Sunday, January 28, 2018

28 January - My Feedly! 1 of 2

Today
The most popular articles in your Feedly

NEW IN BLOGGER-FOLLOWING

Woman spotted doing yoga in the aisle of an airplane
Mashable / by Brian Koerber / 1d
Air travel can really take a toll on your body, so it's not uncommon for people to take a few moments and stretch their legs in the aisle during a flight. But when a little stretch becomes straight up yoga, things have gone too far. A woman was spotted practicing her yoga poses mid-flight on a commercial plane with almost no regard for the people around her. When your pose places your rear end di
30 years after NASA's Challenger disaster, Christa McAuliffe's lessons will be taught in space
Mashable / by Adam Rosenberg / 12h
More than 30 years after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on its way to space, Christa McAuliffe's lesson plans are finally going to finish the trip. When the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after its Jan. 28, 1986 launch, McAuliffe perished along with the six other astronauts aboard. The 37-year-old social studies teacher from Boston was selected for NASA's Teacher in Space Project. She was
Mexican Marines Executed Three U.S. Citizens
cryptogon.com / by Kevin / 19h
Via: Newsweek: Three U.S. siblings found dead in Mexico in 2014 were executed by Mexican marines and a border mayor’s paramilitary security team, the country’s National Human Rights Commission said Thursday. Erica Alvarado Salinas, 26, Alex Alvarado, 22, and Jose Angel Alvarado, 21, all American citizens, disappeared on October 13, 2014, while visiting their father […]
ICE Is About to Start Tracking License Plates Across the U.S.
cryptogon.com / by Kevin / 18h
Via: The Verge: The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has officially gained agency-wide access to a nationwide license plate recognition database, according to a contract finalized earlier this month. The system gives the agency access to billions of license plate records and new powers of real-time location tracking, raising significant concerns from civil libertarians. […]
Trump landmark Davos speech “unleashes hell” on vampire squid, crony, self serving globalists
JoNova: Science, carbon, climate and tax / by Jo Nova / 1d
Trump — speaking Truth to power. Creating 2.4million jobs. The networking parasites will hate it. The full text of his speech at Davos. UPDATE: Worth watching. He is quite the statesman. He could have used the economic success to laud himself, to scorn those who mocked him, but instead he is saying — This is what we’re doing. It’s working brilliantly. You can do it too. He’s talking about how tax
Democracy Denied and Other Solid Gold Reminders of GOP Rule in the Trump Era: 'BradCast' 1/26/2018
The BRAD BLOG / by Brad Friedman / 1d
After yet another exhausting and harrowing week in Donald Trump's America, as the Doomsday Clock inches closer to midnight, we try to lighten things up a bit, at least comparatively, on today's BradCast --- even if it's not always easy. [ Audio link to show follows below. ] Among the many stories covered on today's program... A few words about Donald Trump's reported attempt to fire Special Couns

NEW IN NEWS

Pro-Russian Czech President Milos Zeman Wins Second Term
NPR News / by James Doubek / 2h
Zeman was an early supporter of Donald Trump in the U.S. election. He's opposed Muslim immigration to the Czech Republic and wants closer relations with Russia and China. (Image credit: Stringer ./Reuters)
Ex-cabinet minister warns UK could stay in EU in all but name
The Guardian / by Heather Stewart Political editor / 44min
Theresa Villiers, who campaigned to leave, is latest to voice doubts over PM’s approach The former Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers has warned that Britain is in danger of remaining in the European Union “in all but name”, as senior Conservatives continue to air their differences over Brexit. Villiers, one of six cabinet ministers from David Cameron’s team who campaigned for a leave vo
Australian Open 2018 men's singles final: Marin Cilic v Roger Federer – live!
The Guardian / by Jacob Steinberg / 2h
Game-by-game updates from Melbourne Park Email Jacob or tweet @JacobSteinberg Wozniacki beats Halep in epic women’s final 9.57am GMT Second-set tie-break: Cilic* 5-4 Federer (*denotes server): Federer blocks a return long. He challenges the serve. It was well in. 9.57am GMT Second-set tie-break: Cilic* 4-4 Federer (*denotes server): Federer nets a forehand. The tension is rising. Continue reading
Pakistan Army ‘Has Greatly Increased Its Clout’ Under New Chief
NYT > World / by SALMAN MASOOD / 2h
Since assuming what may be the most powerful position in Pakistan, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa has left no doubt about who is in charge, even as he deals with a freeze in aid from the Trump administration.
Saturday Night Live Introduces Next, The Antiperspirant for Men in the Age of #MeToo
Stories from Slate / by Matthew Dessem / 2hWill Ferrell G. W. Bush
Saturday Night Live ran a commercial for a deodorant whose time has come this week, as Will Ferrell, Kyle Mooney, and Alex Moffat teamed up to pitch Next, the only antiperspirant tough enough to handle Weinstein-style public disgraces. Whether you’re a high-powered sexual-harassment-crazed businessman like Ferrell, a high-powered sexual-harassment-crazed comedian like Mooney, or even a high-power
Sunday Reading: In the Air
Everything / by The New Yorker / 2min
David Remnick provides a collection of stories about climbers and acrobats from The New Yorker’s archive.

