3:21am MDT
Is Russia Using Thermite Cluster Bombs In Syria?
RBK-500 ZAB-2,5SM cluster bombs were spotted at Russia's Syria airbase in a RT video in June https://t.co/CeFtgzDmdh pic.twitter.com/OjSGACsm9r — CIT (en) (@CITeam_en) August 7, 2016 *WNU Editor: *The bombs can be seen at the 0:44 mark in the above video.
Assange: It’s Over Hillary, ‘October Surprise’ Biggest Leak To Date
Wikileaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange promised to release more damning emails about the Clinton Foundation, and warned he has enough evidence on Hillary Clinton making secret deals with an alleged Islamic State sponsor for the FBI to indict her. Asked by British journalist Afshin Rattansi on Saturday if he had “the email which will put Hillary Clinton behind bars,” Assange claimed to have 350 emails on a French transnational concrete company named Le Farge that allegedly paid ISIS to do business in regions controlled by the terror group. The report, by British political blog The ... more »
Putin’s Pokemon Go Warning Goes Viral, Iran Ban Game
Iran has banned Pokemon Go citing “security concerns,” becoming the latest country to follow Russia’s lead in expressing concerns and blacklisting the augmented reality smartphone game due to its direct links to the CIA and intelligence community. The decision was announced by the High Council of Virtual Spaces, the official body regulating online activity, and follows a Kremlin report that young people are being tricked into giving up their privacy to intelligence agencies. While playing the game they act as unwitting intelligence gatherers for the CIA. The game has an extensive li... more »
Civil War: Black Activists Declare Jihad On America
A pro-black hate group more extreme than Black Lives Matter has declared civil war on white America, urging gangs across the country to unite and murder “babies and grandmothers” and anyone in uniform – including first responders such as fire fighters and paramedics, because “they are on the same side as the police.“ Dr. Mauricelm-Lei Millere, an “advisor” to the New Black Panther Party and head of the African American Defense League posted on Facebook, “WE ARE CALLING ON THE GANGS ACROSS THE NATION! ATTACK EVERYTHING IN BLUE EXCEPT THE MAIL MAN, UNLESS HE IS CARRYING MORE THAN MAIL... more »
Military Photo of the Day: A Gathering at Fort Sill to Pray for Our Nation
[image: Soldiers Pray] Community leaders, soldiers and civilians gather at Fort Sill, Oklahoma’s Frontier Chapel on July 11, 2016, to pray for our nation. Amen.
The Entire History Of Civilization In One Chart
*Business Insider/Slate*:* The Entire History Of The World In One Chart* This “Histomap,” created by John B. Sparks, was first printed by Rand McNally in 1931. This giant, ambitious chart fit neatly with a trend in nonfiction book publishing of the 1920s and 1930s: the “outline,” in which large subjects (the history of the world! every school of philosophy! all of modern physics!) were distilled into a form comprehensible to the most uneducated layman. The 5-foot-long Histomap was sold for $1 and folded into a green cover, which featured endorsements from historians and reviewers... more »
Princeton Professor Explains How To Hack An Election In 7 Minutes
A Princeton University professor has demonstrated just how easy it would be to rig an electronic voting machine in the U.S. in order to “hack an election”. Professor Andrew Appel and graduate student Alex Halderman were able to completely hack a real life voting machine in around seven minutes. Thelastamericanvagabond.com reports: After Halderman picked the hulking, 250-pound machine’s lock in seven seconds flat, Appel wrested its four ROM chips from a circuit board — an easy feat, considering the chips weren’t soldered in place. Once freed, Appel could facilely replace the ROM chips... more »
Erdogan To Introduce Death Penalty In Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced plans to bring back the death penalty in Turkey following last months failed coup. Erdogan told a rally of millions of people in Istanbul on August 7 that he will help push through a new death penalty law in parliament – which he says will allow him to administer justice to those responsible for the attempted coup. Hurriyetdailynews.com reports: He wished his condolences to the 240 people killed by coup soldiers, of whom 172 were civilians, 63 were police officers and five were soldiers. He also wished speedy recovery to the 2,19... more »
FBI Orchestrated ‘Draw Muhammad’ Contest To Incite Unrest
A federal court has heard evidence that suggests the FBI orchestrated the ‘Draw Muhammad’ cartoon contest in Texas in 2015 that led to a deadly shooting. The court heard that not only were the FBI behind the event, but they were also in contact with the two suspects involved in the shooting just days before it occurred. Activistpost.com reports: The two suspects were being directed by undercover FBI agents, one of which reportedly told one of the shooters shortly before the attack to “tear up Texas.” The Daily Beast in its article, “FBI Agent Apparently Egged on ‘Draw Muhammad’ Sho... more »
Clinton Campaign In Panic Mode As Hillary’s Lead Plummets
New poll numbers suggest that Hillary Clinton’s lead over Trump has taken a dramatic nosedive recently, leaving campaign staff panicked. Following Reuters’ decision to tweak its polling methodology, the new data suggests that Hillary’s peak ended last week and is now in a steady decline. Zerohedge.com reports: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s lead over Republican rival Donald Trump narrowed to less than 3 percentage points, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Friday, down from nearly eight points on Monday. About 42 percent of likely voters favore... more »
Executed Iranian Scientist Named By Hillary On Unsecured Email Server
Senator Tom Cotton has accused Hillary Clinton of recklessly discussing the recently executed Iranian scientist via her unsecured private email server. Cotton says Clinton’s actions may have ultimately led to nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri’s death. Washingtonexaminer.com reports: “I’m not going to comment on what he may or may not have done for the United States government, but in the emails that were on Hillary Clinton’s private server, there were conversations among her senior advisors about this gentleman,” he said on “Face the Nation.” Cotton was speaking about Shahram Amiri, ... more »
US Schools To Teach Children How To Obey Cops
A new bill has been signed into US law forcing schools to teach children how to acquiesce to cops. The bill signed on Friday by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner will allow police officers to condition children via “driver’s eduction” classes, which includes lessons on how citizens should interact with the police. Thefreethoughtproject.com reports: It will be instituted for the 2017-18 school year and become mandatory training at both private and public schools. The guidelines, created by the secretary of state’s office, will instruct pupils on how to respond if they are pulled over b... more »
UPDATED: "Craven" Decision: IPC flips over Russian athlete's wheelchairs and kicks crutches out of their hands
*Russian Wheelchair Racers* *UPDATED: August 7, 2016* Here are a couple of good comments from the CBC Comments Section on this topic: *Andrea San* Rick Sterling write: "MacLaren said that the Russians did not seem interested in talking and yet in his own report he says: “I've also received unsolicited and extensive narrative with attachments from one important government representative described in this report.” And then he goes on, “it was simply not practical to look at that or interview the Russians.” So it is a completely one-sided report where he basically relied on one wi... more »
Hundreds Of US Troops Deployed To Iraq
The Pentagon have announced that over 400 troops will be deployed to Iraq in order to support the Iraqi military in Nineveh Province. Despite the US “no boots on the ground” policy, the troops are to take part in a logistics effort to help prepare the Iraqi military to attack Mosul. Theantimedia.org reports: Officials at Fort Campbell say the troops were part of a “Strike Ready Force” which had been pre-trained and prepared to go to Iraq “at a moment’s notice,” suggesting that the continued escalation of the US ground force in Iraq is being planned well ahead of actually announced ... more »
The Battle For The Syrian City Of Aleppo Intensifies
*ABC News Online*: *Syrian army launches intense air attacks after rebels 'break' Aleppo siege* Syrian and Russian warplanes have been pounding rebel-held positions in and around Aleppo, after fighters opposed to President Bashar al-Assad broke the siege of the city. The surprise advance allowed opposition fighters to break through a strip of government-controlled territory on Saturday and connect with fighters in the encircled sector of eastern Aleppo. But fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian army air strikes in and around the area mean no safe passage for besieged ... more »
Tweet For Today
PHOTOS: Our best shots from day 2 of #Rio2016 https://t.co/b3ADDjWHz5 pic.twitter.com/5uqYN9kwh8 — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) August 7, 2016
Taliban And The Islamic State Have Agreed To Not Battle Against Each Other In Eastern Afghanistan
Sheikh Abu Omar Maqbool, a former spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, pledges allegiance to the Islamic State group in this still from a video released by an ISIS media wing Jan. 26, 2015. PHOTO: KHURASAN MEDIA/THE ISLAMIC STATE *Wall Street Journal*: *Taliban, Islamic State Forge Informal Alliance in Eastern Afghanistan* *Two insurgencies find common cause in battling U.S.-backed Afghan forces instead of each other* ASADABAD, Afghanistan—Islamic State and the Taliban, after more than a year of fierce combat, have forged a patchwork cease-fire across much of eastern Afghanistan ... more »
Picture Of The Day
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* View of the city from the observation point on Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. © SPUTNIK/ KONSTANTIN CHALABOV
The Taliban Have An Elite Commando Force That Is Causing Havoc On The Afghan Army
*WNU Editor:* If this is true .... *Taliban's new commando force tests Afghan army's strength *(FOX News/AP) .... it tells me that the Taliban are now upping their war strategy. The fact that these commando units appear to be better armed and have equipment (i.e. night vision) that the Afghan army does not have is perplexing .... but considering how corrupt and disorganised the Afghan war effort has been .... and how rich (because of the opium trade) and motivated the Taliban are .... not surprising.
Nearly Half Of The Detainees Remaining At Guantanamo Bay Are Slated For Transfer
A guard tower of Camp Delta is seen at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba September 4, 2007. Reuters/Joe Skipper *FOX News:** Pentagon: Nearly half of remaining Guantanamo detainees slated for transfer* Nearly half of the detainees remaining at Guantanamo Bay are slated for transfer, a Pentagon official confirmed to Fox News. Of the 76 remaining detainees, 34 have been approved for transfer to countries that have agreed to accept them, according to spokeswoman Valerie Henderson. Thirty-two other detainees are slated to have their cases heard by a Departmen... more »
Is The U.S. Federal Reserve Rigging The U.S. Election?
*Zero Hedge*: T*he Most Cynical Take On Friday's Jobs Number: "The Fed Will Not Hike In September With Trump In The Race": Citi* If traders have a feeling that there is a prevailing sense of blase disenchantment involving not only US macro data but the overall market, you are not alone. Here is arguably the best, and thus most cynical take, of Friday's impressive seasonal adjustment factor payrolls report, from Citi's Brent Donnelly: *Summer apathy and generally high frustration levels related to poor returns, extreme bearishness and existential questions around the death of pri... more »
Did Hillary Clinton's 'Moscow Spring' End When Putin Returned To Power?
