10 pm MDT
On The Religious Status of the Aristotelian Unmoved Mover
I have posted a number of times on John Herman Randall, Jr.’s book *Aristotle*—but here’s one more post, which I think will be my last on this topic. I believe that Randall has written his book with two purposes in mind—first to explicate Aristotle’s philosophy, and second to destroy Thomas Aquinas’s interpretation of Aristotle (and basically the entire medieval tradition of Aristotelianism). This is especially apparent from his severe attacks on Aquinas for his view that Aristotle’s Unmoved Mover must be identified with the God of religion. Randall notes that motion is eternal—you ... more »
These Are The Wars That Killed The Most People In Human History
Dresden. World War II *National Interest*: *These Conflicts Killed the Most People in Human History* *So many millions dead.* *Key point: *History is full of very bloody conflicts. All wars are awful. Some wars are much, much more awful than others. All wars are awful. Some wars are much, much more awful than others. This is by no means a comprehensive list, nor does it comprise anything but a fraction of the overall deaths in wars in human history. Still, the five wars on this list may have collectively killed up to a quarter of a billion people. These wars were big and upset t... more »
Episode #296 – Questioning 5G + LIVE from Labour Party Conference’ with guests Iran R. Crane, Basil Valentine
*SUNDAY WIRE SHOW* | Strap yourselves in and lower the blast shield – this is your brave new world…
"Weltschmerz: a Vague State That Affects Deep Thinkers (and How to Cope)"
*"Weltschmerz: a Vague State That Affects * *Deep Thinkers (and How to Cope)"* by LearningMind "Have you ever felt a deep sadness and frustration with the world and all the ugly things that are happening in it? You may have had weltschmerz. *What Is Weltschmerz? The Definition and Origins: *Weltschmerz is a German word that literally means ‘world’ (welt) + ‘pain’ (schmerz) and defines an emotional state when someone is melancholic about all the suffering and injustice that exist in the world. We could say that it’s a deeper and more desperate version of world-weariness. German autho... more »
We get lost in the forest and learn from meeting a fake monk what qualities distinguish St Paisios and Christians
*We're back on track, dear readers!* *There's a signpost. Panagouda! **I told you, there's no need to panic.* *What do you mean, my fault?* *I have to keep looking out for the stragglers. Some of you should have noticed we **took a wrong turning.* *All's well that ends well. There it is, Saint Paisios' cell.**We're in luck! * *Anyway, wandering around a forest lost is a **metaphor for life...thought about that?* *“In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where **the straight way was lost.”* *While we're on the subject of wrong turning... more »
The Peregrine Air-To-Air Missile Is a New Weapon, but Does Anyone Want It?
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Americas* [image: https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jul/10/2002155689/-1/-1/0/190407-F-BQ566-068C.JPG] No word from the Pentagon yet. *Key point: *There are always better weapons, but that doesn’t mean the military will buy them. TUCSON, Ariz. – Raytheon has taken the wraps off its new Peregrine medium-range, air-to-air missile. New Atlas reports. Continue reading original article The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 18 Sept. 2019 -- The new missile is half the size and expense of current medium air-launched missiles but has g... more »
Why the Navy Will No Longer Use Touch Screens Controls on Their Ships
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Americas* [image: By Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom - 030126-N-1810F-002 from http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=4306, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=933379] A change for the better. *Key point:* Several horrible crashes have forced changes in how ships are driven. WASHINGTON – A fatal at-sea collision that claimed the lives of some and injured many urged the Navy to drop use of the touchscreen interface and go back to the traditional ship control. International Business Times re... more »
These Conflicts Killed the Most People in Human History
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Asia* So many millions dead. *Key point:* History is full of very bloody conflicts. All wars are awful. Some wars are much, much more awful than others. This is by no means a comprehensive list, nor does it comprise anything but a fraction of the overall deaths in wars in human history. Still, the five wars on this list may have collectively killed up to a quarter of a billion people. These wars were big and upset the status quo. The Chinese Civil War turned more than half a billion people Red. World War II destroyed a totalitarian menace. Even the Mon... more »
Battleships vs. Nuclear Weapons: In 1946, the U.S. Military Actually Did This.