NEW IN SCIENCE

Dragon Ball FighterZ On Lowest Settings Is Like Going Back In Time
io9 / by Mike Fahey on Kotaku, shared by Julie Muncy to io9 / 17h
GIF Here’s a fun thing to do while you’re waiting for a spot in one of Dragon Ball FighterZ PC’s crowded online hubs—turn the graphics down way low and pretend you’re playing a Game Boy Advance game. Inspired by a post from Pixelbuster on Twitter , I went into the PC version of Dragon Ball FighterZ ’s generous graphics settings menu and turned everything down real low. Key among the settings is o
Killer Color: Dog's Life Endangered by Human Hair Dye
Live Science / 20h
A dog suffered life-threatening injuries after its fur was colored with human hair dye.
Teach Your Kids About the Super Blue Blood Moon of Jan. 31 with These Activities
Space.com / 20h
Get children and teens ready for the lunar eclipse (and supermoon!) with these fun STEM activities.
Honeybees Help Farmers, But They Don't Help The Environment
Science : NPR / by Dan Charles / 20h
Maybe honeybees get too much attention. They are agricultural animals, like sheep or cattle, and they sometimes make life harder for wild bees. In fact, the bees in true peril are the wild ones. (Image credit: Dan Charles/NPR)
Method to determine when cell has 'cashed' RNA 'checks' written by active genes
Phys.org - latest science and technology news stor... / 1d
DNA has often been called "the book of life," but this popular phrase makes some biologists squirm a bit. True, DNA bears our genes, which spell out the instructions our cells use to make proteins—those workhorse molecules that comprise our physical being and make just about everything in life possible.
Great Lakes Wind, Boosting Vaccination Rates, Flu. Jan 26, 2018, Part 1
Science Friday / 1d
What we are learning about how to convince people that vaccines are safe and necessary. Plus, flu infection boosts the risk of heart attack six fold. An infectious disease physician explains why—and how to protect yourself.

NEW IN YOUTUBE

Swimmers Rescued by Drone from Raging Ocean Waves | National Geographic
National Geographic (uploads) on YouTube / by National Geographic / 21h
Lifeguards in Australia used a drone to rescue two swimmers from drowning this week, the first such rescue in the world, according to local government. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers,
Momsplaining with Kristen Bell #PregnancyRealness, Ep. 1
The Ellen Show / by TheEllenShow / 1d
Kristen and a soon-to-be mama take a prenatal class, get some expert advice from Kristen’s very own OB/GYN, Dr. Hakakha, and sit down for some real talk with fellow "Bad Moms" actress, Kathryn Hahn! From: TheEllenShow
Ellen's Disney World Dream Turns Out to Be a Nightmare!
The Ellen Show / by TheEllenShow / 1d
After months of searching, Ellen's robot from Epcot has finally been delivered for her birthday. It's the most exciting/terrifying gift! From: TheEllenShow
Toxic Lake Bursts Into Flames | National Geographic
National Geographic (uploads) on YouTube / by National Geographic / 2d
A highly polluted lake in India caught on fire, but it isn’t the first time this has happened. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and p
ALIVE | Canada 4K
Vimeo / Vimeo Staff Picks / 1d
I travelled 5500 km in six weeks exploring the vast landscapes of British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, always looking to place my camera gear in the most beautiful sceneries possible. With 54.000 single photos shot along the way I created ALIVE - a timelapse film which takes you on a vivid journey through wild forests, along the shores of crystal lakes and up the hills of massive mountains. By
John Williams!
Vimeo / Vimeo Staff Picks / 2d
John conducting the opening fanfare for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 12/15/16 at Sony Studios in Los Angeles. Cast: rcjohnso

NEW IN THE ENVIRONMENTALIST

Africatown, Site of Last US Slave Shipment, Sues Over Pollution
The EnvironmentaList / 1d
Hundreds of the largely Black residents are suing now-shuttered paper plant claiming it released toxic chemicals linked to cancer
Colombian Soldiers Lead Ecological Mission in High-Altitude Wetlands
The EnvironmentaList / 2d
Innovative army program aims to restore country's war-torn landscapes, safeguard drinking water supply
Around the World in 1,000 Days
The EnvironmentaList / 3d
Three-year voyage of the Hōkūleʻa, a giant Polynesian sailing canoe, spread Indigenous knowledge and concern for Earth’s future
Menominee Tribe Files Lawsuit over Mine Permitting on Sacred Land
The EnvironmentaList / 4d
Wisconsin tribe alleges that feds have neglected to oversee wetland permitting for controversial Michigan open pit mine
You Really Shouldn’t Touch Those Wooden Utility Poles
The EnvironmentaList / 5d
Millions of these poles continue to be coated with PCP, a carcinogenic chemical
Spanish Rangers Fear for Lives since Double Murder a Year Ago this Week
The EnvironmentaList / 8d
The killing of two wildlife defenders marked a chilling turning point for colleagues facing increasing violence in the line of duty

