LCU-1633 exits USS Tortuga in the South China Sea. (Photo credit: Official U.S. Navy Imagery)
bridge (Photo credit: island home)Thursday Linkage
Editor’s note: this post first appeared on my personal blog. 1. Tensions in the South China Sea are rising. Exhibit A (h/t Sean B. Rogers), exhibit B (h/t Jay Ulfelder). Right now, all eyes are on Ukraine. And rightfully so. But this is one to watch too. 2. Speaking of Ukraine, the National Interest wonders if that crisis could spark Continue reading
LET IT BE REAL
The US media, and practically all western media, is under corporate control. They play the same tune and then broadcast about the "international consensus" in order to make it appear that the whole world is on their side. It's not. The pirates are playing their cards at the saloon and using all the tools at their disposal to make 'Full Spectrum Dominance" a reality. The Space Command was the first to use that mantra but now it has spread to cover the entirety of the agenda of Mr. Big and his groveling minions. Rarely do we see or hear the words of alternative voices to global ... more »
Lefty logic and a prediction for how the BBC will become very shortly
http://t.co/03xddg7ZeR (https://twitter.com/peddoc63/status/464441600303972354
Polar Opposites: Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) And Ted Lieu (D-CA)
I'm up to the part in Elizabeth Warren's new book, A Fighting Chance, when she's the chairman of the congressional oversight panel (COP) for TARP. The chapter is called "Bailing Out The Wrong People" and one of the villains is Wall Street shill Jeb Hensarling, a corrupt and backward congressman from Texas' 5th congressional district sprawling out from Garland northeast of Dallas into Lake Highlands and the eastern Dallas suburbs through Mesquite and Balch Springs and southeast down into small towns like Palestine, Athens and Jacksonville. The PVI is a daunting R+17 and Romney won t... more »
"Toward a Europe Whole & Free" Via NATO global dominance
This post contains a ton of info- Europe Whole and Free, is of course, nothing like it reads. In our Orwellian world of doublespeak. Whole and free is really Europe subordinated to NATO/US dominance. *Europe 'whole and free' is a plan that has long been in the works-* *Let's go back to 1989 and George HW Bush- * If the video below doesn't work for you, I am linking the text directly below the video link **Video- George H.W. Bush, “A Whole Europe, A Free Europe,” 31 May 1989* **Text of his speech is here * George H.W. Bush- "The time is right. Let Europe be whole and free" Then liste... more »
What Does thwap Look Like?
Some of the names that have been tossed around over the years ... David Spade Dave Navarro Tom CruiseLuke Wilson Steve Perry Malcolm Young Mike Scott ("The Waterboys") Jeff Beck Todd Rundgren
A Short on Muslim converts
The Today programme featured what Zubeida Malik called ‘a short’ for her documentary on Muslim Converts. The the documentary programme “The Report” will be aired on radio 4 tonight at 8pm. The blurb states: *Converts to Islam are far more likely to be involved in terrorist incidents than those who were born into Muslim families: converts account for around a quarter of terrorist convictions in Britain since 9/11 yet they represent only 2-3% of the UK's Muslim population.* *As the anniversary of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby by two Muslim converts approaches, the Today programme's ... more »
Don Lemon sinks to the ocean floor!
*THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014* *The worst discussions on cable:* We’re sorry to have to say it, but CNN’s Don Lemon is producing the worst discussions on cable “news” these days. Last night, his slug-like discussion of Miss Lewinsky finally ended at 33 minutes past the hour. And you knew where he’d go next: He spent the rest of the program “discussing” Donald Sterling. For years, Lemon struck us as one of the gentlest, kindest voices on cable. But CNN has been lusting after viewers in all the worst possible ways. In the process, Lemon has emerged as more Anderson Cooper than Anderson Coope... more »
TUSCALOOSA LIBERALS: A puzzle emerges!
*THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014* *Part 4—The Atlantic finesses the gap:* A puzzle emerges in The Atlantic’s portrait of D’Leisha Dent. Dent is president of the senior class at Tuscaloosa’s Central High School. She’s one of seventeen students in Central High’s Advanced Placement English class. According to journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dent is “an honors student since middle school” who “excels in school” and has engaged in “touch honors coursework.” There’s a lot more to say about Dent, who seems to be a superlative young person. Last fall, she was Central High’s homecoming queen. She’s... more »
Random: Hey! I fell down and can't get up...
*who said that???* Every time I woke up last night, that phrase was popping around in my head. Did you hear the one about the president attending a fund raiser with a bunch of Hollyweirdo's, where the tickets ranged from 10K to 64K? The Hollywood elites were treated to a speech about our dysfunctional government. But best of all, these elitist idiots decried the overwhelming problem of "income inequality." It was held at the home of Alan Horn, current chairman of Disney. Net worth: 50 million. Babs Streisand was one of the attendees. Babs net worth is estimated at 340 million.... more »
12th grade NAEP scores: Does the common core deserve the credit?
Sent to the Hartford Courant, May 7, 2014 It is a premature to give the "new academic standards" of the common core credit for Connecticut's good performance on the 12th grade NAEP reading test ("State Students Excel On 'Nation's Report Card'," May 7). First, the improvement was not uniform: Grade 8 scores increased less than grade 12 scores, and grade 4 scores stayed the same as they were in 2009. The gap between high poverty (eligible for free and reduced lunch) and low poverty students remained nearly the same as it was in 2009. Second, to show that the common core is the fact... more »
Where Do TN Schools Stand After Two Decades of the Sanders VAM Fertilizer Treatment?
After two decades of value-added nonsense posing as a school improvement plan, 70 percent of Tennessee teachers are being evaluated based on test scores that belong to someone else, and the state's 12th graders are ranked one step from the basement in terms of proficiency in math and reading. With Bill Sanders now out to pasture, will his flawless algorithm for diverting attention away from education problems be far behind? See FairTest's assessment of the just-released 2013 NAEP Report on 12th Grade Reading and Math.
Straight rod passing through curved hole
*Why the hole is hyperbolic and why you shouldn't worry* The following simple video from a Valencia, Spain science museum has gotten almost 200,000 views in a few days. Not bad. I believe that many readers, including very young ones, are not only able to reconcile themselves with the fact that the hole may be curved even though the rod is straight but they could even compute the shape of the rod. But let me say a few words, anyway. Some of us intuitively believe that a straight rod should produce images composed of straight lines. But it isn't necessarily so. After all, many of u... more »
I found this assignment my daughter wrote for school "Dear Envy", A letter poem
I just found an assignment my daughter wrote for school. I am blown away by it. I had no idea that she had this level of thinking. Children do not communicate on a whole to their parents, their deep level of thoughts and views, in my opinion. My daughter and I discuss many things and I have always tried to in-still critical thinking in her. Even from when she was a toddler, I allowed her
THE NORMALIZATION & DEBASEMENT OF CINCO DE MAYO
*THE NORMALIZATION & DEBASEMENT OF CINCO DE MAYO:* Please post and share and think about a coordinated strategy for next year. I thought the problem was with college students, but as can be seen in the following stories and clips, it is worse than shameful. Much local coverage nationwide followed the same theme... going to bars for this story. I start with mine in which I argue we need to take back Cinco: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/23422-taking-back-cinco Here's the college story from the *Daily Wildcat* which assumes that May 5 is Cinco de Drink-o and that it is a holiday ... more »
Fight this ugly bigotry
Thats is the Star Editorial of the day. I grew up in north central Ontario. I grew up in a world where Brazilian Nuts where on the shelf at the grocery toes called N toes. We never said catch a tiger by the toe. But we would never have stood by while a fellow resident was bullied and beaten. Racism is ignorance, thats the way to defeat it, teach your children well.
Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”
Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”. via Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
John Kuhn’s Eloquent Embrace of Public Education
Texas superintendent, John Kuhn, spoke to the Network for Public Education (NPE) about how “The public school system reveals the American heart.” He reminded us that “There isn’t a square inch of America that doesn’t fall inside some school district or another. There isn’t a pupil who can’t walk into their local school and demand […]
Austerity Strikes The Fed: Boston Reserve Bank Slashes 160 Jobs Due To US Treasury Cost-Cutting ! Unanswered question - what about those five other regional banks ( apart from Boston ) that just saw The Treasury nix their services in going from 10 regional banks to just 4 servicing the Treasury ? And when an Employer says they plan to treat employees ( redundant now ) as " humanely as possible " , does that sound like a vet speaking about an old and sickly pet dog ?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-08/austerity-strikes-fed-boston-reserve-bank-slashes-160-jobs-due-us-treasury-cost-cutt Austerity Strikes The Fed: Boston Reserve Bank Slashes 160 Jobs Due To US Treasury Cost-Cutting [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/08/2014 08:07 -0400 - Federal Reserve - Federal Reserve Bank - Federal Reserve Bank Of Boston - Regional Banks - Treasury Department inShare As The Fed tapers and shifts its decision-making process away from rules-based, model-backed strategies in favor of "we'll know when to... more »
Seriousness of Charter breach
R. v. Cunsolo, 2014 ONCA 364: [47] In considering the seriousness of the Charter-infringing state conduct, the trial judge assessed the police conduct. He did not find bad faith on the part of the police. He found that the conduct was not egregious. Rather, "haste, misjudgment and carelessness" characterized the police actions. No intent to breach constitutional rights was found.
What Happened To All That Nazi Wealth Created In The 1940s? It Didn't Disappear Into Thin Air
Goebbels, a family of pillaging psychopaths... real rich ones My Dutch friend David de Jong is a reporter for Bloomberg. He has an interesting beat: billionaires in general and secret billionaires in particular. And he has some awesome stories coming out over the next few months-- I'm sworn to secrecy but I'll give you a heads up when it's OK. Meanwhile, though, I suspect they're going to be something like the pieces he did exposing how scions of Nazi fortunes live the life of riley today. In January 2013 he broke the story about the Goebbels grandchildren's billions. In the spring... more »
The Europeans Get It
Stephen Harper refuses to speak to the UN. Perhaps that's because he fears that, on his way to the podium, he would be booed. Karl Nerenberg reportsthat the Bertelsmann Foundation -- based in Germany -- has given the Harper government its seal of disapproval. In a recent report: It says that "a strong case can be made that the quality of governance provided by the government of Canada deteriorated" since Harper got his majority in 2011. Bertelsmann is especially critical of Canada's environmental performance in the Harper majority era. Bertelsmann points to the Conservatives'... more »
Israel:Anti-Christian Graffiti & "Price Tag" attacks rise before Papal visit
Ah, the delusional Israelis..... beliefs of 'god given land' and 'choseness' will always lead to a kind of twisted sense of entitlement. How many stories have I read, over the years, about the rabid haters in Israel and their innumerable crimes against Palestinians?- Both Christians and Muslim? Attacks on sites important to Christians? Quite a few over the years. But only on occasion does one of those news articles trickle in the consciousness of the western media audience. Israeli media does cover the crimes of it's own citizens. But they lay blame on the 'ultra-nationalists' in ... more »
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*15,000,000,000 years later...* *30,000,000,000,000 years later...* *45,000,000,000,000 years later...* *80,000,000,000,000 years later...* *100,000,000,000,000 years later...* *102,000,000,000,000 years later - Time's Up.* *If Cats are The Question, little wonder that The Mice do not like The Answer...*
Untitled
*VOTE NO! Holy Cross Condo Tower Development Heads To New Orleans City Council Today ~The Lens* It looks like the “new” New Orleans might be fading fast, even before the Crescent City can celebrate the 10th anniversary of its much-heralded recovery from the Katrina disaster. Sadly, the old ways of doing things are staging a comeback and seem to be winning more and more fights involving inappropriate land use. What are the old ways, now resurgent? Pure and simple: - a City Council that community members believe is about to accept an illegitimate review process rather than honor ... more »
Untitled
*Moral Bankruptcy* Thomas Sowell If you want to get some idea of the moral bankruptcy of our educational system, read an article in the May 4th issue of the New York Times Magazine titled, "The Tale of Two Schools." The article is not about moral bankruptcy. But it is itself an example of the moral bankruptcy behind the many failures of American education today. Someone had the bright idea of pairing public high school kids from a low-income neighborhood in the Bronx with kids from a private high school that charges $43,000 a year. When the low-income youngsters visited the posh ... more »
The War against Neologisms: Calling Out “New” Types of War
It seems that every pundit, scholar, and borderline academic publishing online has developed a new term to describe the state of war in the system. I can’t browse the pages of Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, or even the New York Times without someone making up a new term to articulate basic and common features of Continue reading
Deep Down In All Of Us......... by M.N. Hopkins
*Deep down hidden in all of us is a well spring of great joy, just waiting to be discovered and brought to the surface. * M.N. Hopkins
The Gangster Vengeance of Barack Obama
Despite the US state-corporate media blackout of the vicious retaliation by neo-Nazi and fascist led militias unleashed in Ukraine reports, videos and pictures are slipping out within the alternative media and Americans are backing a campaign of slaughter that will escalate into ethnic cleansing. With the failure to bother to condemn or to otherwise pick up the phone and call for an end to the violence US President Barack Hussein Obama has proved once and for all that he is one cold son of a bitch and in the aftermath of the intentionally set fire at the trade union building in Od... more »
Ukraine Referendum Watch May 6-7 , 2014 May 7 , 2014 Updates : Putin asks Federalists to postpone weekend Referendums , noting "We ask the representatives of the southeast to postpone the referendums planned for May 11 in order to create the conditions necessary for dialogue," Putin said after the meeting. Pro-Russian activists said they would discuss Putin's call for postponement at a meeting of their assembly on Thursday. "Tomorrow we will discuss that at the people's assembly," Denis Pushilin, a leader of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, told Reuters ...... Putin also announced a withdrawal of russian troops from Ukraine border and also counseled a rethink of both May 25 , 2014 Presidential vote and the present Kiev counter terror campaign...... We shall see Thursday if the Referendums go forward ( Voting set for May 11 , 2014 - Lugansk and Donetsk ) will make the remainder of this week tension filled ...... Moreover , the Presidential vote will be fraught with anxiety - Timoshenko says third revolution inevitable if she loses , Ukraine Parliament votes against holding an Autonomy Referendum on May 25 , 2014 ..... Kiev conscription decree signed by Acting President Turchinov.......
