10:33pm MDST
Did Then-Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen Know That Bowe Bergdahl Deserted His Post?
*FOX News:* *Bergdahl's platoon mates: Head of Joint Chiefs knew he walked off base in 2009* *Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his base in Afghanistan June 30, 2009, and by December of that same year, the president's principal military adviser, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, knew those details, according to three of Bergdahl's platoon mates who spoke to Fox News.* *"I asked him (Mullen) if he knew about Bergdahl and that he deserted and he (Mullen) told me that he knew of the circumstances surrounding his walking off," former Sgt. Matt Vierkant to...more »
Differences Between The U.S. And Iran On Their Nuclear Deal Continues To Widen
*USA Today*: *Iran-U.S. differences over nuclear deal widen* *Two weeks after world powers and Iran announced a framework agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program, widening gaps between the two sides are emerging.* *As negotiators prepare to start working on a final agreement in Vienna next Wednesday, the United States and Iran are at odds on key issues that form the basis of the deal unveiled April 2 in Switzerland.* *They include when economic sanctions on Iran will be lifted, the number of machines Iran can keep to process uranium and length of the final agreement.* *WNU Edit... more »
Are The People Who Run U.S. Central Command Stupid?
*William M. Arkin, Phase Zero/Gawker*: Why Is CENTCOM So Stupid? *Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is in Washington today to meet President Obama. To set the stage yesterday, U.S. Central Command—the military command charged with advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East—announced that ISIS has lost control of 25 to 30 percent of its territory since August. The Pentagon briefing map, pictured below, is meticulous in its utter irrelevance. * *The Pentagon spokesmen said that "coalition forces" expected to clear Tikrit of ISIS/ISIL "relatively soon" and that the front line "ha... more »
Musical Interlude: Afshin Toufighian & Ali Youssefi, "Rise"
Afshin Toufighian and Ali Youssefi, "Rise" Lyrics from “The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLnfWlGxw0c
Musical Interlude: Afshin, "Prayer of Change"
Afshin, "Prayer of Change" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SGQ65QhaU ◆
Free Download: Hermann Hesse, "Siddhartha"
"Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse "Siddhartha" is a novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of a boy known as Siddhartha from the Indian Subcontinent during the time of the Buddha. The book, Hesse's ninth novel, was written in German, in a simple yet powerful and lyrical style. It was first published in 1922, after Hesse had spent some time in India in the 1910s. It was published in the U.S. in 1951 and became influential during the 1960s. Hesse dedicated "Siddhartha" to Romain Rolland, "my dear friend". The word Siddhartha is made up of two words in the Sanskrit ... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“It looks like a lunar landscape but this remarkable photograph actually shows our Milky Way and the planet Jupiter in all their glory - viewed from a cave in America's Utah desert. The spiral galaxy, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, was captured by photographer Wally Pacholka using a 35mm camera and 50mm lens on a tripod with a 30-second exposure - long enough to collect the light but not to see the stars moving. *Click image for larger size.* Pacholka, 59, an architect from Long Beach, California, relied on the light of a crescent moon to illuminate the subject and chose the... more »
"Do You Remember?"
"Do you remember still the falling stars that like swift horses through the heavens raced and suddenly leaped across the hurdles of our wishes- do you recall? And we did make so many! For there were countless numbers of stars: each time we looked above we were astounded by the swiftness of their daring play, while in our hearts we felt safe and secure watching these brilliant bodies disintegrate, knowing somehow we had survived their fall." - Rainer Maria Rilke
“60 Quotes that Will Change the Way You Think”
* “60 Quotes that Will Change the Way You Think”* by Marc Chernoff "In your quiet moments, what do you think about? How far you’ve come, or how far you have to go? Your strengths, or your weaknesses? The best that might happen, or the worst that might come to be? In your quiet moments, pay attention to your thoughts. Because maybe, just maybe, the only thing that needs to shift in order for you to experience more happiness, more love, and more vitality, is your way of thinking. Here are 60 thought-provoking quotes gathered from our sister site, Everyday Life Lessons, and from ou... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Thanks for stopping by.
"How To Respond To The Awful Truth"
*"How To Respond To The Awful Truth"* by Zen Gardner "It's a volatile, challenging time to be alive, no doubt. The world is a landscape thoroughly scattered with catastrophic nightmares like flaming lava pits on a giant festering orb. And this huge array of drastic, life-threatening problems we're facing that are burning in the world's collective subconscious are apparently careening towards some mad, apocalyptic finale. The big question we're all faced with is this. Once we're aware of what's going on, what do we do? And more importantly, for those not willing to face the truth, w... more »
"How to Gain Control of Your Negative Emotions"
*"How to Gain Control of Your Negative Emotions"* by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. “Whether it's sadness, fear, shame, guilt or anger, sometimes when these are here, all we want to do is be somewhere else and it seems like it's going to last forever. Here's one practice to consider in regaining control of your mind during the difficult moments in life. Try this as an experiment: When an uncomfortable emotions arises, ask yourself the honest question, "*How long is this going to last?"* See it as a moment of investigation, a chance to really get to know how you operate. No longer are you ... more »
Tennessee pulls back from the nuttiness of designating the Bible as the state's official book
Daryl Cagle, cagle.com (*click to enlarge*) *by Ken* So it appears that Tennessee will not, after all, designate the Bible as the state's official book. On Wednesday, the state House voted 55-38 to do just that. But as Dave Boucher reported Thursday evening for *The Tennessean*: The Bible will not become the official book of Tennessee this year. Bolstered by opposition from Republican leadership, the Senate voted 22-9 to send the Bible to committee, effectively killing the bill a day after it was adopted by the House. "This isn't the time or place now in the full Senate floor to ... more »
Chet Raymo, "What Does It All Mean?"
