10 pm MST
Breaking With Washington: Arabs And Muslims Must Take A Stance For Palestine
A negotiated solution to the ‘Palestinian-Israeli conflict’, at least the way envisaged by successive US administrations, has failed. Now, Palestinians and their allies would have to explore a whole new path of liberation that does not go through Washington.
‘Corporate Media Are Not Observers Of The Electoral Process; They Are Participants’
From debates that encouraged sparring over substance, to evidence-free declarations about electability or momentum, to the insistence—bordering on gaslighting—of the fringiness of ideas that in fact enjoy broad support, corporate media’s election coverage would be disappointing at any time. With all that’s at stake in 2020, it’s a letdown we can ill afford—and a reason, of course, to support independent journalism.
UAW’s New Dissidents Not The First To Call For One-Member, One-Vote
Detroit — A group of dissidents in the United Auto Workers is the second in 30 years to attempt change in the democratic union they say has really been ruled by one party: the Reuther Administrative Caucus. That caucus has nominated the winning candidates for the union's executive board members for most of the past 70 years — with the exception of one notable exception, a challenger from the New Directions movement that rose up in the mid-1980s.
Nanny-state NY: Lawmakers Want to Ban Smoking in PRIVATE Dwellings
[image: nanny-state-ny-lawmakers-want-to-ban-smoking-in-private-dwellings] In New York, once found to be the least free state, politicians are working overtime trying to make ex-NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ill-fated large soda ban seem the norm. The latest example is a proposal in Long Island’s Suffolk County to ban smoking “in apartment complexes, condominiums, and multi-family dwellings,” writes CBS New York, with violators facing up to a $1,000 fine.
BBC: Kellogg’s Changes Palm Oil Policy After Sisters’ Petition
(Erin’s Note: We still don’t personally buy Kellogg’s products for many reasons, but what they’re doing here is a good start and we are pleased with their decision. We are also very proud of these two young girls for speaking up at such a young age and making a difference.) Kellogg’s has updated its international […] The post BBC: Kellogg’s Changes Palm Oil Policy After Sisters’ Petition appeared first on Health Nut News.
Daily confirmed coronavirus cases in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan Thailand, and USA
click here for the source of the above figure.
Coronavirus – 113 new deaths, 737 new cases
22 Feb 2020 – Total reported coronavirus cases: 77,990 Total reported deaths: 2,363 Total reported recovered: 21,318 Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ The post Coronavirus – 113 new deaths, 737 new cases appeared first on Ice Age Now.
What It's Like to Live in a Country Where a Facebook Post Can Get You Killed
*Ahmet T. Kuru* *Politics, World* The shocking reality in some Muslim countries. Junaid Hafeez, a university lecturer in Pakistan, had been imprisoned for six years when he was sentenced to death in December 2019. The charge: blasphemy, specifically insulting Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. Pakistan has the world’s second strictest blasphemy laws after Iran, according to U.S. Commision on International Religious Freedom. Hafeez, whose death sentence is under appeal, is one of about 1,500 Pakistanis charged with blasphemy, or sacrilegious speech, over the last three decades. No ex... more »
This is the Bloody Baptism American Forces Faced in the Korean War
*Daniel L. Davis* *History, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC1D677F3DD0&share=true] The Korean War was no joke and millions died. *Key point:* War is terrible, especially for forces that were used to lighter occupation duties. Every conflict leaves many dead and broken- the Korean War as no different. War is always chaotic, bloody and tragic. Rarely is there an easy or clean battlefield victory. The American 24th Infantry Division’s (24th ID) experience at the Battle of Taejon in July 1950, however, is an example of how a ... more »
Iran Said It Built An Impressive Stealth Fighter, But Then We Never Saw It Again
*TNI Staff* *Security, * Is it just that good? *Key point:* It was spotted only once after its initial debut in *November 2013* being prepped for taxi tests—but it has never been seen again. Several years back, *Iran rolled out its Qaher F-313* ‘stealth fighter’ in front of then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Within hours it was met with near universal derision from defense and aerospace experts around the world. While almost everyone outside Iran saw the *project for the farce that it was,* Tehran insisted that the project was real and that it was already flying. Further, the ... more »
It Can Happen: How Donald Trump Can With in 2020
