Wednesday, January 15, 2020

15 January - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

10 pm MST

Wild Free and Happy Sample 30

What Is Sustainable at What Is Sustainable - 6 hours ago
[Note: This is the thirtieth sample from my rough draft of a far from finished new book, *Wild, Free, & Happy*. I don’t plan on reviewing more books for a while. My blog is home to reviews of 202 books, and you are very welcome to explore them. The Search field on the right side will find words in the full contents of all rants and reviews, if you are interested in specific authors, titles, or subjects.] *Horse* The first species of the horse genus (*Equus*) emerged in North America about 4.5 million years ago. Over time, some migrated to South America, and others crossed th... more »

Illegal alien vs. gobbledygook, doublespeak and political correctness

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 6 hours ago
The correct term is* illegal alien* because an undocumented immigrant is not factual. It's fiction. The illegal alien may have a lot of documents--driver's license, social security card, or any number of fake documents. He also is not an immigrant unless he's gone through the legal process or may be a permanent resident. Illegal alien is the term in law; undocumented immigrant, or undocumented worker, or unauthorized worker, are just terms meant to soften the blow that they are here illegally. The made up terms are used by word police who don't like our system of law. https://www... more »

Presidential abuse of power

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 6 hours ago
There really has been presidential abuse of power, but it was Obama, not Trump. It is called DACA. I'm so old I remember Obama saying he wasn't a king and couldn't do it. I'm paraphrasing his lie, of course, but maybe you remember, too. https://humanevents.com/2019/12/12/daca-an-actual-abuse-of-power/ "Through DACA, President Obama usurped Congress’ legislative power. Solely by executive order, he implemented a program that Congress rejected dozens of times, and he refused to enforce immigration laws that Congress actually passed into law. In other words, President Obama “abused t... more »

How great was Obamacare?

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 6 hours ago
The U.S. had 5 federal/state health insurance plans when Obama was elected; they weren't perfect, but better than what they were being sold--Medicaid, Indian, VA, Federal employees, and S-CHIP. Surely, a brilliant mind like Obama's and his advisors could have come up with something to insure those who didn't fit or didn't want those programs. But no. They wanted POWER. And how better to get it than through fear. Did you know millions who didn't have health insurance in 2008 didn't want it? They were very wealthy--could self insure, or were willing to gamble or negotiate with hos... more »

An Evening with Grace Blakeley

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 6 hours ago
In and around North Staffordshire on the evening on Monday 20th January, around the 7pm mark? Wondered why, over a decade ago, a crisis in the American housing market spiralled out and brought the world's financial system to its knees? Tried making sense of it all but find the jargon around equities, securitised mortgages, and collateralised debt obligations completely off-putting? And how we can avoid a crisis of this magnitude in the future? Grace Blakeley, author of the excellent *Stolen: How to Save the World from Financialisation* will be in conversation with some bloke call... more »

The False Apostasy of Elizabeth Warren

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Gotham City - 6 hours ago
(By *American Zen*'s Mike Flannigan, on loan from Ari.) "*I was a Republican because I thought that those were the people who best supported markets*." Elizabeth Warren *I*n the interests of full disclosure, let me start by saying that Elizabeth Warren is my senior Senator. Yes, this Bay Stater proudly voted for her both times while still regretting neither time. In 2016 I'd even hoped, as had many others, that she would jump into the race at the last minute even though much of the early money had been vacuumed up. At the very least, we'd wistfully mused to each other on social medi... more »

Russian Government Resigns. President Putin Signals That He Wants To Change The Constitution

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
*RT:* *Russian government resigns after President Putin’s state-of-the-nation address proposes changes to the constitution * Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that the entire government is resigning in a surprise statement released shortly after President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address. Accepting the resignation, Putin thanked the ministers for their hard work and asked them to function as a caretaker government until a new one can be formed. Medvedev and Putin had met for a work meeting to discuss the state-of-the-nation addr... more »

OMERS Set to Double Its PE Exposure by 2030

Leo Kolivakis at Pension Pulse - 6 hours ago
Lina Saigol and Selin Bucak of Private Equity News report that OMERS is set to double its private equity exposure by 2030: The head of buyouts at one of Canada’s largest pension plans says the amount of cash it plans to invest in private equity will double to around C$30bn in the next 10 years. *Mark Redman, global head of private equity at Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, says the pension plan expects total assets under management to increase from C$100bn to C$200bn by 2030, with 15% of that targeted at private equity.* Omers, like its larger Canadian peers, is unde... more »

FBI Reforms Are 'Insufficient' to Fix Surveillance: FISA Court Appointed Official

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: The U.S. Justice Department's Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report entitled] Carter Page had a lot to say... A former Justice Department official said Wednesday that the FBI’s proposed revisions to its surveillance procedures are “a step in the right direction” yet “insufficient” to address problems laid out in a Justice Department inspector general’s (IG) report. David Kris, a former Justice Department official, provided the assessment in a letter to Judge James Boasberg, who presides over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Co... more »

How Israel Took 10 Years to Prepare for the Next Big Land War

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/ISRAEL-TANK-RP3DRIAYGDAA.html] Israel takes its defense seriously. *Key Point:* Israel has always been under threat and so has worked to create a high-tech and formidable army. These upgrades have included building one of the best tanks on the planet. Much like the Israeli Air Force, the Israeli Army came from humble—but more established—beginnings. Israel’s ground forces had their origins in the Haganah, a Zionist paramilitary force created in the early 1920s to protect Jewish interests. The H... more »

China's Propaganda Machine Greased by the New York Times and Washington Post: Human Rights Watchdog

Peter Hasson at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Peter Hasson* *Politics, Asia* [image: A man holding a smartphone walks past the headquarters of Chinese state newspaper People's Daily in Beijing, China October 6, 2018. Picture taken October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer] The New York Times vice president hit back at the allegations. America’s leading newspapers are aiding China’s communist regime by running the oppressive government’s propaganda, respected watchdog organization Freedom House reported. The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times have all run paid supplements from China Daily, the Chinese governmen... more »

The Crown Prince of Iran Pitches Regime Change to Washington

Matthew Petti at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Matthew Petti* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] The neoconservative Hudson Institute hosted the son of Iran’s late Shah. He painted a picture of Iran on the brink of collapse—and presented a plan to manage the coming “implosion” with a “minimum of casualties.” Former crown prince Reza Pahlavi doesn’t want to be king of Iran—but he does want to help plan a military coup d’etat. Pahlavi called for elements of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards to “peel away” from the regime to “facilitate a smoother transition based on my strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience.”... more »

