16 May - Blogs I'm Following II

English: Buried machinery in barn lot in Dallas, South Dakota, United States during the Dust Bowl, an agricultural, ecological, and economic disaster in the Great Plains region of North America in 1936 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

10:24pm MDST

Zapatistas Marcos: Fragments of La Realidad I

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 16 minutes ago

FRAGMENTS OF LA REALIDAD I. By Subcomandante Marcos http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/2014/05/15/fragments-of-la-realidad-i/ May 2014. The wee hours of the morning…it must be like 2 or 3 o’clock, who knows. It sounds like silence here in reality [La Realidad]. Did I say “it sounds like silence?” Well it does, because the silence here has its own sound, like the chirping of crickets; some

Fashion Watch: Welcome to pretty much the end of civilization as we know it -- socks with sandals

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 19 minutes ago

*Sure, these sandals would be hideous without the socks, but without the socks they wouldn't be end-of-civilization hideous.* *"Layering sandals with socks is the perfect way to transition seasons. It's a practical solution for spring and fall weather dressing."* *-- stylist Sara Cooper ("who's been dressingmodels for 10 years")* *"Personal shopper Valerie Halfon said she won't advise her clients to try the tricky look. 'I have to take a stand,' she said. 'I want my clients to trust me, so I need to be honest with them.' "* *-- from "Socks With Sandals Emergingas Spring Trend, Styl... more »

"Middle Class? What Middle Class?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 37 minutes ago

*"Middle Class? What Middle Class?" * by Bill Bonner "Big losses in US stocks yesterday. The Dow fell 167 points, or 1%. The start of a something bigger? We wait to find out... We have reached the age where we have to resist the urge to give unwanted advice to younger people. Just this morning, a young woman was crossing the street: "Hey, none of my business, but that's a dangerous place to cross. The cars whip around the corner here... and they can't see you because of the scaffolding." "Thanks," came the polite brush-off. And now we are about to give you, dear reader, some advi... more »

METRO PODCAST | Thorne Dreyer : Central Texas environmental activists on Rag Radio

Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 43 minutes ago

Paul Robbins, Dave Cortez, and Roger Baker talk the Texas drought, climate change denial, Texas water politics, Keystone, fracking, and more… Interview by Thorne Dreyer | The Rag Blog | May 16, 2014 Our Rag Radio podcast features prominent Central … finish reading * METRO PODCAST* | Thorne Dreyer : Central Texas environmental activists on Rag Radio

Ukraine Crisis Goes Nuclear

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 1 hour ago

*May 17, 2014* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - Reports allege that some 20 members from the armed Neo-Nazi front, Right Sector, attempted to storm the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, in Energodar city, Zaporizhia province. The Voice of Russia reported in an article titled, "Right Sector attempts to seize largest NPP in Ukraine," that: *Policemen of the city of Energodar have detained 20 activists of the Right Sector, who tried to seize the Zaporozhye NPP. According to the leader of the Zaporozhye branch of the organization, the militants were afraid that the city would fall in the hands ... more »

Hihansun wakpa oyate camp for protection from Keystone tarsands pipeline

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 2 hours ago

Hihansun wakpa oyate camp! First tipi is up for the encampment! Thank you to Paula Antoine for sharing the photos from today in South Dakota with Censored News! This spiritual camp is the most recent for protection from the threat of the Keystone XL tarsands pipeline.

Bogus Test Based Evaluations and Charterization Put Hundreds of Memphis Teachers' Jobs on Chopping Block

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 2 hours ago

This year it's called "excessing." Just over a year ago it was call "surplussing." A clip from the Memphis Corporate Appeal: . . . .The shuffle in schools happens every spring as principals draw up staffing numbers to match projected enrollment. While the teachers have not been laid off, it is their responsibility as “excessed” staff to work through system the district has set up to match teachers to openings in other schools. .... This is the first time that people in the district still looking for placements after June 30 will be off the payroll. The Memphis-Shelby County Educa... more »

Paul Krugman (et al.) on Marco Rubio: Today, for a Republican, "listening to climate scientists gets you excommunicated"

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago

*Antarctic ice sheet past 'point of no return'* *Warning: In this clip there's every chance that you may hear from (shudder) a scientist. Just thought you should know, and take the appropriate precautions.* *"Once upon a time it was possible to take climate change seriously while remaining a Republican in good standing. Today, listening to climate scientists gets you excommunicated -- hence Mr. Rubio's statement, which was effectively a partisan pledge of allegiance."* *-- Paul Krugman, in his NYT column today,* Points of No Return" *"My refusal to accept the scientific research on ... more »

Libya Updates .....Coup attempt in Benghazi - May 16 , 2014 ? Fierce fighting in eastern Libya between army troops loyal to a general at the centre of recent coup rumours and two armed groups has killed at least 18 people and injured 90, according to officials. The country's top military official was describing Friday's offensive - launched without government approval - as a "coup", news agency the Associated Press reported.

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 3 hours ago

Coup in progress in Libya ? Fierce fighting rages in Libya's Benghazi At least 18 die as forces believed to be loyal to army general at the centre of coup rumours clash with armed groups. Last updated: 16 May 2014 21:19 [image: Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker] [image: Email Article] [image: Print Article] [image: Share article] [image: Send Feedback] Troops under the command of Major General Khalifa Haftar have attacked the bases of two armed groups [EPA] Fierce fighting in eastern Libya between army troops loyal to a general at the centre of recent coup rumours and two arme... more »

How to listen to music

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 4 hours ago

There’s a big difference between hearing music and listening to it. On his final album, *I’m New Here, *the late Gil Scott-Heron offers this excellent advice (the formatting is his own): *There is a proper procedure for taking advantage of any investment. Music, for example. Buying a CD (or LP) is an investment. To get the maximum you must* *LISTEN TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS.* *Not in your car or on a portable player or on a headset. Take it home. Get rid of all distractions, (even her or him). Turn off your sell phone. Turn off everything tha... more »

Turkey Updates May 16 - 17 , 2014 - Examining the tragedy at the Soma Mine .....Mine safety abandoned to generate profits .... Protests continue as Authorities resort to tear gas , thug tactics , water cannons and plastic bullets.... Arrogance and lack of concern of the Mining firm mtaches that of PM Erdogan and AKP ......

