English: The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) sits anchored off the coast of Dili, Timor Leste, July 19, 2008. Mercy is deployed in support of Pacific Partnership 2008, a humanitarian assistance mission to Southeast Asia that includes specialized medical care and various construction and engineering projects. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Posting will be sporadic the next 3 weeks as I will be on the road
Picture Of the Day
*Helicopter Maintenance* Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrea Ramos, left, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Micah Rupp conduct maintenance on an MH-60S helicopter on the flight deck of hospital ship USNS Mercy in the Pacific Ocean, June 7, 2016, to prepare for the first mission stop in Timor Leste. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Hank Gettys
Why Is Russia Toning Down Its Rhetoric And Restraining Its Military
Vladimir Putin (C) shakes hands with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, November 24, 2014. Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Reuters *Pavel K. Baev, Brookings:* *Russia is showing uncharacteristic prudence—Why, and will it last?* With the NATO summit in Warsaw coming up in July, the rhetoric in many Western quarters is becoming shriller about the need to contain Russian aggression. There are good reasons for concern about Russia’s intentions and capabilities, as elaborated at the recent Lennart Meri conference in Tal... more »
Canadian Cynic Legal Defence Fund
Ezra Levant of Rebel Media is suing the Big Dog for defamation. Go show him some support : https://www.gofundme.com/28gudys Bonus track : Ezra Levant sues self for defamation .
Trump Knows What He Knows-- Orders His Pathetic Surrogates To Suspend All Thinking 'Til November
Were you laughing when Trump whined it was inappropriate for surrogate and Adelson-nominee for Trumpish running-mate Newt Gingrich to defend Judge Gonzalo Curiel against Trump's bizarre racist onslaught? The Newtster responded by suggesting Trump might ride into the GOP convention on an elephant but later reversed himself entirely and said, "Trump's complaints about the judge... are valid and reflect a growing pattern of politicized justice." Huh? How did *that* happen? Well... some of the hapless campaign surrogates he's given cash payments to-- like Florida Attorney General Pam... more »
Trumph for me beats Hillary
want to expond but the fact is he is succesfu;l and she is just a money hound
Are U.S. Sanctions 'Hurting' Russia?
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland says Russia is feeling 'pain' from economic sanctions imposed over its actions in Ukraine. *Radio Free Europe*: *Nuland: Russia Feeling 'Pain' Of U.S. Sanctions* WASHINGTON -- A top U.S. official says economic sanctions continue to be the most powerful leverage Washington has over Russia, and that those measures have thwarted potential Russian efforts to seize larger swaths of Ukrainian territory, including the capital. Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, also told lawmakers on June 7 tha... more »
Two U.S. Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups Are Being Deployed To The Mediterranean Sea
*Paul McCleary, Foreign Policy*: *U.S. Navy Sends Two Aircraft Carriers to the Med in Throwback to Iraq Invasion* The Obama administration has deployed two aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The ships are expected to launch strikes on the Islamic State across Syria and Iraq — the very country President Barack Obama promised to disentangle the United States from when he was running for office in 2008. The returning double punch brings some much-needed firepower against the Islamic State as U.S. aircraft back up Ira... more »
Not winning with winning deviations
Jt has started to play politicts way to much and he should have hired me to keep him out of dutch Nannygate a non sequetor that made him surrender it reminds me of the time Robrert Dinrio eliminated Sean Bean in the Ronin Look folks I am the CEO of Canada and compared to the private sector I get paid peanuts but almost every decision I make is more in economic terms a tidal wave compared to the private sector Its public service I respect that and I do not think being PMO should pay unrealestic unaccountaple salaries like the private sector. But hey man I am the guy who has to wake up eve...more »
Open Sesame
It looks as if the AP news wire and the Clintonistas are engaging in a little bit of futurism. Yesterday during the theft of California primaries, Common Dreams broke a story that had already broken the night before on Twitter, one that I'd sniffed out immediately Monday night. Now, AP calling the nomination for Clinton in advance of the primaries was bad enough as she did not have then, nor does she now have, the number of delegates to clinch the nomination. The AP was calling the nomination on behalf of Hillary because of future pledged super delegates. This is also... more »
We lost an amazing teacher and person this week
Here’s the obituary for a young man and teacher who left us too soon, Mr. Kaylor Keck. It’s been several days now, and as I type these words, I can’t believe it. But in our time of mourning, for those of us that knew Kaylor, this is when we share what was best about him. […]
Sanders Under Pressure to Quit as Democrats Look to Unite
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a rally Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Under mounting pressure from Democratic leaders to abandon his presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders returned home to Vermont on Wednesday following dispiriting losses to Hillary Clinton. He vowed to fight on for a political revolution but showed signs...more »
Gay For Trump?
Before we get into the poor delusional souls who are both gay and Trumpist, let me remind you of something notarially related-- basically that Trump's campaign is a pipsqueak operation that is better suited to win a city council seat than the White House. Jonathan Chait reported for *New York* that it's an absolute strategic and managerial garbage fire. He thinks we may not have to be as concerned that "Trump’s election as president of the United States would pose an unprecedented threat to the health of American democracy and possibly world stability" because he's running "the mos... more »
2,000 Soldiers From Chad Storm Into Niger To Fight Boko Haram
BBC *DW*: *Chad sends 2,000 troops to Niger to fight Boko Haram* Tens of thousands have fled violence in Bosso, where government forces are fighting Boko Haram. Chadian military sources said their troops will rendezvous with Nigerien forces before engaging the militant group. Chad sent thousands of troops to Niger to engage the Boko Haram militant group following a week of attacks in the Niger's border town Bosso. "About 2,000 soldiers with tanks went into Niger yesterday. They should link up with the Nigerien forces in Diffa and advance on Bosso," a Chadian military source told R... more »
U.N. Accuses Eritrean Leaders Of Committing Crimes Against Humanity
*Al Jazeera:* *Eritrea commits crimes against humanity, UN says* UN investigation reports a litany of crimes committed in Eritrea since 1991, including enslavement, rape and murder. Eritrea's government is guilty of committing crimes against humanity since independence a quarter-century ago with up to 400,000 people "enslaved", the UN said on Wednesday. The crimes committed since 1991 include imprisonment, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, and rape and murder, said the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) on human rights. The forced labour of military conscri... more »
June 8: The tragedy of New Brunswick
New Brunswickers are sheep who BA-A only when the Irvings tell them to. As a result, they are among the poorest in Canada and easily controlled by some of the worst newspapers and radio stations in the western world. Poverty is high. Literacy is terrible. Public discussion doesn't exist. The provincial debt is high. So much for the Irvings creating prosperity. Ah - and note the cancer statistics for St. John. Much of this is explained by the article below (sent to me by a reader). Read it, and send a copy to professor Saillant at UdeMoncton. http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/0... more »
Untitled
*Notes From a Neo-Nazi Cuckservative* By Ben Shapiro Last week, California State University, Los Angeles held a "healing space" event to provide a safe forum for students and professors to unleash their feelings about my campus speech in February, sponsored by the Young America's Foundation. That speech, you may recall, was originally canceled by university President William Covino. After I decided to go to the campus anyway, hundreds of screaming students blocked doorways, assaulted prospective speechgoers and pulled the fire alarm mid-speech. Professors egged on the protester... more »
Framing the "Mysterious Disease" Killing Farmworkers
Field workers are suffering from a terrible and "mysterious disease," as described here by National Geographic: Becky Little. June 2, 2016. Pictures Show the Mysterious Disease That's Killing Field Workers. National Geographic, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/chronic-kidney-disease-india-farmers-health-climate-change/ Photographer Ed Kashi documents how chronic kidney disease is affecting rural India. In rural Central America and India, researchers are witnessing the spread of chronic kidney disease (CKD)—the gradual loss of kidney function. In developed countries, ...more »
Generosity Is… Taking Six Children Into Your Family
[image: Culley Family - 900] Keeping a friendship from schooldays to the brink of middle age is a wonderful thing. Being willing to change your life in a radical way for such a friend must be exceptional. But that's what Stephanie Culley did when her... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( June 8 , 2016 ) Quick Hits For Wednesday ( 1. Markets : US High Yield Bond Index Hits Latest All Time High ; Global Equity Returns In US Dollars And Local Currencies ; Deutsche Bank Chief Economist Calls Out ECB Policies As Death Star For EU Project ; Draghi As Pilot Of Death Star Fires First Corp Bond Purchases Salvos ; Commerzbank Considers Hoarding Billions To Avoid ECB Charges On Deposits ; & More Items Of Note 2. UK Referendum - Andrew Neal Interviews George Osborne ; 3. MENA Updates - Iraq , Syria , Libya , Turkey & Saudi Arabia Highlights . 4. Odds & Ends )
Markets & Market Moving News.... La Belle Dame Sans Regrets.... *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 57m 57 minutes ago US High Yield Bond Index hit a new all-time high today, vertical rally of over 15% from its lows a few months back. *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 2h 2 hours ago Global Equity returns in US Dollars and Local Currencies... *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 4h 4 hours ago The #ECB's policies threaten to unravel the EU project, Deutsche chief economist warns. https://www.dbresearch.de/PROD/DBR_INTER NET_EN-PRO... more »
Bonus Quote of the Day: On Trump
*"Trump, on the other hand, is a new phenomenon: hostile, blustering, militantly ignorant egomania. He is the rightly feared “man on a white horse,” a Führer figure, who asks us to substitute for ideas, his claims to personal shrewdness, talent at conniving, and strength. Hillary wants to turn America into France. Trump wants to turn America into . . . what? Argentina under Peron? "Being devoid of ideas and standards, Trump has no idea of what is the ‘greatness’ that he wants to confer on America. Lacking the guidance that only a political ideology, however primitive, can ... more »
Attack At Tel Aviv Shopping Center Kills Four
Four people have been killed and several injured in a terror attack at a popular open-air shopping center in the heart of Tel Aviv, according to Israeli police and media. Reports claim that two Palestinian gunmen dressed as ultra-Orthodox Jews opened fire at the Sarona Market food and retail center, close to the defense ministry and army HQ in central Tel Aviv. RT reports: Two Palestinian gunmen from the West Bank carried out the shooting referred to as a “harsh terror attack,” AP cited Tel Aviv district police commander Moshe Edri as saying. Three people were killed in the attack an... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 8, 2016
