Thursday, May 25, 2017

25 May - Blogs I'm Following 2 of 2

11:30 pm MDT

World News Briefs -- May 25, 2017

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
*DW*: *Trump calls on NATO members to contribute 'their fair share'* *US President Donald Trump has once again urged NATO members to pay more, saying 2 percent of GDP was the miniumum. Earlier, EU officials seemed assured that Trump had reversed some of his criticism of the bloc.* US President Donald Trump on Thursday repeated calls for members of the NATO military alliance to pay more, saying that payments must make up for "the years lost." Speaking in Brussels at his first NATO summit, Trump said 23 of the 28 NATO allies owed "massive amounts of money" and that this was "not fai... more »

The UN Founding and Founders

William F. Jasper at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: the-un-founding-and-founders] Most people believe that the United Nations was started with the high ideal of preventing war, but it was started as a seed that could be grown into world government.

VIDEO: Cop Body Slams Handcuffed 13yo Boy, Breaking His Teeth & Nose

Jack Burns at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
A Clearwater Florida police officer has been fired for slamming a handcuffed 13-year-old boy to the ground, breaking his nose and chipping his teeth.

UK Intel Warned About Manchester Bomber TWICE, Did Nothing to Stop Him

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: terrorist]British authorities, including MI5, were notified about the terrorist intentions of Salman Abedi on multiple occasions and they did nothing to stop it.

President Trump Isn't Budging on NATO

Nikolas K. Gvosdev at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Nikolas K. Gvosdev* *Security, Europe* [image: Closing ceremony for Iron Sword 2014 in Pabrade, Lithuania. Flickr/U.S. Army Europe] Trump’s priorities won’t be well received by allies to the north or east—though members in the Mediterranean may think differently. Donald Trump will not be handled, interpreted or managed. That is the first conclusion I drew after his appearance at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Thursday. In the run-up to his first direct, face-to-face encounters with the other leaders who make up the Euro-Atlantic alliance, the U.S.... more »

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Soon to Be Armed with AIM-9X Missile and JDAM

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * The AIM-9X missile, which can also be fired at surface-to-air and air-to-surface, is currently in use on a number of existing fighter aircraft such as the Air Force’s F-15E and F-16 and the Navy’s F-18 Super Hornet. The Air Force expects to operationalize the F-35’s latest “3F” software iteration by October or September of this year, a development which will integrate additional technology and equip the stealth aircraft with a wider range of weapons such as the Small Diameter Bomb and AIM-9X, service leaders said. After experiencing some challenges du... more »

Manchester Terrorist May Have Made His Own Bomb

Russ Read at The National Interest - 12 hours ago
*Russ Read* *Security, Europe* The bomb appears to have been expertly made. It included metal nuts, nails and other forms of shrapnel included to ensure maximum damage to human targets. The tactic is common among jihadi groups. The terrorist responsible for Monday’s bombing of Manchester Arena may have made the bomb he used to kill 22 and injure approximately 116 others, according to a Reuters report published Thursday. Some British authorities were concerned that Salman Abedi had worked with a bomb maker who was still on the loose, but a source with knowledge of the ongoing inv... more »

Risking Mammon's Wrath

Alfred Lehmberg at alienviews - 12 hours ago
*.* Mine's a *strident* little station who would dare to speak to you; to step out on the world stage with *ethos*, *heart*, and *clue*. To break from "comfy cover," for to play the *real *blues. To risk the wrath of Mammon for a heartfelt *Alien View*. *.* I know the message "should" be pleasant... so "the horror" fades from sight. You'd have your "warm and fuzzies" in a "lifestyle" clean and bright. ...Though where's an even break for those who fight a "*straight-up*" fight? They'd have "warmth" plus "satisfaction," too, terror *absent *in their night. *.* My "program" plays the ... more »

All-Electric Air Travel Is Not an Impossible Dream

Gaius Publius at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
*A brief 2015 video report from the WSJ about the Airbus all-electric airplane, the **E-Fan. Airbus is not the only company doing this. Go here for an interesting video about Pipistrel's electric plane.* *by Gaius Publius* A brief follow-up to our recent piece on the coming death of Big Oil as a business (see "The Dying Fossil Fuel Industry"). One argument against the demise of Big Oil is that "there will always be a need for oil, somewhere." The most often-used examples for "somewhere" are in the global transportation industries — air travel and international shipping. We've look... more »

The conversation we need to be having as a country in order to prevent further terror attacks [OPINION]

Ed Sykes at The Canary - 12 hours ago
After horrific terrorist attacks, many of us rightly ask ‘how can we feel safe again?’ And that’s a complex conversation that we desperately need to have. Below are several key factors, on both national and international fronts, that Britain needs to consider in order to protect civilians effectively in the future. 1) Foreign policy One major factor […] The post The conversation we need to be having as a country in order to prevent further terror attacks [OPINION] appeared first on The Canary.

80,000 people join call for Manchester to ban The Sun for its appalling response to the concert bombing [IMAGES]

Kerry-anne Mendoza at The Canary - 12 hours ago
The city of Liverpool has boycotted The Sun newspaper since the Hillsborough disaster, after a front page and editorial which blamed the 96 deaths on Liverpool fans. It took 27 years and a public inquiry to set the record straight. In the wake of the 22 May Manchester bombing, The Sun has provoked the city of Manchester […] The post 80,000 people join call for Manchester to ban The Sun for its appalling response to the concert bombing [IMAGES] appeared first on The Canary.

In just one article, Sky News raised its pro-Theresa May propaganda level to ‘critical’

Steve Topple at The Canary - 12 hours ago
An article from Sky News Chief Political Correspondent John Craig has taken the meaning of ‘propaganda’ to a whole new level. Because it is nothing short of an ode to Prime Minister Theresa May. Even though the Conservatives have suspended general election campaigning. “Dramatic” Craig was analysing the PM’s response to the Manchester bombing on 23 May. […] The post In just one article, Sky News raised its pro-Theresa May propaganda level to ‘critical’ appeared first on The Canary.

Don’t look out the window, Theresa May. You won’t like what’s going on in Wales

Jessica Gay at The Canary - 12 hours ago
Wales has traditionally been a stronghold for the Labour Party. But in recent years, the Conservative Party has developed a following, with 2015 being its best general election in decades — winning 11 of the 40 Welsh seats. But the party’s ratings have taken a nose-dive in Wales, according to recent polls. And after the release of the […] The post Don’t look out the window, Theresa May. You won’t like what’s going on in Wales appeared first on The Canary.

The Daily Mail’s response to the Manchester attack was even worse than The Sun’s [IMAGE]

Tracy Keeling at The Canary - 12 hours ago
The Sun is facing calls for a boycott in Manchester after its despicable response to the attack there on 22 May. But The Daily Mail sank even lower than The Sun in the next day’s paper. Exploiting attacks The Mail is among the rags that claim to love the country, and the people in it. But […] The post The Daily Mail’s response to the Manchester attack was even worse than The Sun’s [IMAGE] appeared first on The Canary.

The Court of Appeal just ruled that Theresa May broke the law. But the media are barely reporting it.

Emily Apple at The Canary - 12 hours ago
On 25 May 2017, the Court of Appeal ruled that Theresa May acted unlawfully when she was Home Secretary. And with just over two weeks to go until the general election, these findings are another blow to the Prime Minister. But despite the ruling, the media are barely reporting the story. The case In 1998, 75 people […] The post The Court of Appeal just ruled that Theresa May broke the law. But the media are barely reporting it. appeared first on The Canary.

A member of the public left a BBC presenter stunned after taking apart one of the government’s most controversial policies [VIDEO]

Steve Topple at The Canary - 12 hours ago
A BBC journalist got some answers he wasn’t expecting when he interviewed a member of the public about the Manchester bombing. But the man didn’t hold back when it came to his views on one of the government’s most controversial policies. Combating radicalisation? ‘Prevent’ [pdf] is the government’s counter-extremism and anti-radicalisation programme. It aims to [pdf […] The post A member of the public left a BBC presenter stunned after taking apart one of the government’s most controversial policies [VIDEO] appeared first on The Canary.

Cluster Bomb Manufacturing Investment - How Canadian Corporations Make Money off Human Suffering

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 12 hours ago
*Cluster Bombs - How they work and the* *Damage They're DESIGNED TO DO* *PAX*, an international foundation for Peace- has just come out with an update on a concern it has been reporting on since 2009...what corporations from what countries are investing in the Cluster Bomb Industry. Yes, it is an industry and some "humans" are getting very wealthy designing and manufacturing evil implements of war that instantaneously tear people apart. These bombs explode into tiny shrapnel fragments that scatter at tremendous speed, tearing limbs from bodies and heads from torsos. That is what... more »

Unspun: Robin S Eubanks "Education and Personalized Learning"

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
Of course the presentation of Education and Personalized Learning has nothing to do with reality of this type of *"learning"* *Personalized learning* is more about altering your child's unique personal values at neural levels and shape them to better produce conforming, compliant unthinking reactive adult- Creating irrationality. *Disgraceful.* *Robin's website, started in 2012, is Invisible Serfs Collar* *This interview is a definite partner to the earlier post:* iMinds: Total Technology and Human Evolution- Mari Swingle

The west accepted Salafist “refugees” for decades, now it’s paying the price

Andrew Korybko at The Duran - 12 hours ago
There is no greater structural threat to a secular Muslim-majority country than Salafists, which is why the West welcomed those “fleeing” from the “political and religious repression” in their homelands in order to weaponize them for future Hybrid War use. The post The west accepted Salafist “refugees” for decades, now it’s paying the price appeared first on The Duran.

Trump to NATO: Pay up or shut up (VIDEO)

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 12 hours ago
The speech was deeply critical of NATO's European members. The post Trump to NATO: Pay up or shut up (VIDEO) appeared first on The Duran.

US Army ‘Lost’ $1 BILLION in Weapons and Vehicles in Iraq, No Media Coverage

The Free Thought Project at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: weapons]A newly released audit from the Department of Defense shows the Pentagon doesn't know what happened to more than $1 billion in arms and equipment in Iraq

WATCH: Cop Pulls Gun on Innocent 14yo Girl – Not Even Suspended

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
A cop was recorded on video pulling his service pistol on an unarmed innocent 14-year-old girl in a fit of rage, and he's yet to even be suspended.

