10:43pm MDST
Do Your Practical Philosophy Doctoral Training with Me, Lars Sandman and Others. Calls Now Open!
At the moment, two separate calls for applications to win a fully funded 4 year doctoral training position in practical philosophy at my department are open. In both cases, the *deadline for applying is May 4, 2015*. *The first call* is a general one, open to any area of interest within the field of practical philosophy (e.g., moral philosophy, metaethics, applied ethics, social and political philosophy/theory, and so on). Details are here. *The second call* is attached to a research program on ethical barriers to person centred care, where the winner will work specifically with my... more »
Rip-off News round-up. Our pick of the last week's media (Thu 12th March)
The rich are 64% richer than before the recession, while the poor are 57% poorer The gap between richest and poorest has dramatically widened in the past decade as wealthy households paid off their debts and piled up savings following the financial crisis, a report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) warns. By contrast, the worst-off families are far less financially secure than before the
Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Hymne”
Vangelis, “Hymne” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WkWWjaIrZ8
Fukushima Anniversary Interview
1. How did the Fukushima disaster change Japan as we knew it? Japanese public has become aware of the severe risks of nuclear power as 230,000 Japanese people are still displaced and others are living in zones contaminated by radionuclides People in Japan and elsewhere are living in a more contaminated world. Fukushima significantly increased the world’s “background” level of radionuclides: “During the passage of contaminated air masses from Fukushima, airborne 137Cs levels were globally enhanced by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude” (Masson et al., 2011)[i] while the “129I/127I ratio ... more »
"A Look to the Heavens- Why?"
"Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar give it a hook-shaped appearance. This deep color image also shows the arms' obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surrounding a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars. But the star forming regions seem more concentrated along the drawn-out (right side) spiral arm. The distorted structure is likely the resul... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Spark of Life”
*“The Spark of Life”* by Chet Raymo In a previous post I quoted Teilhard de Chardin referring to the discovery of electromagnetic waves as a "prodigious biological event." A biological event? What could he mean? The universe was awash with electromagnetic waves long before life appeared on Earth, or anywhere else in the universe. The cosmic microwave background radiation- the residue of the big bang- is electromagnetic. Starlight is an electromagnetic wave. You can "discover" electromagnetic waves by opening your eyes. Of course, what Teilhard referred to was the conscious control... more »
"Time..."
"Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire." - Jorge Luis Borges
The Universe
"Friends are friends because they've discovered how much they have in common. Opponents, adversaries, and foes are friends too, who have not yet discovered this. It's as if a band of amazing angels got together, before time even began, to celebrate their common heritage, sense of adventure, creativity and savoir faire, and decided to meet in the distant future, amongst the jungles of time and space, upon a distant little blue planet, to see how long it would take for each and every one of them to discover who they really are. 7 billion angels, to be precise." "Your friend," The ... more »
"Fast Time and the Aging Mind"
*"Fast Time and the Aging Mind"* By Richard A. Friedman "Ah, the languorous days of endless summer! Who among us doesn’t remember those days and wonder wistfully where they’ve gone? Why does time seem to speed up as we age? Even the summer solstice — the longest, sunniest day of the year — seems to have passed in a flash. No less than the great William James opined on the matter, thinking that the apparent speed of time’s passage was a result of adults’ experiencing fewer memorable events: “Each passing year converts some of this experience into automatic routine which we hardly n... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
San Antonio, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Point..."
"What is the point? We assume that every time we do anything we know what the consequences will be, i.e., more or less what we intend them to be. This is not only not always correct. It is wildly, crazily, stupidly, cross-eyed-blithering-insectly wrong!" - Douglas Adams, “The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide”
Quote of the day: On life
"Life is motion. If the motion is not self-preserving, then it is self-destroying." - philosopher Leonard Peikoff, from his book *Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand* [hat tip On Liberty Street] [image: Posted with Blogsy]Posted with Blogsy Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
"Big Dick" Cheney dencounces Congress for interfering with the president's Iran policy -- in 1987, that is
*Those were the days: President Reagan with Rep. Bob Michel (left) and then-Rep. "Younger Big Dick" Cheney in 1988* *by Ken* This is wonderful. Yesterday, as I was inviting one and all to play my beloved game of "If the shoe was on the other foot," with regard to these last two weeks' Congressional Adventures in Foreign Policy Encroachment, I didn't realize that Daily Kos's Jon Perr had done just that, in a Monday post called "Cheney: Congress must not interfere with the president's Iran policy." What? "Big Dick" Cheney taking President Obama's side? Alas, eve if you didn't catch... more »
Economics for real people: Econ & the market for organs
* Your news about tonight's Econ For Real People session form our friends at the Auckland Uni Econ Group*: *Economic Principles and the Market for Organs* Organ transplants are one of the extraordinary developments of modern science. But does the field of economics also have a role in alleviating the suffering of those awaiting transplants? This was the subject of a recent article in the* Wall Street Journal* by Nobel prize-winning economist Gary Becker. Becker argues that economic principles can be useful when thinking about the Market for Organs. In this week’s seminar we ar... more »
Is The Threat Of Nuclear War Higher Now Than At Any Time In The Past 25 Years?
*The Economist:* *The threat of nuclear war is higher than at any time in the past 25 years* *Despite optimistic attempts to rid the world of nuclear weapons, the threat they pose to peace is growing.* *IN JANUARY 2007 Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, William Perry and Sam Nunn — two Republican secretaries of state, a Democratic defence secretary and a Democratic head of the Senate Armed Services Committee — called for a global effort to reduce reliance on nuclear weapons.* *The ultimate goal, they wrote in the Wall Street Journal, should be to remove the threat such weapons pose c... more »
All About Those Values
"This isn’t about the right to choose a burka over a bikini. It’s about a country’s values." So says National Post columnist Tasha Kheiriddin. This point of view has been expressed by multiple individuals, so it is a worthwhile endeavor to attempt to understand the logic and reasoning behind it. According to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his supporters "This is a society that is transparent,
U.S. Pushing Coup Again in Venezuela
The arrogance of the Obama crew of pirates is stunning..... Miguel Tinker-Salas is a professor of History and Latin American studies at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He is co-author of Venezuela: Hugo Chavez and the Decline of an Exceptional Democracy and author of Under the Shadow of the Eagles and The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela. His latest book is Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know.
Greg Hunter, "We Are Headed for War Because There Is No Truth- Warren Pollock"
*"We Are Headed for War Because There Is No Truth* *- Warren Pollock"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Wall Street analyst Warren Pollock said six months ago that the “damage control (about the bad global economy) was going to start to wear off in 2015.” What are the signs the spin is wearing off? Pollock says, “Go to your super market, and that is a sign the damage control is wearing off. Prices are going up, and the quality of food is going down. The numbers of ounces on each package are going down. This is the damage control wearing off. A lot of people don’t have that purchasi... more »
Who Do You Trust?
Ukrainian pro-government TV outlet reveals that these residents of Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine don't trust (US puppet) President Poroshenko, but do trust Putin instead. This would never be reported in the US - and if it were all these people would be called 'terrorists'. They don't look like terrorists though do they? In fact the real terrorists are the ones who have been shelling their communities - and the countries that are arming and directing them. One US citizen has informed me that their Army Special Forces son is now in Kiev. What is he doing there?
The U.S. Wants Vietnam To Stop Aiding Russian Bomber Flights By Not Permitting Them To Use Their Bases For Refueling
*Reuters:* *Exclusive: U.S. asks Vietnam to stop helping Russian bomber flights* *(Reuters) - The United States has asked Vietnam to stop letting Russia use a former U.S. base to refuel nuclear-capable bombers engaged in shows of strength over the Asia-Pacific region, exposing strains in Washington's steadily warming relations with Hanoi.The request, described to Reuters by a State Department official, comes as U.S. officials say Russian bombers have stepped up flights in a region already rife with tensions between China, U.S.-ally Japan and Southeast Asian nations.* *Update #1... more »
How to Work Effectively with a Research Assistant
So you’ve finally received research funding to hire a research assistant….now what? Attaining resources to get research support is a wonderful thing, but figuring out who to hire and how to work with them can be a challenge. While I have been very fortunate to work with some excellent research assistants, I’ve also experienced difficult […]
Personal Alchemy: The Power of Individuals Over Institutions
*Ethan 'Indigo' Smith* - Personal alchemy is the sole domain of individuals, for individuals. It is tremendously difficult to step away from the mediation and control of institutions, but it is possible. The post Personal Alchemy: The Power of Individuals Over Institutions appeared first on Waking Times.
