11:45 pm MST
A War Correspondent Wonders Why The Ukraine War is Not Being Covered
The author, left, on the front lines in eastern Ukraine. (Photo: Nolan Peterson/The Daily Signal) *Nolan Peterson, Daily Signal*:* Reporting From the War Zone: Why Conflict Journalism Matters* KYIV, Ukraine—In June of 2015, I spent eight days embedded with the Ukrainian army in the front-line town of Pisky in eastern Ukraine. I’ve been back and forth to the front lines in eastern Ukraine many times in the more than two years I’ve covered this conflict, but those eight days in Pisky stand out from the rest. It was an active time, with near constant artillery and mortar fire. The s... more »
Picture Of The Day
*Raining Fire:* Soldiers attack simulated enemy combatants during exercise Allied Spirit IV at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Feb. 2, 2016. The multinational exercise aims to improve tactical interoperability and communications between NATO members and partner nations. The soldiers are assigned to 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Army photo by Pvt. Randy Wren
Musical Interlude: Logos, “Cheminement”
Logos, “Cheminement” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOuXP8aVWHU
"A Look to the Heavens"
"If not perfect, then this spiral galaxy is at least one of the most photogenic. An island universe of about 100 billion stars, 32 million light-years away toward the constellation Pisces, M74 presents a gorgeous face-on view. Classified as an Sc galaxy, the grand design of M74's graceful spiral arms are traced by bright blue star clusters and dark cosmic dust lanes. *Click image for larger size.* The above image covers half the width of the full Moon and was obtained using 19 hours of exposure on the 1.23-meter telescope at Calar Alto Observatory in the Sierra de Los Filabres moun... more »
What Happens When The Worst Happens On The Korean Peninsula
Capt. Sheehan: "'You don't want your soldier thinking: 'Where's my wife, where's my husband?'" *Juliet Perry, CNN*: *Preparing for the worst* *How to escape from Kim Jong Un* Seoul (CNN)It's a bitterly cold, bleak day on a military base in South Korea. People are milling around calmly, clutching hot coffees, making small talk. Kids are chasing each other around an air hangar. It's hard to believe they are practicing a high-stakes emergency evacuation that simulates what would happen if North Korea invaded. "In real life, everyone would be wearing masks, rushing through places," ... more »
The Public CAN Defeat Republican Overreach— And Slapped Them Down With A Mighty Hand Today
Republican radicals, puffed up with a perception of absolute power, decided to stick a thumb in the eye of the public and pass an amendment by right-wing extremist Bob Goodlatte (R-VA, strongly rumored to be a worried pedophile) gutting the Office of Congressional Ethics. In a Republican caucus meeting Goodlatte’s outrageous amendment passed 119-74, despite warnings from Paul Ryan that it would backfire in their faces and make them look… well, like exactly how they are, the most most corrupt gang of crooks on the planet. *DWT* was one of dozens of blogs and news sources that rang ... more »
A Rough Start For The Republican Led U.S. Congress
*Politico*: *Inside the House GOP ethics debacle* A surprise move by a group of House Republicans to gut an independent ethics office caught leaders flatfooted — and sparked a national backlash. Just hours after Republicans voted to gut the House's independent ethics office, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s phone started lighting up with calls and texts. The California Republican had tried to warn his colleagues about the political risks of defanging the Office of Congressional Ethics during a closed-door, secret ballot roll call Monday night. And after that vote, a number of law... more »
How does a US president settle on his science policy?
Kelly Sims Gallagher, Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy and Director of Center for International Environment and Resource Policy at The Fletcher School, Tufts University atScience + Technology – The Conversation - 2 hours ago
A president's science advisor is traditionally a close confidant. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak One of the president’s most important responsibilities is fostering science, technology and innovation in the U.S. economy. The relationship between science and policy runs in two directions: Scientific knowledge can inform policy decisions, and conversely, policies affect the course of science, technology and innovation. Historically, government spending on science has been good for the economy. Innovation is estimated to drive approximately 85 percent of economic growth. Not only does it p... more »
The factories of the past are turning into the data centers of the future
Graham Pickren, Assistant Professor of Sustainability Studies, Roosevelt University at Science + Technology – The Conversation - 2 hours ago
At one time, Bibles and Sears catalogs were printed here. Now, this building is known as the Lakeside Technology Center, one of the largest data centers in the world. Teemu008/flicker We live in a data-driven world. From social media to smart cities to the internet of things, we now generate huge volumes of information about nearly every detail of life. This has revolutionized everything from business to government to the pursuit of romance. We tend to focus our attention on what is new about the era of big data. But our digital present is in fact deeply connected to our industrial... more »
President-Elect Trump's Intelligence Briefing On Russian Election Hack Delayed Till Friday
The "Intelligence" briefing on so-called "Russian hacking" was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017 *The Telegraph:** Donald Trump says it's 'very strange' that his 'intelligence' briefing on 'so-called' Russian hacking delayed* Donald Trump has announced that he will meet intelligence officials on Friday to be briefed over alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The president-elect repeated his skepticism that the Kremlin had hacked Democratic Party computers las... more »
Drudge Report Is Down
*WNU Editor:* I use about 100 sources for this blog. News websites. News aggregators. Blogs. Official government/military websites. Etc.. The *Drudge Report* is one of them. In the past few days he has been complaining that he was experiencing multiple cyber attacks on his server .... and (he made this prediction only recently) that this was probably going to be the new normal. Well .... his website is now down (as of 21:15 EST) .... the second time in a week. Is this the new normal .... unfortunately .... Matt Drudge is probably right. My main beef with the main stream media is n... more »
Damascus Facing A Water Disaster As Fighting Has Interrupted Supplies
*CNN:* *Water is the latest battleground in Syria* (CNN)Nour, a housewife in Damascus, says the latest joke in the Syrian capital is also a prayer of sorts: "May the gold you hold become water." It is a half-hearted attempt to make light of a water crisis that is impacting millions in Damascus, a city that has been relatively sheltered from the violence raging elsewhere in the country. Nour said that her family just got water on Tuesday morning, after four days without access. Her family quickly lined up to use the shower and she switched on the washing machine. Now, when she hear... more »
Bernie Won? Maybe So... On Free College Tuition At State Universities
A couple of days ago New York’s corrupt governor, Andrew Cuomo, was being derided for vetoing a bill to make sure indigent suspects had legal representation. But yesterday his praises were being sung by both Hillary Clinton and, especially, Bernie Sanders for his free tuition proposal. Under it, the state of New York will pay tuition for hundreds of thousands of middle- and low-income New Yorkers (kids whose families are making less than $125,000/year) at state colleges and at community colleges. This would be a pilot program for the whole country. I have some first hand experienc... more »
Major Shifts in Consciousness Observed Throughout the Animal Kingdom
*Christina Sarich* - Researchers are discovering a clear rise in the consciousness of many animals. The post Major Shifts in Consciousness Observed Throughout the Animal Kingdom appeared first on Waking Times.
Will the Istanbul nightclub massacre lead to "The End of Democracy in Turkey"?
*Turkish journalist Ahmet Sik, reportedly now under arrest, told *The New Yorker*'s Dexter Filkins in August, early in the Turkish-government crackdown following the failed coup against the regime, that "he had little doubt that [President] Erdoğan aimed to remove all impediments to his rule" -- and that he himself expected to be arrested "very soon."* *by Ken* Although I refrained from fobbing off my amateur speculations in taking note of the bloody New Year's Eve assault on that Istanbul nightclub -- at least 39 killed, scores injured -- you didn't have to be either clairvoyant ... more »
President-Elect Trump Warns The White House That They Should Not Release Any More Guantanamo Detainees
There should be no further releases from Gitmo. These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017 *Daily Mail:* *Trump blasts Obama's release of 'extremely dangerous' Guantanamo prisoners as outgoing president plans to free 18 more before leaving office* * 'There should be no further releases from Gitmo,' Trump tweeted, referring to the island detention facility by its nickname * He added: 'These are extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield' * Obama i... more »
A Flying Warehouse? New Amazon Patent Reveals the Potential Future of Retail
A new patent reveals Amazon's plans to deploy "air fulfillment centers (AFCs)" that would each act as a sort of flying warehouse from which drones could deliver goods to customers. Though the idea might not materialize, it offers an exciting look into the future of retail and how drones could completely disrupt the way the industry currently operates. The post A Flying Warehouse? New Amazon Patent Reveals the Potential Future of Retail appeared first on Futurism.
World Indigenous Nations Games are coming to Canada for the first time.
The 2017 World Indigenous Nations Games are coming to Canada for the first time. Previously held in Brazil, they will take place in Edmonton from July 2 to 9. Canadians will be introduced to cool sports, like Xikunahati, a Brazilian game similar to soccer except that only the players' heads can touch the ball. If Brazil's games were any indication, fans can expect an archery competition where the target is a small fish, 40 metres away, and competitors aim for its eye. There will also be tug-of-war, spear fishing and traditional canoeing. Hosted in partnership between Enoch Cree... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 3, 2017
This is the most volatile year for political risk since World War II, @EurasiaGroup says https://t.co/7EfzqhH11p pic.twitter.com/E7XwVa5VkP — Bloomberg (@business) January 3, 2017 *Rainer Buergin, Bloomberg*: *It’s the ‘Most Volatile’ Year for Political Risk Since WWII, Eurasia Group Says* * Weakened Merkel, China-U.S. tension, Turkey drift in outlook * Dollar may strengthen amid turmoil: Eurasia Group’s Bremmer U.S. unilateralism under Donald Trump, China’s growing assertiveness and a weakened German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make 2017 the “most volatile” year for political r... more »
3 Things You Must Do to Avoid the Popular Trap of Lower Consciousness
*Dylan Charles* - An upward shift in consciousness is the only way for the human race to survive. The post 3 Things You Must Do to Avoid the Popular Trap of Lower Consciousness appeared first on Waking Times.
