Spike Spiegel and Faye Valentine (Photo credit: edwick)
English: Cover of 2010 single volume edition of Conceived in Liberty by Murray N. Rothbard (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: This small image of a book cover was taken from the Mises Institute webstore. Jeff Tucker, Editorial VP of LvMI has approved release of such images under the GFDL (and of course they would be fair use otherwise). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Maneconomyandstate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Almost Christmas
I'm still alive. Just really busy with real life this week. And it's almost
Christmas so time for some music. Possibly the best rendition of this
Christmas carol ever by my friend Mike Finnigan.
Diamonds and the Apartheid States
Disclaimer: I do not endorse Murray Rothbard, or his ecconomic theories -
however, his analysis of the history of the Rhodes-Round Table Commodity
Cartel of DeBeers and other German, Belgian and Dutch Zionists in the
Colonial conquest, occupation, exploitation and neocolonial reconquest of
Africa beginning with the Cape Colony in this case is valuable.
I would also like to further make the point that American and European Jews
of both an Orthodox and Hassidic background in particular have been
admirably and disproportionately courageous in their criticism and
condemnation of the Z... more »
Sunday Classics preview: The gala Sunday Classics "Nutcracker (The Whole Deal)" returns AGAIN (one last time!)
*You'd want to think twice before bidding on this record. The ABC Command
label tells you it's one of the inferior later pressings; you want an
original gold-label issue. (Note: Unfortunately, last year's
preview-opening video clip of the Nutcracker Suite segment of Walt Disney's
Fantasia has disappeared -- not entirely surprisingly, I guess. To be
honest, I don't like it much anyway.)*
*by Ken*
As far back as the mind recalls, Sunday Classics has celebrated the holiday
musically at least in part with music from Tchaikovsky's ballets, and two
years ago I went whole hog and offered ... more »
Ralph McGehee
"The CIA is not now nor has it ever been a central intelligence agency.
It is the covert action arm of the President's foreign policy advisers.
In that capacity it overthrows or supports foreign governments while
reporting "intelligence" justifying those activities.
It shapes its intelligence, even in such critical areas as Soviet nuclear
weapon capability, to support presidential policy.
Disinformation is a large part of its covert action responsibility, and the
American people are the primary target audience of its lies."
Whose Side Are You On?
Do you stand with the victims or with the aggressors?
Do you stand with the tortured or the torturers?
Do you stand with the oppressed or with the oppressors?
Do you stand with the raped or the rapists?
Do you stand with the weak or with the strong?
Do you stand with the poor or with the rich?
It's amazing how many "conservative" bloggers stand on the wrong side of
things, isn't it?
Acclaimed Iranian Director Asghar Farhadi's New Film Comes to American Screens
(Credit:
Memento Films International)
"Le Passé" (or "The Past"), the new film by celebrated Iranian director
Asghar Farhadi, was released in select U.S. cities today. Already
highly acclaimed for its beautiful and intricate storytelling - a
hallmark of filmmaker Farhadi - "The Past" is another unflinching
exploration of love, trust, deceit and family and a fitting follow-up to
his last
Musical interlude: Elton John- "Border Song" W/ Lyrics
Elton John- "Border Song" W/ Lyrics
-mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kVgrvOpf9A
Really? "Duck Dynasty" isn't a ripoff of beloved cartoon ducks like Donald and Daffy?
*Jumpin' Jehosophat! I thought maybe it wasDaffy Duck who said those
terrible things.*
*by Ken*
As God is my witness, I though Duck Dynasty was a cartoon show, and I'm not
thinking of live-action animation. No, I thought it was, like, a ripoff of
some our classic cartoon ducks, like maybe Daffy -- that would have fit the
story, wouldn't it? Or more properly, when you think about a "duck
dynasty," who would you think of but our Donald and his Uncle Scrooge and
his mischievous nephews Huey, Louie, and Dewey?
Yesterday, as the *Washington Post's* Matea Gold reports,
conservative p... more »
The Worst People in the World - by Hunter S. Thompson
*The Worst People in the World *
*Memo to my editor:* It was the morning after Election Day when I finally
made the decision to apply for the journalist-in-space program. I stayed up
all night and drove down to the post office at dawn to pick up the official
application form. There was only one press seat, according to the people at
NASA, and the competition would definitely be fierce.
Walter Cronkite was the natural choice, they said, but he was far too old
for the weight training and his objectivity was suspect.
Ten years ago, or more, Walter had taken a profoundly personal in... more »
Drones, Cheap Tablets, The Cloud, Robots and Publishing!
This month we have read of the $38 tablet, Amazon’s statements on the
potential use of Drone technology to delivery local parcels and the growth
of stuff that is now and predicted to be connected to the Internet. Some
would suggest that these are interesting but don’t apply to their world,
others would suggest that they are part of the relentless march of
technology which is now promising so much, whilst threatening so much at
the same time.
*Drones*
Drones have started to revolutionise warfare in the same way that
communications did before them. The move from open warfare, to in... more »
What Your Beer Says About You
So, turns out I’m a direct, aggressive reader of Nietzsche who embraces
change, has a drunk mother-in-law, and hides a heart of gold behind my
thick skin.
Or something.
[image: What Your Beer Says About You]
What does *your* beer supposedly say about *you*?
*PS:* What do New Zealand’s ten best beers for 2013 say about *us *as a
culture? (And I say that as someone who in no way truly gives a shit.)
