11:33 pm MST
The Poet: William Stafford, "Ask Me"
*"Ask Me"* "Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden, and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say." - William Stafford
A New Trade War Brewing?
*L.A. Times:* *America's trade wars are heating up as U.S. firms sue for relief from foreign competitors* U.S. companies are bringing new trade lawsuits against their foreign competitors with a scope and frequency not seen in more than 15 years, government documents show, as a wave of new complaints builds under President Trump. A Washington Post analysis of Commerce Department data found 23 new trade disputes initiated since January, making 2017 the busiest year for tariff cases since 2001. The new cases target trade between the U.S. and 29 counties, the most in any year since 20... more »
"In All Seriousness..."
"Thomas Edison said in all seriousness: "There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the labor of thinking"- if we bother with facts at all, we hunt like bird dogs after the facts that bolster up what we already think- and ignore all the others! We want only the facts that justify our acts- the facts that fit in conveniently with our wishful thinking and justify our preconceived prejudices. As Andre Maurois put it: "Everything that is in agreement with our personal desires seems true. Everything that is not puts us into a rage." Is it any wonder, then, that we fin... more »
Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet- On Talking"
*"On Talking"* "You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts; And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime. And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered. For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly. There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone. The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape. And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought ... more »
Syrian Army rescues 70 civilians from US lines – video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:30 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has rescued another large batch of civilians that have managed to escape the Rukban Refugee Camp near the Jordanian-Syrian border. According to a military report, up to 70 civilians escaped the Rukban Refugee Camp inside the U.S.’ lines and reached a Syrian Army checkpoint, where […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Footage: Al-Nusra shoots down Syrian air force warplane with guided missile
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:15 A.M.) – On Tuesday, jihadist militants of the Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda) terrorist group shot down a Syrian Arab Air Forces warplane with a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile. Not long after the event, the organization’s media arm released footage of the engagement. The Syrian jet, a […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
US-backed forces capture key towns, oil field in east Syria during renewed offensive
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:55 A.M.) – US-backed forces have captured two towns and a key oilfield in the east Syrian province of Deir Ezzor amid a new offensive push aimed at expelling Islamic State fighters from their last strongholds throughout the region. According to opposition and some pro-government sources, fighters of the Coalition-led Syrian Democratic Forces […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Jihadist rebels carry out ambush against Syrian Army in East Ghouta
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:50 A.M.) – The Al-Qaeda linked Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham terror group carried out a successful ambush inside the East Ghouta region of Damascus, Tuesday, killing a couple Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers in the Jobar suburb. A Syrian Army unit was attempting to sneak through a jihadist tunnel under the Jobar suburb, when […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Yemen: Saudi-led airstrike kills at least 40 in Taiz *GRAPHIC*
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:10 A.M.) – At least 40 people were killed and scores injured in a suspected Saudi-led coalition airstrike in the southwestern Yemeni province of Taiz on Tuesday. The airstrike hit a busy Shuhrah market in Al Taiziya district, a popular market among residents of the nearby villages. Houthi rebels, who took control of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Pro-government Palestinian group wipes out jihadist commander in northwest Aleppo
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:15 A.M.) – The pro-government Palestinian group, Liwaa Al-Quds, carried out a successful missile strike on the jihadist rebel positions in the northwestern part of Aleppo yesterday. According to a report from Liwaa Al-Quds, their fighters destroyed a military vehicle belonging to one of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s field commanders in the town of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish warplanes kill 7 PKK fighters in northern Iraq
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:40 A.M.) – The Turkish Air Force reportedly killed seven members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the northern countryside of Iraq, Tuesday, the state owned Anadolu News Agency claimed. Citing the Turkish General Staff, the Anadolu News Agency reported that the seven members of the PKK were killed in Iraq’s Basyan, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Israeli government official pulls publicity stunt to please Jewish Supremacist voters
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (2:50 A.M)- Elected Israeli Knesset member ‘Oren Hazen’, pulled over a bus filled with Palestinian mothers hoping to visit their imprisoned sons, this Monday, shouting profanities at them and turning the Bus around. The bus was heading to ‘Nafha prison’, from the besieged Gaza Strip, when it was intercepted and pulled over by […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian airstrike destroys underground base in northern Hama – video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:10 A.M.) – The Russian Aerospace Forces have been relentlessly bombing the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate lately, using heavy bombs to weaken the defenses of the jihadist rebels in the area. In particular, the Russian Aerospace Forces have been concentrating on the towns of Al-Lataminah and Kafr Zita, which are two […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Picture Of The Day
Speedy: An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 flies over the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in the Atlantic Ocean on July 28 *WNU Editor: *The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Heart-breaking loss of life, strike operations on ISIS and patrolling tense waters off China to touching rescues, snow angels at base and emotional homecomings: The US Navy reveals their most powerful images of 2017* (Daily Mail).
"Truth Is Always Stranger Than Fiction..."
"Truth is always stranger than fiction. We craft fiction to match our sense of how things ought to be, but truth cannot be crafted. Truth is, and truth has a way of astonishing us to our knees. Reminding us, that the universe does not exist to fulfill our expectations. Because we are imperfect beings who are self-blinded to the truth of the world's stunning complexity, we shave reality to paper thin theories and ideologies that we can easily grasp – and we call them truths. But the truth of a sea in all it's immensity cannot be embodied in one tidewashed pebble." - Dean Koontz
"Standing Up When It’s Too Late"
*"Standing Up When It’s Too Late"* By JR Nyquist "This article is a comparison between America and another great empire faced with rot in high office and a decline of the state - Rome. The writer, JR Nyquist, artfully points out it’s not the big events that sink an empire but many seemingly little ones. You could call what is happening to the U.S. “death by a thousand cuts.” Except in this story, people are not really aware how deep the cuts are and exactly who is doing the cutting. I loved this piece, and I hope you do as well." - Greg Hunter ••• "There is a letter by Marcus Tulliu... more »
How Many Times Has The U.S. Intel Community Violated The Trust Of Its Citizens?