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) meets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton upon her arrival at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vladivostok September 8, 2012. REUTERS/Mikhail Metze *WNU Editor:* This AP story is wrong .... *Clinton's 'Moscow Spring' ended as Putin returned to power *(AP). Putin never left power .... he was the Russian Prime Minister when Hillary Clinton was U.S. Secretary of State, and he was always in the loop on what was happening .... sitting in cabinet meetings and being present in the Russian equivalent of the National Security C... more »
The Trumpanzee Fantasy World-- A Peek Behind The Curtain
Protesters holding up pocket constitutions are now a signal for enraged Trumpanzee fans to start booing and frothing at the mouth. It had to come to that eventually. Several sitting Republican congressmen have publicly told their constituents they will not vote for Trump. Richard Hanna (R-NY) has said he'll vote for Hillary. Scott Rigell (R-VA) endorsed Libertarian Gary Johnson on Friday evening. "I’ve always said I will not vote for Donald Trump and I will not vote for Hillary Clinton," Rigell told an interviewer, "I’m going to vote for the Libertarian candidate... When [other Re... more »
Untitled
*Censorial DePaul Bans Conservative Ben Shapiro* The discerning have long recognized that the true enemies of free speech are certain leftist progressives who believe their ideas are so superior and their opponents so toxic that protection for the latter isn’t warranted. The left is practiced at painting conservatives as oppressive and intolerant, but their behavior repeatedly undermines their claims and exposes them as the intolerant speech fascists and thought controllers. You won’t see conservatives advocating the muzzling of political opponents or promoting the Fairness Doctri... more »
Don't Let Anybody Tell You Differently
In the midst of Toronto's most up market neighbourhood, stands Casa Loma -- a monument to one of the last robber barons of the 19th century. Linda McQuaig writes: In the early 1900s, Toronto entrepreneur Henry Pellatt used his enormous wealth to build the most magnificent private residence ever seen in Canada -— a stunning palace that took 300 workers three years to construct and featured an oven large enough to cook an ox. The construction of Casa Loma put to rest any doubts about whether there was money to be made harnessing the power of Niagara Falls, which was how Pellatt had... more »
Simplifying the Hardness of Hard Science Fiction RPGs
I'm binging my way through *The Expanse* right now. I've not read the books the series is based on but I've added them to my reading list. The very short version is settlement of the solar system has begun, with Mars colonized and a rival to the UN of Earth and the Moon while the asteroid belt is a place that gets exploited for its resources. And the political situation of the solar system is getting rather explosive. One of the things I like about *The Expanse* is it is hard science fiction but it doesn't bore the viewer. Ships have gravity based on their acceleration - if they'... more »
Brett Favre: Hall of Fame Credit Goes to my Father
[image: Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre collects himself while delivering a speech during his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug.6, 2016, in Canton, Ohio.] CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Brett Favre’s love of football never wavered. Not even in the toughest hours of a 20-year career that led him to induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Just before Christmas 2003, Favre’s... more »
Salvador Dali + Walt Disney = “?”
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether the unlikely pair of Salvador Dali and Walt Disney ever worked together, then the answer is “Yes.” Yes they did. *It was 1946 [not long after Disney’s Fantasia] when these two legendary artists began their collaboration on a short film. It would be a half a century later before the film was actually completed. The result is called “Destino” which was made by Walt Disney and the one and only Salvador Dali. You can see both the Disney and Dali style mashed into one and it flows well enough that it actually works to solid effe... more »
German Suicide Bomber Had ISIS Contacts
[image: Special police officers secure a street near the house where a Syrian man lived before the explosion in Ansbach, southern Germany, Monday, July 25, 2016. The man who blew himself up and injured a dozen of people after being turned away from an open-air music festival was a Syrian who had been denied asylum, Bavaria's top security official said early Monday.] DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- The Saudi Interior Ministry says a member of the extremist Islamic State group was in contact through a social networking application with a Syrian asylum-seeker who blew himself up out... more »
it is wrong
"It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence." William Kingdon Clifford
Ted Lieu's New Bill Would Prevent A President Trump From Starting A Nuclear War
When Digby, John and I were first getting to know Ted Lieu, back when he was still a state Senator, we asked him why he was willing to leave the young family he's so devoted to in L.A. and spend so much time in Washington, D.C. He told us it actually had a lot to do with his two sons-- a compulsion to help turn Congress towards solving the accelerating problems around Climate Change. And, sure enough, last month when Ted was named the freshmen Democrats MVP, his unrelenting work-- with members on both sides of the aisle-- for climate change was first and foremost in everyone's mi... more »
The Number 7
The Number 7 THE number 7 stands in symbolism for the Planet Neptune, and represents all persons born under the 7, namely those who are born on the 7th, 16th, or 25th of any month, but more especially influences such persons if they were born from the 21st June to July 20th-27th, the period of the Zodiac called the" House of the Moon." The Planet Neptune has always been considered as associated with the Moon, and, as the part. of the Zodiac I have mentioned is also called the First' House of Water, the connection of Neptune whose very name is always associated with Water is th... more »
Edward Snowden Missing, Huge Leak Imminent
A massive new leak from Edward Snowden is believed to be imminent, after the former NSA contractor turned whistleblower tweeted a cryptic 64 character tweet that was deleted minutes later, before going on complete lockdown, leading the world to fear for his safety. The cryptic 64 character code that Snowden tweeted Friday sparked fears the message was a ‘dead man’s switch’ meaning Snowden is either dead or compromised. As speculation regarding his situation grew on Saturday, the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted the pithy message “he’s fine” and the Post reporter Barton Ge... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Lead Attorney In Anti-Clinton DNC Fraud Case Mysteriously Found Dead 3 Simple Charts That Help Explain Why 9,000 Businesses Have Left California In Just 7 Years Sheriff Raids House To Find Anonymous Blogger Who Called Him Corrupt Caught On Tape: Hillary Exclaims "We Will Raise Taxes On The Middle-Class" Student, Auto Loans Hit Record High As Credit Card Debt Surges In Latest Scandal, Trump Retracts Statement He Saw Video Of "Iran Cash Exchange" Just As Clip Emerges 30,000 Refugees "Go Missing" As Swedes Face Increasing Violence From Asylum-Seekers FDA Green Light... more »
#RPGaDay 2016 Day 7: What Aspect of RPGs Has Had the Biggest Effect on Me?
I don't know about you, but for me it has to have been the magic powers I've gotten through it. Make a few sacrifices, destroy Black Leaf, and you're good to go. Beyond the great powers one can get at the Temple of Diana, I've been exposed to a ton of literature through RPGs - I'd have encountered Tolkien on my own, but also Leiber, Lovecraft, Norton, and countless others. I've also gained a heavy interest in history - way more than I'd ever need for gaming research, but just out of my own research.
A Look At 25 Major Leaders (Past And Present) On How They Looked When They Were Young
Obama For America *Business Insider:* *What 25 major world leaders and dictators looked like when they were young* Sometimes it's hard to imagine what politicians and dictators were like before they left their marks on the global stage. We collected old photos of major leaders, past and current, to give a taste of who they once were. Unfortunately, we were limited by photo availability, so not every major figure from the 20th and 21st centuries made it into the post. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor: *The one on former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his son (and current ... more »
Turkey Sends a Message of National Unity Aimed Right at Comtemptuous NATO & More...
*Rallying the masses in multiple locations- Including in Diyarbakir* *By 2pm GMT, Istanbul’s Yenikapi Square was a sea of red and white Turkish flags* with many taking part wearing headbands emblazoned with Erdogan’s name. A huge banner declared “the victory is democracy’s, the square is the people’s” *The rallies were not limited to Istanbul and the capital Ankara**.* Thousands rallied in the popular tourist spots of* Izmir *in the west,* Antalya* in the south and* Diyarbakir* in the restive south-east. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim appeared briefly on stage in Istanbul before... more »
Problems with Song et al Animal Protein vs Plant Protein study
According to Harvard, this truck has saved more lives than an ambulance. Here we have another study from the hydra-headed monster that is the Harvard school of public health's interpretation of the NHS and HPFS studies. By my count there have been four of these so far this year, all saying much the same thing, that dietary guidelines were correct. Or rather, they've been presented as saying that, even though the last paper, on fat and mortality, found that higher fat intake was associated with reduced mortality. Harvard didn't report that finding in their press release. There ar... more »
Iran Bans Pokemon Go Over Security Concerns
*August 8, 2016* (The New Atlas) - Iran has for now, banned Pokemon Go over security concerns. The BBC in their article, "Pokemon Go banned by Iranian authorities over 'security'," would report that: *Authorities in Iran have banned the Pokemon Go app because of unspecified "security concerns". * *The decision was taken by the High Council of Virtual Spaces, the official body overseeing online activity. * *Iran follows a number of other countries in expressing its worries over security related to the game.* While the BBC offers no insight into what security concerns Iran specif... more »
How the Electoral College, Not Majority Vote, Elects U.S. Presidents
[image: Silhouettes of People Holding the Flag of USA] COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- It’s an institution as old as the nation itself, but the Electoral College remains an enigma to many Americans. The Founding Fathers, apprehensive about the unchecked power of the popular vote, added the extra step to... more »
Terror Networks Are Already In The U.S.
Connections to Nicholas Young *VOA:* *American Authorities Fear Terror Networks Already in US* After years of undercover work, the U.S. is starting to pull back the veil on what appear to be loose-knit, perhaps deeply rooted networks of would-be terrorists who support each other even as many prepare to act alone. Heightening the concern, these complex webs of connections and support seem to span several years and often cut across the ideological lines that delineate one terror group from another. “Increasingly, the FBI’s had a lot of these,” according to a law enforcement official... more »
Reluctant Corbynism
I'm going to tell you a story. A friend of my went for a selection in an ostensibly safe constituency. The long and short listing exercise was observed, and my comrade made it to the final three. Not wanting to mess about, the prospective prospective parliamentary candidate got the members' details and visited the first house on the list. They introduced themselves, and was told politely but firmly to save their patter. Why? Because they'd returned their voting papers by post the previous week, *several full days before the shortlisting for the ballot was officially finalised*. Kno... more »
Edward Snowden Is Fine Claims Friend Glenn Greenwald
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald says that his long time friend and NSA whistleblower, Edward Snowden, is “fine” after a couple of mysterious tweets appeared online raising concerns for his safety. Edward Snowden sent out a tweet earlier in the week saying “It’s Time.” On Friday he issued a cryptic 64-character code via Twitter raising concerns that he may have been killed or captured and triggered a “dead man’s switch,” leading to the release of more classified secrets. His friend and colleague and journalist for The Intercept, Glenn Greenwald, who helped expose pe... more »
When It’s Clinton Versus Putin, Russia Tends to Win
[image: In this file photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, meets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her arrival at the APEC summit in Vladivostok, Russia. During her recent acceptance of the Democratic party nomination to run for the U.S. presidency Clinton said Russia as an enemy and cannot be trusted, a statement which clearly stung the Kremlin and seems to have heralded a new era for the coming presidency if Clinton wins.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton basked in a diplomatic “Moscow Spring,” seizi... more »
"Moderates" Fighting Under "Re-Branded" Nusra Means They're Al Qaeda Affiliates Too
*August 8, 2016* (The New Atlas) - The current ongoing offensive in southwest Aleppo is admittedly being headed by designated terrorist organisation and Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Al Nusra under which a milieu of militant groups are fighting. Just before the offensive was launched, and apparently specifically for the occasion, Nusra would announce that it was severing ties with Al Qaeda (with Al Qaeda's blessing) so as to unite all the armed factions fighting in Syria under one banner. Despite the attempted re-branding, both the United States and Russia continue to recognise Nusra a... more »
This Map Breakdowns What Different Countries View As The Greatest Threat To The World
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Business Insider*: *This map shows what different countries view as the greatest threat to the world* *Different cultures span the globe — and with that comes different sentiments about fear.* To determine what global fears are, the World Economic Forum conducted a survey in fall 2015 to determine what the threats and risks for the next decade. This survey included over 700 experts and stakeholders from a variety of fields, including banking, government, and academia. The top global risk in the next 10 years was determined to be "large-scale involun... more »
Deflation Is Always Good for the Economy
*Fearful at what they say is falling inflation, scuttlebutt suggests the central planners at New Zealand’s central bank will be issuing decrees this week that interest rates should all be lowered. But rather than fearing falling price-inflation we should realise that falling prices and even outright price deflation are actually good for the economic system --and for everyone in it; in a healthy economic system, it’s the way we enjoy rising productivity.The thing to fear is not deflation, says Frank Shostak in this guest post,but all the policies aimed at countering it.* -------... more »
