Thursday, June 19, 2014

19 June - Blogs I'm Following II

Muncie-indiana-ball-stateMuncie-indiana-ball-state (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
10:38pm MDST

John White’s PARCC Contract Problems

deutsch29 at @ THE CHALK FACE - 2 minutes ago
In January 2005, I bought a house in Muncie, Indiana, to remodel. It was quite the adventure for a number of reasons, one of which was the creative ways that the previous owner managed to dodge making structurally-sound renovations. For example, the electrical system was in chaos. When the electrician opened up the breaker box, […]

Ukraine Updates - June 18 - 19 , 2014 -- Reports: Ukraine to order unilateral truce President Poroshenko's move is part of broader plan to end crisis in separatist east, according to Russian media......... UN: 356 killed, incl 257 civilians, in E. Ukraine military campaign , Over 100 civilians killed, 200 injured in Kiev military op – Russia’s investigators ............ Russia to resume gas talks only after Ukraine repays debt — Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak states.....

Catharsis Ours - 41 minutes ago
Rebels Report ‘Heavy Losses’ as Ukraine Attacks Key Eastern TownUkraine Drops Leaflets Ordering Civilians to Flee by Jason Ditz, June 19, 2014 Print This | Share This Ukrainian separatist rebels are reporting “heavy losses” today as the nation’s military attacks the key Donetsk Oblast town of Krasny Liman, along with several neighboring villages. Details are scarce on the fighting, but the rebels report 20 Ukrainian tanks along with other armored vehicles attacking the town. The rebels claimed to have destroyed a single tank and have so far prevented an advance into the town. Ukraine... more »

"One Summer Night..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 57 minutes ago
*Click image for larger size.* "One summer night, out on a flat headland, all but surrounded by the waters of the bay, the horizons were remote and distant rims on the edge of space. Millions of stars blazed in darkness, and on the far shore a few lights burned in cottages. Otherwise there was no reminder of human life. My companion and I were alone with the stars: the misty river of the Milky Way flowing across the sky, the patterns of the constellations standing out bright and clear, a blazing planet low on the horizon. It occurred to me that if this were a sight that could be s... more »

Amazing Video: Agenda - Grinding America Down

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 1 hour ago
It has been amazing to watch the once great United States of America crumble before our very eyes... I grew up with the belief that the US was the "greatest" nation on planet Earth, and for most of my youth I believed that to be true without any doubt. But after my days in College and learning about the true evil on our planet and how they had first infiltrated American society, then took over the American financial system, which has now led to the destruction of the nation itself, I have long wondered what the hell happened?? And how in the hell did the American people ever allow ... more »

Musical Interlude: Ray Charles, "Imagine"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 hour ago
Ray Charles, "Imagine" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExHsrh0hH-w

Musical Interlude: Yanni, “Standing in Motion, Live At The Acropolis”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 hour ago
Yanni, “Standing in Motion, Live At The Acropolis” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7rakCMMC1U

ISIS In Iraq To Be Used To Justify Invasion In Syria (No Kidding!)

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 1 hour ago
Ever since this "ISIS/ISIL" phoney terrorist group started appearing magically out of nowhere a few weeks back, I had a sneeking suspicion that something more sinister was afoot. This "terrorist" group has not only run roughshod over most of northern Iraq, but has been the darling of the Jewish controlled media with its sudden "threat" to the US itself.... And we cannot forget that this group not only is armed with American weapons, but as shown in my last article, has been trained by the US itself at bases in Jordan... I believe that something bigger is going on with this group, a... more »

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 - June 17 , 2014 -- Search for MH370 Moves Southwest , examining various theories about the ongoing mystery of what went wrong ........

Catharsis Ours - 2 hours ago
Malaysia Chronicle.... Tuesday, 17 June 2014 12:01 M'sian govt gains the most if MH370 is NEVER FOUND: All trails point to a MASSIVE COVER-UP!Written by Chris Goodfellow - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Cetak - E-mel - Komentar (5) Rate this item - - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 (3 votes) [image: M'sian govt gains the most if MH370 is NEVER FOUND: All trails point to a MASSIVE COVER-UP!] In the early days of the search of MH370, when the mainstream media was favouring a terrorism-hijacking scenario or questioning if one of... more »

"Only One Rule..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
“There’s only one rule that I know of, babies- God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.” - Kurt Vonnegut “Man shows inhumanity to Man. It’s axiomatic of our existence. It’s the story of our past, it’s the story of our present, and it will very likely be the story of our future. Indeed, it’s a story that’s reinforced every day, whether we’re watching the evening news or the latest entry in the “Saw” series. However, our history is also littered with awe-inspiring examples of men and women showing incredible compassion in the face of unspeakable evil and insurmountable odds. Every story o... more »

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
“Connecting the Pipe Nebula to the colorful region near bright star Antares is a dark cloud dubbed the Dark River, flowing from the picture's left edge. Murky looking, the Dark River's appearance is caused by dust obscuring background starlight, although the dark nebula contains mostly hydrogen and molecular gas. *Click image for larger size.* Surrounded by dust, Antares, a red supergiant star, creates an unusual bright yellowish reflection nebula. Above it, bright blue double star Rho Ophiuchi is embedded in one of the more typical bluish reflection nebulae, while red emission neb... more »

Chet Raymo, "Probing The Soul”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*"Probing The Soul”* by Chet Raymo “More than three centuries ago, Pascal said: "Man considering himself is the great prodigy of nature. For he cannot conceive what his body is, even less what his spirit is, and least of all how body can be united with spirit." Pascal lived at the dawn of the scientific era, but his words still ring true. We have sent spacecraft to the planets. We have listened to signals from the dawn of time. We have unraveled the mystery of starlight. We can even conceive what the body is. But the deeper human mystery remains: What is the spirit, and how is it u... more »

Paulo Coelho, “Accepting The Fight”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*“Accepting The Fight”* by Paulo Coelho “If someone confronts you over ideas or ideals, step up and accept the fight, because conflict is present in every moment of our lives and sometimes it needs to show itself in the broad light of day. But do not fight in order to prove that you are right or to impose your ideas or ideals on someone else. Only accept the fight as a way of keeping your spirit clean and your will spotless. When the fight is over, both sides will emerge as winners, because they tested their limitations and their abilities. Since both respect the courage and determ... more »

"Some Things Just Can't Be Improved upon"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*"Macbeth," Act 5 Scene 5:* "Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow" (Spoken by Macbeth) "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." "Macbeth", by William Shakespeare • "Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow" Soliloquy, Modern Translation:... more »

What the Public Heard/Saw in the Headlines for the ‘Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence’

Megan MacKenzie at Duck of Minerva - 2 hours ago
If you haven’t read Pablo K’s piece on Angelina Jolie, celebrity, and the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, you should. There has been some broader discussion about the pros (see ‘Hollywood can actually help solve complex global problems‘) and cons of celebrity ‘endorsement’ (the foreign secretary was ‘starstruck’) of humanitarian issues- the Continue reading

