10:37pm MST
Ma Raises Tensions: Just ask the State Dept!
*East coast* From the Daily Press Briefing of the State Department: QUESTION: Yeah. The president of Taiwan, the President Ma, is going to travel to Taiping Island. And what’s the U.S. comment on it? MR TONER: Sure. Hold on one second, please. QUESTION: Sure. MR TONER: You’re talking about – yeah, President Ma Ying-jeou’s plans to travel to Taiping Island, I think. Frankly, we’re disappointed. We view such an action as unhelpful, and it does not contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea. *We urge Taiwan and all claimants to lower tensions and de-esc... more »
The Only Republicans Who Don't Hate Ted Cruz Are On His Payroll
Tim Murphy and David Corn penned an article for *Mother Jones* that explains why people who know him and work with him think of him as a "pompous asshole or, worse yet, a *backpfeifengesicht*-- a German word that indicates someone has a face that needs to be pounded into hamburger. You don't have to take Trumpf's worthless word that no one like Ted Cruz. A prominent aide to George W. Bush's 2000 campaign could barely contain himself when we asked him to discuss Cruz, who worked in the campaign's policy shop. This person described Cruz as hyper-arrogant and widely despised, and he... more »
NATO Wants To Wage An Information War Against Russia
*Reuters*: *NATO looks to combat Russia's 'information weapon': document* NATO may combat Kremlin "weaponisation of information" used to support action such as the 2014 seizure of Crimea by creating a new more powerful communications section and declassifying more sensitive material, according to draft plans. Both NATO and the European Union are concerned by Russia's ability to use television and the Internet to project what they say is deliberate disinformation. The EU set up a special unit last year to counter what it considers overt propaganda. Draft proposals by NATO's militar... more »
IMF And World Bank Working Together To Assist Oil Exporting Nations From Going Into Default
*Financial Review/Financial Times*: *IMF and World Bank move to forestall oil-led defaults* Officials from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are heading to Azerbaijan to discuss a possible $4bn emergency loan package in what risks becoming the first of a series of bailouts stemming from the tumbling oil price. The Baku visit, which follows a currency crisis triggered by the collapse in crude, comes amid concern at the two global institutions over emerging market producers from central Asia to Latin America. The fund and the bank have also been monitoring developme... more »
Burning the Wrong Witches
Too exhausted from trip to Florida to move mother to assisted living to blog, but just had to report this. Sure is tough to be a rightwing “pro-life” full-of-bull propaganda machine these days. On Monday, we learned the sleazy jizz rags behind the “gotcha” videos of Planned Parenthood doing “crimes” to “baby parts” have been indicted in Houston, Texas, for being the real crimers, ACTUALLY. And we laughed and chortled and guffawed and feminist fist-bumped and happy-danced naked in our living room and said, “That’s what you get, motherfuckers!” And it was good. Too tired to happy da... more »
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*From* *Jenna Orkin* Ammon Bundy Admits Defeat, Calls On Remaining Oregon Occupiers To "Stand Down, Go Home" Germany Has Repatriated Over 366 Tonnes Of Gold From New York And Paris How Do You Know When Your Society Is In The Midst Of Collapse? Showdown Imminent: FBI Sets Up Checkpoints Around Oregon Refuge FBI Arrests Oregon Militia Leader, Six Others; One Shot Dead France's Highways Descend Into "Chaos & Lawlessness" A Japanese news agency is reporting that North Korea may be readying a long-range missile launch U.S. Shootings Since 1963 Have Killed More Americans Than All Wars Ever ... more »
U.S. Navy’s Intelligence Chief Has Not Been Permitted Access To Secrets For Two Years!
Vice Adm. Ted “Twig” Branch, chief of Navy intelligence and the Navy’s chief information officer, has lost access to classified materials for more than 800 days. U.S. Navy photo. *Craig Whitlock, Portland Press Herald/Washington Post*: *Navy intelligence chief lacks access to secrets* *As a Justice Department probe winds on, he's barred from seeing or hearing classified information.* For more than two years, the Navy’s intelligence chief has been stuck with a major handicap: He’s not allowed to know any secrets. Vice Adm. Ted “Twig” Branch has been barred from reading, seeing or h... more »
Scientists open the ‘black box’ of schizophrenia with dramatic genetic discovery
Every few days, it seems like there is a story of a major scientific "breakthrough" in the news. Yet the reality of science is that most pathways which look promising at first eventually close up or peter out. However, if there are enough potential breakthroughs developed, one or more will eventually prove itself to be useful, either in solving a problem or leading to the right direction were the solution will eventually be found. In the past few weeks I have read -- and posted to this blog -- stories regarding gene editing using the new CRISPR9 technology which I think portend w... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"What surrounds the florid Rosette nebula? To better picture this area of the sky, the famous flowery emission nebula on the far right has been captured recently in a deep and dramatic wide field image that features several other sky highlights. Designated NGC 2237, the center of the Rosette nebula is populated by the bright blue stars of open cluster NGC 2244, whose winds and energetic light are evacuating the nebula's center. Below the famous flower, a symbol of Valentine's Day, is a column of dust and gas that appears like a rose's stem but extends hundreds of light years. *Click... more »
Chet Raymo, "The Avid Pursuer"
*"The Avid Pursuer"* by Chet Raymo "In his autobiography, "Speak Memory," the novelist and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov writes of the joys of butterfly collecting: "The highest enjoyment of timelessness...is when I stand among rare butterflies and their food plants. This is ecstasy, and behind the ecstasy is something else, which is hard to explain. It is like a momentary vacuum into which rushes all that I love. A sense of oneness with sun and stone. A thrill of gratitude..." The possibility of learning more and more about butterflies - those tiny truths - drew Nabokov, the avid... more »
“25 Life Lessons By An Old Greek Shepherd”
*“25 Life Lessons By An Old Greek Shepherd”* by George Giotis, Greece by Greeks *“The road to the destination is never straight.* To reach out to the winter shelter someone must take a lot of turns, travel along rough roads, suffer losses. You have to make sure that you always take food supplies with you. *Leave the past behind.* If a wolf eats your goat, you can't do anything about it. Just make sure that next time you will be more careful. *Don't live just for saving money and don't be stingy.* Don't postpone the tasting of joy for future times. Do it now, while you are still yo... more »
Theory Predicts....
Something that I think will stretch everyone's boundaries. "Brain Sex" theory says the following - 1. The human brain is not homogenous 2. Some bits are sexually dimorphic - though they may also conform to neither stereotype 3. Some of the sexual dimorphism is due to current hormone levels 4. Some of the sexual dimorphism is set before birth, and will develop within narrow bounds later 5. Sexual dimorphism is anything but binary 6. Certain parts of the brain determine gender identity (by organisation-activation) 7. Certain parts of the brain determine body map, in particular, appropria... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Elizabethton, Tennessee, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"A Positive Attitude..."
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." - Herm Albright
Thorne Dreyer : RAG RADIO PODCASTS | Documentary photographer Ken Light; Author & sociologist Aldon D. Morris
Light discusses the turbulent ’60s and Texas’ Death Row; Morris tells us how W.E.B. Du Bois founded modern sociology but was marginalized due to race. Interviews by Thorne Dreyer | The Rag Blog | January 27, 2016 The following podcasts … finish reading Thorne Dreyer : *RAG RADIO PODCASTS* | Documentary photographer Ken Light; Author & sociologist Aldon D. Morris
Top 1,000 corporations 2015
BusinessWorld published the Top 1,000 corporations 2015 last month, representing data for 2014. They are selling it, a thick report. I don't know if it's available online to their subscribers. Anyway, here are the top 400, I took photos per page. The top 20 biggest corporations in the Philippines in terms of gross revenues in 2014 were: (1-5) Petron, Meralco, Shell, TI, Nestle; (6-10) Mercury, Toyota, PAL, PMFTC, SanMig Foods; (11-15) Globe, PLDT, Smart, BDO, Chevron; (16-20) Robina, Puregold, SanMig Brewery, PASAR, Metrobank. Meralco suffered an 11% decline in revenues in 2014 vs ... more »
“10 Things You Should Know About Life’s Most Important Questions”
*“10 Things You Should Know About Life’s Most Important Questions”* by Marc Chernoff "It’s a harsh fact that every one of us is ignorant in some way. Although we tend to pretend otherwise, it’s impossible to know it all. Ignorance is our biggest collective secret. And it’s one of the scariest and most damaging realities of life, because those of us who are most ignorant – and thus most likely to spread ignorance – are also the ones who often don’t know it. Here’s a quick test: If you have never changed your mind about one of your learned beliefs, if you have never questioned the fu... more »
body parsts
they never meant nothing to me I have to admityou got something but no matter wjat O wo;; gp mef;eofd
did it like a rouge wave
I loved you like a wave that wiped out everything but I foolishly believed
The Poet: William Stafford, "Today"
*"Today"* "The ordinary miracles begin. Somewhere a signal arrives: “Now,” and the rays come down. A tomorrow has come. Open your hands, lift them: morning rings all the doorbells; porches are cells for prayer. Religion has touched your throat. Not the same now, you could close your eyes and go on full of light. And it is already begun, the chord that will shiver glass, the song full of time bending above us. Outside, a sign: a bird intervenes; the wings tell the air, “Be warm.” No one is out there, but a giant has passed through town, widening streets, touching the ground, shouldering a... more »
"If The Majority Are Insane..."
“If the majority are insane, the sane must go to the hospital.” - Horace Mann
WHAT IS 90 FOR 90? WHAT IS 90for90.org? WHAT THE HELL IS IT ???
*-by Dr. F. Reid, Jr.* 90 for 90 is a website and a grassroots movement. It's a voter education and advocacy project, started in Virginia, in anticipation of Virginia's 2015 elections for state legislative offices. It honors and acknowledges the work of a man who, at 30 years of age, in 1955, began helping and educating voters, as well as potential voters, in Richmond, Virginia. Uh huh... Yeah... Right... So what? The 30 year old gentleman was Black; he and his partners helped Black folks in Richmond, (as well as Roanoke, Lynchburg, Norfolk, and Newport News), navigate the poll ... more »
I am sad I am MAD
Everything I always knew is still online it makes me happy to think at my age I am still worthwile But because I have seen so many things I am worried that the little prince and in so few countries the princess are going all mean girls when the should be thinking Disney things n o matter that Disney was facist being born We are so far off the script for excellece we need a hoolwood profesional to get us back to the white picket fence and teh perfec girl and I am one for sure that got into that senario wed Its perfect myfriends a girl you love and who you can always depend this is what li... more »
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*St. Bernard hiring of lawyers to sue oil firms hits snag ~Mark Schleifstein*
Quote of the Day: On progressive economists, racism and the minimum wage
*[image: Capture]* *“The first generation of American economists were not laissez-faire capitalists …. In fact, they were anything but. ‘As Christians they judged laissez faire to be morally unsound, and as economists they declared it functionally obsolete.’ The British mode,l they said, (think Adam Smith) was unsuited for the era of railroads, labour unions, and scientific management. They much preferred the German idea of society as a single organism. Granted the premise that individuals were shaped by the nation and not the other way around, progressive economists had to dec... more »
Jan. 27: some people annoy me.
