10:42pm MST
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President Obama Strikes A Universalist Tone In A Speech Denouncing Religious Intolerance
*Killing in the name of God is a proud human tradition that transcends
religions, races, regions, and ages. Invoking Heaven to justify murder of
political and religious opponents is the one thing that brings radicals of
the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions together. *
"So how do we, as people of faith, reconcile these realities – the profound
good, the strength, the tenacity, the compassion and love that can flow
from all of our faiths, operating alongside those who seek to hijack
religious for their own murderous ends?
“Humanity has been grappling with th... more »
"American Sniper": Chris Kyle Was a Perfect Poster Boy for Bush's War of Lies
*By MARC McDONALD*
Clint Eastwood's blockbuster film, *American Sniper* purports to tell the
story of real-life U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. But this is nonsense. The
movie character actually has little in common with the real-life Kyle, who
was a twisted, bigoted, dishonest person who (in his 2012 memoir) wrote
that killing Iraqis was "fun."
What kind of person says that killing people is "fun"? (Well, outside of
Jack the Ripper-type sociopaths?)
People like this aren't heroes. They certainly shouldn't have a place in
our nation's military.
As the U.K. *Guardian* noted, Kyle had no... more »
Weekend Fun 58: Mugabe Falls
Last Wednesday, Zimbabwe's Prime Minister - President - dictator from 1980
to present (35 years) Robert Mugabe falls or trips on a red carpet at
Harare Airport. It was reported in BuzzFeed News the other day.
Many memes were invented since then. Next 5 photos below are some memes
published by that news that I like. :-)
The guys who made these photoshops are creative and got good humour.
Usain Bolt is defeated in the 100 meters sprint!
Jumping jack.
Neo, Mugabe and the Matrix.
These photos I got from twitter under #MugabeFalls subject.
New dance craze, the Mugabe dance. haha... more »
Musical Interlude: Dianne Arkenstone, “Through The Veil”
Dianne Arkenstone, “Through The Veil”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMhPAD5EuyY
The intellectual power of a dead tree stump ... and a wide open net.
Whoa!
What's this?!
Watch and listen very closely ...
I n t e r e s t i n g !!!
Here's the thing ... I agree with him ... completely. The anti-vaccine
movement is a crowd of dangerous, self-absorbed, selfish, dilettantes
who, devoid of any scientific training or knowledge, have positioned
themselves as "experts". They are no such thing and Murphy is quite
correct in pointing that out.
In
The US Needs Ukraine War To Maintain Global Hegemony!
I have been busy for the last few days, and only now have I sat down to
take a good hard look at what has been happening around the world... After
spending hours surfing the Internet and examining all the reports that I
could find about the so called war in Ukraine, I have come to the
conclusion that the US government is indeed insane and that they definitely
want a full escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and very much a war
against Russia itself.... It does trouble me that there are few voices out
there trying to stop this madness!
I have been puzzled for the last few months in ... more »
Tomorrow night brings, at last, the "Better Call Saul" premiere, and another episode of "Grantchester"
*Bob Odenkirk talks to Jimmy Kimmel about Better Call Saul, and shows him
some, er, surprising clips*
*Jimmy tells Bob he's really enjoyed the two episodes he was given to
watch. Bob tells Jimmy he's only seen one -- but hopes the second one
turned out well. "I spent 14 hours on my knees in the desert for that
second one."*
*by Ken*
Okay, friends, it's finally here: the two-night premiere of AMC's *Breaking
Bad* spinoff *Better Call Saul*, created and overseen by *Breaking Bad*
mastermind Vince Gilligan and collaborator Peter Gould -- tomorrow and
Monday nights at 10pm (or possi... more »
Poroshenko takes us down the rabbit hole
*Poroshenko with "Russian Passports"*
Today Ukraine leader Poroshenko stood before NATO security conference
delegates and flashed some cards...er...I mean passports.
The reason I thought they were cards at first is not only because of the
way he held them...but because of what they represented in the drama now
unfolding. Poroshenko was literally playing all the cards he has in his
hand. Technically, they were flashed for the TV cameras as "evidence" that
there are Russians fighting alongside the pro-Russians in Novorossiya.
But, but, but, if they were evidence...where was the... more »
A Little History of The Houthis And What They Want
*Col. Patrick Lang, Feb. 6, 2015:*
I knew their fathers or perhaps now their grandfathers well. Spectacularly
gifted in field craft, endowed with a wry, dry sense of humor and fiercely
independent among the clans and against whatever government might be, these
perpetually armed little hill men make good friends but bad enemies.
They fought the internationally sponsored Sunni based government? For me
there was never any doubt that they would do anything else. They fought the
Egyptian Army for five years in the early sixties when Nasser sought to
dictate the course of events in Y... more »
man himself is the monster
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, is a novel written by English
author Mary Shelley about eccentric scientist Victor Frankenstein, who
creates a grotesque but sentient creature in an unorthodox scientific
experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and
the novel was published when she was twenty. The first edition was
published anonymously in London in 1818. Shelley's name appears on the
second edition, published in France in 1823.
Shelley had travelled through Europe in 1814, journeying along the river
Rhine in Germany with a stop in Gernsheim whic... more »
An injunction will be granted to protect a leasehold interest even if damages could suffice
In a decision that seems contrary to specific performance precedent the
Ontario Court of Appeal has held an injunction will protect a leasehold
interest even where damages would otherwise be sufficient.
1465152 Ontario Limited v. Amexon Development Inc., 2015 ONCA 86:
[22] First, the Landlord contends that in *Pointe East Windsor
Limited v. Windsor (City)*, 2014 ONCA 467, 374 D.L.R. (4th) 380, at para.
17, this court held that equitable relief, such as a permanent injunction,
is only available where damages are an inadequate remedy. The Landlord
submits that the leased prem... more »
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Petite Fleur”
Deuter, “Petite Fleur”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1P8QVuNBns
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Why does this galaxy have such a long tail? In this stunning vista
recorded with the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys,
distant galaxies form a dramatic backdrop for disrupted spiral galaxy Arp
188, the Tadpole Galaxy. The cosmic tadpole is a mere 420 million
light-years distant toward the northern constellation Draco. Its
eye-catching tail is about 280 thousand light-years long and features
massive, bright blue star clusters.
