Sunday, October 27, 2019

27 October - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

10 pm MDT

“Haiti is living a moment of almost complete insurrection”

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 6 hours ago
Chavannes Jean Baptiste talks about the factors behind the current people’s rebellion in Haiti and the different proposals on the way forward

Controlling the Narrative on Syria: Turkish Aggression, Kurdish Independence, and Honouring the White Helmets

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 6 hours ago
After nearly eight and a half years of conflict, the Syrian government and the country’s armed forces finally seems to be consolidating a victory over the Islamic State and other opposition forces that had formerly dominated the bulk of the land area of the West Asian country.

"How Dreadful..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
"How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth..." - Sophocles

Chile's President Sacks His Entire Cabinet After Yesterday's One Million March In Santiago

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
*The Independent: **Chile protests: President to sack entire cabinet after more than one million people take to streets* Leader promises response to demonstrators' demands for better pay and services after week of unrest Chile's president Sebastian Pinera has asked all his cabinet members to resign and promised reforms as he attempts to restore control after a wave of mass protests. The conservative leader has struggled to manage widespread unrest that has gripped his country this week amid anger over inequality. At least 20 people have been killed since rioting broke out in re... more »

CIA Got Tip on Al Baghdadi's Whereabouts from the SDF/PKK. Redeeming the Kurdish Terrorists

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 6 hours ago
*Quick follow up on today's earlier report* - Donald Trump’s Big Announcement- Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi Killed , Finally /Deja Vu Obama & Osama * I've noticed this push to redeem the Kurds in the mass of perception managed minds in all the reporting on this assassination. These terrorists don't deserve redemption. * *NYT's * *"WASHINGTON — The surprising information about the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s general location — in a village deep inside a part of northwestern Syria controlled by rival Qaeda groups — came following the arrest and interrogation of one of ... more »

"Economic Market Snapshot 10/27/19"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
• Gregory Mannarino, "Special Report: Markets, A Look Ahead”" - https://www.traderschoice.net/ • MarketWatch Market Summary, Live Updates - https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary CNN Market Data: - http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/ CNN Fear And Greed Index: - http://money.cnn.com/data/fear-and-greed/ • Visit ZeroHedge for the very latest factual news and information: - https://www.zerohedge.com/

Global Protests Round-Up: Authoritarian Adaption, Data Gathering, and the Role of Class

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 6 hours ago
A review of the literature on global protests (as in Chile, France, Hong Kong, Iraq, Lebanon, and Spain/Catalonia).

Two rounds of snow headed for the Plains and Upper Midwest

Robert at Ice Age Now - 6 hours ago
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories covering parts of Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. The first storm entered the northern Rockies yesterday and will move into parts of Wyoming, Colorado and western Nebraska into Sunday night. Snowfall totals of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) are likely ... Read moreTwo rounds of snow headed for the Plains and Upper Midwest The post Two rounds of snow headed for the Plains and Upper Midwest appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Sunday Talks: Vice-President Mike Pence Discusses Military Mission to Eliminate al-Baghdadi…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
Vice-President and military father, Mike Pence, appears on Fox News Sunday to discuss his reaction to the elimination of ISIS terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Transcript of President Trump Remarks Announcing The Death of ISIS Terrorist al-Baghdadi…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
THE PRESIDENT: Last night, the United States brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. He was the founder and leader of ISIS, the most ruthless and violent terror organization anywhere in the world. … Continue reading →

I covered Ivan Milat — this is why we should stop talking about him

Philippa McDonald at Just In - 6 hours ago
In the decades since I covered Ivan Milat's crimes and trial, his story has become bigger than even my wildest imagination. But now he should be forgotten, writes Philippa McDonald.

Ditching diesel: Sydney to replace buses with 'electrified' fleet

Ashleigh Raper at Just In - 6 hours ago
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance wants to follow London's lead and take "drastic action" by ditching diesel and renewing Sydney's 8,000 bus fleet.

Daisy the school dog is improving mental health in the classroom

Allison Jess at Just In - 6 hours ago
Daisy the school dog is the latest staff member at Melrose Primary School, helping students with her calming influence and improving attendance rates.