*"What Does It All Mean?"* by Chet Raymo "A good friend tells me via e-mail that she is reading Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina." I read the book for a second time two years ago, in the new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. It's one of those novels I had to read twice - once in middle age (I would not have had the patience in youth) and once in settled maturity. In middle age, it was all about Anna, and passion, and doubt. In old age - for me at least - it's about Levin, settled, happily married, enjoying as much intellectual peace as might be possible in this bi... more »
The U.$. is Isolated Around the World
American media outlets are showing a growing concern over the influence of foreign media outlets, particularly the Russian media. However, in an exclusive interview, professor and philosopher Noam Chomsky says that America’s media machine has been spreading its own form of propaganda throughout the world, while at the same time refusing to acknowledge its own culpability in international conflicts. He tells Alexey Yaroshevsky more about the U$ manipulation of information and its effect on democracy.
U.$. Wants Another War!
Almost 300 American paratroopers have arrived in Ukraine to train Kiev forces. Their mission will officially kick off on Monday, and will continue for the next six months. They are members of the 173rd airborne brigade, which already trained Ukrainian forces previously - in international drills last September. The U$ Pentagon is creating more chaos on Russia's border - imagine if it was the other way around and Russia was deploying troops in Mexico and Canada - what would the U$ response be then?
"The Center Of The Universe..."
“When science discovers the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to find they are not it.” - Bernard Baily
The Poet: David Whyte, "In the Beginning"
*"In the Beginning"* *․ * "Sometimes simplicity rises like a blossom of fire from the white silk of your own skin. You were there in the beginning you heard the story, you heard the merciless and tender words telling you where you had to go. Exile is never easy and the journey itself leaves a bitter taste. But then, when you heard that voice, you had to go. You couldn't sit by the fire, you couldn't live so close to the live flame of that compassion you had to go out in the world and make it your own so you could come back with that flame in your voice, saying listen... this warmth, this u... more »
Paulo Coelho, “Dreams and Obsessions”
*“Dreams and Obsessions”* by Paulo Coelho “Your theory about every person could reach everything in life is really optimistic. But if the person tried once and was despaired and disappointed what is he going to do?” - Antoine Rigal, Lyon, France “There is sometimes a bit of confusion in regards to a passage in my book "The Alchemist": “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Some people sometimes want things that in the end won’t truly help them. Life is strange: the happier people can be, the unhappier they are. I have some friends that t... more »
"You Have Enemies?"
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Transpicuous News Midweek Report: Video Archive.... Down the Rabbit Hole Again
Here is the Video Archive of Transpicuous News Midweek Report from Wed April 15th, 2015 .... Yea, it was Rabbit Hole time again my friends. Wednesday was a pretty intense day of "no way..... that is NOT where this rabbit hole is heading!!"..... It got to the point that as the more sure I became of what was actually going on in Yemen, the more I kept Putting my head on my desk and "NO NO NO NO!" ...... but ..... yes yes yes. That IS where this is all leading to in Yemen- in my very firm opinion. I've spent about 40 hours since this broadcast researching every avenue to this p... more »
Chaos And Propaganda: Washington’s “Reality-Based Order”
Follow on: https://twitter.com/colin_todhunter RINF, Countercurrents, Global Research In 2011, Hilary Clinton announced the US was at war. She wasn’t referring to the US’s ongoing invasions, wars and occupations but an ideological war for hearts and minds. Clinton lamented the fact that, since the end of the cold war, US global ideological influence had weakened, especially with the advent of the Internet and TV channels like RT. Of course, Hollywood still manages to propagate the ‘great American myth’ globally every day: the US as the beacon of freedom, as the flagship of democrat... more »
Greenpeace, Dissent And Freedom Of Expression In India
RINF, Global Research, CounterPunch Before being voted out of office last year, India’s Congress-led United Progressive Alliance administration sanctioned open-field trials of GM food crops in India and Monsanto’s share prices rocketed. This decision prompted Rajesh Krishnan of the Coalition for a GM Free India to state that the government was against the interest of citizens, farmers and the welfare of the nation. He went on to state that the government had decided to work hand in glove with the multinational GM seed industry that stood to gain immensely from the open field trails.... more »
Those Who Forget the Past
I have submitted the following comment to the notalotofpeopleknowthat site, where it is stated that the global mean surface temperature has been flat for the last 20 years: *It is 25 years. Remember you heard it from me first. I have tried to inform the climate debaters on the blogosphere a number of times over the last 4 years, that the temperatures between 2010 and 2012 were tracking those between 1990 and 1992, for example at:* *"CO2-Correlated Global Warming Only Occurred 1976 - 1989/90"* *As for the CO2 "climate sensitivity", my 2010 Venus/Earth Temperature vs. Pressure (T-P) cu... more »
We Are Their Slaves!
**I have been busy the last few days, and as usual, I am playing "catch up" again on getting some new material out for everyone to read at this blog..... Thanks again to everyone for being so patient!* I see my good friend, Whitewraithe, has been busy the last while.... Her blog "Pragmatic Witness" over at www.whitewraithe.wordpress.com is an absolute wealth of information and very informative articles... I highly recommend that people take a look over there and give her support for her efforts... I want to present a most important article here that comes courtesy of Whitewraithe's... more »
The Moral Vacuity of Katie Hopkins
Four years ago, I wrote about the functions of bigotry in the mass media, and the ever charming Melanie Phillips was my case study. Then, somewhat counter-intuitively, The *Daily Mail* made use of Mel to get the lefties in and boost their clicks per second average. Every idiocy that tripped off her keyboard was then, in the infant days of social media, pounced upon and shared by the angry, which in turn help push those page views through the roof. This now is 2015, things are more settled now. Our audiences are sophisticated and savvy. The media bigots have had their day, or have th... more »
Sen. Bob Graham Says FBI went beyond 9/11 Cover-Up to “Aggressive Deception”
http://benswann.com/sen-bob-graham-says-fbi-went-beyond-911-cover-up-to-aggressive-deception/ *Sen. Bob Graham Says FBI went beyond 9/11 Cover-Up to “Aggressive Deception”* As previously reporter by BenSwann.com’s Derrick Broze, former Florida Senator Bob Graham claims that Saudi Arabia funded the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and in an interview with the New York Times, Graham won’t stop until the truth is out. “Number one, I think the American people deserve to know the truth of what has happened in their name. Number 2 is justice for these family members who have su... more »
As the hustling Hucksterbee makes more candidate-like noises, we ponder: What makes Minister Mike run?
