A picture taken yesterday at Trapani's Salt Road, Sicily, during a photowalk with others flickr contacts, and obtained from a single raw shot and after processed with Capture NX2. Have a nice day and many thanks for your comments :) You can use this image on websites, blogs or other media without ask my permission. This photo is under Creative Commons license. - My Flickriver See it on Fluidr (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Turns out, SoCal Gas knew its Aliso Canyon wells were deteriorating and at risk of leaking a year before the big leak began. And despite a regulatory filing admitting that, nothing was done. No wonder the lawsuits have started. Phil McKenna reports for InsideClimate News.
10:39pm MST
U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship Struggled In Recent War Games Against Fast-Attack Small Boats
The Littoral Combat Ship, designed for operations in shallow coastal waters, is made in two versions by Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal Ltd. Source: U.S. Navy Photo *Bloomberg:* *New U.S Navy Ship Struggles in Test to Fend Off Attacking Boats* * Fast-attack small boats like Iran's enter `keep-out' zone * Pentagon's testing chief also discloses more reliability flaws The U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship struggled in drills at sea to fend off a swarm of small attacking vessels like the Iranian boats it could encounter in the Persian Gulf, according to the Pentagon’s chief weapons t... more »
Suzuki Samurai: The usual racket
*US Secretary of State John Kerry **visited Cambodia last week** to … well, no-one really knows what he was there for, including John Kerry. Our intrepid reporter Suzuki Samurai was there to watch his arrival, and the local reaction to it.* ------------------------------ The pre-arrival had all the delicacy of a local and more hysterical version of *CHiPs*. Five hundred taller-than-usual Khmer goons spread across every intersection with Kevlar vests, Chinese assault rifles and mirrored Ray-Bans¹. Check! White-tunicced motorbike cops² with screaming circa-1950's sirens and mirr... more »
All Eyes On Iowa Tomorrow
We're backing Bernie Sanders at this blog and we urge you to caucus for him tomorrow if you live in Iowa and to contribute what you can to his campaign and to the campaigns of the congressional candidates who have endorsed him and who are running on his progressive platform. As you know, Hillary and her team are campaigning ferociously-- and very negatively-- to win Iowa's caucuses. Let me remind Iowans that in 2012, she privately said the caucus process favors "parties' extremes" (a disparaging way of describing progressives) over moderates (Beltway talk for "conservatives"), whi... more »
President Obama Orders The Pentagon To Make Guns Safer
*Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times:* *Obama bucks history, directs Pentagon to make guns safer, not more lethal* Wartime U.S. presidents have taken keen personal interest in picking the most lethal gun for the military. But in President Obama’s first foray into small-arms procurement for the armed forces, his Jan. 4 executive order on gun control directs the Pentagon to find ways to make not so much more lethal firearms, but safer ones. His direct order has brought a few snickers among retired combatants who argue that the commander in chief is issuing his directive at a ti... more »
Bowing To Pressure From the Burundi Government The African Union Will Not Send Peacekeepers To The Strife-Torn Nation
*Reuters*: *Africans to press Burundi to accept peacekeepers - diplomats* The African Union will send a mission to troubled Burundi to press the government to accept a peacekeeping force after the president rejected such a move, a senior AU official said after a summit on Sunday. African leaders, who held a two-day summit, may also ask the U.N. Security Council to exert pressure with a possible sanctions threat if it refuses, a senior Western diplomat who followed the proceedings told Reuters. Officials said a final communique was awaiting clearance from African capitals. The seni... more »
Syrian Peace Talks Continue As The War Continues
*New York Times:** Syria Peace Talks Inch Ahead as Bloodshed Continues* GENEVA — As a suicide attack killed more than 40 people near a revered shrine in Syria on Sunday and government forces pummeled a besieged town, peace talks inched forward in Geneva, where a reluctant opposition delegation met for the first time with a United Nations mediator. With that step, opposition delegates signaled new, if tenuous, hope that the Geneva talks could bring a modicum of progress on their immediate demands: an end to starvation sieges and indiscriminate bombings, and the release of prisoners... more »
Remembering Abe Vigoda
*WNU Editor:* I just learned that he had past away .... *Famed character actor Abe Vigoda recalled as a class act *(AP). I will always remember him in the Godfather, and on the TV series Barney Miller.
China Is Reorganizing Its Military To Close The Gap With U.S. Capabilities
*Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes*: *ANALYSIS: China reorganizing military to close gap with US* China’s armed forces are undergoing a sweeping five-year reorganization aimed at creating central control over the military’s nearly autonomous branches and creating a more lethal fighting force to close the gap with U.S. capabilities, analysts say. The restructuring is the most profound undertaken since the 1950s when Soviet advisers helped modernize the nation’s post-civil war military, changes that will likely challenge long-held assumptions by the Pentagon, according to David M. Fin... more »
A Podcast On How Much The Media Has Changed In Covering The Military And The Wars That It Is Engaged In
Image: U.S. Navy photo by Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway *Paul Shinkman, David Wood, Nancy Youseff, And Ryan Evans, War On The Rocks*: *Journalism, The Military, And America's Wars* The relationship between journalists and the U.S. military is simultaneously intimate and distant. In the last several decades and the last two in particular, many things have changed in the way that journalists cover the military, but perhaps not as many as you think. Three defense and national security journalists of different generations joined Ryan Evans of War on the Rocks to talk about how covering the m... more »
It Appears That The CIA Is In The Practice Of Lying To Itself
The CIA seal is displayed in the lobby of CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. (File Photo) *Washington Post*: ‘*Eyewash’: How the CIA deceives its own workforce about operations* Senior CIA officials have for years intentionally deceived parts of the agency workforce by transmitting internal memos that contain false information about operations and sources overseas, according to current and former U.S. officials who said the practice is known by the term “eyewash.” Agency veterans described the tactic as an infrequent but important security measure, a means of protecting vital secret... more »
Musical Interlude: Gov't Mule, "Soulshine"
Gov't Mule, "Soulshine" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijsritrkiAA
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some 200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of the well-studied Fornax galaxy cluster. *Click image for larger size.* This impressively sharp color image shows intense star forming regions at the ends of the bar and along the spiral arms, and details of dust lanes cutting across the galaxy's bright core. At the core lies a supermassive black hole. Astronomers think NGC 1365's prominent bar plays a crucial role in ... more »
"We Are Star Stuff"
"We are star-stuff. The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it but the way the atoms are put together. The cosmos is also within us. We're made of star stuff, we are a way for the cosmos to know itself." - Carl Sagan *Click image for larger size.* "The hydrogen in your body, present in every molecule of water, came from the Big Bang. There are no other appreciable sources of hydrogen in the universe. The carbon in your body was made by nuclear fusion in the interior of stars, as was the oxygen. Much of the iron in your body was made during supernovas of stars th... more »
Chet Raymo, “Seeking Order In The Natural Order”
*Click image for larger size.* *“Seeking Order In The Natural Order”* by Chet Raymo “It is a popular misconception that evolution is “just a theory.” On the contrary, the evidence for the development of life over billions of years by common descent from simple ancestors is overwhelming. So overwhelming that most biologists and geologists would call evolution a “fact.” The influential geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky said “Nothing makes sense except in the light of evolution.” Nobel prize-winning biologist Peter Medewar said, “The alternative to thinking in evolutionary terms is not... more »
"The 'Greatest' English Honors Paper Ever Written"
*"The 'Greatest' English Honors Paper Ever Written"* *Click image for larger size.* "So bad it borders on genius." I am literally speechless... lol - http://www.buzzfeed.com/
"The Purpose Of My Words..."
"There is a difference between a question and a wonder. I would prefer to answer only questions that will be useful to you. A child looks up at the starry sky at night and wonders. He is filled with the joy of the mystery of creation. Why should I explain everything to you and take away that joy? I will not. The purpose of my words is to create silence, to create joy. I am not here to stuff your head full of knowledge. A child starts out innocent. You ask him something and he says, "I don't know." Then that child grows up and thinks he knows everything. I'll teach you something. I'... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Mount Shasta, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Free Download: Walt Whitman, "Leaves of Grass"
"Miracles" "Why, who makes much of a miracle? As to me I know of nothing else but miracles, Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan, Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky, Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water, Or stand under trees in the woods, Or talk by day with anyone I love, or sleep in the bed at night with anyone I love, Or sit at the table at dinner with the rest, Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car, Or watch honeybees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon, Or animals feeding in the fields, Or birds, or the wond... more »
"The Impossible Dream: Right in Front of You"
*"The Impossible Dream: Right in Front of You"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOm "Maybe you are using a desire you can't fulfill to distract you from truly engaging the blessings you already have. When it comes to the things we want, there always seems to be an endless list. No matter how many times we get something off that list, we add new things to replace it. In life, this drama of wanting and getting and wanting is all part of the dance. The things we want motivate us to get up and get them. And yet, at the same time, we can torment ourselves with our wanting, especially when we ... more »
Plot To Destroy Syria Was Hatched By NATO And The Muslim Brotherhood At Bilderberg Conference In 2008
*Jeffrey Feltman and Volker Perthes are the two weasels at the center of the plot to destroy Syria, its secular fabric, and its diverse peoples. They have helped to coordinate the policies of NATO, the Muslim Brotherhood, UN, U.S., and ISIS from behind the scenes.* *An excerpt from, "Germany and the UNO against Syria" by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, January 28, 2016: * *During the annual meeting of the Bilderberg Group, between the 5th and the 8th June 2008 - five years before the war -* * Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a presentation which underlined the necessity ... more »
Will Foreign Policy And National Security Be The Pathway For Hillary Clinton To The White House?
