11:02 pm MDT
Picture Of The Day
People start to walk away from the border fence between Israel and Syria at its Syrian side, as seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, July 17. Dozens of Syrians approached the Israeli frontier on the Golan Heights on Tuesday in an apparent attempt to seek help or sanctuary from a Russian-backed Syrian army offensive, before turning back after a warning from Israeli forces. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun *WNU Editor: *The above picture is form this photo-gallery .... *Israel warns Syrians away as Assad closes in* (Reuters).
Environmental Impacts Of River Bend Nuclear Power Station Near St. Francisville & Baton Rouge Louisiana – Comment Deadline July 23rd at 10:59 PM CDT
Comment Due Jul 23, 2018 11:59 PM ET (10:59 CDT) https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NRC-2017-0141 This is to comment on the environmental impacts of … Continue reading →
The Helsinki Humiliation: US Senator Markey on Trump-Putin Summit
“Senator Markey on Trump-Putin Summit: The Helsinki Humiliation Monday, July 16, 2018 Dubs President Trump’s refusal to stand behind … Continue reading →
Ireland To Move All Of Its Oil Out Of The U.K. 'For National Security Reasons'
*OilPrice.com: **Ireland To Move All Its Oil Reserves Out Of The UK* The Irish government is expected to agree this week on a plan to move all of the Republic’s oil reserves out of the UK as Ireland steps up its preparations for Brexit, Ireland’s Sunday Independent reported. Under the plan, seen as one of the most significant Brexit decisions for Ireland so far, Ireland will transfer the nearly 200,000 tons of oil out of British refineries and back into Ireland or other EU member states, as the UK is preparing to leave the European Union bloc. According to Sunday Independent, the o... more »
A Musical Interlude from 1968: Mason Williams, “Classical Gas”; Paul Mauriat, “Love is Blue”
Mason Williams, “Classical Gas” - https://www.youtube.com/watch? ○ Paul Mauriat, “Love is Blue” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjsNNcsUNzE
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, are the bright bluish stars from east to west (lower right to upper left) along the diagonal in this cosmic vista. Otherwise known as the Belt of Orion, these three blue supergiant stars are hotter and much more massive than the Sun. *Click image for larger size.* They lie from 800 to 1,500 light-years away, born of Orion's well-studied interstellar clouds. In fact, clouds of gas and dust adrift in this region have some surprisingly familiar shapes, including the dark Horsehead Nebula and Flame Nebula near Alnitak at the lower right. The famous Orion N... more »
Is the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas Suing Mass Shooting Victims?
MGM Resorts International, the parent company of Mandalay Bay, argues they are not responsible for the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival massacre.
The Poet: Fernando Pessoa, "Follow Your Destiny"
*"Follow Your Destiny"* "Follow your destiny, Water your plants, Love your roses. The rest is shadow Of unknown trees. Reality is always More or less Than what we want. Only we are always Equal to ourselves. It’s good to live alone, And noble and great Always to live simply. Leave pain on the altar As an offering to the gods. See life from a distance. Never question it. There’s nothing it can Tell you. The answer Lies beyond the Gods. But quietly imitate Olympus in your heart. The gods are gods Because they don’t think About what they are." - Fernando Pessoa
"Anyway..."
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” - Mother Teresa
"Tako-Tsubo Syndrome: The Broken Heart Disease"
"Tako-Tsubo Syndrome: The Broken Heart Disease" by Prof. Filippo Crea "It seems an infarction, but it's not. It's called Tako-Tsubo syndrome, or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, and it's a rare disease which at first used to be confused with the far more common (and dangerous) cardiac infarction. Patients arrive to the emergency room with the characteristic heart attack symptoms: acute pain in the chest, an electrocardiogram with the typical changes and the release of those enzymes associated with the usual heart disease. Yet, as soon as a coronarography is performed, in order to disc... more »
"What Causes Chest Pain When Feelings Are Hurt?"
"What Causes Chest Pain When Feelings Are Hurt?" by Robert Emery and Jim Coan "When people have their feelings hurt, what is actually happening inside the body to cause the physical pain in the chest?" - Josh Ceddia, Melbourne, Australia "Robert Emery and Jim Coan, professors of psychology at the University of Virginia, reply: "Terms such as “heartache” and “gut wrenching” are more than mere metaphors: they describe the experience of both physical and emotional pain. When we feel heartache, for example, we are experiencing a blend of emotional stress and the stress-induced sensatio... more »
Election Selection: 2018 midterms
[image: DSC_0310] *This KMT candidate promises to change the district of Nantun in southern Taichung city.* Time for another pile of photos showing the finest marketing moves the two parties can offer. Go below the read more link to see more... if you want to see more of a photo, click on it to be taken to its page on Flickr. [image: DSC_0311] This candidate for Taichung's west district has drunk driving her election issue. [image: DSC_0317] A DPP candidate's sign in Dongshih. President Tsai is on the sign with him, a signal that she is not so unpopular that candidates don't want to... more »
How Does A Democrat Run In West Virginia? And How Does A Democrat Get Reelected?
*Ojeda and Manchin* WV-03-- the southern third of West Virginia-- had two populist landslides in 2016. First Bernie beat Hillary by over 20 points and, in many counties got more votes than Trump did on the same day in the GOP primary. Then, in the general, the 3rd was Trump's biggest district in the state. He beat Hillary by a shocking 72.5% to 23.3%. The PVI of West Virginia is R+19. The PVI of WV-03 is R+23. But this cycle a Democratic state senator, Richard Ojeda, is leading in all the polls. Huh? Yeah. He picked the presidential candidate voters there backed both times-- Bernie ... more »
"It Is Not Necessary..."
"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory." - W. Edwards Deming
MGM Sues Las Vegas Shooting Victims, Argues It Isn’t Liable
MGM Resorts International has sued hundreds of victims of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in a bid to avoid liability for the gunfire that rained down from its Mandalay Bay casino-resort in Las Vegas. The company argues in lawsuits filed Friday in Nevada and California that it has “no liability of any […] The post MGM Sues Las Vegas Shooting Victims, Argues It Isn’t Liable appeared first on Health Nut News.
The Daily "Near You?"
Pune, Maharashtra, India. Thanks for stopping by!
"A Minority Of One..."
"Being in a minority, even a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.” - George Orwell, “1984”
Identity politics with David Brooks: The wolves are in the henhouse
National Geographic lightweight house via Daily Mail.David Brooks's hot take on the Trump-Putin summit ("The Murder-Suicide of the West", taking off from Jonah Goldberg's new title but adding the murder part for added drama, apparently) was that it was like when C.S. Lewis's mother died, not that he was there, it was in 1908, but he's read about it, and it's pretty sad, she had cancer and the kid was only ten, and they shipped him off to a boarding school with a psychotic headmaster afterwards, so that it may not sound exactly like the Trump-Putin summit to you, but the thing is Tr... more »
Israel Must Admit the Truth: Burning Kites Don’t Justify War
Using incendiary kites/balloons to attack Israel is Bullshit war propaganda. Is it even workable? If the Palestinians really are launching hundreds of rockets at Israel why would they attack Israel using unworkable flaming kites/balloons? Why not just use their rockets? It is all Zionist BULLSHIT war propaganda. – Israel Must Admit the Truth: Burning Kites […]
CNN Anchor: Putin Admitted to Election-Meddling (BULLSHIT)
RT America Published on Jul 17, 2018 CNN Newsroom anchor Poppy Harlow made the claim during a live interview on Tuesday. Harlow played the clip of the Russian president responding to a question during the joint press conference with president Trump and according with Harlow, Russian president admitted to election-meddling which is incorrect. For more on […]
Trump-Putin Fallout: Bipartisan Hysteria Against Peace
RonPaulLibertyReport Streamed live 10 hours ago Following yesterday’s Trump-Putin summit and press conference, the mainstream media and most politicians have come completely unhinged. Some openly call for a coup against Trump. Most endlessly repeat the absurd claim that it is “treasonous” to meet with a foreign leader they don’t like. How far will the hysteria go? […]
COLLAPSE SCENARIO’S: Selling Your Gold, New Money, Valuations, Beneficiaries, Etc. Q&A with Lynette
ITM Trading Streamed live 5 hours ago Links and Slides: https://www.itmtrading.com/blog/colla… Question 1. Jay: When silver was approaching $18 spot price in the spring I attempted to unload some ounces at a local shop, but they had such a large volume of silver they weren’t offering spot rate buyback pricing, but instead giving me a rate […]
‘Collective Punishment’: Israel Blocks Fuel Shipment to Gaza
Al Jazeera English Published on Jul 17, 2018 Israel has further tightened its blockade on the Gaza Strip, preventing gas and fuel deliveries through its only commercial crossing with the Palestinian besieged enclave a week after Israeli authorities announced the closure of the crossing. The Kerem Shalom crossing, known to Palestinians as Karem Abu Salem, was […]
No Comment: Feds Silent on Missing Nuclear Materials
RT America Published on Jul 17, 2018 The federal government is failing to comment on missing nuclear materials gone missing in March of 2017. New reports now claim this is only part of the largely ignored and ongoing problem of lost nuclear bomb ingredients over the years. RT America’s Sara Montes De Oca reports. end
‘Trump Was Crucified by News Media’ – Analyst
RT America Published on Jul 17, 2018 In the last 24 hours, President Donald Trump has been heavily criticized from allies and foe alike about his failure to publicly condemn alleged Russian election meddling during at the Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Back in US the president Trump has said he accepts the US […]
Trump-Gulf-Israel ‘Peace’ Plan Seeks Palestinian Surrender
Trump-Gulf-Israel ‘Peace’ Plan Seeks Palestinian Surrender by http://imemc.org/ Through violence, coercion, and bribery, Israel, the U.S., U.A.E., and Saudi Arabia want Palestinians to give up their rights under international law, and accept limited sovereignty in a weak, divided territory. But, growing non-violent resistance in the Occupied Territories and solidarity efforts around the world — such as […]
‘US Media Endorsing Idea that Russia is Enemy’ – Ron Paul
RT Published on Jul 17, 2018 Politicians joined the media in denouncing Trump, after the U.S. leader vouched for Putin when the topic of election meddling came up during their press conference. end
With Iran Deal on Life Support, White House Looks to Finish the Job
Emphasis mine: With Iran Deal on Life Support, White House Looks to Finish the Job by Jon Rainwater, https://www.commondreams.org/ If sanctions and coercive diplomacy by the U.S. escalate into regime change, it wouldn’t be the first time. Ask the Iraqis. – Three years after the signing of the Iran nuclear agreement, an array of TV monitors in […]
As Army Drills for Gaza War, Liberman Says Israel Will Defeat Any Enemy
Using flaming kites/balloons to attack Israel is Bullshit war propaganda. Is it even workable? If the Palestinians really are launching hundreds of rockets at Israel why would they attack Israel using unworkable flaming kites/balloons? Why not just use their rockets? It is all Zionist BULLSHIT war propaganda. – As Army Drills for Gaza War, Liberman […]
Israeli Aggression Wants to Undermine the Will of Palestinians in Gaza
Israeli Aggression Wants to Undermine the Will of Palestinians in Gaza by https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/ The head of the Popular International Committee to Support Gaza has said that the intensive Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip is intended to undermine the will of the Palestinians living in the enclave and crush their spirit. In a press statement, Dr […]
Three Years Later: Europe’s Last Push on the Iran Nuclear Deal
The European Council on Foreign Relations (www.ecfr.eu) is a snake (Illuminati) organization, sister to the Council on Foreign Relations (American CFR). Both are directed by /subservient to Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs UK). Article is from ECFR (ie. insider viewpoint): – Three Years Later: Europe’s Last Push on the Iran Nuclear Deal by Ellie […]
Trump-Putin Summit Success: Neocons Furious!
