10:05 pm MDT
Syrian Army returns to border cities to prevent militant advance
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:40 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army has redeployed several units to the Turkish border with Al-Hasakah this week after a brief pullback. According to reports from Al-Hasakah, the Syrian Army has returned to their posts in the Al-Derghabiyah, Amuda, and Al-Malkiyah districts, while also deploying several units of reinforcements to the Tal […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Houthi forces shoot down US-made spy drone in southwest Saudi Arabia
The Houthi movement, which controls the north of Yemen, said on Friday that it had shot down a US-made spy drone near the border with the southwestern Saudi province of Aseer. “The downed ScanEagle drone was conducting a reconnaissance mission,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria wrote on Twitter. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Syrian Kurds will join forces with gov’t if army is restructured: SDC
Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria are ready to join forces with President Bashar Assad, but they want “restructuring” of the Syrian army” to happen first, Ilham Ehmed, the president of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council said. “We are prepared to join the forces with Assad but restructuring, changing the Syrian army. If […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Video footage from Kabani battle in northeast Latakia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has been engaged in a fierce battle for the strategic town of Kabani for several days now, as they look to seal off the Latakia Governorate’s eastern axis once and for all. Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
TRUMP WANTS TO BE SEEN AS GOOD, BUT ONLY BY HIS BASE
There was a laying on of hands at the White House on Tuesday. Several faith leaders, including notable conservative Christian and evangelical pastors, held an informal meeting with President Trump at the White House this week.... Participants at the meeting included: Paula White Cain; former Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann; American Values President Gary Bauer; Dr. James Dobson; Free Chapel Senior Pastor Jentezen Franklin; Prestonwood Baptist Church Senior Pastor Jack Graham; First Baptist Dallas Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress; Harvest Christian Fellowship Senior Pastor G... more »
Judge rules gang's sexual assault on unconscious 14yo wasn't rape because she didn't fight back
Just In - 6 hours ago
Women's rights campaigners in Spain call for a change in the law after a court in Barcelona cleared five men of raping a 14-year-old girl and jailed them on the lesser charge of sexual abuse, ruling that they didn't use violence.
Royal Hobart Hospital revamp hit by construction dust damage
The redevelopment of the Royal Hobart Hospital continues to be beset with problems, the latest involving $1 million in construction damage.
Priscilla producer looks to students for help making next Australian musical theatre hit
Garry McQuinn has found a way around the challenges of creating a new hit Australian musical — by turning the National Institute of Dramatic Arts into a "musical theatre lab".
From London to regional NSW: Living the legacy of a 'pommie jackaroo'
Spending a year or two working as a jackaroo on an Australian sheep station was once a rite of passage for many young Englishmen. Mark Evison was one of them before he was killed serving in Afghanistan and others are following in his footsteps.
Will the hulking forwards decide the Rugby World Cup final?
Just In - 6 hours ago
Years of accepted wisdom has been thrown out the window at this Rugby World Cup, with this year's final between England and South Africa set to remain a battle of the big-boppers.
Young returned soldiers say RSL 'not an old fogeys club' anymore
Dane Greenstreet served for 17 years as a soldier. On discharge he faced a battle of isolation. That all changed when he joined his local RSL.
A quiet NSW beach was once an airstrip and raceway for horses, cars and bikes
Horses, then cars and motorbikes staged races at low tide on a beautiful stretch of sand on the NSW south coast, but it has fallen silent now that it is a national park.
Why the 'bamboo ceiling' is still alive and well in Australia
Australia is the only home Tuanh Nguyen has ever known. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, she has risen through the professional and legal ranks. But it wasn't easy.
Migrant couples pushed to brink of divorce over prohibitive cost of parent visas
Some parent visas cost up to $40,000 while others have a 30-year waitlist, making them completely out of reach for many migrant families. But advocates say rather than being a drag on the system, elderly family members could actually boost the economy.
'When I came back to Australia I was Indigenous': Meet Wilma Reading
In Sydney to open the International Women's Jazz Festival, Wilma Reading toured the world during the genre's golden age — but the "icon and trailblazer" is almost unknown in her home country.
On this airline, flight attendants fear their colleagues could turn on them
With the airline under political and financial pressure, Cathay Pacific staff say random phone searches, social media checks and anonymous complaints have created a culture of suspicion and reprisals.
Environmental water the saviour of inland lake community which fears next big dry
Residents of Lake Cargelligo in New South Wales' central west fear their lake is at risk of drying up if environmental flows cease, but currently enjoy the benefits.
The mysterious hairy crayfish of the Dandenong Ranges
Just In - 6 hours ago
It's the size of a tea bag and plays dead if you manage to catch it — but this little crayfish is starting to get noticed.
Australia is rich but unsophisticated, says Harvard. But is it true?
A recent Harvard study found Australia's economy is less complex than Kazakhstan or Uganda, but is the assessment fair? And, if it is, what can be done to diversify the economy away from its mining dependence?
'Only a taste of the horror': Millions of Californians plunged into darkness as fires rage
California is known as America's golden state, but as fire seasons grow longer and fiercer, and millions of people spend days without power, some residents are wondering: is it getting too dangerous to live there?
