10:21 pm MST
Trump’s Plan to Curb Teen Vaping Exempts Some Flavors
U.S. health officials will begin cracking down on most flavored
e-cigarettes that are popular with underage teenagers, but their plan
includes major exceptions that benefit vaping manufacturers, retailers and
adults who use the nicotine delivery devices.
Keir-azy For You: Why Starmer Leads
Were you surprised to find Keir Starmer at the top of YouGov's Labour
leadership poll? Can't say I was, to be honest. Running at 31% vs Rebecca
Long-Bailey's 20% (and 61% to 39% if there is a run off between the two),
the omens are not auspicious for the left. Not least because it seems some
of us are happy to throw their lot in with Keir, or "Starmzy" has he's
started to be known in some quarters. How and why has he taken an early
lead over the candidate who was the heir apparent straight after the
election?
First off, a quick note about the polling itself. Since its publication
... more »
Thursday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.
- Nathan Robinson writes that there's every reason for younger people - in
the U.S. and elsewhere - to support the principle of socialism based on a
desire to achieve gains for everybody rather than only a privileged few:
A better definition, at least as far as the economic dimension of
socialism, is the concept of “worker control.” What socialists have
disliked is the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small
number of people. What they have demanded is that ordinary working people
get their fair share of the wealth. Some soc... more »
President Trump Re-election Campaign Raises $46 Million in Fourth Quarter….
American voters responded to the fraudulent impeachment effort in a big
financial way for President Trump in the fourth quarter. The campaign
announced a massive $46 million influx which doesn’t count the amount
raised by the RNC. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – … Continue reading →
Julian Castro Drops Presidential Bid…
After failing to qualify for the last two presidential debates, former
Obama HUD Secretary Julian Castro announces (via twitter) he is dropping
out of the race. (source) Castro told his supporters: “I have determined
that it simply isn’t our time. … Continue reading →
The Mouse That Whored..for the Insurance Industry
From E.J. Dionne at The Washington Post: Take yourself back to the endless
wrangling in Sen. Max Baucus’ Finance Committee – or, more particularly,
among his select “gang of six,” including three Republicans, two of whom
clearly never had any intention of voting for health-care reform. They
negotiated and negotiated and negotiated and negotiated — […]
Traitor Joe
From Dewayne Wickham at TRIBLIVE|Opinion: Last year was the year of the
unlikely hero. It was dominated by the ascendancy of Barack Obama, a
slender black guy with a hip gait and a finely tuned political mind, into
this nation’s highest office. But 2009 has turned out to be the year of the
anti-hero. It […]
Only One Thing Could Cause Half Of Russia's Su-57 Stealth Fighters To Take Off
*Mark Episkopos*
*Security, Europe*
Vladimir Putin
*Key point: *Russia is showing off its new jet to prospective buyers.
Back in May, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s IL-96-300PU presidential
plane was flanked by no less than six Su-57 stealth fighter jets while en
route to the 929th Chkalov State Flight-Test Center in southwestern Russia.
*Video footage* of the flight shows the Su-57 fighters grouped in what
better resembles a parade column than an escort formation, suggesting a
soft-power intent behind Putin’s trip. There are several factors at play.
First and perhaps least ... more »
Preaching?
Charles Moore told Nick Robiuson last Saturday that what he particularly
objected to was the BBC "preaching".
Am I wrong in thinking that, in the wake of Greta Thunberg's
guest-editorship of *Today *on Monday, BBC Radio is taking its "preaching"
on climate change to new levels of intensity?
Three out of the five headlines on tonight's Radio 4 *Six O'Clock News *related
to climate change (Australia, Indonesia, Norway) with a fourth story
appearing unannounced, courtesy of the BBC's environment (activist) analyst
Roger Harrabin.
Add that to *Today's *ongoing focus on the issue (Z... more »
Victim count in outbreak linked to freshcut fruit rockets to almost 100
In less than a month the patient count in a Salmonella outbreak linked to
pre-cut fruit sold by Tailor Cut Produce has jumped from 11 people to 96
people across 11 states. Some of the additional 85 illnesses were suspected
when federal officials posted a notice on Dec. 11, 2019, but those had not
been... Continue Reading
Nearly 1,000 people — and their pets — evacuated from Mallacoota on Navy ships
Just In - 7 hours ago
Some of the residents and holidaymakers who have been stranded in the East
Gippsland town of Mallacoota since it was cut off by an out-of-control
bushfire on New Year's Eve begin the long journey out of the area.
Live: People stuck in Mallacoota told 'minimum two weeks' before roads are opened
While hundreds are evacuating from Mallacoota today via boat and
helicopter, those that are staying face a lengthy wait until they can leave
via road. There are warnings bushfire conditions in both Victoria and NSW
could be worse tomorrow than on New Year's Eve. Follow live.
'Welcome he deserved': Liberal MP speaks out as bushfire victims, firefighters shun PM
Senior NSW Liberal Andrew Constance says the Prime Minister
got "the welcome he probably deserved" when he was yesterday heckled by
angry residents in the bushfire-ravaged town of Cobargo.