Announcement: Interpretive Methods Workshop for Grad Students

Charli Carpenter at Duck of Minerva - 2 hours ago
Graduate students interested in interpretive methods may wish to sign up for this workshop at ISA-Northeast in November. Complete details are below the fold. “Interpretive and Relational Research Methodologies” A One-Day Graduate Student Workshop Sponsored by the International Studies Association-Northeast Region 8 November, 2014 • Baltimore, Maryland The field of International Studies has always Continue reading

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
Orwell, Vermont, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Trademark Board Rules No You Can't Name Your Dumb Sports Team After the Scalped Heads of Native Americans Sold For Cash"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*"Trademark Board Rules No You Can't Name Your Dumb Sports Team * *After the Scalped Heads of Native Americans Sold For Cash"* by Abby Zimet “In a landmark ruling on a years-long case filed by a group of Native Americans, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has cancelled six trademark registrations for the name "Washington Redskins" because the name is “disparaging to Native Americans” and thus in violation of federal laws banning offensive language. The team says it will appeal the ruling, which comes amidst growing calls for the team to change its name, including a recent letter ... more »

"Seasons And Cycles..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
“All human life has its seasons and cycles, and no one’s personal chaos can be permanent. Winter, after all, gives way to spring and summer, though sometimes when branches stay dark and the earth cracks with ice, one thinks they will never come, that spring, and that summer, but they do, and always.” ~ Truman Capote

Twenty Bucks, Same as in Town

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 4 hours ago
You do it, I do it, we all do it. What have *you* been up to? ------------------------------ When both Harry Reid and Megyn Kelly of Fox both call you on your bullshit within 24 hours of each other, you *know* you're on the wrong side of history. But just try telling that to Dick & Liz, who both smugly sat on their fat asses and troweled out the same 12 year-old talking points. And, to paraphrase Lyndon Johnson on Walter Cronkite, If you're a Republican and have lost Megyn Kelly, you've lost 'Murrica. ------------------------------ The Burning Platform is a blog to... more »

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 4 hours ago
*What does Common Core math look like?* Caleb Bonham, Campus Reform’s Editor-in-chief, just released a video that illustrates the dramatic shift in mathematics education students will experience under the Common Core national standards. As the video suggests, Common Core will change dramatically the way math has been taught for decades. Developed in 2009 by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers, Common Core immediately was incentivized by the Obama administration with $4.35 billion in Race to the Top competitive grants and No Child Left Behi... more »

Credit Watch June 19 , 2014 -- Ukraine about to find out Putin is still " Daddy " --As Ukraine Launches A Debt Restructuring, Is Russia About To Become A "Holdout" Activist Investor ? At the risk of sounding like a broken record , are we really surprised Argentina is about to default once again ? Details - Argentine Default Looms; Refuses To Negotiate; Admits Next Bond Payment "Impossible" ........ China shadow banking and dubious structured products in focus !

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 5 hours ago
Ukraine..... http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-06-19/ukraine-launches-debt-restructuring-russia-about-become-holdout-activist-investor As Ukraine Launches A Debt Restructuring, Is Russia About To Become A "Holdout" Activist Investor? [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/19/2014 13:51 -0400 - Bond - CDS - Covenants - Creditors - default - None - Reuters - Sovereign Default - Ukraine inShare With Argentina suddenly no longer able to kick the can any longer in its decade long fight with holdout investors, and war... more »

Iraq Updates June 17 , 2014 --- Kurds survey their options regarding the oil market , the ongoing Sunni vs Shi'a and discuss the state of play with Regional Player Iran......... US to send troops to Iraq to secure embassy Obama's announcement follows deployment of warships to the Gulf in response to advances by the armed group ISIL - note Qater ( Saudis previously ) and Israel warn about US intervention in Iraq and working with Iran ....... Al Jazeera and Debka explore US actions and option in Iraq , great article from chris Martenson providing and overview on the Iraq situation ... tweets of the day - note both islamic insurgents and Shi'a militias / Iraq Government engage in atrocities !

Catharsis Ours - 5 hours ago
http://rudaw.net/english/business/17062014 Does Iraq Turmoil Augur Kurdish Oil Takeoff?By Harvey Morris 6 hours ago [image: An oilfield in the Kurdistan Region. Photo: Rudaw] An oilfield in the Kurdistan Region. Photo: Rudaw LONDON – Do the troubles in the rest of Iraq augur a takeoff of oil exports by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)? Some commentators suggest that could be. The prestigious Forbes business magazine wrote on its website on Monday: “With Kurdish independence appearing to grow closer every day, perhaps this will be the week when the world’s oil buyers p... more »

Superman - He's Jewish

Spike EP at News Spike - 5 hours ago
"And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: *Samlaz-az*, their leader, *Arakl-ba, Rame-el, Kokabl-el, Taml-el, Raml-el, Dan-el, Ezeqe-el, Baraqij-al, Aza-el, Armar-os, Batar-el, Anan-el, Zaqi-el, Samsape-el, Satar-el, Tur-el, Jomja-el, Sari-el. * These are their chiefs of tens." *Oy-vey : Kal-El, you flying meshuggener...* *Superman's Jewish.* Like Goliath, he brought abou... more »

War Now and War Forever as Neocons Bask in Renewed Glory

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 5 hours ago
You have to give one thing to Dick Cheney, the motherfucker has balls. The ongoing bedlam in Iraq courtesy of militant Islamic group ISIS - a sudden arrival so convenient that it is practically too good to be true for the war machine and just maybe it is - the architects of the disastrous "Shock and Awe" attack and invasion are taking to the airwaves to take their bows and trash Barack the magnificent over their own bloody mess in a Neocon Surge. People are buying it too, just like they got suckered by the original sales pitch by the Bushreich and bullshit conjecture about smoking ... more »

OIL CORPORATIONS FEED ON THE CARCASS OF IRAQ

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 6 hours ago
Abby Martin speaks with Dr. Dahlia Wasfi, an Iraqi-American peace activist who gives her perspective on the announcement of the US deploying 275 troops to Iraq as the country continues to spiral into civil war.

Maliki- "viewed as someone who could be controlled"

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 6 hours ago
Vindication!- Not that I was in need of it. I had confidence. It's been blame Maliki since ISIS pushed into Mosul. ISIS wasn't the problem, Maliki was the problem The headlines are becoming increasing blatant about the agenda- but the clues were always there *Blame Maliki* "I believe that had Nouri al-Maliki made a serious effort to reconcile with the Sunni community and Kurdish community and governed in a more even-handed manner, that the region wouldn’t be in this position today," said Mansoor, author of the book* Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of th... more »

The Biggest Reason Your Government Sucks

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 6 hours ago
*Guest post from **Laissez faire Books* Secret donors. Wasteful construction projects. Back room deals with special interests. Tax breaks for select groups. And rampant corruption. If you think I'm describing to you all the problems of our government and opposition ... think again. No, this is what's currently going on in Brazil right now. And it's all because of the World Cup. But what's going on in Brazil is a great example of why you're stuck with the terrible government you currently have. Let me explain. In case you don't know, the World Cup is the premiere soccer tourname... more »

Uruguay 2, England 1

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 7 hours ago
They're coming home, they're coming home, they're coming, England's coming home. What a shambles. Let's remember a happier time.

