11:34 pm MST
Disturbing things we learned from a New York Times profile on Donald Trump.
The New York Times did a deep dive into Trump's first year as president, by interviewing as many as 60 advisers, friends, and members of Congress to get a picture of his day-to-day life. The picture that emerges is...unsettling to say the least. The start of Trump's day: *Around 5:30 each morning, President Trump wakes and tunes into the television in the White House’s master bedroom. He flips to CNN for news, moves to “Fox & Friends” for comfort and messaging ideas, and sometimes watches MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” because, friends suspect, it fires him up for the day. * *Energized, ... more »
Citations Needed, Episode 17: Whitewashing America's Role in Yemen
Over 15,000 civilians dead and almost a million reported cases of cholera. 17 million people unsure of where their next meal will come from, including 7 million on the brink of starvation. Nearly 3 million people internally displaced. Hunger, disease, and bombs. That's what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have wrought on Yemen. After almost three years of wanton destruction by U.S.
Citations Needed, Episode 16: Editorial Boards - Protectors of Establishment Ideology
Donald Trump speaks with Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan, left, as he departs a meeting with the editorial board of The Washington Post. Editorial page editor Fred Hiatt is on the right. (Bonnie Jo Mount/Washington Post) Editorial boards are the establishment voice from above, handing out decrees of moral and political import behind an anonymous byline. Major papers like The New York
Cameron - Rodriguez - Alita: Battle Angel
at last, a trailer for the James Cameron (produced) and Robert Rodriguez (directed) live-action part-rendered manga-adaptation ALITA: *BATTLE ANGEL*
HOW TRUMPY WILL THE 2018 GOP CANDIDATE FIELD BE IF MOORE WINS?
It's been said that a Roy Moore win on Tuesday will be a burden for Republicans, because Moore will take office as a political and cultural throwback and a suspected pedophile. He may face an ethics investigation in the sentence; his past and his rhetoric will hung around the necks of other Republicans running in 2018. But there's one other reason Republicans might live to regret a Moore victory. In response to a tweet from Dave Weigel... *hot take alert* Even if Dems win #ALSen, doesn't mean a ton for 2018. Dems pasted Christine O'Donnell in 2010, bu lost basically every race with... more »
"And We Danced..."
"And we danced, on the brink of an unknown future, to an echo from a vanished past." - John Wyndham
Chet Raymo, “A Sense Of Place”
*“A Sense Of Place”* by Chet Raymo “It would be hard to find two writers more different than Eudora Welty and Edward Abbey. Welty was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of stories and novels who lived all her life in Jackson, Mississippi, in the house in which she was born, the beloved spinster aunt of American letters. Abbey was a hard-drinking, butt-kicking nature writer and conservationist best known for his books on the American Southwest. Both writers are favorites of mine. Both were great champions of place. I always wondered what it would have been like if they got together. As... more »
Iraq buries the ISIS Caliphate deep in the desert: Map Update
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:30 A.M.) – A few years back, the prospects of the Iraqi nation emerging from the its latest civil strife seemed unimaginable as the Islamic State terror group swept through through most of Anbar, the Tigris basin, and the fertile plains of Diyala a few kilometers from the wounded city of Baghdad. Over 3 years […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Al-Qaeda inescapably doomed in west Damascus following latest Syrian Army charge
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:00 PM) – The 4th Division Al-Ghaith group of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has advanced further on the Beit Jenn pocket on Sunday, after earlier advances had secured the hills north of the town of Magher al-Meir. Syrian army victories in the area won in the past days had secured the mountain […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Pictures: Syrian Army captures enough anti-tank missiles from ISIS to wipe out entire tank battalion
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:40 P.M.) – Amid the seemingly never ending discovery of hidden ISIS arms caches throughout newly liberated territories, the Syrian Arab Army has once again hit the jackpot, this time finding several large stockpiles of anti-tank guided missiles – enough it appears, to wipe out an entire tank battalion. In a recent discovery, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking map: Syrian Army tanks, assault troops flood into Idlib amid unprecedented Russian airstrikes
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – After months of anticipation, the mechanized might of the Syrian Arab Army has been unleashed against jihadist-led militias in northwestern Syria. Already army forces have liberated key towns and villages within a provincial region that has, until now, been under the total and virtually uncontested control of rebel groups for […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian Defence ministry report hits hard: “US coalition destroyed Syrian cities with carpet bombing”
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (04:25 PM) The Russian Ministry of Defence has slammed the US-led military coalition in its latest report on Syria, accusing the military alliance of destroying much of the country and of being on the whole inefficient in actually fighting ISIS. “Supported by Russian Aerospace Forces, the Syrian army has liberated hundreds of settlements […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian forces reclaim large desert land from ISIS in eastern Syria
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4: 10 P.M.) – A huge advance has been made today by the Syrian Army and allies in the eastern part of the country amid massive collapse of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. The governed troops, backed by Iranian fighters, managed to seize up to 2000 square meters of land stretching from Salhiyah town through […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russia bewildered at France’s statement on Syria
Russia’s Defense Ministry is bewildered at the statement made by France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that Russia has misappropriated the victory over IS (Islamic State terrorist organization, outlawed in Russia), the ministry said on Sunday. “The defeat of IS in Syria is first of all result of actions by the Syrian leadership and governmental […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Citations Needed News Brief: 60 Minutes' Yemen Whitewash
In this Patron-only News Brief, Adam and I discuss recent omissions by 60 Minutes and The Washington Post of the U.S. role in bombing Yemen, the broader effort to throw America's responsibility for creating famine and disease into a memory hole, and shifting human rights standards for U.S. and its allies. [Note: This is a News Brief update on recent Yemen coverage; a full-length episode on the
Citations Needed News Brief: #J20 Trial Update and the Political Definitions of 'Violence'
In this all-access Citations Needed News Brief, Adam and I catch up with the latest from the #J20 trial, how the media shaped coverage early in favor of the state, and the racist roots of criminalizing protest. We are joined by Sam Adler-Bell, who walks us through his excellent new article in Mask Magazine, “It’s a Police State Mentality” — J20 and the Racist Origins of Criminalizing Protest.
