Wednesday, January 08, 2020

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

10 pm MST

Trump hits a homer; and by the way I was right :)

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 6 hours ago
This morning before Trump's talk I posted an article speculating that the missile strike was nothing more than a face saving gesture designed to placate Khamenei's internal opponents, and public opinion in Iran, and not actually kill any Americans. Looks like I was right. Don't tell my wife; she'd never believe it. :) But the real news is that Trump also did what I predicted; because no Americans were killed, which is his red line, there was no military retaliation. So just like that all the fear mongering Democrats who clearly love Iran more than Trump looked like fools. You can... more »

Gravity & Newton

Louis Hissink at Louis Hissink's Crazy World - 6 hours ago
I’m reading Nicholas Kollerstrom’s book about Isaac Newton to understand how Newton arrived at his famous equation for gravity, apart from on alert for a possible fire outbreak in SE Australia, map below with the farm due east of Bega … Continue reading →

China Is Testing New Missiles That Can Carry Nuclear Weapons

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
China's DF-26 ballistic missile drill senda "clear message" to the U.S. #China pic.twitter.com/y2WOjIbhh7 — ivan (@ivan8848) January 5, 2020 *Daily Mail:* *China launches its nuclear-capable, hypersonic nuclear missile DF-26 which 'could reach US territory and sink aircraft carriers' in a military drill* * Beijing released rare footage of the missile being launched from a desert * Reports claimed DF-26 could strike a warship 3,728 miles away at Mach 18 * The missile is said to be able to carry a four-megaton nuclear warhead * It could reach Guam, a US territory 2,000 miles from the C... more »

Was This Koala Rescued From a Bushfire in Australia?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 6 hours ago
As wildfires raged in Australia in January 2020, a photograph from a previous blaze went viral.

Case of 2 Missing Kids Grows to Include Deaths, Cult Rumors

AP News at Snopes.com - 6 hours ago
Confusion is growing around a series of mysterious deaths and the disappearances of a 7-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl that tie back to a couple who have since vanished themselves.

Musical Interlude: Prelude, “After the Goldrush”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*Prelude, “After the Goldrush”, A Cappella* “I saw the stunning artwork of visionary artist John Pitre and then heard this beautiful a cappella version of Neil Young’s song "After the Goldrush" on iTunes. This version is on the Dawn Anthology Album and I believe the group is called Prelude.” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6BzTCQ6Nqo ○ *The live version:* Prelude, ”After The Goldrush” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Taxuott5s

"A Look to the Heavens"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
"Supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cass A) is a comfortable 11,000 light-years away. Light from the Cass A supernova, the death explosion of a massive star, first reached Earth just 330 years ago. The expanding debris cloud spans about 15 light-years in this composite X-ray/optical image, while the bright source near the center is a neutron star (inset illustration) the incredibly dense, collapsed remains of the stellar core. *Click image for larger size.* Still hot enough to emit X-rays, Cass A's neutron star is cooling. In fact, 10 years of observations with the orbiting Chandra X-r... more »

“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“* by Cate Matthews “Living shoulder-to-shoulder on a small blue planet zooming through an ever-expanding universe, it's easy to feel very, very small. But what we are is actually pretty incredible. "We are dead stars looking back up at the sky," Dr. Michelle Thaller, astronomer and science communicator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says in a recent video posted by "The Atlantic": Every single cell in our bodies contains elements created in the burning center of a collapsing star- from the iron in our blood to... more »

The Poet: Fernando Pessoa, “Since We Do Nothing”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*“Since We Do Nothing”* “Since we do nothing in this confused world That lasts or that, lasting, is of any worth, And even what’s useful for us we lose So soon, with our own lives, Let us prefer the pleasure of the moment To an absurd concern with the future, Whose only certainty is the harm we suffer now To pay for its prosperity. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. This moment Alone is mine, and I am only who Exists in this instant, which might be the last Of the self I pretend to be.” - Fernando Pessoa

Paul Krugman Denies Responsibility for Child Pornography Located on His Computer…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
In a rather bizarre tweet without any background context New York Times columnist Paul Krugman denies responsibility for child pornography found on his computer: In a follow-up tweet Krugman states: “The Times is now on the case”. Apparently calling the … Continue reading →

Rhode Island lawmakers seek to change medical cannabis rules

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 6 hours ago
Rhode Island legislative leaders said Wednesday they’re seeking to undo a change to how medical marijuana stores are regulated. The action comes in response to a lawsuit by Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo. A provision in the state budget approved in 2019 gave lawmakers the right to veto regulations imposed on the cannabis industry. Raimondo sued, […] Rhode Island lawmakers seek to change medical cannabis rules is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

New York governor pledges to legalize adult-use marijuana

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 6 hours ago
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday promised to legalize recreational cannabis in the state as part of his 2020 agenda. The governor made his promise to legalize adult-use marijuana during his annual State of the State address. The state is facing a multibillion-dollar budget gap and legalized recreational marijuana “could pour much-needed revenue into […] New York governor pledges to legalize adult-use marijuana is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Cannabis giant Harvest seeks to terminate acquisition

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 6 hours ago
Harvest Health & Recreation, an Arizona-based multistate marijuana operator, on Wednesday said it has filed a federal lawsuit against Falcon International seeking to terminate its merger agreement with the California-based company. As part of the suit, Harvest also is seeking a return of $50 million it paid to Falcon under the merger agreement. Harvest’s complaint, […] Cannabis giant Harvest seeks to terminate acquisition is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Massachusetts vaping death linked to marijuana

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 6 hours ago
A man in his 70s who had reported vaping THC died from a vaping-related illness. The unidentified man is the fourth person in the state whose death has been linked to vaping, The Boston Globe reported. Many of the confirmed and probable vaping illness cases in Massachusetts have involved vaping THC in some form. As […] Massachusetts vaping death linked to marijuana is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

On Iran's "retaliation" - a guest perspective

David Brin at CONTRARY BRIN - 6 hours ago
Much discussed (elsewhere) is the high likelihood that Iran's recent missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq was an "arbitrated response/deal..." one negotiated in advance, allowing Iran and Iraq a face-saving way to "retaliate" in some flashy way, without causing any U.S. casualties that would invite further vengeance. This kind of thing is classic in the art of de-escalation and is consistent with Trump's bipolar pattern - lashing out then hurriedly backing off and letting professionals help him minimize any blowback. Below is a guest-commentary that was offered to a small group by m... more »