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Irish banking world rocked as three financiers in court
*Irish banking world rocked as three financiers in court*
published by Tom Sullivan on Fri, 2013-12-20 20:56
A former chief executive of Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) and two other
former bankers will stand trial on charges of conspiring to mislead Anglo
Irish Bank investors in the run-up to the banking crisis of September 2008.
One of the three men charged is Denis Casey (54) from Raheny, Dublin, who
becomes the first chief executive officer (CEO) who was in charge of an
Irish financial institution during the crash to have charges brought
against him.
The trials will be closely... more »
Navajo Councilman Leonard Tsosie pushing for uranium mining to poison Navajo water
Friends,
Leonard
Tsosie representing Littlewater,
Pueblo Pintado, Torreon, Whitehorse Lake,
Baca/Brewitt, Casamero Lake, Ojo Encino,
Counselor NM
Please be advised that the following actions are currently taking place
and we need your help to tell the Navajo Nation Council Delegates to
vote NO on Navajo Nation Legislation 0373-13.
Navajo Nation Council Delegate Leonard
First Nation Terrance Nelson 'The Image of Canada'
The
Image Of Canada
By Terrance Nelson
Roseau River Anishinaabe
Censored News
Stephen Harper loves to point the finger at other countries for human
rights violations. Iran is a constant target for the Conservative
Government of Canada. The rights of women in Iran is a favorite subject
for the Harper Government. The rights of indigenous women in Canada is
far less an issue
A Tale of Two Protests: Ukraine and Thailand - Part II
As unrest continues in both countries, a sharp, hypocritical divide widens
for the "intentional community."
*December 21, 2013* (Tony Cartalucic) - For audiences around the world
watching pro-EU protests unfold in the streets of Ukraine's capital of
Kiev, they may have noticed flags bearing a lifted hand giving a
"three-fingered salute." This is the reformed Nazi salute of right-winged
nationalist group Svoboda. Along with other racist, bigoted, extremist
political parties including "Fatherland," Svoboda has filled the streets,
clashed with police, occupied government buildings an... more »
The Importance of Screening
Editor’s Note: this is an abbreviated version of a post that originally
appeared on my personal blog. In my previous post, I articulated one way
international institutions can deter bad behavior. In this post, I’ll argue
that even if we assume institutions don’t have access to information that
isn’t already available to states, they still
Continue reading
“The Prophet”, “The Farewell”
* “The Prophet”, “The Farewell”*
by Kahlil Gibran
“And now it was evening.
And Almitra the seeress said, "Blessed be this day and this place and
your spirit that has spoken."
And he answered, Was it I who spoke? Was I not also a listener?
Then he descended the steps of the Temple and all the people followed
him. And he reached his ship and stood upon the deck.
And facing the people again, he raised his voice and said:
People of Orphalese, the wind bids me leave you.
Less hasty am I than the wind, yet I must go.
We wanderers, ever seeking t... more »
Bad Bear's Photos: Longest Walk 4 Final Day Walking to Alcatraz
.
Photos by Western Shoshone Long Walker Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson. The
final day of the five month walk to Alcatraz. On Saturday, Dec. 21,
walkers arrive on Alcatraz. On Dec. 22, a Sovereignty Gathering will be
held at the Inter-tribal Friendship House in Oakland.
Longest Walk in San Francisco
December 21- The Walk will start at 5:00 AM sharp from the Marin Vista
Point of the Golden
Grey Lady talks Hockey Prospects
Its not often the lens of the lady falls on our sport.
Any Cause for Carolling will do
Lest you think the title of that last post followed by an ominous silence
meant anything well, no, it didn't...only that the pre-Christmas rush has
left little time for blogging and, despite there being so much of
importance going on in the news and in the world of BBC reporting, this
post is just to say that things will be very slow here in the coming couple
of weeks (well on my part anyway), bursting out anew in 2014.
Actually, it's not *just* to say that at all.
The one BBC programme I've had the time to listen to closely was Jeremy
Summerly's *A Cause for Carolling* on Radio ... more »
More Retirements-- Or Will Some Of Them Be Carried Out Of Congress In Boxes?
That Buck McKeon is finally retiring from Congress is no longer news in the
L.A. area and especially not up in Santa Clarita. Everyone already knows he cut
a deal with sleazy carpetbagger Tony Strickland and everyone knows that GOP
McKeon-haters have drafted the most far right and extreme state Senator in
California, bizarre hate-monger Steve Knight. And the McKeon family already
has an office ready for ole Buck at the family lobbying firm, which Buck collecting
clients for now. So will we see an outburst of Beltway hubbub when he
finally makes the official announcement, the way we... more »
The Law of Time: False Paradigm to Control Reality
I'm sending out a HUGE thank you to Justin for getting this article out
when I just could not (I was catering a party and cooking for 2 days
straight! lol). I finally had a moment tonight to repost this excellent
article that really struck me as.... timely.
Some of the comments made when this article was discussed in the Energy
Workroom:
nick : Not even sure how to put it into 'English'. During reading through
the article, I kept getting the connection between the mechanical construct
of time and the 'worship' of that construct. One major commonality between
most of the world rel... more »
All You Need To Know About Liberals And Morality
Hat tip to Gay Patriot. Click on the link; the folks in the comment thread
make some interesting points.
Airshow MacKay rolls out more of that "Compassionate Conservatism"
First
it was James Moore, telling us he was fine with Canadian children
starving; then it was that nasty little shit, Flaherty, making it clear
that the elderly can continue to eat cat food.
Next up? None other than Elmer MacKay's entitled brat, Peter "Airshow"
MacKay.