Citations Needed News Brief: A Prince, a Purge & the Media's GoT Obsession
On the latest Patrons-Only Citations Needed News Brief, Adam and I discuss the Game of Thrones-obsessed media's hand-wringing over––and promotion of––Saudi Arabia's latest bloodbath. If you want to check it out, head over the our Patreon page and sign up to support the show. You'll get all the exclusive content! *** Citations Needed is a media criticism podcast, hosted by Adam Johnson and
Citations Needed News Brief: The First Failson-in-Law Saves the Middle East
On this Patron-Only News Brief, Adam and I discuss the latest news out of Palestine, Jared Kushner lobbying for Netanyahu, the history of presidential pandering on Jerusalem, and ABC News' Brian Ross tanking the stock market. Head over the our Patreon page and sign up to support the show. You'll get all the exclusive content! *** Citations Needed is a media criticism podcast, hosted by
Democracy And Pipelines
Andrew Nikiforuk believes that Canadian democracy is in trouble. The most recent sign of that fact is the National Energy Board's approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline: On Thursday the scandal-plagued federal agency ruled that Kinder Morgan, a U.S. pipeline company that’s the spawn of Enron (remember that tale of corporate corruption) doesn’t have to comply with City of Burnaby bylaws. The board effectively ruled that there are two classes in Burnaby: those who have to follow the rules and a U.S. pipeline company that doesn’t. With Trumpian flare the NEB added that it will expl... more »
"The Whole Root Of Our Trouble..."
"Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble, is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, the only fact we have. It seems to me that one ought to rejoice in the fact of death- ought to decide, indeed, to earn one's death by confronting with passion the conundrum of life." - James Baldwin, “The Fire Next Time”
"Dazed Lemmings Can't Bridge The Reality Gap"
*"Dazed Lemmings Can't Bridge The Reality Gap"* by Zen Gardner "Ever wonder why people can't make the leap to real awareness of what's going on? Why do so few people seem to care about the dangers of the unreported Fukushima radiation levels and toxic debris washing across the pacific? As the Orwellian American police state sweeps into place, the economy crumbles, Americans are preparing to celebrate their entry into a brave new 2018 with minimal awareness of the true dangers already dissolving their health, wealth and chances for survival in an engineered conflagration of mythic p... more »
This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 10
1949 Ali Aiyubi became premier of Iraq for 2nd time 1981 Report that Soviet Union resumed arms deliveries to Iraq after ban when Iran-Iraq War started 1983 Dawa members including Abu Muhandis set off 5 bombs at US and French embassies and other targets in Kuwait killing 6 wounding 80 1996 Oil for Food program started operating in Iraq 1999 UN Res 1281 extended Oil for Food Program for Iraq 2001 Ansar al-Islam formed from 3 Kurdish Islamist groups 2002 USAID said Iraq would be small intervention but security needed to be first priority 2002 NSC committee presented humani... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
I was quoted by Paul Iddon in "Terror and Murder - Islamic State Switches to an Insurgency in Iraq" for War Is Boring.
"We Say We Waste Time..."
"We say we waste time, but that is impossible. We waste ourselves." - Alice Bloch
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 10, 2017
*Norman A. Bailey, Asia Times:* *Seismic upheavals in the Middle East* The recent severe earthquake in Iran near the Iraqi border reminded the world that the Middle East is subject to physical upheavals. As if to mimic nature, geo-political and social upheavals are following at a dizzying pace. At the moment (and next week things may have changed again) three unfolding developments are creating new realities for statesmen, soldiers, diplomats, businessmen and intelligence operatives to deal with as best they can, which is not very good. *Read more* .... *Commentaries, Analysis, An... more »
NRA Silent As Cop Murders Innocent Man Because He Legally Held a Pellet Gun An Hour Earlier
[image: NRA]The National Rifle Association claims its purpose is to defend the Second Amendment rights of Americans, but it's ignoring a man who was murdered by police.
Police State Worshiping Cop Apologists Celebrate Death of Daniel Shaver on Facebook
[image: police]Shameless police apologists have taken to social media to celebrate the death of Daniel Shaver while referring to the cop who killed him as a hero and a victim.
Chief Pathologist Resigns to Expose Sheriff for Falsifying Autopsy Reports to Protect Killer Cops
[image: autopsy]After resigning from his position as chief, an autopsy doctor is now calling out the sheriff for overriding his death investigations to protect officers.
Top Disney Exec Charged With Molesting Young Girls Exposing Their History of Hiring Sex Abusers
[image: Disney]A Disney music executive is facing felony child sexual abuse charges for his alleged conduct with two underage girls who were 11 and 15 years old.
The Poet: Rod McKuen, "A Cat Named Sloopy"
*"A Cat Named Sloopy"* "For awhile the only earth that Sloopy knew was in her sandbox. Two rooms were her domain. Every night she'd sit in the window among the avocado plants waiting for me to come home, my arms full of canned liver and love. We'd talk into the night then, contented, but missing something. She the earth she never knew, me the hills I ran while growing bent. Sloopy should have been a cowboy's cat, with prairies to run, not linoleum, and real-live catnip mice, no one to depend on but herself. I never told her, but in my mind I was a midnight cowboy even then. R... more »
"The Excellent Foppery Of The World..."
"This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune (often the surfeits of our own behavior) we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and stars: as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treacherous by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star!" - William Shakespeare, “King Lear” Astrology...
Second Sunday of Advent...