Henry Thornton Post 3 Jan 2017
Just published here.
World News Briefs -- January 3, 2017 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters:* *North Korea cannot 'tip' missile with nuclear warhead: U.S. State Department* North Korea continues to pursue nuclear and ballistic missile technologies but the United States does not believe it is in a position to "tip" one of them with a nuclear warhead, State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday. North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, said on Sunday his nuclear-capable country was close to test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), raising the prospect of putting parts of the United States within range. "We do not believe that at this poin... more »
Alexander Mercouris-Enshrinement of Russian/Turkish Ceasefire at UN ?
*Via Saker: but **From the Duran * *"As my colleague Adam Garrie has previously reported, on 31st December 2016 the United Nations Security Council unanimously supported Resolution 2336, a Russian drafted Resolution enshrining the Russian-Turkish ceasefire plan for Syria"* *I checked the definition of enshrine: to preserve or cherish as sacred* *It was widely reported, that the Russian/Turkish ceasefire was not enshrined at the UN Security Council, because it was not endorsed by all parties and had to dropped to get the resolution passed. * *December 31, 2016: * Initial reports... more »
#TopTen | No. 5: But how do they *know* NZ is so prosperous? [updated]
*Last year I wrote and posted 801 posts (“we are the 801”). And here at EnZed’s fourth-most read political blog this was the fifth most popular post: asking all those organisations regularly ranking NZ in their top tens, quite seriously, where exactly they get all their information from?* ------------------------------ Have you ever wondered about all these international surveys always quoted so authoritatively? I have one before me that finds NZ to be the most prosperous country in the world. Issued by something called the Legatum Institute – a think tank founded, we are told... more »
WikiLeaks Just Vowed to ‘Blow You Away’ in 2017 ‘Showdown’
[image: wikileaks]WikiLeaks has promised 2017 will be an even bigger year for leaks than 2016, which saw the whistleblowing site publish thousands of documents exposing US political secrets.
ISA Conferences in Trump’s America
In conversations with friends, I quickly realized that the International Studies Association faces some significant problems ahead. The advent of the Trump administration is likely to lead to two kinds of complications: it may be hard for foreign scholars to get visas to attend the conference that scholars may want to boycott conferences that take […]
Ready for the Jawboning Presidency of Donald Trump by Ralph Nader
Dandelion Salad by Ralph Nader The Nader Page January 3, 2017 All signs point to Donald Trump becoming a jawboning president without equal in American history. That is, jawboning by exerting rhetorical bombast focused on people, corporations and institutions, with massive media propulsion behind the very personal presidency he will establish. It will be a […]
Kids in Cubicles: The Wonderful World of Work
Eliminate sharing and student communication! Order before midnight tonight! *Remove Distractions With These Portable Student Desk Privacy Shields!* Keep students' eyes on their own work with these attractive and functional privacy shields made of economical, long-lasting, corrugated cardboard. Great for everyday classroom use, computer labs, and writer's workshops, they make a fun way to set up "offices" for your students, too. Ideal for both pencil-and-paper and computer-based testing (including PARCC and other standardized tests), privacy shields are a must have for any teacher ... more »
Chet Raymo, "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam"
*"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam"* by Chet Raymo “On a Sunday afternoon years ago we tripped over the hill to the annual races on Beal Ban Strand, an afternoon of thundering excitement up and down the tide-washed sand, sleek and powerful horses ridden by young jockeys in gaily-colored silks. A good time was had by all, but I couldn't help but think of the events that occurred on those cliffs you see in the background of the photograph, just above the head of the jockey in white. In the year 1580, six-hundred Catholics- Spaniards, Italians and Irish, including women and children- were besie... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Roswell, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Nazi Gold Laundered Through Turkey; Nazi Banking-Trade-Intermediary Roles of Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Others
We have already documented that Degussa was involved in the melting of gold stolen by the Nazis, in the Nazi … Continue reading →
“The Titanic Sails at Dawn: Warning Signs Point to Danger Ahead in 2017”
*“The Titanic Sails at Dawn: * *Warning Signs Point to Danger Ahead in 2017”* By John W. Whitehead "When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat?" - Chuck Palahniuk “Despite our best efforts, we in the American police state seem to be stuck on repeat, reliving the same set of circumstances over and over and over again: egregious surveillance, strip searches, police shootings of unarmed citizens, government spying, censorship, retaliatory arrests, the criminalization of lawful activities, warmongering, indefinite detentions, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, etc. Unf... more »
Portland Volunteers Building Another Medical Bus For Standing Rock
*The bus will serve the medical community at Standing Rock and provide a critical warming space* After a trip to North Dakota to deliver the first Bunk Bus and many conversations with Water Protectors at Oceti Sakowin, volunteers have realized the necessity for a second Bunk Bus. The second bus has already been purchased and they are currently working with the wonderful, brilliant, and generous people of Manifestations, a maker space in SE Portland, to convert it into a medical healing shelter. Volunteers are working to make the second bus more heavily insulated than the first an... more »
President-Elect Trump Responds To North Korean Claims Of Being Able To Soon Launch An ICBM That Can Reach The U.S.
*U.S. News And World Report*: *Trump Slams North Korea, China in Twitter Outburst* *President-elect continues unorthodox means of communicating policy ideas.* President-elect Donald Trump is starting the new year in high dudgeon, sniping at countries that have displeased him and gloating about his victory in the November election. It's par for the course for Trump, a billionaire real-estate developer who has never held elective office and who pledged during the campaign to shake Washington to its core and do things his way. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor*: The Pentagon is saying t... more »
Don't Worry... Grayson’s Not Disappearing
Schumer, who has always panicked when someone smarter than him walks into a room, made sure Grayson wouldn’t get into the Senate and, alas, we’re now stuck with Marco Rubio… and with Grayson out of Congress for at lest two years. This morning was his last few hours in the House before the new members were sworn in. He didn’t let it go to waste. Obviously Paul Ryan will never allow either of Grayson’s last bills be voted on but he managed to slip in two last minute pieces of legislation while the GOP was skulking around gutting the Office of Congressional Ethics and not paying atte... more »
BREAKING: Houston Police Chief & DA Make Huge Stand Against Feds — Refuse to Jail Pot Users
[image: houston]"We absolutely believe in (reform), that we want to push for it, but not just at the federal level, but at the state level as well." says Houston Police Chief.
What Trump supporters can learn from this election cycle...
*because it wasn't easy.* Before Trump snagged the nomination, I tried to remain neutral. Afterwards, I admitted to being a Trump supporter from the moment he rode down the escalator. Why? I have no idea other than a "feeling." Well, now - you can't run your life on "feelings." That's how libtards run their lives and I certainly wasn't one of those creatures. Untold hours were spent vetting every piece of news on Trump, including all the bad stuff. I wended my weary way through the disgraceful *National Review issue *with the so-called heavy weights of the conservative movemen... more »
A brief history of nanotechnology
A historian looks at nanotechnology as utopian or dystopian vision, real-life research and development, and why emerging technologies are such compelling topics.
WikiLeaks' Assange: E-Mail Source Not Russia; Obama Adm. Trying to "Delegitimize" Trump
[image: wikileaks-founder-e-mails-not-from-russia-obama-adm-trying-to-delegitimize-trump] WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview that, contrary to the claims of the Obama administration, Russia was not the source of the tens of thousands of e-mails WikiLeaks released exposing the seamy side of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Assange also said the Obama administration is “trying to delegitimize the [incoming] Trump administration.”
Get the U.S. Out of the UN
[image: get-the-us-out-of-the-un] Former Alaska Governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said that the United States should get out of the United Nations and the UN should get out of the United States.
Tikopia
Tikopia (tik-o-PEE-a) is a wee island in the Pacific, quite close to the middle of nowhere, the remains of an ancient volcano. Its area is 1.8 square miles (4.6 km2), much of it steep rugged hillside. The closest neighbors live on Anuta, 85 miles away (137 km), a long and dangerous voyage in a dugout canoe. Tiny Tikopia is eleven times larger than Anuta. Humans arrived in Tikopia maybe 3,000 years ago, and brought along pigs, dogs, fowl, rats, and the seeds of Polynesian foods. For a while, folks ate well, dining on the abundant birds, fish, and shellfish. As abundance f... more »
Winter Solstice 2016
December 21, 2016. Merry monsoon season! I wake to the music of gentle rains, bike to the library in the rain, take long evening walks in the rain, and float off to dreamland to the sweet sound of splashing droplets. Occasionally, a brilliant sunbeam blasts through the clouds and frightens everyone. Occasionally, we are blessed by the sight of a breathtaking double rainbow, bright and beautiful from one end to the other. Following the normal passage of many months with little rain, the Willamette River is now flowing high and fast, roaring over the rocks, an inspiring symphony ... more »
Jan.3: Laughing so I won't cry.
