Tuesday, January 21, 2020

21 January - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 5

10:08 pm MST

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago

"If The Banksters Were Klingons..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago
*"If The Banksters Were Klingons..."* I doubt I'm the only one thinking this about now... Then again, the banksters *are *Klingons actually, aren't they?

Legislator Proposes Gun Restrictions, Gets Threatening Memes

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
An Ohio state representative who has proposed gun restrictions said he found memes that he considers threatening printed out and placed in his mailbox.

What to Think When You’re Thinking About Impeachment: 5 Essential Reads

Doreen Marchionni at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
The substantive part of the impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump is now underway.

Hillary Clinton Says ‘Nobody Likes’ Bernie Sanders

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Hillary Clinton says “nobody likes” her former presidential rival Bernie Sanders, even as the Vermont senator remains entrenched among the front-runners in the Democratic race, with the Iowa caucus beginning in less than two weeks.

Rocker Ozzy Osbourne Announces Parkinson’s Diagnosis

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
The metal singer previously cancelled tour dates in 2019 due to health troubles.

Democrats Decry McConnell’s Impeachment Rules as ‘Cover-Up’

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial quickly burst into a partisan fight as proceedings began unfolding at the Capitol. Democrats objected strongly to rules proposed by the Republican leader for compressed a rguments and a speedy trial.

Author of Leaked OPCW Engineering Report on Douma Speaks at UN Security Council

Dave DeCamp at Peace and Prosperity - 11 hours ago
[image: undefined] The UN Security Council met in New York on Monday to discuss the investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) into an alleged chemical attack that was said to have taken place in April 2018 in Douma, Syria. The alleged attack was blamed on the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and the US, UK, and France responded with an airstrike against Syrian government targets. A former OPCW employee spoke to the UN Security Council and accused OPCW management of ignoring and suppressing findings of the investigative team that was deployed ... more »

Rich Liberals Protected By Guns...Why Not The Rest Of Us?

Daniel McAdams at Peace and Prosperity - 11 hours ago
Yesterday's Virginia pro-Second Amendment rally shocked the elites to their core. Propagandized by the mainstream media, they expected out-of-control white supremacists but found a peaceful group of all races and orientations. More importantly, the local government nullification movement is growing like wildfire, with local authorities openly vowing they would not enforce gun laws passed in Richmond that they consider unconstitutional. Watch today's Liberty Report:

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 21, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
An artist's conception of DARPA's previousl Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2). The Tactical Boost Glide vehicle is reportedly similar to this design. DARPA *Warzone/The Drive*: *Lockheed Job Listing Offers New Details About Long-Range Ground-Launched Hypersonic Weapon* The Operational Fires system is intended to be a tactical weapon for the Army and could help in clearing paths for follow-on air and missile strikes. A Lockheed Martin job posting has offered new details about the design and development schedule of a tactical, ground-launched hypersonic weapon that the ... more »

A poem about St Paisios

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 11 hours ago
*As the great Russian documentary on the life of St Paisios notes, we don't have examples of Christians nowadays.* *God has given us a great gift in St Paisios and St Porphyrios. They are real world people, near contemporaries, who were the real deal** Christians and help us on our way.* *The path* *Though the path to You seemed hard,* *like walking on a precipice,* *with a sea drop on one side,* *and a rock height on the other,* *ever You guided him, Lord.* *Though the destination did not seem much* *in relation to the vast sky and mountain, * *just an extension in the rock,* *... more »

A UN Rogues’ Gallery: Socialists, Communists, Terrorists, Globalists Run the Show

William F. Jasper at rss - 11 hours ago
[image: a-un-rogues-gallery-socialists-communists-terrorists-globalists-run-the-show] Agents of the Socialist International, Communist China, and Russia control the dictators club on the East River.

Judge Denies Red Flag Demand Because Petitioner Lied

Bob Adelmann at rss - 11 hours ago
[image: judge-denies-red-flag-demand-because-petitioner-lied] Chief Judge Stephen Howard in Fort Collins, Colorado, last Thursday denied a red flag (aka “extreme risk protection order,” or ERPO) petition from Susan Holmes against a police officer because she lied on the form.

Second Amendment Freedom Fighter Bill Richardson Dead at 92

Bob Adelmann at rss - 11 hours ago
[image: second-amendment-freedom-fighter-bill-richardson-dead-at-92] Gun Owners of America founder Hubert Leon “Bill” Richardson passed away on January 13.

Australia Outpaces Qatar as the World’s Largest LNG Exporter

IER at IER - 11 hours ago
In 2019, Australia became the world’s leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, exporting 77.5 million metric tons of LNG compared… The post Australia Outpaces Qatar as the World’s Largest LNG Exporter appeared first on IER.

Amity Schlaes, Great Society; A New History

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 11 hours ago
"Despite the Trump administration’s thriving economy, or perhaps because of it, Democratic Party progressives are calling for new welfare programs even more radical than those advocated in the 1960s by the socialist architect of Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty, Michael Harrington." (Edward Short, https://www.city-journal.org/history-of-1960s-welfare-programs Remember him? I read Harrington's book when I was 25--was absolutely sucked in. I was sitting in my living room at 911 W. Charles in Champaign-Urbana, a grad student. I'm not surprised that today's snowflakes are no smarter th... more »

Why the Coronavirus Should Worry Us All

ABUJA, Jan 21 (IPS) - Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor is a medical doctor, the CEO of EpiAFRIC, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Nigeria Health WatchThe coronavirus outbreak -- which began in Wuhan, China, and causes a pneumonia-like illness -- is raging across Asia, infecting close to 300 people and killing four. It was initially known to be transmitted from animals to human, and was just confirmed to be transmitted from human to human. Read the full story, “Why the Coronavirus Should Worry Us All”, on globalissues.org →

“For Generations, We Have Been Nominating Men Just Because They are Men”

Read the full story, ““For Generations, We Have Been Nominating Men Just Because They are Men””, on globalissues.org →

Ending Bullying and Humiliation over Menstruation as Girls and Boys in Conservative Eswatini are Educated about Reproductive Health

MBABANE, Jan 21 (IPS) - When 14-year-old Nomcebo Mkhaliphi first noticed the blood discharged from her vagina, she was shocked. Confused, she turned to her older sisters for advice. "My sisters told me that they were experiencing the same every month and that they used fabric, toilet paper and newspapers as sanitary wear," recalls the now 45-year-old Mkhaliphi. She had to follow suit and use these materials because she had no money to buy sanitary pads. Read the full story, “Ending Bullying and Humiliation over Menstruation as Girls and Boys in Conservative Eswatini are Educated a... more »

School Lunch Programmes for Progress

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jan 21 (IPS) - If well planned, coordinated and implemented, a government funded school feeding programme for all primary school children can be progressively transformative. Such a programme, involving government departments and agencies working together, can benefit schoolchildren, their families, farmers and public health, now and in the future. Read the full story, “School Lunch Programmes for Progress”, on globalissues.org →