Even good newspapers will occasionally run a trivia story. They do it because, when setting out the pages, they see an empty area. So they stick in a story (sometimes a photo). It's a story of no news value. It's just to fill the empty space. So it's called a filler. All today's news in Section A of the Irving press is filler, with the exception of the story on A7 in which a professor says New Brunswick has to revive its mental health court ( a court to deal with people charged with crimes and who are mentally ill.) Putting them in jail does nothing to help them and, certainly, it d... more »
Which Christianity? Following Scripture or the HuffPo
[image: Christianity - 900] The big religion story of last year? Christianity is in decline in America. The sensational headlines were based on data from the Pew Research Center. But as Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Research observed in the USA Today, the folks writing... more »
Everett Piper Won’t Be Endorsing Donald Trump
[image: Dr. Everett Piper OK Wesleyan - 900] Dr. Everett Piper, the president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, doesn’t mince words. He made national news a while back with his commentary aimed at the culture of victimization pervading so many American campuses. A student had complained to the campus chaplain after hearing... more »
Donald Rumsfeld Won’t Accept Responsibility For Iraq
Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, during an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, refused to accept US responsibility for creating the so called Islamic State. Rumsfeld told Stephen Colbert that the instability in the Middle East is due to a Shia-Sunni conflict and not the interference of the Bush administration in Iraq. Stephen Colbert accuses the former Defense Secretary of deliberately not revealing “unknown knowns” that could have stopped the advent of war in Iraq and the subsequent rise of Daesh. Sputnik reports: On Monday evening’s episode of The Late ... more »
Paying Homage to the King
- I've said this many times... look how far the US has fallen since its revolution against the British monarchy. The US is engaged in a love fest with the head-choppin, money wasting, war-making monarchy in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis make war on Yemen and Obama steps up and says, "Yes sir, what can we do to help!" - One commentator recently wrote about Saudi Arabia for Sputnik: The reality is that the real threats to the monarchy, domestic in nature and beyond Washington's reach, include the kingdom's general repression and particular mistreatment of its Shia ... more »
Children addicted to smartphones & tablets- Stunting emotional/social development
*Children addicted to smartphones & tablets-* Nearly half of youngsters are addicted to their tablets and smartphones, according to parents in a new poll. Some 47 per cent of mums and dads said their children spend too much time in front of their screens, while 43 per cent said this was akin to emotional dependency. Damaging children one smartphone and tablet at a time- Making anti social miscreants out of your own offspring. That’s not helping your children, it’s harming them. And it’s harm you as a parent are responsible for. *Is Technology Ruining Our Ability to Read Emotio... more »
Alabama Leads the Way toward 19th Century Education
Ever heard of an adjunct K-12 teacher? I had not, either, until Alabama defined it for me, as someone with at least a high school diploma teaching part-time in an Alabama public school. Someone who is not a certified teacher can now teach your children in Alabama. The State Board of Education approved a new category of educators called adjunct teachers. The board says it is a way to solve the teacher shortage in Alabama for certain subjects. An adjunct teacher is someone who has worked in a career field other than education, will work part time under a licensed teacher and has a ... more »
So sad for the CH
I think coaches are highly overated. If a player has CHaracter he needs to coach to let him play hockey. To many x and o's. I am not Bilingual but I admire Quebec. Quebec is an alternative to the man. Sure it may have flaws and have the MOb running things. But here is Ontario maybe we have rose colored glasses and just expalain away things that everyone in Quebec knows was corruption. We live on a fragile planet run on lies and superstition. I had a Ski doo my Dad bought me for my 12th birthday, it was named an ELAN. This is what it means to play hockey in Montreal. You may not be Fr... more »
U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon Calls Israeli Settlements An ‘Affront’
U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called the continuous Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank “an affront to the Palestinian people and to the international community.” Mr Ban has called for a freeze on settlement activity by Israel to give peace with the Palestinians and a two state solution a chance. Aljazeera reports: Addressing the U.N. Security Council’s periodic Middle East debate, Ban Ki-moon also urged both sides to act now “to prevent the two-state solution from slipping away forever.” He condemned rocket fire from armed groups in Gaza into Israel but focused his... more »
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*City Park golf course moving forward after compensation for wetland issued ~NOLA DEFENDER* *Parades! Saturday, January 30th * Krewe of Pontchartrain *Uptown 1:00 p.m.* Krewe of Choctaw *Uptown 2:00 p.m. *Krewe of Freret *Uptown 2:30 p.m. * Knights of Sparta *Uptown 6:00 p.m.* Krewe of Pygmalion *Uptown 6:45 p.m.* Chewbacchus *♫* *Faubourg Marginy 7:00 p.m. *Mystic Knights of Adonis *Westbank 11:45 p.m.* *Krewe of Caesar Metairie 6:00 p.m. * Knights of Nemesis *St. Bernard 1:00 p.m.* Krewe De Paws *♫* *Slidell 10:00 a.m.* Krewe of Push Mow *Abita Springs 11:00 a.m.* Krewe of Olympia *C... more »
Trump Announces Veterans Charity Event to Rival Fox News Debate
[image: Trump] It is looking less and less likely that Donald Trump will back out of his boycott of Thursday's Fox News debate after the Republican front-runner sent out special invitations to an event that is scheduled to take place at the... Continue reading *“Trump Announces Veterans Charity Event to Rival Fox News Debate”* at *thehill.com*.
Why Donald Trump Threatens to Trump the Gospel
[image: Donald Trump3 - 400] A large segment of evangelicals look at Donald Trump and his followers and want to run in the opposite direction. The problem is that a lot of Trump's followers are their brothers and sisters in Christ. Politico reported yesterday on... Continue reading *“Why Donald Trump Threatens to Trump the Gospel”* at *christianitytoday.com*.
Roger Baker : OK, deflation has arrived. Now what?
The global situation is in its deflationary, cascading-default phase, where entire countries can go broke from bad petrodollar-denominated debt. By Roger Baker | The Rag Blog | January 27, 2016 “Every time history repeats itself, the price goes up” — … finish reading Roger Baker : OK, deflation has arrived. Now what?
The Truth About Judaism: The Talmud OK's Incest, Pedophilia, Bestiality, And Even Sex With The Dead!
Ever so often I present some material here that could prove very dangerous for myself, and of course everyone to read... And I want to present the material here as my way of "celebrating" "Holocaust Memorial" day..... I am still tied to the crazy "Hate Crime" laws here in Canada that absolutely curtail my talking about and exposing the truth about the so called "Jewish Holocaust" of the Second World War... However, I do find it just as important to bring forward at this site some very truthful material that shows the outrageous and psychotic teachings of Judaism, and especially thei... more »
Facebook To Introduce New Like Button With Emoji
Facebook’s classic “like” button will soon be supplemented with five new emojis, allowing users to express their feelings. Consumerist reports: In a lengthy piece about Chris Cox, Facebook’s chief product officer, Bloomberg News adds a bit of additional information about the new options, though he and the company declined to give a specific date for when Reactions will roll out in the U.S. and the world. Cox simply noted that it’ll be “in the next few weeks.” He adds that the data looks good and that users will like Reactions. At least, he thinks they will. “We roll things out very ... more »
Blue America Endorses Zephyr Teachout For Congress
You probably remember how excited we were to see progressive icon Zephyr Teachout take on corrupt conservaDem Andrew Cuomo for governor of New York in 2014. She did remarkably well outside of Machine-controlled parts of New York. She won 30 counties, some with over 70% support. This week she announced that she's running for the open congressional seat-- Republican Chris Gibson isn't seeking reelection-- encompassing an area she swept when she ran against Cuomo. Of the 11 counties that make up NY-19, the only one she didn't win, Broome, has almost no voters in the congressional dist... more »
Ferguson, Feds Reach Tentative Police Reform Deal
[image: FERGUSON, MO - AUGUST 11: Demonstrators, marking the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, confront police during a protest along West Florrisant Street on August 11, 2015 in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer on August 9, 2014. His death sparked months of sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and drew nationwide focus on police treatment of black suspects.] ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The Justice Department has reached a tentative agreement with Ferguson on systemic changes following the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Mic... more »
Clinton Chief of Staff Lost Her Personal Blackberry, Which Contained Classified Emails
[image: Cheryl Mills - 900] While working as Hillary Clinton's chief of staff at the State Department, Cheryl Mills lost her personal Blackberry, on which she sent emails that the State Department has determined contain classified information. Records obtained by The Daily Caller through a Freedom... more »
Hollywood ‘Power Women’ Keep Wallets Closed for Hillary
[image: Hillary] While Hillary Clinton has made a half-dozen successful fundraising trips to California, the Democrat presidential frontrunner has so far failed to earn the support of a key fundraising bloc in the state: Hollywood's most powerful female executives. Of the 100 women... Continue reading *“Hollywood ‘Power Women’ Keep Wallets Closed for Hillary”* at *breitbart.com*.
