Tony Blair and then-U.S. President George W. Bush both introduced rafts of new security legislation as a reaction to terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Iraq War. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
President George W. Bush at Al Asad Airbase declaring victory in Anbar Province, September 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Cross posted at Opit's LinkFest!
10:24pm MDST
Musical Interlude: Constance Demby, "Ocean Without Shores"
Constance Demby, "Ocean Without Shores" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl1Pn-KrvGA&html5=1
Top U.S. General Arrives In Israel for Talks On Syria, Russia, And Iran Deal
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel B. Shapiro meets with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corp Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. at the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, Israel, Oct. 17, 2015. DoD photo by D. Myles Cullen *Haaretz*: *U.S. Military Chief Lands in Israel for First Official Visit Abroad* Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford will meet Israeli counterpart Gadi Eisenkot to discuss Iran deal, Russia and Syria, as well as continued cooperation of two countries' armies. The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford, landed ... more »
Hillary Clinton Emails Contain Secret Iraq War Documents Detailing An Agreement Between President George Bush And British Prime Minister Tony Blair To Invade Iraq Nearly A Year Before The War Began
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Daily Mail*: *Smoking gun emails reveal Blair's 'deal in blood' with George Bush over Iraq war was forged a YEAR before the invasion had even started - despite claiming he wanted peace* * Leaked White House memo shows former Prime Minister's support for war at summit with U.S. President in 2002 * Bombshell document shows Blair preparing to act as spin doctor for Bush, who was told 'the UK will follow our lead' * Publicly, Blair still claimed to be looking for diplomatic solution - in direct contrast to email revelations * New light was shed on Bush-Bla... more »
Musical Interlude: James Brown, "Living in America"
James Brown, "Living in America" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzDDJm27vmc&html5=1 “When you're born into this world you're given a ticket to the freak show. If you're born in America you get a front row seat.” - George Carlin
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The universe is filled with galaxies. But to see them astronomers must look out beyond the stars of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. This colorful Hubble Space Telescopic portrait features spiral galaxy NGC 6384, about 80 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus. At that distance, NGC 6384 spans an estimated 150,000 light-years, while the Hubble close-up of the galaxy's central region is about 70,000 light-years wide. * Click image for larger size.* The sharp image shows details in the distant galaxy's blue star clusters and dust lanes along magnifice... more »
"We Shall Meet The enemy..."
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving & tiny blasts of tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us." - Walt Kelly
The Daily "Near You?"
San Antonio, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
An Interview With the Homeless Doctor
[image: Dr Jim Withers] “I was actually really shocked how ill people were on the street. It was like going to a third-world country,” he said. “Young, old, people with mental illness, runaway kids, women (who) fled domestic violence, veterans. And they all have... Continue reading *“An Interview With the Homeless Doctor”* at *cnn.com*.
Chet Raymo, "Soul"
"Soul" by Chet Raymo "There is a moment early in Stefan Zweig's The Post Office Girl when the eponymous heroine has a moment of illumination: "In this instant, shaken to her very depths, this ecstatic human being has a first inkling that the soul is made of stuff so mysteriously elastic that a single event can make it big enough to contain the infinite." Two interesting thoughts here. First, that the soul is elastic. This is a rather different notion of the human soul than the one I was raised with. We were taught that the soul - the essential self - is created fully formed at the... more »
“50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind”
*“50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind”* by Marc Chernoff "These questions have no right or wrong answers, because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer. 1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? 2. Which is worse, failing or never trying? 3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? 4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? 5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? 6. If happiness was the national currency, what k... more »
Are There 2,000 Cuban Troops In Syria?
U.S. President Barack Obama extends his hand to Cuban President Raul Castro at the start of their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York September 29, 2015. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *Fiscal Times:* *Are Cuban Troops Backing Up Putin and Assad in Syria?* The armed conflict in Syria has become more complex in recent weeks, with Russia launching waves of air strikes against rebel forces, some backed by the U.S. Various rebel groups have fought government forces and each other, as the Turkish military watches nervously on the northern border. And now there may be a ne... more »
Israeli - Palestinian Violence Continues To Escalate
*Reuters:* *Israel says more knife attacks thwarted, four Palestinians dead* Israeli authorities said four Palestinians had been shot dead and a fifth seriously injured in thwarted knife attacks on Saturday in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank as tensions ran high after more than two weeks of unrest. Forty-one Palestinians and seven Israelis have died in the recent street violence, which was in part triggered by Palestinians' anger over what they see as increased Jewish encroachment on Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound. Israel says it is keeping the status quo at the holy com... more »
Lebanese Report: Russian Jets Blocked Israeli Fighters Over Lebanon Two Weeks Ago
*YNet News:* *Report: Russia blocks Israeli jets over Lebanon* Lebanese newspaper claims Israeli jets turn back after confrontation with Russian aircraft over northern Lebanon. Russian forces warned Israel over IAF flights in Russian controlled airspace near the Syrian–Lebanese border area after Israeli jets were detected nearby, according to a report Friday in the Lebanese media outlet As Safir. The report comes a mere day after Russia announced that it had established a "hotline" with Israel in order to coordinate aerial activity over Lebanon and Syria. As Safir quoted Lebanese... more »
Day 9 - Buddhist Nun Arrives in Brunswick
*Civil war statue at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine* We walked into Brunswick today from Bath and after arriving we looped through the downtown area where we were able to hand out many flyers. Then we passed through Bowdoin College which was having their annual 'parents day' so more people than normal were around. Three people unexpectedly showed up just before we began walking this morning - it's always a nice energy boost to have some fresh walkers join in like that. In all we had 15 people doing the whole 9.5 miles today so it was a colorful group for sure. Mary Beth drove... more »
U.S. Intelligence: Russia Air-Strikes Have Not Aided The Syrian Regime
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *CNN:* *U.S. intelligence: Russian strikes haven't greatly aided Syria's Assad* Washington (CNN)Both Russia and the United States are watching Syria for any signs that President Bashar al-Assad might be about to fall -- but for different reasons. The U.S. goal is to avoid a catastrophic collapse of the regime. Unlike in Iraq, the United States wants to try to ensure some elements of the Syrian military and key social services and structures in and around Damascus survive if Assad goes, so that Syria can begin to rebuild. U.S. officials think that Rus... more »
Will David "Diapers" Vitter Lose The Gubernatorial Race To A Democrat In One Of The Reddest States In The Country?
Everyone is getting excited about the 2016 elections which are over a year away. But there's a pretty exciting little election coming up in a week. Louisianans will be picking the guy to take over for Governor Bobby Jindal.... whether he makes it into the White House or goes back to performing exorcisms. Louisiana's jungle primary pits three Republicans-- U.S. Senator David Vitter, former Lt. Governor Scott Angelle, and current Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne-- against one Democrat, John Bel Edwards, the Minority Leader of the state House of Representatives. The most recent polling, la... more »
BUMPED TO THE TOP: Why did US Navy pull US Aircraft Carrier out of Persian Gulf?
*UPDATE: October 17, 2015 - *I'm going to bump this post to the top, due to new information about Russian radar and laser jamming capability--as currently being used in Syria by the Russian and Syrian forces. Thanks to Penny for your Thoughts blog for this great catch! Here's the Tarpley.Net commentary on the Russian weaponry: *"Russian Secret Weapon Deployed in Syria* The technology in question seems similar to the KRET Richag-AV system, although it apparently functions on a larger scale. A tactical version of this system was presented to journalists in the Russian city of Back i... more »
Here Comes Iranian Crude And (Probably) Even Lower Oil Prices
*Bill Murray, Real Clear Energy:** Oil Markets Clutch Blanket as Iran's Adoption Day Nears* As evidenced by reports that several hardline members of Iran’s parliament were so distraught they were crying after failing to stop passage of the nuclear agreement earlier this week in Tehran, the reopening of Iran’s economy after years of biting sanctions is leaving a lot of people and world capitals on edge. Passage of the agreement through the 290-seat Majlis on Tuesday was a near-formality, but its occurrence is being viewed as one of the last possible political obstacles before the ... more »
"Weary"
The second story, at midnight tonight, on the BBC News website is: Now, you may think that "thousands of *weary* migrants" sounds a bit emotive and that "after Hungary closed *another* of its borders", especially in the context of such a phrase, makes Hungary sound heartless as a result... ...and, if you do think such things, some sensible soul at the BBC website now seems to agree with you. When you now click into the article you won't find the word "weary" at all *or* the word "another" in connection to Hungary's borders. A swift change of mind, leaving a rack behind, it seems.
