Monday, June 21, 2021

21 June - Blogs I'm Following - 4 of 5

 10:30 pm MDT

The Rio Times16 hours ago
The 16 candidates, politicians and entrepreneurs Nicaragua’s Ortega arrested last month
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - (Infobae) All of those arrested have a high academic profile and are recognized leaders of the Nicaraguan opposition. Many are senior citizens and even ex-comrades-in-arms of the Sandinista leader. Most arrests occurred at night and the detainees' homes were raided without court-ordered warrants. Four politicians with aspirations to run for […] The post The 16 candidates, politicians and entrepreneurs Nicaragua’s Ortega arrested last month appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Rio Times16 hours ago
Brazil’s base interest rate SELIC to soar to 6.5% this year – Focus survey
[image: Brazil’s Monetary Policy Committee (COPOM), Brazil, Brazil News] RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The projection for the benchmark interest rate at the end of this year has risen again in the Central Bank's Focus survey after the authority raised it last week and announced its intention to continue monetary tightening and abandon the term "partial normalization." The market now sees the SELIC at […] The post Brazil’s base interest rate SELIC to soar to 6.5% this year – Focus survey appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Covid Vaccine Heart inflammation Condition Looked Like Heart Attack In Children
here & here *“Federal health officials have (so far) verified 226 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis in people ages 30 and younger who have received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and are investigating about 250 more reports. * *Zeroing in on the 475 people ages 30 and under reporting myocarditis or pericarditis to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the most common symptoms were chest pain, elevated cardiac enzymes, ST or T wave changes, dyspnea and abnormal echocardiography/imaging.Among 285 cases with a known outcome, 270 were discharged, most to thei... read more
Bad News: Why Florida Won’t Get 'Stimulus Checks' for Schools
*Stephen Silver* *Stimulus, * The Department of Education announced said that the DOE is “working closely with remaining states that did not submit by the deadline, the vast majority of which were due to state board of education or legislative review requirements.” *Here's What You Need to Remember: *“These state plans make clear that the American Rescue Plan is providing much-needed support to states and districts as they work to not only bring students back to in-person learning, but also to address inequities made worse by the pandemic and make sure every student has the soci... read more
The Real Top Gun: How the U.S. Air Force Got Schooled in Vietnam
*Sebastien Roblin* *, * Col. Nguyen Tomb — or “Toon” — is one of the names immortalized in military aviation, like Baron von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *It was far from one-sided. The Vietnamese received extensive technical assistance, training and replacement aircraft from Russia and China. They also drew upon decades of experience fighting materially stronger opponents. Col. Nguyen Tomb — or “Toon” — is one of the names immortalized in military aviation, like Baron von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker. I first encountered Tomb when I... read more
Pakistan Must Not Become a Launchpad for America’s Afghan War
*Arwin Rahi* *Pakistan, Afghanistan, Asia* At this critical juncture in the region’s history, Pakistan must learn from its past military partnerships with the United States, which will once again abandon Pakistan as soon as its objectives are achieved. Unconfirmed reports about Pakistan providing the United States with military bases on its soil have been floating around as of late. At such a crucial time, when regional and global stakeholders are trying to find a solution to the Afghan conflict, such a Pakistani offer will complicate things for Islamabad. Pakistan’s past militar... read more
These 5 Power Pistols Were Not Made in America
*Kyle Mizokami* *Guns, World* Europe, fueled by centuries of continental warfare and colonialism, has consistently produced new arms and ammunition to suit a variety of roles. *Here's What You Need to Know*: The Walther P38 was adopted by the German Army in 1938 and served throughout the Second World War. Approximately one million pistols were produced during the war. America has a long and storied reputation as a firearms innovator, but it is by no means the only place for fresh and original designs. Europe, fueled by centuries of continental warfare and colonialism, has consis... read more
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Cost’ Coca-Coca $4 Billion (REALLY?)
