Friday, December 26, 2014

26 Dec - Blogs I'm Following

10:19pm MST

Food Watch: Latest sign that civilization is drawing (has drawn?) to a close: SpaghettiOs-topped pizza

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 19 minutes ago
*"A gourmet meal" -- yum!* *by Ken* Yeah, yeah, you're not supposed to knock it if you haven't tried it. But I'm here to tell you that I have no intention of trying pizza topped with SpaghettiOs. Sometimes you have to wonder what people think pizza is about. On the one hand there are the micro-thin pizza fetishists, who don't seem to grasp that we're talking about a form of bread here, and that the crust is an integral part of the package. (I always think they would do better to spread some sauce on their arm and stick it in a wicked-hot pizza oven for a *really* thin crust.) Of... more »

The Afghan Army Is Still Using Soviet Era Tanks In Their War Against The Taliban

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 19 minutes ago
*Afghan Army's Rusty Tank Relics Still Roll Into Battle -- Stars and Stripes* KABUL — With a collective belch of black smoke, the line of old Soviet tanks rattles to life. No two vehicles have the same fading paint scheme, and some still feature the insignia of Afghanistan’s communist government of the 1980s. Fenders are bent and rusted. In the treads of one tank are the tangled coils of the last barbed-wire fence it drove through. Amid the haze and the clanking of metal tracks, the hulking machines barely look ready to drive around the block, let alone fight a war. Once a commo... more »

China To Purge Foreign Technology And Replace It With A China Only Made Policy

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 hour ago
*China Is Planning to Purge Foreign Technology and Replace With Homegrown Suppliers -- Bloomberg* China is aiming to purge most foreign technology from banks, the military, state-owned enterprises and key government agencies by 2020, stepping up efforts to shift to Chinese suppliers, according to people familiar with the effort. The push comes after a test of domestic alternatives in the northeastern city of Siping that was deemed a success, said the people, who asked not to be named because the details aren’t public. Workers there replaced Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT) Windows with a ... more »

2015 & Beyond: The Denuclearization And Break-Up of Pakistan, An Attack On Iran, And The Further Disintegration of Syria

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 1 hour ago
"Talk about unintended consequences. Could the Palestinians’ pursuit of statehood at the United Nations finally put an end to the movement of so-called non-aligned nations, who have nursed Arab grievances against Israel for decades? That certainly seems to be the implication of a report that India is considering a change to its pattern of supporting the Palestinians at the United Nations. *Instead, the country, under new leadership and with growing ties to Israel, may abstain on votes regarding the Middle East peace process."* - *Seth Lipsky, "India’s shift away from Palestine cou... more »

Is China About To Become The World's New Bank?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
*China Steps In As World's New Bank -- William Pesek, Bloomberg* Thanks to China, Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund, Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank and Takehiko Nakao of the Asian Development Bank may no longer have much meaningful work to do. Beijing's move to bail out Russia, on top of its recent aid for Venezuela and Argentina, signals the death of the post-war Bretton Woods world. It’s also marks the beginning of the end for America's linchpin role in the global economy and Japan's influence in Asia. What is China's new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank if... more »

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "My Orchid Spirit (Extragalactic)"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
Liquid Mind, "My Orchid Spirit (Extragalactic)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK_2fgj_Vts

"Nobody knows it," says Paul Krugman, "but 2014 was the year of 'Yes, we can' "

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
*"[O]ver the past year, a U.S. government subjected to constant bad-mouthing, constantly accused of being ineffectual or worse, has, in fact, managed to accomplish a lot. On multiple fronts, government wasn't the problem; it was the solution. Nobody knows it, but 2014 was the year of 'Yes, we can.' "* *-- Paul Krugman, in his NYT column today,* "Tidings of Comfort" *by Ken* "All year," says our Paul in this column reflecting on what he says seemed to him an "unusually subdued" Christmas, "Americans have been bombarded with dire news reports portraying a world out of control and a ... more »

Chna's Corruption Purge Is Spreading Fear And Retribution

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
*Special Report: Fear And Retribution In Xi's Corruption Purge -- David Lague , Benjamin Kang Lim and Charlie Zhu, Reuters* (Reuters) - Chen Zhenggao, a member of the Communist Party's elite Central Committee, clearly has enemies. While Chen was visiting Hong Kong last year, his adversaries were preparing a detailed dossier on his travel and entertainment spending. Soon after the visit, mainland businessmen passed the documents to Reuters. Among the materials was video surveillance footage of the powerful politician, then the governor of China’s Liaoning province, stepping out of ... more »

7 Ways To Reduce Electrical Pollution In Your Home or Office

Waking Times at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*Video -* If you're concerned about electrical and EMF pollution, here are some ideas on how to protect yourself. The post 7 Ways To Reduce Electrical Pollution In Your Home or Office appeared first on Waking Times.

Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VII: Reflection - In The Stillness"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VII: Reflection - In The Stillness" Photos, animations courtesy of ESA, NASA and The Hubble Space Telescope. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahc16ZFXrTo

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
"About 40,000 light-years across, pretty, irregular galaxy NGC 3239 lies near the center of this lovely field of galaxies in the galaxy rich constellation Leo. At a distance of only 25 million light-years it dominates the frame, sporting a peculiar arrangement of structures, young blue star clusters and star forming regions, suggesting that NGC 3239 (aka Arp 263) is the result of a galaxy merger. Appearing nearly on top of the pretty galaxy is a bright, spiky, foreground star, a nearby member of our own Milky Way galaxy almost directly along our line-of-sight to NGC 3239. *Click im... more »

The Door In The Wall"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
"The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less sure, happier but less self-satisfied, humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable mystery which it tries, forever vainly, to comprehend.” – Aldous Huxley

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
Abilene, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Our Fate..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
"It seems to me that almost all our sadnesses are moments of tension, which we feel as paralysis because we no longer hear our astonished emotions living. Because we are alone with the unfamiliar presence that has entered us; because everything we trust and are used to is for a moment taken away from us; because we stand in the midst of a transition where we cannot remain standing. That is why the sadness passes: the new presence inside us, the presence that has been added, has entered our heart, has gone into its innermost chamber and is no longer even there, - is already in our b... more »

"No Regret…Leave it All On The Field"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
*"No Regret…Leave it All On The Field"* by Bonnie Ware "Many years ago I heard an athlete, who had just lost a huge game, being interviewed by a reporter. This reporter asked the tough question “So what’s it going to be like living with all the regret of losing this big game?” The athlete immediately snapped back, “Regret! I don’t have any regret, I left it all on the field…” I know all of us have heard that expression before but I found it to be a very good preface for this particular blog post. Regret…tough word for some of us because of broken relationships or worse yet, maybe a... more »

Chet Raymo, “The Audacity Of Hope”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*“The Audacity Of Hope”* by Chet Raymo “In the middle of the last century, Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "A great many internal and external portents (political and social upheaval, moral and religious unease) have caused us all to feel, more or less confusedly, that something tremendous is at present taking place in the world. But what is it?" What, indeed? There are two prevailing opinions: *1)* We are going to hell in a hand basket. Global warming, ecological disaster, tribal genocide, overpopulation, economic collapse, nuclear annihilation, moral decay: the future looks bleak, if ... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago

Tonight's Movie Is Silent Night

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
From *YouTube*: Fact-based World War II story set on Christmas Eve, 1944, finds a German Mother and her son seeking refuge in a cabin on the war front. When she is invaded by three American soldiers and then three German soldiers, she successfully convinces the soldiers to put aside their differences for one evening and share a Christmas dinner.

