Wednesday, February 20, 2019

20 February - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 3

10:01 pm MST

"The Empire: Now or Never"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"The Empire: Now or Never"* by Fred Reed "Many people I talk to seem to think American foreign policy has something to do with democracy, human rights, national security, or maybe terrorism or freedom, or niceness, or something. It is a curious belief, Washington being interested in all of them. Other people are simply puzzled, seeing no pattern in America’s international behavior. Really, the explanation is simple. The reason of course is empire, the desire for which is an ancient and innate part of mankind’s cerebral package. Parthian, Roman, Aztec, Hapsburg, British. It never ... more »

Who Gains from Turning Europe into a Potential Nuclear Battlefield?

Activist Post at Activist Post - 9 hours ago
By Tony Cartalucci The United States and its NATO partners are attempting to make the case for Washington’s decision to abandon the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces... more »

"Making Your Best Guess"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"Making Your Best Guess"* by Arthur Silber “We are not gods, and we are not omniscient. We cannot foretell the future with certainty. Most often, cultural and political changes are terribly complex. It can be notoriously difficult to predict exactly where a trend will take us, and we can be mistaken. We do the best we can: if we wish to address certain issues seriously, we study history, and we read everything that might shed light on our concerns. We consult what the best thinkers of our time and of earlier times have said and written. We challenge everyone's assumptions, includi... more »

Is It Legal To Lie To Congress: False Statements Accountability Act Of 1996 (H.R. 3166)

Activist Post at Activist Post - 9 hours ago
Op-Ed by Catherine J. Frompovich Lies, lies, and more lies? “It’s legal to lie in the swamp.” With all the accusations, allegations and what at... more »

Maryland to study legalizing adult-use marijuana in 2020, signaling no action this year

Jeff Smith at Marijuana Business Daily - 9 hours ago
Maryland lawmakers have formed a bipartisan group to study the possibility of legalizing recreational cannabis in 2020 via legislation or referendum. The working group’s formation indicates that legalization legislation introduced earlier this month isn’t likely to pass this year, according to The Baltimore Sun. Bills to legalize adult-use marijuana recently were introduced in the Maryland […] Maryland to study legalizing adult-use marijuana in 2020, signaling no action this year is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepren... more »

Green New Deal U.S. Senate debate should be a teachable moment

Peter Murphy at CFACT - 9 hours ago
Let Sen. Markey defend his vision, and tell us how it will be implemented, and why he thinks it’s necessary The post Green New Deal U.S. Senate debate should be a teachable moment appeared first on CFACT.

"Diet Soda Definitively Linked to Increased Stroke, Heart Attack Risk"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"Diet Soda Definitively Linked to Increased Stroke, Heart Attack Risk"* by Isabelle Z. (Natural News) "Many people choose to drink diet soda because they believe it can help them keep their weight under control. Although science has shown this isn’t really the case, there’s an even better reason to shun these artificially sweetened drinks as a new study has linked drinking two diet sodas or more per day to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The study tracked almost 82,000 postmenopausal women in the Women’s Health Initiative trial who were between the ages of 50 and 79 when... more »

"I don't want to save the planet from human being; I want to improve the planet for human beings." #QotD

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 9 hours ago
"I don't want to save the planet *from* human being; I want to improve the planet *for* human beings." ~ Alex Epstein, founder of the Center for Industrial Progress and author of *The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels **.* Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution.

First They Came After BDS: AIPAC and their Governmental Courtiers are Silencing Dissent

Rainer Shea at The Ghion Journal - 9 hours ago
The character assassination against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for her criticism of AIPAC is just the surface layer of how Israel is trying to crush those who oppose it. When gaslighting and misinformation campaigns don’t stop people from speaking out against power, power’s next step is always to silence dissent through intimidation from law enforcement. And this is what Israel is doing. The U.S. Senate recently passed a bill called the The Strengthening America’s Security in… The post First They Came After BDS: AIPAC and their Governmental Courtiers are Silencing Dissent appeared f... more »

CNN: Attorney General Bill Barr Will Soon Announce The Completion Of The Robert Mueller's Russia Investigation

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
President Trump on Mueller Report release: "That'll be totally up to the new Attorney General." pic.twitter.com/xaHKOPDZi2 — CSPAN (@cspan) February 20, 2019 *CNN:* *Justice Department preparing for Mueller report as early as next week * Washington (CNN): Attorney General Bill Barr is preparing to announce as early as next week the completion of Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, with plans for Barr to submit to Congress soon after a summary of Mueller's confidential report, according to people familiar with the plans. The preparations are the clearest indication yet that Mue... more »

Top End businesses hope US Marine increase will fire up flatlining Darwin economy

Matt Garrick at Just In - 9 hours ago
A US Marine rotation bound for Darwin in April is pegged to bring with it more soldiers, more aircraft and — officials are hoping — a lasting upswing for the flatlining Top End economy.

Coogan and Reilly transform themselves to play cinema's greatest double act

Just In - 9 hours ago
In the gentle, bittersweet portrait Stan and Ollie, the Oscar-nominated actors step into the shoes of legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

Natalie Portman stars as a diva coming off the rails in Vox Lux

Jason Di Rosso at Just In - 9 hours ago
This dark pop star fable, scored by Sia, follows a suburban girl with a beautiful voice who's catapulted to fame after a high school massacre.

Women retire with almost half the super as men. This idea might help change that

Alison Branley at Just In - 9 hours ago
For women, spending time out of the workforce can erode their superannuation. Some countries have already found a way to change that and now, there is a push for carer credits to be introduced in Australia.

Hello Hippocamp! Neptune's 14th moon is finally part of the family

Genelle Weule at Just In - 9 hours ago
It's just a dot, but after years of painstaking work astronomers have finally confirmed those precious pixels are another moon orbiting the ice giant Neptune.

The forgotten woman who proved butterflies' secret origin

Just In - 9 hours ago
Most school kids can describe in detail the life cycle of butterflies — eggs hatch into caterpillars, caterpillars turn into cocoons and cocoons hatch. But, Tanya Latty asks, do they know who conclusively linked caterpillars to butterflies?

The tiny tropical island with no humans — but thousands of rats

Carl Smith at Just In - 9 hours ago
The island of Reiono looks like a postcard, a dot of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean — but rats, introduced by humans, threaten its entire ecosystem. Now scientists are embarking on an ambitious attempt to return the island to its former state.

The best investment you should make might not be what you think

Andrew Robertson at Just In - 9 hours ago
It's an unlikely place to look, but lessons from the world of financial investing provide us with some clues as to how we can protect ourselves from the ravages of relationship breakdown, writes Andrew Robertson.

Before you bleat about what's in a lunchbox, check your privilege

Just In - 9 hours ago
There was plenty of finger-waggling when ABC exposed the packaged foods filling our kids' lunchboxes, but telling parents to pick healthier foods fails to address the underlying reasons, writes Emma Beckett.

Today the Teniswoods hand back half their land to the Aboriginal community

Phoebe Hosier at Just In - 9 hours ago
Tom and Jane Teniswood own more than 220 hectares of land at Little Swanport in Tasmania but are giving half of it to the Aboriginal community in a "symbol of action".

Footy lovers have played for this small-town club for almost 100 years — not anymore

Just In - 9 hours ago
After 99 years of supporting young football enthusiasts, a small-town club is reconsidering its future as it struggles with shortage of players and aging population.