Elizabeth Warren Releases #MedicareForAll “Pay For” Plan, with “No New Taxes” on the “Middle Class”
Pluses and minuses of Warren's "plan" to "pay for" #MedicareForAll
Impeachment Theater
[image: undefined] Ukrainegate is the new Russiagate. The "whistleblower complaint" is the new "dirty dossier." The 'former' MI6 spy Christopher Steele wrote the dossier. The current CIA spy Eric Ciaramella wrote the "complaint": Federal documents reveal that the 33-year-old Ciaramella, a registered Democrat held over from the Obama White House, previously worked with former Vice President Joe Biden and former CIA Director John Brennan, a vocal critic of Trump who helped initiate the Russia “collusion” investigation of the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. Further, Ciarame... more »
Philly Schools May Conduct Door to Door Vaccine Checks
Philadelphia’s school district spent the summer making phone calls, sending text messages, and mailing letters reminding parents to vaccinate their children. If they haven’t contacted the district by Monday’s deadline for vaccines, the district may start knocking on the door of those families that have not provided medical records or sought exemptions. On Thursday, district […] The post Philly Schools May Conduct Door to Door Vaccine Checks appeared first on Health Nut News.
U.S. Army Have Moved Into Eastern Syria Guarding Oil And Gas Fields
.@USArmy troops in 4-118th Infantry Regiment, @30thabct, @NCNationalGuard attached to the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, @SCNationalGuard, load M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to support the @CJTFOIR mission in Deir ez Zor, Syria. #DefeatDaesh pic.twitter.com/ZbFsvIemRW — OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) October 31, 2019 *ABC News Online*: *US armored vehicles, infantry troops arrive in eastern Syria to guard oil facilities* U.S. armored vehicles and infantry troops have arrived in eastern Syria as part of a new deployment to defend oil facilities from fallin... more »
We Wish We Had Better News
It seems litigation will drag on and legal fees will continue to drain our revenues, threatening Snopes’ existence.
US Jobs Lift Stocks to Record Highs
Emily McCormick of Yahoo Finance reports that the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit a record high after a strong jobs report: U.S. stocks jumped Friday and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs after the October jobs report came in well above consensus expectations. The S&P 500 ended at 3,066.91, a record close, and just 0.04 points below the all-time intraday high it also reached during Friday’s session. The Nasdaq posted a record closing high of 8,386.4. And the Dow ended just 0.04% below its recent closing high from mid-July. Here’s where markets settled at the end of regular equi... more »
The Climate Agenda Unmasked
Greta has been so tormented by the adults around her, she is afraid to do what billions of other people so – take an airplane. I pointed out the obvious solution to her problem, and was immediately attacked by an … Continue reading →
Like Compact Pistols? Smith & Wesson's M&P Bodyguard .380 Is Worth Your Time
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Packs a punch. *Key point: *The smallest firearm in Smith & Wesson's Military and Police lineup. Newfound consumer interest in the subcompact handgun has led many gun manufacturers to introduce smaller––but still potent––pistols that can be carried discretely as a backup gun or concealed carry piece. But which ones are worth your time and money? One such example is the Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380. One of the best of the new generation of subcompact handguns, it also has the most favorable dimensions and weight for those requiring packable firep... more »
Why Did an Alaska Congressman Headbutt a Camera?
*Mary Margaret Olohan* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump stands with with Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Rep Don Young (R-AK) as he celebrates with Congressional Republicans after the U.S. Congress passed sweeping tax overhaul legislation on the South Lawn] The left-wing activist was not on his good side. An Alaskan congressman head-butted a left-wing activist group’s camera after being asked about foreign interference in government elections, video shows. Republican Alaska Rep. Don Young, 86, slowly head-butted a camera as media from the left-w... more »
Could Pakistan Defeat India in a Ground War? It Won't Matter Thanks to Nuclear Weapons.
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* Billion could perish. *Key Point:* A military clash almost guarantees a nuclear exchange. The Indian subcontinent is home to two of the largest armies on Earth. Not only are the armies of India and Pakistan both larger in personnel than the U.S. Army, but they have stood at alert facing one another since the dissolution of the British Indian Army in 1947. The two armies have clashed four times in the past seventy years, and may yet do so again in the future. The Indian army is the primary land force of the Indian armed forces. The army numbers 1... more »
Did Chrisopter Steele Also Try to Pin Brexit on Russia?
*Chuck Ross* *Politics, Europe* [image: A pro-Brexit supporter is seen during a protest in Westminster, London, Britain October 31, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls] He had a hand in that investigation, too. British authorities included information from Christopher Steele, the author of the anti-Trump dossier, in a highly anticipated document about possible Russian meddling in the 2016 Brexit referendum, according to a report. Steele, a former MI6 officer, provided research to the British parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which has investigated possible Kremli... more »
Reading and Math Scores in U.S. are Falling. Why Are We Getting Dumber?
[image: reading-math-scores-in-u-s-are-falling-why-are-we-getting-dumber] The National Center for Education Statistics found that math and reading scores for fourth and eighth graders have gone down compared to 2017.