What they really really want

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 13 hours ago
Psssst. Pass the word to the BBC. (Does Theresa May watch the BBC?) Anyway, it’s not much of a secret. Islamists are quite clear about what they want. In the immortal words of a baffled Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean Of Westminster, responding to Khalid Masood's act of Jihad on Westminster bridge: ‘What could possibly motivate a man to hire a car and take it from Birmingham to Brighton to London, and then to drive it fast at people he had never met, couldn’t possibly know, against whom he had no personal grudge, no reason to hate them, and then run at the gates of the Palace of ... more »

Bureau nominated for two prestigious data journalism awards

Miriam Wells at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism - 13 hours ago
A major investigation in Pentagon Iraq propaganda and an app for exploring our drone war data have been internationally recognised.

In response to increased pressure over Russian investigations Donald Trump starts to assemble a "war room." and hire outside legal team.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 13 hours ago
Courtesy of Politico: *The White House is looking to wall off the scandals threatening to overtake the president’s agenda by building a separate crisis management operation. * *President Donald Trump personally reached out to two of his former campaign aides – his first campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and his deputy campaign manager, David Bossie – to sound them out about working with the administration as crisis managers, according to two people familiar with the situation. POLITICO previously reported that both men were spotted in the West Wing last week, before Trump depa... more »

FLYNN FACTS: The New York Times slips and slides down a slope!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017Part 3—Puts Flynn "on the Turkish payroll:"* Just last evening, we were surprised by what we heard at the start of The Eleventh Hour. Brian Williams, our dapper host, started his first panel discussion by throwing to Glenn Thrush of the New York Times. The fellows shared the type of towel-snapping banter which sends a warning to sensible people. "Warning," such repartee says. "You may be getting played:" WILLIAMS (5/24/17): Glenn, we'll start with you. Tell us about what your colleagues have written tonight on Russia, and why it's important, while I take a ... more »

تخبط سياسي وإعلامي وتبادل اتهامات بالتآمر بين قطر والسعودية

Shady Azar at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
بعد مرور ساعات على نشر صحيفة “عكاظ” السعودية خبرا حول لقاء قطري إيراني سري في بغداد، ردت قناة “الجزيرة” بتقرير عن سجون إماراتية سرية في اليمن. وكانت “عكاظ” قد تحدثت عن لقاء عقده وزير الخارجية القطري محمد بن عبد الرحمن آل ثاني في مقر إقامته في بغداد، مع قائد فيلق القدس في الحرس الثوري الإيراني […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

البابا لزوجة ترامب: ماذا تطعمين زوجك؟

Shady Azar at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
علّق بابا الفاتيكان فرانسيس على بدانة الرئيس الأمريكي دونالد ترامب متسائلا عما تطعمه له زوجته. وتوجه البابا فرانسيس إلى ميلانيا ترامب زوجة الرئيس الأمريكي بالقول ماذا تطعميه؟ بوتيتسيا، أليس كذلك؟وأجابت ميلانيا ضاحكة :”بوتيتسيا ! نعم! ” وسط ضحكات ترامب والبابا خلال زيارة الرئيس الأمريكي إلى الفاتيكان. وبوتيتسيا هو كعك يحوي سعرات حرارية عالية وهو من […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

VIDEO: Syrian Army liberates key town south of Palmyra under helicopter escort

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:00 P.M.) – After rolling back a massive ISIS salient southwest of Palmyra on Thursday morning, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) pushed further south and reached the rebel-held desert town of Ulaniyah. Facing superior numbers and firepower, the Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) Osoud Al-Sharqiya withdrew from the town after brief skirmishes with government […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Ejército Sirio aprieta la soga sobre ISIS en el este de Alepo

Felipe Ramírez at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Las fuerzas del gobierno sirio continúan su operación militar buscando rodear el último reducto del Estado Islámico en la provincia de Alepo. Así, el día de hoy tropas sirias respaldadas por potentes ataques aéreos sirios y rusos, liberaron numerosas villas de manos de los terroristas incluyendo al-Bouajouz, Qasr al-Bouajouz, Kharab al-Khadhraf y la “Granja Cuatro”, al […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

ISIS loses ground in Syrian Desert as Syrian Army advances

Zen Adra at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (5:35 P.M.) – The race to control the expanse of the Syrian Desert heats up as the Syrian forces continue to recapture more land amid massive ISIS collapse. Earlier today, the Syrian Army and allied forces liberated a massive chunk of mountainous territories located to the southwest of Palmyra after a massive withdrawal […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Kuzey Humus’ta 150’den fazla cihatçı silah bırakarak Suriye ordusuna teslim oldu

Eren Dalkesen at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Humus şehrinin kuzeyinde, Suriye ordusu tarafından yıllardır kuşatılmış olan cihatçıların bir kısmı teslim oldu. Suriye Arap Haber Ajansı’nın(SANA) haberine göre; Telbise, Hula ve Rastan kasabalarında bulunan en az 155 militan, hükümet güçlerine teslim oldu. Teslim olan militanların tamamının aftan yararlanacakları ve savaş öncesi yaşamlarına dönmeleri için gereken koşulların sağlanacağı bildirildi. Suriye Arap Ordusu; Türkiye, Rusya […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Filipinler ordusundan Maravi’de IŞİD’e hava harekatı

Emre Köse at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Filipinler hava kuvvetleri, Maravi kentinin büyük bir kısmını ele geçiren IŞİD bağlantılı gruplara karşı hava harekatı başlattı. Filipinler ordusu ve polis güçlerinin Maravi kentindeki operasyonları sürerken kentteki birçok hükümet binası IŞİD’in kontrolünde bulunuyor. Öte yandan, IŞİD’in kentte bulunan bir silah dükkanından onlarca silah ve mühimmat ele geçirdiği ve limanın büyük bir kısmında kontrolü ele aldığı bildiriliyor. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Cihatçılar Dera’da ilan edilen güvenli bölgede Suriye ordusuna karşı ilerliyor

Umut Õzil at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Cihatçıların devam eden taarruzu ve buna cevap olarak Suriye hava kuvvetlerinin saldırıları Dera’da ateşkesi anlamsız kılmışa benziyor. Hayat Tahrir El-Şam (HTS) ve Özgür Suriye Ordusu (ÖSO) kaynaklarına göre cihatçılar çarşamba günü Menşiye mahallesinde 34 binayı ele geçirmeyi başardılar. Cihatçıların ele geçirdiğini iddia ettiği alanın haritası: Buna ek olarak HTŞ’nin iddiasına göre cihatçı örgütün elit birimi […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Filipinler ordusunun Maravi’de başlattığı operasyonlar neticesinde 13 IŞİD militanı öldürüldü

Emre Köse at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
IŞİD, geçtiğimiz gün Filipinler’de Maravi kentini tamamen ele geçirmişti. Bu olay üzerine Filipinler ordusu, kente yönelik bir dizi operasyon başlatarak kentteki Amai Papak hastanesi ve Dansalan Koleji’ni geri almayı başardı. Kentte süren yoğun çatışmalar neticesinde 13 IŞİD militanının ve 7 Filipinli askerin hayatını kaybettiği bildirildi. Bunun yanı sıra Filipinler ordusunun 120 rehineyi de kurtardığı kaydedildi. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Palmira yakınlarında IŞİD’e taarruz başlatan Suriye ordusu, devasa bir alanı kontrol altına aldı (Harita+Video)

Eren Dalkesen at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
3 gün önce Palmira şehrinin güneybatısı ve Karyateyn’in doğusundaki dağlardan eş zamanlı olarak taarruza geçen ordu birlikleri; bugün yaklaşık 1400 kilometrekarelik bir alanda kontrolü sağlamayı başardı. Önceki gün Barda köyü ve çevresindeki dağlarda kontrolü sağlayan Suriye ordusu ve müttefikleri, bugün hızlı bir hücumla Huneyfis, Busira,Savana kasabalarıyla birlikte onlarca dağ ve tepeyi IŞİD’den temizledi. 3 gün […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Kurdish forces liquidate two ISIS pockets on both sides of Raqqa city

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:00 P.M.) – US allies are making significant territorial progress on the outskirts of the Islamic State capital as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) annihilated two ISIS enclaves in the countryside of Raqqa on Wednesday. Targeting an isolated ISIS-held area on the Euphrates River between Taqba and Raqqa, the SDF – backed by […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Масштабная контртеррористическая операция против ИГ проходит на юге Филиппин

Ivan Castro at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
В четверг Военно-воздушные Силы Филиппин нанесли свыше десятка точечных авиаударов по кварталам города Марави на острове Минданао, захваченным боевиками джихадистских группировок “Абу Сайяф” и “Мауте”, присягнувших на верность “Исламскому государству”. Наряду с этим, части 1-й пехотной дивизии и 103-й бригады армии Филиппин совместно со спецподразделениями и частями военной полиции развернули в городе масштабную контртеррористическую операцию, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian Army tightens the noose around ISIS in east Aleppo

Zen Adra at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (3:30 P.M.) – Syrian government forces continue their military operation aimed at encircling the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Aleppo province. Today, government troops, backed by heavy Syrian and Russian airstrikes, recaptured several villages from ISIS, including al-Bouajouz, Qasr al-Bouajouz, Kharab al-Khadhraf and the “Fourth Farm” located to the west of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Philippine Air Force launches fresh strikes on Marawi in bid to defeat ISIS rebellion

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (3:00 P.M.) – On Thursday, the Philippine Air Force conducted over a dozen pinpoint sorties across three ISIS-held neighborhoods of Marawi after jihadists captured most of the city in a remarkable coup by the ISIS-linked groups Abu Sayyaf and Maute on Tuesday. Meanwhile, ground units of the 1st Infantry Division, 103rd Brigade, special […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Сирийская армия совершила удачный танковый прорыв обороны ИГ на востоке Хомса

Ivan Castro at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
В четверг утром механизированные части Сирийской Арабской Армии зачистили от боевиков террористической группировки “Исламское государство” обширную территорию к юго-западу от пальмиры, по сути полностью вытеснив джихадистов из “кармана” к востоку от преимущественно христианского города Карьятейн. Развивая успех, достигнутый за предыдущие двое суток, правительственные войска овладели целым рядом важных объектов и пунктов, в том числе посёлком […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 25, 2017