Oct. 17: Hitler and Mussolini - and us.
First, I have found a computer copy of Conjuring Hitler, the book on how Hitler's rise to power was engineered by Britain, the U.S. - with a little help from Canada. The purpose of it all – for Britain - was to maintain the profits of British big business. But, from 1870 on, Britain was worried that its empire was threatened by the rise of Germany and, later, Russia. It should also have been worried because the U.S. had ambitions to inherit the British Empire. But Britain desperately needed the U.S. as an ally. And that really sums up the history of the Twentieth century and of this ... more »
Dispossession: Liberalism's Crisis
I'm finishing up my book on "liberalism" crisis. This project synthesizes years of research on the financial crisis, the BP oil crisis, and the Fukushima nuclear crisis. These crises are examined as failures of liberal governance. Two of my previous books, Governmentality, Biopower, and Everyday Life AND Governing Childhoood have examined threats to liberal democracy in great detail. Dispossession: Liberalism's Crisis provides specific institutional analyses of the energy and financial complexes that pose the greatest endogenous threat to liberal democracy. Here is an excerpt fro... more »
Whither the Blairite Rebellion?
It wasn't their finest hour. As Labour MPs filed through the no lobby Wednesday evening to vote against George Osborne's budget surplus wheeze, 21 of our number sat on their hands. These included Liz Kendall, late of the Labour leadership contest, a couple of former front benchers, and backbench loyalists-no-longer like Mike Gapes. In all, their showing was fewer than expected as most noted 4.5%ers fell in behind the leadership. The question, not answered by our Jacobin Blairist tendency, is what on Earth were they trying to achieve? *Why* were they moved to vote, or not vote, as t... more »
Saudi Arabia's Oil War With Russia Is 'Heating Up'
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) attends a meeting with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Mohammad Bin Salman at the Konstantin (Konstantinovsky) Palace in St. Petersburg. Grigory Dukor / Reuters *Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg*: *Saudi Arabia's Oil War With Russia* As President Vladimir Putin tries to restore Russia as a major player in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is starting to attack on Russia's traditional stomping ground by supplying lower-priced crude oil to Poland. At a recent investment forum, Igor Sechin, chief executive of Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil company, complained... more »
Rightwing Nuthouse: “5 Right-wing Absurdities this Week: Rand Paul Gets Unhinged About Bernie”
*“5 Right-wing Absurdities this Week: * *Rand Paul Gets Unhinged About Bernie”* Calm down, Rand. Time to fade away. by Janet Allon *“1. There’s a reason Rand Paul has become completely irrelevant. *The fact that Rand Paul was once touted as the savior of the Republican Party does not speak well of either of them. But just to drive the point home that Paul is definitely not suited to play the role of level-headed grown up in the room, the Kentucky libertarian got a little hysterical this week about Bernie Sanders. Just a tad. The word “socialist” can do that to right-wing libertaria... more »
"If; Never..."
“If you're going through hell, keep going.” “Never give in... never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force... never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” - Winston Churchill
"We are all immigrants"
You may have thought I was joking earlier and that Janina might have been engaging in a spot of wishful thinking, but now it's straight from the horse's mouth...and the *Guardian*... Yes, the BBC really *did* choose to go with its new *Game of Thrones*-style epic, *The Last Kingdom*, because of its helpful 'message' about immigration - i.e. that we English are *all* immigrants: *Bernard Cornwell: BBC made The Last Kingdom due to its 'interesting echoes of today'* The BBC was inspired to make a lavish new series about King Alfred the Great because of current debates about immigrat... more »
Restricting Your Eating Time Period to 8 Hours Will Transform Your Health & Fitness
I use a modified form of this dietary approach which i described in the arclein diet. Relying on the fact that our digestive tract holds 125% of its needs, a simple calculation informs us that every week we eat nine days worth of food and that the result must be a natural weight level set at around 130% to 140% above what would be normal. In my case i was at 230 to 240 most of my adult life however i struggled with it. I calculated that my proper weight would be around 180 to 190. What i then did was engineer a twenty hour fast into my schedule ultimately to three times per ... more »
Untitled
*Bombshell In Louisiana Governor’s Race: Former Mistress Alleges David Vitter Asked Her to Get An Abortion ~CenLamar*
Syria:Russian Technology to Impede Communications/Circumvent the TOW Missiles
I have got to tip my hat to Gallier 2 for bringing this site to my attention along with some additional information regarding weapons systems Russia brought into Syria. *So first things first:** Merci Gallier/tristopia!* *tristopia October 13, 2015 at 8:51 AM* *According to strategika51, the Syrian air force destroyed 50 tons of these dropped supplies. They also claim that the Syrians found a way to circumvent the danger the TOW missiles pose. They also say that Russia continued to shoot with cruise missiles from the Caspian.I have no way to check their claims but they are quite ... more »
VIDEO Juan Sandoval: Protecting Indigenous Peoples Sites in Mexico
. Mexico's anthropologists held a seminar in northwest Mexico to discuss the formation of the northern border, and protection of burial places and cultural places of Indigenous Peoples. Video, photos and article by Brenda Norrell Censored News Exclusive HERMOSILLO, Sonora, Mexico -- Dr. Juan Manuel Sandoval of the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico City,
The U.S. Navy Wants A 'Super Ship'
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 23, 2014 ) The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) leads a formation of ships from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 during a maneuvering exercise. Theodore Roosevelt participated in the exercise with the Peruvian submarine BAP Islay (SS 35), the guided-missile destroyers USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS Farragut (DDG 99) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Theodore Roosevelt is underway preparing for future deployments. *Dave Majumdar, National Interest*: *Railguns, Lasers and Nuclear Power: The U.S.... more »
"Amazed. That's quite a sign for a London street in 2015"
They *aren't **all* the same. Here's *The Daily Politic*s's Giles Dilnot, for example: Unfortunately, yes, that *is *quite a sign for a London street in 2015. It's getting grim.
Democrats Ready to Dump Debbie Dictator
*-by Dorothy Reik* Debbie Wasserman Schultz has gotten away with so much that she thought she was invincible. As a Florida state senator she drew herself a congressional seat in southeastern Broward County and the northern Biscayne Bay shoreland of Miami Dade. This is how the D+18 FL-20 was described by non-partisan *Almanac of American Politics*: "Precinct by precinct, it's computer generated borders are drawn to include heavily Democratic and Jewish areas; while its large gay and lesbian community, Wilton Manors, trails only Provincetown, Massachusetts and Guerneville, Californi... more »
Booker & The Incompetent Met Office
By Paul Homewood Booker is on the case of the Met Office today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/11938459/Met-Office-shown-to-be-wrong-by-its-own-data.html Imagine if Michael Fish, our most famous weatherman, had been sacked by the BBC for writing a book accusing the world’s climate scientists of having “manipulated” their data to promote panic over global warming. Something similar made […]
Surrogate and Babies Die From Complications in Pregnancy
[image: Surrogate Pregnancy Mother Commercial - 900] An Idaho woman who was serving as a gestational surrogate for a couple from Spain died from complications from her pregnancy on October 8. Brooke Brown, 34, had served as a surrogate three times before, but this time, according to... more »
Saturday: Cleaning house...
