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The Taniwha Tax: coming to a home near you
[image: image] While some folk are desperate for affordable housing, council planners continue to demonstrate that’s the last thing on their agenda. The latest loopiness being bedded in around Auckland Town is a Cultural Impact Assessment – appropriately called a CIA, because the process is akin to being reamed by officious goons. If you thought trying to get a resource consent out of council is hard, and it is, just wait until you discover your site has been declared as needing a CIA—something that could see you needing to negotiate with up to nineteen different Maori tribes in... more »
Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Ground Cover
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 »
Retired Pakistani Generals Warn Against Any Intervention In Yemen By Pakistan
*The House of Saud has brought the Apocalypse upon itself by invading Yemen. Pakistan is wise not to tag along in its march to ruin.* *An excerpt from, "Pakistan should stay away from military intervention in Yemen" By Talat Masood, Tribune Pakistan, April 15, 2015:* The question that was on everyone’s mind is: is Saudi Arabia really threatened by Yemen’s internal turmoil? It couldn’t be: probably the determinants influencing the Saudis were a fear of Iranian expansionist policy and the possibility of events in Yemen spilling over and having a destabilising impact on the Saudi regi... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Whisper To Me”
Liquid Mind, “Whisper To Me” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpfrRz-jcS8
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Unanimously Passes Iran "Nuclear Deal"
*Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran ...* *by Gaius Publius* ... and the kicker: "Obama Indicates He'll Sign It." There's much to notice here, and some about which to wait and see. First the news, via the *New York Times* (my emphasis): *Senate Panel Passes Bill on Iran Nuclear Deal; Obama Indicates He’ll Sign It* The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved legislation granting Congress a voice in negotiations on the Iran nuclear accord, sending the once-controversial legislation to the full Senate *after President Obama withdrew his opposition rather than face a bipa... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The center of our Milky Way Galaxy is hidden from the prying eyes of optical telescopes by clouds of obscuring dust and gas. But in this stunning vista, the Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared cameras, penetrate much of the dust revealing the stars of the crowded galactic center region. A mosaic of many smaller snapshots, the detailed, false-color image shows older, cool stars in bluish hues. Reddish glowing dust clouds are associated with young, hot stars in stellar nurseries. *Click image for larger size.* The very center of the Milky Way was only recently found capable of forming ... more »
Tax Day? Is it that time already? Or, a Tax Day tale of (routine) annual horrors
*by Ken* Phew! As I write, the message on my computer screen confirms that my e-fiiled federal tax return has been accepted. New York State has yet to be heard from (aka "Pending"), but I've been through this before, and I'm confident that they'll come around in time. Okay, "confident" may be an overstatement. The day I become truly confident about any aspect of income-tax filing is the day when I no longer have to worry about doing it. When that day comes, I will definitely list this on the "plus" column -- almost certainly at the top of the "plus" column. Nevertheless, I'm fair... more »
"The Truth..."
“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” - Flannery O’Connor
Chet Raymo, “Speaking of Water…”
* “Speaking of Water…”* by Chet Raymo “How many water molecules- H2O- are there in the world's oceans? This is the kind of time-wasting calculation I love doing, but I will leave it as an exercise for one of you. Look up the mass of a proton in grams. A water molecule has essentially the mass of 18 protons (hydrogen=1, oxygen=8 protons + 8 neutrons; remember, this is an order of magnitude calculation). A cubic centimeter of water has (by definition) a mass of one gram. Divide for the number of water molecules in a cubic centimeter of water. How many cubic centimeters in the ocean... more »
"Life Transitions: The Death and Rebirth of Self"
*"Life Transitions: The Death and Rebirth of Self"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come to life. Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come to life. Even though this is a natural and necessary part of our growth, it is often painful or, if we don’t realize what’s happening, confusing and disorienting. In fact, confusion and disorientation are often the messengers that tell us a shift is taking place within us. These shifts happen throughout the lives of all humans, as we move from infancy to childhood to ado... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Munich, Bayern, Germany. Thanks for stopping by
The Poet: Ella Wheeler Wilcox, “Solitude”
*“Solitude”* “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone. For this brave old earth must borrow its mirth, But has trouble enough of its own. Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air. The echoes bound to a joyful sound, But shrink from voicing care. Rejoice, and men will seek you; Grieve, and they turn and go. They want full measure of all your pleasure, But they do not need your woe. Be glad, and your friends are many; Be sad, and you lose them all. There are none to decline your nectared wine, But alone you must drink life's gall. Feast, and your... more »
Paulo Coelho, “What Is Funny About Man”
*“What Is Funny About Man”* By Paulo Coelho "A disciple asked Hejasi: "I want to know what is the most funny thing about human beings." Hejasi said: "That they always think crooked: they’re in a hurry to grow, then lament their lost childhood, and soon lose the money they need to keep their health. They are so anxious about the future, that they neglect the present, and thus live in neither the present nor the future. They live as if they were never going to die, and die as if they had never lived.” - http://paulocoelhoblog.com/
"Instructions For Living A Life"
*"Instructions For Living A Life"* "*1.* Pay attention. * 2.* Be astonished. *3. *Tell about it." - Mary Oliver
What is the Debt Ceiling and Why Does the Government Keep Raising It?
*Video - *If the US government continues to raise the debt ceiling, how does this affect US citizens? Some theorists believe that the increasing debt limit is more than an issue used for political leverage. The post What is the Debt Ceiling and Why Does the Government Keep Raising It? appeared first on Waking Times.
An active day for good law(yers)
Model of a reactor safe for JapanA judge in Japan has said " now just hold on a second" about restarting some Nuclear reactors in Japan. After Fukushima the only reactor that is safe in Japan is the flux reactor in the DeLorean.
“A 1,000 Mile Stretch Of The Pacific Ocean Has Heated Up Several Degrees And Scientists Don’t Know Why”
*“A 1,000 Mile Stretch Of The Pacific Ocean Has Heated* * Up Several Degrees And Scientists Don’t Know Why”* by Michael Snyder “According to two University of Washington scientific research papers that were recently released, a 1,000 mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean has warmed up by several degrees, and nobody seems to know why this is happening. This giant “blob” of warm water was first observed in late 2013, and it is playing havoc with our climate. And since this giant “blob” first showed up, fish and other sea creatures have been dying in absolutely massive numbers. So could... more »
Without almost doubling the number of new builds to the 240k per year we need to meet demand, rents will keep rising, house prices too
SOURCE GUARDIAN: Tory housing association right-to-buy policy attacked by big business The Conservatives have come under fire after David Cameron pledged to give people the chance of a “good life” by extending Margaret Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme to 1.3 million families in housing association properties. The Confederation of British Industry and the blue chip Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)
President Obama To Take Cuba Off The U.S. Terror List
*Politico:* *Obama takes Cuba off terrorism list* *The decision removes a major stumbling block in the two countries’ efforts to normalize relations.President Barack Obama has decided to take Cuba off the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, removing a major stumbling block in the two countries’ efforts to normalize relations after more than five decades of estrangement.The decision announced Tuesday was widely expected and comes after a review and recommendation from the State Department. It also follows a historic weekend meeting between Obama and Cuban President Raul C... more »
Don't be a Dancing Bear
15 or more years ago, my last family and I would go camping in New Hampshire and during those vacations, we'd go to Clark's Trading Post. Depending on your viewpoint, Clark's was either a delightful tourist trap, the perfect place to take the wife and kiddies or it was some exploitative place that used bears for the idle and witless amusement for those who loved to see them do tricks. But politics and animal rights has to take a back seat when one is on vacation with the fam so on two occasions we'd see the stupid little tricks the staff would make the bears do. Yet ... more »
Global Warming Predicts the oceans will act as a heat sink, but no one knows why the Ocean is heating up?
It seems obvious the heat is going into the water.