Ingenious solution saves birds from flying into glass windows

Jessica Hinchliffe at Just In - 6 hours ago
Dozens of rainbow lorikeets have been colliding with large glass windows at a Queensland university — some dying on impact — but a unique style of curtain has come to the rescue.

Cowards, dogs and losers: Trump's announcement of IS leader's death is one to remember

James Glenday at Just In - 6 hours ago
Even by the standards of this unconventional, chaotic White House, the announcement of the killing of Islamic State terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was certainly one to remember.

Live: NSW Now: NSW economy overtaken by Tasmania

Just In - 6 hours ago
*MORNING BRIEFING: *NSW's economy has dropped to third, behind Victoria and Tasmania, according to CommSec's State of the States report, which measures performance based on several factors.

Get to know the movement storming Australian contemporary art right now

Dee Jefferson at Just In - 6 hours ago
The Tarnanthi Festival in Adelaide unpacks why a community on the north-eastern tip of the Northern Territory is causing such a buzz across Australia.

After 20 'negative incidents' Felix became another stat in Australia's 'gatekeeping' trend

Norman Hermant at Just In - 6 hours ago
A week ahead of the first hearings of the Disability Royal Commission in Townsville, a new survey of families of children with disability finds nearly no progress has been made on improving access to inclusive education.

Why are flying foxes turning up in strange places?

Melissa Martin And Luisa Rubbo at Just In - 6 hours ago
As their usual food sources dry up, flying foxes are searching further afield for shelter and something to eat.

'I don't know where I'm going to get the money': Interest-only borrowers facing difficult reset

Carrington Clarke at Just In - 6 hours ago
With the property market beginning to rebound from a downturn, borrowers with interest-only loans are being caught out as their mortgages reset — costing them thousands in extra payments.

England is ruling the world with Australian coaches, so where are we going wrong?

Richard Hinds at Just In - 6 hours ago
With England on the cusp of more global domination at a World Cup with an Aussie at the helm, the calls are out to bring these coaches home. But doing so ignores the root of Australia's problems, writes Richard Hinds.

Boom, doom and gloom: The forces uniting Australia and the United States

Ian Verrender at Just In - 6 hours ago
As Australian households halt their spending so too are businesses, with leaders concerned the economy will deteriorate in 2020, which paints a grim picture that mirrors the one going on in the United States.

'One tough guy. One crazy tough guy': The farmer who lost his hand, but kept his cool

Mark Bennett at Just In - 6 hours ago
After losing one hand and two fingers from the other, Gary Webster drove himself to hospital. He's now been reunited with the nurse who helped to save his life.

Pro-Spanish supporters rally against Catalonia's secession attempt

Just In - 6 hours ago
Tens of thousands march in Barcelona to protest against the separatist movement in the north-eastern Catalonia region that has created Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

Vietnamese families provide DNA samples in attempt to help identify victims of British truck tragedy

Just In - 6 hours ago
Police in Vietnam took hair and blood samples to get DNA from relatives of people feared to be among the 39 who died in a truck container near London last week.

'Significant problem for Labor' as migrants opt for Pauline Hanson's One Nation

Stephanie Dalzell at Just In - 6 hours ago
A senior Labor official is warning the party will continue to lose votes to minor parties like One Nation unless it starts talking to more people than just "university-educated, city dwellers".

How Craig Foster put his life on hold to save a man he'd never met

Quentin McDermott at Just In - 6 hours ago
Hakeem al-Araibi's story is testament to the adage "the power of one". This is how former Socceroos captain Craig Foster led a global campaign to free the fellow footballer who was wrongfully imprisoned overseas and exposed bureaucratic slip-ups that landed him there.

Rachel's boyfriend died, then she bumped into him at a restaurant

Ange Lavoipierre at Just In - 6 hours ago
Rachel thought her first real relationship was normal until, she says, he faked his own death while owing her money.

'I walked into a country pub and everyone just stopped'

Ian Burrows And Jason Fang at Just In - 6 hours ago
When Lily Yan first walked into an Australian pub, locals stopped and stared. But she hasn't let a few odd looks deter her.