*"Everywhere I go," says Minister Mike, "people tell me they hope I run." Like this guy? Has the Hucksterbee perhaps been spending too much time on the "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" circuit?* *by Ken* Yesterday former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced that he will announce his decision whether to run for president in 2016 on May 5. Already, though, our radio fanatic Jack, who keeps us up to date on doings at the intersection between radio and politics, was passing along word that Minister Mike, now a perennial GOP presidential wannabe, was making noises like a 2016 GOP pre... more »
8 Mudras for Elevating Conscious Awareness
*Video - *8 hand positions, also called mudras, to assist us in balancing the body, mind and spirit and bringing us to a higher level of conscious awareness. The post 8 Mudras for Elevating Conscious Awareness appeared first on Waking Times.
April 18: Enough!
It was yesterday's editorial that put me in a bad mood - that smug, patronizing, asinine comment about how we mustn't tax the rich because if we do, they might go away. And it says they are very talented people. These are people who are here to get money, our money and our resources. In short, they are here for the same reason a bank robber goes to a bank. And the twit who wrote that editorial thinks we should keep them here? And, for that matter, what talent? Who measures their talent? In fact, what measurement system is there? And how do you judge the worth of their talent compare... more »
ARCTURIAN ENERGETIC WEATHER REPORT
http://suzanneliephd.blogspot.it/2015/04/arcturian-energetic-weather-report-1.html *ARCTURIAN ENERGETIC WEATHER REPORT* Transmitted by the Arcturians thru Suzanne Lie Beloved ones, we are the Arcturians. We are here to begin our process of sharing with you the energetic weather reports. As you know the energy fields on Gaia have been extremely intense, and the frequencies seem to be rising every day. However, simultaneously, there are other places, situations and people where the frequencies seem to be getting lower. This is because as the frequency gets higher, there are peopl... more »
Which Spiritual Gift is Your Strongest?
*Tanaaz - *Deciphering which spiritual sense is your strongest can help you tune in and strengthen your intuition more. Here's how to find out what is your spiritual gift. The post Which Spiritual Gift is Your Strongest? appeared first on Waking Times.
Hillary Loves the Common Core, and the "Iowa Core"
On Tuesday Hillary’s first small sit down in Iowa, which was choregraphed for the CSPAN audience, took up the subject of education. Almost 50 minutes in, one of the particiants, Diane, receives her prompt from Hillary to ask the Common Core question at 49:48. Check out Hill’s response, which runs until 54:00. Her comments underscore the possibility that Hillary knows almost nothing about tests or testing policy. In fact, in the part of Hillary’s response that begins at 50:01, she expresses her belief that the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which has been given since 1935 in ma... more »
Stunning Photos Capture Devastating Worldwide E-Waste Problem
*Lorraine Chow -*These shocking photos will hopefully serve as vivid reminders of how we should properly dispose of our e-waste. The post Stunning Photos Capture Devastating Worldwide E-Waste Problem appeared first on Waking Times.
The Nature of Real Meditation
*Frank M. Wanderer* - It is very difficult not to do anything, because you are used to always doing something. The post The Nature of Real Meditation appeared first on Waking Times.
Stop the Invasion of Europe!
Europe is dying. The Judaic entity is destroying Europe by flooding our homeland with millions of outsiders who have nothing in common with us, in terms of ancestry, culture, spirituality or standards to live by. People are arriving in horrific numbers - with 11,000 swarming over from North Africa by boats, in just 6 days. This is not migration, this is invasion. The once fictional novel, the Camp of the Saints, is becoming reality. People are swarming in, because they know that they can get a better life here than they can at home. What does a better life mean? A Better Life ... more »
Russia's Missile Wall in Iran
*April 19, 2015* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The popular narrative surrounding the conflict between the West and Iran has always been one of a dangerous rogue state bent on obtaining nuclear weapons before triggering a nuclear-fueled Armageddon aimed at Israel. Underneath this elementary propaganda, lies a more complex truth underpinning a proxy conflict between East and West. Just as had been the case during World War I and II, the strategic position, resources, and population of Iran constitute a necessary prerequisite to first overcome before containing and eventually overrunning... more »
The Nightmare That Is Steven King (R-IA)
Novelist Stephen King had some fun with 3 of the GOP contenders on Twitter yesterday. For most Americans, Paul, Cruz or Rubio would indeed be a horror story. But for immigrants there's another Steven King-- the Iowa extremist-- who is much more of a horror story... and for many of them, an existential horror story at that. Thursday the Iowa King was on the John Fredericks Show on Virginia radio. King claims, disingenuously, that Obama is importing "illegals" to stack the voting rolls. "To put it simply," he told the right-wing, racist host, "the President is importing millions of ... more »
James Surowiecki wonders about the failure to rein in out-of-control CEO pay, and reaches a conclusion that may surprise you
*"[T]he failure of say-on-pay suggests that shareholders and boards genuinely believe that outsized C.E.O. remuneration holds the key to corporate success."* *-- James Surowiecki, in* "Why C.E.O. Pay Reform Failed" *by Ken* Remember, not so long ago, when the issue of outlandish, and ever outlandisher, executive pay was a burning issue, or at least *an issue*, in the land? What ever happened to all that outrage? In his latest *New Yorker* "Financial Page" column (April 20), James Surowiecki looks at the question Why C.E.O. Pay Reform Failed." Our James begins by pointing out that... more »
Clear Atmospheric Conditions EXCEPT for Visible EMISSIONS from Fukushima Daiichi's Melted Reactors
Very clear atmopsheric conditions at Futaba cam intersection 4/19 1:20:11 AM: TEPCO cam 1 4/19 1:20:33 Visible Emissions from units 1-3 No fog, no clouds, no visible atmospheric disturbances beyond Fukushima Daiichi's belching steam emissions. It is amazing how holocausts can be denied. Fukushima is producing an environmental holocaust for the most impacted forms of life. I have no idea how broad the scope of its effects will range, but I've been disheartened by several trends: 1. Ongoing collapse of North American Pacific coast mammals and other sea life. Collapse was underwa...more »
Not all about you
There was this table of onion sets at the Youth Farm plant sale fundraiser, and they appeared to all be marked "Walla Walla," so I took one. But now that it's home I see I managed to find the only Red Globe hidden among them. Oh, well. As I'm alone in the family in my antipathy to Reds, these should make a nice offering to -- everyone else. Even your tiniest farm is not all about you. A couple of stray Red Russian kales are up in the Chioggia beet flat. I've planted a lot of kale but I'm sure I can find a place for them. Good thing as I am not gopher-free at the moment and gopher... more »
What You Learn on a Train
- I'm at the Ecumenical Advocacy days conference in Washington now waiting for my workshop to begin. Also speaking in the workshop will be Joseph Gerson (AFSC), David Vine (American University) and Dante Simbulan (Philippines). Our subject is the growing danger of war due to militarization of the Asia-Pacific. Joseph is a long-time expert on the Asia-Pacific, David has written a book about US military bases around the world, and Dante is a former political prisoner in the Philippines after opposing the Marcos dictatorship. The crowd waiting in line to get... more »
Editor's Note
I have 101 chores to do around the house today .... and I need to spend some R&R time with the GF. Regular blogging will return later tonight.