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shares a laugh with fellow candidate and Senator Bernie Sanders at the conclusion of the second official 2016 U.S. Democratic presidential candidates debate in Des Moines, Iowa, November 14, 2015. REUTERS/JIM YOUNG *Molly O'Toole, Foreign Policy:* *Clinton’s Trying to Use Foreign Policy to Beat Sanders* *Here's why it could backfire.* Heading into the home stretch of the unexpectedly close Iowa caucus, an anxious Hillary Clinton is increasingly wielding foreign policy and national security as a weapon... more »
The Trump Doctrine
Businessman and Republican candidate for president Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a campaign event in Laconia, New Hampshire, July 16, 2015. REUTERS/DOMINICK REUTER *Josh Rogin, Bloomberg:* *The Trump Doctrine Revealed* The whole world is struggling to decipher the worldview and guiding principles Donald Trump would apply as president. It may not be a prominent feature of his campaign, but his advisers say he does have a doctrine that informs his positions on foreign policy and national security. Some leading foreign policy pundits are convinced Trump is shooting from the hi... more »
How the UN Has Failed to Protect Children From Their Peacekeepers
*An excerpt from, "Peacekeeping by U.N. Faces New Scrutiny on 2 Fronts" by Rick Gladstone, New York Times, October 9, 2013: * The United Nations was hit with a double dose of scrutiny over its accountability practices on Wednesday, charged in a lawsuit with gross negligence in Haiti’s deadly cholera epidemic, and accused by an anticorruption organization of oversight lapses in its own peacekeeping operations around the world. While coincidental, the two events underscored what some critics of the United Nations have called an institutional culture of privilege and exceptionalism ... more »
Gallup: Trump Disapproval at Record 60%
[image: disapproval] Donald Trump has the highest disapproval rating of any major party candidate since 1992, a remarkable achievement for a candidate who is also a party front-runner, according to Gallup. Continue reading *“Gallup: Trump Disapproval at Record 60%”* at *washingtonexaminer.com*.
Too Late, Republicanos... You Created This Base Of Imbeciles And Now They're Shoving Fascism Down Your Throats
This week a gaggle of Mitt Romney operatives, led by Katie Packer and under the name, Our Principles PAC, spent over $2 million-- from undisclosed sources-- running TV ads in Iowa and New Hampshire attacking Herr Trumpf and his positions. The over-all theme is that he isn't a real Republican and all of the messaging is in the video above. The ads themselves are below. They've also been bombarding the media with anti-Trumpf press releases like this: The latest TV and online advertisement from Our Principles PAC which begins airing this Friday, clearly exposes more inconsistencies... more »
ISIS Threatens ‘Doomsday’ Attack on Britain, Will Direct Lion’s Share of Terror in Europe to Them
[image: doomsday] Islamic State propagandists have threatened to launch a "doomsday" attack on Britain so horrific it will have "turn children’s hair white”. The militant group, also known as Isil, warned that Britain would receive the "lion's share" of the terror it... Continue reading *“ISIS Threatens ‘Doomsday’ Attack on Britain, Will Direct Lion’s Share of Terror in Europe to Them”* at *telegraph.co.uk*.
Dozens Killed, UN Peace Talks Clouded by Bombing in Syria; ISIS Claims Responsibility
[image: In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians gather where three bombs exploded in Sayyda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of the Syrian capital, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. The triple bombing claimed by the extremist Islamic State group killed at least 45 people near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Sunday, overshadowing an already shaky start to what are meant to be indirect Syria peace talks.] GENEVA (AP) -- A triple bombing killed at least 50 people in a predominantly Shiite suburb south of the Syrian capital of Damascus on Sunday... more »
Indigenous Organizations Demand Clean Up of ‘Homegrown’ Radioactive Pollution Crisis
By Klee Benally cleanupthemines@gmail.com www.cleanupthemines.org 15,000 Abandoned Uranium Mines Protested at DC EPA Headquarters 'We are the Miner's Canary': Indigenous Organizations Call for Clean Up of 'Homegrown' Radioactive Pollution Crisis Editors: High resolution photos and B-roll available. attached photos by Eli Laliberte, Konnected.tv. EPA Protest Washington, DC — On
Portland is the Atheist Capital of America
[image: Portland] If you don't believe in God, you might want to move to the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Ore., is No. 1 on the list of metropolitan areas with the most religiously unaffiliated residents (42%), according to the nonpartisan and nonprofit Public... Continue reading *“Portland is the Atheist Capital of America”* at *marketwatch.com*.
Musings On Iraq In The News
My interview with Haroro Ingram on the Islamic State’s information campaign was reprinted in Vox Pol. Musings On Iraq was mentioned in "Post-Islamic State Problems: Diyala Province Undergoing Violent Ethnic and Sectarian Cleansing" by Aida al-Khatib for Niqash. I was cited in "The Obama Administration Has Made A Striking Choice In Iraq" by Armin Rosen and Michael Kelly for Business Insider.
Netanyahu Warns Hamas of Retaliation Greater Than in the 2014 Gaza War
[image: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016.] JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza on Sunday that his country will retaliate with “greater force” than deployed in the 2014 Gaza war if cross-border tunnels are used to... more »
dispatches from ola 2016, part 1: choosing to walk a path
I attended OLA* for only one day this year, partly because I'm already missing so much work for bargaining and other union business, and partly because one day is often enough. There's a *huge* lineup of presentations, poster sessions, book signings, vendors, keynote speakers, tours, receptions, etc. - lots of etc. - but the presentations are the meat of the conference. Four presentations a day for three days is just too much. As it happened, three of the four talks I attended shared a theme: bringing library services to underserved, marginalized, and socially excluded communities. ... more »
Programming Note: Symposium on Structural Power and the Study of Business
This week the Duck will host a symposium on a recent special issue of Business and Politics on Structural Power and the Study of Business, which was guest-edited by Pepper Culpepper and published in October. De Gruyter has generously agreed to temporarily ungate the issue to correspond with this symposium; the articles may be found here (note: […]
Climate Tricks 51, The CCC, Greenpeace and fossil fuels
A friend, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commssioner Chito Gascon posted this status and photos last January 28. *On 27 January 2016, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), with the Climate Change Commission (CCC), organized a whole-day learning session on relevant environmental laws, national policies and international mechanisms on climate change. One of the objectives of this activity was to emphasize the interdependence between climate change and human rights. It was also a venue for both parties to keep each other updated on the existing programs and projects concerning mitiga... more »
"How It Really Is"
Well, no, not by a long shot, but it's coming...
The Economy: “Discovery”
*“Discovery”* by James Howard Kunstler “It looks like 2016 will be the year that humanfolk learn that the stuff they value was not worth as much as they thought it was. It will be a harrowing process because a great many humans are abandoning ownership of things that are rapidly losing value — e.g. stocks on the Shanghai exchange — and stuffing whatever “money” they can recover into the US dollar, the assets and usufructs of which are also going through a very painful reality value adjustment. Of course this calls into question foremost exactly what money is, and the answer is: ba...more »
The Economy: “Economic Activity Is Slowing Down Much Faster Than The Experts Anticipated”
*“Economic Activity Is Slowing Down Much * *Faster Than The Experts Anticipated”* By Michael Snyder “We have not seen global economic activity fall off this rapidly since the great recession of 2008. Manufacturing activity is imploding all over the planet, global trade is slowing down at a pace that is extremely alarming, and the Baltic Dry Index just hit another brand new all-time record low. If the “real economy” consists of people making, selling and shipping stuff, then it is in incredibly bad shape. Here in the United States, the dismal economic numbers continue to stun all of ... more »
“Carl Jung's Five Key Elements to Happiness”
*“Carl Jung's Five Key Elements to Happiness”* by Gretchen Rubin "In 1960, journalist Gordon Young asked Jung, "What do you consider to be more or less basic factors making for happiness in the human mind?" Jung answered with five elements: *1.* Good physical and mental health. *2.* Good personal and intimate relationships, such as those of marriage, the family, and friendships. *3.* The faculty for perceiving beauty in art and nature. *4.* Reasonable standards of living and satisfactory work. *5.* A philosophic or religious point of view capable of coping success... more »
"The Eternal Silence..."
