Thursday, February 21, 2019

21 February - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 3

10:04 pm MST

Four Principles for Reading the Mueller Report

mfogel at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Then-FBI Director Robert Mueller briefs President Obama, 2013 (Source: Flickr/Obama White House/Pete Souza) It seems to be real this time—if perhaps a bit late for the prediction by former presidential lawyer Ty Cobb in the summer of 2017 that Robert Mueller’s investigation would be over by Thanksgiving of that year. While Cobb was off by more than a year and a half, there are now clear signs that the special counsel’s office really is close to concluding its work. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has set a departure date of mid-March, after reports surfaced that he would le... more »

A Few Thoughts.

LL at Virtual Mirage - 9 hours ago
*The "ism" Fraud* If you talk to progs, it always comes back to the "isms" and to how white people are dragging homosexuals (of all races) behind pick up trucks, how white people are attacking black people and about how white males are raping coeds on campus. The flood of complaints caused the police to start wearing body cameras to thwart the claims of victimhood, and with those cameras, came the revelations that the claims made were almost universally false. Enter black actor, Jussie Smollett, who has been charged with filing a false police report. He faces a possible three year... more »

Half-A-Cheer For Supremes' Civil Asset Forfeiture Ruling

Daniel McAdams at 9 hours ago
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on civil asset forfeiture - that states are bound by the Eighth Amendment - may be a step in the right direction, but it's only a baby step. Police are still free to steal from individuals not even accused of a crime, let alone convicted of a crime. They are just now told to not steal too much. The real issue that needs to be addressed is that the government should not be able to steal from the people. It's that simple. A break down of the ruling and what it means in today's Liberty Report:

Snowiest February on record in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Robert at Ice Age Now - 9 hours ago
Going all the way back to 1893, back when Grover Cleveland was president. Twin Cities, Minnesota Rank Amount (inches) Year 1 30.4 2019 2 26.5 1962 3 24.2 1909 4 23.7 1967 5 19.7 2004, 1936 7 18.4 2014 8 17.8 1893 9 17.3 1989 10 16.5 2001 Eau Claire, Wisconsin Rank Amount (inches) Year ... Read moreSnowiest February on record in Minnesota and Wisconsin The post Snowiest February on record in Minnesota and Wisconsin appeared first on Ice Age Now.

12 Universites Awarded AAU Mini-Grants to Support STEM Education

Monica Levitan at Diverse - 9 hours ago
The Association of American Universities (AAU) has awarded “mini-grants” to 12 AAU member institutions to support their efforts of refining undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The mini-grants are funded by a five-year, $1 million grant from the Northrop Grumman Foundation which supports maintainable and diverse national programs to improve STEM education and […]

Joint Partnership Trains Nurses to Improve Health Care Outcomes in Alabama

Tiffany Pennamon at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Tuskegee University seniors Natasia Fanning and Roneshia Rudolph are part of an inaugural cohort of Registered Nurse Primary Care (RNPC) Scholars who are working collaboratively to provide quality health care and improve the health outcomes of underserved communities in the state of Alabama.

Dr. Lee Anne Xippolitos: A Nurse Practitioner

Monica Levitan at Diverse - 9 hours ago
As she prepares to retire as dean of the School of Nursing at Stony Brook University this spring, Dr. Lee Anne Xippolitos reflects on a health care career that spans almost two decades.

$1M Grant Helps Cal State Campus Improve Diversity in Filmmaking

LaMont Jones at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Madeline Tondi found her passion for filmmaking at California State University, Los Angeles, where the undergraduate program she is on the verge of completing has received a large grant to increased diversity in the industry and advance film as a vehicle for social change.

MICA President Releases Memo, Apologizes for Racist History

Monica Levitan at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Samuel Hoi, president of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) has recently released a campuswide memo on behalf of the college’s leadership to acknowledge and apologize for a racial segregation admissions policy that existed from 1895 to 1954. Throughout that period, the institute would only accept “reputable White pupils.” The memo was released in […]

Dennis Parker Named New NCLEJ Executive Director

Monica Levitan at Diverse - 9 hours ago
Dennis Parker, former director of the Racial Justice Program of the ACLU, has been named executive director of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ). Parker will succeed Marc Cohan, who will resume his role as director of litigation at the organization. Before joining the ACLU, Parker was the chief of the Civil […]

Response to Scott Adams; The CO2isLife Top 5 Skeptical Arguments

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 9 hours ago
Scott Adams of Dilbert fame recently sent out a request for the top 5 skeptical or pro-global warming arguments. His challenge can be seen here: Scott Adams on Climate Change Persuasion; Cudos to Tony Heller #1) The global community has spent literally trillions of dollars, both directly and indirectly through regulation and opportunity costs trying … Continue reading "Response to Scott Adams; The CO2isLife Top 5 Skeptical Arguments"

Kentucky Teen at Center of Viral Encounter Sues

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Nicholas Sandmann and his parents alleged that the Post had engaged in "targeting and bullying" and modern "McCarthyism."

Peter Tork, Monkees’ Lovable Bass-Guitar Player, Dead at 77

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Peter Tork, who rose to teen-idol fame in 1966 playing the lovably clueless bass guitarist in the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died

Did Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Tweet That Hoda Muthana Was a Hero?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's definition of a "hero" shouldn't be gleaned from parody accounts.

Vila Isabel Samba School Ready for Rio 2019 Carnival

Jack Arnhold at The Rio Times - 9 hours ago
By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On the evening of Monday, March 4th, samba school G.R.E.S. Unidos de Vila Isabel will compete in the Grupo Especial with their parade scheduled to begin at 10:20 PM. The group will present their ‘samba enredo’ (thematic samba composition) entitled, ‘Em nome do Pai, do […] The post Vila Isabel Samba School Ready for Rio 2019 Carnival appeared first on The Rio Times.

Chinese Communist Party Insider Predicts China-US Trade Deal Coming Soon, Huawei’s Meng To Be Released Soon

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
Xie Maosong expects Meng Wanzhou to be released in the coming weeks. Photo: Nora Tam SCMP: *China-US trade deal coming soon, Huawei’s Meng to be released in weeks, Communist Party insider predicts* * Beijing will take steps to reduce trade imbalance but won’t bow to pressure to make major economic reforms, adviser Xie Maosong says * Trade war means relations between two countries will never be the same again, according to the Communist Party adviser Tensions between China and the United States will ease in the next few months as the two sides reach consensus on a series of trade is... more »

Jodey Whiting: DWP ignored five ‘safeguarding’ chances before WCA suicide

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed five times to follow its own safeguarding rules in the weeks leading up to the suicide of a disabled woman with a long history of mental distress, an independent investigation has found. The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) concluded that DWP was guilty of “multiple” and “significant” failings [...]

Jodey Whiting: DWP continued to phone woman who took her own life, inquiry finds

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) continued to phone and write to a disabled woman who had taken her own life after having her benefits stopped, an independent investigation has found. The report by the Independent Case Examiner (ICE), Joanna Wallace, concluded that the DWP has no system that immediately alerts all the relevant [...]

DWP ‘refused reasonable adjustments for community recruits’

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) repeatedly failed to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people who were recruited to build bridges between jobcentres and the local community, it has been claimed. But the department also appears to be set to discard all the disabled people they recruited from outside the Civil Service when their [...]

Call for urgent probe into police passing DWP information about protesters

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
There are growing concerns and calls for an urgent investigation into admissions by two police forces that they have shared information about protesters with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Both Lancashire and Greater Manchester police forces have now admitted passing on information to DWP about people taking part in protests. The admissions originally [...]

Long-awaited Newton meeting confirms confusion over DPO engagement

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) have raised ongoing concerns about the government’s failure to comply with basic principles of the UN disability convention at a long-awaited meeting with the minister for disabled people. Representatives of six of the UK’s leading DPOs met with minister for disabled people Sarah Newton and senior civil servants last week to [...]

Watchdogs’ comments boost hopes for rail access improvements

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
Powerful warnings from two watchdogs about the barriers faced by disabled passengers have been welcomed as a “wonderful step in re-instating access to rail for all” by a leading accessible transport expert. One of the two watchdogs, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), warned the government and train operating companies that two major elements [...]

Disabled residents play ground-breaking co-production role in major development

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
Disabled people have played a “ground-breaking” role in co-producing a major new redevelopment scheme. The role played by disabled people in the planning application to redevelop Hammersmith town hall and the surrounding area in London is the first major product of a pioneering agreement to embed a genuine culture of co-production within Hammersmith and Fulham [...]

Council told to improve disability equality training after councillor’s ‘ignorant’ attack

John Pring at Disability News Service - 9 hours ago
A disabled politician has described the equality training given to fellow councillors as “a joke” after a Liberal Democrat rival was forced to apologise for posting a message on social media that accused him of using his impairment for political purposes. The comments by Lib Dem Joe Naitta were targeted last June at fellow Derby [...]

Have you seen our improved Team Admin and Billing Portal?

Stefan van Dierendonck at start.me - 9 hours ago
[image: Hands coming together]In this article, we re-introduce our Team Admin section. Now it’s even easier to work in a team. We’ll show you how to share your pages, access the Team Admin, and keep a clear overview of everyone you want to work with. We also introduce the new Billing Portal where you can manage your subscriptions… Read More Read More

And the hate crime Oscar goes to . . .