'Deep red colour': The story behind Australia's first red corn whiskey

Courtney Fowler, Richard Hudson And Michelle Stanley at Just In - 6 hours ago
Praised for its "sweat characters and nuttiness", a Perth-based distillery and second-generation farmer from Western Australia's far-north have teamed up to create Australia's first red corn whiskey.

Column of Russian soldiers head to Turkish border: video

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) – The Russian military sent another column of soldiers to the Turkish border region with Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate this week, as they help facilitate the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from this area. In a short video released on Sunday, the Russian military police can be seen heading to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

US military reinforcements arrive at Syria’s largest oil field

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:30 P.M.) – Reinforcements from the U.S. military arrived at Syria’s largest oil field on Sunday, as they continued their deployment at this crucial site in the eastern part of the country. According to reports, the U.S. military sent a large number of military personnel to the Al-‘Umar Oil Fields in eastern Deir […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: Major ISIS figure and right-hand man to Baghdadi killed in northern Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:00 P.M.) – A major Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) and close confidant of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. Coalition operation along the Turkish border, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum ‘Abdi announced this evening. According to ‘Abdi, Abu Al-Hassan Al-Muhajer was killed in a U.S. special operation at […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Several videos emerge from reported site of Baghdadi’s death

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
Videos have been circulating on social media from the site where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the man behind the recent terror resurgence in Syria and Iraq, reportedly met his end. Syrian journalist Mohamad Rasheed has shared footage he said was filmed this morning in the village of Barisha in north-eastern Syria, close to the Turkish border. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian Army scores big advance in northeast Latakia amid new attempt to capture Kabani

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:25 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) scored a big advance in northeastern Latakia today as the military made a new push to capture the strategic town of Kabani. Led by the 4th Armored Division, the Syrian Arab Army began their attack around 10 A.M. on Saturday, when their troops began to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: Heavy clashes breakout between Syrian Army and Turkish-backed militants in northeast Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:15 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Turkish-backed militants are engaged in a fierce battle this evening in the northwestern countryside of the Al-Hasakah Governorate. According to a military source near the battlefield, the Turkish-backed militants attacked the Syrian Arab Army’s positions at the towns of Umm Ashba and Bab Al-Khayr, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russia doubts Trump’s claim about killing Baghdadi

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
There’s no credible data to prove a successful American raid took place against Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. The US coalition didn’t even carry out any airstrikes in Idlib recently. Earlier, Trump made a rare Sunday address from the White House informing the world that al-Baghdadi was eliminated in northwest […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

SDF begins withdrawing forces from safe zone, open to peace talks with gov’t

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have begun withdrawing their troops from the 32-km-long border area as part of the Sochi agreement that was made last week. According to a Syrian Arab Army (SAA) source, the SDF troops have already begun the withdrawal under Russian military supervision. In addition to the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

USraelis "Kill" yet another "Oh! BIG Daddy" In the Middle East

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 7 hours ago
*Just in Time For Hallowe'en, USrael* *Creates/Kills Yet Another "Big Daddy" Ghost* CTV is reporting yet another load of CIA Bullshit this Morning. Yet another yarn made out of whole cloth. Think Hollywood Production. The lying, perp press is saying that a special US military team recently took out the leader of ISIS. Hey, those CIA assets tasked with creating the American "reality" have to do something to warrant their 6 figure salaries. Imagine a room load of the pencil necks outdoing one another making up flourishes of embellishments to their fictional Oh! BIG Daddy. Here's ... more »

Brexit bias? BBC faces a difficult balancing act in polarised nation

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
This article by Roy Greenslade in the Guardian caught my eye. If you really want to immerse yourself in a parallel, Brexit-dystopia-style world, read the comments. You don’t have to be semi-literate to join in the discussion, but it helps. (As the saying goes.) You might need the Antidote below

