Sunday, July 30, 2017

30 July - Blogs I'm Following 2 of 2

11:45 pm MDT

Right Wing media creates alternate reality to protect Donald Trump from facts revealed by Russia investigations.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 13 hours ago
Courtesy of NPR: *Outlets such as Breitbart and Fox News, and talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage have crafted a powerful counternarrative, downplaying or discrediting developments in the Russia probe. * *"Fox and Breitbart are providing a kind of air cover for the politicians who are standing with Trump right now, helping keep the Republican Party largely solidified behind Trump," said Nyhan. * *On a recent show, talk radio host Laura Ingraham described the investigations as a cynical effort by liberals to distract the White House from its agend... more »

Yolande Knell explains all

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 13 hours ago
Obviously there are time constraints on a magazine programme like Sunday, (Radio 4 9am) but if asking Yolande Knell to sum up, in a few minutes, the background to the ‘latest crisis in the Old City of Jerusalem” was a big ask, expecting her to “remind us why this place is so precious to two faiths” was to call for a small miracle. Well, one could say she rose to the challenge. I’ll leave the religious element out of this critique as I’m no expert on religion to put it mildly. However, the arrangement whereby Jews are ‘allowed to visit but not to pray” has led to some truly bizarr... more »

North Korea Tells The U.S. That Its ICBM Test Is A Warning To Washington Against New Sanctions

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*VOA:* *North Korea: Missile Test 'Stern Warning' to US Against New Sanctions* WASHINGTON — North Korea said Sunday its latest test missile, deemed by weapons experts as capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, was a "stern warning" to Washington against a new round of sanctions aimed at Pyongyang. The North Korean Foreign Ministry said Washington should "wake up from the foolish dream of doing any harm" to the reclusive communist nation. Pyongyang's statements came hours after the U.S. Air Force flew two B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula, accompanied by South Korean and Japane... more »

Frankie Rowe has Died

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 13 hours ago
Frankie Rowe, who might well be the last of those who claimed to have handled debris from the Roswell UFO crash, has died, quietly, in her sleep. Frankie Rowe. Photo copyright by Kevin Randle I first met Frankie Rowe about a quarter of a century ago when Don Schmitt and I had just finished a presentation in Roswell. She had been in the audience and afterward talked to us briefly. We would meet with her many times over the years as she told of her experiences back in July 1947. There is no doubt that she had lived in Roswell at the time. Her father, Dan Dwyer, was a fire fighter, amon... more »

Al Qaeda "Mysteriously" Metastasizing in Northwest Syria

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 13 hours ago
*July 30, 2017* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The Washington Post in an article titled, "Al-Qaida in Syria snuffs out competition in northwest," clumsily reveals what many following the Syrian conflict have known all along - that the so-called uprising never existed, and that the US and its allies are directly arming, aiding, and abetting Al Qaeda in Syria. The article admits: *Syrian rebels and activists are warning that an al-Qaida-linked jihadi group is on the verge of snuffing out what remains of the country’s uprising in northwestern Syria, after the extremists seized control of t... more »

Operation Mockingbird On Steroids—CGI Allows Mainstream Media to Make ‘Fake News’ in Real Time

Rachel Blevins at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: mockingbird]It is already legal for the mainstream media to broadcast "fake news" propaganda for the US gov't—how will that increase with advancements in AI technology?

It’s Your Money But You Can’t Have It: EU Proposes Freezing Bank Accounts to Bailout Megabanks

Claire Bernish at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: accounts]If EU officials have their way, failing banks would be able to cut customers' access to their accounts, placing a moratorium on withdrawals in the interest of preventing bank runs.

U.S. B-1 Bombers Fly Over The Korean Peninsula After North Korean Missile Test

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Reuters:* *U.S. flies bombers over Korean peninsula after North Korea missile test* SEOUL (Reuters) - The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday after Pyongyang's recent tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), the U.S. and South Korean Air Forces said. North Korea said it conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday that proved its ability to strike America's mainland, drawing a sharp warning from U.S. President Donald Trump. The B-1B flight was in direct r... more »

Sunday Morning Links

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 14 hours ago
This and that for your Sunday reading. - David Sirota interviews Thomas Frank about the U.S. Democrats' obsession with educational achievement as a cure-all - and their consequent loss of touch with the large numbers of citizens suffering from economic policies which left them behind: *Sirota: *What do you think that the Democrats didn't do right in the election, and even more importantly, what are they not doing right right now? *Frank:* Look, you can talk about the tactical blunders and the things that brought them down: email scandal, or the premium increase in Obamacare, and a... more »

Symmetry related charges

Johannes van Leunen at Science 2.0 - Physical Sciences - 14 hours ago
The base model of the Hilbert Book Model consists of an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space and it's unique non-separable companion Hilbert space that embeds its separable companion. The version of the quaternionic number system that specifies the values of the inner product of these Hilbert spaces also defines the background parameter space of the base model. The rational values of this background parameter space form the eigenspace of a special reference operator that resides in the separable Hilbert space, and the full background parameter space is the continuum eigens... more »

Family Heartbroken As Cops Shoot And Kill Puppy While Raiding House Next Door

Jack Burns at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: puppy]A family in South Carolina is devastated after police shot and killed their puppy—while serving a search warrant at the house next door.

WATCH: Cop Lets Wasted Politician Go on DUI—He Gets Drunk Again, Smashes into Car Head On

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: dui]After police let a wasted politician off for a DUI, he got drunk again only days later and severely injured an innocent man in a head on collision.

What Picking Up Trash in a Police State Looks Like: Man Cited by Police for Improperly Cleaning a River

Rachel Blevins at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: river]One man learned the hard way that recovering trash from a river can lead to a citation for a victimless crime—even when video proves the officer wrong.