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*BBC:* *Trump Nato: Leaders gather for 'tough' talks on defence spending* Leaders of the Nato military alliance are gathering in Brussels to meet President Donald Trump for what the US says will be "very tough" talks. Mr Trump is expected to press members to pay their full financial share of the alliance's costs. The alliance has already agreed to his request to join the US-led coalition against so-called Islamic State. Mr Trump is meeting several EU leaders for the first time, including France's new President, Emmanuel Macron. *Read more* .... *Military And Intelligence News ... more »

NATO vs. Warsaw Pact: How the Ultimate Cold War Showdown Could Have Killed Millions

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* The plans for war were truly terrifying. *Guarding against these attacks and providing rear-area security were twelve brigade-sized units of West German reservists. Bonn also had three brigades of paratroops that could be quickly rushed to defend threatened areas. Air base security in NATO was very high, with the U.S. Air Force deploying large numbers of security troops at its many bases and the RAF Regiment guarding British airfields.* *If conventional forces failed to stop a Warsaw Pact invasion, NATO had a wide variety of tactical nuclear w... more »

ISIS-Linked Rebels Behead Philippine Police Chief, Slaughter Civilians

Ryan Pickrell at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, * Thousands of people are fleeing. Militants with ties to the Islamic State have taken control of a city in the southern Philippines. Violence erupted in Marawi after a botched raid to take down Abu Sayaff leader Isnilon Hapilon Tuesday. Government security forces battled Hapilon’s fighters, as well as Maute reinforcements. Both Abu Sayaff and Maute have sworn allegiance to ISIS and fly similar black standards. The attempt to capture Hapilon tipped over the hornet’s nest. The militants took over government buildings, raising their flags. Rebel fighte... more »

U.S. Lost Track Of Nearly $1,000,000,000 Of Arms Sent To Iraq

Saagar Enjeti at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Saagar Enjeti* *Security, Middle East* What could go wrong? The Pentagon lost track of nearly a billion dollars worth of weapons bound for Iraqi Security Forces in the fight against ISIS, documents obtained by Amnesty International reveal. The weapons transfer program is a lynchpin of U.S. strategy against ISIS and within Iraq. The Obama administration began the current policy after the rise of ISIS in 2014, trying to build the local capacity of partner forces in Iraq rather than rely on U.S. troops. Part of building up these forces entailed billions of dollars in weapons tran... more »

New Jersey Accidentally Got Told Nearby Nuclear Reactor Was About To Meltdown

Andrew Follett at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Andrew Follett* *Energy, * Fakenews. New Jersey officials apologized Wednesday for accidentally broadcasting false alerts to residents that a nuclear power plant disaster was underway. State officials sent out a televised alert shortly before 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night that a “Nuclear Power Plant Warning” was in effect for two New Jersey counties. The State Office of Emergency Management accidentally requested the broadcast during a scheduled emergency drill at the nearby PSEG Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Power Stations. The Cumberland County Office of Emergency Management told l... more »

The Trump Administration's First FONOP in the South China Sea: Why Now?

Ryan Pickrell at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, Asia* And how did China respond? A U.S. Navy destroyer challenged China’s contested claims to the South China Sea in the first freedom of navigation operation of the Trump administration. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands Wednesday, U.S. officials told CNN. “We operate in the Asia-Pacific region on a daily basis, including in the South China Sea,” Pentagon Spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis explained to reporters, “We operate in accordance with international l... more »

Notes of a Reformed News Weasel: Understanding the Vacuity

Fred Reed at 14 hours ago
Do you wonder why the legacy media are such puzzled otherworldly twits? Why, for example, they had no idea what was happening in the recent election? Why they seem to know so very little about America or much of anything else? … Continue reading →

California’s “Free” Healthcare Bill Expected to Cost $400 Billion a Year

Michael Tennant at rss - 14 hours ago
[image: california-s-free-healthcare-bill-expected-to-cost-400-billion-a-year] A single-payer healthcare bill in the California Senate is expected to cost the state $400 billion a year, twice its current annual budget, according to a Senate committee report.

How the British deep state turned Manchester into al-Qaeda Town UK

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 14 hours ago
Anti-Gaddafi Libyans living in Manchester had been trained, armed and aided by Britain to wage jihad against the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi. The post How the British deep state turned Manchester into al-Qaeda Town UK appeared first on The Duran.

US leaks of classified intelligence about Manchester terror attack strain US relations with allies

Alexander Mercouris at The Duran - 14 hours ago
Britain outraged at leaking by US of classified information about Manchester terror attack, providing further proof that because of Russiagate scandal culture of leaking of classified information in US has taken hold. The post US leaks of classified intelligence about Manchester terror attack strain US relations with allies appeared first on The Duran.

Trump and the EU: An especially bad relationship that is good for the world

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 14 hours ago
Donald Trump's instinctive dislike of European leaders may help him make correct decisions. The post Trump and the EU: An especially bad relationship that is good for the world appeared first on The Duran.

TPPF Statements on HB 21

Content Multimedia - 14 hours ago
By Kevin Roberts, Stephanie Matthews Today the Texas House voted to prevent final discussion of HB 21, a school-financing bill that included a parental choice program for students with special needs. The House sent the Senate-amended bill to conference but with the instruction that the parental choice program could not be part of the final version. This action effectively ended the possibility of increased funding for public schools and increased educational opportunities for students with special needs.

Mosul Campaign Day 220 May 24 2017

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 14 hours ago
The pace of operations in Mosul has lessened slightly after the recent gains. Northwest Mosul was quickly freed after a new front was opened by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). Now there are just a few neighborhoods left under Islamic State control along the Tigris River. The Federal Police were fightingin Tamuz 17 and the Old City district. The former was declared freed three times before, but apparently still has Islamic State elements. Prime Minister Haider Abadi also calledon the Golden Division to help take the rest of the city. Last week the unit declared that it had accompli... more »

Pope Francis Smiled with President Obama, Frowned with President Trump?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 14 hours ago
An image comparing Pope Francis's mood during President Obama and President Trump's visits doesn't tell the entire story.

Al Franken has en entire chapter in his new book dedicated to Ted Cruz, and it is certainly not to praise him.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 14 hours ago
Courtesy of Salon: *Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., has made it quite clear that he is not a fan of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. In fact, in Sen. Franken’s upcoming book, the former comedian devoted an entire chapter to his distaste for the Texas senator, according USA Today. * *In Franken’s upcoming book, titled “Al Franken: Giant of the Senate,” and set to be released May 30, Franken details his experience becoming a comedian-turned-senator, as well as how he feels about his colleagues in Washington. The chapter about Cruz is called “Sophistry,” an SAT word that means to use fallacious ar... more »

Melania is Catholic?...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 15 hours ago
*apparently so.* Ouchies from gardening? After four plus hours of digging in the garden yesterday, my right shoulder was screaming, "Enough!" I remembered to haul out my Salonpas Jet Spray. This stuff works like magic. I've tried their gel, but the spray works best of all and relief is almost instant. If they don't have it at your local drug store or Walmart, *Amazon has it on sale right now. *Remember to shake it really well before spraying. Some other *good deals of the day.*

My Take On GOP House Candidate Greg Gioforte 'Body Slamming' Guardian Reporter Ben Jacobs

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*FOX News:* *Greg Gianforte: Fox News team witnesses GOP House candidate 'body slam' reporter* The race to fill Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives took a violent turn Wednesday, and a crew from the Fox News Channel, including myself, witnessed it firsthand. As part of our preparation for a story about Thursday's special election to air on "Special Report with Bret Baier," we arranged interviews with the top two candidates, Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist. On Wednesday, I joined field producer Faith Mangan and photographer Keith Railey in Boz... more »

With Tensions Growing With China, Taiwan Simulates 'Chinese Invasion' During Military Exercise

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
Watching over: The military drill was presided over by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen *Daily Mail/AFP*: *Taiwan simulates 'Chinese invasion' during military exercise amid growing tensions with Beijing* * Forces in Taiwan simulated a Chinese invasion today as part of war games * The drills are held annually and mock up a scenario of a Chinese attack * It comes amid growing tension between Taiwan and Beijing * President Tsai Ing-wen oversaw today's exercise off coast of Penghu Island Military forces in Taiwan have today simulated a 'Chinese invasion' as part of live-fire war games ... more »

Heart-wrenching moment a pit bull realised her owners abandoned her at shelter

White Wolf at White Wolf - 15 hours ago
Fortunately Electra was later adopted and is living with new owners. Video showed the moment she realised her owners were never coming back This is the heartbreaking moment an abandoned pup breaks down when she realises her owners have left her and they won't be coming back. Pit bull cross Electra, four, was dumped at the Inland Valley Humane Society in Pomona, California, on May 17, and put up for adoption. Footage shows the heartbroken dog looking sadly through her cage before looking down at the floor. The tear-jerking footage was posted to Facebook by local woman Lolys Menchak... more »

TEAM TRUMP HAS ITS STAFFING PRIORITIES STRAIGHT

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 15 hours ago
At Axios, Mike Allen reports: West Wing officials are prepping for a years-long war with investigators and the bureaucracy, with plans to beef up legal, surrogate, communications and rapid-response teams as part of a "new normal" for President Trump — besieged. "The White House is embracing the fight, which is going to last as long as Donald Trump is president," said a Trump ally familiar with the preparations. "We're getting street fighters ready to go." ... * *What's next:* Proposed war-room org charts have been prepared, and final decisions on the structure will be made after Tr... more »

Iran Says Its Third Underground Missile Factory Is Now Operational

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
A ballistic missile is launched and tested in an undisclosed location, Iran, March 9, 2016 © Mahmood Hosseini / Reuters *Reuters:* *Iran says it has built third underground ballistic missile factory* Iran has built a third underground ballistic missile production factory and will keep developing its missile program, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted a senior commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard as saying. The development is likely to fuel tensions with the United States in a week when President Donald Trump, on his first foreign trip, has called Iran a sponsor of mil... more »

Manchester Police Will Stop Sharing Bombing Investigation Information with U.S. Amid Fury over Leaks

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
British Prime Minister Theresa May said before a NATO summit that she would address the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Gold Star Father Khizr Khan Plans Book for Young People

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
Khzir Khan's 'This Is Our Constitution' is slated for a November 2017 release.

GOP Candidate in US House Race Thursday Charged with Assault

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
Republican candidate for Montana's only U.S. House seat, Greg Gianforte, was charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly grabbing a reporter by the neck.