*Sharyl Attkisson, The Hill*: *10 times the intel community violated the trust of US citizens, lawmakers and allies* No matter where you stand politically, a growing body of facts raises the question: Is there systemic corruption or misfeasance at work inside America’s intelligence agencies? By that, I don’t mean people stealing money. I mean officials who are stealing our privacy — using the tools of intelligence-gathering and law-enforcing, which are meant to protect Americans, to instead spy on them, to gather information that isn’t the government’s business (at least not witho... more »
The Economic Collapse, Transition Revealed, Just Look At The Clues
X22Report Published on Dec 26, 2017 2017 has been a horrible year for retailers many have gone bankrupt and many have closed thousands of stores. This holiday season most likely will not be any better and we will probably see more store closures. Housing prices have reached a point where they are now out of the […]
Pakistan: 3 Soldiers Killed in Indian Shelling
PressTV News Videos Published on Dec 26, 2017 Tensions are running high in Kashmir following the death of three Pakistani soldiers during cross-border shelling in the disputed region. In a statement, the Pakistani army said the soldiers were killed after they came under fire on the Pakistani side of the border. The statement blamed India for […]
United States of EUROPE: Shock Claim EU Plans Own OLYMPIC TEAM to ‘Destroy National ID’
United States of EUROPE: Shock Claim EU Plans Own OLYMPIC TEAM to ‘Destroy National ID’ by MARK CHANDLER, https://www.express.co.uk/ DISCUSSIONS are underway to create an EU Olympic team as part of the bloc’s push for an ever closer Europe, it is claimed. – West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge said the suggestion of a team comprising EU members […]
US Using Pyongyang Issue as Pretext to Continue Militarizing Asia-Pacific – SC
US Using Pyongyang Issue as Pretext to Continue Militarizing Asia-Pacific – SC by https://sputniknews.com/ The Russian Security Council secretary has explained why Washington strives to deploy global missile defense systems in the Asia-Pacific. – “It’s no secret to anybody that the DPRK nuclear missile problem is, in fact, being used as a pretext for continuing the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region […]
The Petro-Yuan Bombshell and Its Relation to the New US Security Doctrine
The Petro-Yuan Bombshell and Its Relation to the New US Security Doctrine by Pepe Escobar, http://russia-insider.com/en “Russia and China … have concluded that pumping the US military budget by buying US bonds … is an unsustainable proposition …” – The new 55-page “America First” National Security Strategy (NSS), drafted over the course of 2017, defines Russia and China as […]
ISIS Tried to Fuel Hostility Between Faiths – Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Chief
RT Published on Dec 26, 2017 RT spoke about the liberation of Mosul with the head of an Iraqi anti-terror unit, General Talib Shaghati al-Kenani. He told us that ISIS had tried to fuel hostility between faiths, but people were able to unite to save the country. end
‘Your Son is a Dog, You’re Not Wanted Here’ – Israeli MP to Mother of Palestinian Prisoner
‘Your Son is a Dog, You’re Not Wanted Here’ – Israeli MP to Mother of Palestinian Prisoner by https://www.rt.com/ A member of the Israeli parliament mounted a bus from the Gaza Strip and lashed out at a Palestinian woman heading to visit her son jailed in Israel, yelling that the prisoner was a “dog,” an “insect” […]
The Republican Party And Its Financiers Have Been Waiting For 8 Decades To Destroy The New Deal. Is America OK With That?
*Nancy Ohanian's Trumpist* Trump was driven to run for president by more than one thing, although high on his list was his visceral hatred for Obama and the outrage he felt of having been talked down to in public by a black president who Trump never recognized as an actual president but as a usurper whose com accomplishments he has been erasing, one by one. That reason doesn’t trump Trump’s overarching greed and avarice, but Obama hatred can’t be ignored as a motivation. With a sick and rotted out Republican Party taking on the role of accomplice and enabler, erasing Obama’s accompl... more »
Is America On The Brink Of A Historic Break With Europe?
U.S. President Trump, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Merkel gather with NATO member leaders to pose for a family picture before the start of their summit in Brussels. Thomson Reuters *USA Today:* *America is on the brink of a historic break with Europe, thanks to Trump* Foreign service officers like me saw ourselves as guardians of this vital alliance. But Trump isn't interested in leading it or writing its next chapter. The Trump administration’s newly unveiled national security strategy lists reinforcing America’s alliances as a major objective. Yet in ... more »
Smart Levels And Many World/Mind Zen Ethics
Life is a gamble, every day, all day, in a most greedy casino with unwritten rules and players rewriting the rules, re-interpreting them if you accidentally won too much without having the right friends, putting you back in your place. How do people of different smarts gamble? read more
"Military/ Intelligence/ Security Industrial Complex Rules"
*"Military/ Intelligence/ Security Industrial Complex Rules"* by Sartre, BATR "When Harry Browne wrote and first published back on January 1, 1973 "How to be Free in an Unfree World," few people realized just how much more difficult it would be to apply his rational lessons to a world completely gone mad in a rush to hasten Armageddon. Listening to Harry Browne back in 1980 at a monetary conference, the audience was eager to unlock the keys to attain financial security. Well, in the succeeding decades, most astute observers of the financial conditions have found a way to acquire, at... more »
Did the FBI Conspire to Stop Trump?
[image: did-the-fbi-conspire-to-stop-trump] The "dirty dossier," a mixture of fabrications, falsehoods and half-truths, created to destroy Trump and make Hillary president, was the product of a British spy's collusion with Kremlin agents.
South Korean Forces Create A North Korea Nuclear Monitoring Team
© KCNA / Reuters *CNN:* *South Korean forces to create North Korea nuclear monitoring team* Seoul, South Korea (CNN)The South Korean Defense Ministry is creating a new bureau dedicated to monitoring and countering the threat from North Korea, according to a government news release. The announcement comes on the heels of growing calls for South Korea's armed forces to establish a so-called "control tower" dedicated to exclusively handling North Korea affairs. The threat from Pyongyang has come under increased focus in 2017, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over signific... more »
Ten People We Wish Would Just Go Away And Leave Us Alone
When students of cultural history look back someday at America 2017 they will undoubtedly say it was a banner year for women. It started with the historic Women’s March the day after the Inauguration of Donald Trump when Ashley Judd went full lunatic and gave a speech for the ages where she lamented everything from jean sizes to her monthly period. Liberal females nationwide have been having a collective 'period' every since, while beta males voluntarily hand over their balls to them. *Time* magazine even named a gaggle of women “person of the year” for coming out with alleged t... more »
Japan Is Considering Converting Its Helicopter Carriers Into Aircraft Carriers
Wikimedia *Popular Mechanics*: *Japan Considers Converting Ships to Aircraft Carriers* The country’s new “helicopter destroyers” could fly American F-35B fighter jets. Japan, once a world leader in aircraft carriers, is preparing to wade back into the world of fixed wing aviation. The Pacific country, which swore off flat-tops in the aftermath of World War II, is preparing to reverse decades of government policy and add fighter planes to so-called “helicopter destroyers" to counter Chinese air power. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japan was an aircraf... more »
Who Got The Small Dollar Contributions Last Year? Bernie By A Landslide
*Remember to multiply each dollar amount by 25.32* This is a note I got today from a Member of Congress who is very active on the issues surrounding campaign finance reform, how plutocrats buy influence over politicians and what we can do to stop that: Dear Howie: ActBlue charges 3.95% for contributions. They have now posted their top "contributors" to their "technical services" in 2016, meaning their take on contributions at their website. This tells us who raised how much on ActBlue in 2016, by multiplying these numbers by 25.32: https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail_co... more »
Jon Swift Roundup 2017
(The Best Posts of the Year, Chosen by the Bloggers Themselves) (A Jon Swift lolcat for a little fun. After all, Godwin's "law" was never meant to shut down serious discussion.) Welcome to the 2017 edition! It's been a bizarre year. This tradition was started by the late Jon Swift/Al Weisel, who left behind some excellent satire and would have had a wealth of material this year. He was also
A New Space Race?
