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Climate Tricks 38: Threats and Witch Hunt of Skeptical Scientists
The anthropogenic or "man-made" warming/climate change camp is getting desperate, some or many of them are turning to outright threats and witch hunting. See these news reports below. From truthout.org, November 12, 2014. This camp of environmental militants want to promote deindustrialization, to junk modernity, meaning we go back to the dark ages? For these eco-socialists, modern life like having more computers and mobile phones, more internet acccess, and capitalism is something that we should be ashamed of. But they are using products of capitalism like fb, youtube, google, etc... more »
Ukraine Facing Hyperinflation
*Washington Post: **Ukraine unofficially has 272 percent inflation* *Ukraine's currency has fallen 70 percent since the start of 2014, and that's pushed it into hyperinflation.Hyperinflation is always and everywhere a political phenomenon.It happens after wars or revolutions, when governments have to print the money they need because there's not much of an economy left to tax—which brings us to Ukraine. It had a revolution, it has a war now, and it's all but broke. Inflation is officially 28.5 percent, but, according to Johns Hopkins professor Steve Hanke, it's really more lik... more »
Authorities In Kiev Believe The Next Big Battle Will Be For The City Of Mariupol
*VOA:* *Ukrainian Volunteers Prepare to Defend Mariupol* MARIUPOL, UKRAINE — Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. On the hills overlooking the sea of Azov, soldiers of the Ukrainian army are digging in. *Update:* *Ukraine's Mariupol holds its breath for next ... more »
You don't suppose the ambush and shooting of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow could have been, like, an accident?
*Somebody clearly didn't wish Boris Nemtsov well.* *"During the first decade of Putin’s rule, the Kremlin depicted its opponents as freaks or idiots, but now they are portrayed as outright enemies of their country."* *-- Joshua Yaffa, in a newyorker.com post,* "Assassination in Moscow" *by Ken* Of course the murder of Boris Nemtsov not far from the Kremlin could have been a coincidence. Just like the apparent murder of Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Risman sometime after he had drafted a warrant for the arrest of the country's president and foreign minister. Hey, as we all know, *... more »
smile at death
I once knew a man who says death smiles at us all all a man can do is smile back
Father Bix - Presente!
Last night Father Bill 'Bix' Bichsel passed on in Tacoma, Washington. Fr. Bix is one of the most revered peace activists in the northwest where he founded a Catholic Worker community that serves the poor and homeless with much love and hospitality. He was one of the leaders in the longtime peace protests at the Bangor nuclear submarine base in Washington state. Fr. Bix recently took about a dozen people from his community to sit-in at the gates of the Navy base being built in Gangjeong village on Jeju Island. Just before passing on Fr. Bix was reported to have said Gangjeong is... more »
Google gives new meaning to “Orwellian” - Becomes Ministry of Truth
Jon Rappoport “…if all records told the same tale — then the lie passed into history and became truth.” (*1984*, George Orwell) The New Scientist has the stunning story (2/28/15, “Google wants to rank websites based on facts not links,” by Hal Hodson): “THE internet is stuffed with garbage. Anti-vaccination websites make the front page of Google, and fact-free ‘news’ stories spread like wildfire. Google has devised a fix – rank websites according to their truthfulness.” Great idea, right? Sure it is. The author of the article lets the cat out of the bag right away with his ... more »
Students in Democratic Schools Learn More
by David Kirp: ARMENIA, Colombia — IN a one-room rural schoolhouse an hour’s drive from this city in a coffee-growing region of Colombia, 30 youngsters ages 5 to 13 are engrossed in study. In most schools, students sit in rows facing the teacher, who does most of the talking. But these students are grouped at tables, each corresponding to a grade level. The hum of conversation fills the room. After tackling an assignment on their own, the students review one another’s work. If a child is struggling, the others pitch in to help. During my visit to one of these schools, second grader... more »
Canadian Press and Media. The Sad, Sycophantic Sell-Out
*Canadian Press and Media. The Sad, Sycophantic Sell-Out* PART TWO Written by Robin Mathews Mar. 1/15 How do we talk about Canadians in Afghanistan delivering prisoners to torture … following orders of the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper? Then Stephen Harper closing parliament to avoid facing questions…? How do we talk about Canadians leading the destruction of Libya, a modern, civil society with the highest standard of living in Africa? Canadian airmen led the air-strike destruction of women and children, towns, villag... more »
Charles the Turd
*Mid-September 2000: Bin Laden Message Gives Hint of Upcoming USS Cole Attack* A videotape message featuring bin Laden calling for more attacks on the US is aired on Al Jazeera. The video ends with al-Qaeda leader *Ayman al-Zawahiri* [*MI6*] saying, *“Enough of words, it is time to take action against this iniquitous and faithless force [the United States], which has spread troops through Egypt, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.” * [CNN, 10/20/2000; WASHINGTON TIMES, 8/26/2002] *Further, bin Laden is wearing a distinctive, curved Yemeni dagger. Lawrence Wright will later mention in the... more »
A Synchronicity of Paternities
*"Yet another divorce scandal broke in 1876. This time it seems the Prince of Wales played, uncharacteristicly, an almost guiltless role, his one misdemeanour amounting to writing some compromising letters to Lady Aylseford, who was being divorced by her husband in the grounds of her adultery with Lord Blandford, elder brother of Lord Randolph Churchill. Churchill obtained a packet of letters written by the Prince to Lady Aylseford which Lord Randolph described as of 'the most compromising character', adding that if they were ever published, they would would ensure the Prince 'wo... more »
Turbulent Times Show TONIGHT At 7PM CST On Blogtalk Radio
Yes, Whitewraithe and I are indeed having a special Turbulent Times show tonight at 7PM CST... That is of course 8PM EST for those on the American snowy east coast and Midnight for those in the UK.... The show will discuss not only current events, but also a most important article that was just released by Lasha Darkmoon (www.darkmoon.me) concerning one of the most important articles ever written by Paul Craig Roberts..... It gives damning evidence of exactly what kind of psychosis the United States and other Jewish controlled nations are doing in regards to their insane push for w... more »
“You’re Worse than England!”
*I wrote this for the Australian Footy Almanac site. You might enjoy it too.* ------------------------------ *For every Australian who wasn't at Eden Park on Saturday, there's this from a New Zealander who was.* David Warner started it. He had kindly invited us to bring out our inner bogan, and we did. It took a few overs mind you, delayed in part by the frustratingly clean batting of Mr Warner himself, but by the time Southee clean bowled Finch the top was already starting to come off. 1 for 30, and as a crowd on a gorgeous in-swinging Eden Park day we suddenly sensed it. Bl... more »
Did Rahm Emanuel Fail Chicago?
*FIRST A LITTLE BREAKING NEWS* The local Chicago SEIUs just endorsed Chuy Garcia over Emanuel this afternoon. This is a huge big deal and the necessary step towards getting the international SEIU to get on board. There have been quite a few times over the years that Blue America has run newspaper and broadcast ads in Spanish. There was only one time, however, that Blue America ran a series of ads in community newspapers in Korean, Polish, Urdu (as well as Spanish and English). It was 2007 and the occasion was an accountability moment for anti-immigrant knave Rahm Emanuel. A few ... more »
The Great European Disaster Movie
I can't say I'll be watching it (though others will) but we're only a few minutes away now from the *Storyville* programme* The Great European Disaster Movie *on BBC Four. It has been widely trailed, and everyone from Nigel Farage to Dan Hannan has denounced it as a "pro-EU mockumentary". It is said to depict a terrible post-EU future with the far-right rampant, ISIS at the gates of Vienna, and Nigel Farage as prime minister of "Great England" busily deporting immigrants *en masse.* The programme has been written by *Dateline London* regular Annalisa Piras (their "voice of Italy... more »
Great Lakes Ice Cover 2015 almost 87%. Thousands of Record Cold Temps broken
Following up from -Great Lakes ice cover SURPASS 2014's almost-record year? I am aware it's been chilly in Britain- Ireland and elsewhere too- If anyone wants to share please do Great Lakes up to 86.8% Ice Cover *The Great Lakes are now up to 86.8% ice cover. There’s still a good deal of open water on Lakes Michigan and Ontario. As of early Sat. morning, the ice cover on the individual lakes is as follows: Lake Michigan 67.3%, Lake Superior 94.9%, Lake Huron 95.3%, Lake Erie 96%, Lake Ontario 57.1%* Aerial view of Lake Huron shows near-historic ice cover with a ribbon of open... more »
The global warming slowdown is real — but that’s no reason to question climate science ??
That's a headline from the Washington Post- and it is an obvious, blatant appeal to authority. *I despise appeal to authority sooo much!* *An appeal to authority is an argument from the fact that a person judged to be an authority affirms a proposition to the claim that the proposition is true.* *Appeals to authority are always deductively fallacious; even a legitimate authority speaking on his area of expertise may affirm a falsehood, so no testimony of any authority is guaranteed to be true.* Since we are all aware that 'authority' can be corrupted, tainted, influenced, bought an... more »
Editor's Note
For the next few days blogging will be light. I am finishing up on a project right now, and unfortunately it is taking all of my free time. Blogging will return tomorrow morning.
Ukraine Truce Still Holding But Both Sides Are Now Regrouping Their Forces
Members of the Ukrainian armed forces ride on an armoured personnel carrier near Artemivsk, eastern Ukraine, February 28, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Gleb Garanich *Reuters:* *Ukraine military says rebels using truce to regroup* *(Reuters) - Ukraine's military said on Sunday a ceasefire had been fully observed in eastern separatist territories overnight, but warned that pro-Russian rebels were using the truce to regroup for new attacks on government positions.A drop in violence and moves by both sides to withdraw heavy weapons from the front line had raised hopes a shaky two-week-o... more »
GAIA PORTAL: Illuminations of processionals enhance and strengthen
*Illuminations of processionals enhance and strengthen* by ÉirePort Illuminations of processionals enhance and strengthen. Recognitions come at all Gaia consciousness levels. Marcations of implications are definitive. Foundationals are complete. Next Higher Phase commences. ÉirePort | March 1, 2015 at 01:15 | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-uo
Je suis Molla
Alan at *Biased BBC* was struck by a remarkable article on the BBC News website - a piece about an Azerbaijani *Charlie Hebdo *from a century ago by Konul Khalilova, editor of the BBC Azeri service. If you've not read it yet, please do so. Given Azerbaijan's peculiar relationship to its Islamic heritage, the BBC can probably get away with publishing such things there but, interestingly, they also chose to share it with their general, worldwide readership. Here's a scene that looks oddly familiar:
From the Sunday Classics Technology Dept.: When music can sound like THIS . . .
*BACH: Cantata No. 82, "Ich habe genug":iii. Aria, "Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen"* *Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (May 28, 1925 – May 18, 2012)* -- from the Bach Cantatas Website *Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone; Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, cond. DG Archiv Produktion, recorded July 1968* *by Ken* Awhile ago I shared WNYC's New Tech City's "Bored and Brilliant" project, which was aimed at helping smartphonomaniacs get some control over their habit. Judging from the onsite response the project seems to have stimulated a lot of phone compulsives to (a) recognize their j... more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, March 1st, 2015
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Sunday again... A new month and of course time again for my weekly rant... It has been very cold here in central Canada, but it is nothing compared to what is happening across the United States right now.... Temperatures everywhere across the states are near record lows, and even with this being March and the prospects of spring coming soon, there seems to be no relief in sight..... I have long said that this cooling trend would happen due to the diminished solar radiation output from our Yellow Dwarf star, Sol, and now we are seeing that result with a massive... more »
The League Against NATO Aggression - Hands Off Russia!
We Hereby Proclaim the People's Democratic Republic of Nulandistan from Spike EP on Vimeo. *Warning: This transcript contains swearing.* Voice thought to be Nuland's: What do you think? Jonathan Marcus: At the outset it should be clear that this is a fragment of what may well be a larger phone conversation. But the US has not denied its veracity and has been quick to point a finger at the Russian authorities for being behind its interception and leak. Voice thought to be Pyatt's: I think we're in play. The Klitschko [Vitaly Klitschko, one of three main opposition leaders] piece ... more »
Crow Caw Rant #1
*Crow Caw Rant #1* This *RANT* (loosely modeled on one of my compatriots blog rants)is a feature that I hope to make a regular addition to my blog. Sometimes you hear crows cawing in the neighbourhood, and they sound quite angry. Nobody knows what they're telling each other. In the case of my rants...you will know. My first rant will be about the main$tream media coverage of the Nemtsov assassination...and particularly the parade this morning (Sunday, March 1 2015). I went to my default media liar network the BBC (Biggest and Best Calumny) and it didn't let me down. The first ... more »
Venezuela Accusses The U.S. Of Plotting A Coup. Cuts U.S. Embassy Staff And Restricts U.S. Travel
*Daily Mail:* *Venezuela president claims to have captured U.S. pilot accused of 'recruiting citizens to stage a coup'* ** 'Pilot' with 'Latino roots' detained in Táchira, border with Colombia, in the last few days, President Nicolas Maduro claims* ** 5 other U.S. nationals and 4 missionaries have been detained recently* ** All accused by Venezuelan government of 'espionage' and 'recruitment' * ** Comes as tensions rise between the two nations, Maduro accused the U.S. of trying to overthrow him * ** There has been a recent surge in anti-government protests in Caracas* *More News On... more »
The Australian Police State Declares War on Islam (and Russia)
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott Declares a Police State from Spike EP on Vimeo. The jug-eared little twit clearly self-radicalised himself by reading Sarah Palin's autobiography online and sniffing his own farts. This is worse than listening to any Nazi blood libel or propaganda - at least Dr Goebells was clever and sincere in his hate speech - this fool doesn't even believe it when he says it, And the only thing more offensive than listening to the slurs of a skilled liar is listening to the droning rumblings of an unskilled one.
And a brand new entry at No.24...
Except (possibly) for the young these days, it's certainly true that the BBC has permeated most of our lives to a remarkable degree. So much so that I doubt I'm alone in feeling a strange pang of regret that a BBC programme I've not listened to for 25 years is being moved. Yes, Radio One's Sunday chart show is moving to Friday night and, even though it doesn't really matter to me in the slightest, it seems oddly like sacrilege. In my teens 5 o'clock on Sunday, after Sunday dinner, was the time to get my C60 and C90 cassettes ready to record all the new entries. "Number 36", sang ... more »
March 1: What is an oligarchy? Words, words, words....
(It's Sunday. So I took a break from the daily news._ In political discussion, all of us frequently use words we don't really understand. The result is that the words come to have meaning only for the person speaking them - and that meaning is emotional, often with no connection with any reality. A prime example is the word 'communism'. Most people (including most journalists and politicians) have no idea what the word means. To them, its evil. That's it. To them, Stalin was a communist. (He wasn't.) Castro is a communist. (He isn't.) You even find people who call themselves commun... more »
A Secret Island Where The Vast Majority of Residents Live Completely Off The Grid
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The Investigation Into The Murder Of Russian Putin Critic And Politician Nemtsov -- News Roundup March 1, 2015
*Daily Mail*: *The final moments of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov caught on CCTV: Footage 'shows killer on foot jumping into a car after carrying out hit' * ** Boris Nemtsov was gunned down on Great Moskvoretsky Bridge on Friday* ** CCTV footage of moment the 55-year-old was shot four times has emerged* ** It purports to show gunman making escape in organised getaway car* ** Russian media reports the killer had been waiting for Nemtsov on foot* ** Vladimir Putin said his murder had 'all the makings of a contract hit'* ** The Russian President denied having any involvement in ...more »
Guest Post: CJ on Kittredge And Moskowitz talking corporate charter secrets
A *pparently a charter spokesman, Jeremiah Kittredge in NYC, has difficulty---or feigns difficulty in order to manipulate folks---with the statistical concept of "average." (Kittredge is the high-paid and top spokesman for FAMILIES FOR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, a non-profit that is funded by the Waltons, Eva Moskowitz' husbands' group, and hedge-funder-backed PACs.)In a WCNY radio interview, Kittredge was asked to respond to irrefutable data that charters serve significantly less-than-average numbers of Special Ed. and EL... more »
CITIZENFIVE
*Being in the light means being in the Unified Field of love and soul consciousness.* *Citizen* *Five is an illumined human being and citizen of the world who no longer is repressed by fear, is committed to the truth and fully understands the futility of war. It is someone who refuses to participate in the current manipulated political process and clearly see their individual role as a light worker in bringing the evolutionary forces of social cooperation, altruism and light into an egocentric world of darkness, greed and oppression whereas they become an active part of a loving... more »
Result!
Further to one of yesterday's posts... Thanks to pressure from *Biased BBC's *DB and, we might hope, our follow-up post... Pegida UK-bashing BBC tweeter Hannah Bayman has now '*un*-re-tweeted' her biased Yvonne Ridley re-tweet. She clearly realised that it betrayed her bias too clearly.
The burning question (for the BBC)
Morning! @TherealNihal is asking - are British security services to blame for Jihadi John? Give us a shout - text 81869. — BBC Asian Network (@bbcasiannetwork) February 27, 2015
subway tokens, greek coffee cups, and me: missing nyc
This week I received email from my friend Alan, formerly known in this blog as Alan with one L, or AW1L. Subject line: Re: 34th Street/Penn Station Just Now Out-of-Towner [leaning into packed Uptown Express [2 or 3] train]: "Does anybody know if this goes to Times Square?" About 10 Passengers [as one--all with exactly the same *annoyed* tone]: "Yes!" It was *excellent*! [I *love* this town!!] I loved this little story! I loved that AW1L thought of me when this happened. It also made me feel homesick and wistful for my old hometown. I replied, in part, "Sometimes I miss my old lif... more »
How Small Lies Obscure Objective Truth and Simplicity
Bernie Suarez Imagine you are at a crime scene. A person has been murdered. A suspect is caught running away from the scene of the crime. Weapon found, motive established, relationship found between the victim and the suspect. As the prosecuting attorney you present your case outlining all the details. You present witnesses, forensic evidence and other pieces of evidence. Then imagine if the defense attorney announces that he wishes to introduce a new rule to control the trial. He declares that from now on, regardless of what evidence is presented, unless the defense team fesses ... more »
It Blows
(source: Project Gutenberg) I'm talking about the windy month of March, coming in like a bitch today. But to be perfectly accurate, in my little corner of the Homeland anyway, it'll be snowing instead of blowing. As I write this, it is a calm, tropical 8 Degrees F outside, with an advisory out for up to six inches of flakes by tomorrow morning. As a matter of fact, snow is forecast for all 50 states this week if you believe *The Daily Mail*. And if you believe the* New York Times*, the waves are freezing on Nantucket. But back to February. I have a bone to pick with T.S. Eliot, ... more »
Thousands Of Russians March In Memory Of Murdered Putin Critic
*Reuters:* *'I am not afraid,' Russians march in memory of murdered Putin critic* *(Reuters) - Holding placards declaring "I am not afraid", thousands of Russians marched in Moscow on Sunday in memory of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, whose murder has widened a split in society that some say could threaten Russia's future.Families, the old and young walked slowly, with many carrying portraits of Nemtsov, an opposition politician and former deputy prime minister who was shot dead while walking home from a restaurant in central Moscow on Friday night.* *WNU Editor:* I expected a b... more »
EU goes to WTO over Boeing subsidies
Just as I predicted, the European Union has filed a World Trade Organization complaint against Boeing's new round of subsidies from Washington state totaling $8.7 billion from 2025 to 2040 (h/t @ThomasCafcas). I'll go out on a limb and predict that the EU will win this case. Okay, that's not really out on a limb: The WTO found that Boeing's last round of state and local subsidies violates its Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the facts are exactly the same -- except for the fact that the subsidies have grown from $160 million a year to $543 million a year, mor... more »
Every Person Who Feels “Awake” Needs to Watch this Video
*Video -* This video is not meant to 'wake' anyone up, but rather to let those who are awake know that they are not crazy. The post Every Person Who Feels “Awake” Needs to Watch this Video appeared first on Waking Times.
A common purpose
On the 'Jihadi Mohammed' story... Both *The Andrew Marr Show *(guest-hosted by Sophie Raworth) and Radio 4's *Broadcasting House *shared a particular focus: on the alleged failings of the British security services. Sophie Raworth's introduction stated: Now, with the revelation that the ISIS terrorist Mohammed Emwzai was on a terror watchlist and had links to extremists going back many years, tough questions are being asked of the policy and the security services. and later interviews pursued this path, with Sophie beginning her interview with Labour's Yvette Cooper with the ques... more »
Fears grow for missing TV presenter
Mysteriously, we were told that Andrew Marr was "away this week" at the start of this morning's *Andrew Marr Show. * I don't know about you but, given what's been going on recently, I found that highly alarming. Hopefully, he's not gone off to Syria to become a jihadi bride. If he has, will it because he's been radicalised by years of working at the BBC, having been exposed to its relentless propaganda? Well, if there's one thing I know from watching the BBC for so long, is that it's all down to British foreign policy and the failings of the British security services, so that's a... more »
University challenge
Because the SOAS has just voted (73% - 27%) for an academic boycott of Israel I thought I ought to post this video. There but for the grace of God goes every UK campus.
Webcam Update
Very strange day for webcam viewing. Emissions seem to be much less visible on TEPCO cam 1, although if one looks "down" at the screen clear emissions are visible but they are greatly reduced today from the area of unit 3. I hope the reduced visible emissions is good news: TBS is down. TEPCO cam 4 is showing lots of "spiderwebs," which webcam watchers are divided about but are probably at least partially, if not entirely, explained by radioactive rain drops on cam lens: Futaba cam looks relatively dark with raindrops on cam lens (but no spiderwebs there). I did see a truck head... more »
ADHD Not a Real Disease, Says Leading Neuroscientist
*Alex Pietrowski* *One of the world’s leading pediatric neuroscientists, Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D, recently stated publicly that Attention Deficit/Hyper-Activity Disorder (ADHD) is not ‘a real disease,’ and warned of the dangers of giving psycho-stimulant medications to children.* *Speaking to the Observer, Dr. Perry noted that the disorder known as ADHD should be considered a description of a wide range of symptoms that many children and adults exhibit, most of which are factors that everyone of us displays at some point during our lives.* *“It is best thought of as a ... more »
U.S. Secretary of State Kerry: The U.S. Deserves "The Benefit Of The Doubt" To See If A Nuclear Deal Can Be Reached With Iran
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry holds a joint news conference with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (not pictured) at the State Department in Washington February 27, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Gary Cameron *Reuters:* *Kerry says U.S. deserves 'benefit of the doubt' on getting Iran nuclear deal* *(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday the United States deserves "the benefit of the doubt" to see if a nuclear deal can be reached with Iran that would prevent any need for military action to curb Tehran's atomic ambitions.* *Kerry also said he hoped that Isr... more »
The Gaza trilogy.
BBC Watch has posted the third in a series of critiques of Lyse Doucet’s reports on her commemorative visit to Gaza. This particular episode is the strangest of all, because it’s almost fact-free. You’d think that as the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent she’d have more to offer than a kind of nostalgic misery memoir. Yes, the rubble in Shuja’iya is pretty bloody shameful, (but it’s hardly a patch on the devastation we’ve seen in hundreds of other Middle East cities which haven’t been given the Doucet lamentation treatment) (Kobane) Will Lyse be visiting soon to see wheth... more »
How Do You Know If Congressmembers Love America? The Question Of Disloyalty
Sometimes, angry, frustrated congressmen call me to vent. That happened Friday during those silly Boehner votes on shutting down the Department of Homeland Security. But the call wasn't about the 52 Confederate/Teabagger villains in Boehner's caucus who voted to shut the Department down; it was about the dozen right-wing Democrats who broke ranks with Pelosi and went along with Boehner. Just for the record, these were the GOP Johnny Rebs Friday: *•* Justin Amash (R-MI) *•* Brian Babin (R-TX) *•* Lou Barletta (R-PA) *•* Joe Barton (R-TX) *•* Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) *•* Dave Brat (R... more »
President Obama Threatens To Veto Bipartisan Congressional Bill On Any Iran Nuclear Deal
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks next to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, February 27, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing *Reuters*: *Obama to veto bill letting Congress weigh in on Iran deal* *(Reuters) - President Barack Obama would veto a bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate allowing Congress to weigh in on any deal the United States and other negotiating countries reach with Iran on its nuclear capabilities, the White House said on Saturday.* *"The president has been clear that now is not the time for Congre... more »
Good News! Tax Audits Will Dwindle to Record Low Levels This Year
Joshua Krause Well, tax season is officially here, as Americans of all walks of life scramble to get their extortion papers tax returns in order before April 15th. Although, I’m not really sure why they call it “tax season.” That makes it sound like you could draw a comparison to something like the “holiday season.” I guess there are some similarities. You will spend months stressing over your finances, as you struggle to figure out how you’re going spend all your money on stuff you don’t need, but I digress. There is some great news on the tax front. Apparently, this year the IRS... more »
What’s Really Behind the Current Measles Outbreak?
Dr. Tedd Koren In this nation of over 300 million, a little over a hundred cases of measles have been reported with no deaths. Some epidemic. Why is everyone so concerned? How many epidemic scares have we seen in the past few years? Both swine flu scares, SARS, bird flu, H1N1 flu, the Ebola scare and wasn’t heterosexual AIDS predicted to wipe out a quarter of the earth’s population? And this is only a partial list! As George Carlin once said, “Americans panic easily.” But who can blame us when the “experts” say terrible things are going to happen and the media doesn’t give the ot... more »
Israeli PM Netanyahu Is Now Traveling To Washington To Deliver His Speech On Iran To Congress
*Reuters:* *U.S.-Israel ties fraying over Netanyahu's planned Iran speech* *(Reuters) - Signs are growing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned speech to Congress against a possible nuclear deal with Iran could damage his country's broad alliance with the United States.* *The right-wing leader's acceptance of a Republican invitation to address the U.S. legislature already brought Netanyahu's long-strained relations with President Barack Obama to a new low due to the overture's partisan nature.* *WNU Editor*: There has always been a rift between the White House a... more »
Hamas Labeled A 'Terrorist Organization' By Egyptian Court
*CNN*:* Egyptian court designates Hamas as a terror organization, state media says* *Cairo (CNN)An Egyptian court has ruled that Hamas is a terrorist organization, according to an Egyptian state-run media organization.* *Hamas, the Islamist group which dominates the Gaza strip, has been at odds with the Egyptian government since the country's former President, Mohammed Morsy, was ousted in a coup in the summer of 2013.* *Morsy was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization that shares deep ties with Hamas. The government formed after Morsy's ouster des... more »
Untitled
*Why the Saints should draft Vic Beasley ~Brian Pavek, Saints Nation* *Protest continues over City Park Golf Course ~WDSU* *Million-dollar mansion club in New Orleans is booming, and a few key reasons might explain why ~Jaquetta White, N.O. Advocate * *New Orleans opens first official skatepark in Gentilly neighborhood ~WWLTV * *Navy to buy 3 boats from Hornbeck Offshore Services ~AP*
FBI Report: Thermite Devices Are Undeteted And They Can Easily Destroy A Passenger Jet
*The Intercept*:* Exclusive: TSA Issues Secret Warning on ‘Catastrophic’ Threat to Aviation* *The Transportation Security Administration said it is unlikely to detect and unable to extinguish what an FBI report called “the greatest potential incendiary threat to aviation,” according to a classified document obtained by The Intercept. Yet despite that warning, sources said TSA is not adequately preparing to respond to the threat.* *Thermite — a mixture of rust and aluminum powder — could be used against a commercial aircraft, TSA warned in a Dec. 2014 document, marked secret [PDF... more »
South Africa’s ''Dr. Death'' Again Evades Sentencing
Janet Phelan In a last minute strategic move by counsel, Dr. Wouter Basson’s sentencing by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has again been delayed. Basson, who was found guilty by the HPCSA in 2013 of acting unprofessionally as the director of the apartheid government’s biological and chemical warfare unit, Project Coast, may have had one of the longest running trials in history. The initial complaints against him were filed with the medical board in 2000, only to be delayed until the conclusion of his criminal trial in Pretoria High Court. As director of... more »
Legal Experts urge killing Police State Bill
Last week more than 100 Legal Experts wrote a letter Urging Parliament to Amend or Kill Anti-Terrorism Bill C-51 The legal experts from across Canada are urging all parliamentarians to “ensure that C-51 not be enacted in anything resembling its present form.” They argue, in an open letter *published on the National Post*, that the federal government’s anti-terrorism bill is a “dangerous piece of legislation” that has not been given due debate. The text of the preamble of the open letter is reproduced below: *Dear Members of Parliament,* *Please accept this collective open letter as a... more »
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*The campus of hate: How terrorist butcher Emwazi's murderous alter-ego was created in the heart of Britain's capital city* So we finally know who was behind the executioner’s mask; those merciless eyes glaring defiantly at us and his victims; that chillingly familiar London accent; the Timberland boots underneath the black robes, the arm wielding a serrated dagger. They belong to a young man who, once upon a time, embraced British life to the full. Mohammed Emwazi, 26, was a member of a local five-a-side-football team. He supported Manchester United, wore Nike-branded clothing,... more »
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*Judith Curry's reflections on the witch-hunt against skeptics* It looks like it is ‘open season’ on anyone who deviates even slightly from the consensus. The political motivations of all this are apparent from barackobama.com: Call Out The Climate Deniers. It is much easier for a scientist just to ‘go along’ with the consensus. In a recent interview, as yet unpublished, I was asked: I’ve seen some instances where you have been called a “denier” when it comes to climate change, I am just curious as to your opinion on that? My reply: "As a scientist, I am an independent think... more »
The Realist Report Spring 2015 Fundraiser
It's that time of year folks - it's time to kick off the Spring 2015 fundraiser for The Realist Report. I have set up a *GoFundMe page*, which I'll be using for the entire month of March to accept donations. I have set a goal of raising $2,000 over the course of the next month. Here is how I described *The Realist Report Fundraiser on GoFundMe*: My name is John Friend, and I am an independent journalist, blogger, and radio host. I maintain TheRealistReport.com, where you can find all of my personal writings, blog posts, radio appearances, and radio programs. My writings and radio pr... more »
How Was Net Neutrality Saved?
I'm always saying that petitions to psychopaths and afternoon demonstrations don't affect anything. But Net Neutrality was saved from the FCC caving to giant telecommunications firms without riots in the street or a political revolution. So what happened? Without having read any analysis of the victory, I'm going to speculate that elites realized that a multi-tiered internet service would cause a shit-storm that would cost much more than the extra profits to the telecom companies. Hackers. Angry consumers. Non-huge businesses seeking to use the internet. Netflix (not that huge, it... more »
New Blogs February 2015
It's March! Time for a round-up of new(ish) left, labour movement, and radical blogs. 1. Exposing UKIP (Unaligned) (Twitter) 2. Games and Class (*Morning Star*) (Twitter) 3. genders, bodies, politics (Unaligned/Feminist) (Twitter) 4. Huseyin Kishi (Green) (Twitter) 5. Jacqui Berry for Gillingham and Rainam (Socialist Party/TUSC) (Twitter) 6. London Green Left Blog (Green) 7. More Known Than Proven (Labour) (Twitter) 8. Nora Mulready (Labour) (Twitter) 9. Red and Black Leeds (Unaligned/Anarchist) (Twitter) 10. Secretly Radical (Unaligned/Feminist) 11. Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victor... more »
When Will They Get Their Act Together?
http://www.montrealgazette.com/ Ralph Surette has had Stephen Harper's number for a long time. He's a veteran journalist and he knows a charlatan when he sees one. Bill C-51 is a superb example of how Harper operates: Not that the bill doesn't have some good points -- but that's Harper's genius. He starts with a vaguely decent argument, then takes it to extremes -- but only to that precise extreme that can be muffled by the repetition of talking points. But the bill itself is only the half of it. The deeper, ignored part is that the ... more »
Physicist Boris Nemtsov assassinated near the Kremlin
Boris Jefimovič Němcov (don't you prefer this Czech spelling?) was born in 1959. In 1985, he got a PhD from the Gorky State University (he later became a "candidate" of physico-mathematical sciences) and for five years, he worked as a research fellow in the Gorky Radio Physics Research Institute. He has actually authored over 60 publications (in Russian journals) in quantum physics, thermodynamics, and acoustics, including some papers about the "acoustics laser" that he invented, along with new designs for space-based antennas. After the 1986 Chernobyl blast, he became an anti... more »
Five Most Read Posts in February
The most popular posts last month were: 1. The Unavoidable Horizon of Lesser Evilism 2. Labour vs The Militant Tendency 3. Peter Oborne and the Crisis of Conservatism 4. The Sociology of Tory Stupidity 5. Labour's Scottish Bloodbath ... And What Needs To Be Done About It A personally gratifying month, to be sure. You give people stuff they want to read about and they will come. As someone who writes mainly about politics, it's good that this sort of material is finally finding an audience. Back when this blog was an eclectic mix of social theory and sectariana, posts looking at the ... more »
Graphs at a glance: Would we get better MPs if we paid them an extra £10k per annum? The data suggests we would actually get worse!
MPs caught plotting ‘under the radar’ lobbying (on behalf of clients) for cash, are quick to use their mischiefs as an excuse to lobby (on behalf of themselves) for even more cash. They claim if MPs were paid more we would get better quality MPs. Their assertion being: Some high powered people don't apply to be MPs because they don't want to take the pay cut. If they didn't have to take the
John Pell: a birthday
I am pretty sure it's the first time I write about John Pell, an English 17th century mathematician. He was born on March 1st, 1611, in Southwick, Sussex. When he was five and six, his father John Pell and mother Mary Holland of Kent died, respectively. However, his \(4+4=8\) kids didn't learn what it means to be an orphan: he only died when he was 74. During his life, he became an accomplished linguist, a diplomat, and he even proposed a universal language. He wrote about pedagogy, encyclopedism, and pansophy. Because he did all these pretty sophisticated non-mathematical things, ... more »
How to get blog or post URL (address)
You may want to give something to your friends to enable them to come view your blog, or you may be asking for help at help forums and requested to give the blog or post URL (web address) The URL or in layman's term, web address of a webpage is that string starting with http:// or https:// which you see at the top of a browser in what is referred to as the ADDRESS BAR (see screenshot below, URL underlined in red): [image: webpage address bar] So to get the web address, just highlight it in the address bar, right-click and select copy to copy to the clipboard. Other ways to get the... more »
USrael Is Sneakily Playing A Very Shrewd Game In Iraq (And Syria)
*An excerpt from, "Islamic State conspiracy theories sway Iraqis" by Shukur Khilkhal, Al Monitor, February 27, 2015:* In a phone interview from Diwaniyah, Hamza Fadel Youcef, professor of modern literary criticism at al-Qadisiyyah University, told al-Monitor of a theory popular in his city involving an alleged Operation Hornet’s Nest undertaken by the international coalition. Youcef explained, *“People believe that the US strikes IS in a certain region to eliminate its militants and allows the Shiite popular mobilization forces to enter the area. Then, the United States encourages... more »
Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, “Liquid Mind V: Serenity - Awakening.”
“Liquid Mind is deeply relaxing and soothing music for relief of stress and anxiety, meditation, healing. Music By Chuck Wild, “Liquid Mind V: Serenity - Awakening.” Images courtesy of ESA, NASA and The Hubble Space Telescope.” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCa4dpKyzwo&feature=related
"12 Rules for Being a Human Being"
*"12 Rules for Being a Human Being"* by Marc "Don’t try to be perfect. Just be an excellent example of being human. Here are a few things to keep in mind: *1. Growth requires pain.* Be patient and tough, someday this pain will be useful to you. Those with the strength to succeed in the long run are the ones who lay a firm foundation of growth with the bricks that life has thrown at them. So don’t be afraid to fall apart for a little while. Because when it happens, the situation will open an opportunity for you to grow and rebuild yourself into the brilliant person you are ca... more »
The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "Book of Hours II, 16"
*"Book of Hours II, 16"* "How surely gravity's law, strong as an ocean current, takes hold of even the strongest thing and pulls it toward the heart of the world. Each thing- each stone, blossom, child- is held in place. Only we, in our arrogance, push out beyond what we belong to for some empty freedom. If we surrendered to earth's intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees. Instead we entangle ourselves in knots of our own making and struggle, lonely and confused. So, like children, we begin again to learn from the things, because they are in God's heart; they have never left h... more »
One Way ALEC Wants to Bankrupt Your State
As we all know - the sole purpose of ALEC is to benefit and profit of ALEC corporate members. Some of the things that ALEC does are meant to destroy your state - and here is one. A slow easy bleed of the money in your state - until your state can no longer afford to exist anymore - unless of course you go begging to AL:EC corporate interests to fund and run your state - also known as Fascism! Most are not paying attention to the issue highlighted below. This piece of nastiness spreading across the USA gives a whole new meaning to ALEC's espoused "limited government". Bankrupt th... more »
After Announcing Plans To Recapture Mosul In The Spring, The Pentagon Has Decided To Scrap Its Attack Plans
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters stand guard on the outskirts of Mosul (Reuters/Azad Lashkari) *Daily Beast*: *Pentagon Scrubs Major Attack on ISIS* *Just days ago, the generals were trumpeting plans to knock ISIS out of its most important stronghold in Iraq. Now, those plans are on indefinite hold.* *The U.S. military’s goal to retake Iraq’s second largest city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State has been pushed back several months at least, defense officials told The Daily Beast. That’s a major shift for the Pentagon, which recently announced that the first major ground offensive i... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Drifting through the one-horned constellation Monoceros, these dusty streamers and new born stars are part of the active Monoceros R2 star-forming region, embedded in a giant molecular cloud. The cosmic scene was recorded by the VISTA survey telescope in near-infrared light. Visible light images show dusty NGC 2170, seen here just right of center, as a complex of bluish reflection nebulae. *Click image for larger size.* But this penetrating near-infrared view reveals telltale signs of ongoing star formation and massive young stars otherwise hidden by the dust. Energetic winds and r... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Burke, Virginia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Desperate Courage..."
“Desperate courage makes One a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
Ukraine Fighting Shifts To Mariupol Whose Capture Would Grant Russian Land Corridor To Crimea (ZeroHedge, Feb 19, 2015): Yesterday, when we reported that the last Ukraine outpost in the rebel-controlled eastern territory, the town of Debaltseve, has fallen into separatist hands, we concluded that "perhaps the only question is whether fighting ...
The headline at Voice of America is "Putin Demands Surrender of Encircled Ukrainian Troops." The text of the story underneath that headline begins: Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling on pro-Russian rebels to allow besieged Ukrainian troops safe passage out of the encircled town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine. Speaking Tuesday in the ...
This is what you get when a country focuses on war, rather than economic production. And has leaders, sponsored by the US btw, who attempt to print money as a way to finance the war. Steve Hanke writes : I estimate Ukraine's current.... monthly inflation rate to be 64.5 percent. This rate ...
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