GERMANY'S ROBERT KOCH INSTITUTE SAYS NEW CORONO VIRUS HAS VERY LOW MORTALITY RATE. AHEAD OF WHO MEETING TOMORROW

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 11 hours ago
*GERMANY'S INFECTIOUS DISEASE WATCHDOG SAYS NEW VIRUS IS MUCH LESS DANGEROUS THAN SARS, WHICH HAD A 10% MORTALITY RATE* *NEW VIRUS CAN BE SO MILD, PEOPLE INFECTED DON'T NOTICE THEY HAVE IT* *WHO AND CDC HYPE NEW VIRUS THREAT TO PUSH THROUGH ANOTHER SET OF GLOBAL MARTIAL LAW MEASURES* *WHO TO MEET ON WEDNESDAY TO DECIDE ON WHETHER TO DECLARE ANOTHER GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY OR PHEIC AS EBOLA* *CDC STARTS SCREENING FOR NEW VIRUS AT FIVE AIRPORTS NOT NECESSARY GIVEN HOW MILD THE DISEASE IS, PRETEXT FOR FORCIBLY ARRESTS AND QUARANTINES* *Ahead of a WHO meeting tomorrow** to decide w... more »

Livestream: Senate Impeachment Trial Begins

hbaker at Lawfare - 11 hours ago
On Jan. 21 at 1pm, the Senate will begin President Trump’s impeachment trial. The trial will begin with a vote on a resolution that establishes the rules of the trial—including a set amount of hours for each side to present its case—proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The livestream coverage of the trial is available from the Washington Post here and below. Topics: - Documents, - Impeachment Tags: - impeachment, - livestream, - Senate Hadley Baker is a third-year student at the University of St. Andrews, studying English literature and Spanis... more »

Syrian Army reinforcements pour into Idlib after jihadist attacks: video

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:20 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has sent reinforcements to the southeastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate this week after a string of jihadist attacks threatened their positions near the town of Abu Dafna. According to reports, the Syrian Army reinforcements were deployed to the Abu Dafna front, which was previously […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian fighters abandon Libyan War, flee towards Italy: report

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:45 P.M.) – Some Syrian fighters that went to fight in Libya have since abandoned the war and fled to Italy, opposition media sites claimed, as cited by Al-Watan. According to the reports, at least 17 of the Syrian fighters have already arrived in Italy after spending a short period of time inside […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Netanyahu compares Iran to Nazis, vows Israel will never be ‘defenseless in face of enemies’

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the world to remember the Nazis’ brutal genocide of millions of European Jews, comparing the event with Iran’s nuclear program. “Iran is openly declaring every day that it wants to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth – and, by the way, Israel today has a population […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Saudi UN delegate invites Syrian counterpart to special ceremony amid reports of improving ties

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:15 P.M.) – The Saudi U.N. delegate, ‘Abdullah Al-Mouallimi, invited his Syrian counterpart, Dr. Bashar Al-Ja’afari, to a special ceremony held in honor of the Saudi Minister of State, Fahd bin ‘Abdullah Al-Mubarak, Al-Watan reported on Tuesday. According to the Syria-based publication, Dr. Ja’afari attended the ceremony and discussed future ties with his […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iraqi military says missile attack near US embassy launched from southeast Iraq

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said on Tuesday that the three missiles, which landed near the US embassy in the so-called green zone overnight, had been launched from the southeastern Baghdad district of Al-Zafraniya. “The Baghdad Operations Command found rocket launching sites in the Al-Zafraniya district,” the military said. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi ordered […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian military deployed S-400 system near Iraqi border, tracked F-35s: media

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:10 P.M.) – The Russian Armed Forces have deployed their S-400 air defense system at the Qamishli Airport in northeastern Syria, the Chinese publication Sohu reported on Wednesday. “The maximum detection range of the S-400 air defense radar at the Hmeimim Airbase is only 600 kilometers, which means that the Russian S-400 radar […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian, Syrian naval forces hold joint drills in eastern Mediterranean

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
The joint Russian-Syrian military exercise on defending international maritime economic facilities was held in the port of Tartus. “Over 2,000 servicemen, seven surface ships and boats took part in the exercise,” commander of the joint drills Alexander Yuldashev told reporters. The military exercise was held on January 18-20. Syrian Navy ships practiced locating mines on […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

US accuses Russia of attempting ‘weaken credibility’ of OPCW over Douma report

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
The US accused Russia of trying to use the UN Security Council meeting “to weaken the credibility of the OPCW and its findings” on the alleged chemical attacks on the Syrian city of Douma in 2018, speaking at the UNSC meeting in New York City on Monday. US acting deputy to the UN, Cherith Norman […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iraqi Air Force destroys ISIS base in northeast Iraq

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 P.M.) – The Iraqi Air Force carried out a strategic attack on Tuesday to eliminate an Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) base in the Hamrin Mountains. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, their F-16 aircraft carried out a precision strike on the Islamic State den after taking off from the Balad Airbase. The […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Former OPCW inspector blasts chemical watchdog’s ‘sanitized’ Douma report at UN

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 11 hours ago
A former OPCW specialist, Ian Henderson, has blasted the chemical weapons watchdog for releasing a “sanitized” report on the alleged 2018 attack in the Syrian city of Douma, claiming it omitted key findings from its own fact-finding team. These details, says Henderson, would have cast serious doubt on whether a chemical attack took place at […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Warren Wants a Justice Department Task Force to Investigate the Trump Administration

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) takes the stage at a campaign town hall meeting in Grimes, Iowa, U.S., January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Brian Snyder] She thinks that Trump will 'leave behind a government that is infected by corruption.' Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren will create a Justice Department task force if elected president to investigate alleged corruption during the Trump administration, she said in a plan released Tuesday. “Donald Trump has run the most corrupt administration in hi... more »

More than 7 feet of snow piled up in Washington mountains in the last week

Robert at Ice Age Now - 11 hours ago
Mount Baker collected the most new snow with 85 inches (more than 7 ft), according to the National Weather Service of Seattle, while Snoqualmie Pass received 82.5 inches of new snow. The Washington State Department of Transportation reports the accumulative snowfall for Snoqualmie Pass this season is 181 inches. That’s 45 more inches than this same time ... Read more More than 7 feet of snow piled up in Washington mountains in the last week The post More than 7 feet of snow piled up in Washington mountains in the last week appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert for snow-ice

Robert at Ice Age Now - 11 hours ago
“Unusual” snowfall is disrupting traffic today in the plains and in the mountains in the Pyrenees-Orientales, and several passes are closed. Some 1,500 households are also without electricity. The Pyrénées-Orientales were placed by Météo France on orange alert this Monday morning due to the presence of snow and risk of ice. In the department, the ... Read more Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert for snow-ice The post Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert for snow-ice appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Vital Hasson, the Jew who worked for the Nazis, hunted down refugees and tore apart families in WWII Greece

Sarah Abrevaya Stein, Professor of History, Maurice Amado Chair in Sephardic Studies, Sady and Ludwig Kahn Director, Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies, UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
Vital Hasson was born into the Jewish community of Salonica, Greece, a cultural capital of the Sephardic world. After World War II, he was executed for helping the Nazis destroy that community.