South Korea Is Still Having Big Problems With Corruption

AEIdeas at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*AEIdeas* *Security, Asia-Pacific* A bad day for the Moon administration. Last week, Cho Kuk, the disgraced Justice Minister of South Korea, resigned after a controversial month at the helm and a wave of discontent that spurred nationwide protests. President Moon Jae-in brought in Cho to reform the nation’s prosecution, including improving oversight of investigations, banning excessively long interrogations, and limiting the scope of prosecutors’ direct investigations. But shortly after his nomination, Cho and his family became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal, which pr... more »

CCTV Footage shows Off-Duty Cop Take Control of Robbery at a Burger Joint in Central Brazil

Newsfeed at The Rio Times - 7 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - (RT) In the ensuing chaos approximately 10 shots were fired yet no injuries were reported, according to Brazilian Military Police. The suspects fled the scene without a dime. https://www.facebook.com/326683984410/posts/10158298458614411/ (Source: RT . . . To read the full NEWS and much more, Subscribe to our Premium Membership Plan. Already Subscribed? […] The post CCTV Footage shows Off-Duty Cop Take Control of Robbery at a Burger Joint in Central Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News, October 26, 2019, #220

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 7 hours ago
Record West Coast heat and unprecedented wildfires are wreaking havoc in California while it it is snowing in Texas. What’s wrong with this picture? How will farmers grow food with so many abrupt and extreme weather fluctuations? How can the flora and fauna survive? The science community and government sources are still trying to claim that the technology […] The post Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News, October 26, 2019, #220 appeared first on Health Nut News.

Washington Post Mourns Passing of “Austere Religious Scholar” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 hours ago
Reactions vary to the U.S. killing of ISIS terrorist chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. However, perhaps the most alarming headline was the sympathetic obituary from The Washington Post: The Washington Post was not alone in their sympathy over the killing of … Continue reading →

All you need to know about the Washington Post: ISIS head al-Baghdadi is a "austere religious scholar"

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 7 hours ago
We've known for a long time that the WaPo thinks that Republicans are more of a threat to America than Islamic terrorists; after all James R. Clapper himself condemned the WaPo's release of information about the PRISM program. But as usual with liars the WaPo, which declares itself to be the good guys, keeps slipping up and revealing what they really think. While the free world is celebrating the end of ISIS terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the WaPo's obituary for him was entitled "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State dies at 48". Adolf Hitler... more »

Huzzah! Justin Turdeau Re-elected as Canada’s Prime Minister

SafeSpace at 'Nox & Friends - 7 hours ago
Next time some bloke from the Far North Thunbergs you with a lecture on Canada’s moral superiority to we knuckle-dragging citizens of the grubby, grasping, border-enforcing USA, recite a few of the talking points from this sharp-tongued article by Theo Caldwell, an evil white male who claims citizenship in Canada, Ireland, and the USA. http://www.theocaldwell.com/2019/10/canada-please-dont-ask-me-to-take-you.html Growing up in Canada, one learns that an obligation of citizenship is to humor the nation’s delusions of grandeur. In schools, to the extent history is still taught, Canada... more »

Duflo and Banerjee advocate bigger government

Scott Sumner at Econlib - 7 hours ago
Nobel Laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee have a new piece in the New York Times. A reasonable summary of their position might be that they would like American economic policy to more closely resemble the economic policies of the Eurozone. This would include much higher taxes and also much more generous social welfare programs. […] The post Duflo and Banerjee advocate bigger government appeared first on Econlib.

No, Tulsi Is NOT Going To Run As A Third-Party Candidate For President

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
One of Tulsi's colleagues in Congress-- asked me for anonymity inorder to share some thoughts with me about her for *DWT*. I didn't ask her about Tulsi. She just brought her up on her own after she announced last week that she isn't running for reelection. Below are parts of the conversation that don't give away her identity. She asked me to read this Igor Derysh piece at *Salon* about the foolish speculation that Tulsi may run as a third-party candidate. Last month I told you that Tulsi wasn't going to run for her House seat and that she's running for governor of Hawaii in 2022. ... more »

Trump Says US Forces Cornered IS Leader in Dead-End Tunnel

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
President Trump provided graphic details of al-Baghdadi’s final moments as American forces pursued and cornered him and his children in a dead-end tunnel.