In an idle moment, I called up 'Trump twitter' . It's worth a read because these are the thoughts of a president who has no political philosophy whatever. To him, a nation (and, for that matter, the world) is just a giant business to be run like a business. Today's deep thought was a shot at China. Trump wants to get tough with North Korea. And if he's going to get tough, he expects China to get tough along with him. Why? Because China exports a lot to the U.S., but imports relatively little. And if it won't get tough with North Korea, Trump will cut off trade with China. That's a... more »
Turkish Police Release Photo Of Reina Attack Suspect (News Roundup)
*ABC News Online*: *Istanbul nightclub attack: Turkey closes in on gunman as 'selfie' video of alleged attacker emerges* Turkish authorities believe they are closing in on the gunman who killed 39 people celebrating the New Year at an Istanbul nightclub. According to local media, the gunman has been identified and is thought to be from a Central Asian country. Reports suggest he came to Turkey in November last year with his wife and two children in order not to attract attention, and his family have now been detained. Turkish media, including the state-run Anadolu Agency, have ru... more »
Jeremy Corbyn and the Homophobic Knighthood
"Labour MP opposed to gay adoption receives knighthood!" was the gist of a gaggle of stories that did the rounds yesterday. As the *Pink News* points out, the honourable member for Bolton North East, David Crausby, has consistently opposed moves to equalise and normalise gay relationships. The repeal of Section 28 found him in the no lobby, as did moves to allow gay couples to adopt, and equal marriage. Jeremy Corbyn, who has consistently opposed homophobia throughout his career, gave the nod to grant Crausby a knighthood in the New Year's honours. This has left a number of comrades... more »
King Arthur in Wales - Ancient British Language - Coelbren inscriptions all over Wales
I am now (more than ever) totally fanatical about the REAL KING ARTHUR(s) IN WALES and the veracity of the ANCIENT COELBREN SCRIPT that all the Welsh carvings were done in, both in 1st-6th century Wales/Etruria and in 6-7th century America. *We have extensively covered the work of Wilson and Blackett who have found indisputable evidence of the resting place of King Arthur. In today's show we present 5 more experts (one from Cardiff University) and all agree, King Arthur rests in Wales and lived in the 6th century. The original British people are not Saxon, Roman, Norman, Viking nor ... more »
Children's Book About Transgenderism to Be Taught in U.K. Primary Schools
[image: children-s-book-about-transgenderism-to-be-taught-in-uk-primary-schools] A taxpayer-funded book about transgenderism is about to be rolled out in schools in the United Kingdom to children as young as seven, provoking significant controversy. The book — *Can I Tell You About Gender Diversity?* — focuses on a 12-year-old who is transitioning from a girl to a boy through drugs. Critics contend the book not only will confuse its young audiences but advocates medical interventions that are harmful.
“Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius.”
The real Sherlock Holmes Another lost Sherlock Holmes story has been re-discovered (by a certain Nick Cohen) and published in *The Spectator. * The tale is entitled *Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Murdered Script, *and in just a few brilliant pages it tells the story of a troubled BBC Director General who pays a desperate visit to Baker Street and leaves the great sleuth appalled and the good Dr Watson in an understandable rage. The mystery at first seems to be one of the toughest that Holmes has ever faced and concerns *The Six Thatchers*, broadcast on BBC One on New Year... more »
A 17-Hour Uprising At A Brazilian Prison Claims The Lives Of At Least 56 Prisoners
*CNN:* *At least 56 killed in Brazil prison riot over drug turf, officials say* (CNN)A 17-hour uprising at a prison in Brazil claimed the lives of at least 56 prisoners over the weekend, state-run media agency Agencia Brasil reported Monday. Bodies were thrown over the wall of the complex, and at least six people were decapitated, the news agency reported. The revolt started Sunday afternoon as part of a rivalry between two criminal organizations at the Anisio Jobim Prison Complex in the city of Manaus, Agencia Brasil reported, citing Sergio Fontes, the public safety secretary f... more »
Opioid Crisis...What's Behind it?
*Coquitlam, BC resident, 16 year old Gwyn Staddon * *died in 2016 of a Fentanyl overdose in local * *Starbucks* *washroom* Family of two fatal overdose victims says opioid crisis only getting worse As we move into another year, I would like to focus on a local...or I should say...nationwide problem that became a crisis last year. That is, the fentanyl crisis. Apparently, this manufactured, pharmaceutical drug is coming into Canada, BC and the lower mainland via "Chinese" drug smugglers...or as some say, the ingredients are mailed in envelopes to locals... who then mix them together... more »
UAH Results For 2016
By Paul Homewood http://www.drroyspencer.com/latest-global-temperatures/ UAH temperature anomalies dropped sharply in December, from 0.45C to 0.24C, and are now back to December 2014 levels. This means that 2016 ended up only 0.021C warmer than 1998, an insignificant amount, but one which makes last year technically the warmest in the satellite record beginning in 1979: […]
CET Baselines
By Paul Homewood The CET is always based on anomalies from a 1961-90 baseline. This goes against normal WMO procedures, which say the latest 30 yr period should be used, ie 1981-2010. We can speculate why! But Neil Catto coincidentally prepared this graph for me earlier, which shows the difference if […]
Rocketing to Energy Sustainability
Metaphors are an important way to facilitate understanding of new processes. This metaphor is constructed based on the similarity of a rocket’s and civilization’s transition from one stable state to another at a higher level accomplished using a limited supply of fuel. For example, fossil fuels enable the transition from sustainable pre-industrial society to another more advanced sustainable society. However, to realize this potential, society must transition to a sustainable energy supply since fossil fuels are dwindling. A major question is whether this global transition can... more »
Constitutional right to shoot terrorists
The current Czech minister of interior, Mr Milan Chovanec (social democracy; previously the governor of the Pilsner region who was 65 kg heavier than he is now and started his successful diet-with-a-nutella-punchline and a clerk in a vegetable shop), has reacted to the recent attacks in Berlin and Istanbul (if I omit the stabbing of a Pole in a Polish kebab shop) in a thought-provoking way. He proposes a constitutional amendment saying that every Czech citizen has the right to shoot a terrorist dead. It's that simple. When someone is going to be confirmed as a terrorist on a missio... more »
Welcome to the same old year!
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017What narcissism looks like:* Is Donald J. Trump a narcissist of some kind? We don't know how to assess that. That said, we do know what narcissism sometimes *looks like.* Last night, at 9 PM Eastern, we'd say it looked like this: MADDOW (1/2/17): Good evening, Ari. I want to thank you in particular for all you did to fill and hold things together last week. It was great. Thank you, my friend. MELBER: Great. Thank you. Happy New Year. MADDOW: Thanks. And thanks to you at home for staying with us for the next hour. It was really nice to have a few days of... more »
FREEPERS NOW: TRUMP LOOKS LIKE A SWAMP DRAINER! FREEPERS THIS MORNING: LET THE SWAMP REFILL!
Did Donald Trump just win one for ethics? A *Washington Post* news story would have you think so: House Republicans scrapped plans to weaken an independent ethics watchdog on the first day of the 115th Congress after a backlash from President-elect Donald Trump and others.... The about-face came hours after Trump took to Twitter to slam House Republicans for voting behind closed doors Monday night in favor of immediately weakening the independent ethics office. The vote defied House GOP leaders and complicated Trump’s “drain the swamp” campaign mantra. “With all that Congress has t... more »
Nearly 7,000 Civilians Killed In Iraq In 2016
© REUTERS/ Goran Tomasevic *VOA*: *Terrorism, Violence Killed Nearly 7,000 Civilians in Iraq in 2016* The United Nations said Monday that terrorism and other acts of violence in Iraq killed at least 6,878 civilians and wounded another 12,388 last year. But the casualty figures may actually be higher because they do not include civilians who were killed or injured in Iraq's western Anbar province during the months of May, July, August and December. The numbers "have to be considered as the absolute minimum," according to the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The U.N. said c... more »
Quote of the Day: On ‘growth by deficits,’ i.e., the supply-side fantasy
Former Reagan budget director David Stockman (from his book *The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America*) writing on the modern Republican Party fantasy that is about to be tried by another new president: *“A bastardised variation of supply-side theory has been embraced by Republican politicians in the years since Reagan. They have not explicitly claimed that deficits are harmless—they have just attempted to define the issue away. “The argument has been that deficits are essentially the by-product of a weak economy and that the solution, therefore, is to... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “I Giorni”
Ludovico Einaudi, “I Giorni” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uffjii1hXzU
Wife Of Activist Jailed For Digital Sit-In Seeks Help From Trump
The wife of a jailed activist, who faces felony charges for a digital sit-in against the Boston Children’s Hospital website, demands President-elect Donald Trump use his influence to have the charges dropped. Marty Gottesfeld learned about the case of Justina Pelletier, who was institutionalized in a psychiatric ward in 2013 The post Wife Of Activist Jailed For Digital Sit-In Seeks Help From Trump appeared first on Shadowproof.
Ceasefires, Christmas Bombs and “Diplomatic Offensives”
In today’s Next Cold War round-up: Ceasefire between Syrian coalition and rebels. Peace talks in Kazakhstan. US may join after Obama. US-led coalition Christmas bombs on Syria and Iraq. Damascus water supply poisoned. Ukraine oligarch wants compromise. Realist/globalist Henry Kissinger ‘s”diplomatic offensive” with Russia. Turkey and Iraq struggle with ISIS The post Ceasefires, Christmas Bombs and “Diplomatic Offensives” appeared first on Shadowproof.
Washington Post Issues Correction After Getting Hack Story Wrong
[image: washington-post-issues-correction-after-getting-hack-story-wrong] On Monday the *Washington Post* expended 2,000 words in a lengthy correction for errors made in its original 1,500-word article claiming there was a Russian attempt to hack a Vermont utility.
Krugman makes several important points!