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 4 hours ago

http://triplecrisis.com/the-tragedy-of-the-soma-mine-workers/ The Tragedy of the Soma Mine-Workers The Tragedy of the Soma Mine-Workers: A Crime of Peripheral Capitalism Unleashed. Erinç Yeldan One of the greatest work-crimes in mining industry occurred in Soma, a little mining village in Western Turkey. At noon-time on Tuesday, May 13, according to witnesses, an electrical fault triggered a transformer to explode causing a large fire in the mine, releasing carbon monoxide and gaseous fumes. (The official cause of the “accident” was still unknown, at this writing, after nearly 30 ho... more »

Syria Updates- Elections/ Explosions/Raw data? / "Friends" of Syria

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 5 hours ago

Syrian election upcoming*Because right now I have the time.... everything is being put out there for you the reader.* *Syria.... A round up of newsy items* The ‘friends of Syria’ aka the ENEMIES of Syria, the Syrian people & threat to the sovereignty of a nation meet and make their evil plans Foreign ministers from countries of the "London 11" Core Group of the "Friends of Syria" on Thursday agreed to offer more support for the Syrian opposition National Coalition, the ministers said in a joint communique British Foreign Secretary William Hague hosted the "Friends of Syria" London me... more »

China Updates May 16 , 2014 -- At Least 6 Chinese Cities Have Bailed Out Their Real Estate Markets In The Last Month ( According to the Chinese financial publication Securities Daily, emergency real estate rescue packages have been launched in large cities such as Wuxi, Nanning, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Tongling and Zhengzhou in the last month alone. )

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 5 hours ago

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-16/least-6-chinese-cities-have-bailed-out-there-real-estate-markets-last-month At Least 6 Chinese Cities Have Bailed Out Their Real Estate Markets In The Last Month [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/16/2014 15:10 -0400 - China - Copper - Credit Conditions - Gross Domestic Product - New Home Sales - New Normal - Real estate inShare1 *Submitted by Simon Black of Sovereign Man blog,* *According to the Chinese financial publication Securities Daily, emergency real estate rescue p... more »

Starting Monday May 19 , 2014 , Billions In ETNs Are No Longer Marginable Collateral -- this could impact certainly impct liquidity quickly as traders will have to replace the ETNs used as collateral with cash or other acceptable collateral.... what's interesting is that the recent decision by FINRA is being acted upon quickly as being eased into effect around 2018 or 2019 ......

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 5 hours ago

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-16/starting-monday-billions-etns-are-no-longer-marginable-collateral Starting Monday, Billions In ETNs Are No Longer Marginable Collateral [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/16/2014 17:34 -0400 - Barclays - CDO - Collateralized Debt Obligations - Crude - Crude Oil - European Central Bank - Exchange Traded Fund - FINRA - Fisher - Futures market - High Yield - Lehman - Lehman Brothers - New Normal - Purchasing Power - Volatility inShare2 When is m... more »

Sea of Slaughter

gail zawacki at Wit's End - 6 hours ago

This documentary was made in 1989 by the recently deceased Canadian environmentalist, Farley Mowat, based on his earlier book. It is utterly excruciating to watch. Using amazing archival footage, he traces the massacre of life in and around the Atlantic Ocean over the last 500 years. Difficult and depressing as it is to watch (I could only bear it in segments), it is an incredibly important, gripping saga of relentless human rapaciousness that is applicable to many other of our enterprises throughout history, and ongoing today. It was produced in two parts that here run sequenti... more »

Two Oligarchs aka warlords take charge in East Ukraine. Biased UN

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 6 hours ago

Warlords & their militias............... Just in case you thought me daft for comparing oligarchs to warlords? In an underreported turn of events,* two Ukrainian oligarchs appear to have taken control of important strongholds in chaotic eastern Ukraine,* where the momentum until now has favored pro-Russian forces. The shift is most dramatic in the bastion of steel magnate Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man. Over the last three days, a growing number of steelworkers in Akhmetov’s employ have fanned out in the Donetsk region cities of Mariupol and Makeyevka, and forced out pro-Ru... more »

Six facts Indian country media doesn't want you to know

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 6 hours ago

The collapse of the media in Indian country fuels the destruction locally and globally By Brenda Norrell Censored News Indian country media has collapsed into plagiarism, rewrites, deception and fraud. Here are six facts the national Indian country media doesn't want you to know. ASSASSINATION OF LAND DEFENDERS -- Nearly 1,000 Indigenous Peoples have been assassinated defending their land,

Changes in the Land

What Is Sustainable at What Is Sustainable - 6 hours ago

Historian William Cronon was one of a group of scholars that pioneered a new and improved way of understanding the past. Environmental history put the spotlight on many essential issues that were ignored by traditional history, and this made the sagas far more potent and illuminating. His book, *Changes in the Land*, is an environmental history of colonial New England. It documents the clash of two cultures that could not have been more different, the Indians and the settlers. It describes the horrific mortality of imported diseases, and two centuries of senseless warfare on the... more »

Prosperity Is Always A Big Political Issue-- Lee Rogers Points To Job Creation As The Best Way To Guarantee It In CA-25

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago

Wednesday, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted a debate between the candidates running to replace Buck McKeon as congressman from the 25th CD. The two Republicans in the race, Tony Strickland and Steve Knight, have basically one idea: repeal Obamacare. Meanwhile, Lee Rogers, the progressive Democrat in the race, unveiled a well-thought-out, detailed 10-point comprehensive jobs plan, meant to attract industry and jobs to the district. Immediately after the Chamber of Commerce forum, Rogers took the plan on the road "visiting," he said, "small business owners who need... more »

When the BBC call someone 'controversial' you know they don't approve... BBC News - Indian election: Narendra Modi hails 'landmark' win

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 8 hours ago

When the BBC http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27439456 describe the newly elected Indian Prime Minister as 'controversial', you know that they disapprove of him. He's pro business, not a dhimmified coward and willing to stand up to anti Indian sentiment both within and outside of India. You can see why the BBC find him controversial...

Did someone call Jill Abramson “pushy?”

bob somerby at the daily howler - 8 hours ago

*FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014* *Gaze on the soul of our world:* Did somebody call Jill Abramson “pushy?” We have no idea, though you’d certainly think so from reading Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon. Here’s the way Williams started her piece, exciting headlines included: WILLIAMS (5/15/14): *Don’t call Jill Abramson “pushy”* *A single adjective shows how workplace sexism is alive and well* When the New York Times abruptly announced Wednesday afternoon that editor Jill Abramson was out – and offered the remarkably tight-lipped explanation that it was due to “an issue with management in the... more »

May 16: Worse than usual....

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 8 hours ago

There are two items worth reading in section A. The first is on the front page"Harper unveils national conservation strategy". At first, that comes as quite a shock. This, after all, is the man who has shown nothing but contempt for environmental protection in this country. This is also the man who has done nothing but pitch for votes for re-election for months. That's what the grand and extravagant trip to Israel was all about. That's what the trip to Ukraine was all about - and his sword-waving speeches on Ukraine. He has destroyed must of our existing environmental legislation to... more »

Another Retirement Party

Southern Man at Southern Man - 8 hours ago

A long time professor is heading to the greener pastures of Not Working and many higher-ups on campus dropped by to send him off... Doug The Retiree with Paul, the university president... ...and with our boss Tom, the Dean of IT. Yes, there was cake! Tom and Max, who is the Dean of Science and for whom Southern Man still teaches as a adjunct. The big difference is that instead of driving across town to teach as an adjunct Southern Man merely walks across campus. It's *much* better that way. Al sure knows how to party! This is a great group of people with whom to work. Southern... more »

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Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago

DB, our old friend at *Biased BBC, *has caught many an incautious BBC Twitterer over the years, and he's found another telling instance today of a senior BBC broadcast journalist sounding off on Twitter in a less than impartial manner. [His scoop has now caught the attention of *Breitbart London* and, er, *Is the BBC biased?*] This is the tweet from Mantej Deol, Senior Broadcast Journalist at BBC Business and Economics Unit, which caught DB's eagle eye - and it concerns a Conservative MP: Mantej knows she's been caught out as she deleted the tweet and has now tweeted the followin... more »

Note to Controversial Commencement Speakers — Don’t Quit!