Why (And How) Japan Might One Day Decide It Needs Its Own Nuclear Bomb

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/JAPAN-POLITICS-GM1EAAQ10YD01.html] Asia would never be the same. *Key point:* Japan has the resources to build a nuclear deterrent. The question is one of political will and how threatened Tokyo feels. It is perhaps China’s greatest nightmare: a nuclear-armed Japan. Permanently anchored off the Asian mainland, bristling with nuclear weapons, a nuclear Japan would make China’s security situation much more complex than it is now, and force China to revise both its nuclear doctrine and increase its nucle... more »

Here we go again

Louis Hissink at Louis Hissink's Crazy World - 6 hours ago
Armstrong Economics has posted another commentary of the collapse of the Roman empire around the 6th Century CE. Additionally a new translation and interpretation of a Norse rune from the 10th century CE shows a major climate catastrophe during the … Continue reading →

2020 Pacific Ice See Saw Returns

Hifast at Climate Collections - 6 hours ago
Originally posted on Science Matters: By January there are not many places where Arctic ice extent can grow. All the Eurasian shelf seas are full, as is the case on the CanAm side: Beaufort, CAA, Hudson Bay covered completely. Barents and Greenland Seas have some room to grow, as does Baffin Bay. But mainly the…

Beekeepers traumatised and counselled after hearing animals screaming in pain after bushfires

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 6 hours ago
Beekeepers checking on hives are some of the first people into fire-ravaged forests, and are not prepared for the traumatic sights and sounds of wounded and suffering animals. NSW Apiarists Association president Stephen Targett said the situation in north-eastern NSW was “truly devastating” to beekeepers and extremely traumatic. “It’s doing their heads in, the screaming … Continue reading Beekeepers traumatised and counselled after hearing animals screaming in pain after bushfires →

The Aged, Abuse & Abandonment

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 6 hours ago
Originally posted on Sunshiny SA Site: ACTION NEEDED ON ABUSE OF PARENTS As we embark on a New Year, I have this feverish question: when and how did it start happening that the younger generation is more and more discarding parents and cutting them out of their lives? Breaking a long tradition of taking a…

The Forgotten Art of Squatting Is a Revelation for Bodies Ruined by Sitting

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 6 hours ago
Originally posted on © blogfactory: A young boy in Delhi, India looks pretty comfortable in this posture. Photo by Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee. Sentences that start with the phrase “A guru once told me…” are, more often than not, eye-roll-inducing. But recently, while resting in malasana, or a deep squat, in an East London yoga class, I was…

If carbon dioxide is so bad for the planet, why do greenhouse growers buy CO2 generators to double plant growth?

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 6 hours ago
Originally posted on Waikanae Watch: (NaturalNews) For only “pennies a day,” any greenhouse owner can produce CO2 to help increase plant yields in their greenhouses. That’s the message on CO2 generators sold by greenhouse supply companies across the United States and Canada. “1,500 ppm [of carbon dioxide] can be achieved… these generators automatically provide the…

Day of Action for a Unique Solution: Build Peace Through a Trump, Xi, Putin Summit

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 6 hours ago
Stop WWIII Day of Action for a Unique Solution: Build Peace Through a Trump, Xi, Putin Summit Video of Day of Action for a Unique Solution: Build Peace Through a Trump, Xi, Putin Summit Helga Zepp LaRouche brought clarity to a situation which has left many people befuddled, disoriented, and/or fatalistic, as they try to make sense of the strategic danger following the assassination of Iranian leader Soleimani by the U.S. Starting with the stark warnings of Putin during his State of the Union speech, she showed that there are significant figures who understand why an emergency summ... more »

Zanni Tells LPAC—We Need Bank Separation against Green Bubble & European Stability Mechanism

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 6 hours ago
New International Economic Order Glass-Steagall Green Fascism Zanni Tells LPAC—We Need Bank Separation against Green Bubble & European Stability Mechanism Video of Zanni Tells LPAC—We Need Bank Separation against Green Bubble & European Stability Mechanism Marco Zanni, the leader of the Identity and Democracy faction of the European Parliament and Italy’s Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Lega party, exposes the fraud of the EU’s European Stability Mechanism (ESM) bank bailout scheme and of the Green New Deal, and argued for bank separation (Glass-Steagall) instead. Zanni warn... more »

Does the Naked Body Belong on Facebook? It’s Complicated

AP News at Snopes.com - 6 hours ago
When is a photograph of nude bodies artistic or titillating? A woman’s exposed nipple a political statement or erotica?

Virgin Islands Suit Alleges Decades-Long Abuse by Epstein

AP News at Snopes.com - 6 hours ago
A lawsuit filed by prosecutors says multimillionaire sex offender Jeffery Epstein used two private islands to engage in a nearly two-decade conspiracy to traffic and abuse girls.

President Trump Participates in Historic U.S-China ‘Phase One’ Trade Agreement Signing Ceremony – Video and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
Earlier today President Trump, together with his trade delegation and the delegation from China represented by Vice-Premier Liu He, signed a new, fully-enforceable Phase One Trade Agreement. This is the first ever trade agreement any nation has attempted to change … Continue reading →

Martin Luther King’s 91st Birthday: A Reminder of an Existential Choice Still Undecided

Matthew Ehret at The Duran - 7 hours ago
The world marches forward into the new year with a mix of hope and trepidation. The words of Martin Luther King who warned in his final days the universal truth that either we commit to “nonviolent coexistence or violent coannihilation” ring as true today as they did when they were spoken in 1968. In that speech, […] More The post Martin Luther King’s 91st Birthday: A Reminder of an Existential Choice Still Undecided appeared first on The Duran.

Climate Change: A Tale of Weather Extremes with Mixed Fortunes for Zambia

LUSAKA and PEMBA DISTRICT, Zambia, Jan 15 (IPS) - It is early Saturday morning and Planeta Hatuleke, a small scale farmer of Pemba District in Southern Zambia, awakens to the comforting sound of rainfall. As the locals say, the "heavens have opened" and it is raining heavily after a prolonged dry spell. Read the full story, “Climate Change: A Tale of Weather Extremes with Mixed Fortunes for Zambia”, on globalissues.org →

NASPA and USC Race and Equity Center Launch Joint Program For Student Affairs Leaders

Sara Weissman at Diverse - 7 hours ago
NASPA, an association for student affairs administrators, and the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center are coming together to create their first Equity Leadership Academy, an intensive four-day workshop for student affairs professionals on racial literacy. The initial series of academies will focus on training vice presidents of student affairs on how to […]

Illegal marijuana grows raided in California

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
More than 15,000 cannabis plants were destroyed and six people were arrested during raids on illegal grows in Southern California, the state’s latest move in its fight against a flourishing black market. Thirteen search warrants involving marijuana cultivation were served by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and state Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel in the […] Illegal marijuana grows raided in California is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Cannabis giant Curaleaf ‘upsizes’ debt offering to $300 million

