English: VBCI (armoured combat Vehicle of infantry); Guer, Ile et Vilaine. Français : VBCI (Véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie), moteur de 12 L de 550 cv, 8 roues motrices dont 4 directrices (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A French VAB, one of the most common wheeled APCs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Paul Ryan Admits He Wants To Be Speaker
Finally, last night, Paul Ryan agreed to accept the post-Boehner Speakership. He offered the extremists in the so-called Freedom Caucus a bone, a delay in deciding what to do about the procedural motion-- a motion to vacate-- used, at least in theory, to remove a House Speaker. Should be interesting to see how many of the mental midgets fall for it. Ryan even said he was "ready and eager" and that the House Republicans are "ready to move forward as one, united team." The Party vote will be Wednesday (Ryan vs Daniel Webster, presumably) and then they have the official vote on Thurs... more »
Compensation for Kunduz and the Commodification of Civilian Casualties
The controversy surrounding the coalition airstrike in Kunduz continues to rumble on this week after military investigators drove an armoured personnel carrier into a hospital’s front gate. A spokesperson for the Pentagon was quick to apologise for any damage caused, telling reporters (without a hint of irony) that the team were simply trying to gain […]
The Battle for Aleppo
*It surely seems Syrian Army has made gains in Aleppo.* *NYT's had begrudgingly acknowledged the gains-* Russia Makes an Impact in Syrian Battle for Control of Aleppo " *Syrian Army troops and allied militias inched their way closer to the contested city of Aleppo,* as a slowly developing offensive stretched into its fifth day. To the east of the city, *forces loyal to Syria*,( not Bashar Al Assad: Disinfo removed), appeared to be p*ushing to retake a military airport* *surrounded by militants with the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL"* The progress of the offensive has b... more »
Musical Interlude: Karunesh, "Journey Of The Heart"
Karunesh, "Journey Of The Heart" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wq1xdVMd5I
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The small, northern constellation Triangulum harbors this magnificent face-on spiral galaxy, M33. Its popular names include the Pinwheel Galaxy or just the Triangulum Galaxy. M33 is over 50,000 light-years in diameter, third largest in the Local Group of galaxies after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), and our own Milky Way. About 3 million light-years from the Milky Way, M33 is itself thought to be a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy and astronomers in these two galaxies would likely have spectacular views of each other's grand spiral star systems. *Click image for larger size.* As for ... more »
Chet Raymo, “Diving”
*“Diving”* by Chet Raymo “For my own part, I am pleased enough with surfaces - in fact they alone seem to me to be of much importance. Such things for example as the grasp of a child's hand in your own, the flavor of an apple, the embrace of friend or lover, the silk of a girl's thigh, the sunlight on rock and leaves, the feel of music, the bark of a tree, the abrasion of granite and sand, the plunge of clear water into a pool, the face of the wind - What else is there? What else do we need?” I quote Edward Abbey, that cranky secular saint of the American West, from Desert Solitai... more »
The Ukraine Crisis Continues Even Though The Guns Are 'Quiet'
*Tom Burridge, BBC News*: *Ukraine conflict: Guns fall silent but crisis remains* Since Russia embarked on its foreign policy venture in Syria, you could be forgiven for thinking that the crisis in eastern Ukraine was over. The guns have largely fallen silent, more than 18 months after Russia annexed Crimea and pro-Russian rebels took control of large areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. The diplomatic language has become more positive. Russia's Vladimir Putin and President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine met in Paris earlier this month and, shortly afterwards, local elections planned in t... more »
3rd Quarter Fundraising For The Blue America-Endorsed House Candidates And Their Opponents
[image: Goal Thermometer] I'm working on a colossal multi-part investigative piece about how the DCCC undermines and sabotages the campaigns of progressive candidates and it's going to be a couple more days before I have all the pieces neatly tied together. But since the investigation had me pouring over FEC reports, I thought I'd share with you the third quarter financial results from the candidates for the House that Blue America has endorsed. Keep in mind, you can contribute to any or all of these men and women at this Blue America ActBlue page. As you can see, some of our candi... more »
Eventually They Figure Things Out
https://www.cdh2a.com/ Monday's election was historic. But the corporate media and its scribes are already trying to re-write history. Michael Harris writes: Nor is there much more of the historian in Paul Wells’ touching but mostly irrelevant comment that he still likes Harper, whom he believes will be seen by history as an estimable prime minister, maybe even a *great* one. And John Ibbitson, who saw Harper's 2011 election as a Big Shift, still hasn't grasped what happened on Monday: It was curious to see another author and ... more »
Paulo Coelho, “Searching For Meaning”
*“Searching For Meaning”* by Paulo Coelho “At such a moment it is not the physical pain which hurts the most (and this applies to adults as much as to punished children); it is the mental agony caused by the injustice, the unreasonableness of it all.” - Viktor Frankl “Terrible as it was, Viktor Frankl’s experience in Auschwitz reinforced what was already one of his key ideas. Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her life. F... more »
"Three Musts..."
"There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy." - Albert Ellis
The Daily "Near You?"
Luck, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"Seasons And Cycles..."
“All human life has its seasons and cycles, and no one’s personal chaos can be permanent. Winter, after all, gives way to spring and summer, though sometimes when branches stay dark and the earth cracks with ice, one thinks they will never come, that spring, and that summer, but they do, and always.” ~ Truman Capote
The Poet: John Keats, "The Human Seasons"
*"The Human Seasons"* "Four Seasons fill the measure of the year; There are four seasons in the mind of man: He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear Takes in all beauty with an easy span: He has his Summer, when luxuriously Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves To ruminate, and by such dreaming high Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings He furleth close; contented so to look On mists in idleness—to let fair things Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook. He has his Winter too of pale misfeature, Or else he would forego his mortal natur... more »
“Fukushima: the First (Admitted) Cancers Emerge”
*“Fukushima: the First (Admitted) Cancers Emerge”* by Oliver Tickell “The Japanese government has made its first admission that a worker at the Fukushima nuclear plant developed cancer as a following decontamination work after the 2011 disaster. The man worked at the damaged plant for over a year, during which he was exposed to 19.8 millisieverts of radiation, four times the Japanese exposure limit. He is suffering from leukemia. The former Fukushima manager Masao Yoshida also contracted cancer of the oesophagus after the disaster and died in 2013 – but the owner and operator of t...more »
Tonight's Movie Is Assembly ( English Sub )
From *Wikipedia*: Assembly is a 2007 Chinese war film written by Liu Heng and directed by Feng Xiaogang. It starred Zhang Hanyu, Deng Chao, Yuan Wenkang, Tang Yan, Wang Baoqiang, Liao Fan, Hu Jun, Ren Quan and Li Naiwen. The film, ostensibly portraying an anti-war theme, was first released on 20 December 2007. It won the 2008 Hundred Flowers Awards and the 2009 Golden Rooster Awards for Best Film.