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017Concerning "supine news media:"* Is the United States becoming a gong-show version of Greater Tinpotistan? In yesterday's column, Paul Krugman said the answer is yes. "America is rapidly turning into a stan," he wrote, using a nickname for tinpot feudal states. "Everything we know suggests that we’re entering an era of epic corruption and contempt for the rule of law," Krugman said. At this point, he failed to mention the gong-show intellectual practices which are a key part of the decline. That said, he only gets 800 words. Eventually, Krugman reviewe... more »
President-elect Donald Trump's Transition Team Are Assessing All Assets Available For Border Wall And Barrier Construction.
U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appears at a campaign roundtable event in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., October 28, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo *Reuters*: *Exclusive: Trump team seeks agency records on border barriers, surveillance* In a wide-ranging request for documents and analysis, President-elect Donald Trump's transition team asked the Department of Homeland Security last month to assess all assets available for border wall and barrier construction. The team also asked about the department's capacity for expanding immigrant detention and abou... more »
"The Ministry of Truth Opens June 21st"
*"The Ministry of Truth Opens June 21st"* by Paul Rosenberg "This is neither a joke nor an exaggeration. Everything we'll cover here has already passed both Houses of the US congress and was signed into law by Barack Obama on December 23, 2016. You can find the entire 969 page bill here (PDF). I'll be quoting (in italics) from Section 1287. *Scope: *This new organ of the state, called the “Global Engagement Center” is of immense scope. Here are some particulars: It will address all information– from anyone– that might affect “national security,” a term which is not defined, meaning... more »
The Six Most Common Middle East Conspiracy Theories-- Guest Post By Reese Erlich
Our old friend Reese Erlich’s most recent book, * Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect*, just came out in paperback and he’ll be speaking at UCLA on January 19. I’m planning on attending and I hope you’ll make it as well if you’re in the area. Meanwhile, he wrote a fascinating piece that will give you some idea about what a reality-based Trump administration would be confronting in the Middle East while Reese is speaking in Westwood. Enjoy (copyright 2016): I speak about the Middle East to people of various political persuasions around th... more »
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Ethics
* *Updated below.* Why wait until Donald Trump is sworn in for the oligarchic free-for-all to get started with a vengeance? House Republicans met under cover of darkness at the end of the Christmas break to gut the independent body tasked with overseeing their ethics or lack of same. People are shocked, shocked I tell you. Because corrupt politicians usually don't brag so openly about how they pulled one over on their constituents. It was momentarily heartening, therefore, to read the *New York Times* headline announcing that President-elect Trump "rebuked" the GOP politicians ove... more »
Cops Now Taught to Use Appliances in Crime Investigations, Because Your Fridge is Watching You
[image: crimes]Police say your fridge or washing machine — the Internet of things — may be vital witnesses to solve murders and violent crimes — seriously.
"Your Body Is Your Brain Too"
*"Your Body Is Your Brain Too"* by Scott Adams "We humans like to organize our perceptions into categories. It makes it easier for us to communicate and to keep track of things. But sometimes the impulse to organize our thoughts into buckets is a problem. I’ll give you the best example of that today. Most of us believe that our brains are special because they are the center of our consciousness. Some people also believe brains are where your free will and your soul lives. We also believe brains are somewhat of a closed system when it comes to our thoughts. It feels as if your brain... more »
IEET Audience Divided on Best Way to Resist Global Fascism
We asked “How should technoprogressives resist the rise of global fascism?” You were divided in your preferred strategies.
President Obama's 'Evolution' On The Afghan War
President Obama visited Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day in 2009. Section 60 is where many American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried. Credit Luke Sharrett/The New York Times *Mark Landler, New York Times:* *The Afghan War and the Evolution of Obama* *A strategy that went from a “good war” to the shorthand “Afghan good enough” reflects the president’s coming to terms with what was possible in Afghanistan.* WASHINGTON — President Obama’s advisers wrestled with an intractable problem in the spring and summer of 2015: How could they stabilize ... more »
"In The Darkness..."
"If you were not cast into the abyss, you would have never groped, reached as far as you could reach, to grasp for anything that you could possibly touch, anything that you could possibly feel brushing against your fingertips! Funny how in the darkness, we come to find the things that we never saw before all the lights departed! It's like someone needed to turn the lights out, to make us find all the things that we never looked for when the lights were on! And it's in that blackness that we wake up to the true light! My friends, curse not the darkness! It has given you many things!... more »
Briefing Notes
*Those Lovable Norks* Kim Jong Un’s annual New Year’s Day message was interesting in and of itself. Have any of you read it? I don't expect you to, but I expect the corrupt, elite media to read it before they report on it. Kim said will be more nuclear test and missile launches in 2017, but Kim did not threaten to launch an ICBM, as some corrupt, elite mainstream media outlets reported. Do any of these media mandarins check the crap that they put out? The answer to that is apparently, "never". How the mighty have fallen. The speech was interesting outside of that one key point in ... more »
WATCH: Facebook Live Video Catches Cop Ram His SUV Into a Man Holding a Knife
[image: ram]A woman live streamed a disturbing video to Facebook showing a Buffalo cop ram his SUV into a man for holding a knife.
ORI misconduct findings fell in 2016. Why? We ask the director
Every year, the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) issues a series of findings against researchers it has determined committed fraud of some kind. In contrast to many agencies such as the National Science Foundation and around the world, the ORI names the offender, describes the offense, and states the penalty – often a temporary […] The post ORI misconduct findings fell in 2016. Why? We ask the director appeared first on Retraction Watch.
7 Signs You’re Not Living in the ‘Land of the Free’
*Paul A. Philips* - Some people still believe this is a free country. The post 7 Signs You’re Not Living in the ‘Land of the Free’ appeared first on Waking Times.
Afghanistan News Updates -- January 3, 2017
Afghan Army personnel destroying an IED. Al Jazeera Photo *Stars and Stripes**: Taliban ramp up attacks in southwestern Afghanistan as NATO casualties hit a low* KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have continued their assault on Afghanistan’s southwestern Helmand province with fresh attacks in two key districts, Afghan security forces said, as NATO announced that its forces last year suffered the fewest casualties since the U.S. invasion in 2001. The latest round of fighting began Dec. 31 in Sangin and Marjah districts, a provincial spokesman said. The Marine Corps suffered significa... more »
“An Easy Way to Avoid Pig-Headed Mistakes?”
*“An Easy Way to Avoid Pig-Headed Mistakes?”* by Bill Bonner Large groups of people do extraordinarily pig-headed things from time to time. Republicans can drive a car more or less as well as Democrats or Communists. Of the millions of autos on the road- driven by Rosicrucians, Rotarians, Riverkeepers, and all manner of people with all manner of ideas- there are relatively few accidents. Making their own decisions about their own lives, people of all sorts get along passably well, even when they are driving automobiles at high rates of speed with a Democrat headed right for them. T... more »
TEPCO Externalizes Costs
Here is an article following up on my post yesterday about the nuclear industry externalizing its costs: Tepco customers have paid ¥2.4 trillion to cover nuclear power-related costs since 2012 rate hike. The Japan Times, December 30, 2016, http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/30/business/tepco-customers-shelled-%C2%A52-4-trillion-nuke-related-costs-since-2012-rate-hike/#.WGlH832s6YQ Customers of Tokyo Electric have paid over ¥2.4 trillion to cover nuclear-related costs since the beleaguered utility hiked electricity prices in September 2012, it has been learned. ....The expen... more »
WATCH: CNN Caught Using Fallout 4 Video Game Footage to Depict ‘Russian Hacking’
[image: cnn]Amid a spate of anti-Russia fake news published by corporate media, CNN used footage from the game, Fallout 4, to depict Russian hacking.
Merkel’s New Year’s Resolution: Open-door Migration
[image: angela-merkels-new-years-resolution-open-door-migration] German Chancellor Merkel's top priority even in the face of bloody terrorism is pushing an open door migration policy, and she's facing harsh criticism and waning poll numbers.
Mosul Campaign Day 78, Jan 2, 2016
The Iraqi forces (ISF) reclaimed two areas of east Mosul and freed a third. Karamaand Intisarin east Mosul were declared liberated on January 1, but it appears that was premature. On January 2 the ISF said that the two neighborhoodshad finally been cleared. Nassirwas also freed, which had been fought over since November. The Golden Division was still trying to free the northern section of Karama. The 16thDivision pushing from the north claimed that it had finally reached the city, but that was an exaggeration. Ninewa officials criticized the division for the third time for missing ... more »
UAH AMSU: 2016 finally beats 1998 as warmest year, by Earth-shaking 0.02 °C
Dr Roy Spencer, one of the folks in the UAH AMSU team who calculate the temperature data from the NASA satellites, published the value of the global mean temperature for December 2016 and therefore the whole year 2016, too: Global Satellites: 2016 not Statistically Warmer than 1998 In December, the global temperature anomaly (according to the version 6.0 of their product) dropped by 0.21 °C (a lot for one month) to +0.24 °C. Despite the first or second strongest El Niño that we experienced earlier in 2016, the global temperature is just a quarter degree above the normal, 40-year va... more »
Strategy Page Lists And Analyses The World's Conflicts
Strategy Page: *Wars Update: With A Little Help From My Fiends* Even with the rapid growth of religion inspired violence since the 1980s the end of the Cold War in 1991 led to a sharp (by over 20 percent so far) drop in violence worldwide. That decline was not news but the increasing activity of Islamic terrorists was. While the terror attacks themselves were news the current and historical causes of the Islamic terrorism was not. The post-Cold War trend towards less violence is stalled because of the continued unrest in Moslem nations or areas with a significant Moslem minority.... more »
World News Briefs -- January 3, 2017
*DW:* *Rebel groups in Syria suspend talks about peace negotiations* Syrian rebel groups have announced they are suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The rebels have blamed "violations" of the four-day old ceasefire deal. After what rebels have described as "violations" of the current ceasefire, 10 non-jihadi rebel groups said Monday they have refused to participate in further talks about planned peace negotiations with the Syrian government. "The regime and its allies have continued firing and committed many and large violati... more »
Why is Pizzagate so Far-fetched? Proven Pedophilia Disgustingly Widespread Among Those in Power
[image: children]Public servants across the US have engaged in proven sexual abuse of children — why is it that talk of such behavior is instantly written off as conspiracy theory.