*Steve Weintz* *Security, * Key Point: Less than a year after the formal end of World War II the United States tested its new superweapons in peacetime. Operation Crossroads in 1946 at Bikini Atoll tested the effects of nuclear weapons on naval fleets and harbors. *Key Point:* Less than a year after the formal end of World War II the United States tested its new superweapons in peacetime. Operation Crossroads in 1946 at Bikini Atoll tested the effects of nuclear weapons on naval fleets and harbors. While burrowing through the vast Manhattan Project archives historian Alex Welle... more »
Can't Get That F-35 You Always Wanted? This Fighter Jet Might Do It.
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* But how good is it? *Key point*: It's capable for its price. In the 2019 Paris Air Show, Pakistan its lightweight JF-17 Thunder jet fighter it began building a decade ago in conjunction with China. You can see the seven-ton fighter performing maneuvers in this video. Just a few months earlier, Pakistan dispatched what it claimed to be twenty-five JF-17s to launch a lightning strike across the Line of Control on targets in Kashmir, in retaliation for an Indian air raid on a JeM terrorist training camp. The PAF claimed its JF-17s had shot down ... more »
South Korea's Population Disaster Is Coming
*Anthony Fensom* *Security, Asia* It's a people problem. *Key point: *This is Korea's greatest challenge yet. Threats to South Korea’s survival are not only from the North. Even as Seoul seeks detente with its communist neighbor while engaging in an increasingly bitter row with Japan, the nation’s demographic decline could see its economy facing a similar structural slowdown that puts a permanent brake on growth. The challenge facing Korean policymakers was highlighted by a recent government report, which showed that its falling fertility rate could see its population start de... more »
What It's Like To Do Combat Training at West Point
*Warrior Maven* *Security, * The training prepares for fights wherein an enemy quickly reaches for a gun or knife or attempts to take a weapon from a person they are attacking. Confrontations of this kind require an integrated approach - blending physical strength, hand-to-hand attack and close-in weapons use. Weapons, firearms and lethal hand-to-hand combat are often blended together in high-risk military combat confrontations, a circumstance which many military and law enforcement entities believe now requires an emerging and distinct “close-in” fight training known as “Combati... more »
US House Flipping Returns Plunge To 8-Year Low
By Tyler Durden ATTOM Data Solutions has published its Q2 2019 U.S. Home Flipping Report, which states revenue from home flipping has plunged to an eight-year low.... more »
A Look At Where U.S. Troops And Military Assets Are Deployed In The Middle East
AFP/File photo *Axios:* *Where U.S. troops and military assets are deployed in the Middle East* The U.S. has maintained a costly presence in the Middle East for decades, with at least 60,000 troops stationed around the region, according to United States Central Command. Driving the news: The Department of Defense announced Friday it will send more American troops to Saudi Arabia following mid-September attacks on the world's largest oil processing facility at Abqaiq and a major oil field at Khurais. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Saudi officials claim Iran was responsible for... more »
Iran's President Tells The West To Leave The Persian Gulf. Head Of Revolutionary Guards Threatens To Destroy Any Aggressor
*Daily Mail:* *'Stay away!' Iran's President Rouhani issues chilling warning to the West to keep out of the Gulf and avoid an arms race as he shows off nation's military hardware after US sent reinforcements to the region in wake of of drone attacks* * President Hassan Rouhani called on foreign powers to 'stay away' from the Gulf during parade in Tehran today * Row after row of soldiers marched in tight unison and tanks, armoured vehicles, drones and missiles also seen * Rouhani said: 'Farther you keep yourselves from our region and our nations, the more security there will be' * ... more »
Is The U.S. Navy's Zumwalt 'Stealth' Destroyer A Real Threat To China And Russia?
