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RSBN Trump Rally, North Charleston, S. C.
RSBN Live Coverage of the Trump Rally in North Charleston, South Carolina Continue reading →
Covid-19 Update: "CDC Confirms 2 New Coronavirus Cases In US; WHO Raises Global Alert Rating To "Very High": Live Updates"
*"CDC Confirms 2 New Coronavirus Cases In US; * *WHO Raises Global Alert Rating To "Very High": Live Updates"* by Tyler Durden *"Summary:* • CDC raises US coronavirus total to 62. • Italy reports 3 deaths in Lombardy; nat'l toll now 21; total cases 821. • British man becomes 6th 'Diamond Princess' passenger to die. • Two Japanese *dogs* (?!) tested positive for coronavirus. • Mulvaney says school closures, transit disruptions may happen in US. • Dr. Tedros said Friday that there's no evidence of 'community outbreak'. • Mexico confirms 1st virus case. • Fauci warns virus could take 'two ye... more »
Court blocks airport runway construction citing Paris Climate Agreement
A British court sided with environmental activists to block construction of a runway at London’s Heathrow Airport, arguing that the runway is not consistent with the Paris Agreement. The post Court blocks airport runway construction citing Paris Climate Agreement appeared first on CFACT.
Why the Trump Administration May End Up in Court Over War Powers Reporting
The Capitol (Architect of the Capitol, https://www.flickr.com/photos/uscapitol/33229867655/; U.S. Government Works, https://www.usa.gov/government-works) This coming Sunday, March 1, is an important deadline for the Trump administration. That’s the day by which it must file a report detailing any changes to the “legal and policy frameworks for the United States’ use of military force and related national security operations” over the prior year. Moreover, because of a recent change in the law, this particular report, for the first time ever, also has to be “made available to the ... more »
If We Build It (They Will Break In)
Former FBI Director Louis Freeh addresses a crowd in 2013 (FBI). Attorney General William Barr has staked his ground in the long-running debate over law enforcement access to encrypted communications. Last fall, Barr decried end-to-end encryption as “enabling dangerous criminals to cloak their communications and activities behind an essentially impenetrable digital shield.” As the debate continues, commentators and policymakers often overlook a historical example of the problems with law enforcement access. Barr’s position is hardly novel. For more than two decades, law enforcemen... more »
Notes de lecture sur : L’utérus artificiel, de Henri Atlan
Ethical Technology - 11 hours ago
Quinze ans après … Où en est-on ? Quels risques ? Quels avantages ?
What to do right before the end of the world
The apocalyptic mood at many places has been predicted in many science-fiction movies. My most favorite one is Sexmission (Poland 1983). (Cheeky) Max and (shy) Albert volunteer in a hibernation experiment by Prof Kuppelweiser in 1991. Instead of 1994, they are woken up in 2042 in a society led by the League of Women. Kupperweiser has also invented a special bomb that has destroyed the male genes. Kuppelweiser must have worked for the Wu-Chan Institute of Virology because, as Parravicini pointed out, Covid-19 may damage kidneys and testicles. The feminist ideology rules in that stran... more »
Gernot Wagner Misleads on Social Cost of Carbon
A recent Bloomberg article by climate economist Gernot Wagner carries the provocative title: “Why Oil Giants Figured Out Carbon Costs… The post Gernot Wagner Misleads on Social Cost of Carbon appeared first on IER.
THE RATIONAL ANIMAL'S GUARDIANS: Potential guardians kicked to the curb!
*FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020Plus, news of former boyfriends:* Routinely, the dumbness is so vast that it can seem performative—like some type of marketing scheme. So it was in this morning's New York Times. On page A3, one of the day's daily features actually starts like this (print editions only): *The Conversation* SIX OF THE MOST READ, SHARED AND DISCUSSED POSTS FROM ACROSS NYTIMES.COM *1) Coronavirus Live Updates: New Cases Light Up The Map as Countries Brace for Outbreak* This article with the latest news about the epidemic was Thursday's most read... *2) My Ex-Boyfriend's New... more »
Feds Reject Removal of Four Snake River Dams in Key Report
A long-awaited federal report rejected the idea of removing four hydroelectric dams on a major Pacific Northwest river in a last-ditch effort to save more than a dozen species of threatened or endangered salmon.
US Schools Start Planning for Possible Spread of Coronavirus
Schools across the United States are canceling trips abroad, preparing online lessons and even rethinking “perfect attendance” awards as they brace for the possibility that the new coronavirus could begin spreading in their communities.
