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Fallout Of Trump's Syria Withdrawal - Why Erdogan Does Not Want To Invade
[image: undefined] President Trump's strategic decision to withdraw US troops from Syria creates some significant fallout. The US and international borg is enraged that Trump ends an occupation that is illegal under international as well as US domestic law. "That's un-American!" Defense Secretary James "Mad Dog" Mattis resigned from his position effective February 28. He disagreed with the president's decision. It was the second time in five years that an elected commander in chief had a serious conflict with Mattis' hawkishness. President Obama fired him as Central Command chief f... more »
Blacks disproportionately aborted in NYC
"Non-Hispanic black women continue to be disproportionately impacted by abortion. In 2016, as in previous years, more African American babies were aborted than were born alive in New York City”. I reported this on my blog some years ago and was told I was being racist for reporting it! https://www.lifenews.com/2018/12/21/more-african-american-babies-are-aborted-than-born-alive-in-new-york-city/?
"A Preview of Our Upcoming Book"
*"A Preview of Our Upcoming Book"* By Bill Bonner *Editor’s Note: *Today, something different for our Saturday Diary. In lieu of our usual guest essay, Bill picks up the pen (or keyboard) once again to write to dear readers. Below, our editor outlines a special project he’s working on, and reveals what dear readers can look forward to in the new year… "After our most recent book, "Hormegeddon," came out, we had vowed never to write another. It was just far too much of a distraction. Too much time. Too much work. Too little reward. Besides, after "Hormegeddon," we thought we had s... more »
10 Steps to Save American DemocracyTrump isn’t the only...
Robert Reich - 9 hours ago
*10 Steps to Save American Democracy* Trump isn’t the only problem. As Big Money floods our political system, and some in power are intent on making it harder for certain people to vote, we need a movement to save our democracy. Here are 10 steps: Number 1: *Make voter registration automatic for all eligible voters,* using information they’ve already provided the Department of Motor Vehicles or another government agency. This has already been implemented in several states, including Oregon, and it works. In 2014, over 1 in 5 Americans were eligible to vote but did not register.... more »
And a Very Happy Humbug To All
Miserly person that I am, I'm somewhat recycling last year's Christmas gift to my fellow Sardonickists, with just a few Santa-like tweaks to the side of the nose to make this post seem all new and shiny. I wrote previously, and at some length, that in the good old 19th century days of mass immigration, back when the future Lady Liberty's "give me your tired, your poor" mantra was actually taken literally, Christmas was celebrated by the teeming masses more in the spirit of Halloween than in the current "traditional" version which Charles Dickens made so sentimentally popular with h... more »
The GMO Issue Reaches Boiling Point in India: Interview with Aruna Rodrigues
Image courtesy of the People's Archive of Rural IndiaCounterPunch, Countercurrents, RINF, Dissident Voice, OffGuardian, Global Research In a recent article published on the India-based News18 site (CNN), prominent US biologist Nina Federoff was reported as saying it is time for India to grant farmers access to genetically modified (GM) crops. In an interview with the site, she says there is no evidence that GM crops are dangerous when consumed either by people in food or by animals in feed. Federoff says that the commercial release of various GM crops in India has been halted by th... more »
"Alea Iacta Est"
*"Alea Iacta Est"* “Alea iacta est is a Latin phrase attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar on January 10, 49 B.C. as he led his army across the Rubicon river in Northern Italy. With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation, is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return. The historian Frances Titchener has given a stylized description of the context of Caesar's pronouncement: "We know f... more »
"The Big Scary Unknown..."
“People don’t want their lives fixed. Nobody wants their problems solved. Their dramas. Their distractions. Their stories resolved. Their messes cleaned up. Because what would they have left? Just the big scary unknown.” - Chuck Palahniuk
Theresa May’s Brexit Betrayal — Why Her “Deal” Has Britain In Turmoil
[image: theresa-may-s-brexit-betrayal-why-her-deal-has-britain-in-turmoil] Prime Minister May and her EU counterparts have fashioned a fiendishly deceitful Brexit deal that claims to be a "withdrawal agreement" but actually would bind Britain more tightly under EU control.
McConnell, GOP Bail On Trump, Refuse "Nuclear Option"; Gov’t Shuts Down
[image: mcconnell-gop-bail-on-trump-refuse-nuclear-option-gov-t-shuts-down] The federal government partially shut down this morning after Senate Republicans ducked into the bushes and refused to use the “nuclear option” to provide $5.7 billion to build a border wall to stop illegal immigration.