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
Curaleaf Holdings, a multistate marijuana operator based in Massachusetts, said Wednesday it had closed a debt offering after increasing its size to $300 million from $275 million. When the initial deal was announced last month, it was believed to be the largest amount of debt raised in the U.S. marijuana industry. The notes on the […] Cannabis giant Curaleaf ‘upsizes’ debt offering to $300 million is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

US House panel calls for stepped-up marijuana research, which could prove critical to federal reform

Jeff Smith at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
In a positive signal for the cannabis industry, lawmakers from both parties and three government witnesses told a U.S. congressional subcommittee Wednesday the federal government urgently needs more access to research around marijuana. But it remains unclear when that will occur, which could hinder the cannabis industry’s prospects if additional research findings are needed to […] US House panel calls for stepped-up marijuana research, which could prove critical to federal reform is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepren... more »

New Jersey court rules company must reimburse medical marijuana costs

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
In a ruling that could “fortify medical marijuana programs,” the appellate division of the Superior Court of New Jersey decided that workers compensation law requires an employer to reimburse MMJ costs to a worker suffering from chronic pain. In a 31-page opinion about the case – Hager v. M&K Construction – the judges concluded the order requires […] New Jersey court rules company must reimburse medical marijuana costs is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Cannabis producer Tilray taps ex-Molson, Revlon employees for executive roles

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 7 hours ago
Tilray announced changes to its executive roles this week, appointing former Molson Coors Brewing Co. and Revlon employees to key positions. The British Columbia cannabis producer said Chief Financial Officer Mark Castaneda – on the job for almost two years – would shift to strategic business development. Replacing him as CFO is Michael Kruteck, who […] Cannabis producer Tilray taps ex-Molson, Revlon employees for executive roles is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Musical Interlude: 2002, “A Year And A Day”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
2002, “A Year And A Day”

"A Look to the Heavens"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
“Point your telescope toward the high flying constellation Pegasus and you can find this expanse of Milky Way stars and distant galaxies. Centered on NGC 7814, the pretty field of view would almost be covered by a full moon. NGC 7814 is sometimes called the Little Sombrero for its resemblance to the brighter more famous M104, the Sombrero Galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* Both Sombrero and Little Sombrero are spiral galaxies seen edge-on, and both have extensive central bulges cut by a thinner disk with dust lanes in silhouette. In fact, NGC 7814 is some 40 million light-years... more »

"Don't Take Anything Personally"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
*"Don't Take Anything Personally"* by Don Miguel Ruiz "Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally. Using an earlier example, if I see you on the street and I say, "Hey, you are so stupid," without knowing you, it's not about you; it's about me. If you take it personally, perhaps you believe you are stupid. Maybe you think to yourself, "How does he know? Is he clairvoyant, or can everybody see how stupid I am?" You take it personally because you agree with whatever was said. As soon as you agree, the poison goes through you, and you are trapped in the dream of hell. Wha... more »

Free Download: Christopher Marlowe, "Doctor Faustus"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
“Stipendium peccati mors est.” “The reward of sin is death.” "'The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, normally known simply as 'Doctor Faustus,' is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story, in which a man sells his soul to the devil for power and worldly goods." *Wikipedia Summary:* "Doctor Faustus" ○ Freely download "Doctor Faustus", by Christopher Marlowe, here: - https://mthoyibi.files.wordpress.com/ *Free audio book:* - https://archive.org/download/

Testimony and Executive Privilege in the Senate Impeachment Trial

jshaub at Lawfare - 7 hours ago
House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment Source: Wikimedia With the House of Representatives set to pass the articles of impeachment to the Senate later today, Jan. 15, senators are still debating whether or not the president’s trial should involve hearing from witnesses. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer continues to call for the testimony of four witnesses—former National Security Adviser John Bolton; current acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney; Mulvaney’s chief deputy Robert Blair; and Michael Duffey, associate director of national security progra... more »

Breaking: Syrian Army begins first attempted advance in Idlib this year

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:10 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has launched their first ground assault of the year in Idlib, as their troops attempt to advance at the southeastern axis of the governorate. Backed by heavy airstrikes from the Russian Air Force, the Syrian Arab Army began their attack on Wednesday evening by storming […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian Pound hits all time low as US sanctions continue to plague economy: video

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
Damascus residents reacted to the increase in the price of food and other commodities after the Syrian pound recorded its biggest decline in history on Sunday, reaching the 1,000 barrier against the US dollar. Footage filmed on Tuesday at Souq al-Hamidia, one of the busiest markets in the Old City of Damascus, shows that despite […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

New video shows two Iranian missiles hitting Ukrainian plane

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
Newly-released video, reportedly verified on Tuesday by the New York Times, reveals two missiles launched on on 8 January allegedly from an Iranian military base in Tehran that targeted the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) craft, moments before it was destroyed in mid-flight, killing all on board. The video, purportedly recorded by a security camera located […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israeli MoD says 800 Iranian soldiers remain inside Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:20 P.M.) – On Wednesday, Israel’s Channel 7 reported that the Israeli Defense Minister, Naftali Bennett, accused Iran of having 800 soldiers inside of Syria. According to Channel 7’s report, Bennett also said he is determined to get the last Iranian forces out of Syria, something his predecessor was unable to do. His […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russia tests new S-350 missile system

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
Russia’s Aerospace Force for the first time test-fired the latest S-350 ‘Vityaz’ surface-to-air missile system at a practice range in the southern Astrakhan Region, the Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday. “Specialists of air defense missile forces held the system’s initial firings at the proving ground in the Astrakhan Region,” the ministry said, without specifying the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

ISIS ambush kills Syrian soldiers in eastern Syria, including Issam Zahreddine’s nephew

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:00 P.M.) – A group of Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers were killed on Tuesday when their forces were targeted by an Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) missile in the Al-Mayadeen countryside. According to the Syrian military, the soldiers were driving in the Al-Mayadeen countryside when their vehicle was struck by an anti-tank guided missile […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian, Syrian air forces unleash massive attack across Idlib

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:40 P.M.) – The Russian and Syrian air forces have unleashed a massive attack across the Idlib Governorate on Wednesday, as their aircraft heavily target areas under the control of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkish-backed According to a report from the nearby Hama Governorate, the Russian and Syrian air forces have […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Nancy Ajram’s husband charged with ‘intentionally killing’ Syrian man

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 7 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:30 P.M.) – The Lebanese judiciary accused Fadi Al-Hashem, the husband of singer Nancy Ajram, for the “intentional killing” felony, after the shooting of a Syrian man in their house two weeks ago. According to Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed, “Judge Ghada Aoun claimed the crime of intentional murder against Dr. Fadi Al-Hashem, the husband of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Keeping with its Crackdown on Alternative Voices, Google Deletes Press TV from YouTube

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 7 hours ago
Press TV says the move is “part of an anti-Iran purge as the West sets its sights on regime change in Iran.” The post Keeping with its Crackdown on Alternative Voices, Google Deletes Press TV from YouTube appeared first on MintPress News.