U.S. Navy *National Interest: **The Navy's Zumwalt 'Stealth' Destroyer Is a Real Threat to China and Russia* Or is it just a piece of junk? We take a look? Key point: The Zumwalt is supposed to be the future of high-tech naval warfare. As the USS Zumwalt progresses with combat activation, weapons integration and further preparations for operational combat, the Navy continues to more broadly scope its operational envelope and envision operations previously less emphasized mission areas for the ship. Could the new destroyer actually wind up changing surface warfare? While initial... more »
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Now that Marine Ice Cliff Instability has fallen flat on its face and given the total irrelevance of Meltwater Pulse 1a, there’s nothing short of an asteroid impact on the Antarctic Ice Sheet or massive volcanic eruption from below the ice sheet that could trigger this sort of sea level rise. Besides, Jeffy… if the risks of catastrophic sea level […]
I DON'T THINK FDR IN '32 HAD THAT MUCH POLITICAL CAPITAL
In a *New York Times* op-ed on Friday, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, the authors of *How Democracies Die,* listed many of the ways that Republicans have tried to thwart democracy in America: Since 2010, a dozen Republican-led states have adopted new laws making it more difficult to register or vote. Republican state and local governments have closed polling places in predominantly African-American neighborhoods, purged voter rolls and created new obstacles to registration and voting. In Georgia, a 2017 “exact match law” allowed authorities to throw out voter registration forms... more »
Kenya Plans to Leverage on Strategic Partnerships to Advance the “silicon Savannah” and Fast-track the Attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals
Global Issues News Headlines - 11 hours ago
NEW YORK, Sep 21 (IPS) - The Government of Kenya today signed a Communique with the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at the University of California, Berkeley, along with The Rockefeller Foundation, and the United Nations to inspire future action and support for the delivery of Kenya's Big Four agenda. The agreement brings together strategic partnerships work with the Government of Kenya to build SDG focused partnerships to drive financing and innovations that help tackle complex development goals. Read the full story, “Kenya Plans to Leverage on Strategic Partnerships to ... more »
Penn State Prof: Social Credit Will Shift Law in the West “From Constitution… to Analytics and Algorithm”
By Daniel Taylor A.I. driven social scores to supplant the Constitution? Professor Larry Backer of Penn State University writes in a 2018 paper that resistance... more »
News round up 22nd September
*CRUCIAL UK SUPREME COURT RULING ON SUSPENSION OF PARLIAMENT LOOMING EARLY NEXT WEEK* *NATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF UNITY NEEDED, REMAIN IS BEST OPTION NOW AS GLOBAL RECESSION DEEPENS* *MANY VOTERS WANT TO REMAIN* *MPS WON T HAVE TIME TO SCRUTINIZE ANY DEAL BORIS JOHNSON MAY MAKE* *HIS DEAL COULD BE FULL OF FLAWS AND TRICKERY * *MPS SHOULD MAP TACTICS AND GET SUPPORT FROM TUC, CIVIL SERVICE, WARN ARMY CHIEFS TO OBEY THE LAW* * JEREMY CORBYN'S ATTEMPTED COUP OVER TOM WATSON AND PRO REMAIN MPS IN THE LABOUR PARTY SHOULD SERVE AS A WARNING THAT THE GLOBALITS WILL DO EVERYTHING TO CLOSE D... more »
Saudi Arabia News Links 22 September 2019
22 September 2019 • 15:00 — The New Dark Age There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so check back Aramco’s Operation Disrupted Worse Than Initially Presented: Report Iran warns foreign forces to stay out of Gulf, amid new US deployment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-49785413 Who Launched That Mystery Attack? … Continue reading Saudi Arabia News Links 22 September 2019
Office of Special Counsel handing out Hatch Act violation and fine
It sounds ridiculous when a Judge receives a fine even a small one; but apparently, it is a significant statement against any judges who are caught in comments made during a procedure on the bench or on any form of media, including social media, speaking in their official capacity about partisan politics. Complaints can be filed and they can be brought to “justice” for their partisan words or actions — even ones who have retired during the process of the complaint review. In 2018, President Trump signed an executive order that moved administrative law judges from the competitive ser... more »
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Franklin Foer writes that young climate activists are right to be anxious about the future that's being imposed on them - and that it's long past time for earlier generations to stop being comfortable with leaving wreckage in our wake. - Bill McKibben rightly points out that an energy system powered by solar energy would eliminate the need for conflict over fossil fuels. But Emily Pasuik reports on the Saskatchewan Party's decision to shut down SaskPower's net metering program even as - and indeed because - it was succeeding in generating p... more »
Guest Post By Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)-- Dump Trump, Ditch Mitch, Save America!
*We first met Jeff when he was still Speaker of the Oregon House, a progressive through and through and a staunch champion for working families. We've supported him in his successful election and reelection efforts for the U.S. Senate and this cycle is no different. Jeff is spending much of his energy on campaigning to win the Senate back from the Republicans and turning McConnell out at the same time Trump is turned out. Below is a guest post he penned for Blue America. Please give it a read and consider contributing to Jeff on the ActBlue 2020 Senate campaign below. * -HK *One m... more »
North American Bird Populations Plunge 30% Since 1970
Study reports 30% drop in North American bird populations since 1970 - a loss of 3 billion birds.
