10:16am MDST
Open letter to Ellie Herman, or how Green Dot's Marco Petruzzi's special education policies hurt everyone including their own administrators
*"It is not legally or morally acceptable that these so-called "schools of choice" that are concentrated in urban communities and supported with public funds, should be permitted to operate as segregated learning environments where students are more isolated by race, socioeconomic class, disability, and language than the public school district from which they were drawn." — COPAA* [image: Marco Petruzzi takes pride in Green Dot Charter Corporation's discrimination against special needs students] Wall Street privatization darling Marco Petruzzi (above) led a beleaguered Green Dot th... more »
Supplemental: Education reporting in the Post!
*SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014* *The latest sorry example:* We’re often amazed by the education reporting in the Washington Post. Thursday produced the latest example. Education reporter Emma Brown published a news report bearing this headline: “Critics of D.C. education policies question test score gains.” Test score gains are always subject to (competent) challenge, of course. That said, we were struck by the part of Brown’s report which we've posted below. In this passage, Brown refers to Ellen Weiss, one of the “education advocates” who says the District’s test score gains overstate... more »
It's Saturday...
*what's going on.* Moonbattery: Some Blacks Can Smell the Coffee Regarding Demographic Transformation Conservative Hideout 2.0: Border Crisis, ISIS, IRS, VA, Benghazi, NSA, Fast & Furious and more = Half Month Vacay for Obama Clash Daily: PREPARE FOR INVASION: Mexico and Guatemala Partner Up And Make Fast Track For Illegals to Cross the Border All the Right Snark: DIANNY RANTS: Have You Had Enough? IOwnTheWorld: Obama’s TSA: allowing illegals to fly without identification
Out of nothing, nature makes something.
*Reposted from 2013... big changes coming, time to learn adaptation skills.... -AK* From: http://www.kk.org/outofcontrol/ch24-b.html *Excerpt from the book Out of Control, by Kevin Kelly* *Out of nothing, nature makes something.* First there is hard rock planet; then there is life, lots of it. First barren hills; then brooks with fish and cattails and red-winged blackbirds. First an acorn; then an oak tree forest. I'd like to be able to do that. First a hunk of metal; then a robot. First some wires; then a mind. First some old genes; then a dinosaur. How do you make something ... more »
Insolvable Problems Really Aren't
The Israel-Palestine tragedy isn't insolvable. It simply isn't the case that the peace-loving people of Israel will be forever doomed to their tragic "self-defence" against the insane death-cultist Palestinian Arabs. It seems like an insolvable problem to some observers because they think that the weak, barely armed Palestinians are irrationally hurling themselves against the benevolent and wise and heavily armed and powerful Israelis out of vile anti-Semitism and nationalist delusions and infernal Muslim blood-lust. The reality, of course, is that bigoted Israeli expansionists are ... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
I was mentioned in Tom Ricks post “Iraq, the unraveling (XXXVIII): Will it exist in 5 years?” at his Best Defense blog on Foreign Policy, and quoted in Hayder al-Khoei's "Why are Iraq's politicians dithering as their country burns?" on CNN. I was interviewed for this article "Islamic State issues wages to government employees in Mosul" in the Middle East Eye, and EPIC talked with me about the current situation in Iraq in its latest Podcast "An Iraq Update: A Look At The Iraqi Security Crisis."
REUTERS VIDEO: ISIL Parades Military Hardware In Syria
1st few vehicles were all captured in Iraq and taken to Syria
Following Rhonda's Advice: Be a "Little Badass"
With salary and benefits at $550,000 a year, it won't be easy to pry Weingarten from her offices at AFT. But following the advice she offered teachers at the convention, here are a few ways teachers might be a "little BadAss": 1) Stop paying union dues until Lily and Rhonda (aka Randi) resign. 2) Disrupt every meeting of AFT and NEA with pro-children and pro-education pickets. 3) Write letters to your local newspaper outlining the corruption of AFT and NEA misleadership. 4) Organize a real union of teachers and parents to protect children from corporate predators and profiteers, ... more »
Judge Throws Out Unconstitutional Florida Republican Gerrymandering Of Congressional Districts
There was a virtual earthquake in Florida politics Thursday when Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis threw out Florida's congressional map. The grubby Florida legislature has a long and sordid history of gerrymandering the state to create congressional districts for themselves and their allies and this has featured collusion from both parties, so not just slime-ball former Republican legislators like Ander Crenshaw, Daniel Webster, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Adam Putnam and Lincoln Diaz-Balart who created congressional districts for themselves but equally sleazy and corrupt Dem... more »
That Will Take Some Doing
http://bookdome.com/ Stephen Harper came to Ottawa like a bull in a china shop -- determined to get his way in all things, even if it meant destroying the shop in the process. But, Carol Goar writes, the bull has been wounded: It took a while to find the chinks in Stephen Harper’s armour. But Canadians have done it now. They are chipping away at the prime minister’s policies on everything from electoral reform to military procurement. Advocacy groups have raised red flags, the media have highligh... more »
Belarus sold two "Stilet" missile systems to Azerbaijan
[image: T38 stiletto]Belarusian "Tetraedr" company, which is engaged in the development of advanced electronic systems of armaments and modernization of air defense, has already sold two "Stilet" type missile systems to Azerbaijan. As reports "Armenpress", referring to Azerbaijani media, Igor Novikov, head of the department of the Belarusian company "Tetraedr", in a conversation with journalists said that two "Stilet" systems had been already delivered to Azerbaijan and the company now holds a large order. The company also suspended cooperation with Kiev KB "Ray" to develop a new ... more »
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*UK: Boys losing out in university gender gap: Nearly 95,000 more women apply for degrees to start this autumn* The gender gap in the race for university places is bigger than ever as young men become a ‘disadvantaged’ group on campus. Nearly 95,000 more women than men applied to start degree courses this autumn as girls’ success at school translated into university applications. Demand among both sexes rose this year despite £9,000-a-year tuition fees but applications from women grew faster, increasing four per cent against men’s three per cent. Figures published by the Universit... more »
The Health Benefits Of Boneset (Eupatorium Perfoliatum)
BONESET, Eupatorium perfoliatum Strangely enough, this boneset herb has nothing to do with a broken bone. This is another herb that was introduced to us from our friends, the Native American Indians. They used it to fight flu and fevers. When they tried to describe the terrible pain that was felt in the bones and the muscles from the fever of influenza, they called it “break bone fever.” This fever make you feel like your bones were breaking. From this name “break bone fever” the name modified to “boneset.” Boneset is a perennial plant that grows to about four or five feet tall wi... more »
Tennis, taxes, patriotism, and jealousy
Taxes are a form of institutionalized theft. When they get too high, subjectively or objectively, successful people start to escape – covertly or overtly – the nation that is stealing in this way. That's why Depardieu became a Russian chap. Czech tennis players (plus some other athletes) generally employ their residence in Monaco to get rid of their Czech taxes. It is totally legal and understandable. Our best female tennis player is open and honest about it and I appreciate it. Needless to say, if I could legally save millions in this way (and if I found the amount of paperwork "... more »
Bravo To Beech-Nut Baby Foods Company.
