English: IMF Data Dissemination Systems participants IMF member using SDDS IMF member, using GDDS IMF member, not using any of the DDSystems non-IMF entity using SDDS non-IMF entity using GDDS no interaction with the IMF (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
International Monetary Fund (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Member nations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)6:40am MDST
Israel: Refugees not our problem -We make’em & You Take’em!
*Double Standard: **a rule or principle that is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups. * Netanyahu can’t take refugees- Israel can’t take refugees. Israel can surely create millions of refugees! Israel expects everyone else to take refugees. Sweet deal for expansionist Israel. No? *"While Israel is not "indifferent' to the tragedy of refugees from Syria and Africa, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asserted on Sunday, it does not have the resources to absorb them into the small Jewish state"* *Israel is very indifferent to the tragedy of refugees.* *"... more »
Untitled
*British Met Office boss slams Greenie for exaggerating warming* *It's not a sudden onrush of honesty. He just doesn't want warming predictions to be falsified too soon. He could well still be alive in 15 years time and he doesn't want to be laughed at* One of Britain’s top climate scientists has launched a blistering attack on actress Emma Thompson and the BBC, accusing them of ‘scaremongering’ over the speed of global warming – and risking a worsening of the refugee crisis. Richard Betts, head of climate impacts research at the Met Office and a professor at Exeter University, ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( September 6 , 2015 ) Sunday Morning Items From "Officialdom " ( G-20 items , IMF warns Fed to go slow with rate hikes , central Bank items of interest ) ....... Greece In Focus ( Items for Snap Election , Economic items , Stats ) ........ Refugee situation - Items of note on the global situation.
Morning Tweets ....... Central Bank , G-20 , "Officialdom World " items ..... *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 4m 4 minutes ago G20 pledges to refrain from comp devaluations. 1st time G20 has used such language since 2013. http://bloom.bg/1QfWg6s [image: Embedded image permalink] *Pedro da Costa* @pdacosta 5m5 minutes ago Central banks' foreign exchange reserves drop over half a trillion dollars in the last year http://bloom.bg/1XeAPaC [image: Embedded image permalink] *Pedro da Costa* @pdacosta 9m 9 minutes ago Markets don't foresee a second ... more »
Congress Returns to Weighty List of Unfinished Business
[image: 1congressfloor] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress returns on Tuesday with a critical need for a characteristic rarely evident through a contentious spring and summer -- cooperation between Republicans and President Barack Obama. Lawmakers face a weighty list of unfinished business and looming... more »
Two Papal Parades, More Passes Available after Ticket Outcry ahead of Pope’s U.S. Visit
[image: iStock_Pope Francis__1438778373_70.119.142.63] PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- After an outcry over plans to keep most of Pope Francis’ audience at his biggest Philadelphia events several blocks away, organizers Thursday announced the pontiff will parade through downtown twice and said they would set aside 30,000... more »
The Chinese Economy Just Hit Major Speed Bump. Why the Pentagon Cares.
[image: US pentagon building aerial view at sunset] The Pentagon cares as much about how money moves around the world as it does about the movement of arms. Small wonder the recent bobbling in Beijing's economy has caught the armed services' attention. After owning bragging rights to one-third... more »
Pope: Vatican Will Shelter Two Families Fleeing War, Hunger
[image: 1St_Peter's_Square,_Vatican_City_-_April_2007] VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican will shelter two families of refugees who are “fleeing death” from war or hunger, Pope Francis announced Sunday as he called on Catholic parishes, convents and monasteries across Europe to do the same. Francis... more »
New Blogs August/September 2015
New blogs scurrying across my desk from last month were: 1. A Hair of Truth (Labour) (Twitter) 2. An Independent Scotsman (Unaligned/ex-SNP) 3. Employment Writes (Unaligned/trade union) (Twitter) 4. Hope is Important (Labour) (Twitter) 5. Labour Pains (Labour) 6. Schlomo's Thoughts (Labour) (Twitter) 7. It's Complicated With My Exe (Labour) (Twitter) 8. Workers Spatula (Parody) If you know of any new blogs that haven't featured before then drop me a line via the comments, email, Facebook or Twitter. Please note I'm looking for blogs that have started within the last 12 months. Th...more »
At a Berlin Church, Muslim Refugees Converting in Droves
[image: Muslim refugees] BERLIN (AP) -- Mohammed Ali Zonoobi bends his head as the priest pours holy water over his black hair. “Will you break away from Satan and his evil deeds?” pastor Gottfried Martens asks the Iranian refugee. “Will you break away... more »
Former Obama Intel Gen. Michael T. Flynn: Pull Hillary’s Security Clearance
[image: Gen. Michael T. Flynn__1441538724_70.119.142.63] Former Defense Intelligence Agency Director Gen. Michael T. Flynn says President Obama should "immediately suspend" Hillary Clinton's security clearance, because she ran a private, unprotected email server from her New York home. Flynn also told the Daily Caller News Foundation... more »
At Venice Fest, Spotlight Focuses on Sex Abuse by Priests