*in this case it's my tabs. * I spend all week stuffing things in my tabs that I want to post and wow everyone with my brilliant commentary. The brilliant hasn't happened. *First up:* Which state is crazier, California or Minnesota? It's a toss up. *Government-Mandated Speech: Jerry Brown Signs Law Forcing Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortion* *(CNSNews.com) *– Gov. Jerry Brown (D.-Calif.) signed a law on Friday mandating that all licensed pregnancy centers in the state “disseminate to clients” a message promoting public programs with “free or low-cost access” to abo... more »
A Look At The U.S. Air Force's Strategy To Dominate The Skies In The Coming Decades
Image: Wikimedia/Boeing Dave Majumdar, National Interest: *The U.S. Military's 6th Generation Fighter: 5 Ways To Dominate the Sky* The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Boeing F/A-18E/F are both aging platforms and will need to be replaced in the mid-2030s. Moreover, for the U.S. Air Force, it needs to replace the venerable F-15C Eagle—which was supposed to have been replaced by the Raptor until that program was prematurely terminated. The two services are set to start a joint analysis of alternatives next year. The Navy and the Air Force are still working to determine what kind... more »
Larry Chin: "The Charlie Hebdo incident is being sold as “the French 9/11”. It certainly is, in all of the most tragic ways: France, like the United States on 9/11, has been used. The masses of the world have been deceived, and march in lockstep to NATO’s drumbeat again." It's tme to break out of connitive dissonance and face reality as it is. The CIA and its predecessors have been running false flag attacks from the sinking of the battleship Maine in a Cuba harbor, to the Tomkon Gulf, to the 9/11 attacks -- all of them leading to unjustified wars thanks to gullible Americans. It's time for us, We the People, to see through the deceptions and end their drumbeat once and or all.
------------------------------ "Je Suis CIA" By Larry Chin Region: Europe, USA Global Research, October 16, 2015 Theme: 9/11 & 'War on Terrorism', Intelligence, Media 17 January 2015 Disinformation *Note: This article was first published in January 2015. *... more »
ON BEING IN THE FIELD
*There is another source of awareness, it is the subtle awareness of an inner direction which is bigger than ourselves, our hopes and our fears ~ it is the inner call of a state of soul consciousness deepest within us all ~ a **Unified Field of love and soul consciousness which calls us into service from an egoless place of joy, intention, purpose and delight: Allen L Roland, PhD* *“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there is a field.I'll meet you there.When the soul lies down in that grassthe world is too full to talk about.” ~ Rumi* Being...more »
Moving from Teacher-proof to Teacher-less Schools
The biggest costs, of course, for universities and K-12 schools are professors and teachers. The corporate bean counters and their profiteer bosses know this, and as a result, there is now a race to the bottom in terms of instructional quality, curricular integrity, and the overall learning experience. Digital worksheets have replaced the paper ones, junk tests measure "competency," and the efficiency zealots' dream of teacherless schools or schools staffed by techs and pedagogical sub-contractors has turned into a very real nightmare. Read Emily Talmadge, who is dealing with t... more »
A Synod Conversation with Catholic Africa’s Lion in Winter
[image: Cardinal Francis Arinze - 400] ROME -- Supposedly Pope Paul VI once flirted with the idea of naming patriarchs for each of the world's continents, as a step towards greater local control. Although the concept never went anywhere, if it had a strong contender for... Continue reading *“A Synod Conversation with Catholic Africa’s Lion in Winter”* at *cruxnow.com*.
Is Israel About To Lose Its Air Superiority?
Military Edge Patrick Megahan, Real Clear Defense/Military Edge: Is Israel About to Lose Its Edge in the Air? In a September 2 letter to Congress, Secretary of State John Kerry insisted that Washington would ensure Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) in the wake of the Iran nuclear deal. The letter highlighted items the Obama administration has provided Israel, including the delivery of Jerusalem’s first F-35 stealth fighters slated for next year. But expectations for the F-35 to maintain Israel’s regional air dominance may be misplaced. The aircraft lacks the performance to ... more »
Well said, M. Roche!
When I was scoffing at Mark Urban earlier today for saying "I think many of us had sort of forgotten about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the last few years" when so many of his BBC colleague most certainly *haven't *forgotten about it (and some seem frankly obsessed by it, especially on Twitter), I forgot one programme from my little list of forget-Israel-not programmes: namely *Dateline London. *(How on earth did I forget that?) *Dateline London *never misses an opportunity to talk about Israel - and, obviously, it had another go at the subject today, given recent events... more »
Another Holistic Doctor Found Dead, Alleged Suicide
While details on the passing of Chiropractor Dr Marie Paas are not clear, her alleged suicide has left many people shocked. She is the twelfth holistic doctor who has died in suspicious circumstances since the death of Dr Bradstreet back in June. The following information comes from Erin Elizabeth at HealthNutNews: The details are scarce on the passing of Dr. Marie Paas, but there are several posts about her death on her Facebook page and many who knew her are writing to me saying that it was an alleged suicide. Comments on her page would indicate this as well. Her website appears t... more »
China International Trust and Investment Corporation: Citic Bank's deputy head of the bank resigns
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/16/idUSL3N12G3RA20151016 Industries | Fri Oct 16, 2015 7:10am EDT Related: FINANCIALS *BRIEF-China Citic Bank's deputy head of the bank resigns* Oct 16 China Citic Bank Corp Ltd * Says Deputy Head of the Bank Cao Guoqiang resigns due to change in job role Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/1Loe37N Further company coverage: (Reporting by Hong Kong and Singapore newsrooms) ------------------------------ A share stock code: 601998 A stock abbreviation: CITIC Bank Number: Pro 2015-43 H share stock code: 998 H shares short: CITIC Bank *CITIC Ban... more »
State Of Emergency Declared In Hawaii Over Homeless Crisis
Hawaii which suffers from the worst homeless rates in the US, has declared a state of emergency in order to encourage faster construction of new homes for those in need. There were 7,260 homeless people in Hawaii at the latest count, meaning Hawaii has the highest rate of homelessness per capita of any state in the nation The Hawaii governor David Ige said: “We are making sure that we have options for those who are homeless to move into an emergency shelter, and the biggest deficit in the system is shelter space for families. So the emergency proclamation would allow us to stand up ... more »
U.S. Aircraft Carrier Leaves The Persian Gulf As The Many Conflicts In The Middle East Escalate
(Click on Image) *USNI News*: *Carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt Leaves Middle East, No Firm Date on Replacement to Continue Anti-ISIS Strikes* The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group left U.S. 5th Fleet on Tuesday with no public timeline for when its replacement will reach the Middle East to continue U.S. air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq in Syria (ISIS) targets. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is slated to be the next CSG bound for the Middle East, but the Navy would not specify a deployment time other than later this year, a service official told USNI News on ... more »
Tears vs. Blood: The Man Behind Graphic Pro-Life Signs Defends Their Use
[image: graphic] In July, an activist group called the Center for Medical Progress began to release a series of undercover videos meant to "expose" Planned Parenthood. Most of the attention to the videos has focused on whether they prove the organization engaged... Continue reading *“Tears vs. Blood: The Man Behind Graphic Pro-Life Signs Defends Their Use”* at *theatlantic.com*.
Elderly Army Vet Saves 16 Children from Knife Attack
[image: James Vernon Veteran] Sixteen children and a handful of their mothers found the only door to their library room blocked by a man who held hunting knives in each hand as he screamed, "I'm going to kill some people!" Dustin Brown, 19, specifically... Continue reading *“Elderly Army Vet Saves 16 Children from Knife Attack”* at *pekintimes.com*.
