Wednesday, January 29, 2020

29 January - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 5

10 pm MST

Warren Buffett Gets Out of the Newspaper Business

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
Billionaire Warren Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, is selling 31 daily newspapers and 81 other publications.

NASA Shutting Down Spitzer Space Telescope, Infrared Eyes to Cosmos

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
The telescope is retiring after 17 years of observing the stars.

Coronavirus 2019 Is A New Human-Infecting Coronavirus, Genetically Distinct From Human SARS

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 11 hours ago
New genetic analysis of 10 genome sequences of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from nine patients in Wuhan finds that the virus is most closely related to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses, according to a study published in *The Lancet*. The authors say that although their analysis suggests that bats might be the original host of the virus, an animal sold at the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan might represent an intermediate host that enables the emergence of the virus in humans. read more

To Remove An Invasive Species Or Not: Determining When Drastic Ecological Interventions Will Go Bad

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 11 hours ago
*Pyrus calleryana* (Callery pear) is a tree native to China and Vietnam that California government introduced a hundred years ago after natural fire blight wiped out much of the European pear crops grown in the state. Since the callery pear was highly resistant to fire they wanted to graft it to the European pear trees, so researchers traveled to China, then took a four-day boat ride from Wuhan up the Yangtze to where the natural trees grew in abundance. As a bonus, they found it could grow anywhere, and that meant it could grow as landscape even in a state that is mostly desert and... more »

New And Improved Crop Protection: Oxitec Self-Limiting, Genetically Engineered Diamondback Moth For Brassica

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 11 hours ago
Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) does tremendous damage to brassica crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and canola. A new strain of diamondback moth developed by Oxitec Ltd, (OX4319L) is modified to control pest diamondback moth in a targeted manner. It limits its pest counterparts because they find and mate with pest females, but they pass along a self-limiting gene to offspring, which prevents female caterpillars from surviving. With sustained releases, the pest population is suppressed in a targeted, ecologically sustainable way. After releases stop, the self-lim... more »

The Only Way is Ethics

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
*Times* chief reporter Sean O'Neill has just tweeted, "Listening to another breathless report about Thwaites Glacier and wondering if anyone has ever calculated the carbon footprint of environment correspondents...". Given that the BBC's chief environment correspondent Justin Rowlett was just on Radio 4's *PM *ten minutes earlier reporting from Thwaites Gracier, I'm guessing Sean had the BBC guy in mind. Maybe the BBC needs an Ethical Man to rule on such matters.

Meet The Cops: Inside Donald Trump’s New Commission On Policing

Brian Sonenstein at Shadowproof - 11 hours ago
Attorney General William Barr swore in 18 members of a White House commission on policing—all of whom work in law enforcement. The post Meet The Cops: Inside Donald Trump’s New Commission On Policing appeared first on Shadowproof.

Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ will not bring peace – that was the plan for the US and Israel

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 11 hours ago
The so-called “Vision for Peace” unveiled on Tuesday simply confirmed that the US government has publicly adopted the long-running consensus in Israel: that it is entitled to keep permanently the swaths of territory it seized illegally over the past half-century that deny the Palestinians any hope of a state.

Two Senators Want Americans To Know: What's Hidden in the Classified Footnotes of the IG Report?

Chuck Ross at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Americas* [image: Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Chairman holds up the timer on his phone while Senator Cory Booker, D-NJ makes an impassioned speech during the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to vote on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to be an associate justice] Grassley and Johnson said that Americans 'will not have a full picture as to what happened during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation' otherwise. The Republican chairmen of two Senate committees asked Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Tuesday to declassify information ... more »

Are You Comfortable Sharing Your Mental Health Story?

Melanie-Anne Atkins at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Melanie-Anne Atkins* *Security, * [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC1285467E40&share=true] Bell Let’s Talk Day has become an opportunity for individuals to share their personal mental health stories, and for organizations to raise awareness about mental health and mental illness. Bell Let’s Talk Day has become an opportunity for individuals to share their personal mental health stories, and for organizations to raise awareness about mental health and mental illness. As an anti-stigma advocate, storyteller and researcher, I am insp... more »

The Pentagon Claims China Doesn't Have the Means to Seize Taiwan (Yet)

David Axe at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC1727FF6C00&share=true] Could it be? *Key point:* The DoD knows China's military has improved, but it believes it still is just short of being able to invade Taiwan from the sea. Even if this is accurate, it is still a question of when Taiwan will have that ability. The Chinese military still lacks the ability decisively to conquer Taiwan by way of a full-scale amphibious invasion, according to the 2019 edition of the U.S. Defense Department’s *annual report on Chinese ... more »

Why It Would Take at Least 100,000 Soldiers to Invade Venezuela

David Axe at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2ZLE9VZT0L&share=true] No small war. *Key point: *If Trump decides to eventually strike Venezuela, an actual-attempt at regime change would be a huge endeavor. Venezuela is large and would need many troops to secure it. The U.S. Defense Department’s regional command for South America *is the smallest* of the department’s 10 unified commands. It permanently oversees just 1,200 personnel plus a few thousand troops and a handful of ships on temporary deployments. But... more »

The Infamous History of Military Flamethrowers

David Axe at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C1997%3Anewsml_RP1DRIDCGNAA&share=true] Evil weapons. *Key point:* Flamethrowers are ghastly and frowned upon in modern warfare. For these reasons, many armies have phased out their use. “All weapons are, by their very nature, ghastly in purpose,” Chris McNab writes in the introduction of his new book The Flamethrower, “but there is something uniquely awful and inhumane about the flamethrower.” Yes, flamethrowers are awful. Their role in wartime — especially in the 20th century — r... more »

No, China Can't Beat America Outright in a War (Yet)

David Axe at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2010%3Anewsml_GM1E67Q1G4X01&share=true] Too many U.S. subs. *Key point:* Beijing is much more powerful than it has ever been. However, it is not clear-cut that China could destroy enough of America's forces to win a war. The bad news first. The People’s Republic of China now believes it can successfully prevent the United States from intervening in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan or some other military assault by Beijing. *(This first appeared several years ago.)* Now the g... more »

Stock Bots: The Future of Financial Trading?

Christian Borch at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Christian Borch* *economy, * Humans still program the algorithms and design their trading strategies, though the rise of deep learning is putting even this role under threat. In 2019, the world fretted that algorithms now know us better than we know ourselves. No concept captures this better than surveillance capitalism, a term coined by American writer Shoshana Zuboff to describe a bleak new era in which the likes of Facebook and Google provide popular services while their algorithms hawk our digital traces. Surprisingly, Zuboff’s concern doesn’t extend to the algorithms in fi... more »

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago

"Coronavirus And The 'Unsinkable' Titanic Analogy"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago
*"Coronavirus And The 'Unsinkable' Titanic Analogy"* by Charles Hugh Smith "As we all know, the "unsinkable" Titanic suffered a glancing collision with an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912. A half-hour after the iceberg had opened six of the ship's 16 watertight compartments, it was not at all apparent that the mighty vessel had been fatally wounded, as there was no evidence of damage topside. Indeed, some eyewitnesses reported that passengers playfully scattered the ice left on the foredeck by the encounter. But some rudimentary calculations soon revealed the truth to the off... more »