*Click image for very large size.*
One story goes that a more compact intruder galaxy crossed in front of Arp
188 - from left to right in... more »
"The Philosophy Of Being"
* "The Philosophy Of Being"*
By E D Detetcheverrie
"Outrageous to some, clarifying for others, a strange conversation meant to
provoke further thought.
Now I know why they explain it in metaphors. The truth seems surreal. We
are inadequate to describe it concisely. Ask not if you have strayed from
the path; there is only one path, one way, and you are always on it...
*Do they call it enlightenment because there is a light?*
It is not mere photons, and light is only one part of it.
*Who is in charge of it all?*
Yes, we are.
*Do the wicked receive their just reward?*
We shall all, u... more »
"Beginning Today..."
“Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were goingto be dead
by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you
can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward.Your life will never
be the same again.”
- Og Mandino
"The Point Of Living..."
"The point of living, and of being an optimist,
is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come."
- Peter Ustinov
The Daily "Near You?"
North Vernon, Indiana, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Past Life, Near Death Experience, Reincarnation Studies"
*"Past Life, Near Death Experience, Reincarnation Studies"*
by The University of Virginia
* "If you would behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto*
*the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and sea
are one."*
- Kahlil Gibran
"The Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) is a unit of the Department of
Psychiatric Medicine of the University of Virginia's Health System. It was
founded in 1967, when Dr. Ian Stevenson resigned as Chairman of the
Department of Psychiatry to become Director of the Division and Chester F.
Carlson Professor of Psychiatry, posit... more »
Vast
"... Earth is one planet among ten or so (depending on how you count)
revolving around an atypical star, our sun. On the distance scale of human
experience, the solar system is immense. Earth is one hundred and fifty
million kilometers from the sun. Pluto is some six billion kilometers away.
The Oort cloud of comets, which marks the edge of the solar system, extends
to thirty trillion kilometers from the sun. Although the space between the
planets contains smaller asteroids, comets, and dust, the solar system
consists mainly of empty space that seems to serve no purpose.
On this dis... more »
Kahlil Gibran, "Pain..."
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the
sun,
so must you know pain.
And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life,
your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy."
-Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"
“What Not to Say to a Depressed Mate”
*“What Not to Say to a Depressed Mate”*
By Linda Wasmer Andrews
"You mean well, but it’s easy to say the wrong thing to a loved one with
depression. And that may only add to their troubles. Here are the top
statements to avoid and what to say instead.Which piece of advice will most
likely cheer up a clinically depressed person? A. “Pull yourself
together.” B. “Look on the bright side.” C. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing
serious.”
The answer: None of the above. Such statements probably will make a
depressed mate or friend feel worse. That’s because depression – an illness
characterized ... more »
The Poet: Octavio Paz, "Brotherhood"
*"Brotherhood"*
"I am a man: little do I last
and the night is enormous.
But I look up:
the stars write.
Unknowing I understand:
I too am written,
and at this very moment
someone spells me out."
- Octavio Paz
Roswell Slides and the Video Clips
For those who don’t wish to follow the links to listen to Don Schmitt, Tom
Carey and Adam Dew talk about the Roswell Slides, I thought that I would
add a little bit of analysis here. This is my take based on these short
clips and what is said in them.
First, Don provides little in the way of information about the slides.
Instead he speaks about the historical value of them, and if they are what
they are reported to be, then his hyperbole isn’t all that far over the
top. If these slides show a creature that was born on another planet and
who came to Earth, then the slides are of his... more »
Can Omar Khan Do For The TPP What Rahm Emanuel Did For NAFTA?
In 2002, when young Omar Khan got a job as an intern in Nancy Pelosi's
congressional office, NAFTA had already been passed and signed into law by
Bill Clinton. An initiative of Big Business, Wall Street and the Republican
Party, George H.W. Bush, who negotiated it, had been unable to get Congress
to fast track and pass it before he was defeated by Bill Clinton-- who
promptly assured Bush, Big Business and Wall Street he would get it
passed-- which he did. Pelosi was among the minority of Democrats who
backed NAFTA.
Clinton hired Rahm Emanuel, then a little known White House aide ... more »
George Galloway v Question Time
Well, well, well...George Galloway and his supporters are accusing the BBC
of a "set-up" over *Question Time*.
It's not unusual for *Question Time *to be accused of setting up 'beyond
the pale' types for a fall. In the case of Nick Griffin, for example, it
would be very hard to persuasively argue that he *wasn't* set up for a fall
- and duly fell.
What *is* unusual, however, is the apparent light shed by the Respect MP on
the behind-the-scenes goings-on at *Question Time *following his hostile
reception on this week's edition.
For starters, he said that David Dimbleby privately a... more »
Stephen Harper Hijacks Weather Canada`s National Website To Promote His Proposed Legislation
Can someone please tell me why the Stephen Harper Government has put the
below on weather Canada`s website? Stephen Harper is promoting his
Terrorism Bill, wrapping this site in the Canadian flag and promoting the
military.. This is unacceptable propaganda ....
http://weather.gc.ca/forecast/canada/index_e.html?id=bc
Click weather Canada`s link and peruse down to the bottom left, there this
crap is presented..
Who authorized this, who permitted this?
I don`t see weather forecasts on the Conservative party`s website, or
weather forecasts on Canada`s military websites..
(Thanks to our... more »
Feb. 7: Back to the (ugh) irving press....
For Feb.6, section A news is as trivial as usual. The editorial is, as
usual, pretty soggy, too. My it would be nice to have an editorial writer
who could handle topics besides parking laws and recycling garbage.
Norbert's is the usual "we gotta balance the budget stuff". Actually, we
know that Norbert. Your problem (and our government's) is that you start
with the answer of cutting services. But that's not where you start in
dealing with a problem.