Midnight Mitch

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
This morning, on *CBS This Morning*, former Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said of Señor Trumpanzee: "He'll either be gone by this time next year or four years from now. Then what happens to the Republican Party? My fear is people out there know that, even if this is not an impeachable offense, that the president did something wrong, and for Republicans to maintain that he didn't is just wrong, and this has long-term ramifications for the party if we act as if we are just devoted to the president no matter what, and this cult of personality that we've seen, we certainly saw it in the H... more »

Are Canadian Snowplows Using Skittles to Maintain Roads?

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
A routine review of content labeled satire.

Waze App Directs Casino-Bound Drivers into Wilderness

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
Due to an error in Waze, drivers heading to an Atlantic City, New Jersey casino were instead directed to the Pine Barrens wilderness.

Supreme Court Rejects Fast-Track Review of Affordable Care Act Suit

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
The decision makes it unlikely the justices would rule on the fate the law popularly known as 'Obamacare' until after the 2020 election.

Greta Thunberg Slams Davos Elites on Climate as Trump Takes Stage

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
“My generation will not give up without a fight,” Thunberg said at the annual gathering at the World Economic Forum.

Day One – Senate Impeachment Trial – 1:00pm Livestream…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 12 hours ago
The U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial of President Donald Trump begins today at 1:00pm Eastern. The first series of anticipated events includes the framework for Senate rules for impeachment which will come in the form of a final resolution for Senate … Continue reading →

Jan. 21: The things we can - but won't -change

Graeme Decarie at The Decarie Report - 12 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rich-poor-oxfam-report-divide-1.5432930 The wealthy, with the help of the Liberals and Conservatives, are robbing us blind by paying no income tax. This is why our schools can't get proper funding. This is why most of our children have no chance of going to university. This is why Americans can't get medical care. This is why Canada and the U.S. can't afford to provide decent housing. This is why, all over the western world, whole families sleep on sidewalks. And this is why our taxes have to be high. And, so long as we sit around and do nothing, thi... more »

Boycotted by Radio Stations, Pabllo Vittar Now Also Censored on YouTube

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - After being boycotted by several radio stations throughout Brazil that decided not to play Pabllo Vittar's songs - some even with homophobic arguments - now the drag queen is also being censored on YouTube. The video platform blocked the video clip of 'Parabéns', a partnership between Vittar and Psirico, leaving […] The post Boycotted by Radio Stations, Pabllo Vittar Now Also Censored on YouTube appeared first on The Rio Times.

More Than 4 Times as Many Police Officers Killed Themselves Than Were Shot in 2019

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: suicide]The number of cops who committed suicide more than quadrupled the number of cops shot and killed in the line of duty in 2019.

Fake-Green Zero Carbon Frauds

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
*Ah, yes the fake greens, how I despise you all. Always with the death sermons from your soap boxes. Can’t believe this piece is from Counter punch who must have published it as an attempt to come off as anti globalist. Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day... Though it’s not likely Counterpunch gets it right that often, this was a breath of fresh air from their usual stale, pale & dank offerings. * *The excellent piece below touches on the fires in Australia... Lots of questions, in general, about that situation. (We'll get to that asap) Let's all read the featured ... more »

Is America On the Decline And Ceding Its Position to China in Asia?

Jeff M. Smith at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Jeff M. Smith* *Security, Asia* It’s a theme I’ve grown accustomed to hearing in recent years. There’s a powerful, stubborn perception percolating through the Indo-Pacific, and the world at large, that American power and influence is one the wane. For many, the story of 21st Century geopolitics is being written by the spectacular rise of one superpower, China, and the tragic fall of another, the United States. It’s a compelling narrative but one almost completely divorced from reality. “American Sunset?” was the title of a panel I was recently asked to join at a prominent inter... more »

FBI Pushed Apple Not to Allow Backup Encryption: Report

Chris White at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Chris White* *Politics, Americas* [image: FILE PHOTO: CEO Tim Cook speaks at an Apple event at their headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo] Apple caved. Apple reportedly abandoned plans to let iPhone users to encrypt backups of their phones, preventing even the company from gaining access to user information, after the FBI pressured the company to nix the move. The tech company told the FBI two years ago that it planned to offer end-to-end encryption, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing anonymous FBI officials as well as ano... more »

This Is How Scientists are Reengineering Viruses to Cure Bacterial Infections

Manal Mohammed, Andrew Millard at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Manal Mohammed, Andrew Millard* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Strange as it might sound, viruses might be one possible alternative to antibiotics for treating bacterial infections. The world is in the midst of a global “superbug” crisis. Antibiotic resistance has been found in numerous common bacterial infections, including tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and salmonellosis, making them difficult – if not impossible – to treat. We’re on the cusp of a “post-antibiotic era”, where there are fewer treatment options for such antibiotic-resistant strains. Given estimates that antibiot... more »

This Is Why People Don't Vote

Andrew Joseph Pegoda at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Andrew Joseph Pegoda* *Politics, Americas* People have different reasons for not showing up on Election Day. At least 40% to 90% of American voters stay home during elections, evidence that low voter turnout for both national and local elections is a serious problem throughout the United States. With the 2020 presidential election approaching, directives for people to “get out and vote” will be firing up again. Some people might be indifferent or simply not care, but many who forgo voting have legitimate reasons. Over the past decade, through my extensive research on civil rig... more »

Yes, the Navy Is Wants a Lot of Robot Ships to Deter a Rising China

David Axe at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/CHINA-USA-WARSHIP-GM1DXDHFCXAA.html] Drone wars on the high seas? *Key point:* The military is testing robot warships in the hope that they can provide extra firepower and support if a war ever happened. But once Washington perfects that technology, you can be sure Beijing will want to build (or steal the plans for) its own. While the American fleet throughout its history has shifted back and forth between naval concepts favoring fewer large ships or more smaller ones, the fleet architecture currently und... more »

Hurricane Rudy Strikes Back: Giuliani Hints At Tapes Exposing Parnas 'Lies'

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is interviewed by the press at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. December 31, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner] Will the potential Trump impeachment witness hit back? Rudy Giuliani on Monday accused his former associate, Lev Parnas, of telling multiple lies during a media tour last week, including about whether Attorney General William Barr was aware of the Trump lawyer’s activities related to Ukraine. “I will tell you this definitively, I never spoke to Attorney Gener... more »