O'odham Toy Drive for Southern O'odham 2019 by O'odham VOICE Against the Wall
Photo: Last year's toy drive, 2018. Thank you so much for everyone who helped! O'odham VOICE Against the WALL Please call to donate items, or donate at PayPal: Ophelia Rivas: 520-308-9904 4oodhamrights@gmail.com PO Box 1835 Sells, Arizona Donate at PayPal on Ofelia's website: http://www.solidarity-project.org Read about last year's party and dinner with the community, south of the
Open Borders in Foreign Policy
I’ve got a new piece in Foreign Policy, with brand-new illustrations by my collaborator Zach Weinersmith. Highlight: The standard explanation for these asymmetric public reactions is that resistance to immigration is primarily cultural and political, not economic or logistical. While West Germans welcomed millions of East German migrants, a much lower dose of Middle Eastern and […] The post Open Borders in Foreign Policy appeared first on Econlib.
Syrian President Bashar Assad: Trump’s Transparency Makes Him The ‘Best American President’ Ever
Syrian President Assad said on Thursday that President Trump is the best type of president for a foe due to his open talk of annexing Middle Eastern oil. pic.twitter.com/B9AZdnwoRK — NBC News (@NBCNews) November 1, 2019 *FOX News:* *Syria’s Assad says Trump’s transparency makes him ‘best American president’ ever* Syrian President Bashar Assad says he thinks Donald Trump is the "best American president" ever – because he’s the "most transparent." The embattled ruler’s comments come as U.S. troops returned to eastern Syria to protect oil fields the Pentagon does not want to see fal... more »
Feeling loved
Yesterday it was raining hard when I left the market with a plastic sack in each hand. I saw a woman approaching from my left. “Oh my Lamb, my Lamb” I heard her say in accented English with out stretched arms. And she threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug. It was my neighbor whose daughter has metastatic breast cancer, knowing how I was feeling because of our son’s brain cancer. Today a church friend brought over a lemon buttermilk pie. Just because she loves us. She and her husband stayed to visit for awhile. She’s a wonderful chef and cares for many in the church by... more »
November 1 is All Saints Day.
We live in a football crazed and crazy town--Columbus, Ohio, home of the Buckeyes. I think I went to a Buckeye game in 1967. But we don't live far from the stadium-- the sounds, the tailgaters, the traffic, and of course, the games are always televised so it's even in my house, and there's usually a comment the next day along with the pastor's sermon. The "Horseshoe" holds over 100,000 screaming, adoring fans (only Michigan and Penn are larger). That's how I picture All Saints Day. We run on to the field with our God and coach, and when we look up, there they are--all the saints w... more »
October 31
"Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Eve," from the Christian Feast of "All Saints." Various communities rearrange the date for "trick or treat," so also has church history scholars rearranged the date of celebration of remembering the saints who have gone before us. Some sources say 3rd century, some 8th century, and one I read today said 11th century when the Abbot of Cluny urged his monks to observe November 2 as "All Soul's Day." Still, Christians have always honored the dead and in the first and second centuries worshipped in the catacombs, where Romans buried and forgot their ... more »
A NZ pig hunter from the ’50s says that after 60+ years of dropping 1080 in the Wainui Bush near Taupo he can no longer hear the birds…”they’re all gone”
VIDEO: “Once the rats have gone down to negligible numbers” says Maggie Barrie, (former Min of Conservation) “then we’ll use traps” … ? Um…. 60 years on and still we have rats? It isn’t working Maggie. A blind person could see that. We still have rats and our native Kea are nearly extinct. Perhaps the … Continue reading A NZ pig hunter from the ’50s says that after 60+ years of dropping 1080 in the Wainui Bush near Taupo he can no longer hear the birds…”they’re all gone” →
Three academics from Victoria University’s Institute of Criminology explain why armed police officers in patrol cars will in fact make us less safe
From newsroom.co.nz Victoria University of Wellington’s Simon Mackenzie, Trevor Bradley, Angus Lindsay explain why armed cops in cars is a bad idea The new trial of Armed Response Teams (ARTs) in Counties Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury involves sending at least three armed police officers out in patrol vehicles to be constantly available to respond to crimes involving firearms. … Continue reading Three academics from Victoria University’s Institute of Criminology explain why armed police officers in patrol cars will in fact make us less safe →
The Nats intend to punish the poor some more instead of dealing to corporate tax exemptions and white collar crime – what’s new?