*prepare.* *Preparing our Hearts and asking for the Grace* We prepare this week by stepping up the longing. We move through this week by naming deeper and more specific desires. *Each morning this week*, if even for that brief moment at the side of our beds, we want to light a second inner candle. We want to let it represent “a bit more hope.” Perhaps we can pause, breathe deeply and say, “*Lord, I place my trust in you."* *Each day this week*, as we encounter times that are rushed, even crazy, we can take that deep breath, and make that profound prayer. Each time we face some ... more »
World News Briefs -- December 10, 2017
*Reuters:* *Violence flares at protest near U.S. Embassy in Lebanon* BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese security forces fired tear gas and water canons at protesters near the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon on Sunday during a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Protesters, some of them waving Palestinian flags, set fires in the street and threw projectiles toward security forces that had barricaded the main road to the U.S. Embassy in the Awkar area north of Beirut. Security personnel used force to disperse most of the protest... more »
Physicists excited by discovery of new form of matter, excitonium
Physicists excited by discovery of new form of matter, excitonium https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-physicists-discovery-excitonium.html Advertisements
In first, 3-D printed objects connect to WiFi without electronics
In first, 3-D printed objects connect to WiFi without electronics https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-d-wifi-electronics.html
Exposed: Sugar Industry Research Study Malfeasance
Exposed: Sugar Industry Research Study Malfeasance http://ewao.com/2017/12/08/50901/
The illusion of climate cycles
Originally posted on Terra et Aqua: “Using past variations of solar activity measured by cosmogenic isotope abundance changes, analogue forecasts for possible future solar output have been calculated. An 8% chance of a return to Maunder Minimum-like conditions within the next 40 years was estimated in 2010 (ref. 2). The decline in solar activity has continued,…
Historically Quiet Sun Headed Towards Next Solar Minimum
Originally posted on The Next Grand Minimum: by Meteorologist Paul Dorian, Vencore, Inc. Overview Solar cycle 24 has turned out to be historically weak with the lowest number of sunspots since cycle 14 peaked more than a century ago in 1906 and by some measures, it is the third weakest since regular observations began around…
Scientific peer review: an ineffective and unworthy institution
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? h/t stewgreen ? The Times Higher Education Supplement’s blog carries a damning indictment of peer review, which has very real relevance to the climate change debate: ? Given the entirely appropriate degree of respect that science has for data, the ongoing…
"How It Really Is"
'Murica, 2017!
Environmentalists Fiddle While California Burns
Californa has real problems and limited resources. What did California decide to spend their precious public resources on? Did they spend it to maintain critical infrastructure like the Oroville Dam? Thin out forests and brush land to prevent catastrophic fires? Build desalination plants to aid the drought? Construct new fire roads, hire and train firefighters, invest … Continue reading "Environmentalists Fiddle While California Burns"
Faux Global Warming Isn’t Harming Polar Bears
The greatest threat to Slimate Clience is for the American People to simply examine the data to determine if it supports the conclusions reached by the taxpayer-funded and grant dependent “experts.” My experience is that there are very very very few claims made by the alarmists that are supported by the data, especially the unadjusted data. “2 … Continue reading "Faux Global Warming Isn’t Harming Polar Bears"
CO2 not increasing severe tornadoes
The biggest threat to Slimate Clience is for the American People to simply look at the data to see if it supports the conclusion reached by the experts. My experience is that very few claims made by the experts are supported by the data, especially the raw unadjusted data. “Climate hysteria’s extreme weather hypothesis is tested for … Continue reading "CO2 not increasing severe tornadoes"
Garlic as a natural blood thinner
Is Garlic a Blood Thinner? There are two major parts to the blood clotting system: Fibrin and Platelet. Garlic can impact them both. Eating garlic, especially when raw is part of a healthy Paleo diet. Some benefits of garlic are lost when it is cooked, but the clot buster benefit remains. Supplements are another excellent […] The post Garlic as a natural blood thinner appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.
Immune Juice
This recipe harnesses the power of the 3 ingredients to crank up your immune system. Quite simply, you will be juicing turmeric, garlic and lemon. We love our Immune Juice to keep us well all winter long or whenever we feel run down. Here is the recipe for 3-4 servings. Turmeric – 1 small handful […] The post Immune Juice appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.
Bat wielding Canadian attacks family from Colombia while yelling that they are ISIS.
@CTVLondon We were victims of a hate crime in St Thomas Ontario. A guy got mad, because we were talking in Spanish . He was about to hit my son who is 13th years old, but my Hubby jumped while the aggressor swings the baseball bat. pic.twitter.com/4tuqSPAH8K — Mari UX (@Mari__ux) December 8, 2017 Courtesy of Raw Story: *On Thursday, a man armed with a baseball bat attacked a family in the parking lot of the Elgin Mall in St. Thomas, Ontario, accusing them of being Islamic terrorists. * *However, according to the Toronto City News, the family was from Colombia and were speaking S... more »
Sunday morning music
Let's have a bit of rock nostalgia - with added Cream. Here's their complete reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 2005. That brings back some memories; but why do the boys look so old? I mean, it was only yesterday . . . wasn't it? Peter
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 10, 2017
*Defense One: Kamikaze UAVs, Drones on Leashes, Information Bombs Top Pentagon’s Counterterror Wishlist* *Expect to see these technologies in a grey-zone battlefield in the not-too-distant future.* Want a glimpse of the irregular grey-zone battles of the near future? One great indicator is the annual wishlist of the Pentagon’s Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office, or CTTSO. Released on Wednesday, the office’s broad agency announcement, or BAA, emphasizes drones and ways to counter misinformation. Here are a few highlights: *Loitering Death Drones* In 2016, the Pentagon pu... more »
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Damian Paletta and Josh Dawsey report that cash for access is the only way for anybody to raise issues with the U.S. Republicans' tax bills. And Ronald Brownstein views the tax debacle as conclusive evidence of the closing of Republican minds. - Meanwhile, Mark Kingwell offers a needed rebuttal to the reactionary right's efforts to falsely criticize universities for exactly the type of closed-minded attitudes underlying its own movement: Right-wing postmodernism flourishes by bulldozing dissent. The current occupant of the White House, and ... more »
America Might Build a New Cruise Missile (And We Can Thank Russia)
