Tuesday, June 08, 2021

8 June - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 5

 10 pm MDT

Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. - Lauren Pullen reports on two outbreaks of the Delta variant of COVID-19 within a Calgary hospital. Emily Mertz reports on a push by Alberta doctors to have the province's major cities retain mask mandates until more people are fully vaccinated after the provincial government has abandoned the fight against COVID-19. - Jesse Eisinger, Jeff Ernsthausen and Paul Kiel report on newly-released documents showing how the wealthy in the U.S. pay lower tax rates than the people who have made them rich. And Noah Smith points out that the U.S. is f... read more
News – TOTT News14 hours ago
AI could cause ‘1984 by 2024’, says Microsoft President
George Orwell’s dystopian vision of the world in Nineteen Eighty-Four “could come to pass in 2024” if artificial intelligence is not better regulated, the President of Microsoft has warned. A new documentary shines light on the dark side of artificial intelligence in the modern world and calls on authorities to enact stricter laws to govern AI. [...Continued] read more
Snopes.com9 hours ago
Duchess of Sussex’s ‘The Bench’ Celebrates Fathers and Sons
The first children's book by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is a multicultural tribute to fatherhood. read more
Facebook Faces Antitrust Investigations in Europe
Two probes, one from the European Commission and the other from theUK’s Competition and Markets Authority, come amid sustained scrutiny over the breadth and impact of the social media giant's data collection practices. The post Facebook Faces Antitrust Investigations in Europe appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
Snopes.com9 hours ago
Tom Segura Not Done Announcing Cities for ‘I’m Coming Everywhere’ Tour
The stand-up comedian expressed frustration after some fans told him, "You're not coming everywhere." read more
naked capitalism10 hours ago
2:00PM Water Cooler 6/8/2021
By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Patient readers, the cursor on my months-old MacBook Air M1 has frozen in the middle of the screen. Fortunately, I have a second Mac, which I am using. It’s a bit clunky, and I got a late start, so this Water Cooler will be too short. Also, reader suggestions are […] read more
Our new washer has arrived
Our new washing machine, an Amana, was delivered this morning. The 40 year old Kenmore was great--best I've ever had--but sprung a leak our first week here, and who has a part? Now we'll have to hire a plumber (who weighs less than 120 lbs), because the hook up is spliced and diced and the drain pipe opening is near the ceiling. A second home has all the appliances that fail in the other home, but only about 1/5 of the living time. In the last two years I've replaced the oven, the dryer and the washer. The new owner will enjoy them. read more
Health equity?
Demands for "health equity" for racial and ethnic groups is a push for more government control. The CDC reported in 2014 that the 5 top causes of death were diseases primarily of personal behavior, 1) diseases of the heart, 2) cancer, 3) chronic lower respiratory diseases, 4) cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), and 5) unintentional injuries. These are most often a result of obesity, smoking, drinking, drugs, lack of exercise and other risky behavior. HIV rates are still very high among young black men who have sex with men, and CDC says risk factors are poverty, high rates of unemplo... read more
Longest underwater avalanche monitored in action continuously self-accelerated for over 1 000 km
In a new paper, scientists have reported what they say is the longest sediment avalanche measured so far in action and the only monitored flow to continuously self-accelerate for over 1 000 km (620 miles). The event occurred off the coast of West Africa, in a deep...... Read more » read more
Supreme Court weighs voting rights in a pivotal Arizona case
In Brnovich v. DNC, the court will decide whether two Arizona rules unfairly hurt poor, minority and rural voters. The ruling could determine the fate of many states' restrictive new voting laws. read more
Social Cost of Carbon
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood Ken Gregory has sent me his latest paper on the Social Cost of Carbon. If he is correct, it upends all of the arguments for spending trillions of dollars on a non existent problem: ? Social Cost (Benefit) of Carbon Dioxide from… read more
The Duran10 hours ago
Merkel’s CDU wins key state election. German Greens exposed as war party
Merkel’s CDU wins key state election. German Greens exposed as war party The Duran: Episode 996 Germany’s Christian Democrats dominate in key state election ahead of national vote Germany’s Christian Democrats dominate in key state election ahead of national vote BERLIN – Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats scored a commanding victory in a closely watched regional […] read more
Snopes.com10 hours ago
Mom Attends School in Place of 13-Year-Old Daughter, No One Notices
A 30-year-old mother dressed up as her daughter and attended nearly a full day of classes in a Texas middle school before anyone in authority caught on to her. read more
War News Updates10 hours ago
US Congressional Report Says Lack Of Recent Combat Experience A 'Significant Weakness' For China's Army
© AP Photo / Zha Chunming/Xinhua *Sputnik:* *Lack of Recent Combat Experience a 'Significant Weakness' for China's PLA, Says US Congress Report* China's President Xi Jinping in 2017 announced Beijing's intention to transform the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a "world-class" fighting force by the mid-21st century. A new US Congress report says that China is already "eroding" the military advantages of the American forces in certain warfare areas. A new report by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) has described China's lack of recent combat experience as... read more
Twitter Suspends Author Naomi Wolf After Vaccination Claims + More
The Defender’s Big Brother NewsWatch brings you the latest headlines related to governments’ abuse of power, including attacks on democracy, civil liberties and use of mass surveillance. The post Twitter Suspends Author Naomi Wolf After Vaccination Claims + More appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
Cloaking Inequity10 hours ago
Is Teach For America as prestigious as it is perceived?
Truth For America is a podcast about Teach For America (TFA) that provides voice to educators, parents, students, and other key stakeholders. Truth For America is co-hosted by Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig and Dr. T. Jameson Brewer. Is Teach For America as prestigious as it is perceived? Julian Vasquez Heilig, T. Jameson Brewer and Barbara Veltri interview Angie Kraemer-Holland. Dr. read more
Lawmakers Respond to Pushback From Medical Freedom Activists, Allow New Yorkers to Opt Out of State Vaccine Database
Proposed legislation which would require New York healthcare providers to enter personal healthcare data into state-run immunization databases was amended to include an opt-out clause, but medical freedom advocates still hope to keep the law from passing. The post Lawmakers Respond to Pushback From Medical Freedom Activists, Allow New Yorkers to Opt Out of State Vaccine Database appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
3 Ways Fauci Emails Expose Trail of Manipulation and Deception
A trove of emails obtained by BuzzFeed News reveal Fauci’s role in shaping the theory that SARS-Co-V-2 evolved naturally and deceiving the public on masks and natural immunity. The post 3 Ways Fauci Emails Expose Trail of Manipulation and Deception appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
the daily howler11 hours ago
Anderson Cooper had never heard!
*TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021* *One part of "Too Big to Care:"* Last night, Anderson Cooper spent an hour speaking with Barack Obama. They discussed the needs of the many good, decent kids who may grow up in difficult situations and circumstances. At one point, Obama spoke with some young men from My Brother's Keeper, a mentoring program he started when he was still in the White House. The young men in question are fathers now. Here's part of what was said: OBAMA (6/7/21): *Other than changing diapers,* *how has [being a father] changed your perspective?* And how do you think about it? ... read more
Washington Post Accuses Biden DOJ of Exacerbating Trump-Era’s ‘Brazen Infringement’ of Americans’ First Amendment Rights
Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan on Sunday accused Biden's Justice Department of exacerbating the Trump administration's assault on press freedom. Ryan called for a full accounting and “enduring safeguards.” The post Washington Post Accuses Biden DOJ of Exacerbating Trump-Era’s ‘Brazen Infringement’ of Americans’ First Amendment Rights appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
Waking Times11 hours ago
Mass Protests Can End Vaccine Passports
*Dr. Mercola* - It’s important to realize that vaccine passports or any other type of certification in and of themselves are not the end goal here. read more
Centauri Dreams12 hours ago
When Will We See an Ice Giant Orbiter?
With NASA announcing that its Discovery program would fund both Davinci and Veritas, two missions to Venus, it’s worth pausing to consider where we are in the realm of Solar System exploration. This is not to knock the Venus decisions; this is a target that has been neglected compared to, obviously, Mars, and we’ve kept […] read more
What Happened to Joe Biden Cancelling Some Student Loan Debt?