Did The West Underestimate Russia's Military Power
Military parade in Red Square. Wikipedia *The Diplomat:* *How The West Underestimated Russia’s Military Power* *Focusing on shortcomings in equipment made Western military analysts underestimate Moscow’s military capacity.* Russia’s military reforms have been misunderstood and its capabilities underestimated by the United States and Europe. That’s the conclusion of a new report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The Russian military’s tactical and operational weaknesses became most blatantly apparent to the Kremlin during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, when the U.S... more »
More 'Feedback'
Listening to the past three weeks of *Feedback *has been fascinating - partly because it introduces 'people like me' to 'people like them'. What I mean by that is that last week's edition featured a section on a Radio 4 Extra re-broadcast of *The News Huddlines* from 1976. That was, if you're old enough to recall, a none-too-biting news-based comedy show broadcast on Radio 2 starring Roy Hudd (the one who *didn't *have an emu on the end of his arm - as I had to keep reminding myself at the time, being very young and - *Update *- whose name I *still* keep getting wrong - see the c... more »
Thousands Witness Huge ‘Floating City’ In The Sky Over China
On October 7th, residents in the Guangdong province of China witnessed what appeared to be a huge floating city in the sky which mysteriously disappeared after a few minutes. A few days later people in parts of the province of Jiangxi also reported sighting a strange ghostly city in the sky. Some say it was an illusion, an apparition, or a naturally occurring optical phenomenon while others believe it could be a test of the Project Blue Beam technology. According to the Express: Weather experts have explained the phenomena as natural mirage, an optical illusion called Fata Morgana. ... more »
Anne Applebaum's deluded interpretations of peace with Russia
Anne Applebaum, a journalist, wrote an anti-Russian rant for the Slate and the Washington Post. The titles are Authoritarianism’s Fellow Travelers and Russia’s new kind of friends. The similarity of her texts to the anti-American and anti-dissent tirades I remember from the official communist press is hard to overlook. Her main thesis – the thesis of this text just like the previous ones – is that whoever refuses to "hate" Russia and cooperate on the destruction of Russia or its current government or something of the sort has to be called out, demonized, and perhaps also isolated or... more »
'Future BBC'
Talking of the BBC's own 'watchdog'-type programmes... Regular readers will know that I got a bit of a bee in my bonnet during the last series of Radio 4's *Feedback* about Roger Bolton's scare-mongering and staggering lack of impartiality over the 'BBC versus government' row over the licence fee settlement... ...particularly galling given that *Feedback *seems much less neutral than programmes like *Today* - and *Feedback*'s supposed to be their 'watcher' on the licence fee payer's behalf. Roger editorialised shamelessly and introduced campaigners for the BBC as if they were di... more »
NASA’s Cassini Sends Stunning Images Of Enceladus’ North Pole
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft captures high-resolution images of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus during its 14 October flyby. The earlier Voyager mission suggested a heavily cratered north pole, but the new images by Cassini reveal a landscape of stark contrasts. The Daily Mail reports: Taken by the Cassini spacecraft as it made its 14 October flyby, the images show the northern regions are covered in cracks that slice through the craters on one side, while the other side appears much smoother. Nasa captured the best ever views of the northern extremes of Saturn’s icy, ocean-bearing moon as... more »
Your Meme O' the Day
@PuestoLoco @ohiomail @NONOTAGAIN @Bensmithten @warcrimesbush pic.twitter.com/6a9qnoV4OJ — Robert Crawford (@jurassicpork59) October 17, 2015 Republican delusion and denial, even taking into consideration family loyalty, never, ever ceases to amaze me.
Susan Crockford Responds To BBC’s “Misleading” Article on Polar Bears
By Paul Homewood http://polarbearscience.com/2015/10/16/bbc-perspective-on-arviat-polar-bears-those-not-included-in-the-last-mark-recapture-study/ Dr Susan Crockford weighs in on the BBC article on polar bears, which I highlighted yesterday. In a polite but misleading article today in a BBC magazine (The polar bears are coming to town) about the relationship of polar bears and Inuit in Arviat, Western Hudson Bay, […]
Is Trump Already Breaking The Law By Not Reporting His SuperPAC Haul To The FEC?
The 2016 elections is a little over a year away and candidates have already raised hundreds of millions of dollars. Just in the last 3 months-- and just the candidates for president (so not people running for Congress or for governor or for state legislatures or anything else-- raised around $150,000,000. Most of the candidates from both the completely corrupt Beltway party establishments have raised *MOST* of their campaign money in the for of legalized bribes. Small donors and yuuuuge donors-- as Trump explained over and over and over-- give for very different reasons. The big d... more »
SWEET DEMON ALABAMA: This is the way false impressions get spread!
*SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2015Part 6—Maddow falls for the third time:* We love the smell of misinformation in the evening. Check that! We’re fascinated by the way a set of perfectly accurate claims can create a massively false impression. Citizens need to understand the way this process can work. If you *don’t care* about the way citizens get misled, you don’t have to keep reading! If you think that topic is important, we have an ongoing case which is state-of-the-art. How do false impressions get created? Rachel Maddow’s reports on Alabama are creating a perfect case study. Libera... more »
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, Oct 10 to Oct 17, 2015"
*"Your Radiation This Week, Oct 10 to Oct 17, 2015"* *The radiation count is up yet again, America. * By Bob Nichols "I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth." - Morpheus (San Francisco) October 17, 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. Forty-one (41) cities exceeded 1,000 CPM this week, up from Thirty-three (33) cities in Your Rad Weather two weeks ago. That is a new record High for this column. Let’s get right to it. *A... more »
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*For Ani DiFranco, New Orleans a deep well of inspiration ~John Wirt, N.O. Advocate* *Herb Society of America, New Orleans Unit's annual plant sale, today until 3:pm *
Is The Joint Russia - Iran - Hezbollah - Syria Military Alliance About To Win?
*Zero Hedge*: *The Humiliation Is Complete: ISIS Fighters Cut Off Beards And Run Away As Russia, Iran Close In* The thing about ragtag groups of militants that display a penchant for extreme violence is that in the absence of serious opposition, they can rack up gains at an alarming pace. Of course there are plenty of (possibly credible) theories out there, which suggest that some of what you see in the videos released by ISIS is for show and we won’t endeavor to assess the degree to which the group’s brutality is real versus staged, but one thing is clear: regardless of who is ... more »
Russian President Putin: 'Thousands' From Former Soviet Bloc Nations Have Joined The Islamic State
*BBC:* *Putin: 'Thousands' from former Soviet bloc fighting with IS* Vladimir Putin has said that 5,000 to 7,000 people from Russia and other former Soviet states are fighting for so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria. The Russian leader told a regional forum that the IS fighters would pose a serious risk if they returned home. Mr Putin also warned on Friday that violence in Afghanistan could spread to Central Asia. The situation in Afghanistan was "close to critical" and Central Asian states should be "ready to react", he said. *WNU Editor:* His estimate is probably correct. But... more »
Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz? Ted Cruz!
[image: Ted Cruz] I still have many doubts about Ted Cruz's ability to win the Republican nomination. He has a lot of precedent working against him; as I wrote seven months ago, "Let's Be Serious About Ted Cruz From The Start: He's Too... Continue reading *“Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz? Ted Cruz!”* at *fivethirtyeight.com*.
President Obama Warns Russia Can't 'Bomb Way' To Peace In Syria (While Bombing Syria)
*Radio Free Europe:* *Obama Warns Russia Can't 'Bomb Way' To Peace In Syria* U.S. President Barack Obama has warned Russian leaders that they cannot "bomb their way to a peaceful solution" in Syria. Obama said on October 16 that there had been "no meeting of the minds in terms of strategy" with Russia, which this week staged major assaults on rebel strongholds in Aleppo and Homs in coordination with the Syrian Army and an estimated 2,000 Iranian troops. Obama said Iran was "just doing more of what they have been doing for the last five years, as is Russia." "Their basic theory on... more »
Water Is Being Used As A Weapon in the Battle For Aleppo
Unicef *Reuters*: *Water a "weapon of war" in Syria's divided Aleppo* Oct 15 Through intense bombardment, seeing friends killed before her eyes and living without power, Layana Darwish stuck it out in Syria's Aleppo through four years of civil war, even completing her degree despite the devastation. What finally drove her to leave wasn't the snipers or the bombs. It was the constant struggle to find safe water. Civilians have borne the brunt of fighting between Syrian government forces and an array of insurgent groups in Syria's divided commercial capital, a city of two million p... more »
Trump Swam in Mob-Infested Waters as a NYC Developer
[image: Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore - 400] As billionaire developer Donald Trump became the toast of New York in the 1980s, he often attributed his rise to salesmanship and verve. "Deals are my art form," he wrote. But there is `another aspect to his success that he... Continue reading *“Trump Swam in Mob-Infested Waters as a NYC Developer”* at *washingtonpost.com*.
Musings On Iraq In The News
I was cited in Craig Whiteside’s reviewof Will McCants new book *The ISIS Apocalypse* for War On The Rocks. My interview with Haroro Ingram was mentioned in "What's Behind ISIS's Enormous Propaganda War" by Jack Phillips in Epoch Times.
