11:22 pm MST
President Obama Used ‘Red Phone’ To Warn Russia Not To Meddle In US Election
*The Telegraph*: *Barack Obama used nuclear 'red phone' to warn Putin about Russian hacking of US election* President Barack Obama used the "red phone" system set up to avert nuclear war to issue a stark warning to Vladimir Putin over Russian hacking of the US election. Mr Obama delivered the message to the Russian president in October stating that further cyber attacks would be considered in the same way as "armed conflict," NBC News reported. The US president had already confronted Mr Putin personally when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China in September. *Rea... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning (Void of the Stellar Winds)”
Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning (Void of the Stellar Winds)” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYBSoYdJ8yw
President-Elect Trump Upstages And Contradicts White House On Key Foreign Policy Issues
*Washington Post*: *In a day of tweets, Trump suggests major change on national security issues* Before lunchtime Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump said he would expand the U.S. nuclear arsenal, upending a reduction course set by presidents of both parties over the past four decades, and called for the United States to veto a pending U.N. resolution that criticized Israel’s settlements policy. The policy prescriptions, communicated in morning tweets, followed calls since last month’s election to reconsider the arms-length U.S. relationship with Taiwan and to let China keep a... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Long before Stonehenge was built, well before the Dead Sea Scrolls were written, ancient artists painted life-sized figures on canyon walls in Utah, USA - but why? Nobody is sure. The entire panel of figures, which dates back about 7,000 years, is called the Great Gallery and was found on the walls of Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park. The humans who painted them likely hunted Mammoths. *Click image for larger size.* The unusual fuzziness of the largest figure led to this mural section's informal designation as the Holy Ghost Panel, although the intended attribution and... more »
"Kind Words..."
“Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is.” - Blaise Pascal
Wendell Berry, “Do Not Be Ashamed”
*“Do Not Be Ashamed”* “You will be walking some night in the comfortable dark of your yard And suddenly a great light will shine round about you, and behind you will be a wall you never saw before. It will be clear to you suddenly that you were about to escape, And that you are guilty: you misread The complex instructions, you are not a member, you lost your card or never had one. And you will know that they have been there all along, Their eyes on your letters and books, their hands in your pockets, their ears wired to your bed. Though you have done nothing shameful. They will want you t... more »
Pentagon Insists That Iran Is Not Using The Money That Has Been Given To Them By The U.S. For Arms
*Washington Free Beacon:* *Pentagon: Iran Seeking New Missiles, War Equipment* *Says American cash has not fueled Tehran's buildup* Pentagon officials are downplaying declarations by Iran that it is spending some $1.7 billion provided by the United States on new advanced weapons systems, while also acknowledging that the Islamic Republic continues to build its military arsenal at an increasing rate, according to a Defense Department assessment obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed Congress in an unclassified co... more »
Bernie's Revolution Is Winning-- Let's Not Let It she Derailed By Idiots
*Jimmy Gomez* California elected 5 new freshmen this year— all Democrats replacing Democrats: Ro Khanna, who won a primary against Mike Honda, Jimmy Panetta, who took the seat Sam Farr retired from, Salud Carbajal, who took the seat Lois Capps retired from, Nanette Barragan, who took the seat Janice Hahn retired from and Lou Correa, who took the seat Loretta Sanchez gave top when she ran, unsuccessfully, for the Senate. Politically all the freshmen are pretty much like their predecessors. Lou Correa is, by far the most conservative, and like Sanchez, he’s part of the Blue Dog caucus... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Grays, Thurrock, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.
"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 »
"The Greatest Clues..."
"Maybe it's all utterly meaningless. Maybe it's all unutterably meaningful. If you want to know which, pay attention to what it means to be truly human in a world that half the time we're in love with and half the time scares the hell out of us. Any fiction that helps us pay attention to that is religious fiction. The unexpected sound of your name on somebody's lips. The good dream. The strange coincidence. The moment that brings tears to your eyes. The person who brings life to your life. Even the smallest events hold the greatest clues." - Frederick Buechner
Be Honest-- Would You Stay At A Trump-Branded Hotel? What If It Was Raining And You Had No Umbrella?
I travel a lot-- always have. When I was a kid I would crash wherever I could. I hitch-hiked out to San Francisco for what the media later dubbed "the Summer of Love" and wound up sleeping on a step on a staircase in an old Haight-Ashbury Victorian. Years later I spent several years living in a VW camper can as I drove from London to India. Still later I wound up as president of a large company and stayed in the major luxury class hotels like the Plaza Athénée in Paris, the Principe Di Savoia in Milan, the New Otani in Tokyo, the Prk Tower in Buenos Aires, Four Seasons and Ritz Ca... more »
Retaliation Promised: Russian Ambassador's Murder Justified, Even Praised Across the West
*December 23, 2016* (Ulson Gunnar - NEO) - In the week leading up to the brazen, cold-blooded murder of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov in Ankara, Turkey, the United States repeatedly and publicly threatened "retaliation" against Russia for allegedly "hacking" the 2016 US presidential elections. During the same week, Syrian forces backed by Russian airpower and Iranian ground support, finally ended the occupation of the northern city of Aleppo by armed militants who invaded in 2012. The inevitable liberation of Aleppo was accompanied by apoplectic hysteria across Western political,... more »
On Currency-Money Dichotomy
The idea of currency-money dichotomy is as devastating as the theory of body-soul dichotomy. *Currency* consists of the banknotes and coins issued by the central bank that are in circulation. When the central bank issues currency, it is issuing credit. A transaction through currency is a transfer of debt from one party to another. In a currency based transaction the debt is not extinguished; it is merely transferred. On the other hand, *money* stands for something like gold, silver, or any other commodity that has an objective value of its own. In case of transactions based ... more »
“The Christmas Truce of 1914”
*“The Christmas Truce of 1914”* by Simon Rees “You are standing up to your knees in the slime of a waterlogged trench. It is the evening of 24 December 1914 and you are on the dreaded Western Front. Stooped over, you wade across to the firing step and take over the watch. Having exchanged pleasantries, your bleary-eyed and mud-spattered colleague shuffles off towards his dug out. Despite the horrors and the hardships, your morale is high and you believe that in the New Year the nation's army march towards a glorious victory. But for now you stamp your feet in a vain attempt to keep... more »
BREAKING VIDEO: Police Taser 91yo Alzheimer’s Patient for Not Going to the Doctor
[image: alzheimer's]A disturbing video was released today showing a police officer deploy a taser on a 91-year-old Alzheimer's patient for refusing to go to the doctor.
Some Gift Ideas Of Noah's Christmas Past (Plus Hanukkah Ideas, And Ideas For Trumpf Voters)
*Yes, we even have Hanukkah suggestions -- see Nos. 3 and 4.* *by Noah* *A couple of weeks ago, I presented this year’s installment of my annual gift suggestions for the holiday season ("The Year Of The Trumpocalypse: Noah’s Annual Holiday Gift Suggestions, For 2016 And Beyond; If There Is a Beyond!"). But why stop there? I always try, dear readers, to find things that might have previously escaped your notice. There have been many fine options presented here in past years, which are still available, until they are banned by fascist decree, that is. Here’s a selection of some of my... more »
This Robot Reaches a Staggering 20 Meters and Weighs Almost Nothing
A new robot out of Tokyo can extend up to 20 meters but still only weighs less than 1.2 kilograms and can easily fit in the trunk of a car. While the bot does have some limitations, like high winds, there are still plenty of applications, such as search and inspection. The post This Robot Reaches a Staggering 20 Meters and Weighs Almost Nothing appeared first on Futurism.