*Martand Jha* *Security, * After a long time, the issue of outer space affairs is assuming a central position in the discourse of both national and international security. On December 11, Donald Trump signed a new space policy directive which instructs NASA to focus on sending humans to the moon. The last time the United States sent its astronauts to the moon was way back in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. After a gap of forty-five years, the United States is looking forward to a manned lunar mission. Speaking at the signing ceremony of this this new space policy dire... more »
South Korea: The Great Balancer?
*Ki Suh Jung* *Security, Asia* [image: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) gestures towards South Korean President Moon Jae-In (L) during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Nicolas Asfouri/Pool] The United States and China will benefit from realizing that, in the end, it may not serve either of them to keep South Korea solely in their camp. On October 31, China and South Korea agreed to set aside their differences and normalize relations after a year of cooling economics ties. The dispute started when South Korea deployed... more »
The Trump Administration Isn't Putting America First
*Scott B. MacDonald* *Security, * [image: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with supporters as he arrives at West Palm Beach international airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria] The United States is ceding cognitive control of a foundational part of the decisionmaking process to its adversary. The increasing strength and assertiveness of the People’s Republic of China has been met with calls for the United States to develop weapons, strategies and policies to counter the PRC’s rise. Whether discussing military tactics and stra... more »
The Fentanyl Crisis is a Reverse Opium War
*Greg R. Lawson* *Security, * [image: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) arrives for a joint news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria] If America sees its vigor sapped over time through addiction and domestic fractiousness, then it will be a much weaker challenge on the international stage. “History does not repeat itself. But it does rhyme,” is a famous quote that is often attributed to Mark Twain. Today, not only is history rhyming, but it is taking a deeply ironic ... more »
Report: South Korea Is Developing a Super Torpedo That Could Attack at 200 Knots
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Kim Jong-un won't be happy. One of the most feared—or hyped—weapons today is the supercavitating torpedo, essentially an underwater rocket that zooms toward a target at two hundred miles per hour. So far, only Russia has deployed them, with its VA-111 Shkval weapon. Now, South Korea may be developing supercavitating torpedoes as well, according to naval website Navy Recognition. At the recent MADEX 2017 trade show in South Korea, a display by South Korea's Agency for Defense Development featured a mockup of a slim, bottle-shaped projectile. The d... more »
Baretta M9: The Gun Navy Seals Love to Hate
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * The M9, like other mediocre weapons, will likely go into history with a whimper and not a bang. In January 1985, the U.S. Army made a fateful decision that would send shockwaves through the firearms industry: the service chose a foreign company to replace its arsenal of Colt pistols. The controversial choice of the Beretta 92FS as the standard handgun for the U.S. armed forces marked the end of an era, shifting away from larger calibers and towards higher capacity magazines and modern designs. The Italian handgun also established a beachhead for Euro... more »
Putting lipstick on Lewandowsky’s pig, er, polar bear
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: Guest essay by Dr. Richard Tol In their eagerness to discredit a colleague[1] Harvey et al. (2017) got ahead of themselves. The write-up shows signs of haste – typographical errors (“principle component analysis”, “refereces cited”) and nonsensical statements (“95% normal probability”) escaped the attention of the 14 authors, 3…
Cosmic Rays, Solar Activity, Have Much Greater Impact On Earth’s Climate Than Models Suggest
Originally posted on Sierra Foothill Commentary: The local progressive challenge is always “was it Peer-Reviewed?” Yes, this paper was peer-reviewed. Abstract: Ions produced by cosmic rays have been thought to influence aerosols and clouds. In this study, the effect of ionization on the growth of aerosols into cloud condensation nuclei is investigated theoretically and experimentally.…
"Alea Iacta Est"
*"Alea Iacta Est"* “Alea iacta est is a Latin phrase attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar on January 10, 49 B.C. as he led his army across the Rubicon river in Northern Italy. With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation, is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return. The historian Frances Titchener has given a stylized description of the context of Caesar's pronouncement: "We know f... more »
ICRC, Red Crescent start evacuating people from Eastern Ghouta to Damascus
The ICRC Syria announced the evacuation of critical medical cases from the region on the northeastern outskirts of the Syrian capital city of Damascus. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent in Syria started to evacuate critical medical cases from Eastern Ghouta to Damascus, the ICRC Syria said on Wednesday. “Tonight […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
The Justice Department’s Inspector General's Report In The Clinton Email Investigation May Impact The Mueller Commission
*Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY:* *Analysis: The quiet probe into Clinton email investigation could be a landmine for Robert Mueller* WASHINGTON — In early January, news that the Justice Department’s inspector general launched an investigation into the government's disputed handling of the Hillary Clinton email inquiry was quickly overtaken by the chaotic run-up to President Trump’s inauguration. Nearly a year later, Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s wide-ranging review of the FBI and Justice’s work in the politically-charged Clinton case now looms as a potential landmine for Russia s... more »
A reminder that nothing will happen to Trump and his presidency so long as the Republicans control the both House and the Senate.
This is courtesy of Jennifer Rubin writing for the Salt Lake Tribune: *Republicans grilling McCabe over the FBI’s handling of Clinton’s emails and their conspiracy theorizing substantiate our suspicions that GOP members of Congress have zero interest in conducting a serious investigation of the president’s possible collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice. * *“President Trump has called Jim Comey a liar and likewise suggested that Comey committed a crime by lying under oath about their conversations,” Susan Hennessey of the Lawfare blog tells me. “Notably, Comey gave his ... more »
What is Aleppo? The city where Syrians are able to celebrate Christmas once again
While Europe and the U.S. are offended by Christianity, Christians in Syria rejoice at the festival honoring the Birth of Christ More The post What is Aleppo? The city where Syrians are able to celebrate Christmas once again appeared first on The Duran.
Edward Snowden just announced a new phone app to keep your life private
A new mobile application allows one to make their smartphone into a highly sophisticated anti-intrusion device More The post Edward Snowden just announced a new phone app to keep your life private appeared first on The Duran.
Woman Stunned to Find Electric Bill Listed as $284 Billion
A Pennsylvania woman says she went online to check her electric bill and was stunned at the amount — more than $284 billion.