"The eternal silence of infinite spaces frightens me. Why now rather than then? Who has put me here? By whose order and direction have this place and time have been ascribed to me? We travel in a vast sphere, always drifting in the uncertain, pulled from one side to another. Whenever we find a fixed point to attach and to fasten ourselves, it shifts and leaves us; and if we follow it, it eludes our grasp, slips past us, and vanishes for ever. Nothing stays for us. This is our natural condition, most contrary to our inclination; we burn with desires to find solid ground and an ultima... more »
Musical Interlude: Davy Spillane feat. Maire Brennan, "A Place Among The Stones (Celtic Circle)"
Davy Spillane feat. Maire Brennan, "A Place Among The Stones (Celtic Circle)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cofvKWy_zlQ
"A Tribute To Dogs"
*"A Tribute To Dogs"* by George Graham Vest "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." - Will Rogers "George Graham Vest (1830-1904) served as U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903 and became one of the leading orators and debaters of his time. This delightful speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony, but when his turn came to present a summation to th... more »
Musical Interlude: Spirit of Eden, "Legend of Cuan"
Spirit of Eden, "Legend of Cuan" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdA0G8bMoeM
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Through My Eyes (Nebulae)”
Liquid Mind, “Through My Eyes (Nebulae)” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HTgHuUuDQg
"A Look to the Heavens"
“These two spiral galaxies make a photogenic pair, found within the boundaries of the northern constellation Draco. Contrasting in color and orientation, NGC 5965 is nearly edge-on to our line of sight and dominated by yellow hues, while bluish NGC 5963 is closer to face-on. Of course, even in this well-framed cosmic snapshot the scene is invaded by other galaxies, including small elliptical NGC 5969 at the lower left. * Click image for larger size.* Brighter, spiky stars in our own Milky Way are scattered through the foreground. Though they seem to be close and of similar size, gala... more »
Cruz Shows How Ethanol Lobby Has Lost its Grip on Iowa Voters
[image: Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a campaign event at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 in Iowa City, Iowa.] Texas Sen. Ted Cruz doubled-down on his long-standing opposition to federal ethanol policies during the most recent GOP debate Thursday, even though this was the Republican candidate's last big chance to prove to Iowans why they should vote for him. Federal mandates... more »
Japan has superior refugee policies
*Video Title: Japan has superior refugee policies. Source: Ryan Dawson. Date Published: January 27, 2016.*
No Honour Among Thieves
"Israel is flouting the “friendly” rules of espionage to steal *U.S.* trade and tech secrets." (*Source*). *An excerpt from, "Longstanding US-UK Spying on Israeli Military Operations. Israel Also Spies America…" by Stephen Lendman, Global Research, January 31, 2016:* It’s no surprise. Nations routinely spy on allies and adversaries. Today’s sophisticated technology makes it easier than ever. On Friday, Israeli and Western media reported Washington and Britain accessed Israeli military aircraft video feeds – letting them monitor IDF operations in Gaza, along with watching for pote... more »
Corbett Report - Meet Maurice Strong
*Evil is real. And it is always done in the name of good.* *Title: Meet Maurice Strong. Source: corbettreport. Date Published: January 31, 2016. Description: * READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.corbettreport.com/meet-maurice-strong-globalist-oiligarch-environmentalist/ No, it is not difficult to see why globalists love arch-globalist Maurice Strong. But how did this man, a dirt poor high school dropout from Oak Lake, Manitoba, rise to become an international wheeler-dealer who is responsible for shaping our modern day globalist institutions? The story is as unlikely as it is instructi... more »
what i'm reading: the invention of air by steven johnson
How do we know that the oxygen exists, and that oxygen is different from carbon dioxide? Well, we know it because we've been taught those facts. But how did that knowledge enter the scientific record? Air is invisible to our eyes. How did humans first understand that invisible gases exist, and have predictable properties? Answering that question, *The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America* by science historian Steven Johnson, is at its most interesting. The body of experiments that led to the "discovery" of oxygen, carbon dioxide, the pro... more »
I Got An Email FromThe Right-Wing Husband Of This Year's Worst "Democratic" Candidate
Democrat Pat Murphy and his conservative primary opponent Yesterday, I got an e-mail from Bill Vernon, a right-wing Republican who is backing the vile EMILY's List/DCCC conservative running for the Democratic congressional nomination in Iowa's first district. His wife, a Republican campaign donor who opportunistically switched party registration, is running against tried and tested progressive, former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy. (Murphy has been endorsed by Blue America and you can contribute to his campaign here.) The wife, Monica Vernon, has been named the worst election cycle s... more »
Huge Sinkhole Takes Out Part Of Oregon Highway
A huge sinkhole has swallowed up parts of a main highway in the US state of Oregon as it joined forces with another hole that opened up there last year. The initial sinkhole developed in mid-December in parking lot in the coastal town of Harbor following a series of storms and heavy rain. The hole continued to widen, resulting in the road’s closure on Thursday evening. Massive #Sinkhole Takes Out Part of #Oregon Highwayhttps://t.co/u6nKVPECaC#DAHBOO7pic.twitter.com/xE0nfBhYRJ — Dahboo7 (@dahboo7) January 29, 2016 ABC net reports: Jared Castle, a spokesman for the Department of Trans... more »
Pentagon Tells Senate it Won’t Demote Retired Gen. Petraeus
[image: In this June 23, 2011 file photo, then-CIA Director-desigate Gen. David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Pentagon says it will not demote retired Army Gen. David Petraeus, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information while CIA director, an incident stemming from an affair with his biographer.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon says it will not demote retired Army Gen. David Petraeus, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information while CIA director, an incident stemming from an affair wit... more »
Jan. 30: It really doesn't matter....
…...who wins the U.S. party leaderships. It really doesn't matter who wins the presidency. We should have learned that with Obama. I remember the enthusiasm for Obama at the time of his first run at the presidency. I remember the cheers when he said to America, “We can do it.” Few, very few, noticed that he never said what it was that they could do. Just “it” was enough of a platform to win the presidency. Once he won the presidency, the followed exactly the same policies Bush had – wars of aggression to put the world at the feet of American billionaires. He kept the torture camp ... more »
TAP INTO THE UNIFIED FIELD AND HEAL YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS
*The basic underlying and uniting force of the universe is a psychic energy field of love and soul consciousness ( the **Unified Field** ) which lies not only beyond time and space but also beneath our deepest fears ~ and whose principle property is the universal urge to unite. Tap into this energy and heal yourself in the process: Allen L Roland, PhD* A heart centered cause versus symptom rehabilitation approach, fueled by gratitude and forgiveness, for active duty veterans suffering from PTSD has been implemented at the Concord Vets Center, California with grea... more »
$1.9 Billion in Ebola Aid Not Delivered by Donors
[image: In this Wednesday, March 11, 2015 file photo, health workers carry a body of a person that they suspected died form the Ebola virus at a new graveyard on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia. Activists say international donors have failed to deliver promised funds to help West African countries recover from the Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people. Oxfam said Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, that $1.9 billion has not been delivered.] ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) -- International donors have failed to deliver $1.9 billion in promised funds to help West African countries recover... more »
People in Oregon Town Say Standoff is Pitting Neighbor Against Neighbor
[image: People in Oregon Town Say Standoff is Pitting Neighbor Against Neighbor] BURNS, Ore. (AP) -- Activists are urging people who oppose a “militarized police presence” in Burns, Oregon, to converge on the small high desert town near a wildlife refuge that has been occupied by an armed group for a month.... more »
Top Iowa Elections Official Slams Cruz Mailer
[image: Cruz mailer] AMES, Iowa -- Iowa's top elections official condemned Ted Cruz's campaign on Saturday for sending mailers to Iowa voters designed to look like official documents that accuse them of a "VOTING VIOLATION" for failure to turn out in past elections.... Continue reading *“Top Iowa Elections Official Slams Cruz Mailer”* at *politico.com*.
Shami, the BBC Playwright
So, did anyone listen to Shami Chakrabarti's miniature radio play *Over Here, Over There *on tonight's *From Fact to Fiction *on Radio 4? (What do you mean you *didn't*? Shame on you!) Here's how the Radio 4 website trailed it: *From Fact to Fiction* is an award-winning series in which writers create a fictional response to the week's news. In a week that saw politicians debate the conditions in migrant camps and the treatment of Asylum Seekers in UK , Shami Chakrabarti takes us to an imagined future. It is 2041. A mother and son argue about his plan to leave the country with... more »
Mob of Masked Men Rampages Through Stockholm Station Beating up Refugees
[image: Stockholm station] A mob of black-clad masked men went on a rampage in and around Stockholm’s main train station last night beating up refugees and anyone who did not look like they were ethnically Swedish. Before the attack, the group of 200 people... Continue reading *“Mob of Masked Men Rampages Through Stockholm Station Beating up Refugees”* at *dailymail.co.uk*.