“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“* by Cate Matthews “Living shoulder-to-shoulder on a small blue planet zooming through an ever-expanding universe, it's easy to feel very, very small. But what we are is actually pretty incredible. "We are dead stars looking back up at the sky," Dr. Michelle Thaller, astronomer and science communicator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says in a recent video posted by "The Atlantic": Every single cell in our bodies contains elements created in the burning center of a collapsing star- from the iron in our blood to... more »

"There’s 'Dumb,' There’s 'Neocon,' and There’s the Donald"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*"There’s 'Dumb,' There’s 'Neocon,' and There’s the Donald"* by David Stockman “…that old Beach Boys song, ‘Bomb Iran,’… ‘Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb… ’ anyway, ah…” – Senator John McCain, responding to an audience question about military action against Iran during an April 17, 2007, campaign appearance in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina During more than a half-century of Washington watching, I’ve seen stupidity rise from one height to yet another. But nothing – just plain nothing – compares to the Tweeter-in-Chief’s Iran “policy.” As we noted on Monday, that “policy” culminated in the m... more »

Congress to vote on a second War Powers resolution, this time on Iran

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 6 hours ago
House To Vote On War Powers Resolution To Limit Trump’s Military Actions | Hallie Jackson | MSNBC . . House to vote on resolution to limit President Trump’s military actions . . –##– I don’t know why Sen. Kaine would introduce a new resolution unless it doesn’t transfer between years because there is already an SJ Res 60. Here is his press release noting that he is submitting a new resolution. I do know that on December 13, 2018, submitted early in the 2018 session by Bernie Sanders on the matter of war in Yemen, the Senate in a vote … Continue reading →

Act of WAR

Ragnar at 'Nox & Friends - 6 hours ago
I believe this meme says it all! Whom started what? Whom finished what? Nuff said. ~Ragnar (RFXtFR)

Stepping Away from the Brink: Part VI: Community Colleges and their Important Role in a More Equitable World

cmaadmin at Diverse - 7 hours ago
As the holiday season has quickly come and gone, we resume our “Stepping Away from the Brink” series and have shifted our emphasis to the important role Community Colleges play in the upward mobility for low-income families and communities of color.

Tuskegee University President Takes Temporary Medical Leave

cmaadmin at Diverse - 7 hours ago
Tuskegee University President Dr. Lily D. McNair is taking a medical leave of absence for an undisclosed health issue, according to a statement released by the university’s board of trustees. McNair will step away from the presidency on Jan. 15 and will be away for most of the Spring 2020 semester. “Life sometimes presents us […]

Walsh College Becomes First Institution to Partner with Detroit Promise

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 7 hours ago
Walsh College announced a partnership with Detroit Promise to offer an opportunity for community college students to complete a four-year degree tuition-free. This is the first institution to collaborate with Detroit Promise, which covers tuition after financial aid at either a community college or four-year university. In order to qualify for the promise program, students […]

African Methodist Episcopal Church Forgives Morris Brown College’s $4M Debt

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 7 hours ago
Over $4 million in debt owed by Morris Brown College was forgiven by the Executive Committee of the General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. However, Morris Brown College agreed to create a $1.5 million scholarship for AME members. Morris Brown College lost its accreditation in 2002 but has continued […]

NSW Government announces $1b fire fund as updated toll of blazes revealed

Just In - 7 hours ago
The NSW Government commits $1 billion to help rebuild bushfire-ravaged communities, as authorities confirm blazes have destroyed 1,870 homes around the state this season.

Global markets rally as US-Iran conflict avoids escalation, ASX follows

Stephanie Chalmers at Just In - 7 hours ago
Markets breathe a sigh of relief as the US and Iran appear to pull back from the brink of further conflict. The Australian share market rises strongly at the start of the session.

Trump spoke for 10 minutes while the world watched. But 10 words tell us all we need to know about what might come next

Emily Olson at Just In - 7 hours ago
The opening line of his response to the strikes in Iraq made the US President's position clear, but there could be more tension on the horizon with the path from here still hard to predict, write Emily Olsen and Kathryn Diss.

South Australia sweats it out through driest year on record in 2019

Malcolm Sutton at Just In - 7 hours ago
South Australia suffered its driest year on record during 2019, the Bureau of Meteorology says, with rainfall down 65 per cent as mean temperatures rose 1.45 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average.

Seven dogs, 43 years, one bravery award: Queensland's longest-serving police dog handler retires

Johanna Marie at Just In - 7 hours ago
Sergeant Bill Applebee, believed to be the longest-serving police dog handler in Australia, retires after 37 years as a handler and 43 years with Queensland police, saying the seven dogs he served with are all special to him.

NSW Now: Sydney desalination plant to double in size under NSW Government plan

Just In - 7 hours ago
*MORNING BRIEFING: *The Kurnell desalination plant will be expanded to provide up to 30 per cent of Sydney's water under a NSW Government plan to address falling dam levels.

After 20 years of hard work, Queensland farmer grows seedless lychee

Melanie Groves at Just In - 7 hours ago
One $US5,000 tree from China, 19 years and counting, and a lot of hard work is what Tibby Dixon has put into having the first seedless lychees growing in Australia.

Is breathing smoky air really the same as smoking several cigarettes a week?

Isaac Nowroozi And Alexandra Alvaro at Just In - 7 hours ago
Some Australian cities have topped the list for the world's worst air quality recently, but a top doctor says it is not as bad as it seems.

'We had a very peculiar set of circumstances': Whistleblower hotline led to Ipswich council staff sackings

Anna Hartley at Just In - 7 hours ago
A whistleblower hotline set up for staff after the entire Ipswich council was sacked has received 118 complaints and resulted in several sackings, council administrator Greg Chemello says.

Drought, fires dry up chocolate milk, yoghurt supplies as farmers pushed to the brink

Just In - 7 hours ago
Consumers could see a shortage of flavoured milks, yoghurt and custards, as a direct result of the drought and fires, the NSW Farmers Association says.

