10:23pm MST
U.S. Wants More Time Before Imposing New Iranian Sanctions
Deputy U.S. National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes participates in the Washington Ideas Forum in Washington, September 30, 2015. REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST *IBTimes*: *US Needs More Time To Decide On New Iran Sanctions Before Nuclear Deal Implementation* The White House is not ready to implement the Iranian nuclear deal because it needs time to draft new sanctions against the country over its ballistic program, officials said Saturday. President Hassan Rouhani ordered his defense minister on Thursday to expand Iran's missile program after the U.S. threatened to impose sanctions over a b... more »
Musical Interlude: The Moody Blues, “Your Wildest Dreams”
The Moody Blues, “Your Wildest Dreams” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs-73JucHPc
What's Cruz's Biggest Roadblock, Trumpf or Rubio?
There will be 2,470 delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and the number ti win the magic Republican nomination is 1,236 (50% +1). The first 4 races, all next month, that everyone talks about-- Iowa (30 delegates), New Hampshire (30), South Carolina (50) and Nevada (30)-- will decide 140 delegates split up between several candidates. Then comes the Confederate Super Tuesday (March first) with 595 delegates at stake in 11 states (including Texas' 155). The rest of March is huge as 15 states decide, including delegate-rich Michigan (59), Florida (99), Ohio (66... more »
What Will Be The 'Consequences' From Today's Saudi Execution Of A Well Known Shiite Cleric
File Photo of European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini (Agence France-Presse) *Reuters:* *EU warns of 'dangerous consequences' of Saudi cleric execution* BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's foreign policy chief warned on Saturday that Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric risked "dangerous consequences" by further inflaming sectarian tensions in the region. The kingdom executed cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday alongside dozens of al Qaeda members, signaling that it would not tolerate attacks, whether by Sunni jihadists or from its Shi'ite... more »
Shiite Clerics And Politicians Are Now Predicting The Overthrow Of Saudi Arabia's Ruling Family
Former Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki *The Independent:* *Nimr al-Nimr execution: Former Iraq PM al-Maliki says death will 'topple Saudi regime'* Elsewhere, demonstrators carrying pictures of the Shi’ite cleric were involved in a clash with police in the Bahraini village of Abu-Saiba. The former prime minister of Iraq, Nuri al-Maliki, has said that the execution of the prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi Arabia will be the downfall of the Gulf kingdom's government. Mr al-Maliki, who was prime minister of Iraq between 2006 and 2014, said in a statement that... more »
Obama “Concerned” As Turkish Leader Turns Turkey Into Nazi Germany
According to a new report issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Obama administration are very concerned following Turkish President Erdogan’s public praise of Nazi Germany. The report states that Erdogan has requesting to become a “super president” by increasing the executive powers available to him, looking at Hitler’s Germany as inspiration for a constitutional reform in Turkey. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: Though the Obama regimes propaganda mainstream “presstitutes” quickly tried to provide cover for Erdogan by quoting the Turkish governments absurd claim that their Pre...more »
Putin Says U.S. Is A Threat To Russia’s National Security
Russia have named the United States as a threat against its national security for the first time, signalling deteriorating relations between the two superpowers. President Putin signed a document entitled, “About the Strategy of National Security of Russian Federation“, and for the first time in history it lists NATO and the U.S. as potential adversaries to Russia. Reuters.com reports: It says Russia has managed to heighten its role in solving global problems and international conflicts. That heightened role has caused a reaction by the West, it says. “The strengthening of Russia h... more »
Syrian Army Continue To Obliterate ISIS In Turkey
The Syrian army continue to successfully defeat ISIS around the Turkish countryside, according to Iran’s news agency FARS. As the battle against ISIS militants continues in the Middle East, the Syrian government have made huge gains against the terrorists in the suburbs of Damascus and surrounding areas. Sputniknews.com reports: “The militant groups’ fortified positions in Zamalka in the northeastern outskirts of Damascus came under a massive offensive of the Syrian army and its allies,” military sources told FARS. Syrian government forces also carried out assaults on jihadists’ po... more »
Six Former US Presidents Warn About ‘Invisible’ Shadow Government
Six former U.S. Presidents have warned the public about an invisible “shadow government” secretly running the United States behind the scenes, who have an “incredibly evil intent”. Over the last 214 years, past Presidents and political leaders have tried to warn the public that the U.S. government is under the control of an “invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.” Hiduth.com reports: They “virtually run the United States government for their own selfish purposes. They practically control both parties… It operates under cover of a ... more »
Scientists Say Sugar In Western Diets Cause Cancer
A new study conducted by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center says that high amounts of sugar found in a typical Western diet increases the risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs. The findings were published by Cancer Research and reveals just how dangerous sugar is to human health. “A lot of patients are told it doesn’t matter what you eat after you are diagnosed with cancer. This preliminary animal research suggests that it does matter,” said Lorenzo Cohen of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Scienceblog.com reports: The findings, publis... more »
7th Graders To Be Given Mandatory HPV Vaccine, Despite Dangers
7th graders in Rhode Island are to be forced to take a Gardasil HPV vaccine as part of strict rules about attending school. As reported by the Providence Journal, Starting this fall, seventh-graders in all public and private schools will be required to get a vaccine that protects against a sexually transmitted virus linked to various genital cancers, especially cervical cancer in women. Students who fail to get the vaccine for HPV — or the human papillomavirus — will be precluded from attending school unless their parents seek an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Despite ... more »
Erdogan Is Fanning The Flames Of War
Turkey’s genocide of its Kurdish population in the town of Cizre, combined with Erdogan’s plans to increase his executive power in Turkey, could push NATO into a war with Russia as the Syrian conflict’s scope broadens. Erdogan is becoming a problem for Europe amid an ongoing migrant crisis, reports journalist Michael Goldfarb. Farsnews.com reports: Goldfarb focuses primarily on Turkey’s assault on the predominantly Kurdish town of Cizre, where the government is embroiled in an operation against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militias using tactics that resemble the collective punis... more »
International Outrage Over Saudi Arabia's Execution Of Shiite Cleric Nimr al-Nimr
*Reuters:* *Shi'ite cleric among 47 executed in Saudi Arabia, stirring anger in region* Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric and dozens of al Qaeda members on Saturday, signaling that it would not tolerate attacks, whether by Sunni jihadists or minority Shi'ites, and stirring sectarian anger across the region. Hundreds of Shi'ite Muslims marched through Qatif district in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province in protest at the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr, an eyewitness said. They chanted "Down with the Al Saud!", the name of the ruling Saudi royal family. Nimr, ... more »
Erdogan Says Israel And Turkey ‘Need Each Other’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey and Israel must stick together in the Middle East, in a statement to journalists on his trip back from visiting Saudi Arabia. Speaking to a group of journalists, the Turkish leader said, “Israel is in need of a country like Turkey in the region. We have to admit that we also need Israel“. Hurriyetdailynews.com reports: Speaking to a group of journalists aboard the presidential plane returning to Turkey from Riyadh, where he met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdülaziz al-Saud, Erdoğan said the mutual need “is a fact of the regio...more »
Iranians Storm And Set On Fire Saudi Arabia's Embassy In Tehran
*Daily Mail*:* Iranian mob attacks Saudi embassy with petrol bombs as protests grow around the world over execution of 47 prisoners including top Shiite cleric * * Saudi embassy in Tehran set on fire and trashed by angry protesters in Iran following Nimr al-Nimr's execution * Demonstrators clashed with security forces in Bahrain as they protested Saudi Arabia's execution of Nimr al-Nimr * Protesters also took to the streets in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Indian-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan * Saudi Arabia executed 47 'terrorists' yesterday morning by firing squad and beheading ... more »
Iran Is Not Budging On Their Missile Program
A long-range, improved Sejil 2 missile is test-fired in the desert at an unknown location in Iran in 2009. Iran does not yet have nuclear weapons, and while they seek the technology, Israel's deputy prime minister and minister of strategic affairs Moshe Ya'alon says they are at least three years away. Fars News/Reuters/File *The Hill**:* *Iran: As long as US backs Israel, we'll expand missile program* Iranian leaders are defiantly vowing to expand the nation’s missile program in the face of potential new U.S. sanctions. “As long as the United States supports Israel, we will expand ... more »
Demographics Could Kill The GOP Off-- But Not In Congress, Not While Pelosi Controls The DCCC
Steve Israel and his new DCCC "chairman" Probably the two top recommendations of the Republican Party's official autopsy gf the Romney campaign were that the party had to make itself more attractive to Latinos and more attractive to young voters. The response from the Republican party base was not just hostile... it was the emergence of Herr Trumpf. Reuters reported this week that polling indicates that Republican Party "support among Hispanic likely voters and younger likely voters has shrunk significantly" and that right now "[t]he percentage of Republicans among those likely to vo... more »
Swathi Narayanan : METRO | Missing in action but not forgotten
A daughter continues her quest to find her father and other lost soldiers. By Swathi Narayanan | The Rag Blog | January 2, 2016 AUSTIN — Karoni Forrester’s earliest memory of her childhood is sneaking into her grandfather’s study to … finish reading Swathi Narayanan : *METRO* | Missing in action but not forgotten
University/agribusiness complex exposed: The Resnicks' deep ties to UC Davis, UCLA
University/agribusiness complex exposed: The Resnicks' deep ties to UC Davis, UCLA University/agribusiness complex exposed: The Resnicks' deep ties to UC Davis, UCLA by Dan Bacher Censored News Beverly Hills billionaire Stewart Resnick and his wife, Lynda, the co-owners of The Wonderful Company, are the Power Couple of Corporate Agribusiness in California. They exert their
Will The Islamic State Be A Threat In 2016?