*Liberty Vittert, Brendan Lind* *Politics, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC244F9T42PE&share=true] More likely than you think? Donald Trump is the first president to ever be elected while being actively disliked by the majority of Americans. Trump was also the first person elected president who was significantly less popular than his counterpart. Most Americans have heard of presidents losing the popular vote but winning the election. But to win while the majority of Americans oppose you? How is that possible? At the ti... more »
How U.S. Navy S-3 Viking Would Have Found and Killed Russian Submarines
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Europe* The end of an era. *Key point:* Washington cut some of its vaunted Cold War-era planes to save money. That included the useful submarine-hunting S-3 Viking. Eight years ago the U.S. Navy retired: A) Its only dedicated carrier-based tanker; B) its last dedicated carrier-based antisubmarine airplane; C) a carrier-based plane with more than twice the range of its current jets; D) all of the above. With a maximum speed of only five hundred miles per hour—many airliners fly faster—the S-3 Viking wasn’t about to be the subject of any movies starri... more »
Failing Grade: Why Pell Grants Are Insufficient to Help Students Graduate
*Laura Perna, Jeremy Wright-Kim* *Politics, Americas* [image: Reuters] Here's why. Pell Grants are one way the federal government helps people pay for college. During the 2020 to 2021 school year, eligible students can receive up to US$6,345 through the program, depending on where they go to school, how many classes they take and how much money their family makes. Despite this assistance, students who receive Pell Grants are less likely than other students to graduate from a four-year institution within six years: 51% versus 59% for students who first enrolled in 2010. Six years... more »
The Navy's New Amphibious Assault Ship Is Now Rocking F-35 Stealth Fighters
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * The F-35 is changing maritime assault. (*Washington, D.C.*) Launching a massive, fast-paced air assault from the sea, providing close-air support for amphibious assault forces and bringing forward-operating surveillance and networking technology to maritime warfare -- are all part of the changing operational calculus introduced by adding F-35s to maritime attack. With the goal of refining and preparing for these kinds of emerging maritime combat tactics, a high-tech U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault ship recently completed a deployment mission while armed w... more »
Salmonella test results prompt recall of fresh bean sprouts
Fresh Sprout International is recalling Fresh Sprouts brand sprouts from because of possible contamination with Salmonella. “This recall was triggered by test results. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products,” according to the recall notice. “Check to see if you have... Continue Reading
Open Letter to the DNC
(Actually sent off to DNC HQ in Washington) Dear Tammany Hall 2.0 I have just gotten your fake census-looking survey/beg for money in the mail. Time and again, I see progressive individuals and websites railing about the GOP and RNC sending out exactly the same types of surveys engineered to look like the census forms the government has actually yet to send out. So, considering the “Democratic” Party and the DNC are nothing more or less than the new Republican Party, it shouldn’t surprise me when I see you guys resorting to same sleazeball tactics as the *official* right win... more »
Lisa Nandy for Labour Leader
*In the final guest post in this mini-series on the Labour leadership contest, Andy Newman - a GMB activist and best known as chief contributor to the Socialist Unity blog - makes the case for backing Lisa Nandy.* The Labour Party last won a general election in 2005, and in December 2019 was comprehensively defeated by a Conservative Party that had proven itself unable to govern, and was lurching from crisis to crisis. The very credibility of our party to pose as a potential election winning force is now in question. However, while there has clearly been a protracted secular declin... more »
File Under: Classification to Obfuscate Liability
The OSS T-13 “Beano” hand grenade was designed by the Office of Strategic Service c.1944 for general issue to American recruits, briefly manufactured by the Eastman Kodak Corp. in time for D-Day. The T-13 was an experimental grenade design meant to mimic the weight, size and handling of a baseball, making it easy for new recruits to handle and throw them. Instead of a safety lever, the T-13 had a knurled weighted cap held in place by the pin, which was, in turn, held in place before throwing by the soldier throwing the grenade like a knuckle ball with two or three fingers pressed o... more »
We Can Help With Homework Anymore
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Parents Struggle To Help With Homework Service
