10:21pm MDST
Sunday Song
Made it into Odessa, Ukraine thru passport control without a question.....local support waiting for us to take us to hotel. Got some needed sleep. Today is the memorial at Trades Hall, not sure what to expect. Two US Senators promised to call State Dept on our behalf urging safe event..... more »
Taking Out The Blue America Billboard Truck Again-- This Time In Upstate New York
The DCCC has a new trick to help their corrupt conservative candidates steal primaries. Although it hasn't been reported in the lazy Beltway media yet, we've been getting reports from around the country that Steve Israel and the DCCC have been counseling their anti-working family candidates to give up on trying to win on ideas, values and policies and to use dirty tricks instead. Recently "former" Republican Mike Parrish succeeded in knocking progressive Lindy Li out of her Pennsylvania primary race by tying her up in court with baseless petition signature challenges. Parrish's DC... more »
Kim Kardashian May Have High IQ Because Of Her Big Butt
New research suggests that having a large bum is very good for your overall health. Researchers at the University of Oxford and Church Hospital saying that people who have a big butt, such as Kim Kardashian, have increased intelligence and a lower risk of chronic disease. The researchers say that fat distribution plays a key role in determining a person’s overall health. According to a report in the Journal of Obesity, it is preferable to have fat below the waist, as it helps to protect against heart disease, diabetes and other conditions related to obesity. “It is the protective ro... more »
“University students are struggling to read entire books”
George Reisman argues that to truly grasp their chosen discipline, by the time they graduate they should have read, mastered and integrated the context of at least one-hundred books representing the pith, core and related flora of their subject area. *Properly, by the time a student has completed a college education, his brain should hold the essential content of well over a hundred major books on mathematics, science, history, literature, and philosophy, and do so in a form that is well organised and integrated, so that he can apply this internalised body of knowledge to his p... more »
An excellent proposal for Australia: Invest in libraries and librarians, not phonics checks.
Sent to the Australian Financial Review May 1 The London School of Economics study, contrary to the description in "Simon Birmingham's 'excellent proposal'," (May 1), did NOT show a strong effect for phonics. The positive impact wore off quickly, and was largely gone by grade 5. This result is consistent with other research showing that intensive phonics instruction only helps children on tests in which they pronounce words out-loud presented to them in a list. It does not help them on tests in which they have to understand what they read. Research consistently shows that the ca... more »
CIA Director: '28 Classified Pages' From The 9/11 Commision Report Is Inaccurate
*The Hill:** CIA director: '28 pages' contain inaccurate information* CIA Director John Brennan said Sunday that releasing the 28 classified pages from the 9/11 Commission report would be a mistake because they contain inaccurate, un-vetted information that could be used to tie Saudi Arabia to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. "This chapter was kept out because of concerns about sensitive methods, investigative actions, and the investigation of 9/11 was still underway in 2002," Brennan said on NBC's "Meet the Press." He said information in the 28 pages hasn't been vetted or cor... more »
The Battle For Mosul Is Not Going To End When ISIS Has been Driven Out
A Kurdish fighter keeps guard while overlooking positions of Islamic State militants near Mosul in northern Iraq August 19, 2014. Youssef Boudlal/Reuters *Daniel Davis, National Interest: Exclusive*:* The Coming Battle for Mosul Will Be Tougher Than You Think* On April 17, U.S. secretary of defense Ash Carter visited Baghdad to confer with Iraqi leaders to discuss ways the United States might aid in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). According to an unnamed senior defense official traveling with reporters on the Secretary’s visit, “everyone knows the fight of Iraq is the... more »
China Creates A 'Fishing Militia' To Patrol The South China Sea
Fishing boats with Chinese national flags are seen at a harbour in Tanmen, Hainan province, April 5, 2016. REUTERS/Megha Rajagopalan *Reuters:* *China trains 'fishing militia' to sail into disputed waters* The fishing fleet based in this tiny port town on Hainan island is getting everything from military training and subsidies to even fuel and ice as China creates an increasingly sophisticated fishing militia to sail into the disputed South China Sea. The training and support includes exercises at sea and requests to fishermen to gather information on foreign vessels, provincial go... more »
New York Values-- Zephyr Teachout vs A Culture Of Corruption
Over the weekend Zephyr Teachout, the Blue America backed congressional candidate for the open blue-leaning seat in the Hudson Valley and Catskills (NY-19), made news twice. First came the announcement that, with no cooperation from a hostile DCCC she raised $418,000 in April, primarily from small grassroots donors who find her values-based, issues-oriented campaign appealing. She had already raised $530,733 by March 31, so she's closing in on a million dollars raised. This turns the DCCC model on it's head in every way. Obama won this district against McCain 53-45% and then won i... more »
How Republicans Lost Control of the Spending Fight in Congress
[image: Mitch McConnell] Republicans arrived in Washington this year promising a return to "regular order" in Congress. It was a hallmark of Paul Ryan's quest to be House speaker and Mitch McConnell's way of showing that the Senate could get things done. Gone... more »
College Student Starts Business Recycling Dorm Fridges
[image: The Page Hall at Bates College in Brunswick, Maine.] LEWISTON, Maine (AP) -- A college student appalled at the dorm furnishings his roommates were leaving behind his freshman year has started a booming business recycling mini refrigerators. Mitch Newlin, of Brunswick, Maine, goes to Bates College, a private, liberal... more »
"Puerto Rico to DEFAULT On Its Debts Monday 2 May- Could Trigger US Bank Collapse"
*"Puerto Rico to DEFAULT On Its Debts Monday 2 May- * *Could Trigger US Bank Collapse"* by Newsroom "The Governor of Puerto Rico has announced that the Commonwealth, an American Territory (but not a state), will DEFAULT on its debts tomorrow, 2 May 2016. Because Puerto Rico is not a state, it cannot avail itself of US Bankruptcy Laws and as such, this will become a VERY messy situation, very fast. Bond Holders who lent money to Puerto Rico will then lay claim to "Credit Default Swaps" (CDS) a sort of financial "insurance instrument" which will trigger a required payout by the entit... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Lullaby for Grown-ups (Luna, The Moon)"
Liquid Mind, "Lullaby for Grown-ups (Luna, The Moon)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQGpjO-eagc
Return to Aztec
As those of you who visit here regularly know, I am not a fan of the Aztec UFO crash of 1948. I have followed the story since I was in high school and remember finding a copy of the *True*magazine article in a Denver used bookstore in the early 1960s. To me, it was the definitive investigation of the case. I watched in the 1970s as the story was revitalized for a few months, and then in the 1980s when William Steinman wrote his book about the case that was filled with misinformation, leaps of logic, and a really bad organization without an index. We’ve seen another attempt at this w... more »
Protests Disband After ISIS Carries Out 2nd Iraq Bombing
[image: Supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr chant slogans calling for governmental reforms as they wave national flags before ending their sit-in inside Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone, Sunday, May 1, 2016. Anti-government protesters temporarily ended their mass demonstration in Baghdad's Green Zone on Sunday and began an orderly withdrawal a day after tearing down walls around the government district and invading parliament.] BAGHDAD (AP) -- Anti-government protesters disbanded at least temporarily Sunday from the heavily fortified Green Zone they had stormed a day earl... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Captured one night last May this eight frame mosaic starts on the left, down Northside Drive through Yosemite National Park. It ends thousands of light-years away though, as the arc of the Milky Waytracks toward the center of our galaxy on the right, far beyond the park's rugged skyline. *Click image for larger size.* That night was still moonless when the storm clouds retreated, so the rocky faces of the surrounding mountains are lit by campfires and artificial lights. Yosemite Falls is at the left. The granite face of Half Dome juts above the far horizon, near the center of the v... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Captured one night last May this eight frame mosaic starts on the left, down Northside Drive through Yosemite National Park. It ends thousands of light-years away though, as the arc of the Milky Way tracks toward the center of our galaxy on the right, far beyond the park's rugged skyline. *Click image for larger size.* That night was still moonless when the storm clouds retreated, so the rocky faces of the surrounding mountains are lit by campfires and artificial lights. Yosemite Falls is at the left. The granite face of Half Dome juts above the far horizon, near the center of the... more »
"The 12 Rules of Survival"; "No Time For Ease And Comfort..."
*"Something wicked this way comes..."* "The 12 Rules of Survival" by Laurence Gonzales "As a journalist, I've been writing about accidents for more than thirty years. In the last 15 or so years, I've concentrated on accidents in outdoor recreation, in an effort to understand who lives, who dies, and why. To my surprise, I found an eerie uniformity in the way people survive seemingly impossible circumstances. Decades and sometimes centuries apart, separated by culture, geography, race, language, and tradition, the most successful survivors–those who practice what I call “deep survival...more »
Electromagnetic Warfare System Being Tested By Russia
Russia’s leading producer of electronic warfare equipment has launched tests of its tactical electromagnetic combat complex. The system is capable of neutralizing all enemy electronics when fully integrated with the latest air-defense systems. Russia Today reports: Factory testing is underway for components of the new system, capable of protecting troops and civilian facilities from air and space attacks, a representative of Russia’s leading producer of electronic warfare systems, Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), told TASS. The tests are expected to be completed by the ...more »
ISIS Beheads Four Teenagers Accused Of Spying In Raqqa
Islamic State militants in Raqqa, Syria, have beheaded four teenagers accused of “spying” for the West. The young boys and men were butchered after being accused of supplying information to the US-led “crusader coalition.” The Telegraph reports: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said that Isil had accused the young men of “photographing sites and handing information to the crusader coalition causing bombing and the death of Muslims”. The report was confirmed by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), a campaign group whose members risk th...more »
Indiana Primary: Trump Mocks, Complains, as Cruz Vows He’s ‘Going the Distance’
[image: Trump - Cruz - 900] TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) -- The 2016 presidential campaign rumbled through Indiana Sunday focused on Tuesday’s critical primary, even as front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump itched to fully engage in the one-on-one battle they cast as inevitable. But the... more »
Bad Bear's Photos 'Western Shoshone Walk and Run 2016'
Western Shoshone Walk and Run 2016 Photos by Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson Western Shoshone long walker and photojournalist Bad Bear's father Buck Sampson said, "The Walk and Run is within the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley Land Boundary. It began on May 1, 2016, and ends on May 8, Mother's Day on Sunday. "They are in Tonopah now and continue on Highway 95 to Yucca
Drones Kill More Civilians than Manned Aircraft Do. That’s Because of How We Use Them.
At Foreign Policy, CFR’s Micah Zenko has examined the best civilian casualty data available for both manned airstrikes and drone strikes between 2009-2015 and concluded, pretty damningly, that “Drones Kill More Civilians Than Pilots Do.” According to the best publicly available evidence, drone strikes in non-battlefield settings — Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia — result in […]
Why the test boycott
Sent to the Guardian, May 1, 2016 Barbara Ellen assumes that parents who opt their children out of tests are opposed to all assessment ("Time children learned a life lesson at school," April 30). Not true. The opt-out parents in the UK (and in the USA) are not against all testing. They are opposed to excessive and unnecessary testing based on inappropriate standards. Stephen Krashen original article: http://www.theguardian.com/profile/barbaraellen
The Daily "Near You?"
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Thanks for stopping by!
