Friday, December 06, 2019

6 December - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 5

10 pm MST

Chaos In California, As Teslas Queue Up To Recharge on Black Friday

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood h/t AC Osborn It did not really take a genius to work out that something like this would happen: Dozens of Tesla drivers in California were forced to wait in an extensive line after what should’ve been a quick stop…

United States – Record-high snow cover across the Lower 48

Hifast at Climate Collections - 11 hours ago
Originally posted on Sierra Foothill Commentary: Re-blogged from Ice Age Now December 4, 2019 by Robert Snow now covers nearly one half – one half! – of the continental United States. That’s the most snow cover on December 2 since records began. Snow Cover – 2 December 2019 – Image courtesy of NOAA “Snow covered the ground on nearly…

Rio Inaugurates Today the Largest Ferris Wheel in Latin America

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 11 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Rio inaugurates today, Saturday, December 6th, the Rio Star Ferris wheel, 88 meters high and the largest in Latin America. The complete tour will last 18 minutes. The public will be accommodated in 54 gondolas [cabins] with capacity for up to eight passengers. The Ferris wheel is located in Porto […] The post Rio Inaugurates Today the Largest Ferris Wheel in Latin America appeared first on The Rio Times.

Has the BBC fact-checked John Simpson?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
As you'll all know, after winning the presidential election in El Salvador 'populist' Nayib Bukele became the country's new right-leaning president in June 2019, replacing the leftist Salvador Sánchez Cerén of the FMLN. Enter John Simpson, with a tweet: El Salvador, under its new president (a former night-club owner), has done what China wants & cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. As a reward, China has promised huge investment, large-scale tourism, & a new national football stadium. — John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) December 4, 2019 Has the... more »

A White Dwarf’s Giant Planet

Paul Gilster at Centauri Dreams - 11 hours ago
Calling it a ‘chance discovery,’ the University of Warwick’s Boris Gänsicke recently presented the results of his team’s study of some 7,000 white dwarf stars, all of them cataloged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. One drew particular interest because chemical elements turned up in spectroscopic studies indicating something unusual. Says Gänsicke, “We knew that […]

More 'reaction'

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
*"Andrew Neil eviscerates Boris Johnson over interview no show"* says Steerpike in the Spectator online. But you know what? (I do hate that ‘you know what’ habit) (I’m just doing it now to annoy myself) *This* is what. Not everyone is with you. if Andrew Neil, (associate editor of the Spectator) read the comments below the film clip + transcription featured in the online mag he co-edits, he might find that his ‘no show’ rant is not quite the evisceration Steerpike envisaged. If anyone was eviscerated, some would say it’s the BBC’s eviscerator-in-chief himself. Don't appease him... more »

More on John Sweeney

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
Those of you who have been following the John Sweeney story might be interested in a new development, courtesy of Buzzfeed. NEW: Investigative journalist John Sweeney is claiming to be a “reluctant whistleblower” against the BBC. According to four sources, Sweeney left the BBC after a young journalist filed an official complaint over an incident at Emily Maitlis’ book launch.https://t.co/AusvFEtZPV — Mark Di Stefano 🤙🏻 (@MarkDiStef) December 5, 2019 The report says: BuzzFeed News can reveal Sweeney parted ways with the BBC after two incidents earlier this year. The first relat... more »

ABC: Father Accused of Handing Son Shotgun After the Son Confided to Parents About Suicidal Thoughts

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 11 hours ago
A Maryland father has been arrested for allegedly physically abusing his 14-year-old son and giving the boy a shotgun when he confided that he was struggling with suicidal thoughts. Anthony Lewis, 46, allegedly grabbed a shotgun, thrust it into his son’s arms, and forced the boy’s hands over the trigger, WMAR reported. According to court […] The post ABC: Father Accused of Handing Son Shotgun After the Son Confided to Parents About Suicidal Thoughts appeared first on Health Nut News.

SCOLDING THE ELECTORATE WELL: Charles Blow types the darnedest things!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 11 hours ago
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019Childhood's (refusal to) end:* Last Thursday morning—and yes, it was Thanksgiving Day—the New York Times was schooling the nation well. In print editions, Professor Silverman adopted a scolding tone in a scolding op-ed column. It appeared beneath a scolding headline: *The Vicious Reality Behind the Thanksgiving Myth* To our ear, a condescending tone pervaded the professor's piece from its first paragraph onward. He closed on a silly, supercilious note—one which, to our ear, defines our failing modern tribe's instincts all too well. On line, Charles Blow o... more »

America Has An Inequality Problem, But It's Not As Bad As You Think

James Pethokoukis at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*James Pethokoukis* *Economics, Americas* Look to the data. A long piece in The Economist about inequality research (“Economists are rethinking the numbers on inequality”) ends with this question: “Will this flurry of new research change people’s minds about inequality?” Well, maybe some change among some academics, probably not much among most activists or politicians. As for the latter, too much of the current political environment seems driven by the idea that massive inequality signals “late capitalism” and the end of the American Dream as we know it. Mostly on the left, but... more »

"Look, Fat": Biden Attacks Voter, But He Once Criticized Trump For Fat-Shaming.Kim Jong Un

Mary Margaret Olohan at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Mary Margaret Olohan* *Politics, Americas* [image: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden faces off with a local resident challenging him about his son Hunter Biden's involvement with Ukraine in this screen grab made from video shot during a Biden campaign eve] 'Every president I’ve known, and I’ve known eight, they understand there’s an obligation and a sense of dignity about the office,' Biden said in 2017. 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden, who once slammed President Donald Trump for implying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is... more »