Under Pressure, Denver Police to Begin Collecting Racial Information on People They Stop, Interact With
[image: Denver police officers and cruiser.] DENVER (AP) -- Denver police will begin collecting racial information about the people they contact following recent protests and complaints about a lack of accountability. Chief Robert White said it’s difficult to determine if racial profiling is an issue without... more »
Iran HANGS Spy Who Gave the US Valuable Nuclear Information
[image: IRAQ-IRAN-DIPLOMACY] Iran has executed a nuclear scientist who allegedly accepted millions in bribes spying for the U.S., the country's state-controlled media announced Sunday. The strange saga of Shahram Amiri began in 2009, during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary's Clinton's tenure as secretary of... more »
"Craven" Decision: IPC flips over Russian athlete's wheelchairs and kicks crutches out of their hands
*Russian Wheelchair Racers* Folks, just when you think the evil ones can't sink any lower...they show there's no depth they will not go to to darken the planet. Aptly named PTB stooge, Philip Craven, head of the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) today, without any warning or opportunity given to the Paralympic athletes from Russia...banned the Russian Paralympic Team from the Paralympic Games next month...thus destroying the spirit of those games forever. This is why, as I said in an earlier post...I dread the Olympics. The Evil Doers just can't leave it alone...like a do... more »
The U.S. Military Wishes They Had These Chinese Weapons
ZLT05 Tracked Amphibious Assault Gun. Air Power Australia *National Interest*: *5 Chinese Weapons of War America Wishes It Had* We all know that there are plenty of U.S. weapons the Chinese military would like to get its hands on. The Arsenal of Democracy churns out some of the best, most technologically advanced and versatile weapons in service anywhere. China is willing to steal American military technology to help advance its own military research and development programs. The United States on the other hand…well, there is probably not a single Chinese weapon that, in a direct c... more »
Confidential to Antonio Sabato Jr.: God thinks you're an asshole and Jesus says you suck
*One more time --* *We first looked at this clip in the July 27 post "If the campaign is going to be a 'feelings' fight, is the handwriting on the wall?"* *"What is truly revealing is [Antonio Sabato Jr.'s] implication that believing something to be true is the same as its being true. Because if anything, that was the theme of the Republican Convention this week. It was a four-day exercise in emphasizing feelings over facts."* *-- John Oliver, on that Sunday's Last Week Tonight* *by Ken* Leastwise *that's my opinion*, Antonio, up there atop this post -- you know, about God thinking... more »
Trump May Be Playing Us, But Johnny Depp Is Playing A Trumpanzee
When Trump flunked out of Fordam his notoriously racist father tried buying him entree into Harvard. Harvard's admission's office laughed (as did Princeton's and Yale's). University of Pennsylvania had a kind of "trade school" program in real estate at Wharton that-- for the right price-- they would allow the young Tumpanzee to attend. So, technically, Trump can claim he went to an Ivy League school. Technically. Harvard just rejected Trump again. The Harvard Republican Club-- the oldest college Republicans’ club in the U.S.-- has endorsed every single GOP nominee for the last 12... more »
‘I Don’t Care About Human Rights,’ Says Philippine President as War on Drugs Escalates
[image: In this July 1, 2016, file photo, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during the "Assumption of Command" of new Police Chief, Director General Ronald Dela Rosa at Camp Crame, Philippine National Police headquarters, in suburban Quezon city, Philippines. Duterte publicly linked more than 150 judges, mayors, lawmakers, police and military personnel to illegal drugs Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, ordering them to surrender for investigation as he ratcheted up his bloody war against what he calls a "pandemic."] Shortly after promising to maintain his "shoot-to-kill" order agains... more »
Hell on Earth
Unbelievable footage of A-Bomb destruction within a couple weeks of the disaster. I strongly recommend watching the 4 minute clip. It is shocking: Yosuke Takashima and Kentaro Yamano. 2016. Hiroshima, Nagasaki release Soviet footage of A-bomb damage. THE ASAHI SHIMBUN August 5, 2016 http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201608050061.html Rare footage documenting the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shot by former Soviet researchers only months after the U.S. atomic bombings in 1945 were released to media representatives on Aug. 4. Sergei Naryshkin, chairman of the Russian State... more »
The Scandinavian Fantasy
*The Atlantic* summarizes some fascinating new research from Jim Heckman.
Google Criticized For Wiping Palestine Off The Map
A petition for “Google to recognize Palestine on Google Maps” has been launched online. The petition with over 116,000 signatures requests that Google puts Palestine on the maps and to clearly identify the Palestinian territories illegally occupied by Israel. Daily Star reports: When you search for Palestine in Google Maps a blank map of Israel is shown – with the areas of Gaza, Judea and Samaria marked. The petition has called it a “grievous insult” Palestine has not be included on Google Maps. The petition reads: “Whether intentionally or otherwise Google is making itself complic... more »
Helen Clark will not be UN Secretary General
Polls showing Helen Clark plummeting in support suggest she is looking increasingly unlikely to become head of the world’s most corrupt political organisation. Which is what we said here a few months ago on the back of a story spread by Jim Rose: that she won’t become become head of the world’s most corrupt political organisation precisely because what the world’s most corrupt political organisation wants at its head is not *competence,* but *a* lapdog*– *someone so grateful to be there they’ll be happy to ignore all the bodies out the back. Whatever you think about Helen Clar... more »
Next Week’s Meteor Shower Will Light Up Sky With Twice As Many Meteors
The Perseids, the biggest meteor shower of the year, will be lighting up the night sky next week, peaking on August 11th and 12th. Astronomers say that the meteor shower will have twice as many meteors as normal and predict 200 per hour at its peak (evening of August 11, morning of August 12) Popular Mechanics report: The Perseids typically peak in mid-August every year, when the Earth intersects with the trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. Debris from the comet impacts the Earth’s atmosphere and streaks across the sky, creating shooting stars. Typically, the Perseids’ peak features about ... more »
In-Depth: "Yes" Vote Corners Thailand's Opposition, Foreign Backers
*August 8, 2016* (The New Atlas) - Thais took to the polls yesterday voting overwhelmingly in favour of a new national charter organised under the military-led interim government. The interim government has attempted to restore peace and stability to the country since coming to power in 2014. Prior to 2014, Thailand has suffered nearly a decade of unprecedented political corruption, conflict, violence and instability under the influence of former-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his political party, Pheu Thai. The new charter aims to further restrict the abuse of power possibl... more »
Study: Electric Vehicles Don’t Have a Chance Unless Oil Prices Increase 1,000 Percent
[image: electric cars - 900] Oil prices would have to skyrocket above $350 per barrel for electric vehicle makers to make a dent in the auto market, according to a study done by researchers at the University of Chicago. The batteries for electric vehicles cost,... more »
Oh how our government lies! But when it comes to the economy, the bigger the lies the bigger will be the crash. Here I'm talking about the stock market. And the only good news is that the banksters and stock market riggers will "go down with the ship" due to their own greedy ignorance. However, you honest folks with small savings should either sell all now ...or actually make money during the crash by buying into companies that already own large quantities of silver and gold ore which they can melt into those precious metals whenever the demand increases. (I provide you with several tried and trusted such companies in my second blog below.)
------------------------------ *Another Phony Jobs Report — Paul Craig Roberts * ------------------------------ August 8, 2016 | Original Here | If you wish to receive his newsletter via email go to Original and sign up at bottom. Another Phony Jobs Report Paul Craig Roberts As John Williams has made clear, the monthly payroll jobs number consists mainly of an add-on factor of 200,000 jobs. These jobs are a product of the assumption in the Birth-Death Model that new business ventures create more unreported new jobs than the unreported job losses from business failures. If we subtr... more »
The graph below explains a major factor driving Warren Buffett's conclusion that the major stock markets are due to crash. The Margin Debt (red) is the amount of BORROWED money used by the denizens of the markets to trick "moms and pops" to renew buying shares. The blue line is the actual value of the Standard&Poors 500 over time. Clearly, mom and pop are no longer wealthy enough to be in the makets at all. Indeed they barely have enough for food and shelter ...if they are lucky ones. The red trace shows the bottoms of the stock market crashes of 2001 and 2009. And those paying attention are certain that the comming crash will soon be far deeper than it's predecessors (perhaps -70%!). Fortunately the real losers will be the banksters and market manipulators who actually believe that they are safe from any impending crash because of the recent anouncement of 255,000 new payroll jobs. As Paul Craig Roberts put it in the post above, "the 255,000 jobs are the product of a virtual reality created by a faulty model and manipulations of seasonal adjustments," whereas the truth of the matter is that 23% of all working-age Americans who have tried hard to find jobs but finally gave up, are now treated as though they don't exist in the statistics of U.S. payroll jobs. In the meantime, if you have savings at a bank or a 401K you can, and should, buy gold and silver mining companies. Some are not as good as others, but here are some that we have been making good money with: OR, FNV, AEM, SLW, and RGLD (all on the NYSE). All have done well this year ...even given that the banksters sell them furiously in order to push upward the major stocks, which they imagine mom and pop will now buy into (dream on!). When the crash finally comes, gold and silver well fly in proportion to the banksters' markets dive.
------------------------------ If you follow Warren Buffett’s methodology, stocks are significantly overvalued Brian Kelly | @BKBrianKelly Thursday, 4 Aug 2016 | 10:11 AM ET Adam Jeffery | CNBC Warren Buffett When I turned bearish in January 2016 I missed three critical elements that caused the S&P 500 to grind toward record highs. First, a sufficient number of other investors did not share my skepticism about the global economy. Second, I misjudged investor faith in central bankers. Third, I underestimated the continued global appetite for yield bearing stocks... more »
Iran Bans ‘Pokemon Go’ For Security Reasons
The Islamic Republic of Iran has become the first country to ban outright the popular augmented reality game, Pokemon Go. Iran’s High Council of Virtual Spaces responsible for overseeing online activity has banned the popular app because of “security concerns”. The BBC reports: Iran follows a number of other countries in expressing its worries over security related to the game. But it becomes the first country to issue a ban of Pokemon Go, that challenges players to visit real-world locations to catch cartoon monsters. Despite restrictions on internet usage Iranians on social media ... more »
South Africa's Ruling ANC Suffers Losses In Local Elections
*Reuters*:* South African's ANC suffers worst election since taking power* The African National Congress lost its grip on local government in Tshwane, home of the South African capital Pretoria, as results on Saturday gave the opposition Democratic Alliance a second big win in the ANC's worst election since the end of apartheid. The results of Wednesday's voting have reshaped the political landscape in South Africa, where the ANC has ruled virtually unopposed since it ended white-minority rule in 1994, led by Nelson Mandela. Unemployment, economic stagnation and scandals around Pr... more »
Astral Plan Disease
Walking through Astal Weeks in springtime was my mistake now I cant trave normally on earth I cant accept a worl thats not beautiful because thats how I see everything dispite the fact if you listen reguralyy to me communicate its verbal diarihaa But I am mumbling on every doorstep thanks to the internet and its true I cant ever remember the the last thought that ran trout my head, my head trust that guy mor than anyone else but its not important because on the weak spots I often repeat myself The answer does not blow on the wind it plows through the hareems of the primates and how... more »
Did Hillary Clinton's Emails Provide The Evidence To Iranian Judges To Order The Execution Of Iranian Nuclear Scientist Shahram Amiri
*Washington Examiner:* *Cotton: Clinton discussed executed Iranian scientist on email* Hillary Clinton recklessly discussed, in emails hosted on her private server, an Iranian nuclear scientist who was executed by Iran for treason, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Sunday. "I'm not going to comment on what he may or may not have done for the United States government, but in the emails that were on Hillary Clinton's private server, there were conversations among her senior advisors about this gentleman," he said on "Face the Nation." Cotton was speaking about Shahram Amiri, who gave i...more »
At Play in the Fields of Obama
How apt and how cynical that the Obama administration would choose the first day of the Olympics to release its "playbook" on the drone assassination program. Assuming that anybody is paying attention and will tear themselves away from NBC's packaged games spectacular long enough to read the White House's redacted report on its lethal drones, the framing of state-sponsored murder as a book of arcane gaming rules almost seems designed to normalize this vicious program in the minds of the sports-addicted public. We're so wrapped up in the hyper-nationalism of the Olympics that we'll b... more »
ISIS Claims Responsibility For Machete Attack On Charleroi Police
The Islamic State/ISIS has claimed responsibility for the machete attack on two female police officers in the Belgian city of Charleroi. The ISIS affiliated Amaq News agency made the claim, after a man shouting “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”) injured two police officers with a machete on Saturday. Tass reports: According to Amaq, the man who wounded two police officers by a machete was an Islamic State “soldier.” Belgium’s prosecutors said earlier on Sunday the attacker was identified as an Algerian national with previous criminal record. The man, 33, was not reported to have links ... more »
The goal post have moved past Cotton and Leather
Killing to eat ok, killing to be stupid bad Yeah man has finally mad something nearly as good as his own skin, and a Lot more durable. For details look at your next German CAR. The COWS all cheered how did you miss it?