NEW IN THE CORBETT REPORT

Announcing the REAL Fake News Awards!
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 6d
So we all saw Trump's fake news awards last week and enjoyed the stupidity of the dinosaur fake news establishment being skewered once again. But #fakenews is not limited to bogus stories about Trump. As Corbett Report stalwarts will know, fake news is being pumped out all the time on any number of issues. So let's hold a REAL fake news awards!
Solutions: Building Communities
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 2d
People are isolated from each other, public spaces are being privatized, and we are being punished for attempting to grow our own food. There is only one solution: resistance. Join us this week as we explore how to build communities through revolutionary gardening, revolutionary walking and other everyday activities.
Episode 326 – We Need to Talk About the Iran Protests
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 22d
[audio mp3="https://www.corbettreport.com/mp3/episode326-lq.mp3"][/audio] Are these protests in Iran spontaneous, or are they the result of another regime change operation? This week on The Corbett Report, James explores the past, present and future of US and Israeli involvement in Iran, and the attempts to foment unrest in the country.
Episode 328 – The Bitcoin Psyop
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 8d
[audio mp3="https://www.corbettreport.com/mp3/episode328-lq.mp3"][/audio] Yes, the blockchain is truly revolutionary. Yes, bitcoin is Tulipmania 2.0. Yes, cryptocurrency is a nail in the coffin of the bankster parasites. Yes, digital currency is a tool of the totalitarian tyrants. No, these statements are not contradictory. But don’t worry if you think they are. You’re just a victim of The Bitcoi
Episode 327 – How To Engineer A Crisis
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 15d
[audio mp3="https://www.corbettreport.com/mp3/episode327-lq.mp3"][/audio] Are you a dictator in need of public support for your latest draconian clampdown on dissent? Or a deep state plotter hoping to topple a foreign government who doesn't comply with your every wish? A low-level Machiavellian schemer looking for the ultimate trick for defeating your enemies without lifting a finger? Then look n
THIS IS NOT A DRILL!(?) – What Happened in Hawaii?
The Corbett Report / by Corbett / 13d
So with false ballistic missile alerts causing panic and disruption across the state, everyone is left asking "What the hell just happened in Hawaii?" A simple mistake? Secret intercept? Government psyop? Drill gone almost live? Something else entirely? Corbett Report members are encouraged to log in and leave any data or information in the comments below.

NEW IN WWF - LATEST NEWS

Bulgarian government silently moves to open almost half of Pirin National Park to construction despite public concerns
WWF - Latest News / 29d
Sofia, 29 December 2017 - In a surreptitious move, the government of Bulgaria approved on Thursday alarming new changes to the Pirin National Park management plan that could allow construction in up to 48 per cent of the park, a World Heritage site home to bears, chamois, wolves and centuries-old pine forests. The decision, announced a few days before Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Eur

NEW IN ACTIVIST TEACHER

Benjamin Zander on how to give an A (video)
Activist Teacher / by Denis Rancourt / 20d
David F. Noble has a friend. Here is Benjamin Zander explaining his student-grading method, and harmful effects of rank ordering.
Obama's character and legacy
Activist Teacher / by Denis Rancourt / 26d
After you pick up the Nobel Peace Prize (sic), look the man in the eyes, shake his hand, and give him a warm smile, before you murder him and virtually all his extended family (target their residential compound directly), and watch him be killed on your satellite TV screen, visibly celebrating for the USA media cameras with the self-identifying "feminist" Hillary Clinton (I will never

NEW IN VAGABOND SCHOLAR

Casual Inhumanity
Vagabond Scholar / by Batocchio / 1d
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a date picked because of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945. This year, I wanted to look again at the work of Primo Levi and his great Holocaust memoir, If This Is a Man (Se questo è un uomo), typically known in the U.S. as Survival in Auschwitz. (A 2010 post featured Levi's accounts of storytelling, human

NEW IN WMTC

streaming update: we add appletv to the mix
wmtc / by laura k / 20h
We've added something new to our streaming capabilities: AppleTV. I never thought I'd own an Apple product, but one app made it irresistible: CraveTV. Crave is a Canadian streaming service that has exclusive rights to HBO and Showtime content, shows that will never appear on Netflix. And Crave, in turn, has an exclusive deal with AppleTV. Researching this, I could see that Crave won't be available
listening to joni: #4: blue
wmtc / by laura k / 3d
Blue , 1971 Front Cover The back cover is solid blue. Inside, only lyrics and credits. Ask people their favourite Joni album, and you are very likely to hear Blue . In my experience, this is especially true of older fans who discovered the album in real time. Blue is a masterpiece; there is no doubt of that. It is also the masterpiece that is more straightforward and accessible. When a Joni fan n
what i'm reading: what i haven't read and am not reading
wmtc / by laura k / 27d
Like most avid readers, my to-read list contains far more titles than I could ever read in a lifetime, even if I did nothing but read. Although I add books at a considerably faster rate than I tick them off, I do still keep The List, and I consult it when I'm looking for my next book. I do this with movies, too. I also read books not on my list, much more so now that I work in a library, and my re
required reading for revolutionaries: jane mcalevey and micah white
wmtc / by laura k / 22d
I've wanted to write about these two books for a long time, but adequately summarizing them is a daunting task. I just want to say to every activist and organizer: READ THESE BOOKS . I don't want to represent the authors' ideas, I want you to read them yourself . No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age by Jane F. McAlevey and The End of Protest: A New Playbook for Revolution by Mi
new year's un-resolutions
wmtc / by laura k / 27d
I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but I do enjoy using the revolution of our Earth around the Sun as an excuse to take stock in where I am and think about where I'm going. This is not a Big Promise To Do Something; it's not even goal-setting. In my ongoing work to free myself from a strong tendency towards All Or Nothing , to not paint myself into a corner, to not create Rules which I then use to
rip fred bass, who gave nyc a priceless gift
wmtc / by laura k / 20d
Is there a New Yorker alive who hasn't spend time in The Strand? A New York City tourist who didn't thrill to their first visit to The Strand? The man who gave NYC this unique gift died recently at the age of 89. Although his father founded the store, Fred Bass made it the book-lovers' mecca that it came to be. Here you can see the ever-present he outdoor shelves. I won't recount my memories of t