[image: Bishop shadow face] VENICE, Italy (AP) -- Thomas McCarthy wants Pope Francis to go to the movies. Specifically, the American director would like the pontiff to see his new film Spotlight, a fact-based expose of sexual abuse by priests and its cover-up by... more »
US Warns Russia against More Aid to Assad against ISIS
[image: Inside ISIS Rule: Creating a Nation of Fear] BEIRUT (AP) -- Anti-government violence erupted Saturday in a southern Syrian province that had largely stayed on the sidelines of the country’s civil war. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggesting that Russia was planning to expand its military support for Syrian President... more »
A Study in Tyranny (Part 3)
*2 Men & A Country : Harpers Nemesis* *A guest post by Pamela Mac Neil* The laws you have are a direct result of the Government you have. Whether they remain laws or are struck down, depends on whether you have a democracy or not. Shortly after Harpers appointment of Judge Nadon for a Supreme Courts judge, a Toronto Constitutional lawyer Rocco Galati challenged this appointment in federal court. The first person to ever challenge a PM's appointment for a Supreme Court judge. Galati won. The Supreme Court ruled that Harpers latest appointee to that court, was not legally qualified ... more »
Alexander's Ragtime Rant
http://www.tvrage.com/ Politics, Robin Sears writes, is about dialogue: Successful politicians know how to listen, to respond respectfully and through that dialogue, learn. Some Canadian politicians’ increasing fascination with steely message discipline at the expense of listening or respectful response is dangerous for democratic dialogue — and, often, for their own careers. Dialogue is not in Stephen Harper's skill set. And everyone who works for him follows a strict code. Like the prime minister, they memorize answers from ... more »
Clinton Acknowledges Paying State Department Staffer to Maintain Private Email Server
[image: Hillary Clinton Iowa__1441198268_70.119.142.63] PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday that her family paid a State Department employee to maintain the private email server she used while secretary of state and compensated him “for a period of time” for his technical... more »
Where Do the GOP Presidential Candidates Stand on Defunding Planned Parenthood?
[image: Money Tap] Among GOP voters, the protection of life is a key issue. As a series of undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood have been released throughout the summer, calls to investigate and defund that organization have reached new levels, meaning that the... more »
Memo to The New York Times: When Big Brother and Artificial Intelligence Merge, It’s Creepy, Not Neat
[image: Artificial Intelligence Robots] Xiaoice (pronounced Shao-ice) is a great listener, according to the New York Times: People often turn to her when they have a broken heart, have lost a job or have been feeling down. They often tell her, "I love you."... more »
Russell Moore against the Pope, and Good for Moore
[image: Russell Moore- 900 000] "Repentant sinners can be forgiven of any sin, at any time, on the basis of the life and blood of Christ. That’s the gospel." That's a tweet sent by Russell Moore, the head of the Southern Baptist's Ethics and Religious... more »
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez: Praying in the Name of Jesus Even When It’s Politically Incorrect
[image: Dr. Samuel Rodriguez Prayer] In this video clip, taken from LIFE’s Awaken Now conference in 2013, Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President of The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, relates how he was in a lineup of interfaith voices offering prayers at a large public event, which some think... more »
So how damming must the Balen Report have been about the BBC's anti Israel bias?
This from Biased BBC http://biasedbbc.org/blog/2015/09/05/off-the-rails/ caught my eye: 'In 2005, an independent report commissioned by the BBC's board of governors found that the corporation was guilty of "cultural and unintentional bias" in coverage of Europe.' If that report into the BBC's coverage of Europe was OK to be released, can you imagine how damming the Balen Report into the BBC's coverage of Israel and the Middle East must have been for the BBC to fight tooth and nail to keep it secret?
Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “In Caelum Fero”
Adiemus, “In Caelum Fero” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dc-tRfKjuQ&feature=related
"A Look to the Heavens"
“NGC 2685 is a confirmed polar ring galaxy - a rare type of galaxy with stars, gas and dust orbiting in rings perpendicular to the plane of a flat galactic disk. The bizarre configuration could be caused by the chance capture of material from another galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris strung out in a rotating ring. *Click image for larger size.* Still, observed properties of NGC 2685 suggest that the rotating ring structure is remarkably old and stable. In this sharp view of the peculiar system also known as Arp 336 or the Helix galaxy, the strange, perpendicular ring... more »
Chet Raymo, “Being Human”
*“Being Human”* by Chet Raymo “I've been thinking a lot about hands lately. Or, rather, a hand. Specifically my right hand, which has developed an annoying tremor. I never paid much attention to my hands before. Hands pretty much operate on automatic pilot. It doesn't take a lot of conscious decision-making to scratch your nose. Or button your shirt. Hands follow the brain rather like an obedient dog trots alongside its master. But now my right hand clamors for attention like an unruly pup. So I find myself looking at my hand with more awareness than before, and realizing more than ... more »
"We Work In The Dark..."