What is this Biden-Ukraine-Trump controversy about?
By ZeroHedge For days we've been treated to Mainstream media (MSM) insinuations that President Trump may have betrayed the United States after a whistleblower lodged an 'urgent' complaint about something Trump promised another world leader - the details of which the White House has refused to share. Then, we learned it was a phone call. Then, we learned it was several phone calls. Now, we learn it wasn't Russia or North Korea - it was Ukraine! Here's the scandal; It appears that Trump, may have made promises to newly minted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - very likely invol... more »
Gulf Tensions: Iran ‘Ready for War’ After US Troop Deployment
TRT World The United States is not yet at the point of launching military action against Iran. That’s according to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who says Saudi Arabia and the UAE have asked for American help to deal with potential threats from Iran. It will come in the form of US troops being sent …
Several Syrian Army troops killed by ISIS ambush in southern Syria
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:55 P.M.) – A roadside bomb has killed and wounded several Syrian Army personnel in southern Syria as similar incidents have increased in numbers across the southern province of Daraa. The roadside bomb exploded near a vehicle which carried scores of Syrian Army officers and soldiers somewhere on the road between al-Dara and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russian air force pounds ISIS in Syrian desert
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (3: 55 P.M.) – The Russian air force continues to launch deadly airstrikes against pockets for the Islamic State in the Syrian desert as the terror group showed increase activity lately. Last Thursday, the Syrian Arab Army, backed by the National Defense Forces (NDF), began a full-scale offensive against ISIS militants in the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Always Speak the Truth
There is a reason the Progressives hate Conservatives. The truth simply hurts. They live in a completely fabricated surreality based upon false narratives. There is a reason they silence outside voices, they force them to admit that they are wrong. It is always easier to silence the opposition than to admit that the entire ideology … Continue reading "Always Speak the Truth"
Succession Politics and the Renewed Threat of Ethnic Violence in Kenya
Photo Credit: via Standard Media *Editor’s Note: Kenya’s politics often appear peaceful, but they are punctuated by dangerous periods of intense violence, particularly during election season. For now, Kenya’s main groups are at peace, but Narrelle Gilchrist of the University of Chicago argues that Kenya’s stability may be short lived. A refusal to compromise among key groups is escalating tension that, if not defused, could lead to a return to past violence in the lead-up to the 2022 election.* *Daniel Byman* *** Recent rifts in the Jubilee Party, Kenya’s ruling political coalit... more »
Instead of Arresting the Homeless Population, City Paying Them to Pickup Trash
[image: homeless]Little Rock, Arkansas homeless residents are given the opportunity to pick up trash and clean up the city and it is working wonders.
WATCH: Cops Record Themselves Making Up Fake Charges to Kidnap Innocent Man, Steal His Car
[image: charges]Police were caught on video pulling over an innocent man, talking about false charges they would then use to kidnap him and steal his car.
U.S. Islamist Leaders Met with Senior State Dept. Official About Kashmir
U.S. Islamist Leaders Met with Senior State Dept. Official About Kashmir by John Rossomando Investigative Project on Terrorism IPT Blog An American Islamist delegation that included a supporter of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, a group that directly supports Kashmiri terrorists, met last week with a senior State Department official, the Pakistani news website Dawn.com reported. Leaders of […]
Climate striking in Portland
A group of us peaceniks attended the Student Climate Strike in Portland, Maine last Friday. Several of us arrived early and held signs and banners across the street from City Hall where the event was held. The newspaper reported that about 2,000 people turned out for the spirited event. It was quite moving to see various schools (Middle, High school and college students) march down the street to city hall - they each got a rousing applause as they approached. Several of us handed out over 350 of your Conversion of Bath Iron Works flyers as part of our statewide campaign to expan... more »
Billionaire Makes Good on Promise to Settle Debt for Morehouse Graduates
Billionaire Robert F. Smith has made good on his promise. On Friday, Morehouse College officials noted that Smith has paid off the loans that the graduating Class of 2019 accumulated at the tune of $34 million. He made the pledge during his commencement address back in May.