*Stephen Silver* *Student Loan Debt, * Much like the idea of additional stimulus checks, Biden did not mention the student debt issue in his joint address to Congress this spring, nor was the idea mentioned in the proposals that are part of the American Jobs Plan or American Families Plan. While running for president in 2020, Joseph Biden endorsed the notion of student loan forgiveness. He didn’t propose full forgiveness of all student loans, but rather some smaller proposals: To forgive up to $10,000 per borrower, to forgive student-related student loan debt, and to restore ban... read more
Are Iranian Navy Vessels Headed to Venezuela?
*Peter Suciu* *Iran Warships, Americas* If so, then is Iran planning to transfer the fast attack boats to the Venezuelan Navy—providing the South American nation with the ability to conduct swarming operations against military or commercial shipping in the Caribbean Sea. A year ago Iran sent multiple fuel tankers to Venezuela to aid its Western Hemisphere ally during the latter nation's fuel crisis. Now a pair of Iranian Navy ships, including a frigate, has rounded the Cape of Good Hope and is believed to be making a high-seas voyage to Venezuela. The second vessel was reported ... read more
Facing Isolation, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are Mending Ties
*Abdul Basit, Zahid Shahab Ahmed* *Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Middle East* As the recent developments demonstrate, the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is deep enough to deal with multiple and diverse irritants. Recent high-level visits by Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia show promising signs of the two nations’ bilateral relationship—that faced regular hiccups since 2015—is reviving. While the relationship had never faced a serious survival threat, various disagreements in the last few years created an uncomf... read more
New 'Stimulus Checks' Are Coming for the Next Six Months (If You Qualify)
*Rachel Bucchino* *Child Tax Credit Update, * [image: Child Tax Credit Biden] More than 36 million families across the U.S. who may qualify for the enhanced child tax credit featured in President Joe Biden’s coronavirus rescue package will receive a letter from the IRS. More than 36 million families across the U.S. who may qualify for the enhanced child tax credit featured in President Joe Biden’s coronavirus rescue package will receive a letter from the IRS. The child tax credit sends eligible families as much as $300 per child on a monthly basis from July through December. Bi... read more
Small Dead Animals10 hours ago
Manitoba’s Medical Apartheid
You too can have five more minutes of freedom. Fully vaccinated Manitobans to get secure immunization card A new secure immunization card confirming full immunization against COVID-19 will mean Manitobans with two shots can travel within Canada without quarantining on their return, and enjoy expanded visits at hospitals and personal care homes, Manitoba’s premier says. read more
Robert Reich10 hours ago
The Beginning of the End of Democracy as We Know It?
On Sunday, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin announced in an oped in the Charleston Gazette-Mail... read more
An interesting sharpening stone
I was recently sent for review a free sample of the so-called "AmericaStone", a small ceramic sharpening stone with three surfaces that claims to deburr, hone and polish a blade's edge, and handle serrations too. There's a demonstration video on YouTube that illustrates it in action. I've given the Americastone a workout over the past few weeks, on everything from folding knives, to sheath knives, to machetes, and on blades that were smooth, or nicked, or rusted. It does a good job sharpening them all, but its small size means that it takes a while to get anything but a small... read more
War News Updates11 hours ago
New Israeli Coalition Government Is Set To Be Sworn In Sunday
*WSJ: **New Israeli Coalition Government Set to Be Sworn In Sunday* TEL AVIV—An eight-party coalition aimed at unseating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to be sworn in on Sunday, as a key right-wing lawmaker rebuffed the embattled leader’s overtures to defect from the new government. Yariv Levin, the speaker of the Knesset and a member of Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud party, said Tuesday that the new coalition government will face a vote of confidence in the parliament before being sworn in on June 13. Mr. Levin a day earlier had pushed back against the new coalition... read more
The Rio Times11 hours ago
Peru’s Castillo leads Fujimori by more than 78,000 votes with 97.2 % of the votes counted
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Peruvian presidential candidate Pedro Castillo maintains a lead of 78,737 votes over his rival Keiko Fujimori when 97.28% of the votes have been counted in the second round of elections held this Sunday in Peru. According to the last official report, the candidate of the leftist Peru Libre party has […] The post Peru’s Castillo leads Fujimori by more than 78,000 votes with 97.2 % of the votes counted appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Rio Times11 hours ago
Mexico and U.S. agree memorandum of understanding on immigration cooperation
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris witnessed on Tuesday at Mexico’s National Palace the signing of a memorandum between the governments of both countries on immigration cooperation. The document was signed by the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, and the Chargé d’Affaires […] The post Mexico and U.S. agree memorandum of understanding on immigration cooperation appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Virus Speaks: An Exclusive Interview
By Jon Rappoport SOURCE June 8, 2021 I can’t recall jumping through more hoops in order to set up an interview. There was a man on a train; his doctor in Greenwich; an NSA data analyst; a woman who almost certainly works for the CIA; her brother, who is a virologist; a Chinese Army officer who adopts a cover as a cook in a takeout joint in Venice, California; and several other people I won’t mention at all. I was filtered through them and wound up in a cheap motel room in Phoenix on a Saturday afternoon. An old air conditioner was chugging… Who are you? I’m SARS-CoV-2. WHAT a... read more
‘Treaty People Gathering’ Resists Line 3 Pipeline
As summer approaches, and the wet season moratorium is over, construction for the new Line 3 tar sands pipeline is ramping back up during early June. This increase in work was expected by water protectors, who made a call-out for activists to gather in Indigenous Anishinaabe territory to escalate protests against the pipeline project to transport diluted bitumen (tar sands + toxic diluent). The post ‘Treaty People Gathering’ Resists Line 3 Pipeline appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Fujimori also cried fraud in 2016
Peru’s far-right presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori is making allegations of electoral fraud, as leftist candidate Pedro Castillo has maintained the lead in the official count. This is not the first time she’s made unsubstantiated claims, however there is far more at stake for Keiko in this election. The post Fujimori also cried fraud in 2016 appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Small Dead Animals12 hours ago
Pangolins and Bats, Oh My
After sitting on this report for eight months Nature releases the investigation into the Wuhan wet market. Some interesting excerpts Initial media coverage suggesting that COVID-19 may have spilled-over via pangolins has been refuted. Here we present a unique and original dataset recording wild animal sales across Wuhan City’s animal markets between May 2017 and… Continue reading → read more
Who’s paying the human costs of plastic pollution?
The problem is that plastic pollution isn’t just an issue of waste accumulation—plastics are also manufactured and often incinerated in communities where poor people and people of color are rarely consulted or alerted to the risks. Our communities are living this pollution every day and understand the connections between air, water, land, ocean, and human health in very personal and concrete ways. The post Who’s paying the human costs of plastic pollution? appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Puerto Rican workers: No peace if energy is privatized
LUMA customers are already encountering new fees and significantly higher bills than formerly paid to the public Puerto Rican Electric Power Authority. Thousands of PREPA workers have lost their jobs. The privatization has fueled demonstrations including encampments and picket lines at plant gates. Further actions could lead to mass protests similar to those in summer 2019 that forced former Governor Pedro Rosselló to resign. The post Puerto Rican workers: No peace if energy is privatized appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Police Brutality: How Protesters Resist State Violence Around the World
Earlier this year, the introduction of a new “Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts” bill sparked nationwide protests in the United Kingdom that were met with brutality. As activists faced down violent police forces in the streets, Novara turned to the rest of the world to learn from their shared struggle. The post Police Brutality: How Protesters Resist State Violence Around the World appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Resistance Axis Victory
Syrians have re-elected Bashar al Assad for a fourth consecutive term as their President. Western nations like Britain, the United States and France have sought to undermine the elections, rejecting the results in advance, dubbing them illegitimate and undemocratic. The post Resistance Axis Victory appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Small Dead Animals13 hours ago
The Children Are Our Future
And that’s why Diddleodeon is celebrating Pride Month. read more
MJBizDaily11 hours ago
Group suggests VA speed up timeline for recreational cannabis market
A government watchdog group in Virginia is recommending the state move up the timeline for implementing its recreational marijuana market. Group suggests VA speed up timeline for recreational cannabis market is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs read more
Snopes.com11 hours ago
Dash Cam Shows Huge Construction Truck Crushing Occupied SUV
Three men were lucky to escape without serious injury when the driver of a huge mining haul truck crushed the SUV in which they were sitting. read more
MJBizDaily11 hours ago
Hemp producer, marijuana software firm receive Canadian federal grants
A hemp producer and marijuana retail software company were among a group of small- and medium-sized businesses in Saskatchewan that received funding from the Canadian federal government. Alberta-headquartered Blue Sky Hemp Ventures received 749,115 Canadian dollars ($618,800) to upgrade a facility in Saskatchewan for hemp oil pressing and CBD oil refining, according to the announcement […] Hemp producer, marijuana software firm receive Canadian federal grants is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs read more
Snopes.com11 hours ago
No, UNICEF Didn’t Say Blocking Kids From Porn Violates Their Rights
Misleading headlines distorted a discussion paper about digital tools and human rights. read more
War News Updates11 hours ago
60 Members Of The US Congress Targeted In Latest Ransomware Hack
*Daily Mail:** Cyber criminals target Congress: 60 members from both parties are left UNABLE TO ACCESS data for weeks in latest ransomware hack* * In latest ransomware attack, members of Congress are hacked * At least 60 lawmakers left unable to access constituent data for weeks * Target was iConstituent, a tech vendor that provides constituent services * Issue is still being resolved as lawmaker frustration grows * Unclear who is responsible for attack * US government and companies have been targeted by Russian cyber hackers * President Biden will discuss matter with Put... read more
The Rio Times11 hours ago
Rio de Janeiro collects billions in CEDAE concession but debt to federal government not settled
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Despite having collected R$18.2 billion with the auction of the State Company for Water and Sewage (CEDAE) concession, Rio de Janeiro has not yet reimbursed the federal government for the loan taken out with BNP Paribas, which matured in late 2020 and was paid off by the federal government. The […] The post Rio de Janeiro collects billions in CEDAE concession but debt to federal government not settled appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
War News Updates11 hours ago
Is China Making A Strategic Mistake In Retaliating Against Europe?