I’ve Had it With the Line ‘But We’re Not Electing a Pastor-in-Chief’
[image: Donald Trump - 900] I don't like worthless, empty slogans, but I have a real problem when those worthless, empty slogans are used to justify a moral or theological position. To give one example, the slogan "Love is love" is bad enough, but it's far... more »
It’s (Almost) Down to the Voting in Iowa
[image: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas talk after the Republican presidential primary debate, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa.] MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) -- The 2016 presidential contenders are begging their Iowa supporters to get to the caucuses Monday and Donald Trump, true to form, is in-your-face about it. “You’re from Iowa,” Trump told a Dubuque crowd Saturday. “Are you... more »
Cornell University Considering a Fossil Fuel Divestment
[image: The Cornell University Sign at the West Campus Entrance.] Cornell University's trustees are discussing the possibility of jettisoning the University's fossil fuels assets, while the school's president has issued warnings in the past against divesting. The University's 64-member trustee panel plans on hashing out the issue during meetings set for Saturday,...more »
SAG and Sundance Buck Academy Awards Trend to All-White Acting Nominees
[image: Idris Elba accepts the award for outstanding male actor in a supporting role for “Beasts of No Nation” at the 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, in Los Angeles.] In a flurry of wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Sundance Film Festival, diversity made a comeback. Over just a few hours Saturday night, the SAG Awards and Sundance showered their honors on a parade of performers... more »
Europol Says 10,000 Refugee Children Are Missing
The EU’s criminal intelligence agency says that more than 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children have vanished following their arrival in Europe. Europol fear that many may have fallen into the hands of organised trafficking syndicates warning that pan-European gangs are targeting minors for sex work and slavery Press TV reports: Europol Chief of Staff Brian Donald warned in a Saturday interview with UK-based daily Observer that a sophisticated pan-European “criminal infrastructure” was now targeting refugees, adding that 5,000 of the missing children had disappeared in Italy alone w...more »
Editor's Note
Blogging will return later this evening.
LOL @ The Childish British Parliament
*Banning Trump? That's silly and stupid. The British Parliament should get its priorities straight.* Instead of debating whether to ban Donald Trump, the British Parliament should be debating more important topics like banning the Wahhabi ideology and ISIS sympathizers on its shores. The fact that many of the leading ISIS figures in Syria are of British nationality and a product of British society should concern them more than controversial and ignorant statements made by Donald Trump. The British government's covert support for ISIS terrorism and other forms of Islamic extremism... more »
Putin Accuses U.S. Of Spraying Poisonous Chemtrails Over Syria
Brave Vladimir Putin is standing up to the US government again: he is said to have demanded that Western government forces stop spraying chemtrails in Syria. How closely Russian military forces worked with Western forces is an ‘operational detail’ that hasn’t been fully divulged and remains ‘beyond top secret’ on both sides, but according to a Federal Security Services (FSB) report and strong sources in the Kremlin the contact was close enough for Russian military top brass to learn of Western tactics and standard operating procedures, and they have passed on the intelligence to the... more »
The Zika Virus Is Becoming The Worst Crisis In The Americas
*Miami Herald:* *Zika swamps Venezuela’s ailing healthcare system* * As zika swamps Venezuela, authorities remain silent * Congress calls the faltering healthcare system a ‘humanitarian crisis’ * Likely worst crisis in the Americas MARACAIBO, VENEZUELA: When Yelitza Oberto’s legs started cramping a few days before New Years, she thought she was paying the price for standing in line for hours to get a car battery in her lack-of-everything Venezuela. It soon turned out she had the virus of the moment: Zika. No drug would alleviate her fever, headache, skin rash and painful joints. By ...more »
Former CIA Director And Defense Secretary Robert Gates: 'The U.S. Has No Global Strategy'
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates conducts a press conference at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, April 19, 2007. Gates is accompanied by, from left, Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Forces - Iraq; Maj. Gen. Walter E. Gaskin, commander of Multi-National Forces - Iraq West; Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of U.S. Central Command; Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq; and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace. Wikipedia *Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ*: *The U.S. Has No Global Strategy* *The former defense secretary on U.S. ... more »
Computer science for all?
Sent to the New York Times, Jan. 31 President Obama has called for "a Deeper Commitment to Computer Education," (January 30), proposing that $4 billion be invested in computer science education. In the past, these proclamations were based on the assumption that there is a serious shortage of technology-trained workers in the US. This claim has been shown to be false. In fact, there is a surplus. Now the message is that computer knowledge is needed in many professions. (The president mentioned auto mechanics and nursing.) But this is computer use, and does not require knowing how to p...more »
Britain Faces Decisions on Immigration, European Union Membership
[image: David Cameron] British Prime Minister David Cameron is confronting major decisions this week on immigration policy, the European refugee crisis and Britain’s membership in the European Union. The BBC reports, Mr Cameron wants to prevent migrants from other EU nations from claiming tax... more »
Have I gone mad?...
*possibly.* “But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland We could call the following deju vu all over again. I had to witness this commie crapola the first time it rolled around and to have to see Bernie Sanders singing the commie national anthem is mind boggling. H/T Weasel Zipper And then there's that thing with the shaming flyer the Cruz ... more »
Wall Street Doesn't Care If It's Hillary Or Some Republican In The White House-- Just So It Isn't Bernie
There's also this wing of the Democratic Party Eastern Iowa's *Gazette* has been around since 1883 and is a major source of news for Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, strongly Democratic Party areas of Iowa. Going into the caucuses this weekend they fact-checked a cynical question from Rove Does Iowa really want Wall Street in the White House?. According to a report by the generally pro-Hillary *Washington Post* "by Sept. 30, Hillary Clinton had received $6.42 million in donations toward her 2016 presidential campaign from employees and PACs of banks, credit card companies, securities and ... more »
Russia's Campaign In Syria Is Forcing NATO To Reassess Russian Capabilities
*Kim Sengupta, The Independent*: *War in Syria: Russia’s 'rustbucket' military delivers a hi-tech shock to West and Israel* *As the Kremlin showcases its military capabilities in Syria, Kim Sengupta says Nato leaders are having to reassess.* Their army’s equipment and strategy was “outmoded”; their air force’s bombs and missiles were “more dumb than smart”; their navy was “more rust than ready”. For decades, this was Western military leaders’ view, steeped in condescension, of their Russian counterparts. What they have seen in Syria and Ukraine has come as a shock. Russian milit... more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, January 31st, 2016
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Yes, it is Sunday.. The last Sunday of January and of course time for my weekly rant... Yes the weather here in central Canada has gone a bit topsy-turvy over the last week, where at the beginning we were well into the -20C range, and suddenly a Pacific flow of air comes through and temperatures over the last few days were above freezing at around 2C.... But again, this is natural and occurs constantly this time of year and has nothing to do with the fraud of "Climate Change".... I for one am so disgusted that the criminals behind this fraud and our own govern... more »
5:05 - dreamtime disruption - message received but not understood
to whomever this may concern, "Yes, I did receive your dream-disruption message this morning at 5:05 but don't understand what it means..."
Cheap Oil Will Not Impact Arms Purchases From Oil Producing Nations
*Defense News:* *Cheap Oil Doesn't Dampen Industry's 2016 Outlook* WASHINGTON — Despite plummeting oil prices, international demand for defense products remains strong, including in the oil-rich Middle East, multiple defense executives said during fourth quarter earnings calls last week. On call after call, analysts pressed management at top defense firms about the impact of low oil prices on their outlook for 2016. The general consensus was that international markets will continue to present an opportunity for organic growth. Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin’s president, chairma... more »
Can The U.S. Stop A North Korean Missile Attack Against The U.S.?
Korea Times *Dave Majumdar, National Interest*:* Can America Stop a North Korean ICBM Aimed at Los Angeles?* North Korea looks set to conduct a space launch in the near future. But while space launch capability is not a threat in and of itself, the same technology could be used to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)—one with the potential to hit major cities in the continental United States. For example, North Korea's Unha-3—which might have an range as great as 6,000 miles—could theoretically hit targets as far away as Los Angeles. Moreover, Pyongyang—which recen... more »
IPR and Innovation 30, More on IPRI 2015 launching in KL last year
I am reposting this article from the Property Rights Index (PRA, Washington DC) last year, about the launching of IPRI 2015 in Kuala Lumpur that I attended. The photos I added and not part of the original PRA article. ----------- 2015 International Property Rights Index Monday, November 16, 2015 | By Dennis Cakert The 2015 International Property Rights Index (IPRI) was officially launched this morning in Kuala Lampur, hosted by *Wan Saiful Wan Jan*, Director of Southeast Asia Network for Development (SEANET). Today featured an introduction to the IPRI given by the Executive Directo... more »
December 1980 RAF Bentwaters - broken arrow event - triangular onyx UFO exhibiting circles of light
So, the multiple-witness 1980 RAF Bentwaters UFO-sightings broken-arrow i.e. nuclear weapons interference, event was done and dusted years ago ... or so we thought. This lecture by Linda Moulton-Howe and John Burroughs suggests otherwise. in fact, those of us who've watched *The Last Mimsy* will understand the latter portions of this presentation.