Is Hollywood Ready for Its Close-Up? UCLA Scholars Examine Progress in Diversity
A new UCLA study found that “current status quo approaches to addressing the entertainment industry’s diversity problem have failed to move the needle in any significant way.”
Iran Asks West to Leave Persian Gulf as Tensions Heightened
Iran’s president has called on Western powers to leave the security of the Persian Gulf to regional nations led by Tehran.
Will the real Bernie Sanders please stand up?
MK Ultra, Manchurian Candidate, Lilly Waves, The Voice Of God – Pick One – They All Exist… Which One Is Bernie?… From Germany By Karma Singh Although this has been staring me in the face for a long time, I have held myself back from writing about it as it is not only “invisible” to … Continue reading Will the real Bernie Sanders please stand up?
Hong Kong protesters took this Chinese flag, stomped all over it, vandalised it with spray paint and dumped it in a river
Just In - 13 hours ago
Protesters put a Chinese flag on the floor and take turns running over it, before spray painting it and putting it in a dumpster outside, which they then pushed into a nearby river.
U.S. Army Prepares For Large-Scale Global Combat
Gen. James McConville became the 40th Army chief of staff Aug. 9, 2019. (U.S. Army) *Newsweek:* *U.S. Army Prepares for Large-Scale Global Combat as New Chief of Staff Takes Command* The Army Chief of Staff said the army must bolster its presence around the world. It's not just a show of power, but rather a quicker response to ever-changing global events. These range from boots on the ground to crews working behind computers to counter cyber attacks—and everything in between. Gen. James McConville said he wants mass deployments of troops around the globe to be ready, rather than s... more »
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From Jenna Orkin Money Is the Oxygen on Which the Fire of Global Warming Burns France to give millions of residents iodine pills while EDF spots problems in six nuclear reactors AUSTRALIA IS RUNNING OUT OF DRINKING WATER SCIENTISTS TESTED CHILDREN AND 97 PERCENT CONTAINED TOXIC PLASTIC BYPRODUCTS Houthis Vow To Halt Attacks On Saudi Soil As Iran Warns Can Respond From "Sea To Ocean""Suspiciously Well Placed": First Images Of Crippling Damage To Giant Khurais Oil Field RevealedMIT Media Lab, already under scrutiny for Epstein connections, dumped chemicals in excess of legal limit "Waste... more »
See This Rifle? It Ranks Among the 5 Best Military Rifles to Ever Fire a Shot
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Here are five of the best weapons, and how the wars of the twenty-first century changed them. *Key Point:* Warfare in the post-9/11 period is primarily infantry-focused, with ground troops taking part in small-unit actions against insurgents and guerrillas. Fought on a wide variety of terrain, from arid desert regions to jungles and even cities, infantrymen have relied on their service rifles to get the mission done. Here are five of the best weapons, and how the wars of the twenty-first century changed them. *M4 Carbine: * Originally developed by C... more »
How Did the British Take Down German Tanks In World War II? Really Big Rifles
*Warfare History Network* *Security, * Early tanks were almost more dangerous to the crew than their enemies. *Key Point:* These rifles were effective in the early 20th century, but quickly became outclassed. When the first tanks appeared in World War I, they were relatively lightly armored and protected the crews only against small-arms fire. In addition, much of the armor was riveted. Projectiles striking the exterior of the armor could pop off rivet heads or flake armor from the internal surfaces, creating fragments that would fly around the vehicle interior, causing injuries... more »
Iran Might Need a Nuclear Weapon to Sink an Aircraft Carrier
*Loren B. Thompson* *Security, * 5 reasons killing these warships would not be easy in a war. *Key Point:* The bottom line on aircraft carrier survivability is that only a handful of countries can credibly pose a threat to America's most valuable warships, and short of using nuclear weapons none of those is likely to sink one. Large-deck, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are the signature expression of American military power. No other combat system available to U.S. warfighters comes close to delivering so much offensive punch for months at a time without requiring land bas... more »
335 Million People Dead: If America Nuked Russia and China
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* Historical fact: Overall, an all-out U.S. attack on the Soviet Union, China and satellite countries in 1962 would have killed 335 million people within the first seventy-two hours. *Key point: *Fortunately, neither side wants war. It is no exaggeration to say that for those who grew up during the Cold War, all-out nuclear war was “the ultimate nightmare.” The prospect of an ordinary day interrupted by air-raid sirens, klaxons and the searing heat of a thermonuclear explosion was a very real, albeit remote, possibility. Television shows such as ... more »
Number One Priority: The Pentagon Is Doubling-Down on Hypersonic Missiles
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Americas* [image: https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jan/29/2002084164/-1/-1/0/180920-A-ZZ999-003C.JPG] An important weapon of the future. *Key point: *Russia and China are charging ahead with hypersonics and America cannot afford to fall behind. WASHINGTON – Hypersonic weapons, which fly five-times faster than the speed of sound, are at the top of the Army's weapons procurement agenda, Ryan McCarthy said during his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday to be the next Army secretary. Investor's Business Daily reports. Continue reading ... more »