"We work in the dark. We do what we can to battle with the evil that would otherwise destroy us. But, a man's fate is defined as not a choice but a calling. Yet sometimes the weight of this burden causes us to falter, breaching the fragile fortress of our mind, allowing the monsters without to turn within and we are left alone, staring into the abyss... into the laughing face of madness." - David Duchovny as "Fox Mulder"
"The Bank Of Time"
*"The Bank Of Time"* "Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course? Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no over draft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Ea... more »
“5 Things You Should Realize About Fear”
*“5 Things You Should Realize About Fear”* by Declan O Flaherty *“1.* Thoughts motivated by fear are based around an imaginary reality. We don’t know for sure that an outcome is going to happen the way our doubtful mind tells us it will, so it’s fair to assume these thoughts can’t possibly be true until we actually push through and see for ourselves. Accepting our fearful thoughts as true creates a limited consciousness, letting them pass by leads us to experience the ACTUAL truth. *2. *The cure for fear is to experience the thoughts and physical sensations in that moment. This req... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Ankara, Turkey. Thanks for stopping by.
"Hope"
“Man ever talks, and Man ever dreams Of better days that are yet to be, After glittering goal, that distant gleams, Running and racing untiringly. The worldly may grow old and young as it will, But the Hope of man is Improvement still. Hope bears him into life in her arms, She flutters around the boy's young bloom, The soul of youth with her magic warms, Nor rests with age in the silent tomb; For ends man his weary course at the grave, There plants he Hope o'er his ashes to wave.” - Friedrich Schiller, "Hope"
"Have You Also Learned..."
"Have you also learned that secret from the river; that there is no such thing as time? That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past nor the shadow of the future." ~ Herman Hesse, "Siddhartha"
"Despair and Survival"
*"Despair and Survival"* by Sam Smith "Ever since I read Thoreau in high school and adopted as my own his declaration that he would rather sit alone on a pumpkin than be crowded on a velvet stool, I have made the pursuit of individual freedom a part of my daily business. I follow it like others follow football. I know the game, the players, and the rules. And one of the most important things I have discovered is how few people are able to help you much. The psychiatrist with his elegant degree, the minister with an eye on the vestry's budget, the philosophy professor just short of... more »
"We Shall Endure..."
“We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.” - Cesar Chavez “Despair means hopelessness. When you don't see any ray of hope, all doors seem closed to you, you experience despair. Despair kills all hope inside a human being. To kill the feeling of despair, one needs to move on and accept the reality. Action is the antidote or remedy to kill the feeling of despair and nip it in the bud. In the words of William Cowper, “Absence from whom we love is worse than death; and frustrates hope severer than despair.” Failure, heartbreak,... more »
Music Interlude: Gandalf, “Blossoms Unfolding”
Gandalf, “Blossoms Unfolding” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRf9scJDbb8
Russia may be escalating military role in Syria
[image: BTR-82A fighting vehicle]US intelligence has captured evidence of a significant escalation of Russia’s military engagement in Syria’s civil war, including satellite images of an apparent Russian base for staging troops and heavy equipment under construction near a port city that is a stronghold for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, US officials say. The reconnaissance photos of possible military housing being built near the international airport in Latakia province provides strong evidence of deepening involvement by President Vladimir Putin’s government in the four-year-old... more »
Controversial £5billion fighter jet which took 15 years to build dogged by problems every week, says engineer
[image: F-35B STOVL Lightning II]The controversial Joint Strike Fighter stealth jet is being dogged by new technical problems every week, the most senior British engineer working on the aircraft has revealed. The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has already cost £5 billion and taken 15 years to develop. It has suffered a series of setbacks including a freak fire which grounded the fleet and the admission earlier this year that it was beaten in a combat exercise by a jet designed 40 years ago. Read more
Rovelli's challenge to Platonism