So this mainstream article (below) is announcing the Nats’ new policy plans for NZ and is basically all about controlling the poor. What an easy target. What are they afraid of? Wake up folks, it’s easier to bash the vulnerable than to hold the rich & powerful to account. Predictably, as parties do, they are … Continue reading The Nats intend to punish the poor some more instead of dealing to corporate tax exemptions and white collar crime – what’s new? →
A 2010 study via US Dept Health & Human Svces revealed one out of every 39 children vaccinated with government-mandated vaccines suffers serious injuries
“Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), this same paper also found that a shocking 19.5 percent – nearly one in five! – children under the age of five who are admitted to emergency rooms for “drug reactions” are actually suffering from vaccine injuries” From newstarget.com If vaccines are really so safe and effective … Continue reading A 2010 study via US Dept Health & Human Svces revealed one out of every 39 children vaccinated with government-mandated vaccines suffers serious injuries →
California Wildfires, Climate Change, and the Hot-Dry-Windy Fire Weather Index
Originally posted on Iowa Climate Science Education: Summer and early Fall are fire season in California. It has always been this way. Most summers experience virtually no precipitation over much of California, which means that the vegetation that grows during the cool, wet Winter becomes fuel for wildfires in Summer. When you add the increasing…
The cancer in cancer medicine: pharma money paid to doctors – STAT
Originally posted on Defending Sanity in the Uppity Down World: https://www.statnews.com/2019/10/30/cancer-growing-in-cancer-medicine-pharma-money-doctors/
Rep. Ratcliffe on Impeachment Fiasco: “At the end of the day the truth will defend itself”…
Representative John Ratcliffe appeared on Fox News to discuss the latest developments within the one-side, partisan, effort to remove President Donald Trump from office. Having sat through all of the closed-door basement testimony so far, Ratcliffe outlines how Adam Schiff … Continue reading →
Ponca Casey Camp-Horinek honors Rights of Nature and Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women at Bioneers
Ponca Councilwoman Casey Camp Horinek delivering keynote address. Photo by Bioneers. Casey Camp Horinek: Aligning Human Law with Natural Law' By Brenda NorrellCensored NewsSAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- Ponca Casy Camp-Horinek spoke on the Rights of Nature, enacted as law by the Ponca Nation in Oklahoma, at the Bioneers Conference think tank. Describing the decades of rape, murder and oppression
A Fireside Chat with President* Trump
(Welcome Back to Gotham City has just received a leak from the White House that is purported to be a draft copy of Trump's proposed fireside chat.) ------------------------------ Good evening. Unless you live in an obscure time zone in one of those shithole countries. Can I say that on the radio? Sure I can. I'm the president. I'll just pardon myself. Anyway, those in the fake lamestream liberal news media still won't get off my back about my perfect call with President Zelenshy of Ukraine so I just pulled it out of a super secret safe where I told my people to stick it but... more »
Tribunales con alfombra roja. 10 historias de cómo los ricos y poderosos secuestraron la justicia
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
01-Nov-2019 El informe presenta 10 demandas inversor-Estado emblemáticas y poco conocidas, que se han presentado o decidido desde 2015.
Destacan preparativos de Vietnam para la aprobación final del TLC firmado con la UE
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
01-Nov-2019 En el futuro próximo ningún país del Sudeste Asiático podrá obtener un logro tan pronto como Vietnam en la firma del TLC con la UE, observó el vicepresidente de la Comisión de Comercio Internacional del Parlamento Europeo (PE), Jan Zahradil.
La urgencia de frenar el TPP-11 en Chile
bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
01-Nov-2019 Para Lucía Sepúlveda, de la campaña Chile Mejor Sin TLC, en asambleas barriales y territoriales, y en todos los espacios, se viene exigiendo junto a las demandas sociales el retiro de la tramitación de TPP en el Senado, al igual que el de todos los proyectos de Piñera que afirman el modelo neoliberal imperante.
It's November 2019 - How Close Did We Get To Blade Runner?
It's November of 2019 which means that we have officially arrived at the opening of the science fiction cult classic "Blade Runner." Let's talk about what it got right. I was at a local theater showing of "Evil Dead: The Musical" a few weeks ago and at the end was a lot of 1980s music. The crowd that evening was overwhelmingly high school theater geeks and they knew every song, from "Come On Eileen" to "Take On Me." They knew them well enough to mash up dances from other periods while they were singing. read more
Mayo Pete May Be Better Than Trump, But That Bar Is Far Too Low When Picking The Best Nominee
A new poll from Morning Consult has some not so great news for Mayo Pete. Between October 25 and 28, pollsters asked registered voters a number of questions. Some were very standard, like Trump's job approval-- 55% disapprove (43% *strongly*) and 43% approve, and like who they would vote for if the election was today-- 39% Trump and 52% someone other than Trump. Individual matchups showed both Biden and Bernie beating Trump, but not Buttigieg. That match up looks ominous: *•* Trump- 35% *•* Mayo Pete- 29% *•* undecided- 36% It was the worst number for any of the Dems who might co... more »
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk Insults USS Liberty Survivors
Charlie Kirk founded "Turning Point USA," which claims to advocate policies associated with the conservative side of the political spectrum. Kirk recently insulted USS Liberty veterans, one of the most decorated crews in U.S Navy history. Joe Meadors, a survivor of Israel's lethal attack on the USS Liberty, writes: "I hope others in Kirk's organization or who share his political dogma don't share his public disdain for American servicemen whose only crime is to be victims of Israeli War Crimes. The post Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk Insults USS Liberty Survivors appeared ... more »
Engineered Exogenesis: Nature’s Model for Interstellar Colonization
Is seeding life into the universe to be a part of the human future? Space probes conceivably could be doing this inadvertently, and the processes of panspermia also may be moving biological possibilities between planets and even stars. Robert Buckalew has his own take on what humans might do in this regard, as discussed below. […]
A Big Gamble: The Air Force Wants to Build New Planes Within 5 Years
*Military and Aerospace Electronics* *Security, Americas* [image: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/3532210/norways-seventh-f-35-arrival] Can military contractors actually do it? *Key point: *A 5 year turn around is very rare for defense contractors. WASHINGTON – U.S. Air Force officials say they believe they can develop, test and field sophisticated 21st-century jet fighters within five years. The Washington Times reports. Continue reading original article The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 31 Oct. 2019 -- Five years after that, the rapid development plan is to do it all a... more »
Cresco Labs growing jobs in Illinois as adult-use marijuana looms
Chicago-based Cresco Labs is more than doubling its workforce in Illinois as the multistate operator prepares for the Jan. 1 launch of recreational cannabis sales in the state. The company, expected to close its acquisition of Canada-based distributor Origin House by Nov. 15, said it is hiring more than 300 people in its home state […] Cresco Labs growing jobs in Illinois as adult-use marijuana looms is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs
Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 304 – 2019
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North
‘Vaxxed 2’ Officially Set to Premiere in 30 Theaters Across Nearly 20 States This November
The controversial vaccine documentary film ‘Vaxxed’ sparked conversations across the country about the serious and even potentially deadly side effects of toxic vaccines additives, and it also sparked a backlash from the mainstream media, the pharmaceutical industry and other critics. The original ‘Vaxxed’ film, which came out in April 2016, was pulled from Amazon.com‘s Prime streaming service in March of this year after a CNN Business report focused a spotlight on the film and other “anti-vaccine” movies available on the website. A letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos from Congressman... more »
This tomato is showing its true colour — orange
The orange-tomato is believed to be the first of its kind, and a Tasmanian horticulturalist is now making varieties available for the public.
