Tuesday, January 21, 2020

21 January - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

10:08 pm MST


God For Infants

Alfred Lehmberg at alienviews - 6 hours ago
*.,¸¸,.»§«,¸¸,.·´¯`·.,¸¸,.»§«*¥*»§«,¸¸,.·´¯`·.,¸¸,.»§«·.,¸¸,.* "End time's *detection*" is what I've been hearing, and, frankly, I'm pissed at the tone... the ones to give it credence ... ones wearing *a *smirk... Then, that *ax *they *summarily *hone. See, I'm leery of those *proud of faith *they've not tested— those plainly *damned *by Comenius. He painted as *worthless *an untested faith; he said "[*useless, inutile and valueless*]." Diderot nailed it! He got it in one! he allowed that we'd always be "nuts"... ...until such a time as the *last* King inline... ...*cho... more »

NAB trustees hit with class action for 'mismanaging' retirement savings

Peter Ryan at Just In - 6 hours ago
NAB's superannuation trustees have been hit with a new class action for allegedly ripping off more than 330,000 clients.

A year ago Marie Kondo sparked a decluttering phenomenon. For some, it was life-changing

Sarah Scopelianos at Just In - 6 hours ago
At the height of the Marie Kondo decluttering craze, overwhelmed charity stores asked Australians to stop donating unwanted items. A year on, has the philosophy stuck with us?

Ian Tuxworth, NT's second chief minister, dies aged 77

Chelsea Heaney And Steve Vivian at Just In - 6 hours ago
Former Northern Territory chief minister and NT Nationals founder Ian Tuxworth dies in Perth after a 16-year career in Territory politics that began in the very first Legislative Assembly.

Here are the facts on the area burned for hazard reduction in NSW

Ellen McCutchan at Just In - 6 hours ago
Landscape flammability expert Philip Zylstra says NSW has seen twice the amount of prescribed burning this decade compared to the last. RMIT ABC Fact Check runs the numbers.

Paedophile former Labor minister's alleged parole breach involved Instagram account

Sarah Thomas at Just In - 6 hours ago
Court hears an alleged parole breach by former NSW Labor minister and convicted paedophile Milton Orkopoulos involves an Instagram account in his name.

Two 'associates' of bikie gang charged with murder of fruiterer who was gunned down on Melbourne tollway

Just In - 6 hours ago
Police charge two men with the murder of Melbourne fruiterer Paul Virgona, who was gunned down while driving to work on the EastLink tollway last year.

Woman charged with arson over Adelaide CBD hotel fire

Just In - 6 hours ago
Police charge a woman with arson over a fire at an Adelaide CBD hotel overnight that caused about $250,000 damage.

Rugby league concussion casualty tackles new challenges through off-field role

Just In - 6 hours ago
A rugby league concussion casualty teaches young stars to avoid the brutal head knocks that ended his once-promising career.

Jailed Australian academic says she rejected Iran's offer to become a spy

Just In - 6 hours ago
An Australian academic held in a Tehran prison says in a letter smuggled out of prison that she rejected an offer from Iran to become a spy in exchange for her release.

Australian shares hit record high despite China virus outbreak

David Chau at Just In - 6 hours ago
Australian shares have climbed back to record high levels despite fears of a deadly virus outbreak spreading beyond China causing global markets to fall.

Bridget McKenzie approved $36,000 sports grant to shooting club that made her a member

Matthew Doran at Just In - 6 hours ago
Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie downplays her links to a sporting club that received almost $36,000 from a controversial sports grants program she oversaw.

'It's not protest art, it's just emotion': Artist explains reason behind koala etched on a Victorian beach

Sarah Jane Bell at Just In - 6 hours ago
The 'Banksy of Barwon Heads' garners international attention with his massive drawing of a koala in the sand.

Mona Foma festival marries Hobart vision with Launceston pride to woo new audiences

Dee Jefferson at Just In - 6 hours ago
The popularity of this summer festival is about more than the lure of strange adventures and an eccentric, eclectic line-up — it's about the unique charms of the city it calls home.

How Trump Manufactured the Hunter Biden-Ukraine ScandalFor...

Robert Reich - 6 hours ago
*How Trump Manufactured the Hunter Biden-Ukraine Scandal* For months now, Trump and his Republican enablers have been selling a *counter-*narrative, to distract from Trump’s effort to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden, and Russia’s attempt in 2016 to help Trump win the election. How did they do it? Nine steps: *Step 1: Find a source of half-baked lies and innuendo.*​ I​n a 2018 book, ​*Secret Empires*,​ conservative author Peter Schweizer, an editor at *Breitbart News*, raised Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings. Schweizer didn’t allege any illegality – Ukraine’s pros... more »

Breaking: Lebanon announces formation of new government

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – Lebanon has announced the formation of a new government that will be led by caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab. According to the Prime Minister, the new government includes Minister of Defense Zeina ‘Akkar, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nassif Hatti, Minister of Finance Ghazi Wazneh and Minister of Interior Mohammad Fahmi. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

US forces block 2 Russian military convoys in northeastern Syria as tensions increase

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:45 P.M.) – The U.S. Armed Forces have become more aggressive in northeastern Syria, as they once again blocked two Russian military convoys from bypassing their checkpoints. According to reports, the first Russian convoy was blocked by the U.S. forces at the Tal Baydar Junction, which is located in northern Al-Hasakah, close to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israeli F-35 accidentally reveals location over secret nuclear facility

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
An Israeli F-35 stealth aircraft revealed to the world both its own location and that of Israel’s primary nuclear facility on Monday when it turned on a publicly viewable transponder signal. Deep in the Negev desert of southern Israel lies the Shimon Peres Nuclear Research Center, also called the Dimona reactor, the center of Israel’s […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Jihadists preparing suicide attacks against Syrian Army: Russia

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:15 P.M.) – The head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, Major-General Yuri Bornkov, stated that jihadists in Syria have transported 4 car bombs to the Idlib Governorate, which indicates the preparation for suicide attacks. “Information was received from local sources and residents of the Idlib governorate about the transport of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iranian lawmaker puts $3 million bounty on Trump over Soleimani, US calls it ‘ridiculous’

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
Earlier, an Iranian lawmaker promised $3 million in cash “to anyone who kills” US President Donald Trump as revenge for the January 3 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander. US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood has condemned remarks by an Iranian MP promising a bounty for President Trump’s assassination, calling them “ridiculous” and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

US showcases new ‘swarm’ drone: video

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
Swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles overwhelming enemies’ defenses with sheer numbers might soon be part of the US combat strategy. Footage of the first flight of one such drone has just been showcased by a Pentagon contractor. Source: RT Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Erdogan discusses new Idlib ceasefire proposal with Putin

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 6 hours ago
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to help end ceasefire violations in Syria’s Idlib, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday, adding that the two presidents had discussed the issue on the sidelines of the Berlin conference on Libya on January 19. “Our president cited statistics to explain […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

W.O.O.D. – 21 January 2020

E.M.Smith at Musings from the Chiefio - 6 hours ago
W.O.O.D. for 21 January 2020 Continue reading →

"Economic Market Snapshot PM 1/21/20"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*1/21/20, Updated frequently as available.* ◆ Gregory Mannarino, PM 1/21/20: "It’s A Time Bomb: Mass Debt Expansion And Suppressed Rates" Website: - https://www.traderschoice.net/ ◆ *MarketWatch Market Summary, Live Updates* - https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary *CNN Market Data:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/ *CNN Fear And Greed Index:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/fear-and-greed/ ◆ *Buffett Indicator: Where Are We with Market Valuations?* "*As of 1/21/20* (updates daily): The Stock Market is Significantly Overvalued. Based on historical ratio of total market cap ov... more »