Michael had just finished rebuilding his house when it burned down for a second time

Laura Beavis at Just In - 7 hours ago
Michael King had just finished reconstructing his family home on Tasmania's south-east coast after a house fire when the 2013 Dunalley bushfire destroyed it again. He told the ABC what it was like to rebuild his life.

'Iran will never have a nuclear weapon': Trump announces sanctions after missile strikes

Just In - 7 hours ago
United States President Donald Trump says Iran appears to be "standing down", in his first address following Tuesday's ballistic missile strikes on two Iraqi bases housing US troops.

Corruption in Global Health Care May Exceed $1 TRILLION

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 7 hours ago
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola Story at-a-glance – Dishonesty and fraud in the health care system, including its academic and research communities, are significant barriers to the implementation of universal health coverage, yet this corruption is rarely if ever discussed, let alone addressed in any meaningful way The less transparent a health system is, the […] The post Corruption in Global Health Care May Exceed $1 TRILLION appeared first on Health Nut News.

President Trump Confirms That The U.S. Is Building Hypersonic Weapons

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement about Iran flanked by U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Vice President Mike Pence and military leaders in the Grand Foyer at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *Daily Mail: **Donald Trump reveals U.S. is building HYPERSONIC weapons whose development was closely-guarded secret as he boasts of American military strength after Iranian strikes* * The president touted the U.S. missile arsenal even as he said Iran was standing down * He called U.S. missiles 'big, powerful' and accurate * ... more »

The Universe

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
“It's no accident that when you look closely into the eyes of another, the very first thing you see, is yourself. That when you hold their hand, you can feel your own warmth. And that when you give of yourself, you give to yourself. Because, quite simply, both you and they are me. Freaky? Maybe. An accident? No.” “Let's get it started, uh-huh -” The Universe “Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!” - www.tut.com

Speaker Pelosi: The House Will Vote to Protect Iranian Terror Groups on Thursday…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 hours ago
Speaker of the House “Tehran Nancy” has announced her intention for a vote on Thursday in an effort to limit President Trump’s authority to defend against attacks by Iran, and increase the democrat effort to protect Iran’s ability to target … Continue reading →

MAGAnomics – ADP Payroll Release: December Employment Jumps +202,000…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 hours ago
A new ADP Payroll Report shows job gains of 202,000 from November to December 2019 far surpassing expectations. The increase was the largest gain since April ’19: “largest gain since April, driven mainly by professional and business services. Job creation … Continue reading →

“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
*“Every Cell In Your Body Is Infused With The Collapse Of A Star“* by Cate Matthews “Living shoulder-to-shoulder on a small blue planet zooming through an ever-expanding universe, it's easy to feel very, very small. But what we are is actually pretty incredible. "We are dead stars looking back up at the sky," Dr. Michelle Thaller, astronomer and science communicator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says in a recent video posted by "The Atlantic": Every single cell in our bodies contains elements created in the burning center of a collapsing star- from the iron in our blood to... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. Thanks for stopping by!

"Was Marx Right about Capitalism Destroying Itself from Within?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
*"Was Marx Right about Capitalism Destroying Itself from Within?"* by Charles Hugh Smith "One of the core tenets of Marx's work is that capitalism will be undone by internal contradictions that would manifest as ever-greater crises that would eventually destroy the system from within. As the global economy continues to unravel beneath the surface, it's a good time to re-examine Marx's claim. If if turns out the current version of global capitalism is indeed unraveling due to its internal contradictions, it would be valuable to understand this now rather than later. Sartre once obse... more »

"Tuchman's Law"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
"Disaster is rarely as pervasive as it seems from recorded accounts. The fact of being on the record makes it appear continuous and ubiquitous whereas it is more likely to have been sporadic both in time and place. Besides, persistence of the normal is usually greater than the effect of the disturbance, as we know from our own times. After absorbing the news of today, one expects to face a world consisting entirely of strikes, crimes, terrorists, power failures, broken water mains, stalled trains, school shutdowns, muggers, drug addicts, neo-Nazis, and rapists. The fact is that one... more »

"Middle Age..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
"Middle Age is that perplexing time of life when we hear two voices calling us, one saying, 'Why not?' and the other, 'Why bother?'" - Sydney J. Harris

China Is Making Progress on Stealth (But No Breakthrough Yet)

David Axe at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*David Axe* *Technology, Asia* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/AIRSHOW-CHINA--S1BEUKGLTZAB.html] Here's what we know. *Key point:* China is close to a revolution in stealth, but isn't there yet. Chinese scientists claim they have developed a new kind of material for making aircraft less detectable by radar. But the development probably is not the breakthrough that some observers claim it is. Prof. Luo Xiangang and colleagues at the Institute of Optics and Electronics, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Chengdu, said they had created the first-ever mathemat... more »

Timeline of US-Iran conflict: 1953 through Present

contact@ifamericansknew.org at If Americans Knew Blog - 7 hours ago
In the interest of understanding recent events, we have quickly put together a partial timeline of US-Iran relations, beginning in 1953 through the present. The post Timeline of US-Iran conflict: 1953 through Present appeared first on If Americans Knew Blog.

Aussie Fires ARE Caused by Man — It’s Called Arson and Green Policy

Selwyn Duke at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: aussie-fires-are-caused-by-man-it-s-called-arson-and-green-policy] It turns out that the fires raging in Australia are climate-related. They’re caused by a climate of hate, irresponsibility, and incompetence manifesting itself in arson, feckless fire handling, and environmentalist policies creating forest tinderboxes.

Iran Fires Missiles at Bases Housing U.S. Forces in Iraq; Trump Responds

Warren Mass at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: iran-fires-missiles-at-bases-housing-u-s-forces-in-iraq] Iran fired as many as 15 ballistic missiles that targeted two air bases housing U.S. and coalition troops — in Irbil, northern Iraq, and al Asad, in western Iraq.

Were 10,000 Camels Scheduled to Be Killed in Australia Amid Water Shortages?

Dan MacGuill at Snopes.com - 7 hours ago
Multiple websites and social media memes lamented a population-control strategy announced by authorities in South Australia amid drought and extreme heat in January 2020.