Bodybuilder killed in home invasion may have entered house by accident

Mark Reddie at Just In - 9 hours ago
Police investigate whether a champion bodybuilder who died after an altercation with a homeowner in south-west Sydney was high on drugs and possibly entered the house by accident.

Prominent Biochemistry Professor Warns – 5G is the ‘Stupidest Idea In The History of The World’

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Terence Newton* - Many scientists, doctors and professionals are issuing dire warnings about 5G.

State Senate Passes Landmark Bill to Ban Cops From Stealing from Innocent People

The Free Thought Project at The Free Thought Project - 9 hours ago
[image: asset]Michigan may be joining 11 other states that require a criminal conviction before any asset forfeiture.

Another big success for libertarianism

Scott Sumner at Econlib - 9 hours ago
Pot legalization is an issue that has been largely ignored by Democrats and Republicans, but championed by libertarians. And now it’s sweeping the country, as more and more states jump onboard. I often get newsletters from various libertarian groups, and I’ve noticed that asset forfeiture laws are another big concern. Police who pull someone over […] The post Another big success for libertarianism appeared first on Econlib.

Technological Unemployment and Work

Bryan Caplan at Econlib - 9 hours ago
The state of technology and the unemployment rate look nothing like each other. What about the state of technology and the labor force participation rate (LFP)? Well, LFP doesn’t have massive spikes like the unemployment rate. Since the state of technology doesn’t have massive spikes either, that eliminates one big discrepancy. Otherwise, however, LFP and […] The post Technological Unemployment and Work appeared first on Econlib.

"Comprehensive List of 170 Open Source Intelligence Tools"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"Comprehensive List of 170 Open Source Intelligence Tools"* by Thomas Dishaw "We’re living in the information age and having access to open source intelligence tools is a must. Whether you’re a Journalist, Private Investigator, Mother, Father, Husband or Wife; this comprehensive list is for you. Listed below are approximately 170 links that will help you uncover information on cars, ships, planes, maps, satellites, street views, geo-based searches, domain names, public records, darknet, online cameras, buildings, email, IP’s, website analysis, phone numbers and countless other too... more »

Grasses Have Been Genetically Modifying For Millenia - By Stealing

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 9 hours ago
Grasses have been able to short cut evolution by taking genes from their neighbors, finds a new study. Since Darwin, much of the theory of evolution has been based on common descent, where natural selection acts on the genes passed from parent to offspring. But sometimes what seems to be natural selection is really artificial, like lateral gene transfer that allows organisms to bypass evolution and skip to the front of the queue by using genes that they acquire from distantly related species. Even by stealing them. read more

70 Million Years Ago: Earliest Example Of Nest Sharing Discovered

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 9 hours ago
Fossilized eggshells unearthed in western Romania represent the earliest known nest site shared by multiple animals. The shells – some complete and others broken into thousands of pieces – are densely packed and encased in mudstone which formed part of the remains of a bird breeding colony, probably comprising hundreds of seperate nests. Now in the collections of the Transylvanian Museum Society in Cluj Napoca, Romania, the samples date from the late-Cretaceous period (approx. 70 million years ago) and were discovered near the city of Sebeş in Transylvania by local palaeontologist ... more »

CBS Star Reporter Admits "Mostly Liberal" Journalists Are Now "Political Activists"

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
From Mike Ritland who interviews her .... .... To say this episode was humbling is a gross understatement. 6 years ago, Lara Logan interviewed me in my living room for a 60 minutes piece. In a twist of amazing fate, and almost 6 years to the day, I had the incredible opportunity to interview her in her living room in similar fashion. Like you’ve never heard or seen her before, she shares her amazing journey and career as a world renowned journalist for some of the biggest news agencies in the world, in some of the most dangerous places on earth. The bravery and courage she shows ... more »

Untitled

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*WNU Editor:* I give the odds of this happening at the next summit, not this one .... *Possible peace declaration looms large over Trump-Kim summit* (AP). There is still too much ground that needs to be covered .... a timetable for denuclearization, lifting of sanctions, etc. .... before such a formal announcement.

The Creator Writings: A Joyful Life

Karma Yoga Daily at Karma Yoga Daily - 10 hours ago
via Jennifer Farley, The Creator Writings It is time to release more, my child. More pain, grief, shame and guilt. There will always be some who feel these things are a badge of honor, something to be proud of, to revel in. They will look at you and say, “See how much I suffer for […]

Scientists are Rethinking Animal Cognition as More Evolutionary Behaviors Emerge

Karma Yoga Daily at Karma Yoga Daily - 10 hours ago
By Alex Pietrowski, Waking Times Humans have always considered ourselves much different animals, and we look at our apparent superior intellect, analytical mind, self-awareness, and expanded consciousness as the dividing line between us and them. Primates for example, have always been considered our closest cousins, and while we do credit them with being intelligent, our […]

Why Autocrats Are Replacing Democrats

Patrick J. Buchanan at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: why-autocrats-are-replacing-democrats] High among the reasons that autocrats are on the rise is that the centrist parties being shoved aside are perceived as having failed the people in their most basic demands.

A Review of "In Defense of Andrew Jackson"

James Heiser at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: a-review-of-in-defense-of-andrew-jackson] Bradley J. Birzer's recent biography of the nation's seventh president is a spirited defense of an American patriot.

The Crime of Being Christian, White, Male, and Pro-life, and Wearing MAGA Hats

Selwyn Duke at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: the-crime-of-being-christian-white-male-and-pro-life-and-wearing-maga-hats] When teens from Covington Catholic High School went to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., they were accosted by leftist radicals, then framed as bigots.

Russian President Putin Delivers Annual Address to Russia's Federal Assembly (VIDEO)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*CNBC:* *Putin promises hard cash, tax breaks and mortgage relief for families with more children* * Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to promote family support schemes in his country. * Mortgage relief, tax breaks and cash payments are being promised to encourage bigger families. * A promise to end a shortage of childcare at nurseries by 2021 was also made. Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised tax breaks, mortgage relief and hard cash to support Russian families who produce more children. Putin used his televised State of the Nation address on Wednesday to outlin... more »

Battleships Dominated the High Seas for Decades. What Made Them Obsolete?