Musical Interlude: Kevin Kern, “Above The Clouds”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
Kevin Kern, “Above The Clouds”

"A Look to the Heavens"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
“These two spiral galaxies make a photogenic pair, found within the boundaries of the northern constellation Draco. Contrasting in color and orientation, NGC 5965 is nearly edge-on to our line of sight and dominated by yellow hues, while bluish NGC 5963 is closer to face-on. Of course, even in this well-framed cosmic snapshot the scene is invaded by other galaxies, including small elliptical NGC 5969 at the lower left. * Click image for larger size.* Brighter, spiky stars in our own Milky Way are scattered through the foreground. Though they seem to be close and of similar size, gala... more »

"Life, In Short..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
"It is easy to overlook this thought that life just is. As humans we are inclined to feel that life must have a point. We have plans and aspirations and desires. We want to take constant advantage of the intoxicating existence we've been endowed with. But what's life to a lichen? Yet it's impulse to exist, to be, is every bit as strong as ours- arguably even stronger. If I were told that I had to spend decades being a furry growth on a rock in the woods, I believe I would lose the will to go on. Lichens don't. Like virtually all living things, they will suffer any hardship, endure ... more »

Chet Raymo, “Spooked”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*“Spooked”* by Chet Raymo “The word everyone uses is "spooky." What they are talking about is entanglement, the spooky heart of quantum mechanics. You create a pair of subatomic particles, photons say, and send them on their separate ways. The particles seem to know what is happening to each other on their separate journeys. An activity performed on one particle can instantaneously change the properties of the other particle, no matter how far apart. And- this is the kicker- apparently instantaneously. Their fates are "entangled." In the latest test of entanglement, physicists enta... more »

"Those Who Don’t Take Heed Die of Ingratitude"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*"Those Who Don’t Take Heed Die of Ingratitude"* By Doug “Uncola” Lynn "One evening, while in college, I attended an extracurricular lecture held by my college adviser on nuclear proliferation. It was a concern that was close to his heart and I admired his “doing something about it” at the time. During his talk, he shared the parable of “the frog in boiling water” and it was the first time I had heard it told. Essentially, it boiled (pun intended) down to this: If you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out to save its life. However, if you place the ... more »

US, UK Diplomats Protest Against OPCW Whistleblower Giving Evidence to United Nations

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 6 hours ago
*21WIRE* | It's the story that just won't go away.

The Daily "Near You?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
Boise, Idaho, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"I Have Accepted The Fact..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
“You observe your children or your children’s children, making the same absurd mistakes, heart-rending mistakes often, which you made at their age. And there is nothing you can say or do to prevent it. It’s by observing the young, indeed, that you eventually understand the sort of idiot you yourself were once upon a time - and perhaps still are.” “One can fight evil but against stupidity one is helpless… I have accepted the fact, hard as it may be, that human beings are inclined to behave in ways that would make animals blush. The ironic, the tragic thing is that we often behave in... more »

Free Download: Joseph Tainter, "The Collapse Of Complex Societies"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*"Joseph Tainter:* * The Collapse Of Complex Societies"* by Adam Taggart "By popular demand, we welcome Joseph Tainter, USU professor and author of "The Collapse Of Complex Societies." Dr. Tainter sees many of the same unsustainable risks the PeakProsperity.com audience focuses on - an overleveraged economy, declining net energy per capita, and depleting key resources. He argues that the sustainability or collapse of a society follows from the success or failure of its problem-solving institutions. His work shows that societies collapse when their investments in social complexity a... more »

The Poet: Wendell Berry, "The Circles Of Our Lives"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*"The Circles Of Our Lives"* "Within the circles of our lives we dance the circles of the years, the circles of the seasons within the circles of the years, the cycles of the moon, within the circles of the seasons, the circles of our reasons within the cycles of the moon. Again, again we come and go, changed, changing. Hands join, unjoin in love and fear, grief and joy. The circles turn, each giving into each, into all. Only music keeps us here, each by all the others held. In the hold of hands and eyes we turn in pairs, that joining joining each to all again. And then we turn aside, ... more »

ETS Creates New Institute to Research More Equitable Standardized Tests

Shailaja Neelakantan at Diverse - 6 hours ago
The Educational Testing Service (ETS), which administers the SAT for The College Board, on Tuesday announced the launch of a new institute that will conduct research on creating and maintaining more equitable testing programs. Based on the institute’s research findings and recommendations, ETS will, down the road, incorporate changes in its tests to make them […]

Two Years After Protests, Evergreen State College Works to Boost Enrollment, Retention

Sara Weissman at Diverse - 6 hours ago
Like many liberal arts schools, Evergreen State College has faced a drop in enrollment. But the school experienced a particularly steep decline – a 27% drop – since protests over racial tensions erupted on campus in 2017. This year, Evergreen State College is preparing for major changes meant to enroll and retain more students, particularly underrepresented students.

How the Trump Impeachment Imperils the Separation of Powers

Phillip G. Henderson at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Phillip G. Henderson* *Politics, Americas* [image: Reuters] What is largely missing from the entire debate over impeachment is a reasoned discussion of legislative abuse of power. The partisan nature of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump by the House of Representatives is nearly unprecedented. Only two of the nation’s nineteen impeachment proceedings (fifteen judicial, three presidential, and one cabinet level) match the level of intense partisan division and vitriol that has characterized the current proceeding. The first truly partisan impeachment was that of Supreme... more »

Amazing: Meet the Robot Tank Estonia and Singapore Built to Deter Russia

David Axe at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*David Axe* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://milremrobotics.com/product/themis-with-eos/] Flexible and deadly. *Key point:* Armed robots are becoming the norm of future warfare. The question is how long humans will stay in the loop. An Estonian company has teamed up with a Singaporean firm and joined the expanding global race to develop robotic fighting vehicles. More and more firms are developing armed unmanned ground vehicles, some as private ventures and others in response to formal government programs. But it’s unclear how quickly armies might actually field meaningful n... more »

No More Atomic Bombs for B-52s

David Axe at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, * “The overall trend is clear,” a top expert noted. “The B-52 has been gradually shifting from nuclear to conventional missions.” The U.S. Air Force reportedly has removed from the arsenal of its 76 B-52 heavy bombers two different atomic bombs, for now leaving the eight-engine warplanes with just one aging, nuclear-tipped cruise missile. A new cruise missile is under development, although it’s not clear how important it will be to the B-52 force as the bomber shifts to non-nuclear roles. The Air Force confirmed in a September 2019 manual that it had remov... more »

Iran Could Pursue a Nuclear Weapon to Restore Deterrence Lost in Suleimani Strike

David Daoud at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*David Daoud* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] Iran may want to create the idea that there’s a risk—however minimal—it could use a nuclear weapon. But it would be just enough of a risk to restrain its adversaries. On January 3, President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) external operations branch. Days later, the regime retaliated by rocketing Iraqi army bases hosting U.S. forces. However, Iran’s truly concerning reaction came when it announced an end... more »

Schumer and Schiff Are Wrong: Impeachment Is Not Congressional 'Oversight'

Thomas Jipping at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Thomas Jipping* *Politics, * The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump has begun. The initial arguments about the rules for the trial revealed some important issues that already need clarification. The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump has begun. The initial arguments about the rules for the trial revealed some important issues that already need clarification. First, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the lead House impeachment manager, claim that impeachment is simply part of Congress’ general exercise of “oversight... more »

Supreme Court Rejects Democrats’ Requests for Expedited ObamaCare Appeal

Michael Tennant at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: supreme-court-rejects-democrats-requests-for-expedited-obamacare-appeal] The Supreme Court rejected petitions by Democrats to fast-track their appeal of a case challenging ObamaCare’s constitutionality, making it unlikely that a decision will be reached by the November elections.

