THE GRAND KREMLIN PALACE, MOSCOW. President Putin with Lyudmila Putin at a party after the inauguration ceremony. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Escalation: Putin Deploys Invasion Force of 80,000 Troops; Border On Lockdown
Crimea, for all intents and purposes, is now lost to the west. The border is in a state of total lock down, complete with mine fields:
Editor’s Note: This is a big and breaking story. However, I never like to use CNN as a source. Let’s not forget that they can and have been used as a government propaganda source in the past. Furthermore we have seen indicators that we are not getting the whole truth about the crisis in Crimea. Take this story with a grain of salt but it appears that tensions are escalating quickly.gman23 says:
Does anyone here just expect Russia to
stand byand do nothing while our State Department, (Ambassador Geoffrey
Pyatt and Asst. Sec. of State Victoria Nulen) and the CIA plotted to
overthrow the legitimate government of a sovereign country and then send
in black ops and mercs snipers??
The US has no business in Ukraine to begin with! Let alone stirring up a riots and backing neo-nazis!! President Putin has shown restraint, unlike our State Department and so-called conservative Senator “warhawk” McCain!!
Russia was asked to protect Crimea from the crazies that the US put in power in the new illegitimate government. Most of the population in Crimea are ethnic Russians anyway.
But Barry needs WW3 so that he can crash our economy and enact martial law. And that’s the bottom line here, not Russia and Pres. Putin!
Jeff Miller says:
( What. There has been such a litany of success in Iraq, Lybia, Syria, Somalia, etc, etc.....surely teh US is their last hope ! ... and worst nightmare )
The US has no business in Ukraine to begin with! Let alone stirring up a riots and backing neo-nazis!! President Putin has shown restraint, unlike our State Department and so-called conservative Senator “warhawk” McCain!!
Russia was asked to protect Crimea from the crazies that the US put in power in the new illegitimate government. Most of the population in Crimea are ethnic Russians anyway.
But Barry needs WW3 so that he can crash our economy and enact martial law. And that’s the bottom line here, not Russia and Pres. Putin!
Jeff Miller says:
This is all a set-up between Russia and Obama to set the stage for another war. Find the email exchanges between 2 operatives here http://www.turnerradionetwork.com/news/357-confidential where the US is telling them to get on with it to “frame up” for a war.
( What. There has been such a litany of success in Iraq, Lybia, Syria, Somalia, etc, etc.....surely teh US is their last hope ! ... and worst nightmare )
Government Land Grab Over Chickens
the government moves to stop oil and gas production by taking control of wide swaths of land throughout the West using the Endangered Species Act.
The government sidesteps legal channels and requirements to produce scientific evidence by using the “sue and settle” method. The government gets environmental groups to sue them and they allegedly settle, but it’s all preordained. The upcoming EPA ban on 80% of wood burning stoves is based on this scheme.
This has been going on all over the country. Read about the Dusky Gopher Frog and the Houston Toad.
Trey Gowdy lays the smack down on Obama lawlessness in fantastic floor speech
WSJ/NBC poll: Americans now think sugar is a bigger health threat than marijuana
“We Thought It was Normal That You Had to Have Sex to Keep Your Job”
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/wake-up-america-we-thought-it-was-normal-that-you-had-to-have-sex-to-keep-your-job.html#ixzz2vuLdj8d9
Thursday around 10:30pm
I had been reloading my Dashboard repeatedly. Today, after weeks of being balky ( and a report to Google in disgust a few days ago ) reloading in Firefox finally insists
Add blogs to follow in your Reading list
You are not currently following any blogs. Use the "Add" button to enter blogs you'd like to follow in your Reading List.So I tried Pale Moon - same - and Chrome - which wouldn't give me any notes at all !
Using a technique called linguistic phylogeny, scientists from Georgetown University have made an intriguing discovery: languages of the North American Na-Dene family (traditionally spoken in Alaska, Canada and parts of the US) and the Asian Yeneseian family (spoken in central Siberia) are related! Researchers think that both tongues had a common ancestor that can be traced to Beringia, the region surrounding the Bering Strait, the Chukchi Sea, and the Bering Sea. It has been thought that inhabitants of Siberia crossed the Bering Land Bridge into North America. But new findings make “it look like Beringia wasn't simply a bridge, but actually a homeland - a refuge, where people could build a life," says Mark Sicoli, a specialist in Native American languages.
Finally, at 8:28am using Avant browser...after trying Firefox again...something breaks loose.
How ISA is Like a Kansas Family Reunion
As Megan noted, ISA is coming up. I hope to see all of you at the blogging reception on Thursday evening, March 27th. As I’ve been preparing for the conference these last couple of weeks, I’m also preparing to be “blessed” with an unexpected visit from my grandparents in-laws today.[1] One of the “bonuses” of Continue reading
Corporate Welfare Queen, Eva Moskowitz, Strong Arming of School Staff and Students to Save Her Empire
from the Nation: On the first Tuesday in March, thousands of students, parents and teachers rallied at the New York state capitol in Albany to protest what the media quickly dubbed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “war” on charter schools and minority students. Eva Moskowitz, the founder of the Success Academy charter network and one of the mayor’s fiercest critics, closed all twenty-two of her schools so that students and staff could participate in what she called “the largest civic field trip in history.” But it wasn’t merely a field trip; the rally was a political event, in p... more »
Guest Post - 3 Upcycling Ideas to Get You Started
The time has come. You’ve got a house full of… stuff, for lack of a better word, and it needs to go. Whether if you’re planning on a new minimalist lifestyle, where you’re scaling back to the bare necessities, or you’re simply after a fresh (and tidier) start, you’re ready for a change. That old sofa with the coffee stains on its cover, the kitchen table with the one stumpy leg, those horrible lace curtains that your mum gave you, that belonged in the 80s… they’re going to go to a better place. They don’t fit in your home, that much is true. But at the same time, it seems such a sha... more »
I am a frog watching my community boil
I am a frog sitting on the side of the fridge because God gave me sticky pads and the ability to observe Looking down at the stove its burning gas and despite the fact this pollution is expelled real fast outside where God can make sure it does no harm that lasts my eyes are burning I guess I am the sensitive one I see my fellow frogs packed into the pan the temperature is rising and they vote to keep the heat off the man They took away our Lilly pad and gave us concrete perches we all said yes because how could solid ground not supersede a search for unreliable organic free floating ... more »
Bluffs and double bluffs
It was a neat twist that the presenter who was chosen to host the item about BBC 3‘s censorship of the gay/Muslim debate was Mishal Husain the ‘Asian’ rather than Evan Davis the ‘Gay’. The internet has been speculating as to whether ‘Muslim’ trumps ‘gay’ in the BBC’s hierarchy of specially protected minorities. It seems Muslim *does* trump gay, which is odd when you take into consideration the relative preponderance of BBC employees in each category. But I guess gays haven’t go so much leverage or something. “Dr Mohammed Naseem, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, and Terry Sand... more »
Unemployment Insurance Extension? Really?