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 23, 2015
*Michael Kofman, War On The Rocks*: *The Russian Intervention In Syria - Policy Options And Exit Strategies* Russia’s air campaign in Syria, along with a ground offensive led by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, are shedding light on Moscow’s military and political objectives. Where earlier there was only room for informed speculation we can now make firmer judgments. In Syria, as in Ukraine, the Western perception of Russia’s approach is often divorced from the course of combat operations. Commentators tend to fixate on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements, which rarely con... more »
Lying is America’s Biggest Political — And Media — Problem
[image: Lies Rd. - 900] Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was bluntly exposed during Thursday's House Select Committee on Benghazi hearing, so where did these headlines come from? "Clinton emerges unscathed from high-stakes Benghazi hearing." -- The Washington Post "Clinton largely unscathed by GOP... more »
State Department’s Struggling ISIS Counter Propaganda Team Only Has 20 Employees
[image: ISIS-Fighter-e1436363945230__1440850016_70.119.142.63] The Department of State only has 20 employees dedicated to countering Islamic State's sophisticated propaganda engine, and those 20 just can't compete. ISIS' propaganda team has managed to attract 16 million Muslims via social media to support the group's cause, Defense... more »
Obsessing Over Inequality: Boringly Familiar and Wildly Utopian
[image: equality - 400] This plebian reviewer read Professor Sir Anthony Barnes Atkinson's Inequality: What Can Be Done? so you wouldn't have to. Inequality inadvertently persuaded me that its topic is even less important than I'd thought it was when I began. But make no mistake, Atkinson's... Continue reading *“Obsessing Over Inequality: Boringly Familiar and Wildly Utopian”* at *libertylawsite.org*.
Saudi Arabia And Turkey May Start WWIII
Russian military analyst, Lt. Gen. Yuri Netkachev has said that if Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia step into the Syrian conflict and interfere in Russia’s fight against ISIS, it may trigger a WWIII scenario. Pravda.ru reports: Earlier, Qatari Foreign Affairs Minister, Khalid al-Attiyah, stated that his country could decide to start intervention in Syria. Qatar actively supports the militants opposing Syrian President Assad. It goes about such groups such Jabhat an Nusra, the Islamic State, Al Qaeda and Taliban. Representatives of Turkey and Saudi Arabia have also expressed an intenti... more »
Iceland Hands Out 74 Years Of Prison Sentences To Bankers
Iceland have just send another five high profile bankers to prison for contributing to the collapse of Iceland’s economy in 2008. Amid a media blackout on Iceland’s stance against its corrupt bankers, the total number of high-level fraudsters imprisoned now totals 26 who are all collectively serving 74 years in prison. Infowars.com reports: Most of those jailed will serve terms of two to five years, according to a report by Iceland Magazine, which notes that three executives at Landsbankinn and two at Kaupþing, along with one prominent investor, have been prosecuted. Their crimes ... more »
‘Killer’ Robot Bee Developed To Replace Natural Bees
A frightening new robotic bee has been developed named ‘RoboBee’ that has been designed to replace natural bees in pollinating crops and spraying other insects with pesticides. Techswarm.com reports: Harvard University originally developed the prototype RoboBee with the following future purposes in mind: autonomously pollinating a field of crops; search and rescue (e.g., in the aftermath of a natural disaster); hazardous environment exploration; military surveillance; high resolution weather and climate mapping; and traffic monitoring. That first point – robotic pollinators led Gre... more »
9/11 Hidden In Movies: Satanic Hollywood (Video)
This video shows a series of rare clips that show how Hollywood is demonically inspired by satanic rituals and symbolism, and how 9/11 was predicted many years before it happened via Hollywood programming. According to the video’s creator: If you hang in here and really want to see the extent of this watch it ALL… it gets into some MUSICIANS who also ARE DEMON INSPIRED… and give warnings of the 9/11 ritual sacrifice… I have known the truth about 9/11 for a while now, but when i first came across this truth, that Hollywood not only knew but hid it subliminally in their movies etc it ... more »
Putin: US Creates And Supports Terrorists In The Middle East
Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a scathing attack on the U.S., accusing them of creating, supporting, and funding terrorism in the Middle East. Speaking at the Valdai Club to a group of analysts and politicians, Putin said the US is using terrorist groups to further its own interests. “It’s always hard to play a double game: to declare a fight against terrorists, but at the same time try to use some of them to move the pieces on the Middle Eastern chessboard in your own favour,” he told the group. Msn.com reports: “There’s no need to play with words and split terroris... more »
Court Ruling Opens Door To Ban Firearms In America
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has made a ruling that will potentially see the mass confiscation of firearms across America. The court has upheld the constitutionality of the New York SAFE Act of 2013, ruling that the drastic gun control law did not violate the Second Amendment and is therefore constitutional. Intellihub.com reports: That’s right, a law passed in the wake of Sandy Hook that included and paved the way for confiscation of millions of legally purchased firearms has been ruled “constitutional” with proponents already calling for a similar law to be en... more »
Oprah’s ‘Belief’ Leads Millions into False Religious Deception
[image: Oprah - 400] For the past several weeks, Oprah Winfrey has been sharing her heart about how of the Bible has impacted her life and how God gives her great joy. The only problem is, we aren’t really sure which god she is... Continue reading *“Oprah’s ‘Belief’ Leads Millions into False Religious Deception”* at *charismanews.com*.
The Force Awakens (in Ukraine): Darth Vader Statue Replaces Lenin Monument
[image: Darth Vader - 400] In Odessa, Ukraine, the force really has been awakened with a statue of Vladimir Lenin being converted into one of the dark lord himself, Darth Vader. While the rest of the world was trying to figure out what The Force... Continue reading *“The Force Awakens (in Ukraine): Darth Vader Statue Replaces Lenin Monument”* at *theguardian.com*.
World News Briefs -- October 23, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*Daily Mail:* *The worst hurricane ever: Tourists evacuate as catastrophic category-five Patricia with 200mph winds and 40ft waves barrels towards Mexico* * Hurricane Patricia, the most powerful ever, will hit Mexico this afternoon or evening with winds of up to 200mph * The resort town if Puerto Vallarta is directly in its path and tourists are being urged to evacuate * Patricia has been compared Patricia to Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in the Philippines in 2013 * Rain driven by the hurricane has reached Texas, which could also be hit by the remnants of the... more »
Saudi Arabia Blasts Russia, Calling War Against ISIS ‘Dangerous’
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir has said that Russia’s current fight against ISIS in Syria is “dangerous” and has criticised their mission as fuelling the crisis rather than helping it. He said, “We believe that the Russian interference in Syria is very dangerous because it exacerbates the conflict.” Express.co.uk reports: He also claimed the country’s war can only be ended if President Bashar al-Assad – a long-time ally of Vladimir Putin – is overthrown. Jubeir described Assad as the magnet that “attracted foreign fighters from all over the world” to ... more »
Saturday Reprise: How to Live Without Irony
From the extensive NOT PC archives … ------------------------------ *“A life without passion is not a life - it is merely an existence.” * - Lesley Fieger *“"When a culture is dedicated to the destruction of values - of all values, of values as such - men's psychological destruction has to follow."* - Ayn Rand [image: image]After the carnage of the First World War Ernest Hemingway wrote *The Sun Also Rises* about a “lost generation” who were outwardly still alive after the cataclysm, but inwardly dead. “Give them irony and give them pity” exhorts one of th... more »
How Long Will Trump Stay In The Race As He Tumbles Down The Polling Charts... And That SuperPAC Of His?
Yesterday everyone was so obsessed with the clowns like Pompeo, Roby, Westmoreland and, of course, Gowdy, trying to demonize Hillary Clinton, that the poll of Iowa Republicans that Quinnipiac released in the morning was nearly overlooked. But it shouldn't be because it may mean something... something special. Trump, whose most primal fear is being looked at as "a loser," talks (and tweets) far more about his gargantuan poll numbers-- less than a third of GOP likely primary voters, a very unrepresentative sliver of the electorate... and not very gargantuan-- than he does about any ... more »
Twitter Users Notice Something about Hillary’s Press Corps
[image: Hillary Clinton Press Corp - 900] Hillary Clinton is really into being a woman. She reminds the public of this fact at every opportunity and seems convinced that her gender is some kind of qualification for the presidency. It seems that quite a few press outlets... more »
Discovered: The Dreaded Black Plague Began Infecting Humans Earlier than Thought
[image: skull] The germ that causes the plague began infecting humans thousands of years earlier than scientists had previously thought. Researchers analyzed teeth from the remains of 101 individuals that were collected from a variety of museums and archaeological excavations. They found... Continue reading *“Discovered: The Dreaded Black Plague Began Infecting Humans Earlier than Thought”* at *cbsnews.com*.