A Kurdish fighter keeps guard while overlooking positions of Islamic State militants near Mosul in northern Iraq August 19, 2014. Youssef Boudlal/Reuters *Mary Dejevsky, The Independent*: *Why Isis won't actually be the huge threat of 2016* If Isis cannot keep order, if it cannot delegate power when it moves on, then its authority may wane. Viewed from a Western perspective, 2015 was defined by the predations of Isis. The year opened with killings in Paris, and it drew to a close with attacks on youth and pleasure in the same city. In between, Western tourists, many of them Brit... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning”
Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp3BuiupOrc
"A Look to the Heavens"
Triggered by the impact of a coronal mass ejection on New Year's eve, a moderate geomagnetic storm brought a celebration of sky lights to planet Earth's high latitudes yesterday. In this New Year's nightscape, the shimmering reddish curtains of aurora australis along a southern horizon are captured over Morgiana, SW Victoria, Australia. *Click image for larger size.* Of course, more permanent jewels of the southern skies are on the scene. The southern Milky Way, Alpha and Beta Centauri, and bright stars of the Southern Cross are on the left. In silhouette, branches of the large fore... more »
Erdogan/Turkey & “Praising” Hitler- The Unabated Destabilization of Turkey
*As has been stated here, for so dam long now..*.*Turkey is being destabilized.** Mostly by NATO’s Stay Behind Army, the NATO supported PKK*. *Undoubtedly with some help by those other NATO irregulars “Grey Wolves”* **NATO Stay Behind Armies: Gladio and Grey Wolves. Updated* *Contrary to the lying media- alt and main stream, it was the PKK that broke the truce between **Turkey’s elected government and themselves.** This is when the destabilization began in earnest. And by all appearances looks to be accelerating.* **AKP's "Stunning Victory"? * *Previous post from July 28/2015:* *P... more »
The Poet: James Kavanaugh, "Searchers"
*"Searchers"* "Some people do not have to search - they find their niche early in life and rest there, seemingly contented and resigned. They do not seem to ask much of life, sometimes they do not seem to take it seriously. At times I envy them, but usually I do not understand them - seldom do they understand me. I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk alon... more »
"The Universe As A Hologram"
*"The Universe As A Hologram"* by Michael Talbot "A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." - John Lennon "In 1982 a remarkable event took place. At the University of Paris a research team led by physicist Alain Aspect performed what may turn out to be one of the most important experiments of the 20th century. You did not hear about it on the evening news. In fact, unless you are in the habit of reading scientific journals you probably have never even heard Aspect's name, though there are some who believe his discovery may change the face of ... more »
"Honoring Life Changes: The Wisdom of Fear"
*"Honoring Life Changes: The Wisdom of Fear"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOm "Anything really worth doing in our lives will always have some fear attached to it. Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers—all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Santa Rosa, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Anti-Islamic State hackers attack...the BBC
Of course, neither me nor Sue would find this* in any way* funny. The BBC, after all, is *nothing *to do with Islam........ic State:
“Marginal Steps Toward a Better Life”
*“Marginal Steps Toward a Better Life”* by Jeffrey Tucker “I’m at dinner and the hostess serves me pie for dessert. I gobble it up. Then the hostess says, “Would you like another piece?” I politely decline. In her head, she is thinking “he hates my pie,” but this is totally wrong. I love her pie, especially the first piece. But the second piece has slipped from A to B in my preference ranking, and “no pie” has moved from B to A. Im are not making a judgment on the whole stock of goods, I’m choosing based on my perceived value of the incremental unit. This is a gigantic difference. ... more »
“Thinking Rationally About Terror”
*“Thinking Rationally About Terror”* by Lawrence M. Krauss “Earlier this winter, in the first week of December, I set sail for Antarctica. During the cruise, which was arranged by the Origins Project, an academic institute that I run, I was to give a series of lectures about cosmology and other topics. As a physicist, I’ve always found cosmology to be a rational elixir; it distances me from ordinary concerns. In Antarctica, moreover, I looked forward to experiencing an otherworldly place where the presence of humanity seems to fade in the face of nature’s vastness—climate change no... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells, Finale”
Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells, Finale” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5gDGcXIEQE
"The Oyster And The Cormorant"
"Brandt's Cormorants feed either singly or in flocks, and are adaptable in prey choice and undersea habitat. It feeds on small fish from the surface to sea floor, obtaining them, like all cormorants, by pursuit diving using its feet for propulsion. Prey is often what is most common: in central California, rockfish from the genus Sebastes is the most commonly taken, but off British Columbia, it is Pacific Herring. Brandt's Cormorants have been observed foraging at depths of over 40 feet.” -WikiPedia Westport is a small fishing town on the western coast of Washington, a place we visite... more »
Jan. 2: Watch for the subtle differences...
In this case The Guardian and the Moncton Times and Transcript (via The Asssociated Press) were reporting on exactly the same story at the same time. But the starting point in The Guardian was, in fact, the starting point of the incident it described. President Erdogan of Turkey cited Hitler's Germany an example of any effective state – and the kind of state he wants Turkey to be. Then it said that his office told the press that Erdogan had been misunderstood. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/01/turkish-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-hitlers-germany-example-effective-govern... more »
I Was Conceived in Rape. When I Confronted My Birthfather Decades Later, Here’s What Happened
[image: I Was Conceived in Rape. When I Confronted My Birthfather Decades Later, Here’s What Happened] Showing up at my birthfather’s home, my journey to finding out the truth about the rape. As 2015 comes to a close, I am reminded of how blessed I am. From a family who loves me and friends who would... Continue reading *“I Was Conceived in Rape. When I Confronted My Birthfather Decades Later, Here’s What Happened”* at *lifenews.com*.
"The BBC's Middle East editor Alan Johnston"
Here's something odd for BBC watchers from tonight's main BBC website article on the incendiary execution by those nice Saudis of a prominent Shia cleric - an act furiously denounced by those nice Iranians: Eh? "....the BBC's Middle East editor Alan Johnston reports"? Isn't Jeremy Bowen the BBC's Middle East editor? The last time I heard Alan Johnston (famously kidnapped by the Palestinian Army of Islam [which, I don't need remind you, has *nothing *whatsoever to do with Islam - hence it's name!]*)* was safe and sound helping sing the praises of Pope Francis in Rome. Has he mo... more »
Nazis March in Ukraine
Ukrainian Nazis marched in Odessa (above) on January 1 to celebrate the birthday of their hero Stepan Bandera. During Hitler's invasion of the former Soviet Union during WW II Bandera put on a Nazi uniform and joined forces with the German Army in their onslaughts. Today many of those being trained in western Ukraine by the US Army are the 'volunteer battallions' of these Bandera forces who have been leading the war against fellow Ukrainian citizens living in the eastern part of the country (Donbass) near the Russian border. One of the popular slogans of Bandera forces is "Ru... more »
Protesters Set Fire to Saudi Embassy in Iran After Execution of Shiite Cleric
[image: Saudi Protesters Cleric Execution Iran - 40000] Iranian protesters stormed Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashad on Saturday night, hours after Saudi Arabia executed Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shi’ite Muslim cleric, and 46 other prisoners. Demonstrators broke into Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran before being cleared away by the police,... Continue reading *“Protesters Set Fire to Saudi Embassy in Iran After Execution of Shiite Cleric”* at *haaretz.com*.
TV Ratings for New Year’s 6 Bowl Games Down 13 Percent Overall
[image: TV Ratings for New Year's 6 Bowls Down 13 Percent Overall] Lopsided games and having the College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year’s Eve for the first time led to a 13 percent drop in TV ratings for the New Year’s Six Bowls from last year. The Rose Bowl on Friday... more »
Central England Temperature Pause Now 17 Years Long
By Paul Homewood http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/index.html Despite the warm end to the year, the annual CET ended up pretty close to the long term average. As I have pointed out before, the Met Office only like to show the CET since 1772. For some reason, they don’t like people to see the full picture, […]
Transpicuous News.... Just in case you want to know what's going on "over there".....
Well well well......more interesting stuff going on..... you know..... over there. d * Qatari ex-emir’s broken leg sees 9 ‘emergency’ landings in Zurich despite night flight ban* Published time: 29 Dec, 2015 08:45 Nine Qatari royal aircraft made consecutive landings over the weekend at Zurich Airport, after the former emir of Qatar reportedly broke his leg at a Moroccan ski resort. The planes were cleared to land despite a local ban on night flights. *D's Note: REALLY? Cause I just checked and Ifrane has NO SNOW right now, and super mild temperatures of +13C...... and just... more »
U.S. Government Releases Document with Details of Extraterrestrial Bodies, Craft & Home Planet
One under reported phenomena is that of UFO disclosure. This last decade has seen a steady drip of government vetted reports which has been mostly ignored. As observed here, it has not been a rogue or two, it has been a deliberate decision to share this information. I also have zero doubt that the big secrets remain secured and generally unimagined except in this blog. The biggest secret is that at least two human organization are likely manipulating gravity allowing them to fly saucers of some sort. One such organization is German founded and based in Antarctic... more »
Sword discovered off Nova Scotia’s Oak Island Questions History of Americas
It always struck me that Seamanship did not retire during the era of the Roman Empire. After all, Caesar himself encountered superior shipping operating in the Bay of Biscay quite able to sail across the Atlantic. And whereas we now live in a world in which adventurers have made that exact trip often in small yachts, it was hardly daunting. Where it failed then was simply that there was nothing much to go for except salted cod off the Grand Banks . That enterprise was clearly established at the time of Columbus ( John Cabot 1497 ) and surely had been operating well back into ... more »
Chicora, Viking ports and Guale with Robert Thorton
Some more data here. A large population of various agricultural villages coexisted along the Carolinas and Floridean Coasts at the time of contact. They had various origins but that included Irish, Norse, Mayan and South American as well local indigenous peoples who may well have been hunter gatherers then submerged by the agriculturists. That population was vulnerable to Spanish slaving in particular quite early on and remnants moved to safer locales to attempt to protect themselves. All this likely led to extensive mixing among the ethnic groups and later a successor tribal... more »
Engineered Fat Cells Slip Through Blood-brain Barrier to Illuminate Early-Stage Tumors
[image: Penn State researchers found that an engineered fat cell was able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier ...] Again a promising approach to both seeing the cancer cells but also as part of a drug delivery system i suspect. We are suddenly seeing important progress in brain therapy protocols and this is all good news. Again massive research is underway across the medical landscape and serious success is emerging.. . *Engineered fat cells slip through blood-brain barrier to illuminate early-stage tumors * * Nick Lavars * * December 17, 2015 * * http://www.gi... more »
Pictures Show Iranian Protesters Storming The Saudi Embassy In Tehran
Iranian protesters are seen on social media storming Saudi missions in Iran after Saudi Arabia executed Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shi’ite Muslim cleric, and 46 other prisoners. Haaretz reports: Demonstrators broke into Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran before being cleared away by the police, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported, after gathering there to denounce the kingdom for executing the cleric. Images shared on social media showed Iranian protesters starting fires at the embassy building. One photograph showed a room with smashed furniture purportedly inside the building. Soon afte... more »
Healthy Child Development Jeopardized by Ed Stress
A clip from a NYTimes op-ed by Vicki Abeles: . . . . Expectations surrounding education have spun out of control. On top of a seven-hour school day, our kids march through hours of nightly homework, daily sports practices and band rehearsals, and weekend-consuming assignments and tournaments. Each activity is seen as a step on the ladder to a top college, an enviable job and a successful life. Children living in poverty who aspire to college face the same daunting admissions arms race, as well as the burden of competing for scholarships, with less support than their privileged peers... more »
Mayor of Mexico’s Temixco Killed At Home Hours After Taking Office
Gisela Mota Ocampo was assassinated this morning, a day after being sworn in as mayor for Temixco, Morelos. Fifty-eight other new mayors assumed office without incident in Oaxaca this week. Mexico News Daily reports: A federal deputy of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) from 2012-2015, Mota was murdered at her home in Pueblo Viejo. She had won election for mayor last June. Morelos Governor Graco Ramírez tweeted this morning that her killing was a challenge by organized crime and declared, “We shall not give in.” Moments later, at 8:59am, he tweeted that suspects had been arreste... more »
Putin Defines The US As A Threat To Russia’s Security
In a new strategy document, Russia has for the first time appraised the United States as a threat to its national security. Times of India reports: The document, “About the Strategy of National Security of Russian Federation”, was signed by President Vladimir Putin on New Year’s Eve. It replaces a 2009 version, endorsed by Dmitry Medvedev, president then, and the current prime minister, which mentioned neither the United States not Nato. It says Russia has managed to heighten its role in solving global problems and international conflicts. That heightened role has caused a reaction ... more »
Another Fresh New Year Is Here . . .