The Economy: "This Bear Market Is No Grizzly From Hell… Yet"
*"This Bear Market Is No Grizzly From Hell… Yet"* by Bill Bonner LONDON – It’s 5:30 a.m. "We’re sitting in an airport in London waiting for a flight to Dublin. Around us are bleary-eyed businessmen, catching the first flight to Ireland. Yesterday, U.S. stocks managed to catch a break. The Dow rose 282 points – or just under 2% – despite another 6% selloff in China. U.S. crude oil fell a bit. But it continues to trade above $30 a barrel this morning. *What Goes Up… *A headline in the Wall Street Journal last week caught our eye: “Stocks down again. Where’s the Fed?” That question c... more »
Bill Gates Foundation Favours Businesses, Not The Poor
A U.K.-based campaign group Global Justice Now have just released a report which says the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding strategies that promote multinational corporate interests at the expense of social and economic justice. The activists for social-justice accuse the Microsoft billionaire of distorting global-development priorities through the immense wealth and influence of his Seattle-based foundation. The Seattle Times reports: With assets of $44 billion, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is not only the world’s biggest philanthropy, but it also spends more on int... more »
Putin Deploys Nuclear Forces, As U.S. Chemical Weapons Plot Uncovered
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered nuclear forces in Russia, including 10 regiments of Strategic Missile Forces (SMF), to be on their “highest alert” after revelations emerged that the Obama administration are planning on unleashing a false flag chemical weapons strike in Syria, in order to justify an invasion. The MoD say that they have received intelligence that shows troops belonging to the US Army’s Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) and Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) arrived in Syria’s northern province of Hasakah, armed with 524 to...more »
Depopulation: Zika Virus Funded By Bill Gates
The current global outbreak of the Zika virus may have originated from GM mosquitoes that were released in Brazil during trials funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. The Zika virus, which has been detected in 18 of the 26 states in Brazil, is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. A generically modified version has been developed by a British biotech company called Oxitec. The results of a trial in Brazil published this summer involved genetically engineered mosquitoes that allegedly fight the spread of dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya, and zika virus. But sc... more »
Declassified Memo Proves Pentagon Lied About WMDs In Iraq
A bombshell admission from a leaked classified Pentagon report proves that the U.S. government knowingly lied about claims that Saddam Hussain had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq, in order to justify invading Iraq in 2003. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld carried out the globalist agenda of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), which required America to go to war in Iraq, using fear propaganda on the public about non-existent WMDs. Thefreethoughtproject.com reports: While Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and others were proclaiming their certainty ... more »
Zika Virus Arrives In Europe, One Hospitalized
The deadly Zika virus has arrived in Europe, hospitalising one person in Denmark who tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus. Italy, Spain, the UK, and Switzerland have also confirmed that several people have been tested positive with the disease. RT.com reports: A Danish tourist contracted the virus while traveling through South and Central America, where Zika is spreading now. The patient is now being treated at the University hospital in Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city. The Dane arrived at the Department of Infectious Diseases with flu-like symptoms including fever, h... more »
Canada: The Colonial Curse- Part III ....The New, Global Battle For Democracies
Canada, The Colonial Curse.....Part III The New, Global Battle For Democracies Written by Robin Mathews January 27, 2016 The convergence and integration of political forces formerly called “*The Left*” and “*The Right*” has been assisted by huge private corporate interests. We can, now, abandon the terms “Left” and “*Right”* as obsolete. We are in a new world. The fight, now, is between the demand for genuine Democratic representation in the use of wealth and power against its opposite - disguised government by *“the ... more »
CBS News Investigation: Wounded Warrior Charity Only Spends 60 Percent of Funds on Vets
[image: Wounded Warrior - 900] The Wounded Warrior Project, a charity organization dedicated to helping injured former military members, only spends about 60 percent of its donation funds helping veterans. An investigation by CBS News discovered that the Wounded Warrior Project has a dismal record... more »
Peters, and the path to separatism: It has been long mapped out
WINSTON PETERS ACHIEVED HEADLINES (his only aim) for arguing at Orewa that *National's proposed Resource Management Act (RMA) changes will take NZ down a path of separatism*. Maybe he hasn’t noticed that we’ve following that path for some decades – and not just in planning law. *The NZ First leader said that under the new RMA bill, every council would be required by law to invite local iwi to participate in the formulation of policy plans, including water management plans… National had also backed away from reforming sections six and seven of the RMA, which set out enviro... more »
The Global Warming Fraud: Fraudster Al Gore Said Ten Years Ago Today That The World Has "Only 10 Years Left Before Earth Cooks"... OK It Is 10 Years Later, Any Sign Of The Planet "Cooking"?
I figured it was time to do an article about one of my favourite and most laughable subjects... I am of course talking about the "Global Warming" or as the scam artists like to call it.. the "Climate Change" fraud.... It is still so shocking that so many of our government officials last November had the nerve to sign off on the imposition of fraudulent "carbon taxes" on their own citizens.... Carbon taxation is nothing more than another tax burden and swindle on the general public, and the money collected from that swindle will not only fatten the coffers of our governments but some ... more »
Bush Jumps to Second in NH Poll
[image: Bush] Jeb Bush has surged to second place behind Republican presidential rival Donald Trump in the early-voting state of New Hampshire, according to a new poll. The former Florida governor has the support of 18 percent of likely Republican primary voters... Continue reading *“Bush Jumps to Second in NH Poll”* at *thehill.com*.
Despite Jabs and Attacks, GOP Hawks Take Second Look at Ted Cruz
[image: Ted Cruz] WASHINGTON -- Some of the hawkish figures who Ted Cruz recently dismissed as "crazy neo-con invade-every-country-on-earth and send our kids to die in the Middle East" ... say they'd consider supporting Cruz anyway if he's the last man between Donald... Continue reading *“Despite Jabs and Attacks, GOP Hawks Take Second Look at Ted Cruz”* at *buzzfeed.com*.
Sen. Harry Reid: ‘I’m Kind of Pulling’ for Trump
[image: Reid] Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) backpedaled Wednesday after joking that, among the current Republican presidential field, he’s considering backing Donald Trump for the nomination. “Look we’ve gotten along fine,” the Democratic leader told reporters. “With that bunch of people... Continue reading *“Sen. Harry Reid: ‘I’m Kind of Pulling’ for Trump”* at *thehill.com*.
Putin Bans All American Corn And Soybeans Amid Russian GMO War
Putin has announced plans to ban soybeans and corn imports into Russia from the United States over possible GMO contamination. Russia’s food safety watchdog say that the contaminated products risk affecting food safety in Russia and could adversely affect other Eurasian Economic Union members. RT.com reports: The Russian agency says it notified US authorities on Monday to halt exports of corn contaminated with dry rot to Russia. The agency cites health reasons for the measures “especially in conditions of import replacement of quarantined goods.” The possible cost of the quarantine... more »
Video: Baltimore Road Swallowed Up By Sinkhole
Watch the moment onlookers scream as a road full of cars, trees and lamp posts disappears in front of their eyes into a sinkhole. The Express reports: The video, shot in Baltimore, begins with people gathering round a row of at least 10 cars that are teetering on the edge of a street. Onlookers are then left screaming as the stretch of cars along with trees and lamposts are engulfed in the space of a few seconds. ToddTesla YouTube video: The cars fell onto nearby train tracks and nobody was injured. The landslide followed a period of heavy rain in Baltimore. Baltimore is the larges... more »
Saudi Arabia Condemned For Killing Civilians With U.S. Bombs
Saudi Arabia have been caught bombing civilians using U.S.-made bombs, violating both U.S. and International law. Saudi Arabia has come under heavy condemnation for committing war crimes as a September 2015 bombing campaign killed 2,800 civilians, including 500 children. Among those killed were 135 wedding guests in Yemen. Human Right Watch have slammed Saudi Arabia, saying that the bombings “have indiscriminately killed and injured civilians“. Telesurtv.net reports: This conflict is part of a regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are bombing Yemen in or...more »
Apple Computers And Phones Begin Crashing Worldwide, Investigation Underway
Users of Apple products such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs worldwide have reported a widespread bug that causes the Safari browser to crash unexpectedly. Apple say they are urgently investigating the sudden bug in Safari after users reported that the browser would crash when a new tab was opened and they attempted to type something into the address bar. Sky News reports: People around the world have posted messages to Twitter, Reddit and Apple forums complaining about the problem. The issue appeared to be related to the browser’s search suggestions feature, and a temporary fix involve... more »
Europe Announces Plans To Close Greek Borders Due To Migrant Crisis
Europe has announced plans to possibly shut all borders with Greece over the countries repeated failure to control refugees at the Greek borders which has led to a Europe-wide migrant crisis. According to an EU executive report, Greece has lost control of its own borders leading to uncontrolled and unaccounted for immigration across the rest of Europe. European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told a news briefing “Greece seriously neglected its obligations and that there are serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border control that must be overcome … by ... more »
Only exceptionally will a notice period exceed 24 months
Keenan v. Canac Kitchens Ltd., 2016 ONCA 79: [30] If it fails on the first ground of appeal, Canac asks this court to set aside the trial judge's award of damages of 26 months of notice. Canac founds its position on this court's decision in *Lowndes v. Summit Ford Sales Ltd.*, [2006] O.J. No 13 (C.A.). At para. 11 of *Lowndes*, this court stated that while the reasonable notice period is a case-specific determination and there is no absolute upper limit on what constitutes reasonable notice, generally only exceptional circumstances will support a notice period in excess of... more »
Climate Change and Rethinking Success
Last week, at the invitation of colleagues in the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies and the Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy I participated on a panel discussing the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP21) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the resulting Paris Agreement. My comments focused on thinking […]
‘Ducking Donald': Reactions to Trump’s Threat to Skip the GOP Debate
[image: Donald Trump Mocks Ben Carson] Donald Trump seems to be sticking to his announced plan to skip Thursday night’s GOP debate on Fox News. However, he’s scheduled to appear on the network’s O’Reilly Factor tonight. Is this all a “big put-on?” Hot Air wonders. Meanwhile, Trump and his team... more »
Eyewitness Pleads for Calm in Wake of Oregon Militiaman’s Death
[image: Finicum - 900] One of the men traveling with a group of Oregon militiamen when law enforcement authorities gunned down Tuesday night is pleading for the militia and its supporters to remain calm, as police set up a perimeter around the refuge. "Wait for the...more »
University of Oregon Considers Dumping Immortal MLK Quote for Not being Inclusive
[image: MLK - 900] A Martin Luther King Jr. quote displayed at the University of Oregon narrowly escaped being erased after student leaders worried it wasn't inclusive enough. The school's Erb Memorial Union, currently under renovation, has the following King quote placed prominently on... more »
Germany’s Jews Mark Holocaust as New Threat Rises
[image: anti-Semitism] As Germany's dwindling survivors of Nazi death camps mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day Wednesday, they and younger members of the nation's Jewish community are fearful of a new tide of anti-Semitism driven by old hatred and a new influx of... Continue reading *“Germany’s Jews Mark Holocaust as New Threat Rises”* at *foxnews.com*.
Israel’s Electrical Grid Attacked in Massive Cyber Attack
[image: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Files] As Israelis cranked up their heaters during the current cold snap, the Public Utility Authority was attacked by one of the largest cyber assaults that the country has experienced, Minister of Infrastructure, Energy and Water Yuval Steinitz said on Tuesday. Continue reading *“Israel’s Electrical Grid Attacked in Massive Cyber Attack”* at *jpost.com*.
The Seeds Of Spin: Decoding Pro-GMO Lies And Falsehoods
RINF, Global Research, CounterPunch, Countercurrents Please read *this* request If you are in some way critical of genetically modified food and agriculture or have some concerns that remain unaddressed, here is a brief interpretive (satirical) guide for navigating the seedy world of pro-GMO spin. 1) We are pro-science and objective. *Meaning*: We are industry supported and dismiss out of hand this type of anti-GM nonsense that suggests our science is somehow tainted. 2) Our critics are anti-science Luddites. *Meaning*: Unlike us, they rely on 'pseudo science', labelled as such b... more »
Exposing the Hidden History of Giants of the Americas
* Jim Vieira and Hugh Newman * - Did giant humans roam the American continent during ancient times? The post Exposing the Hidden History of Giants of the Americas appeared first on Waking Times.
Kate Braun : Candlemas honors Lord Sun & Brigit, the festival’s patron saint
The Wheel of Life clicks one more spoke in its ever-shifting circle. By Kate Braun | The Rag Blog | January 27, 2016 Tuesday, February 2, 2016, is Candlemas, also known as Imbolc, Feast of Lights, and Groundhog Day. This … finish reading Kate Braun : Candlemas honors Lord Sun & Brigit, the festival’s patron saint
Ngati Whatua offer TPPA signatories a two-for-one deal
It is reported that Ngati Whatua et all are objecting to the signing of the TPPA because they allege it shows insufficient racial favouritism towards themselves, and are as a consequence shunning the signing of the TPPA in Auckland between ministers from 12 countries– and refusing to perform the Maori rites that have become customary at the opening of an envelope anywhere in this fair land. Never has a protest been so impotent, and so welcome: Those 12 ministers might well reflect that in going ahead and signing the trade deal anyway, this is in effect like being offered a two-fo... more »
Iran Warns US Warship To Leave Their Drill Zone In Persian Gulf
A US warship had to change direction after receiving warnings from Iran to stay away from their military drill zone near the Strait of Hormuz, local media reported on Wednesday. The Iranian navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, was quoted as saying that the U.S. warship received two warnings before leaving the region. “They were warned once by maritime patrol aircraft and once again by the Alborz destroyer,” he said. “The U.S. warship left the region immediately after receiving the warning,” he added, saying he believed that the Americans had approached the area to “learn our tactics... more »
James Robison and Dr. Robert Jeffress: What Role Should Christian Leaders Play in Politics?