The Battle For Syria's Largest City Aleppo Has Begun
*VICE News/Reuters*: *Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia Help Syrian Army Advance Near Aleppo* Syrian troops advanced in their offensive to retake territory around the northern city of Aleppo Saturday, backed by Iranian troops and members of Lebanon's Hezbollah. A military source told Reuters that "hundreds" of support troops were involved. The campaign around Aleppo, which the army launched on Friday, is one of several assaults it has waged against rebel fighters since Russian jets began carrying out airstrikes on September 30 in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assa... more »
Stunning Images Of A Fleet Of A-10 Warthogs Under The Northern Lights (Photo Gallery)
Gen Vagula *Business Insider:* *Stunning images of A-10 Warthogs under the northern lights in Estonia* When the US Air Force deployed 12 A-10 Warthogs to Ämari Air Base in Estonia during a stunning atmospheric phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis, Estonian photographer Gen Vagula pounced on the opportunity to take these gorgeous pictures. "I got so many letters from US Air Force personnel's family members and from veterans, thanking me for bringing these pictures to their newsfeeds," said Vagula in a Medium post. *WNU Editor:* Nice. On a side note .... if you told me 30 years ago ... more »
Benghazi Investigator Says Clinton Showdown Is about Facts
[image: Trey Gowdy House Select Committee] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Trey Gowdy is a man under fierce pressure as he leads a congressional Benghazi investigation that’s dismissed by Democrats as partisan and even questioned by some fellow Republicans. No matter. The former prosecutor and three-term South... more »
Top Chinese General Defends Beijing's South China Sea Policy
*Reuters*: *Chinese general says will never recklessly resort to force in South China Sea* China will never "recklessly" resort to the use of force in the South China Sea, a senior Chinese general said on Saturday, amid tensions over Beijing's building of islands in the disputed waters. China's relations with several Southeast Asian countries, especially the Philippines and Vietnam who have competing claims in the South China Sea, have been strained over Beijing's increasingly assertive tone on territorial claims in an area through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes ann... more »
Washington Sets the Stage for Another Financial Crisis
[image: financial crisis] My 13-year-old son told me at the dinner table the other day that Franklin Roosevelt was one of America's "greatest presidents" because "he ended the Great Depression." He's usually a good student, so I checked where he got this tripe, and sure enough,... more »
Military Photo of the Day: October 17, 2015
[image: Marines in Vietnam-900] U.S. Marines take to the water during Operation Hastings in Dong Ha, Vietnam, in July 1966. Thank you to our nation’s living and deceased Vietnam War veterans for their service and sacrifice.
Continued Pixilation of TEPCO cams
Yesterday I noted that there was an extraordinary amount of pixilation on the TEPCO cams. That condition persists today. Otherwise I don't see anything unusual but I do wonder whether radiation levels are higher than ordinary to produce such pixilation.
Ancient Teeth Found In Southern China Belonged To Earliest Modern Humans
Scientists are re-evaluating their understanding of the earliest modern humans and their migration around the globe, after the discovery of forty seven teeth, labelled as “unequivocally” belonging to ‘Homo sapiens,’ in a cave in southern China. They are between 80,000 to 120,000 years-old and suggest early humans migrated out of Africa to east Asia and shunned the easier path to Europe, because of stiff competition from the formidable ‘Neanderthals’ who already occupied parts of the continent and fiercely defended its resources. The earliest discovery of modern humans in Europe date... more »
MENA Report - ( October 17 -18 , 2015 ) - Syria / Iraq Regional War In Focus , Yemen Proxy War Items Of Note , Afghanistan - Taliban and Militias Haven't Gone Away , Libya Political and Internal conflict In Focus , Refugee Crisis Wrapped Up Into These Conflicts )
Links....... *Syria Launches Aleppo Offensive Against Rebels* *Saudi Airstrikes Kill 21 Houthis, 3 Civilians Across Yemen* *Afghan Vow to Expand Dreaded Militias* *Turkey Slams Russia and US for Backing of Kurds in Syria* 3.2 Million Displaced Iraqis; 55 Killed in Battles, Attacks Iraq Shows Off Airstrike by New Chinese-Made Combat Drone Russia Says Has Agreed All Technical Questions for Syria Flight Safety With US Russia Establishes Contact With Turkey, Israel on Syria Flights Obama Says No Meeting of Minds With Russia on Syria Merkel Defends 'Tra... more »
Teachers, beware of the “specialists.”
No, I’m not talking about the art, music, and PE teachers, who are, in my experience, typically referred to as teaching the “specials.” I’m not even talking about the special education teams. I’m referring to the other “specialists,” your behavior specialists, reading specialists, intervention specialists, and even your “deans.” Staff members not attached to classrooms […]
Child Labor to Build Charter Real Estate Empires
The real estate part of charter scam has always been the germinating monstrosity underneath the self-serving do-gooderism of the billionaire tax-sheltering paternalists whose aim has been and remains to convert the children of the poor into productive robots in the multi-billion dollar testing sweat shops that have replaced schools across urban America. It is a movement that occupies the moral bottom of a cavernous culture of greed and cynicism that would make the most jaded and inhumane 19th Century baron blush, and the movement is manned by privileged fascist camp guards who fals... more »
ISIS Are Demoralized And Deserting En Masse Amid Russian Airstrikes
According to Moscow’s Defense Ministry, growing numbers of ISIS militants in Syria have become discontent with their command and are deserting the militant group amid the Russian airstrikes. Senior Russian General Andrey Kartapolov told a briefing :”The majority of armed gangs are demoralized. Discontent with field commanders is growing amid the fighters, and there are instances of disobeying orders” The general added that cases of desertion among the jihadists are no longer isolated as entire groups of extremist militants are now fleeing “en masse” Could we be witnessing an end to ... more »
American Special Operations Knew They Were Bombing Doctors Without Borders
According to Associated Press reports, American Special Operations were aware of the nature of their target: An internationally renowned non-governmental organization and Peace Prize laureate, providing essential medical assistance for over four decades in war torn and developing countries, facing endemic diseases and conflict, namely an Afghan hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Boarders, on a peaceful day. The Independent reports: The US chose to move forward with the airstrike because they believed a Pakistani was holding heavy weapons in storage and using ... more »
Andrew Roy on 'Newswatch'
This week's *Newswatch *covered the BBC's reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Samira Ahmed's began: It's the topic which attracts the most intense controversy and criticism of BBC news output: how the corporation covers conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The past week has seen another upsurge in violence with seven Israelis killed in a spate of near-daily stabbings and at least 30 Palestinians. A clip of Orla Guerin reporting on one of the grisliest of the attacks on Israelis was then played. Samira continued: Whenever the BBC reports on escalations of viole... more »
Economic News & Views ( October 17 , 2015 ) - Refugee Crisis Updates ( The endless flow of souls escaping war-zones and abject poverty , the geopolitical / eurozone politics / MENA implications , bribes and extortion intrigues - the week in review on this subject ) ....... Greece Updates ( Prior Action vote prevails as Coalition votes alone carry the day - first but not the last Prior Action vote , Greece Banks Recap looms , Greece Gov't sees 3.5 BN in Asset sales in focus for 2016 and other fables ) ....... Broader Europe Updates ( Italy's Budget in focus , Spain Election in focus - Ciudadanos on the rise , Russia ruble in focus , Berlin faces new scandal - as if VW wasn't enough , now we have bribery for 2006 World Cup hits Germany , Odds & Ends )
Refugee Crisis ...... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 26s 26 seconds ago Åkesson: ‘Stay away, refugees, Sweden is full’ http://www. thelocal.se/20151017/kesson-stay-away-refugees-sweden-is-full … via @ TheLocalSweden *The Telegraph* @Telegraph 4m 4 minutes ago Calais 'jungle' camp migrant numbers double to 6,000 http://tgr.ph/1OLqSgZ [image: Embedded image permalink] *The Economist* @TheEconomist 13m 13 minutes ago Europe pays homage to Erdogan http://econ.st/1Porv1w [image: Embedded image permalink] *Human Rights News* @OthrFactsOfLife 1m... more »
Chinese General Dismisses South China Sea Concerns
[image: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter poses for a photo with Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, at the Pentagon, June 11, 2015.] BEIJING (AP) -- A top Chinese general said Saturday that China’s newly created islands in the disputed South China Sea are intended mainly to aid shipping and dismissed concerns that Beijing is seeking to strengthen its control over the strategically... more »
Indiana Man Says IRS Fined Him $2,344 for Violating Obamacare’s Individual Mandate
[image: obamacare - 900] An Indiana man's IRS bill went viral after he posted a photograph to his Facebook page of a $2,344 fine he claimed was from the federal government for not purchasing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Benjamin Miller said... more »
Mexican Drug Kingpin 'El Chapo' Guzman Injured In Capture Attempt
*Reuters*: *Mexico says drug boss Guzman narrowly evades capture, sustains injuries* The world's most-wanted drug boss, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, narrowly evaded security forces searching for him in the northwest of Mexico in recent days, sustaining injuries to his face and leg, the Mexican government said on Friday. Guzman, the head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, escaped from his high-security prison cell in July through a specially dug tunnel, causing a major embarrassment for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. In a statement, the Mexican government said it had worked with in... more »
Electrical Engineer's Study to Change AGW "Debate" ?