Happy New Year Another year is upon us and before you know it, it will be gone, moment after moment. The following is a quote from American scholar, author, editor, pastor and teacher,William Arthur Ward. “Another fresh new year is here . . . Another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, To love and laugh and give! This bright new year is given me To live each day with zest . . . To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best! I have the opportunity Once more to right some wrongs, To pray for peace, to plant a tree, And sing more joyful songs!” William Arthur Ward qu... more »
Indiana Senator Proposes Bill to Criminalize Transgendered Bathroom Use
[image: transgendered bathroom] An Indiana lawmaker says it should be a crime for people to use a public restroom that’s marked a gender different than the gender they were born. The transgender community says this is a scare tactic, while the lawmaker says... Continue reading *“Indiana Senator Proposes Bill to Criminalize Transgendered Bathroom Use”* at *fox59.com*.
Sanders Fails to Raise as Much as Clinton in Last Quarter of 2015
[image: Sanders] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders raised more than $33 million during the past three months in his bid to win the Democratic nomination, his campaign said on Saturday, just short of the amount brought in by rival Hillary... more »
Rahm Emanuel Is a Piece of Dog Shit That Needs to be Bagged and Thrown Out ASAP
I don't know what Chicago-based blogger D r i f t g l a s s will say about this. Yet even though Chicago's not my city I might as well chime in and say what an absolute piece of shit Rahm Emanuel is. He needs to be scraped up, bagged and thrown in the nearest Dumpster and not even given the chance for compost recycling. Media outlets obtaining private emails passed between Emanuel's staff and the Chicago Police plainly show there was a coverup or at least the delay in the divulgence of information in the Laquan McDonald shooting in October of 2014. Rahm was running for off... more »
Dad Suffocates Young Son On Christmas Eve By Sitting On Him
A father of two suffocated his youngest son to death as punishment for not going to bed on time during Christmas Eve. The 19-stone dad sat playing computer games, as he used his weight to pin down and smother his six year old son against the couch, according to police. The Mirror reports: James “Rick” Dearman, 31, carried on playing games with his live-in girlfriend at the same time he was squeezing the life from his child, according to cops. Sarasota County Sheriff’s Deputies say the dead boy’s 7-year-old sibling watched the horrific incident. In an affidavit, the surviving child sa... more »
In 2016, Battle between LGBT Demands Vs. Religious Freedom Moves to States
[image: In this March 28, 2015, file photo, opponents of an Indiana religious objections law rally outside the State House in Indianapolis. An intense debate over gay rights already is shaping up in Indiana, where a religious-rights law passed last spring thrust the state into the national spotlight over concerns it could sanction discrimination against gays and lesbians.] JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- With same-sex marriage now legal nationwide, lawmakers in numerous states are preparing for a new round of battles in 2016 over whether to grant discrimination protections to LGBT people... more »
I'm Losing Track Of How Many Republicans The DCCC Has Recruited To Run For Congress This Year
Tom O’Halleran, a 70 year old conservative Republican, served in the Arizona House from 2001 to 2006 and then served in the state Senate until 2009, when he lost his primary to fringe nut Steve Pierce. A former policeman, he makes his living as a bond trader and talk radio host. In 2014, angry the Republican legislature wasn't dealing with a water issue, he quit the GOP and re-registered as an Independent and ran for the state Senate again when Republican Chester Crandell fell off a horse and died. O’Halleran was defeated by Republican Sylvia Allen. So last August the DCCC recruit... more »
And the winner is....
By one of those strange quirks of fate - or, more likely, merely by the sheer obsessiveness of the long-distance blogger - I've now become the unofficial archivist for the BBC News Channel's/BBC World's flagship weekly news review, *Dateline London*. In that capacity, here are the guest rankings for 2015 - ranked by number of appearances... Regular readers of this blog will already be able to guess this year's winner (spoilers!). He's been the undisputed winner (i.e. the most-invited guest) *every *year since I properly began monitoring the programme back in 2009. In fact it r... more »
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, Dec 26, 2015 to Jan 2, 2016"
*"Your Radiation This Week, Dec 26, 2015 to Jan 2, 2016"* By Bob Nichols * "I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth."* - Morpheus (San Francisco) January 2, 2016 – "Good Day, this is “Your Radiation This Week.” These are the recorded Radiation Highs that affected some people this week around the United States. You should compare the Rad numbers directly with the Rad numbers in with my articles listed on the VT Author’s Page here. These are the American cities that exceeded 1,000 CPM this week. *Thirty-one (31) American cities topped 1,000 CPM this week.* There... more »
Replicas Of Ancient Palmyra Monument To Be Built In London & New York
Full scale replicas of the ancient 15-metre Temple of Bel entrance in Syria are to be built in Trafalgar Square and Times Square. Some believe that the structure is one of the few remaining parts of the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel in the Syrian city of Palmyra. It is apparently unknown if the Palmyra Arch was fully destroyed by ISIS over the past year. The temple was situated in an important city for the ancient world, sitting on a trade route that linked Persia, India and China The Guardian reports: The construction of the replicas will be the centrepiece of events for world heri... more »
Making Human Junk on the Upper East Side
The rich might not be so different from you and me after all. Even they occasionally experience twinges of conscience, especially during the winter holiday season. In a *New York Times* advice-to-the-landed gentry column published on Saturday, one denizen of the plutocratic Upper East Side of New York City is torn about whether to say something if s/he sees something in the ongoing War of Economic Terror of the rich versus the rest of us. In this case, the "something" is a 16-year-old boy working double shifts as a doorman at a pricey building. *The condominium in which I rent an a... more »
The Pain of Being Old in One-Child China
[image: The Pain of Being Old in One-Child China] In America, writes the journalist Mei Fong, “having children may help you stay out of the nursing home.” But in China, after years of a government forcing families to have only one child, not having any surviving kids “could shut you... more »
Jeremy Corbyn, Women, and the Shadow Cabinet
I know the so-called women's pages in the *Telegraph* aren't meant for incisive political comment, but Cathy Newman's piece on Jeremy's will-he won't-he reshuffle is a strong contender for idiocy of the year. And we're only on 2016's second day. It has it all: bad faith, banalities masquerading as analysis, omissions of fact. It's awful. Cathy sets out a thought experiment. What if Jeremy Corbyn chooses to stuff his shadow cabinet full of women? What indeed. The shadow chancellorship should go to Angela Eagle, the foreign office to Yvette Cooper, to Liz Kendall social security or h... more »
Absurdist antisemitic tragicomedy (with rough transcription)
There has been a lot of coverage of that antisemitic rant. Was it worthy of *any* coverage? Most people seemed to think the host should have cut it short, or that the host must have been sympathetic to the caller because he allowed him to go on for 13 minutes. I didn’t think Simon Lederman was sympathetic in the slightest. He was just out of his depth. I’m afraid it was like something out of the two Ronnies. Inarticulate, faltering rhetoric from the caller and the apparently tenuous grasp of history (from caller and host) turned the whole thing into a parody out of ‘Down the Lin... more »
Defender Steve Gohouri Found Dead In River Rhine, Aged 34
The body of the former Ivory Coast footballer Steve Gohouri has been found in the River Rhine after he went missing before Christmas. The BBC reports: Gohouri made 42 appearances for Wigan between 2010 and 2012 and also won 12 caps for Ivory Coast. On 16 December, Gohouri was reported missing after attending the Christmas party of his German club TSV Steinbach. He was meant to visit his family in Paris but never arrived. German police confirmed his body had been found in the River Rhine in the western city of Krefeld. Lohoré Steve Ulrich Gohouri, known as Steve Gohouri, Born on Febr... more »
Do You Remember The Ownership Society?
Bush drive for home ownership fueled housing bubble NY Times By JO BECKER, SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and STEPHEN LABATON DEC. 21, 2008 *WASHINGTON — *"We can put light where there's darkness, and hope where there's despondency in this country. And part of it is working together as a nation to encourage folks to own their own home." - President George W. Bush, Oct. 15, 2002 The global financial system was teetering on the edge of collapse when Bush and his economics team huddled in the Roosevelt Room of the White House for a briefing that, in the words of one participant, "scared the ... more »
Back to those 'Today' guest editors....
Just going back for a while to this year's *Today *guest editors.... As the week went by it became a little more apparent as to why the BBC chose who they chose (if you're of my way of thinking about the BBC). Working backwards.... Today's guest, former BP boss and crossbench peer Lord Browne, was there as an advocate for action on gay rights and global warming (though not necessarily both at the same time). Yesterday's guest, former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and crossbench peer Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, was there as an advocate of rights for disable... more »
A hoot
This morning we were treated to another guest editor on Today. “Our guest editor today is the former chief executive of BP, Lord Browne” (sorry the content doesn’t seem to be working) So, straight to the bit about ‘coming out at work’. I do realise that this must have been deeply traumatic for this person, but after all, in the end everyone was awfully nice and kind. But I couldn’t help wondering if gay men automatically felt obliged to plead the case for every other minority. I’m talking about the new specially protected species, “trans”. Not so long ago we were allowed to laugh... more »
Day 10: 3rd January, 2016
This is DAY 10!!
Man Killed By US Police Who Mistook Cell Phone For A Gun
US police officer shot and killed a man who was holding a cell phone that they mistook to be a gun. The fatal shooting occurred on Thursday in Las Vegas as the officers were helping US marshals to arrest the man who had been accused of attempted murder. Las Vegas authorities have released the name of the suspect they shot dead as Keith Childress, 23. This incident marks the 16th officer-involved shooting in Las Vegas in 2015. Press TV reports: Las Vegas police said in a statement on Friday that the victim had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities who then called ... more »
Tommy rot
Did you know that before Craig and I forsook fame and copious feedback - and all for the noble principles of autonomy and obscurity (i.e., creating this blog) - we were well aware of the plight of Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon? Memory lane. I typed ‘Tommy Robinson’ into the Biased-BBC’s search engine, and up popped the evidence. July 26 2011, September 8 2011, November 25 2011, and February 28 2012. (I also discovered that *all *my olden day contributions can be resurrected by clicking on ‘Sue’ in the header) I’m not one to boast, (no, really) but just this once I wish ... more »
Putin: The Illuminati Hope To Start World War 3, I Won’t Let Them
Courageous President Vladimir Putin has endorsed a new security strategy for 2016 which points to the Illuminati as a major threat to the country and world peace. The strategy outlines the national interests and priorities of the nation. Putin, who can bench 220, signed the executive order on Friday, establishing a new aggressive position towards the Illuminati, which has seen it’s relationship with Putin turn rancorous since Jacob Rothschild accused Putin of “going rogue” and betraying the New World Order. “I will stop them,” warned Putin, fixing the press conference with his trade... more »
CET Record For December 2015
By Paul Homewood The Central England Temperature numbers are now out for December, confirming what we have known for a while that it has been the warmest such month on record. Last month averaged 9.7C, beating the previous record of 8.1C set in 1934 and equalled in 1974. Remarkably, there has been a […]
Bill Whittle: 2016: Into the Fog -- Obama, Hillary, Trump, & Space Exploration...