U.S. - China Sign 'Phase One' Of Trade Deal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *Donald Trump signs 'phase one' of trade deal with China which ends escalation of his trade war—and complains about the 'impeachment hoax' at White House ceremony with Xi Jinping's deputy looking on* * Donald Trump took a victory lap as he signed a trade deal with China at the White House - as his impeachment sped ahead at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue * He touted his economy and launched attack after attack on his enemies at packed East Room ceremony, railing against the 'impeachment hoax' * Trump has vowed that he would ink a trade deal with China for ... more »

Liberals Still Using Libel to Advance Agenda

Steve Byas at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: liberals-still-using-libel-to-advance-agenda] The Left continues to besmirch the historical reputation of Senator Joe McCarthy, a patriot who wanted to protect his country from a hostile foreign power and an ideology that has caused the premature deaths of millions of people.

Wallabies starving as north Queensland drought drags on, bushfire relief hits supplies

Hannah Palmer at Just In - 8 hours ago
North Queensland wildlife carer Michelle Bible says food is scarce for rescued wallabies, with many supplies having been sent to bushfire-affected wildlife.

Sisters separated at birth discover they're not twins, but triplets

Anne Barker at Just In - 8 hours ago
Two identical Indonesian girls who were separated at birth and coincidentally found each other online have discovered they are triplets. Now they are searching for their estranged sister.

Two weeks from students' return, assurances that 140 fire-impacted schools will be ready to go

Timothy Fernandez at Just In - 8 hours ago
The NSW Department of Education is confident schools in fire-affected areas will be ready for students to return to when the new school year begins.

Millions of dollars have been donated to bushfire relief funds, and scammers are cashing in on it

Rachel Clayton at Just In - 8 hours ago
People around the world continue to open their wallets to help rebuild communities ravaged by fire, but fundraising companies say they are working "around the clock" to make sure scammers are not pocketing the donations.

'The bigger and hairier the better': Deadly spiders wanted for venom research

Shelley Lloyd at Just In - 8 hours ago
Do you have a huntsman spider lurking in the bathroom or a golden orb-weaver building an impressive web in your garden? Don't call pest control … call spider scientist Samantha Nixon and she'll come and take away your arachnid for valuable venom research.

NSW Now: Secret pines pre-dating the dinosaurs saved from bushfires

Just In - 8 hours ago
*MORNING BRIEFING: *The location of the Wollemi Pines — known as "dinosaur trees" — is kept shrouded in mystery to protect them from contamination but a specialist firefighting operation saved the trees from certain extinction.

Demand for hay and fodder like 'Boxing Day sales' as bushfires exacerbate drought shortfalls

Lucy Barbour at Just In - 8 hours ago
January's bushfires have triggered a flood of orders for livestock feed, leaving already-drought-affected hay and fodder supplies running seriously low.

Bulldust and broken dreams: Drought's hold on town that never thought it would go dry

Ben Millington And Anthony Scully at Just In - 8 hours ago
Gloucester is famed for its lush green hills, normally the beneficiary of reliable coastal rain. But today the land is brown and the town has run out of water.

I've given evidence at seven bushfire inquiries — this is what we should do instead of having another one

Just In - 8 hours ago
There have been 57 formal public inquiries, reviews and royal commissions related to bushfires and fire management since 1939. That is more than one inquiry every two years in the past 80 years. Do we really need yet another? asks Kevin Tolhurst.

US Democrats vote to send articles to Senate for Donald Trump's impeachment

Just In - 8 hours ago
The Democratic-led House of Representatives votes to send two formal charges against Donald Trump to the Senate, clearing the way for only the third impeachment trial of a US president to begin next week.

Military deploys to protect Namadgi National Park against bushfires

Craig Allen And Markus Mannheim at Just In - 8 hours ago
The ACT's vast Namadgi National Park is perilously dry and extremely vulnerable to new fires sparked by lightning strikes — so, the army have been called in.

Family of Australian jailed in Vietnam say he can't spend 11 more years behind bars

Angelique Lu And Erin Handley at Just In - 8 hours ago
For Trang Chau, who has endured the past year without her husband by her side and is facing the prospect of 11 more, action from the Australian Government is vital.

Australians just had their best super returns since 2013 — analysts say they can thank Donald Trump

David Taylor at Just In - 8 hours ago
Australian superannuation funds posted their best returns since 2013 last year, and many analysts say investors can thank Donald Trump's economic policies for it.

'The blob', a huge marine heatwave, caused the death of nearly a million seabirds

Nick Kilvert at Just In - 8 hours ago
'The blob', a mass of warm, nutrient-poor water that emerged off the US coast in 2013, was responsible for the biggest seabird die off in recorded history, according to new research.

Canadian firefighting planes iced in and unable to get to Australia

Ashlynne McGhee And James Elton at Just In - 8 hours ago
A fleet of water scooping planes, lauded as the champions of Canada's firefighting fleet, are iced in and cannot make it to Australia to help fight fires.

Lyn Farley's pacemaker was supposed to keep her alive, but it almost killed her

Alison Branley And Sophie Scott at Just In - 8 hours ago
An ABC investigation finds multiple cases of faulty pacemakers-defibrillators made by one manufacturer, which claims there is "no evidence of systematic failure".

Phase one of US-China trade deal signed

Just In - 8 hours ago
The United States and China announce an initial trade deal that will roll back some tariffs and boost Chinese purchases of US goods and services, defusing an 18-month conflict between the world's two largest economies.

Heavens open above NSW — now authorities are warning of landslides and flash flooding

Kevin Nguyen at Just In - 8 hours ago
The rains finally come to Sydney, with the downpour expected to "take the sting" out of bushfires across NSW, but experts say the cost could be flash flooding, landslides and contaminated water.