I, Whiskey
What better way to follow up the success of *I, Pencil* – “Leonard Read's classic essay on the incredible, cooperative, creative power of the market”—than to produce a more sodden sequel, *I, Whiskey: *The unexpected, unplanned, rebellious history of whiskey. *I, Whiskey: The Spirit of the Market* reveals how every product and service we enjoy is made possible by the free market and human ingenuity. It’s the story of entrepreneurs, scientists, and bootleggers and the whiskey they produce—a spirit renowned for its individual expression and rich history. When people share a gla... more »
A rant about Americans
Here’s a post about one Irishman’s view of the U.S. after visiting, living, loving and planning to live there again: what he likes, and what he loves about the American cultural experience – but mostly, let’s be frank, what he thought really, really sucked. Including: - oversensititivity - tipping (what’s that about?) - “awesome”! - phoney smiles - cheesy marketing - stupid drinking laws - bland chain stores - warped view of America’s place in the world - inability to be truly frank; and, of course - religious freaking Americans … Look – I gre... more »
Hysterical Authoritarianism
*Terrorism, Violence, and the Culture of Madness* by HENRY A. GIROUX The thought of security bears within it an essential risk. A state which has security as its sole task and source of legitimacy is a fragile organism; it can always be provoked by terrorism to become more terroristic. — Giorgio Agamben George Orwell’s nightmarish vision of a totalitarian society casts a dark shadow over the United States. The consequences can be seen clearly in the ongoing and ruthless assault on the social state, workers, unions, higher education, students, poor minorities and any vesti... more »
WTF? Man Pulled Over by a TANK in FL
*Published on Apr 13, 2015* This video consists of a Navy veteran getting pulled over by a tank in Gainsville, Florida. Another blatant example of the unwarranted militarization of police in America. Crazy!
Adult immunization push: Medical Dictatorship
by Jon Rappoport February 25, 2015 NoMoreFakeNews.com It’s happening under the leadership of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS): *“The Adult Immunization Plan.”* (See *National Adult Immunization Plan National Vaccine Program Office DRAFT: National Vaccine Program Office February 5, 2015* and also *Solicitation of Written Comments on the Draft National Adult Immunization Plan (HHS, 02/06/2015)*) The HHS is a cabinet agency under the President. The goal of the Plan? To vastly increase the number of adults in the US who are vaccinated against diseases in accordance wi...more »
Nanette Barragán Takes On The Machine-- In Los Angeles
CA-44 is a newly-drawn congressional district in Los Angeles, 70% Hispanic and made up of neighborhoods and towns like Willowbrook, Compton, Rancho Dominguez, South Gate, Lynwood, Carson, Wilmington, and San Pedro. The Member of Congress is Janice Hahn, who is leaving the House to run for County Supervisor. The CA-44 PVI is D+32. The area gave McCain 16% of its vote in 2008 and then 14% to Romney in 2010. It's pretty safe to say that whichever Democrat wins the primary will be the next Member of Congress. The creaky and corrupt Democratic Party Establishment is fully committed to ... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 14, 2015
S-300 anti-aircraft missile system [file]. (photo credit:REUTERS) *Yossi Melman, Jerusalem Post:* *Analysis: Russia's decision to sell S-300 to Iran makes military option less viable * Israel's diplomatic efforts to keep Russia from selling the air defense system to Iran have failed to keep Moscow from worrying about its own interests. Both Israel and the United States were again surprised by Russia's decision announced Monday to unfreeze its sale of the advanced S-300 air defense system to Iran. Amid American pressure and Israeli persuasion, and mainly because of its own intere... more »
Untitled
*Colleges or Nursery Schools?* The University of Michigan is the latest American campus determined to prove that the central premise of higher education — the free and open exchange of competing ideas — is a cruel hoax. Last Tuesday, in a spasm of oh-so familiar political correctness, UM initially canceled a scheduled showing of “American Sniper” after 300 students and others whined about the “negative and misleading stereotypes” of Muslims portrayed in the film. As pathetic as that outburst was, the Center for Campus Involvement (CCI) that oversees student activities managed to ... more »
Australia: refuse vaccination, lose $15,000 / Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a moron
by Jon Rappoport April 14, 2015 NoMoreFakeNews.com Watch what’s happening in Australia. Something like it could be coming to your front door. If you live in Australia, it’s already at your door. The Daily Telegraph (4/12) reports: *“Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Social Services Minister Scott Morrison will today announce the historic reforms, which mean parents who fail to immunise their children will no longer be paid the $200-a-week childcare benefit, the $7500-a-year childcare rebate or the $726 Family Tax Benefit A annual supplement.* *“The combined childcare and welfare pa... more »
World News Briefs -- April 14, 2015
*CNN:* *Obama asks Congress to take Cuba off terror list* *Washington (CNN)As expected, President Barack Obama recommended Tuesday that Cuba be removed from the U.S. government's list of state sponsors of terrorism. Long sought by the Cuban government, Obama's decision will likely expedite plans to re-establish embassies in both Washington and Havana.In a brief message to notify Congress of his recommendation, Obama explained his action was based on specific criteria that warranted Cuba's removal from the list."The government of Cuba has not provided any support for internatio...more »
Satire: “Hillary Clinton Officially Begins Nineteen Months of Looking Concerned”
*“Hillary Clinton Officially Begins Nineteen Months of Looking Concerned”* by Andy Borowitz LE CLAIRE, IOWA (The Borowitz Report) – “With a stop in Iowa on Tuesday, the Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton officially embarked on a nineteen-month marathon of looking concerned. Sitting with patrons at Jones Street Java House, in Le Claire, the former Secretary of State listened intently, sipped from a cup of coffee, and nodded her head at appropriate junctures, flawlessly reënacting a brief scene from her first campaign video. After about twenty minutes of virtually nonstop display... more »
The Economy: "This Is Why Your Wages Aren’t Rising…"
*"This Is Why Your Wages Aren’t Rising…"* by Bill Bonner Gualfin (“End of the Road”), Argentina - "We ended last week wondering what had gone wrong: How come the 21st century has turned out to be such a dud? Where are the jaw-dropping new inventions? Where are the rising incomes? Where is the dynamic, sizzling economy we expected? Back in about 1963, we recall trying to picture ourselves in the 21st century. The rate of progress then was so fantastic we had to stretch to imagine it. Every year, Chevrolet, Ford and Chrysler put out a new and better automobile. In 50 more years, sur... more »
Quote of the morning: Smalley on Campbell
“I don’t want to see it go. no journalist would ever want to see a current affairs show axed – but if it is axed, there is no-one to blame except the public. New Zealanders killed *Campbell Live*, because New Zealanders stopped watching.” - Rachel Smalley, ‘The fickle old world of TV’ Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 14, 2015
S-300 air defense systems © Vitaly Nevar/TASS *ITAR-TASS*:* Iran expects S-300 supplies in 2015 — Security Council chief* *The head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Vladimir Putin's decision to lift ban on S-300 supplies to Iran was a kind of a signal for ensuring security in the region* *MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Iran expects Russia to deliver S-300 air defense missile systems in 2015, the head of the Islamic Republic's Supreme National Security Council said on Tuesday.* *"I think they will be supplied this year," Ali Shakhmani told reporters.* *He said that R... more »
The Mystery of the Unfunded Tory Pledges
If you're the tiny section of this blog's readership contemplating voting Conservative, be aware that you're voting for communism! Yes, we've had the £8bn NHS pledge, the policy of freezing rail fares, the promise of 30 hours a week childcare, and now the Tories are threatening to expropriate housing associations and pass them on at a huge discount to tenants. Yes, just when the election couldn't get more Fortean it takes yet another weird turn. Step back and consider the scene for a moment. Yesterday Ed Miliband took to the podium and gave an authoritative presentation setting out ... more »
Exploitation of Parents' Fear Is Despicable
I was going to snark about today's sex-ed curriculum protest. (Co-blogger dBO covered the previous hissy fit.) An estimated 2,000 people gathered on the front lawn of the Ontario legislature on Tuesday morning to protest the Liberal government's proposed changes to the sex education curriculum. I found this very funny: This sign protesting against Ontario's #SexEd curriculum is a thing of majestic beauty. via @LadySnarksalot pic.twitter.com/pnAHwxSZ82 — Lyndsay Kirkham (@HisFeministMama) April 14, 2015 Also, questions about who's funding this astroturf bunfest. I count 25 buses...more »
Harmony of Being: Returning to Our True Nature
*Steve Taylor* - From time to time, we all have experiences when restlessness and discontent fade away, and we’re filled with a sense of ease, well-being and harmony. How do we make these experiences more common? The post Harmony of Being: Returning to Our True Nature appeared first on Waking Times.
May 14: Big flash!
Tomorrow, May 15, is registration day for "Lies our history teachers told us", a course for seniors here in Moncton. Registration is noon to two or so at "Rose Hall" in People's Park Tower on St. George St. I note that in yesterday's blog I didn't mention the editorial or comment pages. Luckily, there was nothing in them worth even reading. What is astounding is the ability of the Irving press day after day after year after year to miss important stories. Two days ago, The New York Times (by no means a critic of the US) carried an astonishing story. It reported on a survey of livin... more »
Manipulated Mind, Manipulated Illusions
*Bob Livingston* - Mass hypnosis is not just a state of stupor, but a well-defined system of behavior modification and absolute control. The post Manipulated Mind, Manipulated Illusions appeared first on Waking Times.