Trump Gets Outside Help for Potential GOP Convention Battle
[image: In this April 27, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during a campaign stop in Indianapolis. Trump has a Plan B on campaign money, and it involves the sort of outside groups that he has called "corrupt." While the political newcomer might lock up the Republican presidential nomination in the next six weeks of voting, he and his allies are simultaneously mounting a public pressure campaign in case he falls short and finds himself at a contested convention this summer in Cleveland.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump has a Plan B if he’s faced... more »
Brussels Airport Departure Hall Reopens After Deadly Attacks
[image: Soldiers control an access to Brussels airport, on March 29, 2016 in Zaventem, one week after the Islamic State attacks in Brussels. / AFP / JOHN THYS (Photo credit should read JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images)] BRUSSELS (AP) -- Under extra security, the Brussels Airport reopened its departure hall Sunday for the first time since deadly Islamic extremist attacks in March. The airport had already resumed some flights, but passengers had been using a temporary check-in... more »
Bodies Of Climbers Alex Lowe & David Bridges Found In Melting Glacier
The remains of renowned American mountain climber Alex Lowe and his companion cameraman David Bridges have been found partially melting out of a glacier on Shishapangma, Tibet. The two climbers disappeared in a Himalayan avalanche 16 years ago while attempting to ascend the 14th highest mountain in the world. Alex Lowe’s widow put out a statement on Friday saying that the remains were discovered by two climbers attempting an ascend of the 26,291-foot mountain. The New York Post reports: The climbers described the clothing and backpacks seen on the bodies to Conrad Anker, who was cli... more »
Interview with a climate scientist
Give yourself the pleasure of watching an interview with climate scientist Dr. Judith Curry, who my friend Michael Strong calls “the most important paragon of courage and integrity active in the intellectual world today.” *There are many courageous people out there, but Curry has maintained a steadfast commitment to inquiry, intellectual honesty, and clear public communication despite the harshest rebukes from those who not long ago celebrated her. It is incredibly exhausting to the spirit to withstand such attacks, and unless one is firmly committed to a principle it is always... more »
Is this quote in Emdin’s book actually true? Maybe.
I read Paul Thomas’ take on Christopher Emdin’s new book, which is soon to be classic. I’m not sure how I feel about the book yet. Not all the way through it. However, as a white teacher in an urban Title I school, I was also struck, as was Mr. Thomas, by this quite: “The […]
Violence Erupts Across France During May Day Demonstrations
Thousands of people across France took to the streets for the traditional May Day demonstrations on Sunday, but there was increased tension compared to previous years. Protesters clashed with riot police during the May Day protest in Paris, held to demonstrate against labour reforms proposed by the French government and to commemorate International Worker’s Day. The French parliament is debating a bill that would allow longer working hours and let companies lay workers off more easily. The bill has prompted the most violent labour related protests in over a decade You tube video By R... more »
MarrShow: Diane Abbott car crash interview on antisemitism (01May16)
https://youtu.be/Z4Sw5Er2Xp4 Watch the interview, listen to the excuses of Diane Abbott, ask yourself if you believe her. But then ask yourself where Andrew Marr gets the right to just accept that the State of Israel is responsible for the hatred against Jews. Iranians hang homosexuals, Islam must not be blamed. Saudi Arabian authorities let female students burn to death in a school, Islam must not be blamed. Bangladeshis and Pakistanis live as slaves across the Gulf, Islam must not be blamed. BUT Pallywood and the anti Semitic scum of the West exaggerate, lie and lie and lie ag... more »
Zika Claims First Adult U.S. Victim
[image: Baby with Zika virus - 900] The Zika virus’ first adult victim in the U.S. was confirmed on Friday, one day after the first emergency test was approved for commercial use by the Food & Drug Administration. The first victim was a 70-year-old man from San Juan,... more »
Elephants to Perform for Final Time at Ringling Bros. Circus
[image: In this March 19, 2015, file photo, elephants walk during a performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in Washington. Ringling Bros. is scheduled to hold its final elephant show during a performance Sunday night, May 1, 2016, in Providence, R.I.] PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Elephants will perform for the last time at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on Sunday, as the show closes its own chapter on a controversial practice that has entertained audiences since circuses began...more »
These Maps Show Just How Much More Europeans Pay for Electricity Than Americans
[image: Wind energy, clean energy technology, wind turbine, green energy] The various nations of the European Union pay a lot more for electricity than American states do, according to an analysis of data by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The DCNF aggregated average annual power prices from the E.U. and U.S.... more »
CIA Director: Despite 9/11 Inquiry Secret Pages, No Evidence Saudis Backed Al-Qaida
[image: Twin Towers burning] WASHINGTON (AP) -- CIA Director John Brennan says a 28-page secret chapter from a congressional inquiry into 9/11 contains preliminary information about possible Saudi links to the attackers that hadn’t been corroborated or checked out at the time. The Obama... more »
Ownership Of Self Isn't That Hard A Concept-- And You Better Start Understanding It
Politically savvy Angelenos are excited that we don't have to always face east-- towards Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Justin Amash (R-MI) and Alan Grayson (D-FL)-- when we're looking for a champion of civil liberties. We have our own: Ted Lieu in the Pacific coast district that goes from up in Malibu, down through Santa Monica, Venice, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and past Rancho Palos Verdes, AKA "Silicon Beach," a hub of technological entrepreneurship based on Southern California's traditional valuing of independent minds and its dominant small business eth... more »
Disobedience
Leap Manifesto a little vague for you? Here ya go... "We have to roll back corporate capture of our governments if we want to try and fix problems that conflict directly with their industry bottom line." "There's nothing radical about anything we're talking about. If you are willing to get up in the morning and make your fortune by altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere ... then you're a radical and our job is to try and check that radicalism ." "Disobedience is a new film about a new phase of the climate movement: courageous action that is being taken on the front l... more »
Energy 64, Comparing energy density of nuke, solar, wind, others
A technical but beautiful paper here from Wattsupwiththat (WUWT). The author is arguing for nuclear power mainly because of its huge energy density compared to all other energy sources, and much much larger compared to solar and wind. Enjoy reading. ———- Climate Change Won’t Kill You – Having No Electrical Power Will Guest essay by Tom D. Tamarkin, April 14, 2016 Abstract AGW or climate change is not the big problem many claim. The perceived scare of AGW has been used by sub-groups in the United Nations to bluff wealthy industrialized nations into transferring money to poor often ti... more »
China & Russia’s Hypersonic Gliders Can Penetrate US Missile Defenses
China and Russia have both successfully tested their offset hypersonic gliders which they claim are capable of penetrating the American THAAD system (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense). The U.S. plans to deploy the THAAD anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea to counter threats from North Korea. Chinese military experts consider the tests a “warning to the US.” Sputnik reports: “The hypersonic tests by China and Russia are aimed at causing a threat to the US, which plans to set up a missile defense system in South Korea,” the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong-based Engli... more »
Donald Trump and the bogus shortage of STEM workers.
S. Krashen, May 1, 2016 "... the impending shortage of scientists and engineers is one of the longest running hoaxes in the country" (Gerald Bracey, 2009). "Over the years, (Bill) Gates has been a leading advocate for increasing the H-1B visa and green cards in the belief that the U.S. isn't producing enough high-skilled workers." http://www.computerworld.com/article/2490207/technology-law-regulation/u-s--senator-blasts-microsoft-s-h-1b-push-as-it-lays-off-18-000-workers.html It is clear that despite the outcry from the business world, there is no shortage of STEM workers (eg Is... more »
Australia Releasing Herpes Virus Into Rivers To Destroy European Carp
Australia plans to spend 15 million dollars in a bid to exterminate European carp by releasing a strain of herpes virus into the country’s largest waterway. Tuesday’s federal budget will include funding for the clearing of the Murray-Darling Basin from the country’s worst freshwater feral pest, Australian authorities said on Sunday. According to the Australian, the killer koi herpes virus, spread by infected carp touching each other and in surrounding water, and cannot infect any other form of life, including humans, birds, animals or crustaceans such as yabbies that might feed on ... more »
Jeremy Bowen is Back
Jeremy Bowen, after a lull, has been busy again on Twitter. He's back in Jerusalem and marked his arrival in the area by tweeting the following: You probably *won't* be surprised that he then immediately got down to 'business as usual' by tweeting this: Then came two tweets relaying Palestinian anger at the killing of a "mum" and her brother, complete with photos of sad children, "killed by Israeli forces". The family "reject the claim" from Israel that they were attacking the Israelis. Jeremy *doesn't* provide the Israeli side (and, from given what's been going on, I'm strongl... more »
Ancient Archaeology - the rock wall - Rockwall TX
*Oh, what's this little thing?* It's a picture of a wall. An ancient rock wall. In Rockwall TX (that's Texas, for those who don't know, in the U.S of A.). An almost intact buried rectangular wall 4 miles wide and 7 miles long. The top of the wall at all outcroppings found to date have a uniform elevation of 550 feet above mean sea level. Most people living in Rockwall TX don't even know that their city was named after an ancient Rock Wall that was found while some FreeMasons were digging a well looking for water a long time ago. Literally, WTF?
Workers At Hanford Nuclear Site Checked For Chemical Vapor Exposure
Twenty workers from the The Hanford Site nuclear facility in Washington state were sent for medical evaluations after inhaling chemical vapors in the vicinity of a leaking nuclear waste tank. Some workers had reported smelling a suspicious odor or developing symptoms, such as headaches. Lat month, thousands of gallons of radioactive waste leaked at the site On Thursday work to empty waste from Tank AY-102, Hanford’s double-shell tank with an interior leak was stopped after the suspicious odors were reported. Lat month, thousands of gallons of radioactive waste leaked from the tank, ... more »
Bye, bye, Barack!
Oh my! Tonight's BBC One evening news bulletin had a feature on President Obama's final White House correspondents' dinner. Reeta Chakrabarti was all smiles while introducing it. And BBC reporter Laura Bicker, reporting from the event, waxed whimsical, saying "Entertainer-in-Chief Barack Obama has left a legacy of laughs". They *do* like Barack at the Beeb, don't they? Naturally, his biggest fan at the BBC, Mark Mardell, also covered the event on *The World This Weekend*. The President is "enjoying" himself, said Mark. Same joke at Donald Trump's expense in both reports.