The 10 Most Critical Things to Consider When Consuming Mainstream News
*Dylan Charles* - In a time of universal deceit, critical thinking skills are a survival tool. The post The 10 Most Critical Things to Consider When Consuming Mainstream News appeared first on Waking Times.
Is The Jeb Bush Campaign For The Republican Nomination For President Coming To A Close?
*NYT*: *Trailing in Polls, Jeb Bush Cuts Staff and Salaries, Vowing Focus on Early States* Jeb Bush has ordered across-the-board pay cuts and slashed staff positions at his Miami headquarters — a drastic shake-up for a campaign that has performed far short of early expectations. According to an internal memo, Mr. Bush plans to reduce payroll costs by 40 percent this week, cut salaries for all but the most entry level staff members, cut travel costs by 20 percent and significantly reduce headquarters staff. A quarter will remain in Miami, a quarter have already been dispatched to ... more »
U.S. Special Forces By Themselves Will Not Be Able To Defeat The Islamic State
*Sean Naylor, Wall Street Journal: **Fighting ISIS With Only the Tip of the Spear* *U.S. special-ops forces are back in Iraq, but they can’t win the war on Islamic State by themselves.* On Thursday, U.S. troops suffered their first fatality in Iraq since 2011. A special operator, whose name was not immediately released, was killed during a shared mission with Kurdish fighters that liberated prisoners held in northern Iraq by Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Details of the raid were initially scarce, but it reportedly involved the Army’s Delta Force—part of the highly secretive J... more »
Justice Dept Declines to Charge Lois Lerner for IRS Tea-Party Targeting
[image: WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 05: Former Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner exercises her Fifth Amendment right not to speak about the IRS targeting investigation before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building March 5, 2014 in Washington, DC. Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) adjuourned after Lerner refused to answer questions about the investigation. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Neither Lois Lerner nor any other IRS official will face criminal charges in the political controversy... more »
State Dept. Docs Suggest White House Initially Tried Linking Benghazi to Another Video
[image: Christopher Stevens -] Judicial Watch today released new State Department documents that raise more questions about the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission at Benghazi, Libya. The documents show the White House contacted YouTube over an Internet video as... Continue reading *“State Dept. Docs Suggest White House Initially Tried Linking Benghazi to Another Video”* at *judicialwatch.org*.
HAARMIT: Man-made weather modification technology used to blackmail humanity
*UPDATED: October 23, 2015* CNN is reporting that Hurricane Patricia, a storm of *unprecedented *proportions is heading towards the Pacific Coast of Mexico. I ask...what did Mexico do*oooo*? Did it not pay the extortion moneys? *Proof that Man Made Weather Modification Technology* *is being used to blackmail humanity--and destroy the Planet* *Global Warming*--this is one controversy I hesitate to comment on. I just don't know enough about the science. All I know is....*the climate where I live IS a lot warmer than it used to be when I was a child. * The clouds are a lot differen... more »
After Elmo’s Push For Vaccinations, Autistic Muppet Joins Sesame Street
Sesame Street has just introduced its first autistic muppet named “Julia,” according to the Sesame Street website The idea behind the new character is to ‘normalize’ vaccine injured children and follows not long after sesame street’s, Elmo teamed up with the U.S. Surgeon General, in a video pushing for mass vaccinations. It seems that rather than seeking to find and eliminate the root cause of skyrocketing rates of autism among children, Sesame Street believes that “normalizing” it is the answer. Natural news reports: The rollout of autistic Julia is Sesame Street’s attempt to “norm... more »
Upcoming Planned Parenthood Fundraiser is Based on TV Show CHOPPED
[image: Planned Parenthood2 - 400] And just when you thought Planned Parenthood couldn't get any worse, a bar in Raleigh, NC is hosting a fundraiser for the baby-parts merchants based on the Food TV reality show "Chopped": Apparently the disgusting ad for the @PPact fundraiser is... Continue reading *“Upcoming Planned Parenthood Fundraiser is Based on TV Show CHOPPED”* at *twitchy.com*.
Benghazi Hearings: Three Truths Not Revealed During Clinton Questioning
[image: WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 22: Dorothy Narvaez-Woods (R), widow of former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods, listens to Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testify before the House Select Committee on Benghazi October 22, 2015 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing to continue its investigation on the attack that killed Tyrone Woods, Ambassador Chris Stevens and two other Americans at theÊdiplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya,Êon the evening of September 11, 2012.] I have long maintained that Democrats can spread a lie ... more »
Fixing Canada, Part I: 24 Sussex Drive
The new Prime Minister's mother, Margaret, told CBC news that the PM will not be moving into the notoriously decrepit and outrageously expensive to maintain official residence at 24 Sussex Drive. (Kady O'Malley, though, says no decision has been taken.) Since we Canadians own the building, managed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), it has been irksome, to say the least, that former PM (ooh, that is sooo nice to type) was being an an asshole about facilitating needed repairs by moving out. (Bold mine.) Stephen Harper is at odds with the Crown corporation that manages the p... more »
Obama Names New Envoy to Oversee Coalition against ISIS
[image: Obama3 - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has named Brett McGurk as the new official in charge of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group. Retired Marine Gen. John Allen is stepping down after 13 months overseeing the effort as...more »
Tolkien’s Annotated Map of Middle-Earth Discovered Inside Copy of The Lord of the Rings
[image: 2051 - 400] A recently discovered map of Middle-earth annotated by JRR Tolkien reveals The Lord of the Rings author's observation that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and implies that the Italian city of Ravenna could be the inspiration behind... Continue reading *“Tolkien’s Annotated Map of Middle-Earth Discovered Inside Copy of The Lord of the Rings”* at *theguardian.com*.
Disaster Capitalism and Teach for America
by Jim Horn During the eugenics glory days of the 1920s, American elites who deemed themselves the only citizens fit for democracy argued that, for the Republic to work, a new class of leadership was required to efficiently steer society in directions that the great unwashed herd was incapable of doing through real democratic governance. Walter Lippman was a chief spokesman for this new American variety of practical fascism under the guise of democracy, and he carried on an active debate in the press with John Dewey. As conditions coalesced for the horrific rise of the Third Re... more »
The Benign Inquisition of Hillary Clinton
You've seen the already iconic images of Hillary Clinton at her Congressional hearing on Benghazi yesterday. The bored resting of the hand on the regal chin, the dismissive flicking of imaginary dirt off the regal shoulder, the barely contained smirk on the regal face as the good cop Dems squandered the opportunity to ask her substantive questions and instead used our time to pay her court. It was eleven hours of kangaroo court testimony taking place at the eleventh hour of our moribund democracy. One set of plutocrats did battle with another set of plutocrats. And the Q... more »
"Ood on the loo"
https://youtu.be/Pm0dqb7rKpk "Ood on the loo", surely "Ood just pooed" would have been funnier, especially if repeated on BBC 2!