Unstick and Inspire
Source image from The Art of Life and Writing Thought I'd share this amazing channeling... its not new but I just encountered it tonight... feeling kind of stuck today and this was a great help to me... -AK From an article by Eileen Meyer
The End of Nature
Long, long ago, in scorching-hot 1988, Bill McKibben was busy writing *The End of Nature*, a book that cranked up the global warming warning sirens. It was the first climate change book written for non-scientists, and it was a smash hit. It makes an eloquent effort to convince those entranced by the dominant culture to radically change their thinking and lifestyles, this week if possible, because the biosphere is more damaged than we think. It’s about living with great care, fully present in reality, and pursuing the healing sanity of voluntary self-restraint. The root issue is ... more »
The Winner of the Orville Redenbacher for best popcorn taste and techology has been won by Orville Redenbacher!
I know my popcorn. I have boiled it in oil on the stove, air popped it and nuked it in the microwave. The new microwave pop up bowl is the best thing ever. One caveat the Teflon coating on the bags that may kill you could still be in the pop up. Other than that its fantastic. Lets just hit the highlights. No mess, the package is the bowl, the package is the bowl, its the Seinfeld episode of popcorn. Once you have figured out how long to cook it on ten, you have virtually no unpopped kennels, no unpopped kernels. The bowl traps the heat and because there is no product transfer your... more »
Northern Calif 'Tribal Voices Radio' Live
James Browneagle Tribal Voices Radio LIVE April 14, 2015 Host James Browneagle LIVE April 14, 2015 5:00-6:00 PM on KPFZ 88.1 FM Lake County Community Radio in Northern California. Streaming at www.Tunein.com (type in kpfz.) Live studio phone line is . The latest tribal news, info and discussion with tribal elders. Celebrating 16 years on Community
U.S. & U.N Protect ISIL Terrorists In Syria, And Shield The Crimes of Their Masterminds In Yemen
*The Houthis and Assad are fighting Al-Qaeda and ISIL and winning. The U.S. and United Nations are shielding these terrorist groups from international law and providing diplomatic cover for their atrocities.* *An excerpt from, "US Wants to Free Itself From Responsibility for ISIL Expansion" Sputniknews.com, April 10, 2015:* The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow cannot disregard the fact the US and its allies blocked a UN resolution to add the Islamic State to the sanctions list in the UN Security Council, because that later resulted in the growth of the terrorist group. . . "The... more »
Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- April 14, 2015
*BBC*:* Ukraine conflict: Soldiers killed despite truce talks* *There has been a surge in violence between government troops and pro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine, despite diplomatic efforts to enforce a truce.* *Ukraine said six government soldiers were killed in a 24-hour period and rebels said one of their fighters died in an army attack.* *A BBC team witnessed exchanges of fire during a ceasefire monitoring mission.* *Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- April 14, 2015* Fighting erupts in eastern Ukraine -- The Guardian New Fighting Threatens Ukraine Truce -- WSJ Sporadic fighting... more »
10 Killer Tiny House Designs
*Images - *Increased living costs and the trend to reduce consumerism has given life to a new concept - tiny house designs that offer a contemporary but less costly living space. The post 10 Killer Tiny House Designs appeared first on Waking Times.
Günter Grass: Our democracies are collapsing
*Title: Günter Grass: Our democracies are collapsing. Source: Louisiana Channel. Date Published: December 10, 2013. Description:* Günter Grass against surveillance in the digital age. Hear the German Nobel Prize winning author, who has signed the international declaration "A Stand for Democracy in the Digital age" on why it is necessary to fight for liberal rights. When security is put before liberty, basic democratic rights decay. It is the duty of artists to defend our hard won democratic rights. A word of warning from Günter Grass, one of Germany's most important intellectuals.
Return of the Nazis
Seventy years ago Europe was severely threatened by Fascism, but is the continent now witnessing a nationalist renaissance? One former Latvian Waffen SS fighter openly presents his perspective on the situation, while survivors from Salaspils, a concentration camp in Latvia, are disturbed and terrified by recent events, sharing their heartbreaking memories. Salaspils was a dark page in human history, in the history of Latvia, perhaps that’s why so many seem to be trying to rewrite it.
Islamic State Threatens Another 9/11 And To 'Burn America'
The video, titled 'We Will Burn America', includes footage of the 9/11 terror attacks and several recent ISIS-inspired atrocities *Daily Mail:* *ISIS release latest propaganda video showing jihadists threatening another 9/11 and to 'burn America'* ** ISIS has released yet another bloodthirsty propaganda video* ** The chilling video states there is 'no safety for any American on the globe'* ** It features footage of the Twin Tower attacks and threatens another 9/11* ** Footage of beheadings, burnings and other atrocities is broadcast* *ISIS has released a chilling new propaganda video... more »
Supplemental: Concerning those score gains in Grade 8 math!
*TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2015When will the public be told:* Saturday morning, a breakthrough occurred. As we noted yesterday, it became clear that the Washington Post actually knows a certain fact about the nation’s black kids: The Washington Post knows that black kids have made significant gains in their NAEP math scores. We were never entirely sure that the Post knew that. Below, you see the somewhat begrudging way Lyndsey Layton reported the gains: LAYTON (4/11/15): *Haycock credits annual testing and No Child Left Behind with a modest rise in math scores among black and Hispanic... more »
Pentagon: Islamic State Has Lost A Quarter Of Its Territory In Iraq
*BBC:* *Iraq 'retakes over quarter of Islamic State territory'* *Islamic State (IS) has lost more than a quarter of its territory in Iraq since the US-led coalition air campaign began in August, a Pentagon spokesman says.* *Col Steve Warren said it was too early to say the tide was turning, but that air strikes and Iraqi ground forces had "unquestionably inflicted some damage".* *IS took over swathes of Iraq and Syria last June.* *The announcement came ahead of talks between Iraq's prime minister and US President Barack Obama in Washington.* *Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi wants t... more »
Declassified Records Trace Hidden Interactions Between NASA & Military Space Programs
NASA's Secret Relationships with U.S. Defense and Intelligence Agencies Declassified Records Trace the Many Hidden Interactions Between the U.S. Civilian and National Security Space Programs Secret Cooperation Punctuated by Disputes over Budgets, Encryption of Scientific Data, and Fallout from the *Challenger* Tragedy *Washington, DC, April 10, 2015* – Furnishing cover stories for covert operations, monitoring Soviet missile tests, and supplying weather data to the U.S. military have been part of the secret side of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since its ... more »
UK Scrambles Jets To Monitor Russian Bombers And Ships Spotted Approaching The British Border
A map showing the how jets were launched from RAF Lossiemouth today, shortly after HMS Argyll was deployed to monitor a Russian destroyer and two other ships as they passed through the English Channel *Daily Mail*: *RAF Typhoons scrambled to intercept Russian bombers near British airspace after HMS Argyll monitors destroyer as Nato stages exercises off Scottish coast* ** RAF jets have escorted two Russian military aircraft close to UK airspace * ** The Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland * ** HMS Argyle is also monitoring three Russian ships in the English Chan... more »
Landmark Dutch Climate Lawsuit Puts Governments Around the World on Notice
*World governments trying to decide who should fix the climate first* *by Gaius Publius* It's been obvious for a while that the only real action to reduce carbon emissions — which are the byproduct of a drive for profit, don't forget, and nothing else — is going to come from force. In the current world, that force is coming on three fronts: - Climate marches and demonstrations - Increasing pressure for universities and large pension funds to divest of all carbon stocks - Lawsuits Yes, actual lawsuits — using the courts to rule against defendants, often gover... more »
Cops are not in any way terrorists Thinkaboot it?
Since the year 2000 there are 5600 people who died by the hand of a LEO. Traffic accidents have killed more than 300,000. Terrorists well under 2000. So where should society be spending trillions of dollars on prevention/national security?
Apaches at Oak Flat 'Never Surrender!'