Car Bomb Kills Police Officers In South East Turkey
A massive car bomb near police headquarters in Gaziantep, Turkey, has claimed the lives of at least two officers and injured more than 23 people. ISIS has been blamed for the care bombing and the planned International Labor Day demonstrations in the city were cancelled. Russia Today reports: Footage from the scene showed pieces of a wrecked vehicle near the gates of the station. Glass from windows in buildings in the vicinity were also shattered, while all roads in the area have been closed for security purposes. The governor of Gaziantep Ali Yerlikaya said that two law enforcement...more »
ISIS Suicide Bombers Kill 32 In Southern Iraq
ISIS in Iraq has ventured into the Shiite dominated southern part of the country killing at least 32 civilians and wounding more than 75 others. The terrorist organisation claimed responsibility for two suicide car bombs in the Shiite dominated southern Iraqi city of Samawah on Sunday. Indian Express reports: The first blast was near a local government building and the second one about 60 metres (65 yards) away at a bus station, police sources said. The death toll was expected to keep rising. Unverified online photographs showed a large plume of smoke rising above the buildings as ... more »
"Easy slogans"
Mark Mardell's *The World This Weekend *tried to look beyond what Mark himself called the "easy slogans" of Brexit supporters about us "regaining control of our borders" by looking at what leaving the EU might actually mean for immigration to the UK. Now, some might say that "easy slogans" is a sneering, biased way of characterising the rhetoric used by leading Brexit campaigners, but Mark Mardell has* never *been one to let 'BBC impartiality' get in the way of his reporting. So that's all right then. He then talked to John Vine, former Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and... more »
The U.S. Air Force's A-10 Has A New Mission
A-10 WARTHOG GROUND ATTACK AIRCRAFT HAVE BEGUN FLYING OUT OF CLARK AIR BASE, PHILIPPINES. IMAGE SOURCE: U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. BENJAMIN W. STRATTON. *The Motley Fool:* *A New (Maritime) Mission for Old A-10 Warthogs?* *Fairchild Republic's old winged warhorse rides again over the South China Sea.* Just to the south of China, there's a body of water conveniently named the "South China Sea." According to international law, it's open and free to passage by anyone who wants to use it. From China's perspective, though, if it's got China's name on it, it belongs to China. T... more »
Health Nutrition: "Pass the Butter, Skip the Sugar: We’ve Been Told Big Fat Lies About Heart Disease"
*"Pass the Butter, Skip the Sugar: * *We’ve Been Told Big Fat Lies About Heart Disease"* by Jake Van Der Borne "Who do you look to for information about health and nutrition? Certainly, conventional advice – advice that is provided in influential publications such as the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans– can be trusted. Can’t it? If only it were that simple. A combination of flawed studies, political bias, hidden data, and clever marketing by the food industry led to the demonization of dietary fat and the birth of the low-fat craze– a trend that has lasted decade... more »
The Climate Establishment’s Attack On Free Speech
By Paul Homewood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/01/the-climate-change-brigade-press-freedoms—and-clockwork-bluebe/ Most people will have been unaware of the letter to the Times last week, which attempted to pressurise the editor into stopping publishing articles in the least bit sceptical of establishment climate science. Fortunately, Booker has widened the debate: There recently arrived on the desk of the […]
Prince Murder Probe: Vault Drilled Open, Home Secretly Searched
Prince’s famous vault of unreleased music at his Paisley Park estate has been drilled open as the murder probe into the music legend’s suspicious death continues. According to ABC News, it was drilled open by Bremer Trust, the bank appointed administrator of Prince’s estate, in order for them to take an inventory of its contents. They report that the only way to get into the vault was to drill it open as Prince was the only person who knew the code. PRIZED VAULT FORCED OPEN During the 80s, the star’s most prolific era, the platinum-selling rebel hid recordings from his record label... more »
"How It Really Is"
Quick, too...
“Bill Holter Issues A Red Alert Warning: 'They Know It Is Coming'- An 'Event You Cannot Recover From'”
*“Bill Holter Issues A Red Alert Warning: * *'They Know It Is Coming'- An 'Event You Cannot Recover From'”* By Susan Duclos In an interview that no one should miss, one that ties together the economic news, the massive movements being seen in the physical markets (gold, silver precious metals) overpowering the western paper markets, as well as events happening with Russia, China and Saudi Arabia, Bill Holter of JS MineSet joins SGT Report to explain that we are headed directly towards an "event that you cannot recover from." The interview kicks off with discussion on the the secret ... more »
The Body Of Russia's 'Rambo' Flown Home
*CNN*: *Body of 'Russian Rambo,' who called in airstrike on own position, flown home* (CNN)Alexander Prokhorenko was battling to free the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. But he found himself surrounded by Islamic militants. He feared that he would be captured, tortured, killed and his body mutilated. He preferred to die with dignity. So he called in an airstrike on his own position. That was his contribution to liberating Palmyra from ISIS terrorists -- and to Russian glory. It was also his end. He was 25 years old. His death was announced March 24. And so the legend begins. *R... more »
Health warning
This week's *More or Less *on Radio 4 returned to the EU referendum issue and talked about the (mass) immigration figures missing from George Osborne and the Treasury's heavyweight/dodgy dossier about the dangers of leaving the EU. Curiously, it *didn't *do so in a noticeably debunking spirit - even though it was obvious from what we heard that the Treasury report* had* been economical with the actualité (as they say in Brussels). As he has been doing for some time, Jonathan Portes of the NIESR pointed out the mysterious discrepancies between the official figures for EU migration... more »
Last Will & Testament of the Legal Person Formerly Known as Prince Rogers Nelson
*"Wait a few days before you waste any prayers [on me]" * He's asking his fans - us - to exercise caution and skepticism in the immediate future, and just be patient rather that responding in the manner which one would expect [many of] you to react to this thing which is just about occur (by praying for him), because he says those prayers would be WASTED. People who believe in a God and in the power of prayer never speak of any prayer being a WASTED, because that would infer that the outcome of the attempt is fixed and known in advance, meaning that it was ill-conceived and futil... more »
Condorcet in the News
Eric Maskin and Amartya Sen apply voting theory to the current Republican primary.
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, May 1st, 2016
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Yes it is Sunday again... May 1st and the start of a brand new month... And as usual, time for my weekly rant.. Once a year, I always take a look at those "unusual subjects" that I periodically get asked to give my own opinion about... Many of these subjects are usually taboo to real researchers, since the material usually labels the writer as being a "quack" or a "kook".... But I do get a lot of comments about them, and I will oblige those commentators here.... On the subject of extraterrestrial life..... I stated before and I will say it again... We are def... more »
Will This Be The Last Year For Venezuelan President Maduro?
*Miami Herald*: *Is this Maduro’s final year in office in Venezuela?* * Polls show Venezuela’s president on track to lose recall referendum * But Maduro has defied expectations of an early exit in the past * The opposition still struggles to connect with voters BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: Ever since Nicolás Maduro put on Venezuela’s tri-colored presidential sash on April 19, 2013, people have been wondering how long he might get to wear it. And as the 53-year-old, mustachioed former union organizer begins his fourth year in power, speculation that this year might be his last is once again hit... more »
KKK Imperial Wizard Backs Trump While George Will Whines About Making Hillary A One-Term President
In a recent interview with the Imperial Wizard of the KKK, Richmond's NBC-TV affiliate, WWBT, reports why the Klan is backing Trump and find themselves in the #NeverCruz kamp: "I think Donald Trump would be best for the job," said the Imperial Wizard. "The reason a lot of Klan members like Donald Trump is because a lot of what he believes in, we believe in. We want our country to be safe." The Imperial Wizard said he supports Trump’s calls to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. "If Donald Trump dropped out tomorrow I would support Kasich before I would Ted ... more »
Iraq's Maidan Spring? Part 1
*Long but worthwhile:* Nawshirwin Mustafa returns from London. All groomed and ready to go. Within hours, literally, the green zone is *allegedly* , maybe conveniently, breached as protestors enter the highly fortified complex. *Conflicting reports are all the rage! And demands for a technocratic government are made? Sorting fact from fiction? Reality from perception management?* *First: The end of Iraq is Nigh: Gorran Leader Nashirwin Mustafa returns from London* *“Nawshirwan Mustafa has examined several evaluations* for solving issues in Kurdistan during his visit to London,” ... more »
Episodic 'Flu
*When I came down with the 'flu last Winter, it was just awful.* *Just couldn't seem to shake it, for months this carried on.* *How was I meant to know I had been put onto the installments plan before I got given a dose this year...?* *When contracting a virus, always insist they accept only Cash on Delivery.* Episodic 'flu is apparently a real diagnosis in use today in Russia and elsewhere by the more reasonably priced private physicians to explain cases of intermittent chronic symptoms very high temperature, fever, white blood cell production and T4 cell count, broken up by ofte... more »
Some of my popular BWorld articles
When my column or article in BusinessWorld/Opinion appears online the night before publication, usually between 9:30 to 11:30 pm, I announce it via the 5 buttons in BWorld: fb like, fb share, twitter, google+ and linkedin. Some of my fb friends, twitter followers, others would check my article so that by midnight, it would be #1 or #2 most read article in BWorld. For several minutes, or few hours. Like these, the date and time are indicated in the bottom right side of each image. All #1 except the PH power generation under WESM, which was #2. The 3 panels on the left: Tax reform wa... more »
Is the BBC 'Judeophobic' or just 'anti-Zio'?
How is the BBC handling the antisemitism crisis in the Labour Party? There seems to be a split between the camp who want to treat it as honestly and impartially as they can without upsetting too many Muslims, and the camp that has gone rogue. I almost see a hideous parallel with Ken Livingstone’s assertion that Hitler supported Zionism before he *went mad* and killed some Jews. We know the BBC is institutionally pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist. I mean, from top to bottom. We know this because they magnify every detail of what they see as Israel’s human rights violations and cri... more »
Venezuela Is About To Run Out Of Beer
*Tim Worstall, Fortune*: *Congratulations To Bolivarian Socialism: Venezuela Is Now The Country With No Beer* It seems that the economic management of Venezuela has just been able to chalk up another milestone. We might have to give them a prize of some kind for this one: in a week or so the country is going to run out of beer. This isn’t because no one wants beer, not at all. There’s been no mass outbreak of Islam or Mormonism to turn the population away from the locally highly popular drink. It’s not because people don’t have the money to buy it: Polar, the local manufacturer, c... more »
Labor Econ 17, On ending contractualization
Happy International Labor's Day. During the 3rd and final Presidential debate last April 24, 2016, all five candidates said they are opposed to contractualization of labor -- getting contracts for work of 5 months or less, not reaching 6 months after which the worker should get permanent position in the company, entitled to various labor benefits and allowances. Ending contractualization is a populist and "politically correct" position but it is actually an anti-labor policy. The best labor policy is to allow, encourage workers to become start up entrepreneurs and small capitalists ... more »
"Unhappy America: A Societal Meltdown?"