Musical Interlude: Steppenwolf, “Monster”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
Steppenwolf, “Monster” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaNsDx-xmnw Written in 1967, this song is so tragically prescient and prophetic, and we haven't learned a thing, nothing at all in 47 years... "America, where are you now? Don't you care about your sons and daughters? Don't you know we need you now? We can't fight alone against the monster..." - Steppenwolf

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago

"Of Course..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago

“The Bride of 9/11 – Scripted and Ready to Roll”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
*“The Bride of 9/11 – Scripted and Ready to Roll”* by Zen Gardner “They’re coming on hot and heavy utilizing this freshly engineered ISIS uprising in Iraq, and not just for more war in the Middle East and the taking of Syria and Ukraine as they roll on towards Iran. The psychopaths seem to be planning another 9/11 using their resurrected terror meme with a new and improved, as in more “evil, deadly and powerful”, face. Here’s the set up, front page in NYC news: "Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that New York City is “constantly vigilant” against any terror threat posed by the... more »

A New MoBIE Dick

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 7 hours ago
*Guest post by Peter Osborne* I see the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MoBIE) has appointed a new Registrar of Building Practitioner Licensing. His name is Paul Hobbs and he’s no slouch. Hell no! He planted his trotters in the Department of Business, Innovation and Employment six years ago. More recently he sat his curly tail in Weathertight Services Group as National Manager. And previously he oinked himself a key role in the Canterbury earthquake recovery work for the Building System Performance team, within MoBIE. I am sure this will not be his last posting b... more »

Iraq crisis: Isis jihadists 'seize Saddam Hussein's chemical weapons stockpile' - live - Telegraph

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 8 hours ago
Hold on a moment, we were told that there was no WMD in Iraq and that Bush & Blair invaded on a lie. But this Telegraph report http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10910868/Iraq-crisis-Obama-may-launch-air-strikes-without-Congress-amid-calls-for-Maliki-to-go-live.html seems to state the contrary.

Footsoldiers of Global White Supremacy Out in Force on the Streets of Brixton

Spike EP at News Spike - 8 hours ago
*This isn't 1981 anymore.* "White Supremacy is present in that picture - even though everyone stood on that balcony is black." This picture: is a *false picture.* *It's a lie.* Everything in it, every aspect of it represents the origin of everything that we fight against. *This is the Base Theory of Evil.* This is a completely synthetic instant within a meticulously stage-managed and micromanaged act of political murder, and social control. *This is Mind War.* If it had *not been* for that initial moment of "*That Way*", preserved forever within the popular culture, frozen... more »

Satire: “Pressure on Obama to Quickly Resolve Centuries-Old Sunni-Shiite Conflict”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 hours ago
*“Pressure on Obama to Quickly Resolve Centuries-Old Sunni-Shiite Conflict”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "Congressional leaders left the White House on Wednesday “deeply frustrated” that President Obama had not found a swift resolution to the conflict between Sunnis and Shiites that began in the seventh century A.D. After meeting for more than an hour with the President in the Oval Office, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed disappointment that Mr. Obama “came up empty” when asked for a plan to heal the rift between the two religious groups, which... more »

Bill Whittle: Not One of Us (hard hitting video)...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 8 hours ago
and we thank him!

June 19: Let's start slowly...

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 9 hours ago
For some years, children, including very young ones, have been fleeing across the Mexican border into the US. In March, it was almost 40,000, with some travelling as many as 2,000 miles from all over Latin America. Why? Nobody has ever bothered to find out. They could be fleeing poverty and hunger; there's lots of it where they come from. It's possible that these are only a portion of children being smuggled in by American and Latin American gangsters to satisfy the sex slave trade in the US. In fact, all of these seem likely. There are no facilities to hold them. Instead, they ar... more »

The last remaining one-nation Conservative in the BBC is gone

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 9 hours ago
Jeremy Paxman's farewell to *Newsnight *was fun. Especially the bit about Iraq. The Boris-Paxo double act got their final *Newsnight *hurrah, riding around London on a tandem - Boris in front, Jeremy behind. Really, they should do a series together now that Jeremy is free. If Jeremy regrew his beard they could be the new Hairy Bikers, cycling around parts of London and laughing at each others jokes. Jeremy could play the curmudgeonly one and Boris the buffoonish one. I'd watch it. Boris described Jeremy as "the last remaining one-nation Conservative in the BBC". Well, he's no... more »

What do we want? Labor Day! When do we want it? Soon!

amurdie at Duck of Minerva - 9 hours ago
I’m sure most of you have seen this nice Change.Org petition concerning the dates of the annual APSA meeting. I really like all the reasons given for changing the date of the meeting and am glad we are having this discussion. Any thoughts, Duck readers? Is it worth changing the dates of the meeting? If so, when would Continue reading

Supplemental: Our changing student demographics!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 10 hours ago
*THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014* *Public school kids, then and now:* On several occasions this week, we’ve discussed the nation’s changing student demographics. Among other things, these demographics affect the chances of providing certain types of racial balance in our public schools. We thought it might be worth taking a look at the basic numbers. Our data come from the so-called “Long Term Trend Assessment,” one of the major ongoing studies conducted as part of the NAEP. These data give us a look at the student population from 1975 through 2012, the most recent year in which these tes... more »

Fuck PETA: why feminists are critical.

noreply@blogger.com (deBeauxOs) at DAMMIT JANET! - 10 hours ago
Another day, another *protest*, another dollar for PETA. When mercenary mansplainers and faux-progressives grouse about being deprived of their eye candy entitlements - it's the 1970s all over again! Shulamith Firestone nailed it when she said: "Radical men may advocate certain freedoms for women when they overlap their own interest..." When Firestone 'went too far' in denouncing the specific forms of sexual oppression that her male comrades enjoyed as privileges for their own benefit, she was maligned for her scathing honesty. There is much valid criticism of PETA's spurious mono... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 10 hours ago
*Landrieu, Cassidy on fracking, St. Tammany ~Stephanie Grace* *Sediment diversion project on right path, scientists tell state officials ~Amy Wold, The Advocate* *Frustrations mount as St. Rose plant struggles to identify odor ~WWLTV* *Mississippi Phosphates ranks high in toxic releases, gets special CEO ~Karen Nelson, Sun Herald* *N.O. Sewerage and Water Board makes investment in "green" projects ~WVUE* *Judge OKs keeping jail drawings, blueprints secret after sheriff Gusman cites security worries ~AP, via The Republic* *GRN Cheers to 20 Years with a Solstice Party in the Park* *... more »

Lack of reasons a ground for appeal

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 11 hours ago
Blundell v. Milmine, 2014 ONCA 480: [26] It will be apparent from the foregoing that the absence of reasons makes it not possible for this court to determine why the orders were made, whether they were correctly made and whether justice has been done. As previously mentioned, due to the insufficiency of the record and the absence of the necessary findings of fact, the court is unable to decide the issues that were raised on the motion.