The hidden problem of the 'very good' babies, whose passive behaviour masks a new epidemic
The biggest problem for babies exposed to methamphetamine in pregnancy is
how beautifully ordinary they look, meaning by the time troubling signs
emerge, many treatment opportunities have been lost.
Nullarbor road closures from bushfires could hit Perth grocery shelves
Bushfires closing major highways on the Nullarbor could cost the economy
millions, with food shortages and price increases tipped for Perth.
Kyrgios to donate to bushfire victims for every ace hit
Just In - 7 hours ago
Australian star Nick Kyrgios's plan to donate $200 for every ace he hits
this summer gathers pace among his fellow competitors as tennis looks to
pull together to help bushfire-hit communities.
Gypsy Joker caught speeding at 227 kph in Ford Mustang
Just In - 7 hours ago
A motorcycle gang member loses his licence after allegedly being caught
driving at more than twice the speed limit — in a 110 kilometre per hour
zone — on a South Australian highway.
From metalsmiths to ballerinas: These 'fearless' oldies are proving there's no age limit to learning
While many of us are pondering our new year's resolutions, these older
Australians are one step ahead and already defying the odds by pursuing new
skills which challenge their mental and physical abilities despite public
perception they're too old to do so.
Julian Castro leaves Democrats' 2020 race as more famous front-runners remain
Just In - 7 hours ago
Julian Castro, the grandson of a Mexican immigrant who became San Antonio
mayor and the only Latino still making a 2020 Democratic presidential run,
withdraws to leave 14 candidates seeking the party's nomination to take on
Republican President Donald Trump in November.
#Mallacoota: How one man tweeted his town's tragic story to the world
As bushfires raged around his small Victorian town and mass evacuations
began, Brendan took to Twitter to keep Australians — and the world — in
touch with what was happening deep inside the UNESCO-listed wilderness he
calls home.
'I have a debt to Australia': Afghan family stay and defend neighbours' homes with buckets
As the Currowan bushfire engulfed the small town of Lake Conjola, Zalmai
Khatiz and his family took to the street with small buckets to save their
neighbours' homes.
Hot air to hang around for longer before Saturday's dangerous wind change
Today's cooler weather will offer a reprieve for communities devastated by
bushfires before NSW and Victoria are hit by "unprecedented" fire
conditions on Saturday.
Musical Interlude: 2002, "Sea of Dreams"
2002, "Sea of Dreams"
"A Look to the Heavens"
“A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309
lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309
spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our
larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluish clusters of young stars and dust lanes are
seen to trace out NGC 1309's spiral arms as they wind around an older
yellowish star population at its core.
*Click image for larger size.*
Not just another pretty face-on spiral galaxy, observations of NGC 1309's
recent supernova and Cepheid variable stars contribute to the calibration
of the... more »
Chet Raymo, “Angling For Happiness”
*“Angling For Happiness”*
by Chet Raymo
“There is a concept in physics called angle of repose. Set an object, a
book say, on a plank. Now slowly tip up one end of the plank until the
moment when the book just starts to slide. The angle between the plank and
the horizontal is the angle of repose, where the component of the
gravitational force down the plank becomes greater than the maximum
friction force holding the book at rest. Or, in more evocative terms- as I
write I am lying on the couch with the laptop in my lap, in perfect repose.
If you started tipping up the couch, at some ... more »
"It's Worth It..."
"No one's place in this world is guaranteed. Not everyone is going to get a
happy ending. But life isn't about how it ends. It's about the moments
between. It's about the small things. The way our loved ones laugh. The
sight of a butterfly in the sunlight after a year or two in the darkness.
The love and support of an old friend. They might not be with us in body,
but they are with us in spirit. The feeling of something we'd thought lost
to us forever returned in a single, life-changing moment. Yes, that is
simple, even though it might be momentous to us as individuals. Because
eve... more »
Gotham City Digest
(How about we bring back democracy, instead?)
------------------------------
This is a real headline from the WaPo, #nottheOnion. #1, the
superdelegates didn't go anywhere. They're furtively waiting in the wings
rubbing their hands just itching to throw the election like the Senate
GOP's waiting to throw Trump's trial. #2, Fuck the *vox populi*, right?
Rich people have always known what's best for us so let's just allow the
Majestic 437 to make all the hard choices that we're too lazy or apathetic
to make so they can vote for their candidate without ANY expectation of
reward.
... more »
Deep State Anti-Trump Leakers are Accessories to the Murder of US Citizens
Five self-designated demigods holding high positions within the Trump
Administration have taken it upon themselves to leak classified information
to Reuters abut Trump’s plan to designate Mexican cartels as FTOs (foreign
terrorist organizations). Such a designation allows the US to increase
military, civilian, and financial pressure on cartel members, their
distribution network, and their fiscal assets. By leaking this information,
these five individuals, representing establishment / deep state interests
in DC, tipped off the cartels as to what’s coming, allowing them to hide
assets... more »
Trouble at the BBC
As noted on the Open Thread, Julie Bindel has a fascinating article at *The
Critic *which raises serious questions about BBC standards and BBC
agenda-pushing.