*"Unhappy America: A Societal Meltdown?"* by Michael Snyder "Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for the United States of America? All great nations eventually fall, and the United States is not going to be any exception. Many of those that write about the decline of our once great country tend to focus on external threats, and there are certainly many that could be talked about. But perhaps even more ominous is the internal societal meltdown that we see happening all around us. According to Real Clear Politics, recent surveys show that 67 percent of Americans believe that... more »
KIPP Insists Feds Hide Attrition Numbers: ED Complies
We know that KIPP's high attrition among students and teachers has been documented since 2008, even though KIPP has gone to great lengths to hide the facts that most teachers last less than three year and that the majority of entering 5th graders never reach 9th grade. Their secrecy, however, took on new dimensions when the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) recently requested student enrollment and attrition information from the U. S. Department of Education. Since the U. S. Government handed over at least $40,000,000 in taxpayer money to KIPP over a two year period from 2013 t... more »
Race
Oh, and *The Andrew Marr Show *also had an interview with Sir Lenny Henry. Sir Lenny is best known these days for talking a lot about race. He's now produced a blues album that sings a lot about race. Andrew Marr was all agog to hear him talk about race. Race. And the programme ended with Sir Lenny singing one of his songs. I instantly thought of the 'Pub singer' round in Reeves and Mortimer's *Shooting Stars *and chortled. I suppose I shouldn't have done that. I should have thought about race instead. Is it wrong* not* to think about race anywhere near as often as Sir Lenny... more »
Secret US Civil War News...Continued
Separated at birth? * Mark Toner* * John Kirby* Again, apologies for confusing the two interchangeable spokespersons for the US State Department in my previous post. Not only do they look alike...they sound exactly alike...as they bob and weave...dodging the questions of Matt Lee. Yesterday, Northern Truthseeker posted a shocking video that corroborates my contention that the United States is in a secret civil war...with factions operating on two separate and opposing tracks in Syria. The "White Helmets", an NGO that one faction of the government is suppo... more »
London's Politics Is About To Change At City Hall
*Reuters*:* Labour candidate favourite for London mayor after racially charged campaign* LONDON (Reuters) - Sadiq Khan of opposition Labour Party is the strong favourite to win London's mayoral election on Thursday after a contest marked by religious tensions and accusations of racism. Polls show Khan, the son of a bus driver, is as much as 20 percentage points ahead of rival Conservative Zac Goldsmith in the race to run one of the world's top financial centres. If he wins, he will succeed current Conservative mayor Boris Johnson to become the first Muslim to head a major Western... more »
Andrew Marr and Diane Abbott
Andrew Marr's interview today with Diane Abbott was extraordinary. As you can see from the video, it's already being described as a 'car crash interview', but aren't all interviews with Diane Abbott 'car crash interviews' these days? And to have a 'car crash interview' at the hands of Andrew Marr? *That *takes some doing, but Diane managed it effortlessly today. It never seems to get to her though, does it? And I think that's because she comes to each and every interview clad in seemingly-impenetrable armour: the armour of her own supremely-confident stupidity. All credit to And... more »
"Slightly fruity" UKIP
It's a funny thing. Never mind how many millions of people vote for UKIP or how many council seats they hold (around 500 at the moment), you could pretty much bet on a BBC interviewer making this kind of crack at some stage during an interview with someone from UKIP, couldn't you?: *UKIP politician*: Well, we stand for direct democracy. You know, we believe that big issues should be put to people and people should be able to call local referendums on really big issues. But you will also get, you know, with UKIP politicians at all levels, you will get people who are not afraid to s... more »
Andrew Marr and Mark Regev
Andrew Marr's interview with Mark Regev this morning is well worth catching up with if you've not already seen it. Ambassador Regev (as he now is) was on excellent form throughout, e.g.: *Mark Regev*: You know, if historically anti-Semites targeted individual Jews, that they were evil, that they were behind the scenes, that they were manipulators, all the typical anti-Semitic stereotypes; if you listen very carefully today modern anti-Semites target the collective Jew, the Jewish state. Israel is evil. Israel must be eliminated. Israel is a perversion. The very same slurs are now ... more »
Andrew Marr, Bake Off and Owen Jones
Continuing the theme of this morning's *BBC Breakfast *paper review, Andrew Marr & guests gave short shrift to the mooted plan to encourage the BBC to behave responsibly towards its non-licence-fee-funded commercial rivals by moving shows like Strictly and Bake Off to slightly different times: There's an idea that popular programmes - programmes that are doing too well - should be pushed off prime time. There's the* Sunday Telegraph* splashing on that: 'BBC faces checks into the quality of its shows'. If they're too good, off they go! Erm, that's my bias there for you! You said it... more »
PETER HITCHENS: Everyone Howls At Batty Ken - But They Wouldn't Dare Tackle Racist Muslims
'As for all those people who suddenly got so exercised about Judophobia, and wildly worked up about Ken Livingstone's batty views on Zionism (standard issue on the far Left for decades), I have some questions for them. Are you prepared to put the same energy into challenging and denouncing Judophobia among the Palestinians you support abroad, and the British Muslims whose votes you seek here? Because, if not, I might suspect that you are just using the issue to try to win back control of the Labour Party, which you lost last summer in a fair fight.' But I I I q Good points from... more »
May Day Parade Today
*WNU Editor:* There was a time when I did show up a few times in Red Square to watch the annual May Day parade. Today .... I will be in Montreal having an Orthodox Easter dinner with family and friends and watching the Indiana Pacers - Toronto Raptors basketball game at 20:00 EST. Yup .... the times are changing.
Beautiful Churches: Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
[image: Dutch Reformed Church South Africa - 900] The Dutch Reformed Church has a long history of faithful worship in Franschhoek, South Africa. Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in 17th century France found freedom to flourish in the Franschhoek, or "French corner," in what is now the Western Cape... more »
Roasting The Press At The White House Correspondents’ Dinner
*Matt Wilstein, Daily Beast*:* Larry Wilmore Roasts the Press in White House Correspondents’ Monologue* *President Obama was a tough act to follow, but Wilmore reminded some of Stephen Colbert with his audience-unfriendly jokes.* Tonight, Larry Wilmore proved exactly why he was the perfect choice to host President Barack Obama’s final White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Even if the crowd of journalists in attendance didn’t seem to agree. More than ever before, the president was an impossible act to follow. Not only did Obama deliver a slew of jokes at Donald Trump’s expense but he...more »
Economic News & Views ( May 1 , 2016 ) Overview For Sunday ( 1. Latest Items Touching On Refugee/ Economic Migration / Border Security Concerns. 2. Spain Political Updates & Journalist Protests. 3. Brexit Items For Sunday. 4. Iraq In Focus - After Tumult Of Saturday , What's Next For Iraq's Gov't ? 5. Additional MENA/ Turkey Items De Jour. )
Refugee / Economic Migration Crisis - Border Security Concerns .... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 1m 1 minute ago fred walton Retweeted SPIEGEL English Ankara's view-Turkey has kept its end of deal , EU must agree to Turks visa free travel even if 72 conditions unmet fred walton added, *SPIEGEL English* @SPIEGEL_English Europe set to approve visa freedoms for Turks. But many are worried about the possible consequences. http://www.spiegel.de/international/ europe/europe-at-pains-over-visa-free-travel-for-turks-a-1090040.html … *Alwasat* @alwasatengnews 4m 4 minutes ago ... more »
Is America's Navy Spread Too Thin?
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 23, 2014 ) The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) leads a formation of ships from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 during a maneuvering exercise. Theodore Roosevelt participated in the exercise with the Peruvian submarine BAP Islay (SS 35), the guided-missile destroyers USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS Farragut (DDG 99) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Theodore Roosevelt is underway preparing for future deployments. *Nikolas K. Gvosdev, National Interest:* *America's Navy Is Spread Too Thin* *A h... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Oil's Latest Casualty: Saudi Binladin Group Fires 50,000, A Quarter Of Its Workforce "We Want Them Dead" - ISIS Releases "Hit List" Of 3,600 New Yorkers "Erdogan Is The Father Of ISIS" - New Documentary Outlines Turkey's Support Of The Islamic State Italy's Bank Bailout Fund Already One Third Empty After First Bank Rescue Stop Dreaming About A Clinton-Warren Ticket. It's Not Happening. Large Swaths Of Pacific Ocean May Suffocate In Just 15 Years If you don't think this man can get Donald Trump elected, you should reconsider Venezuela government orders clocks... more »
President Obama 2016 White House Correspondents Dinner
*WNU Editor:* The full video of the entire 2016 White House Correspondents Dinner is below:
Unmasking Zero Hedge
*Bloomberg:* *Unmasking the Men Behind Zero Hedge, Wall Street's Renegade Blog* *The veil is lifted on a secretive website.* Colin Lokey, also known as "Tyler Durden," is breaking the first rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. He’s also breaking the second rule of Fight Club. (See the first rule.) After more than a year writing for the financial website Zero Hedge under the nom de doom of the cult classic’s anarchic hero, Lokey’s going public. In doing so, he’s answering a question that has bedeviled Wall Street since the site sprang up seven years ago: Just who ... more »
Iraq's Oil Business Is Booming
A worker walks at Khor al-Amaya oil terminal off the coast of Basra April 30, 2009. REUTERS/MAY NAJI *Bloomberg*: *Iraq Oil Shipments Near Record as Protests Intensify in Baghdad* * Shipments rose to 3.36 million barrels a day in April * Oil output, exports not affected by parliament protests: SOMO Iraq’s oil exports approached a record high in April, adding barrels to a worldwide supply glut, even as protests against public corruption threatened to paralyze the OPEC member nation’s government. Shipments rose to 3.36 million barrels a day, or 100.92 million barrels for the month... more »
Sadly, My 2011 Warning About LGBT Activism is Coming True
[image: 1Showing_your_pride_-_DC_Gay_Pride_Parade_2012_(7356403050)] Are you shocked by the radical success of LGBT activism in recent years? I hate to say it, but I told you it was coming, clearly and in detail. Here's what I wrote in A Queer Thing Happened to America... more »
No Point Talking To Iraq's Prime Minister
Followers of Iraq's Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold a sit-in at Grand Festivities Square in Baghdad, in Iraq April 30, 2016. WISSM AL-OKILI / Reuter The Guardian:* 'No point talking to Iraqi PM': Qatar in secret talks with Shia tribes to free hunters* Doha negotiates for release of group that includes royal family members as irritation grows over Haider al-Abadi’s lack of power For the past four months, the fate of a Qatari hunting party including members of the royal family held hostage in Iraq has been secretly negotiated between officials in Doha and tribes in Basra. The I... more »
Billboards Using Phone Data to Track Shoppers, Schumer Wants an Investigation
[image: A Clear Channel Billboard is pictured on April 7, 2013 in Birmingham, England.] NEW YORK (AP) -- An outdoor advertising company that owns thousands of billboards across the country, including in Times Square, and around the world, is using mobile photo data to learn about people who are passing their displays in order... more »
Peace Activist, Jesuit Priest Daniel Berrigan Dies at 94
[image: This Feb. 16, 1981, file photo shows Daniel Berrigan on NBC-TV’s Today show in New York. The Roman Catholic priest and Vietnam war protester, Berrigan has died. He was 94. Michael Benigno, a spokesman for the Jesuits USA Northeast Province, says Berrigan died Saturday, April 30, 2016, at a Jesuit infirmary at Fordham University.] NEW YORK (AP) -- His defiant protests helped shape Americans’ opposition to the Vietnam War. And they landed The Rev. Daniel Berrigan behind bars. The Roman Catholic priest, writer and poet, who became a household name in the U.S. in... more »
What Hillary Won't Agree To On May Day... Or Any Other Day
Let's put Adolph Reed's quote-- "Ideology is the mechanism that harmonizes the principles that you want to hold and what gets you paid"-- aside for a moment and look at what Bernie would like to accomplish within the confines of the Democratic Party at this point. During a speech Thursday in Springfield, Oregon he said said the party should go back to Howard Dean's 50-state strategy-- shit-canned by Rahm Emanuel, Tim Kaine and Debbie Wasserman Schultz-- as well as towards open primaries and automatic voter registration. "All over this country we have Republican governors trying to... more »
US Embassy Official In Baghdad: 'No Evacuation Of The American Staff Inside The American Embassy'
Followers of Iraq's Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather in the parliament building as they storm Baghdad's Green Zone after lawmakers failed to convene for a vote on overhauling the government on April 30. AHMED SAAD / Reuters *WNU Editor:* According to *NBC News*, there were no plans to evacuate the U.S. Embassy during the height of the protests .... *.... A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the American Embassy in Baghdad was not being evacuated, contrary to local reports."There is no evacuation for the American staff inside the American embassy," he said... more »
CA Convention Is a Homecoming of Sorts for Carly Fiorina
[image: Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina] BURLINGAME, Calif. (AP) -- When Carly Fiorina spoke at the California Republican Party convention at a hotel outside San Francisco airport, it was a brief homecoming of sorts for the newly minted vice presidential candidate. Fiorina grew up in the... more »
US Once Again Forced to Turn to Russia for Help on Syria
[image: John Kerry] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scrambling to resuscitate a nearly dead truce in Syria, the Obama administration has again been forced to turn to Russia for help, with little hope for the desired U.S. outcome. At stake are thousands of lives and... more »
Congressional Hearing Reveals Evidence Planned Parenthood Profited Selling Baby Body Parts
[image: Marsha Blackburn - 900] Recently, as I was preparing for a media interview on a leftward-leaning outlet, the camera technician, not wanting his prolife views revealed, leaned over and whispered, "Can you believe that Planned Parenthood sells baby parts? It's just heartbreaking." That is... more »
Untitled
*Boston public school closings are tough but necessary* *As students flee poorly-run classes for charters and the suburbs. But the guy below sounds as if he is pissing into the wind, advocating for a lost cause* WITH ENROLLMENT at Boston Public Schools (BPS) falling, the school committee voted to close 22 schools as the first step in a modernization plan to reduce facilities costs and maximize the resources going directly into classrooms. Sound familiar? The catch: The year was 1952, which proves there’s some truth to the old adage that the more things change, the more they sta... more »
Political Tensions Still High In Baghdad After The Green Zone And Parliament Was Stormed And Occupied By Shiite Protestors
*Reuters*: *Sadr followers dig in inside Baghdad's Green Zone, political crisis deepens* Hundreds of supporters of Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed parliament inside Baghdad's Green Zone on Saturday and camped out nearby after Sadr denounced politicians' failure to reform a political quota system blamed for rampant corruption. The protesters, who had gathered outside the heavily fortified central district housing government buildings and many foreign embassies, crossed a bridge over the Tigris River chanting: "The cowards ran away!" in apparent reference to departing... more »
Untitled
*If the media could interview the earth* *Via Bishop Hill* *Inside climate propaganda* *InsideClimate News excels at propagating environmentalist and Obama thinking and policies* Paul Driessen Have you ever wondered how the LA Times, Associated Press, Weather Channel and your local media always seem to present similar one-sided stories on climate change, fossil fuels, renewable energy and other environmental issues? How their assertions become “common knowledge,” like the following? "Global temperatures are the hottest ever recorded. Melting ice caps are raising seas to da... more »
Orthodox Christians Celebrate Easter
Orthodox Christians across the world celebrate Easter. https://t.co/AIjLL3I8sj — The Associated Press (@AP) May 1, 2016 *Update: *‘Holiest day of the year’: Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter worldwide (RT) *WNU Editor:* Yup .... it is Russian Orthodox Easter today. And being Russian Orhodox means blogging will be light today as I work to prepare a small feast for family and friends later today.