MacKay said poor offenders could pay the fine back over time or consider
selling some of their belongings to pay off the
DILBIT : National Enbridge Board approves Northern Gateway
From The Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Joint Review Panel :
"In the unlikely event of a large oil spill ... we found that the adverse
effects would not be permanent and widespread."
And just in case you aren't convinced of this by reading it just the once,
the National Energy Enbridge Board repeats it three more times in their
report.
But "in the unlikely event of a large oil spill ..." :
"Our final condition requires the company to maintain insurance and other
financial resources totaling $950 million. The financial assurances would
include $100 million in ready cash for imme... more »
UPDATE: Common Core Unrest in 22 States
On November 23, 2013, I wrote a post briefly detailing the 17 states in
which officials (legislators, governors, state superintendents) have
formally registered some anti-Common Core (CCSS) intention (e.g.,
legislation, resolution). Today I will repost the original 17 states and
add another 5, to yield now 22 states in which CCSS questioning might well
lead […]
Hair or Antennae... I'm not cutting it!
When I read this article I truly had a *thud* moment as my jaw hit the
floor. Seriously!! My husband Nick sent this to me this morning, saying
that as soon as he read it, he knew it described me.
A little background: I have long hair. Really Really long hair. I mean,
I actually sit on it and have on occasion almost strangled myself (and
others, lol) with it.
For the past couple of years I have been saying "I have to cut my hair....
even just a trim....." I plan for it, arrange it...... and then I can't do
it. It has become very clear to me this last few months that it's not j... more »
Salon has itself a creeped-out little Christmas!
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013*
*We’ve seen this movie before:* We’re going to make an admission:
Until yesterday, we had never listened to the lyrics of “Baby, It’s Cold
Outside,” a non-Christmas Christmas song which publicly dates to the 1949
Esther Williams film, Neptune’s Daughter.
Yesterday, we listened for the first time, inspired by Salon’s
street-fighting agent of change, Daniel D’Addario. Reprising what is fast
becoming a seasonal tradition at Salon, he told the on-line magazine’s
readers what the song is really about:
D’ADDARIO (12/19/13): “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is one of... more »
Summation of Obama presser...
- The economy is growing like wild fire
- Housing market is way up
- Millions upon millions of wonderful new jobs have been created
- NSA is not spying on anyone at all
- All insurance before Obamacare were junk policies
- Obamacare is working just fine
- Everyone loves Obamacare
Need I point out that everything he said was diametrically opposed to the
facts - otherwise known as a lie?
I didn't think so.
He's still dissembling and, for the most part, not making a bit of sense.
I'm going to take a short nap before work.
FINDING THE CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
*To find the Christ in Christmas we must go beneath the lights, ornaments,
Santa Claus and the seeming profound insanity of our present external world
and enter the sacred inner kingdom of the soul and rediscover a world of
Love and soul consciousness ~ the ultimate transmutation and stabilizing
agent for mankind: Allen L Roland*
*“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas,
he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means
a little bit more!” *
~ Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
On De... more »
Fountain of youth found, Fuente de juventud encontrada
*Researchers have discovered a cause of aging in mammals that may be
reversible*
The essence of this finding is a series of molecular events that enable
communication inside cells between the nucleus and mitochondria. As
communication breaks down, aging accelerates. By administering a molecule
naturally produced by the human body, scientists restored the communication
network in older mice. Subsequent tissue samples showed key biological
hallmarks that were comparable to those of much younger
The essence of this finding is a series of molecular events that enable
communication in... more »
2014 Is Going to Be a Great Year for Education
THERE IS NO PLACE LEFT FOR THE WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN TO HIDEDING DONG
THE WITCH IS DEAD!FRIDAY, DEC 20, 2013 12:45 PM UTC
From Salon.comExposing the education “reformers’” big lie: Here’s how
progressives — and our kids — beat the corporate establishmentA populist
uprising is coming in defense of public schools. Are Democrats on the side
of Wall Street or the people?JEFF BRYANT
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- more
-
-
-
-
TOPICS: EDUCATION, BEST OF 2013, ELIZABETH WARREN, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NO
CHILD LEFT BEHIND,RACE T... more »
"Grave Faults"
“Only the following items should be considered to be grave faults: not
respecting another's rights; allowing oneself to be paralyzed by fear;
feeling guilty; believing that one does not deserve the good or ill that
happens in one's life; being a coward. We will love our enemies, but not
make alliances with them. They were placed in our path in order to test our
sword, and we should, out of respect for them, struggle against them. We
will choose our enemies.”
― Paulo Coelho, "Like the Flowing River"
lol, oh yeah, we've loved our enemies a whole bunch around here, and it
ain't over... more »
Live Stream: Obama presser ...
before he flies off on his luxurious Hawaii vacation while millions upon
millions of people worry about their cancelled health insurance.
Of course, he's late.
JOIN THE LIVE CHAT
VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV
Denis MacShane's plea in mitigation...
Denis MacShane is guilty of expenses fraud, but his lawyer has included in
his submission that Denis MacShane is a union man... as if that should be a
mitigating factor.
The Obamacare 12 Days of Christmas...
*is for you while he jets off today for 17 luscious days of frolicking in
the Hawaiian sunshine. *
Perverted Jewish pornographer Al Goldstein, dead at 77
*“The only reason that Jews are in pornography is that we think that Christ
sucks. Catholicism sucks. We don’t believe in authoritarianism.” *
*- Al Goldstein*
Al Goldstein, the perverted Jewish pornographer and publisher of *Screw
magazine*, has died at the age of 77. This filthy, despicable man was the
epitome of the "dirty old Jew" stereotype, and Goldstein seemed to relish
in it, as *The Jewish Daily Forward* admitted. *The New York Times* reports:
Al Goldstein, the scabrous publisher whose Screw magazine pushed hard-core
pornography into the cultural mainstream, died on Thursday... more »
'The Qur’an is “Hate Speech” and Should be Banned' - So says Alex Jones' Infowars' and not me.