Florida Student Accused of Changing Grade from F to B

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
A Florida university student faces a felony count for allegedly accessing a computer without authorization to change his grade.

The Latest: Journalist Says Gianforte’s Account Incorrect

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
A reporter for The Guardian disputed Greg Gianforte's account of a purported altercation between the two on 24 May 2017.

The Latest: Queen Meets Victims, Calls UK Bombing ‘Wicked’

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 15 hours ago
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II visited the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Manchester England on 25 May 2017, and met with young people injured in the blast.

On sucker's deals

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 15 hours ago
While my Leader-Post column won't be running this week, I'll take the opportunity to offer some context and an update on Geoff Leo's must-read report on Brightenview's founders who have become the Wall government's latest corporate darlings. By way of background, Leo was also the one to break the news about how the Saskatchewan Party's campaign promise based on Brightenview was built on an incomplete deal, as well as the province's giveaway to CP which was supposed to provide an anchor tenant for the Global Transportation Hub to encourage other businesses to build without the need f... more »

Journal retracts nine papers in one day by author under investigation at the Weizmann Institute

Alison McCook at Retraction Watch - 15 hours ago
On April 27, the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) retracted nine papers by a researcher based in Israel, including some dating back to 2000. The reason: Image manipulation. Michal Neeman, vice president of The Weizmann Institute of Science, told us that the researcher, Rony Seger, is under investigation following an allegation of misconduct affecting papers in multiple […] The post Journal retracts nine papers in one day by author under investigation at the Weizmann Institute appeared first on Retraction Watch.

Harvard Poll Shows USA is Woke: Majority Say Mainstream Media Publishes Fake News

John Vibes at The Free Thought Project - 15 hours ago
[image: media]“Fake News” has become the buzzword that the dying mainstream media has been using to dismiss alternative viewpoints that may appear on the internet or in alternative media. While it is true that there are a large number of satire sites and clear disinformation sites on the web, mainstream media sources are focusing on alternative […]

Thursday Morning Links

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 16 hours ago
This and that for your Thursday reading. - Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett write about the psychological and social harms arising out of inequality: Members of species that have strong ranking systems need social strategies for maximising and maintaining rank while avoiding the risk of attacks by dominants. Although there are many variations in the way ranking systems work in different species, what we might call the ‘pure’ logic of ranking systems is that position in the dominance hierarchy determines who has precedence over whom in access to scarce resources; orderings are base... more »

iMinds: Total Technology and Human Evolution- Mari Swingle

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 16 hours ago
Interview via Legalise Freedom *While some of the unwanted side effects of technology are recognised and well-known, are we too quick to dismiss them as a temporary phase affecting a lonely minority?* *The advocates of 21st Century technology themselves are quick to point to an array of benefits, many undeniable, but at what point does our second life take over our real life, social media become anti-social? In our headlong rush towards techno-utopia, are we inadvertently breeding a generation of alienated, dysfunctional loners paralysed by endless choice and lost in a fantasy ... more »

“Panic Up and Dow 50K”, Says Lindsey Williams.

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 24, 2017 In this report I cover the market action for Wednesday, May 24th, 2017 and I also summarize Pastor Lindsey Williams’ latest video entitled “This Summer, Panic Up”. To buy “Panic Up” video: https://vimeo.com/prophecyclub end

China Moves To End Silver Price Manipulation! Silver and Gold Contracts Demand Physical Delivery

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 18, 2017 China has just created new silver and gold contracts that limit the amount one individual is able to own. The bigger feature is that the require physical delivery of Silver in order to create them. Unlike the Comex which doesn’t even endorses naked short selling. China has grown it’s presence […]

Jim Willie: Sordid Saudi Signals

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Jim Willie: Sordid Saudi Signals by Jim Willie, http://www.goldenjackass.com/, via http://www.goldseek.com/ THE US-SAUDI ARMS DEAL THE SAUDI ARMS DEAL SUDDENLY TRIPLED IN SIZE WITH LONG TIME SCHEDULE WITHIN THE AGREEMENT… TRUMP COMPLETED THE SINGLE LARGEST ARMS DEAL IN US-HISTORY, DONE WITH SAUDI ARABIA… IT EXCEEDED THE PREVIOUS COMMITMENT FROM TWO WEEKS AGO, NOW WORTH $350 BILLION… WITNESS […]

UK Raises Threat Level from Severe to Critical

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 24, 2017 The British prime minister speaks of an imminent terrorist attack following the deadly bombing in Manchester. Theresa May said her secretary of defense had approved deployment of military personnel to help police guard key locations and public events. She described the new security plan proportionate and sensible, pledging to take […]

Warning Signs Are Everywhere Even From The Central Banks

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 24, 2017 Small business is declining and it has been since that last 10-20 years. New home sales crashed and now existing home sales are crashing. The ECB is warning about home prices in the other countries. We are now seeing warnings from the central banks. Treasury chief to congress we do […]

Desperate Liberals Try To Blame The Manchester Terror Attack On Anyone Other Than Islamic Terrorists

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Desperate Liberals Try To Blame The Manchester Terror Attack On Anyone Other Than Islamic Terrorists by Michael Snyder, http://endoftheamericandream.com/ The left just can’t seem to understand that Islamic terrorists are going to try to destroy our way of life no matter how nice we are to them. On Monday night, a bombing at Ariana Grande’s Manchester concert […]

Thousands of Breast Cancer Studies are Totally Bogus, Warns Science Writer and Author of New Book

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Thousands of Breast Cancer Studies are Totally Bogus, Warns Science Writer and Author of New Book by Vicki Batts, http://www.naturalnews.com/ (Natural News) NPR science correspondent and author of the new book,“Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions,” Richard Harris has shined a light on the many issues that plague the world […]

ISIS Crisis in Philippines: Duterte Declares Martial Law in Mindanao

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 24, 2017 Militants affiliated with Islamic State are vying for control of the city of Marawi in the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte put the island of Mindanao under martial law, ordered in special forces and cut short his state visit to Russia. end

‘Intelligence on Attack Seemingly Leaked by US, It Must be Stopped’ – Manchester Mayor

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 25, 2017 The mayor of Manchester has condemned the leaks on the investigation into the terrorist attack which killed 22 people, apparently coming from the US. This comes amid reports the UK has stopped sharing intelligence on the matter with Washington. end

Keiser Report: ‘Criminal Organisation Deutsche Bank’

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 16 hours ago
Published on May 25, 2017 In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max and Stacy discuss Deutsche Bank: International criminal organisation. So says the judges presiding over the case of the collapse of the world’s oldest bank at the hands of some deadly derivatives. In the second half, Max interviews J.P. Sottile of Newsvandal.com about […]

Is U.S. Intelligence The Leakiest Intelligence Agency In The World?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
*Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg*: *The U.S. Intelligence Ship Is Too Leaky To Sail* The U.S. services have lost credibility by becoming the leakiest in the world. U.K. police investigating the Manchester terror attack say they have stopped sharing information with the U.S. after a series of leaks that have so angered the British government that Prime Minister Therese May wants to discuss them with President Donald Trump during a North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting in Brussels. What can Trump tell her, though? The leaks drive him nuts, too. Since the beginning of this century... more »

U.S. Special Forces face Growing Demands And Risks In The War Against Terror Groups

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers practice combat marksman skills at a range in Kabul province, Afghanistan. (Connor Mendez / Department of Defense) *L.A. Times*: *U.S. special operations forces face growing demands and increased risks* Touching down before dawn, Somali “Lightning” commandos climbed out of U.S. military helicopters and carefully advanced in the dark toward a ramshackle compound tucked into muddy farmland dotted by banana trees. U.S. surveillance had monitored the site for days after an intelligence tip signaled the location of Moalin Osman Abdi Badil, the suspecte... more »

U.K. Has Stopped Sharing Information With U.S. Intelligence After Leaks Of The Manchester Bombing Were Made To The Media

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
*BBC*: *Manchester attack: Police 'not sharing information with US'* Police investigating the Manchester Arena bomb attack have stopped sharing information with the US after leaks to the media, the BBC understands. UK officials were outraged when photos appearing to show debris from the attack appeared in the New York Times. It came after the name of bomber Salman Abedi was leaked to US media just hours after the attack, which left 22 dead. Theresa May said she would tell Donald Trump at a Nato meeting that shared intelligence "must remain secure". Meanwhile, the Queen has been t... more »

Election Day-- Today... In Montana

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
Today's the day. A quarter million people have already voted in Montana but whatever analysis of that available shows that neither side has any advantage so far in the early voting. [For comparison's sake-- even if it's an apples-to-oranges comparison-- the June 6 special election in CA-34 has had 14,820 early votes and the expected *total* for the entire race is between 40 and 45,000.] This is going to be close and it's totally about getting out the vote. So, if you're in Montana, or you know anyone in Montana... your country needs you today. Rob Quist has raised over $5 million... more »

Ukrainian parliamentarian sees Hitler as a role model

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 16 hours ago
Only in Kiev can a politician cite Adolf Hitler as a role model. The post Ukrainian parliamentarian sees Hitler as a role model appeared first on The Duran.

BREAKING: Russia’s FSB arrests ISIS terrorists plotting to bomb Moscow transport

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 16 hours ago
If the west really wanted to form a global coalition against terrorism, they would instantly ally with Russia. The fact they do not, puts civilians in danger. The post BREAKING: Russia’s FSB arrests ISIS terrorists plotting to bomb Moscow transport appeared first on The Duran.

Libya: the only thing George W. Bush and Tony Blair got right

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 16 hours ago
History has proved that George W. Bush and Tony Blair's successors are even more dangerous and mad than they were. The post Libya: the only thing George W. Bush and Tony Blair got right appeared first on The Duran.

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*Diversity of thought continues to be decidedly unpopular at America’s top institutions of higher education* According to a new survey from Young America’s Foundation, top colleges invited 45 liberal commencement speakers this year … and a measly four conservatives. (Not all of the universities, which were drawn from U.S. News and World Report’s list, had announced a commencement speaker. Others had multiple speakers or speakers without clear ideological viewpoints.) The four conservatives are Vice President Mike Pence, who spoke Sunday at the University of Notre Dame; Israeli Amb... more »

Pope Plays Nice During Trump's Vatican Visit

Rebecca Terrell at rss - 16 hours ago
[image: pope-plays-nice-during-trump-s-vatican-visit] Despite extreme ideological differences, Pope Francis and President Trump met Wednesday at the Vatican for a brief but "cordial" discussion that will likely change neither Pope Francis' affinity for socialism nor Trump's dedication to capitalism.