RonPaulLibertyReport Streamed live on Jul 16, 2018 The just-completed summit between presidents Trump and Putin has surprised – and infuriated – President Trump’s supporters and detractors at home. Is this the beginning of an improvement in relations…or will the neocons have the last word? end
A dyed-in-the-wool criminal
From Bloomberg: Special Counsel Robert Mueller asked a judge to give immunity to five people who may testify at the bank-fraud trial starting next week against Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman. Uhoh! Pauly Walnuts had better pretty … Continue reading →
Global Warming Could Ruin The Internet
At the Applied Networking Research Workshop, a meeting of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Internet Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, one group claimed critical communications infrastructure, buried fiber optic cable, could be submerged by rising seas in as soon as 15 years. They estimate that by the year 2033 more than 4,000 miles of buried fiber optic conduit will be underwater and more than 1,100 traffic hubs will be surrounded by water. The most susceptible U.S. cities are predictably New York, Miami and Seattle. read more
"New Fissure Near Yellowstone Supervolcano Causes Teton National Park Closure"
*"New Fissure Near Yellowstone Supervolcano* * Causes Teton National Park Closure"* by Mac Slavo "A 100-foot-long fissure near the Yellowstone supervolcano has prompted the closure of parts of Teton National Park. Coupled with the Steamboat geyser’s newly active status, fears of an eruption at the Yellowstone caldera are increasing. Teton National Park has issued a statement regarding the newly opened up fissure, according to WoodTV. “The Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point areas are currently closed due to elevated potential for rockfall. The area was closed to protect human safety... more »
President Trump: No 'Time Limit' To Denuclearize North Korea
Graphic showing the nuclear bomb test site and main missile test sites in North Korea. (Graphic: AFP/Gal Roma) *AFP*: *Trump now says no 'time limit' to denuclearize NKorea* Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump said Tuesday there is no hurry to denuclearize North Korea under his accord with Kim Jong Un -- a shift in tone from when the US leader said the process would start very soon. "Discussions are ongoing and they're going very, very well," Trump told reporters. "We have no time limit. We have no speed limit." Trump said he discussed North Korea with Russian President Vlad... more »
Danger Lurks in the Claim to “Interpret” the Constitution
[image: danger-lurks-in-the-claim-to-interpret-the-constitution] “Interpretation” has paved the way for our nation’s high courts and legislative bodies to approve abortion, same-sex “marriage,” ObamaCare, and other clearly unconstitutional outrages.
Immigrant Children Describe Hunger and Cold in Detention
Wet and muddy from their trek across the Mexican border, immigrant children say they sat or lay on the cold, concrete floor of the immigration holding centers where they were taken.
Breaking: Russian Air Force launches massive assault on 2nd largest city in Daraa
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 A.M.) – There will be no sleep for the rebel forces in the western countryside of Daraa tonight, as Russian jets hammer the second largest city in the province. According to a military report from the Daraa Governorate, the Russian Aerospace Forces have launched wave-after-wave of airstrikes over Nawa tonight, hitting several […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Israeli Knesset strips prime minister, defense minister of right to start war
Israeli members of Parliament have revised earlier legislation that allowed the prime minister and minister of defense to make a decision together to start a war, according to the press service of the Knesset, Israel’s parliamentary body. The majority of the MPs have reportedly voted in favor of a new law that delegates that war power to the Security Cabinet — a forum of key government officials. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russia Has Liquidated Its U.S. Treasury Holidngs
*Zero Hedge:* *Russia Liquidates Its US Treasury Holdings* Last month we showed that as Trade Wars began in April, the world's central banks and other official institutions dumped more Treasuries than in any month since January 2016, some $48.3BN, perhaps over concerns of others selling first, and precipitating a sharp move higher in yields. Fast forward one month later to May, when according to the latest just released Treasury International Capital (TIC) update, in May the selling of Treasurys by official entities continued, with another $24BN sold in the month of May, when yiel... more »
Ignite Inner Guidance through Shamanic Journeying
*Christina Sarich* - The modern shamanic journey is no different from the ancient one.
Biblical Bulldust and Velikovsky
Ron Unz manages an interesting website “The Unz Reciew” and occasionally sails close to the wind when commentary focuses on controversial topics. His American Pravda editions are thought-provoking and often cause scales to fall off my eyes. It was researching … Continue reading →
really disturbing add-on story to the recently announced “camping” ban
Two days before that announcement, the Gestapo and “conservatives” were glowing red with hate because the city and county pigs are settling a bunch of lawsuits incurred by other pigs who beat people down in other roundups and random assaults by the Pigs against people with or without being homeless. When will they ever learn.
What Did The Helsinki Summit Accomplish?
Russia's President Putin (R, back) and U.S. President Trump (L, back) walk during a meeting. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS *Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg:* *Putin and Trump Couldn’t Make the Relationship Work* *The summit ended without agreements because there’s nothing the leaders can do for each other, however much they would like to.* Given the weeks of apocalyptic speculation that preceded the Helsinki summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the news conference that followed the meeting Monday should have been anticlimactic: Nothing was agreed, nothing gai...more »
Vaccines: An Environmental Factor Affecting Pregnancies And Infants
By Catherine J. Frompovich With all the medical-scientific bull floating around regarding vaccines and Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it would behoove everyone, but especially HHS/CDC/FDA,... more »
After Ten Years in Exile — A Perspective on America The Free
Op-Ed by Janet Phelan The television room was overflowing at Sistering, a drop-in center in Toronto for prospective immigrants, streetwalkers and others economically challenged. A...more »
F-15 Eagle: The Air Force's Old Fighter No Nation Wants to Fight
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Like fine wine, it keeps getting better. *In the late 1980s, the F-15E was developed to supplement—and eventually replace the F-111 fighter bomber as a penetrating, high speed tactical strike aircraft designed to strike deep behind enemy lines in a NATO/Warsaw Pact war in Europe. The E model added conformal fuel tanks to increase range with a heavy bomb payload, the APG-63 radar, and a LANTRIN forward-looking infrared and laser targeting pod. With the retirement of the F-111, the F-15E “Strike Eagle” is now the USAF’s main tactical fighter bomber.* ... more »
One of the Navy's Greatest Tragedies: The Sinking of the USS Thresher
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * In the United States Navy, submarines lost at sea are said to be on “eternal patrol.” One such submarine was USS Thresher. *But a loss of electrical power was only half of the problem. According to Navy testimony provided in 2003 to the House Science Committee, the crew was unable to access vital equipment to stop the flooding. As the submarine took on water, the ballast tanks failed to operate. Investigators believe restrictions on the air system and excessive moisture in the air system led to a buildup of ice in the ballast valves, preventing them f... more »
China's Greatest Fear: Taiwan Armed with F-35s
*Zachary Keck* *Security, * And it just might happen. *Taiwan has support for this from some members of Congress, which has traditionally been more pro-Taiwan than the executive branch. In a letter addressed to Trump on March 26, Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. James Inhofe urged the president to sell Taiwan the F-35B fighter jets. If that could not be arranged, then Cornyn and Inhofe that said Washington should sell Taipei the F-16V.* Taiwan’s Defense Minister has revealed that his country is engaged in negotiations with the United States to acquire the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. ... more »
China's Special Forces Units Are Getting Ready for War
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, Asia* The PLA just completed a =series of exercises for it special operations forces (SOF). But how good are they? The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has completed a massive series of exercises for it special operations forces (SOF) in the city of Guilin in China’s Guangxi Province. The exercises, which are called Ingenious Special Operations Soldier-2018, are the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground forces’ first ever such assessment of their special operations capability. “The assessment and contest covered all basic and compulsory traini... more »
Doofus Of The Day #1,018
This is security camera footage, filmed yesterday on the Racine Street Bridge in Wisconsin. It speaks for itself. "No, I *don't* have to observe traffic laws, rules and regulations. I'm a *cyclist!* We're *above* such petty considerations! Safety barriers? What safety barriers?" *Doofus!* (A tip o' the hat to reader Steve T. for sending me the link.) Peter
Does watershed protection lower the cost of drinking water treatment?
Price JI, Heberling MT. The Effects of Source Water Quality on Drinking Water Treatment Costs: A Review and Synthesis of Empirical Literature. Ecological Economics 2018 Sep 3;151:195-209. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.04.014. Watershed protection, and associated in situ water quality improvements, has received considerable attention as a means for mitigating health … Continue reading →
X22 Report, "We Have Hit The Point Of No Return, Be Prepared
X22 Report, "We Have Hit The Point Of No Return, Be Prepared - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV9Y9tYsWPo
Shelley Broderick: A Social Justice Lawyer
As Katherine “Shelley” Broderick prepares to step down this summer as dean of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) David A. Clarke School of Law, she reflects on her law career that began more than 40 years ago.
1974 : “Telltale Signs Of Global Cooling Everywhere”
TIME Magazine Archive Article — Another Ice Age? — Jun. 24, 1974
Eighteen Months Since Schumer Predicted The Deep State Coup
Maddow Blog on Twitter:
1.15 Trillion Tons Of New Ice On Greenland’s Surface
Since the end of August 2016, Greenland’s surface has gained 1.15 trillion tons of new ice, which is more than 50% above normal. Surface mass balance is the difference between snowfall and melt. Snow is falling much faster than it … Continue reading →
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 17, 2018
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *Curt Mills, National Interest:* *Trump’s Inartful But Necessary Summit With Vladimir Putin* *The opprobrium hurled at the White House Monday should remind the president of a potential core constituency: foreign policy restrainers.* With his deferential tone toward Russian president Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump “did not do himself any favors,” a veteran political observer told me Monday night. “But the fervor of the rebukes against ... more »
Trump Calls Off Cold War II
[image: trump-calls-off-cold-war-ii] Beginning his joint press conference with Vladimir Putin, President Trump declared that U.S. relations with Russia have "never been worse." He then added pointedly, that just changed "about four hours ago."