Japan Sets Up Anti-Air Missiles In Tokyo. Military Has Been Ordered To Destroy North Korean Missile If Launched
Units of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles stand at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo January 29, 2016. © Kyodo / Reuters *RT:* *Japan sets up anti-air missiles in Tokyo to boost defense against N. Korea* Japan says it has deployed two Patriot missile interceptors in Tokyo to counter North Korea’s activity. The deployment comes amid reports that Pyongyang is preparing for a space rocket launch. Two ground-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) launchers were installed near the Defense Ministry’s headquarters on Saturday morning, ... more »
Boko Haram Launches Massive Attack On The Nigerian City Of Maiduguri
*Breitbart*: *Boko Haram Jihadis Burn Children Alive, Slay Over 100 Villagers in Nigeria Massacre* In one of their most heinous massacres to date, militants from the radical Islamist Boko Haram group slaughtered over a hundred victims in a village in northeast Nigeria Saturday night, including a number of children whom they burned alive. The latest atrocity from the jihadi group allied to the Islamic State took place in the village of Dalori, some three miles from Maiduguri, Nigeria. Vice Chairman of a civilian joint task force in Dalori, Modu Kaka, said that at least 100 dead bo... more »
The Progressive War on Science
[image: bias] About ten years ago Chris Mooney wrote The Republican War on Science where he argued that Republican administrations tend to underfund and disrespect scientific endeavors. I do not dispute the fact that Republican and conservatives have inhibited scientific projects. Indeed... more »
Iowa Caucuses 2016: How the Caucuses Work
[image: Iowa caucuses] After months of hitting the campaign trail and fiery debates among presidential candidates, Monday will mark a permanent shift in the 2016 presidential race: actual voting. The Iowa caucuses are significant because of their first-in-the-nation timing and their historic tradition.... Continue reading *“Iowa Caucuses 2016: How the Caucuses Work”* at *abcnews.go.com*.
It’s Delusional to Claim that the Internet Will ‘Outlive’ Humanity
[image: Artificial Intelligence Robots] That seems like a strange question, but there is a background to it. Marvin Minsky, artificial intelligence pioneer, died on Sunday at the age of 88: Professor Minsky, in 1959, co-founded the M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Project (later the Artificial Intelligence... more »
Demeanour Evidence
R. v. Hemsworth, 2016 ONCA 85: Legal Principles [44] This court has repeatedly cautioned against giving undue weight to demeanour evidence because of its fallibility as a predictor of the accuracy of a witness's testimony: *Law Society of Upper Canada v. Neinstein*, 2010 ONCA 193, 99 O.R. (3d) 1, at para. 66; *R. v. Rhayel*, 2015 ONCA 377, 324 C.C.C. (3d) 362. As I indicated in *Rhayel*, at para. 85, "[i]t is now acknowledged that demeanour is of limited value because it can be affected by many factors including the culture of the witness, stereotypical attitudes, and the ... more »
Environmental Health Symposium - March 6, 2016 in San Diego, California
For more information: *http://environmentalhealthsymposium.com/registration*
Iran’s Supreme Leader Gives Medals For The Capture Of U.S. Sailors
An undated picture released by Iran's Revolutionary Guards website shows American sailors sitting in a unknown place in Iran. REUTERS/SEPAHNEWS.IR/TIMA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS *Trend:* *Iran’s Supreme Leader awards IRGC navy commanders* Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei awarded medals to IRGC naval commanders, following the recent arrest of US marines who trespassed into Iran’s territorial waters. Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the IRGC Navy, as well as four other IRGC navy commanders received Medals of “Fath" (Conquer) from Khamenei on Jan. 31, the leader’s offi... more »
What does it mean to be human? Finding answers in the unconditional [love] treatment of every person.
CONFLICTING IMAGES OF CREATOR SOURCE This is a little outside of what I have been posting on the blog in recent months, but in line with past blog posts on religion. This post is not for all my readers, perhaps only for those coming from a Christian context and perhaps still struggling with some of the discordant themes found in Christian teachings. Those not coming from the Christian contest may well have their eyes glaze over with the references listed here, its not for everyone. But you may find some insight on why things are as they are. We've seen these themes flash to the fo... more »
A Look At Two Contrasting Endorsements In The Florida Senate Race
Chuck Schumer's corrupt candidate for the open Florida Senate seat, Patrick Murphy-- recently voted the most ineffective Member of Congress-- and the House's most effective progressive, Alan Grayson both announced very telling endorsements yesterday. Grayson was endorsed by Jane Kleeb, the grassroots organizer who helped kill the Keystone XL Pipeline. "I worked for years to stop Keystone XL, and there's only one candidate in Florida's Senate race who can say the same thing. Only one, and that is Alan Grayson," said Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska Director. "He stood strong when other Re... more »
We Won’t Let the Unborn Be Forgotten
[image: Abortion Hands Fetus - 900] The mission is to protect all human life. So the old, unworkable claim that being "anti-abortion" (speaking of old terminology) is 'single-issue' activism about just saving babies is as incoherent as the claim that being "pro-choice" is wide-reaching activism about... more »
Beautiful Churches: Borgund Stave Church
[image: Borgund Stave Church Exterior - 900] Built sometime between 1180-1250, the Borgund Stave Church, like other Stave churches from the same time period, is made of wood. It is located in Borgund, Norway. ... more »
Economic News & Views ( Sunday January 31 , 2016 ) Europe In Focus ( 1. Refugee Crisis / Economic Migration / Border Security Items. 2. France Protests Over Emergency Decree Continue - French Citizens Wondering How Long this Will Remain . 3. Germany - Note How Far Germany and Even Merkel Has Swung Away From "Welcome Refugees " 4. UK- EU Talks . 5. Turkey Talks EU Set For Next Week . 6. Spain Political Updates - PSOE In focus , Can they Form A Gov't ? 8. Odds & Ends . ) MENA Review ( 1. Syria Talks Underway - Lurching Away Probably Better Stated . 2. Libya Political updates. ) Asia / Emerging Nations Focus ( 1. China Items Of Note . 2. Japan Items 3. Zika In focus ) Odds & Ends ( 1. Why The Calls For Cash Bans - all of a sudden ? )
Europe........ *AFP news agency* @AFP 3m 3 minutes ago France in final bid to save stricken cargo ship http://u.afp.com/ZmFw [image: Embedded image permalink] *The Local Sweden* @TheLocalSweden 4m4 minutes ago Shock vid shows tension in Sweden asylum homes http://bit.ly/1JRG3G4 *fred walton* @fredwalton216 6s 7 seconds ago fred walton Retweeted Donald Tusk EU's Tusk set to respond back to Cameron. Conditions set by EU. fred walton added, *Donald Tusk* @eucopresident Will present solutions to @David_Cameron on all baskets. Agreement must be accepta... more »
Is John Kerry About To Be Swept-Up In Hillary Clinton's Email Scandal?