Julie - as you'll probably know - is a feminist presently at war with
transgender militants, and as far as trying to strike a balance in this
bitter 'war' goes, she reckons that the BBC is far more one-sided even than *The
Guardian. *"The BBC appears not to even try", she says.
Her immediate targets are (1) Megha Mohan, the corporation’s first “gender
and identity correspondent” and (2) Ben Hunte, the BBC's fist “LGBT
corr... more »
"Economic Market Snapshot PM 1/2/20"
*AM 1/2/20, Updated frequently as available.*
◆
Gregory Mannarino, PM 1/2/20:
"We Have A Stock Market HYPER-BUBBLE"
- https://www.traderschoice.net/
◆
*MarketWatch Market Summary, Live Updates*
- https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary
*CNN Market Data:*
- http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/
*CNN Fear And Greed Index:*
- http://money.cnn.com/data/fear-and-greed/
◆
*Buffett Indicator: Where Are We with Market Valuations?*
"As of 1/2/20 (updates daily): The Stock Market is Significantly Overvalued.
Based on historical ratio of total market cap over GDP (currently at
153.1%), it... more »
Illegals Invading England by Boat Across Channel
[image: illegals-invading-england-by-boat-across-channel]
Illegal aliens from France are piling into boats and attempting to cross
the English Channel.
DiGenova: Comey & Brennan Were “Coup Leaders” Trying to Oust Trump
[image: digenova-comey-brennan-were-coup-leaders-trying-to-oust-trump]
Former U.S. Attorney Joe diGenova called James Comey and John Brennan “coup
leaders” for their alleged anti-Trump actions while in government.
We’re going to save the f’n planet?
Enjoy this video of George Carlin. Thanks to Winston Smith for this video:
“George Carlin – Arrogance of mankind”
The post We’re going to save the f’n planet? appeared first on Ice Age Now.
The Army's Newest Sniper Can Accurately Kill From 600 Meters
*Kyle Mizokami*
*Security, *
There is no escape.
*Key point:* The M110A1 will deliver for trained marksmen, resulting in a
more lethal infantry squad than ever before.
The U.S. Army is preparing to issue thousands of new rifles to infantry
squads across the service. The M110A1 Squad Designated Marksman Rifle
(SDMR) is designed to extend the reach of infantry units largely equipped
with short-barreled carbines. The SDMR will give one in nine infantrymen
the ability to not only penetrate existing body armor but engage point
targets at ranges of 600 meters (1968 feet).
The standa... more »
Having his say
A blogpost by Dominic Cummings has garnered a lot of attention today,
understandably.
Among the many striking things in it was his idea that "many journalists
wrongly looked at things like Corbyn’s Facebook stats and thought Labour
was doing better than us".
Which brings us to *Newsnight*'s incoming policy editor, Lewis Goodall. Naturally,
he's been having his say....but, then again, so have his have critics:
*Lewis Goodall*: (Holiday) reflections about Cummings blog:
-Wasn’t he leaving?
-Does PM understand what DC is doing? Understand that blog? After all DC
doing it in BJ’s name... more »
Rob's New Year Message
If you missed it, here's the BBC's editor of live political programmes, a
certain Rob Burley, issuing a New Year plea on behalf of the BBC:
1. I’ve been largely off Twitter over Christmas. But I see the BBC’s
critics from left and right are still here. It is of course legitimate to
criticise and debate the BBC and it’s a fact of life.
2. But while impartiality is difficult and we will make mistakes trying,
it is a really important and laudable goal. Most media takes a position and
looks at issues through that prism. We try and offer something different
and val... more »
These 20 Companies Profit The Most From War
*USA Today/24/7 Wall Street:* *Lockheed Martin, Boeing among the 20
companies profiting the most from war*
Global arms sales totaled $420 billion in 2018, up 4.6% from 2017,
according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
U.S.-based companies again dominate SIPRI's list of top global arms
manufacturers and military services providers. With Congress passing its
record high $738 billion defense spending bill this December, which
includes military modernization and a new Space Force military branch, this
trend is likely to continue.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed ... more »
Is This an Authentic John Wesley ‘Manifesto’?
Facebook users widely shared a list of principles that some claimed was a
"manifesto" written by the 18th-century theologian.
Year end summary of Trump’s record
Jobs are plentiful. The White House says seven million jobs have been
created since Donald Trump’s election. Record numbers of Americans are
employed, and wages are rising as employers compete for workers. The
headline unemployment rate is at its lowest in 50 years, with minorities in
particular enjoying the fruits of this labor.
The stock market has continued to break records, yielding benefits for the
investment and retirement accounts of more than half of all Americans. The
Dow Jones average rose 22% in 2019, while the S&P was up 29% and the NASDAQ
climbed 35%. When Trump was e... more »
Nobel winner retracts paper from Science
A Caltech researcher who shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has
retracted a 2019 paper after being unable to replicate the results. Frances
Arnold, who won half of the 2018 prize for her work on the evolution of
enzymes, tweeted the news earlier today: The paper has been cited once,
according to Clarivate Analytics’ … Continue reading Nobel winner retracts
paper from Science
Study on Black Youth and Racism Should Alarm Us All and Push Us to Action
On the last day of 2019, I had to purge and get my thoughts out by writing
on what is the most troubling study I’ve read on Black youth and racism in
quite a while. It has nagged me for over a week, but I could not find the
words to express or capture my deep-to-the-heart rage.