YES, IT'S TREASON
*Lenin-Trump Doctrine by Chip Proser* According to the law, the federal crime of treason is committed by a person “owing allegiance to the United States who... adheres to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort.” Misprision (abetting) of treason is committed if a person “having knowledge of the commission of treason conceals and does not disclose” the crime." Trump has certainly captured more than a quick news cycle. His treason on TV-- who ever *heard* of that-- isn't going away soon. Even before the Helsinki thing happened, Ryan Lizza, in an essay, Vanishing Point for *Esquire*... more »
Welcome to Your Driverless Future!
By corbettreport We’ve all seen the propaganda by now: Like it or not, autonomous driving technology is on the way. But what will that future... more »
THE MINDS OF MEN: First Feature-Length Documentary From Truthstream Media Is Finally Out!
By Aaron and Melissa Dykes, Truthstream Media It’s finally finished… the feature-length documentary we’ve been working on for what seems like forever is finally out!... more »
The True Meaning Of The Treason Summit
By Jason Bermas In this video, Jason Bermas breaks down the summit between Trump and Putin in Helsinki and goes beyond the media calling it... more »
Ruh-Roh: 2017 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Says 5 Minutes on a Cell Phone Can Cause Significant Memory Impairment
By B.N. Frank While fundraisers earnestly raise money to give to researchers, “Big Wireless” continues to make money blowing our minds – literally and figuratively... more »
Dine' to Protest Wall Street 'Vulture Capitalists' and Dirty Coal Power Plant -- July 18, 2018
The Navajo Nation government wants to keep this dirty coal fired power plant on the Navajo Nation, the Navajo Generating Station, operating. It has been one of the dirtiest coal fired power plants in the world over the past decade. NGS provides electricity for southern Arizona, while many Navajos go without electricity. NGS uses coal from the nearby Peabody Coal Mine, the primary reason for
Is George Soros Facing Prison Over $1.8 Billion in ‘Intercepted’ Campaign Contributions?
Hperpartisan web sites promulgated false claims about the billionaire's contributions to candidates in local district attorney races in 2018.
Was a Nevada Morgue Employee Arrested for Pimping Out Corpses for Sex?
A bizarre story posited that a Nevada morgue employee found an inventive way to combine two prominent business areas: death and sex.
FDA Recalls Heart Medications Containing the Active Ingredient Valsartan
Valsartan manufactured in China may have contained a "a probable human carcinogen" since 2012.
Did a Teenage Daughter Dressed in Dad’s ‘Stay Clear Boys’ Shirt Get Pregnant?
A young woman dressed in a "Stay Clear Boys" shirt did not exact revenge on her overprotective father by getting pregnant.
CNN: Liver cancer death rate in US surged 43% in 16 years
This week the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics released a report outlining the fact that death rates from liver cancer had increased 43% for American adults from 2000 to 2016 (even as mortality for all cancers combined had declined). Liver cancer death rates increased for men and women 25 and older in white, black […] The post CNN: Liver cancer death rate in US surged 43% in 16 years appeared first on Health Nut News.
Great New Book out this fall: A Culinary History of Taipei
Can't wait to get my hands on this tome from two of the most incredibly knowledgeable people I know, Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung. Looks delish! The publisher's blurb is below. Order here. *+++++++++++++* *A Culinary History of Taipei* *Beyond Pork and Ponlai* By Steven Crook and Katy Hui-Wen Hung Praise for A Culinary History of Taipei “Dive deep into the delicious intricacies of a cuisine rich with historical lore, political landmines, and great significance to dining trends worldwide. Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung have done us a great service in illuminating the food... more »
ACT: Selling out Taiwan is Selling out Japan
Getting back into blogging today. Lots of posts coming. First, my latest for American Citizens for Taiwan Moreover, the “envoy documents” that Shaw refers to do not claim that the Ming and Qing owned the Senkakus. They merely show that the envoys passed by them on their way to Okinawa, and that the boatmen informed them, as they were passing them, that their ships were leaving the world known to the Chinese, not the world the Chinese “owned”. The real inconvenient truth is that as Ming officials declared, China stopped at the water’s edge, and the seas belonged to all. The idea th... more »
World News Briefs -- July 17, 2018
*Daily Mail:* *Petulant Trump desperately tries to end the Putin crisis by saying he BELIEVES Russia meddled in the elections - then mutters: 'Could be other people also' and John Kelly switches off the lights in the room by accident* * As he weathered heavy criticism on Tuesday for comments on election hacking, Trump declared victory in his Helsinki summit on Twitter * He settled on a favored target for characterizing it as anything less than a success -- the media -- in late morning tweets * 'While I had a great meeting with NATO, raising vast amounts of money, I had an even bett... more »
How Judge Came To Aid Of Prosecutors When A Billboard For NSA Whistleblower Reality Winner Went Up
When a loosely knit group put up a billboard in Augusta, Georgia, for NSA whistleblower Reality Winner, it did not take long for the judge to scold her attorneys. The post How Judge Came To Aid Of Prosecutors When A Billboard For NSA Whistleblower Reality Winner Went Up appeared first on Shadowproof.
Kochroaches
From The Miami Herald: Gov. Rick Scott acknowledged Tuesday what his staff had refused to disclose: He flew to Colorado over the weekend to attend a secretive policy retreat hosted by powerful conservative donors Charles and David Koch. “It was very interesting,” Scott said. “They wanted basically to know what am I doing in Florida.” … Continue reading "Kochroaches"
Even The Smell Of Coffee Boosts Math Performance
Coffee is the official drink of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), so much so that a new study finds that it's downright Pavlovian. Even the smell of coffee boosts numerical performance. In their experiment, scholars administered a 10-question Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT - the analytical portion of a computer adaptive test required by many graduate schools) in a computer lab to about 100 undergraduate business students, divided into two groups. One group took the test in the presence of an ambient coffee-like scent, while a control group took the same te... more »
Obama's Speech and the Possibility of "Inclusive" Capitalism
Former President Obama's speech today delivered in South Africa is worth reading in its entirety. The speech contains many truths that i can agree with, but one fundamental contradiction emerges between (1) his valorization of inclusive capitalism and (2) acknowledged institutionalized power relations that erode true inclusiveness in addition to the rule of law: Remarks by President Barack Obama at the 2018 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture July 17, 2018 Johannesburg, South Africa https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/transcript-obama-mandela-speech-strange-and-uncertain-times-that-w... more »
Dumb And Gummer: Selwyn’s climate-change claptrap
By Paul Homewood h/t Mick J Gummer does not like it up him! From Conservative Woman: Stepping into the room at the launch of the Committee on Climate Change’s new Progress Report to Parliament was like walking into a parallel universe. This was the cult of anti-CO2, with its supreme panel of very […]
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 17, 2018
*Haaretz/AP*: *Trump, Putin Vow to Cooperate on Syria, Ensure Israel's Security* Trump says he saw no reason to believe Russia had hacked the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help him win, and Putin 'was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today' Russian President Vladimir Putin opened Tuesday's highly anticipated joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in Helsinki by saying that the U.S. president paid particular attention to Israel during their summit. Trump echoed that Russia and the U.S. will work together to help ensure Israeli security. "We bo... more »
Iran Files Lawsuit Against US in International Court Over Sanctions
*Middle East Eye* | Iran has filed a lawsuit alleging the US violated a treaty by imposing sanctions after it withdrew from the JCPOA aka the 'Iran Nuclear Deal' earlier this year.
No Exemptions for EU: US Wants ‘unprecedented financial pressure’ on Iran
*Antiwar.com* | US officials must consider how 'sanctions' end up hurting everyday working people everywhere.
Colleges Sever Ties with Papa John’s
In the wake of the downfall of John Schnatter—the former CEO and founder of Papa John’s Pizza—amid the use of racist remarks, academics believe that educational institutions and other companies can learn from this organization’s mistake going forward.
New Report Explores Florida’s Minority Serving Institutions
Researchers predict that as Florida’s diverse population grows, so, too, will the state’s Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). That is one of the key findings in a new report from the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) at the University of Pennsylvania.
BREAKING NEWS: New Research Links CRISPR Gene Editing To Unexpected Genetic Damage
CRISPR-Cas9, the newest in genetic modification technology, has seen its immediate share of criticism due to potential health concerns. Yet, these concerns did not stop food giants for jumping on the project without adequate research and safety testing being done. Monsanto has already signed a deal with Korea-based ToolGen to use this gene editing for agriculture to create new “longer lasting,” untested GMOs, that may include strawberries and wheat in the near future. This may be even more problematic than Monsanto’s GMOs as new research just came out showing unwanted and frequent... more »
Syrian Army’s next major battle in southwest Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 P.M.) – With only a small portion of northwest Daraa still under the control of the rebel forces, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) will soon shift their attention to the Al-Quneitra front, where they hope to secure the border of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. However, before they can secure the Al-Quneitra Governorate’s […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Unknown warplane crashes in southern Al-Hasakah (video)
An unknown warplane crashed in the southern countryside of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, today, local activists reported this evening. According to the reports, an unknown warplane had crashed approximately 15 kilometers south of Al-Shaddadi city, resulting in a powerful explosion in southern Al-Hasakah. The reports claimed that the warplane likely belonged to the US-led Anti-ISIS Coalition, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Netanyahu thanks Putin, Trump for statements in support of Israel (video)
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:50 P.M.) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Jerusalem on Tuesday for their statements in support of Israel while at the bilateral summit in Helsinki. “I praise the things I heard in the press conference with President Trump and President […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
US Patriots in exchange for Russian S-400s out of the question – Turkish MP
Turkish media reported this week that Washington offered to sell Ankara the Patriot missile system if it backed out of its deal with Russia to buy the S-400 missile system. But senior ruling Justice and Development Party lawmaker Berat Conkar says such an exchange would be unthinkable for Ankara. Conkar, a member of the Turkish parliament’s […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Musical Interlude: 2002, "Falling Through Time"
2002, "Falling Through Time" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZYmFP532_M
Acuerdo comercial Unión Europea-Japón: luces y sombras
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
17-Jul-2018 En medio de la tormenta comercial que ha provocado Donald Trump entre EE.UU. y la Unión Europea (que aparentemente deja fuera de juego el TTIP, salvo que se vea como la fórmula para solucionar las desavenencias comerciales), la Unión Europea y Japón procederán hoy a la firma de su tratado comercial, llamado Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA.