Kyrgyzstan to Switch to 100 Percent Organic Agriculture
*Heather Callaghan* - Kyrgyzstan is only the second country in the entire world to implement a 100% organic agriculture plan.
Say No to Government Grinches and Corporate Scrooges
*John W. Whitehead* - We can pay our blessings forward and recapture the true spirit of Christmas.
"The Object Of Life..."
"*Glory:* I look around at this world you're so eager to be a part of and all I see is seven billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around, everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other, or just plain screwing their brains out 'cause they don't want 'em anymore. I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind, 'cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts." - Douglas Petrie
Roscoe's Rascals
*“It is truth that liberates, not your effort to be free.” * *― Jiddu Krishnamurti*
Hypocrite Chrystia Freeland Pontificates to Chinese: "Canada Governed by Rule of Law"
*Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister - Chrystia Freeland* Rarely in Canadian history have we been subjected to the kind of rank hypocrisy that is emanating out of Ottawa on a regular basis these days. Oh, I don't blame the "puppets du jour" walking the halls of power...I blame the sheeple who put up with them. And I blame the non-existent M$M press "journalists" who accept and adhere to the "D-Memos"....forbidding press coverage of "certain issues"... that are cascading down from lofty heights of the Washington perps...like snowflakes in an Ottawa blizzard. Hypocrisy is the arroga... more »
Democrats Posing as Russians Executed ‘Elaborate False Flag Operation’ in Alabama Senate Race
Turns out it’s not the Russians who are meddling in U.S. elections but Americans masquerading as Russians
China Tracks Workers’ Brains; Now Tracking Children With “Smart” Tech Uniforms
By Nicholas West If there is any country on Earth that is most emblematic of the rising governance model that is Technocracy, it is China. ... more »
“Selfie Wrist,” “Text Neck,” Screen Addiction, Macular Degeneration and Blindness, Insomnia, Anxiety, Brain Cancer and Tumors – Ain’t Smart Phones Grand.
By B.N. Frank “Selfies” have become so popular that in 2014 they actually received their own “National Selfie Day.” Unfortunately, “Selfie Wrist” – injuries sustained... more »
Why Italy Could Join the UK in the Race Out of the EU
By John Phelan Few in the United States might know it if they watch the news, but in recent weeks France has been rocked by... more »
Game Changer: French Police to Join Yellow Vests After Finding Out Gov’t is Ripping Them Off Too
By Matt Agorist As the “gilets jaunes” or “yellow vests” protests continue to take place across France, the government has been slowly acquiescing to the... more »
This Bear Ain’t Playin’ Games with the Bulls
By David Haggith This ain’t no ballgame. This bear has shown up for blood, not sport. The NASDAQ intraday hit the 20% down mark that... more »
This Was The Worst Week For The Stock Market Since The Financial Crisis Of 2008
By Michael Snyder Just when you thought that things couldn’t get any worse, they did. During normal times, a Friday before Christmas is an extremely... more »
Hardline Watch drones on
'Hardline Watch' continues. (I know it's riveting you all). Since last Saturday, on the BBC News Channel, the *only* uses have been for "hardline Brexiteers", "hardline Tory Brexiteers" (repeatedly) and "hardline conservative". So the familiar pattern continues. The guilty BBC hardliners this week have been Norman Smith (a repeat offender), Tina Daheley and David Willis.