UN Committee Rules That “Climate Refugees” Cannot Be Sent Home

James Murphy at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: u-n-committee-rules-that-climate-refugees-cannot-be-sent-home] In what is being hailed as a “landmark” decision, the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee has ruled that refugees fleeing the so-called climate crisis cannot be sent back to their home countries by countries who offer them temporary sanctuary.

The NY Times’ Split Personality Presidential Endorsement

Selwyn Duke at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: the-ny-times-split-personality-presidential-endorsement] The *New York Times* has just made news by giving us all the presidential endorsements fit to print. In a first not just for the paper but, perhaps, for any paper, it has chosen two candidates: Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.

False Child Abuse Charges Caused Couple to Lose their Home, Job, and two Children Before Being Cleared 2 Years Later

Admin at Medical Kidnap - 7 hours ago
Lorina Troy is on a mission to make sure what happened to her doesn’t continue happening to others. “My children were wrongfully taken from me for five months and placed into the foster care system,” Lorina Troy said. Five years ago, in Austin, Texas, doctors found fluid inside the head of Troy's second-born son, JJ. She says they automatically assumed it was Shaken Baby Syndrome. Soon after, JJ, and the Troy's four-year-old son were taken away by Child Protective Services. It took five months for Troy and her husband, Jason, to get their kids back. And two more years passed before... more »

Davos Bilat #3 – President Trump Remarks with Prime Minister Khan of Pakistan – Video and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 hours ago
President Trump participates in the third bilateral meeting of the Davos form with Imran Khan, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. [Video and Transcript] . [Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. And it’s great to … Continue reading →

"The Opposite Of Courage..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
"The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity." - Rollo May

The Unbearable Cuntitude of Hillary Clinton

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Gotham City - 7 hours ago
Hillary Clinton is a Cunt with a capital C. There. It's out. I said it and you can't do a Goddamned thing about it. Some of you may say that I don't have the right to reduce a woman to her genitalia (while being strangely OK with guys being called pricks and dicks) and ordinarily you'd have a case. But when you have a woman who acts exactly like the word colloquially connotes, especially one who embraced to the point of crushing ribs the identity of being "the first woman president", a woman who weaponized her gender, and still is, as Elizabeth Warren did eight days ago, then ... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Women of the World Unite Against War!'

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 7 hours ago
WOMEN OF THE WORLD UNITE AGAINST WAR! Posted on January 21, 2020 Mohawk Nation News MNN. Jan. 21, 2020. All women throughout the world must stand up at this time for humanity. We are the givers of life. We bear the children. The communities where these children are born is the jurisdiction of the women, the progenitors of the people. It is time for the women to take our

Epstein Friend & Defender Dershowitz Trying to Defend Trump

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 7 hours ago
Some of the following article is inappropriate for minors. Note that the FBI, a US intelligence agency with jurisdiction abroad … Continue reading →

Lithuania Can Offer Belarus An Alternative To Oil & Gas Imports From Russia, Foreign Minister Said

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 7 hours ago
As Reported by BelSat: https://belsat.eu/en/news/vilnius-has-proposals-for-minsk-on-oil-and-gas-supplies “Vilnius has proposals for Minsk on oil and gas supplies 2020.01.21 13:55 Lithuania can offer … Continue reading →

Belarus Starts Importing Oil from Norway

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 7 hours ago
If Belarus wishes to keep its independence, then it will need to find an alternative to Russian oil and gas. … Continue reading →

China Is Getting Stronger, But It Can't Beat America In A War.

Harry J. Kazianis at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Harry J. Kazianis* *Security, * Not yet anyway. *Key point: *America has been preparing for far longer than China. Let’s not mince words: a U.S.-China war would be hell on earth. It would likely start World War III. Millions— maybe billions— of people would die if nuclear weapons were ever used in such a conflict. The global economy would likely face ruin— that’s what happens when the world’s biggest economic powers start shooting at each other. Thankfully the chances are remote it will ever happen. Yet, the threat of such a conflict remains thanks to the many different pressur... more »

When Two Nazi Battleships Tag-Teamed To Sink An Aircraft Carrier

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* [image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battleship_Scharnhorst#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_DVM_10_Bild-23-63-46,_Schlachtschiff_%22Scharnhorst%22.jpg] Back in 1940... *Key Point:* This was one of the battleship's last hurrahs. If you are the captain of an aircraft carrier, these are the words you do not want to hear: “Enemy battleship in sight!” Yet on June 8, 1940, the British aircraft carrier HMS *Glorious* discovered why carriers should need to stay far away from enemy surface fleets. The *Glorious* encountered not one, but *two* German bat... more »

Where is Russia Headed?

TNI Staff at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*TNI Staff* *Politics, Europe* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/SOCCER-WORLDCUP-PUTIN-RC12B93C7730.html] Here's what CEO and president Dimitri K. Simes thinks. When President Trump was elected in 2016, it was widely expected that U.S.-Russia relations would improve. Instead, they may be at their nadir. In the following discussion, Center for the National Interest CEO and president Dimitri K. Simes and former deputy assistant secretary for defense Evelyn Farkas examine a number of pressing issues in American relations with Russia, including the 2016 and forthcoming 20... more »

China Learned the True Lesson of Pearl Harbor—Can We?

James Holmes at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*James Holmes* *History, Asia* [image: The USS Arizona (BB-39) burning after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.] Japan didn't—until it was too late. *Key Point:* While sometimes bellicose and always assertive, Beijing does not appear eager to pick a fight. It doesn’t appear to be in any particular hurry to fulfill its maritime destiny. As we afford our hallowed forebears the remembrance they deserve, let’s also try to learn from what transpired here seventy-five years ago, and see what it tells us about America’s future as an Asia-Pacific sea power. In particu... more »

Not Good: This Report Warns China Could Beat America in a Fight by 2049

David Axe at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/CHINA-ANNIVERSARY-PARADE-SP1EFA10HSD12.html] If not sooner. *Key point:* Beijing is racing ahead with modernizing its forces and tipping the regional balance in its favor. Without a counter plan from America, it is only a matter of time before China is able to assert dominance in the Western Pacific. Chinese leaders have laid out a plan for deploying the world’s best-armed forces no later than 2049. If the United States is to prevent China from becoming the world’s leading military power, it needs a plan ... more »

The U.S. is Boosting Production of Nuclear Bomb Cores (For More Nuclear Weapons)

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Thanks, arms race. In another sign that the nuclear arms race is heating up, the U.S. is ramping up production of nuclear bomb cores. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced that it plans to increase the production of plutonium pits to 80 per year. The grapefruit-sized pits contain the fissile material that give nuclear weapons such tremendous power. Production will center on the Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at Savannah River site in North Carolina, which would be modified to manufacture at least 50 pits per year, ... more »

Japan is Getting Its Own Space Force (With Better Uniforms?)