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 9 hours ago
Sent in by several readers: It'll be hard to choose from a list like that . . . they all deserve to win! On balance, I'd say Christine Ford would get my vote. How about you, readers? Any other nominees to suggest? Peter

"What If?"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
"What if when you die they ask, "How was Heaven?" Author Unknown

Big Banks Money Laundering: UBS Fined $4.2 Billion, Danske Shuts Down in 4 Countries

Activist Post at Activist Post - 9 hours ago
By Kevin Helms Money laundering scandals involving some of the world’s largest banks have grown this week. Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, has been fined 3.7... more »

Prosecutors Reviewing 1,400 Cases Tied to Houston Cop Whose Lies Got Innocent Couple Murdered

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 9 hours ago
[image: houston]The Houston cop responsible for the botched raid that left a couple dead has a deadly history of drug raids and road rage which is now all under scrutiny.

Stargates, Dark Energy, and Manipulating Extra Dimensions (Oh My!)

Activist Post at Activist Post - 10 hours ago
By Truthstream Media Melissa Dykes covers a recent document that came out in response to a FOIA request to the Defense Intelligence Agency about their... more »

Customers for life: The subscription economy, explained

Fiona Pepper at Just In - 10 hours ago
How many subscriptions do you have? If you look at your bank statement, it might be more than you think. We're signed up for everything from toothbrushes to TV — and it's worth billions to businesses.

Australian rugby still dropping the ball as rival sports raise the stakes

Richard Hinds at Just In - 10 hours ago
The fact the commencement of the Super Rugby season has largely gone unnoticed shows just how much rugby union is struggling in the competitive Australian sporting landscape, writes Richard Hinds.

No companies have signed up for Scott Morrison's veterans' discount card

Andrew Greene at Just In - 10 hours ago
Four months since the Prime Minister unveiled a veterans' card and lapel pin, no business is yet to officially sign up to the discount program.

Labor proposes raising compensation cap for bank misconduct victims to $2m

Eliza Laschon at Just In - 10 hours ago
Labor says victims of banking misconduct will be eligible for as much as four times more compensation than they do presently, and have a second chance to argue their cases, if it wins the election.

How paintings from the 19th century helped restore a historic house

Manika Dadson at Just In - 10 hours ago
When Carol Westmore and her husband Rodney bought the house famous Australian landscape painter John Glover built in the 1830s, they knew they couldn't let it crumble.

Hundreds still homeless as report finds Opal Tower beams 'burst' under pressure

Nick Sas at Just In - 10 hours ago
With 259 units of the 392-unit apartment complex still empty following its evacuation, the NSW Government releases its final report into the Opal Tower cracks, finding that more work needs to be done.

The Trump Administration's Anti-Iran Theatrics Failed in Warsaw

Paul R. Pillar at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*Paul R. Pillar* *Security, Global Governance* [image: Reuters] In its obsessive campaign of stoking maximum hostility toward Iran, the Trump administration is isolated except for partnering with Iran’s regional rivals, which means Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Trump administration tried to make this week’s Middle East conference in Warsaw what the administration had intended it to be all along: an Iran-bashing exercise that would get Europeans to join in more of the bashing. But the conference instead became what most European governments—whose attenda... more »

The Next Threat to U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers: Russian 'Nuclear' Torpedo’s?

Michael Peck at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* Or is this just fake news? *TASS also reports the Poseidon, -- the name was chosen in a Web contest held by Russia’s Ministry of Defense – will be armed with a 2-megaton warhead. That’s more than enough to destroy a city. * *(This first appeared in December.)* Russia has begun underwater tests of its Poseidon thermonuclear torpedo. The Poseidon is an 80-foot-long nuclear-powered submersible robot that is essentially an underwater ICBM. It is designed to travel autonomously across thousands of miles, detonate outside an enemy coastal city, and ... more »

The Marines May Soon Have a Way to Sink China's Warships (Thanks to the F-35)

David Axe at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, * The Corps is practicing a new method of speeding firepower across a war zone. And that could have big implications for America's military strategy in the western Pacific. *The Corps proved, in a fall 2018 demonstration in Arizona, that an F-35 stealth fighter can pass targeting data to a rocket battery, improving its accuracy. A Marine F-35B detected a metal container on the ground and passed the GPS coordinates via radio data-link to the HIMARS crew.* The U.S. Marine Corps is practicing a new method of speeding firepower across a war zone. And that coul... more »

Is it becoming more clear how deranged the left is?...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 10 hours ago
*this is not your garden variety deranged, but a full blown psychotic break with reality.* *Quick Takes* *Jussie Whoever:* Imagine being such a nobody that no one hates you enough to send you threatening letters so you have to send them to yourself. What's next Jussie, love letters? And *he gets to wander down to the station whenever it pleases him,* while sexy Paul Manafort the Great is confronted with a swat team and dragged out of his house. And guess what, my little cabbages? According to many of the commenters on Huff and Puff, it's still all Trump's fault. (no link on pur... more »

The Final Version of Europe’s “Meme Ban” is Here and It’s Worse Than We Thought

Activist Post at Activist Post - 10 hours ago
By Elias Marat A wide-ranging and draconian set of new rules in the European Union (EU) known as the Copyright Directive may end up destroying... more »

Solar Cycle 25 Stronger than Cycle 24?

Russ Steele at The Next Grand Minimum - 10 hours ago
Previously, scientists suggested that sunspot cycle 25 could be weaker than the current cycle, potentially meaning a period of global cooling could ensue. However, this has largely been ruled out, with a team of scientists in India recently predicting that… Continue reading →

Independent Journalist David Icke Banned From Speaking In Australia

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 10 hours ago
*Waking Times* - An idea can be so dangerous to the state that it mustn't be tolerated.

The Yellow Fever Vaccine: More Questions Than Answers

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 10 hours ago
By the Children’s Health Defense Team In January, 2019, news outlets reported the death of a leading cancer researcher in the UK, who suffered total organ failure not long after receiving a yellow fever (YF) vaccine. Both the UK and the U.S. recommend YF vaccination for anyone nine months of age or older who […] The post The Yellow Fever Vaccine: More Questions Than Answers appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Is HHS Engaged in “Heavenly Deceit”?

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 10 hours ago
Guest Editorial by Ted Kuntz In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s a religious cult based on the preaching of Rev Sun Myung Moon was active in America. As part of their religious indoctrination, Moon’s followers were instructed in the use of “heavenly deceit”. The “Moonies”, as they were commonly referred to, were encouraged […] The post Is HHS Engaged in “Heavenly Deceit”? appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

White House climate change panel to include man who touted emissions

tzofiya at The Great Climate Debate - 10 hours ago
William Happer in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, NY on 13 January 2017. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images The Guardian 20 Feb 2019 The White House is planning to assess how climate change impacts national security and will involve a prominent doubter of the scientific consensus that manmade warming is putting the …

New Jersey Lawmakers Are Trying to Tax the Rain

Activist Post at Activist Post - 10 hours ago
By Brittany Hunter This gives new life to the saying, “when it rains, it pours.” Sometimes life mimics fiction. And sometimes life is so much...more »

GW Pharma denies supply issues with marijuana-based drug Epidiolex after stock falls

Nick Thomas at Marijuana Business Daily - 10 hours ago
GW Pharmaceuticals, the British maker of epileptic seizure-control medication Epidiolex, said it was not aware of any supply issues related to the cannabis-derived drug after a tweet from a patient’s father complained he could not source the medicine. GW’s stock was down more than 3% on Wednesday on the Nasdaq after the tweet from San […] GW Pharma denies supply issues with marijuana-based drug Epidiolex after stock falls is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Former Florida GOP congressman joins Cannabis Trade Federation as adviser

John Schroyer at Marijuana Business Daily - 10 hours ago
The Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF) is continuing to expand its policy and lobbying team in Washington DC, and the newest player to join the roster is former Florida congressman Carlos Curbelo. CTF, which is pushing for federal marijuana reform, said in a news release Thursday that Curbelo, a Republican, was hired as a strategic adviser. […] Former Florida GOP congressman joins Cannabis Trade Federation as adviser is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

North Dakota’s first medical marijuana dispensary set to open

Howard Burns at Marijuana Business Daily - 10 hours ago
The first medical marijuana dispensary in North Dakota is scheduled to open next week in Fargo. The Botanist will open in the state’s largest city on Feb. 28, according to the North Dakota health department. The dispensary’s parent company is Acreage Holdings, a multistate cannabis operator based in New York. The Botanist, which was awarded […] North Dakota’s first medical marijuana dispensary set to open is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

World News Briefs -- February 21, 2019

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*ABC News Online:* *Vladimir Putin says Russia will not move missiles closer to US unless American missiles move first* Vladimir Putin said he will match any move by the United States to deploy new nuclear missiles closer to Russia by stationing its own missiles closer to the US, or by deploying faster missiles, or both. The Russian President said he was not seeking confrontation and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to the US Government's decision this month to quit a landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty. But, in his toughest remarks yet on a poten... more »

Palace coup at Shambhala

Tim Bousquet at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
News 1. John Risley’s South African adventure Sometimes I get whiff of a story and just have to dive into it. This was one of those times: On December 26, Boxing Day, I received an email with the subject line “JOHN CARTER RISLEY given his outrageous behaviour and bringing others to book in a huge […]

“Since this is an era when many people are concerned about 'fairness' and 'social justice,' what is your 'fair share' of what someone else has worked for?” #QotD

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 10 hours ago
*“Since this is an era when many people are concerned about 'fairness' and 'social justice,' what is your 'fair share' of what someone else has worked for?”* ~ Thomas Sowell . Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution.