Pluto-Populism

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 16 hours ago
E.J. Dionne writes that Martin Wolf has got it right: Martin Wolf, the Financial Times columnist, captured Trump’s ideology with precision when he called it “pluto-populism.” It involves “policies that benefit plutocrats, justified by populist rhetoric.” If you want proof, look at Trump's budget, which slashes the federal food stamp program: Trump and Mulvaney are selling this budget as good for hardworking taxpayers by leading us to believe that it would really only hurt moochers and layabouts. Thus did Mulvaney claim that a $192 billion reduction in food stamp spending over a ... more »

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*Astonishing news: wind turbines may have caused the death of 3 whales* Save the whales! Report below from The Times of May 22: SOURCE *The Pope pressed Trump to help with persecuted Christians in the Middle East? No such luck. He harped on about global warming* *A strange gospel. Has the Devil got to him? But the report below is from the NYT. Could it be fake news?* Pope Francis put climate change on the agenda of his first meeting with President Trump on Wednesday, and the subject is likely to come up again and again in the president’s encounters with other world lea... more »

"How They Really Want It To Be"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago

“The Valley of Despair: Seeds of Light”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
*“The Valley of Despair: Seeds of Light”* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM “Even in our darkest times, there are seeds of light within ourselves, we need only call them forward. Anyone who has walked through the valley of despair and come out the other side knows that even in that darkness, seeds of light can be found. Often their tendrils reach out of the gloom and into the daylight alongside the journeyer who emerges from that deep sorrow. When we find ourselves in a place of despair, it can help us to know this, so that we don’t give up. We can stop, take a deep breath, and remind... more »

“The World Is Too Big For Us”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 17 hours ago
*“The World Is Too Big For Us”* by Living Life Fully "The world is too big for us, too much is going on, too many crimes, too much violence and excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in the race in spite of yourself. It's a constant strain to keep pace... and still, you lose ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so fast that you stagger beneath them in hopeless bewilderment. The political world is news seen rapidly, you're out of breath trying to keep pace with who's in and who's out. Everything is high pressure. Human nature can't endure much more." - Atlantic Journa... more »

The Supreme Court has a message for Republican gerrymandering, knock it off!

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 17 hours ago
Courtesy of Reuters: *The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Republicans in North Carolina unlawfully took race into consideration when drawing congressional district boundaries, concentrating black voters in an improper bid to diminish their statewide political clout. * *The justices upheld a lower court's February 2016 ruling that threw out two majority-black U.S. House of Representatives districts because Republican lawmakers improperly used race as a factor when redrawing the legislative map after the 2010 census. * *The decision came in one of a number of lawsuits accu... more »

Iraq and Afghanistan: The US$6 trillion bill for America's longest war is unpaid

Linda J. Bilmes, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Public Finance, Harvard University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 17 hours ago
On Memorial Day, we pay respects to the fallen from past wars – including the more than one million American soldiers killed in the Civil War, World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam. Yet the nation’s longest and most expensive war is the one that is still going on. In addition to nearly 7,000 troops killed, the 16-year conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost an estimated US$6 trillion due to its prolonged length, rapidly increasing veterans health care and disability costs and interest on war borrowing. On this Memorial Day, we should begin to confront the staggering cost and t... more »

A Tory politician tried to delete his own shameful response to the Manchester attack. He failed [IMAGE]

Tracy Keeling at The Canary - 17 hours ago
A Tory politician posted a shameful response to the Manchester bombing on his Facebook page. And then tried to delete it. But internet users didn’t let that happen. And people have now shared his shocking reaction for all to see. No tragedy left unexploited Ian McCord is a Tory councillor in South Northamptonshire. Following the […] The post A Tory politician tried to delete his own shameful response to the Manchester attack. He failed [IMAGE] appeared first on The Canary.

Read the stark warning thousands of headteachers are giving parents ahead of the general election

Emily Apple at The Canary - 17 hours ago
3,000 headteachers across 14 counties have come together to issue a warning to parents voting in the general election. And it’s one we all need to listen to if we value our children’s future and education. The letter The heads have sent out a letter to parents, seen by The Canary, to help them put […] The post Read the stark warning thousands of headteachers are giving parents ahead of the general election appeared first on The Canary.

America's Deteriorating Infrastructure - A Growing Problem

A Political Junkie at Viable Opposition - 17 hours ago
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released the 2017 version of its Infrastructure Report Card and the state of America's infrastructure continues to receive a failing grade. Here is a summary of their findings and how decades of neglect means that the condition of key ++++ Let's start by looking at an overall summary of the shortfall in infrastructure funding. As shown on this table, in total, the funding gap between what is required to upgrade America's deteriorating infrastructure and the estimated actual government funding totals $2.064 trillion: To meet the ... more »

2017.05.25

alicia hamberg at the ethereal kiosk - 17 hours ago
The third, final part of the German documentary. Didn’t interest me as much as the previous two parts, but still has something to tell us, I suppose. I think a couple of those things are how waldorf education suits those who want to be the centre of attention, stand on the stage, sing and act … Continue reading 2017.05.25 →

In pictures: Islamic State prepares its defensive line in western Daraa

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (2:20 P.M.) – Unable to win the upper hand against opposition forces in Daraa, ISIS militants in the western countryside have opted for a defensive posture, spending three months to fortify their defenses around an isolated Islamic State region on the border with Israel and Jordan. A new batch of pictures released by […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian Army scores huge victory as tanks penetrate deep behind ISIS lines in Homs

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (1:50 P.M.) – On Thursday morning, mechanized elements of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) liberated a massive chunk of mountainous territory southwest of Palmyra, virtually expelling ISIS from its vulnerable pocket east of the predominately Christian city of Al-Qaryatayn. Following already huge gains in eastern Homs over the previous 48 hours, the SAA […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Iraqi forces liberate a handful of ISIS-held villages in push towards Deir Ezzor border region

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (1:25 P.M.) – After the liberation of the key city of Al-Qayrawan, the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have begun phase two of their large-scale offensive, ultimately looking secure the border and possibly push into Deir Ezzor, a move which the Syrian Government has welcomed. Pushing westwards through the Nineveh governorate on three axes, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

In pictures: ISIS seizes tons of Syrian Army weapons in hit-and-run attack on Aleppo supply line

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (0:20 P.M.) – The Islamic State has stocked up on armaments stolen from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) after a large raid on three government checkpoints along Ihtriya-Khannaser road led to the capture of a large batch of armaments on Tuesday. Although the overnight raid was largely repelled, ISIS fighters managed to retrieve […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

13 militantes de ISIS eliminados a medida que el Ejército filipino comienza una importante contraofensiva en Marawi

Alvaro A. at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
El jueves se produjeron fuertes enfrentamientos en la ciudad de Marawi, Filipinas, después de que el Ejército filipino iniciara su esperada contraofensiva con miles de soldados dirigidos por la 103ª Brigada y las fuerzas especiales contra los insurgentes del ISIS. En medio de los enfrentamientos, 13 insurgentes del Estado Islámico fueron eliminados y 7 soldados […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

13 ISIS militants killed as Philippine Army begins major counter-offensive in Marawi

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (11:30 A.M.) – On Thursday, heavy clashes erupted in the Philippines city of Marawi, home to a large Sunni population, after the Philippine Army began its anticipated counter-offensive led by thousands of government troops, including its 103rd Brigade and special forces. Amid the clashes, 13 Islamic State insurgents were killed and 7 Philippine […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Islamist rebels advance against the Syrian Army in Daraa safe zone

Chris Tomson at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (11:00 A.M.) – With a new wave of rebel attacks and subsequent government air raids in Daraa city, the province’s ‘de-escalation’ plan seems to have faltered completely. According to Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and allied Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions, their joint forces were able to capture 34 buildings in the embattled Manshiyah […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Is the B-21 Stealth Bomber Too Secret?

James Hasik at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*James Hasik* *Security, * How secret is too secret? For Bloomberg Politics, Anthony Capaccio reports recently that the US Defense Department’s Inspector General (DoD IG) has opened an investigation, at the behest of the Congress, “into whether the Air Force has imposed excessive secrecy on fundamentals of its $80 billion program to develop and build the new B-21 bomber.” The obscurity into which the Air Force has placed one of its top procurement priorities is remarkable: even the estimated unit price is classified. The stated reason is plausible: from such a figure potential ... more »

U.S. Air Force Working to Update 'Brain' of F-35 to Combat Russian and Chinese Stealth Fighters

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * The mission data files are being engineered to adjust to new threat and intelligence information as it emerges. *The Air Force is accelerating development of a special, high-tech, on-board threat library for the F-35 designed to precisely identify enemy aircraft operating in different high-risk areas around the globe - such as a Chinese J-20 stealth fighter or Russian T-50 PAK FA 5th Gen fighter.* The Air Force is accelerating development of a special, high-tech, on-board threat library for the F-35 designed to precisely identify enemy aircraft operati... more »

Gingrich asks, “Why not look into Democrats’ relationships with Russia?” (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 18 hours ago
Democrats have been "colluding" with Russia for eight years now. The post Gingrich asks, “Why not look into Democrats’ relationships with Russia?” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Are House Democrats being blackmailed by IT staffers, who have collected dirt on politicians?

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 18 hours ago
Congressional aides fear former IT workers are blackmailing Democratic House members. The post Are House Democrats being blackmailed by IT staffers, who have collected dirt on politicians? appeared first on The Duran.

Getting charges ready, time consuming, detailed work

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
Well, dear readers, just getting the final draft of the charges ready, realize the exact time of a blog post is in the public domain, you just have to scroll to the very end. Had to queue in a bank for an hour to pay in the fee for filing charges, so am running late. […]

WAS PRIEBUS INVOLVED IN THE LATEST ATTEMPT AT MY FALSE IMPRISONMENT?

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
I have to spend the day getting my charges in over the latest attempt at my false imprisonment by Larisa police, prosecutor and Simos Samaras. As the police order shows, I am charged with concealing a crime (Article 232) and apparently in relation to my blog post on February 15th, mentioning Trump’s teams Russia ties. […]

REINCE PRIEBUS SWEATING OVER SECRET COMEY MEMOS. FOCUS ON FBI MEETING ON FEBUARY 15TH?