I'm not advocating banning the Koran but I'm interested as to how leftists
would justify their inconsistencies.
'If we are to accept in the aftermath of the 'Duck Dynasty' controversy
that criticism of homosexual activity represents "hate speech," then the
Qur'an, which advocates stoning gay people to death, should also be
denounced as hate speech and banned.
According to Democratic Party political pollster Bernard Whitman,
who appeared on Fox News yesterday, along with a plethora of other
leftists, Phil Robertson's comments are hateful and said they shouldn't be
allowed to be ai... more »
CFRB Child Speaks
Hi John,
Its Christmas and I am unemployed. Who is to say in the future its not the
equivalent of Aids. People wanting some value for their work are an
infection unless they can really cook. Cook some value to a stock that
seems tasteless. I micro you, you micro me, we did it on a napkin in the
rest room at a coffee shop, so no need to worry about the FCC.
Without a Zombie collapse I will be alright. My wife avoided my advice and
did not put all her eggs in Nortel. Her eggs were fertile and we spawned a
number one daughter and a number one son. We always hoped one of the two
woul... more »
Folks Need Health Care-- Even In Deep Red Oklahoma
OK, let's get back to where we left off at the 6AM post this morning-- the
warning FDR gave us about GOP intentions. Except this time let's home in on
healthcare. In fact let's home in on one very red state, Oklahoma and one
congressional election in that state, the one that pits right wing
extremist James Lankford against progressive Democrat Tom Guild in the
Oklahoma City area. This is the most difficult race Blue America has taken
on for the 2014 cycle. The district has a PVI of R+12 and Guild is anything
*but* a Republican-lite Blue Dog. He's an outspoken advocate of
single-p... more »
Last Minute Gift Ideas
Can you believe that Christmas is only 5 days away? I think my shopping
is
officially done, but I have a huge mountain of wrapping to do. Since
Christmas is so close, I thought I would share some of my favorite gifts
that you can pull together in less than 30 minutes.
Perfect for the reader in your life, this Book Page Bracelet can be
pulled
together fast!
Still need small gifts for your children's friends? This Snowman Candy
Caneis the perfect way to dress up an ordinary piece of candy.
A pair of old shoes and a can of spray paint can have some awesome
results
like these Spray Pa... more »
Should Governor Ultrasound be ruined?
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013*
*Rachel the Destroyer:* Last night, the Maddow show had nothing about Chris
Christie.
The enormous national story had apparently died down. In its place, we got
an early tease about Governor Ultrasound:
MADDOW (12/19/13): *Will Bob McDonnell be the first-ever Virginia governor
to be criminally indicted while still in office?* Today, we got an answer
to that question, and it turns out it’s a fascinating answer.
*That story is ahead. Stay with us.*
The second tease was longer. It jacked up the power of the story, which
Rachel called “mind-blowing:”
MAD... more »
Musical interlude: Moody Blues, 'Land of Make Believe"
Moody Blues, 'Land of Make Believe"
An historic day for sex workers, but a storm's building
And so it comes to this: Girding my loins for a battle to stop sex work
from being declared illegal in Canada. Good grief, my idealistic
30-year-old self would have been gob-smacked to hear she'd grown into a
person holding the completely opposite view on prostitution.
It's a long story on how I got from there to here, and you can find more
details here if you're curious. But the quick version is that for the last
17 years I've had the pleasure of getting to know many, many people who
work in the business. Over time, I learned that my idealistic vision of a
world where ... more »
More detailed summary of Bedford 2013 SCC 72
The three impugned provisions, primarily concerned with
preventing public nuisance as well as the exploitation of prostitutes, do
not pass *Charter* muster: they infringe the s. 7 rights of prostitutes by
depriving them of security of the person in a manner that is not in
accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. It is not necessary
to determine whether this Court should depart from or revisit its
conclusion in the*Prostitution Reference* that s. 213(1)(*c*) does not
violate s. 2(*b*) since it is possible to resolve this case entirely on
s. 7 grou... more »
Bill Whittle: The End of the Beginning (a must see video)
*No, really. A must see.*
Wake up America!
NSA SPY PARTNERS
Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and several other EU countries were named
among "third party partners" in the NSA-led global signal intelligence
program, a new leak submitted by journalist Glenn Greenwald to Danish TV
reveals.
Housekeeping
Well, this is a big one.
I've accepted a position as political blogger for Bloomberg View. I'm
consolidating all my stuff over there. Yup, after four plus years, I'll be
your Plain Blogger no more.
Or at least, not over here. The plan is basically to do what I've been
doing since I started: same topics, same regular items, same everything. I
won't, at least at first, be doing columns there (or elsewhere). Just the
blogging, all back under the same roof, as it was when I started here. It
all kicks off a little after New Year's. I'm very excited about it; it's
exactly what I've wante... more »
Canada v Bedford 2013 SCC 72
The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously struck down the country's major
prostitution laws, saying that bans on street soliciting, brothels and
people living off the avails of prostitution are arbitrary and create
severe dangers for vulnerable women.
The rulings effect is suspended for one year to allow Parliament to
respond. Quaere if charges will be laid in the interim?
