10 pm MST
Christmas Eve 2019...
*For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.* *1st Mass at Midnight* *Introit:* *The Lord hath said to me: Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. (Ps. 2: 1) Why have the gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.* *Collect* Let us pray. *Grant us, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we on whom the new light of Thy Incarnate Word is poured, may show forth in our works that brig... more »
5 Ways to Stop Corporations From Ruining the Future of...
Robert Reich - 13 minutes ago
*5 Ways to Stop Corporations From Ruining the Future of Work* Artificial intelligence, robots, and other advanced technologies are already transforming the world of work – and their impact is just beginning. They’ll grow the economy and make it more efficient. But unless American workers are involved, that growth and technological change will benefit only those at the top. The challenge of making economic growth and technological change benefit all working people and not just those at the top is the same challenge I’ve written about and talked a lot about over the years. It’s the... more »
Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu Was Executed On Christmas Day 30 Years Ago
*France 24:* *Romania marks 30 years since revolt against Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu* Romanians are remembering those who died during the nine-day revolt against Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu some 30 years after the uprising and asking questions about the legacy of the revolution. Born in 1918, Ceausescu become president of Romania in 1974 and built up an intense cult of personality, which ended with his overthrow in the anti-communist revolution of December 1989. On December 21, 1989, Ceausescu gave a televised speech in Bucharest that ended when some in the cr... more »
China Wants To Rewrite The Bible And The Quran To 'Reflect Socialist Values'
China's President Xi Jinping gestures as he attends a variety show in Macau earlier this month. A Chinese official stressed in November that religious authorities must follow President Xi's instructions and interpret the ideologies of different religions in accordance with 'the core values of Socialism' and 'the requirements of the era' *Daily Mail:* *China will rewrite the Bible and the Quran to 'reflect socialist values' amid crackdown on Muslim Uighur minority* * Beijing said all translated classic religious books should be 're-evaluated' * The new editions must not contain any ... more »
No One Really Knows When World War I Ended
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] This slice of history is still up for debate. Key Point: Yes, the end date is in question. At least ostensibly, World War I ended first with the cessation of armed hostilities between the warring powers at the famed “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month,” that is November 11, 1918. The official, or diplomatic, end of World War I came later at the Treaty of Versailles, June 28, 1919. *Conflict Rages on in Russia* However, the conflicts that remained unresolved with the 1918 armistice or the 1919 treaty meant... more »
Peace on earth, good will to all? Ho ho ho!
Cross-posted at the New York Crank
Wikileaks will do a huge surprise data dump when Assange is extradited to US
All overseas US bases, including Australia and the FBI should be shut down by Alex Bruce Former military intelligence and CIA officer, Robert David Steele joins Dave at the X22 Report to discuss all things coup d’état but I’ve set the inpoint to where he talks about the possibility of a wild card WikiLeaks data […]
When Japan Attacked Pearl Harbor, This Navy Battleship Gave Them Hell
*Warfare History Network* *Security, * The USS Pennsylvania shot down 6 planes during the surprise Japanese attack. *Key point:* "The conduct of all officers and men was of the highest order." On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, Gunner’s Mate Russell Winsett, 19, awoke at 5 am as he did most mornings. As he went topside he could see that the weather was like almost every December day in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, sunny blue skies with a few white puffy clouds. This was a day Winsett was looking forward to. He thought to himself, “It’s gonna be a beautiful day to visit the island with... more »
VIDEO: America's F-35 Is More Maneuverable Than You Think
*Mark Episkopos* *Technology, Americas* The jet is full of surprises. *Key point: *The F-35 is made to be highly maneuverable and the Air Force recently proved this point in a series of tests. Recent commentary on the F-35 fifth-generation fighter has centered around its firepower and stealth capabilities, but a recently released demonstration video depicts the fighter jet in a pleasantly different light. A clip from Capt. Capt. Andrew "Dojo" Olson’s instagram page showcases the F-35A Lightning II in a series of dramatic aerial maneuvers, performed at Luke Air Force Base in Ariz... more »
Senegal Is a Muslim Country that Can’t Get Enough Christmas
This article about Senegal underlines the importance of the secular values of the American and French Revolutions for maintaining social … Continue reading →
West Brooksfield Farm being forced to shut down thanks to online animal rights a$$es
West Brookfield Horse Rescue Shuts Down After Online Criticism . . Blue Star Equiculture closing, delivers Christmas presents to kids Western Mass News December 23, 2019 PALMER, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — A local horse farm is closing down. Blue Star Equiculture in West Brookfield is home to disabled horses but they tell us, without enough fundraising and little support..they have to close up shop. Western Mass News went to the farm today. For over ten years, Blue Star farm has been riding along, providing care for over 500 horses. It’s a place where retired and disabled horses can spend thei... more »
Was Cory Booker’s Son Charged with Assault After Attack on Santa?