The AR-556 Is More Than Just Your Regular AR-15 'Pistol'

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, * Take a look. *Key Point:* For those that want an AR experience in a handgun form, the AR-556 is one firearm to consider. The AR-15 rifle, or ArmaLite Rifle-15, was developed by Eugene Stoner as a potential military firearm. The AR-15, first adopted by the U.S. Air Force and later by the rest of the armed forces, is a gas operated, direct impingement firearm that siphons off gunpowder gasses to cycle the weapon. This also has the beneficial side effect of significantly reducing recoil, allowing a rifle shooting a 55-grain cartridge at velocities i... more »

Trump Fights House Democrat Subpoena to the Supreme Court

Kevin Daley at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Kevin Daley* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Sunrise, Florida, U.S., November 26, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas] Can he win? President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court Thursday to take up a second case involving a subpoena for his accounting records. The petition is the latest development in a multi-front dispute over presidential immunity, separation of powers, and Trump’s financial information now playing out before the justices. The first case involves a subpoena from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who is investigat... more »

The Air Force Is Spending $1 Billion on a New Hypersonic Missile

Military and Aerospace Electronics at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Will it work? EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – U.S. Air Force aerial weapons experts are asking Lockheed Martin Corp. to move forward on developing a prototype air-launched hypersonic weapon for use against surface targets like enemy military bases, surface warships, and rapidly relocatable weapons. Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, announced an order worth nearly one billion dollars to the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla., on Mon... more »

Journalists Line Up Behind Impeachment Comments on Barron Trump

Shelby Talcott at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Shelby Talcott* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump and his son Barron board Air Force One en route to Washington after a Thanksgiving vacation, at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, U.S., December 1, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas] “While the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a Baron,” a Democrat-invited witness told Congress. Some journalists seemed to appreciate a Democratic impeachment witness’s reference to President Donald Trump’s 13-year-old son during Wednesday’s hearing. Four legal scholars spoke during the House Judiciary C... more »

Say What? Why Russia Keeps Practicing Nuclear War

Mark B. Schneider at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Mark B. Schneider* *Security, Europe* [image: Reuters] Meet "Thunder-2019." In October 2019, Russia engaged in what was apparently its largest announced strategic nuclear strike exercise in its history, Thunder (Grom)–2019. The exercise had many of the usual features of Russian large strategic nuclear exercises: personal involvement by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin in authorizing simulated nuclear strikes; a reported escalation scenario with Russian first use of nuclear weapons; large numbers of live nuclear missile launches; and a reported ending of a massive Russian ... more »

Climate Crusader Campaign Against Chemical Companies Divides Law Firms

Chris White at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Chris White* *Politics, Americas* [image: The Eastman Business Park is pictured in Rochester, New York, December 23, 2011.] And it's backed by Hollywood elites. *An environmental attorney with a history of crusading against oil companies is kickstarting a campaign targeting major chemical companies, according to a watchdog group.* - *A Hollywood filmmaker who produced a big-budget film criticizing chemical producers is also associated with an ongoing crusade targeting companies that activists believe are poisoning people. * - *One legal analyst sugge... more »

PT Boats: America's Secret Weapon During World War II?

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Asia* [image: By Jngilmar at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44355245] The small ships had a big impact. Late in the day on October 24, 1944, all of the available 39 patrol torpedo (PT) boats of the U.S. Seventh Fleet were traveling at high speed into the Mindanao Sea just south of Leyte Gulf. By dusk they had taken up position in a patrol line. The journey of the boats from New Guinea to Leyte Gulf, which was approximately 1,200 miles, presented a difficult problem for the U.S. Navy. The distan... more »

Jobs Galore! 266,000 Added in November

Mary Margaret Olohan at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Mary Margaret Olohan* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump meets workers as he takes a factory tour of the Sheffer Corporation in Blue Ash, Ohio, U.S. February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst] Unemployment is now at 3.5%. Will it go lower? The U.S. economy added 266,000 jobs in November, while the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5%, according to Department of Labor data released Friday. 266,000 jobs were added in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report — about 138,000 more jobs than were added in October. The surge in jobs comes after a 40... more »

Did Giuliani Really Call Who Democrats Said He Did?

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, speaks at an event in Ashraf-3 camp, which is a base for the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) in Manza, Albania, July 13, 2019.REUTERS/Florion Goga] The Democrats' Trump impeachment report is in question. Doubts are emerging about House Democrats’ claim in an impeachment report released Tuesday regarding a series of phone calls Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani allegedly had with someone in the Office of Management and Budget, which oversaw a freeze on military aid to Ukraine. The phone... more »

Alleged Pedophile Investigated by Mueller Indicted for Funneling Millions to Clinton from U.A.E.

