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Bolivia News Links 28 December 2019
28 December 2019 — The New Dark Age There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so please check back The 2010s: America’s Frantic Decade Of Late-Stage Imperialist Belligerence & Self-Delusion https://seeyouin2020.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-2010s-americas-frantic-decade-of.html Bolivia: “For Speaking of a Coup d’état, You are Classified as ‘Seditious’ and are Criminally Prosecuted” https://libya360.wordpress.com/2019/12/28/bolivia-for-speaking-of-a-coup-detat-you-are-classified-as-seditious-and-are-criminally-prosecuted/ … Continue reading ... more »
Syrian children throw stones at US convoy in northeast Syria: video
Syrian social media pages published a video showing a group of children throwing stones at an American patrol in the Qamishli District of Al-Hasakah this week. The video shows children throwing American armored vehicles inside the village of Hamo in the Qamishli countryside, and a voice can be heard in the video saying “Hamo heroes […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Iran has become military ‘superpower’: Russian official
A Russian official said holding joint military drills with two major powers in the world indicates a new chapter in the history meaning that Iran has turned out to be a superpower. Speaking to IRNA, Head of Center for Contemporary Iran Studies in Russia Recep Safarov said launching joint drills between Iran, Russia, and China […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Fist fight broke out between Russian, US troops in Syria: monitor
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:45 P.M.) – A fist fight broke out between the U.S. and Russian armed forces in the Al-Hasakah Governorate countryside on Christmas, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported. According to the SOHR report, the fist fight broke out in the town of Tal Tamr on December 25th after a U.S. military […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
The slow climate slide continues into the next glacial advance
Frozen Rivers and canals in Northern Europe during the Little Ice Age wiped out cereal production in Iceland and caused famine in France, Norway and Sweden. ______ The slow climate slide continues into the next glacial advance J.H. Walker Frozen Rivers and canals in Northern Europe during the Little Ice Age wiped out cereal production ... Read moreThe slow climate slide continues into the next glacial advance The post The slow climate slide continues into the next glacial advance appeared first on Ice Age Now.
White House Manufacturing Adviser Peter Navarro Discusses Predictions for 2020 U.S. Economy…
Peter Navarro discusses the Trump administration’s trade agenda and some predictions for the state of the Main Street U.S. economy heading into 2020. Navarro highlights the completed agreements with South Korea, Japan, China phase-1, and the U.S., Mexico, Canada USMCA … Continue reading →
Russia's Su-57 Stealth Fighter Could Be A Big Problem For America
*David Axe* *Security, Europe* Luckily Moscow can't afford to build that many. *Key point: *An economic downturn, which shaved nearly four percent off of GDP in 2015, forced Moscow to reconsider its priorities. The Russian defense ministry staged an impressive video shoot with four of its Su-57 stealth fighter prototypes. But the dramatic display doesn't make the Su-57 any more relevant. The Su-57 is beautiful. It's also too expensive for Russia to buy in meaningful numbers. In the November 2018 videos, produced by the Kremlin's Zvezda T.V., four of the twin-engine Su-57s fly i... more »
China Is Looking For Pilots To Fly Its J-20 Stealth Fighter
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* Recruiting for 2020 and beyond. *Key point: *Around 2016 the PLAAF reformed its pilot training to make it more realistic. The Chinese air force has tapped a charismatic young pilot to be the spokesman for its growing force of J-20 stealth fighters. Bai Long, 29, rose to fame while flying a twin-engine J-16 fighter during the People's Liberation Army Air Force's 90th-anniversary celebration in 2017. Bai apparently has converted to the twin-engine, stealthy J-20. In 2018 Bai told a reporter his dream was to "fly China’s most advanced fighter jet." Th... more »
Nazi Germany's King Tiger Heavy Tank: Super Weapon or Super Flop?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Like a professional football player, the Tiger II was more agile than it looked. *Key point: *Weapons are extremely situational items. Nazi Germany's Tiger is arguably the most famous tank of World War II. With its thick armor and devastating 88-millimeter gun, the Mark VI—or *Tiger I*—soon earned a devastating reputation on the battlefield. Designed as a breakthrough tank for breaching enemy defenses, and allocated to a handful of special heavy tank battalions, the sixty-ton Tiger I seemed to have it all: firepower, armor and for an early 1940s vehic... more »