Yesterday the Senate finally reached a bipartisan deal on extending unemployment insurance. Does anyone think the House is going to give it serious consideration? The 5 months worth of benefits (around $10 billion) would go until May… if the House passes it. The Senate will vote on it towards the end of March, after the Senate gets back from yet another vacation. The bill is being cosponsored by 5 Republicans, Dean Heller (R-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and 5 Democrats, Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker... more »
Untitled
*Backers of coastal-erosion lawsuit launch new website ~Jeff Adelson, New OrleansAdvocate* *After clearing Senate, Flood Bill sent to Obama's desk ~Mark Ballard* *Intel on Jairus Byrd from Buffalo Bills columnist @ChrisTrapasso ~Andrew Juge, Saints Nation* *New Orleans to begin replenishing oak trees on section of Esplanade Avenue ~AP, Greenfield Daily Reporter*
The Worst In History?
When historians eventually get around to rendering judgement on the Harper Government, they will point to many things. They will certainly cite the gutting of Statistics Canada. Jeffrey Simpson writes: In the summer of 2010, more than 200 institutions and individuals asked Stephen Harper’s government not to eliminate the long-form census. They represented a Who’s Who of experts in statistics. All sorts of groups, from B’nai Brith to business associations and trade unions, argued that the long-form census, which required some, but only some, citizens by law to answer questions for... more »
The left don't want cleaned up electoral rolls, they want nice fat electoral rolls, so long as they are fat with left wing voters
American Thinker has this story from Florida but I'm sure similar would be found all over the UK. I'd link to think that central governmnet in the UK would not be as anti-truth but when we next get a Labour government I may be proved wrong. WBBH TV in Ft. Myers, Florida has performed a public service with its investigative reporting documenting non-US citizens voting regularly in local elections. The segment can be seen below, but Judicial Watchsummarizes it: The segment focused on Lee County, which has a population of about 620,000 and Collier County with a population of around 32... more »
What is the Jewish festival of Purim about?
A story that still has relevance today.
Russia will nuke U.S. if tensions run too high
I have been amazed by the degree of anti-Russian warmongering by the U.S. and other Western politicians who are willing to ignite an economic conflictbecause of events in Little Russia, a territory that they don't understand at all. Despite the devastating global economic consequences, we cannot really exclude that a trade war against Russia will occur. But things are worse. War games are taking place near the NATO-Russia borders, Ukraine is asking for U.S. weapons, and the U.S. tends to suggest that they will help the "people of Ukraine" (a category that clearly explicitly remove... more »
Is My Noncompete Contract Superseded? Which Contract Applies?
This reader question was left on my post Non-Compete Agreements - Top 5 Ways To Get Out of Yours: Hi Donna, I am in the State of PA and had signed two year non competes to get options grants. I left the company under a voluntary separation agreement and part of it was a 1 year non-compete Agreement. Question is does the latter 1 year non compete supersede the 2 year Agreement. Also the Agreements are broad and cover the entire globe - what if I have not worked in the potion of the globe where I may work for the last two years? The first thing I do when I look at a severance agreem... more »
The Last Days of the President LBJ in Retirement by Leo Janos - Atlantic Magazine, July 1973
*Johnson Didn't Do It.* "I never believed that Oswald acted alone, although I can accept that he pulled the trigger." "We had been operating a damned Murder Inc. in the Caribbean." "After the Warren Commission reported in, I asked Ramsey Clark [then Attorney General] to quietly look into the whole thing. Only two weeks later he reported back that he couldn't find anything new... I thought I had appointed Tom Clark's son—I was wrong." *The Last Days of the President * *LBJ in retirement * by Leo Janos ..... On the night before Christmas, 1971, Lyndon Baines Johnson pla... more »
You Will Awaken - A Quotation From M.N. Hopkins
*You will all awaken from this dream and come into a world of beauty beyond imagination.* M.N. Hopkins
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Uno”
Deuter, “Uno” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOnMnbdfwp
JOKO TO RUN FOR PRESIDENCY
On 14 March 2014, it was announced that Joko Widodo (above), the highly popular Governor of Jakarta, is to run for the presidency in Indonesia, in July 2014. Joko will be the candidate of the party linked to Sukarno, the PDI-P party. *The PDI-P and its traditional 'finger' sign. * Sukarno was toppled by the CIA in the mid 1960s. In the coming presidential contest, Joko is expected to easily beat Prabowo Subianto, the former general who reportedly helped the CIA to topple former president Suharto in 1998. *Joko Widodo. Photo: Michael Bachelard* Joko was born in a riverside slum ... more »
One of Tony Benn's views that the pro-EU BBC won't be repeating
Tony Benn hits out at unelected EU officials, something the BBC will not allow to be heard if they can help it.
Doug Martin on Workers' Voice Radio Show, March 14, Today
by Doug Martin I will be joining labor studies professor Patrick Hill and unionist and blogger Randy Obenchain for a discussion on the Workers' Voice Show at Indiana University Kokomo's Radio Free Kokomo tonight, Friday March 14th, from 5-6 pm. I am a big fan of this show, since I learn something new every time I listen in. I, too, hope to cover some new ground that I haven't mentioned on air yet, specifically the Walmart/Amway attack on Indiana public schools, workers' rights, GM's math for killing off people in vehicles, $857 popcorn, and Jim Horn on eugenics and school testin... more »
Malaysian Airline Flight 370 mystery updates March 14 , 2014 -- Even as Transport Minister Hussein gives another press statement , questions abound regarding th track of the missing plane . Search area now include indian Ocean. Was the plane being taken to the Middle East or Europe and why ? A few key points to consider -- The fact that the aircraft – if it was MH370 – had lost contact with air traffic control and was invisible to civilian radar suggested someone on board had turned its communication systems off, the first two sources said. In addition , new details were given on the direction in which the unidentified aircraft was heading – following aviation corridors identified on maps used by pilots as N571 and P628. These routes are taken by commercial planes flying from south-east Asia to the Middle East or Europe and can be found in public documents issued by regional aviation authorities . As a result , Malaysia was requesting raw radar data from its neighbours Thailand, Indonesia and India, which has a naval base in the Andaman Islands.