[image: James Robison and Robert Jeffress The Stream - 900] Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. officially endorsed Donald Trump Tuesday. Hours later, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins endorsed Ted Cruz. The dueling endorsements urge the question: Just how involved should Christians be in election politics? Should pastors and priests endorse... more »
Supplemental: Reporting the mess in Flint!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016Excitement v. information:* On the last two Rachel Maddow programs, Maddow has wasted a fair amount of time on pointless topics. As always, she has also spent time just generally clowning around. Down in Maine, will Governor Paul LePage deliver a state of the state address? Or will he just send a letter to the legislature, with which he is feuding? Maddow has spent almost as much time on this question—surely, no one in Maine even cares—as she has on the topic she described in this manner last night: MADDOW (1/26/16): As you know, we're going to have ...more »
The Great Immigration Assimilation Scare (Take Two)
*Following up on the post **The Great Immigration Assimilation Scare**, which argues there is more of it going on than many folk care to realise, guest poster Mark argues there is a fundamental truth behind assimilation that many are completely missing—and seem keen to ignore.* To grasp this truth does not require statistics showing Muslim crime is not a problem, or a politically-correct outlook that says all cultures are equal; but it does require a calm head, and some historical perspective. When there are competing belief systems—one being generally practical and leading to suc... more »
Corbett Report - The War on Cash: An Open Source Investigation
*Amazon Description For "The War on Cash: How Governments, Banks, Nonprofits and Academics are Abolishing Cash" by David McRee: * Powerful forces are threatening your financial freedom. All over the world, including in the United States of America, governments, certain academics, banks and non-governmental organizations (nonprofits) are working in a coordinated way to stop you from using cash. They want you to have no option but to pay for everything you buy using electronic payment systems. They want you to be unable to go to a bank and withdraw your money in cash. They want you... more »
Dancer Who Lost Leg in Boston Marathon Bombings Will Run It
[image: In this April 21, 2014 file photo, Timothy Haslet, left, and David Haslet, right, celebrate with their sister Adrianne Haslet-Davis at the finish line of the 118th Boston Marathon, after she completed a short distance of the course in Boston. Haslet-Davis said she is training to run the entire Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18, 2016. Haslet-Davis lost her left leg below the knee in the April 2013 bombing attacks, which killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.] BOSTON (AP) -- A professional ballroom dancer who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombings says she’... more »
Junk DNA Part 2: NDEs, Sound, Evolution, and DNA Activation
*Brendan D. Murphy* - The right type of sound can help alter genetic expression and change consciousness. The post Junk DNA Part 2: NDEs, Sound, Evolution, and DNA Activation appeared first on Waking Times.
Another High-Profile Global Vaccine Conspiracy Exposed
* Catherine Frompovich* - It is time to take action and stop the vaccine conspiracy that is killing children and teens. The post Another High-Profile Global Vaccine Conspiracy Exposed appeared first on Waking Times.
Investigation of undisclosed conflicts in catheter paper uncovers flawed data, too
An investigation into a paper that compared infection rates from different types of central lines started with an allegation about a failure to disclose a conflict of interest, and ended up concluding that the science in the paper was flawed. The 2013 paper — now retracted by the American Journal of Infection Control — suggested […] The post Investigation of undisclosed conflicts in catheter paper uncovers flawed data, too appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Saturated fat epidemiology - EPIC Netherlands and Malmö Diet and Cancer Study
The latest large epidemiologicial study on saturated fat and heart disease (IHD events) arrived yesterday. 35,597 people, followed for 12 years, suffered 1807 IHD events. It's called "The association between dietary saturated fatty acids and ischemic heart disease depends on the type and source of fatty acid in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands cohort." (full text here) The finding? A small reduction in IHD events (heart attacks, angina, and such) in those eating most SFA from dairy foods and solid fats, no change with higher intakes from ... more »
Obama ‘Feels the Bern’ … Or at Least Has Sanders Over for a Visit
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, arrives at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, for a meeting with President Barack Obama.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama welcomed Bernie Sanders to the White House on Wednesday, but he wasn’t necessarily feeling the Bern. The long-discussed meeting between the sitting president and his sometime critic was a moment for the president to... more »
Pay No Attention to What Planned Parenthood is Doing Behind the Curtain
[image: David_Daleiden - 900] In an astonishing bit of legerdemain, a local grand jury in Harris County, Texas, has refused to indict Planned Parenthood for violating a Texas statute that prohibits the attempted sale of human organs, despite the video evidence to the contrary... more »
UC-Irvine Black Student Union Demands Abolition of Police
[image: Black Student Union - 900] The Black Student Union at the University of California, Irvine (UC-Irvine) has started a petition drive demanding the school abolish its "paramilitary" police department. "Policing as an institution is unethical; it accompanies anti-Black violence," declares the petition, posted Monday. The genesis... more »
Netanyahu Accuses UN Chief Of Backing Palestinian ‘Terrorists’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon of encouraging terrorists. The remarks followed Ban Ki-moon’s condemnation of Israel’s “provocative” settlements, when he said that the attacks by Palestinians (which he also condemned) are a natural reaction to the occupation. Referring to the Palestinians, Mr Ban said it was human nature for oppressed peoples to react to occupation. RT reports: Speaking before the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Ban said he was “deeply troubled” by new reports that the Israeli gov... more »
Five Things the Liberal Media Won’t Tell You About the CMP Indictment
[image: pp - 900] Planned Parenthood supporters are doing a victory lap Tuesday after news broke that a Texas investigation into the non-profit over fetal tissue dealings exposed by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) resulted in the indictment of the top CMP figures... more »
Bernie Sanders and the Clinton Wall Street Speeches
*by Gaius Publius * The recent Clinton Wall Street Speeches article by Zaid Jilani has been covered in these pages (see excerpts below), but I want to make one additional point. I think the voters need to see what she said because (a) she's historically been too close to Wall Street for many voters' comfort, and (b) what she said to them is likely a strong indication of what she will do as president, especially given the speeches' closed-door nature. Who knows? Maybe all she said was, "Cut it out or I'll make you cut it out." I would actually love to know that this was the case, a... more »
Tó Bei Nihi Dziil Opposes Council’s Passage of Utah Water Rights Settlement
. Tó Bei Nihi Dziil Strongly Opposes Navajo Nation Council’s Passage of Utah Water Rights Settlement Legislation By Colleen Cooley, tobeinihidziil@gmail.com Censored News Window Rock, Ariz. – On January 26, during Navajo Nation Council’s 2016 Winter Session, delegates approved the controversial Utah Water Rights Settlement Legislation 0412-15, despite criticisms that the
Harry Targ : Break up the banks and the military/industrial complex!
What Hillary Clinton calls ‘American leadership’ is more about militarism than statesmanship. By Harry Targ | The Rag Blog | January 27, 2016 Hillary Clinton recently declared that she was the only candidate who had the knowledge and experience to … finish reading Harry Targ : Break up the banks *and* the military/industrial complex!
"Well Huw, it's certainly a provocative step"
On last night's *BBC* *News at Ten *on BBC One, Huw Edwards wore a serious look on his face around the 24 minute mark as he began introducing the next story. His eyebrows began arching and a surprised tone soon entered his voice (at the words "or even classed as inadequate"): Now, schools in England have been warned that they could be marked down by inspectors or *even* classed as inadequate if it's judged that face veils worn by teachers or pupils hinder the learning process. The Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, says he's concerned that some headteachers are comi... more »
Bernie-Bashing Backfires Badly
As quickly as the plutocratic posse of the neoliberal establishment took up their leaky pens, as furiously as they began typing en masse with their limp little fingers, they have just as suddenly decided to hold their fire. Their audiences were not buying what they were selling. Economics pundit Paul Krugman of the New York Times whined (falsely) that he was being called "evil" for denigrating Bernie Sanders supporters as "happy dreamers." The anti-universal health care diatribes of Democratic Wonker Ezra Klein and Vox have been compared to those right-wing Thelma and Louise ads fr... more »
Editor's Note
I am taking care of some visitors from overseas today. Blogging will return later this evening.