The biter bit

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 11 hours ago
I wonder if young Lewis Goodall will be experiencing *schadenfreude *today. He didn't take kindly to veteran ITV newsreader Alastair Stewart making repeated calls during the election for journalists like him to stop venting their opinions on Twitter. Guess what? Alastair Stewart has had to step down as an ITV newsreader today after "errors of judgement" in his own use of social media. (As far as I can see it's because he called someone/some people "a pr*ck"/"pr*cks".) It's a funny old world. *Update*: Or was it this? Alastair Stewart responded to a black man on Twitter with a passa... more »

The Report: Impeachment, Day Seven

mTaylor at Lawfare - 11 hours ago
On the seventh day of the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump, the president's team of lawyers wrapped up their arguments in his defense. The defense, led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone, continued their case for Trump’s acquittal focusing on arguments related to constitutional interpretation, the facts of the case and what the defense asserts is at stake with the impeachment of this president. This was the defense’s final chance to make their case before senators’ questioning begins. While the final two hours of the president’s defense are important for each and ... more »

Turnbull trashes Morrison, Abbot & Trump as ‘climate change deniers’ (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 11 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 449. More The post Turnbull trashes Morrison, Abbot & Trump as ‘climate change deniers’ (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Authors questioning papers at nearly two dozen journals in wake of spider paper retraction

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 12 hours ago
Talk about a tangled web. The retraction earlier this month of a 2016 paper in the American Naturalist by Kate Laskowski and Jonathan Pruitt turns out to be the tip of what is potentially a very large iceberg. This week, the researchers have retracted a second paper, this one in the Proceedings of the Royal … Continue reading Authors questioning papers at nearly two dozen journals in wake of spider paper retraction

As the liberal and mainstream worlds implode...

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020...what happens if Bernie wins?:* As we watch the liberal and mainstream worlds implode, we don't know which is sadder: Is it this front-page report in the New York Times about the identity Babel within the Buttigieg campaign? (As best we can tell, Katrina Smith is one year out of college.) Or is it the pitiful report which leads this morning's National section—the sprawling report about several candidates' dogs? So far, the Times hasn't gotten wround to profiling the various candidates' hairdressers, as was done, on the paper's front page, in the case... more »

Texas Labor Movement Does The Right Thing At The Intersection Of Politics And The Climate Crisis-- DCCC Weeps Bitterly

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
This story has a happy ending-- but it didn't always seem like it would while Kate Aronoff was writing it in real time last week in Austin. The big Texas AFL-CIO convention was considering which candidates to endorse for November. The building trades unions and the unions involved with the fossil fuels industries were not nearly excited as the rest of the labor movement was about the progressive candidates who were firmly backing the Green New Deal. They made a move to stop the endorsements of some of Texas' most energetic grassroots campaigns. Saturday was looking pretty ugly. The... more »

The meme endorsement you might have missed – and why it matters for 2020

Leslie Hahner, Associate Professor of Communication, Baylor University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
Much was made of The New York Times' dual endorsement of Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. But four days prior, a hugely popular Facebook meme group threw its support behind Bernie Sanders.

Britain is about to leave the EU – what's next?

Luke Reader, Teaching Fellow, History Department, Case Western Reserve University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
People who support Brexit want different results from the UK's departure from the EU – and they can't all get what they want.

I track murder cases that use the 'gay panic defense,' a controversial practice banned in 9 states

W. Carsten Andresen, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, St. Edward's University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
In a handful of cases, defendants in murder cases have said that they were defending themselves from a same-sex pass or attempted sexual assault.

Beware the brokered convention that breaks up the party

Calvin Schermerhorn, Professor of History, Arizona State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
Some Democrats are fearing chaos at the convention if no candidate meets the nomination threshold. History suggests they are right to be concerned.

Urbanization as a Path to Prosperity

WASHINGTON DC, Jan 29 (IPS) - Growing up in New York City in the 1970s, Edward Glaeser saw a great metropolis in decline. Crime was soaring. Garbage piled up on sidewalks as striking sanitation workers walked off the job. The city teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. Read the full story, “Urbanization as a Path to Prosperity”, on globalissues.org →

Oil-rich Gulf Turns to Renewable Energy

KATMANDU, Jan 29 (IPS) - However, it will be exporting fossil fuels to meet growing Asian demand for the foreseeable futureThe increased frequency of climate-induced weather extremes and public opinion pressure are forcing even major fossil fuel exporting countries in West Asia to make a big push towards renewable energy. Read the full story, “Oil-rich Gulf Turns to Renewable Energy”, on globalissues.org →

Kenya Leapfrogging on 4 SDGS- Building Bridges Between Silicon Savannah and Silicon Valley

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 29 (IPS) - One year ago, the UN began implementing reforms meant to make it more effective in delivering on sustainable development. Now, with the start of 2020, the global body has declared this as the "decade of action" to turn the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into a living reality for all humanity. But what does this look like, on the ground? Read the full story, “Kenya Leapfrogging on 4 SDGS- Building Bridges Between Silicon Savannah and Silicon Valley”, on globalissues.org →

Macron accuses Turkey of transferring Syrian mercenaries to Libya

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:15 P.M.) – French President Emmanuel Macron accused Turkey of breaching the pledges it made during the Berlin conference held on January 19 to settle the Libyan crisis, noting that France had monitored during the past days ships transporting Syrian mercenaries to Libya. Macron said, during a press conference with Greek Prime Minister […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian Army captures strategic town in southern Aleppo

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – For the first time in years, the Syrian Armed Forces are in full control of the strategic town of Khan Touman in southern Aleppo. READ ALSO: Syrian Army enters strategic town in southern Idlib According to a military source entrenched with Division 30 of the Republican Guard, the Syrian Armed […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Yemeni military spokesperson announces capture of strategic district by Ansarallah forces

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:40 P.M.) – The spokesperson for Sana’a-based Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier-General Yahya Sare’a, announced the full capture of the strategic Nihm District in the eastern part of the Sana’a Governorate. READ ALSO: Important battle taking place in northern Yemen for key roadway – details “All of the Nihm District, east of the capital, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Ansarallah forces launches new attack on Saudi Aramco facilities

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:45 P.M.) – The Ansarallah forces (var. Houthi) announced on Wednesday that their rocket battalion unleashed a new attack on the Saudi Aramco oil facilities in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. READ ALSO: Ansarallah forces capture strategic district in devastating defeat for Saudi-backed troops According to the commander of the Ansarallah-aligned Yemeni […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Jihadist defenses crumble as Syrian Army troops advance towards key city in Idlib

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:45 P.M.) – The jihadist defenses have deteriorated in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continues to advance north towards to the Aleppo border. READ ALSO: Syrian Army captures Ma’arat Al-Nu’man and Wadi Al-Deif Base Led by the 25th Special Mission Forces Division (formerly Tiger Forces), […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian air defense system took down 100 drones around the world

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
The Russian Pantsir-S air defense missile system took down some 100 drones around the world over the course of its service, says Valery Slugin – the chief air defense designer KBP JSC, a division of Rostec’s High Precision Weapons JSC. READ ALSO: Russian military foils jihadist attack on Hmeimim Airbase “About one hundred, maybe more,” […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian military captures new areas in southern Aleppo as jihadist defenses collapse