Trump Legalizes Hemp In Farm Bill; FDA Looking For “Pathways” To Legalize Cannabinoid Drinks and Snacks

Aaron at Activist Post - 10 hours ago
By Aaron Kesel All over the U.S., a new trend is taking form — several restaurants are suddenly offering cannabidiol (CBD) infused snacks and drinks;... more »

TTIP reloaded: big business calls the shots on new EU-US trade talks

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 Corporate lobby groups roam the corridors of EU negotiators working to set the agenda for the talks with the US, while the European Commission covers over its links with big business.

USDA to send trade mission in April

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 The US has long criticized Taiwan's zero-tolerance policy regarding meat product imports and views Taiwan's ractopamine ban as a trade barrier.

Russel Norman – climate change and free trade

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 The panel on a sustainable world at the hui in October 2018 on What an Alternative and Progressive Trade Strategy for New Zealand argued for major changes to address pressing environmental issues.

Out-of-court settlement with Nissan likely, State govt. tells HC

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 The State government told the Madras High Court that an out-of-court settlement was likely in its long-running dispute with Japanese automaker Nissan.

Disgraced Gummer’s Dodgy Dealings With Drax

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 10 hours ago
By Paul Homewood Guido uncovers more dodgy dealings from the disgraced Gummer: The formal inquiry into Lord Deben continues over the £600,000 in payments his family-run ‘Sustainability Consultancy’ Sancroft International received from taxpayer-subsidised ‘Green’ corporations – in what appears to be a flagrant conflict of interests with his role as Climate Change Committee […]

Soviet Sympathizer Sanders: Trump Is Racist. Trump: It’s “Crazy Bernie” Time

R. Cort Kirkwood at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: soviet-sympathizer-sanders-trump-is-racist-trump-it-s-crazy-bernie-time] If you thought the 2016 fight between Donald John Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton was a blast, you might be in for a real treat in 2020.

Police Chief: Smollett Staged Attack To Get a Pay Raise

R. Cort Kirkwood at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: police-chief-smollett-staged-attack-to-get-a-pay-raise] Jussie Smollett, the biracial homosexual actor who appears on the television show *Empire*, was not the victim of a hate crime. He was, Chicago’s chief of police said this morning, just another hate hoaxer.

Artificial Sweeteners Are Not Harmful For Gut Microbiota, They Are Even Prebiotics

Hank Campbell at Science 2.0 blogs - 10 hours ago
Food is plentiful and affordable, and that has brought an increase in consumption of foods that matched an ancient evolutionary mandate; sweetness. In ancient times, humans knew that sweetness meant more calories and in a world where they often weren't sure where the next meal would come from, getting as many calories when they were available was important. When agriculture came into existence, farmers began genetically modifying foods to be bigger and sweeter. Beginning in the late 1980s, science gave us a true food boom, with more food grown on less land with less environmental s... more »

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 21, 2019

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan attends the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 17, 2019. *VOA:* *UAE Signs $5.5 Billion in Military Contracts Amid Yemen Role Scrutiny * ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates awarded 20 billion dirhams worth ($5.5 billion) of military procurement contracts during a defense show this week, at a time when arms sales to the country are under scrutiny due to its role in Yemen's devastating war. The majority were awarded to international companies such as U.S. firms Lockheed... more »

Reflecting Terence McKenna: There is Hope for HUmanity Yet

Caitlin Johnstone at The Ghion Journal - 11 hours ago
I often talk about the various reasons I still believe humanity has a fighting chance at rescuing itself from extinction and Orwellian dystopia, like the fact that our ability to network and share information is at an all-time high while trust in the mass media is at an all-time low, or the fact that humans have the capacity to radically transform their relationship with thought in a way that longtime teachers of this art say is becoming easier… The post Reflecting Terence McKenna: There is Hope for HUmanity Yet appeared first on The Ghion Journal.

Climate Legal Lucidity At Last!

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 11 hours ago
This looks more like the end of the climate litigation tunnel than an oncoming train. Finally a federal district court judge puts on his big boy pants and calls a halt to the children’s climate crusade against the legal system. Climate Liability News has the story Judge Tosses Penn. Case, Says Kids Climate Cases Have […]

FBI Arrests “White Supremacist” Terrorist After Smollett Fail

Activist Post at Activist Post - 11 hours ago
By Kurt Nimmo Now that Jussie Smollett has been arrested for manufacturing a “hate crime”—his duplicity was obvious from the start—it is time for the... more »

January 2019 global average temperature remains unchanged – 0.73 C

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
Reblogged from Clive Best: Posted on February 21, 2019 by Clive Best Global averaged surface temperature for January 2019 was 0.73C using my spherical triangulation method merging GHCNV3 with HadSST3. This is unchanged since December 2018. The baseline used is always 1961-1990. The Northern Hemisphere is shown here. Temperature distribution Northern Hemisphere. Siberia is warmer […]

Arctic 650,000sq km Higher Than 2018 – Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 51 – 2019

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North

Arctic Sea Ice Volume 20-Feb-2019

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: From DMI

Coral Reefs in West Hawaiʽi Showing Signs of Recovery

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
From MauiNow.com: January 22, 2019, 12:32 PM HST · Updated January 22, 12:32 PM Nearly four years after the worst bleaching event in the state’s history, coral reefs in West Hawaiʽi are stabilizing and poised to recover, according to scientists from The Nature Conservancy. Higher than usual ocean water temperatures in 2015 caused the first […]

São Paulo to Host the Largest Number of Carnival Blocos in Its History

Lise Alves at The Rio Times - 11 hours ago
By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – When one thinks of Carnival in Brazil one thinks of Rio de Janeiro or maybe the Northeastern city of Salvador. South America’s largest metropolis, São Paulo, however, has been attracting more and party-goers. According to officials this year, the city is expected receive the […] The post São Paulo to Host the Largest Number of Carnival Blocos in Its History appeared first on The Rio Times.

Praise and Criticism for Brazil’s New Social Security Reform Bill

Lise Alves at The Rio Times - 11 hours ago
By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As Brazil’s government announce the details of the much-awaited social security reform bill, presented to Congress on Wednesday, lines are being drawn, between those who approve of the new bill and those who reject the reform put forth by the Bolsonaro Administration. For the […] The post Praise and Criticism for Brazil’s New Social Security Reform Bill appeared first on The Rio Times.

Rio Nightlife Guide for Thursday, February 21, 2019

Jack Arnhold at The Rio Times - 11 hours ago
We have the top three picks for this Thursday, and below there is a list of bars and lounges that are always a good option. LIVE: Show de Verão da Mangueira @ Vivo Rio (Flamengo) – Chico Buarque, Maria Bethania, Alcione, Leci Brandão, Mart’nália and Pretinho da Serrinha come together to perform on the same […] The post Rio Nightlife Guide for Thursday, February 21, 2019 appeared first on The Rio Times.

#REDforED: Socialists Organizing Teachers to Turn Purple States Blue

Breitbart at Need To Know - 11 hours ago
The highly organized movement has targeted the electoral college for the 2020 presidential election in states where Trump's margins of victory were narrow.

Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? Perhaps to Dazzle Away Flies

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Zebra stripes may offer protection from blood-sucking insects that can spread disease.

Grand Canyon Looking into Possible Radiation Exposure

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Officials are investigating whether anyone was exposed to radiation at unsafe levels while samples of uranium ore sat in plastic buckets in a park research building.

Democrats Prepare Resolution Against Trump Emergency

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement last week that lawmakers will use "every remedy available" to defend Congress' powers, including in the courts.

Feds: Coast Guard Lieutenant Compiled Hit List of Lawmakers

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Christopher Paul Hasson searched the internet for the "most liberal senators," as well as "do senators have ss (secret service) protection" and "are supreme court justices protected," according to the court filing.

Police: ‘Empire’ Actor Faked Attack to ‘Promote His Career’

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Jussie Smollett was dissatisfied with his salary.

Syracuse Basketball Coach Boeheim Strikes, Kills Pedestrian on Highway

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Syracuse men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim struck and killed a 51-year-old man walking on a highway as he tried to avoid hitting the man's disabled vehicle.

Police Chief Focuses on the Real Issue

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 11 hours ago
I actually have a lot of respect for how Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is speaking personally about the Jussie Smollett situation. pic.twitter.com/0ty8Ak1aCH — Zack Ford (@ZackFord) February 21, 2019 Just look at the real issues facing America that this false narrative of a racist America distracts from. Once again, show me one single KKK office … Continue reading "Police Chief Focuses on the Real Issue"

Paul Stamets – Penny Drop Discovery vs Researcher

E.M.Smith at Musings from the Chiefio - 11 hours ago
A tale of two Stamets, or why does Star Trek Discovery have a mushroom fetish? Continue reading →

The final version of the EU’s Copyright Directive is the worst yet

CFACT Ed at CFACT - 11 hours ago
BY CORY DOCTOROW: When trolls and European bureaucrats get together, can free speech survive? The post The final version of the EU’s Copyright Directive is the worst yet appeared first on CFACT.