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Japan’s Space Domain Mission Unit will not be an independent branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. But like the U.S. Space Force, which is linked to the U.S. Air Force in the same way that the U.S. Marine Corps is part of the Navy, Japan’s space unit will be part of the Japanese air force. Japan is creating its own military space force. The new unit will apparently mirror many of the functions of the U.S. Space Force, a controversial new sixth branch of the U.S. military. Japan’s Space Domain Mission Unit will not be an independent branch of the... more »

The Phase One Deal with China is Signed So Why Are We Still Paying Tariffs?

Riley Walters at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Riley Walters* *Economics, * Please explain? The trade deal signed last Wednesday by President Trump and China’s Vice Premier Liu He is arguably the most comprehensive deal between the two countries since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Two of the biggest takeaways from the deal are China’s commitment to purchase an additional $200 billion worth of goods and services over two years and the fact that Americans will continue paying additional tariffs on over $300 billion worth of goods imported from China. The deal, formally known as Phase One of the Economic ... more »

VICTORIA: Indigenous Youth Stand with Wet'suwet'en

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 7 hours ago
. Inside the Indigenous Youth lockdown at the office of Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy and Mines. 'We stand in solidarity of the Wet’suwet’en people’s Unist’ot’en land protection camp. We will not leave until Michelle Mungall agrees to meet with the hereditary chiefs.' Photo Indigenous Climate Action: Indigenous Youth occupying office of Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum

Aurora Cannabis offshoot Australis Capital announces CFO departure

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
Australis Capital, an investment group that spun off from Canada’s Aurora Cannabis, announced the departure of Chief Financial Officer Michael Carlotti. In a brief news release issued after market close on Jan. 17, Las Vegas-based Australis said Carlotti’s employment had been “terminated” effective Jan. 16. The company gave no explanation for the move. Alex Han will […] Aurora Cannabis offshoot Australis Capital announces CFO departure is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Judge sides with Missouri medical cannabis store in zoning fight

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
Missouri regulators cannot deny an application for a medical marijuana dispensary license before a hearing challenging zoning rules is held later this month, a judge ruled. Healing Center of Kansas City filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services and the city of Independence contending the municipality’s zoning regulations for MMJ […] Judge sides with Missouri medical cannabis store in zoning fight is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

No, 23 People Weren’t Killed at Virginia ‘White Supremacist’ Gun-Rights Protest

Snopes Staff at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
A routine review of content labeled satire.

David Olney, Who Wrote Songs for Music Legends, Dies on Stage

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
David Olney, a folk singer who wrote songs recorded by Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, died following a heart attack while performing in Florida.

Clinton Won’t Commit to Backing Sanders If He’s Nominee

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
Hillary Clinton refused to say whether she would endorse Bernie Sanders, her 2016 rival, if he wins the Democratic nomination and offered a broad condemnation of the progressive candidate’s style of politics.

Project Veritas — Bernie Sanders Series Part 2 and Part 3

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 8 hours ago
Project Veritas — Bernie Sanders Series Part 2 and Part 3 In case you missed Part 1, you can see it again HERE. . . . –00– Unbelievable — WHERE IS THE FBI AND DOJ? Why haven’t they arrested Bernie Sanders and all of his people for anarchy? –Uriel–

Conservative America Today

Hardnox at 'Nox & Friends - 8 hours ago

Thought for Today

Hardnox at 'Nox & Friends - 8 hours ago

Marianne Williamson-- What Happened... And What's Happening Now

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
A few years ago, when Marianne Williamson was running for Congress in Los Angeles, I ran into my neighbors who lived across the street, a gay couple, one a member of the Los Angeles symphony orchestra and the other a successful screenwriter. I asked them what they thought about Marianne. They both started telling me how much they loved her and each of them wound up breaking down and crying and telling me she had saved their lives. They had never met her, though. They had read some of her books and gone to a lecture-- and that's how passionately they felt. Each contributed pretty g... more »

Iran Counters EU Threat Of Snapback Sanctions

Moon of Alabama at Peace and Prosperity - 8 hours ago
[image: undefined] US President Donald Trump wants to destroy the nuclear agreement with Iran. He has threatened the EU-3 poodles in Germany, Britain and France with a 25% tariff on their car exports to the US unless they end their role in the JCPOA deal. In their usual gutlessness the Europeans gave in to the blackmail. They triggered the Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the deal. The mechanism foresees two 15 day periods of negotiations and a five day decision period after which any of the involved countries can escalate the issues to the UN Security Council. The reference to the ... more »

Sand, Blood and Oil: 7 Movies That Try to Explain Iran and the Middle East

James Jay Carafano at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*James Jay Carafano* *Culture, Middle East* It is time that film and popular culture started giving us greater diversity of stories than tales of refugees and war zones. If we started appreciating that this is more than the birthplace of our problems, we might have a greater appreciation and greater vision on what the Middle East and West can do together. Taking out Soleimani is only the latest in a long string of “last straw” events for those prone to call for America and the rest of the West to turn their backs on the vast expanse stretching from Mt Ararat to the deserts of ... more »

'Stealth' F-15: Good Idea or Expensive Fantasy?

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Americas* [image: U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jets are seen on the tarmac during the Clear Sky 2018 multinational military drills at Starokostiantyniv Air Base in Khmelnytskyi Region, Ukraine October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich] Radar cross section is the name of the game. *Key Point:* That Silent Eagle would have to remain substantially lower than the much stealthier F-35A’s projected $85 million cost, or there would little point to procuring them. A recent article concerning Boeing’s pitch to the U.S. Air Force of a cheap, modestly upgraded F-... more »

Yes and Indo-Pakistan War Could Wipeout Billions of People

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] And doom the earth. *Key point: *Both countries have large conventional forces, but also nuclear weapons. If the fighting escalated, it is very possible that each side could destroy the other- leaving no winner. It’s distinctly possible that any future war between India and Pakistan would involve limited action on the ground and full-scale fighting at sea and in the air. India has the upper hand in both, particularly at sea where it would have the ability to blockade Pakistani ports. Pakistan imports 83% of its gasoline consumpti... more »

How Good Is President Trump's Security Protection?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
President Donald Trump. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters *Business Insider*: *Nancy Pelosi's daughter said she was able to hand Trump a bottle of water in the White House without anyone checking for contamination* * House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's daughter Alexandra handed President Donald Trump a water bottle in the White House without anyone checking it for contamination, according to a new book about the president. * Alexandra Pelosi was directing a film at the White House when the incident happened six weeks after Trump was sworn in, the book, titled "A Very Stable Genius," said, according ... more »

Davos Bilat #2 – President Trump Remarks With President Simonetta Sommaruga of the Swiss Confederation – Video and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
For the second bilateral meeting at the Davos summit, President Trump meets with President Simonetta Sommaruga of the Swiss Confederation. [Video and Transcript] . [Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay, thank you very much, everybody. And we’ll be having a meeting … Continue reading →

Davos Bilat #1 – President Trump Remarks With President Ursula von der Leyen of The European Commission – Video and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
Prior to Davos bilat #1 President Trump holds a media availability with President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission. [Video and Transcript Below] . [Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. It’s great to be with … Continue reading →

French Publisher Apologises For Undergrad Textbook Suggesting 9/11 Was 'Orchestrated' By The CIA

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*Photo:* The textbook by Jean-Pierre Rocher referenced a conspiracy theory about 9/11 *Daily Mail:* *French publisher apologises for history textbook suggesting 9/11 was 'probably orchestrated by the CIA'* * French undergrad textbook suggested debunked 9/11 conspiracies were true * History of 20th Century in Flash Cards referenced CIA involvement in attacks * The book said that September 11 was 'undoubtedly orchestrated by the CIA' * Ellipses publisher apologised and said the reference to CIA would be removed A French publisher has apologised after a history textbook suggested the ... more »

President Trump At Davos -- News Roundup January 21, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *'She's very angry.' Donald Trump takes ANOTHER swipe at Greta Thunberg after calling climate activists 'fortune tellers' and 'alarmists' at keynote Davos speech - as she warns NOTHING has been done on global warming* * President Trump arrived in Switzerland Tuesday morning and will spend two days at the World Economic Forum * During his first appearance, a speech on the main stage, he went after climate activists for their dire warnings about the 'apocalypse' * While Trump spoke, climate activist Greta Thunberg sat in the audience and looked on * She bookended Tru... more »

Madacascar Is Planting 60 Million Trees in Ambitious Drive Inspired by Its President

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Malavika Vyawahare* - Madagascar launched a national drive that aims to plant 60 million trees in the coming months.

