12:19 am MST 14 Feb
Picture Of The Day
Trudeau arrives and takes his seat to participate in a roundtable discussion with Ivanka Trump, centre, and women business leaders at the White House. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Ivanka Trump, right, looks toward Trudeau during Trump's roundtable discussion on the advancement of women entrepreneurs and business leaders at the White House. (Kevin Lamarque /Reuters) *WNU Editor*: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets U.S. President Donald Trump .... the *photo gallery is here.*
A Former KGB Agent Talks About His Double Life In The U.S.
Jack Barsky in Atlanta. Photograph: Johnathon Kelso for the Guardian *Shaun Walker, The Guardian*:* 'I thought I was smarter than almost everybody': my double life as a KGB agent* Raised in East Germany, Jack Barsky abandoned his mother, brother, wife and son to spy for the KGB. In America, he started a second family. And then it all came crashing down... In a chilly morning in December 1988, computer analyst Jack Barsky embarked on his usual morning commute to his office on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, leaving his wife and baby daughter at home in Queens. As he entered the subway... more »
Is The Kremlin Starting To Worry About President Trump
Russian President Vladimir Putin © Michael Klimentyev / Sputnik *Ivan Krastec and Stephen Holmes, Foreign Policy*: *The Kremlin Is Starting to Worry About Trump* *Vladimir Putin's entourage cheered the outcome of the U.S. election – until they saw exactly what they were dealing with.* In 2016, a senior Russian official explained to a group of visiting foreigners why the government had decided not to celebrate the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Yes, it was a turning point in Russian history, he argued, and, yes, President Vladimir Putin sees today’s Russia ... more »
Lessons learned from the end of California’s “permanent drought”
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: By Larry Kummer. Posted at the Fabius Maximus website. Summary: The “permanent drought” in California, like the now ended “permanent drought” in Texas, is ending. But like the panic about Texas, it is rich in lessons about our difficulty clearly seeing the world — and the futility of…
The Green Energy Money Pit
Originally posted on Science Matters: As we know, politicians are throwing money away on mad green energy schemes in Australia, Germany and Canada. In the USA, bad examples are found in the left coast states of California and New York. California Dreaming From the LA Times: Californians are paying billions for power they don’t need…
Four Australian Plant Species respond positively to declining Rainfall
A new paper published by Royal Society Open Science: D'Agui, H., Fowler, W., Lim, S.L., Enright, N. and He, T. 2016. Phenotypic variation and differentiated gene expression of Australian plants in response to declining rainfall. *Royal Society Open Science* *3*: 160637. ( Link) Banksia HookerianaAbstract Declining rainfall is projected to have negative impacts on the demographic performance of plant species. Little is known about the adaptive capacity of species to respond to drying climates, and whether adaptation can keep pace with climate change. In fire-prone ecosystems, episodic... more »
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn Has Resigned
*NBC:* *Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser* Michael Flynn abruptly resigned as President Donald Trump's national security adviser Monday night, hours after it was learned that the Justice Department informed the White House that it believed he could be subject to blackmail. Retired Army Gen. Keith Kellogg, a top policy adviser for Trump's presidential campaign, was appointed acting national security adviser, the White House said in a statement announcing Flynn's replacement. Kellogg, 72, a former commander of the fabled 82nd Airborne Division, was chief operating ... more »
BREAKING: Trump’s Nat’l Security Advisor Resigns Over Russian Blackmail Scandal
[image: flynn]As many had expected, multiple sources have now confirmed that former General Mike Flynn has resigned from his role as President Trump's national security advisor.
Sanctions Against Russia? What Sanctions? The US and EU Still Import Russian Oil, Gas, and Uranium for Nuclear Power
Sanctions against Russia? What sanctions? There are some sanctions but they are incomplete, insufficient, and thus flatly, not serious. Crimea … Continue reading →
For America’s Sake, We Need Answers About Russia. Now. (Including Rosneft, ExxonMobil and Tillerson)
“Wyden Statement on Reported Flynn Conversations With Russian Ambassador Friday, February 10, 2017 Washington, D.C. – Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., … Continue reading →
You Can Now Bet Money That Trump Will Be Impeached-- Real Money, Not Bit-Coins-- And Bye-Bye, Michael Flynn
According to the latest Gallup tracking poll only 40% of Americans approve of the job that Trump is doing, while 55% disapprove. That 55% has been growing every week since Trump was sworn in. The numbers are unprecedented. He's the most disliked newly inaugurated president in American history. And last week, PPP's latest presidential survey showed that the number of people ready for impeachment proceedings against Trump to begin has risen again-- now to an astronomical 46%. In a private *DWT* poll, we found that most of our readers think overt half the country will want to see Trum... more »
Albert Woodfox and Robert King of the Angola 3 to speak at Harvard on March 8
*RELATED:* *Austin, Texas event on Feb. 23 with Robert King and Albert Woodfox* At 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 8, the Angola 3's Robert King and Albert Woodfox will be speaking together at Harvard University it Cambridge, MA. Please check back here and at the Facebook event page for more information.
Alan Waldman : FILM | The 30 films I enjoyed most in 2016
Plus 73 TV series and 31 standup comics. By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | February 13, 2017 I guess 2016 was a pretty good year entertainment-wise although it was a wretched year otherwise, as Russian hackers, Breitbart liars, … finish reading Alan Waldman : *FILM* | The 30 films I enjoyed most in 2016
Does the United States Deport Military Veterans?
Immigration is a sensitive and touchy issue, and never more so than in the United States during an election year. Thus, when stories started to emerge about a group of veterans of the U.S. military living in Mexico after they had been deported from the United States (a story I previously reported on) it seemed natural … Continued
Should cybersecurity be a human right?
Scott Shackelford, Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University at Science + Technology – The Conversation - 4 hours ago
Digital information should be private and secure. Digital communications via shutterstock.com Having access to the internet is increasingly considered to be an emerging human right. International organizations and national governments have begun to formally recognize its importance to freedom of speech, expression and information exchange. The next step to help ensure some measure of cyber peace online may be for cybersecurity to be recognized as a human right, too. The United Nations has taken note of the crucial role of internet connectivity in “the struggle for human rights.” Un... more »
When Trump's tweets are angry, the mood of his followers darkens
Michael Berkman, Professor Political Science and Director of McCourtney Institute for Democracy, Pennsylvania State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 4 hours ago
President Donald Trump has shown a unique ability to use Twitter as a way to connect directly with his followers. His tweets show his supporters what he is thinking, directly and unvarnished. Less well appreciated, but apparent in our research based on new polling, is how Trump’s anger and its targets are quickly adopted and internalized by large numbers of his followers. What he says, they say. What he believes, they believe. How is it that Donald Trump’s tweets have this kind of power? I contend that much of the explanation is in the power of memes. Leaping from brain to brain ... more »
Refugees: Is there room for a middle ground?
Juliette Tolay, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Pennsylvania State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 4 hours ago
The debate over whether or not to bring in more refugees in the U.S. continues. There seems to be a sharp division within civil society, the media and public opinion as to the best course of action toward refugees. But my research shows that there is room for building a middle ground, where both American aspirations to welcome refugees and security concerns can be reconciled. Ambivalent views The American public has always been ambivalent regarding refugees. Although public discourses tend to emphasize pride in the U.S. tradition of receiving refugees, studies have highlighted t... more »
Did Trump Call Trudeau ‘Leader of the Igloo People?’
On 13 February 2017, the web site The Burrard Street Journal published a satirical article that reported that President Donald Trump had been overheard referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “leader of the igloo people”: After blanking on the name “Canada”, U.S. President Donald Trump was overheard referring to Justin Trudeau as the “leader of the igloo … Continued
"Be Like The Bird..."
"What matter if this base, unjust life Cast you naked and disarmed? If the ground breaks beneath your step, Have you not your soul? Your soul! You fly away, Escape to realms refined, Beyond all sadness and whimpering. Be like the bird which on frail branches balanced A moment sits and sings; He feels them tremble, but he sings unshaken, Knowing he has wings." – Victor Hugo
Musical Interlude: Kevin Kern, “Another Realm”
Kevin Kern, “Another Realm” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a2JtNQublQ
Final Day in Copenhagen
On the final day of our speaking tour in the Nordic nations Dave Webb and I were taken from Malmo, Sweden on the train to Copenhagen by our host Andre Brochu. It's a short ride and as you cross over the water on the rail bridge in the near distance you see a large wind turbine farm. To me these wind turbines signify life and the creation of a real future for the coming generations. We had a lively meeting on the 3rd floor of a former school that has been turned into a community meeting space. In virtually each of the places we spoke during this tour to Sweden, Finland and Denma... more »
Pakistan Has Banned Valentine's Day
Reuters *DW:* *Pakistan bans Valentine's Day* A court in Islamabad has banned open celebrations of the holiday. Politicians and private citizens alike have voiced wariness over adopting holidays from other cultures. A Pakistani court banned public and online celebration of Valentine's Day nationwide on Monday. The move came after private citizen Abdul Waheed filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court, calling the holiday un-Islamic. Valentine's Day has become a source of contention in Pakistan in recent years. Although it is popular on social media and used for promotions, ma... more »
Proof: It Was Trump, Not Richard Gere Who Did That Thing With The Gerbils
*Meet The Press* booked Jim Webb for Sunday's show. Had Chuck Todd gone outside the studio and scraped some dog shit off the ground and put it in the chair he would have had a guest more worth listening to. Or he could have booked Charles Blow, the *NY Times* writer whose column the next day may have been inspired by Webb-- one of the last of the notorious fake-Democratic racists who doesn't belong on national television. After all, part of Webb's right-wing schpiel Sunday was how rotten progressives are making a big mistake by being so mean to Trump and his regime. Blow reminded ... more »
Adolf Hitler Said the Holocaust Could Have Been Stopped by ‘Smashing the Nucleus’ of the Nazi Party?
In January 2017, white nationalist Richard Spencer was punched in the face, igniting a debate about when it is acceptable to punch someone who espouses beliefs widely regarded as reprehensible (generally taking the form of the question, “Is it ever acceptable to punch a Nazi?”). In the ensuing discussion, the following popular quote, often attributed to Adolf Hitler, … Continued
Calexit Leader Distances Secession Initiative From Reports of Russian Connection
A “California embassy” housed in a Moscow office belonging to a Russian anti-globalization organization does not break election law because it’s for personal use only, and is not part of the California secession ballot initiative effort, said Louis Marinelli, the president of the Yes California Independence Campaign. During a 13 February 2017 press conference in Los Angeles, … Continued
Why Is The U.S. Military Losing Wars
Visitors are reflected in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall, etched with the names of more than 58,000 U.S. servicemen and women who died in the war, in Washington May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas *Harlan Ullman, UPI:* *Why does the U.S. military have such a staggering record of failure?* The official end of the Cold War came in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Russian Federation. Since then, remarkably, the United States has been at war or engaged in significant conflicts and military interventions in which tens of thousands of its soldiers,... more »
The White House Mess
Robert Reich - 6 hours ago
Donald Trump sold himself to voters as a successful businessman who knew how to get things done, a... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 13, 2017
*Mary Dejevsky, The Independent*:* North Korea's missile was fired at the ideal time for Japan – Donald Trump could now end up changing Asian politics* *For Japan, the Abe-Trump talks this past weekend served only to confirm the country’s status as the most important US ally in Asia. Trump’s promises to take a hard line towards China offers another, less openly acknowledged, reason for Japanese enthusiasm toward Donald Trump* With uncertainty afflicting Europe on three fronts – over Brexit, relations with Russia and the future of the transatlantic alliance – it is easy to forget ... more »
Edmonton photographer wins prestigious award for Standing Rock coverage
The Canadian photographer has won the prize for her documentary project, following the demonstrations against the North Dakota Pipeline at Standing Rock Albertan photographer Amber Bracken is the 2017 first prize winner of the World Press Photography award in the Contemporary Issues category. Bracken, whose work is particularly concerned over the relationship between indigenous communities and the government in Canada and North America, has earned the high profile award for her documentation of the increasingly desperate protests against the North Dakota Pipeline at Standing Rock.... more »
Global Effort Launched to “Repeal and Replace” United Nations
[image: global-effort-launched-to-repeal-and-replace-united-nations] A global effort dubbed “Covenant of Democratic Nations” is working to abolish the United Nations, widely ridiculed as the “dictators club,” and replace it with an international forum open exclusively to free and democratic nations. Basically, it is a “repeal and replace” campaign to protect the world from the UN and its increasingly vicious attacks on freedom and self-government. A number of lawmakers around the world have expressed interest in the campaign as the movement travels from city to city hosting events t... more »
BLM Agent in Bundy Case Accused of Misconduct
[image: blm-agent-in-bundy-case-accused-of-misconduct-in-bundy-case] A key Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agent in the case involving cattle rancher Clive Bundy is accused of misconduct. However, the deeper issue is where is the constitutional basis for the federal government owning land in the states?