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 26, 2017
A Chinese TV grab with a headline "PLAAF various warplanes fly past Bashi Channel and Miyako Strait". Photo: CCTV *Todd Crowell, Asia Times:* *The year air power in Asia took off* The Chinese airforce is flying far beyond the First Island Chain, of which Taiwan is an important link, into the Western Pacific where they could threaten American bomber bases on Guam; Japanese jets scrambled a record number of times It was mostly quiet on the maritime front in the East and South China Sea in 2017. Not so in the air, where parties to the region’s many conflicts sought to intimidate eac... more »
Low humor, high flying
I try to keep this a family-friendly blog, but sometimes something otherwise inappropriate just hits my funnybone. This is one such time. Wirecutter posted this picture a few days ago. Note the aircraft registration code. I immediately thought it was a Photoshop fake. I mean, really, what bureaucrat is going to allow an aircraft registration like *that?* Little did I know. It turns out there really *was* a German aircraft with the registration code D-ILDO. It wasn't the aircraft in the picture - that, I'm pretty sure, is a Photoshop fake. It was a Dornier Do 228 twin-engi... more »
House Probe Looks Into Corruption, Criminal Behavior at FBI, DOJ
[image: house-probe-looks-into-corruption-at-fbi-doj] The ongoing witch hunt of Trump/Russia collusion just took an interesting turn. A group of Republicans in the House of Representatives — frustrated with the Justice Department’s refusal to explain its use of the now-discredited Trump “dossier” — has spent the past few weeks quietly investigating the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI. And they may seek congressional approval to declassify some of their evidence before releasing their report early next year
Trump Administration Battles ACLU Over Abortions for Illegal Alien Teens
[image: trump-administration-battles-aclu-over-abortions-for-illegal-alien-teens] In a continuing legal battle between the Trump administration and two illegal alien teenage girls represented by the ACLU, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled on December 18 that the administration couldn’t block the teens, who are in federal custody, from getting taxpayer-funded abortions. The teenagers are being held by authorities because they entered the country illegally.
Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Continuum”
Vangelis, “Continuum” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGHm7-uNOQU&html5=1 Yes, that's the theme from Carl Sagan's "Cosmos"
"A Look to the Heavens"
“What will become of these galaxies? Spiral galaxies NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are passing dangerously close to each other, but each is likely to survive this collision. Typically when galaxies collide, a large galaxy eats a much smaller galaxy. In this case, however, the two galaxies are quite similar, each being a sprawling spiral with expansive arms and a compact core. As the galaxies advance over the next tens of millions of years, their component stars are unlikely to collide, although new stars will form in the bunching of gas caused by gravitational tides. *Click image for larger... more »
Russia Invests In Military Systems That Can Kill Its Opponents From Afar
Wikipedia *Dave Majumdar, Business Insider: **Russia's Military in 2035: Killing the Enemy from Distance (With Cruise Missiles)* Ultimately, Russia is not the threat that the Soviet Union once was. But nor is Moscow quite as weak as it was in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union where the Kremlin had to rely solely on its nuclear arsenal for deterrence. Modern Russia has the means to strike back conventionally against potential threats. “Russia now has a really decent conventional standing force,” Kofman said. “They no longer depend on nuclear weapons as the... more »
World News Briefs -- December 26, 2017 (Evening Edition)
A picture taken in August during a tour guided by the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement shows the flags of the movement and the Syrian government (R) flying over a position held by the Syrian government forces near the border with Lebanon. Photo: AFP / LOUAI BESHARA *Reuters:* *Syrian army and Iranian proxies demand surrender of rebels near Israel border* AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebels pinned down in a strategic area where the Israeli and Lebanese borders meet with Syria were handed an ultimatum by the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militia allies to either surrender or fac... more »
Did UPS Lose a Family’s $846,000 Inheritance — Then Refund the $32 Shipping Fee?
The story about the United Parcel Service losing an inheritance check has been sensationalized for outrage clicks.
You've Been Warned
(By *American Zen*’s Mike Flannigan, on loan from Ari) "*Many of us began 2017 with the consoling thought that the Donald Trump presidency couldn’t possibly be as bad as we feared. It turned out to be worse.*" - Eugene Robinson, *The Washington Post* *T*oday marks the 85th day that Donald Trump has spent on a golf course since January 20th. As a dwindling minority that still accepts and supports Trump as our President would know, if someone could teach them how to use a calculator, that's a quarter of Trump's first year in office. Remember that bland yet chilling inaugural speech to ... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Sound And Fury”
*“The Sound And Fury”* by Chet Raymo “Not so long ago, I mentioned here Himmler and Heydrich, two of Hitler's most terrible henchmen. A friend said to me: "If there's no afterlife, no heaven or hell, then those two diabolical creatures got away with it. Their fate was no different than that of any one of their victims, an innocent child perhaps." And, yes, if there is no God who dispenses final justice, then we are left with an aching feeling of irresolution, of virtue unrewarded, of vice unpunished. Heydrich was gunned down by partisan assassins, and Himmler committed suicide a fe... more »
"We Laugh At Sheep..."
“We laugh at sheep because sheep just follow the one in front. We humans have out-sheeped the sheep, because at least the sheep need a sheep dog to keep them in line. Humans keep each other in line. And they do it by ridiculing or condemning anyone who commits the crime, and that’s what it’s become, of being different.” - David Icke
The Poet: David Wagoner, “Old Man, Old Man”
*“Old Man, Old Man”* "Young men, not knowing what to remember, Come to this hiding place of the moons and years, To this Old Man. Old Man, they say, where should we go? Where did you find what you remember? Was it perched in a tree? Did it hover deep in the white water? Was it covered over With dead stalks in the grass? Will we taste it If our mouths have long lain empty? Will we feel it between our eyes if we face the wind All night, and turn the color of earth? If we lie down in the rain, can we remember sunlight? He answers, I have become the best and worst I dreamed. When I move my fe... more »
"To Others And To Ourselves: Obligations"
*"To Others And To Ourselves: Obligations"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "When we schedule too much in our lives trying to meet our obligations, we only end up draining our energy. We all encounter obligations in life, from spending time with family and friends to being present at important functions in the lives of the people who form our community. Many times, the obligations are actually fun and fulfilling, and we want to be there. At the same time, we all sometimes experience resistance to meeting these obligations, especially when they pile up all at once and we begin to feel... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by!
"You Better Decide..."