Greta Preaches Hellfire and Brimstone at Bristol
Her talking points: This is an emergency. People are already suffering and dying from it. It will get worse. Politicians, the media and those in power are ignoring the emergency Elected officials make words and promises but do nothing. I will not be silenced while the world is on fire, will you? We must be […]
AP fact check breaks with Dems on Trump handling of virus
AP FACT CHECK: Democrats distort coronavirus readiness Associated Press Lauran Neergaard and Calvin Woodward February 26, 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are describing the federal infectious-disease bureaucracy as rudderless and ill-prepared for the coronavirus threat because of budget cuts and ham-handed leadership by President Donald Trump. That’s a distorted picture. For starters, Trump hasn’t succeeded in cutting the budget. He’s proposed cuts but Congress ignored him and increased financing instead. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control ... more »
Chinese National Scientist receives 2 yrs in prison for stealing trade secrets worth $1 Billion
Chinese National Sentenced for Stealing Trade Secrets Worth $1 Billion DoJ New Release February 27, 2020 Hongjin Tan, a former associate scientist was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison in federal court for stealing proprietary information worth more than $1 billion from his employer, Phillips Petroleum company. In November 2019, Tan pleaded guilty to theft of a trade secret, unauthorized transmission of a trade secret, and unauthorized possession of a trade secret. From June 2017 until December 2018, Tan was employed as an associate scientist at the petroleum company and was ... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'McGill Law Students Stand with Wet'suwet'en'
Posted on February 28, 2020 Mohawk Nation News MNN. 28 FEB. 2020. akwehon ionkateriwarani entitawaneh. We are not Canadians. The constitution act of 1982 is a continuation of their colonization of our land and people. It is impossible to bring our issues on colonization and genocide to the Admiralty Courts, WHICH IS FOR BANKS, CORPORATIONS ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY. The kaianerekowa was and
Bundestag called to suspend Defender-Europe 20
“Defender-Europe 20” must be stopped immediately. Even without the appearance of the virus, this exercise is irresponsible and violates the principles of Germany peace policy. Now there is the risk of the epidemic spreading. More The post Bundestag called to suspend Defender-Europe 20 appeared first on The Duran.
US losing its naval supremacy
China’s role in creating a multipolar sea More The post US losing its naval supremacy appeared first on The Duran.
Erdoğan Unleashes New Migrant Crisis in Europe
Turkey Is Seeking NATO and EU Support Against Syria But Does Not Get It More The post Erdoğan Unleashes New Migrant Crisis in Europe appeared first on The Duran.
Horrible: In 1944 Pearl Harbor Suffered From an Accidental Ammunition Explosion
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2016%3Anewsml_TM3ECC60ZNR01&share=true] That's pretty bad. *Key point: *It was as if Pearl Harbor was being attacked again. However, it was not- the explosions were from poor regulations around storing ammunition. Flames roiled into sky from dozens of burning ships, creating a wall of smoke that crept out into the Pacific Ocean. The thunder of multiple explosions succession shook the Navy Headquarters on Pearl Harbor. Had Japan somehow pulled off a second, stunning raid on P... more »
America Alone: Why the Trump Administration Will Pay for Alienating Its Strategic Partners
*Peter Harris* *Politics, Americas* [image: Reuters] Cultivating support among middle powers is perhaps the most straightforward way that the United States can ensure outsized influence for itself in the coming multipolar world. It is something of a conventional wisdom that the American Century is coming to an end if it has not already expired. Whether they attribute U.S. decline to the rise of great-power challengers or to the willful abdication of global leadership, most analysts seem to agree that the “unipolar moment” is giving way to a world system characterized by multiple ... more »
Caught: China's J-11 Fighter Sure Does Look Like a Copy of Russia's SU-27 'Flanker'
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2014%3Anewsml_TM3EA8N1A5A01&share=true] Looks like the Communist Party has been caught... red-handed. *Key Point:* China is known for buying and stealing foreign technology in order to reverse engineer them. It looks like the Su-27 was no exception. The Shenyang J-11 is a Chinese copy of the excellent Russian Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker” multirole fighter. In fact, it was at first an *authorized *copy—but Chinese ambitions to adapt it with locally produced technology transformed it ... more »
I See You: Do Surveillance Cameras Change People's Behavior?
*Janina Steinmetz* *Society, World* Here's what we know. Facial recognition is increasingly being used in many countries around the world. In some cases the take up has been dramatic. As a result, people are being observed by cameras more than ever, whether in stores, on public transit, or at their workplaces. Using this technology may seem justified when it helps law enforcement track down criminals and make the lives of ordinary citizens safer. But how does the constant observation affect the citizens it is supposed to protect from criminals? It’s easy to imagine that pervas... more »
The Crazy Tale of a Russian Spy Job Gone Bad in Miami
*Stratfor Worldview* *Security, Americas* [image: Signs of a Thwarted Russian Hit in Miami is republished with the permission of Stratfor Worldview, a geopolitical intelligence and advisory firm. Image: Reuters.] A serious threat. The U.S. Department of Justice on Feb. 18 announced the arrest in Miami of a man being charged with acting on behalf of a foreign government without registering with the U.S. attorney general's office, and conspiracy to do the same. According to the criminal complaint, the accused, Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, is a Mexican citizen who resides in Si... more »