On March 26, 2012 the Court of Appeal struck down the bawdy house
provisions as unconstitutional and amended the Criminal Code provisions to
clarify that the prohibition on living on the avails of prostitution... more »
FIVE KEY POINTS AND ELEVEN SOLUTIONS: Haven’t been there, done that!
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013*
*Part 4—The word from the absentee experts:* In his new book, I Got
Schooled, M. Night Shyamalan presents “the five keys to closing America’s
education gap.”
In this recent post, Kevin Drum summarized Shyamalan's ideas.
In her own book, Reign of Error, Diane Ravitch offers eleven solutions. On
page 229, she starts with this:
*SOLUTION NO. 1* Provide good prenatal care for every pregnant woman.
That sounds like a good idea to us! We’ll look at other solutions below.
We don’t necessarily disagree with any of the recommendations from these
two observers.... more »
Untitled
*Proposed noise ordinance makes New Orleans City Council debut ~WWLTV*
*Report: Hospital privatization fraught with 'uncertainties' ~Marsha
Schuler, The Advocate*
*Lee Zurik Investigation: Dicharry fired; legislative auditor starts probe
~WVUE*
*Developer reconsidering Habana Outpost in French Quarter ~WDSU*
*House Releases Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing
Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act ~Ed Lallo, Gulf Seafood Institute*
Happy Holidays, Wendy--Now, Goodbye!
Wonder if this will earn the Pittsburgh School Board some threatening
letters from Exxon-Mobil for its non-CorpEd stance:
Here’s some education news that you don’t hear every day: The Pittsburgh
school board is rescinding a $750,000 contract with Teach For America, and
keeping open an elementary school slated to be shuttered.
The board’s four new members, taking a new reform tact, drove the decision
to drop the contract by a 6-2 vote with one abstention; in late November,
before the new members were sworn in, the board approved the contract 6-3.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported th... more »
Mad And Stupid
Ken Dryden writes, in this morning's *Globe and Mail*, that Stephen Harper
is the prime minister of Canada and Rob Ford is the mayor of Toronto
because people are mad as hell:
People everywhere are mad. Mad at their jobs, mad at the money they don’t
make. Mad at others for getting the chances they don’t. Mad at seemingly
getting the short end of every stick. Mad at the mess around them: crime,
litter, traffic. In stores, on phones, mad at being treated as if they
don’t matter. Mad that others get away with everything they don’t, mad at
not being able to stop them. Mad that life is... more »
Links and Kudos to Shirley Kan
*Hikers in the forest below Hsinshe.*
A few links for today.
*Daily Links*:
- Taoyuan Aerotropolis: it's all about the gambling.
- Birding Taiwan on the plants of Dasyueshan
- Traffic behavior a mirror of Taiwan society.
- Taiwan to consider legalizing surrogacy.
- TRI says GDP growth this year to be 1.7% and next year, 2.8%. Isn't
the booming growth from ECFA amazing?
- Woman kidnapped in Malaysia still alive.
- Reuters describes in detailed report how China's military is built
with European technology.
- I finally got around to reading the November CR... more »
Max Baucus? I think it be the cows, sir.
*East of Dongshih, a couple of years ago, with my man Drew. *
Quote of the day: A friend passed this one around while discussing the
Baucus appointment as Ambassador to China. BR Myers:
"The question of where Europe ends and Asia begins has troubled many people
over the years, but here's a rule of thumb: if someone can pose as an
expert on the country in question without knowledge of the relevant
language, it's part of Asia. "
Dem Senator Max Baucus to become the new ambassador to China? The reason is
obvious: it goes moo and then gets injected with drugs before being killed
and ... more »
The False Promise of Renewables #1: Wind
Over
at Climate Crocks, Christopher Arcus cites an article at Scientific
American on the efficacy of wind power for reducing grid CO2 emissions.
Unlike other pieces I've seen on the subject, that one fails to cite
any sources for its conclusion which is:
even if wind produced as much as 50 percent of Spain's electricity the
CO2 savings would still be 80 percent of the emissions that would have
FDR Sends A Warning To Future Generations About Paul Ryan
The above FDR reelection speech from 1936 warning voters about GOP
intentions towards the popular social insurance policies they had fought so
hard against, is no less relevant today than it was then. Roosevelt went on
to win 60.8% to 36.5%, taking every state but Vermont and Maine and winning
the electoral college 523 to 8. Democrats continued winning seats in
Congress and wound up with a margin of 334 (+ 10 left-leaning independents)
to 88 in the House and 76 (+ 2 left-leaning independents) to 16 in the
Senate.
"Let me warn you, and let me warn the nation, against the smooth e... more »
The trouble is...
No
one believes him about Wright, Duffy, etc.
EVEN IF Harper was by some miracle of time-space and multiverses kept in
the dark then his leadership is an epic fail. As has been pointed out
all over the internets, pretty much all the players in this are Harper
picks. His people, his fault.
His survival strategy seems to be one of both distancing himself and
playing the hapless victim. Aw, muffin
HOW PATRIOT EDWARD SNOWDEN HAS (SO FAR) SAVED THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FOURTH AMENDMENT.
------------------------------
Original Here
*McGovern: Unconstitutionality of NSA Phone Call Collection is
Indisputable *
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern says that the recent federal district
judge's ruling on the NSA's bulk phone collection applies constitutional
protections, but will not lead to amnesty for Edward Snowden - *December
18, 13*
More at The Real News
*Bio*
Ray McGovern is a retired CIA officer. McGovern was employed under seven US
presidents for over 27 years, presenting the morning intelligence briefings
at the White House under President... more »
Saudi-Sized Cracks In The 9/11 Wall Of Silence - Demand President Obama declassify The Congressional Report on 9/11 so that every American who wants to learn the facts can do so
http://whowhatwhy.com/2013/12/19/saudi-sized-cracks-in-the-911-wall-of-silence/
Saudi-Sized Cracks In The 9/11 Wall Of Silence
By Russ Baker on Dec 19, 2013
[image: 123]
President Obama is apparently thinking about his presidential library. So
now might be a good time to ponder whether anyone will want to visit it.