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 11, 2015
Shi’ite fighters fire a rocket during clashes with Islamic State militants in Salahuddin province, March 1, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Al-Hussain *Jack Goldstone, Reuters*: *A strategy for defeating Islamic State from an unlikely source* *President Barack Obama has laid out his goal in the Middle East: to degrade and defeat Islamic State. Yet remarkably little progress seems to have been made.* *Why has it proven so difficult for the world’s greatest power and its regional allies to succeed against an estimated 30,000 radical extremists? The answer can be found by examining the situatio... more »
Rebuttable presumption as to start of limitation period
Hodutu v. Bulger, 2015 ONCA 160 [6] He noted that there is a rebuttable presumption under the *Limitations Act, 2002*that the limitation period starts to run when the impugned acts or omissions occur. In these circumstances, this would be the day or days that she received the dental services. In respect of those claims subject to the previous legislation, if her claim was discovered before January 1, 2004, she would be out of time and if it was not discovered by that date, the presumption in the new Act would apply. [7] The motion judge further found that there... more »
World News Briefs -- March 11, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*Washington Post:* *Iraqi forces seize control of Tikrit in major battle against Islamic State* *BAGHDAD —Iraqi forces pushed into one of the Islamic State’s most important strongholds on Wednesday, breaking the militants’ hold on the city of Tikrit in what is shaping up to be a decisive battle for pro-government forces in their fight to eradicate the jihadists.The gains by Iraqi troops and allied militia fighters could mark a crucial step in dislodging the Islamic State from other key areas, including the nearby city of Mosul. It was unclear, however, if Iraqi forces would hold... more »
t e r r o r i s t ! ! !
Just a Word 'Terrorist' is just a word, one I wish I'd never heard When it's used to vilify, without the need to question why Only fools would swift condemn, that which has not befallen them Until you know what lies behind, the actions of a tortured mind Thank your God for sparing you, the suffering others have lived through Where are the cries of just demand, for Arabs driven from their land? Blame the victim, turn the cheek, praise the bully, kick the weak! Mock the man who truth does speak Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy, greed, corruption, torture, lies! Blair invasion, sly pe... more »
Iraqi Army Allegedly Downs A US Helicopter For Providing Weapons To ISIS: Report
Tuesday, March 3, 2015 SourceBrandon Turbeville *Activist Post* The Iraqi Army has once again claimed that it has downed a NATO aircraft that was providing military assistance directly to ISIS according to Iranian FARS News Agency. This time, the Iraqis are claiming they shot down a US Helicopter in the Al-Bagdadi region in Anbar Province last week. The reason for shooting the helicopter, according to FARS and, apparently, high-ranking Iraqi officials, was that the helicopter was carrying weapons to ISIS. Head of the Iraqi Parliament’s National Security and Defense Committee and ... more »
March 11: ... and 11 a.m. in the morning.....
...and my Times and Transcript still hasn't arrived. I've been told to hope for it about noon. It's been like that for over a week. The Irving press cannot find a person to deliver it. Thank about that. This is a city with high unemployment. But the muti-billionaire who owns the paper pays so little that it's very difficult to find someone desperate enough to deliver his papers. And with his monopoly on newspaper advertising, these must be very, very profitable papers. Ah, well, Let's guess what will and won't be in the Irving press when it finally arrives. Obama has placed heavy s... more »
Is a Tasty Seed the Secret to Longevity for These Chinese Villagers?
*Carolanne Wright* - A group of centenarians in a Chinese village seem to have stumbled upon a veritable fountain of youth in the form of a well-known seed. The post Is a Tasty Seed the Secret to Longevity for These Chinese Villagers? appeared first on Waking Times.
Satire: "Kim Jong-un Feels Snubbed by Absence of Letter from Republicans"
*"Kim Jong-un Feels Snubbed by Absence of Letter from Republicans"* by Andy Borowitz PYONGYANG (The Borowitz Report)— “The North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un said on Tuesday that he feels “snubbed” by the decision of forty-seven Republican senators to write a letter to Iran but not to him, the official North Korean news agency reported. In an unusually forthcoming interview with the Korean Central News Agency (K.C.N.A.), Kim said it was “hurtful” that the Republicans would send a letter to one of the United States’ most longstanding enemies while “totally snubbing” another. “Let’s j... more »
The Economy: "The One Chart You Need to Predict the Future"
*"The One Chart You Need to Predict the Future" * by Charles Hugh Smith "We are witnessing a profound secular sea-change: the failure of expanding debt and leverage to lift the real economy of wages and household income. When push comes to shove, you only need one chart to predict the future: debt and wages ( credit and compensation). This chart displays debt and wages as a ratio: debt/wages. What it reveals is the endgame of financialization: creating more debt no longer pushes wages higher. I have broken the past five decades into easily recognizable economic periods. During the ...more »
Untitled
*Rising Mississippi River could trigger levee work restrictions in 9 days ~Mark Schleifstein*
Fibonacci Series: A Profound Explanation of the Egyptian Temple of Man
*Video - *Explanation of how the Egyptian "Temple of Man" is a symbolic representation of the Fibonacci series of balanced organic expansion and an expression of the underlying principles of life in the universe. The post Fibonacci Series: A Profound Explanation of the Egyptian Temple of Man appeared first on Waking Times.
NYC cops have a chance to just-say-no to their stinking-pile-of-puke union boss, "Stinko" Lynch
*Plus: Ferguson's police chief steps down -- this is big news?(As John Oliver said Sunday, "Fuck those fucking assholes")* *If NYC cops reelect Stinko as their capo in June, they send New Yorkers -- and the world -- a terrible message about how they see the job they're supposed to be doing.* *by Ken* It shouldn't come as news that all over the country demagogic or just plain fascist-minded pols have been not only tolerating but encouraging cops' belief that rather than upholding the law their job is to maintain order (or their idea of order, not necessarily remotely the same thin... more »
Public Service Announcement
I made mention of something yesterday among my many, many problems of late. Perhaps the most aggravating one was the virus to which I'd alluded. This is called "downloaditkeep", one of the most pernicious and stubborn viruses you'll ever see anywhere. Technically, it's not as harmful to your hard drive as, say, your classic Trojan virus but it can still lead you to attack sites. You'll know it by these signs: Your usually fast computer will suddenly start up slowly. Your desktop and even your operating system won't load. If you have Ad Block Plus as I do, it ... more »
Retired General: "Start Killing Russians"
Sputnik reports: Robert Scales, a retired US major general and a Fox News military analyst, provided his view on the US involvement in Ukraine [at 3:19 into the video], describing it as a "game, set and match" situation; "the only way the US can have any effect in the region is to start killing Russians," he stated. Maj. Gen. Robert Scales had been invited to the Lou Dobbs Tonight program on Tuesday to comment mostly on the fight of Iraqi forces against Islamic State near the city of Tikrit. The host, however, wanted more insight into the US involvement in the world and asked th... more »
Greece Is Preparing To Seize German Properties For World War II Reparations
*RT*: *Greece threatens to seize German property, Berlin refuses to pay WWII reparations* *Germany says it won’t pay Greece World War 2 reparations after Greek PM Alexis Tsipras said Berlin is using legal tricks to avoid paying compensation. Germany says it’s honored its obligations, while Greece says it may start seizing German property.* *Germany once again dismissed Greek demands to pay reparations for the 1941-44 Nazi occupation of Greece. * *WNU Editor*: Even the Russian anchor in the above video is skeptical of these Greek demands ... if not downright sneering. Not surpris... more »
Leonard Peltier Clemency Campaign 'It's Time' Part II
. Article by Brenda Norrell Censored News In this new video by the Leonard Peltier Clemency Campaign, Archbishop Desmond Tutu tells how he has spoken to Leonard Peltier. "I have felt his pain." Speaking of those killed that day, Thomas Poor Bear, Lakota, says, "Our people never condone in killing, it is a tragedy." Remembering Jo Stuntz and the agents, Poor Bear said his people pray for
Greece Threatens To Unleash Waves Of Migrants And 'Jihadists' If Europe Does Not Bail Them Out Of The Debt Crisis
Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos. Reuters *Vice News*: *Anger at Greece's Threat to Unleash Wave of Migrants and 'Jihadists' if Europe Leaves it in Crisis * *Germany has responded with outrage to a threat by Greek ministers to unleash a flood of migrants and jihadists upon Europe — and particularly Berlin — should the EU fail to help Greece out of its economic crisis, with politicians and security officials branding the remarks irresponsible and "racist."* *Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, leader of the right-wing, anti-austerity Independent Greeks (ANEL), the junior co... more »
Supplemental: Professor Robin is very upset!
*WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015A note on our changing demographics:* Friend, we have something to tell you today: “Education is the quintessential American hustle. Schoolmen and con men have one thing in common: They both believe they can talk their way out of anything.” So speaks Professor Robin, writing in Salon. As a professor, the gentleman would seem to be a bit of a “schoolman” himself. This doesn’t stop him from letting us know that “schoolmen,” whoever they may be, are running a major con. We’re not quite sure what Professor Robin is trying to say in his piece. That’s often ... more »
The Islamic State Now Has A Mediterranean Port Through Libya
*The Telegraph*: *Islamic State: Inside the latest city to fall under its sway* *The Telegraph's Ruth Sherlock and Sam Tarling report from Sirte in Libya, Gaddafi's hometown and the first major foothold for Islamic State on the Mediterranean coast * *The facade of the building that was once Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s pride and joy is now painted with the distinctive black and white jihadist flag.* *In streets nearby, mannequins in women’s clothes shops are covered in demure, shapeless black. Ladies’ hairdressers have been closed down.* *The Libyan dictator’s home city and pet project... more »
O'odham Ofelia Rivas to speak at 'Balance Unbalance' Conference at ASU
. Balance-Unbalance International Conference March 4 at 9:19pm · Edited · Ofelia Rivas, founder of O'odham Voice against the Wall, will be speaking on panels at the Balance Unbalance Conference at ASU in Tempe, Arizona, to be held March 27 -- 29, 2015. From the Balance Unbalance Conference coming up in Phoenix: "Very exciting news: Ofelia Rivas, an elder and activist from the
Video Apaches 'Protect Oak Flat' by Paper Rocket Productions
PROTECT OAK FLAT: SAVING APACHE SACRED GROUNDS from Paper Rocket Productions . WATCH VIDEO https://vimeo.com/120753081 For nearly a decade, Resolution Copper Mining, a subsidiary of British-Australian mining conglomerate Rio Tinto, had unsuccessfully sought ownership of Oak Flat Campground. Yet, on December 19, 2014, with the help of Senator John McCain, the Southeast Arizona
Zapatistas 'Thank you Part III: The Most Expensive Building in the World'
Thank you Part III: The Most Expensive Building in the World Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés. Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano. Italiano and Espanol Thank you Part III: The Most Expensive Building in the World Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés. Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano. February-March, 2015 It is the eve of the big day… in the wee hours of the morning. The cold bites under the
The Fukushima Disaster Still Going Strong 4 Years Later: Four Years After - Ex-Panel Chief Says Japan Still Hasn't Learned Lessons From Fukushima Crisis
Today marks the 4th anniversary of that fateful day back in March, 2011, when everything possible went wrong at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Facility at Fukushima Japan....Four years ago today, the facility suffered from what first was an "earthquake" followed by a major tsunami, and then the "mysterious" safety systems shutdown (Israeli Stuxnet virus infection) that prevented vital cooling water from flooding its reactors.... At that point, Tokyo Electric Power Corporation (TEPCO) had a serious dilemna on their hands that quickly became catastrophic... On this day, 4 years a...more »
The US government lies about everything, while the despicable mainstream media "verifies" them. But the "Elephant in the Room" is the fact that 100 million working age Americans don't have a decent job at this moment ...whereas some Federal Reserve officials believe that the US economy is already at "full employment". Hmm... Maybe it's a good time to sell those officials a bridge we all know of.
------------------------------ Nearly At ‘Full Employment’? 10 Reasons Why The Unemployment Numbers Are A Massive Lie By Michael Snyder, on March 8th, 2015 On Friday, we learned that the official “unemployment rate” has fallen to 5.5 percent. Since an unemployment rate of 5 percent is considered to be “full employment” by many economists, many in the mainstream media took this as a sign that the U.S. economy has almost fully “recovered” since the last recession. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, some Federal Reserve officials believe that “the U.S. economy is already a... more »
Iraq's Army Is Becoming More Dependent On Militias And Iran In Its War Against The Islamic State
A tank of Iraqi security forces is seen in the town of al-Alam March 10, 2015. Iraqi troops and militias drove Islamic State insurgents out of al-Alam on Tuesday, clearing a final hurdle before a planned assault on Saddam Hussein's home city of Tikrit in their biggest offensive yet against the ultra-radical group. Credit: Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani *Tim Lister, CNN:* *Battle for Tikrit: Despite billions in aid, Iraqi army relies on militia, and Iran* *(CNN)The campaign to retake the city of Tikrit from ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, involves a curious mixture of Iraqi forces ... more »
Greatest Women in History - Greencrow's pics
*Cleopatra* *Recently, while surfing the Net I learned this month is Women in History month. Some prominent women in history were chosen as an inspiration to all women and as a timely reminder that women also make history on their own. I have decided to list 10 women from ancient and modern times that have, IMO, shaped our human civilization/societies and provided inspiration to other women throughout the ages to the present day. Here, in chronological order is the list:* 10. *Cleopatra - * 69[1] – August 12, 30 BC) Married to Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony...Cleopatra was th... more »
Old News New to Me
I missed this news in December when it happened, but in EduShyster's spot-on takedown today of the whitest and brightest law firms in Boston, I saw that the Tea Party retread and charterista, James Peyser, is now Sec. of Ed. in MA. Horace Mann must be rolling in his grave. Edushyster's explanation of how segregated charter schools became the civil rights tool of our era is priceless. Here is a link to 2006 when Peyser was bullying schools for Romney, and below is a bio from Peyser's last big gig as bigwig for the charter bundlers at the New Schools Venture Fund. James A. Pe... more »
Maybe The Florida Democratic Establishment Is Barking Up The Wrong Tree-- Again
A new Mason-Dixon poll indicates that if Rubio seeks reelection, even the strong showing expected from Hillary Clinton in Florida probably won't help Democrats take his Senate seat-- or at least not New Dem "Democrats." Rubio is leading Debbie Wasserman Schultz 53-36% and Patrick Murphy 50-38%. Rubio isn't just ahead with Republicans; he also leads with independents, the very group the pro-business New Dems bend over backwards to try to cultivate by throwing working families under the bus ay every opportunity. State CFO Jeff Atwater, the presumed GOP nominee if Rubio sticks to his ... more »
Bibi's fantastic feats of flip-flopping
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly Cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem, March 8, 2015. (photo by REUTERS/Gali Tibbon) http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/03/israel-netanyahu-negotiations-palestine-right-wing.html *Bibi's fantastic feats of flip-flopping* Late last week, Yedioth Ahronoth published a story by journalist Nahum Barnea about what he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “concession document.” The document that he disclosed was a summary of the covert negotiations that Netanyahu conducted through his confidant, attorney Y... more »
Altered Genes, Twisted Truth—How GMOs Took Over the Food Supply
*Dr. Mercola* - Genetically manipulated foods may be one of the most serious threats not only to our environment but to the health and very survival of future generations. The post Altered Genes, Twisted Truth—How GMOs Took Over the Food Supply appeared first on Waking Times.
Iraq Military Forces And Shiite Militias Claim They Have Reached The Center Of Tikrit
*Al Arabiya*:* Iraqi forces beat ISIS in Tikrit, reach city center* *Iraqi military forces and Shitte militias entered central Tikrit, declaring it “liberated” from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Tuesday, following 10 days of a major offensive on the hometown of former president Saddam Hussein.* *Marwan al-Jabara, a tribal spokesman in the Salaheddin province, told Al Arabiya News Channel that the forces managed to reach the center of Tikrit after heavy clashes in which “dozens of ISIS militants were killed.”* *Islamic State War News Updates -- March 11, 2015* Iraq... more »
The Economy: "How American Capitalism Died"
*"How American Capitalism Died"* by Bill Bonner Gualfin (“End of the Road”), Argentina - "We’re glad we brought out our old “Crash Alert” flag last week. It looks like we may need it. The Dow plunged 333 points yesterday, or nearly 2%. Back to that in a minute… “Jorge,” we asked our farm manager, “when was the last time you visited Marta Sandoval at Tacana?” “Oh… maybe two years ago. She was okay then. A little crazy, maybe.” “Don’t you have to go every year to count the animals?” “Not up there. It’s not worth it. She only has about five goats.” The farm is a marvel of ambiguity... more »
The selling of brand "Saint Nemstov" & Western Media Self Censoring
*Saint Nemstov. Or so the western media would want you to believe. Hardly believable.* *If you pay attention to recent western media reports regarding Saint Nemstov- his girlfriend has become his 'companion' if she is mentioned at all- The reason for this is- Ms Duritska does not fit into the image western media is promoting of this man- Righteous. Humble. Incorruptible. Wanting democracy and freedom. All rubbish, all the time. * * First of all *- the man was deeply involved with banksters, oligarchs and other nation exploiters, one could possibly equate him to, oh I don't know, the... more »
Why Do Victims In Islamic State Beheading Videos Look Calm Before Being Executed?
