English: Fallujah, Iraq (Dec. 9, 2004) - Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Dawn Ayala, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four (NMCB-4), reads a copy of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on video camera in the Chaplain's office at Camp Fallujah, Iraq. The videotape, part of the United Through Reading Program, will be mailed back to her children in Port Hueneme, Calif. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Philip Forrest (RELEASED) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dr. Seuss cartoon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The magic roundabout - geograph.org.uk - 1090780 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Santa Parking Only (Photo credits: www.myparkingsign.com)
Cover of MillionsSummation of Obama presser...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 28 minutes ago
- The economy is growing like wild fire
- Housing market is way up
- Millions upon millions of wonderful new jobs have been created
- NSA is not spying on anyone at all
- All insurance before Obamacare were junk policies
- Obamacare is working just fine
- Everyone loves Obamacare
Need I point out that everything he said was diametrically opposed to the
facts - otherwise known as a lie?
I didn't think so.
He's still dissembling and, for the most part, not making a bit of sense.
I'm going to take a short nap before work.
FINDING THE CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
Allen L Roland, Ph.D at Allen L Roland's Weblog - 56 minutes ago
*To find the Christ in Christmas we must go beneath the lights, ornaments,
Santa Claus and the profound insanity of our present externalized world and
enter the sacred inner kingdom of the soul and rediscover a world of Love
and soul consciousness ~ the ultimate transmutation and stabilizing agent
for mankind: Allen L Roland*
*“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas,
he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means
a little bit more!” *
~ Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
On Decemb... more »
Fountain of youth found
Abraham Ben Judea at Abraham says - 1 hour ago
Researchers have discovered a cause of aging in mammals that may be
reversible
The essence of this finding is a series of molecular events that enable
communication inside cells between the nucleus and mitochondria. As
communication breaks down, aging accelerates. By administering a molecule
naturally produced by the human body, scientists restored the communication
network in older mice. Subsequent tissue samples showed key biological
hallmarks that were comparable to those of much younger
The essence of this finding is a series of molecular events that enable
communication insi... more »
2014 Is Going to Be a Great Year for Education
freetoteach at Schools Matter - 1 hour ago
THERE IS NO PLACE LEFT FOR THE WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN TO HIDEDING DONG
THE WITCH IS DEAD!FRIDAY, DEC 20, 2013 12:45 PM UTCExposing the education
“reformers’” big lie: Here’s how progressives — and our kids — beat the
corporate establishmentA populist uprising is coming in defense of public
schools. Are Democrats on the side of Wall Street or the people?JEFF BRYANT
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TOPICS: EDUCATION, BEST OF 2013, ELIZABETH WARREN, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NO
CHILD LEFT BEHIND,RACE TO THE TOP, COMM... more »
"Grave Faults"
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 hour ago
“Only the following items should be considered to be grave faults: not
respecting another's rights; allowing oneself to be paralyzed by fear;
feeling guilty; believing that one does not deserve the good or ill that
happens in one's life; being a coward. We will love our enemies, but not
make alliances with them. They were placed in our path in order to test our
sword, and we should, out of respect for them, struggle against them. We
will choose our enemies.”
― Paulo Coelho, "Like the Flowing River"
lol, oh yeah, we've loved our enemies a whole bunch around here, and it
ain't over... more »
Live Stream: Obama presser ...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 hour ago
before he flies off on his luxurious Hawaii vacation while millions upon
millions of people worry about their cancelled health insurance.
Of course, he's late.
JOIN THE LIVE CHAT
VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV
Denis MacShane's plea in mitigation...
Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 1 hour ago
Denis MacShane is guilty of expenses fraud, but his lawyer has included in
his submission that Denis MacShane is a union man... as if that should be a
mitigating factor.
The Obamacare 12 Days of Christmas...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 hour ago
*is for you while he jets off today for 17 luscious days of frolicking in
the Hawaiian sunshine. *
Perverted Jewish pornographer Al Goldstein, dead at 77
John Friend at John Friend's Blog - 2 hours ago
*“The only reason that Jews are in pornography is that we think that Christ
sucks. Catholicism sucks. We don’t believe in authoritarianism.” *
*- Al Goldstein*
Al Goldstein, the perverted Jewish pornographer and publisher of *Screw
magazine*, has died at the age of 77. This filthy, despicable man was the
epitome of the "dirty old Jew" stereotype, and Goldstein seemed to relish
in it, as *The Jewish Daily Forward* admitted. *The New York Times* reports:
Al Goldstein, the scabrous publisher whose Screw magazine pushed hard-core
pornography into the cultural mainstream, died on Thursday... more »
'The Qur’an is “Hate Speech” and Should be Banned' - So says Alex Jones' Infowars' and not me.
Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 2 hours ago
I'm not advocating banning the Koran but I'm interested as to how leftists
would justify their inconsistencies.
'If we are to accept in the aftermath of the 'Duck Dynasty' controversy
that criticism of homosexual activity represents "hate speech," then the
Qur'an, which advocates stoning gay people to death, should also be
denounced as hate speech and banned.
According to Democratic Party political pollster Bernard Whitman,
who appeared on Fox News yesterday, along with a plethora of other
leftists, Phil Robertson's comments are hateful and said they shouldn't be
allowed to be ai... more »
CFRB Child Speaks
Steve at Thinking Aboot - 2 hours ago
Hi John,
Its Christmas and I am unemployed. Who is to say in the future its not the
equivalent of Aids. People wanting some value for their work are an
infection unless they can really cook. Cook some value to a stock that
seems tasteless. I micro you, you micro me, we did it on a napkin in the
rest room at a coffee shop, so no need to worry about the FCC.
Without a Zombie collapse I will be alright. My wife avoided my advice and
did not put all her eggs in Nortel. Her eggs were fertile and we spawned a
number one daughter and a number one son. We always hoped one of the two
woul... more »
Folks Need Health Care-- Even In Deep Red Oklahoma
DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 2 hours ago
OK, let's get back to where we left off at the 6AM post this morning-- the
warning FDR gave us about GOP intentions. Except this time let's home in on
healthcare. In fact let's home in on one very red state, Oklahoma and one
congressional election in that state, the one that pits right wing
extremist James Lankford against progressive Democrat Tom Guild in the
Oklahoma City area. This is the most difficult race Blue America has taken
on for the 2014 cycle. The district has a PVI of R+12 and Guild is anything
*but* a Republican-lite Blue Dog. He's an outspoken advocate of
single-p... more »
Last Minute Gift Ideas
Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 2 hours ago
Can you believe that Christmas is only 5 days away? I think my shopping
is
officially done, but I have a huge mountain of wrapping to do. Since
Christmas is so close, I thought I would share some of my favorite gifts
that you can pull together in less than 30 minutes.
Perfect for the reader in your life, this Book Page Bracelet can be
pulled
together fast!
Still need small gifts for your children's friends? This Snowman Candy
Caneis the perfect way to dress up an ordinary piece of candy.
A pair of old shoes and a can of spray paint can have some awesome
results
like these Spray Pa... more »
Should Governor Ultrasound be ruined?
bob somerby at the daily howler - 2 hours ago
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013*
*Rachel the Destroyer:* Last night, the Maddow show had nothing about Chris
Christie.
The enormous national story had apparently died down. In its place, we got
an early tease about Governor Ultrasound:
MADDOW (12/19/13): *Will Bob McDonnell be the first-ever Virginia governor
to be criminally indicted while still in office?* Today, we got an answer
to that question, and it turns out it’s a fascinating answer.