The Incoming Trump Administration Signals A Tough Trade Policy Against China
*Voice of America:* *China Fears Trump's Choice for Trade Post May Cause Serious Friction * BEIJING — President-elect Donald Trump's selection of China critic Peter Navarro as the head of a new White House position focusing on trade is being seen by many in China as confirmation that the Republican leader is determined to implement his election promises to impose trade restrictions on Chinese goods. Navarro is a business professor at the University of California-Irvine who has been a fierce critic of China's trade and economic policies through books such as "Death by China: Confr... more »
"Revolution 2.0"
*"Revolution 2.0"* by Ryan Lawlor “200,000 years of evolution- and Homo sapiens' most advanced societies are on the brink of nuclear war and anthropogenic climate disruption, both of which threaten to destroy most life on Earth. Sol is a fourth-generation star, 4.6 billion years old in a universe 13.8 billion years old in a galaxy of 100 billion stars in a known universe of one to two trillion galaxies, very probably only one dimension of countless other dimensions and galaxies. Our universe is still very young, in its heyday of star formation, beginning from virtually nothing (a s... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 22, 2016
BBC *Nicholas Blanford, CSM*: *Assad's move: After Aleppo, could Idlib be next? * *The war in Syria is far from over, and the anti-Assad rebels have vowed to fight on. Many are congregated in Idlib province. But before the Syrian president elects to go after them, he has other options to consider.* The restoration of Aleppo, Syria’s second city, to state control has given President Bashar al-Assad his greatest victory in nearly six years of bitter civil war and left rebel forces reeling and mulling their next steps. Still, the war that has ravaged the country, left more than 300,0... more »
"Generation Snowflake"; "Save The Snowflakes!"
*"Generation Snowflake: Percentage Of Young Adults Living * *With Their Parents Hasn’t Been This High Since 1940"* By Michael Snyder "Have we failed this generation of young adults by not equipping them to be able to handle the harsh realities of the real world? According to the Wall Street Journal, the percentage of Americans in the 18 to 34-year-old age bracket that are currently living with their parents hasn’t been this high in 75 years. At this point nearly 40 percent of our young adults in that age range are living at home, and many are concerned that this could have some ala... more »
Trump asks Boeing to price out Advanced Super Hornet F-18 with conformal fuel tanks to put negotiation pressure on Lockheed and the F-35
In response to a series of cost overruns and other development issues for the F-35 fighter jet, President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has asked Boeing to "price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet." Trump's request — announced via tweet — came a day after meeting separately with the CEOs from Lockheed Martin and Boeing to discuss bringing the "costs down" on the F-35 fifth-generation stealth jet and the next fleet of presidential aircraft. On December 12, Trump said the cost for Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation stealth F-35 Lightning II jet was also "out of control." The... more »
PREDICTION: STEVE BANNON WILL BE GONE FROM THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE BY SUMMER
Another key Trump appointment, another victory for Reince Priebus: President-elect Donald Trump named Republican National Committee official Sean Spicer as White House press secretary.... Spicer, the RNC’s communications director since 2011 and chief strategist since 2015, has become an increasingly visible presence on Trump’s team since the GOP nominee won the election on Nov. 8. Noted for his combative television interviews, he helps to lead daily transition news media calls and has a close relationship with RNC chairman Reince Priebus, Trump’s incoming chief of staff. I said ear... more »
When will Physics be Done?
Many people have predicted the end of fundamental physics. Often these are at the end of great progress such as the late 19th century when classical physics was quite well understood, or in the midst of such a flurry of action when it seems like all the pieces are coming together such as in the 1920’s and 1930’s in nuclear and quantum physics. Clearly, there are many mysteries and surprises yet to uncover in fundamental physics but is there a pattern in its historical progress that might indicate where we are in its completion. This type of analysis (also called logistic analysi... more »
‘None Of Us Are Disposable’: Vigil At Rahm Emanuel’s House Marks Lives Of 770 Killed By Violence
Community organizations, faith leaders, and families gathered for a vigil outside Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's house to mark the 770 people killed by violence in 2016. The post ‘None Of Us Are Disposable’: Vigil At Rahm Emanuel’s House Marks Lives Of 770 Killed By Violence appeared first on Shadowproof.
World News Briefs -- December 22, 2016
*Reuters:* *Syrian army announces victory in Aleppo in boost for Assad* The Syrian army said it had retaken complete control of Aleppo on Thursday after the last rebel fighters were evacuated from the battered city, handing President Bashar al-Assad his biggest victory of the nearly six-year-old war. The military said it had brought "the return of safety and security to the city of Aleppo", ending four years of rebel resistance in the northern Syrian city. "This victory constitutes an important turning point," an army statement said. *Read more* .... *MIDDLE EAST* Syrian gover...more »
John Pilger: The Empire Feels Shocked and Threatened with Trump’s Victory, Parts 1 & 2
dandelionsalad at John Pilger: The Empire Feels Shocked and Threatened with Trump’s Victory, Parts 1 & 2 – Dandelion Salad - 7 hours ago
Dandelion Salad with John Pilger teleSUR English on Dec 16, 2016 Tariq Ali talks to the award winning Journalist and Filmmaker John Pilger about the state of the world. Part 2 teleSUR English on Dec 22 , 2016 Tariq Ali talks to the award winning Journalist and Filmmaker John Pilger about the state of the […]
U.S. Taxpayers Subsidizing Vile Treatment of Palestinians
Israeli Occupiers spraying disgusting waste water at Palestinian homes and civilians in Kafr Qaddum Town in the Occupied West Bank. In the next 10 years US taxpayers will hand $38 billion in military aid to the corrupt and brutal Israeli government. This is a moral and ethical crime because most of the money will be used to continue stealing land from the Palestinian people and to keep them caged inside refugee camps and behind walls. Wake up America. Our soul is rotting. Bruce
Abby Martin: 2016: LGBTQ Rights, Police Brutality, Sanders, Trump, Standing Rock and More
dandelionsalad at John Pilger: The Empire Feels Shocked and Threatened with Trump’s Victory, Parts 1 & 2 – Dandelion Salad - 7 hours ago
Dandelion Salad with Abby Martin TheRealNews on Dec 21, 2016 Paul Jay and Abby Martin discuss the critical events of the year, including Trump’s victory, the Sanders breakthrough, and the worsening prospects for federal action on climate change. Transcript From the archives: It’s The End of the World, But … Rapacious Consumerism is the Life-blood of […]
Red Cross Says Aleppo Evacuation Complete- Syria's Army Takes Complete Control
Hopefully the door hit them on the way out! I'm not waving Bana at you all- See below? That's most of what left Aleppo. A convoy, evacuating civilians and opposition group members who left east Aleppo *GENEVA: A week-long operation to evacuate tens of thousands of people from east Aleppo as well as two Shi’ite villages in Syria’s Idlib province is complete, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday.* *“All civilians who wished to be evacuated have been, as well as wounded and fighters,” ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said. The aid agency led the compl... more »
VIDEO: Cop Assaults & Arrests Mom and Children Who Called 911 on Man Who Assaulted Her 7yo Son
[image: child]Fort Worth, TX — A video posted to Facebook Wednesday evening has quickly gone viral showing a Fort Worth cop involved in a violent arrest of a mother and her two teen daughters. The incident began when Jacqueline Craig called police alleging that her neighbor assaulted her 7-year-old son. Craig told police that the neighbor …
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 22, 2016
Lieutenant General Ben Hodges. YouTube *BBC*: *Russia used Syria as live-fire training - US general* The US army's commander in Europe has accused Russia of using its military campaign in Syria as a "live-fire training opportunity". Lt Gen Ben Hodges said Russia's "disregard for civilian casualties... is not the conduct of a nation that wants to be treated like a superpower". Russia's defence minister said on Thursday that its air force had killed 35,000 fighters in Syria. But Russia has been accused of using heavy weapons in civilian areas. It has consistently denied targeting ci... more »
Will The Real Tulsi Gabbard Please Stand Up... Please Stand Up
Long before her sudden transformation into a Berniecrat, Tulsi Gabbard called me to ask for a Blue America endorsement. She didn't really try to paint herself as a progressive and she came across as a garden variety careerist Democrat, not especially bad and not especially good. At the end of the interview, I asked her about the process by which she had come to change her position on LGBT equality. She immediately said she'd call back and then hung up abruptly and... never called back. She's extremely popular in Hawaii, where people have largely bought into her self-promoting bran... more »
White House Releases a Solution to Automation-Caused Job Loss
In a new report, the current White House administration addresses the subject of unemployment due to automation, which is estimated to eliminate up to 47 percent of jobs. Whether the solution is education and research, like the report suggests, or universal basic income, the issue is one that the Trump administration will need to address. The post White House Releases a Solution to Automation-Caused Job Loss appeared first on Futurism.