*Washington Post*: *Why did victims in Islamic State beheading videos look so calm? They didn’t know it was real*. *For all their stage-managed professionalism, the videos of killings released by the Islamic State have often left viewers confused about the exact circumstances of what was being shown in the video. Their videos of beheadings, for instance, do not show the act itself, which initially led some to speculate that they may have been faked.* *More unnervingly, there was also the calm with which many hostages spoke to the camera. Why would hostages comply with Islamic Stat... more »
Islamic State Video Shows Teen Killing 'Mossad Spy'
*Daily Mail: **Riddle of ISIS video showing child 'shooting Mossad spy dead': Clever editing means boy may not have actually pulled trigger* ** New clip purports to show execution of Muhammad Said Ismail Musallam* ** The 19-year-old Israeli-Arab was captured by militants in Syria last year* ** His family said he travelled to the region to join ranks of the terror group* ** But in their propaganda, ISIS claim he has admitted to being an Israeli spy * ** In edited video, a young boy, appears to shoot the hostage at close range* ** But there are clues which raise doubts over whether he... more »
7 Ways the Matrix Coerces Public Consent for Torture
*Sigmund Fraud* - The answer to this riddle says a great deal about where we're at as human beings, where we're going as a society, and how bumpy and horrifying the ride is going to get along the way. The post 7 Ways the Matrix Coerces Public Consent for Torture appeared first on Waking Times.
Reflections on the end of another adventure: There's no life like it
The loads are heavier in countries like Nicaragua, but the backs are stronger A troubling aspect of life: You don’t know what you don’t know. As a person driven to know everything, I don’t like that. I didn't consciously grasp when we started this Cuso International work in Central America three years ago that I was longing to know more about what I didn't know. But I was. What stands out most as I wrap up my second Cuso posting is how exciting it feels to be learning again. The role of a Cuso volunteer is essentially to take your professional show on the road and share your skills ... more »
THE CALIBER OF OUR OWN PROFESSORS: Professor Greer pours it on!
*WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015Part 3—Our own Clinton-hater recites:* The novelists are out in force this morning. The press corps’ many “theater critics” are also out in numbers. They’re typing their favorite novel of all, the Clinton character novel. The memorized novel is being retyped all over today’s New York Times. Here’s how the horrible Maggie Haberman starts her “news analysis:” HABERMAN (3/11/15): *In a career that has been punctuated by uncomfortable, emotionally freighted spectacles,* Hillary Rodham Clinton's news conference on Tuesday explaining her use of private email t... more »
The Vaccine Culture War in America: Are You Ready?
Posted 3/11/2015 *by Barbara Loe Fisher* *To activate and view hyperlinked references, please click here once and then click any superscripted number below to access a hyperlinked reference, or scroll down to the bottom of the article to view all hyperlinked references. * More than 1.2 million people in the United States are infected with HIV 1 but government officials do not ban HIV infected children and adults from attending school, receiving medical care, being employed, or otherwise participating in society. In fact, there are anti-discrimination laws that guarantee civil... more »
The Vaccine Culture War in America: Are You Ready?
Posted 3/11/2015 * by Barbara Loe Fisher* More than 1.2 million people in the United States are infected with HIV 1 but government officials do not ban HIV infected children and adults from attending school, receiving medical care, being employed, or otherwise participating in society. In fact, there are anti-discrimination laws that guarantee civil rights protections for Americans infected with HIV or living with AIDS. 2No Discrimination or Societal Sanctions for Infected CitizensIn 2012, public health officials report... more »
Colombia Halts Air Raids On FARC Rebels For One Month
Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos. (Photo: President's Office) *The Guardian*: *Colombia suspends air raids on the Farc* *President Juan Manuel Santos cites progress in peace negotiations and success of ceasefire for his decision to halt attacks on rebel camps* *Colombia’s government took its biggest step yet toward an eventual end to hostilities in a half-century conflict by ordering an immediate halt to aerial bombings of guerrilla camps belonging to the nation’s largest rebel group.* *President Juan Manuel Santos, in a nationally televised address on Tuesday night, said he ... more »
Europe Stands Up to Saudi Arabia? Or bows down to the US?
* Again the Europeans are harming their business interests to prop up America & American arms suppliers. It's quite clear this is the case but what I can't figure out is why?* *Why is the EU, particularly Germany so subservient to American edicts?* Bloomberg "Sweden announced this week that it's canceling its 10-year-old military cooperation agreement with the Gulf monarchy, which brought Swedish companies more than half a billion dollars from 2011 to 2014. Germany, too, cut off arms exports to the Saudis this year, passing up hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenues for ... more »
Call For Applications: Guest Ducks
As part of the new Duck, we have revamped our guest blogging policy. The old policy, dating from way back when Dan and Patrick were slowly expanding the blog: The procedure for bringing on guest bloggers is one of those “salami factory” things… and strangers just aren’t very likely to make it through the process. […]
The Best and Softest Sugar Cookies - No Frosting Required!
[image: Delicious and Easy Soft Sugar Cookies | HousewifeEclectic.com] Hello friends! Lorene here again -- today I have an easy and delicious sugar cookie recipe for you. I call it my *No-Frosting-Required Sugar Cookie* and it is easy, soft, and 100% delicious. My friend Diane gave me the recipe, and for that her name will be held hallowed in our family history. I know, you probably already have a favorite sugar cookie recipe -- but let me tell you why this one is MY favorite. First, I feel the need to confess: I don't love making sugar cookies. Don't hate me! Waiting for the do... more »
World News Briefs -- March 11, 2015
*Reuters:* *U.S. slaps sanctions on Ukrainian rebels, Russian bank* *(Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday placed sanctions on eight Ukrainian separatists and a Russian bank, warning that recent attacks by rebels armed by Russia violated a European-brokered ceasefire in the war-torn country.* *The sanctions signal Washington is ratcheting up pressure on Moscow a day after accusing Russia of sending tanks and heavy military equipment into Ukraine, which a top U.S. official also said breached the Minsk accord agreed on Feb. 12.* *MIDDLE EAST* Islamic State conflict: *Iraqi t... more »
Rahm Shovels Teacher Pension Funds to Big Donors
From IB Times, David Cunningham-Cook and Sirota: It is the kind of transaction Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s much-touted ethics reforms appeared designed to halt: Chicago teachers’ pension money flowed to financial companies connected to some of the mayor’s friends and top donors. Emanuel, whose administration appoints some members of the teachers’ pension-fund board, received campaign cash from those same financial firms despite his own 2011 executive order purportedly preventing donors from receiving city business. “When Mayor Emanuel took office, he said he was going to stop the culture ... more »
Calling All Click-ta-vists
I've put three important online petitions below that I encourage US readers to sign. There is a danger that folks think being a click-ta-vist is all they need to do but I hope readers of this blog are sharper than that. - This petition demands that Congress not cut food stamps. We know some people here in Bath that get food stamps and by the third week of each month they run out of food. They often call us to help them with bread and milk. To cut food stamps even further is unconscionable. The new incoming 15 Republicans in the US Senate have vowed to dismantle... more »
Harper's Perps with Perks #14
Welcome, senior cabinet minister Diane Finley, to Stephen Harper's Perps with Perks for violating conflict of interest laws when you awarded $1-million in funding to provide wheelchair access to a building on the ground floor that has no stairs and boasts barn-sized doors. The application for funding submitted by a personal friend of John Baird's scored 3rd from last out of the 167 applicants reviewed by her department. Ms Finley appears to have signed off on the project proposed by Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn, Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Centrepointe in Ottawa following intervent... more »
Consciousness: is there a mystery to be solved?
