3:28pm MDST
ECONOMICS FOR REAL PEOPLE: The clash that defined modern economics
[image: The clash that defined modern economics] *Students have now finished exams, and our friends at the Auckland University Economics Group have seized the opportunity of a visit from two stellar international speakers to offer a very special public event this Thursday, an evening with two world authorities on Say’s Law and Hayek:* On Thursday at the University of Auckland Business School, two world authorities are talking on the most important economic debate of the last century, and asking this question: *How do you restore health to an economy in difficulty? * It is a ... more »
The collective illiteracy of education reform
I have no idea how any reform conversant can say what follows with a straight face: When people say the education system is too focused on the adults at the expense of the kids, it can be dismissed as a throwaway line. In fact, as our ongoing conversation about stakes and consequences shows, it’s so much […]
How Much Of A Role Will Climate Change Play In The Congressional Elections This Year?
Yesterday, Yale's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies released a report and survey, The Politics of Global Warming, that should send shivers down the spines of Climate Change deniers in Congress. "We find," they reported, "that registered voters are 2.5 times more likely to vote for a congressional or presidential candidate who supports action to reduce global warming. Further, registered voters are 3 times more likely to vote *against* a candidate who opposes action to reduce global warming." The study also finds that while Democrats are more convinced that human-caused g... more »
Palestinian Parody about ISIS
Title: Palestinian Parody about ISIS. Source: MEMRI TV. Date Published: July 7, 2014.
Devolution. Evolution. Revolution. The Future Is Now.
Devolution. Evolution. Revolution. The Future Is Now. *written by **Robin Mathews* July 2014 This week, this month, maybe this year, the economist of choice is Thomas Piketty, professor at the Paris School of Economics. Very briefly, Piketty points to present developments in capitalism. Unchecked capitalism (as it exists increasingly in the present devastation of democracies and the empowerment of private corporations) leads by its very nature to unequal concentrations of wealth. No surprise. Put another way, when the rate of return on investment exceeds th... more »
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*Bricks, rebar, huge rocks inside the 17th Street canal levees (which is no surprise) ~Fix The Pumps*
As If There's Not Enough Radiation Floating Over Already, It's Not Corrupt (As Long As They Get To Define Their Own Corrupt Behavior), and Facebook Manipulation Applauded By Dummies?
Is it hot enough for you? And the hits just keep on coming! (h/t Casey Kasem - R.I.P.) (Thermite genesis at WTC?) Gordon Duff is known to make some people hot. He and July are running neck. (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.) Monday, July 7th, 2014 Posted by Gordon Duff Officials Site “Thermo-Nuke” in 9/11 DemoUS ‘Superbomb’ too classified for Obama to know ‘US
The Decoupling of Food and Land
The graphs above come from this post at The Breakthrough Institute by Jon Fisher of The Nature Conservancy. The graphs show something profound in global agriculture: the world is producing more food per person on less land. While there are caveats and details that are important, overall these twin trends are good news. Do head over to @TheBTI and read Fisher's excellent discussion.
The Economy: “How to Die Poor”
*“How to Die Poor”* by Bill Bonner “The game of speculation is the most uniformly fascinating game in the world. But it is not a game for the stupid, the mentally lazy, the person of inferior emotional balance or the get-rich-quick adventurer. They will die poor.” – Jesse Livermore, “How to Trade in Stocks” “The trouble with capitalism's guardians is that they have no respect for it. Markets have been around for at least 2,000 years. Since then they have evolved in many directions, with fancy and sophisticated techniques... and elaborate systems and complicated instruments that tak... more »
The unbearable pointlessness of Newswatch
Newswatch is completely pointless. It showcases viewers’ complaints about BBC programmes, and then someone from the BBC replies: “No. We got it right”. Since it’s compiled by the BBC, produced by the BBC, conceived by the BBC, put together by the BBC, I can’t see why it’s there. It’s like taking an exam with the answers already supplied. Never mind, I like Samira Ahmed, so I watched an episode on iPlayer because it addressed the BBC’s reporting of the current I/P conflict. What a pointless programme it is though. A viewer’s comment was featured: *“ I wanted to congratulate the BBC... more »
Tips Diet Dan Turunkan Berat Badan Secara Alami Terbaru
Tips Diet Dan Turunkan Berat Badan Secara Alami Terbaru - Bagi anda yang memiliki tubuh kurang ideal dan merasa kurang percaya diri saat berjalan dengan teman lu karena berat badan anda yang berlebihan. simaklah satu Tips Baru yang kami ajukan di sini untuk anda semua. sesungguhnya amat banyak daya yang bisa kita lakukan untuk menurunkan berat badan kita dan dapatkan tubuh yang ideal sesuai
Cara Praktis Mendaftar Paketan Internet XL Terbaru 2014
Cara Praktis Mendaftar Paketan Internet XL Terbaru 2014 - Persaingan di antara Operator seluler sekarang ini semakin gencar,terbukti dengan berbagai paket jagat maya yang ditawarkan oleh setiap Operator seluler. Dari yang memasang kuota sampai paketan yang unlimited,semua itu di lakukan untuk menarik konsumen agar mau menggunakan karu di operator seluler itu seorang diri. Yang akan kita bahas
Cara Menghilangkan Jerawat Memakai Tea Tree Oil
Cara Menghilangkan Jerawat Memakai Tea Tree Oil – Anda pasti akan merasa sangat sebal ketika nimbul jerawat dimuka anda, dan pasti anda akan melakukan setiap tipe cara untuk menghilangkan jerawat tersebut dengan cepat tanpa harus meninggalkan bekas pada muka anda. Dan untuk cara menghilangkan benjol itu sebetulnya anda banyak cara, mulai dari menggunakan produk instan yang kini sangat banyak
Not The Nine O'Clock News and Rolf Harris
This Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch from December 1980 just made my jaw drop when I saw it. The Independent reports that '(John) Lloyd (the series Producer) said that he and the team had been making a "pathetically mild" joke about how they "had to drum up an audience for a terrible Saturday show" - and that it was "awful" to look back on the video in the wake of Harris' sex abuse convictions.'
Germany Upset with U.S., Merkel in China, signed agreements of trade.... No dollar to be used? China signs Yuan trade agreement with France and Luxembourg
Germany and Merkel are very upset with the U.S. once more over spying. This time it has been discovered a spy for the U.S. was within Germany's Foreign Intelligence agency. Merkel is using some very harsh words against the U.S. It also came at a time that Merkel is in China right now signing trade agreements with them. "If the reports are correct it would be a serious case,"Merkel
14 Ultimate Diaper Bag Essentials
Thanks to Huggies for sponsoring today's discussion. [image: Housewife Eclectic: 14 Ultimate Diaper Bag Essentials] It has been awhile since I have carried a diaper bag. When my 2-month-old was born, my oldest had been out of diapers for more than three years. This time around, I decided to back my ultimate diaper bag. No being stranded at the store without a plastic sack to put wet clothes in, these are my essentials when it comes to my diaper bag. - Diapers. The most important thing in any diaper bag is of course, diapers. I like to make sure I have at least three with me be... more »
IMF pushes Ukraine to ‘voluntarily committing suicide’
A man walks past a currency exchange office in Kiev*Good reading below* Western support will allow more IMF and European lending to prop the Ukrainian currency so the Ukrainian oligarchs can move their money safely to British and US banks, *economist and author Michael Hudson* told RT’s Truthseeker. *RT:**Could you summarize for us the tried and tested steps that will lead from IMF loans, to Ukraine's best assets ending up in private Western hands - the IMF's 'knee-breaker' role as you memorably described it as?* *Michael Hudson:* The basic principle to bear in mind is that* financ... more »
Protect the Pope
Pope Francis has begged forgiveness from the victims of sexual abuse by priests, at his first meeting with the victims since his election. He condemned the Church's "complicity" in hiding the abuse and said it must "weep and make reparation" for the "grave crimes" committed by clerics. He met the six victims, two each from Ireland, Britain and Germany, after a private morning Mass in the Vatican. The Church has been criticised after a series of abuse scandals worldwide. At a press conference on Monday, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said Pope Francis had spent half an hour ...more »
Wisdom Is As A Stream That Flows Eternal - A Poem by M.N. Hopkins
*There is wisdom everywhere,* *in everytime* *and in everybody.* *Yet, it is rooted outside all three* *as it flows through the veil that separates the Worlds.* *Wisdom is as a stream that flows eternal.* *Some drinking from it's life giving waters* *while others are distracted from it's shores* *A few nourishing themselves with it's Life giving waters.* *Once again nourished,* *they are able to share their insights with others* *Others insight and become inspired* *As wisdom continues it's flow etternal.* M.N. Hopkins *If you would like to read other of my po... more »
Will Chris Christie Resign In Return For A Suspended Sentence That Keeps Him Out Of Prison?