Taliban React With Cries Of Victory With The White House Decision To Withdraw 7,000 Soldiers From Afghanistan
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai (R), head of the Taliban’s political council in Qatar, during talks in Russia. November 9, 2018. © Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters *NBC:* *Taliban greets Pentagon's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan with cries of victory* *"The 17-year long struggle and sacrifices of thousands of our people finally yielded fruit," said a senior commander in Helmand.* PESHAWAR, Pakistan — News that the White House had ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan provoked widespread criticism that the move would kneecap efforts to broker... more »
Populism is an Eruption of the Established Symbolic Order
There are many populisms - not one. See this discussion by Paul Street at Counterpunch here. Street's analysis offers many insights but may over-generalize and polarize "good" and "bad" populisms in his account. Efforts to capture populism in media and academic representations are prone to categorization and simplification but what is critical about populism is that established symbolic and institutional relations are challenged with accusations of corruption and demands for reform and/or revolution. Populism is not governable in the conventional military-strategic sense but the Ar... more »
Hundreds of Police Departments Have Secretly Created Public Safety Watchlists Using Facial Recognition
[image: police] Facial recognition technology is here and hundreds of police departments are secretly using it to create watchlists to bolster the surveillance state. The post Hundreds of Police Departments Have Secretly Created Public Safety Watchlists Using Facial Recognition appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
BWorld 274, The ASEAN single aviation market
* This is my article in BusinessWorld last December 11, 2018. Singapore — Freedom means mobility and more mobility means more freedom. The modern symbols of mobility are comfortable and fast cars, buses, motorcycles, airplanes, fast crafts and roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships. I am attending here the official launching of the ASEAN Prosperity Initiative (API) today at Intercontinental Singapore. API is pioneered by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) based in Kuala Lumpur and API used to be the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) South East Asia. The launch features ... more »
DONALD TRUMP: AN IDEOLOGICAL-BUBBLE GUY WHO THINKS HE'S A MASS-MARKET GUY
Yesterday, President Trump tweeted this: A design of our Steel Slat Barrier which is totally effective while at the same time beautiful! pic.twitter.com/sGltXh0cu9 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018 It was a follow-up to an earlier attempt to sell the wall: The Democrats, are saying loud and clear that they do not want to build a Concrete Wall - but we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats, so that you can easily see through it.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018 And there was also this: ..... more »
Special U.S. Envoy For The Coalition To Defeat ISIS Has Resigned
*CBS:* *Brett McGurk, top U.S. envoy in ISIS fight, resigns* Brett McGurk, special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, had been planning to exit his post in February 2019. But sources tell CBS News that he informed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he will accelerate his departure due to a strong disagreement with President Trump's snap decision to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, effectively abandoning U.S. allies in the region. McGurk submitted his resignation on Friday, just one day after Defense Secretary James Mattis quit his post citing fundam... more »
17 Year Old Palestinian Killed At Roadblock “For No Reason” In West Bank
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:00 P.M)- A Palestinian teenager was killed at a West Bank checkpoint, by Israeli soldiers. On Friday, the Israeli military confirmed that its troops opened fire upon a vehicle, at a road block near Ramallah. 17 year old, Qasim Abbasi from East Jerusalem, was declared dead from the shooting, said the Palestinian Health […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
How the Army Plans to Save the Bradley Fighting Vehicle: Iron Fist Anti-Missile ‘Shields’
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * Or, is this old weapon of war just obsolete? In December 2018, the U.S. Army announced its intent to urgently outfit an armored brigade of 138 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles with the Israeli-built Iron Fist Active Protection System. What’s Iron Fist? No, not the Marvel superhero—though like Danny Rand, the system in question has extraordinary reflexes—able to detect and swat down an incoming anti-tank missile within one-third of a second. The Army’s decision is far from surprising, as it has been testing Iron Fist on the Bradley for the last c... more »
This Day In Iraqi Hstory - Dec 22
1638 Ottoman Sultvan Murad IV began siege of Baghad Captured it by end of year Massacred Shiites 1916 British forces began digging lines towards Ottomans defenses at Khadairi Bend 1922 British cabinet said it wanted an independent Iraq and that Anglo-Iraq treaty would be best way to maintain relationship 1986 Iraqi intel reported Iranians preparing for major offensive in Basra Saddam ordered bombing of assembly areas (Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988*) (Musings On Iraq book revi... more »
World News Briefs -- December 22, 2018
*Daily Mail*: *'There is nothing I can do': Trump blames Dems for shutdown which leaves 800,000 government workers without pay and federal services suspended in dispute over $5BILLION border wall fund* The U.S. government officially shut down on Friday at midnight Donald Trump hit out at the 'Democrat shutdown' in a video posted to Twitter Government closed after Congress failed to pass a funding bill and rejected Trump's $5.7billion border wall proposal It means 420,000 Americans will be forced to work without pay over the holidays and 380,000 federal employees will be furloughed ... more »
Even When Trump Inadvertently Does Something Right...