[image: Foto: Beech-Nut is leaving Gerber in the dust and has announced that they are going through Non-GMO Project Verification for ALL Beech-Nut baby foods. On the company's website: “We believe the Non-GMO Project's seal is a good fit for our products, because the seal is trustworthy, defensible, transparent, and (most importantly) requires ongoing testing.” Beech-Nut is owned by the Swiss branded consumer-goods firm Hero Group. We'd like to thank Beech-Nut for understanding that American babies should not be eating Roundup drenched, pesticide-producing GMOs and for doing the rig... more »
Debate on 'Dateline'
Having spent so many posts on this blog bemoaning the bias of Gavin Esler's *Dateline London - *especially the way that bias so often results in a soggy *bien pensant *consensus where *all* the panelists agree with each other - it's good to report that today's *Dateline *most definitely did *not* achieve a cosy consensus. Very far from it... ...especially on the issue of the present Israel-Gaza conflict. The panel split three-against-one, with Algerian journalist Nabila Ramdani representing the Palestinian side, and the others (liberal U.S. writer Michael Goldfarb, left-wing Frenc... more »
PH finalizing P2.68B air defense radar deal with Israel
[image: Elta ELM-2288 AD-Star radar]The Philippines is fast tracking the acquisition of air defense surveillance radars from Israel’s Elta Systems so it can monitor intrusions in its air space. The project worth P2.68 billion ($62.85 million*) will fund the installation of radar systems in Palawan to cover the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) and old radar sites Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro and Pasuquin Air Station in Ilocos Norte. “Palawan is a new location but even the old ones have to be restored or we have to build new basing facilities. This is part of the overall ... more »
EXACTO Demonstrates First-Ever Guided .50-Caliber Bullets
DARPA’s Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program recently conducted the first successful live-fire tests demonstrating in-flight guidance of .50-caliber bullets. This video shows EXACTO rounds maneuvering in flight to hit targets that are offset from where the sniper rifle is aimed. EXACTO’s specially designed ammunition and real-time optical guidance system help track and direct projectiles to their targets by compensating for weather, wind, target movement and other factors that could impede successful hits. Read more
Embraer to partner with Saab on fighter jets for Brazil air force
[image: Gripen NG]Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer will partner with Sweden's Saab in the development and manufacture of 36 Gripen NG fighter jets for Brazil's air force, the two companies said in a press release Friday. Embraer and Saab, which was awarded a $4.5 billion fighter-jet contract from Brazil late last year, signed a memorandum of understanding to partner in joint program management for the Brazilian air force's so-called F-X2 Project. "Under this agreement, Embraer will perform a leading role in the overall program performance as well as undertake an extensive share of ... more »
U.S. Navy maintains grounding order for F-35 fighter jets
[image: F-35C Lightning II]The U.S. Navy on Friday maintained a grounding order for F-35 B-model and C-model fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp, saying it was still not clear what caused a massive engine failure on an Air Force F-35 jet on June 23. "At this time, I do not have sufficient information to return the F-35B and F-35C fleet to flight," Vice Admiral David Dunaway, who heads the Navy's Air Systems Command, said in an update to a fleetwide grounding order issued by U.S. officials on July 3. A copy of the document was obtained by Reuters. Dunaway said in the document... more »
Brasil v Germany World Cup semi-final with no Brazilian players
The World Cup semi-final between Germany and Brazil with no Brazilian players. http://youtu.be/gBF9MUsNUkQ Not too far removed from how easy it felt at the time!
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*Hurricane Katrina defies comparisons ~Jarvis DeBerry*
America Sets Sail: New Class Of Amphib, LHA-6, Leaves Shipyard
After five years in the shipyard, the first of a new class of Navy amphibious warship set sail today from its Pascagoula, Miss. birthsite for San Francisco, headed for the fleet. LHA-6 will be commissioned as the USS America this October. America has been controversial in the military and on this website. I’ve argued the LHA-6 is a dead end in naval design, because in order to carry more aircraft — MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, F-35B Joint Strike Fighter jump-jets — it sacrifices the well deck required to launch landing craft and amtracs, which sort of takes the “amphibious” out of “amp... more »
N. Korea vows to boost nuclear forces against U.S. threat
[image: USS George Washington]North Korea threatened Saturday to strengthen its nuclear forces as a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier prepares to take part in joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan. The 97,000-ton supercarrier USS George Washington arrived at South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan on Friday to participate in naval drills with the South Korean Navy in the country's southwest sea from July 16-21. The carrier is also set to participate in a search and rescue exercise with South Korean and Japanese maritime forces in waters south of the southern ... more »
Congressman Says Wrong Time to Dry Dock Cruisers
[image: USS Lake Erie]Lawmakers overseeing the nation's sea service believe that the U.S. Navy's plans to pull half of its cruiser fleet out of commission for expensive upgrades will send these critical missile boats to an early grave. Currently, the Navy has 22 missile cruisers that serve as key players in the air defense of the service's aircraft carrier groups. These cruisers provide ballistic missile defense but also serve as the command and control ship for larger, guided missile destroyers, Navy officials said. Navy leaders, testifying Thursday before the House Armed Services ... more »
Indian Navy takes delivery of INS Kolkata
INS Kolkata, the indigenously built lead ship of the Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers, has been delivered to the Indian Navy, following extensive sea trials and tests at the Mazgaon Dock (MDL), India. The MDL-built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel's official commissioning ceremony could be held in a month's time. MDL chief managing director rear admiral (retired) R.K. Shrawat was quoted by the Asian Age as saying that the destroyer will be called Yard 701, but will be designated as INS Kolkata after the ceremony. Read more
France may have just what DND needs
[image: Dassault Rafale]A phalanx of major French defence firms is lining up to provide Canada with new warships and planes, in hopes of prying a share of the biggest Canadian military hardware bonanza since the Second World War away from U.S. industry heavyweight Lockheed Martin. In the process the French appear to be offering the Harper government a timely and politically salable off-ramp from its multiyear, multibillion-dollar procurement mess. What remains to be seen is whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper and cabinet have the wit and wherewithal to seize the opportunity, or w... more »
Britains future frigate: A look at the Type 26 Global Combat Ship
[image: Type 26 Global Combat Ship]The shake up of the armed forces is well underway, with the UK moving forward with plans for its future of defence and security. This has seen numerous projects announced and completed for use on the land, in the air, and sea. One of the biggest recent procurement projects going through the system is the replacement of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates. The al-new replacement Type 26 will also have a primary role as a specialist anti-submarine warfare ship, but it will be expected to be inherently flexible in capability and able to carry out a wid... more »
RIMPAC 2014 Participants Conduct Sinking Exercise
Live fire from ships, submarines and aircraft participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2014 sank the decommissioned USS Ogden (LPD 5) at 7:28 p.m. Thursday, July 10, in waters 15,000 feet deep, 55 nautical miles northwest of Kauai. Units from the Republic of Korea, Norway and the United States participated in the sinking exercise (SINKEX), which provided them the opportunity to gain proficiency in tactics, targeting and live firing against a surface target at sea “The SINKEX is just one of the unique training opportunities offered at RIMPAC on the state-of-the-art... more »
No TTIP Day Of Action All Across The UK On 12 July 2014
Source: http://weownit.org.uk/blog/hands-our-public-services-say-no-ttip For a better understanding of what is at stake, please view the video you can view by clicking on the link below: *http://vimeo.com/98116253*
Does anyone else struggle with movement in the classroom?
This from the Answer Sheet: In the following post, Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of TimberNook, a nature-based development program designed to foster creativity and independent play outdoors in New England, suggests yet another reason more children are being diagnosed with ADHD, whether or not they really have it: the amount […]
What is important about poetry from the First World War? + Santanu Das on First World War poetry
What is important about poetry from the First World War? Source: Oxford Academic (Oxford University Press). Date Published: June 23, 2014. Description: As we approach the centenary, Jon Stallworthy looks at what was significant about the First World War in marking such a major shift in war poetry. From Julian Grenfell to Wilfred Owen, he maps the change in attitudes to the horrors they witnessed. Santanu Das on First World War poetry. Source: Cambridge Academic Books. Date Published: June 26, 2014. Description: In the run up to the centenary of the First World War Santanu Das t... more »
Three Year Anniversary!
Today marks the three-year anniversary of Middle Class Political Economist. It's hard to believe I've been at this for three years! According to Blogger, I've had over 480,000 page views in that time. I want to thank everyone for reading, commenting, and emailing me. I owe a debt of gratitude to all those who have helped promote my blog, including Marty Pflugrath at BartCop Entertainment, Mark Thoma, Brad DeLong, Laffy at The Political Carnival, the folks behind Mike's Blog Roundup at Crooks & Liars, Mike the Mad Biologist, Lynn Parramore at AlterNet, and Dan Crawford at Angry Bear.... more »
Crumbs Bake Shop (2003-2014?)
*Among the pictures I found when I looked at the still-there Crumbs website today was this one, which originally I thought was too heartbreaking to reproduce. Then I thought it would help us remember all those people who found out suddenly this week that they were out of work. If it's any comfort to the young lady on the far right, it wouldn't have made any difference if she'd had her Crumbs cap for the photo.* *by Ken* Okay, it may be premature to write an obituary for Crumbs Bake Shops. The NYT's Sydney Ember is now reporting: "Crumbs Cupcakes May Live Another Day." It’s not ove... more »
Thomas Lynch on the turmoil in Iraq
Thomas Lynch on the turmoil in Iraq. Source: CCTV America. Date Published: July 11, 2014. Description: For more on the turmoil in Iraq, we are joined by Thomas Lynch. He is a research fellow for South Asia and the Near East at the Institute of National Strategic Studies here in Washington DC, and he also writes and lectures on the Middle East.
July 11: just annoyed. that's all..
It's late Friday night. I should be in bed doing crossword puzzles. But It's been a bloody annoying day - starting with a CTV "news" report on Palestine. And once annoyance after another came to me mind that I must write about some day. Not tonight. Tonight is just about things I should write about - and I thought maybe it might get you thinking, and sending in things that have always bugged you. 1. The CTV news on Palestine was so biased and ignorant it was painful to watch. These TV news bits with there exquisitely coiffed women news readers, and the men, usually men, who claim t... more »
Satire: “LeBron Congratulates People of Cleveland on Having Him Back”
*“LeBron Congratulates People of Cleveland on Having Him Back”* by Andy Borowitz CLEVELAND (The Borowitz Report) — “In an emotional speech to the people of Cleveland on Friday, N.B.A. superstar LeBron James congratulated them on “realizing the incredible dream of having me back.” Appearing as a fifty-foot hologram projected on the side of Quicken Loans Arena, James seemed on the verge of tears several times as he praised the city for achieving what he called “a goal no words can describe.” “The city of Cleveland has taken some hard knocks over the years,” James said. “But here you ...more »
Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Updates ( July 11 , 2014 ) Today's 6.8 quake near Fukushima is the second notable quake in less than a week for Japan ........... Plant status , updates regarding remediation attempts ......