Meet the TF-X: Turkey's Wanna-Be F-22 Stealth Fighter

David Axe at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/CHILE-FIDAE--GF10000363268.html] But it might not happen. *Key point:* Ankara wants first-class military equipment but a domestically-produced stealth fight is not in the cards. Turkey may well one day get the technology, but it is not there yet. Turkish Aerospace Industries revealed a mockup of a new stealth fighter at the Paris Air Show on June 17, 2019. Don’t get excited. The mockup of the TF-X fighter bears a resemblance to the U.S. Air Force’s own F-22. But whereas the F-22 is a real, front-l... more »

Lev Parnas Lawyers Want Bill Barr to Recuse Himself

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas, an associate of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, exits after a bail hearing at the Manhattan Federal Court in New York, U.S., December 17, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid] The former Guiliani associate's lawyers say there's a 'conflict of interest.' Lawyers for former Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas are calling on Attorney General William Barr to recuse himself from an investigation into the Soviet-born businessman, and to appoint a special prosecutor from outside the Ju... more »

Bloomberg's Campaign Thinks Trump Would Win...

Chris White at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Chris White* *Politis, Americas* [image: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg delivers remarks where he was honored by the Iron Hills Civic Association at the Richmond County Country Club in Staten Island, New York, U.S., December 4, 2019. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly] ...if the election were today. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign manager acknowledged Monday what some in the Democratic Party feared: President Donald Trump stands a good chance of winning reelection. “Right now, if the election were held, I think President Trump pro... more »

Why Lawyers are Using Facebook Ads to Scare You

Elizabeth C. Tippett, Jesse King at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Elizabeth C. Tippett, Jesse King* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] By using news broadcasters to deliver their claims, the advertiser enhances the message’s credibility, which makes it less likely that consumers will critically analyze the content. Some ads can be more than misleading – they can put your health at risk. Last year, ads paid for by law firms and legal referral companies started cropping up on Facebook. Typically, they linked Truvada and other HIV-prevention drugs with severe bone and kidney damage. But like a lawsuit, these assertions do not always reflect th... more »

Why Bad Customer Service Stays Bad

Anthony Dukes, Yi Zhu at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Anthony Dukes, Yi Zhu* *Environment, Americas* [image: Reuters] Bad customer service is increasingly good for companies who use it. Some of the most hated companies in the U.S. are also the most profitable. Much of this consumer resentment may stem from poor customer service. In fact, most Americans have fought with phone menus, desperately seeking a live service agent to seek a refund. In 2013, Americans spent an average of 13 hours disputing a purchase or resolving a problem with customer service. As professors of marketing, we have examined why customer service continues to... more »

Little-Known London Fact: It Broke a 300-Year-Old Weather Record

Stephen Burt at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Stephen Burt* *Environment, Eurasia* [image: Reuters] Although it may sound counter-intuitive, Britain’s recent atmosphere of high pressure (meteorologically speaking) may have been caused by very low pressure on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In the early hours of Monday January 20 2020, something unusual was happening in the atmosphere above the southern British Isles. Just after midnight, air pressure records for London were broken at Heathrow airport, where the barometer reached 1,049.6 millibars. That’s the highest level since records began in 1692. It broke the pre... more »

Bernie Surrogate Goes After Biden's 'Big Corruption Problem'

Andrew Kerr at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Andrew Kerr* *Politics, Americas* [image: New York State democratic governor candidate Zephyr Teachout (L) speaks next to lieutenant governor candidate running mate Tim Wu (2nd L) during a campaign event in New York September 3, 2014.] Bernie Sanders apologized for Zephyr Teachout's op-ed. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a “big corruption problem,” a prominent backer of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s presidential bid said in an op-ed Monday. Zephyr Teachout, a progressive Democrat who has lost three prominent elections in New York since 2014, said Biden’s support for the financial s... more »

Warren: Do Americans Want a Candidate Who 'Lies to Them'?

Peter Hasson at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Peter Hasson* *Politics, Americas* [image: FILE PHOTO: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks at a campaign town hall meeting in Grimes, Iowa, U.S., January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo] Born or self-own? Democratic 2020 candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Sunday questioned whether Americans want to support a presidential candidate who doesn’t tell the truth. Warren, who has repeatedly struggled with the truth on the campaign trail, was asked during a press scrum whether it’s “disqualifying for a presidential can... more »

The Brutal Reason American Tanks Shoot Depleted Uranium Shells

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/KOREA-NORTH--GM1E79117P001.html] Those shells are radioactive too. *Key point:* When you put national security above the environment, firing and leaving behind radioactive shells matters less than achieving victory. That is a calculus of the U.S. military and political leadership. A tank is a fast-moving, well-protected, heavily armed behemoth designed to dominate the land battlefield. As the primary offensive weapon in any army, nations compete to field the best tanks in both peace and war. In t... more »

Why America Stores 50 B61 Nuclear Bombs in Turkey

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/-RP1DRIGPYTAB.html] Seems like a questionable idea. *Key point:* Washington keeps nuclear weapons in Turkey to deter Russia. However, disputes between America and its ally might mean that it isn't a good idea to keep the B61s there indefinitely. One of the longest-serving nuclear weapons in America’s arsenal is the B61 nuclear free-fall bomb. The B61 bomb was first introduced in 1966 with more than three thousand bombs produced to date. The bomb is famous for its adjustable yield capability, gi... more »

Why Did North Korea Sink the South Korean Warship Cheonan in 2010?

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Asia* [image: Reuters] What was the point of this terrible act? *Key point: *Pyongyang likes to make threats and occasionally carry out an act of violence. The question is whether it does so to get attention and force a return to the bargaining table or if it is to maintain deterrence. In 2010, North Korea sank a South Korean warship, killing more than forty sailors. The bold attack, conducted in secret by submarine, was the deadliest incident between the two countries in decades. Although Pyongyang’s involvement was suspected from the outset, an interna... more »

Why the Navy Never Build the Montana-Class Super Battleship

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Americas* [image: By U.S. Navy - Official U.S. Navy photo NH 61246 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1239175] It would have been a monster. *Key point: *The *Montanas* would have rivaled even Imperial Japan's *Yamato *battleship. However, Washington made the right choice to prioritize carriers and smaller battleships. The U.S. Navy’s most powerful battleships were never actually built. The five *Montana*-class battleships, leviathans designed to dwarf even the giant *I... more »

How Russia's Kilo-Class Submarines Are a Huge Threat to American Aircraft Carriers

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/RUSSIA-TURKEY-MILITARY-RC1995ACC2A0.html] Here's what they can do. *Key point: *Kilo-class subs are powerful and cheaper than nuclear-powered vessels to produce. Moscow has them train for a wide variety of missions in case Russia ever fought NATO. Unlike the United States Navy, which went all-in on nuclear power, Russia maintains fleets of both diesel and nuclear-powered submarines. A land power encompassing much of Eurasia, Russian submarines are based much closer to “the action” than American su... more »

Assyrian Father Wins Deportation Fight, on the Path to Citizenship

Sam Hamama, with his son Chris and daughter Brittany.WEST BLOOMFIELD, Michigan -- He has been the face of the Iraqi deportation fight here in metro Detroit.