More Details Released On The U.S.-Iraq Raid That Rescued 70 ISIS Hostages In Iraq
*Washington Post*: *What the Army’s top-secret commando unit Delta Force is doing back in Iraq* This morning, the Pentagon released the name of the first American serviceman to die in battle in the latest round of U.S. military involvement in Iraq: Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, age 39, killed during a raid by Kurdish and American commandos on an Islamic State prison near the town of Hawija that reportedly freed seventy hostages who were soon to be executed. Accompanying Wheeler’s name and age in the Pentagon’s release was a vague description of his unit: “Headquarters U.S. Army Spe...more »
Government Investigators Report Says EPA Caused Toxic Colorado Mine Spill
An investigation by the Department of the Interior found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was solely to blame for the 3 million gallon wastewater spill from a Colorado gold mine. Toxic mining sludge leaked into the Animas River from a mine in southwest Colorado back in August. In addition to arsenic and lead, federal officials said the spill contained, cadmium, aluminum, copper, and calcium. America Al Jazeera reports: The spill that fouled rivers in three states would have been avoided had the EPA team checked on water levels inside the Gold King Mine before digging i... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: The Grateful Dead, “Touch of Grey”
The Grateful Dead, “Touch of Grey” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uby6jFCDjE
Economics/Politics: “The $6 Trillion Men”
*“The $6 Trillion Men”* by Paul Krugman "So it now appears that Paul Ryan will end up as Speaker of the House; he will continue to furrow his brow and talk very seriously about the need to reduce deficits, while wowing the press with his ability to use PowerPoint. But I have a proposal for any journalists who interview him: ask for his assessment of the tax proposals from Republican presidential candidates. As Howard Gleckman points out, all of the candidates are proposing to hand out “free stuff”– *unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy*– on a truly impressive scale. The average budget... more »
Boehner Appoints Woman to Lead Planned Parenthood Investigation
[image: Marsha Blackburn - 400] Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will chair the new select committee investigating Planned Parenthood, Speaker John Boehner announced Friday. Blackburn will be the second House GOP committee chairwoman, apart from House Administration Committee Chairwoman Candice Miller (R-Mich.), in this Congress. The... Continue reading *“Boehner Appoints Woman to Lead Planned Parenthood Investigation”* at *thehill.com*.
Trump Calls on Super PACs Supporting His Bid to Return Money
[image: Donald Trump6 - 900] NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is calling on super political action committees supporting his candidacy to return all the money they’ve collected. He’s also calling on his opponents to demand the same. Trump’s campaign said Friday... more »
GOP Insiders: Trump Nomination Looks More Likely Than It Did a Month Ago
[image: Donald Trump7 - 400] The odds that Donald Trump wins the Republican presidential nomination are going up. Eighty-one percent of Republican insiders say the likelihood that Trump becomes their party's nominee is more today than it was a month ago, and 79 percent of... Continue reading *“GOP Insiders: Trump Nomination Looks More Likely Than It Did a Month Ago”* at *politico.com*.
Mexico Facing Catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Patricia On Its West Coast
*Weather Channel*: *Catastrophic Landfall Expected in Mexico Friday; Patricia Becomes Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded* A potentially catastrophic landfall is expected Friday evening as a very powerful and dangerous Hurricane Patricia moves towards Mexico's Pacific coast. Hurricane Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere on Friday morning as its maximum sustained winds reached an unprecedented 200 mph (320 kph). The hurricane is forecast to make landfall in the Mexican state of Jalisco Friday evening as a catastrophic Category 5 ... more »
Is Biden really out?...
*I'm not so sure.* *A possible scenario:* The Odumbo's hate the Clinton's. I don't think Odumbo wants Hillary to be elected. So what's going on? Obviously, Odumbo is protecting Hillary right now. Why would he do that if he hates her? Suppose Hillary's campaigning is allowed to continue on until the eleventh hour before it implodes. Only Bernie Sanders remains. We know that isn't going to be allowed. The Democratic Convention is September 3rd, 2016. Hillary is drummed out, and Biden steps in at the last minute and all the delegates throw their votes to him. Biden, with runnin... more »
EMAIL FROM SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND
October 23, 2015 Dear David, Thank you for contacting me regarding the issue of excessive standardized testing in elementary and secondary education. I share your view that there is much more to education than how well a student performs on a standardized test. We must find a balance between ensuring educational equity and providing a well-rounded education for our children. As a mother of two young children, I know firsthand the critical role education plays in preparing our youth for a lifetime of learning and future success. Few issues that we deal with in Congress are as pressing... more »
Why Are So Many Fleeing Syria Now?
*Elizabeth Dickinson, Huffington Post:* *After 4 Years of War, Why Are So Many Fleeing Syria Now? For Many, Support Just Ran Out. * ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- She came from a safe city, at least by Syrian standards. Tartus is a government stronghold and home to a Russian naval base. Unlike in Aleppo, Homs and Idlib, the regime hadn't dropped barrel bombs; rebel shelling was rare. But as the years wore on, Syria's war came closer, and 28-year-old Rawia's life was filled with fear and uncertainty. When would she next eat? Would pro-regime gangs on the street decide she looke... more »
ISIS Supply Line Cut As Russian Airstrikes Hit Bridge Over Euphrates River
The Russian air force have bombed a bridge over the Euphrates River effectively cutting off routes used by ISIS to deliver supplies to Syria from Iraq. RT reports: “The bridge over the Euphrates River near [the Syrian city of] Deir ez-Zor was a key point of the logistics chain [of IS]. Today Russian pilots carried out a surgical strike against the object,” the deputy chief of the General Staff of Russia, Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov, said on Thursday during a news briefing, adding that the terrorist group’s armament and ammunition delivery route had been cut off. Kartapolov al... more »
Will Hurricane Patricia Be the Strongest Ever?
[image: The Vane (Gawker)] With regard to air pressure, Patricia is the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the western hemisphere, exceeding 2005's Hurricane Wilma in the Atlantic Ocean by two millibars. However, there have been at least seven other tropical cyclones--all out... Continue reading *“Will Hurricane Patricia Be the Strongest Ever?”* at *thevane.gawker.com*.
Brazil’s Climate Plan – “We Won’t Chop Down As Many Trees”
By Paul Homewood http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html Next in the list of the biggest emitters, outside of North America and Europe, comes Brazil. Their contribution is to cut emissions by 43% below 2005 levels in 2030: http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/indc/Submission%20Pages/submissions.aspx It all sounds very impressive, and to some degree it is, but as ever the devil is […]
The Doctor has had a lot of relatively young, fit, girls as companions - purely coincidental I'm sure
https://youtu.be/UeJ4Ak2xCkw The Doctor has had a lot of relatively young, fit, girls as companions - purely coincidental I'm sure. Mind you he also travelled with Peter Purvis!
Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) you are missed
https://youtu.be/mYHxq8CItJ8
Supplemental: Do we the liberals know how to resist?