Don't know how much real debate has revolved around the AGW hoax? AGW is a meme has spread pretty far and wide unquestioningly. Those who have dared to question are greeted with the usual logically fallacious arguments. Considering what has passed for 'debate' it's unsurprising to me to witness the AGW adherents out and about on line, using the usual tactics to demonize and marginalize Mr Evans..*Including Al Gore's PR mouthpiece at DeSmog Blog. *Note the logical fallacies employed through out work- They don't dispute his credentials, but, instead choose to engage in ridicule and...more »
Details About China's Space-Weapons Program Have Been Released
© Flickr/ US Air Force *Sputnik News*: *New Details About China’s Space Weapons Aimed at Thwarting US Military* New details about China's space-weapons program have been released ahead of a congressional annual report outlining Beijing's plans to destroy or jam US satellites and limit American combat operations. The final report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission examining China's programs, dubbed counterspace arms, is due to be published next month. A late draft of the commission's annual report, obtained by Inside the Ring, states: *"China is pursuing a br... more »
Obama Is Open To Talks With North Korea If They Give Up Nuclear Weapons
President Obama said the US is open to negotiate with North Korea, but Pyongyang has to be serious about abandoning nuclear weapons. Speaking at a joint press conference with the South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Friday, Obama said Iran had been prepared to have a “serious conversation” about the possibility of giving up the pursuit of nuclear weapons. He said there’s no indication of that in North Korea’s case. “As my administration has shown with Iran and with Cuba, we are also prepared to engage nations with which we have had troubled histories” RT reports: President Park al...more »
Senior al-Qaida Commander Killed in An Airstrike in Syria
[image: Map of Syria] BEIRUT (AP) -- An airstrike has killed a top al-Qaida commander and two other fighters in Syria, activists said Saturday, but it was not immediately clear whether it was carried out by the U.S.-led coalition or Russian warplanes. The Britain-based... more »
Autumn: Dying Beautifully
[image: minneapolis_autumn_small] The leaves of Indianapolis die richly. They turn through glory as they go: empyrean yellow, atonement red. A carnival of color over the streets. The blessing is sudden, a shock. We know about cholorophyll: the science behind the magic. But behind the science,... Continue reading *“Autumn: Dying Beautifully”* at *thegospelcoalition.org*.
Hispanic Coalition: Take Trump off Saturday Night Live
[image: Donald Trump] LOS ANGELES (AP) -- NBC is enabling Donald Trump’s “hateful speech” about Hispanics by giving him a platform as host of Saturday Night Live and should pull the invitation, a coalition of Hispanic advocacy groups said. In a letter to NBC... Continue reading *“Hispanic Coalition: Take Trump off Saturday Night Live”* at *apnewsarchive.com*.
Weekend reads: Angry meta-analysts; imposter cell lines; when things go wrong
This week at Retraction Watch featured nine more fake peer review retractions, this time from Elsevier, and an update to the retraction count for one-time record holder Joachim Boldt. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: A statistician smackdown: “Methodological and Reporting Errors in Meta-Analytic Reviews Make Other Meta-Analysts Angry.” (sub req’d) Despite known problems, many biomedical […] The post Weekend reads: Angry meta-analysts; imposter cell lines; when things go wrong appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Renowned Heart Surgeon Reveals The Truth About Heart Disease
A retired heart surgeon, caused a stir when he admitted to being wrong and spoke out about what really causes heart disease. In a statement Dr. Dwight Lundell challenged the medical establishment’s approach to treating the disease and the validity of statins – commonly known as cholesterol-lowering medications. Waking Times reports: He’s an experienced heart surgeon and retired Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, Arizona. Not so long ago, Dr. Lundell made the following statement of confession: “We physicians with all our training, knowledge and auth... more »
A So-So Critique of Strategic Voting
It's starts off really bad but in the end it makes some good points. I'll sorta go through it but probably not in detail because I've got other stuff to do .... I’ve seen a lot of talk about “strategic voting” lately, and as someone who witnessed the efforts up close and personal last time around, I want to talk about why it is not such a great idea – and, more importantly, why it simply won’t work. *It’s slimy*Whatever your thoughts on FPTP, it is a system that serves a population as large as dispersed as Canada quite well, by localizing politics. Even people living in remote par... more »
A Political Willy Loman
http://pdxretro.com/ For the last ten years, Stephen Harper has been trying to remake Canada in his own image. Alan Freeman writes that, despite his Herculean efforts, Harper has failed. Want the proof? Consider his Heritage Department's attempt to identify the ten most influential Canadians: Topping the list of Canadian icons was none other than the Antichrist himself, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Number 2 was Terry Fox. Tommy Douglas, the socialist father of medicare, came in third. Lester Pearson, father of the wishy-washy UN p... more »
KMT Crampain I: Eric Chu now The Man
*Circulating on the net before the vote: Retain Hung!* *Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!* *Meet the new boss* *Same as the old boss* Well, as expected, the Chairman of the KMT, Eric Chu, is now the KMT presidential candidate after an extraordinary KMT party congress repealed former candidate Hung Hsiu-chu's nomination and then nominated Chu. 812 of the 891 delegates voted to oust Hung. Chu was selected by acclamation, as party reps stood up to show their support. They now have to cram the pain of a full blown election campaign into the next 90 days... alas, I mourn the loss of Hung, ... more »
The BBC puts Mark Urban on the naughty step
Oddly, given what I've just written about Mark Urban's *Newsnight *report last night, it was his report on Wednesday night's edition which got him into trouble with the BBC. The last time I checked the BBC Complaints 'Corrections & Clarifications' page, the BBC were apologising for saying that terrorist Richard Dart had been a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir (probably to someone from Hizb ut-Tahrir). This time it looks as if the anti-Israel brigade have notched up another concession from the BBC: *Newsnight *tweeted the decision yesterday: Checking back through the 'Corrections & Clar...more »
High School Coach Prays on Field Despite School District Warning, is Joined by Opposing Team
[image: HS Football Coach prays on field] BREMERTON - A high school coach defied orders from the Bremerton School District tonight, and said a prayer on the field after the homecoming football game. Coach Joe Kennedy said he took a knee on the 50 yard line to... Continue reading *“High School Coach Prays on Field Despite School District Warning, is Joined by Opposing Team”* at *q13fox.com*.
Boy Was Beaten to Death after Expressing Desire to Leave New York Church
[image: Upstate New York Church Beating Death] Police investigating the brutal assault of two teenaged boys that left one dead and the other seriously injured say the boys were beaten with a cord in their family's New York church, but it’s unclear why a church meeting turned... Continue reading *“Boy Was Beaten to Death after Expressing Desire to Leave New York Church”* at *foxnews.com*.
The Latest Denny Hastert Cover-Up-- And How That Undermines Law And Order
I guess I sound especially bloodthirsty the way I always advocate ultra-harsh sentences for politicians caught breaking the law. There's a reason for that, of course. Someone given a position of trust who abuses it should, of course, be held to a high standard. But there's more. History shows that if a politician gets away from criminal behavior, it encourages other politicians to give it a try. Saying, "well he served the community (or his state or country) so well, we should go easy on him," is the opposite of what we should be doing as a society. This special treatment for-- an... more »
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*UK: Now there'll be dozens more selective State schools: Plans for more grammars already underway* Dozens of new ‘satellite’ grammars are set to open after the Government gave the green light to the first new selective state school in 50 years. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has approved the creation of a 450-pupil school in Sevenoaks, Kent – an extension of an existing grammar seven miles away. Politicians yesterday said the move would set a precedent and ‘open the floodgates’ for more applications, with one already in the pipeline. Plans are under way in Maidenhead – Theresa... more »
California Mudslides and Chaos Offer a Preview of What El Niño Could Bring
[image: la-2441550-me-mudslide2-04-jpg-20151016] The storm that slammed into the high desert and mountains of Southern California this week was one for the record books. Intense rain sent massive mudflows onto highways, picking up cars and pushing them into one another. Hundreds of vehicles... Continue reading *“California Mudslides and Chaos Offer a Preview of What El Niño Could Bring”* at *latimes.com*.