Tweet For Today
Iran's new parliament will have more women than clerics https://t.co/4idT35zZS3 #IranElections2016 #Iran — AFP news agency (@AFP) May 1, 2016
China's Space Program Is About To Expand Significantly
*Photo: *The launch of Long March 3B Rocket, Xichang Satellite Center, China.Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ AAxanderr *Ryan Faith, VICE: China Is About to Launch Its Space Program Into High Gear* The Chinese government has been making bold announcements about the future of its space program — space stations, Mars rovers, Moon landings, the whole shebang. And in addition to being of note space-wise, the country's plans have some pretty interesting political implications. This part of the Chinese space program — the non-military part — has operated on two main lines of effort: a r... more »
May 1 is Law Day and Criminals Aren’t Yet Running the Place. Thank the Rule of Law.
[image: Eisenhower Presidential Portrait - 900] It’s hard to get excited about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Unless you’re old enough to remember him as the strategic genius who commanded D-Day (where one of my uncles was wounded), you likely see Ike as the icon of a dull,... more »
Trump Backers Yell Foul Over Loss to Cruz at Arizona GOP Convention
[image: Ted Cruz] PHOENIX (AP) -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz pulled out a strategic victory at the Arizona Republican Party convention, nailing down a large majority of delegates to the national convention amid cheating accusations from backers of businessman Donald Trump. The Cruz... more »
Why Over Half of Prince’s Estate Will Go to the Government
[image: Prince - 900] It appears that the pop star Prince may have died without a will, leaving behind a multi-million dollar and growing estate. Although Prince has one full sister and five half-siblings, Prince's family members will not be his biggest heirs. Both... more »
james connolly, sid ryan, and marxism 2016
This is The Proclamation. The Proclamation was read by Padraig (Patrick) Pearse outside the General Post Office in Dublin on April 24, 1916. This marked the beginning of the Easter Rising. Rather less dramatically, a copy of the Proclamation has hung on my office wall since our trip to Ireland in 2001. It has lived large and present in my revolutionary heart since the early days of my fascination with Irish history. Last week I had the pleasure of hearing the entire Proclamation read out loud by Toronto labour activist Mike Seaward. It was nothing short of thrilling to hear th... more »
From The Same Folks
We've been told that the "Sharing Economy" is the way of the future. But a new book by Tom Slee questions that proposition. Tom Walkom writes: But as Tom Slee writes in his authoritative new book *What’s Yours is Mine*, the original idea, however laudable, has turned into something far darker. Or as he puts it: “The sharing economy is extending a harsh and deregulated free market into previously protected areas of our lives. The leading companies are now corporate juggernauts themselves.” Slee holds a PhD in theoretical chemistry and works for a Waterloo software company. He kn... more »
‘Obama Out': President Closes Out His Run as Comedian-in-Chief
[image: Obama Out] WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama performed his brand of sharp-tongued comedy at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the last time -- wrapping up with “Obama out” and dropping the mic while the crowd cheered. Obama’s performance Saturday night... more »
Michael Bloomberg Gets Booed by College Students for Denouncing ‘Safe Spaces’
[image: Michael Bloomberg compressed] Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave the commencement address at the University of Michigan Saturday morning, winning many cheers, and some boos, when he denounced the creation of "safe spaces" on university campuses. "The most important knowledge that you will leave... more »
Orthodox Christians Across the World Celebrate Easter
[image: Russian Orthodox Easter- 90000] ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- With “Holy Fire,” fireworks and solemn Masses, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrated Easter on Sunday, commemorating the day followers believe that Jesus was resurrected more than 2,000 years ago. Roman Catholics and Protestants marked Easter... more »
Institutional bias at the BBC
The free-market think thank the Institute for Economic Affairs has produced a new report calling for the BBC to be privatised. Part of the report looks at the subject matter of this very blog: BBC bias. Ryan Bourne analyses the date (pp 67-97) and Stephen Davies considers why the BBC might be biased (pp 100-112). Both are subtle and nuanced takes, emphasising how difficult bias can be to nail down and how it isn't as simple as just 'left-wing bias' or 'right-wing' bias. They argue that the BBC's bias doesn't result from a conspiracy. They say it's institutional, arising from thi... more »
Sex Pest In Turkey Is Beaten By Women Passengers On Bus
A sex pest got more than he bargained for when he decided to sexually assault a woman on a crowded bus in Turkey. The man tried to sneakily grope a female passenger from behind not realizing that the bus is full of other women and he is about to be exposed as a sex fiend. The women beat the man and literally kicked him off the bus and have him arrested by the police for sexual assault. The Mirror reports: The man was caught on CCTV cameras on the bus in Turkey’s western Kocaeli province, reaching down and appearing to a grope woman’s behind. The man then appears to press his crotch ...more »
Special Boat Service (SBS) Ambushed By ISIS In Libya
ISIS suicide bombers in Libya have reportedly ambushed a convoy of western marines and Libyan troops that included members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) of the United Kingdom Special Forces. There are reports of some Italian casualties and some British special forces being taken prisoner by ISIS. The Mirror reports: Members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) were travelling in a convoy with Italian and Libyan troops when they were targeted by militants, according to an Israeli military intelligence website. The attackers drove up to the convoy in vehicles packed with explosives, ... more »
Nick Cohen nails the antisemitism that has long existed in the Labour Party
'Show me a leftwing or Islamist antisemite and, once again, he will carry a suitcase full of prejudices, which have nothing to do with Jews, but somehow have everything to do with Jews. The Labour party does not have a "problem with antisemitism" it can isolate and treat, like a patient asking a doctor for a course of antibiotics. The party and much of the wider liberal-left have a chronic condition.' This is another must read article http://www.theguardian.com/politics/commentisfree/2016/apr/30/labour-antisemitism-ken-livingstone-george-galloway Don't expect Nick Cohen to be inv... more »
"Stunning Video Reveals Why You Shouldn't Trust Anything You See On Television"
*"Stunning Video Reveals Why You Shouldn't * *Trust Anything You See On Television"* by Tyler Durden "In recent years, many have voiced increasing concerns with their ability to place trust in official data, and have faith in conventional narratives. And for good reason: recently a University of Chicago finance professor, while being interviewed at the Ambrosetti Forum, said that it is all about preserving confidence and trust in a "rigged game": "if people are told enough by smart people on television that the economy has been fixed, and the market is a reflection of the fundament... more »
Don't believe David Cameron and the Remain campaign
The new regulations on mobile phone roaming wouldn't disappear after Brexit. 'Millions of mobile phone customers with an allowance package will benefit from reduced roaming charges in most of Europe from tomorrow, ahead of the blanket ban on such charges from June next year. The roaming caps will apply when using your UK phone abroad in any European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country – this comprises all 28 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (but not Switzerland). A full list of EU and EEA member states can be found at Gov.uk.' More here ... more »
One Mind, One Body, One Spirit - A Discourse by Christina C. Conti
Source: *Songstress Syren G+*
Keeping tabs on BBC One's News at Six - Update
If you were wondering what's happened to *ITBB*'s survey of BBC One's main evening news bulletin (*News at Six *on weekdays, the early evening news bulletins at weekends) and its EU referendum coverage (since the referendum's official launch in mid-April), well, here's a month-end update. If you remember, three things are being counted. ****** The first measure is a simple comparison of the amount of time given to *direct quotes* from each side [actually *clips of people speaking*]. This has worked out as follows (with 'n/a' signalling no EU referendum-related feature or no direc... more »
Harmony on the BBC Breakfast sofa
There was a heart-warming eruption of pro-BBC sentiment on the *BBC Breakfast *sofa this morning, with freelance journalist Robert Meakin joining the BBC's very own Roger Johnson in rubbishing the apparent government proposal to move Strictly and Bake Off (in order to give the BBC's commercial rivals a helping hand): *Roger Johnson*: What's caught your eye? The BBC's in three of the papers this morning. *Robert Meakin*: Yeah, widely reported today again about what the Charter will involve. The suggestion now being that the BBC may not be allowed to have its most popular shows - li... more »
Gaia Portal: Sensationals appear when least expected by the hu-being
*Sensationals appear when least expected by the hu-being* by ÉirePort Sensationals appear when least expected by the hu-being. Calmings are presented and accepted. Masteries of flights are anticipated and seen. Creations of Light are pronounced. ÉirePort | May 1, 2016 at 07:07 | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-ye
NO SHORTAGE of computer science graduates
There is now a petition to congress to provide more support for computer science in schools, because “There are currently over 500,000 open computing jobs, in every sector, from manufacturing to banking, from agriculture to healthcare, but only 50,000 computer science graduates a year.” (“Offer computer science in our public schools,”; change.org/computerscience#CSforALL) The petition is signed by a number of “business leaders,” including Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, state governors, and various heads of education organizations, including David Coleman of the College Board. A fo... more »
Five Most Popular Posts in April
The five most-read last month were: 1. Ken Livingstone, Labour, and Anti-Semitism 2. Explaining the Election of Malia Bouattia 3. Dave, Panama, and the Press 4. What BHS says about British Capitalism 5. McDonald's and Labour "Snobbishness" Everything was going so swimmingly ... until Ken Livingstone. Well, perhaps not, but for at least the last few weeks the spotlight was firmly on the Tories' major difficulties. Not even yet another (confected) internal row, this time about a McDonald's stand at party conference, was enough to distract the media's attention for a sufficient period.... more »
Military Photo of the Day: Celebrating the Death of Osama Bin Laden
[image: Bin Laden Death-900] Two U.S. Marine veterans join a patriotic celebration at Ground Zero in New York following the president’s announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death on May 1, 2011. The veteran shown on the far right, Bill Cortese, lost two cousins during... more »
Picture Of The Day
Stinger Rounds Marines fire stinger simulation rounds aboard the USS Wasp in the Atlantic Ocean, April 17, 2016. The Marines are assigned to Medium Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 264, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is underway for an amphibious exercise. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan G. Coleman
A Look At How The Afghan Army Will Survive The 2016 Fighting Season
An Afghan policeman inspects passengers at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Jalalabad province, Afghanistan, April 29, 2016. REUTERS/ PARWIZ *Shawn Snow, Foreign Policy*: *How Afghanistan Survives the 2016 Fighting Season* *Off to a grim and tragic start, Afghanistan must heed lessons from the 2015 fighting season and get creative in their strategies if this year's is to be any better.* Spring has finally arrived, and with it, the beginning of another bloody season of fighting between the Taliban and the Afghan central government. On April 12, the Taliban announced the start of it... more »
Ukraine And Pro-Russian Rebel Forces Have Agreed To An Orthodox Ceasefire
*DW:* *Ukraine troops and pro-Russia rebels agree Orthodox Easter ceasefire* Ukraine's government has agreed a new truce with pro-Russian insurgents, which is set to take effect on Orthodox Easter weekend. The ceasefire comes amidst reports that fighting has reached levels not seen for months. An agreement has been reached to halt violence in eastern Ukraine - at least until May 9, announced the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Friday. The truce is set to begin at midnight on Saturday and covers Orthodox Christian Easter and International Workers' Day ... more »
The Syrian War Against The Criminal US/Israel/NATO Cabal: Exposing The Truth About The "White Helmet" NGO's Operating Inside Syria
For the last year at least, when I have been researching and studying the "war" in Syria, there periodically are articles or videos concerning this group of "NGO's" operating inside Syria that are supposed to be there to aid and assist the Syrian civilian population.....But more and more when I looked at these "White Helmets" something really stank to high heaven, and evidence began to surface showing these NGO's to not be "impartial at all"..... Well, lo and behold, it seems that these "White Helmets" are not as they appear and how the Jew spew media portrays them at all...For acco... more »
Would You Believe Campaign Cash-- Bribes Basically-- Keeps Up The Price Of Medications?