*Abdulla Hawez, Daily Beast:* *Iraq’s Shia Militias Accused of War Crimes in Fight Against ISIS* Residents in two towns near Fallujah have allegedly been kidnapped, tortured and killed. BAGHDAD — The stalled battle to retake the Iraqi city of Fallujah from ISIS has given way to another grim development: accusations of human rights abuses against fleeing refugees by pro-Iraqi government forces. The largely Shia militia group officially known as Hashd al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), headed by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a U.S.-designated terrorist has, according to the U... more »
US Promises Israel ‘Largest Military Aid Package in U.S. History’
Susan Rice, the U.S. National Security Adviser, has promised Israel that the new military aid agreement between the two nations will constitute “the single largest military assistance package,with any country, in American history.” The aid package is expected to be between $37.5 and $40 billion over the next ten years, which Rice said proved that increasing aid to Israel isn’t a partisan issue in the US, but “an enduring American interest.” Haaretz reports: Addressing the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington, Rice said the new decade-long aid package, which is expect... more »
Renewables In Chile Not All They Might Appear
By Paul Homewood h/t Stewgreen According to Recharge, who seem to be no more than a propaganda sheet for the renewables industry: Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said that renewables – solar, wind and geothermal technologies – will account for 25% of the country’s installed capacity by 2018. http://www.rechargenews.com/solar/1433336/renewables-on-course-for-25-percent-chile-share-by-2018-says-president Sounds impressive? […]
Syrians Flee IS-Held Town as US-Backed Group Approaches
[image: Syrian conflict - 900] BEIRUT (AP) -- Thousands of civilians fled a northern Syrian town Wednesday in anticipation of a final push by U.S.-backed forces to liberate it from Islamic State rule, as airstrikes pounded rebel-held districts in Aleppo, killing 15 civilians and damaging... more »
World News Briefs -- June 8, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters:* *Dozens wounded as Papua New Guinea police fire on protesters, riots spread* Dozens of people were wounded in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday after police opened fire on a student demonstration in the capital and riots erupted across the country, but officials said earlier reports of up to four dead were incorrect. A groundswell of political unrest in recent weeks has surged in the country, just to Australia's north, amid calls for Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to resign over corruption allegations. Students and officials said police fired on the public and used tear gas ... more »
Iranian Footballer Suspended Over SpongeBob SquarePants
A professional Iranian footballer has been banned from domestic competition for six months after wearing bright yellow SpongeBob trousers in public. The morality committee of Iran’s football association suspended Sosha Makani after seeing a picture of him wearing what appears to be a pair of SpongeBob SquarePants on social media. Vice Sports reports: The federation’s morality committee was responsible for handing down the ban, after deeming Sosha Makani’s trousers inappropriate. The 29-year-old goalkeeper, who was included in the Iran squad for the 2014 World Cup, is a regular star...more »
Breaking News: Diane Ravitch Supports Clinton
With the main news feed in the U. S. having declared Clinton the Democratic winner on the day before primary elections in California, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and New Jersey, the media had done its part to suppress the vote in the last six states in the primary cycle. Glenn Greenwald's headline read, Perfect End to Democratic Primary: Anonymous Superdelegates Declare Winner Through Media The use of super-delegates (SDs), as they are called, represent the most undemocratic aspect of the Democratic Party. In fact, six months before the first Dem primary, Clin...more »
When you say #ImWithHer, this is what I hear, and it isn't pretty
I just want you to understand what I hear when you say "I'm with her." I hear: You support fracking. You support lying to people routinely. You support allowing government officials to deliberately circumvent Freedom of Information Act statutes for the preservation and accessibilty of records. You support wars against people who never attacked us and had no means to attack us. You are okay
France Launches Smartphone ‘Terror App’ Ahead Of Euro 2016
France has launched a new smartphone app designed to alert users to possible terrorist attacks, amid growing security concerns over the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. The Interior Ministry, which has piloted and introduced the service say the app, which will be free to download in both French and English, will send users a warning “in case of a suspected attack“ The BBC reports: The government said the app was developed after November’s attacks in Paris. which killed 130 people. On Tuesday, the British Foreign Office warned that stadiums, fan zones and transport hubs were possible tar... more »
Quote of the Day: On architecture
*“Architecture embraces all the other disciplines. It combines the severity of the law with the fascination of anatomy, the joy of poetry, the mystery of astronomy and the intellectual stimulus of philosophy. When you add the iron logic of mathematics, you have a profession which outstrips all others. An architect is at once an artist and a scientist. What could be nobler?”*~ Edward Marston, in his novel *The King’s Evil* *.* Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with attribution.
Libyan Forces Enter Main Islamic State Bastion
[image: This November 26, 2011 photo shows a war-torn Sirte, Libya after Gaddafi's last stronghold was brought down.] BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) -- Libyan forces loyal to a U.N.-brokered government have advanced deep inside the coastal city of Sirte, the main stronghold of the Islamic State group’s local affiliate, officials said Wednesday. Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Ghasri told The Associated... more »
AP: Experts Believe Hillary Clinton Emails May Have Contained CIA Officials (Updated)
© Kevin Lamarque / Reuters *WNU Editor:* AP is carrying a story that wonders if Hillary Clinton's emails from her compromised email server had the names of CIA agents .... *Experts: Clinton Emails Could Have Compromised CIA Names* (AP). *Update:* Report: Security experts concerned Clinton emails compromised CIA agents (Washington Examiner). This is actually an old story that AP is finally catching up on .... Did Hillary Clinton Post And Shared The Names Of Concealed U.S. Intelligence Officials On Her Email Server? (June 4, 2016). Hillary Clinton’s Emails Included CIA Officers’ Name... more »
"A great cartoonist creates a whole world" (Bob Mankoff): Celebrating "New Yorker" greats Wm Hamilton and Roz Chast
*by Ken* Some readers will have noticed that after goodness-only-knows-how-many years of daily (and even twice-daily) posts here, I pretty much disappeared from this space -- and even, sometime after that, from my own Sunday Classics with Ken from DWT blog. There were lots of reasons, but overshadowing them all was the deadly combination of deadline exhaustion and a profound sense of purposelessness. Of course, the habit of scrounging each and every day for a post-worthy subject (often defining "post-worthiness" really, really broadly) doesn't die easily, and in the ensuing time ... more »
UPDATED: The Internet is in the Process of Becoming a "Tower of Babel"
*UPDATE: June 8, 2016 * Again, the greencrow appears to be prescient. Leaks from the upcoming "Bilderberg Meeting" indicate the PTB plan to "eviscerate anonymity on the Internet". It's depressing to out thumpk them all the time... Tower of Babel The Internet, a significant part of which has slowly been separated off and known as "social media", is slowly and deliberately being morphed into a contemporary "Tower of Babel". More and more you have to join the communication silos called "Facebook", "Twitter", "Instagram" etc. in order to access forums to speak out about public issues... more »
Remembering The Israeli Attack On The USS Liberty, 49 Years Ago This Day
It was on this day, 49 years ago, that the criminal state of Israel attacked the USS Liberty while it sailed in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea... The Liberty was being used by the United States to monitor radio traffic from the Sinai peninsula during Israel's attack on its Arab neighbors in its war of conquest known as the "Six Day War"...... Everything appeared peaceful on the morning of June 8th, 1967, especially for the sailors on board the Liberty... But by the end of the day everything was changed, with some 34 American sailors dead and some 171 wounded due to un... more »
Al-Nusra Terrorists Seen Heading For Aleppo From Turkey
According to the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation, a column of trucks escorted by 160 Al-Nusra Front terrorists have been seen crossing over from Turkey into Syria in the north of Idlib province. The Al-Qaeda affiliated militants are said to be heading for Aleppo to reinforce terrorists fighting there. According to the center’s report, ISIS and al-Nusra Front terrorists have been conducting target reconnaissance and artillery spotting fire for the last several days in an apparent preparation for an offensive. RT reports: “A column of heavy trucks with munitions and weapons e... more »
Holy Land Terror Attack: Palestinian Gunmen Kill 4 in Tel Aviv
[image: Israeli police officers examine the scene of a shooting attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 8, 2016. Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire in central Tel Aviv Wednesday night, killing three people and wounding at least five others, Israel police said. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)] JERUSALEM (AP) -- Two Palestinians opened fire near a popular open-air market in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, killing four Israelis and wounding at least five others in one of the deadliest attacks in an eight-month wave of violence.... more »
China Tells The US To Halt Spy Flights Over East China Sea
Beijing has called on Washington to halt its surveillance flights over the East China Sea after Chinese jets intercepted a US surveillance plane in the region. The US spy plane was intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet over the East China Sea during Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Beijing. It is the second incident involving US spy aircraft over the Chinese-claimed space in less than a month. Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “The United States continues close reconnaissance activity, which significantly undermines China’s security at sea. This is what cau... more »
Irwin Cotler (Canada's Premiere Israel Firster) Honoured at BGU in Israel
IRWIN COTLER receives his honorary doctorate from BGU president Rivka Carmi, rector Zvi HaCohen and former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak on Tuesday night *JP* Did you all know Irwin Cotler has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize (perception management) by none other then..... Wait for it...... Prof. Alan Dershowitz. * "Cotler, who has been nominated by Prof. Alan Dershowitz for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, was one of six recipients of honorary doctoral degrees conferred by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev" * We all know, or should be aware of* Mr Dershowitz's good p...more »
Jersey Jazzman: Does Opting-Out "Punish" Schools? Not As Much As S...