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears with former President Bill Clinton during a joint on stage conversation event at the Beacon Theatre in New York, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Yang] Mueller went looking for Russian influence. He found George Nader. George Nader, a key witness in the special counsel’s investigation who has been indicted on child sex crime charges, helped funnel millions of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and pro-Clinton political action committees, prosecutor... more »

The Navy Wants 9 New Special Virginia-Class Submarines

Military and Aerospace Electronics at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Technology, Americas* [image: Reuters] More missile tubes. WASHINGTON – U.S. Navy undersea warfare experts are ordering nine new Virginia-class fast-attack submarines -- most of them with additional vertical-launch missile tubes -- under terms of a $22.2 million 10-year contract modification announced Monday. Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington are asking General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., to build nine Virginia-class submarines -- eight with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). General Dynamics Electric Boat... more »

Designate Mexican Cartels As Terrorists 'As Expediently As Possible': House Republicans To Trump State Department

Jason Hopkins at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Jason Hopkins* *Politics, Americas* [image: Soldiers assigned to the National Guard are seen while giving protection for the caravan of relatives on their journey to bury Rhonita Miller-Lebaron and Dawna Ray Langford and their children who were killed by unknown assailants, in Bavispe, Sonora state] 'I don’t want to say what I am going to do, but they will be designated,' President Trump had said. - *Three Republican congressman signed a letter urging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to quickly begin designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations. ... more »

Gains and Losses of Irregular Migration

STOCKHOLM / ROME, Dec 06 (IPS) - While opening a newspaper or watching a TV program we are every day made aware of the plights of irregular migrants. Some recent examples among many – on 24 October, 39 Chinese nationals were found dead in a lorry trailer in Essex. They had apparently frozen to death within a refrigerator container with temperatures as low as -25C (-13F). This while tragedies occur almost daily on the Mediterranean Sea. On 26 November, a rescue vessel found a boat almost completely sunken. It had three dead bodies aboard. Fifty-five migrants were saved. Three of the... more »

Forced to Flee. Displaced with a Dream. Time for Action.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 06 (IPS) - Yasmine Sherif is Director, Education Cannot WaitGenesis smiles and holds her hand up proudly to answer questions in class. She claps her hands in support of her classmates when they answer the teachers' questions correctly. "I miss my cousins and aunts in Venezuela, she says." Her smile fades and her lips tighten. She struggles to hold back her tears. "I can't return. I want to stay here in my school, with my new friends." Her smile returns, as she resolutely states: "I want to become a lawyer, so I can help solve problems." Read the full story, “Fo... more »

Ohio Anti-Abortion Bill Would Push Docs to Re-Implant Ectopic Pregnancies

Bethania Palma at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
This is the second time Ohio lawmakers have attempted to legislate for a procedure that doesn't exist.

X-Zone Broadcast Network - Ryan Wood and MJ-12

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 11 hours ago
This week I spoke with Ryan Wood. He had sent out an email complaining about the anti-UFO bias on Wikipedia. I thought that would be an interesting topic, and since he is a proponent of MJ-12, I thought we could spend some time on that as well. But, as usual, the conversation took on a life of its own. You can listen to it here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/20493888 We veered off into the Cape Girardeau UFO crash of 1941, which, as everyone will tell you, is six years older than the Roswell case. The problem here is that there are no first-hand witnesses and while the granddaug... more »

Reactions

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
*Alex Wickham, Buzzfeed*: Johnson confirms he is rejecting Neil interview. Senior Con source: “The public are fed up with interviews that are all about the interviewer and endless interruptions. The format is tired and broken and needs to change if it is to start engaging and informing the public again.” Instead of facing Andrew Neil...“The PM will focus on talking to voters about their priorities including investing in our NHS and helping with the cost of living.” Tories say Johnson has done 117 interviews during the campaign, Marr and two head-to-heads with Corbyn. *Rob Burley, ... more »

Senate Confirms Another Originalist Trump Appointee to the Federal Bench

Bob Adelmann at rss - 11 hours ago
[image: senate-confirms-another-originalist-trump-appointee-to-the-federal-bench] The United States Senate on Wednesday confirmed Sarah Pitlyk to the federal bench, the 165th Trump appointee to be confirmed. So far.

Dems Getting A Bit Testy These Days

Terry at 'Nox & Friends - 11 hours ago
Slo-Joe Biden called an Iowa voter a “damn liar” and, after calling the man “fat” (1:28) challenged him to a push-up competition Thursday in New Hampton, Iowa, after the man accused Biden of improper dealings with Ukraine…. Next, we have Nutsy Nancy Pelosi who was leaving a press conference on Capitol Hill when she snapped at a reporter who suggested she hated the president, angrily telling him, “Don’t mess with me!” She is such a strong, passionate, loving Catholic that The Pope once denied her communion. She used her Catholicism to defend impeaching President Trump, but apparently... more »

Nancy Pelosi ‘Invokes God’ as She Raises Articles of Impeachment

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 11 hours ago
*21WIRE* | Experts believe that the Democrats' case is so poor that it will simply die the Senate.

How & Why Central Banks are Preparing for the Crash

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 12 hours ago
ITM Trading Slides and Links: https://www.itmtrading.com/blog/prepa… After $14.5 Trillion of new central bank QE money and global debt, encouraged by ZIRP (Zero Interest Rate Policy), breaching $255 trillion by the end of this year, central bankers are worried about global risk taking, even though their actions were designed to force savers and investors to take …

What Makes Christmas Movies So Popular?

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
Though Christmas is a Christian holiday, most holiday films are not religious in the traditional sense.