*Stephen Silver* *Stock Market, * Publications around the world interpreted Ronaldo’s decision as having “cost” Coca-Cola billions of dollars. And while that’s technically true, it’s a somewhat simplistic way of thinking about company valuations. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *In other words, Coca-Cola’s stock made a relatively small move, one exceedingly likely to be temporary, and while it “lost” $4 billion, it almost certainly didn’t lose it for good. The story made headlines around the world on Wednesday: Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, while sitting at a... read more
The Duran16 hours ago
Two Opposite Views of Alexei Navalny
Eric Zuesse The views of Alexei Navalny in Russia and in the United States are virtually opposites of each other. In America, for example, on June 20th, the New York Times headlined “U.S. Preparing More Sanctions Against Russia, Sullivan Says”, and sub-headlined “The national security adviser raised the issue of more penalties in the poisoning […] read more
Gangsters Out Blog16 hours ago
Jeff Buziak on CKNW
John Daly from CKNW, Back on the Beat had Jeff Buziak on his show​ the other day. read more
Singapore: The Beginning of the End for the British Empire
*Warfare History Network* *History, * The Japanese invasion of Singapore was a devastating and embarassing moment for the British. *Key Point: *“...a bluff, a bluff that worked.” Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto was not the only gambler in Imperial Japan’s military hierarchy. Lt. Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, appointed commander of the Imperial Japanese Army’s (IJA) 25th Army on November 2, 1941, to lead the invasion of Malaya and Singapore, also took risks to capture the prized British territory in less than 100 days after his invasion commenced on December 8. Yamashita’s rationale was to... read more
All the King's Battleships: The Lion-Class of Britain's Fleet
*Robert Farley* *History, * Unfortunately, the Lion-class failed to see service in time. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *In most configurations, the* Lion*s would have been somewhat smaller, somewhat slower, slightly better protected Iowas, more effective than the U.S. *North Carolina* and *South Dakota* classes. *Lion* likely would have had little trouble with the latest German or Italian battleships, in part because of the latter’s fiscal inability to compete with the Royal Navy, and the former’s habitual inability to competently design battleships. The five battleships o... read more
Biden and the Bishops
President Biden said he doesn't think the U.S. bishops will deny Holy Communion to him or other pro-abortion Catholic politicians. And for once, I agree with Biden--not that he's doing to the right thing by violating both church law and the dignity of the most powerless and poor, but that the Bishops will cave to the demands of the world. We'll have to let Jesus sort this out on Judgement Day. read more
Econlib18 hours ago
Political Harassment From Your Suppliers
One reason why nominally private corporations become politicized must be to please the most insistent mobs as well as “the regulator”—that is, the feared governments that follow or inflame the same mobs. Otherwise, nearly every supplier’s incentive would be to serve all its customers equally and independently of their politics (except perhaps for small businesses […] The post Political Harassment From Your Suppliers appeared first on Econlib. read more
MJBizDaily18 hours ago
Murder case involving Oklahoma cannabis entrepreneur highlights issues of race, security
An Oklahoma case involving a Black marijuana business owner charged with first-degree murder is focusing a spotlight on how both race and security protocols can be major issues and stumbling blocks for cannabis entrepreneurs. Marijuana grower and military veteran LaRue Bratcher is awaiting trial after he shot and killed a man who was allegedly trying […] Murder case involving Oklahoma cannabis entrepreneur highlights issues of race, security is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs read more
Halifax Examiner18 hours ago
Legal cannabis is a big hit: people support legalization and are smoking more of it, but edibles still haven’t much caught on
A new study suggests Canadians have overwhelmingly embraced the budding cannabis industry since its 2018 legalization, but they haven’t yet been sold on edibles. The study, ‘Cannabis & Edibles: Comparison of Canada and USA Consumer Perspectives,’ was released on Monday by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab research associate Brian Sterling and the lab’s senior director, […] read more
How David King Misled To Parliament
By Paul Homewood I discussed David King yesterday, but it is worth going into greater detail: King was Chief Scientific Advisor to Tony Blair between 2000 and 2007. His training is as a chemist, but that never stopped him from having strong views on climate change. Unfortunately many of his utterances were […] read more
AGE OF AUTISM18 hours ago
The Garden State Just Keeps Growing Autism
Thank you to our Anne Dachel who is one of the few people in media asking why no one seems alarmed by the ever increasing autism rates everywhere, and especially in New Jersey, where experts have been studying for decades.... read more
Retraction Watch18 hours ago
Pulp fiction: Japanese university revokes two dentistry PhDs in case involving two dozen retractions