Iran to ask no one’s permission for missiles: Deputy FM

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday night in an Iranian sate TV interview that one of the outcomes of the JCPOA was that the missile and nuclear issues are no longer considered related. The missile issue is mentioned in the UNSC Resolution 2231 and it just calls […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Up close battle footage from the outskirts of ISIL’s last stronghold in Homs

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:15 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched an attack against the self-proclaimed Islamic State’s (IS; formerly ISIL/ISIS) stronghold of Al-Sukhnah, in the eastern countryside of Homs, Saturday. The attack, believed to be the SAA’s last one in the area, was backed by Syrian airstrikes, dislodging IS from their positions on Al-Sukhnah’s western […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Ahrar Al-Sham fighters defect to another Islamist group in East Ghouta: report

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:55 P.M.) – A group of fighters from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham have defected to another Islamist faction in the East Ghouta region of Damascus, local opposition activists reported on social media today. The members of Ahrar Al-Sham allegedly defected to Faylaq Al-Rahman, a group that is allied with Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham in the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

In Pictures: Syrian Army inches closer to recapture ISIS stronghold of Sukhnah

Zen Adra at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (3: 10 P.M.) – The Syrian government forces continue to make steady advances deep in the stretching Syrian Desert amid massive ISIS collapse. Today, the Army troops took over a chunk of territories expanding 11 km to the east of al-Hail oil field, and liberated most of Rajm al-Saboun village which overlooks al-Sukhnah […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Heroic Syrian journalist killed while reporting near ISIL front-lines

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:25 P.M.) – Syrian journalist Khaled Al-Khatib was killed on Sunday afternoon while traveling to the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) front-lines in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate. Khaled was traveling with his cameraman while on assignment with Russia Today, when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank missile fired by the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian Army suffers its heaviest losses in latest push to Deir Ezzor

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:05 P.M.) – The battle for southeast Al-Raqqa has reached a critical point, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attempts to liberate the town of Ma’adan and enter the Deir Ezzor Governorate. On Saturday, the Islamic State (ISIL) launched a big counter-attack against the Tiger Forces near the towns of Ghan Al-‘Ali and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Geagea wants Hezbollah to surrender their weapons

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:30 P.M.) – The leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, rebuffed the victory in ‘Arsal that was dedicated to the Lebanese people by Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. “If Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah wants to dedicate something of value to the Lebanese, let him hand over his weapons to the Lebanese army […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

It’s absolute fantasy to think we can move to all electric cars without fossil fuels

Hifast at Climate Collections - 15 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? ? A good summary from Booker on the electric car saga: ? ? To the few of us who have long been trying to follow the Government’s woefully unreported plans for Britain’s energy future, the news of the switch in 2040…

Internet responds to news that Donald Trump called Reince Priebus into his office to kill a fly.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 15 hours ago
Just sayin, Obama didn't need anyone to catch his flies. pic.twitter.com/8zOBEK3A3C — Sarah Burris (@SarahBurris) July 29, 2017 That right there is my favorite one by far, but there were others. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Gen. Kelly won't put up with that. — Patrick (@SayNoToFascists) July 29, 2017 He's not even really qualified for that. — Roll Out Strohl Out (@StevenMStrohl) July 29, 2017 Twist: he couldn't use his hands, he had to dehumanize the fly until it lost its will to go on — Ian Fortey (@IanFortey) July 29, 2017 This story seems even more pathetic when yo... more »

It's Navy Day In Russia Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Sputnik*: *Russia Celebrates Navy Day With a Majestic Parade in Saint Petersburg* Russia celebrated its Navy Day with a military parade in Saint Petersburg on Sunday. President Vladimir Putin took part in the event. *"Today, the Navy completes not only the traditional tasks, but also adequately responds to the new challenges, makes a significant contribution to the struggle against terrorism and piracy. Children and grandchildren would be proud of the sailors of the modern Navy," Putin said at the parade.* The Russian leader added that the high level and competence of the Navy ... more »

Why liberals might kill free speech

Ethical Technology - 15 hours ago
We’ve got a huge problem on our hands which the 2016 election, along with Brexit, has not so much created as fully exposed. What we’ve witnessed is a kind of short-circuit between the three pillars that have defined our particular form of democratic liberalism over the last century.

Racism and Capitalist Exploitation

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 15 hours ago
Consider Marx's theory of exploitation. The accumulation of capital doesn't magically happen. It has to be advanced to set up the infrastructure of a business to make goods or provide services to a perceived market. And to start the ball rolling, any firm needs people. Trying to make a living from scratch typically begins with the labour of the owner and/or a few others and it spirals from there. Each employee receives a wage or salary in return for the time they spend under the employer's direction producing goods and services, maintaining the operation and so ... more »

Mini Trumps

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 16 hours ago
After reviewing the tumultuous events of last week, Michael Goldfarb asks the question which is on a lot of minds: Is the American Republic built to withstand a malevolent president? There can be little doubt that Trump is a malevolent force: Trump has ridden roughshod over not just the customs and norms of presidential behaviour but also basic standards of human decency. In doing so, he has forced journalists and the institutions they write for to change their basic standards of acceptable language. We use the words crazy and stupid now in our reports because some of the behaviou... more »

Why Did Russian President Putin's Plane Avoid Poland When He Flew To The G20 Summit In Hamburg

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
President #Putin's plane avoiding #Baltic airspace on way from #Moscow to #G20Summit in #Hamburg: https://t.co/pa9HiKnk1W pic.twitter.com/PYO4i0G6cE — VykintasPugačiauskas (@pugaciauskas) July 7, 2017 *Sputnik:* *Here's Why Putin's Plane Skirted NATO's Eastern Flank on Approach to G20 Summit* The aircraft carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany made almost a 500 km detour over Finland and the Baltic Sea to avoid flying over NATO's Eastern flank, evading Polish and the Baltic nations' air space to make it to its destination. Russian observers... more »