*That story is ahead. Stay with us.*
The second tease was longer. It jacked up the power of the story, which
Rachel called “mind-blowing:”
MAD... more »
Musical interlude: Moody Blues, 'Land of Make Believe"
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
Moody Blues, 'Land of Make Believe"
An historic day for sex workers, but a storm's building
Jody Paterson at A Closer Look: Jody Paterson - 3 hours ago
And so it comes to this: Girding my loins for a battle to stop sex work
from being declared illegal in Canada. Good grief, my idealistic
30-year-old self would have been gob-smacked to hear she'd grown into a
person holding the completely opposite view on prostitution.
It's a long story on how I got from there to here, and you can find more
details here if you're curious. But the quick version is that for the last
17 years I've had the pleasure of getting to know many, many people who
work in the business. Over time, I learned that my idealistic vision of a
world where ... more »
More detailed summary of Bedford 2013 SCC 72
James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 4 hours ago
The three impugned provisions, primarily concerned with
preventing public nuisance as well as the exploitation of prostitutes, do
not pass *Charter* muster: they infringe the s. 7 rights of prostitutes by
depriving them of security of the person in a manner that is not in
accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. It is not necessary
to determine whether this Court should depart from or revisit its
conclusion in the*Prostitution Reference* that s. 213(1)(*c*) does not
violate s. 2(*b*) since it is possible to resolve this case entirely on
s. 7 grou... more »
Bill Whittle: The End of the Beginning (a must see video)
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 4 hours ago
*No, really. A must see.*
Wake up America!
NSA SPY PARTNERS
Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 4 hours ago
Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and several other EU countries were named
among "third party partners" in the NSA-led global signal intelligence
program, a new leak submitted by journalist Glenn Greenwald to Danish TV
reveals.
Housekeeping
Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 4 hours ago
Well, this is a big one.
I've accepted a position as political blogger for Bloomberg View. I'm
consolidating all my stuff over there. Yup, after four plus years, I'll be
your Plain Blogger no more.
Or at least, not over here. The plan is basically to do what I've been
doing since I started: same topics, same regular items, same everything. I
won't, at least at first, be doing columns there (or elsewhere). Just the
blogging, all back under the same roof, as it was when I started here. It
all kicks off a little after New Year's. I'm very excited about it; it's
exactly what I've wante... more »
Canada v Bedford 2013 SCC 72
James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 4 hours ago
The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously struck down the country's major
prostitution laws, saying that bans on street soliciting, brothels and
people living off the avails of prostitution are arbitrary and create
severe dangers for vulnerable women.
The rulings effect is suspended for one year to allow Parliament to
respond. Quaere if charges will be laid in the interim?
On March 26, 2012 the Court of Appeal struck down the bawdy house
provisions as unconstitutional and amended the Criminal Code provisions to
clarify that the prohibition on living on the avails of prostitution... more »
FIVE KEY POINTS AND ELEVEN SOLUTIONS: Haven’t been there, done that!
bob somerby at the daily howler - 5 hours ago
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013*
*Part 4—The word from the absentee experts:* In his new book, I Got
Schooled, M. Night Shyamalan presents “the five keys to closing America’s
education gap.”
In this recent post, Kevin Drum summarized Shyamalan's ideas.
In her own book, Reign of Error, Diane Ravitch offers eleven solutions. On
page 229, she starts with this:
*SOLUTION NO. 1* Provide good prenatal care for every pregnant woman.
That sounds like a good idea to us! We’ll look at other solutions below.
We don’t necessarily disagree with any of the recommendations from these
two observers.... more »
HEBREW UNIVERSITY VIDEO: Sectarianism And Politics: The Cases of Iraq and Lebanon 2009
Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 5 hours ago
Untitled
New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 5 hours ago
*Proposed noise ordinance makes New Orleans City Council debut ~WWLTV*
*Report: Hospital privatization fraught with 'uncertainties' ~Marsha
Schuler, The Advocate*
*Lee Zurik Investigation: Dicharry fired; legislative auditor starts probe
~WVUE*
*Developer reconsidering Habana Outpost in French Quarter ~WDSU*
*House Releases Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing
Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act ~Ed Lallo, Gulf Seafood Institute*
Happy Holidays, Wendy--Now, Goodbye!
Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 6 hours ago
Wonder if this will earn the Pittsburgh School Board some threatening
letters from Exxon-Mobil for its non-CorpEd stance:
Here’s some education news that you don’t hear every day: The Pittsburgh
school board is rescinding a $750,000 contract with Teach For America, and
keeping open an elementary school slated to be shuttered.
The board’s four new members, taking a new reform tact, drove the decision
to drop the contract by a 6-2 vote with one abstention; in late November,
before the new members were sworn in, the board approved the contract 6-3.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported th... more »
Mad And Stupid
Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 6 hours ago
Ken Dryden writes, in this morning's *Globe and Mail*, that Stephen Harper
is the prime minister of Canada and Rob Ford is the mayor of Toronto
because people are mad as hell:
People everywhere are mad. Mad at their jobs, mad at the money they don’t
make. Mad at others for getting the chances they don’t. Mad at seemingly
getting the short end of every stick. Mad at the mess around them: crime,
litter, traffic. In stores, on phones, mad at being treated as if they
don’t matter. Mad that others get away with everything they don’t, mad at
not being able to stop them. Mad that life is... more »
Links and Kudos to Shirley Kan
Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 6 hours ago
*Hikers in the forest below Hsinshe.*
A few links for today.
*Daily Links*:
- Taoyuan Aerotropolis: it's all about the gambling.
- Birding Taiwan on the plants of Dasyueshan
- Traffic behavior a mirror of Taiwan society.
- Taiwan to consider legalizing surrogacy.
- TRI says GDP growth this year to be 1.7% and next year, 2.8%. Isn't
the booming growth from ECFA amazing?
- Woman kidnapped in Malaysia still alive.
- Reuters describes in detailed report how China's military is built
with European technology.
- I finally got around to reading the November CR... more »
Max Baucus? I think it be the cows, sir.
Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 6 hours ago
*East of Dongshih, a couple of years ago, with my man Drew. *
Quote of the day: A friend passed this one around while discussing the
Baucus appointment as Ambassador to China. BR Myers:
"The question of where Europe ends and Asia begins has troubled many people
over the years, but here's a rule of thumb: if someone can pose as an
expert on the country in question without knowledge of the relevant
language, it's part of Asia. "
Dem Senator Max Baucus to become the new ambassador to China? The reason is
obvious: it goes moo and then gets injected with drugs before being killed
and ... more »
The False Promise of Renewables #1: Wind
Engineer-Poet at The Ergosphere - 6 hours ago
Over
at Climate Crocks, Christopher Arcus cites an article at Scientific
American on the efficacy of wind power for reducing grid CO2 emissions.
Unlike other pieces I've seen on the subject, that one fails to cite
any sources for its conclusion which is:
even if wind produced as much as 50 percent of Spain's electricity the
CO2 savings would still be 80 percent of the emissions that would have
FDR Sends A Warning To Future Generations About Paul Ryan
DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago
The above FDR reelection speech from 1936 warning voters about GOP
intentions towards the popular social insurance policies they had fought so
hard against, is no less relevant today than it was then. Roosevelt went on
to win 60.8% to 36.5%, taking every state but Vermont and Maine and winning
the electoral college 523 to 8. Democrats continued winning seats in
Congress and wound up with a margin of 334 (+ 10 left-leaning independents)
to 88 in the House and 76 (+ 2 left-leaning independents) to 16 in the
Senate.