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. - Andray Domise highlights the importance of fighting back against the excesses and harms of capitalism, rather than accepting it as being necessary or inescapable: There’s no way around a simple reality for people who consider themselves to be on the left side of the political spectrum, the people who strive for widespread and radical, if not revolutionary, change—we’re getting our tails kicked. There’s no putting an end to that if people who hold left-leaning ideals cannot quit kidding themselves by believing that capitalism exists as a ... more »
Clarence Thomas and the racism of the Democrats
"At the time of his confirmation, the public was twice as likely to believe Justice Thomas over Anita Hill (55% to 27%), and 58% favored his confirmation. Today, only 30% of Americans believe that he should have been confirmed, and 38% say he should not have been." https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/12/23/clarence-thomas-tells-his-story-in-a-new-documentary I don't have a problem understanding what happened. The media and academe. They try to damage any black who leaves the plantation. They try to convince Americans that blacks who aren't Democrats are unfaithful to the "values" of Ame... more »
Post-Truth World: An OPCW Cover-up, Shielded by MSM and Bellingcat
*Patrick Henningsen* | As this story continues to unravel, rather than face the truth, establishment gatekeepers have chosen to double down again.
Dana Goldstein's Common Core Ten Year Tale, Annotated
Dana Goldstein's NYT ten year retrospective of Common Core has been sitting on my desktop since it was published, making me grumpy. It's yet another example of how the stories we are told about modern disruptive education reform are subtly sugared and carefully crafted to avoid discussing some of the larger issues. I don't know-- after all, Goldstein is a published book author and writes for the Alas, poor standards.New York Times, and I'm sitting here next to a sleeping baby on the couch, blogging for free, so it's always possible that I don't know what I'm talking about. But there... more »
Dec..28:- abd, I hope but doubt, a better year for 2020.
Forgive me. This one got long because the coming year will probably be a dangerous one - and possibly a very dangerous year for North America. _______________________________________________________________- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/27/russia-deploys-first-hypersonic-missiles-nuclear-capable How evil! I'm sure the U.S. would never dream of threatening a country with nuclear attack - well, unless it was the Christian thing to do. ______________________________________________________________ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/27/revealed-microplastic-po... more »
Here Is The Coolest (And Scariest) Military Tech of 2019
HELIOS concept image. Lockheed Martin *Futurism:* *The Coolest (and Scariest) Military Tech of 2019* *This year birthed some of the most mind-bending military tech we've ever seen.* PUTTING ASIDE our personal feelings on the nature of war and what it is or isn’t good for, the fact is that it’s a terrible reality of life. It’s also, often, where technological development advances at several paces beyond every other sector even remotely like it. These are some of literature’s best (and most dystopian) ideas, fully realized. And 2019 especially boasted some of the most mind-bending m... more »
MEDICINE WHEEL: Happiness Is Colored Green – By Steve Taylor Ph.D
Originally posted on RIELPOLITIK: Source – wakeup-world.com – “…An earlier US study of 600 gardeners…found that those who gardened for five hours or more per week were significantly happier than normal. This study found that the activity had pronounced physical benefits too: on average, the 600 gardeners had significantly better overall health, with fewer chronic…
SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Death By Lethal Injection Administered By The Vaccine Cartel And Big Pharma
Originally posted on Truth To Power: Did the Police also go to take pictures at Merck & the Medical practice who gave the shots? (we all know the answer). Unbelievable! So sorry about this Sky. They are now calling it Sudden Unexpected Infant Death? Unexpected by the ignorance by the uninformed MDs Who know Zero…
Mind-Blowing Inequality as America’s 20 Richest Own More Than Bottom Half | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community
Originally posted on olddogthoughts: The divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in the United States has never been so vast, with a new report out Tuesday revealing that the nation’s 20 richest individuals own more wealth than the entire bottom half of the population. What’s more, with a combined worth of $2.34 trillion, the…
World’s 500 Richest People Gained $1.2 Trillion in Wealth in 2019: Analysis | Common Dreams News
Originally posted on olddogthoughts: 2x Never Trumpers (ODT) via World’s 500 Richest People Gained $1.2 Trillion in Wealth in 2019: Analysis | Common Dreams News
The US Has the Least Poverty In the World -- Here Is How Metrics Are Crafted to Hide That Fact
A few weeks ago Matt Yglesias published a tweet (since deleted, which I don't totally understand as I thought it was pretty innocuous from a Progressive viewpoint) saying that he wanted to spend more time focusing on "relative child poverty." What the heck is "relative" child poverty? I want to spend a bit of time […]
Rushin’ To Destruction, Part 10-- We’re Running Out Of Time. The Deterioration Of Trump’s Brain Gets Worse Every Day.