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*Scientific crookedness among Warmists* It is very commonly regarded as a basic principle that scientists should make their raw data available to other scientists so that further information can be extracted from the data and so that the correctness of the original analysis can be checked. Many journals and scientific bodies have strict policies about that. Such policies are however often not followed. On the one occasion I requested someone else's data, I did not get it. I requested the data because I suspected a fault in the analysis so the refusal certainly strengthened that ... more »
Globe or Flat: Distractions of Theories
I have spoken about this several times over the past year on the One People's Roundtable Discussion, but I still have a lot of people ask me about my opinion on this. So today I decided to try and clearly outline my thoughts in one place. Here is my personal opinion about the Flat/Globe argument: Both are wrong.Both are a Distraction. Since the moment that Lisa Harrison brought this question to my attention, months ago, and we did the Roundtable show with Mark Sargent, I have been watching and researching everything on this topic, as it plays out. I have looked at all the piece... more »
Chinese MSR Developments
The Chinese Mini-Manhattan Project MSR/LFTR Research and development Program was outlined at an ORNL Workshop this week. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, but I am going to plug in to a couple of my sources, to find out more about what was reported during the Workshop. China is engaged in a highly ambitious project, while North American MSR Molten Salt Reactorr developers are focused on Uranium fuel cycle MSRs. This approach allows developers to use technology that was initially developed at ORNL in the 1950's and 1960's. This technology was tested by the ORNL Molten Salt Reactor... more »
Lord Grade slams Orla Guerin and the BBC
(h/t BBC Watch) Following on in many ways from the previous post.... Former BBC chairman Michael Grade has written a letter to the BBC's head of news James Harding condemning the BBC's reporting of recent events in Israel, including its moral equivalence between Palestinian terror and Israeli response (something Mark Urban's report was full of). His immediate target was the report by Orla Guerin which Sue blogged about here and Hadar blogged about here: Lord Grade criticised the report’s apparent promotion of “equivalence between Israeli victims of terrorism and Palestinians who ... more »
Clinton Cracks Up over Question about FBI Probe into Email Server
[image: Hillary Laughs Tapper__1445079898_173.71.16.53] A question about the FBI investigation into her private email server caused former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to laugh out loud during a Friday interview with CNN's Jake Tapper. "Bernie Sanders said that 'the American people are tired of... Continue reading *“Clinton Cracks Up over Question about FBI Probe into Email Server”* at *thehill.com*.
Donald Trump: World Trade Center Came Down during George W. Bush’s ‘Reign’
[image: cf0341cc5968d82e840f6a706700d1b8_s878x637] Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said in an interview this week that regardless of what President George W. Bush might have done in the aftermath of 9/11, the World Trade Center “came down during his reign.” Continue reading *“Donald Trump: World Trade Center Came Down during George W. Bush’s ‘Reign’”* at *washingtontimes.com*.
Advocate of Liberal Child-Sex Laws Published on Sanders’ Senate Website
[image: Bernie Sanders] An author who wants to drastically liberalize child sex laws was published on Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' Senate website Wednesday. The article itself, written by Judith Levine, is quite mundane. Titled Two Ways to Fix Income Inequality, it calls for... more »
A poor 'Newsnight' report
Despite admitting to* not *having paid much attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the last few years, Mark Urban expressed his take on the causes of the present violence with remarkable confidence last night: I think many of us had sort of forgotten about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the last few years mainly because events were going on of such intensity in Syria, Libya and other parts of the Middle East that they just tended to overshadow this long-running conflict. And, indeed, some on the right of Israeli politics used those events to say that now was ... more »
New Book Claims Former CIA Director Allen Dulles Ordered The Hit On JFK
A new book claims that former CIA director Allen Dulles ordered JFK’s assassination because he was a ‘threat to national security’ There has been also speculation that JFK signed his own death warrant when he fired the CIA chief following the Bay of Pigs fiasco. However, in his book, journalist David Talbot insists that head of the ‘most potent agency’ during the Cold War wanted Kennedy ‘removed’ for the ‘good of the country’. And this is is just one of a number of allegations Talbot makes against Dulles. The Mail Online reports: In The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and... more »
GAIA PORTAL: Productions of Higher Energies commence in earnest
*AK NOTE: The "time keeper" device in London that kept humanity entrained into the illusion of time is now disabled. Time illusion thought forms are no longer self-sustaining and self-reinforcing. They cannot persist. Welcome to the NOW. Replicator tech and Free ("as in free beer" Is it free energy if you have to buy the devices and their expensive feed stocks from system corporations? Everyone knows what "free beer" means) Energy devices, which are pre-placed in the cargo holds of over 300 merged Sphere Alliance spheres (also known as "Cities of Light") around the planet. Al... more »
The Muslimifictation of Europe.
Down-under we have seen the hordes of people, (mainly young men) surging from places like war-torn Syria to destinations in Europe. Muslim Hoards causing Chaos in Europe, A warning that has been ignored by the European Economic Community is given in a youtube video from 2010: https://youtu.be/8RmiRPEvUIk Quran Sarah4 – Verse 5 Those who have disbelieved our signsWe shall roast them in fire Whenever their skins are cooked to a turn,We shall substitute new skins for them That they may feel the punishment:Verily Allah is sublime and wise. A jew is hiding behind me! Come and cut off h... more »
Oct. 16: Sh! Don't think.
This is very late – because my electric power has been off all day. So it will probably be short. Luckily, there is very little to say about the Irving press except that it continues to do what I thought was impossible – get worse. I wanted to talk as well about Hitler and Mussolini as pioneers of the new world, and their link to the really important issue of the Canadian federal election – the issue nobody is talking about. But I guess I'll save that for tomorrow. In today's news, the hospital in Afghanistan staffed by Doctors without Borders that was bombed some days ago by the U.... more »
If Children Were Dolphins
[image: Dolphin and Children - 900] I read, per chance, a fairly stunning declaration this week, even though the declaration itself is years old and not receiving much attention presently. It is searingly ironic and relevant to our sick culture, in which the fiercely protected and... more »
Bernie Sanders Right at Home in Democratic Party
[image: Bernie Sanders Campain iPad - 900] People initially were in disbelief that a card-carrying socialist such as Bernie Sanders could make a competitive bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, but I trust it’s now obvious how wrong they were. Pointing to the rise of Donald Trump... more »
Cancer Cells Decompose After Several Days With Dandelion
I think we deserved that. We have posted on dandelion in hte past but this is a strong reminder that this plant has not been made easily available in some form and that it obviously needs to be. It is a definite tonic and nutrient source and all that alone recommends it. I would like tio see very young plants available in the raw form before they become too bitter. It should be possible to create a decent dish. Otherwise powdered dryed root appears to be the choice and that needs to be universily available. I wonder how it performs as a spice? Just because it has a... more »
What’s So Hard to Believe About China Harvesting the Organs of Living People?
Of course they are. What we are now dealing with is the natural human instinct to deny the possibility. This outlines the evolving history of the disclosure and how it is gaining traction. The real problem is that no government wants to touch the problem including the present Chinese gove4rnment who are actually hunting down the originators also does not desire a true airing. That creates a vacuum of information.. My more important concern is whether this practice continues in some form or the other. . *Documentary Asks: What’s So Hard to Believe About China Harvesting the... more »
"The Donald's" Finances and the Art of Ignoring Conflicts and Contradictions
[image: 10 February, 2011: Donald Trump speaks at CPAC 2011 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Gary Skidmore)] There is one issue that i wish to weigh in on and it is the supposed bankruptcies. What he did do was to always be in position to refinance an underperforming asset at a price that worked. After all, he and his many partners can never be always right when they front end finance a project. But it is then their choice in how they recognize the loss. That often includes refinancing the failed 200 mill hotel at an economic 100 mill hotel which then in the course of time is paid o... more »
Clinton: No One Signed Off on My Use of a Personal Server
[image: Hillary on Jake Tapper__1445078531_173.71.16.53] Just after a townhall in Keene, New Hampshire, CNN's Jake Tapper caught up with Hillary Clinton where he asked her on who signed off on her use of a personal server during her time as secretary of state. "It was... Continue reading *“Clinton: No One Signed Off on My Use of a Personal Server”* at *freebeacon.com*.