Sorry, This Mech Suit Designed for Humanity Might Just Be A Hoax
Some scientists have spoken up with skepticism about Method-1, a massive four-meter tall mech suit controlled by a pilot inside a glass cockpit via arm controls. If real, Method-1 may be the biggest machine intended to aid humans to date, but it’s certainly not alone in its quest to provide mechanical assistance. The post Sorry, This Mech Suit Designed for Humanity Might Just Be A Hoax appeared first on Futurism.
Peter Gabriel: The Veil
*Peter Gabriel* [Intro] Do solemnly swear Do solemnly swear That I will support and defend That I will support and defend The constitution of the United States The constitution of the United States Against all enemies Against all enemies Foreign and domestic Foreign and domestic [Verse 1] Underneath the sky where the cold winds cross There is an ocean where data flows One man in a boat out on the sea A sea of little bits of you and me [Chorus] Let it all go, set it all free You let the whole wide world see Exactly what is going on Exactly who is looking on [Verse 2] Stories ... more »
Syrian Government Now In Complete Control Of Aleppo
*NYT*: *Assad in Complete Control of Aleppo as Evacuation of Rebel Districts Ends* BEIRUT, Lebanon — The evacuation of civilians and fighters from the last rebel-held part of Aleppo concluded on Thursday after long delays because of frigid weather, putting all of Syria’s industrial capital back in the hands of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces for the first time since 2012. The last buses carrying residents from eastern Aleppo left the city late Thursday night, according to the Syrian state news agency. Tens of thousands of people have been removed from eastern Aleppo since Dec.... more »
Secrecy and Mysteries Challenge the Official History of Antarctica
*Jordan Sather* - What is really taking place in Antarctica? The post Secrecy and Mysteries Challenge the Official History of Antarctica appeared first on Waking Times.
Three of the world's most wonderful places!
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016You're only told about two:* Propaganda is often about the things you *aren't* allowed to know. With that in mind, let's return to Amanda Ripley's recent report in the New York Times about last year's Pisa. Public school students in the world's developed nations take part in two different sets of international tests—the Pisa and the Timss. Ripley disappears the Timss, only mentions the Pisa. In her recent report for the Times, she followed the standard "ed reform" line. In this passage, she mentioned a wonderful "handful of places" which help put the ... more »
Siberia Sizzles At 58C Below
By Paul Homewood h/t Patsy Lacey https://uk.news.yahoo.com/earths-temperature-dip-still-sizzle-2017-151655070.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma Meanwhile back in the real world: 20 Dec 2016 – Heavy snowfall in Saudi Arabia – Such snow not seen for many years. Temperature below zero. https://www.iceagenow.info/camels-standing-snow-several-videos/#more-19496 19 Dec 2016 – Snow in the Sahara for the first time since 1979 […]
Congo Implodes As AFRICOM Expands
While US officials shuttle in and out of Kinshasa amid protests, US military are creeping further and further into the politics of the continent. The post Congo Implodes As AFRICOM Expands appeared first on Shadowproof.
President-Elect Trump: United States Must Greatly Strengthen And Expand Its Nuclear Capability
The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 *Washington Post*:* Donald Trump says he wants to ‘greatly strengthen and expand’ U.S. nuclear capability, a radical break from U.S. foreign policy* President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday called for the United States to expand its nuclear arsenal, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country’s nuclear potential needs fortifying, in what would reverse decades of efforts to re... more »
Passenger Upset That Ivanka Trump And Her Children Were Flying With Him Aboard A JetBlue Flight
Out of line: A passenger on a JetBlue flight accosted Ivanka Trump on Thursday morning *Daily Mail*: *Screaming Brooklyn lawyer chases down Ivanka Trump and yells at her as she sits with her kids on flight - and his Hillary supporter husband BOASTS about the verbal attack before they're kicked off* * A passenger on a JetBlue flight accosted Ivanka Trump on Thursday morning * 'Your father is ruining the country,' said Dan Goldstein, a lawyer from Brooklyn, who had a child in his arms * He then began demanding to know why Ivanka was on the flight and not travelling on a private plane... more »
Electrical device signals the spleen reducing blood loss by 50-70% and could save over 80,000 lives each year from childbirth blood loss
A neural tourniquet reduces bleeding without a rope or physical compression of the blood vessel. doctors press a handheld device against the skin to stimulate the vagus nerve, which transmits information between the brain and the major organs. The nerve stimulation conveys a signal to the spleen, where the platelet blood cells that form clots receive their instructions. This signal “primes” the platelets, prepping them to form clots if they encounter a wound anywhere in the body. “This grabs control of the mechanism the brain uses,” Czura says. “The body has this natural physiologic... more »
Reporting the new indictments in Flint!
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016In search of explanations and facts:* New indictments were announced this week in Flint. On Tuesday night, Rachel Maddow devoted more than half her program to the general topic. (Huge chunks of time were burned.) On Wednesday morning, the new indictments were reported in the New York Times. The reports were instructive and not so instructive. Let's start with the Times. Below, you see the start of Monica Davey's news report, which got prominent placement in the hard-copy Times. So far, we'd call this instructive and not so instructive. Hard-copy banne... more »
BREAKING: Snowden Goes Off on Twitter, Exposes How US Govt Report ‘Exonerates’ Him
[image: snowden]Edward Snowden just went on an epic Twitter rant, utterly destroying an error-filled congressional report about him that constituted a vapid hit piece.
New drug possible breakthrough against progressive multiple sclerosis
As many as 400,000 Americans are believed to suffer from multiple sclerosis -- a debilitating disease of the central nervous system. A new drug may provide relief from the most devastating form of MS. Many MS patients can manage their disease through the use of several helpful medications, but about 10 to 15 percent have progressive MS, which has no approved treatment and continuously gets worse. Three years ago, a new intravenous drug called Ocrelizumab began clinical trials. It targets an immune system cell which, in MS, is felt to mistakenly attack the nervous system. In the ... more »
Are You Proud To Be A Canadian?: Criminal Trudeau Regime Admits Weapons Sold To Saudi Regime May (Definitely) Have Been Used In Yemen!