Fukushima Diary..... [Breaking] M6.8 hit Fukushima offshore / No update on Fukushima plant status[image: [Breaking] M6.8 hit Fukushima offshore / No update on Fukushima plant status] 219 30 0 1 July 11, 2014 At 4:22 7/12/2014 (JST), a strong earthquake of M6.8 hit Fukushima offshore. The maximum seismic intensity was 4. In area where Fukushima nuclear plant is located, it was 3. The epicenter was approx. 10km deep. At this moment, no update on Fukushima plant situation has been published. http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/ http://weathernews.jp/quake/ M5.8 quake hit South part of ... more »
Direct from Zhongshan: In which I enter the Video Import Business, without even knowing it
*Wouldn't you guess Zhongshan is lovely this time of year? I hope if when my DVDs arrive, they have not only nice pictures from home but maybe some amusing stories.* *by Ken* We all know how Jerry Seinfeld and in particular his friend George Costanza lurked on the fringes of the import-export business. Little did I imagine that one day I would find myself too on the periphery of this noble calling. If When I actually get my stuff, I think I will qualify more or less officially as a *video importer*. Which brings us to the picturesque Chinese metropolis depicted above. Ah, Zhongsh... more »
Time Is Running Out - Iraq Edition
Whenever the United States or its partners in war crimes face a seemingly intractable foreign adversary - one that refuses to simply yield to Western domination or diktat - the "ticking clock" paradigm is invoked, lending a fierce urgency to the threats, ultimatums, and bullying demands made by government officials. For them, time is always running out. Whether it's the non-existent "
Ukraine Updates ( July 11 , 2014 ) -- State of play in the ongoing civil war between Kiev and Federalists in South East Ukraine ...... Latest in the ongoing natural gas talks ( nothing will happen until Europe feels cold weather )
http://rt.com/news/172160-east-ukraine-military-killed/ 'At least 30' Ukrainian military killed as militia shell convoy with Grad rockets Published time: July 11, 2014 18:28 Edited time: July 11, 2014 19:54 Get short URL [image: image from @soborna_com] image from @soborna_com Share on tumblr Trends Ukraine turmoil Tags Arms, Conflict, Military, Opposition,Politics, Ukraine Dozens of Ukraine’s government troops have been reportedly killed after local militia shelled pro-Kiev military forces with Grad rocket launchers. President Poroshenko has vowed “killing hundreds” for each deceased... more »
Russia Likely to Extend Political Asylum for Patriotic Snowden
At this point it is difficult to see the Obama administration, the warmongering neocons at the State Department and the constantly squealing authoritarian freaks in Congress getting any bigger bug up their asses than the one that they already have embedded there against Russian leader Vladimir Putin so it remains to be seen how much weeping and gnashing of the teeth will occur now that the word out of Russia is that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's asylum is likely to be extended. This would be great news for those of us in *The Homeland* and the larger world outside who value t... more »
"Confessions of a Former Child Laborer"
*"Confessions of a Former Child Laborer" * by Bill Bonner "I wish we could get into that painfulness stuff." – One luggage handler to another, overheard in the airport in Paris "Today, exceptionally, we write about something we know something about: painfulness. This is our translation of a new concept in French labor law. It involves something called "la pénibilité," which refers to the difficulty, suffering or pain, involved in a job. Sitting at a desk in an air-conditioned office involves little or no pénibilité. Carrying heavy roof tiles up a steep ladder in the rain, by contras... more »
RUSSELL BRAND ON FOX NEWS & ISIS
Let's not forget that the US and NATO have been funding, directing, and training ISIS in Jordan in recent years. ISIS was being used to take down Syria and were of no concern until they turned on Iraq. Blow back it is called.
Nothing In America Could Be As Bad As The KGB, The Stasi, The Gestapo And The SS… Right?
Tuesday we took a quick look at the story of how the NSA's war against patriotic whistleblower Tom Drake persuaded Ed Snowden to move outside the system to expose the criminal activities the government was perpetrating against the American people. In the story we met William Binney. Up top is the short documentary Laura Poitras did for the *NY Times* about Binney in 2012. It should scare your socks off. Binney was a top intelligence officer/code breaker with the NSA for over 30 years. Like Drake-- and with Drake-- he was a by-the-book, patriotic whistleblower when Bush and Cheney... more »
WORKER OWNED COOPS
As Americans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the profit-driven motives of big business, a documentary airing on PBS this month endeavors to bring to light the worker-owned cooperative model that has begun to take hold in many sectors throughout North America. Shift Change, by filmmakers Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin, tells the "little known" stories behind some of the most successful worker-owned businesses in North America and Spain.
UKIE FASCISTS WANT MORE AID FROM U.S.
Canadian activist Roger Annis shares: The internet is flooded with videos of the killings and rampages by [Kiev's] fascist militias in eastern Ukraine. The fascists like to boast about their murders and rampages. Here is one video of a battalion of the neo-Nazi Right Sector near the village of Karlovka, southeast Ukraine on July 6. Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh addresses his ‘troops’ shortly after they had engaged in a skirmish with self defense fighters. Below is the translated text of his remarks. Note the close ties with the Ukraine army and U.S. advisors that Yarosh ackno... more »
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*Flood Authority gives 17th Street Canal levee an 'all clear' ~WVUE* *AG: 'Big Oil' lawsuit supporter's term is over ~WWL* *For New Orleans coroner Jeffrey Rouse, a battle to restore trust and win new funds ~Richard A. Webster* *A look back at the roots of The Lens’ Squandered Heritage ~Karen Gadbois* *Southeast Louisiana NWS officials learn lessons from Hurricane Arthur ~WDSU* *Shrimp prices up as season closes ~Xerxes Wilson, Daily Comet* *Tainted Legacy: Wealthy and powerful vs. big oil ~WWLTV * *Land grab in Rapides: lawyer buys 2200 acres surrounding black family and then fen...more »
NATURE TO DESTROY JEJU NAVAL BASE
Regis Tremblay writes: This is a beautifully done short film showing the recent storm that just brushed Jeju, but did great damage to the caissons that will be the docks for the base. From Korean Director, Cho, Sung Bong. This open water naval base being constructed on Jeju Island, South Korea to port US warships is a contradiction in nature. When big typhoons come to this area they will continually over power the man-made breakwater walls being built with cement. The Samsung construction corporation that has the contract to build the base will have to keep repairing the breakw... more »
The SWP's Moral Vacuity
Revolutionary politics has long been a fringe pursuit in Britain. The parties and organisations representing this tradition have barely got two activists to rub together. It has next to zero purchase in the media and as for elections, forget it. Yet when it comes to ambition, it's vaulting. Self-described revolutionary socialists seek nothing less than the seizure of power and the building of a new, more democratic society. Therefore in the 15 or so years I saw myself as part of the "movement", I approached questions of theory and practice through this lens. How do we get from the p... more »
Supplemental: The second question from Terry Gross!
*FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014* *A peculiar follow-up question:* This morning, the New York Times continues with its new story. Hillary Clinton’s speaking fees aren’t just for the Washington Post any more! This is the way Amy Chozick starts her new report: CHOZICK (7/11/14): Of all the headaches of her current book tour—the declining sales, the constant travel, *the interviews that generated unkind headlines about her family’s wealth*—this one may sting Hillary Rodham Clinton the most: Her memoir, “Hard Choices,” has just been toppled from its spot on the best-seller list by a sensational... more »
THE OTHER BLITZKRIEG
I read yesterday that the US-NATO puppets in Kiev were moving heavy artillery and tanks near their border with Crimea. The Kiev thugs have been told to start a war with Russia by drawing them into eastern Ukraine. Russia would only take such a step to protect the people who have called for regional autonomy and are now being daily attacked by Kiev's neo-fascist led army. But so far Russia has not taken the bait. The puppet masters back in Washington, London and at NATO HQ in Brussels are likely pounding the table in furry. They have to force Kiev to be even more provocative in... more »
Ukraine anti-fascists strike back- Kiev calls emergency meeting & more...
UPDATE at the BOTTOM- scroll down for update, unless you haven't read all the news. *News roundup! : Rebels kill 23 Ukraine troops, shredding truce hopes* Ukraine's military on Friday reported losing 23 servicemen in clashes across the separatist east that threatened to shatter slim Western hopes of a truce in Europe's deadliest conflict in decades. The defence ministry said the toll included 19 troops who died in a hail of rockets fired from a* truck-mounted Grad rocket launcher system *-- a type of weapon both Kiev and Washington insist could only have been covertly supplied to th... more »
A 8,000-year-old dam found near Pilsen
*...just a minor report of regional importance...* Four miles from my home, in the village of Kyšice, they are building the new tunnels and tracks for the sped up Pilsen-Prague railway path. I know Kyšice very well not just because it's only 3 miles from my home but because I like to pick walnuts over there every fall. You know, the tree dares to transcend the private garden and reach the public roads which has consequences. ;-) See a blog post about the railway project. It's a standard practice that archaeologists are checking the place before they irreversibly transform it. ... more »
Hypocrisy alert! Kiev neonazis target LGBT club and the NATO media is silent?
*Recall all the** Putin bashing, call for boycotts, by the weaponized LGBT groups around the Olympics*- Story after story. The drama queens were out in full force. Some guy dressed like a pink flamingo? Flamin'! *The psyop was soooo obvious. The manipulation? Blatant!* *Fast forward to Kiev. **And a " Terrifying Neo-Nazi Attack on Gay Club in Kyiv"* Notice the silence? Notice the double standard? Notice the hypocrisy? *Two nights after city officials in Kyiv (Kiev) cancelled gay Pride over lack of security and fear that a small and ill-equipped police force would not be able to p... more »
Comment on EPA's Plan to Increase Allowable Radiation Exposure Levels
You must comment by August 3, 2014 Here is a link to the overall proposal http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0689-0001 Here is a link for an anonymous comment http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0689-0051 My comment is quick, but pointed (hopefully!): The EPA needs to adopt the precautionary approach. Any increase in exposure to radiation increases risks for a range of diseases and congenital conditions. Therefore, the EPA should reduce allowable exposure levels, rather than increase allowable exposure. The precautionary ap... more »
Hamas to kids: Shoot all the Jews
Hamas to kids: Shoot all the Jews: http://youtu.be/0ORAM-usqhQ How should Israel make peace with people who want them all dead?
Unicicon Solutins
I have been out in the sunshine and even at this latitude its bringing serious heat I do not know know how to deal with it i just wish I could store it somewhere to hasten winters retreat Cause all the things I know are cosmic and thats just ringing a bell there are better explanations for everthing but most of that truth will land you in hell We need some instant gratification make it rain on the desert or fly without wings on the plain. In a world seeking Justice we spend a fortune on spotters for Unicorns to ease the pain.
Let's Call The Republican Response What It Is: A Tactical Decision To Let A Problem Fester For Political Reasons
Americans, dumbed down by a lazy, ignorant media and a substandard education system, are fond of the idea that both parties are at fault. OK, Republicans are idiots. What about Democrats? Here at *DWT* we tend to blame the crumbling from within of the Democratic Party on corporate shills like Steny Hoyer, Steve Israel, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jim Himes and Joe Crowley shredding the Democratic brand on behalf of their own careerism. At *The Nation* yesterday, William Greider didn't personalize the problem, just asked what the Democratic Party actually believes in. To put it cru... more »
The Problem with the AFT Offer for Teachers to “Rewrite” the Common Core
A very good thing will happen on Sunday, July 13, 2014, at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) convention in Los Angeles: The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will be debated on the floor. No behind-closed-doors killing of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) resolution opposing CCSS. As Politico states: Weingarten, for instance, has repeatedly said she supports Common Core, but she […]
Does anyone else find these pics of Obama and his supporters creepy?...
I know I do. Obama listens to a typical little college student with really bad posture talk about the plight of her parents who have both lost their jobs. You can see the concern written all over his face. /sarc via New York Post: Already under attack by critics who say he’s lost interest in his job, President Obama added fuel to the fire on Thursday with a drowsy appearance in Texas. A heavy-lidded Obama struggled to keep his head up during a one-on-one talk in an Austin cafe with a college student whose parents lost their jobs last year. Kinsey Button, a junior at the University ... more »
Letter to a friend
I may touch elbows with some of you but I never imaged it could make your life explode and that is the mortor of realiaty that reigns down on the living or as the MAN say everyone exposed. Pam says we like French Viaginas, and I say something (snatch conversation) about a snatch quotation? This is how petty I am and why I hate liberals and will vote conservative in the next election. You liberal punks make me want to bring back capital punishment , and I will so I can execute you next time. I am voting for more riot gear, and true Canadians who hate scumbags be aware we are looking...more »
IN THE YEAR 2525: Return of the RNC talking points!
*FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014* *Part 4—As flailed by Chris Hayes and two guests:* As part of her recent iconic text, Krystal Ball discussed Hillary Clinton’s June 12 appearance on the NPR program, Fresh Air. Gack! In the passage shown below, the highly suggestible, hapless young pundit delivered a succession of time-honored RNC scripts. Over the course of these many years, these scripts have been widely adopted by droogs in the “mainstream press corps:” BALL (6/17/14): *Then there was an uncomfortable exchange with NPR’s Terry Gross in which Hillary struggled at length to sort through he... more »
The Mapping of the Terror Trains
Look a-yonder what's coming down that railroad track. It's the Oil Bombin' Special, and while it's not bringing your baby back, it is most definitely bringing the Bakken. Crude, that is: millions of gallons of highly flammable fracked Bakken oil and Alberta tar sands product are sloshing at breakneck speed through thousands of North American towns, every single day. Towns like Lac-Megantic, Quebec where one year ago this month an oil train derailed and exploded, killing 47 people and incinerating the central business district. If you live within half a mile of railroad tracks, c... more »
8 Pioneer Day Projects for Kids
Even though Pioneer Day isn't celebrated all over, it doesn't mean that everyone can't join in the fun and channel their inner Laura Ingalls Wilder. Here are some fun things to create with kids that celebrate America's Pioneer heritage. Pioneer Bonnets by My Cotton Creations. Climbing Bear Toy by Tutorial Adventures. Cardboard Covered Wagon by All Things Beautiful. Buzz Saw Pioneer Toy on Housewife Eclectic Corn Husk Dolls by Martha Stewart. Peg People Little House in the Big Woods Log Cabin on Craftster. Making Butter with Kids by Mess For Less. Rag Doll by Miss Gioia [imag... more »
A Fine Frenzy ~ the universal dance of delusion...and the paucity of hope
*Hope* ~ George Frederic Watts, 1886 "To the philosopher, the physician, the meteorologist and the chemist, there is perhaps no subject more attractive than that of ozone." ~ C.B Fox, 1873 There is a man who lives on the other side of my village (it is said) who one day, setting out for errands, inadvertently ran over his child as he backed out of the driveway. Ever since I heard this tragic tale, I have thought I can imagine the moment that, thunderstruck with horror and frozen in disbelief, he gazed upon that little mangled body. I think I know the ferocious dread that overc... more »
How to add a picture to the post title
I have found that it is possible to put HTML tags in the post title which means that you just have to add a ![]()
tag Thus if you want an image followed by the post title, you will then type into the field for the post title the following: 
"put the post title here without the quotes" replacing "picture url" with the actual picture url and "post title" with the actual post title. Below a screenshot to illustrate: [image: picture before post title]
Isaac Newton, the überhistorian
We know Isaac Newton as the founder of classical physics in the modern sense and perhaps the most ingenious scientist in the mankind's history. He's been doing many impressive things and some of them look crazy. But before you suggest that Newton wasn't the top expert in pretty much every discipline he touched, you should read his The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended by Isaac Newton which was published as an e-book in 2005. It's a fun reading for the summer. You will learn about every one among hundreds of kings of dozens of empires and every single act they have done in t...more »
Man VS Mother Nature redux
The world in the MAN's eye is nothing more than a giant development site. Increasing the value and selling the muppets is the only reason we exist. Climate change is caused by God and we have no part in the mess. Lets build giant dams like the Dutch and pretend the land is not an ocean on which we exist. Did you know the Dutch surrendered to the seas a generation ago. King Kantue or Dick Cheney which absolutist would you fell if you had a chance to blow? The MAN made good business for thousands of years without oil. However without water all his churn would be worthless. Now in fact ...more »
What Do We Want and How Do We Intend to Get There?
One of my pet peeves with the Left is the lack of vision about the world they want to see. Sure, "social justice" and "environmental sanity" are excellent values, but what are the mechanics for achieving this? Some on the left favour remaining powerless children, petitioning their masters to somehow make these things happen. Others prefer mindlessly voting for sell-out political parties to legislate these things within a capitalist political economy.. More "radical" types advocate "tearing everything down" (whatever that means) and rebuilding a new world from scratch (with no indica... more »
Hechinger Report Pulls Out the Stops to Save the Gates Core
Below are funders of the Hechinger Report, and yesterday's hosannas for Common Core by Hechinger make it clear that the kinder and gentler corporate ed reform propaganda sheet has kicked its coverage up a notch. The piece is written a Taylor McGraw, TFA alum and Eva Moskowitz chain gang employee. If you decide to read it, note how the piece frames the Common Core as a liberation document at the forefront of Civil Rights. Perhaps such ideological blinders are what's required for these young fascists to be driven to any length to sacrifice these children's childhood for a bunch of g... more »
Friday Nerd Blogging: Laugh It Up Fuzzball Edition
What epitomizes American summer more than baseball? Star Wars! Well, Star Wars + baseball: Star Wars night at a Cardinals game!
Ambassador Ron Prosor explaining matters at the United Nations
Ambassador Ron Prosor explaining matters at the United Nations. This video should be compulsory viewing for the anti Israel brigade who infest most media organisations, especially the vile BBC http://youtu.be/XCbyCQlczLc
Too Early To Predict A Scott Brown Wipeout In New Hampshire?
At this point, no one even knows for sure that opportunistic Massachusetts carpetbagger Scott Brown will actually be the candidate New Hampshire Republicans decide to run against popular Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Former Senator Robert Smith, an underdog and crackpot who's running to the right of Brown, appears stronger with the GOP base than anyone had thought-- despite the endorsements Brown has trotted out from the mistrusted GOP Establishment (Romney, Ayotte, Sununu. Merrill…). Most polls of Republican voters show "undecided" in the top slot. That said, let's go along with conven... more »
The Moody Blues
No sooner had the newly elected Kathleen Wynne tabled her budget than Moody's -- the bond rating agency -- pounced. But, Linda McQuaig writes, it wasn't much of a pounce: In fact, Moody’s only tweaked things slightly — it maintained Ontario’s perfectly acceptable current rating (Aa2), but downgraded the outlook from stable to negative – not a huge change, and one that didn’t even lead to higher interest on Ontario bonds. Conservatives, however, jumped all over the news: “It’s a very big deal,” solemnly cautioned Stockwell Day, former Conservative finance minister, on CBC-TV’s Po... more »
Can My Employer Ban Me From Speaking Spanish To Co-Workers?
An AOL Jobs reader asked: Good afternoon, I have a question. I was just told by my supervisor that I cannot speak Spanish to my coworkers in our department. She states that some other non-Spanish speaking workers claim it makes them uncomfortable. I am asked to assist Spanish-speaking customers with no additional pay, but this is not a concern. I will certainly comply with this request, but I am not sure if it is fair or even legal. I hope you can clarify this for me. Thank you for your assistance. I'm always surprised how many employers try to impose English-only policies or ban s... more »
Will The EU Commision Listen To EU Citizens On The TTIP?
[image: no-ttip.png]Source of Picture: http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/the_hidden_threat_of_the_ttip_deal The European Commission is seeking views from Europeans on* the controversial investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) proposals *in the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnerhip or TTIP. ISDS would *give corporations the power to sue our governments* if they thought a law hurt their profits -- this could be on anything from environmental rules, anti-smoking laws or rules on corporate taxes. "Investor-state dispute settlement" is bad news. It's always ... more »
View The Super Moon on 12 July 2014
Source: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Thefreethoughtprojectcom/posts/FSGYxPTnkgy
The Bear is Loose: Obama Now on Full Cruise Control
Conjuring up the inevitable references to Nero fiddling while Rome burned, President Barack Obama took a bit of time out of his daily duties to goof off, eat pizza, suck down some suds and play billiards in Denver. Tough gig presiding over the most vicious and hellbent at global domination empire of the past seventy or so years so the big man - or "the bear" as he now apparently now refers to himself. Hell, it's not like there is really anything going on in the world like an out of control surveillance machine spying on millions of American citizens, nor his neo-Nazi packed death ... more »
Iraq Updates ( July 11 , 2014 ) -- While Maliki continues his stubborn refusal to build any bridges with the Kurds and Sunnis and instead pushes his divisive agenda that only he will lead Iraq , ISIS continues its methodical march toward Baghdad and the Kurds continue their methodical march toward independence .... Note Al Arabiya reports today the Kurds are suspending all participation in the National government due to Maliki's accusations that the Kurds are harboring ISIS !
Anti War... ISIS Fights Its Way Into Army Base NE of BaghdadIraq Insists Base Isn't Lost Yet by Jason Ditz, July 10, 2014 Print This | Share This ISIS fighters are continuing to expand across the area north of Baghdad, and have moved into the Diyala Province, where they fought there way onto an army base near Muqdadiya. The base is one of the last Iraqi military positions in the north, and while they confirmed part of it is now under ISIS control, they insist they will retake the area soon. The loss of the base would give ISIS a foothold on yet another key northern highway, heading i... more »
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 7.11.14”
*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 7.11.14”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “I warned last week about the kidnapping and murder of three Israelis and revenge killing of a Palestinian teen sparking violence in Israel. My fear is now been confirmed with Hamas rocket attacks on various targets in Israel. Israel is making counter attacks that have claimed the lives of dozens in Gaza. One big development is the rockets that Hamas is using are now more powerful and have up to a 100 mile range. In 2012, the rockets had only a 50 mile range. Israel has called up at least 40,000 troops and is getting ... more »
Argentina v Holland -- 2014 World Cup semi-final - The highlights
Argentina v Holland -- 2014 World Cup semi-final - The highlights http://youtu.be/N-XDktewdzU Thanks to Danny Baker @prodnose for the spot
Pilot Zones: Does Ma government plan to destroy Taiwan agricultural products?
*As you can see, the number of people identifying as "Taiwanese" is reaching record highs, just as the number of people identifying as Taiwanese-Chinese and Chinese is reaching record lows. This is from the former political warfare university, but my experience is that it is pretty close to reality. Among the young even more would identify as Taiwanese. * The free economic zones are looking more and more like a plot to flood Taiwan with cheap China crap and destroy its agriculture. A few days ago, after noting that the government is attempting to focus the discussion on trivia, a p... more »
Navy unveils prototype railguns
Navy officials unveiled two prototype weapons Tuesday that have been cloaked in secrecy for years, and are capable of firing seven times the speed of sound. They are electromagnetic railguns, developed by the Office of Naval Research. A railgun can fire a projectile up to 5,600 miles per hour – about six times faster than a bullet from a handgun – at a range of up to 110 miles, Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder said. It delivers up to 32 megajoules of energy. Read more
One Ring to Rule them All - it's all a load of COCK.
...published as a sequel to his 1937 *children's fantasy novel* The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings has a copyright date of 1953 and has astonishing relevance to the current Paedophile Ring Scandal that (once again) threatens to disrupt the Elite/Serf status quo. *one of five burning rings**1) The One Ring:* some have likened 'the One Controlling Power that man can never hope to control' to Nuclear Power. But it could have easily been about the over-arching force of Global Paedo Rings to control the 'actions of man' i.e. Politics, Religion, Business. There are many (paedo)... more »
NZDF to seek new naval tanker in 2015
[image: HMNZS Endeavour]The New Zealand government has approved plans for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to replace the HMNZS Endeavour naval tanker, in the face of increasing maintenance costs and non-compliance issues with new international maritime regulations. HMNZS Endeavour will reach the end of her service life in 2018. The purpose built fleet replenishment tanker carries 5,500 tonnes of fuel in four tanks for refuelling ships at sea or in overseas ports; and can also conduct ‘hot' refuelling for helicopters while they hover over the flight deck. The vessel also transp... more »
China may become first buyer of S-400s - Russian official
[image: S-400 Triumf]China may become the first buyer of Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, the Kremlin's chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday. "Chances that China may be the first foreign buyer [of S-400s] are high," he told reporters. S-400, a new-generation long and medium-range anti-aircraft missile system, is capable of destroying all the existing air attack weapons, including tactical and strategic aircraft, ballistic missiles and hypersonic targets. Read more
DOD Plans To Deliver F-35’s 5th Gen Capability At 4th Gen Cost By 2019
[image: F-35 Lightning II]Today, the Department of Defense announced an agreement aimed at reducing the price of an F-35 Lightning II 5th generation fighter to the equivalent of today’s 4th generation fighters by the end of the decade. Designated “The Blueprint for Affordability,” the DoD and F-35 industry partners – Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems signed an agreement to implement cost reduction initiatives to lower the production costs of F-35 aircraft. The agreement is built upon the U.S. Government’s Better Buying Power 2.0 initiative, which encouraged defense... more »
Russia Gives Belarus Anti-Aircraft Systems Free of Charge
[image: S-300PMU2 Gladiator]The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract to give Belarus four S-300 air defense systems, which are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, free of charge, a top Russian military official told ITAR-Tass on Thursday. The S-300 is one of the world's most sought after air defense systems. Its radar can hone in on aircraft, cruise missiles and even ballistic missiles, and destroy targets as far away as 150 kilometers, launching one missile every three seconds. The S-300s will be handed over as soon as the Belarussian Defense Ministry signs the contac... more »
Russia’s Iskander-E missile system ready for deliveries to other countries
[image: Iskander-E missile system]Iskander-E mobile theater ballistic missile systems are ready for export, awaiting a decision by state authorities, the head of the Russian delegation to arms and military exhibition MILEX-2014 Valery Varlamov said Thursday, according to RIA Novosti. "Iskander-E [NATO reporting name: SS-26 Stone] is ready for deliveries to other countries, as well as S-400 Triumf [NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler], but the state authorities need to approve it first," Varlamov said. The representative said that Russia "will deliver [the systems] to any country, ... more »
Hagel at Eglin: F-35 is the future
With F-35s still grounded across the country, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel visited the F-35 training wing here on Thursday to reinforce the Pentagon’s commitment to developing the military’s newest fighter jet. “This aircraft is the future of fighter aircraft for all our services,” Hagel said to about 200 service members gathered in an F-35 hangar. “The F-35 is as big a project as we have and we’ve got a lot riding on it.” Though the F-35 is still in development, the Air Force, Marines and Navy — which all have their own versions of the aircraft — have already started training ... more »
First Ocean Sentry Arrives in Corpus Christi
[image: HC-144 Ocean Sentry]450 search and rescue cases. 591 people in distress. 83 saved lives. Sound like a lot to handle? These numbers are just a snap shot of the annual missions carried out by personnel assigned to Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. With this level of responsibility, it is only fitting that the air station recently received their first HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, the newest aircraft in the Coast Guard fleet. Read more
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*Unsuitable materials in 17th Street Canal levee not a danger, board is told ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate*
Togo receives Defender patrol boat from United States