Occupying Sacred Oak Flat, Resisting Resolution Copper Mine By Sandra Rambler, San Carlos Apache Censored News "WE ARE APACHES AND WE NEVER GIVE UP. WE ARE HERE IN PRAYER AND STILL OCCUPYING OUR SACRED ANCESTRAL LAND. CREATOR GOD GAVE US THIS LAND TO TAKE CARE OF AND TO CONTINUE OUR HOLY CEREMONIES. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SACRED SITES AND WE WILL BE BLESSED
American Citizens Still Trapped In Yemen
Video: State Department Responds to #CAIR/ADC Lawsuit Seeking Evacuation of Americans from Yemen http://t.co/dp7y8W2Ah3 — CAIR National (@CAIRNational) April 10, 2015 *ABC News:* *Yemen: For Hundreds of Americans Trapped, a Desperate Search for Freedom* *Claire is 24, pregnant and trapped in Yemen with her new husband, two kittens and two huskies named Phoenix and Miska.The Brooklyn native, who asked ABC News not to use her real first name and withhold her last name to protect her identity, described the last two weeks as a blur of window-rattling bombings -- but mostly mis... more »
Yemen War News Updates -- April 14, 2015
*Reuters:* *Iran puts forward Yemen peace plan as Houthis suffer battlefield setbacks* (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday imposed an arms embargo targeting the Iran-allied Houthi rebels who now control most of Yemen as battles in the south of the country intensified. It also demanded the Houthis stop fighting and withdraw from areas they have seized, including the capital Sanaa. On the ground, southern militiamen claimed gains against the Houthis on several battlefronts across southern Yemen, including districts of the port city of Aden, the last stronghold of loyal... more »
Evidence
Here are 3 days of evidence of emissions and elevated radiation levels: https://www.dropbox.com/s/42n46ysqesbjk70/April%2012%202015%20Through%20April%2015%20Strangeness%20on%20Cams.pdf?dl=0 Today's screenshots of emissions start on page 9 of the pdf. You can see from the screenshots that the emissions coming from the buildings fuse and dissipate in strange concentrations and dispersions. Here is a more recent screenshot that is also persuasive: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pka3ytqqvmsrpsn/Screenshot%202015-04-14%2009.52.49.png?dl=0
The Roswell Slides ARE NOT the Roswell Slides
So now we’re told that the Roswell Slides might not be linked to Roswell and that the name, Roswell Slides was invented by the debunkers and is not a term used by anyone on the inside. For the latest interviews with Don Schmitt and Tom Carey, see *The Conspiracy Show* hosted by Richard Syrett which can be found here: https://youtu.be/fQyAVrFnTos?t=1h3m59s The segment with Carey and Schmitt starts at the 1:04:20 mark of the show and they are on for about thirty minutes. You’ll just have to fast forward through the first hour to get to the Carey and Schmitt interview. Here’s what w...more »
They are taking a chance
Winter arrived in April after being conspicuously missing November to March, and the "cool weather" plants are shell-shocked. There's been maybe two inches growth on most things, if that. And two freezes have set back the potatoes. Of the lettuces, Red Sails is doing best. There are broadbeans down the middle of the greens beds, to provide a little nitrogen and, later, partial shade. Not to mention early foliage and then early beans. Onions and leeks are interspersed throughout. I like Red Russian kale for its hardiness but the young people have requested Lacinato. It is aloso po... more »
Kurds Fully Participate in Generational Assyrian/ Armenian Christian Genocides
* As it was in the past- so it is today* *Yesterday's post ended* "How could one have missed the black Pope playing politics in such a blatant fashion? The Ottoman empire and Genocide The black Pope Francis mentions the role of the Turks, but, fails to mention the *active participation of the Kurds* in the genocide of both the Armenians and Assyrians Why? Why do we not speak of the Kurdish role in both those genocides? Is it because it runs against the grain of the perception management when it comes to the 'heroic Kurd' meme? Heads Up!- I will be speaking of that bit of history ... more »
Bubbles Enters the Fray!
Some people say Don Cherry, but Bubbles has my vote as the most trusted character in Canada today. Mess with Bubbles at your own risk, for one thing he is sure to be paroled before you are!
United Nations Approves An Arms Embargo Against Yemen’s Houthi Rebels
*Al Jazeera: **UN Security Council approves arms embargo against Yemen’s Houthi rebels* *Russia, which insisted that the embargo be extended to all parties involved in the conflict, abstained * *The U.N. Security Council has approved an arms embargo on leaders of Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels and their key supporters, including former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's son. The vote Tuesday was 14-0, with Russia abstaining.* *The measure is aimed at rolling back territorial gains that the Houthis have made in Yemen since September 2014, when they seized the capital, Sanaa. They have si... more »
The Mike Duffy Case
*The Mike Duffy Case* {Lap-Dog Journalism. Hi-Jacking Your Head. Eating Your Soul }part II *Written by Robin Mathews* One: It doesn’t touch the real matter of guilt or innocence. Two: It avoids the basic question about the trial. “It”… is the conventional press and media. One: The trial is about the guilt or innocence of Stephen Harper – not Mike Duffy, and not the Senate of Canada. Almost without question the “creator” of the historical event called Mike Duffy is Stephen Harper. And the creator of “passer-to-Mike-Duffy-of-a-cheque-for-$90,000.00, Nigel Wright”, is Step... more »
Pads Smads
Panasonic 20 inch 4K Pad I am not convinced anyone will stick with a pad unless your using it as a prop for your elevator speech. Most smartphones are more than adequate to handle all a user needs. But if pad you must, thats not a pad, this is a pad.
18 Spring Cleaning Hacks
Spring Cleaning is in full force in our house this week. I love getting rid of things and tidying everything up every spring. Here are 18 great tips I have gathered up to help you with your spring cleaning. How to Create A Cleaning Schedule That Works For You by Living Well Spending Less DIY Citrus Cleaner by For the Love of Food. Garbage Disposal Cleaning Trick by HomeSpot How to Clean a Microwave in Just Five Minutes by Practically Functional. How to Clean Bath Toys by We Love Being Moms. Shower Cleaning Wand by Listotic. How to Clean a Glass Cook Top by Tidy Mom. Ho... more »
Ex-Blackwater Guards Given Long Term Prison Sentences For 2007 Iraq Killings
*New York Times*: *Ex-Blackwater Guards Given Long Terms for Killing Iraqis* *WASHINGTON — One by one, four former Blackwater security contractors wearing blue jumpsuits and leg irons stood before a federal judge on Monday and spoke publicly for the first time since a deadly 2007 shooting in Iraq.* *The men had been among several private American security guards who fired into Baghdad’s crowded Nisour Square on Sept. 16, 2007, and last October they were convicted of killing 14 unarmed Iraqis in what prosecutors called a wartime atrocity. Yet on Monday, as they awaited sentences th...more »
AM.com rips the man a new and large one!
Monty Pythonesc product of AM.com all rights surrended:)Just when you have become aware enough to realise all lawyers are sharks whose only wish is to become killer whales, you find a golden retriever. A dogged individual fetching the information you need without slobbering. If you interact with the world owned by the MAN, *you must read this post*. Its copyright infringement notice protection from notices that only work to fool you.
Brief followup to yesterday's RANT
*Crow on Skull* Folks, just a couple of comments on the issues covered in yesterday's rant. First, I went to the CBC website last night to see if there was any coverage on the Jade Helm "Drill" that's supposed to be taking place in Canada and the US beginning *April 20 and going into late May*. *Just as I suspected...there was no mention of this upcoming drill on the CBC and there's a total media blackout in Canada (as of last night at least) on this drill. *Given the issues with drills in the past...how so many of them (9/11 and 7/7 and the Boston Marathon Bombing, just to menti... more »
Over the Counter Pain Reliever Found to Blunt Emotions Like Joy
*Heather Callaghan* - Drugs like alcohol, street and prescription, and cigarettes are considered "numb-ers" in traditional natural health and mind-body circles because of their emotional suppression. The post Over the Counter Pain Reliever Found to Blunt Emotions Like Joy appeared first on Waking Times.
NO FAVORITE EXAMPLE LEFT BEHIND: Charles Blow says what Hannity said!
*TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2015Part 2—While still denouncing Their Tribe:* Last week, some videotape emerged from South Carolina. On the widely-aired tape, a man is running away from a policeman. He is shot eight times in the back. Everyone on the face of the earth understands that this police conduct is wrong. Last Thursday night, Sean Hannity stated his reaction to the tape, as noted in yesterday’s post: “I look at this video and I want to cry for this man and his family because under no circumstances should any cop that's not under a threat be shooting somebody in the back.” Everybo... more »
How Much Evidence Do We Need to Take Action?
*Zen Gardner* - The news pouring in daily about how we’re being scammed, poisoned and domineered by big food, big pharma, big oil, big corporations and big brother is almost overwhelming. The post How Much Evidence Do We Need to Take Action? appeared first on Waking Times.