Election Mirage: Why Claims of Russian Meddling Should Be Questioned
*David B. Rivkin, Jr., George Beebe* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] The winner in this deepening struggle between the White House and the intelligence world is not yet clear. But the loser is already evident: American national security. What does one do when the country’s intelligence leadership is acting, well, not very intelligently? That is the inescapable question prompted by last week’s reports that a senior representative of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) told members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) in an of... more »
Birth Pains: America's New Carriers Had a Lot of Problems (And Explosions) in the 1960s
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2012%3Anewsml_TM3E8C11BQ501&share=true] Nothing worth it is easy. *Key point:* Saftey issues and mistakes caused many deadly tragedies on several U.S. warships. Thankfully, the Navy has mostly learned from those past errors. A series of collisions involving U.S. Navy destroyers in 2016 and 2017—including two incidents that left sixteen sailors dead—have raised questions as to why the maritime fighting branch appears to be suffering the same accident again and again. However... more »
Forget F-22s or F-35s: This Is the 'Stealth' America Really Needs
*Kris Osborn* *Technology, Americas* What it can do is important. *Key point:* The emergence of a drone of this kind bears prominently upon ongoing questions about the future of aircraft carriers in light of today’s fast-changing threat environment. The Navy will launch formal flight testing in 2021 for a new, first-of-its kind carrier-launched drone engineered to double the attack range of F-18 fighters, F-35Cs and other carrier aircraft. The emerging Navy MQ-25 Stingray program, to enter service in the mid-2020s, will bring a new generation of technology by engineering a new ... more »
Shocking: China and the CIA Both Helped Saudi Arabia Get Their Own Ballistic Missiles
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2012%3Anewsml_GM1E8AL0F4U01&share=true] Well that was a bad idea. *Key point:* Saudi Arabia wanted long-range missiles and it got them. It turns out that when you really want something, you don't care who helps you. You would be hard pressed to find two more determined foes of Iran other than Saudi Arabia and Israel. The latter country has long been perturbed by bellicose anti-Israeli rhetoric from Tehran, and has unleashed hundreds of air strikes and artillery bombardmen... more »
Japan Sunk This Navy Aircraft Carrier. It Cost Them World War II
*Michael D. Hull* *History, Asia* [image: USS Lexington (CV-2). Burning and sinking after her crew abandoned ship during the Battle of Coral Sea, 8 May 1942. Note planes parked aft, where fires have not yet reached. Naval History and Heritage Command photograph. (2015/12/27).] A heroic ship. *Key Point:* By her sacrifice, the *Lexington* had deprived the enemy of two carriers just before the Battle of Midway, which turned the tide in the Pacific naval war and sealed the fate of the Japanese Empire. Responding to a November 27, 1941, war warning message from Admiral Harold R. “Be... more »
The Strange Tale of How British Commandos Attacked Hitler's Fish Oil Production
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC1F5E8D4830&share=true] More important than you know. *Key point: *London's raids aimed to blow up the resources that helped Berlin build bombs. It turns out that fish oil was a vital component in explosives. Two days after Christmas on the morning of December 27, 1941 the icy Arctic calm of the Norwegian islands of Vågsøy and Måløy was shattered 8:48 AM as four Royal Navy destroyers and the light cruiser *HMS Kenya *opened fire on the German garrison stationed ... more »
Coronavirus – 1,321 new cases, 55 new deaths
28 Feb 2020 – Total reported coronavirus cases: 83,909 – I say reported, because I don’t believe the reports coming out of China’s communist government. (See China Hundreds of thousands infected but not reported. 8,090 reported in serious or critical condition Total reported deaths: 2,869 Total reported recovered: 36,872 New cases in Italy not announced 571 new cases ... Read more Coronavirus – 1,321 new cases, 55 new deaths The post Coronavirus – 1,321 new cases, 55 new deaths appeared first on Ice Age Now.
Coronavirus Tests For All?
I woke up this morning and immediately asked a couple of the best members of Congress to draft a bill that would give every American resident a free voucher for a conornavirus test. This morning, as the markets tumbled another thousand points in early trading, Reuters reported that "Investment-advisors are increasingly worried that U.S. authorities are not doing enough to prevent a widespread outbreak of coronavirus in the country, potentially adding further downside to already-battered markets. Their criticisms include the number of people so far tested by the U.S. Centers for Di... more »
Nature Makes Kids Happier
Want to genuinely increase your child’s happiness, without the use of new toys and electronics? Take them outside. According to a study published in Frontiers of Psychology, children who feel connected to nature are overall happier human beings. To conduct the study, researchers handed out a questionnaire to nearly 300 children between the ages of […] The post Nature Makes Kids Happier appeared first on Health Nut News.
Coronavirus and the free trade narrative
I am less optimistic than Pierre Lemieux: the epidemic shows the benefits of economic growth and international trade. By strangling Chinese growth (“deepening economic damage,” says the Wall Street Journal of yesterday) and perhaps also, if it becomes a pandemic, economic growth in other countries, and by slowing down international trade, the coronavirus will give […] The post Coronavirus and the free trade narrative appeared first on Econlib.
Trump Bows to Big Pharma, Shills for ‘Risky’ Anti-Depressant While Attacking Medical Pot
[image: drug]An investigating team has requested emails and financial records as they investigate why the president told the VA to “corner the market” on a Johnson & Johnson drug.