Numerous of the totally free on line categorized web-sites have a area devoted to little organization. This is exactly where folks go to find services this sort of as “skilled composing support Solutions”. Unlike the Knicks, Cleveland can effectively bring back their complete staff, while including Bosh to substitute Shaq. Regrettably, the players at present in Cleveland are not precisely an All-Star group. Issue guard Mo Williams has talent, but no a single would slip-up him for a star. Varejao helps make for a prime-notch job player. The participant-linked listing of causes for Le... more »
Call for Doctor in Vegas by Trump actually does something more…
…watch as the cameras pan out over the crowd and in particular the signs. DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO HATE THIS — not only does he stop and in concern assure the doctor to take his time but the placards all around the floor show pointedly that LATINOS and BLACKS are well represented right in the front row and throughout the rally. I don’t know if these placards were provided by the GOP or not; but, I doubt any of these people would deliberately hold up signs if they did not agree with the messages. . . I hope the person … Continue reading →
Short negotiated truce may be a light on the path to withdrawal in Afghanistan
U.S. officials address Taliban and commitment to Western allies during Munich conference . According to AP News, the temporary truce has gone into effect as of February 21, 2020. President Trump has been determined to reduce our presence in Afghanistan. Though in recent days that has been in question with the number of troops increasing to over 10,000 in the region. This truce is hopefully setting the stage for the two sides to sign a peace deal next week aimed at ending 18 years of war in Afghanistan and bringing U.S. troops home. It comes after months of negotiations which … Contin... more »
Nevada Caucus Election Results and Discussion – 4:00pm
The Nevada Caucuses are taking place today to select the Democrat presidential candidate. For the first time this year Nevada had early caucuses voting last week and there were a great deal of votes cast. Caucuses begin at Noon local … Continue reading →
Germany Admits There’s a Far-Right Problem, But What To Do?
The country’s leaders are struggling to figure out how to counter a recent rise in right-wing hate, 75 years after the Nazis were driven from power.
Jaxson was born at 29 weeks. This is his fight for life
Jaxson Watson is a survivor, and after being born late last year at 29 weeks, all he knows is the Canberra Hospital's NICU. It houses hundreds of sick and premature babies each year, but thanks to the lifesaving work of specialists, they now have an 80 per cent survival rate.
LGBTQI+ teens find a place to belong at Queer Formal
High school formals are a rite of passage. But for queer kids who don't fit in, there is an event where they can go.
Families invited to speak when Dreamworld inquest findings are delivered
The families of the four people killed in the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy are invited to speak when Coroner James McDougall hands down his findings on Monday morning.
Assange was meeting his lawyer. He didn't know there were microphones in the room
Julian Assange's conversations, including legally privileged meetings with Australian lawyers Geoffrey Robertson, Jennifer Robinson and Melinda Taylor, were secretly recorded inside his London embassy home.
These sisters had a costly legal fight to be reinstated to their sport, a new tribunal hopes to help others
Belinda Cameron and her sister Fiona say they spend $50,000 in a painful legal saga to be reinstated to the little-known sport of floorball. The creation of a new tribunal comes too late for them, but may help others, if it gets support.
Artificial intelligence is helping to predict where coronavirus will spread next
As the novel coronavirus spreads around the world, researchers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence and algorithms to give health agencies an edge in the fight.
I joined Holden in the 70s. But even back then, I could see cracks starting to appear
Just In - 7 hours ago
It was 1973, and a night I will remember for the rest of my life. There, parked in front of me, was my brand new company car: a gold Statesman DeVille with just 50 kilometres on the speedo and a full tank of fuel, writes Peter Henry.
Everywhere you look in the village, there are women and children. But hardly any men
In this small Bougainville village, six women are busy debating whether they should try to ban alcohol, or if it will be counterproductive. But this is no ordinary discussion. It's a village meeting. And these women are in charge.
The people taking on the world's largest agricultural chemical company
As tens of thousands of cases against the makers of the weedkiller Roundup mount up in the US, a class action is about to test the product's standing in Australia.
How a unique neighbourhood with back-to-front houses became a world-class suburban utopia
Crestwood, in Perth's south-east, was moulded on a radical neighbourhood design that in many places disintegrated into crime-infested disasters. But somehow, 50 years on, life remains as peachy as ever.