Respected Biology Teacher Killed by Police in Minnesota — He Was Unarmed
[image: teacher]Friends, family, and colleagues are mourning and left wondering what could have possibly happened for a cop to have killed this unarmed teacher.
THE PROBLEM INCLUDES US: Professor Lilla's strange remarks!
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017Part 1—Strange, but perhaps instructive:* In mid-December, as the year neared its end, it seemed to us that Professor Lilla made some strange remarks. Back in November, the Columbia professor turned heads with a front-page piece in the New York Times Sunday Review—with an essay concerning a practice he called "identity liberalism." In our view, the professor made one blindingly obvious statement in that November piece. (If you're going to name some groups, you'd better name them all.) For our money, much of the rest of what he wrote at that time was a bi... more »
“My time and energy were stolen:” Peer reviewer reacts to retraction
When a former Stanford psychology researcher lost her fifth paper last year due to unreliable results, one researcher took particular notice: Martha Alibali at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Why? She had reviewed the 2006 paper, and took to social media to express her dismay at the result of the time and effort she spent on […] The post “My time and energy were stolen:” Peer reviewer reacts to retraction appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Barack, The DNC and Russia
On his way out.The progressive effort to delegitimize President Trump's election continues with a focus on Russia. I only have one question? Does using software that is often used by the Russians proof of Russian intrusion into a gmail account? Should the Russians begin using software frequently used by the Chinese in the future to avoid having "their fingerprints" on mischief? I ask these questions because computer hacker types collect this sort of software in much the same way as coin collectors and stamp collectors collect their favored objects. There was a point in time well p... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 3, 2017
*The Hill:* *Ex-CIA agent on Spicer: 'What the hell is that dude talking about?'* A former CIA operative on Tuesday slammed incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer for saying there is “zero evidence” of Russian interference in last year's election. “What the hell is that dude talking about?” Phil Mudd said on CNN's "New Day." Spicer told CNN over the weekend he believed there was “zero evidence” Russia interfered with the election. *Read more* .... *Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 3, 2017* Trump’s doubts about cybersecurity alarm experts -- Chicago Tr... more »
DEAR BELTWAY JOURNALISTS: STOP WRITING PIECES LIKE THIS
Carl Hulse of *The New York Times* thinks the future for congressional Republicans is potentially perilous: It’s put-up or shut-up time for Republicans. After a tumultuous decade that has seen profound changes in the makeup and character of their party, Republicans are poised to complete their slow but steady climb back to power as they seize control of the House, Senate and the White House for the first time since 2006. That political triad will leave them with a splendid opportunity for success. But there is little room for failure if they hope to satisfy their impatient constitu... more »
Water Protector Still Faces Felony For Confronting Armed DAPL Contractor
Standing Rock water protector still faces felony for "terrorizing" security contractor who pointed AR-15 at him and must raise funds for legal defense. The post Water Protector Still Faces Felony For Confronting Armed DAPL Contractor appeared first on Shadowproof.
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. - Joachim Hubmer, Per Krusell and Anthony A. Smith, Jr. study the causes of wealth inequality in the U.S. and find one clear explanation for the stratification between the rich and the rest: There is one main finding: by far the most important driver is the significant drop in tax progressivity that started in the late 1970s, intensified during the Reagan years, and then subsequently flattened out, with only a minor bounce back. The sharp observed increases in earnings inequality, the falling labor share over the recent decades, and potential ... more »
The Rout Is Almost Complete
Donald Trump is going on his merry way, working hard to entrench a kleptocracy. Chris Hedges writes: He will attempt to unleash a kleptocracy—the word comes from the Greek *klépto*, meaning thieves, and *kratos*, meaning rule, so it is literally “rule by thieves”—one that will rival the kleptocracies carried out by Suharto in Indonesia and Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. It is not that Trump and his family will use the influence of government to increase their wealth, although this will certainly take place on a massive scale; it is that hundreds of billions of federal doll... more »
The Next Generation Of Democratic Congressional Leadership-- Even Worse Than The Current Batch Of Losers
*The Democrats' Wall Street bagman, Joe Crowley* I don’t know if Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is a rising star in Congress, but if I had to bet, I’d bet yes. He has good instincts and natural leadership abilities. Yesterday, *The Hill* ran a piece on their perspective— the lowest common denominator establishment perspective— on 7 congressional rising stars among House Democrats. It was an especially motley crew outside of Gallego. Without drama, I would call the list a death knell for the Democratic Party. I asked one well-respected Democratic congressman what he thought of the list. He sn... more »
Rainbow Themed Party
I am a huge party planning fanatic. I love pulling together all of the details and parties can take me anywhere from a couple hours to a week to set up. When we decided we were having a family get together for my 8-year-old, I knew I wanted it to be special and beautiful, but I also had just spent months pulling together my most over the top party ever (Her Harry Potter party) and I just didn't have the energy to go extremely over the top again. This rainbow party came together beautifully. The colors really popped and the best part? With the help of my awesome Sister-in-Law, it o... more »
Untitled
*What do Trump’s signals mean for education in 2017?* Most students are still on winter break and not thinking about school. But for just about everyone else in education now is the time to prepare for the New Year. And there could be some big changes coming in 2017. President-elect Donald Trump has signaled he'd like to shake things up in education but we don't have many details yet. Lizzie O’Leary spoke with Marketplace senior education correspondent Amy Scott for a look at the big education stories she'll be watching in 2017. On what’s on her radar screen for 2017: I th... more »
One More Reason Why I Sometimes Wonder If America Is A Strange Country
Still probably my favorite 2016 moment pic.twitter.com/BXz06Teay4 — Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) January 2, 2017
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*Crumbling ‘Consensus’: 500 Scientific Papers Published In 2016 Support A Skeptical Position On Climate Alarm* We are told that there is an overwhelming agreement, or consensus, among scientists that most weather and climate changes that have occurred since the mid-20th century have been caused by human activity — our fossil fuel burning and CO2 emissions in particular. We are told that natural mechanisms that used to dominate are no longer exerting much of any influence on weather or climate anymore. Humans predominantly cause weather and climate changes now. For example, we a... more »
On The Translation of Aristotelian Eudaimonia
“*The many think it is something palpable and obvious, for example pleasure or wealth or honor. Some think it’s one thing and others think its another – and often the same person thinks it’s different things. When he is sick he thinks eudaimonia is health, but when he is poor he thinks it is wealth*.” ~ (Aristotle in *Nicomachean Ethics*) What does Aristotle mean by Eudaimonia? In *The Perfectionist Turn* (Chapter: “Individualistic Perfectionism”), Douglas Den Uyl and Douglas B. Rasmussen have proposed “human flourishing” as the translation of eudaimonia. They write that eudaimoni... more »
A year in investigative journalism: Highlights from the Bureau’s work in 2016
The post A year in investigative journalism: Highlights from the Bureau’s work in 2016 appeared first on The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Getting To Know Donald Trump
*Salena Zito, Washington Examiner:* *The art of getting to know Trump* In the fall of 2006 right after then Sen. Barack Obama announced to Tim Russert on Meet the Press he was seriously considering a run for the nomination of the Democratic Party for president, thousands of reporters, journalists, bloggers and intellectuals flooded book stores for copies of his two books, "Dreams of my Father" and "The Audacity of Hope." For two years they intellectualized about his life story and world view, picked apart every carefully crafted sentence, and marveled at their ability to really get... more »
Untitled
*From Jenna Orkin*Climate change escalating so fast it is 'beyond point of no return' Scientists discovered 55 lakes in Eastern Antarctica that shouldn't have been there Israeli Police are questioning Benjamin Netanyahu about possible corruption Angela Merkel to skip the World Economic Forum in Davos on eve of Trump presidency 'Lately, food is a better business than drugs': Venezuela's military profits as the country goes hungry California Democrats Legalize Child Prostitution Essential Science: Why algae may be the superfood of 2017 Turkmenistan halts gas flow to Iran in arr... more »
Top CFR Globalist Warns UN Will Get “Hammered” by Trump
[image: top-cfr-globalist-warns-un-will-get-hammered-by-trump] Amid escalating outrage surrounding the scandal-plagued United Nations, globalists seem to be in a panic about the fate of their beloved international organization under the incoming administration. Indeed, a high-ranking globalist with the global-government-promoting Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a chief promoter of the UN “dictators club” for generations, whined last week that the widely ridiculed global body was going to be “hammered” by President-elect Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress.
German Development Minister Admits That 'Eight To Ten Million Refugees Are Still On The Way'
Gerd Müller. Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany. DW *Michael Van Der Galien, PJ Media*: *German Development Minister: 'Eight to Ten Million Refugees Are Still on the Way'* This is impossible for Germany -- and Europe as a whole -- to deal with: *Development Minister Gerd Müller warned that the biggest refugee movements to Europe are still to come. He said that only 10% of the migrants from the chaos in Iraq and Syria have reached Europe so far: "Eight to ten million migrants are still on the way."* That's an insane amount of self-declared refugees. ... more »
New Bloom's Brian H in WaPo on the Taiwan Identity
*Ants and the bugs they live with* Great, great piece in WaPo on the Taiwan identity and what Taiwanese want, from four very cool people. Not only does it correctly define US policy, it lays out in great detail what's going on... What’s more, ROC residents increasingly identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese. That identity has changed significantly since the island became a democracy in the 1990s. In 1991, ROC and PRC representatives met with one another for the first time since the 1949 civil war. At that point, about one-fourth of Taiwan’s residents identified themselves exclus... more »
SPARK Autism Research - You're Going The WRONG Way!!