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
Reince Priebus Sweating Secret Comey Memos, White House Sources Say White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is nervous about what could be in store for him if the former FBI director reveals more details of his secret memos. THE DAILY BEAST President Donald Trump isn’t the only one in the White House who could […]

House asks Deutsche Bank for information on Trump’s loans. Russian money?

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
From CNBC Congressional Democrats investigating alleged ties between President Donald Trump’s political campaign and Russia are seeking information from Deutsche Bank. In a letter Tuesday to Deutsche U.S. CEO John Cryan, five legislators ask for results from internal reviews the bank conducted on matters relating to Russia. One involves the “mirror trading” scandal for which […]

Trump hires lawyer who represents Russian state bank to defend him in Russia probe…

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
From Vanity Fair Whether or not “the Russia thing” is fake news, as Donald Trump claimed after firing the F.B.I. director investigating his campaign’s ties to Russia, the president isn’t taking any chances. With the Senate accelerating its Russian probe, the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network sniffing around Trump’s financial records, a special counsel appointed […]

AG Jeff Sessions did not disclose Russian contacts on security clearance form, felony

Jane Burgermeister at Eugenics and pandemics - 18 hours ago
From The Independent Attorney General Jeff Sessions reportedly did not disclose meetings he had last year with a Russian official when he applied for his security clearance, according to the Department of Justice. This new revelation is the latest example of Mr Sessions failing to disclose contacts he had with members of the Russian government. […]

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 18 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declares martial law Fox News retracted a controversial story on DNC staffer Seth Rich — here's what's behind the controversy The Dakota Access pipeline sprung 2 new leaks WannaCry Attackers Have Links To North Korea's Lazarus Group Money-Losing Uber Says It "Mistakenly" Underpaid NYC Drivers Climate Change Is Turning Antarctica Green Salman Abedi unlikely to have been acting alone, says Rudd "Abedi was known to the security services but was not part of any active investigation or regarded as a high risk. He was viewed as a per... more »

A new finance minister: a typically gradual Czech resolution of a crisis

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 18 hours ago
First, different news from Czech politics: the Czech Parliament recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and criticized UNESCO for its anti-Israeli stances. It has asked the government to stop the Czech funding of UNESCO because of its politicization. Not bad. Sadly, the government is much more "supervised" by the likes of Merkel whose positions aren't that pure. ------------------------------ The Czech government crisis sparked by the scandals of the former billionaire and finance minister Andrej Babiš looked very dramatic, serious, and comical but all the tension is gone and th... more »

Mexico: Ground Traces Left By Unknown Lights, Cerro del Quinceo, Mexico (1997)

Inexplicata (IHU) at Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology - 18 hours ago
*Mexico: Ground Traces Left By Unknown Lights, Cerro del Quinceo, Mexico (1997)* *Claudio Mora* of *La Esfera Azul* writes: "Back in 1997 there was a wave of unknown lights in the sky in the general vicinity of Cerro del Quinceo, Morelia, in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Some reports suggested that these lights had landed. We had the opportunity to visit the area in person several years later and were able to find the exact spot where ground traces of unknown origin could be located." At minute 6:39 in the video, the speaker points out that 'between six and seven impressions' ... more »

No one’s noticed, but the Tories are quietly killing off the smart meter revolution

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 18 hours ago
By Paul Homewood h/t Philip Bratby An interesting piece in the Telegraph this week: Normally politicians promise much and deliver little. Last week brought a rare example of the converse: a manifesto burying a huge policy change that will save every household in Britain fifty pounds a year. It’s lurking on page 60 of the […]

A redefinition of mental illness as “law-integration disorder”, and the case for universal basic income

Ethical Technology - 19 hours ago
The inability for a brain to integrate with a legal system has falsely been defined as mental disorder, when the symptoms that are observed are in fact caused by an inability to integrate the executive (ego) function with a legal system that exerts a physical force onto the subject. https://ieet.org/images/uploads/Picture11.png

The good news, belief in Creationism is at an all time low. The bad news, there are still 38% of Americans who believe in that superstitious nonsense.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 19 hours ago
Courtesy of Gallup: *The percentage of U.S. adults who believe that God created humans in their present form at some time within the last 10,000 years or so -- the strict creationist view -- has reached a new low. Thirty-eight percent of U.S. adults now accept creationism, while 57% believe in some form of evolution -- either God-guided or not -- saying man developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life.* *This is the first time since 1982 -- when Gallup began asking this question using this wording -- that belief in God's direct creation of man has not been th... more »

Awareness without Recognition

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 19 hours ago
By Julie Obradovic I had the pleasure of experiencing an extremely pride filled day this week. In the morning, my youngest was selected to perform for the school’s annual talent show, and later that night, awarded as the overall outstanding...

US House Members Request Info from Deutsche Bank on Russia Money Laundering Scheme and Trump Accounts

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 19 hours ago
Background: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2017/02/28/trump-lender-deutsche-bank-fined-for-mirror-trading-10-billion-russian-money-laundering-scheme/ From US House Committee on Financial Services Democrats: “Committee Dems Request Information from Deutsche Bank on Russia Money … Continue reading →

31 seconds of footage have come back to haunt Theresa May after the Manchester bombing [VIDEO]

Kerry-anne Mendoza at The Canary - 19 hours ago
In May 2015, Theresa May gave a controversial speech to the Police Federation, accusing it of scaremongering over the impact of her cuts to forces across Britain. Just two years later, the Police Federation predictions May denounced as “crying wolf” have come true. And this failure in judgement cost Britain dearly. 31 seconds The 20 May 2015 speech was […] The post 31 seconds of footage have come back to haunt Theresa May after the Manchester bombing [VIDEO] appeared first on The Canary.

Rufus Hound Posts May Conspiracy Theory per Guido Fawkes

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 19 hours ago
Guido Fawkes has posted https://order-order.com/2017/05/24/rufus-hound-posts-may-conspiracy-theory/ a typically nasty remark made by the 'comedian' Rufus Hound. In case you weren't aware, Rufus Hound has previous. He once Tweeted that 'David and Jeremy want your kids to die (unless you're rich)'. David and Jeremy being the then Prime Minister, David Cameron and the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Of course no action was taken against Rufus Hound because he's one of the BBC's 'comedians' who have licence to offend.

EXPLOSIVE: Sean Hannity once again hints at Seth Rich murder connected to Wikileaks DNC leak (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 20 hours ago
Sean Hannity: "The biggest media scandal in the history of our republic." The post EXPLOSIVE: Sean Hannity once again hints at Seth Rich murder connected to Wikileaks DNC leak (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Kim Dotcom News Release on Seth Rich

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 21 hours ago
Not so fast here. He confirmed that he has specific knowledge that Seth Rich was the source of those leaks. His lawyers have quite rightly then said slow down already and try to do this right. Like do not muddy the water by talking to the press before you have made a proper statement to investigating authorities. This man may be an important first hand witness to this case. Or he may have nothing as well. What has to happen now is to see if what he knows can be turned into acceptable form to make it through a court process. Things like call logs matter and all that. This is th... more »

Homo Naledi

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 21 hours ago
What is slowly emerging is that the genus of primates produced ample twigs in every available niche that they got into. They had millions of years to do just that. It is the advent of modern man that over ran those populations which were always scant on the ground even when they became dominant over a large region. This process of homogenization is continuing to this day and will clearly continue into the future. What is quite clear is that morphology was diverse and was fed into the ultimate model of modern humanity.. . *This ancient skull, uncovere... more »

Financial Reform, With Chinese Characteristics

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 21 hours ago
*[image: Xi Jinping's Economic Reforms]* We are finally seeing an effort been made to sort things out. In the big picture, everyone is essentially engaged by the economy and now is the time to do this while growth elsewhere can absorb the elimination of specific advantages. This will still take a full generation. Hopefully they really do end poverty as well. . . *Financial Reform, With Chinese Characteristics https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/financial-reform-chinese-characteristics Forecast HighlightsChina will prioritize streamlining and unifying the country’s ... more »

Kolbrin - The Book of Gleanings - Chpt 15 - Voice of GOD

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 21 hours ago
\This lays out GODS agenda and the rule to live consciously by. It explains why. Few other sources of such knowledge are as clear. Read through this carefully. So far i have found the entirety of the Kolbrin as written by a profoundly rational source. Others may well have found issue but there is none here at all. I have found much issue with the Hebrew bible not least because it was assembled later from work such as this without complete preparation. It now appears that we will be picking our way through fragments and other texts as well. They may or not be terribly use... more »

UN demands Saudi regime end siege on Shiite city

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 22 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:10 A.M.) – The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations (U.N.) demanded that the Saudi regime, Wednesday, halt its ongoing siege of the predominately Shiite city of Al-Awamiya in the eastern part of this Gulf kingdom. “Despite our attempt to raise concerns and seek explanation from the Government […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Putin honors Russian commandos that fought in Syria’s Palmyra

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 22 hours ago
(TASS) Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally presented government awards to a group of commandos who for two days confronted advancing terrorists in Syria face-to-face, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “On Wednesday, the head of state personally presented government awards to a group of Russian commandos for holding back advancing terrorists in Syria’s Aleppo province […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

At least 155 militants surrender to Syrian Army troops in northern Homs

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 22 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:20 A.M.) – At least 155 militants surrendered themselves to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the northern countryside of the Homs Governorate on Wednesday. The 155 militants surrendered to the Syrian Arab Army outside the towns of Talbiseh, Houla, and Al-Rastan, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. All of the militants […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Fascinating video of Trey Gowdy's questioning of ex CIA chief John Brennan

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 22 hours ago
https://youtu.be/sOWesvJo1hk Fascinating, especially John Brennan's odd head movement at 5:07, stressed?

Douglas Murray and a gentleman from Quillian discuss the implications of the Manchester Bombing

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 22 hours ago
https://youtu.be/IJu6nH7kTh8 Douglas Murray and a gentleman from Quillian discuss the implications of the Manchester Bombing. Intelligent and thought provoking, but also bloody scary.