BOOM: Israel Is Considering Anti-Sub Drone Ships

Military and Aerospace Electronics at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Technology, Middle East* [image: https://elbitsystems.com/media/Unmanned_Surface_Vessel_800X365.jpg] The future is coming. *Key point: *Some drone ships are built to operate for a long time and take a lot of punches while fighting. HAIFA, Israel – It’s Friday afternoon, and several Elbit representatives are standing at Haifa Port alongside their guests, representatives of a foreign country’s defense establishment. The former are explaining to the latter the advantages of the boats anchored alongside them, in an effort to zero in on a purchas... more »

After World War I, Poland Stopped Russia From Taking Over Europe

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *History, Russia* A rapid Communist surge stonewalled. *Key point: *Poland may have temporarily halted the spread of communism, but they were not exactly the "good guys" either. In the summer of 1920, Russia seemed poised to take over Europe. Newly victorious in the Russian Civil War, but convinced that the capitalists were bent on strangling the cradle of Communism, the Bolsheviks looked for salvation. Their gaze fell on Germany, exhausted and embittered by defeat in the First World War, and now engulfed in civil strife between Communist revolutionaries and proto... more »

Arctic wildlife breeding season ruined by last year’s record snowfall

Robert at Ice Age Now - 8 hours ago
Extreme snowfall also ruined propagation by Arctic plants. _________ Scientists at the Zackenberg Research Station, who have been studying plants and animals in Northeast Greenland National Park for more than 20 years, compared this year’s breeding season patterns to earlier years. Their research suggests that last year’s record snowfall across much of the Arctic thwarted ... Read moreArctic wildlife breeding season ruined by last year’s record snowfall The post Arctic wildlife breeding season ruined by last year’s record snowfall appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Bare Steel Shaving (repost from CW)

LL at Virtual Mirage - 9 hours ago
(link) CW, at *Daily Timewaster* may be the most experienced (in terms of diverse product knowledge) shaver that I know. Most people who identify as male, shave. But to some extent it's become lost art. I have reposted his shaving advice here (below) for the benefit of all of you. Maybe there are Christmas gift possibilities among his favorites? *The Shaving Post* So, for years - decades - shaving for me was a "get it done quick and cheap" situation. As fast as I could shave and go on to something else, the better. Then one day I was cleaning out some old boxes and came across m... more »

Critical Reaction From Democrats And The Media To President Trump's Announcement On The Death Of ISIS Leader al-Baghdadi

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
Admiral James Winnefeld tells @margbrennan that he's worried about Trump's "piling on" by describing al-Baghdadi as a "dog." Says it sends a signal to followers "that could cause them to lash out possibly more harshly in the wake." pic.twitter.com/L6y7a17bm0 — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 27, 2019 *WNU Editor:* The Democrat response was predictable, with House Speaker Pelosi being the first to criticize President Trump in her statement on the raid .... *Pelosi Statement on Al-Baghdadi Raid* (Nancy Pelosi). Other Democrats are upset on not being notified .... *House Dem... more »

Death Toll Rises As Govt Tries To Break Up Iraq Protests

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 9 hours ago
(AP) On the second day of renewed protests the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) made a concerted effort to break up the crowds. They were largely successful as there was little of the vandalism seen the day before. The death toll also continued to rise as a result. The United Nations and Iraq Human Rights Commission reported more deaths of demonstrators. The first day there were 42 total, 12 in Diwaniya, 9 in Maysan, 9 in Dhi Qar, 8 in Baghdad, 3 in Basra and 1 in Muthanna. By October 26 that total rose to 70 with 15 in Dhi Qar, 14 in Maysan, 12 in Baghdad, 12 in Diwaniya, 7 in Basra, ... more »

Flashback 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry Admits President Obama Intentionally Armed ISIS in Syria – Audio Recording and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 9 hours ago
CTH has some new readers, so against the backdrop of the UniParty in Washington DC jumping into action to criticize President Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria; and against the backdrop of President Trump authorizing an operation last night that … Continue reading →