Robert Farley at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * “Battleships, in the end, are simply a delivery system for ordnance,” Farley concludes. “When other platforms became capable of delivering ordnance more efficiently, the battleship began to disappear.” Today just one battlewagon, by Farley’s definition, remains in frontline use — Russia’s Pyotr Velikiy, a missile-armed nuclear-powered battlecruiser dating to the Cold War. In many ways, the battleship represented the greatest-ever concentration of naval power in a single vessel. Between World War I and World War II, the big, fast, thickly-armored and ... more »

Stealth Shortage? The Air Force Cannibalized a Stealth F-22 Raptor Squadron

David Axe at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, * Why? *Leaving aside the recent hurricane damage, accidents have destroyed at least two front-line F-22s and two test planes and badly damaged several others. Raptors are in such short supply that the Air Force spent tens of millions of dollars and four years repairing one F-22 that suffered damage during a training flight at Tyndall in 2012.* There was a silver lining in the hurricane that devastated Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida's panhandle region in October 2018. *(This first appeared last month.)* The storm forced the U.S. Air Force to redeploy ... more »

Trump, The Real Terrorist Leader, Cuts Out the Middleman

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
Venezuela's oil minister Quevedo reports that there were no fatalities. However, *the attack was aimed at economic damage* since the target was a crude oil processing plant. (VTV) Its been some time since I wrote about US President Trump. As regular readers will know already, I did reluctantly support him during the last US Election, but only because the alternative, Hillary Clinton, was probably the worst threat to world peace--since the US got the nuclear bomb and promptly tested it out by bombing two innocent Japanese cities into oblivion at the end of WWII. So while I did sup... more »

Russian Defense Ministry Releases Video Showing An Underwater 'Field-Test' Of The Poseidon Underwater Nuclear Drone

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*RT*: *1st ever VIDEO of Russian Poseidon underwater nuke drone ‘field-test’ released by MoD * The Russian Defense Ministry has released the first video ever showing an underwater 'field-test' of the Poseidon, a huge robotic nuclear-capable mini-submarine with a miniature nuclear reactor. The strategic uber-torpedo was hauled inside a transport container, which mimics the storage compartment of an actual submarine playing mothership to the Poseidon. The weapon is then deployed out of the container underwater. *Read more* .... *More News On The Russian Defense Ministry Releasing ... more »

Iraq Lies Redux: Trump Admin Claims Iran/al-Qaeda Alliance

Activist Post at Activist Post - 10 hours ago
By Ron Paul Liberty Report In an astonishing Washington Times article this week, unnamed Trump Administration officials (who may or may not be called “John... more »

EPA OK’s ’emergency’ to dump bee-killing pesticide on 16 million acres

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 10 hours ago
Just last week the EPA reported that in 2018 it had issued “’emergency’ approvals to spray sulfoxaflor—an insecticide the agency considers ‘very highly toxic’ to bees—on more than 16 million acres of crops known to attract bees.”1 RELATED STORY: Pesticide Makers’ Own Studies Showed NEONICS KILL BEES, But They Sold Them Anyway And in 2018, […] The post EPA OK’s ’emergency’ to dump bee-killing pesticide on 16 million acres appeared first on Health Nut News.

Kidney disease results so stunning they had to quash the evidence?

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 10 hours ago
Since 1980, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) — the world’s largest scientific society and publisher of several journals, including Science — has presented an annual award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility to “scientists, engineers or their organizations, whose exemplary actions have demonstrated scientific freedom and responsibility in challenging circumstances.” As explained […] The post Kidney disease results so stunning they had to quash the evidence? appeared first on Health Nut News.

(Breaking) ABC: FDA chief announces federal government may step in if states don’t change ‘lax vaccine laws’

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 10 hours ago
(Note from Erin: Now more than ever, you should be signed up to receive our newsletter. If you aren’t, please click here now to do so. We have no idea how much longer Facebook will allow us to keep our page; there is an all-out attack on dissenting voices about vaccines and choice.) RELATED STORY: […] The post (Breaking) ABC: FDA chief announces federal government may step in if states don’t change ‘lax vaccine laws’ appeared first on Health Nut News.

Munich Security Conference – Old Question Marks in the Shadow of the Anthropocene

MUNICH, Germany, Feb 20 (IPS) - Dan Smith is Director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) This year's Munich Security Conference (the MSC), held on 15-17 February raised many questions but didn't have the answer. It was not a happy and certainly not a self-confident gathering. Yet a couple of moments suggested the first new blooms of new ways to think about security might soon poke through the soil. Read the full story, “Munich Security Conference – Old Question Marks in the Shadow of the Anthropocene”, on globalissues.org →

Wake Up and Smell the Organic Coffee

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Feb 20 (IPS) - In 1992, replanting her father's ruined coffee farm seemed foolhardy at the time. But in retrospect it was the best business decision that Dorienne Rowan-Campbell, an international development consultant and broadcast journalist, could have made. Read the full story, “Wake Up and Smell the Organic Coffee”, on globalissues.org →

No Black people pictured in the Black neighbourhood

Tim Bousquet at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
News 1. Barho family Yesterday morning’s fire is a terrible tragedy. Police issued this release at around 11:30am: Following this morning’s fire on Quartz Drive in Spryfield, Halifax Regional Police and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency confirm that there are seven fatalities resulting from the incident. All deceased are believed to be young children from […]

US Steps Up Winter-Warfare Training as Global Threat Shifts

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
After 17 years of war against Taliban and al-Qaida-linked insurgents, the military is shifting its focus to better prepare for great-power competition with Russia and China, and against unpredictable foes such as North Korea and Iran.

Lyndon LaRouche and America's Self-Esteem

adam at LaRouchePAC Feed - 10 hours ago
[image: Lyndon LaRouche seen here attending a Schiller Institute Conference in Bad Soden, Germany. July 2018 (Michelle Rasmussen/EIRNS)] Following the Feb. 12 death of LaRouchePAC founder Lyndon LaRouche and the Feb. 16-17 international Schiller Institute conference which celebrated his life and work (portions of which are already available for viewing on our site), it has become evident that LaRouche’s passing is awakening and deeply moving people around the world to discover what Abraham Lincoln referred to as "the better angels of our nature." That is a force for the good which c... more »

The Empire: Now or Never

Fred Reed at 11 hours ago
Many people I talk to seem to think American foreign policy has something to do with democracy, human rights, national security, or maybe terrorism or freedom, or niceness, or something. It is a curious belief, Washington being interested in all … Continue reading →

Russian President Putin: Russia will Target U.S. If It Deploys Missiles In Nearby European Countries

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*CNBC: **Putin threatens to target US if it deploys missiles in nearby European countries* * Putin, in his annual address to parliament, says his country would not seek confrontation and would not take the first step in deploying missiles after the suspension of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. * However, he says Russia would respond to any deployment of new intermediate-range missiles in Europe by targeting the United States itself and not just the countries where they are deployed, according to a Reuters translation. * He says he would field new weapons that would ... more »

CA fines homeowners $4 million for blocking public access, but there’s no public access to block

Bonner Cohen, Ph. D. at CFACT - 11 hours ago
It is yet another example of property owners being dragged through the mud by agenda-driven bureaucrats with nothing else better to do than throw their weight around. The post CA fines homeowners $4 million for blocking public access, but there’s no public access to block appeared first on CFACT.

Chrome warning: Deceptive site ahead

Arjen Robijn at start.me - 11 hours ago
Dear users of start.me, Unfortunately, as of this afternoon, users of the Chrome browser are seeing the following message when accessing start.me. Deceptive site ahead Attackers on proxy.start.me may trick you into doing something dangerous like installing software or revealing your personal information (for example, passwords, phone numbers or credit cards). Learn more.” We use… Read More Read More

US Troops May Soon Use AI to Dominate the Battlefield With Their Thoughts

Activist Post at Activist Post - 11 hours ago
By Elias Marat The Pentagon is hoping to make telepathy a part of its arsenal in the near future. And no, this isn’t the stuff... more »

Why Would Anyone Want to Live in a Smart City When IoT Already has an Almost 75% Failure Rate?