Jeremy Scahill is one of the best investigative journalists in the country. You might know his work, particularly on matters related to foreign policy, from *The Nation* or from *The Intercept* or from his books, *The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government's Secret Drone Warfare Program* or *Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield*. Yesterday an early morning tweet storm may help people to understand their own mixed feelings about Trump's moves this week in regard to Syria and Afghanistan. Progressives want to end American involvement in those two tragic wars. But... Trump. Sc... more »
Climate Tricks 76, Greenpeace deception model
A good analysis of the GreenPeace (GP) business model was made by five scientist-authors including GP co-founder Patrick Moore. They noted that *"Although Greenpeace relies heavily on marketing, advertising, and free market principles, they promote socialist and anti-capitalist ideals in their messaging."* They further observed, *"Greenpeace is a very successful business. Their business model can be summarized as follows:* *1. Invent an “environmental problem” which sounds somewhat plausible. Provide anecdotal evidence to support your claims, with emotionally powerful imagery.* *2... more »
A Different Border Wall: Judgments of Legal Quality in Texas v. United States
In his December 15 post on *Texas v. United States* ("Off the Wall and on the Wall in the Age of Trump"), Jack Balkin brings to bear the historicist sensibility that partially informs his magnificent 2011 book, *Living Originalism*. In the post, he opines that Judge Evan O'Connor invalidated all of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) "on (in [Balkin's] own view) pretty dicey legal grounds." But Balkin moves quickly from the perspective of the individual participant in the constitutional system to the perspective of the historicist appreciator of how the system functions. He explains why t...more »
BREAKING: Cable star seeks personal peace!
*SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2018Admits she's "slightly obsessed:"* Twelve minutes into last night's program, a major corporate cable news star made a peculiar remark: MADDOW (12/21/18): I mean, we expected to be getting on the air tonight without a clear story to tell about *whether or not the entire federal government was going to shut down at midnight.* We expected to be covering, this hour, ongoing wrangling and negotiations, potentially even last-minute votes. That is not the circumstances that we are in, because around dinner time East Coast time tonight, the Senate just decided... more »
US Troops Out of Syria – Not Victory, In Defeat
Trump’s decision this week is to be welcomed, but it’s long overdue. Criminally long overdue. The post US Troops Out of Syria – Not Victory, In Defeat appeared first on The Duran.
After a hard BREXIT the EU, not the UK, may be suffering from the break up (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 45. The post After a hard BREXIT the EU, not the UK, may be suffering from the break up (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
10 Positive Ecology Stories You May Have Missed In 2018
Let’s be honest – environment news isn’t always the jolliest, and 2018 was no exception. From climate change, to recycling, to energy policy, at times it has felt like we’ve been lurching from one crisis to the next. So here are ten upbeat environmental stories from this year that prove it’s not all doom and gloom. read more
Squeezing More Out Of Your Data
I don't remember who said it, but there's a quote I like a lot: "*If you torture them long enough, the data will confess to anything*". What the author meant is of course that the manipulation of experimental data and the *a posteriori* use of hand-picked methods, approximations, and other ad-hoc choices allows you to demonstrate anything with them, from one hypothesis to the opposite one. Statistics, in other words, is a subtle science, which must be handled with care. It is a powerful tool in the hands of people with an agenda. read more
Lockdown at the BBC
(h/t StewGreen). Paul Homewood of the 'Not a Lot of People Know That' blog calls it "a case of the biter bit!". Having "given unwarranted prominence to Extinction Rebellion in recent weeks", Extinction Rebellion turned up at the BBC's front door yesterday and demanded to see Lord Hall. They want the BBC to make climate change their top editorial priority and to broadcast about it "with the level of urgency placed on informing the public about the Second World War". The BBC went into lockdown. (Poor Simon Mayo, on his last day at the BBC, was trapped inside, unable to leave).... more »
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. - Jerry Dias writes that the holiday season will be a difficult one for far too many Canadian workers facing precarious employment and hostile governments. And the Economist discusses the long hours expected of workers in the U.S. and the UK. - PressProgress highlights Scott Moe's condescension toward workers as part of his Christmas message. And Nora Loreto maps out at the big money and anti-worker animus behind Ontario Proud's astroturf campaign. - Sarah Niedobl discusses the massive public demand for federal action to ensure housing i... more »
Did Someone Slip Donald Trump Some Kind of Political Viagra?