Excellently Preserved, Complete Crossbow Found at Terracotta Warrior site
[image: Crossbow from 2,200 years ago found at Terracotta Warrior site] What is pleasing about this discovery is that it confirms technology time points. We know that metallurgy has been continuously developed for at least 5000 years and that a global Bronze Age saw this technology shared worldwide up until 1159 Bc and then sporadically since until the modern era. This discovery should confirm the quality levels maintained then and from then unto the modern area beginning three centuries ago. Recall the metallurgical brilliance of Samurai swords and Toledo steel. Yet the metal ... more »
Battery Bounce Test Often Bounces off Target
[image: Batteries bounce_1] This story is bouncing around the internet and it is not particularly correct except when the battreries are fresh. Most problems come from the need to use batteries often weeks if not months old. We all need a simple tester that is not too complex or expensive because the alternative has been to actually waste batteries. A lot of batteries sold are not necessarily fresh either. Thus while we generally do alright with modern batteries, their capacity has remained suspect. Selling bulk batteries automatically freshened up may be a possible busines... more »
Deadly MRSA Superbug Killed By 1000-Year-Old Anglo-Saxon Remedy
[image: mrsa] Another potent antibiotic is always welcome. I will add though that these old concoctions are way too complex to be discovered at random particularly after the revelation from the Shamans in the Amazon that their concoctions are learned during ayahuasca visions. Something similar could well have happened here. The effectiveness particularly stands out. It is not marginal at all and its development will be well worth tracking. Hopefully it retains potency . *Deadly MRSA Superbug Killed By 1000-Year-Old Anglo-Saxon Remedy * *By Aditya Tejas @Artejas a.tejas@ibti... more »
The Middle Eastern Balance of Power Matures?
http://aliqapoo.com/2012/05/02/peoples-of-the-middle-east/ If operating through open warfare can be called maturing, then i suppose it is. Effectively any threatened tribe gets armed and this dilutes any form of central government. Iraq has three separate centers of military power now. Turkey is trying to avoid this fate as well with the Kurds and is likely to fail. Yemen and Libya follow this tendency. Jordan only maintains a cap on this potential. What i have suggested to resolve the Palestinian problem can actually be applied everywhere. We have designated tribal citie... more »
Has President Obama Abandoned Iraq?
The author walks through a market in Baghdad with Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno in 2007. Photo by Staff Sgt. Curt Cashour/U.S. Army *Emma Sky, Slate:* *How Obama Abandoned Iraq* *Why the rise of ISIS and the fall of Iraq weren’t inevitable. * *As hard as I try to move beyond Iraq, the country still sucks me back. Last June, I tried to cut off completely, heading off on horse back into the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. At one of the shepherds’ lodgings, I was surprised to find access to Wi-Fi. I connected my iPad to download my email and there in my inbox was an email from a U.S. general and a nu... more »
Tens Of Thousands Flee Islamic State Military Gains And Advances In The Sunni Heartland Of Iraq
Displaced Sunni people, who fled the violence in the city of Ramadi, arrive at the outskirts of Baghdad, April 17, 2015. Iraqi security forces fought Islamic State militants at the gates of the western city of Ramadi on Friday, and local authorities warned it was in danger of falling unless reinforcements arrived soon. REUTERS/Stringer *Washington Post:* *Thousands of Iraqis flee as Islamic State makes gains in Sunni heartland* *SADR AL-YUSUFIYAH — Thousands of families fleeing Iraq’s western city of Ramadi choked checkpoints leading to Baghdad on Friday, after an Islamic State ad... more »
We are now in greater danger of nuclear war than at any time in history. A nuclear exchange between the US and Russia could easily wipe out the entire human race. So you'd expect that a lot of negotiation would be going on, as was the case in the Cuban missile crisis. But JFK was subsequently assassinated, opening the door for the crazed neocons to inherit the US government. Rather than negotiate with Russia (which hasn't threatened war and has NOT attacked Ukraine) the idiots now in control of our government have created a propaganda screen vilifying Russia and its JFK-like president (not an exaggeration, believe me). This propaganda is picked up by the despicable "mainstream media" who value their jobs more than the survival of our children and grandchildren, reporting the government's lies as though the god’s truth and thereby pushing the world ever closer to nuclear Armageddon. Wake up America! Start getting your news from sources you can trust, and protest the “Doctor Strangeloves” of the world!