*CNBC: **China made a ‘huge strategic blunder’ in retaliating against Europe, former U.S. negotiator says* * China imposed sanctions on 10 European Union politicians and four other entities in March. * Beijing was retaliating for Western sanctions on Chinese officials accused of severe human rights abuses in Xinjiang. * In response, the European Parliament last month paused the ratification of a new investment pact with China until Beijing lifted sanctions on the EU. China made a “huge strategic blunder” when it retaliated against Europe by imposing sanctions on EU polit... read more
CFACT12 hours ago
Judge Benitez: AR-15 is constitutionally protected
On the podcast today, Gabriella discusses the California federal judge who ruled AR-15s are constitutionally protected & why it's important to protect Alaska hunting rights. The post Judge Benitez: AR-15 is constitutionally protected appeared first on CFACT. read more
CFACT12 hours ago
False Fauci Covid narrative a microcosm of climate lies
Dr. Anthony Fauci has had a bad month. The post False Fauci Covid narrative a microcosm of climate lies appeared first on CFACT. read more
The Duran12 hours ago
US DOJ finds $2.3M in Bitcoin from Colonial Pipeline hack in…California
US DOJ finds $2.3M in Bitcoin from Colonial Pipeline hack in…California ****News Topic 434***** US says it seized $2.3 million in bitcoin from ransom Colonial Pipeline paid to ‘Russia-based’ hackers US says it seized $2.3 million in bitcoin from ransom Colonial Pipeline paid to ‘Russia-based’ hackers The US Department of Justice has managed to track […] read more
MJBizDaily12 hours ago
Connecticut Senate passes adult-use marijuana bill; House up next
The Connecticut Senate, by a close 19-17 margin, passed a bill early Tuesday that would legalize recreational marijuana, with sales expected to begin in spring 2022. Connecticut Senate passes adult-use marijuana bill; House up next is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs read more
Many of the uber-rich pay next to no income tax
Yahoo News WASHINGTON (AP) — The rich really are different from you and me: They’re better at dodging the tax man. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos... The post Many of the uber-rich pay next to no income tax appeared first on From the Trenches World Report. read more
Pennsylvania health officials say recent flu season was one of mildest on record
WFMZ 69 (The Center Square) – The 2021 flu season which was the one of the mildest on record for Pennsylvania, state health officials revealed... The post Pennsylvania health officials say recent flu season was one of mildest on record appeared first on From the Trenches World Report. read more
Dr. David Martin – How Did We Get Here?
HealthImpactNews June 8th, 2021. Presentation given by Dr. David Martin at the “Free & Brave” Conference held at the Church of Glad Tidings in May,... The post Dr. David Martin – How Did We Get Here? appeared first on From the Trenches World Report. read more
Gregory Mannarino, AM 6/8/21: "Inflation Indicators Continue To Rise; Important Market Updates"
Gregory Mannarino, AM 6/8/21: *"Inflation Indicators Continue To Rise; * *Important Market Updates"* - https://traderschoice.net/ read more
Econlib12 hours ago
Tax Maximizers: Good Greed and Bad Greed
Greed is good or useful when greedy people automatically serve the interests of their fellow humans; exchange on free markets is the paradigmatic case. Greed is bad when it works by exploiting or dominating others, including through political force or deceit. At least, that is the way an economist would think if he is willing […] The post Tax Maximizers: Good Greed and Bad Greed appeared first on Econlib. read more
Lawfare13 hours ago
The Invisible Rules That Govern Police Use of Force
Police car. (André Gustavo Stumpf, https://flic.kr/p/aeiims; CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) As calls for reform intensify in the aftermath of police violence, police departments can be expected to fiercely resist proposed changes that look anything like rules. I recently published a paper that shares the responses of officers who were asked the question: “Can use-of-force practices be reduced to hard and fast rules that limit office discretion?” The response, to summarize, was an emphatic no. Those interviewed thought that hard and fast rules would underm... read more
Econlib13 hours ago
COVID, and Stimuli, and Keynes, oh my!
While it is expected to get more spending during emergencies, the assumption behind the increase is that the increase will not be sustained in the future. You wouldn’t know it based on the Biden administration’s recent budget request. While the recession is receding and the economy is quickly moving toward full employment, the document shows […] The post COVID, and Stimuli, and Keynes, oh my! appeared first on Econlib. read more
Lawfare13 hours ago
Preserving Liberal Democratic Institutions Through Engagement
Flags of member nations flying at United Nations Headquarters. (UN Photo/Joao Araujo Pinto, https://flic.kr/p/63Cwic; CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/) To many in Washington, the rise of China and the revanchism of Russia herald the return of great power competition. To many more, including the United States’s allies and partners, whose proximity to Russia and China necessitate a hyperfocus on great power competition, President Biden’s announcement that “America is back” is a welcome opportunity to fend off the erosion of international norms that... read more
naked capitalism14 hours ago
The Front Lines of Climate Change: Cyclone Yaas and the Sundarbans
Cyclone Yaas smacked India and Bangladesh in late May. Its most severe impact was on the Sundarbans, the vast delta the two countries share. read more
CURMUDGUCATION8 hours ago
PA: Alert! New Attacks on Public Schools Happening Right Now
If you're a taxpayer in Pennsylvania, make some time to contact your Senator today. Two bills are reportedly being fast tracked, and both represent real threats to public education. SB 1 is a long wonky slog to read through involving changes in the established school operation rules, but here are the concerning parts. Under Section 7.1, we find Section 1717.1-A which establishes a Public Charter School Commission. The commission's purpose is "to act as an authorizer of high-quality public charter schools throughout this Commonwealth." The commission will have 7 members, all polit... read more
North Korea's Kim Jong-un: Did He Lose Weight?