Is This a Pagoda Flower That Only Blooms Once Every 400 Years?
This isn't the first time that rumors have circulated about a flower blooming once every 400 year in the Himalayas.
Trump Changes Primary Residence from New York to Florida
President Trump tweeted that he will make Palm Beach, Florida, his permanent residence after leaving the White House, rather than returning to Trump Tower in New York.
Health Officials Disclose Another Romaine Outbreak, Now Over
It’s not clear why romaine keeps sickening people, but experts note the difficulty of eliminating risk posed by raw vegetables grown in open fields.
Supersonic Showdown: Was the Mach-3 A-12 Better Than the SR-71 Spy Plane?
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Americas* [image: https://live.staticflickr.com/3234/5696791511_5a715f6b9e_b.jpg] What could have been. *Key point: *The A-12 was faster and came first, but the Pentagon settled on the SR-71 instead. Analysis of Week’s photos located the USS Pueblo near Wonsan anchored next to two patrol boats—and also revealed that Pyongyang had not mobilized its troops for war. This led Johnson to rule out plans for a preemptive or punitive strike in favor of diplomatic measures which eventually saw the ship’s abused crew released nearly a year later. On October 3... more »
10 Tips to Recover from a Stroke
I have seen over 30,000 patients in my career. If there is ONE thing they are scared about, it is having a stroke. Every adult has seen the devastation that a stroke can cause. The good news is that YOU can prevent a stroke by following our blog information and that in my book, The … Continue reading "10 Tips to Recover from a Stroke" The post 10 Tips to Recover from a Stroke appeared first on TDW.
EPA Tries to Blame Bad FOIA Regs on Advisory Committee Recommendation: FRINFORMSUM 11/1/2019
EPA Tries to Blame Bad FOIA Regulations on Advisory Committee The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to blame a recommendation from the FOIA Federal Advisory Committee for its controversial new FOIA regulations, which centralizes the agency’s FOIA submission process within the EPA’s headquarters’ office in D.C. and away from the agency’s regional offices. The new […]
RIP? Has the M1 Abrams Tank Finally Met Its Match?
*Charlie Gao* *Security, North America* [image: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/5723537/eager-lion-19-combined-arms-live-fire-exercise] Even so, it remains one of the most lethal tanks in the world. *Key Point:* If the Abrams wants to surpass the M1A1, it'll have to bump up its fire power. In the 1970s, the situation for NATO tank forces in Europe was grim. The program to develop the next generation battle tank for both Germany and the United States, the MBT-70, was about to crumble and fail, and the next generation of Soviet tanks was about to reach the front lines. The tank ... more »
Could This Be How China Finally Seizes Taiwan?
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/TAIWAN-DRILLS--RC1727FF6C00.html] The Pentagon thinks it knows how. *Key point:* Washington has been studying how China might invade Taiwan and there are four options Beijing faces. A Pentagon report from 2014 lays out China’s military options for invading Taiwan. And while a huge amphibious assault is one possibility for “reunifying” Taiwan with mainland China, Beijing’s burgeoning arsenal gives it plenty of other options. The invasion analysis is part of the latest edition of the Pentagon’s annual r... more »
Why the L85A1L Rifle Was a Total Failure
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, North America* [image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SA80#/media/File:SA-80_rifle_stripped_1996.jpg] The L85A1L rifle was supposed to be as short as a submachine gun, with the performance of an assault rifle. What happened? *Key Point:* At the end of the day, the gun just wasn't accurate enough to be functional. In the mid-1980s, the United Kingdom became the first major NATO power to adopt a so-called “bullpup” assault rifle. The L85A1 Individual Weapon was unique in that it placed the rifle’s operating system and magazine well behind the trigger. T... more »
Crazy Counterfactual: What if the F-22 Raptor Had Been a Bomber?