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * And a dying treaty. The United States remains committed to preserving the landmark 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, which is marking its 30th anniversary on December 8. However, the United States will start looking at military options—including the development of a new cruise missile—to counter what it sees as Russian violations of the bilateral agreement that bans land-based missiles with ranges of between 500 km and 5500 km. “The United States will continue to pursue a diplomatic solution, we are now pursuing economic and milit... more »
The Army's Has Over 100,000 'New' M4A1 Rifles - Here's What They Can Do
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * To date, the Army has completed more than 117,000 M4A1 upgrades on the way to the eventual transformation of more than 480,000 M4 rifles. *Despite the fact that the particular M4A1+ effort did not move forward, Army officials explain that market surveys regarding improvements to the weapon will continue; in addition, Army developers explain that the service is consistently immersed in effort to identify and integrate emerging technologies into the rifle as they become available. As a result, it is entirely conceivable that the Army will explore new requ... more »
We Now Have Evidence Russia Seems Pleased with Its Military in Syria
*Nicholas J. Myers* *Security, Middle East* Some key promotions just came in. In the final days of November 2017, the Russian High Command reshuffled several positions, most notably both the Eastern and Central Military Districts received new commanders. Immediately striking is the fact that Alexander Lapin, the new Central Military District commander, is a Lieutenant General (in Russia, this is a two-star rank) whereas all the other military districts are commanded by Colonel Generals (three-stars), including General Lapin’s predecessor. The new commander in the Eastern Milita... more »
George Lee: The Man Who Could Have Replaced George Washington in the Revolutionary War
*James Holmes* *History, North America* And lost. Queries the great Sheldon Cooper: “How would the Civil War have gone differently if Lincoln had been a robot sent from the future?” None can tell. Nor can we tell with any exactitude how the War of American Independence would have unfolded differently had George Washington been a robot on an errand from the future. (Assuming he wasn’t. He did have an otherworldly character to him.) But we can essay some critical analysis about how the revolution would have gone had the Patriots rejected Washington as commander-in-chief and embra... more »
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Quote of the day: UPDATE: Officials just declared Yemen "the worst cholera outbreak in human history." This, while millions of people face starvation across the region. - Oxfam From Jenna Orkin Black Mothers Keep Dying After Giving Birth. Shalon Irving's Story Explains Why The U.S. Media Yesterday Suffered its Most Humiliating Debacle in Ages: Now Refuses All Transparency Over What Happened Aluminum in Vaccines - Toxicity in Low Doses (in layman's language) One-Third of All Americans Killed by Strangers Are Killed by Police Is Going To College Worth It? (Yes, If You're White!) ... more »
The U.S. News Media Suffers Its Most Humiliating Debacle In Ages
Photo: YouTube/MSNBC *Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept:* *The U.S. Media Yesterday Suffered its Most Humiliating Debacle in Ages: Now Refuses All Transparency Over What Happened* Friday was one of the most embarrassing days for the U.S. media in quite a long time. The humiliation orgy was kicked off by CNN, with MSNBC and CBS close behind, with countless pundits, commentators and operatives joining the party throughout the day. By the end of the day, it was clear that several of the nation’s largest and most influential news outlets had spread an explosive but completely false news ... more »
China Goes All Out To Celebrate Xi Jinping
Attendees listen to a speech by China's President Xi Jinping shown on a screen during the opening ceremony of the third annual World Internet Conference in Wuzhen town of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, China November 16, 2016. REUTERS/Aly Song *Wall Street Journal:* *China Celebrates Xi Jinping With Fervor Not Seen Since Mao* *Communist Party deploys dancers, ‘camelback publicists’ to spread leader’s message.* WUZHONG, China—In a packed auditorium in this Yellow River city, dancers in floral-pattern costumes twirl against a backdrop of a red star shining over the Great Wall. “Gener... more »
Who Paid To Develop And Build Israel's Nuclear Bomb?
View of the Israeli nuclear facility in the Negev Dest outside Dimona on August 6, 2000. Jim Hollander/Reuters *Zachary Keck, National Post:* *The American Who Paid for Israel's Nuclear Bomb* Although Israel doesn’t officially acknowledge it, it is well understood that the country possesses a nuclear weapon arsenal (although the exact number of warheads are in dispute). It is similarly well understood that the United States opposed Israel’s nuclear weapons program during the John F. Kennedy and, to a lesser extent, Lyndon B. Johnson administrations. One part of the history that is... more »
Erdogan calls Israel “terrorist state…killer of children”
The Turkish President has spoken before members of his AP Party and has a clear message for Israel and the US. More The post Erdogan calls Israel “terrorist state…killer of children” appeared first on The Duran.
Question: Is Randy Bryce Winning Yet? Answer: Yep
Enjoy Randy Bryce on *I Love America* with Sarah Silverman above. I don't know how many people in southeast Wisconsin watch that show. Or Chelsea Handler's show. Or *Pod Save America* with former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor. All those appearances seemed like a big deal for Randy Bryce after he released his well-received introductory video that caused such excitement among national progressives. I know all the other candidates backed by Blue America would like those opportunities... would *love* those opportunities. But I'm not sure how much ... more »
It's the same old song
Good grief! It's coming beyond a joke. Whenever *The World This Weekend *focuses on Brexit Mark Mardell's framing introduction almost always goes something like this: Welcome to *The World This Weekend*. This is Mark Mardell. Push is about to come to shove as the Cabinet finally plans to talk about what they hope to get out of Brexit. *David Davis*: Canada, plus, plus, plus. But one Canadian negotiator tells us it won't be easy. *Jason Langrish*: This is a very unconventional negotiation. You're going backwards, not forwards. You're not integrating, you're de-intergrating. Why ... more »
Has A Russian General Been Identified As Being The Commander Behind The Shooting Down Of Malaysia Air Flight 17
This 2007 photo published originally by the Kremlin shows Russian leader Vladimir Putin with three-star General Nikolai Tkachev, furthest to left. *McClatchy News*: *Russian general ID’d in activity around shootdown of Malaysian passenger jet* MOSCOW: A semi-retired Russian three-star general oversaw the cross-border movements of a rocket launcher used to bring down a passenger jet in 2014 over eastern Ukraine, killing all aboard, an investigation by a team of reporting outlets has found. The reporting team, made up of McClatchy and investigative websites Bellingcat (based in Lond... more »
Scientific peer review: an ineffective and unworthy institution
By Paul Homewood h/t stewgreen The Times Higher Education Supplement’s blog carries a damning indictment of peer review, which has very real relevance to the climate change debate: Given the entirely appropriate degree of respect that science has for data, the ongoing discussion of peer review is often surprisingly data-free and underlain […]
The effects of global warming.