Iran’s GPS Kits Have Turned Hezbollah Rockets Into Guided Missiles

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
A satellite image released by the Israel Defense Forces showing a site near Beirut’s international airport that the army says is being used by Hezbollah to convert regular missiles into precision-guided munitions, on September 27, 2018. (Israel Defense Forces) *Daily Beast:* *To Target Israel, Iran’s ‘Suitcase’ GPS Kits Turn Hezbollah Rockets Into Guided Missiles* *Military sources say Iran is refitting thousands of ‘dumb’ rockets in Syria and Lebanon so it can zero in on targets the length and breadth of Israel.* TEL AVIV – The Warsaw Conference on Middle East Peace and Security ... more »

NUMBER OF SMOLLETT STORIES ON THE FOX FRONT PAGE RIGHT NOW: TEN. NUMBER ABOUT THE COAST GUARD TERRORIST: ZERO.

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 11 hours ago
The FoxNews.com front page at 11:52 A.M.: There are ten separate Smollett links: * "'SLAP' TO CHICAGO: Police boss unloads on Smollett over alleged race hoax; officials say anger over salary was motive" * "Smollett didn't give Brett Kavanaugh the presumption of innocence, but asks for it now" * "FULL CHICAGO POLICE NEWS CONFERENCE" * "CNN’s Don Lemon: It’s ‘not his fault’ Jussie Smollett lost in the ‘court of public opinion’" (also linked under the headline "'NOT HIS FAULT': CNN’s Don Lemon offers bizarre defense of texting pal Smollett") * "Dems who jumped on Smollett claims st... more »

Apple’s HomePod 2 and Google’s Nest Guard Take Spying on Your Family to the Next Level

Activist Post at Activist Post - 11 hours ago
By MassPrivateI Who needs Big Brother to spy on you in your home when Siri and Google will do it for them? Two recent stories prove...more »

California’s 2018 cannabis tax haul of $345 million falls short of projections

John Schroyer at Marijuana Business Daily - 12 hours ago
California’s 2018 marijuana tax-revenue tally is in, and once more, it’s far below what the state had projected. According to a news release from the state Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the fourth quarter of 2018 brought $103.3 million in marijuana tax revenues, not including city or county taxes. That brings the year’s total […] California’s 2018 cannabis tax haul of $345 million falls short of projections is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

EU resolution’s medical cannabis definition too restrictive, experts say

Alfredo Pascual at Marijuana Business Daily - 12 hours ago
While the European Parliament’s approval of a resolution to develop a European strategy for medical cannabis was well received by industry stakeholders, the business effects of the move may be less rosy for a rapidly evolving industry. “This is a missed opportunity,” Guillame Balas, a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from France, wrote on […] EU resolution’s medical cannabis definition too restrictive, experts say is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Maldives Reiterates Commitment to 'Free, Open Indo-Pacific Region' & Democracy

NEW YORK, Feb 21 (IPS) - Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has reiterated his nation's commitment to a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region and to democracy. During his meeting with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in Washington Feb 20, Shahid "underscored the importance of his government's reform efforts to (ensure) the vitality of Maldives' democracy," the department's Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said. Read the full story, “Maldives Reiterates Commitment to 'Free, Open Indo-Pacific Region' & Democracy”, on globalissues.org →

‘No Way to Defend Ourselves Against the Onslaught of Climate Change’

PARAMARIBO, Feb 21 (IPS) - Two of the most prominent women in the Caribbean nation of Suriname are speaking out about developed countries that release large volumes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Read the full story, “‘No Way to Defend Ourselves Against the Onslaught of Climate Change’”, on globalissues.org →

DRC’s First Peaceful Transition of Power Was At Expense of Women

GOMA, DR Congo, Feb 21 (IPS) - Justine Masika Bihamba is founder of Synergie des Femmes, a front line women's organization based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and local partner of Donor Direct Action.When Felix Tshisekedi, the 55 year old son of the former opposition leader, won the recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it should have felt like a new dawn for many of us living here. Read the full story, “DRC’s First Peaceful Transition of Power Was At Expense of Women”, on globalissues.org →

A World Party

ROME, Feb 21 (IPS) - Roberto Savio is founder of IPS Inter Press Service and President EmeritusI have been a member of the first international party: the Transnational Radical Party, founded in 1956 by Marco Pannella and Emma Bonino. Then in 1988, I was a wetness of the large protest, in Berlin West, against the meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a precursor of the "Battle of Seattle" in 1988, where 40.000 protesters disrupted the annual meeting of the two world's financial institutions. I was even detained for a day by the police, even if was just a wi... more »

World Without Us: Death of Insects and the Third Tsunami

Gaius Publius at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
*by Thomas Neuburger* I've written in the past about "twin tsunamis" approaching the U.S. and the world — the chaos caused by *out-of-control climate change* and the *blossoming of pre-revolutionary America*, the America that elected Trump and almost elected Sanders, into revolutionary America, the America fed up *here* with life under the predatory rule of the very very rich and the corporations they control. But there's a third tsunami as well, one related to the destruction of our habitat, the environment of the world we depend on for physical sustenance, and only partly the c... more »

You can adopt dogs that failed government training for being too ‘nice’ – here’s how

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
Dogs are truly remarkable animals. They are perfect cuddle buddies when you’re feeling lazy, energetic companions when you’re in the mood for an adventure, and loving friends when you think there’s no one else. And to top it all off, some dogs can be all of that and have a full-time career. RELATED STORY: Is […] The post You can adopt dogs that failed government training for being too ‘nice’ – here’s how appeared first on Health Nut News.

Ten years on a chain: Judith’s happy ending

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
I love animals and miss my Ms. Pye every day. How a person could treat a dog like this is beyond anything I can understand. While not everyone might agree with Gandhi’s political and religious views, I think we can all agree that his words below hold value: “The greatness of a nation and its moral […] The post Ten years on a chain: Judith’s happy ending appeared first on Health Nut News.

ABC: How many push-ups you can do is linked with your heart disease risk

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
Active, middle-aged men able to complete more than 40 push-ups had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes–including diagnoses of coronary artery disease and major events such as heart failure–during 10 years of follow-up compared with those who were able to do less than 10 push-ups during the baseline exam. RELATED STORY: Fat […] The post ABC: How many push-ups you can do is linked with your heart disease risk appeared first on Health Nut News.

Prominent biochemistry professor warns: 5G is the ‘Stupidest idea in the history of the world ’

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
Terence Newton, Staff Writer at Waking Times The international rollout of fifth generation wireless technology (5G) is well underway despite increasingly vocal opposition from scientists and medical professionals, who are desperately trying to warn us of the well-documented dangers of 5G. The government and industries involved in the 5G rollout are have zero concern for […] The post Prominent biochemistry professor warns: 5G is the ‘Stupidest idea in the history of the world ’ appeared first on Health Nut News.

82-year-old woman with dementia gets her memory back after changing her diet

Aimee Proulx at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
(Image: Manchester evening news) Eighty-two-year-old Syliva, a dementia sufferer, has gotten her memory back after changing her diet. RELATED STORY: Drives your dementia risk up by 89 percent, easy to fix In 2016, Mark Hatzer began to notice his mother struggling to remember birthdays or arrangements she had made with friends. In December of 2016, […] The post 82-year-old woman with dementia gets her memory back after changing her diet appeared first on Health Nut News.

Give your brain a 9-year makeover in the next 6 months, follow this study

Aimee Proulx at Health Nut News - 12 hours ago
Recent research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals women’s brains appear to be about three years younger, metabolically speaking, than men’s brains of the same chronological age. The finding offers a clue as to why women tend to maintain their mental acuity longer than men. The original study3 can be viewed […] The post Give your brain a 9-year makeover in the next 6 months, follow this study appeared first on Health Nut News.

Gregory Mannarino, “America: You Are Being Lied To On An Epic Scale”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 12 hours ago
*Gregory Mannarino, “America: You Are Being Lied To On An Epic Scale”* All of my trading publications/books are now 100% FREE to download. (Seriously 100% FREE). Click here: - https://www.traderschoice.net/ ○ “MarketWatch Market Summary”, Live Updates - https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary

Gun Maker Heckler & Koch Calls U.S. Marines 'Crayon Eaters'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
*Kit Up!/Military.com: **Gun Maker Calls Marines 'Crayon Eaters' in Viral Facebook Post* Heckler & Koch may be making and delivering thousands of M27 infantry automatic rifles to the Marine Corps, but that's not going to stop the company from taking a few jabs at jarheads. The U.S. branch of the German weapons maker is executing a contract, inked in April 2018, to deliver up to 15,000 M27s to the Marine Corps. The rifles, previously fielded in smaller quantities to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, are now replacing M4 carbines for many infantry Marines. Most Marines love ... more »

World's largest bee not seen for 38 years rediscovered on remote Indonesian island

Nick Kilvert at Just In - 12 hours ago
Insect detectives have rediscovered the world's largest bee while on expedition on a remote Indonesian Island, 38 years after it was last officially recorded.