Colombia: Negociaciones con Nueva Zelanda y Australia y las preocupaciones del sector lechero
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
17-Jul-2018 A punto de culminar el mandato del presente Gobierno, existe incertidumbre sobre el futuro de los productores de leche colombianos.
Congresista estadounidense, Raúl Grijalva, aconseja a Ecuador "alejarse" de Tratados de Comercio e Inversión
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
17-Jul-2018 Asegura que pactos traen "perjuicios y ninguna evidencia convincente de beneficios"
Chile Mejor sin TLC critica tardío interés del Congreso por escuchar posturas críticas a los tratados
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
17-Jul-2018 Comisión de Hacienda de la Cámara de Diputados recibirá por primera vez a la Plataforma Chile Mejor sin TLC para escuchar sus planteamientos en torno a los tratados de libre comercio que se discuten en el Congreso.
Mueller indictment of Russian GRUs 100 percent political theater (Video)
The Duran – News in Review – Episode 56. The post Mueller indictment of Russian GRUs 100 percent political theater (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
At long last: Pirogue races return to Lafitte this Saturday
After fading away, the once-popular race of traditional Louisiana boats returns to Lafitte.
NBC News 1983 : Catastrophic Global Warming By The 1990’s
The Fake News never ends. h/t James in Perth 18 Oct 1983, 17 – Rapid City Journal at Newspapers.com 10 Jan 1871 – IMAGINARY CHANGES OF CLIMATE 06 Oct 1939, Page 6 – The Des Moines Register at Newspapers.com
The Destruction Begins
The progressive City of Boulder, Colorado has begun their destruction of the South Boulder wetlands. The last piece of open space between Boulder and Metropolitan Denver.
Trump Corrects His Quote, Says Misspoke on Russian Meddling
The sentence should have been, 'I don't see any reason why I wouldn't, or why it wouldn't be Russia" instead of "why it would," Trump said.
Did Congress Vote to Take Away Food Stamps from 1.5 Million Veterans?
A partisan Facebook page significantly exaggerated the likely consequences of the House's version of the 2018 "farm bill."
Media Firm “Providr” Allegedly Owes Money to Several Angry Facebook Publishers
The company gained prominence by asserting they were compliant with Facebook’s rules at a time when few other firms were. They were not, and and now their former clients feel duped.
"The Trade War Is Already Having A Huge Impact On The U.S. Economy"
*"The Trade War Is Already Having A * *Huge Impact On The U.S. Economy"* by Michael Snyder "The trade war has barely just begun, and yet significant ripple effects are already being felt all across the U.S. economy. Once thriving businesses are on the verge of failure, workers are being laid off, and some sectors of the economy are witnessing enormous price hikes. Right now the mainstream media is absolutely fixated on the drama surrounding the recently concluded Trump-Putin summit meeting, but the consequences of this trade war will ultimately be far more important for the lives o... more »
"Trump Calls Off Cold War II"
*"Trump Calls Off Cold War II"* by Patrick Buchanan "Beginning his joint press conference with Vladimir Putin, President Trump declared that U.S. relations with Russia have “never been worse.” He then added pointedly, that just changed “about four hours ago.” It certainly did. With his remarks in Helsinki and at the NATO summit in Brussels, Trump has signaled a historic shift in U.S. foreign policy that may determine the future of this nation and the fate of his presidency. He has rejected the fundamental premises of American foreign policy since the end of the Cold War and blamed ... more »
BREAKING: Donald J. Trump misspeaks a great deal!
*TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018Is Donald J. Trump impaired:* Did Donald J. Trump misspeak yesterday? Did he mean to say what's shown below when the AP's Jonathan Lemire put him on the spot? LEMIRE (7/16/18): My second question is, would you now, with the whole world watching, tell President Putin—would you denounce what happened in 2016? And would you warn him to never do it again? TRUMP: So let me just say that we have two thoughts. You have groups that are wondering why the FBI never took the server. Why haven't they taken the server? Why was the FBI told to leave the office of the Demo... more »
A Look Inside Russia's Air Force One
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* An infographic showing the dimensions of the aircraft as well as how it is designed as well as its top speed *Daily Mail:* *The battle of the jets: Putin's lavish plane interior - including gold-plated toilet - is revealed... so how does it compare to Air Force One?* * President Vladimir Putin has four presidential planes at his disposal including a £390million IL-96-300PU jet * The aircraft has a special coating that makes it less visible to radar and an advanced communication system * US president Donald Trump also has a presidential plane he can cal... more »
Time for a UBI?
[image: time-for-a-ubi] Chicago is about to test an idea whose time, depending on who you talk to, might or might not have come: universal basic income.
The Left’s Love for Russian Dictators — Other Than Putin
[image: the-lefts-love-for-russian-dictators-other-than-putin] The Left hates Putin, as a way to undermine Trump. But the Left did not always hate Russian rulers.
Rand Paul Backs Trump on Putin Summit
[image: rand-paul-backs-trump-on-putin-summit] Senator Paul believes that a better relationship with Russia is more important than simply scoring political points attacking Trump.
Soros Believes Liberal Democracy Endangered
[image: soros-believes-liberal-democracy-endangered-soros-chagrined] At 87, has longtime leftist George Soros been defeated by President Trump?
Almost 11,000 Illegals Arrested Since National Guard Deployment on Border
[image: almost-11-000-illegals-arrested-since-national-guard-deployment-on-border] Since April, when National Guard troops began their “observe and report” mission on America’s southern border, more than 10,800 illegal immigrants have been arrested as a direct result of their presence.
Why Most Americans Won't Retire Well
[image: why-most-americans-won-t-retire-well] With Americans taking out loans for most of life’s big-dollar purchases because prices have inflated along with government printing of money, they don’t save enough for old age.
Jeremy Corbyn Told By Veteran Jewish MP 'You're A F***ing Anti-Semite And A Racist'
'Jeremy Corbyn has been told he's "a fucking anti-semite" by a veteran Jewish MP after the party upheld controversial new guidelines on tackling anti-semitism. Furious former minister Margaret Hodge confronted the Labour leader after the crunch Commons votes on Brexit, telling him he didn't want people like her in the party any more, HuffPost UK has been told. Tempers flared behind the Speaker's chair, out of the range of TV cameras, as Hodge expressed her anger at the ruling National Executive Committee's (NEC) decision to endorse new rules on Jew-hatred and abuse. ... And Hodge... more »
Trump’s Inartful But Necessary Summit With Vladimir Putin
*Curt Mills* *Security, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque] The opprobrium hurled at the White House Monday should remind the president of a potential core constituency: foreign policy restrainers. With his deferential tone toward Russian president Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump “did not do himself any favors,” a veteran political observer told me Monday night. “But the fervor of the rebukes against him is telling: for a host of powerful figures in me... more »
Kim's Killers: North Korea’s Legendary Special Operations Assassins
*Adam Rawnsley* *Security, Asia* [image: A paramilitary solider stands guard at the main gate of North Korea's embassy in Beijing January 6, 2016. North Korea said it had successfully conducted a test of a miniaturised hydrogen nuclear device on Wednesday morning.] A remarkable story from the past. *When asked whether he expected to survive the Blue House raid, Kim replied plainly. “I believed I would be killed and yet I came down.” Nor was Pyongyang especially eager to get its people back once they were captured. Diplomats assessed the chances that North Korea would be willing ... more »
Kim Jong Un Flips Out Over Dirty Bathtubs And Unfinished Power Plants
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) visits the Kumkop General Foodstuff Factory for Sportspersons in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang January 23, 2016.] This can't be good. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lashed out at officials during a displeasing “field guidance” excursion, North Korean state media reported Tuesday. Determined to boost the economy as he shifts his focus from nuclear weapons to domestic development, Kim rebuked officials for poor management after touring eight... more »
U.S. Marines Are The Heaviest Drinkers In The Military
*Military Times*: *Survey: Military binge drinking drops, but this service stood out in a bad way* Binge drinking and increased use of e-cigarettes among service members are two of the behavioral trends Defense Department officials need to address, according to researchers who analyzed the most recent DoD Health Related Behaviors Survey. About one-third of the service personnel surveyed met the criteria indicating hazardous drinking and possible alcohol use disorder, with 30 percent reporting that they binge drank in the past month. Among Marines, that figure jumped to 42.6 perc... more »
The Discovery of Central American Suffering
Nick Alexandrov, Counterpunch & Information Clearinghouse - U.S. pundits and politicians just discovered, it seems, that Washington’s decisions harm Central American families. For the New York Times, “separating families…is something new and malicious,” reflecting Trump’s “heartlessness” and violating “fundamental American values.” “This, apparently, is how you turn off the idea of America,” Alex Wagner (The Atlantic) added. The Los Angeles Times thinks “the... (read more)
Palestine Lost
Sheldon Richman, Information Clearinghouse- To appreciate the enormity of the crimes against the Palestinian people, one must understand that while persons are certainly individuals, they are something more as well. That’s what we mean when we use words like society, culture, and people. What has happened to the Palestinians is not simply that some individuals were... (read more)
Israel Blocks Gaza's Only Cargo Crossing For Fuel In Retailiation For A Wave Of Firebomb-Laden Kite Attacks
*DW:* *Israel shuts cargo crossing into Gaza amid rising hostilities* Israel has closed its only cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip, preventing fuel deliveries to the Palestinian enclave. Authorities say it's in retaliation for a wave of firebomb-laden kites sent over the border. Israel has blocked all fuel and gas transfers through the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Gaza Strip, Israel's defense ministry said Tuesday. The measure will apply until Sunday "in light of the continued terror efforts of Hamas," but essential food and medicine deliveries will still be able to get through... more »
Israel’s Implausible, Dark Night & Torches, Heist of Iranian Nuclear Secrets
*National Post* *“Last year, the spies began planning a heist that one senior Israeli intelligence official said bore a strong resemblance to George Clooney’s adventures in “Oceans 11.”* * This absurd tale is the reason, so we’re told, that Trump was convinced to pull out of the JCPOA/P5+1.* * It’s so Hollywood. The whole narrative. Complete with the above reference to George Clooney’s Oceans 11. But not the new all girl one cause that one is supposed to be a stinker. * * After reading just two paragraphs, just the two opening paragraphs, recalling this so called dramatic heist. I ... more »
"Donald Trump: Traitor?"