Q&A: Misinformation in the Time of an Uncontainable Virus
Global Issues News Headlines - 12 hours ago
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 28 (IPS) - Just a month since the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus a public health emergency, it is now taking steps to contain misinformation being spread about the disease. Globally, there have been more than 82,000 cases of Coronavirus, which has claimed 2,800 lives -- the majority being in China, where the disease has been traced to. Read the full story, “Q&A: Misinformation in the Time of an Uncontainable Virus”, on globalissues.org →
Senegal Farmer Succeeds with Regenerative Agriculture & Begins Teaching Others
Global Issues News Headlines - 12 hours ago
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, USA, Feb 28 (IPS) - Souylemane Samb sits under a crowded tent on a hot Senegalese day. He wears a canvas vest with Trees for the Future printed across the back. Read the full story, “Senegal Farmer Succeeds with Regenerative Agriculture & Begins Teaching Others”, on globalissues.org →
A Glut of Arms: Curbing the Threat to Venezuela from Violent Groups
Global Issues News Headlines - 12 hours ago
CARACAS/BOGOTA/BRUSSELS, Feb 28 (IPS) - Power in Venezuela is slipping away from state institutions and concentrating in the hands of criminals, guerrillas and other non-state actors. Any new negotiations between government and opposition must consider how to defang these armed irregulars, who might otherwise scuttle an eventual settlement. Read the full story, “A Glut of Arms: Curbing the Threat to Venezuela from Violent Groups”, on globalissues.org →
Evolution in action?
I found this over at Chief Nose Wetter's place yesterday: I resemble that most recent "evolved" man a little too closely for comfort! *(Looks down ruefully at expansive belly . . . )* How about you? Peter
States and Cities Could Use Billions of Unspent DHS Grants to #Protect2020
Automated vote tally (Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller, https://www.flickr.com/photos/uacescomm/40970074395; CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/) Federal and state officials recently told a Senate Committee that state and local governments need additional cybersecurity resources. Their testimony follows the gatherings of the nation’s state secretaries of state and election directors earlier this year in Washington, where cybersecurity and election integrity were a top focus. Congress is now considering legislation to create a new grant p... more »
The Prince and the Pop Star Work on Charity Single in London
Prince Harry joined Jon Bon Jovi at Abbey Road Studios in London on Friday as the singer recorded a charity single to support the foundation that oversees the Invictus Games — a multinational sports event for sick and injured servicemen.
Financial Pain Deepens as Nearly 60 Countries Report Virus
A deepening health crisis became an economic one too, with the virus outbreak sapping financial markets, emptying shops and businesses, and putting major sites and events off limits.
How one man fought South Carolina Democrats to end whites-only primaries – and why that matters now
Bobby J. Donaldson, Associate Professor of History; Director Center for Civil Rights History and Research, University of South Carolina at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
South Carolina's black community has a long history of fighting for democratic rights.
Why federal judges with life tenure don't need to fear political attacks from Trump or anyone else
Amy Steigerwalt, Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 12 hours ago
If President Trump's attacks on the justice system are meant to intimidate, there's one class of employees who are immune to that: federal judges who have lifetime tenure.
UKC News: Turkey and NATO Pushing for War, Assange in Court, Mini Nukes
*UKC News* | Co-hosts Mike Robinson and Patrick Henningsen with his week's top stories.
In Dem Debates, Corporate Media Push a Militaristic Foreign Policy: An Interview with Sam Husseini
MintPress News recently spoke to Sam Husseini about how the media promotes militaristic and even xenophobic approaches to foreign policy during the primary debates. The post In Dem Debates, Corporate Media Push a Militaristic Foreign Policy: An Interview with Sam Husseini appeared first on MintPress News.
This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 28
1941 Mufti of Jerusalem Pan-Arab Golden Square officers Rashid al-Gaylani had secret meeting Decided to remove PM Hashemi if he insisted on ending relations with Italy Golden Square decided to replace PM Hashemi with Gaylani if he would not change policy on Italy Agreed on no concessions to UK Refused to break relations with Italy Would expel pro-British politicians (Musings On Iraq book review of *Persian Gulf Command, A History of the Second World War In Iran and Iraq*) (Musings On Iraq book review of *Rashid Ali al-Gailani, The National Movement in Iraq 1939-1941*) (Musings On ... more »
Get Children Out of Public Schools, Warns Arizona Education Chief
[image: get-children-out-of-public-schools-warns-az-education-chief] Former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas, who oversaw the state Department of Education, sounds the alarm about what is happening in public schools across America.
Paid Leave and the Composition of Compensation
[image: paid-leave-and-the-composition-of-compensation] There are many poor arguments for mandated paid leave out there, many of which, unfortunately, demonstrate that facts and sound economics are, in this debate, too often optional.
Organizations Alert UN to Growing Threat to Brazil’s Isolated Indians
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - They are the most vulnerable among the vulnerable. Three Brazilian NGOs have joined forces to alert the United Nations to the serious threat posed by the dismantling of Brazil's environmental policy for isolated indigenous peoples, those who have no contact with other ethnic groups, whether indigenous or . . . […] The post Organizations Alert UN to Growing Threat to Brazil’s Isolated Indians appeared first on The Rio Times.