The infinite plasticity of the #FakeNews media: impeachment edition

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 12 hours ago
Bill Clinton was impeached because he committed multiple felonies, lying under oath, in order to avoid losing a #MeToo lawsuit for sexually harassing a subordinate when he was governor of Arkansas. At the time the #FakeNews media condemned impeachment and Republicans. Now Trump has been impeached not for committing any sort of crime but for basically not doing what Democrats want him to do. Democrats didn't produce a single witness with first hand knowledge who testified that Trump had in fact withheld aid, even temporarily, from Ukraine in order to force Ukraine to investigate the ... more »

Renewed Civil Disobedience As Govt Misses Protest Deadline For Reforms

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
(AP) The Iraqi government’s failure to meet a deadline set by the protest movement to carry out reforms such as holding new elections has led to renew demonstrations and violence across central and southern Iraq. Things began on January 19 with new efforts at civil disobedience. In Karbalaand Najaffor example the provincial buildings were closed, and the road to the international airport in the later city was shut down, while in Baghdad the Mohammed Qasim highway was blocked. Several pro-Iran Hashd offices were also attacked with the Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq’sheadquart... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Jan 21

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
1916 Ottomans retreated up Tigris after defeat at Battle of Wadi only to lose again to British at Battle of Hanna 1948 Communist led demonstrators against Anglo-Iraq Treaty fired upon again Led Regent to repudiate treaty (Musings On Iraq book review *Red Star Over Iraq, Iraqi Communism Before Saddam*) (Musings On Iraq Interviewwith Prof Johan Franzen on the history of the Iraqi Communist Party) 1970 Pres Bakr announced failed coup by ex-army officers and special tribunal to try plotters Accused Iran of backing coup 1970 Imam Khomeini started lectures in Najaf outlining his concept... more »

Remember Nancy Pelosi admitted that impeachment has nothing to do with Ukraine

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 12 hours ago
Pelosi admits Democrats have been bent on impeachment for over 2 ½ years https://t.co/V0mA33gEmC pic.twitter.com/QKtKUoPeZP — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 10, 2019 When people raised the issue that Democrats seem to have been rushing impeachment, not waiting for the courts to decide if people like Bolton had to testify for example, Nancy Pelosi said that impeachment had been going on for 22 months. If that's the case and Pelosi wasn't just lying then it's clear that impeachment isn't about aid to the Ukraine or "obstructing Congress". It's about the audacity of we the peo... more »

The epithet "soy boy" may have some basis in reality

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 12 hours ago
I've often heard metrosexual males referred to disparagingly as "soy boys". I've heard the same epithet applied to those who regularly consume "gourmet" coffees from places like Starbucks and the like. Now we learn that soy may, in fact, have some relevance to that. The use of soybean oil has increased dramatically over the last few decades, to the extent that is has become the most widely consumed edible oil in the US and other Western nations. However, its rise has coincided with an alarming escalation in metabolic conditions like diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity, and ... more »

The Carbon Wisdom of Rex Murphy “We're freezing! Isn't it great? The carbon tax must be working!”

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
*The Carbon Wisdom of Rex Murphy as written by Harold aka Geofish. *Check out the charts geofish has posted- I’ll include just one below. *"Renewable Energy" will save the world?**Then we’ll read some of Mr Murphy’s oped:* British Columbia*We're freezing! Isn't it great? The Carbon Tax Must Be Working!* "Recent news report: Thanks to the* recent deep freeze in North America, Calgary Zoo had to take extreme measures to protect its animals from the weather — including even the most naturally cold-resistant (animals on earth), the zoo’s king penguins* It’s good to see the carbon (d... more »

A VERY STABLE DUMBNESS: Don't forget to vote early and twice!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020The gang which couldn't endorse straight: * It remains amazingly hard to learn who sits on the editorial board of the New York Times. More on that puzzle this afternoon. We *can* tell you this: Kathleen Kingsbury is deputy editorial page editor of the Times. She's only been with the Times since 2017, but she does seem to serve on the editorial board. Rather plainly, Kingsbury seems to have been in charge of the process which recently issued in the paper's presidential endorsement(s). James Bennet, the editorial page editor who "oversees the editorial bo... more »

Exemplars of Service & Scholarship

cmaadmin at Diverse - 12 hours ago
We are pleased to present our Emerging Scholars Class of 2020.

Democrats stand four square with criminals: San Francisco edition

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 12 hours ago
You've probably heard how big conventions are starting to avoid San Francisco because poop and used needles are common sights on city streets. What you may not have heard is that in San Francisco the police are essentially ignoring any theft which involve less that $950 worth of merchandise. That's because that sort of theft is now a misdemeanor, like jaywalking, and it's not worth the time to prosecute. The fact that the recently elected prosecutor, Chesa Boudin, is the son of two terrorist murders and was raised by two criminals isn't going to help things. Democrat Chesa believes... more »

U.S. Senate Republicans Plan And Timetable For President Trump's Impeachment Trial Unveiled

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *Democrats and Donald Trump will each get just 24 hours over TWO DAYS to make their case at impeachment trial, under Republican plan - and senators will debate rules behind closed doors tomorrow* * Republicans' plan for Senate trial of Donald Trump are revealed hours before it begins at 1pm Tuesday * Mitch McConnell wants each side given 24 hours spread over two days to make their case - the Democrats for impeaching and removing, Trump for acquittal * He will use Tuesday to present his plan and hear the rival Democratic one before the Senate switches off cameras and k... more »

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 12 hours ago

Democrat posturing hurts immigrants: foie gras edition

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
New York city in an example of how Democrats feel that they have the power to control every aspect of your life banned foie gras; duck liver. They did so because to get the foie gras ducks are force fed during the last 3 weeks of their lives which Democrats deem to be cruel; although apparently killing the ducks isn't considered cruel. The fact that Democrats believe that instead of convincing people not to eat products that they, the Democrats don't like, they have the right to simply ban those products shows the tyrannical nature of Democrats. But interestingly their actions are g... more »

Iran Confirms Ukrainian Airliner Was Shot Down By Two Tor-M1 Missiles

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
File image of a Tor-1 missile system similar to the one that was fired at the Ukrainian airliner Daily Mail: *Iran confirms Ukrainian airliner was shot down by two Tor-M1 missiles as preliminary report into disaster is released* Iran has confirmed the Ukrainian airliner was shot down by two Tor-M1 missiles Confirms video footage appearing to show projectiles being fired at the plane The Ukraine International Airlines plane shot down in error killing 176 people Iran's civil aviation authority has confirmed two Tor-M1 missiles were fired at a Ukrainian airliner that was brought do... more »

Will any Democrat condemn Iranian politician putting a bounty out on Trump?