Princeton University to Display Portraits of Campus Workers
Portraits depicting campus workers will be displayed on Princeton
University’s campus in order to represent the working class and highlight
racial struggle, according to CNN. The artist Mario Moore painted 10
workers at Princeton including those working in campus dining, grounds
maintenance, security and facilities. With his subjects being mostly
African-Americans, Moore was inspired by […]
Hillary Clinton Named Chancellor of Queen’s University at Belfast
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was named chancellor of
Queen’s University at Belfast (QUB), becoming the first woman in the
school’s history to take on the role, according to the BBC News. Clinton
will hold the position for five years where she will also serve as an
advisor to the president and vice-chancellor of […]
After Year of Unpaid Leave, Accused University of Illinois Professor Won’t Return
After admitting that sexual harassment allegations filed against him were
true in the fall of 2018, University of Illinois law professor Dr. Jay
Kesan took a voluntary year of unpaid leave, expecting to return this
month. However, as reported by The Associated Press, Kesan will not return
and, instead, is on “university sanctioned leave.” In […]
Are Men Better Liars Than Women?
Men are twice as likely as women to believe they are skilled at deception
and getting away with lies, according to research from the University of
Portsmouth reported in Study Finds. Researchers found a significant link
between expertise at lying and gender. Men were more than twice as likely
to consider themselves expert liars who […]
The post Are Men Better Liars Than Women? appeared first on Health Nut News.
Biden Is Trying To Own The Hillary Spot In This Year’s Primary-- Playing Right Into Trump’s Hands
*Paste*’s Shane Ryan reported late Monday that Bernie Sanders Is Winning
the Donor Race... By a Lot. And he has no billionaires! Almost all there
billionaires are either in the Trump camp, the Status Quo Joe camp or The
Mayo Pete camp. Regular people like you and I, though, are overwhelmingly
in the Bernie camp. We’ll get into that in a moment but first, the most
recent Emerson poll reads like this:
*•* Status Quo Joe- 32%
*•* Bernie- 25%
*•* Elizabeth- 19%
*•* Mayo Pete- 8%
*•* Yang- 6%
*•* Tulsi- 4%
*•* Bloomberg- 3%
*•* Klobuchar- 2%
*•* Booker- 2%
*•* Steyer- 2%
It’s also wor... more »
Long waits and some sticker shock, but Illinois recreational marijuana market launches with a roar, nearly $3.2M in sales
Thousands of marijuana enthusiasts - including Illinois' lieutenant
governor - turned out on a cold New Year's Day to mark the historic start
of adult-use cannabis sales in what could become one of the biggest U.S.
recreational markets in the nation.
Long waits and some sticker shock, but Illinois recreational marijuana
market launches with a roar, nearly $3.2M in sales is a post from: Marijuana
Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis
entrepreneurs
Israel’s Canndoc signs deal with Tilray to import medical cannabis
Israel-based Canndoc has entered into an agreement to import 2.5 tons of
medical cannabis into Israel to address the supply shortage in that
country. The cannabis will originate from Canadian producer Tilray’s
facility in Portugal, the company said in a news release. The first
shipment is expected to arrive early this month. As part of […]
Israel’s Canndoc signs deal with Tilray to import medical cannabis is a
post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news
for cannabis entrepreneurs
AGC 203001: A Whole Galaxy Ringed By Hydrogen Gas
A ring of hydrogen gas with a diameter of 380,000 light-years- 4 times that
of our Milky Way - has been discovered shrouding the galaxy named AGC 203001,
260 million light-years away from us.
read more
Wild Free and Happy Sample 29
[Note: This is the twenty-ninth sample from my rough draft of a far from
finished new book, *Wild, Free, & Happy*. I don’t plan on reviewing more
books for a while. My blog is home to reviews of 202 books, and you are
very welcome to explore them. The Search field on the right side will find
words in the full contents of all rants and reviews, if you are interested
in specific authors, titles, or subjects.]
*Goats*
Cattle and sheep cannot thrive on depleted grazing land, but goats are
especially capable of being hardcore survivalists. They can live on barren
lands, and keep ... more »
Seventeen U.S. Service Members Died In Afghanistan In 2019
*U.S. deaths since 2001. Data sourced from iCasualties.org *
*The Hill:* *US combat deaths in Afghanistan highest in years*
Seventeen service members died in Afghanistan in 2019, the highest number
since 2015, according to a year-end tally compiled by the Department of
Defense and reported by Army Times.
Fourteen of the fallen service members were from the Army, while three were
Marines.
The soldiers killed included eight Green Berets, an Army Ranger and three
paratroopers.
Last year’s list of fatalities caused by hostile action surpassed the death
tolls of 2018, when 13 service ... more »
Will Fine Steel Wool Ignite From an Incoming iPhone Call?
