Saturday, July 26, 2014

26 July - Blogs I'm Following

2:34pm MDST

Gaza and The Goons

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 5 minutes ago
Written by Mark Taliano Nothing much has changed since 1492, except the weapons are far more devastating, and the hypocrisy is much deeper. Manifest Destiny now extends overseas with the U.S Empire’s on-going embrace of the “might is right” doctrine, and its perpetuation of war crimes to advance imperial conquest. Israel, a strong ally of Empire, is thought to be a spearhead for U.S hegemony in the Middle East, and the rules of international law and peace are being defied on a daily basis as Gaza shakes beneath the terror of daily bombardments. Israel is defying U.N Re... more »

The James Stokes UFO Sighting, November 1957

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 30 minutes ago
As should be obvious, I have spent some time looking into the November 1957 UFO sightings, especially those in the desert southwest. I have been through what I can find, including the original reports that appear in *The A.P.R.0. Bulletin*, the NICAP *UFO Investigator*, the Project Blue Book files, and the skeptical end of these cases including *Watch the Skies!* by Curtis Peebles. What I find interesting is how the Project Blue Book investigators seemed to miss basic facts, made allegations that were never corroborated (which is a nice way to suggest they just made up stuff), and ... more »

PLEADING FOR PEACE

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 hour ago
Rally of relatives of Kiev soldiers in Ukraine: Poroshenko, stop the war.... Kiev and their US-NATO handlers increasingly have their hands full. Not only is the US-backed Kiev army losing badly to the self-defense forces in eastern Ukraine but the growing peace movement of families in western Ukraine rising up to protest against their government for sending their children to war is complicating things quite a bit. The Ukrainian economy is in tatters and one has to wonder how long the US-EU can continue to pay for the war and the coming economic hardship? The latest word from the ... more »

The Flight of the Dead : Korean Airlines Flight KAL-007

Spike EP at News Spike - 1 hour ago
The Flight of the Dead : Korean Airlines Flight KAL-007 from Spike EP on Vimeo. "8. It is possible to create an incident which will demonstrate convincingly that a Cuban aircraft has attacked and shot down a chartered civil airliner enroute from the United States to Jamaica, Guatemala, Panama or Venezuela. The destination would be chosen only to cause the flight plan route to cross Cuba. The passengers could be a group of college students off on a holiday or any grouping of persons with a common interest to support chartering a non-scheduled flight. a. An aircraft at Eglin AFB w... more »

WHY EDITORS SHOULD NEVER PUT THE PHRASE COMMON CORE IN A TITLE:

David Greene at @ THE CHALK FACE - 2 hours ago
WHY EDITORS SHOULD NEVER PUT THE PHRASE COMMON CORE IN A TITLE:.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face

A Great Country or What? Biden's Son Cashes in On Ukraine Chaos

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 2 hours ago
*"War is a Racket"* *- General Smedley D. Butler* The story broke a few months back that one Hunter Biden, whose father Joseph Biden just happens to be the sitting vice president managed to land a plum position with Ukraine's largest gas company Burisma Holdings. The ghastly announcement came scant weeks after his daddy paid a visit to Obama' and Kerrys neo-Nazi infested coup government in Kiev which was then presided over by the golden boy of the the corrupt US establishment Arseniy "Yats" Yatsenyuk who suddenly resigned this week. One would think that such an appointment, espe... more »

Fighting Without Winning, Winning Without Fighting

hygiecrat at hygiecracy - 3 hours ago
published originally on CounterPunch The supreme art of war consists in subduing an enemy without fighting. - Sun Tzu As military and paramilitary forces (and the institutions they serve) continue to bombard and maim the people of the world - and as the death tolls in Gaza, Congo, Iraq, and other war zones, continue to rise - one cannot help but wonder whether the relatively voiceless, seemingly dis-empowered, people of the planet are really unable to do anything - beyond offering largely symbolic condemnations and demonstrations of solidarity - to halt these monstrosities. Th... more »

Another Entry Into The Race For The Craziest GOP Candidate-- Meet North Carolina Sociopath Mark Walker

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
One of the most overlooked races in the country, NC-06, had their Republican primary runoff last Tuesday. The Republican establishment favorite, Phil Berger Jr., was expected to win thanks to his money and his Dad’s connections and high name recognition among Republican voters. Instead local teabaggers powered an even crazier candidate to victory. There are 10 counties in NC-06 but Guilford is the biggest, by far, followed by Rockingham and Alamance. The district was drawn to be safe Republican territory but there is a 6-point Democratic voter registration edge and the beloved in... more »

July 26: Goguen gets a free, political ad....

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 3 hours ago
Check p. A4 of Friday's TandT, "N.B. wharves get funds." The whole story is simply a prepared statement by Robert Goguen. It's a pretty boring statement as in "Our government is pleased to invest in these facilities to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the commercial fishing industry, and stimulate local economies." It's stiff, formal, trite, obviously written in advance. This was handed to the paper and, obviously, the reporter didn't ask a single question. This is just a free, political ad. Goguen's party is big on free, political ads. The biggie was Harper's flig... more »

GAZA / A LIVING HELL WITH NO ESCAPE

Allen L Roland, Ph.D at Allen L Roland's Weblog - 4 hours ago
*Sergey Ponomarev for N.Y Times / click on photo to enlarge* *Relatives of a boy killed Thursday in explosions at a UN school sheltering Gaza residents grieving over his body at a hospital.* *With a death toll of over 800 dead and climbing daily, the photos from Gaza are like a Goya painting depicting the desperation and frenzy of Palestinians existing in a living hell with no apparent escape ~ surrounded by solders with their guns pointed ~ while complicit Israeli's watch on hilltops from beyond their Iron Dome and celebrate with their neighbors their barely concealed ethnic clea... more »

Solar Flare Almost Sent Earth Back to the Dark Ages in 2012

LeDaro at LeDaro - 4 hours ago
*"Two years ago, we were blissfully unaware that our planet almost plunged into a widespread blackout due to a solar flare"* Please watch the video here.

Miami-Dade Court Rules In Favor Of Gay Marriage

Donna Ballman at Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home - 4 hours ago
As I predicted yesterday in my post about the Key West ruling favoring gay marriage, the other Florida courts that have cases pending on same-sex marriage are starting to rule. Miami-Dade Judge Sarah Zabel ruled yesterday (after my blog post) that denying gay marriage violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Don't rush to Miami yet. The judge stayed her ruling pending appeal. Will any Florida clerks of court have the guts to start issuing licenses because they swore to uphold the U.S. Constitution? The Boulder, Denver and Pueblo Colorado clerks did. Stay tuned.