NEW IN ANGOLA 3 NEWS

'Soledad Brother' John Clutchette Granted Parole; Will CA Governor Jerry Brown Reverse the Decision? --An interview with Law Professor Angela A. Allen-Bell
Angola 3 News / by angola3news / 9d
(Photo of the Soledad Brothers, with John Clutchette on the left, reprinted for a 1970 poster .) 'Soledad Brother' John Clutchette Granted Parole; Will CA Governor Jerry Brown Reverse the Decision? --An interview with Law Professor Angela A. Allen-Bell By Angola 3 News On January 12, 2018, the California Board of Parole Hearings granted parole to an elderly inmate named John Clutchette. However,
'Soledad Brother' John Clutchette Granted Parole; Will CA Governor Jerry Brown Reverse the Decision?
Angola 3 News / by angola3news / 9d
(Photo of the Soledad Brothers, with John Clutchette on the left, reprinted and used for a 1970 poster created by supporters.) 'Soledad Brother' John Clutchette Granted Parole; Will CA Governor Jerry Brown Reverse the Decision? --An interview with Law Professor Angela A. Allen-Bell By Angola 3 News On January 12, 2018, the California Board of Parole Hearings granted parole to an elderly inmate na

NEW IN ARMSCONTROLWONK

The Most Dangerous Aspect of Trump’s Nuclear Posture
ArmsControlWonk / by Michael Krepon / 4d
Quote of the week: “Labor to keep alive in your bread that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.” — From “110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation,” (Rule #110), compiled by French Jesuits in 1595. George Washington copied these by hand as a pedagogical exercise at age 16. Concerns about …
Agonizing over the Agni
ArmsControlWonk / by ACW Podcast / 3d
India launched the Agni-V intermediate-range ballistic missile. Launch a missile, get a pod. Aaron is skiing in Vail, so The Diplomat‘s Ankit Panda joins Jeffrey to discuss India’s nuclear and missile programs from rail mobile missiles to the guy who flooded India’s only ballistic missile submarine. Links of Note: Ankit’s Twitter thread on Agni test imagery. Ankit and …
The Donald and The Nuclear VI: Pushin’ My Buttons
ArmsControlWonk / by ACW Podcast / 22d
We usually avoid chasing Trump’s tweets but when the President of the United States says his button is bigger than Kim Jong Un’s … well, we’re not made of stone. Aaron and Jeffrey talk about whether Trump is bluffing and what the disarray in the White House says about policy process issues. Links of …
Up Close and Personal with Iranian Drones
ArmsControlWonk / by ACW Podcast / 26d
Ambassador Nikki Haley gave quite the presentation a few weeks ago. Standing in front of two Qiam/Burkan-2H missile pieces, the US Ambassador the UN called out Iran for its proliferation activities in the Middle East. Two weeks, Aaron and Jeffrey talked at length about the missile. In this episode, Aaron circles back to the other …
The Vancouver Meeting on North Korea: What Should We Expect?
ArmsControlWonk / by Andrea Berger / 12d
On 16 January, Canada and the US are jointly hosting a group of foreign ministers in Vancouver to discuss the North Korea issue. For background on the meeting, I wrote an earlier piece for the Canadian International Council at the time the event was announced. I’m pleased the initiative got off the ground, that Canada …
Utilizing Article XIV Conferences to Boost the Two Norms that Matter Most
ArmsControlWonk / by Michael Krepon / 23d
Quote of the week: “The hope of civilization…lies in international arrangements looking, if possible, to the renunciation of the use of the atomic bomb.” — Harry S Truman Testing nuclear weapons and using them in warfare are linked: testing demonstrates resolve and confirms the military effectiveness of battlefield use. Conversely, the norms of not …

NEW IN THWAP'S SCHOOLYARD

The US-American Thought and Behaviour Control Project
thwap's schoolyard / by thwap / 5d
Back in the day when Obama was running for president I thought that it was the genius of the US-American political system to convince jaded US-American voters that their political system wasn't a complete waste of time. After 8 years of Bill Clinton "triangulating" policy to capture right-wing "independent" voters, betraying the Democrats' progressive base over and over; and after 8 years of the
Black Holes
thwap's schoolyard / by thwap / 16d
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/1/8/16822272/black-hole-looks-like-what That is all.
(Unfinished) Book Review: "Radical Transformation"
thwap's schoolyard / by thwap / 18d
Kevin MacKay is a friend of mine, so I was very happy when his book Radical Transformations: Oligarchy, Collapse, and the Crisis of Civilization was published by "Between the Lines" press. Also, as a favour to Kevin, I've decided to post a review of the book here at the blog for my [officially] eleven "followers" and the half-dozen or so casual readers who might pop-in every month or so if there'

NEW IN THE STRAIGHT GOODS

Canada: Craven Colony Of The USA
The Straight Goods / by Grant G / 19d
part I ........The Media At Work Written by Robin Mathews , January 2018 David Walmsley, Editor-in-Chief of the Globe and Mail, printed a column on December 29, 2017 entitled “Your trust is the pulse of our journalism” (A13). Vowing to clean up the Globe’s journalistic act (without ever intending to do so, we may believe), Walmsley put his finger on the real problem – for the Globe. By making the

NEW IN CHERCHEZ LA VERITE

Over the past decade, the federal government has seized more than $28 billion. But that’s done absolutely nothing to deter crime. he government steals more from the American people through confiscations than is lost outright to robberies and muggings. It’s been reported that in 2015 civil forfeitures exceeded the amount stolen by all robbers.
Cherchez la Verite / by David L Griscom / 28d
Justin’s note: U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to steal your property. Since taking office in February, he’s done all sorts of idiotic things. He’s threatened to crack down on the legal marijuana market. He’s attacked gay rights. And he even wants to amp up asset seizures. This is when the government takes money and property from people. You don’t even need to be convicted of a crime. I