Trillion dollar war in Afghanistan- "Achieved it's goal"- Obama

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 4 hours ago
*Well, I made it!* * 48 hours away from the blog except for responding to comments* Obama addressing troops spouting nonsense *Trillion-dollar war in Afghanistan achieved its goal* *US troops first arrived in Afghanistan *less than a month after the 9/11 attacks* on New York and Washington DC, unseating the Taliban before bedding in for a conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 US military personnel. * *Some 13 years later, and after *spending more than $1 trillion on the war, * the US is preparing to pull most of its combat troops out before the end of this year* ... more »

Psychology: "The Illusion of Truth"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
* "The Illusion of Truth"* by PsyBlog "We see ads for the same products over and over again. Politicians repeat the same messages endlessly (even when it has nothing to do with the question they've been asked). Journalists repeat the same opinions day after day. Can all this repetition really be persuasive? It seems too simplistic that just repeating a persuasive message should increase its effect, but that's exactly what psychological research finds (again and again). Repetition is one of the easiest and most widespread methods of persuasion. In fact it's so obvious that we someti... more »

The Poet: Amelia Peart Macdonald, "Upward Reaching"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*"Upward Reaching"* "The soul of man, to what end is it striving? What is the destiny, what is the goal? This constant upward reaching of the soul– What force behind it does the ceaseless driving? Upward reaching but implies a quest Unending, for the things we deem the best, For that which goes to make the perfect whole– Insatiable striving for a better role. With what speed, then, is man’s success arriving? Endowed with instincts meant to goad him on Toward the infinite, from dawn to dawn, From his struggle, how much good deriving? Man’s speed, or progress, toward that holier sphere, Is... more »

"All Paths..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
“All paths lead to the same goal: to convey to others what we are. And we must pass through solitude and difficulty, isolation and silence, in order to reach forth to the enchanted place where we can dance our clumsy dance and sing our sorrowful song- but in this dance or in this song there are fulfilled the most ancient rites of our conscience in the awareness of being human and of believing in a common destiny.” - Pablo Neruda

"Singing To The Deer"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*"Singing To The Deer"* by Patricia Monaghan “At solstice, the woods were bright in a snowy way, the sky pearl gray above the stately maples and gnarled burr oaks. An Alaskan marooned in the urban Midwest, it took me years to find this nearby patch of relatively undisturbed land where I can sense the power of wildness. Now I go there often, watching the seasons unfold their changeful unchanging patterns in the increasingly familiar forest. I especially like to walk among the sleeping trees in the half-lit silence of winter dawns. The trail I follow winds and twists, new patches of ... more »

U.S., South Korea And Japan Have Agreed To Pool Their Intelligence Against North Korea

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 5 hours ago
*US, Japan, S. Korea to Share Intel On N. Korea -- Voice of America* South Korean officials say Seoul, the U.S. and Japan have agreed on a trilateral intelligence-sharing pact to deal with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. Officials said on Friday that the deal would enable the three allies to quickly respond to any North Korean provocation at a time of increasing tensions with Pyongyang. It would apply to intelligence sharing only on the North's missile and nuclear progress. South Korean officials say the formal signing of the pact by the South Korean vice defense mini... more »

U.S. Conducts Drone Strikes In Pakistan. 'Mastermind' Behind Attack On Pakistan School Killed In Shootout

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *As Pakistan Considers Counter-Terrorism Strategy, More Airstrikes Kill Militants -- Washington Post* ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Two suspected U.S. drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan killed at least eight militants on Friday, and Pakistani forces also killed a Taliban commander who helped carry out last week’s school massacre in Peshawar. According to Pakistani intelligence officials, a U.S. drone fired two missiles into a compound in North Waziristan used by militants from the Punjabi Taliban. The group is an offshoot of the Pakistan Tali... more »

Will Steve Stockman Be The Next Republican Criminal Not Locked Up In Prison After Mikey Suits?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago
The Honorable Steve Stockman (R-TX), domestic terrorist Steve Stockman made a name for himself the first time he somehow wound up in Congress. The ex-drug addict and derelict-turned right-wing extremist, involved himself with fringe anti-American militia groups and domestic terrorists and had some connection-- one that was quickly hushed up-- with Timothy McVeigh and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people and caused over half a billion dollars in physical damages. The next year, Democrat Nick Lampson defeated Stockman's reelection bid 53-47%. He ran several unsuccessfu... more »

Not bashing the Archbishop

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
Though the colour scheme and layout of our blog may not change very much (which gives Sue cause for concern, as she's got much better visual taste than me and would very much like to improve its somewhat make-do-and-mend look), the second part of the blog's title does vary from time to time. As you may (or may not) have noticed, it now reads "...and any other matters that take our fancy", thus freeing us forever from having to peg every post to the theme of BBC bias and allowing us to bang on about any old random stuff that crosses our minds. This post, therefore, will contain ... more »

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 26, 2014

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*Aceh Ten Years After the Tsunami -- Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat* *The region has made impressive progress on rebuilding infrastructure, but the mental scars remain.* BANDA ACEH – One thing people invariably recall about the Indian Ocean tsunami is the terrifying sound the tidal wave made as it surged towards shore. Rahmadullah, 31, remembered “a sound like a cyclone.” Mohammad Saleh, a 54-year-old primary school principal, said the wave made a noise “just like a bomb” as it swept trees, homes, and buildings aside like so many cardboard boxes. “It was high as the coconut tree... more »

North Korea Didn't Do It

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 7 hours ago

what i'm reading: pro: reclaiming abortion rights by katha pollitt

laura k at wmtc - 7 hours ago
Katha Pollitt's new book, *Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights*, is a powerful gust of fresh, clean air that blows away the toxic stench of the current discourse about abortion. *Pro* is a thorough, no-holds-barred takedown of the hypocrisy of anti-abortion-rights movement - not only in the most obvious sense that people who claim to be "pro-life" also (usually) support war and the death penalty, oppose gun control, and encourage lethal terrorism against abortion providers and clinic staff, and of people who claim to care about women and children, but oppose all social supports that m... more »

Defence of Absolute Privilege not extended to Municipal Councillors

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 7 hours ago
Gutowski v. Clayton, 2014 ONCA 921: [20] Nothing in this record supports an extension of absolute privilege to municipal councillors, in my opinion. [21] In this regard, I do not accept the appellants' argument that the absence of the protection of absolute privilege is "presumed" to have a "chilling effect" on the ability of councillors to perform their function. They rely on *Grant v. Torstar Corp.**, *2009 SCC 61, [2009] 3 S.C.R. 640, for their submission that no evidence is required to establish the chilling effect flowing from the lack of a defamation defence. ... more »