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, North America* [image: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/5866992/f-22-raptor-returns-texas] The Air Force could have had a readapted plane as it's new bomber. *Key Point:* While considered a real possability, the Air Force decided the project would be be putting too much on their plate. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, the United States had begun production of the F-22 Raptor, the world’s best air superiority fighter—boasting a still unrivaled combination of sustainable high speed, maneuverability and low-observable stealth characteristics.... more »
Donald Trump's 'Take the Oil' Strategy in Syria Is a Mistake
*Paul R. Pillar* *Security, * "A prominent and longstanding theme in the ideology and propaganda of terrorist groups rooted in the Arab Muslim world—including al-Qaeda and ISIS—is that the United States and the West are out to plunder the resources of Muslims. Such groups violently oppose U.S. troops in Muslim countries partly because they are seen as furthering the plundering mission." Confusion has prevailed regarding the purposes of the U.S. troop presence in Syria, and whether the declared purposes are the actual ones. Originally the expedition was widely understood to be a... more »
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Is Dead (But ISIS Is Very Much Alive)
*Richard Simcox* *Security, Middle East* The demise of the Islamic State’s ‘caliph’ does not mean the fight against Islamist terrorism is over; far from it. As the dust settles on the Baghdadi raid, here are five things to look out for in the days and weeks ahead. Almost as soon as it became clear that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was dead, the revisionism began about whether this was actually a good thing. Some analysts predicted that Baghdadi’s death as a “martyr” would inspire others, becoming a “propaganda bonanza” for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). We sh... more »
Is Turkey's Military Still One Of The Middle East's Best?
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Middle East* The 2016 coup didn't help. *Key point: *Turkey remains a power that should not be trifled with. Straddling two continents, Turkey has one of the most powerful armed forces in Europe or Asia. Over four hundred thousand strong, Ankara’s armed forces are divided into the Army, Air Force, and Navy. A Special Forces Corps exists and is subordinate directly to the Turkish General Staff. The Turkish military formed a bulwark against the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War, facing Bulgarian, Romanian and Soviet forces that in wartime would drive south... more »
Jihadists suffer heavy losses as Syrian Army turns the tables in northern Latakia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:20 P.M.) – The jihadist rebels launched a new offensive in the northern countryside of the Latakia Governorate on Friday, targeting several areas under the control of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). Led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, the jihadist rebels were initially successful in northern Latakia, as their forces managed to capture several […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Turkish, Russian troops begin joint patrols along Syrian border
The Russian and Turkish militaries have launched a joint patrol mission along the Syrian border, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday. “Russian military police officers and Turkish border guards launched the first joint patrol mission along the Syria-Turkey border at 12:15 pm on November 1, 2019,” the statement reads. “A joint […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russian forces unleash big attack on jihadist stronghold, cruise missiles reported
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:50 P.M.) – The Russian Armed Forces unleashed a massive attack on the jihadist stronghold of Jisr Al-Shughour today, launching both airstrikes and cruise missiles towards this city in western Idlib. According to reports from western Syria, the Russian Navy fired several missiles towards the jihadist positions in Jisr Al-Shughour, causing a number […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
US B-52 bombers en route to Syria escorted by Greek jets
Two Greek F-16 fighter jets provided an escort to a US B-52 bomber on its way to Syria during its flight over Cyprus on Friday, the Kathimerini newspaper reported. The bomber took off from Fairford Royal Air Force Base in Gloucestershire, the United Kingdom, and was joined by the Greek aircraft as it went through […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Jihadist rebels launch new offensive in northern Latakia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:30 P.M.) – The jihadist rebels launched a new offensive in the northern countryside of Latakia on Friday, as their forces targeted several areas controlled by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). Led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, the jihadist rebels kicked off their offensive in the Jabal Al-Akrad region by storming the Syrian Arab […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Defense chief confirms US intentions to seize, hold Syrian oil fields
Secretary of Defence Mark Esper has confirmed that the US plans to continue controlling Syria’s oil fields, and to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists or “other actors”. “The mission is, as I’ve spoken to and I’ve conveyed it to the commander, and that is, we will secure oil fields to deny […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
The Cost of Decommissioning Wind Turbines is Huge
In Minnesota, Xcel Energy estimates conservatively that it will cost $532,000 (in 2019 dollars) to decommission each of its wind… The post The Cost of Decommissioning Wind Turbines is Huge appeared first on IER.