Bernie Has Another Plank For The Most Phenomenal Platform Anyone Has Ever Run On-- High Speed Internet For All

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
In the 1920s, conservatives were suspicious of-- and hysterical about-- rural electrification proposals... you know, "Socialism!!!" So President Franklin Roosevelt had to get the ball rolling with an executive order (May 11, 1935). At the time, just 3% of farms and ranches were electrified. A year later, Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act which was bitterly opposed by the same kind of corporate Republicans who oppose all progress that aims to make the lives of working class Americans better today. The legislation was bipartisan and bicameral-- drafted by Senator George ... more »

Come sail away with me (for free)

Tim Bousquet at Halifax Examiner - 12 hours ago
News 1. Disabled people can’t properly enjoy lots of money, says adjudicator “Beth MacLean is an intellectually disabled middle-aged woman who spent 35 years in institutions, including more than four years in a locked-down psychiatric unit of the Nova Scotia Hospital known as Emerald Hall,” writes Jennifer Henderson: She is currently living at Quest in […]

Impeachment Inquiry Obtained And Published Phone Records Of Congressman And News Reporter

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes listen to testimony at a hearing on Nov. 19, 2019. (SBG) *Washington Post:* *Phone records from AT&T and Verizon obtained in impeachment inquiry spark controversy* WASHINGTON - Phone logs subpoenaed from Verizon and AT&T put a spotlight on the powerful tools at lawmakers' disposal as they seek to investigate President Donald Trump in the impeachment inquiry. The records were some of the strongest circumstantial evidence included in the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment report this week, r... more »

The Faux Generosity of the Super-Wealthy: Why Bill Gates is a Menace to Society

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 12 hours ago
If Gates represents a net negative force in world politics, why does he receive such good press? For starters, he makes sizeable donations to a host of mainstream corporate media outlets. The post The Faux Generosity of the Super-Wealthy: Why Bill Gates is a Menace to Society appeared first on MintPress News.

Study Reveals How UK Intelligence Works with Media to Smear Jeremy Corbyn

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 12 hours ago
New research from Matt Kennard has shown how the British intelligence establishment works with the UK media to smear Jeremy Corbyn. The post Study Reveals How UK Intelligence Works with Media to Smear Jeremy Corbyn appeared first on MintPress News.

‘The Death-Agony of Olympus’

adam at LaRouchePAC Feed - 12 hours ago
[image: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called for the House to move forward with articles of impeachment against President Trump. December 5, 2019. (CSPAN)] PDF: [image: PDF icon] 20191206-death-agony-olympus.pdf When was there ever such corruption of the U.S. elite—from academia to the “news-and-entertainment” media, government bureaucracies and the Congress—all of it together one pulsating mass of filth, like a fistful of live worms from a bait-basket—as what is now exposed daily in the impeachment charade? Yet Lyndon LaRouche forecast it all quite accurately just 21 years ago in h... more »

Breaking – Official US Govt Data shows accelerating temperature decline since 2016

Robert at Ice Age Now - 12 hours ago
This shocking news (but not-so-shocking to me) comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This graph from NOAA pretty much tells the story. Temperatures have not only declined, the rate of decline appears to be accelerating. . . The link below contains the interactive version of this graph. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/national-temperature-index/time-series?datasets%5B%5D=uscrn&datasets%5B%5D=climdiv&parameter=anom-tavg&time_scale=12mo&begyear=2016&endyear=2019&month=10 Thanks to Norman Grant ... Read moreBreaking – Official US Govt Data sho... more »

A Wet Autumn For South Yorkshire

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 12 hours ago
By Paul Homewood The Met Office have now published their data for last month, and it confirms what I was saying weeks ago about the South Yorkshire floods: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps While most of the country has only had a moderately wet autumn (and Scotland has been drier than usual), a relatively small area […]

4 Dead, Including Shooter, in Gunfire at Florida Naval Base

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
A shooter opened fire in a classroom building at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola on Friday morning in an attack that left four people dead, including the assailant, and multiple people wounded.

BWorld 392, Business bureaucracies and regulations

Bienvenido Oplas Jr at Government and Taxes - 12 hours ago
* My column in BusinessWorld, December 5, 2019. *“There is no art which one government sooner learns of another than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.”* — Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776), Book V, Chapter II, Part II Last week, on Nov. 28, I attended a conference on Cutting Red Tape for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) organized by the AIM Rizalino S. Navarro Policy Center for Competitiveness and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) held at Discovery Primea in Makati. A very interesting paper, “Cost of Regulatory Compliance for SMEs in the Philippines:... more »

Pro-Iran Hashd Stab Protesters In Baghdad’s Tahrir Square

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
Pro-Iran crowd entered Tahrir Sq and led to stabbings (AFP) A crowd of pro-Iran Hashd and their supporters marched into Baghdad’s Tahrir Square and attacked the protesters there. This might have been in response to a call from the Iranian leadership to exact revenge upon the people that burned its consulate in southern Iraq recently. It also has a precedent as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki used a similar tactic to try to disrupt demonstrations that were going on in the country back in 2011. On December 5 a large pro-Tehran group entered Tahrir Square with the intent of disrupting ... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 6

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
1914 British forces attacked Qurna in Basra 2ndtime and forced Turks to surrender Took 1,000 prisoners 1981 Iran freed Bostan strategic transportation center for southern Iran and forced an Iraqi retreat Iraq lost 1500 dead 400 captured Iran lost 2500 dead 5000 wounded (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 ... more »

AI Border Guards are Being Tested at the Edge of Fortress Europe, Away From Public Scrutiny

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 12 hours ago
A series of trials funded by the EU to the tune of €4.5 million ended this summer, without most people ever even having heard about them. At three points on the EU’s external border, a new form of border protection using lie-detecting artificial intelligence has been tested. The European Commission is being sued for allowing the company behind the trails to keep its methods and results away from public scrutiny.