How To Be A Mentally Sovereign Human

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Caitlin Johnstone* - Stepping into the world as a small person is like stepping completely unarmored onto a battlefield with live ammunition.

Mandatory Flu Vaccine Coming Your Way?

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Dr. Mercola* - Rather than presenting both sides of an argument, most mainstream media now act as mouthpieces for industry.

Toxic Chemicals Are Stealing Millions of IQ Points From Kids in the US, New Study Shows

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Emma Fiala* - Some of the worst chemicals are found on common furniture items, electronics, and even children’s clothing.

To ‘Make America Great Again’ Trump Added a $1 TRILLION Deficit in 2019—Just Like Obama

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*The Free Thought Project* - The Trump administration ran an Obamaesque budget deficit of over $1 trillion in the 2019 calendar year.

China Announces Major Phaseout of Single-Use Plastics

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Olivia Rosane* - China, the world's No. 1 producer of plastic pollution, announced major plans Sunday to cut back on the sale and production of single-use plastics.

Giving Children Vacations Instead of Toys Can Lead to Advanced Brain Development, Experts Suggest

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 8 hours ago
If you’re one of the many parents struggling to stem the flow of unwanted toys into your home, here’s some good news. Several experts suggest that gifting children vacations and experiences instead of toys can boost their brain development. In an article for the Telegraph, child psychotherapist Dr. Margot Sunderland postulated that vacations are an […] The post Giving Children Vacations Instead of Toys Can Lead to Advanced Brain Development, Experts Suggest appeared first on Health Nut News.

Is Your Food Grown on Sewage?

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 8 hours ago
Story at-a-glance – Sewage sludge, a waste product that comes from wastewater treatment facilities, is widely applied to agricultural fields as a fertilizer The EPA identified 352 pollutants in biosolids including metals, pharmaceuticals and flame retardants In a report from the U.S. Office of Inspector General, it’s concluded that the EPA is unable to assess […] The post Is Your Food Grown on Sewage? appeared first on Health Nut News.

Who sits on the Times editorial board?

bob somerby at the daily howler - 9 hours ago
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020We've been asking that question for years:* At least in theory, the New York Times editorial board is an important part of American upper-end journalism. That said, who actually sits on the board? Over the years, we've periodically wasted time trying to figure that out. How strange! It's easy to find a list of the Times' opinion columnists. Just go to the web site and scroll to the bottom. FRom there, you can learn in one click. Similarly, it's easy to find a list of the paper's "op-ed contributors." But who sits on the editorial board? Even today, as we... more »

Swiss Police Believed They Foiled A Russian Attempt To Bug Davos

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
A police officer stands guard near the Congress Center ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse *Daily Mail*: *'Russian spies disguised as plumbers planned to bug Davos forum - but were foiled by Swiss officials'* * Police quizzed two Russian men staying in the upmarket resort last August * They were suspected of posing as plumbers so they could bug the forum * Claimed diplomatic protection but had not registered with Swiss officials Swiss police believe they foiled an attempt by Russian spies disguised as ... more »

Tim Winton's Blueback to commence filming in WA

Kit Mochan at Just In - 9 hours ago
Tim Winton's award-winning 1998 young adult novel Blueback will be adapted for the big screen and filmed on Western Australia's south coast.

Rory Sloane named sole captain as Adelaide Crows announce new-look leadership group

Just In - 9 hours ago
2019 co-captain Taylor Walker steps down, leaving midfield star Rory Sloane as sole captain of the Adelaide Crows for the 2020 AFL season as the club announces a new-look leadership group of five players.

Opinions split over police-backed Kimberley booze ban

Erin Parke at Just In - 9 hours ago
Kimberley shire leaders, health officials, and police are divided over a secret plan to ban all takeaway alcohol in the region except for light beer.

Why having councils decide development plans may be a 'waste of time and money'

Lucy MacDonald at Just In - 9 hours ago
A long-running tug-of-war between a developer and locals opposed to a luxury hotel on a nature reserve is about to enter its next phase — but if you thought five years of back and forth over the plan means it is near the end, you would be wrong, writes Lucy MacDonald.

Fed up with waiting, fire-scarred councils call for governments to 'untie the purse strings'

Ainslie Drewitt-Smith at Just In - 9 hours ago
Councils in fire-ravaged regions of NSW say bureaucracy to access recovery grants is too restrictive and delaying communities returning to normality.

Think Canberra's hailstorm was intense? This is what it was like in a glasshouse

Niki Burnside And Jordan Hayne at Just In - 9 hours ago
As a hailstorm of unprecedented ferocity bore down on the CSIRO's greenhouses on Monday, those researchers working inside the vulnerable buildings were faced with a split-second decision. To stay or go.

Live: NSW Now: Sydney Airport on high alert for coronavirus, authorities issue funnel-web warning

Just In - 9 hours ago
*MORNING BRIEFING: *NSW Health staff will assess passengers at Sydney Airport for coronavirus from tomorrow, while authorities warn wet weather will bring funnel-web spiders out.

Clubs fear retribution through new $150m sport fund if they criticise Government over grants

Jack Snape at Just In - 9 hours ago
Sports clubs desperate for funds are reluctant to go public with their fury over the sports grants scheme because the Government is set to hand out another $150 million.

It is over for now but this is why the hail happened

Kate Doyle at Just In - 9 hours ago
From fire to ice. What were the conditions that made hailstorms so destructive in recent days, and what is going to happen next?

Keeping community sport alive is tough enough, let alone on an uneven playing field

Richard Hinds at Just In - 9 hours ago
Those who spend countless hours of their lives in service to their local community sports clubs have the right to feel aggrieved at the news the deck was stacked against them all along, writes Richard Hinds.

It's a boring expense, but in the wake of the fires we all need to think about it

Emily Stewart at Just In - 9 hours ago
A whopping 80 per cent of us don't have the right cover. Often, it takes a disaster to show us what we haven't prepared for.

Patients report pacemaker 'electrical storms' as advocates predict device registry failure

Alison Branley at Just In - 9 hours ago
As more patients come forward with tales of being shocked by medical devices meant to save their lives, one leading consumer advocate says the Government's plan to clean up the industry will not work.

New country, same harassment: Harry and Meghan threaten legal action against British press

Just In - 9 hours ago
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan issue a legal warning to the press after paparazzi photos of the Duchess of Sussex and the couple's eight-month-old son Archie — taken in Canada — were published in the British media.