In October you'll be able to dig this post up and say, "Wow, those *DWT* folks sure knew what was up before anyone else." Fact of the matter, we've been predicting an eventual Chris Christie plea bargain since January when the Bridge-gate scandal started spiraling out of control. But over the weekend we got the word from an impeccable source that he'd be resigning as governor as part of a bargain to keep him out of prison and he'd do it before the first snow falls-- unless the first snow fall comes early. I was unable to ascertain what the smoking gun is, just that Christie won't ... more »
Analysis Of Ayatollah Sistani’s Fatwa To Defend Iraq Interview With Tel Aviv Univ’s Rachel Kantz Feder
On June 10, 2014 Mosul fell to the Islamic State and other insurgent groups. The next day Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani issued a fatwa calling on Iraqis to protect the country’s shrines and to defend the nation. Sistani’s move caused controversy both inside and out of Iraq as many interpreted it as sectarian incitement for Iraq’s Shiite to take up arms against Sunnis. Rachel Kantz Feder of The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies and a lecturer at Tel Aviv University argues that the fatwa was as much about the threat posed by the Islamic State as it was abou... more »
Will Ontario Province Canada Be The First To Protect It's Bees?
[image: Foto: BREAKING! Ontario intends to become the first province to restrict the use of a controversial pesticide linked to bee deaths, requiring farmers and other commercial growers to apply for permits to plant seeds treated with neonicotinoid insecticides. READ MORE HERE: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/pesticide-linked-to-bee-deaths-to-be-restricted-in-ontario/article19480431/ #Neonicotinoid #Ontario #Bees #Pesticide #Insecticide #gmofreecanada] BREAKING! Ontario intends to become the first province to restrict the use of a controversial pesticide linked to... more »
Attempt to Depose University of Texas President
Over the July 4th weekend, UT System Chancellor Cigarroa demanded that UT President Bill Powers resign or be fired by July 10th. Bill Powers refused but offered a timetable to step-down. Supporters of the embattled president have launched a petition drive that now has nearly 8500 signatures. At stake is the future of higher education Continue reading
Transient thought for the day
I’m not saying anything new here. Nothing I say is set in stone. Like Lily Allen on Desert Island Discs, this is what I’m saying today and I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow or the day after. Some pro-Israel bloggers and commenters like myself might feel we have some explaining to do. We found it hard to believe that the murderer of the Palestinian youth could have been a revenge attack perpetrated by Israelis. It seemed so uncharacteristic; so un-Israeli. Now we have to accept that we were mistaken. PM Netanyahu and other Israeli spokespersons have given heartfelt assu... more »
Replace Arne Duncan with whom? THIS GUY!
Sunday July 6th kicked off our first in a series of shows on the craziness that is education reform in the counties surrounding Denver, CO, particularly Douglas County, where we’ve featured topics previously on @ the Chalk Face. I’m sure the reader has heard the NEA’s call for the current Secretary’s resignation. I am also […]
Open Thread: Hello Kitty edition
Because only real manly, masculine men like Islamic Front leader Zahran Alloush can get away with using Hello Kitty notebooks. Today's Mrs. JP's birthday and we're going to be busy celebrating that, making this one of the most time- and money-consuming times of the year (yesterday was #2 son's birthday, one he unfortunately shares with right wing meatheads Sylvester Stallone and George W. Bush). Anyway, I wanted to let you know that weeds aren't sprouting up between the floorboards at Casa de Pottersville just yet. I'm researching a post about our dreadful, underpublicized... more »
Hack the First Class Lounge
When the whip comes down! When you beat the Man you never win, Lufthansa will probably hire a Lawyer, a really smart one, and stereotypical its going to be a Jewish one. So in 2014 we will have a Jewish lawyer skinning the flesh off a German, for figuring out how to eat stuff out of the corporate oven for free. BTW I have transferred hundreds of times through Frankfurt, and I am not kidding, I am totally serious, they have a self serve beer keg, and food to die for, In a remake of the Holocaust I imagine a first class lounge where African Emigrants are drinking so much beer and e... more »
It's Monday...
*what's going on.* Self Evident Truths: * Offending the Innocents - Gay Adoption and the Destruction of the Family* Weekly Standard: *An Unfolding Fiscal Disaster. The calamitous finances of Obamacare. * Hot Air: * WH trying to pre-empt sticker shock on September premium increases * Capitalist Preservation: *Obama's irresponsible taunt to Republicans * Mychal Massie: *Blacks Still Don’t Get It * Always On Watch: *The Ultimate Madness? * Survivalist Blog: *A few underground economy examples to start your day * Becoming Minimalist: *The American Dream Does Not Cost $130,000/y... more »
Droplets and pilot waves vs quantum mechanics
I've been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of idiocy about quantum mechanics that we may encounter in the would-be scientific mainstream media. A new wave of nonsense claiming that someone overthrew quantum mechanics is appearing on a daily basis. Please, don't send me links to this stuff, there has been just way too much of this worthless trash that is getting worse and worse. The first individuals who would start campaigns against theoretical physics a decade ago – various Shmoits – should have been given a proper thrashing at that time so that they wouldn't climb out of the sewera... more »
The Almighty Dollar Is In Peril As The Global ‘De-Dollarization’ Trend Accelerates
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Michael Snyder As the Obama administration continues to alienate almost everyone else around the entire planet, an increasing number of prominent international voices are starting to question why the U.S. dollar should be so overwhelmingly dominant in global trade. In previous articles, I have discussed Russia's "de-dollarization strategy" and the fact that Gazprom is now asking their large customers to start paying in currencies other than the dollar. But this is not just a story about Russia any longer. As you will read ...more »
REFUGEE
We all are running from something throughout our lineage our people ran from the wild woolly Mother Earth our home Now those who run get locked inside cages even the babies from south of the border NAFTA took them down but we don't talk about that we just turn on the brown people and drive them away keeps us distracted from what Mr. Big is doing to all of us Some are paid to divide and incite chaos quite a job killing your own people find it hard to understand It's Mr. Big's favorite play Modus operandi MO every criminal has a routine Some call it the Strategy of Tension worth notin... more »
The Politics of the Human Security Agenda
Just in time for you to head to the beach with a copy, my new book is now available from Cornell University Press.* As many of you know, this is the culmination of a my 6-year NSF-funded research project on why some human security problems get on the global agenda and others don’t. The answer in Continue reading
The Agenda Behind the 'Refugee' Crisis on the Border
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] *Editor's Note: Whether or not you support open borders the following report should concern you.* Aaron Dykes Truth Stream Media Behind the endless throngs of desperate Central American children arriving on the U.S. border and a steady wave of illegal immigrants from Mexico and beyond is a covert plan for global economic warfare — those building up the world of globalization are tearing down the sovereignty and financial strength of the United States and Europe to make way for the coming corporate new world order. A genera... more »
what i'm reading: the spirit catches you and you fall down, truly excellent nonfiction
*The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong child, her American doctors, and the collision of two cultures* by Anne Fadiman contains dozens of passages that I'd like to share. My library copy is shamefully dog-eared, and I intend to buy a copy of the book for my bookshelf. But I'll restrain myself and will share only a single anecdote, related in the early pages, which drew me in. In an intermediate French class at Merced College a few years ago, the students were assigned a five-minute oral report, to be delivered in French. The second student to stand up in front of the cl... more »
J Michael's Officially Unofficial is Out!
J Michael Cole's autobiographical book Officially Unofficial is now out on Amazon (no Kindle version yet). From the blurb: In this long-awaited memoir, journalist J. Michael Cole takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery as he explores the dreams, motivations, successes, failures, and frustrations of an idealistic foreign correspondent in Taiwan. This semi-autobiographical work will appeal to anyone who is interested in the practice of journalism and the politics of a democratic society that lives under the constant threat of authoritarian China. Although the external forces ... more »
Going After The Courts
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ Lawrence Martin wrote last week that the Supreme Court is the Harper government's real opposition. And today, in the Toronto Star, Tim Harper writes that it would not be a surprise if the prime minister went after the courts in the next election campaign: This is a government determined to bring its brand of law and order to this country, whether it is cracking down on bogus refugee claimants, giving police more surveillance powers, bringing in mandatory sentencing, ending early parole... more »
7 + 7 = '14
*Outright Terror - Bold, Brilliant and Defective.* *Passengers are not being allowed onto transatlantic flights with run-down devices today, and the Channel Tunnel has been completely shut down all day due to "Power Failure".* *For the first 8 hrs of 7/7/2005, the incidents on the three (or eight) tube trains were uniformly described by TFL, British Transport Police and London Ambulance Services as "Power Surges" (since there were loud bangs and showers of sparks UNDER the trains, not on them).* Death Aid - 7/7 and Death 8 from Spike EP on Vimeo. Geldof's role in preparing 7/... more »
Kindergarten Achievement Tests Before Kindergarten
Riverdale and Horace Mann are now using a new test to make sure that only kids who can afford IPads and tutoring get in. Could you pass the test? Which flag completes the pattern?