NEW IN CRAIG MURRAY

The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!
Craig Murray / by craig / 5d
The complete and unmitigated irrationality of the current epidemic of Russophobia does nothing to reduce its incredible virulence as it continues to infect the entire political and media class. There is a zero chance that Russia will launch an attack on the UK, yet the entire corporate and state media is leading today with the “need” to spend billions against that most unlikely threat, as propoun
PFI – A Cautionary Tale
Craig Murray / by craig / 6d
Here is my personal experience of the great push for the public sector to use the Private Finance Initiative. When I was Deputy High Commissioner in Accra, the British government was paying a very large sum to rent over 80 residential properties in a city where rents are very high for quality properties. However the British government owned a lot of land there, and it was an obvious saving to bui
Thatcher – and Many Still Active Tories – Did Support Apartheid
Craig Murray / by craig / 4d
I am delighted that Sir Patrick Wright, former head of the Diplomatic Service, has confirmed that Margaret Thatcher did support apartheid. There has been a polite media airbrushing of this aspect of Tory history. For the first two years of my life in the FCO I spent every single day trying to undermine Thatcher’s support for apartheid. As I published last year of the FCO’s new official history: S
Zionist Censorship on Facebook
Craig Murray / by craig / 4d
Facebook has refused to carry an advert for my book of early collected works, Zionism is Bullshit . At first it refused the ad on grounds of “profanity”. I then removed the title of the book from the advert (though it might still be dimly discerned on a small photo if you squint) and resubmitted, but approval was denied again. I then appealed, and this time the ad was refused because it “denigrat
“Locked In” in Jaipur
Craig Murray / by craig / 5d
Nadira is currently in Jaipur as her short film Locked in is in the official selection at the Rajasthan International Film Festival . It is showing on Tuesday at 11.44am in the Inox Crystal Palm Cinema, 22 Godam Circle, Jaipur. It is exactly a year since my appearance at the Jaipur Literary Festival to talk about Sikunder Burnes and a number of people from Jaipur have followed this blog since, pl
Ecuador and Assange
Craig Murray / by craig / 16d
It is for the government of Ecuador, not the UK, to determine who is an Ecuadorian citizen. It is for the government of Ecuador, not the UK, to determine who is an Ecuadorian diplomat. It is not in the least unusual for Julian Assange to become an Ecuadorian citizen. Having been granted political asylum, and having lived for over five years under Ecuadorian jurisdiction, naturalisation is a perfe

NEW IN DAMMIT JANET!

Toronto Right to Life: An "Educational" Charity
Dammit Janet! / by noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) / 10d
I had never heard of Toronto Right to Life before this "abortion clause" (I hate the phrase, but that's what it's being called) kerfuffle . It is a registered charity. It's been in the news as one of the three anti-choice groups (with Guelph Right to Life and Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform, aka Fetal Gore Gang) that successfully pressured the government to release Canada Summer Jobs funding
Strip All Anti-Choice Orgs of Charitable Status
Dammit Janet! / by noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) / 14d
Last week, Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) released more results of an ongoing investigation by volunteers into the public filings by anti-choice groups . These filings are required by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) in order for organizations to maintain their very valuable charitable status. ARCC reported details on the (deliberate?) errors and omissions by many such charities espec
2017: A Very Good Year
Dammit Janet! / by noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) / 29d
After the dismal Harper decade in which pro-choice forces had to fight rear-guard actions and stay alert for more sneak attacks on our rights, we racked up some significant WINS in 2017. Locally and nationally, activists pushed the "Pro-Abortion Agenda." And won. Here, in rough chronological order are the highlights. (If I've missed anything, please add it in the comments.) In January, we learned

NEW IN WELCOME TO POTTERSVILLE 2 (BLOGGING AGAINST FASCISM!)

Happy Birthday, Edith and Virginia! Happy End of War on Terror Everybody Else? We'll See If It's Just More Exciting Propaganda
Welcome to Pottersville 2 (Blogging Against Fascis... / by Cirze / 1d
Happy Birthday, Edith and Virginia! Edith Wharton, "A Backward Glance," 1934 “The real marriage of true minds is for any two people to possess a sense of humor or irony pitched in exactly the same key, so that their joint glances on any subject cross like interarching searchlights.” Virginia Woolf, "The Letters of Virginia Woolf: Volume Three," 1980 “I am reading six books at once, the
(America!) Nothing to see here. Move along. (Smoking Gun Proof of Massive Collusion) Republicans Agree to Hate Knowledge, Democracy and Hippies (Kiss His Ring at Davos?) CFPB Orwellian Rebranding (Lee Camp Exposes) Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose (Being Protected by MSM with Fluff News) Feinstein Dumps Fusion GPS (Get Well Soon, Bob, We Miss You!)
Welcome to Pottersville 2 (Blogging Against Fascis... / by Cirze / 16d
“Oh My God, This Is So F---ed Up:” Inside Silicon Valley’s Dark Side Really? Large Green Bird clarifies this American moment: From the normally rational Digby:"The released transcript of Simpson's testimony contains a good deal of interesting information, all of which will be gone over with a fine-toothed comb in the press." Ha ha. Whatever on the face of the earth could make you think

