00:28 am MST
Trump Saved St. Pete’s Because He Wants A Piece Of The Syrian Pie
The US did the right thing for self-interested reasons that have to do with its envisioned role in determining the outcome of the Russian-led political solution to the War on Syria. The post Trump Saved St. Pete’s Because He Wants A Piece Of The Syrian Pie appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
Tweets For Today
Venezuela is going through an acute economic crisis https://t.co/QPu8yACQej — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 23, 2017 Honduras opposition candidate admits defeat in disputed presidential poll after the US recognises the incumbent as the victor, following a month of sometimes deadly street clashes https://t.co/tepb8ldHtp — TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) December 23, 2017 Mark your calendar for 2018's biggest sporting events pic.twitter.com/QsrQtnJbGG — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 22, 2017 Most Russians say victory over terrorism in #Syria main event of 2017 – poll https://t.co... more »
Hashd Al-Shaabi general gives exclusive account of battle against ISIS
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:05 A.M.) – Major General Ali Hamdani of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF or al-Hashd al-Sha’bi) recalled the battle against the so-called Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS, ISIL) and the heroism of his soldiers in the city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, Thursday. Ali Hamdani recalled how a young boy wanted to join […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Pictures: ISIS deploys new weapons against Kurdish forces in new offensive
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:10 A.M.) – The Islamic State terrorist group has showed off a new type of weapon deployed by its forces in eastern Syria via series of pictures released by the organization’s media wing. The pictures, shown below, are linked to a days-long engagement between Islamic State militants and pro-Coalition forces (to which Kurdish […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Palestinian pro-army brigade moves forces to battle Al-Qaeda in northwest Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 A.M.) – A key pro-Syrian Arab Army faction made up of Syrian-Palestinian volunteers is rallying its forces to support ongoing government operations against jihadist militants in northwest Syria. According to reports by pro-government sources, the Liwa al-Quds paramilitary faction, which fights on the side of the Syrian Army, is redeploying men and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Iraqi forces, ISIS exchange artillery fire across Syria’s border
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:20 A.M.) – Iraqi forces and Islamic State militant have traded artillery fire across Syria’s eastern border with Iraq. The ISIS attack came from desert areas inside Syria that US-backed, Kurdish-led forces have yet failed to clear the terrorist group’s presence from. According to reports, forces of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units holding […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
VIDEO: ISIS musters forces near the Iranian border in east Iraq
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:00 A.M.) – Video footage has emerged over pro-ISIS and terror watch social media sources showing Islamic State forces organizing themselves near the Iranian border in eastern Iraq. Some optimistic pro-Islamic State sources are hailing the emergence of this video as proof of a so-called ISIS 2.0. The video shows Islamic State fighters, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
"What Is Hope?"
"What Is Hope?" "What is hope? It is the pre-sentiment that imagination is more real and reality is less real than it looks. It is the hunch that the overwhelming brutality of facts that oppress and repress us is not the last word. It is the suspicion that reality is more complex than the realists want us to believe. That the frontiers of the possible are not determined by the limits of the actual; and in a miraculous and unexplained way, life is opening creative events which will light the way to freedom and resurrection. But the two - suffering and hope - must live from each oth... more »
"A Self-Congratulatory Delusion..."
"Human beings never think for themselves, they find it too uncomfortable. For the most part, members of our species simply repeat what they are told- and become upset if they are exposed to any different view. The characteristic human trait is not awareness but conformity, and the characteristic result is religious warfare. Other animals fight for territory or food; but, uniquely in the animal kingdom, human beings fight for their 'beliefs.' The reason is that beliefs guide behavior, which has evolutionary importance among human beings. But at a time when our behavior may well lead... more »
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Orders Review Of Obama-Era Hezbollah Investigations
*Politico*: *Sessions orders review of abandoned Hezbollah-linked drug prosecutions* *Inquiry follows POLITICO report that potential cases languished amid Obama drive for Iran nuclear deal.* Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered the Justice Department to dig into allegations in a POLITICO report that a series of potential drug prosecutions related to the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah were abandoned as the Obama administration pressed to strike a deal with Iran over its nuclear program. Sessions indicated that he was troubled by allegations that Project Cassandra — th... more »
Picture Of The Day
Children ride a merry-go-round on Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on December 19, 2017. © Sputnik/ Vladimir Astapkovich *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *This Week in Pictures* (Sputnik).
Jim Willie: Launch of Petro-Yuan
INTERVIEW WITH CJ OF ROGUE MONEY by http://goldenjackass.com/main5.html December 22nd: topics covered include the Petro-Yuan launch out of Shanghai with vast implications like completion of the RMB-Oil-Gold triangle and foundation for the Gold Trade Note used in crude oil market, the gradual displacement of the Petro-Dollar and the phased end to the Dollar global reserve currency […]
Intel Insider: Attack On North Korea Imminent
The Alex Jones Channel Published on Dec 22, 2017 Alex Jones talks with long time caller and Army Intelligence officer Zach about what he thinks will happen in North Korea. end
Israel Uses Al Nusra Front (ie. Al Qaeda) to Destabilize Quneitra in Syria
PressTV News Videos Published on Dec 21, 2017 The de-escalation deal agreed in the Kazakh capital Astana has brought considerable calm to de-escalation zones in Syria. But in Quneitra, the Syrian army says Israel uses the Nusra Front terrorist group to destabilize the region. end
Gold, Yuan or Crypto: What Will Replace Dollar Hegemony?