Journalist Exposes BBC Propaganda in Ukraine, Crimea and Beyond

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 12 hours ago
Independent journalist Graham Phillips gives a brief masterclass here, showing a few examples of blatant propaganda being produced by the BBC. As he points out, their reports are intended to deceive viewers by delivering an overtly anti-Russian, false portrayal of events being reported, normally devoid of any real context outside of the official western government-approved narrative. Watch:

Welfarism 34, Larry Reed on poverty and self-reliance

Bienvenido Oplas Jr at Government and Taxes - 12 hours ago
These are old notes by a great friend Larry Reed, former President of the Mackinac Center in Michigan, then President of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) in New York. He surveyed the policies of past US Presidents on non-welfarism. These are chapters in his book, *"Government, Poverty and Self-Reliance: Wisdom of 19th Century Presidents."* Enjoy. Meanwhile, I like this meme from freedomworks.org. *“A Subtle Destroyer”* April 8, 2005 | By Lawrence W. Reed https://www.mackinac.org/7434 … "The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show concl... more »

Turkey - Libya Agreement On Maritime Borders Condemned By Neighbouring Countries

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
New map outlining Turkey's claimed continental shelf and the borders of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), via Hurriyet Daily. *Al-Monitor:* *Turkey-Libya agreement shakes up eastern Mediterranean* Ahead of this week’s NATO summit in London, fresh developments in the eastern Mediterranean Sea will likely add to a long list of tensions between Turkey and allied nations as the bloc celebrates its 70th anniversary. On Nov. 27, Ankara signed an agreement with Libya’s internationally recognized government denoting new maritime boundaries between the two nations. The area spanning from... more »

'The image was fake': Facebook in Albanese’s crosshairs over 'misinformation'

Stephanie Dalzell at Just In - 12 hours ago
Labor leader Anthony Albanese will take a swing at Facebook in his last major speech of the political year, accusing the social media giant of being complacent with false information.

Public hearing & news conference to oppose CMP corridor thru Maine

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 12 hours ago
I attended the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers public hearing yesterday in Lewiston, Maine where well over 300 people turned out to testify and protest against Central Maine Power’s (CMP) proposed $1 billion transmission project that would bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid. The 145-mile power transmission project would serve as a conduit for 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Hydro Quebec. Prior to the start of the public hearing Lisa Savage, Maine Green Independent Candidate for the U.S. Senate, held a news conference to declare her opposition to the controv... more »

WATCH: Innocent People Killed as Cops Use Civilians as Literal Human Shields in Shoot Out

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: shields]A tragedy unfolded in Florida as armed robbers entered into a shoot out with police who used innocent bystanders as human shields.

How Did Russia Improved Its Military With An Economy That Is The Size Of Spain

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
Russia troop and hardware stand in formation during Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military drills. © Sputnik / Vadim Savitskii *US News and World Report:* *How Russia Improved its Military With An Economy the Size of Spain* The Russians spend the highest share of their military budget on procurement and build much of the equipment in-house. After a decade of heavy investment in modernizing its military, Russia, a country with an economy similar in size to Spain, now has an updated army, navy and air force that fuel President Vladimir Putin's ambitions of keeping the country's superpowe... more »

Thoughts on Wittgenstein’s Legacy

Unknown at The Verma Report - 13 hours ago
Wittgenstein is described by several scholars as a profound, brilliant, and the most influential philosopher of the 20th century. But what about philosophers like Edmund Husserl, Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, G. E. Moore, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre? Is Wittgenstein’s contributions to philosophy greater than the work done by these philosophers? These philosophers were Wittgenstein’s contemporaries but none of them cared to use his theories in their own philosophy. Russell and Moore have praised Wittgenstein, but they never made use of his philosophy. In fact, they disagree... more »

American influence could take the hit as Putin, Zelenskiy try to make peace in Donbass

Olga Kamenchuk, Associate Professor of Communication (Clinical) and Co-Director of Eurasian Security and Governance Program, The Ohio State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 13 hours ago
Ukrainians may grudgingly accept compromise plan to resolve separatist conflict, but in so doing they could hand Russia a wedge to drive between them and the West

Why the US military usually punishes misconduct but police often close ranks

Dwight Stirling, Lecturer in Law, University of Southern California at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 13 hours ago
No 'blue wall of silence:' A military lawyer explains why the US armed forces take accountability and justice seriously.

Marijuana has its ‘fingers in everything’: Q&A with cannabis investor and ‘Big Short’ subject Danny Moses

Nick Thomas at Marijuana Business Daily - 13 hours ago
Danny Moses is an adviser at New York-based cannabis investment group Merida Capital Partners and founder of Moses Ventures, a marijuana-focused investment fund in Connecticut. Marijuana has its ‘fingers in everything’: Q&A with cannabis investor and ‘Big Short’ subject Danny Moses is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Recreational marijuana

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 13 hours ago
Maine cleared a major hurdle on its path to legalize the sale of adult-use cannabis by launching the application process for businesses seeking to sell recreational MJ. Recreational marijuana is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Shooter Kills 2, Wounds Others, Is Dead at Florida Navy Base

AP News at Snopes.com - 13 hours ago
A shooter opened fire at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola Friday morning in an attack that left three people dead including the assailant.

COP 25: Climate radicals push for control

Craig Rucker at CFACT - 13 hours ago
For Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, Greta Thunberg and the rest of the radical wing of the global warming campaign, the official negotiators aren't going nearly fast or far enough. They plan a march through Madrid Friday to put the pressure on. The post COP 25: Climate radicals push for control appeared first on CFACT.

Parents pull children out of school to protest proposed mandatory HPV, flu vaccine legislation

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 13 hours ago
Parents all across Long Island and New York state pulled their children out of school Thursday to oppose legislation working its way through the state Legislature that would mandate flu and HPV vaccinations for children. A group gathered outside Democratic Sen. Todd Kaminsky’s office, who is on the state’s health committee, in Rockville Centre. Protesters […] The post Parents pull children out of school to protest proposed mandatory HPV, flu vaccine legislation appeared first on Health Nut News.

A Healthy Man was Licked by His Dog. He was Dead Within Weeks.

Erin Elizabeth at Health Nut News - 13 hours ago
A man in Germany died from a very rare infection he developed after his dog licked him. According to doctors, the unidentified 63-year-old was healthy before coming down with a fever, trouble breathing, leg pain, and a rash of purplish-red splotches on his face and legs. He was admitted to the intensive care unit when […] The post A Healthy Man was Licked by His Dog. He was Dead Within Weeks. appeared first on Health Nut News.

Britain Goes to the Polls in a High-Stakes Election

asloat at Lawfare - 13 hours ago
House of Commons, UK Parliament, 2013 (Source: Flickr/Catherine Bebbington/Parliamentary Copyright) On Dec. 12, voters in the United Kingdom will head to the polls in a high-stakes election. It will be a decisive moment in the polarizing Brexit debate, with the outcome indicating support for a divorce deal with the European Union, a second referendum, or continued stalemate. At the same time, voters must also consider parties’ domestic policy proposals and prime minister candidates. For many, these considerations do not readily align with an obvious choice at the ballot box. Altho... more »

Don't Do It, U.S. Air Force: Retiring These 5 Aircraft Could Be A Mistake

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * With deadly consequences. *Key Point:* Modernization requires tradeoffs. In a speech on November 6, 2019 General David Goldfein, Chief of Staff the Air Force outlined a four-point plan to spend $30 billion over the next five years reforming the air warfare branch to make it more capable of tackling emerging hi-tech threats from China and Russia in the 2030s. Given that the defense budget has likely peaked for the foreseeable future, where will the Air Force find that kind of money? By accelerating retirement of many older (“legacy”) aircraft alre... more »

We Have Questions: Are Israel's Mini Dolphin-Class Submarines Nuclear-Armed?

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/ISRAEL-SUBMARINE--GM1E8611O3701.html] They appear to be. *Key point:* Israel is known for preparing for the worst and doing whatever it thinks is necessary to defend itself. Israel’s submarine corps is a tiny force with a big open secret: in all likelihood, it is armed with nuclear weapons. The five Dolphin-class submarines represent an ace in the hole for Israel, the ultimate guarantor of the country’s security, ensuring that if attacked with nukes, the tiny nation can strike back in kind. Israe... more »

North Korea Should Think Twice About Sending Trump a 'Christmas Gift' (Think ICBM)

Daniel R. DePetris at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Security, * "Even Albert Einstein himself would have a migraine trying to solve this problem." It’s not uncommon for U.S. and North Korean officials to throw rhetorical bombs at each other. But the cannon-fire hasn’t been as intense since the June 2018 summit in Singapore, when President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held hands and jumped into the diplomatic pool together. That is now starting to change—and it’s changing quickly. Over the past week, senior North Korean representatives haven’t been shy with their denunciations. On Decem... more »

What Happens If Détente with North Korea Fails?

Robert E. Kelly at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Robert E. Kelly* *Security, * If détente fails, then the Overton window of policy options on North Korea will shift noticeably to the right, and North Korean 2018-2020 recalcitrance will be the justification. In the last few days, President Donald Trump returned to calling North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un ‘rocket man.’ Kim’s government returned the favor by dredging up its curious usage from two years ago, calling Trump once again a ‘dotard’ (an elderly person in their late-life dotage). The language is humorous but portends a possible break in the peace process begun be... more »

Unknown Gunmen Attacks US-Occupied Omar Oils Fields in Syria

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*21WIRE + South Front* | Reports coincide with the arrival of U.S. military and logistic supplies to base inside the illegally occupied oil field.

US EXPERT WARNS THAT BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CONTROL MUST BE GLOBAL, A GREATER THREAT THAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 13 hours ago
*STILL NO HELP FROM ANY EMBASSY, GOVERNMENT, MILITARY* *WHY NOT SIGNAL TO THE GLOBALISTS THAT THEY CAN JUST CONTAMINATE 300 KILOS OF FLU VACCINE WIT THE EBOLA VIRUS AND SEND IT TO VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE GLOBE TO START A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC BY INACTION?* *WHY NOT JUST INVITE THEM IN TO LONDON, PARIS, ROME, ATHENS, SYDNEY, BEIJING, NEW YORK ETC TO DO THE SAME AS BAXTER DID IN 20009 WHEN IT CONTAMAINTED 72 KILOS OF FLU VACCINE WITH THE BIRD FLU VIRUS?* *WHY NOT ** PLAN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IN TEN YEARS WHEN THE THREAT IS HAPPENING IN REAL TIME AND CAN POTENTIALLY WIPE OUT THE POPULAIO... more »

70th NATO Anniversary Shows Alliance Is More Divided Then Ever

InfoBrics at The Duran - 14 hours ago
Russia, China or Terrorism – What Is NATO’s Priority? More The post 70th NATO Anniversary Shows Alliance Is More Divided Then Ever appeared first on The Duran.

Biden Snaps: Former V.P. Has Angry Exchange With 83-year-old in Iowa

James Murphy at rss - 14 hours ago
[image: biden-snaps-former-v-p-has-angry-exchange-with-83-year-old-in-iowa] At a town hall in Iowa, Biden turned vicious when an elderly voter asked him some tough questions about his role in his son Hunter's ethically challenged employment in a Ukrainian energy company.

'Apaches Standing Strong to Defend Sacred Oak Flat from Mining' by Sandra Rambler

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 14 hours ago
Photo by Sandra Rambler, San Carlos Apache 'Apaches Standing Strong to Defend Sacred Oak Flat from Mining' by Sandra Rambler by Sandra Rambler, San Carlos Apache Traditionally Speaking Censored News Chi’Chil’Bilda’Goteel (Oak Flat) -- How do you respond to a White Man whose name is Paul Gosar, an Arizona Congressman who recently said, “You’re still wards of the government.” And then

US Targets Wage-Repression Model in Mexico, Demands Inspections, Industry Has a Cow

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 14 hours ago
A proposed provision in the so-called "NAFTA 2.0" to increase autoworker wages in Mexico is raising hackles south of the border.

Democrat WalkAway in the words of one brave soul

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 14 hours ago
BobSmokeTV Joshua Philipp Epoch Times production September 28, 2019 This street interview with a young man of the “hood” explaining why the Democrat message had him walking away is inspiring and a message every person in America needs to hear. His words resonate with truth no matter the background. His life appears to be a testimony to what happens when people who have found solid ground after a life of discord and disadvantage can do to raise up and elevate himself and others who hear his message. It isn’t about money and successful business but mindset and soul. His language … Cont... more »

Chaos In California, As Teslas Queue Up To Recharge on Black Friday

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 14 hours ago
By Paul Homewood h/t AC Osborn It did not really take a genius to work out that something like this would happen: Dozens of Tesla drivers in California were forced to wait in an extensive line after what should’ve been a quick stop at a Supercharger station turned into an hours-long ordeal. Shanon […]

Bolsonaro Revokes Exclusion of ‘Folha de S. Paulo’ from Governmental Bidding Process

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 14 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - President Jair Bolsonaro revoked the edict that excluded the "Folha de São Paulo" from the competition to renew digital subscriptions for the government. The decision was published by the General Secretariat of the Presidency on Friday, December 6th, in the Federal Gazette. Last week, the prosecutor at the Federal Audit […] The post Bolsonaro Revokes Exclusion of ‘Folha de S. Paulo’ from Governmental Bidding Process appeared first on The Rio Times.

WATCH: Cop Gives No Warning Before Shooting 15yo Boy in the Back, Killing Him

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: boy]Harrowing footage shows a California cop — without warning — open fire on a fleeing 15-year-old boy, killing him as he ran away.

How To Survive The Office Holiday Party Without Getting Fired

Unknown at Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home - 14 hours ago
It's time for me to remind you that your office holiday party is a minefield. Lots of people get fired for having too much fun or other party-related misbehavior. So I'm reposting the top 8 ways to get yourself fired, and how to avoid them: 1. *Drinking*: *The number one way to get fired is to drink too much. *Most of the office party firings I see are alcohol-related in some way. First of all, if you are an alcoholic and can't be sure you won't drink if you attend, then don't go. If your boss insists, ask for a reasonable accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act to b... more »

Pearl Harbor Vet’s Interment To Be Last on Sunken Arizona

AP News at Snopes.com - 14 hours ago
On Dec. 7, 1941, then-21-year-old Lauren Bruner was the second-to-last man to escape the burning wreckage of the USS Arizona.

Two Killed And Multiple Injuries Reported After Shooting At Naval Air Station Pensacola In Florida

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *BREAKING NEWS: Gunman among two killed and multiple injuries reported after shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida - just two days after Pearl Harbor attack left three dead* * Shooting took place on base early Friday morning, sparking a lockdown * Escambia County Sheriff's deputies responded to Naval Air Station and confronted the gunman, resulting in his death A shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida early this morning left one person dead and several others injured before the gunman was killed by law enforcement officers. A spokesperson ... more »

North Korea’s “Christmas Gift” - Keeping Door Open For Talks - Maybe Alternative Is A Geostationary Satellite Launch?