Courtesy of National Geographic: *When photographer Paul Nicklen and filmmakers from conservation group Sea Legacy arrived in the Baffin Islands in late summer, they came across a heartbreaking sight: a starving polar bear on its deathbed. * *Nicklen is no stranger to bears. From the time he was a child growing up in Canada's far north the biologist turned wildlife photographer has seen over 3,000 bears in the wild. But the emaciated polar bear, featured in videos Nicklen published to social media on December 5, was one of the most gut-wrenching sights he's ever seen. * *"We stoo... more »
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*Campus Watch Exposes Islamists, Apologists, and Fellow Travelers at Georgetown University* A new Campus Watch report details how Georgetown University's Middle East studies faculty has radicalized in recent years to include not just the fellow travelers of previous decades but actual Islamist professors. Islamists, Apologists, and Fellow Travelers: Middle East Studies Faculty at Georgetown University by Campus Watch, a project of the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum, exposes this alarming increase in anti-American, anti-Israel, and anti-Western biases among professors, some S... more »
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*Worst global warming predictions likely the most accurate, study finds* *Just another prophecy, and an act of faith. They think that models which provide the best fit to the past will predict the future. Yet that is exactly what does NOT happen. Fitting a model to the past does NOT predict the future. All the Warmists' troubles would be over if it did* The worst-case predictions regarding the effects of global warming are the most likely to be true, a new study published this week has warned. "Our study indicates that if emissions follow a commonly used business-as-usual scen...more »
Breaking: Intense clashes breakout in front of US Embassy in Beirut
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:35 A.M.) – A large group of Lebanese and Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets of Beirut, Sunday, to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The demonstration was held in front of the U.S. Embassy of Beirut, a local source reported to Al-Masdar News. During […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
US-Led Coalition: Daesh still present on both sides of Euphrates in Syria
On Wednesday, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said that Syria was fully freed from Daesh and the remaining Islamist militants had been defeated in Deir ez-Zor. However, the US-led coalition believes that the terrorists have “yet to be cleared from that area.” A representative of the Combined Joint Task Force — Operation […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian airstrikes help Kurdish forces to capture ISIS turf east of the Euphrates River
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (10:25 A.M.) – On Saturday, the Kurdish-led ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) took control of three ISIS-held villages on the eastern side of the Euphrates River in region roughly 70 kilometers southeast of Deir Ezzor City. The captured villages were identified as Al-Falaj, Al-Jurdi Sharqi, and Abu Hardub by a source close to Al-Masdar […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Tending the Garden
*"You have to tend to this garden of democracy, otherwise things can fall apart fairly quickly. And we've seen societies where that happens," * Former president Barack Obama In these days of a clearly 'unstable' individual in a position of great power in the US of Eh who does not seem to realize that his words have a (largely negative) impact world wide it is becoming increasingly important for those who are concerned about the decline of reasonable dialog and being replaced by unhelpful rhetoric to speak up. One such person who chooses his words very carefully is Mr Obama and his r... more »
Really?
CNN’S slogan is CNN, THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS. Everyone knows this is not true, that this could, in fact, be a fraud on the American Public. There are many outlets that are far more trusted than Fake News CNN. Their slogan should be CNN, THE LEAST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2017 Does anybody else's head hurt as much as mine does?
Good Lord
By Cathy Jameson My son’s vaccine injury has kept me from believing in the system. It’s also kept me from being grateful for pharmaceutical companies, especially ones that cannot be held responsible for damages their products cause. So when I...
Ludovico Einaudi Circles - A Video Creation by Ron Shields
*by Ron Shields* Ludovico Einaudi Circles Sending LOVE and Peace.
Latest Image Of “Starving Polar Bear”
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? ? It looks like this is going to be the next iconic image to sell the global warming scam: ? A group of filmmakers have shared images of the gut-wrenching moment they stumbled across a starving polar bear clinging to life…
The Oroville Dam 2017 Spillway Incident – Possible Causes and Solutions
Originally posted on Climate Etc.: by Telis Koskinas On February 2017, Oroville Dam gained worldwide attention when its main spillway suddenly failed, seemingly without precedent, under natural operating conditions. While thankfully no casualties were caused by this incident, its direct and indirect effects will be felt in the local downstream communities in the years to…
Students Kicked Out of Campus Coffee Shop for Wearing MAGA Hats
https://youtu.be/P1bsyh9m5Us I wonder if the woman trying to expel students for wearing MAGA hats as the hats are redolent of Nazis would be at all offended by a student wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt or a Karl Marx one, or a Chairman Mao one. Somehow I think that imaginary Nazis are more of a concern to her than the real mass murdering socialists of the recent past.
Sunday Sermonette
Your sermonette today deals with one of the more corrupt portions of the Deep State Swamp, the FBI. It needs to be addressed quickly and dealt with the one would of dying cancer patient - more below in the sermonette. It takes a set to flip off Congress, which appropriates money for your corrupt organization. FBI Director Christopher Wray *refused to answer* Rep DeSantis when asked if dossier was used to spy on Trump’s Camp, more here (LINK). *REFUSED TO ANSWER?* (Gateway Pundit) FBI Director Christopher Wray testified at a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Thursday ... more »
10 Elections To Watch In 2018
Russian President Vladimir Putin.REUTERS/Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool *James M. Lindsay, Business Insider/Council on Foreign Relations*:* 10 elections to watch in 2018 that could reshape the world* Millions of people around the world voted in elections this year. The French elected Emmanuel Macron president, while South Koreans elected Moon Jae-in president. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani won reelection with a much wider margin of support than his first time around. Turkey voted to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s constitutional authority. Britain’s Theresa May gambled and lost ... more »
WATCH LIVE: Heavy clashes outside US Embassy in Beirut
Protesters in Lebanon rage against the United States. More The post WATCH LIVE: Heavy clashes outside US Embassy in Beirut appeared first on The Duran.
North Korea slams “mentally deranged dotard” Trump on Middle East
A dotard is defined as a senile or weak old man. More The post North Korea slams “mentally deranged dotard” Trump on Middle East appeared first on The Duran.