If he cared about revivifying his brief reputation as a good-guy outsider
ready to shine light on the hidden recesses of our governing apparatus
(remember his election-night victory speech that brought tears and rare
hope to America?), Obama could certainly start at this l... more »
GREVILLE JANNER
*Uri Geller and Lord Greville Janner, former **President of the Board of
British Jews, *vice president of the World Jewish Congress,* and member of
the Boy Scouts Association.* *Greville Janner, VIP child abuse, mysterious
death*
Lord Greville Janner has been a friend of Michael Jackson and of Yuri
Geller.
On 20 December 2013, we learn that Lord Greville Janner's home has been
searched by the UK police as part of child sex investigations.
Officers from Leicestershire Police spent two days searching Lord Greville
Janner's apartment in London
*Lord Greville Janner's home searched a... more »
Is My Noncompete Enforceable If I'm Fired Without Cause? Don't assume your non-competition obligations end when you're fired
Wow!
When I wrote an article on *How Do I Get Out Of My Noncompete Agreement?*,
I found out that AOL Jobs readers have lots of questions about noncompetes,
and I don't blame you. I get people in my law practice asking me questions
on non-competition agreements every week. That's because most people don't
even realize they've signed something saying they can't work for a
competitor for a year or two after they left, or they thought (wrongly)
that a non-competition provision couldn't be enforced. I'm going to answer
some reader questions This week, I answer a reader question: Is My
N... more »
Why is the BBC giving this man a platform? Backlash after hate preacher Anjem Choudary is invited onto Radio 4 after two Muslim converts are found guilty of hacking soldier to death | Mail Online
'The Muslim Council of Britain claims the BBC was 'unwise' adding the
community is united in its condemnation of the Woolwich murder'
Clearly they aren't, or is Anjem Chaudary not a Muslim? How about his
supporters?
More here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2526868/Why-BBC-giving-man-platform-Backlash-hate-preacher-Anjem-Choudry-invited-Radio-4-two-Muslim-converts-guilty-hacking-soldier-death.html
Friday Nerd Blogging: Seasonal Silliness
In the spirit of the holidays, here’s a fun movie trailer that actually
kind of depicts a war on Christmas…. ok, a war on Santa. H/T to OTB for
providing the video. And a big H/T to the Duck-sters out there who read
our stuff here, give us comments, and otherwise make this place a
Continue reading
Solow on Greenspan
Bob reviews Alan's new book. (In case you missed it, here is my review of
the book.)
Worst Education Op-Ed of 2013?
I know the competition is tense, but just under the wire, I am ready to
suggest this is the worst education Op-Ed of 2013: Friedberg: Can American
students get smart? I really don’t know what to say except that every point
raised and every claim made by Friedberg are so incredibly wrong, I haven’t
a […]
Doug Martin's Podcast with Justin Oakley Now Posted
by Doug Martin
If you missed my talk with Justin Oakley on his Just Let Me Teach show on
Indiana Talks radio and several great call-in guests (Rick Muir, Cindi
Pastore, Melanie Wright, Clyde Gaw, and Crystal Bramel), you can now listen
to the podcast. Thanks for tuning in!!!!! And thanks to Donna Yates Mace
for her support, too!!!!
We discuss current school privatization efforts in Indiana and beyond and
my upcoming book *Hoosier School Heist*, which can be preordered here and
will be available in February.
Here is the link to the podcast:
http://www.indianatalks.com/2013/12/19... more »
Who Controls the Table Wins
NOTE: The current education reform agenda focusing primarily on Common Core
remains to be a failure of leadership. Public school teachers, public
schools, and public school students are little more than collateral damage
in the battle to see who can out-standard and out-test and out-rigor whom.
Professional organizations, unions, and political leadership are fighting
for a place at the table—not securing the sort of future public schools
should offer all children in the U.S.
-----
In her discussion of science fiction (SF), Margaret Atwood examines and
confronts the nuances among SF... more »
The #ChristmasMyths #3: The Song of the Heavenly Host
*Part of a continuing series* looking at the pagan origins of the Christmas
Myths, one day at a time. Today, the story of the Heavenly Host singing
carols to lonely shepherds…*
So there you are, out abiding in your fields, a shepherd watching over your
flocks at night, and all of a sudden an angel shows up—and then another—and
then another—until out there in your back paddock you’ve got the whole
Heavenly Host flying about just above the campfire.
And then they all start singing.
And let’s be honest, over the years human beings have put some pretty
damned heavenly music to the wo... more »
Fukushima updatesDecember 20 ,2013 - TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO, National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen ......... Items of note pertaining to spent fuel removal at Reactor Building 4 , Conditions for the Reactor Buildings generally and decommission type actions at Fukushima Daichi ....
EX- SKF
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO,
National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen
Details are to be announced By TEPCO's president Naomi Hirose at a press
conference starting at 5PM, December 20, 2013, according to TEPCO's tweet.
"Decommission Company" is *not* going to be a separate company with
separate capital but *a company within TEPCO, more like a division*. The
idea was first floated in October this year at an LDP work group on
recovery and reconstruction.