“A wise man once said you can have anything in life, if you sacrifice everything else for it. What he meant is, nothing comes without a price. So before you go into battle you better decide how much you're willing to lose." - "Grey's Anatomy"
“How Government ‘Works’”, Part 1
*“How Government ‘Works’”, Part 1* by Bill Bonner “There are many theories to explain government. Most are nothing but scams, justifications, and puffery. One tries to put something over on the common man…the other claims it was for his own good…and the third pretends that he’d be lost without it. Most are not really ‘theories’ at all…but prescriptions, blueprints for creating the kind of government the ‘theorist’ would like to have. Not surprisingly, the blueprints flatter his intellect and engage his imagination. The “social contract,” for example, is a fraud. You can’t have a co... more »
"How Government “Works”, Part II"
*"How Government “Works”, Part II* by Bill Bonner "In the case of Egypt, people listened and obeyed - at least, as much as they did - because Pharaoh was, in theory, a god. In the case of Rome - with the exception of Caligula’s claims - and the Mongol empires, the theory was similarly simple, though different. Tamerlane made no claim to divinity. He merely made it clear what he would do to you if you resisted him. Towns that submitted were generally governed passably, according to the standards of the day…and taxed, but not razed to the ground. Those that contested his authority w... more »
British government begs Prince Harry not to invite Barack Obama to his wedding for fer of angering the orange tyrant in the White House.
Courtesy of The Sun: *Harry and fiancée Meghan Markle have told aides they want the former US president and wife Michelle at their big day on May 19.* *The 33-year-old prince has become good friends with the Obamas since bonding with them during the Invictus Games. * *But Britain’s relations with Trump’s White House have sunk to their lowest ebb since his election last year.* *There are deep fears among senior Foreign Office and No10 officials that another perceived national snub will make it impossible for Theresa May to meaningfully engage with Trump. * *A senior government s... more »
India retaliates for killed soldiers at hands of Pakistani forces
Powderkeg situation turns into a standoff as tensions in the region rise More The post India retaliates for killed soldiers at hands of Pakistani forces appeared first on The Duran.
BREAKING: Syrian jet downed by Islamic militants
Al-Nusra and Free Idlib Army, an offshoot of the Free Syrian Army, appear to be responsible. More The post BREAKING: Syrian jet downed by Islamic militants appeared first on The Duran.
X22 Report, “The Economic Collapse, Transition Revealed, Just Look At The Clues”
X22 Report, “The Economic Collapse, Transition Revealed, Just Look At The Clues” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4JwMQuQkho
American Visigothic
A conservative mark = wrecked a lot of things and hurt a lot of people. @nytimes https://t.co/WwxZMzCenD — Lance Mannion (@LanceMannion) December 26, 2017 After a chaotic start, the Roman Senate—sometimes working with Emperor Honorius holed up in Ravenna, sometimes against him—racked up a solid record of conservative accomplishment in 409, firmly letting their British colony know that it would have to defend itself from here on (Italia First!); improving troubled relations with Alaric the Visigoth by making him commander-in-chief of the Western Empire (*magister utriusque militia... more »
Who Is Wall Street Favoring This Cycle? And Why?
Wall Street doesn’t hand out the big bribes randomly. They pay off the members of Congress who are in position to help them achieve their legislative and regulatory goals, especially crooks who look like up-and-comers. The Open Secrets chart above shows the amounts the Finance Sector bestowed on it’s favorite House members *this cycle only*. And the cycle is just beginning. There’s no question why Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) top the list. As Speaker and Majority Leader, they ultimately are charged with making sure Wall Street gets what it wants-- and making sure leg... more »
IPCC Model-Based Wind Energy Projections Speculative at Best
A direct quantifiable relationship between carbon dioxide levels and atmospheric wind velocity and direction does not exist. But the warming effect from carbon dioxide could indeed exacerbate atmospheric temperature differentials which directly influence wind. But other atmospheric factors provide a … Continue reading →
Baby... It's Cold Outside!
*Mean Mr Carbon just ain’t livin’ up to his end of the bargain!* *CTV* *Environment Canada issued a slew of extreme cold warnings across the country on Tuesday.* *Environment Canada says it issues extreme cold warnings when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frost bite and hypothermia.* The agency is asking people to watch for symptoms related to the cold, including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and a change in the colour of the fingers and toes. *In British Columbia, the agency warned that the Yoho ... more »
The Coming Revolution: A New Vibrational Reality
*Tim Bryant* - The question is, what vibrational frequency is society tuned-in to? The post The Coming Revolution: A New Vibrational Reality appeared first on Waking Times.
The 5 Cartels that Rule America and the World
*Isaac Davis* - Who really rules the world? The post The 5 Cartels that Rule America and the World appeared first on Waking Times.
As Markets Roar American Poverty Soars
*Isaac Davis* - The news isn't reporting on the growing inequality in wealth distribution. The post As Markets Roar American Poverty Soars appeared first on Waking Times.
Proposed principles for use of speculative models in federal rulemaking
The use of wildly speculative and extreme modeling is spreading throughout the government, with potentially destructive consequences.
Coverage of VFP in Okinawa on RT
The US government claims that RT (Russia Today) is part of a Moscow plot to steal elections in this country. It's all bullshit. Elections in the US are routinely stolen by big corporate money, candidates who are corporate operatives, and if needed, the hacking of voting machines and suppression of voter turnout. This is the playbook that the oligarchies use to run America. RT interviews critics of US domestic and foreign policy. It's fair game - they are an international media outlet. If people, like me, are willing to appear on RT then what is the big deal? I'd like to go o... more »
Arctic Fork in the Road Dec. 25
On Christmas Day Dr. Judah Cohen published his updated Arctic Oscillation and Polar Vortex Analysis and Forecast Excerpts below As I have been discussing the past two blog posts I continue to believe that this is the most critical period of the winter and will ultimately determine the character of the winter. In my opinion, we have […]
Russia Test-Fires Topol Strategic Missile That May Be Able To Defeat Missile Defense Systems
A Topol-M on its road-mobile transporter-erector-launcher. Vitaly Kuzmin *The Warzone/The Drive*: *Russia Fires Topol Ballistic Missile to Test New Tech to Defeat Missile Defense Systems* *It's the latest in a string of Russian launches that take aim at the US missile defense shield, amid other disputes.* Russia says it has tested yet another new reentry vehicle design on an RS-12M Topol intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. The development comes amid persistent complains about as America’s ballistic missile defense shield, as well as renewed tensions between the Kremlin and... more »
Crude Oil Price Outlook: Back to the '40s?
[image: crude-oil-price-outlook-back-to-the-40s] Oil at $45 a barrel next summer would drive gas prices below $2 a gallon, again.
Poland Objects to EU Attacks on its “National Sovereignty”
[image: poland-objects-to-eu-attacks-on-its-national-sovereignty] Americans should heed what is happening in Europe, and avoid entrapment in a regionalized super-state in our own hemisphere.