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 The return of Benghazi parsing:* We liberals went to bed last night hearing that nothing had happened. We had been misinformed. A couple of Secretary Clinton’s emails have produced the return of Benghazi parsing. This will revive an earlier question: Do we the people know how to read? Do we know how to reason *at all?* If you want to parse Benghazi, you have to keep a few basic points in mind. These three are quite basic: *Don’t buy that false contradiction:* Let’s state a fairly obvious fact. There’s no reason why a “terrorist group” might not stage a “... more »
Two Days After NYPD Cop Gunned Down, Anti-Cop Rally Held in Times Square
[image: A candle with the image of St. Judas is places at a makeshift memorial to honor New York City Police Department Officer Randolph Holder who was shot dead Tuesday night during an exchange of gunfire in East Harlem, outside of Holder's station in New York, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015. Holder, 33, a five-year veteran of the NYPD, is the fourth New York City police officer murdered in the city in the last 11 months. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)] Just two days after a career criminal allegedly gunned down NYPD officer Randolph Holder in East Harlem, and with his fellow cops still mournin... more »
"Wimp Nation: Poised to Fall"
*"Wimp Nation: Poised to Fall"* by Fred Reed "An example of pathological masculinity, male privilege, substance abuse, and patriarchy with overtones of violence against women and people of color, as well as probable homophobia. May drive a truck." "Come morning, I receive emails from friends documenting the curious social transformation coming over the US. These missives usually accompany links to some new tragicomic antics. E.g., Harvard, once a university, lets students invent odd pronouns to promote gender equity. “He” and “she” represent oppression and lack of inclusion. Recent... more »
Sanders Hires Cesar Vargas, High-Profile DREAMer Activist, For Latino Outreach
*Cesar Vargas in 2012: "An immigrant from Mexico who lived in the United States for most of his life without documentation will be allowed to practice law in New York, a Brooklyn appellate court ruled (source)."* *by Gaius Publius* In another smart move, Bernie Sanders has hired Cesar Vargas, one of the highest-profile and best-respected DREAM activists, to engage with him in Latino outreach. It's clear that whoever the Democratic nominee is, that person will have to win the Latino vote. It's also clear that the way the Republican party is performing on immigration, the Democratic... more »
U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia And Turkey Fail To Resolve Differences On The Fate Of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu (L), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (2nd L), Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir (3rd L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pose during a photo opportunity before a meeting in Vienna, October 23, 2015. REUTERS/CARLO ALLEGRI *Reuters:* *'Constructive' talks on Syria war could be resumed: Kerry* The United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey failed to resolve differences on the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in talks on Friday but could meet again in a week to discuss how to end Syria's civil war. Speaking to r... more »
Stocks are on the rise
In a column I wrote for The Davis Enterprise, published Nov. 26, 2014, I noted this: "On Friday, the S&P 500 index closed at 2,063.5, an all-time high." From that date until Aug. 17 of this year, that large stocks' index stayed in a relatively narrow, 155.5 point trading range: from a low of 1,972.74 on Dec. 16, 2014 to a high of 2,128.28 on July 20, 2015. And then the bottom seemed to fall out of the S&P. In one week in August, the index lost 229.3 points. On Aug. 18 it sold for 2,096.92; on Aug. 25 it was down to 1,867.61. All of the year's gains had been wiped out, and it was... more »
Russia - Jordan Agree To Coordinate Their Military Operations Over Jordan
RT:* Russia, Jordan to coordinate actions on Syria via Amman-based center, others invited* Russia and Jordan agreed to create a coordination center in Amman, which will be used by the two countries to share information on the counter-terrorism operations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Russia is already in touch with Iran, Iraq and Syria through a Baghdad-based center used for the same purpose. Lavrov said Jordan would play a positive part in finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict through negotiations between Damascus and opposition forces, an outcome ... more »
House Passes Bill Gutting Portions of Obamacare, Cutting Planned Parenthood Funding
[image: United_States_Capitol_Dome_and_Flag[1] - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House approved Republican legislation Friday that would erase key components of President Barack Obama’s health care law, block federal payments to Planned Parenthood -- and earn a certain veto should it reach the White House. Lawmakers... more »
Monstrous Hurricane Patricia Rolls for Mexico, Texas to Flood
[image: weather.com] Mexico’s Pacific coast is in the crosshairs of Hurricane Patricia, which became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere on Friday morning as its maximum sustained winds reached an unprecedented 200 mph (320 kph). The hurricane... Continue reading *“Monstrous Hurricane Patricia Rolls for Mexico, Texas to Flood”* at *weather.com*.
Jeb Bush Cuts Pay for Staff, Downsizes Campaign Headquarters
[image: Jeb Bush’s PAC Won’t Meet $100 Million Fundraising Goal] Jeb Bush, once a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is implementing an across-the-board pay cut for his struggling campaign as he attempts to regain traction just 100 days before the party's first nominating contest. The campaign is removing some senior staff from the payroll, parting... Continue reading *“Jeb Bush Cuts Pay for Staff, Downsizes Campaign Headquarters”* at *bloomberg.com*.
Bernie Sanders’ Response When Jimmy Kimmel Asked: ‘Do You Believe in God?’
[image: Bernie Sanders Jimmy Kimmel - 400] Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders avoided directly answering whether he believes in God during a Wednesday night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! speaking instead about his "spirituality." "You say you're culturally Jewish. You don't feel religious," host Jimmy Kimmel said. "Do... Continue reading *“Bernie Sanders’ Response When Jimmy Kimmel Asked: ‘Do You Believe in God?’”* at *theblaze.com*.
Israel Using Its Spy Satellites To Keep A Close Eye On Russia In Syria
Satellite imagery dated Oct. 3, 2015 shows extensive Russian presence in Latakia International Airport. Four Sukhoi-34 advanced strike fighters on taxiway. (Photo: ImageSat International) *Defense News:* *Israeli Spy Sats Keep Sharp Eye on Russian Forces in Syria* *Provide Persistent Updates on Efforts to Fortify Assad Regime* TEL AVIV — Israel’s high-resolution eyes in space are keeping close track of Russian efforts to fortify the flailing regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as evidenced by imagery obtained by Defense News from just one satellite. Images captured earlier... more »
The White House Continues To Debate On What To Do Next In Syria
*New York Times*:* U.S. Is Debating Ways to Shield Syrian Civilians* WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is locked in a sharp new debate over whether to deploy American military forces to establish no-fly zones and safe havens in Syria to protect civilians caught in its grinding civil war. The White House remains deeply skeptical about the idea, but the growing refugee crisis in Europe and Russia’s military intervention in Syria have increased pressure on President Obama to take more forceful action. Secretary of State John Kerry and others renewed their push at a tense White Ho... more »
U.S. Plans To Capture Islamic State’s Capital Doomed To Fail
*Washington Post:* *Plans by U.S. to capture Islamic State’s capital already go awry* AIN ISSA, Syria — In this abandoned desert town on the front line of the war against the Islamic State in Raqqa, local fighters are fired up by announcements in Washington that the militants’ self-proclaimed capital is to be the next focus of the war. But there is still no sign of the help the United States has delivered ostensibly for the use of the Arab groups fighting the Islamic State, nor is there any indication it will imminently arrive, calling into question whether there can be an offens... more »
Peace, Piece: What's in a word?
Lisa fell down a rabbit hole of Etymology yesterday, and it definitely spiked my interest. If there is one thing that we've learned through this journey, it's that many words that we use regularly, don't mean what we think they mean. The journey of discovery starts with the language we speak and read, and fully comprehending the actual definitions of words gives us a huge insight into the world around us, and the agendas that are being perpetuated. The word we are looking at today is: Peace Lisa brought it up, and I asked two of the most word savvy people I know - Arthur and G... more »
WHAT BAD POLITICS LOOKS LIKE: Gap-toothed Maddow rubes declaim!
*FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015Part 5—Divided we (liberals) fall:* We were intrigued by a letter in Sunday’s Washington Post. The writer’s values are beyond reproach. We’d call his politics hopeless. One of the analysts had gone a bit further—unwisely, we suspected. Angrily, he called the writer one of the Dreamers, one of the people who have been brought up to *believe* that they’re liberals. “Stop plagiarizing Coates!” we cried. After that, we read the letter, which concerned guns: LETTER TO THE WASHINGTON POST (10/18/15) According to his Oct. 5 op-ed column, “On guns, aim higher,” ... more »
Obama Sued by 24 States Over Coal Rule
[image: coalpowerplant - 400] A coalition of 24 states and a coal mining company filed lawsuits Friday to challenge the most significant piece of President Obama's environmental agenda, his signature climate change rule for power plants. The litigants accuse the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of... Continue reading *“Obama Sued by 24 States Over Coal Rule”* at *thehill.com* .
Trump’s Early Campaign Success is a Wake-Up Call
[image: Donald Trump2 - 900] Most of the politically savvy people I know are still confident that Donald Trump will not be the Republican nominee for president. Some are even dismissive. They tell me that his poll numbers are a statistical mirage because they count too many... more »
World News Briefs -- October 23, 2015
*BBC*: *Syria war: Lavrov seeks talks with 'full spectrum' of opposition* Syria's ally Russia says there should be talks between the Syrian government and the "full spectrum" of opposition. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also urged an intensification of efforts to find a political solution to the war. Mr Lavrov was speaking at a meeting between Russia and Syrian opponents Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the US. On Thursday, President Putin suggested the Syrian regime could be ready to work with some rebel groups against the so-called Islamic State. *MIDDLE EAST* U.S., Russia, Turkey, S... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 23, 2015
*McClatchy News*: *U.S. commando death in Iraq raises issue of ‘mission creep’* * Death came in raid with Kurdish fighters on Islamic State prison * About 70 prisoners were freed in raid; five Islamic State militants captured * U.S. and Kurdish forces have not conducted a joint operation in at least 15 years A U.S. special forces commando was killed in Iraq during a joint U.S.-Kurdish raid that freed about 70 hostages from an Islamic State prison, the Pentagon announced Thursday. He was the first American to die during combat there in almost four years. The Pentagon and the White... more »
Symposium intro pulled after author refuses to revise following changes to lineup
A biology journal has pulled the introduction to a symposium that was published online before the symposium papers had been finalized. After reviewers rejected multiple papers, the author of the introduction — and organizer of the symposium — refused to revise his portion accordingly, so the journal retracted it. Suzanne Miller, an assistant editor at Integrative and […] The post Symposium intro pulled after author refuses to revise following changes to lineup appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Well, actually, it's about the Duffy Trial
You may have been as confused as I was. Why, given Harper's known inability to take orders or suffer any form of supervision, would he opt to remain a sitting Member of Parliament, now relegated to the opposition benches. This is a guy, who during his concession speech, (which was a hastily re-written victory speech), didn't have the conventional decency to state his intentions to his audience
Study of 3 Psychedelics Finds They Do No Harm but Actually Improve Mental Health
*Phillip Schneider* - “Overall, it is difficult to see how prohibition of psychedelics can be justified as a public health measure." The post Study of 3 Psychedelics Finds They Do No Harm but Actually Improve Mental Health appeared first on Waking Times.
Giddy in Overtime
Hari Seldon used math Ray Bradbury wrote not to predict the future but to prevent it maybe that's the best insight into authors we need to know people who document our clown show and fear the final performance The reality distortion field has always enslaved mankind we used to call it the Church now its the MAN To lead is to make decisions its to show your teeth and tonsils and the toe jam on your feet This is a body no one can love for a long time but its part of life like growing old but where is the youthful government the rule of the good guys? Well in my life I have seen so many ... more »
Pentagon Identifies First U.S. Soldier Killed in War Against ISIS
[image: Joshua Wheeler-900] BAGHDAD (AP) -- The first American soldier to die in combat against the Islamic State group in Iraq has been identified as Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, coalition officials said Friday. Army Col. Steve Warren told The Associated Press that... more »
U.S. Death in Iraq Belies Obama’s ‘Boots on the Ground’ Pledge
[image: Obama2 - 400] A U.S. service member was fatally wounded early Thursday fighting alongside Kurdish Peshmerga forces in a U.S. Special Operations helicopter assault on an ISIS prison compound in northern Iraq that freed about 70 hostages, Pentagon officials said. The death of... Continue reading *“U.S. Death in Iraq Belies Obama’s ‘Boots on the Ground’ Pledge”* at *military.com*.
Academics Increasingly See Christianity as a Sickness to be ‘Treated’
[image: Christian Disease Salvation - 900] There is a trend in academia to seek materialistic explanations of religion, particularly Christianity. The efforts assume that belief in God and the desire to worship God are groundless. It follows that acts oriented toward the supernatural are in error,... more »
US Successfully Intercepts Ballistic Missile During NATO Coalition Test
*USNI News*: *Video: Nine Country Naval Exercise Successfully Shoots Down Ballistic, Cruise Missile Targets off Scotland* This post has been updated to include additional information from the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin. The U.S. Navy and eight other countries are successfully working through an international detect-to-engage integrated air and missile defense exercise off the coast of Scotland, proving their platforms and people could integrate to provide missile defense in Europe. The Maritime Theater Missile Defense (MTMD) Forum, consisting of 10 countries, is hosting a thre... more »
Pope Francis Creates Vatican Office for Laity, Family, and Life
[image: Pope Francis] VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis announced Thursday to the Synod on the Family that he has chosen to establish a new office in the Roman Curia that will deal with issues of laity, family, and life, as part of his... Continue reading *“Pope Francis Creates Vatican Office for Laity, Family, and Life”* at *ncregister.com*.
Gloria Steinem: Pope Causing Global Warming by ‘Forcing Women to Have Children’
[image: Pope Francis with child - 400] No matter his recent encyclical on the environment. Pope Francis himself is the cause of global warming, according to feminist activist Gloria Steinem. Cosmopolitan writer Prachi Gupta revealed that her editor-in-chief, Joanna Coles, interviewed Steinem, "arguably the most influential women’s... Continue reading *“Gloria Steinem: Pope Causing Global Warming by ‘Forcing Women to Have Children’”* at *newsbusters.org*.
US Drone Crash/Fails You May Have Missed.
Plus, as mentioned by an anonymous commenter, the deployment of A-10's to Incirlik. Keeping in mind all the drama surrounded a Russian drone allegedly being shot down? *Two US drone crash/fails, that didn't get reported on anywhere until now:* *Janes* * "The USAF announced on 21 October that one of its General Atomics MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are also operated out of Incirlik, had suffered a mechanical failure and crashed in southern Turkey on 19 October.* *Another USAF MQ-1 is also reported to have crashed near Al-Kut in Iraq on 17 October"* *The A... more »
Hostility Between Saudi Arabia And Iran Continues To Intensify
*Ian Black, The Guardian*: *Iran and Saudi Arabia ramp up hostile rhetoric to new levels* *Riyadh and Tehran have thrown diplomatic niceties to the wind and are attacking each other without restraint over Syria and Yemen* The propaganda war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, bitter rivals on opposite sides of the Middle East’s biggest current crises, is hotting up, with near daily exchanges and insults between ministers and state media outlets. In the past week alone senior figures from both countries have cast diplomatic niceties to the desert winds and attacked each other publicly. ... more »
President Obama Vetoes $612 Billion Defense Bill
*IBTimes*: *Military Budget 2016: President Obama Vetoes National Defense Authorization Act* U.S. President Barack Obama vetoed Thursday the 2016 defense budget, a $612 billion bill proposed by Congress that the president said undermines strict spending caps imposed on other government departments. The budget would rely on a largely unregulated fund to pay for defense items. After both the House and Senate passed their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act earlier this year using the $38 billion Overseas Contingency Operations Fund to compensate for spending caps, Oba... more »
A Look At What Remains In The Afghan City Of Kunduz After Being Occupied By The Taliban For One Week
*Washington Pos*t: *Kunduz faces tough resurrection after brief Taliban takeover* KUNDUZ, AFGHANISTAN — There were no computers, no projectors, no microscopes and no cameras inside the classrooms of Kunduz University. Outside, the school’s tractor and jeep were gone. Taliban fighters had stolen them all, fleeing with refrigerators and even doors ripped from their hinges. “We worked hard for 13 years to collect all this equipment,” said Abdul Quduz Zarifi, the university’s president, seated near a classroom wall pierced with bullet holes. “All was gone in one week.” When it seize... more »
How The Media Blew The Biden Story
[image: ap_558735284559] Now and then over the years, I've been fortunate enough to extend a job offer for someone to come work with me. Being a huge dork, I'll usually speculate about the candidate's likelihood of accepting the position. I don't bat... Continue reading *“How The Media Blew The Biden Story”* at *fivethirtyeight.com*.