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:45 P.M.) – The Syrian military is rolling in the southern countryside of the Aleppo Governorate, as their troops have seized more ground from the jihadist rebels on Wednesday. READ ALSO: Syrian Army captures new ground in southern Aleppo Led by Division 30 of the Republican Guard, the Syrian Arab Army scored a […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian air defense system successfully fought off jihadist mobiles in Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 12 hours ago
Russia’s Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile systems successfully struck ground targets with their guns in Syria, in particular, terrorists’ jihad mobiles, Chief Designer for Air Defense Systems at the Shipunov Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering (part of High Precision Systems Company within the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) Valery Slugin told TASS on Wednesday. READ ALSO: Russia detected […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 29, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
*Military Times:* *Coronavirus update: Illness spreads, US troops in Southeast Asia advised to take precautions* With the new coronavirus having sickened more than 4,500 in China and five people in the United States, the U.S. government is encouraging Americans to take precautions against contracting any respiratory illness, including the flu or a cold. Stressing that the current health risk of the new virus in the U.S. is low, the Departments of Health and Human Services and defense officials have nonetheless said people should practice good health hygiene and avoid contact with... more »

Santa Cruz Just Voted to Tell Cops to Stop Arresting People for Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, and More

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: mushrooms]Santa Cruz has put themselves on the right side of history by refusing to arrest people for mushrooms, ayahuasca, ibogane, and other psychedelics.

Cop Fakes Story About ‘Black Man’ Shooting Him, So Fellow Cops Ransack Town, Kidnap Innocent Black People

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: story]An Ohio cop was arrested after fabricating a story of a black man shooting him, leading to the kidnapping of multiple innocent black people.

Leaked Report Shows United Nations Suffered Hack

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
The United Nations has been hacked.

At Harvey Weinstein’s Trial, a Big Role for Other Accusers

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
In his New York City trial, it’s the prosecution’s supporting witnesses who could be a big factor in whether he goes to prison.

Borepatch hits one out of the park

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 12 hours ago
Fellow blogger Borepatch has put up an excellent article titled "How Big Business and Big Government get ahead by slowing down the economy". Here's an excerpt. ... well managed companies excel at managing innovation ... What they don't excel at - because they're well managed - is bringing the next, new [innovation] to the market. You see, the products in that innovation stream very well might undercut their current cash cow products. So what do they do? Enter the Regulatory State. The Government starts issuing all sorts of regulations about this and that, to protect children a... more »

Continued Reports Of Dysfunctional Iraqi Justice System

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
In the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission’s latest report it found that Iraq’s judicial system is not working. It observed almost 800 cases across nine provinces, most of which had to do with terrorism charges, and found a lack of due process. There was a shortage of competent lawyers, torture and abuse were commonly used to obtain confessions, there was a broad application of the anti-terror laws, and liberal handing out of death sentences. These are the same problems that human rights groups have been noting about Iraq for years. The Human Rights Commission did not see fai... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Jan 29

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
1917 British captured Ottoman fort at Khadairi Bend in campaign to recapture Kut 1948 PM Jabr forced to resign over protests over Anglo-Iraq treaty organized by Communists Regent also against Jabr (Musings On Iraq book review *Red Star Over Iraq, Iraqi Communism Before Saddam*) (Musings On Iraq Interviewwith Prof Johan Franzen on the history of the Iraqi Communist Party) 1948 Sayid Mohammed al-Sadr replaced Jabr as PM 1953 Jamil al-Midfai became PM for 5th time 1982 King Hussein said Jordanian troops would be sent to Iraq to help in Iran-Iraq War 1987 Iran Op Karbala 5 crossed J... more »

Uber Launches “Tuk-tuk” in Brazil

Lachlan Williams at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Uber has launched a new type of service in Brazil: the "tuk-tuk", a very popular vehicle in Asia is equipped with three wheels and has room for two people, in addition to the driver. This option will be available for users as of Wednesday, January 29th, only in Vitória, Espírito […] The post Uber Launches “Tuk-tuk” in Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Democracy and Tyranny

Walter E. Williams at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: democracy-and-tyranny] One frequent claim is that our nation is a democracy. If we’ve become a democracy, it would represent a deep betrayal of our founders, who saw democracy as another form of tyranny.

Day Eight – Senate Impeachment Trial – Senator Questioning Begins – 1:00pm ET Livestream…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 12 hours ago
There will be 24 hours of presentation by House Impeachment Managers (over 3 days); 24 hours of presentation by Defense team (over 3 days); 16 hours of Senate questioning; 4 hours of closing arguments, equally divided; and then a Senate … Continue reading →

The most snow on the ground on record in Kazakhstan

Robert at Ice Age Now - 12 hours ago
Cars buried. Streets abandoned. Snow thickness more than three times the norm for this time of year. Heavy snowfall and blizzard in the city of Nur-Sultan this January beat the previous record set 56 years ago, said chief of the department of short-term forecasts of the Kazgidromet Alua Sakhanova. Today the snow thickness is 55 ... Read more The most snow on the ground on record in Kazakhstan The post The most snow on the ground on record in Kazakhstan appeared first on Ice Age Now.

About Antarctica

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Originally posted on Thongchai Thailand: THIS POST IS A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF VARIOUS CLAIMS MADE BY CLIMATE SCIENCE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ANTARCTICA AND OF THE EVIDENCE FOR AGW CLAIMED TO BE FOUND IN DATA FROM ANTARCTICA. IT IS BASED ON THE ANTARCTICA SECTION OF A LECTURE BY JAMES EDWARD KAMIS [LINK] RELATED…

BBC Accused Of Misleading Reporting About Melting Antarctic Glacier

Hifast at Climate Collections - 12 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration is performing some magnificent science conducting the most ambitious fieldwork ever undertaken at the tip of what is one of the most significant glaciers on Earth. Its melting already contributes 4% of global sea level rise…

Makati government and police vehicles with no plate

Bienvenido Oplas Jr at Government and Taxes - 12 hours ago
I took these photos last January 28, 2020. Makati City government vehicle, no plate. Govt exempts itself from its own "No plate, no travel" policy that govt strictly implements vs civilian motorists and drivers. Below, I took this picture last Nov 20, 2019. If it's a civilian motorist, that motorcycle must have been towed/clamped by Makati City Hall people already for obstruction of pedestrian path. Last August 2019, this Makati policeman was in front of me in a gas station. Motorcycle with no plate. Government, national and local, make many laws and prohibitions. Then governmen... more »

The Underwhelming Case for Impeachment

SafeSpace at 'Nox & Friends - 13 hours ago
Pay no attention to Little Brother Vindman’s magical discovery of “incriminating” statements about Donald Trump in John Bolton’s as-yet unpublished, kiss-and-tell-all book about his days as a neocon standard bearer. The entire Democrat case against Trump, as presented for hours and hours and hours in the Senate chamber, is a house of cards built on sand in a unicorn’s litter box. Here’s a well-written overview by Adam Freedman, published two days ago in City Journal: Abuse of Procedure The House Democrats make an underwhelming case for impeachment—one without a constitutional basis.... more »

CLINTEL Manifesto blasts climate scaremongering

David Wojick at CFACT - 13 hours ago
CLINTEL is a rapidly growing international group, led by prominent scientists, that opposes the ill-founded attempts to scare people into hasty climate policy actions. The post CLINTEL Manifesto blasts climate scaremongering appeared first on CFACT.

US, Kenya to start trade talks seen as template for Africa

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 The US and Kenya are expected to announce negotiations on a free-trade agreement, America's first such deal with a sub-Saharan country.