"Let me warn you, and let me warn the nation, against the smooth e... more »
The trouble is...
Boris at The Galloping Beaver - 6 hours ago
No
one believes him about Wright, Duffy, etc.
EVEN IF Harper was by some miracle of time-space and multiverses kept in
the dark then his leadership is an epic fail. As has been pointed out
all over the internets, pretty much all the players in this are Harper
picks. His people, his fault.
His survival strategy seems to be one of both distancing himself and
playing the hapless victim. Aw, muffin
HOW PATRIOT EDWARD SNOWDEN HAS (SO FAR) SAVED THE CONSTITUTION
David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 7 hours ago
------------------------------
Original Here
*McGovern: Unconstitutionality of NSA Phone Call Collection is
Indisputable *
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern says that the recent federal district
judge's ruling on the NSA's bulk phone collection applies constitutional
protections, but will not lead to amnesty for Edward Snowden - *December
18, 13*
More at The Real News
*Bio*
Ray McGovern is a retired CIA officer. McGovern was employed under seven US
presidents for over 27 years, presenting the morning intelligence briefings
at the White House under President... more »
Saudi-Sized Cracks In The 9/11 Wall Of Silence - Demand President Obama declassify The Congressional Report on 9/11 so that every American who wants to learn the facts can do so
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 7 hours ago
http://whowhatwhy.com/2013/12/19/saudi-sized-cracks-in-the-911-wall-of-silence/
Saudi-Sized Cracks In The 9/11 Wall Of Silence
By Russ Baker on Dec 19, 2013
[image: 123]
President Obama is apparently thinking about his presidential library. So
now might be a good time to ponder whether anyone will want to visit it.
If he cared about revivifying his brief reputation as a good-guy outsider
ready to shine light on the hidden recesses of our governing apparatus
(remember his election-night victory speech that brought tears and rare
hope to America?), Obama could certainly start at this l... more »
GREVILLE JANNER
Anon at aangirfan - 7 hours ago
*Uri Geller and Lord Greville Janner, former **President of the Board of
British Jews, *vice president of the World Jewish Congress,* and member of
the Boy Scouts Association.* *Greville Janner, VIP child abuse, mysterious
death*
Lord Greville Janner has been a friend of Michael Jackson and of Yuri
Geller.
On 20 December 2013, we learn that Lord Greville Janner's home has been
searched by the UK police as part of child sex investigations.
Officers from Leicestershire Police spent two days searching Lord Greville
Janner's apartment in London
*Lord Greville Janner's home searched a... more »
Is My Noncompete Enforceable If I'm Fired Without Cause? Don't assume your non-competition obligations end when you're fired
Donna Ballman at Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home - 7 hours ago
Wow!
When I wrote an article on *How Do I Get Out Of My Noncompete Agreement?*,
I found out that AOL Jobs readers have lots of questions about noncompetes,
and I don't blame you. I get people in my law practice asking me questions
on non-competition agreements every week. That's because most people don't
even realize they've signed something saying they can't work for a
competitor for a year or two after they left, or they thought (wrongly)
that a non-competition provision couldn't be enforced. I'm going to answer
some reader questions This week, I answer a reader question: Is My
N... more »
Why is the BBC giving this man a platform? Backlash after hate preacher Anjem Choudary is invited onto Radio 4 after two Muslim converts are found guilty of hacking soldier to death | Mail Online
Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 7 hours ago
'The Muslim Council of Britain claims the BBC was 'unwise' adding the
community is united in its condemnation of the Woolwich murder'
Clearly they aren't, or is Anjem Chaudary not a Muslim? How about his
supporters?
More here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2526868/Why-BBC-giving-man-platform-Backlash-hate-preacher-Anjem-Choudry-invited-Radio-4-two-Muslim-converts-guilty-hacking-soldier-death.html
Friday Nerd Blogging: Seasonal Silliness
Steve Saideman at Duck of Minerva - 7 hours ago
In the spirit of the holidays, here’s a fun movie trailer that actually
kind of depicts a war on Christmas…. ok, a war on Santa. H/T to OTB for
providing the video. And a big H/T to the Duck-sters out there who read
our stuff here, give us comments, and otherwise make this place a
Continue reading
Solow on Greenspan
Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 8 hours ago
Bob reviews Alan's new book. (In case you missed it, here is my review of
the book.)
Worst Education Op-Ed of 2013?
plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE - 8 hours ago
I know the competition is tense, but just under the wire, I am ready to
suggest this is the worst education Op-Ed of 2013: Friedberg: Can American
students get smart? I really don’t know what to say except that every point
raised and every claim made by Friedberg are so incredibly wrong, I haven’t
a […]
Doug Martin's Podcast with Justin Oakley Now Posted
Doug Martin at Schools Matter - 9 hours ago
by Doug Martin
If you missed my talk with Justin Oakley on his Just Let Me Teach show on
Indiana Talks radio and several great call-in guests (Rick Muir, Cindi
Pastore, Melanie Wright, Clyde Gaw, and Crystal Bramel), you can now listen
to the podcast. Thanks for tuning in!!!!! And thanks to Donna Yates Mace
for her support, too!!!!
We discuss current school privatization efforts in Indiana and beyond and
my upcoming book *Hoosier School Heist*, which can be preordered here and
will be available in February.
Here is the link to the podcast:
http://www.indianatalks.com/2013/12/19... more »
Who Controls the Table Wins
P. L. Thomas at Schools Matter - 9 hours ago
NOTE: The current education reform agenda focusing primarily on Common Core
remains to be a failure of leadership. Public school teachers, public
schools, and public school students are little more than collateral damage
in the battle to see who can out-standard and out-test and out-rigor whom.
Professional organizations, unions, and political leadership are fighting
for a place at the table—not securing the sort of future public schools
should offer all children in the U.S.
-----
In her discussion of science fiction (SF), Margaret Atwood examines and
confronts the nuances among SF... more »
The #ChristmasMyths #3: The Song of the Heavenly Host
Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 9 hours ago
*Part of a continuing series* looking at the pagan origins of the Christmas
Myths, one day at a time. Today, the story of the Heavenly Host singing
carols to lonely shepherds…*
So there you are, out abiding in your fields, a shepherd watching over your
flocks at night, and all of a sudden an angel shows up—and then another—and
then another—until out there in your back paddock you’ve got the whole
Heavenly Host flying about just above the campfire.
And then they all start singing.
And let’s be honest, over the years human beings have put some pretty
damned heavenly music to the wo... more »
Fukushima updatesDecember 20 ,2013 - TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO, National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen ......... Items of note pertaining to spent fuel removal at Reactor Building 4 , Conditions for the Reactor Buildings generally and decommission type actions at Fukushima Daichi ....
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 10 hours ago
EX- SKF
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO,
National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen
Details are to be announced By TEPCO's president Naomi Hirose at a press
conference starting at 5PM, December 20, 2013, according to TEPCO's tweet.
"Decommission Company" is *not* going to be a separate company with
separate capital but *a company within TEPCO, more like a division*. The
idea was first floated in October this year at an LDP work group on
recovery and reconstruction.
Now, why would they do that, ... more »
This is who's in charge of your healthe care...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 10 hours ago
*any questions?*
I didn't think so.
MI5 'CONTROLLED' MAN CONVICTED OF WOOLWICH ATTACK
Anon at aangirfan - 11 hours ago
*The original Michael Adebolajo, the friendly Christian boy.*
For many years, MI5 was in close and intimate contact with Michael
Adebolajo, the man convicted, on 19 december 2013, of carrying out the
'terrorist' event in Woolwich in London.