Jersey Jazzman: Does Opting-Out "Punish" Schools? Not As Much As S...: The opt-out scolds -- those who spend their days tut-tutting at parents who've decided to take their children out of high-stakes standar... more »
New Study Challenges Global Warming Alarmism
[image: Fluffy Clouds, Sky, Weather] A major scientific study conducted at the University of Reading on the interactions between aerosols and clouds is much weaker than most climate models assume, meaning the planet could warm way less than predicted. "Currently, details are few, but apparently... more »
Ex-CIA Agent Loses Court Case In Portugal, Will Be Extradited To Italy Over US Rendition Case
*Daily Mail*: *Ex-CIA agent who helped kidnap a terror suspect on foreign soil will be extradited to Italy for her part in America's secretive 'extraordinary renditions' program* * Sabrina de Sousa was implicated in the 2003 kidnapping of an Italian imam * He was allegedly raped and tortured before being acquitted and released * She was arrested in Portugal and now faces four years in an Italian prison * De Sousa denies any involvement in the affair, which scandalized Italy * She's appealing to the Italian President and the Pope for clemency * It isn't known when she will be deported ... more »
Monkey Knocks Out Kenya’s Power Grid
A monkey has been blamed for a nationwide blackout across Kenya. A wayward primate fell onto a transformer at the Gitaru Power Station and tripped the circuit at around 11.30am Tuesday . The whole of Kenya was without power for a few hours causing paralysis across the nation. Gitaru Power Station is the largest hydroelectric station in East Africa. The Daily Record reports: KenGen released a statement explaining the power blackout, and the unusual reason for it. It said: “At 1129 this morning, a monkey climbed on the roof of Gitaru Power Station and dropped onto the transformer, tri... more »
Instagram’s News Feed Change Upsets Some Users
Instagram users are threatening to abandon the photo sharing site after the Facebook owned company changed its news feed order from “chronological” to “most likely to be interested in”. The changes were announced in March and affect the way posts are presented on user’s timelines. It is a move away from a chronological timeline based on individual preference to a more market based algorithm inspired timeline. Mirfield Reporter: In a statement on its blog, Instagram reassured users that “all the posts will still be there, just in a different order”. But some of the site’s members have... more »
Encryption Security May Not Be Secure Anymore
Encryption security may not be secure anymore, if a breakthrough being touted as ‘possibly the biggest event in computer science and financial services for 50 years’ is proved correct. The breakthrough by students at the University of Toronto allows huge integer numbers to be factored quicker than previously thought possible, meaning encrypted files can be broken into in as little as ‘100 hours compute time’. All current banking transactions, digital signatures, network communications, credit and debit card transactions, not to mention personal communications on platforms such as Wh...more »
Operation Condor and US Torture: Prosecute US War Criminals
Considered by legal experts as war criminals, former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld, former president George W. Bush, and former vice-president Dick Cheney, with their hands over their hearts. (Photo: via PRI) By Brenda Norrell Censored News The US is continuing its War on Big Mountain, for its cheap dirty coal electricity for southern Arizona. This article documents the US CIA role
While The American Economy Is In Ruins: Largest US "Aid" Package In History Going To The Overlords In Israel!
It has been a while since I last put up an article pertaining to the world economic situation, and in particular what is happening right now in the formerly free nation called the United States...But honestly, nothing has changed for the better, and the reality is that the economic situation keeps going from bad to worse... It is a sad reality that right now across America, more and more businesses and corporations are going bankrupt, as the US government continues its policies of sending what is left of American businesses overseas for cheap labor..... It is also a fact that right ... more »
Islamic State Claims To Have Launched 489 Suicide Attacks In Iraq, Syria And Libya In The First Five Months Of 2016.
*Long War Journal:* *The Islamic State’s prolific ‘martyrdom’ machine* The Islamic State claims to have executed 489 “martyrdom operations” in Iraq, Syria and Libya during the first five months of 2016. The figure comes from monthly data published by Amaq News Agency, a propaganda arm of the so-called caliphate that releases infographics summarizing the group’s suicide attacks. Amaq’s most recent infographic (seen on the right) indicates that the jihadists executed 119 “martyrdom operations” in the month of May alone. If Amaq’s figures are accurate, then the Islamic State is launch... more »
Illegals Stealing Children in Order to Pose as Families
[image: Kidnapping, Adult Man, Child, Stroller, Shadows] The Obama administration admitted Tuesday that illegals are kidnapping children in order to pass themselves off as family units and take advantage of incredibly soft immigration rules. "When people now know that when I come as a family unit, I won't... more »
Socialism and Sinking Oil Prices Leave Venezuelans Picking Through Trash for Food
[image: AP Exchange] CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Until recently, Julio Noguera worked at a bakery. Now he spends his evenings searching through the garbage for food. “I come here looking for food because if I didn’t, I’d starve to death,” Noguera said as... more »
Experts: Clinton Emails Could Have Compromised CIA Names
[image: Hillary Clinton2 - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The names of CIA personnel could have been compromised not only by hackers who may have penetrated Hillary Clinton’s private computer server or the State Department system, but also by the release itself of tens of thousands... more »
Energy 70, ACEF 2016 on the ASEAN grid and Nordic electricity exchange
Last Monday afternoon during the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2016 at the ADB, I attended the deep dive workshop on "Powering ASEAN: Can the Nordic Model Work?" The first speaker was Mr. Bambang Hermawanto, Chairman of the ASEAN Power Grid Consultative Committee (APGCC). Photo below from left: Bambang Hermawanto, Dr. Philip Andrews-Speed, Principal Fellow at the Energy Studies Institute, National Univ. of Singapore (NUS), and Mr. Hans-Arild Bredesen, CEO of Nord Pool Consulting. Philip was the moderator and Hans was the speaker on the Nordic Electricity Exchange. This is the sec... more »
Pol. Ideology 67, Socialism and Venezuela
A friend said that my advocacy for “inviolable rights of the individual" means that one is detached from the rest of society and hence, he/she has no responsibility for the others, especially the less fortunate ones. Wrong interpretation, of course. The “inviolable rights -- and responsibilities -- of individuals" simply follows what John Stuart Mill articulated something like "do anything you like provided you do not harm other people." Thus, if you want to work 15, 20 hours a day, do it. If you want to spend all your savings on travel, or fancy clothes, or parties and drinking, d... more »
BWorld 62, Unemployment and underemployment data may be overstated
* This is my article in BusinessWorld last June 02, 2016. Based on the latest January 2016 labor force survey data by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there were 2.47 million unemployed and 7.88 million underemployed Filipinos, representing 5.8% and 19.7% of the total 42.5 million total labor force in the country. So 10.35 million (25.5% of labor force) were either unemployed or underemployed, a big figure. Also from among East Asian economies, Philippine unemployment rate is the highest. From 2010-2015 especially, where the Philippines has the highest average GDP growth ... more »
Should researchers guilty of misconduct go to “rehab”?
A report on the first few years of “researcher rehab” suggests that three days of intensive training have a lasting impact on participants. Specifically, among participants — all of whom had been found guilty of at least one type of misconduct — the authors report that: A year later, follow-up surveys indicate that the vast majority […] The post Should researchers guilty of misconduct go to “rehab”? appeared first on Retraction Watch.
On The Front Lines Against The Islamic State In Libya
*VICE News*: *On the Frontline of the Battle Against Islamic State, Libyan Fighters Face a Vicious Enemy* It's been more than a year since Islamic State fighters consolidated their brutal rule over the coastal city of Sirte and the Libyan desert beyond, establishing their first foothold outside their so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq. Now, they might be on the verge of losing it, to a coalition of Libyan armed groups backed by Western nations — but they are putting up a vicious fight. The hometown of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who fell in 2011 in a revolution followed b... more »
Being Married to Sheldon: Communication Tips for Relationships with Low Emotional Intelligence
Me: “What is this about?” I have been married almost a year and I have just walked into a room with some of my closest girl friends in it. They look like they are about to give me bad news and they seemed nervous. Friend: “We feel like we need to talk about your husband.” Me: “What about him?” Friend: “We think he is trying to isolate you and you just can’t see it because you love him. We want you to know we are here to help.” The day that my friends hosted their intervention was also the day I figured out my husband really was different. Now my husband has never tried to isol... more »
This Is How Iran Will Win In A Standoff Over The Strait Of Hormuz
*James S. Robbins, US News and World Report:** Iran's Strait Games* *This is how Iran can win a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.* When Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz, our knee-jerk response might be to say, "Make our day." But unfortunately we might have to take the threat, uttered repeatedly by Iranian officials, more seriously than we first expect. Just last month, General Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, said that Iranian forces will close the Strait if the United States "threatens" Iran. "If the Americans and their regional a... more »
Iran Rejects Visas For 3 U.S. Congressmen Who Want To Inspect Iran's Nuclear Sites
*The Cable/Foreign Policy:* *Iran Won’t be Giving Visas to These Would-Be Republican Tourists* In early February, three weeks before Iran’s general elections, three hawkish Republican lawmakers sent an ironic letter to Iran’s supreme leader requesting travel visas to watch “Iranian democracy in action,” discuss Iran’s “continued work on weaponization,” and speak, “in an unmonitored and lengthy meeting,” with Americans jailed by Iran. This week, after a pointedly long delay, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif finally told the GOP pranksters the obvious: they won’t be getting visas... more »
Iraq's Foreign Minister Confirms That Iranian General Qassem Soleimani Is An Official Adviser To The Iraqi Government
*Long War Journal:* *Qods Force commander an official advisor to government, Iraq’s foreign minister says* Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Qods Force, serves as an official advisor to the Iraqi government, the foreign minister confirmed yesterday. Soleimani and Qods Force have provided advice and support for the Popular Mobilization Forces and its component militias. While hosting reporters in the Iraqi Embassy in Amman, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jafari defended Soleimani’s role in bolstering sectarian militias that have often acted outside of the law in Iraq as they batt... more »
Papua New Guinea In Chaos After Police Open Fire On Protesting Students
*Reuters:* *Dozens reported wounded as PNG police fire on protesters, riots spread* Dozens of people were wounded in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday after police opened fire on a student demonstration in the capital and riots erupted across the country, but officials said earlier reports of up to four dead were incorrect. A groundswell of political unrest has surged in the island nation, just to Australia's north, in recent weeks amid calls for Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to resign over corruption allegations. Students and officials said police fired on the public and used tear ga... more »