I came across a report today that made me disgusted to be called a Canadian.... I and others living up here in the "Great White North" remember the reports of earlier this year where the Trudeau regime in Ottawa was all for the sale of some 15 BILLION dollars of very deadly and very sophisticated weaponry to the criminal Saudi regime... I had a very gnawing thought at the time that these weapons would be used by these criminals against the innocent people of Yemen.... I had hoped I was wrong about that, but once again I found this report proving that my suspicions were correct.. Ri... more »
FOCUS ON THE POLICIES, NOT ON THE FINANCIAL PAPERWORK
Politico reports this, which sounds good to me: Senate Democrats are approaching the January confirmation battle over Donald Trump’s Cabinet as a chance to launch their political comeback and expose the president-elect as a fraud. ... The goal, according to lawmakers and aides: to depict Trump’s chosen inner circle of billionaires and conservative hard-liners as directly at odds with the working-class Americans he vowed to help. ... Democrats believe they have a target-rich environment ... whether it’s Rex Tillerson’s ties to big oil and Russia, Steven Mnuchin’s Wall Street career,... more »
Tesla is trying to prevent speeding while using autopilot but there are complaints this is less safe because of speed of traffic
Owners of Tesla vehicles equipped with Autopilot have, up until now, been able to set the speed of the Autopilot’s ‘Traffic-Aware Cruise Control’ feature to up to 5 mph over the speed limit on roads and non-divided highways. Tesla's 8.1 software, with its UI update and Autopilot tweaks, is still unreleased. But to bring owners some more incremental updates, it's pushing 8.0.2 out to users as this is being written. The biggest addition to 8.0.2 is a reported limitation to Autosteer on cars that have the system enabled. When Autosteer is engaged on roads and non-divided highways, it ... more »
Canada will spend C$750 million to provide all Canadians minimum internet broadband 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload, currently 82% have such access
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) toda declared that broadband access Internet service is now considered a basic telecommunications service for all Canadians. The CRTC is also setting ambitious new speed targets and creating a new fund that will invest up to $750 million over and above existing government programs. Currently, about 18 percent of Canadians, representing 2 million households, don't have access to 50Mbps/10Mbps service. "The CRTC's goal is to reduce that to 10 per cent by 2021 and down to zero in the next 10 to 15 years, The CRTC h... more »
The Syrian War To Free Itself From The Evil US/Israel/NATO Criminal Cabal: This Is Priceless - Syrian Ambassador To UN Reveals Names Of US/Israel/NATO/Saudi Operatives Trapped In Eastern Aleppo!
OK, just last week I showed at this blog an amazing report where some 14 US/Israeli/NATO/Saudi operatives were captured in a bunker in eastern Aleppo... That report and subsequent reports coming over the alternative media showed the world CLEARLY that the US/Israel/NATO CRIMINAL cabal was indeed absolutely on the ground in eastern Aleppo, and was absolutely running the so called "terrorists" and "rebels" that were killing innocent civilians.... It was a black eye for the criminal US government and the psychos in Israel, and clearly showed the world exactly what this "war" in Syria w... more »
1400 yrs of Islam history in a few minutes...by Brigitte Gabriel
https://youtu.be/guXBTgAxhIw Some video that Prince Charles, the majority of EU and US politicians should watch and learn from. I'd suggest that the BBC's journalists might also learn from watching this video but I fear that they are beyond learning the truth.
Dec 28 Maiz painting unveiling
A very special maiz painting unveiling by Pola Lopez. She will be present.... and a platica re support of the O'tham Nation.. For whoever is in town, Dec 28, Wed 5-9pm (Green Corn Tamales and Champurrado included): https://www.facebook.com/events/156185954862361/
6 Ways to Rid Yourself of the Toxicity of Modern Living
*Anna Hunt* - Our world can be very toxic. This is simply a fact of modern life. The post 6 Ways to Rid Yourself of the Toxicity of Modern Living appeared first on Waking Times.
10 Years Ago, NBC Predicted What Life Would be Like in 2017
Ten years ago, a news segment during NBC Nightly News predicted that technology would have a much bigger role in identification. The story predicted that RFID chips, facial recognition software, and more would be commonplace by 2017. The post 10 Years Ago, NBC Predicted What Life Would be Like in 2017 appeared first on Futurism.
Dec. 22: Wow! a big change in the irving press!
For some time now, the irving press commentary page has featured the opinions of the propagandists who write for The Fraser Institute. But lately, it has been featuring the propagandists who write for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. Now, this is a big improvement in propaganda because the AIMS is a propaganda house created by the owners of the irving press. So we know we can depend on it for honest and insightful analysis. And we can also be sure we'll never see any silly and malicious criticism of anything the irvings want. For example, today offers a criticism of thos... more »
Gray Lady Clutches Neoliberal Pearls
Falsely equating right-wing populism with left-wing populism, The *New York Times *editorial board just delivered another in a long series of clumsy backhanded swipes at the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. It's happening to Barack Obama's America. It's happening to Lech Walesa's Poland. It's happening all over the democratic free world. The disdainful rabble are simply not properly groveling at the feet of constitutions and kowtowing to the naturally unequal miserable order of things. Therefore, we should be just as afraid of Bernie Sanders as we are of Donald Trump. Of c... more »
Mosul Campaign Day 66, Dec 21, 2016
The Iraqi authorities have released contradictory statements about the current pace of the Mosul campaign. At the start of December the Iraqi forces (ISF) said they were halting their operations, but that was later denied. The reality on the ground shows that things have almost ground to a halt. U.S. Air Force General Matthew Isler told Reuters that the ISF were in an operational pause to refit and resupply before they renewed their push into Mosul. While there has been fighting across eastern Mosul each day with two car bombs destroyedand mortars killing 10 civilians and wounding... more »
China Yuan Depreciation and India demonetization drive up Bitcoin market and value
The total value of all bitcoins in circulation hit a record high above $16 billion on Friday, as the web-based digital currency jumped 5 percent on the day to its highest levels in three years after more than doubling in price this year. The price of one bitcoin reached $875 on the Europe-based Bitstamp exchange, its strongest level since January 2014, putting the cryptocurrency on track for its best daily performance in six months. That compared with levels around $435 at the start of the year, with many experts linking bitcoin's rise with the steady depreciation of the Chinese yu... more »
In 2017, We Want To Expand Our Support For Freelance Journalism
Help us start 2017 with a robust budget for funding important reporting. Support independent journalists, who struggle to find a platform for their work. The post In 2017, We Want To Expand Our Support For Freelance Journalism appeared first on Shadowproof.
Santa Barbara dorms for KITP visitors to open in early 2017
Two years ago, I wrote about a gift by Charles Munger (who is 92), who must be used to be referred to as the #2 in Warren Buffett's company, to the University of California in Santa Barbara (UCSB). *A picture from September 2016 already looked nearly finished.* Today, The Santa Barbara Independent reminded us that the project is almost complete. I think that the money wasn't wasted, like Warren Buffett's gifts to Hillary. Note that Munger's $65 million was enough for the whole project. A seemingly wealthier Bill Gates only paid a part for the "William Gates Computer Science" build... more »
Life in Trump Country — "I make $2.35 an hour in coal country. I want a living wage."
*What rebellion looks like in Trump Country, and why people choose selling Oxy over flipping burgers (**Spencer Platt/Getty Images; source)* *by Gaius Publius* The good wages that my father and grandfather fought to win are gone. I’m 20 years old, and I’m working at Waffle House, getting paid $2.35 an hour ... [W]e don’t need empty promises about bringing back coal jobs. We need the jobs that actually exist in our towns to pay us wages high enough for us to afford basics we can live on. —Nic Smith, Roanoke, Virginia At Netroots Nation in 2014 I taped a conversation with economist ... more »
Notes from a Lost America: Chuckie Manson, Thor, and the Ark. Average Day in California
This is a reprint of a column from long, long ago. I do it not from laziness, though I am fond of laziness, but because it may provide a window into a happier America that we will not see again. … Continue reading →
Cops Shoot Woman’s Dog Then Warrantlessly Ransack Her Home to Justify It
[image: dog]New York cops shot a woman's dog then raided her house to look for contraband to justify shooting her dog.
China's EMDrive research lead confident EMDrive will work in satellites and the race to prove EMDrive and Cannae drives in space and then commercialize
China's space agency has officially confirmed that it has been funding research into the controversial space propulsion technology EmDrive, and that it plans to add the technology to Chinese satellites imminently. The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary of the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the manufacturer of the Dong Fang Hong satellites, has held a press conference in Beijing explaining the importance of the EmDrive research and summarizing what China is doing to move the technology forward. China Academy of Space Technology (CA... more »
WATCH: The Only Corporate Media Journalist in the US Willing to Tell You the Truth on Aleppo
[image: aleppo]Much propaganda has been reported as news on the topic of Aleppo, Syria, but there are a number of facts you need to know to be well-informed of the truth.
Court Rules Police Can Legally Execute Your Dog if It Does Anything But Sit Silently
[image: dogs]Battle Creek Michigan police officers were justified in killing family dogs when they bark, get in the way, or scare officers.
Prince Charles warns against religious persecution per BBC News
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38401857 on Prince Charles's thoughts on religious persecution. One part struck me: 'He asked listeners to remember that the Prophet Mohammed migrated from Mecca to Medina because he was "seeking the freedom for himself and his followers to worship".' Oddly Prince Charles didn't continue to inform listeners of how many people were killed by or under the instructions of the Islamic prophet after he reached Medina. Maybe Prince Charles doesn't know, maybe he just doesn't want to know, maybe he thinks it best that the British public don't... more »
Friedwardt Winterberg believes gravitational wave background noise is masking gravitational waves
Friedwardt Winterberg is known for his work in the fields of nuclear fusion and plasma physics, and Edward Teller has been quoted as saying that he had "perhaps not received the attention he deserves" for his work on fusion In a 1955 paper Winterberg proposed a test of general relativity using accurate atomic clocks placed in orbit in artificial satellites. At that time atomic clocks were not yet of the required accuracy and artificial satellites did not exist. Werner Heisenberg wrote a letter to Winterberg in 1957 in which he said the idea sounded "very interesting". This idea was ...more »
Journal cleans the house by retracting 6 cancer papers for plagiarism
Following an investigation, a genetics journal has pulled six cancer papers published this year for plagiarizing from other sources. According to an excerpt from the retraction notice in Genetics and Molecular Research, the journal has “strong reason to believe that the peer review process was [a] failure,” and has alerted the authors’ institutions. The notice […] The post Journal cleans the house by retracting 6 cancer papers for plagiarism appeared first on Retraction Watch.
YEAR(S) IN REVIEW: Most Consequential Absence of Skill!
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016Part 4—Most Consequential False Facts:* Sometimes, if it weren't for the press corps' *lack* of skill, there would be no skill at all! Lack of skill is on constant display within our mainstream press corps. And not only that! In the beginning was the end, much as Eliot said! We keep those bromides in mind today as we announce an array of year(s)-end awards. For starters: In the opinion of our judges, this year's Most Consequential Absence of Skill happened in 2012! The judges refer to a conspicuous absence of journalistic skill which surfaced, with ki... more »
Comfort and Joy
*The NORKS...Again* The North Koreans are reportedly preparing to put the People's submarine out to sea for a Christmas missile launch. Commercial satellite imagery showed ambiguous signs that North Korea’s *GORAE*-class, experimental, ballistic missile submarine is preparing to depart Sinpo. According to the imagery analysts at 38 North, the netting that usually covers the submarine and a submersible test barge has been removed. There are many reasons the netting would be removed, but it is always removed before leaving port. Last week, open sources reported that North Korean eng... more »
Rodriguez: Michelle Obama and the ‘Men’ of Hope
In a recent interview, Michelle Obama said this to Oprah Winfrey about the absence of hope: “We feel the difference now. See, now, we are feeling what not having hope feels like.” Immediately, I thought of the maíz–based Maya concepts or ethos called “men,” one of 7 maíz–based concepts I have been teaching in my classrooms for many, many years, which is a concept even more powerful than hope. However, before explaining it, Michelle Obama’s comment needs to be contextualized within the tumultuous political climate in which we are now living in this country. The operative word here... more »
Snopes, the Supposed Arbiter of ‘Fake News’ — Accused of ‘Defrauding Own Site to Pay for Prostitutes’
[image: snopes]Snopes, the company who's been the 'chosen one' in deciding what's real, has been caught in a web of fraud, embezzlement, prostitution and more.
The Rise of Neo-Mercantilism and the Trump Presidency
Greetings! I feel like I've been a frantic hamster on a wheel the last couple of months, culminating in a frantic end to the semester. The broader political and economic context has been so distressing that I've not even had the energy to blog. For example, Trump's decision to ask Icahn to head regulatory reform is truly insane: Chris Isidore. December 22, 2016. Trump taps Carl Icahn for regulations busting post. CNN Money, http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/21/news/economy/donald-trump-carl-icahn/ "It's time to break free of excessive regulation and let our entrepreneurs do what the... more »
Editor's Note
I have been busy all week finishing up on a lot of projects. Blogging will return later today.
Russian President Putin: Russia Stronger Than Any Potential Aggressor
Putin told military chiefs in Moscow: 'We are now stronger than any potential aggressor' *Sputnik:* *Russia Stronger Than Any Potential Aggressor - Putin* Russia is now stronger than any potential aggressor, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday at an expanded Defense Ministry board meeting. MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Putin added that much remains to be done to strengthen Russia's nuclear triad. *"We can say with confidence that we are now stronger than any potential aggressor," Putin said. * "I would like to draw your attention to the fact that if we just allow ourselves to rel... more »
Watch 14 Robotic Arms Teach Each Other How to Grasp Objects
These robots are teaching each other. The post Watch 14 Robotic Arms Teach Each Other How to Grasp Objects appeared first on Futurism.
Murdered Russian Ambassador to Turkey Karlov Is Buried In Moscow
*Sputnik*: *Putin Pays Last Respects to Ambassador Murdered in Turkey* Russian President Vladimir Putin paid last respects to Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, killed in Ankara. MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The president had to reschedule a big press-conference originally scheduled for Wednesday to be able to take part in the memorial for the diplomat whom he knew personally. On Wednesday, Putin ordered the murdered ambassador to be awarded with the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation posthumously. On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Karlov an outstanding diplomat ... more »
TRUMP GIVES A JOB TO KELLYANNE CONWAY, THE MEAN GIRL THE MEDIA THINKS IS NICE
Kellyanne Conway just got a job in the Trump administration. Here's how *The New York Times* reports this news: *Kellyanne Conway, ‘Trump Whisperer,’ Will Be Counselor to President* Kellyanne Conway, the Republican pollster and strategist who helped guide President-elect Donald J. Trump to victory in November, will be appointed counselor to the president, becoming the highest-ranking woman in his White House, the transition team announced early Thursday.... With a soft-spoken approach that appeals to Mr. Trump, Ms. Conway was credited during the campaign, even by Democrats who oppos... more »
Police Union Chief ‘Reprimanded’ for Doxxing Innocent Woman Who Made Video of Him Speeding
[image: doxxing]For doxxing an innocent woman and taking to social media to launch a campaign of harassment, this cop got a slap on the wrist.