Lamar W. Hankins : Bowe Bergdahl, the ‘universal soldier,’ and the true cost of war

Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 11 hours ago
As long as there are people who will agree to fight to kill others for the whims of a nation state’s leaders, we will continue to have war. By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag Blog | June 19, 2014 … finish reading Lamar W. Hankins : Bowe Bergdahl, the ‘universal soldier,’ and the true cost of war

Background To The Fall Of Mosul, Insurgents’ Relentless Attacks Upon Security Forces Set Stage For The Taking Of City

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 11 hours ago
On June 10, 2014 Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul fell to insurgents led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). While there have been some conspiracy theories circulating there is solid evidence to back up the theory that a collapse at the top of the Iraqi Security Forces’ (ISF) leadership led to the route that spread to other units throughout northern and central Iraq. The capture of Mosul furthered ISIS’s long term goal of reclaiming territory that it lost during the Surge, which it outlined in its July 2013 Soldiers’ Harvest campaign. The first part of that stra... more »

Watch "Hillary Clinton Asked To Inscribe "Hard Choices" …" on YouTube

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 11 hours ago
Hillary Clinton Asked To Inscribe "Hard Choices" …: http://youtu.be/pFZWjbqn4pw Sheer genius, especially the 'what difference does it make' line. Trouble is that Hillary Clinton is utterly shameless.

MJ-12: The Beginning

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 12 hours ago
My friend, Alejandro Rojas, has posted to the *Open Minds* YouTube channel an analysis of the beginnings of MJ-12. It is based on some original research he conducted through interviews with some of those involved and on FOIA requests that he has made recently to the U.S. Air Force. The thirty minute program can be found here: http://www.openminds.tv/majestic-12-ufo-disinformation-scandal-video/28049 There are two additional points that I think should be made that add some context to this story. First, Stan Friedman told me about twenty years ago when we were in California on a rese... more »

Iraq Updates June 18 , 2014 ( check 6/18 IRAQ SITREP from Mindfriedo for all the events of the day - fantastic wrap up 1 ) --- U.S. rules out Iraq airstrikes for now President Obama opts to pursue alternative strategies , Saudis blast back at PM Maliki , Updates on the Kurdish situation , Tweets of the Morning .........( Evening June 17 , 2014 ) -- As troops move throughout Iraq , the news of the day was the preemptive blast by Iraq Prime Minister Maliki directed to not just the Sunnis , but also a broadside directly at the Saudis ! This Is Not Going As Planned: Iraq Prime Minister Defies US, Accuses Saudi Arabia Of "Genocide" ........ Meanwhile the Kurds keep loading and selling Kurdish oil , controlling Kurdish territory ! Note rising tensions between Kurds and Turkmen though in Kirkuk !

Catharsis Ours - 12 hours ago
Evening wrap 6/18/14.... Explosive ! *The New Yorkers* @TischNewYorkers · 10m Donald Rumsfeld: The U.S. government paid Shia imam, Ali al-Sistani, $200 million to issue fatwas in support of the U.S. invasion of #Iraq - *The New Yorkers* @TischNewYorkers · 11m Donald Rumsfeld: When Sistani received the money, President Bush established a new desk at the CIA, headed by retired admiral Symon Polandi - *The New Yorkers* @TischNewYorkers · 7m Donald Rumsfeld: My relationship with Sistani was established through Jawad al-Mahri, Mr. Sistani’s secretary in Kuwait #Iraq - ... more »

ISIS seizes Saddam era chemical facility - US reassures

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
And I for one take no comfort in the US sweet talk! - I am getting a 'history repeats' feeling from this. Not a good feeling either. The NATO backed mercs used chemical attacks against the people of Syria and the UN 'shiny happy face' covered up for it's global tyranny counterpart. NATO. This reeks of narrative creation *The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria have seized a facility that produced chemical weapons under Saddam Hussein, but the site includes old and contaminated chemical weapons that U.S. officials said would be ineffective and hard to move.* Officials told the Wall Stre... more »

How To Continue a War

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 12 hours ago
The propaganda plan is falling into place very nicely. Obama has easily scored the congressional public relations fig leaf and blank check necessary to use military force in Iraq, simply by herding a few leaders into the coveted pen and informing them he doesn't need their damn approval for anything. That is because the congressional approval granted to his predecessor is still in effect. And that means, for all intents and purposes, that the Iraq War has never really ended. From "the most trusted name in news": While the White House statement emphasized Obama would continue to cons... more »

Mike's Story Part 55 Hegel

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 12 hours ago
*By **Jenna** Orkin* My email correspondent in yesterday's post had more observations worth discussing: *1. As Mike himself said to you (at the time), he thought that the MCR of pre-Venezuela was gone. But to give a complete picture, you would have also [to] go back to that MCR to balance the brutal freefall you are writing about. The MCR of the CIA-Drugs era not only functioned through all of his problems, but provided support and counsel to other whistleblowers who were in far worse shape. Guys like Cele Castillo. How can you do that if you're beset with seemingly every psyc... more »

The Shock, Awe and Class War of Titanic

Spike EP at News Spike - 12 hours ago
"...Britain was then in the grip of *a national coal strike*, and the Titanic's owners White Star Liner feared that there wouldn't be enough fuel to power the mammoth ship. To deal with the situation, George Frederick Bull, a bursar for the company, travelled with his colleague, R McPherson, to Wallasey in Merseyside. *There, they stole coal from the striking miners at gun-point."* *The Olympics of the White Star Line.* *Gigantic was renamed Britannic prior to it's launch.* *Olympic was renamed Titanic in March of 1912 and sank in April of 1912.* *Titanic was renamed Olympic in Ma... more »

"Will You Stand?" - March for Marriage June 19th, 2014

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will be marching and will present a keynote address despite the fact that public heretic Nancy Pelosi thinks the march is "venom masquerading as virtue." That this woman, promoter of abortion and homosexual unions masquerading as "marriage", should dare to utter the word "venom", is almost laughable. "We share our love of the Catholic faith and our city of San Francisco," Pelosi wrote to Cordileone. Really Nancy? You are nothing but a cultural Catholic who does not know the most basic teachings of the Church. You spew your nonsense a... more »

THE GAPS IN TUSCALOOSA: What made Central High “nearly hopeless?”

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014* *Part 4—Prelude to flight:* Nikole Hannah-Jones covers a wide range of issues in her lengthy Atlantic piece, “Segregation Now...” In our view, she finesses and simplifies almost all these issues. In the process, she brings the world of public schools in line with preferred tribal narratives. In our view, the interests of low-income kids get shoved aside in the process. Your view may differ, of course. Tomorrow, we’ll consider Hannah-Jones’ treatment of “white flight,” an important part of the story she tells about the “resegregation” of Tuscaloosa’s publ... more »

Louisiana Withdraws from PARCC and Jindal Moves to Block Pearson Test Purchase

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 13 hours ago
In the latest bad news for the Oligarchs' Common Core enterprise, Bobby Jindal has moved to sever the head from the Common Core monster in Louisiana. He knows that without the Pearson tests that PARCC is force-feeding the states without the benefit of a bidding process, the Core will disappear within a couple of years. Jindal's office has notified the State Department of Education that purchasing the Pearson tests without bidding is a violation of state law. So even though corporate stooge and State Supt., John White, says the state will keep on teaching to the standards, there ... more »

"########## is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful humanbeing I've ever known in my life."