DAY 7 ....... Missing Malaysian Flight: Hijacking, Sabotage Theories Added To The Mix [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/14/2014 07:58 -0400 - Boeing - Middle East - Reality - Reuters inShare Until today, the prevailing theory surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was either catastrophic midair disintegration and/or terrorism. That changed overnight, following reports by various news agencies that the Boeing 777 was deliberately flown hundreds of miles off course, in a westerly direction toward... more »
Ukraine situation March 14 , 2014 -- UN Security emergency meeting and the comments of the Russian Ambassador regarding the Crimea Referendum and Ukraine situation........ At least one person died and 10 were taken to hospitals with injuries following clashes between rival rallies in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. Key takeaways from activists -- “The authorities pursuing through repressive and provocateur methods,” Tsiplakov says. The people in Donbass region are angry at the Kiev’s government because the authorities there have simply “armed”and offered government positions to ultra-nationalist “fighters”, he says, warning that plans to officially create militarized units out of extreme right fighters “will lead to guerrilla warfare.” “Right now the tension within society is great,” the activist told RT. “No-one has listened to Donbas people when they were holding peaceful rallies, and when we had People’s Governor Pavel Gubarev, who strictly insisted on a peaceful course of action. He and his like minds were arrested,” Tsiplakov says claiming the reasons for Gubarev’s detention and arrest were fabricated. ........ If this is representative of the views of russian speaking Ukrainians in Eastern and Southeastern Ukraine , the Crimea Referendum could very well be a first act ! Update from late Thursday March 13 , 2014 and Friday morning March 14 , 2014
Notable events before the historic events of the weekend ..... http://rt.com/news/unsc-ukraine-meeting-crimea-694/ Addressing the chorus of criticism at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Moscow’s ambassador has reconfirmed that Russia does not want any escalation of the Ukraine crisis and is not interfering with the upcoming referendum in Crimea. *“Russia does not want war and neither do the Russians, and I'm convinced the Ukrainians don't want that either,”* ambassador Vitaly Churkin told an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Thursday. *“We don’t see any basis... more »
Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.14.14"
*"Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.14.14"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Once again, the Ukraine crisis is the top story. President Obama is threatening Russian President Putin with international sanctions if he does not back off in Ukraine. Russia is countering threats of sanctions with threats of sanctions of their own. Russia may also demand payment for its oil and natural gas in gold. Dr. Jim Willie brought this up this week on USAWatchdog.com. It’s not just the U.S., but the European Union is also leaning towards sanctions, and it appears Germany is on board. This comes at a time whe... more »
Albert Einstein: 135th anniversary
Albert Einstein was born 135 years day, on the \(\pi\approx 3.14\) day in 1879. He is a towering figure of modern physics. Your humble correspondent knows too much about him; many readers know too much about him, too. Many of us have been exposed to similar things but I've also learned a lot of things about Einstein's stay in Prague, for local reasons. These things are too numerous and they just don't fit into a biography so I have removed Albert Einstein (and a few others) from attempts to write a short biography that you have heard about many others. Einstein is too large a soul f... more »
Other People's Nonsense
*Whenever you feel you are being drawn into other people's nonsense, repeat these words......* [image: Not My Circus, Not my monkeys. -Polish Proverb]
Obama Appoints Brennan/DiFi Forgets Why? (Surprise! One Oil Exec Wrote To Take Another Oil Exec To Task for Fracking In His Back Yard)
I keep being reminded (for some abstruse reason) as to why I haven't respected much of anything that Obama's done (that I thought I had specifically heard during the campaign and voted for) since winning the 2008 election. And how I've cringed every time he's closed his mouth (especially after announcing an appointment). And I certainly have not had any respect for Dianne Feinstein in over a
New Lawsuit Filed Against USDA Over Missing Documents Showing GMO Dangers by Christina Sarich
[image: Foto: Breaking News: Center for Food Safety (CFS) today filed a lawsuit demanding the release of federal documents which may uncover undue political pressure over USDA’s decision to approve genetically engineered alfalfa. The lawsuit seeks 1179 documents from USDA’s Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which may explain why the agency abruptly reversed its position and granted unrestricted approval for Monsanto to sell Roundup Ready Alfalfa. READ: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/2973/ge-crops-why-did-usda-ignore-environmental-and-... more »
Flight 370 was US weapons demo for Putin, Payback for Tribunal vs Israel, US/UK
!!!!! Alfred Webre interviews Leuren Moret: Flight 370 was US weapons demo for Putin; Payback for Tribunal vs Israel, US/UK Posted on March 13, 2014by Jean *“World War III will be a guerrilla information war with no division between military and civilian participation.” Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980), Canadian thinker* *Leuren Moret: Flight 370 downing was U.S. Navy Energy weapons demo for Putin; Payback for Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal verdicts vs. Israel, US and UK* VANCOUVER, BC – In an exclusive EcologyNews.com interview with Alfred Lambremont Webre, radiation and directed ener... more »
Untitled
*Under Putin's Shadow, EU Parliament Excludes Shale Gas From Tougher Environmental Rules * EU politicians on Wednesday voted for tougher rules on exposing the environmental impact of oil and conventional gas exploration, while excluding shale gas. Member states such as Britain and Poland are pushing hard for the development of shale gas, seen as one way to lessen dependence on Russian gas, as well as to lower energy costs as it has in the United States. The plenary vote of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France follows a compromise deal on the draft law in December, which ... more »
On Participating in a Phase III Trial of Sofosbuvir and GS-5816 for Hepatitis C
Late last year, after my usual visit to the Hepatology Department at Auckland Hospital (actually it has the encouraging name Liver Transplant Unit, but I choose to ignore that) I received a call asking me if I'd be interested in taking part in a drug trial. I've had Hep C, genotype 3, for a long time, and I've never fancied taking antivirals. When I was first diagnosed in 1991, interferon monotherapy was a terrible thing. Most people who did it suffered greatly, very few cleared the virus (only one guy I know, and he was the only one who didn't suffer at all), and most of those who ... more »
Status Quo & Broader Vision - A Guest Post by Michael Brine
Status Quo & Broader Vision The articles which will be presented in this series are designed to have us take a deeper look at the world in which we have been raised. To assist us in taking a more objective look at what is happening in the world around us and in which we are inexorably involved. By gaining a broader vision we can collectively affect the outcome which for this writer, given our present course, is not too uplifting! We have the power to create change. Will we be able to rise to this challenge and help create a more loving and compassionate world for us and those that... more »
MH370 vaporised by DEW Laser?