The Punisher Grenade Launcher Could Change Warfare
The U.S. Army has a new weapon nicknamed “the Punisher” that can change the nature of infantry warfare, according to its manufacturers. The Pentagon’s next budget contains enough funds for over a 100 new shoulder-fired XM-25 semi-automatic grenade launchers that can neutralize enemy combatants in their covered positions. RT reports: The XM25 Counter-Defilade Target Engagement System (CTDE) is a semi-automatic grenade launcher that fires grenades set to explode in mid-air or near a target, peppering enemy fighters with shrapnel. The boxy-shaped weapon is equipped with a laser range f... more »
Hillary Clinton freezes in fear over a heckler...
*and people want to vote for her?* *There is something seriously wrong with this woman.* THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE has got a new name. It's now called the fight, flight or freeze response. Stress experts around the world are adding the word freeze to the name in deference to the fact that instead of fighting or fleeing, sometimes we tend to freeze (like a deer in the headlights) in traumatic situations. The fight or flight response (in its original form) is about survival. It's about hope. We activate it when we believe there's a chance we can outrun or outfight our attackers. T... more »
New Left Blogs June/August 2016
About time a new one of these got sorted out. There are quite a few: 1. #CreativeGeordie (Labour) (Twitter) 2. Abby Tomlinson (Labour) (Twitter) 3. After Labour (Labour) 4. Andrew Burridge (Labour) (Twitter) 5. Cambridge Momentum (Labour) (Twitter) 6. Chris Brosnahan (Unaligned) (Twitter) 7. Jack S (Unaligned/Anarchist) (Twitter) 8. John Rogan (Labour) (Twitter) 9. JosephCassidyBlog (Labour) (Twitter) 10. Kate Buffery (Labour) (Twitter) 11. Matt Bolton (Labour) (Twitter) 12. Not So Loony Left (Labour) (Twitter) 13. Russ Jackson (Labour) 14. Ruth Jackson (Labour) (Twitter) 1... more »
Iran Executes Nuclear Scientist Who Had 'Defected' To The US But Returned To Iran In 2010 (Updated)
*Daily Mail*: *Iran executes nuclear scientist accused of giving information to the CIA and returns hanged body to his family * * Shahram Amiri went missing after leaving for pilgrimage to Mecca * Disappeared in 2009 but appeared in video reportedly filmed in US * Claimed to have been put under pressure to give information to CIA * He has claimed he was abducted by US agents in Saudi Arabia * Then went to Iranian interests section of Pakistani embassy in Washington * There he demanded to be sent back to Iran - and returned a 'hero' * News will raise concerns for aid worker Nazanin Zag...more »
THE GREENING OF AMERICA / IT'S FINAL ACT IS APPROACHING
*The Greening of America is a 1970 book by Charles A. Reich. It is a paean to the counterculture of the 1960s and its values. Excerpts first appeared as an essay in the September 26, 1970 issue of The New Yorker. The book was originally published by Random House*. *In 1970, Charles Reich wrote **The Greening Of America**, a book that profoundly influenced and inspired me at 36 year's old, for Reich predicted a revolution of the individual and culture that would be a revolution of the new generation against the corporate state ~ and it would change the p... more »
Caught not by accident advanced Van's disease
Perfect Image to make no sense of what makes sense Walking through Astal Weeks in springtime was my mistake now I cant trave normally on earth I cant accept a worl thats not beautiful because thats how I see everything dispite the fact if you listen reguralyy to me communicate its verbal diarihaa But I am mumbling on every doorstep thanks to the internet and its true I cant ever remember the the last thought that ran trout my head, my head trust that guy mor than anyone else but its not important because on the weak spots I often repeat myself The answer does not blow on the wind it ... more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant for Sunday, August 7th, 2016
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Yes it is Sunday once again, and that means it is time once again for my weekly rant... Yesterday of course marked the 71st anniversary of that dreadful day when a B29 stratofortress bomber nicknamed "Enola Gay" dropped an Uranium nuclear device over the peaceful city of Hiroshima on the island of Honshu in the Japanese islands.... At 815am Japan time, this device exploded some 300 feet above the centre of Hiroshima with an explosion estimated to be equivalent to 12.5 kilotons of TNT... In less than a second's time, some 100000 people living in that city were ... more »
U.S. May Shift F-16 Production To India
Lockheed Martin will make F-16s for India if it gets assured orders Pictured: A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon flies a mission in the skies near Iraq on March 22, 2003 during Operation Iraqi freedom. [Representational Image]Wikimedia Commons *Star-Telegram*:* Lockheed Martin may shift F-16 production to India* With production winding down after 40 years in Fort Worth, Lockheed Martin is considering a plan to move assembly of future F-16 fighter jets to India — if that country places a big order for the planes. The defense giant has offered India exclusive rights to produce and... more »
"ObamaCare Collapsing into Financial Ruin as Aetna Insurance Prepares Pull-out after $300 Million Loss"
*"ObamaCare Collapsing into Financial Ruin as Aetna * *Insurance Prepares Pull-out after $300 Million Loss"* by NewsRoom "Insurance giant Aetna is the latest provider to announce staggering losses on ObamaCare plans — some $300 million last year, in just 15 states. Soaring costs prompted Aetna to cancel its plans to expand into more states, and the company is “undertaking a complete valuation of future participation in our current 15-state footprint,” as CEO Mark Bertolini put it. Fox Business quotes Bertolini tiptoeing around the unexpectedly high cost of providing insurance cover... more »
"There Comes A Time..."
“You know, my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair. There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life's July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November. There comes a time.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Why This Job Market is Still Terrible: The Politically Incorrect Numbers Everyone is Hushing Up"
*"Why This Job Market is Still Terrible: * *The Politically Incorrect Numbers Everyone is Hushing Up"* by Wolf Richter "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." - Mark Twain "If you have a salary well into the six figures, stock options, nearly free healthcare, and other benefits such as access to free gourmet lunches and dinners at the company’s food court, you might have missed something that a lot of folks feel every day: It’s still a very tough battle out there in this job market. And here is why. Today we got what was called a “stellar jobs report”: N... more »
"Six Things to Know About the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)"
*Click image for larger size.* *"Six Things to Know About the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)"* by Public Citizen *"1.* The TPP is not mainly about trade at all: Only six of its 30 chapters cover trade matters while most provide specific new rights and powers for corporations. *2.* There are few remaining tariffs left between TPP nations to cut, which is why pro-free trade economists say there are very limited economic gains to be had from the TPP. From Paul Krugman to Joseph Stiglitz to Robert Reich to Jeffrey Sachs to Simon Johnson and beyond, prominent economists who supported th... more »
Untitled
*Environmentalists Admit They Were Wrong* John Droz, jr., physicist In an amazing admission, environmentalists are now acknowledging that they were wrong to have promoted biofuels! This came about due to the overwhelming evidence that biofuels are a NET environmental liability. Of course biofuels were a bad choice all along, so why did we waste enormous amounts of time and money going down this dead-end road? The answer is obvious: this was a self-serving lobbyist idea. Essentially every time we have lobbyist-written energy and environmental policies the results have been: 1 - o... more »
Russia Is Winning The Proxy War Against The U.S. In Syria
*New York Times*: *Military Success in Syria Gives Putin Upper Hand in U.S. Proxy War* WASHINGTON — The Syrian military was foundering last year, with thousands of rebel fighters pushing into areas of the country long considered to be government strongholds. The rebel offensive was aided by powerful tank-destroying missiles supplied by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia. Intelligence assessments circulated in Washington that the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, was losing his grip on power. But then the Russians arrived, bludgeoning C.I.A.-backed rebel forces with... more »
JENNIFER MCCORMICK’S RECENT FUNDERS
*By Doug Martin, author of **Hoosier School Heist* *(Come see Doug Martin speak at Indy’ s Kheprw Institute on **August 20 from 3-5pm**)* Glenda Ritz’s opponent for Indiana state school superintendent, Jennifer McCormick, is rolling around in corporate education reform money. The Hoosiers for Quality Education (HQE), the pro-school privatization group I detail in my book *Hoosier School Heist*, on Friday handed McCormick $20,000. This brings the PAC’s total to McCormick, so far, at $30,000. Fred Klipsch, another star in *Hoosier School Heist* and one of the biggest funders of ... more »
Massive Rally In Turkey For Erdogan
*Reuters*: *Turkey's Erdogan stages mass rally in show of strength after coup attempt* Hundreds of thousands of Turks gathered in Istanbul on Sunday summoned by President Tayyip Erdogan to denounce a failed coup - a show of strength staged in the face of Western criticism of widespread purges and detentions. The "Democracy and Martyrs' Rally" at the Yenikapi parade ground, built into the sea on the southern edge of Istanbul's historic peninsula, caps three weeks of nightly demonstrations by Erdogan's supporters, many wrapped in the red Turkish flag, in squares around the country. ... more »
Japan Discovers Chinese ‘Military’ Radar On A Gas Platform In The Disputed East China Sea
This photo released by Japan's foreign ministry shows the Chinese offshore gas platform that Japan says has a radar facility. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS *Reuters*: *Japan protests over China's radar unit near disputed waters* Japan has filed a protest to Beijing after the discovery that China installed radar equipment in a gas exploration platform close to disputed waters in the East China Sea, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said on Sunday. Japan fears that the radar, a type commonly found on patrol ships and not necessary for gas field development, could be a sign ... more »
The U.S. Military Wants 'Smart Uniforms' That Can Combat Chemical And Biological Threats
Gunners Dave Archer and Paul Van Helvert, both with the Canadian 129th Anti-Aircraft Defense Battery, stand by at a Blowpipe anti-aircraft guided missile system position on the edge of the base during exercise Cornet Phaser, a NATO rapid deployment exercise conducted under simulated wartime conditions. The men are wearing nuclear, chemical and biological protective gear (including C3 gas mask). Wikipedia *FOX News:* *US military aims to combat chemical threats with ‘smart uniform’* In the next decade, U.S. soldiers could get new smart uniforms that are breathable but also designed... more »
Who Would Win In A Dogfight Between Russia's PAK-FA Stealth Fighter vs. America's F-22 Raptor
*National Interest:** Russia's Lethal PAK-FA Stealth Fighter vs. America's F-22 Raptor: Who Wins?* *Moscow vs. Washington for control of the skies. Who would win?* Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Entering the ring today are the two ultimate stealth fighters of the day, the F-22 Raptor and the PAK FA T-50. The former has already completed its production run (or has it?), the latter will soon begin hatching from its industrial nest (or will it?) Today we’ll consider which would have the upper-hand at various engagement ranges—blows long and short, all are permitted! And just to... more »
Is Russia Creating Bionic Superhuman Soldiers With Brain Implants?