Law Enforcement and Illegal Aliens Both Anxious About Status of Trump Deportation Actions
[image: law-enforcement-and-illegal-aliens-both-anxious-about-status-of-trump-deportation-actions] Some sheriffs are uncertain about their right to hold prisoners for deportation, but many cities are ending sanctuary city status, and many illegals fear deportation.
Video: ‘Trumpspeak’—Juxtaposing President’s Words With Images Of Reality
"Trumpspeak" shows the gap between the propaganda of President Trump's weekly addresses and the reality of what his words mean for Americans. The post Video: ‘Trumpspeak’—Juxtaposing President’s Words With Images Of Reality appeared first on Shadowproof.
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The most distant object easily visible to the eye is M31, the great Andromeda Galaxy some two and a half million light-years away. But without a telescope, even this immense spiral galaxy - spanning over 200,000 light years - appears as a faint, nebulous cloud in the constellation Andromeda. In contrast, details of a bright yellow nucleus and dark winding dust lanes, are revealed in this digital telescopic image. *Click image for larger size.* Narrow band image data recording emission from hydrogen atoms, shows off the reddish star-forming regions dotting gorgeous blue spiral arms an... more »
Chet Raymo, "It"
*"It"* by Chet Raymo "A Howard Nemerov poem might be twelve pages long or twelve words long. He was equally adept at the epic and the aphorism. He could be serious or fun. Sometimes both at the same time. Consider the following poem, called "A Life," which I quote in its entirety. (How does "fair use" apply to something so short?) "Innocence? In a sense. In no sense! Was that *it?* Was *that* it? *Was* that it? That was it." Now I hear my spouse's voice whispering in my ear: *What's all this musing about death lately? Why all this late-life pessimism? Y... more »
The Poet: May Sarton, "Now I Become Myself"
*"Now I Become Myself"* “Now I become myself. It's taken Time, many years and places, I have been dissolved and shaken, Worn other people's faces, Run madly, as if Time were there, Terribly old, crying a warning, "hurry, you will be dead before -----" (What? Before you reach the morning? or the end of the poem, is clear? Or love safe in the walled city?) Now to stand still, to be here, Feel my own weight and density! Now there is time and Time is young. O, in this single hour I live All of myself and do not move, I, the pursued, who madly ran, Stand still, stand still, and stop the Sun!”... more »
The Poet: David Whyte, “The Sea”
*“The Sea”* “The pull is so strong we will not believe the drawing tide is meant for us, I mean the gift, the sea, the place where all the rivers meet. Easy to forget, how the great receiving depth untamed by what we need needs only what will flow its way. Easy to feel so far away and the body so old it might not even stand the touch. But what would that be like feeling the tide rise out of the numbness inside toward the place to which we go washing over our worries of money, the illusion of being ahead, the grief of being behind, our limbs young rising from such a depth? What would that... more »
"Honoring Life Changes: The Wisdom of Fear"
*"Honoring Life Changes: The Wisdom of Fear"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOm "Anything really worth doing in our lives will always have some fear attached to it. Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers—all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Five Stages of Central Bankers’ Failure"
*"The Five Stages of Central Bankers’ Failure"* by Charles Hugh Smith "Central bankers are now in the denial and anger stages of Kubler-Ross’s famed stages of loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Central bankers are in denial that all their trillions of dollars, euros, yen and yuan have completely and utterly failed to achieve the desired result: “organic” (i.e. unmanipulated by central states/banks) expansion of productivity, investment and household earnings. *Click image for larger size.* Central bankers not only continue to insist their free money for finan... more »
Meet the New "Specially Protected Class"
Adams Lin literally fainted as he read a court order authorizing federal marshals to confiscate his property. The officers seizedhis car, his designer clothes, a flat-screen television, golf clubs, computer, and even his treasured Samurai sword. Unlike countless other Americans who have been pillaged by federal law enforcement officials, Lin was not a victim of the officially sanctioned plunder called civil asset forfeiture. His property was confiscated after Lin’s boss failed to make a $200,000 payment toward the $22.4 million civil damage award granted to a man who was left p... more »
Last-Minute, No-Yeast Breadsticks
One of the worst feelings is feeling like you should have bread as a side for your meal and realizing you a) don't have time to prepare the bread, or b) no yeast. It happens to me all the time. Thankfully there's a quick solution: Last-Minute, No-Yeast Breadsticks. This is not a new concept, but one of those recipes you just need to have in your cooking arsenal. *INGREDIENTS* 1 1/4 cup flour (for healthier alternative, do 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup wheat flour) 2 tsp sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 cup milk 3 Tbsp butter, melted garlic salt Italian seasoning *DIRECTIONS*... more »
The Great American Perpetual Motion War Machine by Greg Maybury
by Greg Maybury Guest Writer, Dandelion Salad Pox Amerikana, Jan. 16, 2017 February 13, 2017 Brief: The so-called ‘military-industrial complex’ ushered in by the passing of the 1947 National Security Act is a luxury America and the world can no longer afford. The unprecedented threat posed by the over-privileged belligerents infecting U.S. military doctrine with […]
GOP Marks Lincoln’s Birthday by Misattributing Inspirational Quote
The Republican Party’s official Twitter account posted, then deleted, a tweet honoring Abraham Lincoln’s birthday by mistakenly attributing an inspirational quote to the revered 16th President. The post on 12 February 2017 originally featured a picture of the Lincoln Memorial alongside the statement, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that … Continued
Let’s Talk Biology Again
I’ve discussed this before, in bits and pieces, here and there, now and again. But perhaps it’s wise to assemble all this under one roof where it can be easily referenced. Approximately 1 in 15000 females, at birth is XY. They are females with female genitals, the works. XY does not mean male. Of these, […]
World News Briefs -- February 13, 2017 (Evening Edition)
*AFP:* *UN Security Council unanimously condemns N.Korea missile launch* The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch and threatened to "take further significant measures" against Pyongyang. Council members including China, Pyongyang's main ally, agreed on a US-drafted statement describing the test-firing of the missile as a "grave violation" of UN resolutions. The United States, Japan and South Korea requested the urgent meeting after North Korea announced it had successfully tested a new missile on Sunday, the first launc... more »
The 4 Dangerous Syndromes of Coping with TrumpWith Donald Trump...
Robert Reich - 8 hours ago
*The 4 Dangerous Syndromes of Coping with Trump* With Donald Trump as president, some of you may be tempted to succumb to one of the following 4 syndromes. Please don’t. 1. *Normalizer Syndrome*. You want to believe Trump is just another president – more conservative than most, but one who will make rational decisions. You’re under a grave delusion. Trump and his ultra-conservative cabinet pose a clear and present danger to America and the world. 2. *Outrage Numbness Syndrome*. You are no longer outraged by what Trump says or does because you’ve gone numb. You can’t conceive that ... more »
Quote of the Day: On ‘Islamophobia’
*“In the book we disentangle the notion of ‘Islamophobia.’ We show that it's an illegitimate term, one that clouds thinking, because it mashes together at least two fundamentally different things. The term blends, on the one hand, serious analysis and critique of the ideas of Islamic totalitarianism, the cause animating the jihadists, which is vitally important (and the purpose of my book); and, on the other hand, racist and tribalist bigotry against people who espouse the religion of Islam. Obviously, racism and bigotry have no place in a civilised society. “Moreover, the ... more »
This hugging pup is spreading joy on the streets of New York City
If you're ever in New York City, you should try to get one from Louboutina, a friendly golden retriever who's famous for her warm embraces and firm handshakes, and a rising star on social media. Maybe you've even seen her in action: posing with strangers on the city streets, her paws wrapped around their legs and a big furry smile on her face. "She's just a love bug," Louboutina's owner Cesar Fernandez-Chavez told TODAY. "She loves people and she likes to please people." He's had Louboutina for about five years, since she was a puppy. She was a gift from a friend with a penchant ... more »
See, first-past-the-post is working again now
In June 2015 the Liberal Party released a position paper : “We are committed to ensuring that 2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.” and Justin Trudeau took that campaign promise on the road. At the time the Liberals were 3rd in the polls : NDP - 32.6% CPC - 28.6% LPC - 26.3% The Liberal majority now rests on 43 MPs whose margin of victory is less than 5%. Before the election Fair Vote Canada asked all MPs to pledge that campaign promise. NDP did because it is part of party policy; CPC did not because it is not. The fol... more »
It's a tough world out there: and now a drumbeat for war on Iran.
Papa Heinlein promised us interesting times during what he forecast as *"The Crazy Years."* And boy are we in it. I'll have more, later, about Heinlein's creepy-on-target prescience. But today, let's focus on International affairs. *= The scariest thing ==* Of course the thing to dread is misuse of the powers of the state, either turning them against us or else spasmodically flinging them about in ways that do us harm… perhaps even more harm than the Bushites did with their loony Iraq Wars. Maybe even existential harm. It’s not untoward to imagine the very worst -- as I did in The... more »
For Jared Kushner, Israel Policy May be Shaped by the Personal
*Shaped by the Personal? Personal beliefs? Personal agenda? Personal grudges?* Will we see more Israeli aggression & expansion shaped by Jared Kushner's personal experiences and indoctrination? *NYT’s* *Read in full at link above * Mr. Kushner was a high school basketball player, a Billy Joel fan, a quiz team manager and no one’s guess to become a negotiating partner with Mr. Netanyahu. But unlike other students on the trip,* he knew the prime minister, who was friendly with his father, a real estate developer and donor to Israeli causes. Mr. Netanyahu had even stayed at the Kushn... more »
Human Rights Abuses Highlighted In Jailed Activist’s Letter From Plymouth County Correctional Facility
Marty Gottesfeld, who is in jail for digital sit-in against a children’s hospital website, describes conditions at Plymouth County Correctional Facility. The post Human Rights Abuses Highlighted In Jailed Activist’s Letter From Plymouth County Correctional Facility appeared first on Shadowproof.
More Russian fake news on the way [update 2]
[image: _Putin] Soviet-era Russia almost invented modern political propaganda. Whatever the truth today about “fake news” or of claims that Russia “hacked the US election,” it’s clear that Russia's state-owned foreign language news services are still directed by the Kremlin, and are and have been attempting to sway elections around the world, broadcasting on Sputnik and RT for example what can best be described as carefully-crafted spin promoting selected candidates. *Security officials believe there are two basic elements to the Russian strategy: leaking hacked documents, ... more »
NFL Threatens Texas Over Transgender Bathroom Bill
[image: nfl-threatens-texas-over-transgender-bathroom-bill] The NFL has threatened to punish Texas if it forges ahead with a bill prohibiting transgender individuals from using bathrooms consistent with their "gender identity."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump Meet In Washington D.C.
*CTV:** PM Trudeau, Trump strike conciliatory note after day of face-to-face meetings* WASHINGTON -- Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump struck an amiable, conciliatory note after face-to-face meetings Monday, acknowledging the unique nature of the Canada-U.S. relationship and the need to keep trade moving across a shared, secure border. Prior to their joint news conference, the two sides issued a joint statement on shared priorities that seemed to suggest the first in-person encounters between the prime minister and the U.S. president had gone well. "America is deeply fortunate to h... more »
Report: Afghan And Coalition Forces Have Killed A Number Of Civilians In Anti-Taliban Operations This Week
*ABC News Online*:* US and Afghan troops reportedly kill 22 'human shields' in anti-Taliban operation* Afghan officials and local residents say 22 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed during a joint operation carried out by US and Afghan forces last week in the southern Helmand province. The presidential envoy for security in Helmand, Jabar Qahraman, said the raid against Taliban insurgents in the Sangin district killed 13 people from one family and nine from another. "We are saddened to hear the news of civilians being killed," he said. "When the Taliban use civilia... more »
Is SpaceX Sending a Deadly Pathogen to the International Space Station?
On 18 February 2017, the SpaceX space transport service will launch a capsule to the International Space Station for a resupply mission (CRS-10) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Among the items contained within the capsule will be a sample of the highly infectious Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterium, along with a device able to monitor … Continued
Mar-a-Lago Guest Reports He Spotted the ‘Nuclear Football’ and an Impromptu Security Conference
On 11 February 2017, Facebook user Richard DeAgazio shared two photographs he claimed depicted potentially sensitive matters of national security at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida: The Washington Post published an additional Facebook post shared by DeAgazio (which was later made private) about club guests being able to observe President Trump’s reaction to news concerning … Continued
Was Donald Trump Seen at a Swiss Resort with Vladimir Putin Before the Election?