*"Donald Trump: Traitor?"* by Bill Bonner YOUGHAL, IRELAND – "Yesterday, the world’s press once again erupted in outrage. The hacks were upset… appalled… indignant. Of course, it was The Donald that set it off. But this time, they charged him not with being a boor or a nincompoop. This time, the charge was the sort that could get a man hanged, or at least impeached – treason. And this time, we rise to his defense, not in the spirit of mischief and mockery like we did yesterday, but in earnest. *Travel Update: *First… a brief travel update. We drove from France to Ireland via Engla... more »
Protests Over Corruption, Unemployment, And Electrical Shortages Grow In Southern Iraq
*CNN: **Protests spread, turn deadly in Iraq: At least 8 are dead, dozens hurt* Baghdad (CNN)At least eight people are dead and dozens injured in weeklong protests over jobs and basic services, Iraq's Ministry of Health spokesman Saif al-Bader said Monday. The protests started in the southern Iraq port city of Basra and spread to different areas of the country. At least 56 people have been wounded, seven of them critically, Bader said in a news conference. Protesters react as Iraqi security forces fire tear gas during a demonstration against unemployment and a lack of basic s... more »
US Media is Losing Its Mind Over Trump-Putin Press Conference
Joe Lauria on the U.S. media's near universal outrage over the Trump-Putin accord
Trustees OK $1.7M for University of Arkansas Medical Campus
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas trustees have approved a $1.7 million renovation at the school’s medical campus in Fayetteville. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that trustees on Monday unanimously approved the renovations to support classrooms and lab space for students in a new occupational therapy program. The three-year, clinical doctorate program expects to enroll its […]
Harvard-Linked Employee Apologizes Over ‘Affordable’ Comment
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — An employee with a Harvard University-affiliated research center has issued an apology after she was captured on video asking a neighbor and the woman’s biracial daughter if they lived in affordable apartments. Theresa Lund, executive director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, told The Boston Globe on Monday that she’s “terribly sorry” and […]
Obama Gives Trump Sharp Rebuke in Mandela Address on Values
JOHANNESBURG — Without ever mentioning President Donald Trump by name, former U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday took aim at “strongman politics” in his highest-profile speech since leaving office, urging people around the world to respect human rights and other values now under threat in an impassioned address marking the 100th anniversary of anti-apartheid leader […]
What Will Progressives Who Get Elected To Congress This Time Do Differently
For most candidates for Congress-- and incumbents-- the economics of politics is about how to access money to keep their careers moving ahead. For the new breed of Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the economics of politics has more to do with how to finance the Bernie policies they're espousing and that their supporters are clamoring for. Getting the new breed Dems all on-message with that kind of economics would be huge. If you don’t know what you’re capable of achieving, you can’t advocate for it. A bold, progressive agenda demands a complementary economic framework. Yes... more »
Kavanaugh: Warrantless Data Collection “is entirely consistent with the Fourth Amendment”
By Phillip Schneider On July 9th, President Trump’s announced Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee for the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, and... more »
Backfire Economics: 6 ways Trump's tariffs are hurting the very people they're supposed to help
*It seems almost embarrassing to have to rehearse the case for free markets and free trade, a case thoroughly established centuries ago by the likes of Adam Smith, Richard Cobden, and especially Frederic Bastiat. But support for Trump’s tariffs is not something generated by desire for greater prosperity, says *Mark J. Perry* in this **guest post -- a compilation of soundings on how the tariff experiment is going this time round ...* __________________________________________________________________ 1. How Trump’s Policy Decisions Undermine the Industries He Pledged to Help (New Yo... more »
The Art of Rigging Climate Polls
Marketing and social influence makers have used opinion surveys extensively to promote awareness, interest and motivation to engage with their products or preferred policies. I have written before on how this ploy is used regarding global warming/climate change (links at bottom). This post is prompted by a fresh round of climate polls and some further […]
Investigation Into Weeping Virgin Mary Statue Continues
The sculpture, which stands in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, has been attracting attention worldwide since visitors first reported the fluid in May 2018.
If the President Is Impeached for Treason, Is Everyone Else Removed from Office as Well?
Some confusion over the meaning and process of impeachment resulted in the spread of false information about the potential results of treason charges against a U.S. president.
Decent people should now abandon the Labour Party after its National Executive Committee refuses to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism per Campaign Against Antisemitism
'The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party has responded to the Jewish community and MP's demands that it accept International Definition of Antisemitism by adopting its own rewritten definition of antisemitism, according to initial reports. It is for the Jewish community to define antisemitism. We have been consistent and clear in demanding that the Labour Party follow the Government, police, other political parties and even its own MPs in adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism. Today the NEC crossed the Rubicon and defiantly adopted its own deeply i... more »
Why I Got Arrested This Summer (And You Should Too)
With 43 percent of Americans in or near poverty, most of us know there’s something deeply wrong with our democracy. Will we stand up for it?
When Life Feels Like Too Much
Sometimes in life, we can become overwhelmed with all that is taking place.
The Changing Nature of “Reality”
There doesn’t seem to be any way around the fact that we’re required to “wake up” to the change in density.
This Solar Purifier Creates Its Own Disinfectant from Water and Sunlight
Stanford Engineering reports about an innovative solar purifier that creates its own powerful and safe disinfectant using water and sunlight.
FDA recalls common heart drug over cancer concerns
Last week the FDA issued a voluntary recall of the drug Valsartan, commonly used to control blood pressure and prevent heart failure, over concerns about “the presence of an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).” RELATED STORY: What you really need to know about Heart Disease and its treatment The organic chemical, often used in rocket fuel, softeners, […] The post FDA recalls common heart drug over cancer concerns appeared first on Health Nut News.
Man on a Mission
Yes, Trump went to Helsinki and all he got was a toy. When Donald Trump stood beside Vladimir Putin and did his dog and pony show, even Republicans were shocked. On Fox Business, Trish Regan and Gen. Jack Keane, they were shocked, shocked that Trump didn't do the slightest thing to defend our country, starting with his own intelligence community and the FBI. (Russian meddling that had been aided and abetted for years by the countless talking heads at Fox then decried.). NBC News reported that Brit Hume's own analysis of the summit was "disgusting" (this coming from the... more »
Trump-Putin Fallout: Bipartisan Hysteria Against Peace
Former CIA director John Brennan thinks President Trump's meeting with Russian president Putin is "treasonous" and he -- disturbingly -- *warns* him to "stop it." Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) actually calls for the military to move against its commander in chief, who he claims is "in the hands of our enemy." Others have called the Trump-Putin meeting "another Pearl Harbor." The mainstream media churns out exactly the same headline: Trump threw the intelligence community under the bus" by meeting with Putin and expressing skepticism over claims that the Russians hacked the 2016 US preside... more »
The Demise Of Arctic Sea Ice Since 1971
The animation below alternates between current sea ice extent in green, and 1971 end of summer extent in white. Reggie better fire up his blowtorch. 1971 2018 Arctic sea ice extent is declining very slowly, and is above the … Continue reading →
Vladimir Putin Follows Legal Blogs
One remarkable portion of Chris Wallace's interview with the Russian President yesterday is that Putin explained that he was aware of the argument that Special Counsel's Mueller's appointment is unlawful. (Presumably Putin was referring to Steve Calabresi's argument, as I'm unaware of another.) President Putin proceeded to misstate that argument, as he said Mueller's appointment "by Congress" might be illegal under "American legislation." Perhaps Putin didn't have time (with the World Cup and all) to read George Conway's reply to Calabresi. Who knew constitutional law professors had... more »
Vladimir Putin just made an unexpected offer to Robert Mueller
The Russian and US presidents responded to Mueller's Russiagate indictments. The post Vladimir Putin just made an unexpected offer to Robert Mueller appeared first on The Duran.
Facing facts and correcting myths about Senate Bill 91
Content Multimedia - 10 hours ago
By Marc Levin
Gold & Silver Investors’ 8 Commandments for Avoiding Rip Offs
By Stefan Gleason For every promising investment opportunity you come across, there are multiple opportunities for bad-faith brokers and hucksters to try to rip you... more »
Obama Administration Allowed Violent Criminals, Drug Smugglers and Human Traffickers Along With Unaccompanied Alien Children Into The USA Per 224-Page HHS Report
Op-Ed by Catherine J. Frompovich Can it be true? The beloved Obama administration screwed up royally regarding drug smugglers, human traffickers, violent criminals and unaccompanied... more »
President Trump Dismisses Backlash Over His 'Cosy' Summit With Russian President Putin
While I had a great meeting with NATO, raising vast amounts of money, I had an even better meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia. Sadly, it is not being reported that way - the Fake News is going Crazy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2018 *Daily Mail: **My meeting with Putin was even better than great - the fake news is going crazy! claims Trump in teeth of condemnation for throwing his own spies under the bus as he cozied up to the Russian strongman* * As he weathered heavy criticism on Tuesday for comments on election hacking, Trump declared victory in his Helsink... more »
Syria Is Still a Mess
*Robert Moore* *Security, Middle East* [image: A Syrian security personnel stands guard as rebel fighters and their families evacuate the besieged Waer district in the central Syrian city of Homs, after an agreement reached between rebels and Syria's army, Syria May 21, 2017.] Should America step up its involvement? Sen. Lindsay Graham, a prominent Republican voice on national security and international policy, spoke out last week during a visit to the Middle East warning Turkey against further military involvement in the Syrian civil war. After meeting with Turkish President Er... more »
The Scary Way This Navy Aircraft Carrier Nearly Sank (and It Was Not a Bomb or Torpedo)
*James Holmes* *Security, * [image: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13) underway with aircraft of Carrier Air Group 13 (CVG-13) on deck. Between May 1944 and November 1944, Franklin was the only carrier wearing two different camouflage schemes, Measure 32 Design 3A on the po] Any guesses? *Franklin’s ordeal also yielded hard-won lessons about naval architecture and shipboard practices, and about firefighting and damage control in particular. These are the standard lessons of the affair. To oversimplify, the chief lesson was: equip ships with more of everything. A... more »
Is China Set to Dominate over America in Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence?
*Brendan Thomas-Noone* *Security, * [image: A U.S. Air Force pilot with the 480th Fighter Squadron (FS) performs a preflight functions check on an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft before leaving for Nordic Air Meet 2012 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 23, 2012.] What happenned to the "third offset"? Washington is shifting its attention to strategic technology competition with Beijing. While long pushed in the Pentagon, other government branches like Congress, federal departments and even lobbyists are now advocating and investing in new technologies like quantum science and m... more »
Was the Helsinki Summit Worth It?