© Photo: Pixabay *Sputnik*:* Pentagon Claims Russia Creating Bionic Superhuman Soldiers With Brain Implants* Turns out that the Pentagon appears to be speaking about programs they have sanctioned under DARPA in addition to similar efforts by the British military which have pretty close to nothing to do with Russia. Top American military officials claim that Moscow is working to create “enhanced human operations” technology they say "scares the crap" out of them with the specter of stronger, faster, and more deadly super soldiers on the horizon according to the latest musings from ... more »
The Effectiveness Of Russia's New Weapons Are Raising Concerns In The West
BM-21 launch vehicles during a military exercise of missile and artillery units © Sputnik/ Vitaliy Ankov *Robert H. Scales, Washington Post*: *Russia’s Superior New Weapons * In November, while visiting the headquarters of the U.S. Army in Europe, I received a briefing on the performance of the Russian army in Ukraine. In a perfunctory tone, the young intelligence briefer recited the details of the July 2014 Battle of Zelenopillya, in which a single Russian artillery “fire strike” almost destroyed two Ukrainian mechanized battalions in a few minutes. I couldn’t help imagining a U.... more »
The Story On How 88 British Soldiers Who Spent 56 Days Holding Off 500 Taliban Fighters
Hugh Keir, left, and Jared Cleary, right, were two of the Easy Company snipers under constant attack for two months at the remote Helmand outpost Musa Qala *Daily Mail*: *Miracle escape of the new Rorke's Drift Paras: Cut-off, surrounded and outnumbered - the incredible untold story of the 88 British soldiers who spent 56 days holding off 500 Taliban fighters... and survived * * The 88 men of Easy Company held out against Taliban for two months * They defended Helmand outpost Musa Qala against 500 enemy troops * Ministry of Defence previously banned details of conflict being reveale... more »
North Korea Accuses The U.S. Of Preparing For A 'Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike'
Pyongyang accused Washington of "becoming more pronounced in their moves to topple the DPRK" after the US Air Force announced on July 29 that it would upgrade its hardware on Guam by sending a B-1 bomber for the first time since April 2006 (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski) *AFP*: *N. Korea accuses US of seeking 'pre-emptive nuclear strike'* Seoul (AFP) - North Korea has accused Washington of planning a pre-emptive nuclear strike, after the US announced it would deploy its B-1 bomber in the Pacific for the first time in a decade. The strategic aircraft were to be deployed on Saturday o... more »
Public Art
Its valuable. The biggest bag for the buck would be burying overhead wires. The best public art I have ever seen. No surprise Vienna is consistantly rated the best city on the planet. The worst most short sighted public corruption is allowing public spaces to be developed in a pedestrian fashion.
A Tale of Redemption: Recovering Alcoholic Priest Says ‘Hold Onto Jesus’ in Video Released After His Death
[image: Father Ed Thompson Video - 900] “Hold onto Jesus.” Those were some of the last words that Fr. Ed Thompson, a priest and recovering alcoholic, said to a friend who documented his 92-year life story on video. It was a heartwarming tale of the Prodigal Son who... more »
Wall-to-wall Olympics
I’m not a fan of competitive sport - or any other type of competitive pursuit, so watching the Olympics is not my thing, but I couldn’t help noticing these Olympics-related stories. Obviously, there’s the bus war. Proud to be Lebanese. No normalization with Israel in any form! The Lebanese contingent refused to let the Israeli contingent board ‘their’ bus. (Or perhaps it was just a bus that the organisers had laid on for - you know - *athletes*) Well, the BBC did at least report this incident , and what’s more they gave it a reasonably fair headline. *Lebanese athletes refuse... more »
In Surprise Move, Japanese Emperor Prepares to Abdicate
[image: In this Dec. 23, 2014 file photo, Japan's Emperor Akihito waves to well-wishers as he and family members appear on the balcony of the Imperial Palace during the emperor's 81th birthday in Tokyo.] TOKYO (AP) -- Japanese will tune in to Emperor Akihito’s rare video message Monday following reports that he would abdicate in the next few years, which initially came as shock but was welcomed by many as a deserved rest for... more »
Obama Frees 100s of More Felons. Don’t Buy the Line They’re All Nonviolent.
[image: Stealing Drugs Pharmacy Dealer Robbery Crime - 900] Obama commuted the sentences of another round of felons on Wednesday, saying, “All of the individuals receiving commutation today -- incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws -- embody the president’s belief that ‘America is a nation of second chances.'”... more »
Economic News , Data & Views...... August 7 , 2016 ..... Quick hits - 1. Bitfinex Imposes 36 % Haircut By Way Of Socialized Losses On All Users After Massive Alleged Hack. 2. Turkey - Purge Items De Jour , Anti-Coup Rally Held In Istanbul . 3. Greece Items De Jour. 4.Libya Political Updates In Focus . 5. Italy In Focus - Through The Eyes Of Holger Zschaepitz et al .
Bitcoin..... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 19s 19 seconds ago fred walton Retweeted YOᗪI ᕼEᖇᗰᗩᗯᗩᑎ An important article to read... fred walton added, *YOᗪI ᕼEᖇᗰᗩᗯᗩᑎ* @YodiHermawan Here’s Why Bitfinex is Not Like MtGox: Hong Kong’s lack of insolvency protection for… http://goo.gl/fb/Ej0vib #vk *The Blockchain Info* @TheBlockchain 4m 4 minutes ago *Bitfinex* 36.5% Socialised Losses Scheme is Theft! Report this to your Police Force!: Quo... http://bit.ly/2b558Rj #Bitcoin #Blockchain *Bitcoin Buzz Feeds* @BitcoinFeeds 8m 8 minutes ago #Bitcoin #Reddi... more »
Don't Get Excited About The Democrats Taking Back The House-- Pelosi's DCCC Has Made That Impossible
There are 10 American cities with a population of a million or more. Each one is a Democratic Party bastion. But the battle for the control of Congress this year is likely to be decided in the suburbs of these cities. And with the Trumpanzee cratering among suburban voters, *in theory* the Democrats should find suburban swing congressional districts very rich ground. So these are the 10 biggest U.S. cities with the suburbs filled with Trumpophobic voters: *•* New York City *•* Los Angeles *•* Chicago *•* Houston *•* Philadelphia *•* Phoenix *•* San Antonio *•* San Diego *•* Dallas... more »
Yes, Conservatives Should Vote According to Conscience
[image: America Compass Morals Conscience - 900] Regardless of what you think of Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican National Convention, he is right about one thing: Conservatives should vote according to conscience. The two most important issues in selecting the future political leaders of this country... more »
US Men Romp Past China 119-62 in Olympic Basketball Opener
[image: United States' Kevin Durant (5) drives past China's Zou Peng, left, during a basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.] RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Kevin Durant looks ready to lead a new group of Americans to the gold-medal podium. Durant picked up right where he left off in the 2012 Olympics with 25 points, and the U.S. men’s basketball... more »
West Antarctic Glaciers Have Been Retreating For Last 7500 Years
By Paul Homewood http://www.sciencemag.org/news/1999/10/antarctic-ice-beats-retreat Climate scientists, with their new toys, would like you to believe that glacier retreat in West Antarctica is a recent phenomenon, caused by man. Back in 1999 however, scientists revealed that these glaciers have actually been retreating at a fairly steady rate for at the last 7500 years: […]
New Thai Constitution Appears Headed for Thumping Approval
[image: Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha talks to reporters after casting his vote in a referendum on a new constitution at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. Thais voted Sunday in a referendum on a new constitution that critics say is tailor-made for the military government to stay in control for several years and entrench a new, quasi-democratic system that gives vast powers to appointed officials.] BANGKOK (AP) -- Thai voters on Sunday appeared to overwhelmingly approve a new junta-backed constitution that would lay the foundation for a civilia... more »
Donald Trump and the Fitness Threshold
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Briar Woods High School, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Ashburn, Va.] WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump, the man who defied every political rule and prevailed to win his party’s nomination, last week took on perhaps the most sacred political rule of all: Never attack a Gold Star family. Not just because it... more »
Trump on Clinton: ‘I Don’t Think She’s All There’
[image: In this photo taken July 1, 2016, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Denver. As he turns his attention to the general election, Donald Trump is signaling that he is ready to tone down his fiery rhetoric on illegal immigration — at least behind closed doors.] WINDHAM, N.H. (AP) -- Republican Donald Trump questioned Democrat Hillary Clinton’s fitness to be president Saturday night, saying “she’s got problems” and that Americans “don’t want someone who’s going to short-circuit.” Trump told a crowd of supporters that he’s not... more »
White House Releases More Info on Drone Use Practices in Combat
[image: drone - Wikipedia - MQ-9_Reaper_in_flight_(2007)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House has released a version of President Barack Obama’s 3-year-old guidance on the use of lethal force against terrorists overseas, laying out what it says are safeguards to minimize civilian deaths and errant strikes while... more »
Investigator Reveals How Left-Wing Donors, Tactics Fundamentally Changed the Democratic Party
[image: Cash, Money, Currency] In 1984, the Capital Research Center (CRC) launched. It has become is America's investigative think tank focused on monitoring the center-left. CRC lifts up the hood to expose how left-wing entities and donors operate to fundamentally transform American politics, and... more »
Freed American Pastor’s Story Adds More Questions to Dispute Over Iran Cash Payment
[image: Abedini] Fallout from the revelation that the Obama administration paid $400 million in cash to Iran continued on Thursday when one of the four American hostages who was freed on the same day described how his trip home was delayed under... more »
Foreign Policy Expert: ‘Russia Has Won the Proxy War’ in Syria
[image: In this Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual end of year news conference in Moscow, Russia. Russia will ask permission on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016, to start flying surveillance planes equipped with high-powered digital cameras amid warnings from U.S. intelligence and military officials that such overflights help Moscow collect intelligence on the United States. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)] It's not secret that Russia and the U.S. have been in a concerted proxy war in Syria for the last few years. Michael Kof... more »
The Transforming Power of God Gives Us Reasons For Hope
[image: Paul's Conversion Etching - 900] The early church's most notorious enemy was a man who firmly believed he was doing right, yet in reality was blind to the truth. Later on he described himself as "foremost of sinners." (1 Timothy 1:12-17) But he had a... more »
Actual lessons from the LHC null results
It seems increasingly likely by now that the LHC hasn't made any new discoveries up to this moment even though there has been a large number of high-energy collisions in 2016 and a significant perceived chance that something new could emerge out of them. Should physicists run desperate? Who should be blamed? What are the lessons we should learn and how should particle physics adjust itself given the new data? *Well, first, physicists have no reason to become desperate and no one should be blamed for anything.* This is simply how Nature works up to the given energy and luminosity of ...more »
Struggle over another round of Kenya Deportations + Links =UPDATED=
*On a ride above Chiayi, running into a birthday celebration at the overlook. They insisted we have something to eat, of course. * *UPDATE*: 5 suspects went out at midnight to China (DailyMail). Taiwan and China are tussling over Taiwanese suspects in Kenya found not guilty in a recent trial (Taiwan News) Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Saturday that it has conveyed Taiwan's position on the matter to Chinese authorities through various bilateral liaison channels. The MAC said it has urged Beijing not to take the Taiwanese to China before the two sides can reach an agr... more »
Linksss for a slow day
*Irrigation water rushes down a channel* Slow day. Enjoy some links. ______________ *Daily Links*: - Chef discovers dining culture in Taipei is different, laments that it is not like the way he wants it to be - TVBS poll on asset bill and vacation days. Labor's position in Taiwan is so desperately weak it is arguing about vacation days instead of salaries, minimum wages, training programs, etc. - Taiwan Law Blog explains why NPP is off the mark on Ma getting professorship - Taiwan and its monkeys: a strained relationship - Olympics: Anger grows in Taiwan ... more »
August 6: This is the real news. Don't blame me for it.