[image: undefined] This has been an extraordinary week. After two years of getting rolled by the Washington establishment, it seems that President Donald Trump woke up and suddenly realized, “Hey – I’m the president! I have the legal authority to do stuff!” *-* He has announced his order to withdraw US troops from Syria. *-* His Defense Secretary James Mattis has resigned. There are rumors National Security Adviser John Bolton may go too. (Please take Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with you!) *-* He announced a start to withdrawing from Afghanistan. *-* He now says he will veto a ... more »
US Leaves Trail of Bitterness in Syria
[image: undefined] On December 17, Ankara was notified of President Trump’s decision on troop withdrawal from Syria. During an earlier phone conversation between him and President Recep Erdogan on Dec 14, Trump had pointedly asked and elicited a positive response from the Turkish leader as to whether Turkey would have the capability to eliminate the remnants of the ISIS in the Syrian tract east of the Euphrates in the event of a US withdrawal from Syria. Erdogan reportedly “reaffirmed” Turkey’s commitment to fight the ISIS. Ankara likely shared this information with Moscow and Tehra... more »
Weekend reads: How one scientist polluted the literature; a dog earns an authorship; poisoning in the lab
Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured a retraction that took three years even after the university … Continue reading Weekend reads: How one scientist polluted the literature; a dog earns an authorship; poisoning in the lab
U.S. Aircraft Carriers Must Evolve or Die: Study
*Michael Peck* *Security, United States* U.S. aircraft carriers must either adopt new tactics and equipment for twenty-first-century warfare—or prepare to be sunk. U.S. aircraft carriers must either adopt new tactics and equipment for twenty-first-century warfare—or prepare to be sunk. That’s the essence of a new study by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, which examined the air wings aboard U.S. carriers. The problem is that the Navy carrier groups are using Cold War equipment and tactics designed to intercept and destroy lumbering Soviet bombers before they ca... more »
Introducing the Daewoo K2 Rifle: The Deadly Gun North Korea Should Fear
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * We take a look... In the late twentieth century, one of the hallmarks of a modern military was a country’s ability to design and manufacture its own rifles. South Korea, an emerging military power, took that to heart and produced the K2 assault rifle. A blend of good ideas borrowed from other rifles, the K2 has served Republic of Korea forces for 35 years and with a raft of upgrades will serve for years more to come. After the Korean War, the Republic of Korea (ROK) armed forces were primarily supplied with surplus U.S. small arms. M1 Garands and M2 ... more »
5 Places Where World War III Could Start in 2019
*Robert Farley* *Security, * Dr. Robert Farley with his annual WW3 list. The world has avoided war between major power war since 1945, even if the United States and the Soviet Union came quite close on several occasions during the Cold War. In the first two decades following the fall of the Berlin Wall, great power war seemed virtually unimaginable. Today, with China’s power still increasing and Russia’s rejection of the international order apparently complete, great power conflict is back on the menu. In what is slowly becoming tradition here at *TNI *(see my predictions for 20... more »
Sung-Yoon Lee: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Sung-Yoon Lee* *Security, Asia* [image: South Korean President Moon Jae-in bids fairwell to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he leaves after their summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, North Korea, in this handout picture provided by the Presidential Blue House on May 26, 2018. The Presid] Ensnared into a protracted negotiation process, President Trump will find it politically difficult to walk away. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * To look to North Korea’s future, one must tur... more »
Bruce Klingner: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Bruce Klingner* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping, in Dalian, China in this undated photo released on May 9, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVID] America will continue attempts at engagement, but Biegun warns that “the window of opportunity is closing.” *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * Six months after the Singapore Summit, the United ... more »
Kim Sung-han: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Sung-han Kim* *Security, Asia* [image: South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leave after their summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, North Korea, in this handout picture provided by the Presidential Blue House on May 26, 2018. Picture taken on May 26, 2018.] North Korea is likely to rely on salami slicing tactics—separating the bilateral agenda into smaller pieces and maximizing its benefits for each concession. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * Th... more »
Harry Kazianis: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Harry J. Kazianis* *Security, Asia* [image: A South Korean soldier stands at the Arrowhead ridge, a site of fierce battles in the 1950-53 Korean War, to build a tactical road across the Military Demarcation Line inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), in the central section of the inter-Korean border] President Trump should embrace the "Moon Miracle". *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * When it comes to North Korea in 2019, I can offer three possible paths forward: *1. The Best-Case Scena... more »