*Stephen Silver* *North Korea, Asia* Kim Jong-un, perhaps needless to say, does not publicly release his medical records. But he has been overweight for virtually his entire time in the public eye, and both his father and grandfather, his predecessors as ruler of North Korea, are believed to have died of heart attacks. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently made his first public appearance in some time, and North Korea watchers are abuzz over what appears to be the dictator’s recent weight loss. According to NK News, some of those who follow North Korea made note of Kim lookin... read more
A Small Security Investment in Africa Could Pay Enormous Dividends
*Michael Rubin* *Africa, Africa* Rwanda’s successful deployment in the Central African Republic provides a crucial lesson for the United States as well as a conflict-prevention model that the U.S. should seek to replicate. The call came shortly before Christmas. Rebels aligned with François Bozizé, a former president of the Central African Republic from 2003 until 2013, were advancing on Bangui, the country’s capital. At stake was not only security in a country susceptible to terrorism challenges, but also control over the country’s vast resources—diamonds, gold, timber, and per... read more
Israel’s Attack on Natanz Reveals Iran’s Nuclear Duplicity
*Hans Rühle* *Iran, Middle East* With the destruction of the underground part of the nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, Israel’s shadow war against Iran, which has been escalating for some time, has reached its climax for the time being. On April 11, Iran reported an “incident” at the Natanz nuclear facility that completely shut down its power supply. Initially, no explanation was given. However, on the very next day, several Iranian officials spoke of “sabotage” by a “terrorist attack.” Iranian leaders initially tried to create the impression that the damage was minimal and ... read more
Wanna Know Why Joe Biden Is Smiling? His 'Stimulus Checks' Worked.
*Stephen Silver* *Stimulus Check, * [image: Joe Biden All Smiles] The CEO of Bank of America laid out more of what’s going on in the economy this past weekend in an appearance on CBS’ Sunday morning show “Face the Nation.” The stimulus packages that have passed since the start of 2020 have had all sorts of effects on the lives of Americans. A University of Michigan study earlier this month found that the stimulus from the December 2020 relief package and the March 2021 stimulus have significantly reduced financial hardship, especially among the poorest Americans. There have also... read more
End war on nature and ensure ocean health, UN chief says in message for World Oceans Day
Ending the “war on nature” must be part of global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday in his message for World Oceans Day. Read the full story, “End war on nature and ensure ocean health, UN chief says in message for World Oceans Day”, on globalissues.org → read more
Chilliest Spring in years is cold comfort as CO2 emissions rise: WMO
Confirmation that Europe has just had its chilliest Spring in years is cold comfort for the planet, amid rising greenhouse gas levels which will bring negative impacts for generations to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday. Read the full story, “Chilliest Spring in years is cold comfort as CO2 emissions rise: WMO”, on globalissues.org → read more
Snopes.com11 hours ago
Tearful Reunion After Mom Saw Photo of Daughter at US Border
It was a fairy tale ending — for the moment — to a complicated story, one that began in Honduras and with an unhappy relationship. read more
Would the Air Force Really Buy Less F-35s?
*Mark Episkopos* *F-35, * The talking points argued that not only has the F-35 failed to reach its operating cost of $4.1 million per unit per year, but Air Force officials are increasingly skeptical that this goal is attainable at all. As it charts its acquisition plans into the coming decades, the U.S. Air Force races to contain the costs of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program. Budget talking points obtained by *Air Force Magazine* reportedly show that the Air Force will propose a ten percent cut to its projected F-35 purchases. The talking points, prepared for Chief of Staff... read more
Israel's F-35 Stealth Fighters: The Ultimate Weapon Against Iran?
*Mark Episkopos* *F-35I Adir, Middle East* Nominally, the IAF joined Falcon Strike 2021 to hone joint operations capabilities with allies and to train aircraft maneuvers in an unfamiliar setting. But an IAF officer reportedly admitted off the record that there is a more immediate purpose to these exercises. Israel’s F-35I Adir fighters have taken part in drills in Italy, marking their first foreign outing. Six of the jets departed on Thursday to participate in the Falcon Strike 2021 exercises. Accompanying the F-35’s are16A/Bs from the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IAF) 116th Squadron... read more
The Rio Times12 hours ago
Risk of Covid-19 infection halved 13 days after 1st Pfizer/BioNTech dose – Israel study
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Between the 13th and 24th day after the first dose, the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine reduces risk of infection by the novel coronavirus by 51.4%, according to a study conducted in Israel and published on Monday, June 7, in JAMA scientific journal (Journal of the American Medical Association). The efficacy for […] The post Risk of Covid-19 infection halved 13 days after 1st Pfizer/BioNTech dose – Israel study appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Rio Times12 hours ago
Brazil lost nearly 10 million entrepreneurs to pandemic
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The number of Brazilians with a business established for at least 3.5 years plummeted from 22.3 million in 2019 to 12 million in 2020. The drop was not higher because of the increase in the number of startup entrepreneurs who opened a small business "out of necessity" because of unemployment. […] The post Brazil lost nearly 10 million entrepreneurs to pandemic appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Rio Times12 hours ago
Vehicle production stagnates in Brazil due to semiconductor shortage
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Brazil produced 192,800 vehicles in May, an increase of only 1% compared to April, a stagnation attributed to the global crisis in the supply of semiconductors, the sector's employers' association reported on Tuesday. However, the increase in production is notably higher when compared to May 2020 (347.6%), when most of […] The post Vehicle production stagnates in Brazil due to semiconductor shortage appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Unvaccinated Cadets at West Point Forced to Live in Tent for Summer Training
Parents of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy report leadership is forcing 37 unvaccinated cadets to live in a single tent for Cadet Field Training during the months of June and July. The post Unvaccinated Cadets at West Point Forced to Live in Tent for Summer Training appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
CURMUDGUCATION12 hours ago
IN: Voucher Increase To Serve Church, Not Taxpayers
*Today's Catholic (Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend) *offers an article that gives a good picture of what vouchers really do. After all the rhetoric about choice and free exercise of religion, what are taxpayers really paying for? Indiana has had a huge voucher program for ten years, and this year, the state budget included a big expansion of the program. The Indiana Catholic Conference lobbied for that expansion, which would "give more middle-income parents the option to choose a faith-based education for their children." Well, yes, because six-figure income families ... read more
War News Updates12 hours ago
Peru Presidential Election -- News Updates June 8, 2021
*BBC: **Peru election: Fujimori cries foul as she falls behind in count* The right-wing candidate in Peru's presidential election, Keiko Fujimori, alleges there have been "signs of fraud" in Sunday's run-off election. "There is a clear intention to boycott the popular will," she said without offering detailed evidence. She made the allegation after her left-wing rival, Pedro Castillo, pulled past her in the vote count. With 96.8% of the votes counted, Mr Castillo has a razor-thin lead of 0.5 percentage points. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor:* With 96.8% of the votes cou... read more
The Rio Times12 hours ago
Health minister assures that Copa América “is not a risk” for Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Brazil's Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, asserted on Tuesday, June 8, that the hosting of the Copa América soccer tournament in the country "is not a risk" for the population, since the health safety protocols drawn up for the tournament "are safe". Queiroga appeared before a Senate committee investigating possible […] The post Health minister assures that Copa América “is not a risk” for Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Snopes.com12 hours ago
Is Walmart Going Bagless on July 1?
Walmart has implemented some bagless initiatives over the years. read more
Jane Goodall: Humanity Must Embark on ‘New Relationship With Natural World’
Renowned conservationist and primatologist Jane Goodall said in an interview humanity must seize the coronavirus pandemic as a turning point to forge "a new relationship with the natural world" and urgently chart a different course. The post Jane Goodall: Humanity Must Embark on ‘New Relationship With Natural World’ appeared first on Children's Health Defense. read more
Caitlin Johnstone14 hours ago
Tom Cotton Explains Why Warmongers Love The Wuhan Lab Leak Theory
Listen to a reading of this article: At a recent appearance on Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton took a break from masturbating to drone bombing footage to explain what it is he and his fellow psychopathic warmongers love so much […] read more
Clay Roueche Rising
I saw a recent YouTube video about Clay Roueche that pretty much remixed the old article in the Rolling Stone magazine referring to him as the King of BC Bud and I thought it was time to give an update as a lot has happened since then. The video starts off with a quote from Susan Roe the US District Attorney involved with his illegal arrest stating that "He is an accomplished businessman. He did have a sophisticated business plan and had he been a legitimate businessman he could have been very successful." That sounds more like a letter of reference than a complaint. Marc Emery ... read more
The FBI may very well possess most Bitcoin private keys, other passwords in the world
The U.S. and China are among countries whose governments are planning to restrict the cryptocurrency activities. On the other hand, a confederacy of 25,000 gang members known as El Salvador claimed to adopt the Bitcoin as an official currency (these criminals have been using crypto for a long time so it's not really news). Another great friend of the U.S., Iran's mullah-in-chief, has also called for the legalization of the Bitcoin (Iran and North Korea have used Bitcoin to circumvent sanctions etc., too). Meanwhile, Donald Trump said that the Bitcoin seemed like a scam – and a thing... read more
JAMA editor not woke enough?