By Teresa Conrick Here in Chicago, they have been reporting on the SPARK Autism, national database. This from our local ABC, channel 7 Chicago: RESEARCHERS AT RUSH MEDICAL CENTER CREATING NATIONAL DATABASE TO STUDY AUTISM Sunday, December 18, 2016 Some...
£18 Million Tidal Energy Scheme Stops Working After Three Months
By Paul Homewood h/t Cheshire Red http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4081766/18million-tidal-energy-scheme-stops-working-just-three-months.html More taxpayers’ money down the drain. From the Mail: An £18million tidal energy scheme, which was supposed to power 600 homes, has stopped working after just three months. The taxpayer-funded DeltaStream project in Pembrokeshire in Wales, was designed to use the flow of […]
With An Eye On The Trump Presidency Cuba Marks The Anniversary Of It's Revolution With A Show Of Military Strength
*Reuters*:* Cuba puts on show of strength as Trump inauguration nears* Cuba paraded troops and hundreds of thousands of citizens through its emblematic Revolution Square on Monday in a traditional show of nationalist fighting spirit in the face of steep economic and diplomatic challenges. The event marked the 60th anniversary of the landing of the Granma yacht which brought the Castro brothers and their bearded rebels from Mexico to Cuba to start their revolution against a U.S.-backed dictatorship. Troops wielding automatic rifles marched in lock step behind a replica of the Granm... more »
Taiwan Sentinel is up and running
It's out! Taiwan Sentinel, run by the redoubtable J Michael Cole, is up and running. This promises to be a site much like Thinking Taiwan, with great commentary. Cole has funds to pay for content, so hope to see you all contribute. Really looking forward to it. First pieces: William Stanton on Trump, China, and Taiwan, Peter Enav on Trump and Taiwan, and Tim Rich on Taiwan's Diplomatic Options. Oh, and this great piece on the KMT and the 1992C. _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts a... more »
Someone In China Used A Hand Grenade To Crack Walnuts For 25 Years
*Popular Mechanics*: *Chinese Man Used a Hand Grenade to Crack Walnuts for 25 Years* *That's one way to snack.* A villager in China unknowingly used a hand grenade to crack walnuts for a quarter century, only realizing his potentially fatal mistake when he spotted the grenade on a government flyer. The man, whose surname is Ran and who lives in Shaanxi province, claimed that a friend gave him the grenade in the early 1980s. Not having any idea what it was, he used it to crack open walnuts. The nutcracker in this case was a Chinese Type 67 defensive hand grenade. The grenade is a... more »
"SR 1420 – The Truth Will Soon Come Out About Obama"
Bill Still was one of the foremost people who persuaded me that Donald Trump was going to win the US Presidential Election. For that reason I thought that this video might have more credibility than one might otherwise think https://youtu.be/HExz23_DK4s
IEET Fellow Stefan L. Sorgner live on German public radio
IEET Fellow Prof. Dr. Stefan Lorenz Sorgner will be interviewed live on German public radio next Friday. There will also be the option of calling in and asking a question. The radio program will take place on Friday the the 6th of January from 8 until 9 pm. The interview will be particularly concerned with some of his suggestions from his most recent monograph on transhumanism. There will also be a podcast based on this interview!
What Really Happened in the Campaign
A little micro detail for the historians. However, i do suspect that all of this was completely irrelevant. The voters understood Trump and simply did not care at all. What was certain is that many chose to keep their own council and as Michael Moore puts it, got ready to deliver a giant F**k You to the power elites in Washington and New York. Put that way, the Donald was the only choice and the voters were finally provided with the Choice they wanted and grabbed it. No one else came close in the past three elections except possibly Sarah Palin who unfortunately lacked th... more »
Narcissism and Diagnosis as political sport with Gabor Mate
Well maybe. What is most unusual is that he has never had to really hide his in your face personality. this works wonderfully if you are trust into a leadership position as has been his good fortune. Otherwise his short attention span happens to be symptomatic of a highly active and agile mind as can be expected considering that he is naturally good at mathematics. Just how patient can you be when someone insists on explaining what is obvious to you ad nausea. For him it is everyone generally. In another world he would have channeled this energy into writing at the least. ... more »
Master of Tai Chi Demonstrates the Surprising
I cannot help but suspect that we are skating around the edges of human potentiality. anyway this is a gentle introduction to the methods and thinking. What is obvious about all this is that we strengthen without impact training. That we need a lot more off. training injuries can be thus avoided and as most of us are amateurs, that is a good plan. Central is core training. Our daily Actions often train against this and need to be counteracted. again most do not know where to begin.. *Master of Tai Chi Demonstrates the Surprising * *December 16, 2016* *Dylan C... more »
Uber Says It Will Keep Self-Driving Cars in San Francisco
I do not know how this will last but been aggressive may simply the only way forward. No government employee will want to be first nor politician as well. When a decision cannot be made you just go ahead and let the chips fall so you can then use the courts to make decisions. In the event the electors of San Francisco get to be the test bed. Here they can spend to make it successful. Elsewhere it will be much simpler as al;ways once you have an example.. . *Uber Says It Will Keep Self-Driving Cars in San Francisco * * By Associated Press | * *December 17, 2016 AT 6:08 AM * ... more »
A Review Of The Book 'The Projects of Skunkworks: 75 Years of Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs'
*Tom Rogan, Washington Free Beacon:* *The Brains of the Operation* *Review: Steve Pace, 'The Projects of Skunkworks: 75 Years of Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs'* In 1937, the Army Air Corps “called for a twin-engine interceptor to pursue and destroy enemy aircraft at high altitude. It also called for a maximum level-altitude flight speed of at least 360 miles per hour and the ability to reach an altitude of 20,000 feet within six minutes. These were unheard-of performance goals at that time in aviation history, and they required the design of an advanced fighter in... more »
How we explore unanswered questions in physics
James Beacham looks for answers to the most important open questions of physics using the biggest science experiment ever mounted, CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. In this fun and accessible talk about how science happens, Beacham takes us on a journey through extra-spatial dimensions in search of undiscovered fundamental particles (and an explanation for the mysteries of gravity) and details the drive to keep exploring.
Articles About American Authoritarianism
“Is ours a government of the people, by the people, for the people, or a kakistocracy rather, for the benefit of knaves at the cost of fools?” ~ James Russell Lowell For the past few weeks, I have been reviewing articles about the trend toward authoritarianism in the USA. Unfortunately, articles appear faster than I can read and review them, so I’ll have to stop and move on soon. With this in mind, I list a few of the pieces I won’t get to, followed by excerpts from some other good ones. http://ieet.org/archive/donald-trump-1541036_960_720.jpg
The One People: Happy New Year....?
... Let the Craziness Begin?.... Again? *Edited 1/3/2017 @ 16:45: Sorry for the horrible video sync this morning- I tried several re-edits to fix and finally had to use Lisa's video footage. Below is the new VideoD* The Week between "Christmas" and "New Years" was a whacked out, time shifting/slowing/speeding series of moments.... in weirdness. Political bullshittery happened as is always expected when the masses are distracted. Antarctica as a subject matter just keeps coming back up again. And the Deaths in 2016- especially in December..... WTF?!? Did we fall into yet ... more »
18 Major Scandals in Obama's ‘Scandal-Free’ Presidency per Breitbart
Any day now the Obamamessiah worshipping BBC will publish a brown nosing review of Barack Hussein Obama's Presidency. I wonder how many of the 18 major scandals described by Breitbart here http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/02/18-major-scandals-obama-presidency/ will warrant even a mention in passing. Here's what Breitbart say about just one of the scandals that the BBC all but ignored. ' The IRS scandal: The selective targetingof conservative groups by a politicized Internal Revenue Service was a scandal grenade Democrats and their media pals somehow managed to ... more »
The Pentagon Wants To Use Secret Cyber-Warfare And Space Weapons Against The Islamic State
Cyberwar games at the United States Military Academy. (Photo: Michael Falco for The New York Times) *USA Toda*y: *Military weighs expanded use of cyber, space weapons against ISIL* GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — Military chiefs are prepared to give President-elect Donald Trump the options he wants to intensify the fight against the Islamic State, including the possibility of granting commanders greater leeway to use secret cyber-warfare and space weapons, the top Air Force leader said. "We’ve heard him loud and clear that he’s going to be looking for options,” Gen. David Goldf... more »
Tweet For Today
Hillary at breakfast this morning at Mohonk Mountain House, upstate New York. Photo by my former NYT colleague Mike Smith. pic.twitter.com/yyrVQT43vt — carolynryan (@carolynryan) December 28, 2016 *WNU Editor:* This is interesting .... *Losing a Presidential Bid Looks a Lot Like Getting Dumped* (Gillian Brassil, Politico).