Israel's Defense Minister Accuses Turkey Of Buying Oil From The Islamic State
*BBC*:* Israeli defence minister accuses Turkey of buying IS oil* Israel's defence minister has accused Turkey of buying oil from the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, thereby funding the militants' activities. Speaking in Athens, Moshe Yaalon said IS had "enjoyed Turkish money for oil for a very, very long period of time". Turkey denies allowing IS smuggling and the US recently rejected Russian claims that Turkish government officials were in league with the militants. IS has captured swathes of Syria and Iraq, including operational oil fields. *Read more* .... *More News On ... more »
CIA Release Hundreds Of UFO X-Files
The CIA has released hundreds of declassified documents on UFO’s (unidentified flying objects). According to the agency’s website, it has released documents primarily from the 1940s and 1950s In a press release entitled ‘Take a peek into Our X-Files‘, a CIA spokesman said: “To help navigate the vast amount of data contained in our FOIA UFO collection, we’ve decided to highlight a few documents both sceptics and believers will find interesting” The CIA even included several pictures of the alleged extraterrestrial objects, including UFOs and suggested alien body parts. The release of... more »
Seralini paper claiming GMO toxicity disappears after journal domain expires
A paper claiming genetically modified corn may be toxic over long periods has disappeared one day after it was presented at a press conference, after the journal’s domain name expired. The paper, co-authored by Gilles Seralini — who has published controversial research showing harms of GM food — appeared in the Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Sciences (SJAS). On Tuesday, […] The post Seralini paper claiming GMO toxicity disappears after journal domain expires appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Navajo Nation's non-Indian attorney gives away Utah Navajo water rights
Photo Goosenecks San Juan River, Utah Navajos urge veto of Utah Navajo water rights settlement ramrodded through Council on Tuesday By Brenda Norrell Censored News WINDOW ROCK -- The Navajo Nation's non-Indian water rights attorney is once again giving away Navajo water rights. Navajos are urging the Navajo President to veto a water rights settlement for Utah Navajo water rights,
Oxford claims on conspiracy theories are partly sensible, partly junk
RT and hundreds of other sources talk about the work by an Oxford physics postdoc, David Grimes: On the Viability of Conspiratorial Beliefs (PLOS, PDF) The basic claim of the work is something I complete share – and Grimes could have very well gotten it from this blog, e.g. some considerations here including "So I would think that a famous man probably has a smaller chance to organize something that remains completely secret than an ordinary man." The claim is Conspiracy theories need to assume that lots of people are able to keep secret for a long time but that ain't so. I think... more »
THE YEAR OF THE LIBERAL: Kathleen Parker drinks the waters!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016Edmund Hillary travels to Flint:* Just this once, let's say it: Absent the guiding hand of gatekeepers, we the humans simply aren't up to the challenge of playing this game. (On the other hand, when we do have gatekeepers, gatekeepers can be corrupt. That's the powerful portrait we recall from the Robert Graves novel, I, Claudius.) We the humans simply aren't up to this task! For today's example, we give you Kathleen Parker's astonishing column in today's Washington Post. Within the modern establishment press corps, Parker is typically found on the "s... more »
Paramedics Called As Pupils Collapse During School Vaccinations
A secondary school in Northampton was forced to suspend its vaccinations session after several students fell ill after being given their jabs. Paramedics were called to the school after around 10 to 15 students from Year 10 were reported to have keeled over after getting their vaccinations at the boys school on Tuesday. Following the incident, the vaccines have been withdrawn as a precautionary measure and an investigation has been launched by the Northampton School Nursing Team at Northants Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The Mail Online reports: One parent, whose son saw the dra... more »
EFN Asia 54, On Hong Kong and China, free trade and CEPA
I am reposting an interview by the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia of Andrew Work (AW). Andrew is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Harbour Times (HT), the flagship of New Work Media. Before creating the HT, he was the Exec. Director of The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong for a few years. And before that, he was a co-founder and founding Exec. Director of The Lion Rock Institute (LRI), Hong Kong’s first free market think tank, born in 2004. Andrew holding a copy of the HT, thanks to Olaf K. for this photo. Andrew is a friend since 2004. Met him first time in Michig... more »
O'odham Voice against the Wall Distinguished Speaker Series Feb/March 2016
O'odham Voice against the Wall features activist John Zerzan, professor and author Dr. Julian Kunnie, O'odham poet Ruben Cu:k Ba'ak, Navajo poet Laura Tohe, Acoma Pueblo poet, professor and author Simon Ortiz and O'odham human rights activist Ofelia Rivas Feb. 27 -- March 26, 2016 Cat Mountain Lodge, Tucson, Arizona
Iraq Ex-Finance Min Issawi Convicted Of Corruption Rather Than Terrorism Charges
In December 2015 Iraq’s former Finance Minister Rafi Issawi was convicted in two separate court cases. Issawi last ran afoul of the law in 2012 when his bodyguards were arrested and Issawi was charged with terrorism. That led to months of protests across a number of provinces that became one of the major stories in the country for 2013. When Issawi was finally found guilty in 2015 however it was not for involvement with violence, but for rather routine corruption. At the end of 2015 Issawi was found guilty in two separate corruption trials. First, Issawi was given seven yearsfor ... more »
World News Briefs -- January 27, 2016
*VOA*: *US, China Remain Divided Over North Korea Nuclear Test Sanctions* BEIJING — The United States and China have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that North Korea ends its nuclear-weapons program, but high-level talks Wednesday showed that Beijing and Washington disagree on how to answer North Korea’s recent nuclear test, with either penalties or other signals of disapproval. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met for more than five hours in the Chinese capital - much longer than scheduled. The Chinese official said afterwards that h...more »
What to do when you make a mistake? Advice from authors who’ve been there
After a group of researchers noticed an error that affected the analysis of a survey of psychologists working with medical teams to help pediatric patients, they didn’t just issue a retraction — they published a commentary explaining what exactly went wrong. The error was discovered by a research assistant who was assembling a scientific poster, and noticed […] The post What to do when you make a mistake? Advice from authors who’ve been there appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Iran Warns U.S. Warship to Leave Naval Drill Area
[image: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with generals of Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and their families in Tehran, Iran on October 07, 2015.] TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran’s navy warned a U.S. warship to leave an area where Iran has been conducting a naval drill near the narrow Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the semi-official Fars news agency... more »
Faith Leaders Must ‘Get Political,’ but Exhorting Rather than Endorsing Seems Wiser
[image: This statue of the famous anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce — who was a member of the Hull parliament - is located at the garden of the house in which he was born in 1759. The building is now the Wilberforce House Museum.] The U.S presidential race is heating up with the Iowa caucus just around the corner, and whenever a preacher, priest or rabbi addresses some issue of national and moral importance that our political leaders are involved in, we hear the... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 27, 2016
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen visited soldiers with Germany’s naval special forces in Eckernförde. Credit Fabian Bimmer/Reuters *Defense News/AFP*: *German Military Called 'Overstretched, Underfunded'* BERLIN — Germany's military is overstretched and underfunded as its troops are engaged in anti-jihadist missions from Syria and Afghanistan to Mali while also aiding refugees at home, the defense commissioner said Tuesday, according to Agence France-Presse. Plagued by a series of defense equipment failures, the military is "at a crossroads" and has reached "the limit of its c... more »
The Defense Secretary And The White House Are Facing A Pentagon Revolt Over Spending Priorities
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter (Reuters / Yuri Gripas) / Reuters *Austin Wright, Politico: **Pentagon in open brawl over spending priorities* Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is facing an open revolt in his own ranks. A brawl has broken out at the top rungs of the Pentagon over how to prepare the military for long-term threats, in a rare public fight that pits leaders of the military branches against Defense Secretary Ash Carter. Carter wants to use the Pentagon’s upcoming, approximately $580 billion budget request to solidify the Obama administration’s goals of investing in more... more »
Hinkley Point go-ahead delayed amid EDF funding doubts
By Paul Homewood h/t Paul2 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/12123674/Hinkley-Point-go-ahead-delayed-amid-EDF-funding-doubts.html If the UK’s energy strategy was not in enough trouble, more delays and doubt emerge over Hinkley Point. The Telegraph report: EDF has delayed its final investment decision on the Hinkley Point new nuclear plant yet again, amid claims it is still struggling to finalise […]
Priest ‘Frozen Out’ By Church For Informing On Paedophile Colleague
An Irish priest based in the United States, claims he has been “frozen out” of the Catholic Church after calling the police to investigate a fellow clergyman who had shown child-porn images to a 14-year-old boy. The 48 yr old priest says he was told by an official at the Church to put the pedophile priest on a plane back to India rather than cooperate with the police. Father John A Gallagher, originally from County Tyrone, is now living in a friend’s home after locks at his parochial house were changed and he was placed on medical leave by his bishop in the Diocese of Palm Beach, Fl... more »
Ted Cruz: Grandstander or Whistleblower?
[image: Ted Cruz3 - 900] There is no doubt that leading establishment Republicans hate Ted Cruz, to the point that some are trying to beat him by praising instead Donald Trump, a reality TV and professional wrestling personality with four bankruptcies, two divorces and a...more »
California Attorney General’s Demand for Donor Names Creates ‘Back Door’ in Citizens United
[image: California Attorney General Kamala Harris] California Attorney General Kamala Harris is being deluged with requests from non-profit officials to withdraw her "unconstitutional" demand for public disclosure of donor names because it creates a "back door" around the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United. Harris'... more »
Susan Ohanian's Letter in Today's NYT
A Teacher, Disillusioned JTo the Editor: Re “A Teacher, Beloved but Disillusioned, Decides to Walk Away” (Side Street column, Jan. 25): As a longtime teacher, I thank David Gonzalez for giving voice to the bizarre and capricious assaults on teacher professionalism that infect the many schools enforcing the dictum “Common Core or die.” Tom Porton, a Bronx teacher, clearly offered unique gifts to students, but he is not alone in finding that the work he so loved for decades has turned to torture. SUSAN OHANIAN Charlotte, Vt. A version of this letter appears in print on January 27, ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( January 27 , 2016 ) Europe In Focus - 1. Refugee/ Economic Migration / Border Security In Focus. 2. Brexit Items. 3. UBER Fined 1.2 MN Euros In France . 4. Italian Banks In Focus - Bad Bank Deal Set. 5. EU Considers Sanction Against Libya Peace Spoilers ( Tripoli Leadership ). 6. CDU's Popularity Continues to Fall. 7. Spanish Politics- PSOE Under Pressure To Choose Partner For Formation Of Gov't. 8. Syria & Libya Peace Talks Hitting Snags. 9. Data Of the Day - EZ. 10. Odds & Ends. ) Asia Wrap ( China Items. 2. Japan Items. 3. Emerging Nations Items. Odds & Ends. )
Evening wrap.... *El País in English* @elpaisinenglish 3m 3 minutes ago Brazil mobilizes 220,000 troops to help fight Zika virus, with just weeks to go before Carnival celebrations http://cort.as/bS2E *zerohedge* @zerohedge 24m 24 minutes ago China Injects Another $50 Billion Liquidity As Mysterious Panic Buyer Reappears In Offshore Yuan http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-01-2 7/china-injects-another-50-billion-liquidity-mysterious-panic-buyer-reappears-offshore … *zerohedge* @zerohedge 26m 26 minutes ago ABU DHABI TO BOOST OIL OUTPUT TO 3.5M B/D BY ... more »
The Presidential Election And The High Price Of Medicine-- Bernie Sanders On Fire For America!
Mainstream Pennsylvania conservative, Charlie Dent, made the GOP establishment case for Herr Trumpf over Cruz, pointing out that Herr Trumpf is "malleable," unlike the "rigid" (and uncontrollable) Cruz. Despite Trumpf alienating Hispanics, women and Muslims, Dent asserted that "The Republicans’ presidential nominee must build a winning coalition that extends beyond the Republican base. Running a campaign and expanding the coalition is an exercise in addition, not subtraction. Sounds more like an argument against Trumpf but he went on to say that "Ted Cruz is a rigid ideologue. Do... more »
Exploring Calgary
My weekend in Calgary, aside from giving me a chance to hear some great music, also afforded me a bit of time to see some of the city sights. I will say that growing up in Ontario in the '80's I was accustomed to Calgary being referred to derisively as "Cowtown". What I found instead was a tidy and modern city with a very walkable downtown area. Being the large city that it is, I could only see so much in the day-and-a-half that I had but from what I did see, I thoroughly enjoyed. Cowtown no longer. 8th Avenue, one of the city's historic streets was a joy to explore. I absolute... more »
CURMUDGUCATION: UT Offers Gobbledeegook Education Program
CURMUDGUCATION: UT Offers Gobbledeegook Education Program: Here's one for the Has To Be Seen To Be Believed file, or perhaps the Ugly manhandling of English Language file, or most especially, the... more »
Iran Warns US Warship To Leave Naval Drill Area Near The Strait Of Hormuz
*Reuters*: *Iran says warns U.S. warship to leave waters near Strait of Hormuz* Iran's navy warned a U.S. warship on Wednesday to leave waters near the Strait of Hormuz where the Iranians were testing submarines, destroyers and missile launchers, news agencies reported. The commander of Iran's fleet, Rear-Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, told Tasnim news agency the U.S. ship was trying to collect information in the Sea of Oman - an area close to the Strait, a vital oil and gas shipping route - and said it left quickly after the alert. There was no immediate reaction from Washington whi... more »
Ghosts From The Past
"History doesn't repeat itself," Mark Twain wrote, "but it rhymes." This week, in the House of Commons and in Quebec, politicians were replaying golden oldies. Susan Delacourt writes: Here was interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, for example, telling reporters on Monday why people in the West were getting fired up about Energy East. “I’m hearing from Albertans, and from people in Saskatchewan, that this is just like the (National Energy Program),” Ambrose said at the Monday news conference. “That’s what they say. That this is just like back in the 80s when the last governme... more »
Critiquing Culture for Christ — and Our Neighbor
[image: Tattood man with bible - 900] Back in the old days -- so I'm told -- Christians used to compete with one another to see who could reject culture the most. Sometimes this was good and necessary. For example, whatever you think of the temperance movement... more »
What a Gay Man’s Court Victory Over a Catholic Girls School Means
[image: In this photo taken October 15, 2013, a man lifts his hands during a worship service event held at Fontbonne Academy in Milton, Mass.] A court ruling against a Catholic girls school that declined to hire a gay man in a non-classroom job highlights the need for such religious institutions to do a better job of spelling out their teachings and expectations for potential employees,... more »
Atheists Will Assemble Outside GOP Presidential Debate to Protest and Demand Separation of Religion from Government
[image: atheists] Atheist activists are planning a demonstration outside of the Republican presidential debate in Iowa on Thursday evening, where they will publicly demand "a separation of religion from government," according to a press release announcing secularists' intentions. The protest, which will be... Continue reading *“Atheists Will Assemble Outside GOP Presidential Debate to Protest and Demand Separation of Religion from Government”* at *theblaze.com*.