*-by Noah* To say President Trump is not a well man is the ultimate understatement. With every week and evenevery day, come more and more signs that a man who was already mentally ill for years is now approaching a major crack up, a complete mental breakdown. Last week it was some mindless diatribe about his toilets and then “women’s dishwashers.” Now it’s a continuation of his extended windmill fixation. The causes Trump’s mental difficulties are not half as important as the reality that Trump has little or no grasp on the real world. With every week, comes a public statement ou... more »
What did Adam Schiff leave on the cutting room floor?
We now know that the whole purpose of Adam Schiff's illegal secret impeachment hearings was to audition witnesses. Those who told a good antiTrump story were called back to testify at the public hearings and those who told the truth that defended Trump weren't. Given that Schiff wouldn't allow Republicans to call witnesses he didn't like this process allowed Schiff to stack the deck and ensure that no testimony that helped Trump would ever show up on live TV. Given that it's truly amazing that Schiff didn't produce a single witness who testified to first hand knowledge of any crimin... more »
On Rana Zaman: Some somebodies have some explaining to do
For Rana Zaman, it had been another long and not untypical day of good-doing. But as she wrote proudly on her Facebook page on Dec. 20 at 4:12 pm: “I’m happy to say, turkey dinner with all the fixings was bought and dropped off for 7 families to enjoy. Still pending is delivery of toys […]
Woodford wedding like no other as couple become 'wim and wif' in festival labyrinth
Taelor-Jane and Alex's journey to one another was set to harp and guitar, while in the distance bongo drums pounded and a man yelled proclamations.
'Call me a farmer': Why young women are needed for the future of regional communities
Jemma Brown wants people to call her what they call her brother — a farmer. But despite an increasing number of women entering the industry, she's still challenged by gender stereotypes.
Why this parenting guru says people are being sold a 'Disney-like illusion' about having kids
Parenting guru Maggie Dent says people are being sold a "Disney-like illusion" about having kids — but the reality isn't always so magical. We asked the experts for a reality check and some real-world advice.
Inside Sydney's lavish dance parties that are missing one thing
There's a throng of performers, lavish lighting and a bumping dance floor — it sounds like the perfect party, but there's something very different about these Harbour City soirees.
From eating animal faeces to trying party drugs, this team has heard it all
Victoria's Poisons Information Centre receives thousands of calls a year from people worried about things they — or their children — have put in their mouths.
Alcohol nearly destroyed me but four years later I have transformed my life
Just In - 8 hours ago
My long journey from alcoholism to jail is finally over and this is what I've learnt about finding a purpose in life, writes Alyson Colquitt.
Hijab-wearing metalheads, kick flips and blasphemy: Inside Iran's American subculture 'problem'
When you think of skateboarding and rock music, Iran isn't the country that springs to mind, but thousands of Iranians have been adopting Western subcultures for decades.
