Monday, January 20, 2020

20 January - Blogs I'm Following - 4 of 5

10:18 pm MST

The Battle for Aleppo: HTS Opens New Front to Draw Syria and Russia Away from Idlib

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 16 hours ago
*Khaled Iskef* | As pressure mounts on the terrorist stronghold of Idlib, militants attempt to draw Syrian and Russian forces away into a defensive effort to save Aleppo.

Ex-Bush official: OPCW’s Syria cover-up recalls Iraq war lies

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 16 hours ago
Former Bush administration official Col. Lawrence Wilkerson says that reports of US pressure on the OPCW’s Syria chemical weapons investigation in Douma recall the Bush administration’s coercion of the IAEA and OPCW before the Iraq war.

Rebecca Long-Bailey Labour leadership campaign marks end of “project Corbyn”

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 16 hours ago
The nominally “left” candidate in the Labour Party leadership contest, Rebecca-Long Bailey, launched her campaign at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester Friday. The event confirmed that four years of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership have changed nothing fundamental about the Labour Party.

The Murder Of Qassem Soleimani Will Deter No One

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 16 hours ago
The Trump administration sees the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani as a form of deterrence not only with regards to Iran but also towards Russia, China and others. That view is wrong.

S. Korea vows to bolster economic cooperation with Russia, Mongolia

bilaterals.org - 16 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 South Korea plans to bolster economic ties with Russia, Mongolia and other Central Asian nations and use the momentum to buttress recovery of the export-driven economy.

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 16 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Who Targeted Ukraine Airlines Flight 752? 'This is not how sequoias die. It’s supposed to stand for another 500 years'The New U.S. Trade Deal Is Climate SabotageHas the World Economy Reached Peak Growth? Parnas said he is speaking out because he is afraid of William Barr FBI: Saudi government ‘almost certainly’ helps its citizens escape prosecution in US for serious crimes *Earth shattering... that the FBI finally admits it.* Countries with more female politicians pass more ambitious climate policies, study suggests Amazon is working to develop biometric scanners to ... more »

In 43 Days We Can Send A Fighting Progressive To Congress... Or Settle For A Garden Variety Democrat

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
Maryland's 7th congressional district-- plus the suburbs and small towns to the west and to the north of the city including Ellicott City, Cooksville and Columbia-- is so blue (D+26) that the election that matters is not in November but 43 days from today-- primary day in Maryland. Whichever Democrat wins on that day, will be the next Congress member. The choice isn't between a Democrat and a Republican. The choice is between any number of run of the mill corporate careerist Democrats or a real live, bold progressive. Among the three top contenders, there are 2 establishment Democ... more »

Judge Says Brazil Lives a “Neoliberal Neofascist Crapocracy”

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 16 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Labor court judge Jerônimo Azambuja Franco Neto described the current moment in Brazil as a "neoliberal neo-fascist crapocracy" when handing down a decision in a labor case, published on Thursday, 16th. "The neo-liberal neo-fascist crapocracy is there for anyone who wants or can see it," wrote the substitute judge in […] The post Judge Says Brazil Lives a “Neoliberal Neofascist Crapocracy” appeared first on The Rio Times.

Coming to a boil in Virginia?

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 16 hours ago
Many commenters, including myself, have urged caution in the weeks leading up to today's VCDL "Lobby Day" pro-Second-Amendment protest in Richmond, Virginia. We've pointed out that the newly-installed Democratic Party administration in that state has basically set things up so that they can't lose. Any incident is going to be blamed on right-wing agitators, redneck rebels and "bitter clingers", and used as an excuse to implement even harsher repression against those who place a higher value on the Constitution of the United States than upon current politically correct shibboleths... more »

MLK: The assassination and the real story

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 16 hours ago
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., took a public and unpopular stance against the Vietnam War, declaring it an enemy of the poor in the United States. In his 1967 speech, Beyond Vietnam, King argued that young African American men were sent “to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia or East Harlem”. MLK was killed exactly one year after making his controversial speech opposing the war. I highly recommend this book 'The Plot to Kill King: The Truth Behind the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.' by King-family lawyer William Pepper. Will... more »