Tom Guild Beat His Conservative Opponent 42.1% to 30.9%-- Runoff August 26
We don't always expect much from Republican bastions like Oklahoma. But Blue America endorsed an across-the-board progressive, Tom Guild, to run for the congressional seat based in Oklahoma City. And a couple of weeks ago Tom came in first in a tough 3-way primary against a very conservative state Senator who is the polar opposite of a progressive. Tom walked away with 42.1% of the vote while that state senator drew 30.9% and a third candidate took 27%. Oklahoma law requires a runoff, which has been set for August 26. To build on his momentum from the primary, Tom needs to raise $... more »
Israel experiencing its own Arab Spring moment ? ( July 7 , 2014 ) - Israel Shuts Highways as Clashes Sweep Country Police Crack Down on Israeli Arab Protesters ........Israel Arrests Six Over Killing of Palestinian Teen One of the Six Reportedly Already Confessed ......... Hamas threatens revenge after Gaza air raids Leaders call Israeli attacks, in which nine were killed, a "grave escalation" and promise deaths will fuel resistance......
Israel Shuts Highways as Clashes Sweep CountryPolice Crack Down on Israeli Arab Protesters by Jason Ditz, July 06, 2014 Print This | Share This Mulitple Israeli highways have closed down today as major public protests erupted among the nation’s Arab minority, and police attempts to crack down on them led to major clashes. Israeli officials reported large numbers of arrests, but exactly how many was unclear, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “restore calm” with security forces, and protesters blocked traffic with burning tires. The Israeli Arab protests centered around the... more »
Brand X
Brand X from Spike EP on Vimeo. *"We have this degenerate character... * *So we see the hyperactivity of British Intelligence, right?"* When I was asked to edit an issue of the New Statesman I said yes because it was a beautiful woman asking me. I chose the subject of revolution because the New Statesman is a political magazine and imagining the overthrow of the current political system is the only way I can be enthused about politics. When people talk about politics within the existing Westminster framework I feel a dull thud in my stomach and my eyes involuntarily glaze. L... more »
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*Vancouver Schools' New LGBTTQ+ Policy Includes Gender-Free Pronouns Xe, Xem and Xyr* The Vancouver (British Columbia) Board of Education has approved a sweeping new policy for accommodating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, queer, questioning and “all sexual and gender identities,” including the creation of three pronouns, replacing masculine and feminine with xe, xem and xyr (pronounced ze, zem and zur). Two spirit is an Aboriginal term which means having both feminine and masculine spirits. It's not limited to gender expression or sexuality, but encompasses them ... more »
Nuclear power, public health air conditioning, and the "Torch of 2011" (reposted)
I am Reposting this July 19, 2011 post, [image: NorthAmerica] I spent most of the last 37 years in Dallas, Texas. There is an old saying in Texas that Houston was built on oil, San Antonio was built on gold, and Dallas was built on paper. The truth is, however, that Dallas was built on chilled air. Dallas residents will endur day after day of heat from May to September, often long continuous runs of 90 degree plus days, and sometimes with long continuous runs of one hundred degrees plus days. The record numer of 100 degree or more days in one Dallas summer is 69. I lived through t... more »
Do Bookshops Have A 2020 Vision?
We have all read about the decline of the independent bookstores in the UK and US. However, we have also seen the relaunch of Foyles in Charing Cross, the expansion of the Hatchards brand by Waterstones to St Pancras, the growth online of the bargain bookseller, The Works. So what is the future of the Bookstore and does it have a vision of itself in 2020, or is its vision somewhat out of focus and requiring both short and long sighted correction? Stanley Unwin once said that, ‘To write books is easy, it requires only pen and ink and the ever-patient paper. To print books is a li... more »
Bloodsuckers McCain and Graham Hit Sunday Circuit to Peddle More Lies
*“Name me someone that’s not a parasite and I’ll go out and say a prayer for him”* *- Bob Dylan (Visions of Johanna)* A 2001 piece at satirical website The Onion entitled “Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'” published shortly after his inauguration was astonishing in the uncanny ability to so accurately predict the future. Now in mid-2014 we are a nation at permanent war, whether it be Afghanistan, a new Cold War with Russia or the third bite at the apple in Iraq it is as Orwell once put it "Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia". The...more »
Independence Day can mean many things!
*MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014* *The freedom from being challenged:* We’ve been visiting friends in the Hudson Valley over the Independence Day weekend. Reading yesterday’s Washington Post, we were reminded that “independence” can take many forms. For a case in point, consider Chris Cillizza’s weekly feature in the Sunday Outlook section, “Worst Week in Washington.” Each Sunday, Cillizza names the Washington figure who had the worst week. Yesterday, he chose Hillary Clinton. Below, you see his full presentation, headline included. As we read Cillizza's piece, we thought a familiar old free... more »
Anna Dillon - landscape artist - oil of the mind
*Anna Dillon at work*...once I'd realised that the Free Planet blog had *'not a snowflake's chance in hell'* of dissuading the for-profit prison-world slave-economy from ruining this delightful place we call home, I started to get more interested in (or seem to have gravitated more towards) sharing painters whose work really catches my eye. This way Free Planet becomes a more personal expression of a world of Creativity, Passion and Kinship - this way we all adopt our Custodian role in our own unique and viable ways. Today's blogpost concerns the artwork (and lovely and stylised it ... more »
Four Reasons Why Organic Gardening Is The Way To Go
[image: Foto: 4 Reasons that Organic Gardening is cheaper than you think. Growing your own food is never meant to be expensive. If we grow as Mother Nature intended us to grow food, then we will not only be enjoying really sumptuous and nutritious food, we will also be producing it at very low cost. This is a great way for us to take back control of our food. Plant a garden. It's as cheap as dirt. READ: http://freshorganicgardening.com/4-reasons-why-organic-gardening-is-cheaper-than-most-people-think/ #PlantASeed #GrowYourOwn #OrganicGardening #CleanFood #Organic #garden #ConserveWa... more »
Japan set for first arms export under new rules
[image: Patriot PAC-2 radar]Japan is set to approve its first arms export following relaxation of its self imposed ban, as the nation aims to boost its global military and economic presence, a report said Sunday. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plans to export a high performance sensor to the United States, which will use it in the Patriot Advanced Capability 2 (PAC-2) missile defence system to be exported to Qatar, the Nikkei business daily said without citing sources. Tokyo’s decision, likely to become official later this month, comes after Japan in April amended its traditional stric... more »
That was close! Jet plane flies dangerously close to spectators’ heads at air show
Spectators at a recent air show in Waddington, near Lincoln, were given a particularly close look at a fighter jet. Like a scene out of Top Gun, the plane screams over the heads of the crowd, only missing them by a few feet. People duck and jump for cover, with one observant man commenting: ‘That was a bit close, wasn’t it?’ Read more
3D printer drones will take to skies by 2040, claim BAE scientists
[image: 3D printed UAV]3D printers could be so advanced by 2040 they could create small unmanned aircraft, BAE Systems claim. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) could then potentially be used as a group of wide-winged aircraft for protracted or enduring surveillance or as rotary-winged UAVs to rescue single civilians or soldiers from dangerous situations, the defence firm’s scientists and engineers suggest. The researchers, who have been working on futuristic aircraft technologies, have been looking at the idea that they could be created by super hi-tech onboard 3D printers, an ad... more »
US Military in Europe: From Forces Rotation to Permanent Presence
[image: E-3A Sentry]Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas urged NATO on June 20 to establish a permanent presence in his country responding to Russia's Ukraine policy that his government sees as a threat. He said the allies were to "open your eyes and stay awake". Asked if he would like to see a permanent mission in Estonia, Roivas told Reuters, "Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania are the border states, and it is only logical that air policing and air defense for example are present on the borders." According to him, "NATO has to be a visible presence at all of its areas... more »
HPV Vaccines: Time for Science by Norma Erickson
HPV Vaccines: Time for Science by Norma Erickson Sane Vax, Inc., 2 July 2012 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of January 2014 fifty-two countries have included HPV vaccines, either Gardasil or Cervarix, in their national immunization programs. During the last five years, the SaneVax Team has been contacted by representatives from 24 of those countries who are seeking to understand the vast array of new medical conditions occurring in the wake of these programs. (Note: SaneVax has been contacted by multiple people in Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, ... more »