Catharsis Ours - 6 hours ago
East Ukraine referendum postponement to be put to vote May 8 World May 07, 22:52 UTC+4 DONETSK, May 07. /ITAR-TASS/. Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the government of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday that he does not rule out the postponement of a referendum on independence scheduled for May 11. “Tomorrow [May 8] we will put the issue [on plebiscite put-off] to the vote at the people’s council,” Pushilin said. Ukraine’s lawmakers propose to set up commission for Odessa tragedy investigation Earlier Wednesday, Russian Preside... more »
War Watch May 8 , 2014 -- Syria Rebel Commander( FSA - Ahmed Nehmeh ) captured by al - Nusra offers an embarrassing confession - note Nehmeh now blames ‘Donor Countries’ for rout , insists pullout was at the behest of Donors ! Items from Syria Direct ( May 6 and 7 , 2014 )
Syria..... Syria Rebel Commander Confession Blames ‘Donor Countries’ for RoutInsists Pullout Was at the Behest of Donors by Jason Ditz, May 07, 2014 Print This | Share This Adding to the intrigue around the weekend capture of Free Syrian Army commander Ahmed Nehmeh by al-Qaeda’s Jabhat al-Nusra, the commander has offered a confession surrounding the details of a November rout, one of the grievances Nusra is seeking to take him to court over. Back in November, the rebels lost the town of Khirbet Ghazaleh, on the outskirts of Daraa, in a military rout that was blamed on “rivalries” an... more »
Karen Hudes: Whistleblower or Deceiver?
Starship Earth: The Big Picture *[Starship Earth: The Big Picture' says:] I’m not saying this article is true, but it IS possible, so you can save the comments. I didn’t write it, but whoever did no doubt feels they are right.* *Is the writer a Jew-hater? Possibly. Or, are they, like many people, unaware that there is a difference between Jews and the Zionists (cabal), as a reader pointed out in the comments?* *I must admit… I have wondered about Karen… but EVERYONE is suspect! It’s difficult to know what to believe when so many whistleblowers are targeted for coming forward, a... more »
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AT THE END OF THE WORLD
[image: NewsWithViews.com] By Paul McGuire May 5, 2014 NewsWithViews.com The average person is programmed from birth to think inside of a box. They live under the delusion that they are free and independent thinkers, but they are unable to perceive that their thoughts and beliefs have been manufactured on the cerebral assembly line of what I term the “Mind Factory.” Despite minor variations of “The Product,” their beliefs are pretty much the same as everyone else’s. In addition, the thoughts and beliefs of the average person have been carefully programmed so they will fit neatly in... more »
UNEARTHED IN PERU: Overwhelming Evidence Stuns Experts–Something, or Someone “Else”, Was Here
By Lyn Leahz Sunday, May 4, 2014 (Before It's News) *But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:37-39* If you have ever had doubts about the existence of Biblical Fallen Angels, Nephilim, and Raphaim, then wait until you see what has been discovered! Included in this post are detailed photog... more »
Hollywood Producer Drops Bomb: Boston Marathon Bombing Was a Hoax f
*Humans Are Free* According to Hollywood Producer Nathan Folks, the Boston Marathon ‘bombing’ WAS a ‘false flag’ attack. Complete with ‘crisis actors, smoke bombs, fake blood and literal “smoke and mirrors”, Nathan Folks should know ACTING as well as anyone, as a filmmaker, and what he saw, he’s CERTAIN, was the work of professionals, the best and worst of what Hollywood has to offer. Don’t believe me though, listen to Hollywood Producer Nathan Folks. Folks uses his own knowledge to bring clarity to the term ‘crisis actors’. He also warns that though people around the world know th... more »
What if I Told You Weeds and Bacteria Could Save Your Life? by Michaeel Schmidt
[image: Foto: "What if I Told You Weeds and Bacteria Could Save Your Life? What you need to know about wild plants and friendly bacteria. The truth may surprise you." Read more -- > http://buff.ly/1o2xGKM Pin it -- > http://buff.ly/1o2xGKU Thanks to Common Sense Homesteading for the information and image.] What if I Told You Weeds and Bacteria Could Save Your Life? by Michael Schmidt Common Sense Homesteading, 2 May 2014 *“The trend in bacterial development of antibiotic resistance is not unlike the increasing resistance of agricultural pests to pesticides. In 1938, scientis... more »
Sign This Petition To Stop The Allowance Of Higher Levels Of Glyphosate In Europe
[image: Foto: Sign the petition to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to stand with our European counterparts in fighting the war on the toxic herbicide Roundup. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is up for safety renewal. EFSA is not only poised to re-approve, but also to increase the allowable levels of glyphosate in food in the EU. Europeans want less, not more glyphosate. Please show your support and sign the petition. Help us get the word out. Thank you <3 Sign the Petition: https://secure3.convio.net/fww/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=CCE977FE1ADC5A17BFF3B22C21FB93... more »
SPLC says don't read tacit support for Common Core into their condemnation of reactionary hate groups
*"In short, the real literacy crisis occurs whenever we deploy a pedagogy that asks our students only to consume texts and not to produce them as well." — Richard E. Miller* [image: Books not on David Coleman or E. D. Hirsch, Jr.'s so-called core knowlege list for Common Core State Standards]Profiteering members of the testing industrial complex, and right-of-center Democrats were quick to embrace the release of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) report that correctly takes issue with right wing extremism fueling a small portion of the criticisms of Common Core State Standards... more »
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Mystery ( Day 59 ! ) May 6 , 2014 Updates -- THE BIG MH370 HOAX: Time for Malaysia Prime Minister Najib, Australia Prime Minister Abbott to come clean or face WORLD CENSURE , Diego Garcia conspiracy theory gaining currency ? .......