The Split Between Ukraine And Pro-Russian Separatists Has Just Hardened

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
The Donetsk steel factory is one of the industrial facilities of the Donbas "republics" which suffer from severed economic ties with Ukraine proper. Photo: Ilia Reznik *Spiegel Online:* *Pro-Russian Separatists Harden Split from Ukraine* After nationalizing businesses, pro-Russian separatists have proclaimed their own state in eastern Ukraine, calling it "Little Russia." Tens of thousands of residents in the region are now jobless. The city of Yenakiieve, northeast of Donetsk, was founded more than a century ago around a steel mill. Some 10,000 people work at the steel mill, and ... more »

Uro, the ultimate virtual cryptocurrency

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 16 hours ago
*Paris Agreement:* first, off-topic. Look at the map of countries that have ratified. Czechia and Switzerland are the only two advanced European countries that have still avoided ratification – and Czechia is expected to surrender in September because most of our lawmakers are either corrupt or idiots, too. Only two small post-Yugoslav countries, Turkey, and Russia may also be counted as additional cautious European countries here. Every cryptocurrency fan will tell you that the blockchain is a technology that is priceless – it is worth quadrillions or infinitely many dollars. Unl... more »

The U.S. Navy's Stealthy Zumwalt Class Destoyer: America’s New 'Pocket' Battleships?

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Could it be? The three new Zumwalt-class destroyers are in trouble. Originally envisioned as a fleet of more nearly three dozen destroyers, and the weapons that justified them, the Zumwalts have faced delays, cuts and staggering cost increases. As the ships teeter on the verge of white elephant status, could they become relevant again by taking on a new role, that of a stealthy ship killer? The Zumwalt-class destroyers were originally envisioned as a fleet of thirty-two destroyers designed to attack targets far inland with precision-guided howitzer ... more »

Everything You Need to Know: 5 Ways to Kill a Battleship

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *History, Asia* How to kill a legend. What’s the best way to sink a battleship? Put a hole in it. Easier said than done. Yet for all their vast hulls, big guns and thick armor plates, these titans of the sea have proven quite mortal since their debut in the early years of the twentieth century. More than a hundred battleships and pre-dreadnoughts have succumbed to various causes, according to one vigorously sourced list. So here are the top five ways in which battleships die. Note: some cases are ambiguous. For example, the *Bismarck* was damaged by a torpedo lau... more »

Why Does India And Pakistan 'Hate' Each Other

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
*The Economist*: *Why India and Pakistan hate each other* *Three score and ten years after their acrimonious split, India and Pakistan remain at daggers drawn. Max Rodenbeck asks if they can ever make up* EVERY AFTERNOON AT sunset, at a point midway along the arrow-straight road between Amritsar and Lahore, rival squads of splendidly uniformed soldiers strut and stomp a 17th-century British military drill known as Beating Retreat (pictured). Barked commands, fierce glares and preposterously high kicks all signal violent intent. But then, lovingly and in unison, the enemies lower ... more »

When John McCain Grappled with the Best Congress Money Can Buy

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
*Trainwreck by Nancy Ohanian* *-by Skip Kaltenheuser* Most recent plaudits for John McCain focus on flashes of character on his campaign trail when he condemned crazed birther and racist attacks on candidate Obama. I’d like to jump in the Way-back and travel to when McCain earned a “maverick” label. Give Senator McCain praise for his early efforts at campaign finance reform, done across the aisle with then-Senator Russ Feingold. It was a step in the right direction. Seeking to boost such efforts, I wrote essays critical of the purchase of our political system via the low art of the... more »

It’s absolute fantasy to think we can move to all electric cars without fossil fuels

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 16 hours ago
By Paul Homewood A good summary from Booker on the electric car saga: To the few of us who have long been trying to follow the Government’s woefully unreported plans for Britain’s energy future, the news of the switch in 2040 to electric cars was hardly a surprise. But the full […]

Zigzag and entanglement

Johannes van Leunen at Science 2.0 - Physical Sciences - 16 hours ago
The Hilbert Book Test Model is a purely mathematical model of the lower levels of the structure of physical reality. Its base consists of an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space and its unique non-separable companion Hilbert space. Both Hilbert spaces use members of a version of the quaternionic number system to deliver the values of their inner products. read more

CEO William Browder explains why repealing the Magnitsky Act is so important to Vladimir Putin.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 16 hours ago
Courtesy of the Daily Kos: *Browder: Vladimir Putin, I believe him to be the richest person in the world, I believe him to be worth 200 billion dollars. That money is held in banks all over the world, in America and all over. The purpose of Putin’s regime has been to commit terrible crimes to get that money, and he doesn’t want to lose that money by having it frozen. So he personally is at risk of the Magnitsky Act. It’s a very personal, venal issue which is why, the first reason, he’s so upset. * *The second reason is that in order to get that $200 billion, he has had to instruct...more »

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 17 hours ago
*If conservatives have a low opinion of American higher education, it's because our elite academic institutions have strayed from their core principles and mission* In the past few years, the closing of the academic mind has become hard to ignore. When a Republican presidential candidate's name chalked on a sidewalk is cause for student protest, "bias response team" investigations, or even calls to the police, universities are clearly not embracing robust dialogue. When faculty are disciplined for critiquing university-sponsored anti-bias training, it's evident that only certain v... more »

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 17 hours ago
*Icebreaker sets record for earliest crossing of Northwest Passage* *Another opportunity for dishonest propaganda. I'm guessing that if previous explorers were on a ship that had four huge Wärtsilä diesel engines and a hull of explosion-welded stainless steel they might have made better progress too. This transit shows nothing about Arctic iceThere is however one amusing sentence below: "Scientists predict the Northwest Passage will be largely ice free in the summer by 2050 if current levels of warming continue." What? IF! Surely there is no doubt creeping in! Maybe it's... more »