A month ago, the loop quantum gravitist Carlo Rovelli wrote a somewhat surprisingly intelligent essay on Platonism in mathematics, Michelangelo's Stone: an Argument against Platonism in Mathematics I consider myself a Platonist but I do agree with about 1/2 of Rovelli's observations. Some of them are "sort of obviously true" while others are even "innovative and persuasive". The remaining 1/2 is composed of propositions that are either "non sequitur" or "widespread misconceptions" or "downright ludicrous". ;-) First, just to be sure, Platonism is the philosophy believing that the w... more »
Iran starts aerial drill to boost defense capabilities
Iran's air force kicked off a massive aerial exercise in the country's central province of Isfahan on Saturday to boost defensive capabilities. In the two-day drill, various types of interceptor fighter jets, bombers, military transport aircraft, communication and reconnaissance planes, tanker aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will participate, spokesman for the war game, General Roozkhosh, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. A whole range of homegrown missiles and bombs will also be used in the war game, including smart heavy and semi-heavy bombs, as well as las... more »
Springfield CO fired for poor job performance
[image: Los Angeles class SSN]The Silent Service has suffered its second firing in as many weeks. Cmdr. Daniel Lombardo was relieved as skipper of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine Springfield on Sept. 4 due to loss of confidence in his ability to command. The relief was due to performance issues, and had nothing to do with personal behavior, said Cmdr. Tommy Crosby, spokesman for Submarine Force Atlantic. The decision was made by Capt. John McGunnigle, the head of Submarine Squadron 4. He has temporarily assigned Capt. Jack Houdeshell, the squadron's deputy commander, as Spri... more »
The Untangled Gathering: Fall of The Empire Archive Video
On Sunday August 30th, 2015 We brought together a group of speakers from different backgrounds and focus points, to bring their knowledge and ideas forward to the public. We took a good look at what is going on in the background in America and the World: Politically, Financially, Legally, and Socially. It's time to bring the puzzle pieces together, to discuss this moment of NOW. This moment of time, IN Time, that has humanity standing on the very edge of the knife. A secret war is being waged against the people of this planet, Silent Weapons used against the people, in Quiet... more »
Israel gets fifth diesel electric submarine as backbone of nuclear deterrent against Iran
[image: Dolhin class SSK]Israel has inaugurated its fifth Dolphin-class submarine, allegedly capable of launching cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. There is a sixth submarine being built for Israel. The submarines are advanced diesel electric submarines. After the submarine is fully equipped and passes all tests, it will cost $500 million and will enter service as possibly the most sophisticated and expensive weapon of Israeli Navy. Delivery to client is reportedly expected by the end of 2013. In June 2012, Der Spiegel reported that Germany is actually strengthening Israel’s n... more »
(Economy Crashing Every 8 Years & No New Jobs To Replace Outsourced Ones) Whither the Economy? (Dirty Tricks on Wall St. Leading Country to Oblivion) GOP = Gobs of Paranoia (Why No One Should Touch Cash Register Receipts) More Deregulated Chicanery from Wall Street (Debtors Made To Identify With Financial Captors) Moral Center of American Capitalism's Disappearing Act (Only Job Gains Were for Those Without Education: Cheapest Labor Available)
Today's offering is chockful of economics informational goodness. Sorry it's so long, friends, but these essays may mean the difference for many people between understanding the facts defining the New Depression or going down in it. The Republicans Are Now Officially the Party of White Paranoia Matt Taibbi The rise of Trump obliterates all other issues — campaign 2016 is now almost entirely
Brief statement on Washington State Supreme Court finding charter schools unconstitutional
*“Though boosted through a language of choice and effectiveness, the charters provide neither. Public funds pay for a system that lacks oversight, transparency, and funnels millions of dollars to privateers, who pocket salaries upwards of $1 million.” — Dr. Megan French-Marcelin* [image: Fix our Public Schools, don't Privatize!]By now everyone has heard the wonderful news that the Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that charter schools are unconstitutional. This watershed holding and ruling has seen the neoliberal corporate education reform machine shift into overdrive to tr... more »
Military Photo of the Day: September 6, 2015
[image: F-15 Eagle-900] A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle flies over East Anglia, England, on Aug. 27, 2015. Thanks to Senior Airman Trevor T. McBride for capturing this magnificent image!
What Is The Biggest Threat To America?