Catharsis Ours - 7 hours ago
Malaysia Chronicle calls out Flight 370 situation as " The Big Hoax " ! Tuesday, 06 May 2014 06:48 THE BIG MH370 HOAX: Time for Najib, Abbott to come clean or face WORLD CENSUREWritten by Malaysia Chronicle - <span class="itemTextResizerTitle" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; bo... more »
Obama-era U.S. relations to other countries worse than in the Bush era
George W. Bush was hated by many Americans during his reign. While it's true that my perspective from People's Republic of Cambridge isn't representative of the U.S. and Bush's position was particularly tense in the city of Harvard and MIT, I think that to a lesser extent, it is true that many people have believed that Bush was doing everything he could to turn the rest of the world into the haters of the U.S. In particular, it was believed that the Iraq war would permanently strain the U.S. relationships with the Middle East and with countries like France, and so on. Barack Obama'... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Sharp telescopic views of NGC 3628 show a puffy galactic disk divided by dark dust lanes. Of course, this deep portrait of the magnificent, edge-on spiral galaxy puts some astronomers in mind of its popular moniker, the Hamburger Galaxy. It also reveals a small galaxy nearby, likely a satellite of NGC 3628, and a faint but extensive tidal tail. *Click image for larger size.* The tantalizing island universe itself is about 100,000 light-years across and 35 million light-years away in the northern springtime constellation Leo. Its drawn out tail stretches for about 300,000 light-years... more »
China hasn't met Turkish missile defence tender conditions
[image: FD-2000 (HQ-9) Launch vehicle]A Chinese firm has not yet met all of the conditions of a Turkish tender to build a missile defence system that it provisionally won in a $3.4 billion deal and Turkey may consider alternative offers, officials said on condition of anonymity. A Russian bid for the advanced weapons project has been revised, but its price remained far higher than other offers, the Turkish officials also told Reuters late on Tuesday. Awarding the tender to Russia may do little to ally concerns voiced by Turkey's NATO allies when Ankara said in September it had chose... more »
Lockheed Martin Demonstrates ADAM Ground-Based Laser System Against Military-Grade Small Boats
In tests off the California coast, a Lockheed Martin prototype laser system successfully disabled two boats at a range of approximately 1.6 kilometers (approximately 1 mile). These were the first tests of the Area Defense Anti-Munitions (ADAM) system against maritime targets. Lockheed Martin is developing the transportable, ground-based ADAM laser system to demonstrate a practical, affordable defense against short-range threats, including Qassam-like rockets, unmanned aerial systems and small boats. Read more
First Iraqi F-16 Completes First Flight
[image: Iraqi F-16]Lockheed Martin successfully completed the first flight of the inaugural F-16 Fighting Falcon for the Iraq Air Force. The jet is the first of 36 F-16 Block 52 aircraft on order through the U.S. Department of Defense for Iraq. With more than 4,540 F-16s delivered to date, the Foreign Military Sale to Iraq adds to the F-16’s reputation as the world’s most versatile and affordable 4th generation multi-role fighter. Read more
Suspense
Kory got notice today that bar results were mailed today, meaning he should have them tomorrow! Once he gets those, I can start the process to move. I cannot wait. I miss my family a lot. Sounds like Kurt is getting a lot of things done though, so it will be less for me to figure out once I get there. I have so much to do once he does get his results though. Have to within 10 days of leaving take Lucie in for her last appointment and get her approval documents from Lansing for customs in Costa Rica. I have to get Kory sworn in at federal court and circuit and help him get thin... more »
Sikorsky Wins U.S. Navy Contract to Replace ‘Marine One’ Helicopter Fleet
[image: Sikorsky S-92®]The U.S. Navy today announced that Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., has been selected to build the next fleet of Marine One helicopters for the Office of the President. With the selection comes a $1.24 billion Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract to modify, test and deliver six FAA-certified S-92® helicopters and two trainer simulators to the U.S. Marine Corps. Covering a period of performance into late 2020, the fixed price incentive firm contract is the initial step to providing, by 2023, a VXX Presidential ... more »
Ukraine's Arms Industry Is Both Prize and Problem for Putin
[image: SS-18 Satan]As Russian President Vladimir Putin positions his army along the border with Ukraine, his eyes are trained on more than former Soviet territory. The parts of Ukraine where separatists and loyalists face off in ever-more violent clashes are home to the most valuable assets of the nation’s defense industry. More than 50 factories form an arms cluster that caters to Russia based on a trade accord from two decades ago, churning out air cargo transporters, helicopter engines and other hardware. “Taking Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions would be hugely beneficial ... more »
Ball Aerospace producing enhanced sensor for missile system
[image: RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]An electro-optical, infrared laser sensor system that enhances the ability of ships to detect potential threats has been ordered by NATO. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. said the order for the Seasparrow long-range electro-optical infrared laser sensor system, or SLREOSS, was issued by the NATO Seasparrow Program Office and worth an initial $23.9 million, with options worth an additional $10 million. Under the contract, Ball Aerospace will transition the current Stalker sensor developmental prototype design to production and in direct mount and indepen... more »
OPINION: Russia Could Station Missiles in Europe in Response to NATO Moves
[image: Iskander-M]Russia could deploy short-range Iskander missiles in the country’s westernmost Kaliningrad region if NATO decides to strengthen its military presence in Eastern Europe, Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Buzhinsky told RIA Novosti. “Russia is a nuclear power,” he said. “If NATO becomes more active, we will deploy a division of Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad Region,” added Buzhinsky, who previously headed the department of international agreements in the Russian Defense Ministry. US Air Force General Philip Breedlove said Tuesday that NATO will consider permanently stationing tro... more »
Foreign Militaries Eye Sikorsky S-97 Raider
[image: S-97 Raider]It hasn’t even flown yet and the U.S. Army program it was intended for was put on hold, possibly indefinitely. But that hasn’t stopped foreign militaries from inquiring about when they might be able to buy the Sikorsky S-97 Raider, the company’s next-generation light-attack helicopter. The coaxial design features counter-rotating rotor blades and a push propeller, among other innovations, that will allow it to fly much faster and farther than today’s choppers. Read more
Defence committee says half F-35 fighter jet program
[image: F-35 Lightning II]The Lower House defence committee on Wednesday okayed a controversial 50% cut to the government's budget for the F-35 fighter jet. Allies including the United States have urged Italy to maintain its plans to buy 90 of the aircraft which cost an estimated $200 million each. The decision was split, as members of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party voted against the cuts, members of Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) voted in favour, and some committee members abstained. Read more
House Panel Protects A-10, Pulls BRAC from Budget
[image: A-10C Thunderbolt II]The House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday added $104 billion to the proposed defense budget for 2015 to include hundreds of millions to maintain and grow aviation assets that the services say they no longer want. At the same time, the committee held fast against Pentagon wishes for a new Base Realignment and Closure act that would allow the services to reduce their footprint by closing down bases and merging units. The budget that the committee will be sending to the House floor for a vote comes in at more than $600 billion, well over the $496 bill... more »