RonPaulLibertyReport Streamed live 11 hours ago All Empires have collaborators and accomplices. Creditors, vassals, and partners will play ball with the Empire if they see it in their interest to do so. But once the Empire over-stretches militarily or financially (or both) the search for the exit door begins. Ron Paul discusses the race to get […]
Number of NATO Troops Near Russian Borders Tripled Since 2012 – Defense Minister
Number of NATO Troops Near Russian Borders Tripled Since 2012 – Defense Minister by https://sputniknews.com/ Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that NATO has doubled the number of its military drills since 2012 in the vicinity of Russia’s borders, adding that Moscow is scrutinizing the exercises. – Speaking at the final meeting of the Defense Ministry’s […]
Putin Warns “Russia Has Right To Respond” To US Military Buildup, Hints At Use Of Nuclear Weapons
Putin Warns “Russia Has Right To Respond” To US Military Buildup, Hints At Use Of Nuclear Weapons by Tyler Durden, http://www.zerohedge.com/ Multiple Russian state media outlets are reporting that President Vladimir Putin has stressed that Russia has a right to respond to US military build-up in Europe while furthering its strategic nuclear deterrence capabilities in a speech delivered […]
Syrian Army Rolls into Idlib with US Weapons Captured from ISIS
Syrian Army Rolls into Idlib with US Weapons Captured from ISIS by Leith Fadel, https://www.almasdarnews.com/ BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:05 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) Tiger Forces arrived in northern Hama this week with a big surprise from their previous operations in the Deir Ezzor Governorate. – Units from the Tiger Forces were seen armed with US-manufactured […]
Russia Puts S-400 Triumph Missile Defense Systems at N. Korean Border
RT Published on Dec 22, 2017 The Russian S-400 Triumph missile anti-aircraft system was activated in the Primorsky region of Russia on Friday, at the border with North Korea. The system is aimed at destroying aircraft, ground targets and ballistic and cruise missiles. end
128 Nations Oppose US Recognizing Jerusalem as Israeli Capital
RT Published on Dec 22, 2017 Two-thirds of the UN General Assembly back a resolution to reject President’s Trump decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – despite overwhelming pressure from Washington. end
Russian Central Bank Adds 900,000 Ounces of Gold To Reserves in November
Russian Central Bank Adds 900,000 Ounces of Gold To Reserves in November by https://smaulgld.com/ Russia’s annual gold additions to reserves through November of over 214 tons is a record. Russian Gold Reserves Climb to 1828 tons, sixth behind the People’s Bank of China. – Since June 2015, the Central Bank of Russia has added over 548 tons […]
U.S. Will Provide Anti-Tank Weapons And Missiles To Ukraine (Update)
The United States says it will provide Ukraine with "enhanced" defensive weapons to build its capabilities. *CNN: **US will provide anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, State Dept. official says* The US is going to provide anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, a senior State Department official told CNN. The State Department officially announced Friday evening that the US was going to provide Ukraine with "enhanced defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to deter further aggressio... more »
New Wave Of Kurdistan Protests Harken Back To 2011
The Kurdistan region is facing a new wave of protests. This has happened off and on for months now. What is new is the intensity, size and destructiveness of the current round. This harkens back to 2011, when there were large scale demonstrations in Sulaymaniya. Both times people were calling for reforms of the political and economic systems. In 2011, the authorities eventually cracked down on the crowds and shut them down begging the question of whether that will happen again this year. The current round of protests began in mid-December 2017. On December 16 there was an initial... more »
This Day In Iraqi History – Dec 22
1916 British forces began digging lines towards Ottomans defenses at Khadairi Bend 2002 Iraq invited CIA into country to find its WMD 2005 Iraqi Islamic Party National Dialogue Front Iraqiya threatened to boycott new parliament Called elections fraudulent Demanded new vote 2006 Ret Gen Keane told NatlSecAdv Hadley US needed 5 brigade troop surge in Iraq not less or piecemeal 2010 Maliki’s second administration approved 2013 Maliki announced major military campaign in western Anbar desert region after IS killed leadership of 7th Div 201... more »
Classy American Christmas
Yes, Virginia, there was not always a Santa Claus. In the early 19th century, Washington Irving, in the guise of a venerable colonialist of the ruling Knickerbocker dynasty, borrowed the old Dutch legend about Saint Nicholas and re-purposed it into the prototype of the American Santa Claus. A scant hundred years later, Coca-Cola re-purposed the re-purposing, and created the mass market image of Santa that we cherish to this very day - the morbidly obese dude with the snow-white beard and the red suit. Depression-Era Santa With His Handy Whip I guess Santa must have imbibed a whole ... more »
#MeToo Movement Has Been Exported-- England First
Technically, British Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green, a close ally of Theresa May's, wasn't fired; he was simply "asked" to step down, which he did. Green, 61, who was first elected to Parliament in 1997 and has served in loads of shadow cabinets and, since 2010, in a series of actual cabinet positions, has been in trouble before. In 2008 his office was raided and he was arrested for leaking classified information-- and gossip. This week's charges were very different though-- breaching the ministerial code. He had been under investigation since June over allegations of "inapprop... more »
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis: ‘Storm Clouds Gathering’ Over Korean Peninsula
*WNU Editor:* U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' remarks are here .... *Mattis: ‘Storm clouds gathering’ over Korean Peninsula* (AP). More here .... *Mattis tells Gitmo troops North Korea would have ‘worst day in life’ if US goes to war* (American Military News)
Russian Submarine Activity Is Making NATO Nervous
Defense.ru *Washington Post:* *Russian submarines are prowling around vital undersea cables. It’s making NATO nervous.* BRUSSELS — Russian submarines have dramatically stepped up activity around undersea data cables in the North Atlantic, part of a more aggressive naval posture that has driven NATO to revive a Cold War-era command, according to senior military officials. The apparent Russian focus on the cables, which provide Internet and other communications connections to North America and Europe, could give the Kremlin the power to sever or tap into vital data lines, the offici... more »
Musical Interlude: Giovanni Allevi, “Back To Life”
Giovanni Allevi, “Back To Life” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIBFd3gKHE
"A Prayer for the World"
"A Prayer for the World" "Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly, So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color. Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness, So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrow of our neighbors. And let the light ... more »
"What Mark Will You Leave On The World?"
*"What Mark Will You Leave On The World?" * by Maria Rodale "As some of you know, this time of year is my favorite time to truly reflect on the past and the future. Things seem to slow down enough that there's finally time to ponder and think and plan and dream. The questions and thoughts change as I get older. When I was younger, it was more about what I wanted to accomplish (although I still have a VERY ambitious list for that. ). Now, it's a little bit more of what do I want to leave behind? The thing about life and reality is that it is so fleeting. Things that seem huge and va... more »
"Why Are You Waiting?"
"If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?" ~ Stephen Levine
"If You Caught A Glimpse..."
"If you caught a glimpse of your own death, would that knowledge change the way you live the rest of your life?" - Paco Ahlgren, "Discipline"
"My Grown-Up Christmas Wish"
*"My Grown-Up Christmas Wish"* "No more lives torn apart, That wars will never start, And time will heal our hearts. Every man will have a friend, That right will always win, And love will never end. This is my grown-up Christmas List." - Author Unknown
"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"
*"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"* Author Unknown "As we finish up the year 2017, I want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery! I no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, or have the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel. I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels. I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread be... more »
“6 Steps to Release Your Fear and Feel Peaceful”
*“6 Steps to Release Your Fear and Feel Peaceful”* by Nicolas Perrin “We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn.” ~ Mary Catherine Bateson “It was a balmy spring morning and I started my day as per usual, but I soon realized that my mind was entertaining fearful thoughts about my financial insecurity. With many new ventures within the seedling stage, my income flow was erratic and unpredictable, while my financial responsibilities were consistent and guaranteed. At the time I ignored these thoughts as “petty,” like a parent dismissing a crying child after a mild fall... more »
GAO Report: The U.S. Navy's New Nuclear Submarine Is Going To Cost Way More Than $128 Billion