------------------------------ *Will Washington Kill Us All? * By Dr. Paul Craig Roberts Region: USA Global Research, April 16, 2015 Theme: Militarization and WMD, US NATO War Agenda In-depth Report: Nuclear War *Did you know that Washington keeps 450 nucl... more »
Untitled
*Several bars, restaurants join in suit to strike down New Orleans' smoking ban ~Jeff Adelson & Tyler Bridges, N.O. Advocate *
U.S. Officials Alarmed That An Iranian Naval Convoy Is Moving Towards Yemen
*The Hill*: *Iranian ship convoy moves toward Yemen, alarming US officials* *U.S. military officials are concerned that Iran's support for Houthi rebels in Yemen could spark a confrontation with Saudi Arabia and plunge the region into sectarian war. * *Iran is sending an armada of seven to nine ships — some with weapons — toward Yemen in a potential attempt to resupply the Shia Houthi rebels, according to two U.S. defense officials. * *Officials fear the move could lead to a showdown with the U.S. or other members of a Saudi-led coalition, which is enforcing a naval blockade of ... more »
Decision delayed on whether to unseal evidence in case that could reveal Harper family secrets
For once I am inclining to agree with a publication ban. I base this on the assumption the judge likely had a pretty good reason to place a ban. Courts have authority to order publication bans where necessary to prevent a serious risk to the proper administration of justice and where reasonably alternative measures will not suffice. Courts will weigh the various rights and principles – the right to a fair and public trial, the right to freedom of expression, and the efficacy of the administration of justice – in determining whether such a ban is necessary. Supposing the sealed i... more »
Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Massive Suicide Attack In Afghanistan
*Washington Post:* *Islamic State claims bombing in Afghanistan that kills dozens* *KABUL —The Islamic State’s regional branch has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday that killed at least 33 people and injured more than 100, according to a statement that is believed to have been sent by the Syria and Iraq-based movement.* *The attack marks the first time that the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, has claimed to be behind a violent assault in Afghanistan. The claim could not be independently verified, but if true, it would also represen... more »
Hollywood's Trans-Obama Partnership
The latest Wikileaks dump of SONY emails reveals that, among many other things, SONY executives are royally freaked out about Wikileaks. The release over a year ago of the top-secret intellectual property clause of the Trans-Pacific Partnership was so upsetting to the studio bigwigs that they demanded -- and got -- a personal meeting between their industry lobbyist (Chris Dodd) and Barack Obama himself. They needn't have worried. Since they'd been dictating terms of the "trade" pact all along, all the president had to do was reassure them, once again, that he'd always have their we... more »
2016 Congressional Races-- The State Of Play
A new Cook rating of House seats portends another DCCC failure coming up in 2016 despite the best possible climate for Democratic candidates for House seats. Cook calls 211 seats "solid Republican" while only 169 seats are solidly Democratic. Caveat, Cook is a generally poor source for accurate, timely information. Example: Cook calls CA-25 "solid Republican" despite its being represented by an extremist freshman, Steve Knight, and despite the fact that as of this year CA-25 has, for the first time, a Democratic Party voter edge. Cook also awards Ileana Ros Lehtinen a solid Republi... more »
MENA Report ( April 18 , 2015 ) Iraq / Syria Regional War Updates..... Yemen Proxy War in full swing ..... Iran Sanctions - West open to talks on immediately ending sanctions ..... ISIS in Afghanistan - ISIS Global War in focus.... Libya in focus.....
Links..... *Al-Qaeda Routs Yemen Army, Seizes Arms Depot* *Suicide Bombing at US Consulate in Irbil, Iraq* *ISIS Gains Mount as Civilians Flee Ramadi* *Obama Open to Talk on Immediately Ending Iran Sanctions* *Scores Dead as Saudi Attacks Against Southern Yemen Grow* *US Generals: Saudi Intervention in Yemen 'A Bad Idea'* *Under Fire in Yemen, Civilians Voice Terror and Despair Online* *Bombers Strike in Baghdad, Irbil; 479 Killed Across Iraq* *Is It al-Douri? Iraqi Officials Believe Former General Killed* *Abuses Loom Large, But Shi'ite Militias' Absence Felt in Anbar Fighting... more »
Are There Any Moderate Syrian Rebels?
*Patrick Poole, PJ Media:* *U.S. Analyst Admits: ‘Moderate’ Syrian Rebels Have Been Working With Al-Qaeda All Along* *A Brookings-Doha Institute analyst finally spills the beans.* *One of the most closely guarded secrets in Washington, D.C. about U.S. involvement in the Syrian war is that the “moderate” rebels whom the Obama administration (and many Republicans) backed were closely aligned with al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra. They were also, at times, aligned with the Islamic State.* *For regular PJ Media readers, this will come as no surprise. I’ve repea... more »
Did NBC Cover Up The Role Of U.S.-Backed Free Syrian Army Rebels In The 2012 Kidnapping Of NBC Reporter Richard Engel?
*Lloyd Grove, Daily Beast: **Inside Richard Engel’s Abrupt Change of Mind* *Finally, a PR win for NBC: the network scooped the ‘New York Times’ with the revelation of the true identity of its chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel’s kidnappers.* *Score one for image-battered NBC News, which has finally gotten the better of a rival news outlet intent on exposing its shortcomings.* *The Peacock Network’s chief foreign correspondent, Richard Engel, on Wednesday night preempted a two-month-long New York Times investigation, bylined by three Times journalists and prepared with the...more »
A U.S. Military Coverup In Afghanistan?