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
Iranian "politician" Ahmad Hamzeh put a $3 million bounty on President Trump. He said: “On behalf of the people of Kerman province, we will pay a $3 million reward in cash to whoever kills Trump,” Given the anger directed at Trump by Democrats for his "assasinating"the mass murdering terrorist mastermind Soleimani one would expect that Democrats would condemn this move by Iran too. But it's likely that instead we'll hear silence. That's because the Democrats hatred of Trump knows no bounds. After all Trump is guilty in the minds of Democrats of the ultimate crime; denying Democr... more »

Cop Arrested for Faking War on Cops Story of Sniper Shooting Him Setting Off Massive Manhunt

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: lies]A cop was arrested after his lies about a sniper shooting him set off a massive militarized manhunt that resulted in a lock down of an entire area.

Top DEA Investigator Arrested for Spending ‘Months’ on the Job Trying to Have Sex With Children

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: DEA]A top DEA official was arrested this month for trying to have sex with a child and make child pornography while on the taxpayers' dime.

Virginia Patriots Stand Proud...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
*and Governor Blackface Northam takes the credit.* And you are taking credit for what? Are you taking credit for the 10's of thousands of happy peaceful people who gathered together to defend their rights to have and bear guns? Are you saying that *your* security teams de-escalated the violence? What violence, you fool? I woke up before 4 am yesterday and watched the entire rally in Richmond, Virginia. Breitbart had reporters randomly picking people to be interviewed and I was privileged to listen to some of the most well spoken and educated people defend the constitution of the U... more »

Iran MP offers $3 million for 'whoever kills Trump'

Just In - 13 hours ago
Tensions between the United States and Iran continue to spiral, with an Iranian MP offering a significant bounty to "whoever kills" Donald Trump. The US says the "ridiculous" threat illustrates Iran's terrorist underpinnings.

Live: Blows keep coming for Democrats, one Republican falls asleep as Senate debates impeachment

Emily Olson And Peter Marsh at Just In - 13 hours ago
With the ceremonial openings out of the way, the impeachment trial of Donald Trump in the US Senate begins in earnest today. Follow all the reaction in our live blog as senators figure out the rules and hear opening arguments.

North Korea blames 'hostile' US policy as it walks away from nuclear disarmament talks

Just In - 13 hours ago
North Korea announces it is walking away from nuclear disarmament talks with the US, calling the sanctions placed on the regime "brutal and inhuman".

'Super-spreader' fears after report of one coronavirus patient infecting 14 people

Michael Walsh at Just In - 13 hours ago
One of China's top health experts warns "super-spreaders" could worsen the impact of the new coronavirus strain, which can now be passed from human to human. Here's what you need to know.

Water Corporation chairman quits post just two months after contract renewed

Daniel Mercer And Frances Bell at Just In - 13 hours ago
The chairman of Western Australia's state-owned Water Corporation quits just two months after being reappointed to the position, citing "business and family interests".

Commentariat Central: Part Two

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 13 hours ago
This is how desperate the Democratic establishment is getting: One of Bernie Sanders's campaign officials recently circulated a clip of Joe Biden seeming to make nice with that notorious Ayn Rand fanboy, former House Speaker Paul Ryan. The subject was Social Security. Since Biden used the coded language of Social Security "reform," rather than calling for outright cuts, the clip is being widely - and wildly - construed as Bernie "smearing" Biden. Granted, the clip was taken out of context. But compared to the buckets of mud they're slinging at Bernie, it was but the gentle flickin... more »

The Wuhan Coronavirus Has Now Spread To A Number Of Asian Countries

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*SCMP*: *Asian health officials fear Wuhan coronavirus outbreak is larger than China’s letting on* * As the number of people infected on the mainland leapt from 41 to more than 300 this week, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have all reported cases * The surge has raised concerns over Beijing’s transparency and rekindled mistrust generated during the deadly 2003 Sars outbreak Health authorities across Asia are concerned the outbreak of the mysterious new coronavirus is larger than Chinese authorities have stated, amid a surge in the number of people infected in mainland C... more »

A post-Brexit Britain will necessarily be aggressive

InfoBrics at The Duran - 13 hours ago
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent statements regarding Anglo-Russian relations in Berlin are primarily economically driven. More The post A post-Brexit Britain will necessarily be aggressive appeared first on The Duran.

Endgame in Syria

George Callaghan at The Duran - 13 hours ago
The battle is far from finished. But there is inexorable impetus behind the Syrian Army. More The post Endgame in Syria appeared first on The Duran.

FIRST GLOBAL DAY OF PROTEST AGAINST 5G GATHERS MOMENTUM

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 14 hours ago
A Global Day of Protest against 5G was just an idea three months ago. At this writing, more than 205 events in more than 195 cities in 32 countries are being planned for Saturday, January 25.

Trade between Indonesia and the EU likely to get more tense, with dairy at the center

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 Away from the more headline grabbing US-China trade dispute, a less glamorous one has also been taking place between the corridors of Brussels and Jakarta.

Crecen las dudas sobre la aplicación del acuerdo Mercosur-UE

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 En Europa se suman rechazos locales, pero también ignoran si Fernández impulsará finalmente la aprobación del pacto en el Congreso

Uphill battle for EU-Mercosur pact

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 Belgium's region of Wallonia is trying to block the EU-Mercosur free-trade agreement, just like it previously attempted with CETA, the EU-Canada free trade agreement.

La Wallonie va-t-elle bloquer à elle seule l'accord UE-Mercosur?

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 La région francophone de la Belgique s'est déclarée totalement opposée à l'accord de libre-échange que prévoient de nouer l'UE et les pays du Mercosur.

EU lawmakers give initial backing to Vietnam trade deal

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 The international trade committee of the European Parliament supported the agreement by 29 votes to six, opening the way to a vote in the full parliament when it meets in the week starting on Feb. 10.

What does India's RCEP withdrawal tell us? – Analysis

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 Given the current ease and widespread access to information as well as the social media-facilitated civil mobilizations across the globe, political elites of the RCEP countries should be consistently mindful of such risk from the grassroot level.

White House accuses Boris Johnson of ‘dragging his feet' over US trade deal ahead of summer deadline

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer pressed UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss to publish formal negotiating objectives for the US deal.

Armenia would welcome FTA between GCC and Eurasian Economic Union, President Sarkissian says

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Jan-2020 The EAEU is an economic union consisting of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Profligacy for Austerity?

Bryan Caplan at Econlib - 14 hours ago
Suppose you strongly desire to drastically increase the amount of education that people consume. What should you do? The obvious answer: Make education completely free of charge – and have the government pay the the entire cost. I say this obvious answer is obviously right. As I explain in The Case Against Education, I favor extreme […] The post Profligacy for Austerity? appeared first on Econlib.