Andrew Neil schools James Mates
For those who don't do Twitter, here's an interesting exchange between Andrew Neil and ITN's Europe Editor James Mates: *Andrew Neil*: Beware pundits who, having called stage one of Brexit talks wrong, now say stage two will be much more difficult. Could be. But not if: i) The UK could actually make up its mind what it reasonably wants. ii) There is goodwill on EU's part (and there could well be). *James Mates*: Wasn't it Donald Tusk who said this morning Phase 2 will be much more difficult? I guess he might know. *Andrew Neil*: James! He's about to start a new negotiation. Don't... more »
Immanuel Kant on Property Rights and Authority of State
In his essay, “Mine and thine? The Kantian state,” (Chapter 12: *The Cambridge Companion to Kant and Modern Philosophy*, Edited by Paul Guyer), Robert B. Pippin says that Immanuel Kant believed that private property is the primary institution in a modern bourgeois society, and that the authority of the state comes from the role that it plays in securing private property and regulating the disputes regarding property and contract. Kant was of the view that the sovereignty of the state is absolute and people do not have the right of revolution. He limits participation in government... more »
Mr. Marr's Sunday Menu
Andrew Marr's introduction today: So, Theresa May's best week, I guess, since she became Prime Minister, getting that first Brexit agreement. But this leaves open the biggest question of all - what kind of relationship are we going to have with the EU? What kind of country are we going to be? At last, the Cabinet are going to settle down to discuss it. About time, because, as with Labour, right now, it's clear as mud. David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, and Sir Keir Starmer, his Labour opposite number, are both here, mud-free, promising straight answers to straight questions. I'll ...more »
Top Departing U.S. Commander In The War Against The Islamic State Acknowledges Civilian Casualties
Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend. YouTube *Washington Examiner:* *Accusations of sloppy targeting dog the US military as civilian casualties rise* As the U.S. military racks up victories against terror groups, there’s one battle that it can't seem to win: The PR war over how many innocent civilians are dying as a result of U.S. airstrikes or commando raids. When confronted with allegations of civilian casualties, U.S. commanders have repeated their go-to talking point, that the U.S.-led coalition air campaign is “the most accurate in the history of warfare,” employing only the smartest o... more »
Direct messaging
*Haaretz*, Israel's equivalent to the *Guardian*, featured a column on Thursday by Allison Kaplan Sommer wherein Ms. Sommer considered the possibility (in her view) that Donald Trump is succumbing to Jerusalem Syndrome ("that disorder in which a recent visitor to the Holy City begins to take on the personality of a biblical figure") and starting to see himself as The Messiah. ("It just could be a logical next step on Trump's path of auto-hagiography.") That was evidently more than enough for the team at Radio 4's *Sunday.* On the same day that the article was published, they tweet... more »
COMMENTS - CHRISTIAN ZIONISTS; WESTMINSTER SLEAZE; CAMILLA
*Mike Pence.* * Kaivey comments:* I don't want to worry you guys, but... *Armageddon: Pence, Israel and the Evangelicals - Counterpunch / Netanyahu Ditches US Jews for Alliance with Christian Evangelicals* *Excerpt-* On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence delivers the keynote speech at the annual summit of *Christians United for Israel*. Pence once again pledged that the Trump administration would move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem... *When the United States recognized the capital of Israel to be Jerusalem we do so, at least in part, to summon the Messiah and begin preparation fo... more »
A Little 3 Minute Film About Attempts To Re-open Most Dangerous Coal Mine In The UK Near Sellafield Nuclear Site
Originally posted on Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole: A Little Film from today in Whitehaven. West Cumbria Mining none too pleased about us being…
45,000 Demonstrate In Brussels For Release Of Catalan Political And Social Leaders From Prison And To Denounce The Lack Of Democracy In Spain
“45,000 people attend demonstration in Brussels, according to Belgian police figures: Original route changed due to large influx of protesters … Continue reading →
Messiahs, Mahdis, Middle East Madness and Prophecies
American journalist Eric Margolis has penned a perceptive article on the move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move is all about the conservative judeo-christians setting up the pre-requisites for the arrival of the Messiah as … Continue reading →
Barry McGuire, My Daughter, and the Moon
It was an image of God’s people, shining with a reflected glory, a divine light that came from God and illumining those in the world who could not bear the direct intensity of His glory. The post Barry McGuire, My Daughter, and the Moon appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
Trolls threaten murder on my FB page, use C word and far worse (warning graphic posts!) FB does nothing
Erin’s NOTE: I have redacted names, as is all that is required of me legally. These are ALL comments that originate off my page. Whether these folks are pro GMO or pro pharma or just bored basement dwellers they sure can be mean. The ones on other pages are far, far worse and so
U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell To Leave White House
*Politico:* *Powell to leave White House in early 2018* Former Goldman Sachs partner Dina Powell, who joined Donald Trump’s administration last January as an adviser on women’s issues to Ivanka Trump and rose quickly to become deputy national security adviser with a heavy hand in Middle East issues, will be departing the administration early next year. “Dina Powell has been a key, trusted advisor in this administration,” press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement Friday. “She has always planned to serve one year before returning home to New York, where she will co... more »
Midnight Meme Of The Day!