This afternoon we looked at David Jolly's STOP Act, an attempt to start chipping away at the domination of big money over Congress. Several people told me I should have included some concrete examples of how the money chase influences policy. Of course, that's been one of the major themes of *DWT* since 2005 but let me offer a specific example I ran across today regarding how Big Pharma bribes Congress to keep drug prices high. Ryan Grim pointed out that pharmaceutical industry lobbyists are desperate to slow down an Obama administration plan to reduce drug prices and that they're... more »
U.N. Report: 10,000 Killed Since Ukraine Conflict Began
A member of the forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic stands by the wreckage of a car destroyed in an explosion in the rebel-controlled village of Yelenovka outside Donetsk, Ukraine, April 27, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO Radio Free Europe: *UN Raises Ukraine Death Toll Estimate To 9,333* The United Nations on April 28 raised its estimate of the total killed during the conflict in eastern Ukraine to 9,333 from 9,160 in March. UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Taye-Brook Zerihoun told the UN Security Council that the total number of ... more »
U.S. Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court Has Never Denied Any FBI Or NSA Surveillance Request
Image from Slashgear *Bruce Brown, Digital Trends: Can you say ‘rubber stamp?’ FBI and NSA requests never denied by secret court* You likely don’t know much about the U.S. Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court. Though it keeps a low profile, this is the court the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency go to when they want permission to put someone under surveillance. And they don’t get turned down, according to Reuters, citing a Justice Department memo. In 2015 the court received and approved 1,457 requests from the FBI and NSA. There were a bit fewer requ... more »
North Korea Vows To Continue Developing Its Nuclear Weapon Capabilities
*Bloomberg:** N. Korea Vows to Rapidly Advance Nuclear Attack Capabilities* * S. Korea-U.S. drills 'worst' provocation: official news agency * Kim Jong Un regime to hold Worker’s Party Congress on May 6 North Korea vowed to make rapid advancements on nuclear attack capabilities if South Korea and the U.S. continue with joint military drills, with the warning coming days before predictions that the nation may conduct its fifth nuclear test for the Worker’s Party Congress on May 6. “Our capability to make nuclear attacks will make fast advancement every time enemies conduct war exerc... more »
The Doctors Without Borders Kunduz Afghanistan Hospital Slaughter: The US Government "Investigates" And Finds Its Murderous Military "Not Guilty" Of This Serious War Crime! (Why Am I Not Shocked?)
I posted three previous articles about the American murderous attack on a Doctors Without Borders (Medicine Sans Frontieres)hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan back on October 3, 2015 that resulted in the slaughter of some 42 innocent people and leaving some other 30 crippled.... It was an unprovoked act of genocide against unarmed civilians conducted by the US airforce using a US airforce AC-130U gunship, and to this day the US government has never accepted full blame for this callous act.. The US government instead has said it was a 'mistake' and that they would conduct a thorough "in... more »
Politicians Allied To Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Gain In Run-Off Elections
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, in this March 26, 2016 file photo. REUTERS/FAISAL MAHMOOD *Reuters:* *Iran's moderates make modest gains in run-off election* Politicians allied to President Hassan Rouhani came out strongest in a second round of parliamentary elections in Iran, early results showed on Saturday, but his moderate faction appeared unlikely to clinch an overall majority. If confirmed, the results suggest Iran's next parliament will be more supportive of Rouhani's drive for economic reforms, but conservatives will ... more »
White House Iraq Plan Thrown Into Disarray After Today's Storming Of The Parliament By Pro-Shiite Protestors
*Washington Post:* *Protests in Baghdad throw administration’s Iraq plan into doubt* President Obama’s plan for fighting the Islamic State is predicated on having a credible and effective Iraqi ally on the ground in Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. And in recent days, the administration had been optimistic, despite the growing political unrest in Baghdad, about that critical partnership. But that optimism — along with the administration’s strategy for battling the Islamic State in Iraq — was thrown into severe doubt after protesters stormed Iraq’s parliament on Saturday and a stat... more »
More CO2 still greening the Earth
NASA via WUWTThe shrill keep speaking of *carbon pollution*. This is a double lie. The late Bob Carter wrote in his book; *"Taxing Air:"* Why all this talk about carbon instead of carbon dioxide? Because it evokes the image of dirty smokestacks, long a thing of the past in Australia. Since the 1970s, green lobby groups have come to realise the power that resides in defining the language used in environmental debates — generally by substituting deliberately emotionally-charged words for factually accurate ones. To further compound the lie, the shrill tack *"pollution" *onto *carb... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Balance (Galaxies)"
Liquid Mind, "Balance (Galaxies)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKKzFk-FiZM
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”
*“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, and others:* “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 beginn... more »
My Fabulous, Wonderful Adventure At Stony Brook This Week
This was a pretty special week for me. My doctor gave me permission to fly for the first time since my stem cell transplant left me without an immune system. I've spent the last 6 months gets immunized for everything from whooping cough and diptheria to polio and dozens of strains of influenza. But she told me I can start going to concerts again and even go on planes-- crowded places where germs are known to lurk. My old university, Stony Brook, had planned a ceremony to honor my support of the EOP/AIM program, which provides access to higher education-- and the opportunities that ... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Makemake, second brightest dwarf planet of the Kuiper belt, has a moon. Nicknamed MK2, Makemake's moon reflects sunlight with a charcoal-dark surface, about 1,300 times fainter than its parent body. Still, it was spotted in Hubble Space Telescope observations intended to search for faint companions with the same technique used to find the small satellites of Pluto. Just as for Pluto and its satellites, further observations of Makemake and orbiting moon will measure the system's mass and density and allow a broader understanding of the distant worlds. *Click image for larger size.* ... more »
"Be Kind..."
"Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle." - Plato
“Embracing Life-Affirming Death Awareness: How to Transform Yourself and Possibly Save Human Civilization”
*“Embracing Life-Affirming Death Awareness: * *How to Transform Yourself and Possibly Save Human Civilization”* By Fred Branfman “I never want to forget the prospect of death. Because, if I am ever able to block out those emotions, I will lose the sense of purpose and focus that cancer has given my own life." —Hamilton Jordan, "No Such Thing as a Bad Day" "My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The '80s were about acquiring. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. The country (is)... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Salinas, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Chet Raymo, "In the Cave"
*"In the Cave"* by Chet Raymo "I have mentioned here before the ospreys that patrol our beach - or "fish hawks," as they call them here - generally in the afternoon at about the time I take my long walk to the palm point. Magnificent birds with broad wings that glide seemingly effortlessly on the wind. And here's the thing: As often as not I am startled by a bird's shadow before I see the bird itself. That wide-winged shadow, sweeping across the white sand, sometimes across me. That flicker of chill as the osprey blocks the sun. And generally when it happens I think of Plato's all... more »
"The Most Important Of All The Lessons..."
“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.” - Aldous Huxley
The Poet: Margaret Atwood, "The Moment"
"The Moment" "The moment when, after many years of hard work and a long voyage you stand in the centre of your room, house, half-acre, square mile, island, country, knowing at last how you got there, and say, I own this, is the same moment when the trees unloose their soft arms from around you, the birds take back their language, the cliffs fissure and collapse, the air moves back from you like a wave and you can't breathe. No, they whisper. You own nothing. You were a visitor, time after time climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming. We never belonged to you. You never found ... more »
Judge Delays Allowing Female Guards at Gitmo to Touch Muslims as Jab to Obama Admin
[image: Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, Gitmo] Military judge Army Col. James Pohl has extended the ban on female guards touching five Muslim detainees at Guantanamo Bay in order to punish Obama administration officials for trying to interfere with the case. While Pohl said the ban will eventually end, he's... more »
Iraq Declares State Of Emergency As US Created System Crumbles
Hundreds of demonstrators in Iraq stormed and are now occupying the country’s parliament. Iraqi officials declared a state of emergency in Baghdad on Saturday after protesters loyal to popular Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr breached the heavily fortified Green Zone which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, including the American one. Video from inside the building showed jubilant crowds waving Iraqi flags and shouting “peaceful, peaceful” and there were no immediate reports of major violence. Zero Hedge reports: Less than two years ago, the US set up another puppet gov... more »
Google Develops Electronic Eye Implant
Internet giant Google has created an artificial lens for the eye. The development of the ‘intraocular device’ is the latest attempt by the tech giant to get inside people’s heads to improve their eyesight among other things. RT reports: The unnamed product is designed to improve ailing eyesight and is currently at the patent stage of development, so details are sketchy. However, the web giant appears to be working on new wearable – or should we say livable – tech that would see an electronic lens inserted into people’s eyeballs. The device could help fight degenerative eye diseases ... more »
Hillary Clinton Insults Native Americans, Says Trump ‘Off The Reservation’
Hillary Clinton has roused controversy over her claim that she is the best champion for minorities in the US. The Democratic presidential front-runner gave an interview to Jake Tapper on CNN in which she insulted native Americans by referring to Donald Trump as a man who has gone “off the reservation,” in reference to his unpredictable character and wild rhetoric. Native Americans feel insulted, as the phrase “gone off the reservation” refers to their historical fight for self determination on their own land, on which they are now a minority. The Daily Mail reports: Clinton was aske... more »
April 30: Why count killings by U.S. police?