Spike EP at News Spike - 13 hours ago
*That's What He Said**Barack Obama Sounds Just Like Deval Patrick.**Is That Good Or Bad?*By Adam Reilly and Boston Phoenix 1-17-8 More than any other presidential candidate, Barack Obama owes his success to sheer rhetorical power. Obama's dazzling keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention made the thenIllinois state senator an instant presidential prospect. His breakthrough speech at Iowa's Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in November 2007 led to his caucus win earlier this month. Even conservatives dig his shtick: Republican media operative Mark McKinnon praised him ... more »

It's Thursday...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 14 hours ago
*what's going on. * The Federalist: *Why the Redskins Trademark Ruling Should Terrify You* Camp of the Saints: *A Few Words For Those Who Still Don’t Get It* Blazing Cat Fur: * A shifting world order, from Iraq to Afghanistan* Diogenes' Middle Finger: *So-Called Comprehensive Immigration Reform* *Political Clown Parade: Overpower The System Until It Literally Collapses * iOwnTheWorld: *Cruz: ‘You Cannot Win a Battle Against Radical Islamic Terrorism If You’re Unwilling to Utter the Words’ * McNorman: *I Call BS When I Read It* The Organic Prepper: *If You Don't Have a Jo... more »

Pork Barrel 11: Impending Arrest of Sens. Enrile, Estrada and Revilla

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 14 hours ago
I watched the local evening news today, on the impending arrest of three Senators accused of plunder (more than P50 million stolen public money). My immediate reaction -- *Tense si Jinggoy, relaks si JPE, nag presscon-drama si Bong. * I thought they would be arrested and imprisoned today. *Sayang, bukas pa pala. Enjoy kayo sa kulungan ha.* *Naalala ko yong post ng kaibigan kong si Cynthia na nanood ng *"privilege speech" ni Bong last June 10 at nag post, "P___ MO BONG REVILLA! Not just for the pork barrel stuff but for that Godawful song." hahaha, *ang lutong!* *Kaya nang makita... more »

Do not fear the reaper

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 14 hours ago
The ISIS or whatever is taking over the middle east. Good for them because the previous goverment was incompetent and corrupt. They got oil, wow, I want to buy some and they want to sell some, is there a way we could make a deal? Governing is tough, insurgency is romantic, eventually they settle down together like an old married couple. Should there be a better path to this harmony, of course but no one has a prescription blood will flow and from this loss society grows. Maybe everyone who wants to be king should play Sim City and Sid Miers Civilzaton to see what the natural constr... more »

I see the Holocaust

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 15 hours ago
There have been thousands of holocausts in this cycle of human history. (I think there have been six cycles)Why I am consumed by the German one is that it is so much a aberration of civilization. If the holocaust could happen, is there any depravity that is not possible in my world, in my today. The corrupt powers that rule this world are capable of anything to keep power. People are becoming cold, very cold, I am afraid that common sense can not deal with technology. Yes people as a collective do not have the collective intelligence to rule the virtual reality that is our reali... more »

Vahan Setyan - Armenian Roots of Civilization & The Armenian Genocide

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 15 hours ago
Couldn't help but notice what has looked like the intentional targeting of Armenians in Syria by the Turkish elite via their Islamist mercenaries backed by NATO/Israel. Why would Turkey engage in this kind of genocide. Of course most readers here will be aware of the Armenian holocaust (that word-holocaust- belongs to no one group) perpetrated by the Turkish military in order to erase Armenians from the human historical memory. Why would the Turks want to do this? What other nation would gain by removing Armenians roots of civilization from our global human heritage? Hint- Israel (T... more »

U.S. and Education Reform Need a Critical Free Press

plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE - 15 hours ago
U.S. and Education Reform Need a Critical Free Press. via U.S. and Education Reform Need a Critical Free Press.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
This was supposed to be a banner year for the Harper government. It hasn't turned out that way. Chantal Hebert writes: Time and time again over the past parliamentary year the government has turned what could have been policy gold into lead. As often as not, a chronic incapacity to approach policy as more than a tool to drive a wedge in the electorate was to blame, with diminishing returns to the Conservatives. The approval of Northern Gateway was supposed to be the triumph of the prime minister's economic vision. However, the most vivid illustration of the perils of a my-way-o... more »

Gold news of the morning June 19 , 2014 ----- Who Just Bought Half A Billion Dollars Of Gold Futures ? Is the answer China or Chinese interests ? China’s Largest Gold Company Seeks To Become Kingmaker In Gold Market .........

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 15 hours ago
Zero Hedge..... Gold Hits $1300, Silver Surges To 3-Month Highs As China Rehypothecation Ponzi Unwinds [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/19/2014 16:47 -0400 - China - Copper - Janet Yellen - Reality - Shadow Banking inShare12 But, but, but... Janet Yellen didn't say precious metal valuations were within historical norms? Gold and Silver are surging today (and have done since the FOMC press conference all-clear) with the latter having its best day in months and back at 3-month highs... Intriguingly, just as we warned, *gold a... more »

BBC News - Palestinians build luxury houses in the 'Miami of the West Bank'

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 16 hours ago
The BBC report that life in the West Bank is not how they usually report it... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20275448

July Subway Art and Scrabble Wall Tiles

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 16 hours ago
Are you having a great summer? We sure are! We are excited to start another party too! Holly from Bits of Everything will be sharing her favorites this week. [image: You're-Invited] Jesseca | Holly | Jonie | Debra Bits of Everything has some fun ideas for your 4th of July holiday. Start planning some fun now! Make some quick holiday treats, buy some glow sticks to entertain the kids before the fireworks, and print some holiday subway art. Now, you are ready for the holiday! [image: 4th-of-july-activities] Cake Mix M&M Cookies ----- Fun with Glow Sticks ----- July Subway Art Look at ... more »

THE PUZZLE PIECES ON THE WALL

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 17 hours ago
- Who would have thought these discredited war mongers would be back on TV again promoting more war in Iraq? But we've come to learn not to be surprised at how the mainstream corporate media megaphone works. Fortunately, like with Syria last year, the public seems to have no stomach for going back into Iraq. Keep those emails and phone calls going into Congress and the White House. Remind them that your *$$$* is being wasted and you'd rather see it spent cleaning up our act here at home! - It seems that more and more Americans are beginning to wake up ... more »

9/11 emergency broadcast - "Until the Twin Towers come crumbling down!" - surreal and stupid enough to be authentic Predictive Programming

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 18 hours ago
MEGA POWERS and the defenseless Elizabeth (wow) - TWIN TOWERS - Akeem the African Dream and the Big Boss Man, their manager The Slickster committed to his 'terrorist attacks'. *In 1989, WWF Wrestlers Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage predict destruction of the Twin Towers!* Proof that Condoleeza Rice never watched WWF, as it was called back then. *GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY intellectual diversion:* "If we don't save the galaxy, who will?" Now, you gotta ask, "What's the real motivational driver for '*galaxy saving*'?"

