman John Althardt.Norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness that causes symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus is prevalent in hospitals, nursing homes, cruise ships and other semi-enclosed environments. ...

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-12-18T182141Z_01_N18175744_RTRUKOC_0_US-OLIVEGARDEN-NOROVIRUS.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

Drug resistant TB cases higher than once estimated REUTERS - By Patricia Reaney - December 18, 2006 -- LONDON -- Cases of drug resistant tuberculosis are higher than previously estimated and three nations -- China, India and Russia -- account for more than half of all cases worldwide, according to new research. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are strains of the airborne disease that are resistant to at least two of the most important first-line drugs.es higher than once estimated.... "There is increasing drug resistance in some parts of the world, namely the former Soviet Union and China," Dr Mario Raviglione, of the WHO, said in an interview.... The high prevalence of MDR-TB coincides with fast growing HIV infection rates in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. TB is one of the main opportunistic infections that kills AIDS sufferers. ... http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-12-18T101821Z_01_L18473159_RTRUKOC_0_US-TUBERCULOSIS-STRAIN.xml&src=rss&rpc=22 Study: Ebola Killed Gorillas Too ASSOCIATED PRESS - December 7, 2006 -- Recent outbreaks of ebola among people in Africa also killed thousands of gorillas, animals already threatened by hunting, a new study reports. Outbreaks in Congo and Gabon in 2002 and 2003 killed as many as 5,500 gorillas and an uncounted number of chimpanzees, a research team led by Magdalena Bermejo of the University of Barcelona in Spain reports in Friday's issue of the journal Science. ... http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/07/D8LS6BS80.html FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. ---------- Note: This post is continuously updated during each month to keep a 'running tally' of earth related signs of the coming of Christ and the end of the age. (Yes it is real!)