Qatar goes on spending spree
[image: B-737 AEW&C Wedgetail]In recent years, the Middle East has become the highest spending region of the world for defence, and a lucrative market for many of the world’s manufacturers. Leading the spending for many years has been Saudi Arabia, closely followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now, Qatar is utilising its oil and gas dollars to not only greatly enhance its own defences, but also to enable it to play a much larger part in multinational peacekeeping operations. Read more
U-2 spy plane did not cause mysterious computer glitch that disrupted LAX air traffic: U.S. Air Force
[image: U-2 Dragon Lady]The U.S. Air Force has denied reports that one of their U2 aircraft caused a severe problem with electronics at LAX airport at Los Angeles. There was a U2 "Drag Lady" aircraft in flight in the area at the time of the glitch, the military stated. Still, they deny popular reports the spy craft was on a "secret mission" or that it was responsible for the incident. "[W]e can confirm the U-2 did not cause the air traffic control system to fail," Air Force officials told the press. A spokesman at the Air Combat Command said the flight was a training mission, wit... more »
How Unions Are Unfairly Scapegoated For Detroit's Woes
*By MARC McDONALD* There are many reasons for the catastrophic decline of the once-mighty U.S. auto industry over the decades. But it's unfair and inaccurate to point the main finger of blame at unions, the usual scapegoat. The world's two dominant auto-exporting nations are Germany and Japan. The auto industries in those two nations are heavily unionized. And what's more, unions in Germany and Japan are backed up by strong pro-labor laws that U.S. workers could only dream of. Although the auto industries of Germany and Japan are heavily unionized, those two nations have absolutely... more »
Why Let The Facts Get In The Way of A Good Conspiracy Theory? The Simpsons-Syria Conspiracy Explained
The video of an Egyptian TV host using a Simpsons episode from 2001 to explain to Egyptian viewers that external actors instigated the war in Syria has received tens of thousands of views on the *MEMRI YouTube channel*. Many websites have written about it, including *the New York Times*, *the Blaze*, *the Foreign Policy blog*, and others. All of them make good points about the ridiculous accusation that the programmers behind the Simpsons predicted the uprising and war in Syria a decade before. Of course, there is so much evidence out there that shows that the war against Assad'... more »
Inside the Ring: China’s missile cruiser a major step to naval warfare buildup
[image: Type 055 Concept]China is developing an advanced guided missile cruiser that represents a major step forward in Beijing’s large-scale naval warfare buildup. Images of a land-based mock-up of the new warship were disclosed recently on the Chinese Internet. The ship has been identified as the first cruiser called Type 055. In general, cruisers are bigger than destroyers, but smaller than battleships. Read more
Imran Khan and the T20 Democracy
Imran Khan’s recent allegations of election rigging is very unsportsmanly and undemocratic, and that too an year after the election. It wasn’t a difference of a few hundred votes: PML-N won 33% of the popular vote while PTI only mustered 17%, it’s a difference of 7 million votes. ANP also makes the same allegation of vote rigging in KPK, if the elections were rigged, Imran Khan should not have formed govt in KPK. Even in KPK, PTI only managed to win 35 out of 99 votes, well short of forming a govt by itself. Looking at Pakistani political culture of wheeling-dealing and Maulana Faz... more »
The US Navy unveils its own e-reader that is safe for submarine use
[image: Navy E-Reader (NeRD)]Life as a submariner is full of restrictions including the ban on cellular phones, and electronic devices such as iPads. Fortunately the US Navy understands that submariners may not see land or even the surface of the ocean for weeks on end, and that reading is one of the more popular ways to pass the time. Unfortunately an iPad, Kindle, or other tablet-style device has been deemed too dangerous for use on US submarines. Read more
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*More on yesterday's climate "report"* The Obama administration today released its third National Climate Assessment (NCA) predicting a series of calamities and urging action on the president’s climate agenda. “This laughably misleading report is the predictable result when hard-core environmental activists are chosen to write up a climate assessment for, and subject to the approval and revisions of, the Obama administration. It is like the punch line to a bad joke: ‘How many environmental activists does it take to put together an alarmist global warming report?’ “Leading authors ... more »
HMCS Iroquois indefinitely sidelined after rust found in warship's hull
[image: HMCS Iroquois]The Royal Canadian Navy has lost the use of another one of its air defence destroyers after rust was found in the hull, leaving the fleet further diminished as more than a dozen other vessels undergo regular maintenance, modernization and repairs. HMCS Iroquois was tied up in Halifax sometime in mid-April after corrosion was detected in a machinery space in the warship that has also been plagued by structural cracks. Cmdr. Jay Harwood says the vessel is undergoing an assessment to determine if it needs repairs, what that might cost and whether fixing the 42-ye... more »
PLA monitoring foreign submarines in South China Sea
After Vietnam received its first Kilo-class submarine in November, China has adopted an underwater strategy to monitor the activities of foreign submarines in the disputed South China Sea, writes US defense expert Harry Kazianis for the Tokyo-based Diplomat magazine. Quoting an article written by Lyle Goldstein and Shannon Knight for the United States Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine, Kazianis noted that China has deployed fixed ocean-floor acoustic arrays off its coastline, while research suggests that China is deploying the new system for anti-submarine warfare. Kazianis pr... more »
Navy has taken serious note of submarines mishaps: Naval chief
[image: INS Sindhurakshak]The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan on Wednesday said that the Indian Navy has taken a ‘serious note’ of the recent accidents involving its submarines and the probe reports are in different stages. “Inquiry procedures are very detailed. These are different incidents. The inquiry reports are in different stages. Some submitted by command, some at examination at naval headquarters,” the Naval chief, who is on a two day visit to Kerala, said in a brief interaction with media here. Read more
News about the Obama administration that you won't find given much prominence on the BBC
The BBC pushed Barack Obama as the man to save America (Gil Scott-Heron 'B-Movie' reference intended) mostly because they wanted a black President of the USA, for their purposes the fact that Barack Obama had a white mother was irrelevant. As it became obvious that Barack Obama was no messiah, the BBC have tried to minimise coverage of any news detrimental to his reputation. Here's a piece of news that I found overnight that I predict the BBC will not be reporting. The House of Representatives has voted to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for refusing to... more »
Hermann Hesse, "Steppenwolf"
"And even the unhappiest life has its sunny moments and its little flowers of happiness between sand and stone. So it was then with the Steppenwolf too. It cannot be denied that he was generally very unhappy; and he could make others unhappy also, that is, when he loved them or they him. For all who got to love him saw always only the one side of him. Many loved him as a refined and clever and interesting man, and were horrified and disappointed when they had come upon the wolf in him. And they had to because Harry wished, as every sentient being does, to be loved as a whole and th... more »
"Somewhere..."
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Blaise Pascal
The Daily "Near You?"