Jon Western at Duck of Minerva - 9 hours ago

Let’s face it, most commencement speakers aren’t really all that inspiring. Every spring, tens of thousands of graduating seniors, proud parents, faculty, and others sit through seemingly endless speeches filled with those insipid “inspiring life lessons,” those essential “kernels of wisdom that will guide graduates through life’s challenges,” and the hopeful “ten ways this year’s Continue reading

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 9 hours ago

*Terminally ill boy dies shortly after N.O. firefighters grant 6 year old's wish to wear a NOFD Badge ~Meg Farris, WWLTV* *Unlearning Katrina’s lesson: Bills would again make levee board a governor’s plaything ~Ruthie Frierson* *Live chat: Discuss city’s storm protection system with Tulane professor, Corps of Engineers official ~The Lens* *BGR opposes levee boards’ restriction ~N.O. Advocate, Capital Bureau* *New Jefferson Parish flood maps to be delayed by two years* *House approves bill restricting 'legacy lawsuits' against oil companies, returns it to Senate ~Mark Schleifstein* ... more »

INDIAN FASCISM RISING

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 9 hours ago

Corporate fascism is growing in India with the recent election victory of Narendra Modi's Hindu Right’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which now takes control of parliament. In the video above Arundhati Roy speaks in Chicago about Modi and the Hindu Nationalists. Tapped on March 18, 2013. See the latest on the story here

DO IT TOGETHER

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago

*It's a Jungle Out There* The cracks in the road widen as the grass and weeds pop their heads up nature has its ways Even in our darkest moments we should look to nature for answers about how to live life but we forget.... Our connection to the sacred has been severed like a lost arm or a broken heart by 'modern' life we are taught to 'go it alone' and many of us have tried but come up searching for something real and of value life can be so hard it gets lonely at times we often give up because we are so isolated and weak all by ourselves The weeds pop thru human made obstacles ... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Shawn Brant speaks on missing murdered girls and women'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago

Post navigation SHAWN BRANT SPEAKS ON MISSING MURDERED GIRLS and WOMEN Posted on May 16, 2014  Mohawk Nation News Please post & distribute. MNN. May 16, 2014. The murders of thousands of Indigenous women and girls is part of the continuing genocide and a strategy to control us, the survivors. Girls as young as 10 years old are being snatched and coerced into prostitution, sex slavery

US ENCOURAGES JAPANESE IMPERIALISM

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago

Japan's pacifist constitution is under threat, lawmakers agreed on moves to restore the country's imperial might. Japan hosts many US bases. Washington is beefing up its presence in the region. Joseph Gerson (AFSC) tells RT that Tokyo's militaristic ambitions are being fueled by the agenda of its American allies. Japan's current right-wing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's grandfather was a member of Tojo's imperial cabinet during WW II and founded the political party that Abe leads today.

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Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 10 hours ago

FRONT PAGE | Thorne Dreyer’s tribute: Maggie Dreyer played a major role in Houston’s emerging art scene, putting it ‘on the side of human rights and general soul.’

China Building Airstrip on Disputed Reef?

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago

The Philippines accused China on Wednesday of reclaiming land on a reef in disputed islands in the South China Sea, apparently to build an airstrip, only a day after Washington described Beijing's actions in the region as "provocative". If confirmed, the airstrip would be the first built by China on any of the eight reefs and islands it occupies in the Spratly Islands and would mark a significant escalation in tensions involving several nations in the area. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, an area rich in energy deposits and an important passageway traversed each yea... more »

Is The Republican Party On A Collision Course With Their Allies At Big Insurance Over Climate Change?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 11 hours ago

Since 1990, the Insurance Industry has contributed $306,387,653 in congressional races, almost two-thirds of it to Republicans. So far this year, they've doled out $17,600,207, again, most of it to Republicans. So far in the cycle they have carefully selected the incumbents who have been most willing-- in each house-- to put the special interests of the insurance industry ahead the interests of their own constituents and of the American people. No one on this list of the dozen topic recipients of insurance industry legalistic bribery is fit to serve in Congress: This week Repub... more »

Subtlety Has its Time & Place. This Isn't One of Them

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 12 hours ago

Perhaps I was being a bit too subtle in my last post in which I'd provided an editor''s note at the end. I've uploaded way too many of these fundraising posts over the years because circumstances had forced me to do so. With a disabled girlfriend and a cat to support, somehow, I've been obliged, time and again, to do things and reach levels of audaciousness that no doubt has been contributory to my readership falling off this year as it has. After all, I get begging emails and snail mails from every liberal organization out there as contrition for every small charity check I... more »

KATHY KELLY ON JEJU

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 12 hours ago

*Kathy Kelly being removed while blocking entrance to Navy base construction gate in Gangjeong village* Park Jung-Joo reports from Jeju Island, South Korea: Peace Seminar of Gangjeong Peace School was held tonight at Peace Center in Gangjeong Village. Kathy Kelly gave us a talk of her experiences of peace activism in her life. She told us about people in Afghanistan, Iraq and in the US and how they have gone through the wars and fears caused by wars. It was really inspiring, challenging and also encouraging time for us. This is a poem she shared with us tonight in the middle of her ... more »

WHERE DID PRIVILEGE COME FROM: No dogma can save us from our bad judgment!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago

*FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014* *Part 5—The privileged white woman’s tale:* Fifty years back, in another bad time, Bernadine Dohrn forgot to check her privilege. What happened when she forgot? Because this brief passage is so fascinating, we post it for the third time: *The concept of white privilege also came to be used within radical circles for purposes of self-criticism by anti-racist whites.* For instance, a 1975 article in Lesbian Tide criticized the American feminist movement for exhibiting “class privilege” and “white privilege.” *Weather Underground leader Bernadine Dohrn, in a 197... more »

Here a Russian university professor, who is also the editor of an independent democratic left magazine and a coordinator of the Russian social movement Alternatives, answers questions about what is really happening in Ukraine. (Hint: It's not what the US "mainstream media" tell you.)

