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| English: Sen. Chuck Hagel takes time for an interview during his visit to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 18. Hagel spent the day meeting and greeting servicemembers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Chet Raymo, “Things In Themselves, Myself Being Myself”
*“Things In Themselves, Myself Being Myself”*
by Chet Raymo
“One of the consistent themes of this blog has been the search for "the
thing itself," that is, a knowledge of reality that is not mediated by
accidents of history, culture, religion, politics, or personal foibles and
prejudices. Impossible, of course. We are always to some extent prisoners
of our limited perceptual apparatus and the hard and soft wiring of our
brains. Nevertheless, "the thing itself" remains the elusive Holy Grail of
human knowing.
Science is the most effective instrument we have yet devised to minimize
... more »
"1,700 Foot Tidal Wave? 'Son, it's time to pray...'"
*"1,700 Foot Tidal Wave? 'Son, it's time to pray...'" *
by Casey Kazan
"On the night of July 7th, 1958, the world’s largest wave in recorded
history engorged Alaska's Lituya bay, located about 250 miles west of
Juneau in the Gulf of Alaska. It was 1,700 feet, or 520 meters- almost
twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. The tsunami was triggered by a
magnitude 8.3 earthquake, which caused an enormous landslide along the
Fairweather Fault. The resulting crash of rock into water caused the
largest wall of water in human history. The deadly wave hurtled at jet
speeds and wiped out everyt... more »
"The Grandeur Of Thought..."
"Surely there is grandeur in knowing that in the realm of thought, at
least, you are without a chain; that you have the right to explore all
heights and depth; that there are no walls nor fences, nor prohibited
places, nor sacred corners in all the vast expanse of thought."
- Robert Green Ingersoll
"As Far As We Can Go..."
“The development of our cerebral cortex has been the greatest achievement
of the evolutionary processes. Big deal. While allowing us the thrills of
intellect or the pangs of self-consciousness, it is all too often overruled
by our inner, instinctive brain - the one that tells us to react, not
reflect, to run, rather than ruminate. Maybe we have gone as far as we can
go and the next advance, whatever that may be - will be made by beings we
create ourselves, using our own technology. Life forms we can design and
program not to be ultimately governed and constricted by the rules of
sur... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Incline Village, Nevada, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Should The U.S. Deploy Combat Troops To Iraq?
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right,
and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel testify on U.S. policy regarding the
threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known as ISIL, before
the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, 2014.
DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton
*Should The U.S. Deploy Ground Troops in Iraq? -- Rachel Brody, US News and
World Report*
Obama's top military adviser said he'd consider sending combat troops to
fight the Islamic State group.
U.S. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Join... more »
Rip-off News round-up. Our pick of the last week's media (Thu 18th Sept)
G4S, Serco: Cancelling
“guaranteed profits” probation contracts could cost taxpayers £300m-£400m
Taxpayers will face a £300m-£400m penalty if controversial
probation privatisation contracts are cancelled after next May's general
election under an "unprecedented" clause that guarantees bidders
their expected profits over the 10-year life of the contract. Labour is already
committed to
"Defiance!"
"Action trumps depression. Confronted with a situation in which our
feelings of powerlessness are more than just feelings, we choose to fight
the odds, as an existential statement. We bellow our savage war cry in the
face of the Roman Legions. We swim against the tidal wave. We attack
Goliath with a slingshot, and throw stones at a Sherman tank, and ravage
ICBMs with our ball peen hammer. We actively reject the reality of our
helplessness; and as we assert defiance, we fan the embers of humanity
wherever they live within ourselves and our brothers and sisters."
- Josh Mitteldorf
•
... more »
"I Wonder..."
Well, I wonder about a lot of things, maybe you do too. Maybe it's just me,
too stupid to get the "big picture", but I wonder... I wonder why there are
48 million people living in poverty in this country, when a few have
millions, even billions of dollars, while children go hungry at night all
over this country. I wonder why there's millions of homeless, living in
tent camps, families sleeping in cars, under bridges and in alleys, 200,000
homeless veterans, while a few have $50 million walled estates. Who *NEEDS*
18 bedrooms?
I wonder- in horrified amazement- at the false flag op... more »
Kathleen Parker slices and dices "Nutso Mark" Sanford -- now if only she'd troubled to remember who this slug really is
*"Nutso Mark" Sanford -- why won't he just shut up?*
*by Ken*
As I occasionally note, sometimes it takes a right-winger to bag a
right-winger, and so today we invite *Washington Post* columnist Kathleen
Parker to comment on one of the nation's leading sociopathic scumbags,
fromer SC Gov. (and now Rep., and eternal Nutso) Mark Sanford.
Kathleen is especially touchy, in her column "Mark Sanford’s pathetic saga
with himself," about Nutso Mark on account of their shared South Carolina
heritage. She seems to feel some defense or maybe explanation is in order.
As a South Carolinian, it ... more »
President Obama Insists That There Will Be No Combat Ground Troops In Iraq
*Obama Insists: No U.S. Ground Combat Troops In Iraq -- USA Today*
President Obama doubled down Wednesday on an increasingly questioned
pledge: There will be no U.S. ground combat troops back in Iraq.
"I will not commit you, and the rest of our armed forces, to fighting
another ground war in Iraq," Obama told troops at the U.S. Central Command
in Tampa, Fla.
After a briefing with military leaders at CENTCOM, Obama said forces in
Iraq and Syria must fight ground battles against the Islamic State, a
jihadist group also known as ISIL and ISIS.
*Read more* ....
*More News On Preside... more »
"We Live, As We Dream..."
"Do you see him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems I am
trying to tell you a dream- making a vain attempt, because no relation of a
dream can convey the dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity,
surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of
being captured by the incredible which is the very essence of dreams... no,
it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any
given epoch of one's existence- that which makes its truth, its meaning-
its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream... more »
"Beginning With A Line From Neruda"
*"Beginning With A Line From Neruda"*
By Gary Corseri
"Puedo escribir versos mas tristes esta noche."
("Tonight I can write sadder verses.")
- Neruda
"Because the moon has disappeared from grief.
Because the children weep for their parents.
Because memories are whitewashed" and stolen.
Because words have lost their meaning.
Because I have lived through this before.
Because, I assure you, this does not end well.
Neither Nature nor Nurture can save us.
Because we have murdered Nature.
Because we are peasants in a land of thieves.
Because we are beyond consolation.
Because beauty is sold ... more »
Punching a Hole in the Sanctimonious Horseshit Over Redskins Nickname
Now that the Democrats are getting revved up in their War on the Redskins to
gin up outrage among their dwindling liberal base, a new editorial skewers
them by telling the truth. On Tuesday, Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington
State announced that she was sponsoring a bill that would extort the NFL by
stripping away its tax exempt status if the Washington franchise’s team
name was not changed. Not that this ever was an issue before the imminent
loss of the Senate in 2014, the Redskins have held that name ever since 1932 when
they were still in Boston. The newspaper of the Beltway,... more »
Economics for Real People: Great Myths of the (First) Great Depression
*[image: 276464_137539366339987_1226509_n]*
*Yes, the students are back, and they’re inviting you to tonight’s seminar
at the Auckland University Economics Group for some sense and sensibility …*
Several years on and, despite ourselves, we’re still mired in a slowdown
that has now lasted longer, any by some measures has been deeper, as the
original Great Depression.
Everyone knows about that first Great Depression—but is everything they
know correct?
There are multiple lessons from the Great Depression for the times we live
in now—if only we were in a position to draw them, and i... more »
U.S. Congress Approves Arming Syrian Rebels
The U.S. Capitol Building is pictured in Washington, February 27, 2013.
REUTERS/Jason Reed
*House Approves Arming Syrian Rebels To Fight Islamic State -- Wall Street
Journal*
*Amendment to Stopgap Spending Bill Passes With 273-156 Vote*
WASHINGTON—The House on Wednesday approved a measure to train and arm
Syrian rebels, in the first broad test of congressional sentiment about
President Barack Obama's plans to expand U.S. military engagement in the
Middle East.
The measure, which passed 273-156, was an amendment to a bill to fund the
government until Dec. 11. The House was expecte... more »
House Passes Bill To Arm Syrian Rebels Despite Evidence of ISIS Ties
Paul Lawrance
In a 273-156 vote on Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bill
which approved of President Barrack Obama’s $500 million plan to arm and
train Syrian rebel forces.
The bill is expected to pass the Senate when it arrives there on Thursday
to solidify the President's goal of dismantling the ISIS “threat.”
It must be assumed that Congress has their heads so far in the sand that
they missed the extensive reporting that has documented the ties between
ISIS and the so called “moderate” rebel forces that the Obama
administration is so hell bent on arming.
As Pa... more »
Rand Paul Tells John Kerry "What You Are Doing Now (in Syria) is Illegal and Unconstitutional!"
*YouTube*
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Chairman Gowdy's Opening Statement at First Benghazi Select Committee Hearing...
*absolutely excellent!*
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 17, 2014
*'Boots On The Ground' In Iraq: Are Obama And Pentagon Really At Odds? --
Brad Knickerbocker, CSM*
*President Obama and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin
Dempsey seem to be at odds over possible use of US ground troops in Iraq to
fight Islamic State militants. But this is just how civil-military
relations are supposed to work, says one analyst.*
There’s a long history of US presidents taking issue with their top
generals (and vice versa).
During the Civil War, President Lincoln asked of a foot-dragging Gen.
George B. McClellan, "If General McClellan does not want ... more »
The All-New, 100% Pure, Official 2014 Liberty-Lover’s Voting Guide
Every MMP election you have two votes, and two questions: to whom should I
give my party vote, and to whom should I give my electorate vote.
Well, three questions really, the this being: should I vote at all?
My default answer to this is always: don’t vote, it only encourages the
bastards.
My default position on voting has always been not to vote for bastards. To
vote only to vote for what I believe in. Voting *for* the lesser of two
evils still results in evil. And voting *against* a greater evil just
results in the folk you’re voting for ruling with the help of your blank
cheq... more »
Out with the Old: Gates Funded Social Engineering Health Effort in India
Heather Callaghan
Bill Gates is continuing "God's work" in India. By using the new affluence
of social networking to exhale the old affluence of social custom and
belief. Researchers applying the program are seeking to categorize people
and collect information on them about who they trust when it comes to
healthcare.
When it comes to forceful health initiatives, especially those sponsored by
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - India is the new Africa. Yet
another Gates-funded initiative seeks to use influence, ferret out true
believer health officials, leverage their influenc... more »
Deputy Tases Handcuffed Man Repeatedly: "You Wanna Do This The Hard Way???"
Dees Illustration Brandon Turbeville
In yet another example of brazen police brutality, a Richland County
Sherriff’s Deputy has been videotaped repeatedly tasing a handcuffed man.
The video also shows the deputy verbally rubbing it in to his victim that
he was being tased for not obeying the commands that were barked at him.