Man Saves California’s Oldest Weekly Newspaper from Closure

AP News at Snopes.com - 7 hours ago
Known locally as the “Mountain Mess,” the paper covers school board meetings, federal land use and other issues.

US forces in Iraq had an early warning about the Iranian attack: report

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:20 P.M.) – A U.S. military official said that the American military had an early warning about the attack by Iran on two military bases. “The warning was early enough to activate the warning sirens and keep the elements away from harm and go into the underground fortified rooms,” Iraq’s Alsumaria TV report. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian Army prepares for major Idlib offensive amid Russian-Syrian naval drills: video

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:15 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) was observed this week moving artillery into the areas north of al-Tamanah and Khan Sheikhoun. With heavy armory being moved back into this region of southern Idlib, the Syrian Army appears to be making their final preparations for the resumption of their offensive in the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iran declares January 9th as mourning day after plane crash, Kerman stampede

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
The Iranian government has declared January 9 the day of national mourning following the deadly Ukrainian passenger plane crash and a stampede at the funeral of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Quds Force, in his hometown of Kerman, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Wednesday. “Government expresses condolences to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Jihadists suffer significant losses in failed southeast Idlib attack

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – The jihadist rebels launched a new attack on the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) defenses in southeastern Idlib, as they attempted to recover the territories they lost last month. Led by elements from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the jihadits began their attack by striking the Syrian Arab Army’s defenses near the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Libyan Army is preparing to storm strategic and symbolic city in northern Libya

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:40 P.M.) – The Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted a military commander in the Libyan National Army (LNA) on Wednesday that said his forces are preparing to storm the strategic city of Misrata as soon as possible. According to the newspaper, the LNA commander said in a special statement that “there is a collapse […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iran TV releases video footage of missile attack against US forces

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:30 P.M.) – Iranian state TV released a video on Wednesday of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) missile strikes against the U.S. forces in the ‘Ayn Al-Assad Airbase in western Iraq last night. In the video released by Iranian state TV, the IRGC missiles can be seen taking off from their territory […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

New satellite images show aftermath of IRGC attack on Ayn Al-Assad Base

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:15 P.M.) – Satellite images of the ‘Ayn Al-Assad Airbase were released on Wednesday following the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) attack on the U.S. forces inside the Iraqi military installation. In the first image released by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, the sites attacked by the IRGC’s missiles are highlighted, showing […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Trump warns Iran that US missiles are big and accurate

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
Two US military bases in Iraq were attacked early on 8 January with Iranian missiles in an act of retaliation for Washington’s operation that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani on 3 January in Baghdad. In his address to the nation, US President Donald Trump said that no US military personnel were hurt in the Iranian […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Mark Cuban Probably Spouts Nonsense

David Henderson at Econlib - 7 hours ago
“The biggest issue for entrepreneurs, for capitalists, for those of us who are successful is, if someone is only going to be paid by the hour…they’re always going to fall behind,” Cuban told Recode Decode with Kara Swisher at the 2019 SALT Conference in Las Vegas. “And income distribution is … [the] disparity is going […] The post Mark Cuban Probably Spouts Nonsense appeared first on Econlib.

Between cup and lip

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
The BBC News Channel broadcast live President Trump's address to the nation. At its conclusion Simon McCoy (one of my favourite BBC presenters), obviously thinking on his feet, let slip a bit of BBC groupthink. talking of how "The decision by the United States to pull out of that deal *[i.e. the Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA] **many say* precipitated this current crisis in the Middle East". I think we can safely assume that "many say" here means "many at the BBC say". Very BBC.

Exercise—making New Year’s Resolution?

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 7 hours ago
Can you lengthen your life? “Even frail older adults can benefit from regular physical activity. One NIH-funded study included over 600 adults, ages 70 to 89, who were at risk for disability. They were randomly placed in either a moderate exercise program or a comparison group without structured exercise. The exercise group gradually worked up to 150 minutes of weekly activity. This included brisk walking, strength and balance training, and flexibility exercises. “After more than 2 years, the physical activity group had less disability, and if they became disabled, they were disab... more »

What Blows Up Must Come Down

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
*What Blows Up Must Come Down by Nancy Ohanian* Reporting for Bloomberg News early Wednesday morning, Adam Haigh and April Ma noted that that U.S, and European futures markets plummeted after Iran the Iraqi bases Tuesday night. "Wednesday’s action paralleled market moves on Friday and Monday. Investors dumped risk assets and flocked to havens Friday after the U.S. killed a top Iranian military leader. Then those moves reversed on Monday, even amid warnings against retaliation." This morning everything settled down before markets opened, although gold prices jumped above $1,600 per o... more »

Australia’s fires are not climate

Craig Rucker at CFACT - 8 hours ago
If there's a human element to Australia's bush fires it is Greens preventing forest management coupled with arson by rogues. The rest is natural, historically normal, and NOT climate. The post Australia’s fires are not climate appeared first on CFACT.

Here’s Looking at You, CO2

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 8 hours ago
Raymond of RiC-Communications studio commented on a recent post and made an offer to share here some graphics on CO2 for improving public awareness. This post presents the ten charts he has produced so far. I find them straightforward and useful, and appreciate his excellent work on this. Project title is link to RiC-Communications. This […]

Len v Lewis

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago
As per Charlie on the open thread, there's a bit of argy-bargy going on tonight between *Newsnight *newbie Lewis Goodall and Unite boss Len McCluskey. Red Len's saying that Lewis's first *Newsnight *'exclusive' is 'fake news': *Lewis Goodall*: EXC: I can confirm there is to be a seventh entrant into the Labour leadership contest. It’s Barry Gardiner. Tune into *Newsnight *at 2230 for more. Gardiner is preparing a run after being approached (among others) by Len McCluskey, who has been speaking to a number of other potential candidates, as he isn’t convinced Rebecca Long Bailey can ... more »

Corruption in Global Health Care May Exceed $1 TRILLION

WTStaff at Waking Times - 8 hours ago
*Dr. Mercola* - The less transparent a health system is, the more corrupt it becomes.

Will This Billionaire-Funded Think Tank Get Its War With Iran?