Best books of the decade: The non-definitive, highly subjective list
Our favourite reads created whole worlds in single rooms or a patch of moss, spun wonder from everyday life, and transformed troubled histories into powerful contemporary fables.
The faceless killer who slaughtered an entire family and then vanished for two decades
First he murdered the Miyazawa family. Then he spent half a day eating their food, browsing their internet search history, and napping on their couch. Why can't Japanese police find the killer?
Police report finds 'failures' in historic rape investigation as Queensland Opposition rejects claims of 'cop bashing'
An internal Queensland police report finds failures in a gang rape investigation involving an officer now at the centre of a political brawl between the police union and the State Opposition.
A private owner, an electric fence and no feral cats: Welcome to Australia's Noah's Ark
Mt Rothwell, on the outskirts of Geelong, is Victoria's largest feral predator-free ecosystem and behind its giant electrified fence native animals are thriving. It's a model that could be adopted elsewhere to stop more Australian animals from dying out, its operators say.
What my father's life under the Nazis taught me about being erotic
Sex therapist Esther Perel's parents saw being erotic as an "antidote to death" during the Holocaust. She thinks couples could learn a lot from their experience.
The good news stories you may have missed in 2019
In a year marred by tragedy both at home and abroad, it can be easy to think of the news cycle as little more than doom and gloom. But beneath the sombre headlines were stories of hope and optimism that are bound to have even the most pessimistic among us struggling to stifle a smile.
West Africa’s Sahel Is Being Overrun By Al Qaeda And Islamic State Jihadists
*Quartz:* *West Africa’s Sahel struggles to contain deadly jihadist groups that’ve infiltrated communities* Leaders of G5 Sahel countries gathered for emergency talks in Niamey on Sunday after Niger faced the most spectacular military attack on its soil since jihadists gained a foothold in the region. Reportedly executed by dozens of men on motorcycles, on a base just 124 miles outside of the capital, near the border with Mali, the attack that killed 71 soldiers was claimed by the Islamic State and is being read as a warning that group is fast expanding its territory throughout th... more »
America Must Not Underestimate Iran's Navy (Or Else)
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, * Not a pushover. *Key point: *Just because Iran is woefully outmatched in pitched combat doesn’t mean that it can’t be used to challenge US power in other, more asymmetric ways. As Washington and Tehran descend further down an escalatory spiral, the prospect of armed conflict with Iran is increasingly treated as an inevitability by its supporters. Meanwhile, *detractors *are urging the Trump administration to avoid what they see as an avertable military quagmire. Media coverage of the ongoing Iran issue has largely focused on *domestic *and *intern... more »
Should The Army Have Bought Ruger's American Pistol?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * We take a look. *Key point: *Safety is a major consideration on the American Pistol. One of the newest pistols on the U.S. gun market was created to compete in the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System. Although it would never actually compete against winner Sig Sauer, the Ruger American Pistol is now available to civilian shooters who want a reliable, safe, well-designed pistol backed up by the Ruger name. In a field of storied American gun manufacturers, some of whom date back to the nineteenth century, one of the strongest is actually fairly new to t... more »
Sorry, Tom Cruise: China's Version Of Top Gun Might Be Better Than Yours
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Bear with us. I will make an unpatriotic confession. I like the Chinese version of "Top Gun" better. Or more specifically, a short Chinese navy video that resembles the 1986 Hollywood hit, for which a sequel is underway. Well, almost resembles. No smirking Tom Cruise. No fake love story (and no Kelly McGillis) to distract what everyone really came to see, which was the cool F-14 Tomcats zooming and booming through the skies. And at almost six minutes instead of almost two hours for the American version, it's a lot quicker to watch. Not that the ... more »