Liveaboard
I know that it's not practical, even if I could afford it. But there is something about being able to fly somewhere, land, drop the anchor, hang out, maybe fish for supper and then fly somewhere else. It might get tiresome - one day - maybe. But there's nothing to say that you couldn't land the beast, taxi it and leave it in a tie-down while you went and did something else for a while. You could turn something like this (above) into a hotel. Five lakes in three days - something like that? Add a chef, a stocked galley and serving wenches and it might have some appeal? Or you coul... more »
College Admissions Case: Lori Loughlin’s Attorney Claims FBI Directed Scandal Mastermind to Lie, and that the Prosecution Withheld Evidence
Singer's personal notes point to FBI investigators directing him to lie and say that he made everyone involved with the scam aware their payments were bribery rather than legitimate donations. The lawyer says that Singer noted the Government's desire to ‘nail' one of the defendants ‘at all costs.’
Your Man in the Public Gallery – Assange Hearing Day Four
Yesterday the prosecution continued its argument that the provision in the 2007 UK/US Extradition Treaty that bars extradition for political offences is a dead letter, and that Julian Assange’s objectives are not political in any event. James Lewis QC for the prosecution spoke for about an hour, and Edward Fitzgerald QC replied for the defence for about the same time. During Lewis’ presentation, he was interrupted by Judge Baraitser precisely once. During Fitzgerald’s reply, Baraitser interjected seventeen times.
Is Delhi’s Anti-Muslim pogrom a plan to forcefully implement All India NRC?
Muslims for Independence of India: Very much surprising to know that around 5,00,000 Muslims got martyred for the Independence of India since revolt of 1857 followed by The Reshmi Rumaal Tehreeq in 1905, The Mopla movement in 1921, The Non-cooperation Movement in 1920, the Swadeshi Movement in 1905, The Quit India movement in 1942 and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar lost Central Elections in 1946, the Bengal Muslim League vacated one of its seats and in by poll Dr. Ambedkar won. This gesture paved the way for his entry into the Constituent Assembly and the rest is history of Independence in 1947 ... more »
What Money Can (and Can’t) Buy for the Global Coronavirus Response
This is a guest post by Summer Marion, a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and Northeastern University, where she is a PhD candidate in Political Science. Her research examines international cooperation and crisis politics, with a specific focus on philanthrocapitalism in global health emergencies. On February 5, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros […]
CPAC shocker: “RepublicEN” astroturf group launches character attack on Princeton physicist
Dr. Will Happer and Genesis Torres of the CO2 Coalition presented sound science and were met with a left-wing climate attack at CPAC. The post CPAC shocker: “RepublicEN” astroturf group launches character attack on Princeton physicist appeared first on CFACT.
Thailand Protests: "Students" Fight to Save Washington's Billionaire Proxy
US attempts to destabilize Thailand aim to weaken Thai-Chinese relations at Beijing's expense. *February 28, 2020* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - "Long Live Democracy!" cried "student" protesters at Thailand's Thammasat University as local and Western media organizations reported "hundreds" gathered to decry the disbanding of Thai political party, Future Forward. However, the Western media's eager support for the small mob complete with quotes of support from the US Embassy in Bangkok should be the first clue that it has little to do with actual democracy or Thailand's best interests a... more »
Thailand Protests: "Students" Fight to Save Washington's Billionaire Proxy
US attempts to destabilize Thailand aim to weaken Thai-Chinese relations at Beijing's expense. *February 28, 2020* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - "Long Live Democracy!" cried "student" protesters at Thailand's Thammasat University as local and Western media organizations reported "hundreds" gathered to decry the disbanding of Thai political party, Future Forward. However, the Western media's eager support for the small mob complete with quotes of support from the US Embassy in Bangkok should be the first clue that it has little to do with actual democracy or Thailand's best interests a... more »
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin Climate Change is Pushing Giant Ocean Currents PolewardCoronavirus far more likely than Sars to bond to human cells due to HIV-like mutation, scientists say Google, Microsoft shift production from China faster due to virus New Coronavirus Cases Outside China Overtake Inside for First Time Japan's Abe to request school closures nationwide from March 2 Chinatowns Crashing Leaked Documents Reveal Coronavirus Infections Up to 52 Times Higher Than Reported Figures in China’s Shandong Province - Epoch Times, so... hmm... Forensic Psychologist Who Testified for Prosecution at... more »
EXCLUSIVE: 6yo Special Needs Girl Swarmed by Cops, Pinned Down for Crying After Being Bullied on Bus
[image: bus]A 6-year-old girl with special needs had a temper tantrum after being bullied on the school bus and she was then swarmed by cops and pinned down.