Thai navy launches new submarine squadron
[image: U206 class SSK]The Royal Thai Navy's Submarine Squadron will be officially unveiled today in a move that underscores the navy's push to have submarines added to the naval fleet. The squadron and training centre will be opened by navy chief ADM Narong Pipattanasai at the Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri province, the unit said on its Facebook page. The unit commanded by Panu Punyavirocha is equipped with everything including a German-made submarine simulator except one thing: Real submarines. Read more
Defence pact to lead way for joint submarine venture
[image: Soryu class SSK]A historic deal for unprecedented defence co-operation between Australia and Japan to be signed this week by prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Tony Abbott creates the possibility of the two nations jointly building a fleet of hi-tech submarines. The co-ordinated push for closer defence ties by the two leaders has dramatically increased the likely levels of co-operation on what will be Australia’s biggest ever defence project. Mr Abe flies to Australia today for a visit that will seal a much closer economic and defence relationship between the two nations. Read ... more »
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*Lame, lame, lame* *There's some lame stuff written about global warming but the nonsense below takes the cake. Hair colour is determined by your genes, not by the temperature. The only way the frequency of a particular gene can be reduced in nature is for that gene to be selected against in mating. And why a slight increase in temperature would make redheads less desirable in bed is not explained* Global warming could lead to the extinction of Scotland's redheads, expects have claimed. Experts believe that Scotland’s gloomy climate has led to a red hair emerging as a genetic ... more »
Ute Frevert - The Honour Game: Male Pride and Female Humiliation in Europe's 1914 July Crisis
*Wikipedia:* Ute Frevert (born 10 June 1954 in Schötmar, Bad Salzuflen, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German historian. She is a specialist in modern and contemporary Germany, with an interest in social and gender history. She currently serves as the executive director of the Center for the History of Emotions at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. From 2003-2007 she was professor of German history at Yale University. *Video Title: Ute Frevert. Source: Fritt Ord. Date Published: November 24, 2013. Description:* 'The Honour Game. Male Pride and Female Humiliation in... more »
Alan Waldman : Brit TV critics call ‘Line of Duty’ the best cop show ever, and for good reason
The BBC’s riveting, best-performing drama in a decade, starring Lennie James, is an intelligent, surprising look at police corruption. By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | July 6, 2014 [In his weekly column, Alan Waldman reviews some of his … finish reading Alan Waldman : Brit TV critics call ‘Line of Duty’ the best cop show ever, and for good reason
You Not Wanting To Be Known For Something That You Have Done, Is Not The Same Thing As You Not Having Done It
Rachel Maddow does not play requests. "We will not," she explained, "stop reporting on the political actions, and the consequences of the political actions, of rich and powerful men, even if they send angry letters every time we do it." If you've read much of Thomas Frank's work, you probably have a good idea he's in the same boat. Frank's *Salon* article this morning, about the deal with the Devil business Republicans made with the racists and crackpots, will probably generate a lot of the same kind of angry letters the Koch brothers sent Maddow. If there was one thing worth rea... more »
Bill Hayton at RSIS on the Paracels
*Baby Golden Orb Spiders, newly hatched, struggle to get out into the world.* Bill Hayton (author of The South China Sea: the struggle for power in Asia) published a great commentary on the South China Sea and the Paracels at RSIS. Reproduced in its entirety with permission from the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). Click on Read More to read more! *++++++++* No. 126/2014 dated 3 July 2014 *The Paracels:* *Historical Evidence Must be Examined* *By Bill Hayton* *Synopsis* Advocates of the Chinese territorial claim to the islands of the South China Sea frequentl... more »
Performing the Taiwan Identity
*A bike path near Dahu in Miaoli.* My friend Mark Roche, who is one of the most knowledgeable and active foreigners on cycling, camping, and hiking on Taiwan, was observing on Facebook that it was difficult for him to get information on the upcoming Sun Moon Lake swim. This Sunday event, a single day, consists of a swim across the lake which now has 27,000 participants and surges in growth every year. What used to be a fun athletic event is now an exercise in mass stupidity. The obvious solution to the burgeoning population of swimmers is to conduct multiple swims over a month or s...more »
Which would you rather do?
If you’re a racing driver, you could either drive 500 miles in a circle … or flat out around the Isle of Man. Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Iraqi writer Abu Firas attacks Saudi Arabia & Qatar on Al Jazeera (English Subs)
*Bow to this? Shame on you Obama, you piece of shit.* Iraqi writer Abu Firas attacks Saudi Arabia & Qatar on Al Jazeera (English Subs). Source: MMEMonitorMideast. Date Published: June 20, 2014. An Iraqi writer by the name of Abu Firas was a guest at Aljazeera's "The Opposite Direction" on June 18, 2014 where he took every chance to attack Saudi Arabia, Qatar's Emir and prominent religious clerics Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Ibn Baz in those countries. Abu Firas returned to Iraq, where he received a hero's welcome. Death to Saudi Arabia. Death to Qatar.
federal court again rules in favour of health care and basic decency, against radical harper agenda
A few days ago, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that the Harper Government's denial of health care to refugee claimants from certain countries is unconstitutional and cannot stand. In a surprisingly strongly worded statement Friday, the federal court ruled Ottawa’s cutbacks to health-care coverage for refugee claimants are unconstitutional because they constitute “cruel and unusual” treatment. The decision was quickly lauded by many, including the Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers and Justice for Children and Youth — groups that, along ... more »
Mike's Story Part 70 - Spin-Off
By Jenna Orkin The phone rang. After going through the usual niceties, Mike said,* "Listen to this:" * * He donned an orotund Russian accent.* * "Dear George Bush and Dick Cheney:" * *The letter continued, a fantasy - grounded in reality, as good satire must be - of the message the Russians were sending the U.S. with their latest signing of a cease-fire agreement with Georgia even as they set forest fires to prevent the installation of concealed troops and weapons, and bombed bridges between their former satellite and Europe. * * "I'm writing well, huh?"* * He was on a...more »
IMPORTANT CURRENT UKRAINE ANALYSIS
Disillusionment with the actions of Ukraine's military has reached the country's parliament. The National Guard says it will search for those who refuse to lay down arms in the retaken cities - and "question them". Mark Sleboda, who's an International affairs lecturer at Moscow State University, says that locals see the army as the opposite of liberators.
Obama's Accomplishments
*By Isaiah Earhart* There is a common perception that the Obama Administration, and Obama himself, have not achieved the goals set by Democratic Party leadership. It is commonly communicated that the Obama Promises of hope and change are thwarted by a recalcitrant Republican Party, or that Obama’s willingness to negotiate with Republicans is cynically and brilliantly exploited by the mean and nasty conservatives. Other threads of thought among ‘liberal’ reasoning for the failure of deliverable change relies on the assessment of Obama’s personality, dismissing his uselessness in car... more »
"Final notice"? "Last chance"? Worried about the FBI and Interpol raids your DVDs have been warning you about? What about the Twitter Cops?
*"These Phone Cops play hardball!" exclaimed Dr. Johnny Fever, who knew what there was to fear from those hordes of (gasp) Phone Cops. Who's to say the Phone Cops of the '70s and '80s haven't been given way to Twitter Cops?* *by Ken* For some reason I didn't just delete an e-mail I got the other day, instructing me, *by name*: "Complete your Twitter profile today!" It was that exclamation point that got me -- an exclamation point, it should be noted, that wasn't present on the inside of the e-mail. Without the exclamation point, it's much easier to read as a mere exhortation, or a... more »
And Now for Something Completely Different:
*As **Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott heads to the Northern Territory to live in an aboriginal community for a week* *, honouring an election promise to gain “a better understanding of the needs of people living and working in those areas” by spending one week every year living amongst them, our guest correspondent from Australia, Suzuki Samurai, offers his own thoughts on the aboriginal culture, and its problems. Complete with strong views, and even stronger language …* And Now for Something Completely Different I've been putting off writing my thoughts on this subject for s... more »
Ray McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years and served as chief of CIA's Soviet Foreign Policy Branch as well as preparer/briefer of the Presidents Daily Brief. If he were still in that position, President Obama would instruct him not to tell him any facts that disagree with the fictitious story that he wishes the public to buy.