A routine review of content labeled satire.
Coercive Environmentalism
Originally posted on Science Matters: Gus Van Horn writes at Real Clear Markets The Recycling Crowd Embraces Grade-School Juvenility. Excerpts in italics with my bolds. The third-grade boy shamefully completed his apology, in front of first grade. I was luckier than I felt. Just that morning, I had been convinced that the way to win…
Are Australian Wildfires Due To Climate Change?
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/24/home-affairs-warned-australian-government-of-growing-climate-disaster-risk-after-may-election Many have questioned what role climate change has played in the Australian wildfires currently wreaking havoc in NSW and across the border in Queensland. The commonly heard cry is that it is now hotter and drier than in the past.…
Middle East Disaster: Nuclear War Between Russia and Israel Is Possible
*Michael Peck* *Security, Middle East* Although unlikely. *Key point: *Were the Israelis and Russians to come to blows, or if Moscow were to seriously threaten military force against Israel, could the United States risk a grave loss of prestige by not intervening to back its longtime ally? Could Israeli air strikes in Syria trigger war between Israel and Russia? Israel remains determined to continue pounding Iranian forces in Syria in a bid to keep Tehran’s forces away from Israel’s northern border. At the same time, Russia has thousands of troops in Syria that could be caught i... more »
How Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey Crushed an Empire (Imperial Japan)
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Americas* [image: Wikimedia Commons] This is how he made history. *Key Point*: An incredible story. Just before dawn, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise turned into the wind to launch her planes. Nervous and excited pilots roared into the darkness of the vast Pacific toward the unsuspecting Japanese. The “Big E” would repeat this scene many times during the war, but this morning, January 31, 1942, in the Marshall Islands was the first time since Pearl Harbor that an American surface vessel had struck an offensive blow. [text_ad] On the flag... more »
Could The A-10 Warthog Be America's Best Made Military Weapon--Ever?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Americas* The weapon that sets the A-10 apart from the rest of the aircraft world is the nose-mounted GAU-8/A cannon. *Key point:* The A-10 has served in most of America’s post–Cold War conflicts, from the Balkans to Afghanistan. One of the most iconic airplanes in the U.S. Air Force’s flying inventory is the A-10 Thunderbolt, also affectionately known as the “Warthog.” Designed to mow down rows of invading Soviet tanks during an anticipated World War III, the A-10 has served in most of America’s post–Cold War conflicts, from the Balkans to Afghanistan... more »
The Really Happened to the Doomed Submarine USS Scorpion?
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Americas* [image: Wikimedia Commons] There's a reason why it sunk. *Key Point:* We don't have many answers. Even in the age of ultra-sophisticated nuclear submarines, with their advanced computers, sonar, navigation, and communication systems, the hard truth is inescapable: the sea is the most hostile environment on Earth. It is totally unforgiving of human error or overconfidence. The pressures below 2,000 feet can crush a submarine like an aluminum can in seconds. For reasons that even now are a closely guarded secret, that happened in late... more »
Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick leaves board and cashes out $3b in shares
Just In - 2 hours ago
Travis Kalanick, the pugnacious co-founder of Uber, severs his last ties with the ride-services company, resigning from the board and selling all his shares as he turns his focus to a new venture creating "ghost kitchens" for food delivery services.