This has not been given any coverage at all by the MSM. Worth considering. http://actb42late.blogspot.com/2014/03/all-bullshit-still-doesnt-add-up-3-days.html All the details coming out of the most recent airline crash, Malaysian Airline System (MAS) flight MH370, still doesn't add up so far. The number of blunders by MAS, the main stream media and government of Malaysia is starting to make a serious tragedy look like a circus. It appears we are being led into one wild goose chase after another. If the authorities knew the score (or at least suspected), why continue the charade of ... more »
Chet Raymo, “A Little Bird Told Me”
*“A Little Bird Told Me”* by Chet Raymo “Donna Tartt's “The Goldfinch” is unquestionably a tour de force- bordering on showing off– but I can't say that I liked it. Tartt is a powerful writer, and I wish her all the success she will undoubtedly have, but I closed the book at the end feeling sullied and dispirited. The novel is as drug-addled as many of her characters, few of whom are likable. The protagonist/narrator, in particular, has few (any?) admirable qualities, and although he finds redemption of a sort in the end, I resented being lectured in the final pages on the meaning ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Lenexa, Kansas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
“Litany Against Fear”
*“Litany Against Fear”* “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Frank Herbert, “Bene Gesserit”, “Dune”
Countdown to ISA: heal the world, make the ISA a better place…in 5 steps
It’s that time of year again. IR freaks, geeks, superstars, and fans flock to the International Studies Association Annual Conference (except those wimps that avoid the cold Canadian destinations). Over the next week I’m going to write a few short, fun posts as we countdown to the jet lag, red-eyed check in (red carpet arrival Continue reading
Foreclosure King Dave Trott (R-MI)
Watching this ad running in MI-11 (parts of Oakland and Wayne counties west and northwest of Detroit) you'd think the DCCC was getting ready to take back the district. Forget it! The ad is being run by a far right nut group, Freedom's Defense Fund. I'll get back to them in a second. First, the fighting 11th. When Obama ran in 2008, the 11th gave him a big win over McCain: he carried the 11th by 11 points; not a landslide but the kind of victory MI-11 was giving Democrats. The incumbent congressman, Thaddeus McCotter-- later charged with a variety of election fraud charges and for... more »
Louisiana Parents: That Nameless Pilot Test is None Other Than PARCC
Corporate reform loves opaque communications. Never call a thing what it is. Use catchy lingo that disguises (and often contradicts) the reality behind a so-called reform. If this does not work, rebrand. Rename. Or drop the naming altogether. Anything to obscure the privatizer-benefiting true intent. This way, a disgruntled public might be fooled into believing that the […]
War watch March 12 , 2014 --Saudi vs Qatar rumble for supremacy in the GCC - Saudis demand ( in large part ) Qatar shutdown Al Jazeera or face air / land and sea blockades ( Saudis also want Brookings Institute and Rand Corporation expelled from Qatar , Muslim Brotherhood ties severed ) ! Syria news items -- West Plans Major New Rebel Offensive in Southern Syria . US, Saudis Pushing New Offensive to Back 'Moderates' ..... In other Syria rebel news , Al-Qaeda Faction ( Al Qaeda in Iraq ) Executes 22 in Syria, Including Rival Rebels . Executions Reported After Capture of Aleppo Border Town ..... News from Jordan -- Netanyahu ‘Regrets’ Israeli Killing of Jordan Judge Killed Over Argument . Soldiers Tried to Paint Judge as Terrorist ...... Libya oil tanker clusterfark finally results in Prime Minister Zeidan getting booted from his job , Libya position as Sultan of the MENA open marketplace for ams smuggling including manpads remains unchallenged . Militia rule and rule of the gun / rifle and anti-aircraft weapo remains the law of the land in Libya ! Pakistan benefits from 2014 " Surge " in US funding , new fair hair child in Af- Pak since Afghanistan hasn't played ball lately ? Turkey protests sparked by death of 15 year old Berkin Elvan ( after 269 days in a coma ) , remarkable photographs h/t Hurriyet !
Saudi vs Qatar rumble for supremacy in the GCC Saudis to Qatar: Close al-Jazeera or Face BlockadeAlso Wants Ouster of US Think Tanks by Jason Ditz, March 11, 2014 Print This | Share This Saudi Arabia and Qatar are normally on good terms, but following a broad new “anti-terrorist” edict by the Saudi King Abdullah the two nations are at loggerheads, with the Saudis threatening air, land, and sea blockades of Qatar. Though couched as targeting terrorism, the Saudi demands are targeted at Qatar’s international politics, with the primary demand a full closure of popular TV news channel ... more »
Economic interdependence as a facilitator of war?
Note: This is a guest post by John Mueller of Ohio State University. The ongoing crisis/standoff in the Ukraine relates in some ways to a long-standing debate about the potential connection between economic interdependence and war. The debate is over the idea that the decline in interstate war has been caused by the fact that Continue reading
What is the best number?
Today is the 73rd day of this year. Big Bang Theory fans will guess what's coming. *Sheldon:* What is the best number? By the way, there's only one correct answer. *Raj:* 5,318,008? *Sheldon:* Wrong! The best number is 73. [Short silence] You're probably wondering why. *Leonard & Howard:* No no, we're good. *Sheldon:* 73, is the 21st prime number, its mirror 37 is the 12th and its mirror 21 is the product of multiplying, hang on to your hats, 7 and 3. Did I lie? *Leonard:* We did it! 73 is the... Chuck Norris of numbers! *Sheldon:* Chuck Norris wishes! In binary, 73 is a pali... more »
Digestive-aid stocks plummet at news of latest Sbarro bankruptcy -- but there might be "good news in its decline"
*Says Dunder Mifflin Scranton manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell): "I always like to come to New York a little bit early and hit some of my favorite haunts, like right here, my favorite New York pizza joint -- and ah'm gonna go get me a New York slahce."* *"The last time I ate at one of [Sbarro's] 800 locations was in an airport where the next best alternative was a turkey wrap that looked as if it had been in the chiller even longer than the Sbarro pizza had been under the heat lamp."* -- from Neil Irwin's NYT "Economix" blogpost, "This Is the Real Reason Sbarro Is in Bankruptcy" ... more »
Thursday Linkage
We’re on spring break here in Austin, Texas so this will be a short post as I’m just back from some SXSW events (trying to steer clear of the drunk drivers). Mostly, I’ll link to some news from the blogosphere, including changes at the Monkey Cage (4 new additions) and Foreign Policy (Drezner and Lynch Continue reading
Libya updates March 13 , 2014 -- Kidnapped CBL employees released but banks still concerned about safety , North Korea severs ties with tanker, ship sails on in murky waters ....... A look at declining oil revenues , that mystery tanker , the ongoing blockade and the current caretaker government ......