------------------------------ The Risk of a Ukraine BloodbathJuly 2, 2014 *Exclusive:* Pressured by neocons and the mainstream U.S. media, the Obama administration is charting a dangerous course by seeking a military solution to Ukraine’s political crisis and possibly provoking Moscow to intervene to protect ethnic Russians, ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern warns. By Ray McGovern Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko – by thumbing his nose at the leaders of Russia, Germany and France as they repeatedly appealed to him to renew the fragile ceasefire in eastern Ukraine – has left hi... more »
Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War - Max Hastings
Title: Catastrophe: Max Hastings. Source: Charleston Trust. Date Published: May 30, 2014. Description: Catastrophe, Max Hastings' narrative of WW1 to the end of 1914, combines the grasp of a first class historian with a novelist's acute eye for human detail. His blend of vivid top-down and bottom-up testimonies, from a host of witnesses, linger in the imagination. Told with his customary pace, sense of landscape, battlefield knowledge and character portraits, Catastrophe tells the story of how Europe embarked on the first of the 20th century's global tragedies. Max Hastings is th... more »
Iraq Sunni Mufti: ISIS and Al Qaeda Slaughtered 300 Sunni Clerics (English Subtitles)
Video Title: Iraq Sunni Mufti: ISIS and Al Qaeda Slaughtered 300 Sunni Clerics (English Subtitles). Source: MMEMonitorMideast. Date Published: July 2, 2014. Description: Iraqi Sunni cleric Khaled al-Mulla on Al-Mayadeen TV expressed his concern over Salafists of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, stating that they had slaughtered over 300 Sunni clerics in Iraq. Like us: www.facebook.com/monitormideast Subscribe to us: http://www.youtube.com/user/MMEMonito... Follow us: http://www.twitter.com/MonitorMideast Read us: http://www.monitormideast.com Translation: The CIA, MI6, Mossad, NATO, and Saudi Arab... more »
(Collapse of Legitimacy: True Both-Siderism?) Is It Really In OUR Interest To Have Both Major Parties Agree on All Major Issues (Even If This Is Never Admitted)? US United To Police the World (We're All Druids Now)
Philip Giraldi, ex-CIA agent, contributing editor to The American Conservative and executive director of the Council for the National Interest, gives us a few hints at how the system really works (in spite of his unspoken larger mission). Whatever that mission is, it's definitely agreed to by those who pay him and allow him the latitude to publish about almost any issue. And not always on the
Betrayal at Slavyansk- Pro separatists cheer their militia
Interesting article- Was Slavyansk really a military win for Kiev? Could it have been a war lord (Oligarch) buy out? Or a complete coercion on the part of the fascists in Kiev? *Highlighting the interesting bits-* DONETSK, Ukraine >> Driven out of their key stronghold in eastern Ukraine, pro-Russia separatists regrouped Sunday in the city of Donetsk, vowing to renew their fight against the government in Kiev before thousands of cheering supporters at a rally. Ukrainian troops on Saturday forced the rebels out of Slovyansk, a city of about 100,000 that had been the center of the fight...more »
Syrian NATO backed 'oppositon" to "select new leader"
*A choice that is always limited to Western intelligence linked stooge #1 or Western stooge #2, # 3 or perhaps # 4?* *So, the latest stooge in the running...... * The Syrian National Coalition will pick a replacement for its current president, Ahmad al-Jarba, in a vote expected on Tuesday.* The top candidate for the job is senior coalition members are Hadi Bahra and Muwaffaq Nairabiyeh,* who belong to Jarba’s Democratic bloc. Spokeswoman Sarah Karkour said that by Sunday evening, there hadn’t been an agreement on a candidate, although* members were coalescing around Bahra. * *Took... more »
Disaster Putin Posin'
"Honey, that Harper boy is at again with his Putin Posin'." "Let me be clear, I'm really a pilot. Why do you ask?" Vlad, smiling for the camera in his Bear near Canada as Stephen snaps his photo from his prime ministerial CF-18. (I wonder if they trade pics?) Word: It's not even a disaster in Manitoba, and may not be. There've been no evacuations yet in Manitoba's annual flood (seriously,
Prosperity On The Edge: Sir Edward Grey and the Crisis of July 1914 - Vernon Bogdanor
*Wikipedia:* Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, (25 April 1862 – 7 September 1933), better known as Sir Edward Grey, Bt, was a British Liberal statesman. He served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office. He is probably best remembered for his remark at the outbreak of the First World War: "The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our time". Ennobled as Viscount Grey of Fallodon in 1916, he was Ambassador to the United States between 1919 and 1920 and Leader of the Liberal Part... more »
Libya Updates ( July 6 , 2014 ) Political , security , business items of note !
Libya Herald.... Sawan demands government state position on Hafter and Operation Dignity *By Libya Herald staff.* [image: Mohamed Sawan] Mohamed Sawan *Tripoli, 5 July 2014*: Mohamed Sawan, the leader of the Justice and Construction Party, has said that the government must make clear where its stands on Operation Dignity, being conducted by forces in Benghazi under the control of General Khalifa Hafter. On Thursday evening, following a meeting with party leaders, Sarwan issued a statement condemning what he described as the government’s silence on the operation. “It has to make it cle... more »
Third Way Has A Sure-Fire Way To Lose In November
Zach Goldfarb celebrated the 4th of July with a column for the *Washington Post* informing us that the moneymen behind the New Dems, Blue Dogs and Third Way-- i.e., the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- have had enough of all this income gap and economic inequality palaver. JUST STOP! And he seems to have some kind of measurement to be able to claim that Obama has. "After making fighting income inequality an early focus of his second term," he wrote, "President Obama has largely abandoned talk of the subject this election year in a move that highlights the emerging debate ... more »
Why Won't Ed Balls Renationalise the Rail?
If you were to glance at this headline, you might think Labour is tearing itself apart over rail renationalisation. It isn't, but that the bulk of members and supporters think the rail should be taken back into public ownership reflects its popularity in the wider population. Pretty consistently, over half of the electorate would like to see this happen, with just 20% content with the current set up. Apart from Tories who are evenly pro- and anti-, voters for Labour, the LibDems, and UKIP notch up big majorities in favour. Labour are the natural go-to for renationalisation. It's t... more »
Ukraine...
Ukraine hasn't made much in the news lately. I think it once it became clear that Putin wasn't likely to invade beyond Crimea and the pro-Russian rebels appeared to have consolidated their gains in the east, the press lost interest outside of the odd report. It's back in the news a bit now with the pro-Russians retreating in the face of the Ukrainian military's assault. It's hard to retake a city
NSA Collecting Far More Info on Non-Targets per WAPO Story
According to a new story based on documents obtained by former government contractor turned NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden there are vastly more innocent victims of mass surveillance than acknowledged. The story broken by The Washington Post and written by Pulitzer Prize winner Barton Gellman along with Julie Tate and Ashkan Soltani reports that 90 percent of of those whose data was collected - at least according to this sample being analyzed- were *not* legitimate targets of the spying but rather they were innocent internet users both domestically and abroad. The sample is desc... more »
Shinzo Abe and the Three Magic Arrows
*Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in New Zealand this week. If there aren’t questions about his economic management, says Andy Sirkis in this guest post, there should be.* Despite claims to the contrary in the mass media, Japan’s economy is continuing to suffer mightily under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe is from a famous family and he’s a convincing talker, so he was able to bamboozle people into believing that he could make Japan prosper with his three arrows. These metaphorical arrows stand for “monetary stimulus,” “fiscal stimulus,” and “structural refo... more »
Oniste
John A Carroll shared Oniste Honoré Guay's album: Oniste. 5 mins · It's been one year now since Oniste Honoré Guay was operated in Colorado. [image: Thank you God] [image: Thank you God] [image: Thank you God] [image: Thank you God] [image: Thank you God] Oniste Honoré Guay added 10 new photos to the album Oniste — at Vernet, Les Cayes, Haiti. 😊😊😊😊😊Thank you God LikeLike · · Share - John A Carroll Oniste (July 2013). [image: John A Carroll's photo.] 1 min · Like - [image: John A Carroll]
Margaret Hodge
*Margaret Oppenheimer - J'accuse!* *Know Your Enemy.CAPE TOWN. Putin With De Beers Chairman Nicholas Oppenheimer.* *Diamonds aren't forever - but Children are.* Labour MP Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, said there had been a *"veil of secrecy"* over the establishment for far too long. *Quite right, luv - and you're right in the middle of it (in every sense).* Appearing on the Sky News Murnaghan programme, she added: *"Thank God it is coming out into the open. I think the really interesting thing about it is there has been a veil of secrecy over the es... more »
John Friend on By Yahweh's Design w/ Pastor Dan
I was a guest this morning on Pastor Dan's radio program *By Yahweh's Design*. We discussed my background and journey through the alternative media, Christian Identity, the Jews, and related subjects. You can download the entire interview *here*.