The misconduct case of an endodontics researcher in Japan who already has lost at least 24 papers for data problems has claimed two more casualties: the PhD theses of a pair of scientists he once helped train. As we reported last year, Nobuaki Ozeki, who retired from Aichi Gakuin University in 2018, was found to … Continue reading Pulp fiction: Japanese university revokes two dentistry PhDs in case involving two dozen retractions read more
Komando.com18 hours ago
One simple trick to transfer files from one device to another
So you finally broke down and replaced your years-old computer with a brand new PC or Mac. After the initial thrill is gone, you're hit with the realization that you have a lot of files in your old computer that you want to put in your new device. It's not as difficult as it sounds, we'll show you how. read more
The Rio Times18 hours ago
First batch from global vaccine consortium lands in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines sent by the Covax Facility global consortium landed on Sunday, June 20, at the Viracopos International Airport, in Campinas (SP). The cargo with the Pfizer-produced immunizers left Miami, in the United States, and was escorted by the Brazilian Federal Police to the Ministry of […] The post First batch from global vaccine consortium lands in Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Strombolian activity with brief but violent lava fountains at Etna volcano, Italy
Strombolian activity continues at Etna volcano, Italy, with brief but violent lava fountaining episodes occurring approximately every 1 - 2 days. Over the past 2 days, the Aviation Color Code was raised to Red 2 times -- at 18:52 UTC on June 19 and 22:01 UTC on June...... Read more » read more
I Fought a Second Korea War as the U.S. Military And Lost?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* While using Next War: Korea to anticipate the outcome of possible real-life battles is fraught with problems, games like these still have some value. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *In theory, the game should provide, to some extent, a reflection of an actual war. The fidelity of the reflection should be somewhere in between a documentary and a cartoon. A cartoon isn’t so useful, but a documentary certainly is. *The Korean peninsula is, acre for acre, one of the most heavily militarized places on earth.* A war has broken out on my living roo... read more
The Ship Problem That Crippled Nazi Germany
*Sebastien Roblin* *National Security, Europe* Hitler’s orders had consequences. *Here’s What You Need to Remember: *At first glance, the Battle of the Barents Sea seems insignificant, a minor World War II naval battle in which a couple of destroyers were sunk. Yet the New Year’s Eve skirmish in frozen Arctic waters convinced Hitler that he should scrap *all *of his capital ships and had far-reaching consequences on the leadership of Nazi Germany. The reason why points to the dilemmas inherent to being an underdog in naval warfare. During World War I, the Imperial German Navy ha... read more
A Successful Military Strategist Is a Successful Salesperson
*James Holmes* *Strategy, World* Strategists aren't exempt from marketing their ideas. *Here's What You Need to Know*: Strategic branding is about conveying ideas persuasively. “Branding,” or labeling, people, ideas, and things is a competitive sport in Washington, DC, and America has a president who delights in it. For two Harvard Business School professors branding means learning to “strategically craft powerful, resonant, and unique brand positions to help products stand out amidst the cacophony of the marketplace.” Entrepreneurs search for that memorable image, catchphrase, ... read more
Destroying German Royale Took a Lot of Bombs
*Warfare History Network* *History, * B-17s were especially instrumentive in the effort. *Key point: *Hitler just wouldn't quit and so took a terrible toll on Allied bombers. Nonetheless, the Third Reich was doomed. “Our mission was Berlin. We flew in that dreaded position—last and lowest in the squadron.” Archie Mathosian, B-17 Radio Operator, A/C #521 (Skyway Chariot), 100th Bomb Group (H), USAAF “Last and lowest in the squadron.”These words may not mean much to most readers, but to the crew of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress flying over enemy territory during World War II, th... read more
The Rio Times19 hours ago
Analysis: Brazil’s worst water crisis in 90 years exposes electricity model’s shortcomings
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Amid the worst water crisis in 90 years, Brazil is once again discussing the risks of blackouts and rationing - the alternative found for the crisis in 2001. The flaws in the electrical system's planning and operation, as well as in the energy pricing model, are pointed out as the […] The post Analysis: Brazil’s worst water crisis in 90 years exposes electricity model’s shortcomings appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
naked capitalism19 hours ago
How the Covid Pandemic Could Save Us
The Covid pandemic has created a hinge moment of change, in which governments and citizens have demonstrated their ability to undertake reforms which would have been impossible before the pandemic. read more
CFACT19 hours ago
Iowans to ethanol: Enough is enough
It came as a real surprise when Iowa lawmakers recently rebuffed an effort by the ethanol industry and its powerful political allies to raise the percentage of ethanol blended into gasoline at service stations in Iowa to 15%. The post Iowans to ethanol: Enough is enough appeared first on CFACT. read more