Is There Someone In Trump World Even More Dangerous To American Democracy Than Stephen Miller? Meet William Barr, The Nominee Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin And Doug Jones Voted To Confirm

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
*William Barr by Nancy Ohanian* Historians generally agree that the worst Attorney General in American history was A. Mitchell Palmer, an outright fascist who was appointed by Woodrow Wilson in 1919. The monstrosity after Palmer was nearly as bad-- Warren G. Harding's campaign manager Harry Daugherty, one of the most overtly corrupt attorneys general ever (see Ohio Gang); he was indicted and tried twice but never imprisoned. and then there was Nixon's John Mitchell, who was imprisoned. Cultural warrior and religious extremist William Barr, who served George H.W. Bush as Attorney Gen... more »

US House Votes 228-193 To Send The Articles Of Impeachment Against President Trump To The Senate

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *House votes 228-193 to send the articles of impeachment against Donal Trump to the Senate TODAY with just one Democrat voting against while Republicans stay united in opposition* * The House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday that named House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's seven impeachment managers * The vote kicked off the process of officially sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate * Pelosi and the impeachment managers will participate in an Engrossment Ceremony later Wednesday * There will then be a procession through the U.S. Capitol as the two... more »

The Dangers of Sanitizing Deng Xiaoping

Travis Sanderson at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Travis Sanderson* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Deng Xiaoping is to Xi Jinping what an illiberal figure like Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad: two shades of the same color, both authoritarian. “We Chinese do not want another emperor,” the businessman told me. We were in a crowded restaurant in a large Chinese city. It was early in 2018. Shortly before, the central government under Xi Jinping had officially altered the constitution to cancel term limits, arguably the Chinese president’s most daring consolidation of power since taking office. There ... more »

Get Ready for the Economic ‘Frustflation’ of the 2020s

Samuel Rines at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Samuel Rines* *economy, Americas* [image: Reuters] The Federal Reserve of the United States is struggling to find ideas on how to increase—not decrease—inflation. The 2020s will be remembered as a battle for inflation. For better or worse, inflation targeting is the favorite policy aim of developed country central banks. And it is difficult to find a successful monetary policy authority over the past decade. The 2020s will be remembered as the era where the failure of central banks to hit their mandates turned into frustration. It will be a decade of “frustflation.” From the “s... more »

What Does China Plan to Do With Its New Assault Ship?

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: By National Museum of the U.S. Navy - 170915-N-PC620-0009, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70793571] Assault ships are built for amphibious operations. *Key point:* The Type 075 LHD will allow Beijing to land its Marines on hostile shores and to send in helicopters to back them up. The U.S. Navy has many such ships and China is looking to copy those capabilities. A Chinese shipyard has begun assembling the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s first big-deck amphibious assault ship, or “LHD” in U.S. Navy parlance. The... more »

Iran Is Ready for the Next Great War in the Middle East

Jonathan Ruhe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Jonathan Ruhe* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] Tehran has the initiative to attack from the direction of its choosing—or several directions simultaneously—while confronting defenders with the Sisyphean task of providing 360-degree protection. Major conflict looms in the Middle East, and Iran is already on track to win. Its September surprise attack on the Saudi oil facility at Abqaiq and the glaring lack of response is a microcosm of how Tehran is busy gaining the strategic upper hand over the United States and its allies. Using swarms of new long-range precision muniti... more »

China’s Long History of Punishing People Who Didn't Commit Crimes

Mark Fitzpatrick at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Mark Fitzpatrick* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Beijing's part-time hobbies include building "silk" roads and arbitrarily detaining foreign nationals. A T-shirt-clad young man came to my think tank in London five years ago to discuss North Korea. As an organizer of tours to the hermit kingdom from his base in Dandong, China, he was a “fixer” for basketball star Dennis Rodman’s visits to the country. He told me about an occasion at leader Kim Jong-un’s beach villa where he found himself talking with Kim alone after Rodman had gotten bored and left the conversation to go play... more »

The U.S.-China Relationship Is At a Crossroads

Joseph S. Nye Jr at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Joseph S. Nye Jr* *Security, Asia* Some decoupling of interdependence is likely, particularly in areas related to technology that directly affect national security. But will Washington and Beijing go too far? President Trump has declared a temporary truce in his trade war with China. Economists point out that both countries gain from trade, but strategists complain that in terms of relative power, China gained more. Vice President Mike Pence recently pointed out that over the past 17 years, China’s GDP has grown more than nine-fold, and we should regard China as a strategic ri... more »

Theories Persist About Mystery Drones Seen in Rural Region

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
People insist they have spotted fleets of large drones crisscrossing rural America’s night sky, their mission mysterious, raising questions that have veered into conspiracy theories and launching an investigation.

No, Obama Didn’t Announce His Intent to Run for President of Kenya in 2021

Snopes Staff at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
A routine review of content labeled satire.

Bernie And Biden Are Getting Significantly Different Types Of Endorsements

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
If I were Status Quo Joe, I'd be embarrassed to admit I was endorsed by California New Dem Ami Bera, a member of Congress so toxic that the California Democratic Party decided to not back him for reelection. After all, caught in an illegal campaign finance scheme, he let his elderly father take the rap and go to prison in his place! In fact, when you go through the list of members who've endorsed Biden, most are embarrassing-- Blue Dogs and New Dems from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. But who else would endorse Biden? Some of the worst Democrats in the House are on... more »

Production on Federal Lands Boosts Jobs and Revenues in Several Key States

IER at IER - 8 hours ago
Oil and gas production on public lands has increased significantly since President Trump took office. President Trump has opened up millions… The post Production on Federal Lands Boosts Jobs and Revenues in Several Key States appeared first on IER.

Islington to drop NowMedical over homelessness assessment fears

Maeve McClenaghan at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism - 8 hours ago
The local authority has decided to take medical assessments for housing assistance in-house, after the Bureau raised concerns over the company's practices

Nancy Pelosi Announces Seven House Impeachment Managers…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
Today Nancy Pelosi announced seven House “impeachment managers” who will transmit the two articles of impeachment from the House to the Senate. Speaker Pelosi selected: Adam Schiff (HPSCI Chairman – lead), Jerry Nadler (HJC Chairman), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. … Continue reading →

DeVos on Fox: Six Minute Baloney Digest (With Homelessness)

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 9 hours ago
Betsy DeVos went on Fox and Friends this week, the softest of soft interview destinations form members of this administration. If you want a quick six-minute sampler of her current talking points, you could do worse, but it you don't think you can take looking at the patented smile d'smarm, here are the highlights- and there are a couple of revealing moments here. The segment is nominally titled "Combating the Homeless Crisis In Schools," and it starts with some b roll of homeless folks while noting that over 114,000 students in NYC were homeless last school year, which works out to ... more »

"Trade is, in some ways, a form of technology. When a country exports wheat and imports textiles, it is as if it had invented a form of technology for turning wheat into textiles." #QotD

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 9 hours ago
*"Trade is, in some ways, a form of technology. When a country exports wheat and imports textiles, it is as if it had invented a form of technology for turning wheat into textiles. A country that eliminates trade restrictions will, therefore, experience the same kind of economic growth that would occur after a major technological advance."* ~ Greg Mankiw, from his textbook *Essentials of Economics*. Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution.