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry looks at his phone as he leaves a meeting in Vienna on Friday. LEONHARD FOEGER / REUTERS /LANDOV *Daily Caller*: *State Dept. Records Show John Kerry Sent Hillary A ‘SECRET’ Email From His iPad* Emails released by the State Department on Friday show that in 2011, then-Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry sent then-Sec. of State Hillary Clinton an email from his iPad that has been deemed to contain information classified as “Secret.” While previous releases of Clinton’s emails have shown that she and her staff communicated directly with Kerry when he was... more »
Report Counts Some 2,300 Journalists Killed in the Past 25 Years
[image: In this Oct. 7, 2009 file photo, a woman places flowers before a portrait of slain Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, in Moscow. In the last quarter century, at least 2,297 journalists and media staff have been killed for doing nothing more than trying to inform the world on war, revolution, crime and corruption. And ever more, killers act with impunity, the International Federation of Journalists announced in a major report.] BRUSSELS (AP) -- In the last quarter century, at least 2,297 journalists and media staff have been killed for doing nothing more than trying to inf... more »
Tina Does Sarah Press (Krugman Dissected, Rejected, Neglected?) Ted Cruz, Canadian Born, Would Be King? (Just Give Him the Chance) Paul Kantner's Revolution
Tina Fey gets down. On Sarah. I just adore Ian Welsh's savvy economics reporting. He delineates the confusion many feel about Paul Krugman's political journey, ending in his recent Bernie Bash. It must be pretty comfortable in bed with Hillary, or maybe it's just that all the serious people are in that bed. So, Paul Krugman has a column in which he says he thinks Clinton has better
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*Tennessee Common Core Teaches One Nation Under Allah* The perils of one-size-fits all top-down government-controlled education reared its ugly head once again with the news that TN Core, Tennessee’s version of the national Common Core, middle school students in the Maury County School District were required to recite and write, “Allah is the only god,” as part of a history project, as Breitbart News reported: In the Maury County School District, students were assigned a Five Pillars of Islam project that included the translation of the pillar of “Shahada” as being, “There is no ... more »
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*Statistician Briggs savages the latest Michael Mann paper* I have commented about this paper before but the Briggs comments were not out at the time I wrote. The Mann et al. paper says that the known pattern of global temperature changes is consistent with human influences and that the pattern of temperature changes is unlikely to have happened without human influences. Briggs takes us on a tour of statistical theory with common-sense examples to help us understand. He shows that the Mann et al. paper makes a lot of assumptions that are just that: assumptions, and wrong assumpt... more »
The Closed Mind & The Chasm that Divides
DIVIDE & CONQUER. The "DIVISION & SEPARATION" meme is seriously cranked on high right now, and I'm watching movements and groups being torn apart. Not by by outsiders, but by rabid "believers" who are ready to defend their immovable belief without ever listening or considering anything else that is being put forward. There are certain templates that are continuously used to DIVIDE the people, to break up movements and groups, and tear down systems that are not part of the "Plans" of the Controllers. "They" have used these same templates over and over again, wielding them with rep... more »
Warmist Billionaire’s Yacht Destroys Protected Coral Reef
By Paul Homewood A massive luxury yacht owned by Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen destroyed most of a protected coral reef during a visit to the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean earlier this month, media reported. An anchor chain from the vessel damaged nearly 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters), or about 80 percent, […]
Electoral Reform – The Ballots
Having recently reviewed a few of the more commonly used voting systems that may be considered by the proposed committee to examine electoral reform in Canada I thought it might be useful to collect some examples of the type of ballot that such systems would require. These examples are from various existing or proposed systems across the world, it was surprisingly difficult to find good examples of some types of ballots. Click on the examples to get a clearer view. First up* Mixed Member Proportional – Closed List* where you have one vote for your local representative and one vote ... more »
Newt Gingrich: 2016 Election Is “Utterly Unpredictable”
[image: Newt Gingrich-900] Surveying the 2016 presidential election, master political statesman and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the race for the White House is "utterly unpredictable." Compared to his own presidential bid in 2012, Gingrich thinks "in a world so dominated by Donald Trump,... more »
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Questions?
Good grief, what a dispiriting programme *The Big Questions *was this morning! Live from a school in Bradford, with what Nicky Campbell promised would be a "lively" audience, an exclusively Muslim front-row panel engaged in "lively" discussion about Islam in Britain - and the 'big question' "Do we need a British Islam?" Yes, there were *no* non-Muslims on the front row, and *no* ex-Muslims either. It was Muslims all the way, thus significantly restricting the debate from the very start. It was voices of 'moderation' versus voices of 'extremism' from within one faith community... more »
In The Absence Of Hope
http://www.macleans.ca/ Canadians were shocked by what happened in La Loche a little over a week ago. Jeff Sallot writes that the kid with the gun had been picked on: We’re not surprised to read that the 17-year-old boy accused of rampaging through the small town of La Loche last Friday — shooting 11 people, four of them fatally — had been bullied in school. The bullies teased the boy relentlessly about his big ears, Jason Warick of Postmedia News tells us in a heartbreaking report from La Loche. Three people who were inside the sch...more »
Speaking Truth to Power: A Response to Walt’s Lamentations
This is a guest post from Eric Van Rythoven and Ty Solomon. Eric Van Rythoven is a PhD candidate at Carleton University studying emotion, world politics, and securitization. His work is published in Security Dialogue and European Journal of International Relations. Ty Solomon is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the […]
LNG in British Columbia, Here Comes the Tax Evaders-Petronas-Chevron-Shell Canada-Steelhead-AltaGas
*Assembled by Grant G* With Paul Godfrey's Postmedia newspaper business in total disarray....With Postmedia investigative journalism listed as an endangered species(I believe Postmedia investigative journalism is actually already extinct, no sightings reported in five years)....Postmedia is a mere corporate soapbox disguised as print media.... Further down Below this posting is some LNG project information posted in The Financial Post...The article below appeared a couple of months ago(November 2nd 2015)......Why am I posting the below information? There is a simple answer..... more »
I put it all down to clean living and plenty of roughage
It's been a bit depressing in recent years to see a definite trend emerging - the urge for masses of people on social media to instantly speak ill of the dead. Instantly speaking ill of the dead has become very fashionable - almost as fashionable as taking offence at everything. Hopefully this unpleasant fad will pass very quickly. Still, at least no one can speak ill of Sir Terry Wogan - or at least you'd hope! His death has just been announced this morning, so R.I.P. Sir Terry. A lot of people liked you for a very long time (including my mum and dad). And you were much funni... more »
Saudi Prince Demands Trump Quit Presidential Race
Donald Trump came under fire from Saudi billionaire prince Alwaleed Bin Talal on Twitter, who urged the Presidential candidate to withdraw from the U.S. presidential race. Trump recently boycotted the Republican presidential debate hosted by Fox News due to an ongoing feud with the network. Alwaleed is the second-largest voting shareholder in Fox, giving him significant influence over the media corporation. The Prince tweeted Trump in December the following: “You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America.Withdraw from the U.S presidential race as you will never win.“ Br... more »
Big Pharma’s Cannabis Pill Is Killing People
Big Pharma’s attempts to synthesise cannabis into an artificial pill form are not only failing, but killing people in the process. Medical research shows that our bodies are able to synthesise endocannabinoids naturally. Endocannabinoids are the chemical compounds that activate the same receptors as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of marijuana. Big Pharma have attempted to patent this natural herb via a chemical alternative pill in order to cash in on the market. Trying to synthesis cannabis has been attempted before, as evidenced by Solvay Pharmaceutical... more »
Salam aleikum
BBC World Service presenter Paul Henley (also known for *Crossing Continents *on Radio 4) has a piece in the BBC News magazine (apparently also a World Service *From Our Own Correspondent *talk) which the BBC News website home page headlines 'It pays to care'. It concerns German entrepreneurs helping migrants and refugees. Paul doesn't hold back from showing his admiration for such people - or his approval of Germany's acceptance of over a million migrants. Here's a flavour: I've never met Angela Merkel - not for want of trying - but she doesn't strike me as a person prone to ac... more »
Paper reviewers
It's Rogers galore on this morning's *BBC Breakfast *paper reviews. There's Roger Johnson doing the presenting (alongside Naga Munchetty) and the Very Reverend Rogers Govender doing the reviewing. So far Rogers has agreed with the PM that ethnic minorities aren't given the opportunities they deserve and that the nation needs to do something about it, and both Rogers and Roger have been worrying about refugee children. ("It's a real worry", said Rogers. "It's shocking, isn't it?", replied Roger. The BBC man continued, "Someone saying at the end of last week, 'Just imagine it's your... more »
Russia Say “No More Business As Usual” With U.S. And Europe
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told Western nations that there can be no return to “business as usual” during an annual press conference to 150 international journalists. During the 3 hour conference, Lavros told journalists that Russia would remain open “for cooperation with everyone on an equal, mutually advantageous basis.” Russia-insider.com reports: To the best of my knowledge, not a single report of the event has yet appeared on major online American, French, British, German newspaper portals or television channels. This was not for lack of substance or newsworthy... more »
Military Photo of the Day: January 31, 2016
[image: US Navy Under Attack Lingayen Gulf - 900] U.S. Navy ships under attack while entering Lingayen Gulf, Philippines, on 6 January 1945. - Wikipedia
Central Banks Announce Introduction Of E Dollar
Central banks are planning to launch a new form of digital currency as governments and banks begin phasing physical cash currency out of circulation. Debtcrash.report reports: Central banks are planning to implement a new form of currency that has the potential of being an even more profound change than 1913, 1933, 1945, or 1971. I discussed an option that the government and banks might use to get us out of the monetary mess we find ourselves in, it was called the E Dollar. The E Dollar is simply a digital currency that has an exchange rate with cash. The central bank would set a r... more »
Bernie who?