In mid-February 2017 the Houston Leader, Sacramento Dispatch and Salt Lake City Guardian web sites published identical articles reporting that Donald Trump was spotted at a Swiss resort with Russian president Vladimir Putin in June 2016, several months prior to Trump’s election to the presidency: Amidst controversy that President Trump had ties with the Russian … Continued
April Is Going To Be A Busy Month For House Special Elections
Governors are setting the dates for special congressional elections to replace congressmen who have been drafted for other jobs. Most of them are to replace Members who are joining Team Trump but the first contest-- April 4-- is in L.A., where one of the deepest blue districts in the whole country (Trump only got 10.7% of the vote there) will select a replacement for Xavier Becerra, who was tapped by Gov. Jerry Brown as California's new Attorney General. Saturday, at the opening of Jimmy Gomez's campaign headquarters, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti told the overflow crowd that "We can't... more »
America’s “Best Fighting Forces” Rule With an Iron Fist
*I dare say the YPG/PKK have been and continue to be the darlings of the main stream media and so called alternative news too. There will be little that is new to long term readers here as I’ve stated these very facts for years now- * *The Kurdish YPG recruits fighters at gunpoint, assassinates political opponents, and suppresses the media.* I’m excluding wild speculation, exaggeration and what appears to be fallacious and misleading based on my own knowledge of this situation. Example: Claims by YPG/PKK of not being adequately trained or armed by the US are absurd. They have NAT... more »
"'Red' Vs 'Blue' Are Playing "Capture The Flag" On The Deck Of The Titanic"
*"'Red' Vs 'Blue' Are Playing "Capture The Flag"* * On The Deck Of The Titanic"* by Howard Kunstler "Don’t be fooled by the idiotic exertions of the Red team and the Blue team. They’re just playing a game of “Capture the Flag” on the deck of the Titanic. The ship is the techno-industrial economy. It’s going down because it has taken on too much water (debt), and the bilge pump (the oil industry) is losing its mojo. Neither faction understands what is happening, though they each have an elaborate delusional narrative to spin in the absence of any credible plan for adapting the life ... more »
Records Show Govt Knew of Dangers of Oroville Dam for YEARS — Did Nothing to Fix It
[image: dam]Federal and California officials had been warned over a decade ago Oroville Dam's emergency spillway would not be able to handle a major flooding event.
Feb. 13: A curse: May you live in interesting times.
One of the most vivid memories of my childhood was Picasso's painting of the German bombing of Guernica. This was in the Spanish civil war of the 1930s in the fascist general Franco over threw the elected government of Spain . It's a picture of the horror of bombing deliberately aimed at defenceless civilians. (Guernica had no soldiers in it, and no value whatever as a military target.) This was an early example of the terror bombing that has become standard practice for ever country with an adequate bomber force. Britain, France, the U.S., Canada made no complaint That's because t... more »
Rolf Hazlehurst Sues CDC to Allow MMR Science Whistleblower to Testify in Case of Autistic Son
Parent of autistic teen sues CDC to allow vaccine whistleblower testimony Sharyl Attkisson reports: The father of an autistic child has filed a federal lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in his son’s medical malpractice case. Rolf Hazlehurst...
Orlando Bloom Continues To Show Support For Standing Rock
Orlando Bloom is still lending his support to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and their protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline! 'Be on the right side of history': Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have added their voices to the wave of celebs opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline. 'Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with what is going on in North Dakota. While it may not be on your front pages, this is not a frightening series of events for “them”, it is frightening series of events for all of us. 'The pipeline in question, would carry crude oil through land sacred to indi... more »
Venezuelan President Maduro Kicks CNN Out Of Venezuela For Spreading Fake News
Maduro said problems in Venezuela are none of CNN’s business. (CNN) *FOX News:* *Venezuelan president says he wants CNN out of country just days after report on passports, visas being sold in Iraq* Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday he wanted CNN out of the country, alleging it misrepresents the truth and meddles in issues that are not of its concern. "CNN, do not get into the affairs of Venezuelans. I want CNN well away from here. Outside of Venezuela. Do not put your nose in Venezuela," said Maduro during a political act. He made the comment after blaming the U.... more »
Somaliland Agrees To A UAE Naval And Air Base In Northern Port
(BBC) *BBC: **Somaliland agrees to UAE military base in Berbera* MPs in the self-declared republic of Somaliland have agreed to allow the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to set up a military base in the port of Berbera. Observers say the deal has proved controversial among Somaliland's neighbours in the Horn of Africa. The UAE already has a military facility at Eritrea's Assab port for use in a campaign against Yemeni rebels. It is part of a coalition that has fought Houthi rebels and imposed a naval blockade on Yemen since 2015. More than 10,000 people have been killed and 40,000 wou... more »
Jesuit Father James Martin goes on MSNBC Joy Reid show to bash Stephen Bannon and "traditional Catholics...
*an unfortunate way to start the day.* From Breitbart: The Jesuit editor of the progressive *America* magazine has thrown his support behind the fabricated story of a war between Pope Francis and Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s chief strategist. On the far-left MSNBC cable television channel Sunday, Father James Martin said that Steve Bannon is a “radical traditionalist” opposing Pope Francis’s reforms and pining “for a time when the Church was purer.” In a segment titled “Steve Bannon vs. the Pope,” Martin suggested that Bannon uses Church teaching to promote “racist, misogy... more »
Major reduction in the target for renewable energy needed
*Des Moore* *Institute of Private Enterprise* Image LinkedIn This week’s Commentary suggested that Turnbull’s attack on the role played by Shorten as head of the AWU was no more than a start in restoring the Coalition’s polling. Today, Andrew Bolt argues that such a strategy is counter-productive (link article here). He rightly points out that Turnbull’s existing policy on the renewable target will still produce bad results in the form of higher electricity prices – and no benefit in terms of reducing world temperatures. In fact, the current target of 23 percent by 2020 would not o... more »
Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia Are Now Facing Famine
World to Rights *The Guardian: **Famine looms in four countries as aid system struggles to cope, experts warn* Campaigners say tens of millions in urgent need in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia are in hands of an overwhelmed, outdated humanitarian network. Famine is looming in four different countries, threatening unprecedented levels of hunger and a global crisis that is already stretching the aid and humanitarian system like never before, experts and insiders warn. Tens of millions of people in need of food aid in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia are at the mercy... more »
Iraqi Military Have Lanched A Massive Attack Targeting ISIS Leader. His Fate Remains Unknown
*DW*: *'Islamic State' chief targeted in airstrikes, says Iraqi military* *Fresh airstrikes have killed at least 13 commanders of the notorious militant group, the military said in a statement. But the army stopped short of confirming the militant leader's presence at the targeted house.* Iraqi warplanes carried out strikes on a house where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who heads the "Islamic State" militant group, was believed be to meeting with other commanders, the Iraqi military said in a statement on Monday. The military said F-16s targeted the house on Saturday in western Iraq. It p... more »
George H.W. Bush Death Hoax
Reports that former president George H.W. Bush had passed away were circulated online in mid-February 2017: Former USA President George H.W. Bush died on Saturday after suffering a heart attack, America’s Public broadcaster said. He was 93. In a sign of mourning, PCTV channel 26 aired a black banner on the corner of its broadcast. … Continued
Will Congress Stop Forcing Pro-life Americans to Subsidize Abortion?
[image: will-congress-stop-forcing-pro-life-americans-to-subsidize-abortion] Congress should also end all taxpayer funding of abortion and repeal Obamacare’s abortion mandates, along with the rest of Obamacare. Forcing pro-life Americans to subsidize what they believe to be murder is, to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, “sinful and tyrannical.”
OPEC's Influence Wanes as Members Cheat on Production Cuts
[image: opecs-influence-wanes-as-members-cheat-on-production-cuts] OPEC’s report on how its members are complying with the production-cut agreement hammered out last fall came out on Monday. As expected, it reported widespread cheating among its members.
Slavery and Non-Consensual Sex OK, Says Muslim Georgetown Professor
[image: slavery-and-non-consensual-sex-ok-says-muslim-georgetown-professor] That slavery and non-consensual sex can be okay is not a sentiment you expect to hear from someone employed in politically correct academia — but it obviously is acceptable when a politically correct kind of person says it. This appears the case with Georgetown Islamic Studies professor Jonathan Brown, who stated in a recent talk that it’s “not immoral for one human to own another human.”
Number of Former Sanctuary Cities Reversing Policy
[image: number-of-former-sanctuary-cities-reversing-policy] Even as localities across the country are changing their tune on being "sanctuaries" for illegal immigrants, the big battles over illegal immigration lie ahead.
Brian Greene's spring trick and his weird explanation based on locality
Esquire has argued that one third of the U.S. employees have been less productive since Trump's triumph because they were distracted by political posts on the Internet. I guess that Hillary's supporters were more affected than Trump's fans. In particular, unless he is joking and unless I misunderstood something, Brian Greene has forgotten the lectures of classical mechanics that he took at the elementary school. Columbia University doesn't expect the students, let alone physics professors, to remember physics from the basic school – a few dumb clichés against the U.S. president and ... more »
US-Born NASA Scientist Detained at Border, Forced to Unlock Phone for Freedom
[image: nasa]A U.S.-born NASA scientist was detained by border patrol until he agreed to provide a PIN number for an officer to search his phone — even though he'd only traveled to Chile.
Sheriff Must Pay $100K of His Own Money for Brutality Case or Head to Debtors Court
[image: liable]The former sheriff of Los Angeles is being held personally liable for brutality under his watch and will have liens placed on his property if he refuses to pay.
Will U.S. Courts Want To Know How A U.S. President Makes National Security Decisions?
People participate in a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policy at the Jewish Rally for Refugees in New York City, U.S. February 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith *Reuters:* *Courts likely to probe Trump's intent in issuing travel ban* Washington state’s attorney general has promised to uncover "what truly motivated" President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, an approach that could prompt a rare public examination of how a U.S. president makes national security decisions. The presidential order imposed a temporary ban on travelers from seven ... more »
Should President Trump Fire His Entire White House Staff?
Reuters *Politico:* *Trump reviews top White House staff after tumultuous start* Michael Flynn is under fire, but he’s not the only one about whom Trump is voicing his doubts. President Donald Trump, frustrated over his administration’s rocky start, is complaining to friends and allies about some of his most senior aides — leading to questions about whether he is mulling an early staff shake-up. Trump has told several people that he is particularly displeased with national security adviser Michael Flynn over reports that he had top-secret discussions with Russian officials and lie... more »
"The Essence of Human Existence..."
"Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?' I don't know. I don't have any answers to those questions. I don't know what's over there around the corner. But I want to find out." - Eugene Cernan
"‘News’ is Advertising. 'That’s economics son, and don’t you ever forget it.'”
*"‘News’ is Advertising. * *'That’s economics son, and don’t you ever forget it.'”* By Cognitive Dissonance "Back in the early 70’s I was deeply concerned with the direction the powerful nuclear power industry was taking. I had a deep distrust for the ‘partnership’ the industry had forged with the Atomic Energy Commission, the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing it while also promoting it. In my view this was a huge conflict of interest and could only lead to no good. So concerned in fact that I participated in many (non violent) protests, both at the regional regulatory revie... more »
luxor
Naturally we had to haggle for the taxi ride. Every transaction begins with an argument. We both really dislike it. We could pay the first price offered, but it is always wildly inflated. The train station is on the east bank of the Nile, where all the big chain hotels and most of the tourist scene is found. Our hotel is on the west bank, where the locals live and which is supposed to be great for great food. There is a bridge, which means quite a bit of extra driving, first south on one bank then north on the other. There are also ferries and many people with their own boats who wi... more »
overnight train from cairo to luxor
The train was interesting -- and eye-opening about the divide between the first world and the third. We decided to take the overnight train from Cairo to Luxor, as internal flights are quite expensive, and we are already taking three of those. The fare includes a sleeper car, dinner, and breakfast, and it ends up saving a night of hotel as well. I also thought the train would be fun. Locals talk about this train as being very special, because it’s made for tourists. There were many (apparently) Egyptian people waiting for the train, and they were obviously well-off. The Giza train ... more »
Major Yale Study Shows Vaccines Tied to Multiple Brain Disorders
*Jack Burns* - More evidence of the dangers of vaccination. The post Major Yale Study Shows Vaccines Tied to Multiple Brain Disorders appeared first on Waking Times.
STEPHEN MILLER: AUTHORITARIAN OR WANNABE?
This doesn't seem reassuring: Senior White House policy adviser Stephen Miller made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows over the weekend, and his comments about voter fraud have earned him justifiably dim reviews.... But amid all the baseless and false statements about electoral integrity, Miller did something even more controversial: He expanded upon his boss's views of whether judges are allowed to question President Trump's authority. And at one point, Miller even said Trump's national security decisions "will not be questioned." On *Face the Nation,* Miller said: One unelected... more »
Repeating the other side's propaganda!