*According to the Daily Mirror (**http://www.mirror.co.uk/**) :*
In 2010, MI5 watched Adebolajo meet the leader of the 'CIA-run' al-Qaeda in
Kenya.
In Kenya, MI5 watched Adebolajo meet a number of people on Kenya's
terrorist watch list, including Swaleh Abdul.
In 2010, in Kenya, Michael Adebolajo was acquainted with Sheikh Aboud Rogo,
of the '... more »
Chinese interest rates are spiking once again - banking crisis or is the PBOC forcing chinese banks and their clients to de-leverage ?
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 11 hours ago
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-20/china-bails-out-money-markets-second-day-row-following-repo-rate-blow-out
China Bails Out Money Markets For Second Day In A Row, Following Repo Rate
Blow Out
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/20/2013 08:23 -0500
- China
- Excess Reserves
- Fail
- Lehman
- People's Bank Of China
- Yuan
inShare
As reported yesterday, following a surge in various short-term and money
market rates in the aftermath of the Fed's taper announcement, the PBOC
admitted after the close that it used Short-te... more »
Iran nuclear talks updte December 20 , 2013 - As Expert Talks resume between iran and the P5 + 1 , the Sanction issue heats up in the Senate - in response to new threatened sanctions , the White House threatens veto if Congress passes new Iran sanctions ......
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 11 hours ago
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/1.564520?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.216%2C2.295%2C
White House threatens veto if Congress passes new Iran sanctionsNew Iran
sanctions will thwart diplomacy efforts, White House spokesperson says.
By DPA and Reuters | Dec. 19, 2013 | 11:05 PM | 5
A group of U.S. senators moved Thursday to slap fresh sanctions on Iran
should it fail to cooperate with talks on its nuclear program, in a move
the White House warned could derail diplomatic progress with Tehran.
U.S. President Barack Obama would veto the sanctions should they pass
Congress, spokes... more »
Jaime Dimon Sends His Regards: Happy Christmas and Thanks for the Fish ($$$$$$$$) False Flags Exposed (Whose Sarin?) - Thanks to the Internet, People Are Learning the Reality of False Flags (The Media Are Finding It Much More Difficult To Ignore This Critically Important, Massively Censored Topic)
Cirze at Welcome to Pottersville 2 (Blogging Against Fascism!) - 12 hours ago
Did you get your invitation to the Jamie Dimon holiday party? It almost
seemed like bragging to me. I'm impressed, of course, that he has the money
to entertain (let alone the desire to wreck his nice home with wild
partying) after okaying that admittedly manageable fine (and still want to
send pictures to his nearest and dearest strangers). Jamie Dimon’s Holiday
Card Looks Like a Ralph
last night's meditational visualisation
Mike Philbin at PROGNOSIS II - 12 hours ago
I'm not sure if it's *meditation* but I can't be bothered making a new
category for this.
Last night, as I do most nights, I did what some might call 'astral travel'
and what some might call 'meditational visualisation'.
I 'grew'.
I've been doing this 'growing' trip for decades, as I found it a much more
EFFICIENT way to travel through the stars. Much better than travelling at
this scale. And much better even that traversing the universe by leaping
from within star to star.
I get myself into bed, and relax. Breathing regularly. Then, when I'm happy
with the rhythm, I start scaling... more »
Edward Witten: what every quantum physicist should know about string theory
Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 12 hours ago
*...those who don't want to become string theorists...*
If you have 83 spare minutes, here is a July 2013 talk at Princeton's IAS
by Edward Witten:
The title was "Feynman diagrams in string theory" and the talk was
presented during the "LHC physics" program. Edward Witten wouldn't get to
"funny" things like the central charges and critical dimensions but he
would get far enough.
The beginning is about the ordinary point-like-particle-based Feynman
diagrams. He leads you to think about the (Euclidean signature) propagators
in terms of the Schwinger parameters. If you don't know... more »
Weekend Fun 52: Nixon had Watergate, Binay has Dasma Gate
Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 13 hours ago
Two jokes from Jim Paredes, a famous Filipino singer, posted in his
facebook wall:
*(1) Nixon had Watergate. Binay has Dasma gate*
*(2) Attention Napocor, Meralco: Habang kulang ng power sa buong Pilipinas,
may excessive power surge sa Makati! *:-)
The Binay family is the longest-reigning, most politically influential in
Makati City, the financial capital of the Philippines. Currently in power
are Vice President Jojo Binay, daughter Sen. Nancy Binay, another daughter
Congresswoman Abby Binay, and son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. The wife of
the VP was also a former Mayor of Makati.
... more »
Wild Bill is dumping Facebook...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
you know - the place where a bunch of prepubescent girls post pictures of
themselves with really ugly pooched lip photos of themselves.
Noam Chomsky is Hearing Voices
Paul Coker at News Spike - 13 hours ago
*"9-11 was practically the only counter-narrative out there at a time when
questions tended to be drowned out by a chorus, led by the entire United
States Congress, of 'God Bless America.' *
*It was one of the few places where the other side of the case could be
found."*
That's a fairly remarkable statement - considering absolutely no-one has
ever stepped forward to claim responsibility for the act and give their
reasons.
Where is he hearing this *"counter-narrative"*...?
Oh, yes...
*"Moreover, as America becomes an increasingly multi-cultural society, it
may find it more diff... more »
Advanced math: Offer, don't require
skrashen at Schools Matter - 13 hours ago
Sent to the Denver Post, Dec. 19, 2013
Sandra Stotsky thinks that the "Common Core fails to prepare students for
STEM") Dec. 17), and that all students should be required to go way beyond
Algebra II to be ready for the brave new world of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math.
Even if the STEM crisis were real, this is not a good idea. Of course,
advanced math classes should be offered, but there is no reason to require
them of everybody: Michael Handel of Northeastern University has concluded
that only about 10% of the work force uses math beyond algebra II.
Also, it is no... more »
DID MOSSAD BETRAY MANDELA?
Anon at aangirfan - 13 hours ago
Nelson Mandela was trained by Mossad.
This is according to a document in the Israel State Archives.
In 1962, Mandela was in Ethiopia.
There he was trained in weaponry and sabotage by Mossad spies.
During his training, Mandela showed an interest in the methods of the
Jewish terrorist group known as Haganah
*Mandela received weapons training from Mossad agents *
*This training in Ethiopia took place just a few months before Mandela was
arrested in South Africa. *
*Did Mossad help the white South African regime to capture Mandela?*
Israel has often pretended to be on the side of ... more »
Weekend Fun 51: Martilyo Gang Jokes
Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 14 hours ago
A few days ago, a jewelry shop in SM North Edsa in Quezon City was robbed
by a robbery group known as the “Martilyo Gang”. This group allegedly use
martilyo (hammer) to break open the stalls and/or the glass boxes, steal
and run away in crowded areas.
After the incident, Pinoy humor strikes, as always. Like these jokes and
images, taken from various sources in the web.
1. Sinong rapper ang bawal na ngayon pumasok sa mga malls sa Pinas? -- Si
MC Hammer. (from Dennis Arroyo).
2. Anong SUV ang bawal ibenta malapit sa mga malls sa Pinas? The Hummer.
3. Sinong movie character ang bawa... more »
RAG RADIO / Thorne Dreyer : November Guests Include Spiritual Counselor, Citizens' Advocate, Singer-Songwriter
thorne dreyer at The Rag Blog - 14 hours ago
Rev.
Bob Breihan, Methodist minister and longtime social activist, on Rag
Radio, November 29, 2013. Photo by Roger Baker / The Rag Blog.