This Day In Iraqi History - Oct 27

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 9 hours ago
1982 Saddam ordered increased attacks upon Iranian cities 3 SCUD missiles fired at Dezful (Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988*) (Musings On Iraq book review *Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988*) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War*) 1984 Iraq restored diplomatic relations with US which ended in Oct 1967 1992 Report before Gulf War Bush admin approved sale of computers and software to Iraq that ... more »

Russia's Alfa-Class Submarine Was an Underwater Hot Rod NATO Hated

David Axe at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Europe* At the cost of its stealth. *Key point: *What's the point of a non-stealthy submarine? In 1969, the Soviet navy shocked the U.S. and NATO militaries with a new and incredibly capable submarine—one that could swim faster and dive deeper than could anything else under the sea. But the seven high-tech *Alfa*-class submarines—each able to reach 45 knots of speed and 2,400 feet of depth—actually were inferior where it really mattered. Their speed and depth-resistance came at the cost of noisy internal machinery that made them easy to detect … and destro... more »

I Researched Uighur Society in China for 8 Years and Watched How Technology Became a Trap

Darren Byler at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Darren Byler* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] The Uighur internet has been transformed from a space that fostered a cultural flourishing for Uighurs into a space that controls many aspects of their lives. The Uighurs, a Muslim minority ethnic group of around 12 million in northwest China, are required by the police to carry their smartphones and IDs listing their ethnicity. As they pass through one of the thousands of newly built digital media and face surveillance checkpoints located at jurisdictional boundaries, entrances to religious spaces and transportation hubs, the ima... more »

How Mussolini's Italians Legions Froze to Death (Thanks to Hitler)

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *History, Europe* [image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3THBYWQWvUqmaSQ8Js6Gyht3wiCvdIhJXi5f_bs6ZF3Bn5Rp7UC1Y9fOmwgBwcAaZQpP_wr7vNBHhAeSA3qpvEfODkJ8KpMzr7R7yrnoiZsqvq6nC8znCS-aD_Tvfo0UFl65q/s1600/The_bloody_Easter_Front_of_WW2+%252828%2529.jpg] A terrible, foolish affair. *Key point: *Rome sent its conscripts to fight a losing war and they were horribly crushed. Why in God's name were Italian peasants freezing to death outside Stalingrad? They should have been home eating pasta in Palermo, or veal in Venice, during that bitter winter of 1942–43. Instead, they were being trampled into the snow by waves of Soviet tanks th... more »

Who Makes The Best Handguns? These 5 Pistols Show Why It's Glock

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, * These can't be beaten. *Key point:* Glock has developed original handguns to compete across the market. The Glock 17 handgun shook up the gun industry in a big way. Gaston Glock’s polymer pistol masterpiece, with its emphasis on ruggedness and reliability, swept the military and law-enforcement world and conquered the civilian market. Slowly, the company has introduced new handguns, all based on the original design, to compete in virtually every niche of the handgun market, from large-bore semiautomatics to discreet concealed carry. Here are five ... more »

After India's Aircraft Carrier Fire Left 1 Sailor Dead, China Had Words

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Beijing didn't mince words. *Key point:* Accidents are common among the world's best navies, they will certainly happen among those with less experience. India’s only aircraft carrier suffered a fire that left one sailor dead. And China, which is India’s rival, says this is because Indians aren’t competent enough to operate advanced military equipment. The fire broke out in the engine room of the carrier *Vikramaditya* as it entered the Indian naval base at Karwar on April 26. The blaze was extinguished, but not before an Indian Navy lieutenant c... more »

RIP F-35? Could Iran's Air Force Really Take Out a Stealth Fighter?