*Patrick Poole, PJ Media*: *BOMBSHELL: Afghan Colonel Was Paid $250,000 to Kill U.S. Air Force Personnel, Pentagon Cover-Up Ensued* *A bombshell revelation has emerged about the incident responsible for the greatest U.S. Air Force loss of life during the War on Terror, the deadliest “green-on-blue” attack during U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.* *On April 27, 2011, Afghan Air Force Colonel Ahmad Gul gunned down eight U.S. Air Force personnel and a civilian contractor inside the Afghan Air Force headquarters, including investigators who had just arrived in the country to examine ra... more »
How Robots Are Becoming Weapons For Terrorists
*Marc Goodman, Defense One*: *How Terrorists Are Turning Robots Into Weapons* *Terrorists and college kids already have hacked into government drones. It's time to rethink security with the rise of robotics.* *In late 2009, as the war raged on in the Middle East, U.S. Predator drones flew nearly constantly above the skies of Iraq.* *Their missions varied from intelligence collection to “kinetic operations against high value targets” such as launching Hellfire missiles against insurgents. The drone pilots remotely carrying out these operations seven thousand miles away in the Neva... more »
Untitled
*Sustainability Gone Wild in colleges and universities* *In a world of ever-increasing plenty, sustainability is irrelevant. And plenty is created, not discovered. It is created by human inventiveness, which has never been greater than now. An example of how ingenuity creates resources: Bauxite is an extremely plentiful mineral. You can find it just lying on the ground as a sea of little red pebbles in some places. But it was not a resource until Hall and Heroult discovered how to extract aluminum from it. The Hall and Heroult process is now virtually the only source of... more »
Untitled
*Stinky kids: EPA Tells Kids to Avoid Baths and Asks them to Check Toilets for Leaks* As part of its effort to help save the planet from the dangers of taking too many baths, the EPA’s WaterSense program is trying to convince kids they should avoid bathtubs in favor of showers, which it says is a far more efficient use of water. “To save even more water, keep your shower under five minutes long—try timing yourself with a clock next time you hop in!” the “WaterSense for Kids” website says. In addition to convincing kids to stay away from the tub, the EPA’s website instructs chil... more »
Pentagon Wants More $$$ for Space Warfighting
Space Domination: Pentagon to Beef up Defense of Satellites by Staff WritersWashington DC (Sputnik) United States satellites could be vulnerable to attacks, according to the deputy secretary of the Defense Department, who urged the government and private sector to work together to protect the key space assets. Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, speaking during a session at the annual Space Symposium conference, said the satellites were "absolutely critical" to the operation of the US military, as well as its ability to fight future wars. Because the session was classified, ... more »
Economic News and Views ( April 18 , 2015 ) - Greece naturally is the front burner news item ( Numerous items covering overall state of financial conditions - Russia might help Greece pull proverbial cash rabbit out of the hat with a large cash advance ( or perhaps not ? ) , creditor talks in general leading up to the April 24th Summit - a week of speeches / meeting / zipping from venue to venue )..... Broader Europe - QE warping bond markets in Europe especially Germany , NIRP , QE - Europe vs Japan approaches / impacts ..... Various odds and ends ! .
Tweets.... Updates also at blog tweet feed ! *Sputnik* @SputnikInt 5m 5 minutes ago #Kremlin denies reports of multibillion dollar loan agreement with #Greece http://sptnkne.ws/en2 #Putin #Tsipras [image: Embedded image permalink] *fred walton* @fredwalton216 7m 7 minutes ago fred walton retweeted RT Key " Russia didn’t offer financial help because it was not asked,” Peskov told the Russian radio station Bus FM. fred walton added, *RT* @RT_com UPDATE: Moscow denies planning multibillion credit to #Greece http:// on.rt.com/tans6w *Yannis Koutsomitis* @YanniKou... more »
C-51 Hearings: MacKay's Opening Remarks
So, I'd never heard of Steven Blaney before he became Public Security minister. The harpercons have had a lot of defections and resignations lately, and Blaney appears (to me, who is not the most attentive watcher of the Ottawa gossip scene) to have been plucked from obscurity based on his ability to utter stupid platitudes in both English and French. If the quality of thinking demonstrated in his opening remarks to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security are any indication, he's not that talented (or sane) an individual. According to Craig F... more »
Double slit experiment in the Heisenberg picture
What we observe is not the Nature itself but the Nature exposed to our method of questioning. ------------------------------ Natural science does not simply describe and explain Nature; it is part of the interplay between Nature and ourselves. ------------------------------ The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist. But at the bottom of the glass, God is waiting for you. ------------------------------ Werner Heisenberg Even though wave mechanics was in no way the first or deepest formulation of quantum mechanics, it quickly became popular because... more »
Why I favor estate tax repeal
This past week, The House of Representatives passed repeal of the estate tax. This is a policy change I have long supported, for reasons explained here.
'Not people of faith'
Sky News is leading with the arrest of five teenagers in Australia over an alleged Islamic State terrorist plot to attack next week's First World War commemorations in Melbourne. The BBC News website also features the story prominently. The BBC's choice of sub-headline, however, is typical of the corporation: *'Not people of faith' * Yes, the thing the BBC chooses to spotlight here is something said by the Labor premier of Victoria: These individuals arrested today are not people of faith, they don't represent any culture. This is not an issue of how you pray or where you were b... more »
Barry Chamish, Yitzakh Rabin and the Israeli Countdown to 9/11
Barry Chamish - Who Murdered Yitzhak Rabin and Utah Congressman Wayne Owens...? from Spike EP on Vimeo. Barry Chamish : The 1997 Israeli Elections and the Hebron Setup from Spike EP on Vimeo. Anyone that has taken taken any time at all to objectively study the conditions that produced 9/11 will know and can see that it became inevitable as a natural progression and escalation of the collapse of the Oslo Accords as a consequence of the assassination of Rabin, as a bipartisan project of the Israeli political elite, specifically the first Netanyahu government of 1997, and the Neta... more »
The Nazi Channel Islands
"Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight, but in the interests of saving lives the 'Cease fire' began yesterday to be sounded all along the front, and our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today." - Winston Churchill *"Thank you for your postcard. I very nearly went to Jersey myself, as I have never been there, and hear from so many people that it is quite delightful.* *If you are free tomorrow evening between six and seven, do come round for a drink and a chat.* *Ever sincerely, Boothby."* *Private note sent by** Lord Boothby to Ronnie Kray,... more »
Raytheon awarded more than $2 billion for an International Patriot Air and Missile Defense System
[image: Patriot PAC-2]Raytheon Company announced today it has been awarded a contract worth over $2.0 billion to deliver the combat-proven Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to an undisclosed international customer. The contract, awarded on April 2, 2015 and booked in the second quarter as a direct commercial sale, includes fully digitized new-production Patriot fire units with the latest technology for improved threat detection, identification and engagement. The contract also includes a full training package and support equipment. "In the past five months Qatar, Korea and now ... more »
Russian Armed Forces receive 24 ballistic missiles in 2015
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[image: Topol ICBM]The Russian Armed Forces have received 24 ballistic missiles, 36 Tornado-G multiple-launch rocket systems, BMD-4M and BTR-MDM Rakushka armored vehicles, as well as several naval ships since the beginning of the year, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported. "Sixty units of armored force armament and hardware, as well as 36 Tornado-G multiple-launch rocket systems have undergone maintenance and have been upgraded. The Airborne Troops have been provided with 24 BMD-4M and BTR-MDM Rakushka armored vehicles and 483 different parachute systems," the ministry said in...more »
Some good news?