"Failure..."; "Al Swearengen’s Take On Misfortune "

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
"Failure is inevitable, unavoidable but failure should never get the last word. You have to hold on to what you want. You have to not take no for an answer and take what’s coming to you. Never give in, never give up. Stand up. Stand up and take it." - "Meredith Grey" ○ *"Al Swearengen’s Take On Misfortune "* *STRONG LANGUAGE ALERT!* “Pain, or damage, don’t end the world- or despair or f***in’ beatings. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then, you’ve got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man- and give some back.” “Al Swearengen,” Ian McShane’s character in “Deadwood” - ht... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
Dublin, New Hampshire, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"The Way You Carry It..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." - Lena Horne

"The Great Magic Trick..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
"Snatching the eternal out of the desperately fleeting is the great magic trick of human existence." - Tennessee Williams

The Poet: Czeslaw Milosz, "Hope"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"Hope"* "Hope is with you when you believe The earth is not a dream but living flesh, That sight, touch, and hearing do not lie, That all things you have ever seen here Are like a garden looked at from a gate. You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there. Could we but look more clearly and wisely We might discover somewhere in the garden A strange new flower and an unnamed star. Some people say we should not trust our eyes, That there is nothing, just a seeming, These are the ones who have no hope. They think that the moment we turn away, The world, behind our backs, ceases to exist, As... more »

"The Only Cure..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
“We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future. As if figuring it out will somehow cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of of our deepest fears, and our wildest hopes. But one thing is certain: when it finally reveals itself, the future is never the way we imagined it. We’re all susceptible to it. The dread and anxiety of not knowing what’s coming. It’s pointless in the end. Because all the worrying, and all the making of plans for things that could, or could not happen, it only makes ... more »

"7 Major Earth Changes That Are Happening Right Now That Everyone Needs To Know About"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*"7 Major Earth Changes That Are Happening Right * *Now That Everyone Needs To Know About"* by Michael Snyder "There has never been a time in modern human history when our planet has been changing as rapidly as it is changing right now. The sun is behaving very strangely, freakishly cold weather is breaking out all over the world, ocean temperatures continue to rise, volcanoes all over the globe are shooting ash miles into the air, Australia is experiencing the worst wildfires that they have ever seen, and the north magnetic pole has been moving at a pace that is deeply alarming sci... more »

US Clearing Anti-War Voices Off Social Media in Vast Censorship Operation

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Darius Shahtahmasebi* - The Trump administration is ramping up its information war by suspending accounts and removing content.

VICTORY! Mandatory Vaccine Bill Fails After Thousands Show Up to Protest in New Jersey

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Matt Agorist* - A bill in New Jersey that would’ve stripped parents and children of their right to informed consent by allowing them to object to mandatory vaccinations failed on Monday.

Peru Vows to Plant One Million Trees Around Machu Picchu to Preserve Iconic Incan Citadel

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Elias Marat* - Earlier in May, Peru announced that it would restrict tourism to the site in hopes of preserving it.

After Living For 200 Million Years, The Chinese Paddlefish Is Now Extinct

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Mayukh Saha* - The Chinese paddlefish is one of the oldest fish that swam the Yangtze River in China. These fish were here when dinosaurs flourished.

Heavy Rainfall Set to Drench Australia’s Fire-Ravaged Lands This Week

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Emma Fiala* - Relief is finally on the way!

You Will Eat Two Recycling Bins of Plastic in Your Lifetime

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Dr. Mercola* - Based on an average human life span of 79 years, the average person will consume the same weight as two full-sized plastic recycling bins.

Author Malcolm Gladwell Tells You Why Your Family and Friends Don’t Believe You About Vaccine Injury

Kent Heckenlively at BolenReport - 9 hours ago
By Kent Heckenlively, JD When my mother was preparing her will she came to a curious decision. “Kent,” she said, “there’s a section in which I have to name a person to decide, if I’m incapacitated, whether heroic measures should be made to save my life. I think your father and brother would get too … Continue reading Author Malcolm Gladwell Tells You Why Your Family and Friends Don’t Believe You About Vaccine Injury

Daily World News Briefs -- January 15, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
*Reuters:** U.S. House votes to send Trump impeachment charges to Senate for trial* WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to send two formal charges against President Donald Trump to the Senate, clearing the way for only the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president to begin in earnest next week. Lawmakers voted 228 to 193 to give the Senate, controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, the task of putting him on trial on charges of abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and of obstruction of Cong... more »

2020 Pacific Ice See Saw Returns

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 9 hours ago
By January there are not many places where Arctic ice extent can grow. All the Eurasian shelf seas are full, as is the case on the CanAm side: Beaufort, CAA, Hudson Bay covered completely. Barents and Greenland Seas have some room to grow, as does Baffin Bay. But mainly the variability is on the Pacific […]

Lapdog Europeans Join Trump To Kill Iran Deal

Daniel McAdams at 9 hours ago
The European partners of the JCPOA Iran nuclear deal have handed a big gift to the neocons and warmongers, announcing that they have trigged a mechanism within the agreement that will effectively kill the agreement in weeks. So say goodbye to peace and trade and hello to war with Iran. More in today's Liberty Report:

Caught on Camera: W.H.O Scientists Question Safety Of Vaccines

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 9 hours ago
Footage from inside The W.H.O. Global Vaccine Safety Summit on December 2 & 3 2019. Transcript: [music] 00:19 Dr. Heidi Larson, MA PhD Anthropologist, Director of The Vaccine Confidence Project: There’s a lot of safety science that’s needed, and without the good science we can’t have good communication. So, although I’m talking about […] The post Caught on Camera: W.H.O Scientists Question Safety Of Vaccines appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Sadr Calls for “Million Man March’ as US Refuses to Leave Iraq

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 9 hours ago
*21WIRE* | Leading Iraqi figure calls for cancellation of security agreement with US, closure of its embassy, and expulsion of US troops.

Remind me never to take that Nepalese bus . . .

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 9 hours ago
Some driving experiences are not for the faint-hearted . . . including this one from Nepal. The driver and passengers seem to take it in their stride, but if I'd been aboard, I'd have had immense problems afterwards getting the seat cushion out of my backside! Peter

Be Wary Of Probiotic Health Claims In Media - That Means Be Wary Of Health Journalism

Hank Campbell at Science 2.0 blogs - 9 hours ago
There is no question that our microbiome is important to health, but just like science behind mitochondrial function inside cells set off an antioxidant craze in the 1970s, all of the applied health claims about probiotics in the 2000s are nonsense. If you enjoy the taste of expensive yogurt buy it, but if there was any chance it was really impacting your trillions of bacteria, it could just as easily be doing harm. read more

The Truth About Tony Blair And His War Based On Lies

Ceribalius at OYE Alternative News - 9 hours ago
We just had what the media are reporting as the ‘Damning report’ from Sir John Chilcot known to most as the Chilcot Report, but was it enough, or has it provided just the right amount of dirt on Tony Blair to keep the public satisfied but without condemning Blair to face prosecution? So to understand … The post The Truth About Tony Blair And His War Based On Lies appeared first on OYE Alternative News.