Algeria, Libya plan to establish free trade zone

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 Algerian Minister of Trade Kamel Rezig announced a joint initiative with Libya to establish a free trade area.

ICSID's longest running dispute: Tribunal dismisses application for annulment of resubmission award

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 An ad hoc committee has recently dismissed the claimants' application to annul a resubmission award in Victor Pey Casado and President Allende Foundation v Republic of Chile.

A la recherche de l'impossible accord commercial

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 L'Union européenne va entrer dans la seconde phase des négociations avec Londres, celle portant sur la relation future, en particulier au niveau économique. Etat des lieux avant ces discussions qui s'annoncent intenses.

NFU to lead food standards rally in Westminster

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 Hundreds of farmers from across the country will gather in London in March to join the NFU in a rallying call to Government, urging them to commit that future UK trade policy will not allow imports of food produced to standards that would be illegal in the UK.

PM Orban: We want to register Rosia Montana with UNESCO

bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
29-Jan-2020 The Romanian Government wants to register the Rosia Montana site on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is to hold consultations on this topic with the representatives of the Romanian state in the litigation at ICSID.

The cruelty of a cashless society

Philip Moscovitch at Halifax Examiner - 13 hours ago
News 1. City HR department lies about progress in implementing recommendations to address racism and discrimination A staff report that came to council yesterday says the city drastically overstated progress being made on implementing the recommendations of a 2016 report on the racism faced by Black municipal workers. Zane Woodford reports: A few months after […]

India's worst rapists will soon be hanged, but will it make women safer?

James Oaten at Just In - 13 hours ago
The brutal rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in New Delhi triggered outrage around the world in 2012. India is preparing to execute her attackers, but for many rape victims, justice remains elusive.

Live: Former Trump ally lobs more impeachment bombshells as Republicans push for no new witnesses

Peter Marsh And Emily Olson at Just In - 13 hours ago
They've been listening for more than 48 hours, but now senators get the chance to ask the questions in Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Follow live.

'I honestly didn't play a bad match': But Rafa Nadal is still out of the Australian Open

Luke Pentony at Just In - 13 hours ago
The world number one departs the tournament at the hands of Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem, the four-set loss ending the Spaniard's quest to win a record-equalling 20th men's major in Melbourne.

THE RATIONAL ANIMAL'S LONGINGS: Does Jo say yes to Professor Bhaer?

bob somerby at the daily howler - 13 hours ago
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020But also, My Brilliant Career:* Does Jo March marry Professor Bhaer at the end of the new Little Women? Perhaps at Marienbad! Over at Slate, Martinelli and Schwedel debated the question on Christmas morning, the very day the new film was released. The two "superfans" couldn't settle the question. This very day, at The Guardian, it seems that Laura Snapes has: SNAPES (1/29/20): In her biggest change to Alcott’s narrative, *Gerwig reconciles the unease between Jo’s teenage passions and grownup reality by having her refuse to marry Professor Bhaer* or to ... more »

China’s New Coronavirus: An Examination of the Facts

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 13 hours ago
The Western mass media have discussed the new corona virus that began in the city of Wuhan in Central China but, apart from repetitive small details and the inevitable China-bashing, not much light has been shed on the circumstances. My initial commentary here is composed from a medley of nearly 100 Western news reports, primarily ABC, CBS, CNN, AFP, and from some Chinese media. Officially called the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the contagion is a respiratory illness, a new type of viral pneumonia, in the same family of infections as SARS and MERS.

Trump’s “win-win” plan hands everything to Israel

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 13 hours ago
After much anticipation and with great ceremony, on Tuesday US President Donald Trump presented his plan for Middle East peace.

Moscow pips Pompeo at the Syrian post

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 13 hours ago
The capture of the town of Maarat al-Numan in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib bordering Turkey on Wednesday by the government forces must be counted as the first ‘new facts on the ground’ since the murder of Qassem Soleimani twenty-five days ago. The salience is that the military operation against the al-Qaeda affiliates went ahead and actually met with stunning success.

EIA Maps

David Middleton at Debunk House - 13 hours ago
https://www.eia.gov/maps/maps.htm

The Dash for Ocean Resources Is the New Gold Rush

Robert Blasiak at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Robert Blasiak* *Environment, Security* Researchers studying the ocean are currently feeling a sense of déjà vu. Over the past three decades, patterns seen on land 70 years ago have been occurring in the ocean. We’re living through a “Blue Acceleration”, and it will have significant consequences for life on the blue planet. Humans are leaving a heavy footprint on the Earth, but when did we become the main driver of change in the planet’s ecosystems? Many scientists point to the 1950s, when all kinds of socioeconomic trends began accelerating. Since then, the world population has... more »

The Patent Laws That Protect Big Pharma And Raise Drug Costs

Faisal Chaudhry at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Faisal Chaudhry* *Security, * [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2010%3Anewsml_GM1E66G1J3Q01&share=true] To fully understand these complexities requires looking at a web of international patent law and trade agreements. The high price of insulin, which has reached as much as US$450 per month, has raised outrage across the country. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has called it a national embarrassment, wondering why U.S. residents should have to drive to Canada to buy cheaper insulin. As a legal scholar who focuses on the contradictory role of property... more »

Algorithms Empower Something Called Cancel Culture. What Does That Mean?

Anjana Susarla at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Anjana Susarla* *Security, * [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC2OSD939G9F&share=true] “Cancel culture” has become so pervasive that even former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the phenomenon, describing it as an overly judgmental approach to activism that does little to bring about change. “Cancel culture” has become so pervasive that even former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the phenomenon, describing it as an overly judgmental approach to activism that does little to bring about change. For the uninitiated, h... more »

Epic Fail? Expert Claims the United Kingdom's New Challenger 2 Tank Is a Terrible Mistake

David Axe at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*David Axe* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2003%3Anewsml_RP3DRIGDGWAA&share=true] Let's take a closer look. *Key point:* London does make good tanks, but the Challenger 2 is missing many modern upgrades that other states possess. In fact, the U.K. has actually reduced the number of Challenger 2 tanks it intended to buy. At least that’s the opinion of one retired army officer who during his 20-year career helped to assess tank designs on behalf of U.K. policymakers. When the Ministry of Defense in 1987 decided to replace its... more »

Why Russia's SU-57 Stealth Fighter Isn't All It's Cracked up to Be

David Axe at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*David Axe* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC16E9AA5100&share=true] Not enough updates? *Key point: *Moscow's Su-57 is a powerful plane and no joke. But Russia's prized fighter lacks important updates and hasn't been produced en masse. The Russian defense ministry staged an impressive video shoot with four of its Su-57 stealth fighter prototypes. But the dramatic display doesn't make the Su-57 any more relevant. The Su-57 is beautiful. It's also too expensive for Russia to buy in meaningful numbers. In the N... more »

Does Japan Still Have the Finest Navy in the Entire Pacific?