Activist Post at Activist Post - 11 hours ago
By B.N. Frank 66% of Americans don’t want to live in “Smart Cities.” Smart Cities require Internet of Things (IoT) technology which has an almost... more »

Feet Of Snow For The Desert

tonyheller at The Deplorable Climate Science Blog - 11 hours ago
I took these pictures on New Years Day, east of Phoenix. It was bitter cold. The current forecast is for this area along Hwy 87 to receive well over a foot of snow in the next 48 hours. I used … Continue reading →

Failed Climate Models

tonyheller at The Deplorable Climate Science Blog - 11 hours ago
NASA’s James Hansen started the global warming scare in earnest, during the very hot summer of 1988. Until now, scientists have been cautious about attributing rising global temperatures of recent years to the predicted global warming caused by pollutants in … Continue reading →

Laws Aimed at Silencing Political Boycotts of Israel Are Categorically Different Than Public Accommodations Laws

Guest Blogger at Balkinization - 11 hours ago
Amanda Shanor Last week, both Andrew Koppleman on this blog and Eugene Kontorovich in the Wall Street Journal published pieces arguing that laws aimed at silencing political boycotts of Israel are the same, for First Amendment purposes, as public accommodations laws. More sharply, both suggest that the ACLU is hypocritical (and, in Kontorovich’s view, motivated by identity politics). They fault the ACLU for defending antidiscrimination laws, such as the one at stake in *Masterpiece Cakeshop*, but challenging laws that prohibit state contractors from boycotting Israel. Although c... more »

States Are Introducing Bills That Could Prevent Teachers From Advocating for Climate Change

tzofiya at The Great Climate Debate - 11 hours ago
Pacific Standard Kelley Czajka | Feb 18, 2019 Several states have recently introduced bills that could interfere with the teaching of scientifically founded theories on climate change in public school science curricula. A bill in South Dakota would require each school board to adopt a code of ethics that prevents public school elementary and secondary …

Activists Targeted In Basra For Summer 2018 Protests

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 11 hours ago
Basra protests Sep 2018 (AP) During the summer of 2018 protests returned to Basra focused upon services like water and electricity, fighting corruption and better governance. They eventually turned into riots in Basra city that went after political parties, Hashd al-Shaabi groups, and the Iranian consulate. Several activists were arrested and killed in what organizers believed was retaliation by some of those same parties. Demonstrations started in Basra in July first in the outer districts and then in Basra city itself. The first were over power shortages and high salinity levels... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 20

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 11 hours ago
1940 Gen Umari Mosul garrison commander attempted coup rather than be forced to resign by Regent Put down by Golden Square officers (Musings On Iraq book review *The Role of the Military In Politics, A case study of Iraq to 1941*) 1969 Bakr govt executed opponents in central Baghdad 1985 US and Soviet officials met to discuss ways to end Iran-Iraq War Nothing came of it (Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988*) (Musings... more »

2018 Oil and Gas Lease Sales Generated Record Revenue of $1.1 Billion

IER at IER - 11 hours ago
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) generated $1.1 billion from oil and gas lease sales in calendar year 2018, nearly… The post 2018 Oil and Gas Lease Sales Generated Record Revenue of $1.1 Billion appeared first on IER.

Agribusiness's secretive plans to unravel food safety and worker protections

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Little-known council linked to NAFTA subverts public safety to free trade.

Precedent-setting ICSID arbitration award in favor of the Republic of Panama now final and binding

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Claimants failed to seek an annulment of the 12 October 2018 award, which dismissed the totality of claimants' claims against the Republic of Panama.

UFG denies reaching settlement agreement with Egypt

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 The Spanish Union Fenosa Gas (UFG) denies media reports that any settlement has been reached with Egypt in regard to the $2 billion dispute about the gas supply to the Damietta Liquefied Natural Gas plant.

Iranian firm likely to seize assets of Korean firms amid dispute

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 An Iranian business group Enterkhab is seeking to seize the overseas assets of Korean firms after winning a suit against the South Korean government in an investor-state dispute case.

Tunisie – UE : L'UTAP refuse l'ALECA dans sa version actuelle

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Selon l'Union tunisienne de l'agriculture et de la pêche, « cet accord constitue une forme d'intégration forcée, en raison de l'inégalité de fait existant, entre agriculture tunisienne et celle européenne » car la Tunisie est incapable de concurrencer l'UE.

EU committee shelves climate concerns to open US trade talks

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 The committee of the European Parliament for international trade endorsed opening trade talks with the US.

Accord de commerce UE-USA : le spectre d'un mini-TTIP

bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Au Parlement européen, la commission en charge du commerce international a adopté un projet de résolution à la suite de débats pour le moins tendus.

Time travel in church, “This is my Father’s world.”

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 11 hours ago
The sermon theme this past Sunday was “Drinking Tea,” which doesn’t make a lot of sense, except the idea was to relax from our busy distracted life and take in the beauty and complexity of God’s creation with a cup of tea, or good music, or the smell of frying bacon (yes, Joe actually fried up some bacon during the service). One of the hymns we sang Sunday was, “This is my Father’s world,” and I was immediately transported back in time to the junior choir at the little Lutheran church my family attended (but never joined) 1946-1951 in Forreston, Illinois. Our neighbor in Forreston,... more »

Measles Hysteria Peaks as More than 100 Bills in 30 States Seek to Restrict Vaccine Choice

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 11 hours ago
[image: measles]"Anti-vaxxer" and measles outbreak hysteria is sweeping the country and medical tyrants are using it to take away your rights.

BBC Producer Admits Douma “Chemical Attack” Was “Staged;” Confirms Independent Media Reporting

Brandon Turbeville at Activist Post - 12 hours ago
By Brandon Turbeville It’s almost a year after the bombing of al-Sha’aryat Airbase in Syria by the United States. Almost a year since the alleged... more »

Motorola 5G Phone Limits Radiation Exposure — Maybe Because Big Telecom Can’t Prove 5G is Safe and Insurance Won’t Cover Their Products

Activist Post at Activist Post - 12 hours ago
By B.N. Frank I can’t be the only one thinking that this new 5G Motorola phone with shutoff sensors to protect you from excessive 5G...more »

Primaries-- Against Long Island Incumbents

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
Yesterday we took a look at some of the prospective 2020 Democratic congressional primaries in New York City, based on a *NY Times* piece by Shane Goldmacher. I promised to finish up today with a look at the two possible Long Island primaries. I'll describe both. NY-03 is the North Shore district that starts in Suffolk County around Kings Park and Commack, heads west through Huntington, and into Nassau County towns like Oyster Bay, Hicksville, Glen Cove and Great Neck, winding up in northeast Queens (Douglaston and Beechhurst) ending at Alexandria Ocasio's district. It's a pretty ... more »

The U.S. Army Wants a 1,000 Mile Range Supergun to Kill China's Warships

James Clark from Task and Purpose at Test Feed Using Fields - 12 hours ago
*James Clark from Task and Purpose* *Security, * The Army is working on a supergun with a 1,000-mile range that could potentially hit targets in the South China Sea from a gun pit on land, Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters on Wednesday. *This could be a really big deal. * The Army is working on a supergun with a 1,000-mile range that could potentially hit targets in the South China Sea from a gun pit on land, Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters on Wednesday. *(This first appeared last month.)* "You can imagine a scenario where the Navy feels that it cannot get into ... more »

Israel's Secret Weapon: Kamikaze Drones (And We Might Have the Video)

Sebastien Roblin at Test Feed Using Fields - 12 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * Here is all we know. *Syrian air defense troops reportedly fired dozens of missiles in response, primarily medium-range missiles from Buk air defense systems (SA-17), and 57E6 missiles from short-range Pantsir-S1 (SA-22) systems.* On January 21, Iranian, Syrian and Israeli forces unleashed a hail of missiles upon each other in what is becoming yet another flare-up of violence along the Syria-Israel border. Afterwards, the Israeli Defense Force released a video depicting unidentified munitions eliminating two or three short-range air defense syste... more »

It’s Back to the Iran-Contra Days Under Trump

Strategic Culture Foundation at The Duran - 12 hours ago
Abrams and his cronies will not stop with Venezuela. The post It’s Back to the Iran-Contra Days Under Trump appeared first on The Duran.

Putin: If mid-range missiles deployed in Europe, Russia will station arms to strike decision centers

RT at The Duran - 12 hours ago
Putin: If US deploys mid-range missiles in Europe, Russia will be forced to respond. The post Putin: If mid-range missiles deployed in Europe, Russia will station arms to strike decision centers appeared first on The Duran.

Labour MP split is a cheap and final ploy to derail BREXIT (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 12 hours ago
The Duran – News in Review – Episode 179. The post Labour MP split is a cheap and final ploy to derail BREXIT (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

The Fake News about Humanitarian Aid and Venezuela

Alan MacLeod at 12 hours ago
[image: undefined] In recent times the international media, including many who promised to “resist” the dangerous commander-in-chief Donald Trump, have been awash with stories about Nicolas Maduro blocking US “humanitarian aid” reaching Venezuela. Maduro is said to have even blocked a bridge in his desperation to starve his own people (see, for example, CNN, CBC, Associated Press, BBC , NPR, ABC, Bloomberg, The Guardian). A constant flow of stories such as this have served to establish a narrative of a dictator blocking a benevolent US government from helping its desperate people. So... more »

Hurricanes and Climate Change: Attribution

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Originally posted on Climate Etc.: by Judith Curry Part II: what causes variations and changes in hurricane activity? 4. Detection and attribution of changes in hurricane activity If oceans are getting warmer as a result of climate change, so the argument goes, surely hurricane activity must increase as a result, particularly hurricane intensity. However, most…

Arctic Sea Ice Volume 19-Feb-2019

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: From DMI

White House to assess if climate change poses a national security threat

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Originally posted on Tallbloke's Talkshop: Earth and climate – an ongoing controversy Another battle between artificial paranoia and natural common sense beckons. The White House is working to assemble a panel to assess whether climate change poses a national security threat, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post, a conclusion that federal intelligence…

Dilbert Creator, Scott Adams: ‘The hockey stick is literally a symbol of lying’

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Reblogged from Watts Up With That: Anthony Watts / February 20, 2019 That’s direct quote from Scott Adams in this video he posted yesterday. Well worth your time. In this video, ‘Dilbert’ creator Scott Adams solves the climate debate and saves the world (really). Watch: https://www.pscp.tv/ScottAdamsSays/1gqGvnVYBYBGB h/t to Joe Born

Mog or Pinz?

LL at Virtual Mirage - 12 hours ago
When you own a Unimog, this makes perfect sense (right) I don't own a Unimog, but I *am* looking at a Pinzgauer, for hauling grandkids here and there on the mountain. During Elk season, I'll hire it out with a driver (me) to help get city hunter's game out of the tough spots after I've finally retired and am living the life of a country squire. The Mog works, but for my application, the Pinz may be a better option. What do you all think? To get the big beasts out intact, I'll install a winch in the back with some removable rollers there on the rear bumper and will just muscle the ... more »

Foreign Policy Overreach: Trump’s Campaign to Decriminalize Homosexuality

Raven Clabough at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: foreign-policy-overreach-trumps-campaign-to-decriminalize-homosexuality] President Trump has launched a global campaign to end criminalization of homosexuality in countries where homosexual activity is illegal.

Google Nest Has a Microphone that Wasn’t Supposed to Be A Secret..

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
*They just forgot to tell consumers about it being there since 2017Google also claims "it was never on" so don’t you worry about that at all ;)* *Link* & *Link* Nest’s latest headache involves its modular Nest Secure security system. More specifically, a microphone that customers weren’t aware was included in the base device. And while Google admits it messed up, it’s definitely not convincing users the company has their best interest at heart. Google, which owns Nest, announced earlier this month it was adding Google Assistant support for the Nest Guard—one of three products tha... more »

Trump’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy: Aspirations Without Teeth

cwatney at Lawfare - 12 hours ago
President Trump signs the Executive Order on “Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” (Source: US Mission to the OECD) On Feb. 11, the White House released an executive order on “Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” (AI)—the latest attempt to develop a national strategy for AI. The order envisions the United States taking significant steps to increase research and development efforts while reforming its executive agencies to better compete with the Chinese government’s investments in AI development through its Made in China 2025 plan. Alt... more »

Clark Kent Was Right: Subtle Disguises Are Effective

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 12 hours ago
In the comics and films, Clark Kent wore reading glasses while Superman had no glasses but sported a lock of hair on his forehead - and no one figured it out. Ridiculous, it was later said. Perhaps it was ridiculous if keen reporters who knew Kent well did not figure it out, but for the most part even subtle disguises work well for most people, according to a new study. Something as minor as complexion changes or a hairstyle are enough to convince people that in a world of six billion people, a one in a million chance of seeing a person who looks like someone you know is not that ba... more »

Single Top Production Nailed By LHC Experiments

Tommaso Dorigo at Science 2.0 blogs - 12 hours ago
The ATLAS and CMS collaborations released yesterday a joint document where they discuss the combination of their measurements of the rate of production of single top quarks in proton-proton collisions delivered by the LHC collider. The exercise is not an idle one, as the physics behind the production processes is interesting, and its study as well as the precise comparison of experimental results and theory predictions improves our ability to predict other reactions, wherein we might find deviations from the currently accepted theory, the Standard Model. read more

After 60 years, the F-4 Phantom is on the way out - but it's still very impressive

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 12 hours ago
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II first flew 60 years ago. It became the mainstay of the US Air Force and Navy, and was exported to countries all over the world. It's still in front-line service in Greece, Turkey, Iran, South Korea and Japan. However, the last-named country is about to phase it out at last, after 50 years of service. An F-4 squadron will be converting to the F-35 later this year. In preparation for the phase-out, aviation photographer Carl Wrightson and Rich Cooper, head of the Center of Aviation Photography, made a pilgrimage to Japan for a final photo shoo... more »

Brazil’s Bolsonaro Delivers Social Security Reform to Congress

Lise Alves at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, delivered the new project for the country’s social security reform in Congress on Wednesday morning. The government estimates that the reform will allow for an economy of almost one trillion reais over the next ten years. “Brazil can only move […] The post Brazil’s Bolsonaro Delivers Social Security Reform to Congress appeared first on The Rio Times.

Listen up Maxine Waters: I'm proud to be a "non-patriot"...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 12 hours ago
*if you're an example of a "patriot"* *“And those people who want the wall are not not patriots, they’re not people who love this country, they’re not people who stand up for what’s right, and so we’ve got to resist this president and this so-called fake emergency."* A lone "non-patriot" Trump supporter was brave enough to wade into the angry crowd with an American flag. They stole his hat and told him to perform an impossible anatomical act on himself. Amazon Today

Kim or Trump? Hanoi Barber Offers Leaders’ Hairdos for Free

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
As the summit frenzy grips Hanoi, hairdresser Le Tuan Duong has joined in, offering free Trump or Kim hairstyles to about a dozen customers.