Iraq Updates July 4 , 2014 -- Ironic that as the US celebrates Independence from Britain today , we discourage the Kurd from achieving their own independent Kurdistan ? Latest items of note on Iraqi politics ( their principal factions absolutely no closer to forming a Government as Maliki refuses to leave , the Kurds and Sunnis seem determined to have their own independent territories ) .... US " mission sprint in Iraq on full display - Advisors only quickly morphed into combat troops to guard the US Embassy , now we see combat troops in Irbil ....... Status of civil war - Shi'a rounding up Sunnis in Baghdad , security forces killing " militants " across Iraq , Iraq wants F-16's it can't even fly , US scared to provide the jets because Maliki just might use them against political foes / Kurds - but we are okay with supplying thousand of Hellfire missiles ? What a masquerade !
Catharsis Ours - 1 day ago
Vineyard of the Saker..... 4th July Iraq SITREP by Mindfriedo "defendants will be safe in our hands; for as Imam Ali said, ‘If you have the ability to oppress people, then you should remember the power of god over you.’” ---Kurdish judge Ra'ouf Rashid Abdul-Raham who sentenced Saddam to death. 4th July: The Iraqi army has taken over the village of Awja, b
Ghost of Sunday Classics: It's a barely fathomable distance dramatically from the end of Act I to the end of Act II of Verdi's "Otello"
*Aa Act II ends, Otello (Jon Vickers, right) swears vengeance and Jago (Cornell MacNeil) swears his support (all with subtitles), one of the most thrilling and most appalling moments you'll encounter on a stage -- with James Levine conducting, at the Met in September 1978.* *by Ken* We've been dealing with the sisterly or at least cousinly kinship between Verdi's Luisa Miller and Desdemona, and in case it wasn't in obvious in last night's preview, this week we're back to Desdemona. In the preview we heard the very end of the conclusion of Act II of Verdi's *Otello*, the moor's oat... more »
Spanish Tech Company ( Let's Gowex ) Admits It Is A Fraud Following Short-Seller Report ....... And countless spanish shareholder voices suddenly go silent !
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-06/spanish-tech-company-admits-it-fraud-following-short-seller-report Spanish Tech Company Admits It Is A Fraud Following Short-Seller Report [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 07/06/2014 10:23 -0400 - Prison Time - Twitter - Twitter inShare2 There was a time when reports issued by short selling-focused research shops such as Muddy Waters would usually result in disparagement lawsuits by the targeted company (typically a reverse-merged Chinese fraudcap), seeking to shut said short-sellers and restore co...more »
Hillary: Snowden Should Return to USA for Trial
When it comes to repulsive characters of the type that are created by the failed American political system one of the worst of the dismal collection is Hillary Rodham Clinton. The former Secretary of State, US Senator and humiliated spouse of a philanderer in chief, Hillary has been a dominant and relentless performer in the political circus dating back to the waning days of the last century and after a failed run at the Democratic nomination in 2008 it was always a foregone conclusion that she would be running again. The Clintons are like genital herpes - they just won't go away.... more »
My Proposal For a New EU Commision
At least they would be tasty and soon gotten rid of.
EFFECTIVE MOTIVATION:
EFFECTIVE MOTIVATION:.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face
He's Not New and Improved
http://www.torontolife.com/ Rob Ford is a little thinner. But, in the interviews he did last week, you could be forgiven for thinking that rehab hasn't really had much effect. Jim Coyle writes in the *Toronto Star*: Experienced hands in recovery listen carefully for hints that newbies are harbouring old, self-destructive attitudes or aren't committed to new ways of living. There were lots of alarms in what Ford had to say before his team abruptly scrapped a planned series of one-on-ones with media outlets. To wha... more »
It's Sunday...
time for: *Reaganite's SUNDAY FUNNIES* * Best ever...*
Vietnamese landscape art - Phan Thu Trang - delightful palette and composition
Born in Hanoi, artist Phan Thu Trang paints decorative landscapes inspired by images of the city and Northern villages of Vietnam. In her colorful yet minimalistic paintings she works with limited colors and textures, focusing on only bare essentials to create each piece centered around billowing, pointillistic trees.
We condemn this murder
An open condemnation of the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir We unequivocally condemn the horrific murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir. It was unjustifiable under any circumstances. The killing was reprehensible and we hope that the criminals who did this sickening act are found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Israel is a country run by the rule of law. There are reports that Jews have been arrested for this crime. If a trial finds that Jews are indeed guilty of this unconscionable killing, our condemnation is redoubled. The idea that Jews could do such an act fills us with s...more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, July 6th, 2014
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Sunday, July 6th, 2014, and again time for my weekly rant.... I am giving everyone a "vacation alert" right now just as a warning that I will be taking a much needed vacation starting one week from today and will be basically MIA for about 12 days.... I am bringing one of my portable laptops with me, much to the chagrin of my family, and will do my damn best in trying to put out an occasional article, including my rants.... But it will be based on time available and when I actually feel like sitting down and writing them.... I have needed a vacation for quite s... more »
Extreme confusion
Did you see Michael Gove on the Andy Marr show? Yes of course you did. Before he was wheeled in, Norman Tebbit and Helena Kennedy took a look at the papers. A gentle disagreement over what is and isn’t acceptable with regard to Islam in the UK ensued. Norman was looking frail beside the larger-than-life Baroness Kennedy, who managed to introduce the commonly held but false equivalence when defending Sharia law in the UK by citing ‘Jewish law’ and metaphorically squashing Mr. Tebbit’s protests by sheer force of her comparatively overbearing personality. Michael Gove was introduced... more »
Iraq Updates ( July 6 , 2014 ) , including the political state of play and civil war updates .......Lead article to consider " ISIS Attack Planned In Amman " ----- While the US / Jordan / Turkey and other countries have voiced concerns over the ISIS campaign launched by the taking of Mosul , was the ISIS attack planned in Amman , Jordan ( with the full knowledge of the US , Israel , Jordan , Turkey and the Saudis ? And was the KDP in the know as well ? Was Chalabi sent to discourage Kurd support od ISIS - by Iran ? )
http://en.firatnews.com/news/news/ozgur-gundem-isis-attack-planned-in-amman.htm Özgür Gündem: ISIS attack planned in Amman ANF - ISTANBUL04.07.2014 12:48:04 It has emerged that the recent ISIS assault on Iraq was planned at a meeting in the Jordanian capital of Amman. According to the Özgür Gündem newspaper, the secret meeting was attended by the KDP and Ba'athists and took place with the knowledge of the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey on 1 June, 8 days before the attack on Mosul began. The article in Özgür Gündem has exposed the forces behind the Iraq plans of ISIS. Acco... more »
Ravitch Waves Goodbye to Common Core and Throws Kisses to Dennis and Randi
I read both of Diane Ravitch's books that she wrote after her conversion experience and subsequent surrender of her honored chair with the boys at Hoover/Koret/Fordham, and I kept looking to find out the real history of American corporate education reform, the one that Diane had ignored in every one of her books prior to her conversion. What I found in her newer books was more or less a watered down version of Jerry Bracey's scorching critique that he had been offering for many of those years that Ravitch had remained an avid and loyal fan of privatization, testing accountability, ... more »
Cryptozoology: The Megatherium Theory - Lobizón, Chupacabras and Cattle Mutilations
*Cryptozoology: The Megatherium Theory – Lobizón, Chupacabras and Cattle Mutilations* *By Luis Jorge Salinas* With the best intentions of providing clarification for these matters, and in the hope that these words reach the authorities and citizens of the countries of the Americas regarding something that all of us should understand calmly and rationally, in order that people may become aware and take protective measures especially at night, I extend this warning mainly to the young: do not endanger your lives trying to capture these unknown animals, as they generally go about in ... more »
Untitled
*New Orleans Saints move training camp to The Greenbrier ~Lyons Yellin* *Vargas: Burden of proof tackles Jimmy Graham, but payday could still be coming * *GoNOLA Find: Popp’s Fountain in City Park ~Mallory Whitfield * *After years of making Spirit Pole, New Mexico artist tries hand at hieroglyphics ~Leslie Renken, Journal Star*
Mississippi Senate Debacle-- Who Will Have The Last Laugh?