*-by Noah* Back in 1994, Congress passed Senator Joe Biden's Violence Against Women Act by a bi-partisan vote (Times were different way back then). The act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The new law provided $1.6 Billion to investigate and prosecute those charged with violent crimes against women. It also imposed automatic mandatory penalties for convictions, and also provided for redress via civil cases. The VAWA also created the Office on Violence Against Women as a part of the United States Department of Justice. Fast forward to 2013 when the law was coming due... more »
In other news
News this week that you may have missed if you were only paying attention to BBC News... In London, outside the US embassy, a crowd of 'anti-Zionists' shouts "Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud" ("Jews, remember Khaybar the army of Muhammad is returning"). In Malmö, Sweden a crowd of 'anti-Zionists' shouts "Vi har utlyst intifada från Malmö. Vi vill ha vår frihet tillbaka, och vi ska skjuta judarna" ("We have announced the intifada from Malmö. We want our freedom back, and we will shoot the Jews.") In the Netherlands a 29-year-old man waving a Palestinian flag sm... more »
Look Who's Interfering: Tillerson's Thai Election Comment
*December 10, 2017* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a press statement regarding Thailand's National Day. In it he expressed diplomatic greetings and well-wishing to the Thai people, but failed to resist also expressing American exceptionalism - stating, *"we look forward to Thailand holding elections next year."* While the statement may seem rather innocuous at first glance, it is anything but. *Returning a Murderous Proxy to Power * Thailand's elections have been put on hold, following a 2014 military coup ousting the US-backed regime of Yin... more »
Syrian Army will create new brigades with captured ISIS weapons
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:15 A.M.) – The rapid defeat of Islamic State forces in eastern Syria over the last several months has seen the Syrian Arab Army capture untold quantities of military equipment from the terrorist group, most of which will likely go into the raising of new pro-government formations. As Syrian pro-government forces chased ISIS […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIS presence in Iraq exterminated: Map Update
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:30 A.M.) – A few years back, the prospects of the Iraqi nation emerging from the its latest civil strife seemed unimaginable as the Islamic State terror group swept through through most of Anbar, the Tigris basin, and the fertile plains of Diyala a few kilometers from the wounded city of Baghdad. Over 3 years […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian Army’s elite Tiger Forces to be deployed on unexpected front
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:14 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s most elite formation, having just finished combat operations in eastern Syria, is now moving to the country’s northwest in order to conduct a new offensive. According to military sources exclusive to Al-Masdar News, the Syrian Army’s elite Tiger Forces Division is to not be deployed to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
China's U.S. Diplomat Threatens War If A U.S. Warship Docks In Taiwan
Chinese embassy Minister Li Kexin *Taiwan News: **Chinese diplomat in U.S. threatens Taiwan with military attack* If U.S. Navy vessel docks in Kaohsiung, China will attack: PRC embassy minister. TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The day a United States Navy ship docks in Kaohsiung is the day China will launch a military attack against Taiwan, a Chinese diplomat in the U.S. reportedly said Friday. Chinese embassy Minister Li Kexin (李克新) was referring to the recent passage by the U.S. Congress of a measure which will allow visits by Navy vessels and military officials from the U.S. and Taiwa... more »
Tweets For Today
Scores of homes are destroyed by fires in Ojai, California, as winds cause flames to move south. Residents of the neighborhood hit hardest by the flames arrive to take stock of their families' losses pic.twitter.com/9R4Qv2q5f3 — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 10, 2017 Iraqis in Baghdad reacted to the announcement by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi declaring the 'end of war against IS' in Iraq https://t.co/0ANh4tkmgH pic.twitter.com/U2iNUmZ4EG — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 9, 2017 Maps of Syria and Iraq showing changes in the territory controlled by the Islamic State group si... more »
Russian Ministry Of Defense: Russian Su-35 Chased Away Rogue US F-22 Jet Over Syria
The Aviationist *RT*:* Russian Su-35 chased away rogue US F-22 jet: MoD blasts US Air Force for hampering Syria op * A Russian interceptor has been scrambled to stop a rogue US fighter jet from actively interfering with an anti-terrorist operation, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It also accused the US of provoking close encounters with the Russian jets in Syria. A US F-22 fighter was preventing two Russian Su-25 strike aircraft from bombing an Islamic State (IS, former ISIS) base to the west of the Euphrates November 23, according to the ministry. The ministry’s spokesman, Ma... more »
"Words You Hate To Hear"
*"Words You Hate To Hear"* by Stanley Fish "There is a class of utterances that, when encountered, produces irritation, distress and, in some cases, the desire to kill. You hear or read one of these and your heart sinks. Everyone will have his or her (non)favorites. Mine is a three-word announcement on the TV screen, “To Be Continued,” which says, “I know that you have become invested in this story and are eager to find out how it ends, but you’re going to have to wait for a few days or a week or a month or forever.” In the great order of things, it is only a minor inconvenience, bu... more »
The Poet: Wendell Berry, "A Spiritual Journey"
"A Spiritual Journey" "And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be at home." ~ Wendell Berry
Picture Of The Day
A Palestinian protester prays during clashes with Israeli troops at a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Editors Choice Pictures *(Reuters).
Paul Ryan Needs More Media Exposure
Republican thinkers seem to find it Ok to heap all kinds of deprecations on Trump's head without hesitation. Even when their dissatisfaction and criticism are actually aimed towards Paul Ryan, it appears to be more comfortable for them to just use Trump's name instead. This week Joe Scarborough had no problem at all using a *Washington Post* OpEd, Trump's Mental Meltdown, to point out that Trump is mentally unstable, suffering from dementia and that there is some kind of consensus among people dealing with Trump that he's off his rocker and dangerous to the country. "That is a ver... more »
Strzok-gate and the Mueller cover-up
Peter Strzok's sacking points to Trump Dossier and exposes the true scandal of the 2016 election More The post Strzok-gate and the Mueller cover-up appeared first on The Duran.
"What A Chimera..."