One of the mainstay features of the BBC News website (not that, I suspect, many people read it!) is Anthony Zurcher's blog. Its masthead reads "Welcome to Zurcher's take - where I'll be giving an American view of US politics and culture", but he very rarely writes about US culture. It's pretty much *all* about US politics with Anthony (though he did also cover Justin Trudeau's election victory in Canada). The oddest thing of all is that, for months and months now, it's been *almost entirely* about US Republican Party politics, especially Donald Trump, so much so that I thought Mr... more »
Anita's Got a Lovely Bunch of...Refugees
Yesterday's *Any Answers* was worth listening to. Yes, Anita Anand clucked at some of her callers (none of whom were playing ball on the 'migrant children in Calais' question), but she wasn't *too* bad this week and her callers were interesting throughout. The only point to be made about it here is that Anita Anand persists in talking about 'refugees' rather than 'migrants'. She's been quite dogged about doing so over the months (eg. "this refugee tide", "a worsening refugee crisis", "but as columns of refugees attempt to gain entry into Austria and our screens are filled with im... more »
Paul Kantner-- On To The Next Gig
Paul Kanter and Grace Slick and their daughter, China I didn't know we had computers back then and I'm sure Mitchel Cohen has the date wrong as well, but this was waiting in my inbox yesterday when I woke up: Yet more awful news. The Airplane was my favorite rock band. My first date-- a "computer date" at Stony Brook when I was 17-- was to see the Airplane live in the Stony Brook gym in 1966. (Don't ask about the brilliant computer match-up). It was actually 1967. How do I know? I was the chairman of the Student Activities Board at Stony Brook and I booked the show. It was February... more »
Capital Controls Are Coming
This is a timely notice that we are not immune to the many failed currency practices seen all around the globe. What makes it particularly timely is that ten percent of the global economy is in the midst of literally disappearing. By this, i mean the oil industry which has lowered its effective strike price from $80.00 to $30.00 and in the process completely flooded the market with full oil tankers and full storage. The natural knock off is that a huge portion of bank assets are now potentially under water or at least compromised. In the meantime all leaders are literally obliv... more »
World's Oldest Temple to Be Restored
A rather obvious step actually. The entire site was actually buried at the end of its active period quite deliberately in order to preserve it. As we were not dealing with any serious roofs, this worked fine in desert conditions. Thus complete restoration consists of gently removing all the protective fill. I am glad that they are doing it as it means that the entire site will be exposed again. That rarely happens. Againt the unique aspects of this site makes it possible and even desirable. It deep age makes all other sires recent and establishes accomplished s... more »
Can't Sleep? Your Dinner Might Be the Problem
We sort of already know this but this spells out that the likely culprit is processed foods and sugar while fruit and vegetables are the opposite in effect. What is interesting is that it disturbs your natural sleep cycle. This adds yet one more reason to shift our diets as much as possible to the vegan standard It also suggests an immediate protocol for those who do have poor sleeping patterns that is direct and testable. .. *Can't Sleep? Your Dinner Might Be the Problem* *—By Tom Philpott* *| Wed Jan. 20, 2016 6:00 AM EST* *http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2016/01/bad... more »
The Equation That May Help us Decode Cancer’s Secrets
This is a natural and expected result once we understand that mutation is an ongoing process and that cancer immortality blocks elimination. It is a useful insight that allows you to understand what you are seeing in the so called chaos. It may even help therapeutically. I do not see it leading to much else though but we may be surprised. . *The equation that will help us decode cancer’s secrets* *January 18, 2016 11.04am EST* *http://theconversation.com/the-equation-that-will-help-us-decode-cancers-secrets-53240* *A cancer forms when a cell in the body goes awry, multiplying... more »
A Look At Some Very Expensive Projects That Were Abandoned By The U.S. MIlitary
A prototype of the Non-Line-of-Sight-Cannon, a component of the Future Combat Systems. *Jeremy Bender, Business Insider:* *15 of the most expensive projects abandoned by the US military* The US military is unquestionably the world's strongest force with the world's largest defense budget. But throughout the 2000s, the Pentagon spent $51.2 billion on 15 major programs "without any fielded systems to show for it," according to a new Center for Strategic and International Studies report. The abandoned projects are largely due to a lack of funding attributed to the Budget Control Ac... more »
German Chancellor Angela Merkel: Refugees Must Return Home Once War Is Over
German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacts as she addresses a news conference after a meeting with state premiers at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, January 28, 2016. REUTERS/FABRIZIO BENSCH *Reuters*:* Germany's Merkel says refugees must return home once war is over* German Chancellor Angela Merkel tried on Saturday to placate the increasingly vocal critics of her open-door policy for refugees by insisting that most refugees from Syria and Iraq would go home once the conflicts there had ended. Despite appearing increasingly isolated, Merkel has resisted pressure from some conser... more »
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*From* *Jenna Orkin* US-NATO Invade Libya to Fight Terrorists of Own Creation 200 Swedes Storm Occupied Stockholm Train Station, Beat Migrant Children Chart Of The Day: $17 Trillion In Student Debt By 2030 Zika Outbreak Epicenter In Same Area Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes Released In 2015 Helicopter Money Arrives: Switzerland To Hand Out $2500 Monthly To All Citizens Forget 'El Chapo' — this is Mexico's most powerful drug lord Experts warn that the US is underestimating a greater jihadist threat than ISIS A wacky conspiracy is circulating about Zika and GMOs — and it needs to stop F... more »
Turkey Accuses Russia Of Violating Its Airspace Near The Syria Border Again
*Reuters*: *Turkey says Russian jet violated its airspace again, warns of consequences* Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj... more »
Japan Unveils Its New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Advanced Technology Demonstrator - Experimental (ATD-X) fifth-generation fighter technology demonstrator being presented to Japanese media on 28 January. A first flight is expected shortly. Source: JiJi Press/YouTube *The Diplomat*: *Japan Unveils New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet* *Tokyo’s first domestically produced stealth fighter prototype was unveiled to the media this week.* This Thursday, Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency revealed the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Advanced Technology Demonstrator – Experimental (ATD-... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Mysterious Play of Forces”
*“The Mysterious Play of Forces”* by Chet Raymo “I have often quoted here the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, mostly from the “Duino Elegies” or “The Sonnets of Orpheus.” We now have a new translation of Rilke's earlier “The Book of Hours”, by Susan Ranson, which I have been reading, and I offer a short poem from the “First Book: The Book of Monkish Life.” "I find your trace in all these things, in all that like a brother I am careful for; you sun yourself, a seed, within the small and in the great give yourself the more. This the mysterious play of forces, then, that serve in things, over... more »
"Your Average Armadillo..."
“All of the available data show that the typical American citizen has about as much interest in the life of the mind as does your average armadillo.” - Morris Berman ◆ Apologies to armadillos for the comparison, but if it's true... and it is.
Narrative Prep for NATO's Invasion of Syria via (NATO Occupied) Turkey
*If you haven't read this post- Read it first* NATO Confirms Russian Intrusion into NATO Airspace- SAA gains in Aleppo UPDATED- For the record *"The Pentagon can confirm that Russia jet entered Turkish airspace"* *“We are aware of reports and can confirm that yesterday another Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish — and NATO – airspace,”* Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright told RIA Novosti in a written statement Saturday. *Russian intrusion as a pretext for NATO air support and move on Syria; Enabling NATO backed Kurdish militias to annex Syrian territory?* james@wpcJanuary 30, 2016 ... more »
"How Are Things Going, Joe?"
“You go up to a man, and you say, "How are things going, Joe?" and he says, "Oh fine, fine— couldn't be better." And you look into his eyes, and you see things really couldn't be much worse. When you get right down to it, everybody's having a perfectly lousy time of it, and I mean everybody. And the hell of it is, nothing seems to help much.” - Kurt Vonnegut
Why Are We In The Middle East? “As Things Fell Apart, Nobody Paid Much Attention”
*“As Things Fell Apart, Nobody Paid Much Attention”* by James Quinn *Why Are We In The Middle East?** "The American way of life– which is now virtually synonymous with suburbia– can run only on reliable supplies of dependably cheap oil and gas. Even mild to moderate deviations in either price or supply will crush our economy and make the logistics of daily life impossible." – Jim Kunstler, "The Long Emergency" “America was a Garden of Eden with nothing but flowers, trees and vegetation. We bit into the forbidden fruit of oil over a century ago. It has been a deal with the Devil. O... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
West Liberty, Kentucky, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"It's Everybody..."
"If you're going to care about the fall of the sparrow you can't pick and choose who's going to be the sparrow. It's everybody." - Madeleine L'Engle
"The World Rests In The Night..."