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 13 hours ago

------------------------------ *Original Here* *Is Ukraine Entering A Revolutionary Moment?* Professor Aleksandr Buzgalin discusses the recent referendums for independence in Ukraine's eastern regions - *May 13, 14* * More at The Real News * *Bio .* Aleksandr Buzgalin is a Professor of Political Economy at Moscow State University. He is also editor of the independent democratic left magazine Alternatives, and is a coordinator of the Russian social movement Alternatives, au... more »

Ukraine- Militias masquerading as 'steelworkers' paid for by a warlord

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 13 hours ago

And a bit of inadvertent truth from John Kerry! I will get to that at the end of the post , first, the failed state status of Ukraine. I define a failed state as:* one that fails it's citizens. * Which makes most of our home countries failed states. Ukraine's failed state status is showing itself in a manner that is more often associated with third world nations.Think of Somalia. Admittedly I love the *spin control vortex whirling * *today in Washington Post*. *Wow!* *It’s a beautiful thing, this perception management. It gives me something to take apart every single day :)* *WP:*... more »

WSJ: Japan's Abe Moves to Bolster Military

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 13 hours ago

Wall Street Journal Friday May 16 page 8: "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a significant step toward removing six-decade old constraints on Japan's military, a move that could enable Tokyo to play a greater security role in an increasingly tense East Asia... ...Abe said his government would kick of discussions to determine whether to change the interpretation of the constitution to permit the use of 'collective self-defense'... [end] Majia here: the article ends by explaining that once a decision is made on the change in interpretation, a "cascade of changes to its defense-r... more »

Fukushima Daiichi Really Steaming This Morning

Majia's Blog - 13 hours ago

<img alt="" height="283" src="data:image/png;base64,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... more »

Ma's green card again

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 13 hours ago

[image: Oct_Kenting_91] The green card issue resurfaced this week with a Next Magazine story on President Ma. The officially unofficial US representative office in Taipei, AIT, quickly provided a letter saying that Ma had indeed formally renounced his green card. You can read the sordid unimportant details here. The interesting thing about the green card issue is how deep and visceral it is for Taiwanese now, unlike during the election in 2008 when Frank Hsieh first launched that claim. I've been hearing remarks on it all week, from one-liners ("Oh, you're a US citizen? Just like our... more »

Watch this documentary on Sartre if you want to ...

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 13 hours ago

If you do, you can apply it to your time living under harperino!

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.16.14”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago

*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.16.14”* by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Numerous wildfires are engulfing parts of California. In one county alone, in the southern part of the state, fire has burned nearly 10,000 acres. Some lifelong residents say they have never seen it this bad. Think this won’t affect you if you live elsewhere? Think again. This is really the side effect of a much bigger problem—extreme drought in the western part of the U.S. From Texas to California, at least 10 states are dealing with some form of drought. Some of the worst areas are in food growing regions. If you h... more »

CALL FOR GLOBAL ACTION

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 14 hours ago

Solidarity beyond borders – Building democracy from belowThe programs of austerity and privatizations imposed by the Troika decide on the lives of millions of people in Europe. Together with people in Europe and the whole world we resist the rehabilitation of capitalism on the backs of employees as well as unemployed, retirees, migrants and the youth. Together with them we say: “We don’t owe, we won’t pay!”While the European Union crisis regime builds more and more borders in order to divide, exploit and oppress us, new transnational movements are arising. We are social movement ac... more »

Crony Capitalism- The Fraudopian Diet

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 14 hours ago

*Tacitus: 'The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.'* jamesMay 15, 2014 at 11:22 AM * Here's another contribution to that cause from Max and Stacy with guest who use ridicule and direct legal challenges to expose the utter corruption. This destroys the credibility that the regime needs to survive. The end is getting closer!* All we have to do is see the *'Emperor has no clothes' * Crony capitalism is rampant as mentioned in this post- *Biden & Kerry nepotism. Profiteering from the US backed coup in Ukraine*

AL JAZEERA VIDEO: Iraq Election Will There Be Change?

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 14 hours ago

ISLAM CHANNEL VIDEO: Iraqi Parliamentary Elections What Does The Future Hold?

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 14 hours ago

In his latest article, former Assistant Treasury Secretary Dr. Paul Craig Roberts says, “The Fed is the great deceiver.” Why is he making this shocking accusation? Greg Hunter asks him to explain in the text below and more extensively in the video at the bottom.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 14 hours ago

------------------------------ *Fed Laundering Treasury Purchases to Disguise What’s Happening-Paul Craig Roberts* By Greg Hunter On May 14, 2014 *By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com* In his latest article, former Assistant Treasury Secretary Dr. Paul Craig Roberts says, *“The Fed is the great deceiver.” *Why is he making this shocking accusation? The reason is tiny Belgium’s whopping purchase of *$141 billion in Treasury bonds* earlier this year. Dr. Roberts explains, “We know that Belgium didn’t have any money to buy $141 billion worth of bonds over a three month period. T... more »

Burning Taiwanese factories and other irritants

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 14 hours ago

[image: Oct_random3_45] Vietnamese, rioting over China's placement of a drilling rig in Vietnamese waters, burnt at least 15 factories owned by Taiwanese to the ground ( FocusTaiwan).... The violence that began to rip through southern Vietnam May 13 spread north the following day into Ha Tinh Province, where attacks that left one person dead and 90 injured broke out at a steel mill belonging to Formosa Plastics Group. The protests were triggered by China's deployment of an oil rig in what Vietnam considers to be its exclusive economic zone near the Paracel Islands in the South China... more »

Steven Weinberg's mutated density matrices

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 14 hours ago

*CLOUD:* First, off-topic news. CLOUD at CERN published some new results. Previously, they showed that the sulphur acid doesn't seem to be enough to produce more clouds. Now, if the acid is combined with oxidized organic vapours from plants etc., low-lying clouds may be created and cool the planet. The cosmic rays may still modulate and matter a lot but only if the concentration of the two previous ingredients is low enough for the cosmic rays to be helpful. *Loopholes like that are probably not too interesting* Steven Weinberg posted a playful quant-ph preprint two days ago: Qua... more »

Friday Nerd Blogging: Godzilla Edition

Steve Saideman at Duck of Minerva - 14 hours ago

Brian Cranston and Godzilla apparently did not get along that well: Check out the story here.

Mike's Story Part 23 - Ah, Canada

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 14 hours ago

*By **Jenna** Orkin* * End of Suburbia producer Barry Silverthorn’s recollection of Mike’s time at his house:* *When Mike landed in Toronto he looked very thin - and relieved. All he wanted was some food that wasn't indigenous to South America, so we went to the nearest restaurant after leaving the airport.* *We went shopping for clothes at a thrift store. Mike was impressed by how little they cost, and I got the impression that he had never shopped at a thrift store before. I had also bought him CDs by David Baerwald [a friend of Mike’s whom we’d later meet at his state-of-the... more »

Will Steve Israel's PA-08 CIA Agent, Kevin Strouse, Withdraw From His Congressional Race Over The Weekend?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago

I wondered why Steve Israel and his corrupt operatives at the DCCC didn't jump all over the story about Republican crooks Michael Grimm and Aaron Schock illegally trading maxed out donors to circumvent campaign finance regulations. Was Israel too busy chasing Pinellas County NAACP President Manuel Sykes out of the FL-13 Democratic primary so he could run a sleazy Republican crony instead? That wasn't it and now I do know why Israel ignored that scandal-- he was directing a nearly identical scheme among-- even more shady-- his own stable of worthless corrupt recruits. Pelosi is now... more »

War watch May 16 , 2014 - Daily updates pertaining to the Syria War , Iraq unrest and Iran nuclear talks.......