There may be a few tricks up these steel wool sleeves.
"They Hit You Out Of Nowhere...:
"They hit you out of nowhere. When bad things come, they come suddenly
without warning. We rarely get to see the catastrophe coming. No matter how
well we try to prepare for it. We do our very best but sometimes it’s just
not good enough. We buckle our seat belts, we wear a helmet, we stick to
the lighted paths. We try to be safe. We try so hard to protect ourselves
but it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference cause when the bad things
come, they come out of nowhere. The bad things come suddenly with no
warning but we forget, that sometimes that’s how the good things come too."
- "M... more »
"My God, What Have We Done?"
*"My God, What Have We Done?"*
by David Stockman
"And you may ask yourself, well
How did I get here?"
– Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime” (1980)
"The Turbulent Twenties and the baleful trends we talked about yesterday
have been gestating for decades. Their driver is the nation’s crushing
total debt level. Combined public and private debt now equals $74 trillion.
And the implied national leverage ratio has nearly tripled since the
halcyon days of the mid-1950s.
We start with long view of debt and gross domestic product (GDP) because
one toxic consequence of monetary central planni... more »
Debunking CNN’s false climate scare reporting
CNN continually attributes natural weather to climate change despite the
scientific evidence to the contrary.
The post Debunking CNN’s false climate scare reporting appeared first on
CFACT.
Turkey: How One Country Destroyed Their Own Air Force
*Michael Peck*
*Security, *
[image:
https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/TURKEY-AIRSHOW--RC1652ED0510.html] Can
you guess which?
*Key Point:* Turkey's Erdogan cut off his arm to save his body.
Fighter pilots aren't cheap. The U.S. Air Force estimates that training a
new pilot to fly a plane like the F-35 costs $11 million. And that doesn't
count the priceless experience of a veteran pilot who has been flying for
years. That's why the U.S. Air Force is willing to offer
half-million-dollar bonuses to retain experienced fighter pilots.
So a nation that throws its fighter pilots in... more »
Obama the Terrorist Lover
Can we PLEASE not elect imposter Americans to the Oval Office anymore? The
last one was a complete and total failure, traitor, and scumbag. EXCERPT:
“DAILY MAIL – The leader of an Iran-backed US embassy siege in Baghdad was
welcomed to the White House by Barack Obama eight years ago before becoming
Tehran’s ‘point man’ in Iraq. Hadi al-Amiri was Iraq’s minister of
transport under then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and stood in the Oval
Office as part of Maliki’s delegation on a visit to the White House in
December 2011. On Tuesday, al-Amiri was among those leading the charge
agains... more »
Marine Corp offering cash bonuses for some to re-enlist
The Military is experiencing job growth opportunities thanks to President
Trump! Obama drove so many qualified soldiers out of the military that now
there is a critical need for trained professionals. –##– Marine Corps
Offering Former Reserve Pilots $30K to Return to Service . Military.com
Gina Harkins January 2, 2020 The Marine Corps is offering some former
Reserve pilots lucrative bonuses to get them back in the cockpit. Former
captains and majors qualified to fly certain aircraft who are willing to
rejoin a Marine Corps squadron can pocket up to a $30,000 lump-sum bonus if
they a... more »
After 18 Years of US Occupation, Poll Finds Zero Percent of Afghans Thriving, 85 Percent “Suffering”
Since the 2001 occupation of Afghanistan began, fighting has not stopped,
destroying the country and leading to the U.S. spending an estimated $2
trillion on the war.
The post After 18 Years of US Occupation, Poll Finds Zero Percent of
Afghans Thriving, 85 Percent “Suffering” appeared first on MintPress News.
The Proxy War Between The US And Iran Is Intensifying In Places Like Iraq
*Tim Lister, CNN*: *A proxy war between the US and Iran just moved a step
closer*
The angry demonstrations at the American embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday are
just the latest installment in a deepening confrontation between the US and
Iran for influence in Iraq.
It's a struggle that dates back to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003
and the emergence of a Shia-dominated state in Iraq. But in light of the
Trump administration's campaign of maximum economic pressure against Iran,
it has reached a new and potentially dangerous pitch.
The President himself Tuesday accused Iran of "o... more »
BBC Press Office Leap To Harrabin’s Defence–But Ignore His Bias
By Paul Homewood Stung by accusations of bias, the BBC have circled the
wagons! Instead of engaging constructively with the many who have genuine
concerns, we have already seen Tony Hall rejecting complaints out of hand.
Now the BBC press office has jumped to the defence of Roger Harrabin,
accused of bias and preaching […]
U.S. Defense Secretary Esper Says Preemptive Strikes To Deter Iran In Iraq Are On The Table
*Politico:* *'The game has changed': Defense secretary warns of preemptive
strikes on Iranian group*
*Esper said Kataib Hezbollah would likely "regret" an attack.*
The U.S. may conduct preemptive strikes against Iranian-backed militias,
Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned on Thursday, adding that he expects
those groups are planning further attacks against U.S. bases in Iraq.