A Four Minute Video of The U.S. Navy 'Blowing-Up' Stuff (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
*Task & Purpose:** You Have Totally Earned This 4-Minute Video Of The Navy Blowing Stuff Up* Nestled in the southwest corner of the Mojave Desert, California’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division — “China Lake” — is one of the finest military testing ranges in the continental United States. Home to 85% of the Navy’s weapons research and development, it covers an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. A cradle for destruction, the range has given birth to the Sidewinder, Hellfire, and Tomahawk missiles; the Joint Direct Attack Munition in high demand by both the Navy and... more »

Does The U.S. Navy Have An Idea On What Type Of Ships It Wants In The Future

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
The littoral combat ship Coronado moors in Cam Ranh Bay during Naval Engagement Activity Vietnam 2017. The LCS hulls are expected to compete in the competition for the Navy's new FFG(X), which it hopes to start buying in 2020. (MC3 Deven Ellis/Navy) *Defense News*: *Experts question the US Navy’s ideas for a new frigate* WASHINGTON — A panel of analysts raised questions Tuesday about the U.S. Navy’s recent request for information from industry on a new frigate that it wants to begin buying in fiscal year 2020. In a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, se... more »

The Pentagon Has A New Manual On How The U.S. Might Destroy North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
The intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 is seen during its test in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, July 5 2017. KCNA/via REUTERS. *Michael Peck, National Interest: **This Is the Pentagon's New Manual for Destroying North Korean Nukes* *The Pentagon has just released a new manual that lays out how the United States might destroy North Korea’s nukes.* Army Techniques Publication No. 3-90.40, “Combined Arms Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction,” explains U.S. doctrine for neutralizing WMDs. The guidelines focus ... more »

Why Can't People See What's Happening?

Anon at Aangirfan - 17 hours ago
TRUMP IS THE DEEP STATE TRUMP IS THE DEEP STATE - PART 2

American Tank Crews Are Getting 'Better' Ammo

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
*Scout Warrior: **Abrams Tank to Get New High-Tech, Multi-Purpose 120mm Ammo* *Advanced Multi-Purpose Round The Army is now engineering a new Advanced Multi-Purpose 120mm ammunition round for a far-superior M1A2 SEP v4 Abrams tank variant for the* *Advanced Multi-Purpose Round* The Army is now engineering a new Advanced Multi-Purpose 120mm ammunition round for a far-superior M1A2 SEP v4 Abrams tank variant for the 2020s and beyond --designed to be more lethal, faster, lighter weight, better protected, equipped with new sensors and armed with upgraded, more effective weapons, ser... more »

Who destroyed the Middle East? (VIDEO)

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
A roundup of the changing alliances in the Middle East. The post Who destroyed the Middle East? (VIDEO) appeared first on The Duran.

BREAKING: US tests THAAD missile over Pacific in message to North Korea

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
The move is an affront to both Russia and China who have called for a complete cessation of missile tests in respect of the Korean issue. The post BREAKING: US tests THAAD missile over Pacific in message to North Korea appeared first on The Duran.

Navy Day in St. Petersburg (FULL VIDEO)

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
The Ruptly cameras put you in the front row seat next to Vladimir Putin. The post Navy Day in St. Petersburg (FULL VIDEO) appeared first on The Duran .

Britain’s ‘Remainers’ go silent on sanctions

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
The myth that Britain can act as a bridge between Washington and Brussels has been officially shattered by the UK's total silence on sanctions. The post Britain’s ‘Remainers’ go silent on sanctions appeared first on The Duran.

CONFIRMED: The west continues to seek Russia’s destruction although Trump tried his best to shift this

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
Donald Trump has not only the weight of the American elite on his shoulders, he has the weight of western history on his shoulders. Donald Trump's pragmatic world-view translating into tangible foreign policy was almost an impossible task. It is proving to be increasingly impossible by the day, but at least he tried. This in and of itself, deserves some commendation. The post CONFIRMED: The west continues to seek Russia’s destruction although Trump tried his best to shift this appeared first on The Duran.

Sunday Song

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 18 hours ago

New Coalition: Close U.S. Foreign Military Bases

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 18 hours ago
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers Popular Resistance The Coalition Against Foreign Military Bases is a new campaign focused on closing all US military bases abroad. This campaign strikes at the foundation of US empire, confronting its militarism, corporatism and imperialism. We urge you to endorse this campaign. On the occasion of its announcement, the coalition issued a unity statement, which describes its intent as “raising public awareness and organizing non-violent mass resistance against U.S. foreign military bases.” It further explains that US foreign military bases are “... more »

Syrian Army kills scores of Islamists in new east Damascus advance

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:20 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) unleashed a vicious assault on the east Damascus suburb of ‘Ayn Tarma, Sunday, storming Faylaq Al-Rahman’s defenses from several axes. The assault started early on Sunday morning when the Syrian Air Force (SyAAF) repeatedly bombed Faylaq Al-Rahman’s positions in the ‘Ayn Tarma Triangle. Following the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

In pictures: ISIL unwilling to give up Raqqa City without a fight

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:50 P.M.) – The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are now on the second month of their Raqqa offensive and it appears the last half of the city is far more difficult to capture than initially expected. Unlike previous battles around the country, the Islamic State (ISIL) is unwilling to yield any inch […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Watch the Russian Air Force destroy an entire ISIL tanker convoy in east Hama

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:00 P.M.) – The Russian Air Force destroyed an entire Islamic State (ISIL) tanker convoy this week near the strategic town of ‘Uqayrbat in the eastern countryside of Hama. Video footage released by the Syrian Free Press showed the Russian aircraft zeroing in on the ISIL convoy and then destroying all twelve trucks […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