Eurasian Arctic Flash Freezing in October
The image is an animation of MASIE ice charts over the last two weeks. Upper right is Kara Sea icing, upper center is Laptev freezing over, and upper left is East Siberian filling with ice. Chukchi on the left is still mostly water, and along with Beaufort Sea the main reason 2019 NH ice extent […]
Two Containers Of Cash On Its Way To Libya Intercepted By Malta
Protesters demand an end to Khalifa Haftar’s offensive against the UN-backed government in Libya. Photograph: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters *The Guardian:* *Malta halts shipment of cash destined for Libyan rebel chief* Huge cache thought to have come from Russia in order to bankroll general’s war effort The Maltese government has seized a massive shipment of unofficial Libyan banknotes believed to have been destined for Khalifa Haftar, the military commander leading an offensive to dislodge the UN-backed government in Tripoli. Security services in Malta confirmed two 2,000-cubic-foot (... more »
2:00PM Water Cooler 11/1/2019
By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Politics “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51 “They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery.” –Frank Herbert, Dune * * * 2020 Alert reader dk (not to be confused with DK) is in the process of […]
7 Kremlin-Linked Mercenaries Killed In Mozambique In October. Four Were Beheaded
Russia has been providing military support to Mozambique to fight local Islamist groups since 2017, but as recently as October this year denied having any troops in the country (pictured, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov shakes hands with Mozambique leader Jose Pacheco) *Daily Mail: **Russian mercenaries are beheaded by ISIS-linked Islamists in Mozambique* * Seven Russian mercenaries killed in two separate attacks in Mozambique * One attack saw four fighters ambushed, shot and then beheaded by extremists * ISIS began claiming attacks in Mozambique's northern provinces in Jun... more »
Florida State University Creates First College of Entrepreneurship
Florida State University will welcome the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship as its newest college, according to an announcement at its Board of Trustees meeting on Friday. Now the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, it will be the university’s 17th college and first stand-alone entrepreneurship college in American higher education. The original school was founded […]
Elizabeth Warren wants a massive tax increase on the Middle Class
Elizabeth Warren is either economically illiterate or is lying to we the people when she claims that she won't dramatically increase taxes on the Middle Class. Today, I’m releasing my plan to pay for #MedicareForAll. Here’s the headline: My plan won't raise taxes one penny on middle-class families. In fact, we'll return about $11 TRILLION to the American people. That's bigger than the biggest tax cut in our history. Here's how: — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 1, 2019 Her first insane claim is that the government is more efficient than the private sector. Let’s get to the ma... more »
When politicians talk about 'Quiet Australians', they're sending a troubling message
Tied up somewhere in the message about Quiet Australians is a message that not getting involved in politics, and just getting on with your life, is fine. But that absolves a large part of the community from feeling any responsibility for what might be being done in its name, writes Laura Tingle.
It's my five year 'cancerversary'. And strangely, I'm actually happier than before
Just In - 10 hours ago
The whole five-year "cancerversary" is a big deal for those of us who've spent time in Carcinomaville. But unlike those people who celebrate with wacky baked goods, I've spent the day reflecting on the many misconceptions I had when cancer and I started hooking up, writes Emma Jane.
With the stroke of a pen in Washington, our economy braces for the damage to come
A sizeable portion of Australia's economic policy is influenced several times a year by the stroke of a pen roughly 15,000 kilometres away. It happened again this week, writes David Taylor.
Trump won't win the 'endless' war by simply killing terrorists
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was the only name Donald Trump knew — and the only person he wanted to hear had been killed. But even if Mr Trump is right to celebrate his death, the Middle East remains aflame, writes Eric Tlozek.
China to 'perfect' Hong Kong leader appointment system amid ongoing pro-democracy protests
Just In - 10 hours ago
China will "perfect" the way the leader of Hong Kong is appointed, saying it will not tolerate separatism or threats to national security there.
UKC News: Truth About Grenfell Inquiry, Boris-Farage Brexit Pact, USA Cold Blitz
*UKC News* | Co-hosts Mike Robinson, Patrick Henningsen and David Scott breakdown Friday's news headlines with analysis.
Greek Hierarchs Initiate Pan-Orthodox Council to Resist ‘Independent’ Ukrainian Orthodox Church
*21WIRE + South Front* | CIA has always viewed religious institutions and movements around the world as a gateway to destabilize regions along geopolitical lines.
Right On Cue: Pentagon Issue ‘Alert’ as ISIS Vows Revenge Attacks Over Baghdadi Death
*21WIRE + Antiwar.com* | If their PR office is to be believed, then ISIS has named new leader, warning US against any 'rejoicing'.
Gerald Celente, "More Cheap Money, More Temporary Growth"
Gerald Celente, "More Cheap Money, More Temporary Growth"
Turkey, Russia Begin Joint Patrols In Northern Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to establish large "refugee towns" for Syrians in Turkey. Reuters: Kemal Aslan *ABC News Online:* *Turkish-Russian patrols begin in north-east Syria, as President Erdogan pledges to resettle refugees* Turkish and Russian troops have started their first joint ground patrols in northeast Syria under a deal between the two countries that forced a Kurdish militia away from territory near Turkey's border. Turkey and allied Syrian rebels launched a cross-border offensive on October 9 against the Kurdish YPG militia, seizing control of 120 kil... more »
Climategate: Ten years later
Climate alarmists are still promoting junk science, fossil fuel bans and wealth redistribution The post Climategate: Ten years later appeared first on CFACT.
Climate change will cost much less than we think
The NYT ran an article claiming that global warming will be more expensive than we think. Not so fast, Naomi. The post Climate change will cost much less than we think appeared first on CFACT.
California water users set to get relief from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
In recent years, over 100 billion gallons of water have been flushed into San Francisco Bay each winter – enough to sustain millions of households. The post California water users set to get relief from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service appeared first on CFACT.