World News Briefs -- June 8, 2016
*Reuters*:* Iraqi forces say making progress vs Islamic State inside Falluja* Iraqi forces said on Wednesday they had begun to make progress against Islamic State inside a built-up district of Falluja, the militants' stronghold to the west of Baghdad. The army was previously surrounding Falluja from positions outside the city, which is located 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad. "Our forces have begun in the early hours of the morning progressing in al-Shuhada," a southern neighborhood of Falluja, Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman of the Counter-Terrorism Service, said. The next target... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 8, 2016
‘Unsafe’: Chinese fighter jets intercept US military spy aircraft over South China Seahttps://t.co/22KLTklP65 pic.twitter.com/EfNn7vlwYv — RT (@RT_com) May 19, 2016 *RT*: *Beijing demands end to surveillance after US slams 'unsafe' spy plane intercept* A US spy plane has been intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet over the East China Sea during Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Beijing. It is the second incident involving US surveillance aircraft over the Chinese-claimed space in less than a month. A Chinese J-10 fighter plane intercepted a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissanc... more »
U.S. Air War Against The Islamic State Is Being Slowed Down By The Lack of Intelligence
Iraqi security forces hold an Islamist State flag which they pulled down at the University of Anbar, in Anbar province July 26, 2015. REUTERS/STRINGER/FILES *The Hill: **US commander: Lack of intelligence assets slowing down ISIS war* A shortage of intelligence assets is slowing down the air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to the commander of the air campaign. With most U.S. forces far away from the fight in the Middle Eastern region, commanders are relying heavily on surveillance drones to develop targets before sending aircraft out on bombing r... more »
A Video Report From A Reporter's Embed With Iraq's Golden Division
*VICE News:* *Fighting the Islamic State with Iraq’s Golden Division: The Road to Fallujah* In 2014, Islamic State militants swept into Western Iraq's Anbar Province, overrunning Iraqi security forces, enslaving minorities, and causing thousands to flee for their lives. The jihadist group captured Iraq's largest city, Mosul, and the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, where hundreds of US troops died fighting the Islamic State's predecessor. Now, two years later, the Iraqi security forces, with help from Iranian-supported Shiite militias and US military advisors and warplanes, are fi... more »
White House Threatens Veto Of Senate's Defense Policy Bill
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters *The Hill*: *White House issues veto threat for Senate defense bill* The White House is threatening to veto the Senate's version of an annual defense policy bill. The administration said it has numerous objections to the measure, including its imposition of sweeping organizational changes on the Pentagon, its restrictions on closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and its cap on the size of the National Security Council. “If the President were presented with S. 2943, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill,” said a statement of administrat... more »
Latest Global Peace Index Report Confirms The Rise Of Violence In The Middle East
A snapshot of the Global Peace Index 2016 *Reuters*: *Global violence worsens, driven by Middle East conflicts: peace index* LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The world has become increasingly violent with deaths from conflict at a 25-year high, terrorist attacks at an all-time high and more people displaced than at any time since World War Two, the 2016 Global Peace Index showed on Wednesday. The annual index, which measures 23 indicators including incidents of violent crime, countries' levels of militarization and weapons imports, said intensifying conflicts in the Middle Ea... more »
A Hundred Years Ago The Battle Of The Somme In World War I Is Still Regarded The Most Deadly In History
Still image from the film The Battle of the Somme showing a staged attack. Believed to be shot before the opening of the battle on 1 July 1916, possibly at a trench mortar school behind the lines. Wikipedia *Washington Examiner:* *The Battle of the Somme 100 years on* There should be a special name for books about World War One in which World War One doesn't feature. I mean novels such as Ernest Hemingway's Fiesta, Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies and (except for two glancing references) F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Novels, in other words, where the trenches are a constant, br... more »
What Is Patrick Murphy's Role In Selling EB-5 Visas To Chinese Nationals?
Patrick Murphy is a rich, spoiled Republican without a single legislative or professional accomplishment that he can honestly point to. The key word being honestly. He’s been outed recently for lying about his resume and background, and he got caught doing it again this week. As we've been warning readers for 3 years, he’s worse than a liar and Wall Street sellout. I believe Patrick Murphy and his corporate cronies are breaking campaign finance, bribery and ethics laws. So this week I filed separate complaints with Department of Justice, the Office of Congressional Ethics and the ... more »
10 Years Ago 500 Pound Bombs Rid the World of One of the Most Notorious Terrorists Ever
[image: terrorist - 900] The terrorist once known as the "Shaykh of the Slaughterers" was killed 10 years ago this day in a U.S. drone strike, and though he died at only 39 years old, the murder and chaos he spread are still hurting people today.... more »
Pan-Orthodox Synod in Doubt Amid Inter-Church Wrangling
[image: Patriarch_Bartholomew - 900] MOSCOW (AP) -- Plans to bring together leaders of all the world’s Orthodox churches for the first time in more than a millennium appear in jeopardy amid wrangling over the meeting’s agenda. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has been the... more »
Imitation news watch: We think the AP was silly this week!
*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016Absolutely zero news value:* We're going to disagree with Kevin Drum. We're even going to disagree with Gene Lyons on this point. We think the AP was silly this week. We refer to its fevered election eve report, in which it announced that Candidate Clinton had gone over the top in the delegate count. What an utterly pointless "news report!" Everyone had known for weeks that the primaries of June 7 were going to put Candidate Clinton way, way over the top, if you were willing to include the so-called super-delegates. In the face of that certain knowledge, w... more »
May we now relax a bit until the convention?...
*I certainly hope so.* Like it or not, Trump is our candidate. I like it. If you don't, that's fine too. But how about telling the truth anti-Trumpers? You continually rant that Trump has "no positions" or he changes positions depending on which way the wind is blowing. Have none of you bothered to go to his website and* read his positions?* A rally is not a place for a policy wonking. When I attended the Cruz rally in Coeur d' Alene, there was nothing of substance said by Cruz. It was just all rah rah, and Trump is a pig. Perhaps if Cruz had cut short his prayer circle in t... more »
Feds Took 8 Years and $300M to Develop Useless Social Security Software
[image: Social Security Disability__1433674690_173.57.57.10] Social Security Administration (SSA) officials spent $300 million over an eight-year period developing a new disability case processing software that is useless, according to the SSA Office of Inspector General (IG). The SSA began in 2008 seeking out alternatives for processing... more »
The Watchers
7.* And these are the names of their leaders: Sêmîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. * *8. These are their chiefs of tens.* *— R. H. Charles translation, The Book of the Watchers, Chapter VI.*
The system of tax relief costs £30bn a year and goes overwhelmingly to those who need it least
WELFARE FOR THE WEALTHY By tax specialist Jolyon Maugham QC at www.waitingfortax.com Twitter @JolyonMaugham This year we’ll collect a little less than £170bn of income tax, roughly a third of all tax receipts. We’ll also forego through reliefs about £30bn of income tax.Spread evenly amongst the population that £30bn would deliver to every man, woman and child almost £500 a year.But it
Meet our newest team member: Dalmeet Singh Chawla
Join us in welcoming new staff writer Dalmeet Singh Chawla. Dalmeet was inspired by talks at the 2014 Association of British Science Writers meeting (including by our own Ivan Oransky) to build a niche for himself as a writer – lucky for us, he chose science publishing. His focus has been on stories about innovations […] The post Meet our newest team member: Dalmeet Singh Chawla appeared first on Retraction Watch.
WE'RE ALL MANCHURIAN NOW: Spanish boots of pundit leather!
*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016Part 3—Even dumber than Trump:* Today, before leaving the coffee joint, we decided to reread Chapter 4 of a current book. There would be no skimming this time! The book in question is the recent volume, A Brief History of Creation: Science and the Search for the Origin of Life. In it, Mesler and Cleaves describe the efforts of our self-described human race to explain how life began on this planet—essentially, to explain how we got from rocks and water to life forms like bacteria and protozoa and even Joe and Mika. We planned to reread Chapter 4, but only ma... more »
White House Won’t Answer Why It Left Out Important Admission About Iran
[image: Josh Earnest Planned Parenthood - 900] White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday that he would not review the transcript of the May 9 press briefing that omitted his admission that administration officials may have lied about the Iran nuclear deal. This is the second known... more »
Why Did Sadr Take Over The Green Zone? Interview With Cambridge’s Michael Clark
Moqtada Al-Sadr has moved into the center of Iraqi politics once again. His movement led a take over of the Green Zone in Baghdad demanding parliament approve a new technocratic cabinet. That threw the entire government into a tailspin, which could last for months. Both western and Iraqi papers have been full of articles trying to explain his strategy and tactics. To add to the debate is Michael David Clark of Darwin College, Cambridge who has been studying the Sadrist movement. *1. Western newspapers, politicians and analysts have been trying to analyze and characterize Moqtada ... more »
Brexit Epiphany
As I was chatting with my dissertation adviser yesterday while in DC (yes, my dissertation was completed in 1993 but the relationship goes on), I had an epiphany that had been on the edges of my thinking but finally popped: the Brexit folks are secessionists. Sure, the European Union is not a country (nor does […]
BBC Two - Victoria Derbyshire, 07/06/2016, Rape prevention classes for refugees - something strikes me
This BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03xjqnh has the following description: 'Migrants in Norway are being given classes which educate asylum seekers in Norwegian 'cultural codes' when it comes to relationships with women, personal boundaries, sexual assault and what constitutes rape. We spoke to some of the men taking the class, as well as the organisers and instructors. But the classes, which other European countries may also introduce, have been criticised for stigmatising migrant men.James Longman reports.' A quick question; we are told that under Islam there is eq... more »
Confronting the Clinton cheerleaders with her racist record
*“Hillary Clinton is not a Klanswoman, but she performs the same racial violence that white men do, just as many Klanswomen did less than a century ago. Thousands of black people continue to lose their lives because some white women still want to be as “badass” and powerful as the white men who silenced them in the home, held back their right to vote, and brutalized as many black people as they desired.” — Ahmad Greene-Hayes* The Clinton cheerleading that has been building up to a crescendo at Professor Ravitch's site reached a new nadir today. I suppose we will see a lot of this ... more »
Turkey Wants to Normalize Relations With Russia - For Free?