Bad joke
Another slightly tangential piece. It’s indirectly related to the BBC in many ways though. More and more of us are watching online news and views, while fewer and fewer of us are glued to the Beeb. We've all migrated to Triggernometry, for example, and New Culture Forum and (OMG) The Sun’s long interviews hosted by Steven Edginton, a young interviewer who doesn’t interrupt, and all sorts of other interesting material. I enjoyed watching Andrew Doyle (aka Titania McGrath) talking to Steven Edginton about matters woke. I do take issue with him on one thing though. He says he doesn’t ... more »
Exploring the Contact Paradox
Keith Cooper is a familiar face on Centauri Dreams, both through his own essays and the dialogues he and I have engaged in on interstellar topics. Keith is the editor of Astronomy Now and the author of both The Contact Paradox: Challenging Assumptions in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Bloomsbury Sigma), and Origins of the […]
Sky dive
I watched Sky’s version of the Labour leadership hustings. The set looked familiar and the host(ess) was Soppy Ridge. (See, I *told* you I’d leave her name auto-*in*corrected) The most annoying bit of the programme was during the part where they did their bit to address the party’s antisemitism problem, which they all (rightly) condemned as ‘racism’; all three insisted that the worst offenders had to be rooted out of the party. They all spoke as if antisemitism had nothing to do with Islam. Lisa Nandy even managed to assure us that she was so anti-racist that she had no time for... more »
Turkey, Russia Tiptoe Toward ‘Unnecessary War’
A military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has erupted in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib. Latest reports say that at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday in a Syrian air attack. A Turkish retaliation commenced last night itself. The Syrian airstrike in Idlib took place in an area […]
Coronavirus Collateral Damage: How a Case in Korea Hit a Small Business in the US
How coronavirus is causing some US businesses headaches, and potentially distress
Joe Biden, Ukraine and Viktor Shokin Mercury Poisoning (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 483. More The post Joe Biden, Ukraine and Viktor Shokin Mercury Poisoning (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
The Donald And The Coronavirus
It took a while to arrive. But now the United States is facing its first crisis not generated by Donald Trump since his election. And things don't look good. Paul Krugman writes: The story of the Trump pandemic response actually began several years ago. Almost as soon as he took office, Trump began cutting funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leading in turn to an 80 percent cut in the resources the agency devotes to global disease outbreaks. Trump also shut down the entire global-health-security unit of the National Security Council. Experts warned that th... more »
Man Paralyzed by Cops During Illegal Raid Over $100 Weed Gets $11m as Lying Cops Walk
[image: taxpayers]After a man was shot 9 times for attempting to sell $100 worth of a plant, the city will now shell out millions because the cops all walked.
Preparing the Masses for a Hot War with China
At the recent Munich Security Conference held in Germany, United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper made a few fascinating but relatively ignored (at least by the mainstream media) comments on China and the American approach to the new leading partner in the global order in his speech to the conference attendees. Let's start by looking at what Secretary Esper had to say about conflict with China. Here are three quotes of interest: *"Let me state up front, though, the United States does not seek conflict with China."* *"Again, make no mistake, we do not seek conflict with China... more »
Stolen Hearse Carrying Casket Recovered After Freeway Chase
It has all the hallmarks of an only-in-Los Angeles crime: A thief stole a hearse — with a body inside — then went on a wild ride, ending with a chase and a crash on a busy freeway.
Coronavirus Fear Touches Off a Global Run on Face Masks
Fear of the spreading coronavirus has led to a global run on sales of face masks despite evidence that most people who aren't sick don't need to wear them.
What US business wants from a UK deal
bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
28-Feb-2020 Lighthizer will hold preparatory talks with Truss ahead of formal negotiations on a US-UK free trade agreement.
Brexit: UK negotiating objectives for trade with EU, in a nutshell
bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
28-Feb-2020 UK vision for next phase of Brexit abandons commitments made in October alongside withdrawal agreement.
CETA et Mercosur : pourquoi les agriculteurs vont continuer la lutte
bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
28-Feb-2020 L'Europe envoie aujourd'hui un message contradictoire à ses agriculteurs, leur demandant de respecter des normes strictes tout en ouvrant ses portes à des produits bien moins contrôlés.
Bloomberg’s comments about the Arab world, Palestine exhibit ignorance
Mike Bloomberg once again exhibited his ignorant preconceptions of the Arab world, Palestine, and Islam during South Carolina's fiery Democratic debate. As Bernie Sanders said, we need to start being a little more honest about American foreign policy... The post Bloomberg’s comments about the Arab world, Palestine exhibit ignorance appeared first on If Americans Knew Blog.
The Centrifugal Forces of Democracy
For the symposium on Richard L. Hasen, Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy (Yale University Press, 2020). Dan Tokaji Rick Hasen’s *Electoral Meltdown *tells a story of democracy in decline. Americans are riven by conflict, distrustful of one another, and bitterly divided over how we should run our elections. His book identifies four main culprits: vote suppression, administrative incompetence, dirty tricks, and overheated rhetoric about stolen or rigged elections. This constellation of problems, he contends, has diminished public fai... more »
The Grid
*The Guardian* has a fascinating article today written by an anonymous 'whistleblowing' employee of the BBC. In it we learn about The Grid, used by producers on *all *BBC political shows to ensure 'diversity': A whiteboard would be marked up with a clumsy grid system. The grid would revolve around a set of key identities such as “woman”, “northern” or “poc” (person of colour). These would then be cross-categorised with political stances such as “Brexiteer”, “Tory” or “progressive”. Our task [as BBC producers] would then be to ensure that any proposed panel contained a complete bal... more »
Judge Orders Assange Held in Glass Box During Extradition Trial
In the United Kingdom, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces extradition to the U.S., a magistrate court judge decided he must remain isolated in a glass box at the back of the courtroom. The post Judge Orders Assange Held in Glass Box During Extradition Trial appeared first on MintPress News.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 28, 2020