Even Central Bank of Libya Employees subject to kidnappings by armed thugs and / or militias ! Kidnapped CBL employees released but banks still concerned about safety *By Ashraf Abdul Wahab.* *Tripoli, 13 March 2014:* Two Central Bank of Libya (CBL) employees kidnapped on Monday were released today amid widespread anger over deteriorating security conditions for bank staff. The employees, one a clerk and the other a security guard, were kidnapped by gunmen in Tripoli’s Garyan district. They had been transporting foreign currency between CBL branches in the capital. CBL workers an... more »
Activism MUST go beyond online efforts
To peruse the internet, one cannot fail to appreciate that the efforts of activists in bringing forbidden truths to a wider audience, are having a positive effect upon those who are seeking solutions to the problems created by the international menace. The multi-faceted attacks upon all we hold dear are routinely exposed by an ever-increasing number of internet activists. Issues such as the dangers of Wi-Fi, mobile 'phone radiation, aspartame, vaccinations and all manner of health-related concerns, are ably confronted online. In these fields at least, we are winning the battle f... more »
Merkel threatens Russia with further EU action if it "destabilises" Ukraine; Merkel is not living in reality
*Barack Obama and Angela Merkel destabilized Ukraine by overthrowing a democratically elected leader.* Ukraine was destabilized when Merkel's government, the EU, and the US hired professional snipers to shoot protesters and police officers, overthrew the democratically elected leader of Ukraine, and brought right-wing ultranationalists into top levels of the government. Merkel is not living in reality. She arrogantly assumes that the rest of the world is going along with her false representation of the situation in Ukraine. But the rest of the world is not stupid, and the facts abo... more »
Tennessee House Votes 82-11 to Halt Implementation of Common Core: Haslam/Huffman Rebuked
*It is essential that you call your state senator and urge her to vote with the House on this. Find your senator here.* from the Tennessean: Tennessee lawmakers voted to delay the Common Core education program for two years, as opponents staged an ambush Thursday morning on the floor of the state House of Representatives. A coalition of Republicans and Democratic lawmakers used an unrelated bill on American government to force a reckoning on the controversial new teaching standards. Lawmakers voted 82-11 to freeze in place Common Core, which has been rolling out gradually over the ... more »
!
Oh dear, that's three posts in a row with exclamation marks in their title! (And this makes four!!) According to strict grammarians (and their blogging equivalents), "People tend to use a lot of exclamation marks in informal writing such as emails or text messages, but you should avoid using them in formal writing." Oh dear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When did this controversial punctuation mark first come into English usage? According to *Wikipedia*, The exclamation mark was first introduced into English printing in the 15th century to show emphasis, and was called the "sig... more »
Common Core Presentation for Public Forums
From Rog Lucido: In the ongoing effort to debunk the Common Core Standards and associated testing, I have created a PowerPoint called *Common Core Exposed*. I have posted it in two downloadable versions. The first is a Read Only version that can be used at one’s own pace for presentations at school boards, parent meetings and the like. References for each slide are below each slide by just hitting Esc on your keyboard. The second version is that same PowerPoint made into a YouTube movie with music in the background that proceeds at a given rate. This is best viewed in the full scree... more »
Puppet Show: Obama Hosts 'Leader' Installed by Ukraine Coup d'Etat
In the garden variety state-corporate media friendly greeting of foreign leaders the hand-picked Ukrainian puppet Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk met with President Barack Obama in a heavily publicized visit to the White House on Wednesday. “Yats” as he is endearingly referred to by neocon meddler Victoria "Fuck the EU" Nuland has come to America, hat in hand to get the money to back his illegitimate, neo-Nazi friendly regime in Kiev. The former central banker, a bespectacled, pencil-necked geek “Yats” is the latest bagman for the global finance mafia who is charged with the task ... more »
“The People vs Big Brother - Fourth Turning”
*“The People vs Big Brother - Fourth Turning”* by James Quinn "The risk of catastrophe will be very high. The nation could erupt into insurrection or civil violence, crack up geographically, or succumb to authoritarian rule. If there is a war, it is likely to be one of maximum risk and effort - in other words, a total war. Every Fourth Turning has registered an upward ratchet in the technology of destruction, and in mankind's willingness to use it." - Strauss & Howe, "The Fourth Turning" "In the need to develop a capacity to know what potential enemies are doing, the United States... more »
Security " insecurity " Watch March 11 , 2014 --- Report: U.S. Electric Grid ‘Inherently Vulnerable’ to Sabotage ........ Recent Breaches / Hacks of note -- Experian , Smucker's online store , Sally Beauty , Chicago Taxi Cabs , Assisted Living Concepts ........
Report: U.S. Electric Grid ‘Inherently Vulnerable’ to Sabotage Multiple unreported incidents raise security concerns [image: U.S. power grid / AP] U.S. power grid / AP BY: Adam Kredo <iframe allowtransparency="true" class="twitter-follow-button twitter-follow-button" data-twttr-rendered="true" frameborder="0" id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/follow_button.1393899192.html#_=1394591946617&id=twitter-widget-1&lang=en&screen_name=Kredo0&show_count=false&show_screen_name=true&size=m" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: init
FRIDAY MORNING RAMBLE: It’s Alright Ma, It’s Only an Election
David Cunliffe is going to "lead" NZ on a top-down "economic upgrade... a journey from volume to value." How? Compulsory KiwiSaver, Capital Gains Tax and thinking "outside the square." Oh, and subsidies. This is not satire. *David Cunliffe’s speech to the New Zealand Institute* – SUB-STANDARD She’s losing her house over a political protest about rates, even as Incapable Brown tries to extract even more from long-suffering ratepayers. *Activist faces forced house sale* – STUFF *Brown's bold tax plan* – STUFF “The ACT party – or at least its biggest funder – was in the news last w... more »
Gawd 'elp us!
I'll admit to being very dubious about Twitter (though, compared to Sue, I could almost be Stephen Fry!). Still there's more to Twitter than just being able to smear people with an 'innocent face' (oh yes)... I spotted a tweet a while back from Stephen Pollard (*Jewish Chronicle *editor) describing a documentary he'd heard on Radio 4: The @Sarah_Montague doc on learning on @BBCRadio4 now is one of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever heard. On the strength of that I thought I'd give it a go, despite its title being *My Teacher Is an App,* and despite it being presented b... more »
#commoncore standards or @slekar standards?