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017On the need to rebuild our cruel schools:* This was a remarkably strange weekend in the Washington Post and in the New York Times. We don't want to enumerate all the strangeness yet. That said, the strangest piece may have been this personal essay from yesterday's Outlook section. In the essay, a previously apolitical person explains that she has become politically engaged because of new education secretary Betsy DeVos. In truth, the writer still seems to know little about DeVos. On a journalistic basis, the essay, and the mere fact that it was published,... more »
Dreams - Today - electric door opens...
if you live at 86 Ashurst Drive, Blackbrook, fear not: it's not haunted, only my dreams of it are. It's a house where my (German-born) gran used to live, a house I visited every weekend as a child. It's the place where (last night) a poltergeist entity pushed me off the couch in what used to be the front living room. A door was pulled open by this unseen entity and I followed it into the hallway and right into the back living room where a TV was off. The TV was off but a voice was coming out of it, I tried to turn off the buttons but no button stopped the voice inside the TV.
Did President Obama Deport More People Than Any Other President?
During the third and final presidential debate on 19 October 2016, Republican nominee Donald Trump remarked that President Barack Obama “has moved millions of people out … millions of people have been moved out of this country.” As of 2015, more than 2.5 million undocumented people had been deported by immigration authorities since President Obama … Continued
Did President Trump Refuse to Give Federal Aid to California Because of the State’s Sanctuary Cities?
Nearly 200,000 people were told to evacuate from counties in Northern California in February 2017, due to a damaged emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the nation: The threat of imminent collapse of the Oroville Dam emergency spillway eased Sunday night, hours after authorities ordered the evacuation of more than 180,000 downstream residents upon discovering … Continued
Rolf Hazlehurst Sues CDC to Allow MMR Science Whistleblower to Testify in Case of Autistic Son
Parent of autistic teen sues CDC to allow vaccine whistleblower testimony Sharyl Attkisson reports: The father of an autistic child has filed a federal lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in his son’s medical malpractice case. Rolf Hazlehurst...
History’s biggest ‘Piers Morgans’ – A catalogue of snivelling toadies
When Piers Morgan left the UK, he was a disgraced and washed-up ex-hack whose reputation was in tatters. Tatters which had been shredded and mixed with pigswill. Pigswill which had been fed to and slopped out of some pigs. Pig slop that was… … well, I think you get the picture. Despite being more universally […] The post History’s biggest ‘Piers Morgans’ – A catalogue of snivelling toadies... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
This shocking new law will imprison people for revealing inconvenient facts about the UK economy
The new Espionage Act could jail people for spreading leaked documents, under current proposals [pdf]. For the first time, a national security law would criminalise leaking “sensitive information” about the UK economy. Prison for just obtaining the leaks The Law Commission has drawn up the draft recommendations for the Espionage Act. They suggest [pdf p202] […] The post This... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
The UK government has disgraced Britain in front of the entire world by announcing its own ‘Muslim ban’
On 8 February, the Conservative government caused uproar by quietly scrapping a promise to help thousands of vulnerable refugee children. It decided that rather than provide refuge for thousands of children, it would only accept 350. Yet while most were still reeling from that revelation, the government disclosed another even more sickening decision. According to The […] The post The UK... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
UKIP’s immigration spokesman just stole the slogan from the most racist election campaign in UK history [TWEETS]
Meet John Bickley. He’s UKIP’s immigration spokesperson. He “used to believe in Labour“. Now, it appears he believes in spreading hate crime on Twitter. John Bickley Before being appointed UKIP’s immigration spokesperson, Bickley ran as UKIP’s candidate in the Oldham West and Royton by-election in 2015. His campaign was full of patriotic jargon and pledges to... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
Damning new evidence shows that Tory prison reform is a scam
The number of assaults on prison staff in England and Wales has increased over the last two years. Such assaults are causing very real concerns, and are tearing apart a Conservative policy on prison reform that will ultimately see communities suffer. Damning figures GetWestLondon, a Trinity Mirror publication, requested details around the number of convicts […] The post Damning new... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
Around The Empire – Episode 8: The Neocons In The Trump Era Feat. Robbie Martin
Dan and Joanne interview filmmaker Robbie Martin about the future of the neoconservatives now that the candidate they lined up against has become president. The post Around The Empire – Episode 8: The Neocons In The Trump Era Feat. Robbie Martin appeared first on Shadowproof.
World News Briefs -- February 13, 2017
*BBC:* *Iraqi air force 'kills 77' in strikes aimed at IS leader Baghdadi* The Iraqi air force has killed 13 commanders of so-called Islamic State in a strike on a building in Qaim where leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was thought to be, a statement said. Baghdadi's name was not on a list of the dead published by the military. At least 64 lower-ranked IS fighters were killed in a wave of strikes in western Iraq, the statement added. The military said Baghdadi moved last week in a convoy from Raqqa, in Syria, to the region of Qaim, over the border. The IS leader was supposedly meeting... more »
Military And Intelligence Briefs -- February 13, 2017
*The Telegraph*: *North Korea's 'game changing' new missile is more stable, more efficient -and harder to detect* The new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile launched by North Korea on Sunday is a "game changer", according to analysts, because it uses a solid fuel engine that makes the weapon more stable and reduces the time required to fuel a missile before launch. The Pukguksong-2 is also road-mobile on tractor-erector-launcher units, analysts point out, all of which means that the weapon is more difficult to detect and neutralise before it is launched. "The liquid fu... more »
The Gender Ending Agenda of Anti-Creationists
*Julian Rose* - Rendering separate that which should be whole. The post The Gender Ending Agenda of Anti-Creationists appeared first on Waking Times.
Trump wants to make America great again?
Trump wants to make America great again ?? He’s got a tough job ahead of him! Here is a sample of what he has to work with!* *Some of these folks could also be Canadians
Trump Inauguration Poster Removed from Sale Over Spelling Error
On 12 February 2017, social media users began reporting that the Library of Congress’ official store featured a poster commemorating the inauguration of President Donald Trump that included a quote rendered with the common orthographic error of confusing the word “to” with “too”: No dream is too big, no challenge is to great. Nothing we … Continued
Richard Gere and the Gerbil
Contrary to widespread public belief, “gerbil-stuffing” (i.e., placing a live gerbil or other rodent up one’s rectum for sexual pleasure) is unknown as an actual sexual practice, nor are we aware of a verified medical case of a gerbil having been extracted from a patient’s rectum. Despite the assiduousness with which doctors record unusual items … Continued
American-Born JPL Scientist Forced to Unlock a NASA Phone by U.S. Customs and Border Protection?
On 5 February 2017, American-born NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) scientist Sidd Bikkannavar published a Facebook post asserting that he was detained by United States Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officials while he was returning to the U.S. from Chile, who seized his phone and demanded access to its stored data: Sorry for the absence. … Continued
This Is What It Looks Like When A U.S. President Orders a Strike in a Muslim Country
*Eight-year-old Nawar Anwar Al-Awlaqi is said to have bled to death over a two-hour period (source).* *by Gaius Publius* *"The 11-year-old was woken by the commotion outside and went to see what was going on. ... He asked them ‘Who are you?’ but the [U.S. soldiers] shot him. He was the first killed."* *—Abdelilah Ahmed al Dahab, describing his son's death * *When you murder people in Yemen, you murder Muslims. * *—Yours truly* There's a lot of noise being made about the "anti-terrorist" strike in Yemen ordered by President Trump, and a lot of noise should be made about it. But b... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Real Reconciliation'
REAL RECONCILIATION Posted on February 13, 2017 Please post & distribute. MNN. Feb. 13, 2017. The tribal councils are part of the US military occupation of great turtle island. We ask them, “When are the invaders leaving great turtle island? As the corporation’s hired guns, double agents and traitors, when the pirates lose the war, you lose the war”. Your treachery willl stop. We have
DEA Bars Cannabis Drs, As Dr Who Falsely Diagnosed Cancer to Make Millions Keeps License
[image: cannabis]A doctor was caught falsely diagnosing people with cancer to sell them surgery and radiation and keeps his license, while docs advising on LEGAL pot get crushed.
Americans, Europeans Agree: Trump Is Right on Immigration
[image: americans-europeans-agree-trump-is-right-on-immigration] A poll by Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs, taken a month before President Donald Trump issued his temporary suspension on refugees, showed widespread and increasing support among Europeans for his actions.
David Whitehouse: Data, Deflection And The Pause
David Whitehouse: Data, Deflection And The Pause From the GWPF Date: 12/02/17 Dr David Whitehouse, GWPF Science Editor David Rose’s splendid and significant article in last week’s Mail on Sunday certainly caused a stir. The initial reaction, mostly distractions, have been easily dealt with by David Rose in this week’s installment. One of the points […]
MONTREAL: Banner 'Trump Fasciste, Trudeau Complice!' outside Trudeau's office
Trump Fasciste, Trudeau Complice! Large banner currently hanging off the main Trans-Canada/Metropolitan Highway outside of Justin Trudeau's constituency office By Open Borders Collective Censored News MONTREAL-- (February 13, 2017) As of 8:30am this morning, at the height of morning rush hour traffic, a large banner reading "Trump Fasciste, Trudeau complice" [tr: "Trump fascist,
Here Is One Big Weakness For China's Aircraft Carriers
CNS Liaoning escorted by her J-15 fighters. (Photo : PLAN) *China Topix*: *Lack of Secure Home Ports Spells Disaster for China’s Aircraft Carriers* China needs more heavily protected home ports along the shores of the South China Sea where its only operational aircraft carrier, CNS Liaoning (CV-16), and its under construction second carrier, CNS Shandong (CV-17), can seek refuge should a war against the United States erupt. One of the greatest disadvantages of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is that it has not a single overseas base in Asia and within the First Island Cha... more »
Does a paywall protect patient privacy?
A psychoanalyst has retracted an award-winning 2016 paper over concerns that it contained “sensitive” patient information. On July 15, Judith L. Mitrani, a psychoanalyst based in California, published an article that included “sensitive clinical material” about a patient. Although we do not know what prompted the concerns, on November 21, Mitrani, in agreement with the journal’s editor-in-chief and publisher, […] The post Does a paywall protect patient privacy? appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Journal retracts paper by state senator (and former mathematician)
Here’s something you don’t see every day: A state senator with an academic publication record, in his former career as a mathematician. Even more unusual: A retraction of one of his 15-year-old papers, after the journal realized most of the results were incorrect. According to the notice, some aspects of the paper by Daniel Biss […] The post Journal retracts paper by state senator (and former mathematician) appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Sleepers Wake
Optional soundtrack: Maureen Dowd of the* New York Times* does me and others one better with our rationalizations that at least Donald Trump has provided the silver lining of spawning the biggest mass protest movement since the Vietnam War. In a nod to his Versailles lifestyle, she describes his flailing fascistic antics as a lining of pure solid gold. As I wrote in my published response to her Sunday column, Trump has indeed made millions of "Sleepers Wake!" in his own unique, Bach-wards, Antichrist sort of way. "I hope the protests last," I wrote, "and that Trump's recent cano... more »
Monsanto And GMO Propagandists Softening-up UK Public For GM After Brexit
CounterPunch, Countercurrents, Global Research, RINF On the back of Brexit, the UK government is planning what could be a disastrous trade deal with the Trump administration. It would likely be worse than the secretive and undemocratic stalled Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal that the EU has been planning with the US. As for food and agriculture, such a trade deal would be contingenton the UK abandoning standards that took years to put in place, allowing imports of US foods that were previously rejected: beef from cattle implanted with growth hormones, ch... more »
“Will Private Property Disappear in Our Lifetimes?”
*“Will Private Property Disappear in Our Lifetimes?”* by Bill Bonner "As we told you last week, we were just at a meeting in Miami with some of the best ‘big-picture’ thinkers in our business. One of the provocative ideas came from our old friend and Casey Research founder Doug Casey: ‘Private property in the US will disappear in our lifetimes,’ Doug announced boldly. It sounded far-fetched at first. But let’s explore it. *Slaves to the elites: *Marxists aimed to bring all property under government control. Major assets were to be owned by the state, which meant they would be used ... more »
Court Finds Speed Cameras ‘Unconstitutional’ — Forces City to Repay ALL Tickets
[image: cameras]In a major win for freedom, an Ohio court ruled a town's speed cameras unconstitutional and ordered officials to repay every ticket ever issued.
Snow Leopards can roar: Rare footage reveals the amazing love call of the big cat
Love conquers all it has often been said, and new footage of the elusive snow leopard in the wild seems to offer hard proof. The big cat was caught by a video trap in the the wilds of its native habitat of southern Siberia, issuing a mating call many thought to be impossible. The film captured seems to disprove conventional wisdom, which suggests that members of the endangered species cannot roar due to the physiology of their throat. Snow leopards are shy, elusive cats known for their solitary nature. The black and white footage captures a rare glimpse of the animal - one of pe... more »
BREAKING: Met Police destroyed evidence to cover up state surveillance of ordinary citizens
According to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), multiple undercover police files were destroyed in 2014. One consultant to the Council of Europe on human rights law has said this may equate to a perversion of the course of justice. But what the IPCC doesn’t mention is how decades-old political policing files also went missing in 2000. And a restricted […] The post... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
Theresa May tries to save face over the latest Trump fiasco, and fails… spectacularly
Theresa May’s government has abandoned plans for US President Donald Trump to address Parliament. The decision follows comments by John Bercow, the Speaker of The House of Commons, who told MPs that he was “strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall”. A petition to stop Donald Trump visiting the UK also reached 1.8 million signatures. But despite public […] The post Theresa May tries to save face over the latest Trump fiasco, and fails… spectacularly appeared first on The Canary.