June 8, 2016 (Ulson Gunnar - NEO) - Every schoolchild knows that in order to makeup one must first offer a sincere apology. They must also be perceived as sincerely regretting whatever offense it was they committed, and show interest in not repeating such an offense or compounding it with similarly antisocial behavior. If such a notion is easily understood by a schoolchild, how come the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears not to know this? To answer this question, one must read the narrative provided by the Washington-London establishment. Articles like the BBC's "Can ... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Venezuelan Woman Shot In The Face After 500 Looters Storm Food Warehouse ISIS Burns Alive 19 Women For Refusing Sex; Executes Dozens Of Its Own Fighters In Spy Purge Computer Programmer on Vote-Counting Code Wollves Transforming Ecosystem Parts of Australia are completely underwater after floods submerged swathes of Tasmania Societe Generale ordered to pay €450K in damages to the rogue trader who bankrupted the company The Royal Mint is letting British pensioners invest in its gold reserves for the first time ISIS Taxes Sockless Women & Beardless Men In Des... more »
“Americas Dirty Laundry”: The Ongoing Genocide of the American Indian
*Irwin Ozborne* - This is what is really happening on American Indian reservations today.
Philosopher earns 14th retraction for plagiarism
Today, we bring you a case of a serial plagiarizer. Martin W. F. Stone was a philosophy professor at the University of Leuven — by one account “widely admired and highly respected” — until 2010, when an investigation at the school concluded that his work is “highly questionable in terms of scientific integrity.” Over the past […] The post Philosopher earns 14th retraction for plagiarism appeared first on Retraction Watch.
dream - horses - wolves
oh, it's an Aesop fable... Two families of Horses and Wolves in a field, both able to talk to me. Message received, thanks guys. Gonna go find the fable now and read...
Prime Ministers And The Press
Yesterday, Lawrence Martin provided an historical review of the relationship between prime ministers and the press. And, while Justin Trudeau's appearance at last week's Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner was hailed as a *tour de force*, Martin writes that we shouldn't expect the camaraderie to last: In one campaign, John Turner got filmed giving a couple of women friendly pats on the posterior. It became a national sensation. The media labelled his campaign plane Derri-Air. Brian Mulroney tried getting along with the media but got in trouble over such weighty affairs of state as ... more »
DPP mayor visits to China to be cut off? + LINKS
*Lovely weather lately.* Haha. Accepting One China may be requirement for DPP mayor visits. Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) has expressed her willingness to visit the mainland and received President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) support for doing so. However, a high-ranking Taiwan-affairs official has indicated that because there has been a “structural change” in cross-strait relations, the two sides are now in a “cold confrontation,” and if green-camp city and county chiefs visit the mainland, it may give the outside world the wrong impression. Hence, until the new government accepts th... more »
Socialist North Korea and Capitalist South Korea: An Experiment We Ignore at Our Peril
[image: North Korea and South Korea Flags - 900] At a recent UN Climate Summit, Bolivian Presidente Evo Morales said, "The world is suffering from a fever due to climate change, and the disease is the capitalist development model." Morales is just one of many in the Green movement who assume... more »
Reflections on an Election Year When It Finally Hit the Fan
Part of Last Conversation Piece by Juan Munoz, by the Hirshhorn Museum. Its conspiratorial feel, with panicked outsiders, seems apt for Washington. *- by Skip Kaltenheuser* Frustrations on the coverage of the Democratic primaries have been slow-cooking quite awhile. Not just with the networks, I’m also looking at you, National Public Radio. Does NPR have a clue as to how badly it's damaged its brand from reporters and commentators chirping regurgitations of Hillary talking points from the outset? For that matter do the *NY Times* and the *Washington Post*? They’ve sounded so long li... more »
Mitch McConnell Complains About ‘Unreasonable’ Conservatives, Points Blame at Talk Radio
[image: In this Dec. 18, 2015, file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington.] Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell takes pride in his reputation as a great compromiser. But the Republican leader won't concede on one point: He refuses to let conservatives fight the White House for lower spending levels. McConnell, R-Ky., outlined his... more »
As Olympics Approach, Brazil Desperately Trys to Downplay Zika
[image: FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2016, file photo, an Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed through a microscope at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The number of pregnant women in the United States infected with Zika virus is suddenly tripling, due to a change in how the government is counting cases. In a change announced Friday, May 20, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will count all women who tested positive, regardless of whether they had suffered symptoms. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)] The Brazilian sports minister desperately tried ... more »
Baby Born to Brain-Dead Mother Almost 4 Months After Diagnosis
[image: baby hand - 900] LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Doctors at a Lisbon hospital have delivered a baby almost four months after its mother was declared brain dead -- a record for such cases in Portugal. Lisbon’s Sao Jose Hospital says in a statement the... more »
Iraqi Forces Push Deeper into Islamic State-held Fallujah
[image: Mideast Iraq Islamic] NAYMIYAH, Iraq (AP) -- Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces on Wednesday pushed deeper into Islamic State-held Fallujah, more than two weeks after the operation to retake the city from the militant group started, a senior military official said. After securing the... more »
Iraqi Army Not Ready To Launch An Offensive To Retake Mosul Even With U.S. Aid
Iraqi security forces ride in vehicles traveling to Mosul to fight against ISIS militants at an Iraqi army base in Camp Taji in Baghdad on February 21. AHMED SAAD/REUTERS *New York Times:* *Iraqi Army Seen as Ill Equipped to Retake Mosul From ISIS, Despite U.S. Aid* WASHINGTON — An exhausted and ill-equipped Iraqi Army faces daunting obstacles on the battlefield that will most likely delay for months a long-planned major offensive on the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, American and allied officials say. The delay is expected despite American efforts to keep Iraq’s creaky war m... more »
U.S. Humvees Captured By The Islamic State Have Been Converted Into Effective Car Bombs
*Daily Caller*: *ISIS Is Converting 2/3 Of US Humvees Given To Iraq Into Car Bombs* Islamic State militants have not only stolen a majority of the military Humvees provided to the Iraq Security Forces (ISF) by the U.S., they are now re-purposing them into car bombs. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi confirmed that 2,300 are in ISIS hands, more than 2/3 of all Humvees provided to Iraq by the U.S. Most were stolen after the terrorist group captured the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014. While the vehicles were designed as a fast means to carry U.S. personnel and their supplies i... more »
There Is More Talk To Bring Back The F-22
F-22 Raptors line up with F-15 fighters on the Anderson Flightline. Photo from Flickr. *Bloomberg*: *The F-22 Raptor: Back From the Grave?* The world’s most advanced fighter jet was canceled over cost. New threats have Congress asking if that was a mistake. The Pentagon collected its final F-22 Raptor from Lockheed Martin Corp. four years ago. Amid the Cold War’s end and shrinking defense budgets, the most advanced fighter jet ever built was deemed both unnecessary and unaffordable. Now, Congress has ignited a flicker of hope for fans of the pricey plane. A House subcommittee ask... more »
When ‘Mid-Century Modern’ was simply modern
[image: Stahl-House-Shulman] Above, photographer Julius Shulman’s now iconic photo of Pierre Koenig’s C*ase Study *House hovering above 1940s Los Angeles*– *it seems to define what some folk now call “Mid-Century Modern.” Just one of over 1000 items in *the University of Southern California’s **Architectural Teaching Slide Collection**, which collects about 1300 rarely seen photographs of midcentury modern houses shot all over the western United States from the 1940s to the 1960s by Koenig himself, along with his colleague Fritz Block, who also happened to own a color slide co... more »
What are Atheists So Afraid Of?
[image: Christopher Hitchens - 900] The late Christopher Hitchens was one of the world's foremost and most committed atheists. You may remember him for his best-selling, outrageous polemic against monotheism: God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Hitchens, who died of esophageal cancer in... more »
Congress’s Plan to Rein in Farm Subsidies Is Actually Costing Taxpayers More
[image: Contour farming and conservation tillage protect highly erodible land on a farm near Norwalk in Warren County, in central Iowa.] The 2014 Farm Bill that was supposed to save $23 billion over 10 years will cost taxpayers much more due to subsidy payments, according to reports compiled by the Environmental Workers Group. The bill was supposed to reduce costs by offering crop insurance that protected farmers... more »
News Guide: Clinton, Trump Sharpen Contrasts for Matchup
[image: Clinton and Trump - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- With a splash of history and a dose of reassurance, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Donald Trump claimed their parties’ presidential nominations and are turning their political guns on each other. And for Bernie Sanders, Tuesday’s... more »
Time to Back the Winner? Clinton, Trump Try to Unify Parties
[image: Clinton - 900] NEW YORK (AP) -- Energized by a final batch of primary victories, Hillary Clinton is setting out on the difficult task of uniting her fractured Democratic Party for the five-month presidential battle with Republican Donald Trump. Fellow Democrats urged Bernie... more »
Charles Murray is Mistaken: Making Welfare More Efficient is the Wrong Prescription
[image: beggar - 900] Too many social problems are conceived of in terms of what “we” can do for “them.” After decades of massive expansions of the welfare state, the answer seems to range from “not very much” to “making matters worse.” Undaunted, people... more »
TSA Chief: ‘Progress’ on Shortening Lines that Caused Thousands to Miss Flights
[image: Auditors, NOT Elite Agents, Smuggled Fake Weapons Past TSA] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Significant progress has been made on shortening screening lines since earlier this spring, when airlines reported thousands of frustrated passengers were missing flights, the head of the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday. Over the busy Memorial Day... more »
Paul Ryan’s Endorsement of Trump a Bitter Pill to Swallow
[image: Paul Ryan - 900] Paul Ryan is a disappointment. That’s more difficult for me to write than it should be. My approach to politicians has generally been similar to that of lab researchers to their test animals: Do not get too attached. For scientists,... more »
Footage Shows Meteor Falling Over St. Louis And Burning up
An outdoor camera captures footage of a meteor fireball burning up in the sky over St. Louis. Dozens of people have reported seeing the meteor at around 11:40 am on Monday morning. St. Louis Today reports: Reports on social media surfaced about the sight, described by some as as a flash that fell from the sky and disappeared a couple hundred feet above the horizon. Tom Stolze, who runs the website Ofallonweather.org posted a video of a bright light falling in the sky to the northwest of an outdoor camera in O’Fallon, Mo. As of Monday night, the American Meteor Society received 77 re...more »
Multi Culti Quisling
Skip to content *Vaclav Klaus and David Archibald, Hradcany Castle, Prague**by David Archibald**author of Australia’s Defence * *(Connor Court) and Twilight of Abundance (Regnery)* *Re-published from The Wentworth Report* *7 June 2016* Mischief-making Quisling Central, otherwise known as the Australia China Relations Institute (ACRI), is now over two years old. ACRI is headed by Australia’s wrinkliest Quisling, Bob Carr, who assumed that title on the death of the unlamented Malcolm Fraser. The evil that men do lives after them. In Malcolm Fraser’s case, the last bit of evil he did was... more »
The Positive Impact of HUMAN CO2 EMISSIONS on the Survival of Life on Earth
Patrick Moore who left Greenpeace, of which he was co-founder, when it was infiltrated by refugees from the collapse of World Communism, has written a new paper on the The Positive Impact of HUMAN CO2 EMISSIONS on the Survival of Life on Earth EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study looks at the positive environmental effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a topic which has been well established in the scientific literature but which is far too often ignored in the current discussions about climate change policy. All life is carbon based and the primary source of this carbon is the CO2... more »
Scott Aaronson vs Donald Trump
While Terry Tao's would-be rigorous rant against Donald Trump has demonstrated that Tao has no clue about the basic political issues, Scott Aaronson's text Daddy, why didn’t you blog about Trump? proves that Aaronson knows about all the basic forces that direct these political discussions. At the same moment, Aaronson shows his loyalty to the "progressive cause" that seems to be wildly illogical in the light of so many things that Aaronson seems to realize. Aaronson starts by saying that friends ask him why he hasn't written a rant against Trump yet. Maybe even his daughter Lily... more »
James McEnteer : Look ma, no wheels: Weak end at Bernie’s
Political bites and random nibbles. By James McEnteer | The Rag Blog | June 8, 2016 On September 11, 2001, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, et. al., were either negligent about or complicit in the terrorist attacks … finish reading James McEnteer : Look ma, no wheels: Weak end at Bernie’s
The Sanity of Anti-Globalism versus the Lunacy of Nationalist Supremacism
I have been active politically for longer than I care to think about! I have seen groups come, I have seen them go. It is an unspoken rule amongst Nationalists to be generous to a fault when dealing with anyone who appears to be against the globalist agenda. This has seen serious scum tolerated just because they happen to have a few points of ideology which are useful in confronting the forces assaulting freedom everywhere. This has resulted in people keeping quiet in the face of controlled opposition, saying nothing about degenerates (whilst hypocritically attacking the Catholi... more »
Military Photo of the Day: Marine Helicopter Drops in on High School
[image: Helicopter] A U.S. Marine CH-53 Super Stallion demonstrates a landing at Massapequa High School in Long Island, New York, on May 26, 2016. Thanks to Lance Cpl. Sean Berry for capturing this image!