Back To My Roots: Exposing The Fraud Of The Apollo Moon Landings- Moonfaker: Radiation Reloaded
It has been MONTHS now since I last took a swipe at one of the biggest lies in all of our history, the so called Apollo manned missions to the moon..... It is time to once again look at that fraud in some great detail, thanks to a new video that was sent my way the other day from a great researcher out of Australia, Jarrah White, who of course considers himself the "Grandson of the Apollo Moon Hoax".... Just to fill in new readers to this blog... I have known since my time studying Physics in a local University back in 1979 that mankind has absolutely NOT put men on the moon... That... more »
Prominent physicist accused of repeated self-plagiarism logs 2 retractions
A physicist working for the Indian government has notched two retractions after being accused of multiple acts of self-plagiarism by his colleagues. One retraction notice in Applied Surface Science says a duplicate of the paper was previously published by the same author — N. K. Sahoo, a researcher at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), which […] The post Prominent physicist accused of repeated self-plagiarism logs 2 retractions appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Know your world
_______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!
The World We Hoped We Had Outgrown
Twenty-five years ago, some people were writing obituaries for the nation state -- and Francis Fukuyama was proclaiming the end of history. But, Robert Muggah writes, they got it wrong: The end of history has *not* arrived and liberal democracy is *not* ascendant. According to British journalist Misha Glenny, Fukuyama and others under-estimated Western hubris and the greed of financial capitalism that contributed in 2008 to one of the most serious political and economic crises since the Great Depression. “These shocks”, he argues, “enabled alternative (governance) models to re... more »
24,300 Excess Deaths Last Winter
By Paul Homewood https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/excesswintermortalityinenglandandwales/2015to2016provisionaland2014to2015final The ONS’ mortality statistics also remind us that many more people die in winter than the rest of the year. Last winter (actually defined as Dec-March), there were 24300 excess deaths. This figure is calculated by comparing the number of winter deaths with the average during the rest of […]
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe To Be At Pearl Harbor Next Week (Update)
*VOA: **Japanese PM to Take Non-apology Tour to Pearl Harbor * SEOUL — Next week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to engage in a now familiar diplomatic offensive to reconcile lingering resentment over his country’s wartime past when he visits the Pearl Harbor memorial in Hawaii. Japan’s surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in 1941 killed over 2,000 Americans and drew the United States into World War II. After alienating regional neighbors in 2013 by visiting the Yasukuni war shrine that honors millions of war dead, but also includes the names of over a thousand c... more »
Japan Increases Its Defense Budget For The Fifth Year In A Row
*Wall Street Journal*: *Japan to Increase Military Spending for Fifth Year in a Row* *‘Security environment surrounding Japan is becoming ever more severe,’ defense minister says* TOKYO—Japan’s cabinet on Thursday approved an increase in military spending for a fifth successive year—including funds for missile defense upgrades and new advanced submarines—to meet accelerating threats from North Korea and China. The pressure on Japan has risen to increase military spending over the past few years as China has made territorial challenges to Japanese-administered islands and North K... more »
We Don't Have Grayson To Call Them Out On It Any Longer But Republican Health Care Is Still "Die Quickly"
This week NBC News and the *Wall Street Journal* released a poll showing Trump with an unfavorable rating from 46% of Americans and a favorable rating with 40%, an improvement for him since last month, but the lowest favorability rating of any president-elect about to take office ever. Although he's being installed by an antiquated, anti-democratic electoral college that should have been abolished at the turn of the century (the 20th Century), Trump actually *lost* the election to Clinton 65,844,610 (48.2%) to 62,979,636 (46.1%). Trump has no mandate to make any drastic changes-- ... more »
God Jul - Merry Christmas To All
*God Jul och gott nytt år* *Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year* *Wishing all a lovely holiday season from a Stranger In A Strange Land.* *Mike*
Untitled
*Alumnus gives university £4m to "lead the charge against a “post-truth” world"* *We read: "St Andrews will use the money to recruit world-leading staff to its school of English and school of philosophical, anthropological and film studies". I must say that I don't think you will get much truth out of that lot* Scotland’s oldest university intends to lead the charge against a “post-truth” world with the help of a multimillion- pound donation from a former student. Christopher Davis has given the University of St Andrews $5 million (£4 million), allowing it to establish a chair ... more »
Untitled
*Liberals rage as Trump eyes killing UN green scheme* Liberals are seething after President-Elect Donald Trump’s transition team asked a simple question. How much taxpayer money are we spending on international “global warming” programs? The answer will have you seething, too. Though the United States Senate never ratified the United Nations’ Paris climate treaty, the Obama administration has been following its dictates and funneling billions of taxpayer dollars into the required U.N. programs. But no one knows exactly how much taxpayer money is being shipped overseas. So membe... more »
Mortality Statistics During July 2015 Heatwave
By Paul Homewood Every summer we hear that thousands of people are dying in Britain because of heatwaves. Only last summer the Committee on Climate Change published a report claiming: currently 2,000 people die prematurely each year in the UK from heat-related conditions.” We now have the mortality data for last […]
Untitled
*From Jenna Orkin*FINAL RESULTS: Clinton wins popular vote by nearly 3 million A Greek anarchist group said it injected grocery products in Athens with chlorine and hydrochloric acid Germany has passed a draft law to allow more video surveillance in public places *Well that was fast.*'Don’t send an e-mail that says I think we broke the law': Lawsuit describes how Google allegedly enforces its culture of extreme secrecy Switzerland fines banks including JPMorgan and Barclays $97.3 million for Libor rigging *Which is what per cent of their profits from it?*PREDICTION: 'The ... more »
Contemporary Observations for Thor's Day
*Doubling Down on Progressive Voting* As the holidays approach, things become more desperate. Los Angeles County Supervisors, in a bid to retain their voting base (illegal aliens vote in LA), the LA County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to waste $3 million from the *PEOPLE's TREASURY* on lawyers for illegal immigrants/wetbacks/undocumented persons. I have been cautioned that some people find that my observations make others feel uncomfortable. Illegal aliens/wetbacks/undocumented persons who aren't in the US legally and pay no taxes, receive full benefits and are allowed to vote... more »
Bootstrapping space industry and a solar system wide civilization with Robots and 3D printing
Advances in robotics and additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies are game-changing for space colonization. As a result, it has become economically feasible – as we attempt to demonstrate in this paper – to bootstrap a self-sustaining, self-expanding lunar industry that will spread across the solar system at no further expense to the Earth’s economy. Another game-changer is the discovery of lunar polar ice providing vast quantities of hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon. The Moon has every element needed for healthy industry. In light of these game-changing advances and discoveri... more »
Eliezer Yudkowsky on Politics – Part 2
Our two previous posts showed how prospect theory in behavioral economics explains why so many gambled on Trump, and why the artificial intelligence and decision theory expert Eliezer Yudkowsky thinks that this was a mistake. In a post written the day before the election, Yudkowsky expanded on both themes, providing a simple explanation of how many of the gamblers reasoned: http://ieet.org/archive/SiN_106.jpg
"Ben Shapiro: First They Came for the Jews"
https://youtu.be/bQqvttVTBb0
"Peter Hitchens: The UK Is A Doomed Society For Young People"
https://youtu.be/knd81qhbRiQ Depressing but worth a watch
"Tucker Carlson vs Tariq Nasheed On Trump Hiring White Supremacists In Cabinet 12/20/16"
https://youtu.be/iPZ7dIIAh-4 I think that Tariq Nasheed needs to learn what 'literally' means.