World News Briefs -- December 26, 2014

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*Asia Remembers Devastating 2004 Tsunami With Tears And Prayers -- Reuters* (Reuters) - Survivors of Asia's 2004 tsunami and relatives of its 226,000 victims cried and prayed as they gathered along Indian Ocean shorelines on Friday for memorials to mark the 10th anniversary of a disaster that still leaves an indelible mark on the region. When a 9.15-magnitude quake opened a fault line deep beneath the ocean on Dec. 26 a decade ago, it triggered a wave as high as 17.4 meters (57 feet) which crashed ashore in more than a dozen countries, wiping some communities off the map in second... more »

You Are Not Alone and Never Will Be

Waking Times at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Video -* Some very interesting facts about the creation of our solar system and everything in it, as well as the connection we have with everything in the universe. The post You Are Not Alone and Never Will Be appeared first on Waking Times.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 26, 2014

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
Paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team participate in training exercises with the Polish 6 Airborne Brigade soldiers at the Land Forces Training Centre in Oleszno near Drawsko Pomorskie, north west Poland, May 1, 2014 (Reuters / Kacper Pempel) *2 Secret Weapons US Will Use in War versus Russia: Guided Bullet and Drone-Like Nuclear Bomber -- IBTimes* As reports continue to pour in that Russia is battle-ready and raring to take on the United States and its NATO allies boasting of tactical nuclear advantages and secret weapons, America is making sure that... more »

Celebrating Ten Years of Post-Katrina, New Orleans Charters– And You Are Not Invited

deutsch29 at @ THE CHALK FACE - 9 hours ago
In modern America, when it comes to selling a product, the question of whether the product actually works as promised becomes irrelevant. The narrow concern for the profit-driven ends with effectively marketing the product. Sales result from effective marketing– not the least of which is repeatedly telling the consumer that the product works. Tell consumers […]

Libya updates - December 26 , 2014 - Big story of the day - Oil Tanks at al - Sidra burning after attacks !

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 9 hours ago
http://www.ljbctv.tv/2014/12/libya-oil-sedra.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Burning Storage Tanks .... Tweets.... *Good Morning Libya* @Morning_LY · 5h5 hours ago #Libya | Fire spread to more tanks in al-Sedra oil port. 1st one was hit by a Grad missile fired by Misrata militias [image: Embedded image permalink] [image: Embedded image permalink] More - Prof. Steve Hanke and 4 others follow *Matthew Reed* ‏@matthewmreed 2m 2 minutes ago If Fajr can't have it, no one will: Fire spreads to more #oil tanks at # *Libya* port http://ara.tv/ch... more »

Rip-off News round-up. Our pick of the last week's media (Thu 25th December)

Jake at Ripped-off Britons - 10 hours ago
Christmas victory for New Era residents' campaign: rent-hiker Westbrook finally sells London estate to fair-rent charity The 93 families’ battle against eviction by an $11bn US investor has finally been successful. Months of protesting, marching and petitioning has forced the millionaire executives of Westbrook Partners to sell the estate, abandoning plans to evict families and triple rents.

Billionaire Sentenced To Prison  (E.O. Wilson Predicts Bye Bye Biodiversity)  We Just Enjoyed the Last Christmas in America?  (Respect My Authoritah!)

12/25/2014 Billionaire Sentenced to Five Years in Prison By Rob Kall Just imagine that happening in the US - any billionaire going to jail. Is it possible? . . . There are more billionaires in the US than any other country in the world. The only one I can think of who was convicted was probably no longer a billionaire by the time he was convicted - Kenneth Lay's Enron shares had become

Pray for Raphael Ramos...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 10 hours ago
The casket containing the body of slain New York City Police Officer Rafael Ramos, one of two officers shot and killed while sitting in their patrol car in an ambush last weekend, has arrived at the funeral where his wake will be held this afternoon. Crowds of uniformed police officers greeted the hearse and a NYPD flag was draped over Ramos' casket as it was carried into Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale neighborhood of Queens, where friends and family said he was a longstanding and deeply committed member.

President Obama Hails End Of Afghan War In Christmas Address

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*Obama Hails End Of Afghan War In Christmas Address, Says World Is Better, Safer -- IBTimes* Addressing U.S. troops at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii on Christmas, President Barack Obama said that Afghanistan will not be “a source of terrorist attacks again,” according to media reports. Obama’s speech was delivered just a week before the U.S. combat mission in the country is scheduled to end. “We’ve been in continuous war now for over 13 years,” Obama reportedly said. “Next week we will be ending our combat mission in Afghanistan. “Because of the extraordinary service of the men... more »

Monsanto/Bayer’s GM Plants Contaminate Europe Despite Ban

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 10 hours ago
*Sayer Ji* - New evidence reveals that despite a ban on cultivation of GM rapeseed in Europe, Monsanto and Bayer's plants are now freely growing there... The post Monsanto/Bayer’s GM Plants Contaminate Europe Despite Ban appeared first on Waking Times.

North Korea and Hollywood: the Perfect Holiday Storm

Jeffrey Stacey at Duck of Minerva - 10 hours ago
A perfect storm is defined as an event in which a rare combination of circumstances results in an event of unusual scale and magnitude. 9-11 is a classic, and tragic, perfect storm. This December the world has witnessed another perfect storm involving the confluence of culture and foreign policy: the bizarre North Korean hacking of Continue reading

Seeing Behind the Corporate Spin

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago
- There have been some rumblings from officials in Russia in recent days. I caught something like "the US needs to take another look at the real story behind the shooting down of Malaysian passenger jet over Ukraine last July." The US-NATO were quick to blame Russia after the plane was shot down - the same kind of campaign we now see with North Korea over the Sony 'comedy' that I believe is truly aimed at creating more antipathy towards that nation. Today I stumbled upon this fascinating story about an eye witness who claims that it was a Ukrainian milit... more »

Example of Sudden Steam Release at Fukushima Daiichi

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 11 hours ago
Video from the TEPCO webcam illustrates sudden steam release at Daiichi, starting approximately at 00:39 December 27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChxXzIPegEw Webcam watchers have puzzled over these sudden steam releases for years now. Although we don't know the source, they do coincide with elevated radiation monitoring readings downwind in Japan and North America. They may derive from water or chemical injections by TEPCO or, perhaps, fission events in melted nuclear fuel, either in the buildings or beneath them.

Questions and answers

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
I see Lucy Winkett has been quiet this year. No stunt to highlight Israel’s ‘apartheid wall’ . The plight of (non-Palestinian) Christians in the Middle East seems to be concerning the media, but apportioning the bulk of the blame to “ *Islamic State” (*not the real Islam) still leaves room for a goodly share of the blame to be directed at Israel for the convenience of the BBC-educated Israel-basher. Mehdi Hasan has resurrected that tired old “analogy”: ‘What if Mary and Joseph tried to get to Bethlehem today?’ (answer: They’d get stuck at an Israeli checkpoint) Sounds like a j... more »

Psychedelic Plant Teachers and the Limits of Normal Perception

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 11 hours ago
*Jose A. Arvide* - If life wasn't real, it would be the craziest psychedelic trip ever... The post Psychedelic Plant Teachers and the Limits of Normal Perception appeared first on Waking Times.

Why, Specifically, Alan Grayson Is The First Candidate Blue America Is Endorsing For 2016

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 11 hours ago
The CRomnibus was pretty horrible because of all the garbage transactional conservatives-- Republicans and a few legislators from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- attached to it. All the House Members we respect voted against it, including, of course, Alan Grayson. I don't think it was easy for Grayson to vote NO. He had 9 amendments in it that he'd been working to get passed for over a year. This was his only shot. Here's how he described the 9 bills-- that were turned into amendments-- after the CRomnibus passed; all 9 are middle class tax cuts: *•* Do you have a m... more »

Iran Begins Massive Military Exercises

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*Iran Begins Massive Military Drills Near Strait of Hormuz: Reports -- Sputnik* *The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is considered to be strategically important as it is used to transfer large amounts of oil from the Persian Gulf to other countries, including the United States. The drills involve ground, air and navy forces.* MOSCOW, December 25 (Sputnik) — The Iranian Army has begun a massive military exercise in a strategic area south of the country, IRNA news agency reported Thursday. The maneuvers will cover the area of 2.2 million square k... more »

Dear Justin

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
As pre-warned, things have been a bit quiet here at *Is the BBC biased? *in the past couple of weeks. So quiet in fact that we missed one of the biggest controversies of all - whether the late Joe Cocker's *With a Little Help From My Friends *is the best cover-version of all time. Justin Webb got into a right mess about it one day in the very recent past, just after the death of Joe Cocker (can't quite remember when - though, being slightly OCD and having checked, it was actually the 23rd December). *Today *got two pop music experts in (can't remember who though - but, OCD-alert!... more »

Our Lost Prestige

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 11 hours ago
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ As we enter 2015, the world faces a Pandora's Box of problems. Daryl Copeland writes: Thanks to the emergence of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the much-maligned Global War on Terror (GWOT), which only a year ago seemed to be waning, has received an enormous boost. The name may have changed, but terrorism and radical Islam remain at the top of the threat list for most Western governments. While large-scale invasions and occupations have — for now — fallen into well-deserved disrepute, that space h... more »

Ken O’Keefe and the Battle for 9/11 Reality

Kevin Barrett at truthjihad.com blog - 11 hours ago
Anthony Hall will appear tonight on Truth Jihad Radio to discuss this article and why it is being published here rather than at Veterans Today. A Commentary on Ken O'Keefe's Expanded and Improved Documentary, 911 False Flag: American Traitors and Mossad. by Anthony Hall [image: Ken O'Keefe as a US Marine Before He Renounced His US Citizenship To Serve the Common People of Iraq as a Human Shield.] Ken O’Keefe as a US Marine Before He Renounced His US Citizenship To Serve the Common People of Iraq as a Human Shield. Includes Original Material From Anthony Hall Extending O'Keefe's As... more »

Russia's Buildup And Modernization Of Its Nuclear Forces Continues

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
The Yars land-based mobile missile system before being transported to its field combat duty site at the Teykovo Guards Missile Division.(RIA Novosti / Vadim Savitskii) *‘Nuke Trains’ With Up To 30 Yars Missiles Rolling Out From 2018 – Russian Defense Source -- RT* A Russian military source outlined the capabilities of Barguzin strategic missile train. The country may roll out five such disguised mobile launch platforms each carrying six RS-24 Yars missiles in five years. A ‘nuclear train’ – properly called BZhRK, short for ‘combat railway missile complex’ in Russian – is a mobile ... more »

Needed: 11 Trillion Gallons to Replenish California Drought

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
[image: splash] This is one nasty problem that needs to be remedied. Yet the solution itself is massive application of Eden machine thinking throughout the Great Valley in order to make it more than self sufficient. In Africa we now have the application of humidity netting looking like cooling towers on top of catchment basins that can hold water and water cress. Surplus water can be drained off to support a nearby tree. Thus we have a natural geometry that supports a productive tree. This can persistently wet soils and generate water holding soils th... more »

Climate Fools With Dr. Sircus

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
[image: http://theresilientearth.com/files/images-2011/polar_bear_face_palm.jpg] The bad news is that solar activity has seriously declined and may not improve for a long time or for forty years. That means our winters are going to remain lousy and the Arctic ice will be closing in again with a vengence. It was sure nice to see the North West and the North East passages available for shipping, but i think that that story is now over. It takes solar heat to keep us warm and a modest decline is enough to chill us out. If we want a warmer Northern Hemisphere, i am afraid we wi... more »

Erik Mack Debunks Own UFO Sighting, 14 years Later

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
This is an important bit of work. There has been a large number of oddly shaped UFO observed at night that sported actual lights typical of aircraft. The best explanation has always been aircraft. now we can target the triangular anomalies also. It had never occurred to me that we may well have bmps and airships transiting to help us along. His experience also shows us just how complex the experience can become. The expansion of aircraft design over the past three decades has been huge and many possibilities have opened up. Thus our best sign is simple runn... more »

Russia's Military Doctirne Has Been Revised: U.S. And NATO Are Threats

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) chairs a Security Council meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Dec. 26, 2014. (AFP) *Russia’s New Military Doctrine Lists NATO, US As Major Foreign Threats -- RT* Russia has adopted an updated version of its military doctrine, which reflects the emergence of new threats against its national security. NATO military buildup and American Prompt Global Strike concept are listed among them. The new doctrine was approved on Friday by President Vladimir Putin. Its core remains unchanged from the previous version. The Russian military remains a defens... more »

The Opening of the Collective Unconscious

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 12 hours ago
*Video* - Stanislov Graf shares a bit of his knowledge, wisdom, and experience of the realms of consciousness, holotropic experiences and the collective consciousness. The post The Opening of the Collective Unconscious appeared first on Waking Times.