[image: Defender patrol boat]The United States has donated a Defender patrol boat to the Togolese Navy, adding to the two previously donated to the West African nation. The vessel was handed over by United States ambassador Phillip Carter III on June 25, together with a boathouse for maintenance, at the naval base in the capital Lome. The Togolese military (FAT) said the donation would help the navy strengthen its capabilities in the fight against maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Read more
Lockheed, partners pledge to pump $170 million into F-35
[image: F-35B Lightning II]Lockheed Martin and its corporate partners on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter announced a new plan Thursday to reduce costs on the over-budget program even as the next-generation jet remained grounded on the eve of scheduled appearances at international airshows in Great Britain. The companies pledged to spend $170 million through 2016 to help bring down the cost of the fighter jet from more than $100 million apiece to about $80 million by the end of the decade. The upfront investment by Lockheed, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems to pay for cost-reduction i... more »
Pentagon Reviews UCLASS Strike Capabilities
[image: X-47B UCLASS]Congressional leaders have asked the defense secretary to review existing plans for the Navy’s carrier-launched drone program, expressing concerns that the written requirements are too narrowly configured and do not meet the threats and mission demands of the future. As a result, the Defense Department’s Joint Requirement Oversight Council has launched a review of the program ahead of the Navy’s planned release of its Request for Proposals to industry. The Navy plans to have the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) drone operationa... more »
Indian Navy Light Combat Aircraft to soon begin test flights
[image: Naval LCA Tejas]The naval variant of India's indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) is due to soon begin ramp trials. Avinash Chander, scientific adviser to the Defence Minister and Director General Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), told India Strategic magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) that the LCA-Navy had already done more than 25 test flights from a runway. As these were successful and met the designated parameters, the aircraft will now be deployed at a naval base in Goa to commence ramp flights, probably after the monsoon. Read more
Inhuman execution of fellow Muslims in Syria
But don't expect any outrage from the BBC when there's Jews to vilify in Israel http://youtu.be/xAgUbO8kVak
Kolkata handed over to Navy
[image: INS Kolkata]The INS Kolkata, lead ship in the Kolkata-class stealth destroyers, was handed over to the Indian Navy on Thursday after extensive sea trials and tests, 11 years after the construction began in 2003 at the Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL). The ships are the second group of three indigenously built stealth warships after the Shivalik-class boats, while the official commissioning ceremony is expected to take place in a month’s time. The same ship had seen naval engineer Commander Kuntal Wadhwa lose his life after a prolonged exposure to CO2 gas on March 6, suspected to... more »
Canceling the Tomahawk is a gamble we can’t afford
[image: Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile]Once again, our military leaders face a tradeoff. Can the United States meet the serious new security challenges we face while staying within strict budget limits? To do so, policymakers will have to make some very tough choices that leverage our existing capabilities while also planning for the future. Foreign threats to America and her allies will not diminish simply because of American fiscal restraints. Indeed, Iran and North Korea are both well on their way toward developing the capability to deliver a nuclear warhead on target. Violence... more »
A Delightful Musical Interlude: Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, “Flint Hill Special”
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, “Flint Hill Special” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3qbB4Kq3Y0 "All under the age of 16, brothers Jonny, Robbie and Tommy Mizzone are from New Jersey, a US state that's better known for the rock of Bruce Springsteen than the bluegrass of Earl Scruggs. Nonetheless, the siblings began performing bluegrass covers, as well as their own compositions, at a young age. Here, they play three dazzling songs in three different keys, passing the lead back and forth from fiddle to banjo to guitar." - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8UTheTR7s
India's first indigenously built ASW Corvette ready for battle
[image: Kamorta class corvette]A dab of paint here and a bit of polish there. There is hectic activity at the Fitting Out Jetty (FOJ) of the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata. The country's oldest defence shipyard is all set to sail out India's first indigenously-built and most advanced submarine hunter-killer. The INS Kamorta, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette under the Navy's Project-28 will be formally handed over to the navy on Saturday. After sailing from Kolkata in the next few days, with commissioning captain commander Manoj Jha in char... more »
Three nuclear subs spotted near PLA Navy's Hainan base
[image: The three Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines stationed at Yulin naval base of Hainan island]The People's Liberation Army Navy has deployed three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines to its South Sea Fleet base on the southern island province of Hainan, according to the Manila-based InterAksyon news website in a report published July 8. The Chinese navy displayed a photo on the internet which suggested that three Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines are currently stationed at the Yulin naval base in Hainan, according to the report. The paper s... more »
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* Warmer Climate Could Mean More Kidney Stones?* *Crap! The underlying journal article is Daily Mean Temperature and Clinical Kidney Stone Presentation in Five U.S. Metropolitan Areas: A Time-Series Analysis. The findings are correlational ones so do not enable inferences about causes. And the elevation of risk associated with temperature was very slight anyway. Relative risks were around 1.3. The Federal Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, Second Edition says (p. 384): "the threshold for concluding that an agent was more likely than not the cause of an individual's disea... more »
Hagel Discusses Nuclear Deterrence, Modernization
[image: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel]During a visit to the East Coast homeport for six Ohio-class fleet ballistic-missile and two guided-missile submarines here yesterday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with 14 female submariners, toured the ballistic-missile submarine USS Tennessee, and took questions at an event with 180 sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. The secretary’s stop here was the on first day of a two-day trip that includes visits today to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, home to the Air Force’s first full squadron of F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter airc... more »
Reminder: Israel Created Hamas
Every time the government of Israel attacks Gaza mercilessly, using the rationale that it is only interested in wiping out Hamas's military capabilities, it is worth reminding ourselves that the Israeli government created Hamas in the first place. The track records of both the criminal Israeli government and of Hamas's criminal leadership is one of terrorism, torture, collective brainwashing, cruel punishment, oppression, censorship of the press, and backstabbing their allies. The last one is the most ungodly. The victims in this senseless struggle are the peoples of Israel and ... more »
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