Border Wall, Bullet Train: California vs. Trump Escalates

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
The U.S. Department of Transportation told California it planned to cancel nearly $1 billion in federal money allocated to the rail project and wanted the state to return $2.5 billion it had already spent.

What Is Your State's Grade For Data Privacy Protection?

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 13 hours ago
If data is the new oil, then schools are the new Ghawar field. Nearly every single person in a generation passes through a school, and virtually all of them encounter computer-based technology. And everything that a computer assesses, measures, and facilitates, it can also record and store. You may think that such data is fiercely protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). As originally passed, FERPA did not even allow schools to share student data with other government agencies. But in 2008 and 2011 the law was weakened, allowing student data to be shared wi... more »

Dr. Brian Hooker’s statement to WA legislators

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 13 hours ago
By Brian S. Hooker, Science Advisor, Focus for Health and Board Member, Children’s Health Defense This article originally published by Focus for Health. Dr. Hooker provided testimony last Friday, February 8, 2019, for the Washington State House Health Committee regarding the vaccines and the Personal Belief Exemption (PBE) bill that was introduced. Recent outbreaks of […] The post Dr. Brian Hooker’s statement to WA legislators appeared first on Health Nut News.

Raising children near their grandparents has scientific benefits (besides the free babysitting)

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 13 hours ago
When grandparents and grandchildren are able to live close together so that each can spend a great deal of time with the other, many fascinating bonds emerge! Not only that, but research shows that raising children near their grandparents presents many scientific benefits, such that go beyond free, convenient babysitting for parents. RELATED STORY: Perhaps […] The post Raising children near their grandparents has scientific benefits (besides the free babysitting) appeared first on Health Nut News.

ADVANTAGE HARARI: Who gives a fig about climate change?

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019Two "cable news" nets take a hike:* Greta Thunberg is 16 years old. She's also a "global climate activist" based in her native Sweden. In this morning's New York Times, Somini Sengupta describes the attention Thunberg has been receiving for her ongoing efforts. We were struck by the following passage, in which Thunberg directs a bit of pique at some unnamed grown-ups: SENGUPTA (2/20/19): All this attention, she said out of earshot of the others, is great. It means “people are listening.” But then, a knife-blade flash of rage revealed itself. *“It’s s... more »

Canadian government contracts up for grabs for cannabis businesses

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 13 hours ago
From same-day delivery service in Ontario to paper bags for BC Cannabis Stores, millions of dollars in provincial government contracts are up for grabs for businesses looking to capitalize on legal marijuana. It’s especially important for Canadian businesses to pay attention to the calls for public tender – the invitation to bid to provide services […] Canadian government contracts up for grabs for cannabis businesses is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Maine chooses Metrc for cannabis seed-to-sale tracking

Jeff Smith at Marijuana Business Daily - 13 hours ago
Maine officials said the state signed a three-year, $150,000 contract with Florida-based Franwell to use its Metrc system to track the growth and distribution of marijuana products. The service will be used initially in Maine’s existing medical cannabis program, regulators said, and eventually in the state’s recreational program, which is in development. Officials from the […] Maine chooses Metrc for cannabis seed-to-sale tracking is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Exclusive: The Moral Disengagement of Education Reform

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig at Cloaking Inequity - 13 hours ago
This week I blogged about the 2019 International School Choice and Reform conference in Portugal. What I didn’t mention in the post (See FROM PORTUGAL, WITH NO LOVE FROM THE EDUCATION REFORMERS) was the Twitter onslaught and venom from the White neoliberals directed towards Steve Nelson about his research after the conference. Wanted to say @BrotherCitizen is one of my favorite follows!

What Good Is A Wall? Trump Signed a Bill to Increase Immigration and Make It Impossible to deport Illegal Aliens

Grindall61 at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
President Trump signed a spending bill that includes measures that makes it impossible to deport illegal aliens who have relatives, sponsors, or even fiends of unaccompanied alien children, which is chain migration on steroids.

In America, Hate Hoaxes Far Exceed Actual Hate Crimes

Fox News at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
Tucker Carlson reviews the long record of Hate Hoaxes in America. Collectivist leaders on both the left and the right want to weaken the country with disunity and violence because divided populations are easier to manipulate and rule.

Freshman Representative Ilhan Omar Was Labeled Anti-Semitic for Saying the Pro-Israeli Lobby Influences Congress Through Donations

Mondoweiss at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
M.J. Rosenberg, who worked for AIPAC for years in the 70’s and 80’s, confirmed that Ilhan Omar’s tweet concerning AIPAC was correct and that political fundraising is a huge part of AIPAC’s operation. Rosenberg confirmed that AIPAC is a very organized money distribution system.

Former CBS Reporter Confirms Mainstream Media Liberal Bias, Says 85% of Journalists Are Registered Democrats

Lara Logan at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
Former CBS chief foreign news correspondent, Laura Logan, called out the liberal bias and arrogance in mainstream media. She blamed the media for not pursuing objectivity anymore, arguing journalists have evolved into “political activists.” She said that 85% of journalists are registered Democrats.

Who Gains from Turning Europe into a Potential Nuclear Battlefield?

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 13 hours ago
*February 20, 2019* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The United States and its NATO partners are attempting to make the case for Washington's decision to abandon the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Claims that the Russian Federation has been violating the treaty have yet to be substantiated with anything resembling credible evidence. Also missing is any rational explanation as to why Russia would develop or deploy nuclear weapons capable of launching a nuclear strike on Europe without warning - a scenario the INF Treaty was created to deter. Bloomberg in its article, "Nucl... more »

US Mining Sites Dump 50M Gallons of Fouled Wastewater Daily

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 13 hours ago
It is poisoning aquatic life and tainting drinking water sources in Montana, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and at least five other states.

Heal Eczema Naturally - That's What They Did

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 13 hours ago
*Source of pictures:* *https://www.instagram.com/dehappy5_mama/*

Ford Employees in Brazil Strike After Announcement of Plant Closing

Lise Alves at The Rio Times - 13 hours ago
By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Reacting to the news of the closing of its truck manufacturing plant in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, workers from the Ford Auto plant decided to strike on Tuesday. Earlier in the day Ford Motor Company Brasil announced it was closing down the […] The post Ford Employees in Brazil Strike After Announcement of Plant Closing appeared first on The Rio Times.

MAGA teen sues Washington Post for 'falsely accusing' him of racist acts

Just In - 13 hours ago
High school student Nick Sandmann, 16, is seeking $349 million in damages — the amount Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos paid for the Washington Post — over defamation claims.

Three of May's Conservatives are leaving to join fellow Labour defectors in an independent group

Just In - 13 hours ago
The pro-EU politicians quitting the party describe Prime Minister Theresa May's handling of Brexit as "disastrous", and will join eight MPs from who left the opposition Labour Party to form a new centrist group.