Musical Interlude: 2002, “We Meet Again”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
2002, “We Meet Again” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_OmsxDef9c

Eckhart Tolle, "The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*"The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" * by Eckhart Tolle "A beggar had been sitting by the side of a road for over thirty years. One day a stranger walked by. "Spare some change?" mumbled the beggar, mechanically holding out his old baseball cap. "I have nothing to give you," said the stranger. Then he asked: "What's that you are sitting on?" "Nothing," replied the beggar. "Just an old box. I have been sitting on it for as long as I can remember." "Ever looked inside?" asked the stranger. "No," said the beggar. "What's the point? There's nothing in there." "Have a... more »

Reporters Fall For A Fake 'White House' Document Where Trump Is Making Absurd Demands On Israel

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 23 hours ago
Pres has a lot of demands for his Middle East trip. pic.twitter.com/EcRfcQ4Y7W — Rogue WH Snr Advisor (@RogueSNRadvisor) May 19, 2017 *Washington Free Beacon:* *Reporters Fall for Fake Document of Trump Making Absurd Demands in Israel* Reporters on Monday fell for a fake "White House" document that supposedly showed President Donald Trump making unusual demands of his Israeli hosts during his trip abroad. The Twitter account Rogue White House Senior Advisor on Friday shared what it claimed was Trump's demands ahead of a trip to Israel, including roughly a metric ton of sugary an... more »

Tweet For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 23 hours ago
The #ManchesterBombing is the latest terror attack linked to Islamists in Europe since 2004 pic.twitter.com/1fViwMQraI — AFP news agency (@AFP) May 23, 2017

Manchester attack: May to tackle Trump over 'evidence' leaks per BBC News

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 23 hours ago
The BBC headline above seems designed to associate the word leak with President Donald Trump. It's only on reading the article itself http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40040210 that one reads: 'BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera says UK officials believe that US law enforcement rather than the White House is the likely culprit for the leaks.' However for the large number of people who only read the headline, job done BBC.

Bloomsburg University to Guide Foster Care Youth Toward College

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
This summer, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania will roll out a program designed to encourage more students from the foster care system to attend college.

Higher Ed Policy Experts Placing Premium on Student Privacy

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
As experts examined ways to help students and families make higher education decisions at a hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill, they were reminded that student privacy should always be priority.

Congress, Save Public Service Loan Forgiveness

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
Many services are facing deep cuts and/or being defunded altogether in the proposed education budget. However, I want to address one specific proposed cut: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Federal Student Aid Boss Runcie Resigns

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
James Runcie, who led the Office of Federal Student Aid for the past seven years as chief operating officer, abruptly resigned from his position on Tuesday night.

Report: China Has Begin Building Its Fourth Aircraft Carrier

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
China’s unfinished aircraft carrier under construction in Dalian in Liaoning province. Photo: Kyodo *UPI: **Report: China building fourth aircraft carrier at Dalian shipyard* May 23 (UPI) -- China is building its fourth aircraft carrier and is expected to deploy the vessel in six years. The latest development may be a sign the world's second-largest economy seeks to expand its navy while militarizing disputed islands in the South China Sea. Taiwanese newspaper China Times reported Tuesday construction of a fourth aircraft carrier, also China's third homemade carrier, is underway a... more »

The Retirement Date For The U-2 And A-10 Has Been Postponed Indefinitely

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
An Air Force U-2 flies a training mission. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Rose Reynolds) *DoD Buzz*:* Air Force Kills Retirement Date for U-2 Spy Plane* The Air Force has dropped plans to begin retiring the U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane around 2019, officials said Tuesday. That was the date listed in previous spending plans drafted by the service. But the Pentagon’s budget request for fiscal 2018, beginning Oct. 1, doesn’t include any retirement date for the Cold War-era workhorse. “There is not a retirement date for the U-2 in this budget,” Maj. Gen. James Martin, the Air Force... more »

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Flare Fanfare* An F-15E Strike Eagle releases flares as part of a combined arms demonstration during the Wings Over Wayne Air Show at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., May 21, 2017. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brittain Crolley

Trump Ready To Get His Revenge Against Iowans

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
On February 1, 2016, the day of the Iowa caucuses, Trump was still just a joke. He was sputtering that Iowa Republicans had brain damage from too much fertilizer after polls started showing him losing to Ben Carson and Ted Cruz. On the day of the caucuses Cruz won-- with 51,666 (27.6%). Trump came in second with 45,429 votes (24.3%), much closer to Rubio's 43,228 (23.1%) than to Cruz. Trump, who did beat Carson-- currently his Secretary of Housing-- was still basically a stand-up comic back then: Though Obama won Iowa both times he ran-- 54-44% against McCain and 52-46% against ... more »

Trump's First NATO Summit: Don't Expect Much

Dov S. Zakheim at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Dov S. Zakheim* *Security, Europe* [image: Ceremonial rounds fired from M1A2 Abrams Tanks at the Adazi Training Area, Latvia. Flickr/U.S. Army Europe] National defense may be Trump’s priority, but it is one that few Europeans share, and that even fewer are willing to pay for. When Donald Trump arrives at the NATO summit, it will have been hard on the heels of the release of his new budget for fiscal year 2018, which calls for a significant increase in defense spending, at the expense of many domestic programs. Although the FY 2018 proposed defense program falls far short of wha... more »

How America Could End Up in an Unexpected War with China

Doug Bandow at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Doug Bandow* *Security, Asia* The Chinese are prepared to yield before superior force, but are not prepared to concede that America always will possess that edge. Three decades ago the People’s Republic of China was an economic backwater. Today the PRC sports the world’s second-largest economy. Shanghai most dramatically illustrates the country’s transformation. The city is filled with stylish office buildings, five-star hotels, luxury stores and foreign visitors. Reflecting their success, the Chinese are increasingly confident as well. If not yet a great power, the PRC seems d... more »

7 Options For Taming Tyrannical North Korea

Barry Pavel, Robert A. Manning at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Barry Pavel, Robert A. Manning* *Security, Asia* [image: Security forces prepare for a simulated attack as part of Exercise Foal Eagle ’99. DoD photo by Senior Airman Rick Bloom, U.S. Air Force] Pyongyang may think it can threaten—or even win—a limited nuclear war aimed at pushing Washington out of the Korean Peninsula. The relentless barrage of North Korean ballistic-missile tests (twelve already this year), and a matching endless barrage of op-eds proposing solutions, point to a new urgency for resolving the North Korea problem. Yet it is an issue that has eluded the best effo... more »

Rodrigo Duterte Is Key to China's 'Post-American' Vision for Asia

Richard Javad Heydarian at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Richard Javad Heydarian* *Politics, Asia* [image: Rodrigo Duterte delivers his message to the Filipino community in Vietnam. Wikimedia Commons/Public domain] “Dutertenomics” will require huge investment from abroad. Beijing is the perfect patron. “The future of the Philippines is in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and in Asia,” declared Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte during his early May keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. For the controversial Philippine president, the world is ineludibly entering a post-American world, paving th... more »

Is the U.S. Navy Dying?

Dave Majumdar at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * Thanks to the U.S. Congress, that is the question. The United States Navy is in a dire situation when it comes to the readiness of its aircraft, ships and submarines. The blame for the situation can be laid directly at the feet of the U.S. Congress, which has failed time and again to pass a budget. Moreover, even when the Congress does manage to come to some sort of consensus, too often funding comes in the form a continuing resolution that does not provide the services with the flexibility to allocate money where it is needed. That’s compounded by ... more »

Georgia Wants Reassurance That America Will Help Deter Russia

Kenneth Yalowitz, William Courtney at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Kenneth Yalowitz, William Courtney* *Security, Eurasia* Georgians worry that Washington is averting its gaze, or might cut a deal with Moscow at their expense. Georgia and America are celebrating twenty-five years of diplomatic relations and remarkable partnership. Georgia is an emerging democracy in a difficult region with mainly authoritarian regimes nearby. This and its location as a continental transport hub give it strategic importance. Georgia faces severe challenges from Russian military occupation and economic weakness, and to surmount them it deserves sustained Western ... more »

America's Most Powerful Aircraft Carrier Ever Is Close to Joining the U.S. Navy

Dave Majumdar at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * But what about the costs? The new U.S. Navy aircraft carrier *Gerald R. Ford* got underway today for her acceptance trails, paving the way for the ship to be formally commissioned into service later this year. Only once the ship is commissioned will the massive carrier have the prefix United States Ship—or USS. “It is worth noting that *Gerald R. Ford* CVN-78 got underway today on acceptance trials and is on track to deliver this month,” acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Defense (SAC-D) on May 24... more »

America's Military Is In Danger of Decline (And Trump's New Budget Won't Save It)

Frederico Bartels at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Frederico Bartels* *Security, * While this is a $54 billion increase over the spending levels mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act, it is actually only a timid $16.8 billion (or 3.3 percent) increase over President Barack Obama’s budget plan. President Donald Trump delivered his 2018 budget request to Congress on Tuesday, and as expected, the defense portion is not enough to initiate the military buildup that the president had called for. Aligning closely with the president’s so-called “skinny budget” issued earlier this year, this proposal calls for $603 billion in base defe... more »

2018: The Year the U.S. Military Goes "Iron Man"?

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * Don't laugh, it could happen. *U.S. Special Operations Command Plans to Have Some Initial TALOS Iron Man suit Prototypes by 2018* U.S. Special Operations Command is making progress researching, developing and testing a next-generation Iron Man-like suit designed to increase strength and protection and help keep valuable operators alive when they kick down doors and engage in combat, officials said. The project, formally called Tactical Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, is aimed at providing special operators, such as Navy SEALs and Special Forces, with ... more »

If Israeli lawmakers demote the Arabic language, then what?