“Do I think they might do something? Yes, and they will likely regret it,”
Esper said of Kataib Hezbollah, the militia group that attacked the U.S.
embassy in Baghdad this week following U.S. airstrikes on th... more »
Syrian Army, Hashd Al-Shaabi increase coordination along Iraqi border
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:45 P.M.) – On Thursday, the Joint Operations Command of
the Iraqi Armed Forces announced that their forces have increased their
coordination efforts with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in order to prevent
terrorists from infiltrating the border. The spokesman for the joint
operations, Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji, confirmed that “the military
fortifications […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
US to take ‘preemptive’ action against Iran if American troops are threatened: Pentagon
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper stated that Washington would respond and
take pre-emptive action to protect personnel in Iraq. “He [US President
Donald Trump] is committed to defending our interests, our personnel, our
friends in the region and of course standing up to Iran and deterring
Iranian bad behaviour. We will either respond or take […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Watch: Syrian Army’s 4th Division tanks enter Aleppo battle
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:30 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Armored Division
was filmed this week making their way into the battle for Aleppo. In the
video, the Syrian Army’s 4th Division tanks can be seen moving towards the
battlefield in an unknown location in the Aleppo Governorate. Earlier this
week, the Syrian Army’s 42nd […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Ansarallah forces shoot down 3rd enemy aircraft in past 72 hours
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:15 P.M.) – The Ansarallah forces announced on Thursday
that their troops have shot down another enemy aircraft along the border of
Yemen and Saudi Arabia. According to a report from Al-Masirah TV, the
Ansarallah forces’ rocket battalion shot down an enemy spy plane inside the
Dayar area of Saudi Arabia’s Jizan province. […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Syrian Army uncovers massive network of jihadist tunnels in Idlib: video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:00 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has uncovered a
large network of tunnels, trenches, and fortifications that extend for tens
of kilometers, linking a number of villages and captured areas in the Idlib
countryside. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the military
found the network of tunnels and trenches […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Breaking: Turkey passes bill to send troops to Libya
The Turkish parliament has passed a bill giving a green light to the
deployment of Turkish troops in Libya after discussions were held on 2
January. 325 lawmakers voted in favour of the motion, while only 184
rejected it. “A Libya whose legal government is under threat can spread
instability to Turkey. Those who shy […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
New map of strategic battle for Tripoli
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:30 P.M.) – The battle for Tripoli began in April 2019
when the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar,
stormed several areas around the capital city. Since then, the battle for
Tripoli has been experienced sporadic fighting, with little ground gained
until the recent push by the Libyan National […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russian Air Force unleashes powerful attack on jihadist supply area in Idlib
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:15 P.M.) – The Russian Air Force unleashed a powerful
attack this afternoon on one of the jihadist supply hubs in the
southeastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate. According to a military
source in the Hama Governorate, the Russian Air Force carried out heavy
strikes on the front-line town of Babuline, which is […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
US attempted to sabotage Iranian-Russian-Chinese war drills: Iran
Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi has accused the United
States of trying to prevent Russia, Iran and China from conducting the
joint naval drills, Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday. “During the
combined naval exercise of Iran, Russia, and China, the Americans and their
allies held an emergency meeting aimed at disrupting the […]
Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
New type of aurora
NASA intern Jennifer Briggs discovered a new type of aurora in 3-year-old
video footage of the Arctic sky. Scientists connected the never-before-seen
aurora to a sudden retreat, or compression, in Earth’s magnetic field, the
first time scientists have seen an aurora caused solely by such a
compression. The aurora’s bright and colorful lights are a result ... Read
moreNew type of aurora
The post New type of aurora appeared first on Ice Age Now.
Best of Censored News 2019: Heroes in Resistance
Debra White Plume, honored for leading and resisting, delivers a symbolic
blanket of smallpox to Lewis and Clark re-enactors, as AIM demands they
leave the banks of the Missouri River. Photo Brenda Norrell. Best of
Censored News 2019 Heroes in Resistance By Brenda Norrell Censored News
Censored News honors our heroes, writers, photographers and translators, as
we celebrate their
Iraq Embassy Attack Illustrates Dangers of Continued Interventionism
[image:
iraq-embassy-attack-illustrates-dangers-of-continued-interventionism]
Determining who is a friend or a foe in the Middle East is rather
difficult. Perhaps we should let the people in the region sort it all out.
Hunter Biden Allegedly Involved in Burisma-linked Counterfeiting Scheme
[image:
hunter-biden-allegedly-involved-in-burisma-linked-counterfeiting-scheme]
A private investigation firm claimed that Hunter Biden took part in a $156
million counterfeiting scheme involving Ukraine’s Burisma Holdings.
Castro Quits Race, Vows To Continue Supporting Criminals, Illegal Aliens
[image:
castro-quits-race-vows-to-continue-supporting-criminals-illegal-aliens]
Julián Castro, the former congressman and secretary of Housing and Urban
Development who doxxed contributors to President Trump’s reelection
campaign for president, has dropped his bid for the White House.