I have no horse in this race--but JAMA is a journal I read often and is frequently quoted in the media. "Mike Davis, founder and president of Unsilenced Majority, today released the following statement regarding the firing of Dr. Howard Bauchner, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). “You would think that in the middle of a pandemic, the Journal of the American Medical Association would be focused more on its medical reporting and less on woke nonsense, but you’d be wrong. The firing of its top editor speaks to the priorities that have infec... read more
Father Now a Paraplegic After Police Shot Him in the Back for Holding a Bottle of Water
[image: water]A father in the midst of a mental health crisis was "armed" only with a bottle of water when police opened fire on him, hitting him in the spine. read more
Lava cuts off famous viewing hill of eruption near Fagradalsfjall in Geldingadalur, Iceland
The famous viewing hill providing a glimpse of the ongoing volcanic eruption site near Fagradalsfjall in Geldingadalur, Iceland, has been cut off as lava has made its way through the hiking trail on Monday, June 7, 2021. The spectacular sight of a volcano spewing...... Read more » read more
The Rio Times12 hours ago
Analysis: Peru markets and miners fear Castillo, see silver lining in split vote
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – (REUTERS) Peru’s market and mining watchers are wary of a presidential election victory for socialist Pedro Castillo, who was building a narrow lead on Monday, but see a potential silver lining: a sharply split vote could hinder his plans for dramatic reforms. The leftist candidate has rattled miners and investors […] The post Analysis: Peru markets and miners fear Castillo, see silver lining in split vote appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Eastward March of Alexander and Octavian
When Alexander became the King of Macedonia in 336 BC, he had no doubt in which direction he had to march his military for gaining everlasting glory: East. He didn’t waste a moment in thinking of marching into Western Europe. East was where all the fabulous cities were located. East was where he would go. Tutored by Aristotle and other great teachers of Macedonia and Athens, Alexander knew about Herodotus’s glowing account of the wealth and splendor of Persia, and the grandeur of Egypt, which was conquered by the Persians in the 6th century BC. He knew about plays like *The Bacchae... read more
The Rio Times13 hours ago
Brazil’s Nubank raises investment from Buffett, others; market valuation hits US$30 billion
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Nubank has closed two extensions of the Series G investment made earlier this year, which total US$750 million. The amount is almost double the US$400 million raised in the February investment round. The largest investor in this round was Berkshire Hathaway, owned by mega-investor Warren Buffett, which contributed US$500 million. […] The post Brazil’s Nubank raises investment from Buffett, others; market valuation hits US$30 billion appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
War News Updates13 hours ago
French President Emmanuel Macron Slapped In The Face During A Walkabout
*Daily Mail:* *President Macron is SLAPPED in the face during walkabout in France: Man shouting 'Down with Macronia' is bundled to the ground and arrested* *The man, who took the French President by the arm, shouted: 'A Bas La Macronie' as he delivered the blow* Bodyguards quickly seized upon the assailant and bundled him to the ground amid gasps from the crowd Macron was hauled to safety by one of his guards but was later seen returning to the barrier to get a word in Two people were arrested following the attack outside a college in the Drome region Macron was visiting Mac... read more
How Palestinian Resistance Altered The Equation
The ceasefire on May 21 has, for now, brought the Israeli war on Gaza to an end. However, this ceasefire is not permanent and constant Israeli provocations anywhere in Palestine could reignite the bloody cycle all over again. Moreover, the Israeli siege on Gaza remains in place, as well as the Israeli military occupation and the rooted system of apartheid that exists all over Palestine. The post How Palestinian Resistance Altered The Equation appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
What happened in the Israeli police ‘torture room’ in Nazareth?
Multiple sworn affidavits from the past few weeks testify to rampant, systemic Israeli police attacks and brutal beatings of Palestinian citizens of Israel – protesters, minors, innocent bystanders, and even attorneys – inside the city's police station; floor of 'torture room' was covered in blood from violent police beatings. read more
The New Dark Age13 hours ago
Tom Cotton Explains Why Warmongers Love The Wuhan Lab Leak Theory
At a recent appearance on Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton took a break from masturbating to drone bombing footage to explain what it is he and his fellow psychopathic warmongers love so much about the hypothesis that Covid-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory. read more
The Duran13 hours ago
Putin: US “Walking The Soviet Union’s Path And Its Gait Is Confident and Steady”
Putin: US “Walking The Soviet Union’s Path And Its Gait Is Confident and Steady” News Topic 179 Pandemic, opposition and US path: what Putin said to heads of news agencies Pandemic, opposition and US path: what Putin said to heads of news agencies ST. PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday expressed […] read more
Israel Carries Out Detention Campaign Against Prominent Palestine Activists
Israeli occupation forces and police carried out a detention campaign against journalists and activists in Sheikh Jarrah over the weekend, Arab48 and agencies reported. As part of the campaign, occupation forces raided the house of the prominent activist Muna El-Kurd and detained her. They left a detention order for her brother Mohammed and he later handed himself into the detention centre where his sister was being held. Many other activists were either detained, summoned or beaten by police including Al Jazeera correspondent Givara Budeiri, who was beaten and detained while cov... read more
MORENA Party Leads Legislative Elections In Mexico
Mexico's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party is emerging as the winner of the legislative elections carried out on Sunday The party led by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) is expected to obtain between 190 and 203 seats in the Lower Chamber. The National Electoral Institute (INE) Counselor Lorenzo Cordova revealed that the preliminary voting range of MORENA goes from 34.9 to 35.8 percent, which would ensure between 190 and 203 legislators. After clarifying that the results offered are preliminary, Cordova noted that Morena leads the largest elections in the c... read more
Ice Age Now13 hours ago
Hilarious Video of Weatherman Dissing the Global-Warming Idiocy
Ice-Age Watch in Australia. They just suffered an all-time record cold May and endured “record-challenging” amounts of snow. Anchor describes the early opening of several ski areas due to unusual amounts of snow an unusual cold. Laughs that ski areas are giving out global warming ski passes. Winter has arrived early, he says, but politicians ... Read more The post Hilarious Video of Weatherman Dissing the Global-Warming Idiocy appeared first on Ice Age Now. read more
Resistance And Aid
In the villages, cities and regions of Rojava, in the predominantly Kurdish north east of Syria, political upheaval has resulted in the largely decentralised self-administration of many areas, including health, economy, law, education and internal security. The Rojava revolution led to both the secularisation and democratisation of institutions that had, until then, been controlled by an elitist-centralist national state. But what exactly does this mean? How is Rojava’s decentralisation expressed in everyday life? Located in north eastern Rojava, Amûdê County demonstrates what dec... read more
Rural Teacher Pedro Castillo Poised To Write A New Chapter In Peru’s History
With his wide-brimmed peasant hat and oversized teacher’s pencil held high, Peru’s Pedro Castillo has been traveling the country exhorting voters to get behind a call that has been particularly urgent during this devastating pandemic: “No más pobres en un país rico” - No more poor people in a rich country. In a cliffhanger of an election with a huge urban-rural and class divide, it appears that the rural teacher, farmer and union leader is about to make history by defeating--by less than one percent--powerful far-right candidate Keiko Fujimori, scion of the country’s political “Fuj... read more
Mass Direct Action By Water Protectors Halts Construction Of Line 3 Pipeline
Northern Minnesota— In Minnesota’s largest ever anti-pipeline mobilization, water protectors Monday morning halted construction of Enbridge’s Line 3 toxic tar sands pipeline. Over 1000 people marched with Indigenous leaders to the headwaters of the Mississippi River for a treaty ceremony at the site where the pipeline is proposed to cross. Further south, over 500 Indigenous people, allies, and celebrities shut down an active Line 3 pump station in a massive direct action in solidarity with the Giniw Collective, an Indigenous women, two-spirit-led frontline land defense group. The... read more
OrientalReview.org14 hours ago
Russia Will Help Lead The Global Economic Recovery After COVID-19
President Putin’s keynote speech at this year’s SPIEF was remarkable because the in-person event represented the first such large-scale international economic one since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis early last year. It therefore shows that everything is eventually normalizing across the world but that much work still remains to […] read more
Why Cutting off Aid to Hamas Is Insufficient
*Julia Schulman* *United Nations, Middle East* Congress should take concrete steps to ensure that UNRWA does not become a pass-through for funding to terrorists. Hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid is pouring in from around the world to rebuild Gaza after the recent war between Israel and over a dozen Palestinian terrorist groups. But rebuilding a territory that is controlled by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, is complicated. American laws place conditions on the flow of funds. But it’s not that simple. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN agen... read more
$391,000,000,000 and Counting: More Stimulus Checks Are Still Going Out
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Stimulus Check, * The latest tranche of coronavirus stimulus checks sent out by the Internal Revenue Service has boosted the total number of payments to one hundred sixty-seven million with a value of $391 billion. The latest tranche of coronavirus stimulus checks sent out by the Internal Revenue Service has boosted the total number of payments to one hundred sixty-seven million with a value of $391 billion. And, once again, the newest batch included a sizeable number of the so-called “plus-up” or supplemental payments, many of which are still in transit to t... read more