The Preposterous Universe has promoted an old interview with Ed Witten about consciousness. I think that I agree with Witten's points but I also tend to agree with Edward Measure's feeling that much of the mystery is overhyped and filled with anthropocentric nonsense. *OK, so what is consciousness and should we explain it?* Don't get me wrong, the very existence of consciousness is fascinating and I have spent lots of hours or days by thinking – and perhaps meditating – about this issue (mostly when I was 10 or so). The world could work just like the world around us but if there w... more »
There is no "News"... especially not out of Sudan
The world of "News" is seriously dead right now. It is as if every single aspect of "News" has been gagged or smothered. The silence is actually almost deafening at the moment. News sites are rehashing old stories, reporting on anything they can get their hands on to try and pretend that they are reporting on "News". Yesterday CNN's website was a complete joke- so much so that I took a screen shot of their main page just to emphasize the lack of anything even remotely resembling "News": When the Lack of News IS the "News", you KNOW that something is goin... more »
Could Salahaddin Operation Be A Game Changer For Iran vs US Influence In Iraq?
Iraq has launched its largest security operation to date to free not only Tikrit but central Salahaddin province as well. Much has been made of the presence of militias and popular mobilization brigades that might be as much as two-thirds of the total force. Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah are playing a big role as well providing not only advisers but air cover and artillery as well. With the United States opting out of participating in this offensive due to Iran’s large presence, it could be a turning point where Tehran solidifies its place as Baghdad’s main ally in the war against t... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 11, 2015
A truck passes by a pro-Russian rebel's tank with a gas mask placed on it's barrel in the village of Molochnoye, north-east from Donetsk, March 8, 2015. Credit: REUTERS/Marko Djurica *Reuters:* *NATO chief says Russia still equipping Ukraine rebels* *(Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Russia was still arming and training rebel forces in eastern Ukraine and he called for the warring parties to help foreign monitors to reinforce a ceasefire.* *Asked at a news conference about a U.S. diplomat's remark that Russian tanks had crossed into Ukrain... more »
U.S. Defense Official: 7 Marines, 4 Soldiers Presumed Dead In Florida Helicopter Crash
*Reuters*: *Remains found after 11 service members involved in crash off Florida coast* *(Reuters) - Some human remains have washed ashore near a Florida military base after seven Marines and four soldiers in an Army helicopter crashed overnight during a training mission, a military spokeswoman said on Wednesday.* *A spokeswoman for the Eglin Air Force Base on the Florida coast said the military is still investigating the crash and did not say how many remains have been found.* *"This is still considered a search and rescue mission," spokeswoman Sara Vidoni said, adding "heavy... more »
The Skeptical (Denialists) Movement and Their Problem with Women & Facts
Timeline of harassment and sexual assault allegations against Michael Shermer Today’s a big news cycle in movement skepticism and movement atheism. My old timeline is woefully incomplete and drastically altered by new revelations, now, thanks to Mark Oppenheimer’s article on the state of misogyny in the atheist and skeptic movements over on Buzzfeed. So, I’m pulling out the relevant links and pullquotes and revamping this timeline. It’s going to be largely intact from the old one, only maybe expanded to provide more context to each individual point. As with previous time... more »
Crooked Republican Closet Case Aaron Schock Draws a Primary Challenge
Maybe Aaron Schock's congressional seat isn't as safe as we've been saying it is. The seat was redrawn in 2010 by the Democratic Illinois legislature to concentrate Republicans in one district in order to make IL-13 and IL-17 safe for Democrats. The Democrats have still be unable to capture the 13th (Rodney Davis' district) and the reactionary Blue Dog Democrat who won in the 17th, Cheri Bustos, wasn't worth the effort. Shock wound up with an R+11 district, won by McCain with 54% and by Romney with 61%-- and won by Schock in 2012 with 74% and last November, despite mounting ethics... more »
Will Shelby County Commission Oppose Charter Schools?
The Shelby County Commissioners voted recently to oppose the voucher bills that are chasing each other through the TN state legislature this year. They are concerned, they say, about the $70 million in public ed dollars that would be lost as students attend private schools with their $5,000 per child vouchers. There has to be another reason for the opposition. If the Commission was concerned about the financial integrity of the public school system, why have they not already passed a resolution against charter schools? After all, Shelby County already has approximately 18,000 st... more »
Old And Ugly
http://cms.asce.org/ Justin Trudeau is beginning to sound like his father. Michael Den Tant writes: Monday evening in Toronto, Justin Trudeau delivered a 40-minute speech in which he attempted to provide a coherent, internally consistent philosophical frame for all his future policies and decisions. It was, essentially, a manifesto. It’s fair to say that no Canadian politician has delivered a speech quite like this, in recent memory. De facto, Trudeau is attempting relieve the Conservative party of what remains of its intel... more »
MENA Report ( March 11 , 2015 ) - Iraq / Syria Regional War in focus ....... Iran nuclear talks and the political element regarding same in the US ....... Global ISIS War and implication on MENA and beyond..... Libya and Yemen - two cases of " Two Government " States bordering on becoming failed States
Links..... *GOP Senators' Iran Letter Raises Talk of Treason* *Iraq Forces Claim ISIS Is Retreating in Tikrit* *Lebanese ISIS Recruits Getting Trained in Syria* *Israeli FM Calls for Beheading 'Disloyal' Arabs*Iraq: Dozens Killed in Battles in Tikrit and Anbar Israeli Soldiers Come Under Fire Along Syrian Border in Golan Heights Dozens Escape ISIS-Run Jail in Syria: Monitor Republicans and Iran Deal Opponents Are Funded by the Same Mega-Donors Iran to GOP: US Laws Do Not Apply EU's Mogherini to Hold Meeting on Iran Talks in Brussels Next Week Xinjiang Boss Says Chinese Extremists ... more »
Untitled
*How Lawmakers Are Trying to Control San Francisco’s Catholic Schools* San Franciscans are currently debating a simple question: Should the government respect the right of Catholic schools to be authentically Catholic? San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone thinks so. But eight California senators and assemblymen sent the archbishop a letter last month, saying that his actions in issuing new faculty guidelines “foment a discriminatory environment in the communities we serve.” On Feb. 23, two of the signers even asked the California Assembly Labor and Employment Committee a... more »
Untitled
*Climate change predictions have been wrong for decades* By Walter E. Williams "But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact," said President Barack Obama in his 2014 State of the Union address. Saying the debate is settled is nonsense, but the president is right about climate change. GlobalChange.gov gives the definition of climate change: "Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types of severe w...more »
Europe Watch ( March 11 , 2015 ) ECB to reject Greece requests w/o complying with Troika demands ( no earnings from SMPS and no increase in the amount of T-Bills Greek Banks can purchase from 15 bn euro level ) , Greece threatens to seize German property regarding reparations as cash continues to dwindle - Germany tells Greece to talk to the hand re : reparations ..... QE impacts on debt yields continues , euro breaks below 1.06 level as rout vs dollar continues.....Berlusconi acquitted ....
Tweets.... *Fabrizio Goria* @FGoria · 26m26 minutes ago Euro hits fresh 12-year low against dollar http://ift.tt/1B3VTBH *Fabrizio Goria* @FGoria · 42m42 minutes ago Berlusconi wins big victory on acquittal http://ift.tt/1NIYriS *Fabrizio Goria* @FGoria · 49m49 minutes ago Good luck with that RT @jmackin2: Athens threatens to seize German assets over WWII reparations http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_artic les_wsite1_1_11/03/2015_548093 … Fabrizio Goria retweeted *Live Squawk* @livesquawk · 53m53 minutes ago EC Confirms Talks To Begin Today, Talks Are Technical, Pri... more »
Swift self-selected non-select-committee summary
So much to blog / so little time. The Islamophobia awards. The notion of giving the prize to Charlie Hebdo. For Islamophobia. A clumsier blunder you’d be hard pressed to find. Muslims already awarded Charie Hebdo the ultimate sanction - murder - as a prize for its alleged Islamophobia, so giving it a supposedly ironic ‘award’ should have been a gross embarrassment to all, especially the IHRC. All those foolish supporters like Rowan Williams seem to have overlooked the fact that Charlie Hebdo wasn’t any more “*Islamo*phobic" than other types of 'phobic' in the first place. At l... more »
The Ten Commandments of the Native Americans
*Video -* The key truths that the Native Americans believe to be of great significance to an individual and society. The post The Ten Commandments of the Native Americans appeared first on Waking Times.