Separated at birth? #lionel #roo pic.twitter.com/FcQ3ouMhOt — Jon Donnison (@jondonnisonbbc) April 5, 2015 Has the BBC's Sydney correspondent Jon Donnison been warned by his bosses about his biased tweeting? Over the past few weeks he's stopped his relentless, controversy-seeking anti-Israel tweeting and is now largely sticking with innocuous photos of spring and tweets about cycling, Doctor Who and whether Lionel Ritchie resembles a kangaroo. If he has finally been told to stop discrediting the BBC on Twitter, then that would be a step forward. (It's a big 'if' of course).
Russia to supply Su-30 Flankers to Kazakhstan
[image: Su-30SM Flanker]Russia is starting the shipment of the The Sukhoi Su-30, Flanker C fighter aircrafts to Kazakhstan, Tengrinews reports citing RIA Novosti. Kazakhstan announced acquiring the twin-engine and two-seat supermaneuverable Flanker Cs back in February to recapitalize the country’s air forces. In Rio de Janeiro, during the International Defense and Security Exhibition the head of the Irkut Corporation delegation Viktor Lichaev talked about the shipment of four Su-30 SM fighters to Kazakhstan. Read more
Female ROC Air Force officer on way to fulfilling dream of being fighter pilot
[image: 1st Lieutenant Kao Tzu-yu]An ROC Air Force officer is on her way to realizing her dream of being a fighter pilot, as she is undergoing flight training at an air force base in Taiwan's eastern county of Taitung. After three months of training at the base, 1st Lieutenant. Kao Tzu-yu completed a mission of flying an F-5E fighter solo that included mid-air drills such as rolls, on Wednesday. "I made it," said Kao, who added that when she landed, she screamed to express her absolute excitement. Read more
Selex ES to provide search and rescue radar for Australia
[image: Seaspray 5000E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) multi-mode surveillance radar]Selex ES has been awarded a multi-million Euro contract from Cobham Aviation Services in Australia to supply a number of Seaspray 5000E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) surveillance radars. The radars will equip Cobham’s Challenger CL-604 Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft and be used to provide airborne search and rescue services for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). Seaspray 5000E is a class-leading airborne surveillance radar ideally suited to search and rescue...more »
LAAD 2015: New engines delivered for Brazil C-1A modernisation
[image: C-1A Trader]The first set of new engines and APUs for the Brazilian Navy’s fleet of ex-US Navy Grumman C-1A Traders have been delivered. The navy’s C-1A Trader aircraft are currently being retrofitted with new turboprop engines and Auxiliary Power Units (APU) as part of modernisation efforts. Upgrade work on four aircraft is being carried out by Texas-based M7 Aerospace, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, and will last approximately five years. Read more
US Navy robot war-jet refuels in air: But Mav and Iceman are going down fighting
[image: X-47B UCLASS AAR]A US Navy X-47B unmanned aircraft demonstrator has successfully carried out air-to-air refuelling from a tanker, the last of the feats the X-47B project was intended to accomplish. The two robot jets will now be retired, either to museums or the Pentagon's famous desert aircraft boneyard in Arizona. The test took place yesterday off the coast of Maryland. X-47B "Salty Dog 502" successfully plugged into a contractor-operated tanker aircraft, demonstrating that an unmanned, tailless aeroplane with a stealthy shape can not only take off and land on an aircraft ... more »
Yemeni Man Saw Family Burn In Saudi Airstrike
It is rather revealing that the news of Yemeni civilians being killed by Saudi Arabian attacks on terrorists is receiving so little coverage on British media. I did find this Sky News report http://news.sky.com/story/1466525/yemeni-man-saw-family-burn-in-saudi-airstrike which begins: 'More than 600 people have been killed in Yemen in the past three weeks as a result of airstrikes and ground fighting, over half of them civilians including 74 children, according to the United Nations.' If this had been Israel attacking Hamas terrorists then you can be sure that the BBC would be givi... more »
USS Gary returns to San Diego from final voyage
The guided-missile frigate USS Gary returned home to San Diego Friday morning following a nearly seven-month deployment to Central America. When the warship tied up at Naval Base San Diego at about 9:20 a.m., the crowd waiting to greet crew members let out a cheer. The voyage is the final one for the Gary, which will be decommissioned. The Navy is phasing out frigates in favor of the new littoral combat ships — vessels designed for fighting in coastal waters. Read more
Pro-EU bias Shocker on BBC Radio 4
Radio 4's *The World Tonight *gave over yesterday's edition to one of its periodic specials where the great and the good are gathered for a Chatham House debate at the "agenda-setting" think tank RUSI. On yesterday's edition they were discussing the foreign policy challenges facing the next UK government, beginning with Europe. Even though we're in the midst of a general election, *The World Tonight*'s pro-EU bias came through crystal clear. The panel included two prominent advocates for the European Union - and for Britain not only staying in but playing a much more 'positive' ... more »
Russian Warships With Flagship Destroyer Enter Norwegian Sea To Begin Naval Drills
[image: RFS Severomorsk (D619)]A group of Russian warships from the Northern fleet, led by the flagship Udaloy class destroyer Severomorsk, has entered the Norwegian Sea to begin naval drills, including flight deck exercises, Sputnik reported Friday, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. The latest development comes after Britain’s Royal Navy escorted a Severomorsk destroyer, a tanker and a tug out of the English Channel earlier this week. The three Russian ships were heading east before entering the North Atlantic to conduct anti-aircraft and anti-submarine drills, the Telegraph r... more »
New Navy ship to be named after city of St. Louis