Mosul Campaign Day 118, Feb. 12, 2017
The Islamic State launched a large three-pronged attack upon the Hashd in western Ninewa, and another against the Iraqi forces (ISF) in the south. IS attacked along the Tal Afar, Baaj, Blaij line with up to 17 car bombs and suicide bombers. The Hashd claimed they were trying to re-open the road from Mosul to Syria. The fighting lasted for half of the day. The insurgents also assaulted a Federal Police headquarters in Arbaj in the Hamam al-Alil district south of Mosul. 1 police was killed and six soldiers were wounded in the process. IS’s main strategy is to always attack. Given th... more »
Your Place — My Rules: Parents Suing Catholic School So Daughter Can Play Boys’ Sports
[image: your-place-my-rules-parents-suing-catholic-school-so-daughter-can-play-boys-sports] Your school — my rule? This appears the message of two parents who are suing a New Jersey Catholic school for upholding Catholic standards.
This Is Why The U.S. Navy Never Adopted The 'Medium Aircraft Carrier'
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are all in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. DoD *Kyle Mizokami, National Interest:* *Why the Medium Aircraft Carrier Was 'Torpedoed'* The United States Navy’s ten nuclear supercarriers are the largest warships on the high seas. Home to more than five thousand sailors and Marines, the Nimitz-class carriers are nuclear-powered and can carry nearly ninety combat aircraft. Still, it didn’t have to be this way: had the Navy taken a ... more »
Chinese Media Have Revealed The Launch Dates For China's New Aircraft Carriers
This hull under construction at Dalian Shipyard could be China's first indigenous aircraft carrier. WEIBO/HEIHEIZI *Sputnik*: *China Reveals Launch Date of New Aircraft Carriers* Chinese media has revealed when the country is expecting to reinforce its fleet of aircraft carriers with two more domestically built vessels: the second aircraft carrier is scheduled to be launched later this year while the third one is expected in about 2021. It also provided some details about their technical characteristics. In November 2016, Beijing declared the Soviet-era Liaoning, its sole carrier,... more »
New European Report Details A Grim Security Picture If The U.S. Withdraws From The World Stage
*DW:* '*A post-Western age': Munich Security Report details fragile world order* With the rise of populism threatening the international order, the report warns of an "illiberal moment" globally. A withdrawal of the US on the world stage could allow others to take advantage of the power vacuum. The Munich Security Conference (MSC) published its annual report on Monday, with the conference chairman saying there was greater instability today across the globe than there has been since the Second World War. From a power vacuum caused by a possible US withdrawal from the global stage t... more »
China Opposes The U.S. Endorsement Of Japan's Territorial Claims In The East China Sea
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump pose for a photograph before attending dinner at Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria *Reuters*: *China upset at disputed islands mention in Japan-U.S. meeting* China's Foreign Ministry expressed concern on Monday after Japan got continued U.S. backing for its dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea during a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. A joint Japanese-U.S. statement after the weekend meeting in ... more »
Hamas Elects A New Leader In Gaza Who Opposes Any Compromise With Israel
Hamas leader Yehia Sinwar attends a rally in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip January 7, 2016. (photo credit:REUTERS) *BBC*: *Hamas hardliner Yehiya Sinwar elected as Gaza leader* The Palestinian militant group Hamas has elected a hardline commander of its armed wing as the movement's overall leader in the Gaza Strip. Yehiya Sinwar replaces Ismail Haniyeh, a former prime minister in the territory's Hamas-run government. Mr Sinwar was jailed in Israel for murder but freed under a deal when Hamas released an Israeli in 2011. Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and Mr Sinwar ... more »
HOW WE GOT HERE: Creating Trump!
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017Part 1—Liberal and mainstream denial:* We'll grant you, it was only one vote. That said, it might start us on a shining path—on the road toward understanding how we managed to get here. The vote was cast by Angie Hartman, a 50-year-old Pennsylvanian. Margaret Sullivan describes the vote in today's Washington Post. Sullivan interviewed voters in Luzerne County, Pa. Located in northeastern Pennsylvania, it's part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton Metropolitan Statistical Area. Disaster struck in that statistical area. Here's the way Hartman voted: SUL... more »
Bear of Very Little Brain
I’ve been wondering lately, what is all this blogging for? It’s time-consuming, and the effectiveness is disproportionate to the effort expended. However, someone's got to do it, and it might as well be us. Firstly, how many of us force ourselves to stay awake for Newsnight these days? It hasn’t been worth the sleep deprivation for quite a while, has it? I started preparing a couple of half-hearted pieces about Newsnight recently, but they didn’t get very far. One was about a Newsnight scoop about David Cameron and Paul Dacre, which roughly amounted to the BBC acknowledging, disappr... more »
Untitled
*From Jenna OrkinHow Google News' 'black box' secretly fights against fake news* Scientists across the US are scrambling to save government research in 'Data Rescue' events * Saudi crown prince receives CIA honor for anti-terror efforts In Setback For Government, Swiss Voters Reject Plan To End Low Taxes For Multinational CorporationsThere Are 66,719 Empty Mansions In VancouverVenezuelan girl's diphtheria death highlights country's health crisis These designs in the Amazon rainforest were created 2,000 years ago — and archaeologists are still baffled by them* The founders of ... more »
Mayor Cancels Reality Police TV Show As Footage Shows Rampant Racial Profiling
A&E's 'LIVE PD' will no longer be recorded in Tulsa after citizens expressed outrage over being unable to leave their homes without cops harassing them.
China Blames The U.S. For North Korea's Missile Test
*Washington Post:* *With friends like these: China’s awkward position after North Korea’s missile test* BEIJING — There’s never a great time to fire off rockets potentially capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but China has been left in an awkward position by the timing of North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test, experts said. Pyongyang said on Monday this weekend’s test of the “medium-to-long range” missile had been successful, according to the official KCNA news agency. But there were probably a few palms slamming into faces in Beijing. The missile launch took place while ... more »
Northern Cree’s Incredible Performance at the 2017 Grammys
Renowned Indigenous drum group, the Northern Cree singers, performed live at the 2017 GRAMMYs awards. It’s rare for Indigenous music to be recognized by big music award shows and rarer still to see Indigenous musicians on the stage. But tonight, at the 2017 GRAMMY Awards, the acclaimed drum group Northern Cree were given the opportunity to grace the Premiere Performance stage, where 11 singers from the group performed a beautiful hand drum song. This year, Northern Cree were nominated for Best Regional Roots recording. This was the group’s seventh nomination and, although they di... more »
The Economy: “When the Money Supply Dries Up”
*“When the Money Supply Dries Up”* by Jeff Thomas “In 1944, the US had been the primary supplier for arms for the allies during World War II and, as such, exited the war with more wealth than any of the other nations that had entered the war earlier, draining their treasuries of money. Since payment was largely demanded in gold, the US held three-quarters of the world’s gold and therefore was in a position to call the shots with regard to the free world’s economic future. At Bretton Woods, the US took advantage of this situation, setting up the World Bank, the IMF and declaring the... more »
John Bogle: The Trump Regime Wants You To Gorge Yourself On The Financial Equivalent Of Junk Food-- While Depriving You Of Health Care
John Bogle is famous because he founded one of the world's biggest and most successful mutual fund groups, Vanguard. I don't know if he's a Democrat or a Republican but I see he's contributed to politicians from both parties-- to Democrats Joe Sestak and Ed Markey and to Republicans Rick Santorum and John McCain. Over the weekend, he expressed his concern about the Republican push to end the rule that mandates that financial advisors put their clients best interests first. The banksters have captured most of Congress-- the entire GOP plus the Republican wing of the Democratic Party... more »
Kowtowing Is Not
When Justin Trudeau walks into his meeting with President Trump, Michael Harris writes, he should remember who he's dealing with. The Donald is a known quantity: Trudeau should remember that Trump recently used his POTUS account on Twitter to denounce … a department store. What’s next, an air strike? It happened right after Nordstrom dropped the fashion line of his daughter, Ivanka. Perhaps our PM should note that Trump’s bit of nasty nepotism on Twitter came just 21 minutes after the President was slated to receive his daily intelligence briefing. The world may be about to go ... more »
YOU SAY "CHAOS" AS IF IT'S A BAD THING!
Mike Flynn's head might roll soon, or maybe not: The White House is reviewing whether to retain National Security Adviser Mike Flynn amid a furor over his contacts with Russian officials before President Donald Trump took office, an administration official said Sunday.... Mr. Trump’s views toward the matter aren’t clear. In recent days, he has privately told people the controversy surrounding Mr. Flynn is unwelcome, after he told reporters on Friday he would “look into” the disclosures. But Mr. Trump also has said he has confidence in Mr. Flynn and wants to “keep moving forward,” a... more »
‘I’d deport the buggers!’: UKIP politician launches racist rant about ‘darkies’ [TWEETS]
A UKIP politician has launched a racist rant in which he refers to black Britons as “darkies”, and states that we should “deport” the “buggers”. UKIP Councillor Philip Winter Philip Winter is a UKIP Councillor in Bristol. He was outraged to hear that Yale University will be changing the name of a college dedicated to […] The post ‘I’d deport... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
Ken Loach gave ‘callous’ Tories both barrels in his BAFTA speech, and right-whingers can’t handle it
Ken Loach has won the Best British Film BAFTA for I, Daniel Blake. The film follows a man who finds himself out of work and becomes trapped in a callous benefits system. Loach used his acceptance speech to call out those responsible for this ‘brutally callous’ system. Namely, the Conservative government. The speech Loach told the […] The post Ken Loach gave... Visit www.thecanary.co to read more.
Why There Needs to be a Vaccine Safety Commission
Note: Thank you to Lou Conte for this summary of the mainstream response to the Presidential Commission on Vaccine Safety. Footnotes are at the end of the post. By Lou Conte It has been remarkable to watch the media hand-wringing...
Ayn Rand’s Views on Political and Cultural Issues
*Ayn Rand Answers: The Best of Her Q & A *(Kindle Edition) *Edited by Robert Mayhew* *Ayn Rand Answers: The Best of Her Q & A* is an excellent resource for gaining insight into Ayn Rand’s views on political and cultural issues. The interviews of Rand that are there in the book were conducted during the 1960s and 1970s but the ideas that she proposes are very relevant today. This is because the political problems that we are now facing are linked to the collectivist and altruist ideas that were developed during the first half of the twentieth century. Ayn Rand could see further than... more »
Untitled
*Trump administration signals change in policy for transgender students* The Trump administration signaled Friday that it was changing course on the previous administration’s efforts to expand transgender rights, submitting a legal brief withdrawing the government’s objections to an injunction that had blocked guidance requiring that transgender students be allowed to use restrooms that match their gender identity. The move by the Justice Department does not immediately change the situation for the nation’s public schools, as a federal judge had already put a temporary hold on the ... more »
Oroville dam risks may be underreported
I consider most of the risks that the media focus on heavily overhyped if not utterly fabricated – I am talking about things like "climate change" or "the risks of nuclear energy" – but yes, when it comes to the worries about the Oroville dam, it seems that the media and the viewers are less agitated in average than I am. A random good video was embedded to describe some technicalities. Don't get me wrong: I still think it's very likely that things will be fine. But the risk that they won't is nonzero and the consequences would be regionally dramatic. Roy Spencer is convinced tha... more »
Untitled
*What fun! John Cook rides again!* He is the author of the famous 97% claim and a most energetic defender of Warmism. And he certainly is a crook Cook. He makes a great pretence of science by reporting known facts but ignoring or leaving some things out. He then pretends that he has proven global warming. But his latest is a superb example of psychological projection. He takes some well-known examples of psychological defence mechanisms and purports to find examples of them among climate skeptics. But exactly those same mechanisms are common among Warmists. An excerpt: *I’... more »
When You Boil Milk - An Insight by M.N. Hopkins
*When you boil milk, the scum always rises to the top. Ponder this and consider the current state of leadership within education, health care, government, corporations and in fact, all institutions within our current human communities. One can remain in the black cauldron and allow the heat or great pressure put upon you to transform you into scum or become as the stream created which has the power to clean and/or eliminate the very scum created by the same boiling process. * *©** 2017 M.N. Hopkins*
A Conversation on How to Overcome the Divide & Rule Trap
I had the opportunity to recently talk to Freeman Fly for an hour about how stressed out and angry the American people are. So many of us allow ourselves to be victims of the elite's divide and conquer game where everyone's pigeonholed into some kind of divisive label hated by another group. America's polarization has only grown deeper and more extreme as we move further into the twenty-first century. Little do so many realize that we're being played and manipulated by the label makers who spend millions of dollars on think tanks whose job is to conjure up new and improved ways of d... more »
Physicians for Informed Consent Announces Inaugural Meeting & Luncheon
Physicians for Informed Consent Announces Inaugural Meeting & Luncheon Registration Now Open for Action-Packed Educational Conference 20% off code: XSB277L20 Register here. Los Angeles, Calif. — Physicians for Informed Consent (PIC), the newly formed nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding informed...