Rag Radio podcasts:
Thorne Dreyer interviews Rev. Bob Breihan,
Sam Daley-Harris, Doyle Niemann & Mariann
Wizard, Susan D. Carle, and Slaid Cleaves
Our October guests were a Methodist minister and longtime social
activist, a noted citizens' advocate, two
Who Is The DCCC Selling Your Personal Information To?
DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
You may not remember Dick Gephardt, once a powerful congressman from
Missouri with ambitions to be Speaker and vice president and president.
None of that worked out for him and he's just a sleazy K Street
lobbyistnow working for Goldman Sachs and other criminal enterprises…
but he was
the House Democratic leader from 1989 until 2003. A past chairman of the
corrupt Wall Street-owned Democratic Leadership Council, the reason he
sunk
to that level is because he cosponsored, with Speaker Denny Hastert, the
authorization for Bush to invade Iraq and persuaded 80 other House
Dems(mostly Bl... more »
Duck Dynasty speaks...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 16 hours ago
*and we thank them.*
*The Robertson Family Official Statement: *
We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. The family has
spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E's decision. We want you to
know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and
our belief that the Bible is His word.
While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his
beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who
follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart” an... more »
Another "tweak" to Obamacare at the discretion of HHS "director" Sebelius...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 16 hours ago
*I don't call this a "tweak." *
Guess what, all you people with cancelled policies? Kathleen Sebelius has
now said you can buy a catastrophic policy.
I heard this on the radio on the way home from work. The reporter stated
that insurance companies have already said this would create even more
chaos to an already chaotic situation.
*From WSJ:*
The Obama administration said Thursday it would allow some of the millions
of Americans whose insurance policies had been canceled to purchase
bare-bones plans next year, in another 11th-hour tweak to the law likely to
cause consternation ... more »
Why Does South Korea View Japan as a National Security Threat Worse than China? My Hypothesis: Competition with North Korea
Robert Kelly at Duck of Minerva - 16 hours ago
This has been on my mind a lot because the Korea-Japan meltdown has been so
bad recently. And I think it’s a good research question if you are into
Asian IR. I have written about this before and just did again this month
and yet again. I’ve argued repeatedly that the reason America’s allies in
Continue reading
Some Reflections on Lunar Skepticism and Empiricism
Paul Coker at News Spike - 17 hours ago
*Addendum: it turns out that the lunar surface reflects sunlight quite
well...*
*It's known as moonlight.*
*Or put another way - *
*"It's an off-white object under direct, unfiltered sunlight - What the
fuck were you expecting it to look like?!"*
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
*“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”*
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans
of many things. This was not among them...
But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well.
For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought;
all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done,
and have not done;
I pray thee God for forgiveness.”
“Lo, there do I see my father.
Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters, and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.
Lo, they do call ... more »
Untitled
New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 17 hours ago
*Lawyers representing levee authority in lawsuit against oil companies
agree to limit potential earnings ~Mark Schleifstein*
Northerntruthseeker Taking A Much Needed Vacation Break..
Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 17 hours ago
Well, I decided to do it... Take a much needed break that my family says I
should take to have some rest and "recharge my batteries"... Stress from
work and other issues was long in building up, and I am in need of a bit of
time off to avoid burning out....
I will be taking the coming week off from doing any writings here at this
blog, other than my usual Sunday rant.... During this time, I do recommend
that everyone once again take a look at some of the fabulous writings by
those who I call the best bloggers that I know, including my great friend,
Whitewraithe, who writes Pragmati... more »
“The Charge of The Light Brigade”
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
“The Charge of The Light Brigade”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyqcZMsBOU4
“The Charge of The Light Brigade”
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
“The Charge of The Light Brigade”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyqcZMsBOU4
Bad Bear's Photo Longest Walk 4 the final trek to Alcatraz!
brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 18 hours ago
.
Dec. 19, 2013: Photos by Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson, Western Shoshone long
walker, as the Longest Walk 4 takes those final steps to Alcatraz. The
walk arrives in Alcatraz on Dec. 21, with a Sovereignty Gathering at
Oakland Friendship House on Dec. 22, 2013. Congratulations to our
friends, the long walkers.
Please share this Censored News link (located in your browser)
http://
Elsewhere
Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 18 hours ago
I know there hasn't been much here lately, but I've been busy as usual over
at PP, plus a bit at Greg's place.
I'm really skeptical about the "Obamacare rollout hurt Obama's approval
ratings" story. It just doesn't match the numbers, as far as I can tell.
Part of which is that it's a bit difficult to know what to make of the
shutdown. Since I'm inclined to think the shutdown hurt Obama's approval, I
see less movement from the ACA fiasco than those who believe the shutdown
helped him.
Here's some others from the last week or so:
Return of the Huck.
A big lesson from the HealthCare.... more »
US Treasury says " These Are The Main Financial Risks Of 2014 " ....... But what about the NSA and the question of what might they be doing with offensive cyber hacks ?
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 18 hours ago
These Are The Main Financial Risks Of 2014 According To The US Treasury
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/19/2013 21:13 -0500
- Barclays
- Bond
- Borrowing Costs
- Brazil
- Central Banks
- China
- Covenants
- Debt Ceiling
- default
- Federal Reserve
- fixed
- Greece
- Gross Domestic Product
- India
- International Monetary Fund
- Ireland
- Italy
- Market Conditions
- Monetary Policy
- Portugal
- Quantitative Easing
- ratings
- Recession
- recover... more »
The drain of physical gold from the West continues December 16 , 2013 - YTD 856 tons of gold bullion leave Comex / 10 major Western ETFs and Funds including GLD ! Additional news and views touching on gold and key gold and not gold related items of interest !
Catharsis Ours - 18 hours ago
http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2013/12/ytd-856-tonnes-of-gold-bullion-leave.html
16 DECEMBER 2013
YTD 856 Tonnes of Gold Bullion Leave the Comex and 10 Major Western ETFs
and Funds
About 856 tonnes of gold bullion have left the Comex and the ten major
western ETFs and funds that I have been tracking in calendar year 2013.
For comparison I include the same chart with the levels shown on 1 November
2013.
I wonder where all this gold bullion is going? We can see that twelve
tonnes were transferred to the Comex, most likely to meet December delivery
requirements.
As fo... more »
The Poet: Claude McKay, “If We Must Die”
noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 18 hours ago
*“If We Must Die” *
*. *
If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursèd lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
O kinsmen! We must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one death blow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we... more »
Report Testing Child Abuse in New York Kindergartens
Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 18 hours ago
If you suspect child abuse, you are required by law to report it Child
Protective Services. Call toll free in New York 800-342-3720.
From NY Daily News:
Goodbye Play-Doh, hello No. 2 pencils.
Because of a tough new curriculum and teacher evaluations, 4- and
5-year-olds are learning how to fill in bubbles on standardized math tests
to show how much they know about numbers, shapes and order.
Teachers said kindergartners are bewildered. “Sharing is not caring
anymore; developmentally, it’s not the right thing to do,” said one Queens
teacher, whose pupils kept trying to help one another... more »
Judging by his enemies, NYC Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio is standing even taller today
KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 18 hours ago
*Supporters of Manhattan Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, Mayor-elect
Bill de Blasio's preference, say she has the votes to be the next speaker
of the NYC City Council.*
*by Ken*
If you can know a man, at least in part, by his enemies, then NYC
Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio is standing even taller today -- not that he
needs added tallness. Though I don't have the exact figure at hand, he must
be about seven feet tall already.