*Time:* *The Navy's New Nuclear Submarine Is Likely to Cost Way More than $128 Billion* The U.S. Navy underplayed the development risks posed by key technologies for its new $128 billion Columbia-class nuclear-powered submarine, the Government Accountability Office said. If the risks materialize, they are likely to result in increased costs and schedule delays for a program that already appears to be underfunded, the watchdog agency said in a report released Thursday on the Navy’s top acquisition program. General Dynamics Corp. is the prime contractor for the submarine, which is ... more »
Top U.S. Marine Corps General: 'There's A War Coming'
Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Neller *Military.com:* *Marine Leaders Highlight Norway Unit's Role as Deterrent to Russia* VAERNES GARRISON, Norway -- The stated goals of the Marine Corps' newest rotational force in Norway are to enhance partnerships with European allies and improve the service's ability to fight in cold weather. But on a brief visit to the 300-member unit ahead of Christmas, the commandant and the sergeant major of the Marine Corps both described the strategic role the small unit fills -- and the fact that a peacetime mission can be preface to combat... more »
Musical interlude
I Mother Earth - Summertime in the Void
Forget North Korea: Russia Is Now Building EMP Weapons
*Michael Peck* *Security, Eurasia* Could this be the real EMP threat? Amid all the recent fears about North Korea building an electromagnetic-pulse weapon that could disrupt America’s electronic backbone, another potential threat has been ignored: Russia’s new Alabuga EMP weapons program. Russian media describes a program that appears to be aimed at developing tactical EMP weapons that would affect a small area, rather than strategic arms that would disable, say, a nation’s entire electrical grid. “One component of the program involves the development of an EMP missile that emi... more »
How the U.S. Air Force and Navy Saved South Vietnam in 1972
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Why the Vietnam War could have been lost even sooner. Had it not been for the U.S. Air Force and Navy, the Vietnam War might have ended in the spring of 1972 with North Vietnamese tanks in the streets of Saigon. It was forty-five years ago, on March 30, 1972, that fourteen North Vietnamese divisions backed by more than three hundred tanks crossed the Demilitarized Zone into South Vietnam. It was an assault every bit as ferocious as the Tet Offensive in 1969, and perhaps even more so: where Tet had been an uprising by Viet Cong guerrillas backed by... more »
5 Best Handgun Makers on the Planet (Sig, Glock and Ruger Made the Cut)
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Americas* And the winners are... America’s prolific firearms industry means that choosing the top five manufacturers is no easy task. While boutique handgun builders may produce some very fine pieces, quantity has a quality all its own, and several companies ship hundreds of thousands of handguns a year. Like the auto industry, some of the best handguns come from foreign manufacturers. Here are the five best handgun manufacturers. *Glock* Gaston Glock’s initial attempt to build a handgun for the Austrian military has exploded into an international emp... more »
China Secretly Sold Qatar Short-Range Ballistic Missiles
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Middle East* Saudi Arabia won't be happy. China secretly sold Qatar short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs). Qatar revealed the missiles and accompanying launch systems during its 2017 National Day parade on December 18. During the parade, Qatari forces showed what appeared to be two Chinese-made SY-400 SRBMs, carried on eight-axle transporter-erector-launchers. Qatar didn’t draw attention to the missiles during the parade, and the first person to point them out on social media seems to have been Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at the International ... more »
Report: Russia's Military Exercises Were Dress Rehearsal for Baltic Invasion
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * But don't go and buy a bomb shelter just yet. A new report in the German newspaper *Bild*, citing anonymous Western intelligence sources, claims that Russia’s Zapad-2017 exercise in September was a dress rehearsal for a massive invasion of NATO territory. According to the story, two “Western intelligence sources” posit that the underlying scenario was to capture of the Baltic states in a short sharp campaign lasting just a few days. That alleged Russian blitzkrieg would be accompanied by a "shock campaign" against a host of NATO states, including Ger... more »
Trump's Tax Reform: A Step in the Right Direction
*Milton Ezrati* *Economics, Americas* [image: Paul Ryan holds a sample tax form as he unveils legislation to overhaul the tax code, November 2, 2017. Reuters/Joshua Roberts] Across geography and income, the reform bill helps equalize the tax burden that Americans bear. The tax bill that Congress passed this week, for all the partisan positioning around it as well as its real faults, takes a welcome step in the right direction. It makes a highly inequitable, anti-growth and generally dysfunctional tax code less so. The bill, to its credit, draws on a long bipartisan reform legacy... more »
What Happens When ISIS Goes Underground?
*Daniel Byman* *Security, Middle East* [image: A view of Islamic State slogans painted along the walls of a tunnel near Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Reuters/Alaa Al-Marjani] Defeating the Islamic State could be the marquee foreign-policy accomplishment of the Trump administration. Doing so, however, will require more than just forcing the caliphate underground. THE ISLAMIC State is on the ropes, yet the group may make a comeback. The U.S.-led coalition has driven it from much of its territory in Iraq and Syria, while most of its so-called “provinces” elsewhere in the Muslim world... more »
Is There a Trump Doctrine?
*John Bew, David Martin Jones* *Politics, Americas* [image: Donald Trump attends the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Danang, Vietnam, November 11, 2017. Reuters/Jorge Silva] When it comes to Trump’s behavior, perhaps it is too easy to get carried away with the idea that we are in uncharted territory, somehow without historical precedent. PRESIDENT TRUMP, unlike his predecessor, does not consider nuance a virtue. He is unlikely to appear at a Nobel Peace Prize ceremony anytime soon; we will not be treated to his reflections on the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas or Reinhold Niebu... more »
After Tough New UN Sanctions, Where Is Trump Headed On North Korea?
*Nikolas K. Gvosdev* *Security, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump departs after his remarks to the American Legion Boys Nation and Auxiliary Girls Nation in the Rose Garden at the White House, U.S. July 26, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst] The Trump administration is undertaking its most audacious gamble since coming to office—that despite identifying Russia and China as “rival powers” in the new National Security Strategy, it can work to resolve the North Korea crisis. The Trump administration is undertaking its most audacious gamble since coming to office—that despit... more »
The Girl From Salina - I Will Take the Sun?
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced
Demographics-- Ultimately Greater Than Fascism's Powers
America's competitors (and enemies) are lucky-- and in the case of Russia, also skillful-- to have Trump as the leader of the U.S. He's old, ignorant, exceedingly stupid, and reactionary. He wants to lead America backwards in a world charging forwards-- FAST! He's uniquely unfit to govern, even for a Republican. And the world isn't waiting for him... and neither is the United States. Earlier this year the Pew Research Center released a report on how demographic trends, ranging from global refugee and migrant flows to changes to family life and living arrangements, are transform the... more »
Syrian Army launches massive attack in northern Hama
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a massive attack on the jihadist defenses in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate tonight, a military source in the town of Mhardeh told Al-Masdar. According to the source, the Syrian Army fired more than 100 missiles into the towns of Kafr Zita, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Rebels continue to surrender to Syrian Army troops in northern Homs
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:45 A.M.) – Another group of jihadist rebels have surrendered to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in northern countryside of the Homs Governorate this week, a military report claimed on Friday evening. According to the report, at least a dozen members of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham surrendered their weapons to the Syrian Arab Army […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
No way back: Iraqi forces crowd Syrian border to prevent ISIL’s escape
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:50 P.M.) – The Iraqi Armed Forces have deployed a large number of military personnel to monitor the Syrian border, as the Islamic State’s (ISIL) presence continues to diminish inside Syria. According to Hashd Al-Sha’abi’s official media wing, they have bulked up their forces along Iraq’s long border with Syria. Hashd Al-Sha’abi’s primary […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Saudi Coalition unleashes heavy strikes across northern Yemen
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:35 P.M.) – The so-called Saudi Coalition carried out dozens of airstrikes over northern Yemen tonight, targeting several areas controlled by the Houthis and their allies. Saudi jets began their attack by targeted the densely populated Sa’ada Governorate, hitting the Monabeh District and its corresponding highway that is used by Yemeni civilians. Following […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Expert on authoritarian regimes suggests that Donald Trump might be using Russian hacked emails to blackmail Republican politicians.