At least 188,000 urged to evacuate as concerns over California dam increase
By Paul Homewood http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/02/13/at-least-188000-urged-to-evacuate-as-concerns-over-california-dam-increase.html I reported on the problems with the emergency spillway at Oroville last week. Things have now taken a turn for the worse. From Fox: At least 188,000 people were asked to evacuate their homes in Northern California after authorities warned an emergency spillway in the country’s tallest dam […]
cairo: egyptian museum
We had our last breakfast looking out onto the Giza Plateau, and the massive, ancient, extraordinary pyramids. I loved the Egyptian breakfast, and I loved the scenery. We packed up, left our things with our wonderful hosts, and took a taxi to the Giza metro station, and then to the Sadat station on Tahrir Square. The Egyptian Museum is the most visited site in Cairo, and one of the most heavily visited sites in all of the Middle East. Every tour bus, every Nile cruise, every school group goes there. Almost everything that was excavated from the pyramids and ancient royal tombs and t... more »
Dietary Changes Now Proven to Effectively Treat Major Depression
The reality is that so called bad foods are also linked to inflammation and its diseases. this of course reinforces the finding here that a quality diet will promote a reduced risk of depression which is empirically linked to digestive issues. In fairness i think this applies to run of the mill low level depression and that is all the treatment it demands. However black depression or variation thereof is plausibly a different beast altogether. The take home though is to police up a great diet and get rid of all meds to see just what you do have. If it all goes away you ar... more »
Breatharianism: Science Examines People Who Claim Not to Eat & Here’s What They Found
When i first heard of this i was obviously dismissive as no plausible mechanism appeared besides fraud. That has changed now we understand the importance and information density of our spirit body. The spirit body should be quite able to supply energy to the physical body easily enough. Again it is about intent and plausibly some concentration. So that it has been demoed by adapts is no surprise. . Now we need to figure out how. *Breatharianism: Science Examines People Who Claim Not to Eat & Here’s What They Found* *By Waking Times Media* *Posted on February 4, 2017* *... more »
Experiment Shows What Moderate Alcohol Consumption Does to Your Health
This is not as coherent as i would like but the take home you should have is that a drinking session results in liver inflammation which is detected as liver stiffness. Not a good plan but healing would be relatively fast. What is certain is that you want to rest a couple of days before you repeat. Daily is a terrible idea and does lead to organ degeneration. I will not argue abstinence as no one will listen and it is also likely that one drink of red wine a day is beneficial. Mild liver irritation may well be a design feature that stimulate release of corrective healing agent... more »
More Scientific Proof To Refuse Vaccines
The mere fact that nano particle contamination is absent in veterinary vaccines is shocking and profoundly suspect. What is going on? Is this innocent at all? why do we not know anything about this? Why deliberately induce chronic low level inflammation at all and how much exposure is available environmentally anyway? I am not a fan of been paranoid, except that it has long been apparent that the whole industry has been shown to be seriously ethically challenged and that opportunity abounds. Certainly the whole concept of science has been put on its head in the drive to app... more »
Michael Jackson’s daughter just used the Grammys to protest the Dakota Access pipeline
Paris Jackson gives a shoutout to the protectors at the Dakota Access Pipeline NoDAPL at tonight's Grammys Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson’s daughter, used her moment introducing a performance by Daft Punk and The Weeknd at Sunday night’s Grammy awards to speak out against the Dakota Access pipeline. “We could use this kind of excitement at a pipeline protest,” Jackson said as the crowd cheered. “Hashtag no DAPL!” The moment, which came shortly after Jennifer Lopez opened the show by quoting Toni Morrison, was an early indication that the stars of the night were going to use whate... more »
Travel Ban
I've been quiet on the subject of the Trump Administration's executive order, requiring a temporary ban on people traveling from 7 countries where vetting (within those countries) is inadequate to identify terrorists. In the case of the countries in question, travel documents can be had in any name you decide on at the moment for a small fee. (In the case of Iran, it's a state-sponsor of terrorism and the nation will provide documentation to terrorists) Thus the Obama Administration and Congress stated concerns two years ago but did nothing. The Trump Administration wanted to halt t... more »
Douthat’s “How Populism Stumbles” and Frum’s “How To Build An Autocracy”
(I keep intending to return to my existential concerns about the meaning of life, but the troublesome situation in my home country keeps bringing me back to politics.) In today’s New York Times conservative columnist Ross Douthat penned, “How Populism Stumbles.” Douthat argues that movements like Trump’s fail because of bigotry, extremism and, especially, hubris. With this in mind Douthat dismisses my worries about authoritarianism:
Inciting Ukraine Against Russia
A video has surfaced online in which warmongers Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are caught meeting with the Ukraine military, encouraging them to launch an offensive against Russia and restart hostilities, all the while describing Russia as the “aggressor” that must “pay a heavier price.” Sen. Graham says, “Your fight is our fight, 2017 will be the year of offense. All of us will go back to Washington and we will push the case against Russia. Enough of a Russian aggression. It is time for them to pay a heavier price.“ John McCain was no less provocative: “... more »
Precipitation Misunderstandings
Originally posted on Science Matters: ? https://fabiusmaximus.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/california-drought.jpg A previous post on Temperature Misunderstandings addressed mistaken notions about the meaning of temperature measurements and records. This post looks at rainfall, the other primary determinant of climates. For this topic California provides the means for everyone to see how misconceptions arise, and how to see precipitation statistics…
California Drought Report #81: End to Permanent Drought?
Originally posted on Sierra Foothill Commentary: Larry Kummer at Fabius Maximus website: Summary: The “permanent drought” in California, like the now ended “permanent drought” in Texas, is ending. But like the panic about Texas, it is rich in lessons about our difficulty clearly seeing the world — and the futility of activists exaggerating and lying…
Trump’s Lawyers Unprepared For Muslim Ban
Donald Trump’s Justice Department has so far been very unprepared to defend his Muslim ban. Ana Kasparian, John Iadarola, and Jayar Jackson, the hosts of The Young Turks, tell you how the judges are responding.
The Problem with Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index
*February 13, 2017* (Joseph Thomas - NEO) - Transparency International puts out what it calls the "Corruption Perceptions Index." It is an annual index it claims "has been widely credited with putting the issue of corruption on the international policy agenda." These carefully selected words, taken at face value appear benign, even progressive. But upon digging deeper into this organisation's background it becomes clear that these "perceptions" are politically motivated, and the "international policy agenda" clearly favours a very specific region of the globe, particularly that re... more »
U.S. Navy Planning Fresh Challenges To China's Territorial Claims In The South China Sea
U.S. Navy Flickr *Navy Times:* *The Navy is planning fresh challenges to China's claims in the South China Sea* U.S. Navy and Pacific Command leaders want to ratchet up potentially provocative operations in the South China Sea by sailing more warships near the increasingly militarized man-made islands that China claims as sovereign territory, according to several Navy officials. The freedom of navigation operations, also known as FONOPS, could be carried out by ships with the San Diego-based Carl Vinson carrier strike group, which is in the Pacific Ocean heading toward the South ... more »
Passengers leave plane as pilot 'rants' about divorce and Trump per BBC News
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38948711 that: 'Passengers leave plane as pilot 'rants' about divorce and Trump United Airlines removed a pilot from a flight bound for San Francisco from Austin, Texas on Saturday after the pilot's behaviour alarmed passengers.' Unfortunately nobody is removing from the airwaves the BBC 'journalists' who are pushing an anti President Donald Trump agenda day after day after day.
Tweet For Today
Images of #DPRK "Pukguksong-2” missile launch in Monday editions of North Korean newspaper. pic.twitter.com/eYuVIQc0S4 — Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 13, 2017
This Is The Naval Fleet That The U.S. Needs
*Wryan Clark & Bryan McGrath, War on the Rocks: **A Guide to the Fleet the United States Needs* *Editor’s Note: The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) required the Department of Defense to conduct three studies of the future fleet platform architecture needed by the Navy in the 2030 timeframe. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) was selected to conduct one of the studies. The result is Restoring American Seapower by Bryan Clark, Bryan McGrath, Peter Haynes, Jesse Sloman, and Timothy Walton. Two of the authors – Bryan Clark and Bryan McGrath – prev... more »
Interim Storage Open-Air Parking Lots of High Level Nuclear Waste Risk Major Radioactive Leaks – Most Canister Systems Do Not Meet Standards: Made of Thin Steel; Neither Adequately Inspected Nor Adequately Monitored
Holtec Spent Fuel Casks at Diablo Canyon, California “The majority of current U.S. irradiated spent fuel storage facilities use thin-walled … Continue reading →
Defending Democracy from the Ivory Tower
What is the role of the academic in defending democracy at a moment like this? I am 46 years old and have lived through some politically searing moments in U.S. and world history, but the election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States feels different. It feels like an existential threat to world […]
Picture Of The Day
President Trump High-Fiving Japanese Prime Minister Abe. Twitter
Meanwhile, back in Ireland
We've gotten to another point where it's hard for me to turn on the TV. I know this will have to change, but for now I'll go back to one of my favorite topics, the fate of Ireland under austerity. As I suggested might happen, Ireland in its 2015-2016 immigration statistical year (May-April) was finally able to end its net emigration. According to the Central Statistical Office's August report, 3100 more people came to Ireland than left during 2015-2016. This was the first time since 2008-2009 that Ireland had net in-migration. Still, among the Irish themselves, net emigration contin... more »
Obama Should Have Pardoned Ed Snowden For Many Reasons-- Taking Him Out Of Putin's Hands Was One Big One
Friday evening we suggested-- tongue firmly in cheek-- not being mean to the brutal Russian dictator. Dictator and murderer. Many putatively-leftish intellectuals have felt some kind of naive kinship with Putin because he offered refuge to Ed Snowden. I have been grateful myself, though never for a moment childish enough to not understand that Putin's motives were anything but self-serving... generally the motivation for anything a head of state does. Putin's "generosity" towards Snowden was a way of sticking his thumb in Obama's eye while making himself look vaguely progressivish... more »
These Are The Top Lethal Stealth Weapons Of War
As storm clouds gather in the background multiple B-2 Spirit aircraft land for aircraft recovery Aug. 24, 2016 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The B-2s low-observable, or “stealth,” characteristics give it the ability to penetrate an enemy’s most sophisticated defenses and threaten its most-valued, heavily defended targets while avoiding adversary detection, tracking and engagement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jovan Banks) *Kyle Mizokami, Scout Warrior*:* 5 Most Lethal Stealth Weapons of War* *These are the best "unseen" military assets and not all are in the air.* Ste... more »
US Marine Captain: 'We Lost The Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan'
Sgt. Mark Fayloga/U.S. Marine Corps Photo *Capt Joshua Waddell, Marine Corps:* *Innovation; And other things that brief well* I am now thoroughly convinced there is something deeply wrong with the part of the Marine Corps occupying the I-95 corridor leading to the Pentagon. What has become painfully apparent to me is the drastic difference between the mindset of the Operating Forces and the Supporting Establishment. While I grant that, in the case of the former, the prospects of being shot, blown up, or otherwise extinguished tend to be wonderful motivators to constantly improve ... more »
NSA Contractor Has Been Indicted For Massive Breach Of U.S. Intelligence
*Business Insider*:* A former NSA contractor allegedly stole documents seemingly far more sensitive than anything Snowden made public* Former National Security Agency contractor Harold Martin allegedly stole documents that seem far more sensitive than what has come from the Snowden leaks. For more than two decades, Martin allegedly made off with highly-classified documents that were found in his home and car that included discussions of the US military's capabilities and gaps in cyberspace, specific targets, and "extremely sensitive" operations against terror groups, according to ... more »
US Sending A Dozen F-22 Raptor Fighers For A Training Mission In Australia
© REUTERS/ Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald *Sputnik*: *US Sending F-22 Raptor Jets on Training Mission to Australia* *The US Air Force is sending a dozen F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft to an air base in northern Australia to conduct joint exercise with the country’s combat units, the US Pacific Command (PACOM) announced on its web site.* WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — "Pacific Air Forces will send 12 F-22 Raptor aircraft and approximately 190 airmen to Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal in early February to conduct combined exercises and training missions with the Royal Australian Air For... more »
Hezbollah Leader Calls President Trump An 'Idiot'
Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, delivers a televised speech from the town of Baalbek, southern Lebanon, on February 12, 2017. *The Hill:* *Hezbollah leader: Having 'idiot' Trump in White House makes us optimistic* The leader of Lebanon’s Shiite militant group and political party Hezbollah said having an "idiot" in the White House makes the group optimistic, a reference to President Trump. "We are very optimistic that when an idiot settles in the White House and boasts about his idiocy, this is the beginning of relief for th... more »
X22Report, “Current Economic Collapse News Brief”
X22Report, “Current Economic Collapse News Brief” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbVMkz-MGOQ
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Full Circle”
- 2002, “Full Circle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H13jUHKAYU
5,000 people expected at NOI 9/11 truth event next Saturday
I will be speaking, along with Christopher Bollyn and Richard Gage, AIA, at "The War on Islam: 9/11 Revisited, Uncovered and Exposed" next Saturday, February 18th, at Cobo Hall D in Detroit, Michigan. This is the Plenary Session of the Nation of Islam's annual Saviors Day event. Roughly 5,000 people are expected to attend. More information HERE.