Camelia Suleiman, Assistant Professor, Arabic Studies, Linguistics, Michigan State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 1 day ago
In May, the Israeli legislative body, known as the Knesset, passed the nation-state bill in its first round, which redefines how Israel is to be a Jewish and democratic state. The bill will serve as something of a constitution, since Israel does not have one. It will also formalize the state’s relationship to its Palestinian-Arab minority. If it becomes law, the bill would establish Hebrew as the national language of Israel, and in effect eliminate Arabic as an official language. Some fear that doing so would also threaten to deny the history of Arabs in the state. Linguistic le... more »

What veterans' poems can teach us about healing on Memorial Day

James Dubinsky, Associate Professor of English, Virginia Tech at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 1 day ago
A visitor pauses at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. AP Photo/J. David Ake, File Memorial Day, a national holiday to honor the 1.17 million men and women who have died to create and maintain the freedoms outlined in our Constitution, is not the only Memorial Day. The holiday emerged from the Civil War as a celebration almost exclusively for veterans of the Union Army to remember those who had died. Veterans and their families from Confederate states held their own celebrations. Thus, it remains fraught with conflict and ambiguity. In 2017, seven states – Alabama, Florid... more »

High Court Clears way for gay marriage in Taiwan

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 1 day ago
*Alishan tea farms* Yesterday's verdict of the Constitutional Court (full text) striking down prohibitions on gay marriage was especially moving for me. The verdict was due at 4:00, so I turned on the livestream in my writing class, which is full of very progressive Chinese medicine students. A deep throb of joy ran through us all as the court announced that gay people were full human beings like everyone else. It was a beautiful moment in my life. China Post summed it up simply: The Constitutional Court ruled that the Civil Code provisions that do not allow same-sex marriage are ... more »

BODY-SLAMMING A REPORTER: I BET IT'S OK IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN (updated)

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 1 day ago
I'd love to believe that this will be a game-changer in Democrat Rob Quist's favor, but I have serious doubts: The Republican candidate for Montana’s congressional seat slammed a Guardian reporter to the floor on the eve of the state’s special election, breaking his glasses and shouting, “Get the hell out of here.” Ben Jacobs, a Guardian political reporter, was asking Greg Gianforte, a tech millionaire running for the seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate allegedly “body-slammed” the reporter. “He took me to the ground,” Jacobs said by ... more »

Suriye ordusu, IŞİD’in Halep’teki son kalesine ulaştı!

Umut Õzil at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 1 day ago
Önceki gün, Suriye ordusu Halep’in doğusunda yer alan Meskene ovası üzerindeki 5 kasabayı IŞİD’den özgürleştirdi. Bugün de birçok köy ve bölgeyi IŞİD’den temizleyerek şehrin güneybatı eteklerine ulaşan Kaplan Kuvvetleri; Deyr Hafir’in özgürleştirildiği operasyonda olduğu gibi şehri üç pozisyondan sararak militanlara kaçış yolu bırakma stratejisini uygulayacak gibi görünüyor. Bu strateji Deyr Hafir’de cihatçıların neredeyse hiç savaşmadan çekilmesiyle başarıya ulaşmış, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

U.S. Navy Conducts A Sea Navigation Operation Within 12 Miles Of A China-Claimed Reef In The South China Sea

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
A satellite image released by the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies shows construction of possible radar tower facilities in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Reuters *Reuters*: *U.S. warship sails within 12 miles of China-claimed reef* A U.S. Navy warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, the first such challenge to Beijing under U.S. President Donald Trump. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the USS ... more »

DARPA And Boeing Are Teaming Up to Build a Hypersonic Spaceplane

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Daily Mail:* *The X-37b's big brother gets the go ahead: Boeing to build XS-1 'Phantom Express' hypersonic space plane that will allow short notice military satellite launches* * The project, known as XS-1, is expected to debut in 2020, * Will 'provide short-notice, low-cost access to space' * Takes off like a rocket, releases an expendable second-stage rocket and satellite, then turns around and land like an airplane on a runway The mysterious X-37b spaceplane has captured the imagination of many, with some suggesting it is a spy plane and others who think it could be a space b... more »

New York Governor Offers Talks with Hungary on Soros School

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
BUDAPEST, Hungary — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he is ready for talks with Hungary’s government on the status of Central European University, which may be forced to leave Budapest due to recent amendments to the law on higher education. CEU, founded by billionaire George Soros, is also accredited in New York state. […]

Parent Company of DeVry University Changing Its Name

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — The company that owns one of the nation’s largest for-profit college chains is changing its name. DeVry Education Group, which owns DeVry University, announced Wednesday that it will now be called Adtalem Global Education. Company CEO Lisa Wardell said the new name “makes clear our purpose to empower students and our […]

Wilberforce University Announces Layoffs, Pay Cuts to Handle Debt

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
WILBERFORCE, Ohio — One of the country’s oldest historically Black private colleges is laying off workers and imposing steep pay cuts in an ongoing struggle to survive. Wilberforce University cut $750,000 from its payroll last year, but the president of the small Ohio school says that’s not enough to deal with large debts that threaten […]

DeVos to Review Rejected College Prep Grants Applications

cmaadmin at Diverse - 1 day ago
The U.S. Department of Education will reconsider awarding grants to dozens of programs that help low-income students prepare for college after their initial applications were rejected due to formatting errors such as not being double-spaced. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told a House subcommittee on Wednesday in Washington that her agency will reconsider the 77 rejected […]

AGs to Trump: Withdraw from Paris agreement

CFACT Ed at CFACT - 1 day ago
West Virginia AG Patrick Morrisey is leading a 10-state coalition in urging the Trump administration to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. They are worried the 200-nation deal would seriously damage the president’s campaign to roll back environmental regulations.

Was the Manchester Terror Attack a ‘False Flag’?

Bethania Palma at Snopes.com - 1 day ago
A viral conspiracy video has emerged spreading a false rumor that a suicide bombing attack at an Ariana Grande concert was a hoax.

Witnesses Say Greg Gianforte Grabbed Guardian Reporter and Slammed Him to the Ground

Bethania Palma at Snopes.com - 1 day ago
Sheriff's deputies are investigating an incident in which the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives allegedly knocked Ben Jacobs to the ground.

The Economy: X22 Report, “Warning Signs Are Everywhere Even From The Central Banks”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
X22 Report, “Warning Signs Are Everywhere Even From The Central Banks” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RBGxjLCDKo Please, listen and understand this. We're rapidly running out of time, folks...

Top U.S. General Disputes Reports That Civilian Deaths From U.S. Air Strikes Are Soaring

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Rodi Said/Reuters *AFP:** No increase in civilian deaths under Trump: US general* A top US Air Force official on Wednesday denied claims that civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria are soaring under President Donald Trump, who has given greater leeway to battlefield commanders. Airwars, a London-based collective of journalists and researchers that tracks civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria, this week said it has seen numbers jump since Trump came into power. The group estimates as many as 366 civilians were killed in Iraq and Syria in April alone. Another Britain-based group, the Sy... more »

Which GOP Garbage Will Be Swept Away In The Great Wave?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
The wave that's forming up now could well be an anti-Trump/anti-Ryan tsunami by 2018. When Republicans say there are 18 months and a lot can change they are sweating under their suit jackets because they know the intensity of voters' reaction against the Republican agenda is intensifying, not dissipating. It won't just be Republicans in the blue districts that the DCCC has botched who get decimated but Republicans in districts who represent districts with R+4 and R+5 PVIs, seats that are normally considered "safe." I was struck by a conversation between Oregon Senator Jeff Merkle... more »

sex in space

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 1 day ago

Republican congressional candidate in Montana body slams Guardian reporter. Update!

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 1 day ago
Courtesy of the Guardian: *The Republican candidate for Montana’s congressional seat slammed a Guardian reporter to the floor on the eve of the state’s special election, breaking his glasses and shouting, “Get the hell out of here.” * *Ben Jacobs, a Guardian political reporter, was asking Greg Gianforte, a tech millionaire running for the seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate allegedly “body-slammed” the reporter. * *“He took me to the ground,” Jacobs said by phone from the back of an ambulance. “This is the strangest thing that has ev... more »

Man Falling

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 1 day ago

U.S. And Russia Are Not Hindering Each Other Over The Skies Of Syria

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Washington Examiner:* *Russia's no-fly zones in Syria aren't a problem, says US air commander* The top U.S. general running the air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria says Russian-declared no-fly zones are not restricting where the U.S.-led coalition can fly its warplanes as it targets the terror group. "We don't recognize any specific zone in itself that we preclude ourselves from operating in," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command. "Wherever the enemy's at, wherever they present themselves, we're going to get after ... more »

A 23 second clip of a younger Jeremy Corbyn has gone viral in the wake of the Manchester bombing [VIDEO]

James Wright at The Canary - 1 day ago
An old video clip of Jeremy Corbyn has gone viral in the wake of the 22 May Manchester bombing. Because in just 23 seconds, the current Labour Party leader summed up how many people appear to feel about cyclical war and terror: "This will set off a spiral of conflict that will fuel the wars, […] The post A 23 second clip of a younger Jeremy Corbyn has gone viral in the wake of the Manchester bombing [VIDEO] appeared first on The Canary.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 24, 2017

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
A soldier from the Household Cavalry waits to cross a road in Parliament Square with an armed Met Police officer *Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian:* *Troops on the streets create unsettling terrain for our democracy* *We need our election to go ahead undisturbed, lest we give the murderers behind the Manchester atrocity even the scent of victory* The prospect of nearly 1,000 troops emerging from their barracks and on to the streets of Britain will be a shock to the system. Other countries may be used to the sight of soldiers outside palaces and parliaments, at stations or large ve... more »

Tongues Twisted Left: Manipulating Minds by Managing Words

Selwyn Duke at rss - 1 day ago
[image: tongues-twisted-left-manipulating-minds-by-managing-words] It has long been noted that disagreements can be won by massaging the definition of words. Liberals repeatedly apply this lesson to influence the culture.

Was Manchester Blowback?

Daniel McAdams at 1 day ago
Western intervention in Libya opened the country up to radical Islamist gangs which had been suppressed under Gaddafi. Just as Gaddafi warned. Same in Syria, where western destabilization efforts have led to an al-Qaeda and ISIS presence that was not there before the west had decided on "regime change" for the secular Assad. Who benefitted from the rise of these radical groups? People like the Manchester suicide bomber, who travelled to both countries for training and radicalization. Western interventionist foreign policy has contributed to the Manchester bombing, a classic "blowbac... more »

Musical Interlude: Brule and Airo, "Dream Shield"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Brule and Airo, "Dream Shield" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQOaYuCKMI

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“Almost every object in the below photograph is a galaxy. The Coma Cluster of Galaxies pictured above is one of the densest clusters known - it contains thousands of galaxies. Each of these galaxies houses billions of stars - just as our own Milky Way Galaxy does. Although nearby when compared to most other clusters, light from the Coma Cluster still takes hundreds of millions of years to reach us. *Click image for larger size.* In fact, the Coma Cluster is so big it takes light millions of years just to go from one side to the other! Most galaxies in Coma and other clusters are ell... more »

"Life Is Never Fair..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not." - Oscar Wilde

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