Jeff Bezos’ Not So Excellent Indian Adventure: Modi Government Disses Inept Amazon

Jerri-Lynn Scofield at naked capitalism - 14 hours ago
India's top BJP ministers show cold shoulder to foreigner bearing “gifts”- the Amazon promise to create jobs- and push back accordingly.

The Personal is the Political (Impeachment Edition)

Mark Tushnet at Balkinization - 14 hours ago
Something's been nagging at me in connection with a common -- perhaps the most common -- argument supporting Trump's impeachment. I'm going to approach the specific argument indirectly, beginning with Alan Dershowitz's now notorious "Alaska" hypothetical. As a reminder, here's the hypothetical: "Assume Putin decides to 'retake' Alaska, the way he 'retook' Crimea. Assume further that a president allows him to do it, because he believed that Russia has a legitimate claim to 'its' original territory… That would be terrible, but would it be impeachable? Not under the text of the Constit... more »

Tuesday Morning Links

Unknown at Accidental Deliberations - 14 hours ago
This and that for your Tuesday reading. - Michael Enright interviews Linda McQuaig about the loss of public resources to privatization - even in the face of popular opinion: *People don't like big corporations. They don't like the big five or six banks because of the banking fees, etc. So the idea of privatization and private enterprise is a pretty easy target for you, isn't it?* You're absolutely right. Polls show privatization is generally very unpopular. That's why they renamed it public-private partnerships, to make it sound more friendly. And the big banks are anything but popu... more »

UN Throws Cash at North Korea to Fight “Global Warming”

Alex Newman at rss - 14 hours ago
[image: un-throws-cash-at-north-korea-to-fight-global-warming] A United Nations agency led by a Communist Chinese agent is sending large amounts of American taxpayer money and Western know-how to the mass-murdering dictatorship ruling North Korea, official UN documents show. Officially, at least, the cash and training is supposed to help the brutal regime in Pyongyang fight alleged man-made “climate change” and access even more UN money to deal with it. But in reality, analysts suggested the UN funding would almost certainly be used to prop up dictator Kim Jong Un's savage tyranny a... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 14 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin China coronavirus: Beijing confirms human-to-human transmission of deadly virusOceans are warming at the same rate as if five Hiroshima bombs were dropped in every secondChina moves to phase out single-use plasticsGiant dust storm, hailstones hit two fire-ravaged states in AustraliaIndia's Half-Finished "Ghost Towns" Leave Middle Class In CrisisThe Impeachment ‘Kill Switch’: McConnell Dismissal Rule Corners Democrats, Blocks Antics as Trial Commences (Breitbart) TRUMP TEEN RAPE ALLEGATION RESURFACES, RONAN FARROW CLAIMS NATIONAL ENQUIRER TRIED TO PROTECT HIM IN NEW ... more »

The McCarthy Presidency

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
Jonathan Chait writes that we now know what would have happened if Joe McCarthy had been elected president: McCarthy is surely the closest parallel to Trump that can be found in post-war history. Those who recall the period of social terror he helped unleash would be the least surprised at another right-wing demagogue’s rise to power. Thinking about McCarthy’s era in juxtaposition to Trump’s should change the way we think about both. Both McCarthy’s allies and his most left-wing opponents found it convenient in his time to define McCarthyism as merely intense anti-communism (the ... more »

Six Inmates Who Escaped from Paraguayan Prison Have Been Recaptured

Juan Martinez at The Rio Times - 14 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Only six inmates were recaptured 48 hours after 76 inmates escaped from the Pedro Juan Caballero Regional Penitentiary in Paraguay. One of them was arrested yesterday, January 20th, already in Brazilian territory, by the Mato Grosso do Sul State Police. The last three arrests recorded until this morning, January 21st, […] The post Six Inmates Who Escaped from Paraguayan Prison Have Been Recaptured appeared first on The Rio Times.

Did Radar Technology Play a Role in Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752?

A Political Junkie at Viable Opposition - 14 hours ago
This relatively recent news item found on Defense News: ...lends credence to this news item from Iran's PressTV: The Defense News item goes on to state that: “*Whereas today’s electronic countermeasure systems are too bulky and heavy for most rotary-wing and UAS platforms, BAE Systems technology will combine multiple, software-programmable antennas into a digital phased array that will enable simultaneous functions, exceeding existing capabilities while reducing the size, weight, and power of current systems,” according to the British company’s statement.* *As the Army looks to m... more »

Why The U.S. - China Trade Deal Is Doomed From The Start

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*SCMP: **China’s trade war deal ‘may be doomed from start’ as skepticism mounts over capacity to buy US products* * Analysis continues to flood in suggesting that if China continues to insist it will buy US goods according to market conditions, it cannot meet Donald Trump’s demands * With 28 per cent of US exports to China not covered by the deal, economist Chad Bown suggests that these exporters could be cut out of the equation Almost a week after the signing of the phase one trade deal with the United States, scepticism is continuing to mount as to whether China will fulfil its... more »

The SIGAR Called Congress to Action, But How Will It Respond?

wford at Lawfare - 14 hours ago
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Afghanistan, March 4, 2002. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. David Marck Jr.) When John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), testified on Jan. 15 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on U.S. efforts to rebuild Afghanistan, he offered a sobering portrait of the challenges those efforts face. But Sopko’s thoughts on reconstruction were far from most Americans’ minds in the lead-up to the hearing. In early December, the Washington Post published a multi... more »

The Afghanistan Papers and the Perils of Historical Analogy

dgioe at Lawfare - 14 hours ago
Southern Afghanistan, Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Nov. 2001 (Source: Wikimedia/U.S. Marine photo by Sgt. Joseph Chenelly) On Dec. 9, 2019, the Washington Post released to great fanfare what it presumably hoped would be a bombshell along the lines of the New York Times’s explosive “Pentagon Papers,” published in 1971, and indeed framed the coverage as such. Their so-called “Afghanistan Papers” (note the similarity in the nomenclature) were internal documents produced by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) as part of their ongoi... more »

New Zealand to overturn cannabis vaporizer ban, clearing the way for imports

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 14 hours ago
New Zealand plans to reverse a law banning cannabis vaporizers before new regulations kick in for the launch of the country’s medical cannabis program in April, Marijuana Business Daily has learned. “Currently, vaporizers are prohibited under the Misuse of Drugs (Prohibition of Cannabis Utensils and Methamphetamine Utensils) Notice,” a Health Ministry spokesperson told MJBizDaily. The “cabinet […] New Zealand to overturn cannabis vaporizer ban, clearing the way for imports is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Japanese Prime Minister Abe Wants To Boost His Country's Relationship With The U.S.