Massive Protests Continue In Romania
*New York Times*: *Anger and Mistrust Fuel Unabated Protests in Romania* BUCHAREST, Romania — Exactly one week after the largest protests in a quarter of a century rocked Romania, an estimated 70,000 demonstrators filled the square outside the main government building in Bucharest on Sunday evening, determined to show those in power that the crisis was far from over. While significantly less than the half a million who took to the streets across the country the previous Sunday, the Bucharest demonstration was still a potent sign of the resilient unrest in the country and the loss ... more »
U.S. Reaction To North Korea's Recent Missile Test
Passengers watch a TV screen broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, February 12, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji *Reuters:* *Few good options in Trump arsenal to counter defiant North Korea* Despite his campaign vows to take a tougher line with North Korea, President Donald Trump's restrained public reaction to Pyongyang's first ballistic missile launch on his watch underscores that he has few good options to curb its missile and nuclear programs. The responses under consideration ... more »
North Korea Claims Sunday's Ballistic Missile Test Was A 'Success'
*CNN*: *North Korea calls ballistic missile test-fire a success* (CNN)North Korea says it has successfully completed the launch of a new ballistic missile, according to state media. The Pukguksong-2, a medium long-range ballistic missile, was test fired on Sunday under the supervision of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, KCNA. South Korea and the United States confirmed the launch Sunday. A US official said the missile traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, and that i... more »
A Plea for Help?
I find it odd that California Governor, Jerry Brown, is asking for the federal government for help with global warming in light of the State Government's general defiance of federal law and the numerous threats to secede from the Union. It's very unlikely that the federal government will spend one thin dime on the train to nowhere project that is a pork-barrel favorite of California's Democrat caucus. Had Hillary won, there would have been borrowed money pouring in like the water that is pouring out of the damaged Oroville dam at the moment. How times have changed. (Breitbart) O... more »
Taiwan News #7: Water water....
One of my favorite topics: water policy... Elsewhere the waste continues. The water price for industrial users in Taiwan is NT$11 per cubic meter, unchanged for two decades. In 2015, in response to prolonged drought, the government meekly decided to campaign to reduce water use from 270 liters a day per person all the way to 250, but this was a voluntary program, not mandatory. By comparison, in the UK and Germany water use is already around 2/3 of that figure. The low water prices not only encourage waste, but as the EPA pointed out two years ago when it called for higher water pr... more »
Nicolai Gedda (1925-2017)
*10pm ET UPDATE: We have Yevgeny Onegin audio files!* *Anneliese Rothenberger and Nicolai Gedda as Constanzeand Belmonte in Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio,from the cover of their 1966 EMI recording* *MOZART: The Abduction from the Seraglio: Overture and Belmonte's entrance aria, "Hier soll ich dich denn sehen?"* *BELMONTE:* Here am I then to see you, Constanze -- you, my happiness? Let Heaven make it happen! Give me my peace back! I suffered sorrows, o Love, all too many of them. Grant me now in their place joys and bring me toward the goal. [aria at 4:35] *Nicolai Gedda (t)... more »
They are protectors: Ohio pipeline cannot built thanks to endangered bats
Opponents of a high-pressure natural gas pipeline expected to be built across the northern half of Ohio are clinging to the wings of a furry flier, the northern long-eared bat, in their efforts to at least delay the $2 billion project. The existence of the threatened species remains one of the impediments the partnership between Houston-based Spectra Energy and Detroit's DTE Energy face before receiving expected approval to build the 255-mile long NEXUS pipeline capable of transporting 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day from the shale fields of Appalachia into Michigan and Ontar... more »
Watch Northern Cree perform at Grammys 2017
Watch Northern Cree perform at Grammys 2017 Watch: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RTaGX1y0xj8 Or https://www.grammy.com/videos/northern-cree-carla-morrison-grammy-performance-cree-cuttin-and-un-beso# and http://rpm.fm/news/watch-northern-crees-incredible-performance-2017-grammys/ . Northern Cree said: Mîyo kekisepayaw nîtotemînanak! (Good Morning our fellow people) Everyday that the
On the Crazy Temperatures in Reactor 2
Blast from the past: Unit 2 was reported as potentially re-heating in February 2012 (link is active but content of article is no longer up): Fukushima's No. 2 reactor may be reheating. Japan today. Feb. 13, 2012 - 09:15AM JST http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/fukushimas-no-2-reactor-may-be-reheating [excerpted] "Temperature readings at one of the crippled Fukushima nuclear reactors have risen above Japan’s stringent new safety standard but there was no immediate danger, its operator said Sunday." I have been assuming that the spiking readings from unit 2 reported r... more »
Dangerous Texas High-Level Radioactive Waste Open-Air Parking Lot Dump – Public Hearings on Monday and Wednesday; Public Comment to March 13 – License Application
News Release from Public Citizen: “Jan. 30, 2017 License Application for Dangerous West Texas High-Level Radioactive Waste Dump Is Now … Continue reading →
What's At Stake In Battle For Al-Bab? Turkish/Syrian Cooperation
*Via the BBC: Fabrice Balanche: Washington Institute for Near East Policy* *Interesting? Share your thoughts.* *The Syrian town of al-Bab was rather insignificant until it emerged as a strategic stake between the Syrian president and his allies (Russia and Iran), Turkey, the Kurdish PYD (Democratic Union Party) and the so-called Islamic State group. Al-Bab was quickly occupied by rebels in spring 2012, and subsequently seized by IS during the winter of 2013-2014, which eliminated the other rebel factions. The town has since become an IS stronghold, home to many foreign jiha... more »
Edward Snowden: If We Are Going To Protect The Rights Of Anyone, We Have To Be Able To Protect The Rights Of Everyone
Dandelion Salad Edward Snowden talks about FBI’s COINTELPRO, CIA’s MK-ULTRA and Black Lives Matters acTVism Munich on Jan 17, 2017 In this interview with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden we talk about the history of intelligence agencies and some notable whistleblowers. *** Edward Snowden on Donald Trump, Obama’s Presidency, Activism & Liberty & his life in […]
"A Look to the Heavens"
“What will become of these galaxies? Spiral galaxies NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are passing dangerously close to each other, but each is likely to survive this collision. Typically when galaxies collide, a large galaxy eats a much smaller galaxy. In this case, however, the two galaxies are quite similar, each being a sprawling spiral with expansive arms and a compact core. As the galaxies advance over the next tens of millions of years, their component stars are unlikely to collide, although new stars will form in the bunching of gas caused by gravitational tides. *Click image for larger... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Restless Heart”
*“The Restless Heart”* by Chet Raymo “In ‘Letters to a Young Poet’, Rainer Maria Rilke writes: "We should try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue." To which I would add, let us trust the gifts that nature has given us- curiosity, attention, reason- and if our personal lives are destined for oblivion, then know that we have made of ordinary things something grander and more enduring. We are the transformers. We are bestowers of praise. "Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because ... more »
"The Truth Is..."
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." - M. Scott Peck
“Our Deepest Fear”
*“Our Deepest Fear”* “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of u... more »
FREE Download: Orison Swett Marden, "An Iron Will"
"An Iron Will" by Orison Swett Marden "Orison Swett Marden (1850 - 1924) was an American writer associated with the New Thought Movement. He also held a degree in medicine, and was a successful hotel owner. Marden was born in Thornton Gore, New Hampshire to Lewis and Martha Marden. When he was three years old, his mother died at the age of 22, leaving Orison and his two sisters in the care of their father, a farmer, hunter, and trapper. When Orison was seven years old, his father died from injuries incurred while in the wood, and the children were shuttled from one guardian to anot... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thanks for stopping by!
German Chancellor Merkel Now Offering Cash For Migrants To Leave
Syrian refugees arrive at the camp for refugees and migrants in Friedland, Germany April 4, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach *Daily Mail:* *Merkel offers cash handouts worth millions of pounds for migrants to return home in an embarrassing U-turn* * The German chancellor agreed measures to speed up deportation * An estimated 450,000 rejected migrants are set to be sent home * Scheme includes £76million of cash incentives to leave voluntarily Angela Merkel will offer cash handouts worth millions of pounds for migrants to leave Germany in an effort to silence criticism of her ‘open-door... more »
Alienating The Base-- A Tale Of Two Primaries... Arizona And New Jersey
*Many Arizona Republicans see Jeff Flake through this Alt-Fact lens* Arizona Senator Jeff Flake has a long history-- mostly in the House-- as a right-of-center conservative. His record is *very* conservative but, unlike so many of his colleagues, not unhinged or deranged. He's a Mormon and his very vocal opposition to Trump seems to have been based on the same sense of decency and deep-seated beliefs that most Mormon leaders expressed during the election. Trump did significantly worse in Mormon communities than other Republicans did. In 2004, George W Bush took 80% of the Mormon vot... more »
U.S. Vetoes U.N. High Post For Ex-Premier of ‘Palestine’
*New York The Sun*: *UN Erupts in an Uproar After Trump Vetoes High Post For Ex-Premier of ‘Palestine’* UNITED NATIONS — A new administration in disarray botches one of its first big moves, gets overruled, and then cries foul. Sounds familiar? Welcome to the United Nations under Secretary General Antonio Guterres. On Thursday, Mr. Guterres nominated a former Palestinian Authority prime minister, Salam Fayyad, to be the United Nations’ envoy in Libya. He asked for Security Council approval. On Friday, America’s new permanent representative at the UN, Ambassador Nikki Haley, uncerem... more »
Is the Corbyn Moment Over?
The seisometers are registering something. Is it a tremor triggered by the usual grumbles, or are the plates storing up a major event? This is the problem when it comes to analysing the travails of the Labour leadership. With the irreconcilables tactically and temporarily reconciled to the present state of affairs, the cracks are feeling their way across the Corbynist edifice. Clive Lewis had to resign his business brief after defying the three line whip to support the triggering of Article 50. Before David Davis assaulted her, Diane Abbott's migraines were the stuff of Westminster... more »
Poll: Canadians Favor Trudeau Over Trump By A Wide Margin
Trump’s overall approval rating among Canadian voters peaked at 28 per cent during the 10 days that Mainstreet polled, while 52 per cent of Canadians gave Trudeau a thumbs up for the job he is doing. National Post *National Post:* *Canadians deeply dislike Trump, but prefer him to Trudeau on economy, security: poll* OTTAWA — Despite deep overall disapproval of U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadians prefer Trump’s approach to managing the economy and national security over the approach of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to a poll taken on the eve of Trump’s inauguration. T... more »
CIA Publicly Honors Massive Terrorist State — Proving Whose Side They’re On
[image: CIA]A crown prince and heir to the throne in Saudi Arabia, which funds terrorism, just received a major counter-terrorism award from the CIA.
"If The Only Tool You Have..."
"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." – Abraham Maslow
"Good Example of Our Two-Movie Reality"
*"Good Example of Our Two-Movie Reality"* by Scott Adams "I have been saying since Trump’s election that the world has split into two realities– or as I prefer to say, two movies on one screen– and most of us don’t realize it. We’re all looking at the same events and interpreting them wildly differently. That’s how cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias work. They work together to create a spontaneous hallucination that gets reinforced over time. That hallucination becomes your reality until something changes. This phenomenon has nothing to do with natural intelligence. We like... more »
Plans Underway For The Liberation Of The Syrian City of Raqqa From The Islamic State
*Tim Lister, CNN*: *ISIS' enemies line up to take Raqqa, but when -- and how?* (CNN)The "caliphate" declared by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) will lose its last two cities of any consequence -- Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria -- within months, according to the senior U.S. general in the region. Speaking on a tour north of Baghdad this week, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, said the next phase of the Iraqi military operation to take Mosul will get underway imminently. The city of some 300,000 inhabitants is ISIS' administrative h... more »
Turkey's President Erdogan Says The End Goal For The Turkish Military In Syria Is The Capture Of Raqqa
*Reuters*: *Erdogan says end goal of Turkish operation in Syria is Raqqa* President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the final goal of a Turkish incursion into Syria was not just to retake the city of al-Bab from Islamic State, but to cleanse a border region including Raqqa of the jihadists. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are pressing a major offensive on al-Bab, 30 km (20 miles) south of the Turkish border. The advance risks putting them in direct conflict with Syrian government forces who are closing in on the city from the south. "The ultimate goal is to cleanse a 5,000-square-km ar... more »
The Next Phase Of Terrorism Will Involve Drones
*Scott Stewart, Fabius Maximus:* *Stratfor looks at the next phase of terrorism: ISIS drones* *Summary: Stratfor looks at the videos of ISIS using drones and discusses their potential applications of this new weapon. Will we see ISIS drones in the skies of America? * The Islamic State is taking to the skies as the fight for Mosul wears on. Over the past several weeks, the extremist group has been flaunting its use of unmanned aerial vehicles against Iraqi army and Kurdish forces in and around the city. Propaganda videos feature dramatic aerial footage of the precision attacks, an... more »
The Alexander Lapshin Case: Extradited and Imprisoned in Azerbaijan over Telling the Truth about Nagorno-Karabakh
Until a few weeks ago no one in North America even heard of journalist-blogger Alexander Lapshin. He lives primarily in Moscow but as a Russian-Israeli-Ukrainian citizen possessing three passports, Lapshin is a globetrotter who writes a blog called “Life Adventures” for the popular travel website LiveJournal. In Russia his on the road stories to off the beaten path, unusual places around the world (122 in all) have generated quite a following for their colorful and humorous portrayal of life as a foreign tourist visiting various diverse cultures and locations. But the 40-year old L... more »
The Utter Irrelevance of the "Balance of Trade"
*No concept in international economics – indeed, perhaps no concept in all of economics – is as prodigious a source of confusion and plunderous policy as is that of the so-called “trade deficit,” observes Don Boudreaux in this guest post. Or as irrelevant…* In Chapter 6 of Frédéric Bastiat‘s indispensable collection entitled *Economic Sophisms,* Bastiat takes on the fascination with the balance of trade – and the lunacy of the person or politician who believes “if France gives ten in order to receive fifteen, it loses five; and it is quite plain that [the politician] would draf... more »
Islamic State Chemical Weapons Chief Assassinated In Mosul
CHEMICAL WEAPONS: ISIS have used chlorine laden shells in its war in Iraq. Reuters *Iraqi News*: *Islamic State chlorine bomb expert mysteriously killed in western Mosul* Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) An Islamic State militant, the group’s chlorine bombs expert, was killed mysteriously in western Mosul as the group builds up defenses anticipating a security offensive. Reports quoted a local source in Nineveh as saying that the so-nicknamed Abu Yaha al-Iraqi, 44, was killed near his residence in Islah al-Zeraie district in “mysterious circumstances”. He was referred to as the “engineer”... more »
THE REAL REASON REPUBLICANS WANT TO PULL THE PLUG ON...
Robert Reich - 1 day ago
*THE REAL REASON REPUBLICANS WANT TO PULL THE PLUG ON OBAMACARE* Don’t be fooled by Trump’s and Republican promises to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. They could repeal it, but they can’t and won’t replace it. They’ve tried for years to come up with a replacement that keeps at least as many people covered. Their “replacement” never appears. So why do Republicans want to repeal Obamacare and leave millions without insurance? Because it would mean a huge tax windfall for the wealthy. Repealing Obamacare will put an average of $33,000 of tax cuts in the hands of the richest 1 perce... more »
What Is President Trump's Plan For Afghanistan?
*Military Times:* *Before there's another surge in Afghanistan, Mattis and his general need to meet* Any plans to send additional American and NATO troops to Afghanistan won't take shape before Defense Secretary Jim Mattis meets with his European counterparts and the war's top commander, the Pentagon said Friday. Those talks are scheduled to begin on Wednesday and Thursday in Brussels, a week after Army Gen. John Nicholson told Senate lawmakers that the 15-year conflict had reached a "stalemate." Thousands of additional military personnel would be needed, Nicholson said, if the co... more »
Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 12, 2017
*New York Times*: *NATO Checking Claim that U.S. Airstrikes Killed 22 Afghan Civilians* KABUL, Afghanistan — The NATO mission in Afghanistan has opened a preliminary investigation into claims that more than 20 civilians were killed in recent American airstrikes in the southern province of Helmand, military officials said Saturday. Elders from the Sangin district, the scene of heavy fighting in recent weeks, with the Taliban blowing up Afghan Army posts there, have said that multiple American airstrikes early Friday morning killed at least 22 civilians, including several women and... more »
Free Planet - how does my vision - differ from yours?
I am Mike Philbin, and Free Planet is my original idea. *Am I sure that Free Planet is my original idea? * Of course, I am, as all ideas are 'original ideas' ... ya know, is anything (really) original? Aren't we all components of the same living machine? Reflections of the shattered hologram? I realise I'm going to have to put together an updated youtube video along Free Planet lines, but for now it's a text thing. Let's see what happens in this (our) world... How is my idea of Free Planet any different from your idea of Free Planet? This place you're living in now. It's not a Free ... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Poco, “Rose of Cimarron
Poco, “Rose of Cimarron - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiDNlCyHp0I
Greg Hunter, Catherine Austin Fitts: "Empire Strikes Back on Trump"
*"Empire Strikes Back on Trump"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Investment advisor says the oligarch, or establishment class, is on the attack. She calls this latest chapter in the Trump Administration “The Empire Strikes Back.” Fitts explains, “Number one, Trump came into Washington with an agenda that would really make America great again: tax reform, regulatory relief, infrastructure and Obama Care. Immediately, he got bogged down in those for a variety of reasons. If you look at Congress’s constituents, they can’t make money solving those things, particularly if it helps reg... more »
The Six-Month Cycle Of The Experimental Physicist
Every year, at about this time, the level of activity of physicists working in experimental collaborations at high-energy colliders and elsewhere increases dramatically. We are approaching the time of "winter conferences", so called in order to distinguish them from "summer conferences". During winter conferences, which take place between mid-February and the end of March in La Thuile, Lake Louise, and other fashionable places close to ski resorts, experimentalists gather to show off their latest results. The same ritual repeats during the summer in a few more varied locations arou... more »
Are Ukraine's Leaders Giving Up On Reuniting The Country?
The Economist: *Ukraine’s leaders may be giving up on reuniting the country* *Reintegrating Donbas is starting to look like a Russian trap.* FROM her roadside stall in eastern Ukraine, Svetlana Tsymbal watches the cars creep past the Mayorsk checkpoint. This used to be a peaceful provincial highway. Now it is a border crossing at the front line of a conflict that has left some 10,000 people dead. Parents return home “to the other side” after visiting children. Pensioners cross to receive payments on Ukrainian-held territory. Traders lug supplies and sometimes contraband back and fo... more »
DAVID ROSE: How can we trust global warming scientists if they keep twisting the truth
By Paul Homewood http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4216180/How-trust-global-warming-scientists-asks-David-Rose.html? David Rose follows up his story from last week: They were duped – and so were we. That was the conclusion of last week’s damning revelation that world leaders signed the Paris Agreement on climate change under the sway of unverified and questionable data. A landmark scientific paper –the […]
Is There A Role For Government In Fighting The Latest World Wide Right-Wing Scourge: Fake News
The *Washington Post* recently defined fake news as "deliberately constructed lies, in the form of news articles, meant to mislead the public." Last month California Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez-- currently running for the open L.A. congressional seat Xavier Bacerra left to become state Attorney General-- introduced a bill in Sacramento to empower educators to help school children understand the difference between actual news and Trump's and Putin's Alt-News, i.e., fake news. Some right-wing hack in a bowtie on Fox-- Tucker Carlson I think-- had a meltdown over it. After all, if people... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
Was mentioned in “ISIS executes 5 civilians in western Mosul for fleeing” by Rudaw. Was also cited in "Bataille de Mossoul: Comment Daech A Perdu La Partie Est De La Ville Au Prix De Rudes Combats" in France Soir.
Survey Finds Internet In Iraq Reinforces Sectarian Views
In 2015 during the Shiite pilgrimages of Arabeen to the shrine city of Karbala a group of researches from the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) interviewed 1,668 Iranians and 2,410 Iraqis. One of the things they were asked about was where they got their news from, and how it affected their views. The vast majority of Iraqis, 89.7% got their news from TV. 69.9% said they received their information from friends and family. 48.5% read the Internet, 27.2% received it from their mosque, 9.5% read newspapers and magazines, and 8.4% listened to the radio. Social media and Inte... more »
Mosul Campaign Day 117, Feb 11, 2017
It turns out yesterday’s violence was even worse than initially reported. Instead of one there were actually three car bombs in east Mosul. Those resulted in 15 deaths and 9 wounded. On February 11 two suicide bombers were killed. Even though fighting is over in east Mosul the insurgents continue to take a heavy toll on civilians in the liberated areas. Army Chief of Staff General Othman al-Ghanemi claimedthat it would take 30 days to eliminate all the sleeper cells. The security forces (ISF) are conducting sweeps through neighborhoods, and extra units have been sent in to help. E... more »
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - David Suzuki discusses the merits of a four-day work week in improving both working and living conditions: It’s absurd that so many people still work eight hours a day, five days a week — or more — with only a few weeks’ vacation a year, often needing two incomes to support a household. Our economic system was developed when resources seemed plentiful if not inexhaustible, and physical infrastructure was lacking. We need an overhaul to meet today’s conditions rather than those that existed decades ago when we were unaware of many of the pot... more »
With the Brexit, with Donald Trump, with the new missile test in Korea...
Though I remain a fan of Paddy O'Connell's *Broadcasting House *and enjoy hearing the occasional contributions of sound recordist Chris Watson, Paddy's 'slow radio' theme (featuring Mr Watson) has a very 'BBC' undercurrent to it: The news at the moment is so awful (Brexit, Trump, etc), so wouldn't it be lovely to escape from it for a minute or so and listen to the sounds of a Finnish lake instead? Paddy gave that recurring *BH *theme a classic, sighing statement this morning: With the Brexit, with Donald Trump, with the new missile test in Korea, with...I can get updates even w... more »
CNN Caught ‘Reminding’ ‘Objective’ Audience Members What Debate Questions to Ask
[image: cnn]A recently surfaced photo purports to show the questions given to presidential candidates during town halls were pre-selected by CNN.
Is President Trump's Policy For Better Relations With Russia The Right One?
A woman passes a billboard showing a pictures of US president-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Danilovgrad, Montenegro, November 16, 2016. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic *Lawrence Solomon, National Post*:* Trump is right to warm to Putin. Russia, U.S. are more naturally friends than enemies* President Trump wants to hit it off with Vladimir Putin, hoping to make Russia a friend of the United States. He’s right to try. Contrary to the common perception that Russia is a natural enemy of the U.S., Russia is a natural friend . There’s no reason to believe they can’t... more »
President Trump Did Not Back Down To China
A combination of file photos showing Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) at London's Heathrow Airport, October 19, 2015 and U.S. President Donald Trump posing for a photo in New York City, U.S., May 17, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville/Lucas Jackson/File Photos *Harry Kazianis, RCW*: *No, Trump Did Not Back Down From China* Have you ever seen a boxer get knocked out in a fight before the bell even rang? If you follow the rush-to-judgement analysis coming out of some outlets when it comes to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Friday-night chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping, you might belie... more »
The lowest form of wit?
Mark Mardell was in sarky form today. In his introduction to *The World This Weekend*, he played a clip of Donald Trump saying that the US would stand behind its "great ally" Japan "100%" and then asked, "What does a 100% policy look like?". And, later, introducing a section on "platinum-haired" Geert Wilders, he began, "A questionable hairstyle and blunt views on Islam might turn out to be a winning election combination over here as well as over there". *Update*: In his preview on *Broadcasting House*, MM said Mr Wilders "was attacking Islam and having a dodgy hairstyle before ... more »
Sunday
My old reviews of Radio 4's *Sunday *sometimes used to quote the *Spectator*'s Damian Thompson saying "Radio 4's *Sunday* programme offers perhaps the most undiluted liberal bias to be found anywhere on the BBC", and I'd often note the programme's heavy tendency to make certain types of campaign the starting point for its discussions. Today's edition, for example, had sections on (a) a campaign to challenge the government's handling of the arrival of "unaccompanied child refugees from Europe" (by people who want the government to bring in *more* migrant children), (b) a campaign ... more »
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