Courtesy of Raw Story: *“The RNC was hacked,” Kendzior said. “We don’t know what happened with those e-mails. We know that Lindsey Graham’s personal e-mails were also hacked and we know that Trump has a long track record of blackmailing and threatening those who he sees as his political opponents. That goes back throughout his entire career.”* *Kendzior reminded Reid that many Republicans benefitted in 2016 from millions of dollars of dark money donated by Kremlin-aligned Russian nationals living in the U.S. and that Graham is one of those politicians.* *“I think what concerns me... more »
The more things change....
"Among today's young students... there are those who have embraced treachery, using big exaggerations like so-called ethnic self-determination, Taiwan self-rule, or Taiwan independence. And there's also a group of inner territory people like members of the Diet who fan [their anger]. These think it's a good thing and run around making noise. The hot-blooded youth go along with the crowd. The problem gets bigger. Won't it be the case that before too long phrases like 'establish a Taiwan parliament' just like phrases like 'independence for Korea' penetrate the minds of elementary sc... more »
What is Concert of Powers in International Relations
The 18th century experienced three wars between the great European powers as a response to one another’s attempt to impose a geopolitical domination over Europe. The post What is Concert of Powers in International Relations appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
A Middle Finger Theater Special: Christmas With DJT
*H/T VANDERLEUN*
Furious at Trump, Disgraced UN “Human Rights” Boss to Step Down
[image: furious-at-trump-disgraced-un-human-rights-boss-to-step-down] Citing an “appalling” climate for what the United Nations dishonestly characterizes as “human rights,” scandal-plagued UN “High Commissioner for Human Rights” Zeid bin Ra'ad Al Hussein is planning to step down this summer.
Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: Did the GOP Open THE Door To a Carbon Tax
*Diggin' that double speak title- "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" I suspect this act may be the set up for the carbon tax....* *Trump did just sign this Tax Bill into Law * The U.S. Congress this week passed the tax bill along party line, with no Democrats voting for it. At the signing ceremony, Trump called it "a bill for the middle class and a bill for jobs," adding that "corporations are literally going wild." The tax bill, the sweeping rewrite of U.S. tax law since 1986, would cut the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from the current 35 percent and lower individual income rates... more »
Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: Did the GOP Open THE Door To a Carbon Tax
*Diggin' that double speak title- "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" I suspect this act may be the set up for the carbon tax....* *Trump did just sign this Tax Bill into Law * The U.S. Congress this week passed the tax bill along party line, with no Democrats voting for it. At the signing ceremony, Trump called it "a bill for the middle class and a bill for jobs," adding that "corporations are literally going wild." The tax bill, the sweeping rewrite of U.S. tax law since 1986, would cut the corporate income tax rate to 21 percent from the current 35 percent and lower individual income rates. *... more »
Media Empires of Egypt : The King is dead , Long live the Queen
In the past three years , Steel mogul Ahmed Abu-Hashima deserved the title “Egypt’s Robert Murdoch” as by far he was the king of a huge empire with over 16 companies working in all types of media in Egypt including a TV network in his early 40s to complete the saga and his mystery of fast speed rise. The close to the regime businessman did not give any indication that he would leave that media realm in Egypt anytime soon but surprisingly he did it this week in the same way he entered it: suddenly. With no introductions or previous announcement, a new financial investment company ann... more »
X22 Report, “It Has All Come To This Moment, What Happens Next”
X22 Report, “It Has All Come To This Moment, What Happens Next” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES-GdtbOqYU *Related followup report:* X22 Report, “The Central Banks Move Their Plan Forward, Be Prepared And Cautious” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsWQEBDRPso
A Christmas Musical Interlude: "ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos)
ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9GtPX6c_kg
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 22, 2017
*Diego Torres, Politico:* *5 takeaways from the Catalan election* Ciudadanos and Carles Puigdemont have reasons to celebrate. Mariano Rajoy does not. BARCELONA — Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy bet on a quick snap election in Catalonia as a way to bring order to the restive region. It didn’t pay off. Catalan separatists retained their absolute majority in the regional parliament in an election on Thursday that followed a chaotic referendum, a unilateral declaration of independence and Madrid stepping in to take control of the region. The centrist, pro-unity Ciudadanos score... more »
Attacking Kirkuk: Kurdish Militant Group Re-emerges in Iraq
*Behind the times but very relevant to the ongoing situation regarding Kirkuk, Kurdistan aka Israel 2.0 and Iraq- Definite necessary background* *Arabnews* BAGHDAD*: The people and officials of the ethnically mixed Iraqi town of Tuz Khurmatu, 170 km north of Baghdad, talk about a new group that raises white flags decorated by the head of a lion drawn in black and carries out almost daily rocket attacks on the town, its surroundings and the suburbs of the nearby province of Kirkuk.* *The group sometimes launches raids on the strategic road linking Baghdad to the northern oil city of ... more »
Did the FBI Identify a ‘Muslim Terrorist’ Who Derailed an Amtrak Train?
Reports that a Muslim man deliberately caused the crash of an Amtrak train in Washington by sabotaging the tracks are fake news.
Politico: Obama’s Department of Justice Stalled Hezbollah Investigation to Secure Nuclear Deal with Iran
A covert DEA investigation into a Hezbollah drug smuggling operation was halted, allegedly, to aid Obama’s Iran Nuclear deal.
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Four Geminids flash through northern skies in this wintry night skyscape. The bright fireball and 3 fainter meteors were captured in a single 10 second exposure, near the peak of December's Geminid meteor shower. *Click image for larger size.* Reflecting the fireball's greenish light, a partially frozen Lake Edith in Alberta Canada's Jasper National Park lies in the foreground, with the Canadian Rocky Mountains ranging along the northern horizon. Of course, the glacial lake is cold even in summer. But photographer Jack Fusco reports that he experienced -9 degree C temperatures that ... more »
World News Briefs -- December 22, 2017 (Evening Edition)
*CNN: **UN adopts tough new sanctions on North Korea* The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a new set of draconian US-drafted sanctions on North Korea that will further strangle its energy supplies and tighten restrictions on smuggling and the use of North Korean workers overseas. Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, claimed that the new sanctions, levied in response to Pyongyang's November 29 ballistic missile test, went even further than sanctions passed in September that, at the time, were called the toughest yet. "Today, we cut deeper," Haley said. She said the UN ... more »
Bird of the Year: 2017
Join us in celebrating the year past at Bird Rescue by reading about some our favorite and most poignant patients from 2017. While we know why all of the birds listed below have special meaning for us, now it’s time to hear from you! Help us select the 2017 Bird of the Year by casting […]
The Poet: Shel Silverstein, “Where the Sidewalk Ends”
*“Where the Sidewalk Ends” * "There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we'll g... more »
Chet Raymo, “Knowledge and Power”
*“Knowledge and Power”* by Chet Raymo “Two paintings by the French neo-classicist Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). The first is of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, the chemist, sometimes called "the Father of Modern Chemistry", who I blogged about on Friday, and his wife Marie-Anne. It was painted in 1788, on the eve of the French Revolution. The second, of course, is Napoleon, pictured crossing the Alps with his army, painted in 1800, not long after Napoleon took power in France. The paintings bracket a dozen of the most tumultuous years in French history. Click to enlarge. They also r... more »
"A New Day Will Come..."