NEW IN FREE PLANET

Electric Universe - HC Unit - rotating plasmoid found!
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 2d
you all know I had this dream back in 1985 of water flowing down a constant slope past a spinning engine that (if overloaded) spat out excess water WITH the flow of water or AGAINST it. I always suspected I'd had a Kekule-like revelatory dream about an atomic model for hydrogen... And I could never really come up with a physical model for this 'machine'. I surmised therefore that space was an eth
Wallace Thornhill - The A-Z of Electric Universe - forthcoming new book...
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 3d
eleven years ago, (American mythologist) David Talbott and (Australian scientist) Wallace Thornhill brought out their seminal and eponymous book on the Electric Universe. The thing about Wal and David's co-authored EU-book is it drew together mythology and science in a totally unique way that (iff valid-ified) will TOTALLY REWRITE how Science looks at fundamental issues like The Age of the Solar
Star Citizen - interview questions - 3D prototype demos
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 6d
modular 600i for me, please I've been thinking (more and more) that I'd like to go to USA (Austin or L.A. office) and work with the CIG (Cloud Imperium Games) on their still-in-pre-alpha game Star Citizen. And I've thought a lot of how I might approach them, what cunning sort of letter I'd write to entice them, as currently there are no vacancies at the company that might cover the senior level r
Star Citizen - costume weapons ships - the spawning issue
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 7d
IT MAKES NO SENSE!!! CIG wakes up groggily, as if from some terrible truth hangover, "What now Mike?" Costumes, weapons, ships... I mean, I covered this in my COMMERCIALISE HYPERSPACE post from exactly one year ago but nobody at either CIG or Backers or players of the game seem to want to truly address this basic glitch in the matrix . Where are they coming from? When you try on a suit in a shop.
Star Citizen - unifying the control system - screen relative push pulling
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 7d
supposedly, Star Citizen is 'doing things that other games don't do' but... seriously? and this is just for one mode of movement They have a clunky interface written by a database designer. They have a problem with doors. They have multiple control mappings per vehicle you're in, personal or space. One of the things I felt was very important (when I was in the games industry) was UNIFY THE CONTROL
Start Citizen - quantum engine - mine or not?
Free Planet / by Mike Philbin / 12d
Watch youtuber XenthorX put Star Citizen through its paces in glorious 4K. He's in a light nimble single-seater ship that can really kick up dust. Watch him first Canyon Run like a pro then launch himself into high altitude space. It all kicks off at the 00:10:00 mark in the following video... What would have topped this off PERFECTLY would have been a crescendo-leap into Hyper Drive using the Qua

NEW IN THE DUCK OF MINERVA

You Can Leave Your Hat On
The Duck of Minerva / by Lisa Gaufman / 2d
With an avalanche of news about the government shutdown, DACA, CHIP and Stormy Daniels, the American news media did not have too much time to cover Putin’s nipples (this time around), even though it was a great opportunity to update the famous horse riding photograph. On the Russian Orthodox Epiphany night Putin was photographed bathing in ice cold water in the Seliger Lake, displaying both his O
The top 5 issues in International Politics for 2018
The Duck of Minerva / by Maria Martin de Almagro / 24d
2017 was not a great year for international politics. The sentence I heard the most during conferences and other academic gatherings was that “the global order is in crisis.” Granted. It all started in 2016 with the victory of Trump, Brexit and the No to the Peace Agreement in Colombia. Nationalist ideologies have nothing but grown in 2017, when the victories of Marine Le Pen in France and of Gee
On Writing the IR Dissertation
The Duck of Minerva / by Dillon Tatum / 9d
Partly in response to Steve Saideman’s post today with advice on dissertation topics, and partly also in response to a pretty enthusiastic discussion of advice to graduate students on Twitter yesterday, I thought I’d write a few things about getting started on the path of researching a dissertation in a field as unwieldy (and a job market as uncertain) as IR. Here is where my perspective comes fr
Size Doesn’t Matter
The Duck of Minerva / by Lisa Gaufman / 24d
Any woman would tell you that. What matters is what you do with it and whether you know how to use it. Whatever Brobdingnagian thing you’ve got going on there, it’s way more important to have a game plan and understand the sweet spots you need to target. Otherwise, both parties may come away less than satisfied from the encounter. I am talking, of course, about the nuclear arsenal size and the ev
Turning the Lights Out on American Leadership
The Duck of Minerva / by Josh Busby / 16d
What a time to be alive. By some accounts, we are witnessing a power transition between the United States and China, with the United States voluntarily relinquishing its claim of global leadership despite having a sizable advantage in hard power over all of its rivals. Evan Osnos, who spent many years in China writing for the New Yorker, has a provocative piece that sums up his view of Trump’s fo
Beware of Irrelevant Topic? Advising Phd Students to Surf the Wave
The Duck of Minerva / by Steve Saideman / 9d
In the past couple of days, an academic issue has played out on twitter: are advisers doing a disservice to students and to the creation of knowledge by warning them off of topics that are deemed less relevant, less in the moment? Damned if I know. On the one hand, I have heard plenty of tales of former/current students elsewhere that say that they were interested in a topic, but their adviser to

NEW IN GEEZERPOWER

In Trump We Trust n ZZZZZzzzzzz.....
Geezerpower / by Geezer Power / 21d
In Trump We Trust n ZZZZZzzzzzz.....