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin How Energy Transition Models Go Wrong The amount of heat the Earth traps has doubled in just 15 years, study shows JOURNAL REPORTS: ENERGY How New Wind Turbines Produce Far More Energy Record: Lake Mead Down to 36% A California reservoir is expected to fall so low that a hydro-power plant will shut down for first timeAfter supermarket shooting, Colorado is letting cities pass their own gun laws — and Boulder plans to enforce its assault weapons ban More than 350 Indonesian healthcare workers vaccinated with China's Sinovac vaccine got COVID-19 and dozens are hospitali... read more
naked capitalism19 hours ago
Summer Rerun: The Victory of Privilege
Privilege went from an idea discussed by a few activists to a mainstream concept. How does the idea work in practice? What is its history? read more
Virtual Mirage19 hours ago
Open Forum
The Summer Solstice is upon us, and Father’s Day and Juneteenth are behind us. The question is what to do to celebrate the event? Will it be a White Solstice where you are? What are the odds? Are you dreaming of a white solstice? Wiccans dance naked under the moon during Litha (if there […] The post Open Forum appeared first on Virtual Mirage. read more
The Rio Times19 hours ago
Chinese soy imports from Brazil surge 82% in May over April
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - China's soy imports from Brazil surged 82% in May compared to the month before, bolstered by shipments that should have arrived earlier but were delayed by rain, customs data showed Sunday. The world's largest soy importer, China bought 9.23 million tons from the South American country in May, up from […] The post Chinese soy imports from Brazil surge 82% in May over April appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The New Dark Age19 hours ago
Fizz is gone from Biden-Putin summit
The morning after a Russian-American summit is most critical to know whether the previous day’s bonhomie was real, surreal or unreal. Surveying the Geneva Summit (June 16) between presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, I cautiously assessed the next day, read more
The Rio Times20 hours ago
USA halts environmental negotiations with Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The halt in negotiations comes in the wake of the increase in deforestation in the Amazon and the Federal Police operation that targeted Environment Minister Ricardo Salles. Almost 2 months after president Joe Biden's climate summit, negotiations on the environment between Brazil and the United States have been suspended. The […] The post USA halts environmental negotiations with Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Komando.com20 hours ago
Prime Day deals: Free unlimited music streaming, audiobooks, premium channels and eBooks
The latest discounted items happen to be Amazon gadgets with a twist. read more
Komando.com20 hours ago
Prime Day deal: Make your garage door smart for just $17
If you're a new homeowner, or just want to upgrade to a Smart Home, we've got a few amazing deals for you. read more
Kuciak Case Retrial An Opportunity to Break Global Cycle of Impunity in Journalist Killings
BRATISLAVA, Jun 21 (IPS) - A ruling last week ordering a retrial in the murders of a Slovak journalist and his fiancée has led to a “unique” opportunity to break a global cycle of impunity in journalist killings, press freedom groups have said. Read the full story, “Kuciak Case Retrial An Opportunity to Break Global Cycle of Impunity in Journalist Killings”, on globalissues.org → read more
FROM THE FIELD: Restoring Dutch ‘green deserts’
The Western Peat Meadows of the Netherlands look like classic Dutch countryside (cows, windmills and green fields), but the views mask a significant loss of biodiversity, caused by intensive farming methods. As the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration begins, a local organisation is planning to restore 100 million of hectares of land, across the world. Read the full story, “FROM THE FIELD: Restoring Dutch ‘green deserts’”, on globalissues.org → read more
Memes that made me laugh 63
The last seven days' harvest from the Intertubes. Click any image for a larger view. More next week. Peter read more
naked capitalism20 hours ago
The Pandemic Is Us (But Now Mostly Them)
The pandemic is largely to be over in the Global North, at least among the vaccinated...or so it seems. read more
Covert Geopolitics20 hours ago
UK SPI-B Scientists Admit COVID19 Scare Tactics Unethical & Totalitarian
Governments are using fear to control and manipulate their citizens. That has now been admitted by members of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behavior (SPI-B), a subcommittee that advises the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) in the U.K. And they should know, because they advocated for it, and now say it was a … Continue reading UK SPI-B Scientists Admit COVID19 Scare Tactics Unethical & Totalitarian → read more
What it Takes for Technologies to go from Breakthrough to Big Time
*Daniel Bliss* *Technology, * The first handheld mobile phone was demonstrated in 1973, nearly three decades after the introduction of the first mobile phone service. It was nearly three decades after that before half the U.S. population had a mobile phone. I have a cellphone built into my watch. People now take this type of technology for granted, but not so long ago it was firmly in the realm of science fiction. The transition from fantasy to reality was far from the flip of a switch. The amount of time, money, talent and effort required to put a telephone on my wrist spanned ... read more

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