Miles City, Montana, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Our pal Digby collects her Hillman Prize, along with a bunch of other people who did memorable progressive journalism in the past year
*At last night's Hillman Awards festivities, Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of *The Nation*, presented Heather (Digby) Parton with this year's prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism.* *by Ken* If you're going to be hanging out with a horde of folks for the giving out (and receiving) of prizes, I suppose you can't do much better than a crowd of -- at least theoretically -- unreconstructed lefties like last night's festivities for the bestowing of the 2014 Hillman Awards, imbued with the spirit of the great labor organizer and leader Sidney Hillman, a stalwart of the... more »
My Vegan Life - Why I don't eat honey
[image: My Vegan Life - Why I don't eat honey] *My healthy life includesa plant-based diet*I've thought a lot about why I don't eat animal products ... you know the stuff ... things, like milk, eggs, and honey which don't require the death of an animal to produce. Initially, I gave them up for health reasons. Things like butter, cheese, and eggs contain saturated fat and cholesterol, which I try to limit. I also gave them up because raising farm animals is hard on the environment. [image: My Vegan Life - Why I don't eat honey] *Factory farms focus on profits,not the welfare of animals... more »
7 Ways To Keep Kids Safe Online with Bing #AdFreeSearch
Many thanks to Bing for sponsoring today’s post, and inspiring me to share about their #adfreesearch classroom initiative. My 5-year-old has been able to run an iPad since before she could speak in full sentences. Technology has become a way of life for the upcoming generation and it is our job to teach them how to use it correctly. One of the scariest things to me about sending my daughter to school in the fall is that I will no longer be her primary source of information. There will be teachers, other students and eventually the internet giving her information. While I trust the ... more »
Thursday Heading into Summer Linkage – Climate Change Edition
Apologies for the missing linkage from last week. I took a team of students to DC to present to policymakers the key findings from my year-long course on climate change and the major economies (see the embedded video at the bottom). The timing was opportune because this was a big week for climate policy. Thousands Continue reading
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*Dedicated student* *'I think I'll just do some swotting while I wait for the ambulance': Chinese student learns 107 English words after she is knocked off her scooter* When it comes to being determined, one particular Chinese student takes some beating. Despite suffering painful injuries in a road accident in China's capital Beijing, Wang Dafan wasted no precious time while waiting for medics to arrive. ‘We couldn't believe it when we got there,’ said a police spokesman. ‘She was obviously in pain but she was using an electronic dictionary to memorise English words for her unive... more »
Chicago Teachers Join National Opposition to Common Core
BY *CTU COMMUNICATIONS* | 05/07/2014 *CHICAGO – *Today, members of the House of Delegates (HOD) of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) passed the following resolution that enjoins the city’s educators to growing national opposition to the Common Core State Standards, saying the assessments disrupt student learning and consume tremendous amounts of time and resources for test preparation and administration. Now that the resolution has passed, the CTU will lobby the Illinois Board of Education to eliminate the use of the Common Core for teaching and assessment; and be it further and wil... more »
Chet Raymo, “Wee Folks And Big Bangs”
*“Wee Folks And Big Bangs”* by Chet Raymo “We've all seen the Hubble Ultra Deep Field Photograph, the deepest we have ever looked into space. It covers a part of the sky you could cover with the intersection of crossed sewing pins held at arm's length. And within that miniscule frame, we can see 10,000 galaxies. Across the entire sky, hundreds of billions of galaxies are visible, each with hundreds of billions of stars and planet systems. It's a big, big universe we live in. And now the cosmologists tell us it all began as a speck smaller than a proton. It inflated in size every te... more »
Weingarten Wants Common Core; Lewis Says We’re Done
In spring 1991, I completed my student teaching at Ascension High School in Gonzales, Louisiana. I taught Lord of the Flies, a creepy novel about the dangers of groupthink. So often when I think of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Unity Caucus mindset of unquestioned (and unquestionable) allegiance to a single position on an issue impacting teachers and […]
tablet update and off to paris
I've had a busy and wonderful couple of days visiting family and friends. Today my mom and I are planning our sightseeing, packing, doing last-minute errands, and generally getting in vacation mode. *What i'm writing on* I'm loving my new Nexus 7 tablet... with reservations, or perhaps just a learning curve. The tablet itself is terrific. Once I got up to speed with Android functionality and interface, it was obvious why people prefer tablets for most online activities, especially those with no or minimal typing. The Nexus is amazing - speed, portability, ease of use, everything. I... more »
“Scientists Create First Living Organism With 'Artificial' DNA”
*“Scientists Create First Living Organism With 'Artificial' DNA”* by Ewen Callaway “For billions of years, the history of life has been written with just four letters — A, T, C and G, the labels given to the DNA subunits contained in all organisms. That alphabet has just grown longer, researchers announce, with the creation of a living cell that has two 'foreign' DNA building blocks in its genome. Hailed as a breakthrough by other scientists, the work is a step towards the synthesis of cells able to churn out drugs and other useful molecules. It also raises the possibility that cell... more »
The GOP May Have A War Against Women But EMILY's List Is Fighting A War Against Men-- Progressive Men
Even if you don't remember EMILY's List's disgraceful foray into anti-Semitic politics in their ill-fated attempt, in 2008, to replace lifelong progressive-- and pro-Choice militant-- Steve Cohen (D-TN) with a conservative woman, Nikki Tinker, EMILY's List jihad against progressive males on behalf of conservative women has become more and more pronounced in recent years. Many idealistic EMILY's List donors assume EMILY's List only goes after anti-Choice men. Nothing could be further from the truth. Last week, our old friend, *Anonymous Operative* experienced the problem first hand... more »
water is wet
how will i know the truth from the lies you ask yourself ? all i can tell you is that rocks are hard...water is wet.
The Business of America is War
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel spoke on Tuesday in defense of the American war machine and while not explicitly mentioned during his remarks during a speech for The Chicago Council of Global Affairs in defense of the obscene profits generated by America's ongoing global crusades. What would a defense of the Empire and the permanent war be without one of those cherished references to World War II aka "the good war" and Hagel invoked the neoconservative talking point of "isolationism" like a professional card shark dealing dirty from the bottom of the deck. The term is steeped in ... more »
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*New measurements show sea level rise swallowing Grand Isle at record rate ~Bob Marshall, The Lens*
(Video) Ukraine's Religious Ethnic and Political Allegiances - Joaquin
*Source of map: Forbes.* Video Title: Ukraines Religious Ethnic and Political Allegiances - Joaquin. Source: 108morris108. Date Published: May 6, 2014. Description: There is a 2 hour (May 4) radio interview with Joaquin here: Time Monk Radio Network Joaquin Flores ~ The Situation Room: War in the Ukraine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYdUgRJtwVQ Joaquin Flores - The Situation Room: War in the Ukraine. Source: TimeMonkRadioNetwork. Date Published: May 4, 2014.
Morocco QEG Update: DOing it differently this time
Huge thanx to Justin and Julian for keeping everyone up to date on the QEG development here in Aouchtam. Below is the article they posted on Sunday (sorry for the delayed reposting.... I couldn't find my computer for a while, lol). The Mass excitement of 70 people crammed into a workshop has calmed down muchly, and the work on the QEG has been progressing at a much more quiet pace. Quiet is very nice, let me tell you, lol!!! I am not going to give any more information at this moment as to be quite frank, I haven't asked for an update in the past two days and have encouraged ever... more »
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Getting Ready for Budget Week, 1
*"There is always good and sufficient reason for more and more taxes. Solomon's temple, the roads of Rome, the rearing of 'infant industries,' military preparedness, the regulation of morals, the improvement of the 'general welfare'--all call for drafts on the marketplace, and the end-product of each draft is an increase in the power of the State. Some of the appropriations seep through to some members of Society, thus satisfying the something-for-nothing urge, at least temporarily, and so stimulate a disposition to tolerate the institution and to obliterate understan... more »
On MERS CoV and OFWs
This is my sister in law, Gemma Barilea-Oplas, holding my elder daughter Elle Marie, and beside her lone child, Lois, sometime in late 2010 in our province in Neg. Occ. Elle is now 7+ years old while Lois is 13 years old. Gemma is an OFW, a nurse in King Fahd Medical City (KFMC) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for more than a decade. It's a big Saudi government hospital. Gemma died the other day. It was a fast death. Confined in the same hospital where she was working last Wednesday night (KSA time), she was able to call my younger brother, Bobong, to inform him of her si... more »
www.ufocasebook.com/magoniacomplete.html
Leroy (Kansas). April 19, 1897. Alexander Hamilton was awakened 2230 by a noise among the cattle and went out with his son and his tenant. They saw an elongated cigar- shaped object, about 100 m long with a transparent cabin underneath showing narrow reddish bands, hovering 10 m above ground. They approached within 50 m of it. It was illuminated and equipped with a searchlight. Inside it were "six of the strangest be- ings" the witness had seen, also described as "hid- eous." They spoke a language no witness could understand. A cow was dragged away by the object with the help of a... more »
Why Astrazeneca's Ownership Matters
Some points about the attempted take over of Astrazeneca by American pharmaceuticals behemoth, Pfizer. 1. On *Newsnight* yesterday evening, Chuka Umunna made the dialectically nuanced observation that there are good takeovers and bad takeovers, regardless the nationality of who is making the purchase. A bad takeover might be Kraft's swallowing of Cadbury, who've cut jobs and plant - something barely compensated by the bringing of Egg & Spoon and *Jelly Popping Candy Shell* bars to market. On the other hand, take North Staffs-based BakerBus, which has recently been purchased by a Be... more »
West Virginia Would be Almost Heaven With No ALEC!