Robert D. Kaplan: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Robert D. Kaplan* *Security, Asia* [image: FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wave during a car parade in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 18, 2018. Pyeongyang Press Corps/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo] I don't see Kim giving up his weapons. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * President Trump, perhaps unwittingly, has ignited a process whereby North Korea and South Korea have been warming up their bilateral relations. The South Koreans over... more »
Van Jackson: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*Van Jackson* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in this May 9, 2018 photo released on May 10, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang. KCNA/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS] The appearance of progress belies the reality of an unchanging—or even worsening—situation below the surface. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * In 2019, we’re likely to see the wedge between the... more »
James R. Holmes: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*James Holmes* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean military participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on October 12, 2015. Isolate] I am very much a North Korea pessimist. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * Jokesters say it’s best to be a pessimist: you’re either right or you’re pleasantly surprised. I am very much a North K... more »
John Dale Grover: My North Korea Prediction for 2019
*John Dale Grover* *Security, Asia* [image: A missile is launched during a long and medium-range ballistic rocket launch drill in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August 30, 2017. KCNA/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVI] Kim will never denuclearize. However, two things may make 2019 unique. *Editor's Note: Looking for more perspectives on North Korea? Check out all 27 expert predictions on North Korea in 2019 here. * Everything that has happened with North Korea has mostly been seen before. Each supr... more »
The U.S. Army Has a Big Problem
*Task and Purpose, Jamie Schwandt* *Security, * [image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/32232972628/sizes/l] It appears as though we have decided that insurgents are no longer a threat and we would rather fight a near-peer enemy. Tom note: Here is the second entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 9th most-read item of the year, which originally ran on May 10, 2018. These posts are selected based on what’s called ‘total engaged minutes’ (the total number of time spent reading and commenting on an article) rather than page views, which the T&P editors s... more »
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin Declassified Records Show CIA's Involvement in Effort to Discredit Daniel Ellsberg Roger Stone admits to InfoWars lies, settles lawsuitA.G. Underwood And Acting Tax Commissioner Manion Announce Record $330 Million Settlement With Sprint In Groundbreaking False Claims Act Litigation Involving Unpaid Sales TaxEducation as Dumbing Down Tool 2018 was going to be the year Mark Zuckerberg fixed Facebook. Instead, he began admitting some of Facebook's problems can't be fixed. 2018 Is Officially "The Worst Year On Record" With 93% Of All Assets Down These 8 Red Flags Warn U... more »
Was the Syria withdrawal a brilliant move by President Trump?
With the news that Saudi Arabian troops will augment - and probably replace in due course - the US forces currently operating alongside the Kurds in Syria, the Conservative Treehouse thinks the whole withdrawal proposal is a gigantic win for the President. Now let’s consider the brilliance of this move. First, remember Turkish President Recep Erdogan was the antagonist in the Kashoggi matter and Erdogan orchestrated the blame toward Saudi Crown Prince MbS. There is no better motivated mid-east ally to protect the Kurds against any military action by Turkey other than MbS. No do... more »
Report: Saudi Arabia, UAE, And Jordan Will Send Troops To Support Kurds In Syria While U.S. Forces Leave
A convoy of U.S.-led international coalition forces against the Islamic State stops to testfire their M2 machine guns and MK19 grenade launcher in the Middle Euphrates River Valley in the Deir ez-Zor Province, Syria, Nov. 22. (Courtesy Matthew Crane/U.S. Army/Handout via Reuters) *Middle East Monitor: **Saudi Arabia, UAE send troops to support Kurds in Syria* While the announcement by President Donald Trump this week that the U.S. would withdraw its remaining troops from Syria seemed sudden, a Jordanian source told Yisrael Hayom that the step has actually been in planning for mont... more »
Washington's Russiagate Conspiracy Theory on Life Support
*December 22, 2018* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The latest bid to keep Washington's desperate Russiagate conspiracy theory alive has energized distilled segments of the public still convinced of Moscow's global omniscience and its role in manipulating and undermining virtually every aspect of their daily lives. But recent "revelations" are simply the same accusations made against a Russian-based click-bait farm, repackaged and respun. The Washington Post's article, "New report on Russian disinformation, prepared for the Senate, shows the operation’s scale and sweep," would in fact p... more »
Looking for angles?
In response to an Ofcom ruling against RT and the possibility that the broadcaster's licence might be revoked in the UK, Russia says it will now carry out checks to determine if the BBC World News channel and BBC News website are compliant with Russian law. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the BBC was being targeted for its “biased” and “unfair” coverage of events in Russia and Syria. The BBC says it is fully compliant with Russian laws "to deliver independent news and information to its audiences". Meanwhile, the *Guardian*'s reporting of this story brings another angle to t... more »
Dredging Of The Ouse
By Paul Homewood A very interesting letter in the Telegraph today: SIR – This week the Environment Agency has been dredging the streams and ditches around here, ensuring that groundwater flows more rapidly into the River Swale – which, like its co-tributary of the Ouse, the Ure, is embanked across the Vale of […]
Happy Holidays!