Kelloggs Cornflakes
In 1969 I worked as a mineral sampler/field assistant on an offshore heavy mineral exploration project at Tweed Heads, NSW; I was billeted in the local motel whose owner also had a piggery. Breakfast was delivered each morning on a tray and then included a bowl of corn flakes. So the owner asked why I […]
President-Elect Trump Lashes Out At China For Not Doing Enough To Rein In North Korea
North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2017 North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2017 *The Telegraph*: *Donald Trump hits out at China over North Korea and dismisses Pyongyang's nuclear threat* Donald Trump has criticised China for not doing enough to control North Korea, in his late... more »
Methane and Diamond – Proof of Abiotic Oil
Science has published a paper by Smith et al, (Large gem diamonds from metallic liquid in Earth’s deep mantle) in which, inter alia, they note one inclusion containing methane, They found that a few of the offcuts contained grains of majorite – … Continue reading →
Weather Control
You would have to be somewhat out of touch if you did not notice the continuing efforts by the unelected academic elites and their political masters waxing hysterically, or in variations of, looming dooming climate change in the near future … Continue reading →
Asthmatic Thunderclouds
I didn’t really believe the news reported by the Australian ABC about some people dying from asthma due to a thunderstorms in Victoria, but as the item was being persistently repeated, thought it wise to query the internet and yes, … Continue reading →
The Political Left’s Violence
So the political left tends to be violent, and the question is why, this op-ed discusses. The answer might be rather simple. Violence is, at its core, an unthinking reaction to dissonant information, a sort of animal reaction to some disturbing … Continue reading →
Picture Of The Day
Formation Flight The Thunderbirds, the Air Force's demonstration squadron, practice a delta formation to prepare for the Fort Lauderdale Air Show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., May 6, 2016. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Boitz
Is North Korea Developing A Dirty Bomb Drone?
*Popular Mechanics:** Experts: North Korea May Be Developing a Dirty Bomb Drone* Radioactive drone could sicken, make areas uninhabitable for years. A Korean think tank claims that North Korea is developing a drone capable of spreading lethal amounts of radioactivity over a wide area, sickening people and making areas unlivable. If true, the weapon is the latest in a series of nuclear or radiological weapons being developed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's regime. According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, Kim Jong-un may have begun to develop the drone in 2012, shortly a... more »
Will Trump And The Republicans Drown In Their Own Swamp-- What We Can Do To Help
Congress is back in town— and the very first thing the crooks in the undrained swamp hope to accomplish is to make the swamp safer— for the predators, in this case, themselves. Virginia hack Bob Goodlatte proposed a very popular amendment to the rules package that takes away the independence of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics by putting it under the authority of one of Congress’ most corrupted and partisan operations, the ironically-named Ethics Committee. Although Ryan warned them it could backfire in their faces, it passed in the Republican caucus 119-74. Tomorrow... more »
WikiLeaks Julian Assange To Sean Hannity: Source For WikiLeaks Was Not Russian Government
*Real Clear Politics:* *Assange To Hannity: Source For WikiLeaks Was Not Russian Government* In an exclusive interview with FOX News Channel's Sean Hannity the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange said Russia was not the source for the DNC and John Podesta hacks. HANNITY: Can you say to the American people, unequivocally, that you did not get this information about the DNC, John Podesta's emails, can you tell the American people 1,000 percent that you did not get it from Russia or anybody associated with Russia? JULIAN ASSANGE: Yes. We can say, we have said, repeatedly that over t... more »
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Stella Maris”
2002, “Stella Maris” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HRk1nz5rds
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, a magnificent interstellar dust cloud by chance has assumed this recognizable shape. Fittingly named the Horsehead Nebula, it is some 1,500 light-years distant, embedded in the vast Orion cloud complex. * Click image for larger size.* About five light-years "tall", the dark cloud is cataloged as Barnard 33 and is visible only because its obscuring dust is silhouetted against the glowing red emission nebula IC 434. Stars are forming within the dark cloud. Contrasting blue reflection nebula NGC 2023, surrounding a hot, young star, is at the lo... more »
The Poet: Langston Hughes, "Dreams"
*"Dreams"* "Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow." - Langston Hughes
Prioritising The Global Wars And Conflicts That A President Trump Will Be Facing
*PBS News Hour* *Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy:* *The Crisis Manager’s Cheat Sheet for 2017* It’s time to start setting priorities for the coming year of war and conflict. Speaking recently before a military-friendly audience in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Donald Trump indicated his intent to pursue a more constrained foreign policy in 2017 and beyond. “We’re all over the place fighting in areas that we shouldn’t be fighting in,” he decried. “This destructive cycle of intervention and chaos must finally come to an end.” Echoing noninterference perspectives more often heard in Beij... more »
“Why Stress Makes You Miserable”
*“Why Stress Makes You Miserable”* by Gisela Telis “Stress really does mess with your mind. A new study has found that chronic stress can create many of the brain changes associated with mood disorders by blocking a gene called neuritin- and that boosting the gene's activity can protect the brain from those disorders. The results provide new insight into the mechanisms behind depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, and could offer researchers a novel target for drugs to treat those conditions. Research has shown that mood disorders take a toll on patients' brains as well as on t... more »
The Rag Blog : METRO EVENT | ‘Celebrating The Rag’ at BookPeople
The editors of the acclaimed new book about Austin’s iconic underground newspaper will speak and sign books on Thursday, January 5. Event: ‘Celebrating the Rag’ What: Reading and Booksigning Who: Editors Thorne Dreyer, Alice Embree, Richard Croxdale When: Thursday, Jan. … finish reading The Rag Blog : *METRO EVENT* | ‘Celebrating The Rag’ at BookPeople
Chet Raymo, “The Sound And Fury”
*“The Sound And Fury”* by Chet Raymo “Not so long ago, I mentioned here Himmler and Heydrich, two of Hitler's most terrible henchmen. A friend said to me: "If there's no afterlife, no heaven or hell, then those two diabolical creatures got away with it. Their fate was no different than that of any one of their victims, an innocent child perhaps." And, yes, if there is no God who dispenses final justice, then we are left with an aching feeling of irresolution, of virtue unrewarded, of vice unpunished. Heydrich was gunned down by partisan assassins, and Himmler committed suicide a fe... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Fullerton, N. Dakota, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Is Russia Providing Military Aid To The Afghan Taliban?
*Radio Free Europe:* *Dushanbe Probing Claim Taliban Tanks Being Repaired In Tajikistan* Tajik authorities are looking into claims by an Afghan official that Taliban tanks and other heavy weapons are being repaired by Russian engineers in Tajikistan. Muhammadjon Ulughkhojaev, a spokesman for Tajikistan’s border guard agency, said on January 2 that the allegations are "baseless." But he added he is unaware of all details of the allegations. Ulughkhojaev said the border guard agency “has been looking into the claim,” will study the Afghan media reports, and will report on the resul... more »
Benchley Tonight: Inspiration for the new year in "A Little Sermon on Success"
*As I mentioned right before Christmas, in this Holiday-Plus Season I've had it mind to bring back to bring back some of the treasure collection of pieces I presented way back when in the "Thurber (et al.) Tonight" series. As I pointed out, although last year I did in fact resurrect two pieces, both by the great Robert Benchley, "How to Get Things Done" in June and "Comedy Tonight: 'Why We Laugh -- or Do We?': Another 'Benchley Tonight' Resurrection" (in August), not only did we not get to any Thurber, we didn't even get to what's probably my all-time favorite Benchley piece, "A Lit... more »
"What If?"
"We like to look for patterns and find connections in unrelated events. This way we can explain them to ourselves. Life seems neater, or at least less messy. We need to feel we are in control: it is integral to our self-esteem. We also know, though we deny it, that we are not in control. So we settle for the illusions of control. What if we stopped fooling ourselves?" - Jessica Zafra
"The Ultimate Tragedy..."
“It would indeed be the ultimate tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more noble than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump.” - David Ormsby-Gore
“EPA Hid Planned Radiation Exposure 1,000s Of Times The Safe Water Drinking Act Limits"
*“EPA Hid Planned Radiation Exposure 1,000s Of * *Times The Safe Water Drinking Act Limits"* by Doug Owen Washington, DC — ”In the last days of the Obama Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is about to dramatically increase allowable public exposure to radioactivity to levels thousands of times above the maximum limits of the Safe Drinking Water Act, according to documents the agency surrendered in a federal lawsuit brought by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). These radical rollbacks cover the “intermediate period” following a radiation r... more »
Encryption is not the answer
Veering back into the real issues... those we can still hope to steer. Let's start with a cool, fun interview: I answer questions about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and why it is possible that these new, genius offspring of humanity may decide not to treat us badly. *== Snowden and surveillance ==* Matt Novik really tears into Edward Snowden, exaggerating a bit, but raising good points. My own complaint is more nuanced: that while Snowden did a service by forcing us to converse more vigorously about surveillance, he has since contributed very little to *solutions*. Sure, he’s joine... more »
Chris Hedges: The Hidden Tragedy of the Vietnam War
Dandelion Salad with Chris Hedges RT America on Jan 2, 2017 On this week’s episode of On Contact, Chris Hedges discusses the hidden tragedy of the Vietnam War with author of “Kill Anything that Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam”. Nick Turse uncovered documents that revealed systematic violence against civilians extending beyond the massacre […]
Religion, Dogma, and the Ancient "Gods"
I submitted a comment this morning on the American Thinker site, in response to another comment there which stated that "Communism is a religion." I wanted to distinguish between a "religion" (an institutionalized set of beliefs about God and man's relation to Him/Her--ancient man at one time worshipped the Goddess as the Highest) and "religiously-held ideas" (which includes those that do not purport to come from God, but are held inviolable, unquestionable, by their believers). Because false, divisive (to the point of war) dogmas are showing themselves generally ascendant over hon... more »
Bonus Quote of the Day: On the problem of the Trolley Problem
Today’s bonus quote comes from Robert Tracinski’s October, 2016, article ‘The Humanitarian with the Trolley’: *“The Trolley Problem is all the rage now when people write about self-driving cars … [It] is an old philosophical conundrum about a runaway streetcar, where you have to decide whether to pull a switch that will divert the trolley onto Track B--where it will kill a single person--thereby diverting it from Track A, where it would kill a whole crowd full of school kids who all look exactly like Oliver Twist from that old movie. You get the idea… “Ayn Rand's memo...more »
Syrian Peace Talks Suspended Due To Ceasefire Violations
*DW*: *Rebel groups in Syria suspend talks about peace negotiations* Syrian rebel groups have announced they are suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The rebels have blamed "violations" of the four-day old ceasefire deal. After what rebels have described as "violations" of the current ceasefire, 10 non-jihadi rebel groups said Monday they have refused to participate in further talks about planned peace negotiations with the Syrian government. "The regime and its allies have continued firing and committed many and large violatio... more »
Mississippi Private Prison Neglected Problems After Deadly Riot
A recently released Department of Justice audit found a Mississippi private prison—which holds over 2,500 immigrant prisoners, most of whom are Mexican nationals—failed to remedy serious problems with staffing and living conditions that led to a deadly riot in 2012. According to the audit [PDF], the Adams County Correctional Center suffered from chronic under-staffing The post Mississippi Private Prison Neglected Problems After Deadly Riot appeared first on Shadowproof.