Greece Is Preparing To Declare A Debt Default
*Financial Times*:* Greece prepares for debt default if talks with creditors fail* *Greece is preparing to take the dramatic step of declaring a debt default unless it can reach a deal with its international creditors by the end of April, according to people briefed on the radical leftist government’s thinking.* *The government, which is rapidly running out of funds to pay public sector salaries and state pensions, has decided to withhold €2.5bn of payments due to the International Monetary Fund in May and June if no agreement is struck, they said.* *“We have come to the end o... more »
Fukushima Unit 1: The Hell Produced by Human Hubris
Unit 1 at Fukushima Daiichi is a human-produced hell, incapable of sustaining life. Fukushima instantiates the suicidal madness at the heart of our hubris. Even our machines, the progeny of our alienated praxis, cannot withstand the forces of destruction we have unleashed. Enenews ( here ) has several articles posted about the problems TEPCO is having with robotics inside unit 1. Their robot died, probably because of the intense radiation levels, which at one point spiked to 24.9 sieverts an hour. Yet, TEPCO reports that radiation levels were actually LOWER than anticipated: Fro... more »
How Yoga Heals The Diseased Heart
*Sayer Ji* - What if the simple act of doing yoga could heal your diseased heart? The post How Yoga Heals The Diseased Heart appeared first on Waking Times.
Mandatory minimum gun sentences unconstitutional
R. *v.* Nur, 2015 SCC 15: When a mandatory minimum sentencing provision is challenged under s. 12, two questions arise. The first is whether the provision imposes cruel and unusual punishment (i.e. a grossly disproportionate sentence) on the particular individual before the court. If the answer is no, the second question is whether the provision's reasonably foreseeable applications would impose cruel and unusual punishment on other offenders. This approach is consistent with the long and settled jurisprudence of this Court relating to *Charter *review generally... more »
April 14, 2015 – White Hats Report #50 - WE’RE BACK!
After much soul searching, it’s been decided to restart The White Hats Report website in an effort to continue the work begun over 4 years and 47 reports ago. At that time, we suspended our reporting as other matters had to take precedence. In the meantime, Kerry Cassidy graciously provided me blog space on her Project Camelot website wherein I offered submissions periodically for posting and some sites linked to this blog including One World of Nations. In addition, the furor over our failure to release #48 was addressed in my article entitled “About 48”. This was written for my... more »
Will Russia's Decision To Arm Iran With S-300 Missiles Make Any U.S. Attack On Iran Impossible?
*Dave Majumdar, Daily Beast: **Putin’s Missile Could Make U.S. Attacks on Iran Nearly Impossible* *For years, Team Obama crowed about keeping this advanced Russian missile out of Iran’s hands. Now the Kremlin suddenly seems eager to hand it over to Tehran.* *This nuke deal with Iran had better work. Because the Kremlin is lifting a ban on selling a powerful air defense system to Iran that would render an airstrike on Tehran’s nuclear weapons facilities nearly impossible.* *The delivery of the new weapon, called the Almaz-Antei S-300PMU-1—known as the SA-20 Gargoyle in NATO parl... more »
How to fix the Gardnier Express way!
The answer lies at the bottom of Hong Kong Harbour. Drop precast tunnel sections into the great lake. Engineering, finance, and project management solutions that do not need to be invented. A well proven path. We have the know how, we have the money, we have the virgin lake bottom, build now. If cost was not prohibitive why not have two lanes that are reversible with exits only at Spadina and the tunnel start finish. Keep the old raised section and turn it into a park/bike lane. Two solutions from world class cities that Toronto should adopt today. A more holistic plan would see... more »
So It Ain't Just Me?
Via my FaceBook existence, a "friend" recommends a review by Naomi Klein of Steve Fraser’s *The Age of Acquiescence: The Life and Death of American Resistance to Organized Wealth and Power* in the *NYT's Review of Books*. Read it with me and see if you can't find similarities to my constant carping and bitching and internet whining for decades now! Fraser, a labor historian, argues that deepening economic hardship for the many, combined with “insatiable lust for excess” for the few, qualifies our era as a second Gilded Age. But while contemporary wealth stratification shares much ... more »
Did Iraq’s Sadr Ever Send Men To Fight In The Syrian War?
When the war in Syria took off there were some contested stories over whether Moqatada al-Sadr had sent his men to fight there or not. One problem was the fact that the Sadr movement had splintered so much during the U.S. occupation that it was often difficult to determine who was and wasn’t part of it. Sadr initially said he was opposed to intervening in the conflict on religious and political grounds. Eventually he did decide to join in after lobbying by Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, and to keep up with the other major Shiite parties in Iraq. As soon as President Bashar al-Assad... more »
Illinois State Sen. Mike Noland On Campaign Finance-- The Strings Attached
With Tammy Duckworth running for Mark Kirk's Senate seat, in the IL-08 district just northwest of Chicago (Schaumburg, Elgin, Carpentersville, Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Bloomingdale)-- PVI D+8-- there's a rare opportunity to replace a careerist-centrist with a populist activist. State Senator Mike Noland, first elected in 2006, has been one of the most progressive members of Illinois's Senate and is likely to run for Congress next year, and to run on his progressive record focused on economic recovery, ethics reform, and fighting for universal health care. ... more »
A question for my readers about Chu
*Above is the latest SETV poll, which shows that Wang does better than Chu against Tsai. UPDATE: Link* Let's unpack all the stuff I've been chatting about all day. Eric Chu, KMT Chairman is going to meet President Xi of China in May, says everyone. I haven't talked to anyone who thinks that will be good for his election prospects. Can Chu really kowtow before Xi, then return to Taiwan and within a month tell everyone he is Taiwanese? Because even Ma Ying-jeou was able to say he was Taiwanese (started in July of 2011 and he managed to grit his teeth on that one for six months). The... more »
American Trainers In Iraq See An Army In Disrepair
*New York Times*:* U.S. Soldiers, Back in Iraq, Find Security Forces in Disrepair* *CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Lt. Col. John Schwemmer is here for his sixth Iraq deployment. Maj. James Moblin is on his fourth. Sgt. Maj. Thomas Foos? “It’s so many, I would rather not say. Sir.”* *These soldiers are among 300 from the 5-37 Squadron of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army, about half of them trainers, the rest support and force protection. Stationed at this old Iraqi military base 20 miles north of Baghdad, they are as close as it gets to American boots on the ground in Iraq... more »
Iraq's PM Is In Washington Seeking Weapons, Money, And A Greater U.S. Role In The War Against The Islamic State
*New York Times*: *Iraqi Prime Minister, in Washington, Seeks Billions to Overcome Deficit* *WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq is using his first official visit to Washington this week to pursue billions of dollars in loans and international assistance as his government struggles with plunging oil prices and a yawning budget deficit.* *Mr. Abadi, who arrived here on Monday night, has a full agenda, including a meeting on Tuesday with President Obama. But a major priority is laying the groundwork for financial support to help the Iraqi government as it struggles ... more »
Any of you who think America is the "white hat" and Russia is the "black hat" will find out that your beliefs are the exact opposite of the facts currently on the ground for all to see as soon as you play the three links below (and ignore the lying "mainstream media"). Over the last few years I've learned that our country is pretty damn rotten, but refusing to get Americans out of a battle zone while rescuing Saudi pilots is beyond the pale!
------------------------------ *Guest Column by Robert Barsocchini — US Abandons Own Citizens in Yemen but Rescues Saudi Bombers * ------------------------------ April 13, 2015 | Original Here Go here to sign up to receive email notice of this news letter Guest Column by Robert Barsocchini — US Abandons Own Citizens in Yemen but Rescues Saudi Bombers — http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41527.htm If reports are true that the US government has refused to rescue US citizens stuck in a war zone in Yemen http://www.mcclatchydc.com... more »
Is Edward Snowden Acting Very Strange Inside Russia?
U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden applies to extend his asylum in Russia. Elena Polio / Flickr *Michael Weiss, Daily Beast*: *Edward Snowden Is Acting Very Strange Inside Russia* *Russian spy-watcher Andrei Soldatov on Snowden’s strange behavior in Russia, the Nemtsov assassination, and signs of a power struggle in Putin’s inner circle.* *Andrei Soldatov’s beat is Russian spies, which is a hot topic for a new cold war. As editor of agentura.ru, an online “watchdog” of Putin’s clandestine intelligence agencies, he has spent the last decade reporting on and anatomizing the re... more »
Editor's Note
Had some visitor's from overseas who surprised me last night. Blogging will be light today. World News Briefs and Military and Intelligence News Briefs will be posted later today.
Another Ben Stein?
http://www.tpnn.com/ Joe Oliver's proposed balanced budget legislation is so inane it's hilarious. Like most Harperian legislation, the proposed bill leaves lots of unanswered questions. Scott Clark and Peter DeVries write: In his speech, Mr. Oliver stated that the only deficit his balanced-budget law would consider acceptable would be one that results from a recession, or an extraordinary circumstance (like a war or natural disaster) with a cost exceeding $3 billion in a year. Within 30 days of a published deficit, the Finance m... more »
No Shit Sherlock
'The bBC is a big Labour supporting monopoly with the power and network to swing an election and needs to be broken up and to Camerons shame in the last 5 years he has not touched it.' From the comments at Biased BBC today.
Are you sure Ed?
Ed Miliband said at the Labour Party manifesto launch yesterday that: “It was the financial crisis that caused the deficit…” Really? Look at the graph at the top of this piece. Was it the financial crisis that caused the deficit that Labour ran in 2002/3? Was it the financial crisis that caused the deficit that Labour grew in 2003/4? Was it the financial crisis that caused the deficit that Labour grew in 2004/5? Was it the financial crisis that caused the deficit that Labour grew in 2005/6? Was it the financial crisis that caused the deficit that Labour ran in 2006/7? Was it the f... more »
Untitled
*Dyatlov Pass: a chilling mystery solved?* *A story that windfarm opponents will understand* It starts out like a horror movie. Deep in the mid-winter of 1958/59, a low-ranking army officer in a remote region of the USSR receives a phone call informing him that a group of hikers has failed to return from an expedition. He is asked to lead a search. His team arrives by helicopter on the exposed slopes of Otorten Mountain (Dead Mountain) and eventually discover a tent partially covered in snow. It is empty. Apart from a rip in the side of the tent, nothing looks disturbed or unusual... more »
Bolivia: UFOs Over La Paz?
*Source: La Voz (Bolivia), Realidad OVNI and Planeta UFODate: April 13, 2015* *Bolivia: UFOs Over La Paz?* Residents of the city of La Paz were startled by the presence of some strange lights At 19:30 hours on Sunday (04.12.15). For over half an hour, thousands of residents looked skyward to see some strange lights (not those of an airplane) that captured the public's attention. These are unidentified flying objects. The mystery and astonishment arose due to the fact that a first light appeared, lasted some five minutes, and then mysteriously vanished. It reappeared within a mi... more »
Untitled
*5 years later, no final word on BP spill's effects ~David Hammer, WWL* *Five Years After BP Spill, It's Safe To Eat Gulf Seafood... If You Can Find It ~Lane Kaplan-Levinson, WWNO* *Tulane students occupy president's office to protest fossil fuel investments ~Ted Lipinski* *Blighted since Katrina, New Orleans East shopping center reopens with 2 businesses ~WDSU* *Literary Louisiana ~Jennifer Moses, NYT*
Why does no one ever talk?
Anytime anyone anywhere questions the official line its instantly determined to be a conspiracy theory and the teller has no official time they are just labelled crazy and the powers that be ask the citizens if there was any truth to this would not one person find a way to simply tell the story there is no way to cover up a crime that changed the world with a fifth avenue hustle and flow selling an alternative narrative someone will talk and after all the government cant deliver the mail how are they going to pull off the crime of the century as if the space shuttle did not have millions ... more »
Putin’s Mideast Gains Trump $ Loss From Iran Agreement
Bloomberg An interesting piece, but, as of yet I'm not convinced of the reality of the P5+ 1 agreement Benefits to Russia may be just one reason for this agreement to fail. -The U.S. and five other global powers, including Russia, aim to complete negotiations with Iran by *the end of June* - The price (of oil) *could tumble another $15 a barrel* once sanctions on Iran are lifted after a final nuclear deal, the Energy Information Administration said on April 7. - *Oil at $40 a barrel could shave almost 2 percent from Russian gross domestic product, *according to estimates by the Rus... more »
See How Walmart’s ‘Non-Melting’ Ice Cream Handles the Heat
*Video - *Have you heard about the Walmart ice cream sandwiches that won’t melt? Ever wonder why? The post See How Walmart’s ‘Non-Melting’ Ice Cream Handles the Heat appeared first on Waking Times.
Cook With Organic
[image: OCA's Cook Organic Not the Planet Campaign] Boycott Factory Farm Foods! What if there were an organic technology that could cut greenhouse gas emissions in half and literally suck down and naturally sequester 50-100 parts-per-million of excess atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG) into our living soil?We have the technology to avert climate catastrophe. Traditional carbon ranching, or the rotational grazing of animals on deep-rooted perennial grasses, in combination with organic crop cultivation, reforestation, and wetland restoration can restabilize the climate and save ... more »
BMD mission demands outstrip fleet's capabilities
[image: USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)]Navy officials say the fleet of BMD-capable cruisers and destroyers is far outstripped by unprecedented demand for these shooters. The Pentagon's "unsustainable" BMD strategy lacks the clarity to accomplish the growing mission, needed to counter threats from nuclear-armed countries like Iran and North Korea, they argue. Combatant commanders last year requested 44 ships in recent years to meet BMD missions, according to congressional data. In fiscal 2016, that need is expected to jump to 77 ships — a tally more than double the Navy's inventory of BMD-... more »
ASEAN Politics 4: Institutions and Per Capita Wealth in the Region
During the Philippine Economic Society (PES) Conference last November 2014, among the papers presented was this one. The paper wanted to ask, *why are some countries richer than the others?* Its Objective was *"To know whether differences in existing political institutions in the ASEAN member states explain the differences in Per Capita GDP growth of the said member states from period 1993-2012"* Scope covers ASEAN countries excluding Myanmar and Brunei due to insufficient data from 1993-2012. The model used by the paper. *Results and Discussion* ü Variations in Political ... more »
MENA Report ( April 14 , 2015 ) Yemen Regional Proxy War , Iraq / Syria Regional War , ISIS / Jihadist Global War , Af-Pak , Libya , Iran all in focus ....
Links..... *US Expands Role in Saudi Arabia's War on Yemen* *Reuters Chief Flees Iraq Amid Threats By Militias* *Taliban Kills 18 Afghan Troops in Northeast, 8 Beheaded* US Chief Negotiator: Military Strike Won't Stop Iran's Nuclear Program Russian Decision on Iran Missiles Will Not Hurt Nuclear Talks: State Dept Pakistan Seeks to Calm Relations With Gulf States Over Yemen UN to Vote on Arms Embargo Against Yemen Rebel Leaders Hezbollah Leader Says Saudi Strikes in Yemen Constitute 'Genocide' Militants Back in Baiji Refinery; 139 Killed Across Iraq Iraq PM to Seek Weapons on US ... more »
Economic News , Data and Views ( April 14 , 2015 ) .... Greece updates ( Greek Defense Minister Kammenos says Greece won't sign new austerity Memorandum , Greece denies report that is preparing fro debt default , concerned commentary from IMF's Thomsen / Goyal and ESM's Regling on Negotiations status / Greek economic data . Bond yields signaling market concerns re : default ) .....Petrobras tries to avoid default ....... Items of Interest touching on Broader Europe today and from Asia overnight.....
Tweets...... Additional items posted at blog tweet feed during the day ! *Yannis Koutsomitis* @YanniKouts 2m 2 minutes ago #*IMF* warns Greek negotiations are 'not working' as Athens ramps up default threats http://tgr.ph/1CTpLBZ /via @*TeleFinance* #*Greece* #*euro* *fred walton* @fredwalton216 1m 1 minute ago fred walton retweeted Kathimerini English Gov't withholding payments as financial travails have increased. fred walton added, *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini State's debts to individuals grow to 3.25 billion euros http:// dlvr.it/9Ndpdz Efthimia E... more »
Tsarnaevd - Who Built the Bombs, Where and Why No Evidence Needed at Trial? (Treasury Flash Crash of October 15, 2014 Still Has Wall Street in a Sweat)
Tsarnaev Guilty, but Who Made the Bombs? April 13, 2015 by Joanne Potter Dzhokhar Tsarnaev now faces the sentencing phase of his trial, even with some crucial questions about the case left unanswered. We asked each member of our Boston Marathon Bombing reporting team to share their personal experience or perspective on one aspect of the bombing or the trial. Stay tuned for more personal
A Full Year of Milestones for Raytheon's Air & Missile Defense Radar
In its first year, Raytheon Company has met all critical milestones in the development of the U.S. Navy's AN/SPY-6(V) integrated Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR). Since work officially began in January 2014, the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program – now 35 percent complete - has advanced in design, risk reduction and maturity, placing it on track for delivery to the Navy's Flight III DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. DDG 51 Flight III is scheduled to begin construction in 2016. Read more
Get Ready: Laser Weapons Are Almost Here
[image: Laser Weapon System (LaWS)]May 1977 saw the premiere of an epic tale in which an evil empire deployed powerful directed-energy weapons in its quest for total domination. Star Wars was first shown in the same month, but Aviation Week’’s serial scoops on the Soviet Union’s supposed development of laser-based missile defenses were a hit in their own right. Inspired by ultra-hawkish Maj. Gen. George Keegan, just retired as chief of U.S. Air Force intelligence, they suggested that the Soviets were preparing to end the Cold War on their own terms—by threatening the West with des... more »
Putin lifts Russia's ban on delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran
[image: S-300V4 Antey]Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday cleared the way for delivery of sophisticated air defense systems to Iran with a decree that U.S. officials warned could disrupt the emerging deal to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Kremlin officials cited the April 2 framework agreement between Iran and six world powers that is expected to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons as grounds for proceeding with delivery of the S-300 missile systems, which could give Russia a jump on others in resuming trade with the long-isolated Islamic Republic.... more »
Fabrication Flaw in Areva Reactor Pressure Vessels (EPR Flamanville-3)
Marignac, Yves (2015), Fabrication Flaws in the Pressure Vessel of the EPR Flamanville-‐3 Marignac is Director of WISE-‐Paris Summary Fabrication defects detected in the end of 2014 in upper and lower heads of the Flamanville-‐3 reactor pressure vessel are, by size and characteristics, very serious mechanical defaults. These phenomena strongly put into question the safety case of the EPR (European Pressurized Water Reactor) currently under construction in Normandy. The reason why a well-‐known material heterogeneity problem was not mastered during the forging of the pieces... more »
Indian Defense Minister's Comments Raise Doubts Over Fate Of $20B Rafale Fighter Jet Deal
[image: Dassault Rafale-M]India will buy Dassault Aviation-made Rafale jets only through direct talks with the French government, India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Monday. His comments, which came just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the purchase of 36 Rafale jets from France, raise doubts over the fate of an existing deal with Dassault. In 2007, the Indian government had floated a global tender to purchase fighter jets. Read more
USS Gary Returning a Final Time; Swan Song for Seahawk Copters
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[image: USS Gary (FFG-51)]The Navy frigate USS Gary, which helped fight drug trafficking off Central America, is set to return Friday to Naval Base San Diego from its final deployment, the Navy said Monday. The team interdicted 13,921 kilograms of cocaine with a wholesale value of $278.4 million and 18 pounds of marijuana, valued at $17,100. Following Gary’s return, the ship will begin preparations for decommissioning. Read more
Drone films the USS Ranger on her final journey to the scrapyard
The aircraft carrier USS Ranger, which saw action in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm and appeared in the movies “Top Gun” and “Star Trek IV” is on its final journey. The once-mighty carrier is on a five-month cruise at the end of a tow cable from Bremerton, Washington, around the top of South America to a scrapyard in Texas. LiveLeak user captainslog used a drone to capture this footage of the ship as it stopped in the Bay of Panama. Read more
USS Carl Vinson begins return to San Diego
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[image: USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)]The San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson Monday turned over command of operations in the Arabian Gulf to another flattop, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and is preparing to sail home. "There is still much to be done, but it will be nice to have the compass rose point in one direction for miles at a time," after months of traversing the narrow gulf, Capt. Karl Thomas said in a Facebook message to sailors, airmen and family members. The Vinson departed San Diego last August and began flight operations against Islamic State targets two months l... more »
Naval aviation progress comes in fits, starts
[image: E-2D Advanced Hawkeye]The Navy is in the midst of sweeping changes in aviation, particularly in the future carrier air wing. As engineers continue to develop the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier variant of the stealth aircraft that has suffered repeated delays, service officials are trying to ensure an adequate number of F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets are available to operate at sea. In addition, the Navy is bringing on a new early warning aircraft and beginning the shift from a twin-engine cargo aircraft for carrier onboard delivery to the tiltrotor aircraft now flown by ... more »
Navy Frigate Requirements Will Be Finalized Soon, Will Inform Decision on Hull Downselect
[image: USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Independence (LCS-2)]The Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is working with both its shipbuilders to determine how to bring the current LCS designs into a more lethal and survivable frigate design, while it works with other Navy offices to finalize the frigate requirements. The Navy decided the last 20 of its 52 LCSs would instead be a modified LCS, later renamed a frigate. Though many details are still being worked out, PEO LCS Rear Adm. Brian Antonio told USNI News in an interview at Washington Navy Yard that the frig... more »
Indonesia eyes navy exercises with US in disputed waters
[image: P-3C Orion]Indonesia wants to hold regular military exercises with the United States near the sparsely populated Natuna archipelago, an area of the South China Sea near China's claims, a navy spokesman said on Monday. Although Indonesia is not a claimant in the South China Sea, the military has accused China of including parts of Natuna within its so called "Nine-Dash Line," the vague boundary used on Chinese maps to lay claim to about 90 percent of the sea. The United States, which raised concerns on Friday about China's rapid reclamation of reefs in the area, held a joint ... more »
Russia is now projecting serious power in the Black Sea
[image: Project 677 Lada-class SSK]Russia’s seizure of Crimea ensured that Moscow could expand its naval capabilities throughout the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean, Matthew Bodner writes for Defence News. The Kremlin’s Black Sea Fleet was based and operated out of the Crimean city of Sevastopol. However, even under the leadership of pro-Russian former Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych, the Black Sea Fleet was constrained by Kiev. “The Black Sea Fleet by 2010 had not been replenished with new warships for 25 years, and in fact [the fleet] had turned into a bunch of museum ... more »
Children of "Holocaust survivors" being groomed to perpetuate weaponized historical narrative
Due to the extremely emotional and traumatic nature of the official "Holocaust" story of WWII - "6 million Jews" allegedly brutalized, tortured, gassed, and/or murdered at the hands of Adolf Hitler and "the evil Nazis" - the vast majority of people are simply *incapable of critically thinking* about this very important aspect of our collective historical narrative. The official "Holocaust" narrative, which *has been exposed* as *entirely false* in virtually *all aspects* by *serious*, *honest historians and scientists*, has been perpetuated and reinforced largely by emotionally cha... more »
Earth’s 19th Little Ice Age has Begun
I have been convinced that this is the case for some time. We have entered a forty year or so cycle that will see around a half degree of cooling. It has been underway for a solid decade and we have been treated to winter shocks that is rolling back the heat accumulation we have enjoyed so much. Hopefully it will also end the extensive drouth underway in the southern USA as well. That would be very welcome. I do not know just how long it will take but we need to teach this cycle well. Hurricanes follow it as wel... more »
Muskogee Language and Whiskey
All this works conforms brilliantly to our well developed knowledge of the Atlantean Bronze Age (2400 BC - 1159 BC) and the Mesoamerican succession ( 1000 BC - 1500 AD ). In fact it provides direct proofs of well established colonies and long term occupation leading to significant language modification. Better yet we have locked down the 900 AD through 1690 AD colonization of Mes Americans in the Southeast. Language has also established the earlier Bronze Age colonization of Andean miners in the Southeast as well and this likely extends to Lake Superior. Better yet we have ... more »
China's Stock Bubble
Does anyone really believe this is going to end well? Huge floods of hot cash have underwritten all this and it has no exit because the assets simply cannot cash flow enough in time to liquidate the debt incurred as in ever. We are merely waiting for the crushing price contraction. It will then spill over into the real estate bubble and we will see a force out at economic levels and that likely means ten cents on the dollar for prime assets. There is an escape but no one in history has ever truly taken it, so i will not waste time explaining at all. Besides they needed to s... more »
China's Demographic Destiny Disaster (In 2 Simple Charts)
Oh finally. Someone has actually run the numbers properly and came up with the exact same answer I came up with and posted on around a year ago. Quite simply, China's population will be cut in half inside the next two generations or easily within the lifetimes of most of you. Like Japan, it will be much richer but bit will be smaller. I did not have the raw data but it is not hard to understand that this must happen with the one child policy. They are only now backing off that plan. After all the population collapse will only continue if they do not. I am more surprised t... more »
PLA's DF-21D anti-ship missile can reach Philippines: US report
[image: DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile]China's DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile has extended the attack range of the People's Liberation Army Navy all the way to the Philippines, according to the US Navy's first unclassified assessment report of the Chinese navy in six years. In The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century, released April 10, America's Office of Naval Intelligence said the PLA has been making "major qualitative improvements" in its naval aviation and submarine force, adding that they are "increasingly capable of striking targets hundreds of... more »
Russian inspectors arrive at British war games off Scotland
[image: Astute class SSN]Russian military inspectors are attending massive naval war games off the coast of Scotland it has been disclosed. The Ministry of Defence has been forced to accept a four day visit of military experts from Moscow under a European arms control treaty. The visit began on Monday at Lossiemouth, international officials said, the home of an RAF quick reaction force of Typhoon jets at minutes’ notice to scramble and intercept Russian long-range bombers probing UK airspace. Read more
French submarine officials to tour ASC in Osborne as they consider whether to build in Adelaide
[image: Scorpene class SSK]French submarine officials will tour ASC tomorrow as they consider whether to build Australia’s future fleet in Adelaide. The submarine builder DCNS will be the second of the three bidders vying for the $20 billion-plus project to visit the former Australian Submarine Corporation, based at Osborne. ASC senior managers told a Senate committee hearing in Adelaide today that they also hoped to push the shipyard’s credentials to Japanese defence officials at a major maritime conference in Yokohama next month. Read more
R.I.P. Günter Grass
*A legend has left us. R.I.P. Günter Grass.*
DRS to provide electronic equipment for US submarines and vessels
[image: USS Hampton (SSN-767)]DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica company, has received contracts from the US Navy to provide equipments for its submarines and other vessels. The two indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity agreements have a total potential ceiling value of about $440m. With an estimated ceiling value of $384m, the first contract will see the company upgrade electronic equipments fitted on the navy's different classes of submarines. Read more
Navy to Deploy First Underwater Drones from Submarines
The Navy will deploy its first underwater drones from Virginia-class attack submarines for the first time in history later this year, the Navy's director of undersea warfare said Monday. The deployment will include the use of the Remus 600 Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, or UUVs, performing undersea missions in strategic locations around the globe, Rear Adm. Joseph Tofalo, told Military.com at the Navy League's Sea Air Space annual symposium at National Harbor, Md. "Now you are talking about a submarine CO who can essentially be in two places at the same time – with a UUV out deploye... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Gold In The Shadows”, “Terra, Earth”
Liquid Mind, “Gold In The Shadows”, “Terra, Earth” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5IWJWEOIDg&feature=related
The Poet: Barbara Crooker, "In the Middle..."
*"In the Middle..."* "In the middle of a life that's as complicated as everyone else's, struggling for balance, juggling time. The mantle clock that was my grandfather's has stopped at 9:20; we haven't had time to get it repaired. The brass pendulum is still, the chimes don't ring. One day you look out the window, green summer, the next, and the leaves have already fallen, and a grey sky lowers the horizon. Our children almost grown, our parents gone, it happened so fast. Each day, we must learn again how to love, between morning's quick coffee and evening's slow return. Steam from a pot ... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The southern Milky Way appears spectacular in this composite image taken from Mangaia, the most southerly of the Cook Islands. Few sources of light pollution exist here, home to only 500 people. *Click image for larger size.* The two bright stars at the Milky Way’s center are Alpha (left) and Beta Centauri. They point to Crux the Southern Cross. Near the horizon, two of the satellite galaxies of our Milky Way, the Small (left) and Large Magellanic Clouds are easy to spot." - http://www.astronomy.com/
Chet Raymo, "Hanging On"
*"Hanging On"* by Chet Raymo "I change the desktop image on my laptop every now and then, generally when I come across a new image I like. In the last year or so you'll remember that I wrote about Caravaggio's "The Rest on the Flight Into Egypt" and Vermeer's "The Milkmaid." Live with an image for a while and it's inevitable that you learn something from it. Here is the painting I've had as my desktop in recent weeks, Winslow Homer's "Snap the Whip", 1872, one of America's sentimental favorites. A simpler, more innocent time. Boys at recess, barefoot in the grass. Hand-me-down clo... more »
"In The Face Of Life..."
"Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that we never dream at all. But, the strongest of us, the most determined of us, holds on to the dream or we find ourselves faced with a fresh dream we never considered. We wake to find ourselves, against all odds... feeling hopeful. And, if we're lucky, we realize in the face of everything, in the face of life- the true dream is being able to dream at all." - "Dr. Meredith Grey", "Grey's Anatomy"
“Some Things You Need To Know”
*“Some Things You Need To Know”* by Marc “I know you’re reading this. And I want you to know I’m writing this for you. Others will be confused. They will think I’m writing this for them. But I’m not. This one’s for you. I want you to know that life is not easy. Every day is an unpredictable challenge. Some days it can be difficult to simply get out of bed in the morning. To face reality and put on that smile. But I want you to know, your smile has kept me going on more days than I can count. Never forget that, even through the toughest times, you are incredible. You really are. So... more »
Fire in Abasand
My heart dropped today when I was asked at work if I had heard about the fire in Abasand late last night that destroyed 4 homes along with 3 garages and 3 vehicles. It brought me back to my early teen years when the old wooden house next door burnt to the ground resulting in one man breaking a few bones and a second man who sadly lost his life. I remember sitting silently at the kitchen table with my coat along with my two younger sisters ready to leave immediately should the need arise. While that event took place almost 30 years ago, it's still an event that crops up in family ... more »
Cornell study in PNAS: women STEM faculty are 2-to-1 overrepresented
*The fair fraction of female faculty is 2 times lower than the current one* Steven Pinker called it a shocker of a study but I am not surprised at all. The results coming from the paper I will discuss pretty much agree with my estimates based on the insider knowledge of similar mechanisms. Wendy Williams and Stephen Ceci (Cornell) just published a paper in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences. The title is National hiring experiments reveal 2:1 faculty preference for women on STEM tenure track (click for full PDF) Lots of fictitious male and female applications were... more »
In honour of Thomas Jefferson’s birthday …
[image: Declaration of Independence] *Declaration of Independence*: Wikimedia Commons In honour of Thomas Jefferson’s birthday … (which it still is in the US), here’s a subtle yet powerful tribute to him (and men of his kind) from Ayn Rand, via The Objective Standard: * "In *Atlas Shrugged * , I discussed the 'pyramid of ability' in the realm of economics. There is another kind of social pyramid. The genius who fights 'every form of tyranny over the mind of man' is fighting a battle for which lesser men do not have the strength, but on which their freedom, thei... more »
Is the American Education System One Big Conspiracy?
*Video - *Ex-senior policy adviser at the Department of Education shares how government policies have affected the quality of American education and how public schooling has evolved. The post Is the American Education System One Big Conspiracy? appeared first on Waking Times.
A report says hundreds of Iranians are protesting in Tehran against Saudi Arabia over the alleged abuse of two Iranian pilgrims at a Saudi airport. According to the Associated Press news agency, more than 300 protesters gathered in front of the Saudi Embassy in northern Tehran on April 11 to call ...
Analysts say Islamabad will find it hard to deny Saudi Arabia's request for military aid due to longstanding financial ties. Pakistan faces an unenviable dilemma - whether to join a Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen or stay out and risk angering its old ally, which provides it ...
Mike Whitney in Counterpunch: I served for twenty-one years with the CIA's Directorate of Operations in the Middle East, and during all my years there I accepted on faith my government's easy assumption that the money the House of Saud was dumping into weaponry and national security meant that the family's ...
Sayed Hassan Nasrallah discusses the US-Saudi operation in Yemen, which to date has been a real military disaster. According to him, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a foolish enterprise, and now its very territorial integrity is threatened. He confidently predicts a resounding victory for the Houthis, and major repercussions for ...
Saudi Arabia’s military incursion into Yemen is about more than rescuing a client or checking Iran’s ambitions: The kingdom is ushering in a new foreign policy that breaks with past behavior. The House of Saud is settling into a post-American phase, using its own forces to steady the Middle East. ...
Yemeni people have bitter feelings about House of Saud: not only for their role in supporting the reactionary monarchy and in their role in prolonging the civil war, but also for expelling hundreds of thousands of Yemeni workers from Saudi Arabia in 1990 because Salih stood against the US-Saudi-Syrian war ...
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