Untitled
*Battle between oil / gas industry and Louisiana citizens for the soul of the state ~David Hammer, WWLTV* *Graham’s departure could mean the Saints take a serious run at Mariota ~Jason Calbos, Nola Nation Rising* *Life in Cap Hell ~Library Chronicles * *Celtic Swagger: Details & Routes for St. Patrick's Day Parades ~NOLA DEFENDER* *New Orleans Visitors Spent a Record $6.8 Billion in 2014 ~Patrick Clark, Travel Pulse* *The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's Roger Lewis defends New Orleans' signature art form ~Isaac Weeks, Charleston City Paper*
B-1B Night Takeoff (Video)
*YouTube*: Video by Staff Sgt. Mariko Frazee 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. A B-1B Lancer with the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in support of operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom's sentinel takes off at night.
Raytheon awarded $122 million US Navy contract for Tomahawk Block IV Missiles
[image: Tomahawk Block IV Cruise Missile]Raytheon received a contract modification for $122,443,911 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-14-C-0075) for the procurement of 114 Tomahawk Block IV All Up Round missiles for the U.S. Navy. This completes the Navy's planned purchase of 214 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for fiscal year 2015 and continues to build the inventory to support warfighting requirements. "Employed in every recent conflict, submarine and surface-launched Tomahawk missiles continue to be our nation's weapon of choice to defeat high value threats,"... more »
Boeing, Saab Adapt Air Launched Small Bomb for Ground Launch
[image: Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB)]Boeing and Saab have proven that Boeing’s Small Diameter Bomb I, originally developed for use by aircraft, can be adapted for launch from a ground artillery system. The companies recently tested the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), integrating the SDB I and M26 rocket motor technologies for the Multiple Launch Rocket System. The testing showed that the bomb can withstand a rocket artillery launch without its performance being compromised. Read more
Bait and Hate
On March 8 2015, International Women's Day, the Harper government's Minister for Defence and Multiculturalism tweeted this: Journalist Glen McGregor caught the mendacious tweet and investigated whether the misleading images were duplicitously used. An article in La Presse has an interview with a scholar based at l'UQUAM, regarding the authenticity and provenance of images used in Jason Kenney's tweet. He deplored the lack of rigour shown by this tweet as well as the misrepresentation of what the images actually portray: the dramatization of a religious historical event (much like C... more »
First Airborne Mine Counter Measures MCH-101 Delivered to the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
[image: AW1251 AW101 AMCM]Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) are pleased to announce the delivery of the first Airborne Mine Counter Measures (AMCM) equipped MCH-101 helicopter to the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. The KHI MCH-101, a licence built version of the AgustaWestland AW101 helicopter, is equipped with the Northrop Grumman AN/AQS-24A airborne mine hunting system and the Northrop Grumman AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS). Together these systems provide a complete surface-to-bottom mine detection capability. The AW101/... more »
A 6-Year Bull Market in Stocks or a 6-Year ZIRP Wealth Transfer? (Six Years Of Bull Market Bull)
Rubio-Lee Tax Plan Means More Debt and Greater Income Inequality Fox Promotes Marco Rubio’s Plan To Give Millionaires Tax Breaks And Cut Everyone Else’s Retirement Security How the US Military Feels About the Public: “You Scumbags Are Completely Expendable.” Billionaires For Bombs Zbigniew Brzezinski Lied to the US Senate about Crimea Venezuela? Really? Know Your Enemy! Boston Bombing:
B-1B bomber gets new missiles as it continues to strike in Iraq and Syria
[image: B-1B Lancer]It has been a busy year for the B-1B Lancer, a workhorse bomber for the U.S. Air Force. The plane has been involved in airstrikes against the Islamic State militant group for months, including during an onslaught on the Syrian town of Kobane that eventually helped Kurdish forces take the town back from enemy fighters. The B-1B also is in the midst of getting new weapons. While the aircraft in the Middle East continue to make bombing runs, other Lancers stateside have been involved in a series of experiments to upgrade the plane’s arsenal of weapons. Read more
Two J-20 prototypes seen on test flights in Chengdu
[image: J-20 Powerful Dragon]Two prototypes of China's J-20 stealth fighter were photographed carrying out test flights in Chengdu recently, reports the Shanghai-based Guancha Syndicate. The prototypes, 2013, 2015, are said to be installed with new avionics developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. Its chief designer Pu Xiaobo said the system he created has an open framework that builds on an unified optical interconnect module. Read more
BUK missile took out MH17: Russia military expert
[image: Buk-M1 (SA-17 Grizzly)]Flight MH17 was shot down by a BUK-air missile, according to Russian aircraft expert Vladimir Babak, Het Parool reports. Babak made this statement in a report of the German broadcasters WDR, NDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung, which was published on Tuesday. According to Babak, who designed many Russian fighter jets, it is not possible that the Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet, as Russia still claims is a possibility. Read more
Lawmakers Push White House to Lend Drones to Jordan
[image: MQ-1B Gray Eagle]Members of Congress are pushing the Obama administration to embrace a plan to lend older-model, surplus drones to Jordan for the fight against the Islamic State extremist group. In a Republican-led letter to the White House, 23 House members said Monday that Jordan should be allowed to borrow U.S. Air Force-owned MQ-1 Predator drones. “Under this proposal,” the letter said, “Jordanian pilots would fly the operational missions, but the assets themselves would remain under the ownership of the Air Force.” Read more
Argentine plans to build unmanned aerial vehicles for protection
[image: Yi Long UAS]The Argentine government plans to build unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, for defense purposes, the government gazette reported Tuesday. The initiative, designed “to contribute to the improvement and progress of the National Defense System,” carries a price tag of 2.095 billion pesos (238 million U.S. dollars). The government has approved a “contract related to the Argentine Robotic Aerial System Project,” known by its Spanish acronym as SARA, and signed it between the defense ministry and state firm Invap, the gazette said. Read more
Testing Beijing, Japan eyes growing role in South China Sea security
[image: ADIZ]Seventy years after its imperial forces were kicked out of the South China Sea, Japan is quietly moving back into the region, forging security ties with the Philippines and Vietnam as both Southeast Asian nations try to cope with China's territorial ambitions. Tokyo's security cooperation is broad-based: It is supplying maritime patrol boats to the two countries while Japan will hold its first naval exercises with the Philippines in the coming months. Japanese military doctors are even advising Vietnamese submariners on how to deal with decompression sickness. Japan is... more »
A Graphic On America's Bomber Fleet
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Washington Post*:* An aging bomber fleet* *The Air Force is set to award a contract in the coming months for what it’s calling the Long Range Strike Bomber, which would replace some of the aging planes currently in use. While details about the new bomber are classified, here’s a look at the current fleet.* *WNU Editor: *Only 159 bombers in the entire fleet .... I thought there was more.