A Simple Tool for Understanding the Trump Presidency
This is the usual argument on how grand strategy is determined by geography. That is certainly true in history. It is my contention that this actually is no longer true at all. Certainly not from a military point of view when the west is able to deliver superior force to any chosen point. What is true is that economics remain partially bound by geography but the implied cost of that has been dropping steadily. Thus future strategy will focus on accelerating and directing social change to produce modernity and to optimize modernity itself, particularly by proscribing protocols ... more »
‘Flying Carpet’ Could Be Simple Solution to One of Flying’s Biggest Annoyances
This is a seriously neat idea. You run 30 - 40 at a time and while a group is boarding another group is setting up. those boarding are in proper order for an efficient boarding and are not even over crowded. Thus taking your seat becomes efficient as well. Best it is easy to implement and to train up. Assuming that seat numbering for different planes can be integrated as well, this will be a great boost to travelers. It actually does not have to be perfect either. close enough can do, as the intent is to order the group that is loading without any fuss. . * ‘Flying Carpet’... more »
Experts Believe Strange Unknown Objects Found Inside Humans Could Be Extraterrestrial
No kidding. Thousands of eyewitnesses reports inform us that implantation is performed by aliens entities. Almost none could be misconstrued as part of a human endeavor. Several species of alien seem to be involved as well and it all appears to be scientific research of some sort. Actual evidence of physical changes in the individuals has not been forthcoming at all. at best we have clear reports of sample taking and some induced mating which is as close as we get to interactive activity. The specimens are not obviously harmed, although that is not entirely true either. They... more »
How Frequency and Vibration Create the Structures of Matter and Life
What we have poorly understood, mostly because visible energy flow is in the form of a hot stream of electrons is that essentially all energy flow is through resonance. Once understood, it becomes obvious why most everything diosplays geometric order of some sort. That is still an effect and not a cause. The first movement of creation sets up a wave function that provides boundedness and the potential from additional particles of such creation through simple decay of a natural 3D topological figure eight ( think hour glass decaying from a boxy and edgy 3D figure eight ). Th... more »
State Will No Longer Go After Dead Students’ Loans
New Jersey has just decided it will no longer collect student loans from the parents of deceased former students or students who have become permanently disabled. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks break it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
Another Tweet For Today
The Lives They Lived: Remembering Muhammad Ali, Natalie Cole, David Bowie and more of those we lost in the past year https://t.co/tbVV6HYQJs pic.twitter.com/VxppUJzbq3 — The New York Times (@nytimes) December 22, 2016
Tweet For Today
Japan to increase military spending for fifth year in a row https://t.co/DcvVUPGbFQ pic.twitter.com/5GMA0UaLJ2 — Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 22, 2016
Picture Of The Day
*Remembrance Wreaths* Thousands of wreaths adorn the headstones of fallen service members following the Wreaths Across America event at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Dec. 17, 2016. This is the 25th year people have placed wreaths at Arlington for the event. Army photo by Rachel Larue
It Has Been A Hard Year For America's Top Spy Catcher
*Photo*: William Evanina, the head of U.S. counterintelligence, estimates that more than 100 Russian spies are currently operating on U.S. soil. Courtesy of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence *NPR: **For America's Top Spy Catcher, A World Of Problems To Fix — And Prevent* William Evanina holds two official job titles: national counterintelligence executive and director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. Eyes glazing over? Here's a simpler way to think of him: as the nation's spy catcher in chief. As the head of U.S. counterintelligence, Eva... more »
Israel Says Hezbollah Is Using US-Made Weapons in Syria
Hezbollah parading its military equipment in Qusayr, Syria, November 2016. (Twitter) *Arutz Sheva*: *Hezbollah Fighting in Syria With U.S. Weapons Supplied to Lebanese Army, IDF Says* Senior IDF officer says Hezbollah obtained weapons as part of 'deal' with Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah has 'strengthened grip on Lebanese national institutions.' Hezbollah is fighting in Syria with American weapon systems supplied by the United States to the Lebanese Army, a senior Israel Defense Forces officer speaking under conditions of anonymity said Wednesday. According to the officer, Israe... more »
Leaders from Russia, Turkey, and Iran Have Agreed To A Roadmap For Peace In Syria (Update)
*CSM*: *'Moscow Declaration' lays out vision for Syrian peace deal, with US on sidelines* Leaders from Russia, Turkey, and Iran met Tuesday in talks to broker a peace deal in Syria, underscoring a shift in regional influence. Leaders of Russia, Turkey, and Iran held talks in Moscow on Tuesday in the first step toward brokering a peace deal in Syria, emerging with a declaration of principles that they said should govern any agreement backed by the three countries. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said afterward that the trio’s plans for a Syria-wide ceasefire – excluding the... more »
Musical Interlude: Pink Floyd, “Brain Damage/Eclipse”
Pink Floyd, “Brain Damage/Eclipse” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVQ3-Xe_suY
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Velvet Morning"
Liquid Mind, "Velvet Morning" Liquid Mind ® is the name used by Los Angeles composer and producer Chuck Wild of the best-selling Liquid Mind relaxation music albums. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp3BuiupOrc&feature=related
Qz.com: China Propagandize like Boss
*One of my favorite sights is this old railway viaduct.* If you are at all familiar with China anti-US propaganda, you'll instantly recognize familiar themes and seeming errors of this piece at qz.com on the people around Trump. It neatly dovetails with the emerging media consensus that writers can say whatever they want about Trump's China people, and no one in the media will question or factcheck it if it fits their ideological prejudices (as with Bloomberg earlier this week). The writer opens: US president-elect Donald J. Trump said that he doesn’t want to be “bound by a ‘one Ch... more »
Scotland-- Another Brexit Complication
When the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, the results were fairly close-- 17,410,742 votes to leave (51.9%) to 16,141,241 to stay (48.1%). It wasn't that close in Scotland, however, where most people wanted to remain in the EU. This was the breakdown in the U.K.'s constituent parts: *•* *England:* leave- 53.4%, stay 46.6% *•* *Scotland:* leave- 38.0%, stay 62.0% *•* *Wales:* leave -52.5%, stay- 47.5% *•* *Northern Ireland:* leave 44.2%, stay 55.8% London also voted to remain in the EU. The city has 32 boroughs-- ten for Inner London and 20 for Outer London. All of Inner Lon... more »
Artificial Intelligence is Helping Restore Vision
Microsoft is partnering with a prestigious eye hospital in India to help perfect AI powered computer diagnostics to the field of ophthalmology. Artificial intelligence is continually making great strides to integrate more in various healthcare settings, hopefully increasing the quality and availability of patient care. The post Artificial Intelligence is Helping Restore Vision appeared first on Futurism.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“In this evocative night skyscape a starry band of the Milky Way climbs over Yosemite Valley, Sierra Nevada Range, planet Earth. *Click image for larger size. * Jupiter is the brightest celestial beacon on the wintry scene, though. Standing nearly opposite the Sun in the constellation Taurus, the wandering planet joins yellowish Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. Below, Orion always comes up sideways over a fence of mountains. And from there the twin stars of Gemini rise just across the Milky Way. As this peaceful winter night began, they followed Auriga the charioteer, its alph... more »
"Centering Ourselves: Gathering Our Straying Thoughts"
*"Centering Ourselves: * *Gathering Our Straying Thoughts"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "All too often our lives can be spread too thin and it becomes important to gather our thoughts and center ourselves to become whole again. When our thoughts are scattered in several directions at once and we are no longer conscious of what we are doing or why, it is time to center ourselves. When we center ourselves, we begin by acknowledging that we have become spread too thin and we are no longer unified inside. Our thoughts might be out of sync with our feelings, and our actions may be ou... more »
Ecuador’s Standing Rock is Happening Now – Can the World Save the Shuar?
*Dylan Charles* - Beyond Standing Rock, the world is in desperate need of environmental justice. The post Ecuador’s Standing Rock is Happening Now – Can the World Save the Shuar? appeared first on Waking Times.