On the Beginning of Political Science

Anoop Verma at The Verma Report - 13 hours ago
I am now reading Eric Voegelin’s book *The New Science of Politics*. Voegelin is of the view that a theory of politics must at the same time be a theory of history. He begins his Introduction to the book with this line, “The existence of man in political society is historical existence; and a theory of politics, if it penetrates to principles, must at the same time be a theory of history.” The book is full of quotable lines. Voegelin looks at Aristotle’s *Ethics* and *Politics* (on page 28) and offers the following perspective on the origin of the discipline of political science: ... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 13 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Are We On the Road to Civilization Collapse? BBC(!) "Studies suggest that the EROI for fossil fuels has been steadily decreasing over time as the easiest to reach and richest reserves are depleted. Unfortunately, most renewable replacements, such as solar, have a markedly lower EROI, largely due to their energy density and the rare earth metals and manufacturing required to produce them." Editor of Alabama Newspaper Calls for KKK to "Night Ride" Again India Weighs Military Strikes In Kashmir After Deadliest Terror Attack In 30 Years"I’m Committing Professional Su... more »

This is Your Brain On Serotonin

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*Jacob Devaney* - Understanding the cocktail of chemicals that fuel our consciousness.

Public Health Warning Issued for Fluoride Toothpaste

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*Dr. Mercola* - Did you know that toothpaste can be very dangerous for your children?

EPA Declares Fake ‘Emergency’ to Allow Dumping of Bee-Killing Pesticides on 16 Million Acres

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*Elias Marat* - The bees and pollinator insects desperately need our protection right now.

EXCLUSIVE: Video Shows Cop Hold Gun to Man’s Head Over Alleged Speeding Ticket

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: speeding]Because a man dared to ask why he was being pulled over, a state trooper held a gun to his head to force compliance.

Worshipping Electronic Images

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
Donald Trump is a clear and present danger. But he needs to be understood, Chris Hedges writes, in the context of the digital revolution -- which has made the electronic image paramount: Donald Trump, like much of the American public, is entranced by electronic images. He interprets reality through the distortions of digital media. His decisions, opinions, political positions, prejudices and sense of self are reflected back to him on screens. He views himself and the world around him as a vast television show with himself as the star. His primary concerns as president are his rati... more »

Picture This: China's Air Force Having 2 Deadly Stealth Bombers

Sebastien Roblin at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * It may just happen. *If the JH-XX is truly under active development, then additional rumors and photos may eventually surface. Until then, the supersonic * *stealth-bomber’s** development status must come with an asterisk, even if that won’t dissuade model-makers and defense writers alike from speculation.* In January 2018, two sentences in an annual report by the DIA on Chinese military power sent a minor shockwave rippling across the defense-related internet: “The PLAAF is developing new medium- and long-range stealth bombers to strike regiona... more »

The Marines $150 Million Rifle: What Is the Heckler & Koch M27 So Expensive?

Task and Purpose at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Task and Purpose* *Security, * A really good question. *Optics **matter,** and nothing is above scrutiny when we’re talking about a contract worth as much as $150 million that will shape the course of Marine lethality for decades — especially when lawmakers seem more fixated on where the rifle is made and not the exorbitant price tag**.* In their race to field a more powerful automatic rifle, the Marine Corps sidestepped the normal acquisition process and approved a contract to buy them at price tag five times that of the current M4 rifle. The $150 million deal, which may have... more »

Imagine This: The Navy SEALs Might Get Their Own Submarines

Joseph Trevithick at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Joseph Trevithick* *Security, * How much more deadly can they get? The U.S. Navy is hard at work developing new underwater transports for its elite commandos. The SEALs expect the new craft—and improvements to large submarine “motherships” that will carry them—to be ready by the end of the decade. SEALs have ridden in small submersibles to sneak into hostile territory for decades. For instance, the special operators reportedly used the vehicles to slip into Somalia and spy on terrorists in 2003. *(This first appeared in 2014.)* Now the sailing branch is looking to buy *two... more »

This Deadly Russian Warship Is the Closest Think to a Battleship Sailing Today

Robert Farley at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * How deadly is a Battlecruiser? *Displacing twenty-six thousand tons, the Kirovs dwarfed previous Soviet surface ships. Indeed, the United States itself had not constructed surface warfare vessels of this size since World War II. Only aircraft carriers and large, flat-decked **amphibs** exceeded the Kirov’s in size.* In the 1970s, the Soviet Union embarked on a project to do what no navy had done for decades—build a surface warfare vessel comparable in size to the battleships of World War I and World War II. The U.S. Navy—and every other navy in the ... more »

How the U.S. Navy's New Aircraft Carriers (Armed with F-35s) Could Be Unstoppable

Kris Osborn at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * Some big upgrades are coming. The Navy is making lethality enhancing “modifications” to its next two new Ford-class aircraft carriers, to include weapons-oriented ship-adjustments intended to further increase overall aircraft carrier combat effectiveness. The initiatives, according to Navy statements, involve specific aircraft carrier modifications intended to, among other things, improve the maritime warfighting potential of how a carrier integrates with the soon-to-arrive F-35C and MQ-25 Stingray drone aerial refueler. These now-underway modificatio... more »

The Geopolitics Of South-East Europe And Importance Of The Regional Geostrategic Position (I)

Vladislav B. SOTIROVIĆ at OrientalReview.org - 14 hours ago
The geopolitical issue of South-East Europe became of very importance for the scholars, policymakers, and researchers with the question of the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire as one of the most crucial features of the beginning of the 20th century in European history. A graduate collapsing of the one-time great […] The post The Geopolitics Of South-East Europe And Importance Of The Regional Geostrategic Position (I) appeared first on OrientalReview.org.

Trump goes for space domination and the 'Space Force'

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago
*White House Announcement: Trump is Establishing America’s Space Force* *"Our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity, but a matter of national security."* *~ President Donald J. Trump* *ESTABLISHING THE SPACE FORCE: President Donald J. Trump’s Space Policy Directive-4 is a bold, strategic step toward guaranteeing American space dominance that sets the framework for establishing the United States Space Force.* - Space Policy Directive-4 calls on the Secretary of Defense to develop a legislative proposal establishing the Space Force as the sixth... more »

Americans Are Asked What The Biggest Threats Are To The U.S. And Trump Tops The List

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
Along with a poll released yesterday, Gallup noted that 35% of Americans "name the government, poor leadership or politicians as the greatest problem facing the U.S. This is the highest percentage Gallup has recorded for this concern... 11% specifically citing Trump as the most important problem (5% name the Democrats or liberals and 1% Congress). When asked to name the #1 biggest problem for the country, this is how it came out in the wash: *•* The government/Poor leadership- 35% *•* Immigration- 19% *•* Healthcare- 6% *•* Race relations/Racism- 5% *•* Unifying the country- 4% *•... more »

MEDIA: FEEL THE MIGHTY POWER OF DONALD TRUMP

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 15 hours ago
Yes, this happened, but why does it deserve its own new story? Trump revives ‘Crazy Bernie’ nickname as Sanders enters 2020 race https://t.co/RA5kXkoNff — Post Politics (@postpolitics) February 20, 2019 President Trump revived the moniker of “Crazy Bernie” on Wednesday as he greeted the entry of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the 2020 presidential race. “Crazy Bernie has just entered the race. I wish him well!” Trump said in a morning tweet, using the same nickname he used to deride Sanders when he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. Crazy Bernie has just enter... more »

Troubling Trends in Ambassadorial Appointments: 1980 to the Present

rscoville at Lawfare - 15 hours ago
Then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with U.S. ambassadors and chargé d'affaires for South America, February 2018 (Source: Flickr/State Department) Since the 1950s, presidents have consistently allocated roughly 30 percent of ambassadorial appointments to individuals who are not career diplomats. This practice, atypical among advanced democracies and a recurrent source of controversy, is currently on track to expand: Over the first two years of the Trump administration, more than 40 percent of appointments to bilateral ambassadorships went to presidential supporters who are... more »

Editor's Note

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
Stuck in meetings this morning. Blogging will return later today.