UN Report: War Crimes Are Widespread In South Sudan

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
Families wait in the early hours of the morning to be registered prior to a food distribution carried out by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and partner agencies, in Thonyor, Leer county, South Sudan. Unicef *UN News*: *South Sudan: ‘Outraged’ UN experts say ongoing widespread human rights violations may amount to war crimes* United Nations investigators on Wednesday denounced a raft of gross human rights violations being perpetrated in South Sudan, where over the past year, incidents of rape have surged and abductions, sexual slavery and brutal killings “have become ... more »

BBC TV Drama Promotes Utility “Smart” Meters by Featuring a Psycho Killer Meter Reader

Activist Post at Activist Post - 12 hours ago
By B.N. Frank Tens of millions of utility “Smart” Meters have already been installed around the world. They have been associated with so many issues... more »

"Thoughts are my own"

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 12 hours ago
I’m used to finding myself in a minority, and I’m probably in a minority over the Shamima Begum fiasco, but I find myself agreeing with all sorts of contradictory arguments from a whole lot of people I don’t normally agree with. Was Sajid Javid playing to the gallery with his hasty revocation of Ms Begum’s citizenship? Obviously, it resonates with public opinion, but if you think about it, what’s a Muslim Home secretary to do? Damned if he does; damned if he doesn’t. It’s illegal to make anyone stateless; the Today Programme’s expert de jour said Javid’s decision couldn’t possibl... more »

Why the Air Force (As In the F-22 and F-35) Needs Boeing's F-15X Fighter

Frank Gorenc at Test Feed Using Fields - 12 hours ago
*Frank Gorenc* *Security, * Unfortunately, today’s fighter force mix, despite increasing numbers of F-35s over time and upgraded F-22s, will likely not be enough to meet future needs. America needs the F-15X. America depends on airpower. Airpower underpins the military options leaders use to enhance deterrence and if deterrence fails, to fight and win with minimum casualties. A key element of America’s airpower is the fighter force. Historically, fighter aircraft development has shaped militaries and tactics like no other combat system. Today’s emerging technologies, concepts o... more »

There Is Nothing Like the F-35 (And Israel Could Make It Even Better)

Sebastien Roblin at Test Feed Using Fields - 12 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * Israel’s F-35I Adir—or “Mighty Ones”—will be the only F-35 variant to enter service heavily tailored to a foreign country’s specifications. *The F-35I will also be certified to carry major Israeli-developed weapons systems in its internal weapons bay, notably including the Python-5 short-range heat-seeking air-to-air missile, and the Spice family of glide bombs, which combine electro-optical, satellite and man-in-the-loop guidance options for greater targeting versatility and have a range of up to sixty miles.* On May 22, Israeli Air Force command... more »

Why Trump's Policies Will Solidify America's Geopolitical Power Status

Ahmed Charai at Test Feed Using Fields - 12 hours ago
*Ahmed Charai* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Donald Trump wants to keep this promise: America will not be the policeman of the world. At the Munich and Warsaw conferences this past week, we saw once again the ritualistic gathering of the “Atlantic family”—the founders of the NATO alliance—coming together to one again announce unity and brotherhood. Like all old families, the members are not equal, and the divisions are hardly hidden. Let’s start with dispensing the polite fiction that when U.S. officials met their EU counterparts, it is a meeting of equals. It is not. T... more »

ADVANTAGE HARARI: Nineteen to 24 years in the clink!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019Plus, targeting two more lawyers:* You're right! After a weekend in re-education camp, we may be changing our focus at the start of next week. We're sick of pursuing our current line; we're sick of hearing our own current voice. That said, we'll finish our current topic today, with a look at last Friday's Rachel Maddow Show. First, though, a look at today's New York Times: Good for today's New York Times! Right there on the op-ed page, the paper presents this column by Columbia's Jamie Daw. The column discusses a serious matter. It runs beneath these h... more »

Andrew Wakefield | Fraudster Or Victim Of The Medical Monopoly

Ceribalius at OYE Alternative News - 12 hours ago
Andrew Wakefield has found his name back in the public eye once again, after a renewed interest in the debate began three years ago with Wakefield's controversial film 'Vaxxed'. The post Andrew Wakefield | Fraudster Or Victim Of The Medical Monopoly appeared first on OYE Alternative News.

WATCH: ‘They’re Choking Him to Death’: Cops Cuff, Nearly Kill Man for Asking For a Ride

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: ride]After getting off a greyhound bus, a man asked police for a ride who not only denied him the request, but tried to choke him to death in the process.

WATCH: Handicapped Man in a Coma After Cops Mistook His Disability for Resisting & Beat Him

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: disabled]An innocent passenger in a vehicle was subsequently dragged from the car and beaten by police because they mistook his disability for a threat.

Tomari Nuclear Plant Reported Unaffected by 5.8 Quake in Hokkaido

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 12 hours ago
A significant quake in Japan has resulted in no major damage, according to reports: M5.8 quake hits Hokkaido but no major damage reported. The Mainichi, https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190221/p2g/00m/0na/102000c Hokkaido Electric Power Co. said no abnormality was detected at its idled Tomari nuclear power plant. Netc is reporting no elevated radiation levels at this time.

India Gets Veggie Burger From Saudi Arabia

M. K. BHADRAKUMAR at OrientalReview.org - 12 hours ago
It will be a Himalayan blunder to spurn the Saudi overture toward India. The Saudis are savvy enough to separate the grain from the chaff and would know that Pakistan is not a patch on India as a world-class partner potentially. The Saudis are perfectly capable of juggling many balls in the air and can hook up with multiple guys on a regular basis, usually without them knowing. The post India Gets Veggie Burger From Saudi Arabia appeared first on OrientalReview.org.

Gummer Wants All New Homes To Be Off Gas Grid By 2025

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 12 hours ago
By Paul Homewood From silly Jilly: Gas hobs could be banned from being installed in new homes within seven years over fears that they are harming the environment. Under new plans unveiled on Thursday by climate watchdogs no new homes will be connected to the gas grid after 2025 at the […]

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 12 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin You May Soon Have to Give Your DNA to the State and Pay $250 For the Privilege Oregon Seeks to Lower Voting Age to 16 Barrett Brown I spent about six months in the same unit as William Stanley back in 2014, when he was first awaiting charge for his actual crime. By 2017 he'd gotten out - and then was re-arrested for writing a blog post about his case. When the Bureau of Prisons had me re-arrested for giving an interview to Ben Makuch of Vice, Bill was my cellie for the four days I spent in the jail unit before the BOP was frightened by an expensive New York law fir... more »

Trump vs. Deep State

Troy Anderson at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: trump-vs-deep-state] Now that Democrats control the House, it is likely that they and segments of the Deep State will pull out all the stops to impeach Trump, predetermine elections, and aid globalists.

Former Senator Coburn Finds Another Excuse for a Constitutional Convention

Steve Byas at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: former-senator-coburn-finds-another-excuse-for-a-constitutional-convention] Dr. Tom Coburn, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, seems to see a convention of states as the cure-all for America's ills. Actually, it is bad medicine.

Unanimous Supreme Court: Excessive Fines Unconstitutional

Steve Byas at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: unanimous-supreme-court-excessive-fines-unconstitutional] In an unusual display of unanimity, the U.S. Supreme Court declares excessive fines unconstitutional.

After Liberation Of Iraq’s Baiji District An Uncertain Peace

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 13 hours ago
The Iraqi Human Rights Observatory said that thousands of people have not been able to return to their homes in the Baiji district of eastern Salahaddin. It cited four main reasons: over 20,000 homes are destroyed or damaged, there is a lack of work, there is apprehension about the security situation, and Hashd forces are refusing to let people back. This area is symbolic of many other parts of central Iraq that are suffering from the aftermath of the war with the Islamic State. There were two waves of displacement from Baiji. The first was when IS took over most of the district ... more »

No 'Killer Robots' Yet For The U.S. Military

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
"Hold on guys, the computer sees the problem." *We Are The Mighty*: *The Pentagon's alleged 'Killer Robots' are just a fantasy* The U.S. Department of Defense just outlined its strategy to reap the benefits of artificial intelligence and the result is less Terminator and more Alexa. Rather than deploying a weapon that knows how to target and kill America's enemies, the Pentagon's AI strategy wants to focus on more mundane things here at home rather than blowing up exotic locations abroad. The autonomous weapons that the Pentagon would very much like to develop one day aren't going... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 21

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 13 hours ago
1922 UK Sec of War Evans told Foreign Office it should back King Faisal because that would allow UK to exit Iraq and escape expenses of running country 1984 Iranian Op Al Fajr 6 began Aimed at taking Ali al-Gharbi 15 miles into Iraq 1984 Iraq warned that it could use chemical weapons against next Iranian offensive 1986 Iraq counterattack to retake Fao began on 3 fronts Iraq used poison gas but bad weather dissipated effects (Musings On Iraq article on the origins of Iraq’s WMD programs) (Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq i... more »

Afghan Army Is Getting Ready For A Spring Offensive (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*WNU Editor*: I am sure the Taliban will be ready for them. This is also telling me that 2019 is shaping up to be the bloodiest year of the war since the U.S. invasion in 2001.

Half cruise liner, half cargo ship

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 13 hours ago
While on the subject of shipping news (see my first post this morning), I came across a travel blog report on a unique ship: the *Aranui 5*, a vessel that's half luxury cruise liner and half cargo carrier. She plies the waters of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. She's almost literally the lifeline for much inter-island trade: in many cases, if she doesn't carry it, it doesn't get there. A travel blogger, Barbara Weibel, took a trip aboard Aranui 5 last year. Instead of just focusing on the touristy stuff, she also studied the ship's cargo operations, and found out more... more »

Leave Venezuela alone - join local protests on February 23

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 13 hours ago
At a days-long anti-intervention protest in Caracas, The Grayzone’s Aaron Maté speaks to a Venezuelan teacher about the impact of US sanctions and fears that the Trump administration wants to stoke a civil war. Leave Venezuela alone - let the people figure it out - that is what democracy is supposed to be about. Regime change is imperialism - coup d'etat - fascism - authoritarianism - colonialism - call it what you wish. Anyway you cut it what the US is doing in Venezuela today is illegal under international law. Local protests are being organized all over the world on February 2... more »

How the Russiagate Hoax Has Led to the ‘Sovietization of America’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*Dr Stephen F Cohen* | In the era of Russiagate, American mainstream media, think tanks, Silicon Valley and government agencies - are all practicing censorship by systematically erasing any challenge their orthodox narrative.

Bernie ‘Looked the Other Way’ on Wasserman Schultz, Florida Election Rigging

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*21WIRE + Jimmy Dore* | Why did Bernie abandon Tim Canova and 'Election Integrity' in Florida?

The Real Problem with the West’s ‘ISIS Brides’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*Kevork Almassian* | Here's what every European and North American should know about their 'ISIS Brides'.

US Envoy Warns Lebanon of Hezbollah’s ‘Growing Role’ in Government

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*21WIRE + Antiwar.com* | 'Tone deaf' and consistent with larger hegemonic strategy in the region.

Darla Shine…

Kent Heckenlively at BolenReport - 13 hours ago
Welcome to the Super-Villains! Pick Out A Cape… By Kent Heckenlively, JD I’ve been so amused over the past few days to read the craziness surrounding Darla Shine and the questions she’s raised about vaccines. Darla Shine, a power in her own right, is the wife of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications for … Continue reading Darla Shine… The post Darla Shine… appeared first on BolenReport.

F-15 Makes Emergency Landing In Portland (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*Warzone/The Drive*: *Watch This Oregon Air Guard F-15C Catch The Arresting Cable During Emergency Landing At PDX* Eagles have tail-hooks too, as do all USAF fighters, and those on F-15s seem to be getting used too often as of late. One of the Portland based F-15Cs belonging to the 142nd Fighter Wing had some landing gear trouble after a morning training mission today. As a precaution, the 41-year-old jet (78-0473) made an emergency barrier engagement landing on Portland International Airport's runway 28L. As is custom in the fighter community, the wingman flew alongside the str... more »

Where Congress Stands on Yemen

eallan at Lawfare - 13 hours ago
Saudi bombardments on Sana'a, Yemen. (Source: Wikimedia/Fahd Sadi) On Feb. 13, the House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 37, a joint resolution that purports to direct the executive branch to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen. This is the first major legislative action that either chamber has taken on the Yemen conflict in this Congress, and it may signal a renewal of the heated debate on the subject that took place in both the House and the Senate at the end of last year. The Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen has come u... more »

Advocates Say US Still Separates Migrant Families Needlessly

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 13 hours ago
U.S. Customs and Border Protection argued the Homeland Security Act "does not make concessions for anyone other than a parent or legal guardian."

Police: ‘Empire’ Actor Turns Self in to Face Charge

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 13 hours ago
Jussie Smollett was arrested and expected to appear in court later in the day. Police haven't described a motive.

The Panopticon Perplex

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 13 hours ago
Tolkin's Dark Lord Sauron used a magic all-seeing orb to oversee and intervene in the affairs of Middle Earth - Now we have our own counterpart The Panopticon Perplex - Big Other, 5G and the Telecom 'Coup from Above' Waking up Watched and Behaviorally Modified in Surveillance Society By James Heddle - EON On PlanetarianPerspectives.net On EON3emfBlog.net What You Can Do to Fight the Telecom Coup Preventing Fukushimas in California Tests for Safety Demanded During Re-Fueling Shutdown On NoNukesCA.net SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - On February 22-23, 2019 the Diablo Canyon Decomm... more »

What If They Started a War and No One Showed Up?

Philip Giraldi at 13 hours ago
[image: undefined] The humiliation of United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Warsaw last week was a good thing. The ancient Greeks, exercising their demonstrated ability to synthesize defining characteristics, had a word for it: hubris. Hubris is when one develops an extreme and unreasonable feeling of confidence in a certain course of action that inevitably leads to one’s downfall when that conceit proves to be based on false principles. Pompeo was in Warsaw for a “summit” arranged by the US State Department in partnership with the Polish government to discuss with represe... more »

Vladimir Putin: 2019 State Of The Union Address To Russia’s Federal Assembly (Full Text)

The Duran at The Duran - 13 hours ago
In 2019 State of the Union Address Russian President Putin outlines massive investment programme to upgrade Russia's heath and education services and its scientific and communications infrastructure. The post Vladimir Putin: 2019 State Of The Union Address To Russia’s Federal Assembly (Full Text) appeared first on The Duran.

Watch: Syrian special forces graduation with live drills

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) recently graduated another class of special forces personnel in Damascus. According to the Syrian Ministry of Defense, hundreds of special forces personnel finished their mandatory training that was led by the Russian military advisors in Syria. In the footage below, the Syrian special forces can […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: Massive explosion rocks Afrin after bomb is detonated in front of FSA base (video)

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:30 P.M.) – A massive explosion rocked the city of Afrin this afternoon following the detonation of a car bomb near the Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) headquarters. According to reports, the car bomb targeted the FSA headquarters in the Villa Street area of Afrin city. As a result of this attack, at least […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Saudi Coalition launches new offensive to capture border region

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:20 P.M.) – The Saudi Coalition launched a new offensive along the Yemeni border, yesterday, targeting a district controlled by the Houthi forces in the Hajjah Governorate. Backed by Hajour tribesmen, the Saudi Coalition stormed the Houthi defenses inside the Mustaba District on Wednesday. According to local reports, the Saudi Coalition was able […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Senator Graham calls Trump’s Syria withdrawal ‘dumbest f***ing idea i’ve ever heard’

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
President Trump’s announcement that the US would be withdrawing its entire contingent of 2,000 troops from Syria amid the defeat of Daesh (ISIS)* has shaken pro-war officials and lawmakers across Washington, prompting to a string of resignations of senior administration members, including (now-ex) Pentagon chief Jim Mattis. Senior South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Fierce confrontation breaks out in Aleppo as Syrian Army, jihadists trade attacks

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:45 P.M.) – A fierce confrontation broke out in and around the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate on Thursday, prompting both the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and jihadist rebels to trade attacks. According to a field report from Aleppo city, the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham heavily shelled the Al-Zahra’a Association […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israeli attacks in Syria could lead to war with Iran: Zarif

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:40 P.M.) – In a new interview with the Swiss publication Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that his country was currently inside of Syria at the request of Damascus. During the interview, Zarif slammed Israel’s constant attacks on Syria because of Iran’s ongoing military presence inside the country. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Turkey denies treating Al-Jolani for head wounds

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Ankara rejects reports claiming that Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, outlawed in Russia) was currently on Turkish soil, a diplomatic source told Sputnik on Thursday. “A report published on February 19 by a number of media outlets claimed that the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israel allegedly used their F-35 jet to bomb Syria: report

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 P.M.) – During an attack last month, the Israeli Air Force allegedly used an F-35 jet to bomb several Syrian military installations, the Defense-Blog reported, citing an unnamed source. “Last month, an Israeli satellite imagery analysis company ImageSat confirmed that Chinese-made JY-27 radar of the Syrian Air Defense at Damascus airport destroyed […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iraq repatriates over 150 ISIS fighters from Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:40 P.M.) – The repatriation move by an Arab League member took place on Wednesday when Iraq took hold of over 150 Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh). According to a report from Syria’s Deir Ezzor Governorate, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) turned over the 150+ ISIS fighters to Iraq after a meeting with the former […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israeli warplanes spotted near Syrian-Lebanese border

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:00 P.M.) – Israeli warplanes were spotted near the Syrian-Lebanese border on Thursday morning, prompting the Syrian military to monitor the situation closely. According to a report from Damascus, Israeli warplanes were monitored flying over southern Lebanon, the Mediterranean coast, and the Syrian-Lebanese border this morning. The Israeli warplanes did not cross into […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

WHITNEY WHITT

cmaadmin at Diverse - 13 hours ago
*WHITNEY WHITT* has been appointed inaugural dean of the College of Health at Lehigh University. Whitt earned a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College, a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard University School of Medicine.

TITILAYO UFOMATA

cmaadmin at Diverse - 13 hours ago
*TITILAYO UFOMATA* has been appointed provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Saint Mary’s College. She recently served as special adviser to the president and board of trustees at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Ufomata earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Ibadan and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from University College London.

KAREN CHANCE MERCURIUS

cmaadmin at Diverse - 13 hours ago
*KAREN CHANCE MERCURIUS* has been named associate vice president for alumni and constituent relations at the University of Rochester. Currently, she serves as the director of alumni relations at Harvard Law School. Chance Mercurius received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s and a Ph.D. from Fielding Graduate University.

Cold not caused by global warming

CFACT Ed at CFACT - 13 hours ago
The real cause of the severe cold outbreaks in the United States is a wavy Jet Stream. The post Cold not caused by global warming appeared first on CFACT.