*Politico: **U.S. clamps down on troop travel in the Middle East due to coronavirus* According to a Feb. 27 memo obtained by POLITICO, all leave and liberty travel with the Central Command theater is banned until further notice. The U.S. is suspending certain types of travel for military and civilian Department of Defense personnel to and within the Middle East due to concerns over the coronavirus, according to an order issued Thursday. All leave and liberty travel with the Central Command theater is banned until further notice, according to the memo obtained by POLITICO. For exa... more »
Coronavirus Could Shake Up South Korea's Big April Elections
*Mitchell Blatt* *Health, * Will President Moon's party feel the wrath of voters over his response to the virus? Trying to keep track of Korean politics is almost impossible for a normal person in the best of times. Parties merge, change their names, and dissolve all the time. Scandals over shady business dealings and nepotism emerge like clockwork. (No president is safe from prison.) And public squares are constantly occupied by passionate protesters and fire-breathing rabble-rousers inciting them. Now, throw in a coronavirus outbreak that has infected over 1,700 people, nati... more »
This Helicopter Looks Straight Out Of Science Fiction—But It Was an Epic Failure
*Sebastien Roblin* *, * [image: RAH-66 Comanche prototype. 3 January 1997. U.S. Army] More than three billion per chopper? *Key Point:* Had the Pentagon poured in additional billions, the RAH-66’s lingering bugs might eventually have been ironed out, resulting in a decent scout helicopter. But the twenty-two-year-old program simply was no longer relevant enough to justify its financial excesses. Pop quiz: what prominent U.S. military aircraft has a stealthy radar cross section and advanced networked sensors but has gone billions over budget and has fallen years behind schedule? ... more »
Tell Trump: War With Iran Would Be Worse Than You Think—And It Might Not Succeed
*Robert Farley* *Security, Middle East* [image: Iranian marine soldiers wave to the camera from a motor boat in the Sea of Oman during the third day of joint Iran, Russia and China naval war games in Chabahar port, at the Sea of Oman, Iran, December 29, 2019. Mohsen Ataei/Fars news agency/WANA (West As] Serious business. *Key Point:* If the Islamic Republic didn’t not collapse, the U.S. would eventually have to either admit defeat or open the door to dangerous escalation. The Trump administration appears ready to decertify Iranian compliance with the the Joint Comprehensive Plan... more »
That's No Moon: Turns Out That Earth Has a New Satellite
*David Rothery* *Environment, Americas* [image: Reuters] So-called “mini-moons” like this one come and go. The Minor Planet Centre has just announced that the Earth has been orbited by a second moon for the past three years or so. But while excitement about the discovery is growing, it is important to keep in mind that this moon isn’t as impressive as our main satellite. It is extremely faint – it is estimated to be only between one and six metres across – and won’t be with us for much longer. The body was first spotted by US astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchos usin... more »
Coronavirus Won't Take Down China
*Lyle J. Goldstein* *Health, * But this should be a wake-up call for Washington and Beijing to come together and battle this global health challenge together. Reading the Western press, one could be forgiven for believing that China is well on its way to Judgement Day. The most ideological opponents of the PRC regime are giddy with excitement. The rest of us are watching our stock portfolios and feeling nauseous. South Korea could be the next domino to fall into crisis with Southeast Asia and Japan following in succession. Europe, according to this logic, could also be doomed, w... more »
America's F-35 Can't Stand Against Russia's Su-57 Armed With Hypersonic Missiles
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, Europe* It's a capability America can't match. *Key point: *Russia’s integration of hypersonic missiles with fifth-generation stealth capabilities could yield considerable dividends in its threat projection capacity. In the prior months, *The National Interest* discussed the possibility of Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter being outfitted with hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Russian state news reported Kinzhal integration on the Su-57 earlier this week: "In accordance with Russia's State Armament Program for 2018-2027, Su-57 jet fighters will be ... more »
Why AMD's Ryzen 9 3950X CPU Is Truly a Game Changer
*Mark Episkopos* *Technology, * For semi-professionals seeking the best workstation performance short of a dedicated HEDT, the 3950X is the only game in town. Picking the right CPU is a notoriously tricky proposition; it’s also one of the most important decisions to make when buying or building a PC, setting the cadence for all your other hardware choices. CPU purchasing guides, organized by category and price bracket, remain the best way for consumers to make sense out of a sprawling, complex market-- you can find ours here. But every so often, there comes a product that defies ... more »
The Neo-Malthusian World of the Coronavirus
*Robert D. Kaplan* *Security, * How the natural environment is a force for instability. Mention the name “Malthus” and you are met with a storm of abuse. The media elite, protected from nature in their urban bubbles, never tire of pronouncing Thomas Robert Malthus’s *An Essay on the Principle of Population*, published in England in 1798, as wrong. It is quite true, Malthus’s specific theory – that population increases geometrically while food supplies increase only arithmetically – never worked out, because of the role of human ingenuity in exponentially increasing food supply. ... more »
Get Ready for Unstoppable, Deadly Hypersonic Weapons
*Dan Goure* *Politics, Americas* [image: A U.S. Air Force B-52 carries the X-51 Hypersonic Vehicle out to the range for a launch test from Edwards AFB, California in this handout photo provided by the U.S. Air Force on May 1, 2013. REUTERS/Bobbi Zapka/USAF/Handout via Reuters] The hyper-war. *Key Point:* Some hypersonic weapons are so fast and maneuverable that they are unlikely to even be seen by existing radars. A new technological competition has begun, one in which America’s rivals, particularly Russia and China, may be ahead. This is the race to build and put in the field s... more »
Too Late: Air Travel Restrictions Won't Stop The Coronavirus' Spread
*Lucy Budd, Stephen Ison* *Security, * It's already in America. *Key point: *The best we can do is prepare for the worst. Cities in lock down, flights and public transport suspended, travellers in quarantine and surgical masks selling at unprecedented rates. The emergence of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China, as well as its rapid arrival in 25 other countries and the World Health Organization (WHO)‘s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern have once again focused attention on aviation’s role in the spread of human infectious dis... more »
Yes, the Coronavirus Is Spreading (But Don't Freak Out Just Yet...)