It's not an attack on the U.S. police in particular or on police in general though, sometimes, I think The Guardian leans a bit to placing all the blame on the U.S. police. It's important to keep a record of the killings and to know why they happened. U.S. police kill more people in a few days than most western democracies kill in a year and more than a year. When that happens, it's a signal of social breakdown - and where that can take us is anybody's guess. That's why it's important to know how many are dying, to seek out imbalances in the numbers, and to find out the conditions ... more »
"Morning Joe Mocks Hillary The 'Working Man Hero'"
*"Morning Joe Mocks Hillary The 'Working Man Hero'"* "The Morning Joe panel mocks Hillary's attempt to position herself as the 'Working Man's Hero.' When Hillary says she has spent time with regular people, she must be referring to Secret Service agents, chauffeurs, and her friends on Wall Street." - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_xfEQaBDNM Well, let's not be too hasty or harsh to judge this self-proclaimed champion of the common folks with whom she shares so much, the average Americans who work hard, pay their taxes, do the best they can under very difficult conditions. They, we,... more »
33 Rescued Lions Arrive in South Africa in Airlift
[image: Airport cargo handlers attend to cages of former circus lions on their arrival at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, April 30, 2016. Thirty-three lions rescued from various circuses in Peru and Colombia are heading to Johannesburg to live out the rest of their lives in a private sanctuary in South Africa, organized and paid for by Animal Defenders International.] JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- The roars of lions filled the cargo section of Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport Saturday evening as 33 lions rescued from South American circuses... more »
South Africa: Opposition Leader Warns President to Step Down
[image: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party leader, Julius Malema, foreground, second from right, greets supporters on his arrival at the launch of their municipal election manifesto in Soweto, Saturday, April 30, 2016. Fiery South African opposition politician Malema told 40,000 cheering supporters that President Jacob Zuma should step down before the army turns on him because of the corruption allegations against him.] JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Fiery South African opposition politician Julius Malema told 40,000 cheering supporters that President Jacob Zuma should step down before the ... more »
Reality comes to starry-eyed Greenie
The following is an extract from a post on *HuffPost Green* by Amy Porterfield Levy: A confession I cringe at how naïve I was when I first got into this, all wide-eyed and excited to save the planet (I cringe at that phrase now too.) Then, I got called a climate change denier because I suggested nuclear power should be in the clean energy mix since it’s, you know, CLEAN ENERGY. I felt like a big dumbass, holding out my hand with all the nice little stats about nuclear safety and radiation and my hooray-for-baseload-power excitement. I thought, “Oh, if people weren’t so scared of nuc... more »
Grayson: "Money Is The Original Sin Of Politics And Governance"
Campaign money is very bipartisan and is also the root of power for the congressional leadership. It takes a special kind of crooked mind-- a Rahm Emanuel, a Mitch McConnell, a John Boehner, a Chuck Schumer, a Steny Hoyer, a Debbie Wasserman Schultz-- to suck up to the corrupt sources of cash and then use it to buy influence from your colleagues without those kinds of inclinations but with the same all-encompassing need to raise ungodly sums of money for reelection. Jolly, a former lobbyist himself, told the CBS News audience this week that to chase the money-changers out of the ... more »
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson Endorses Ted Cruz
[image: FULLERTON, CA - SEPTEMBER 22: Former Republican state Gov. Pete Wilson introduces former eBay CEO Meg Whitman at an event announcing her candidacy for the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination on September 22, 2009 in Fullerton, California. Whitman will vie for the Republican nomination with state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell. Gov. Arnold Shwarzenegger is prevented from running again under term limits. Wilson will serve as Whitman's campaign chairman.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a key pickup for his California campaign, Ted Cruz is bein... more »
Kunduz Hospital Attack ‘Unacceptable’ War Crime, MSF Seeks New Inquiry
The attack by the US military on a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan is deemed a war crime by the surviving victims. MSF (Doctors Without Borders ) are asking for an impartial and independent inquiry after the U.S. military failed to secure any criminal charges against its personnel. Kunduz survivors are outraged by the Pentagon claim of no war crime, as Common Dreams reports: “Unacceptable.” That’s the reaction from 27-year old Hamdullah to the Pentagon’s announcement Friday that the U.S. military’s deadly airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital... more »
Local Council By-Elections April 2016
Party Number of Candidates Total Vote % +/- March Average/ contest +/- March +/- Seats Conservative 5 4,031 37.0% +11.3% 672 +351 -1 Labour 6 1,633 15.0% -3.4% 272 -28 0 LibDem 5 1,658 15.2% -4.2% 332 +15 +1 UKIP 5 766 6.7% -3.2% 153 -25 0 Green 3 202 1.9% -0.3% 67 -11 0 SNP* 1 1,327 12.1% +5.6% 1,327 -56 0 PC** 1 134 1.2% +1.2% 134 0 TUSC 0 +142 0 Ind*** 2 1,143 10.5% +1.7% 5... more »
"You Can’t Handle the Truth: How Confirmation Bias Distorts Your Opinions"
*"You Can’t Handle the Truth: * *How Confirmation Bias Distorts Your Opinions"* by Jake Van Der Borne "The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him." – Leo Tolstoy "Your thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and worldviews are based on years and years of experience, reading, and rational, objective analysis. Right? Wrong. Your thoughts, opinions, b... more »
Viewing vs Victims of the Wreck
It’s funny how things sometimes work out. The investigation into the Ramey Memo seemed to have stagnated with nothing to really report. Then Rich Reynolds publicly wondered what was happening, so I finished up the post about it. And now, I have received both publicly at this blog and privately a number of emails about it, suggesting the critical word in that critical phrase might not be “victims.” David Rudiak will tell us that the word “victims” has the right number of letters, and that words that begin with a “V” that fit with his word count and positioning are very few. Many can b... more »
The Pesticide That Is Killing Bees Is Also Harming Humans
Scientists believe that the widespread use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids are not only harmful to bees and other pollinators, but also to humans. Although neonics are used to target invertebrates, there is mounting evidence that suggests they are have far-reaching effects. The European Food Safety Authority concluded in 2013 that neonics could affect the human nervous system. An international symposium on the use of neonicotinoids held recently at York University in Toronto which focused mainly on the effects on pollinators and integrated pest management. Howevere, one of the...more »
Media Accuses Eric Metaxas of Equating Gay Activists With Nazis, Metaxas Pushes Back
[image: Eric Metaxas giving an interview concerning criticism of his comments in Australia] Christian author and commentator Eric Metaxas has just concluded a speaking tour in Australia under a storm of criticism, after he compared the modern church’s accommodation of same-sex ‘marriage’ with the passive German church in 1930s Nazi Germany. The charge: He... more »
rtod: we only want the earth
On the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, these Revolutionary Thoughts of the Day are brought to you by the great Irish socialist, James Connolly. The day has passed for patching up the capitalist system; it must go. (1910) This speech, from 1897, is recreated in the excellent Ken Loach film "The Wind that Shakes the Barley": If you remove the English army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organisation of the Socialist Republic your efforts would be in vain. England would still rule you. She would rule you through her capitalists, t... more »
US Ambassador to Ukraine Gives Nazis Green Light
US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt on Friday made a trip to Mariupol in eastern Ukraine to praise the May 9, 2014 neo-Nazi battalion shooting of unarmed people in Mariupol. Pyatt is the other person in the now famous phone call with Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, when she told the ambassador who the US was supporting to lead the 'new' Ukrainian government after the US sponsored coup d'etat in Kiev. Nuland told Pyatt, "Fuck the EU". The events in Mariupol, Donetsk region (when neo-Nazi Azov fighters shot at a peaceful demon... more »
Framing Civilian Airstrikes
I was rather flabbergasted by the front page of the USA Today newspaper yesterday: The front page above features two stories that are united by the headline: "Airstrike kills almost 30 in Syria." (April 29, 2016 print edition) The story on the left reads: "Pentagon Punishes 16 for War Blunder" by Jim Michaels: "The Pentagon disciplined about 16 military personnel, including a general officer, for their role in last year's mistaken airstrike on a hospital in Afghanistan that killed 42 people, a senior Defense official said Thursday." The story on the right reads: "Fighting Raise... more »
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, April 23 to April 30, 2016"
*"Your Radiation This Week, April 23 to April 30, 2016"* By Bob Nichols "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” - Shiva (San Francisco) April 30, 2016 – "Good Day, this is “Your Radiation This Week.” These are the recorded Radiation Highs that affected people this week around the United States and in your neighborhood. There is no way to recover from these kinds of exposures. There is no medicine and there is no cure. Millions now possess a shortened life span due to their radiation exposures. Welcome to Casper, Wyoming, the newest addition to the list of the doomed. Ca... more »
Tony Blair Lobbied Chinese Government For Saudi Oil Company
Tony Blair helped a Saudi Arabian-owned oil company lobby the Chinese government during his time as Middle East peace envoy Documents have revealed that during his time the former British prime minister helped an oil company, owned by a Saudi prince, lobby Chinese leaders in exchange for £41,000 a month and a 2 percent commission on any contracts he helped secure. Blair courted Chinese leaders on behalf of Saudi prince Turki bin Abdullah, who agreed to the hefty fees the former Labour leader charged to act as a go-between. The Guardian reports: A series of documents, seen by the Gua...more »
Editor's Note
Blogging will return later tonight.
How Do You Make The Criminal Justice System Fairer? Ted Lieu Is Working On It
Ted Lieu: "We cannot both be a nation that believes in the principle of innocent until proven guilty, yet incarcerate over 450,000 Americans who have not been convicted of a crime" When Blue America endorsed Ted Lieu for Congress in 2014 we didn't expect him to just kick back in his prestigious new job and vote correctly. His record of achievement in the California legislature made us certain he would go to Congress as a leader, not a follower. And his peers saw him the same way; he was immediately elected president of the freshman class. And we were right about him. Ted's the oppos... more »
Alien Jellyfish Seen In Deep Ocean Trench
A stunning yet strange looking jellyfish was encountered by a deep sea probe in the world’s deepest ocean trench. The creature resembled something from another world; a dark watery world with a lot of atmospheric pressure, never frequented by man. Sputnik reports: While probing the ocean depths in the vicinity of the Mariana Trench with a remotely piloted craft, researchers working aboard the Okeanos Explorer ship belonging to the US NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) have encountered a bizarre-looking specimen of a jellyfish. oceanexplorergov YouTube video: The... more »
How corrupt is government climate science?