Smollett Got Smacked… Arrested For His Show

E.M.Smith at Musings from the Chiefio - 13 hours ago
The Class Clown Smollett gets a nice Felony rap for lying and being a prat in public. Continue reading →

Russia's Hypersonic Missiles May Reach U.S. Command Centers In 5 Minutes

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
© Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS *TASS: **Russia's hypersonic missiles may reach US command centers in 5 minutes, says expert* Hypersonic system like Tsircon practically breaks through any missile defense, a Russian admiral said MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russian military ships and submarines equipped with Tsircon hypersonic missiles will be capable of destroying command centers on the United States territory in five minutes, Retired Counter Admiral Vsevolov Khmyrov told reporters on Thursday. Khmyrov said that after withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear F... more »

Thursday Morning Links

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 14 hours ago
This and that for your Thursday reading. - Shawn Gude comments on the choice Democratic primary voters will have between candidates seeking to regulate the economic system as it stands, and those pushing to fundamentally changing it. Ian Welsh points out the importance of supporting candidates such as Bernie Sanders with a genuine commitment to the more progressive policies on offer from many corners. - John Horgan discusses the backlash against the extreme concentration of wealth amidst increased precarity in the U.S., while Ben Casselman and Jim Tankersley report on new polling a... more »

Meet Lockheed Martin's 'New' F-21 Fighter

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*David Axe, National Interest:* *Meet the 'New' F-21 Fighter: An F-16 On Steroids (With F-22 and F-35 DNA)?* *Is this the fighter India needs? * Lockheed Martin in mid-February 2019 offered to sell India a new fighter the company calls the "F-21." Only it doesn't look like a new fighter at all. The F-21 looks like an F-16. In fact, the F-21 is an F-16 that Lockheed has upgraded with new cockpit displays, conformal fuel tanks, a larger airframe spine that can accommodate additional electronics, fittings for towed radar decoys, a new infrared sensor and a refueling probe that's com... more »

New column day

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 14 hours ago
Here, on how the choice of Scott Moe and other right-wing leaders to ally themselves with white supremacists and nativists (as seen most recently through yellow vest and United We Roll events) is as politically flawed as it is morally objectionable. For further reading... - Adam Hunter reported on Moe's initial willingness to have his cabinet members connected to yellow vest events. And Stephanie Taylor reported on his involvement in later events linked to the convoy which arrived in Ottawa this week. - Samantha Beattie has examined the ensuing convoy in general, while Evan Balgord... more »

Opinion: Brazil’s Supreme Court Enters the Political Thicket

Michael Royster at The Rio Times - 14 hours ago
Opinion by Michael Royster RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Today, February 21st, Brazil’s Supreme Court (STF) will continue discussing and (possibly) voting on an extremely political question: Should “homophobia” and “transphobia” become crimes deemed equivalent to racism under Brazil’s Penal Code? A week ago, Justice Celso de Mello, began reading his seventy-page opinion and finally […] The post Opinion: Brazil’s Supreme Court Enters the Political Thicket appeared first on The Rio Times.

German President Congratulates Iran For Its Revolution, Even Though It Is A Government That Has Vowed To Destroy Israel And The U.S.

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier poses after the recording of the traditional Christmas message at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. (photo credit: REUTERS) *Jerusalem Post:* *German president lauds Iran on revolution that seeks Israel's destruction* The congratulatory note to a regime that seeks the destruction of the Jewish state and the United States of America has raised eyebrows and unleashed criticism on social media. The president of Germany Frank Walter-Steinmeier sent a congratulatory telegram to Iran's mullah regime in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Islamic rev... more »

Plum jobs for 'Liberal mates' given entirely 'on merit', says Porter

Jade Macmillan at Just In - 14 hours ago
Attorney-General Christian Porter defends criticism of what Labor describes as an "extraordinary" number of Coalition figures sitting among 34 new appointments to Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Empire actor Jussie Smollett paid brothers to beat him in staged hate crime, police say

Just In - 14 hours ago
Police say the actor turned himself in after being accused of lying about being attacked and beaten by two masked men shouting racist and homophobic slurs.

Bangladesh fire kills more than 80, injures 50 in capital Dhaka

Just In - 14 hours ago
Firefighters battling a blaze in a historic district of Bangladesh's capital are forced to draw water from a nearby mosque in a 10-hour effort to bring the devastating fire under control.

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) drink tea in the village of Baghouz, Deir Al Zor province, Syria February 18. REUTERS/Rodi Said *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Battle for Islamic State's last enclave* (Reuters).

100 Percent Renewable Cities – Is Your Mayor Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

tzofiya at The Great Climate Debate - 14 hours ago
The Western Journal By Steve Goreham February 19, 2019 Mayors in more than 100 U.S. cities have announced plans to transition their electrical power systems to 100 percent renewable by 2050. They propose replacement of traditional coal, natural gas, and nuclear-generating stations with wind, solar and wood-fired stations. But none of these mayors have a …

Tweets For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Venezuela's Guaido to lead convoy to Colombia border to receive aid https://t.co/Et4A0EYZ5k pic.twitter.com/rm5cOMK2bY — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 21, 2019 The Venezuelan military has beefed up border security and barricaded a major crossing to prevent humanitarian aid from entering the country from Cucuta, Colombia, where tons of supplies are stockpiled@AFPgraphics pic.twitter.com/IAdV4pS2wI — AFP news agency (@AFP) February 21, 2019 Senior Iraqi intelligence sources tell CNN they may be close to capturing elusive ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. @arwaCNN reports on ... more »

You're Dead: The F-35 Is Crushing Enemy Fighter Jets in Air War Simulations

Kris Osborn at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * “The F-35 ‘redefines’ how you go to war with a platform." As enemy fighters closed in on a US Air Force 4th Generation fighter aircraft, blinding the jet with electronic warfare attacks, an experienced pilot faced unseen life-threatening attackers closing in -- during an air-combat Red Flag exercise closely replicating actual warfare scenarios. Yet, in a life-saving flash, the endangered 4th pilot was told to “turn around” by an F-35 operating in the vicinity who radioed an instant warning. The 5th-Gen, multi-role stealth fighter then used its long-ran... more »

Offensive Mine Warfare: How the U.S. Navy Plans to Sink Enemy Warships and Submarines

Kris Osborn at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * The US Navy is making an aggressive push toward "offensive" mine warfare designed to attack and destroy enemy ships and submarines with undersea explosives - all while preparing a complex suite of interwoven mine countermeasure technologies. *Here is the latest...* The US Navy is making an aggressive push toward "offensive" mine warfare designed to attack and destroy enemy ships and submarines with undersea explosives - all while preparing a complex suite of interwoven mine countermeasure technologies. “We will produce a mine warfare plan to include o... more »

Star Citizen - sandbox gaming vs scripted gaming

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 14 hours ago
CIG asleep at the wheel... ..why the hell are the makers of *Star Citizen *not spotting this? They've got telemetry, server-time, play-styles and preferred content of EVERYONE WHO'S IN THE *'VERSE *right now. And why are they not seeing that *Sandbox *Gameplay run by the Players for the Players is the only thing the majority of them are interested in? 50-man battles. Pirate-bounty missions. Drug couriering. And I think it'd be the same even if Careers, Ships and associated Game Mechanics were in. Player'd still be bored with all this 'introducing another fucking Mission Giver' on a... more »

The Federal Government and The Gun Culture

A Political Junkie at Viable Opposition - 14 hours ago
A recently released study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office examined purchases and inventory controls of firearms, ammunition and other tactical equipment in the federal government. The GAO looked at 20 federal law enforcement agencies, their expenditures on firearms, ammunition and tactical equipment over the fiscal years from 2010 to 2017. In 2012, the Bureau of Justice reported that the federal government employed approximately 120,000 federal law enforcement officers (FLEO) in non-military agencies. These officers have the authority to make arrests and carry firearm... more »

Failing By Their Own Standards

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
When Doug Ford's government came to power, Martin Regg Cohn writes, it laid down three markers: Law and order. Open for business. No profiting from power. But, less than a year into their mandate, they have failed, when judged by their own metrics: Spoiled by power: In opposition, the Tories railed against the government “lining the pockets of their friends and Liberal insiders.” This week, Ford rewarded a failed PC candidate with a new $140,000 annual perk — dramatically upgrading the part-time chair’s job at EQAO which currently pays a mere $4,000 (a job held until last year no... more »

Much to fear from post-Brexit trade deals with ISDS mechanisms

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 Investor-state dispute settlement is a threat to human rights, health and the environment, say representatives of trade unions, charities and faith groups.

Le Cameroun et l'Union européenne en désaccord sur la mise en œuvre de l'Accord de partenariat économique

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
21-Feb-2019 L'Union européenne a introduit des questions nouvelles sur règles d'origine qui ne figurent pas dans les protocoles similaires avec les pays ACP et qui présentent, pour les Camerounais, des risques importants sur le détournement des préférences tarifaires.

South Korean Government's assets about to be seized

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
20-Feb-2019 Iran's Dayyani group started a procedure to seize the South Korean government's assets in the Netherlands after winning its investor-state dispute against it. This is the first time that such a procedure has been initiated against the South Korean government.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping Demonstrate Why the British Fear Them, and Why Trump Is Right to Be Friends With Both

adam at LaRouchePAC Feed - 14 hours ago
[image: President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, delivers his address to the Federal Assembly. February 20, 2019. Moscow (Photo: TASS)] The urgency of convening LaRouche's "Four Powers" — Russia, China, India and the U.S. — to implement a New Bretton Woods reform of the bankrupt western financial system, and finally put an end to the geopolitics of the British Empire, was demonstrated today by major speeches by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The speech by Putin — his annual state of the union to the Federal Assembly — and by Xi — a speech to the scientists and engineers w... more »

The US adoption system discriminates against darker-skinned children

Ronald Hall, Professor of Social Work, Michigan State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 15 hours ago
In the US, black children wait longer to be adopted and cost less to adopt than white children.