First phase of Arsal agreement begins between HTS, Hezbollah

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:30 A.M.) – The first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham has commenced this morning, the Lebanese group’s official media wing reported. According to Hezbollah’s media wing, the Lebanese group will deliver nine HTS corpses in their possession to the aforementioned jihadist group; this will be monitored by […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Saudi regime forces film themselves attacking charitable organization

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 A.M.) – The Saudi regime forces continued their inhuman siege of the predominately Shiite Al-Awamiya District in eastern Saudi Arabia, Sunday, arresting and shooting many residents that dared to leave their homes. In addition to harassing residents, the Saudi regime forces have also inflicted heavy damage on the district’s infrastructure, targeting hospitals […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian jet annihilates an entire ISIL force in east Hama

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:40 A.M.) – Minutes ago, a Syrian jet carried out an imperative airstrike over the eastern countryside of the Hama Governorate, wiping out an entire Islamic State (ISIL) force near Salamiyah City. According to local journalists in Salamiyah, the Islamic State force traveling in the eastern countryside of Salamiyah was comprised of at […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian military resumes east Damascus offensive after short hiatus

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 19 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 A.M.) – The Syrian military resumed their offensive in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, Sunday, following the rejection of a ceasefire offered to Faylaq Al-Rahman militants in exchange for the expulsion of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham from the East Ghouta region. To begin the day, Syrian jets flying from a nearby airbase pounded […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

An Infinity of Summers

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 19 hours ago
By Cathy Jameson An article that people were posting on some social media pages last week caught my eye. The tagline read, How many summers do you have until your children are grown? Typically, it’s 18 summers a parent will...

Poor baby.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 19 hours ago
There is literally, in my opinion, no amount of human suffering that Donald Trump does not deserve to endure. He is truly a disgusting POS and has brought mountains of misery to those who have had the misfortune to enter into his orbit.

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 20 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Scaramucci reportedly planned to give Trump a diagram of news outlets he thought Priebus had leaked to The suspect who fatally stabbed one person in Hamburg was a known Islamic radical and mentally unstable Sadiq Khan: 'Brexit can still be stopped if Labour commits to second a referendum 'I infiltrated ISIS — here's how I was instructed to carry out a terrorist attack A new trick can fool voice-recognition systems into hearing a recording inaccurately — and that could have catastrophic results FBI General Counsel Reportedly Under Investigation For Leaks To Main... more »

Post Cards from Mexico (Sunday Sermonette)

LL at Virtual Mirage - 20 hours ago
*Another Drug War* Most of you don't realize that there is (yet another) major cartel war situation in Mexico. For those of us who sit on the sidelines, eat popcorn, cast runes, read tea leaves and take notes, the Guadalajara Cartel (CJNG) and allied cartels including the Beltran Leyva Cartel, and what's left of the Arellano-Felix (Tijuana) Cartel and the Juarez Cartel have vowed to wipe the Sinaloa Cartel (once led by the famous Chapo Guzman) from the face of the Earth. Naturally, when that happens, the death toll soars. To be fair, those sorts of wars are common. You shouldn't b... more »

German nightclub shooting: 'Two dead' in Constance per BBC News

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 20 hours ago
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40767954 on a nightclub shooting in Germany. 'Two people have been killed and three seriously injured in a nightclub shooting in the German city of Constance, police say. A man opened fire at about 04:30 (01:30 GMT) on Sunday, killing one person. The gunman was then shot and injured by police, and died later in hospital. The attack unfolded at the Grey club on Max-Stromeyer-Strasse. ... The motive for the shooting is not immediately clear.' The BBC are really hoping that someone, anyone, other than a Muslim carried out this... more »

Note that it's Jews not Zionists or Israelis that this Palestinan preacher calls for the annihilation of

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 21 hours ago
*'Palestinian preacher Ali Abu Ahmad, speaking at an Al-Aqsa Mosque rally, said that the occupation of Palestine by the Jews, the "vilest" and "most despicable and cowardly of creatures," was due to the fall of the Caliphate, and called upon Islamic armies to mobilize their forces "to finish off the monstrous entity of the Jews." His prayers to "annihilate all the Jews," to "destroy the [Palestinian] Authority of shame and disgrace," and to "destroy the rulers of the wicked [Muslim] mini-states" were answered by cries of "amen." A video-clip of the address was posted on the Inter... more »

Tony Heller shows the US government is giving out false climate data.

Geoff Brown at The Australian Climate Sceptics Blog - 22 hours ago
Tony Heller presents convincing evidence that the official temperature record has been "adjusted" to create global warming. He compares newspaper reports of unusually warm or cold weather with the "official" temperature charts and finds they do not match. He also shows that the "official" record is different today than it was a few years ago. After seeing convincing evidence that the climate record has been "adjusted" to show large amounts of warming, one Senator and one audience member (at 37:20) actually ignored the facts and attacked Tony, instead of asking intelligent questio... more »

Venezuela to vote on constituent assembly amid protests but BBC News won't blame socialism

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 23 hours ago
This BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-40766845 on the situation in Venezuela includes a section headed 'Why is Venezuela in crisis?' These are the reasons that the totally impartial BBC list: 'More than 100 people have been killed in clashes stemming from the political crisis. The deep economic crisis is made worse by the falling price of oil, which accounts for about 95% of Venezuela's export revenues and was used to finance some of the government's social programmes. Forced to make cuts, President Nicolás Maduro has seen his support fall among core ba... more »

“7 Best Shakespeare Insults”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*“7 Best Shakespeare Insults”* by The Huffington Post *1.* "You should be women and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so." Shakespeare employs this biting insult in "Macbeth" to establish the complete and utter repulsiveness of the three witches. Their "withered and wild" features cause Macbeth and Banquo to question if the sisters are even human beings. *2.* "Methinks thou art a general offense, and every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon you." In "All's Well That Ends Well," Lafeu hits infamous liar and coward Por... more »