As of last night, DNAinfo New York's Colby Hamilton reported, NY City
Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito apparently had pledges of more than
enough votes ... more »
Updates On Syria [12.19]: Salafist Scholar Defends Assad Regime, Kurds Ask World Powers To Be Represented As A Separate Delegation At Geneva II, Flynt Leverett on the Syria Conflict
Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 18 hours ago
*1. An excerpt from, "It's Salafist vs. Salafist in Syria's civil war" by
Reese Erlich, globalpost.com, December 18*:
*Sheikh Abdul Salaam Al Harash, a representative of the Muslim Scholarship
Association in Syria, strongly disagreed with that view. He's a
pro-government cleric living in Damascus. When the fighting first began,
Harash said, it pitted government supporters against opponents.*
*But Sunni governments in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have thrown
support to the rebels. "The conflict has taken on a religious character,”
he said.*
Harash brings an unusual perspective to ... more »
National Security Agency controversies cost Boeing a large 4.5 billion USD Jet Fighter order as Brazil choses Sweden ( Saab ) over the US ( Boeing ) and France ( Dassault ) , President Obama's Panel recommendations and where does Obama stand on the surveillance state created over the past dozen years ?
Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 19 hours ago
National Security Agency items of and President Obama's Panel
recommendations .....First my prior NSA post for recent news and views.....
*NSA takes a legal* smack down - Catharsis Ours - Blogger
Taiwanese Animators Explain to Obama the Unconstitutionality of NSA Spying
(Video)
By Juan Cole | Dec. 19, 2013 |
0
- 0
- Retweet1
- 7
- Google +11
“NSA data mining program probably unconstitutional, judge says” (Taiwanese
Animators)
Snowden defeats Boeing in Brazilian jet fighter soap opera
Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times/Hong Kong, an
analy... more »
Fantásticas imágenes de Navidad y Año Nuevo que te sorprenderán
José Luis Ávila Herrera at FOTOFRONTERA - 20 hours ago
Snow in Egypt for the first time in 112 years
CM at LILITH NEWS - 20 hours ago
The photo below is of the streets of Cairo, Egypt this morning. It is the
first time that it has snowed in Egypt in 112 years! Further below if
photos of the Great Pyramids of Giza and also the Sphinx, likewise covered
in snow.
So if you have any doubts that global warming / climate change is real,
here is your proof. (Honestly, explaining things to naysayers is getting
pretty silly. The proof is outside but they refuse to accept it.)
What is happening is the hotter temperatures in the arctic is causing
stronger winds which are forcing polar temperatures further south during
the wi... more »
Harper sees the enemy and wisely Blinks
Steve at Thinking Aboot - 20 hours ago
Canada has cancelled the purchase of another white elephant. This one had
an open ended two billion dollar to start price tag. I have to give him
credit for finally acknowledging that we were full up with them. Hopefully
its a harbinger for the F35 and other Airshow McKay fantasy flights.
Ukraine and the West's monopolization of the nuclear industry
Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 20 hours ago
*This is interesting. Or Enlightening. *
An article that tells us much about the 'spontaneous' protest........
And the manipulated protestors
As Western efforts to bring Ukraine into the European fold are stalling,
the country's pivot toward Russia *looks to be undermining its own
multiyear efforts to secure European nuclear-fuel and natural-gas supplies*
.
"Looks" to be undermining? What with that reduced gas price deal from
Russia? How exactly would the Ukraine be undermining it's own efforts to
secure nuclear fuel and natural gas? I will highlight the interesting bits.
*Ukrain... more »
BitCoin news for December 16 - 19 , 2013........BitCoin smash related to rumor from China - Allegedly , sources close to China’s Central Bank today reported that the institution has banned third-party payment companies from doing business with bitcoin exchanges. ........ SecondMarket’s Bitcoin Investment Trust Amasses $61.1m in 3 Months ....... An explanation for whyMt. Gox Bitcoin Price Volatility is up to 50% Higher Than Rival Exchanges ...... Norwegian Tax official states BitCoin cannot be defined as money - but note the Swiss view BitCoin differently....
Catharsis Ours - 20 hours ago
BitCoin news for the day - first my prior BitCoin post with interesting
articles - news and views as a recap......
*Bitcoin news for Friday the Thirteenth* - *December 13* , *2013*
Today's interesting news items include :
[image: Creative Commons License]
This chart is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
Unported License.
Bitcoin Crashes After China Bans New Deposits; PBOC Gets DDOSed In
Retaliation
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/18/2013 07:43 -0500
- Bitcoin
- Central Banks
- China
... more »
Show us the evidence
skrashen at Schools Matter - 20 hours ago
Posted on State Impact: Ohio - Eye on Education - http://tinyurl.com/ltoc4xq
In the class described in "How the Common Core is Changing How Kids Learn
in English Class," (Dec 16), the teacher urges students to "cite evidence"
for their statements, part of the push for increased nonfiction in the
schools.
Ironically, there is no scientific evidence that anyone can cite that
supports the increased emphasis on for nonfiction, or, for that matter, for
the common core state standards and tests. There is, however, plenty of
evidence supporting the value of fiction, and an impressive amou... more »
Turkish PM Erdogan threatened/challenged by Fethullah Gulen?
Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 20 hours ago
Very, very curious. I have long felt there is something, can’t quite put my
finger on it, going on in Turkey.
Turkey is an interesting nation. Lots of coups. A military largely
externally controlled.
Similar, very similar to Egypt.
Did Erdogan get too comfy? Is Erdogan not wanting to see Turkey balkanized
for a Kurdish state?
Are we witnessing a narrative change? One I have mentioned in numerous
previous posts? From Arab Spring to 'terrorism' fighting or otherwise?
Fethullah Gulen. What about Fethullah Gulen? Someone who reeks of ties to
western intelligence
Remember this interview... more »
Enbridge Battle Begins Today, Stephen Harper Ran Out Of Time, And Support!
Grant G at The Straight Goods - 21 hours ago
Good afternoon readers, followers and friends....as you know the NEB has
approved the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, this is no surprise, we
knew that this whole review process was skewed, we also knew where and whom
Stephen Harper and the Con party allegiances lay..that being with big oil
energy companies..
But have no fear, this is going to get really fun, nasty and
contentious...Let me give you a lay of the land for the near future..
Early in the new year Stephen Harper and his cabinet are going to give the
federal nod for Enbridge`s pipeline, it will be at that time when ... more »
Ian Watkins and Narcissism
Phil at A Very Public Sociologist - 21 hours ago
"I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.
I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about." So said Ian
Watkins about his trial and subsequent conviction. As a paedophile
prisoner, I'm sure the next 35 years behind bars will have its fair share
of rofls and lmaos too. Thankfully, the horrifying sex crimes Watkins
committed are relatively rare. In the most recent figures available -
2011/12 - there were 2,814 recorded rapes of children under the age of 13.
Under the broader measure of sexual assault on members of the same age
group, 5,4... more »
Battle between Nihilism and Organization part One
Steve at Thinking Aboot - 21 hours ago
The battle between Nihilism and organization.
The Nihilist are winning, and wining by billions. But its the organalizist
that are reaping all the rewards. The organized ones are manufacturing
Nihilist. It is the perfect divide and conquer.
Tom thought about changing his interface and it happened, his level of
augmentation was in now in God mode. He was now able to switch all his
senses to a quantum computed dream zone where the owner was the architect
of his own game. Players using a simple sandbox could travel through others
prescribed adventure or with a few menu choices create ... more »
Thailand: Fighting the "Superpower"
Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 21 hours ago
Understanding the greater global chessboard Thailand's political crisis is
unfolding upon.