NEW IN VIVA BOLIVIA

Bolivia, the US and MS 13
Viva Bolivia / by Carlos / 10d
2018 brings us a whole new era in US history. The presidency of Donald J. Trump, and the vicious attacks his critics make on him every day. No doubt he has his faults. But he is not the monster that the left wing extremists in the US make him out to be. For instance, one of his first acts was to sign legislation in support of gay rights. Then he gave away his entire pay on each pay day to a charit

NEW IN GREG MANKIW'S BLOG

Wisdom about Bitcoin
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 18h
Industrial Organization Summer Camp
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 3d
Organized by my colleagues Eric Maskin and Ariel Pakes and aimed at graduate students, information here .
History of Econ Summer Camp
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 3d
Click on graphic to enlarge. For more information, click here .
Measuring Bias, or Reflecting Reality?
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 16d
The above graphic, from today's NY Times , is intended to show bias in economics textbooks. I am not so sure that is the right interpretation. In the world, only 4 percent of CEOs (of Fortune 500 companies) are women, so does the figure of 6 percent shown above demonstrate underrepresentation of women in textbooks or an accurate reflection of reality? Similarly, policymakers mentioned in texts ar
Robert Barro on the Tax Bill
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 14d
My colleague Robert Barro is enthusiastic about the recently passed tax bill. You can read his analysis of it here . His bottom line: I estimate that the total tax package will create extra GDP growth of 1.1% a year through 2019. The main effect (0.8%) comes from changing the individual tax code, with the remainder from the corporate reform. Over the following eight years, the projected growth rat
A Decline in Brand Value
Greg Mankiw's Blog / by Greg Mankiw / 11d
The University of Chicago's Allan Sanderson alerts me to this story about the Chicago real estate market: Condos in Trump International Hotel & Tower sold for an average of $747 a square foot in 2017....That's down almost 12 percent from 2016....In the same period, prices in the downtown condo market overall rose by 2.8 percent.

NEW IN SYRIA COMMENT

A Sustainable United States Policy for North Syria, the Kurds, Turkey and the Syrian Government – by Landis and Barber
Syria Comment / by Joshua / 3d
A Sustainable U.S. Policy for North Syria, the Kurds, Turkey and the Syrian Government By Joshua Landis and Matthew Barber Syria Comment – January 24, 2018 This article is a “part-two” to the previous article “ U.S. Policy Toward the Levant, Kurds, and Turkey ,” which warned that the United State’s decision to back Kurdish nationalism in Northern Syria in an uncompromising fashion would provoke n
US Policy Toward the Levant, Kurds and Turkey – By Joshua Landis
Syria Comment / by Joshua / 12d
US Policy Toward the Levant, Kurds and Turkey By Joshua Landis January 15, 2018 The State Department has turned the page on Turkey for it no longer views Ankara as a reliable US partner. Many argue that Washington will abandon Syria’s Kurds in order to assuage Turkish anger. I doubt this. Washington expects more anti-US actions from Erdogan. Many in DC believe that Turkey’s rising Islamism, harde
Beit Jann: Myths and Reality
Syria Comment / by Aymenn Al-Tamimi / 25d
By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi The Syrian government’s recent recapture of the last rebel-held pocket in the vicinity of Mt. Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) near the border with the Golan Heights- comprising the three towns of Beit Jann, Mazra’at Beit Jann and Mughir al-Mir- has led to much exaggeration and distortion about the matter, primarily emanating from Israeli discourse and supporters of the rebels.

NEW IN SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M GOING HOME

If The Office Is Closed Due To A Blizzard, Do I Get Paid?
Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home / by Donna Ballman / 22d
Now is usually when I run my posts about how I did on my predictions from last year, but with the snowicane bombarding the Northeast and even Florida, I thought I'd better re-run this ever-popular and necessary piece. Whether you’re entitled to be paid when the office is closed depends on whether you are “exempt” salaried or not. Just being salaried doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t entitled to
How I Did On My 2017 Predictions
Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home / by Donna Ballman / 15d
Last year my predictions were all gloom and doom. After all, Republicans have control of the Presidency, the House, the Senate and the Supreme Court. Plus they are appointing federal judges in droves after holding up those appointments for years under President Obama. I expected a quick rain of disaster for employees. I was only partially wrong. It's been more like a series of showers. Here's how

NEW IN INEXPLICATA-THE JOURNAL OF HISPANIC UFOLOGY

Thoughts on Bell-Shaped UFOs
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 2d
Some Thoughts on Bell-Shaped UFOs By Scott Corrales The year 2018 has kicked off with a flurry of UFO sightings (CE-1s, in the Hynek classification) in Argentina and Mexico, fanning hopes for a year of intense anomalous activity in both hemispheres. The efforts made by Luis Burgos and his team with the Fundación Argentina de Ovnilogía (FAO) are nothing short of heroic; the same can be said of Alf
Mexico: Dark Object Photographed Over Mexico City Airport
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 5d
Our friend and colleague Alfonso Salazar reports: "Today, Sunday, January 21, 2018, the time being 7 o'clock in the evening, a black flying object was sighted as it made up-and-down movements. The UFO remained over the Mexico City Airport area at an estimated altitude of 1000 meters." ( Photo credit : Alfonso Salazar. All rights reserved) Inexplicata Podcasts covering items from UFO / paranormal
2018: Argentina's Potential UFO Flap
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 24d
2018: Argentina's Potential UFO Flap By Luis Burgos 1. The provinces having the highest likelihood of sightings would be: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, La Pampa and Patagonia. 2. The 9 pm to 2 am rule would remain in effect. 3. The highest number of reports would occur during the second half of each month. 4. Evaluations will be conducted according to the Strangeness Index: Low-Average-Good-Very Good -
Argentina: Luis Burgos Forecasts a UFO-Active 2018
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 26d
Argentina: Luis Burgos Forecasts a UFO-Active 2018 “A year of greater UFO activity is forecast throughout the country.” Article by Sebastián Aranguren for Mas Allá del Misterio (Diario Popular) A renowned ufologist has stated that 2018 will be a year with greater UFO activity, having its epicenter in the environs of Buenos Aires, Cordoba and the Patagonian region, especially in the summer, where
Mexico: Enigmatic Object Recorded Over Popocatepetl's Crater
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 11d
Source: PLANETA UFO (Argentina) and Diario CAMBIO (Mexico) Date: January 15, 2018 Mexico: Enigmatic Object Recorded Over Popocatepetl's Crater Staff/Diario Cambio A new video of an alleged unidentified flying obejct flying over the Popocatepetl Volcano's crater has been shared over the Internet. VIDEO AT: https://www.facebook.com/diario.cambio1/videos/918076715018976/ Inexplicata Podcasts coverin
Backtracking: Early 20th Century UFO Mysteries
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology / by Inexplicata (IHU) / 22d
Backtracking: Early 20th Century UFO Mysteries By Scott Corrales There is one thing that UFO believer and skeptic, nuts-and-bolts advocate and psycho-social theorist, contactee and abductee can agree on (mostly): the modern age of UFOs kicked off in 1947 with Kenneth Arnold’s historic sighting over Mount Rainier. But cracks can be found in that monolithic supposition as researchers unearth cases