The U.S. Air Force's XF-103: Amazing Killer or Supersonic Waste?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Left on the drawing board for good reason. *Key point: *While excessively fast, it wasn't suited for the 1950s security environment. Before the advent of ICBMs in the 1950s, the horsemen of the nuclear apocalypse would have trampled Washington and Moscow in the form of high-altitude bombers. Existing U.S. fighters such as the F-86 Sabre were seen as too slow to meet this threat. So in 1949, the U.S. Air Force put out a request for a high-altitude supersonic interceptor that could intercept and destroy high-flying Soviet nuclear bombers before they dr... more »
Sunday Sermonette
*Stripes and other Camo* A polka-dot zebra foal was photographed Sept. 19 at the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya. The zebra, named “Tira,” has a rare genetic mutation called pseudomelanism, which results in a variation in an animal’s stripes. I received some criticism for not posting more photos of kittens, puppies and bunnies. And since today is the Sunday Sermonette, I am bowing to pressure. *Selling Arms* There are two ways to look at it aren't there? And while some of this blogs readers part ways with me on the subject of abortion and on the selling of human body parts for f... more »
Yawn
Watch out world: signed copies ✍ of PERIOD. are now available! @Emmabarnett #HTLGI pic.twitter.com/FDOXYsHji0 — Wellcome Shop (@ShopWellcome) September 21, 2019 Via Pugnazious and his very fine comment at B-BBC, go (if you have the time) to just before 45 minutes into Emma Barnett's eponymous Radio 5 Live programme last Tuesday and take a listen. You'll hear her reading out various texts and emails from listeners on Brexit-related matters. She doesn't editorialise, just reads them out...until she comes to a text she didn't like: "I was a Remainer, mainly out of fear", reads this... more »
President Trump Joins Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at “Howdy Modi” Event in Texas – 12:00pm ET Livestream…
Today President Trump will be traveling to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, to join Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a celebratory event. India is a key geopolitical ally in President Trump’s Indo-Pacific strategy. [Economics, Trade and Security] President Trump … Continue reading →
Brazil Acts as Special Guest at Global Summit for the Return of Conservatism
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Held at the beginning of the month in Budapest, the Demography Summit gathered leaders from different conservatively governed countries, religions, and organizations. The backdrop was the alarm about the risk of certain Western populations shrinking and the realization that they are not willing to "replace" their white and Christian profile […] The post Brazil Acts as Special Guest at Global Summit for the Return of Conservatism appeared first on The Rio Times.
Fighting In The Sahel Region Of Africa Is Displacing Tens Of Thousands
*Eurasia Review: **Violence, Displacement On Rise In Sahel Region Of Africa * Catholic Relief Services is warning of increasing violence and displacement in the Sahel— the vast area of western and north-central Africa stretching from Senegal to Sudan. In 2018, more than 320,000 people in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger were forced to leave their homes, CRS reports. Burkina Faso, in particular, saw a four-fold increase in displaced persons since the start of this year. “The increase of violent attacks has been devastating to so many families,” Jennifer Overton, CRS’ regional director... more »
Climate Propaganda Collaboration
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? h/t Dennis Ambler ? Just another climate scare from Nature! ? Bruno Rodriguez is only 18, but he has seen enough in his time on Earth to know that he must to do something for the planet. Inspired by the student…
Tuned Out
Canadians are turning out this election. Bob Hepburn writes in *The Toronto Star*: I’ve overheard a woman talking to her 20-something daughter about the election and the daughter responding: “There’s an election?”; I’ve listened as my dentist told me he just wants “it over;” I’ve heard a colleague speak about how no one at an eight-person dinner party on the weekend talked at all about the election. It’s just not me who is seeing this trend. Viewership for TV political programs and news stories is reportedly down from levels in the 2015 election. At the same time, election storie... more »
John McDonnell's War On The Media
You may have missed this, but here's something startling from the Huffington Post: Labour will not “take shit” from the media during the snap general election campaign, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has warned. At the event called ‘The Media War On Labour - And How To Defeat It’, which was organised by Morning Star and funded by Unite the union, senior party figures accused a “right wing press” of ruining Labour’s chances of victory at the polls and of being biased. McDonnell claimed to have seen newspaper articles tell “lie after lie after lie” and pointed to independent ... more »
Are Chechen Death Squads Roaming Europe Killing Former Separatist Commanders?