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC186A82ACC0&share=true] Or have they been replaced? *Key point:* Japan may have an aging population problem, but its navy is highly-advanced. In fact, Tokyo still arguably could give Beijing's navy a run for its money... maybe. The best navy in Asia has a total of 114 warships and 45,800 volunteer personnel. It has a large fleet of fast, powerful destroyers, thoroughly modern diesel-electric attack submarines, and amphibious ships that can haul tanks and other groun... more »

In 2005, a Navy Submarine Crashed Into an Underwater Mountain—and Still Managed to Limp Home

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *History, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2012%3Anewsml_TM3E8AE15W501&share=true] Impressive. *Key point:* Los Angeles-class submarines are tough boats. The submarine should not have hit that mountain, but it was designed to withstand sudden impacts. In 2005, a U.S. Navy attack submarine collided head-on with an undersea mountain at more than thirty miles an hour. Despite the damage the ship sustained and the crew’s injuries, the USS San Francisco managed to limp to her home port of Guam on her own power. The incident ... more »

Yes, a Nuclear War With North Korea Would Kill Millions

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC13D2210B40&share=true] Don't do it. *Key point:* A nuclear war would see Pyongyang targeting South Korean and American cities as well as U.S. bases in Japan. The costs of such a conflict would be catastrophic. The United States has substantial air, land, and sea forces stationed in South Korea, as well as several units based in Japan and the western Pacific earmarked for a Korean contingency. Together, these forces far exceed the firepower of North Korea’s armed fo... more »

Mistake: Banning Huawei Makes It Harder to Access 5G

Christopher Findlay at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Christopher Findlay* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] An absolute ban on Huawei might stunt the next technological revolution. Productivity growth matters. In advanced economies over the past 15 years it has fallen by half. Which is why it doesn’t make much sense to risk damaging one of the most important potential sources for future growth in productivity: the rollout of 5G. 5G is the next generation of wireless technology. Download speeds will be many times faster than what is possible under 4G. And it’s not just speed. It’ll cut latency, which is the time it takes for ... more »

New On the Blockchain: Online Identification

Lucian Tipi at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Lucian Tipi* *Security, * [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2019%3Anewsml_RC1467002D30&share=true] In an interview, PayPal’s chief executive, Dan Schulman, recently discussed the prospects for blockchain – the encrypted, decentralised online ledger system that underpins Bitcoin and myriad other cutting-edge projects. In an interview, PayPal’s chief executive, Dan Schulman, recently discussed the prospects for blockchain – the encrypted, decentralised online ledger system that underpins Bitcoin and myriad other cutting-edge projects. While talking... more »

Puerto Rico's Indigenous Heritage Threatened By Earthquakes

Jorge L. Chinea at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Jorge L. Chinea* *Security, * [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2MCE9OA7TP&share=true] A 2,000 year old archeological site was destroyed. Tremors and aftershocks are still rocking Puerto Rico, weeks after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake toppled buildings, killed at least one person and injured another eight on Jan. 7. Families have begun leaving the island because it won’t stop shaking. For many on the island, the devastation is a reminder of September 2017 when Hurricane Maria killed 3,000 people and as many as 200,000 Puerto Ricans ... more »

Free Trade Game Plan: Africa Should First Focus on Industrialization

Michael E Odijie at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Michael E Odijie* *economy, Africa* [image: Reuters] The immediate objective of the free trade area is principally to boost trade within Africa by eliminating up to 90% of the tariffs on goods and reducing non-tariff barriers to trade. The African Continental Free Trade Area is a continental agreement which came into force in May 2019. It covers trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. Of the 55 African Union member states, only Eritrea has yet to sign it. The immediate objective of the free trade area is principally to boost ... more »

BWorld 405, Coal, gas, renewables, and growth

Bienvenido Oplas Jr at Government and Taxes - 13 hours ago
* My column in BusinessWorld, January 23, 2019. Recently it was reported that the growth rate of Germany, Europe’s largest economy and the world’s fourth largest, fell to only 0.6% in 2019. This caught my attention because it is a significant drop from 1.5% in 2018 and 2.2% average for 2014-2017. The UK and France managed to grow 1.4% in Q1-Q3 2019 so far, while Italy has crawled to only 0.1% growth (see Table 1). From 1998 to 2018, or two decades, China, India, and South Korea have managed to expand their GDP size from four to 13 times while others have expanded only by 2.3 times... more »

MOATS: OPCW Douma Leaks and Why Julian Assange Extradition Will Affect Everyone

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*MOATS* | Time and time again, our governments lie in order to cover-up real war crimes.

Explained: How Adam Schiff’s Russia-bashing is Damaging US Interests

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 13 hours ago
*Aaron Maté & Stephen Cohen* | Facts have been ignored in favour of a foreign policy narrative designed to drive America's 'New Cold War.'

Looking for a Favela Tour? Skip the Jeeps — Find an Activist

Edmund Ruge at The Rio Times - 13 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Carnaval 2020 is fast approaching, and if you’re one of the 1.9 million visitors flooding into Rio de Janeiro over the next several weeks, you may find yourself looking for a deeper understanding of the Cidade Maravilhosa. Taxiing in from the airport, you may wonder about the crowded brick houses, […] The post Looking for a Favela Tour? Skip the Jeeps — Find an Activist appeared first on The Rio Times.

Researchers Have Developed Vaccine for China’s Coronavirus

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 13 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Microbiologist and physician Yuen Kwok-yung announced that researchers in Hong Kong have already developed a vaccine against China's new coronavirus. However, it still needs to be tested on animals, which should take some time, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. Kwok-yung, director of the infectious disease […] The post Researchers Have Developed Vaccine for China’s Coronavirus appeared first on The Rio Times.

China's Coronavirus Outbreak Has Become President Xi's Greatest Political Challenge

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with visiting World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) *CNBC:* *China’s Xi faces his ‘greatest political challenge’ with coronavirus outbreak, says analyst* * By the end of Tuesday, there were 5,974 confirmed cases of a new coronavirus in mainland China, said the country’s National Health Commission. The death toll was 132. * “This is the probably the greatest political challenge that (President Xi Jinping) has faced sin... more »

IER Names David Kreutzer New Senior Economist

Jon Haubert at IER - 13 hours ago
Expert economist and policy analyst rounds out leading, energy-only free-market think tank. WASHINGTON DC (January 29, 2020) –The Institute… The post IER Names David Kreutzer New Senior Economist appeared first on IER .

What the #FakeNews media & Democrats think of you if you're not a leftist

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
This is what the Democrats and the #FakeNews media think of Trump supporters: Hillary says you're all "deplorable". Mayor Buttigieg says that you're all racists. Democrat leaders in America today look down on you just as their Democrat ancestors looked down on Black people. You're too stupid to be allowed to run your own life. Democrats must be able to tell what sort of straws to use, how much soda you can drink, and what your religion can teach. Democrat politicians don't want to represent you they want to rule over you. Back when the Democrats were fighting the Civil War to ke... more »

Former Roche executive takes helm of New Zealand cannabis firm Rua Bioscience

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 13 hours ago
Long-time Roche executive Rob Mitchell is taking the reins of New Zealand medical cannabis firm Rua Bioscience, replacing co-founder Manu Caddie. Mitchell spent most of his career with the multinational healthcare company Roche, heading global product strategy. Caddie, who founded Hikurangi Cannabis Company (renamed Rua Bioscience) in 2016, will continue to lead the company’s regulatory […] Former Roche executive takes helm of New Zealand cannabis firm Rua Bioscience is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