“The ISIS Fiasco: It's Really an Attack on Iran”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 18 hours ago
*“The ISIS Fiasco: It's Really an Attack on Iran”* By Mike Whitney "There's something that doesn't ring true about the coverage of the crisis in Iraq. Maybe it's the way the media reiterates the same, tedious storyline over and over again with only the slightest changes in the narrative. For example, I was reading an article in the Financial Times by Council on Foreign Relations president, Richard Haass, where he says that Maliki's military forces in Mosul "melted away." Interestingly, the Haass op-ed was followed by a piece by David Gardener who used almost the very same language.... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 19 hours ago
*Levees.org fighting for flood protection and to hold industry accountable for erosion: Sandy Rosenthal*

Northrop Grumman Receives $238 Million Contract Modification for LAIRCM Missile Defense System

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: AN/AAQ-24 LAICRM]Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a $238 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide hardware and support for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) system. Critical to the safe return of troops abroad, LAIRCM automatically detects a missile launch, determines if it is a threat and activates a high-intensity laser-based countermeasure system to track and defeat the missile. Under the terms of the contract modification, Northrop Grumman will deliver additional transmitters... more »

Premier flight for self-protection system ESTL

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: JAS-39 Gripen]Defence and security company Saab´s new self-protection system ESTL is now airborne. The premier flight was carried out on a Gripen in early June 2014. ESTL is an efficient self-protection system for virtually any type of fixed-wing aircraft where ESTL is installable on a mission-to-mission basis. Depending on mission profile, ESTL can be configured for different threat scenarios. ESTL provides covert sustainable pre-emptive dispensing, missile warning, forward firing of flares and cocktail dispensing. Read more

Ukraine keeps maintaining Russian ICBMs Satan despite ban on military ties

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: SS-18 Satan]Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk-based missile-developing design bureau Yuzhnoye does not stop maintenance of Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) RS-20 Satan which are in service of the Russian Strategic Missile Troops, Izvestia daily reported on Thursday with the reference to a representative of the design bureau specialists. Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered to halt military cooperation with Russia. Meanwhile, the design bureau noted that the ban on military cooperation with Russia is possible only in case of a presidential decree to... more »

"Whatever Your Fate Is..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago
"Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, “This is what I need.” It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment- not discouragement- you will find the strength there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow. Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures, followed by wreckage, were the incident... more »

"What We do Have..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago
“We have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here.” - Mildred Taylor

"These Long Vistas..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago
"The aim of science is to discover and illuminate truth. And that, I take it, is the aim of literature, whether biography or history or fiction. It seems to me, then, that there can be no separate literature of science… The winds, the sea, and the moving tides are what they are. If there is wonder and beauty and majesty in them, science will discover these qualities. If they are not there, science cannot create them. If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliberately put it there, but because no one could write truthfully about the sea and leave out the p... more »

"We Begin Life..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago
"We begin life with the world presenting itself to us as it is. Someone – our parents, teachers, analysts – hypnotizes us to 'see' the world and construe it in the 'right' way. These others label the world, attach names and give voices to the beings and events in it, so that thereafter, we cannot read the world in any other language or hear it saying other things to us. The task is to break the hypnotic spell, so that we become undeaf, unblind, and multilingual, thereby letting the world speak to us in new voices and write all its possible meaning in the new book of our existence. ... more »

Russia to Fulfill All Military Contract Obligations with Iraq

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: Mi-28N Night Hunter]All the military contract obligations with Iraq will be fulfilled, Igor Sevastyanov, the head of the Russian delegation to the Eurosatory 2014 international defense and security exhibition and deputy director of Russia’s arms exporter Rosoboronexport told journalists Wednesday. “Everything that has been signed will be carried out in accordance with the contractual agreements, except for force majeure circumstances,” said Sevastyanov. International defense and security exhibition Eurosatory 2014 opened on June 16 in Paris and will go on till June 20. Rea... more »

Dramatic moment RAF scrambled fighter jets after 'multiple' Russian planes were spotted in Baltic airspace

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: RAF Typhoon and Su-27 Flanker]RAF Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept 'multiple Russian aircraft' as part of the Nato mission to police the airspace over the Baltics, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. The aircraft from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were ordered into the skies after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by Nato air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic states. The aircraft were subsequently identified as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 Backfire bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 Flanker fighters, one Beriev A50 Mainstay early-warning aircraft and... more »

F-35 value oversold

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: F-35A Lightning II]Re: Only the best jet fighter is good enough for RCAF (SP, June 10). Contrary to Les MacPherson's claims, the F-35 is not "the best" fighter jet, not even for Canada. The F-22 is the most advanced aircraft, but the Americans aren't exporting it. The F-35 has been criticized for its single engine, slowness, lack of agility and massive price tag. The main competitor to Lockheed-Martin's F-35 is Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet. The Hornet's combat proven twin-engined jet matches the F-35 in speed, but outperforms its competitor in range and manoeuvrability. It wi... more »

Defense Ministry mulls SDF filming of Chinese fighter jet encounters

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
The Defense Ministry is considering video recording Chinese military aircraft, after Chinese fighter jets repeatedly flew dangerously close to Japanese Self-Defense Forces planes over the East China Sea, a senior SDF official said. By accurately capturing footage of Chinese military aircraft operations from SDF planes, Japan hopes to better counter claims by Beijing, the official said Tuesday. The plan comes after China released a video clip last week that Beijing claims shows Japanese fighter jets flying abnormally close to Chinese intelligence aircraft. Read more

Why I support Israel

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 20 hours ago
Pat Condell pretty much hitting the nail on the head there. The only part I disagree with is when he says missiles are aimed at women and children in Israel; in fact they are fired without any care for who gets hit: men, women or children, and as a man why should my life be worth less than a woman's? The facts however are incontrovertible which is why Pat Condell gets so much flack from so many of the anti-Semites who masquerade as pro-Palestinians.

Alenia Aermacchi to train Coast Guard on C-27J aircraft

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: C-27 Spartan]Italian aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aermacchi is to train U.S. Coast Guard personnel on flying newly acquired C-27J Spartan medium-sized transport aircraft. The training services will be for the initial flight crews -- pilots and loadmaster -- and will consist of in-class sessions, flight simulation instruction, and in-flight training. "Alenia Aermacchi is proud to have the opportunity to provide the United States Coast Guard with outstanding training services that will help service men and women effectively perform their missions on the C-27J," the company sa... more »

Is the Pentagon Worried about the China’s J-20 and J-31 Stealth Fighters?

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: J-31A Gyrfalcon]As the F-35 fighter continues to grapple with cost overruns and technical issues concerning F-35 fighter jets, the spotlight falls on the Chinese J-20 and J-31 stealth aircraft, which may emerge as a low cost alternative to America’s most expensive military plane. “Pentagon officials continue to compare DOD’s progress (on the F-35) with that of the Chinese J-20 and J-31 stealth aircraft and their other capabilities”, a US Department of Defense release issued on June 13, 2014 said. According to Frank Kendall, US undersecretary of defense for acquisition, tech... more »

Jordan to convert C295 military transport plane into gunship

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: C295M]Jordan has inked an agreement with Europe's Airbus Defence and Space and US's ATK to convert one of its two C295 military transport aircraft into a gunship. Under the agreement, Airbus and ATK will cooperatively work with the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) of Jordan in converting the aircraft operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force into gunship configuration. The new configuration AC295 will join two AC-235 gunships that were delivered to Jordan by ATK in May this year. Read more