*Photo:* Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen separatist commander, shot dead in Berlin in August. *The Guardian:* *‘We can find you anywhere’: the Chechen death squads stalking Europe * Ramzan Kadyrov rules the Caucasus republic through fear and oppression, amid reports of torture. But those seeking asylum in Europe are not safe, as assassins hunt them down. Zelimkhan Khangoshvili spent a long time living on the edge. He survived several years of partisan warfare against Russian forces in Chechnya during the early 2000s. He survived an assassination attempt in Georgia’s capi... more »
Nicaraguan Security Forces Use Stun Grenades And Tear Gas To Stamp Out Protests
*DW:* *Nicaragua police quash opposition protest* Protesters took to the streets in Nicaragua's capital, but were met with repression. Protests have been banned by authorities since last year, when an anti-government movement swept the nation. Anti-government protests in Nicaragua were thwarted by police on Saturday, as demonstrators faced a barrage of tear gas and stun grenades. Protesters had taken to the streets to condemn the death of teenager Matt Romero during a march last year. They also demanded fresh elections to replace President Daniel Ortega. Opposition leader Felix M... more »
Greek Police Arrest One Of The Terrorists In The 1985 Hijacking Of TWA Flight 847
*Daily Mail*: *Greek police arrest man accused of brutal killing of US Navy diver whose body was dumped on Beirut airport tarmac during 17-day hijacking of TWA flight 847 in 1985* * TWA Flight 847 was hijacked in Athens on June 14, 1985 by Hezbollah who demanded the release of 700 Shi'ite Muslims from Israeli custody * The jet was held for 17 days and forced to fly across the Mediterranean between Beirut and Algiers * Some passengers were threatened and some beaten * US Navy diver Robert Stethem was shot by the terrorists in Beirut and his body was thrown onto the apron * The sus... more »
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*UNC Board Steps Up to Defend Civil Discourse on Campus* An important new front in the culture war has opened up at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one with major implications about intellectual diversity and how universities in North Carolina are to be governed. The controversy concerns plans for a new “Program on Civic Virtue and Civil Discourse,” scheduled to begin in the Fall of 2021. The idea initiated with the UNC system’s Board of Governors and was further developed in discussions with Princeton University professor Robert George, who heads the James Madis... more »
Iran's Military: Everything President Trump Needs to Know
*TNI Staff* *Security, * Can Tehran fight? Here is our complete guide on the subject. *Key Point:* Iran’s military might not be as tough as America’s...but it can kill. Are Iran and America headed for war? It could happen, but at least for now, President Trump has chosen a course of restraint, choosing more sanctions as his preferred course of actions in response to a likely missile and drone strike by Tehran against Saudi Arabian oil facilities. But if war does come how good is Iran military? Here is all we know: *1. Army* (click here for our guide): In 2013, the Center for St... more »
Why Russia's Air Force Is So Dangerous
*Evan Gottesman* *Security, Europe* Cheaper than Western aircraft and almost just as good. *Key point: *As Russia's military modernizes, the purchasers of its weapons should see military gains. When it comes to air power, it’s no secret that the United States and the West have often held an edge over Russia. This dates at least as far back to World War II, when the United States and Britain were allied with Russia. While Russia supplied much of the manpower that ultimately defeated Nazi Germany, it was the United States and UK that took the lead in the strategic bombing campaign... more »
This Russian Missile Submarine Split In Two and Sits 18,000 Feet Below the Waves
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* How leaders deal with tragedy can be very telling. *Key point: *The Soviet Union was more worried about international appearances than the lives of its citizens. If you're a sailor on a Russian submarine that sinks in the middle of the ocean, don't expect much sympathy from the Kremlin. Judging by the reaction of Soviet leaders to the accidental sinking of a Soviet nuclear missile sub 30 years ago, you'll be lucky if you're not shot by a firing squad. Just how hard-nosed the Kremlin can be is shown in the transcript of a Politburo meeting on th... more »
Patriot Missile Defense: America's Answer to Ballistic Missiles, Drones, and Aerial Threats