Professor Advocates Totalitarianism to Solve “Climate Crisis”

TNA Video at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: professor-advocates-totalitarianism-to-solve-climate-crisis] MADRID – Speaking at the United Nations “COP25” Climate Conference, a professor of “environmental science” in Spain advocated totalitarian government to fight against bad weather he claims is caused by human emissions of CO2. These measures imposed by government should include forcing people to use public transportation, limiting the number of births, limiting meat consumption, and more. “This is brutal, nobody would vote for somebody like this,” he acknowledged, saying humanity was heading for a “Malthusian catast... more »

Sanders Aide: “Guillotine the Rich,” Republicans Go to the New Gulag for “Re-education”

R. Cort Kirkwood at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: sanders-aide-guillotine-the-rich-republicans-go-to-the-new-gulag-for-re-education] Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has a problem: campaign staffers who want a communist revolution and Soviet-style tyranny should the “socialist” from Vermont win the presidency.

Latest Central American “Migrant Caravan” Stopped by Mexican National Guard

Warren Mass at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: latest-central-american-migrant-caravan-stopped-by-mexican-national-guard] After being prevented from crossing a bridge into Mexico, hundreds of Central American migrants waded across the river separating Mexico and Guatemala on January 20, only to be stopped by members of the Mexican National Guard.

Denver Post Drops Columnist Who Criticized LGBT Attacks on Free Speech

Michael Tennant at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: denver-post-drops-columnist-who-criticized-lgbt-attacks-on-free-speech] A libertarian columnist for the *Denver Post* was fired after criticizing the LGBT agenda, particularly its war on free speech.

Illinois social equity cannabis applicants laud licensing help from consultants, technology

Nick Thomas at Marijuana Business Daily - 9 hours ago
Many marijuana industry watchers tout the social equity program in Illinois as one of the most far-reaching and likely to succeed in the U.S. cannabis industry. However, experts also note that for all the Illinois program’s positive intent, it is still a sometimes prohibitively expensive and burdensome undertaking for any social equity applicant. With associated expenses […] Illinois social equity cannabis applicants laud licensing help from consultants, technology is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Aphria One, Brampton subsidiary receive EU-GMP certifications, clearing way for European cannabis exports

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 9 hours ago
Aphria has received its first two essential European quality standard certifications, which the Canadian medical cannabis producer says will allow it to export finished dried flower and oil in bulk to European Union countries with established medical marijuana regimes. The company earned a certificate of EU-Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance on Jan. 15 for its […] Aphria One, Brampton subsidiary receive EU-GMP certifications, clearing way for European cannabis exports is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

California marijuana firm Falcon seeks $50 million from Harvest

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 9 hours ago
California-based cannabis firm Falcon International wants a $50 million break-up fee from multistate operator Harvest Health & Recreation. Falcon is asking for a cash payment as part of a move to dismiss a complaint that Arizona-based Harvest filed Jan. 8. In that lawsuit, Harvest sought to terminate its acquisition of Falcon, a deal that was announced […] California marijuana firm Falcon seeks $50 million from Harvest is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

"What is important now is not the minority of bullies and would-be totalitarians. People are increasingly proving able to survive their onslaughts. What matters now is observing who stands up and [how]" #QotD

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 9 hours ago
*"So dominant have the minority-opinion pushers [would-be totalitarians and censors of the age] become that many people are persuaded that it would not just be career-damaging but socially fatal to say anything to the contrary. Even when that thing is the truth... "What is important now is not the minority of bullies and would-be totalitarians. People are increasingly proving able to survive their onslaughts. What matters now is observing who stands up and survives the stampedes, so that we can replicate such successes until such a time as the new totalitarians go the way of t... more »

Six Italian Courts Have Ruled that Cell Phones Cause Brain Tumors

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 9 hours ago
For the sixth time, Italian courts have determined that the radiofrequency and microwave radiation emitted by cell phones can cause acoustic-neuroma-type brain tumors. The post Six Italian Courts Have Ruled that Cell Phones Cause Brain Tumors appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Robert Kennedy, Jr. Assembles Legal Team to Sue FCC over Wireless Health Guidelines

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 9 hours ago
Robert Kennedy Jr., Chairman of Children’s Health Defense (CHD) has committed to be proactive on the concerns regarding excessive exposure of our children to 5G and wireless radiation. To fulfill this promise, CHD will be submitting a lawsuit on February 3rd against the FCC for its December 4, 2019 decision to decline to review its 1996 guidelines, and for its determination that the guidelines are protective of human health. The post Robert Kennedy, Jr. Assembles Legal Team to Sue FCC over Wireless Health Guidelines appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

What to Know About the Viral Outbreak in China

AP News at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
There are many known types of coronaviruses. Some cause the common cold. Others have evolved into more severe illnesses such as SARS.

The US’s Inalienable Right to Violence

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 9 hours ago
Even when critical of US actions, media commentary on recent US bombings and assassinations in the Middle East is premised on the assumption that the US has the right to use violence (or the threat of it) to assert its will, anytime, anywhere. Conversely, corporate media coverage suggests that any countermeasure—such as resistance to the US presence in Iraq—is inherently illegitimate, criminal and/or terroristic.

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

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 9 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.

Internet Freedom 10 Years In

mperault at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Remarks on Internet Freedom in 2010 Source: Flickr/U.S. Department of State Hillary Clinton gave her first speech on internet freedom 10 years ago today. When I started my job at Facebook nearly a year later, in January 2011, you could still feel its reverberations. Egypt shut off the internet during my first week in the job, and one of my first assignments was to help draft our comment for the press. Egypt was waging a new type of war against a new type of communication technology. Clinton’s speech established a foundation for our r... more »

When birth certificates become a public safety issue

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 9 hours ago
The law of unintended consequences appears to have struck again, this time in Colorado, where anyone can apply to have their birth certificate amended to change the record of their biological sex at birth. If governmental policy allows IDs to contain false, misleading, confusing, or unverified information, a chain reaction of adverse societal consequences will result. Those formerly comfortable in relying on the information disclosed in IDs will be compelled to undertake their own costly, time-consuming, and difficult investigations in order to verify the true nature of the person ... more »

Oranges Disprove Global Warming

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 9 hours ago
Paul Noel writes at Quora in response to a question: What are the best arguments of the movement “global warming deniers” to back their version of the story? Excerpts in italics with my bolds. Well since this question has only been answered by those who want to say no such science exists It has to […]

How to Keep Libya from Collapsing into Chaos

Ahmed Charai at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Ahmed Charai* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] In the end, Trump may succeed in doing by diplomacy what Russia and Turkey cannot seem to do by war—bring unity and peace to Libya. Libya is vital to America’s safety and security, but that African nation gets little attention from the press or the public. With the Trump administration’s new initiatives there, that may suddenly change. If Libya collapses into chaos, then prices at the pump will quickly climb. Higher energy costs would push up food prices, kill job creation and slow the U.S. economy. Libya, a longtime member ... more »

How the M1 Abrams Tank Came to Be America's Greatest War Machine

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/LATVIA-NATO--S1AETJHGXVAA.html] 50 years of legendary. *Key point: *The Army has used the M1 Abrams as its main battle tank for nearly 50 years. The M1 is powerful, the military keeps upgrading it to keep it modern and relevant. The M1 Abrams main battle tank has been the mainstay of the U.S. Army’s armor branch for now five decades. Heavily armored, powered by a gas turbine engine and equipped with a powerful 120-millimeter gun, the M1 has proven an adaptable tank capable of fighting from the roll... more »

The Air Force's New B-21 Stealth Bomber Will Be a High-Tech Doomsday Machine

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/-RP1DRIDUSWAB.html] Armed with nukes too. *Key point:* The B-2 is already a powerful and sneaky bomber armed with nuclear weapons. But the B-21 promises to be even stealthier and with new technologies that will make it the ideal weapons system to carry out a strategic attack. On October 27, 2015, nearly thirty-four years to the day after Northrop Grumman was awarded the contract to develop the first stealth bomber, the U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop a contract for a new bomber: the B-21 Raider.... more »

Is North Korea Getting Ready to Test Another Missile or ICBM?

Daniel R. DePetris at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Security, Asia* There has been an uptick in U.S. aerial surveillance activity over the Korean Peninsula as of late, which begs the same question reporters have been asking since the New Year: is North Korea preparing to unveil its “new strategic weapon”? There has been an uptick in U.S. aerial surveillance activity over the Korean Peninsula as of late, which begs the same question reporters have been asking since the New Year: is North Korea preparing to unveil its “new strategic weapon”? You might remember that term. Several weeks ago, on the eve of the... more »

In 2015, the French Navy Destroyed a U.S. Aircraft Carrier in a Simulated Battle

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/US-YEMEN-SECURITY-USA-NAVY-TM3EB4L0QOJ01.html] Here's how it happened. *Key point:* No warship is unsinkable and supercarriers are no different. France's submarine managed to sneak close enough to fire simulated torpedoes into the USS *Theodore Roosevelt.* In March 2015, one of the largest nuclear-powered warships in the world was “sunk” by one of the smallest. The *Saphir*, a French nuclear attack submarine, reportedly penetrated the defenses of the aircraft carrier USS *Theodore Roosevelt* and sco... more »

No, Somalia Is Not Poised for Economic Success

Saeed S. Ibrahim at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Saeed S. Ibrahim* *Security, Africa* On January 12, Ali Sharif Ahmed, Somalia’s ambassador to the United States, penned an article suggesting Somalia had turned the corner and is poised for success, so long as American taxpayers grant it $1 billion in debt relief. I would like to offer my own counter perspective. On January 12, Ali Sharif Ahmed, Somalia’s ambassador to the United States, penned an article suggesting Somalia had turned the corner and is poised for success, so long as American taxpayers grant it $1 billion in debt relief. Alas, many of his declarations appear co... more »

In the Name of “Security” Retreating US Gives Israel Billions More in Military Funding

Ramzy Baroud at MintPress News - 9 hours ago
Despite the fact that the U.S. is retreating from the Middle East, lacking strategy and future vision, lawmakers are congratulating themselves on passing yet another generous aid package to Israel. The post In the Name of “Security” Retreating US Gives Israel Billions More in Military Funding appeared first on MintPress News.

EU tells China more access needed to seal investment accord

bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 Trade Chief Hogan says he still wants to do a deal in 2020. China has been in talks with EU on investment since 2013.

Ukraine, Turkey hold FTA talks in Ankara

bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 Ukraine and Turkey are holding talks in Ankara on the signing of a free trade agreement, the Embassy of Ukraine in Turkey has reported on its Twitter account.

Mercosur deal at odds with EU carbon neutrality aim, study claims

bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 The controversial Mercosur trade deal is incompatible with the EU's commitment to carbon neutrality and “may undermine global efforts to avert runaway climate change”.

US House Impeachment Managers Statement on McConnell Resolution

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 9 hours ago
“House Managers Statement on McConnell Resolution Washington, January 21, 2020Washington, DC – This morning, the House Managers in the impeachment … Continue reading →

Transcript of President Trump Remarks – World Economic Forum, Davos, 2020…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 9 hours ago
There is a great deal of international interest in this speech. [Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much, Klaus. And a very special congratulations on your 50th year hosting the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. A … Continue reading →

Betsy DeVos Announces New Center to Enforce Federal Civil Rights Laws

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 9 hours ago
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the creation of the Outreach, Prevention, Education and Non-discrimination (OPEN) Center through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OPEN Center will offer support to schools, educators, families and students in order to bring about awareness of federal non-discrimination laws. It will be staffed […]

Does America Really Want More Black Teachers? If So, Supporting HBCUs is the Answer.

cmaadmin at Diverse - 9 hours ago
A national call to action for more Black teachers is especially necessary when considering research shows Black teachers are less likely to suspend or expel students of a shared race. Thus, increasing the number of Black teachers can aid in eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline, a system 2019 national Teacher of the Year (TOY), Rodney Robinson, knows too well.

EAB Recommends Higher Education Changes to Lower Drop Out Rates

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 9 hours ago
In order to increase graduation rates, EAB has recommended policy changes for higher education institutions to adopt in their new report. According to EAB’s “Student Success Playbook,” on average, nearly one-third of students drop out of college before beginning their second year. For many students, college registration creates both logistical and financial barriers. EAB suggested […]

Morris Brown Partners With Point University, Discounted Graduate Programs

Jessica Ruf at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Students at the historically Black Morris Brown College (MBC) can now enroll in Point University (PU) graduate programs at a discounted tuition rate, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by MBC’s Interim President Dr. Kevin James and PU’s President Dean Collins. “We could not be more pleased that our hardworking students who have matriculated […]

Beware the Racist Who Claims to Be “Rational”

Frank Wu at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Among the most dangerous arguments for racial profiling are the most rational. They are persuasive because they are by definition based on logic and statistics. The premise is that a stereotype is true, or more probably true than false, or at least more true of the group subjected to it than of other populations.

2:00PM Water Cooler 1/21/2020

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
Today's Water Cooler: China trade deal, Biden, Bloomberg, Sanders, Sanders "apology" to Biden, Warren, impeachment, shipping and climate, Amazon hand recognition, AI regulation, SEC and "ghost revenue," Extinction Rebellion, ozone and the Arctic, "Cats", the marshmallow test, Oxford comma

WHEN TRUMP DOES WHAT HILLARY JUST DID, THEY CALL IT A SUPERPOWER

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 10 hours ago
I understand why Hillary Clinton might have felt she could freely criticize Bernie Sanders for a documentary series: The Clinton interviews for the series were presumably done a while back, when it might have seemed that Sanders would be treated by Democratic primary voters as yesterday's man, assuming he ran at all. But I don't understand why -- apart from being all out of fucks to give -- Clinton might have continued the attack in an interview conducted earlier this month for *The Hollywood Reporter,* a conversation in which she threw gasoline on the fire that would have started w... more »

President Trump's Impeachment Trial Live Updates -- News Updates January 21, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*President Trump's Impeachment Trial Live Updates -- News Updates January 21, 2020* Full Coverage: Trump impeachment -- AP LIVE: President Trump’s impeachment trial opens in the US Senate -- France 24 Trump Impeachment Trial: Live Updates -- New York Times Senate impeachment trial: Live highlights and updates -- Politico Watch live: Trump's impeachment trial begins in Senate -- The Hill Trump impeachment: Live -- The Guardian Live: Impeachment trial begins with witness battle -- BBC Trump impeachment: Live updates from the Senate trial -- NBC Trump impeachment trial day two: A... more »

ACA Little Sisters and Trump Lawsuits combined by SCOTUS

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 10 hours ago
The Supreme Court will once again weigh in on the case of the Little Sisters of the Poor in their legal battle against the HHS contraceptive mandate. It has twice protected the Catholic nuns, and an HHS rule issued in 2018 protects religious non-profits, but several states have dragged the Little Sisters of the Poor back to court. In Little Sisters of the Poor v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Little Sisters are defending their hard-won religious exemption from a lawsuit by the Pennsylvania Attorney General and a recent Third Circuit ruling against them threatening their ministry... more »

Count Dracula and the Chamber of Wonders

Sarah Skwire at Econlib - 10 hours ago
[This post contains spoilers for the final episode of the 2020 Netflix series, Dracula. Proceed with caution.] The current rendition of Dracula on Netflix, created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, was providing me with a delightfully gory evening of blood and horror when it stopped me dead. Out of nowhere, Count Dracula himself […] The post Count Dracula and the Chamber of Wonders appeared first on Econlib.