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)*
U.S. Warns Russia On Their Growing Military Presence In Syria
*Reuters*: K*erry tells Lavrov of U.S. concern over Russian moves in Syria* Secretary of State John Kerry expressed U.S. concern over reports of Russia's enhanced military build-up in Syria in a telephone call on Saturday with his Russian counterpart, the State Department said. "The secretary made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the anti-ISIL coalition operating in Syria," the department said, using an acronym for Islamic State. It... more »
Report: Russia Building A Military Base In Syria
*The Telegraph:* *Russia 'is building military base in Syria'* American officials express concern about latest intelligence suggesting Moscow is preparing to send hundreds of personnel to prop up Assad regime. Russia is building a military base in Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s heartland, according to American intelligence officials, in the clearest indication yet of deepening Russian support for the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad. The anonymous officials say Russia has set up an air traffic control tower and transported prefabricated housing units for up to 1,000 personn... more »
Heavy Fighting Reported In Syria Between Rebels And ISIS Militants
*BBC*: *Fighting around key Syria town 'leaves 47 dead' - activists* Fighting between rebels and Islamic State (IS) militants around the strategic Syrian town of Marea has left 47 dead, according to activists. The UK-based Syria Observatory for Human Rights said that 27 IS fighters were killed, with the rest being from other anti-government groups. Marea lies in an area that Turkey and the US have reportedly wanted to turn into an IS-free "safe zone". Last month it was alleged IS had used chemical weapons in an attack on Marea. *More News On Heavy Fighting Between Rebels And ISIS... more »
GOP Establishment Wants Trump-- GONE!
You've heard of the Republican Party's War Against Women and the Republican Party's War Against Science and its wars against the poor and against democracy. There's a new one: the Republican Party's War Against Donald Trump. Nick Confessore blew the whistle in a *NY Times* report Friday morning. And it goes beyond Trump's obsessive feuds with other GOP candidates and with GOP media critics. He's been openly fighting with Club for Growth lately, and they're ready to start spending big against him and are drooling at the thought of lots of Establishment Republican money going throug... more »
Old News Worth Re-Visiting
I'm working on a presentation on Fukushima's nuclear refugees and the violation of human rights to health in Japan and I was reviewing old materials I collected. I found this excerpt from 2011 that is worth re-visiting: Hiroko Tabuchi and Andrew Pollack Japan Is Struck by Powerful Aftershock New York Times (April 7, 2011) ... Flashes of extremely intense radioactivity have become a serious problem, [a western nuclear executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect business connections in Japan] said. Tokyo Electric’s difficulties in providing accurate information on ... more »
Kaitiakitanga
The long-established Māori system of environmental management is holistic. It is a system that ensures harmony within the environment, providing a process of, as well as preventing intrusions that cause permanent imbalances and guards against environmental damage. Kaitiakitanga is a concept that has "roots deeply embedded in the complex code of tikanga”. Kaitiakitanga is a broad notion which includes the following ideas: guardianship, care, wise management. (read more)
How 'bout a round of cheers for the New England Cheaters and QB Tom "I Got Away with It, Suckers" Brady?
The New York *Daily News* points out: *"Brady wasn’t wearing his wedding ring Tuesday night at a Patriots gala."* *by Ken* Since I have devoted a certain amount of attention to the case of Tom "The Cheating Man" Brady (aka DeflateGate), it seems only fair to take formal note of the slapdown administered this week by federal judge Richard Berman of the Southern District of New York to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (see "After Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension tossed by judge, Gisele steps out looking relaxed"), voiding The Cheating Man's four-game suspension and reinstating him... more »
Some Thoughts on the Great APSA Baby Ban of 2015
I don’t attend the American Political Science Conference these days (I explained why in this post last year). But many of my colleagues do, so every year at this time I participate vicariously by watching what is going on in my Facebook feed. Yesterday, I was surprised by Page Fortna’s status update which read as […]
"How It Really Is... Fukushima"
Metaphorically, of course...
"Fukushima: The End of Mankind?"
*"Fukushima: The End of Mankind?"* By Dennis Cimino "In the aftermath of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, it’s hard to fathom or describe the environmental damage to the Earth, because it eclipses all prior nuclear accidents by such a huge margin. In the four years now since the earthquake caused the breakage of critical reactor cooling apparatus and plumbing to the point where the plants were not able to sustain or maintain the nearly one million gallons per reactor per minute, needed to cool them, the continued exposure to the entire worl... more »
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, Aug 29 to Sept. 5, 2015"
*"Your Radiation This Week, Aug 29 to Sept. 5, 2015"* By Bob Nichols "I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth." - Morpheus (San Francisco) September 5, 2015 – "Good Day, this is “Your Radiation This Week.” These are the recorded Radiation Highs that affected people this week around the United States and in your neighborhood. Let’s get right to it. *Normal Radiation is 5 to 20 CPM. 50 CPM is an alert level.* *Partial Counts are noted. Uncounted radiation makes the actual Count higher and more dangerous.* *RADIATION CPM* *•* TIMES NORMAL BACKGROUND LEVEL *•*... more »
Message from Denice