"What a chimera then is man! What a novelty, what a monster, what a chaos, what a contradiction, what a prodigy! Judge of all things, imbecile worm of the earth; depositary of truth, a sink of uncertainty and error; the pride and refuse of the universe! Who will unravel this tangle?" - Blaise Pascal
Free Download: Mark Twain, "Letters From the Earth"
*"Letters From the Earth"* by Mark Twain "This is a strange place, an extraordinary place, and interesting. There is nothing resembling it at home. The people are all insane, the other animals are all insane, the earth is insane, Nature itself is insane. Man is a marvelous curiosity. When he is at his very very best he is a sort of low grade nickel-plated angel; at is worst he is unspeakable, unimaginable; and first and last and all the time he is a sarcasm. Yet he blandly and in all sincerity calls himself the "noblest work of God." This is the truth I am telling you. And this is ... more »
The U.S. Army Had a Special 'Suicide Squad' Ready to Strike Soviet Forces During The Cold War
Checkpoint Charlie 1963 (Wikipedia) *Michael G. Peck, National Interest:* *The U.S. Army Had a Special 'Suicide Squad' Ready to Strike Russian Forces* Had the Cold War turned hot, there would have been no escape for the U.S. garrison in West Berlin. Marooned in a city more than 100 miles inside Communist East Germany, the U.S. Berlin Brigade—and the British and French garrisons as well—would certainly have been overwhelmed by Soviet and East German troops. Their presence helped keep half of Berlin free from Communist rule. But it was no secret that theirs was a suicide mission. Ye... more »
“On The Damned Human Race”
*“On The Damned Human Race”* by Mark Twain “I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the lower animals (so-called), and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man. I find the result humiliating to me. For it obliges me to renounce my allegiance to the Darwinian theory of the Ascent of Man from the Lower Animals; since it now seems plain to me that the theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one, this new and truer one to be named the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals. In proceeding toward this unpleasant conclusion I have not guessed or ... more »
Here Is the U.S. Air Force's Crazy Plan to Kill Drones with Falcons
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, North America* The peregrine falcon is now the natural enemy of unmanned aerial vehicles. What has two wings and doesn’t give a damn? The peregrine falcon: the fastest member of the animal kingdom, preternaturally terrifying bird of prey… and, now, the natural enemy of unmanned aerial vehicles. The Air Force is into putting falcons to work for the U.S. armed forces — and new research suggests they’re smart to do so: The peregrine falcon may hold the key to developing anti-drone interceptor systems. The research, conducted by a group o... more »
THAAD Can't Destroy North Korea's ICBMs (but the Navy Might Have a Way)
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* The SM-3 might be the way to beat Kim's nukes in a war. On December 2, Reuters published an article claiming U.S. congressman Mike Rogers and Adam Smith had both suggested that the Pentagon was considering installing Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) batteries to two sites on the West Coast to protect against attack by North Korean intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The United States is already shielded by the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, with launch sites in Alaska and California that can fire huge missiles to in... more »
How Israel Crushed Its Enemies in the 1967 War
*Warfare History Network* *History, Middle East* The Israeli Defense Force’s strategic invasion of the West Bank region of Jordan began on June 5, 1967. The Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF’s, or Zahal’s) strategic invasion of the West Bank region of Jordan began at 5 pm on June 5, 1967. The assault was launched by one of two armored brigades attached to the Peled Armored Divisional Task Force (Ugdah Peled), part of Zahal’s Northern Command. Initially, the attack was aimed merely at neutralizing Royal Jordanian Army 155mm artillery fire that was striking the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF’... more »
China Is Now Making Some of the Most Powerful Guns on the Planet
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* Like the rest of China’s military revolution over the past quarter century, its small-arms revolution is a remarkable achievement. China’s People’s Liberation Army has traditionally relied on foreign and Communist bloc weapons manufactured in China under license—or not. Now, however, as the PLA undergoes an unprecedented modernization, a new generation of locally designed and manufactured light weaponry is arming China’s armed forces, from handguns to light machine guns. China’s first modern, locally designed and produced assault rifle is the QBZ... more »
Why Militaries the World over Still Use Grenade Launchers
*Task and Purpose, James Clark* *Security, North America* Who cooked up the idea of a gun that burps explosive grenades in the first place? Infantry platoons bristle with direct-fire weapons, but everyone loves a grenade. Grenades give ground troops the ability to send a big boom of fire and shrapnel over a wall or hedgerow, inside a window, or wherever else you can wing one. The catch, of course, is that a hand grenade’s range tops out at roughly 40 meters, depending on whether the grenade-hurler tried out for the minors before joining the military. Enter the ubiquitous grenade... more »
5 Ways the New GOP Tax Plan Will Help the Middle Class
*Milton Ezrati* *Economics, North America* [image: U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in a box at the Money Service Austria company's headquarters in Vienna] On a relative basis, the likely changes will offer a lot to middle class Americans, in some ways more than the wealthy will get. As the nation awaits a final version of its new tax legislation, the House and Senate versions share enough in common to give an idea of what will likely emerge and who will benefit most. Since the rich pay the most in tax, most breaks will naturally give the greatest dollar amounts to them. Partisans... more »
Does Saleh's Death Signal the End of the Yemen War?
*Gerald Feierstein* *Security, Middle East* [image: Supporters of the Houthi movement shout slogans as they demonstrate against the closure of Yemen's ports by the Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen] Following Saleh's death, the Houthis are likely to suffer a further decline in their popular support, which was already waning as a result of the never-ending conflict. Ali Abdullah Saleh’s violent death on December 4, after a weekend of intense conflict in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, brings to an end the remarkable three-decade-long career of Yemen’s most dominant political leader... more »
Iraqi Army launches mass counterinsurgency campaign in Diyala against ISIS sleepers
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (1:21 A.M.) – The commander of the Tigris Operations Room General Muzher al-Azzawi confirmed the launch of a full-scale operation in eastern Diyala to crack down on ISIS cells. Azzawi stated in a media conference on Saturday that security forces supported by the air force launched the extensive operation from two wide fronts. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIS hideout uncovered near strategic town in southeast Homs
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:25 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) uncovered a large Islamic State (ISIS) hideout that was used to launch sporadic attacks against the government in the mountains surrounding the strategic town of Quraytayn. According to a report from the Syrian military, the SAA discovered this ISIS hideout while combing through a number […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian Army seizes jackpot cache of weapons from ISIS in Deir Ezzor – video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:55 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) uncovered another large weapons storage depot in the southeastern countryside of the Deir Ezzor Governorate this week, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. In a video released by SANA, the Syrian Army seized a large cache of heavy weapons and military equipment that were […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Israel wont attack Lebanon after 2006 War: Aoun
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:40 P.M.) – In an interview in Beirut on Saturday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun dismissed the possibility of an Israeli assault on Lebanon. “After the July 2006 war Israel will no longer attack Lebanon”, the Lebanese president argued. Michel Aoun referred to the war which erupted in 2006 between Israel and Lebanese paramilitary […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian Su-35 chased away rogue* US F-22 jet in Syria: MoD
* "Rogue". Right. As if I'll believe that immediately. Thousands would not.
A Russian interceptor has been scrambled to stop a rogue US fighter jet from actively interfering with an anti-terrorist operation, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It also accused the US of provoking close encounters with the Russian jets in Syria. A US F-22 fighter was preventing two Russian Su-25 strike aircraft from bombing an Islamic […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
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