West Virginia! Internally, ALEC members are screaming to be able to go to their lobbyists jobs. Vote them out so they can get to the real jobs they covet "Country roads, take me home to the place I belong." Let these ALEC fools Ease on Down the Road to another job. Vote them out! *How do people get on an ALEC list?* That question comes up all the time. The most common are: They serve on ALEC task forces They have paid ALEC dues through their campaign finances They self identified themselves somewhere , anywhere as an ALEC member. They have been shown as a signatory on an ALEC ...more »
Yes, Virginia - #VoteNo2ALEC
Yes Virginia - there is an ALEC. "Your mission Virginia, should you decide to accept it" is to get rid of ALEC "As always, should you or any of your Force be caught or fail, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." *How do people get on an ALEC list?* That question comes up all the time. The most common are: They serve on ALEC task forces They have paid ALEC dues through their campaign finances They self identified themselves somewhere , anywhere as an ALEC member. They have been shown as a signatory on an ALEC letter. They have been listed by ALEC as a mem... more »
Three wishes
*Bradford United*. “It’s not extremism, it’s meeting their needs”, pleaded Councillor Faisal Khan on the Today programme as he and lovable antisemite David Ward MP (Lib Dem) were being gently probed by John Humphrys this morning. The two Islamophiles appeared to be in broad agreement, throwing cold water over the producer’s evident wish that they cross swords over the Trojan Horse issue. After all, David Ward had been deposed as a governor of one school, while Faisal Khan was responsible for disposing of head-teachers at others. *“Staff at both schools said Mr Khan had led both s... more »
Charter Schools: New Report on Massive Fraud, Abuse, and Mismanagement
Charter School Vulnerabilities to Waste, Fraud, & Abuse
Will The DCCC Lose Another Blue District In Central California? Meet Amanda Renteria
Amanda Renteria A few months ago, an old friend was raving to me about a woman he had worked with at the Treasury Department, Amanda Renteria. She's running for the Central Valley seat currently occupied by mainstream conservative Republican David Valadao. CA-21 stretches from just south and west of Fresno, down through Hanford and Delano to Bakersfield, which it shares with Kevin McCarthy's 23rd CD. McCarthy's deep red district has a PVI of R+16 and Romney beat Obama there 62-36%. Valadao has a more problematic district with a D+2 PVI. It's one of the bluest districts in the country... more »
I Know This, Because Tyler Knows This...
I Know This, Because Tyler Knows This... from Spike EP on Vimeo. Reality - brought to you by Fox, Kissinger & Associates. *1999* *1988* *1990* *1995* *(Opened the weekend following the Oklahoma City Bombing)* *"Tender Branson sits in the cockpit of a Boeing 747-400, telling his life story to the black box. He is alone in the plane, having hijacked it; he has released all of the plane's passengers and crew prior to this point. He explains the events leading up to the hijacking.Tender is a member of the fanatical Creedish cult, which engaged in a mass suicide ten years... more »
Judge may properly, albeit cautiously, consider handwriting evidence
*R. v. Cunsolo,* 2014 ONCA 364: [42] Defence counsel at trial was aware that the trial judge intended to conduct his own handwriting comparison and made lengthy submissions on the matter. The trial judge reviewed the applicable legal principles before engaging in his analysis and properly instructed himself to be cautious. His reasons make it clear that he understood the law and approached his task properly. There is no merit to the submission that he misapprehended the evidence.
Lakotas keeping it real, building resistance
Lakotas keeping it real in South Dakota, building resistance to protect Mother Earth for future generations Article by Brenda Norrell Photos by Kent Lebsock, Owe Aku Dutch translation NAIS Lakotas in South Dakota are fighting the modern day monsters -- Keystone XL pipeline, tar sands, megaloads and uranium mining. On Pine Ridge, Lakotas are building, and on Cheyenne River, tipis are
"You should see the complaints I get from the pro Israel lobby!"
Talking of Jeremy Bowen, here he is on Twitter a couple of weeks ago answering questions. He get a bit confused, blurts out something that seems a little too heartfelt, then peddles back furiously when he realises his mistake: Q. @Elliotmiller94: why does the BBC only portray a one-sided anti-Israel agenda when covering the Middle East peace process? #AskBBCJeremy — Jeremy Bowen (@BowenBBC) April 25, 2014 A: I don't think we do. You should see the complaints I get from the pro Israel lobby! #AskBBCJeremy — Jeremy Bowen (@BowenBBC) April 25, 2014 A: I meant to say you should see t... more »
High school seniors seem to be scoring higher in math!
*WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014* *Kevin Drum seems to swing and miss:* Everybody gets to be wrong once in a while. In our view, Kevin Drum exercised his option today. We refer to his post about the new NAEP scores for twelfth-graders: DRUM (5/7/14): *I periodically try to remind everyone that test scores for American students have not, in fact, plummeted over the past few decades. In fact, they're up.* To the extent that standardized tests can measure learning, American kids simply aren't doing any worse than kids in the past. They're doing better. *But there's always been a caveat: this ... more »
James McEnteer : The devil went down to Georgia
After Georgia’s new gun law, euphemistically called the ‘Safe Carry Protection Act,’ takes effect July 1, all bets are off. By James McEnteer | The Rag Blog | May 7, 2014 “Some say the world will end in fire, some … finish reading James McEnteer : The devil went down to Georgia
Lakotas Owe Aku 'Sometimes Building Community Means Building'
Sometimes Building Community, Means Building By Kent Lebsock Owe Aku International Justice Project Censored News Dutch translation NAIS Since it's inception over 20 years ago Owe Aku (Bring Back the Way, founded by the White Plume tiyospaye) has worked for the Lakota culture and landbase in forums from the living rooms of Pine Ridge elders to the Human
ARIZONA ON FIRE
ARIZONA ON FIRE: Found this little gem while I was going through my academic publications. Don't think it's been read in this country: This is an analysis of Arizona media during the battles re SB 1070 and HB 2281. The book, published in the Canary Islands, is titled: Reshaping Publishing in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century. My piece is Chapter 3: http://cuadernosartesanos.org/2014/cac58.pdf#page=61
Mike's Story Part 15: This Isn't Working
*By **Jenna** Orkin* *As so often happens with people who live dramatically as Mike did, his initial enthusiasm for the Cuban-style medical system of Venezuela quickly gave way to a realization of its limitations:* *Email from Mike, undated:* *Major difficulties with doctors today. No urologist available until january. we´ll talk tonight. It feels like all is closing in.* *Email from Mike, c. 10-30-2006* *Aside from other symptoms I have paresthesia or tingling which is not good. [A friend in the US] hit some nails for me.* * We´re closing in on a diagnosis of adul... more »
John Kane, Mohawk 'Lucky 13 for the UNPFII'
Lucky 13 for the UNPFII By John Karhiio Kane, Mohawk Censored News On May 12, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) will begin its 13th session at the United Nations in New York City. The session will run for two weeks and cover a broad range of topics. The event is not open to the public. Only confirmed and registered NGO and IPO representatives are allowed
Why Space Aliens Never Came Back to Earth
*by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy * IF you think the politicians, the beauracrats, the asshole pundits in DC or NY et al, et al care about you --just REMEMBER VIET NAM! Kent State, the Woodstock generation was was a generation not afraid to take it to the streets, the campuses, the media! Alas --neither Democrat nor GOP administrations gave a shit! Viet Nam was in no way "improved" by U.S. presence; nor was it liberated by the sacrifice of thousands of young lives in a dank, fucking swamp. I see little chance of improvement today, tomorrow nor several years down the road. Th... more »
Alan Pogue and William Michael Hanks : VIDEO | Dan Rather and Robin Rather in lively, far-ranging, and funny Rag Radio interview
Video captures the legendary newsman and the pioneering Austin environmentalist in their first father-daughter interview. Video by Alan Pogue and William Michael Hanks. By Thorne Dreyer | | The Rag Blog | May 7, 2014 Alan Pogue and Mike Hanks … finish reading Alan Pogue and William Michael Hanks : *VIDEO* | Dan Rather and Robin Rather in lively, far-ranging, and funny Rag Radio interview
The Realist Report - John de Nugent
On this edition of *The Realist Report*, we'll be joined once again by John de Nugent. In the first hour, John and I will be discussing a variety of topics including the controversy surrounding Clippers owner Donald Sterling. I will be discussing *my recent trip to New York City and the 9/11 Memorial* during hour two. Phone lines will be open and callers are encouraged! You can download the mp3 for this program *here*, or visit the *AFP Radio Network* on BlogTalkRadio to subscribe via iTunes and view past programs. Below are relevant links for this program: - *Donald Sterling... more »
Peabody coal in top 10 global polluter list poisoning the planet
Navajo Generating Station on Navajo Nation near Page, Ariz. Peabody coal in top 10 list of carbon emitters poisoning planet globally By Brenda Norrell Censored News BLACK MESA, Arizona -- The top global carbon emitters have been identified. It comes as no surprise that Peabody Energy is number 10 on the global list, poisoning the planet. Peabody continues to poison the Navajo and Hopi
FL-02-- A Teabagger vs A Mystery Meat Blue Dog
2 Grahams Exactly a month over a year ago, a friend of mine suggested I get to know Bob Graham's daughter, Gwen, just as she was announcing that she would run for the Tallahassee-based House seat (FL-02) occupied by undertaker and teabagger Steve Southerland. That first encounter with another quintessential Steve Israel "mystery meat" recruit didn't go well. I caught up with her at a supermarket checkout line a few hours after she announced her candidacy and spoke to her further while she was driving southwest towards Panama City. Well spoken and idealistic she didn't want to go bey... more »
“Climate Change Is Already Here, Says Massive Government Report”
*“Climate Change Is Already Here, Says Massive Government Report”* by Kate Sheppard “Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a real and present danger in the United States, according to a government report issued Tuesday. The report is the latest update from the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and details ways that climate change- caused predominantly by the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases- is already being felt across the country. "Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present," the report says in its in... more »
Musical Interlude: Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”
Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3LFML_pxlY
May7: The story of the day....
Brent Mazerolle must have been in a state of high excitement as he got his big assignment of the day - for a front page story. Should he wear his hat with the big PRESS card stuck on to it? No, too showy. He settled for the corduroy suit that would stand up to the strain of chasing down a big story. It was a good choice. Dogged, enterprising, chasing down leads, he chased down the scoop of the year. And it appears right there on page 1 where a big story belongs. "Is it time to change how we handle spring cleaning?" All the big questions are there. Should we just put unwanted items a... more »
Dowd was wronged by Miss Lewinsky!
*WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014* *Except she pretty much wasn’t:* By today, Maureen Dowd actually had an *excuse* for writing about Miss Lewinsky. Inevitably, she devotes her whole column to the subject, recalling the time she herself was wronged: DOWD (5/7/14): *The last time I encountered Monica was at the Bombay Club, a restaurant nestled between my office and the White House. It was at the height of the impeachment madness* and she was drinking a Cosmo at a table with her family. After requesting that the piano player play “Send in the Clowns,” *she leaned in with me, demanding to know... more »
Joye Braun: Proud to be Lakota in the KXL fight at Bridger
Joye Braun: Proud to be Lakota in the KXL fight at Bridger Joye Braun halting a megaload recently By Joye Braun, Chyenne River Lakota Censored News CHEYENNE RIVER, South Dakota -- Had a FANTASTIC visit on the way home last night with Joseph White Eyes. He has some IDEAS peeps! You should listen to him. I love it when I get to visit with people like this. I do believe we need to be
“How the Economy Has Been Twisted and Distorted”
*“How the Economy Has Been Twisted and Distorted” * by Bill Bonner Boca Raton, Florida. "You were grumpy and aggressive," said our better half. "No... I was just confused." "You're not that dumb." "Oh, yes I am." Yes, we are back in civilization, with all its constraints and discontents. To be more precise, we are in Boca Raton, Florida. Yesterday, my wife Elizabeth needed to get her computer fixed. So, we went to the Apple store in the mall. That led to a number of insights about modern materialism in the United States of America. First, we decided to have a quick lunch at The Ca... more »
Oh What a Tangled Web We Freeze
If you're a blogger in Russia, a new law says you have to register with the government. If you're a blogger in America, there's no need to register with the government. The government, along with its corporate sponsor-partners, already has your name, your number, your address, your whereabouts, your movements in both geography and cyberspace. This is accomplished at no inconvenience to yourself, so as to give you the illusion that your freedoms are still being protected and respected. It's a balance between your privacy and their security, you see. Being forced to divulge your ide... more »
KIPP's Gritsters Get Hammered for Amoral Character Goals
Capitalism is neither moral nor immoral; it is amoral. There is no room at the bottom line for pious judgments of right or wrong that might affect the balance sheet. Capitalism is about the accumulation of capital to make more capital and nothing else. There was a time in our not-so-distant past when capitalists chose to make money in ways that supported some of the humane individual and group values of an aspiring democratic republic, rather than being focused principally on developing and selling us crap we don't need or really want and that, in the end, makes us less healthy.... more »
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