Here Is The Latest List On The World's Most Corrupt Countries
*USA Today*: *Double-dealing: World's most corrupt countries* BERLIN — Denmark may not have a lot in common with North Korea and Somalia but all three nations placed first in their respective categories on the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index released Wednesday by Transparency International, a Berlin-based organization that tracks perceived levels of public sector fraud and dishonesty worldwide. For the second year running Denmark, the index showed, is the country with especially "high levels of press freedom; access to budget information so the public knows where money comes fro... more »
The Economy: "Stock Buybacks and the Wall Street Sharktank: “A Whole Lotta Stealin’ Goin’ On”
*"Stock Buybacks and the Wall Street Sharktank:* * “A Whole Lotta Stealin’ Goin’ On”* By Mike Whitney “Let’s say you lend your brother-in-law, Pauli, 5,000-bucks so he can get his fledgling construction business off-the-ground. Then, you find out a week later that ‘good-old Pauli’ has shot the wad playing the horses at Long-acres and buying cocktails for his loafer-friends at Matt’s Mad Dog tavern? Would you feel like you’d been ripped off? Sure you would. But when some slick corporate fraudster pulls the same scam, no one even raises an eyebrow. What am I talking about? I’m talk... more »
China Will Support The UN's Move To Denounce North Korea Over Its Nuclear Test, But Will Not Support More Sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi approach to shake hands after their news conference in Beijing. (Pool/Reuters) *Washington Post*: *China backs U.N. move to denounce North Korea over nuclear test* BEIJING – Secretary of State John F. Kerry and China’s foreign minister agreed Wednesday to move ahead with a U.N. resolution condemning North Korea for its latest nuclear test, but appeared as far apart as ever on how far to push Pyongyang. The United States says any additional U.N. action against the North is likely to include greater sanctions. ... more »
Donut Forget To Be Mine Valentine with Free Printable
If there is one thing my kids love. It is donuts. Their love for those delicious sweet treats was the inspiration behind this Valentine. Why not share what you love with who you love? For This Valentine You Will Need: - The printable (Link at the bottom of this post) - Cellophane bags - Baker's Twine - Donuts! - a hole punch Print and cut out the printable Valentine. Have your child address them. Punch a hole in the corner of each Valentine. Add a couple of donuts (we used the Hostess Donettes) to a cellophane bag. You can do entire packages of small donuts, or a... more »
House Dems, Who Delivered for Obama, Now Diminished Minority
[image: WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 11: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to the media during her weekly news conference at the US Capitol, December 11, 2015 in Washington, DC. Pelosi spoke about pending legislation before the House. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Democrats clawed their way into power and delivered a burst of historic legislation for President Barack Obama after he took office seven years ago. Now, in his final year, Obama is leaving them greatly diminished and... more »
Seattle Could Face Supreme Court Challenge over Minimum Wage Law
[image: Minimum Wage Seattle] A coalition of franchised businesses appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court Monday against a Seattle minimum wage law that treats individually owned franchisees the same as their corporate partners. The International Franchise Association (IFA) appealed the decision after losing in... more »
University Allows Yoga Now That It’s Not Taught by a White Woman
[image: Yoga on University] A Canadian university that banned a yoga class because it constituted "cultural appropriation" has allowed the class to return now that the long-time white instructor has been replaced with an Indian. Jen Scharf taught a free yoga class at the... more »
Russia May Sue British Government Over ‘Litvinenko Slander’
Russia may sue the British government for slander over comments made in the wake of the inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the country’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said. During his annual press conference on Monday, Lavrov stressed that the results of Robert Owens inquiry, which concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ‘probabaly’ sanctioned the assassination of Litvinenko, would “seriously complicate” ties with the UK. Press TV reports: Litvinenko, a former KGB agent and a critic of Putin, died of polonium poisoning in London in 2006. Last week, an inqui...more »
What's Our Motive For Fighting The Islamic State?
An image grab taken from a video released by Islamic State group's official Al-Raqqa site via YouTube allegedly shows Islamic State (IS) group recruits riding in armed trucks in an unknown location. *Noah Feldman, Bloomberg*: *Why We Fight: Now and 10,000 Years Ago* *Is there a fundamental difference between war fought for reasons of belief and war fought out of self-interest? Is one more primitive than the other, or morally superior?* These deep questions are raised by the finding of a mass grave from 10,000 years ago by the shores of Kenya’s Lake Turkana, now the earliest such si... more »
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*The poisoning of the tree of liberty* An iceberg is heading into the path of the United States Constitution. A destructive wave of political thought that appears out of the mainstream on the surface, but which like an iceberg has 90 percent of its mass below the surface. You see evidence of this destructive collision when the Internet takes note of a Duke University graduate student’s school newspaper column that makes the claim that, “an urgent and overdue conversation about racism — on our campus and across our country — has been derailed by a diversionary and duplicitous obs... more »
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*New Warmist claim hot off the press* *Mann, Rahmstorf & Co. had a new article published on 25th and the Daily Mail had their take on it on 26th. So I am a slow-poke in getting to it on 28th. It's basically another "Warmest year" claim that ignores statistical significance and fails to note that their temperature changes go both down and up relative to the average. In other words the changes indicate a temperature plateau rather than systematic warming. Anyway, I reproduce below both the DM article and the academic journal abstract. You will see that the whole thing is just a... more »
GOP Lawmakers Seek to End Purchase of Russian Rocket Engines
[image: U.S. Senator John McCain speaking at the 2016 Legislative Forecast Luncheon hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Phoenix, Arizona.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- American tax dollars should not subsidize the purchase of Russian rocket engines because the sales help enrich the friends of President Vladimir Putin, say two senior Republican lawmakers who aim to reverse the current practice. House Majority... more »
Fighting in Iowa, Hillary Clinton Fears Repeat of 2008 Loss
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at the Steyer Opera House at Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah, Iowa, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)] CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) -- When Bernie Sanders rolled into Decorah, nearly 2,300 people were waiting for him. Chants of “Feel the Bern” filled the spirited hall from a crowd roughly equivalent to a quarter of the town’s population. “If... more »
NOAA’s Own Data Show Pause In Troposphere Temperatures, Confirming UAH & RSS
By Paul Homewood When we discuss satellite temperature measurements, we need to remember that it is usually lower troposphere we are talking about, TLT (Temperature Lower Troposphere). This covers the atmosphere from the surface up to around 10000 feet. But the middle troposphere is just as important. This is the layer that covers from […]
None Thought of Themselves as Monsters
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, one of several such memorial days worldwide. Last year, The Guardian ran a short, excellent piece by Holocaust survivor Gene Klein, who urged the importance of remembering what happened, especially as the number of survivors dwindles. It's worth reading in full, but when I revisited it, one paragraph particularly leapt out: It is terribly
GM Mosquitoes May Be Responsible For Zika Virus Outbreak
A batch of GM mosquitoes released in Brazil earlier in 2015 completely decimated the local mosquito population, and may be responsible for the current outbreak of the deadly Zika virus spreading the globe. According to a reddit user, mankind’s arrogance may have well and truly backfired on us: Here is Oxitec back in 2015 proudly announcing that their GM mosquito has decimated the local mosquito population in a field trial: Releases of the genetically engineered Oxitec mosquito, commonly known as ‘Friendly Aedes aegypti’, reduced the dengue mosquito population in an area of Juazeiro... more »
Israel’s Electrical Grid Taken Down In Huge Cyber Attack
Israel’s electrical grid was almost taken down in what authorities have said was the largest cyber attack the country has experienced. The Minister of Infrastructure, Energy and Water Yuval Steinitz told a conference in Tel Aviv: “Yesterday we identified one of the largest cyber attacks that we have experienced“. Jpost.com reports: Steinitz said that attack was dealt with by his ministry and the National Cyber Bureau and that it was under control. The incident occurred during two consecutive days of record-breaking winter electricity consumption, with the Israel Electric Corporatio... more »
Oregon Militia Leader Arrested By FBI After Shootout
The FBI have confirmed that they have apprehended the leader of the Oregon militia, Ammon Bundy, following a shootout between officers and several of Bundy’s followers. The shootout and subsequent arrest occurred after Oregon State Police and FBI agents conducted a traffic stop of Bundy and his followers who were en route to a community meeting. Businessinsider.com reports: Five of Bundy’s associates were also arrested. One was killed during the arrest. It is not yet been released who that is. Two sources have told The Oregonian that Oregon standoff spokesman Robert LaVoy Finiciumw... more »
Israel Demands Global Internet Censorship
Israel plan on building an “international coalition” that aims to censor the internet worldwide, in a bid to counter online criticism of Israel. The plans were unveiled by Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, who has called for “developing legislation in conjunction with European countries,” most of which are “interested in this idea,” according to a Times of Israel report. Newobserveronline.com reports: The legislation would have common features, such as defining what constitutes incitement and what the responsibilities of social networks regarding it are, a spokesman for ... more »
Final Days Of Europe’s Passport-free Schengen Scheme, Austria Say
Europe’s passport-free travel system in the Schengen area is about to collapse, according to Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Mikl-Leitner told EU interior ministers that she thinks the temporary national border controls in the Schengen zone are likely to become permanent as a result of the migrant crisis currently engulfing Europe. Presstv.com reports: In a bid to curb the influx of asylum seekers, several EU states, including Germany and Austria, have introduced a border checking system due to expire in May. According to Dutch Migration Minister Klaas Dijkhoff, EU... more »
There is no gravitational rainbow
Sabine Hossenfelder tries to promote some bizarre would-be research of her pseudoscientific friends, in this case about the "gravitational rainbow". She credits Smolin and Magueijo (2003) with this flawed concept even though those guys only tried to plagiarize Smoot-Steinhardt 1993, Accioly+Blas 2001, Accioly 2002, and others. Thankfully, nothing valuable was stolen here. *Poland in "Entropa", Czech sculptor David Černý's provocative portrait of the EU.* The event that made her write about this junk again was the recent publication of a Lewandowski+2 (2014) article in a journal. ... more »
Does The U.S. Intelligence Community Need An Affirmative Action Program?