*"trying to make sense of what is surely coming in 2016 is like staring out into the fog."* Barack Obama is feckless, Hillary Clinton is corrupt, Donald Trump gives us whiplash, and ISIS continues to attack us, but at least SpaceX had a marvelous landing.
British Soldiers May Face Prosecution Over Iraq War Crimes
British soldiers may face Iraq murder, torture and rape charges as claims have multiplied tenfold over the past five years. The unit established to test allegations of torture and unlawful killings has been overwhelmed with cases with investigators confirming that soldiers may face prosecution. RT reports: When the UK Ministry of Defence created the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) in 2010 to look into accusations of abuse and torture allegedly committed by the British contingent in Iraq in 2003-06, the number of the victims it was dealing with was 152, yet in a matter of five ... more »
British Veterans From Iraq May Face War Crime Charges
A British soldier looks through the scope of his rifle after a roadside bomb attack that targeted their convoy in Basra, 420 km (260 miles) northeast of Baghdad © Atef Hassan / Reuters *The Independent:* *British soldiers could face prosecution for crimes committed during Iraq conflict, investigators confirm* *Exclusive: The unit established to test allegations of torture and unlawful killings has been overwhelmed with cases* British soldiers who have served in Iraq may face prosecution for crimes including murder, the head of the unit established by the Ministry of Defence to inv... more »
So Long and Thanks for All the Gefilte Fish
When you get right down to it, bloggers are really just glorified bleacher bums. Some of us have louder voices than most, others ruder and more profane and some even have megaphones. Jill at Brilliant at Breakfast was once described as "the best bleacher bum since Pete Axthelm." Those are some pretty big shoes to fill since the late *New York Herald Times* sportswriter was pretty much the best at his game. I just got an email from Jill, our server at Brilliant at Breakfast, and while I won't quote the letter in full, I can certainly paraphrase the abstracts: Jill's sh... more »
Will 2016 Be The Year A Bombastic TV Clown Breaks The Republican Party?
Red State diarist Dan McLaughlin poo-poos what he calls the "dark mood afoot among the party’s activists and online conservative commentators: a mood bordering on despair. And by despair I don’t mean hopelessness so much as *surrender*: a sense that even bothering to continue voting for Republicans, associating with the conservative movement, and arguing for conservative causes is a pointless waste of time. 'I’m done with this,' 'I’m staying home,' 'I’ve had it with these people,' 'This party deserves to lose,' 'I’m never voting Republican again,' 'If this is the conservative move... more »
Super Nintendo Left Plugged In For 20 Years, Just In Case
A dedicated Japanese gamer left his Nintendo Super Famicom (Super Nintendo) switched on for two decades, in case he might need to resume his favorite saved game. Gamer Wanikun saved the Japanese game Umihara Kawase on his machine for 180,000 hours. IGN News reports: As reported by Rocket News 24 (via Nerdist), the game came out in 1994, and some game cartridges back then had a static RAM partnered with lithium ion batteries. If the batteries stayed charged, your game would stay saved. Wanikun’s battery started to fail, and since then he’s kept the console plugged in and turned on — ... more »
happy new year from wmtc
Whatever your mood this holiday season I wish you a year full of joy, love, and good health... ...friendship, peace, and solidarity.
Vastly Under Polluted....
Millions of fish were released into the Chehalis River in 2015, the latest federal statistics show.*Photograph by: *John Preissl , Special to the SunWRH - THOUGHT FOR THE DAY! "Just between you and me, shouldn't the World Bank be encouraging more migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs (lesser developed countries)?* I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I've always thought that underpopulated countries in Africa are vastly under polluted; their air quality is vastly inefficient... more »
The Path Of The Mystic Explained - An Essay and Guest Post from Michael Brine
The Path of the Mystic Let me state right at the outset that the Mystic Path is not a religion. It is a spiritual approach to how our personal spiritual journey interacts with the world in which we find ourselves. It is very personal and largely an interior exploration with no rules or regulations, except those we my choose to adopt for reasons of our individual choosing. It is an exploration of the Heart more than of the mind. That said – Mystics feel that the soul's spiritual journey shouled be rooted in Love – the strongest power in the Universe. We feel that truth is not ob... more »
Ultrasound Freaks Out Couple- Unexpected Presence Lurks In Womb
An expecting couple nearly had a fit when they saw the ultrasound images of their unborn baby for the first time. Their baby wasn’t alone in the womb. An unexpected presence lurked behind the fetus’s head. Daily Star reports: A copy of the scan uploaded online shows the foetus reclining in mum’s tummy while the mysterious figure stands watching from one side of the image. Yet when the shocked parents asked their sonologist for reassurance, the doc could offer no answers – only saying that they had never seen anything like it. Reddit user Luigi Vampa, who shared the scan, said the u... more »
ISIS Attacks Iraqi Army Base Near Ramadi
ISIS reportedly launched an attack on an Iraqi army base near Ramadi, just days after the city was recaptured by government troops. A military spokesman said suicide car bombers and fighters wearing explosive belts took part in the attack which killed three Iraqi soldiers and wonded 17 others on Friday. WMTV reports: Even though Iraqi forces have managed to drive ISIS jihadists out of the center of Ramadi, local tribal leaders said this week that ISIS still controls as much as 25% of the city, and significant pockets of ISIS resistance remain. Still, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi v... more »
Real Clear Defense Top 10 Stories Of 2015
*Real Clear Defense Weekly Recon*: *Top Stories of 2015* Good Saturday morning and welcome to Weekly Recon. Today, we take a look at some of the top Defense stories of 2015. From the debate surrounding the F-35 to the U.S. Marines choosing the M-4 as their weapon of choice, 2015 was an interesting year. *WNU Editor:* Not a bad summary on what they feel are the the top 10 stories of 2015. But I would have added the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan onto this list.
China Enacts Major Reforms To Modernize Its Military
Xi Jinping, the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the CPC, rendered army flags to the newly established troops on Thursday. *DW:* *China unveils military reforms to realize 'dream of strong army'* China has restructured its military as part of a modernization push. The changes come as Beijing is becoming more assertive on the world stage. President Xi Jinping inaugurated three new units, Chinese state television showed Saturday, creating a force to oversee strategic missiles, an army general command and strategic support force. Xi described the modernization reform as ... more »
NOTICE: New Artwork on Greencrow Creative Resources Special Page
*Froggy and Oh! Oh! - the video* Artwork #15 January 1, 2016 - *"Froggy and Oh! Oh!"*....a Children's Storybook Written, Illustrated *and Carved* by Greencrow for Eva The idea for this carving came from a template in a Woodworking book. I immediately wanted to carve it (the Musical frog) for my granddaughter for Christmas. But the frog had a plain dowel in its mouth....which was supposed to be run up and down its back to make a "frog-like" sound. I thought...no respectable frog would have *a piece of wood* in its mouth. Then the idea came to me to put an insect into the frog's mout... more »
The Legacy of Uranium Mining
Brandon Loomis of the Arizona Republic has over the years provided excellent coverage of the legacy of uranium mining in the Southwest. His most recent article focuses on rising uranium contamination near the Grand Canyon: Brandon Loomis, “Radiation rise stalls uranium mine permits near Grand Canyon,” The Arizona Republic, December 31, 2015, http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/12/31/radiation-rise-stalls-uranium-mine-permits-near-grand-canyon/78133164/ The levels pose no immediate risk, according to state officials, but reignite calls for a permanent ba... more »
Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan: Trump Will ‘Take America Into the Abyss of Hell’
[image: Louis Farrakahn] The leader of a prominent Islamic religious movement has harsh words for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. "If Donald Trump becomes president, he will take America into the abyss of hell," Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said on his... Continue reading *“Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan: Trump Will ‘Take America Into the Abyss of Hell’”* at *thehill.com*.
‘In God We Trust’ Decals Placed on Lumpkin County Patrol Cars
[image: Lumpkin County Sheriff] LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office is the latest law enforcement agency to place the national motto of the United States on the back of their patrol cars. Sheriff Stacy Jarrard posted photos of decals to the... Continue reading *“‘In God We Trust’ Decals Placed on Lumpkin County Patrol Cars”* at *fox5atlanta.com*.
The Worst of MSNBC in 2015
[image: MSNBC worst] Give MSNBC credit: The network's higher-ups realized the channel was in drastic need of a change in 2015. Five shows were canceled. Daytime programming was dramatically altered to focus on hard news instead of light-weight liberal commentary. But true to... Continue reading *“The Worst of MSNBC in 2015”* at *freebeacon.com*.
Cartoon: ‘How to Put Terror on Obama’s Radar’
[image: Ramirez - 122915 - how to put terror00]
Replicant Love
I love you like no one ever invetedt that term to describe the emotional train that runs between two peole on intersegting rails no matter what stage they departed from I love you like bees love honey and thats not corney cause my brain is wired like fireworks and no matter how damp the spark your going to sett it off Special people walk special way and talk something initellgent but when the get home they are always lonely cause they are not hugging some replicant
The Turkey - Kurd War Is Intensifying
Turkish riot police use water cannons to disperse Kurdish demonstrators during a protest against the curfew in Sur district and security operations, in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, December 29, 2015. *IBTimes*: *Kurdish Nationalism Resurfaces In Turkey Conflict: As Fighting Intensifies, Fresh Calls For Self-Rule* Billows of smoke rose over neighborhoods in Turkey’s southeast in recent days as tanks and artillery pounded Kurdish towns and cities across the restive region. Armed Kurdish militants fought back, digging trenches and erecting barricades to repel Turkish ... more »
'Victim'-blaming
Matthew Parris of the *Times* - and BBC Radio 4 - isn't usually the sort to accuse the BBC of being biased. His thought-provoking piece in today's *Times, *however, makes a few criticisms of the BBC along the way. (It was prompted by an interview he took part in with one of *Today*'s guest presenters, the severely disabled Lady Campbell...not to be confused with Lady Colin Campbell from *I'm a Celebrity*.) Here's a short extract: There’s an easy, lazy habit into which (especially) our news media and (particularly) the BBC have slipped during my lifetime. We make an identifiable... more »
NYT’s Krugman: Rich Right-Wingers Are ‘Horrible People,’ Says ‘Social Science’
[image: George Soros] The rich are “horrible people” — at least those who lean to the right — declares economist turned pompous New York Times columnist Paul Krugman in Friday's "Privilege, Pathology and Power." The text box: "Can we survive rule by self-centered... Continue reading *“NYT’s Krugman: Rich Right-Wingers Are ‘Horrible People,’ Says ‘Social Science’”* at *newsbusters.org*.