“Stress: Are You Sick With Worry?”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*“Stress: Are You Sick With Worry?”* by Jordan Lite “You're probably familiar with the insidious effects of stress on your sleep quality and its link to anxiety and depression. Now growing body of evidence suggests that stress can take a physical toll, too, damaging everything from your heart to your immune system. It may even shorten your lifespan. "Chronic emotional stress can affect virtually every organ system in negative ways," says Dean Ornish, M.D., founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif. "But stress is not simply a function of... more »

Thousands of Syrian tribesmen take part in government offensive against ISIL

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 23 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:55 A.M.) – One of the key components in the battle against the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) has been the participation of Syrian tribesmen from the provinces of Al-Hasakah, Al-Raqqa, Homs, Damascus, and Hama governorates, Damascus Now reported Sunday morning. These tribesmen have no only provided necessary manpower, but their navigation of the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Hezbollah not participating in next battle on Syrian border

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 23 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:30 A.M.) – Hezbollah will not be participating in the next battle on the Syrian border, a military source told Al-Mustaqbal on Saturday. According to the military source from Al-Mustaqbal, Hezbollah solely participated in the last battle on the border because Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham had a presence inside the Syrian province of Rif […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Prominent Tiger Forces commander arrives in east Hama ahead of offensive

Leith Fadel at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 23 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:00 A.M.) – The prominent commander of the Tiger Forces, General Suheil Al-Hassan, arrived in the eastern countryside of the Hama Governorate, Saturday, to discuss the upcoming offensive with the officers at this front. According to a military source, General Al-Hassan met with many officers east of Salamiyah and toured the battle-front where […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Chinese President Xi Inspects Military Parade At PLA 90th Birthday (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 23 hours ago
*South China Morning Post:* *China shows off military muscle in unprecedented parade to mark 90th anniversary of People’s Liberation Army* China staged an unprecedented “combat style” military parade at its biggest training base in Inner Mongolia on Sunday to mark the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army. Xi Jinping, China’s president, military commission chairman and the commander-in-chief for the world’s largest army, inspected 12,000 military personnel and the country’s latest military devices, 40 per cent of which were displayed to the public for the first time. T... more »

Tweets For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
U.S. bombers fly over Korean peninsula: U.S. Air Force https://t.co/cwP42jNsA1 — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 30, 2017 Trump 'disappointed' with China after North Korea missile test https://t.co/4E2A4qTFeg — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 30, 2017 Venezuela to vote on constituent assembly amid protests https://t.co/IuWoND2VDD — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 30, 2017 Venezuelan President Maduro predicts "big victory" in contentious vote despite widespread protests https://t.co/VWSk5oDuPs pic.twitter.com/Jj61Cg7PPl — AFP news agency (@AFP) July 30, 2017 Venezuela lea... more »

Foxconn cashes in for $3 billion plus - analysis

Kenneth Thomas at Middle Class Political Economist - 1 day ago
Foxconn hit the jackpot with Wisconsin on Wednesday, when CEO Terry Gou and Governor Scott Walker signed a memorandum of understanding for the company to invest $10 billion in southeastern Wisconsin in return for $3 billion in state subsidies and an undetermined amount of local incentives in the form of tax increment(al) financing (TIF).* The basic outline of the deal, sent to me by John Haynes of the *Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel*, is pretty simple: Foxconn is required to invest $10 billion and employ 13,000 workers within six years at an average pay rate of $53,875 a year plus benef... more »

Manhattan Town Hall event with Elliot Greenspan and Diane Sare

David at LaRouchePAC Feed - 1 day ago
Video of X1Ed8QVHLu0 This week, Manhattan Project leader Elliot Greenspan and LaRouche PAC Policy Committee member Diane Sare detail the historic implications of "blowing up" the Russia-gate attempted coup against the U.S. Presidency.

"The Illusion Of Freedom..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.” - Frank Zappa

“Could You Pass This 1912 Test For Kentucky 8th Grade Students?”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“Could You Pass This 1912 Test For Kentucky 8th Grade Students?”* by Joe Dan Gordon “So, do you believe American children are smarter than their counterparts in 1912? And forget about computers—most of these kids didn’t even have electricity. The following Eighth Grade Exam is from the Bullitt County (KY) Schools in 1912. Note that there are several typesetting mistakes on the test including a mistake in the spelling list. The word “eneeavor” should be “endeavor.” No Googling! Begin... NOW.” *Larger sized original is here:* - https://intellectualfroglegs.com/

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*WNU Editor*: My cousin's daughter who lives in Miami emailed me these pictures of her at the beach this evening. Sighhhh .... I so need a summer vacation.

Apple Has Just Removed VPN Apps In Its Store That Allowed Users In China To Skirt The Country's Great Firewall

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Reuters:* *Apple is removing VPN services from China App Store: providers* BEIJING (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is removing virtual private network (VPN) services from its app store in China, VPN service providers said on Saturday, accusing the U.S. tech giant of bowing to pressure from Beijing to comply with stringent cyberspace regulations. VPNs allow users to bypass China's so-called "Great Firewall" aimed at restricting access to overseas sites. Beijing has shut down dozens of China-based providers and it has been targeting overseas services as it bids to tighten its contro... more »

Will The DCCC Preference For Filthy Corrupt Blue Dogs Prevent A 2018 House Takeover?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
Earlier this week, Heather Caygle, writing for *Politico*, reported about the Blue Dogs-- the most right-wing and pro-GOP wing of the Democratic Party-- it trying for another comeback. Beltway reporters have bought into the Blue Dog propaganda that describes them as "moderates" (rather than conservatives), which says what about normal Democrats? That they're socialists? Communists? The Blue Dogs can't accurately be described as "moderates," only as conservatives and the most far right part of the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. They share at least as many values with Repu... more »

A Video On China's Special Operations Forces (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*WNU Editor*: From *CGTN *.... The People's Liberation Army Special Operations Forces, or the SOF, is a branch of the PLA Ground Force. It is the biggest active military in the world, also among the world's best. Chinese SOF are tasked with commando operations, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering. They can trace their history back to scouts who conducted reconnaissance missions during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Chinese Civil War and the Korean War.