Fact! The common core standards were written to be tested. Fact! The tests will provide invalid data about students, teachers and schools. Fact! INVALID data will drive decisions to purchase curricular and instructional snake oil. Fact! Taxpayers will cover the costs. Fact! After spending billions of tax dollars we will learn AGAIN that America has an achievement […]
SPACE ORGANIZING CONFAB SET TO BEGIN
*Global Network board member Dennis Apel from Santa Maria, California reads a statement at Vandenberg AFB during a recent protest vigil at the base. He was arrested after making his statement.* *Apel is hosting the GN's 22nd annual conference this year.* Groups to hold vigil at VandenbergProtest part of Santa Barbara conference by peace activistsSanta Maria Times A network of global peace groups will kick off a weekend conference in Santa Barbara with a Friday afternoon vigil at Vandenberg Air Force Base’s main gate. The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space (GN)... more »
John King's "Bar Exam" for Teachers Who Are Paid Like Clerks
Lawyers' median pay? $113,000. Teachers' median pay? $53,000. Judicial law clerk? $47,000. Ready or not, here comes John King's Pearson test: New York Education Commissioner John King and a Board of Regents committee have released a full-throated endorsement of the state's controversial new teacher certification system. In a statement distributed this morning, King rejected calls to postpone the implementation of the new system, which the department calls the "bar exam" for teachers. In response to criticism that the system has been rushed, King said the state began working on... more »
Maddow continues to ratchet revulsion!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014* *Once again, reminiscent of Fox:* For decades now, our public discourse has turned on phony, high-profile stories. In 1972, Muskie wept—until David Broder acknowledged that maybe he didn’t. In 1997, Al Gore said he inspired Love Story—unless you spoke to the two journalists who were present to hear what he actually said. The stories just keep coming. Just this week, Glenn Kessler, the Washington Post Fact Checker, debunked two tales that were too good to check—Paul Ryan’s story about the kid who wanted his lunch in a brown paper bag, and Julie Boonstra’s ... more »
Leonard Peltier being denied medication in prison March 13, 2014
By International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Censored News Coleman, Florida U.S.A. March 13, 2014 It has come to our attention that the Federal Prison in Coleman, Florida is denying Leonard Peltier, a native american political prisoner, medication that is essential in dealing with life threatening medical conditions. The ILPDC as well as Amnesty International and numerous
Economists on a Minimum Wage Increase
Hundreds are in favor, hundreds are opposed.
Meet Kelly Westlund, Grassroots Candidate For Congress In Northern Wisconsin
Our friends at PCCC have been very enthusiastic about Ashland City Councilwoman, an economic populist taking on Republican backbencher Sean Duffy in WI-07. The gigantic district takes up most of the northern part of the state and a good chunk of the central core as well. The biggest city is Wausau, though the Minneapolis suburbs of St Croix County are the fastest growing. There are 26 counties and in 2012, when Duffy was reelected with 56%, his Democratic opponent, Pat Kreitlow, won 3-- Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas. Obama won the district in 2008, beating McCain 53-45% and in 2012 l... more »
D.Ricardo, JS Mill, A.Smith and Bong Mendoza on Taxes, BIR vs. Doctors
Two good essays here by a friend, Dr. Amado "Bong" Mendoza of the UP Political Science Department. There is a need of course to justify which are the real "public goods" that need continued provision by government and hence, would need continued taxation. There is a growing role for corporate and civil society sectors in providing many public goods that used to be monopolistically provided by governments then. Like quick dispatch of relief goods and food items to victims of calamities like heavy flooding and storm surges. Or residential villages that provide many services to the com... more »
Crimea- Unmasking a Revolution
Approximately 25 minutes- worth taking the time for A good glimpse of those 'peaceful protestors' in action. You know, the ones the NATO media kept telling us all about. The ones that didn't really exist? Also interesting to see the Crimeans take charge after what happened in Kiev *Link to the video at RT- Crimea- Unmasking a Revolution Part 1 *
Advice
30 hours from now, the North Island sky is supposed to look like this… …and 12 hours later, like this: So my advice to you … is to get yourself to a well-stocked bar in good time, and then stay there for your own safety. That’s the wisest course of action to follow. Because weather forecasts are said to have an accuracy rate of just 60%, only marginally better than flipping a coin – so set yourself up for whichever way the way wind blows, and you’re bound to be a winner. [Pics from MetVUW] Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: ... more »
One of their aricraft is missing
By Capt. Fogg Let's be certain of one thing today: Nothing whatever has been going on on planet Earth for the last couple of days that is worth interrupting the constant speculation and obsessive concern with the missing aircraft. There is no armed uprising in Venezuela, escalating Russian aggression against the Ukraine isn't worth mentioning and that the Dow is down nearly 260 points this afternoon is of no consequence whatever. One of our aircraft is missing, or rather one of Malaysia's aircraft is along with 200 odd mostly Chinese passengers. If any of the other things that g... more »
'Free Speech' at the BBC? Yeah right!
And talking of *'Free Speech'*, as bodo notes in the comments to *Enough is enough *(two posts down),... ....the BBC has disappeared *all* of the comments below Dominic Casciani's piece on that nice Muslim suicide bomber from Crawley. Despite their carefully-selected, unrepresentative *Editors' Picks*, too many BBC readers must have been doing what I did, and opting to read all the top-rated comments: A huge number of posts slamming Muslim terrorists and their apologists, Islam in general and, of course, the BBC for choosing to give a terrorist's family, friends and supporters suc... more »
Sci Fi Readers Challange
In the Last 66 years how many Hugo Award winning books have you read. The link site counts your cover clicks and I got 32. When Harry Potter which I have not read wins a Hugo is that not kinda Justin Beiber?
Come back, Jonathan Swift, we need you!
Tom Lehrer famously said, "Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize." Well, satire of the BBC became obsolete last night. If you were writing a satire of one of those BBC *Question Time*-style debate progammes, where would you begin? Well, giving it the title '*Free Speech*' and making its venue Birmingham Central Mosque would be a fantastic start. (The BBC's actual record on free speech is patchy and, of course, they pander like crazy to Muslims.) Yesterday's* 'Question Time'*-style debate on BBC Three was indeed called '*Free Spe... more »
Fern Hill Endorses Olivia Chow (WWWKD?)