*Best wishes from Inexplicata!* Inexplicata Podcasts covering items from UFO / paranormal history in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean
Putin on Trump's Syria pullout tweet
Vladimir Putin: " We haven't seen any signs the United States is withdrawing its troops. But I admit it's quite possible. Moreover, we are going the path of political control over the situation. Currently, we have the issue of creation of a constitutional committee on the agenda." How many world leaders hold a 3-hour news conference with hundreds of international media present? I believe he answers questions quite directly - something we've not seen from the US in a very long time. Could this be another reason for the demonization of Putin? He talks too straight. Bruce
8 Reasons Not To Love Personalized [sic] Learning
As we roll into 2019, it becomes increasingly clear that much of the education debate is going to center on Personalized [sic] Learning. I've poked at various parts of PsL at length, but I'm going to respond to someone who just wanted me to lay out the problems in a simple list. Challenge accepted. First a note on terminology. We're going to have to start distinguishing between Personalized [sic] Learning, which is highly problematic, and personalized learning, which has been a good and worthwhile aim of classroom teachers for decades. The latter is the simple work of a human teach... more »
Resource Lifetime Is Infinite
We run out of resources when we run out of planet; and as of now we can get more planets. Continue reading →
No Economic Reason to Fear China
An article in The Economist (“The Lives of the Parties,” December 15, 2018) reminds us why China is not to be feared. If the domination of Chinese society by the state persists or grows, the country will crash as the Soviet Union did, and for basically the same reasons. Like the Soviet Union, China grew […] The post No Economic Reason to Fear China appeared first on Econlib.
Syrian Army carries out early morning attack against rebels in northern Hama
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:50 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) carried out a powerful attack against the Islamist rebels in the northern countryside of the Hama province on Saturday morning. Led by their 4th Division, the Syrian Arab Army launched several artillery shells and surface-to-surface missiles towards Jaysh Al-Izza’s positions in the town of Hasraya. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Israel to intensify attacks in Syria after U.S. troop withdrawal: Netanyahu
Speaking at the fifth Israel-Greece-Cyprus summit held in the southern city of Beersheba, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to intensify efforts in Syria. “We will continue to act in Syria to prevent Iran’s efforts to militarily entrench itself against us. We are not reducing our efforts, we will increase our efforts. I know that we do so with the full support and backing of the US”, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Turkey to delay Syria operation to allow US to withdraw
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:20 P.M.) – Turkey will delay their large-scale military operation against Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday. Erdogan said that he is delaying the Turkish military operation in order to allow the U.S. Coalition enough time to withdraw […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Introducing All the New Guns and Sniper Rifles the U.S. Military Will Get in 2019
*Task and Purpose* *Security, * [image: Flickr] And much more... With the fiscal year 2019 defense budget put to bed without a bloody fight among lawmakers for the first time in recent memory, there are plenty of goodies for rank-and-file U.S. service members tucked into the massive appropriation measure — and not just their largest pay raise in more than a decade. Here’s a brief overview of all the new gear headed into the waiting hands of soldiers and Marines downrange in 2019. *An M4 replacement — for Marines, at least* While the Army continues to hash out the details of its... more »
A Navy Dream: The F-14 Tomcat Is Coming Out of Retirement (For a Movie)
*Task and Purpose, Paul Szoldra* *Security, * [image: By Petty Officer 2nd Class Miguel A. Contreras, U.S. Navy - This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 060619-N-0490C-007 (next).This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still requi] For Top Gun 2, that is. It looks like the F-14 Tomcat will be making an appearance in “Top Gun 2.” Although actor Tom Cruise announced the first day of filming back in May with an Instagram post of himself in front of an F/A-18 Hornet, he may end up back behind the stick of ... more »
BBC 'balance'
Well, the review of the year on today's *The Week in Westminster* was certainly biased against Brexit. It was a typical BBC panel on the subject. You had Steve Richards, Helen Lewis and George Parker on one side, and James Forsyth on the other, and the anti-Brexit threesome were more passionate in their opinions on the subject than the *Spectator* man (with the *New Statesman*'s Helen getting hot under the collar at one point and talking of people dying because of the focus on Brexit).