Sam: "It's like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it's only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know... more »
XX EDITS Volume Three by XX EDITS
XX EDITS Volume Three by XX EDITS Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced
Pentagon UFOs
I have a hunch that most any alien species we come across will have some profoundly embarrassing aspects to explain....— PanDeism (@Pandeism) December 22, 2017 Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced
USA Today: Life expectancy is down for a second year. Drug overdoses are a big reason why.
Last year Americans found out that we weren’t living as long as our counterparts in other nations and the news this year isn’t much better: we are still dying younger and our life expectancy is now down for the second straight year. This sobering news has not been seen in more than half a century. RELATED
Chinese Women Having Babies in Saipan to Obtain U.S. Birthright Citizenship
[image: chinese-women-having-babies-in-saipan-to-obtain-u-s-birthright-citizenship] Chinese women are traveling to Saipan, in the U.S. territory of Northern Marianas, to have their babies, so their offspring can receive “birthright” U.S. citizenship.
Terrorism Still a Threat
[image: terrorism-still-a-threat] More needs to be done to slow down and eventually terminate these terrorist attacks. Nibbling at the edges of a growing problem isn’t enough.
Republicans Bet the Farm
[image: republicans-bet-the-farm] By enacting the largest tax cut since the Reagan administration, the heart of which is cutting the corporate rate from 35 to 21 percent, Republicans have boldly bet the farm.
Ideal Last Minute Stocking Stuffer For The Self Loathing Social Justice Warrior Snowflake On Your Christmas List...
*DT* - Just in time for Christmas a flaming west coast liberal has put out a coloring book as a sop to Black Lives Matter and precious snowflakes who constantly bemoan so-called white privilege. To assuage the whiners, Seattle-based Jim Corbett has put out the “*I Am So Sick of White Guys*” coloring book as a way to help emotionally fragile losers who can’t get over losing a freaking election to cope. By the way, Corbett himself is white. Jim Corbett wants to help political democrats and progressives cope with the current times by coloring. The Yorktown, N.Y. native, now based in ... more »
The creepiest thing you might see today is this ad of "totally not paid actors pretending to be average Americans" thanking Donald Trump for making America great again.
Courtesy of Think Progress: *A pro-Trump nonprofit says it is spending $1 million to air a new pro-Trump ad that concludes with a little girl saying, “Thank you President Trump for letting us say ‘Merry Christmas’ again!” * *America First Policies — a group including Trump’s digital and data director Brad Parscale, freshly-indicted former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates, and former Mike Pence campaign advisers — says the “ad blitz” will begin on Christmas day.* And the conservatives claim that President Obama ruined Christmas. If I have to see this bullshit on my TV while fea... more »
New Zealand gives Mount Taranaki same legal rights as a person
Mount Taranaki in New Zealand is to be granted the same legal rights as a person, becoming the third geographic feature in the country to be granted a “legal personality”. Eight local Māori tribes and the government will share guardianship of the sacred mountain on the west coast of the North Island, in a long-awaited acknowledgement of the indigenous people’s relationship to the mountain, who view it as an ancestor and whanau, or family member. The new status of the mountain means if someone abuses or harms it, it is the same legally as harming the tribe. In the record of underst... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Ord, Nebraska, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Is North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un's Sister The Second Most Powerful Person In North Korea?
This photo, carried by North Korea's newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Dec. 22, 2017, shows Kim Yo-jong (red circle), leader Kim Jong-un's younger sister, sitting on elevated stands at the conference of party cell chairpersons. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) *Newsweek:* *North Korea's Kim Jong Un Is Now Running the Country With His Younger Sister Beside Him* A woman thought to be the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was seen in the front row of a ruling party conference, indicating she may be consolidating her role in Pyongyang. Photos from N... more »
Cops Nab Escaped Inmate with Face Tattoo After Weeks on Run
Authorities say that Corey Hughes, who has a skull tattooed on his face and escaped last month from a work crew in central California, has been re-arrested.
Dutch Journalist Debunks U.S. Ambassador’s ‘Fake News’ Claim to His Face
Reporter Wouter Zwart confronted Pete Hoekstra with footage of him promoting the "no-go zone" conspiracy theory.
United Nations Security Council Unanimously Backs New Sanctions On North Korea
*BBC:* *North Korea: UN imposes fresh sanctions over missile tests* The United Nations Security Council has voted to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea in response to its recent ballistic missile tests. The US-drafted resolution includes measures to reduce the nation's petrol imports by up to 90%. China, North Korea's main trading partner, voted in favour of the resolution. The country is already subject to a raft of sanctions from the US, the UN and the EU. Washington has been imposing sanctions on Pyongyang since 2008, freezing the assets of individuals and companies link... more »
The Age Of Trumpanzee-- A Bottomless Tasting Menu Of National Debasement
Sam Tanenhaus has a worthwhile essay, On The Front Lines Of The GOP's Civil War in the new *Esquire*. The most obvious question, though, is whether they really is a civil war at all. He claims "Never Trumpers" are "rallying once more to keep him from destroying the country." None are in Congress or, if there are any, they're playing possum. This week, for example, every single Republican in the Senate, including several who have-- in the last year or two-- expressed that Trump is an existential threat to the nation, voted for a very destructive Tax Scam that was written with an eye... more »
Were Scientists Caught Tampering with Raw Data to Exaggerate Sea Level Rise?
Breitbart pushed an extremely flawed study as evidence of a widespread conspiracy to inflate sea level rise.
Dutch Journalist Debunks U.S. Ambassador’s ‘Fake News’ Claim to His Face
Reporter Wouter Zwart confronted Pete Hoekstra with footage of him promoting the "no-go zone" conspiracy theory.
More Than 4 in 5 Enrolled in ‘Obamacare’ Are in Trump States
An Associated Press analysis finds that Americans in states President Donald Trump carried account for more than 4 in 5 of those signed up for coverage under the health care law he still wants to take down.