James Carden at Peace and Prosperity - 8 hours ago
[image: undefined] Consider the following scenario: A Washington, DC–based, tax-exempt organization that bills itself as a think tank dedicated to the enhancement of a foreign country’s reputation within the United States, funded by billionaires closely aligned with said foreign country, has one of its high-ranking operatives (often referred to as “fellows”) embedded within the White House national security staff in order to further the oft-stated agenda of his home organization, which, as it happens, is also paying his salary during his year-long stint there. As it happens, this i... more »

Conservative Vets Group: 'Bring Our Troops Home!' With Dan McKnight

Daniel McAdams at Peace and Prosperity - 8 hours ago
A conservative veterans group dedicated to bringing US troops home from pointless overseas conflicts is making waves in the Republican Party. Bring Our Troops Home founder Dan McKnight joins today's Liberty Report to discuss their recent successes in heavily red states. Watch today's Liberty Report:

Iran’s Rockets and Mines Could Block the Strait of Hormuz

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Middle East* If war does break out, Tehran has the capability to close the Strait of Hormuz to military and commercial vessels, likely inflicting serious damage to the global economy. In the event of war with the United States, Iran probably could block the narrow Strait of Hormuz that connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. But it’s less clear that Tehran would *want *to close down the strait. Slowly-increasing tension between the United States and Iran threatened to escalate into open warfare in early January 2020 after U.S. president Donald Trump... more »

Trump Takes A Victory Lap, But Will It Be Short-Lived?

Matthew Petti at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Matthew Petti* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] ‘Maximum pressure’ was supposed to deter Iran, but the Trump administration is at a loss for further options. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that “the American people should be extremely grateful and happy” that no Americans were harmed in a massive Iranian ballistic missile attack against U.S. forces in Iraq on Tuesday night. The Trump administration had promised to restrain the Iranian government’s behavior across the Middle East by replacing Obama-era diplomatic accords with a campaign of “maximum pressure.” The ... more »

Russia's Su-57 Stealth Fighter Is Getting a Brand New Missile

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Europe* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/MAKS-AIRSHOW--RC117DF3C6B0.html] What can it do? *Key point:* Fighters need good air-to-air missiles. Russia appears to be developing a new, small air-to-air missile that could arm the Su-57 stealth fighter. The United States also is working on smaller air-to-air missiles to arm its own growing force of radar-evading warplanes. The new missile appeared in a display at munitions-maker Vympel NPO's I. I. Toropov design facility in Moscow on Nov. 18, 2019, The War Zone reporter Joe Trevithick noted. The m... more »

Iran Has 55,000 Surface to Surface Missiles (But Is Holding Back Its Most Powerful)

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Middle East* Why? Iranian forces on Jan. 7, 2020 fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases, inflicting some damage but reportedly killing no one. The attacks were Tehran’s retaliation for the United States’ Jan. 2, 2020 assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps militia and one of the country’s top military leaders. A U.S. Special Operations Command MQ-9 drone fired on a vehicle carrying Soleimani and a deputy militia commander at Baghdad’s international airport, killing both men. The rockets... more »

Suleimani’s Assassination Marks the Death of the Trump Administration’s Realism

David Sacks at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Sacks* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] With the assassination of Iran's top general, Donald Trump risks a war with Iran that would likely derail America’s effort to address the urgent challenge posed by China and Russia. With one drone strike in Iraq, the Trump administration may have pushed the United States down a path that leads to another war in the Middle East. Indeed, the decision to kill Qassim Suleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps overseas forces and the second most important person in Iran, not only represents strategic malprac... more »

Trump’s Bogus “Off Ramp” Offer to Iran

Ted Galen Carpenter at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Ted Galen Carpenter* *Security, Middle East* There is little prospect that Trump’s policy will improve Washington’s already hostile relations with Tehran. Indeed, continuing to portray Iran as the Middle East’s arch-villain is both misleading and counterproductive. President Trump’s widely anticipated address to the nation on the growing crisis with Iran contained few surprises and even fewer worthwhile observations or proposals. Instead, it was largely a regurgitation of long-standing hawkish allegations and demands. Indeed, Trump began his speech with the stale refrain that... more »

Why Russia's Mosin Rifle Is One of the Greatest Ever Made

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Europe* [image: By Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) - Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) through the Digital Museum (http://www.digitaltmuseum.se), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18326392] It still fights on today. *Key point:* Russia's Mosin rifle turned out to be a timeless classic still used in modern times. One of the most widely used weapons of the twentieth century was the predecessor to the legendary AK-47 rifle. Developed at the end of the nineteenth century for the Czar’s armies, the Mosin Nagant infantry r... more »

OTPP Sells a Minority Interest in Brussels Airport

Leo Kolivakis at Pension Pulse - 8 hours ago
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan just announced it has sold a minority interest of its indirect stake in Brussels Airport to Japan's GPIF and Australia's TCorp: Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers’) has sold a minority interest of its indirect stake in Brussels Airport to each of TCorp and GPIF (through a StepStone managed vehicle). Ontario Teachers' will remain the largest individual shareholder in Brussels Airport. Ontario Teachers' is Canada's largest single-profession pension plan. TCorp is the financial services provider to the New South Wales public sector in Aus... more »

Prince Harry and Meghan to ‘Step Back’ as Senior UK Royals

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
In a statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they hope to "carve out a progressive new role within this institution."

Gunman Gets Life Term in ‘Fast and Furious’ Border Killing

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
The 2010 killing exposed the controversial federal gun operation.

In What May be the Largest Strike in World History, Millions in India Protest PM Modi’s Policies

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 9 hours ago
An estimated quarter of a billion workers in India went on strike today, protesting the government of Narendra Modi’s racist and “anti-people,” “anti-worker” policies. The post In What May be the Largest Strike in World History, Millions in India Protest PM Modi’s Policies appeared first on MintPress News.

Trump Backs Away from Threats to Retaliate for Iranian Missile Strikes, Promises New Sanctions

Whitney Webb at MintPress News - 9 hours ago
Following Iran’s military response to the deaths of Soleimani and his Iraqi ally, Trump’s tone -- at least publicly -- was dramatically less bellicose than his recent tweets promising to strike Iranian territory should Tehran retaliate against the US. The post Trump Backs Away from Threats to Retaliate for Iranian Missile Strikes, Promises New Sanctions appeared first on MintPress News.