If it were the way to go, I could balance the budget this year and
forever. Close all roads. Tax the rich at 50%. Close down the Irvi... more »
Friends re-united
Here's on open-and-shut case of demonstrable bias from a star BBC
presenter.
Jonathan Dimbleby made his usual appearance on *PM *yesterday plugging that
evening's edition of *Any Questions*. As ever, he previewed some of the
topics that might come up, including:
...and, who knows, the heir to the throne, yet again the subject of a
frenzied media scramble for headlines...
...from which we can take it that JD thinks HRH Prince Charles has been
hard-done-by ("yet again"..."subject to") and that he, JD, thinks the
stories aren't worth the paper they're printed on ("a frenzied media ... more »
The BBC and Rotherham
Also on the subject of Rotherham, there was a powerfully-expressed piece by
Vincent Cooper at *The Commentator *called *The BBC and Islam: Let the
children be raped.*
Vincent Cooper accuses the BBC of "intellectually dishonest liberal bias"
in its attempts to "put a damage limitation or PC spin on Rotherham’s sex
crimes".
He places the present coverage in the context of a longer view of BBC
journalism:
The BBC for years has been aware of the allegations about Pakistani Muslim
sex abuse gangs in Rotherham, yet did nothing to find out the facts.
Instead, almost as an adjunct of the... more »
Newsnight's Rewiring of Democracy
*Newsnight *ran a short series of features called 'Democracy Rewired' this
week.
I thought I'd keep an eye on them after a commenter at *Biased BBC *gave
the opening report from an Argentinian activist from Democracy OS a
thoroughgoing raspberry, describing it as communist "rambling".
Whether the group, DemocracyOS, really are communists is something I've not
been able to determine for myself, but they do seem to have grown out of
the #Occupy movement, which suggests they are left-wing. Thus, if you think
that *Newsnight *under former *Guardian *deputy editor Ian Katz has a
lef... more »
Is Time Only an Illusion?
*Film - *This PBS documentary explores the concept of spacetime as it
relates to our common understanding of the past, present, and future.
The post Is Time Only an Illusion? appeared first on Waking Times.
Sarah, Champion of the World
It's been such a busy week this week that it's been hard to keep up with
the news, or to do much blogging - and (apologies in advance) it's only
going to get worse over the next couple of weeks.
However, I have been reading a lot of negative stuff (in the usual places)
about the BBC's coverage of the latest damning report on the Rotherham
abuse scandal, and the subsequent fall of the ruling Labour group there.
A surprising amount of that negative comment has focused on one figure -
the newish Labour MP Sarah Champion (the one who found it amusing that
Nigel Farage has been blocka... more »
UFO TV - David Adair at Area 51 - Advanced Symbiotic Engine
The ASE or Advanced Symbiotic Engine that Adair touched "felt like a frog
belly" and "thought waves drive the engine," UNQUOTE
*Space technology transfer consultant and former rocket whiz kid David
Adair speaks out for the first time on camera in this interview about his
remarkable encounters with an alien engine, DOD agents, and Air Force
General Curtis Lemay in 1971 at Groom Lake, Nevada (Area-51). Hear first
hand testimony about advanced alien technology and our military's most
closely guarded secrets surrounding the UFO phenomena.* [source UFOTV]
"What Can We Know..."; "The Dreadful Universal Thing..."
“The more one analyses people, the more all reasons for analysis disappear.
Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human
nature.”
- Oscar Wilde
"What can we know? What are we all?
Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite,
with the aspirations of angels and the instincts of beasts."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
"The Fiery Cage and the Lynching Tree, Brutality’s Never Far Away"
*"The Fiery Cage and the Lynching Tree, *
*Brutality’s Never Far Away"*
By Bill Moyers
"They burned him alive in an iron cage, and as he screamed and writhed in
the agony of hell they made a sport of his death. After listening to one
newscast after another rightly condemn the barbaric killing of that
Jordanian air force pilot at the bloody hands of ISIS, I couldn’t sleep. My
mind kept roaming the past trying to retrieve a vaguely remembered
photograph that I had seen long ago in the archives of a college library in
Texas.
Suddenly, around two in the morning, the image materialized i... more »
On Left Wing Fibs and Lies
No, the blog hasn't been hacked. That really is the headline.
It's there because I'm going to have a bit of a moan. This did the rounds
among fellow lefties on Twitter the other day:
Ho, ho, ho. What a hoot! Isn't Sarah Palin utterly stupid? No wonder the
Republican Party is fucked, etc.
Funny ha, ha, indeed. *Except it's bullshit*. An exemplar of the moronic
degeneration of the American right to be sure, but she didn't say it. 30
seconds with your search engine of choice would have established that. As Snopes
notes, this is from a "satirical" website that churns out wannabe memes... more »
Ukraine situation ( February 7- 8 , 2015 ) - Even as Ukraine's financial situation spirals further downward , the War with its Eastern Regions goes on ( if poorly ) ....... Different perspectives and points of view !
Tweets.....
Ukraine financial situation hits the crapper......
*SoberLook.com* @SoberLook · 4h4 hours ago
"Echoes of the 1990s in Ukraine as financial crisis bites" - http://www.
reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0LA1X820150206 …
Edward Harrison retweeted
*Prof. Steve Hanke* @steve_hanke · 4h4 hours ago
#Ukraine #hryvnia was stable this month until floating the exchange rate on
Thursday caused a 30% drop in value.
[image: Embedded image permalink]
*SoberLook.com* @SoberLook · 14h14 hours ago
Chart: Ukraine inflation rate -
[image: Embedded image permalink]
*Ka... more »
A Lot of Red and Green Visible on TEPCO Cam 1
This screenshot was taken 2/8 at 4:07 (TEPCO time stamp). I see "red" and
green coming from the vicinity of units 3 and 4 (cannot determine actual
source). The red is coming from the top of the unit on the far right:
I can only post two large screenshots but the flickering red persisted and
I captured the area with and without out it in subsequent screenshots
across a 5 minute period.
I think emissions are high and especially hot. It looks as if its been
raining on the Futaba cam. Perhaps the rain causes the melted fuel lying
around to fission. I reached this hypothesis after re... more »
The Economy: "Shocking Chart: The Global Economy Is About To Implode"
*"Shocking Chart: The Global Economy Is About To Implode:*
* ‘Inching closer to… the lowest level ever.’"*
by Mac Slavo
"The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) is used by economists and stock traders alike
as a leading economic indicator because it predicts future economic
activity. The index tracks in US dollars and measures global supply and
demand for commodity shipments among bulk carriers including raw materials
like lumber, coal, metallic ores, and grains. What makes this particular
measurement so distinct from others, according to economic Howard Simmons,
is that the BDI “is totally devo... more »
Ukraine Crisis----following the weekend events
Dear Readers:
Very few times in my life have I been so riveted by events on the
international stage. History is being made this weekend and is passing
before our eyes. Last night my partner was watching a TV series called
"Wired", and the house was full of sirens and car chases...it all seemed
quite dramatic. I smiled as I thought that I too was watching a dramatic
series...the end of which is a cliffhanger--the events over the Ukraine
crisis. Friday, Putin met in the Kremlin with Germany's Merkel and France's
Holland to come up with an agreement to solve the crisis caused by US ... more »
NYT's Linda Greenhouse to the Supreme Court: "If you do destroy the ACA, you will have a great deal of explaining to do — to history"
*Is the Supreme Court in peril? (Image from the Peril magazine "checklist"
on the Galactic Central website.) And say, are American men too masculine
for love?*
*by Ken*
I've been slow getting to what Greg Sargent, in a Thursday "Morning Plum"
post, "The Supreme Court is 'on the front lines of a partisan war," called
"the most important read of the morning": "Linda Greenhouse’s remarkable
discussion of what is really at stake with regard to the Supreme Court’s
deliberations on the King v. Burwell lawsuit."
"We already know," says Greg, "that, if the Court sides with the
challenge... more »
Global shift – the US, China, and the Hong Kong Protests
This is a guest post by Grand Dawson, assistant professor of social science
and international politics at The University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China
and Cyrus Janssen is an American expat based in Asia. The global order
established by the West and led by the US since 1945 is gradually changing.
China and the ‘rising Rest’
Continue reading
U.S.-NATO Threaten Wider War in Ukraine
*General Philip Breedlove, NATO’s commander in chief, says the West should
not rule out arming Ukraine*
Nothing good so far has come out of all the high-level meetings in Kiev and
Moscow. US-NATO continue to threaten Russia with more and wider war in
Ukraine. Russia is basically told they have to accept the US-NATO backed
onslaught in eastern Ukraine. Russia must stop supporting eastern
self-defense forces or expect even more of the west's Strategy of Tension.
Many critical commentators are saying that the Merkel (Germany) and
Hollande (France) duo are running a public relations c... more »
"An English Deception"
"English Deception" : What Stalin Knew : The Enigma of Barbarossa from Spike
EP on Vimeo.
*For the crucial first ten days or so of Operation Barbarossa, the Soviet
Defence to the German advance into the USSR was almost non-existant. *
*Josef Stalin, the only agent of the Soviet military executive quite
literally refused to believe that the reports of his own army on the border
were true, feeling that they had fallen victim to an MI6 Double-Cross on
the part of "The Churchill Gang" in London - an English Deception.*
*When, finally, he realised, to his absolute horror the magnitude... more »
Editor's Note
Traveling today. Blogging will return tomorrow morning.
Western Nations Deeply Divided On How To Respond To The Ukraine Crisis
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L-R) attend a meeting with German
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (not
pictured) during the 51st Munich Security Conference at the 'Bayerischer
Hof' hotel in Munich February 7, 2015. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle
*New York Times*: *Western Nations Divide Over Arming Kiev Against
Russian-Backed Separatists*
*MUNICH — Differences within the Western alliance over whether to send
defensive arms to Ukraine were thrust into the open on Saturday when ... more »
Russia Optimistic On Ukraine Peace Deal
*Reuters*: *Russia optimistic on Ukraine deal, warns on arming Kiev*
*WNU Editor:* Publicly Russia is supportive of these peace talks ....
privately they have doubts. They also clearly do not trust Ukraine
President Poroshenko .... nor the U.S.. Beneath the surface there is a lot
of anger from Russia being directed at both Kiev and Washington for the
current crisis.
*More News On Russia Voicing Optimism That A Ukraine Peace Deal is Possible*
Lavrov: US escalated Ukraine crisis at every stage & blamed Russia -- RT
Lavrov says deal 'possible' to resolve Ukraine conflict -- Zee News
R... more »
French President Francois Hollande: Last Chance For Peace In Ukraine
*Christian Science Monitor/AP*: *Hollande: 'Rather strong' autonomy for
east Ukraine on the table*
*French President Francois Hollande, traveling to Kiev and Moscow with
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said a deal to end the Ukraine crisis
could include a demilitarized zone and greater autonomy for the separatist
eastern region.*
*WNU Editor:* I thought that I would never see myself saying this .... but
French President Hollande is right .... this is one of the last chances for
peace .... *Ukraine crisis: 'Last chance' for peace says Hollande* (BBC).
He is also right that this d... more »
Defence counsel may not assist in a guilty plea where the accused denies guilt (but wants to plead guilty anyway)
Even where someone denies guilt there may be practical reasons where they
want to plead guilty. For example, the likely sentence is not significant
and the accused did not get bail. Or there is a good deal on a plea and a
finding of guilt is likely after trial. Despite this a lawyer may not,
ever, assist in a guilty plea where someone denies guilt. R. v. Cameron,
2014 ONSC 2093:
[25] What is most troubling is the role played by trial counsel. A
defence counsel cannot represent a client entering a plea of guilty to an
offence that the client does not admit he committed. To do ... more »
Not In His Vocabulary
http://criticallegalthinking.com/
The financial world is waiting for the other shoe to drop in Greece. It's a
sure bet that Greece's creditors are biting their fingernails. But, Joseph
Stiglitz writes, there is a way out of this problem. It's worked before --
just as austerity has failed before -- many times:
Austerity had failed repeatedly, from its early use under U.S. President
Herbert Hoover, which turned the stock-market crash into the Great
Depression, to the IMF "programs" imposed on East Asia and Latin America in
recent... more »
Tax Loopholes And DC's Most Disgraceful Revolving Door
Yesterday, Justin Amash celebrated Ronald Reagan's birthday with a tweet
quoting his hero: "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is
libertarianism." Far be it from me to lionize the right right-wing icon,
but on the occasion of his 104th birthday, I found a not completely
unrelated celebratory quote (above) from 1985. It could have come from a
Barack Obama speech as easily as from a Ronald Reagan speech-- or, even
more likely-- from a Bernie Sanders speech.
Lawyers may be the most common job in DC in recent years, but that doesn't
mean they're all hustling off to cour... more »
Cumrun Vafa: mathematical introduction to string theory
*Placing dualities at the center*
A few days ago, Cumrun Vafa of Harvard was invited to Brazil to speak about
the mathematical aspects of string theory in an introductory way. You may
guess that the place is in Brazil because the flag next to Cumrun resembles
the 1-sigma and 2-sigma confidence bands in a colorful exclusion graph. The
Brazilians must love particle physics to have chosen such colors. ;-)
The task facing Cumrun is of course tough because string theory depends on
a big percentage of the intuition that people learn when they study
physics, not just mathematics, and it'... more »
Untitled
*The Day that Dreams Came True in Who Dat Nation ~Barry Hirstius, Big Easy
Believer*
*Ten parades are scheduled to roll Saturday in four parishes ~N.O. Advocate*
[image: http://chewbacchus.org/]
*The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus *will throw their annual Carnival
Parade and Chewbacchanal on February 7th, 2015. The Parade rolls prompt at
6pm on an all new longer route through the Bywater and Marigny
neighborhoods. The Science Fiction and Fantasy themed Krewe is doing a
full-tilt religious parody theme this year… “Cult of the Sacred Drunken
Wookiee”. The parade will feature an 11... more »
Untitled
*New Jersey student wins court case to keep 'under God' in Pledge of
Allegiance*
*The interesting thing is that those seeking to remove God from the US do
it without thinking of the peril to free speech and all other "God given"
rights enumerated in the Constitution. If there is no God, the government
is free to limit any and all rights because now they are granted by the
government. The strong historical association between atheism and the
authoritarianism of Leftists (e.g. the Soviet Union) is no accident.
Leftists want to play God*
Teen fighting for right to recite 'under G... more »
SOLD OUT - Citizenfour - New York Times Talk at The New School - The New School
SOLD OUT - Citizenfour - New York Times Talk at The New School - The New
School
Untitled
*Overwhelmingly it's Leftists who reject science*
*For starters, they close their eyes to a whole scientific discipline --
genetics. To Leftists, the only thing that is genetically determined is
homosexuality -- but among many identical twins only one is queer*
The New York Times claims that the vaccine controversy we’re all talking
about raises important questions about “how to approach matters that have
largely been settled among scientists but are not widely accepted by
conservatives.”
Well, here’s another question: How do we deal with the false perception
that liberals are ... more »
15 Futuristic Technologies You’ll See in Your Lifetime
*Video - *From the possible colonisation of other worlds to clothes that
will automatically clean themselves when you step into sunlight, here's a
video of 15 futuristic technologies predicted that we'll see within the
next 50 years.
The post 15 Futuristic Technologies You’ll See in Your Lifetime appeared
first on Waking Times.
Iraq / Syria Regional War ( Weekend Report - 2/7/15 & 2/8/15 ) - Focus on main battlefields in Iraq and Syria ....... ISIS / Jihadists aspect draws Yemen / Jordan / Lebanon / Egypt / Libya into view
Links.....
*Jordan Escalation May Lead to Surge in Attacks*
*UAE Rejoins Coalition as 278 Are Killed in Iraq*
*Yemen's Houthis Seize Power, Shut Parliament*
*Egyptian Military Kills 27 Militants in the Sinai*
Tweets....
Yemen....
*Juan Cole* @jricole · 6h6 hours ago
Shiite Coup in Yemen: $400 mn. in US Weaponry Falls into Houthi Hands -
http://www.juancole.com/2015/02/shiite-weaponry-houthi.html …
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The U.S. has provided more than $400 million in weapons to Yemen since
2006, according to congressional research estimates, including helicopters... more »
Twin Telepathy: Is there a ‘Special Connection’?
*Guy L. Playfair* - Is there a special bond between twins? Can they read
each other’s minds? Are they telepathic?
The post Twin Telepathy: Is there a ‘Special Connection’? appeared first on Waking
Times.
Five Apocalyptic Events the Human Race Managed to Survive
*Joshua Krause* - Here are five of the most devastating global events that
our ancestors managed to survive.
The post Five Apocalyptic Events the Human Race Managed to Survive appeared
first on Waking Times.
San Pedro: One Of Mother Nature’s Most Powerful Psychedelics
*Alanna Ketler* - San Pedro has hallucinogenic properties and is often
compared to the more popular cactus known as Peyote; both are members of
the mescaline family.
The post San Pedro: One Of Mother Nature’s Most Powerful Psychedelics
appeared first on Waking Times.
The Seven Most Effective Techniques for Inducing an Out of Body Experience
*C.Taylor* - Inducing an Out of Body Experience is not something to be
forced, and without sufficient relaxation, you are unlikely to project
successfully!
The post The Seven Most Effective Techniques for Inducing an Out of Body
Experience appeared first on Waking Times.
The Four Levels of Intuition
*Simone Wright* - As you become familiar with these levels of
communication, your rapport with this natural form of intelligence will
grow, evolve and expand...
The post The Four Levels of Intuition appeared first on Waking Times.
Easing back into blogging links
*Because you can never have too many pictures of Lanyu.*
Links... links... links... Coming back into the world from Lanyu, catching
up on the news...
- *Plane crash*: Dominating the news cycle, the crash in Taipei occurred
as we waited in the airport in Taipei. On Thursday waiting in the airport
we got to see the dashboard video again and again, o joy. At present, it is
looking like the plane informed the pilots that the wrong engine had
failed, and they killed their one good engine thinking it had failed. The
plane hit the water without power. The Diplomat's Shan... more »
Taiwan Spotlight Events in the UK: Feb 9-11 Upcoming Next few Days!!
So much great stuff in this program.... trapped on Lanyu, couldnt get it
out earlier!
Thinking Taiwan: Young Artists and Society 9-10 February University of
Surrey
MONDAY 9 FEBRUARY, 5.30PM – 7.30PM
WHEN THE NIGHT BLOSSOMS – ALL ABOUT LIFE
An exhibition of photographs by Joan Huang 黃于倩 and drawings by Klara Huang
黃盈睿
The exhibition continues until Thursday 5 March 2015
The exhibition offers a unique insight into the perspectives of young
Taiwanese artists on Taiwan. They look at their home country from inside
and outside and reflect on the transformations the society is experienc... more »
Defense Agency: US May Sell Drones Worth $339Mln to Netherlands
[image: MQ-9 Reaper]The United States plans to sell 4 Reaper unmanned
aerial vehicles and other related equipment worth almost $340 million
dollars to the Netherlands, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in
a press release.
“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign
Military Sale to the Netherlands for MQ-9 Reapers and associated equipment,
parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $339 million,”
according to the release published Friday.
Netherlands’ government earlier requested a possible sale of 4 MQ-9 Reaper
remotely piloted ... more »
Harris To Acquire Exelis, Merging U.S. Government Suppliers
[image: Harris and Exelis combined]Harris Corp. announced on February 6
that it will acquire Exelis for $4.75 billion, combining two major U.S.
government and military contractors. Melbourne, Fla.-based Harris expects
the transaction to close in June, subject to approval by Exelis
shareholders and regulatory vetting.
The combined company will be named Harris. It will have revenue of $8.2
billion, 23,000 employees and supplier positions in U.S. government space,
weather, air traffic management and military tactical communications
systems.
In a fiscal year second-quarter earnings cal... more »
Iranian Fighters Armed with 700km Cruise Missiles
[image: Ya ali cruise missile]The longest-range Iranian cruise missile,
dubbed ‘Ya Ali’, has been provided with the capability to be mounted on the
country’s entire fighter aircraft, a senior military official announced.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister Mohammad
Eslami said the country’s whole warplanes can be armed with the
air-to-ground missile.
With a range of 700 kilometers, Ya Ali outstrips all other Iranian cruise
missiles.
Read more
Argentina and China agree fighter aircraft working group
[image: J-10 Vigorous Dragon]Argentina and China are to form a working
group to look at the possible introduction into Argentine Air Force (Fuerza
Aérea Argentina - FAA) service of a new Chinese fighter type, it was
disclosed on 5 February.
The working group, which was discussed during a visit by between Argentine
president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to Beijing from 2 to 5 February,
will look at the possible transfer of a range of military equipment to
Buenos Aries.
Chief among this equipment is either the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC)
FC-1/JF-17 or the CAC J-10 fighter a... more »
Safran upgrades the Charles-de-Gaulle
The French Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, Charles-de-Gaulle, which has
been on mission since January 2015, is now fitted with new navigation and
optronics equipment supplied by Sagem (Safran).
Capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
Charles-de-Gaulle has been conducting in the interest of France GAN
(aeronaval group) operations around the world for 15 years.
Under the project management of the DGA1, and the prime contractor DCNS,
the vessel's refit includes a number of onboard devices supplied by global
optronics and maritime navigation speci... more »
Pentagon Rules Out Aircraft Carrier Visit to China
[image: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)]The Pentagon announced Friday it
wouldn’t send an aircraft carrier to visit China this year, in a move a
U.S. official said is intended to persuade China to seek diplomatic
solutions to territorial disputes.
Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said U.S. and Chinese officials
met Thursday to discuss military exchanges over the coming year to build on
previous efforts, but said the U.S. has ruled out a visit to China by a
U.S. carrier.
Officials had previously proposed the U.S. send an aircraft carrier to
visit China as part of the effort to... more »
San Diego Warships Set for Testing Drills Off SoCal Coast
[image: USS Freedom (LCS-1)]A Navy cruiser and littoral combat ship ported
in San Diego are set for exercises this month aimed to assure that a USS
Fort Worth crew is ready for deployment.
Among the tests Feb. 9-20 for the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain
and littoral combat ship USS Freedom are surface warfare, air defense,
maritime interception operations and mine warfare, the Navy said Friday.
The exercise also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin and the
guided-missile destroyers USS Preble and USS Chafee.
Read more
France and Egypt reach preliminary deal on sale of fighter jets
[image: Dassault Rafale]France and Egypt are in advanced talks to finalize
a deal that would see Cairo receive 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale
fighter jets and a naval frigate.
The deal, which is worth an estimated 6 billion euros ($6.88 billion), was
close to being signed, according to France's Les Echos newspaper.
The jet, while one of the most expensive, is considered to be one of the
most effective and sophisticated fighter jets in the world and Cairo has
been in talks with Paris to replace their aging fleet of 18 Dassault-made
Mirage jets.
Read more
Russia Sends Nuclear Submarine Troops on Arctic Exercise
[image: RFS Yekaterinburg]Nuclear units in the Russian navy have engaged in
exercises in the international waters underneath the North Pole, a move
which analysts believe is a thinly veiled response to yesterday’s news that
NATO is to reinforce its eastern European border with Russia.
“In particular we focused on hazard and threat detection, but also on
missile launching and navigation manoeuvres, ice reconnaissance, submerging
and emerging from ice, using torpedoes to undermine ice and many other
issues,” North Fleet captain Vadim Serga said.
Among the units which took part in the ... more »
This chart shows all of the submarines currently in the Russian Navy
[image: Russian Navy Submarines]Russia's submarine fleet is one of the most
capable in the world, perhaps second only to that of the United States.
The submarine fleet is mostly a holdover from the days of the Cold War.
Nuclear-armed Soviet and US submarines would pursue each other across the
world's oceans and act as second-strike options in the event of all-out
nuclear war.
Although Russia's submarine fleet had aged and shrunk since the Soviet
Union collapsed in 1991, Russian President Vladimir Putin has grand plans
to modernize the fleet through the purchase of additional submar... more »
Linux used to build US Navy’s most powerful destroyer yet
[image: Zumwalt (DDG 1000) class DDG]Linux kernel (OS) powered DDG-1000
Zumwalt Class Destroyer built by US Navy.
Now what is linux, it is just an Operating System which is used worldwide.
Linux for a common man would mean something used in different devices
basically for research purposes in NASA, in particle accelerators, also
used by Scientists for their studies eg Antartic.
Linux is also a vital tool in automobile industry as in car manufacture and
also being used by Engineers to build humanoid robots, by security
researcher or hackers. Linux is preferred due to its basic prope... more »
Enhanced Tomahawk cruise missile engages moving targets
[image: Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile]The US Navy has tested a
‘synthetically guided’ Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile last month,
demonstrating the capability of existing Tomahawk missiles as netted
weapons.
The latest variant of the Tomahawk includes a two-way satellite data-link
that enables the missile to be retargeted in flight to any one of 15
alternate targets pre-programmed in its memory before launch.
“This capability extends the Tomahawk’s reach beyond fixed and re-locatable
points, to moving targets.” Tomahawk Weapons System (PMA-280) program
manager Capt. Joe Mause... more »
Kazakhstan to acquire Su-30SM fighters
[image: Su-30SM Flanker]Kazakhstan is to acquire the Sukhoi Su-30SM
'Flanker' as it looks to recapitalise its Soviet-era fighter force, the
government announced on 4 February.
The disclosure was made by the Commander in Chief of the Kazakhstan Air
Defence Forces (KADF), Major General Nurlan Ormanbetov, during a visit to
the Irkutsk Aviation Plant where the Su-30SM is built.
"Thanks to the policy of the President [of Kazakhstan] today [we] have the
opportunity to [recapitalise our] combat aircraft to modern types. This
multipurpose aircraft will greatly enhance the combat potential o... more »
(Hats Off to Neil Young, Bob Weir and John Mayer) Where Erik Prince (and Sister Betsy DeVos)'s Money Comes From and Where It Goes
New feature: Friday Night Jam This is my favorite "Tonight Show" since
Johnny Carson departed. And this may be the greatest late night show ever
(for me, anyway). But you know what a fan of Bob Weir I am. Right? And who
can believe the chops of John Mayer. Listen to him backing up Bob on
"Althea" (click on the link above for the whole show). Jerry was grooving
along. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Astonishing ‘Explosions’ and Surprising Shifts in the Planet’s History
[image: (Shutterstock*)]
Interesting questions asked here. The big one though, is just how is it
possible for a planet to explode at all. Assuming only a third of the mass
is involved to make the whole exercise worthwhile, all that mass M must
achieve a velocity able to remove it from the planet's center of mass but
also outside the planetary orbit itself.
The only prospective planet is actually Mars. It requires the elimination
of gravity over a large enough disc to allow all material to migrate to the
ejection jet so formed. Olympus Mons looks like the remnant of such a... more »
Farmer Has Found Remains of Two Mysterious 'Chupacabra'
Here is something quite different. It may even be the remains of a
couple of young left behind. I think that this is closest to bat
morphology so far. The skull is not totally out of place, but it is also
exceptionally large. The sharp curve to the fangs must be noted. They
would certainly facilitated sucking blood out of an artery.
I keep expecting bat like wings but that has not shown up. Otherwise those
feet and body size could easily be mistaken for an ordinary house cat.
This easily explains the failure to track.
Yet what i am seeing here is a very convincing ki... more »
Underground Rise of Neo Fascism in USA?
[image: POOF-Logo-email.jpg]
.
Some aspects of this commentary cannot be readily supported, but what
caught my eye is the hidden sub culture taking advantage of local spiritual
communities to not just sell a political stance but to actually sell forms
of fascist thinking. It is way too easy and way too attractive for the
ignorant. This is the same disease that has underpinned radical Islam as
well.
The key is to attract adherents and then ostracize any opposition. This is
utterly contrary to the natural communal inclusiveness inherent to
religious thought. We now have to... more »
Roads and Bridges
[image: A crumbling overpass support in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
(Photo: Richard Klein)]
Let me make it blindingly simple. Infrastructure is typically self
financing because it is government credit and normally built to last
decades with low sustaining costs and natural revenue sources to support
the carrying cost of debt. Once in a while we have to stretch but even
then twenty years is a long time. Consider something. Vancouver's sky
train system was built in the early eighties on twenty year money when
rates were ten percent. It is long since paid off and throws huge c... more »
Friday Pussy - Oily cat
Oil, Texas tea, bubblin crude. We're swimming in it. It's all around us
even if you don't drive. Think not? Your keyboard mouse and monitor frame
are made from oil. Bet there isn't much in the room around you that did
come from oil and even if it didn't a trucker had to ship it to a store
using oil. You bought it and drove it home using oil. Heck even the roads
we drive on are made from oil (asphalt).
So what's all the fuss about? It's an oil war on top of a couple of real
wars. Russian and U.S. oil companies were all set to do a 1/2 trillion
dollar deal to drill in the Black se... more »
Burnt Offerings
*"Not far from us, flames were leaping from a ditch, gigantic flames. They
were burning something. A lorry drew up at the pit and delivered its load
-- little children. Babies! Yes, I saw it -- saw it with my own eyes ...
Those children in the flames. (Is it surprising that I could not sleep
after that? Sleep has fled from my eyes.)"*
*-Elie Wiesel, Night*
*“In literature, Rebbe, certain things are true though they didn’t happen,
while others are not, even if they did.” *
*-Elie Wiesel speaking of his book Night, *
*from his Memoir: All Rivers Run to the Sea*
Wiesel Quotes
“... more »
PETRONAS Goes To Ottawa To Beg For Tax Write-Offs(Christy Clark Smells Like Rotten Eggs)
So there it is in a nutshell, BC Liberal Government wrote an LNG Taxation
Bill that would see British Columbia receiving almost nothing in financial
returns to the treasury for at least 20 years(Probably never) and still
these LNG proponents want more..
Now PETRONAS and the BCLNG Alliance have descended in Ottawa for the sole
purpose of begging the Federal Government for complete accelerated LNG
plant build tax write-offs.
Time to end this silly gaseous fantasy, time to cancel the whole damn
thing..
_______________
Energy price drop challenges viability of Canadian LNG proje... more »
Mystery Behind Dropping Oil Prices Solved - Concerted Manipulation
*February 7, 2015* (Ulson Gunnar - NEO) Who's surprised? Various stories
had been invented by media houses across the Western world in an attempt to
explain why oil prices have conveniently fallen, just in time to pressure
Russia, Venezuela and Iran, and all while covert political subversion,
attempts to sell all-out-war and other measures have completely failed to
assert US interests around the world. The obvious answer was market
manipulation, an answer US and other Western news sources refused to admit
... that is until now.
The New York Times in their article, "Saudi Oil Is See... more »
Musical Interlude: Deuter, "Ilumination of the Heart"
Deuter, "Ilumination of the Heart"
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK4jo4acnuo
Putin, Merkel, Hollande, And Poroshenko To Discuss Ukraine In A 4-Way Phone Call On Sunday
*Wall Street Journal:* *Moscow Talks Fail to Clinch Ukraine Peace Deal*
*U.S. Vice President Joe Biden Steps Up Pressure on RussiaMore than five
hours of talks at the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and
the leaders of France and Germany yielded no deal to end the fighting in
eastern Ukraine. But the three agreed to continue diplomacy in hopes of
clinching a long-awaited cease-fire within days. *
*WNU Editor:* I going to keep my fingers crossed that a ceasefire deal will
be reached in the next few days. The situation is now very dire for
hundreds of civilians eas... more »
Argentina's Ex-Spy Chief Has Disappeared
*CNN*: *Ex-spy chief disappears in latest plot twist of Argentina scandal*
*WNU Editor:* This case is getting more bizarre by the day.
*More News On The Search For Argentina's Ex-Spy Chief*
Argentina fails to find ex-spy chief tied to dead prosecutor case -- Reuters
Argentine ‘spy novel’ deepens: Officials hunt for agent who helped dead
prosecutor investigate president -- National Post/AP
Hunt for former Argentine intelligence chief wanted over death of
prosecutor fails to find him: Investigators say they don't even know if spy
is in the country -- Daily Mail
Ex-Argentine Spy Boss W... more »
Lanyu. Because Goats.
*The landscapes are littered with goats. 'scape goats, you know.*
Haven't blogged because Lanyu. Again. Wanted to try the island during
winter vacation. In the summer, Lanyu's predominant color is green, in the
winter, silver. It was lovely, but in a more desolate, lonelier way. In the
off season the shops are boarded up and the streets are under repair.
Things are harder to find. But the people still want to have a beer with
you, the sea, sky, and rock are still gorgeous, and the experience still
worth it. And a free goat guaranteed with every picture! Click READ MORE to
see the w... more »
Paul Craig Roberts is interviewed by a Russian magazine on Washington's plan for Ukraine and his American audience..
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*PCR Interviewed by the Russian analytical magazine Political Education. *
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February 5, 2015 | Original Here Go
here to sign up to receive email notice of this news letter
PCR Interviewed by the Russian analytical magazine Political Education.
English language translation of original Cyrillic.
http://www.lawinrussia.ru/node/328645
*Russian Interview 2-04-15*
*What is your viewpoint about the situation in Donbass region? Could you
give us some prognosis of further development of t... more »
Questions Arise On Why Was A Green Beret Officer's Silver Star Revoked
Then-Capt. Mathew l. Golsteyn at his award ceremony in January 2011.(Photo:
James Robinson/The Fayetteville Observer)
*Dan Lamonthe, Stars and Stripes/Washington Post: **Green Beret officer's
Silver Star revoked as Army cites investigation*
*WASHINGTON — Capt. Mathew L. Golsteyn was leading a Special Forces team in
Afghanistan in 2010 when an 80-man mission he assembled to hunt insurgent
snipers went awry. One of their five vehicles sunk into mud, a gunshot
incapacitated an Afghan soldier fighting alongside the Americans, and
insurgents maneuvered around them to rake the soggy fi... more »
Albert Woodfox Applies for Bail With Expedited Review
This afternoon Albert Woodfox's legal team submitted an application to US
District Court Judge James A. Brady for release on bail with expedited
review (*View the court filing here*).
This month marks 2 years since Albert's conviction was overturned for a
third time based on a finding of racial discrimination in the selection of
his grand jury foreperson, a decision now firmly upheld by a unanimous
panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Though the Attorney General may continue to stand in the way of justice and
appeal yet again to the US Supreme Court and/or attempt to retry... more »
Student leader Hannah Nguyen speaks truth to Teach for America power in the New York Times
*"Teacher turnover really destabilizes a learning environment. So having a
model that perpetuates that inequity in and of itself was also very
confusing for me." — Hannah Nguyen*
[image: Hannah Nguyen, a University of Southern California junior and
aspiring teacher who opposes the Teach for America program. Credit Monica
Almeida/The New York Times]
Wendy Kopp's profitable neoliberal project has been having difficulty
recruiting. Their corporate spin doesn't want to give any credit the social
justice resistance to their project, but even the *New York Times* knew
better. My commen... more »
"One Summer Night..."
*Click image for larger size.*
"One summer night, out on a flat headland, all but surrounded by the waters
of the bay, the horizons were remote and distant rims on the edge of space.
Millions of stars blazed in darkness, and on the far shore a few lights
burned in cottages. Otherwise there was no reminder of human life. My
companion and I were alone with the stars: the misty river of the Milky Way
flowing across the sky, the patterns of the constellations standing out
bright and clear, a blazing planet low on the horizon. It occurred to me
that if this were a sight that could be see... more »
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