Egypt Arrests 3 Facebook Admins from the Muslim Brotherhood for Inciting Protests
[image: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi] CAIRO (AP) -- Egypt’s Interior Ministry says it has arrested three people who are running 23 Facebook pages, accusing them of using the website to incite against state institutions. The ministry accused two men, both age 27, and a 25-year-old... more »
Value Added Modeling Goes to Court
With numerous court cases filed to challenge the *fairness*, *reliability*, and/or *validity* of the various mis-applications of value-added modeling (VAM) to reward and punish teachers, it is appropriate to consider the huge body of evidence that may be shaped to drive a stake through the heart of the monstrous chimera that the tobacco-chewing Bill Sanders conjured just over 30 years ago from his ag desk at the University of Tennessee. The following excerpt from *The Mismeasure of Education* considers the *reliability* issue, alone. The other elements of the VAM critique compri... more »
BBC Website Taken Down By Anti-ISIS Hacker Group
The BBC website was attacked by a group allegedly fighting Daesh/ISIL online, as a show of strength. The British broadcaster said that its main news website and other online services were taken down on Thursday by a large web attack. Sputnik reports: An anti-Islamist hacker group claimed responsibility on Saturday for an online attack on the BBC that knocked its website offline on New Year’s Eve, the UK state broadcaster said. It cited a message by New World Hacking, a group that allegedly fights Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) online, which said the hackers had targeted the BBC websit... more »
Rhode Island Mandates 7th Graders Get Dangerous HPV Vaccine
It was recently announced that 7th graders in Rhode Island will be required to have the Gardasil HPV vaccine as a requirement for attending school. According to the Providence Journal: Starting this fall, seventh-graders in all public and private schools will be required to get a vaccine that protects against a sexually transmitted virus linked to various genital cancers, especially cervical cancer in women. Students who fail to get the vaccine for HPV — or the human papillomavirus — will be precluded from attending school unless their parents seek an exemption for medical or religi... more »
Nearly 200 Muslim Workers Fired over Prayer Dispute in Colorado
[image: Somali Muslim immigrants Colo] DENVER – About 190 workers, most of them immigrants from Somalia, have been fired from a Colorado meat packing plant after walking off the job during a dispute over workplace prayer. The workers walked off their jobs at Cargill Meat Solutions in... Continue reading *“Nearly 200 Muslim Workers Fired over Prayer Dispute in Colorado”* at *usatoday.com*.
Thirty Days to Iowa: Candidates Make Final Sprint
[image: trump_iowa] Presidential candidates are in an all-out sprint in Iowa with the caucuses only 30 days away. Campaigns are sharpening their attacks, doubling down on time and resources spent in the state, and placing their final bets on the ad buys... Continue reading *“Thirty Days to Iowa: Candidates Make Final Sprint”* at *thehill.com*.
Somali Extremists Use Donald Trump Clip to Recruit Followers
[image: Donald Trump] MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Al-Qaida’s East African affiliate has released a video to recruit American blacks and Muslims that includes a clip of presidential candidate Donald Trump calling for Muslims to be banned from entering the United States. The 51-minute... more »
Weekend reads: Why authors keep citing retracted studies; patients over papers; final ruling in Hwang case
Here’s our first post of 2016. The week at Retraction Watch featured a retraction from JAMA, and our list of most-cited retracted papers. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: Why do researchers keep citing retracted papers? In Quartz, Keith Collins analyzes our top-cited retracted papers list. “There is something rotten in the state of science,” writes […] The post Weekend reads: Why authors keep citing retracted studies; patients over papers; final ruling in Hwang case appeared first on Retraction Watch.
“There wasn’t a piece of paper between us”
Adrian Chiles has been talking to the *Independent *about his new TV series called *My Mediterranean with Adrian Chiles*. He will apparently begin his series by laying out its mission statement: On my journey around the Mediterranean I want to show that religion actually does more good than harm. I won’t be seeking out the religious zealots – they get quite enough airtime if you ask me. I just want to find the majority; the nice, normal, gentle people who happen to be religious. Sounds very nice. According to the *Indie* piece, many of his TV/BBC colleagues didn't sound overly e... more »
Rectifying a surprising omission
The paper reviewer on this morning's *BBC Breakfast *was writer and barrister Zia Chaudhry, founder of the Just Your Average Muslim project (and author of the book of the same name). One of the things about keeping records about the BBC - even incomplete ones - is that they allow to to keep track of changes to BBC editorial policy over time. A couple of years ago, I listed all the guests from a couple of separate runs of *BBC Breakfast *weekend paper reviews - one from 2011, the other from 2013/14 - and noted that, between 2011 and 2014, there had clearly been a determined effo... more »
One side fits all
My first encounter with BBC News this year came with the first *The World Tonight *of 2016. Its first segment dealt with the latest murderous gun attack in Israel - an attack by an Arab-Israeli on a Tel Aviv bar. Disconcertingly, the programme then moved straight on to another Israel story - one bashing the Israeli government's "controversial" decision to ban a prize-winning novel depicting a love affair between an Israeli woman and a Palestinian man from the country's high school curriculum. So, Day One of 2016 and *The World Tonight *is already heaping criticism onto the Israe... more »
From outer space
To paraphrase Kodos from *The Simpsons *(cunningly disguised as as speechifying Bill Clinton)... I say we must go onwards, not sideways; downwards, not onwards; and keep twirling, twirling...er...blogging against BBC bias until either the BBC stops being biased or an asteroid hits the earth or (whichever comes first)... The asteroid hitting the earth scenario might come sooner than we think. It was among Bridget Kendall's wilder predictions for 2016 on last night's *BBC Correspondents Look Ahead. * Looking on the bright side though, Bridget thought that asteroid (along with othe... more »
Scientists Unveil Worlds Most Human Like Robot
Researchers are on the verge of developing robots which are practically indistinguishable from humans. Scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have taken another step in that direction by unveiling a creepy new humanoid robot named Nadine who has her own personality and is designed to play the role of social companion or personal assistant. Nadine, the world’s most human-like robot has begun work as a university receptionist ‘She’ not only meets and greet visitors, smile, make eye contact and shake hands, but she can even recognise past guests and spark up convers... more »
Hope Makes All The Difference
http://ottawacitizen.com/ Hugh Segal was never one of Stephen Harper's men. A Progressive Conservative -- with emphasis on the word *progressive* -- he was part of Bill Davis' Big Blue Machine. And he knows something about how to win elections. That is why his analysis of Mr. Harper's last campaign is so interesting. He writes: The durability of any democracy is always tied to the viability of hope. To some extent, the absence, however unwitting, of hope in the Conservative Party’s recent election platform had a lot to do with th... more »
Taliban Are Claiming To Control Large Parts Of Afghanistan
*VOA:* *Taliban Claims Large Swath of Afghan Territory During 2015* ISLAMABAD—The Taliban says it seized control of 34 of Afghanistan's nearly 400 districts during fighting in 2015 and that most of them remain under its control. “Over the past 14 years, 2015 can be labeled as one of the most successful and inspiring jihadi year, which was fraught with numerous significant and sometimes unanticipated achievements in its fold,” said a Taliban statement, titled “A review of Jihadi Progress in 2015," that was sent to reporters Saturday. It says the Taliban-controlled districts are lo... more »
The EU Water Framework Directive & The Role Played By Green NGO’s
By Paul Homewood The EU Water Framework Directive: part 1. European policy‐making and the changing topography of lobbying The European Water Framework Directive 2000 has been the source of much controversy, regarding its impact on river dredging. It was notable as being one of the first ones to be created through the […]
Cruel Twist of Fate Soulmate
The actual soulmates collied one time in a parking lot where cars where parked and no one went to shop only to complain which is the only growth industry we can make because we have no give and take anymore She was a beauty only just minted he was a beast his face still distiguised Like an Apple device when they got to close some directive they never read made them connectetd Against this trend they both defended and found it kinda useless but it gave them both hope that this was some kind of cosmic joke Job never got this kind of test or had the chance to enjoy all the magic of such ... more »
The Top 7 Stream Articles of 2015
[image: HIgh Five Pope and James Robison__1451751452_173.71.16.53] Too often Christians and others committed to faith and freedom work in faith silos, cut off from one another by old walls and needless fighting. The Stream began as vision to bring together evangelicals, Catholics and others committed to faith... more »
Midwest Flooding: Levee Break Threatens Missouri Homes
[image: Flooding] Sandbagging efforts are underway in the small town of St. Mary after a levee broke Thursday night, threatening the city with flooding. Floodwaters are rising all over Missouri, southern Illinois, eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas, pushing residents from their homes. At... Continue reading *“Midwest Flooding: Levee Break Threatens Missouri Homes”* at *weather.com*.
Man Builds Hockey ‘Rink of Dreams’ for Neighborhood Kids, Bureaucrats Not Happy
[image: Maryland Ice Rink] Marc Kohn wanted to turn his grief over the death of his stepdaughter into something that would honor her memory and serve the community. So he built an ice rink in his backyard. “She was a huge hockey fan," Kohn... Continue reading *“Man Builds Hockey ‘Rink of Dreams’ for Neighborhood Kids, Bureaucrats Not Happy”* at *abcnews.go.com*.
Weeks After Hillary Clinton Claimed That Donald Trump Was Being Used As A Recruitment Tool For Terrorists, The First Video Now Shows Up
*New York Times*:* Qaeda Affiliate Uses Video of Donald Trump for Recruiting* Al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia released a recruitment video on Friday that criticized racism and anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States and contained footage of the Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump announcing his proposal to bar Muslims from entering the country. The video, released by the militant group Shabab, appeared to be the first time that Mr. Trump was featured in jihadist recruitment material. During a Democratic presidential debate last month, Hillary Clinton said that Mr. T... more »
Saudi Arabia Executes 47 People Including Top Shiite Cleric
Saudi Arabia executed 47 people for terrorism on Saturday, including a prominent Shi’ite Muslim cleric. The execution of Nimr al-Nimr has caused outrage among the kingdom’s critics, saying the cleric’s death aims to “set the region on fire.” The men, 45 Saudis, an Egyptian and a man from Chad, were reportedly killed behind closed doors in prisons across the country RT reports: Nimr, along with six others, were accused of orchestrating anti-government protests between 2011 and 2013 in which 20 people died. Earlier this year, the kingdom’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal against the ... more »
The Willy Loman Of American Politics: Of Herr Trumpf's Five Most Used Words, #1 Is "I" And #4 is "Trump"
Have Men Gone Limp? and *The America We Deserve* author, Dave Shiflett-- who ghost-wrote the latter for Herr Trumpf-- announced on Fox's *Alan Colmes Show* Wednesday that he wouldn't vote for Herr, who he described as "very liberal" and as a person with "no class." He doesn't seem to have walked away from working with Trumpf with a good impression. "He’s got people thinking that he’s the man we need to stare down Vladimir Putin, for some reason. I mean, I don’t know who he’s actually stared down. He’s a real estate guy; I guess he’s had to stare down some cement contractors and st... more »
MOLTEN SALT REACTORS - SAFETY OPTIONS GALORE
*This is a repost of a paper that I recently linked to in discussing recent approaches to MSR safety. In that Instance I discussed the Moir-Teller approach to MSR safety. The Moir-Teller system uses both ORNL MSRE safety technology and a system of Barriers that included underground housing of MSRs. I concluded that the use of the Moir-Teller safety system made MSRs, "super safe" But underground housing may not be possible. ORNL MSR safety researcher explored taking the **MSR safety system embodied in the MSRE. This paper by Gat and Professor Dodds of the University of Tennessee...more »
Meet the Man Behind the ‘Trump Is Disgusting’ Skywriting
[image: Trump is disgusting] PASADENA -- A millionaire real estate developer -- who also happens to be a donor to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign -- is behind the aerial messages at the Rose Bowl calling GOP front-runner Donald Trump “disgusting” and he says that there’s... Continue reading *“Meet the Man Behind the ‘Trump Is Disgusting’ Skywriting”* at *cbsnews.com*.