President Donald Trump Delivers Remarks on Iran – Video and Transcript….

sundance at The Last Refuge - 9 hours ago
Earlier today President Trump addressed the outcome and ramifications from last nights’ missile attack by Iran against two bases in Iraq. [Video and Transcript Below] . [Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: As long as I am President of the United States, … Continue reading →

YOUR RIGHT-WING UNCLE THINKS ALL THE FIRES IN AUSTRALIA WERE DELIBERATELY SET

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 9 hours ago
*The Guardian* reports that bots are spreading disinformation online about Australia bushfires. The Queensland University of Technology senior lecturer on social network analysis Dr Timothy Graham examined content published on the #arsonemergency hashtag on Twitter, assessing 1,340 tweets, 1,203 of which were unique, published by 315 accounts. Using a Twitter bot detection tool, he assessed a random sample for bot-like characteristics. His preliminary analysis found there is likely a “current disinformation campaign” on Twitter’s #arsonemergency hashtag due to the “suspiciously hi... more »

The Crash Of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 -- News Updates January 8, 2019

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
*Daily Mail: **Iran claims Boeing crash that claimed 177 lives hours after missile attack on US base was caused by engine fire but REFUSES to hand over jet's black box* * The Ukrainian International Airlines Boeing 737 jet came down three minutes after take-off from Tehran today * President Volodymyr Zelensky said there were no survivors among the 168 passengers and nine crew * Ukraine's foreign ministry revealed there were 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians and three Britons on flight PS752 * Iran said the engine had caught fire and video appeared to show the plane already on fire as it... more »

Truth from an Iranian

Hardnox at 'Nox & Friends - 9 hours ago
The media would have us believe that the world is about to be set on fire because of the drone strike by American Forces, at the direction of President Trump, upon on that saintly murdering Iranian Turd Qassem Soleimani. Further, that all Iranians are distraught with grief that their uber general was martyred by the Great Satan. Well, it’s bullshit… but you already knew that. ~ Hardnox

An Emergency Trump-Putin-Xi Summit Is the Only War-Avoidance Solution

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 9 hours ago
An Emergency Trump-Putin-Xi Summit Is the Only War-Avoidance Solution Video of An Emergency Trump-Putin-Xi Summit Is the Only War-Avoidance Solution Helga Zepp-LaRouche reiterated her call for an emergency summit between presidents Trump, Putin and Xi to diffuse tensions in the Middle East and create a comprehensive peace plan for the region. While the shock of the U.S. drone strike killing Iranian Gen. Soleimani put the world on the path towards a much greater conflict, it also provided a sobering moment which made unambiguously clear that a comprehensive peace plan must be the ... more »

President Trump Makes A Statement On Last Night's Iranian Missile Attack On US Forces In Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *Donald Trump blames Barack Obama for giving Iran the cash to buy missiles flung at U.S. bases-as he offers to 'embrace peace' and claims Tehran is 'standing down' but warns of 'hypersonic weapons' and 'lethal and fast' attacks* * President said Iran can choose peace but warned of new weaponry that's ready to strike * He blamed the Obama administration for unfreezing $150 billion and delivering $1.5 billion in cash to jump-start a nuclear nonproliferation deal that has since fallen apart * 'As long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be be allowed... more »

Transportation and Climate Initiative Would Ratchet Up Cost of Living

IER at IER - 9 hours ago
The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional collaboration of politicians from 11 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District… The post Transportation and Climate Initiative Would Ratchet Up Cost of Living appeared first on IER.

U.S. Had A Heads-Up On The Iranian Missile Attack When The Iranian FM Informed The Iraqi PM That A Missile Launch Was Coming

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
Daily Mail: *Did US troops got a heads up of missile attack? Iraqi PM reveals Iran gave him a tip-off as US official says early detection system based 6,000 miles away in Maryland worked* * Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq and the Erbil base in Iraqi Kurdistan in the early hours of Wednesday local time * US troops were able to scramble to cover after 'early warning system' triggered * Meanwhile Iraqi PM said he received a call from Tehran about an imminent strike * US National Security Agency's base at Fort Meade, Maryland, is devoted... more »

Be the Indian, not the buffalo!

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 9 hours ago
Matt Bracken has written a thoughtful, insightful essay about the coming anti-gun-control protests planned for Virginia later this month. Let me say at once that I endorse what he has to say. I think the potential for really serious trouble is very great; and I think the new authorities in that state will exploit such trouble(s) for all they're worth to further their anti-gun agenda. Matt writes (bold, underlined text is my emphasis): The more I ponder the mass demonstration being promoted by the Virginia Citizens Defense League for the annual Lobby Day at the Richmond Capitol, ... more »

Communities in Ecuador Fight Back Against Palm Oil

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Alejandro Pérez* - Residents of the communities of La Chiquita and Awá Guadalito say their drinking water has been contaminated by pollution from oil palm plantations.

Over 10,000 Camels To Be Shot In Australia Because They Drink Too Much Water

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Mandy Froelich* - To conserve resources in Australia, officials are making the choice to shoot over 10,000 camels because they drink too much water.

Latest Count of ONE BILLION Animals Killed in Australia Fires a “Very Conservative” Estimate

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Elias Marat* - “Over a billion would be a very conservative figure," according to Ecologist Chris Dickman.

Largest Study Ever Conducted Using Magic Mushrooms Finds Psilocybin Completely Safe and “Breakthrough Therapy” for Depression

Phillip at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Phillip Schneider* - Magic mushrooms are now considered a "breakthrough therapy" by the FDA.

As Several States Legalize Campus Carry, University Reports a Drop in Crime

Phillip at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Phillip Schneider* - After legalizing campus carry, universities are reporting no increase in violent crime.

The EU plurilateral draft termination agreement for all intra-EU BITs: An end of the post-Achmea saga and the beginning of a new one

bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
08-Jan-2020 This termination agreement marks the culmination of the European Commission's and several Member States' efforts to abolish intra-EU investment arbitration proceedings from the European legal order.