*Thomas Graham Jr.* *Security, Eurasia* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint news conference after their meeting in Helsinki, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor] The Helsinki summit set the right course for the United States and Russia in defusing tensions—until the last thirty minutes. Knowing when to leave the stage is a great asset in life. It is a talent that actors, athletes and politicians rarely learn, leaving publics cringing or aghast at sub-standard performances. The same goes for presidents from time to time. He... more »
S-400: The Air Force's Ultimate Nightmare or Over-hyped?
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * We take a look. *Another way of saturating an air-defense battery would be to target it with long-range cruise missiles. As these are generally programmed to hit a specific location, they are not ideal for hunting a mobile weapon system such as the S-300 or -400. Furthermore, the S-400 is designed to shoot down cruise missiles, albeit not at the maximum 250-mile range. However, a barrage of missiles might catch a battery before it can react, or at least saturate it with targets, forcing it to choose between staying and place and firing back, or a... more »
Donald Trump and the Age of Unconventional Diplomacy
*James Jay Carafano* *Security, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he boards Air Force One to depart for travel to a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., June 20, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst] Despite Donald Trump's inability to commit to tough talk, the policies coming out of his administration have been the toughest on Russia since the Reagan administration. To be honest, it was hard to stomach the president’s joint press conference with Vladimir Putin. The Russian is one of the most odious leaders on Earth.... more »
Is Trump's Singapore Summit Already Unraveling?
*Bruce Klingner* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gives field guidance during his visit to a machine factory under the Ranam Coal Mining Machine Complex in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang July 17, 2018. KCNA via R] Pompeo’s post-summit mission to Pyongyang was meant to put meat on the bare-bones summit agreement—not much has come from it. A month after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, euphoric U.S. claims that “there is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea” are running into North Korean ... more »
China's Plans to Nuke America
*Lyle J. Goldstein* *Security, * [image: Military vehicles carrying DF-26 ballistic missiles travel past Tiananmen Gate during a military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing Thursday Sept. 3, 2015.] A publication from several years ago details the fallout from a strike on the United States. *The author estimates that DF-41 will finally provide China with the capability to launch missiles from north central China and hit all targets in the U.S. (except Florida). With the goal of better understanding the rapidly evolving strategic nucle... more »
North Korea May Finally Be Ready To Start Handing Over U.S. War Dead
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un makes a closing remark at 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on December 23] A breakthrough? North Korea is reportedly planning to return remains believed to be those of American service members killed during the Korean War in the very near future. The North Koreans will transfer 55 sets of suspected remains to the U.S. military in the next couple of weeks, Stars and Stripes reports, citing a U.S. official. A U.S. delegation is expected to retrieve the remains in North... more »
Japan's Long-Lance Torpedo Was the Hypersonic Missile of World War II
*Michael Peck* *Security, * [image: A U.S. Air Force B-52 carries the X-51 Hypersonic Vehicle out to the range for a launch test from Edwards AFB, California in this handout photo provided by the U.S. Air Force on May 1, 2013.] But did it deliver in wartime? *The Long Lance was a devastating weapon, but only at a given time and under a unique set of conditions: Primitive U.S. radar versus sharp-eyed Japanese lookouts, inexperienced American crews pitted against well-trained Japanese sailors, poor U.S. tactics contrasted with Japanese night fighting expertise, and close-quarters... more »
What Helsinki Wrought
*Dov S. Zakheim* *Security, Eurasia* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump receives a football from Russian President Vladimir Putin as they hold a joint news conference after their meeting in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor] Not surprisingly, the Helsinki Summit has left America’s allies and friends—with the possible exceptions of Israel, Jordan, and one or two other Middle East nations—in a state of confusion. The Putin-Trump summit was nothing if not surreal. Even as President Vladimir Putin contentedly looked on, President Donald Trump spent a goodly por... more »
Cuba Is Letting Citizens Get Mobile Internet On Their Smartphones
*Evie Fordham* *Security, * This could be big. Some Cuban citizens now have mobile internet on their smartphones as the Communist government plans to let the entire country access the worldwide web from their personal devices by the end of 2018. Cuba is technologically behind most of its Latin American neighbors, even though most Cubans who own cellphones have smartphones, reported Reuters. 3G technology is a new phenomenon to Cubans, while their neighbors are testing much more powerful 5G networks. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who assumed office on April 19, is behind t... more »
The U.S. Military's Ships, Tanks, Aircraft and Drones Are Getting AI
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * [image: U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron prepare to refuel during Red Flag-Alaska 13-3 over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex Aug. 19, 2013.] And that is a really big deal. The Pentagon is making a massive push to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence to ships, tanks, aircraft, drones, weapons and large networks as part of a sweeping strategy to more quickly harness and integrate the latest innovations. Many forms of AI are already well-underway with US military combat systems, y... more »
America’s Abandoned $6-Billion Missile Pyramid
*Matthew Gault* *Security, * [image: English: Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Missile Site Control Building, Northeast of Tactical Road; southeast of Tactical Road South, Nekoma vicinity, Cavalier County, ND.] Sometimes the Pentagon blows money in style. The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, nestled along North Dakota’s remote northern border, is one of America’s most fascinating examples of military waste. It’s a pyramid-shaped missile silo that was part of the Safeguard program, an elaborate missile-defense system meant to protect the U.S. from Soviet ballistic ... more »
How China Plans to Scare Away America's Aircraft Carriers
*Zachary Keck* *Security, * [image: The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) transits the Arabian Sea April 5, 2012.] Even if the United States is simply uncertain about whether China can sink its carriers, it may decide not to put them at risk given the lives and material costs involved. This might be what Beijing is banking on. *In this sense, the DF-26 fits in perfectly with the direction China’s nuclear and conventional force doctrines are headed. With regards to its nuclear arsenal, recent years have seen Beijing building a more mobile, survivable force. As a 2017 ... more »
Why China's New Air Defense System Could be Quite Dangerous
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * [image: A crew chief from the 391st Aircraft Maintenance Unit finishes checking an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 391st Fighter Squadron before it performs at the Seafair Hydroplane Races and Air Show in Seattle July 30 through Aug. 2, 2010.] Here is what we know. China is developing a new generation of surface-to-air missile defenses, but details are scarce. What does seem apparent is that the new weapon is being designed to counter a wide range of threats ranging from aircraft to cruise missiles to ballistic missiles. Indeed, the Chinese engineers w... more »
U.S.-Russia Relations are Stuck on Repeat
*Nikolas K. Gvosdev* *Security, Eurasia* [image: Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump as First lady Melania Trump stands nearby during a meeting in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS] Both Trump and Putin are now locked into narratives about what did (or did not) happen that prevent this issue from being dealt with—and this holds the entire rest of the bilateral agenda hostage. Prior to the summit meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin, I contributed to th... more »
Three Reasons Why Diplomacy with North Korea Will Remain Difficult
*John Glaser* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the defence detachment on Mahap Islet in the western sector of the front in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang November 11, 2016. REUTERS/KCNA] As negotiations stumble forward, we will likely continue to see embarrassing diplomatic foul-ups for three key reasons. One of the few tangible victories the Trump administration could point to in its diplomacy with North Korea was a pledge from Pyongyang to help repatriate the remains of U.S. soldiers ... more »
Great Expectations: Trump in Helsinki
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Security, Eurasia* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a joint news conference with Russia's President Vladimir Putin after their meeting in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque] Is this the start of a Russian reconciliation? Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin posed for photographs, shook hands, and met for hours behind closed doors. And the world is still standing. Reading and listening to the old, reformed neoconservative hands who have made a comeback in the Trump era (like Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post and Max Bo... more »
The True Power of Trump's Tweets
*Chris Davis* *Security, Americas* [image: The Twitter Inc. logo is shown with the U.S. flag during the company's IPO on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, November 7, 2013. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo] This is how the president's tweets will go down in history. President Donald Trump’s mastery of mass communication is unprecedented in our history. Within an hour after President Trump took the Oath of Office, he launched his first post–inauguration communication to millions of followers through his personal Twitter account. In the following weeks, Twitter... more »
Trade Troubles: China Is Poised to Bring Down the Global Economy
*Gordon G. Chang* *Economics, Asia* [image: U.S. 100 dollar banknotes and Chinese 100 yuan banknotes are seen in this picture illustration in Beijing, China, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Lee/Illustration/File Photo] Beijing is prepared to push the world into another recession. The Chinese economy is in distress, and the country’s currency and markets, reflecting unease, are tumbling. Xi Jinping, the Chinese ruler, has no solutions. The only thing he is doing is incurring more debt. That’s extremely unfortunate because an overly indebted Beijing is again set to push the world ... more »
Why the Marines Love the Old Harrier Jet
*Edward Chang* *Security, * [image: An AV-8B Harrier from Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 214 performs a vertical take off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4).] How long could she serve? *In fact, the Harrier II is serving at the forefront in the war against ISIL. When the U.S-Coalition intervention, Operation Inherent Resolve, commenced in summer 2014, AV-8Bs were once again among the first air assets to participate, flying reconnaissance missions and eventually transitioning to striking ISIL targets in both Iraq and Syria. As in previous wars, th... more »
Diplomatic Dilemma: North Korea Will Not Yield to Pressure
*Mitchell Blatt* *Security, Asia* [image: Pak Su Dong, manager of the Soksa-Ri cooperative farm in the area hit by recent floods and typhoons shows damage to agricultural products in the South Hwanghae province September 29, 2011. In March, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that 6 million] Decades of cultural traditions and social hierarchy play a critical role in Pyongyang's resistance to Washington's tactics. Since denuclearization talks began to take form, there has been this farcical idea that Kim Jong-un’s North Korea could somehow be a global-tourism hub and prosper... more »
The Army Has Produced Over 100,000 Battle-Tested, upgraded M4A1 Rifles
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * [image: Cpl. Johnny Hurst, assigned to A Company 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, a native of Chicago, fires his M4 carbine during a live-fire and movement-to-contact operation on the Infantry Squad Battle Course at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richards] Here is all you need to know *The M4A1+ effort was designed to look for add-on components that will "seamlessly integrate with the current M4A1 Carbine ... without negatively impacting or affecting the performance or operation of the M4A1 weapon," a FedBizOpps document states.* The US Army ha... more »
Mines and Unmanned Vehicles: The Ultimate Naval Weapons?