By Paul Homewood http://www.cfact.org/2016/04/09/how-corrupt-is-government-climate-science/ We know that the IPCC Summary for Policymakers (SPM) does not always reflect what is actually in the scientific chapters. But evidence is now emerging that the US State Dept has attempted to influence what was written in both the SPM and chapters. Ron Arnold has this damning essay […]
Anti-Semitism Excuse Used To Enforce Israeli Will & Crush Palestinians
The recent anti-Semitism which-hunt in the Labour Party will have far reaching consequences for the party and politics in the UK. Besides putting in place pressure to stifle criticism of Israel, it also subjects the Palestinians to suffer quietly, for even words would not be permitted to direct conversation and action towards their plight. In the meantime men of honour will be humiliated, freedom curtailed and anti-Semitism used as a baton to bash the Palestinians and their supporters, both figuratively and literally, at home and abroad, for the ever present needs of Israel. A repo... more »
Iraq Government In Chaos. Shiite Protesters Storm Parliament. Baghdad In A State Of Emergency
*New York Times*: *Iraq Protesters Storm Parliament, Demanding End to Corruption* BAGHDAD — Hundreds of protesters stormed Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Saturday and entered the Parliament building, waving Iraqi flags, snapping photographs, breaking furniture and demanding an end to corruption. As the chaos unfolded in the afternoon, Baghdad Operations Command announced a state of emergency, deploying additional forces around the capital city. Checkpoints at city entrances were closed, even as the protests remained largely nonviolent. The scenes of protest, circulated... more »
Iraqi Protesters Breach Baghdad’s Green Zone, ISIS Target Shiites
For the first time protesters have breached Baghdad’s heart of government in the Green Zone. Dozens of protester waving Iraqi flags and chanting anti-government slogans climbed the walls of the security zone and stormed the parliament. In another part of the capital ISIS has claimed responsibility for car bombing a Shiite district during holy pilgrimage and killing dozens. The Scotsman reports: After months of protests, sit-ins and demonstrations outside Baghdad’s Green Zone – home to most ministries and foreign embassies – Saturday’s escalation marks the first time protesters have ... more »
60,000-Pound Whale Carcass Removed from California Beach
[image: Whale - 900] SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) -- It literally was a whale of a job. Crews on Friday finished removing the estimated 60,000-pound carcass of a rotting whale from a Southern California beach. A contractor working for the state parks department spent... more »
Just thought I'd share...
I agree with Chris... chrisH April 30, 2016 at 11:02 am I`ve been going to Tolpuddle now for many years as an ex-Lefty who finds out quite a lot about what they`ll be up to in the coming year. When I first started going , there would always be a Christian Socialist group down from the East Midlands with their Methodist tracts, on the main route to the festival-good natured arguments alright, how do you square Communism with Christianity…Marx or Methodism etc? But they`d been coming for years, were good union activist types, often retiring soon. There would also always be a Friends of... more »
"Extreme right-wing UKIP" - BBC Turkish
DB has come across a tweet from the BBC's Turkish feed . It concerns UKIP: DB is quite right about that. In every translation I've tried, the phrase "aşırı sağcı UKIP" means "extreme right-wing UKIP" ('aşırı' being the word that translates as 'extreme'). Why is the BBC telling its Turkish audience that UKIP is "extreme right-wing"?
Fly With The Fighter Pilots Of The Chinese Air Force (Video)
*Popular Mechanics*: *Scramble with Fighter Pilots of the Chinese Air Force* This video promoting China's air arm has a little bit of everything. A video promoting the People's Liberation Army Air Force—informally known as the Chinese Air Force—has surfaced on YouTube. The video attempts to show the PLAAF as a service fully prepared to defend the country's air space, as well as contribute to fights on the ground and at sea, at a moment's notice. The video starts with children playing in a field of flowers, wearing various national dresses of China's various regions. Suddenly, sh... more »
The F-35 Prepares For War Against China Or Russia
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brian West watches an Air Force F-35 Lightning II joist strike fighter aircraft approach for the first time July 14, 2011, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.) *National Interest*: *F-35 Stealth Fighter Prepares for the Unthinkable: War with China or Russia* The Air Force F-35 is using “open air” ranges and computer simulation to practice combat missions against the best Chinese and Russian-made air-defense technologies – as a way to prepare to enemy threats anticipated in the mid-2020s and beyond. The testing is aimed a... more »
U.S. Congress Tells The Pentagon To Not Retire The A-10 Fleet
ONE BY ONE, THE AIR FORCE KEEPS PEELING OFF PLANES FROM THE A-10 WARTHOG FORCE. IMAGE SOURCE: NORTHROP GRUMMAN. *FoxTrotAlpha*: *The A-10 Warthog May Be Kept Out Of Retirement By Law* The U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II AKA “Warthog” has become one of the most-recognized and beloved warplanes since it started flying in the 1970s. We’ve been hearing about its impending retirement—and the reason many in the armed services community are against that—for ages, but proposed legislation could keep it in the sky for at least a little longer. This week House Armed Services Committee (HA... more »
NATO Sending 4,000 Troops To ‘Reinforce’ Border With Russia
NATO allies are preparing to put four battalions, a force of about 4,000 troops, in Poland and three Baltic States as part of an effort to reinforce the border with Russia. US Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work said the deployment was in response to Russia stepping up military activity around the Baltics “The Russians have been doing a lot of snap exercises right up against the borders, with a lot of troops,” the Wall Street Journal cited Work as saying “From our perspective, we could argue this is extraordinarily provocative behavior.” Russia meanwhile has repeatedly said that... more »
Weekend reads: Research parasite awards; money-back research guarantees; Sci-Hub takes over the world
This week at Retraction Watch featured a confession about research misconduct, and a debate over whether a paper should have been retracted. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: This is great: The Parasites awards “recognize outstanding contributions to the rigorous secondary analysis of data.” 13 things authors hate about submitting manuscripts, courtesy of Chris Chambers in Times Higher […] The post Weekend reads: Research parasite awards; money-back research guarantees; Sci-Hub takes over the world appeared first on Retraction Watch.
early morning - walk - goring whitchurch goring
wifey, because she loves to organise on the fly, found us an early morning walking circuit from Goring Train Station via Whitchurch back to Goring. It was a lovely walk in lovely weather in lovely company, picnic in a clearing in a secluded hillside woods. Four and a half hours in total, and half way round we stumbled across Modern Artists Gallery right on Whitchurch high street, slap-bang in the centre of rural Berkshire. Gallery founder Peggy Gibson Brody took time out of her busy day to accompany us around her delightful art space on two floors and was very pleasant and personabl... more »
Any Answers?
Today's *Any Answers* was wholly given over to the Labour anti-Semitism row. Anita Anand is another of those BBC types who pronounces anti-Semitic “anti-Sem*e*tic” (see Sue earlier). She did it throughout the programme. She also didn't seem to have much of a clue what 'BDS' involved either, apparently thinking it's all about 'no platforming'. (This arose when Israel-bashing BDS campaigner Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi rang in and took centre stage). Those defending Israel got the worse end of the stick from the ever-interventionist Anita, but there was a fair spread of opinion and some ... more »
'Far-right' or 'right-wing'?
The BBC News website has changed its mind. When it began covering the violence outside Alternative for Germany's conference in Stuttgart its online headline ran as follows: *Germany AfD meeting: Clashes before far-right conference* and the opening paragraph of its report ran as follows: Hundreds of left-wing demonstrators have tried to block people entering a far-right party conference in the German city of Stuttgart. After about four hours though (according to NewsSniffer), the headline was changed to: *Germany AfD meeting: Clashes before right-wing conference * and the opening... more »
Snapshot
A snapshot from this morning's *BBC Breakfast *paper review, featuring Nazir Afzal, former Chief Prosecutor here in the North West: *Naga Munchetty*: Something we've been talking about this week. we're talking about this morning as well - and something all the papers have picked up on. Jeremy Corbyn has announced changes to recognising anti-Semitism, if there is any, in the Labour Party, and this focus in *The Times*. *Nazir Afzal*: Naga, I suspect when I was growing up - I'm older than you - in the 60s and 70s, racism and the like was so overt. Now it's much more subtle. But I ... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* "It's Hard To Believe" - Establishment Stunned As Trump Gains 'Wealthy, Well-Educated' Voters "Why Our Children Should Hate Us" - Read The Lance Simmens Article Banned By The Huffington Post Denmark's "Recipe For Integration" - Segregated Swimming Hours Congress Fixes "Sexist" Draft - Votes To Require Women To Register For Selection Psychologist Whose Lawyers Say He Didn't Design CIA Torture Program Writes Book Bragging That He Did Dr. James Hansen - Mr. Buffett’s Ark Iran summons Swiss envoy over $2 bn US court ruling US-Created System In Iraq Is Collapsing:... more »
Green Energy Fiasco
By Paul Homewood In an energy news round up: GWPF carry a report from Germany’s Wirtschaft Woche: Because of the boom of renewable energy, more and more wind turbines have to be switched off. The reason is power overloading. The network operators must turn down electricity generated from windmills when their power […]
Syrian Government Hits Aleppo, Country Close to Humanitarian Disaster
[image: air strikes Aleppo - 900] BEIRUT (AP) -- Syrian government warplanes and helicopter gunships launched new airstrikes Saturday on insurgent-held neighborhoods in the northern city of Aleppo. The fresh violence comes as the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that the intensification of fighting... more »
Iraqi Protesters Breach Green Zone, Storm Parliament
[image: Iraq - 900] BAGHDAD (AP) -- Hundreds of protesters climbed over the blast walls surrounding Baghdad’s highly-fortified Green Zone for the first time on Saturday and stormed into parliament, carrying Iraqi flags and chanting against the government. The breach marked a major escalation... more »
Prince Donated $50,000 To 9/11 Truth Protest Event
Is it possible that Prince was murdered to prevent him from using his fame and spending his money to expose 9/11 and the New World Order agenda? In 2015 Prince donated $50,000 to one of the largest pro-9/11-truth protest events ever. Prince actually appeared to warned about 9/11 attacks three years before they happened and spoke out about chemtrails and the NWO-illuminati depopulation agenda. The cause of his untimely death at 57 is still unknown, a murder investigation has been launched and meanwhile conspiracy theories about his death abound. As Baxter Dimitry warns: “There is a l... more »
Why All Of Us Should be Afraid Of The Group 'The Hacking Team'
*David Kushner, Foreign Policy*: *Fear This Man* *To spies, David Vincenzetti is a salesman. To tyrants, he is a savior. How the Italian mogul built a hacking empire.* As the sun rose over the banks of the Seine and the medieval, half-timbered houses of Rouen, France, on July 13, 2012, Hisham Almiraat opened his inbox to find “Denunciation” in the subject line of an email. “Please do not mention my name or anything,” wrote the sender, Imane. “I do not want any trouble.” The editor and co-founder of Mamfakinch, a pro-democracy website created in Morocco during the Arab Spring, Alm... more »
Is it a good idea for academics to keep track of their failures?
In the recent weeks there has been some buzz over the academic corner of the internet and social media about the "CV of failures", made public by Johannes Haushofer, assistant economics professor at Princeton. He writes: "Most of what I try fails, but these failures are often invisible, while the successes are visible. I have noticed that this sometimes gives others the impression that most things work out for me. As a result, they are more likely to attribute their own failures to themselves, rather than the fact that the world is stochastic, applications are crapshoots, and sele... more »
Economic News & Views ( April 30 , 2016 ) Overview For Saturday ( 1. Sadr Threatens To Destroy Iraq Gov't And Shortly Thereafter Green Zone Stormed -- Iraq Political Situation Hitting Critical Point Due To : Cabinet Reshuffle Standoff & Endless Political Infighting ; Budgetary & Financial Problems ; Suppression Of Social Media and Traditional Media Such As Al Jazeera. 2. Quicks Hits From Around Europe. 3. Quick Hits From US And Puerto Rico. 4. Odds & Ends . )
Iraq...... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 24s 24 seconds ago fred walton Retweeted Rudaw English Protesters now in Council of Ministers...... in Green Zone. fred walton added, 0:30 *Rudaw English* @RudawEnglish Protesters enter the building of the council of ministers in #Baghdad *fred walton* @fredwalton216 54s 54 seconds ago fred walton Retweeted Rudaw English PM Building sees protesters outside... fred walton added, *Rudaw English* @RudawEnglish NOW: protesters are around the building of prime ministry in Baghdad *fred walton* @fredwalton216 3m 3 minu... more »
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