Colombia: Baja competitividad del sector ganadero, principal amenaza frente al TLC

bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
08-Jan-2020 El más reciente informe de análisis comercial de la Unión Nacional de Asociaciones Ganaderas Colombianas (Unaga) recalca que los tratados de libre comercio suscritos por Colombia en los últimos 10 años con diferentes países no han contribuido con el desarrollo y la modernización del sector ganadero.

There's been 'huge interest' in Indigenous fire practices, experts say — this is how they work

Isabella Higgins at Just In - 9 hours ago
As Australia's bushfire emergency rages on, discussion over the fire authorities' potential use of Indigenous fire practices has come under the spotlight.

All-Indigenous cast in Australian cricket story that 'needs to be told'

Michaela Boland at Just In - 9 hours ago
Black Cockatoo is the little-known story of an Aboriginal cricket team that toured England in the 1860s — but a new play as part of the Sydney Festival hopes to change that.

'These are complicated issues': Palace responds after Harry and Meghan 'step back' from Royal duties

Just In - 9 hours ago
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they plan to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America and work to become financially independent.

'Well-defined and clear trends': Australia just faced down its hottest and driest year on record

Kate Doyle at Just In - 9 hours ago
It began with heatwaves and major flooding and ended with catastrophic bushfires; the Bureau of Meteorology's review of 2019 portrays a year of extremes.

Victorians in fire disaster zones told to leave if they can before Friday

Just In - 9 hours ago
The Victorian Government extends a state of disaster declaration across East Gippsland, the Alpine region and the state's north-east as authorities prepare for an increased fire risk tomorrow.

'He is not allowed to say she'll be right': Staying safe while saving homes in the fire zone

Elise Kinsella at Just In - 9 hours ago
Exhausted volunteer fire crews who have been critical in the battle against unprecedented bushfires across the country share their stories of being cut-off from family, working 24-hour shifts and the trauma they experience witnessing the devastation.

Don't let Iran's attack fool you — Soleimani was a bigger problem alive than dead

Just In - 9 hours ago
Imaginations have run wild with the scale and horrors of Iran's next moves and inevitable retaliation. But we have to recognise the enormous problems Qassem Soleimani presented alive more than dead, writes Lauren Williams.

Tonnes of sand along this Melbourne beach are hiding a dark chapter of Victoria's history

Tim Callanan at Just In - 9 hours ago
It's a tale that has everything: ghastly crimes, executions, exhumations, grave robbery, publicly-funded Great Depression-era mass-employment construction schemes and, of course, Ned Kelly.

Trump responds to Iranian missile strikes with threat of new sanctions

Just In - 9 hours ago
United States President Donald Trump says Iran appears to be "standing down", in his first address following Tuesday's ballistic missile strikes on two Iraqi bases housing US troops.

2:00PM Water Cooler 1/8/2020

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Patient readers, my connection was tooth-grindingly slow. I’ll have a bit more shortly. –lambert Politics “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51 “They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery.” –Frank Herbert, Dune Here is a second […]

Round One...and "Hitting a Noive"

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
*Ain al-Assad: One of oldest, biggest US bases in Iraq * I always know when I've "hit a *noive*". The robocalls start coming. Ever since I started "naming" Israel as the mastermind behind this entire assassination caper and comparing it to their original hit on US President JFK fifty-seven years ago, I've been getting harassing and silent phone calls...several a day, starting early in the morning. A couple of months ago when the so-called security agencies were pretending to be investigating the prevalence of criminal use of mass telephone communications to harass, exploit and "t... more »

Australia has been hotter, fires have burnt larger areas

Dr. Jennifer Marohasy at CFACT - 10 hours ago
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Australia using standard equipment (a mercury thermometer in a Stevenson screen) at an official recording station is 51.7 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Bourke Post Office on January 3, 1909. We are all entitled to our own opinion, but not our own facts. The post Australia has been hotter, fires have burnt larger areas appeared first on CFACT.

Will the Real Pro Life Man Please Stand Up?

TNA Video at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: will-the-real-pro-life-man-please-stand-up] VIDEO - The New American’s Christian Gomez and Heather Hobbs, pro-life speaker with Save The 1, interview Andy Griffith and Thomas White of Pro Life Man, a new pro-life organization dedicated to getting men more involved in the pro-life movement.

Questions Surround Mysterious Plane Crash in Iran That Left 176 Dead

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 10 hours ago
The crash comes at a point barely short of war between the United States and Iran and brings back memories of the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the US military. The post Questions Surround Mysterious Plane Crash in Iran That Left 176 Dead appeared first on MintPress News.

"Every Part Of The Universe..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
“Every part of the universe is concentrated to a point; and that point is so marvelous a thing…” – Leonardo da Vinci Folks, I can't adequately describe this post, and it's far too large to be posted here. A rather unique, all-encompassing collection of "food-for-thought" material, the likes of which I've never seen before. Please visit this web page, and let your mind wander freely. You won't disappointed - CP - https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/

Satellite Photos Reveal Extent Of Damage From Iranian Strike On U.S. - Iraq Air Base In Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
Satellite images show damage to hangars and buildings in what appears to be a series of precision missile strikes launched by Iran. Planet Labs Inc./Middlebury Institute *Warzone/The Drive:* *Satellite Images Show The Aftermath Of Iran's Missile Strikes On Al Assad Air Base In Iraq* The photos show Iranian missiles damaged or destroyed a number of hangars and other aviation-related facilities at the U.S. occupied base Iraq. Satellite imagery that The War Zone has obtained from Planet Labs shows damage to various hangars and other structures at Al Assad Air Base in Iraq following... more »

Michael Smith guest blogging on Trump and Iran

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 10 hours ago
"The three top candidates for the Democrat nomination - Biden, Sanders and Warren - all three came out yesterday [Jan. 7, 2020] with statements that Trump is lying America into another war while never acknowledging that Iran has been a provocateur for years (and the US has held back) or that Iranian leadership is nothing but liars and propagandists. This from the leaders of a political party that unconditionally supported a president who was comically awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for purely political reasons even though: - America was at war for every single day of the Obama/... more »