Rediscovering the Divine Vision of George Lucas
[image: Master Yoda - 900] Dusting off (quite literally) the original Star Wars trilogy and the VCR needed to play them, I settled in for a heaping holiday helping of childhood nostalgia. But there's more than just child's play at work in the vision of... more »
Bar Owner: Suspect in Rochester ISIS Terror Attack Plot is a Panhandler
[image: This undated photo provided by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision shows Emanuel Lutchman, of Rochester, N.Y. Lutchman, 25, was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015 and charged with attempting to provide material support to terrorists. Authorities say that he was planning a New Year's Eve attack at a Rochester area bar to prove to the Islamic State he was worthy to join it in Syria.] ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- An ex-convict arrested in a plot to carry out an attack at a bar on New Year’s Eve is a panhandler who’d been asked to leave ... more »
Protests Erupt after Saudi Arabia Executes Shiite Cleric and 46 Others
[image: In this Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012 file photo, a Saudi anti-government protester carries a poster with the image of jailed Shiite cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr during the funeral of three Shiite Muslims allegedly killed by Saudi security forces in the eastern town of al-Awamiya, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia says it has executed 47 prisoners, including leading Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia’s execution Saturday of 47 prisoners, including an influential Shiite cleric, threatened to further damage Sunni-Shiite relations in a regional struggle... more »
How Jeb Bush Hopes to Save His Candidacy
[image: How Jeb Bush Hopes to Save His Candidacy] HIALEAH, Fla. -- Jeb Bush and his supporters still have a pile of money to spend -- remnants of $100 million raised when he seemed early this year to be a sure bet. They have an expansive ground operation in... Continue reading *“How Jeb Bush Hopes to Save His Candidacy”* at *nytimes.com*.
Putin Names United States among Threats in New Russian Security Strategy
[image: Putin and Obama] A new appraisal names the United States as one of the threats to Russia’s national security for the first time, a sign of how relations with the west have deteriorated in recent years. The document, “About the Strategy of National... Continue reading *“Putin Names United States among Threats in New Russian Security Strategy”* at *reuters.com*.
Saudi Led Coalition Have Ended Their Ceasefire In Yemen
People gather around a crater caused by a Saudi-led air strike in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Houdieda December 28, 2015. REUTERS/ABDULJABBAR ZEYAD *Reuters:* *Saudi-led coalition ending Yemen ceasefire, state news agency says* A Saudi-led coalition that has been bombing the Houthi movement in Yemen for nine months announced on Saturday the end of a ceasefire that began on Dec. 15, the Saudi state news agency SPA said, in a setback to attempts to end the conflict. The ceasefire began in tandem with peace talks sponsored by the United Nations, but it was repeatedly violated by bot... more »
Prominent Shiite Cleric Executed By Saudi Arabia For Terrorism Sparks Outrage In Shiite Communities
*Reuters:* *Anger as Shi'ite cleric among 47 in mass Saudi terrorism execution* Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric and dozens of al Qaeda members on Saturday, signaling it would not tolerate attacks by either sunni jihadists or minority shi'ites seeking equality, but stirring sectarian anger across the region. Scores of Shi'ite Muslims marched through the Qatif district of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province in protest at the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimra, an eyewitness said. They chanted "down with the Al Saud", the name of the ruling Saudi royal family. Bu... more »
Saudi Arabia’s Execution Of Shiite Cleric Sparks Outrage In Middle East
Shiite leaders have lashed out over Saudi Arabia’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on terror charges. Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was a vocal critic of the Saudi authorities, was executed on Saturday along with 46 other people. Shia-lead Iran said Saudi Arabia would pay a “high price” for the execution. A senior Iranian Ayatollah called the execution a “crime,” and Tehran’s Foreign Ministry accused Riyadh of supporting terrorists. The international rights group Reprieve called the executions “appalling”, saying at least four of those killed, including Sheikh Nimr, we... more »
Jihadists Across North Africa Are Beginning To Collaborate
*New York Times:** Jihadists Deepen Collaboration in North Africa* SAHARA DESERT, Niger — A group of light armored vehicles skated over the moonscape of the Sahara, part of one of the largest detachments the French military has deployed here since colonial times. Its mission is growing ever more urgent: to cut smuggling routes used by jihadists who have turned this inhospitable terrain into a sprawling security challenge for African and international forces alike. Many of the extremist groups are affiliates of Al Qaeda, which has had roots in North Africa since the 1990s. With the... more »
Munich Police Remain on Alert Following New Year’s Eve Threat
[image: Police stand guard outside the Munich train station on December 31, 2015 in Germany. Police said Thursday that they had 'indications that a terror attack' was being planned for New Year's Eve in the southern city of Munich, as they called on the public to avoid large gatherings and two key train stations.] BERLIN (AP) -- Police in the German city of Munich are maintaining a heightened presence following warnings of a planned attack on New Year’s Eve. Two Munich train stations were evacuated late Thursday after German authorities received information from foreign... more »
Military Photo of the Day: January 2, 2015
[image: Captured German Tank Crewman escorted by American - 900] November 30, 1944 - An American soldier escorts a German crewman from his wrecked Panther tank during the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge - Wikipedia.com
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*Top 10 Reasons to Oppose Common Core* 1. Common Core is a Federal Takeover of Education The ultimate goal of Common Core is to have every school district follow the same national standards. This is a failed educational approach that will undermine educational quality and choice. States and local communities better know how to design standards based on their students and parents’ needs than Washington bureaucrats. 2. Common Core is Bad for Parents Parents will not have a say in their child’s education under Common Core. They will not be able to suggest changes to their local scho... more »
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*Here we go again: Foods That May Disappear Thanks to Climate Change* *Even the opening sentence below is wrong. Global warming is NOT making the world a different place. Why? Because warming is not happening. So it can't cause anything. So the various phenomena they list may or may not be happening but they are not caused by global warming. That graph again:And all the foods they list are plant products. And plants LOVE warmth. You just have to see how lush the tropics are to know that. And plants love CO2 as well. They grow bigger with more of it. Why do you think... more »
MENA Report ( January 2 , 2016 ) News Round Up ( 1. Saudi Arabia Executes 47 On Terror charges , Including Shi'it Cleric Nimr al-Nimr . 2, Iraq/ Syria Regional War - Battlefield & Political Updates 3. Turkish Internal Security Items . 4. Taliban In Focus As Afghanistan Starting To Boil Again. 5. Tel Aviv & Israel Being Drawn Into MENA Insecurity Bubble . 6. Libya Internal Insecurity & Political Machinations Items . 7. Yemen Ceasefire Declared Over - Although One Could Scarcely Tell There Was A Ceasefire At All . )
Links...... *Over 52,000 Killed in Iraq During 2015* *Rival Taliban Factions Reach Ceasefire, But Mansour Absent* *Erdogan Seeks More Power, Citing 'Hitler's Germany'* *Two Dead, Seven Wounded in Tel Aviv Shooting Attack* *Germany Lifts Alert After Overnight Munich Panic* *ISIS Forces Attack Key Iraq Army Base Near Ramadi* *US-Backed Syrian Kurds Gain Territory Around Northern Aleppo* *Taliban Car Bomber Hits French Restaurant in Afghan Capital* 74 Killed in Iraq; ISIS Attacks Ramadi Army Base Terrified Families Emerge From Rubb... more »
German Tank Engineering At Its Finest
*Kottke:* *Tank with stabilized gun excels at balancing beer* The Leopard 2 battle tank was developed for the West German army in the 70s and has a fully stabilized main gun. What does that mean? It means that even if you're flying along at 30 mph on bumpy ground, your gun remains steadily pointed on-target (like an owl or chicken head). It also means you can balance a full mug of beer on the gun without spilling a drop, making the Leopard the world's best and most expensive waiter. (via @MachinePix) *WNU editor*: OK .... I am impressed.
“Why Life Goes Faster as You Grow Older”
*“Why Life Goes Faster as You Grow Older”* By Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. “Do you have the sense that life is speeding up the older you get? If so, you're not alone. Can there be a reason for this perception? I've discovered three scientific theories that shine a little light on this mysterious experience. The first is a phenomenon called "telescopy." Telescopy is simply the underestimation of time. It's as though you're looking through a telescope where the details of what you see give you the impression that an object in the distance is much closer than it actually is. Because of ... more »
Is This How Soldiers In The Future Will Be Transported?
*Discover*:* One Small Step for Flying Cars* A drone’s flying test may help pave the way for flying cars. In early December, U.S. regulators gave their approval for unmanned hover tests of a miniature flying car model made by the company Terrafugia. Such testing would provide feedback for eventually building a full-size version of a flying car capable of hovering for vertical takeoff and landing. Contrary to some more breathless news headlines, this does not mean the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared a hover-capable flying car for flight tests in U.S. airspace... more »
Obama Bypasses Congress On Gun Control, Feds Warn Of Revolution
President Obama has announced plans to take unilateral action on gun control in the U.S., saying that he intends to use his executive powers as president, bypassing Congress who he says have failed to address the problem. Experts have warned that Obama’s drastic actions could cause civil unrest amongst much of the country. BBC News reports: But Mr Obama told Americans that he had received too many letters from parents, and teachers, and children, to sit around and do nothing. “We know that we can’t stop every act of violence,” the president said. “But what if we tried to stop even ... more »
Iranian Commander Blames US For Afghan Drug Production
A senior Iranian Commander has accused US authorities of being responsible for an increase in drug production in Afghanistan. “The problem of narcotics still persists in Afghanistan as a result of negligence of foreign states towards llicit drug trade in our neighboring country,” General Ali Moayyedi told Afghan police officers at a training workshop in Tehran. Farsnews.com reports: He voiced Iran’s readiness to send its anti-narcotics officers to Afghanistan to train that country’s officers. The Islamic Republic has emerged as the leading country fighting drug trafficking after ma... more »
Iran Threaten To Develop 5000 km Missiles In Response To Sanctions
A top Iranian official has threatened the U.S. with the development of ballistic missiles with a range of 5,000 kilometers after new sanctions against Iran were threatened by Washington. Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said that if America presses ahead with its sanctions, Iran will take it “as a slap to our country“. Rt.com reports: “The US will regret its behavior and realize that such actions cause no benefit,” Rezaei stressed. Rezaei also thanked Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani for his quick response to US threats. The new sanctions prepared by the Treasury Department could affe... more »
Republican World-- The 2015 Year In Review
Do you miss Noah's Year In Review Series already? You can read each one in order any time you like: *•* *Intro:* Being A Republican Is A Choice, featuring baby parts, Benghazi, Satan, mass murderers... all the GOP craziness. *•* *Chapter One:* Jade Helm 15, featuring Greg Abbott, Alex Jones, Chuck Norris. *•* *Chapter Two: *The Real Reason The Republican Establishment Doesn't Like Donald Trump, featuring Herr Trumpf and GOP racism. *•* *Chapter Three:* A "Craig's List" For Republicans, featuring Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina. *•* *Chapter Four:* Republicans And The... more »
Militants Launch An Attack On An Indian Air Force Base Near The Pakistan Border
*Reuters:* *Gunmen attack Indian Air Force base near Pakistan border* At least two gunmen and a guard were killed in an attack on an Indian Air Force base on Saturday in Pathankot in Punjab, officials said, in an apparent challenge to attempts to revive a dialogue between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Defence ministry sources said four gunmen, believed to be from Pakistan, had entered the Pathankot airbase in Punjab overnight. Two were confirmed killed in the ensuing shootout, along with the guard. The attack came a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an impromptu... more »
Scientists May Devleop ‘Behavior Drug’ To Reprogram Human Brains
Scientists in America have discovered a way of completely reprogramming the brains of ants by tweaking the activity of their genes. The findings, discovered by Professor Shelley Berger at the University of Pennsylvania, suggest that there is a chance that human behavior can be manipulated in a similar way. Dailymail.co.uk reports: In order to reprogram the ants, a team of scientists zeroed in on the ‘epigenetic’ controls, which switch genes on and off without permanent changes their DNA. They found that manipulating this layer of genetic control made it possible to reprogram the an... more »
Has A Cure For PTSD Been Found?