In New Brunswick, the name Irving is closely identified with the championing of the Christian faith - drawing in the faithful and the wannabe faithful to the Irving chapel with its sacred coffee and fellowship in the barn. (fellowship? Isn't that a little sexist?) And it also has what used to be a two-page spread every Saturday with a sermonette, church announcements and religious news. Alas, the commercial world has forced its way in. The two pages of faith are now just half a page of faith with the the other page and a half devoted to the worship of Mammon. But today, there is a... more »
"A Gathering of the Tribe"
"A Gathering of the Tribe" by Charles Eisenstein "Once upon a time a great tribe of people lived in a world far away from ours. Whether far away in space, or in time, or even outside of time, we do not know. They lived in a state of enchantment and joy that few of us today dare to believe could exist, except in those exceptional peak experiences when we glimpse the true potential of life and mind. One day the shaman of the tribe called a meeting. They gathered around him, and he spoke very solemnly. "My friends," he said, "there is a world that needs our help. It is called Earth, a... more »
"My Own View..."
“My own view is that this planet is used as a penal colony, lunatic asylum and dumping ground by a superior civilization, to get rid of the undesirable and unfit. I can't prove it, but you can't disprove it either. It happens to be my view, but it doesn't challenge any of the findings of Darwin or Huxley or Einstein or Hawking.” - Christopher Hitchens
"We May Know..."
"We may know that the work we continue to put off doing will be bad. Worse, however, is the work we never do. A work that's finished is at least finished. It may be poor, but it exists, like the miserable plant in the lone flowerpot of my neighbor who's crippled. That plant is her happiness, and sometimes it's even mine. What I write, bad as it is, may provide some hurt or sad soul a few moments of distraction from something worse. That's enough for me, or it isn't enough, but it serves some purpose, and so it is with all of life." - Fernando Pessoa
Musical Interlude: Runrig, “Running to the Light”
Runrig, “Running to the Light” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BRZ-SFFnMg
"A Look to the Heavens"
“At the top right, large spiral galaxy NGC 1055 joins spiral Messier 77 in this sharp cosmic view toward the aquatic constellation Cetus. The narrowed, dusty appearance of edge-on spiral NGC 1055 contrasts nicely with the face-on view of M77's bright nucleus and spiral arms. Both over 100,000 light-years across, the pair are dominant members of a small galaxy group about 60 million light-years away. *Click image for larger size.* At that estimated distance, M77 is one of the most remote objects in Charles Messier's catalog and is separated from fellow island universe NGC 1055 by at ... more »
Chet Raymo, "How Things Are"
*"How Things Are"* by Chet Raymo "Any global tradition needs to begin with a shared worldview - a culture-independent, globally accepted consensus as to how things are. From my perspective, this part is easy. How things are is, well, how things are: our scientific account of Nature, an account that can be called The Epic of Evolution. The Big Bang, the formation of stars and planets, the origin and evolution of life on this planet, the advent of human consciousness and the resultant evolution of cultures - this is the story, the one story, that has the potential to unite us, becaus... more »
The Poet: Rolf Jacobsen, "When They Sleep"
*"When They Sleep"* "All people are children when they sleep. There's no war in them then. They open their hands and breathe in that quiet rhythm heaven has given them. They pucker their lips like small children and open their hands halfway, soldiers and statesmen, servants and masters. The stars stand guard and a haze veils the sky, a few hours when no one will do anybody harm. If only we could speak to one another then when our hearts are half-open flowers. Words like golden bees would drift in. God, teach me the language of sleep." - Rolf Jacobsen, "The Roads Have Come to an End Now"
"Moving Through Darkness: The Places We Go"
*"Moving Through Darkness: The Places We Go"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "Often it takes something major to wake us up as we struggle to maintain an illusion of control. In life, most of us want things to go to the places we have envisioned ourselves going. We have plans and visions, some of them divinely inspired, that we want to see through to completion. We want to be happy, successful, and healthy, all of which are perfectly natural and perfectly human. So when life takes us to places we didn’t consciously want to go, we often feel as if something has gone wrong, or we must ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Saint-genis-laval, Rhone-Alpes, France. Thanks for stopping by!
"We All Stumble..."
“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.” - Emily Kimbrough
Psychology: "The Rewards of Doing 'Something'"
*"The Rewards of Doing 'Something'"* by Divya Menon, Association for Psychological Science “People don't really care what they're doing - just as long as they are doing something. That's one of the findings summarized in a review article published in “Current Directions in Psychological Science”, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. When psychologists think about why people do what they do, they tend to look for specific goals, attitudes, and motivations. But they may be missing something more general - people like to be do... more »
Psychology: "The Illusion of Truth"
*"The Illusion of Truth"* by PsyBlog "We see ads for the same products over and over again. Politicians repeat the same messages endlessly (even when it has nothing to do with the question they've been asked). Journalists repeat the same opinions day after day. Can all this repetition really be persuasive? ‧ It seems too simplistic that just repeating a persuasive message should increase its effect, but that's exactly what psychological research finds (again and again). Repetition is one of the easiest and most widespread methods of persuasion. In fact it's so obvious that we someti... more »
Musical Interlude: Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows”
Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lin-a2lTelg&spfreload=5
"I Don't Give Them Hell..."
"I don't give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell." - Harry S. Truman
Government: "545 People"
*What's wrong with this picture?* *"545 People"* by Charlie Reese "Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are really against deficits, WHY do we have deficits? Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are really against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes? • You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. • You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of representative... more »
"Those Are My Principles..."
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." - Groucho Marx
The Mogambo Guru, "Why the Fed Creates So Much Money"
*"Why the Fed Creates So Much Money"* By The Mogambo Guru "One of the reasons behind the Federal Reserve creating so many trillions and trillions of dollars in new money is so the stock market will go up so that more taxes will be collected, and the bond market will go up so that more taxes will be collected (and less interest paid by issuers, too!), and the housing market will go up so that more taxes will be collected, and prices of everything will go up so that more taxes will be collected, so that massive, backbreaking, bankrupting deficit-spending by the government can continu... more »
"What We Can Know..."
"That we can never know," answered the wolf angrily. "That's for the future. But what we can know is the importance of what we owe to the present. Here and now, and nowhere else. For nothing else exists, except in our minds. What we owe to ourselves, and to those we're bound to. And we can at least hope to make a better future, for everything." - David Clement Davies
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, July 16, to July 30, 2016"
*Publishing change: *Due to Bob Nichol's other commitments these updates will now be delivered every two weeks instead of weekly. This repost is to keep you informed. The next new update will be on August 13. Not to worry, folks, the radiation's not going anywhere. We are, though... A Search of this blog for "Fukushima" will reveal hundreds of posts, covered since day one. God help us all... - CP *"**Your Radiation This Week, July 16, to July 30, 2016"* By Bob Nichols *"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”* - Shiva (San Francisco) July 30, 2016 – "Good Day, this is “You...more »
Olympic ramp-up of NWO saber rattling strangely involves Canada sending troops to war torn NON-NATO Ukraine?!?
*Putin Warns about WWIII* Few Canadians are aware that our military is again being used as a bait and switch in the ongoing globalist ramping up of threats and sabre rattling on Russia's border. This time in Ukraine...which is supposed to be under the Minsk Peace Agreement but in which the Kiev Junta has again massed soldiers on the border with the ethnic and Russian speaking (the Russian language was outlawed in Ukraine by the Nazi-affiliated and Western-supported Kiev Junta) provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk. Here is the report from the Edmonton Journal: Canada has deployed fre... more »
Military Photo of the Day: Flowers from a Vietnamese Girl
[image: Vietnamese Girl and US Soldier - 900] 8/7/66- Qui Nhon, South Vietnam: A newly-arrived soldier of the 4th Infantry Division obligingly leans over to receive a garland of flowers from a smiling Vietnamese girl as the Division's 2nd Brigade moved ashore at Qui Nhon 8/7. The 4th... more »
'Lone Wolf' Terror Attack Wounds Two Policewomen In Belgium
*Reuters*: *Man yelling 'Allahu Akbar!' wounds two Belgian police in machete attack* A machete-wielding man yelling "Allahu Akbar!" (God is greatest) injured two female police officers before being fatally shot in the Belgian city of Charleroi on Saturday, in what the prime minister said appeared to be a terrorist act. The attacker was shot by a third officer and subsequently died of his wounds, but the police officers were out of danger, police said. "Initial indications clearly point towards terrorism," Prime Minister Charles Michel told the television channel RTL. Public broa... more »
Separatist Leader In Eastern Ukraine Injured In Assassination Attempt
© Sputnik/ Valeriy Melnikov *VOA: **Separatist Leader in Eastern Ukraine Survives Assassination Attempt* The Russian-backed leader of a separatist region in eastern Ukraine was seriously wounded Saturday in an apparent assassination attempt, Russian and Ukrainian media reported. The pro-Russian separatist Luhansk Information Center said a bomb exploded early Saturday near the car of rebel leader Igor Plotnitsky in the capital of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic. By early Sunday, no one had claimed responsibility. Russian media later showed footage of a mangled sport ... more »
Confirmed: "Draw Mohammed" Contest Attackers Were Managed by FBI
*UPDATE: *Readers should backtrack to CNN's 2015 coverage of the Garland, Texas shooting to see just how badly they are being deceived. As readers watch CNN's video coverage and read the article, they must keep in mind that the FBI had been in contact with the suspects for years, and encouraged them to carry out the attack. *August 7, 2016* (Tony Cartalucci - LD) - To some the 2015 shooting in Garland Texas at a "Draw Mohammed" contest organized by state-sponsored agitators seemed all too convenient. The protest was meant to prove Muslims were irrational and violent, and amid the ... more »
Tweet For Today
Miss the opening ceremony? Watch the view from outside Maracana with this AP time lapse. https://t.co/U3FDbIaqmo pic.twitter.com/3rz6ULCSEJ — AP Sports (@AP_Sports) August 6, 2016
Iran Executes Nuclear Scientist Who Had 'Defected' To The US But Returned To Iran In 2010
Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri returns to Tehran after claiming he was abducted by the CIA. Photograph: Raheb Homavandi/Reuters *BBC*:* Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri 'executed'* An Iranian nuclear scientist detained since 2010 has been executed, his family has told the BBC. Shahram Amiri's mother said the body of her son had been returned to their hometown with rope marks around his neck, showing that he had been hanged. He was later buried. Amiri had been held at a secret location after returning from the US, where he said he had been forcibly taken by the CIA. ... more »
Picture Of The Day
A Chinese fighter plane partols over the South China Sea. Chinese Air Force aircraft, including H-6K bombers and Su-30 fighters, have completed a patrol of airspace above the Nansha and Huangyan islands in the South China Sea, said a spokesperson Saturday. The flight is part of actual combat training to improve the Air Force's response to security threats, said Senior Colonel Shen Jinke of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force. (Xinhua/Fan Yishu)
Pentagon Is Denying Reports That A U.S. Soldier Has Been Captured By The Islamic State In Afghanistan?
#ISIS 'Amaq posted photos of documents and gear of #American soldiers allegedly taken by ISIS fighters in #Nangarhar pic.twitter.com/UDat7qOFvX — SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) August 6, 2016 *Military Times:* *ISIS in Afghanistan claims it has confiscated sensitive U.S. military equipment* The Islamic State group is circulating photos of potentially sensitive American military equipment and identification cards purportedly confiscated by militants after recent battlefield engagements in Afghanistan. The photos show a variety of weapons, ammunition, communications gear and ac... more »
A Guest Post From Jesse Myerson: The Political Revolution: Where From Here?