2:00PM Water Cooler 1/15/2020

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
Today's Water Cooler:

House Votes to Send Trump Impeachment to Senate for Trial

AP News at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
“We are here today to cross a very important threshold in American history,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Who Is Born a US Citizen?

Doreen Marchionni at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Debates over who gets citizenship and what kind of citizenship they get have always been intertwined with race in American history.

Did Teddy Roosevelt Say ‘Patriotism Means to Stand by the Country … Not the President’?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
This famous quote about patriotism has been circulating for more than 100 years.

Mexico City Subway Says Pee Causes Escalator Breakdowns

AP News at Snopes.com - 9 hours ago
Officials say vast amounts of urine in the subway system has driven escalator service into the toilet.

Wet'suwet'en file legal complaints against RCMP exclusion zone

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
. RCMP, Canadian police, blocked Wet'suwet'en blocked from delivering essential supplies to camp. Watch video. Legal Complaints Filed Against RCMP Exclusion Zone in Wet’suwet’en; Indigenous, Civil liberties, Human Rights and Labour Groups Condemn Exclusion Zone MEDIA ADVISORY OF PRESS CONFERENCE ON JANUARY 15, 2020 Censored News TODAY Wed., Jan. 15, 2020 For immediate release VANCOUVER,

Understanding the European Union's understanding on computer and related services

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020 If adopted on a wide scale, the Understanding would consolidate power and control over the digital ecosystem, including of data, in the major powers and more specifically, their corporations.

Russia woos India to sign trade pact with Eurasian Economic Union

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020 Moscow hopes to show global heavyweights take its bloc seriously. India's exit from the RCEP could pave the way for it to sign an agreement with the EAEU instead.

Big Pharma looks to stem losses after trade deal defeat

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020 The industry is working to get US senators on record in support of including the protections it lost in NAFTA 2.0 in future trade agreements with other countries.

This Canadian won millions in a legal fight with Kazakhstan. Was it worth it?

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020 A Canadian mining exec's decades-long tussle with Kazakhstan is finally over. He was awarded nearly $53 million.

EAEU-Serbia FTA (2019)

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020

EAEU-Singapore FTA (2019)

bilaterals.org - 10 hours ago
15-Jan-2020

Sealed Off and Forgotten: What You Should Know About Israel’s West Bank “Firing Zones”

Ramzy Baroud at MintPress News - 10 hours ago
Throughout the 1970s, the Israeli military declared roughly 18% of the West Bank as “firing zones,” effectively wresting control from the local Palestinian population. The post Sealed Off and Forgotten: What You Should Know About Israel’s West Bank “Firing Zones” appeared first on MintPress News.

CNN, Warren’s Sexism Jibe Against Sanders Backfires as #CNNisTrash Trends on Twitter

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 10 hours ago
The top three trends on Twitter Wednesday morning across the United States were #CNNisTrash, #NeverWarren, and #WarrenIsaSnake. The post CNN, Warren’s Sexism Jibe Against Sanders Backfires as #CNNisTrash Trends on Twitter appeared first on MintPress News.

British Columbia Update: TMX goes to Supreme Court and other news

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
*BC Winter - Photo taken out my front Window * *towards North Mountains **this morning* Just a brief update on current happenings at home and in my home province of British Columbia. First of all, yesterday I finished painting and decorating the "blank" nutcracker I received from family for Christmas. Below is a video and photo how he looked shortly after I began drawing and painting out his features: *Video of "Blank" Nutcracker* *I received as a Christmas Present* *partially painted Nutcracker* *photo taken a few days ago* *Completed Nutcracker "Guy" and * *beginning of **2... more »

Foundation Pledges $75 Million to Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Jessica Ruf at Diverse - 10 hours ago
The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation intends to pledge $75 million to Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The donation would not only be the largest gift in the university’s 150 year history, but the largest gift ever given to a communications school. Named in his honor, Syracuse’s communications school was established by Newhouse […]

Warren Aims to End Student Debt, If Elected

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 10 hours ago
If elected president, Senator Elizabeth Warren plans to forgive existing student loan debt on her first day in office. According to her plan, Warren will authorize the Secretary of Education to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for 95% of student loan borrowers which would impact around 42 million people, USA Today reported. Last year, […]

Loyola University New Orleans Appoints Dr. Tanuja Singh as Provost

Jessica Ruf at Diverse - 10 hours ago
Loyola University New Orleans has appointed Dr. Tanuja Singh as its next provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. Singh comes to the university with experience as dean of the Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio,Texas since 2009. There, she helped increase the school’s endowment, developed new degree programs […]

Popcorn from the Dollar Tree

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 10 hours ago
I don't usually eat popcorn for breakfast, but I've just been to the dollar store (on Bethel). They had microwave popcorn 3 packs for $1.00, so I thought I'd try it. Not bad. I don't think I'd had it since I used to take my work break at the veterinary college lunch room at OSU. My microwave is fairly new so I did 1 min. 35 seconds instead of 1:45. One bag makes 9.5 cups popped which is quite a bit more than I would make from scratch. The company is Pop Weaver, manufactured in Van Buren, IN. And so I checked and yes, the Weavers have been popping corn for four generations right ne... more »

Trump to Shift $7.2 Billion From Defense Budget to Build Wall

Warren Mass at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: trump-to-shift-7-2-billion-from-defense-budget-to-build-wall] President Trump is planning to divert an additional $7.2 billion from Department of Defense programs to pay for the wall on the United States’ southern border.

No Mention of China’s Human Rights Violations During Trade Deal Signing

Bob Adelmann at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: no-mention-of-china-s-human-rights-violations-during-trade-deal-signing] Missing during the self-congratulatory handshaking that accompanied the signing of the Phase One trade deal on Wednesday was any mention that China remains one of the worst offenders of human rights in the world, if not in all of human history.

On the eve of trial . . .