DEA *PsyPost*: *PTSD-related study finds a single dose of MDMA helps conditioned fear go extinct* Researchers have discovered that MDMA — commonly known as ecstasy or molly — speeds up the extinction of the conditioned fear response in mice. The findings help explain why the psychedelic drug is of benefit to people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical studies have found that using MDMA as an aid during psychotherapy resulted in long-lasting improvements in PTSD symptoms. But Matthew Young of Emory University and his colleagues wanted to understand the psycholog... more »
U.S. Intelligence Raises A Warning On Russia's Newest Cruise Missiles
© Ministry of defence of the Russian Federation *IBTimes*: *Amid Russia Military Buildup, US Intelligence Report Warns Of New Russian Cruise Missiles* Russia is overhauling its navy by expanding deployment of non-nuclear cruise missiles that can hit targets at land and sea by employing supersonic speed and evasive maneuvers, a U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence analysis concluded. The military buildup could "present continuing challenges to U.S. and allied naval forces," the intelligence report noted. The KALIBR-class missiles that will be installed on vessels such as corvettes, or... more »
Obama Silent On Turkey’s Mass Genocide Of Kurds
The Ministry of Defense have accused tat the Obama administration of ignoring the systematic genocide of Kurds in Turkey by President Erdogan’s brutal regime. A report circulating the Kremlin warns that Turkey is close to breaking into a civil war, and that the Kurdish people are being slaughtered en masse in a style similar to Nazi Germany. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: With Turkey’s Kurdish population being the largest ethnic minority in that country numbering between 14-22.5 million [Note: Turkey forbids an exact census of these people.], this report continues, Turkey considers th... more »
New Advert Shows U.S. Army Preparing For Martial Law
The U.S. Army’s latest advertising campaign features soldiers using shields used for domestic riot control, suggesting that the U.S. military are preparing for martial law. With the economy looking set to collapse, urban riots are a very real possibility in the near future. Though the military are constitutionally barred from attacking U.S. citizens, their ad shows that they are preparing to take action against the American people. Worldwar0.com reports: Watch the ad; the riot shield appear from about :10-:13 seconds in: The overall surface message of the commercial is intended to ... more »
Erdogan Praises Hitler’s Germany For ‘Effective Government’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pushing for constitutional reforms in Turkey, seeking greater executive powers for the President, citing Hitler’s Germany as an example of an effective government to critics of his plans. On Friday, after a return visit to Saudi Arabia, Erdogan answered a question posed by a reporter who asked whether Turkey could maintain an unitary structure whilst having an executive Presidential system. “There are already examples in the world. You can see it when you look at Hitler’s Germany. There are later examples in various other countries,” Erdoga... more »
Putin Announces Plans To Counteract NATO’s Threat To Russia
President Putin has signed a decree approving of a new national security strategy to deal with the ever-increasing threat NATO pose to Russia. The National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation says that it is concerned with the build up of NATO’s military. The document says “The buildup of the military potential of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and vesting it with global functions implemented in violations of norms of international law, boosting military activity of the bloc’s countries, further expansion of the alliance, the approach of its military infrastr... more »
China, Russia Join Forces In Fight Against ISIS
Russia and China have agreed to join forces militarily in the fight against ISIS and terrorism, as the Chinese National People’s Congress passed the “On Combating Terrorism” law on December 27. The Russian Foreign Ministry have announced, “We proceed from the fact that the Chinese partners have taken an important step towards the creation of a solid legal framework to effectively combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations“. Tass.ru reports: “The contents of the document, in our view, testify to the fact that China in its development relied on the basic norms and principles... more »
Obama Admits Most World Leaders Are Insane
President Barack Obama has revealed that world leaders are mostly all “out of their minds” in an interview with comedian Jerry Seinfeld. During the seventh season of Jerry Seinfeld’s online show ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’, the President took the comedian on a tour of the White House, talking candidly about his role as Commander-in-Chief. Seinfeld asked Obama the question, “how many world leaders do you think are just completely out of their mind?”. Surprisingly Obama answered bluntly, “A pretty sizable percentage“. Sputniknews.com reports: “Part of what happens is these guys... more »
Kim Jong-un Announces North Korea ‘Ready For War’ In New Speech
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has revealed that his country is ready for war if provoked by outsiders, in his annual New Year’s speech on Friday. In his address, Kim says that North Korea needs to increase its “political and military might in every way”, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Usatoday.com reports: “The year 2015 was a year of gigantic struggle recorded with significant events and eye-opening successes and a year of victory and glory that strikingly demonstrated the dignity and might of socialist Korea,” Kim said in the 30-minute televised speech. “We will c... more »
Wiretaps Reveal Netanyahu Bribed Republicans To Sabotage Iran Deal
NSA wiretaps have revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bribed American legislators in exchange for their support to sabotage Obama’s nuclear peace deal with Iran. A report by the Wall Street Journal reveals that the Israeli PM and other government officials in Israel bribed Republicans in exchange for their support against the peace deal. Occupydemocrats.com reports: “A U.S. intelligence official familiar with the intercepts said Israel’s pitch to undecided lawmakers often included such questions as: “How can we get your vote? What’s it going to take? Mr. Netanya... more »
Before Google Earth The CIA Had Their Own Version
EarthViewer images of Pine Valley, California circa 2004. *Tech Insider:* *The CIA had amazing mapping technology way before Google* Before we used Google Earth and Google Maps to find our way, the CIA used similar tools for spy missions in Iraq. The earliest version of the CIA's satellite imagery software, called EarthViewer, was actually invented at the turn of the millennium. Starting in the early 2000s, the CIA used it to pinpoint movement in Iraqi warehouses or camps, since it showed topography changes over time. EarthViewer looked pretty different from modern-day Google Earth... more »
Will there ever be a great white running back in the NFL again?
Watching the performance of Stanford's sophomore running back, Christian McCaffrey, in the Rose Bowl, it seems possible that for the first time in decades there might be a good white running back in the NFL. Unlike most great white college running backs of recent vintage, McCaffrey has NFL speed. He uses that on explosive runs from scrimmage, catching passes and returning kicks. In the Rose Bowl today, he stood out from all the others on the field, as ESPN reported: *"Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, already the holder of the NCAA single-season all-purpose yardage rec... more »
Feds Double Down on Threats and Extortion
If you know any of those folks who bought the NPE, NEA, AFT, and FairTest propaganda about the end of federal mandates, test and punish, etc, please send this along to them. School districts where more than 10 percent of students miss required statewide exams for a second consecutive year will lose funding and may have their performance ratings downgraded. The state Department of Education decided on the penalties after the U.S. Department of Education directed Connecticut and 12 other states to come up with plans to deal with high numbers of students that missed the annual exams... more »
Welcoming the New Year with a Foot High Coil of Fresh Italian Sausage...
*ready to be twisted off into links, frozen, and vacuum sealed.* I'm hoping this will last the year. Is it lots of work? Kind of, but worth it to know exactly what's in your sausage and being able to use your very own spice blend. This was two pork butts from Costco. Including the casing and spices the total cost is still less than $2.00 per pound.
Great New Article By Gilad Atzmon: Chosen By God - Jewish Religions And The Prospect Of Dissent
In this fight against the enemy, one needs to fully understand that enemy and how they think... I do my best from time to time to bring forward important articles to help my own readers understand and try to rationalize the thinking processes of the so called "chosen ones", the tribal members that follow the sick and twisted religion called Judaism.... And right now, I have found a real good one! I have long been a follower of Gilad Atzmon, who of course is himself Jewish but has been working in trying to give us all an full understanding of the criminal nature of his "tribe".... Hi... more »
Here Is Some Cool Military Tech Coming In 2016
Photo: Network Integration Evaluation Katie Cain *We Are The Mighty:* *The Coolest Military Tech Coming In 2016* *America’s troops have cool gear coming their way in 2016. Here’s a look at some of it:* *1. The first Ford-Class supercarrier will take to the seas* The PCU Ford will join the fleet in 2016. It will be the largest and most expensive warship to ever float and features a number of technological improvements over its predecessors. Electromagnetic catapults allow it to more quickly launch aircraft and it has better generators for powering sensors, weapons, and other necess... more »
Rahm Emanuel: Dangerous Internal Enemy Of Our Country
I've been on Rahm-watch since 2005 and I can't imagine there's *any* chance he'd resign as mayor of Chicago unless it was part of a plea deal to keep him out of prison... and I don't see that happening either. As Michelle Hackman explained at *Vox* yesterday "[t]o the casual observer, it’s not totally clear how the furor surrounding a police video could possibly lead to the resignations of elected officials." The video is certainly hard to watch, and people are rightly revolted that a mayor may have stifled its release for personal political gain. But in other places where simila... more »
Musical Interlude: LOGOS, “Cheminement”
LOGOS, “Cheminement” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOuXP8aVWHU Let it touch your soul...
One Person Shows Up to O’Malley Rally, Remains Undecided
[image: Martin_O'Malley] Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley may have endured the lowest point of his long-shot presidential bid Monday night, when he held a campaign event in Iowa and only one person showed up. And that one person wasn't even an O'Malley... more »
14 States Hike Minimum Wage Entering 2016
[image: minimum wage] From major cities like Los Angeles to big businesses like McDonald’s, 2015 saw momentum for lifting pay above the federal level of $7.25 an hour. Effective Thursday and New Year’s Day, 14 states will implement higher minimum wages through legislative... Continue reading *“14 States Hike Minimum Wage Entering 2016”* at *nbcnews.com*.
Some Top U.S. Military Innovations Of 2015
The Polaris Defense Ultralight family of vehicles. (John Linn, Adventures Studios 2014) (© John Linn, Adventure Studios 2014) *FOX News:* *Top military innovations of 2015* It was a good year for innovations within the military, including the introduction of a gladiator vehicle a drone-slaying canon. Here are a few of the good ones: *Special Operations ATV* Who doesn’t love an all-terrain vehicle? U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is no exception. Polaris Defense announced that it is supplying the U.S. military with more all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in 2015. Related: Four n... more »
Even More Proof That ISIS Is A Fraud, And Run And Controlled By The US/Israel/NATO Cabal: Russian Video Proves ISIS Trains In And Is Supported By Turkey!