Firefighters battle to contain Adelaide Hills blaze as heatwave looms
Just In - 2 hours ago
Amid a brief but welcome reprieve for Adelaide Hills firefighters, CFS crews are racing to contain the Cudlee Creek blaze before temperatures rise into the 40s.
What 'Christmas gift' is North Korea offering the US and when might it drop?
North Korea promises the United States a "Christmas gift", in a thinly veiled threat. While US officials suspect a nuclear warhead, Donald Trump hopes aloud for "a beautiful vase" instead.
Christmas Eve
Glory to God in the highest. And have a safe, healthy, and conflict free Christmas Eve. Peace on Earth and in your hearts. Having made that wish, there is always stuff to rant about. There are always matters left undone. There are always regrets. (For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, '*It might have been*'.) There are always head scratchers - remove viewing is real in rare circumstances and can not be explained by any conventional means. How does somebody who has never been there or seen that tell you want is in a locked safe in the third basement level of a ... more »
How Government Agencies Hamper Infrastructure Development
A half-century earlier, when Robert Moses had been in his prime, New York state wouldn’t have needed to depend on private developers, if only because Moses would have had the authority to shape and finance the project to his own liking. (At the same time, Moses wouldn’t have invested in a train terminal because, […] The post How Government Agencies Hamper Infrastructure Development appeared first on Econlib.
Chicago: 13 People Shot at A House Party to Memorialize a Man Who Was Killed While Hijacking A Car
A shooting that wounded 13 people and left four in critical condition took place during a dispute inside a house party honoring the memory of a man shot dead during an attempted carjacking. The first shots were fired in the house, and two people appeared to shoot “randomly” at fleeing guests.
Senator Rand Paul Released His 2019 ‘Festivus’ Waste Report that Shows How the US Government Burned through $50-Billion on Scandalous Programs
Some of the spending included: $466,991 on studying frog mating calls in Panama, $1.2-million on the studying habits of online dating app users, tens of millions spent ‘green growth' for Peru, $22-million spent on bringing Serbian cheese up to international standards, and more.
Baltimore, Maryland: Mainstream Media Ignores Shooting that Injured 7 People Who Were Waiting in a Line at A Hookah Lounge
There is a massive rise in violence after the 2015 riots. Since that time, police have been increasingly reluctant to confront criminals lest they be accused of police brutality or racism.
Philadelphia: Armed Robber Shoots FedEx Driver, Gets Killed When Driver Pulls His Own Gun
Before he shot the driver, the robber stole multiple packages from the FedEx truck, and he was later found unconscious in an alley clutching the packages he had stolen.
Iowa Man Sentenced to 15 Year in Prison for the ‘Hate Crime’ of Burning a LGBTQ Flag
Adolfo Martinez was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for a hate crime after lighting a local church's LGBTQ flag on fire. The maximum sentence for the hate crime was 5 years, but extra time was added because he was a repeat offender.
Egyptian Government Cracks Down on Radical Schools
Egyptian Government Cracks Down on Radical Schools by Hany Ghoraba Special to IPT News Investigative Project on Terrorism Despite the destruction of the Muslim Brotherhood’s hierarchy by Egyptian authorities after the June 2013 revolution, the 91-year-old group remains influential in Egyptian society. This is especially true in its education system. But there are signs the […]
O Holy Night…
Steadfast, unwavering, and with abiding love… I wish everyone a joyous and Merry Christmas. Luke 2-8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of … Continue reading →
Spaxit? Will Spain Now Leave the European Union?
[image: spaxit-will-spain-now-leave-the-european-union] Spain has become the most recent nation to threaten a Brexit-style exit from the European Union amid anger over EU meddling in its internal affairs.