The Anti-Establishment Front-Runner
[image: Donald Trump7 - 900] If we had been told at the beginning of the year that in October a Republican presidential candidate would be leading the polls nationally and in almost every state, drawing support from across all factions of the GOP and sucking... more »
Correction restores confidence in results of confidence study
A study that looked at how entrepreneurs’ confidence levels change depending on market conditions has been corrected to fix an error that flipped the results of one of the experiments. The paper was published in 2013 by the Strategic Management Journal, and explored how entrepreneurs stay confident in difficult marketplaces by studying how people reacted to […] The post Correction restores confidence in results of confidence study appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Human Disaster Capitalism and Teach for America
by Jim Horn During the eugenics glory days of the 1920s, American elites who deemed themselves the only citizens fit for democracy argued that, for the Republic to work, a new class of leadership was required to efficiently steer society in directions that the great unwashed herd was incapable of doing through real democratic governance. Walter Lippman was a chief spokesman for this new American variety of practical fascism under the guise of democracy, and he carried on an active debate in the press with John Dewey. As conditions coalesced for the horrific rise of the Third Re... more »
Russia And Iran Have Begun Unleashing “Suicide” Drones That Land And Explode In Syria
Iran has been developing explosive attack drones. (image via Jamejamonline.ir) *Washington Times*: *Russia, Iran unleash ‘suicide’ drones in Syria fight* In a war first, Syrian allies Russia and Iran have begun unleashing “suicide” drones that land and explode, presenting another challenge to rebels trying to oust the regime of president Bashar Assad. AP reported on Thursday that a Russian-owned broadcasting company is flying drones over the capital of Damascus, and its video shows the utter destruction of Rebel-held neighborhoods by Syrian government bombardment. The opposition n... more »
Science, Religion Not in Conflict for Most Americans
[image: Shrine Immaculate Conception] Two-thirds of American adults have no problem reconciling their religious faith with the facts of science, but 59 percent think “other people” have a problem, according to a new Pew Research Center study. “People’s sense that there generally is a... Continue reading *“Science, Religion Not in Conflict for Most Americans”* at *washingtontimes.com*.
Chafee Ends Presidential Bid, Leaving Hillary Only Two Challengers
[image: Democratic Candidates Elimination - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee announced Friday he would end his quixotic Democratic presidential campaign after failing to gain traction against Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders. “After much thought I have decided to end my... more »
Family Structure Matters — Science Proves It
[image: Family Structure] It's been a rough two weeks for the family-structure denialists, those progressive academics (Philip Cohen, "How to Live in a World Where Marriage Is in Decline"), journalists (Katie Roiphe, "New York Times, Stop Moralizing About Single Mothers"), and pundits (Matthew... Continue reading *“Family Structure Matters — Science Proves It”* at *nationalreview.com*.
Gowdy's Silly Benghazi Committee Will Drive Hillary's Poll Numbers Higher-- And Take The Focus Off Banksters
Hillary Clinton & Cheryl Mills-- not enemies of Wall Street Yesterday was all about Hillary Clinton testifying at Trey Gowdy's taxpayer-funded partisan witch-hunt which brought her an awful lot of sympathy and gravitas. Even going into the hearing-- according to a CNN/ORC poll released as she was getting ready to be sworn in and sit down at the witness table, 72% of Americans had already decided that the GOP was using the Benghazi Committee for partisan political gain against her. Yesterday's hearing should make that number shoot up considerably. (This new poll from Quinnipiac releas... more »
An Update On The U.S.-Iraqi Raid That Saved 70 Hostages But Left One U.S. Service Member Dead
*ABC News*: *Inside the ISIS Prison Raid That Left US Service Member Dead* A U.S. special operations service member died in a Kurdish-led hostage rescue mission in northern Iraq today that freed 70 Arab hostages being held by ISIS. The fatality marks the first U.S. death from hostile fire in Iraq since a training mission began there in June 2014. More than 30 U.S. ground troops serving as advisers and five U.S. helicopters participated in what began as a mission to support dozens of Kurdish forces and ended up involving the U.S. forces in what one U.S. official described as "an i... more »
Manpower And Hardware Shortfalls Are The Two Main Weaknesses For The Russian Military
Russia's "Green Men" *Jeremy Bender, Business Insider:* *Here are 2 problems that could sink the Russian military in a war* With a frozen frontline inside Ukrainian territory, the successful annexation of Crimea, and an ongoing intervention in Syria, Russia's military prowess appears firmly established. But despite the Kremlin's recent successes, the Russian military faces two deep structural problems that could prove disastrous if it ever faced off against another large conventional force. According to Dave Majumdar of The National Interest, Russia's military is facing deep manp... more »
6 Key Exchanges from Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony
[image: Hillary Clinton Benghazi Hearing] In a much-anticipated hearing, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared Thursday before a panel of lawmakers tasked with investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya. Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time of the attacks and... more »
Rand Paul Tells College Students, ‘There is Nothing Sexy or Cool about Socialism’
[image: Scott Olson/Getty Images] "It's no accident that Rand is focused on college campuses, particularly in states like Iowa," said Matt Kibbe, the senior adviser to the pro-Rand Paul super-PAC Concerned American Voters. "In a sense that's potentially his secret weapon, because showing up... Continue reading *“Rand Paul Tells College Students, ‘There is Nothing Sexy or Cool about Socialism’”* at *bloomberg.com*.