Why Germany can agree on shutting down the coal industry while Australia can't
Getting all parties with a stake in the coal industry to agree on shutting it down might seem impossible in the Australian context. Here are the reasons why it could be done in Germany.
Women facing DV are being asked to gamble with their lives. I survived and this is what I learned
Just In - 7 hours ago
That Hannah Clarke and her children were not protected is a chilling reminder that my own survival as a victim has been largely down to serendipity and luck rather than an effective system of support.
'Colleagues cry every day': How Wuhan's month-long lockdown is hitting breaking point
Almost 60 million people are in lockdown in China's Hubei province since the novel coronavirus first infected someone in its capital, Wuhan. A month on, here's what those who've been left behind have to say.
The tiresome climate wars are back again, but it's not business as usual
Suddenly we're back to where we were 12 months ago: Labor has adopted an ambitious climate target, which the Government says is reckless and uncosted. But while we know how these battles are fought, we don't know how this latest one will end, writes David Speers.
Live: 'We will not only defeat Trump, we will transform this country': Sanders flying after Nevada triumph
US media outlets report US senator Bernie Sanders has won a decisive victory in the Nevada caucuses, while it's unclear where the other candidates have placed. Follow live.
UK: Grenfell fire inquiry finalises moves to grant corporations immunity from prosecution
The official inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people in June 2017 stands ever more exposed as a sordid whitewash of those responsible for the catastrophe.
Julian Assange News Links 22 February 2020
22 February 2020 — The New Dark Age There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so please check back Bid to free Manning launched as explosive new evidence threatens to end Assange extradition http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCanary/~3/uFnKO20SN7o/ Demonstration to free Julian Assange this Monday in Montreal http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/22/mont-f22.html European legal team will … Continue reading Julian Assange News Links 22 February 2020
The Unsocial Reality Of Socialism
A lovely but unfortunately uber-liberal friend of mine shared this graphic on Facebook. It revealed such a profound and frightening misunderstanding of socialism that I felt I had to unravel it a bit. First, what is “socialism”? Well, it’s not any of the things listed in the graphic. Not one. In fact, it has nothing…
Anti-Semitism In America? In New York City? A Guest Post By Playwright Gary Morganstein
America may be about to elect its first Jewish president and I was buoyed yesterday to read that Bernie has gained tremendous ground among African-American voters. According to a new NBC/*Wall Street Journal* poll, Bernie is now basically tied with Obama's former vice president. Before voters were made aware of Biden's record (other than what people already knew, namely that he served as Obama's VP), he led Bernie by as much as 30 points. Now Biden and Bernie are within the margin of error of each other's support in black communities. I asked a fellow graduate of Stony Brook, Gary... more »
Ratings Failure: Is CNN the “Collapsing News Network”?
[image: with-a-third-fox-s-viewership-and-falling-is-cnn-the-collapsing-news-network] You’d think left-wing network CNN would see a ratings shift during the interest-piquing Democrat primary season, and it has. Its ratings have actually dropped — while rival network Fox News’s numbers have risen.
While the Apache march to save Oak Flat a new land appraisal reveals public loss of more than $111 billion
While the Apache march to save Oak Flat a new land appraisal reveals public loss of more than $111 billion. Apache marching from San Carlos to Oak Flat, February 22, 2020. Courtesy of Dwight Metzger. By Robin Silver Center for Biological Diversity Censored News A new appraisal by Josephs Appraisal Group of Phoenix reveals the lands due to be traded for Oak Flat are valued at
"A scientist is one who, in the pursuit of this knowledge, has felt so passionate a love for the mysteries of nature that he forgets himself." #QotD
*"We may define a scientist as one who during the course of an experiment has perceived something that leads to a further investigation of the profound truths of life, and has lifted the veil which hid its fascinating secrets, and who, in the pursuit of this knowledge, has felt so passionate a love for the mysteries of nature that he forgets himself."* ~ Dr Maria Montessori, from *The Discovery of the Child *(Clio, 1988) p. 6 Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution.
"Sir Meliodas And The Great Red Dragon"
* "Sir Meliodas And The Great Red Dragon"* A cautionary fable for our modern world. by Mike Adams “Sir Meliodas, a knight of great legend, returned from the Neverlands with stories of vast chasms, mesmerizing forests, and tales of strange creatures large and small. But he saved the greatest story for the night the townspeople gathered at the pub, huddled around the room to hear the "big news" of what Sir Meliodas had witnessed. "There is a great red dragon," he began slowly, as the candlelight flickered across the faces of all those in attendance. "And I overhead it planning to des... more »
Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, “Liquid Mind VI: Spirit - In The Spirit”
Music by Chuck Wild, “Liquid Mind VI: Spirit - In The Spirit” Images courtesy of ESA, NASA, and The Hubble Space Telescope.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Here in the Milky Way galaxy we have astronomical front row seats as M81 and M82 face-off, a mere 12 million light-years away. Locked in a gravitational struggle for the past billion years or so, the two bright galaxies are captured in this deep telescopic snapshot, constructed from 25 hours of image data. *Click image for larger size.* Their most recent close encounter likely resulted in the enhanced spiral arms of M81 (left) and violent star forming regions in M82 so energetic the galaxy glows in X-rays. After repeated passes, in a few billion years only one galaxy will remain. ... more »
"Anyone Can..."
"Anyone can carry his burden, however heavy, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, until the sun goes down. And this is all that life really means." - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Poet": Czeslaw Milosz, "A Song On The End Of The World"
*"A Song On The End Of The World"* “On the day the world ends A bee circles a clover, A fisherman mends a glimmering net. Happy porpoises jump in the sea, By the rainspout young sparrows are playing And the snake is gold-skinned as it should always be. On the day the world ends Women walk through the fields under their umbrellas, A drunkard grows sleepy at the edge of a lawn, Vegetable peddlers shout in the street And a yellow-sailed boat comes nearer the island, The voice of a violin lasts in the air And leads into a starry night. And those who expected lightning and thunder Are disapp... more »
Shell’s New Battery Won’t Solve Wind Intermittency Problem
By Paul Homewood h/t Dennis Ambler Oil and gas giant Shell has plans for a 100-megawatt grid storage battery in the west of England. It is slated to be the biggest battery in Europe once it is completed later this year and will be crucial to the UK’s quest to remain the continent’s […]
Trump Admin waves a few Contracting Regs to build Wall
BRACE FOR IT — Another round of lawsuits is about to descend on the courts and another round of liberal judges is about to overstep their own borders of authority. –##– The Trump administration is waiving 10 federal contracting regulations to speed up construction of the U.S. southern border wall. Newsy February 18, 2020 . DHS to Waive Contracting Regulations to Speed Up Border Wall Construction Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is using a 2005 law to override certain requirements. Government Executive Courtney Buble’ February 18, 2020 The Trump administration said it is ... more »
Help With Philosophy Homework Service
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Your EMF Questions Answered, Part 2
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola Story at-a-glance Brian Hoyer and I answer your questions about electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation. Hoyer is a leading EMF expert and a primary consultant for my new book, “EMF*D,” which is being released today Your bedroom is the most important part of your home in terms of needing EMF shielding. […] The post Your EMF Questions Answered, Part 2 appeared first on Health Nut News.
Russia warns Turkey against rash moves in Idlib By M.K. Bhadrakumar
Moscow has taken with a pinch of salt Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s statement on Wednesday that a Turkish incursion into the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib is imminent.
A New Theory On Time Indicates Present And Future Exist Simultaneously – SciencePhiles
https://sciencephiles.com/a-new-theory-on-time-indicates-present-and-future-exist-simultaneously-2/
How Bernie Sanders Will Destroy the Deep State if He Becomes President
Eric Zuesse Joe Lauria at Consortium News headlined on February 21st, “Apparent US Intel Meddling in US Election With ‘Report’ Russia is Aiding Sanders”, and he noted that, If the story is true and if intelligence agencies are truly committed to protecting U.S. citizens, the Sanders campaign would have been quietly informed and shown evidence […] More The post How Bernie Sanders Will Destroy the Deep State if He Becomes President appeared first on The Duran.
SO WHO IS THE RANKED-CHOICE DEMOCRATIC FAVORITE?
The nominee from a brokered convention is going to be Elizabeth Warren, I assume everyone is aware of that. — Jeff Fecke (@jkfecke) February 22, 2020 Yastreblyansky seems to agree: There's a lot of talk right now about Sanders inevitably winning the nomination because he seems to have a plurality of the support, somewhere around 30% overall and 15 or 20 points or more over all the other contenders, and I continue to be unclear how that's supposed to work: it looks there's a ceiling around there and a pretty large majority of Democrats would seriously prefer not to vote for him, ... more »
The All Powerful “Secretary” in Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” Bill is a Former Big Pharma-Drug CEO-Lobbyist Political Hack
Glancing through the “Medicare for All” Bills one quickly sees “The Secretary” making critically important decisions, including negotiation of drug … Continue reading →
Trump Ousts National Intel Deputy Director Days After Ousting the Acting Director of National Intelligence
From VOA News: “Trump Cleaning House, Teasing New Leadership for Top Intel Agency By Jeff Seldin Updated February 21, 2020 … Continue reading →
The "Dave" Leap Year Open Thread
Dave, the new BBC Stormzy, welcomes you to a fresh, daffodil-filled Leap Year Open Thread. Thank you for your support, help and comments.
Musical Interlude: Alan Parsons Project, “Ammonia Avenue”
Alan Parsons Project, “Ammonia Avenue”
"The Most Sacred Place In The World..."
“The most sacred place in the world is your mind. Guard it ferociously.” - Rick Beneteau
Secrets Keeping Secrets
*.,¸¸,.»§«,¸¸,.·´¯`·.,¸¸,.»§«*¥*»§«,¸¸,.·´¯`·.,¸¸,.»§«·.,¸¸,.* There are *secrets *keeping *secrets* wrapped in jealous *secret *lies. Oh, these *secrets *disrespect you; too, they're *secrets *you'd despise. These are secrets *way* detestable, They are calumny in rot; you're taught to think them necessary, but they "grift you," so they're not. See, they're not the same as "confidence," as *that *measurement is off. This "secret" profits *keepers*... a "confidence" does not. See, "keepers" hold a higher ground and having held, keep holding; their confidence is with *the... more »
In which Craig remounts his hobby-horse
If you've been reading this blog since the start you'll doubtless recall that I used to incessantly count the number of appearances of each guest on the BBC News Channel's* Dateline London* to show that the programme's panels were massively stacked against people with right-leaning views. I did that for years - so much so that one contributor would email me to ask me for the latest stats to see if he was getting more or less invites than other guests. And then, finally, I gave up counting. Apologies to my* Dateline* friend - though, fear not, our Alex is still doing splendidly,... more »
Reporting which may not exactly make sense!
*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020Also, which may elect Trump:* For our money, the most important part of the news report appeared more than halfway through. The report in question was the featured report in the National section of Thursday's New York Times. Bannered across the top of page A11, it consumed the bulk of the page. At its start, the report discusses a new practice at one of the nation's "renowned" universities. But for our money, this later passage was the most important part of the lengthy report: HARTOCOLLIS (2/20/20): *“A lot of students who are transitioning, trying t... more »
Free Download: Alice Miller, “For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Child-rearing And The Roots of Violence"
“Thus he spent his whole life searching for his own truth, but it remained hidden to him because he had learned at a very young age to hate himself for what his mother had done to him. But not once did he allow himself to direct his endless, justified rage at the true culprit, the woman who had kept him locked up in her prison for as long as she could. All his life he attempted to free himself of that prison, with the help of drugs, travel, illusions, and above all poetry. But in all these desperate efforts to open the doors that would have led to liberation, one of them remained o... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Wimberley, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"What Keeps You Going..."
"What keeps you going isn't some fine destination but just the road you're on, and the fact that you know how to drive. You keep your eyes open, you see this damned-to-hell world you got born into, and you ask yourself, 'What life can I live that will let me breathe in and out and love somebody or something and not run off screaming into the woods?'" - Barbara Kingsolver
Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 52 – 2020
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North
This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 22
1921 War Min Churchill wrote PM George that he thought an Arab govt should be created to run Mesopotamia for UK (Musings On Iraq article on Churchill’s views on Mesopotamia) (Musings On Iraq book review *Churchill’s Folly, How Winston Churchill Created Modern Iraq*) (Musings On Iraq book review *Supremacy And Oil, Iraq, Turkey, and the Anglo-American World Order, 1918-1930*) 1981 Iran rejected UN attempts to negotiate ceasefire as long as Iraqi troops were on Iranian territory 1984 Iranian Op Kheibar began to capture Majnoon island in Basra (Musings On Iraq book review of *Iran-... more »
Want to Help the Environment? Don't Ban Fracking.