So. It's official and launched this morning. Olivia Chow, my former city councillor and just-resigned MP, is running for mayor of Toronto. Good. I am not a partisan any more, but I did join the NDP years ago, principally to work to get Chow elected as MP over useless Liberal douchebag Tony "Trust Fund" Ianno*, which I did. Before that I was an activist and as such consulted with her and her city councillor's office several times on behalf of my little gang and we always got a warm reception and helpful advice. I like her and admire her. I think she'll be good for the city. And I wi... more »
London and the Rest
*Guest post from my fine comrade, Ian McLaughlan. You can follow Ian on Twitter here.* I love London. It is truly a great place and a genuine world city. However, as someone who lives in Stoke-on-Trent and spends lots of time – both professionally and personally – in Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, surely there was far more horror than hope in Evan Davies’ BBC2 mini series *Mind The Gap: London v The Rest*? Well, yes and no. In it, big is beautiful and talent and money begets more talent and money. In a word: agglomeration. But I believe that the programme missed a fundamental... more »
Ed Balls 'daunted' by chancellor task - but the BBC will do their best to ensure that Ed Balls is in that position
The BBC report that: 'Ed Balls has told me that he is "daunted" at the prospect of becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer, given the scale of cuts a future Labour government may have to make.' There follows a list of the key points that were discussed, unsurprisingly the matter of the last Labour government's overspending from 2003 not 2008 as Ed Balls and other Labour ministers have decided to claim was the case. Here are the facts, I wonder if the BBC's Nick Robinson is aware of them, or does he prefer to take Ed Balls line? Maybe the British public aren't as stupid as the BBC wou... more »
While World Attention Stays Focused On Ukraine: Israeli Agents Fire Rockets From Gaza Into Israel
Yes, while world attention has been focused fully on the situation in Ukraine, where the US has imposed a puppet government on the people of that once proud nation and the IMF/Rothschilds have begun fleecing that nation's wealth, there is plenty going on elsewhere in the world..... Right now, there have been reports over the last two days of "rockets" being launched from Gaza into Israel itself. This so called "rocket attack" has most undoudtedly been conducted by Mossad agents once more, and the reasoning is simple... Israel is looking for any excuse now to attack and wipe out the... more »
Humanity
It’s so much more than the ability to feel The cold caress of snow across your cheek That gentle tingle softly melting Leaves a drop of water on your face, an imprint in your heart More, even, than the scent of lilacs in the air Wafting in warm clouds of summertime A perfumed fairy dance Blooming purple abundance behind closed eyes. Your humanity is more than wide open eyes Watching the sun set gloriously into the horizon Coloring the sky with flames Illuminating clouds and your imagination. Birdsong in the morning, cricket chirps at night Rustling autumn wind through reddened leaves And... more »
Afterburner: Bill Whittle will make you feel better...(video)
*and we thank him.* )
5 Blue Dogs Join Every Single Republican To Vote To Deport DREAMers
Who said the Republicans don't want to pass immigration legislation? Emboldened by their big win in FL-13 yesterday, every single Republican (+ 5 scummy Blue Dogs who really are Republicans in all but name) voted against the DREAMers… and against anything else Obama could try to do to solve the immigration problem. And if anyone thought some less cold-hearted Republicans would ever seriously consider signing the Democrats' discharge petition, the half dozen Republicans who occasionally make positive grunting sounds about immigration all voted for the toxic bill designed to keep O... more »
Candy Crush is \(NP\)-hard
Candy Crash [Saga] is currently the most popular game on Facebook. Play it quickly here. You may also download it for Android and iOS along with hundreds of millions of users. You may permute two adjacent fruits in a grid. Such a move must create at least a triplet of identical fruits in a row or column and they disappear which is a good thing. I've spent hours with games based on the same idea although not this particular one. Toby Walsh from a university in Sydney turned this popular software into a piece of interesting computer science by offering a non-trivial proof. The p... more »
The New York Times takes a whole new approach!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014* *Concerning pre-K education:* Over the last two months, the New York Times has spilled with reports about pre-K education. This morning, the paper takes a whole new approach to the subject, in a lengthy report on pre-K. Here’s the way Kate Taylor started. Can you see what’s different? TAYLOR (3/13/14): The teacher held up a card with a number on it, then looked at the 4-year-olds waving their hands eagerly in front of her. “Anderson,” she said, calling on a small boy in a blue button-up shirt and a sweater vest. “Five,” Anderson said, correctly. “Good ... more »
Instilling hate in children, now why should that be an 'unresolved issue'?
The BBC report that re peace between Israel and the Palestinians: 'Unresolved issues include: - The borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state - The status of Jerusalem - Israel's insistence that it be recognised as a Jewish state - The Palestinians' demand that their refugees be allowed to return to their former homes in what is now Israel - Security arrangements in the West Bank.' Apparently brainwashing Palestinian children to hate Jews and to call them 'barbaric monkeys' and 'wretched pigs' is not of any relevance to preventing peace. Apparently descr... more »
Manufactured outrage
It's what all bullies do. Every single one. Whether serial intimate partner abuser or totalitarian politician. Harper has made this particular Karl-Rove-perfected tactic the centre-piece of his Politburo PMO propaganda communications strategy. Reframe whatever criticism that is directed at you as an *attack* upon yourself or your party. Wildly exaggerate what was said; prevaricate outrageously. Shrieeek loudly to drown out any objections. Discredit whoever had the temerity to express the notion that the Emperor might be prancing about, nekkid and weenie-wagging at small children... more »
Appeal or cert from Charter based stay under POA
R. v. Courtice Auto Wreckers Limited, 2014 ONCA 189 says appeal: [1] The single issue under appeal is the proper route to be taken by the Crown when it seeks to set aside a decision by a trial court to stay a proceeding commenced under the *Provincial Offences Act*, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.33 (the "*Act*"),as a remedy under the *Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms** (the "**Charter**")*. [2] May the Crown appeal such a stay under s. 116(1)(b) of the *Act*, or must the Crown resort to *certiorari*? For the reasons that follow, I have concluded that an appeal is the ... more »
Help Bring Energy and Hope to Morocco!