“The world rests in the night. Trees, mountains, fields, and faces are released from the prison of shape and the burden of exposure. Each thing creeps back into its own nature within the shelter of the dark. Darkness is the ancient womb. Nighttime is womb-time. Our souls come out to play. The darkness absolves everything; the struggle for identity and impression falls away. We rest in the night.” - John O'Donohue, "Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom" ○ “On the day when the weight deadens on your shoulders and you stumble, may the clay dance to balance you. And when your eyes freeze be... more »
China Claims U.S. Destroyer Was ‘Driven Off’ From Disputed South China Sea Island
*Washington Free Beacon*: *Pentagon Conducts Warship Passage Near Disputed Island* China claims U.S. destroyer ‘driven off’ A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a second transit near a disputed South China Sea island claimed by China and two other nations, the Pentagon announced Saturday. China’s Defense Ministry denounced the warship transit and said its forces had forced the destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur out of the area. Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Bill Urban said the freedom of navigation operation by the Wilbur took place Saturday near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands chain in t...more »
Turkey Orders Military To Shoot Down All Russian Aircraft, Tensions Mount
Turkey have ordered Turkish Air Forces to be ready to shoot down any Russian aircraft on sight, following claims that a Russian Su-34 warplane violated Turkish airspace on Friday. Turkey have raised the alert level for the Air Force to the “orange warning”, which authorises pilots to shoot down any aircraft they feel is causing an airspace violation. Another downing of a Russian airplane in the region could the military tension between the two nations escalate to dangerous levels. Xinhuanet.com reports: Many F-16 jets are dispatched to an air base in Diyarbakir province in southeas... more »
Court To Use Clinton Emails To Expose Ukraine Terror Plot In Russia
A Federal Security Services (FSB) report on the trial of Ukrainian spy Nadiya Savchenko says that beyond top secret emails belonging to Hillary Clinton must be allowed into the sentencing phase of the case in a Russian court, due to their critical relevance. Nadiya Savchenko is a former Ukraine Air Force pilot who, in 2014, joined a military detachment of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, in their fight against Russian separatist factions. Savchenko is accused of entering Russia and using her cellphone to secretly adjust mortar fire to aid Ukraine terrorist allies in Metallist villag... more »
Phoenix Council Members Move to Block Satanic “Prayer” at Their Meeting
[image: Phoenix Council Members Move to Block Satanic Prayer at Their Meeting] Are there limits to free speech? Can any religious group regardless of their views be allowed to conduct a prayer before city council meetings? A few city officials are taking action Friday night to stop the Satanic Temple in its... Continue reading *“Phoenix Council Members Move to Block Satanic “Prayer” at Their Meeting”* at *fox10phoenix.com*.
Hillary Clinton Contradicts Herself Over Withheld Emails
[image: Hillary Clinton Contradicts Herself Over Withheld Emails] Clinton is in Iowa Saturday campaigning hard against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has pulled to within two and a half points in the latest Iowa State University/WHO-HD poll, which has a three and a half-point margin of error. But... Continue reading *“Hillary Clinton Contradicts Herself Over Withheld Emails”* at *breitbart.com*.
Islamist Suicide Attacks Kill 26 Nigerian Christians
[image: Boko Haram - parents] At noon on Friday 29th January, a suicide bomber suspected to have been sent by the Islamic extremist Boko Haram group detonated explosives in a crowded market in Gombi, Adamawa state, killing at least eight people, sources said, Morning Star... Continue reading *“Islamist Suicide Attacks Kill 26 Nigerian Christians”* at *evangelicalfocus.com*.
Killing of an Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupier Has Re-energized Protesters
[image: BJ Soper - 400] BURNS, Ore. -- BJ Soper has never supported the nearly month-long occupation of a national wildlife refuge by armed anti-government activists. He sympathized with their frustrations about the federal government, but he thought calm negotiation was a better strategy. Then on... Continue reading *“Killing of an Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupier Has Re-energized Protesters”* at *washingtonpost.com*.
Pentagon Will Not Demote Retired General David Petraeus
*Reuters*: *Retired general, ex-CIA chief David Petraeus to receive no further punishment* U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has decided not to impose further punishment on David Petraeus, a former U.S. military commander and CIA director who admitted sharing classified information with his mistress, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The short letter was sent by Stephen Hedger, the assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, and the decision is in line with an Army review. Petraeus resigned as head of the CIA in 2012 after it was revealed that he was having a... more »
A Look At The 'Night Wolves', Russia's Number One Motorcycle Gang
Vladimir Putin rides with Alexander Zaldostanov, leader of Nochniye Volki (the Night Wolves) biker group(REUTERS/Ivan Sekretarev) *The Guardian*: *Putin’s Angels: the bikers battling for Russia in Ukraine* They were anarchic petrolheads and now they’re the Russian president’s henchmen: meet the Night Wolves, Moscow’s most infamous motorcycle gang. A rumble of artillery prompts the biker gang to pause inside their stronghold. It has been some time since the rebel-held city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, on the war-torn fringes of Europe, has witnessed any frontline action. An explos... more »
The Maths ‘Disproving’ Conspiracy Theories Debunked
A recent academic paper was published a few days ago which purports to discredit all conspiracy theories – using bad mathematics to prove its point. The paper, “On the Viability of Conspiratorial Beliefs,” suggests that many popular conspiracy theories would require an extraordinary number of people to be hiding something in order for them to be true. For instance, if you believe climate change to be fraudulent, the paper’s author suggests that tens of thousands of climate change researchers and scientists would need to be actively covering it up. The paper also suggests that if t... more »
Propaganda: Turkey Accuse Russian Su-34 Of Violating Airspace
Moscow have accused the Turkish government of resorting to “proof-less propaganda” as Turkey have said that they believe a Russian Su-34 bomber violated its airspace on Friday. This latest confrontation between the two countries comes just two months after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane, which Russia say was legally flying over Syria. The incident has led to Russia imposing sanctions against Turkey. “There have been no Turkish airspace violations by the aircraft of the Russian airborne tactical formation [acting] in the Syrian Arab Republic. The statements from the Turki...more »
Electricity Supply For Kurds In Iraq Hit By Blast
A pipeline for gas used to generate 50% of the electricity in Iraq’a Kurdistan region was blown up on Friday, knocking out power and leaving many without electricity. The explosion hit the pipeline in the Qader Karam district of Kirkuk, as a result of two homemade bombs being detonated, according to local police. “The gas pipeline that stretches to Erbil was blown up near the sub-district of Shwan last night,” the Kurdish Regional Government’s Interior Ministry said in a statement. Alarabiya.net reports: It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. The head of electricit... more »
ISIS Are Planning Russian Attack, Says Moscow
Moscow’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee have issued a warning that ISIS are planning to attack Russia, as intelligence suggests that Chechen recruiter Akhmed Chetayev is heading up a battalion aimed at attacking Europe and Russia. “Russian special services have intelligence that certain IS groups are preparing terrorist attacks in Russia and European nations,” spokesmen Andrey Przhezdomsky warned on Friday. Almasdarnews.com reports: “In particular, a battalion formed mainly from recruits from North Caucasus headed by Akhmed Chetayev, nicknamed One-Handed.” Chetayev’s group repor... more »
China Accuses US Warship Of Violating Law
China have accused the United States of violating international law as a US destroyer was spotted sailing within 12 nautical miles of the disputed islands in the South China Sea on Saturday. The U.S. military have admitted sailing past the disputed island, saying it was asserting its freedom of navigation. “We conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea earlier tonight,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said in a statement. Yahoo News reports: Davis said the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur made the “innocent passage” off Triton Island in the Paracel is... more »
Thursday's Trumpless Debate Was Like An Expanded Kiddie Table
I missed Thursday's Trumpless debate. I was at my favorite restaurant, Michael Voltaggio's Ink, instead. For the last year I'm been battling cancer and one of the side effects of chemo is that you lose the ability to taste things. Sometimes everything tastes really bad and sometimes they don't taste bad, just not "right." My doctor warned me not to eat things I really loved while I was going through the treatment because I might never like them again. During the last 14 months, I did try Ink a few times and the food never tasted as good as I knew it was. Nothing did. But in the l... more »
Chips, Dips, Chains And Whips
Take heart, all you 29 million uninsured Americans out there! Even though Hillary Clinton wants to condemn you to misery and a possible early death through her strident vow that Bernie Sanders's single payer health plan "will never, ever come to pass," Barack Obama wants you to know that he still has your back. Rather than Medicare for All, he's offering Computer Science for All, as a kind of booby prize. A chip in every classroom and in every body will not only help the lack of medicine go down. It'll make Silicon Valley as rich as Croesus and Predatory Insurance and Big Pharma a... more »
Kremlin Furious Over U.S. Accusations That Putin Is Corrupt
© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS *TASS:* *Putin considers US corruption accusations against him unacceptable — Kremlin* On January 28 US White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that US Treasury Adam Szubin’s statements on Putin’s alleged involvement in corruption reflect the view of the US Administration MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin knows about Washington’s accusations against him and considers them unacceptable, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. "Of course, the president is fami... more »
Yanis Varoufakis Says Capitalism Is Eating Up Democracy
Former Minister of Finance for Greece and Economist Yanis Varoufakis talks candidly about why politicians have no real power, and why governments are powerless in today’s global power structures. Varoufakis says that in today’s political climate, the real power belongs to those who control the economy. He believes that the mega-rich and corporations are cannibalizing the political sphere, causing financial crisis. In this talk, hear his dream for a world in which capital and labor no longer struggle against each other, “one that is simultaneously libertarian, Marxist and Keynesian.... more »
As We Shift - Throw Your Hands Up
So, anybody notice any of these things? - Dizziness - Headache - Stomach pain - Waking up several times a night - Extreme tiredness and/or fatigue - Sudden appearance/disappearance of odd physical symptoms We’ve been on this ride for a while; recently it’s sped up and is now crawling uphill. This shift in frequency is gradual and all at once. Those of us who are “early adaptors” may have felt these things for a while. If you haven’t yet, no worries, now you know what you have to look forward to! Each of these symptoms appears also as a sign of... more »
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