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*Parents Challenge ‘Radical’ LGBT Curriculum in New Jersey Schools* TRENTON, N.J.—Parents are plenty angry about a New Jersey law that requires LGBT material to be incorporated into public school classroom instruction. The parents say they are concerned the new law will “teach lifestyles and life choices that stand 100% against our family values.” They object to their tax dollars being used for what they call an “assault on religious liberty.” And they say a special interest group helping develop curriculum for the new requirements has a “radical agenda” that could jeopardize the h... more »

Flashback July 2019: Pentagon Ordered to Unveil Terrifying Biological Weapon Able to Unleash Killer Disease

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Pentagon Ordered to Unveil Terrifying Biological Weapon Able to Unleash Killer Disease by BILL MCLOUGHLIN, https://www.express.co.uk/ THE US Congress has unveiled a new bill which demands the Pentagon to unveil a potentially devastating biological warfare experiment. – The bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives, required Pentagon chiefs to disclose whether researches infected …

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*Trump’s EPA is said to cut scientists out of new water policy* With the Trump administration poised to roll back key protections for much of the nation’s wetlands, scientists at the US Environmental Protection Agency are accusing the agency’s political appointees of ignoring their advice and barring them from shaping sweeping new guidelines, violating the agency’s longstanding policies. One scientist was so distraught that the agency veteran started to cry while explaining how EPA administrators have cut specialists out of the process of crafting rules that prevent development an... more »

Trump Should Offer Diplomatic Ties to North Korea—But Insist on Talking about Human Rights

Doug Bandow at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Doug Bandow* *Security, Asia* One expert--who has been to North Korea--explains how to do it. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has grown quite sensitive about the issue of human rights. Before Christmas, the North’s UN ambassador denounced a critical resolution as the product of “hostile forces that obsess with inveterate hatred against us.” The U.S. also came under fire. A foreign ministry spokesman criticized Washington’s “malicious words” and “grave political provocation.” Pyongyang warned that the U.S. would “pay dearly” for its statements, which “will only produc... more »

Is America Overestimating The China Challenge?

James Pethokoukis at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*James Pethokoukis* *Security, * Let's take a look. For many avid watchers of last year’s *Chernobyl*, which recently won a 2020 Golden Globe award for best television miniseries, some of the most harrowing moments probably had nothing to do with the nuclear reactor meltdown. Instead, the big shocker was seeing just how poorly middle-class Soviets lived in the 1980s, especially those faithfully-recreated dingy and rotting apartments. More than a few millennial viewers probably wondered how their parents and grandparents could have been so worried about a geopolitical challenge f... more »

How to Win World War III: Cutting the Internet, From Undersea

Steve Weintz at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Steve Weintz* *Security, * [image: Cable layer in Cherbouh, France] That would end a war, quickly. *Key point: *Cut up undersea hydrophone networks and you deafen your adversary. Cut Internet cables and you have the ultimate denial-of-service cyber weapon.­ When a July 2015 undersea tremor triggered a rockslide between the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands, it cut the only fiber-optic cable connecting the archipelago to the global network. Air traffic control grounded flights, automated teller machines shut down, web and phone connections broke. All... more »

Ready, Aim, Fire!: Here's the Best Five Hunting Rifles on Earth

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Americas* Bam! *Key Point:* The best hunting rifles are a combination of firepower, portability and affordability. Hunting, more than other countries in the Western world, lingers in America’s DNA. While the number of hunters in Europe and the rest of the industrialized world has declined with the rise of cities, hunting is still a major sport in the United States. Hunting is particularly popular in rural and suburban areas and large, stable populations of game, including deer, moose, and wild pigs are liberally distributed across North America. For m... more »

Europe Has an Oil and Gas Problem It Won't Easily Be Able to Fix

Victor Davis Hanson at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Victor Davis Hanson* *Politics, Americas* As in who they guy from. Despite its cool Green parties and ambitious wind and solar agendas, Europe remains by far the world’s largest importer of oil and natural gas. Oil output in the North Sea and off the coast of Norway is declining, and the European Union is quietly looking for fossil fuel energy anywhere it can find it. Europe itself is naturally rich in fossil fuels. It likely has more reserves of shale gas than the United States, currently the world’s largest producer of both oil and natural gas. Yet in most European countrie... more »

Boom or Bust? Expect America's Economy To Change In The 2020s

James Pethokoukis at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*James Pethokoukis* *Economics, * Looking to the future, how might population growth, trade, Big Tech, and new innovations all affect America’s capacity for economic growth? How will economists look back on the economy of the 2010s — as the longest economic expansion in US history, or as a period in which the US was stuck below three percent growth for ten years? And looking to the future, how might population growth, trade, Big Tech, and new innovations all affect America’s capacity for economic growth? Peter Klenow and I recently discussed this on last week’s episode of Politi... more »

Links 1/20/2020

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago

"The Biggest Stock Market 'Melt Up' In U.S. History Has Pushed Stock Prices To Most Overvalued Levels Ever"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
*"The Biggest Stock Market 'Melt Up' In U.S. History * *Has Pushed Stock Prices To Most Overvalued Levels Ever"* by Michael Snyder "But you can't make people listen. They have to come round in their own time, wondering what happened and why the world blew up around them." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 "Over the past several months, we have witnessed one of the greatest stock market rallies in American history. The S&P 500 has gone 70 days in a row without a 1 percent loss, and most weeks we have seen one daily surge after another. If stock prices were exploding because the underly... more »

Responding to Helen Petousis Harris

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 17 hours ago
By John Stone It was admittedly not surprising Sciblogs, New Zealand chose not to post my irreverent comment on the post 'The WHO Vaccine Safety Summit - from someone who was actually there' of Helen Petousis Harris, chair of the... more »

Harry and Wills hold secret talks to heal their rift in positive sign

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 17 hours ago
*One good thing to come out of the royal crisis is that Harry and William, at least, appear to have huddled together to thrash things through and to be determined to work on their relationship.* *Harry and Wills' 'secret talks': Princes 'heal their rift in man-to-man discussions as brothers' - ahead of Harry's move to Canada* *The dukes' two-year quarrel stopped after they realised that it was 'now or never'* *Talks separate from conversations involving the Queen over Harry's future role* *Despite patching things up with William, Harry has not done with father Charles* *By JAMES GAN... more »

Queen gives public show of support to peado pal Andrew

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 17 hours ago
*The Queen has visited church with Andrew, close pal of paedophile and eugenicist Jeffrey Epstein, who has made no effort to apologize to or compensate his sex slave Virginia Giuffre.* *Very poor judgment on the part of the Queen to associate herself so closely with a member of the family now known around the world for being a liar, a fraud and a criminal.* *Andrew is claiming remose but remorse shows itself in upright actions to his victims not to his mother, who has indulged him far too much for far too long and who has to bear some responsibility for having a son of such low mo... more »

‘I’m starting the year off with something I didn’t expect to ever do: I’m retracting a paper.’

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 18 hours ago
In journalism, we often joke that three cases of a phenomenon is a trend. If that’s the case, the trend of late 2019 and early 2020 would appear to be authors announcing retractions on Twitter. In December, Joscha Legewie took to social media to say he had been made aware of an error that had … Continue reading ‘I’m starting the year off with something I didn’t expect to ever do: I’m retracting a paper.’

COLDTYPE Issue 198 Mid-January 2020 – is now online

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 18 hours ago
20 January 2020 — Coldtype Download and read all issues of ColdType – free of charge at www.coldtype.net/reader.html —————- We lead this issue with a couple of pieces on the current crisis in the Middle East. In our cover story, satirist CJ Hopkins tells why we shouldn’t worry too much about World War III breaking out because we lost … Continue reading COLDTYPE Issue 198 Mid-January 2020 – is now online

Russians are coming — to the Indian Ocean

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 18 hours ago
The Cold-War hypothesis that the Soviet Union was hoping to “wet its toes” in the Indian Ocean was in reality an extension of the geopolitical construct known as the “Anglo-Russian Question” that was written about by Lord Curzon, onetime viceroy of British India (1899-1905). We now know that the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan was due to force of circumstances rather than as strategy.

Iran News Links 19-20 January 2020

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 18 hours ago
20 January 2020 • 18:00 — The New Dark Age There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so please check back Today’s Links 20 January 2020 http://mikewhitneysgraspingatstraws.blogspot.com/2020/01/todays-links_20.html Top Russian scholars warn about main global threats for this year https://tass.com/society/1110941 Zelensky, Iran’s envoy discuss handover of black boxes … Continue reading Iran News Links 19-20 January 2020

Another Street Dweller Set on Fire in São Paulo Capital

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - In less than 15 days a new street dweller was found burned in São Paulo. On Sunday, January 19th, an unidentified man was found inside a bank branch in the Praça da Sé region, downtown. According to the Metropolitan Civil Guard (GCM), the man used the bank to spend the […] The post Another Street Dweller Set on Fire in São Paulo Capital appeared first on The Rio Times.

Rio’s Militia Infiltrate Police and Politics to Curtail Rivals While Expanding Territory

Dorah Feliciano at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The largest militia in the country has the support of security agents and members infiltrated into politics, writes Brazilian media outlet UOL in its latest report. With "uniformed partners," the former "Justice League," now "The Firm," has even articulated operations to expel drug traffickers from their areas of dominance in […] The post Rio’s Militia Infiltrate Police and Politics to Curtail Rivals While Expanding Territory appeared first on The Rio Times.

Farmers in India Protest Against Bolsonaro’s Presence: “Corrupt and Repressive”

Arkady Petrov at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Indian rural producers launched a campaign last weekend against the presence of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the Republic of India Day celebrations, due to take place on January 26th. The action #GoBackBolsonaro was launched by the Federation of Sugarcane Producers of India and has the support of All India […] The post Farmers in India Protest Against Bolsonaro’s Presence: “Corrupt and Repressive” appeared first on The Rio Times.

Rejection of Politicians Rises in Chile After Three Months of Social Crisis

Juan Martinez at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Three months after the October 18th social outburst in Chile, which combined massive peaceful protests with unprecedented levels of violence, the repudiation of the political world set a record and devastated all sectors. Distrust of institutions has increased dramatically, according to a recent survey by the Center for Public Studies […] The post Rejection of Politicians Rises in Chile After Three Months of Social Crisis appeared first on The Rio Times.

Mass Escape from Prison in Paraguay by Dozens of Members of Brazilian PCC Gang

Juan Martinez at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - In the early hours of Sunday morning, January 19th, a mass escape of dangerous members of the largest Brazilian criminal organization PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital - First Command of the Capital) from the Pedro Juan Caballero Regional Penitentiary in Paraguay occurred. Approximately 90 of Paraguay's most dangerous criminals, 75 […] The post Mass Escape from Prison in Paraguay by Dozens of Members of Brazilian PCC Gang appeared first on The Rio Times.

Bus Companies in Rio Have Until September to Climatize Entire Fleet

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - It is now the Cariocas' (Rio locals) eighth summer since they first heard the pledge that 100 percent of the city buses would be air-conditioned. The plan emerged in the 2013/2016 Strategic Planning, introduced by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall in April 2012. Should the current deadline to reach […] The post Bus Companies in Rio Have Until September to Climatize Entire Fleet appeared first on The Rio Times.

229 People Displaced, Six Dead After Heavy Rainfall in Espírito Santo State

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - After the heavy rainfall that has affected the state's southern region since Friday, January 17th, Espírito Santo records 229 displaced people, 182 homeless, one injured and six dead. The information is included in a bulletin released by the state's Civil Defense at 11 AM on Sunday, January 19th. The municipality […] The post 229 People Displaced, Six Dead After Heavy Rainfall in Espírito Santo State appeared first on The Rio Times.

Criticism of Highly Toxic Pesticide Exports From Switzerland and EU to Brazil

Lachlan Williams at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Swiss organization 'Public Eye' accuses the agricultural Swiss company Syngenta of exporting tons of the highly toxic insecticide Profenofos from Switzerland to Brazil. In 2018 alone, it was 37 tons. This pesticide, an organophosphate, has been banned on Swiss soil since 2005 due to its potential risk to human […] The post Criticism of Highly Toxic Pesticide Exports From Switzerland and EU to Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Unknown Bacteria Deforming Bodies of Inmates in Roraima Penitentiary

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - An unknown bacteria is responsible for a condition still undiagnosed that is deforming the bodies of inmates at the Monte Cristo Agricultural Penitentiary (Pamc) in Boa Vista, Roraima. According to a report in the blog of journalist Expedito Perônnico, the bacteria feeds on the skin of inmates, causing parts of […] The post Unknown Bacteria Deforming Bodies of Inmates in Roraima Penitentiary appeared first on The Rio Times.

WhatsApp was the Most Downloaded App in Brazil and the World in 2019

Contributing Reporter at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - WhatsApp is the App with the largest number of users in the world and in Brazil. The information is from the Mobile World 2020 report of, from the consultancy App Annie, the most renowned survey on the App market. The document also showed that Brazilians are third in the ranking […] The post WhatsApp was the Most Downloaded App in Brazil and the World in 2019 appeared first on The Rio Times.

Smoke alert issued for Perth as bushfire burns more than 100km south of city

Just In - 18 hours ago
An emergency warning is lifted for a bushfire near Leschenault in WA's South West after firefighters manage to contain the blaze, but a smoke alert is now in place for Perth's southern suburbs.

Almost 20,000 without power at height of South East Queensland storms

Just In - 18 hours ago
Energex crews are working to restore power to customers who supply was cut during severe storms in South East Queensland, with the weather bringing strong winds, heavy rain and hail.

Saltwater crocodile euthanased after brutal attack with metal arrow

Marian Faa at Just In - 18 hours ago
Authorities are investigating after a saltwater crocodile was found with a large metal arrow lodged in its spine and gashes to its head and neck.

'If it is acceptable behaviour, then help us all': Former auditor-general on sports grant affair

Linda Mottram And Scott Mitchell at Just In - 18 hours ago
The man who worked as the auditor-general of NSW for seven years says if the sports grant case had come across his desk, he would have had to refer it to the NSW ICAC for investigation — and such a corruption watchdog should exist at the federal level.

Ash Barty tested but triumphant at Australian Open, Sam Stosur exits in first round again

Luke Pentony at Just In - 18 hours ago
The world number one is forced to fight back from a set down before opening her account at Melbourne Park, while her fellow Queenslander's infamous form at home continues with a loss in her match to American qualifier Caty McNally.

Golf-ball-sized hail, a dust storm, two people struck by lightning — another day in Australia

Just In - 18 hours ago
From rain and hail pelting recently razed firegrounds to a fast-moving dust storm blocking out the sun in western NSW, the weather across parts of Australia over the past 24 hours has been extreme.

Cory Bernardi formally resigns from politics, handing over his Senate seat to the Liberal Party

Just In - 18 hours ago
Independent South Australian senator Corey Bernardi officially resigns from politics, handing his letter of resignation to the Senate president. Candidates from the Liberal Party will now vie for his Senate seat.

Brexit: Digging In

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 18 hours ago
Brexit again gets ugly.

Sex Workers Can Tell You Why Sex Work Is Work – Speak to Them

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 18 hours ago
Combatting mispercptions about sex work, paritcularly the need for better work condiions.

History Class Is In Session: The World's 5 Greatest Empires

Akhilesh Pillalamarri at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Akhilesh Pillalamarri* *Politics, * [image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire#/media/File:Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png] Spanned over 2,500 years. *Key Point:* As empires rise and fall, no one country has a monopoly on history. Of all the empires that arose and thrived on the face of this earth, which were the five most powerful? And how is it even possible to select five empires from among the hundreds that have flourished over the past five thousand years? Truth be told, any formulation of the “five most powerful empires” will always be subjective, because all empires... more »

While your Enemies Destroy Themselves.

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 19 hours ago
I do not understand how a thinking person can accept the DEM impeachment charade. In fact, every attempt to support it has damaged the spokesmen. I really start thinking that this exercise is a show put on for the purpose of destroying the DEMs. Can they really be this devoid of sense? Understand that the DEMS have been engaged in a full press attempt to overturn the 2016 election. This has been to the complete disregard of legislation and working to protect even their own agendas. As noted, they have been supine while Trump undoes through Executive order the majority of O... more »

Production model of Airlander 10 will be sleeker and more efficient

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 19 hours ago
[image: Possible uses for the Airlander 10 include tourism, cargo transport, and scientific research] This looks like the first airship to reach production status. It can carry ten tons and do this at a top speed of 90 mph. That is pretty respectable although wind patterns will still matter a lot. It also has a five day trip capability. Now with an average of 80 mph we have a daily range of 2000 miles which is quite comfortable and even a range of 10,000 miles for long haul shipping. We are still not hauling freight containers here, but ten tons is certainly respectable.... more »

Why Are Volcanoes All Over The Globe Suddenly Shooting Giant Clouds Of Ash Miles Into The Air?

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 19 hours ago
We know very little about the long term patterns of volcanism, except to notice apparent peak eras in the geolgical record. Good luck in making any of that precise. For almost two hundred years we have been able to actually notice it all. Now we are really good with seismic and of course satelite observation. That still gives us less that a century in measured observation ansd a practical data base of about fifty years. All that is way too short to make conclusions or even safe speculations. So occasionally the planatary stress belt which is geologically continous will react ... more »

Islam : The Untold Story with de Tom HOLLAND

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 19 hours ago
What comes out of this is that the whole content of Islam came much later. Add in that the original urban center is likely Petra as well along with the town Avdat mentioned and the whole creation story is a later construction. All this means is that the whole process got the same treatment that Constantine provided Christianity once the empire was created in order to mirror the Roman invention of the Christian Church to replace the original Jewish Temple. The question then is when? This establishes that sixty years passed in which 685 AD the first coin appears. This was coinc... more »

A Good Monday Morning

Diogenes Sarcastica™ at Diogenes' Middle Finger - 19 hours ago

Like it or not: Impeachment effort a waste of time, energy and money

drinkingwateradvisor at The Drinking Water Advisor - 19 hours ago
“Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, who is also serving as legal counsel for President Donald Trump‘s defense team in the Senate impeachment trial, said on Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that abuse of power and obstruction of Congress even if proved … Continue reading →

Local Governments May Soon Be Forced To Rethink How They Use Private Property

William Yeatman at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*William Yeatman* *Politics, * An upcoming court case could be very impactful. It’s January, so most state legislatures are kicking off their sessions. Across state capitols, one issue to monitor is the fallout from the Supreme Court’s 2019 landmark decision in *Knick v. Township of Scott*, a holding which may compel many local governments to rethink how they regulate private property. Professor Ilya Somin coauthored an amicus brief to the *Knick* Court on behalf of the Cato Institute and other organizations, and he summarized the controversy as follows: The main point at issue... more »

Could Pakistan Run Out of Water?

Scott Moore at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Scott Moore* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/PAKISTAN-DAILYLIFE--RC11DFE721F0.html] Pakistani politics will become a fight for resources. *Key Point:* Dramatic action must be taken very soon to ebb the inevitable crisis. When it comes to Pakistan, President Trump’s Twitter feud with one of America’s most important partners in the fight against terrorism has dominated the news. But beneath the headlines, a massive water crisis is unfolding that has profound implications for the country’s stability and security. Rapid urbanization and conflic... more »

Saying ‘OK Boomer’ at Work Is Considered Age Discrimination But Millennial Insults Are Not

Elizabeth C. Tippett at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Elizabeth C. Tippett* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] OK, boomer… The phrase “OK boomer” has become a catch-all put-down that Generation Zers and young millennials have been using to dismiss retrograde arguments made by baby boomers, the generation of Americans who are currently 55 to 73 years old. Though it originated online and primarily is fueling memes, Twitter feuds and a flurry of commentary, it has begun migrating to real life. Earlier this month, a New Zealand lawmaker lobbed the insult at an older legislator who had dismissed her argument about climate change. As... more »

SPQR

LL at Virtual Mirage - 19 hours ago
Times change, culture changes and art often does not reflect past cultures accurately. No Western culture lasted as long or was as widespread in ancient history than Rome. (If you'd asked a Byzantine who he was, he would have told you that he's "Roman". The word, "Byzantine" came later. Then there was the Holy Roman Empire, which it is said, was neither holy, Roman or a true Empire. There are things that we find acceptable today that the Romans did not. Sometimes there are good reasons for the variance and sometimes it was just a different culture with very different values. 1. Lav... more »

Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Nuvole Bianche”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 20 hours ago
Ludovico Einaudi, “Nuvole Bianche”

Virginia 2A Day – Open Thread

E.M.Smith at Musings from the Chiefio - 20 hours ago
Open thread for links, video, news, comments, whatever of the events in Virginia as they unfold. Continue reading →

Who Targeted Ukraine Airlines Flight 752? Iran Shot It Down but There May be More to the Story

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 20 hours ago
The claim that Major General Qassem Soleimani was a “terrorist” on a mission to carry out an “imminent” attack that would kill hundreds of Americans turned out to be a lie, so why should one believe anything else relating to recent developments in Iran and Iraq? To be sure, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 departing from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on the morning of January 8th with 176 passengers and crew on board was shot down by Iranian air defenses, something which the government of the Islamic Republic has admitted, but there just might be considerabl... more »

"I could not be silent in the face of such cruel manipulation of the poor."

Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar - 20 hours ago
It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and given the recent and familiar saber-rattling we've been hearing, this time agitating for a war with Iran, it seems like a good time to visit King's speech, "Beyond Vietnam." He delivered it at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967, a year before he was assassinated. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute has the text and

"No One Can Be Certain..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 20 hours ago
“No one can be certain who next will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed, and yet it goes on, and on, and on, in this country of ours. Whenever any American’s life is taken by another American unnecessarily, whenever we tear at the fabric of our lives which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, whenever we do this, then the whole nation is degraded. Too often, we honor swagger and bluster and the wielders of force. Too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives from the shattered dreams of other human beings. But thi... more »

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday 2020

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 20 hours ago
"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right." "But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change. The large house in which we live demands that we transform this world-wide neighb... more »

View: It's time for govt to rethink the investor-State dispute regime

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 India has a faced a number of claims from foreign investors over the years under the BIT regime. It is presently engaged in over 20 investor-State disputes, with a number of them revolving around retrospective tax claims.

Investment will overshadow trade in Japan-U.S. talks

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 The Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement (JUSTA), the pinnacle for modern trade policy between the two allies, is now in force.

Explained: Already low, how India-Pakistan trade nearly collapsed in 2019

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 Tensions between India and Pakistan in 2019 have reduced the already low volumes of trade between the two countries to near zero.

Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement commences

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 Australia - Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement entered into force on Friday, announced by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Simon Birmingham.

S. Korea, China, Japan divided over open data in trilateral FTA talks

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 South Korea, China and Japan have made some progress in negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) following the trilateral summit held late last year.

India, US in advance-stage talks to resolve trade issues, says Piyush Goyal

bilaterals.org - 20 hours ago
20-Jan-2020 Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said India and the US are in an “advance stage” of dialogue to resolve some of the pressing trade issues.

Trump Second Term Likely – Along with War with Iran

Rixon Stewart at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Why Trump has a good chance of a second term in office – and why this opens the way for war with Iran

I do Believe that George Soros Could Well be The Anti-Christ

Les Visible at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
He is a major player. Yet no one, outside of certain media figures says anything about him. Why?

Mamilla Pool

Israel Shamir at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Written by Israel Shamir nearly 20 years-ago but as relevant as ever

Putin, a criminal and incompetent president, is an enemy of his own people

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
After events in Salisbury and Boris Johnson telling Putin that there has been no normalisation UK-Russian ties, this article suggest a hardening of Western attitudes

“Hexed” — Hexagram Holds Humanity Hostage

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Symbol reveals the age and continuity of the satanic conspiracy

Sweden: Sex Offences on Teen Girls Up 51 Per Cent Since 2015

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
In 2011 1.4 percent of Swedes said they had been the victim of some sort of sexual offence. By 2018 that figure had risen to 6 percent

A New Climate Religion for Idiots

Kevin Boyle at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Kevin Boyle on why belief in “global warming” is a matter of faith, not science

Trump, Iran Coordinated De-escalation… for Now

Finian Cunningham at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Trump’s unhinged hostile rhetoric towards Iran suggests that the off-ramp from war is only a temporary pause.

Trump Warns Allies to Abandon Iran Nuclear Deal

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
If they don’t comply Trump threatens to impose a 25 percent tariff on European car exports to the U.S.

Police fire teargas as gilets jaunes protests return to Paris

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Macron and his wife, Brigitte, had to be rushed from a Paris theatre after protesters tried to burst in and disrupt the performance they were watching

Creationist Stumps Evolutionary Professors with ONE Question!

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
This is what happens when an unproven supposition, in this case Darwin's "theory of evolution", becomes unquestioned dogma.

Dreamers… Somnambulistically Dancing in a Time of Awakening

Smoking Mirrors at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Yes... Lady Nature is aroused. Yes... there is turmoil everywhere but...it is also a time of great spiritual opportunity

US Clearing Anti-War Voices Off Social Media in Vast Censorship Operation

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other online social media are now clamping down on those protesting U.S. moves toward war with Iran

UK Police Refuse to Turn Over Information That Could Prove Prince Andrew is Guilty

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Doing what they are paid to do – with public money – protecting the Crown

Key Architect of 2003 Iraq War Is Now a Key Architect of Trump Iran Policy

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Is history about to repeat itself? If the warmongers think we are going to see a replay of the Iraq War with Iran they are in for a very rude awakening

Washington continues war buildup against Iran

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
With little publicity and in spite of the apparent easing of tensions, Washington continues its military build-up in the region. Is it preparing for full-scale war?

Israeli Puppet Trump Shows His True Colors

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis was being kind when he wrote that Trump is of “limited cognitive ability,” writes Michael Hoffman. Dim would be a better description

Kevin Boyle: Topmost Christian Leaders are of Satan

Kevin Boyle at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Leading Christian clergy like Pope Benedict don’t challenge government lies. Instead of questioning the War on Terror or Global Warming, they support the official line

Germany’s Forgotten Pensioners

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Eric Striker unearths some facts that suggest future generations may regard Angela Merkel's policies with the same contempt that they now view Hitler’s

Aloysius Fozdyke- Fires Advance Chinese Plan for Australia

wmw_admin at The Truthseeker - 20 hours ago
Satanist Insider - Australia is run by traitors who have sold it for personal gain.

US Trade Talks with China Must Ultimately Fail

Steve Brown at The Duran - 20 hours ago
At some point that US hegemonic morphed to frequently and unfairly leverage its global influence to ensure a positive outcome for the US. More The post US Trade Talks with China Must Ultimately Fail appeared first on The Duran.

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