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 15 hours ago

Iran nuclear Talks .... US ‘Political’ Breakout Demand Could Derail Iran Nuclear Talks by Gareth Porter, May 16, 2014 Print This | Share This As diplomats began drafting a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program and Western sanctions in Vienna Tuesday, US officials were poised to demand a drastic cut in Iran’s enrichment capabilities that is widely expected to deadlock the negotiations. Iran is almost certain to reject the basic concept that it should reduce the number of its centrifuges to a fraction of its present total, and the resulting collapse of the talks could ... more »

Narenda Modi's BJP wins Indian Election in overwhelming style - May 16 , 2014 ! Details - Congress party President Sonia Gandhi concedes defeat after coalition led by Narendra Modi’s opposition Bharatiya Janata Party sweeps Indian election. BJP bloc leads in 335 seats and Congress-led bloc in 59, according to NDTV tally of count as of 4:39 p.m. in Mumbai. BJP alone set to cross majority mark of 272 seats from 543 up for grabs: Election Commission data “India has won,” Modi says on Twitter BJP poised for biggest victory for any single Indian party in 30 years on pledge to revive growth, improve governance Congress heading for wost-ever performance after graft scandals, economic slowdown, elevated inflation

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 15 hours ago

India's BJP set for landslide poll win Opposition Hindu nationalist party, headed by Narendra Modi, takes unassailable lead over ruling Congress party. Last updated: 16 May 2014 12:41 [image: Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker] [image: Email Article] [image: Print Article] [image: Share article] [image: Send Feedback] Narendra Modi will most likely be the next prime minister of India [AFP] India's Hindu nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is on course for a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections, making an unassailable lead over the ruling Congress party, par... more »

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup with Meredith from Perfection Pending

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 15 hours ago

Today I am thrilled to have Meredith from Perfection Pending here to share a fabulous crockpot recipe with us. Meredith has some great parenting posts up, I love this one about why Moms are terrible drivers. Check Meredith out and make sure to leave her some comment love. Hi! My name is Meredith, and I'm a mom to three blogging over at Perfection Pending. [image: TimelineCover] I mostly blog about life with three kids, and how I'm trying to learn to let go of perfectionism, but I also love sharing recipes that I've tried, taste yummy, and my kids will eat!! This recipe is so easy and... more »

In League With The Elite

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago

Carol Goar believes that the NDP has forsaken its traditional role as the champion of the poor. That is the case with Tom Mulcair's federal party. And it certainly is the case with Andrea Horwath's provincial party. Goar writes: Horwath is following a well-worn path as Star columnist Rick Salutinpointed out last week. Like Tony Blair’s “new” Labour Party, François Hollande’s Socialist Party and Thomas Mulcair’s centrist federal NDP, she is seeking to transform her party into a mainstream alternative. She is not interested in being the conscience of the legislature or the standard... more »

Is The May 16 , 2014 Operation American Spring Event in DC a trick , a Trap ? David Chase offers his point of view - FWIW

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago

FWIW..... http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/05/cia-planning-anonymous-cyber-attacks-during-operation-american-spring-on-may-16-2014 ( Complete article at the link , just the highlights below.. ) CIA Planning “Anonymous” Cyber-Attacks During “Operation American Spring” on May 16, 2014 *David Chase Taylor* *May 15, 2013* *Truther.org* . *SWITZERLAND, Zurich* — Come Friday, May 16, 2014, retired Colonel Harry Riley will lead tens-of-thousands of so-called “patriots” to Washington D.C. to “remove Obama, Biden, Reid, McConnell, Boehner, Pelosi, and Attorney General Holder from... more »

Gold and Silver news - May 16 , 2014 -----Are The London Gold Vaults Running Empty - Kenneth Hoffman certainly believed that was the case as of December 2013 , what is the case now ? And how about the Swiss - is there gold gold too ( see Turd's Wednesday update to his excellent report on Switzerland's gold from Monday --- Note the email comments from James Turk , Dominik , Chris Powell .) ...

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago

Are The London Gold Vaults Running Empty? As I have extensively covered in the past months the majority of the unprecedented demand for gold from China, which started in January 2013, was being supplied by the UK, home of the London bullion market and many bullion bank (and private) gold vaults. Via Switzerland, where the gold was remelted into kilobars, it was shipped towards Hong Kong where most of it was re-exported to China mainland. Whilst in 2013 it was clear that the world’s largest gold-backed ETF, GLD, was the predominant supplier from the UK, since January 2014 GLD inventor... more »

Banksters ( and their enablers ) in focus May 13 , 2014 -- JUNEAU -- Paychecks for 15,000 state employees failed to arrive in their bank accounts as scheduled Monday morning, according to the Alaska Department of Administration.... State officials are blaming the failure on errors by U.S. Bank, an outside contractor ........ The High Frequency Trading Lawsuit That Has Wall Street Running Scared ...... Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Thomas Hoenig: Wall Street Banks “Excessively Leveraged” at 22 to 1 Ratios

Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago

http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2014-05-14/interview-bailins-may-cause-bank-runs-and-capital-controls-western-world-russ ( Bail in is a fancy word for theft .... ) *** Max Keiser Interviews Mark O’Byrne, GoldCore Director of Research on Bail-Ins Keiser: Mark, you have a new report on bail-ins - From Bail-Outs to Bail-Ins: Risks and Ramifications ... Ok so the era of bondholder bailouts is ending and that of depositor bail-ins is coming. Tell us about your report. O’Byrne: The risk of bail-ins has been coming in a very stealthy manner and under-the-radar way. Most people aren... more »

The Conversation: Racial segregation returns to US schools, 60 years after the Supreme Court banned it

plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE - 16 hours ago

The Conversation: Racial segregation returns to US schools, 60 years after the Supreme Court banned it. via The Conversation: Racial segregation returns to US schools, 60 years after the Supreme Court banned it.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

where to stay in giverny and rouen, where to eat in rouen, where not to eat in giverny

laura k at wmtc - 16 hours ago

I've mentioned our wonderful accommodations in Giverny and outside Rouen, but each deserves a post of its own. I'll review them on TripAdvisor but for Googleability, I'd like to do more. *Giverny: Les Jardins d'Helene* In Giverny, for comfort, convenience, and an absolutely delightful stay at a very reasonable price, you can't do better than Les Jardins d'Helene. It's located about a 15-minute walk from Monet's house and gardens, on one easy, flat road. The house itself is a beautiful mix of traditional and contemporary design, and clearly a labour of love by a very creative pers... more »