Biofuel justifications are illusory

Paul Driessen at CFACT - 1 day ago
CFACT Senior Policy Advisor Paul Driessen explains why the renewable fuel standard is out of touch with today's energy realities -- the ethanol mandates, including for cellulosic ethanol -- far exceed even the perceived need. Ethanol ruins gasoline mileage, and gasoline cut with 15% ethanol ruins older automobile and truck engines (pre-2007) and almost all small gasoline-powered engines (including outboard motors, lawnmowers, and more).

Top U.S. Diplomat In Charge Of The U.S. War Against ISIS: 'Trump Tactics Are Working'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Retired Gen. John Allen (2nd left), Brett McGurk, and President Obama. Reuters *Patrick Tucker, Defense One: **Flow of Foreign Fighters to ISIS Stopped, Trump Tactics Working, McGurk Says* In four key areas, the Trump administration is taking the fight to ISIS in a way that Obama did not, to great effect according to the policy head who worked under both. The flow of foreign fighters trying to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria has stopped completely. “They can’t get in now and the foreign fighters that did get in, they will die in Iraq and Syria” according to the top U.S. official coor... more »

The AH-64 Apache Helicopter Helmet Is Getting A Major Upgrade

Jared Keller, Task and Purpose at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Jared Keller, Task and Purpose* *Security, North America* Some of the most talented pilots in the U.S. armed forces are getting a major helmet upgrade. Contracting firm Defense Corporate on July 24 announced on Soldier System a $13 million contract with the Army to produce a new Apache Aviator Integrated Helmet (AAIH), a piece of hardware critical to the legendary AH-64 Apache helicopter. The face-enveloping new helmet — which appears to be built on the HGU-56/P rotary wing helmet system that Gentex initially designed support the Army Air Soldier Program, and gives me the creeps... more »

Is China Getting Ready to Create Its Very Own DARPA?

Zachary Keck at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Asia* Could this happen? China has created a high-tech military research agency modeled on an American organization, state-television revealed this week. According to the Hong Kong–based *South China Morning Post,* Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that Beijing has established the Scientific Research Steering Committee to help it develop cutting-edge military technology. CCTV also suggested that the new body will be modeled on America’s Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which was set up after the Sputnik launch in 1957 to spearhea... more »

Jim DeMint Wants to Save the Republican Party—from Itself

Curt Mills at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Curt Mills* *Politics, North America* [image: U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) (R) and Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) attend a news conference about their goal of permanently extending Bush-era tax rates at the Capitol in Washington, December 2, 2010. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst.] The former South Carolina senator and Heritage chief is back with a new venture, just as national politics get even more wild; Republican divides on foreign policy are unlikely to escape his gaze. Jim DeMint is back. You’d be forgiven for not hearing much about his new venture, the Conservative Partnership ... more »

In a World of Disarray, Africa Is Taking Steps Forward

Michael O'Hanlon, Emily Terry at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Michael O'Hanlon, Emily Terry* *Security, Africa* [image: A Mozambican soldier takes part in exercises as part of the African Union's African Standby Force (ASF) at the South Africa National Defence Force's Lohatla training area October 27, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings] The Middle East should not be the sole focus of America's foreign policy. At this juncture in mid-2017, while the Middle East remains highly turbulent and global security challenges remain acute from Korea and East Asia to Ukraine and Afghanistan, what is the state of security in Africa? A continent of fifty-four... more »

Members And Associates Of Russian Crime Syndicate Arrested For Racketeering, Extortion, Robbery, Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy, Fraud, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 1 day ago
“The Shulaya Enterprise was an organized criminal group operating under the direction and protection of RAZHDEN SHULAYA a/k/a “Brother,” a/k/a … Continue reading →

Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Wants His Brother To Replace Him

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Reuters:* *Ousted Pakistani PM Sharif lines up brother to take over* ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced plans on Saturday for his brother Shahbaz to take over as leader of the country and lashed out at the Supreme Court ruling that barred him from office. Shahbaz must contest a by-election for parliament to become eligible to take the reins, so the outgoing Sharif also nominated staunch ruling party ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to serve as interim prime minister for at least 45 days. Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party has a... more »

The original immaculate birth

Steve at GlobaLove Think Tank - 1 day ago
[image: Image result for images of immaculate birth] What kind of birth control can prevent immaculate birthToday we would not blink an eye at seeing a young person emerge from a swollen womb without the entry and exit been penetrated by a human penis In Jesus day they must have had the same technology and it was a one timer or the whole idea has to go down in logical flames So talk about Jesus in the real world and you get the fumes of] holy gasoline as the advocates speed off in their SUV and glance at the Rolex to see if they are on time for the next miracle of funding Even the ... more »

Silva Bay, Gabriola Island, BC

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 1 day ago
*Silva Bay, Gabriola Island, BC* Here we are at the second stop on our sailing trip...Silva Bay, Gabriola Island. Back in the 70's this was a real party harbour. All the sailboats used to rendezvous here for the weekend as it is just a 6 hour sail from Bowen. There are about three times as many boats in the harbour as this photo shows ...just couldn't get them all in. This is an entry point to the more sheltered routes to the Gulf Islands without going back out into Georgia Strait. As you can see from the video below, Georgia Strait was a bit choppy and gusty during our cross... more »

Trump’s Big Loss

Robert Reich - 1 day ago
The demise of the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act is hardly the end of the... more »