Can You Guess The World's 5 Best Hunting Rifles?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Hunting, more than other countries in the Western world, lingers in America’s DNA. *Key Point:* The best hunting rifles are a combination of firepower, portability and affordability. Hunting, more than other countries in the Western world, lingers in America’s DNA. While the number of hunters in Europe and the rest of the industrialized world has declined with the rise of cities, hunting is still a major sport in the United States. Hunting is particularly popular in rural and suburban areas and large, stable populations of game, including deer, moos... more »
Meet OPLAN 5015: America's Plan Of Last Resort To Destroy North Korea
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* It could have meant World War III. *Key point: *This appears to be America’s plan for fighting the next Korean War. North Korea’s unpredictable leader Kim Jong-un has many ways of making war upon his neighbors. He can unleash commandos, or cyberweapons, or threaten to utilize weapons of mass destruction unless the world complies with his wishes. Whether Kim Jong-un will live to see the results is another matter. He might be assassinated by U.S. and South Korean special forces, or buried in his bunker by a bunker-buster bomb. Other smart bombs mig... more »
Low magnetic field strength linked to both extinctions and evolution
New paper confirms what I said in both Not by Fire but by Ice and Magnetic Reversals and Evolutionary Leaps, that low magnetic-field strength during magnetic reversals can trigger both extinctions and evolution. Unfortunately, magnetic-field strength is now declining rapidly.** _______ New fossil finds, improved fossil dating, knowledge of the past strength of Earth’s magnetic ... Read moreLow magnetic field strength linked to both extinctions and evolution The post Low magnetic field strength linked to both extinctions and evolution appeared first on Ice Age Now.
Anticipate House Impeachment Articles After January 3rd, 2020 – Oral Arguments for Mueller Grand Jury Material…
Oral arguments in the DC Court of Appeals for the House Judiciary Committee to obtain Mueller’s grand jury information, are scheduled for January 3rd, 2020. The HJC is leveraging the Senate impeachment trial in their arguments to gain access to … Continue reading →
Great Moments in Climate Prediction: 2020 Disaster Predicted in 2004
I am working on a bit of a climate update in a post called something like "Dear Greta, the climate is not about to kill you." But until then, just so you can calibrate the current hype, here was the hype from 2004. Specifically, an article in Guardian February 21, 2004: A secret report, suppressed […]
Countries To Watch In 2020
*Catesby Holmes, The Conversation:* *Countries to watch in 2020, from Chile to Afghanistan: 5 essential reads * Where will the world’s attention turn in 2020? The United States’ impeachment trial of Donald Trump and the United Kingdom’s long-awaited Brexit are sure bets. And after the U.S. military withdrawal from northern Syria in October, Bashar al-Assad may well win his civil war this year. Many other countries will see pivotal events in 2020, too. Here are five countries to watch. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor:* The other countries that I would add to this list are .... Nort... more »
'Opposing Interventionism In Nation X Means You Love Nation X’s Government!'
[image: undefined] Every time you speak out against western imperialism in a given nation or question western propaganda narratives about that nation’s government, you will inevitably be accused of loving that nation’s government by anyone who argues with you. When I say “inevitably”, I am not exaggerating. If you speak in any public forum for any length of time expressing skepticism of what we’re told to believe about a nation whose government has been targeted by the US-centralized empire, you will with absolute certainty eventually run into someone who accuses you of thinking th... more »
US Plans to Conduct Cyberwar Against Russia in Retaliation for Unproven Election Meddling
[image: undefined] Despite having provided no proof of Russian meddling in the 2016 or 2020 US presidential election, the Pentagon is preparing to launch a cyberwar against Russia in retaliation. Could the real reason be political? From May 2017 until March 2019, a team of investigators and lawyers led by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller engaged in a frenetic search for evidence sustaining allegations that individuals affiliated with the campaign of President Donald Trump—and even the president himself—had colluded and conspired with the Russian government to influence the outcome ... more »
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Stern an Stern”
Deuter, “Stern an Stern”
Charles Moore Accuses BBC Of Climate Bias