*Beyond Bernie, What?* Since mid-April, when Hillary Clinton handily won the New York primary, variations on that question have animated discussions all over the country among activists, Sen. Sanders’ detractors as well as his supporters, who recognize that his run’s successes present an opportunity. Attending that opportunity, however, comes a burden. The political terrain opened up by social movements over the last five years demands the formation of a politicized constituency to inhabit it, and the Sanders campaign hinted at such a project’s near-term viability. Developing a s... more »
We Must Support One Another
The Grand March for Life and Peace concluded last night with a rousing rally in Jeju City along the sea wall (that reminds one of the Malecón in Havana). As our east team met the west team in the center of the city each side carried one of two large banners depicting wooden totems that now stand in front of the peace center in Gangjeong village. The two banners were brought into the busy traffic clogged intersection and symbolically joined. From there the two merged teams walked the last few miles to the rally site. The totem banners were erected onto the large stage and as da... more »
#RPGaDAY 2016 Day 6: Most amazing thing a game group did for their community
That's a bit of an odd question - my inclination in some ways would be to say "nothing". In a sense it sounds a bit like asking what you and your racquetball partner at work did for your community. As far as my own gaming group, contributions for the community are at an individual level. I know for myself I make certain to give to a number of charities that I believe in and I've gamed with a number of generous people. I also appreciate the fact that Bundle of Holding puts a portion of their income into a charity of the choice of those who made the games they offer. For example, St... more »
Yemen Peace Talks Have Collapsed. Heavy Fighting Resumes
*France 24*: *Yemen forces launch new attack after latest UN talks collapse* Forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi launched a new offensive east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday, the military command said, after United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait ended without an agreement. The offensive, which is backed by air strikes from a Saudi-led coalition, came as the Iran-allied Houthis and the party of ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced a 10-member governing council, against the wishes of the U.N. The Houthis and Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC...more »
The Islamic State Stronghold At The City Of Manbij Has Fallen To U.S. Backed Syrian Rebels
*DW:** US-backed Syrian forces seize 'Islamic State' stronghold Manbij* The Syrian Democratic Forces have cleared 90 percent of the strategic city of "Islamic State" militants. Manbij had been "a citadel of foreign terrorists," said a spokesman for the US-led coalition against the group. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday said an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters took control of the "Islamic State" (IS) stronghold of Manbij near the Turkish border. "The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of Manbij on Saturday and are combing the city in searc... more »
Syrian Rebels Claim To Have Broken The Siege Of Aleppo
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *BBC*: *Syria rebels 'break government siege' of Aleppo* Rebel factions in Syria say they have broken a weeks-long government siege of Aleppo, amid scenes of rejoicing in the the crucial northern city. Sources close to government forces denied that they had been pushed aside and said they had driven the rebels back from an artillery base. UK-based opposition activists say the rebels have indeed managed to link up with their comrades in eastern Aleppo. But the rebels have so far failed to establish a secure route, they add. *Read more* .... *More Ne... more »
White House Releases Its 'Drone Strike Playbook'
Staff Sgt. Nelson Cherry inspects an MQ-9 Reaper drone aircraft on Aug. 18, 2014, at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. (Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez / U.S. Air Force) *L.A. Times*: *White House releases part of secret drone 'playbook'* The Obama administration released a redacted version of its “playbook” for the lethal U.S. drone program, a booklet of presidential guidelines that sets legal standards for deciding who to kill, where and under what circumstances. The 18-page document was drawn up in May 2013, after President Obama promised greater transparency and oversight on countert... more »
China's Third Aircraft Carrier Will be Fitted With Catapults
This image shows that China's Type 001A carrier will feature a ski-jump section designed for short take-off operations. Source: Via sinodefenceforum.com *IHS Jane's 360*:* China's third aircraft carrier likely to be fitted with catapults* A photograph has emerged on Chinese online forums showing that China's land-based aircraft carrier mock-up in Wuhan, Hubei Province, is undergoing modifications. These are likely to reflect changes between China's first indigenous aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, which is currently being built at Dalian shipyard and the next one to be constructe... more »
China Sends A Fleet Of 230 Fishing Vessels Into Disputed Waters Claimed By Japan
Chinese naval vessels are pictured participating in a drill on the East China Sea, China, on 1 August 2016China Daily/via REUTERS *IBTimes:* *Japan protests after huge fleet of Chinese vessels enter disputed waters in East China Sea* Japan said three of Beijing's coast guard vessels appeared to be armed and demanded that China leave the area. Japan has reportedly lodged a new protest with China after spotting six Chinese coastguard ships, along with a fleet of nearly 230 fishing vessels that approached its territory in the disputed waters in East China Sea. Japan's foreign ministr... more »
China Begins Combat Patrols Over The South China Sea
A Chinese military plane H-6 bomber © Reuters *Reuters:* *China conducts 'combat patrols' over contested islands* China's air force sent bombers and fighter jets on "combat patrols" near contested islands in the South China Sea, in a move a senior colonel said was part of an effort to normalize such drills and respond to security threats. The exercises come at a time of heightened tension in the disputed waters after an arbitration court in The Hague ruled last month that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea. The air force sent several H-6 bombers and Su-30 fi... more »
Great New Article From John Kaminski: Bad Crowd
I have come under a bit of flak over the last while from not only many commentators, but even those who I do respect in the real truth movement... It all stems from my stance that this upcoming November 8th US Presidential election is actually a vote between a candidate that would plunge the United States into never ending war, and the other one at least delaying such a war and instead possibly trying to do business instead... Yes, the choice this coming November for Americans is between the mass murdering freak of nature, the demonic Jew butt kissing Hillary "Killary" Clinton, and ... more »
Liberty on the Rocks, Auckland
[image: Capture] I’d forgotten to mention an event tomorrow evening that all Auckland liberty-lovers should get along to: another of the now-regular *Liberty on the Rocks *events, this time in Mt Eden. It’s a great opportunity to meet up and hatch plots with other liberty-lovers over a drink or three. Tomorrow night’s event, *Monday* night, is at *Galbraith’s Ale House*, top of Mt Eden Rd, always a good place in which to hatch a plot. Get along from about *6pm*. I believe some reprobate will be speaking for 20 minutes or so at some point about the housing bubble, but other th... more »
Has Tim Canova Actually Embarrassed Wasserman Schultz Enough To Make Her Debate? We'll See
Debbie Wasserman Schultz moves to Chapter Two of professional insiders’ playbook: defuse pressure for debates by accepting them in principle, while continuing to delay. Now that the July 26 – August 2 distribution of mail-in ballots is safely behind her, and she has secured Joe Biden’s commitment to host an August 5 fundraising event (at which questions about debates can be more-easily deflected), the local newspaper reports: Debbie Wasserman Schultz … said in a brief telephone interview. "I am going to debate my opponent."… Wasserman Schultz said she didn't have a number of de... more »
FDA Unleash GM Mosquitoes To ‘Combat Zika Virus’
Officials in Florida have approved the use of genetically modified mosquitoes in attempting to stop the spread of the Zika virus. The Florida Food and Drugs Administration have assured the public that the GM mosquitoes will “not have significant impacts on the environment,” despite fears that they may be dangerous to the public. Rt.com reports: Trials have already taken place in Brazil and Panama, but critics argue that female mosquitoes developing a preference for ‘normal’ males could reduce the project’s effectiveness. The scheme, led by British-based biotech company Oxitec, crea... more »
Army Chief: “Europe On Verge Of Civil War”
Swiss army chief Lieutenant-General André Blattmann has issued a warning to the people of Europe that a civil war is about to breakout. Blattmann has warned the people of Switzerland that society is so close to breaking down that members of the public must take steps to arm and protect themselves from the inevitable civil war. Speisa.com reports: Blattmann has been head of the Armed Forces since, 1 March 2009 and his words carry very significant weight in a country in which several Citizens’ Initiative referenda against burqas and mosques have proven enormously popular as concerns ... more »
DNC Leak Reveals MSNBC, NY Times Sabotaged Sanders
Leaked emails show collusion between the DNC and publications such as the NY Times and MSNBC to deliberately sabotage Bernie Sanders’ bid for nomination. In one disturbing email exchange, the DNC boasted that they could get NY Times reporter Nick Confessore to bury references to Hillary Clinton’s Hillary Victory Fund, in order to promote her as the favourible candidate during the recent Democratic primaries. Opednews.com reports: The DNC prepared talking points, excuses and legal defenses to respond to claims that the HVF was bundling campaign donations to skirt legal limits (a “mon... more »
Dangerous Pneumonia Vaccines Being Pushed On Elderly
The CDC has begun an aggressive campaign to persuade the elderly to take a new Pneumonia vaccine that they say will help reduce the chances of catching the infection. Pneumonia vaccines Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23 will be prescribed by doctors in America to anybody over the age of 65, despite the deadly risks associated with the vaccinations. Naturalnews.com reports: As stated by the CDC, only 60 percent of those in this age group have gotten their shot, and they are on a mission to inoculate the other 40 percent too. This is big news – and a great deal – for Merck and Pfizer that w...more »
Wikileaks: Alcohol Industry Bribed Congress To Trash Cannabis
According to a Wikileaks DNC email dump, the alcohol industry pressured and bribed officials in Congress to destroy the reputation of cannabis. According to cannabis industry website Marijuana.com, officials in some of the top alcohol companies in America spent money on persuading members of Congress to pay attention to the alleged problem of “marijuana-impaired driving”. Hightimes.com reports: What the blogger found was in the May 24, 2016 edition of Huddle, a daily e-newsletter for Capitol Hill insiders produced by the Politico website. That issue included a paid advertisement fro...more »
Hacked Emails: DNC Dislike And Distrust Common Core
Leaked DNC emails reveal that officials within the Democratic National Committee scrambled to remove references to Common Core from a video due the public’s negative perception of the educational organisation. A senior staffer at the DNC ordered a segment about Common Core be edited out of a DNC-produced video, saying that the party’s position on education was at odds with public opinion. Offthegridnews.com reports: In a May 3 email, Eric Walker, a deputy communications director at the DNC, ordered a video to be changed that had referenced Common Core in a positive way. “A) Common ... more »
Untitled
*British children taught by trainee teachers who don't even have an A-level in their subject* Children face being taught maths, physics and biology by teachers who do not have A-levels in their specialist subjects, shock research reveals. Nearly two out of five trainee maths teachers did not study it beyond GCSE, according to figures analysed by Labour. More than half of biology teacher trainees do not have a qualification in the subject. And a quarter of students studying to teach physics do not have physics A-level. Labour said the revelations made a mockery of Tory promises to... more »
French Mayor To Arm Police Amid Ongoing State of Emergency
French mayor, Francois Vayrou, has vowed to to arm all police officers in France in order to allow them to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism. As France remains gripped in an ongoing state of emergency, Francois Vayrou, the mayor of the city of Pau declared, “Our weapons against incivility, such as the Taser or the flash-ball, are obviously worthless in stopping a vehicle,” in reference to the terror attack in Nice. Anonhq.com reports: While arming the police seems to be the logical step, it brings into questions a number of civil rights issues. No one can deny the conne... more »
Zika Update: CDC Director Says Miami Mosquitoes Succumbing to Aerial Sprays
[image: Baby with Zika virus - 900] DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says aerial spraying of the insecticide naled is killing many mosquitoes in a Miami neighborhood where the insects apparently transmitted Zika to 15 people. Dr.... more »
Study Finds Lazy People Significantly More Intelligent
A new U.S. study has found that lazy people tend to have higher IQ’s than their active counterparts. The research suggests that highly intelligent people spend more time, on average, lazing around. It also found that intelligent people tend to get bored less easily, spending their time engaged in thought. Independent.co.uk reports: And active people may be more physical as they need to stimulate their minds with external activities, either to escape their thoughts or because they get bored quickly. Researchers from the Florida Gulf Coast University gave a classic test – dating back... more »
Sphere Alliance #193 Visitors while I sleep, and a conversation with Thor
By American Kabuki Terran: Stan X, we're there being's in my room while I napped? [I usually have to sleep after the healing energy work] Bev said she heard noises in there [my room] Stan X: *DEAR ONE/TERRAN. YOU HAVE DECLARED YOUR SPACE/PROTECTION. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHO COULD VIOLATE THAT. DATA COLLECTORS. STAN.X. END.* Terran: Energetically I did but perhaps I need to do that physically [I allow my amigos (other inbodyments of me) and Heather's "amigos" access] Terran: NABRAC have any data on that? Thor: *DEAR ONE/TERRAN. FEEL OUR JOY? IT IS ME. WE STAY WITH YOU BOTH NOW. AGAIN... more »
Iranian Nuclear Scientist Who ‘Defected’ To U.S. Executed In Iran
Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri who disappeared in Saudi Arabia in 2009 before defecting to the U.S. and then returning to Iran, was executed on August 3, according to local press reports. The Times Of Israel reports: Shahram Amiri was a nuclear researcher at Malek Ashtar University of Technology and worked for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. He is said to have had in-depth knowledge of Iran’s rogue nuclear program. His family said he was executed on August 3 and that they had been allowed to visit him the day before. Amiri disappeared briefly while on pilgrimage in Saudi ... more »
What If Trump’s Candidacy Is Over By Halloween? Here Are A Few Replacement Kooks Most Republicans Can Probably Get Behind.