DCNS is pursuing sea trials in the Mediterranean for the combat system on the FREMM Normandie

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 17 hours ago

[image: FREMM Normandie]The FREMM Normandie multi-mission frigate, second of the series ordered by OCCAR on behalf of the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) and the French Navy, left the DCNS site in Lorient on 14 May on its way to the DCNS site in Toulon. Over the next few weeks, DCNS will perform a new series of sea trials to test the performance of the FREMM’s combat system before delivery to the French Navy at the end of 2014. This series of sea trials, which will take place in the Mediterranean, will allow the Navy’s operating crew and the DGA, OCCAR and DCNS specialists t... more »

Greece updates May 16 , 2014 --Poul Thomsen from International Monetary Fund, Jorg Asmussen from the European Central Bank, Marco Buti and Thomas Wieser: all four were working “clandestinely” for months preparing for a collapse of Greece’s banks. Their secret blueprint, known as “Plan Z”, was a detailed script of how to reconstruct Greece’s economic and financial infrastructure if it were to leave the euro. From the Financial Times series and the excellent work of Peter Spiegel...............Court rules “mobility scheme” unconstitutional; FinMin has to hire anew 397 fired cleaners ....... Greek court rules: Teachers’ and Transport workers’ strikes put public health at risk ....... Thursday and Friday see PIIGS deep steepen losses - Greek retroactive tax on foreign holders of greek debt between 2012 and 2013 concerns and political issues .....

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 17 hours ago

Keep Talking Greece .... [image: Court rules “mobility scheme” unconstitutional; FinMin has to hire anew 397 fired cleaners]tagged: Athens, cleaners, court,Finance Ministry, Greece, hire,protesting, ruling Court rules “mobility scheme” unconstitutional; FinMin has to hire anew 397 fired cleaners Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society First Instance Court in Athens ruled that the Finance Ministry has to hire anew the 397 cleaners it had laid-off several months ago. According to the court, the finance ministry decision to sent home 397 cleaners in the context of ‘mobility scheme’ was ... more »

Musical Interlude: Josh Groban, "Remember When It Rained" Reprised, because I love it.

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago

Josh Groban, "Remember When It Rained" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvWnHAhKX6E For you, Janie Noble, wherever in life you are...

Drones Over Nigeria as McCain Wails for Boots on the Ground

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 17 hours ago

The American war machine never needs much of an excuse for sending in the drones and imperial stormtroopers in the global crusade for financial plunder and corporate profits but nothing sells with the low-information types like a good old humanitarian intervention. Team America world police has just had exactly that drop into their laps with the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls by Muslim group Boko Haram, a perfect scenario for one of those good movie style commando raids to win hearts and minds in *The Homeland*. President Barack Obama got all choked up and vowed th... more »

Hoosier School Heist author Doug Martin sings his new song "When ISTEP Was a Famous Dance"

Doug Martin at Schools Matter - 18 hours ago

Hoosier School Heist author Doug Martin sings his new song "When ISTEP Was a Famous Dance." Kim Fidler's ISTA 2C District Council Meeting, Courtyard by Marriott (Airport Location), May 14, 2014, Indianapolis For some reason, the video won't post to this website. I will try again later. For now, see the video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6WXTzVP40Y *When ISTEP Was a Famous Dance* *By Doug Martin* They're gonna privatize our air and chop off all our hair And ship our kids to Pearson hell Hedge fund man fishing, David Harris hissing Todd Huston needs put in jail. ... more »

French Ship Could Spy on Communications in Black Sea

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago

[image: FS Dupuy de Lôme (A759)]The French intelligence ship FS Dupuy de Lome has entered the waters off Bulgaria’s port city Varna a day after its return to the Black Sea, a military source told RIA Novosti Thursday. “The French intelligence ship is now stationed in the western Black Sea, 30 miles away from the port of Varna,” the source said. The intelligence vessel is designed for radar monitoring, as well as the collection of signals and communications behind enemy lines. It can also intercept phone calls and e-mails. Read more

Romeos packing a new punch

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago

[image: MH-60R Romeo helicopter]The Royal Australian Navy’s MH-60R Romeo helicopter has had another system added to its arsenal, with the commencement of dipping operations off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida on 13 May. After five months of flying operations from Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, NUSQN 725 received its first Airborne Low Frequency Sonar System (ALFS) and with the complex process of installation, calibration and test flying behind them, the team eagerly put the ALFS through its paces in the local exercise areas. The system consists of a number of moving part... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 20 hours ago

*Temporary restraining order filed to stop Northshore fracking ~WDSU*

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Successful Javelin Firing From Turret in U.K. Test

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago

[image: FGM-148 Javelin]Lockheed Martin recently demonstrated the successful firing of a Javelin missile from a turret at the Cranfield Ordnance Test & Evaluation Centre (COTEC) near Wiltshire, England. The turret was designed and built as a joint project between Lockheed Martin U.K. in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, U.K., and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, Texas, and Orlando, Florida. The production of the turret and successful firing of both a 30mm cannon and a fully integrated Javelin missile has been achieved in a nine-month period. Read more

Syria: Light at the End of the Tunnel

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 20 hours ago

*Image: Homs has suffered devastation, but residents vow to rebuild.**May 16, 2014* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The city of Homs has finally been retaken by the Syrian Arab Army. The scenes of devastation left behind by nearly 3 years of fighting are surreal, but residents - who have begun returning in small numbers - vow to rebuild the city. Fighting concluded when the Syrian government granted a ceasefire to encircled militants occupying the city's center. An estimated 2,000 militants evacuated the city to rural positions where government forces will be able to engage them. Lacking ... more »

Unfashionably I appreciate London Live TV

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 20 hours ago

London Live TV (Sky 117) has been getting a lot of stick since its launch and apparently has very low viewing figures. For a lot of the time I can understand why, just look at the schedules. However it does also show three really great shows: 1. Coupling - Steven Moffat's master-work of three series from 2000 to 2004 and a dodgy series four. A genius comedy series with some great acting, some poor acting but always very very funny, and sometimes toe-curlingly embarrassing. You must watch this series, if not on London Live then buy the DVD. I have previously blogged about Series 1, E... more »

Will GMO Farmers Convert To Growing Non-GMOs?