Ants, Twinkies, Cockroaches; What Could Really Survive A Nuclear Apocalypse?

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 15 hours ago
Cockroaches have a reputation for resilience, likely contributing to the belief that they could even survive a nuclear bomb and subsequent radiation exposure. And though Fukushima was not a nuclear bomb, or even a real disaster (more people died trying to escape than from radiation), the claim that cockroaches were found led weight to their constitutions.(a) But is it really accurate? In the future, if a disgraced doctor finds Alita: Battle Angel in a junk pile, will she be with a cockroach? read more

Pilot Killed When 2 Jets From India’s Air Force Aerobatics Team Collided Mid-Air

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
Jets from India’s Air Force aerobatics team collide mid-air READ MORE: https://t.co/UiMqm4nk8W pic.twitter.com/lbctF4ADmX — RT (@RT_com) February 20, 2019 *RT:** 2 jets from India’s Air Force aerobatics team collide mid-air (VIDEO*) One pilot died after two aircraft from the Indian Air Force (INF) aerobatics team, known as Surya Kiran (Rays of the Sun), crashed while rehearsing for Aero India Show 2019. There were three pilots in total on both jets – one died while the two others ejected safely, local media reported, citing officials. Footage from the scene shows the planes fal... more »

Russian Warships Shadow U.S. Destroyer Donald Cook In The Black Sea

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
#BREAKING #USSDonaldCook has begun its transit through the Dardanelles Strait on its way into the Black Sea for routine ops. .#USNavy routinely operates in the #BlackSea consistent with the #MontreuxConvention & international law. .https://t.co/tAGU4Gua41 pic.twitter.com/CIRXoVM1FK — U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (@USNavyEurope) February 19, 2019 *Stars and Stripes:* *Russia shadows USS Donald Cook as it returns to Black Sea* The USS Donald Cook transited the Dardanelles Strait on Tuesday en route to its second Black Sea operation in a month as Russia again shado... more »

Problemas con el boletín semanal

bilaterals.org - 15 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Hemos tenido problemas con el envío del boletín semanal y estamos trabajando para resolver el problema

Lyndon LaRouche Passes Away at 96

John F. McManus at rss - 15 hours ago
[image: lyndon-larouche-passes-away-at-96] The movement spawned by Lyndon LaRouche has always been a curious mixture of Marxism, anti-establishmentarianism salted with distasteful rhetoric, eerie people control of followers, and dose after dose of unadulterated fantasy.

Meghan Markle broke Royal protocol with New York baby shower. Or did she?

Yasmin Jeffery at Just In - 15 hours ago
With weeks to go until she gives birth, Meghan is in New York for her baby shower. If the tabloid press is to be believed, the Duchess of Sussex is breaking Royal rules by doing so.

Weekly Deal Watch: New cannabis markets, value creators ripe for investment

Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier at Marijuana Business Daily - 16 hours ago
Weekly Deal Watch: New cannabis markets, value creators ripe for investment is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*Home Is Where the Classroom Is...* Eighty percent of the Anaheim school district may be Spanish-speaking, but parents know how to say one thing, “Enough!” When classrooms started passing off transgender propaganda as part the “wellness” curriculum, one mom made sure every Latino family knew exactly what the district was up to. Pretty soon, the message from moms and dads needed no translation: drop your campaign — or spend the next year fighting the community. It started harmlessly enough. A year and a half ago, district officials sent word home that two elementary students w... more »

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*First mammal declared extinct as a result of human-induced climate change (?)* *This is an old fraud. What is not mentioned below is that Melomys exists in their tens of thousands in neighboring areas -- both on islands and on the coast. And I have not seen even the slightest attempt to show that the Melomys on Bramble Cay is in any way unique. As far as we know it is essentially identical with the Melomys in neigboring locations. So when the say that the Bramble Cay melomys is extinct, it is just a slimy way of saying that Melomys is extinct on Bramble Cay, w... more »

Pulwama Terrorism: Pakistan Warns India Against Attacking – “We Will Retaliate if India Attacks”!

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
BBC News Published on Feb 19, 2019 Pakistan has warned it will retaliate if India takes military action against it after a militant attack on Indian forces in Indian-administered Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan went on television to call on India to provide evidence to support its claims that Pakistan was involved. More than 40 […]

Iraq's brutal crackdown on suspected Islamic State supporters could trigger civil war

Angela D. Nichols, Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 16 hours ago
Iraq beat the Islamic State. Now, its Shia government is jailing and even executing all suspected terrorists – most of them Sunni Muslims. The clampdown may inflame a centuries-old sectarian divide.

One-party rule in 49 state legislatures reflects flaws in democratic process

Nancy Martorano Miller, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Dayton at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 16 hours ago
The majority of US state legislatures are controlled by Republicans because legislative districts are drawn to favor them. Voters are catching on, but change will be slow.

Meet the AR-15 Pistol (Yes, This Is Real)

WarIsBoring at Test Feed Using Fields - 16 hours ago
*WarIsBoring* *Security, * A really bad idea? For years the AR-15 pistol had a rough time in the handgun and personal defense weapon markets. Reviews tended to be critical or even dismissive. Some even openly mocked the weapon for its supposed impracticality. The public wasn’t very interested in it other than as a novelty gun. There was good reason for that. The pistol version of the popular semi-automatic rifle didn’t offer many advantages over its longer-barrel counterpart, and in fact suffered several disadvantages. The shorter barrel meant less accuracy and power, even whe... more »

Covington attorney sues Washington Post for dangerously fake news

Seraphim Hanisch at The Duran - 16 hours ago
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this is that the newspaper plans to try to defend itself, when its fake reporting endangered minors' lives. The post Covington attorney sues Washington Post for dangerously fake news appeared first on The Duran.

Your job - and what will replace you

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 16 hours ago
It won't necessarily be a "machine" as such - it may be a computer program instead. Nevertheless, a very large proportion of traditional blue-collar and white-collar jobs are, *right now,* being replaced by automation; or, at the very least, their replacement is already being planned. The threat is real, and it's *immediate,* not sometime in the future. A couple of days ago, I mentioned, in passing, a New York Times article titled "The Hidden Automation Agenda of the Davos Elite". Here's an excerpt. Bold, underlined text is my emphasis. All over the world, executives are spendi... more »

Wednesday Morning Links

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 16 hours ago
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. - Eugene Robinson writes about the need to respond to climate breakdown with ambition rather than undue hesitation. Martin Wolf rightly points out that pricing alone won't get us anywhere close to reducing carbon emissions to a sustainable level in time to avert catastrophe. And Simon Wren-Lewis argues that to the extent the cost of averting environmental catastrophe can't be funded through immediate tax revenue, it's worth dealing with through public debt. - Daniel Aldana Cohen points out the role a massive investment in housing ca... more »

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