World Bank Downgrades Its Forecast for 2016 Global Economy — Again
[image: A woman walks past an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm in Tokyo Wednesday, June 8, 2016. Asian stocks were mostly lower Wednesday after the World Bank cut its global growth forecast and investors looked ahead to Chinese trade data. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The World Bank is reducing its forecast for the global economy this year -- again. The aid agency predicted Tuesday that the world economy will expand 2.4 percent this year, down from the 2.9 percent it expected in... more »
Russian Attack Submarine Spotted In The English Channel
Vladimir Putin's new Stary Oskol submarine (pictured left), which is laden with missiles and torpedos, ventured into the North Sea where it was intercepted by the anti-submarine Type 23 frigate HMS Kent (right) on Sunday *Daily Mail*: *Vladimir Putin sends attack submarine into English Channel where it is being closely watched by Royal Navy frigate * * Russia sent a submarine into the English Channel where it was intercepted * The Stary Oskol is being closely watched by Royal Navy frigate HMS Kent * 'Supersub' was only launched last year and boasts missiles and torpedoes Russia sent... more »
Another 'Unsafe' U.S. - China Jet Intercept Over The East China Sea
*CNN:* *U.S.: Chinese jet makes 'unsafe' intercept of Air Force plane* (CNN)A U.S. Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft flying Tuesday in international airspace over the East China Sea was intercepted in an "unsafe manner" by a Chinese J-10 fighter jet, several defense officials tell CNN. The Chinese jet was never closer than 100 feet to the U.S. aircraft, but it flew with a "high rate of speed as it closed in" on the U.S. aircraft, one official said. Because of that high speed, and the fact it was flying at the same altitude as the U.S. plane, the intercept is defined as unsa... more »
Tweet For Today
Prime Minister David Cameron warns voters against believing "untruths" from Brexit campaign https://t.co/VeHkdbZVg3 pic.twitter.com/Ng7r3mWlvZ — AFP news agency (@AFP) June 7, 2016
A Look At How Boeing Is Making The JDAM Even Better
*DOD Buzz*: *WATCH: These are the Guided-Bombs the Air Force is Stockpiling* Shortly after the Air Force announced this week it was nearly doubling a contract with Boeing Co. for more guided-bombs, the aerospace giant released the following video of the Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM. The deal, valued at $3.2 billion, is known as an “umbrella contract” and allows the Air Force to buy as many as 36,500 of the guidance kits in a single order — much-needed flexibility as it seeks to replenish a stockpile depleted from airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ... more »
Picture Of The Day
*Rocket Round* A Marine sends a round from an AT-4 rocket launcher downrange during live-fire training at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, N.C. June 3, 2016. The Marine is assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Law Enforcement Battalion. The Marines trained to broaden their mission capabilities. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dalton Precht
Euro court rules non-EU nationals illegally entering UK cannot be imprisoned per UKIP
UKIP report http://www.ukip.org/euro_court_rules_non_eu_nationals_illegally_entering_uk_cannot_be_imprisoned that: 'To sum up – the euro court rules non-EU nationals illegally entering UK cannot be imprisoned. It is insanity to leave it up to the migrants whether they should leave promptly or not." Due to our EU membership, being outside Schengen makes no difference when it comes to deporting those illegally entering the UK.' The BBC seem less keen on the British public knowing the truth before the Brexit referendum, or afterwards.
TOLKIEN'S WRITER'S BLOCK
June 7, 1955: In a letter to the poet W. H. Auden, Hobbit-creator J.R.R. Tolkien recalls, "I first tried to write a story when I was about seven. It was a about a dragon. I remember nothing about it except a philological fact. My mother said nothing about the dragon, but pointed out that one could not say 'a green great dragon,' but had to say 'a great green dragon.' I wondered why and still do. The fact that I remember this is possibly significant, as I do not think I ever tried to write a story again for many years …" From: Susan Ohanian, Books Day by Day, June 7.
Should I forget who I am, please give me the music to remind me
If you haven’t already seen the 2014 documentary “Alive Inside,” fire up Netflix tonight and watch it. And as soon as it’s done and you’ve mopped up what might very well be a small bucket of sad-happy tears at all the lives changed by something so small, you just might want to get started on your own music playlist. The documentary is about a quest to give people back their music, most especially those living with dementia in U.S. care homes. The film opens with a scene of a near-comatose, non-verbal old man being outfitted with a headset and iPod loaded with all hi... more »
Johnny Hazard : Protestas contra el nuevo aeropuerto de la Ciudad de México
El gobierno federal invade terrenos comunales. Vestigios arqueológicos en riesgo. Por Johnny Hazard | The Rag Blog | 8 de junio, 2016 Lea en inglés un artículo anterior de este autor: “Crisis de ozono en la zona metropolitana de la … finish reading Johnny Hazard : Protestas contra el nuevo aeropuerto de la Ciudad de México
ATLAS+CMS: excess of \(ttH\) production
*...and a few other deviations...* *Fifth force:* First, off-topic, Natalie Wolchover wrote a helpful article about the Hungarian claims of a new 17 GeV boson, pointing out that the researchers in Debrecen (the town that gave the name to the popular Czech Debrecen ham) have "discovered" a dozen of similar bosons in recent years and they have viewed null results as a "failure", thus proving their lack of integrity. ATLAS and CMS have combined their Higgs production-and-decay analyses and many numbers agree with the SM predictions within 2 sigma. However, numerous measured numbers do... more »
History Lessons
By Eduardo Galeano *Memory of Fire: Century of the Wind* *1912: Daiquiri* *Daily Life in the Caribbean: An Invasion* The Platt Amendment, handiwork of Senator Platt of Connecticut, is the passkey that the US uses to enter Cuba at any hour. The amendment, part of the Cuban Constitution, authorizes the US to invade and stand fast, and gives it the power to decide who is or is not a proper president for Cuba. The current proper president, Mario Garcia Menocal, who also presides over the Cuban American Sugar Company, applies the Platt Amendment, calling in the Marines to put unrest ... more »
Quote of the Day: On the psychology of ghosts
*“I know what a ghost is…And I know what it isn’t too. … It isn’t a scarification or a flapping sheet, so pooh and bish to all that* *bunkum. What’s a ghost? Unfinished business, is what.”* ~ Salman Rushdie, from *The Satanic Verses* . Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with attribution.
Congress Sends Obama Bipartisan Bill to Regulate Toxic Chemicals
[image: Industrial pipe discharging liquid waste] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress on Tuesday sent President Barack Obama a sweeping bill that would for the first time regulate tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture. In a rare display... more »
FBI director: Islamic State Still the Main Threat Facing the U.S.