BWorld 273, UAAP basketball tickets and Philippines inflation
* This is my column in BusinessWorld last December 7, 2018. The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons reaching the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) championship this year was so spectacular, the spectacle is easily seen in two things: quick scarcity of game tickets and hyper-inflation of available ones. UP became the UAAP champion in men’s basketball only twice, in 1940 when there were only four member-universities, and in 1986 with plentier teams. So after 32 years, 2018 could have been the rare chance for UP to become champion again. From ... more »
Was It Inevitable That Trump's Presidency Would Fall Apart? It's What Putin Was Counting On
Worst "president" ever just ended a truly horrific week... entirely of his own making. And it's bad for the country and it's bad for all of us. If you believe in the power of prayer, start praying that he goes-- and fast. Or that Mueller's report has so many smocking guns and so much collusion that not ever the Republican cowards in Congress can keep whistling Dixie. Three guys with great White House connections, Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei, Jonathan Swan, reported that Trump is already becoming disenchanted with *Acting* Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Trump asked one trusted adviser: ... more »
On the US troop withrawal from Syria and Afghanistan
A friend, citizen scientist *Willis Eschenbach*, posted in fb below and I am sharing/reposting it. Trump is correct in pulling US troops out of Syria. Mattis strongly objected to this move, among others, then it is good that he resigned. I like Mattis' sending of US warships at the WPS/SCS as part of their FONOPs, these are non-permanent structures or bases. But I don't like continued, long-term US military presence in the Middle East, etc. ------------ *ISIS is defeated as a dangerous military force. The Caliphate is destroyed and they've been thrown out of almost all of their str... more »
Rio Nightlife Guide for Saturday, December 22, 2018
We have the top three picks for this Saturday, and below there is a list of bars and lounges that are always a good option. PARTY: BATEKOO @ Clube dos Democráticos (Lapa) – This is the last Batekoo of the year in Rio de Janeiro which will coincide with the release of the documentary ‘Inspire […] The post Rio Nightlife Guide for Saturday, December 22, 2018 appeared first on The Rio Times.
Untitled
*Florida Commission Votes to Arm Teachers* Sanity in response to the Parkland atrocity may yet prevail in South Florida. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission last week voted 13-1 in favor of allowing teachers who are willing to undergo background checks and training to carry concealed weapons on school campuses. The measure aims to prevent a recurrence of the massacre that killed 17 people last Feb. 14. The move would be a step beyond the current guardian program that allows school systems to arm security guards, administrators, or librarians, and it ... more »
Untitled
*Progressive House Democrats Warn Colleagues Not To Stand In The Way Of A ‘Green New Deal’* The progressive bloc of House Democrats supporting a “Green New Deal” have a warning for their more moderate colleagues: Don’t get in the way of creating a “strong” climate committee. “I think it’s in the political self-interest of people like Frank Pallone to be supporting a strong select committee,” said Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna, Politico reported Thursday. “If I were looking at the politics and the movement and how strong the movement is, I’d be out there cheerleading for cre... more »
Health risk of trihalomethanes in water plants, Jiangsu Province, China
Wang Y, Zhu G, Engel B. Health risk assessment of trihalomethanes in water treatment plants in Jiangsu Province, China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2018 Dec 10;170:346-354. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.12.004. Probabilistic lifetime cancer risks and non-cancer risks of trihalomethanes (THMs) through ingestion, dermal … Continue reading →
BBC And The Extinction Rebellion
By Paul Homewood From the Guardian: The BBC’s central London headquarters has been put on lockdown due to a protest by climate change campaigners who are demanding it uses its status as national broadcaster to declare a “climate and ecological emergency”. Extinction Rebellion, a direct action group that has recently shut down key London […]
To The Parent Who Beeped At Me in the Drop Off Line Today
Note: I am part of many FB special needs groups. Yesterday, I read a post that felt so raw, so real, so "this is my life too," that I asked the Mom if I could share her story here. The... more »
Misfit Dolly - Mystery Solved
Note: No one has ever figured out the ailment of the dolly on the island of misfit toys, until now. She was a toy from the future, a doll with measles, cast out of society. By Kim Rossi Let's take...more »
US leaves trail of bitterness in Syria
The post US leaves trail of bitterness in Syria appeared first on The Duran.
Putin warns US against misadventures
The post Putin warns US against misadventures appeared first on The Duran.
Reactions To Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Plan Say More Than The Plan Itself
The post Reactions To Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Plan Say More Than The Plan Itself appeared first on The Duran.
Shutdown Begins As Trump, Democrats Wrestle Over Border Wall
The post Shutdown Begins As Trump, Democrats Wrestle Over Border Wall appeared first on The Duran.
The Vocabulary of Economic Deception
The post The Vocabulary of Economic Deception appeared first on The Duran.
WHY???
Who thought this up in the first place, and why? I still don't understand it . . . but I suppose it's marginally better than the Christmas muzak that's been bombarding us for weeks. It would certainly liven up the dairy aisle at Walmart! Peter
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