*The Hill:* *Spy agencies disproportionately white, male* Employees at U.S. intelligence agencies are overwhelmingly and disproportionately white and male, according to internal figures. A recent “strategic human capital plan” shows that employees at the nation’s 17 spy agencies are 77 percent white and 62 percent male. The country at large, meanwhile, is 62 percent white and 49 percent male, according to the latest Census data. The report also showed that the workforce was fairly evenly split between staffers in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Just 15 percent of employees were either y... more »
(First Ever Negative Crude Oil Price in ND - Paying Them To Take It Away!) Hillary Cannot Lead System Change (Right Wing Is Pissed At Trump? May Stamp Feet and Take Money to Cancun?) Plutocracy Calls Out Nuclear Option? (Wall Street Stealers)
The leader of an armed occupation at a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon and others were arrested on Tuesday after shots were fired during a traffic stop, leaving one person dead and another wounded, the FBI said. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Need a financial crystal ball? Especially during this oil glut and still too much free money chasing every bad derivative deal (to the eventual bailing out of them by
Military Photo of the Day: January 27, 2016
[image: Deployed Marines-900] U.S. Marines recover a simulated casualty as part of an exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia on Jan. 12, 2016. Thank you to these brave Marines for their service overseas. Come home soon!
HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper LUXE and SwaddleSure Giveaway!
I would have absolutely loved one of these bassinets with my little ones and I am so excited to be able to give one to one of you! As a mom, keeping your baby close and safe is of utmost importance. Thankfully, there are products like the HALO Bassinest to help you do just that. The HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper is the only bassinet that swivels to bring baby to you for close, safe sleep. Courtney from Viva Veltoro recently had the chance to review the HALO Bassinest and a HALO SleepSack Swaddle with her new baby girl. Be sure to check out her review to see all of the amazing fea... more »
Hillary Clinton Email Investigation: FBI Questioning Those Who Classify Emails And Their Contents
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *FOX News*: *FBI going 'right to the source' in Clinton email probe, interviewing intel agencies* The FBI is going straight to the source in its investigation of classified emails that crossed Hillary Clinton’s personal server, speaking with the intelligence agencies – and in some cases, the individuals – that generated the information, two intelligence sources familiar with the probe told Fox News. Investigators are meeting with the agencies and individuals to determine the classification level in the emails. The step speaks to the dilig... more »
Gore's Tip of Tipping Point Busted.
From: Global Warming Racket and Climate Change SuperscamIf you are reading this, Al Gore is wrong. We haven't all been fried and died. While pushing his Science Fiction propaganda piece, *An Inconvenient Truth*, Al Gore appeared at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. At the time, CBS News reported: The former vice president came to town for the premiere of "An Inconvenient Truth," a documentary chronicling what has become his crusade since losing the 2000 presidential election: Educating the masses that global warming is about to toast our ecology and ou... more »
After Years of False Alarms, the ‘Conservative Crackup’ Has Arrived
[image: Donald Trump - 900] I’ve been hearing about the impending “conservative crackup” for nearly 25 years. The term was coined by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., the founder of the American Spectator. He meant that conservatism had lost its philosophical coherence. But the phrase almost... more »
Tweet For Today
Emerging giant economies plagued by corruption: Transparency International https://t.co/Tn0Z0evJSh pic.twitter.com/xdNVoSVQxa — AFP news agency (@AFP) January 27, 2016
Why U.S. Aircraft Carriers Will Be Around For A While
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, front, and the guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea and USS Gettysburg participate in a group sail. All three ships are part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group and are underway conducting training operations in the Atlantic Ocean. Navy Visual News Service.Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Bash Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest: *Can the U.S. Navy Stop Aircraft Carriers From Becoming Old 'Battleships'?* Let’s face facts. It hasn’t been a good couple of years for aircraft carriers—specifically American aircraft carr... more »
The Trouble with Trump
[image: Donald Trump] When the publisher of National Review magazine, Jack Fowler, called and asked me to write 300 words on why I oppose Donald Trump for president of the United States, my first thought was about the derision that was sure to... more »
Iran: Lifting Sanctions and Coming Betrayal
*January 27, 2016 *(Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - US policymakers have long conspired to broker what would be meant to appear as a historic deal with the political order in Tehran. It would be a deal almost unreasonably compromising for the United States, in order to enhance the illusion that the West sought every means to integrate Iran peacefully back into the "international community" before resorting to armed and direct military aggression. Knowing that Iran will never exist within Washington, Wall Street, London, and Brussels' "international order" as an obedient client state, a ... more »
Picture Of The Day
Paratroopers position an M119A2 105mm howitzer while conducting live-fire training on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 11, 2016. U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Pena
A List Of Every Aircraft Carrier In The World
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*) The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world’s largest naval station. Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan J. Courtade, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott, and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin J. Steinberg *Popular Mechanics*: *Here Is Every Aircraft Carrier in the World* *From Brazil to the U.S.A., a guide to air power at sea.* Only ... more »
Ammon Bundy Arrested, Fellow Militiaman Killed After Traffic Stop Shootout With FBI and State Police
[image: A Oregon State police officer stands by a vehicle as police officers block Highway 395 in Seneca, Ore., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. Authorities said shots were fired Tuesday during the arrest of members of an armed group that has occupied a national wildlife refuge in Oregon for more than three weeks. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT] BURNS, Ore. (AP) -- Federal and state officials were restricting access to the Oregon refuge being occupied by an armed group after one of the occupiers was killed during a traffic stop and eight more, including the group’s leader... more »
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*From* *Jenna Orkin* Active Shooter Reported At San Diego Naval Medical Center Denmark Passes Law To Seize Valuables, Cash From Refugees Federal Conspiracy Law: A Brief Overview, Scientists teaching computers to recognize sarcasm A second town with high lead levels in water: When will it stop? Mutant mosquitoes to be deployed to stop Zika outbreak in Brazil Strong 6.1 quake hits Mediterranean between Morocco and Spain Indonesian birds on the brink as forests plunderedFrance's Highways Descend Into "Chaos & Lawlessness" "ISIS Has Enjoyed Turkish Money For Oil For A Very, Very Long ... more »
Does The Ineffectiveness of Jeb's Campaign Itself Disqualify Him In The Eyes Of Most Voters?
Jeb's SuperPAC, Right to Rise, made the 30 second ad above. I don't know what it cost them to make it or to run it but I do know one thing: it was a complete waste of money no matter what it cost and didn't persuade a single voter... unless it persuaded them to *not* vote for Jeb. He-- and his donors-- are being taken for a ride by consultants who are getting rich while Jeb's campaign flounders. And it isn't *just* poor Jeb... even if he *is* getting the worst of it. Total political ad spending for the presidential campaigns are through the roof. A week from today Iowans will cau... more »
Is American Ready For The Next Big War?
The U.S. Air Force's "boneyard" of surplus warplanes at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. US Air Force *David Barno and Nora Bensahel, War On The Rocks:* *Preparing For The Next Big War* “For almost twenty years we had all of the time and almost none of the money; today we have all of the money and no time.” Those words were spoken by Army Chief of Staff George Marshall in 1940 as he was facing the imminent entry of the United States into World War II. He was lamenting the fact that when large conflicts suddenly arrive, all the money in the world cannot magically fix militar... more »
Rubio’s Prospects in Iowa and Beyond
[image: Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign event, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.] With the Iowa caucuses just a week away, let's take stock of Marco Rubio's chances there and beyond. In Iowa -- the season's first electoral contest -- Rubio sits a distant third behind Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Their lead... more »
Russia's Top National Security Official: 'U.S. Is After Russia's Resource Wealth'
Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev (L) looks at President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the BRICS countries' senior officials in charge of security matters at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 26, 2015. REUTERS/SERGEI KARPUKHIN *Reuters*: *Putin's top security adviser says U.S. is after Russia's minerals* The head of Russia's Security Council said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday that the United States wanted a weakened Russia so as to gain access to its vast mineral resources. The attack on the United States by Nikolai Patrushev came against... more »
Ketagalan Travel and the Taiwanese Identity
I am in Ketagalan Media today: The international media, always fifteen years behind events, has discovered the rising Taiwanese identity among the young. Commentators variously attribute it to the rise of democracy, the Chen Shui-bian era reforms to education, student activism, and other causes. But there is one element they miss: travel... Go to Travel, and the Taiwanese Identity to see the rest.... _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to oth... more »
An Open Letter to Jerry Falwell, Jr.
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at the Roundhouse Gymnasium, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, in Marshalltown, Iowa.] Dear Mr. Falwell, In light of your not-unexpected endorsement of Donald Trump for president, I have some candid questions for you. But I write with the utmost respect for Liberty University and with real appreciation for your own labors, not to... more »
Satisfaction with Federal Government Services Reaches New Low
[image: Woman and Bills, Documents, Frustration, Frustrated, Aggravated Woman and Bills, Documents, Frustration, Frustrated, Aggravated] Consumers increasingly are dissatisfied with U.S. government services, according to a report released Tuesday by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Scoring 63.9 on a scale of 0 to 100, satisfaction with federal government services declined for the third year in... more »
Brecht: From A German War Primer
By Bertolt Brecht AMONGST THE HIGHLY PLACED It is considered low to talk about food. The fact is: they have Already eaten. The lowly must leave this earth Without having tasted Any good meat. For wondering where they come from and Where they are going The fine evenings find them Too exhausted. They have not yet seen The mountains and the great sea When their time is already up. If the lowly do not Think about what's low They will never rise. THE BREAD OF THE HUNGRY HAS ALL BEEN EATEN Meat has become unknown. Useless The pouring out of the people's sweat. The laurel groves have been... more »
Buying The Presidency?
*-by Dorothy Reik,President, Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains* The curtain has been pulled aside. Money has been laid on the table. Bloomberg and Trump are in a bidding war for the presidency of the United States-- but they are bidding against the people as well as against each other. And the winner gets-- our country! In the past the buyers of presidencies hid behind PACS and SuperPACs, like the Koch brothers, but now Bloomberg and Trump have each pledged to spend whatever it takes to buy the presidency of our country. This is a truly terrifying proposition an... more »
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*Gentilly Resiliency District goes against flow of how New Orleans handles stormwater ~Greg LaRose*
Escaped Inmate Was Ordered Deported to Vietnam in 1998
[image: This undated booking photo provided by the Orange County, Calif., Sheriff's Department on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, shows 43-year-old Bac Duong, one of three jail inmates charged with violent crimes, who escaped from the Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana, Calif. The men include 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu, who is charged with murder; 37-year-old Hossein Nayeri, charged with kidnapping and torture; and Duong, charged with attempted murder. Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said Saturday that the inmates were last seen at 5 a.m. and could have escaped anytime between then and late Friday ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( January 26 , 2016 ) Asia- Emerging Nations - Puerto Rico - Zika Outbreak - Commodities - Flashes / Comments / Data / Links To News .