Gerard N. Magliocca at Balkinization - 10 hours ago
I'm struck by two aspects of the trial. The first is that once a trial begins it takes on a life of its own. This is why most people avoid them: they are unpredictable. If the Senate decides to hear from live witnesses, then the Majority Leader will learn the hard way that he cannot control this process. The second point is that we will quickly learn whether the Chief Justice wants to play an active role. The Senate impeachment trial rules give him the right to rule on all motions, or he can choose to put those motions directly to a Senate vote. The former gives him more influence o... more »

Ocean Warming Scares

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 10 hours ago
By Paul Homewood Willis Eschenbach over at WUWT has a good summary of the latest scare story about ocean warming: How much is a “Whole Little”? Well, it’s like a whole lot, only much, much smaller. There’s a new paper out. As usual, it has a whole bunch of authors, fourteen to […]

Why Everyone Should Be Excited About Wesson's M&P 2.0 Compact Handgun

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, Americas* [image: By Parsecboy - I created this photograph., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4681748] A very good gun. *Key point: *Although the Glock 19 is very good, Smith & Wesson's M&P 2.0 Compact gives it a run for its money. Both guns are reliable and have dedicated followings. The most critical feature of any firearm, particularly those carried on a daily basis, is reliability. A daily carry gun is more likely to be used in an emergency than others, and once drawn it must work, flawlessly, every time. The Smith &... more »

Meet "AIP" Submarines: Some of the Most Powerful and Affordable Naval Weapons Ever Made

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, Asia* [image: By Mate 2nd Class Patricia R. Totemeier, U.S. Navy Photo - This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 051001-N-0050T-017 (next).This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still requir] We break it down. *Key point: *Nuclear submarines might last longer at sea, but diesel-electric submarines cost way less and are deadly killers. In fact, in war games U.S. allies have been able to use their AIP submarines to sink American aircraft carriers. One of the most crucial imp... more »

How a French Sniper Daringly Saved a Comrade's Life—by Tying Him to a Helicopter

David Axe at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Africa* [image: Reuters] Amazing. *Key point:* Despite all of the jokes, France's military is highly trained and its special forces are no joke. Paris has been fighting terrorism in Africa for years now and their soldiers take their jobs seriously. In January 2013, a heavy French force struck Islamic militants who had been advancing across Mali. Paris deployed 4,000 troops plus tanks, helicopters and warplanes. Operation Serval, which France’s Western and African allies strongly supported, routed the militants. And a year and a half later, Paris expanded ... more »

Rudy Giuliani’s Ritz-Carlton Vienna Memos & More

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 10 hours ago
“As the host of several international organizations and thousands of foreign diplomats, Vienna is known as a European espionage hub. The city … Continue reading →

Retired Austrian Officer Charged With Spying for Russia

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 10 hours ago
Spying since 1993 suggests continuity by Russia spy services-government. Who else was recruited in this period? Trump’s henchman Giuliani? Trump? … Continue reading →

Russian Government Resigns After Putin Proposes Constitutional Changes

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 10 hours ago
From RFERL: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-government-resigning-medvedev-putin/30378991.html “Russian Government Resigns After Putin Proposes Constitutional Changes January 15, 2020 13:32 GMT UPDATED January 15, 2020 … Continue reading →

Changes in Russian Governance: Executive Order on the Government of the Russian Federation

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 10 hours ago
*Vladimir Putin signed Executive Order On the Government of the Russian Federation.* January 15, 2020 19:15 *In accordance with Article 83 (c) and part 2 of Article 117 of the Russian Federation Constitution, the President announced the resignation of the Government of the Russian Federation and appointed Dmitry Medvedev Acting Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.* *The Russian Government is instructed to continue fulfilling its duties until the new Government is formed. * * The Executive Order comes into force upon its signing.* * The President nominated Mikhail Mishustin f... more »

Cresco Lab cannabis growers in Illinois plan to join union

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 10 hours ago
Employees at an Illinois marijuana cultivation facility owned by Chicago-based multistate operator Cresco Labs are the first cannabis workers in the state to unionize. Laborers at Cresco’s facility in Joliet voted 58-32 to be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881. The vote affects about 100 of the 130 workers at the facility. […] Cresco Lab cannabis growers in Illinois plan to join union is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

WE CAN CHECK THIS STUFF, BUT THEY DON'T CARE

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 10 hours ago
Kayleigh McEnany is the national press secretary for President Trump's reelection campaign. Brad Parscale is Trump's chest-thumping campaign manager. This morning, McEnany was on Twitter amplifying a message from Parscale about the rally Trump staged last night as counterprogramming to the Democratic debate: HUGE ⬇️ 💥💥 57.9% who attended the @realDonaldTrump rally in Milwaukee last night Were NOT Republicans https://t.co/ASwpneeQFJ — Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) January 15, 2020 Parscale posts one of these after every Trump rally -- a breakdown of statistics about the ra... more »

Ocean Warming Scares

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? ? Willis Eschenbach over at WUWT has a good summary of the latest scare story about ocean warming: ? How much is a “Whole Little”? Well, it’s like a whole lot, only much, much smaller. There’s a new paper out. As…

Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 14 – 2020

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North

James Taylor: Record Farm Yields Contradict Climate Doomsayers’ Claims

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? From Breitbart: ? U.S. and global crop production continue to set new records, even as climate activists ramp up a campaign to convince people that climate change is decimating crop production and forcing farmers out of business. The latest misinformation was…

Climate change: Australia fires will be ‘normal’ in warmer world–Matt McGrath

Hifast at Climate Collections - 10 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood The latest climate porn from Matt McGrath and his chums: ? UK scientists say the recent fires in Australia are a taste of what the world will experience as temperatures rise. Prof Richard Betts from the Met Office Hadley Centre said we…

(VIDEO) ‘5 Lies About Iran’s Strikes – Debunked’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 10 hours ago
*Syrian Girl* | If you are sill confused about what just happened, here are five key points you should know.

"And Yet..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
"Life is given for wisdom, and yet we are not wise; for goodness, and we are not good; for overcoming evil, and evil remains; for patience and sympathy and love, and yet we are fretful and hard and weak and selfish. We are keyed not to attainment, but to the struggle toward it." - T. T. Munger

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
Oh, their suffering! Such hardships! My heart breaks, it breaks I tell you! Tragic! "Where Does Prince Harry's Massive Wealth Come From?"

"A Parade Of Fools..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
“Humanity is a parade of fools, and I am at the front of it, twirling a baton.” - Dean Koontz, “Brother Odd”

"Instability Rising: Why 2020 Will Be Different"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"Instability Rising: Why 2020 Will Be Different"* by Charles Hugh Smith "In 2020, increasing monetary and fiscal stimulus will be the equivalent of spraying gasoline on a fire to extinguish it. Economically, the 11 years since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09 have been one relatively coherent era of modest growth, rising wealth/income inequality and coordinated central bank stimulus every time a crisis threatened to disrupt the domestic or global economy. This era will draw to a close in 2020 and a new era of destabilization and uncertainty begins. Why will all the policies t... more »

My mid-life crisis is cheaper than a younger bloke, but a bit more accident prone

Natasha Johnson at Just In - 10 hours ago
When I was a kid, all I wanted for Christmas was a pony. Just after my 52nd birthday, Santa finally delivered. I'm now the ridiculously excited owner of a sweet-natured, 10-year-old mare named Reyn — but it hasn't all been smooth sailing, writes Natasha Johnson.

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