There's Just Something About Mayo Pete... And It Goes Beyond Icky
During the debate Thursday there were times I nearly shut the TV off. Those times were when the corporate conservatives on the stage were speaking: Status Quo Joe, Amy Klobuchar and Mayo Pete. The feeling drove me to run a quickie twitter poll. Participants liked Mayo least-- and by a *lot*. They sure seem to want to vote him right off the island: I wonder why. As Bernie pointed out, Biden-- who's old and creepy and a clumsy liar who seems to think feigning indignation and screaming make people less likely to recognize what he's saying as lies-- has more billionaires backing hi... more »
The Lies that Are Used for Denying the Legitimacy of Crimea’s Breakaway
Eric Zuesse, originally posted at strategic-culture.org Crimea’s breakaway from Ukraine and rejoining Russia is treated in the U.S.-and-allied world as being justification for the explosive re-emergence in 2014 of America’s Cold War NATO alliance as being a restored war against Russia; and, so, whether or not that ‘justification’ is truthful is the paramount geopolitical issue […] More The post The Lies that Are Used for Denying the Legitimacy of Crimea’s Breakaway appeared first on The Duran.
We wish Merry Christmas and please Remember Jesus was born in Palestine
Merry Christmas from Egyptian Chronicles to all those celebrating tonight around the globe. Merry Christmas and I hope that if you are celebrating Christmas that you remember that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was born in Bethlehem, Palestine. Here is a little piece of art that will remind you of that regardless of what Trump and co. say. [image: Nativity in modern Palestine's Bethlehem] Nativity in modern Palestine's Bethlehem "Banksy"This modern nativity set depicting Jesus, Mary and Joseph at the infamous apartheid wall built by Israel. British artist Banksy unveiled that piece of art at Be... more »
Could The F-35 Be What Finally Kills The A-10 Warthog?
*Kris Osborn* *Security, Americas* The US Army wants the F-35 to support its ground troops. *Key point: *The F-35 might be taking the A-10's mission away. The US Army wants the F-35 to support its ground troops. It’s that simple. We hear volumes of information about the Marine Corps vertical-take-off-and-landing F-35B, Navy carrier-launched F-35C and Air Force F-35A - but what does the Army think of the emerging Joint Strike Fighter? Does the Army think the 5th-Gen stealth fighter would bring substantial value to targeting and attacking enemy ground forces in close proximity to ... more »
Is Springfield's SAINT AR-15 Rifle the Best AR-15 Rifle?
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, Americas* It's pretty good. *Key point: *With the SAINT, Springfield plunged headfirst into a particularly crowded segment of the AR-15 market. The AR-15 has long been the dominant semi-automatic rifle platform in the U.S., prized for its unparalleled modability and component diversity. The AR-15 platform’s immense popularity has spawned a fiercely competitive consumer market, with firearms manufacturers constantly searching for ways to innovate a better price-to-performance ratio. This competition has been especially good for a growing segment of fir... more »
How Hitler Almost Conquered Russia During World War II
*Warfare History Network* *History, Europe* Stalin didn't see this coming. *“War is mainly a catalogue of blunders.” *—Winston Churchill (1950) On Sunday, June 22, 1941, as the sun slumbered, 3.6 million soldiers, 2,000 warplane pilots, and 3,350 tank commanders under skilled German command crouched at the border of Soviet-occupied Poland ready to invade the Communist nation Joseph Stalin had ruled with steel-fisted brutality for years. Shortly after 3 am, in an operation Adolf Hitler called “Barbarossa,” a three-million-man Axis force struck Soviet positions along a 900-mile... more »
Without This Tank, Hitler May Have Conquered All Of Russia
*Warfare History Network* *History, * Meet the Soviet Union's T-34. In 1942, careworn Nazi Führer Adolf Hitler lamented to his military intimates at his Wolf’s Lair headquarters near Rastenburg in East Prussia, “If I had known that there were so many of them, I would have had second thoughts about invading!” The “them” he was referring to were the famed Soviet Red Army T-34 battle tanks that had come as such a nasty surprise to the Nazis in the summer of 1941 and then went on to become a major reason for the panzers being halted at the gates of Moscow. Drs. Matthew Hughes and C... more »
A 'Garden of Mercy' for Christian Refugees in Jordan
Assyrian International News Agency - 4 hours ago