*Scott Savitz* *Security, * [image: STRAIT OF HORMUZ (Nov. 19, 2010) A demolition charge detonates 1,500 meters from the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Scout (MCM 8).] We take a look... Across the Eurasian littorals, small coastal nations as varied as Estonia, Georgia, Bahrain, and Taiwan face potentially aggressive threats from larger, more powerful adversaries. For all of these nations, their coastlines represent vulnerabilities that an adversary may seek to exploit, launching a seaborne invasion to seize key locales. At the same time, these small states have gre... more »
Putin Claims His Country Stopped 25 Million Cyberattacks During The World Cup
*Eric Lieberman* *Security, * [image: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 26, 2018] This is what he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that roughly 25 million cyberattacks were foiled during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Following the international soccer tournament, Putin convened a meeting and gave credit to law enforcement agencies and security services from more than 30 countries, according to an official Kremlin press release published... more »
The F-22 Might Have a Very Fatal Flaw
*WarIsBoring* *Security, * [image: Capt. Chris Batterton aggressively banks his F-22A Raptor during a basic fighting maneuver training mission off the Virginia coast last week. The captain is with the 27th Fighter Squadron, the Air Force's first unit to fly the Raptor.] And Russia could take advantage. *The F-22’s basic challenge was to integrate stealth, supercruise, highly integrated avionics and agility into an aircraft with a longer range than the one it was to replace, the F-15 Eagle. It was also to have twice the reliability of the F-15 and half the support requirements. A... more »
Why Russia Fears Sweden’s Deadly Submarines
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * And they aren't even nuclear powered. *Another important features is a special ‘multi-mission’ portal for deploying special forces and underwater vehicles, a much-in demand feature for contemporary submarines. Situated between the torpedo tubes in the nose, the portal can also be used to recover the AUV-6 underwater drone, which can be launched from the torpedo tubes. The A26 would typically belly down on the ocean floor when employing the portal—a maneuver which could also aid it in escaping detection.* For decades, submarines came in two discre... more »
The Glock 21: The Best Gun for the Army, Home Defense and Hunting?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * We break it all down. *The Glock 21 is a bridge between new and old, mating a powerful old favorite round with modern handgun technology. The gun not only succeeded in the civilian market but helped a whole new generation of gun owners get into .45 ACP handguns. While some enthusiasts may never warm to the lightweight polymer frame, there is no doubt the pistol helped maintain interest in the .45 ACP cartridge, injecting new life into the old cartridge.* In 1990, the world of the .45 ACP cartridge was turned upside down. For more than seventy years... more »
Sinking Feeling: 11 Problems the U.S. Navy Must Fix Now
*Task and Purpose, John Byron* *Security, * [image: NORFOLK (April 11, 2018) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) man the rails during departure for the ship's 2018 deployment.] Or else. It’s been a terrible time for the surface navy. Multiple collisions and a senseless grounding. Basic seamanship found wanting. Poor management and poorer oversight of the operating units by higher authority. Busted up ships. Cratering careers. Dead sailors. Terrible, terrible times. What’s wrong? A lot: *- Readiness assessments:* Loaded staffs and nearly 300 serving a... more »
The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship: Armed with New Torpedo Defenses
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * [image: The U.S. Navy littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) underway in the Java Sea near the location where the tail of AirAsia Flight QZ8501l was discovered. Fort Worth was supporting Indonesian-led efforts to locate the downed aircraft. Note the open ste] Detecting torpedoes will naturally reduce risk for other ship assets, such as its vertical take-off Fire Scout drones and small boats, such as its 11-meter Rigid Inflatable Boats, or RIBs. The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship is now armed with an emerging ship defense soft-kill countermeasure able... more »
North Korea Appears To Have Gotten Its Hands On More Than A Million Barrels Of Oil
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, Asia* How could this have happenned? North Korea has reportedly managed to skirt sanctions and secretly import millions of barrels of oil in 2018. North Korean vessels were involved in at least 89 ship-to-ship transfers between Jan. 1 and May 30, illegally importing as much as three times the amount permitted by the United Nations, NK News reported, citing American data provided to the U.N. Even if the tankers involved in the transfers were carrying only a third of their potential load, the total amount of oil transferred to North Korea would still ex... more »
Chinese Trade With North Korea Reportedly A Fraction Of What It Was In 2017
*Ryan Pickrell* *Security, Asia* But will it last? Chinese trade with North Korea for the first six months of 2018 is down significantly over the same period in 2017, Beijing reported. Chinese imports from the North dropped 88.7 percent to just $103 million, while Chinese exports to its nuclear neighbor decreased by 43.1 percent to $960 million, Huang Songping, spokesman for China’s General Administration of Customs, revealed Friday, according to The Associated Press. He explained that exports and imports have been in decline for the better part of a year. Chinese imports were ... more »
This Is Why Colleges Are Quickly Dropping SAT And ACT Essay Requirements
*Rob Shimshock* *Education, * A big shift is coming. Colleges are quickly dropping their SAT and ACT essay requirements for applicants, with education experts saying the compositions “have never been of much use” and the institutions suggesting that their additional cost prevented poorer students from applying. Brown University ditched the requirement on Wednesday, making it the last Ivy League school to do so and leaving just 21 colleges that demand the essays, according to The Princeton Review. Two additional universities are also considering dropping their SAT and ACT essay ... more »
Russia's War Plan to Crush NATO During the Cold War: Hundreds of Nuclear Bombs
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* And perhaps the end of the world. This is a plan for the end of the world, dated 1970. The arrows are armies and the red vertical symbols are nuclear bombs, all part of a part of Cold War contingency plan crafted by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies in case of war. War that would have destroyed civilization. The map and other documents, discovered in Poland, show how the Warsaw Pact aimed to put tanks on the shores of the Atlantic within 14 days of the first shot being fired. Among Warsaw Pact armies, Poland’s was second in size onl... more »
Why the Navy Misses the F-14 Tomcat
*TNI Staff* *Security, * Despite some serious problems. *China is building a potent air launched anti-ship cruise missiles along with aircraft to carry those weapons. Meanwhile, the once-dormant Russian bomber force is back—though not in the numbers of the Soviet era. Moreover, with the emergence of new adversary stealth aircraft—some of which have the capability to fly very high and very fast—which are also armed with cruise missiles, the Navy will need the range and speed that the Tomcat offered to fend off those threats. The F/A-18E/F can do the job—but only to an extent.* T... more »
Fighter Showdown: Air Force F-22 Raptor vs. F-14 Tomcat (That Iran Still Flies)
*TNI Staff* *Security, * A shootout in the sky that could happen. *Even if the Raptors had run out of AMRAAMs and were forced to engage within visual range, the F-22s can use their stealth to close in unobserved to less than 1000ft to either kill the F-14s with Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinders or 20mm Vulcan cannon fire. Indeed, F-22 pilots flying during exercises such as Red Flag or Northern Edge will often sneak into guns range to make unobserved kills from very close distances by taking advantage of the Raptor’s stealth. More often than not, the Raptor’s quarry is caught completel... more »
The Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle Might Be Old (But It Could Fight Russia or China)
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * Big upgrades are coming with the future in mind. The Army’s fast-tracked push to provide new weapons, sensors, air defenses and targeting technology for its Bradley Fighting Vehicle is part of a dual-pronged strategic approach to both prepare for near-term major warfare in the next ten years – and simultaneously begin work on a new Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) for the 2030s and beyond. These interwoven trajectories are, by design, aimed at making the Bradley better able to find and destroy enemy targets in the immediate future while also engi... more »
The Putin-Trump Summit: In Helsinki, Three Worldviews Will Clash
*Nikolai Sokov* *Security, Europe* [image: A man walks past a mural signed by] The West's clash with Russia is a preview of the conflicts that will arise in the coming decades. The upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki has generated a storm of warnings about the possible collusion between two presidents intent on crushing the existing international system, on the one hand, and the rest of the international community—the collective West first and foremost—that built that system and is trying to preserve it. This view, alt... more »
Will Trump Revert to Gunboat Diplomacy in Latin America?
*Ted Galen Carpenter* *Security, Americas* [image: By U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Brandon A. Teeples [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons] From Mexico to Venezuela, countries are facing instability—but that doesn't mean Washington should take extreme measures. News media outlets are abuzz with reports that President Trump told aides in August 2017 to prepare a contingency plan for U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. The president apparently indicated considerable interest in that option. His security advisers reportedly pushed back firmly, arguing tha... more »
Meet the HN-1, China's New AI-Powered Underwater Drone
*Lyle J. Goldstein* *Security, Asia* The battle for future undersea AI dominance is heating up and China’s ambitions are not small in this domain. As “great power competition” ramps up, signs of arms races in America’s strategic relationships with both Russia and China are everywhere apparent. In this respect, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s March 1 speech made a big splash in the press, but readers may not be aware of the late tests in May when the Russian Navy simultaneously test launched four new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). These missiles were desi... more »
No One Wins from America's Latest Round of Chinese Tariffs—Here's Why
*Samuel Rines* *Economics, Asia* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping arrive at a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Peter] Washington is poised to unleash tariffs on $200 billion Chinese goods and Bejing is ready to retaliate forcefully. This is not a trade war. For the moment, the main participants, China and the United States, have primarily stuck to slapping tariffs on each other’s goods. To a degree, this shows a bit of restraint from the participants. But this is going to change. ... more »
Meet the Organization Pushing Regime Change in Iran—and Its Willing American Accomplices
*Christopher A. Preble* *Security, Middle East* [image: The national flag of Iran is seen on top of the Austrian Chancellery during the visit of President Hassan Rouhani in Vienna, Austria July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner] Will the U.S. media learn from when they supported the invasion of Iraq? It is customary for pundits to lament how partisanship is destroying U.S. policymaking, but one area remains curiously bipartisan: Democrats and Republicans alike are quick to show their support for an organization publicly dedicated to regime change in Iran. Late last month in Paris, f... more »
Who Would Win the Russia-China War of 2020?