Help Bring Energy and Hope to Morocco!We are...... SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited right now!!!! Many many long skype and phone calls, and discussions and it's all moving forward to right this moment of NOW!!!! There will be a flood of information coming out in just a very short time to introduce the QEG to the world. Nick and I and the Family will be back in Morocco in just a few days and then it is FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!!! You cannot imagine the level of excitement that we are over flowing with at this moment!!!! And THANK YOU to everyone for helping us get back to Morocco!!!! ... more »
Memphis Schools to Cut 800 Jobs As This Year's Charter Outlay is $78,000,000
*Shelby County Schools* 2014-15 proposed general fund budget: $961. 3 million Salaries: $558.6 million Employee benefits: $178.6 million Contract services: $82.4 million *Charter schools: $78 million* Supplies and materials: $38.8 million Other charges: $16.9 million Capital outlay: $7.2 million Debt service: $658,940 This year, alone, Shelby County plans to close ten schools and turn them over for charter conversion. It is now becoming increasingly clear that, without a huge infusion of Federal funds, turning Memphis into a New Orleans type charter chain gang system is going to be an... more »
THE PEOPLE AIN'T STUPID
The Washington Post (disappointedly I'm sure) reports: A new poll suggests Americans have very little appetite for any real involvement in the crisis in Ukraine. Only 29 percent of Americans would like for the Obama administration to take a "firm stand" against Russia's incursion into its neighbor, according to the Pew Research Center poll, while nearly twice as many -- 56 percent -- prefer the United States not to get too involved in Ukraine. The poll reflects a war-weary American public that is still very reticent to get involved in international conflicts. The American people ... more »
I Am Only One - A Quote From Edward Everett Hale
[image: Foto: I can do something...... much love, and rest well friends~Cara]
IN SEARCH OF EVEN THE MOST BASIC SKILLS: Malaysia’s coddled elite is us!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014* *Part 4—The Post denounces these kids:* Early today, we were awakened by mordant chuckles from the analysts’ reading room. The youngsters were reading the New York Times’ description of the Malaysian leadership. According to the Times, the group is now being attacked as a “coddled elite,” the incompetent product of a “paternalistic culture.” “Careful, Timesmen,” one analyst cried. “Discerning readers are going to say that you’re describing yourselves! How weak are the basic skills of our upper-end press corps? To what extent is the mainstream press corp... more »
Parent Files Suit to Establish Opt Out Legal Precedent
MD parent files suit over MSA opt out and sets precedent for future assessments March 11, 2014 Cindy Rose of Frederick County has taken the matter of MSA < http://www.examiner.com/topic/msa> opting out to court by filing an emergency motion for injunctive relief. She is asking the court to force Frederick County Public Schools to allow her child to remain in her classes and not be administered the test. Her daughter is in sixth grade and has a recognized anxiety disorder, and having to take six hours of high-pressure assessments in a week's time on material that is not even being ta... more »
Untitled
*Saints deal Sproles to Philadelphia for a 5th-round pick ~Ramon Antonio Vargas, New Orleans Advocate * *Saints confirm training camp at The Greenbrier ~Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY* *Unusual coalition aims to reduce high prisoner count in Louisiana ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens* *Pitch for redeveloping Lower 9th Ward: sell lots for $100 ~Andrew Vanacore*
US MilitaryTransgender ban
From the AP An independent commission led by a former U.S. surgeon general has concluded there "is no compelling medical reason" for the U.S. armed forces to prohibit transgender Americans from serving and that President Barack Obama could lift the decades-old ban without approval from Congress, according to a report being released Thursday. "We determined not only that there is no compelling medical reason for the ban, but also that the ban itself is an expensive, damaging and unfair barrier to health care access for the approximately 15,450 transgender personnel who serve currentl... more »
Musings On Iraq Security Report March 1-7, 2014
The first week of March 2014 was the bloodiest of 2014. There were 402 reported deaths and 672 wounded. Most of those occurred in Baghdad and Salahaddin. Fighting also picked up in Anbar, while there was a slew of car bombings in Babil. At the same time there was a large drop in violence in Ninewa and scattered attacks in the south. The large number of bombings for the week was the main cause of the increase in casualties. This was just the latest sign that security is getting worse in Iraq. From March 1-7 there were 249 security incidents. That led to 402 deaths and 668 wounded... more »
Beyond “Doubly Disadvantaged”: Race, Class, and Gender in U.S. Schools and Society
Beyond “Doubly Disadvantaged”: Race, Class, and Gender in U.S. Schools and Society. via Beyond “Doubly Disadvantaged”: Race, Class, and Gender in U.S. Schools and Society.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
US key data March 13 , 2014 -- Retail sales beat expectations and jobless claim fall to the lowest levels since November 2013 , will the Fed step up the Tapering ? Big misses in China Industrial Production , Retail Sales and Fixed investment - will China increase liquidity to its economy ? Stay tuned !
Retail Sales Beat Following Sharp January Downward Revision: Control Group Decline Continues [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/13/2014 08:52 -0400 - Consumer Confidence - Gross Domestic Product - Jim Cramer inShare When retail sales last month came in far weaker than expected, it was the weather's fault. A month later, we find that the January retail sales were even weaker than expected, with the headline number revised from a -0.4% drop to -0.6%, the ex autos number revised from unchanged to -0.3%, and the ex autos and gas whose drop... more »
Additional NSA Stasi State tactics revealed March 13 , 2014 -- Glenn Glennwald in a key expose , key takeaway -- Top-secret documents reveal that the National Security Agency is dramatically expanding its ability to covertly hack into computers on a mass scale by using automated systems that reduce the level of human oversight in the process. The classified files – provided previously by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden – contain new details about groundbreaking surveillance technology the agency has developed to infect potentially millions of computers worldwide with malware “implants.” The clandestine initiative enables the NSA to break into targeted computers and to siphon out data from foreign Internet and phone networks. ........
The Most Evil And Disturbing NSA Spy Practices To-Date Have Just Been Revealed [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/12/2014 22:45 -0400 - national security - SPY inShare1 *Submitted by Mike Krieger of Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,* *In some cases the NSA has masqueraded as a fake Facebook server, using the social media site as a launching pad to infect a target’s computer and exfiltrate files from a hard drive. In others, it has sent out spam emails laced with the malware, which can be tailored to covertly record audio from a computer’s microphon... more »
Failing at Football Diplomacy
There has been a bit of recent news lately suggesting international football* considerations are making the divisions between states greater, supporting the idea that sports might not be the path to peace and reconciliation. While a few cases cannot disprove an idea, recent moves point in a troubling direction for the theory that we can Continue reading
Scientists VS Economists
Conservative voters prefer Economists over Scientists. An Economist predicts the cost of things and has endless and purely political ideasabout the value. A Scientist can irrefutably prove the value of things, and knows that in the big picture the cost of human progress is irrelevant. Angela Merkel is a scientist, Stephen Harper and Tim Hudak are Economists.
Leaving Them Behind
When Stephen Harper was the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Mitrovica writes, he sought out journalists: He courted press coverage enthusiastically. (There’s a word commonly used in Ottawa to describe politicians who hunger for media attention as shamelessly as Harper once did; I’m guessing I can’t get away with using it here.) In any event, Harper’s political career was aided and abetted in some measure by his routine appearances on political chat shows that featured him as a sound-bite-happy right-wing pundit. But after he became prime minister -- his objective achieved -- he ... more »
What A Real Budget Looks Like... When No One Takes Ayn Rand Fairy Tales Into Account
This year's Congressional Progressive Caucus alternative budget, the Better Off Budget, was developed by Mike Honda (D-CA), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). Obviously, it's a complex document. The goal, as far as I can tell so far, is to stimulate the economy with the express purpose of creating 8.8 million new jobs between now and 2017, while shaving $4 trillion from the nation;s deficit. Investing in the American people is the theme. All of that is completely f... more »
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