Guyana hopes oil will bring wealth – not corruption and crisis

Jennapher Lunde Seefeldt, Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics and International Studies, Centre College at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 15 hours ago
With ExxonMobil set to begin oil production in Guyana next year, this tiny South American country will soon become unthinkably rich. But neighboring Venezuela shows how an oil boom can go bust.

The resurrection of a container ship

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 15 hours ago
Early in March last year, the giant container ship Maersk Honam caught fire in the Arabian Sea. Five crew members were killed, and the rest of the crew abandoned ship. (For larger versions of the photographs, follow the links provided.) The vessel was later towed to the port of Jebel Ali, where her cargo was offloaded and the ship inspected. Her bow section had been damaged beyond repair: but the rest of the ship was still in good condition, and is almost new (delivered in 2017). Rather than lose their investment in her, Maersk decided to cut off the ship's bow altogether, ... more »

REPUBLICANS WILL TRY TO MAKE 2020 ABOUT SMOLLETT AND SANDMANN, OR SOMETHING EQUALLY TRIVIAL

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 15 hours ago
Dave Weigel on Twitter this morning: And the argument that a *presidential election* can be turned into a referendum on something other than the president, well, you know, good luck with that. — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) February 21, 2019 My response: Previous presidential elections have been referendums on Massachusetts furlough law, the proper criteria for awarding Purple Hearts, and the wearing of earth tones. — Steve M. (@nomoremister) February 21, 2019 I could have added "email server management." If it were the summer of 2020, Republicans might find a way to make the pre... more »

CA’s use of National Guard to target illegal marijuana grows fuels questions, concerns over potential MJ industry fallout

John Schroyer at Marijuana Business Daily - 15 hours ago
Legal marijuana companies are cautiously welcoming California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that 150 National Guard troops will deploy to Northern California to “go after illegal cannabis farms,” but the news also is kindling fears in some industry circles of a renewed, government-led drug war. Many legal marijuana companies have long argued that illicit operators pose a major […] CA’s use of National Guard to target illegal marijuana grows fuels questions, concerns over potential MJ industry fallout is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness new... more »

Want to expand your cannabis firm’s reach? Try age-specific advertising, marketing

Kevin Huhn at Marijuana Business Daily - 15 hours ago
Millennials might be a marijuana business' bread and butter, but more and more adults who are middle-aged or older are starting to turn to cannabis for medical or adult use - and that underscores the need for companies in all aspects of the MJ space to come up with generation-specific tactics for marketing, advertising and outreach. Want to expand your cannabis firm’s reach? Try age-specific advertising, marketing is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

My Tyee piece: Budget’s inequality measures a start, but more progress depends on us

paul at Paying attention - 15 hours ago
Governments don’t talk about inequality much these days. The B.C. government’s Throne Speech didn’t even include the word. And while the provincial budget took useful steps to address growing inequality, it also showed how decades of anti-tax rhetoric have limited governments’ options — at least if they hope to get re-elected. Take the BC Child Opportunity Benefit, the initiative most clearly targeted at inequality. It’s an important step. The benefit — up to $1,600 for a family’s first child, $1,000 for a second and $800 per additional child — will make a huge difference for poor ... more »

Trump’s speech in Miami plays up anti-socialism, as Bolton focuses on Venezuela regime change (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 15 hours ago
The Duran – News in Review – Episode 180. The post Trump’s speech in Miami plays up anti-socialism, as Bolton focuses on Venezuela regime change (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

First Venezuela, now Nicaragua? Bolton says Ortega’s days ‘numbered’ & people ‘will soon be free’

RT at The Duran - 15 hours ago
The Central American nation has been rocked by unrest since April last year, with protesters demanding the resignation of Sandinista party leader Ortega. The post First Venezuela, now Nicaragua? Bolton says Ortega’s days ‘numbered’ & people ‘will soon be free’ appeared first on The Duran.

Would Trump And His Cronies Really Sell Nuclear Technology To The Saudis?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
*Michael Flynn by Nancy Ohanian* The Republicans put Gym Jordan in as ranking member of the House Oversight and Reford Committee, basically to obstruct oversight and reform. He has 17 GOP members behind him, although two of his members, Justin Amassh (R-MI) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) are know to sometimes weigh things from a patriotic, rather than a partisan perspective. Not that it matters that much. Chairman Elijah Cummings is backed by 23 Democrats. And it's not just the number disparity that favors the Dems. Look who's on the committee: Ro Khanna (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (... more »

Trump drives people mad

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 16 hours ago
"For those whom Trump has driven mad, there is nothing he does that can be understood or appreciated. While we sane people glory in the sunshine of a president who works hard for Americans, who supercharges our economy, who strengthens our borders, who may have sparked peace on the Korean peninsula, who recognizes Iran as a place of terrible evil, and who generally seeks to extend true freedom at home and abroad, those in the grips of Trump Derangement Syndrome are forever mired in a dark, smelly stable, eating dirt." (Bookworm Room, one of the best conservative blogs you'll read)... more »

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*Federal Early Childhood Education, Care Don’t Benefit Kids. Here Are the Facts* Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., unveiled Tuesday a proposal to subsidize universal early education and child care through federal subsidies. According to The Huffington Post, “no family would have to spend more than 7 percent of its household income on child care, no matter the number of kids.” Providers would have to meet safety and curriculum standards, and the proposal would be financed through a “tax on wealth.” But the fact is that a new large-scale federal subsidy day care is unlikely to imp... more »

On Deirdre McCloskey’s Postmodern Economics

Anoop Verma at The Verma Report - 16 hours ago
Deirdre N. McCloskeyFor Deirdre N. McCloskey postmodernism is not a dirty word—she calls herself a postmodern, minimal-government conservative. In her *The Bourgeoisie Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce*, she notes that she is in favor of postmodernism in economics. Here’s her perspective on postmodernism (Page 198): “Postmodernism” does not mean what you may have gathered from the outrage of conservative cultural journalists. It means merely dropping the artificialities of high modernism, and in particular dropping the fact-value split in its cruder forms and the established c... more »

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*Climate Change ‘Heat Records’ Are a Huge Data Manipulation* The idea that climate change is producing heat records across the Earth is among the most egregious manipulations of data in the absurd global warming debate. Americans receive a daily barrage from the fake news media and climate “experts” reporting that each and every day, week, month or year is the hottest on record due to global warming. On Feb. 7, several major newspapers carried stories of the declaration by NASA and NOAA that the past five years have been the warmest on record. Sadly, these supposed experts use ma... more »

The thought police

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 16 hours ago
Very important show by Jimmy Dore - must listen. If you are not upset about this then you are likely not paying close enough attention. Jimmy Dore is proving to be one of the most consistent critics of corporate rule these days. Corporations are cracking down on free speech because Alternative Media is becoming so popular. It helps that Dore makes you laugh now and then while he is revealing the horrors of our time. Bruce

Why journal editors should dig deeper when authors ask for a retraction

Ivan Oransky at Retraction Watch - 16 hours ago
Imagine you’re a journal editor. A group of authors sends you a request to retract one of their papers, saying that “during figure assembly certain images were inappropriately processed.” What do you do next? Do you ask some tough questions about just what “inappropriately processed” means? Do you check your files for whether the author’s … Continue reading Why journal editors should dig deeper when authors ask for a retraction

Sanctioning Venezuela to Death

The American Conservative at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The post Sanctioning Venezuela to Death appeared first on The Duran.

Russia remains Ukraine’s key trade partner despite Kiev’s claims of cutting economic ties

RT at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The post Russia remains Ukraine’s key trade partner despite Kiev’s claims of cutting economic ties appeared first on The Duran.

Putin: Russia’s reserves fully cover international debt for the first time in history

TASS at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The post Putin: Russia’s reserves fully cover international debt for the first time in history appeared first on The Duran.

How the Russiagate investigation is Sovietizing American politics

Stephen Cohen at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The post How the Russiagate investigation is Sovietizing American politics appeared first on The Duran.

PATRIARCH KIRILL LOSES HIS SEAT — REMOVED FROM RUSSIAN STATE LINE-UP AT THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY

Editor at Dances With Bears - 16 hours ago
By John Helmer, Moscow In this week’s address to the Federal Assembly – Russia’s equivalent of the State of the Union speech to the US Congress, and the Queens’s Speech to the House of Lords – President Vladimir Putin has removed the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (Vladimir Gundyayev), from the seat […]

Informer 3838's identity can be revealed, Victorian court rules

Just In - 16 hours ago
Victoria Police loses its latest bid to suppress the identity of Informer 3838, the lawyer whose role as a police informant at the height of Melbourne's gangland war sparked a royal commission.

The Truth About Measles

Ceribalius at OYE Alternative News - 16 hours ago
Unless you have been locked away somewhere in an underground bunker awaiting imminent Armageddon you will of heard in the news the numerous outbreaks of Measles around the World. The post The Truth About Measles appeared first on OYE Alternative News.
( I have not been terribly restrained in my commentary on an unremarkable childhood disease. https://oldephartte.livejournal.com/tag/measles  )

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