*Nicolas Loris* *Politics, Americas* There's other benefits, too. If a policymaker proposed banning cars and trucks or reducing the speed limit to 5 mph to reduce traffic fatalities, he or she would be laughed off the stage. Such a policy ignores the benefits of driving and disregards how people accept risk and trade-offs in their lives. So why should we treat efforts to ban fracking any different? Hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, is safe. Studies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and many academic institutions have all con... more »
Stolen Stealth Power: China's Quick J-20 Fighter Progress
*Jared Keller* *Technology, Asia* China has stolen data from America's F-35. *Key Point:* But stealing military secrets from other nations has not solved all of China's technology problems. Recent photos of the J-20 provide an up-close and personal look at the fuselage of the new interceptor. But the photos also appear to show a sensor system that looks awfully similar to the Lockheed Martin Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) on the front of the F-35 Lighting II. There’s a reason for this: In 2007, Lockheed Martin dealt with something of a cyber Ocean’s 11 when Chinese hac... more »
( Years ago Israel's Mossad stole plans for the French Mirage from a contractor outside the country. That theft was lauded as a triumph of spycraft. )
See This Ship? It Survived Three Brutal Japanese Kamikaze Attacks
*Ed Erhart* *History, Asia* New ironsides. More than 70 years ago, the American destroyer USS *Mahan* patrolled off Ponson Island in the Philippines when 11 Japanese kamikaze aircraft appeared over the horizon and attacked. The planes, full of fuel and loaded with bombs, could destroy the ship if they came close enough. U.S. fighter aircraft shot down three and damaged two — *Mahan* ’s gunners took out another four. But the swarm of attackers was too much, and the destroyer’s crew couldn’t swat them all. Decades later, one survivor recalled the assault and its aftermath, when... more »
This Stroke of Military Genius Saved Russia From Adolf Hitler Crushing Stalin
*Warfare History Network* *Security, * Hitlers 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union nearly succeeded until a counterattack, combined with a brutal winter led to ultimate victory for the USSR. Smolensk Russia, Headquarters, German Army Group Center (AGC), December 3, 1941; Army Group commander, 61-year-old Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock is a troubled man. The day before, he had told his field army commanders who were attacking Moscow that the enemy was close to breaking. Today he wasn’t so sure. Today the Army Group’s 4th Army, directly west of Moscow, had gone over to the def... more »
Sanctuary Cities For Guns? This Utah County Is Trying It Out.
*Allison Schuster* *Politics, Americas* It's a mirror of the immigration debate. A county in Utah has shot down the idea of more gun control by becoming the first county in the state to declare itself a Second Amendment sanctuary. The three-member Uintah County Commission voted unanimously to pass an ordinance making the county a stronghold that refuses to comply with federal or state laws on firearms that county leaders deem unconstitutional. The ordinance, Uintah County Commissioner Bill Stringer told The Daily Signal, is in preparation for anticipated unconstitutional legisl... more »
For Brutal Murderers, The Nazis Were Very Obsessed With Art And Beauty
*Matthew Gault* *History, Europe* How did this factor into their war plans? Frankly, the parade is exquisite. The marchers wear clean, crisp uniforms. They hold their banners high. Enormous sculptures of horses and men loom over the procession. It’s footage from German Arts Day—in 1939. A march in celebration of the Nazi aesthetic. “The government—half of which consists of men who once aspired to serve the arts—is conscious of the artist’s role as an intermediary,” the narrator says, quoting famed Nazi literati Hans-Friedrich Blunck. “This government … knows the people’s inner ... more »
Chernobyl Off the Coast of California? A U.S. Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier Almost Sunk in 1985.