David Axe at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Middle East* The American arsenal in the region includes F-35 stealth fighters. If tensions turn into warfare, the factory-fresh F-35s could face an Iranian air force operating some of the oldest active fighters in the world. Do they have any chance? *Key point: *Good luck finding the F-35. Amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, in part resulting from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision unilaterally to withdraw the United States from the 2015 deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program, the U.S. armed forces have deployed a wide array of ... more »

East Carolina University Interim Chancellor Resigns For Drinking, Dancing With Students

Sara Weissman at Diverse - 9 hours ago
East Carolina University’s Interim Chancellor Dan Gerlach has resigned from his post after photos and videos surfaced showing him drinking and dancing with students at a local bar, The News & Observer reported. Gerlach had been on administrative leave since the incident appeared online in late September, with provost and senior vice chancellor Dr. Ron […]

Focusing on Privacy Won’t Solve Facebook’s Problems

kkabir at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announces the plan to make Facebook more private at Facebook's Developer Conference on April 30, 2019. (Flickr/Anthony Quintano, CC BY 2.0) *Editor’s note: This article grew out of work done in our Georgetown University class on national security and social media. The class tackled an array of questions related to how hate groups exploit social media, exploring issues ranging from privacy and human rights concerns to technological and legal barriers. Working in teams, students conducted independent research that addressed a difficult issue in this pro... more »

The Philippines Deserves More From Facebook

hmihm at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Maria Ressa of Rappler speaks at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in 2014. (Flickr/World Economic Forum, photo by Sikarin Thanachaiary, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) *Editor’s note: This article grew out of work done in our Georgetown University class on national security and social media. The class tackled an array of questions related to how hate groups exploit social media, exploring issues ranging from privacy and human rights concerns to technological and legal barriers. Working in teams, students conducted independent research that addressed a difficult issue in this problem space.... more »

Addressing Challenges in Content Moderation: A Series

dbyman at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Facebook F8 Developer's Conference 2017 (Flickr/Anthony Quintano, CC BY 2.0) “My problem isn’t terrorists, it’s the KKK,” a senior social media company executive told us. We’d asked him about the challenges of countering terrorist groups like the Islamic State, only to receive an education about the difficulties of countering nonviolent hate groups. He had a point. Although terrorist use of the internet is extensive and well-documented, major social media companies have made impressive strides in blocking and purging content and denying well-known jihadist groups from using their ... more »

Al-Baghdadi’s Death … and That Presidential Speech

dbyman at Lawfare - 9 hours ago
Portrait of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on a rocky, paint-splattered wall. (Flickr/Thierry Ehrmann, CC BY 2.0) The reported killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during a special operations forces raid is an important milestone in the war against the Islamic State—and, more generally, in the struggle against terrorism President Trump, who announced al-Baghdadi’s death in remarks this morning, is right to laud this moment and praise the many officials and countries that helped make it happen. Unfortunately, even in a moment of genuine triumph, the president could not resist meandering remarks, ... more »

Did Trump Say to ‘Stop Congratulating Obama for Killing Bin Laden’?

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Taking (or denying) credit for momentous collective achievements is an age-old phenomenon in the political world.

Collision Between two Buses Leave two Dead and 55 Injured Near Pétropolis, Rio State

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 9 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The collision between two buses left two dead and 55 injured on the BR-040, km 99, in the highland region of Petrópolis, in Rio de Janeiro, early this Sunday morning, October 27th. A man, the driver of one of the vehicles, and a 26-year-old woman died on the scene. The […] The post Collision Between two Buses Leave two Dead and 55 Injured Near Pétropolis, Rio State appeared first on The Rio Times.

TTSA, Metamaterial and the U.S. Army

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 9 hours ago
The big news for the 1997 Fiftieth Anniversary of the Roswell UFO crash was that it would be announced, with proper provenance and other documentation, that metallic debris from the spacecraft had been recovered. Scientific analysis had been performed by independent labs and by scientists with the proper training in various disciplines. That debris, small though it might be, was of extraterrestrial origin. All questions about it would be answered during a professional presentation by one of the scientists involved in the analysis, would be held in the auditorium at the New Mexico M... more »

Meet the sisters who investigated their brother's death, and found something everyone missed

Bellinda Kontominas at Just In - 9 hours ago
Forty years ago Peter Smith died after being punched on a night out in Sydney but only now will his sisters get to the bottom of what actually happened and why police closed the case a day after his death.

Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 299 – 2019

Hifast at Climate Collections - 9 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North

WSJ: Fires and Blackouts Made in Sacramento

Hifast at Climate Collections - 9 hours ago
Originally posted on Sierra Foothill Commentary: ? Newsom tries to deflect blame, but PG&E is the agent of his policies. After again shutting power to hundreds of thousands this week, California’s utility PG&E disclosed Thursday that it had discovered a broken jumper cable by the ignition site of a wildfire blazing across Sonoma County. The…

Weird Tweets From Ryan Maue

tonyheller at Real Climate Science - 9 hours ago
Update : Anthony Watts spoke with Ryan Maue, and Ryan said he was just trolling Michael Mann and didn’t really believe what he was saying. Yet these tweets don’t show any indication of sarcasm and were retweeted by Greta Thunberg … Continue reading →

On squirming politicians

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
My main reaction to this morning's three main political interviews on *The Andrew Marr Show *was to give credit where credit's due to Andrew Marr for making all three of them squirm. Jo Swinson, Diane Abbott and James Cleverly all ended up having to bring into play some of their favourite party tricks for evading interviewers' questions - questions that today focused, I think tellingly, on the contradictions, absurdities and hypocrisies of their respective positions on Brexit and elections. Jo flannelled by being all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, channelling (as ever) her inner T... more »

Press Briefing With Senator Lindsey Graham Reaction to Baghdadi Death….

sundance at The Last Refuge - 10 hours ago
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham gives a press briefing at the White House after a briefing on the operation to eliminate Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

President Trump Announces The Death of ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 10 hours ago
Earlier today President Trump announced the death of ISIS loser Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. [Video below, transcript will follow] . [White House Announcement] – Last night, the United States brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi … Continue reading →

What to say?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
Well, it seems - though the BBC remains cautious about this - that the founder of Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Bigdaddy, has finally been decaliphinated by Donald Trump's special forces. The BBC's elders are now chewing the cud on the matter: *John Simpson*: The real credit for the death of al-Baghdadi must surely go to the dogged policework of US intelligence - plus, no doubt, the huge reward money to give him up. *Hugh Sykes*: Making up for all the lack of US intelligence which left so many resentful and angry Baathists and army officers without a future after 2003, allowing the... more »

DOJ Barr and Durham close in on Brennan, Clapper and Comey (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 10 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 351. More The post DOJ Barr and Durham close in on Brennan, Clapper and Comey (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Election Hokey-Cokey

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 10 hours ago
Politics is on a knife's edge, to that we can all agree. But there are moments when high stakes make way for high farce. And one of those moments concerns the timing of the next general election and, specifically, everything surrounding the joint wheeze of the Liberal Democrats and SNP. They plan to table a motion pencilling a poll in for 9th December. According to Jo Swinson on this morning's *Andrew Marr*, this ensures an election happens as soon as possible once the EU agree to the length of the coming Article 50 extension. If, as is widely expected, it's another three months an... more »

The Crown attorneys are singing a new tune now that the Neoliberal state is attacking them

El Jones at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
On Friday, lawyers for the province’s Crown attorneys and for the government met in court as the government pursued an emergency injunction to force the prosecutors back to work. The government has declared the strike by Nova Scotia Crown prosecutors “illegal.” Outside the courtroom, Crown attorney Rick Woodburn said: “They will take away and smash and […]

Stephen McNeil and the Crowns: Magic realism meets reality

Stephen Kimber at Halifax Examiner - 10 hours ago
So let us review. On Mar. 31, 2019, the collective agreement between Crown prosecutors and the Nova Scotia government expired. As part of the previous contract, signed in June 2016, the prosecutors had agreed to accept a draconian wage package the government was imposing on all other public servants. At the same time, however, the […]

TIME: PG&E Admits It Might Be the Cause of Northern California Wildfire Despite Preventative Blackouts

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 10 hours ago
California’s largest utility company, PG&E, acknowledged its electrical equipment might have ignited a wildfire burning in wine country Friday, despite blackouts imposed across the region to prevent fires. Pacific Gas & Electric imposed sweeping blackouts, affecting a half-million people in Northern and Central California after strong winds fueled the fire that burned over 25 square […] The post TIME: PG&E Admits It Might Be the Cause of Northern California Wildfire Despite Preventative Blackouts appeared first on Health Nut News.

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