*Task and Purpose, John T. Kuehn* *Security, * A fictional conflict--for now. *It is still extremely dangerous for US shipping to attempt to navigate the declared Russian exclusion zones in the Sea of Japan, Tsushima Strait, and Yellow Sea. It appears, in fact, that the Russians intend to expand the war by making limited incursions into Manchuria and Mongolia, just as they did prior to World War II, or so my staff historian tells me. Our Agency chief of station has related that it appears the Russians are transferring their most seasoned combat forces in the Baltics and Ukraine ... more »
RANKED: 5 Best Bombers, Submarines, Battleships and Aircraft Carriers of All Time
*TNI Staff* *Security, * [image: Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., flies a mission in support of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 over the Pacific Ocean July 10, 2010.] Let the debate begin. *Versatility has been the real story of the B-52. The BUFF was first committed to conventional strike missions in service of Operation Arc Light during the Vietnam War. In Operation Linebacker II, the vulnerability of the B-52 to air defenses was made manifest when nine Stratofortresses were lost in the first days of the ... more »
China Is Sending Some of Its Most Deadly Bombers and Fighter Jets to Train in Russia
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, * All part of a plan... The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force will deploy strategic bombers and strategic airlifters in addition to fighter aircraft during a massive military exercise in Russia. While the International Army Games on July 28 will also include warplanes from Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Iran, Beijing hopes to use the exercise to boost its military ties with Moscow. Russia and China are growing closer together as they form a strategic partnership to counter American dominance of the international order. “The Chin... more »
The Trent Affair: When America and Great Britain Nearly Went to War
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Europe* [image: Wikimedia Commons] The Civil War almost went global. In November 1861, word swept through London that an American warship, James Adger, in port at Southampton, was planning to put to sea and intercept a British ship bringing Confederate emissaries to Europe. As a result, the American minister to Great Britain found himself summoned to see the British prime minister at his residence at 94 Piccadilly. Charles Francis Adams made his way through the yellow gloom of a London fog and found Lord Palmerston waiting for him in the libra... more »
In 1999, North Korea Tried to Blackmail Israel. It Didn't Work.
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* [image: Students carrying party flags shout slogans as they march past North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a mass rally and parade in the capital's main ceremonial square, a day after the ruling party wrapped up its first congress in 36 years by elevating him] That’s the claim made in a new book by a senior North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016. In 1999, North Korea tried to blackmail Israel: give us a billion dollars, it said, or we will sell ballistic missiles to your enemies. But the Israelis turned them down. That’s the... more »
Airmen Who Walked Away from a Fiery B-1 Bomber Landing Will Receive Medals
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, Americas* [image: Wikimedia Commons] The exact citations that the crewmembers will receive will remain part of their own personal records and will not be made public by the Air Force. The Air Force intends to award medals to an aircrew for saving themselves and their B-1B Lancer bomber in a fiery emergency landing in May, recognizing their coolness under pressure during a “tense and highly critical situation” that was any commander’s worst nightmare, service officials confirmed today. - Gen. Robin Rand, the commander of Air Force Globa... more »
U.S. Airman Describes ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Rescue Of Thai Soccer Team From Cave
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, Asia* [image: Military personnel carry a water pump machine as they enter the Tham Luang cave complex, where 12 boys and their soccer coach are trapped, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 6, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha] “We were extremely fortunate that the outcome was the way it was.” The rescue of twelve boys and their soccer coach from a cave in Thailand was, by any measure, an extraordinary feat. The weeks-long operation involved the expertise of local law enforcement and military specialists, including th... more »
Deal of the Devils: When Hitler and Stalin Were Allies (And How It Fell Apart)
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Eurasia* [image: Wikimedia Commons] It was terrifying—while it lasted. On August 23, 1939, Soviet Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, V.P. Potemkin, waited at the Moscow Airport for Joachim von Ribbentrop, Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany. He warmly greeted the former champagne salesman and then whisked him away for a clandestine meeting at the Kremlin. Waiting to receive the emissary were Soviet strongman Josef Stalin and his granite-faced foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov. They concluded what became known as the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression ... more »
Japan Is Ditching Half Of Its Tanks.This Is What Will Replace Them.
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* [image: Wikimedia Commons] Is this the future or a really bad idea? The Japanese Ground Self Defense Force has the unusual challenge of defending an archipelago of 6,852 islands that stretches over two thousand miles. Deploying powerful Type 90 and Type 11 Main Battle Tanks weighing around fifty tons to defend the smaller one would prove extremely difficult—so Tokyo has decided to eventually ditch half of its heavy tanks in favor of cannon-toting armored cars it can stuff into a cargo plane. During World War II, Japan deployed independent light... more »
Russia's Deadly Tanks Have Discovered a New Way to Win On the Battlefield
*Michael Peck* *Security, Eurasia* [image: T-72A. Wikimedia Commons] Tank trousers. “Tank trousers” and “tank carousels” are among the new tactics that Russian tank crews are using, according to Russian media. In an era of localized conflicts without clear front lines, jihad-mobiles equipped with anti-tank guns and IEDs, the idea of large tank armies facing off along vast fronts has become a thing of the past,” writes Sputnik News, which described the visit of a journalist from the Rossiya Segodnya news agency to witness exercises of T-72 tanks of the 20th Guards Combined Arms ... more »
The Plan to Save America from Bankruptcy
*Frederico Bartels, Justin Bogie* *economy, Americas* [image: Sheets of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on the five-dollar bill currency are seen through a magnifying glass at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington March 26, 2015. The 150th anniversary of Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre i] The only thing that can undo the Republic in the long-run is Washington's reckless spending. In November 2017, Howard Shatz highlighted a problem that the United States continues to avoid at its peril: the enormous—and swiftly growing debt accrued by the federal gove... more »
Exporting America's Gas to Asia Might Not Be a Done Deal—Here's Why
*James Clad, James Grant* *Economics, Asia* [image: A liquified natural gas (LNG) storage facility of the ENN Group Co is under construction in Baoding, Hebei province, China, December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Peter] The threats to U.S. LNG range from external shocks, Asian governments keeping their doors closed, and the need to finish domestic investment. *The following is the second piece of a multi-part series on the geopolitical implications of the U.S. Shale Revolution. You can read the first article here.* North America's production of natural gas, increasingly derived from... more »
You Can Now Own a Top-Shelf Tommy Gun Chambered In 9mm
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, Americas* [image: Wikimedia Commons] Here are all the details. The company behind the venerable Thompson submachine gun, a favorite of both gangsters and GIs, is releasing a deluxe (semi-auto) version of the Tommy gun chambered in 9mm for public consumption. Auto-Ordnance, the American weapons maker founded by former U.S. Army Ordnance Department chief Col. John T. Thompson just over a century ago, is offering up a Thompson 1927A-1 Lightweight “Deluxe Semi-Auto” chambered in 9mm, rather than the traditional .45 ACP for which the Tommy g... more »
India Will Test Fire Its Supersonic Brahmos Missile Soon
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Asia* [image: India is planning to test its Brahmos missiles later this month, according to a senior executive. Next week Delhi will conduct a test to “validate service life extension” of the missile, according to Sudhir Kumar Mishra, the head of BrahMos Aerospace, the] A powerful weapon keeps evolving. India is planning to test its Brahmos missiles later this month, according to a senior executive. Next week Delhi will conduct a test to “validate service life extension” of the missile, according to Sudhir Kumar Mishra, the head of BrahMos Aerospace, t... more »
Will Russia Stop Israel From Selling Deadly Anti-Ship Missiles to Finland?
*Michael Peck* *Security, Middle East* [image: Finnish missile boat Pori (83), the fourth ship of Hamina class missile boats, in South Harbor of Helsinki.] How would Moscow respond? Considering that the most likely targets for Finnish anti-ship missiles are Russian ships, this may be of some interest to Moscow. Under the $190 million sale, Finland will buy Gabriel 5 missiles, manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries. The Finnish missile will be designated as the Surface to Surface Missile 2020, or SSM2020. It will replace the MTO85M, the Finnish version of the Sweden's Saab RBS... more »
Russia Says Its New Aircraft Can Disable U.S. Satellites. Could This Trigger a Nuclear War?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * [image: Russian BUK-M2/SA-17 Grizzly medium-range battlefield surface-to-air missile system drives during the Victory Day parade at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2015. Russia marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe on Saturday with] Here is what you should know. Russia says it is developing a new aircraft that can disable the electronics on U.S. satellites. Could this new development trigger a nuclear war? The electronic warfare aircraft “will be capable of turning off the electronics installed on military satellites,”... more »
America’s Most Powerful Nuclear Weapons Test Caused Total Chaos. Here's How.
*Paul Richard Huard* *Security, * Those who witnessed Castle Bravo looked into armageddon. More than 60 years ago on an island in the South Pacific, scientists and military officers, fishermen and Marshall Islands natives observed first-hand what Armageddon would be like. And it almost killed them all. The Atomic Energy Commission code-named the nuclear test Castle Bravo. The March 1, 1954 experiment was the first thermonuclear explosion based on practical technology that would lead to a deliverable H-bomb for the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command—part of the Operation Castle se... more »
Iran Nuclear Deal: US Delivers HUGE BLOW to EU Firms by Rejecting Sanctions Exemption
Iran Nuclear Deal: US Delivers HUGE BLOW to EU Firms by Rejecting Sanctions Exemption by JOE BARNES, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT, https://www.express.co.uk/ THE European Union has been dealt a huge blow by the United States after Washington refused desperate pleas by Brussels for an exemption to European firms from sanctions on Iran. – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and […]
A 67% faster start.me is now available to everyone
Last week we announced the roll-out of version 2 of start.me. We’re happy to announce that, as of today, all users have been migrated to the new site. This means that everyone is now able to experience a faster loading start.me. +67% Improved Website Load Time The main objective of developing a new version of… Read More Read More
Israel Turns Back Syrian Refugees At The Golan Heights
An Israeli soldier speaks over a megaphone to people which stand next to the border fence between Israel and Syria from its Syrian side as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights near the Israeli Syrian border July 17, 2018. RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS *Jerusalem Post*:* 200 Syrians gather at Israel's border, flee regime offensive* Waving white flags, group returned to displaced persons camp near village of Bariqa. Scores of displaced Syrians, some waving white flags, briefly approached within 200 meters of the frontier fence along the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Tu... more »
If Russians can hack Amazon Prime Day...
*why not elections?* Only *kiiiiddiiing.* The fake news and the commie/marxist/ libtards have gone completely bonkers. Anyone one subjects themselves to the wild stories, speculation, and downright insanity of the left should check themselves into the nearest hospital on a 72 hour hold for observation. As Bunkerville said: *Recall when Bill Clinton meddled in Russian Election? Putin extracts revenge?* And Hardnox has *Professor Cohen on Why Trump Was Attacked Over Russia* Instead of polluting my mind with aimless, ignorant, baseless, vicious, irrelevant garbage I will instead a... more »
Nicaragua Reels After Bloody Church Siege
*NPR: **'They Wanted To Kill Us All': Nicaragua Reels After Bloody Church Siege* Nicaragua saw another weekend of deadly violence, as forces in support of President Daniel Ortega besieged student protesters in a church and attempted to assert control over several areas outside the capital. Students have been at the center of anti-government demonstrations since they began April 18. What started as a "protest against now-rescinded changes in public pensions" became "a full-fledged call to end the authoritarian rule," reporter Maria Martin tells NPR. The government has responded ... more »
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