The Reason Why So Much of the Internet Was Down This Morning
*Stephen Silver* *Fastly Outage, * [image: Joe Biden Stimulus Cash] Early on Tuesday morning, a long list of major websites, including those of the New York Times and the British government, went offline, although service was restored within hours. Early on Tuesday morning, a long list of major websites, including those of the New York Times and the British government, went offline, although service was restored within hours. What was it that caused this outage? According to the Associated Press, it was caused by an outage at Fastly, a cloud service used by a large chunk of the ... read more
Win Without Fighting? Sun Tzu, and History, Says You Can
*James Holmes* *Military Strategy, * How the U.S. Navy came to the seas without fighting a war over them. *Here's What You Need to Remember: * America did so by making itself the strongest contender in the New World, harnessing its burgeoning industrial might to build a navy able to command the waters Washington cared about most. And it took advantage of new threats gathering in Europe. Westerners make much of China’s obsession with “winning without fighting.” As though any sane statesman, Eastern or Western, relishes losing or longs to take up arms with all the dangers, hardshi... read more
These 5 Iconic Firearms Left Their Mark on History
*Kyle Mizokami* *Guns, World* Even today, soldiers need enough reliable firepower to get the job done. *Here's What You Need to Know*: These rifles delivered a lot of firepower and were used by armies across the globe. Modern warfare has seen breathtaking advances in the last hundred years, as mortal competition between nations spawns successively deadlier weapons. Aircraft, missiles, tanks, submarines and other inventions—many of which did not exist in practical terms in 1914—have quickly earned key positions in the militaries of the world. Yet there is still one invention that... read more
China, Be Afraid: The U.S. Navy Is Upping It's Game With 20 New Destroyers
*Kris Osborn* *U.S. Military, * The number of destroyers now being built by the Navy is itself quite significant. Yet of even greater significance is the fact that many of the emerging Navy Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 destroyers are new, far more capable Flight III DDG 51 configurations. While the world takes notice of China’s visible and massive Naval expansion, the U.S. Navy has quietly been powering up its own fleet of new warships by surging along with the construction of a new generation of high-tech, heavily armed DDG 51 Flight III Destroyers. The Navy has now formally “l... read more
Forget Occasional Stimulus Checks: Why Not Stimulus Checks EVERY Month
*Rachel Bucchino* *Stimulus Check, * It’s unlikely that Congress, considering the razor-thin margins in the House and Senate, would pass a UBI measure. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *Several congressional Democrats have pushed the Biden administration to pass a fourth-round or recurring direct payments until the pandemic is over, citing that Americans are still struggling to put food on the table and for basic needs like rent. Progressive lawmakers lauded the passage of the coronavirus stimulus payments after a new report indicated that the checks significantly decreased ha... read more
Russia and China vs. New B-21 Stealth Bomber: Who Wins?
*Kris Osborn* *B-21 Bomber, * Will B-21 air superiority hold up in the future and withstand the test of time when faced with evolving stealth-detecting enemy air defenses? As the first-of-its-kind B-21 stealth bomber prepares for its first few test flights in coming months, many suspect the new stealth platform is quite possibly a paradigm-changing breakthrough platform introducing unprecedented stealth characteristics, computing, sensing, and weapons technologies. The pace of technological change now informing new Russian and Chinese emerging weapons programs could correctly b... read more
$3,600 'Stimulus Check' For You? How the Child Tax Credit Actually Works.
*Trevor Filseth* *Child Tax Credit Explainer, * One of the larger relief programs included within the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021, was a temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit. The expanded credit provides $3000 to $3600 per child per year to the parent or parents, conditional on a number of other factors. One of the larger relief programs included within the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021, was a temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit. The expanded credit provides $3000 to... read more
Joe Biden's Stimulus Plan Working? One Big Bank Thinks So.
*Trevor Filseth* *Joe Biden Stimulus, * Is the economy recovering? The answer seems to depend on what metrics are used. Is the economy recovering? The answer seems to depend on what metrics are used. There is no question that things are slowly getting back to normal. As more Americans receive their vaccine doses, lockdowns are being lifted around the country. Most of the smaller states – typically those with conservative governments – have already ended pandemic restrictions. Even the larger ones have followed suit; California, the largest state, is scheduled to fully reopen on... read more
The Century of Humiliation? China Says "Never Again"
*James Holmes* *China, Asia* The last century of invasion and foreign interference in China guides much of the Middle Kingdom's thinking today. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *Party prelates want to impress not just on the Chinese people but also on foreign audiences—including Japanese—that *China is back* in a big way. The Pentagon proclaims that an age of long-term strategic competition among great powers is upon us. How long is *long*, though? Very long, maybe. To see why juxtapose two anniversaries that fell during this year, both of equal moment for contemporary Asia. ... read more
Your Money Is Here: IRS Dropped Nearly 3 Million Unemployment Tax Refunds
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *U.S. Economy, Americas* The IRS has stated that roughly ten million Americans likely overpaid on their unemployment taxes last year and could be set to receive refunds. The coronavirus stimulus checks may be in their final weeks but it appears that the Internal Revenue Service has come through in a big way to financially assist millions of still-struggling Americans. The agency announced this past weekend that more than 2.8 million refunds for 2020 unemployment benefits were sent out to eligible Americans. To date, the IRS has confirmed that it has reviewed ... read more
As more climate migrants cross borders seeking refuge, laws will need to adapt
Climate migrants don’t fit neatly into the legal definitions of refugee or migrant, and that can leave them in limbo. The Biden administration is debating how to identify and help them. read more
The Rio Times13 hours ago
Buenos Aires announces start of Covid-19 vaccination process for people over age 50
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The city of Buenos Aires started this Tuesday, June 8, the vaccination process for people over 50 years of age, with the opening of the register where those interested can sign up and request an appointment to receive the first dose of the vaccine, informed the Buenos Aires Minister of […] The post Buenos Aires announces start of Covid-19 vaccination process for people over age 50 appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
War News Updates13 hours ago
What Is A Fair Price For An Air Force Part? Boeing Charged Japan 1,500% Markup On KC-46 Tanker Plane Part
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Keith MacDonald, director of operations, National Guard Bureau, lands a KC-46 at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, Dec. 11, 2020. (Tech. Sgt. Aaron Vezeau/U.S. National Guard) *Japan Times/Bloomberg:* *Boeing charged Japan 1,500% markup on plane part, U.S. Air Force says* Boeing Co. charged the Japanese government an “excessive” price for some spare parts for its refueling tanker plane, as much as 16 times more than the U.S. Air Force paid for its latest versions, according to a service assessment. In one example involving an April $79 mi... read more
The Rio Times13 hours ago
Brazil-based CVC travel operator considering potential stock offering
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - CVC Brasil (CVCB3) reports that on June 7 it hired BTG Pactual (BPAC11) and Citi Group to provide financial advisory services for a potential primary stock offering. Latin America's largest travel operator clarifies that it has not yet formally approved or defined the execution of the stock offering, so no […] The post Brazil-based CVC travel operator considering potential stock offering appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
MintPress News13 hours ago
Rural Teacher Pedro Castillo Poised to Write a New Chapter in Peru’s History
In a cliffhanger of an election with a huge urban-rural and class divide, it appears that the rural teacher, farmer and union leader is about to make history by defeating--by less than one percent--powerful far-right candidate Keiko Fujimori. The post Rural Teacher Pedro Castillo Poised to Write a New Chapter in Peru’s History appeared first on MintPress News. read more
IER14 hours ago
Biden Approves California Offshore Wind Units
President Biden has cleared the way for wind turbines off the coast of California. Logistical challenges posed by a deep… The post Biden Approves California Offshore Wind Units appeared first on IER . read more
Modern Tokyo Times14 hours ago
Burkina Faso is a neglected crisis: Vast numbers need help
Burkina Faso is a neglected crisis: Vast numbers need help Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The recent massacre of over 160 people in Burkina Faso by Sunni Islamists is a grim reminder of the daily suffering of so many people. Hence, the number of internally displaced refugees in Burkina Faso is […] The post Burkina Faso is a neglected crisis: Vast numbers need help first appeared on Modern Tokyo Times. read more
MintPress News14 hours ago
Dan Cohen on the Israeli Operatives Behind some of Colombia’s Most Violent Death Squads
Although on opposite sides of the world from each other, Colombia and Israel have much in common. Among other similarities, they are both key outposts of U.S. power in their regions, helping make their neighborhood safe for American businesses and American profits. The post Dan Cohen on the Israeli Operatives Behind some of Colombia’s Most Violent Death Squads appeared first on MintPress News. read more
the daily howler7 hours ago
NORRIS EMERGES: Where to begin?
*TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021* *Langston Hughes started with rivers: *In some accounts, the current moment started with the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. In other accounts, the current moment started with the murder of George Floyd, last year. However you want to tell the story, the current moment can be quite intense. On Sunday, the Washington Post's Michele Norris was saying, in a long essay, that we need to have "a national conversation on race"—an undefined type of national conversation which could take decades, she said. Does that proposal make sense? Putting it anothe... read more
The Rio Times13 hours ago
Analysis: Global agreement to tax multinationals would yield Brazil US$1 billion
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Brazil could raise US$1 (R$ 5.03) billion in additional tax revenue per year by imposing the minimum global tax rate of 15% on Brazilian multinationals, under a proposed tax deal that may be given the go-ahead by the G-20 in Venice (Italy) in July. The estimate is from the European […] The post Analysis: Global agreement to tax multinationals would yield Brazil US$1 billion appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Cop Acquitted Despite Video of Him Breaking Man’s Jaw with a Flashlight Over Loud Music
[image: flashlight]Despite graphic video showing a cop pummel a man's face in with a flashlight, a judge just acquitted the officer with no jury. read more
Snopes.com13 hours ago
French President Macron is Slapped During Visit to Small Town
The incident occurred in the town of Tain-l’Hermitage. read more
The Rio Times13 hours ago
Bolsonaro wants to investigate if Brazilian state governors “exaggerate” Covid-19 deaths
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday, June 8, that he has decided to investigate whether some governors "exaggerated" the number of deaths caused by coronavirus in the country to obtain more resources from the federal government. The president had already stated on Monday that, according to a report by […] The post Bolsonaro wants to investigate if Brazilian state governors “exaggerate” Covid-19 deaths appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
"Wokeness" threatens the very foundations of American health care
A profoundly disturbing article uncovers the spread of "wokeness" and so-called "anti-racism" in the medical profession in America, and how it threatens patient care, research and many other critical elements. Here are a few excerpts. This dogma goes by many imperfect names — wokeness, social justice, critical race theory, anti-racism — but whatever it’s called, the doctors say this ideology is stifling critical thinking and dissent in the name of progress. They say that it’s turning students against their teachers and patients and racializing even the smallest interpersonal ... read more
War News Updates14 hours ago
Tweets Of The Day
Virus update: • AP: COVID prolonged foster care stays for thousands. • Kids 5 and up get shots in COVID vaccine tests. • WTO panel considers easing vaccine protections. • Nepal resumes its stalled virus vaccination program. More @AP coverage: https://t.co/8DZvkzm8ma — The Associated Press (@AP) June 8, 2021 U.S. report concluded COVID-19 may have leaked from Wuhan lab -WSJ https://t.co/WZ8vf3SlFL pic.twitter.com/N7qCc3jc6t — Reuters (@Reuters) June 8, 2021 #BREAKING World Bank raises 2021 global growth forecast to 5.6%, 1.5 points faster than projected in January pic.twitter.com/63... read more
bilaterals.org14 hours ago
China warns US against trade deal with Taiwan
08-Jun-2021 China has warned the United States against pursuing a trade deal with Taiwan after Washington signalled a possible resumption of economic talks with the self-ruled island. read more
War News Updates14 hours ago
Picture Of The Day
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing with a full room at the White House in Washington, June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Top Photos of the Day* (Reuters). read more
War News Updates14 hours ago
Global Web Outage Knocks Out Major Websites
Hundreds of websites worldwide are down this morning - with Amazon, Spotify and Amazon all experiencing issues. Millions of users across the globe have reported problems trying to access web pages, with Netflix, Twitch, and Pinterest also affected by the outage. While the reason for the crash remains unclear, it is likely the issue is with Fastly - a content delivery network (CDN) company that helps users view digital content more quickly. *Daily Mail: **The day the internet broke: Hundreds of websites worldwide including CNN, NYTimes, Amazon and Reddit go DOWN after outage at US ... read more
The Superrich Bought Up This Idaho Town and Regular Folks Now May Have to Live in Tents
Yahoo News – Daily Beast Affordable housing in Ketchum—the Idaho resort community adjacent to billionaire and celebrity playground Sun Valley—has been a problem for decades.... The post The Superrich Bought Up This Idaho Town and Regular Folks Now May Have to Live in Tents appeared first on From the Trenches World Report. read more
New Stimulus Check Update: The Very Real Reason Biden Could Do It
*Trevor Filseth* *Stimulus Check, * A new study conducted by the University of Michigan, citing the Household Pulse Survey put out by the U.S. Census Bureau, determined that the number of hungry Americans with urgent food insecurity decreased by roughly 40 percent from December 2020 until April 2021. As President Joe Biden’s two stimulus proposals – the American Families Plan and American Jobs Plan – make their way through the Senate, they have been subject to considerable modification. While the two plans were originally slated to spend a combined $4 trillion over the next ten y... read more
Why You Should Disable ‘Amazon Sidewalk’ on All Devices Before June 8
Children’s Health Defense – by Aimee Villella McBride On June 8, Amazon will activate Amazon Sidewalk, a mass wireless sharing network. Users of all Amazon... The post Why You Should Disable ‘Amazon Sidewalk’ on All Devices Before June 8 appeared first on From the Trenches World Report. read more
Tip of the Iceberg? County Officials Find 25% of COVID Deaths ‘Clearly Not Caused by COVID-19’
[image: death]Health officials in California's seventh largest county have examined COVID-19 deaths and found a massive over count. read more
AltHealthWorks.com14 hours ago
“Safe” Breast Implants Still Cause Life Threatening Side Effects Decades After Dow Corning Scandal, Survivors Warn
About 400,000 women undergo breast augmentation surgery each year, 75 percent of whom do so for cosmetic reasons and the rest for reconstruction after breast cancer, according to the Washington Post. These women place the utmost confidence in professionals that their health will be protected, but are the risks of modern-day implants being accurately conveyed? According to a coalition of activists and former implant recipients, the answer is a resounding “no.” And now, they’re pooling their resources and stories together in hopes of preventing other women from suffering them same h... read more
Halifax Examiner14 hours ago
The story of NSCAD president Aoife Mac Namara’s firing is as bad as we thought
News 1. Kayla Borden “Kayla Borden wasn’t just complaining about the two officers who handcuffed her last summer,” reports Zane Woodford. “She was complaining about the whole force.” El Jones first reported on Borden’s case back in July 2020. Borden was driving haplessly home from visiting with a relative, when she was stopped and swarmed […] read more
It's About Time
Major industrialized countries are experiencing labour shortages. John Harris writes: The US Chamber of Commerce is warning of a crisis affecting businesses “across every industry, in every state”. Angst is spreading about a lack of workers in Germany’s hospitality sector, and there are comparable issues in other countries such as Norway, Australia and Singapore. Meanwhile, despite unemployment at 1.6 million, the UK is experiencing its own labour problems, partly caused by the fact that 1.3 million foreign nationals have left the country in the last year. As consumer demand sur... read more
Small Dead Animals15 hours ago
Celebrate Canada Day While You Still Can
Whoops. Too late! What a time to be alive. read more
Viable Opposition15 hours ago
Vaccine Billionaires - The Real Winners in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began 15 months ago, those of us that are paying attention realize that the pandemic has made many of society's wealthiest human beings even wealthier than they were before governments took it upon themselves to shutter many businesses, leaving major physical and online stores to pickup business that formerly was key to the health of Main Street Americans who owned small retail outlets. One thing that we haven't heard very little about is the impact that the pandemic has had on a handful of vaccine company insiders, the subject of this posting. Th... read more
musingsofanoldfart16 hours ago
Dialogue by Chicago – the words still matter (a reprise)
Robert Lamm, of the wonderful band Chicago, penned a song more than forty years ago called “Dialogue” that could still ring true today. The song resonates with me and is one of my personal favorites of the band because of … Continue reading → read more
$8,000 'Stimulus Check'? How the Child Tax Credit Could Get You Paid.