“Could You Pass This 1912 Test For Kentucky 8th Grade Students?”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*“Could You Pass This 1912 Test For Kentucky 8th Grade Students?”* by Joe Dan Gordon “So, do you believe American children are smarter than their counterparts in 1912? And forget about computers - most of these kids didn’t even have electricity. The following Eighth Grade Exam is from the Bullitt County (KY) Schools in 1912. Note that there are several typesetting mistakes on the test including a mistake in the spelling list. The word “eneeavor” should be “endeavor.” No Googling! Begin... NOW.” *Larger sized original is here:* - https://intellectualfroglegs.com/ Well, you might. Th... more »

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
And if you think the last week was big chuckles... "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"

"The Illusion Of Freedom..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.” - Frank Zappa

No War With Iran Doesn't Mean Trump's Iran Strategy Is a Winner

Daniel R. DePetris at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Security, Middle East* The all-stick, no-carrot approach remains entrenched U.S. strategy. Last night should have served as a wake-up call that bankrupting the Iranian economy, moving thousands of additional troops into the Persian Gulf, and settling on a list of absurd demands is a loser. Iran’s ballistic missile attack on two U.S. military bases in Iraq was a double-edged sword. The strike was both provocative and calculated—provocative because the missile barrage was a direct strike on American facilities launched from Iranian territory but calculated bec... more »

Is Iran's "Kia" Spy Drone a Real Threat or a Joke?

Military and Aerospace Electronics at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/IRAN-USA-DRONE-GM1E7C90CFC01.html] Here's what we know. *Key point:* Tehran has its own drones, but they aren't as good as America's. TEHRAN – Iran has unveiled the Kia high-precision drone that can locate and attack targets far from the country's borders, according to officials. Al Jazeera News reports. Continue reading original article The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 9 Sept. 2019 -- Iranian Brig. Gen. Alireza Sabahifard displayed the unmanned aerial vehicle (u... more »

How Trump Would Attack Iran: F-35s, Aircraft Carriers, B-2 Stealth Bombers and More

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * Trump has a range of option he could use to strike (Washington D.C.) Submarine or ship-launched Tomahawk missiles could explode targets from hundreds of miles away, B-2 stealth bombers could destroy enemy air defenses from high altitudes while undetected and stealthy F-22s and F-35s could attack enemy fighter jets with long-range sensors and air-to-air weapons. Amphibious assault ships could launch F-35Bs, Carriers could catapult F-18s into attack missions and the Pentagon could even launch recently tested medium-range, cruise missiles from fixed grou... more »

Iran's 'Balance of Terror': Should Donald Trump Fear Iran's Many Ballistic Missiles

Seth J. Frantzman at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Seth J. Frantzman* *Security, Asia* Iran’s missiles are an attempt to create strategic depth and a kind of balance of terror and to showcase the regime’s advances. It is a major achievement for a regime under sanctions. Should Trump be worried? Iran’s decision to use ballistic missiles to strike at U.S. bases in Iraq is unsurprising given Iran’s decade of boasting about the range and precision of its missile program. Tehran has used ballistic missiles increasingly in strikes against ISIS in 2017 and 2018 and also against Kurdish dissidents. It has also exported its missile tech... more »

Let’s Quit Brainwashing Kids That It’s A College Degree Or Nothing

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 10 hours ago
How many people feel like a “failure” because they didn’t earn good grades, graduate with a college degree, or receive a formal “education?” It is time for all of us to realize that people who don’t do great in school or go to college are just as valuable, just as important, and just as brilliant […] The post Let’s Quit Brainwashing Kids That It’s A College Degree Or Nothing appeared first on Health Nut News.

The OLC on the ERA

Gerard N. Magliocca at Balkinization - 10 hours ago
The Office of Legal Counsel has issued an opinion on whether the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution may still be ratified. The OLC concludes that the ERA may not be ratified without starting all over again. I think that this conclusion is erroneous, for the reasons stated in my recently-published article in *Rutgers Law Review*. At the outset, let me point out that I agree with many aspects of the OLC opinion. First, I agree with its conclusion that the Archivist of the United States cannot declare the ERA part of the Constitution if and when Virginia ratifies the p... more »

WHO formally retracts opioid guidelines that came under fire

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 10 hours ago
The World Health Organization has officially retracted its controversial guidelines on the use of opioid analgesics. The agency’s move applies to two statements, issued in 2011 and 2012. Last June, WHO announced that it was “discontinuing” the guidelines in the wake of a critical report which said the documents were heavily tainted by commercial bias. … Continue reading WHO formally retracts opioid guidelines that came under fire

"Diminishing Returns"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"Diminishing Returns"* by James Howard Kunstler "These two words are the hinge that is swinging American life - and the advanced techno-industrial world, for that matter - toward darkness. They represent an infection in the critical operations of daily life, like a metabolic disease, driving us into disorder and failure. And they are so omnipresent that we’ve failed to even notice the growing failure all around us. Mostly, these diminishing returns are the results of our over-investments in making complex systems more complex, for instance the replacement of the 37-page Glass-Ste... more »

"There Are Simply No Answers..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
“How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one’s culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction, because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You conti... more »

"On Strange Bedfellows"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"On Strange Bedfellows"* by David Stockman "Indeed, only what does not have a tangible measure can easily be exaggerated in importance. This is the basic reason why the privileged elite in every society has always consisted – and, I submit, will always consist – of members who perform unproductive services under one form or another. Whatever the title under which this elite may receive its share, this share will never be that of worker’s wage – even if, as is possible, it may be called by that name." – Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, "The Entropy Law and the Economic Process" “China’s... more »

Withdrawing Compliance

Jayme Lemke at Econlib - 10 hours ago
In The Underside of History: A View of Women Through Time, Elise Boulding writes, “In fact, one of the notable historical features of oppression is that the downtrodden comply in their oppression. The discovery by the oppressed that they have power is the discovery that they can gain a kind of dominance through the withdrawal […] The post Withdrawing Compliance appeared first on Econlib.

Remember the NAIRU

Bryan Caplan at Econlib - 10 hours ago
Alex Tabarrok is convinced we’re at full employment: To begin, full employment does not mean the lowest possible unemployment rate. We are at full employment when we are at the natural rate of unemployment… When the production of apples is bigger this year than last year we don’t jump to the conclusion that last year […] The post Remember the NAIRU appeared first on Econlib.

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