Jordan has been host to Iraqi refugees for over 15 years since the beginning of the US-led invasion into the country. ( picture-alliance/dpa)Just outside the Jordanian capital Amman, on an area measuring 10,000 square meters, you can find the "Our Lady of Peace Center;" there, about a dozen Christian refugees from Iraq are housed in a commune of so
IG Footnote 474 – Confidential Human Source, W/ Delta File, Previously Inside Trump Campaign…
CTH was always curious why one specific member of the Trump campaign and transition team was abruptly departed (Nov 15, 2016) immediately after the visit by NSA Director Mike Rogers was scheduled, and two-days prior to their meeting. It’s a … Continue reading →
Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. - The Canadian Press reports on the Libs' desire to approve massive tar sands expansions no matter how the resulting production - to say nothing of the consumption left uncounted - would affect Canada's role in exacerbating a climate breakdown. And Janyce McGregor reports on the Libs' latest stalling tactics in applying fair tax obligations to stock options. - Blair Fix studies how hierarchy dominates over education as a determinant of income in the U.S.' military. - Alia Youssef examines how Muslim women have been affected by Quebec's discr... more »
School whooping cough outbreak among 100 per cent vaccinated students
Vaccine science is total quackery and fraud (Natural News) A Texas school that touts a “100% vaccination rate” has been forced to close its doors and send students home after a whooping cough outbreak swept through the school, infecting students who were already vaccinated. The incident proves yet again that vaccines don’t work as advertised, […]
Does a Photo Show a Menorah Displayed in Defiance of Nazism?
During the festival of Hanukkah in December 2019, social media users shared a powerful image from 1930s Germany.
‘Porta dos Fundos’ Headquarters Attacked with Molotov Cocktails in Rio
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The production company responsible for creating the videos of the humor group 'Porta dos Fundos' was attacked in the early hours of this Christmas Eve, in the neighborhood of Humaitá, South Zone of Rio. According to the group's press office, two Molotov cocktails were launched against the façade of the […] The post ‘Porta dos Fundos’ Headquarters Attacked with Molotov Cocktails in Rio appeared first on The Rio Times.
Seasonal Salutations
To all my readers, best wishes of the holiday season, including but not limited to Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa and Festivus. If you're not feeling especially joyful this year, or if forced gaiety has never been your style, then I hope you'll endure the most grimly satisfying or the least-bad Bah Humbug ever! Maybe, just maybe, world peace will actually get a chance in our lifetimes.
Pope Marks Joyful Christmas Eve After Less-Than-Joyful Year
Pope Francis said the birth of Jesus, which Christians commemorate on Christmas Day, was a reminder of God's unconditional love for everyone, “even the worst of us.”
Syrian Army Takes Key HTS Stronghold in Jarjanaz in Idlib, With Pressure Mounting on Turkey
*Khaled Iskef* | SAA continue making gains further into terrorist-occupied Idlib in northern Syria.
As bushfires rage, an Adelaide mum who lost her son is urging others to seek help
Christmas can be hard after losing a loved one, and support services say events like bushfires and drought are adding to the emotional burden. But Sharlene Lynch is encouraging people who are struggling to reach out.
Father gets heart, liver and lungs transplant as the best Christmas present for a 'miracle second life'
Joshua Leveridge only wanted one thing for Christmas this year: the gift of a "miracle second life", after waiting almost two years, he got his wish and is recovering from a successful rare triple-organ transplant.
India to begin census next year amid outrage against new citizenship law
Just In - 5 hours ago
The Indian Government announces plans for a census to be held next year despite weeks of protests over a citizenship law that critics say is anti-Muslim.
'History has been biased towards white men': Australia's first female pilot a forgotten heroine
For Hilda McMaugh, like many Australian women of the early 1900s, wartime service offered a new outlook on life, and in 1919 she decided to become the first qualified female pilot.
Why falling asleep after Christmas lunch is so common
Have you felt that wave of fatigue wash over you after a big meal? It's the postprandial dip — or 'food coma' — and here's what we know about the science of it.
Boxing Day movie guide: Everything you need to know about what's opening on December 26
Whether you're escaping heat waves, smoke haze or endless relatives, this handy guide has got you covered — whatever your time constraints, mood or film tastes happen to be.
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