It is so shocking that I still encounter people in my every day conversations that simply do not get it... I have been telling these people for several YEARS now that the so called "terrorist" group called "ISIS" is absolutely nothing but a fraud and a sham... Heck, it also is so amazing to see the reaction from these same people when I tell them that the entire 'War on Terror" is a complete fraud and is only being conducted by the US and Israel for the purpose of not only 'regime change' to put in American and Israeli controlled puppets in peaceful nations, but to further the sick ... more »
10 Resolutions the International Media Should Make for 2016
*Checking the net.* 1. Stop calling politicians, protesters, and individuals in Taiwan "anti-China". They are pro-Taiwan. 2. Stop Using the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and similar polls to deprecate support for independence in Taiwan. For example and of course BBC: Officially, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) still favours eventual independence for Taiwan, while the KMT favours eventual re-unification. Opinion polls show only a small minority of Taiwanese support one or the other, with most preferring to stick with the current middle ground. Instead use a robust collecti... more »
AP EXPLAINS: How Much Money You Just Saved on Gas in 2015
[image: Gas Prices, Gasoline, Car, Saving Money, Currency, Finances] NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. drivers saved a bunch of money on gasoline this past year, as Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members kept the pumps going in the face of low oil prices. Massive stockpiles of crude globally turned... more »
Clinton Campaign Raised $37M in Past Three Months, $112M in 2015
[image: Hillary Clinton Holds Press Conference Over Email Controversy] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign said Friday it raised $37 million in the past three months and more than $112 million in all of 2015 to support her bid for the Democratic nomination. Clinton’s team also said she... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 1, 2016
*The Guardian:* *What will happen in 2016?* Space explorers, genetic scientists, US voters, terrorists and hackers look set to dominate our world next year – but don’t rule out the odd pleasant surprise Never make predictions, especially about the future. So said Mark Twain, Yogi Berra or Niels Bohr – or possibly all three. But if you must, there are really only two options: play safe and go for the obvious, or come up with forecasts so giddily optimistic that no one will take you seriously. Using the former approach, 2016 will produce more tragedy in Syria and Yemen, an uninter... more »
Establishment Figures Helped Bishop Avoid Prosecution For Sex Abuse
An investigation has revealed the establishment figures whose intervention helped a disgraced Bishop evade prosecution for sex abuse for decades. The former Bishop of Gloucester, Peter Ball, groomed and abused 18 aspiring young priests over a period spanning 15 years. He pleaded guilty to charges in September 2015 and was finally jailed in October. Ball had escaped justice over the same charges over 20 years earlier after he was given support by a member of the Royal family and establishment figures. The Telegraph reports: A Freedom of Information request by the Telegraph has led t... more »
Prolife Leader: “Today I Bought a Gun”
[image: Gun Concealed Weapon - 400] Today I picked up my Mossberg 500 Tactical 12-gauge shotgun with a pistol grip and a short barrel. It is not for game. I hate hunting. There is much blather about guns these days, and not just from the left.... Continue reading *“Prolife Leader: “Today I Bought a Gun””* at *crisismagazine.com*.
Following Secular Protest, Air Force Academy Lets Football Players Keep Praying on the Field
[image: Air Force Falcons, Air Force Academy] The United States Air Force Academy will allow football players to keep praying before games. The USAFA issued its response after a letter penned by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation claimed that the prayers were illegal and unconstitutional. Continue reading *“Following Secular Protest, Air Force Academy Lets Football Players Keep Praying on the Field”* at *theblaze.com*.
“Desiderata”
*“Desiderata”* by Max Ehrmann "Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own ca... more »
Musical Interlude: Hans Zimmer, "A Way of Life"
Hans Zimmer, "A Way of Life" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AC4ovCUs4Y
World News Briefs -- January 1, 2016
*The Telegraph:* *New Year's Eve 2015 celebrations - world celebrates start of 2016* *Spectacular firework displays as the world celebrates the arrival of the new year* *New Year News Summary* *And that's it. Welcome to 2016.* * If you are just getting up, perhaps feeling a bit groggy, and want to know what has happened over night here are the headlines: * New year celebrations ripple across the world * At least 16 people injured in a fire that engulfed a tower in Dubai near the site of its new year fireworks display * German authorities investigate alleged terror plot in Muni... more »
Happy New Year 2016 from Stranger In A Strange Land Blog
Wishing all my readers and visitors to this blog an as happy as humanly possible New Year 2016. My warmest and kindest regards to all, Mike
Musical Interlude: The Alan Parsons Project, “Prime Time”
The Alan Parsons Project, “Prime Time” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CM0KjM3Ens If not now, when? The "what" only you know...
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The glare of Alpha Centauri, one of the brightest stars in planet Earth's night sky, floods the left side of this southern skyscape. A mere 4.3 light-years distant, Alpha Centauri actually consists of two component stars similar in size to the Sun, locked in a mutual orbit. Much smaller and cooler, a third member of the same star system, Proxima Centauri, lies outside this field of view. * Click image for larger size.* Still, the telescopic scene does reveal often overlooked denizens of the Milky Way's crowded galactic plane that lie beyond the glare of Alpha Centauri, including a ... more »
"Butterflies..."
"We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think its forever." - Carl Sagan
Turkey’s President Erdogan Denies Advocating Hitler-style Rule
[image: Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting of the Russia High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council.] ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- The Turkish president’s office said Friday that Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not advocating a Hitler-style government when he called for a state system with a strong executive. A statement from Erdogan’s office said the Turkish president... more »
‘Unforgettable’ Soul Singer Natalie Cole Passes Away at 65
[image: Soul Singer Natalie Cole Passes Away at 65] LOS ANGELES (AP) -- She began as a 1970s soul singer hyped as the next Aretha Franklin and peaked in the 1990s as an old-fashioned stylist and time-defying duet partner to her late father, Nat “King” Cole. Natalie Cole, who... more »
Gunman Kills 2 at Bar in Tel Aviv; Manhunt Underway
[image: Gunman Kills 2 at Bar in Tel Aviv; Manhunt Underway] JERUSALEM (AP) -- A gunman opened fire outside a popular bar in the coastal Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, killing two people and wounding at least three others before fleeing the scene, police said. The motive for... more »
Chet Raymo, "Angels and Devils"
*"Angels and Devils"* by Chet Raymo "I was reading a review by Max Hastings of two books on Hitler's "most terrible creatures," Heinrich Himmler and his chief deputy Reinhard Heydrich. Both men came from respectable middle-class Catholic backgrounds. Both men were by any objective standard mediocrities. The books under review raise the question: How could such banal personalities rise to such positions of awful power, organizing a system of mass murder spanning all of Europe? How indeed? And how too to explain the many thousands of otherwise ordinary people who Himmler and Heydric... more »
"Just Because..."
"Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn’t mean we deserve to conquer the Universe." - Kurt Vonnegut
The Poet: David Whyte, "Sweet Darkness"
"Sweet Darkness" "When your eyes are tired the world is tired also. When your vision has gone no part of the world can find you. Time to go into the dark where the night has eyes to recognize its own. There you can be sure you are not beyond love. The dark will be your womb tonight. The night will give you a horizon further than you can see. You must learn one thing: the world was made to be free in. Give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong. Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by!
Trump : ‘I Have a Very Big Lead and I Intend to Keep it”
[image: Donald Trump7 - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is serving notice on his GOP White House rivals that “I have a very big lead and I intend to keep it.” Trump, gathered with his family for a New Year’s Eve... more »
The White House Delays New Sanctions On Iran
The White House has delayed imposing new financial sanctions on Iran over its ballistic-missile program, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The shift in thinking appears to come after the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, ordered his defense minister to accelerate the country’s ballistic missile program and threatened to intensify its missile capacity as a reprisal to the impending sanctions. In response to new US #sanctions planned against Iran’s ballistic missile program, have ordered the Defense Minister to expedite the program — Hassan Rouhani (@Hassa... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 1, 2016
China's People's Liberation Army soldiers march with their weapons at Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing September 3, 2015. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj *Reuters:* *China creates three new military units in push to modernize army* China has created three new military units and will update equipment as well as modernizing its command structure, state media said on Friday, as part of a major overhaul of the armed forces announced by President Xi Jinping in November. Xi's push to reform the military coincides with ... more »
Is Marco Rubio The Least Suitable Candidate, Not Counting Cruz And Herr Trumpf?
I guess it was moderately embarrassing for all concerned on the last day of the year when it came out that the cynical soft-on-national-defense attacks Rubio has been using (unsuccessfully) against Ted Cruz, could scorch his establishment allies, who were as concerned as Cruz was about the anti-Constitution neocons like Rubio trying to permit unlimited domestic spying on American citizens-- and voted with Cruz and against Rubio. As Tim Mak put it bluntly at the *Daily Beast*, "Among Sen. Marco Rubio’s closest allies, he stands nearly alone on the issue of NSA spying." 21 of Rubio... more »
California Condor That Helped Save Species Returns to Wild
[image: In this Dec. 28, 2015 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a California condor designated AC-4, whose captive breeding helped save the species, is re-branded as California condor 20 before its release at the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Maricopa, Calif. AC-4 fathered the first condor chick born in captivity, and went on to sire 29 more chicks for reintroduction to the wild. (Jon Myatt/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP)] SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Banking into the wind and then gliding out of sight, a male California condor flew back into the wild... more »
Man Survives Dubai Fire after Hanging from Balcony
[image: Dubai fire] Dubai (AFP) – Grasping the edge of a balcony 48 stories from the ground, just metres away from a raging fire, the photographer thought he may not live to see 2016. “One hour, then that’s it, I’m dead,” he thought... Continue reading *“Man Survives Dubai Fire after Hanging from Balcony”* at *news.yahoo.com*.
“America’s Unaddressed Problems Are Destroying Us”
*“America’s Unaddressed Problems Are Destroying Us”* By Paul Craig Roberts “One hundred years ago European civilization, as it had been known, was ending its life in the Great War, later renamed World War I. Millions of soldiers ordered by mindless generals into the hostile arms of barbed wire and machine gun fire had left the armies stalemated in trenches. A reasonable peace could have been reached, but US President Woodrow Wilson kept the carnage going by sending fresh American soldiers to try to turn the tide against Germany in favor of the English and French. The fresh American... more »
Islamic State Fighters Are Now Using Drones And GoPro Cameras To Fil Their Battles
*Mirror:* *Chilling footage shows ISIS terrorists using DRONES and GoPro cameras to film battles in Iraq* The footage comes from Islamic State fighters in a desperate bid to raise their profile as they continue to lose ground in Iraq. Islamic State terrorists have begun filming their atrocities using GoPro cameras and drones. Sickening footage, which has emerged online, was taken from the battle of Ramadi, which has been run by ISIS since May but was liberated last week by Iraqi government troops. The video shows terrorist fighters desperately trying to hold onto the city, givin... more »
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