Halifax auditor general confirms the city’s website redesign was a mess

Zane Woodford at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
It will come as no surprise to anyone who has logged on to halifax.ca: the city’s auditor general has confirmed that the redesigned website was riddled with errors when it went live in 2017. But in a report published Tuesday and presented to council’s audit and finance standing committee, auditor general Evangeline Colman-Sadd wrote that […]

Let’s talk about those damn bus doors again

Tim Bousquet at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
News 1. Santina Rao “The officers involved are still on the job and Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella had little to say publicly on Monday about the violent arrest of a young Black mother at Walmart last week, citing an ongoing court case and a potential investigation,” reports Zane Woodford: Kinsella addressed reporters after […]

'Spreadsheet towers' populate every major city — and they're becoming a major problem

Just In - 10 hours ago
We are entering a new world where skyscrapers and other huge buildings are becoming redundant and need significant overhaul or replacement. But how do you safely 'unbuild' a city? asks Norman Day.

'Planting trees? That's your plan? The house is on fire!' Thunberg blasts Trump at Davos

Just In - 10 hours ago
Greta Thunberg urges world leaders to end fossil fuel investment to combat climate change after Donald Trump uses his keynote speech to deride activists and call for more foreign investment in the US.

There's a 70km impact crater in WA that you might not notice — but it may have changed the world

Genelle Weule at Just In - 10 hours ago
Around 2 billion years ago when Earth was covered in ice, a meteorite slammed into what is now outback Western Australia creating what is thought to be the oldest impact crater on our planet.

Wind Farms Paid £136m To Switch Off Last Year

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood Wind farms were paid up to £3 million per day to switch off their turbines and not produce electricity last week, The Telegraph can disclose. Energy firms were handed more than £12 million in compensation following a fault with a major…

Oranges Disprove Global Warming

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on Science Matters: Paul Noel writes at Quora in response to a question: What are the best arguments of the movement “global warming deniers” to back their version of the story? Excerpts in italics with my bolds. Well since this question has only been answered by those who want to say no such…

Barometric pressure in London ‘highest in 300 years’ at least

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on Tallbloke's Talkshop: High pressure over the UK This is happening at the time of the deepest solar minimum for over a century. A Met Office tweet shown in the article states the record was set in January 1902: ‘UK record of 1053.6 hPa, Aberdeen 31.1.1902’. Wikipedia says: ‘solar cycle [14] lasted…

World News Briefs -- January 21, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*CNN:* *CDC expected to announce first US case of Wuhan coronavirus* The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to announce this afternoon that the first case of Wuhan coronavirus has been reported in the United States, in Washington state, a federal source outside the CDC tells CNN. The source is involved in the matter and was made aware of a CDC media briefing scheduled for later today. The novel virus, which was first identified last month in Wuhan, China, has so far infected more than 300 people and killed six, in an outbreak that has been reported in five ... more »

Impeachment Trial Proceeds While Int'l Bankers Inject Billions To "Save" Their System: Coincidence?

David at LaRouchePAC Feed - 10 hours ago
New International Economic Order Green Fascism Impeachment Trial Proceeds While Int'l Bankers Inject Billions To "Save" Their System: Coincidence? Video of Impeachment Trial Proceeds While Int'l Bankers Inject Billions To "Save" Their System: Coincidence? As billionaires meet in Davos to push their green bubble, which would bail them out while destroying what's left of an industrial economy in the west and likely condemn several billions to death, the Federal Reserve has now decided it must pour tens of billions of dollars to bail out hedge funds directly. This is oc... more »

The Miserable Collapse of Jess Phillips

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 10 hours ago
And so the clown car grinds to a halt and the comedy ejector seat throws its occupant against the wall of electoral calculus. Thanking the "tens of thousands" (actually, 14,700) who'd pledged their support for her campaign and joined the party (though no word on what will happen to their donations), Jess concedes it's not her time - she isn't the one who can unite all wings of the party and take the fight to the Tories. Trying to put a gloss on Jess's miserable failure to get anywhere, on BBC News Wes Streeting insisted what she brought to the contest was the "voters' voice". Recal... more »

Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Buy an RV Camper?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
Can Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle really compete with a mobile home?

"The Greatest Financial Train Wreck the World Has Ever Seen"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"The Greatest Financial Train Wreck the World Has Ever Seen"* by Bill Bonner BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – "Last week, stocks finished at an all-time high. But guess what? In terms of real money – gold-linked, pre-1971 dollars – stocks have been losing ground since the start of the millennium. We are looking at one of the most remarkable episodes in financial history. Investors think they are making money… when they’re actually getting poorer. Donald J. Trump tells the international Deep Staters at Davos that the U.S. economy is “spectacular,” but most of its counties have never recovered ... more »

The Past and Future of Econ 101

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 10 hours ago
During the recent ASSA meeting, I had the honor of receiving the John R. Commons Award from Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honor society. When receiving the award, I gave a lecture titled "The Past and Future of Econ 101." You can now read the lecture by clicking here.

On the Persistence of Really Bad Constitutional Arguments

Stephen Griffin at Balkinization - 10 hours ago
Today’s NYT has a story about the “constitutional nonsense” propounded by the White House Counsel’s trial memo. The nonsense is their argument that only ordinary crimes (or perhaps violations of law) can be impeachable offenses. The article accurately reports that the vast majority of scholars and commentators who have examined this issue have concluded that this is wrong. It is not only wrong, it is wrong on multiple counts – text, history, structure – you name it, all methods of constitutional interpretation appear to line up the same way. Thus the scholarly confidence about ... more »

Drinking Deaths Doubled? No, Alcohol Is Just Taking The Place Of Smoking In Broad 'Contributing' Claims

Hank Campbell at Science 2.0 blogs - 10 hours ago
About 300 year die each year due to heat, but if you look at the statistics of heat deaths another 300 list heat as a "contributing" cause, which means something else killed them but heat may have made the thing that caused the death more likely. Though a 100 percent increase seems odd, that heat as a contributing cause could be a factor is not a surprise. read more

BCG: New Life For The 99-Year-Old Tuberculosis Vaccine?

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 10 hours ago
After Robert Koch first separated *Mycobacterium bovis* from *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*, and seeing the success of vaccination in preventing smallpox, scientists believed that infection with bovine tuberculosis might protect against human tuberculosis. It wasn't a linear path but after a lot of trial and error, and some fitful starts (including deaths, the kind of thing that would get a product pulled from existence in today's cancel culture, the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been administered routinely to protect babies against tuberculosis since 1921. Today only... more »

BUMPED TO THE TOP - Video about Diana Assassination - Or, why Harry needs Independent Security ASAP

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
*UPDATED: Slow NewZ Monday -- with more information on Assassination of Diana * *UPDATED: January 21, 2020* Thanks to fellow blogger *Aanirfan, *I have updated the paragraphs below relating to Harry and his murdered mother, Diana Princess of Wales. *Aanirfan* posted an excellent video about all the evidence* pointing to a M16 assassination back in 1997.* *Assassination of Diana, Princess of Wales* Harry is reportedly back on Vancouver Island with Megan and Archie. The Saanich neighbours are not happy with the media "feeding frenzy". IMO, I hope the neighbours will set their num... more »

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