Now, why would they do that, ... more »
This is who's in charge of your healthe care...
*any questions?*
I didn't think so.
MI5 'CONTROLLED' MAN CONVICTED OF WOOLWICH ATTACK
*The original Michael Adebolajo, the friendly Christian boy.*
For many years, MI5 was in close and intimate contact with Michael
Adebolajo, the man convicted, on 19 december 2013, of carrying out the
'terrorist' event in Woolwich in London.
*According to the Daily Mirror (**http://www.mirror.co.uk/**) :*
In 2010, MI5 watched Adebolajo meet the leader of the 'CIA-run' al-Qaeda in
Kenya.
In Kenya, MI5 watched Adebolajo meet a number of people on Kenya's
terrorist watch list, including Swaleh Abdul.
In 2010, in Kenya, Michael Adebolajo was acquainted with Sheikh Aboud Rogo,
of the '... more »
Chinese interest rates are spiking once again - banking crisis or is the PBOC forcing chinese banks and their clients to de-leverage ?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-20/china-bails-out-money-markets-second-day-row-following-repo-rate-blow-out
China Bails Out Money Markets For Second Day In A Row, Following Repo Rate
Blow Out
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/20/2013 08:23 -0500
- China
- Excess Reserves
- Fail
- Lehman
- People's Bank Of China
- Yuan
inShare
As reported yesterday, following a surge in various short-term and money
market rates in the aftermath of the Fed's taper announcement, the PBOC
admitted after the close that it used Short-te... more »
Iran nuclear talks updte December 20 , 2013 - As Expert Talks resume between iran and the P5 + 1 , the Sanction issue heats up in the Senate - in response to new threatened sanctions , the White House threatens veto if Congress passes new Iran sanctions ......
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/1.564520?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.216%2C2.295%2C
White House threatens veto if Congress passes new Iran sanctionsNew Iran
sanctions will thwart diplomacy efforts, White House spokesperson says.
By DPA and Reuters | Dec. 19, 2013 | 11:05 PM | 5
A group of U.S. senators moved Thursday to slap fresh sanctions on Iran
should it fail to cooperate with talks on its nuclear program, in a move
the White House warned could derail diplomatic progress with Tehran.
U.S. President Barack Obama would veto the sanctions should they pass
Congress, spokes... more »
Jaime Dimon Sends His Regards: Happy Christmas and Thanks for the Fish ($$$$$$$$) False Flags Exposed (Whose Sarin?) - Thanks to the Internet, People Are Learning the Reality of False Flags (The Media Are Finding It Much More Difficult To Ignore This Critically Important, Massively Censored Topic)
Did you get your invitation to the Jamie Dimon holiday party? It almost
seemed like bragging to me. I'm impressed, of course, that he has the money
to entertain (let alone the desire to wreck his nice home with wild
partying) after okaying that admittedly manageable fine (and still want to
send pictures to his nearest and dearest strangers). Jamie Dimon’s Holiday
Card Looks Like a Ralph
last night's meditational visualisation
I'm not sure if it's *meditation* but I can't be bothered making a new
category for this.
Last night, as I do most nights, I did what some might call 'astral travel'
and what some might call 'meditational visualisation'.
I 'grew'.
I've been doing this 'growing' trip for decades, as I found it a much more
EFFICIENT way to travel through the stars. Much better than travelling at
this scale. And much better even that traversing the universe by leaping
from within star to star.
I get myself into bed, and relax. Breathing regularly. Then, when I'm happy
with the rhythm, I start scaling... more »
Edward Witten: what every quantum physicist should know about string theory
*...those who don't want to become string theorists...*
If you have 83 spare minutes, here is a July 2013 talk at Princeton's IAS
by Edward Witten:
The title was "Feynman diagrams in string theory" and the talk was
presented during the "LHC physics" program. Edward Witten wouldn't get to
"funny" things like the central charges and critical dimensions but he
would get far enough.
The beginning is about the ordinary point-like-particle-based Feynman
diagrams. He leads you to think about the (Euclidean signature) propagators
in terms of the Schwinger parameters. If you don't know... more »
Weekend Fun 52: Nixon had Watergate, Binay has Dasma Gate
Two jokes from Jim Paredes, a famous Filipino singer, posted in his
facebook wall:
*(1) Nixon had Watergate. Binay has Dasma gate*
*(2) Attention Napocor, Meralco: Habang kulang ng power sa buong Pilipinas,
may excessive power surge sa Makati! *:-)
The Binay family is the longest-reigning, most politically influential in
Makati City, the financial capital of the Philippines. Currently in power
are Vice President Jojo Binay, daughter Sen. Nancy Binay, another daughter
Congresswoman Abby Binay, and son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. The wife of
the VP was also a former Mayor of Makati.
... more »
Wild Bill is dumping Facebook...
you know - the place where a bunch of prepubescent girls post pictures of
themselves with really ugly pooched lip photos of themselves.
Noam Chomsky is Hearing Voices
*"9-11 was practically the only counter-narrative out there at a time when
questions tended to be drowned out by a chorus, led by the entire United
States Congress, of 'God Bless America.' *
*It was one of the few places where the other side of the case could be
found."*
That's a fairly remarkable statement - considering absolutely no-one has
ever stepped forward to claim responsibility for the act and give their
reasons.
Where is he hearing this *"counter-narrative"*...?
Oh, yes...
*"Moreover, as America becomes an increasingly multi-cultural society, it
may find it more diff... more »
Advanced math: Offer, don't require
Sent to the Denver Post, Dec. 19, 2013
Sandra Stotsky thinks that the "Common Core fails to prepare students for
STEM") Dec. 17), and that all students should be required to go way beyond
Algebra II to be ready for the brave new world of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math.