[image: FBI Director James Comey speaks during a news conference Tuesday afternoon June 7, 2016, in Minneapolis, Minn., while in town as part of a two-day regional visit. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES LOCAL TELEVISION OUT] BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) -- The director of the FBI said Tuesday that the Islamic State group is currently the main threat facing the United States, both in its efforts to recruit fighters to join its members overseas and to... more »
The British Military Is Facing A STD Epidemic
*RT:** Dishonorable discharge: 10,000 British troops catch STDs since 2012, Army most afflicted* Almost 10,000 British military personnel have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) since 2012 and up to 100 have caught HIV, according to figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The figures, first unearthed by the Daily Mirror, show a virtual epidemic of STDs in the British military. Although all three services are affected, the infection rates would represent 10 percent of the 87,000-strong British Army if applied to that service alone. *Read more* .... *WNU Ed... more »
Harry Reid Isn't Right About Much, But He's Right When He Says Marco Rubio Is "Damaged Goods"
Marco Rubio's political base is Miami Dade. In fact, when Trump swept Florida in the primary, Miami-Dade was the *only* county Rubio won. At least there they seemed to take Rubio's warning seriously that Trump is a dangerous con man unfit to be anywhere near the nuclear button. Trump, however, took Florida with 1,077,221 votes (45.7%) to Rubio's piss-poor 636,653 (27.0%) and Ted Cruz's 403,640 (17.1%). But in Miami-Dade, the huge Hispanic population propelled Rubio to a 111,898 (62.7%) win over Trump's 40,156 (22.5%). The only other county where Rubio broke 30% was Orange County (... more »
Clinton Claims Democratic Nomination, Trump Wins Now Meaningless Primaries
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reacts to cheers from supporters during a presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on campaign 2016 as California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota vote. (all times Eastern): 12:05 a.m. California U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris has claimed one of two spots in the... more »
#Context - Butter, eggs, and the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and diabetes
When Ancel Keys started work on his hypothesis, in 1955, he reported that butter only accounted for 4.8% of fats consumed in the USA.[1] Remember that. It’s well-known that eggs are associated with type 2 diabetes in the USA, but there’s no such association in the rest of the world, and in Finland eggs have protective association with type 2 diabetes. “When stratified by geographic area, there was a 39% higher risk of DM (95% CI: 21%, 60%) comparing highest with lowest egg consumption in US studies (I2 = 45.4%, P = 0.089) and no elevated risk of DM with egg intake in non-US stud... more »
Iran's Banking And Financial System Is Broken
*Elizabeth Rosenberg and Richard Bephew, Politico: **Iran's broken financial system* Tehran hasn't benefited much from the nuclear deal. But the real problem is its own economy. The Iran nuclear deal was destined to be controversial in its negotiation, conclusion and implementation. Nowhere is the deal more complex than in the area of sanctions relief. But blaming sanctions for the failure of a windfall for Iran to materialize — as critics and supporters alike are saying — misplaces attribution and undermines prospects for the deal’s success. Iran has already received some benefi... more »
Atlantis vs. Wakanda: Domain Play in Superhero RPGs
Given I've been thinking a lot about domain play lately, I had a passing thought this evening as to whether or not such play is applicable to superhero gaming - given I'm running an Icons game at present. After a little reflection I realized it absolutely is. As seen by the image at the top of this post, superheroes and supervillains are often at the heads of nations and organizations. There's a number of ways to realize this in play. At the most obvious there is the example of superpowered beings ruling over entire nations. You have Black Panther's Wakanda, Namor's Atlantis, Doct... more »
Ideas Are Bulletproof
Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not... more »
The Pushers of the Man Made Global warming Hoax are running Scared.
The sky is falling on the climate change hoax. The Shrill have two major pillars of the falsified man made global warming hoax: 1. 97% consensus of scientists; 2. Carbon dioxide is causing the warming. *The 97% consensus* has been busted on so many counts (eg here, here, here etc) it is a wonder that any reasonable person would still make the claim. Those who invoke such arguments are operating in the realm of politics and religion, because their science is weak. Albert Einstein once said, “*No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove... more »
Drones Are Now A Key Tool For The U.S. Military As It Conducts Combat Operations
U.S. airmen prepare a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone as it leaves on a mission at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan March 9, 2016. Picture taken March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Josh Smith *Josh Smith, Reuters*:* Drones emerge from shadows to become key cog in U.S. war machine* When U.S. drones obliterated a car carrying Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour last month, it was the kind of targeted killing that unmanned aircraft are best known for. But 15 years after a drone first fired missiles in combat, the U.S. military's drone program has expanded far beyond specific strikes to become a... more »
Peru's Presidential Election Still Too Close To Call
*Wall Street Journal*: *With Peru’s Election So Close, Results May Not Be Known for Days* *Kuczynski has slim lead over Fujimori in presidential race as votes trickle in from rural areas, overseas.* LIMA, Peru—Peruvian presidential candidates Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Keiko Fujimori settled in for a photo finish as election officials slowly counted the final ballots to determine the outcome of one of the tightest races ever here. When the result will be final, however, is uncertain as an electoral board will need to rule on disputed ballots that could decide the close election, ... more »
Syrian President Vows To Continue The War. Threatens Turkish President Erdogan
*US News And World Report:* *Assad Says Aleppo Will Be Erdogan’s ‘Graveyard’* The Syrian government has vowed to free the entire country from ISIS, as well as other rebels. Syrian President Bashar Assad raged against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday, vowing to crush Erdogan-backed forces in Aleppo and make the city his "graveyard." Erdogan is a major backer of the rebel groups fighting Assad in Syria's ongoing civil war. Assad promised to "liberate every inch" of Syria Tuesday, and is reportedly plotting a major offensive in Aleppo, the country's most populous city... more »
Is Voting For The Lesser Of Two Evils-- Even The MUCH Lesser Of Two Evils-- Any Way To Govern Ourselves?
If you're a Hillary fan, skip this post and save making yourself angry; just go tap the thermometer at the bottom and contribute to Hillary's campaign against Trump. Besides, there's nothing new here, I promise. Like I've said before, even if I still see myself through the internal eye of the kid who went to jail for burning his draft card and then left the country for over 6 years, I'm old enough now so that I feel like I don't have to ever vote for the lesser-of-two evils again. Hillary is certainly the lesser-- FAR lesser-- of two evils compared to Trump. But I've voted for eno... more »
LIVE Stream: Donald Trump Election Night Press Conference (6-7-16) w/ Update
Mr. Trump will be making post-election remarks at Trump National Golf Club Westchester in Westchester, NY. Remarks will begin at 9:00 PM EDT. 6:00pm PDT Live Stream Link – Alternate Live Stream *Update: Instant replay. Trump starts at about 19:00 *
You Will Never Guess Why Goldman Sachs Fired This Ex Porn Star
Goldman Sachs fired a member of staff after learning that she worked as a porn star in adult videos while a college student. The woman, who went by the name “Shizuka Minamoto” in her acting days, was told that her porn star past violated Goldman Sachs’ code of ethics. The big news here is that Goldman Sachs apparently has a code of ethics. You can imagine the scene. Manager: Shizuka-san, you broke our code of ethics. You’re fired! Shizuka: Code of ethics? But I joined Goldman Sachs because I heard you didn’t have any ethics. Now we know. Fraud, insider trading, lending out 35 dolla...more »
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*Who pays for $3 billion MR-GO wetlands restoration? ~Mark Schleifstein*
The Greater Meaning of Deflategate for Science Today
The climateaudit site has a post on the "Deflategate controversy is due to scientist error" (about the claim that the Patriots football team was deflating their footballs to give themselves an edge in games). My response to Stephen McIntyre: *"Information for Colt balls reconcile almost exactly, but there is a discrepancy of about 0.38 psi for Patriot balls. This discrepancy is almost exactly equal to the bias of referee Anderson’s Logo Gauge (orange) – a coincidence that should alarm any analyst of this data."* *It is the single greatest and most widespread error in all of modern s... more »
Six Categories: A Lukewarmer's Biased Take on the Climate Debate
The masterresource site has a post on "six categories" of positions in the climate debate, according to Richard Mueller of UC Berkeley, who, the article says, should be an "important voice" in the debate. My response: *Bottom line: Mueller's categories are not valid, and he should not be "an important voice" for anyone looking for the truth. To say as he does that "warmists" stick to the science is a lie by omission, for they stick only to their "consensus" dogma, which has been shown, time and time again, to be utterly worthless. And his take on "deniers"--that as a group they "pay ... more »
Untitled
*Fury Over School Regulations: It’s the Department of Education, Stupid!* Proposed regulations bring education back under federal control. The new school regulations are so old school. Can we not just deregulate like it’s 1999? Yesterday's proposed rules on school accountability are yet another reminder that it’s time for federal bureaucrats at the Department of Education to get their hands out of our education system. They have done enough damage already with their long record of failed reform efforts. However, when it comes to regulating our children, the Department of Educati... more »
Experts Debunk Obama’s ‘Social Cost of Carbon’ Estimate — It Might Be Negative!