Russian, Syrian jets light up northern Hama ahead of scheduled offensive
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:10 P.M.) – The Russian and Syrian air forces are currently lighting up the northern countryside of the Hama Goverorate, targeting the positions of the Al-Qaeda linked Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham terrorist group. According to a military report, Russian and Syrian jets hammered Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s positions inside the towns of Kafr Zita and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian Army launches attack against foreign jihadists near Turkish border
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:55 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a powerful attack against a group of foreign jihadists in the Jabal Turkmen area of Latakia, tonight, a military source told Al-Masdar News. Units from the Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade of the Republican Guard began the attack by launching a flurry of surface-to-surface […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Saudi warplanes destroy food depot after allowing aid into Yemen
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 P.M.) – The Saudi-led Coalition bombed the Hodeidah food storage depot tonight after allowing aid into the war-torn country for the first time in weeks, the SABA News Agency reported. In addition to bombing the Hodeidah food storage depot, the Saudi Coalition bombed the Hodeidah Airport, causing several damage to the site. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish forces arrest two suspected ISIS fighters
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:15 P.M.) – The Turkish police forces arrested two foreign nationals that were suspected of being members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), the Anadolu Agency reported on Friday. According to the Anadolu report, the Turkish police forces arrested the two suspected ISIS members in southern Turkey during a counter-terrorism operation. “Anti-terror squads […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Important jihadist bastion near occupied Golan Heights set to fall
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – The jihadist-held Beit Jinn pocket in the western countryside of Damascus is on the verge of falling to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) after several weeks of fighting. Led by their elite 42nd Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division, the Syrian Arab Army scored another big advance inside the Beit […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
High ranking Saudi-backed commander killed by Houthis in Yemen
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:50 P.M.) – A high ranking commander from the Saudi-backed forces in Yemen was killed by the Houthis on Friday, a Yemeni military official announced tonight. According to the military official, the commander of the 314th Brigade, ‘Abdah Ahmad Al-Saidi, was killed during a recent battle with the Houthis in the Marib Governorate. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish Army kills 32 PKK fighters near Iraqi border
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:25 P.M.) – The Turkish Army killed 32 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) near the Iraqi border on Friday, Ankara reported tonight. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, their forces attacked a large group of PKK fighters that were moving cross the Iraqi border this week. No further details were […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Astana 8 brings Russia-Iran-Turkey agreement on detainees, demining, Sochi talks
Russia, Turkey and Iran, the guarantors of the ceasefire in Syria, have agreed to establish a working group on the release of detainees, adopted a statement on humanitarian mine clearance in the country and decided to meet in in January to prepare for the Syrian National Dialogue Congress during the 8th round of the Astana […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
In pictures: Syrian Army uncovers another large tunnel in East Ghouta
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:55 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) uncovered another large tunnel in the East Ghouta region of Damascus this week, following a brief operation in the Jobar suburb. According to a military source, the tunnel is 300 meters long and connected to several buildings that were under the control of Faylaq Al-Rahman […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian servicemen in Syria saved hundreds of thousands of lives – Putin
At an annual expanded Russian Defense Ministry Board meeting, President Vladimir Putin thanked Russian armed forces and spoke about Moscow’s campaign in Syria, Russian army and the development of nuclear triad. The Russian military has made a major contribution to the defeat of terrorists in Syria, according to Putin. “In the fight with the global […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Houthi forces strike back in western Yemen, several areas captured
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:05 P.M.) – The Houthi forces took to the offensive in western Yemen, Friday, after spending several weeks on the defensive against the UAE-backed Southern Resistance. The Houthi forces began their assault by storming the Yakhtul area that is located just north of the Mocha Coast in the Ta’iz Governorate. Despite heavy airstrikes […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish, US troops in Syria ‘a blatant aggression’ – Jaafari (VIDEO)
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) – Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari stated that the presence of Turkish and US troops’ in his country is a “blatant aggression”, speaking in Astana on Friday. Jaafari demanded an “immediate and unconditional withdrawal” of foreign troops from Syria and confirmed that “Syria will attend the Syrian National Dialogue […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ECIU Resort To Outright Lies About Power Bills
By Paul Homewood h/t stewgreen http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/uk-renewable-energy-third-electricity-generated-wind-solar-panel-any-other-forms-mentioned-coal-a8122921.html The failed Independent is getting excited about the latest figures for renewable energy. In fact, during Q3 wind and solar only rose from 16% last year to 18% this. As we have already seen though, during this month, when demand is much higher than in summer, […]
Warming Results in Decreasing Trend in Severe Weather Occurrence, China
Qinghong Zhang, Xiang Ni, Fuqing Zhang. Decreasing trend in severe weather occurrence over China during the past 50 years. Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 42310 (2017) doi:10.1038/srep42310 Understanding the trend of localized severe weather under the changing climate is of great significance … Continue reading →
“2017 Year in Review”
*“2017 Year in Review”* by James Howard Kunstler "2017 was the kind of year when no amount of showers could wash off the feeling of existential yeccchhhhh that crept over you day after day like jungle rot. You needed to go through the carwash without your car… or maybe an acid bath would get the stink off. Cinematically, if 2016 was like The Eggplant That Ate Chicago, then 2017 was more like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, a gruesome glimpse into the twisted soul of America. And by that I do not mean simply our dear leader, the Golden Golem of Greatness. We’re all in this horror show to... more »
Five days after Obama – Hezbollah story released and still no CNN report?
The Duran’s recent release regarding the Politico Magazine’s expose’ alleging that the former U.S. President aided Hezbollah in cocaine-running operations has gained a lot of reaction. Many news media outlets in the USA have carried it – in fact, almost all of the big ones. Except one. The Duran recommends using WP Engine >> CNN. […] More The post Five days after Obama – Hezbollah story released and still no CNN report? appeared first on The Duran.
Senator Al Franken stays true to form
Talk about Life imitating Art. The Duran recommends using WP Engine >> If we look at this video clip, made on Saturday Night Live in 1986, we see something that I can only rightly call “a preview of things to come.” We get a further sign of consistency here: Start your own website here >> […] More The post Senator Al Franken stays true to form appeared first on The Duran.
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley invites 64 countries to UN Jerusalem “friendship” party
Nikki Haley invites the 64 countries who voted ‘no’, abstained or didn’t show up for UNGA Jerusalem resolution to “friendship” party. More The post UN Ambassador Nikki Haley invites 64 countries to UN Jerusalem “friendship” party appeared first on The Duran.
WATCH: Cop Passed Out as He Reportedly Responded to Call at a Grocery Store
[image: passed out]A citizen filmed a police officer who had allegedly passed out while responding to a call at a local grocery store, sparking a firestorm of a debate.
“Give All Of Washington D.C. and Congress An Enema To Drain The True Polluting Substance From The Swamp”
*“Give All Of Washington D.C. and Congress An Enema To * *Drain The True Polluting Substance From The Swamp”* by Jeremiah Johnson "So, let’s cite a few passages from President Trump’s National Security Speech: “Throughout our history, the American people have always been the true source of American greatness. Our people have promoted our culture and promoted our values. Americans have fought and sacrificed on the battlefields all over the world. We have liberated captive nations, transformed former enemies into the best of friends, and lifted entire regions of the planet from pover... more »
Pew Survey: Christmas Celebration Becoming Less Religious
[image: pew-survey-christmas-celebration-becoming-less-religious] A Pew survey confirms what many suspected: Christmas in America is growing more secular.
Is Rosie Going to Jail for Bribery by Tweet? Not
[image: is-rosie-going-to-jail-for-bribery-by-tweet-not] Rosie O’Donnell will likely remain free to exercise her First Amendment rights to speech, no matter how offensive or inane such speech may be.
“Christmas Dreams Inspired by Irving & Bing”
*“Christmas Dreams Inspired by Irving & Bing”* by Tom Purcell "I dream of “White Christmas” this year. I speak of the Irving Berlin classic made famous by Bing Crosby - a sweet, wistful song that holds more power over me with each passing year. According to CBS News, many speculate that Berlin was inspired to write the song in the late 1930s, while working on a movie in Beverly Hills and feeling homesick for his family in New York. The holiday season was especially challenging for him. His three-week-old son had died on Christmas 1928. Berlin visited his grave every Christmas, and ... more »
US life expectancy declining – because young men are killing themselves
The post US life expectancy declining – because young men are killing themselves appeared first on UnHerd.
Park Bench #6 - Winter Solstice and other matters
*Park Bench Café #6 - Winter Solstice and other matters* Yesterday was the shortest day of the year...the death of the old year and just short days before the birth of the new Year which, not coincidentally, coincides with the Feast celebrating the Birth of the Child Savior, Jesus Christ. The lights that people put outside on their homes not only celebrate the season but brighten up and provide safety during these dark evenings. On such an evening a reader might find him or herself walking outside (mind the icy sidewalks!) and spy a park bench under a streetlamp in a park. A lig... more »
12 Reasons Why We Loved 2017
This time of year is great to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. As always, appreciating the present is foremost on our minds, especially with young children. Heather and I, as The Drs. Wolfson, are very proud of what we accomplished in 2017. We taught hundreds of thousands of doctors and […] The post 12 Reasons Why We Loved 2017 appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.
Where The Temperature Rules The Total Surface Absorption
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: Guest Post by Willis Eschenbach Reflecting upon my previous post, Where The Temperature Rules The Sun, I realized that while it was valid, it was just about temperature controlling downwelling solar energy via cloud variations. However, it didn’t cover total energy input to the surface. The total energy…
Arab States Are Confident That President Trump Will Not Cut Aid To Them For Defying His Embassy Move To Jerusalem
Members of the United Nations Security Council vote on an Egyptian-drafted resolution regarding recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem, during a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid *Reuters:* *Arab states believe U.S. aid secure despite defying Trump Jerusalem move* AMMAN/CAIRO (Reuters) - Leading Arab allies threatened with cuts in aid by Donald Trump said on Friday they had no choice but to defy the U.S. president over his recognition of ... more »
Critical Climate Intelligence for Jurists (and others)
Recently I saw an activist website complaining that jurists were going to seminars led by staff at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University. I wondered what might be on offer different than alarmist materials from Union of Concerned Scientists, National Resources Defense Council, Greenpeace, World Wildlife, and so on. So I went looking […]
Haunted Deserts: UFOs in the Emptiness
*Haunted Deserts: UFOs in the Emptiness* *By Scott Corrales (c) 2017* Many years ago I wrote an article for *FATE* magazine about lost civilizations in our planet’s desert areas – regions that may have once been suitable for large, organized communities, even cities, but had which had succumbed to erosion and were now simply uninhabitable. Even in the Sahara Desert we find the ruins of Roman settlements in desert oases, otherwise hospitable locations that settlers had to abandon due to a proliferation of scorpions, for example. They may be the repository of lost civilizations, bu... more »
WITH TAX CUTS PASSED, MAYBE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF CONSERVATISM EXCEPT THE TRUMP CULT
The little girl who thanks President Trump "for letting us say 'Merry Christmas' again" in this extremely early campaign ad is getting a lot of attention: Charlie Pierce writes, "There's more than a little North Korea in this one." He's right, except for one thing: North Koreans are *compelled* to pay homage to the Dear Leader, and there are very serious consequences if they fall short in this effort. Members of the intended audience for this ad joined the personality cult *voluntarily.* What's left of conservatism? In Washington, it's long been focused almost exclusively on tax ... more »
Track Palin's bail paid by friend, so he can return to his now gun free house while wearing an ankle monitor. Update!
Courtesy of ADN: *Palin, 28 and the oldest son of the former Alaska governor, was approved for house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor by a Palmer judge on Wednesday afternoon. * *He had been jailed on $5,000 bail and release to a third-party until then. Magistrate Judge Tara Logsdon signed off on the change. * *Big Lake resident Kaleb Westfall posted Palin's bail Thursday with $5,000 cash, according to a receipt in the court file with Palin's charges. * *If Palin doesn't comply with his conditions, the state gets the money. * *Under Logsdon's order, Palin can live alone a... more »
Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Night”
*“Night”* “The project grew out of the ideas and musical sketches that Einaudi jotted down in a notebook whilst on tour around the world. Einaudi describes the project as a night-time landscape. A garden faintly visible under the dull glow of the night sky. A few stars dotting the darkness above, shadows of the trees all around. Light shining from a window behind me. What I can see is familiar, but it seems alien at the same time. Its like a dream - anything may happen. Expressive and with a more open compositional structure, sonic colors are created through the close blending of ... more »
"Yet The Whos Sang Merrily"
*"Yet The Whos Sang Merrily"* by Gracy Olmstead "Last Christmas Eve, I was in the ER. My husband was deployed, and I’d been fighting a nasty illness for weeks. Things took a turn for the worse on Christmas Eve, and so my dad drove me to the hospital around 11 o’clock that evening. “This isn’t how Christmas is supposed to be,” I remember thinking. The whole holiday season had been full of sickness and sleepless nights, eternal work and emails, family grief and trauma. Each day seemed submerged in a cloud that I couldn’t rise above. The happy moments - spent reading with my baby, bak... more »
Transcending the Cave and the Matrix
*Gary ‘Z’ McGee* - Both the Cave and the Matrix are meta-symbols for unquestioned delusions. The post Transcending the Cave and the Matrix appeared first on Waking Times .
Deep-Seabed Mining is the Next Frontier in the Environmental Plunder of Planet Earth
*Vic Bishop* - The first operating license has just been granted. The post Deep-Seabed Mining is the Next Frontier in the Environmental Plunder of Planet Earth appeared first on Waking Times.
New Gift-Wrapped UFO Revelations from the Pentagon: What’s Going On?
*Jon Rappoport* - My, my. All these revelations, all of a sudden. Bingo, bango, bongo. The post New Gift-Wrapped UFO Revelations from the Pentagon: What’s Going On? appeared first on Waking Times.
Ho-ho-hOpen Thread
Santa Claws - joke © Sir Lenny Henry and several million Christmas crackers *Twas the weekend before Christmas, when all through the blog/**Not a creature was stirring, not even a hedgehog...* ...so please give your reindeer a rest, pop down our chimney and deliver your comments whenever you can. Thank you for your support and Merry Christmas!
Iran-Backed Fighters In Iraq Vow To Drive Out US Troops
Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighting ISIS across Iraq. (Courtesy PMF Media Center) *FOX News*: *After ISIS campaign, Iran-backed fighters in Iraq vow to drive out US troops* BAGHDAD – Now that they’ve helped vanquish the Islamic State from much of Iraq, a battle-hardened militia with close ties to Iran may be training its sights on the remaining U.S.-led coalition troops scattered across the country. At least that’s the thinking among some in the ranks of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a roughly 100,000-thousand-member force that has fought both with and against Ame... more »
Russia Wants The U.S. To Get Out Of Syria
*Newsweek:* *Russia Tells US Military to Get Out of Syria* Russia ramped up its calls for the U.S. military to depart from Syria on Thursday, contending it had no substantial reasons to be in the country and its presence there "must end." “Any reasons cited by the Americans to justify their further military presence... are just excuses, and we think their presence must end," Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy to Syria, told reporters. Lavrentiev was in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday ahead of peace talks regarding the Syria conflict between Russia, Iran ... more »
President Trump signs the tax bill...
*MAGA* (16:21) Q Mr. President, as you mentioned, no Democrats have supported this tax cut legislation. Will they regret it? THE PRESIDENT: I think the Democrats will really regret — the Democrats already regret it. You know, they have their typical thing — “It’s for the rich.” They know that’s not true. And they’ve been called out on it by the media, actually. But the Democrats very much regret it. They wanted to be a part of it; it just doesn’t work out. But I really do believe — and I said on social media today — I really do believe we’re going to have a lot of bipartisan work... more »
LaRouchePAC Friday Webcast - December 22, 2017
Video of m2UOyEVSNvc Join us LIVE at 2pm Eastern with our host, Matthew Ogden.
Spanish Options to Thaw a Frozen Conflict in Catalonia
The Spanish State of Autonomies model ought to be replaced with either a federal or confederate model, as the Catalonia crisis has proved that the current model is no longer adequate. The post Spanish Options to Thaw a Frozen Conflict in Catalonia appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
TPPF statement on Texas' record-low unemployment rate
Content Multimedia - 12 hours ago
By Vance Ginn Texans have a lot to celebrate this holiday season as our unemployment rate is down to a record low of just 3.8 percent.
Trump's tax bill and regulatory reform will spark an economic boom, benefitting all Americans
Content Multimedia - 12 hours ago
By Chuck DeVore
ObamaCare is set to take away any gains made by tax reform
Content Multimedia - 12 hours ago
By Deane Waldman
Western Media Consumed by Myanmar Monster of Own Creation
*December 23, 2017 *(Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - Years ago, those confronting and questioning the Western media's "pro-democracy" narrative regarding Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her National League for Democracy (NLD) political party and her supporters including saffron-clad supposed "Buddhist monks," were ridiculed and dismissed. Warnings that Suu Kyi's political movement was nothing more than a foreign-funded attempt to co-opt the people and resources of the Southeast Asian state of Myanmar - a former colony of the British Empire still referred to widely in the West ... more »
Dec. 22: The Shame of being Canadian.
So - Canada has wimped out on the UN vote to condemn the US for designating Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Why do you think Canada backed out on an issue that united most of the world in opposition to what Trump had done? Canada, like the other states that abstained from voting, chickened out. Poor states did so because they feared that if they voted to condemn the U.S. they would get economically hurt by the U.S. But Canada is not a poor state. So why the abstention from a measure that most of the world favoured? Let's start with the 1870s, when Germany united. That scared the... more »
The United States $1 Coin pays homage to Native American sports legend Jim Thorpe
The United States Mint officially announced the reverse design of the 2018 Native American $1 Coin. The coin’s theme pays homage to sports legend Jim Thorpe. The 2018 reverse design depicts Jim Thorpe, with the foreground elements highlighting his football and Olympic achievements. Inscriptions are “JIM THORPE,” “WA-THO-HUK” (Thorpe’s Sac and Fox tribe name), “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and “$1.” United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso created the design. Products containing the 2018 Native American $1 Coin are scheduled to go on sale on February 15, 2018. Authorize... more »
Arthur C Clarke - 3001 - electric universe ruined my read
Dear Electric Universe, thank you. *Thank you for RUINING my latest read, namely Arthur C Clarke's final chapter that began with 2001 i.e. 3001.* *Electric Universe, or my research into it, has totally ruined this novel for me. Dirty snowball asteroid harvesting? And a number of other things mentioned in the novel. I just can't enjoy it.* *"Electric Universe is the new science-fiction enjoyment-murdering Material Technology Revolution."* Thanks
Guest Post: THE BBC's OFFICIAL FESTIVE FIFTY BIAS TECHNIQUES...
*Courtesy of Monkey Brains in the comments, here's MB's John Peel-style Festive Fifty which observers of BBC bias everywhere may enjoy this pre-Christmas weekend. * *So raise your mulled wine glasses please, ladies and gentlemen, and let the countdown begin...* *(Be warned though. The Undertones won't be at Number One).* *A seasonal message from Lord Hall, Director General of the BBC*: In this era of fake news, Russian subversion of referenda to produce incorrect results and the installation of a fascist dictatorship in the USA, I thought it apposite and timely, to publish a lis... more »
Irony: Syrian Army enters Idlib with US weapons captured from ISIS
Using the weapons supplied by the US to ISIS against ISIS. More The post Irony: Syrian Army enters Idlib with US weapons captured from ISIS appeared first on The Duran.
Tucker Carlson asks Jill Stein point blank: “Are you a Russian agent?” (Video)
Tucker Carlson asks Jill Stein point blank: "Are you a Russian agent?" (Video) More The post Tucker Carlson asks Jill Stein point blank: “Are you a Russian agent?” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
French Prime Minister tries to explain his 350,000 euro charter flight expense
French PM defends spending 350,000 euros on chartered flight. More The post French Prime Minister tries to explain his 350,000 euro charter flight expense appeared first on The Duran.
Getting closer to the real US election collusion (Video)
Was the Fusion GPS dossier used to justify spying on Trump team? More The post Getting closer to the real US election collusion (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
"Vitae Summa Brevis"
*"Vitae Summa Brevis"* "They are not long, the weeping and the laughter, Love and desire and hate: I think they have no portion in us after We pass the gate. They are not long, the days of wine and roses; Out of a misty dream Our path emerges for a while, then closes Within a dream." - Ernest Dowson “Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat incohare longam” is a quotation from Horace’s “First Book of Odes”: “The shortness of life prevents us from entertaining far-off hopes.”
“Beyond Cynicism: America Fumbles Towards Kafka’s Castle”
*“Beyond Cynicism:* * America Fumbles Towards Kafka’s Castle”* by James Howard Kunstler “Nobody knows, from sea to shining sea, why we are having all this trouble with our republic.” - Tom McGuane "Can a people recover from an excursion into unreality? The USA’s sojourn into an alternative universe of the mind accelerated sharply after Wall Street nearly detonated the global financial system in 2008. That debacle was only one manifestation of an array of accumulating threats to the postmodern order, which include the burdens of empire, onerous debt, population overshoot, fracturing... more »
Uganda Launches Air Strikes Against Uganda Islamist Rebels In DR Congo
*Reuters:** Ugandan army attacks rebel camps in eastern Congo* KAMPALA (Reuters) - The Ugandan army on Friday attacked camps in eastern Congo housing Ugandan Islamist rebels blamed for a raid this month that killed 14 United Nations peacekeepers, an army spokesman said. The attack, carried out with air strikes and long range weapons from inside Uganda, is the first in a joint military operation by Congo and Ugandan armies against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The attack followed intelligence sharing with Democratic Republic of the Congo that indicated ADF militants were plann... more »
Alt Media Journalist Broke a Story Before Local News, So She Was Arrested, Charged With Felonies
[image: journalist]An alternative media journalist reported a story before her local media did and so she was arrested and charged with felonies.
Deep State Money Men: Rockefeller, Rothschild, Soros
[image: alex-newman-deep-state-money-men-rockefeller-rothschild-soros-p5-of5]VIDEO - In this video, part of a series exposing the Deep State, The New American magazine's Alex Newman follows the money to show who is really behind the throne. From the Rockefellers and the Rothschilds to George Soros, these money men stash the billions and trillions they loot from humanity in tax-exempt foundations. Then, they use their ill-gotten, tax-free wealth to promote globalism, socialism, technocracy and evil in America and around the world. But as any good criminal investigator knows, to solve... more »
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