Denice has asked that no more personal data questions be sent to her. She's a school teacher and school has started so she's busy teaching for the school year. She's a good transcriber, and handled mountains of data during the summer, and myriads of emails from people, but she does have a family life too. Its only a matter of weeks that you'll be able to ask the Sphere Alliance directly about any questions who have and you won't have to go through a human conduit as an intermediary. And frankly I think that will be a better approach "to get it straight from the horses mouth" ... more »
Shadow Dancer for the Sega MegaDrive/ Genesis
They say art reflects back a society's image of itself. You could say that was certainly the case with *Shadow Dancer*, a sort-of conversion - of which in a minute - of Sega's 1989 coin-op. Not that ninja vigilantes were rescuing hostages or cleaning up New York's mean streets, but the game play theme was of asserting oneself against anxiety and dread by way of offing oodles of bad fellas. Like a large number of action games in a contemporary setting, many an arcade-style shooter/ninja/beat 'em up around the late 80s and early 90s, coincident with the rise of the 16-bit video game... more »
Rally Held in Support of Jailed Clerk Kim Davis
[image: This Thursday, Aug. 3, 2015 photo made available by the Carter County Detention Center shows Kim Davis. The Rowan County, Ky. clerk went to jail Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but five of her deputies agreed to comply with the law, ending a two-month standoff. (Carter County Detention Center via AP)] GRAYSON, Ky. (AP) -- They stood chanting outside the jail house, “Thank you, Kim; Thank you, Kim,” and prayed that the defiant county clerk locked inside could hear them. As Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis began her third day as... more »
Quick harvest the magic money tree
'Council leaders have called on the government to provide more resources to help them house extra refugees that the UK is planning to accept. David Simmons from the Local Government Association (LGA) said it was important that councils could provide the services refugees expected.' Who didn't see that coming? More money needed... And I do like that line about services the refugees expect. Isn't that just spiffing? More pro unlimited immigration here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34161075
Thought for a Sunday morning
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Flipping A District In The Great Northwest: WA-08
This week we were delighted to hear that two truly awful Republican congressmen-- John Kline in Minnesota and Dave Reichert in Washington-- are stepping down. Kline made it final; he's going for sure, which must be a great relief to America's students (and their parents). Reichert, bored with Congress, is still mulling a run for his state's governor's mansion, which polling indicates he'll lose anyway. Blue America hadn't made a decision to back a candidate in MN-02 yet, although Angie Craig looks like a good replacement for Kline. It's much easier for us in WA-08, where we alread... more »
Eagles Release Tim Tebow, Say He Needs More Playing Time
[image: Tim Tebow-900] The Eagles have released Tim Tebow, ending the former Heisman Trophy winner’s bid to win the No. 3 quarterback job for Chip Kelly in Philadelphia. Tebow was one of 22 players released Saturday by the Eagles, who also cut veteran... Continue reading *“Eagles Release Tim Tebow, Say He Needs More Playing Time”* at *espn.go.com*.
Just One of Life's Little Mysteries
* The missing shipping container was found on Saturday on a road in a suburb just off the northeast tip of the island of Montreal.* *From the CBC* Silver heist mystery continues after empty shipping container found 16 tonnes of silver still missing after Wednesday's [Sept.2/15] brazen theft from Port of Montreal A shipping container stolen from Montreal's port this week may have been found in Repentigny, Que. — but the $10 million in silver inside of it at the time of the heist is nowhere to be found. The Maersk container lifted from the port was found on Saturday after... more »
Protesting at the Air Show
*Click on any of the photos for a better view* *Several from the 'Patriot Riders' motorcycle club parked their bikes and jumped in front of us. They stood in front of Veterans for Peace member Tom Whitney (white shirt) and threatened to beat him up when he held his sign up so it could be read. After about 15 minutes the club whose motto is "Freedom isn't Free" got back on their motorbikes and roared off. The Brunswick police, just across the street, did nothing. If a group of peaceniks jumped in front of a right-wing protest we'd be quickly made to move and likely would face ... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
My article on sex trafficking in Iraq was reprinted in eKurd.
in which we (re)adjust to apartment life
On August 30, 2015, we marked 10 years of life in Canada. On August 31, we moved from our rented house to a high-rise rental apartment, likely our last move for a very long time. The move itself was an absolute nightmare, a Murphy's Law Spectacular. I don't even want to bore you with the details. It just sucked. My mom is here for her annual visit, which does not suck, and in fact is very wonderful. *Pupdate* The dogs are doing well, a bit better day by day. The move was *extremely* stressful on Tala, involving four trips in the car, almost 24 hours of activity, and endless confu... more »
True to form
Time, I think, to gave up on Anita Anand's *Any Answers *for good. This will be my final post on the subject, lest they all keep saying the same thing *ad infinitum*. (Not that that's ever stopped me before). It has to be said though that today's edition wasn't without interest. Some of the calls were very interesting, including one from a Kindertransport survivor. The problem remains Anita Anand herself - and regular readers will know why by now. The usual happened. Things went smoothly for the first ten minutes, with people mostly saying things Anita obviously felt comfortab... more »
Sept, 5:The teaching of lies.
The following site was sent to me by a reader. I think it's quite true. It tells us what the U.S. government really is – and it could well have added Britain and Canada as eager puppies running along behind their master. http://commondreams.org/news/2015/09/04/major-culprit-creating-crisis-us-rebuked-failing-refugees The U.S., Britain and Canada are moved to compassion by the sight of a child lying dead on a beach. How come we didn't much notice the story of a Somalian teenager who was tortured and beaten to death by Canadian elite troops? How come nobody even asked why they did it?... more »
Obama is Wrong About Iran's Level of Uranium Enrichment
In a new interview with Mic, President Barack Obama spoke extensively about the Iran deal and addressed questions posed to him by youth people from the United States, Israel and even Iran itself. While the arguments Obama made in favor of the landmark, multilateral agreement have all been heard before, the president made one extremely curious claim about Iran's uranium enrichment that should
Soaring up to the Heavens: The World’s 10 Tallest Churches
[image: church2 - 400] While this earthly life is important, the Christian life is ultimately directed toward God in heaven. Building churches that are tall and upward pointed is one way that this fact has sometimes been conveyed in church architecture. Here's a list of... Continue reading *“Soaring up to the Heavens: The World’s 10 Tallest Churches”* at *churchpop.com*.
Why Did The California State Legislature, Controlled By Democrats, Defeat A Bill To Increase The Minimum Wage?
Richard Mathews is a candidate for California State Senate District 27 (Malibu, Encino, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks). Richard has a history of progressive leadership in the California Democratic Party, having served as a vice chair of the L.A. County party and a member of the executive board of the state party. Focusing on the climate-change crisis and local environmental concerns, Richard has helped the party take strong positions on these crucial issues. Richard is also an activist who continues to take action on the issues that concern his local community. Whether it’s calling... more »
I Blame Stephen King
(By *American Zen*'s Mike Flannigan, on loan from Ari.) That's right. I blame the Master of Horror. How else can one explain what happened in Rowan County, Kentucky except to say this is a horrid example of life imitating art when an obscure hillbilly clerk in rompers and jumpers who gives people cultural flashbacks of Kathy Bates in *Misery *gets to literally dictate for an entire summer to an entire county that they can't get married? And why did it take so long for Kim Davis to get thrown in jail for contempt of court when the Supreme Court had ruled last June 26th t... more »
The Pew Report and the LGBT “Nones”
[image: Young man in church - 400] Last spring's Pew Report on "America's Changing Religious Landscape" has garnered widespread media attention, much of it to proclaim that Christianity is dying. The news wasn't all bad for believers; for example, as Catholics in the Northeast and the Midwest... Continue reading *“The Pew Report and the LGBT “Nones””* at *catholicworldreport.com*.
When Does Your Religion Legally Excuse You from Doing Part of Your Job?
[image: This Thursday, Aug. 3, 2015 photo made available by the Carter County Detention Center shows Kim Davis. The Rowan County, Ky. clerk went to jail Thursday for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but five of her deputies agreed to comply with the law, ending a two-month standoff. (Carter County Detention Center via AP)] Can your religion legally excuse you from doing part of your job? This is one of the questions in the Kentucky County Clerk marriage certificate case. But it also arises in lots of other cases -- for instance, the Muslim... Continue reading *“Wh... more »
September "Perfect Storm" Warning Update
Putin discusses European Refugee Crisis Folks, I've been watching all the information coming in about the "drills" planned for America's east coast throughout September and into October. It's not good. They're loading up the dice for another False Flag and I do believe it will be an "all or nothing last roll of the dice" for the evildoers. They know they will likely never have another or a better chance at eliminating their bête noire than the upcoming convergence of leaders into NYC in mid September for the *70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. * *At a time you... more »
West Point Pillow Fight Leaves 30 Cadets Injured With Broken Bones And Concussions
*New York Times*:* At West Point, Annual Pillow Fight Becomes Weaponized* For generations, freshmen cadets at the United States Military Academy have marked the end of a grueling summer of training with a huge nighttime pillow fight that is billed as a harmless way to blow off steam and build class spirit. But this year the fight on the West Point, N.Y., campus turned bloody as some cadets swung pillowcases packed with hard objects, thought to be helmets, that split lips, broke at least one bone, dislocated shoulders and knocked cadets unconscious. The brawl at the publicly funded... more »
Censored News Begins its 10th Year!
Censored News begins our 10th year this month, Sept. 2015, right back where we began publishing an exclusive from the so-called border, exposing the truth about the US Israeli spy towers on Tohono O'odham land. Here's a few photos from this labor of love, published all these years with no advertising, grants, adwords or revenues. Thanks to all of you! www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
ONE OF THE LAST GREAT EDUCATION POLICY MAKERS PASSES: Will education pass with him?