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, World* Can it handle 21st-century threats? *Key point:* It will continue to serve for at least another decade. For nearly forty years, one air-defense system has protected the airspace above U.S. forces. Continuously upgraded since introduction, today the Patriot missile system protects against the full spectrum of flying threats, from ballistic missiles to consumer-grade quadcopter drones. The design of Patriot goes back as far as 1965, when then secretary of defense Robert McNamara authorized development of a new air-defense missile, SAM-D. SAM-D was... more »
Donald Trump Must Know What Really Makes America a Superpower
*James Holmes* *Security, Asia* Not stealth fighters but allies. And in Asia, that will matter. *Key point: *America's alliances are important. Marauding Polish troops were culpable for fourteen military incidents along the Polish-German frontier eighty years ago. The reluctant German government felt compelled to order the army to respond—and World War II was on. Or at least that’s what Adolf Hitler would have you believe. That day the Nazi dictator informed the Reichstag, or parliament, that he had “resolved to speak to Poland in the same language” that Poland had used armed f... more »
Why Israel's Tavor Rifle is a Military Wonder Weapon (Better Than M-16 or M-4?)
*Michael Peck* *Security, * *Key point: *This replacement for the M-16 and M-4 has been hugely popular. Israel builds its own high-tech military equipment, such as tanks, missiles and drones. Not bad for a nation of just 8.5 million people living in a state the size of New Jersey. But Israel has also proven adept at designing rifles. Perhaps its most famous firearm is the legendary Uzi submachine gun, an almost iconic 1950s design made famous by the photo of a U.S. Secret Service agent waving an Uzi during the attempted 1981 assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Originally c... more »
Partisan Divide Creates Different Americas, Separate Lives
*Robert B. Talisse* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Even in the physical world, it’s hard to cross partisan lines. When people try to explain why the United States is so politically polarized now, they frequently refer to the concept of “echo chambers.” That’s the idea that people on social media interact only with like-minded people, reinforcing each other’s beliefs. When people don’t encounter competing ideas, the argument goes, they become less willing to cooperate with political opponents. The problem goes beyond the online world. In my new book, “Overdoing Democracy:... more »
Fact: Hitler Committed Military Suicide By Invading Russia
*Michael Peck* *History, * Hitler's poor decision saved Europe. *Key point: *Germany's invasion of Russia was Hitler's greatest strategic blunder. One of the most momentous decisions in history was Adolf Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Operation Barbarossa transformed Nazi Germany's war from a one-front struggle, against a weakened Britain and a still-neutral United States, into a two-front conflict. The Eastern Front absorbed as much as three-quarters of the German army and inflicted two-thirds of German casualties. So what would have happened if Hitle... more »
How This U.S. Navy Attack Submarine's 'Eternal Patrol' Really Happened
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * And how it became a legend. *Key point: *This tragedy lead to the creation of safer submarines. What sank *Thresher*? The best available theory is the extensive use of silver brazing on piping throughout the ship. An estimated three thousand silver-brazed joints were present on the ship, and the theory goes that up to four hundred of them had been improperly made. Experts believe that a pipe carrying seawater experienced joint failure in the aft engine spaces, shorting out one of the main electrical bus boards and causing a loss of power. In the Uni... more »
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*A climate of burning money* BJORN LOMBORG World leaders will soon arrive in New York for a climate summit likely to do little more than add to the hysteria drowning out any sober talk on climate policy. Amid warnings that we have days left to act, politicians will jostle to share the spotlight with celebrity activists such as 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who came from Europe by wind-powered boat. Hurricane Dorian looms large over proceedings as a harbinger of doom. After 30 years of failed climate policy, more of the same is not the answer. Since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Sum... more »
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