Boeing says optimistic about extending fighter line
[image: FA-18 Super Hornet]Boeing Co said on Tuesday it was optimistic about extending production of its F/A-18E/F and EA-18G fighter jets beyond 2017 given possible foreign orders and U.S. Navy officials' recent statements about the need for more planes. Dan Gillian, who runs both fighter programs for Boeing, told Reuters the company expected Denmark to announce the outcome of its fighter competition in June or July, and that a Middle East order could come as early as the second quarter. Boeing has been pursuing a possible order from Kuwait for years for an uncertain number of jet... more »
Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Family Cook Day
Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World! If this is your first visit, please click *HERE* for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far. This post contains great information and I encourag... more »
Mabus on Ford-class Carrier: ‘Not the Way to Build a Ship’
[image: USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)]The secretary of the Navy, responding to criticism from senators over the cost of equipment for the new Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, said the design-while build approach to shipbuilding was the wrong way to build ships. “The way the Ford was built is not the way to build a ship,” said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus March 10 during a hearing on the posture of the Navy and Marine Corps before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). “It was being designed while it was being built.” Mabus said he agreed with SASC Chairman Sen. ... more »
Delayed carrier Roosevelt still docked in Norfolk
.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image/*)
[image: USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)]The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, slowed by tiny aquatic invertebrates, remains docked at Norfolk Naval Station this morning, more than 24 hours after the ship was scheduled to deploy. Crews worked much of the day Monday to clear the ship's sea water intakes, which were clogged by small sea life called Bryozoa, which are common in waters of Hampton Roads, especially in winter months. The little organisms, known more commonly as "moss animals," were sucked up by large intakes under the ship that take in sea water to cool various pieces ... more »
Russia flags off plan to build aircraft carrier
[image: Admiral Kuznetsov CV]Russia would soon have an aircraft carrier, Admiral Igor Kasatonov, Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy, announced recently. The construction of the aircraft carrier will only begin after 2025. Historically, the Russian Navy has served as an auxiliary tool for the world's most powerful army. The advent of nuclear submarines in the second half of the 20thcentury added the function of strategic deterrence to the navy. In order to protect the areas of deployment of its strategic bombers and with a view to actively participate in numerous conflicts in the... more »
US diplomat warns Europe of 'dangerous' defence spending cuts
[image: Samantha Power]A senior US diplomat has warned of a "dangerous" gulf emerging between US and European defence spending. Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, has appealed to European governments to spend more. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that cuts to defence budgets in Europe were "concerning". Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK already met the Nato defence spending target and was also "due to meet it in the coming years". Ms Power said that in "most cases" defence spending in Europe was shrinking, despite a growth in defence threats. Re... more »
The Rapid Growth of the Algerian Navy
[image: Kalaat Beni-Abbes BDSL]The Algerian Navy has been on a buying frenzy in recent years, amassing a significant maritime force. In September 2014, representing the culmination of a longer term procurement project, Italy’s Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) delivered Algeria’s new flagship, an 8,800-tonne amphibious assault ship called the Kalaat Beni-Abbes. But newer projects than OSN’s are currently underway. A shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia is building two new Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines for Algeria, while two MEKO A200-class frigates, three F-22P Zulfiquar-cla... more »
David Cameron hits out at generals over defence spending
[image: David Cameron]David Cameron appears to have questioned the motives of senior military figures criticising his failure to commit to spending 2 per cent of GDP of defence. The Prime Minister slapped down retired generals who have attacked the Government over its cuts to the military budget. Speaking to LBC Radio, Mr Cameron put the generals’ interventions down to them “having their own book to talk, sometimes quite literally a book to talk”. Read more
Retired admirals reveal plan to use Australian submarines to defend Japan
[image: Soryu class SSK]Buying a Japanese submarine has more to do with the US alliance and protecting Japan from China than jobs or capability, according to two former Japanese admirals. In a document obtained by News Corp, former Japanese Navy chief Vice-Admiral Yoji Koda and former submarine fleet commander Vice Admiral Masao Kobayashi argue that the “north-south cooperation” between Australia and Japan would provide “strategic and operational flexibility to the USA’s rebalancing policy”. “This strategic relationship is a thing which no other nation can replace,” the document sa... more »
Today’s letters: The need for more subs is well established
[image: HMCS Windsor]Although Michael Byers’ article contains numerous inaccuracies, he raises one important question: “Why are submarines not included in the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy?” The question of future submarines clearly needs to be addressed, the sooner the better, given Canada’s lengthy acquisition process. First, we need to put to rest the notion the requirement for submarines should be re-examined. This was done in the process leading up to the decision to acquire Victoria Class subs. Arguments against submarines haven’t changed, while arguments for su... more »
Where Do The World's Migrants Go
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* Most popular migrant destinations around the world (DMan9797) *Katy Lee, VOX*:* Where the world's migrants go, in one map* *This map, put together by Devinn Jani, also known as Reddit user DMan9797, uses 2013 United Nations data to show migration flows around the world. The design is simple — each country is labeled with the most popular destination for its migrants. Some destinations are shown with color code: red represents countries whose migrants mostly go to the United States, blue to France, and pink to the United Kingdom.* *WNU Editor:* An inter... more »
Here Are The Five North Korean Weapons That The World Should Fear
Reuters / Jason Lee *Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest:* *North Korea's 5 Nightmare Weapons the World Should Fear* *Yes, we should be concerned about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons arsenal--but that isn't the only trick it has up its sleeve.* *North Korea, for lack of a better term, is one hell of a hot mess. And its one that if South Korea and its ally the United States ever had to go to war with would create all sorts of problems.* *From a leader who has more in common with the fictional Dr. Evil than any other normal head of state to rants about going to war against the United... more »
Smolin denounces dualities, promotes trialities
A reader asked me what I thought about a new paper by Lee Smolin Extending dualities to trialities deepens the foundations of dynamics. I was told that the question makes sense because he cites your humble correspondent's paper on matrix string theory. Well, unfortunately, I cannot return the niceties because the paper is crackpottery of the most hardcore sort. It's my belief that no paper by this author has been discussed on TRF for more than 5 years – it's perhaps a good moment for an exception. The author dismisses dualities – a key concept in string theory and modern theoretica... more »
First Operational Deployment for a French Navy NH90 NFH Caïman Maritime Helicopter
[image: NH90 Caiman]A French Navy (Marine Nationale) NH90 NFH Caïman is currently conducting its first operational deployment on board the Horizon class air-defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, Navy Recognition learned from the French Navy. The Caïman detachment (the machine, pilots and associated support crew) belong to Flottile 31F based in Hyeres naval air station. A French Navy spokesperson explained to Navy Recognition that the Caïman multi-role helicopter is conducting anti-submarine and anti-surface protection missions for the Chevalier Paul (classified as Frigate by the Frenc... more »
The Intersection of Three Crises
There are three crisis. The border crisis because that is what it is demands an international border commission that establishes final borders, and transportability of citizenship. The currency crisis demands an altered currency arrangement and that is presently beyond economic thinkers although not so here. Iran needs to be settled provided Iran can be settled. The real solution will be Russia itself transitioning into a viable member of the EU. under a confidence building currency regime. That needs to be the real goal. Then borders no longer matter. At the same time,... more »
After Thousands of Years, Earth's Frozen Life Forms Are Waking Up
[image: After Thousands of Years, Earth's Frozen Life Forms Are Waking Up] This is really about the unexpected. Once safely dormant biology can remain viable for thousands of years. The mere fact that it can happen once so convincingly tells us that it is plausible everywhere and that failure is merely our failure. We are obviously going to somehow completely resurrect the whole Ice Age Bio-me simply because we have unending samples and opportunity. It will simply take a lot of time to get it right. What we do not know is just how far back we can go. Aga... more »
Swimming With the Sharks
There appears to be no end to blindly stupid lending practices. There is a cure of course and that is legislated forced liquidation under a trustee. Use legislation to unilaterally allow payouts equivalent to the original principal received in the event of default. It is certainly unfair to the lenders but stupidity does demand a proper reward. My point is that a state can act unilaterally and as Ellen points out the State or even large communities can shift over to the North Dakota solution as well and suddenly you have a dedicated lender who wants to support your new gym wit... more »
Stephen Hawking: 'There are No Black Holes'
I am pleased to see Hawking bell the cat. The only reason that i am not more adamant myself is because there is always an off chance that there may be creditable evidence that i have missed. Event horizons exist but a perfect black hole was always impossible and actually unreasonable and merely expressed the limitations of mathematics. After all, the very first assumptions are mathematical continuity and a perfect sphere. Most miss the first and then forget orthogonal continuity has to matter. Skip all that anyway because the inverse of empirical infinity is not zero and w... more »
China Is Building A 2nd Aircraft Carrier
China's first aircraft carrier, which was renovated from an old aircraft carrier that China bought from Ukraine in 1998, is seen docked at Dalian Port, in Dalian, Liaoning province September 22, 2012. Stringer/Reuters *Zachary Keck, National Interest*: *Confirmed: China Is Building 2nd Aircraft Carrier* *The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is building its second aircraft carrier, several senior Chinese military officials have confirmed, a Hong Kong daily is reporting.On Monday, Taiwan Focus News Channel cited the Chinese-language The Hong Kong Commercial Daily in reporting that ... more »
Democrats Are Opposing President Obama's Request To Authorize Military Force Against The Islamic State
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 20, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing *Reuters*: *Obama war request in trouble in Congress, mostly from Democrats* *(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's request to authorize military force against Islamic State has made little progress since he sent it to Congress, and it may never pass, due largely to opposition from his fellow Democrats.* *Obama asked Congress for an authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) against I... more »
Falling Oil Prices Are Harming Iraq's Ability To Wage War Against The Islamic State
With global oil prices halving in recent months, Iraq’s finances are eroding rapidly. Above, a worker walks at an Iraq oil field last year. Photo: Reuters *Wall Street Journal:* *How Falling Oil Prices Are Hindering Iraq’s Ability to Fight Islamic State* *Fiscal woes couldn’t come at a worse time, as country tries to fend off extremists* *BAGHDAD—Clobbered by falling oil prices, Iraq is headed over a fiscal cliff, unable to make critical investments needed to keep its oil flowing and still pay the skyrocketing costs of fighting Islamic State extremists, according to government o... more »
Some Similarities Between Israel And Pakistan
- Both homelands were created in the aftermath of World War II in response to collective anxieties and trauma, partly real and partly manufactured. - Both relied on British colonialists to get the land that they sought, creating refugee and political crises in the process that have not been resolved to this day. - Both appealed to the United States in the Cold War for aid, arguing that they are strong bulwarks against communism in sensitive regions in the world, the Middle East and Central Asia, and were given weapons, money, and training in return. - Both illegally obtained nuc... more »
George Lincoln Rockwell - American National Socialism
*This Time The World* by Commander George Lincoln Rockwell *_______________________________________* If you enjoyed this post and appreciate the work I'm doing here on this website, please consider supporting my Indiegogo Fundraiser entitled *Support John Friend's Free Speech!*, which *I announced* last week. Many thanks to everyone who has and continues to support my efforts here. It is very much appreciated!