The Growing Humanitarian Crisis In Eastern Ukraine

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
Retirees eat in the City of Hope church cafeteria. The church serves one meal a day, which sustains many seniors who have seen the government cut off their pensions.(Photo: Tatyana Goryachova) *Retirees Starve In Rebel-Held Eastern Ukraine -- USA Today* DONETSK, Ukraine — Retirees in Donetsk, the largest city in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists, are dying of hunger because their pensions have been cut off by the national government, rebel officials and residents say. Though Ukraine has not publicly discussed starvation deaths, it acknowledges there is a humanitarian... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 12 hours ago
*Helis working to clear next regulatory hurdle for fracking in Mandeville city limits ~Sara Pagones, The Advocate * *Smartphone App Developed In Louisiana Helps Hunters To 'Hunt Smarter' ~Janaya Williams, WWNO* *Odd Words ~Mark Folse*

Japan's State Secrets Law Goes into Effect

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 13 hours ago
The Mainichi has an editorial about Japan's new State Secrets law that is going into effect. I've posted excerpts from the editorial here and an excerpt from my book chapter on the end of liberal democracy in Japan below, from our edited collection on Fukushima and Dispossession. Here is the recent op ed decrying the law: The Mainichi (25, December). As I See It: State secrets law goes into effect, what now? http://mainichi.jp/english/english/perspectives/news/20141225p2a00m0na004000c.html The more one reads the law, the more problems emerge. Twenty-three categories of secrets (55... more »

Ukraine Peace Talks Have Collapsed

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
BBC *Ukraine Crisis: Key Peace Talks In Minsk Called Off -- BBC* A key round of peace talks between Ukraine's government and pro-Russian rebels, due to take place in Minsk on Friday, has been called off, Belarusian officials say. No immediate reason was given by the Belarusian foreign ministry. The talks had begun on Wednesday to try to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine which has left 4,700 dead. A ceasefire and framework peace deal were announced in Minsk in September but neither has been properly observed. *Read more *.... *More News On The Collapse Of The Ukraine Peace Ta... more »

A BBC reporter on PEGIDA...and on Twitter

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 13 hours ago
Alan at *Biased BBC* is highly critical of German-based BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness for his report on Christmas Eve's *Today *programme about the large anti-Islamisation protests in parts of Germany. Damien McGuinness told John Humphrys that, even though the movement (PEGIDA) contains "a lot of right-wing extremists", its protests aren't really about what the protestors say they are about - namely the Islamisation of the West. Instead, he argued, "foreigners" are being made "scapegoats" for other reasons - a bundle of grievances about immigration more generally, low pay a... more »

When Pangloss Attacks

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 13 hours ago
When two Democratic pundits write essentially the same column about what a great year it's been, you're tempted to don your tinfoil Sherlock Holmes deerstalker and ponder whether the game's afoot. In this episode, the detective travels back in time and comes face to face with a villain even worse than Professor Moriarty: the dreaded Doctor Pangloss! You might remember Doc P from Voltaire's *Candide, *which satirizes phony glass-half-full optimism in the face of every unspeakable catastrophe known to man. Pangloss literally spans the globe to find the bright sides to the Lisbon ... more »

Ukraine Cuts Electrical Power And Cancels Trains To Crimea

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
BBC *Ukraine Cuts Power, Cancels Trains To Crimea -- Kyiv Post* Ukraine cut power and cancelled trains to Crimea on Dec. 26, operator companies said in their statements. The peninsular was annexed by Russia in March. DTEK, a private energy holding that belongs to Ukraine's richest man Rinat Akhmetov, said it was ordered to cut power supplies to Crimea by the national regulator Ukrenergo. “At 13:50 the transmission power line ... Kakhovskaya- Dzhankoi, which was at this point the only line feeding Crimea, has been switched off by the order of NAK Ukrenergo,” the company said in a ... more »

Rudolph the Red Nosed Dream Slayer

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*Ethan 'Indigo' Smith* - Rudolph relates an inescapable archetype that has been depicted in fairy tales and films alike, from The Ugly Duckling to any number of Hollywood films... The post Rudolph the Red Nosed Dream Slayer appeared first on Waking Times.

DPP, as always, 2 steps forward, 1.99 steps backwards

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 14 hours ago
*Stop the insanity: some loser brought three of these yapping pests -- I hesitate to dignify them with the good name of dog -- on the bike path on a crowded Saturday.* Sunflower leader Chen Wei-ting finally through in the towel (Taipei Times) and withdrew from the Miaoli legislative by-election over his molestation of women. In addition to the two cases mentioned before, apparently new ones were cropping up. Solidarity.tw has the PTT post that slew Chen's candidacy (in Taiwan young people get their news via old-fashioned bulletin boards, not newfangled PHP forums). I have said all ... more »

Film Maker Exposes Factory Farms Using a Drone

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*April McCarthy* - A new film exposes the horrors of factory farms and ask big questions about how this came about and where it is going... The post Film Maker Exposes Factory Farms Using a Drone appeared first on Waking Times.

GAIA PORTAL: Foundations for Gaia uplift phase have completed

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 15 hours ago
*Foundations for Gaia uplift phase have completed* by ÉirePort Foundations for Gaia uplift phase have completed. Fabrications of Gaia Higher Intent have completed. Necessities for Gaia upliftment protocols have completed. Processes of completion are soon to commence. Preparations are done. Gaia awaits Hue-manity collaboration and hu-manity up-movement intent. ÉirePort | December 26, 2014 at 12:34 | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-tG

Asia Remembers Devastating 2004 Tsunami

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Remembering The Horror: Survivors And Victims’ Families Hold Beachside Memorial Services To Mark 10th Anniversary Of Boxing Day Tsunami That Killed 270,000 -- Daily Mail* * The devastating December 26 2004 tsunami struck a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean rim * It eradicated entire coastal communities, decimated families and crashed over tourist-filled beaches * Beachside memorials and religious services were held across Asia to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy * Survivors, politicians and families of victims gathered in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and els... more »

Is Violence Ever Justified? Against The Police?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago
When I ran Sire Records and then Reprise bands often asked me if I would be the executive producer of their album. I never felt comfortable doing it-- showing that kind of perceived favoritism when I was responsible for *all* the bands and all their albums-- so I would routinely say "no, thanks." Except once. That once was a band I had signed to Sire, Body Count. My boss, Seymour Stein, had already signed the ground-breaking rapper Ice-T to the label but when Ice put together a punk/metal band, he brought it to me. I loved the live shows I had seen around L.A. and I saw how well t... more »

The Islamic State Is Failing At Ruling And Running Their Caliphate

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
In Raqqa, Syria, where airstrikes have damaged buildings and infrastructure, observers say the Islamic State doesn’t have enough expertise to effectively provide services and govern the city. (Nour Fourat/Reuters) *The Islamic State Is Failing At Being A State -- Washington Post* GAZIANTEP, Turkey — The Islamic State’s vaunted exercise in state-building appears to be crumbling as living conditions deteriorate across the territories under its control, exposing the shortcomings of a group that devotes most of its energies to fighting battles and enforcing strict rules. Services are... more »

Boxing With Reality: The CIA And ISI Are Immune From Institutional Reflection And Reform

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 15 hours ago
Two of the biggest stories to close out the year were the CIA Torture Report and the Peshawar School Attack in Pakistan. The secret intelligence agencies of both countries came out looking worse than ever. The CIA and ISI want nothing more this new year than for these tragedies and controversies to go away. The focus on both of these stories is fitting because it was a big year for national security news and terrorism related issues. There were lone wolf attacks by mentally ill ISIS sympathizers in Ottawa and Sydney, though the attacks were poorly thought out and did little damage, ... more »

Is Human DNA Reprogrammable With Light, Sound, Frequency and Vibration?