By Paul Homewood Charles Moore, who was today’s guest editor for BBC’s Today programme, accuses them of bias over climate change: The BBC’s Today programme “preaches” to its listeners, its guest editor and Telegraph columnist Charles Moore has said as he described how he had to battle to get a climate change skeptic […]
Eat Less Meat And Save A Glacier
By Paul Homewood h/t Tony Heller Laura Tobin is weather girl on Good Morning Britain, which apparently makes her an expert on climate change as well: https://twitter.com/Lauratobin1/status/1210594797884497920 (BTW – that photo is fraudulent – it is not a “glacier”, merely a patch of transient snow) She even has the solution: https://twitter.com/Lauratobin1/status/1210591925025329153 Busy pumping […]
Chet Raymo, "Lessons"
"Lessons" by Chet Raymo "There is a four-line poem by Yeats, called "Gratitude to the Unknown Instructors": "What they undertook to do They brought to pass; All things hang like a drop of dew Upon a blade of grass." Like so many of the short poems of Yeats, it is hard to know what the poet had in mind, who exactly were the unknown instructors, and if unknown how could they instruct. But as I opened my volume of The Poems this morning, at random, as in the old days people opened the Bible and pointed a finger at a random passage seeking advice or instruction, this is the poem that p... more »
The Poet: Charles Simic, “Against Winter”
*“Against Winter”* “The truth is dark under your eyelids. What are you going to do about it? The birds are silent; there's no one to ask. All day long you'll squint at the gray sky. When the wind blows you'll shiver like straw. A meek little lamb you grew your wool Till they came after you with huge shears. Flies hovered over open mouth, Then they, too, flew off like the leaves, The bare branches reached after them in vain. Winter coming. Like the last heroic soldier Of a defeated army, you'll stay at your post, Head bared to the first snow flake. Till a neighbor comes to yell at you, ... more »
Musical Interlude: "Stress Relief And Relaxation: Peaceful Concentration"
"*Stress Relief And Relaxation: Peaceful Concentration"* Listen to this music when ever you feel stressed out or to read a book, write, meditate or anything else that requires you to be calm and focused. Take a break. Forget it all for 10 minutes and relax...
"A Look to the Heavens"
“This colorful skyscape features the dusty, reddish glow of Sharpless catalog emission region Sh2-155, the Cave Nebula. About 2,400 light-years away, the scene lies along the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy toward the royal northern constellation of Cepheus. *Click image for larger size.* Astronomical explorations of the region reveal that it has formed at the boundary of the massive Cepheus B molecular cloud and the hot, young, blue stars of the Cepheus OB 3 association. The bright rim of ionized hydrogen gas is energized by the radiation from the hot stars, dominated by the bright... more »
The Universe
"Life is not what you see, but what you've projected. It's not what you've felt, but what you've decided. It's not what you've experienced, but how you've remembered it. It's not what you've forged, but what you've allowed. And it's not who's appeared, but who you've summoned. And this should serve you well until you find what you already have." - The Universe “Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!” - www.tut.com
“Ghostly Voices Dancing in the Rain”
*“Ghostly Voices Dancing in the Rain”* By Edward Curtin “In the other room Rateau was looking at the canvas, completely blank, in the center of which Jonas had merely written in very small letters a word that could be made out, but without any certainty as to whether it should be read solitary or solidary.” - Albert Camus, “The Artist at Work” “A solitary, early Sunday morning walk in the rain. As I like it, my only walking companion was the soothing sound of rain in the trees and on the lake. From the shallow water at the lake’s swampy edge, a blue heron, perched on one leg, froze... more »
"Cats And Dogs"
“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think *you* are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that *they* are god.” - Christopher Hitchens
"The Kafka Effect"
*"The Kafka Effect"* by Nick Tasler "A few years ago, researchers at the University of British Columbia brought two groups of study participants into their lab and asked them to read a short story. One group read an adaptation of a story by the great German author, Franz Kafka. "The Country Dentist" was a typically Kafkaesque story, meaning that its twists and turns made absolutely no sense - from the neighbor who kindly but inexplicably acts like a horse to the family who begs the dentist to pull a tooth from their toothless child. The second group of participants read a version ... more »
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