*Trevor Filseth* *Child Tax Credit Stimulus, * Know this: The payment is not a payment in itself. Instead, it is a tax credit, deducted from the money that you owe to the IRS. For this credit, you can write off expenses related to the care of a child or other dependent, up to $8000 for a single child or up to $16,000 for two or more children. Three months after the American Rescue Plan Act was passed in March 2021, roughly 90 percent of the intended recipients have received their $1400 stimulus check – either in the mail, or through direct deposit, as the IRS recommends. Many ha... read more
Go Spend It: Biden’s Child Tax Credit Stimulus Is One Month Away
*Trevor Filseth* *Stimulus Payment, * It increased the credit from $2000 per year, its previous level, to between $3000 and $3600 per year, depending on the child’s age. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *In total, roughly 90 percent of families in the United States will be eligible for the payments. The government calculates that they will benefit more than 65 million children nationwide and lift 4.1 million of those children out of dire poverty. In mid-May, the Biden administration announced that the first of the Child Tax Credit checks would start to be sent out by Thursday, ... read more
Stimulus Check Red Alert: What Are the Odds of a New Stimulus Check?
*Rachel Bucchino* *Stimulus Check Update, * As several congressional Democrats have boosted pressure on the Biden administration to pass either a one-time direct check or recurring stimulus payments, White House press secretary Jen Psaki poured cold water on the idea last week. As several congressional Democrats have boosted pressure on the Biden administration to pass either a one-time direct check or recurring stimulus payments, White House press secretary Jen Psaki poured cold water on the idea last week. “He’s happy to hear from a range of ideas on what would be most effecti... read more
Genius: Short List of History's Best Military Strategists
*James Holmes* *History, World* These men changed the ways in which we understand warfare. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *They've stood the test of time. Ranking military strategists against one another is a slippery chore. Apart from the obvious differences among strategists—the historical epochs when they lived, the state of martial technology in their lifetimes, warmaking methods then in vogue—there's a more basic difference. Some strategists are mainly practitioners; others are mainly theorists. So how do you judge, say, a field soldier like General Ulysses S. Grant—a ... read more
Incomparable: George H.W. Bush Balanced Force and Restraint Like No Other
*James Holmes* *Foreign Policy, * The 41st President maintained a prudent foreign policy in a highly unstable period. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *Seeking the golden mean seemed to come natural to President Bush. Let's canvass historians and philosophers of old to see what they might take from reviewing his legacy as a man and a statesman. Start with the Greek-turned-Roman historian Plutarch. Plutarch’s enduring fame comes mainly from his “Parallel Lives,” capsule biographies of famous Greeks and Romans. He would pair up a Greek and Roman—say, Pericles, the first citize... read more
Get the Bank on the Phone: Your $16,000 'Stimulus Check' Is Coming Soon
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Stimulus, * [image: Biden Speech Stimulus] In what has been already tabbed as another round of coronavirus “stimulus” checks, millions of financially struggling parents stand to benefit from the expanded child tax credits under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. In what has been already tabbed as another round of coronavirus “stimulus” checks, millions of financially struggling parents stand to benefit from the expanded child tax credits under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. These potentially sizeable payments are slated to begin hitting ... read more
The USS Mississippi Battleship Nearly Blew Herself Up (Twice)
*Kyle Mizokami* *Battleships, Americas* It's one of the most intriguing naval coincidences of all time. *Here's What You Need to Know*: This battleship lived an eventful life. The USS *Mississippi* is home to one of the most intriguing naval coincidences of all time. Built while America was a neutral party in World War I, *Mississippi* sailed into the atomic age and later served as a massive test platform for surface-to-air missiles. Despite her forty years of service, *Mississippi* was bound to tragedy, experiencing two major accidents in the same turret, in the same gun, twenty... read more
Americans Must Resist Rising Anti-Semitism
*Robert L. Wilkie* *Anti-Semitism, * Israel has now replaced the United States as the home of the largest Jewish community on earth because the Jewish State is not afraid to fight back. As anti-Semitism raises its ugly head in the U.S., some Americans are also fighting back, but more should join them. As 3,000 rockets rained down on Israel, the world’s oldest hatred — anti-Semitism — reared its head in places once thought unimaginable. Mobs searched for Jews to attack in New York, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. Neighborhoods were terrorized, diners assaulted, and Americans wear... read more
The Rio Times15 hours ago
Social media and news websites disrupted
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Multiple Internet outages affected social media and news websites worldwide on Tuesday, June 8, with reports pointing to a glitch with U.S.-based Fastly cloud computing service. Fastly said it is investigating "the potential impact to service performance," according to the company's website, which said most of its coverage areas were […] The post Social media and news websites disrupted appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin Despite pandemic, level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hits historic levels“The 12 Million Mile Battery” WSJ - The Science Suggests a Wuhan Lab Leak The Covid-19 pathogen has a genetic footprint that has never been observed in a natural coronavirus. Oregon Republican told group how to get into state Capitol days before violent breachFire And Explosion Hit Iran Steel Mill In Third Such Incident In Five Days New reports reveal that Zhou Yusen, a military scientist for the People’s Liberation Army who died in May last year, had filed a patent for a Covid-19 vacc... read more
The Rio Times15 hours ago
What you need to know about the coronavirus in Asia/Oceania today (June 8)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - (REUTERS) Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus today: Australia's Melbourne eyes way out of lockdown Australia's Victoria state authorities said plans to ease Covid-19 restrictions in state capital Melbourne this week remained "on track" as new locally acquired cases declined on Tuesday. Victoria, Australia's second most populous […] The post What you need to know about the coronavirus in Asia/Oceania today (June 8) appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Snopes.com15 hours ago
Internet Down: Dozens of Major Sites Offline After Cloud Outage
Dozens of websites, from the New York Times to Reddit to the U.K. government's homepage, are down due to an outage at cloud service Fastly. read more
Mexican president suffers setback in country's deadliest election in decades
Thirty-six candidates were murdered since campaigning began in Mexico last September, including numerous members of the president's own Morena party. read more
MJBizDaily15 hours ago
Rolling Stone, Curaleaf to partner on cannabis products, Las Vegas store
Iconic pop-culture magazine Rolling Stone said Tuesday it’s going into business with Massachusetts-based Curaleaf, one of the largest cannabis multistate operators, to run a new marijuana product line and a retail store in Las Vegas. According to a news release, the New York-headquartered magazine and a Curaleaf brand are teaming up to produce a line […] Rolling Stone, Curaleaf to partner on cannabis products, Las Vegas store is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs read more
Why are You Not Getting a Fourth Stimulus Payment? Ask This Republican.
*Trevor Filseth* *New Stimulus Payment, * There are substantial political obstacles to advancing a fourth stimulus check. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *Even if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was able to corral the support of all House members and all fifty Senators, he would then be confronted by Republican opposition – for the Republicans remain overwhelmingly opposed to a fourth stimulus check – and the prospect of a Republican filibuster. As the COVID-19 recovery continues, there are growing doubts about the need for a fourth stimulus check. More than two h... read more

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