On PH's growth 2019

Bienvenido Oplas Jr at Government and Taxes - 13 hours ago
Before, the main driver of high growth like 2016's 6.9% was household consumption (C, about 65% of GDP) growing high. Now the main driver of low growth like 2019 is high government consumption (G, about 12% of GDP) with double-digit growth in 2018-2019 but at the expense of C and investments (I) suffering low growth. Indeed, capital formation or private I experienced contraction in 2019 while net exports (exports less imports) was crawling. Philippines GDP growth by expenditures, % Expenditure type 2016 2017 2018 2019 Household Consumption 7.1 5.9 5.6 5.8 Government consumption 9.0 ... more »

Democrat continuity: Segregation forever edition

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
Contrary to the lies pushed by the #FakeNews media the Democrat party has always been the party of racism. Democrats fought the Civil War to keep slavery legal, founded the KKK, passed all the Jim Crow laws, and stood united in support of segregating minorities from white people in all aspects of life including schools. Modern Democrats also support segregation. The Democrat governor of Alabama, George Wallace, said in 1963: *“Segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever!”* American colleges today, run by radical leftists, are also advocating segregation. Some exa... more »

Democrats declare that impeaching Clinton for a crime is wrong but impeaching Trump for bad thoughts is ok

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
Here are the Democrats talking about impeachment when everyone agreed that Bill Clinton had committed a high crime, a felony namely lying under oath--perjury--. Clearly the Democrats hold to two different standards; one for Bill Clinton and one for Donald Trump. As Nadler, one of the key people in the Democrats impeachment hoax, said back during Clinton's impeachment an impeachment done by one party would be wrong. Yet today Trump is being impeached by the House where not one Republican voted for impeachment and several Democrats voted against it. I'm so old that I remember that... more »

Bolton's Last Laugh

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 13 hours ago
John Bolton has probably planned it this way. After all, when he left Donald Trump's employ, he declared that he would eventually have his say. Frank Bruni writes: Bolton is the impeachment star of the week, whether he winds up testifying or not, and I can’t shake the feeling that he plotted all of this out: keeping his head down during the hearings in the House; letting it be known only afterward that he’d be willing to testify in the Senate; the revelation this week — simultaneous with assertions by Trump’s defense team that there were no firsthand witnesses to the president’s w... more »

Critic of the 2012 Sandy Hook Shooting Arrested on Charges of Sharing Social Security Number of a Sandy Hook Parent

BBC and Courant at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
Halbig was sued by Pozner in 2015, but Pozner dismissed the case on the day he was scheduled to be deposed by Halbig's attorney. [Apparently he was not willing to answer questions under oath.]

Congress Funding The Spraying Particles In The Sky Allegedly To Cool Earth

Free Thought Project at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
The reality of the global-warming threat is never challenged. Authorities are talking about funding future spraying projects with no suggestion that past and present spraying projects have been underway for many years which must have been funded more or less under the table.

Connecticut Democrats Propose New State Police Department to Combat Alleged Hate Crimes

Courant at Need To Know - 13 hours ago
Democrats in the Connecticut Senate want a new state police department that will specialize in combating “far-right” extremists, which is how they categorized conservatives.

A New Decade and New Cybersecurity Orders at the FTC

rmilch at Lawfare - 13 hours ago
FTC Chairman Joseph Simons addresses a crowd (Source: Department of Justice Website) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), America’s de facto consumer cybersecurity regulator, is welcoming the 2020s with a shift in its approach to cybersecurity. On Jan. 6, Andrew Smith, the director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, announced via blog post that in the previous year the commission had “made three major changes” to its “orders in data security cases” to “improve data security practices and provide greater deterrence.” But Smith’s post ignores a significant shift in the FTC’s 2019 ... more »

Meet the Candidates Taking on Bolivia’s US-Backed Right Wing Government

Oliver Vargas at MintPress News - 13 hours ago
Bolivian journalist Oliver Vargas takes an in-depth look at the candidates taking on the interim right-wing government of Jeanine Anez in Bolivia's upcoming elections and the many challenges they face. The post Meet the Candidates Taking on Bolivia’s US-Backed Right Wing Government appeared first on MintPress News.

First Cases Of The Coronavirus Have Been Confirmed In The Middle East

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*CNBC:* *First Middle East cases of coronavirus confirmed in the UAE* * The infected patients are four members of a family that had traveled from Wuhan, China, a city of 11 million and the epicenter of the new virus that has killed 132 people and infected more than 6,000. * The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Community Protection reported the family as being in a stable condition under medical observation. * The vast majority of deaths and infections are in mainland China. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The first cases of the deadly coronavirus in the Middle East have been confirmed in ... more »

Is Bernie Sanders a Crypto-Communist? A Bayesian Analysis

Bryan Caplan at Econlib - 13 hours ago
The word “crypto-communist” has a paranoid, McCarthyite connotation. But during the Cold War, numerous communist intellectuals and politicians deliberately concealed their commitment to Marxism-Leninism. Why? To be more successful intellectuals and politicians. A few crypto-communists even managed to become national leaders. Fidel Castro gained power in 1959, but only announced his communism in 1961. Nelson […] The post Is Bernie Sanders a Crypto-Communist? A Bayesian Analysis appeared first on Econlib.

Wine, Water, and Prices

David Henderson at Econlib - 13 hours ago
My works are like water. The works of the great masters are like wine. But everyone drinks water. –Mark Twain I thought of this quote above while reading the highlights of Russ Roberts’s interesting EconTalk with Janine Barchas on the Lost Books of Jane Austen. The economics were fascinating. If not for the fact that […] The post Wine, Water, and Prices appeared first on Econlib.

Why you can never trust the New York Times: they're "reporters" know nothing

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 14 hours ago
I'm a physicist not an English major but even I know that Jane Austin didn't write Dracula. But apparently the "reporters" at the NYT aren't so well informed. Here's a recent correction by the NYT: *Correction: Jan. 24, 2020In an earlier version of this article, the given name of the actress who introduced the couple was misspelled. She is Vaishnavi Sharma, not Vaishmavi. The given name of the wedding officiant was also misspelled. She is Gabra Zackman, not Dabra. Also, the author of “Dracula” was incorrect. He is Bram Stoker, not Jane Austen.* Butchering people's names is not so... more »

Bernie Sanders was convicted terrorist to be able to vote

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 14 hours ago
In the majority of the US convicted felons aren't allowed to vote. The reasoning is simple; people who have demonstrated a deep hatred of the law by murdering, raping, stealing, selling drugs to little children, etc shouldn't have a say in what the laws are because they would clearly vote for selfish interests not what's good for society. But Bernie Sanders says that even convicted terrorists like Szhokhar Tsarnaev who was behind the Boston Marathon bombing should be allowed to vote. He said: *“If somebody commits a serious crime, sexual assault, murder, they’re going to be puni... more »

How CEOs, Experts and Philosophers See the World’s Biggest Risks Differently

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 14 hours ago
Trying to understand CEOs' blinkered view of risks.

EXCLUSIVE: OPCW cover up & possible sarin execution by west backed ‘moderate rebels’ (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 14 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 448. More The post EXCLUSIVE: OPCW cover up & possible sarin execution by west backed ‘moderate rebels’ (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Nearly 12% Of Surveyed Soldiers Sent To Afghanistan Had Suicidal Thoughts

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 14 hours ago
Surveys sought to find out how common suicidal ideation and mental health disorders were during combat deployment and to examine the associated risk factors. Some of the greatest risks were being white, having past non-combat trauma, and past major depressive disorder. read more

Do Russians Care What President Putin Does Next?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Several cities have seen protests and this banner warns of a "constitutional coup" but not all Russians are so concerned *Sarah Rainsford, BBC:* *Putin's Russia: Do Russians care what president does next?* Two weeks after Vladimir Putin announced a radical overhaul of the constitution, loyal officials in Moscow have been moving at lighting speed to implement his changes. Deputies in parliament have already passed the amendments in a first reading even as protesters insist the move is a smokescreen to allow Mr Putin to retain influence, or even power, beyond 2024, when he is due t... more »

Changing Political Regimes?