The Iraqi Government Is Not In Charge Of The Military Offensive Against Tikrit
Senior U.S. military officials want Baghdad to name an Iraqi commander for the offensive to avoid dealing with Iranian advisers. Ahmed Al-Hussaini/ REUTERS *James Broder, Newsweek:* *Who's in Charge of the Fight Against ISIS in Tikrit?* *For the first time since Iraqi forces launched an operation to recapture the city of Tikrit, Baghdad has asked the United States for intelligence to help beat back the Islamic State (ISIS) in a counteroffensive that’s stalled on the outskirts of the city, a senior U.S. military official in Iraq told Newsweek.Yet in a sign of Washington’s unea... more »
The Battle For The Iraqi City Of Tikrit Continues
*New York Times*: *Iraqi Forces Seize Large Parts of Tikrit From Islamic State Militants* B*AGHDAD — Iraqi security forces and allied Shiite militias seized large parts of Tikrit on Tuesday, amid reports that most of the Islamic State militants battling to hold the city had begun retreating, security officials said.* *The progress came after a week of heavy fighting to retake Tikrit, a city in the so-called Sunni Triangle that holds both strategic and emotional importance in the effort to roll back the Islamic State’s lightning advance toward Baghdad in June.* *WNU Editor:* The ... more »
The Greek Government Is Now Going After The Country's Pension Funds
*Financial Times*: *Greek government presses social security funds to hand over cash* *Greece’s cash-strapped Syriza government is pressing the country’s social security funds to hand over hundreds of millions of euros immediately to ensure that pensions and civil servants’ salaries are paid this month.* *The unprecedented transfer of bank deposits, which is opposed by pension and welfare funds, follows an unexpectedly sharp fall in tax revenues in January that has left the finance ministry scrambling to raise funds to make a €1.2bn loan repayment to the International Monetary Fun... more »
The Hillary Email Scandal (Updated)
*Daily Mail:* *I’ve deleted all my personal emails and the server will remain private: Hillary Clinton reveals HALF her inbox - 31,830 messages - has not been handed over and says she used one account for convenience* ** Asked why she had deleted what she admitted was ‘half of her inbox’ she replied: ‘I fully complied with every government rule’* ** She added: ‘They were personal and private, about matters....I did not see a reason to keep them'* ** They included messages about ‘planning Chelsea’s wedding, my mother’s funeral’, ‘yoga routines’ and ‘family vacations’* ** Clinton atte... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 10, 2015
*Simon Shuster, Time*: *Why Russia’s Probe Into the Nemtsov Murder Does Not Stack Up* *Official suggestion that Boris Nemtsov was killed by Islamists seems the least plausible explanation* *Who knew Russia had such crack detectives — not just fast in their investigation of the murder of Boris Nemtsov but practically clairvoyant. Within a day of the dissident’s killing on Feb. 27, they offered a bundle of possible motives, predictably ranging from a business dispute to a love affair gone wrong, but with two big surprises. For one, they ignored the possibility that Nemtsov’s confli... more »
Bitburg
*Really? Who paid for your flights..?* “They suffer a great guilt complex over the Nazi period... I’m suggesting including them this time & making the occasion one of celebrating when the hatred stopped & peace & friendship began which has continued for 40 yrs.” *Ronald Reagan Personal Diary,* *November 1984* “There is no way I’ll back down & run for cover... Would Helmut be wrong if he visited Arlington Cemetery on one of his U.S. visits?” *Ronald Reagan Personal Diary,* *April 1985* “They [the press] are really sucking blood & finding every person of Jewish faith they can who w... more »
Spheres of Influence Terrorism
*Newspaper cartoon from 1912 about the Monroe Doctrine* Monroe Doctrine (1823) President James Monroe’s 1823 annual message to Congress contained the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere. Understandably, the United States has always taken a particular interest in its closest neighbors – the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Equally understandably, expressions of this concern have not always been favorably regarded by other American nations. The Monroe Doctrine is the best known U.S. policy toward the Western H... more »
And Yet it Moves
*"Eppur si muove..."* *"And yet it moves...* *The event was first reported in English print in 1757 by Giuseppe Baretti in his book the The Italian Library :* *The moment he was set at liberty, he looked up to the sky and down to the ground, and, stamping with his foot, in a contemplative mood, said, Eppur si muove, that is, still it moves, meaning the earth.* "Until about 1600, the posture of the Venetian Party toward science was one of more or less open hostility, *favoring black magic.* But in the early 1600s, the group around Sarpi succeeded in changing their public profile ... more »
Deconstructionism and the Memes of Public Myth
The Deconstructionist Agenda from Spike EP on Vimeo. "Derrida is the sort of philosopher who gives bullshit a bad name." - Foucault No mo' po-mo. Cold Fusion and The Deconstructionist Attack on Science and Language from Spike EP on Vimeo. Here's the big news in conservation, energy and sustainable development : Cold Fusion works. And the Americans are REFUSING to develop it, because it will destroy the oil, coal and nuclear industry. If the so-called Green Party actually care about these things (and its not just posturing), why aren't they demanding an immediate crash program t... more »
Lyle Stuart
Lyle Stuart's Open letter to NY Times Jan 3 1988 re Scientology CultMoney is sucked from the victim, To reach the goal of $80,000 a customer, Scientology extracts it in chunks of $20,000 and $30,000 a year. In return, you're told you'll live forever! They even have you sign a billion year Agreement! Scientologists seek young people in the 19 to 25 age range. "Sometimes," says the former director of a Scientology Mission, "we used pretty young girls to attract young men. People are surprised to learn that our goal was to get at least $80,000 for each piece of raw meat we recruit. ... more »
C. Christine Fair On How Israel And Pakistan Are States That Share A Similar DNA
*Wikipedia: * C. Christine Fair is an assistant professor in the Center for Peace and Security Studies (CPASS), within Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. *An excerpt from, "The Pakistani origins of the Israeli state" by Ishaan Tharoor, The Washington Post, December 3, 2014:* "Pakistan is like Israel, an ideological state," said then Pakistani President Zia ul-Haq in 1981. "Take out the Judaism from Israel and it will fall like a house of cards. Take Islam out of Pakistan and make it a secular state; it would collapse." It's a strange thing to thi... more »
Steven Blaney calls a cat a cat
"The Holocaust," intoned Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney today, "did not begin in the gas chamber; it began with words." He's right, of course. It began with a government capitalizing on a disaster event to demonize a segment of the population and suppress civil rights - including freedom of expression, assembly, and the expectation of privacy in personal communications - while hurriedly implementing a legal basis for the secret imprisonment of anyone considered not friendly to the government's agenda of security over democracy. So it began with a law something like Bill C-51... more »
5 Things Happy People do Before Getting Out of Bed Each Morning
*Paul Lenda* - These five things can be looked at as life hacks because they’re so simple and easy to add to our daily routine yet so effective that it begs the question why we weren’t doing them before. The post 5 Things Happy People do Before Getting Out of Bed Each Morning appeared first on Waking Times.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Only 11 million light-years away, Centaurus A is the closest active galaxy to planet Earth. Spanning over 60,000 light-years, the peculiar elliptical galaxy, also known as NGC 5128, is featured in this sharp color image. Centaurus A is apparently the result of a collision of two otherwise normal galaxies resulting in a fantastic jumble of star clusters and imposing dark dust lanes. *Click image for larger sizes.* Near the galaxy's center, left over cosmic debris is steadily being consumed by a central black hole with a billion times the mass of the Sun. As in other active galaxies... more »
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment