The Goldman Sachs Tower - Jersey city, NJ. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
10:16pm MSTIt’s Not Too Late to Stop Trump
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as he speaks at campaign stop, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Portland, Maine.] Mitt Romney made a compelling and urgent case for why the Republican Party’s soul is at stake in this election cycle. And speaking of Romney, his experience in 2012 illustrates why those who are shrugging that it is too late... more »
I Can't Sleep Nights, Worrying I'm Not Doing Enough For Bernie
Progressive pundit Michael Tomasky has given his permission for Bernie to stay in the race *but* warned him that "if he wants to remain a major progressive leader in a Clinton presidency, it’s time to ratchet back his attacks on the presumptive nominee." Has Bernie been attacking her? I must've fallen asleep and missed it. "From here on in," write Tomasky, "Sanders ought to lay off the attacks on Hillary Clinton, the Goldman Sachs speeches and all the rest. Eventually, he’s going to lose. She’s going to win. He can do it in a way that burnishes his standing in the party he’s deci... more »
German Man Dead For Only One week Found ‘Mummified’
Manfred Fritz Bajorat, a German sailer was identified from documents found on his yacht where his “mummified” body was also found. After an autopsy, it was declared that he had only been dead for about one week. The yacht named “Sayo,” was discovered by a fishermen in the souther Philippines, about sixty miles off the coast of Barabo. Bajorat was reported to have been sailing all over the world for twenty years. He apparently had not been seen since 2009, though a friend had reported hearing from Bajorat via Facebook in 2015. And while it is not clear exactly why Manfred Fritz Bajor... more »
Jewish Teacher in France Fabricates ISIS Attack, Gets Arrested
Zion Saadon, a 45-year-old Jewish Teacher living in the south of France, in Marseille, is the second Jewish teacher accused of lying to the police. He was arrested for claiming that ISIS militants attacked him in November of 2015, just days after the Paris attacks that left 130 dead. Zion Saadon was insistent on being a victim of rising anti-semitism in France after an overnight hospital stay. The alleged attack had no witnesses and forensic exams proved that Zion Saadon had in fact mutilated his own body with a knife. After a 3-month investigation, police decided to charge him with... more »
Russia Warns That The War In Yemen Is Going To Grind For A 'Very Long Time'
*AFP:* *Russia warns of 'very long' war in Yemen* United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Russia warned Thursday the war in Yemen could grind on for a "very long time" because of the government's insistence on conditions for a ceasefire. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, speaking to reporters after a UN Security Council meeting on the Yemen crisis, told reporters he was concerned that prospects for peace talks were dim. "We hear that the government does not want to have a ceasefire until there is a comprehensive settlement," Churkin said. "This is a recipe for a very long conflic... more »
Inequality 30, Filipinos in Forbes' world billionaires
Forbes released the world's top billionaires, and 11 of them are Filipinos. Reported in BusinessWorld yesterday: *1. Henry Sy -- the lone Filipino to crash Forbes’ top 100 richest -- placed 71st in the global rankings, up from 73rd last year, but his net worth dropped to $12.9 billion from $14.2 billion. His SM group owns SM Prime Holdings, Inc., BDO Unibank, Inc. and SM Retail, Inc., all dominant players in their respective industries.* *2. John L. Gokongwei, Jr. Second at 270th place globally -- down from 254th last year -- is., chairman emeritus of JG Summit Holdings, Inc., whos... more »
Making a Buck Off Reading
by Susan Ohanian MARCH IS NATIONAL READING MONTHThat's the declaration in an e-mail announcement from the *Orlando Sentinel*. It trumpeted, *“Up to 25% off Select Books.”* A few minutes later I received the same announcement from the *Chicago Tribune*, proof that I get mail from too many newspapers. Maybe I’m being petty to complain that I find it odd that this celebration of reading features a cookbook. I like cookbooks as ... more »
This Graphic Shows All Of The Russian Navy's Submarines
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Business Insider*: *This amazing graphic shows all of the Russian navy's submarines* Russia's submarine fleet is one of the most capable in the world, perhaps second only to that of the US. And it is only getting better. Although the subs are holdovers from the Cold War, Russia has been steadily investing in and modernizing its fleet in capabilities and range. Russian President Vladimir Putin has grand plans to modernize with the purchase of additional subs and the development and acquisition of new models. And Putin's plan has so far worked. Russian... more »
Bundy, 18 Others Indicted in 2014 Range Standoff in Nevada
[image: New Hampshire state Rep. Susan DeLemus, right, leaves the Federal Courthouse with state Rep. John Burt after attending a hearing for her husband Gerald DeLemus Thursday March, 3, 2016 in Concord, N.H. DeLemus of Rochester, N.H. was arrested on allegations that he organized and led armed patrols and security checkpoints for several weeks after a tense armed confrontation in April 2014 near Cliven Bundy's melon farm and cattle ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada.] LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Federal authorities rounded up 12 people in five states on Thursday, bringing to 19 the number of defend... more »
Walking the Razor’s Edge Toward Enlightenment
*Gary ‘Z’ McGee* - A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. The post Walking the Razor’s Edge Toward Enlightenment appeared first on Waking Times.
Report: ISIS Making $25 Million a Month in Financial Racket
[image: 1,000,000 Iraqi dinars, the currency of Iraq.] Islamic State is raking in as much as $25 million a month by manipulating Middle Eastern money markets, according to financial experts. David Butter, a policy fellow at Chatham House, explained ISIS manipulates banking operations in order to bring in millions to... more »
9 Easy Ways To Get Your Name on a Government Watch List
*Alice Jones Webb* - In the new America, it doesn't take much to get yourself on 'the list.' The post 9 Easy Ways To Get Your Name on a Government Watch List appeared first on Waking Times.
Two States That Are Working to Protect Religious Liberty
[image: Old Bible, Christianity, Christians, Religion, Word of God, Faith, Holy Scripture, Books] With state legislatures entering the busiest time of their legislative calendar, a number of states are considering Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRA) that would protect citizens' fundamental rights from unreasonable and unnecessary government coercion. West Virginia and Georgia are among... more »
Does Trump Have a Health Care Plan? Does It Matter?
[image: In this March 1, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Louisville, Ky. Even Republican health care experts say Donald Trump’s evolving ideas on this top issue don’t seem to amount to a plan.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump’s evolving ideas on health care do not amount to a full plan, and some proposals could mean new political and policy dilemmas for the Republican presidential front-runner and his party. One Trump idea -- allowing... more »
How Do Republicans Deal With the Aftertaste...
...after they eat their own? Maybe that's why Mitt Romney smacks his lips 50 times a minute. The taste of Donald Trump's ankle must be driving him even crazier than he already is. Today, Romney delivered a speech at the University of Utah that was a masterpiece of delusion, projection and right wing bathos. Suddenly, all the things that Romney stood for during his almost invariable failure of public service is now a bad thing: Invading Iraq. Torture. Trump's bullying tactics. Killing children. Outsourcing US jobs overseas. Fear-mongering about Muslims. Flip-flopping. ... more »
PARIS Tribute to John Trudell March 7, 2016
Committee in Solidarity with American Indians
How Important Is Disavowing Herr Trumpf
*Pete'n'Fred-- Trumpf enablers* As funny as it sounds to Democrats that Mitch McConnell is encouraging vulnerable Republican senators to make ads to save their own necks by running ads against Trumpf during the general election, Democratic candidates for Republican-held House seats are already reminding voters that the incumbents are, at the minimum, implicitly backing Trumpf by refusing to distance themselves from him and his hateful, divisive, anti-American rhetoric. Yesterday, Paul Clements, who's running against hereditary multimillionaire and job-outsourcer Fred Upton, a guy... more »
Russian Submarines Come To The Mideast
B-237 Rostov-On-The-Don. Source : sevastopol.info *Micah Halpern, Observer:* *Underwater and Underhanded: Russian Submarines Come to the Mideast* Once again, Russia is upping the ante in the power game they are playing in the Middle East. Russians have deployed a fleet of submarines off the coast of Syria. And not just any subs. These are the quietest subs in the world. NATO has termed these Russian subs “Black Hole.” They are diesel electric powered and fire Tomahawk-style rockets from the sea. The subs are also known as Rostov -on- Don and the Russians have already used them ag... more »
Cancer Rates Soar To Scary Levels Near New York Nuclear Power Plant
Authorities near the Indian Point nuclear power plant have said that cancer rates in the surrounding areas have soared to disturbing levels. Vicki Fox, teacher of social studies at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School close to the nuclear plant, revealed she has seen a rise in thyroid cancers among pupils and staff: “My name is Vicki Fox, I’m a middle school teacher at a school that is just a few miles from Indian Point… I really can’t tell you how many teachers and students I’ve met there over the years who are survivors of cancer — specifically thyroid cancer. I was talking about t... more »
EMP? Huge Blackout Across Syria
Syria has reported a widespread blackout across the entire country, with authorities currently scrambling to find out the cause of the outage. Experts say that the power was cut in all areas across the country and said a potential EMP attack could not be ruled out. By midnight officials had begun restoring electricity in some areas, but were still unable to determine the official cause. BBC News reports: In most parts of war-torn Syria, electricity is already available only two to four hours a day, if at all. However, nationwide blackouts are rare. Meanwhile, the UN’s special envoy... more »
USA Attempt To Avert World War 3 With North Korea, Impose Tough Sanctions
The U.S. have announced harsh new sanctions against North Korea in a bid to avert World War 3 and prevent Kim Jong-un from firing missiles at America. The White House say the measures are intended to make it almost impossible for the communist regime to build or acquire nuclear weapons, but have admitted that the sanctions could provoke a world war. Dailystar.co.uk reports: The standoff started when the rogue nation conducted its first successful atomic bomb test in January. Soon after, the sinister socialist state warned its weapons could wipe out the whole US at once. And tensions...more »
Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Divinere”
Ludovico Einaudi, “Divinere” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI8N2569jSg
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The party is still going on in spiral galaxy NGC 3310. Roughly 100 million years ago, NGC 3310 likely collided with a smaller galaxy causing the large spiral galaxy to light up with a tremendous burst of star formation. The changing gravity during the collision created density waves that compressed existing clouds of gas and triggered the star-forming party. *Click image for larger size.* The featured image from the Gemini North Telescope shows the galaxy in great detail, color-coded so that pink highlights gas while white and blue highlight stars. Some of the star clusters in the g... more »
Chet Raymo, “Cranes or Skyhooks?”
*“Cranes or Skyhooks?”* by Chet Raymo “In the late 19th century, an intractable problem bedeviled scientists. Geologists had convincingly demonstrated that the Earth was hundreds of millions of years old, and fossil evidence suggested that life had been around for most of that time. Which means the Sun must have been burning more or less steadily throughout the duration. Yet physicists and chemists could not provide any credible source of energy that would keep the Sun shining for all that time. Not gravitational contraction. Not chemical combustion or any other known chemical reac... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Afshin, “Prayer of Change”
Afshin, “Prayer of Change” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SGQ65QhaU
Washington Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case of Florist Attacked Over Same-Sex Marriage
[image: Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene's Flowers, is being sued by the State of Washington for denying to service a gay wedding ceremony.] The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a grandma florist being sued for refusing to service a gay wedding. The court decided Wednesday it would hear the case of Barronelle Stutzman, who is being sued by... more »
Paul Ryan Rallies Conservatives to New Battle Plan for Fighting Poverty
[image: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks at the American Conservative Union's CPAC conference at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., on Thursday, March 3, 2016.] House Speaker Paul Ryan called Thursday for a change of strategy in the nation's 52-year-old War on Poverty. The Wisconsin Republican said he wants to empower communities, not the federal government, to wage their own battles for economic opportunity. Ryan renewed...more »
Experts: “Eject Turkey From NATO Now”, As Ankara Provokes War With Russia
Experts are calling on NATO to eject Turkey from its membership over fears that Turkish authorities are deliberately trying to provoke a war with Russia. New York Post writer Benny Anvi warns that NATO’s very existence is under threat due to Turkey’s continual provocations: “Can anyone envision America — or anyone else in the alliance — rushing to Turkey’s aid in a military confrontation with Russia?” Anvi asks. Luxumbourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Der Spiegal that “NATO cannot allow itself to be pulled into a military escalation with Russia as a result of the recent ten... more »
Morocco Foils ISIS Biological Attack
The Moroccan Interior Ministry have said that they have thwarted a biological attack planned by ISIS militants. The successful apprehension of members of a suspected terrorist cell allowed authorities to dismantle the group before they carried out their planned attack. “Some of the seized substances (from the suspects) are classified by international organizations which specialize in health issues as falling within the category of biological weapons dangerous for their capacity to paralyze and destroy the nervous system and cause death,” the ministry confirmed. Presstv.ir reports: ... more »
Mysterious Radio Signals From Space Baffles Scientists
Scientists have discovered a 10 millisecond-long “fast radio bursts”, coming from deep in space, and have been left baffled as to where it is coming from. A new study has revealed that these mysterious radio signals are sometimes sent out in a repetitive pattern – leading some experts to hypothesise that they may be encoded alien messages. Independent.co.uk reports: Scientists have heard a long, repeated sound from deep in space — and nobody is sure where it is coming from. The finding adds to other strange discoveries about the fast radio bursts that seem to indicate that there ma... more »
As We Shift - Breaking Free (What our Neighbors are Seeing and Saying)
This is Part II. Read Part I here. In order to appreciate the reasons for releasing them together, here is a bit of an introduction. These were back to back conversations, they were both visual, and they relate to each other, although they were held with different beings. This is not the first time I've had such topics introduced (the one you are about to read). They have been saying this sort of thing since last summer. I chose not not repeat it as I did not sense the urgency then. For some reason, now I do. Perhaps it is the astrological forecasting about Mar... more »
Donald Trump: Defender of the Faith?
[image: Supporters of Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.] WASHINGTON -- What happened to the evangelicals? They were supposed to be the bedrock of the Ted Cruz candidacy. Yet on Super Tuesday he lost them to Donald Trump. Cruz still did make a reasonably good showing, winning Alaska, Oklahoma... more »
China’s Wife Shortage
[image: Chinese wedding2 - 900] Millions of Chinese bachelors feel crippled by the pressure to find a wife in a country where there a few to be found. So much so, they are going to ever more extreme lengths to secure one. It is understandably... more »
Kim Jong-un Orders North Korea's Nuclear Weapons To Be Readied For Launch 'At Any Time'
*The Guardian: **North Korea: Kim Jong-un orders nuclear weapons readied for use 'at any time'* Leader reportedly tells military to adopt ‘pre-emptive’ posture after imposition of toughest UN sanctions to date. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has ordered his country to be ready to use nuclear weapons “at any time” in the face of a growing threat from enemies, according to official media. Kim also said the North should turn its military posture to a “pre-emptive basis” because enemies were threatening the state’s survival, the regime’s KCNA news agency announced on Friday. ... more »
When all the smoke clears and you see
The median family, before the little girl on the right broke her leg I’m just back in Nicaragua after a couple of weeks in Canada hanging out with my family, and going through one of those re-entry things where I’m suddenly reawakened to the many sad stories in Managua. Mostly, people cope down here, and with a smile on their face. But when you re-enter after two weeks of happy family time with all your healthy, well-fed and extremely well-tended grandchildren and their many friends, there can be this brief period where you see the place as it compares to where you just c... more »
A Hillary Clinton Presidency Will Mean Armageddon
*Every Syrian should be praying for a Trump presidency. If the wicked witch is elected she will ravage their country more than ISIS ever could and lay siege to everything that lives. * *An excerpt from, "Neocon Armchair Warhawks Panic Over Trump Foreign Policy" by Daniel McAdams, AntiWar.com, March 3, 2016: * So in Politico today, Michael Crowley writes that the “Neocons Declare War on Trump.” How do they propose to prosecute their war? As usual, with their well-known bravery. *They are planning a mass exodus from the Republican Party to support their sister-in-arms Hillary Clinton... more »
Scientist Explain Why Complaining Makes You ill
A computer scientist has examined the ways in which complaining can physically affect the brain and the body, and has concluded that people who complain a lot tend to have an overall more negative experience in life. Author, scientist and philosopher, Steven Parton says that constantly complaining actually physically changes the structure of the mind and body. Wakingtimes.com reports: “Synapses that fire together wire together,” says Parton, which is a concise way of understanding he essence of neuroplasticity, the science of how the brain re-wires itself based on whatever it is re... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( March 3 , 2016 ) Overview ( 1. Commodities In Focus - Gold Leads Commodities With a 19% YTD Return , Natural Gas Hits New 17 Year Low. 2.Global Bonds - 2 Year Yields In Focus. 3. Brazil's Economy In Freefall And Corruption Endemic. ) Europe In Focus ( 1. UK- Referendum Items. 2. Refugee Situation / Border Security. 3. Greece Items Of Note.) MENA Updates ( 1. Ceasefire Largely Holding , Some Items Of Note. 2. Libya - Just Trying To Figure Out Peace Talks Status - A Day's Work. )
Overview........ *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 3h 3 hours ago Commodities: 1) Gold leading YTD: +19% 2) Good to see Lumber/Copper improving 3) Nat Gas: new 17-year low today *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 6h 6 hours ago New all-time 2-year yield lows today in... Germany Netherlands Austria Belgium Market continues to front run the ECB *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 11h 11 hours ago #Brazil in free fall. BUT Economy shrinks less than forecast in 4Q. http:// bloom.bg/1nj5RzO *Ioan Smith* @moved_average 12h 12 hours ago #B... more »
Secular Talk: 100,000 Give Islamist Murderer A Hero's Funeral
*Imagine a Middle East without Islam. It might actually be livable. Imagine a world without the U.S. empire. It might actually be governable. Imagine a Washington without Neocons. It might actually be respectable.* *An excerpt from, "Pakistan tensions high at Islamist assassin's funeral" by Gohar Abbas, AFP, March 1, 2016:* Tens of thousands of supporters chanted and threw rose petals Tuesday at an ambulance bearing the body of a Pakistani Islamist executed for killing a liberal governor, as schools closed and police guarded flashpoints. Crowds flooded into a park in the garrison c... more »
A War On Terror Or A War On Life? Hospitals Are Prime Targets In Middle East War Theatres
*In Afghanistan, the mentally occupied slaves in the Afghan forces are copying their master's tactics by targeting hospitals, thus erasing guilt and doubt in the master's own mind.* *Source of photo*. *An excerpt from, "Brave Afghan Forces Kill Inside Hospital, for Freedom" by Peter Van Buren, AntiWar.com, March 3, 2016: * Apparently a new feature of the modern war of terror is the shameless, blameless, overt targeting of hospitals, doctors and bedridden patients, all without the means of even modest self-defense. *Following the American destruction of a Doctors Without Borders fac... more »
This Story Never Gets Old
*An excerpt from, "Iraq’s Interior Minister on Why His Country Is Impotent Against Isis" by Patrick Cockburn, The Unz Review, March 2, 2016:* He admitted that the Iraqi public did not trust the police because of their failure to stop the bombers and the high level of corruption, which was pervasive in the system. *He cited, as an example of this, the infamous case of 1,500 fake bomb detectors, which were bought for £52m by the interior ministry in 2008 and 2009, even though they were a patent fraud* – consisting only of a metal aerial that supposedly detected explosives, attached ... more »
Why Are Higher Education Subsides Going Toward Lazy River Rides?
[image: The Tiger Grotto, one of the indoor aquatic facilities at the University of Missouri's recreation center, features a lazy river, waterfall, hot tub, sauna and steam room.] Navigating life after college can be tricky for new graduates. Students are struggling to pay off debt and many recent graduates find their degrees don't guarantee a job in their preferred field. The debt many students are incurring -- more... more »
March 3: The climate ain't changing. Nah...
Moncton has had the mildest winter since 1881. (And there are no records before 1881.) As well, the Atlantic Ocean off Nova Scotia is 4 degrees warmer than normal. That's good. That means we can keep building a pipeline all the way to Albarta even on the coolest winter days. And the warm weather will mean easier fracking. Now, you'ld think that such a front page story would be a reason for a commentary in the paper, even an editorial on the implications of it. Perhaps even a mention that the people who have been saying that climate change is happening were right - and the ranters wh... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 3, 2016
Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar town, near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate, August 11, 2014. REUTERS/Rodi Said *Peter Apps, Reuters:* *Why the Syrian war will define the decade* Many decades have a war that defines them, a conflict that points to much broader truths about the era — and perhaps presages larger things to come. For the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War, the three-year fight between Fascists (helped by Nazi German) and Republicans (armed by the Soviet Union) pointe... more »
Argentina: Airliner Has a Run-In with UFO Over Rio Grande
*Source: Luis Burgos (FAO), Jorge Fernandez Gentile (Quinto Milenio) and www.infouegina.comDate: March 3, 2016* *Argentina: Airliner Has a Run-In with UFO Over Rio Grande* A pilot from a well-known airline saw a strange "object" as he was about to land in Rio Grande, this object was in an area "forbidden" or restricted to air traffic at such a time, and the pilot asked the tower if they could pick up any "air traffic." The tower replied that no abnormalities were detected and then asked the pilot if the object in question was in the airliner's flight path. The pilot said no, tha... more »
Christian Hamlet in Syria Bears Scars of Fierce Fighting
[image: Christian hamlet - 900] MAALOULA, Syria (AP) -- Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of the fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. Residents vividly recall the... more »
Debate Night: With Courteous Carson Out, ‘More Time for the Fighting’
[image: GOP Pres White Out Top 4 Kasich - 900] DETROIT (AP) -- Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio head into the 11th debate of the Republican presidential race Thursday in an ever-more urgent scramble to take down Donald Trump -- with an ever-more nervous GOP establishment wishing them luck. Trump... more »
James Robison Joins Michael Brown’s Line of Fire to Discuss What He’d Say to Donald Trump
[image: Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.] Stream publisher James Robison recently visited Dr. Michael Brown on his radio show, Line of Fire, to discuss America and GOP presidential campaign front-runner Donald Trump. Dr. Brown asked Robison about how he might counsel Trump going forward in his campaign.
Carer Wins £1 Million Lottery ‘By Mistake’
An Essex grandmother has won a £1million lottery draw and thinks that fate dealt her the wrong hand by mistake. Lynne Groves, 57, from Chelmsford, bought the winning ticket for Wednesday night’s Lotto Millionaire Raffle from her local shop after the shopkeeper originally printed her the wrong ticket. The Independent reports: Delighted that she can now treat her family and friends to cars and foreign holidays, the mother-of-three and grandmother to eight, is sure fate played a helping hand. She said: “I know the family who run my local shop really well and there’s always a joke or k... more »
When House M.D and Pulp Fiction collide... gloriously
https://youtu.be/-aTDvm_cNTw
Speculation
Here's a minor point, doubtless *far *from specific to the BBC...but, as the BBC provided *such* a clear example of it, here goes nothing.... Tuesday night's *Newsnight *saw newly-imported *Newsnight *"U.S. correspondent" Emily Maitlis talkin' Trump in Tennessee. Our Em - before the Super Tuesday results came in - affirmed (as per the polls) that Hillary was likely to sweep everywhere except Vermont and that Donald Trump would sweep 10 out of 11 states - and I believed her. Alas for the pollsters, their media followers (including *Newsnight*) and us overly trusting *Newsnight *... more »
World News Briefs -- March 3, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*NYT/AP*:* EU Mulls 'Large-Scale' Migrant Deportation Scheme* ATHENS, Greece — Turkey is under growing pressure to consider a major escalation in migrant deportations from Greece, a top European Union official said Thursday, amid preparations for a highly anticipated summit of EU and Turkish leaders next week. European Council President Donald Tusk ended a six-nation tour of migration crisis countries in Turkey, where 850,000 migrants and refugees left last year for Greek islands. "We agree that the refugee flows still remain far too high," Tusk said after meeting Turkish Prime M... more »
After White House, Obama to Stay Local for Sasha to Finish School
[image: In this Dec. 18, 2015 file photo, President Barack Obama waves as he and his daughter Sasha walk from the White House to board Marine One on the South Lawn. Republicans hoping to be rid of President Barack Obama will be disappointed when they hear what he told a lunch companion in Milwaukee. Obama says he’ll stick around Washington for a couple of years after leaving office so daughter Sasha can finish high school.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans hoping to be rid of President Barack Obama early next year will be disappointed when they hear what he told a lunch companion in Mi... more »
Robert F Kennedy Jr. Says The U.S. Wants To Overthrow Syrian Govt
Robert F Kennedy Jr. has said that most Americans are unaware that Washington aims to overthrow the democratically elected Syrian government. RFK Jr, a US attorney and nephew of the late US President John F Kennedy, wrote that the US decided to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power after he refused to back a Qatari gas pipeline project. Sputnik news reports: The CIA went ahead with this plan after the multi-billion dollar pipeline project first surfaced in 2000, years before the Arab Spring uprising in Syria took place. The project was aimed to build a gas link from Qa... more »
Most State Abortion Laws Are Built On Lies
According to a new report from the National Partnership for Women & Families, 70% (251) of all abortion bills introduced between 2015-2016 in 37 states are built upon lies and disinformation ultimately designed to force women to keep babies they don’t want. These proposed abortion laws, which are based on lies and obfuscation about abortion procedures, the doctors who provide the procedures, and lies about why some women would choose to terminate their pregnancies have likely contributed to the public’s skewed and ill-informed views on abortion. These TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Ab... more »
Repeating Fast Radio Bursts Detected By Telescope
A mysterious burst of radio waves that have reached Earth has got scientists excited. Powerful repeating signals have come from beyond the Milky Way galaxy. Researchers from McGill University in the US have detected fast radio bursts (FRBs) from deep space that were not part of an explosive event and came in repeated waves. Silicon Republic reports: Until now, all discoveries of FRBs have been one-off events, with the most likely origin suggested by researchers being a major cataclysmic happening in space, like a star exploding into a supernova, or a neutron star collapsing into a b... more »
DÆMONOLOGIE
*"**I'm all I wanna be,* *A walking study i**n demonology"* *- Courtney Love * *"Come, let me clutch thee. * *I have theen not, and yet I see thee still. * *Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? * *Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"* DÆMONOLOGIEby KING JAMES the FIRST(1597)*and*NEWES FROM SCOTLAND(1591) declaring the Damnable Life and death of Doctor FIAN, a notable Sorcerer who was burned at Edenbrough in January last. *from* ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN QUARTOS EDITED BY G. B. HARRISON {v... more »
Friday Morning Ramble, 04.03.16
[image: 12792371_1051079661601086_6452344466825023259_o] [Pic from The 12th Man] “The annual cost of each gang member works out to $8,948 annually (3,627) - less than a superannuitant.” *The real cost of gangs* – LINDSAY MITCHELL “If New Zealand were serious about wanting to do away with gangs, the government would be looking at alternatives to drug prohibition rather than adding up dubious stats on the fiscal costs of gang members to justify crackdowns on gangs.” *Ganging up on gangs* – Eric Crampton, THE SANDPIT *Don’t like gangs? Then legalise cannabis.* – NOT PC “The Ministe... more »
With The U.S. & EU Dropping Their Support, The Crazed, Criminal Leaders of Turkey & Saudi Arabia Will Soon Have Nowhere To Turn
* The Sultan wants to kill all the Kurds, and the King wants to kill all the Shiites. But their main instrument ISIS is failing them. And they too will fail. All the American and European arms in the world will not save their regimes from destruction and collapse.* Osama Bin Laden was not a wild wolf hunting in the woods but a toothless and domesticated dog who only chewed up what the CIA laid in front of his paws. The mindless dogs of ISIS who worship Bin Laden are the same. They only go where they are sent by their vicious and cunning masters. Yesterday it was Libya, today it is ... more »
Interviewed by Doug Storm on "Interchange" at WFHB
Get the audio here: *Interchange – “No Excuses” Schools: Broken Windows Theory Goes to School* March 1, 2016 Interchange, News, Public Affairs I’m joined by author and educator Jim Horn to discuss his latest book, *Work Hard, Be Hard: Journeys Through No Excuses Teaching*. Horn explores the ideological contexts for the creation and spread of “no excuses” charter schools with a primary focus on the Knowledge Is Power Program or KIPP. “No Excuses” means schooling that focuses on psychological interventions aimed to alter children’s neurological and behavioral schemas in order to a... more »
"I've felt like crying"
A couple of days back, I posted something about Danny Savage's *BBC News at Six *report from the Greek-Macedonian border, which I felt to be clouded by emotionalism. I didn't actually expect to see Danny Savage there at all. He's usually the BBC's North of England correspondent. Looking at his Twitter feed, however, it's clear that the BBC chose to dispatch him to Greece (a couple of weeks ago) in order to help them cover the migrant crisis. Less than two weeks into his new assignment, he appeared on this morning's *From Our Own Correspondent *to give his impressions of what he's ... more »
A missing qualifier
Here's something I don't quite know what to make of... James Naughtie gave Radio 4 listeners an illustrated talk about Donald Trump on yesterday's *The World at One *(beginning at 18.18). His brief was to outline what his policy programme might look like at the November election - and he did so (using clips from the man himself) in some detail. Now, yes, if it's actually possible to 'impartially drip disdain' then the BBC's Jim oh-so-impartially dripped disdain here... ....*but* his presentation of a possible Trump programme felt as if it was 'fair' - in that The Donald's progra... more »
Gender and Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call? It looks very jolly, doesn't it? I'll more than likely head up 'anley duck to watch it come the release. As you might expect, a few people have had a moan about the *Ghostbusters* reboot. Some of it is justified (three white scientists and a "street" black woman, really?), but the big whinges are reserved for the all-female cast. Never mind that comedy action family romps for mainstream audiences have typically centered on the antics of all-male gangs, oh no, the moaning only begins when women-led films dare to venture out of the romcom and super serious chara... more »
Israel Says Syrian Govt Are Using Chemical Weapons During Truce
Israel’s Defense Minister has claimed that Syrian government forces have been using chemical weapons against civilians since the start ceasefire. While it is possible that chemical weapons have been used during the truce, it is doubtful that President Assad’s government would be the ones using them. Sputnik news reports: Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon accused Tuesday the Syrian governmental forces of using chemical weapons against civilians during the current ceasefire, reached at the initiative of Russia and the United States. “The Syrians initially used industrially produced... more »
European Council President Tells Illegal Economic Migrants Not To Come To Europe
*VOA:* *EU Chief Warns Economic Migrants Not to Travel to Europe* LONDON — European Council President Donald Tusk gave a stark warning Thursday to potential migrants thinking of traveling to Europe. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal, economic migrants wherever you are from,” Tusk said. “Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money; it is all for nothing. Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country." Tusk spoke from Athens, where he met Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for emergency talks. The U... more »
Eloy Delgado Talks Cuba Policy As He Takes On The Machine In Hudson County, New Jersey
New Jersey's 8th congressional district begins just north of North Bergen, includes West New York, Guttenberg, Union City, Weehawken, and Hoboken moves down into Historical Downtown Jersey City and then winds around most of Bayonne and Newark Airport into the Latino neighborhoods north of Newark and includes all of Elizabeth. Most of the voters live in Hudson County, although there's a sizable chunk of Essex County and some in Union County. The district is almost 55% Latino. 8.3% is Black, 7.7% is Asian and the white population is about 27%. The district is deep, deep blue, with a ... more »
When does a limitation period commence for a continuing breach of contract?
Pickering Square Inc. v. Trillium College Inc., 2016 ONCA 179: [36] I agree with the motion judge that the proper approach to the calculation of the limitation period in the context of a continuing breach is set out in H.G. Beale, ed., *Chitty on Contracts*, 29th edn. (London, UK: Sweet & Maxwell, 2004), at para. 28-035 (the position is unchanged in the 32nd edition): [T]he breach may be a continuing one, e.g. of a covenant to keep in repair. In such a case the claimant will succeed in respect of so much of the series of breaches or the continuing breach as occurred within t... more »
As We Shift - Confirming our Oneness (The Pleiadians Speak)
What follows is the first post in a series of 2 (so far). I am compelled to share these now as my ability to do so for the next ten days is limited (I will be traveling) and it feels as they are meant to be "out there" for a wider audience, sooner, rather than later. The following conversation took place yesterday. What is surprising about it is the force of the visual that accompanied it. This is a new wrinkle in this work, visions are not typically part of these connections; yesterday and today they seemed to be the whole point of the conversation. I offer this here, as conf... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Thanks for stopping by!
"Smile..."
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” - Dr. Seuss
Super Tuesday Saw Surge In Google Searches ‘How Can I Move To Canada?’
As Donald Trump was on roll winning at least seven states on Super Tuesday, Google noted a large uptick in searches about how to move to Canada. The company’s data editor Simon Rogers tweeted that “Searches for ‘how can I move to Canada’ on Google have spiked +350% in the past four hours” Searches for “how can I move to Canada” on Google have spiked +350% in the past four hours #SuperTuesday — Simon Rogers (@smfrogers) March 2, 2016 RT reports: Shortly afterwards, another Twitter user noted that searches had risen more than 1,000 percent, which Rogers also acknowledged as “dynamic c... more »
“How To Make Peace With Your Unfinished Endings”
*“How To Make Peace With Your Unfinished Endings”* by Tancie Leroux “Unfinished endings. New beginnings. Sometimes it feels like you put ridiculous amounts of effort and energy into sustaining a happy existence and then bits and pieces of it die off without your permission. Change doesn’t always get your consent. A few months ago, I went rummaging through my garage to find some long lost items and came face to face with things I hadn’t seen for over 20 years. The whole act of opening up the past, including pictures, cards and mementos from those I’d lost, filled me with enormous sa... more »
Correcting a falsehood
The state’s Human Rights Commission wants to be clear: A new rule allowing transgender people to use restrooms that match their gender identity does not permit men to undress in women’s locker rooms. The agency sent out a news release Friday responding to a recent incident in which a man undressed in a women’s locker room in Seattle. According to the news release, the man refused to leave, citing the state’s new rule about transgender restroom access, but he never identified himself as transgender. State officials said the man’s behavior isn’t permitted under the recent regulation... more »
Growing Fears That A Mosul Dam Collapse Would Kill 1.5 Million (Updated)
Millions of people will be affected if the Mosul Dam fails Reuters *NBC*: *1.5 Million May Die if Mosul Dam Fails: Iraq Expert* Almost 1.5 million Iraqis are in danger of being killed by a wall of water if the dismally maintained Mosul dam collapses, a former senior government engineer who was once in charge of the country's dam system warned on Thursday. While the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has sought to downplay the risk of a collapse of the country's largest dam, earlier this week it advised many residents of the heavily populated Tigris River valley to move a... more »
States Rights and ESSA
by Ken Derstine March 3, 2016 President Obama signing the Every Child Succeeds Act There is an aspect of ESSA that I fear is being overlooked by those examining this complex bill, but is the thief in the night that will advance the corporate reform agenda. That is the aggressive promotion of states rights in ESSA. This is a special project of Senator Lamar Alexander as the article linked below details. States rights has historically been the most reactionary aspect of the U.S. Constitution. The authors of the Constitution needed the slaveocracy to support the new Constitution, so ... more »
PLOS ONE retracting paper that cites “the Creator”
PLOS ONE has retracted a paper published one month ago after readers began criticizing it for mentioning “the Creator.” The article “Biomechanical Characteristics of Hand Coordination in Grasping Activities of Daily Living” now includes a reader comment from PLOS Staff, noting: The PLOS ONE editors have followed up on the concerns raised about this publication. […] The post PLOS ONE retracting paper that cites “the Creator” appeared first on Retraction Watch.
The Economy: "Now It’s Even Worse Than it Was When Lehman Collapsed, But It’s 'Contained'”
*"Now It’s Even Worse Than it Was When Lehman Collapsed, But It’s 'Contained'”* “Distress” in Bonds Spirals into Financial Crisis Conditions by Wolf Richter "The pile of toxic corporate bonds in the US, euphemistically called “distressed” debt, ballooned 15% in the single month of February to $327.8 billion, up 265% from a year ago, according to S&P Capital IQ. The number of S&P rated US companies with distressed debt rose 9% in February to 353, up 128% from a year ago. The last time the pile of distressed debt had soared to this level was in November 2008, and the last time the nu... more »
"Judge Warns Hillary "Should Be Terrified" After Justice Grants Email-Staffer Immunity"
*"Judge Warns Hillary "Should Be Terrified"* * After Justice Grants Email-Staffer Immunity"* by Tyler Durden "The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staffer, who worked on Hillary Clinton’s private email server, as part of a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified information, according to a senior law enforcement official. As the FBI looks to wrap up its investigation in the coming months, agents are likely to want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, an... more »
How The U.S. Government And HSBC Teamed Up To Hide The Truth From A Pennsylvania Couple
*How The U.S. Government And HSBC Teamed Up To Hide The Truth From A Pennsylvania Couple* Submitted by Tyhttp://m.watchcartoononline.com/parasyte-the-maxim-episode-12-english-subbedler Durden on 03/02/2016 19:00 -0500 Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog, The reason both the Democratic and Republican establishments are in full on panic mode about the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders is a deep seated fear that the plebs have finally woken up. Democrats rail against big corporations, while Republicans rail against big government. This scheme has been use... more »
Mr. Trump, If You’re Pro-Life You Don’t Praise Planned Parenthood, Period.
[image: Pro-lifers To Hold Protest v. Planned Parenthood's 'Day of Action' Across the Country] Allow me to make an extreme comparison. Along with their murderous, barbaric policies and practices, the Nazis engaged in serious medical research, and some Nazi doctors, like Prof. Dr. Julius Hallervorden (1882-1965), a famous neurologist who became head of the... more »
France Warns UK That ‘Brexit’ Could End Calais Border Deal
French president, François Hollande says that ‘Brexit’ would have ‘consequences’ for Britain and could lead to France scrapping the Calais border deal. A senior French minister also has warned the UK that leaving the EU could end their agreement over border controls in Calais. The French economy minister, Emmanuel Macron said Britain’s departure from the 28-nation bloc would threaten bilateral ties between London and Paris. He said that the migrant camp known as the ‘jungle’ could move to Dover in Kent if Britain leeaves EU “The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longe... more »
Baby Sleep Alternatives To Crying It Out
When your little one doesn't sleep through the night, it can be rough. It's rough on your physical and emotional well being, and rough on your marriage. Trust me, I know. Our older daughter slept peacefully through the night from about the time she was six months old. She woke pretty frequently the first two months of her life, as is to be expected, but from month two to month six she woke once or twice a night, easily going back to sleep when she was fed. Our younger daughter hasn't slept well since the day she was born. She is almost two and just barely sleeping through the nig... more »
More Sanctions Against North Korea Are Being Considered
*Reuters*: *EU considers more North Korea sanctions after U.N. vote: diplomats* The European Union is considering additional measures against North Korea following the approval of harsh new sanctions by the U.N. Security Council in order to show solidarity with South Korea and Japan, both major trade partners, diplomats said. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has welcomed Wednesday's U.N. unanimous vote to expand existing sanctions following North Korea's latest nuclear test and rocket launch, saying the bloc would update its sanctions regime. "There is scope for the Eu... more »
Capacity Market Auction For 2019/20
By Paul Homewood I reported on DECC’s announcement of proposed changes to how the Capacity Market operates the other day. In short, they are clearly getting concerned about the number of closures of coal power stations already announced and the likelihood of more. The whole basis of the Capacity Market mechanism is […]
Science Explains How Complaining is Negatively Altering Your Brain
*Alex Pietrowski* - Complaining is re-wiring your brain for negativity. Here's how. The post Science Explains How Complaining is Negatively Altering Your Brain appeared first on Waking Times.
Are The Republicans Turning On Their Own Man Donald Trump?
Former Republican nominee Mitt Romney called Donald Trump a ‘misogynistic, reckless fraud’ who could destroy America during a speech in Utah on Thursday. Trump blasted his one-time supporter, whom he said once “begged” for his endorsement. “I could have said, ‘Mitt drop to your knees,’ and he would have dropped to his knees,” Trump said. “Mitt is a failed candidate – he failed. He failed horribly.” The BBC reports He accused Mr Trump of bullying, misogyny and dishonesty in a speech in Utah on Thursday. “Prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished” if Mr Trump b... more »
Napolitano: Hillary ‘Should Be Terrified’ Staffer Who Set Up Her Email was Just Granted Immunity
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton meets with employees of Paris Las Vegas during a visit to the hotel and casino Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)] The former Hillary Clinton staffer who set up the Democratic candidate’s now-infamous private email server for her State Department work has been granted immunity by the Justice Department, the Washington Post first reported, and CNN and Fox News have confirmed. The immunity for Bryan Pagliano comes... more »
Philadelphia charters show the way to CBE
A report on a Philadelphia TV news show about what is in the works with Computer Based Education. Since there is greatly reduced whole class instruction, there is no collaboration, no debate, no critical thinking. It's like farm factories which engineer their plants and animals to create the desired product for the market. Philadelphia charter hands over tracking student progress to Mission Control | CBS Philly Also see: Netflix Billionaire Reed Hastings' Crusade to Replace Public School Teachers With Computers | Alternet
Campaign watch: It took a village named Mitt Romney!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016In search of the national press:* We haven't watched Mitt Romney's full speech about Candidate Trump. That said: Perusing a transcript of the speech, we were struck by this excerpt: ROMNEY (3/3/16): *Dishonesty is Donald Trump's hallmark.* He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. *Wrong. He spoke in favor of invading Iraq.* He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. *Wrong. He saw no such thing. He imagined it.* His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not b... more »
Honduran Environmentalist Killed Last Night
Honduran indigenous and environmental organizer Berta Cáceres was assassinated last night. At least two individuals broke down the door of the house where Berta was staying for the evening in the Residencial La LÃbano, shot and killed her. She was one of the leading organizers for indigenous land rights in Honduras. In 1993 she co-founded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH). For years the group faced a series of threats and repression. According to Global Witness, Honduras has become the deadliest country in the world for environment... more »
Rep to Introduce Bill Forbidding Rape of Children on US Bases Abroad
[image: PUL-E ALAM, AFGHANISTAN - MARCH 27: U.S. Army SPC Romik Hazarian escorts U.S. Army advisers with 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division inside Forward Operating Base (FOB) Maiwand, an Afghan National Army (ANA) base that adjoins the U.S. Army's FOB Shank, on March 27, 2014 near Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan. Soldiers with the U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division stationed at FOB Shank advise and assist Afghan National Security Forces in the region. Security is at a heightened state throughout Afghanistan as the nation prepa... more »
US Productivity Falling, Stuck in Slow-Growth Mode
[image: Factory workers - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. productivity fell in the final three months of 2015 at the sharpest pace in nearly two years, though the decline was not as large as first reported. Labor costs jumped in the fourth quarter at the... more »
Rest In Peace George Kennedy and thanks for everything
Car Wash scene from Cool Hand Luke
Online Petition Calls For Bill Clinton’s Arrest
An online petition at Change.org has attracted 80,000 signatures and is demanding the arrest of former President Bill Clinton after he allegedly violated campaign laws on Super Tuesday. Bill Clinton is alleged to have used his presidential privileges by entering and disrupting voting at multiple polling stations in Boston and other Massachusetts areas on Super Tuesday, and also to have used the occasion to quietly and discreetly campaign and swing the vote on behalf of Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Zero Hedge reports: The petition says the Bill Clinton made a “clear, knowing and egre... more »
More than half of top-tier economics papers are replicable, study finds
Approximately six out of 10 economics studies published in the field’s most reputable journals — American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics — are replicable, according to a study published today in Science. The authors repeated the results of 18 papers published between 2011 and 2014 and found 11 — approximately 61% — […] The post More than half of top-tier economics papers are replicable, study finds appeared first on Retraction Watch.
The Republican Party Is Running Out of Bullets
*Trump is Neo who has broken the matrix of U.S. presidential politics. The Agent Smiths of the U.S. political establishment are trying in vain to stop him from liberating America from one-party rule. * Future President Donald Trump is the consequence of generations of failed Republican and Democratic domestic and foreign policies. He is the Terminator who is crushing all political foes that are foolish enough to stand in his way. When you have the corrupt Mexican political elite, the phony Pope, the war criminals of Saudi Arabia and Israel, the scheming Ayatollahs of Iran, the sli... more »
North Korea Fires Short-Range Missiles Towards Japan After New U.N. Sanctions Have Been Imposed
*Reuters:* *North Korea fires projectiles after new U.N. sanctions* North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after the U.N. Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated state and the South Korean president vowed to end Pyongyang's "tyranny." The firing escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula, which have been high since North Korea recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch, and set the South's military on a heightened alert. South Korea's Defence Ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles, ... more »
Is The Islamic State In Its Death Throes
Islamic State fighters parade on military vehicles along the streets of a northern Raqqa province in Syria. (Reuters) *Stratfor*:* Is the Islamic State in Its Death Throes or Deadlier Than Ever?* On Feb. 28, the Islamic State launched a complex attack involving three vehicle bombs and an armed assault against an Iraqi security forces barracks in Abu Ghraib, a suburb of Baghdad only about 29 kilometers (18 miles) from the center of the Iraqi capital. Since the attack, many journalists have questioned whether the Islamic State is really being damaged by coalition airstrikes, and som... more »
Clinton's Role in Libya Fiasco
The New York Times has published a major two-part exposé titled "The Libya Gamble" on how then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushed President Obama to begin bombing Libya five years ago this month. Today, Libya is a failed state and a haven for terrorists. How much should Hillary Clinton be blamed for the crisis? Democracy Now speaks to journalist Scott Shane of The New York Times.
Romney stumps for Trump...
*because that is going to be the result.* What exactly does Romney think he's going to accomplish with this ridiculous speech? Expect Trump's numbers to go up again. *Romney wonders about what Trump's response will be:* *Wonder no more, Mitt.* *Meantime your tax dollars are paying for Odumbo to fly to Milwaukee to deliver a few remarks about Obamacare. * * Obama's schedule Thursday, March 3rd* *10:45 am ||* Departs White House *11:50 am CT ||* Arrives Milwaukee *1:50 pm CT ||* Delivers remarks on Obamacare; Milwaukee *2:45 pm CT ||* Departs Milwaukee *5:40 pm ||* Arrives Wh... more »
LIGO black holes may be dark matter
Particle physicists prefer to believe that there exists dark matter and it's mostly composed of a new elementary particle species such as the WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particle such as the LSP, the Lightest Supersymmetric Partner in supersymmetric theories, such as the neutralino, such as the bino or wino and so on) or the axion. But such a dark matter particle hasn't been found and it's not crazy to assume that it doesn't exist. Some people want to modify Newton's or Einstein's equations (MOND etc.). But it's also possible that dark matter exists but it is not composed of ... more »
Brokered Convention! 3rd Party Presidential Candidate Speaks Out Against Trump
*Title: Brokered Convention! 3rd Party Presidential Candidate Speaks Out Against Trump. WeAreChange. Date Published: March 3, 2016. Description: * In this video Luke Rudkowski interviews third party presidential candidate Gary Johnson on the political restructuring and possibility of a brokered convention at the RNC against Trump. Gary gives you an update on libertarian party politics and how his stances domestically and with foreign policy are different than Trumps.
Ramphastos toucans of Bolivia
*Ramphastos* Toucans are the largest of the toucan family, related to the Asian/African hornbills, along with woodpeckers, barbets, jacamars and kingfishers. These toucans are tropical and subtropical near passerine birds from Mexico, and Central and South America, which are brightly marked and have enormous, often colourful, bills. This genus has a size ranging from 42 to 61 centimetres (17 to 24 in) in length. All have black wings, tails and thighs, but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the exact species involved. All the species are basically fruit-eating, but will t... more »
UK Local Council Bans Swearing In Public
Salford City Council (SCC) has launched a ban on anti social behavior in their borough by targeting foul language and imposing fines on swearing in public. The Manchester council has taken the extraordinary step of introducing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in the posh Quays area of Salford. Local residents had complained to the council about unruly football fans traversing through their area on their way to Old Trafford stadium to watch a bit of footy magic by Manchester United. Radio X reports: According to the Manchester Evening News , the order says it will be a criminal...more »
Cyber Caliphate Hacks Wrong Google Website
The ‘Cyber Caliphate Army’ of the ‘Islamic State/ISIS’ launched an unsuccessful attack on the world’s most visited website, Google. The attack failed after the hackers wrongly targeted a website with a similar name belonging to an Indian man. Belfast Telegraph reports: “We promised to hack Google,” the group declared. “Keep the promise inshallah [God willing], expect us today.” However, a few hours later, they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com, which is reportedly registered by someone named Gandani K. from India. After it was hacked, the website played an Isis...more »
Syrian War News Updates -- March 3, 2016
*Wall Street Journal:* *Syrian Forces With Russian Backing Strike at Rebels, Despite Truce* *In face of intensifying violence, neither side declares cease-fire broken as calm holds in cities.* BEIRUT—Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes pushed to make strategic gains on Wednesday, intensifying attacks on rebels the day after the U.N. set a date next week for the resumption of peace talks. Still, neither the Syrian government nor opposition formally indicated on Wednesday that it saw the increasing violence as jeopardizing the truce in place since Saturday. Both s... more »
U.S. Intelligence Downplaying Expectations That Mosul Will Be Retaken From The Islamic State Soon
Iraqi security forces climb into trucks traveling to Mosul to fight against Islamic State militants at an Iraqi army base in Camp Taji, Baghdad, Feb. 21, 2016. (photo by REUTERS/Ahmed Saad) *VOA:* *Retaking Mosul 'Not in Crystal Ball' in Near Term, US Military Says* WASHINGTON — Top U.S. military intelligence officials are playing down expectations that the Iraqi Security Forces will be ready to reclaim the key northern city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters anytime soon. The Defense Intelligence Agency chief, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart, told the House Armed... more »
Poland To Restrict Building Of Wind Turbines Close To Homes
By Paul Homewood h/t Paul2 http://uk.businessinsider.com/poland-wind-farm-energy-law-jail-2016-3 Interesting news from Business Insider: Poland was once seen as a major emerging market in clean energy, but its government has other ideas. The right-wing Law and Justice Party, elected last October, proposed legislation this week which would severely restrict the building and maintenance of […]
Trump wins six states out of seven...but still doesn't have a lock on the nomination...Why?
*Trump Wins Six out of Seven States on "Super Tuesday",* *but, amazingly, GOP "insider" opposition* *to his nomination explodes in the media!* I have to admit watching the US Presidential Elections has always been one of my favourite past times. You can't beat it for Kabuki Theatre, circus atmosphere and downright street fighting. Today, the headlines scream about a "leaked" speech written by former GOP candidate Mitt Romney that has surfaced, in which he calls Trump a "phony" and a "fraud". LOL...quintessential pot calling kettle black. Romney apparently has been tasked with the jo... more »
Politics: "Why the Donald Trump Haters Are Missing the Point"
*"Why the Donald Trump Haters Are Missing the Point"* by Bill Bonner BALTIMORE – "What do you get your wife for her birthday? Here’s a suggestion for the woman who has everything: Get her an oil rig. The daily rental rate was about $500,000 in 2014. Now, you can get it for half off. And the price could go lower. When the industry was flush and foolish, drillers put in their orders for new rigs. Those rigs are still being delivered, even though the number of idle rigs is now the highest in history. Unfortunately, many of the companies that ordered the rigs borrowed the money to pay... more »
The Democratic Party, Donald Trump & the 2016 Turnout Problem
*Primary voter turnout in doubly-contested years (source; click to enlarge). Notice the large Democratic advantage in 2008 (lower graph) and the relatively lower Democratic turnout so far in 2016 (upper graph).* *by Gaius Publius* One of the noticeable features, if feature is the word, of the 2016 presidential contest so far is the marked difference in voter turnout. On the Democratic side, turnout overall is significantly down. On the other hand, Republican turnout is way up. (Data in a moment.) There are at least three factors at play here, and one very large problem. Those fact... more »
"Only One Catch..."
“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute ... more »
The Islamic State Is Making Millions On The Stock And Currency Markets
*The Telegraph*:* Islamic State 'earning millions by playing the stock market'* Group using cash looted from banks in Mosul to speculate on international currency markets. Isil is making millions of dollars for its war chest by playing foreign currency markets under the noses of bank chiefs, it was revealed today. The terror group is earning up to $20m (£14.29m) a month by funnelling dollars looted from banks during its takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul into legitimate currency markets in the Middle East. It then makes huge returns on currency speculation, which are then wired ... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* It's Official: Canada Has Sold All Of Its Gold Reserves More Than A Third Of People Shot By LAPD In 2015 Were Mentally Ill Los Angeles Shootings by police spiked by more than 50% in 2015 Germany opens its doors to Yazidi women and children enslaved by Isis "Donald Trump Is A Phony, A Fraud": Mitt Romney Lashes Out In Desperation Establishment Attack Striking Admission By Former Bank Of England Head: The European Depression Was A "Deliberate" Act Chesapeake Founder Aubrey McClendon Dies In Car Crash One Day After Federal Indictment "How To Move To Canada" Searches... more »
Romney Rips Trump, Calls Him a ‘Phony, a Fraud’
[image: Romney - 900] SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are “greatly diminished” if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney warned... more »
New Sting Video and White Paper Expose Planned Parenthood’s Fetal Body Parts Profiteering
[image: Planned Parenthood Video DVB - 900] As Congressional hearings into Planned Parenthood’s fetal body parts business get underway on Capitol Hill, the Center for Medical Progress released both a new video and a white paper further detailing the abortion organization’s methods of harvesting and profiting on the sale... more »
Here’s Why It’s All but Impossible to Fire a Fed
[image: EPA - 900] Federal workers are far more likely to be audited by the IRS or get arrested for drunk driving than they are to be fired from the civil service payroll for poor performance or misconduct. The odds are one-in-175 for the IRS audit... more »
Further Exposure Of The Fraud Of The Apollo Moon Landings: NASA States Clearly That They Never Put Men On The Moon..
I have constantly been under fire this last while from trolls that have been sending me not only bullshit comments about their "Flat Earth" lies, but they are also trying again to call me a liar and a fraud when I state clearly that man has never ever landed any man on the moon and that Project Apollo was clear and utter bullshit.... It looks like once again I need to give the Apollo Moon landing "believers" a taste of their own medicine... First, it has come to my attention that another real truth seeker, Jody Paulson, who writes "What They Don't Tell You" at www.jpaulson.blogspot.... more »
Why the push for nonfiction.
Reed Hastings has said that "software was best for teaching 'subjects with correct answers,' but 'it will take 5 to 10 years of hard work to figure out' how to use it to teach an interpretive subject like history or literature. Correct. And this, I assume, is why there has been such an emphasis on non-fiction and less encouragement of fiction in recent years, despite overwhelming evidence that fiction is highly beneficial in many ways (see eg http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2015/10/fiction-hottest-topic-of-all.html for a short review). More teaching using computers > more profits fo... more »
The Military: "Reviving Napoleon’s Army: 'Cry Havoc, And Let Slip The Frogs Of Yore!'”
*"Reviving Napoleon’s Army: * *'Cry Havoc, And Let Slip The Frogs Of Yore!'”* by Fred Reed "It is curious how little military men know about war. You would think they would think about it more. Yet, oddly, they regularly misjudge practically everything concerning the dismal trade. Their errors are not the sort that inevitably must occur in a contest, as when a quarterback doesn’t pick up a blitz. They are fundamental misappreciations of war itself. The foregoing sounds both arrogant and improbable, like saying that dentists do not understand teeth. Actually it is neither. The reason... more »
Kerry Urged to Accuse ISIS of Genocide Against Christians
[image: ISIS executing Christians - YouTube_Medium] Pressure is building for Secretary of State John Kerry to include Christians in a declaration of genocide against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. An online petition asking Kerry to end U.S. silence about the "ongoing genocide against Christians... more »
41 States Saw Their Deductibles Go Up Under Obamacare in 2016
[image: obamacare high premiums] The Affordable Care Act hasn't just caused premiums to skyrocket across the country, out-of-pocket costs are also on the rise. According to Freedom Partners, an Arlington, Va.-based conservative non-profit, 41 states are facing higher deductibles in 2016 -- 17 of... more »
Sample tampering leads to plant scientist’s 7th retraction
Plant scientist Jorge Vivanco has earned his seventh retraction, after an investigation found data from soil samples were “intentionally fabricated by a third party.” Vivanco and his former postdoc Harsh Bais made a name for themselves by discovering the secret behind a nasty invasive plant: It secretes a harmful form of catechin, which kills everything around it, suggesting it could […] The post Sample tampering leads to plant scientist’s 7th retraction appeared first on Retraction Watch.
"Down with the Codfish Aristocracy!"- How America Acquired an Armed Police
*"What rhubarb, senna or what purgative drug will scour these English hence?"* "Account of the terrific and fatal riot at the New-York Astor Place Opera House, on the night of May 10th, 1849; with the quarrels of Forrest and Macready, including all the causes which led to that awful tragedy! *Wherein an infuriated mob was quelled by the public authorities and military, with its mournful termination in the sudden death or mutilation of more than fifty citizens, with full and authentic particulars"* *" LET JUSTICE BE DONE THOUGH THE HEAVENS FALL !' * SEYMOUR DURST NEW- Y... more »
Bill Whittle: Democrats Destroy...
*everything they touch.*
This Conservative GOP Senator Says He Won’t Vote for Trump if Trump is the GOP Nominee
[image: Ben Sasse - 900] Senator Ben Sasse, a conservative Republican Senator from Nebraska, says he will not support Trump in a general election. Instead, Sasse says he will vote for a third candidate, “a conservative option, a Constitutionalist.” In a long letter to Trump supporters... more »
Syria's Electricity Grid Collapses
A man walks on the rubble of damaged buildings in the rebel-controlled area of Jobar, a suburb of Damascus, Syria March 2, 2016. REUTERS/BASSAM KHABIEH *Reuters*:* Electricity supply gradually returns in Syria: state media* Syria's electricity supply was gradually returning after it was cut across the country on Thursday and Internet connections were briefly disrupted, state media said. SANA news agency quoted the electricity minister saying that the network was returning and would be restored to its earlier capacity by midnight. It did not say what caused the cut. It said earlier... more »
Playing the Fear Card
Fresh off her shallow victories in Southern states which no Democrat could ever hope to win in a general election, the Empress-in-Waiting is contemptuously pivoting away from the Bernie Sanders threat (which she has a very hard time countering, simply on grounds of his ethics, and her lack thereof). She is choosing to largely ignore her flush-with-cash, still strong social democrat opponent. She is passing Go on her monopoly board and taking the fight directly to Donald Trump's Boardwalk. Metal Queen Amidala, Monopoly Star Wars Collectors Edition Trump is Hillary's dream opponent. ... more »
GREETINGS FROM BABEL: Blow abandons traditional roles!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016Part 2—Instantly joined by Gramps:* Did Hillary Clinton, a White House candidate, aim an ugly insult at Ashley Williams, a "young graduate student?" (Despite being so young, Williams is 23 years old.) More specifically, did Clinton call Williams a "super-predator?" Did she do so in an "infamous speech?" Why would a person like Hillary Clinton stoop to conduct like that? Is there *any* insult which won't be directed by people like Clinton at deserving young people who are both "proudly queer" *and* black? By normal standards of construction, questions like... more »
Something Up at Fukushima Daiichi: Heightened Emissions and Emergency Vehicles
Emissions have been very high at Daiichi on Fukushima Webcam 1 for the last week. I've been puzzled and wondered whether it is some sort of distortion on the lens but after watching carefully at different times of day I think the emissions are, indeed, emissions: This morning they were especially bad and to a lesser extent visible on TEPCO cam 4: I checked the Futaba cam to see if it is raining because usually heavy-looking emissions occur during rains. The Futaba cam showed clear horizons and dry streets. But what was even more interesting about the Futaba cam view today is th... more »
Lebanese Paper: Russia's Military Intelligence Chief Was Killed In Lebanon On A Secret Mission
Igor Sergun's position as GRU chief landed him on the sanctions lists imposed in early 2014 by both the United States and the European Union, which specifically cited his oversight of "the activity of GRU officers in eastern Ukraine." TASS *Jerusalem Post:* *Report: Russia's military intelligence chief killed in secret operation in Lebanon* The head of Russia's military intelligence service, Colonel-General Igor Sergun, was killed in January during a secret mission in the Lebanon's capital, Beirut, the Lebanese daily newspaper al-Akhbar reported Thursday. The Kremlin announced the... more »
Liberty University Board Member Speaks Out Against Jerry Falwell, Jr.’s Trump Endorsement
[image: Mark DeMoss Twitter Pic - 900] Liberty University board member Mark DeMoss has come out in opposition to university president Jerry Falwell, Jr.'s endorsement of Donald Trump. In an interview yesterday with Tre Goins-Phillips of The Blaze, DeMoss said the endorsement was "a mistake," and that... more »
World News Briefs -- March 3, 2016
Staffan de Mistura United Nations Special Envoy for Syria addresses a news conference after a meeting of the Task Force for Humanitarian Access at the U.N. in Geneva, Switzerland, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse *Reuters*: *Syrian truce fragile but holding overall: U.N. envoy* Syria's cessation of hostilities is holding but remains fragile after six days in which incidents have been contained in the provinces of Homs, Hama, Latakia and Damascus, U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday. De Mistura said that his office was working closely with Russia and the Unite... more »
Security In Iraq, Feb 22-29, 2016
There was a large spike in violence in Iraq at the end of February 2016. The Islamic State launched several high profile terrorist attacks in Baghdad and Diyala, and began large scale attacks upon the security forces in Anbar once again. There were also a large number of executions in Kirkuk. On the government’s side, it was still focused upon clearing the suburbs of Ramadi, while starting new operations in the western section of Anbar. There were 155 reported incidents in Iraq the last week of February. That was the most since 164 counted from September 8-14, 2015, but there was... more »
When she smiles it tames the beast
I have been witness to that smile for longer than the people have needed relief When Maureen smiles even after all this time my knees still go weak cause she is a once in a billon girl that just makes life worthwhile Love you smile baby it still drives me crazy and when a pinch you at night its a beautiful complement
Levine and Danielson to Open New CBE Franchise
* The academy for teaching and learning is backed by more than $7 million, including $2 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, $3 million from the Amgen Foundation, and $2 million from the Wilson foundation. Mr. Levine said he hoped to eventually raise $30 million for the effort.* Art Levine has been a shill for corporate efficiency in educational leadership preparation for a long time, but with a new federal pot of gold about to be cracked open by ESSA, he and Charlotte Danielson, with the help of Bill Gates and some other vulture philanthropists, have staked their own ... more »
Author with seven retractions makes Thomson Reuters list of top scientists — plus another twist
A cancer researcher who recently retired from MD Anderson Cancer Center — and also recently lost seven papers from one journal following a multi-year investigation — is one of the world’s top scientists, according to a new ranking. In Thomson Reuters Web of Science’s 2015 list of The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds, Bharat Aggarwal’s name tops the section […] The post Author with seven retractions makes Thomson Reuters list of top scientists — plus another twist appeared first on Retraction Watch.
1,845 Legal Cases In 18-months For ‘Insulting’ Turkish President
Since Recep Tayyip Erdogan became the Turkish president 18 months ago nearly 2,000 cases have been opened against people accused of insulting him. Mocking or insulting the president carries a maximum of four years in jail and schoolchildren and journalists are amongst those who have been arrested. Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, confirmed that the ministry had allowed 1,845 cases on charges of insulting Erdogan to proceed. RT reports: “I am unable to read the shameful insults made against our president. I start to blush,” said Bozdag, who is a member of Erdogan’s ruling Islam... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 3, 2016
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 23, 2014 ) The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) leads a formation of ships from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 during a maneuvering exercise. Theodore Roosevelt participated in the exercise with the Peruvian submarine BAP Islay (SS 35), the guided-missile destroyers USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS Farragut (DDG 99) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Theodore Roosevelt is underway preparing for future deployments. *New York Times*: *U.S. Proposes Reviving Naval Coalition to Balance China’s Expa... more »
Transaction Costs
Transaction costs are costing me my life and I am in know way alone because it appears I have never been thinking aboot what makes a transaction legal how wealth is built and the law of constraints let alone the future of improbability that smacks down the nail that sticks up most of the time Reality has no beggars they are all dead because in the real world you need to work to survive but what will happen when there really is no work robots can clean up all the shirty shitty skid marks of life I call it a mass suicide like helicopter parents dropping turkeys on their kids from a gr... more »
It could get worse.
Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, March 3, 2016 The opt-out movement has had a real impact, with more parents refusing the tests for their children (“As testing increases, so do calls for an end,” Sunday). Even President Obama has spoken out about the negative impact of over-testing. But the testing industry is striking back: The new plan is to replace end-of-year standardized tests with what could be daily testing. The core of education will consist of modules of programmed instruction that students will work through online and be tested on, which will drastically diminish ... more »
Indigenous Activist Berta Caceres Assassinated in Honduras
Read article at SOA Watch http://www.soaw.org/
Russian, Syrian Government Forces Target Attacks on Hospitals
[image: Syrians held banners during a demonstration against the Syrian regime on February 29, 2016 in the rebel held al-Shaar district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on the second day of a landmark truce across parts of the country. / AFP / Baraa Al-Halabi (Photo credit should read BARAA AL-HALABI/AFP/Getty Images)] BEIRUT (AP) -- Russian and Syrian government forces have been targeting hospitals as a strategy of war in Syria’s conflict, according to a report released by a rights group Thursday. Amnesty International said it has “compelling evidence” of at least... more »
Untitled
*Minnesota Kindergarten Students Forced to Confront Gender Identity* On Oct. 14, 2015, the elementary school principal of a Minnesota charter school informed parents that in the coming days, the school would be taking steps to “support a student who is gender nonconforming.” Their 5- and 6-year-old children, parents were told in an email, “will listen to various books that celebrate differences and will be teaching children about the beauty of being themselves.” One of those books, the principal noted, would be “My Princess Boy,” a story that centers on a boy who sometimes likes t... more »
Progressives Betrayed By The Establishment... Again
As progressive champion Alan Grayson continued to pull ahead of Republican-lite Congressman Patrick Murphy in polling for the Florida Senate primary, Obama weighed in with an endorsement. He's certainly entitled to his opinion, parroting the exact Chuck Schumer talking points he hands out to all the stooges he gets to endorse his corrupt conservative little Schumercrat: "a tireless champion for middle-class families," a sad joke on the American people. It came three days after Grayson endorsed Bernie in the presidential race, but I don't think that's the primary reason. I'll tell ... more »
Donald Trump is an Opportunist Running a Con on Working Class White America
[image: Donald Trump Godfather - 900] I get Donald Trump's supporters. They are like every member of my family, and all my old friends back in Queens. They're the people whose interests I look out for first, out of sheer instinct -- the white working class.... more »
Remember That Time Trump Defended Outsourcing?
[image: Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 22, 2016.] Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has promised to "bring our jobs back," defended outsourcing as a businessman in 2005 and argued it actually "creates jobs" in the long run. "I have to take the unpopular stance that it is... more »
Bob Dylan Archives Land in Oklahoma, Near Woody Guthrie Museum
[image: This July 22, 2012 file photo shows U.S. singer-songwriter Bob Dylan performing on stage at "Les Vieilles Charrues" Festival in Carhaix, western France. The archives of Dylan have been acquired by the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the University of Tulsa and will be permanently housed in Tulsa. Kaiser Foundation director Ken Levit and university President Steadman Upham announced the acquisition Wednesday, March 2, 2016.] TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- More than 6,000 items of Bob Dylan memorabilia such as handwritten lyrics to “Tangled Up In Blue” and his first contract with a ... more »
Clinton Struggles to Woo Young Voters
[image: In this photo taken February 6, 2016, Hillary Clinton campaigns in Portsmouth, NH.] FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- Standing in a line of thousands outside an arena at Colorado State University, Aleksandr Cronk contemplated the grim possibility that the man he was waiting to see, Bernie Sanders, may not make it to the... more »
Latest Nonsense: Climate Change To Lead To Fruit & Veg Shortage
By Paul Homewood h/t Tom0Mason http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/climatechange/12181496/Climate-change-Global-warming-fruit-and-veg-shortage-could-lead-to-1200-extra-UK-deaths-a-year-by-2050.html Dear little Emily is on form again today in the Telegraph: Climate change could lead to more than 1,200 extra deaths a year in the UK by 2050 as global warming causes fruit and vegetable shortages, new research suggests. The typical British diet will […]
Total Solar Eclipse on March 8th & 9th 2016
To track it, please click on the link provided below: *http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2016-march-9*
US Vice President Announces Israel Visit To Discuss New Military Deal
The US Vice President will be meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv next week to discuss a new military deal. Joe Biden’s office announced his upcoming two-day trip on Wednesday, saying that he will also meet with the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Press TV reports: Moreover, the VP would pay a visit to the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the West Bank city of Ramallah in the occupied lands, as part of a broader Middle East tour that includes stops in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. On the top of Biden’s... more »
Rip-off News round-up. Our pick of the last week's media (Thu 3rd March)
Google unpaid taxes: France seeks €1.6bn from search giant The tax arrangements of international companies have come under close scrutiny recently. Several have been accused of using legal methods to minimise their tax bills. In Google's case, its tax structure allows it to pay tax in Ireland, even when sales appear to relate to the UK. In January it struck a deal with UK tax authorities to
Viewer’s Guide: Tonight’s GOP Debate About Trump vs. Everyone Else
[image: In this Aug. 6, 2015 file photo, FOX News moderators Megyn Kelly, center, and Bret Baier, right, listens as Chris Wallace, left, beings introductions during the first Republican presidential debate in Cleveland. Anticipating another appearance on a debate stage with Donald Trump, Kelly says their public feud hasn't affected her preparation and she doesn't expect a renewal of hostilities with the Republican presidential front runner. She is moderating a debate with colleagues Bret Baier and Chris Wallace, Thursday, March 3, at Detroit's Fox Theater from 9 to 11 p.m. ET. (AP P... more »
College Students’ ‘Crybully’ Movement Hurts Universities, Scholars Argue
[image: Members of the Concerned Student 1950 movement speak to a crowd of students on the campus of University of Missouri - Columbia on November 9, 2015 in Columbia, Missouri. Students celebrated the resignation of University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe amid allegations of racism.] Too many college students are more interested in silencing opposition than fostering ideas, education experts said at a forum in Washington, D.C. "The burning irony of today's popular campus movement is that it's built on supplanting knowledge with ignorance, inquiry... more »
Downton Abbey, The Donald and The Axis Mundi
[image: Cross, Christians, Christianity, Crucifix, Salvation, Easter] The past week, my wife Dottie and I binged watched the final season of Downton Abbey. The nine episodes kept circling back to the same obvious observation: the times are changing. When the show began it was 1912. The great... more »
Lands’ End Makes Unforced Error, Branding Experts Say
[image: Land's End Spring Cover Close Up - 900] Valued at $1.9 billion when it was purchased by Sears in 2002, Lands’ End was worth only $780 million when the newly independent company brought in the president of Dolce & Gabbana USA to turn things around and find new markets... more »
5 Key Exchanges From Biggest Abortion Supreme Court Case in a Decade
[image: Sarp Aksel, MD, an OB-GYN from NYC, right, and Lauren Rankin, center, also from NY, face off against supporters of the Texas law that will be heard in the US Supreme Court on March, 2, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)] Wednesday, while a huge crowd of protesters stood in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building, the justices heard oral argument in the first major abortion case in nearly a decade. In Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court... more »
Last Chance for America? Part 2
[image: presidential election America] The worst political blunder of all time, according to scientist Freeman Dyson, was the decision of the emperor of China in 1433 to cut off his country from the outside world. In the wake of that decision, China lost its... more »
Germany’s Parliament Seeks to Ban Anti-Immigration Party to Preserve ‘Democratic Order’
[image: Andreas Vosskuhle (C), President of Germany's Federal Consitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht), begins the second day of hearings over a ban of the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) on March 2, 2016 in Karlsruhe, Germany.] Germany's highest court is expected to make a ruling by the end of the week on whether or not the National Democratic Party (NPD) should be allowed to exist. The case was brought to the Federal Constitutional Court in the... more »
Saudi Arabia Asks Banks for a Bailout as Oil Prices Crash
[image: Saudi Arabia's Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi speaks at the annual IHS CERAWeek global energy conference Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, in Houston.] Saudi Arabia's government privately begged international banks for a loan of $10 billion Wednesday. The government of Saudi Arabia sent a private invitation to various banks to discuss the loan, according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters. Calls by Reuters to to... more »
Social Services Called After Schoolboy Said He Wants To ‘Fight Terrorists’
The parents of an eight-year-old schoolboy are furious after his school bought in social services because he had written that he wanted to ‘fight terrorists’. He wrote his comments after learning about the Syrian refugee crisis in class, but his parents say they were grilled by his head teacher over fears that he may have been radicalised. The young boy is is the latest child to get caught up in the new duties of schools to report suspicious behaviour. The Telegraph reports: Louise Aspinall and Mark Atkinson, from the Wirral, Merseyside, were outraged by the claim they say was made ... more »
Iranians Seal Their Mouths Shut In Silent Protest At Calais Jungle
Desperate Iranian migrants at the Calais jungle refugee camp in France stitch their lips together in protest. For a third successive day a large swathe of the shanty town is being bulldozed and dismantled by the French authorities. The Mirror reports: At least five Iranian men have already stitched their lips at the slum, where bulldozers were today clearing ramshackle homes for a third successive day. They have done so to signify that their voices are not being heard by the French authorities. Today, the protesters were pictured holding aloft banners, accusing the officials of rest... more »
Western ISIS Reporter Says America Wants To Divide Syria
Investigative journalist Jurgen Todenhofer, who in 2014 was the first western journalist to visit ‘ISIS/Islamic State’ territory has told RT that the new ceasefire is holding and that there is a real chance for peace in Syria. However, he expressed doubts if peace will materialize, since some US politicians are constantly adding fuel to the fire and trying to divide Syria up into a fractured war zone. Russia Today reports: “There is a move now from the rebels to separate their brigades from those of the terrorists, and this gives an opportunity to attack Al Nusra and other Al Qaeda ... more »
Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “When Time Slows (Born Star)”
Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “When Time Slows (Born Star)” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogldA2Gxl3g
Dr. Carol Rosin - Gulf War was planned - ten years in advance
Free Planet remembers the first Gulf War, back in May of 1987. I remember what I was doing the night the MICC or Military Industrial Congressional Complex (sic) unleashed the Tomohawk cruise missiles upon Saddam's territory. Back then, it was never mentioned or suggested or inferred or remarked upon that this 'war' might have been a MICC-engineering exercise to sell more weapons and exert more force upon You The People. Here, ex-NASA aid Dr Carol Rosin tells of the meetings she was in concerning 'space based weapons' and how War World does business. *"...and the War in the Gulf ... more »
Untitled
*Total and utter crooks* *Pesky CO2 stasis* Despite its utter triviality, the 2015 temperature rise produced by NOAA of 13 hundredths of one degree has been hailed with gladsome hearts by Warmists. Their enthusiasm has however been tempered by the well-known fact that 2015 hosted an El Nino event, a natural climate oscillation that is known to produce a rise in termperatures. So it is perfectly clear that the 2015 temperature is no proof of anthropogenic warming. Warmists don't like having their toys taken off them, however, so Jim Hansen and others have dismissed the El Nino co... more »
UN Envoy: Foreign Military Intervention In Libya Will Make The Situation Worse
A man pulls a wheelbarrow past destroyed buildings after clashes between military forces loyal to Libya's eastern government and Islamist fighters, in Benghazi, Libya, Feb. 28, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS/ESAM OMRAN AL-FETORI *IBTimes*:* Libya War Update: Foreign Military Intervention Will Worsen Humanitarian Crisis, UN Envoy Warns* Military intervention in war-ravaged Libya will only worsen an already dismal humanitarian crisis, the United Nations envoy to the North African state said Wednesday. The warning comes weeks after the U.S. launched airstrikes in the northwest, killing 49 milit... more »
Hillary Is No Saviour
http://ranchchimpjournal.blogspot.ca/ Even if Hilary Clinton beats Donald Trump in the upcoming federal election, Chris Hedges is not optimistic about his country's future. The Clintons, Hedges writes, are card carrying members of the liberal elite which has sold out the white working class: College-educated elites, on behalf of corporations, carried out the savage neoliberal assault on the working poor. Now they are being made to pay. Their duplicity—embodied in politicians such as Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama—succeeded for de... more »
The Growing U.S. - India Military Alliance Is Raising Concerns In China
Navy Ensign Samson Cohen, from Washington, D.C., finds the range and speed of the Indian Navy Centaur-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat from the bridge wing of the USS Antietam during an exercise last month as part of India’s International Fleet Review 2016 . (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Flewellyn/ Navy) *Washington Post:* *The U.S. and India are deepening military ties — and China is watching* The U.S. military’s top officer in the Pacific urged Indian officials Wednesday to pursue even closer military ties with the United States — part of a broader eff... more »
Better Late Than Never
By Paul Homewood http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/how_the_uea_blew_13m_on_two_failed_green_energy_schemes_1_4440908 The EDP has finally caught up with internet bloggers! Almost £13m has been spent by the University of East Anglia (UEA) on two environmental schemes that have not materialised, it has emerged. Prof Trevor Davies from the UEA. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY UEA bosses have defended […]
Police hunt after teenagers assaulted in 'unprovoked attack' by gang near Sandbrook Park in Rochdale per Manchester Evening News
Funnily enough I had guessed what the description of the perpetrators of this assault would be before I got to the end of this report http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-hunt-after-teenagers-assaulted-10982545 Yes: 'All four attackers are described as of Asian appearance aged between 15 and 20.' I look forward to seeing this report on the BBC news website, around the time that hell freezes over...
Are Hypersonic Weapons The New Arms Race?
Lockheed's hypersonic missile concept. Lockheed Martin *Martin Matishak, Fiscal Times*: *The Next Arms Race for the US, China and Russia: Hypersonic Weapons* The U.S. Defense Department should invest heavily in an emerging class of high-speed platforms that could help the military overcome a variety of potential enemy defenses by hitting targets at several times the speed of sound, according to a new think tank report. Hypersonic weapons are like missiles, but they’re capable of reaching speeds of 3,600 miles per hour or more. They promise to “revolutionize military affairs in the... more »
South Sudan War Is Worsening
*AFP:* *South Sudan crisis is worsening: UN* United Nations (United States) (AFP) - South Sudan's humanitarian crisis is catastrophic and continues to worsen as warring sides are "dragging their feet" in implementing a peace deal, the UN peacekeeping chief said. Herve Ladsous said "tens of thousands of people have died -- we've lost count" and some two million have been driven from their homes in the war, now in its third year. While a peace deal was reached in August, "the parties are dragging their feet on its implementation", Ladsous told reporters. Read more .... *Update #1:... more »
Credit Suisse Warns That A Fresh Recession Will Cause The Eurozone To Collapse
European Union. BBC *The Telegraph*: *Fresh recession will cause eurozone collapse, warns Swiss bank * A recession in Europe could lead to the collapse of the eurozone, as the single currency would buckle under the political turmoil unleashed by a fresh downturn, a leading investment bank has warned. In a research note titled "Close to the edge", economists at Swiss bank Credit Suisse warned the fate of monetary union hangs in the balance if Europe's policymakers are unable to ward off another global slump and quell anti-euro populism. "The viability of the euro is contingent on... more »
GlaxoSmithKline Given Small Fine For Killing Babies During Vaccine Trials
GlaxoSmithKline have been given a slap on the wrist and a small fine of $93,000 after being found guilty of killing 14 babies during a vaccine trial in 2012. GSK were found guilty of conducting trials on human beings and faking parental authorizations in allowing them to experiment on babies in Argentina. Naturalnews.com reports: The judge handed down the ruling following a report by the National Administration of Medicine, Food and Technology (ANMAT) which concluded that the COMPASS trial conducted between 2007 and 2008 demonstrated “failures in the process of obtaining the necess...more »
Rebranded: Aspartame Renamed As ‘AminoSweet’
Aspartame have changed the brand name of their artificial sugar to ‘AminoSweet’ in an attempt to distance themselves from the bad publicity associated with the sweetener. Aspartame was originally discovered by chemist James Schlatter who intended to sell it as an anti-ulcer drug. He realised that when he mixed amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine a sweet taste formed. From that moment Aspartame was born. Ewao.com reports: Anya V report, The Health Freedom Alliance noted that G.D. Searle & Company sought out to gain approval for the FDA in 1973, but through inadequate and dec... more »
Erdogan Prosecutes 1,845 People For Daring To Insult Him
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused 1,845 people of insulting him, filing separate lawsuits against each person. Erdogan has been accused of abusing his Presidential powers by aggressively utilising a law that prohibits members of the public from insulting the President. Among those accused include celebrities, journalists and schoolchildren. Washingtonpost.com reports: Critics say Erdogan, who has been accused of increasing authoritarianism, even considers strong criticism as insults. Responding to questions in parliament late Tuesday, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag ... more »
Top Heart Surgeon Reveals The Real Cause Of Heart Disease
A top U.S. heart surgeon has revealed that the real cause of heart disease is not what doctors have been telling you. Dr. Dwight Lundell is a former Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital in Arizona. After performing 5,000 open-heart surgeries through the course of his 25-year career he discovered that the conventional treatments offered to patients were both ineffective and potentially dangerous: We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I... more »
Conventions, conspiracies and con-jobs.
this is Free Planet, folks, and Free Planet deals only with the truth. You'all believe this, right? It's why you're here in the first place? So, what, in recent times, has Free Planet been doing *sponsoring by association* such outlandish shit as trans-dimensional transportation-systems i.e. UFOs and their Little Green Men chauffeurs? Though (if the stories are true) many of the so-called alien races visiting this Earth are neither little or green, we don't even know if the concept 'men' is still valid in the universe. Earth may be the only place that still practises animalistic SE... more »
Kurdish Snipers Kill 13 ISIS Militants In One Day
Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG) have killed at least 13 ISIS terrorists in the space of 24 hours, a spokesman for the YPG has confirmed. “Sniping operations in the ISIS-held Jarablus city continued until Tuesday midnight. At least 13 ISIS terrorists were killed today at the hands of our snipers,” officer Nuraddin Gaban told Kurdish News Agency. Abna24.com reports: Snipers from the YPG, supported by fellow fighters from the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPG), took position at the top of a hill in the eastern suburb of Jarablus city in northern Aleppo. T... more »
Military Photo of the Day: March 3, 2016
[image: B-21-900] An artist’s rendering of the new U.S. Air Force B-21, which was unveiled on Feb. 26, 2016. According to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, the B-21 “represents the future for our Air Force.”
The Mathematics Of Crime And Terrorism
*Washington Post*: *The eerie math that could predict terrorist attacks* A terrorist attack might seem like one of the least predictable of events. Terrorists work in small, isolated cells, often using simple weapons and striking at random. Indeed, the element of unpredictability is part of what makes terrorists so scary – you never know when or where they will strike. However, new research shows that terror attacks may not be as unpredictable as people think. A paper by Stephen Tench and Hannah Fry, mathematicians at the University College London, and Paul Gill, a security and cri... more »
New York Times: FBI May Question Hillary Clinton Over Her Email Server
*New York Times*:* As Presidential Campaign Unfolds, So Do Inquiries Into Clinton’s Emails* WASHINGTON — As Hillary Clinton moves toward the Democratic presidential nomination, she faces legal hurdles from her use of a private computer server as secretary of state that could jar her campaign’s momentum in the months ahead. Foremost among a half-dozen inquiries and legal proceedings into whether classified information was sent through Mrs. Clinton’s server is an investigation by the F.B.I., whose agents, according to one law enforcement official, could seek to question Mrs. Clinton... more »
Tweet For Today
Word. #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/nkeRtTiDJY — National Review (@NRO) March 2, 2016
Frozen on Ice
You know a show is good when at one point you lean over to whisper something to your 7-year-old and she tells you to not stop taking pictures so she can remember every moment. Disney on Ice presents Frozen was fantastic, it held my 2-year-old captive the entire time. For a little one that loves to run around, that is saying something. Something I absolutely loved about this show was that they encouraged the kids in the audience to cheer, boo (Hans, of course) and sing a long. All around me kids were having the time of their lives singing along with their favorite songs. We had a... more »
Osama bin Laden: 'I Know Why U.S. Soldiers Commit Suicide'
*Washington Post*: *Osama bin Laden in secret speech: I know why U.S. soldiers commit suicide* A newly released trove of documents confiscated from the Pakistani home in which al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALs includes a speech that notes a spike in suicides among U.S. troops because of the brutality of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents, kept secret by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence until Tuesday, cover an array of themes, and includes one called “The America Speech.” The speech is not dated, but likely was penned before Ab...more »
Photo Gallery For Today
Migrants stand next to the Greek-Macedonian border fence, near the Greek village of Idomeni, on March 1, 2016. Marko Djurica / Reuters *The Atlantic*: *Stranded on the Macedonian Border* As migrants from across the Middle East and Africa continue to make the journey to western Europe by the thousands, the flow of refugees traveling the “Balkan corridor” is now being constricted. Austria and some Balkan states have recently begun to cap the number of migrants allowed to enter their borders, and further restrict who is allowed to pass. Macedonia is limiting the entry of refugees to s... more »
U.S. Army Stryker Vehicles Are Getting A Big Weapons Upgrade
U.S. military vehicles parading near Russia's border in Narva, Estonia on Feb. 24. (Estonian Defense Forces) *Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics*: *The Army's Fast Stryker Vehicles Get a Big Weapons Upgrade* The lightly armed wheeled vehicles are getting more power, in case they ever come up against Russian tanks. The U.S. Army's Stryker vehicles, originally envisioned as lightly armed infantry fighting vehicles, are getting a much-needed firepower upgrade. The Strykers will be equipped with new rapid-fire cannons and anti-tank guided missiles that will allow them to fight Russian ... more »
Bill Clinton Illegally Blocks Voters From Voting For Bernie (VIDEO)
On Super Tuesday in the key state of Massachusetts, former president Bill Clinton illegally entered a polling station to intimidate and prevent voters from casting their votes for Hillary Clinton’s rival, Bernie Sanders, in the already contentious Democratic presidential primary race. Bernie Sanders has shocked the establishment media and the powerful Clinton political machine by gaining ground so quickly in the race with immense grassroots support which has elevated Sanders to an unprecedented level of popularity nationally. This was clearly a desperate attempt at mitigating the t... more »
Is Hillary Clinton An NRA Candidate After All? Worse
In 2008 one of the clubs Hillary wielded viciously against Obama was about how he was too anti-gun. She had been flip-flopping back and forth-- always the values-free opportunist-- between being anti-gun and pro-gun depending who she was trying to suck contributions and votes out of. Today her gun lie is how Bernie is pro-NRA, despite getting a lifetime "D" rating from the NRA. Zaid Jilani, writing for *The Intercept* yesterday, exposed the rank hypocrisy that has come to define Clinton's entire shameful career in politics. No one who knows anything about her would deny she would ... more »
Pouches Were Cool: Brief Reflections on the Iron Age of Comics
Probably my favorite of the "ages" of comic books was the Bronze Age - it's not a rigidly defined time, but generally considered to span from 1970 to the mid-80s - often with *The Dark Knight Returns* as being considered the dawn of the Iron Age. Though the Bronze Age is my favorite, I started reading comics as it was ending - *Crisis on Infinite Earths* was just about to appear on the shelves. So most of my initial collecting was in the Iron Age. I'm pretty sure in my parent's house in a box are multiple copies of *X-Men #1 *and *Superman #75, *just waiting to be cracked open to... more »
Libertarian Debate: Gary Johnson Highlights
*"I've climbed the seven summits, the highest mountain on each continent. Donald Trump is a pussy." - Former Governor Gary Johnson.* Title: Libertarian Debate: Gary Johnson Highlights. Source: Justin A. Date Published: February 29, 2016.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“What's that in the sky? Earlier this month, in the sky high above Hong Kong, China, not just one unusual type of cloud appeared- but two. In the foreground was a long lenticular cloud, a cloud that forms near mountains from uprising air and might appear to some as an alien spaceship. *Click image for larger size.* Higher in the sky, and further in the background, was a colorful iridescent cloud. Iridescent clouds are composed of water droplets of similar size that diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. Furthest in the background is the Sun, blocked from direct v... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Cosmography of Myself”
*“The Cosmography of Myself”* by Chet Raymo “It was a common conceit of the Middle Ages and Renaissance to think of the human self– body and soul– as a microcosm, a little world made cunningly of elements and an angel-like sprite, a miniature version of the macroscosm, the universe. So-called "correspondences" linked the microcosm and the macrocosm. For example, each of the seven holes in the human head corresponded to a celestial body- Sun, Moon, or one of the five known planets. Astrology articulated a vast system of correspondences between the peregrinations of stars and human l... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Do Russians Love Putin?
Putin thanked supporters at a victory rally in Moscow on Sunday. IVAN SEKRETAREV/AP *Samuel Bendett, The Compass*: *Why Russians Love Putin* Over the past decade and a half, Russian President Vladimir Putin has enjoyed consistently high rankings and the continued support of the majority of his country's population, as well as that of the country's military, political, and economic elites. There are straightforward explanations for such strong support. His government's control of practically all major media outlets; the crafting of an image that shows him as a virile and masculine ... more »
Seeing the USA........Canada. The Colonial Curse. Part IV
Canada. The Colonial Curse. Part IV *Seeing the U.S.A.* *Written by Robin Mathews* One of the most important histories written in the last twenty-five years by a Canadian (or anyone else) is surely The American Empire and the Fourth World (McGill-Queen’s, 2003) by Anthony Hall. Reading it a second time, I marveled that it has been allowed to pass almost unnoticed in Canada, as has its sequel Earth Into Property (McGill-Queen’s, 2010). The Independent of London described Earth Into Property as one of the most important books of the year (but not, apparently, in Canada). Canad... more »
Project Camelot and My Life on Mars
The other day I did Rob McConnell’s X-Zone radio show. As usual, we had a lot of fun and he mentioned to me that Kerry Cassidy had been on his show a few days earlier. It was her premise that “Soldiers who are alleged to be going to Iraq or Afghanistan are actually being sent off planet to places like Mars to fight battles alongside other alien races. Those men and women will have their minds wiped when they come back. This is why we’re having a lot of suicides with ex-soldiers. In some cases their minds have been wiped so many times they become unbalanced as a result. When they retu... more »
Is Donald Trump Right About Defense Spending?
Donald Trump speaks on the USS Iowa in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, September 15, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson *Matthew Gault, Reuters:* *Donald Trump is right about defense spending – and that should scare you* Donald Trump could be the only presidential candidate talking sense about for the American military’s budget. That should scare everyone. “I’m gonna build a military that’s gonna be much stronger than it is right now,” the real- estate-mogul-turned-tautological-demagogue said on Meet the Press. “It’s gonna be so strong, nobody’s gonna mess with us. But you know what... more »
Is It Time For Campaign Organizations to Fire Their Candidates?
*-by Noah* Imagine a world where a campaign organization had so much power over its candidate that they could replace that candidate at will. Think about it. So many political candidates are such empty vessels, and so devoid of any real intellect or personality, let alone moral compass, that they are really nothing more than a creation of campaign script writers. What lengths would a campaign go to in such a world where a candidate is so inept that a churlish, bullying 4th grader like Donald Trump was beating that candidate like the proverbial rented mule. Given the general attit... more »
Honduran Women on Hillary Clinton
*teleSUR talked to feminists in Honduras, where the U.S. State Department backed a military coup in 2009, about Hillary Clinton’s so-called feminism. (Part of the story below)* U.S. Democratic Party presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has built her campaign around her self-proclaimed dedication to fighting for women’s rights, as well as her superior experience in the realm of foreign policy. Many feminists have disputed that, and the women on the receiving end of her foreign policy, in particular Latin America, are even less likely to see the former Secretary of State as a cham... more »
What Are The World’s Most Powerful Passports?
*Anne Quito, Quartz*: *It’s good to be German: The world’s most powerful passports* If you want to travel the world, it pays to be German. This comes courtesy of a new survey that ranks countries around the world on the amount of “travel freedom” accorded to their citizens. Travel freedom is defined as the number of countries where citizens can travel to without needing a visa, or where they will receive a visa upon arrival. Germans have the most powerful passports in the world, offering visa-free access to 177 countries and territories out of a total of 218, according to the 201... more »
Game Changer? Mitt Romney to Make ‘Major Speech’ About Presidential Race Today
[image: Mitt Romney-900] Fox News is reporting that Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee who lost to Barack Obama in that year’s general election, will give a ‘major speech’ about the 2016 race tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. ET to the Hinckley Institute of Politics... more »
Unleashing Racism
Young Black woman repeatedly assaulted at a Donald Trump rallyUPDATE (5am): We have now determined that many of the men assaulting this young girl, a teenager, are open white supremacists who have been clearly idenfitied members of hate groups and Neo-Nazi organizations. I have an article coming out on them shortly. Full story @: http://nydn.us/1T7vFgh-----Excuse my language, but I am fucking furious. Blood boiling. This is in Louisville at an official Donald Trump rally. This young peaceful Black woman, reportedly a teenager, is shoved and pushed and repeatedly assaulted by grown ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( March 2 , 2016 ) Overview ( 1.Oil Decline In Perspective. 2. Global Equities - YTD. 3 ECB - Policy In Tatters. ) Europe In Focus ( 1. Refugee Situation / Border Security. 2. German News Of Note. 3. Spanish Political Updates. 4. Greece - Around The Horn. ) Odds & Ends ( 1. UN Imposes Sanction On North Korea - A Provocation Directed To South Korea , Japan Or China Coming Soon . 2. Libya Unity Go'vt Still Eludes UN. 3. Trump Rolling Along In GOP Presidential Nomination Race. 4. Jordan Thwarts ISIS Attack.5. BOE Chimes In On Cash Elimination to Facilitate Deeply Negative Rates )
Overview........ *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 7h 7 hours ago Largest Crude Oil Declines in History 11-16: -77% 08-09: -76% 85-86: -66% 90-94: -66% 96-98: -59% 00-01: -54% *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 7h 7 hours ago Positive YTD Argentina Colombia Turkey Thailand Indonesia Russia Mexico Taiwan Brazil Malaysia All Emerging Markets *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 7h 7 hours ago #ECB strategy in tatters as inflation expectations keep falling despite recovery in risky assets & oil stabilization *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehn... more »
Thousands Of Migrants Stuck At Greece-Macedonia Border (And The Numbers Continue To Grow)
*Reuters*: *Number of migrants swells on closed Greece-Macedonia border* The number of migrants awaiting passage to central and northern Europe swelled on Greece's border with Macedonia on Wednesday as the frontier remained shut, adding to a humanitarian crisis and deep fissures within the European Union. Aid workers said the situation at Idomeni, a small border town in northern Greece, could easily spin out of control with no let-up in the number of refugees gathering for passage into Macedonia. Living in filth, families with small children jostled for space in waterlogged field... more »
Untitled
*Increasing estimates for sea-level rise bring questions on coastal plan ~Bob Marshall, The Lens* *The Broad Theater in Mid-City Opens March 4! ~Canal Street Beat*
By now the readers of my blog know that Paul Craig Roberts is my main source of materials to repost, and he is my hero. Still, my ability to explain my attachment to him is no match to the kudos that Professor Edward Curtin has writen to honor him in this short essay built around PCR's most recent book.
------------------------------ The Neoconservative Threat To World Order: Washington’s Perilous War For Hegemony Review of Paul Craig Roberts’ Book By Prof. Edward Curtin Region: USA Global Research, February 28, 2016 Theme: Global Economy, US NATO War Agenda *You will rarely read a book written in a more courageous, intelligent, and blunt manner about profoundly pressing world problems than... more »
Can Texas Regulate Abortionists? A Report From the Supreme Court
[image: Ken Paxton (R), Attorney General for the state of Texas, and Scott Keller (L), Solicitor General for the state of Texas, speak to the media at the Supreme Court, March 2, 2016 in Washington, DC. On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt case, where the justices will consider a Texas law requiring that clinic doctors have admitting privileges at local hospitals and that clinics upgrade their facilities to standards similar to hospitals.] The chair at the Supreme Court bench normally occupied by Justice Antonin S... more »
GOP Lawmaker: Is There an ‘Amazon.com for Human Parts’?
[image: maxresdefault] Speaking at a hearing investigating the procurement of fetal tissue from aborted babies, Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., asked a panel of experts Wednesday: "Have we reached a point in our society where there effectively is an Amazon.com for human... more »
South Dakota GOP Governor Has No Problem With Boys in Girls’ Locker Rooms?
[image: SD Gov - 900] South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, officially has no problem with boys in girls' locker rooms. There's no other way to say it. Special interests and big businesses effectively lobbied the governor to veto a good bill because of the... more »
Chart of the Day: This Chart on US Forest Growth, Good News or Bad News for Enviros?
[image: Tree Growth] Environmentalists rhetoric on forest conservation might level off, because the amount of forested area in the U.S. has rapidly increased. The amount of forested area in the U.S. has grown substantially since 1990 according to World Bank data aggregated and posted by HumanProgress.org... more »
“Corporate Totalitarianism, or Not”
*“Corporate Totalitarianism, or Not”* by Marianne Williamson “Corporate totalitarianism means total control by corporate interests. If they want a war, they get a war. If they want GMOs, they get GMOs. If they want fracking, they get fracking. If they want big banks to control our monetary policy, big banks control our monetary policy. If they want a tax break, they get a tax break. If they want the TPP, they get the TPP. If they want to deregulate to the point of complete irresponsibility to our children and to the earth, they deregulate as much as they care to. And if they see a ... more »
The Poet: Mary Oliver, "Mysteries, Yes"
*"Mysteries, Yes"* "Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood. How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of the lambs. How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising. How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken. How people come, from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem. Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say "Look!" and laugh in astonishment, and bow their heads." ~ Mary Oliver
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 2, 2016
A Chinese Coast Guard ship (top) near a Vietnam Marine Guard ship in the South China Sea, about 210 km (130 miles) off Vietnam, May 14, 2014. REUTERS/Nguyen Minh *Michael H. Fuchs, Reuters*: *What will it take to stop cycle of escalation in the South China Sea?* Amid mounting regional concerns about Beijing’s assertive behavior in the South China Sea, President Xi Jinping stood with President Barack Obama last September in the White House Rose Garden and vowed that China would not militarize its newly constructed outposts in the Spratly Islands. But Xi was careful not to include B... more »
random observations on southern oregon, great kitchens, family love, and absent eagles
This morning we woke up at 3:45 a.m., packed up the car with binoculars, cameras, sandwiches, and coffee, and drove two hours in the dark. According to our guidebook and a few websites, we were heading towards an opportunity to see dozens of bald eagles on their migratory path. Short version: we drove a lot and saw very little. The scenery was lovely, and we did see many birds in a wetlands area, including one young bald eagle for a moment or two. But the "50 to 100" bald eagles dining on a "smorgasbord of small animal life" - so said the guidebook - did not materialize. Ah well. N... more »
We CAN Wind up With A Better Congress This Year-- And We Need To
If yesterday's results are indicative of what it expect in November, it looks like Americans will be, once again, asked to choose between 2 really awful nominees... another less-of-two-evils election that is sure to turn off millions of Americans and hold down voter turnout. Who the hell-- other than what Trumpf calls his beloved "poorly educated"-- voters wants to be culpable for the kind of endemic corruption that would be at the heart of either a Trumpf or a Clinton Administration? Is he so much more than she is? Sure. She's the lesser of two evils, evil, but the lesser evil. D... more »
March 2 : I begin with an apology.
. I forg0t to mention an important commentary in the Irving press yesterday. It was by a student columnist, Jana Giles, who is a grade 12 student at Moncton High school. The school has 1200 students. To deal with all the emotional, mental, social and educational problems of those 1200 students, it has two (count them, two) guidance counsellors and one part-time counsellor. Guidance counselling requires a wide training; and it's crucial to a great many students. We have 2 and a half of them for 1200 students. Any more deep thoughts on how our schools are overstaffed, Norbert? On th... more »
Untitled
*MIT fossil fuel protesters settle in for long haul* *This is just a self-righteousness display entered into to get praise from their equally ignorant peers. It's a sort of party. There is of course no way that getting their demands met would affect climate. What it would affect is the funding of their college. The price of coal sttocks on the stockmarket is way down so MIT would get only pennies if they sold up. If they hang on to their stocks, however, they will at least get some dividends. And energy companies could well be miffed enough to cease coming to MIT with researc... more »
Michael James : Parachute opens, sunflowers & stolen bikes, New Age networks, thinking about the champs, 1983
The big open field suddenly rushed closer and I hit the ground with a grateful, relieved, welcome thump and tumble. By Michael James | The Rag Blog | March 2, 2016 [In this series, Michael James is sharing images from … finish reading Michael James : Parachute opens, sunflowers & stolen bikes, New Age networks, thinking about the champs, 1983
Super Tuesday Results Show GOP Favours Trump’s Ban On Muslims
The proposed ban on Muslim Immigration to the United States by Republican front-runner Donald Trump is endorsed by a large number of GOP voters and the establishment. The consideration of such policy is a betrayal of American values and has far reaching consequences besides being racist and Islamophobic, according to Murtaza Hussain from The Intercept. The Intercept reports: Exit polls conducted by ABC News on “Super Tuesday” show that more than 60 percent of GOP voters in five states favor Trump’s proposed ban. In Alabama and Arkansas, that figure rises to nearly 80 percent. Trump ... more »
Pentagon Seeks a Few Good Computer Hackers to Test Security
[image: In this Jan. 28, 2016 file photo, Defense Secretary Ash Carter gestures during a news conference at the Pentagon. The Pentagon is looking for a few good computer hackers. Screened high-tech specialists will be brought in to try to breach the Defense Department's public Internet pages in a pilot program aimed at finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon is looking for a few good computer hackers. Screened high-tech specialists will be brought in to try to breach the Defense Department’s public Internet pages in a pilot program aimed at ... more »
World News Briefs -- March 2, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters*: *Syrian opposition casts doubt on U.N. peace talk plan* Syrian rebels said on Wednesday they were under fierce government attack near the Turkish border despite a cessation of hostilities agreement and a representative cast doubt on whether U.N.-backed peace talks would go ahead on March 9 as planned. The agreement drawn up by the United States and Russia came into effect on Saturday and has slowed but not entirely stopped a conflict that has been going on for almost six years. Both the government and rebels have accused each other of violations. The agreement does not... more »
9/11 Whistleblower Who Claimed WT7 Was A Demolition Murdered By CIA
One of the top demolition experts in the Netherlands, Danny Jowenko, was found murdered under suspicious circumstances after investigating the collapse of World Trade Center 7 after the 9/11 attacks and concluding that it was brought down by a controlled demolition. Mr. Jowneko famously looked at a clip of a WT7 collapsing in 2006, and without knowing what building he was looking at, proclaimed “This is a controlled demolition… a group of experts did this. This is professional work, without any doubt.” He began his own investigation into 9/11 shortly thereafter, and after becoming ...more »
BBC iPlayer TV Licensing loophole Allowing ‘Free Ride’ To Be Closed
If you watch programs that are not live then you can opt out of paying for the BBC TV licence. The loophole allowed people watching shows on BBC iPlayer, that had already been aired on TV or live on an online TV service, avoid paying the licence fee. The Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said on Wednesday that the opt out option will soon be closed and a TV license would be required for watching television through catch-up services. The Daily Express reports: The £145.50 a year charge for funding the BBC can be difficult to pull together for many cash-strapped families. As a result... more »
Osama Bin Laden- ‘The USA Is An Oligarchy’
113 documents originally seized from bin Laden’s Pakistani hideout are now available to the public on the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s website after being declassified and translated. These newly released documents reveal Osama’s handwritten will for his $29m fortune and personal correspondences, including his concerns over the environment. Osama bin Laden gave a detailed analysis in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. While hoping America would capitulate to financial difficulties, he criticized al Qaeda members who, in his opinion, were putting too much emp... more »
Trump Declares War On Bush-Rubio Cocaine Operation
Russian intelligence agencies have said that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has decided to wage a war on the Rubio-Bush cocaine operation, accusing them of running a “cocaine empire” headed by Florida governor Jeb Bush aided by his right-hand man US Senator Marco Rubio. The cocaine operation has been targeted for destruction by Trump’s ‘freemasonic forces’ after being allowed to run for 30-years without impunity. Russian intelligence officials claim that the Bush family took over the operation following the murder of CIA drug smuggler Barry Seal on 19 February, 1986... more »
FBI Create Database Listing People Who Create Anti-Government Memes
The FBI have joined forces with the National Science Foundation and invested $1 million dollars into a project aimed at gathering information on people who share anti-governemnt internet meme’s online. The goals of the project, according to the FBI, are: “The project is aimed at modeling the diffusion of information online and empirically discriminating among models of mechanisms driving the spread of memes. We explore why some ideas cause viral explosions while others are quickly forgotten. Our analysis goes beyond the traditional approach of applied epidemic diffusion processes an... more »
Has A Grand Jury Been Convened On The Hillary Clinton Email Case?
*FOX News*: *Lynch: No ‘artificial deadline’ on DOJ’s Clinton email probe* Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday in an interview with Fox News that the Justice Department has no deadline for concluding the Hillary Clinton email investigation and that it’s being handled “like any other review,” even with the presidential election just months away. Lynch said on "Special Report with Bret Baier" that the investigation is being handled by the agency’s “career independent lawyers” and that they will “review the facts and the evidence and make a determination in due course.” Lynch... more »
The Delegate Count
The Washington Post reports that after Super Tuesday the Democratic Party delegate count now stands as the following: Hillary Clinton has 1,052 and Bernie Sanders has 427. To win the Democratic nomination 2,383 delegates are needed. The Democratic party sends 712 'super delegates' to its national convention unpledged. These delegates, generally state party leaders and elected officials, are free to support any candidate. So far Clinton has 457 of those pledged to her and Sanders has 22. I've read several times that Sanders would have to win virtually every primary to over co... more »