Even if the STEM crisis were real, this is not a good idea. Of course,
advanced math classes should be offered, but there is no reason to require
them of everybody: Michael Handel of Northeastern University has concluded
that only about 10% of the work force uses math beyond algebra II.
Also, it is no... more »
DID MOSSAD BETRAY MANDELA?
Nelson Mandela was trained by Mossad.
This is according to a document in the Israel State Archives.
In 1962, Mandela was in Ethiopia.
There he was trained in weaponry and sabotage by Mossad spies.
During his training, Mandela showed an interest in the methods of the
Jewish terrorist group known as Haganah
*Mandela received weapons training from Mossad agents *
*This training in Ethiopia took place just a few months before Mandela was
arrested in South Africa. *
*Did Mossad help the white South African regime to capture Mandela?*
Israel has often pretended to be on the side of ... more »
Weekend Fun 51: Martilyo Gang Jokes
A few days ago, a jewelry shop in SM North Edsa in Quezon City was robbed
by a robbery group known as the “Martilyo Gang”. This group allegedly use
martilyo (hammer) to break open the stalls and/or the glass boxes, steal
and run away in crowded areas.
After the incident, Pinoy humor strikes, as always. Like these jokes and
images, taken from various sources in the web.
1. Sinong rapper ang bawal na ngayon pumasok sa mga malls sa Pinas? -- Si
MC Hammer. (from Dennis Arroyo).
2. Anong SUV ang bawal ibenta malapit sa mga malls sa Pinas? The Hummer.
3. Sinong movie character ang bawa... more »
RAG RADIO / Thorne Dreyer : November Guests Include Spiritual Counselor, Citizens' Advocate, Singer-Songwriter
Rev.
Bob Breihan, Methodist minister and longtime social activist, on Rag
Radio, November 29, 2013. Photo by Roger Baker / The Rag Blog.
Rag Radio podcasts:
Thorne Dreyer interviews Rev. Bob Breihan,
Sam Daley-Harris, Doyle Niemann & Mariann
Wizard, Susan D. Carle, and Slaid Cleaves
Our October guests were a Methodist minister and longtime social
activist, a noted citizens' advocate, two
Who Is The DCCC Selling Your Personal Information To?
You may not remember Dick Gephardt, once a powerful congressman from
Missouri with ambitions to be Speaker and vice president and president.
None of that worked out for him and he's just a sleazy K Street
lobbyistnow working for Goldman Sachs and other criminal enterprises…
but he was
the House Democratic leader from 1989 until 2003. A past chairman of the
corrupt Wall Street-owned Democratic Leadership Council, the reason he
sunk
to that level is because he cosponsored, with Speaker Denny Hastert, the
authorization for Bush to invade Iraq and persuaded 80 other House
Dems(mostly Bl... more »
Duck Dynasty speaks...
*and we thank them.*
*The Robertson Family Official Statement: *
We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. The family has
spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E's decision. We want you to
know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and
our belief that the Bible is His word.
While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his
beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who
follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart” an... more »
Another "tweak" to Obamacare at the discretion of HHS "director" Sebelius...
*I don't call this a "tweak." *
Guess what, all you people with cancelled policies? Kathleen Sebelius has
now said you can buy a catastrophic policy.
I heard this on the radio on the way home from work. The reporter stated
that insurance companies have already said this would create even more
chaos to an already chaotic situation.
*From WSJ:*
The Obama administration said Thursday it would allow some of the millions
of Americans whose insurance policies had been canceled to purchase
bare-bones plans next year, in another 11th-hour tweak to the law likely to
cause consternation ... more »
Why Does South Korea View Japan as a National Security Threat Worse than China? My Hypothesis: Competition with North Korea
This has been on my mind a lot because the Korea-Japan meltdown has been so
bad recently. And I think it’s a good research question if you are into
Asian IR. I have written about this before and just did again this month
and yet again. I’ve argued repeatedly that the reason America’s allies in
Continue reading
Some Reflections on Lunar Skepticism and Empiricism
*Addendum: it turns out that the lunar surface reflects sunlight quite
well...*
*It's known as moonlight.*
*Or put another way - *
*"It's an off-white object under direct, unfiltered sunlight - What the
fuck were you expecting it to look like?!"*
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”
*“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”*
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans
of many things. This was not among them...
But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well.
For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought;
all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done,
and have not done;
I pray thee God for forgiveness.”
“Lo, there do I see my father.
Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters, and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.
Lo, they do call ... more »
Untitled
*Lawyers representing levee authority in lawsuit against oil companies
agree to limit potential earnings ~Mark Schleifstein*
Northerntruthseeker Taking A Much Needed Vacation Break..
Well, I decided to do it... Take a much needed break that my family says I
should take to have some rest and "recharge my batteries"... Stress from
work and other issues was long in building up, and I am in need of a bit of
time off to avoid burning out....
I will be taking the coming week off from doing any writings here at this
blog, other than my usual Sunday rant.... During this time, I do recommend
that everyone once again take a look at some of the fabulous writings by
those who I call the best bloggers that I know, including my great friend,
Whitewraithe, who writes Pragmati... more »
“The Charge of The Light Brigade”
“The Charge of The Light Brigade” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyqcZMsBOU4Related articles
Farhadi's 'The Past' Gets Golden Globe Nomination(eurasiareview.com)
Just can't let go of The Past(thehindu.com)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment