Sunday, December 12, 2021

12 - December - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

10 pm MST

War News Updates6 hours ago
Damaged Submarine USS Connecticut Pulls Into San Diego After Traveling From Guam In Secret
BREAKING: USS Connecticut (SSN 22) Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine coming into San Diego - note obvious damage to bow - December 12, 2021 #ussconnecticut #ssn22 pic.twitter.com/vNT7sTPzod — WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) December 12, 2021 *USNI News:* *USS Connecticut Pulls Into San Diego After Surface Transit From Guam* Attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) pulled into San Diego, Calif., Sunday morning after transiting the Pacific Ocean on the surface due to damage from a collision in the South China Sea. Ship spotter WarshipCam first posted a photo of the Seawolf-class at... read more
History is Rhyming Again
If the Qanon/election vigilante faction had an official motto other than the idiotic, "Stop the steal," it would be, "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers." As I've said several times before. it would be so easy to laugh off these Bozos as just that. Clowns. They took the pains to hide their faces like the terrorists they are, yet bragged about their exploits on social media. They simultaneously said there was no insurrection then it was carried out by the police/FBI/antifa/BLM as a false flag. They screamed they wanted to hang Mike Pence and sh... read more
The Last Refuge6 hours ago
Even ABC/IPSOS Cannot Manipulate Polls Heavily Enough to Protect Joe Biden from His Pro-crime and Hyper-Inflation Policies
ABC/IPSOS are trying hard, very hard, to provide cover for Joe Biden. [IPSOS Release Here – pdf data Here] However, even within what they call a “probability-based sample of pre-selected” Americans, aka “the knowledge panel“, the responses toward Joe Biden show a nationwide rejection of the White House occupant. A heavily weighted sample of 28% […] The post Even ABC/IPSOS Cannot Manipulate Polls Heavily Enough to Protect Joe Biden from His Pro-crime and Hyper-Inflation Policies appeared first on The Last Refuge. read more
Musical Interlude: 2002, "An Ocean Apart"
*Full screen recommended.* *2002, "An Ocean Apart"* read more
Medical Kidnap6 hours ago
The End is Near! Stand Firm!
The news is so gloomy these days, and the future looks so dark, that it is easy to be tempted to give up all hope, especially if you feel all alone and the people around you that you thought you knew, now are against you because you refuse to back down from the truth that at least to you, seems so obvious. So I want to pause for a minute, and just write a message of hope to all of you who feel so alone, and just encourage you that you are NOT alone, and that if you stand firm, brighter days are just ahead. The post The End is Near! Stand Firm! first appeared on Medical Kidnap. read more
The Rio Times8 hours ago
Covid-19: O Japão agora está rotulando “vacinas” da Covid para alertar sobre efeitos colaterais perigosos e potencialmente fatais, como miocardite
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL – O Japão agora está rotulando as “vacinas” da Covid para alertar sobre efeitos colaterais perigosos e potencialmente fatais, como miocardite. Além disso, o país está reafirmando seu compromisso com os requisitos de notificação de eventos adversos para garantir que todos os possíveis efeitos colaterais sejam documentados. Esses esforços da autoridade […] The post Covid-19: O Japão agora está rotulando “vacinas” da Covid para alertar sobre efeitos colaterais perigosos e potencialmente fatais, como miocardite appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
Staff Spotlight: Kadi Erickson
Join us in welcoming our wonderful new Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician, Kadi Erickson! She joined Bird Rescue during the Elegant Tern rescue operation and her support was (and continues to be) essential to rehabilitation success. Her favorite bird is the Black Skimmer. They hang around the California Least Tern Site where she monitors and occasionally nest ... Read more The post Staff Spotlight: Kadi Erickson appeared first on International Bird Rescue. read more
War News Updates6 hours ago
US Navy's Stealth Destroyer Covered In Rust
*Warzone/The Drive:* *The Navy's $9B Stealthy Super Destroyer Is Covered In Rust* *The controversial futuristic warship looked less than gleaming as it pulled into San Diego Bay recently. * The Navy's first of just three DDG-1000 destroyers, USS Zumwalt, continues its testing and training work off Southern California. The ship, which was commissioned five years ago, has been coming and going from San Diego Bay regularly for years now. The second ship in this small class of highly advanced warships, USS Michael Mansoor (DDG-1001), has also joined Zumwalt in San Diego for its own ... read more
"A Look to the Heavens"
“First came the trees. In the town of Salamanca, Spain, the photographer noticed how distinctive a grove of oak trees looked after being pruned. Next came the galaxy. The photographer stayed up until 2 am, waiting until the Milky Way Galaxy rose above the level of a majestic looking oak. From this carefully chosen perspective, dust lanes in the galaxy appear to be natural continuations to branches of the tree. Last came the light. A flashlight was used on the far side of the tree to project a silhouette. By coincidence, other trees also appeared as similar silhouettes across the rela... read more
On Calling for Johnson's Resignation
Unfortunately, Boris Johnson's address to the nation this Sunday evening wasn't to say sorry and announce his departure from Downing Street. Instead, he urged viewers to get their booster shots while announcing an expansion of the vaccination programme. Nothing about protecting schoolkids, but the army are getting called in to assist with strategic health planning so everything's okay. That he's the worst possible advocate for new Covid restrictions didn't ruffle his delivery, but probably explained why he plumped for a pre-recorded statement. That and the handy absence of reporter... read more
Chet Raymo, “Trying To Be Good”
*“Trying To Be Good”* by Chet Raymo “A few lines from Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese": "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." "I've quoted these lines before, if not here, then elsewhere. When I first read them back in the late 80s, they resonated with what I felt at the time. I had spent part of my earliest adulthood walking on my knees, both literally and metaphorically, seeking to tame what I took to be the animal... read more
‘Hitler’s Stealth Fighter’ Wasn’t Exactly Stealthy
*Sebastien Roblin* *Stealth Fighters, Europe* Maximizing speed and range, not stealth, was the primary motivation behind the bat-shaped jet plane. *Here’s What You Need to Remember: *The Ho 229 might have been a formidable adversary over the skies of World War II, but in truth the plane was far from ready for mass production by the war’s end. While it seems a stretch to claim that the Ho 229 was intended to be a stealth aircraft, there’s little doubt that it pioneered design features that continue to see use in low-observable aircraft today. Northrop Grumman revealed this year i... read more
Integrated Battle Command System: How the Army Plans to Share Information for War
*Kris Osborn* *U.S. Army, United States* The information-sharing platform uses a common networking protocol that ensures something like the ground-based radar of a Patriot missile system can exchange threat data with a AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar across wide swaths of terrain. *Key Point:* The Army often refers to its Integrated Battle Command System program as a key contribution to the Defense Department’s Joint All Domain Command and Control program The Army is on the cusp of deploying an air-defense system that can track multiple incoming enemy attacks from air, sea or land and... read more
The Best Fighters to Ever Launch From Aircraft Carriers
*Sebastien Roblin* *Fighter Jets, * The Mitsubishi A6M Zero, Vought F4U Corsair, F9F Panther, the many incarnations of the Harrier, and the F-4 Phantom. *Here’s What You Need to Remember: *And what of the awesome F-14 Tomcat, you ask? The Grumman F-14 Tomcat of Top Gun fame was indeed a superb air superiority fighter. However, the Tomcat’s saw most of its action as a land-based fighter in the service of the Iranian Air Force. Designing an airplane that can fly at high speeds lugging heavy weapons loads, and yet still takeoff and land on a short flight deck a few hundred meters l... read more
Your Sunday Evening Open Thread
Your Beloved Blog Editrix Turns Things Over to You, the Readers. Yes, a chance to throw together your own pile of links and oddities. read more
Iraq Announces End Of US Combat Mission
Iraqi groups expressed dissatisfaction and opposition to the official announcement of the end of the US combat mission in the country on Thursday, December 9, weeks before the deadline of December 31. The groups pointed to the official declaration by the US that no troops will be withdrawn from Iraq immediately but that the remaining troops will shift their mission to assisting and training the Iraqi forces. The groups have reiterated their demand for a complete withdrawal of foreign troops. Qasim al-Araji, Iraq’s national security advisor, tweeted, “today we finished the last rou... read more
Incarcerated Journalists Fought Isolation And Illness To Expose Abusive Conditions
In the summer of 2020 we launched a collaborative writing program to connect incarcerated writers with outside journalists and editors. Our goal was to help them publish their writing in mainstream media publications. We began only a few weeks after COVID-19 came into San Quentin State Prison, where Rahsaan lives. We knew that COVID-19 would be an incredible threat to people incarcerated, but were unprepared for the devastation and loss ahead. At San Quentin — which became home to the largest outbreak in the country — Rahsaan became infected with the virus and experienced the ment... read more
The End is Near! Stand Firm!
The news is so gloomy these days, and the future looks so dark, that it is easy to be tempted to give up all hope, especially if you feel all alone and the people around you that you thought you knew, now are against you because you refuse to back down from the truth that at least to you, seems so obvious. So I want to pause for a minute, and just write a message of hope to all of you who feel so alone, and just encourage you that you are NOT alone, and that if you stand firm, brighter days are just ahead. The post The End is Near! Stand Firm! first appeared on Health Impact News. read more
Barbados: The Long Road To The Republic
On November 30, 2021, on the 55th anniversary of its political independence, Barbados will become a republic. It is commonly assumed this was some sudden decision by Mia Mottley’s government. The most bizarre suggestion came from British voices, who asserted this had to do with Barbados tilting to China. But the roots of this change go back decades, and are anchored in the politics of the wider Caribbean. Forbes Burnham’s decision in 1970 to proclaim the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and Eric Williams’s push towards the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 1976, are the key preced... read more
Halifax Examiner7 hours ago
Health care, health care, health care: Tim Houston’s 2022 to-do list
The good news is that 4,369 Nova Scotians found a primary care provider last month. The bad news is that 5,511 other Nova Scotians added their names to the province’s we-need-a-family-doctor list during that same period. Welcome to the dark cloud inside every health care silver lining. The worst news is that, after you do […] read more
Understanding And Resisting The New Cold War
The Cold War aims to rationalize and justify the US government’s vast war budget, its sprawling system of more than 700 foreign military bases, and a variety of military, diplomatic, and economic operations against other nations. These other nations are assigned the role of “enemy” or “threat”, because they are attempting to follow a political and/or economic path that is different from what the US wants. Today the objects of the Cold War include China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran, North Korea, as well as others. The post Understanding And Resisting The New Cold War a... read more
Weapons Industry Is Jubilant About Biden’s Nominee For Arms Buyer
LaPlante is being poached directly from the military industry that is praising him, which he entered after serving in an acquisitions role under the Obama administration, where he was known for shepherding through major (and controversial) programs, such as the acquisition of the F‑35 fighter jet. By moving from government to industry, then back to government (should the Senate confirm him), all while the weapons industry cheers, LaPlante has spun through a well-trodden revolving door — a career trajectory that is entirely routine, but nonetheless scandalous. In a November 30 Whi... read more
Chris Wallace is just the beginning — Jeff Zucker is planning a major pivot at CNN
CNN’s head honcho, Jeff Zucker, is rumored to be planning a major pivot to the right in the first and second quarters of next year, presumably out of concern for the network’s badly tarnished brand in light of years of The post Chris Wallace is just the beginning — Jeff Zucker is planning a major pivot at CNN first appeared on The Buffalo Chronicle. read more
Mapped: Europe’s Fossil Fuel-Backed Hydrogen Lobby
Hydrogen has shot up the European legislative agenda in recent years, with politicians of all stripes touting its potential to help countries meet their climate goals. The UK government’s Hydrogen Strategy, launched in August, promises to develop a “thriving low carbon hydrogen sector” as a “key plank” of its climate plans, and the fuel was given pride of place at a “Hydrogen Transition Summit” hosted in Glasgow during the recent UN climate talks. But not all hydrogen is created equal, and environmental experts have raised concerns about the type of hydrogen being advocated – as w... read more
War News Updates7 hours ago
New Caledonia Rejects Independence From France
*France 24:* *‘Tonight France is more beautiful’: Macron hails New Caledonia’s rejection of independence* French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that "a period of transition" would begin for New Caledonia after voters overwhelmingly rejected independence, adding that "France is more beautiful" with the Pacific islands included. "A period of transition is beginning. Free from the binary choice of 'Yes' or 'No', we must now build a common project, while recognising and respecting the dignity of everyone," the head of state said in a recorded message. He said that the c... read more
MUSINGS ON IRAQ7 hours ago
This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 12
1922 Sir Herbert Samuel proposed UK create Arab state of Iraq Hijaz Palestine Trans-Jordan maybe Najd Samuel believed Arab state would contain pan-Arabism and contain fears of increased Jewish presence in Palestine 1932 Shiite leaders told Yasin Hashemi they would back him for PM if they got majority of cabinet posts 1969 Pres Bakr said no foreign agent of saboteur would remain in Iraq during show trials and executions in Baghdad Meant to rally support for regime 1973 Govt offered new autonomy plan for Kurds but rejected by Mustafa Barzani and KDP (Musings On Iraq r... read more
The Daily "Near You?"
Yorba Linda, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by! read more
"Lemons..."
"When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?" - Henry Rollins read more
“Are People Really Stupid?”
*“Are People Really Stupid?”* by Fred Russell “On the face of things – judging from the general level of knowledge and understanding, not to mention the intellectual pursuits, of most of the human race – one is tempted to say that the overwhelming majority of mankind lacks the intellectual capacity, the intelligence, to contribute to human progress. And it is in fact a very small elite that has carried us beyond Neanderthal Man, without whom, if the truth be told, we might still be living in caves. It is, in a word, appalling to contemplate the level at which ordinary people use th... read more
"Once We Begin..."
"The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less." - Arthur Miller read more
War News Updates7 hours ago
China Hypersonic Missile Engine Is ‘Based On A Design’ Abandoned By NASA
The Boeing Manta X-47C which was part of the abandoned NASA project now taken up by the Chinese. Handout *NYPost:* *China developing 6,000 mph hypersonic nuke missile ‘based on design’ ditched by NASA* China is developing a 6,000 mph hypersonic nuke missile engine which is reportedly based on a design abandoned by Nasa — as it forges ahead in an arms race with the West. A Chinese research team has built and tested a prototype based on a radical design by an American space agency scientist more than two decades ago. Most hypersonic aircraft have an engine at the belly. But th... read more
Throw 1000 Vaccine Virgins’ in the Volcano
And you might prevent one case. Not a hospitalization, or a trip to the ICU or a death, ONE CASE. Findings: The NNEs suggest that at least 1,000 unvaccinated people likely need to be excluded to prevent one SARS-CoV-2 transmission event in most types of settings for many jurisdictions, notably Australia, California, Canada, China, France, Israel,… Continue reading → read more
Greg Hunter, "2022 Trends, Predictions, Collapse, Covid & Wars"
*"2022 Trends, Predictions, Collapse, Covid & Wars"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Gerald Celente, a renowned trends researcher, is back this time to talk about what he is sees coming in 2022. There is the never ending Covid, Vax Wars, military wars, economic upheaval, and even new predictions on the future of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Ron DeSantis. We start with what needs to be done to defeat the tyranny of the vax war on the global population. Celente says, “Vax War,’ look at the protests going on in Austria. Look at the protests going on in Germany, Italy, in France ... read more
Japan Is Taking a Stronger Stance Against Chinese Claims in the Pacific
*Kris Osborn* *Japan Self-Defense Force, Japan* Alliances with the United States and other partners are heavily emphasized in the new paper, which cites the importance of a collective resolve formed to contain China. *Here's What You Need to Remember:* The white paper seems to indicate a clear gesture of support for the Pentagon’s Freedom of Navigation Operations by saying Japan supports the concept of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. A new Japanese defense white paper takes a strong stand against Chinese provocations, territorial claims and aggressive maneuvers. This appears to b... read more
How Did Russia’s T-90 Tanks Fare in Syria? Not Well
*Sebastien Roblin* *T-90 Tank, * But you would only know that if you followed the many less well publicized videos depicting the destruction or capture of T-90s by rebel and government forces. *Here’s What You Need to Remember: *Russia is reportedly planning to upgrade its T-90As—which are currently less advanced than the T-90MS’s in service with the Indian Army—to a T-90M variant with new hard-kill active protection systems, upgraded reactive armor, and a more powerful 2A82 main gun. Ultimately, the losses in Syria show that any tank—whether T-90, M-1 or Leopard 2—is vulnerable... read more
"Branding" is Key to Developing Strategic Concepts
*James Holmes* *Military Strategy, United States, World* Strategists being strategists, we often turn to history—or to historical figures—to help brand our ideas. The imagery stays with students—and so does the strategic concept. *Here's What You Need to Know*: Strategist are not exempt from marketing their ideas. Far from it. The jingle or ad campaign that administration officials, congressmen, or whatever important audience we’re targeting can’t get out of their heads. “Containment,” “offshore balancing,” “restrainment,” “congagement,” “frenemies,” and of course “Thucydides tra... read more
Slow Show Deterrence: Why a Hypersonic Solution Won’t Come Quickly
*Kris Osborn* *Hypersonic Missiles, Americas* New upgrades will make improvements to various Low- and Medium-Earth Orbit Satellites so that they are able to establish a continuous radar track of a weapon moving as quickly as five times the speed of sound. Is the seemingly impossible actually impossible? This kind of paradoxical thinking is behind some of the conceptual and design work related to tracking, stopping, and countering hypersonic missile attacks. This question continues to drive the Defense Department’s ambitious science and technology programs and advanced research p... read more
Let Them Drink Scotch
Financial Post- Beer shortage is a nightmare before Christmas for Australians The nation’s two biggest brewers — Lion and Carlton & United Breweries — have flagged protracted delays and lower production of some of the beer-loving country’s most popular brews due to supply chain problems. That’s sparked fears major retail chains might start imposing limits… Continue reading → read more
The Last Refuge8 hours ago
Swamp Gatekeeper Chris Wallace Leaving Fox News Effective Immediately for New Position at CNN
It was always Chris Wallace’s job to protect the DC interests by tamping down any sunlight upon corrupt UniParty politics. That’s the reason why CTH called Wallace the deep swamp ‘gatekeeper‘ for a decade. Wallace, the top player amid many such players at Fox News, was always a narrative platform provider to distribute media points […] The post Swamp Gatekeeper Chris Wallace Leaving Fox News Effective Immediately for New Position at CNN appeared first on The Last Refuge. read more
The Rio Times8 hours ago
Covid-19: Japan now insists vaccines warn of dangerous potential side effects such as myocarditis
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Japan is now labeling Covid vaccines to warn of dangerous and potentially deadly side effects such as myocarditis. In addition, the country is reaffirming its commitment to adverse event reporting requirements to ensure all possible side effects are documented. These efforts from Japan’s health authority are in stark contrast to […] The post Covid-19: Japan now insists vaccines warn of dangerous potential side effects such as myocarditis appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Duran9 hours ago
Russia Hints at Pending Ultimatum to West on NATO & Ukraine, West’s Resolve Crumbles
Russia Hints at Pending Ultimatum to West on NATO & Ukraine, West’s Resolve Crumbles News Topic 361 Foreign Ministry statement on dialogue with the United States and other Western countries regarding security guarantees Заявление МИД России о диалоге с США и другими странами Запада относительно выработки гарантий безопасности Отмечаем выраженную Президентом США Дж.Байденом в ходе […] read more
A Plea To Make Widespread Environmental Damage An International Crime
The campaign to make ecocide an international crime took center stage in the Hague on Tuesday as Bangladesh, Samoa and Vanuatu advocated criminalizing environmental destruction during a virtual forum at the annual meeting of the International Criminal Court’s 123 member nations. The forum, attended by more than 1,300 individual participants, represented a collective cry for justice from three of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries. It came less than a month after they and other developing nations pressed their claims at the United Nations climate talks in Glasgow for gre... read more
Bunkered in Basement and How You Can Help Tornado Victims
Two nights ago I was bunkered in my basement as tornado watches and warnings rolled through Kentucky. Fortunately the nearest known tornado was 30 miles away. Our community’s first reaction was shock and horror as we struggled to grasp the swath of destruction left by the early Saturday morning extreme weather. This was swiftly overtaken by echos of one question: read more
Protesters Demand Justice For Survivors Amid Maxwell Trial
Dozens Of Protesters Gathered Outside The Thurghood Marshall Courthouse In New York City, Where Ghislaine Maxwell Is On Trial For Her Role In Jeffrey Epstein’s Decades-Long Sex Trafficking Operation Invovling Numerous Elite Figures. Dan Cohen Reports From The Demonstration. The post Protesters Demand Justice For Survivors Amid Maxwell Trial appeared first on PopularResistance.Org. read more
Not PC9 hours ago
"...ignorance."
*"We are living in a world where smart people need to be quiet so they don’t offend ignorance."* ~ Robert J. O'Neill Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution. read more
War News Updates9 hours ago
Iran Preparing To Launch An Intelligence-Gathering Ship
New Shiraz Surveillance Warship of Iranian Navy. (Picture source Mehr New Agency) *Jerusalem Post:* *Iran builds new 'intel ship' dubbed Shiraz - analysis* *Shiraz is the size of a destroyer and has a “wide range” of electronic warfare abilities. Iran is preparing to launch a new ship for its navy. * The ship is called the Shiraz according to reports and it is supposed to be an intelligence-gathering ship that will also be equipped with a helicopter and radar. Iran’s navy has had many problems recently, with one large ship that caught fire and other accidents. In the last yea... read more
The Last Refuge9 hours ago
Sunday Talks, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Gives Horrific Update to Tornado Devastation, Entire Towns Gone, Death Toll Will Climb
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear gave a terrible update about the devastation in the aftermath of the horrific tornadoes that hit overnight Friday into Saturday morning. According to the Governor more than 70 are dead in a candle factory alone in Mayfield, and the death toll is expected to continue climbing as the list of missing […] The post Sunday Talks, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Gives Horrific Update to Tornado Devastation, Entire Towns Gone, Death Toll Will Climb appeared first on The Last Refuge. read more
Just How Good Is China’s J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ Stealth Fighter?
*Sebastien Roblin* *J-20, Asia-Pacific* There are broad estimates of the J-20’s top speed (around Mach 2), and considerable-seeming range (1,200 to 2,000 miles), but those remain just that—estimates. *Here’s What You Need to Remember: *As long as the PLAAF has only a few dozen J-20s in service, it may make sense to reserve them for hit-and-run tactics and special deep strikes. But as the article in the *Diplomat *points out, there’s ample evidence the J-20 may be intended to grow into a capable all-rounder that can hold its own in a dogfight. In January 2011, the maiden flight o... read more
China and Russia’s Nuclear Ambitions are Leaving America Vulnerable
*Peter Huessy* *Nuclear Deterrence, Eurasia* Moscow and Beijing see deterrence as a tool to stop the United States from acting in a defensive manner while also allowing Moscow and Beijing to act offensively in the pursuit of hegemonic objectives. The United States is facing two serious and relatively immediate military threats—one from the East and one from the West. Russia is massing troops and armaments on the eastern border of Ukraine while China is moving ships and fighter jets into the defense zone around Taiwan. Both rogue nations are claiming they are only defending themse... read more
Can the Middle East Fulfill Europe’s Security Provider Aspirations?
*Mahmoud Javadi* *European Security, Middle East* While Europeans are seeking to concentrate more on “hard” insecurities, “soft” insecurities across the Middle East—those not arising from military threats—are about to evolve into critical security challenges for states in the region and beyond, including the EU. European scholars and practitioners are increasingly seeing Europe as a spectator rather than an actor. European Union (EU) high representative Josep Borrell, for instance, recently warned: “Europeans are at risk of becoming more and more an object and not a player in int... read more
Can Britain Turn Bosnia Away from Secessionism?
*Ismet Fatih Čančar* *Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe* The UK’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina has been an unexpected and powerful display of solidarity, but much more needs to be done to put the region and Bosnia back on the Euroatlantic path. Following the decision of former High Representative Valentin Inzko to impose a ban on genocide and war crimes denial, officials from the entity Republika Srpska (RS), led by Milorad Dodik, have initiated a number of processes that are secession in all but name and would lead to the final disintegration of the country. The decision adop... read more
Could the Senkaku/Diaoyu Island Dispute Spark a U.S.-China War?
*James Holmes* *Japan, East Asia*​The US-Japan alliance might appear solid in the early going, obscuring subterranean fractures within the alliance. Yet transpacific unity might dissipate should the struggle wear on and American resolve flag -- exposing these fissures. These are matters worth clarifying in allied circles now, before things turn ugly. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *A fight over seemingly minor stakes could mushroom into a major conflagration arraying China against the US-Japan alliance. Let's not understate the likelihood of war in East Asia or kid ourselve... read more
France's Small Nuclear Arsenal Still Gets the Job Done
*Kyle Mizokami* *French Nuclear Weapons, Europe* France was the fourth country to join the so-called “Nuclear Club,” and at the height of the Cold War maintained its own nuclear triad of land-based missiles, nuclear-armed bombers and ballistic missile submarines. *Here's What You Need to Remember: *As small as it is, France’s nuclear arsenal is not designed to win a nuclear war, just not lose one. France was the fourth country to join the so-called “Nuclear Club,” and at the height of the Cold War maintained its own nuclear triad of land-based missiles, nuclear-armed bombers and... read more
War News Updates9 hours ago
UN Says Afghanistan’s Economy Is Collapsing `Before Our Eyes’
*CBS: **Afghanistan on brink of collapse with millions facing starvation* When the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan in August, the Taliban immediately seized control and the international community acted quickly – freezing Afghan assets and foreign aid to pressure the Taliban to negotiate. To date, those negotiations haven't happened. Today, 38 million Afghans find themselves facing one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet with millions unable to pay for food or basic goods, putting half the country at risk of starvation this winter. "I've been with WFP fo... read more
Solidarity Action Rebukes Navy Over Toxic Water Pollution
Activists with CodePink, in solidarity with Hawaii-based water protectors, on Friday projected images on a submarine tower outside the Navy museum in Washington, D.C., calling for a shutdown of a military fuel storage facility associated with contamination of Oahu drinking water. Messages displayed on the USS Balao Conning Tower included "Shut down Red Hill tanks," "Demilitarize Hawaii," and "Navy is poison." In a Saturday statement, CodePink said that the "Navy's failure to protect its sailors, their families, and the broader community is further justification of the need to demi... read more
The Rio Times9 hours ago
Torrential rains in Brazil’s Northeast affect more than 70,000 people
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - More than 5,600 people were evicted from their homes and some 50 municipalities are in an emergency situation due to heavy rains and floods in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais in Brazil's northeast region. The most affected regions are in the south of Bahia, where some 3,740 people […] The post Torrential rains in Brazil’s Northeast affect more than 70,000 people appeared first on The Rio Times. read more
The Rio Times10 hours ago
Brazil Supreme Court overrules Health Ministry, demands proof of vaccination for foreign visitors
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Once again, the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court (STF), has overruled the Health Ministry; this time it has ruled that foreign travelers may not enter Brazil without a vaccine passport, eliminating the alternative of a 5-day quarantine. STF Justice Luis Roberto Barroso ruled this Saturday (11) that the Brazilian government must […] The post Brazil Supreme Court overrules Health Ministry, demands proof of vaccination for foreign visitors appeared first on The Rio Times. read more

I'm back. Thank you, Yas, for going deep while I was away. Today there's chatter about this tweet: 365,348 children went missing in 2020. You haven't heard a word from the media about it. There enlies the problem. — Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) December 12, 2021 Most of the talk focuses on Boebert's botched rendering of the phrase "Therein lies." I don't care about that -- Boebert isn't well educated, and many people mock her for that, but you don't have to have a GED to make mistakes like this. Ask a college professor: For all intensive purposes, they tend to get these things ... read more 

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