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 15 hours ago
*Christina Sarich & Dylan Charles* - There are numerous scientists who claim light and sound alter our DNA and directly influence our biology... The post Is Human DNA Reprogrammable With Light, Sound, Frequency and Vibration? appeared first on Waking Times.

The North Korean General Behind The Sony Cyber Attack

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
*Photo:* Kim Yong-chol crosses the military demarcation line in the truce village of Panmunjom to attend the 7th inter-Korean generals' meeting in this file photo from Feb. 12, 2007. He headed the North Korean delegation. Chosun Ilbo *Four-Star Spymaster Behind North Korean Hacking; Sony’s ‘The Interview’ Available Online --Washington Times* U.S. intelligence agencies have identified the military officer orchestrating North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking attacks, such as the one on Sony Pictures Entertainment. He is Gen. Kim Yong-chol, director of the espionage and clandestine op... more »

Yolande Knell promotes a pro-Palestinian film

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
I'm no longer surprised at hearing about BBC presenters and reporters trading on names as BBC employees and engaging is a spot of moonlighting from time to time. Just as long as they take the money and *don't* say anything they shouldn't say (as prominent BBC representatives), that seem's fair enough to me - and admirably entrepreneurial of them too. However, what if they take part in an event that promotes something that's highly controversial in their own field of reporting? *BBC Watch* is raising the alarm about BBC Middle East reporter Yolande Knell's pre-Christmas chairing o... more »

50 Numbers From 2014 That Sound Fake But That Are Actually Real

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 17 hours ago
50 Numbers From 2014 That Sound Fake But That Are Actually Real By Michael Snyder, on December 23rd, 2014 [image: 50 Facts From 2014 That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe]2014 was quite a bizarre year, wasn’t it? The past 12 months brought us MH370, Ebola, civil war in Ukraine, civil unrest in Ferguson, the rise of ISIS and the fall of the Democrats in the midterm elections. Our world is becoming crazier and more unstable with each passing day, and I have a feeling that things are going to accelerate greatly in 2015. But for the moment things are relatively quiet as muc... more »

Star Spangled Schmucks Cheer "The Interview" on Christmas Day

Donn Marten at Carrying a Flag - 17 hours ago
The war on Christmas met the unwinnable war on stupidity with the massively overhyped movie *The Interview* selling out in theaters across the fruited plain on Christmas Day. After a solid week of constant media and official government propaganda selling what now appears to be a hoax the stuffed to the seams stocking full of tastelessness and stupid dick jokes was incredibly turned into a bizarre“freedom of speech” crusade. We have now passed the point of no return on our long slow crawl towards the dystopian dumbassery of *Idiocracy*. Nothing shows how free that we are than the ... more »

Boxing Day hangovers, crashed pips, and Sally Bercow's husband

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
Who knew Mishal was that short? *Today* had its first guest editor of the season today - Sally's husband, Mr Speaker Sir, John Bercow. The programme didn't run entirely smoothly. The 8 o'clock pips were crashed, the sports presenter (Sonala Shah) repeatedly stumbled over her words (one name in particular), eventually putting it down to having a hangover ('champagne fever'), and James Naughtie was heard in the background asking "Who's guest editor tomorrow?" during Mishal Husain's closing interview with Mr Bercow. [Did he really not know? Or was he (Jeremy _unt-like) quietly giving ... more »

The dawn of Christmas morn (on Radio 4)

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
Hope you all had a merry Christmas Day and that Satan brought you everything you wanted (especially our dyslexic readers)! In the spirit of the season (and this blog), I'd just like to say something nice about a couple of BBC Radio 4 programmes which I woke up to yesterday morning... Firstly, an edition of *Farming Today *which gave us nothing but the voices of those attending a nativity in a barn at a family-run dairy farm adjoining a church in a tiny Devon village. We heard from the participating children (the main narrators), the farmers, the local vicar, the villagers, and ... more »

Meet The Pilot Who Shot Down Malaysian Boeing MH-17 ( sourced by Voltaire Network).

Papani at DeadBanksterSociety - 20 hours ago
The latest twist results in an interview revealing the identity of the Murderer of all on board MAS plane MH17. Please follow the link to read further http://www.voltairenet.org/article186300.html

The Ancient Giants Who Ruled America

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 21 hours ago
I started on this puzzle myself with a scant handful of nineteenth century reports and soon concluded that the giants were part and parcel of the global atlantean copper trade empire. It was not an empire as we understand it but very much a trade factory system not unlike what the British also constructed for much the same reasons. The claims for dominance made here may have some reality although i do not see it as necessary. Again we are imposing our understanding onto the Bronze Age world. Recall though that the bulk of this world did subside along both the mid Atlantic ridge ... more »

On the 10th Anniversary of the worst tsunami disaster in history.

Gforce at Zionist Made2Happen Disasters - 21 hours ago
Don't forget the BAM quake on 2003, Dec 26. (satanic no: 511) Don't forget the Indian Ocean quake on 2004, Dec 26. (satanic no: 611) Don't forget the S Taiwan quake on 2006, Dec 26. (satanic no: 811) All weaponised (induced) natural calamities - courtesy of your shadow overlord the KZB (Khazarian Zionist Banksters) who only want to destroy, depopulate & deceive after gaining 80% control of the world's economy, 95% control of the world's finance and 99% of the govts of the world. They have deceptively used the world's masses to create enormous wealth and power for themselves. The next ... more »

Come On A Little Musical Trip With Me

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
I was a drug taker when I was a kid. College is one big drug-haze. I smoked weed every day and did most everything else whenever I could get my hands on it. Acid was special though. I didn't just drop acid willy nilly. Acid was always a very special experience for me, every single trip, something between 30 and 50 in all. And music was always a very important component of every acid trip I ever took-- and beyond just the Airplane, Dead and The Byrds. I certainly nearly wore out my copy of *The Classical Music of Pakistan* by the Ali Brothers, the most accomplished of the qawwali, ... more »

Islamist Militia Fighters Attack Oil Ports In Libya Using Speedboats

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Black smoke billows out of a storage oil tank in Libya (Reuters Photo) *22 Libya Soldiers Slain After Speedboat Attack On Oil Ports -- i24 News* *Country's oil production dropped to less than half since clashes with Islamists erupted two weeks ago* Islamists killed at least 22 soldiers Thursday after a surprise attack in which they used speedboats in a failed bid to seize some of Libya's main oil terminals, officials said. The fighting in the oil-rich region came as pro-government forces lost ground to Islamist militias in the eastern city of Benghazi, where jihadists beheaded six... more »

Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ7eSn_9uT0&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“It's easy to get lost following the intricate filaments in this detailed mosaic image of faint supernova remnant Simeis 147 (S147). Also cataloged as Sh2-240, it covers nearly 3 degrees or 6 full moons on the sky. That's about 150 light-years at the stellar debris cloud's estimated distance of 3,000 light-years. * Click image for larger size.* Anchoring the frame at the right, bright star Elnath (Beta Tauri) is seen towards the boundary of the constellations Taurus and Auriga, almost exactly opposite the galactic center in planet Earth's sky. This sharp composite includes image dat... more »

The Poet: David Whyte, "Sweet Darkness"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*"Sweet Darkness"* "When your eyes are tired the world is tired also. When your vision has gone no part of the world can find you. Time to go into the dark where the night has eyes to recognize its own. There you can be sure you are not beyond love. The dark will be your womb tonight. The night will give you a horizon further than you can see. You must learn one thing: the world was made to be free in. Give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong. Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring yo... more »

Chet Raymo, “Finding It Where You Are”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“Finding It Where You Are”* by Chet Raymo “Yes, I've been to Walden. Been there several times, in fact. With students. We sat on the earth at the site of the cabin and read from the book. And the wind stirred the pines, and the hickories, and the oaks, and rippled the pond that shone like silver in the early morning sun. And then, to honor the spirit of the man we came to visit, we sat silently, as if on the stoop of his cabin with friends, knowing that any words, even his own, intruded on the haunting beauty of the place itself. Walden Pond Mary Oliver has a poem called "Going To... more »

"11 Things Everyone Needs You to Know"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*"11 Things Everyone Needs You to Know"* by Marc "A silhouette of a human being stands before you. Perhaps an old friend. Perhaps a neighbor. Perhaps a perfect stranger, like me. Here are 11 things we all need you to keep in mind… * 1.* *You never really know how much the people around you are hurting.* You could be standing next to someone who is completely broken inside and you wouldn’t even know it. So never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have. And remember that there are two ways to spread light in this world: You can either be a flame of hope, or a mirror tha... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

"Give Some Back..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"Pain, or damage, don't end the world- or despair or f***in' beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man- and give some back." - “Al Swearengen”, Ian McShane's character in “Deadwood”

Election 10: Comelec Critics and Commissioner Luie Guia

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 1 day ago
Today, Commission on Elections (Comelec) new Commissioner Luie Guia, a friend from undergrad days in UP Diliman some three decades ago, posted in his fb wall this message below. I am reposting this with his permission. I also added two of his photos posted in his wall. *To all my co-workers in Comelec.* *I am relatively new in the Commission on Elections and I was told that criticisms are part of the job. I have been trying to understand this situation especially as I have been associated with many of those who have recently been attacking Comelec on this single issue of election ... more »

"The Future"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." - Niels Bohr "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus We could list things of concern and consideration, of course... the coming, and absolutely unavoidable, world economic collapse, and it's subsequent suffering and hardship; the fact of global warming and climate change; the loss of civil liberties and freedom, and the existence of a true pol... more »

"The Present"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*Deputy Wendell:* "It's a mess, ain't it, sheriff?" *Sheriff Bell:* "If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here." - "No Country For Old Men" The Temptations, “Ball of Confusion” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9poCAuYT-s “History is more or less bunk. It’s tradition. We don’t want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that’s worth a tinker’s damn is the history we make today.” - Henry Ford "Our time is brief, and it will pass no matter what we do. So let us have purpose in spending it. Let us spend it so that our time matters to each of us, and matte... more »

Sunday Classics (holiday edition): It's "The Nutcracker" -- the whole deal! (One more time!)

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
*With the "Nutcracker Suite" sequence of Disney's Fantasia now unavailable, I thought to kick off we'd just look at this little teaser from Helgi Tómasson's San Francisco Ballet staging.* *by Ken* [*To repeat, this is a second "encore presentation" of 2011's complete-Nutcracker post (the first since since all the way back in 2012!), which I thought came out pretty darned well. As I wrote in 2012, you probably think it's a huge labor-saver just running a post "rerun," and perhaps I thought so too, but it didn't work out that way.*] The plan is pretty simple. As promised in last nig... more »

Another Top Islamic State Leader Killed By Coalition Airstrikes

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*ISIS Governor Of Mosul Killed In Coalition Airstrikes -- CNN* (CNN) -- The latest ISIS-appointed governor of Mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on Thursday, according to Iraqi police. Hassan Hassan Saeed Al-Jabouri, also known as Abu Taluut, was killed 18 miles south of Mosul in the village of Qayyara, according to Maj. Gen. Watheq Al-Hamdani, a senior regional Iraqi police commander who is leading the government's efforts to retake Mosul from ISIS. Jabouri is the second ISIS-appointed governor of Mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days. Ear... more »

U.S Stockpiling Massive Quantities Of Military Equipment In Kuwait To Fight The Islamic State In Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *U.S. Stockpiling Fighting Vehicles Near Iraq Ahead of Anti-ISIS Offensive -- US News and World Report* Military equipment in Afghanistan is being detoured to battle different and deadly extremists. Since June, the U.S. military has been slowly stockpiling massive amounts of its gear coming out of Afghanistan at a depot in Kuwait adjacent to a bustling commercial port, in preparation for ultimately shipping it across the border into Iraq for an allied offensive against the Islamic State group. The facility's warehouses and large asphalt ... more »

Canada`s Parliament, or a Banana Republic Country Club, No Difference, Democracy is Dead in either House Today

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 1 day ago
*Written by Robin Mathews* A CHRISTMAS DAY PROPOSAL TO SAVE THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA, CANADIAN DEMOCRACY, AND THE CANADIAN PEOPLE FROM THE CALCULATED, FOUL, AND MALICIOUS ACTIONS PRESENTLY BEING UNDERTAKEN THERE TO EFFECT A COUP D’ETAT AND TO ERECT A FASCIST DICTATORSHIP IN CANADA. A major Opposition Party with Independent Members of Parliament and/or Members of The Senate; or the Opposition Parties and Independent Members of Parliament and/or Members of The Senate; or a body of Members of Parliament and/or The Senate – self-selected without Party approval; or Members of eithe... more »

The Growing Crisis Of Female Veterans Battling PTSD From Sexual Trauma

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Female Veterans Battling PTSD From Sexual Trauma Fight For Redress -- Washington Post* Thousands of female veterans are struggling to get health-care treatment and compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs on the grounds they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by sexual trauma in the military. The veterans and their advocates call it “the second battle” — with a bureaucracy they say is stuck in the past. Judy Atwood-Bell was just a 19-year-old Army private when she says she was locked inside a barracks room at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, forced to the ... more »

Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Adapted for our troubled times

Hari at Ripped-off Britons - 1 day ago
Our six-part Christmas Special. Starring Cameron, Clegg, Thatcher, Osborne, and Duncan Smith, with cameos by the Great British Public... Come back for Episode 3, published tomorrow

"The Past"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it.” - Wendell Berry “You have to know the past to understand the present.” - Dr. Carl Sagan “Stop thinking about the past, and don't worry too much about whats going to happen in the future. Your presence is a present, so live for today, and appreciate everyone and everything you have. Stop thinking about what you don't have, what you wish you had, who walked out of your life, and whatever else that falls in that cat... more »