Arctic Huskies DNA related to ancient Siberian wolf
*If you think that Arctic Huskies have a bit of wolf in them, you’re right. Siberian Huskies and Greenland slad dogs ratain DNA from the ancient, now extinct, Tianyr wolf from Siberia.* It’s thought that the very first travelers into the new world crossing the Beringia land bridge brought husky-like dogs with them from Siberia to the Arctic of North American and eventually to Greenland A new study published this week in the science journal Current Biology, found that Inuit Huskies can trace part of the lineage back to the Taimyr wolves of Siberia of some 35,000 years ago. The DNA s... more »
Disruptions in Asia and the world
Below are some slides given by Suraj Moraje, Managing Partner of McKinsey and Co. Manila, "No Ordinary Disruption", during the BWorld ASEAN Regional Forum last November 24, 2016 at Conrad Hotel, http://bweconomicforum.com/index.php/morning-session/. The commentaries are mine, not Suraj's. My first and last visit to Shenzhen, China was in 1998. There were many tall buildings already, roads are wide, but not as many as shown in the photo below. Good comparison by Suraj here. ASEAN economies are modernizing and urbanizing fast while keeping their average population young. Modern te... more »
ISIS responsible for Istanbul Night Club Attack? About that Santa Meme....
*I really want to address the whole Santa meme regarding this club attack-* After having looked high and low, *I cannot find one image of this perp dressed as Santa Claus.* A dark hat/jacket and pants, carrying a knapsack does not make a Santa Claus *Google image search for Santa Claus* *Can a reader please provide me an image of a red attired, fake white bearded perp at the Istanbul club? *- Two embedded videos in the previous post show nothing remotely like a Santa Claus as most commonly known and identified. *Until I can verify an image of a Santa Claus gunman- I'm not takin... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 2, 2017
The U.S. Capitol Building is lit at sunset in Washington, U.S., December 20, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts *Albert Hunt, Bloomberg*: *Republicans Face a Dangerous First 100 Days* Buckle up. The next 100 days in Washington will be tumultuous. Donald Trump and leading Republicans plan to overwhelm the 115th Congress, which convenes Tuesday, with a mind-numbing array of changes. By the end of April, they hope to have confirmed a new Supreme Court justice, cleared a huge infrastructure measure, and be well on the way to enacting big and permanent tax cuts along with sharp cutbacks in sp... more »
Viral Image Shows the Impact Oil Drilling is Having on the Amazon’s Waterways
*Anna Hunt* - Oil development in the Amazon continues to rise. The post Viral Image Shows the Impact Oil Drilling is Having on the Amazon’s Waterways appeared first on Waking Times.
Science vs. Mother Nature – Infant Formula Made from Human Breastmilk Proteins
*Nathaniel Mauka* - Our most fragile citizens are being poisoned and robbed of their natural health. The post Science vs. Mother Nature – Infant Formula Made from Human Breastmilk Proteins appeared first on Waking Times.
Seymour Hersh On Investigative Journalism and Ethics + Q&A
Dandelion Salad www.c-spanvideo.org Feb. 20, 2013 Seymour Hersh spoke about investigative journalism. In his remarks he talked about his experiences as a journalist, including writing about the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War. Other topics included ethics and the use of anonymous sources, with questions on topic such as U.S. policy toward Iran, the use of […]
World News Briefs -- January 2, 2017 (Evening Edition)
*Washington Post:* Scores killed in Baghdad as militants strike with multiple car bombs IRBIL, Iraq — Five car bombs detonated in the Iraqi capital on Monday, marking a bloody start to the year as Iraq attempts to squeeze Islamic State militants from their last remaining territory in the country. Sixty-four people were killed in the attacks, according to a security official from Baghdad Operations Command, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the death toll. The worst bombing killed 30 people in a market in the Sadr City area of Baghdad... more »
Living Dead Liberalism
The liberal establishment is a thing. It exists and it has power, influence. *But it is not in charge*. Liberalism has its privileged place in our media output. It is the primary outlook of academia. It casts a wide net across our politics, claiming one party officially but finding adherents in whole and in part on the government and opposition benches, not to mention large numbers of the politically active and civic-minded. It's shared by senior people across the civil service, is *de rigeur* among celebrity, and is the common sense of millions of people. Yet its philosophy is at ... more »
Energy 87, Europe's rising electricity prices as more wind and solar are added
More wind and solar plants, more expensive electricity. This is shown in Europe (this graph), shown in the PH. Feed in tariff (FIT) rates will rise from 4 centavos/kWh in 2015, 12.40 centavos in 2016, to 23-25 centavos/kWh this year. Source: http://euanmearns.com/green-mythology-and-the-high-price-of-european-electricity/ Another data from Euan Mearns. Left chart is for industrial customers, right chart for household/residential customers. Source: http://euanmearns.com/energy-prices-in-europe/ A friend commented that "We should treat the subsidies as state support to explore alt... more »
Fantasies About Russia Could Doom Opposition to Trump by David Swanson
by David Swanson Writer, Dandelion Salad Let’s Try Democracy January 2, 2017 To many Democrats for whom killing a million people in Iraq just didn’t rise to the level of an impeachable offense, and who considered Obama’s bombing of eight nations and the creation of the drone murder program to be praiseworthy, Trump will be […]
U.S. Judge Halts ObamaCare Rule Covering Transgender Sex-changes and Abortions
[image: u-s-judge-halts-obamacare-rule-covering-transgender-sex-changes-and-abortions] A U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction against an HHS rule requiring health plans to cover sex-change operations and abortions in violation of their standards.
Bear Ears Monument Partial Win: Is Canadian Energy Fuels Uranium Mine Included or Excluded?
Note that the original Intertribal Coalition proposal for the Bear Ears Monument is to the far right. The BLM probably … Continue reading →
Pentagon: U.S.-Led Strikes In Iraq And Syria Have Killed At Least 188 Civilians Since 2014
A plume of smoke rises above a building during an air strike in Tikrit March 27, 2015. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani *Reuters:* *U.S.-led strikes in Iraq, Syria have killed at least 188 civilians: U.S. military* At least 188 civilians have been killed in U.S.-led strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria since the operation began in 2014, the U.S. military said in a statement on Monday. The Combined Joint Task Force, in its monthly assessment of civilian casualties from the U.S. coalition's operations against the militant group, said it was still assessing five reports of... more »
Energy & Environmental Newsletter -2/1/17
AWED Friends: Welcome to 2017 and the year’s first edition of the *Energy and Environmental Newsletter**!* It looks like it will be an exciting time, so fasten your seat belt... There continues to be so many Trump-related happenings, that I’ve set up two new *Newsletter *sections: *Trump & Energy*, and *Trump & Global Warming*. Some of the more informative Global Warming articles in this issue are: Obsolete Calculations of Cost of Carbon* (an extremely important matter!)* The Social Cost of Carbon Southern Baptist leaders defend Trump’s pick to lead EPA 100% Of US Warming Is Due To ... more »
Republican Of The Year Nominee #2: R-R-Reince Priebus
*America Off The Rails, Part 4* *by Noah* Back in 2011, the Republican Party, horrified that Barack Obama had integrated the White House two years previously, was looking for a man, the right man, who could properly audition the leading points of light in the party, with the idea of finding the perfect leader that could retake the White House and lead the party in its decades-long dream of fascism for America. As it turned out, the man they chose to direct the auditions made a mistake in auditioning and choosing Mittens Romney for 2012, but this year, in 2016, he struck nazi gol... more »
Around The Empire – Episode 3: War Reporter Elijah Magnier On Syria Peace Deal
War reporter Elijah Magnier joins Dan and Joanne for a discussion of the current Syria peace deal and its wider implications for the region and world. The post Around The Empire – Episode 3: War Reporter Elijah Magnier On Syria Peace Deal appeared first on Shadowproof.
2016 Marks Chicago's Deadliest Year Since 1996
[image: 2016-marks-chicago-s-deadliest-year-since-1996] Data released by the Chicago Police Department reveals that 2016 was the city’s deadliest year in 20 years, proving once more that strict gun laws do little to reduce gun violence and in fact turn law-abiding citizens into prey for criminals.
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