Thierry MEYSSAN at OrientalReview.org - 14 hours ago
In 48 countries simultaneously, there are very large demonstrations challenging the political regime of the state. The supremacy of the democratic model, accepted by almost everyone at the end of the 20th century, is now being called into question. For Thierry Meyssan, no constitutional system will solve today’s problems, which are primarily the consequence of values and behaviour.

Johnson & Johnson advised Coronavirus simulation and now stands to gain financially with new vaccine

Editor, cairnsnews at Cairns News - 14 hours ago
by Crisscross Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security hosted Event 201, a high-level pandemic exercise focused on a coronavirus outbreak — yes they ran a simulation of exactly what we see unfolding right now, before it happened! The pandemic exercise was conducted in partnership with the World Economic Forum […]

U.S. Special Operations Command's Ethics Review Has Been Released

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
An over-emphasis on prowess in combat has eroded leadership and professionalism in special operations, according to a SOCOM review. (Lance Cpl. William Chockey/Marine Corps) *Task & Purpose:* *Special Operations Command review finds deployment and leadership issues but no 'systemic ethics problem'* The long-awaited Special Operations Command's ethics review has finally been released, which argues that there is no "systemic ethics problem" in the special operations community while acknowledging a range of underlying problems stemming from a high operations tempo and insufficient l... more »

Is Developing AI Targeting Capabilities For Drones 'This Generation's Manhattan Project'?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
U.S. airmen prepare a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone as it leaves on a mission at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan March 9, 2016. Picture taken March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Josh Smith *Business Insider:* *A Palantir exec described the company's secretive AI drone program as 'this generation's Manhattan Project'* * Palantir executive Shyam Sankar described the company's work developing AI targeting capabilities for drones as "this generation's Manhattan Project," according to two people familiar with the comments. * The comments, made during a January all-hands meeting, come as the compa... more »

Will The Pentagon Ever Get Its Financial House In Order?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
The Pentagon. Wikimedia *Sean Kennedy, Washington Examiner:* *Pentagon's deep dysfunction exposed by 30 years of financial failure* Imagine the following scenario: The year is 1990, and you have been selected by the IRS to undergo an audit. Unfortunately, you are unable to provide adequate documentation tracking either your income or expenses. No worries, says the IRS, you can try again next year. Now, repeat this scenario every year through 2019, and you will have matched the financial track record of the Department of Defense. The department remains the sole federal agency that ... more »

BBC Accused Of Misleading Reporting About Melting Antarctic Glacier

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 14 hours ago
By Paul Homewood The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration is performing some magnificent science conducting the most ambitious fieldwork ever undertaken at the tip of what is one of the most significant glaciers on Earth. Its melting already contributes 4% of global sea level rise and there are fears that it could become unstable and […]

Americans Pass Health Test After Being Evacuated from China

AP News at Snopes.com - 14 hours ago
A plane evacuating 201 Americans from the Chinese city at the center of the virus outbreak continued on to Southern California after everyone aboard passed a health screening test in Anchorage.

Cop Charged with Murder for Shooting, Killing Handcuffed Man Seat Belted In his Police Cruiser

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: handcuffed]A cop has been charged with murder after he handcuffed a man, put him in his cruiser and then shot him seven times, killing him.

Lisa DeVille: Opposing Gutting the National Environmental Policy Act

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 14 hours ago
Lisa DeVille: Opposing Gutting the National Environmental Policy Act Letter to the Editor By Lisa DeVille, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Mandaree, North Dakota January 28, 2020 Native communities have very few opportunities to voice our concern about major projects such as drilling, highways, pipelines right-of-ways, and industrial waste sites in our backyard. Yet the Trump

"Economic Market Snapshot AM 1/29/20"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 14 hours ago
*1/29/20, Updated frequently as available.* ◆ *MarketWatch Market Summary, Live Updates* - https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary *CNN Market Data:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/ *CNN Fear And Greed Index:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/fear-and-greed/ ◆ *Buffett Indicator: Where Are We With Market Valuations?* "*As of 1/29/20* (updates daily): The Stock Market is Significantly Overvalued. Based on historical ratio of total market cap over GDP (currently at 155.7%), it is likely to return -3.1% a year from this level of valuation, including dividends. As of today, the To... more »

"There It Sits..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 14 hours ago
"Penetrating so many secrets, we cease to believe in the unknowable. But there it sits nevertheless, calmly licking its chops." - H. L. Mencken

READ MY EMAIL WARNING US NURSES, SHERIFFS, FIREFIGHTERS, MILITARY ABOUT FLAWED CDC PROTOCOLS, WILL SPREAD CORONAVIRUS

Jane Burgermeister at BIRDFLU666 WORDPRESS BLOG CONTINUES HERE - 14 hours ago
*Dear All,The CDC protocols for handling the coronavirus, specifically, passengers on the flight from Wuhan are flawed and will spread the virus in the USA.* *WHO, CDC have a history of faulty protocols leading to infections also in the USA as discussed below. * *The flawed CDC protocols caused the Ebola infection of two nurses and put sherriffs, EMS and firefighters at risk in Texas in 2014.* *A landmark public health lawsuit won by one of the nurses infected by Ebola due to faulty protocols means that organizations, (hospitals, airports and so) can also be held financially... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 15 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Canberra Fires: Terrifying Wall of Flames Heads Toward City Coronavirus: Japan and Germany confirm patients who caught disease did not visit ChinaBritain allows Huawei limited role in 5G networks As Virus Spreads, Anger Floods Chinese Social Media *The sheer volume of criticism of the government, and the sometimes clever ways that critics dodge censors, are testing Beijing’s ability to control the narrative.* 41 dead, 1,607 injured as massive quake of magnitude 6.8 rocks Turkey's ElazığDoctor at hospital in Wuhan dies after treating patients with coronavirus We Made... more »

On The Normality Of Contradictions

Unknown at The Verma Report - 15 hours ago
The contradictions between “fact and value”, “is and ought”, “reason and emotion”, “thought and action”, and “judgement and commitment” can never be perfectly resolved. The self-intoxicated philosophers, who preach that man must achieve unity between these things, have an incorrect view of mankind—they seem to believe that people possess a superhuman capacity for adhering to abstract moral principles. The pursuit of unity is futile because people don’t possess superhuman capacities; our mind is a welter of contradictions which make it impossible for us to achieve ideal moral goals. ... more »

Update on Impeachment & Trump's Middle East Peace Plan

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 15 hours ago
Update on Impeachment &Trump's Middle East Peace Plan Video of Update on Impeachment &Trump's Middle East Peace Plan Impeachment hoax risks abandoning our constitutional system of government for a parliamentary system, where policy disagreements become the basis for removing a president. Trump wants to end the Cold War mentality which has bound the U.S. to one war after another and pits great powers against each other, his opponents want conflict, and will stop at nothing to maintain their status quo. It won't stop until this crowd is fully defeated. Every weekday morning... more »