Truth-seeking on the Mongolian Steppes
Big G I know I really shouldn't but sometimes you just have to for the sake of your own sanity (and while Rob Burley away drinking cocktails - cheers! - surely *someone* needs to do this kind of thing)... ******* Here's something that someone got up to post at 6:39 on Christmas Day on a neighbouring blog (perhaps eager to see what Father Christmas had brought). It's got 36 'likes' and counting so far too. Well done, sir! It concerns a BBC News website article headlined *Modern women in the land of Genghis Khan*, about which I also penned a world-conquering piece a few days ago: I... more »
Syrian Army overwhelms jihadists to capture several areas in southeast Idlib
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:25 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is rolling through the southeastern countryside of Idlib, today, capturing several sites from the jihadist rebels. Led by the Tiger Forces and 4th Division, the Syrian Army began the day by capturing the Air Defense Battalion and large hilltop of Tal Al-Aswad near the town […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Did George Soros Suffer a ‘Massive Heart Attack’ on Christmas Eve?
Reports that the Hungarian-American billionaire experienced a life-threatening cardiac condition just before Christmas 2017 are fake news.
Los Angeles Psychologist Claims Credit for Horse Manure Delivered to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin
Robert Strong, an employee of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, took responsibility for the Christmas Eve stunt via social media.
Way to go Minneapolis. Now the whole world knows what a liberal hell hole you are...
*my condolences to the conservatives who happen to live in the Twin Cities. You are vastly outnumbered.* *Justine Damond*Back in July a Minneapolis Somali-muslim rookie cop (undoubtedly a diversity hire) gunned down and killed a white Australian woman, Justine Damond, who had called the police to report a possible crime in progress. Today on TwinCity(dot)com, a publication of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, *they ran an article* stating that a small remembrance placed in front of a police precinct by a "hate group", Identity Evropa, was speedily removed. Wandering over to Daily Mail w... more »
Another positive feature of global warming – less record breaking cold
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: From the INSTITUTE OF ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES and the “cold kills” department. Human influences have reduced the likelihood of record-breaking cold event in China It is controversial whether Eurasian mid-latitude cold surges are becoming more likely as a consequence of Arctic warming. A strong cold surge…
Kremlin Ready To Act As A Mediator Between The U.S. And North Korea
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (right) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo) *TASS*: *Moscow ready to act as mediator between US, North Korea, says Kremlin* *Tensions on the Korean Peninsula again flared up in late November when Pyongyang carried out a new missile launch after a 75-day pause* MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to act as a mediator between the United States and North Korea, but the conflicting sides should give their consent to this, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. "Russia is ready if both sides need it... more »
Some festive cheer!
Fascinating economic news in the *Independent *about the latest widely-reported economic forecasts from the 'respected', 'independent' Centre for Economics & Business Research (Cebr) which, every year at Christmas, produces its 'prestigious' World Economic League Table plus various economic prognostications. It's great news for Mr. Modi and the Indians, and good news for us too (if Cebr's predictions are correct). Yes, Brexit’s effects on Britain’s economy will allow us to overtake France again in 2020. Pleasingly, there are also *mea culpas* in the air.... 'We got it wrong on... more »
Who Is Blowing-Up Libyan Oil Pipelines?
#Breaking: #LNA sources accuse islamist militants from ‘the #Benghazi Defense Brigades’ of blast targeting the main pipeline linking the Sidrah terminal and #oil fields belonging to al-Waha company. The attack took place about 30km northwest of Maradah. #Libya pic.twitter.com/DjDqj0qQHk — The Libya Times (@thelibyatimes) December 26, 2017 *DW:* *Explosion at major oil pipeline in Libya* *A major oil pipeline in Libya has been bombed by unknown militants. Oil flows have been reduced by as much as 100,000 bpd. * Armed attackers blew up a major oil pipeline in Libya on Tuesday, milit... more »
Nikki Haley announces that the US will cut 285 million dollars from the UN budget right after 120 nations criticize Donald Trump for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Courtesy of the New York Post: *UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced Sunday that the United States negotiated a $285 million cut in the United Nations’ “bloated” budget for next year. * *“The inefficiency and overspending of the United Nations are well known,” Haley said in a statement from the US Mission. “We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked.”* *Haley added that the “historic reduction” in spending is a step in the right direction and that the US would make many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable... more »
Awful FALSE Christmas Eve Video With 3.2 Million Views Claims Small Nuclear Exchange Plunges World Into -25°C Deep Freeze
This is awful. A science writer and video producer who decided Christmas Eve is just the right time to publish a video claiming FALSELY that a small nuclear exchange of 100 nuclear weapons would destroy all world agriculture for decades. This is based on an old paper from 1983 which was treated with skepticism at the time and now is known to be incorrect, combined with more recent research from 2014 that is disputed because of it preloads the model with high levels of soot in the stratosphere, levels which most modern studies do not support. He claims that 2 months after the excha... more »
Snow in Maine on Christmas
The view from our back and front yard on Christmas day during the early part of the blizzard. The shoveling and roof raking once the storm stopped took hours but MB and I enjoyed doing it and loved being outside. There is always something very special about being outside during and after a storm. The city grinds to a halt and a lovely and peaceful quiet takes over that is a rarity in this hectic world we live in. I experienced similar moments of solitude during hurricanes in Florida - when nature takes over humans become secondary. Bruce
Robots and Toryism
Early on in Owen Jones's *Chavs*, we are treated to a scene in which a nameless Tory grandee drops the pretense and speaks to a group of Oxford students with some uncharacteristic honesty. "‘What you have to realize about the Conservative Party,’ he said as though it was a trivial, throwaway comment, ‘is that it is a coalition of privileged interests. Its main purpose is to defend that privilege. And the way it wins elections is by giving just enough to other people.'" (p.40) If you've struggled to make sense of Tory politics these last seven years, when you've seen its leading fig... more »
SWAT Raids Wrong Home, Holds Family At Gunpoint—Owner Makes Cops Apologize on FB Live
[image: wrong]"You f—king idiot. You're in the wrong house!'" A woman said she told the SWAT team that conducted a no-knock, midnight raid on her home.
Movie Theater Chain Warns Patrons About ‘Extended Silence’ in New ‘Star Wars’ Film
Visitors to AMC theaters in two states posted pictures of the sign alerting them not to worry about a scene in "The Last Jedi."