World News Briefs -- November 1, 2019
Demonstrators stand on a bridge decorated with a national flag during an anti-government protest along a highway in Jal el-Dib, Lebanon, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo *Reuters: **As protests rock Baghdad and Beirut, Iran digs in* As governments in Iraq and Lebanon stagger and stumble under huge waves of popular protest, powerful factions loyal to Iran are pushing to quash political upheaval which challenges Tehran’s entrenched influence in both countries. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has resigned and the government of Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Ab... more »
Larry Kudlow Discusses Overall Strength of U.S. Main Street Economy…
National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow appears on Fox Business to discuss the latest excellent jobs report and the overall strength of the U.S. economy. Additional points of interest discussed are the U.S-China trade negotiations, the status of the internal … Continue reading →
California declares shoplifting up to $950 is effectively ok
Californian voters passed Prop 47 in 2014 by 59% to 40% in no small part to a massive campaign by the left and endorsements proclaiming that the Prop would reduce prison overcrowding. It effectively decriminalized theft so long as the value of the stolen property is less than $950. While those thefts are still misdemeanors the police don't spend any effort dealing with misdemeanors so criminals know that they can steal and get away with it. One of the co-authors claimed that Prop 47 had reduced the prison population by 13,000 in 2015. The obvious problem is that unless those who ... more »
Mary Oliver, "Instructions For Living A Life"
*"Instructions For Living A Life"* "*1.* Pay attention. * 2.* Be astonished. *3. *Tell about it." - Mary Oliver
The Daily "Near You?"
Munich, Bayern, Germany. Thanks for stopping by!
“The Reckoning”
*“The Reckoning”* by Jesse “A true opium of the people is a belief in nothingness after death - the huge solace of thinking that for our betrayals, greed, cowardice, and even murders that we are not going to be held to account.” - Czesław Miłosz "Every man and woman on this earth will die. Now, this is of course a statement of the obvious. And yet very few really think about it, until something happens to bring that cold statement of reality into an unavoidable focus that they must confront. We are all dying, in our own way and time, from the moment that we are born; but we do our ... more »
Google data centers at Taiwan, Singapore; world news
The exterior of Google’s first data center in Taiwan, one of the largest of its kind in Asia. Photo: Handout 11-1-19 * Google* will plow NT$26 billion (US$850.5 million) into the island’s bourgeoning data center sector after deciding to build a second storage hub there. The move will ramp up its business on the island and boost services for Hong Kong and mainland China….Google is also running two data centers in Singapore under the auspices of the city-state, where its Asia-Pacific headquarters are also located. https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/11/article/google-to-build-2nd-dat... more »
THE AGE OF THE NOVEL: What happens when Stanford gets both parties drunk!
*FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019A somewhat slender logic:* Chanel Miller's Know My Name: A Memoir is one of the most interesting books we've read in the past dozen years. In fairness, that can't be scored as a compliment. As the random reader may know, we're drawn to the incoherent or illogical text which draws back the curtain on the comical ways our self-impressed species actually attempts to communicate and reason. Tops among this species are the publishing world's many "Einstein made easy" books. That includes Einstein's own "Einstein made easy" book, which was published in 1916 and... more »
Free Download: Henry Miller, "Tropic of Cancer"
“The monstrous thing is not that men have created roses out of this dung heap, but that, for some reason or other, they should want roses. For some reason or other man looks for the miracle, and to accomplish it he will wade through blood. He will debauch himself with ideas, he will reduce himself to a shadow if for only one second of his life he can close his eyes to the hideousness of reality. Everything is endured – disgrace, humiliation, poverty, war, crime, ennui – in the belief that overnight something will occur, a miracle, which will render life tolerable. And all the while... more »
Kahlil Gibran, “Maxims”
*“Maxims”* by Kahlil Gibran “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity. Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood. All that spirits desire, spirits attain. An eye for an eye, and the whole world would be blind. If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember. Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children. I wash my ha... more »
"Absolute Love Endures, Couple Adopt 61-Year-Old"
*"Absolute Love Endures, Couple Adopt 61-Year-Old"* by Rich Manieri “What do you do with the sands of time…when they carve out lines around your eyes?” It’s a line from a sad Willie Nelson song called, “You remain.” I heard the song this week and thought of someone. Nelson sings about regret and pieces of the past that now haunt him. He simply can’t let go. There are too many reminders, too many memories. “What do you do with old regrets?” he asks. The someone I thought of when I heard the song was Merrilee Hancock. Merrilee is 61 now. She’s watched the years streak by but somethin... more »
"If I Had An Hour..."
“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” - Albert Einstein
"Halloween is Over and the Jig is Up"
*"Halloween is Over and the Jig is Up"* by Jim Kunstler "And so Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff take the Republic into a dangerous defile on a dark day as they engineer a House resolution with rules for a medieval-style inquiry on the existence of phantoms. The phantom du jour, of course, is the fabled “whistleblower,” a CIA ectoplasm identified by everybody and his uncle in Swampland as one Eric Ciarmarella, 33, a former Joe Biden staffer, Obama White House low-level NSC holdover, and John Brennan “asset” deeply involved in Ukrainian pranks during the 2016 election and subsequent dis... more »
Giuliani’s Well-Deserved Disgrace
A story in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal throws light on the suspicious business history of Lev Parnas, one of Rudolph Giuliani’s helpers in the Ukrainian affair (“Giuliani Associate Left Trail of Troubled Businesses Before Ukraine Probe Push,” October 31, 2019). Mr. Parnas has been charged by federal prosecutors and Mr. Giuliani himself may be […] The post Giuliani’s Well-Deserved Disgrace appeared first on Econlib.
Sometimes Drug Prices Are Too Low
When Americans talk about drug prices, the conversation is dominated by the eye-popping sticker prices of certain new drugs. We’re all aware of how sky-high prices can make it hard for some patients to afford the drugs they need. Yet few appreciate how patients also lose access to treatments when prices are too low. The […] The post Sometimes Drug Prices Are Too Low appeared first on Econlib.