Supplemental: Is Alexandra Petra a twit?

bob somerby at the daily howler - 4 hours ago
*SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2014 * *Potentially conformist minds don’t seem to want to know:* Yesterday, we mentioned William Deresiewicz’s rumination about the Ivy League. The former Yale professor’s piece appears in The New Republic. By this morning, we were already regretting the fact that we were so snarky about the publication of the piece. Then, we read Alexandra Petri’s treatment of the piece in the Washington Post. We have no way of judging Deresiewicz’s overall portrait of today’s Ivy League students. From our perspective, his portrait did make us think of the lazy, conformist wo... more »

Use what you have

risa bear at A Way to Live - 4 hours ago
On the principle of Use What You Have, I am eating steamed zucchini, dried zucchini chips, zucchini waffles, and zucchini bread. I grate zucchini into just about everything but the coffee. I slice the zeppelins into thin wedges that go over all the poultry fences, where they soon disappear. Occasionally, I have beans. Tomatoes are still a treat, though. When I collect my empty basket and zuke knife and head out of doors, I stop by the Bonshō to give it a ring. (It's nice to live far enough from the neighbors to have this option.) *Bonshō = Buddhist bell.*In Zen there is a fair amo... more »

The Deviant and the Damned

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 5 hours ago
Ex-CIA Director George Tenet is notorious in the annals of atrocity for being an uncool punk with a cold, black heart. But unlike punk rocker Joan Jett and her Blackhearts band, he apparently does give a damn about his bad reputation. Waterboarding, he has long insisted, was simply a standard deviation, a perk of his exalted station. Like Adolf Eichmann, Tenet was simply following orders and doing his job when he defied the damned Geneva Conventions and ordered as many as 200 of his operatives to torture a whole bunch of people. It was just a terrible time when the elites running... more »

Susan Sontag on love...

Sandra Guzman at Sandra Guzman - 5 hours ago
... "I'm only interested in people engaged in a project of self-transformation..." This beautiful artwork with the even more gorgeous musings on love by the extraordinary Susan Sontag is available for purchase. Proceeds benefit a foundation supporting women writers, A Room of Her Own.

Confronting the Putin Doctrine in Full Force

Jeffrey Stacey at Duck of Minerva - 5 hours ago
Just as the international community appeared at long last to be taking a stronger stand against Russia, President Putin upped the ante. Unlike its annexation of Crimea, Russia is now in open warfare with Ukraine on its eastern border. There is fresh evidence indicating not only that Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by Continue reading

Have you had your daily dose of manipulation today?...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 6 hours ago
*if you've been to Facebook, you just may have.*

Corrupt Media Largely Ignores Leaked Terrorism Watchlist Rulebook Story

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 6 hours ago
Granted that it's not a breaking update on the Kardashians, Miley Cyrus or more State Department anti-Russian agitprop, but the leak of the US governments secret "rulebook" on how people are placed on "terrorist" watch lists is big news and this is precisely why the corrupt state-corporate media ignored it or mentioned it only briefly prior to relegating it to the memory hole. The document - clocking in at 166 pages - was published at the new online magazine The Intercept in a story written by journalists Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Devereaux entitled "Blacklisted: The Secret Governmen... more »

STOP KILLING THE CHILDREN

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 6 hours ago
Jon Snow reports from Gaza, where thousands of children have been caught up in the conflict on one of the heaviest days of shelling so far.

95% Of Disease Caused by?

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 6 hours ago

Shooting Down Airplanes and Mainstream Morality

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 7 hours ago
"A Tale of Three Aircraft Tragedies" by Brian Cloughley really strikes at the heart of the hypocrisy of the US-Americans' response to the tragedy of the Malaysian airliner that was shot-down over the Ukraine. When you see all the furrowed brows and stern gazes and read all he words of outrage over the (very good) possibility that pro-Russian separatists fired the missile that killed all those people, contrast it with the way the USS Vincennes was met with celebration, it's captain decorated for meritorious conduct, after shooting down an Iranian airliner. The president at the time, ... more »

Have They No Decency?

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 7 hours ago
When Justice Anne Mactavish struck down the Harper government's ban on medical care to refugees, she wrote that the ban amounted to "cruel and unjust treatment." The phrase did not emerge new and full blown from the lips of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Gerry Caplan writes: These exact words – “cruel and unusual punishment” – resonate in history. They were written into the English Bill of Rights in 1689 and were then repeated in the 8th amendment to the United States Constitution: “Cruel and unusual punishments [shall not be] inflicted.” These are not words used loosely. He points ou... more »

An Unstable Republican Jumps Into A Wisconsin Primary Against Kelly Westlund-- And He Has A Pig Named Barney Frank

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago
*Mike Krsiean (left) with his 700 pound Berkshire Boar (right), who he's named Barney Frank* Mike Krsiean is a Republican crackpot who envisions himself in Congress. His attempts to run as a Republican and as an independent have failed-- and failed miserably-- so he's decided to run as an anti-Choice/pro-gun "Democrat" pushing the Republican austerity agenda enumerated in Paul Ryan's budget. And he's taking his garden variety GOP ideas to a Democratic primary against progressive Kelly Westlund. Not that he's *that* garden variety. Even some of his fellow-right wingers find him and h... more »

A Culture Of Food Safety Deception

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 7 hours ago
Source: *https://www.facebook.com/OccupyFood*

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 7 hours ago
*New university rankings out* The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) publishes the only global university ranking that measures the quality of education and training of students as well as the prestige of the faculty members and the quality of their research without relying on surveys and university data submissions. CWUR uses eight objective and robust indicators to rank the world's top 1000 universities: 1) Quality of Education, measured by the number of a university's alumni who have won major international awards, prizes, and medals relative to the university's size [... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 8 hours ago
*Jimmy Graham’s support team got him through contract woes ~Ramon Antonio Vargas* *Lee Zurik Investigation: Hospital documents directly contradict Reed* *Working Coast Camp In Houma Teaches Children About Big Industry ~Lane Kaplan-Levenson* *Naval Militia Members Undergo Waterborne Disaster Training ~Madelaine Rivera* *Today in #NOLA: Steely Dan, Big Easy Roller Girls dbl header..and that's just the schedule by the lake! ~NOLA DEFENDER* Naval Militia Members Undergo Waterborne Disaster Training - See more at: http://albany.twcnews.com/content/news/755936/naval-militia-members-under... more »

Is Glyphosate In Roundup Depleting Your Body Of Health Giving Minerals?