"As Soon As We Quit Pretending..."
"The great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don't have to gain, develop, or attain them. We're like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight. We don't need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we really are- as soon as we quit pretending we're small or unholy." - Author unknown
The Economy: "The System Is Crashing- The What, How And Why"
*The 'What':* *"The System Is Crashing, Prepare For Bank Confiscations, Shortages, Insurgency”* by Brandon Smith "What is the anatomy of a breakdown? The past eight years have been extremely difficult for the real economy. Central bank intervention has propped up the stock market at the expense of the main street economy, at the expense of middle class security, at the expense of jobs. And everyone knows that game can’t continue. The question is how it will play out, and how long the game will be. The Federal Reserve finally announced rate hikes– planning one incremental increase ... more »
Global Network History in Pictures
*During most of our 25 years of operation artist Will Park from Florida has provided us with art work to illustrate our concerns. * These photos below are from past Global Network (GN) annual conferences. They are not in any particular order (was just too hard to put them that way on this blog). Each year we try to meet in a different country and place where the US has a space weapons base or a weapons production facility. We thank all of our members and friends over these last 25 years for helping spread the message of Keep Space for Peace! (Click on any of the photos for a bette... more »
U..S. Supplied Drones To The Ukraine Army Have Been Ineffective On The Front Lines
*Reuters*: *Exclusive: U.S.-supplied drones disappoint Ukraine at the front lines* Millions of dollars' worth of U.S.-supplied drones that Kiev had hoped would help in its war against Russian-backed separatists have proven ineffective against jamming and hacking, Ukrainian officials say. The 72 Raven RQ-11B Analog mini-drones were so disappointing following their arrival this summer that Natan Chazin, an advisor to Ukraine's military with deep knowledge of the country's drone program, said if it were up to him, he would return them. "From the beginning, it was the wrong decision ... more »
You Have More Power Than You Think-- Guest Post By Alice Marshall
A friend of mine in Fairfax County, Virginia recounted how this past election the Chair of the Fairfax Democrats had run her own canvassing operation because she was not satisfied with the one being run by the joint campaign. Every year Fairfax Democrats set up a joint campaign so that volunteers support every Democrat up for office rather than requiring each campaign to recruit their own volunteers. Fairfax Democrats win their elections, so clearly, this works. However, this year it seems that the Chair, who is an enthusiastic supporter of Hillary Clinton, was not pleased with th... more »
It’s The End of the World, But …
dandelionsalad at John Pilger: The Empire Feels Shocked and Threatened with Trump’s Victory, Parts 1 & 2 – Dandelion Salad - 1 day ago
Dandelion Salad leftymathprof on Dec 19, 2016 Ecosystem collapse would kill us all. To avert that requires measures that are blocked by plutocracy. Ending plutocracy requires ending property and hierarchy, replacing them with a culture of sharing, caring, and networking that we all learned in kindergarten. It can’t be imposed by force. The first step […]
Is Russia's Military A Threat To NATO?
Military parade in Red Square. Wikipedia *Kris Osborn, National Interest*: *Is Russia a Military Threat to NATO?* How much of a threat do Russia's emerging 5th-generation stealth fighter, nuclear arsenal, high-tech air defenses, anti-satellite weapons, conventional army and submarines pose to NATO and the U.S.? Current tensions between Russia and NATO are leading many to carefully assess this question and examine the current state of weaponry and technological sophistication of the Russian military -- with a mind to better understanding the extent of the kinds of threats they may p... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Yuma, Arizona, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 21, 2016
*Katelyn Fossett, Politico*: *Is NATO Doomed?* *The former NATO second-in-command updates his fictionalized account of a war with Russia—and worries the transatlantic alliance could be gone in as little as five years.* After retiring from NATO as its second highest military official in 2014, Gen. Sir Richard Shirreff penned the ultimate war game: A 500-page fictionalized account of a war between Russia and NATO, titled, simply, War With Russia. The book, in the style of anti-appeasement tracts before World War II, is a plot-propelled warning about the dangers of Western acquiesce... more »
Previewing the Copeland By-Election
And so we say goodbye to Jamie Reed, who today announced he's retiring from politics for a job in public and community relations at Sellafield. A rare instance, as one wag put it, of quitting Parliament to spend more time with something of even greater toxicity. Rare also was Jamie to not use the occasion of his resignation to criticise Jeremy Corbyn. Perhaps after a bruising year for our party, the season of goodwill has more to do with his kinder, gentler resignation letter than tell of a dark conspiracy of silence threatening the party after a year of open warfare. Speculators a... more »
"How to Be Unpersuasive"
*"How to Be Unpersuasive"* by Scott Adams "I’ve been teaching you how to be persuasive for the past year. But I should also tell you what doesn’t work for changing people’s minds. *Analogies:* Analogies are good tools for explaining a concept to someone for the first time. But because analogies are imperfect they are the worst way to persuade. All discussions that involve analogies devolve into arguments about the quality of the analogy, not the underlying situation. *Hypocrisy:* Pundits like to point out that politicians often criticize others for the very things they have done. T... more »
DEAR WASHINGTON POST: YOU KNOW THIS HEADLINE IS PRO-TRUMP PROPAGANDA, RIGHT?
*The Washington Post* has done a pretty good job dealing with Donald Trump -- certainly better than *The New York Times* or CNN -- but this headline suggests that even at the *Post* there's been some sipping of the Trump Kool-Aid: *After meeting with Trump, Boeing CEO relents on cost of Air Force One* Did that actually happen? Let's look at the story: “Cancel [the] order!” Donald Trump, the incoming president of the United States, tweeted ominously about a contract with Boeing to build Air Force One, the state-of-the-art airplanes he and future presidents will rely on. It took a ma... more »
World News Briefs -- December 21, 2016
*Daily Mail: Revealed: Tunisian asylum seeker wanted for Berlin massacre was jailed for four years in Italy for burning down a school and arrested three times in Germany before police lost him* * Terror suspect Anis Amri, 23, from Tunisa served four years in an Italian prison for an arson attack on a school * His ID was found in the footwell of the truck used in Monday's attack which claimed 12 lives and injured 48 * German security officials had Amri under close surveillance between March and September this year * He was suspected of dealing drugs and planning robberies to finananc... more »
"Neuroscience Says Listening to This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent"
*"Neuroscience Says Listening to This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent"* By Melanie Curtin "Everyone knows they need to manage their stress. When things get difficult at work, school, or in your personal life, you can use as many tips, tricks, and techniques as you can get to calm your nerves. So here's a science-backed one: make a playlist of the 10 songs found to be the most relaxing on earth. Sound therapies have long been popular as a way of relaxing and restoring one's health. For centuries, indigenous cultures have used music to enhance well-being and improve health c... more »
White House Claims Over 80% Of Low-Skilled Jobs Will Be Automated
Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers claims jobs with a median wage paying less than $20 an hour have an 83% chance of being automated. The post White House Claims Over 80% Of Low-Skilled Jobs Will Be Automated appeared first on Shadowproof.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 21, 2016
Russian President Vladimir Putin with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then Turkey's prime minister, after a news conference in Istanbul in 2012. Osman Orsal/Reuters *Military.com:* *US Sidelined as Russia, Turkey, Iran Plot Syria's Fate* The U.S. was reduced to the role of concerned bystander Tuesday as NATO-ally Turkey met in Moscow with Iran and Russia to plot Syria's fate following the fall of Aleppo and the assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey. "We weren't invited," State Department spokesman John Kirby said of the Moscow meeting of foreign ministers, but Secretary of State J... more »
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