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 20 hours ago

[image: Foto: Richard Kalmolvathin says non-GMO production is a good start to making agriculture more sustainable. “It’s the spark to the fuse,” he says. “We recommend non-GMO and believe it is the future.” His South Dakota-based company, Verity Farms, LLC is one of a growing number of businesses that are helping U.S. farmers switch to non-GMO and more sustainable farming practices. Verity works with 300-400 farmers throughout the U.S. to help them grow healthier plants, which will produce healthier foods for people and animals. “Our concept to just to raise good food,” says Kalmol... more »

Russia Wants In on a Killer Robot Future

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago

[image: Sentry robot]The question of when Russia will deploy giant anthropomorphic battle robots on its borders was on top of the list of things people asked President Vladimir Putin about during his online news conference in 2006. Putin politely skirted the question. But last March, his special envoy Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia does in fact want lethal robots, though not necessarily giant or even anthropomorphic, and is conducting research in the field. But Russia also recognizes the implications of creating machines authorized to kill humans, judging by the country's particip... more »

No Clear Plan for Triton 'Due Regard' Radar, Navy Says

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago

[image: MQ-4C Triton]The U.S. Navy has not determined how to fit a “due regard” radar on its unmanned MQ-4C Triton, which will likely start initial operations in 2017 without the subsystem intended to help protect it from midair collisions. But the Triton will enter service with more capability than any other unmanned aircraft to “detect and avoid” other aircraft, the Navy’s program manager asserts. During a panel discussion at the Unmanned Systems 2014 conference on May 14, Capt. James Hoke, the Navy’s Triton program manager, said the Global Hawk “persistent surveillance” maritim... more »

Iran's 'drone clone' latest in long line of fakes, experts say

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: RQ-170 Sentinel]The "Mini-Me drone" Iran says it reverse-engineered from an American aircraft is a crude fake, according to a new report, making it just the latest in a long line of the Islamic Republic's phony claims of weapons wizardry. Iran's state-run Fars News Agency on Sunday trumpeted the news that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps had made a copy of the Lockheed Martin RQ-170, and had shown off the craft at an aerospace exhibition in Tehran. But defense industry sources told the U.S. Naval Institute the supposedly cloned drone is a fake, and a crude one at that. “... more »

Russia to advance Yak-130 aircraft to Mongolia, Vietnam, Latin America

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: Yak-130]Russia is seeking to advance its Yak-130 aircraft to Mongolia, Vietnam and Latin America, Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Director Alexander Fomin told ITAR-TASS on Thursday, May 15. “We are working to advance these aircraft to Mongolia, Vietnam and other countries,” he said. The arms exporting company Rosoboronexport and the aircraft corporation Irkut are doing the same in Latin America. “Although our foreign partners have reiterated their interest in purchasing this plane, no concrete contracts have been made so far,” Fomin said. Read more

$100 ORIGAMI OWL GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 21 hours ago

Today I am excited to be teaming up with some other bloggers to bring you this Origami Owl giveaway. Look for my post coming soon about the way I wear my locket! [image: $100 Origami Owl Gift Card Giveaway] Welcome to $100 Origami Owl Giveaway Hosted By BloggieAway Origami Owl Inderpendent Designer Jennifer Walsh Origami Owl is a custom jewelry online shop that offers jewelry that tells a story. "Living Locket," as they call it, is a unique way to show your own personal story or unique personality in a fashionable way. [image: Origami Owl Inderpendent Designer Jennifer Walsh] So how d... more »

Germany nixes gunboat subsidy to Israel, citing breakdown of peace talks

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: Angela Merkel & Benjamin Netanyahu]The German government has decided not to give Israel a massive subsidy for the purchase of German missile boats, due to the breakdown in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, both Israeli and German officials said on Thursday. For months now, Israel and Germany have been negotiating a deal under which Israel would purchase three or four German gunboats to protect its offshore gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea. The deal, first reported by Haaretz, was valued at about $1 billion before any discounts. Read more

Even if it wanted to, the SNP couldn’t use Trident as a bargaining chip

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: Vanguard class SSBN]A few weeks ago, I watched Nicola Sturgeon speak at a Scottish CND rally in Glasgow’s George Square. There were, at most, 200 or 250 people in the crowd. As Scotland’s deputy first minister, Sturgeon must have had a dozen more important things to be doing. She certainly wasn’t winning any new converts to independence – most of the audience arrived sporting Yes campaign badges and placards. But she still delivered a pretty good speech – one she had obviously spent time preparing. It is difficult to overstate the strength of the SNP’s opposition to nuclea... more »

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 21 hours ago

*The spurious "97% consensus" claim now needs legal protection from being disproven* Anthony Watts has apparently obtained more of the data on which John Cook based his 97% claim and was set to publish an article showing just how disreputable the Cook claim is. But the university where Cook works has now issued Watts with a threatening legal letter that forbids him from discussing Cook's work -- on the ground that Cook's work is copyrighted! How Fascist can you get! A claim that cannot be discussed! It tells us most vividly how indefensible the claim is. Anthony gives the grue... more »

North Korea 'has built two large warships', think tank's satellite photos show

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: USS Pueblo]Satellite images have picked out two new North Korean warships, the largest it has constructed in 25 years, a US think tank said today. Recent commercial satellite pictures showed two new helicopter-carrying frigates separately berthed at shipyards in Nampo in the west and Najin in the far northeast. The think tank said it was an important “wake-up call” on the effectiveness of sanctions against Pyongyang. The vessels can be seen in commercial satellite images from December and January. It is unclear whether the frigates are yet ready for service. Read more

Warships in peril as defence ministry blocks sonar purchase

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago

[image: Kolkata class DDG]At the start of this year, INS Vikramaditya, the navy's new aircraft carrier, sailed into the Arabian Sea near the end of a non-stop, 15,000-km voyage from Russia. Accompanied till the Mediterranean by a single Talwar-class frigate, the Vikramaditya was joined by an armada of Indian warships for the last leg of its journey. This was not celebration, but operational safety. With the navy's best warships worryingly incapable of detecting modern submarines, such as Pakistan's Agosta 90B, the flotilla was tasked to bring Vikramaditya safely home. The reason fo... more »

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Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 22 hours ago

METRO | Melanie Scruggs reports that Houston environmentalists are trashing a regressive ‘One Bin for All’ plan.

Hidden Beauty Toxins to Avoid While Pregnant

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 22 hours ago

There is nothing that makes me more cautious than being pregnant. Most of the time, I drink my fair share of Diet Coke and eat more than my fair share of Oreos. When I am pregnant, I strive really hard to eat as healthy as possible and keep artificial things out of my diet and my beauty routine. Personally I avoid caffeine, medication of any kind unless absolutely necessary, dyeing my hair, artificial sweeteners and bleaching my teeth. For me, if there is a question about a product, I try to avoid it, it is always better to be safe than sorry. I was surprised when I found this ... more »

Ukraine Updates May 16 , 2014 --Ukraine Billionaire ( Rinat Akmetov ) Workers Rout Protesters, Seize Mariupol Oligarch Warns Independence Would Threaten Steel Industry ..... Ukraine Troops Destroy Two Checkpoints Near Slovyansk Three Protesters Captured in 'Military Success' ( Anti terror campaign still rolling along ) ...... Kerry: US Will Sanction Russia if Protests Disrupt Ukraine Vote Sanctions Ready to Go in Effect Anytime ........ NATO DMs Mull New Bases Along Ukraine Frontier NATO Officials Reminds Everyone Ukraine Is Not in NATO ...... Russia: Ukraine Must Pay in Advance for Gas Starting in June, Deliveries Need Prepayment ...... various items of note from Itar Tass.....