*Steve Weintz* *History, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C1998%3Anewsml_RP1DRIFRENAD&share=true] It would have been a humanitarian and environmental disaster. *Key point: *There is always a risk of a naval collision or running aground. However, with proper training and equipment, these can be avoided. Spend some time with Google Earth, an atlas or a globe and you will see that California, for peoples used to the Atlantic, was indeed the far side of the world well into the nineteenth century. What is now one of the most populated, navali... more »
How One Open Hatch Nearly Cost India a $2.9 Billion Nuclear Submarine
*Jeff Schogol* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC181ACD0BE0&share=true] How could this have occurred? *Key point:* Accidents happen, but leaving a hatch open when diving is a pretty bad one. New Delhi nearly ruined its new boat that way, but thankfully it was not lost. The modern submarine is not a simple machine. A loss of propulsion, unexpected flooding, or trouble with reactors or weapons can doom a sub crew to a watery grave. Also, it’s a good idea to, like, close the hatches before you dive. Call it a lesso... more »
Have Republicans Come Up With Their Very Own 'Green New Deal'?
*James Pethokoukis* *Politics, Americas* Well, not exactly. What will it do? If some sort of Green New Deal is the baseline for “serious” climate change policy, then the Republican Party continues to fail badly. The package of environmental bills just unveiled by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and a group of House GOPers would likely get a big thumbs down from Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and Greta Thunberg. It doesn’t spend $16 trillion on new public investment. It doesn’t incorporate the Democratic Socialist of America agenda for economic justice. It doesn’t... more »
No, France Isn’t Planning to Invade Brazil
*Michael Peck* *Security, Latin America* But not everyone is convinced. One of our top experts explains why. In 2035, French marines and paratroopers storm Rio de Janeiro, while tanks and infantry invade northern Brazil. These troops are the spearhead of a United Nation military expedition determined to seize the Amazon region and turn it into an international environmental zone. Is this the latest apocalyptic vision from the Tinfoil Hat Brigade? Has Napoleon risen from the dead? No, this is actually a scenario that Brazil’s military is planning for. “The Brazilian military elit... more »
Russia Wants To Build Its Very Own 'B-2 Stealth Bomber'. Here Come the Problems.
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * It might not be so easy. Recent reports in Russian media are suggesting that Moscow may be ready to commit to developing its own long-range stealth bomber akin to the American B-2 Spirit. According to *Izvestia*, Moscow has requested the Tupolev design bureau to begin the development and production of three prototype PAK DA aircraft to begin initial flight tests between April and the fall of 2025. Then, if everything goes smoothly, on time and with adequate funding—and it almost never does in such defense programs—then the Russian military woul... more »
China's Military Hacked Equifax (148 Million Americans Are at Risk). Really.
*Shane Tews* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2XXE9RTM5P&share=true] For corporations, it’s a lesson about the risks of failing to patch network vulnerabilities in a timely manner. On February 10, the Department of Justice charged four members of China’s military with computer fraud, economic espionage, and wire fraud for the unprecedented Equifax hack in 2017. Using a vulnerability that the credit reporting agency failed to patch, the Chinese were able to obtain the personal information of 147.9 million US citize... more »
Is China’s Military Doing Enough to Fight the Coronavirus?
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* America might not be the real enemy after all. As the coronavirus spreads across China, the nation’s media is portraying the Chinese military as coming to the rescue. Yet some observers say that China’s military has been strangely absent in the fight against coronavirus, a flu-like virus which has already inflicted nearly 2,000 deaths in China, and has disrupted much of the nation’s economic and social life. Chinese media is highlighting air force cargo flights ferrying medical aid to the city of Wuhan, epicenter of the outbreak. “A total of eight... more »
Will the Houston Astros Take Down Baseball?
*Armstrong Williams* *Politics, Americas* [image: West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr (43) and pitcher Bryan Abreu (66) and pitcher Kent Emanuel (64) and pitcher Josh James (right) stretch during a spring training workout at FITTEAM Ballpark. Feb 14, 2020; Rhona Wise-] Talk about moral hazard. Nothing creates a moral hazard more than exposing corruption and yet failing to punish those responsible. That’s what happened in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008, and that’s what’s happening in baseball today. The rationale for failing to... more »
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