Asia , Emerging Nations , Puerto Rico , Commodities .... *EM Equity* @EM_Equity 3m 3 minutes ago World Bank Cuts Iron Ore Predictions Through 2020 as Glut Builds http:// bloom.bg/1SicRce *Simon Ting* @simonting 29m 29 minutes ago $SSEC Index is breaking below 2,700 handle... *Simon Ting* @simonting 41m 41 minutes ago Many A-Share at significant shareholders "share option pledge" reached their call-loan threshold. Lenders are exercising their rights now. *Haidi Lun 伦海迪* @HaidiLun 58m 58 minutes ago Ooof. Downturn worsens for China's i... more »
Judgement Day Map Found In Russia, Linked To Deadly Virus
A new report released by the Kremlin states that Russia’s refusal to accept Levant War Zone refugees into the country stems from recent discovery of a mysterious “Judgement Day map” found on a refugee attempting to enter the country. According to Russian officials, the map depicts a “day of judgement” quote from the Qur’an on a document that they have linked back to a U.S. bio-weapons laboratory in Ukraine, where people have died from a mysterious new virus. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: According to this report, FSB Border Troops processed over 5,500 of these asylum seekers into Norwa... more »
US Senate Prepare For Martial Law, Obama Granted ‘Unlimited’ Powers
The U.S. Senate is looking likely to approve plans to give President Obama unlimited war powers that amount to declaring martial law upon the entire world. Majority leader Mitch McConnell’s war resolution allows for the use of military force (UAMF) for declaring war against ISIS, granting Obama more powers than Bush did after the 9/11 attacks, effectively making America a police state. Activistpost.com reports: The AUMF put forward by McConnell would not restrict the president’s use of ground troops, nor have any limits related to time or geography. Nor would it touch on the issue o... more »
Brazil Deploys 200,000 Soldiers To Deal With Deadly Zika Virus
Brazil have deployed over 200,000 military troops to go ‘house to house’ in order to attempt to bring the Zika virus outbreak under control. Zika-carrying mosquitoes have been blamed for causing a birth defect epidemic, rapidly spreading across the world. Soldiers will visit homes across Brazil offering advice and distributing leaflets. Dailymail.co.uk reports: The government, under growing pressure to deal with the crisis, will also hand out repellent to at least 400,000 pregnant women on social welfare. The virus has been linked to serious birth defects, including microcephaly, i... more »
Ben Swann Exposes CDC Cover-Up Of Vaccines Causing Autism
Journalist Ben Swann has examined claims that the CDC covered up evidence that vaccines cause autism over a decade ago. Truthinmedia.com reports: For over two years, Truth In Media has explored the allegations of Dr. William Thompson, a CDC scientist who came forward in 2014, hired a whistleblower attorney, and claimed that important data regarding a study on vaccines and autism was eliminated. Thompson’s claims have led to a divide among Americans, with some believing that Thompson’s allegations are credible and should be investigated further, and others convinced that the documen... more »
Doomsday Clock: World Remains “In Grave Danger”
The Doomsday Clock, maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, will remain at at 3 midnights to midnight the group announced, indicating the world remains in “grave danger”. The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock face, representing a countdown to possible global catastrophe (e.g. nuclear war, World War 3, climate change). It has been maintained since 1947 by the members of the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The closer they set the Clock to midnight, the closer the scientists believe the world is to armageddon. Sputniknews.com reports: T... more »
Putin Asks US To Prove ‘Corrupt’ Allegations
Russia have demanded that the US Treasury Department backup their claims that President Putin is “corrupt” by providing evidence. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused the US government of making up the accusations saying that “none of these questions require an answer, because they are pure fiction“. Pravdareport.com reports: Earlier, Adam Szubin, the officer in charge of sanctions at the US Treasury Department suggested that the Russian president was enriching his friends and close allies while marginalizing those whom he does not consider his friends. “Whether that’s Russi... more »
Italy Say 400,000 Immigrants Will Cause Country To ‘Crumble’
Italian authorities have said that they fear that Italy will soon “crumble” as an expected tidal wave of 400,000 immigrants looks likely to arrive in the coming weeks, Italian sources say. According to experts, the worse is yet to come as Italy becomes a last stop for thousands of migrants entering the Italian peninsula. Breitbart.com reports: Until a few days ago the Italian peninsula was a transit channel for tens of thousands of desperate migrants en route to the countries of Northern Europe, yet now these same migrants are finding themselves stranded in Italy because of closed b... more »
How Corrupt Is Russia?
*Jason Thomson, CSM: **How corrupt is Russia?* The US Treasury has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being corrupt, while Putin has been encouraging his cabinet to work harder against corruption. Is there any way of knowing where the corruption lies? Russian President Vladimir Putin is corrupt, according to a US Treasury official’s comments Monday to the BBC. The country as a whole needs to do a better job of tackling corruption at all levels, President Putin in turn told his cabinet Tuesday. Russia has long been plagued by allegations of corruption, but how much of a p... more »
Mysterious Vibrations, Boom Sounds Heard Acros South Carolina
People across South Carolina reported hearing vibrations and loud boom sounds earlier on Tuesday afternoon. Residents in Charleston, Berkeley, Williamsburg, and Mount Pleasant reported hearing the strange sounds. Counton2.com reports: Some on Daniel Island, James Island and Goose Creek said their homes shook. This happened around 12:26 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The USGS website currently does not have an earthquake recorded. At 1:37 p.m. the USGS said “We see no detectable EQ in Charleston at the time of reported shaking. The origin of the disturbance is unknown possibly a sonic boo... more »
Trump Quits Fox Debate, Says Megyn Kelly Not Fair
[image: FILE - This file photo combination made from Aug. 6, 2015, photos shows Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and Fox News Channel host and moderator Megyn Kelly during the first Republican presidential debate at the Quicken Loans Arena, in Cleveland. Trump is welcoming Kelly back from a vacation with a broadside of criticism, tweeting that he liked her show better when she was away. Trump has been attacking Kelly ever since her tough questioning of him during the debate. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)] Donald Trump “will not be participating” in Thursday nig... more »
Musical Interlude: Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now”
Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIno6Yu3rLE
"Teach Me..."
"Teach me your mood, O patient stars, Who climb each night, the ancient sky, leaving on space no shade, no scars, no trace of age, no fear to die." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bush Administration Empowered India’s Nuclear Weapons Program
The Bush administration empowered the Indian government in 2008 in a deal that allowed it to increase and modernize its nuclear arsenal as a deterrent against Pakistan and China. Foreign Policy In Focus reports: Bush Administration Nuclear Policy Enabled India’s H-bomb Program In December, the Center for Public Integrity published an investigative report by Adrian Levy titled Experts worry that India is creating new fuel for an arsenal of H-bombs. It was also published in Foreign Policy with the more alarming title India Is Building a Top-Secret Nuclear City to Produce Thermonuclear ... more »
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”; Paulo Coelho, "The Good Fight"
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle” *Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: * “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them... But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well. For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for forgiveness.” *Buliwyf:* “Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters, and my brothers. Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning. Lo, the... more »
Musical Interlude: David Gates, “Suite, Clouds & Rain”
David Gates, “Suite, Clouds & Rain” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwUKi9ouEc&html5=1
Doomsday Clock: It Is Still Three Minutes To Midnight
*Daily Mail*: *World is closest it has been to catastrophe since the Cold War: Doomsday Clock remains at just three minutes to midnight* * Doomsday Clock is a symbolic countdown to possible global catastrophe * There has been progress in the Iran nuclear and the Paris climate deals * But concern remains over the continuing conflict in Ukraine and Syria * Experts are also worried about movement of short-to-medium range nuclear weapons by Russia, as well as ongoing global warming The minute hand on the symbolic Doomsday Clock remains at three minutes to midnight, marking the direst se...more »
Jan. 26: Mostly foreign news.
I'll touch just briefly on the Irving press because there isn't much to touch on. A6 has a story that New Brunswick's history curriculum in its schools scores a B- (which is actually quite decent.) But t's a story that doesn't seem to know what history is – except for trite phrases like “It is the country's rearview mirror.” If it is, it's a lousy mirror because most of the history taught in elementary and high school is pure bunk. It has to be. Parents would raise hell if teachers told the truth. In the U.S., it's so bad that Americans have almost no sense of the real history of t... more »
Rick Shaddock, covered in NY Times as "truther working for Trump campaign"
*Broadcast here January 27th**,** 10-11:00 a.m. Central (1500 GMT).* *For only $3.95 a month you can listen to shows on-demand before they are broadcast - and also get free downloads and other perks from Kevin! If you are a subscriber, just log in to the members area of TruthJihad.com to get early access to the shows. Non-subscribers only get access to the No Lies Radio show archives the day after the broadcast here. Help Kevin keep these shows on the air - become a subscriber today!* Rick Shaddock, 9/11 truth lobbyistRick Shaddock of the Association for 9/11 Truth Awareness (ANETA.... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Large spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this cosmic galaxy portrait. In fact, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Its own dusty disk, young blue star clusters, and pink star forming regions standout in the sharp, colorful telescopic image. *Click image for larger size.* About 13 million light-years distant toward the expansive southern constellation Centaurus, NGC 4945 is only about six times farther away than Andromeda, the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way. Though the galaxy's central region is largely hidden from view for op... more »
Gowdy: ‘Eye-Opening’ and ‘Surprising’ Results to Come Soon from Benghazi Investigation
[image: Benghazi] Chairman of the Benghazi Select Committee Trey Gowdy says the results of the Committee will be "eye-opening" and "surprising." Appearing on the Hugh Hewitt Show on Monday, Hewitt asked Gowdy, "Do you believe the question has been asked and answered... Continue reading *“Gowdy: ‘Eye-Opening’ and ‘Surprising’ Results to Come Soon from Benghazi Investigation”* at *dailycaller.com*.
Chet Raymo, “Universal Constants, Universal Consensus”
*“Universal Constants, Universal Consensus”* by Chet Raymo “I'd received a book in the mail, as I sometimes do, for potential review on this blog, James Stein's “Cosmic Numbers: The Numbers That Define Our Universe”. I often write here about books I read, but I don't review. I did glance at Stein's book, however. It has an audience, but it's not for me; been there, done that. The subtitle is provocative, however. The idea that a dozen or so numbers "define the universe." *That's* a mind-blowing concept. The gravitational constant. The speed of light. Absolute zero. Planck's constan... more »
The Universe
“There are some things that are best forgotten. And when I remember what a few of them are, I'll drop you a line. But a couple of things worth remembering, that are all too easily forgotten, are the times in your life when you felt absolutely alone and uncertain. Yet somehow, perhaps beyond perception, there was a great click, after which suddenly a new friend appeared, an idea was imparted, or a connection established, causing the tides to turn and the floodgates to open. And remembering this, should such "alone and uncertain times" ever revisit you, however dark they may seem, yo... more »
"A Blessing"
*"A Blessing"* "May the light of your soul guide you. May the light of your soul bless the work You do with the secret love and warmth of your heart. May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul. May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those Who work with you and to those who see and receive your work. May your work never weary you. May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement. May you be present in what you do. May you never become lost in the bland absences. May the day never burden you. May dawn find you awake a...more »
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