[image: USS Freedom (LCS-1)]Ray Mabus came here from his home in Mississippi as a young boy to watch the Cardinals play. He returned on Friday as the secretary of the Navy to name a new combat ship the St. Louis. Mabus announced the name and plans to build the ship, formally known as a littoral combat ship, at a pomp-and-circumstance ceremony in front of the Soldiers Memorial. “This is the coolest job in the world,” Mabus said. “I get to name every Navy ship.” Read more
More combat ships on way from European shipyards
[image: ITS Carlo Margottini (F 592)]Italian shipbuilder Orizzonte Sistemi Navali and DCNS of France have announced the construction of combat vessels for the navies of Italy and Egypt. Orizzonte Sistemi Navali S.p.A. said that OCCAR, the European Union agency in charge of multinational weapons procurement projects, had notified them that the Italian Navy was exercising a contract option to obtain two FREMM frigates. The frigates would be the ninth and tenth for Italy under the Italian-French FREMM, or Multi Mission European Frigates, program. The value of the option exercise carri... more »
Batteries Stolen In Zaragoza Were Destined For S-80 Submarines In Cartagena
[image: S-80 class SSK]The construction of the Spanish Navy's S-80 submarine at the Navantia shipyards in Cartagena has been hit over the last few years by a series of misfortunes, including lack of available funding from the Ministry of Defence and technical problems which necessitated a complete rethink of the proposed design, causing substantial delays in the anticipated delivery dates of the first units and leading to concerns that the Spanish submarine fleet could be seriously under strength within a couple of years as the old S-70 series is gradually withdrawn from service. In... more »
Friday Beaver - The one that built NYC
(Back story - The Dutch traded beaver pelts in the 1600s. Beaver hats were all the rage in Europe until the fad died out and so did most of the beavers.) Amazing the statistics on people moving about on this planet. Last report was 50 million people displaced by wars or natural disasters. People fleeing drug gangs in south america make up a few. The bulk of Iraqis middle class left the country after the second Iraq war and you can bet they're trying their best to avoid ISIS. Syria lost more than 40% of it's population with 300,000 reported dead, 2.5 million in refugee camps in ... more »
Defying The Conventional Wisdom
Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo Justin Trudeau appears to have ruled out any coalition arrangement with the NDP. But Chantal Hebert believes that such an arrangement is still possible: But what if, instead, the Conservatives finished only two or three seats ahead of the runner-up? Would Canada then not be better served by a minority government whose stability was ensured by some form of formal understanding with one of its opposition rivals? It was in similar circumstances that David Peterson’s Liberals struck an alliance with the NDP... more »
Blog Stats this Month
Recently, this blog has attracted somehow high page views. From an average of about 370 pageviews a day from January to March 2015, from April 6 until today, the blog has been getting something like 700 pageviews a day. The biggest view was the other day, 2,300+ views. This screen shot was taken 6:15 am today in Manila. Below, traffic stats over the past 30 days including half day today. Most of the readers are from the US and Russia, The other day, there was huge traffic coming from Cote d'Voire, 1,600+ in one hour. I do not know what explains for that. What is notable is that t... more »
Q: But what were the ANZACs fighting *for*?
*Did you know that Australian and New Zealand soldiers embarking in November 1914 on ships towards Britain thought they would be fighting for Britain on the Western Front, not fighting in Turkey to gift Constantinople to Russia --against whom for decades New Zealanders and Australians had been defending their shores and ships…? * THE MYTHOLOGY OF ANZAC is that the battle at the Dardanelles gave birth to two nations. If that’s true, it is an odd birth, fathered out of failure by way of disaster. This mythology is in some ways a modern invention, and if true at all applies more to ... more »
The Ninth-Eleventh Gate
"Something terrible is about to enter our world, and this building is obviously the door. "
China’s Answer to Teen Internet Addiction
*Video -* Can Internet overuse result in destructive behaviors? Here's a short film that offers a glimpse into a correctional facility set up for young Internet addicts in China. The post China’s Answer to Teen Internet Addiction appeared first on Waking Times.
A Look At Lethal American Weapons Of War
The USS Carl Vinson leads the USS Bunker Hill and the USS Halsey during a passing exercise with Indian navy ships during Exercise Malabar 2012 in the Indian Ocean, April 16, 2012. The Vinson, Bunker Hill and Halsey comprise Carrier Strike Group 1 and are participating in the annual bilateral naval field training exercise with the Indian navy to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman George M. Bell *Dave Majumdar, National Interest:* *The 5 Most Lethal American Weapons of War Ever* *America didn't become a military superp... more »
An eighth-grader can't wear an incendiary T-shirt like this in a class photo, can she?
*Apparently she can't in Owensville, Ohio, where her school principal ordered the T-shirt Photoshopped out. (Sophie, the student in question, supplied this photo of herself holding the T-shirt to the website Women You Should Know.)* *by Ken* Just this afternoon in my previous post I was reduced to spluttering in the face of the continued misunderstanding emanating from the Vatican, which doesn't quite get that female people are people just like male people are. Of course the Vatican isn't alone. The Vatican motto enshrined by Pope John Paul II and Pope Cardinal Ratguts, and appare... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Awakening (Cosmic Sea)"
Liquid Mind, "Awakening (Cosmic Sea)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCa4dpKyzwo
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