NEW IN LAND DESTROYER

New Year, New Turmoil as US Targets Thailand
Land Destroyer / 20h
January 27, 2018 ( Joseph Thomas - NEO ) - Washington's Asia-Pacific strategy has gone from maintaining primacy over the region for decades to increasingly desperate attempts to salvage its now waning influence. This is in part due to China's rise as an economic, military and political regional power as well as the increasing self-reliance of smaller but still pivotal Asian nations. This includes
Continuity of Agenda: US Encirclement of China Continues Under Trump
Land Destroyer / 7d
January 20, 2018 (Ulson Gunnar - NEO) - The United States has pursued a decades-long policy of encircling, containing and if possible, undermining China as part of a larger strategy of achieving and maintaining what US policy papers call "primacy" over Asia. US policy has led to deeply-rooted networks operating within China's borders and along China's geopolitical peripheries to divide and destab
Iranian Protests: Deep State's Unfinished Business
Land Destroyer / 24d
January 4, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - Protests have been reported across several cities in Iran over the last several days of December 2017. Protesters allegedly decry Iran's economy as well as the nation's involvement in nearby Syria. The Western media has attempted to cultivate two narratives - one focused on portraying the protests as widespread, spontaneous, and having focused first on
Sanctions, Subversion, and Color Revolutions: US Meddling in Cambodian Elections
Land Destroyer / 11d
January 16, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - After a nearly year-long marathon of daily, acrimonious accusations against Moscow for alleged, yet-to-be proven interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, Washington finds itself increasingly mired in its own hypocrisy - openly and eagerly pursing the very sort of interference abroad in multiple nations regarding elections and internal politi
US Desperation Expected as Syrian Forces Move into Idlib
Land Destroyer / 7d
January 20, 2018 (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The Syrian government with support from its Russian, Iranian, and Lebanese allies has embarked on a major military operation to retake parts of Syria's northern governorate of Idlib. As it does so, the US and its regional allies are rushing to position themselves to ensure the permanent partition of Syria is achieved. As Syrian forces push deeper into Id
Google's AI Center in China: Poaching Talent
Land Destroyer / 20d
January 8, 2018 ( Ulson Gunnar - NEO ) - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already fundamentally changing information technology and stands poised to permeate and transform technology both online and off ranging from manufacturing and transportation to medicine and military applications. The US, Russia and China have all noted that dominance in this field of technology will be an essential ingredie

NEW IN LEFT I ON THE NEWS

America's "legal rationale" for being in Syria
Left I on the News / 3d
AP writes today: The Islamic State's retreat also has forced the U.S. to stretch thinner its legal rationale for operating in Syria. Doing so has raised delicate questions about whether Congress and the American people have truly signed off on a mandate for Syria that goes far beyond killing terrorists. "Stretch thinner"? The U.S.' "legal rationale" for "operating" in Syria is so thin it's transl
Facebook "users" will determine what news is "trustworthy"
Left I on the News / 5d
Here's the statement from Facebook explaining their plans to restrict news in your news feed based on its "trustworthiness". Starting next week, we will begin tests in the first area: to prioritize news from publications that the community rates as trustworthy. How? We surveyed a diverse and representative sample of people using Facebook across the US to gauge their familiarity with, and trust in,
Twitter and Facebook and Russia: Consider the numbers
Left I on the News / 7d
Remember how we were initially told that "Russia" (in quotes, because we have no idea who actually placed these ads, whether they had any relationship to the Russian government, or whether they were Russian at all) placed 3000 ads on Facebook? Only to learn later that 56% of them were placed after the election, 25% of them were never shown to anyone, 50% had ad budgets less than $3, and 99% of th
A wall is forever
Left I on the News / 12d
T his article in the Washington Post, and it's headline "Take a deal for the dreamers. Build the wall." urging Democrats to accept the building of a wall (and spending $18 billion just for starters) in return for a DACA bill got me thinking about China. Here’s the thing. The Great Wall of China was built primarily between 1368–1644 (some of it dates from even earlier). That is to say, walls last
The unasked question about "Russiagate"
Left I on the News / 16d
As I see it, there are four facets or different aspects to the whole Russiagate issue: 1) Is it true? Who hacked into or leaked emails from the DNC and John Podesta? Did the Russian government place ads on Facebook or just some random politically active Russians (or even the CIA)? I'm not going to address that here, just putting this out as issue #1. 2) Did it have any effect on the elections? Did
Trump brags about his ratings
Left I on the News / 16d
If you haven't seen this clip of Trump talking about his "ratings", you must see it. While the Republicans are all about using Trump and their current 3-branch majority to accomplish all sorts of objectionable things, for Trump itself it's 
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