*-By Noah* Forget Halloween. Will Herr Trumpf’s candidacy for the highest office in the land even last that long? Might it be over by Labor Day? Oh the irony of a Republican nominee for president dropping out on Labor Day. Seems sort of appropriate to me! It would be the most amazing irony of all if what finally did Donald Trump in were his non-stop attacks on an American Muslim soldier, Captain Humayan Khan’s ultimate sacrifice and that soldier’s Gold Star parents. It’s an attack that Trump’s supporters are cheering and defending every day at his rallies and on TV. The Republi... more »
Liberal Colorado Activists Scramble for Anti-Fracking Ballot Signatures
[image: View of Frac site] Activists in Colorado with the "Keep It In The Ground" movement have until Monday to get nearly 100,000 valid signatures for two state ballot initiatives essentially banning fracking. Campaign finance disclosure reports show that environmentalist groups Food & Water Watch (F&WW), Greenpeace and... more »
Swedish Church Set To Hit ISIS With Bibles In Iraq
The Islamic State (ISIS) strongholds in Iraq are about to receive electronic versions of the holy bible by air to ease their suffering, courtesy of a Swedish church. The Livets Ord evangelical group from Sweden are to drop large number of Christian holy books on ISIS targets using drones in Iraq. Their aim is to spread love and hope in areas that may be lacking god’s attention. The Daily Express reports: Church leader Christian Akerhielm said: “The bibles are the size of pill boxes and have a display. They require no electricity, but work on their own. “Our ambition is to pass on th... more »
Chromosome 16: Linked to Human Evolution, Autism, and Susceptibility to Ionizing Radiation
A new gene linked to autism may be the first completely new gene distinguishing humans from Neanderthal and ancient hominid cousins: Xander Nuttle et al. Emergence of a Homo sapiens-specific gene family and chromosome 16p11.2 CNV susceptibility, Nature (2016). DOI: 10.1038/nature19075 This finding supports other research suggesting that autism is correlated with increased micro-deletions and duplications. But it also extends that research by showing how genetic flexibility has liabilities and those liabilities may shift in relation to environmental inputs that increase pressures... more »
Fukushima Daiichi August 5 and 7 2016
Still steaming away. August 5, 2016 August 7, 2016 TBS IS DOWN
Modjo - Lady (Hear Me Tonight)
Survived my first serious drinking session in a long time. But that doesn't mean I'm well disposed to write something this evening, so I won't.
Sphere Alliance Message #192 More Yeti data...
By American Kabuki In an earlier post.I mentioned in the last post the Yeti's desire for a loaf of bread and grapes We placed a loaf of French Bread, a bag of grapes and a small watermelon (which they did not ask for) in a basket when it got dark. The Yeti prefer to remain hidden at this time, and do have ways of being unseen (frequency shift?) by the human eye when they choose even in daylight. Our eyes see such a small portion of the light spectrum. Below are some photos I took, you can click on them if you want to enlarge them for viewing. This is how we found the bask... more »
Settlement Coming for Food Company’s ‘Peter Pan’ Salmonella Lawsuit
[image: CONAGRA-SALMONELLA_perr (1)__1470519067_71.164.139.145] SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) -- Nearly a decade after hundreds of Americans got sick after eating Peter Pan peanut butter tainted with salmonella, ConAgra Foods appears close to settling a federal criminal case stemming from the outbreak. After years of investigation... more »
Encouraging News in July Jobs Report
[image: iStock_88241295_MEDIUM__1470518285_71.164.139.145] The Bureau of Labor Statistics' July jobs report contained little bad news. The bureau found that employers created a net 255,000 new jobs since June. Strong growth in the professional and business services (+70,000), health care (+49,000), leisure and hospitality... more »
Black Judge Under Fire for Facebook Attacks on White Prosecutor
[image: Online Auction Concept with Gavel on Laptop] LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A Louisville judge, incensed when a prosecutor questioned his authority to scrap a jury panel because it lacked minorities, did not turn to appeals courts, legal precedent or other avenues typical for aggrieved jurists. He took... more »
Female Officers Wounded in Possible Belgium Terrorist Attack
[image: Belgium Machete Attac_perr__1470515644_71.164.139.145] CHARLEROI, Belgium (AP) -- Two female officers were attacked and wounded by a man wielding a machete and shouting “Allahu Akhbar” outside the main police station in the Belgian city of Charleroi on Saturday, police said. The assailant was shot... more »
Hundreds of Migrants Cross Into France to Protest Border Policies
[image: Italy Europe Migrants_perr__1470514940_71.164.139.145] MILAN (AP) -- France has returned some 200 migrants to Italy who plunged into the sea to cross into France, evading border controls. They were among some 300 who had moved to the rocky shoals on the Italian side of... more »
Female Police Officers Injured In Machete Attack In Belgium
Two Belgian women police officers were wounded by a man wielding a machete in the city of Charleroi on Saturday. Officials have said that the attack appeared to be terror related. The attacker who reportedly shouted “Allahu Akhbar,”(“God is great”) was shot by a third officer and later died of his injuries. The Scotsman reports: Le décès de l’agresseur à la machette est confirmé. Les deux collègues sont hors de danger. Merci pour le soutien #PoliceCharleroi — Police Charleroi (@PoliceCharleroi) August 6, 2016 He was shot by a third officer and seriously wounded in the incident, acco... more »
Some proper camel toe for Saturday night...
https://youtu.be/ZxOO199--r0
Peerage for whitewash fiasco
I don’t know if the Chakrabarti peerage debacle has dropped off the front pages for good, but the odour lingers on. Being offered a peerage just after concluding that there is no institutional antisemitism in the Labour Party doesn’t look good, whichever way you look at it. The BBC has been reporting that ‘Jewish leaders” or “the Jewish community” have been making a fuss about Shami Chakrabarti’s peerage, as though Jews are the only ones troubled by this ‘cash-for-questions’ type scandal. Continually quoting Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi, who said that the “credibility of h... more »
American Teen Wins First Gold of Rio Games
[image: Rio Olympics Shooting_perr__1470514622_71.164.139.145] American teenager Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio Olympics in the women’s 10-meter air rifle Saturday, and host Brazil recorded the first upset of the games, stunning reigning Olympic and world champion Norway in women’s handball.... more »
A Successful Con Man
Donald Trump's behaviour last weak appeared to be absolutely insane. Some commentators have taken to calling him the Kamikaze Candidate. But Tom Walkom warns his readers that there is a method to Trump's madness: The billionaire realtor may be the privileged scion of a wealthy family. But he can win only if he convinces enough disgruntled Americans that he, like them, is an outsider — that he stands aloof from the power elite, that he is not a slave to political correctness and that he tells it like it is. Up to now he has succeeded by defying the experts, confounding the pundits ... more »
EU Threatens To Prevent UK Leaving Bloc Unless They Pay £20 Bn Bill
EU bureaucrats have told Britain to pay a £20 billion bill or they won’t allow them to leave the bloc. The EU officials reportedly brought the UK under pressure to pay the money which they say is the UK’s share from the bloc’s €200 billion bills that have remained unpaid for years, the Daily Express reported Saturday. “A deal with Britain is inconceivable if the British do not settle these liabilities,” an unnamed EU source was quoted as saying. Press TV reports: EU Commission lawyers have also warned the government of Prime Minister Theresa May that a failure to pay up would equal... more »
Popular Torrent Site Says Farewell, Ceases Operation
The world’s largest torrent search site, Torrentz.eu, has closed its operation and has announced “farewell” to its millions of users. The surprise shut-down comes just weeks after another major torrent site was closed, marking the end of an era. The meta-search engine website had been popular since 2003. Torrent Freak reports: Founded in 2003, Torrentz has been a stable factor in the torrent community for over 13 years. With millions of visitors per day the site grew out to become one of the most visited torrent sites, but today this reign ends, as the popular meta-search engine has... more »
Untitled
*Pete Fountain, New Orleans' clarinet-playing musical ambassador, dies at 86*
Editor's Note
Blogging will return later today.
Russian President Putin Just Issued A Chilling Warning To The United States
*Antimedia*: *Vladimir Putin Just Issued a Chilling Warning to the United States* As the United States continues to develop and upgrade their nuclear weapons capabilities at an alarming rate, America’s ruling class refuses to heed warnings from President Vladimir Putin that Russia will respond as necessary. In his most recent attempt to warn his Western counterparts about the impending danger of a new nuclear arms race, Putin told the heads of large foreign companies and business associations that Russia is aware of the United States’ plans for nuclear hegemony. He was speaking a... more »
Russia Entices U.S.-Trained Syrian Rebels To Switch Sides
Free Syrian Army fighters (Reuters/Muzaffar Salman) / Reuters *Michael Weiss, Daily Beast:* *Russia Is Trying to Poach U.S.-Trained Rebels With ‘Unlimited’ Weapons in Syria* American trained and armed, but often disappointed by Washington and dissatisfied, this brigade finds Russian offers of support enticing. The Russian government is trying to poach Syrian rebels trained and equipped by the United States for the war against ISIS, according to the political leader of a prominent Pentagon-backed brigade in Aleppo—and the rebels are strongly considering Russia’s offer. In an exclus... more »
Was The U.S. - NATO Libyan Intervention A Failure?
*Shadi Hamid, VOX:* *Everyone says the Libya intervention was a failure. They’re wrong.* Libya and the 2011 NATO intervention there have become synonymous with failure, disaster, and the Middle East being a "shit show" (to use President Obama’s colorful descriptor). It has perhaps never been more important to question this prevailing wisdom, because how we interpret Libya affects how we interpret Syria and, importantly, how we assess Obama’s foreign policy legacy. Of course, Libya, as anyone can see, is a mess, and Americans are reasonably asking if the intervention was a mistake... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
I was quoted by Andrew Tilghman in “Moqtada al Sadr and his followers in Iraq are ‘thirsty for Americans’ blood,” for the Military Times, and by Mark Perry in "Get Ready for Obama's 'October Surprise' in Iraq" for Politico.
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