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*RCD/AP*:* PM Abe Vows to Boost Nation’s Role in U.S. Alliance* TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Sunday to bolster his country’s role under its security pact with the U.S. in “outer space and cyberspace,” as the allies marked the 60th anniversary of a treaty that has been the basis for their postwar defense alliance. Abe’s grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who was prime minister at the time, signed the treaty in Washington on Jan. 19, 1960, with President Dwight Eisenhower. The treaty allows for the stationing of tens of thousands of U.S. troops and the deployment... more »

Iran’s Drift Towards US And Israeli Behaviour

Thierry MEYSSAN at OrientalReview.org - 14 hours ago
Beyond the showdown between Washington and Tehran, Thierry Meyssan highlights the profound change in Iran’s behaviour. This country, which used to be wary of respecting international law, now ignores it, joining the United States and Israel, which have never recognized it.

Venezuelan President Maduro Says He Is Ready For Direct Talks With The U.S.

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*The Week:* *Maduro: Venezuela ready for talks with U.S.* Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Venezuela is prepared for direct negotiations with the U.S. to begin repairing relations and improve Venezuela's damaged economy. In an interview with The Washington Post, Maduro reportedly suggested President Trump should lift sanctions on the nation in exchange for possible benefits for U.S. oil companies from the OPEC member state. The U.S. recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's rightful head of state, and the Post noted any talks with Maduro would weaken that st... more »

Are Any Of The Democrats Who Want To Be U.S. President Ready To Be The Commander In Chief Of The Military?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Rebecca Grant, FOX News: **Is any Democratic presidential candidate ready to be our military’s commander in chief?* The most important job of the president of the United States is serving as commander in chief of our armed forces and defending the American people against threats to our national security. But in their Iowa debate Tuesday night, none of the six Democratic presidential contenders on stage seemed ready for this awesome responsibility. The candidates don’t lack brainpower but they are more focused on domestic issues. U.S. relations with Russia, China and many others n... more »

The Democratic Life of Socrates

Unknown at The Verma Report - 15 hours ago
There is a contradiction between the political views of Socrates and his way of life. In Plato’s *Republic*, he talks about five types of states: first, Aristocracy, or a state ruled by the best man or best men; second, timocracy, or a state ruled by men of honor and ambition; third, oligarchy, or a state ruled by the moneyed class; fourth, democracy, or a state ruled by free people; fifth, tyranny or a state ruled by a totally unjust man. In his hierarchy of different types of states, democracy is awarded a lowly fourth position, but in his own life, he shows a preference for the d... more »

Chart: Florida sales of smokable marijuana topped 22,000 pounds in less than six months

Maggie Cowee at Marijuana Business Daily - 15 hours ago
Medical cannabis patients in Florida have embraced the addition of smokable products to their purchasing options, with more than 22,000 pounds of the product sold in less than six months. By comparison, that figure is more than three times the quantity of all medical marijuana sold in Ohio during the first 12 months of sales in […] Chart: Florida sales of smokable marijuana topped 22,000 pounds in less than six months is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Wind Farms Paid £136m To Switch Off Last Year

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 15 hours ago
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 power line carrying electricity to England from turbines in Scotland. […]

Try Again: Why Nothing Can Stop Stealth F-22s or F-35s in a War

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * And we do mean nothing. *Key Point:* The future looks oh so bright for the U.S. Air Force. Here's why. F-35s, F-22s and other fighter jets will soon use improved “artificial intelligence” to control nearby drone “wingmen” able to carry weapons, test enemy air defenses or perform intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions in high risk areas, senior Air Force officials said. Citing ongoing progress with computer algorithms and some degree of AI (artificial intelligence) already engineered into the F-35, Air Force Chief Scientist Gregory Za... more »

Forget North Korea or Pakistan: This U.S. Ally Has a Nuclear Arsenal That Could Kill Billions

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * And its all underwater. *Key Point*: London's nukes often get overlooked, but they can certainly kill billions if called upon. The United Kingdom maintains a fleet of four ballistic missile submarines with the ability to devastate even the largest of countries. This fleet came into being after its ally, the United States, canceled a key weapon system that would have been the cornerstone of London’s nuclear arsenal. Fifty years later, the UK’s missile submarine force is the sole custodian of the country’s nuclear weapons, providing a constant deterr... more »

5 Guns That Can Surely Protect Your Home, Property and Your Family

Richard Douglas at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Richard Douglas* *Security, * The only list you need to read on this important topic. *Key Point:* Firearm ownership is not for everyone. However, these are the guns that can save your life. This is the complete guide to home defense guns. In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn: -What to look for in a home defense gun -The pros/cons with each firearm type -What’s the best home defense gun for you - And much more So if you’re trying to look for the best home defense weapon that’ll protect you and your family, this guide is for you. Let’s dive right in. There’s no such thing ... more »

Rod Rosenstein the lovebird leaker. Senate impeachment circus begins (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 15 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 438. More The post Rod Rosenstein the lovebird leaker. Senate impeachment circus begins (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Is patriotism right wing extremism?

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 15 hours ago
"When I mentioned to my liberal wife that my next book would be dedicated to the defense of patriotism, as an antidote to growing divisiveness, she warned me that my colleagues would consider it a defense of right-wing extremism." (Amitai Etzioni) He went on to write the whole essay on how he gets that from publishers (change the title) or reviewers like NPR--that patriotism is considered right wing and he asks when did that happen and why. My question first would be how do these two live together? And second I'd give an answer to his question. This didn't happen over night. It wa... more »

Autism and Housing Dangerous Logic an Article by Amy Lutz in Psychology Today

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 15 hours ago
Note: This is such an important article in Psychology Today, I had to share it with you. HOUSING. CHOICE. CONTROL. For those of us with children for whom an independent life is not an option, why is it that a... more »

"The Fed’s Evil Juggernaut
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CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"The Fed’s Evil Juggernaut "* by Adam Taggart "Juggernaut: (n) a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path." "The US Federal Reserve is once again force-feeding liquidity into the system. At its fastest rate ever. The result? Record high stock prices whose valuations defy all logic. What’s wrong with that? Shouldn’t we just enjoy the party and be grateful for our rising 401ks? What’s wrong is that the Fed’s actions are dooming us. Their poisonous cocktail of endless cheap money and rock-bottom interest rates is hastening a termi... more »

Virginia gun rights rally stops Marxist Governor in his tracks

( I'm a real dummy. I would call those Fascist tactics by the governor every bit as much as Marxist. )
Editor, cairnsnews at Cairns News - 15 hours ago
Civil disobedience took on a new meaning in Virginia, US yesterday, as many thousands of gun rights supporters took to the street in defiance of the Virginia Governor’s edict to drastically tighten up gun laws and ban armed civilians from demonstrating in the streets. https://www.rt.com/usa/478741-virginia-gun-rights-rally/ Police stood on helplessly as Second Amendment rights proponents filled […]

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