*December 20, 2013* (Tony Cartalucci) - The history of Thailand over the
past several centuries could be defined by its fending off of one European
empire after the next. It is the only Southeast Asian nation that has never
been colonized by a European power. This is in direct contrast to its
neighbors on all sides - Myanmar and Malaysia were under the British, and
Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam were under the French. Even China was carved up
by Western powers.
The key to Thailand's success w... more »
Once More on Judicial Strategic Retirements
Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 21 hours ago
I one of those who have been writing for quite a while that if Breyer and
Ginsburg care primarily about advancing the positions they've fought for on
the Court, the best thing for them to do is to retire. Now. Or at least,
pending confirmations of their replacements. But before the 2014 midterms,
and certainly before the 2016 elections.
Ginsburg has been firing back. But the best case I've seen for resisting
strategic retirements comes from Linda Greenhouse, who channels Ginsburg to
Emily Bazelon:
I think from her perspective she is taking a long view of history, not a
case by case... more »
Elizabeth Warren Wants To Ban Companies From Using Credit Checks On Potential Employees
AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 21 hours ago
*About friggin' time! Bravo Senator Warren! Bravo! -Bill*
*Elizabeth Warren Wants To Ban Companies From Using Credit Checks On
Potential Employees*
DANNY VINIK DEC. 17, 2013, 4:56 PM 2,934 51
elizabeth warren first press conference as senator elect
Boston Herald
Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced a bill today that would prevent companies
from using credit reports in hiring decisions.
Since the Great Depression, many unemployed Americans have struggled to
find a job once employers check their credit history. Many of these people
fell on hard times after the housing bubble burst o... more »
Fire and Ice
Sophia Love at AMERICAN KABUKI - 21 hours ago
As the days carry on into weeks, months and years you become weary and
increasingly so. You have remained ever hopeful for change, for love, for
rejuvenation, for absolute peace and a place where all truth is recognized
as such, lived and understood. That is not the place you have now. Now,
what you have is contrast.
Those you know and love are choosing, as are you. You are right now,
today, on the threshold of new, of change, of another way. There has to be
more than what you see everyday and even than what you feel. This is not a
falsehood. Light is only visible in the d... more »
The Vedic Art of Leadership
Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 21 hours ago
Video Title: The Vedic Art of Leadership. Source: DharmaNation. Date
Published: December 21, 2011. Description:
Whether we refer to the unprecedented problems we are experiencing in the
economy, on the political scene, or in the rapid degeneration of cultural,
social and spiritual standards, we know that we are living in an era of
tremendous global crisis. As Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya explains in this
timely and important video, the root cause of all these peripheral crises
can be directly attributed to a deep crisis in leadership. We are lacking
able leaders. We are, today, lac... more »
Does "Progressive" Mean Something Else In Oklahoma? Meet Joe Dorman, Rachel Maddow's Idea Of A Progressive Candidate For Governor
DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 22 hours ago
I ran into a neighbor, one of the world's most talented drummers, the other
day and he asked me if the DCCC is as bad as I say it is on my blog. "Even
worse," I assured him, telling him about quintessential Steve Israel
recruit Jennifer Garrison. He asked me to suggest some candidates he could
contribute to who were the opposite of Garrison. I suggested the 2 Blue
America candidates in the L.A. area, Eloise Reyes and Lee Rogers since he
could meet either one of them if he wanted to. And then I remembered his
family is from Oklahoma. So I sent him some information about Tom Guild, ... more »
The Shah On AIPAC
Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 23 hours ago
An excerpt from, *"Some Might Call It Treason"* by Philip Giraldi, AntiWar,
December 19:
Neocon Noam Neusner recently provided an insight into what is going on in
Congress, boasting that *"Normally a party’s leadership will stand behind a
president in his moment of diplomatic achievement. Not this time." He
further explains that the "conspicuous silence" among Democrats is because
they are "the men and the women, after all, who are on a first name basis
with most of the board of AIPAC" and "they want to be in Washington long
after Obama leaves the White House." * And lest there be a... more »
Battle between Nihilism and Organization part One
Steve at Thinking Aboot - 23 hours ago
[image: Creative Commons License]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License.
Just being optimistic.
The battle between Nihilism and organization.
The Nihilist are winning, and wining by billions. But its the organalizist
that are reaping all the rewards. The organized ones are manufacturing
Nihilist. It is the perfect divide and conquer.
Tom thought about changing his interface and it happened, his level of
augmentation was in now in God mode. He was now able to switch all his
senses to a quantum computed dream zone where the owner was the... more »
Do other countries teach better?
skrashen at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
Sent to the New York Times, Dec. 19, 2013
The Times asks "Why Other Countries Teach Better?" (Dec. 18). But there is
no clear evidence that they do.
The most powerful factor in developing well-educated citizens, not
mentioned by the Times, is poverty: When researchers control for the
effects of poverty, our students score near the top on international tests.
A survey from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), cited by the Times, confirms that socio-economic status is a very
strong predictor of literacy development and that this effect is much
stronger in... more »
POA failure to appear at trial hence convicted is constitutional
James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 1 day ago
R. v. Jamieson, 2013 ONCA 760 holds that s. 9.1(1) of the* Provincial
Offences Act**, allowing a conviction where an accused has been* "issued a
notice of the time and place of trial" and failed to appear is
constitutional:
[47] In considering the application of these principles to the *POA*,
I note that the NIA option in the offence notice clearly warns a defendant
that failing to appear at the trial will result in a conviction. The
defendant must exercise the option to appear on the offence notice and
deliver it to the court office, so he or she does not retain a copy. Bu... more »
Chris Christie said he invented the Internet!
bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013*
*Lawrence then and now:* Over the summer, Chris Christie announced, then
executed, a $12 million scam.
The larceny occurred in bright sunlight. Everybody say ho-hum and continued
on their way.
Today, a range of players are involved in creating a scandal around
Christie. Below, you see something we the rubes were told by Lawrence last
night.
Lawrence spoke with Hunter Walker, who he agreed to describe as “national
affairs reporter for Talking Points Memo:”
O’DONNELL (12/18/13): OK. And here is some more maybe fire in the smoke,
OK?
*Last week, the W... more »
A & E -0, GLAAD - 0, Duck Dynasty - 10...
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 day ago
*who benefits??*
If you'd never heard of Duck Dynasty before yesterday, you sure have now.
Does anyone really believe A&E would sabotage their cash cow?
Disclaimer: I've never watched Duck Dynasty because we don't have cable.
I did, however, have a pretty good take on what the show was about, and am
well aware that people who I admire really like to watch it.
However, last night I had to explain to my hubby what the show was about.
How many other people in this country are like my hubby? Probably
millions.
Driven by GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), A&E thre... more »
Religious numbers declining in the US
Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 1 day ago
If you live in the US, or want to, there’s a good argument for living in
these places…
California’s Alpine County, Hawaii’s Kalawao County, Nevada’s Esmeralda
County, New York’s Bronx and Richmond counties, Michigan’s Macomb County
and Nevada’s Clark County.
Why?
Because they are the parts of America with *the lowest religious
participation per capita*.
But there are other parts of the US with low participation, as you can see
on this map here from the *Washington Post*(more red equals more religious
participation, the paler it is, the less interest there is):
It’s a map tha... more »
Weingarten Joins Union Enemy John Engler to Plead with Governors to Keep Common Core
Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
On December 10 Randi Weingarten flew into Newark with her gold-plated
bullhorn to protest the entirely predicted outcome to a teacher contract
that she helped negotiate just over a year ago.