The scene is disturbing not only because of the fact that the Deputy uses
such physical and dangerous force on an unarmed and clearly subdued man but
also because of the officer’s crazed demeanor after the tasing took place.
The video, which lasts a little o... more »
Terrorist Felons For Selling Organic Food! The Story of Rawesome Foods
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We Are Change
Luke Rudkowski meets James Stewart, founder of the private food
co-operative Rawesome who was raided in 2010 and ultimately shut down in
2011 in Venice, CA for selling and trading raw dairy products that the FDA
did not approve of. James also discusses the abuse he suffered while in
jail after being arrested with multiple conspiracy charges for selling raw
food.
Visit WeAreChange.org
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Rep. Amash Says ISIS Mission Amendment Plainly Authorizes Regime Change in Syria
*Rep. Justin Amash*
What have we learned from the last decade of war?
Those years should have taught us that when going to war, our government
must:
(1) be careful when defining a military mission,
(2) speak forthrightly with the American people about the sacrifices they
will be called to make,
(3) plan more than one satisfactory end to the conflict, and
(4) be humble about what we think we know.
These lessons should be at the front of our minds when Congress votes today
on whether to arm groups in Syria.
Today’s amendment ostensibly is aimed at destroying ISIS—yet you’d hard... more »
World News Briefs -- September 17, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Scottish Independence: Mass Rallies Mark Referendum Climax -- BBC*
Both sides in the Scottish referendum campaign have held rallies as they
make their final efforts to win over undecided voters.
Independence supporters attended a mass event in the centre of Glasgow,
where they were urged to "vote 'Yes' for a prosperous Scotland".
At the same time, pro-UK campaigners gathered nearby to insist the case for
independence had not been made.
The latest polls have suggested the result is too close to call.
An Ipsos-MORI survey for broadcaster STV which was published on Wednesday
aftern... more »
The Economy: “SIPC Insurance Scam from Fraud Street- Professor Laurence Kotlikoff”
*“SIPC Insurance Scam from Fraud Street- *
*Professor Laurence Kotlikoff”*
by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.
“Renowned economics professor Laurence Kotlikoff says SIPC (Securities
Investor Protection Corporation) is an insurance scam from Fraud Street.
Dr. Kotlikoff contends, “If you look at the history of their response as
it’s been discovered, they (SIPC) have been fighting tooth and nail never
to pay a dollar. So, the situation is not that we don’t have any insurance
for your brokerage account, it’s far worse. There’s a Ponzi scheme
discovered every four days, according to a recent N... more »
DON'T LIKE ANY BRUTALITY
Comedian Russell Brand's brilliant demolition of the US-UK strategy to wage
more war to defeat ISIS, when it was endless US-UK wars that created ISIS
in the first place. A must-watch.
INDUSTRY PROMOTION OF 'MISSILE DEFENSE'
Here is a video giving a broad overview of the entire 'missile defense'
program. The music will drive you nuts but you can get a sense for what
the program is and how it is being promoted. Bottom line is the video says
the weapons industry needs more funding - surprise, surprise!
NEED HEALTH WORKERS BUT U.S. SENDS MILITARY
President Barack Obama is deploying nearly 3,000 military personnel to West
Africa to combat the spread of the Ebola virus. The potentially deadly
disease has so far claimed the lives of over 2,400 people, prompting world
leaders to pledge material support for the countries most affected. Some
are not pleased with the US’ response, however, saying that Africa needs
more doctors and not more soldiers. RT’s Ameera David discusses this with
Kambale Musavuli, a consultant with Thoughtworks.
Russian And Ukraine Currencies Have Collapsed In The Past Few Days
*Moscow Warns Against Panic As Ruble Plunges To Historic Lows -- AFP*
Moscow (AFP) - Russian authorities told people not to panic on Tuesday as
the battered ruble plunged to record lows, floored by tensions with the
West over Ukraine, new sanctions and falling oil prices.
The national currency fell to 38.82 rubles per dollar after weakening on
Monday to below 38 against the dollar for the first time.
It also broke through the symbolic level of 50 rubles per euro for the
first time in several months.
The ruble has slumped as investors fret about the impact of ever more
stringent W... more »
Untitled
From one of the world's greatest physicists, Richard Feynman of Caltech....
Satire: “Female G.O.P. Senators Propose Earning Seventy-one Per Cent As Much As Male Colleagues”
*“Female G.O.P. Senators Propose Earning *
*Seventy-one Per Cent As Much As Male Colleagues”*
by Andy Borowitz
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Two days after voting against the
Paycheck Fairness Act, a law that would help women to obtain equal pay, the
four female Republicans in the United States Senate co-sponsored a bill
that would slash their salaries to seventy-one per cent of what their male
colleagues earn.
The senators—Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Deb Fischer
(R-Neb.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)—said that the best way to take a
stand against big gove... more »
A Free Scotland in Our Lifetime
This says it all and it absolutely must happen against desperate banker and
British covert machinations. This 18th, resurrect the spirit of William
Wallace and honour all those who gave their lives in the struggle to make
Scotland free. I've wanted to see this for as long as I can remember and
the prospect has me absolutely over the moon. We must make this dream a
become a reality now!
Show your support here: http://www.yesscotland.net/
Ebola: the covert op of modern medicine
Jon.... I love you. 'Nuff said.
D
Ebola: the covert op of modern medicine
Sep13byJon Rappoport
Ebola: the covert op of modern medicine
by Jon Rappoport
September 13, 2014
NoMoreFakeNews.com
*“Tell them the biggest lie, yes. But they have to want the kind of lie
you’re telling. It has to give them equal parts fear and fascination.”* (Ellis
Medavoy, retired propaganda operative)
“Overwhelmed.” “Can’t contain.” “Rapid spread.” Crossed borders.” “Predicting
five million deaths.” “Too late to stop it.”
These and other familiar terms are stock-in-trade for the disease
propaganda establish... more »
Don’t vote for Colon
I keep hearing whispers from some readers of this blog that some of your
are intending voting for the odious and manipulative Colon Craig tomorrow.
*What on Galt’s green earth are you thinking!?*
Have you not noticed that he proposes land confiscation?
Have you not noticed he wants to ban immigrants, and ban foreigners being
part of NZ?
That his tax rates or either silly, dishonest, or well above what they are
now?
That he wants to make alcohol more expensive, and jail even more peaceful
cannabis smokers?
That he favours what can only be called mob rule – a policy that makes
e... more »
A Dream Deferred-- Will Mikey Suits Grimm Have To Resign While He's In Prison Or Can He Continue Serving?
When Federal Judge Pamela Chen set Staten Island Mafia thug Michael "Mikey
Suits" Grimm (R-NY) for December 1, she shattered one of my fondest hopes
for the 2014 cycle. I had hoped against hope that the angry, low-info,
Foxified voters of Staten Island and Bay Ridge would do themselves proud by
reelecting a crooked congressman who was residing in a federal
penitentiary. Instead, it looks like they'll be electing one on his way to
a federal penitentiary. Yes, Grimm, under indictment on 20 counts (so far)
is leading Steve Israel's weak-- even pathetic-- recruit, Domenic Recchia.
Why... more »
Afghan Government Is Nearly Broke. Appeals For A U.S. Bailout
*Afghan Official Says The Government Has Nearly Run Out Of Money, Needs
U.S. Bailout -- Washington Post*
KABUL — Afghanistan’s central government is nearly broke and needs a $537
million bailout from the United States and other international donors
within “five or six days” to continue paying its bills, a senior Afghan
finance official said Tuesday.
Crippled by a growing budget shortfall, the Afghan government has spent
hundreds of millions of dollars of easily accessible reserve funds this
year, said Alhaj M. Aqa, the director general of the treasury at the
Finance Ministry.
The... more »
Are Standardized Tests Helpful?
from the most recent PDK/Gallup poll:
METRO | Lamar W. Hankins : Funeral Service commissioners thumb noses at Texas families
As far as I can tell the four public representatives were chosen not for
their interest in supporting consumer protection, but because of their
political connections to Governor Rick Perry. By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag
Blog | September … finish reading *METRO* | Lamar W. Hankins : Funeral
Service commissioners thumb noses at Texas families
Here we go again! Because Russia has not withdrawn it's troops from Ukraine (impossible because none were ever sent there), the US and EU have cooked up some nasty new sanctions (not a big problem for Russia but really bad news for Germany, which still feels compelled to do the will of it's lying liege lord of the West).
------------------------------
The US-EU-Russia sanctions puzzle
Published time: September 17, 2014 10:55
Whatever Russia does, doubt does not even enter the equation. The answer is
sanctions. So here we go again. The US Treasury-EU latest sanction package
targets Russian banking, the energy industry and the defense industry.
The sanctions are mean. The sanctions are nasty. And there’s no euphemism
to describe them; they amount to a declaration of economic war.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest won’t be able to access Western capital for
long-term funding, including every kind of bo... more »
Chinese President Xi On A State Visit To India
China's President Xi Jinping, center, holds an umbrella as he and Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi watch folk artists perform in Ahmedabad on
Wednesday. Reuters
*China's President Arrives in India as Troops Face Off at Border -- Wall
Street Journal*
Xi, Modi Sign Multibillion-Dollar Deal for Industrial Park in Gujarat
NEW DELHI—Indian and Chinese security forces were locked in a confrontation
on their countries' disputed border Wednesday as China's president arrived
in India on a trip aimed at boosting economic ties between the two Asian
giants.
In the Himalayan region of Lad... more »
Supplemental: Kevin Drum’s breakthrough idea breaks through!
*WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014Jay Mathews does it again:* Kevin Dum has
done what can’t be done. He’s had an idea break through.
It happened in Sunday’s New York Times, on the front page of Sunday Review.
Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn were discussing the factors which may
undermine children’s healthy development:
KRISTOF AND WUDUNN (9/14/14): Within four weeks of conception, a human
embryo has formed a neural tube, which then begins to produce brain cells.
As the brain is forming, it is shaped by the uterine environment in ways
that will affect the child for the rest of his o... more »
AISHA NORTH: A short update on the energies - September 17, 2014
http://aishanorth.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/a-short-update-on-the-energies-65/
A short update on the energies
by Aisha North
September 17, 2014
By now, the incoming energies will begin to register in many of you, as
they herald the flux that will accompany next week’s portal of the Equinox.
Yes, this is indeed another one of those numerous occasions when mankind
get the chance to take another step up on this seemingly endless ladder of
ascension. For we are well aware that for many, this process may seem to be
endless, and that is indeed understandable. After all, this what you knew... more »
An Open Letter to Yes-Voting Socialists
Dear Comrade,
There are many things on which we can agree about the referendum campaign.
The mobilisation of masses of people in Scotland is a good thing. Whichever
way the vote goes I hope the energy and positivity mobilised by Yes can
feed into progressive politics and positive social change. It's also kicked
the complacency of establishment politics into touch in the rest of
Britain. Seeing the powers that be panic as a huge movement blew up before
them is something not seen too often. I hope the people of England and
Wales are taking notice and the union, with or without Scotla... more »
The Syrian Civil War Is About To Get Worse
*(Click on Image to Enlarge) *
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
*The Syrian Civil War Is On The Verge Of Getting Even Worse -- Business
Insider*
Syria's secular and moderate rebels could be on the brink of their biggest
defeat yet.
According to a report published by the International Crisis Group on
September 8, the regime of Syrian president Bashar al Assad and the
jihadist group ISIS are squeezing the rebels out of Aleppo, the strategic
and symbolic center of the country's three-year-old revolution.
The report warns that if the rebels' hold on the city is broken, Syria's
conflict... more »
Dangerous delusions . . .
SOMETIMES,
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT'S DANGEROUS, it's what you believe
true that isn't so.
This is a failing in all of us, but it seems to be most pernicious with
the socially and politically conservative in societies, wherever they
may be.
— HIV —
AlterNet is a fine site, with a thoughtful article by Cliff Weathers,
“How Denial Caused One Major Health Catastrophe, and How It May
US SUPPORTS AFRICAN DICTATORS
Video: The Global African
United Nations: Atrocities In Syria Are Escalating
Children play in the town of Azaz, near the Syrian-Turkish border, March
2014. Syrian refugees in this border outpost were delighted to hear their
home town of Azaz had been liberated from al-Qaida fighters who subjected
them to a brutal regime.
*UN: Atrocities In Syria Escalate, Victims' Voices Go Unheard -- Voice of
America*
GENEVA - U.N. investigators say there is evidence of brutal crimes being
committed in Syria by all warring factions. In its latest report to the
U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria
documents gross violations and mass atrocities... more »
Top Counter-Terrorism Expert David Kilcullen: US Needs ‘Clear Iraq Strategy’
Australian counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen, left, with US forces
in Iraq. Picture: US Army Source: Supplied
*US Needs ‘Clear Iraq Strategy’, Top Counter-Terror Expert Warns -- The
Australian*
AUSTRALIA has been urged to insist that the US develop a clear and finite
strategy to defeat Islamic State terrorists, ahead of the nation’s
involvement in what will be a major and bloody war that could cost
Australian lives.
In a blunt warning, the nation’s top counter-terrorism expert, David
Kilcullen, said Australians should be under no illusions that their country
would play a... more »
United Nations: Atrocities In Syria Are Escalating
Children play in the town of Azaz, near the Syrian-Turkish border, March
2014. Syrian refugees in this border outpost were delighted to hear their
home town of Azaz had been liberated from al-Qaida fighters who subjected
them to a brutal regime.
*UN: Atrocities In Syria Escalate, Victims' Voices Go Unheard -- Voice of
America*
GENEVA - U.N. investigators say there is evidence of brutal crimes being
committed in Syria by all warring factions. In its latest report to the
U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria
documents gross violations and mass atrocities... more »
New Group Forms PAC to Fight Charter Takeover in Nashville
From the Tennessean:
Parents in East Nashville are moving quickly to fight Director of Schools
Jesse Register’s far-reaching plan to close low-performing schools, hand
others to charter operators and let families in that area choose where
their children will attend.
Their request: Start over.
Since Register unveiled his intentions last week, parents and other East
Nashville residents have organized a political action committee, East
Nashville United, which they say has mobilized parents and teachers at all
schools in the Maplewood and Stratford high school clusters.
“We ask that Dr... more »
The War Against SYRIA Is Definitely On: Criminals In US Government And Corporate Media Are Making Ridiculous Links Between Assad And Fraud ISIS Group For Excuse To Destroy Syria!
I have been trying to stay on top of all the news that has been coming very
fast these days about this fraudulent "ISIS/ISIL" group and its
non-existent "threat" to the United States and the whole planet according
to the criminals in the Jew spew "corporate" media.... The lies that these
criminals are trying to spin just to justify an attack against the innocent
and peaceful nation of Syria have gotten way beyond the level of
ridiculous....
I was startled today when I saw some interesting lies come out of the
mouths of the so called "reporters" in the Jew spew media.. They are now ... more »
Iraq's Prime Minister Wants No Foreign Troops To Fight Against The Islamic State
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi (file photo)
*Iraqi PM: No Foreign Troops -- Al Bawaba*
Haider al-Abadi, Iraq’s new prime minister, said in an interview that
foreign ground troops are neither necessary nor wanted in the fight against
the Islamic State militants who have taken over large swathes of the
country, AP reports.
Prime Minister Abadi also stated that he hopes the international community
will expand the campaign against extremists to neighboring Syria, according
to AP.
*Read more* ....
*More News On Iraq's Premier Wanting No Foreign Troops To Fight Against The
Islam... more »
Solicitors' liens and charging orders
Mauldin v. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, 2014 ONCA 641:
[33] Hryniak submits that McCarthys has a charge on the funds held in
court pursuant to s. 34(1) of the *Solicitor's Act*:
Where a solicitor has been employed to prosecute or defend a proceeding in
the Superior Court of Justice, the court may, on motion, declare the
solicitor to be entitled to a charge on the property recovered or preserved
through the instrumentality of the solicitor for the solicitor's fees,
costs, charges and disbursements in the proceeding.
[34] Hryniak submits that it was only by virtue of M... more »
House Republicans Have Another Problem-- Rampant Cocaine Abuse
Northeast Ohio's very own 2 Live Crew
Yesterday, according to Fox DC Bureau Chief Chad Pergram, Boehner was
whining about how the House Republican conference is filled with
"knuckleheads." He didn't name any and everyone-- including everyone here
at *DWT* just assumed he was talking about the Members that don't get
bought off by corruption, guys like Justin Amash and Walter Jones, who
Boehner hates for their refusal to allow him to bioss them around. No one
suspected he might be talking about the House Republicans' massive drug
problem. The GOP conference is riddled with coke addicts... more »
Adventures in Canning: Peaches
.JPG)
*are delicious.*
Peaches prepped and ready to be sliced:
All done:
I have 14 half pint jars of sliced peaches:
Still to do:
These last peaches are becoming dangerously soft, so I will can them in
quarts and only halve them instead of slices.
*What I learned:*
1. Have your canning equipment out and your prep area carefully arranged.
2. Slicing the peaches in half, removing the pit, and using a melon baller
to clean the pit area is best done *before* popping them in hot water/cold
water to peel.
3. Use Fresh Fruit to keep the fruit from browning. There are many home
reci... more »
FBI: U.S. Airstrikes Are Boosting Support For The Islamic State
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, (C), FBI Director James Comey
(L) and National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olson (R) chat
before testifying at a House Homeland Security hearing in Washington
September 17, 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
*U.S. Airstrikes Boost Islamic State, More Hostages Possible: FBI --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Support for Islamic State increased after U.S. airstrikes began
in Iraq and the militant group may take more hostages to try to force
concessions from Washington, the FBI director told Congress on Wednesday.
Islamic State is "committed to... more »
President Obama's Speeches Are Being Used As A Recruiting Tool For The Islamic State
*After Obama Speech, Islamic State Wins New Recruits In Syria - Monitor --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Islamic State has won new recruits in Syria since President
Barack Obama signalled last week that air strikes against the group will be
expanded from Iraq to its strongholds in northern and eastern Syria, a
group monitoring the war said on Wednesday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 162 people had joined Islamic
State training camps in Aleppo province since Sept 10, when Obama said he
would not hesitate to strike Islamic State in Syria.
The new recruits do not represent a b... more »
living in a Reganite Thacher world
So strongly proven false, vote for something else.
Love Quest Day 3
It is our third day. Perhaps you’ve begun to see with eyes of Agape. Perhaps
not. Sometimes we look without seeing anyone at all. Not because there is
no one there; it’s that we aren’t *seeing.*
Your heart asks you to pay attention to everyone within view. Everyone. If
you consider the thought that you know almost everyone you’ll see today –
from the days before today – why then would you need to focus even more on
them? You’ve encountered them before and are pretty familiar with what
they will probably say. Perhaps they ring up your groceries. Perhaps they
sit at your din... more »
Another Day, Another Fred Upton Oil Spill In Southwest Michigan
A gas pipeline owned by Trans Canada, the Keystone XL villains, and running
from Canada to Texas ruptured... but not in Canada nor in Texas. The
victims were in Michigan, in Berrien County, ironically, the second most
populous county in MI-06, the home district of House Energy and Commerce
Committee Chairman, "drill, baby, drill" zombie Fred Upton. The county
leans Republican. Upton wins there (56% in 2012) and so did Romney (53%)
and failed GOP senate candidate Pete Hoekstra (50%). Upton has been one of
the leading figures in the country pushing a Big OIl and Gas agenda that
incl... more »
Islamic State Goes 'Underground' In Syria In Expectation Of U.S. Airstrikes
*Islamic State Goes Underground In Syrian Stronghold -- Globe and
Mail/Reuters*
Islamic State has gone underground in its Syrian stronghold since President
Barack Obama authorized U.S. air strikes on the group in Syria,
disappearing from the streets, redeploying weapons and fighters, and
cutting down its media exposure.
In the city of Raqqa, 450 km northeast of Damascus, residents say Islamic
State has been moving equipment every day since Obama signaled on Sept. 11
that air attacks on its forces could be expanded from Iraq to Syria.
Islamic State activists who typically answer qu... more »
USING BIO-TERROR TO PROMOTE OCCUPATION
The US is competing with China in Africa. The Pentagon created Africa
Command (AFRICOM) and they are doing their best to militarize the continent.
China comes in and makes deals and apparantly asks the host country what
they want built in return. Schools, roads, etc...
Ebola makes me think of Fort Detrick, Maryland which is the home of the US
Army's biological weapons program. Can there be any wonder that Ebola just
might be a creation of the mad scientists at Fort Detrick? Find one of my
previous blog posts below to see what our government has done already in
this regard:
I... more »
Islamic State New Video Threatens To Target The White House And US Troops
*Isis Video Threatens To Target White House And US Troops -- The Guardian*
*Video purports to be trailer for film entitled Flames of War with
strapline 'fighting has just begun'*
Islamic State militants have threatened to target the White House and kill
US troops in a new slickly made video response to Barack Obama's campaign
to "degrade and destroy" the organisation.
The video, in the style of a blockbuster movie trailer for what is "coming
soon", depicts a masked man apparently about to shoot kneeling prisoners in
the head. Towards the end of the clip there is shaky footage of t... more »
World News Briefs -- September 17, 2014
*Obama to Get Briefed on Military Plan Against IS -- VOA*
President Barack Obama will speak to the public after his meeting with
leaders at U.S. Central Command regarding the "operational details" of a
military campaign to combat Islamic State militants.
Obama is to meet with General Lloyd Austin, head of Central Command at
MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, at 9:45 a.m. EDT (1345 GMT) to
discuss the ongoing effort to build an international coalition to meet his
stated goal of degrading and destroying the Islamic State group that has
taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.
Cen... more »
Tom Hayden : From Vietnam to Iraq, lessons never learned
We cannot trust the ‘best and brightest’ to have the answers any more than
students trusted their pedigreed elders 50 years ago. By Tom Hayden | The
Rag Blog | September 17, 2014 [The following remarks, provided to The Rag …
finish reading Tom Hayden :
From Vietnam to Iraq, lessons never learned
How To Starve a War Fever
The slippery slope to war is finally getting some much-needed sand thrown
on it by the media -- even by some of the same newspapers and pundits who
so unquestioningly cheer-led the last Iraq invasion.
Perhaps most important, the press is revealing the long-suppressed Saudi
connection to 9/11, and exposing the Saudi elites' funding of ISIS,which is
at least partly composed of remnants of their own private army. The Saudis
have recently balked at putting their own "boots on the ground" to
essentially fight against themselves, and that was one of Obama's
prerequisites for America gett... more »
Supplemental: Our least desirable post of all time!
*WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014The Statistics of Liberal County:* Charles
Blow cited a statistic in Monday’s column about the Ray Rice case.
The statistic was supposed to shock us, in a reflexive way. We had a
different set of reactions:
BLOW (9/15/14): According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, “More than one-third of women in the United States (35.6
percent, or approximately 42.4 million) have experienced rape, physical
violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their
lifetime,” and nearly one in three women have experienced physical violen... more »
Alba
I am not normally a supporter of adding more countries to the world's list
of nominally independent countries. Or at the very least, I am usually
ambivalent about it. While localism is sometimes fashionable in progressive
circles, there's lots of reason to doubt its merits. *[looks pointedly at
south of Canadian border.]* But: there are sometimes some merits. *[looks
again pointedly at south of Canadian border.]*
Montreal Simon is disappointed at Canadian progressive bloggers for not
being as vocal as he for #YesScotland. I admit, I haven't said as much on
the subject as I could h... more »
Islam do I have the strength of character to tel the truth
Its just like the NFL today, I do not want to inflame passions any other
way/
but the fact is that ISLAM allows big men to fuck pre teen ones.
Which one of your wives would not be a porn star
if we made transparent all your moves?
President Obama To Address US Military Members at MacDill Air Force Base On Campaign Against Isis (Live At 11:50 EST)
*Obama To Address US Military Members On Campaign Against Isis – Live
Updates -- The Guardian*
* President to deliver remarks at 11.50am ET from Florida
* Speech follows Pentagon suggestion of active combat role
* Secretary of State John Kerry to testify before Senate
* House of Representatives to vote on training for Syrian rebels
The Pentagon opened the door to more active US military action yesterday,
as General Martin Dempsey – who has for years warned about “unintended
consequences” of US intervention in Syria – said: “If we reach the point
where I believe our advisers should a... more »
I am so bored with the USA
You give me Kardasian when I was seeking NASA
Over Dramatic
Most people who want to keep you safe
really believe in that landscape
its only the rouges we
must fitter to diffuse.
Why am I sitting here with no msuic?
I checked every connection
and they came by
four by fore
and then I went
for the cellphone
and it was in the
middle of an updatte
and thats when I
realized I was no longer
an irritant
I was sniper bait
So from A mile away
a fitfy cal will blow off
my head
if i do not move it in
the seconds that protrade
Someone is going to terminate me
thats the prepositon\
upon which I live
Speak the truth
too strong
and you will
find yourself in a trunk
that contains
the world
if it was not ruled
by a surviving funk
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 17, 2014
*Obama To Announce Ebola Force Of 3,000 US Military Personnel -- The
Guardian*
*Contingent being sent to west Africa will train health workers, build
treatment centres and deliver resources to tackle epidemic*
The Obama administration is ramping up its response to west Africa’s Ebola
crisis, preparing to assign 3,000 US military personnel to the afflicted
region to supply medical and logistical support to overwhelmed local
healthcare systems and to boost the number of beds needed to isolate and
treat victims of the epidemic.
Barack Obama is to announce the stepped-up effort on Tu... more »
To flu shot, or not to flu shot?...
*that is the question.*
Nothing I'm about to say should be construed as medical advice. I'm not a
doctor, and although I went to nursing school, I switched majors my fourth
year to business.
That being said, I do not get flu shots.
I do not believe in flu shots.
and
I actually think flu shots are dangerous and pointless.
*Here's what the CDC recommends :*
CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older
as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious
disease. While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu
vaccine i... more »
Personal Hygine POst
Do not worry not to much information. I just do not like long hair anymore.
If I could make a stupid lobby its like fingernails on my scalp.
Tomorrow's Scottish vote
It's
been a noodle-baker to be sure.
I've gone from a clear 'no' to a clear 'yes' to fence-sitting, to
leaning marginally one-way or the other, to thinking that there are
really no good options in front of me.
In practical terms, I don't think either side has made the case, because
they can't. It is impossible to know the final terms of independence at
this time and anything said is propaganda
Syria: Israel Helping "rebels" in Golan-prep for war expansion
* These Islamist mercs are the boots on the ground, support for the air
campaign Obama is selling.*
*Israel aiding the "rebels" aka Islamist mercs at Golan is nothing new. *
Israel has been assisting these killers for years now. *That FACT has been
covered on numerous occasions here at this blog over the past couple of
years...*.
*-Flashback!*-* Sept 23/2013: Israel Sides with Syrian Jihadists*
*-Flashback! November 2012:* *Who loves Islamists? Israel loves Islamists!
Israel & FSA work together*
Israel still loves the Islamist mercs. Israel assists their killers because
Israel is int... more »
ORIOLES DIVISION CHAMPS
Last night the Baltimore Orioles baseball team clinched the American League
east division championship. Just three years ago, the Orioles were a
divisional doormat with a 14-year losing streak and a frustrated fan base.
The once mighty O's of my youth had fallen deep into baseball obscurity.
Now all that has changed.
MB and I have been together for 15 years and during most of our time she
has known the O's to be losers. Night after night I'd watch a game on my
computer and she would ask, "How did the boys do?" Night after night
they'd find a way to lose. I developed a severe ... more »
New York Times Editorial: The Slippery Slope Towards U.S. Involvment In Another Iraq War Begins
Photo Credit: Pete Souza/The White House
*The Slippery Slope Begins -- New York Times editorial*
Is U.S. Policy on Fighting ISIS Already Changing?
A week ago, President Obama stood before the American people and promised
that the expanding fight against the Islamic State — a vicious Sunni
militant group known as ISIS or ISIL that is terrorizing parts of Iraq and
Syria — would not mean a commitment of American ground troops. “As I have
said before, these American forces will not have a combat mission,” he said.
On Tuesday, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of St... more »
President Obama's Democrat Allies Are Skeptical That His ISIS Strategy Will Work
President Obama talks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Pete
Souza/White House
*Dems Divided On Obama’s Syria Plan -- Politico*
The deep divisions among Democrats over President Barack Obama’s plan to
attack Islamic State militants foreshadow fights ahead within the party
over how aggressively to assert itself on foreign policy.
A growing number of rank-and-file Democrats are worried that the
president’s plans would commit the United States to an open-ended conflict
against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, costing the country blood
and treasure in another unpredicta... more »
Follow or Break the Rule?
Lars Christensen plots with recent data a version of the Taylor rule I
proposed some years ago (published here). I suggested this rule as an
approximate description of Alan Greenspan's monetary policy in the 1990s.
Here is Lars's plot:
Click on graphic to enlarge
I based this rule (the green line) on data only from the 1990s, but notice
that it does reasonably well until 2009. The red line is the rule with
parameters estimated from the later period.
Taken at face value, the rule suggests that it is time for the Fed to start
raising the federal funds rate. If you believe this r... more »
AT LEAST 50 children (updated) die in Syria after receiving measles vaccine
*AT LEAST- that tells me, there were more then 15 children who were killed
by these vaccines.*
*At least 15 children died after receiving vaccinations in rebel-held parts
of Syria*
The children, some just babies, all exhibited signs of "severe allergic
shock" about an hour after they *were given a second round of measles
vaccinations* in the northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, with *many
suffocating to death as their bodies swelled,* said physician Abdullah
Ajaj, who administered the vaccinations in a medical centre in the town of
Jarjanaz.
"There was shouting and screamin... more »
SALEM VILLAGE AND CABLE NEWS: The NFL keeps trumping the courts!
*WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014Interlude—Pundits praising themselves:* A
funny thing happened midway through Charles Blow’s column this Monday.
His column concerned the Ray Rice case. Blow ended by taking a brave set of
stands, as we’ll see at the end of this post.
Midway through, something strange occurred. In one brief shining sentence, Blow
actually mentioned the courts:
BLOW (9/15/14): Now, there are many issues here.
*How was Rice able to avoid trial on the original charge?* Why did it take
the second tape for the N.F.L. to act more forcefully in the case? Did
anyone at the N... more »
Mainstream globalist propaganda reveals East/West conflict is a farce
*January 9, 1988 issue of The Economist magazine*
Reposted from:
http://redefininggod.com/2014/09/mainstream-globalist-propaganda-reveals-eastwest-conflict-is-a-farce/
*This is an interesting article pointing out some of the very same things
we've said all along about the banking systems. What's missing from the
article is that the banking systems only work within the context of
separation duality, so they will create a duality even where none exist to
generate the energetic environment they can harvest energy from the planet.
*
*The BIS is off-world/off-realm energy collection po... more »
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Gates: President Obama's War Strategy Against The Islamic State Is 'Not Realistic'
*Gates: 'There Will Be Boots on the Ground If There's to Be Any Hope of
Success in the Strategy' -- Weekly Standard*
*ISIS Strategy Unrealistic.*
Robert Gates, President Obama's first defense secretary, said this morning
on CBS that President Obama's strategy for defeating the Islamic State is
unrealistic:
"The reality is, they're not going to be able to be successful against ISIS
strictly from the air or strictly depending on the Iraqi forces or the
Peshmerga or the Sunni tribes acting on their own," said Gates.
"So there will be boots on the ground if there's to be any hope of ... more »
Rob Ford has cancer
I see Rob as a spoiled brat who was really down to earth. He was a disaster
for Toronto but he did win some battles that needed to be fought. I wish
him all the best and hope we now know enough to save his life.
Toronto love it or hate it is the biggest asset Canada has. Manage this
well and Canada can be Singapore, Hong Kong, Wien and San Francisco
combined.
The key is infrastructural and security. The lock is nubile minds willing
to work.
The treasure is self evident if you walk the streets. Walk down the champs
dilly aye and you do not wonder why real estate there is priced sk... more »
Top U.S. General: Half Of The Iraq Army Cannot Fight
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (L) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff General Martin Dempsey testify during the Senate Armed Services
Committee hearing on the U.S. policy toward Iraq and Syria and the threat
posed by the Islamic State on Capitol Hill in Washington September 16,
2014. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
*Top General Says Half Of Iraqi Army Incapable Of Working With US Against
ISIS -- FOX News*
The U.S. military's top officer said Wednesday that almost half of Iraq's
army is incapable of working against the Islamic State militant group,
while the other half needs t... more »
Drug Price Control 41: Exchanges with Joey Ochave at MeTA PH
After my discussion on CWF Wants Price Dictatorship for Lipitor, Joey
Ochave, SVP of Unilab and Vice-Chairman of MeTA Philippines, reacted to it.
We have a nice, friendly and civil discourse and mini-debate the past two
days. The other members of MeTA PH (80+ people in the email loop) expressed
satisfaction reading our exchanges. Copy-pasting them below raw, zero
alteration even comma. Later, another friend, Karen Villanueva joined.
Karen is from Merck and also MeTA PH member. Both Joey and Karen gave me
permission to use their comments for this blog post.
The two tables below are ... more »
UK jobless rate falls to lowest level since 2008 but the BBC must point out an only tangential piece of bad news
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29235655 through gritted
teeth that:
'The unemployment rate fell to 6.2% over the three months to the end of
July, its lowest level since 2008, official figures show.
The number of jobless people fell by 146,000 to 2.02 million over the
quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported.
Those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in August fell below one million for
the first time in six years.'
But the BBC can't allow there to be good economic news under a non Labour
government, so the following rubric is there as usual:
'But ... more »
Mistaking Malevolence For Moral Clarity
http://www.smh.com.au/
Stephen Harper is a nasty piece of work. Just how nasty was made clear
recently when he refused to allow wounded Palestinian children into Canada
for medical treatment. Andrew Mitrovici writes:
What plausible excuse could Harper have for standing on the sidelines when
so many of Canada’s allies — including Great Britain, Germany, Belgium,
Turkey and Egypt — already have provided safe havens or medical aid to
scores of wounded children?
Harper’s PR flacks have claimed that it would be too risky to move thos... more »
Are President Obama's Generals Going Rogue On His ISIS War Strategy?
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
*Can Obama Keep His Generals In Check In The War Against ISIS? -- Eli Lake
& Josh Rogin, Daily Beast*
The president promised no combat troops to fight ISIS, but his top general
says he may recommend them. Why Obama and his commanders are not on the
same page for the new war.
In his major address explaining America’s new war against ISIS, President
Obama pledged that there would be no U.S. combat troops. On Tuesday, Gen.
Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he may
recommend ground forces in the future.
The White... more »
Inertia
As Haiti election delays continue, Aristides remains focus - Haiti -
MiamiHerald.com
Defying a judge’s order, opposition leaders in Haiti plan to visit former
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was put under house arrest last week
as part of an...
MIAMIHERALD.COM
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Hedy Elliott, Jeri DuBois, Jennifer Reed and 2 others like this.
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John A Carroll When a society does not have basic infrastructure
(government, justice system, roads, electricity, water, food, education,
medicine) the population cannot thrive. And when calamity hits (earthquakes ... more »
GAIA PORTAL: Elements of dissolution favor Gaia’s growth into Higher Consciousness
*Elements of dissolution favor Gaia’s growth into Higher Consciousness*
by ÉirePort
Elements of dissolution favor Gaia's growth into Higher Consciousness.
Such elements have continually been seeded into corrupted Gaia energy grid
structures during the past millennium, and, at a highly elevated rate,
during the past seven months, and will continue at accelerated pace for the
remainder of this calendar year.
Dissolution of old paradigm grid structures must occur prior to attainment
of full awareness, necessary for ascension.
hu-manity overall consciousness advancement has slowed du... more »
Is Steve Israel Helping The CIA Infiltrate Congress With Its Own Agents?
I don't know the answer to the question posed in the title above. I've been
trying to find out and I've been tracking down several leads. The names
that come up most frequently are Kevin Strouse, who like all CIA spies
bills himself as an "ex-CIA analyst" and is running against Mike
Fitzpatrick in Bucks County (PA-08); Bobby McKenzie, another former CIA spy
who glosses over that and calls himself an "ex-US State Dept.
Counterterrorism Official" and is running in MI-11 against Michigan's least
attractive politician, Dave Trott the state's foreclosure king; and Jerry
Cannon the form... more »
Taiwan Drills For A China Invasion
A Taiwan Air Force US-made F-16 fighter jet takes off from a highway during
the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Chiayi County. Photo: Reuters
*Taiwanese Fighter Jets Land On Highway In ‘China Attack’ War Games --
South China Morning Post*
Taiwan displayed how its fighter jets and early-warning aircraft could
land, refuel and take off on a closed motorway yesterday in a scenario
simulating a mainland attack that wiped out the island's air force bases.
The exercise, the first of its kind since 2011, was a reminder of lingering
mainland hostilities towards the island despite war... more »
Untitled
*School Orders Girl to Remove ‘Virginity Rocks’ Shirt*
Virginity does not rock at Ramay Junior High School in Fayetteville,
Arkansas.
That’s the lesson 13-year-old Chloe Rubiano learned. Chloe is in the eighth
grade. She is also a good church-going girl. So you can imagine her mom’s
surprise when she got in trouble at school.
Chloe showed up at school wearing a T-shirt that reads: “Virginity
Rocks.” “It’s a positive message,” said Bambi Crozier, Chloe’s mom.
But school officials disagreed. They said the shirt could cause a classroom
disruption and contained sexual content. Appar... more »
The Number Of Volcanic Eruptions Is Increasing And That Could Lead To An Extremely Cold Winter
Michael Snyder
The number of volcanoes that are erupting continues to rise, and scientists
cannot seem to explain why this is happening. In 2013, we witnessed the
most volcanic eruptions worldwide that we have ever seen in a single year,
and this increased activity has carried over into 2014. In recent months,
we have seen major volcanoes roar to life in Russia, Peru, Hawaii, Reunion
Island, Indonesia, and all over Alaska. It is highly unusual for so many
volcanoes to all be erupting at the same time.
According to Volcano Discovery, a whopping 34 volcanoesare erupting around
th... more »
Had It With the Fords?
Do something.
Jude MacDonald (twitter) has been doing heroic work in trying to stop the
fucking Fords' abuse of City Hall property and resources for political
campaigning.
Such activity is verboten.
And it's pretty clear.
VII. ELECTION CAMPAIGN WORK
Members are required to follow the provisions of the Municipal Elections
Act, 1996. No member shall use the facilities, equipment, supplies,
services or other resources of the City (including Councillor newsletters
and websites linked through the City’s website) for any election campaign
or campaign-related activities. No member shal... more »
American Citizens for Taiwan Voter Guide
American Citizens for Taiwan has come out with a very useful voter guide.
Enter your home address on the main screen (link) and it will take you to a
page with both your incumbent representative and any challenger. ACT says:
Using a street address and zipcode or a state and district the tool reveals
the Taiwan-related voting record of the incumbent Senators and member of
Congress and includes links to their websites and various social media
platforms. In addition challengers to the various positions are listed
along with their contact details.
Most importantly it puts you in the el... more »
Uniting the Resistance.
As the global enemy advance, more and more people are waking up to the
diabolical game being played out, with us as the victims and in too many
cases as the pawns. The awakening of the people should be something to
rejoice in. However, the Establishment has very little to worry about, as
far from being a unified force to reckon with, the Resistance is fragmented
to the point of absurdity and not only this, it is wracked with in-fighting
and ego-centrism which negates any chance of overthrowing our mortal foes.
In the UK, the media is so hysterically multiculti that anyone who doesn... more »
Ambulance-chasing Large Hadron Collider collisions
*Guest blog by Ben Allanach on the impure fun of rapid-response physics*
*B.A. is a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge.
He is a supersymmetry enthusiast, and is always looking for ways to
interpret data using it. You can watch his TEDx talk giving some background
to the LHC, supersymmetry and dark matter, or (for experts) look at the
paper that this blog refers to.*
“Ambulance chasing” refers to the morally dubious practice of lawyers
chasing down accident victims in order to help them sue. In a physics
context, when some recent data disagrees with the S... more »
The Uses of ISIS (with an update)
For some reason, the Turkish government doesn't like the Syrian government.
So it lets Sunni fundamentalist terrorists cross into Syria through the
Turkish-Syrian border.
Saudi princes, and the emirs and princes or whatevers, of places like
Qatar, are corrupt and, as far as the Koran goes, decadent, sinful. There
are probably a lot of young men who would like to topple them. But it's
hard to get started in these well-armed police states. Here's a great idea!
The corrupt rulers fund these armies to overthrow the secular Assad regime
(just like they did when the helped fund the battle... more »
Global billionaire political power index
The Czech and Slovak media were somewhat excited about a fun new "index" by
the U.S. sociologist Darrell West:
The global billionaire political power index
The 15 world's politically most influential dollar billionaires are said to
possess these faces:
You see that the fifth one is a Slovak-born food industry mogul and Czech
vice-PM Andrej Babiš, the leader of a somewhat kitschy "apolitical" Czech
movement ANO (=YES).
This ranking looks sort of sexy but the science behind it is as soft as you
can get. For example, the author said that Andrej Babiš got so powerful
also because... more »
Ebola: “U.S. Government Likely To Respond to Ebola Pandemic With Military Force, Martial Law and Forced Vaccines”
*“U.S. Government Likely To Respond to Ebola Pandemic *
*With Military Force, Martial Law and Forced Vaccines”*
by Mike Adams
“The U.S. government is putting plans in place right now to invoke extreme
emergency actions across the USA in response to an anticipated Ebola
outbreak sweeping through U.S. cities. Late last week, the U.S. State
Department ordered 160,000 Ebola hazmat suits in anticipation of an
outbreak, and President Obama has already called upon the Pentagon to
dispatch troops and supplies to Africa.
Earlier this summer, Obama signed a curious executive order that claims... more »
Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Continuum”
Vangelis, “Continuum”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGHm7-uNOQU&html5=1
Comic Moment: Ma Ying-jeou wins a Peace Prize
*FormosaNation passed these around Twitter today, pointing out in
successive tweets that not only is maverick pan-Green candidate Ko Wen-je
destroying Sean Lien in the polls, but that the public believes he is
clean, 44-17, and that he is more popular than Sean Lien among both males
and females.*
Today's comic moment came when the local media announced that longtime
democracy opponent and party-state politician Ma Ying-jeou was being awarded
the Eisenhower Medal for contributions to peace....
The award, presented by the organization founded in 1956 by then-US
president Dwight D. E... more »
UN brokers agreement to rebuild in Gaza Strip - BBC News
The BBC manage to finally report
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29232825 that the proportion of
civilian deaths in the recent Israel Hamas conflict in Gaza is disputed.
The wording of the comment makes it clear on which side the BBC stand:
' The UN says the vast majority of Palestinian deaths are civilian but an
Israeli government official recently told the BBC that the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) had killed 1,000 "terrorists" during the assault on Gaza.'
There is still no mention of where the UN is getting its figures from but I
expect no better from the institutionall... more »
A tale of two leaders and the media that protects one of them
Last April I posted this piece comparing the basketball skills of Boris
Johnson and Barack Obama. Whilst Boris scored a back to the basket shot
first time, Barack Obama failed with 22 consecutive face on shots.
17 months on, and the Boris Johnson video is still there...
But oddly that Barack Obama video has disappeared.
Barack Obama the man whose reputation must be preserved at all costs! What
the hell is going on here?
I did find this less damning video
and this one
'White Men Can't Jump'? Black Presidents can't shoot hoops!
"Chromaradio: Choosing Your Own Musical Interludes"
"Our purpose is to offer a wide range of music selections that fit any
style. Ranging between Greek and international mainstream hits, New Age,
the sounds of nature, smooth jazz, Soul and Christmas. You just click on
the icon representing the stream you want to listen. A pop-up window with
flash player will appear to your screen. Music will play automatically. If
not you can click on the icons below. A file will be downloaded to your
windows,mac os or linux based PC. Double click the downloaded file (for
example playlist-1.asx.asf) and your player will start play the stream. For
mo... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Massive stars, abrasive winds, mountains of dust, and energetic light
sculpt one of the largest and most picturesque regions of star formation in
the Local Group of Galaxies. Known as N11, the region is visible on the
upper right of many images of its home galaxy, the Milky Way neighbor known
as the Large Magellanic Clouds (LMC).
*Click image for larger size.*
The above image was taken for scientific purposes by the Hubble Space
Telescope and reprocessed for artistry by an amateur to win the Hubble's
Hidden Treasures competition. Although the section imaged above is known as
NGC 17... more »
"An Exquisite Balance..."
“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two
conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are
served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas… If you
are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you… On the other
hand, if you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of
skeptical sense in you, then you cannot distinguish the useful ideas from
the worthless ones.”
- Carl Sagan
•
Unless, of course, your ideas come pre-packaged and are digested without
thought...
In which case, the expec... more »
Canada-China FIPA Environmental Assessment
Prior to the enactment of the Canada-China FIPA, the Canadian government
pushed two omnibus bills through the HoC which included provisions designed
to substantially weaken environment policies and regulations, some of them
at the behest of a pipeline lobby group :
G&M : *Pipeline industry pushed environmental changes made in omnibus bill*
"The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association met with senior government
officials in the fall of 2011, urging them [...] to streamline
environmental assessments but also to bring in “new regulations under [the]
Navigable Waters Protection Act. ... ... more »
"We Are Free..."
“The worst that could happen to us is that we have to die, and since that
is already our unalterable fate, we are free; those who have lost
everything no longer have anything to fear.”
“Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm’s length
behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he
feels that everything is going wrong and he’s about to be annihilated, he
can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that
he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will
tell him, ‘I haven’t touched yo... more »
Chet Raymo, “Stretching The Imagination”
*“Stretching The Imagination”*
by Chet Raymo
*“Professor, that stuff you spoke of in class this morning- about the
beginning of the universe..."*
Yes?
*"Well, you know how you said that the universe began 14 billion years ago
as an infinitely small point...?"*
Yes, that appears to be the case. An explosion from a point of infinite
energy. Space and time expanding from nothing. Matter coalescing from
cooling radiation. Stars, galaxies...
*"To tell the truth, I'm having a hard time believing it. I mean, the idea
that everything that exists today, the billions and billions of galaxi... more »
Textron Systems G-CLAW™ Precision Guided Weapon Achieves Successful Live-Fire Demonstration
[image: G-Claw]Textron Systems Weapon & Sensor Systems, a Textron Inc.
business, announced today its G-CLAW™ precision guided weapon successfully
completed a live-fire demonstration recently at the U.S. Army’s Yuma
Proving Ground in Arizona.
The GPS-guided G-CLAW struck within four meters of the designation spot and
detonated on the target as intended, proving the weapon’s guidance, warhead
and its fuzing capability.
The weapon is on display during the Air Force Association’s (AFA) Air &
Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Sept.15 – 17, at the Textron
Systems booth (#709)... more »
Boeing CST-100 Selected as Next American Spacecraft
[image: Boeing CST-100]Boeing will receive an award of $4.2 billion from
NASA to build and fly the United States’ next passenger spacecraft.
Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 is being developed as part of
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to resume U.S.-based flights to
space by 2017. The CST-100 will transport up to seven passengers or a mix
of crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and other
low-Earth orbit destinations.
“Boeing has been part of every American human space flight program, and
we’re honored that NASA has chosen us to continue tha... more »
Warning to U.S. – ISIS Has Shot Down a Syrian Regime Fighter Jet
The U.S.-led coalition may have to be extra careful the next time it sends
out fighter planes to assist the Iraqi troops against the deadly jihadi
fighters.
The ISIS militants had shot down a Syrian warplane on Tuesday, according to
the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
The group said it was the first time the ISIS forces has shown it has the
ability and machinery to target and down fast-moving military air jets, it
what could also be a stern warning to the U.S.-led coalition that it is not
afraid of its airstrikes and that it could also easily avert inc... more »
A Russian Factory Gave A Fighter Jet To A Moscow Religious Leader
[image: Su-35 Flanker-E]Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox
Church, was presented with an unlikely gift for a religious leader this
week as he toured a factory in Russia's far-east: a single-seater fighter
jet SU-35.
Kirill was presented with the jet after giving workers at the civilian and
military aircraft plant icons blessed by himself, the church said in a
statement on its official website on Tuesday.
The patriarch, with whom President Vladimir Putin has fostered increasingly
close ties in recent years, addressed the workers on the importance of
protecting Russia... more »
Future USNS Fall River Delivered
[image: USNS Fall River]The Navy accepted delivery of Joint High Speed
Vessel, the future USNS Fall River from the Austal USA shipbuilder, Sept.
15.
The delivery marks a major milestone, the official transfer of the vessel
from the shipbuilder to the Navy. USNS Fall River is the U.S. Navy's fourth
Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV).
"Today the Navy received a tremendous asset," said Strategic and Theater
Sealift Program Manager Capt. Henry Stevens. "The addition of Fall River to
the fleet will enhance our forward presence and ability to bolster global
security from the sea by quickly ... more »
Japan Interested in Aegis Ashore for Ballistic Missile Defense
[image: Aegis Ashore installation]The Japanese Defense Ministry is
interested in acquiring Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Ashore ballistic missile
defense (BMD) battery, according to an August report from the Japanese
newspaper, Mainichi Shimbun.
The paper reported the Defense Ministry is expected to spend “tens of
millions of yen” as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 state budget for research
into Aegis Ashore — which combines the Lockheed Martin SPY-1D radar with a
battery of Raytheon Standard Missile-3 missiles.
“The ministry intends to introduce new ground-based SM-3 missiles, in
addition ... more »
US Navy tests Pandarra Fog in exercise
To defend its carrier battle group from a potential attack by Chinese
supersonic cruise missiles such as the C-602 and the C-805, the United
States Navy launched an exercise to test its new obscurant, Pandarra Fog,
between June 21-25 this year near the island of Guam according to National
Defense, a monthly magazine operated by the Russian defense ministry.
The USS Mustin and the USS Wayne E Meyer, two Arleigh Burke-class guided
missile destroyers, were tasked with protecting the USS Frank Cable, an
Emory S Land-class submarine tender, which was to be disguised as an
aircraft carri... more »
First MT30 engine for Korean Navy frigates passes acceptance tests
[image: Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine]Rolls-Royce is touting the passage of
acceptance tests by its first MT30 gas turbine engine for the Republic of
Korea Navy's FFX frigate program.
The engine, the "world's most power-dense marine gas turbine," will power
eight Block II FFX ships being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine
Engineering.
The MT30 is derived from Rolls-Royce aero engine technology, and produces
36 to 40 megawatts. It already powers the U.S. Navy's Freedom-class
Littoral Combat Ships and will power the U.S. Navy's DDG-1000 Zumwalt class
destroyer, as well as Britain... more »
JSF & The Path of DOOM
[image: F-35B Lightning II]In February of 2014, Lt. Gen. Charles Davis, the
Air Force’s top uniformed acquisition official, said big, audacious
programs like the Joint Strike Fighter were “doomed the day the contract
was signed.”
As the former Program Executive Officer for the JSF, he brings a pretty
credible perspective to the situation.
Given his first-hand experience and the F-35’s track record of delays, cost
overruns, technical problems, operational limitations, and the recent
grounding of the entire fleet due to an engine fire, I am very much
inclined to agree with him.
Re... more »
Russia’s ‘Stealth’ Sub Joins Black Sea Fleet
[image: Project 636M (Varshavyanka) class SSK]Russia's first
Varshavyanka-class submarine, the Novorossiisk, has entered service with
the Black Sea fleet, the Southern Military District's press service said
Wednesday.
The submarine currently remains at the Admiralty shipyard in St. Petersburg
and will head to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk after completing final
trials with the Northern Fleet.
The Defense Ministry has ordered a total of six Varshavyanka-class subs,
dubbed "black holes in the ocean" by the US Navy because they are nearly
undetectable when submerged.
Read more
Submarine sales to Taiwan ‘improbable’: US council
[image: Hai Lung (Zwaardvis) class SSK]Submarine sales to Taiwan are
“highly improbable,” a new commentary published by the US Council on
Foreign Relations says.
“Transferring submarine technology to the island will take too long and
cost the Taiwanese military far more than what it can afford,” council
research associate Lauren Dickey said.
She said that the costs the US would incur to resurrect small numbers of
diesel-powered submarines for Taipei would yield few benefits for the US
military.
Read more
Anti Smoke Belching Racket, Part 6
My friend from UP, Rad Basa, was stopped yesterday by the Anti Smoke
Belching Unit (ASBU) of Pasay City while driving his diesel engine car. As
in almost all stories of private motorists, his car "failed" the smoke
emission test. The batting average of private vehicles in passing ASBU
tests is generally zero, regardless of which city in Metro Manila. No one
passes. Below is Rad's story, posted today in facebook. He gave me
permission to post and blog this.
------------
*It's a miracle!*
*Yesterday around 1 p.m., I became a victim of an ASBU (Anti Smoke Belching
Unit) from the Pasa... more »
So, what about the roads?
Since the blogosphere discussion of transport is dominated by one
passionate but mono-dimensional Transport Blog, transport specialist
Liberty Scott has done the blog job of assessing political parties’
transport promises and policies. You know, for those who think these things
are important in the last week of a campaign.
Scott asses them on five criteria:
1. do they know what they’re talking about?;
2. do they reduce barriers to entry for new competitors?;
3. do users pay or will they be heavily subsidised?;
4. do their proposals make economic sense?; and,
5. ot... more »
Do Steve Israel And Debbie Wasserman Schultz Actually Work Against Democratic Candidates? Oh, Do They Ever!
Today Maggie Haberman did a puff piece on the failed DCCC chairman Steve
Israel. "My position as DCCC chair," he boasted, "has given me the
opportunity to elevate House races and the midterms to some of the most
influential and highest-profile donors in the country. Unlike in a
presidential campaign, we’re spending millions of dollars in House races
right here in New York." Israel has targeted 8 races in New York, 2 to
protect endangered incumbents, Maffei in a deep blue D+5 district
(Syracuse) and Tim Bishop in the Suffolk County swing district (R+2).
Israel crony Kathleen Rice, ... more »
The Realist Report - Pastor Eli James & Joseph Atwill debate
On this edition of The Realist Report, we'll be joined by two Christian and
Biblical scholars who have radically different perspectives of the origins
of Christianity, the historicity of Jesus Christ, and a variety of other
topics relating to the Christian religion and ancient history. *Pastor Eli
James*, author of *The Great Impersonation: How the Anti-christ has
Deceived the Whole World*, and *Joseph Atwill*, author of *Caesar's
Messiah: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus*, will participate in a
moderated discussion about these subjects. You can download the entire
program *he... more »
Trifecta: Great Unraveling: Can the Threads of the American Tapestry Be Rewoven?
*I doubt it.*
I think they're overly optimistic.
Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - ChloroFluoroCarbons
Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we
challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're
already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop
Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet.
Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!
If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a
complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.
This post contains great information and I encourage ... more »
Untitled
*DiCaprio film magnifies the real climate change 'monster'*
*Real problem is monstrous government programs that perpetuate poverty,
disease and death *
By Tom Harris and Bob Carter
In Carbon, Leonardo DiCaprio’s new film about the “climate crisis,” we are
told the world is threatened by a “carbon monster.” Coal, oil, natural gas
and other carbon-based forms of energy are causing dangerous climate change
and must be turned off as soon as possible, DiCaprio insists.
But he has identified the wrong monster. The real one is the climate scare
– something DiCaprio promotes with his sens... more »
The Pentagon Owns A Lot Of Real Estate
*Pentagon's $800 Billion Real Estate Problem -- Matthew Gault, Real Clear
Defense*
*The U.S. Military Has No Idea What It Owns*
The U.S. Department of Defense owns more than half a million properties
worth in excess of $800 billion dollars. The military’s real estate
holdings span the globe and, all together, sprawl across 30 million acres.
Pentagon auditors can’t explain what half the properties are for—and
doesn’t have a plan for finding out. All this according to a Sept. 8 report
from the Government Accountability Office.
The nearly trillion-dollar real estate glut is merely an... more »
The Spiritual Process: Orthodox Metropolitan Jonah On Dispassion, Illumination and Deification
*Wikipedia: *
Metropolitan Jonah (born James Paffhausen Jr., October 20, 1959) is an
American Orthodox retired bishop who served as the primate[1] of the
Orthodox Church in America (OCA) with the title The Most Blessed Archbishop
of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada from his election on
November 12, 2008 until his resignation on July 7, 2012. Metropolitan Jonah
was the first convert to the Orthodox faith to have been elected as the
Primate of the OCA.
Title: The Spiritual Process: Orthodox Metropolitan Jonah On Dispassion,
Illumination and Deification. Source: Mi... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Reading, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.
"Character..."
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be
strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved."
- Helen Keller
Psychology: "If You're Busy, You're Doing Something Wrong: The Surprisingly Relaxed Lives of Elite Achievers"
*"If You're Busy, You're Doing Something Wrong*:
*The Surprisingly Relaxed Lives of Elite Achievers"*
by Cal Newport
"*The Berlin Study:* In the early 1990s, a trio of psychologists descended
on the Universität der Künste, a historic arts academy in the heart of West
Berlin. They came to study the violinists. As described in their subsequent
publication in Psychological Review, the researchers asked the academy's
music professors to help them identify a set of stand out violin players -
the students who the professors believed would go onto careers as
professional performers. We'll ... more »
The Poet: William Stafford, "Ask Me"
*"Ask Me"*
by William Stafford
"Some time when the river is ice ask me
mistakes I have made. Ask me whether
what I have done is my life. Others
have come in their slow way into
my thought, and some have tried to help
or to hurt: ask me what difference
their strongest love or hate has made.
I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look
at the silent river and wait. We know
the current is there, hidden, and there
are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say."
President Obama Vs. His Generals
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, left, with U.S. President Barack Obama
on the second and final day of the NATO summit at the Celtic Manor resort
near Newport in Wales on Friday.
*Obama vs. The Generals -- Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post*
Pity poor Gen. Lloyd Austin, top commander of U.S. forces in the Middle
East.
Rarely has a U.S. general given his commander in chief better military
advice, only to see it repeatedly rejected.
In 2010, Gen. Austin advised President Obama against withdrawing all U.S.
forces from Iraq, recommending that the president instead leave 24,000 U.S. ... more »
“Salt Is Not the Enemy. Guess What Actually Ruins Your Health Instead?”
*“Salt Is Not the Enemy. *
*Guess What Actually Ruins Your Health Instead?”*
By Lynn Stuart Parramore
“Just the other day I purchased a bag of roasted peanuts, sensing my mouth
water in ancipation of the salty goodness. Wrong! I had accidentally bought
the unsalted version. Folks, there are few things less tasty than an
unsalted peanut, unless it's unsalted grits (yep, I'm southern). The reason
I was subjected to such a monstrosity is that for years, the medical
profession has been telling us that salt is bad and will cause high blood
pressure and other health woes if we don't wat... more »
NY Common Core Debate: Dissecting Pro-CC Petrilli and Martin
On September 9, 2014, Intelligence Squared hosted a debate on the Common
Core State Standards (CCSS), which it entitled, Embrace the Common
Core. The title is based upon the position that the organization assumes on
the issue. In this post, I consider CCSS support connected to
the Intelligence Squared debate as well as address given statements by both
pro-CCSS debaters. The […]
the man with the knife
J. P. Morgan
by Edward Steichen 1903
"The Corporation" Documentary
Did Putin Win The Ukraine War?
Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel discussed in a phone call the situation
around the current ceasefire regime and deliveries of gas to Europe. © RIA
Novosti. Alexei Nikolsky
*How Putin Got His Way In Ukraine -- Simon Shuster, Time*
By agreeing to delay the full implementation of a trade deal with Ukraine,
the European Union effectively accepted Moscow’s dominance
After all the lives and territory Ukraine has lost this year, it’s easy to
lose sight of the way its conflict with Russia began last winter, when
Moscow tried to elbow its way into Ukraine’s economic pact with Europe. In
r... more »
Implied terms of contract
Rankin Construction Inc. v. Ontario, 2014 ONCA 636:
[29] Terms may be implied in a contract based on: (1) custom or
usage; (2) legal incidents of a class or type of contract; or (3) the
presumed intention of the parties, where the term is necessary "to give
business efficacy to a contract or as otherwise meeting the 'officious
bystander' test as a term which the parties would say, if questioned, that
they had obviously assumed": *Canadian Pacific Hotels Ltd. v. Bank of
Montreal*, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 711, at p. 775; see also *M.J.B. Enterprises, at
para. 27; Double N Earthmovers*, ... more »
Confidential to the Dutch girl who faked her trip to Southeast Asia: You're in the running for the stupidest person on the planet
*Here's a friendly thought, Zilla: Now that you've established your claim
to be the most pompous twit in the history of the human race, why not eat
poison and die? (See, it's even a gastronomic thought!)*
*by Ken*
I know, I know, by giving her attention I'm only legitimizing this bimbo's
self-aggrandizing, pretentious, wackadoodle bullshit, but I have to say,
I'm kind of outraged -- not least because anyone is paying attention to
this imbecilic stunt. Of course, *here I am, paying attention to it*. Well,
so what? You wanna make sumpin' of it? Huh? You talkin' to me?
In case you, l... more »
Is The U.S. Losing The Arms Race To Russia And China?
REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenk
*Here’s Proof We’re Losing The Arms Race To Russia And China -- David
Francis, Fiscal Times*
The United States still has the largest defense budget in the world, some
three times more than China’s and over $500 billion more than Russia’s –
and it will have the largest for years to come. The nature of spending in
each country, however, gives Russia and China an advantage over the United
States in a brewing global arms race.
U.S. defense spending went up dramatically during the war on terror, but
barring any dramatic strategy shifts, DOD spending is set to ... more »
Privacy, Property and the #SurveillanceState
Have you ever wondered why the right to privacy seems to have risen in
importance even as rights in property have diminished?
It is not altogether coincidental.
“The ‘right to privacy’,” says legal scholar Arline Mann, “is a misguided
attempt to save some shreds of certain [legitimate] rights while retaining
a way to eviscerate others.”
Yes, we each of us need privacy. But our need for something is not a claim
on someone else. Privacy is a *good*, not a *right*. It’s not something to
be recognised, it’s something to be earned.
Civilisation itself is the progress toward a society... more »
“’Dr. Strangelove’ vs. ISIS”
*“’Dr. Strangelove’ vs. ISIS”*
by Barry Levinson
“In the past there have been films about the absurdity of war and political
madness. The Marx Brothers explored it in the brilliant “Duck Soup.” “The
Mouse that Roared” looked at a country declaring war on the United States
in order to get foreign aid; “Dr. Strangelove” showed the Cold War danger
of blowing up the world with comedic precision. Satire has always been a
method for us to explore our faults and false expectations of world order.
But satire in the movies might be dead now, replaced by daily satire that
is for real. We liv... more »
The Beghazi Scandal Refuses To Die
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
*Benghazi Bombshell: Clinton State Department Official Reveals Details of
Alleged Document Review -- Daily Signal*
As the House Select Committee on Benghazi prepares for its first hearing
this week, a former State Department diplomat is coming forward with a
startling allegation: Hillary Clinton confidants were part of an operation
to “separate” damaging documents before they were turned over to the
Accountability Review Board investigating security lapses surrounding the
Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, L... more »
ABBOTT’S SECRET WAR
Last month I suggested that Australian SAS forces were already in Iraq. I
suggested this based on the assertion by an American neoconservative
writers indiscreet wording in an article that said, “Western commandos such
as Seal Team Six, Delta Force and the British and Australian SAS should
also expand operations to carry out the kind of intelligence-driven
leadership targeting that was an important part of the 2007-2008 surge”.
The use of the word ‘expand’ and the tone of the narrative hinted that
Australian SAS, together with other Special Forces, were already deployed
to the regio... more »
The Economy: “Preparing for the Full Force of Reality”
*Click image for very large size.*
*“Preparing for the Full Force of Reality”*
by Dr. Jeff Lewis
“The real economy is suffering and getting worse by the day. The imbalances
created by giant finance will not go away, regardless of intervention.
There is an odd phenomenon at work. Society is now fully accustomed to the
disbelieving the gap. Yesterday, things were going well. The market went up
in spite of itself. Tomorrow ought to be the same. Everything must be
fine. The invisible hand is something that cannot be understood. It's like
quantum physics; if you think you understand y... more »
Jonah Raskin : BOOKS | Cultural historian McNally takes readers on a long strange trip
For those who lived through the era and still care about issues of class,
race, and gender, ‘Highway 61′ is the book to read about American music. By
Jonah Raskin | The Rag Blog | September 16, 2014 [On Highway …
finish reading Jonah Raskin :
*BOOKS* | Cultural historian McNally takes readers on a long strange trip
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 16, 2014
*U.S. Credibility And The Anti-ISIS Coalition -- Max Boot, Commentary *
Last week a congressman asked me: Should I support President Obama’s
anti-ISIS strategy even though it is likely to fail? Good question. And
it’s not only lawmakers who are asking themselves that question. So are
actual or potential U.S. allies from Europe to the Middle East. The most
important people to be asking themselves that question are Sunni tribes in
Iraq and Syria whose support is vital to defeat ISIS. But should they risk
their lives in what could well be a losing cause?
*Read more* ....
*Commentari... more »
Healthy Lunches- Cinderella
This post is sponsored by Intermountain Health Care. All opinions are 100%
my own.
If I am being honest, there are few things about parenting that I have shed
more tears over than food and nutrition. My 5-year-old is about as picky as
they come. She fights against eating almost every form of protein and I
have sat at the table after a meal, frustrated that it felt like I just
went through a battle.
This year, as apart of Intermountain's LiVe Well initiative, I have been
practicing new tips and tricks to get the nutrition in my child without the
battle. For my little girl, food is ... more »
Doomed Democrats Throw Up Political Hail Mary Over NFL Domestic Violence
Facing a fate that will be the political equivalent of the stomping that
the hapless Denver Broncos received in this year's Super Bowl, the clock
is ticking down on the Dems and it's time to throw a Hail Mary. It had to
thrill party strategists to no end when Minnesota Vikings running back
Adrian Peterson was arrested on child abuse charges so soon after the
notorious Ray Rice elevator smackdown. It has been apparent that team blue
jackass is going to lose control of the Senate and having absolutely no
real ideas to run on they have pounced on their cynical identity group
wedge ... more »
Idiocracy: Obama Official Doesn't Know Geography of Country U.S. is to Bomb
In a sign of our sad times of moral and intellectual decline, a White House
official involved in a briefing with reporters prior to dear leader's big
speech on ISIS divulged the dismal quality of this administration. Going to
war is a gravely serious matter and launching a new one - as Obama did with
his nationally televised decree - should be seriously thought out. Shooting
from the hip, particularly in an election year when politics take priority
over reasonable decision making should be forbidden. There are long-term
consequences to the nation as well as lives at risk whenever t... more »
Sept. 16: The new, reorganized Times and Transcript is even worse than the old one.
And the old one was wretched, indeed. I watch in amazement as blog
readership climbs spectacularly in France, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey,
Germany.... It must make them feel good to learn that our news media are
worse then theirs. Typical is p. 3 which gives almost the whole page to
just two stories, neither of any importance whatever. One is that tourism
hotel managers will hold a meeting in Moncton. Who could possibly give a
damn?
The other big story? Moncton will have a display by all its tattoo artists.
Be still, my heart.
A4 is eleven, count them, eleven photos of children playin... more »
That’s democracy, David
I have to laugh at David Farrar getting angry because DotCon turns out to
be a bigger blowhard than Winston Peters.
For months and even years we have given Kim Dotcom a slight benefit of the
doubt. He claimed back in 2012 that he had evidence John Key knew about him
before 19 January 2012. He said he would produce this evidence in court.
He never ever did.
But he kept insisting he had the evidence…Most of us thought the
evidence would be ambiguous at best, or inconsequential – but thought he
would at least have something.
But it seems he had nothing at all. The claime... more »
World News Briefs -- September 16, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Ebola Epidemic 'Spiraling Out of Control,' Obama Says -- ABC News*
Declaring the Ebola outbreak a "threat to global security," President Obama
today announced a significant American military effort in West Africa to
help bring the spread of the deadly disease under control.
"We have to act fast. We can't dawdle on this one," Obama said during a
visit to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
"It is spiraling out of control, it's getting worse, it's spreading
exponentially," he said. "If the outbreak is not stopped now we could be
looking at hundreds of th... more »
Media and the Middle East (continued)
Following on from Sue's post - and in anticipation of Hadar at *BBC Watch *and
Alan at *Biased BBC*'s takes on John Lloyd's *Archive on 4 - *I'd like to
present my own precis of the historical portion of that particular
programme.
Before doing so I'd like to say that I found it an interesting programme.
Parts of it were genuinely thought-provoking - so thought-provoking that I
intend to expand on some of its points over the coming days (time
permitting).
I'd also like to register the point that any programme about media coverage
of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which places so... more »
Satire: "Kerry Claims U.S. Has Found a Moderate Syrian Rebel"
*"Kerry Claims U.S. Has Found a Moderate Syrian Rebel"*
by Andy Borowitz
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "In what Secretary of State John Kerry
described as a significant foreign-policy coup, the U.S. claimed, on
Tuesday, that it had successfully located a moderate Syrian rebel. Though
Kerry did not elaborate on how the U.S. did so, he said that locating the
rebel was “the culmination of a months-long effort.” The Secretary of State
said that the Syrian had been appropriately vetted and was deemed
“moderately rebellious.” “He definitely seems to be the sort of gentleman
we can wo... more »
Israel's Army Issues A Warning That Hezbollah Is Capable Of Launching Major Raids Into Galilee
Hezbollah operatives spotted near the northern border with Israel (photo
credit: Courtesy/IDF)
*Hezbollah Planning 'Large Raids' Into Galilee, Senior Army Source Says --
Jerusalem Post*
Although war is unlikely now, small incidents can quickly escalate, officer
warns; IDF will defeat Hezbollah, but conflict could drag out for as long
as four months, he says.
Although a war is unlikely at this time, the IDF is preparing to fight
Hezbollah, which has developed new offensive cross-border capabilities
alongside its massive arsenal of rockets and missiles, a senior military
source sai... more »
Politics and Independence: How Do You Feel?
Better Together has been short on emotion, and all of a sudden it's there's
shouting and bawling all over the place. Almost. The Prime Minister has
ventured north from Westminster twice to make heartfelt pleas to Scottish
voters. And Gordon Brown (Gordon Brown!) has been stomping around making
the passionate case for the union. Too little too late when compared with
the apparent enthusiasm of the Yes campaign? We'll only know for sure come
Thursday.
But I want to be indulgent for a moment. I want to pause, and reflect. Way,
way back in October 2008, as ears were ringing to the caco... more »
Harry Targ : Obama and the myth that ‘war works’
Twentieth century narratives of international relations are no longer
relevant (if they ever were). By Harry Targ | The Rag Blog | September 16,
2014 President Barack Obama spoke to the nation Wednesday night, September
10, about the need to … finish reading Harry Targ :
Obama and the myth that ‘war works’
Will The Reality And Dangers Of Climate Change Sour Big Business On GOP Extremists? Not So Far
Conservatives were wily enough to realize-- long ago-- that democracies are
tough ground for them. Campaigning on a platform of basically keeping the
social order as it is-- the rich stay rich and powerful and the poor stay
poor and powerless-- only works when rich people are the only ones allowed
to vote. After working diligently to disenfranchise as many people as they
could-- minorities, renters, women, young people, non-white people,
ex-felons… anyone who isn't white, wealthy, male and old-- conservatives
realized they would have to make common ground with riffraff. Nationalism... more »
DISRUPTING THE WAR TEAM
Mr. Chairman Levin
the 'good' Democrat
that he is
seen many wars
come and go
and supported them all
he calls Col. Ann Wright
warlike
for saying no more war
he's got it all mixed up
Mr. Chairman Levin does
everything to him
is war these days
even being faced
with peaceniks
he sees war
Supplemental: What a Cable Outrage Spectacular looks like!
*TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014Springer and Hayes do cynical:* In theory, a
great deal could be learned from a discussion of domestic violence.
On cable, the current discussion has been transformed, to a large degree,
into the latest entertainment/moral outrage spectacular. These episodes are
good for business, less good for a societal learning curve.
Everyone knows the basic steps in a cable outrage spectacular. First, a
target is selected. Everything follows from that!
Once a spectacular has begun, basic facts will be selected, discarded or
distorted to drive The Preferred Cable Li... more »
Is Egypt About To Intervene In Libya's Civil War?
Speaker of Parliament Aqilah Saleh met with Al-Sisi [Pictured above] in
Cairo on August 26, after the meeting he told the Egyptian media that 'Sisi
pledged to rebuild the Libyan army and assist with establishing a civilian
police force'.
*Egypt Prepares For Wider Attack On Libya With UAE Funding And French-Saudi
Support -- Middle East Online*
Egyptian armed forces are preparing for the execution of an extensive
operation inside Libya in order to fight the revolutionaries and support
the militias that are loyal to the UAE in Tripoli and Benghazi including
troops commandeered by Bri... more »
Al Qaeda Calls For A United Front Of Jihadists Against The U.S. Led Coalition
Al-Nusra Front fighters standing near the Quneitra crossing between Israel
and Syria. (screen capture: YouTube)
*Qaeda Branches Urge Unity Against US-Led 'War On Islam' -- AFP*
Dubai (AFP) - Powerful Al-Qaeda branches in Yemen and North Africa issued
an unprecedented joint statement Tuesday calling for jihadists in Iraq and
Syria to unite against the common threat from a US-led coalition.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb urged
their "brothers" in Iraq and Syria to "stop killing each other and unite
against the American campaign and its evil coal... more »
Kalamazoo Michigan mother loses home over one missed property tax payment
*FOX 17*
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Your Cells, Their Proteins and Superfoods
Credit: University of Edinburgh,
via the Wellcome Trust
Heather Callaghan
In "She Used to Be In A Wheelchair - The TED Talk That Comes With a Warning"
I showcase Dr. Terry Wahls who successfully reversed her debilitating
multiple sclerosis with the application of nutrients and meditation. She
talks about the importance "minding your mitochondria" and how lifestyle,
diet and environment can switch genes on or off. Similarly, there are
people reversing ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease using similar methods.
What's cellular protein got to do with it? A whole lot! Turns out, you can
... more »
Cody Wilson: Modern Democracy is Derailed Train, Retrograde Abuses of Liberty
*Activist Post*
RT talks to Cody Wilson, the creator of the 3D-printed firearm dubbed “The
Liberator”.
When asked why he supports decentralized power after all the "progress"
society has made from tribal societies to federal power, Wilson responds:I'm seeing nothing but, from my perspective, a train in perpetual
derailment, retrograde abuses of liberties, in that there is no concept the
real human rights. It's just something we use to go like bomb Iraq, or take
over a country or assert our economic dominance. I'm seeing a slide toward
barbarism, not toward civilization that you'... more »
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