Robert Walker at Science 2.0 blogs - 14 hours ago
First whatever happens - Kim might do something dramatic maybe but his aim would be to get the talks back on track. It would not lead to war no matter what. Neither side has any benefit from a war. They are trading threats again, but they are empty bluffs. The US can't invade North Korea because it would lead to impossible levels of casualties in South Korea. Meanwhile, North Korea only wants to defend itself against invasion and doesn't want to attack anyone. There is absolutely no point in them shooting bombs at the US or South Korea or Japan or anyone. That would be a disaster... more »

Tweets For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Macron pension reform: France braces for second day of strikes https://t.co/9kkrm2PRXz — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 6, 2019 #UPDATE Iraq's top Shiite cleric said a new PM for the protest-hit country would be selected within a 15-day window but with no "foreign interference", after embattled premier, Adel Abdel Mahdi, was brought down last week https://t.co/77Qbfg3kgq pic.twitter.com/QGK3YVNPyy — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 6, 2019 My call for greater civility and dialogue may have been the least successful argument I made to the committee. Before I finished my t... more »

"No Shit Sherlock"-Warmer Climate and Higher Crop Yields in UK

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 14 hours ago
*Admittedly I like the term “no shit sherlock” It’s employed when the obvious is stated.*And the article which will be shared after the maps and commentary is a statement of the most obvious sort. British crops could get an “unexpected boost” if we actually had global warming. Wow, really? If more people gardened, grew their own veggies, flowers etc- were connected with the real world, they would understand that FACT. We've struggled for the past several years to get our garden planted so we can harvest successfully. We've had to cover soil to warm it because spring doesn't show... more »

Gaming The System

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
Ontario's auditor general is giving Doug Ford's government a hard time these days. And, in particular, she's mightily unimpressed with Ford's emissions reduction plan. Tom Walkom writes: A new report from the auditor general suggests that on environmental matters, the numbers don’t add up unless you double count them. Double trouble. Problem made, problem persisting. “The plan double counts some emissions reductions that are targeted by more than one program,” according to the annual audit released Wednesday. “This resulted in an overstatement of total emissions reductions.” Put... more »

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
A man drinks a Frucola as a policeman chases demonstrators during a protest against Chile's government in Santiago, Chile December 4, 2019. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic *WNU Editor:* The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... *Photos of the week* (Reuters).

Activity Spotted At North Korean Missile Test Site

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*CNN:* *New satellite image shows activity at previously dismantled North Korean test site* Washington (CNN)A new satellite image obtained by CNN indicates North Korea may be preparing to resume testing engines used to power satellite launchers and intercontinental ballistic missiles at a site President Donald Trump previously claimed was dismantled after his Singapore summit with dictator Kim Jong Un this summer, according to experts who analyzed the photo. The commercial satellite imagery, which was captured on Thursday by Planet Labs, shows new activity at Sohae Satellite Lau... more »

A Look At The North Korean Economy

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
Kim Jong Un cuts a ribbon to launch the town of Samjiyon, a signature project completed despite biting sanctions [KCNA via Reuters] *38 North:* *The North Korean Economy, November 2019: Kim Jong Un’s Kumgang Statement Signals a Shift in Economic Gears* *Introduction* On Wednesday, October 23, Kim Jong Un visited the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Region in the southern part of the country, which was started and formerly operated in cooperation with South Korea’s Hyundai Asan conglomerate. His comments during the visit put another nail in the coffin of traditional forms of North-South economi... more »

Iran's New Naval Partnership

A Political Junkie at Viable Opposition - 15 hours ago
Here is a recent news report from Iran's Mehr News Agency: Note the following quote: *“The joint wargame between Iran, Russia, and China, which will hopefully be conducted next month, carries the same message to the world, that these three countries have reached a meaningful strategic point in their relations, with regard to their shared and non-shared interests, and by non-shared I mean the respect we have for one another’s national interests…* *Seas, which are used as a platform for conducting global commerce, cannot be exclusively beneficial to certain powers. It is no longer v... more »

IS BIDEN OUR TRUMP?

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 15 hours ago
The Biden video makes me cringe -- but does it matter what I think? WATCH: A tense exchange with a voter at ⁦@JoeBiden⁩’s event in New Hampton, IA this morning, where a voter started out by telling Biden he had two problems with him: he was too old, and his son’s work in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/ok7m0ShFPd — Molly Nagle (@MollyNagle3) December 5, 2019 I'd regard this as an unmitigated disaster for Biden except for one thing: The crowd at the gathering vigorously applauds him, starting at 1:15 in the clip. The ovation comes in response to one of the most cringeworthy aspects of the ... more »

Sydney choked in smoke as 'mega fire' burns: As it happened

Just In - 15 hours ago
Several fires burning north of Sydney joined to create what has been called a "mega blaze" as air quality plummeted to "hazardous" levels yet again amid a smoke haze. Look back at Friday's events.

Journal retracts two papers linking exposure to violence to aggressive behavior

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 15 hours ago
A journal on adolescent issues has retracted a pair of papers linking exposure to violent media to aggressive behavior in youth after critics questioned the validity of the data. The studies, which appeared in Youth & Society, were led by Qian Zhang, of Southwest University in Chongqing, China and were published in 2018. According to … Continue reading Journal retracts two papers linking exposure to violence to aggressive behavior

Peaceful V is For Vaccine Parents Stand at Jimmy Kimmel Show

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 15 hours ago
A Gen-Yoo-Ine Crapiside. Funny stuff, eh Jimmy? We cry rivers of diarrhea. Update: We've had some comments from readers, new or not, who think this piece is an affront to families of children with heart issues. If you are a... more »

Was America Secretly Planning To Attack Japan Before Pearl Harbor?

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *Security, * Discussions were being had. *Key Point:* Roosevelt had plans. If Japan had chosen to attack far-off British Malaya on December 7, 1941, instead of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, President Franklin Roosevelt was prepared to go before Congress and ask—for the first time in American history—for a declaration of war against a nation that had not fired the first shot against us. With the country solidly divided on the issue of getting involved in the war that was already raging in Europe, and with the president’s repeated promises not to send American bo... more »

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