[image: Obama - 900] A soon-to-be-published paper challenges the Obama administration's so-called "social cost of carbon" estimate, which puts a monetary value on the supposed future damages from global warming. But the new study's authors not only say the administration's "social cost of carbon"... more »
Law Expert Blasts NY Attorney General for Investigations Against Exxon
[image: New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announcing the new guidelines and testing standards that GNC will adhere to for their herbal supplements and extracts during a press conference on March 30, 2015 in New York City. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)] An expert in financial and securities law says he's "skeptical" New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman can build a strong case against Exxon Mobil for fraud and deception. Merritt Fox, a Michael E. Patterson professor of law at Columbia Law... more »
New DC Transgender Guide Instructs Employers to Establish Gender-Neutral Dress Codes, More
[image: 1Showing_your_pride_-_DC_Gay_Pride_Parade_2012_(7356403050)] The D.C. Office of Human Rights and the National LGBTQ Task Force released a guide on Monday to teach employers how to make transgender applicants and employees feel safe and included in their work environments. The guide, titled "Valuing Transgender Applicants... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( June 7 , 2016 ) Quicks Hits For Tuesday (1. Markets - Risk On For Credit Rip Continues , Global Ten Year Yields See Various New Lows Today , Global Equities Continue Rip From February Lows , Crude Oil Rip Continues. Some Trend. 2. UK Referendum - Cameron - Farage Face Off Today and Selected High Points , additional Items Of Interest On Subject Matter. 3. Greece Updates - Primary Focus On Creditors Talks & General State Of Play In Greece. 4. Odds & Ends. )
Markets & Market Moving News.... *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 10m 10 minutes ago CCC High Yield Bond Index at an 11-month high, up 34% from its Feb low. *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 5h 5 hours ago European High Yield Bond Index at new all-time highs. Rally in credit over past few months has been a global event. *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 5h5 hours ago New 52-week low in yields today in: Germany Austria Denmark France Belgium South Korea Australia New Zealand Russia *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 2h 2 hours ago Glob... more »
Brazil Begins Arrests Of Top Politicians
Brazil have begun the process of arresting and prosecuting their top senior politicians for corruption. According The O Globo daily newspaper, a top Brazilian prosecutor is requesting the country’s highest court to issue arrest warrants for various politicians wanted for obstructing a corruption investigation into state oil company Petrobras. Sandiegouniontribune.com reports: Senate President Renan Calheiros is one of several reportedly being sought by prosecutor Rodrigo Janot. He called the request “disproportional and abusive” in a statement. The O Globo daily reported that Janot... more »
Russia Builds Up Forces Along Border With Ukraine
While NATO stages military exercises on its eastern flank, Russia has grown concerned and built up its forces along Ukraine’s border. There is growing concern over a military confrontation between the two former Cold War rivals, Russia and the NATO alliance. The Kremlin sees its western flank along former Soviet Union Republics as the new front-line and is reportedly deploying troops and building an army base in a border town near Ukraine. UK Reuters reports: A Reuters reporter who visited the Russian town of Klintsy, about 50 km (30 miles) from Ukraine, saw a makeshift army camp, l...more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 7, 2016
Islamic State fighters in Iraq *Daniel Trombly, USNI News*: *Analysis: Defeating ISIS Remains Daunting Task* It has been nearly three years since the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) captured Mosul and advanced rapidly through a number of major population centers in northern Iraq, triggering a major U.S.-led internationalization of the conflict between the jihadist group and the myriad opponents to its attempt to establish territorial supremacy in Iraq and Syria. On the whole, while ISIS’s geographic extent and financial means have shrunk, seizing and securing population ce... more »
World News Briefs -- June 7, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters: **As Clinton wraps up Democratic nomination, Sanders still fighting on* With the Democratic presidential nomination effectively wrapped up, Hillary Clinton's campaign urged supporters to head to the polls in Tuesday's nominating contests in hopes that victories will persuade rival Bernie Sanders to bow out of the race. Clinton secured enough delegates to win the nomination before Tuesday's voting, U.S. media outlets reported on Monday night. But Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said they were pushing supporters and volunteers to "stay at this" for the contests in New... more »
(Hillary Already Crowned?) OMG - Is It Still Pre-WWII or Has the USA Gone Cray-Cray? (US Government Intentionally Destroys 9/11 Evidence)
Complete surprise: "The New York Times" and the "AP" announce that Hillary Clinton has already won the Democratic Primary by securing enough super-delegates to not have to worry about any more irritating primary or caucus voters. One could point out (if one had a willing media outlet) that super-delegates aren't actually allowed to vote until the day of the primary in July, but hey, why spoil
New Left Blogs April/June 2016
I know it's not a Sunday. I know it's a few days late. *Sue me*. 1. A Depressed Baker (Unaligned/Mental Health) 2. Andrew - My Thoughts on the World (Labour) 3. James Snell (Labour) (Twitter) 4. Labour Young Opinions Network (Labour) (Twitter) 5. Layo (Labour) (Twitter) 6. Sentinel News (Unaligned) 7. The Political Critique (Labour) (Twitter and Twitter) 8. The Freedom and Equality Hub (Labour) 9. Tommy Ball's Blog (Unaligned) If you know of any new blogs that haven't featured before then drop me a line via the comments, email, Facebook, or Twitter. Please note I'm looking for b... more »
GOP Poverty Plan Calls for Stauncher Work Requirements, Less Welfare
[image: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and seven other members of a congregational delegation visiting Japan address the international media in Tokyo on February 19, 2015. (U.S. State Department photo by William Ng)] House Speaker Paul Ryan said dumping more money into welfare programs isn't a viable way to get people out of poverty during the roll out of the GOP's plan to tackle the issue at House of Hope, a drug and alcohol residential... more »
Poll: Trump Rises Above Clinton When Third-Party Candidates Enter the Mix
[image: Hillary Clinton Donald Trump - 900] In a recent poll conducted by NBC news, things look great for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when up against Donald Trump, but when a third-party contender is added to the mix, Clinton's lead evaporates. In a national head-to-head poll published... more »
Pictures Show Stonehenge Was Rebuilt 50 Years Ago
Russia have released photographs that show Stonehenge being rebuilt between 1954 to 1958, allegedly on the orders of the British government. For decades official Stonehenge guidebooks have been full of fascinating facts, figures and theories surrounding the world’s most infamous prehistoric monument. What the brochures do not mention, however, is the systematic rebuilding of the 4,000 year old stone circle in the 20th Century. The information is markedly absent from the guidebooks and info-phones used by tourists at the site. A Russian website shows fascinating photos of what appear...more »
Ron Paul: US Democracy Is Dead
Former presidential candidate Ron Paul has said that democracy in the U.S. is effectively dead, saying that having to choose between Trump and Clinton amounts to no real choice. Speaking on MCNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, Ron Paul said “This country, we do not really have democracy. I mean, even if we were really, really super happy with the Libertarian candidate, you think they’d get into the debates? No, the debates are run by the Republicans and Democrats“. Politico.com reports: Republicans and Democrats would “find a way of excluding them,” Paul said, and it would not likely happen “...more »
FAA: Mysterious Drills On West Coast Will Blackout GPS
The U.S. military have begun a mysterious set of drills on the West coast of America that they say will jam GPS signals for six hours a day. The FAA issued an advisory warning pilots that the global positioning systems (GPS) could be unresponsive this month, but have refused to say why. Gizmodo.com reports: On June 7, 9, 21, 23, 28, and 30th the GPS interference testing will be taking place between 9:30am and 3:30pm Pacific time. But if you’re on the ground, you probably won’t notice interference. The testing will be centered on China Lake, California—home to the Navy’s 1.1 million ... more »
Scotland Permanently Bans Fracking
Scotland have taken a bold stand against fracking and permanently banned the controversial practise in the country. The Scottish parliament voted in favor of outlawing fracking permanently following a temporary ban implemented in January 2015. Activistpost.com reports: Members of the ruling Scottish National Party abstained from the vote, which passed 32 to 29, though SNP Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse claimed the government remains “deeply sceptical” of fracking and none would be allowed to proceed unless distinct evidence proved the practice ‘causes no harm,’ the Guardian report... more »
Bilderberg 2016: German Military To Provide Security
Footage has been leaked showing the German military in uniform attending a meeting with organisers of this years Bilderberg 2016. According to InfoWars, the video footage shows German officers meeting with Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski staff, discussing with them security plans for the Bilderberg meeting. This years Bilderberg meeting is going to focus on the upcoming Europe in-out referendum happening in the UK, with leaders expected to discuss ways they can stop Britain for voting for a Brexit outcome. Other topics on the agenda are ways in which world leaders can influence a ...more »
Russia Obliterate ISIS In Northern Syria
Russia have successfully completed a round of airstrikes in northern Syria by targeting oil tankers owned by ISIS, obliterating their financial resources. Newly released footage filmed by ISIS shows oil tankers left completely destroyed after being hit by Russian fighter jets in al-Mansurah, 20 km from Raqqa. Almasdarnews.com reports: ISIS, a notorious death cult known for its barbaric executions, is illegally trading with stolen Syrian and Iraqi oil to finance its bloodthirsty jihadists and purchase weapons. The destination of the destroyed tankers is still unknown. ISIS has been ... more »
Study Finds Free Speech Is Under Massive Attack
A new report by the Economist newspaper has found that online freedom of speech is under massive attack, as government’s attempt to impose strict censorship rules worldwide. Their report mirrors what other watchdogs are saying: government censorship, threats of violence and social justice warriors all pose a threat to the future of the free internet. Economist.com reports: Free speech is under attack in three ways. First, repression by governments has increased. Several countries have reimposed cold-war controls or introduced new ones. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russi...more »
Sorry Miss USA, But Direct Combat is Not a Beauty Pageant Stage
[image: AP Exchange] Deshauna Barber is a first lieutenant in the Army Reserves and is getting a flurry of attention for her comment during the Miss USA pageant about women in combat roles. Her statements demonstrated little forethought on the issue, but, hey, why let... more »
Clinton Tech Aide Reveals to Judge the Immunity Deal He Got From Prosecutors
[image: Bryan Pagliano - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The ex-staffer who set up Hillary Clinton’s home email server has filed documents under seal in response to a judge’s directive that he reveal his immunity arrangement with the Justice Department. Bryan Pagliano submitted a motion in... more »
DC Lawmakers Approve Citywide $15 Minimum Wage
[image: DC minimum wage - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers in the nation’s capital approved a $15-an-hour minimum wage on Tuesday, joining numerous other cities and the states of California and New York in mandating pay raises for retail, restaurant and service-industry workers. The D.C. Council... more »
Japan agrees $3.4bn loan for coal plant
By Paul Homewood http://www.powerengineeringint.com/articles/2016/06/japan-agrees-3-4bn-loan-for-coal-plant.html?cmpid=EnlPEIJune72016&eid=296412419&bid=1424154 Meanwhile, back in the real world: The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) agreed on a $3.4bn loan to finance the Batang coal power project. The coal-fired power project has faced delays due to reluctance of landowners to facilitate its construction as well as a failure until now […]
O.J. Simpson Smiles For The Camera In New Mugshot
A new mugshot of the disgraced former NFL legend O.J. Simpson has been released by the Nevada Department of Corrections. The 68-year-old is currently serving 33 years in an isolated desert prison for armed robbery and is eligible for parole next year. Daily Mail reports: Simpson, who is serving a sentence up to 33 years behind bars for armed robbery and other crimes, has not been pictured in a new mugshot since July 2013. The Nevada Department of Corrections took a new mugshot of the 68-year-old to ensure they ‘keep accurate information and an up-to-date photo’ of all their inmate... more »
Maine Governor Skewers Enviros: ‘True Intent’ Is to Keep Mainers Poor
[image: Maine Gov. Paul LePage greeted three teachers from China who will teach in Maine schools in the Cabinet Room of the Maine Statehouse on Aug. 22, 2011.] Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage set off a political firestorm after he sent a letter to donors of a major environmental group arguing eco-activists' "true intent" is to keep Mainers from getting "jobs they need to raise themselves out of poverty."... more »
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