Taiwan Issues Warning That Chinese Military Drills Pose An 'Enormous Threat'
Chinese electronic warfare aircraft have participated in drills close to Taiwan. © Courtesy of Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense *Nikkei Asian Review:** Taiwan calls Chinese drills a major threat in defense report* 2017 white paper stresses importance of cooperating with US and Japan TAIPEI -- Taiwan raised alarms over China's growing military presence in a biennial defense white paper published for the first time under President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday, with a particular focus on Beijing's stepped-up military drills in the West Pacific. China has been conducting more aircraf... more »
Park Bench Café #7 - Reflections...on a Seawall Walk
*Park Bench Café #7 - Park Bench on a Seawall Walk* *Boxing Day - coming down from all the high celebrations of Christmas Day....time to take a quiet walk along a seawall. The light snow dusting of yesterday has already melted from the walkway winding along the ocean along English Bay. * *Stanley Park Seawall - English Bay, Vancouver* *Stanley Park is a busy place at this holiday time of year. Avoid the bicycles and runners by all means. Keep to the pedestrian side of the walk or you might be mowed down! Facing the winds and waves of the open water...the winter chill meets u... more »
An Actual Climate Change Debate Occurred…No Really…It’s True
co2islife at The True Face of Fascism is Socialist Big Government Not Conservative Small Government – CO2 is Life - 11 hours ago
Believe it or not, there was actually a public debate on Climate Change. Unfortunately, there isn’t a video of it…yet, but the participants did publish their presentations. Reviewing the presentations it quickly becomes evident why Climate Alarmists don’t want to debate this issue in public. The Skeptical Scientist has a degree in Physics and created … Continue reading "An Actual Climate Change Debate Occurred…No Really…It’s True"
Ohio Bans Down Syndrome Abortions
[image: ohio-bans-down-syndrome-abortions] Ohio is the latest state to ban abortion based on a pre-natal Down syndrome diagnosis.
Rohingya Persecution
[image: rohingya-persecution] A classic example of man’s inhumanity to fellow man is the persecution of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar (formerly Burma).
Homeland Security's Multi-Billion Dollar Comedy Show
[image: undefined] After the 9/11 attacks, Congress and the Bush administration pretended that unlimited federal spending was one of the best ways to thwart terrorist threats. In 2002, Congress created the Homeland Security Department (DHS), sweeping some of the most inept federal agencies, such as the Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), into the new mega-department. Congress also created numerous programs — some run directly by FEMA — to shovel out more than $30 billion in anti-terrorism funding to local and state governments. As Sen. Tom Coburn (R–O... more »
US Decides to Provide Ukraine with Lethal Weapons
[image: undefined] State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on December 22 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 aggression." Among the weapons being sent are US-made FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles, the official said. US media reported on the same day that President Donald Trump approved a plan to provide lethal weapons to Kiev, including the sale of the missiles, although that was n... more »
Intel Vets Tell Trump Iran Is Not Top Terror Sponsor
[image: undefined] MEMORANDUM FOR: The President *FROM: *Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity *SUBJECT:* Is Iran the “World’s Leading Sponsor of Terrorism?” *EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/BACKGROUND* We are concerned by recent strident and stark public statements from key members of your Administration that paint Iran in very alarmist terms. The average American, without the benefit of history, could easily be persuaded that Iran poses an imminent threat and that there is no alternative for us but military conflict. We find this uncomfortably familiar territory. Ten years ago former... more »
2018’s ‘Amazing’ Calendar
A social media image highlighting a supposedly "amazing" aspect to the 2018 calendar is neither amazing nor accurate.
North Korea's Army Is 1 Million Strong (And No Pushover)
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, Asia* It might be old, but it can do some serious damage. *North Korea is also modernizing its armored forces—but the mechanized troops are not the main focus of the regime in Pyongyang. “Equipment modernization is also constantly pursued, such as replacing the existing T-54 and T-55, the main tanks of the armored and mechanized units, with the Chonma-ho and Songun-ho tanks,” the white paper reads. The DPRK has more than 4,300 tanks and 2,500 other armored vehicles at its disposal according to South Korea.* As Washington ratchets up the pressure on No... more »
Russia's Military in 2035: Killing the Enemy from Distance (With Cruise Missiles)
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * The shape of Russia’s military in 2035 will largely be determined by how successfully Moscow can transition from projects originally conceived by the Soviet Union. *Ultimately, Russia is not the threat that the Soviet Union once was. But nor is Moscow quite as weak as it was in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union where the Kremlin had to rely solely on its nuclear arsenal for deterrence. Modern Russia has the means to strike back conventionally against potential threats. “Russia now has a really decent conventional standing fo... more »
Trump Has Unveiled a Strong National Security Strategy
*Zalmay Khalilzad* *Security, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump talks with members of the press during a lunch with bicameral tax conferees in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington D.C., U.S. December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria] The National Security Strategy has several strengths and is clear-eyed about world politics. The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy was released this week, and it can readily be distinguished from many previous such strategy documents. Often, these have been bottom-up aggregations of policies, which were basica... more »
From Snowden To Russia-gate - The CIA And The Media
[image: undefined] The promotion of the alleged Russian election hacking in certain media may have grown from the successful attempts of U.S. intelligence services to limit the publication of the NSA files obtained by Edward Snowden. In May 2013 Edward Snowden fled to Hong Kong and handed internal documents from the National Security Agency (NSA) to four journalists, Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, and Ewen MacAskill of the Guardian and separately to Barton Gellman who worked for theWashington Post. Some of those documents were published by Glenn Greenwald in theGuardian, others by ... more »
What Next? The Fiscal Agenda for 2018
The enactment of the Republican tax legislation is clearly a watershed substantively, politically, fiscally, and procedurally. It puts an end to the “noxious but ineffective” characterization of the new Administration and Congress, a myth that already had little credibility with anyone who follows health care, theenvironment, financial regulation, judicial appointments, or otherfields. It also cuts a huge hole in the federal budget at a time in the economic cycle when consolidation and shrinking deficits are more in order. And it dashes the fairy-tale fantasies of those that ima... more »
China Denies Setting Up A Military Hotline With The U.S. Over North Korea
© Thomas Peter / Reuters *Global Times*: *No plan for hotline between Chinese military and US forces in South Korea* Chinese military’s Northern Theater Command has not set up a hotline with US forces based in South Korea, an anonymous source told the Global Times on Tuesday. The source rebuffed a report by the Japanese newspaper Asashi Shimbun on Monday claiming that a direct hotline would be installed between the Seoul headquarters of US forces in South Korea and the Chinese military’s Northern Theater Command based in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province. *Read mor... more »
Magazine Mocks Hillary With New Years Resolutions Suggestions for 2018
Some of the lefty media are starting to show signs they've had it up to here with the Hillary circus and want her to just disappear as much as we do. One such media publication is *Vanity Fair*, who nauseatingly fawned over her for 8 years and goo-gooed at her anticipated coronation. But as with all thing faux, people tend to tire of or see through them. Mockingly, Vanity Fair suggest Hillary find other things to do in 2018 instead of bothering people by running for office again, like just get a hobby and go away. We couldn't agree more. Perhaps you have some suggestion for thing... more »
7 High-Protein Foods You Should Always Keep In Your Pantry
Kick up your meals with these easy-to-store ingredients. Having trouble working protein into your diet? Filling up on this energy-boosting, lean-muscle building nutrient is definitely important, but getting enough of it doesn’t only have to involve dairy, eggs, and meat. Staples … Continue reading →
Heart 2 Sizes Too Small? Mr. Grinch, See Your Cardiologist
Jim Carrey stars as the title character the 2000 version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch’s psychological problems have been pretty well analyzed. He has anger and empathy issues, not to mention sociopathic tendencies. No wonder he tried to … Continue reading →
Elon Musk’s South Australian Battery Responded in Just 140 Milliseconds After a Coal-Fired Power Plant Failed
“That’s a record.” Elon Musk’s giant lithium ion battery in South Australia has responded in record time to the first power failure since it was installed as a back up power source. It comes just weeks after Musk won a $US13 … Continue reading →
Does Drinking Alcohol Actually Kill Off Your Sore Throat Germs? Science Explains
Alcohol is a well-known disinfectant and some have speculated it may be useful for treating gut infections. Could alcohol be a useful agent to treat tummy bugs and throat infections? Wine has long been known for its disinfecting and … Continue reading →
Mistletoe Extract Beats Chemotherapy Against Colon Cancer Cells
Aside from Christmas kissing lore, mistletoe has a long history of medicinal applications among ancient cultures. Some modern scientists are exploring its use as a treatment for colon cancer. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas can be … Continue reading →
Surgeons Are Attempting Life-Saving Surgery on Teen With Huge Facial Tumour
The growth weighs 4.5 kilograms. Noel Zayas paraded his son to a never-ending carousel of Cuban doctors, but none of them would touch the boy. Emanuel Zayas’s basketball-size facial tumour was too complex, they told his family. The surgery to … Continue reading →
Here’s What Happens to Your Brain When You Die
We had no idea this was possible. You might picture yourself walking through a field, or surrounded by loved ones. Or perhaps making your way down a long, dark tunnel, towards a brilliant, beckoning light. When the end comes, what … Continue reading →
15 ‘Health Foods’ That Aren’t Actually That Good For You
You don’t need a detox. Eating healthy can often feel like torture in a country whose crowning achievement in food is the Crunchwrap Supreme. To make matters worse, a lot of supposedly healthy foods aren’t actually very good for you. … Continue reading →
Immune Function Has Key Role in OA
Monocytes influence pain and disease progression Monocyte activation plays a pivotal role in the degree of pain and disease progression associated with osteoarthritis (OA), according to Canadian researchers. Monocytes were more activated and pro-inflammatory in women with OA, and that … Continue reading →
A Fossilised Skull Has Revealed When The Last ‘Siberian Unicorn’ Lived on Earth
Unicorns are real! For decades, scientists have estimated that the Siberian unicorn – a long-extinct species of mammal that looked more like a rhino than a horse – died out some 350,000 years ago. But a beautifully preserved skull found … Continue reading →
North Korean Solider Who Defected To South Korea This Year Was Found To Have Been Vaccinated Against Anthrax
Danger: The unidentified soldier, who may be the man who defected in November, would have been either exposed to or vaccinated against anthrax before he defected to South Korea *IBTimes:* *Defected North Korean Solider Had Anthrax Antibodies: Report* One of the four North Korean soldiers who defected to South Korea this year was found to have antibodies to anthrax, a bacteria that can be used as a biological weapon, according to South Korean television station Channel A Tuesday. “Anthrax antibodies have been found in the North Korean soldier who defected this year,” said a South K... more »
Syrian Opposition And Rebel Groups Reject Russian-Proposed Peace Talks
The support of Vladimir Putin has given Syrian president Bashar Al Assad free rein to hit back at rebels. Mikhail Klimentyev / Sputnik *Al Arabiya*:* Syrian opposition rejects Sochi Summit, describes Russia as the enemy* Syrian opposition groups refused to participate in the Sochi Summit in Russia to discuss a possible peace agreement with the Assad regime, accusing Moscow of seeking to circumvent the United Nations peace process in Geneva and committing war crimes in Syria. The decision was announced in a statement created by 40 opposition groups, including some military factions... more »
2017, A Hell Bound Train Of A Year (Part 2): Bernie Madoff & Donald Trump: A Tale Of Two Cons
*-by Noah* *People lost their life savings. They lost their homes. Their lives were destroyed. You didn’t think of that as stealing? People felt safe with you. Yeah, but those were… And yet you were betraying them all. Well, but these people, you know they had a little greed in them, too. They were a little bit of, you know… Look, you know, and they didn’t wanna look too hard. They looked just far enough. So they’re accomplices in some way, too.* - from a conversation between Bernie Madoff and his interviewer Diana Henriques I recently watched HBO’s *The Wizard Of Lies*, a ... more »
Former director earns two-year funding ban after misconduct finding
A researcher found guilty of misconduct earlier this year has been temporarily banned from funding by the German Research Foundation. The Foundation’s decision, issued on Dec. 14, 2017, comes six months after the Leibniz Association, made up of 91 independent research institutions, found Karl Lenhard Rudolph guilty of “grossly negligent scientific misconduct.” The research body […] The post Former director earns two-year funding ban after misconduct finding appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Why the US decision to supply arms to Ukraine is disastrous
Fuelling war in Ukraine sets situation up for more bloodshed in a theatre where the US has the disadvantage More The post Why the US decision to supply arms to Ukraine is disastrous appeared first on The Duran.
Christmas is over so Donald Trump is back attacking the FBI and attempting to undermine the Russian dossier.
WOW, @foxandfrlends “Dossier is bogus. Clinton Campaign, DNC funded Dossier. FBI CANNOT (after all of this time) VERIFY CLAIMS IN DOSSIER OF RUSSIA/TRUMP COLLUSION. FBI TAINTED.” And they used this Crooked Hillary pile of garbage as the basis for going after the Trump Campaign! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2017 Well gee if Fox and Friends said it then it must be true. Right? As you may remember Trump also went after the bureau on the 23rd of December and then after Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe on Christmas Eve. And now that he has finished playing with all... more »
Russia Defense Ministry Announces The Start Of Work To Establish A Permanent Presence At Its Syrian Bases
Russian military at the Hmeymim air base © Mikhail Klementyev/Russian presidential press service/TASS *RT:* *Russia begins development of Syrian bases to host nuclear warships & warplanes * The Russian Defense Ministry has started work on upgrading the bases in Tartus and Khmeimim in Syria into permanent military centers. Damascus has agreed to host Russian forces for at least 49 more years. The bases in Tartus and Khmeimim are among a handful of military installations Russia has in foreign nations. Earlier this year, Russia and Syria finalized an agreement regulating the presence... more »
Spinning Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa One of the things mentioned by BBC Watch in connection to the BBC's coverage of the Pope's Christmas messages (mentioned in the previous post) was that, as BBC Watch puts it: Contrary to the impression given by that presentation, the Pope’s Christmas address did not include any mention whatsoever of the US president or his December 6th announcement recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. By coincidence, I was thinking exactly the same about part of another BBC report concerning the senior Catholic in the area around Bethlehem and Jerusalem - ... more »
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