Venezuela On Edge Ahead Of Sunday's Controversial Election

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*CNN: Venezuela: **Protesters, troops clash ahead of Sunday vote* (CNN)Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro are calling for continued protests ahead of Sunday's controversial election, a day after demonstrators clashed with national guard troops in the capital in defiance of a protest ban. Opposition leaders have vowed unrest before the election of a "constituent national assembly" that would rewrite the constitution at Maduro's request -- a move that the leftist leader's critics say could consolidate his power and lead to a dictatorship. *Read more* .... *WNU editor... more »

How The DCCC Has Ruined-- And Continues To Ruin-- The Democratic Party

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
Yesterday I got a letter from a *DWT* reader asking me if I had ever "summarized the typical interaction between the DCCC and Democratic congressional candidates? I know," he wrote, "you have written about these interactions often. I think it would be helpful for candidates to have a realistic view of the DCCC and what they should expect over the course of their candidacy." That's a good idea. And he already had more than a passing acquaintance himself with what the DCCC is up to. He has been working to persuade progressives who back Medicare-For-All to run for Congress. Remember... more »

Countdown To War On Venezuela

Moon of Alabama at 1 day ago
[image: undefined] On Sunday Venezuela will hold an general election of participants of a constitutional assembly. Half of the representatives will be elected from regular electoral districts. The other half will be elected from and by eight special constituencies like "workers", "farmers", "employers", etc. The second part may be unusual but is no less democratic than the US system which gives voters in rural states more weight than city dwellers. The new assembly will formulate changes to the current constitution. Those changes will be decided on in another general vote. It is lik... more »

Donald Trump relents, says he will sign Russia sanctions bill.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 1 day ago
Here's the deal, I own you. I say jump, you say how high. Clear?Courtesy of TPM: *President Donald Trump will sign a package of stiff financial sanctions against Russia that passed Congress with overwhelming support, the White House said Friday. Moscow has already responded, ordering a reduction in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia and closing the U.S. Embassy’s recreation retreat. * *Trump’s willingness to support the measure is a remarkable acknowledgement that he has yet to sell his party on his hopes for forging a warmer relationship with Moscow. His vow to extend a hand... more »

Australian Prime Minister: 'Police Arrest 4 In Terror Plot To Blow-Up An Aircraft

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*ABC News Online:* *Sydney terror raids 'disrupted' plot to bring down plane, Malcolm Turnbull says* Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says anti-terrorism raids carried out in Sydney yesterday "disrupted" an alleged plot to bring down an aircraft. Four men were arrested after the Australian Federal Police, New South Wales Police and ASIO raided homes in the inner-city suburb of Surry Hills, and the south-western suburbs of Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl. The AFP said the operation related to information about the use of an "improvised device". "We don't have a great deal of info... more »

Major Problems for the Republican Party

C. B. Thorington at A Divided World - 1 day ago
The U.S. Senate voting NO on repeal of Obamacare on July 27, 2017. Screenshot of ABC News coverage. Everywhere the leaders of the two major American political parties look, insuperable political problems threaten to overwhelm them. As long-time assumptions about the capabilities of government unravel and the electorate itself is fragmenting into new coalitions, driven […]

The U.S. Sanctions Bill Against Russia May Have Unintended Consequences

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Russian president Vladimir Putin participates in an April 2016 live broadcast on Channel One, Rossiya-1 and Rossiya-24 TV channels, and Mayak, Vesti FM and Radio Rossii radio stations. President of Russia's Official Site *Angela Stent, National Interest:* *The U.S. Sanctions Bill Is a Win for Russia* *The U.S. sanctions bill, designed to hurt Russia, may have unintended consequences for the United States.* The surprise about the Russian Foreign Ministry’s announcement of Russian sanctions on U.S. diplomats and embassy properties is that they did not come sooner. The usual practic... more »

What Mark Esper’s nomination tells us about Trump’s administration

Brad Blankenship at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 1 day ago
The Trump administration has had a tough time filling key vacancies, notably in the defense sector, owing to the nomination of controversial candidates who have been suspected of having unsavory business ties or have documented histories of discriminatory behavior. The final service secretary position to be filled, following the approval of Air Force Secretary Heather […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Samir Geagea takes a shot at Hebollah, blames group for a weak Lebanon

BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 P.M.) – The Chief of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, verbally attacked Hezbollah on Friday, blaming the group for ruining Lebanon’s ‘legitimacy.’ “A capable strong state will not emerge as long as there are armed groups lingering outside the framework of legitimacy and as long as the decision of peace and war […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Musical Interlude: Kevin Kern, “Above The Clouds”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Kevin Kern, “Above The Clouds” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgdjnK6I2u0

"A Look From the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
“Like salsa verde on your favorite burrito, a green aurora slathers up the sky in this June 25 snapshot from the International Space Station. About 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth, the orbiting station is itself within the upper realm of the auroral displays. Aurorae have the signature colors of excited molecules and atoms at the low densities found at extreme altitudes. Emission from atomic oxygen dominates this view. The tantalizing glow is green at lower altitudes, but rarer reddish bands extend above the space station's horizon. *Click image for larger size.* The orbital ... more »

How Will Trump Enforce Sanctions on Russia?

Nikolas K. Gvosdev at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Nikolas K. Gvosdev* *Security, Americas* [image: Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meet at the 2017 G-20 Hamburg Summit. Wikimedia Commons] New sanctions on Russia are not a “fire and forgot” tool. They must be accompanied by a more comprehensive approach. What is Russia’s likely reaction when new U.S. sanctions are imposed? This is a difficult question to analyze, because much depends, first and foremost, on what the Trump administration is prepared to do. Congressional legislation in the area of foreign policy is always tricky, because while Congress can mandate and fund, it is ... more »

Charlie Gard Dies: Victim of Culture of Death

Lisa Shaw at rss - 1 day ago
[image: charlie-gard-dies-victim-of-culture-of-death] After months of a desperately tiring battle, baby Charlie Gard’s life has come to a heartbreaking and disconcerting end.

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