[image: sobol1]Yesterday a truly great educator died. I hope truly great education does not die with him. The following come from his obituary in the New York Times. Dr. [Thomas Sobol was the New York State education commissioner for eight years, appointed by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo (the wise father of the tyrannical Governor of NY, Andrew) in 1987.“During Dr. Sobol’s tenure, the percentage of high school graduates going to college increased, as did the number of students passing advanced placement exams.” “Despite that success, Dr. Sobol resigned in frustration in 1995, accusing Gov. G... more »
Watchdog: Feds Often Bypass Competitive Bidding, Giving Contracts to Favored Companies
[image: government contract__1441458921_70.119.142.63] Federal bureaucrats don't bother to get more than one bidder on more than half of the contracts they award for supplying many of the government's daily operational needs, according to the Government Accountability Office. Only 40 percent of the contracts... more »
Hungary May Deploy Army on Borders to Keep out Migrants It Fears May Soon Number in the Millions
[image: Hungary border migrants__1441460551_70.119.142.63] Hungary will deploy police forces along its southern border after Sept. 15 to stem a refugee influx and also send in the military if parliament approves a government proposal, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday. “The big changes will... Continue reading *“Hungary May Deploy Army on Borders to Keep out Migrants It Fears May Soon Number in the Millions”* at *reuters.com*.
B-1 Bombers To Israel?
Photo: Office of U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton *Defense News*: *US Senator Backs B-1 Bombers for Israel* In Jerusalem, Says Aid Hikes “Eminently Reasonable" TEL AVIV, Israel — Regardless of how Congress votes on the controversial Iranian nuclear deal, Sen. Tom Cotton said most members are committed to significantly strengthening Israeli security, including providing billions of dollars in additional annual aid and B-1 bunker busting bombers. In an interview here Wednesday, the junior senator from Arkansas, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and chairman of the Armed Se... more »
U.S. Defense Secretary On Iran Nuclear Deal: 'The Military Option Stays On The Table And Becomes More Effective'
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter (Reuters / Yuri Gripas) / Reuters *USA Today: Ash Carter:* *Iran deal features defense backstop* With an agreement, the military option stays on the table and becomes more effective Nineteen years ago, I was in Ukraine when the last nuclear warheads, orphaned during the Soviet Union’s breakup, rolled out of the country. As an assistant secretary of Defense at the time, I had worked with Washington colleagues and foreign counterparts to eliminate those nuclear weapons and thus one danger at the dawn of the post-Cold War world. Together — with bipar... more »
Hungary Bus Fleet Delivers 4,000 Migrants to Austria Welcome
[image: Austria Germany Hungary migrants__1441459734_70.119.142.63] BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Thousands of exhausted, elated migrants reached their dream destinations of Germany and Austria on Saturday, completing epic journeys by boat, bus, train and foot to escape war and poverty. Before dawn, they clambered off a fleet... more »
I Have a Potty Mouth
I notice that I say piss, shut, fuck, and other words a lot. It probably detracts from the impact of my critiques of mainstream political figures. Like that fucking shit-assed asshole Rob Ford. Or that moronic fuckwad stephen harper. Or that dick-brained smegma stain Tim Hudak. Or the putrid, piss-faced neo-liberal economists. The blood-stained asswipe imperialists. Oh my goodness gracious me! Those people require a much more dignified, sober evisceration than my expletive-laced tirades. IOW: I'm tired and don't have much to say today!
( Apropos of not much...I wonder how many people notice that the favourite vulgar phrases are simple evocations of relief from pressure : Could I make a case for that being a primal form of heart felt prayer ? An analysis like that would go a long way towards explaining how George Carlin could be so vulgar and profound together. For a Sunday musing - maybe there's hope for thwap yet [ even if I consider he would smear his victims with symbolic waste and stench as outlet for his wrath - a five year old's reaction } otherwise such words would distract from meaning,rather than enhancing it )
Signals at \(2, 3, 5\TeV\) as the new \(W'\), \(Z'\), Higgs' bosons
*A new right-wing world waiting to complement the biased left-wing world we've been living in?* The detectors at the LHC have found hints of a \(W'\)-boson at mass \(2.1\TeV\) or so, a \(2.9\TeV\) \(Z'\)-boson or something like that, and another resonance at \(5.2\TeV\). In the article about the \(2.9\TeV\) event, I discussed a left-right-symmetric model that has made exactly this prediction in June. It's a leptophobic model – so that some of the bosons have vanishing interactions with the leptons (while nonzero ones with quarks). I decided to consider the pos
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