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 11 hours ago
[image: Foto: Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the ubiquitous herbicide Roundup, was originally patented as a chelator back in 1964. It bonds to minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium & manganese and removes them. It was used to clean pipes that had mineral buildup. It is the most widely used herbicide, primarily due to the widespread cultivation of Roundup Ready GMO crops. This leads us to ask... when you spray a chelator on our farmland and our food, how much of the nutrients are chelated from the soil and the crops. Add to that the fact that glyphosate is in our food - and we ... more »

IAF chopper crashes in Uttar Pradesh; 7 killed, probe ordered

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
In yet another blow to the Indian Air Force (IAF), one of its advanced helicopters on Friday crashed in the Ataria area of Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh, killing all seven persons onboard. As per initial reports, the ALH Dhruv chopper had taken off from Bareilly. The pilot of the chopper had given a 'May Day call' (emergency call) before the crash and lost radio and radar contact after that, IAF spokesperson said in Delhi. Read more

Finland Detains Vietnamese Missile Parts

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: Missile parts]Finland has detained a shipment of Vietnamese-owned air-to-air missile parts bound for Ukraine after raising concerns the consignment of military hardware violated arms-export regulations. Finland's customs service discovered the missile parts last month in a shipment that lacked proper approvals for military equipment to transit through its country, Sami Rakshit, head of the enforcement department at Finnish customs, told The Wall Street Journal on Friday. "Vietnamese authorities have confirmed to us today that the shipment was Vietnamese government property e... more »

KAI selected to develop new South Korean helicopters

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: South Korean KAI LCH-LAH development Helicopter]Light armed helicopters and light civil helicopters are to be developed for South Korea by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. The government selection of KAI for the projects was announced by the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. KAI will now establish an LCH/LAH development plan that will include the selection of overseas system developers and local and foreign vendors. Read more

Over half of China military airfields threatened by high-rises

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: J-31A Gyrfalcon]More than half of China's military airfields have flight paths that are obstructed by tall buildings, causing accidents and airport closures, Chinese state media reported on Friday. Nearly 100 accidents have occurred at military air bases due to high-rise buildings and development in the past 20 years, the website of the ruling Communist Party's mouthpiece, the People's Daily said. The problem has become so great that more than 10 military airfields have been forced to close or move. Read more

Unmanned cargo-carrying helo returns to U.S. from Afghanistan

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: K-Max]K-MAX, the unmanned cargo aircraft of Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace, has returned to the United States following extended deployment to Afghanistan. The unmanned helicopter lifted more than 4.5 million pounds of cargo for the U.S. Marine Corps during nearly three years in Afghanistan in thousands of missions, reducing the number of truck resupply convoys, which would have been vulnerable to improvised explosive devices. "We are proud to welcome home the unmanned K-MAX Team from their successful deployment in theater," said Dan Spoor, vice president of Aviation an... more »

‘$1 Billion-Plus Short’: Amphib Add Isn’t Enough, So Navy Wants To Repurpose It

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: USS New York]Congress really, really wants the Navy to buy a 12th San Antonio­-class amphibious warship. The Marine Corps really, really wants the ship, which would be designated LPD-28. And of course shipbuilder Huntington-Ingalls really, really wants the contract, which would help fill a multi-year gap in amphib construction. Read more

Carrier-based drone offers way forward for US navy – subject to squabbling

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 11 hours ago
[image: X-47B UCLASS]Barely a year after the world's most sophisticated drone proved it could take off and land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the project is at a crossroads, with huge implications for the future not only of drone warfare but US seapower writ large. The US navy will soon release a request for proposals from a handful of defense companies for the development of the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike vehicle, or UCLASS. That highly bureaucratic document will formalize the navy's vision for what it wants the highly advanced drone to do. R... more »

Naval Experts Call for ‘Offensive Sea Control,’ More Tomahawks, Improved Air and Missile Defenses

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: USS San Jacinto]Three authorities on naval warfare argued July 25 that the Navy needs to dramatically revise its operational concepts and acquisition policies to make the surface fleet more capable and relevant to the rapidly changing and increasingly dangerous global security environment. One urged the Navy and Congress to reverse decisions to stop buying new Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles or risk losing the ability to project force ashore from long range. Another argued for a return to the “offensive sea control” strategy the Navy embraced during the Cold War and to ... more »

Saturday Interview: Louise Whittle

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 12 hours ago
*Louise Whittle, blogs under HarpyMarx, has been involved in leftie politics for nearly 30 years. Socialist feminist, currently working for the rat race, trade unionist and overall activist. Likes art, film, photography and drinking cocktails. You can follow Louise on Twitter here* - Why do you blog? Remember couple of years ago someone said to me that blogging was purely about narcissism. Possibly there’s an element to that but for me it’s kinda about highlighting and exposing issues that have an impact on people, which don’t always get the attention they deserve. People who are ... more »

First female Commander of naval warship hauled up for 'HAVING AN AFFAIR' with one of her sailors

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: Commander Sarah West]The first woman to command a frontline Royal Navy warship has been removed from her vessel after claims of an affair with a male crewmate. Divorced Cdr West, 41, took over Type 23 Frigate HMS Portland and her mostly male crew in May 2012. The claims, thought to have been made by another member of the crew, surfaced in the middle of this month. Read more

Tight-fitting bearing on Canadian warship costs taxpayers $685,000

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: Halifax class FFG]A tight-fitting bearing on one of Canada’s warships ended up costing taxpayers $685,000. In October 2012, Royal Canadian Navy officers trying to deal with excessive noise generated by HMCS Toronto at first thought the source was a device called a stern flap, the Citizen reported earlier this week. But the Department of National Defence now confirms the noise was generated by a tightly fitted bearing that had recently been installed on the ship. Read more

Apache Guardians perform first deck landing qualifications

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: AH-64E Apache]AH-64E Apache Guardians from 1st Armed Reconnaissance Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, conducted deck landing qualifications aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) off the coast of Hawaii, July 19, as part of the Navy’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2014. The deck landing qualifications, a first for the E model of the Apache, are one of several maritime training events the Apache unit participated in to take advantage of terrain not available to them in their home station at Fort Carson, Colo... more »

Extra care delays Nuclear submarine’s sea trials

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: INS Arihant]The Indian Navy is being extra-careful with India's first indigenously built nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant, which is now at the naval base in Vizag. The nuclear sub is likely to go to sea trials by this year end and is expected to be commissioned by 2017. The sea trials and the commissioning of the submarine, capable of carrying nuclear missiles, has already been delayed by more than two years. Read more

India asks Russia to upgrade two submarines

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: Kilo class SSK]India has asked Russia to upgrade two its submarines, director-general of the Rubin Central Maritime Design Bureau Igor Vilnit said on Friday. “The Indian governments filed a request to the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation to extend the life of two Russian Kilo Class submarines (Type 877EKM),” he said. Specialists of the Zvyozdochka ship repair centre and the Rubin design bureau are expected to leave for India to inspect the first submarine. Read more

Borei-Class Submarines Enter Service Ahead of Russian Navy Day

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 12 hours ago
[image: RFS Severodvinsk]Two Russian submarines are entering service just in time for the Russian Navy Day, which falls on July 27 this year: a Yasen-class nuclear attack submarine Severodvinsk and a Borei-class ballistic missile submarine Alexander Nevsky. Construction of the Severodvinsk began in 1993, but its completion was significantly delayed because of limited funding as a result of economic problems Russia faced in the 1990s. The submarine was finally launched in 2010. The submarine, whose rivals are the US Navy’s Seawolf-class and Virginia-class submarines, is equipped wit... more »

What Born's rule can't be derived from

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 12 hours ago
Sean Carroll continues to abuse his blog to promote his pseudoscientific would-be research: Why Probability in Quantum Mechanics is Given by the Wave Function Squared The article advertises his May 2014 preprint written along with a philosophy student, Charles Sebens. I have already discussed a text by these two authors in Measure for Measure... in May 2014. It turns out that they have written two very similar preprints. Yes, Sebens wrote another earlier paper – the title "Quantum Mechanics As Classical Physics" shows that this guy is hopeless, indeed. First, sociologically, I thin... more »

How Thailand Can Outlast Its Enemies

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 13 hours ago
*Image: Weathering a siege requires not only strong walls, but the abilityto outlast the enemy as well. This can only be done by building somethingsustainable within the walls, and something worth defending. **July 26, 2014* (Tony Cartalucci - ATN) - Thailand's culture, people, and history is directly tied to that of its indigenous, ancient institutions. For centuries these institutions have guided Thai society, protected it from a turbulent world beyond its borders and at times when this turbulence finds its way within Thailand's borders. For Thais, these institutions not only gi... more »

The Same People Are Behind The Atrocities of The Israeli Army, The Hijacked Ukrainian Army, And The Islamic State's Army

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 13 hours ago
*Gaza, Palestine.* *Mosul, Iraq.* *Donbass, Ukraine.* "You shall know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:16.

Value-Added Modeling (VAM) is pseudoscience, but profitable pseudosciences persist

Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene at Schools Matter - 13 hours ago
*"While value-added models are intended estimate teacher effects on student achievement growth, they fail to do so in any accurate or precise way. — Professor Bruce Baker"* Back in early April I penned a piece for K12NN on The American Statistical Association's (ASA) paper on Value Added Methodologies [1]. In it I asserted that the "document provides strong support to those who oppose this wrongheaded use of statistics to make high stakes decisions effecting the lives of students, educators, and our school communities." This week I noticed a trackback to a reprint of the article.... more »

Marie Harf is an Awful Dingbat

Spike EP at News Spike - 14 hours ago

IATA: Whatever Happened to MH17, the Kiev Criminals are to Blame

Spike EP at News Spike - 14 hours ago
Statement on MH17 by IATA Director General and CEO Tony Tyler Geneva, Switzerland - 15:30GMT I share the shock and sadness expressed by so many around the world on the terrible loss of MH 17. At this time, it is important we are very clear: safety is the top priority. No airline will risk the safety of their passengers, crew and aircraft for the sake of fuel savings. Airlines depend on governments and air traffic control authorities to advise which air space is available for flight, and they plan within those limits. It is very similar to driving a car. If the road is open, yo... more »

The Stories of Three Israeli Martyrs

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 15 hours ago
[image: There was a crowd of thousands at Sean Carmeli's funeral Monday night in Haifa (photo credit: Gili Yaari/Flash 90)] *Bravery and heroism exists on both sides in this war. Anybody who denies that is wrong. Source of photo: Gili Yaari/Flash 90*. An excerpt from, *"Killed in Gaza, American 'lone soldiers' honored by Israelis"* by Daniel Ben Simon, Al-Monitor, July 25, 2014: Of all the stories of soldiers killed in battles between Israel and Hamas, three seem to have captured the hearts and minds of Israelis. They cried for them as though these were members of their families, a... more »

Ukraine Military Caught Using Phosphorus Incendiaries, Cluster Bombs On Civilians!

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 15 hours ago
Ukraine Military Caught Using Phosphorus Incendiaries, Cluster Bombs On Civilians! Source: DAHBOO77. Date Published: July 25.

The New Yorker offers a big summer online bonus as it ramps up its Web operation -- and revamps access to it

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
Barry Blatt, *The New Yorker* *by Ken* In case you've missed the announcement, made at the end of the "Talk of the Town" section of the July 28 issue and featured prominently all week on newyorker.com, *The New Yorker* has implemented some major decisions about online availability of its content. And the big news -- for nonsubscribers, at least -- is that for the summer, at least, *everything is going to be made available free to one and all*. When we started newyorker.com, we, like everyone else, faced the dilemma of what to post online. Give it all away or hold things back? That... more »

The Israeli Genocide Of Gaza: Just How Truly Sick Are The Israelis? Watch This Short Video And Find Out!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 17 hours ago
Yes, I have been keeping track of the Israeli massacre and genocide of the innocent people of Gaza. It is astounding that the world's so called "media" continues to portray this assault and genocide as Israel's laughably parroted statements that it needs to "defend itself against Hama "rocket attacks"". It is sad and sick to see thousands and possibly tens of thousands of people being slaughtered by these criminals that are nothing more than monsters…. I was sent a very short video just the other day by a friend that asked me to watch it and to give him my impressions…. Lets just... more »

zucchini abundance recipe of the day: zucchini fritters

laura k at wmtc - 17 hours ago
Apparently if you grow zucchini, you have too much of it. Being new gardeners, we didn't know how prolific our one zucchini plant would be, or the insane quantities - and size! - of the vegetables it would produce. And those leaves! They're gigantic and there's so many of them! It's been a source of wonder and amusement. We've cut back the leaves several times, as they're crowding out the herbs and the eggplant. And of course cutting back just makes the plant produce even more. I remember that much from my indoor planting days. There's no shortage of recipes online offering ideas a... more »

i'm too sexy !

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 17 hours ago

Marilyn Katz : Netanyahu’s Gaza game plan

Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 17 hours ago
Armed conflict will only lead to mounting numbers of dead on both sides. By Marilyn Katz | The Rag Blog | July 25, 2014 Unlike the finite death toll in the Malaysian jet downing, the numbers of dead in Gaza … finish reading Marilyn Katz : Netanyahu’s Gaza game plan

Chi non fa, non falla.

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 18 hours ago
Those who do nothing make no mistakes.

Canada Is Jewish Occupied Territory…. THIS Is A Must Watch Video That Shows The Treachery Of The Canadian Government And Its Enslavement To Jewish Interests

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 18 hours ago
After Israel started its slaughter of the innocent people of Gaza on July 13th, I was wondering how soon the idiots that run this country, Canada, would show its undying and treasonous support for the criminal Jewish state…. It did not take long with the idiot Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, opening his foul mouth on the 13th of July with a ridiculous statement that "Israel has the right to defend itself against (laughable) "rocket attacks" from Gaza". It appeared at the time that the Canadian government was in total lockstep with the United States government and other go... more »

Food (?) Watch: It's not a leap, but the merest, tiniest jump, from selfie-mania to toast-selfies

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 18 hours ago
*You have to be realistic with your selfie-toast expectations. As the selfie-toaster company notes: "We are good but remember fine detail is darn near impossible to achieve with heat and toast." Which could be why so few of the great masters have worked in this little-tapped medium.* *by Ken* Is it toast, or is it art? One way to tell is that if it's just toast, then all it costs is $75 for your personally selfie-customized toaster plus your bread cost. If it's art, then the limit is what you can extract from the right sucker. Actually, looking at the picture above, I'm not sure ... more »

Back From A Much Needed Vacation….

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 19 hours ago
Yes, I am back… I took the last two 12 days off for a much needed break, and a need to "recharge" my batteries… It does seem as Whitewraithe has put it, that the world has gone to hell during my absence… I did take my portable laptop with me, much to the chagrin of my better half, and tried to keep up with all the news that has been happening, and yes, I was tempted to go into this blog and put up a few articles… I decided that I would not give into that temptation and wait until my return…. I want to thank my dear friend, Whitewraithe, for her most excellent work on the last two ... more »

Clouds over Iqaluit

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 19 hours ago

Israel Boycott Gains Traction As Gaza Assault Continues

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 19 hours ago
Israel Boycott Gains Traction As Gaza Assault Continues. Source: The Real News. Date Published: July 24, 2014. Description: BDS Movement Founder Omar Barghouti discusses growing solidarity with Palestinians and whether Fatah-Hamas unity deal motivated Israel's aggression

good people

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 20 hours ago

call to arms

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 20 hours ago

the secret art of inviting happiness

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 21 hours ago
The secret art of inviting happiness, The miraculous medicine for all diseases. At least for today: Do not be angry, Do not worry, Be grateful, Work with diligence, Be kind to people.

Lily Gives Arne a Big Hug

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 21 hours ago
From MicroSoftNBC: Despite the education secretary’s outwardly nonchalant reaction to the NEA vote [calling for his resignation], García says he seemed “hurt” and “surprisingly confused.” In her estimation, he didn’t realize the level of anger he had conjured up. “Arne Duncan is not a bad man,” she said. “I think he sincerely believes this stuff.” Despite their differences, says García, they ended the meeting with a hug. By Lily's measure, Hitler and Stalin were not bad men, either. After all, they believed the "stuff" they were doing.

Glad to be Gay

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 22 hours ago
My Gaydaryradar is totally unreliable. I thought Christopher Alexander was Gay but apparently he is not. We wait for the child. Oh so cynical but when it come to politics beware the beard. I allege that many key people in the current Conservative Government are Gay. If you had to question people like Jason Kenny you would be left with only supposition to inform your basic instincts. Whats wrong with this picture is not what some people might say is a high percentage of Gay cabinet ministers, or even as the extreme who I do not believe say child molesters. No what is wrong that t... more »

NATO False Flag- Norway from mercs in Syria? Think- Arctic Resources & Circling Russia!

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 22 hours ago
*So, whaddya think?* The new head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, from Norway is set to take the reins of 'power' at NATO. * Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg appointed as new NATO chief* NATO’s next leader was announced Friday: former *Norwegian Premier Jens Stoltenberg will lead the military alliance starting in October.* [image: ** FILE ** In this June 25, 2013, file photo, Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a news conference at the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania. NATO announced on Friday, March 28, 2014, that former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg w... more »

Shoots leaves and tweets

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 22 hours ago
Disproportionality. Fashionably attired Rushanara Ali, M.P. (female, Muslim, Labour) debating with Douglas Murray on Daily Politics 22nd July. Jo Coburn in the chair, Trevor Phillips was also there. “Israel has shown complete disregard for humanitarian issues, [...] its reaction is *disproportionate* and we need the European Union and the British government to speak up and work towards resuming peace negotiations, which seem to have been completely elusive over recent years. “*Israel* needs to respect international and humanitarian law......... That cavalier misuse of the wor... more »

Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep - Adagio for Sleep"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep - Adagio for Sleep" Images courtesy of NASA and the Goddard Space Flight Center. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quFgHlfQAuo&feature=related

Paulo Coelho, “The Black Man (A True Story)”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
*“The Black Man (A True Story)”* by Paulo Coelho "We are at the restaurant of a German University. A red haired student, and undeniably German, takes her tray and sits down at her table. She then realizes she has forgotten her cutlery and gets up again to pick it up. Coming back, she sees with astonishment that a black man, possibly sub-Saharan by his appearance, is sitting there and is eating from her tray. Straight away, the young woman feels lost and stressed, but immediately changes her thought and presumes that the African is not familiar with European customs concerning priva...more »

Jon Donnison returns

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 22 hours ago
He's back, along with his own special brand of BBC impartiality [sic]: Back in the holyland. Not feeling too holy right now. — Jon Donnison (@JonDonnison) July 25, 2014 More than 700 lives now been lost in latest #israel #gaza war. 700 greaving families. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. Pointless. — Jon Donnison (@JonDonnison) July 23, 2014 700 plus dead in #gaza #israel war. And when it eventually ends nothing will have been achieved but the status quo. — Jon Donnison (@JonDonnison) July 23, 2014

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble - maybe Macbeth should have consulted the Witch Head Nebula. This suggestively shaped reflection nebula is associated with the bright star Rigel in the constellation Orion. More formally known as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula glows primarily by light reflected from bright star Rigel, located just below the lower edge of the below image. *Click image for larger size.* Fine dust in the nebula reflects the light. The blue color is caused not only by Rigel's blue color but because the dust grains reflect blue light more e... more »

Rollo May, "Courage"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
*"Courage"* by Rollo May "We are living at a time when one age is dying and the new age is not yet born. We cannot doubt this as we look about us to see the radical changes in sexual mores, in marriage styles, in family structures, in education, in religion, technology, and almost every other aspect of modern life. And behind it all is the threat of the atom bomb, which recedes into the distance but never disappears. To live with sensitivity in this age of limbo indeed requires courage. A choice confronts us. Shall we, as we feel our foundations shaking, withdraw in anxiety and... more »

"The Door In The Wall..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
"The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less sure, happier but less self-satisfied, humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable mystery which it tries, forever vainly, to comprehend.” – Aldous Huxley

The Poet: Wendell Berry, “Leavings”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
“In time a man disappears from his lifelong fields, from the streams he has walked beside, from the woods where he sat and waited. Thinking of this, he seems to miss himself in those places as if always he has been there. But first he must disappear, and this he foresees with hope, with thanks. Let others come.” - Wendell Berry, “Leavings”

Chet Raymo, “What Not to Believe”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
*“What Not to Believe”* by Chet Raymo “In Stacy Schiff's biography of Cleopatra, I came across this epigraph from Euripides: "Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe." I have no idea which of Euripides' plays the quote is from, but it strikes me as a suitable source for reflection. Credulity is the default state of a human life. Children are born to believe, to accept as true what they are told by adults. An innate credulity has survival value in a dangerous world. If a grown-up says "There are crocodiles in the river," it is probably best to stay out ... more »

"The Illusion of Truth"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
*"The Illusion of Truth"* by PsyBlog "We see ads for the same products over and over again. Politicians repeat the same messages endlessly (even when it has nothing to do with the question they've been asked). Journalists repeat the same opinions day after day. Can all this repetition really be persuasive? ‧ It seems too simplistic that just repeating a persuasive message should increase its effect, but that's exactly what psychological research finds (again and again). Repetition is one of the easiest and most widespread methods of persuasion. In fact it's so obvious that we someti... more »

"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?" * by MeaningS of Life "Is human life just a dream, from which we never really awake, as some great thinkers claim? Are we submerged by our feelings, by our loves and hates, by our ideas of good, bad, beautiful, awful? Are we incapable of knowing beyond those ideas and feelings? Listen to Shakespeare and Joseph Conrad: ‧ *"We are such stuffAs dreams are made on, and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep…"* William Shakespeare, "The Tempest" *"A man that is born falls into a dream like a man who falls into the sea."* Joseph Conrad, ...more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks for stopping by.

"In The Long Run..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
"In the long run my observations have convinced me that some men, reasoning preposterously, first establish some conclusion in their minds which, either because of its being their own or because of their having received it from some person who has their entire confidence, impresses them so deeply that one finds it impossible ever to get it out of their heads. Such arguments in support of their fixed idea... gain their instant acceptance and applause. On the other hand whatever is brought forward against it, however ingenious and conclusive, they receive with disdain or with hot rag... more »

“A Universe Stranger Than We Can’t Imagine”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*“A Universe Stranger Than We Can’t Imagine”* By Mark Thompson "Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered: What *is* up there? Like your ancestors before you, you would be mistaken if you thought that it's just the Earth down here and the stars up there. Instead, the night sky encompasses everything that is, or ever was, in the Universe. You see, the really wacky thing about looking up at the sky is that you are not just looking into the depths of space, but also into the depths of time. Let me explain. Light travels at about 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per seco... more »

"A Day Spent..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
"A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty, the contemplation of mystery, or the search of truth or perfection is a poverty-stricken day; and a succession of such days is fatal to human life." - Lewis Mumford

“Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
“Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods” by Dan Eden . "Ask most people who are the oldest civilization or where the oldest civilization lived and you'll hear answers like Mesopotamia (Iraq), Egypt or Iran. While these cultures can be traced back to 4000 B.C., the mysterious ruins of Tiahuanaco, in Bolivia, could be 14,000 years old! If you think the Great Pyramid in Egypt is a technological marvel, wait until you see what artists and engineers were doing in Tiahuanaco. This culture thrived at the breathless, oxygen deprived elevation of 13,000 feet. They managed to somehow move stones weig... more »

The Curious Incidents of the Passenger Airliners in the Night-Time

Spike EP at News Spike - 23 hours ago
You notice no-one is jumping to the conclusion that the Malinese or Red China shot down the other two planes, even though they have more cause to do so. This is what we call The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. *"Gregory, let me recommend to your attention this singular epidemic among the sheep. Drive on, coachman!"* * Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion's ability, but I saw by the Inspector's face that his attention had been keenly aroused.* * "You consider that to be important?" he asked.* ... more »

Only 7 Republican Extremists Filibustered The Latest American Jobs Bill-- And They Failed

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 23 hours ago
Will the real Ron Johnson please stand up, please stand up When the worst of the Republican crackpot extremists in the Senate tried to filibuster John Walsh's Bring Jobs Home Act (S.2569) even Ted Cruz looked at them like they were crazy. The bill "amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and relocating it within the United States, and (2) deny a tax deduction for outsourcing expenses incurred in relocating a U.S. business outside the United... more »

Dear USAISC

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 23 hours ago
...aka the insatiably curious folks at IP Address 150.226.95.18: I know you've been to my place today, specifically at 1:09 EST. I know that you are located not at the USAISC headquarters of Little Rock, Arkanas but at Fort Benning, Georgia, the home of the 101st Airborne (The Screaming Eagles). And, if I so chose, I could track your GPS coordinates with such frightening exactitude I could pinpoint your position to within a few inches or at least to the work station you use to spy on me and other bloggers of, apparently, all political stripes. I know: I did it to my ... more »

First Vet Visit in Costa Rica--Bugsy's Adventures

Lori Anne Haskell at Our Paradise--Life in Costa Rica - 1 day ago
Generally, we keep our gate closed, but it blows open once in a while when not locked. Two of these times, Bugsy has taken the opportunity to leave the yard and get lost. Yes, I have such a high maintenance cat that he cannot get home once lost in a field of weeds and trees. We have two lots located on each side of us that are empty. One is for sale, and overgrown as the owner does not have it cleared very often. The other one is more cleared. The first time Bugsy got lost, it was on the cleared field and near the edge. I heard him meowing, and found him. I think he got stuck... more »

Canadian judge goes bonkers on a thought crime: Case of Mohamed Hersi defended by lawyer Paul Slansky

Denis Rancourt at Activist Teacher - 1 day ago
... Or the link between domestic Islamophobia in the courts and Israel You could not make this stuff up. Government passes a law (link) that makes it a criminal offense for a Canadian citizen to even attempt to help any group that is labelled by the Government (in its objective and infinite wisdom) as a terrorist group. Thus the Government makes it a criminal offense for a Canadian citizen

No Comment Dick

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 1 day ago
Read so Dick, the world is now a Dick novel. 40 years ago I read alot of Dick works, however the one that sticks in my mind is Dr. Bloodmoney and I fear it may be his most accurate. Our leaders would rather destroy the planet than get along. *(Ed note I also believe we are on at least the second tech civilization)* Thats the world today. If it was ISIS trying to circumcise me and my wife I might squeal but to keep the world spinning not such a great sacrifice. Fortunately that's not a likely scenario. If you think the people in the middle east or people from anyplace are much dif... more »

Prophecy and Creation

Sophia Love at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
We have arrived, or better said, noticed now, a spot that is constantly adjusting – seemingly to our every thought. This is the beginning stage of consciousness; *awareness*. Until now, terms such as “the law of attraction” seemed like magic – only distant, occasional possibilities. This perspective has changed as we today see evidence of our thoughts and words appear before our eyes as a matter of course. This, as a function and effect of the vibratory changes on the planet and within. There is everyday evidence of creation and no doubt as to who is doing the creating. It is ... more »

"How It Really Is"

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

“No Road Map For Avoiding The Future”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“No Road Map For Avoiding The Future”* by Andrew McKillop “*The Future Beckons – The Future Threatens:* Talk about “road maps”, for example the decades-long roadmap for solving the Israel-Palestine conflict reveals several things. These roadmaps lead to nowhere and have lost all credibility. However, one important hidden role of these roadmaps is likely their proven ability to do nothing, waste time, and delay – but not avoid - the future. Therefore and inevitably we get pent-up frustrated change. When it happens we get a “break in series” and one analogy is as follows. Stack up e... more »

“The Internet of Things: You're Idiots”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“The Internet of Things: You're Idiots”* by Karl Denninger "There are all sorts of articles flying around talking about *The Internet of Things (IOT)*, usually in reference to devices like "smart" thermostats, refrigerators and other devices around your home, office, car and similar. It all sounds very dreamy, but before you buy into the hype machine surrounding this nonsense please do sit back and think a bit. Consider the recent security issues disclosed with IOS devices and the Chromecast dongle. Then consider that today, your Internet connectivity "risks" are mostly associate... more »

Luc Besson - Scarlett Johansson - LUCY

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 1 day ago
I like Luc Besson. I like Scarlett Johansson. I like the idea of using 100% of the Human Brain. *TRAILER LOADED:* *PRESS PLAY*.

This would make smokers quit...

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 1 day ago
[Hat tip Casey Daily Despatch] [image: Posted with Blogsy]Posted with Blogsy Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)

Supplemental: Digby does Dealey Plaza!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014* *The work of the new Salon:* Should progressive and liberal news orgs ape the conduct of Fox? In our view, the answer is no. In our view, you can’t create a progressive politics by misleading progressive voters. Beyond that, we can’t imagine a good outcome from teaching liberals to hate. More and more, though, the methods of Fox seem to pop up at Salon. That brings us to Digby’s new posts. Doggone it! The analysts burst into tears when they read her post about Rick Perry. That’s because they had already read the news report to which Digby linked right at t... more »

Drawing Upon Paul Tough to Nurture Soft Skills Not “Grit”

John Thompson at @ THE CHALK FACE - 1 day ago
It is always reassuring to read about pedagogies developed in the classroom being later determined to be based on scientific principles documented by academic researchers. That is one reason why I was so impressed with Paul Tough’s New York Times Magazine article, “Who Gets to Graduate?” Tough’s article was published this spring and I immediately […]

NEW KIDS ON THE LAWN: Rachel Maddow’s dream!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014* *Part 4—A trio of self-appraisals:* Is Bryce Covert being a bit disingenuous when she discusses the gender wage gap? We don’t know how to answer that question. But the question helps us ponder the work of the highly credentialed young journalists now working for partisan news orgs. An older generation of Sam-and-Cokies are shuffling off the stage. As this so-called “worst generation” exits, they are often being replaced by highly credentialed young journalists who went to the very best schools. Covert, still 29, is Brown 2006. Her jumbled writing about the w... more »

Anti-Semitism in Germany: A Comment

Tim Luecke at Duck of Minerva - 1 day ago
“Mutti,” aka Angela Merkel, is not amused. Neither is the rest of the German political establishment, the German media, or the vast majority of German people. Three days ago, some of the protesters against the Israeli campaign in Gaza yelled anti-Semitic hate paroles, a man wearing a kippah was chased through Berlin, and the police Continue reading

Mark Takai Proposed Testing Homeless Veterans For Drugs

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
*"I am proud to support Stanley Chang for Congress. Stanley knows what needs to be done to fix Wall Street and protect the rights of consumers. He has declared his support for the Better Off Budget, which would create 8.8 million jobs by 2017 and reduce our deficit by $4 trillion over the next ten years. Stanley is a champion for civil rights for all and will work toward a more secure and peaceful world. The Progressive Caucus and its members will work hard to support Stanley to see that he joins us in the 114th Congress."* - Keith Ellison, co-chair, Congressional Progressive Caucu... more »

Gordon Duff on Red Ice Radio. What in the hell?

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 1 day ago
I just spent two hours listening to this interview. Two hours of my life I can't get back. Aargh! Brought to us all by Henrik @ Red Ice Radio Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He is a disabled veteran and has worked on veterans and POW issues for decades. He manages the world's largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues. His business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology. We’ll begin discussing flight MH17 that went down in the Ukraine. *To each their own. *I ... more »

20 fotos de chicas lindas - Rostros de mujeres hermosas

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FOTOFRONTERA - 1 day ago

Important preface by Paul Craig Roberts (received yesterday): "Government of Ukraine Collapses" "Today the Ukrainian government resigned. The prime minister Yatsenyuk, or 'Yat' as affectionately called by Victoria Nuland who put Yat into office, resigned along with the entire Cabinet. The parliament refused to vote the harsh conditions demanded by the IMF. I am not sure what this means. Perhaps it is just a tactic to force the parliament to do as the IMF says. Or perhaps Yat, Washington’s stooge, has realized that IMF or no IMF, Ukraine’s economy is imploding and wants to get out of the blame. The point for now is that I checked the BBC, the New York Times, and CNN and there is not one word about the collapse of the government of Ukraine. I did notice that the BBC, now a reliable element of Washington’s Ministry of Propaganda, reported, as if it were true, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf’s claim that the Russian military is shelling Ukrainian forces. When Harf tried this out today on a roomful of journalists, they laughed her out of the room. Evidence, evidence! they demanded. 'Why,' Harf was asked, 'do you think something is made true by your saying it!?' So, as usual, real news is missing from the Western press, but fake news is reported. Professor Michael Chossudovsky has provided an account of the collapse of the Ukrainian government on Global Research." (reproduced below)

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 1 day ago
------------------------------ *Collapse of Ukraine Government: Prime Minister Yatsenyuk Resigns amidst Pressures Exerted by the IMF* By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Region: Russia and FSUGlobal Research, July 24, 2014 Theme: Global Economy, Poverty & Social Inequality Global Research, July 24, 2014 Original Here *Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced his resignation in the Rada (Parliament) and that of the entire Cabinet on Thursday, July 24. T... more »

Harry Potter Baby Pictures Ideas

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 1 day ago
When I met Marissa from Rae Gun Ramblings a couple of years ago and we bonded over our love of Young Adult Literature, Crafting and all things Harry Potter. I mean, anybody who has a Moaning Myrtle picture in her bathroom has to be pretty awesome, right? Ever since she told me she was pregnant, I knew there had to be a Harry Potter baby photo shoot in this little boy's future. This shoot is absolutely one of my favorites I have ever taken and I can't wait to share it with you. In this post I will share where I got all of the props and we posed this little man to capture these phot... more »

Nick Griffin on Question Time

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 1 day ago
Not that it really matters any more, but the BNP deposed Nazi Nick this week and replaced him with an idiot who goes round in an army uniform "in solidarity" with British troops. As Griffin bows out of the limelight to spend more time with his money worries, here's the seminal *Question Time* moment of 'peak BNP' from 2009. You can watch the rest here, here, here, here, and here.

Bloomberg Lies as Ukrainian Rebels Allegedly Down 2 Warplanes

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 1 day ago
More deception by West as Ukrainian rebels down two more SU-25 warplanes. *Image: Are Ukrainian separatists foolish enough to continue using Bukmissile systems implicated in the downing of MH17? Or have they beenusing highly capable man-portable missile launchers like those picturedabove all along? **July 25, 2014* (Tony Cartalucci - LD) - In Bloomberg's article, "Two Ukrainian Jets Shot Down, Three Dangerous Explanations," it claims two Ukrainian SU-25 ground attack warplanes were shot down by rebels over Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, stating: *Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesm... more »

Here is yet another piece of evidence that Malaysia Airlines Fight 17 was brought down by the Ukraine government and not the beleagered Russian speakers of the east and south.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 1 day ago
------------------------------ *Pilots Heard Ukrainian Air Traffic Control Order MH17 to Change Route* *Russia accuses Kiev of tampering with ATC recordings * *by* Paul Joseph Watson | July 23, 2014 ------------------------------ Pilots on board an Air India Dreamliner which was flying just 90 seconds behind Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 say they heard Ukrainian air traffic control give the order for the doomed plane to change route minutes before MH17 was shot down by a missile. According to a report in the Times of India, “Minutes before the crash caused by a missile strike, the AI... more »

He Would If He Could

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 1 day ago
http://theinternetpost.net/ Stephen Harper and his minions have been complaining loudly about the power of "special interests." But, Steve Sullivan writes: When Stephen Harper headed up the National Citizens Coalition, he filed a constitutional challenge against the Elections Act. He claimed the law’s spending limits on third-party advertising during elections was an infringement on his freedom of expression rights as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to the logic offered up b... more »

Vaunted Garfield High School has a problem with sexual assault

Shaun Johnson at @ THE CHALK FACE - 1 day ago
From Al-Jazeera America. According to the article, mishandling sexual assault cases is pretty common in public schools and in higher education. There’s certainly an abundance of evidence out there for that. But I was surprised to hear that the venerable catalysts of nationwide test boycotts, Garfield High School, bungled this one. That’s a shame. The […]

Sack the Science Advisor

noreply@blogger.com (Roger Pielke, Jr.) at Roger Pielke Jr.'s Blog - 1 day ago
So you don't like the advice that your expert advisor is giving? So then how about sacking the advisor? Even better yet, how about getting rid of the entire advisory mechanism? That is the advice that Greenpeace and other NGOs are giving to European Commission president-elect Jean-Claude Junker. If it sounds a bit like something out of the Richard Nixon playbook, well, it is. I defend the EU science advisor and the broader structure over at the Guardian. Read it here. For a deeper dive into science advice in government, see this volume by James Wilsdon and Rob Doubleday. My chapte... more »

RIP Bernard Etkin

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 1 day ago
No he did not make the movie, probably not even in the first draft of the Apollo 13 script. But in real life when NASA needed to know with life on the line Bernard Etkin and his team had the answer. A solution worked with slide rulers not computers. In typical Canadian fashion at the time the team thought they were just a double check of the real teams work.

Not Giving a Shit

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 1 day ago

Not Your Father's Republican Party-- Meet Jody Hice, Who Wants A Bazooka In Every Home

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
John Birch Society stalwart and former drug addict Paul Broun has widely been considered Congress' most extreme Member. He ran in the May Georgia Republican primary for the open U.S. Senate nomination and lost miserably, failing to even crack 10%. But in his own north central Georgia district, GA-10-- stretching from just east of Atlanta to just west of August and from Athens in the north and Milledgeville in the south-- he's pretty popular. The Democrats didn't bother running anyone against him in 2012. The district has a PVI of R+14 and Obama only managed 36%. When Broun last f... more »

Behning's Corporate School Money Still Flowing

Doug Martin at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
by Doug Martin *(See the important note at the end of this article. * *Patrick Lockhart is running against Behning, and needs your support. Here is his facebook page. Spread it wide. It is time to take this to a truly grassroots level. Pass this article on to your neighbors, your community members and leaders and to the people in Lockhart’s district, many of them in Indianapolis. It is time to stop preaching to the choir and to get the word out. Doug Martin)* No sooner than I posted my article on Bob Behning’s corporate school money at the end of April, more handouts from th... more »

Haslam's Secret Meeting at Ground Zero of Secret Classroom Camera Project

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
Last year we were able to uncover details of a Gates-funded student and teacher surveillance plan that gathered classroom video data and dumped it into a corporate Cloud for sharing among, who knows? Now it seems Governor Haslam is meeting undercover with a group of "educators" in Washington County to find out "what works and what's not." Wonder if the Gov plans to keep it all to himself once he finds out. Apparently, the real educators of Washington County want to know when the Governor learns it: *What organizers are calling an outdoor gathering Friday in the parking lot of the... more »

Now That Florida Has Gay Marriage, How Does That Affect Employee Rights?

Donna Ballman at Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home - 1 day ago
Okay, okay. I know we don't have gay marriage in Florida quite yet. The July 17 Florida ruling on gay marriage only applies to the Keys, and it's stayed pending appeal. Still, there are multiple cases pending around the state, and it's only a matter of time before someone starts issuing licenses and performing marriages. How does that affect employee rights? There are several ways Florida employees and employers will be impacted once gay marriage starts happening in Florida, so start preparing now: *Family and Medical Leave*: Because FMLA applies to leave for care of spouses, Flori... more »

Getting to Know KnowledgeWorks, Part 1

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
Soon after Ted Strickland (D) was elected Governor of Ohio in 2006, he announced that he would rely on the expertise of the KnowledgeWorks foundation to "help shape his administration's education agenda." Really not surprising, since the CEO for KnowledgeWorks, Chad Wick, served as transition team leader following Strickland's election. What does Wick, an investment banker, know about education? Nothing, but his patron, Bill Gates has a whole stable of Princeton and Yale grads who pretend to know everything. Dr. Chad P. Wick is a General Partner at MAYWIC Select Investments. Dr. ...more »

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