Right-wing populists-- who are sometimes referred to as teabaggers-- have pretty much taken over the Republican social policy agenda. But have been largely unable to beat Chamber of Commerce Republicans in primaries this year, the way they did manage to do in 2010 and 2012 by replacing longtime Senate incumbents like Bob Bennett (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Dick Lugar (R-IN) and beating Establishment candidates in Delaware (Mike Castle), Florida (Charlie Crist), Nevada (Sue Lowden), Colorado (Jane Norton), Texas (David Dewhurst) and Kentucky (Trey Grayson). Although the Tea... more »
Untitled
*LA Schools Realize Giving Every Kid an iPad Was a Costly Disaster, Will Give Every Kid a Laptop Instead* The Los Angeles Unified School District's plan to give every child an iPad—at a cost of $1 billion to taxpayers—drew universal criticism after numerous problems arose. For one thing, when the devices were broken, lost, or stolen, it wasn't clear whether parents, the schools, or the kids themselves were responsible. Tech-savy students easily broke through the firewalls administrators had installed to keep them from using the devices to visit social media websites. This prompted ... more »
Some ACA Readings
1. Kate Ho and Ariel Pakes 2. Chuck Blahaus 3. James Capretta
Sunday Morning Comin' Down.
Well, if two or three of *my* sacred cows haven't been tipped, of late. Since Friday. CNN. Bourdain. Who'd have thought I'd benefit from it? Me, of all people? Not being either a foodie (I like to eat, though), or well-travelled (been a few special places); I never thought I would learn much from that type of programme. (I have CNN for mid-terms, storms, and Presidential elections.) I've been re-thinking my ill-considered opinions on gun-carrying civillians. Never occured to me that I may need to do just that someday. Someday is today. Everyday in fact, I just realized.... more »
SMASHED PRESS
RT reports: A crowd of around 50 masked men with stones and flares has attacked and vandalized the office of Kiev's Vesti newspaper. The paper’s security guard was beaten as the mob shattered the windows and filled the building with tear gas. Ever since the beginning of Ukrainian crisis media in the country been facing pressure to paint a “consistent” image of events. Soon after the February coup, the head of Ukraine’s National TV was abused and forced to resign over his *“not patriotic enough”* angle. In the meantime, all Russian TV channels were banned and many journalists prev... more »
Roy Cohn
*HIV is not the cause of AIDS.* *(Or Karposi Sarcoma)* *LIFE MAGAZINE* THE SNARLING DEATH OF ROY M. COHN Elevated by Joe McCarthy, felled by AIDS, he went with no regrets March 1988 By Nicholas von Hoffman *207S-004-03A * *Four months before the end, a haggard Cohn posed willingly, just as he’d sought the spotlight with McCarthy 35 years earlier.* A the time of his death on August 2, 1986, Roy Cohn was 59 and a generation had come to adulthood knowing of no senator named Joe McCarthy. But people born in the 1940s or earlier remember Cohn and his master performing on televi... more »
Brutally hot day on the Miaoli 124
Today Drew of Taiwan in Cycles and I rode up the 3 through Miaoli and climbed the 124, then rolled down to Nanzhuang and followed the river to Zhunan where we hopped a train for home. With temps soaring near 100, and probably well over that in the heated areas on the road, the moderately difficult climb up the 124 became a brutal battle against the heat. Still, it was a gorgeous ride. Click on read more to read more! *Route Notes*: You pick up the 124 in Shitan town, just north of the big Family Mart where the road into Shitan splits from the 3. Pay attention! It's the second big r... more »
Sacha Stone - New Earth Project - zero point economics or just another bunch of Overlords?
here at Free Planet, you'll have noticed the editorial stance is something along the lines of ALL CITIES MUST DIE, and all funding of THE EMPIRE (that's the patent-protected for-profit war-world economy) must be stopped. You get that (so far) right? But it's also about who we are, as a race of Advanced Fore-brainers. And what we do to show THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE that we deserve to remain Custodians of this Free Planet (and any God would tell you that you shouldn't be a debt/wage-slave, but that's by the by) and then that we deserve to share in the wonders of multi-dimensional trav... more »
New Blogs June/July 2014
Want some new(ish) blogs? Of course you do. 1. A Liberal Life (Unaligned/anti-UKIP) 2. Dream Deferred (Unaligned/anti-fascist) (Twitter) 3. Feminists Unknown (Unaligned/feminist) 4. Gender Minefield (Unaligned/feminist) (Twitter) 5. Labour Central Devon (Labour) (Twitter) 6. New Narratives (Unaligned/feminist/trans) 7. Novara Wire (Unaligned) (Twitter) 8. The X-Ray Factor (Unaligned/health) (Twitter) 9. Twickenham Labour Party (Labour) (Twitter) 10. Vixens With Convictions (Unaligned) (Twitter) 11. Young Fabians (Labour) (Twitter) That's your lot for this month's round up. If you know of ... more »
The open source revolution is coming and it will conquer the 1% - says ex CIA spy
A businessman tries to break through a line of Occupy Wall Street protesters who had blocked access to the New York Stock Exchange area in November 2011. Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images *Open Source is a powerful concept, its given us Wikipedia and the computer operating system Linux. Its not without flaws however. In my discussions with Caleb, we discussed how frequently open source software encryption and networking software has been compromised by intelligence agencies because while the source code can be inspected by anyone, in truth it often isn't, because that takes con... more »
Iran pilot killed fighting in Iraq
[image: Iraqi Su-25 Frogfoot]An Iranian pilot has been killed while fighting in Iraq, state media reported Saturday, in what is thought to be Tehran’s first military casualty during battles against Islamic State fighters. Iran’s official IRNA news agency did not say whether the pilot died while flying sorties or fighting on the ground. It said Col. Shoja’at Alamdari Mourjani was killed while “defending” Shiite holy sites in the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad. Read more
Iraq lacks ability to fly F-16s it seeks, US trainer says
[image: Iraqi F-16 Fighting Falcon]Despite complaints by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that the United States has been slow in its delivery of F-16 fighter jets, no Iraqi pilot team has qualified to fly the aircraft in combat and none will be ready before mid-August, according to an official at the U.S.-based program where the pilots are being trained. That problem is one of many the Obama administration is confronting as it tries to speed more equipment to the Iraqi air force to help it defeat the Islamic insurgency engulfing the country. There are also challenges in providing or... more »
Untitled
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned South Korea not to test his patience in the Yellow Sea, saying it might be made to "regret bitterly" its threatening actions near the two Koreas' de facto maritime boundary, Pyongyang's official media reported Saturday. Kim, who heads the National Defense Commission and commands the Korean People's Army, made the remarks as he "guided" a landing drill on a simulated enemy-held island involving ground, naval, air and anti-air forces, the Korean Central News Agency said. In the report, which did not specify when the drill took place, Kim was... more »
Ramadan problem
I don’t have a Twitter account. I’ve been told I should, but I already spend more than enough time making my arse fat with the blogging. I know you can Tweet whilst doing other things, say, jogging, playing tennis or tightrope walking but I like to concentrate on one thing at a time, monogamously. Anyway, to a stick in the mud like me “going viral” sounds alien and “trending” sounds transient and here-today-gone-tomorrow, and not in a good way. So I don’t warm to the concept of the BBC having a whole ‘Trending’ department, with web pages and broadcasts. It sounds as though it’s m... more »
The F-35 Strike Fighter. Technical Failures of the World’s Most Expensive Weapons System
[image: F-35 Engine Fire]Troubles never seem to end for the F-35 Strike Fighter. Not yet fully operational, the nuclear-capable fighter-bomber recently had different test versions either leak oil in flight or burst into flames on takeoff. The F-35 is the world’s most expensive weapons system – $400 billion and counting. The estimated lifetime cost of this military-industrial project is $1.5 trillion. The F-35 is already close to a decade behind schedule and its cost is already more than twice the original estimate. The Pentagon has lowered its performance specs and it’s still year... more »
Overhauling an aircraft carrier: a complex challenge
[image: USS Abraham Lincoln]When Edward Shields joined the Navy 10 months ago, the recruiter didn't mention jackhammer duty. But last week, the young Navy airman stood aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, bending his 6-foot-5-inch frame in a cramped passageway, blasting apart floor tiles and making a great deal of noise while doing it. He is part of a 35-sailor team that has pulverized 372,000 square feet of tile since the Lincoln arrived at Newport News Shipbuilding last March. These sailors normally work on the carrier flight deck. They launch, recover and refuel jet a... more »
China's torpedoes were born from Russia: Russian analyst
[image: Yu-6 heavyweight torpedo]Chinese torpedoes are mostly designed based on components introduced from Russia, according to a report written for the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies as cited in the state run Global Times. According to Russian analyst Maksim Klimov, the Soviet Union began to provide torpedoes to its allies — including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Syria, North Korea and members of Warsaw Pact — in the 1950s. Even though the exact number still remains unclear, they were mostly 533mm Type 53-59 torpedoes. Beginning in the 1960s, India and ... more »
Strauss sorry for Pietersen remark - BBC Sport
Does anybody know what Strauss actually said about Kevin Pietersen? http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/28179086
Gay weddings, UK Muslims going to Syria, WWI, problems for the Catholic Church, Ramadan, the living wage and calls to scrap Christian assemblies in schools
This week's *Sunday *dwelt on many familiar themes - as you can see from the title of this post. First was an interview with Rev Roberta Rominger, former general secretary of the United Reform Church, which looks set to become the first mainstream church to allow gay weddings to be carried out in their churches. Rev Roberta supports the idea. William Crawley asked her if she hoped such a move would encourage other mainstream churches to follow their example. Then it was onto the story of the 100+ imams and their open letter urging British Muslims not to travel to Iraq or Syria to...more »
Free Online Grow Your Own Food Conference - July 7 to 14, 2014
[image: Foto: START THE FOOD REVOLUTION...IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD: http://tinyurl.com/lgypypp 34 reasons why growing your own food can save you…and the world! What one thing can you start TODAY that will change the world tomorrow? Grow your own food! It’s good for you, your family and your community. Learn every step you need to get started at the GROW YOUR OWN FOOD SUMMIT, ONLINE & FREE from July 7-14. REGISTER HERE: http://tinyurl.com/lgypypp The health of the world depends on growing our own food. Didn’t know this, did ya? It reduces toxicity, transportation and pollution, and gives... more »
What is the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP)?