"Here's To The Crazy Ones"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

UFO: Mothership Leaves Sun Causing Solar Explosion

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
http://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/2014/12/mothership-leaves-sun-causing-solar.html *Mothership Leaves Sun Causing Solar Explosion* Dec 24, 2014 UFO Sighting News. Date of sighting: Dec 24, 2014 Location of sighting: Earths Sun Source: http://helioviewer.org/ Was looking at the Helioviewer online and noticed this giant triangle UFO leaving our sun. It exit caused a massive solar explosion. I say in the video that the UFO is moon size, but in the lower left corner is the earths size...which is smaller than this mothership. I have a cold so sorry about my voice. SCW Posted by ... more »

Aisha North: A message from Mother

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
https://aishanorth.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/a-message-from-mother-5/ *A message from Mother* as channeled by Aisha North December 23, 2014 Beloved ones, I have returned to give you another message from the very core of your being, the part that is also a part of me, the feminine divine spark, the one that sits at the very centre of All of creation. For it is time to rejoice dear ones, as what was torn asunder is once more complete, and what was once ripped away has been restored to full glory. For you are no longer divided, WE are no longer divided, and so, this time I come with ... more »

THE JOURNEY OF A PHOTON

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
http://suzanneliephd.blogspot.com/2014/12/looking-back-to-move-forward-2006.html NOW onto our Look Back to Move Forward for the year of: 2006 *THE JOURNEY OF A PHOTON* by Suzanne Lie Ph.D. *Integrating the Spirit into Matter* You are a photon, a beam of Multidimensional Light. You have been traveling through the Universe, with your previous stop being the Pleiades. You have come to assist the Earthlings in their awakening and seek a human who will allow your entrance through its Crown Chakra. Yes, there appears to be a human who is ready to open their Third Eye. Perhaps you can ... more »

Heavenletter #5142 Comradeship with the Great Spiritual Ones

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
* Heavenletter #5142 Comradeship with the Great Spiritual Ones* December 23, 2014 God said: Greater magnificence is appearing because of eyes that can see and ears that can listen, most of all because of hearts synchronized to the tune of My heart. You are going to have more and more revelations, ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. I do not speak of complicated here. Simple is better, do you agree? Of course, you agree with Me. As a matter of fact, when something new reaches you, it is invariably simple. That’s what an insight is. When you have it, it is simple. When y... more »

(Cop Lovers?)  The Real Crimes  (Guess Who Refuses to Remain Silent about the Immorality of Government Denying Healthcare Insurance to 300,000 to 500,000 of North Carolina’s Working Poor)  Oil Crash Coming Amid Lies of More Robust Economy?

I've just spent most of Christmas day listening to Live from Daryl's House. This rocks. "Bring it back home. Come on down to myyyy house!" Smokey! Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren! Allen Stone? Great sounds. Which does not undermine the seriousness of this next Christmas message: This Christmas, homeless data is changing in shocking ways: Fewer people on streets, but a record for homeless kids

American Octogenarians, Feinstein and Grassley, Demand A New War On Drugs... In Afghanistan

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
I was in Afghanistan twice, both times for extended stays, the first being in 1969. Over the years, I've written a few disparate posts about it on my travel blog but 45 years later, I'm still processing the Afghan experience and trying to make some sense out of it. I always recall that my initial thought was that I wasn't just driving my VW van across space-- Europe, Turkey, Iran and into Afghanistan-- but across time as well. There was always a distinct feeling that it wasn't 1969; it was more like 969. And I was back again in 1971... although it still seemed like 969. After Ira... more »

A Pottersville Christmas

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 1 day ago
It all started after dinner with my kids last night with a visit to the new home of my former Chilean neighbor (the ex-Pinochet henchman who loves to sing karaoke). They have a six year-old yellow Lab named Max who's a sweetheart, as all yellow Labs are. This is Max attacking his Flintstone-sized rawhide chew, just one item in a stocking I packed with goodies. Max again. He had that thing halfway chewed down by the time we left a few hours later. Mrs. JP opening one of her presents. It could've been HST or Dennis Lehane or something having to do with the Romanovs.... more »

Arne Duncan In My Mother’s Back Yard?

deutsch29 at @ THE CHALK FACE - 1 day ago
My mother has two great interests: Plants and animals. If she visits someone’s house, she is likely to peruse the grounds and ask for a clipping of any number of plants in order to take each clipping home, root it, and grow her own plant. As to animals, in addition to the standard number of […]

Six Habits of Highly Empathic People

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 1 day ago
*Roman Krznaric* - Empathy is not just a way to extend the boundaries of your moral universe. According to new research, it’s a habit we can cultivate to improve the quality of our own lives... The post Six Habits of Highly Empathic People appeared first on Waking Times .

Blessed Christmas...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 day ago
*Now may the Godof hope fillyou with all joy and peacein believing, sothat you will aboundin hope by the powerof the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13*

We Can Stop War

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
100 years ago - Amid the darkness of World War I came an isolated but beautiful moment where peace, faith, hope and humanity overcame the bonds of war, and, even if for a night and a day, peace became possible.

Business 360 20: Trade and Development in Asia

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 1 day ago
* This is my article for the business magazine published monthly in Kathmandu, Nepal. ---------- Asia is home not only to the most populous nations around the world like China, India and Indonesia, but also to the fast-growing economies, big and small. Opening up to global trade is among the most useful policies that governments of these more fortunate economies have undertaken. Below is a short summary of the human resources – producers and consumers, sellers and buyers, entrepreneurs and workers – of selected Asian economies. For brevity purpose, only the big population (above 2... more »

MQ-8C Fire Scout Helicopter Drone Makes Its First Flight From US Navy Destroyer USS Jason Dunham

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Helicopter Drone Makes First Flight from Navy Destroyer -- Defense Tech* A helicopter drone developed by Northrop Grumman Corp. has made its first flight from a U.S. Navy destroyer, the company announced. The MQ-8C Fire Scout on Dec. 16 completed 22 autonomous takeoffs and landings aboard the guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, according to a Dec. 23 release from the Falls Church, Virginia-based defense contractor. “This is the first sea-based flight of the MQ-8C and the first time an unmanned helicopter has operated from a de... more »

Yemen's Senior Intelligence Officer Has Been Abducted

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Shi'ite Houthi rebels man a checkpoint in Sanaa Dec. 11, 2014. The Houthis are an armed Shiite faction whose fighters had swept down from the north and stunningly captured Sanaa from the army about a month earlier. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi *Gunmen Abduct Senior Intelligence Official In Yemen -- Business Standard/IANS* Gunmen kidnapped a senior Yemeni intelligence officer in the capital Thursday, a security officer told Xinhua. About 20 gunmen raided the house of Maj. Gen. Yehya al-Marani, the head of political security bureau for domestic affairs, at dawn, and then took him to... more »

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