Ottawa finalizes revised contract to deliver Cyclone choppers, retire Sea Kings

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: CH-148 Cyclone Maritime Helicopter]Multiple sources say the Harper government has formally signed a deal to amend its contract with the U.S. manufacturer of the long-delayed Cyclone maritime helicopters. The information comes from several defence and government sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the matter publicly. They say the agreement with Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., signed today, paves the way for the retirement next year of Canada’s outdated fleet of Sea King choppers. Read more

Rheinmetall to sign 2.7 billion euro deal with Algerian military for 980 Fuchs vehicles

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Meko A200 frigate]German defence group Rheinmetall is set to sign a 2.7 billion euro deal in the coming weeks for the production of 980 Fuchs 2 military vehicles for Algeria, according to German news reports. German newspaper Handelsblatt today reported that the deal is part of various German contracts with the North African country that include two Meko A200 frigates from Thyssen-Krupp (ordered in 2012) and SUVs and trucks from Daimler valued at a total of 10 billion euros. A factory to build the Fuchs vehicles will be built in Ain Smara in northeast Algeria, according to H... more »

Malmstrom completes final Minuteman III configuration

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: LGM-30 Minuteman III ICBM]Air Force Global Strike Command met a major milestone June 16, when maintainers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, removed the last multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle in the Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile inventory from a Minuteman III. The reentry vehicle is the portion of the missile that houses the nuclear warhead. Re-configuring the missile to carry only a single reentry vehicle helps bring the Air Force towards compliance with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and comply with direction from the 2010 Nuclear... more »

Argentine Navy receives refurbished TR1700 class submarine ARA San Juan

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: ARA San Juan]According to Minister of Defense Agustin Rossi, the MLU cost some 100 million Argentine Pesos (12.4 million dollars) and comprised more than 500,000 work hours in which the boat was cut in half and had its four MTU engines and batteries replaced. The MLU was under way at CINAR since August 2007. He blamed the delay on the lack of funds and qualified labor. Rossi called the re-delivery an important milestone for Argentina, as the state had lost its ability to repair submarines following the previous Domecq Garcia shipyards being disbanded. Read more

HMS Tireless navy submarine ends service at Devonport

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: HMS Tireless]The Royal Navy's oldest nuclear submarine, HMS Tireless, is being taken out of service later. The hunter-killer class sub returned to its Devonport base in Plymouth for the last time on 1 June, after 30 years in service. The submarine is the longest serving Trafalgar Class submarine in the Royal Navy. Read more

German submarines now appear the safer replacement bet

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: Collins class SSK]Within the space of a few weeks the Abbott government has presided over a shake-up of the options for a fleet of submarines to replace the ageing ­Collins class. While an evolved Collins class was a short-price favourite at the end of the Labor era, an almighty spat between the Swedish government and German industrial giant Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems means a German design could now fall over the line. The nuclear option remains off the table despite the US indicating it would be amenable to an Australian approach on the Virginia class submarines. Read more

BBC News - Iraq crisis: President Obama can 'bypass Congress'

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 21 hours ago
Imagine the BBC reporting if George W. Bush had dared to ignore the wishes of Congress: riding roughshod and being anti democratic would be just be two of the phrases used. But as it's Barack Obama, no attacks... 'US President Barack Obama has told Congressional leaders he does not need lawmakers' approval for any action in Iraq, the top Senate Republican says.' More here http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27916806 at the BBC where persuading people that Barack Obama is still the Obamamessiah, despite all evidence to the contrary, is still de rigeur.

Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “Carmina Slovenica”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
Adiemus, “Carmina Slovenica” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRotQyJkKWU

The survey says: Local products are worth the money!

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 1 day ago
Earlier this month we asked if you would be willing to pay more for local products. Here are the results: [image: The survey says: Local products are worth the money!] Comments - Local and organic! - Imported supermarket food is often absurdly cheap anyway, and the low prices mean that we have very little feeling for the value of food, and feel disconnected from it and its production, buying, eating and wasting far too much of it. Paying a little more not only often means you're getting a 'better' product, but you also value and appreciate it more, and ar... more »

The Waste Pickers of Brasilia

Josh Busby at Duck of Minerva - 1 day ago
Two weeks ago as part of our class, we visited Brasilia’s landfill site, known as Lixão, which again underscored some of the incredible contradictions in the country. It is a vast site, with six open dumping sites, this is one of the largest landfills in all of Latin America. Controversy surrounds this landfill, as it is slated Continue reading

Aussie Gov't Looking into Allegations of labor abuses against Taiwan working holiday backpackers

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 1 day ago
A reader alerted me to this story. Apparently Taiwanese backpackers on working holidays in Australia are being abused. From ABC: The Fair Work Ombudsman is preparing to launch an investigation into claims backpackers employed as fruit pickers in one of the country's biggest food producing regions are being underpaid by labour hire contractors and forced to live in illegal budget accommodation. The investigation will focus on the Queensland city of Bundaberg where, each year, thousands of travellers spend at least 88 days working on farms along the harvest trail in order to extend t... more »

Turning Piketty Right Side Up

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 1 day ago
*In all the criticism and commentary on Frenchman Thomas Piketty’s criticism of ‘*Capital in the 21st Century*,’ one very important thing has until now not been pointed out.* *Piketty’s simple formula sets capital against wages and general prosperity, suggesting that as capital rises in value then wages will miss out. Yet, as should be obvious to any student of capital, it is capital that pays wages and raises general prosperity.* *Thus, Piketty comes at his subject from the wrong side up. In this guest post, George Reisman turns him right side up.* *Turning Piketty Right Side Up... more »

Details on La. Gov. Jindal’s Common Core and PARCC Exit

deutsch29 at @ THE CHALK FACE - 1 day ago
In a press release on June 18, 2014, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal made a number of statements regarding Louisiana’s participation in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the associated Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)– one of two assessment consortia (groups of states) connected to the CCSS. Some have questioned whether […]

A3 Newsletter: 42 Years and Still Waiting (June 18, 2014)

angola3news at Angola 3 News - 1 day ago
*(New poster by artist César Maxit)* All eyes are on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals as we move into summer. Most urgently of course, we wake up every day hopeful that the court will choose to affirm Judge Brady's ruling that overturned Albert's conviction for a third time. Although there is no way to know when they will rule, the average decision wait time is 10 months, so we expect word soon, and certainly by early fall. Meanwhile, the landmark A3 civil case seeking to define long term solitary confinement as cruel and unusual punishment carries on through Robert and Albert since... more »

Musical Interlude: Tron Syversen, “Moonlight Reflections”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Tron Syversen, “Moonlight Reflections” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1EZ30fUHLA

"The Most Beautiful People..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"Ubuntu"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself they said: ''UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?'' 'Ubuntu' in the Xhosa culture means: 'I am because we are'." "How many of you knew this?" - Found in a group chat, a... more »

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“This beautiful, bright, spiral galaxy is Messier 64, often called the Black Eye Galaxy or the Sleeping Beauty Galaxy for its heavy-lidded appearance in telescopic views. M64 is about 17 million light-years distant in the otherwise well-groomed northern constellation Coma Berenices. In fact, the Red Eye Galaxy might also be an appropriate moniker in this colorful composition of narrow and wideband images. *Click image for larger size.* The enormous dust clouds obscuring the near-side of M64's central region are laced with the telltale reddish glow of hydrogen associated with star fo... more »