At the time, the Newark agreement gave bragging rights to Republican
governor Chris Christie for making New Jersey the first state in the Union
to base teacher pay on student test scores and on a teacher evaluation
scheme that was nothing more than a Christie promise when Weingarten signed
off on it.
Now, with teacher grievances piling up based on the meritless merit pay
plan that Weingar... more »
From Cupcake Wars to Candy Crush Saga!
bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013*
*We don’t find this hard to believe:* At the start of this morning’s
column, Gail Collins had a confession to make:
COLLINS (12/19/13): *For the past couple of months I have been in the
thrall of a game called Candy Crush Saga.*
It’s about matching little colored thingies on your iPad or phone. I am not
going to explain it in any more depth because that would just make this
whole discussion more humiliating.
Presumably, no one familiar with Collins’ work will find this hard to
believe.
Just a bit later, the New York Times ace went into more detail:
... more »
Blossom Goodchild - 19 December, 2013
AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
*Blossom Goodchild - 19 December, 2013*
Welcome to you. I would firstly like to open my heart in Love to you ...
DONE! ... and secondly, inquire about the beautiful magenta Pillar of Light
that was captured on a photograph recently. ( See blog post
http://blossomgoodchild.blogspot.com/) This, for me, is so similar to the
image you showed to me way back in 2011 when you first brought it up. Would
you please confirm as to whether this is what you were speaking of ... or
something else?
*Firstly we send Love in an abundant form to each one of you. We find it
necessary to consider t... more »
On how many houses must we figuratively wish a pox?
noreply@blogger.com (Námo Mandos) at DAMMIT JANET! - 1 day ago
The uproar in the diplomatic world today is the arrest of the Indian
diplomat Devyani Khobragade, a consular services official in the USA who
was arrested in front of her children at school, taken to a police station,
and apparently strip searched, leading to extreme annoyance from the Indian
government and Indian media.
This is one of those situations in which literally everybody doth protest
too much.
So, US law enforcement procedures, well, they are notoriously made of a
combination of suck and human rights violation, and routine strip searches
are one of the precipitates. Pro... more »
Graphs of the Day: US GDP 1947-2011
noreply@blogger.com (Roger Pielke, Jr.) at Roger Pielke Jr.'s Blog - 1 day ago
Total US GDP in constant 2011 dollars.
Proportion of GDP by sector.
- Government in 1960: 13.2%; in 2011: 13.2%
- Agriculture & manufacturing in 1950: 34%; in 2011: 13%
- Finance & services in 1950: 26%; in 2011: 52%
Data source: US BEA
The Sandy Hook Poem
John Friend at John Friend's Blog - 1 day ago
The following poem was written by Kelley from Tulsa, an independent
investigator of the alleged shooting said to have taken place at the Sandy
Hook Elementary School roughly one year ago. Kelley was a special guest *on
my radio program* this past Tuesday, so be sure to listen to that program
if you have not already. -JRF
*______________________*
*26 people they claim to have died,*
*YouTubers and bloggers call it the "Sandy Hook Lie".*
*The parents are too cheerful for this to be real,*
*for if your child had died, is this how you'd feel?*
*The motive is clear, they want our guns*
*a... more »
Another Blue Dog Bites The Dust-- Good Riddance Jim Matheson
DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
Congress' most right-wing Democrat is finally retiring
Jim Matheson is one of the worst-- if not *the* worst-- Democrats in
Congress. Aside from voting more frequently with the GOP than any other
Democrat this past year-- his crucial vote ProgressivePunch score is
ghastly 23.13 (tied with fellow Blue Dog John Barrow and worse than 5
conservative Republicans!)-- Matheson was a corrupt insider who traded his
votes away to the corporations that financed his sleazy career. The only
reason he has been able to hang on is because enough slow-witted Utahans
though he was his father, popular ... more »
Strange Viruses, Sheik Bin Laden and The October Surprise
Paul Coker at News Spike - 1 day ago
*"From 1981 through 1988, at least 15 individuals of various nationalities,
including William Casey, Director of the Central Intelligence, died in
unusual circumstances: *
*airplane accidents, *
*explosions, *
*strange viruses which led to virulent cancers; *
*sudden heart attacks or straightforward homicide. *
*There were attempts on the lives of a further eight and one former
National Security advisor tried to commit suicide."*
Havana. May 5, 2011
Bin Laden familyâs relations with the United States greater than supposed
Lázaro Barredo Medina
THE surname Bin Laden has been... more »
Spinning Iran's Centrifuges: A Quick Lesson in Alarmism
Nima Shirazi at Wide Asleep in America - 1 day ago
Tennessee
Senator Bob Corker
On December 12, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee
held a hearing on last month's interim nuclear agreement between Iran
and the P5+1, which means there was a tremendous amount of ignorant
bluster, conventional wisdom, wishful thinking, staggering ignorance,
and shameless posturing for lobbyist money on display. In other words,
Congress
CONSEQUENCES TO U.S. ARROGANCE
Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
Brazil has rejected a contract for Boeing's F/A-18 fighter jets in favor of
the Swedish Saab's JAS 39 Gripens. The unexpected move to reject the US bid
comes amid the global scandal over the NSA's involvement in economic
espionage activities.
PRIVATIZATION OF THE POST OFFICE
Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
A recent protest in Springfield, Oregon as our corporate dominated
government moves to privatize the postal service. If we want money for
post offices, education, healthcare, infrastructure repair, and the
development of sustainable technologies then we'd better wake up and smell
the coffee.
The buried treasure chest is called the military budget. Make the
connections and survive.
LUNCH WITH THE FT - A FORMER HEAD OF PENTAGON DISINFORMATION
Anon at aangirfan - 1 day ago
Dov is a 'disenchanted' former 'Head of Pentagon Disinformation'.
I meet him at the *Per Se* restaurant in New York.
Our 21 course menu includes a starter, which combines tapioca, oysters and
caviar; and an interesting foie gras dish.
Dov has asked me not to reveal his real name.
As Dov sips his Elderton Golden Semillon, I relate to him that a friend
called Mary writes a conspiracy blog and that some of her posts on Sandy
Hook come high in Google searches.
Dov smiles and explains: "Mary's posts will have high search engine
visibility on her computer; but not necessarily on som... more »
The Biggest Lies of "We Won't Back Down"
John Thompson at Schools Matter - 1 day ago
The movie "We Won't Back Down" was on television this week. It is a product
of the corporate-sponsored Parent Revolution. With the help of financing by
Walden Media and other business conservatives, the movie tells the
fictionalized story of the California "Parent Trigger" law allowing the
takeover of a failing school when 51% of parents file a petition. In their
telling, however, it also takes 51% of teachers who supposedly turned down
their due process rights to support the transformation. The National
Conference of State Legislatures does not list any states where a majority
of t... more »
Prancing homosexuals urge other homosexuals to "Get Enrolled"...w/Update
Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 day ago
*I'm speechless.*
From YouTube:
Out2Enroll is a coalition of organizations who want to help lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender people stay healthy by making sure that one of
the major benefits of the Affordable Care Act -- access to affordable,
comprehensive health insurance coverage -- reaches LGBT communities. Get
Enrolled is a holiday parody, produced by our friends at Full Frontal
Freedom, which aims to bring awareness to the final week of health
marketplace enrollment.
*Update:*
Moonbattery has more to say on this subject. I'm still speechless.
*Perverts Prioritized fo... more »
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