NETANYAHU ❤S TRUMP BRANDING

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 15 hours ago
Benjamin Netanyahu in an Oval Office meeting with President Trump on Monday: ... PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Thank you. Thank you. Mr. President, I just want to say two things: First, that the deal of the century is the opportunity of the century, and we’re not going to pass it by.... Netanyahu in a joint appearance with President Trump in the East Room yesterday: PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: ... Mr. President, your deal of the century is the opportunity of the century. And rest assured Israel will not miss this opportunity. Nice to see Bibi hammering that catchphrase. I'm sure Trump w... more »

Mid Week

LL at Virtual Mirage - 15 hours ago
*Fat Guy* (in a little coat) I visited the doctor on my journey and did the whole vials of blood thing that went to the lab (*not the Labrador Retriever - at least I don't think that's how they do it, but maybe they had a dog bark at the blood - it's all shrouded in mystery and common people such as myself don't get to see what does on behind the curtain*). I've been on a self-imposed low carb diet and it's working. The A1C is in the mid sixes and everything else is normal. I find myself packing a healthy lunch (no bread, no spuds, no rice, no pasta, etc.) and while that's pretty ne... more »

Coronavirus: Number of Cases Surpasses SARS, China Holds 60k ‘Under Observation’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 15 hours ago
*Zero Hedge* | New virus has passed SARS rates, with travel bans and road closures now sparking panic across multiple provinces.

São Paulo Nightlife Guide for Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Beatriz Miranda at The Rio Times - 15 hours ago
[image: São Paulo nightlife, São Paulo party, music, forró, Bixiga, best shows, party, Tokyo, Centro] We have the top three picks for this Wednesday, and below is a list of bars and lounges that are always a good option. LIVE: Jes Condado (República) – Argentinean singer Jes Condado will perform tonight at Jazz B, in República. The artist will present a musical tribute to the incomparable jazz queen, Nina Simone, […] The post São Paulo Nightlife Guide for Wednesday, January 29, 2020 appeared first on The Rio Times.

Why Are People Protesting Peter Handke's Nobel Prize in Literature?

Ervin Malakaj at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Ervin Malakaj* *Politics, Europe* [image: Protesters hold posters at a demonstration against the awarding of the 2019 Nobel literature prize to Peter Handke in Stockholm, Sweden December 10, 2019. TT News Agency/Stina Stjernkvist via REUTERS] Hint: it has to do with the Yugoslav Wars. Austrian writer Peter Handke received the 2019 Nobel Prize in literature. The award is for “a writer’s life work,” and Handke has written novels, travelogues, theatre plays, screenplays and poetry. Hundreds protested the award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall. This was not an isolated protes... more »

The Guide: Everything You Need to Know about Credit Card Fraud

Bruno Buonaguidi at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Bruno Buonaguidi* *economy, Americas* [image: Reuters] Online frauds on credit cards are on the rise, especially during holidays. If you are the owner of a credit or a debit card, there is a non-negligible chance that you may be subject to fraud, like millions of other people around the world. Starting in the 1980s, there has been an impressive increase in the use of credit, debit and pre-paid cards internationally. According to an October 2016 Nilson Report, in 2015 more than US$31 trillion were generated worldwide by these payment systems, up 7.3% from 2014. In 2015, seven i... more »

Can an iPad Pro Truly Replace Your Laptop Computer?

Mark Episkopos at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Mark Episkopos* *Technology, * Since the inauguration of the iPad Pro family of products in late 2015, Apple has continued to insist that iPads can replace your laptop. With its updated design and bespoke “iPad OS” operating system, the latest (2018) iPad Pro comes closer to that vision than ever before-- but does it truly have what it takes to become your daily driver? It’s complicated. Ten years ago, Apple introduced the first-generation iPad as a “third category of device” to compliment laptops and smartphones, offering an intuitive, more pleasant way to browse the internet a... more »

Attack of the Feral Horses: Will They Finish What Australia's Wildfires Started?

Jamie Pittock at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Jamie Pittock* *Science, Australia* [image: A burned car stands amid dead trees after a wildfire destroyed the Kangaroo Valley Bush Retreat in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales, Australia, January 23, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter] Out of control. On Friday I flew in a helicopter over the fire-ravaged Kosciuszko National Park. I was devastated by what I saw. Cherished wildlife species are at grave risk of extinction: those populations the bushfires haven’t already wiped out are threatened by thousands of feral horses trampling the land. The New South Wales park occupies the highest ... more »

The Quiet Revolution in Where We Work

Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay* *economy, * [image: People are seen outside the building of Wework's co-working space during the National Day Golden Week holiday, in central Beijing, China October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer] Home? Work? Both. Co-working spaces have been growing in all the world’s major cities for 15 years. But what makes them so popular? Why and when did they appear? Who are their members? New technologies such as artificial intelligence and robots are leading employers to rethink the way they work. At the same time, workers want more autonomy and flexibility. Many ha... more »

This Is Why The Air Force Never Gave Up On Its World War II B-50 Bomber

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Americas* Its role was later seen in the C-135 family of planes. *Key point: *As World War II ground on to its conclusion, the Air Force appreciated that the Superfortress’s advantages would soon vanish due to the advent of turbojet-powered fighters. Quiz time! Which secret American military project during World War II proved even more expensive than the $2 billion Manhattan Project which developed U.S. atomic bombs? That would be the $3 billion B-29 Superfortress—the huge four-engine bomber designed to fly across huge distances and drop those atomic... more »

Microplastics: Are They A Threat?

Kennedy Bucci, Chelsea Rochman at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Kennedy Bucci, Chelsea Rochman* *Science, World* [image: A plastic bottle is seen as a group of volunteers collect trash in the Chao Praya river to raise public awareness on the damage single-use plastic has on the environment in Bangkok, Thailand, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun] Scientists know alarmingly little. Plastic pollution is a growing global concern. Large pieces of plastic have been found almost everywhere on Earth, from the most visited beaches to remote, uninhabited islands. Because wildlife are regularly exposed to plastic pollution, we often ask what effe... more »

New Antibiotics Research: Even Low Use in Children Can Have a Negative Health Impact

Oliver van Hecke at The National Interest - 15 hours ago
*Oliver van Hecke* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Resistance happens when bacteria change to protect themselves from an antibiotic. GPs in the UK carry out over 300m patient consultations every year and at least a quarter of these deal with children. Almost two-thirds of such appointments are for coughs, sore throats, or earaches – illnesses which young children commonly get. Doctors and nurses group these types of illnesses as “acute respiratory tract infections”. They are considered to be “self-limiting”, meaning that antibiotics have little or no benefit and that the ill... more »

U.S. demands Iraq join war against Iran or be destroyed

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago
by Eric Zuesse for The Saker Blog U.S. officials have now made clear that if U.S. forces become removed from Iraq as Iraq’s Parliament unanimously demanded and Iraq’s Prime Minister affirmed on January 5th, then the U.S. will try to break Iraq up into separate Sunni and Shia nations, and will also definitely impose sanctions against Iraq or (if Iraq becomes successfully broken up) against the Shia-governed portion of Iraq, in order to destroy Iraq (or the Shiite regions in Iraq) totally. The U.S. is determined to separate both Lebanon and Syria (both of which are supported by Shi... more »

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