Paulo Coelho, “The Cycle of Nature”; "Maybe..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“The Cycle of Nature”* by Paulo Coelho “In the cycle of nature there is no such thing as victory or defeat: there is only movement. The winter struggles to reign supreme, but, in the end, is obliged to accept spring’s victory, which brings with it flowers and happiness. The summer would like to make its warm days last for ever, because it believes that warmth is good for the earth, but, finally, it has to accept the arrival of autumn, which will allow the earth to rest. The gazelle eats the grass and is devoured by the lion. It isn’t a matter of who is the strongest, but God’s way... more »

Chet Raymo, "Why Not?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"Why Not?" by Chet Raymo "A few days ago reader Liz asked: "If we are all one and made out of the same material - then the things that we make are made out of the same material. But they are not animate. Why not?" At first glance, this might seem like a naive question, one that we all know the answer to. On reflection, it turns out to be terribly profound. Or should I have said, "wonderfully profound"? Yes, everything, animate and inanimate, is made of the same stuff - the 92 naturally-occurring elements - but all of the animate things we know about are made mainly of carbon comp... more »

The Wolf's At the Door (Again) Beware His Cohort and the Zen Un-Master (Phony Intelligence No Longer That Hard To Spot)

Not just based on lies. But self-serving lies. It used to be commonly accepted behavior that if you promoted a certain controversial (and usually expensive for other people) action that you bent over backward to ensure your audience that it didn't enhance your own income or lifestyle as a bonus. That modest courtesy was disabled with the Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore. And it's

With Boobs, anything is possible

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 1 day ago
Did I fail my daughter by not getting her this stuff? h/t Daisy Lin of the Facebook group 女權,性別歧視,台灣 Feminism, Sexism, Taiwan _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

That Daily "Near you?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Sarajevo, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina Thanks for stopping by.

“Facebook's Extreme Online Tracking Tactics”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“Facebook's Extreme Online Tracking Tactics”* By Julia Angwin “For years people have noticed a funny thing about Facebook's ubiquitous Like button. It has been sending data to Facebook tracking the sites you visit. Each time details of the tracking were revealed, Facebook promised that it wasn't using the data for any commercial purposes. No longer. Last week, Facebook announced it will start using its Like button and similar tools to track people across the Internet for advertising purposes. Here is the long history of the revelations and Facebook's denials: Facebook's Mark Zucke... more »

Satire: “McCain Calls for Emergency Blame Game on Iraq”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“McCain Calls for Emergency Blame Game on Iraq”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Citing the deteriorating situation in the war-torn nation, Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) on Saturday called for Congress to convene an emergency blame game on Iraq. “This is a dire crisis,” McCain said. “It’s time to roll up our sleeves and do some serious finger-pointing.” McCain said that he hoped Congress would act swiftly to assign blame to a long list of culprits he identified, including President Obama, the Joint Chiefs, the media, and everyone who did not vote for him in t... more »

THE TERRIBLE FRUITS OF US-NATO IN UKRAINE

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
Despite President Petro Poroshenko's call for a ceasefire, shelling has persisted in the eastern city of Slavyansk, Ukraine. VICE News visited a section of Slavyansk that was recently struck by an attack, and spoke with the residents about the chaos of the attack and its aftermath. They also visited a local hospital and spoke with medical workers who have stayed behind to treat the increasing number of wounded. Kiev calls these people terrorists and other nasty names. It's against international law to target civilians as the US-NATO directed operation has been doing for the past ... more »

Death Aid : Sir Elton's Dead Friends

Spike EP at News Spike - 1 day ago
Death Aid : Sir Elton's Dead Friends from Spike EP on Vimeo. "Ladies and Gentlemen, by all rights, I shouldn't be here. I should be dead. Six foot under, in a wooden box. Every day I ask myself, "How did I survive..?" Because the AIDS Disease is caused by *A VIRUS...*" "To be clear, he was diagnosed with AIDS. *He wasn't HIV+,* he had *AIDS*." "Ladies and gentlemen, by all rights, I shouldn’t be here. I should be dead. Six feet under, in a wood box. I should have contracted HIV in the 1980s and died in the 1990s. Just like Freddie Mercury. Just like Rock Hudso... more »

What do you want to be when you grow up? Our kindergartners at Malcolm X.

Shaun Johnson at @ THE CHALK FACE - 1 day ago
How will the PARCC prepare these kids to be a superhero or an “ice princess.” Huh.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face Tagged: elementary, end of the year, graduation, job, kindergarten

METRO | Beverly Baker Moore : Austin’s Hippie Church is all celebration, no dogma

Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 1 day ago
As the energy builds, others in the audience join the regular dancers, moved by infectious enthusiasm, some cosmic spirit… and the margaritas. By Beverly Baker Moore | The Rag Blog | June 18, 2014 AUSTIN — About noon on any … finish reading *METRO* | Beverly Baker Moore : Austin’s Hippie Church is all celebration, no dogma

Assclowns of the Week #99: Dr. Strangehate edition

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 1 day ago
*...or How The GOP Learned to Love ISIS and the Bomb.* Well, I guess it was only to be expected (By that, I don't mean Iraq turning into dog shit again at the hands of Sunni extremists, which *was *to be expected) but the black guy getting all the blame for Iraq's newest quagmire after Bush had been praised by the man above for ending the war in 2011. Yes, Republicans finally found a new scandal not named Benghazi to hang on Obama's neck like a greasy, half-plucked albatross and it's Iraq. So, Iraq imploding two and a half years after we pulled the last of our fighting... more »

ruby dee, 1922-2014

laura k at wmtc - 1 day ago
Ruby Dee was a towering figure in the American theatre. She was a great actor, a poet, playwright, and screenwriter, and a steadfast voice for equality. Along with the actor Ossie Davis, her husband of nearly 60 years, Dee never stopped campaigning for full civil rights for all people. Dee and Davis' marriage was something to marvel at and to emulate, a partnership, as the *New York Times* obit puts it, that was "romantic, familial, professional, artistic and political". Dee grew up in Harlem, performed in many Broadway plays, and was a quintessential New Yorker. On Friday, th... more »

Washington Redskins Name Controversy is Just Another Distraction

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 1 day ago
The political correctness warriors have recently had their target coordinates set upon forcing the NFL's Washington Redskins football franchise to change it's name as it is offensive to a certain aggrieved demographic - the American Indian. Not that the US government gives a damn about Indians, the genocidal mass slaughter of the nation's only true indigenous people during the era of western conquest and Manifest Destiny doesn't get much play from the corrupt national government nor in their pocket media. Nor does the ghettoizing of American Indians onto reservations and the insti... more »

How do you know a politician is lying?

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 1 day ago
*“It's not the lying that bothers me, it's the fact that people think I'm stupid enough to believe them that does.” *- Anonymous How do you know a politician is lying? Their lips are moving. But was Cunliffe lying when he replied “no,” “definitely not” and “never” to questions whether he’d known, met or helped party donor Donghua Liu? Probably not.The petard on which he’s being justifiably hung however is of his own making, and doubly so: First, Cunliffe wants to make the election an issue of trust (don’t politicians always say that?), yet for reasons either of duplicity or ... more »

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