*Stratfor Worldview* *Public Health, World* [image: Reuters] How about we prepare--but don't panic. The outbreak of the new coronavirus shows no sign of slowing even as more countries and companies move to block its spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) hasn't explicitly recommended travel or trade restrictions, but uncertainties about the virus are prompting precautionary measures around the world. National and business leaders are having to balance the unknown health impact against the well-known economic damage of tough travel restrictions in and out of China and, in a ... more »
Iran's Drone Shootdown Shows We're Vulnerable For the Next War
*David Axe* *Security, Middle East* [image: U.S. Air Force maintainers prepare a U.S. military drone RQ-4A Global Hawk for takeoff at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, December 2, 2010. Picture taken December 2, 2010. Courtesy Eric Harris/U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS] We have a problem with surveillance. A big one. *Key Point:* The last *manned* penetrating ISR platform, the Mach-three SR-71, retired from Air Force service in the late 1990s. The shoot-down of a U.S. Navy surveillance drone on June 20, 2019 underscores a weakness in the Pentagon’s surveillance forc... more »
With the hyper-financialization of housing, private equity firms and REITs are making obscene profits on the backs of everyday people in Dartmouth and Halifax
News 1. Covid-19 I found yesterday’s New York Times’ The Daily podcast quite helpful in understanding the coronavirus, the threats of it, and the likely outcomes. The Guardian’s explainer is useful as well. The short of it: unless some surprise treatment emerges, this will probably become a global pandemic along the lines of the Spanish Flu […]
Alliance for Brazil Concedes Inability to Field Candidates in 2020 Elections
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Less than 40 days before the deadline set by the Electoral Court for political parties to secure registration to run in this year's municipal elections, the leader of the 'Aliança pelo Brasil' (Alliance for Brazil), a party that President Jair Bolsonaro is seeking to establish, concedes that it will not […] The post Alliance for Brazil Concedes Inability to Field Candidates in 2020 Elections appeared first on The Rio Times.
"Economic Market Snapshot AM 2/28/20"
*PM 2/28/20, Updated frequently as available.* ◆ ◆ 2/28/20: "*We Are Watching The Stock Market Do * *Things That It Has Never Done Before*" *Dow Jones Industrial Average 25,767 -1,191 -4.42%* - http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/ "Concise Explanation of Why Stocks Could Fall 20% More From Here" "Table Showing The 3 Biggest DOW Crashes In History. Currently -8% ATH; If It Closes Friday at -11% ATH, Then Next Week May See An Almighty Market Crash" ○ *Perfect storm: "*A perfect storm is an event in which a rare combination of circumstances drastically aggravates the event. The term is u... more »
Ya'll come now, ya hear.....
I first learned about Operation Paperclip and the Nazi scientists creating the US space program when I read the book *Secret Agenda* by former CNN investigative reporter Linda Hunt. The book told in detail how 1,500 top Nazi scientists, engineers and intelligence operatives were smuggled into the U.S. through Boston and West Palm Beach, Florida. One hundred of them, along with 100 copies of Hitler's V-2 rocket, were brought to Huntsville, Alabama to create the U.S. space program. Wernher von Braun, the lead scientist of Hitler's team that built the V-1 and V-2 rockets was made the ... more »
I'M SURE IT WILL SHOCK YOU THAT DAVID BROOKS IS MOVING THE GOALPOSTS
Here are the lead paragraphs of the latest David Brooks column: A few months ago, I wrote a column saying I would vote for Elizabeth Warren over Donald Trump. I may not agree with some of her policies, but culture is more important than politics. She does not spread moral rot the way Trump does. Now I have to decide if I’d support Bernie Sanders over Trump. We know Brooks's answer because his headline is "No, Not Sanders, Not Ever." But Brooks doesn't provide a link to his earlier column on Warren. (That column is here.) Why? Why doesn't he want you to compare and contrast what h... more »
Victoria down AFL All Stars in State of Origin clash for bushfire relief
Just In - 15 hours ago
Victoria comes from 30 points behind to score a 46-point win over the All Stars in the AFL's bushfire relief game at Docklands Stadium.
Software error grounds pigeon-smarts paper
Pigeons definitely get a bad rap. Some might consider them mere rats with wings, purveyors of pestilence, distributors of dung, but rock doves aren’t, well, as dumb as their name might suggest. Pigeons are perhaps the world’s most accurate homers, they seem to have an innate knack for game theory and they can detect breast … Continue reading Software error grounds pigeon-smarts paper
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