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 23 hours ago

Ria Novosti.... Ukraine's Donetsk Federalists Conceal Plans as Ultimatum Ends [image: Slavyansk self defense forces at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Slavyansk (Archive)] Slavyansk self defense forces at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Slavyansk (Archive) © RIA Novosti. Mikhail Voskresenskiy 14:38 16/05/2014 Tags: ultimatum, federalists, Donetsk Region, Ukraine MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti) - Federalist forces in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region have refused to unveil what steps they will take after a 24-hour ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of Kiev security forces expired late o... more »

Georgia ALECers Are on My Mind

2old2care at Because I Can - 1 day ago

Georgia - Georgia I said Georgia, Ooh Georgia, no peace I find Unless Georgia gets rid of it's ALEC legislators - they will see more extremist legislation similar to the recently passed License to Kill - anytime, anywhere, for any reason. The voters of Georgia didn't want this bill - they don't like this bill - but the legislators of Georgia did this against the will of the people. You can't stay in a state of oblivion - you need to *#VoteNo2ALEC* *How do people get on an ALEC list?* That question comes up all the time. The most common are: They serve on ALEC task forces The... more »

Musical Interlude: 2002, “The Dreaming Tree”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

2002, “The Dreaming Tree” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hOphl_fsg

The Nigerian "Abducted Schoolgirl" Crisis Is A FRAUD: Nigerian Kidnapped Schoolgirl Caught Texting On Cell Phone!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 1 day ago

I really do hate sometimes being proven right, but again I want to present evidence for everyone to see for themselves that this Nigerian "Abducted Schoolgirl" crisis is indeed a massive fraud... The so called "Boko Haram" terrorist group ( I still have to laugh about the name selection) is a hoax, with its members fully funded by the United States government itself. This "crisis" is nothing of the sort, and is nothing more than a propaganda push to try to convince the suckers in America that an invasion of Nigeria is needed to "free" these non-existent captives! I came across thi... more »

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Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 1 day ago

METRO | Roger Baker vs. Mayor Leffingwell at CAMPO! They sparred over Roger’s take on the proposed light rail plan.

What Kind Of Democrat Calls Himself A "Reagan Fiscal Conservative" In A Primary?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago

The other day, we mentioned that the two conservative Dems in the Inland Empire congressional race (CA-31), Joe Baca and Pete Aguilar, are slugging it out over which one is worse on the environment. They're both really awful. Aguilar, a former bank lobbyist for the failed Arrowhead Savings and Loan, is the picture of sleazy insider corruption and his entire career has been predicated on his eagerness to cozy up with the Chamber of Commerce Republicans who control the Redlands area. He hasn't earned anything; it was all given to him by the conservative establishment looking for som... more »

Vegan Recipe - Squash Bread

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 1 day ago

*Spinach and Artichoke Dip ... S'mores Cheesecake ... Stromboli* Are you drooling yet? These are just a few of the delicious, vegan recipes one will find at My Naturally Frugal Family. Rachel, the head chef and author of *My Naturally Frugal Family*, is a wife and mother. In 2011, she and her family began a journey towards better health via better food. To that end, they planted 10 raised gardens, a ton of fruit trees (like cherry, plum, and peach), several pecan trees, and an assortment of berry bushes. They also gave up meat. Rachel even went a step further and adopted a vegan diet... more »

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

“NGC 660 lies near the center of this intriguing field of galaxies swimming within the boundaries of the constellation Pisces. Over 20 million light-years away, its peculiar appearance marks it as a polar ring galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* A rare galaxy type, polar ring galaxies have a substantial population of stars, gas, and dust orbiting in rings nearly perpendicular to the plane of a flat galactic disk. The bizarre configuration could have been caused by the chance capture of material from a passing galaxy by the disk galaxy, with the captured debris strung out in a rot... more »

“The Wisdom of Hushpuppy”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

*“The Wisdom of Hushpuppy”* by Missy Beattie "In the powerful film “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, Hushpuppy says: “The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece… the whole universe will get busted.” *The actress Quvenzhane Wallis as **"Hushpuppy"* *․* I think about these words as I lie in bed, laptop open, watching episode after episode of "Breaking Bad", a TV series in which nearly every action is a catalyst for depravity. The main character, Walter White, is a high school chemistry teacher, diagnosed with advanced... more »

"What Life Requires..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

“Life does not require us to be consistent, cruel, patient, helpful, angry, rational, thoughtless, loving, rash, open-minded, neurotic, careful, rigid, tolerant, wasteful, rich, downtrodden, gentle, sick, considerate, funny, stupid, healthy, greedy, beautiful, lazy, responsive, foolish, sharing, pressured, intimate, hedonistic, industrious, manipulative, insightful, capricious, wise, selfish, kind or sacrificed. Life does, however, require us to live with the consequences of our choices.” - Richard Bach, "Running From Safety"

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

Port Washington, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Paulo Coelho, "The Mouse And The Books"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

*"The Mouse And The Books"* by Paulo Coelho "When I was interned in Dr. Eiras Hospital, I began to have panic crises. One day, I decided to consult the psychiatrist in charge of my case: “Doctor, I am overcome by fear; it takes from me the joy of living”. “Here in my office there is a mouse that eats my books”, said the doctor. “If I get desperate about this mouse, he will hide from me and I will do nothing else in life but hunt him. Therefore, I put the most important books in a safe place and let him gnaw some others. In this way, he is still a mouse and does not become a monster... more »

Chet Raymo, “The Journey”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

*“The Journey”* by Chet Raymo "Here's a deep-deep sky map of the universe from the March 9, 2006 issue of Nature. The horizontal scale is a 360 view right around the sky; the vertical gaps at 6 hours and 24 hours are the parts of the universe that are blocked to our view by the disk of our own Milky Way Galaxy. The vertical scale - distance from Earth - is logarithmic (10, 100, 1000, etc.) measured in megaparsecs (a parsec equals 3.26 light-years). Across the top is the Big Bang, and the oldest and most distant thing we can see, the cosmic microwave background, the radiation of the... more »

The Poet: Mary Oliver, "What I Have Learned So Far"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

*"What I Have Learned So Far"* "Meditation is old and honorable, so why should I not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside, looking into the shining world? Because, properly attended to, delight, as well as havoc, is suggestion. Can one be passionate about the just, the ideal, the sublime, and the holy, and yet commit to no labor in its cause? I don't think so. All summations have a beginning, all effect has a story, all kindness begins with the sown seed. Thought buds toward radiance. The gospel of light is the crossroads of- indolence, or action. Be ignited, or be gone." ... more »

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