1978 Government Report Reveals Geoengineering Cover Up
A document has recently surfaced which shows evidence that the U.S. government has been manipulating the weather for decades. This is just one of many pieces of evidence that reveal the extent of geoengineering. Waking Times reports: Just under 750 pages, the document from May of 1978 illustrates just how large the geoengineering, weather-modification cover-up really is. The beginning of the document reads as follows: “The Federal Government has been involved for over 30 years in a number of aspects of weather modification, through activities of both the Congress and the executive b... more »
Jeremy Corbyn To Be New Vice-President Of CND
Jeremy Corbyn is about to take on a new role championing nuclear disarmament, a move that will cause some tension within the shadow cabinet as many support a nuclear deterrent The Labour leader is to be appointed as vice-president of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) today in recognition of his long-standing opposition to nuclear weapons. The Mail Online reports: Mr Corbyn will address a private meeting of CND members today on the fringes of the group’s annual conference, which is focused on how to push its agenda before the expected vote on the renewal of Trident next year...more »
You cannot be serious!
*Newsnight*'s Mark Urban opened his contribution to the programme last night with a remark that would had me spraying my laptop with cocoa if I'd been drinking cocoa at the time (which I wasn't as I don't drink cocoa). So please put down your own cup of whatever you're presently drinking before reading what he said: I think many of us had sort of forgotten about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the last few years... I not sure who Mark was talking about when he said "many of us". Surely he *can't* be referring to the bulk of his BBC colleagues - such as the dozens (litera... more »
QWERKY retro keyboard and Tablet docking station design
*relive the authenticity of prison-badgered time-precision* this is not another post about William S Burroughs Naked Lunch, though you can see why one might be forgiven for thinking so... nor is it really about the factory-work-ethic and quantification of gross human productivity. *Qwerkywriter features industrial strength mechanical switches that provide a unique clicky tactile feel.* [source QWERKY] While we all realise that the cynical *QWERTY* keyboard system was originally designed by engineers to 'slow down' the slave-typists of the mega banking and publishing corporations a... more »
How to Throw A Rope Around the Country's Neck - If the Dems Are Even Close to Being As Bad for the 99% As the Repubs Threaten To Be (Urban Workers' Fluctuating Gas Costs Used for Social Security's Measurement?) The Long-Term Problem With Building a Country of Morons
I believe William Rivers Pitts has captured my emotions near perfectly about the non-debate debate the Democrats presented to the public as a glittery, whiz-bang Vegas-finish politically-correct success extravaganza (but at least it was much more a cutesy hit-the-light-fantastic song-and-dance between friends than a bombs-exploding-over-Hiroshima nightmare number that's become incredibly
‘Can we always talk about Europe rather than EU?’
Many things can be said about Peter Oborne (and we've said quite a few of them here), but I'll raise a glass to him this time (yes, I know it's a bit early in the day) for this concisely-put complaint in today's *Mail*: The BBC was guilty in 1975 of gross pro-Brussels bias during the referendum over whether to stay in what was then the European Economic Community. It is vital that the state broadcaster shows fastidious even-handedness between the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns during the run-up to the forthcoming EU referendum. Unfortunately, the BBC finds it very hard to break away f... more »
"...a mixed, culturally-diverse place, very cosmopolitan..."
Ah, the BBC and its 'messages'... Last night's *Front Row *on Radio 4 previewed *The Last Kingdom*, the BBC's new epic drama/attempt to cash in on the success of *Game of Thrones. *It concerns the Vikings' invasion of Anglo-Saxon England. BBC historian Dr Janina Ramirez talked to Kirsty Lang about it. According to Dr Ramirez, it looks as if it might 'express' a familiar BBC point: And there's some very important questions being asked about identity - something we still need to ask ourselves today. It's a truism that we trace English heritage back to the Anglo-Saxons but that in f... more »
From bad to worse
Things look to be getting even worse for Alan Yentob. Following his unannounced presence in the *Today *studio (standing next to the producer) while Camila was being grilled, his call to *Newsnight *asking for its Kids Company report to be put off for a day, and his alleged bellowing at a BBC reporter (Lucy Manning) comes this... The *Times* article *BBC’s Yentob accused of Kids Company news bias *now reports that Nick told Fran that Edward wasn't happy about Alan: BBC sources said that Nick Sutton, the editor of the BBC Radio 4 World at One programme, spoke to Fran Unsworth, the... more »
Is The Japanese Military A 'Toothless Tiger'?
Japan's military was no match for Godzilla *BBC*: *Toothless tiger: Japan Self-Defence Forces* Asia military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady asks just how fighting fit are Japan's so-called Self-Defence Forces? Japan's relationship with its armed forces was once a defining characteristic of the nation. Indeed, "Fukoku kyohei [Enrich the state, strengthen the military]" was the battle cry of the reformers who founded modern Japan during the so-called Meiji Restoration beginning in the 1860s. In the first decades of the 20th Century, Japan, rather than a state with a military, the island ... more »
Is The Chinese Military A 'Paper Tiger'?
Photo: World Affairs Board *Paul Dibb, National Interest:* *Not So Scary: This Is Why China's Military Is a Paper Tiger* It’s becoming commonplace to drum up the military threat from China and belittle America’s military capabilities. Much of this commentary reminds me of statements in the mid-1980s that the former Soviet Union was poised to outstrip the U.S. in military power. This isn’t to argue that China is in the final stages of disintegration like the USSR, but it is to assert that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) demonstrates all the brittleness and paper-thin professiona... more »
The Free Market in executive pay is Phoney. ONS data shows top execs pay themselves more even though the free market values them less.
"the richest are rich not because they are gaming the system but – by and large – because they’re very talented, took risks and worked their guts out." At least, that's what an article in the Spectator magazine would have us believe. No doubt many of the richest are very talented, take risks, and work their guts out. But 'richest' is a relative thing: to be 'richest' you have to be more rich
Henry Kissinger: Geopolitical Structure That Lasted For Decades Is Now In Shambles
*Henry Kissinger:* *A Path Out of the Middle East Collapse* *With Russia in Syria, a geopolitical structure that lasted four decades is in shambles. The U.S. needs a new strategy and priorities.* The debate about whether the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran regarding its nuclear program stabilized the Middle East’s strategic framework had barely begun when the region’s geopolitical framework collapsed. Russia’s unilateral military action in Syria is the latest symptom of the disintegration of the American role in stabilizing the Middle East order that emerged from the ... more »
World War M
*Anthony Cox* In the movie World War Z, intrepid Brad Pitt from the UN, a great irony given the UN’s capitulationand collaboration with Islam, particularly in respect of human rights, battles hordes of mindless, implacable zombies. One of the most poignant images from the movie is the fall of Israel which had protected itself against the zombies by a wall which was eventually breached by the zombie horde. The comparison with Israel’s current situation is overwhelming with the latest knife attacks by a never ending number of Muslims. The difference between the movie and reality is th... more »
Turkish Jets Shoot Down An Unidentified Drone At Its Border With Syria
*Reuters:* *Turkey downs drone as Syria launches Aleppo offensive* Turkey shot down a drone on Friday in an incident highlighting the dangers of multiple air combat operations over Syria, where government troops and their allies backed by Russian jets have launched an offensive against rebels near Aleppo. The army offensive south of the city, backed by Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, further expands its 10-day-old counter-attack in western Syria against insurgents battling to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. The army campaign has been coordinated with Russian jets, which began... more »
Showdown-- Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America By Wil Haygood
August 30, 1967 was a very important day in the history of our country. It was the day a reluctant Senate finally confirmed Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court. 69 senators voted YES, 11 voted NO, and, crucially, 20 didn't vote. We'll come back to those 20 in a moment. Marshall served on the Court for 24 years, from October, 1976 until October, 1991. He was the first African-American Supreme Court Justice-- and he was no Clarence Thomas (who, hideously, was appointed to his seat by George W. Bush). Marshall was an accomplished attorney for the NAACP with an
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