42 Killed in French Bus-Truck Collision
[image: France bus collision] PUISSEGUIN, France (AP) -- A truck and a bus transporting retirees on a day trip collided and caught fire Friday in wine country in southwest France, killing 42 people and badly injuring four others, authorities said. It was the nation’s... more »
Mexico’s Pacific Coast Braces for Monster Category 5 Hurricane Patricia
[image: Hurricane Patricia coastal residents evacuate] MANZANILLO, Mexico (AP) -- Residents of a stretch of Mexico’s Pacific Coast dotted with resorts and fishing villages boarded up homes and bought supplies ahead of Friday’s arrival of Hurricane Patricia, a monster Category 5 storm that forecasters say is... more »
Bond Greatly Reduced for Man Who Failed to Report Roof’s Charleston Church Massacre Plan
[image: Dylann Roof Charleston shooting] COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A nonviolent past and lack of hard drug use were factors cited by a judge who lowered bond for a man accused of failing to tell authorities all he knew about a friend accused of massacring... more »
Kerry Says Syria’s President ‘Stands in the Way’ of Peaceful Resolution to Syrian War
[image: John Kerry Sergey Lavrov] VIENNA (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry opened talks in Vienna on Friday with his Russian, Saudi and Turkish counterparts aimed at reviving a moribund effort to end Syria’s civil war. Kerry began a day-long series of meetings... more »
Authorities: 1 Killed, 3 Wounded in Tennessee State Shooting
[image: Tennesse State University] NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- One man was killed and three women were wounded in an on-campus shooting stemming from a fight over a dice game on the campus of Tennessee State University, police said Friday. The 19-year-old who died in...more »
UN Blames Israel For Rise Of Violence In Occupied Palestinian Territories
The United Nations deputy chief has blamed Israel for the escalation of violence across the occupied Palestinian territories. Jan Eliasson, the UN Deputy Secretary General said on Thursday that the crisis in the occupied territories, including East al-Quds (Jerusalem), is the result of Israel’s “stifling and humiliating occupation of Palestinian territories for almost half a century.” Press TV reports: Eliasson made the remarks in a briefing to the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East in a meeting chaired by Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, the foreign minister of Spai... more »
SNP Say Cameron Must Publish Findings On Suicides Linked To Benefit Cuts
Angus Robertson, the Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has called on David Cameron to publish the conclusions of investigations into the suicides of 60 people who had their benefits cut or stopped. RT reports: During prime minister’s questions (PMQs) in Parliament on Wednesday, Robertson said Cameron has “questions to answer.” “The Department for Work and Pensions has undertaken 60 investigations into suicides that have occurred after benefits were withdrawn or reduced, but has so far refused to publish what it has learnt,” he said. “The prime minister cannot ... more »
Donald Trump is Doing America a Service
[image: Donald Trump Beats Hillary Clinton in Poll — and Gets 25 Percent Among Blacks] City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the as-always-irrepressible Donald Trump make for an odd couple (in the fullest sense of the term). They have sharply differing worldviews, yet they're joined at the hip on one critical point: Neither seems to... Continue reading *“Donald Trump is Doing America a Service”* at *nypost.com* .
A Political Party Sans Politics
*A guest post by Pamela Mac Neil* Conservatives are looking for a new leader and in doing that, the conservatives may have to make an important decision. Harper and his CONs have, particularly in the last 4 yrs governed for only for 1/3rd of Canadians. They've governed only for their base. Much of the policies created by Harper not only appeased his base, but also satisfied his neoliberal agenda. Harpers continued exclusion of the Canadian majority throughout the last 4 yrs, was because he knew Canadians would not agree with his neoliberal/fascist/evangelical policies. Every avenue,... more »
blue jays vs. royals, library style
Library smackdown? Toronto Public Library vs. Kansas City Library, via Twitter.
Economic News , Data & Views ( October 23 , 2015 ) - Spain In Focus ( Political scrimmage between Catalan leadership / Parliament and Rajoy on display as independence march begins in earnest ) .....Poland Updates ( Will Poland's Justice & Law Party win on Sunday - what does this mean for Europe ? ) .......Portugal Post - Election Crisis - No Confidence vote looms ....... Refugee Crisis ( Sunday's Special Summit on Migratory Flows of Refugees is headline item - list of participants , Assad and Putin meet to discuss strategy on Syria War - which has an impact on refugee flows , Tsipras bows once again to Merkel / Orban dismisses her nonsense ) ..... Greece Friday Updates ( Political - domestic and International , Economic items , Troika - now the Quadriga items of note for Greece ) ..... Data Splash ( German and France report PMI numbers for October - Germany disappoints , france better than expected , EZ Composite PMI Data reported for October , Inflation Outlook data reported - 2015 / 2016 & 2017 ) ...... Odds & Ends
Overview For The Day..... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 56s 57 seconds ago fred walton Retweeted zerohedge A great overview for the day ! fred walton added, *zerohedge* @zerohedge Frontrunning: October 23 http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-10-2 3/frontrunning-october-23 … *zerohedge* @zerohedge 14m 14 minutes ago EURUSD 300 pips lower since Draghi jawboning *fred walton* @fredwalton216 2h 2 hours agoPhiladelphia, PA fred walton Retweeted Edward Harrison Yield curve negative through six years...can the ten year bund also go negative ? fred walton added, *... more »
5 Halloween Classics to Watch Instead of Crimson Peak
[image: crimson-peak] This week I marched off with high expectations to see the gothic mystery movie Crimson Peak, made by Spanish arthouse director Guillermo del Toro (maker of the gorgeous political fantasy Pan's Labyrinth), starring the gifted actress Jessica Chastain (Coriolanus). And... more »
IMF Says Saudi Arabia Could Be Bankrupt By 2020
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the Middle East’s biggest economy, Saudi Arabia may run out of financial assets within the next five years if the government maintains its current policies. The Gulf kingdom could deplete financial assets within five years as it struggles with slumping oil prices. RT reports: Saudi Arabia is expected to run a budget deficit of 21.6 percent in 2015 and 19.4 percent in 2016, according the IMF’s latest regional economic outlook. The country needs to adjust spending, the IMF urged. Will the fiscal pain of low oil prices force Saudi A... more »
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 10/23/15”
*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 10/23/15”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “The biggest headline this week came from Sochi, Russia, and it plays right along the increasing war theme. Vladimir Putin is worried that the chances of a wider global war are increasing and not decreasing. At a global conference discussing war and peace prospects, Putin said, “We had the right to expect that work on development of US missile defense system would stop. But nothing like it happened, and it continues. This is a very dangerous scenario, harmful for all, including the United States itself. The deterrent ... more »
Confused by River Song? Here's "River Song's timeline
https://youtu.be/GrgLNER9JBM Make more sense now? Well she's back this series, back from dead but living inside a computer.... Can't wait for that to be explained, or not!
Military Photo of the Day: October 23, 2015
[image: F-22 in Hawaii-900] A Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptor takes off from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii on Sept. 26, 2015. Thanks to Airman 1st Class Robert Cabuco for capturing this image!
I've Just Had a[couple of]n Insight
1. A lot of British histories of the Second World War mention how war planners had expected that "the bomber would always get through" and that in the first little while of a bombing campaign there would be over a million casualties, dead or wounded. This is always mentioned in retrospect of "the Blitz" which lasted from September 1940 to January 1941 which killed "only" about 40,000 people. It's never mentioned in the parts of the English historiography about how "the allies" (re: France) "betrayed" Poland when they did nothing but invade Germany only 5 miles before retreating agai... more »
Political Correctness in SF Schools is a Subtle Form of Segregation
[image: Student Voting - 900] Is there such a thing as being too politically correct in San Francisco? Yes -- but a public official has to overreach drastically to hit that mark. Everett Middle School principal Lena Van Haren did just that when she chose... more »
Musical Interlude: Enya, “Watermark”
Enya, “Watermark” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU
TPP, TTIP and UN 2030 – Blueprint for a One World Corporate Government
*Phillip J. Watt* - These trade agreements represent the takeover. And the world is resisting. The post TPP, TTIP and UN 2030 – Blueprint for a One World Corporate Government appeared first on Waking Times.
The Villain from Back to the Future Part II is in This Presidential Race — Twice Actually
[image: Trump and Biff - 900] Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, has officially come and gone, but it was no slouch when it came to breaking news. Vice President Joe Biden, in a major development of the
Related articles
Russia to build two large military bases near Ukraine(english.pravda.ru)
Russia's move to bolster presence in Syria well timed(irishtimes.com)
Afghanistan's Security Forces Facing A Shortage In Winter Clothing(warnewsupdates.blogspot.com)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment