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| English: Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) arrives at Camp Ramadi for a short visit with U.S. servicemen, July 22. Sen. Chuck Hagel accompanied Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) on the trip. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County, California, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Would you trust your delicate Constitution to a marauding band of thug-justices? (Do we have a choice?)
*For the full version of the infographic, visit the Center for American Progress website.* *by Ken* For people who continue to cling forlornly to what remains of the Constitution and American values, there aren't many words scarier than "The Supreme Court is headed back to town." We all remember the phrase "First Monday in October," which is when the new Court term always begins. Ahead of that date the gang will do some conferencing. And in this term, a lot is hanging on the preliminaries. As ThinkProgress's Ian Millhiser and Nicole Flatow wrote in a much-circulated piece earlier... more »
The Pentagon Outlines Its Plans (And Needs) To Confront The Islamic State
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel listens to a question during a press conference at the Pentagon September 26, 2014. Hagel said defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, will require a long-term commitment by the U.S. and its allies on many fronts, and will not be achieved by air strikes alone. DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Hurt *Fight Against Islamic State: What Pentagon Officials Say Are Challenges Ahead -- Christian Science Monitor* *Airstrikes alone will not be enough, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday. The fight in Syria against the Islamic... more »
Former Diablo Canyon inspector still questions NRC decisions at plant | Local News | SanLuisObispo
Former senior resident inspector at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant Michael Peck has submitted a lengthy opinion piece to The Tribune explaining his reasons for appealing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s conclusion that Diablo Canyon is seismically safe. In his 3,000-word opinion piece sent Tuesday, Peck said he was “left with the impression that the NRC may have applied a special standard for Diablo Canyon.” He said that in his 30-year career in the NRC, he had never seen the agency handle a safety evaluation the way it had with Diablo Canyon. In his appeal, called a differing... more »
Paul Craig Roberts: "Obama’s September 24 speech at the UN is the most absurd thing I have heard in my entire life. It is absolutely amazing that the president of the United States would stand before the entire world and tell what everyone knows are blatant lies while simultaneously demonstrating Washington’s double standards and belief that Washington alone, because the US is exceptional and indispensable, has the right to violate all law. It is even more amazing that every person present did not get up and walk out of the assembly. The diplomats of the world actually sat there and listened to blatant lies from the world’s worst terrorist. They even clapped their approval."
------------------------------ *Will Russia and China Hold Their Fire Until War Is the Only Alternative? — Paul Craig Roberts * ------------------------------ September 25, 2014 | Original Here Go here to sign up to receive email notice of this news letter *Will Russia and China Hold Their Fire Until War Is the Only Alternative?* Paul Craig Roberts Obama’s September 24 speech at the UN is the most absurd thing I have heard in my entire life. It is absolutely amazing that the president of the United States would stand before the entire world... more »
The U.S. And Its Allies Are Putting On A Big Show In Syria And Not Really Bombing ISIS
An excerpt from, *"Obama Is Wrong That ISIS Is 'Not Islamic'"* by Alastair Crooke, Conflicts Forum, September 18, 2014: A number of Gulf and Arab states have signed up with Washington to fight ISIS, but only because they plan to insert a Trojan Horse into the “war” agenda. *Their troops hidden in the belly of the wooden “horse” are gathered — not to fight ISIS — but to fight a quite different war. They want to turn it into a renewed offensive against President Assad and Syria. *Indeed, at their preliminary summit in Jeddah, the Arab States agreed to a new Arab security architectu... more »
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: 400 ISIL Militants Have Been Killed By U.S. Led Airstrikes
(Image from the BBC) *400 ISIL Militants Killed In Int'l Alliance Attacks -- Kuwait News Agency* AMMAN, Sept 23 (KUNA) -- At least 400 militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) were killed on Tuesday in air strikes launched by the US-led international alliance against terrorist sites, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. Another 300 militants of the ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and other militant groups were also wounded in the attacks, the SOHR said in a statement. *Read more* .... *My Comment*: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has been consisten... more »
I Believe That Man........From A Speech by William Faulkner
[image: William Faulkner Quotes] *I believe that man will not merely endure; he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he along among creatures has an inexhaustable voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poets, the writer's duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man to endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the recor... more »
New Wars Mean New Profits
Defense Contractors Are Making a KillingBy Dan Froomkin Stock prices for Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman set all-time record highs last week as it became increasingly clear that President Obama was committed to a massive, sustained air war in Iraq and Syria. It’s nothing short of a windfall for these and other huge defense contractors, who’ve been getting itchy about federal budget pressures that threatened to slow the rate of increase in military spending. Now, with U.S. forces literally blowing through tens of millions of dollars of munitions a d... more »
Combat Pay Authorized For US Advisors In Iraq
*Combat Pay Authorized For US Advisers In Iraq; Combat Operations On Case-By-Case Basis -- Red State* Back in June, when the potential October Surprise of military action against ISIS was only a dim gleam in Obama’s eye, some 300 US advisors were deployed to Iraq. What was notable about this deployment was that they were not authorized combat pay. As I noted at the time: It is difficult to see how we help Iraqis “take the fight to the terrorists” if the men we send to do this will be so far removed from combat that they do not draw hazardous duty pay. In order to evaluate what is... more »
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Black Velvet Flirt”
Deuter, “Black Velvet Flirt” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qWFCocIfXI&list=RD9qWFCocIfXI
"A Look to the Heavens"
"These are galaxies of the Hercules Cluster, an archipelago of island universes a mere 500 million light-years away. Also known as Abell 2151, this cluster is loaded with gas and dust rich, star-forming spiral galaxies but has relatively few elliptical galaxies, which lack gas and dust and the associated newborn stars. The colors in this remarkably deep composite image clearly show the star forming galaxies with a blue tint and galaxies with older stellar populations with a yellowish cast. *Click image for larger size.* The sharp picture spans about 3/4 degree across the cluster cent... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Incredible Potential of Unexpectedness”
*“The Incredible Potential of Unexpectedness”* by Chet Raymo “The Jesuit scientist/mystic Teilhard de Chardin imagined what he called a "noosphere" (from the Greek word for "mind") as the next stage of terrestrial evolution- an envelope of pure human thought embracing the planet. This would be the inevitable result of human progress on a spherical Earth of finite surface area. We rub up against each other. We are stimulated by proximity. Railroads and airplanes extend the range of our interaction. Better still (he wrote), "thanks to the prodigious biological event represented by t... more »
"The Chief Obstacle..."
"The chief obstacle to the progress of the human race is the human race." - Don Marquis "I love humanity, but I hate people." - Edna St. Vincent Millay
"The Universe Cares Not For Us"
"The Universe Cares Not For Us" By Martin Pribble "I wrote recently about the idea of a "Re-Enlightenment" and about moving forward toward a world which was not controlled by mythology, dogma, and religious doctrine. In a rather flippant final paragraph I wrote: "We need to look at humanity to see how to fix it, not to look skyward and pray for intervention, or worse, the end of days. And I really do think we can do this; we have the knowledge, we have the means, let's make this thing work for all of us." I really think this future is possible. And there are several important thi... more »
Paulo Coelho, “Forget This Idea of Seeking Happiness”
*“Forget This Idea of Seeking Happiness”* by Paulo Coelho “Countries where income is under US$ 10,000 a year are countries where the majority of the population is unhappy. However, it was discovered that from that figure upwards, monetary difference is not all that important. A scientific study conducted on the 400 richest persons in the United States shows that they are only slightly happier than those who earn US$ 20,000. The logical consequence: of course, poverty is something unacceptable, but the old saying that “money does not bring happiness” is being proved in laboratories.... more »
"The Daily "Near You?"
Lytham, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Night Pleases Us..."
“I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does.” - Jorge Luis Borges
The Poet: David Whyte, “The Sea”
*“The Sea”* “The pull is so strong we will not believe the drawing tide is meant for us, I mean the gift, the sea, the place where all the rivers meet. Easy to forget, how the great receiving depth untamed by what we need needs only what will flow its way. Easy to feel so far away and the body so old it might not even stand the touch. But what would that be like feeling the tide rise out of the numbness inside toward the place to which we go washing over our worries of money, the illusion of being ahead, the grief of being behind, our limbs young rising from such a depth? What would t... more »
"A Conspiracy Theorist?"
"When you philosophically oppose an entire power elite, you cannot help but sound like a conspiracy theorist. Social power is by nature a conspiracy." - Tom N
"Curveballs..."
"Just when we think we figured things out, the universe throws us a curveball. So, we have to improvise. We find happiness in unexpected places. We find ourselves back to the things that matter the most. The universe is funny that way. Sometimes it just has a way of making sure we wind up exactly where we belong." - "Dr. Meredith Grey", "Grey's Anatomy"
"Is Virtual Collective Consciousness the Future?"
*"Is Virtual Collective Consciousness the Future?"* by Yousri Marzouki "Britlin Losee was a breakthrough for Whitacre's musical creative mind, not only through her dazzling admiration to the artist but most important through her deeply intimate and spontaneous endeavor. Her sensational YouTube video message is a load of emotional cues. This young girl inspired what is now referred to as Eric Whitacre's virtual choir. The hundreds of vocalists who responded to Whitacre's online appeal had to follow his "silent" directing gestures and provide their own tinge to the performance. Thus, ... more »
Everything You Need To Know About The Rise Of The 'Islamic State'
*ISIS: Everything You Need To Know About The Rise Of The 'Islamic State' -- Nick Thompson, Richard Allen Greene and Inez Torre, CNN* The group began in 2004 as al Qaeda in Iraq, before rebranding as ISIS two years later. It was an ally of – and had similarities with -- Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda: both were radical anti-Western militant groups devoted to establishing an independent Islamic state in the region. But ISIS – unlike al Qaeda, which disowned the group in early 2014 – has proven to be more brutal and more effective at controlling territory it has seized. *Read more* .... ... more »
"Why Successful People Never Bring Smartphones Into Meetings"
*"You are annoying your boss and colleagues any time you take your phone out during meetings." (In case this never occurred to you!)* *by Ken* Sometimes questions that seem too obvious to be worth asking can produce answers that are surprisingly interesting. For example, would you really think it necessary to ask, as LinkedIn seemed to feel I wanted to, "Why Successful People Never Bring Smartphones Into Meetings"? I don't go to a lot of meetings myself (thank goodness!), and after something like three years I still regard my smartphone as something like an enemy agent, which I ha... more »
Unofficial Book unveiling today at Mexicayotl Academy in Tucson
Official-unofficial... what's the difference... I will forever remember that it was at Mexicayotl where I presented my book for 1st time in public. THE ANTS OF QUETZALCOATL: Today I unveiled my book, "Our Sacred Maiz is our Mother" at Mexicayotl Academy in Tucson. Well... it wasn't an actual unveiling (that's Oct 12 - Indigenous Peoples Day) but what it was is, I taught 1st graders, and 2nd and 3rd graders, about the Nahuatl creation story of Maiz: "Quetzalcoatl, the ants and the Gift of maiz." After teaching it to them, they extemporaneously performed it. It was awesome... In ... more »
Untitled
*Corps: Slip-up caused cofferdam wall collapse ~David Hammer, WWLTV* *2 bartenders sue Pat O’Briens over wages, tips ~Bill Lodge, New Orleans Advocate *
“Denying Palestinians Their Humanity: A Response to Elie Wiesel”
*“Denying Palestinians Their Humanity: * *A Response to Elie Wiesel”* by Sara Roy “Mr. Wiesel, I read your statement about Palestinians, which appeared in The New York Times on August 4th. I cannot help feeling that your attack against Hamas and stunning accusations of child sacrifice are really an attack, carefully veiled but unmistakable, against all Palestinians, their children included. As a child of Holocaust survivors—both my parents survived Auschwitz—I am appalled by your anti-Palestinian position, one I know you have long held. I have always wanted to ask you, why? What c... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 26, 2014
*No, Containing ISIL Is Not “Good Enough” -- Brad Taylor, War On The Rocks* Is the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) contained? And would that be good enough? Dr. Christopher Bolan of the U.S. Army War College seems to think so. He argued as much recently here at War on the Rocks. While Bolan’s line of reasoning is appealing to many Americans who are tired of costly foreign entanglements, both parts of his argument fall apart when subjected to scrutiny. ISIL is not contained. Bolan states that approximately 30,000 ISIL fighters, armed with little more than rifles, face a... more »
"All That's Left..."
In the movie “The Lion in Winter”, when the sons, in the dungeon, think they hear Henry coming down the stairs to kill them: *Richard:* "He's here. He'll get no satisfaction out of us. Don't let him see you beg...Take it like a man! *Geoffrey*: "You fool! As if the way one falls down matters!" *Richard:* "Well, when the fall is all that's left, it matters a great deal."
Mathematical incompetence at the BBC
The BBC's report http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/29387421 on the first day of the Ryder Cup includes this: ' The US won the opening foursomes session 2½-1½ but Europe surged back to clinch the fourballs 3½-1½ to take the overnight advantage.' There are four points available in each half of the first two days, one per match. So how can the fourballs garner a total of five points. That's the trouble with employing a load of Arts graduates...
“5 Totally Vile Right-Wing Moments This Week: Hannity Stands Up for Child Abuse”
*“5 Totally Vile Right-Wing Moments This Week: * *Hannity Stands Up for Child Abuse”* By Janet Allon *“1. Sean Hannity: My father beat the crap out of me and look how great I turned out. *Sean Hannity vociferously defended pro-football player Adrian Peterson, who is facing indefinite suspension and criminal charges for beating his four-year-old with a tree branch, this week. While Hannity allowed that Peterson may have gone too far, as did Hannity’s dad, apparently, the Fox host feels that neither deserves to be charged as criminals. Hannity regaled his guests with tales of his beat... more »
Ready for the Weekend Quasi-Linkage: Are Political Scientists Useless?
Steve and I had a good Twitter exchange with Tom Ricks about whether or not political science is useless to policymakers, particularly quantitative work and modeling. I thought this exchange was funny because today I saw that Colin Kahl, friend and more importantly, a damn good political scientist, was just appointed as Vice President Biden’s Continue reading
Russia - Ukraine - E.U. Gas Deal Reached
*Exclusive: Ukraine Prime Minister Says Russians 'Want Us To Freeze' -- Reuters* (Reuters) - The prime minister of the Kiev government accused Russia on Thursday of attempting to freeze Ukraine in the coming winter by using natural gas as a weapon to subjugate the former Soviet Republic. "They want us to freeze. This is the aim and this is another trump card in Russian hands. So, except military offense, except military operation against Ukraine, they have another trump card, which is energy," Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said in an interview on the sidelines of the United Nat... more »
Hundreds Of Afghan-Taliban Fighters Have Stormed And Captured A Strategic District Sothwest of Kabul
Ghazni province, Afghanistan. VOA *Deadly Taliban Offensive Gains Ground In East Afghanistan -- Al Jazeera* *An attack by an estimated 700 Taliban fighters that began five days ago has left more than 100 people dead* Hundreds of Taliban fighters have stormed a strategic district in an Afghan province southwest of the capital and are on the verge of capturing it after killing dozens of people and beheading some in days of fighting, officials said Friday. The Ghazni provincial government has lost contact with police in the province's western district of Ajrestan, said Asadullah Safi... more »
Ebola: "U.S. Govt. Patented Ebola In 2010 And Now Owns All Victims' Blood"
*"U.S. Govt. Patented Ebola In 2010 And Now Owns All Victims' Blood:* *It's All Scripted! Ebola Outbreak And Impossibly Rapid Vaccine Response Clearly Scripted"* by Mike Adams "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't." William Shakespeare, “Hamlet” (Act II, Scene II) "On the very same day that vaccine maker GlaxoSmithKline is being fined $490 million by Chinese authorities for running an illegal bribery scheme across China [3], the media is announcing the "astonishing" launch of human trials for an Ebola vaccine. Care to guess who will be manufacturing this vaccine once it...more »
A Parliament of Whores - The Sexual History of Watergate
"Courts are a capricious venue for arguments about history. Sometimes, as when a British court last year resoundingly rejected the Holocaust denial of "historian" David Irving, litigation can help protect established history from those who would maliciously rewrite it. But conspiracy theorizing generally is better addressed in the public arena by rigorous confrontation with facts. That's true both out of respect for freedom of speech---even wrong-headed speech---and because historical truth does not always fare so well in court. A jury in Tennessee in 1999 embraced the loonies... more »
Neoliberalizing the academy
Josh’s post on his experience with course evaluations has gotten me thinking about the practice of using course evaluations. Because my personal circumstances differ from Josh’s (e.g. I do not have children), I have been able to avoid some of the painful tradeoffs he discusses and have not yet had to confront ‘bad’ evaluations. Reading Continue reading
What About Party Discipline?
John Barrow, from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party Yesterday we saw that most of the 17 Democratic House Members from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party who voted for Darrell Issa's strictly partisan resolution to hold Eric Holder in criminal contempt were defeated in 2012. Among the few remaining 3-- Bill Owens (New Dem-NY), Jim Matheson (Blue Dog-UT) and Mike McIntyre (New Dem/Blue Dog-NC)-- picked retirement this year over certain defeat at the polls. That leaves John Barrow (Blue Dog/New Dem-GA), Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN) and Nick Rahall (Blue Dog-WV). The... more »
Was The F-22 Debut Combat Performance Over Syria Impressive?
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *F-22’s Baptism Of Fire Impresses Defense Experts -- FOX News* The Air Force's costly and controversial new F-22 Raptor made its public debut during bombing runs over Syria earlier this week and defense experts said they were impressed by the first glimpse of its lethal firepower. “It seems to have been very successful – it was designed to have that ‘first night,’ precision strike capability,” Rebecca Grant, president of Washington D.C.-based defense research firm IRIS Independent Research, told FoxNews.com. “This proves that the F-22 is a... more »
Local Council By-Elections September 2014
Party Number of candidates Total vote % +/- August Average/ contest +/- August +/- Seats Conservative 15 4,965 26.1% -1.0% 331 +50 -2 Labour 14 5,345 28.1% +0.7% 382 +63 +1 LibDem 11 4,166 21.9% +2.5% 378 +131 +1 UKIP 13 2,597 13.7% -4.4% 200 -41 +1 SNP* 0 0 Plaid Cymru** 0 0 Green 8 716 3.8% -3.6% 90 -47 0 BNP 0 0 TUSC 2 60 0.3% +0.1% 30 +14 0 Independent*** 7 ... more »
The Unbearable Lightness of Neo-Liberal Historical Revisionism in Education
Dana Goldstein studied intellectual history at Brown before she became a reporter, then a grad student at Columbia, and now another author among the growing tribe of young, privileged white folks with new books intended to make the world safe for corporate education reform. Goldstein joins Cornellian Amanda Ripley, Yalie Anya Kamenetz, and fellow Columbia alum, Elizabeth Green, in offering their non-educationist and non-scholarly takes on issues ranging from how to make "smart kids," "build great teachers," referee the "teacher wars," or understand "the test." All of this recant an... more »
Under A Harper Conservative Government, When Canada Talks To The World ... No One Listens Anymore ...
*Stephen Harper Mocked Over Empty UN General Assembly For His Speech*
Healthy Lunches: "Frozen" Lunch
What princess lunch series would be complete without a little Frozen magic? Our house is still full of Elsa and Anna from morning until night and so this snowflake Elsa themed meal fits right in. If your child is anything like mine, quesadillas are on the very short list of things she will eat, so I wanted to incorporate them into one of our fun lunches and what better way than by cutting one of the tortillas into a snowflake? You will need: - two tortillas - cheese, I wanted to use white cheese to complete the look, but I knew my daughter wouldn't eat it. - spinach ... more »
Meet The Female Arab Pilot Who Led The First Airstrikes Against The Islamic State
*UAE's First Female Fighter Pilot Led Airstrike Against ISIS -- CNN* (CNN) -- Maj. Mariam Al Mansouri may be ISIS' worst nightmare. The first female fighter pilot in the United Arab Emirates, she led a strike mission this week against the terror group, that country's ambassador to the United States said Thursday. "She is (a) fully qualified, highly trained, combat ready pilot, and she led the mission," Yousef Al Otaiba told MSNBC's "Morning Joe." The UAE has joined the United States and a handful of other Arab nations in conducting airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. This summer, t... more »
Inside Ukraine
A frank discussion with pensioners in Pervomaisk, Lugansk area of eastern Ukraine.
Global Cop Complex
As Congress skipped town and avoided a vote on war, President Obama announced this week that the US was taking the lead in bombing jihadists in Iraq and Syria, opening what is being widely interpreted as another long and costly American military campaign in the Middle East. This week, Bill Moyers discusses the latest on the conflict with *Jonathan Landay*, a veteran national security reporter for McClatchy Newspapers and *Matthew Hoh*, a former Marine and foreign service officer in Afghanistan. “As much as President Obama wishes we weren’t the world’s policemen, perhaps we are,” L... more »
U.S. Public Support For Military Action Against The Islamic State Is Lower Than Previous Wars
*Slightly Fewer Back ISIS Military Action vs. Past Actions -- Gallop* More than six in 10 Republicans and Democrats approve PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' 60% approval for U.S. military action against Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria, commonly known as ISIS, is slightly below their average 68% approval for 10 other U.S. military operations Gallup has asked about using this question format. Americans have been a bit less supportive of recent military actions after prolonged engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. The most recent results are based on a Sept. 20-21 Gallup poll, conducte... more »
Free Planet - END THE LOBBY - the act of choosing what you like, not liking what's chosen for you
*Lobby * *(noun): an organized group of people who work together to influence government decisions that relate to a particular industry, issue, etc. (verb) the act of lobbying, especially as representatives of a particular interest group.* The Lobby means THE END OF CHOICE as a citizen of Free Planet (as it was intended by God, by Fate, by Sod's Law). What do we mean by 'the end of choice'? Well, there's lots of money to be made by The Lobby. But not for you, my friend. Not for you. The Lobby functions as a stand-alone privately-owned conglomerate-of-organisation that *TELLS GOVE... more »
Another Analysis On The War Against The Islamic State
*The Slow, Long Fight Against ISIS: Airstrikes, Failures On Ground -- Michael Pearson and Ben Brumfield, CNN* (CNN) -- Not weeks. Not months. Years. That's how long nations entering the fight against ISIS may need to be prepared to spend on the battle, British and U.S. officials say. British Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament Friday of the likely length of the mission ahead of what turned out to be an overwhelming vote to send UK air power into the fight. But, he said, what choice does the country have when faced with a well-funded, highly organized force known for virt... more »
Will The White House Strategy Of 'No-Boots-On-The Ground' Work?
*Analysis: Syria Will Test No-Boots-On-Ground Strategy -- Jim Michaels, USA TODAY * WASHINGTON — President Obama's no-boots-on-the-ground strategy faces its biggest test in Syria: New U.S. airstrikes are damaging the Islamic State's forces, but the United States lacks reliable allies on the ground to defeat the enemy, according to analysts. "It's going to be hard for it to work," said Andrew Tabler, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The Pentagon is counting on so-called moderate rebels in Syria and the military in Iraq to repel the Islamic State militan... more »
Islamic State Militants Have Destroyed The 7th Century Green Church In Tikrit, Iraq
*Islamic State Reportedly Destroys 7th Century Green Church In Tikrit, Iraq. One Of Middle East's Oldest Christian Sites -- Huffington Post* Islamic State continues to destroy sacred sites across Iraq. The militant group reportedly blew up a 7th century Christian site known as the Green Church in Tikrit, Iraq on Wednesday. The site belonged to the Assyrian Church of the East and was restored by the Saddam Hussein regime in 2000, according to RT News. A source on the ground told Iraqi news that the militants used "improvised explosive devices" planted in the surrounding area. The e... more »
Friday pussy - Got rope?
Rope? You have rope? Seems we're all near the end of the rope. At least for some. Latest fad seems to be cranial detachment. How barbaric. Don't like the boss and you have no cache of 8000 rounds? Well then a little lighter fluid and some rags will do the trick. Hits em right in the wallet. Everything is defined by "terror" now even if it wasn't. This was not a TERRORIST act. Nothing to be AFRAID of. Nothing to FEAR. The victim was BEHEADED even though the suspect was not part of a TERROR cell. You get the idea. And the second fav topic the economy which, should you believe the pu... more »
Islamic State Continues Their Military Campaign In Both Syria And Iraq
*Islamic State Tightens Siege Of Syria Border Town Kobane -- BBC* Islamic State militants are advancing on the Syrian town of Kobane, where they are battling Kurdish fighters. The clashes are visible from Turkey, where some protesters have stormed a border fence to go to defend the town. Earlier, the US said it had destroyed four tanks and damaged another during a fourth night of bombardments in Syria. The UK parliament has voted to conduct air strikes against IS in Iraq, while Belgium and Denmark have also announced they will take part in the operation. *Read more* .... *More ... more »
CHINA:GLAXOSMITHKLINE FINED $488.8M FOR 'MASSIVE BRIBERY NETWORK'
*If you think this is unique to China think again, see this article about Johnson & Johnson in the USA... -AK* http://abc7chicago.com/news/glaxosmithkline-fined-$4888m-for-massive-bribery-network-/316390/*GLAXOSMITHKLINE FINED $488.8M FOR 'MASSIVE BRIBERY NETWORK'* ABC News KAIJING XIAO Friday, September 19, 2014 BEIJING -- China has fined the British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) $488.8 million (3 billion Yuan) for a "massive bribery network" to get doctors and hospitals to use its products. Five former employees were sentenced to two to four years in jail, but or... more »
Aisha North: The manuscript of survival – part 425
*The manuscript of survival – part 425* by Aisha North This message will perhaps shake up a few of those old misconceptions that still survive even in some of the enlightened circles. You see, this has very much to do about the very nature of things, and when we say that we are actually referring to the state that makes everything come about or rather come into existence in a way that enables you to perceive them. For existence and the definition of it is indeed a very convoluted subject, as what seems to exist to a human, is merely the tiniest tip of the proverbial iceberg compa... more »
Liverpool delete Jewish new year tweet following antisemitic messages
The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/26/liverpool-delete-jewish-new-year-tweet-antisemitic-messages report that ' Liverpool have deleted a tweet wishing their Jewish supporters a happy new year after it was met with a series of antisemitic messages on the club's official account. The club marked Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year in the Hebrew calendar, with a tweet on Friday that read: "Liverpool FC would like to wish all our Jewish supporters around the world a happy new year. #RoshHashanah". However, the tweet was removed several hours later.' Of course ... more »
The Anti-Islamic State Coalition Grows
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *Britain, Belgium And Denmark To Join U.S.-Led Airstrikes In Iraq -- L.A. Times* The British Parliament voted Friday to join U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq against the extremist group Islamic State. The motion approved by a vote of 524 to 43 does not allow Britain’s air force to also conduct operations in neighboring Syria, where the militants have seized large swaths of territory. Prime Minister David Cameron made the case for military intervention to lawmakers, who were recalled to London during a recess for Friday’s vote. “The question b... more »
The Military Campaign Against The Islamic State -- News Updates September 26, 2014
*(Click on Image to Enlarge) * Blitzed: A graphic showing some of the most recent US/Arab air strikes carried out in Syria and Iraq *ISIS Flee The Bombers By BIKE: Fanatics Have Ditched Weapons And Vehicles And Are Traveling Alone To Avoid Being Blasted From The Air -- Daily Mail* * Jihadists are also erecting flags on empty buildings to create confusion * U.S.-led strikes hit oil fields and other facilities in Deir el-Zour province * Raids also targeted Islamic State headquarters in the town of Mayadeen * Comes as Cameron makes case for strikes in Iraq ahead of crunch vote Islamic ... more »
Woodward Lies
*Q : "What do you think of Bob Woodward's new book?* *Christopher Hitchins : "Not much."* * "The real issue, which in the end may be even more important than the who-shot-who of Watergate, concerns the arrogance of media such as the Washington Post, which pretend to an infallibility they do not have. For decades, the Post and its cousins have refused to tolerate (much less undertake) a re-examination of the Watergate affair---or any other major story in which they may be said to have a stake. * * Watergate, after all, was journalism's finest hour. Courageous edit... more »
The Nobel Peace Prize
- I'm deeply struck by the suicide of Jacob David George (see below his video and moving story). He was a brilliant kid. I'd heard about his recent death but it was not until last night at our Maine Veterans For Peace meeting in Augusta that I really felt it. Richard Clement, who chairs the group, asked that our chapter send $250 to a fund being raised to honor the life and work of Jacob. I saw how deeply Richard was impacted by his death... his own son was in the Iraq war and he understands the anguish of a parent. He took Jacob's passing hard. It mad... more »
Nigel Farage claims voting system in Labour heartlands is ‘riddled with fraud’ - No Shit Sherlock
Nigel Farage has claimed Labour's decade-long dominance in the north of England has led to the region being turned into a "one-party state" which has resulted in the emergence of a postal-voting system "riddled with fraud". No Shit Sherlock
Manuscript of survival: the bitch slap
Once again, I am left speechless at the accuracy and "timeliness" of the message. Lisa and I had a very long talk this afternoon ... one that rambled down many avenues. Then I received this link and wella!!! Energetic bitch slap received. We both thank you. xoxo Love D The manuscript of survival – part 425 This message will perhaps shake up a few of those old misconceptions that still survive even in some of the enlightened circles. You see, this has very much to do about the very nature of things, and when we say that we are actually referring to the state that makes everythi... more »
World News Briefs -- September 26, 2014
*'This Is About Psychopathic Terrorists Who Are Trying To Kill Us': Cameron Says There Is A 'Strong Case' For Air Strikes In Syria As Well As Iraq But Miliband Blocks Wider Action -- Daily Mail* * Prime Minister urges MPs to support military action against militants * Warns mission will take 'not just months but years' as debate begins * Labour leader Ed Miliband backs Iraq action but divisions emerge on Syria * Air strikes in Iraq are expected to start within hours of the 5pm vote tonight * Commons motion rules out action in neighbouring Syria without a vote * But Philip Hammond sa... more »
looking at the world through the fog
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Really we have never been in better shape has humans. The finance system is really fucked but that is the norm. If we ever get it right look out. Humans continue to climb to unbelievable heights of discovery and every day today is a thousand years in medieval times. Yes we continue with the asshole rule concept but every day more and more people realize they should not worship those communicative but still stinky farts. ISIS are you serious. The USSR had a hundred thousand nukes pointed at us with a hair trigger, and ISSIS has a sharp knife. I mean a knife some carbon steel that ... more »
Another Formerly Red District, CA-25, Flips To A Democratic Registration Advantage. DCCC Blows It Again
The 1st idiot to run the DCCC, James Rood Doolittle, and the current incompetent, Steve Israel Patty Murray did a legendary job running the DSCC in the 2012 election cycle. She steered the Democrats to victory in races Beltway pundits rated as impossible: North Dakota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Virginia, New Mexico and Montana, while helping Elizabeth Warren defeat popular incumbent Scott Brown and making sure Republicans made no gains in tough reelection campaigns for Democrats in Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Florida. She was a superstar. The Obama campaign also ran a spec... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 26, 2014
*David Cameron Urges Parliament To Back Airstrikes Against ISIS In Iraq -- New York Times* LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron urged Parliament on Friday to approve plans to join the American-led air campaign in Iraq against the Islamic State militant group, saying there was no “walk-on-by” alternative to intervention. “This is not a threat on the far side of the world,” he told lawmakers. “Left unchecked, we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean, bordering a NATO member, with a declared and proven determination to attack our country and our people,... more »
Bill Whittle: Socialism - Do you engage in magical thinking?...
*or do you believe in whales?* Does "good" Socialism exist?
Beware the gods of the internet...
*you could be a target.* This *little post of mine asked the question*: How "connected" do we really have to be? That evening we lost our internet servive and remained unconnected for over TEN hours. Coincidence? I think not.
BBC editor admits bias
In that same speech *Today* editor Jamie Angus also addressed the issue of political bias. In a shock move, he denied there was any. However, he did admit that the BBC appears to biased on some social issues: “Where people have caught us out in the past has been on things like cultural issues where I think there is an apparent bias. I feel uncomfortable sometimes with coverage of right to die. “I think too much of the BBC’s output, across the board, I am including drama, factual, not just news, has taken the standpoint that liberalising euthanasia is broadly a good thing and not t... more »
Radio 4's 'Today' to be dumbed down
Following *Newsnight *editor Ian 'Cool' Katz's widely-publicised calls for a lighter, less aggressive kind of political interview - and his own determined steps to lighten *Newsnight* - it looks as if another top BBC editor is thinking along the same lines. According to the *Guardian*, BBC Radio 4 *Today *editor Jamie Angus is concerned that his programme isn't appealing to "younger audiences". These younger audiences "tell us sometimes they have to pay too much attention to *Today*, some of the items are difficult to understand, some of them are too long"... ...so expect poor Jo... more »
ISIS IS NOW OBAMA'S (ORWELL'S) PERMANENT WAR
*Click on photo to enlarge* *Barack Obama is now the leader of George Orwell's contemporary Oceania. In two 2009 speeches the Nobel Peace Prize winner affirmed that peace was no longer peace, but rather a permanent war that "extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan" to "disorderly regions and diffuse enemies". He called this "global security". To the people of Afghanistan, which America had invaded and occupied, he said: "We have no interest in occupying your country" So get used to it, in Obama's Oceania the truth and lies are indivisible and war is a deadly and permanent real... more »
Al Queda was not radical enough to remain a brand
Tora Bora and Osama living in luxury in the be best part of Pakistani. These were problems just to big to ignore. So someone somewhere decided the best case was for Osama to die like Entebbe. For sure they did it in a confusing way. No one can say Osama is dead or even existed in that life. Maybe he was the son that was chosen for a dark fight. I have traveled this world on a business class ticket. Yet I felt the pain deeply of all the citizens who in this world would not have the slightest chance to depart a jet let alone a donkey convoy. Holy Fuck Batmann our world is a fucked up ... more »
Keenan's Rant & lies.
NEIL KEENAN SAINT OR SINNER OR SOCIAL MEDIA PAWN?written BY INCARNATE GALACTIC HUMAN
Accusations Are Growing That The U.S. Department Of Defense Created The Ebola Epidemic
*A Professor In U.S. Is Telling Liberians That The Defense Department ‘Manufactured’ Ebola -- Washington Post* Last week, President Obama announced an ambitious — and expensive — plan that effectively placed the U.S. military at the forefront of the global fight against the worst Ebola outbreak in history. In an effort that could cost as much as $750 million in the next six months, he assigned up to 3,000 military personnel to West Africa to “combat and contain” what officials call “an extraordinarily serious epidemic.” As those military doctors and officials begin what will be a ... more »
Nuclear Trolls and the Banality of Evil
A troll is someone who joins an event or forum in order to sabotage proceedings. Yesterday a new troll showed at Enenews. I actually think the new troll is an old troll because of the pattern of his disruptions (definitely a masculine ego operative here) The trolls at Enenews typically emphasize their expertise in nuclear engineering in order to disparage other commentators and rebut headline news about the Fukushima disaster. For example, yesterday Enenews ran the headline: *Nuclear Professor: Blast at Fukushima Reactor 3 was like “exploding vortex ring” — Ejection of nuclear ... more »
Price of crude is dropping
We are now bombing ISIS oil producing facilities with extreme prejudice. No one has the freedom to lower the price of oil, or trade it for goats and cheese! Nonsense scraps left behind when the main thought was produced. Well its all connected by some thread. Masters of the Universe do not answer questions unless they are in dread. The best explanation of this con goverment is found in the Stargate series. Our current goverment is for sure composed of worshipers of Egyptian Gods from another universe. One thing they hate is commodity prices falling. A good Government would recogni... more »
Neutral Neutrino has Gravity
For the record. Dated 25 SEP 2014 6.00 AM PST This morning I ran through a calculation and finally isolated the equation describing the induced curvature or gravity contribution of the neutral neutrino described in my thought experiment in my paper titled Cloud Cosmology. This immediately extends naturally to larger particles and on through to designing gravity detection devices. We will be able to calculate the expected effect. A direct consequence appears to be that geometry is far more important than mass and this opens the door to negative gravity as well. It is ... more »
Neuroscience and Near Death Experience
I have come to the inevitable conclusion that our mind or consciousness resides fully in our spirit for lack of a better name. I have come to understand that the real physical information content of our spirit is many orders of magnitude greater than our easily observed physical component. Our consciousness does embed memories that are needed in our present into our physical component, but this is necessarily slow. Yet we also learn to depend on it and I suspect that may be a mistake. Photographic memories come to mind as well. NDE demonstrates a shift of spectrum and that is... more »
Ignoring a Basic Fact
There is a really good meme here. It is the idea of the Basic Fact. I have been investigating a whole slew of those Basic Facts on this blog and ultimately I am also uncovering many more. All such Basic Facts are suppressed by the simple expedient of paying a convenient ignoramus to to deny it or even to produce a debunking file. UFO's are Basic Facts as are Crop Circles and both are beyond reasonable deniability. Yet the press is played over and over again for suckers and morons. The average press reports reads like a novice reporter been fed an old such report as his researc... more »
What If Everything We Know About Treating Depression Is Wrong?
Scientific knowledge about the brain is finally catching up with our present lack of a creditable depression management protocol. I have always been dismissive of what has been done by this crowd to date for exactly this reasom and the sheer weight of unsupportive evidence to say nothing of the more bogus claims. Now we demonstrate that serotonin has zip to do with depression and that means the meds have operated completely through the placebo effect. I do think that the first thing to tackle is the dietary regime. There a number of imbalances are reflected in the developmen... more »
The FBI Is Not A Fan Of The New Apple And Google Phones
iOS' encryption would have cost a man his life, back when he was on the job, says former FBI head. Google and Apple's new encryption protects the bad guys, he says. (Photo : Official U.S. Navy Page, Creative Commons) *FBI Blasts Apple, Google For Locking Police Out Of Phones -- Washington Post* FBI Director James B. Comey sharply criticized Apple and Google on Thursday for developing forms of smartphone encryption so secure that law enforcement officials cannot easily gain access to information stored on the devices — even when they have valid search warrants. His comments were th... more »
12 fondos nuevos para pc, laptop, tabletas y ipads.
Dicen que para gustos, los colores. Y basándonos en esta afirmación tan cierta, le traemos el día de hoy hasta sus pantallas esta bonita colección que incluye *12 nuevos fondos de paisajes naturales, flores y naturaleza viva*. Un pequeño tributo a este fascinante planeta en el cual vivimos. Reciban saludos muy especiales queridos suscriptores de *Fotofrontera* y por aquí seguiremos enviando *fotos bonitas* para distraerles un poco de los problemas cotidianos. Ánimo y siempre adelante... -José Luis
Why The Name 'Khorasan' Is Important To Radical Jihadists
*Khorasan: Behind The Mysterious Name Of The Newest Terrorist Threat -- Michael Crowley, Time* The word Khorasan sheds important light on the grandiose, even apocalyptic vision that drives many Sunni radicals It was six days after the Sept. 11 attacks, and with dark smoke still rising from lower Manhattan, Ali Soufan was face-to-face with the most senior al-Qaeda leader in American custody. Soufan, an FBI counterterrorism agent, was inside a Yemen prison, interrogating a captured al-Qaeda operative named Abu Jandal, a former bodyguard and confidante to Osama bin Laden. Abu Janda...more »
East Mediterranean Gas: what kind of a game-changer?
*A 37 page pdf, that you can read through in under half an hour.* Stumbled across this today. Excellent reference. Good for getting a sense of what's at stake in this part of the world. Ya know, why all the interest? Though the East Mediterranean is quite far from the US, the US is going to embed itself in the region for many years to come. Clearly these 'game changer' gas reserves are a big part of the reasoning. It certainly isn't ISIS or humanitarianism or even terrorism. Not when the US, UK, Israel are the kingpins of global terrorism. This information ties into so very many p... more »
Was The Khorasan Group Planning An Attack On the West?
*US Officials Unclear On Threat Posed By Obscure al-Qaida Cell In Syria -- The Guardian* Senior officials say Khorasan was involved in ‘actual plotting that was ongoing’, but is a terror attack really imminent? Three days after the United States unexpectedly launched air strikes against an al-Qaida cell in Syria, officials are offering varied and conflicting explanations on the precise nature of the threat posed by the group. Hours after Tomahawk missiles slammed into buildings near Aleppo believed to be used by Khorasan, an obscure group said to be focused on exporting terroris... more »
The Criminal US War On Syria: Calling BS On The US "Airstrikes" Against "ISIS" - This Video Is A Real Laugher!
The reports continue to come in fast and furious from the Jew spew media these last few days about the so called "airstrikes" against "ISIS/ISIL targets" in northern Syria.... I have watched some of the alleged airstrikes and I have been puzzled by several factors... One of course is the lack of so called "ISIS/ISIL" casualties from these "airstrikes" when all we find from real sources is the deaths of innocent civilians... The second is the "airstrikes" themselves that seem to hit empty targets.... I have long suspected that these "airstrikes" against fraudulent "ISIS/ISIL targets"... more »
Al-Qaeda Remains Degraded But Not Defeated
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announces the formation of an Indian branch of his militant group. He was silent on the Syrian cell of al-Qaeda that U.S. forces attacked this week. (Reuters Tv/Reuters) *As U.S. Takes On The Islamic State, al-Qaeda Remains Degraded But Not Defeated -- Greg Miller and Kevin Sieff, Washington Post* As the United States mobilized against new Islamist enemies this month, the voice of an aging adversary echoed in the distance. Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of al-Qaeda’s founders and its leader for the past three years, released a video announcing the formatio... more »
Jacob David George: Another Victim of Moral Injury
Last week “*bicycle ridin, banjo pickin, peace rambling hillbilly from Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas”* Jacob David George died as a result of moral injuries sustained in Afghanistan. Jacob joined the US Army before the attacks of 9/11. He served three tours of Afghanistan (2001, 2002, 2003/4) and came back a changed man. He said that after witnessing wholesale slaughter and picking through body parts he was affected by Post Traumatic Stress. He understood that to be profoundly affected by war was not a disorder. Jacob often talked about the moral component of PTS, the trauma caus... more »
Illegal Immigrants Will Be Allowed To Serve In The U.S. Military
Eight members of the United States military became naturalized citizens aboard the USS Pinckney as part of San Francisco's annual Fleet Week celebration in October 2010. Rachel Polish/Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard *Undocumented Immigrants will Be Allowed To Serve In U.S. Military Under New Department Of Defense Policy -- Daily Mail* * Rule applies to immigrants without a visa who came to the United States before age 16 * Moreover, enlistees must meet all criteria for the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DAVA) * The program is capped at 1,500 recruits per... more »
The Next Wedge
http://reason.com/ This week, the Conference Board released a report predicting generational warfare between Canadians. *Macleans* has also jumped on the bandwagon. Linda McQuaig writes: I turn to *Maclean's* if I want to know what idea conservatives will be pushing next. So when I saw a recent copy of *Maclean's* featuring a jarring photo of an old person's wrinkled hand with the middle finger raised, I realized the right is gearing up to make generational conflict the next big thing. Along with the photo of the raised mid... more »
Global Arms Trade Treaty To Take Effect On December 24
*U.N. Says Arms Trade Treaty To Enter Into Force On December 24 -- Reuters* (Reuters) - A global Arms Trade Treaty to regulate the $85 billion industry and keep weapons out of the hands of human rights abusers and criminals will come into force on Dec. 24 after the 50th country ratified the agreement on Thursday, the United Nations said. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly adopted the treaty in April last year. Argentina, Bahamas, Portugal, Czech Republic, St. Lucia, Senegal and Uruguay deposited their ratifications with the world body on Thursday, taking the total to 52. U.N. d... more »
I AM! The Most Powerful Words in the Universe! Understand You are, your I AMs! Use them and Create your world
There is a lot going on and there is a lot I could be writing about that are lies and B.S. happening in the world. But instead of getting upset right now.... I feel the most important truths and the way we will change all things happening is through the truth of ourselves. That is why I am working on myself but also the more people understand the truth the more our world will change through
Stock Markets , Bond market Crash Alert ( September 26 , 2014 ) - Red lights flashing and sirens blaring quite loudly , no one should be shocked whenever it occurs ! Bill Gross leaves PIMCO ????
Tweets..... *zerohedge* @zerohedge · 39s Er, what? WILLIAM H. GROSS JOINS JANUS CAPITAL - User Actions Following *zerohedge*@zerohedge Was This The Selloff Catalyst: $10+ Billion BlueCrest Capital Unwinding Positions, Fires PMs http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-09-2 6/was-selloff-catalyst-10-billion-bluecrest-capital-unwinding-positions-fires-pms … - zerohedge Was This The Selloff Catalyst: $10+ Billion BlueCrest Capital... Yesterday's plunge in stocks (and credit markets) was pinned on several catalysts from Russia to Fed speak, but the 'liquidations' explan... more »
Can A Scandal In South Dakota Save The Senate For DC Democrats... Who Are Ignoring It?
Control of the U.S. Senate will come down to a race none of the powers inside the Beltway are even talking about. Democrat Tim Johnson is retiring from his South Dakota Senate seat and Johnson is strongly backing prairie populist Rick Weiland, who is also being strongly backed by former Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Harry Reid has a bug up his ass about Daschle and is letting that get in the way of supporting Weiland. Almost every other Democratic senator has endorsed him or contributed to his campaign but Reid refuses to allow the DSCC to back him. DSCC Executive Direc... more »
NATO - Russia Cooperation in MATO Has Been Halted
An Afghan Mi-17 helicopter takes off for an air-assault training flight from Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan. © Photo: US Army / Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot *Russia’s NATO Envoy: Cooperation With NATO in Afghanistan Halted -- RIA Novosti* MOSCOW, September 25 (RIA Novosti) – The cooperation of Russia and NATO in Afghanistan has been halted, including a helicopter project, Russia’s envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko told RIA Novosti on Thursday. "NATO has walked away from these projects and adheres to this decision," Grushko said, specifying that the helicopter project was also h... more »
Are We Witnessing The End Of The U.S. As A Superpower?
Sunset Soldiers - Soldiers assigned to Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, Illinois National Guard finish a hard day in the field during training on Camp Ripley, Minn., July 22, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Allison Lampe *Could America Lose Its Superpower Status? -- Daniel Goure, Real Clear Defense* *The Road to "Regional Power with Some Global Reach"* At last week’s Air Force Association annual conference, I was privileged along with other defense analysts to have a series of conversations with senior Air Force leaders, many of whom are responsible for conducting a w... more »
On Rhonda of the Hamptons
A nice piece from Perdido Street School: Lyndsey Layton reports the Center for Union Facts is attacking AFT President Randi Weingarten again: The 11-page mailing, on expensive paper stock, was sent first class to 125,000 households across the country this week. “I’m writing to you about Randi,” the letter began. “You probably don’t know who Randi is. Most people don’t. The terrible impact Randi has on America’s educational system is something that I hope you will give me a few minutes to explain.” The writer, Richard Berman, is a D.C.-based corporate communications consultant who ...more »
Musical Interlude: Tony O'Connor, “Nature”
Tony O'Connor, “Nature” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR_cLv63Yvg Please do watch this in fullscreen mode...
Iraq / Syria Updates ( September 26 , 2014 ) - Iraq PM learns fer mongering technique from West , invents fake terror plot ..... Mods claim airstrikes aren't helping ( meaning bomb Syria Military not ISIS / al Nusra ) ....... Ground war in Iraq ( and then Syria ) on the way .......
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2014/09/iraq-sitrep-update-26th-september-enemy.html *** 24th Sep: The US led coalition starts to bomb Daash positions on the outskirts of Kobani in Northern Syria. 24th Sep: Kurdish forces warn of the fleeing of Daash fighters from Syria to Iraq and ask the US led coalition to bomb Daash convoys entering Iraq. 24th Sep: Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmergas work in coordination in Qara Tapa, north east of Baqouba, Diyala to clear villages of Daash presence 24th Sep: Hassan Nasrallah states that he is opposed to the US led coalition that is bombing ... more »
French farmers burn tax building and burn produce in Brittany ( September 20 , 2014 ) -- Sanctions against Russia produces blowback in France !
Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
Photos and video.... About 100 farmers used tractors and trailers to dump artichokes, cauliflowers and manure outside tax office in Morlaix Images for Brittany farmers protests - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests images] - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests images] - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests images] 6 hours ago - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests images] - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests images] - [image: Image result for Brittany farmers protests imag...more »
OMG!!! Kim Stanley Robinson getting the Game of Thrones opportunity!!
Perhaps the greatest trilogy of all time is coming to TV. I think I just peed my pants! We got a good run going now add Peter F Hamilton, Dan Simmons and David Brin and even the sheeple will have to Baa Baa! Neal Stevenson needs a movie or three. Although I have heard one is being made. Its a ying and yang world, broadcast TV is almost total crap but cable is reaching for the stars!
Predicting the Nobel
*Science Watch* offers their choices.
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 9.26.14”
*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 9.26.14”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “The top story is the bombing campaign on ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but at this stage, it is mostly Syria. The U.S. promises a “Long Campaign,” with the bombing of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The Obama Administration has the support of other Arab nations, but the most important support comes from Saudi Arabia. Remember last year when the Obama Administration backed out of bombing Syria. Top Saudi officials were quoted as saying that they were “stabbed in the back” by President Obama. Fast forward to today and ru... more »
The things we saw and heard yesterday!
*FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014No further posts today:* As we do every few months, we’re heading north on Amtrak today to continue our tour of Medicaid-funded long-term care facilities. As we do, we’re in a state of mild depression over the things we saw and heard yesterday—or perhaps over our inability to discuss them today. What ever made us think that the Ray Rice matter was going to fade? Yesterday, the AP’s Rob Maaddi updated his earlier report about the claim that a copy of the damning second tape was sent to NFL offices. In this update, we’re told who the tape was sent to—Jeffr... more »
Ello -The Facebook Killer?
*September 26, 2014* (Tony Cartalucci - LocalOrg) - Ello, a social network alternative to Facebook is expanding its user base immensely, even as it remains in beta testing. Market watchers and tech trend analysts attribute the influx of users indicative of Facebook's waning popularity due to its invasive, profit-driven, monopolistic, and downright creepy conduct. Facebook's incremental, manipulative policy and terms of use have been described as everything from a greedy business practice, to a government sanctioned means of mass manipulation and soft censorship. It was inevitable ... more »
Gardasil Injury: Our Daughter’s Miraculous Recovery by Kelly Oliveira & Ismar Costa e Silva of Brazil
[image: Rafaella: Full of Life]Rafaella Before Gardasil Gardasil Injury: Our daughter’s miraculous recovery By Kelly Oliveira & Ismar Costa e Silva Brazil Sane Vax, Inc. 24 September 2014 Our daughter, Rafaella, had always been a healthy girl. She loved to skate, swim, play ball, and dance. She was learning to play guitar when her Gardasil nightmare began. Rafaella Barbosa de Oliveira lives in Resende, RJ, Brazil. She was thirteen years old when she got her first Gardasil shot – the recombinant quadrivalent vaccine against Human Papilloma Virus (type 6.11.16.18), batch J01118... more »
Sergey Glazyev ( Putin's deep thinker ) outlines a Russian New World Order Perspective " The Threat of War and the Russian Response "
Vineyard of the Saker.... The Threat of War and the Russian Response by Sergey Glazyev for Russia in Global Affairs *How to Lead a Coalition and Avoid a Global Conflict * *Sergei Glaziev is an Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. * Summary: *The world needs a coalition of sound forces advocating stability – a global anti-war coalition with a positive plan for rearranging the international financial and economic architecture on the principles of mutual benefit, fairness, and respect for national sovereignty. * U.S. a... more »
Is 'Islamic State' Islamic?
Robert Spencer and Michael Coren discuss whether 'Islamic State' is Islamic. Do you believe an expert on the Koran such as Robert Spencer or Barack Hussein Obama, David Cameron or the BBC? Here's some more facts comapring 'Islamic State' with the Koran: So is 'Islamic State' Islamic? A few days ago, I blogged along similar lines, here's part of that post: The ever watchable Andrew Klavan, determines if President Obama and others are correct when they declare that the terror group ISIS/ISISL/Islamic State is not, in fact, Islamic. So is 'Islamic State' Islamic?
Ukraine / Russia situation ( September 26 , 2014 ) - Highlights of recent events ( note how Syria has sucked the air out of reporting on Ukraine - Russia Today Ukraine timeline almost footnotes ) ..... Tweets of the morning on the state of play on the battlefield , natural gas situation , political arena .....
http://rt.com/news/152680-eastern-ukraine-army-operation/ Thursday, September 25 00:51 GMT: The authorities in Kiev did not give orders to use weapons against civilians in the east of the country. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said in New York, as the death toll in Ukraine's conflict soared past 3,000, according to top UN human rights official Ivan Simunovic. Answering a question from Human Rights Watch as to why Kiev used artillery and other weapons against civilians in the east of the country, Yatsenyuk said that *"the army did not give such an order."*He also claimed t... more »
How Britain's strike power compares to America's - in 60 seconds
RAF Tornados stationed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus are poised to begin bombing Islamic State targets in northern Iraq as soon as the weekend. However, there are concerns that after years of budget cuts an extended air campaign would stretch the RAF to breaking point. The UK's aging Tornado fleet is now 30 years old, while America has a brand new fleet of F-22s fighter jets. Meanwhile, Britain currently has just seven combat-capable air squadrons, compared to 15 for the French air force. Read more
Pakistan test-fires short range missile Hatf IX
[image: Hatf IX SRBM]Pakistan on Friday successfully test-fired short range surface-to-surface missile 'Hatf IX' that has a range of 60 kilometres and can cover parts of India. The test of the missile also called Nasr was conducted with successive launches of four missiles from a state-of-the-art Multi Tube Launcher with Salvo Mode, the military said. Hatf with in-flight manoeuvre capability is a quick response system, with shoot and scoot attributes. It contributes to the full spectrum deterrence against the prevailing threat spectrum. Read more
Jewish newspaper surprisingly publishes views of "anti-Semitic" Senatorial candidate
In a rather surprising move, one of the most established and respected Jewish newspapers in America, *The Jewish Daily Forward*, has published an interview with Robert Ransdell, *the heroic Kentucky Senatorial candidate* whose campaign slogan unabashedly states: "With Jews We Lose." “With Jews We Lose”? No, this isn’t a poster from Nazi Germany. It’s a campaign placard currently on view in Kentucky, where write-in candidate Robert Ransdell is running for U.S. Senate. His party, The White Guard, “seeks to show White people the facts regarding the Jewish role in America’s decline as w... more »
Sierra Nevada Corporation & Embraer Roll-Out First U.S. Built A-29 Super Tucano for USAF Light Air Support (LAS) Program
[image: A-29 Super Tucano]Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and Embraer Defense & Security today presented the first United States-built A-29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft in a roll-out ceremony with the U.S. Air Force and government officials, industry and community representatives, and news media. The aircraft, which also performs as an outstanding advanced trainer, is the first of 20 that are being delivered to the U.S. Air Force for its Light Air Support (LAS) program to support the stability of Afghanistan as it assumes increased responsibility for security with the re... more »
Pratt Plans F-35 Jet Engine Fix by End-October
[image: F135 engine]Pratt & Whitney and the Pentagon are expected to select a planned fix to the F-35 fighter jet's engine by the end of October, a senior company executive said Thursday. Engineers have identified two potential remedies to prevent a repeat of the fire that broke out on a test jet in June, which temporarily grounded the fleet and still threatens to derail plans to have the plane combat ready for the U.S. Marine Corps next July. Investigators have narrowed the cause of the incident to excessive rubbing between engine parts during a two-second flying maneuver on a test... more »
Arab Woman Led Airstrikes Over Syria
[image: Maj. Mariam Al Mansouri]When fighter jets from the United Arab Emirates took part in airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria on Monday night, the mission was led by a woman, the country’s ambassador to the United States said Thursday morning. The pilot, Maj. Mariam Al Mansouri, was among the first women to graduate from the Emirates’ air force academy after it began to admit women, and became the nation’s first female fighter pilot. “She is a fully qualified, highly trained, combat-ready pilot, and she led the mission,” the ambassador, Yousef Al Otaiba, said on the MSN... more »
New carrier needs time to be ready
[image: Liaoning CV]The People's Liberation Army navy marked the second anniversary of the commissioning of the aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning on Thursday, but experts said more time is needed to hone its combat readiness. The CNS Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-era carrier, was commissioned in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Sept 25, 2012. The ship has engaged in research and training missions, and it continues to sail the oceans, PLA Daily said on its micro blog. Read more
F-35s deploying to US carrier in November might not be fully operational
[image: F-35C Lightning II]Plans to test a Lockheed Martin F-35C aboard a US aircraft carrier in November are on track, but both aircraft scheduled to deploy to the Pacific may not be capable of taking off and landing from the ship. The C-model F-35 will be the US Navy’s carrier-based version of the jet and will be the last to enter service in 2018, following the Marine Corps and air force variants. Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan, speaking at a meeting of the programme’s joint executive steering board in Oslo, Norway, said the deployment to the USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean was on tr... more »
China's Neighbors Are Going On a Military Shopping Spree — In Japan
[image: Bizan class PB]It's no secret that China's rise as an economic power has been miraculous. Over the past few decades, hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, BMWs have replaced many bicycles on the streets of Beijing, and China's is now the second-largest economy in the world. This economic explosion has in turn boosted the fortunes of China's regional neighbors and trading partners — but they're not entirely happy about China's newfound power. Because in addition to having the world's second-largest economy, China is also the second-largest spender o... more »
Modi govt clears long-pending case for Israeli Barak missiles for warships
[image: Barak missile]India will finally be able to strengthen the eroding defensive shield around its 14 frontline warships, with the Modi government clearing the long-delayed "critical" acquisition of 262 missiles to arm the Israeli Barak-I anti-missile defence (AMD) systems fitted on board them. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening gave the final nod to the Rs 880 crore acquisition of Barak-I missiles, which has been hanging fire for the last six years despite successive Navy chiefs sounding the red alert over this "critical ope... more »
Canada asks for kits to upgrade their MK-48 torpedoes
[image: Mk-48 torpedo]Canada is seeking advanced technology kits to upgrade MK-48 torpedoes used on its Victoria-class submarines, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency says. The 12 MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology Torpedo Kits, together with associated equipment parts, would be provided under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program and carry a value of $41 million. The agency, in its required notification to Congress, said the U.S. State Department had signed off on the deal. Read more
Babcock completes design definition for submarine weapons handling system
[image: Type-209 (Chang Bogo) class SSK]Babcock, the British engineering firm, says it has completed design definition for a weapons handling system for a new class of South Korean Navy submarines. Manufacturing drawings will now be produced as part of the next production definition phase of development, the company said. "We are delighted to have completed the design of the handling system, marking an important stage in the WHLS (weapon handling and launch system) design and production process, and successfully meeting a challenging tight schedule to help the customer maintain the ... more »
Canadian navy gets more money to keep subs at sea
[image: HMCS Windsor]The cost to operate and maintain Canada’s submarine fleet is increasing, forcing the navy to request more funding to keep the vessels at sea. The Royal Canadian Navy needs an additional $19 million for the sub fleet’s operating and maintenance costs for the period up to spring of 2016, the service’s new business plan states. That plan, which covers spending from 2014 to 2017 was obtained by the Citizen. Ongoing government-ordered cuts “has severely reduced the RCN’s ability to mitigate the steadily increasing costs of the Submarine operating and maintenance,” t... more »
Chinese submarine halts in Colombo on way to Somalia
[image: Type-039 (Song) class SSK]China today described as "common practice" one of its submarines using Colombo port in Sri Lanka as a halt on way to join the PLA's naval anti-piracy escort missions in Somalia. Reacting to reports that the Chinese submarine's visit to Colombo demonstrated China's flexing its muscles in the Indian Ocean, Chinese military spokesman, Col Geng Yansheng told a media briefing here that "on way to the escort area, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) submarine anchored at Colombo". "What needs to be pointed out that it is common practice for navies of all ... more »
What is Code Pink..?
What is Code Pink...? from Spike EP on Vimeo. *Ms. Masooda Jalhal*, former Afghan Minister of Women, to a Code Pink Delegation to Kabul : *"It is good for Afghanistan to have more troops – more troops committed with the aim of building peace and against war, terrorism, and security – along with other resources. Coming together they will help with better reconstruction."* * Medea Benjamin: **"We [also] heard a lot of people [in Afghanistan] say they didn't want more troops to be sent in and they wanted the U.S. to have a responsible exit strategy that included the training of Af... more »
Musical Interlude: David Meirovich, “Sail to the Sun”
David Meirovich, “Sail to the Sun” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhE1pDHCVhc
"A Look to the Heavens"
"A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluish clusters of young stars and dust lanes are seen to trace out NGC 1309's spiral arms as they wind around an older yellowish star population at its core. *Click image for larger size.* Not just another pretty face-on spiral galaxy, observations of NGC 1309's recent supernova and Cepheid variable stars contribute to the calibration of the... more »
retired airline captain Russ Wittenberg - has flown both 911 planes - speaks out about flight dynamics and overflying the Pentagon
Experts Speak Out talk to retired airline captain Russ Wittenberg, who was a pilot for United Airlines. Russ had flown two of the planes that were involved in 9/11, United Airlines Flight 11 the plane that hit the north tower and Flight 93 the plane that allegedly hit the ground in Shanksville Pennsylvania. *"The people who made up (the 9/11) story weren't pilots, they were fairytale tellers,"* Russ claims. On top of all the other physics-defying tricks involved with 9/11, Russ explains how the plane which hit the Pentagon, Flight 77, was operating outside its design envelope in or... more »
The Five Biggest Flaws Of President Obama's Anti-ISIS Strategy
"Fellow delegates, we come together as United Nations with a choice to make. We can renew the international system that has enabled so much progress, or allow ourselves to be pulled back by an undertow of instability. We can reaffirm our collective responsibility to confront global problems, or be swamped by more and more outbreaks of instability. For America, the choice is clear. We choose hope over fear. We see the future not as something out of our control, but as something we can shape for the better through concerted and collective effort. We reject fatalism or cynicism when ... more »
"Life Is About..."
"Life is about discovering things that *do* matter in the end." - Robert Brault
Paulo Coelho, “The Mystery of Discovery”
*“The Mystery of Discovery”* by Paulo Coelho “Tonight, before leaving, I’m going to spend time sorting through the pile of things I never had the patience to put in order. And I will find that a little of my history is there. All the letters, the notes, cuttings and receipts will take on their own life and have strange stories to tell me – about the past and about the future.All the different things in the world, all the roads travelled, all the entrances and exits of my life. I am going to put on a shirt I often wear and, for the first time, I am going to notice how it was made. I ... more »
Chet Raymo, “That Savage of Fire, That Seed...”
*“That Savage of Fire, That Seed...”* by Chet Raymo "Let me say this as simply as I can. The Sun, like the universe, is mostly hydrogen. An atom of hydrogen is a single proton and a single electron, bound together. The center of the Sun is so hot - half-a-million miles of overbearing matter - that the electrons and protons can't hold together (try holding hands in a surging, tumultuous crowd), so what you have is a hot soup - a plasma - of protons and electrons, flailing about independently. The electrical force between like charges is repulsive, so every time two protons approach ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Bacolod City, Bacolod, Philippines. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Paradox of Our Time"
Dr. Bob Moorehead, "The Paradox of Our Time" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=181B7yainqY
The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "And Yet..."
"And yet, though we strain against the deadening grip of daily necessity, I sense there is this mystery: All life is being lived. Who is living it then? Is it the things themselves, or something waiting inside them, like an unplayed melody in a flute? Is it the winds blowing over the waters? Is it the branches that signal to each other? Is it flowers interweaving their fragrances or streets, as they wind through time?" ~ Rainer Maria Rilke
Checking In On Sean Eldridge's Campaign In Upstate New York… Oy
This morning Alex Isenstadt did a provocatively titled article for *Politico*, The Worst Campaigns of 2014. How hard is it to point to Eric Canter's loss and laugh your ass off now? Or Pat Roberts'? Or Chris McDaniels'? I'm looking for some Beltway pundits who wrote that Cantor was in trouble before Dave Brat popped out of the fascist swamp to beat the Majority Leader back home. More interesting that these obvious banner races, however, is Isenstadt's inclusion of poor (which) Sean Eldridge. It's been clear since last spring, when Isenstadt wrote his classic Chasing Sean Eldridge ... more »
The Incredible Story Of Former CIA Agent John T. Downey The Longest Held American Captive Of Any War
*Photo*: Downey crossing Hong Kong and freedom in 1973. CIA *“Your Future Is Very Dark” -- Andrew Burt, Slate* *The incredible story of former CIA agent John T. Downey, the longest held American captive of war.* America was riding high in June 1951, and so was John T. Downey, a 21-year-old English major and football star, as he stood in the courtyard of Yale’s old campus one Monday morning beside his beaming mother. Downey had graduated from one of America’s most elite institutions, just as the Korean War turned 1 year old, with U.S. forces then pushing back a Communist offensive ... more »
Steve, plumping for wartime PM
Yesterday at Goldman Sachs in New York in a Q&A with the WSJ editor, Harper seemed keen to give the impression that the US had taken the initiative and come to Canada cap in hand requesting further military contribution in the fight against ISIS in Iraq : Transcript excerpt : WSJ : "Would you rule out a military contribution to any effort?" Harper :"I haven't ruled out ... we haven't ruled out anything." WSJ : "Has the United States formally asked you to contribute?" Harper : "The United States just recently in the last couple of days has asked for some additional contribution an... more »
The Bitte Truth
"The information war for Ukraine" - Satirical German program "Die Anstalt" (Eng Subs)
Quagmire? We're Specialists, It Seems (All Calling for Leadership Before Now Want Boots on the Ground?) Meltdown Political Theater In Action
Anyone who predicted that here is where we were headed long ago has now won the bet. A very bad bet. With a lot of casualties upcoming. But lots of profits for the military-industrial complex. And somewhere they are all standing and applauding. Because they cannot lose now. Almost everything that is happening now suggests this will end badly. We've failed to curb ISIS in Iraq because,
Where Is North Korean Leader Kim Jung-Un?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gives field guidance to the construction site of apartment houses for educators of Kim Chaek University of Technology in this undated photo released by North Korea"s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang August 13, 2014. REUTERS/KCNA *Is He Really Un-Well? Rumors Over Health Of North Korean Dictator After Weeks Without Public Appearance -- Daily Mail* * Kim Jong-un's health said to be at risk due to his high cheese consumption * 31-year-old imports vast quantities of Swiss Emmental - his favourite variety * His weight has ballooned in recent ... more »
To La.’s Accountability Commission, As They ReVAMp Teacher Evals
In 2010, Louisiana Representative Frank Hoffman authored the bill to include student test scores as part of teacher evaluations. Hoffman said that he “would never do anything that would hurt good teachers”– an irony, since via his bill, Hoffman had decided that the definition of a “good teacher” is one whose value can be assessed […]
“A Shiksa's Guide to Understanding Rosh Hashanah”
*“A Shiksa's Guide to Understanding Rosh Hashanah”* by Sarah Sweeney “I married a nice Jewish boy, and it's been fascinating learning Jewish traditions and partaking in holidays that I previously mispronounced (Yom Kippur (yom keh'POUR) with a Rhode Island accent sounds like "yaahm kippah"). Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, when you can trade in your English Happy New Year for the Hebrew L'shana tovah meaning "for a good year". The Hebrew year is 5775. Members of the Tribe don't bother with B.C. or A.D.; they operate off a lunar calendar, not unlike the Babylonians or ... more »
TV Watch: With "Parenthood" launching its (abbreviated) final season, any chance of cutting back on the "buddy"s?
*So this would be the school that Kristina Braverman (Monica Potter) dreamed up last season. Interesting to see all these Bravermans-by-marriage gathered onsite -- in addition to Kristina, Joel (Sam Jaeger), the estranged husband of Julia B (Erika Christensen), the only born Braverman in sight, and of course family matriarch Camille (Bonnie Bedelia). Season 6 launches tonight.* *by Ken* I guess they're going to have to get that school up and running, or failing, pretty quick, with *Parenthood* returning tonight for a mere-13-episode sixth and final season. It was one of the strang... more »
Pentagon: Too Soon To Say 'Winning' Against Islamic State
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby says United States is conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria. © Flickr/ Chuck Hagel *Too Soon To Say 'Winning' Against Islamic State - Pentagon -- Reuters* (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Thursday it is too early to say that the U.S.-led coalition is "winning" against Islamic State, pointing to the group's continued access to financing, volunteers and weapons even after being bombed in Syria and Iraq. "Your question gets at ... How do you know you're winning? And what I'm telling you is, it's going to... more »
"What's The Use..."
“People are so isolated, and so alone, and so suspicious, and so competitive with each other, and so sure that they are about to be conned by their neighbor, or by their mother, or by their sister, or their grandmother. What's the use of having fifty percent of the world's wealth, or whatever it is that you have, if you're going to live this pathetic, terrified life?” - Arundhati Roy
"And Never, Never To Forget..."
“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget”. - Arundhati Roy
“Gaza and the Threat of World War”
*“Gaza and the Threat of World War”* by John Pilger “There is a taboo,” said the visionary Edward Said, “on telling the truth about Palestine and the great destructive force behind Israel. Only when this truth is out can any of us be free.” “For many people, the truth is out now. At last, they know. Those once intimidated into silence can’t look away now. Staring at them from their TV, laptop, phone, is proof of the barbarism of the Israeli state and the great destructive force of its mentor and provider, the United States, the cowardice of European governments, and the collusion o... more »
FBI Says It Has Identified 'Jihadi John' Seen In ISIS Execution Videos
*BREAKING NEWS: FBI Says It Has Identified 'Jihadi John' Seen In ISIS Execution Videos But Will Not Reveal His Identity Or Nationality -- Daily Mail* * FBI Director James Comey would not reveal the man's identity * Did not address whether U.S. believes man actually carried out the killings * Said the FBI believes that ISIS is 'looking to try to do something in the U.S.' * The executioner is one of four British jihadis known as the 'Beatles' * Comey said he was 'not confident at all' the threat from Khorasan militant group was thwarted by this week's airstrikes * Comey also told re... more »
Untitled
*Obese pupils 'do worse at school'* *No mystery why. It is mostly the poor who are fat and the poor have lower average IQs. This is an IQ effect, nothing else* Its damage to health is well known but obesity could take a heavy toll on a child’s grades. At least six studies have found that boys and girls who are dangerously overweight do worse at school than others – with girls particularly vulnerable. Researcher Anne Martin said the effect is big enough to make a difference to grades and urged teachers to think about the effects of obesity on their pupils. It is unclear why bei... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 25, 2014
*War Without End: The U.S. May still Be Fighting In Syria In 2024, 2034, 2044 . . . -- Jack Shafer, Reuters* This must be what perpetual war looks like. In a Pentagon briefing yesterday, Army Lieutenant General Bill Mayville called the cruise missiles and bombs flung at targets in Syria “the beginning of a credible and sustainable persistent campaign.” How long will the campaign last? “I would think of it in terms of years,” Mayville responded. Although the bombs exploded on Syrian soil, they didn’t target Bashar al-Assad’s battered, murderous regime. The bombs were addressed to ... more »
Oil in the Amazon
This video comes from the folks at Amazon Watch. If you feel passionately about the Amazon and health of our climate, please take 30 seconds and sign this petition.
World News Briefs -- September 25, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*French, U.S. Planes Strike Islamic State; Britain To Join Coalition -- Reuters* (Reuters) - French fighter jets struck Islamic State targets in Iraq on Thursday and the United States hit them in Syria, as a U.S.-led coalition to fight the militants gained momentum with an announcement that Britain would join. The French strikes were a prompt answer to the beheading of a French tourist in Algeria by militants, who said the killing was punishment for Paris's decision last week to become the first European country to join the U.S.-led bombing campaign. *Read more ....* *MIDDLE EA... more »
“The Call of Duty- and Destiny” (Adapted)
*“The Call of Duty- and Destiny” (Adapted)* by James P. Pinkerton *Sam:* "It's like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it's only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too sma... more »
Sept. 25: smoking, insanity, and our world...
Sixty-four years ago, tobacco company stocks were the yellow brick road to wealth. Then, in 1950, Reader's Digest ran an article titled "Cancer by the Carton", warning of the dangers of smoking tobacco. The tobacco companies reacted quickly. They set up a foundation to do "research" proving that tobacco was harmless. (Some admitted the danger, but advertised its filter tips as sure protection.) Camel cigarettes ran ads for years that featured pictures of doctors in white coats saying that Camels were recommended by more doctors than any other cigarette. In fact, the ads said they p... more »
Dregs of Humanity: Paul Calandra Edition
Take a look at this piece of shit: This shameless buffoon has been very busy under stephen harper. That's because an utter scum-bag like stephen harper finds vile, revolting specimens like this to be highly useful. The idiot's name, of course, is Paul Calandra. Paul will go on and on about how hard-working his father was. Seems to me that Calandra Senior should have spent less time at work and more time instilling values into his son. Calandra also goes on at length about (I believe) his two daughters. I hope and pray that someone besides this dirt-bag is teaching those kids about b... more »
The first video (Body of War) is a naked and honest portrayal of what it's like inside the body, heart and soul of an extraordinary and heroic young man struggling to deal with the complexities of a paralyzed body resulting from a bullet to the spine as a soldier in Iraq. Also in this film, we see the historic debate unfolding in the Congress about going to war in Iraq. The second video (War, Whistleblowing and Independent Journalism) is a panel moderated by The Real News’ Jessica Desvarieau and Phil Donahoe, featuring interviews with high-ranking government employees who sacrificed their jobs, and some cases risked imprisonment, to blow the whistle on corruption, waste, fraud, and illegal spying in their respective agencies.
------------------------------ Originals here and here *Body of War* Body of War, a film by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. It is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. - * September 24, 14* More at The Real News *Precis * Body of War, a film by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to several standing ovations and acclaim. ... more »
Turkish-Syrian Border "A Great Hole" in Obama's UN Speech
Title: Turkish-Syrian Border "A Great Hole" in Obama's UN Speech. Source: The Real News. Date Published: September 24, 2014. Description: Vijay Prashad says Obama's comments on enforcing international norms have no credibility with most people around the world and are aimed at appeasing liberal unease
Satire: “Colorado School Board Votes to Ban Students”
*“Colorado School Board Votes to Ban Students”* by Andy Borowitz ARVADA, Colo. (The Borowitz Report) — “A conservative school board in Arvada, Colorado, that earlier purged its history curriculum of materials it deemed unpatriotic has voted to ban students from its schools for espousing similarly objectionable views. “At the end of the day, it would be the height of hypocrisy to ban unpatriotic books from our schools but allow unpatriotic students to attend them,” Harland Dorrinson, a spokesman for the school board, said. “This was a very easy call for us.” By transforming its scho... more »
French farmers burn crop over Russia sanctions
Around 130 tractors blocked the RN12 highway for over two hours in Landerneau on Wednesday in the latest farmer protest against the Russian ban on EU food imports that was prompted by EU sanctions over Ukraine. Farmers set fire to potatoes, cauliflower, tyres and hay among other items, and displayed an effigy of French President Francois Hollande in a guillotine. [image: Potato Protest: French farmers burn crop over Russia sanctions] Tags: FRANCE RUSSIA SANCTIONS PROTESTS
Washington allocating $40 million in aid to Syrian opposition
Washington is allocating an additional $40 million to render assistance to the so-called moderate Syrian opposition. Tags: UNITED STATES SYRIA
Stephen Harper considering sending more Canadian troops to Iraq
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he is considering increasing Canada’s direct military involvement in the fight against the Islamic State terror army in Iraq. Tags: CANADA IRAQ
US ties itself in legal knots to cover shifting rationale for Syria strikes
US government lawyers have invoked Iraq’s right to self-defence and the weakness of the Assad regime as twin justifications for US bombing in Syria, in a feat of legal acrobatics that may reopen questions over its right to intervene in the bitter civil war. Tags: UNITED STATES SYRIA IRAQ
Ukraine opposes lifting sanctions on Russia
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on Western countries not to lift the sanctions on Russia until Kiev captures the land controlled by pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine. Tags: RUSSIA UKRAINE SANCTIONS
Russia tops ISIS threat, Ebola worst of all? Lavrov puzzled by Obama’s UN speech
Following the US President’s speech at the UN, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov was puzzled with Barack Obama’s ranking of international threats: deadly Ebola virus top, followed by so-called Russian aggression and ISIS in Syria and Iraq only third? Tags: RUSSIA UNITED STATES UNITED NATIONS
Russia calls for intl probe into Ukraine burials with signs of execution
Russia is calling for an international investigation into the discovery of burial sites with signs of execution at locations where the Ukraine National Guard forces were stationed two days earlier. Tags: UKRAINE BARBARITY RUSSIA
Donetsk miners uncover the bodies of brutally murdered women
Miners working at the Kommunarskya Mine near the village of Kommunar discovered the corpses of civilians brutally murdered by Kiev forces and buried in shallow graves. [image: The scene of the gruesome discovery in Donetsk] Tags: UKRAINE BARBARITY
Turkey Bars Kurds From Entering Syria to Fight Islamic State
Turkish troops used tear gas to disperse a crowd of Kurds seeking to enter Syria to defend their ethnic kin there against Islamic State, whose advance in the past week has driven tens of thousands to flee. Tags: TURKEY SYRIA
Time for the US to Dump the Word "Homeland"
It's time to do away with the word "homeland. Tags: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Bombing ISIS: A Question
Early last month with ISIS/ISIL/IS running amok in northern Iraq and leaving a trail of bodies in its wake, I argued there was a temporary coincidence of interest between the US/UK, the decaying apparatus of sectarian Iraqi state, the Kurds and the opportunities for labour movement and socialist politics in the region. Since then air strikes have happened, special forces are in action, the collapse of Iraq has been stymied by a new power sharing deal, and weapons and training have flowed to the Kurdish peshmerga. It's also worth noting that Kurdish forces are secular and, by any de... more »
17 Fake Dems Voted With Darrell Isis To Hold Eric Holder In Contempt
The ugly face of Isis in America On June 28, 2012, House Witch Hunt Committee chair, Darrell Isis (R-CA) introduced H.RES 711: *•* *Resolved*, That Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General of the United States, shall be found to be in contempt of Congress for failure to comply with a congressional subpoena. *•* *Resolved*, That pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 192 and 194, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall certify the report of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, detailing the refusal of Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, to produce do... more »
After Killing Boko Haram's Leader, Nigeria's Military Is Now Claiming That They Are 'Winning The War'
Distributed by Cameroon Officials) A photo of Abubakar Shekau (R) appearing to be dead was released by the Cameroon military officials. The photo on the left side is used to show the resemblance. Chinatopix *Boko Haram Fighters 'Surrender' As alleged Chief Killed -- BBC* More than 260 Islamist militants have surrendered in north-eastern Nigeria, the military has said. Soldiers had also killed a man who featured in Boko Haram's propaganda videos pretending to be the group's leader Abubakar Shekau, it added. Last year, the military said that Shekau may have been killed, without prov... more »
Let Them Eat Pizza
I would have gone to the People's Climate March in Manhattan, even though, as a permitted Sunday parade, I didn't expect it to amount to anything more than tilting at windmills (ha!) - but I had already missed all of first daughter's competitions this season, and her last show for the year, in Saugerties, NY was scheduled for the same day. I had a lovely weekend with her and was very glad I went, especially as she took two firsts. Thus, I was happy having learned there was to be another protest on Monday that I could join, #FloodWallStreet, especially because the plan was for mass... more »
Israel Accuses Iran Of Conducting Nuclear Detonation Tests At It's Top Secret Parchin Military Site
...and Israel says Iran tested nuke detonators at this base http://t.co/zU0c5eU8m2 #Parchin @DigitalGlobe pic.twitter.com/F5md1snUvi — Jeff Harrison (@JeffHarrison) September 24, 2014 *Israel Says Iran Used Parchin Military Site For Testing Nuclear Detonation Technology -- Reuters* * Israeli statement precedes Iranian president's U.N. speech * Says uranium used to test nuclear trigger technology * Iran has denied IAEA access to Parchin site * Tehran denies allegations it seeks nuclear weapons (Adds detail on IAEA investigation, paragraphs 21-23) JERUSALEM, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Israe... more »
Obama Tiptoes Into War Against ISIS In Syria, Turns To Chicago-Based Indie Rock Band For Inspiration In UN Speech
"The ideology of ISIL or al Qaeda or Boko Haram will wilt and die if it is consistently exposed, confronted, and refuted in the light of day. Look at the new Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies – Sheikh bin Bayyah described its purpose: “We must declare war on war, so the outcome will be peace upon peace.” Look at the young British Muslims, who responded to terrorist propaganda by starting the “notinmyname” campaign, declaring – “ISIS is hiding behind a false Islam.” Look at the Christian and Muslim leaders who came together in the Central African Republic to reject viol... more »
Iran's President Blames The West And 'Certain Intelligence Agencies' For The Rise Of The Islamic State
*Iran Blames Outside Influences For Rise Of Islamic State -- Reuters* (Reuters) - Iran President Hassan Rouhani blamed the rise of the Islamic State group and other militants on "certain intelligence agencies" but also said the solution to stopping them must come from the Middle East region itself. "The extremists of the world have found each other and have put out the call, 'extremists of the world unite'. But are we united against the extremists?" Rouhani asked in a speech to the 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. The comments are among the strongest yet by... more »
Criminal US Attacks Syria: Again, More Evidence That This War Against "ISIS" Is Really About Removing Assad!
The US has continued their "bombing" attacks against (non-existent) "ISIS" targets in northern Syria. I have been watching all the reports come in the last few days, and all I have seen is US videos where they claim that they are "hitting ISIS targets" but in reality we see no people or militants in any of these videos which leads to the thought that these videos themselves are frauds and the US is actually filming these missiles and bombs hitting empty buildings... AND we find some truthful reports that the only victims of these "bombings" have not been "ISIS militants" at all, b... more »
Supplemental: Profiles of Ray and Janay Rice!
*THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014The actual people from our latest cartoons:* We hope this may be one of our last posts on the Ray Rice matter. That said, the weirdly unfocused discussions just keep humping along. Now, we’re arguing about Bill Simmons, who has always struck us as dim, and also about Hope Solo. We aren’t discussing that federal judge. The truth is, everybody really enjoys discussing the NFL. To us, these discussions have rarely made any real sense. They’ve rarely taken any discernible shape. Today, we thought we’d share two recent profiles of the people in the cen...more »
*gilga-mike: the vision of mobility
I am posting the epic words of my friend gilga mike... from somewhere on the coast of Spain, where he is making his journey to educate the world. http://removingtheshackles.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-epic-journey-of-gilga-mike.html - Open letter – - Presentation and sharing of the clearest ºvisionº – a ^download^ - - the offer to You to participate, comment, advice, criticize, share, evaluate, re-fine, im>>or even>better: con>tri>bute, imment - ...DO and BE in it whatever Your passion, expertise and calling may be. You KNOW in your heart that we HAVE to DO something to sa...more »
The TRUTH About Crimea: Crimea For Dummies!
After taking yesterday off from writing to concentrate on family issues, it is back to blogging... It seems that the criminal US President went in front of the United Nations Security Council just the other day and started spewing false rhetoric about the Russian Federation again, including an interesting tirade about how Russia should have never allowed (?) Crimea to rejoin the federation. I have the link to an article that covers that speech here. It was again nothing but false rhetoric and nothing more than pure lies... But again the US media has again tried their best to vil... more »
Night Moves . . .
SOME FOLKS REALLY EARN THEIR PAY. Like the pilot of that Harrier AV-8B landing at night on the flightdeck of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island somewhere in the Arabian Sea. Do visit David Cenciotti's site, The Aviationist, which has fine pictures of aircraft and events from around the world, to see the video. Brave people.
Supplemental: What occurs in the press corps stays in the press corps!
*THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014The terrible face of Clinton hatred, September 1998:* Last week, we were researching the late Kirk O’Donnell, who died at age 52 in 1998. Kirk O’Donnell was Lawrence O’Donnell’s cousin. Early in his adult life, he was a widely-respected chief aide to House speaker Tip O’Neill. We were researching Kirk O’Donnell because we were puzzled by something his cousin had said. Along the way, we came upon the startling face of Clinton-hatred as it existed in September 1998. We thought that hatred was worth recording. Here’s the way it went down: Al Hunt wrote ... more »
Bash ShellShock: upgrade your Linux-like platforms
I have often emphasized that Linux is an example of non-commercial, communism-based software architecture where no one is financially motivated to take his responsibility for the quality and safety of his products seriously. Today happens to be a day which makes my words much more important than they have been for many previous years. Yesterday, a serious bug that the media often declare to be worse than Heartbleed was found in Bash, the world's most widespread command line shell for Unix (a Unix counterpart of DOS, you could say). The bug affects all versions of Unix and Linux r... more »
Life Under Islamic State Rule Leaked On YouTube (Video)
*Living Under The ISIS Terror: Woman Reveals Crushing Oppression Of Life In Fundamentalist Regime In Video Shot From Under Her Hiqab -- Daily Mail* * The unidentified woman captures rare glimpse into life in new regime * She is approached by gunman who berate her for showing face * Women are also seen with Kalashnikovs slung over their shoulders * French women are seen speaking to worried relatives at home A mystery woman has covertly provided the world with a rare glimpse of life in the heartland of the Islamic State using a camera concealed beneath her niqab. The extraordinary foo...more »
Iraqi Prime Minister: ISIS Terror Plot Uncovered To Hit New York And Paris Subways
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *BREAKING NEWS: ISIS Terror Plot To Hit New York And Paris Subways: Iraqi PM Claims French And American Jihadis Are Being Trained For Attacks On Their Homelands -- Daily Mail* * Haider al-Abadi claimed Iraqi intelligence officials uncovered a terror plot * American and French militants are being trained to attack home countries * Abadi said intelligence was credible but was 'not sure' if attack is imminent * U.S. intelligence sources responded by appearing to knock down the claims * They said there is no evidence to suggest Abadi's informat... more »
FFWN: 9/11 perp Harari reported dead; US arms & trains ISIS to fight ISIS
*US False Flags * 1) 9/11 perp Mike Harari reported dead at 87 http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/09/22/harari-dead/ [image: http://www.veteranstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/harari-arrest.jpg] 2) Former CIA: Sandy Hook and Boston bombing obvious false flags https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CYPrt4Hr8BI 3) Wolf and Fetz do Sandy Hook on "The Power Hour" http://www.thepowerhour.com/schedule.htm *Election Fraud in Scotland?* 4) Proof Scottish vote was manipulated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbJif7vISQg 5) No exit polls for Scottish referendum h... more »
Remember " War against Iraq, Syria & Iran? " ISIS wants Saudi Arabia?
*I am packing a heck of a lot of info into this post! It has to be done. * *Sit down for a spell and read.* *The US strikes ISIS oil targets? *Lots of news outlets presenting the US air strikes as strikes on ISIS assets.. *Let’s be straight on this. *These aren’t ISIS oil assets. These are Syria’s oil assets. And there is no doubt in my mind that ISIS ‘took over’ these oil assets so the US could take these same oil assets out! *Recall this?* *War against Iran, Iraq and Syria? * Pepe published a piece that coincided with everything I had found for that long ago post, so I used it as a... more »
Syrian Government Assessing It's Military Options As Airstrikes Continue Against The Islamic State
Territorial control in the Syrian Civil War as of August 2014. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from blank map by NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA *U.S.-Led Airstrikes Could Open New Fronts For Syrian Battles Against Islamic State -- Washington Post* BEIRUT — Syrian government forces drove back Islamic State fighters near Damascus, a report said Thursday, in a possible sign that President Bashar al-Assad’s military may step up offensives amid the wider fallout from U.S.-led airstrikes against the militants. On another front, Syrian Kurdish fighters appealed for warplanes to target Is... more »
A Few More Details and Developments Regarding Brian Leiter's Unprovoked Bullying of Colleagues
So, reading from the number of hits on this blog since yesterday evening, I can assume that a precious few have missed yesterday's post on the bizarre and completely unacceptable behaviour of Brian Leiter towards Carrie Jenkins of UBC and Aberdeen and a number of other almost exclusively female academic colleagues. Today, Feminist Philosophers, posted an update on Leiter's alleged attempt to apologise to Jenkins, and the devastating effects his behaviour has had on Jenkin's state of mind and health. Here, it also surfaces that Leiter's claims that anot
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