*Published on July 2, 2014* The Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership is a trade deal between the EU and the US - and is anything but harmless. The deal boosts corporate power and endangers people and the planet. This video, made by international campaigning organisation Attac, sets out the problems with the deal in a really clear, informative way. *For More Information:* *http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2014/05/...** ,* *http://www.attac.org/en/node/16244* .
Tomorrow begins a multi-part series from #DougCo Colorado. #talkchalk #CrazyinCO
Here’s the listing for tomorrow’s show at 6PM EST: SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! @the chalk face radio presents “Crazy in Colorado.” We begin a series of Sunday shows devoted to the Rocky Mountain state’s embrace of the failed reform movement and also talking to those marginalized voices that have and are fighting back and suffering tremendous casualties. Joins us at 6 […]
Mickey Gilley: Stand By Me...
*I remember Gilley's Club in Pasadena very well.* Fun times... *Word is Mickey is planning on reopening in Pasadena*
Don't Count On Seeing Poor Ole Bob Barr Back In Congress
Phil Gingrey represents Georgia's 11th congressional district, mostly Atlanta suburbs in Cobb, Bartow, Fulton and Cherokee counties. It includes all of Marietta, the east side of Smyrna, and part of Atlanta's upscale/uptown Buckhead neighborhood (the Beverly Hills of the South). The PVI is R+19 and the only part of the district even remotely competitive for Democrats-- and only remotely-- is the Cobb County section. The current congressman is far right extremist-- and crackpot-- Phil Gingrey and he won reelection last cycle 196,968 (68.6%) to 90,353 (31.4%), beating his unknown... more »
Corporate Conflation? ...More Like Corporations Confiscating Commoner`s Few Remaining Coins
*Written **by Mark Taliano* *The modern-day conflation of corporate and public interests forms the bedrock of what is likely the most dangerous ideology to afflict humanity.* Domestically, it creates a "predator" economic system which disembowels the public domain by creating “new” markets which unnecessarily imperil the public’s health, safety, freedom, and material well-being. Internationally, it manifests itself as corporate-driven imperial conquest which divides and ruins target countries as it destabilizes political economies globally. Corporate profit is the fo... more »
Welcome Ducklings!
Our periodic rotation of guest bloggers is underway. This season’s newcomers: 1) Jarrod Hayes is Assistant Professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and is the author of Constructing National Security: US Relations With India and China. You may have seen his IO article on securitization, and his guest posts on nuclear policy, Crimea, the Arab Continue reading
Ukraine Updates ( July 5 , 2014 ) -- What is the deeper meaning of Russia and Putin retreat in South Est ukraine ( several excellent articles from Vineyard of the Saker , including - The Fall of Slaviansk, its meaning and implications ) ..... Pro-Russian Rebels Flee Slavyansk After "Massive Shelling", Demand Putin's Help To Avoid "Genocide"
Moon Of Alabama..... July 06, 2014 Ukraine: Retreat From Slaviansk Far From End Game The Saker is somewhat depressed that the insurgents in east Ukraine retreated from Slaviansk. But that retreat was in good order and with few losses despite being surrounded by enemy forces. As their commander Strelkov explains there was no way Slaviansk could be defended against superior artillery and air superiority with little means to counter those. Strelkov is now setting up defenses in Donetsk which is a much bigger city with more resources and likely easier to defend. As the Ukrainian army and... more »
Ghost of Sunday Classics preview: " 'Tis a dark hydra, malignant, blind"
*by Ken* We tried something a few weeks back, listening just to a tiny bit of music, which turned out to be the brief orchestral prelude to Act IV of Verdi's *Otello*, with the (hopefully) suggestive question of what mood or moods it suggested ("How would you describe the atmosphere? Austere? Melancholy? Solitary? Foreboding?"). I have no idea whether that served any purpose, except maybe to me, but is that any reason not to try it again? Tonight we have *two* brief orchestral excerpts, and we start with a very brief one, which I don't think one has to be a wizard to intuit is t... more »
The best darned explanation of our Bill of Rights, aka The First Ten Amendments to the Constitution, why our Founding Fathers wrote them in such great detail (to prevent our government from ever again taking our freedom), and how the current "powers that be" have essentially by nulified every one of them (so as to enslave us).
------------------------------ Commentary ------------------------------ 238 Years Later, Would Americans Still Choose Freedom Over Slavery?July 01, 2014 “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”—Patrick Henry Imagine living in a country where armed soldiers crash through doors to arrest and imprison citizens merely for criticizing government officials. Imagine that in this very same country, you’re watched all the time, and if you look even a... more »
Sex differences in the structural connectome of the human brain
Sex differences in the structural connectome of the human brain Ingalhalikar et al *PNAS* ; published ahead of print December 2, 2013 Sex differences in human behavior show adaptive complementarity: Males have better motor and spatial abilities, whereas females have superior memory and social cognition skills. Studies also show sex differences in human brains but do not explain this complementarity. In this work, we modeled the structural connectome using diffusion tensor imaging in a sample of 949 youths (aged 8–22 y, 428 males and 521 females) and discovered unique sex differences... more »
Updates On Iraq [7.5]: Need For Jihad - Washington's Half-Hearted Pursuit of Islamic State In Iraq; Washington's Man In Syria Is A Lying Rat; So-Called Caliph Underperforms In First Public Appearance
*The CIA and Jihadist terrorists: a generational partnership.* *1.* An excerpt from, *"YPG Commander: Kurds in Syria ‘Deserve’ US Support"* by Mutlu Civirogly, Rudaw, July 3, 2014: To understand the latest attacks by ISIS in Iraq, you have to understand the background as well. ISIS was shaped by some powers about a year and a half ago to carry out their plans in Syria. ISIS isn’t a random Al-Qaeda organization. We have intelligence on them. *There are documents that we acquired. There are also the statements taken from members we captured. When we put all these pieces together, we ... more »
No Iraq invasion unless US homeland threatened? A bit to telling?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/3/pentagon-no-iraq-invasion-unless-us-homeland-is-th/ Original url above. However... the story title changed to -Pentagon draws red line on Iraqi attack Why? Did it make the false flag potential to obvious? We know the US and friends have been looking for any excuse to launch attacks on Syria, perhaps Iraq, and maybe Israel will finally go for a strike on Iran? Lots of scenarios to entertain. Relevant paragraph *The Defense Department’s top uniformed official said the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which has seized vast territory o... more »
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