"Why the Economy Won’t Recover"
*"Why the Economy Won’t Recover"*
by Brian Maher
"We have spent the past two days contemplating the nature of money and the
international monetary system. We hypothesized that there is no actual
money in monetary policy. And that central banks are helpless giants,
tissue paper tigers, all mush and milk. We even vented the extravagant
theory that a “shadow banking system” governs the global monetary system.
Today we sink deeper into the shadows... and widen our investigation of
this twilit banking underworld. Has the world failed to recover from the
financial crisis because the shad... more »
3 Big Ways The US Will Change Over the Next Decade
The U.S. will undergo some significant demographic shifts over the next 10
years.
Conservatives Seek Immediate Purge of Voters in Wisconsin
Republicans argue that removing the voters would ensure that the rolls are
not full of people who shouldn’t be voting.
Australian Prime Minister Is Jeered in Wildfire-Ravaged Zone
Locals in Cobargo, in New South Wales, yelled at Prime Minister Scott
Morrison, made obscene gestures and called him an “idiot” and worse,
criticizing him for the lack of equipment to deal with the fires.
Anger over ‘utter hypocrisy’ of Iain Duncan Smith knighthood
Furious disabled activists have denounced the government’s “utter
hypocrisy” in awarding a knighthood to Iain Duncan Smith, when his policies
at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been responsible for the
deaths of countless benefit claimants. Duncan Smith, who was […]
Book exposes ‘horrifying’ levels of abuse faced by disabled people on public transport
A new book by a disabled researcher has detailed the “horrifying” levels of
disability hate crime that take place every day on public transport across
the UK. David Wilkin says the results of his research are “sometimes
startling and almost always distressing” […]
New government provides details on five disability policy pledges
The new Conservative government has described how it plans to fulfil the
five major disability policy pledges it included in its general election
manifesto. The details were included in a briefing document published
alongside last month’s Queen’s speech by prime minister Boris […]
Rail industry and government under attack over ‘outrageous’ access exemptions
Furious disabled campaigners have attacked the government and transport
providers after operators were given permission to continue using more than
1,000 inaccessible rail carriages – about eight per cent of the national
fleet – after missing a deadline set 10 years ago. […]
Douglas Campbell: Tributes to ‘mobility champion with a kind heart’
Tributes have been paid to Douglas Campbell, who spent more than half a
century campaigning for “proper independent mobility” for disabled people,
and who died in the early hours of Boxing Day. In addition to his
campaigning work, he spent more than […]
Mass Arrests in Hamburg, Germany as Fraud and Bribery in Cancer Therapy Disclosed…
The “Reality” Of “Big Pharma” Being Exposed, Worldwide… From Germany –
Opinion By Karma Singh Following reports to the police by investigative
journalists, on Tuesday 17th December 2019, 420 police and six state
attorneys began searches of the premises of the pharmaceutical
manufacturer, ZytoService in Hamburg as well as 47 other premises,
including private houses, … Continue reading Mass Arrests in Hamburg,
Germany as Fraud and Bribery in Cancer Therapy Disclosed…
TRUMPERS KNOW WHERE THEY'D LIKE TO STICK THE ARC OF THE MORAL UNIVERSE
Writing for the *Financial Times,* Janan Ganesh argues that President Trump
has a good chance of being reelected because it was impossible for him to
let down his base over the past three years:
It is almost impossible for Mr Trump to disappoint people. They never had
hopes to dash. In 2016, it was forgivable to characterise his voters as
innocents who believed that he would repatriate factories to Ohio and clean
up politics. Logic implied that when he failed in these endeavours their
support would melt. In retrospect, this was only ever true of some.
Many others never believed that... more »
'Turning it into something beautiful': Scrap metal artists reveal the power of junk
From backyard sheds to prominent places around the world, scrap metal
artists repurpose and revive forgotten junk to boost drought-affected
communities.
Would you be prepared to be turned into compost when you die?
Just In - 10 hours ago
An increasing numbers of deaths have created a boom in demand for burial
plots and cemeteries are fast running out of space. But there could be a
new solution, writes Emma Sheppard-Simms.
The ASX in 2020: Experts reveal which stocks are hot, and which ones to avoid
Five experts give their takes on whether the ASX will surge again this
year. Here's what they had to say.
'I realised that I was deceived': Meet the North Korean defectors desperate to get home
It's a rare thing for a South Korean to defect to the North. But on the
Korean peninsula, where the two countries are still at war, any defections
are deeply politicised and fodder for propaganda.
Firefighters race to strengthen defences ahead of 'unprecedented' threat on Saturday
Today's cooler weather will offer a reprieve for communities devastated by
bushfires before NSW and Victoria are hit by "unprecedented" fire
conditions on Saturday.
Youth group recounts 'dystopian novel' experience of sheltering from fire in cinema
Members of a youth group caught up in the Mallacoota bushfire crisis reveal
the terror they faced as they sheltered from the flames — but rather than
evacuating the fire-ravaged town, they're sticking around to help the
locals out.
We spoke to Black Saturday firefighters after 10 years and they had a simple message
Just In - 10 hours ago
As evocative images of volunteer firefighters fill our newspapers and
television screens, we look with gratitude into their ash-stained faces and
want to see a modern-day hero looking back at us. But that's not what
firefighters want, writes Leanne Cutcher and Graham Dywer.
Considering a money makeover? This is your ultimate guide to getting on top of everything
This is the year to get on top of your budget (or start one), clear that
debt, sort out your super — and maybe even some start a little investing on
the side.
In 30 years, there will be nearly 10 billion people on Earth. Here's how we feed them
In a world with a growing population and diminishing resources, the farmer
of the future could be a scientist in a lab coat. They've already designed
vegan 'eggs,' fruit fly larvae protein and a zero-kilojoule sweetener which
builds muscle.
The Pentagon Expects More Attacks On The U.S. Embassy In Baghdad By Iran-Backed Militias
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Yuri Gripas/Reuters
*Daily Mail*:* The Pentagon says it expects MORE attacks on Baghdad embassy
by Iran-backed militias and warns the US is ready to take 'pre-emptive'
action to defend itself as more troops deploy*
* US embassy besieged Tuesday by thousands of pro-Iran demonstrators
protesting US airstrikes that killed 25
* 'The provocative behavior has been out there for months... So do I think
they may do something? Yes. And they will likely regret it,' Defense
Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday, blaming Iran for their brazen attack
* It comes as ... more »
Bryan’s 20-20 vision.
On the first day of 2020, Bryan Caplan won his EU bet (that no country
would leave the EU by December 31, 2019.) That gives Bryan a record of
20-0 in his public bets. What should we make of that record? The odds of
someone correctly predicting 20 consecutive coin tosses is more than a […]
The post Bryan’s 20-20 vision. appeared first on Econlib.
My Complete Bet Wiki
By popular demand, I’ve created a publicly-viewable wiki for my Complete
Bet Inventory. From now on, I’ll edit it when I make new bets or when old
bets resolve. To repeat, my track record now stands at 20/20. Twenty of my
bets have come due, and I have won every single one of them. Six […]
The post My Complete Bet Wiki appeared first on Econlib.
From Shore To Sea: These 5 Marine Corps Are The World's Best
*Caleb Larson*
*Security, World*
The USMC is world-renowned, but does any other country have a Corps that
can compare?
*Key point: *A breakdown of the best of the best.
America’s most famous Marine, retired Marine Corps General James Mattis,
coined the phrase, “no better friend, no worse enemy” to describe the
United States Marine Corps. The USMC is world-renowned, but does any other
country have a Corps that can compare? A breakdown of the strengths,
weaknesses, and the roles of five notable Marine Corps from around the
world.
*United States*
If sheer size were the deciding f... more »
How the Trump Administration is Using ‘Force Protection’ to Fight Iran
*Matthew Petti*
*Security, Middle East*
The United States is stumbling into a war with Iran, but the legal
authorizations to fight it are lagging behind.
U.S. commanders have found a new legal umbrella to strike at Iran and its
allies: protecting U.S.-led counter-ISIS forces.
President Donald Trump has not asked Congress for an authorization to use
military force against Iran, even while his administration escalates
against the Iranian-led coalition across the Middle East. The U.S. military
is forced to lean on “force protection” as a legal justification for
hitting back at Iran... more »
China Wants Two New Stealth Bombers (Just Like This One)
*Mark Episkopos*
*Security, Asia*
How big of a threat are they?
*Key point: *The H-20 is on the verge of being formally announced and is
planned to enter service in the PLAAF by the mid-2020s. Meanwhile, the
JH-XX may not even be in active development; the fighter shown in
“Aerospace Knowledge” may turn out to be nothing more than an early concept.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is developing not
one, but two stealth bombers, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency
report published earlier this year. A steady stream of details has emerged
concerning on... more »
The New Roaring Twenties: How Are the 1920s and 2020s Similar?
*Cal Thomas*
*History, Americas*
[image: Revelers celebrate the New Year in Times Square in the Manhattan
borough of New York City, U.S., January 1, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky] It may
surprise you.
It can be useful and instructive to observe the turning of a decade by
looking back on what life was like in America a mere 100 years ago.
On Jan. 2, 1920, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 108.76. Today, it is
over 28,000 points.
In 1920, the U.S. had become an economic power, which is remarkable
considering the bloody “war to end all wars” that ended just two years
earlier. Republ... more »
Attention America: The Air Force's New B-21 Stealth Bomber Is Only 1 Year Away
*David Axe*
*Security, *
Coming 2021.
*Key point: *The Air Force is getting ready for the B-21’s potentially
decade-long test program.
The U.S. Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber is scheduled to make its first
public appearance in December 2021. But there’s a lot of work to do before
the plane can debut.
The U.S. Air Force in 2015 awarded Northrop Grumman a $23-billion contract
to develop the new bomber as a partial replacement for the service’s
existing fleet of around 160 B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers.
More than four years later, work is well underway on the first B-21 test
pla... more »
Iran's Missile Arsenal Should Cause Trump To Think Twice
*Saheb Sadeghi, Zakiyeh Yazdanshenas*
*Security, Middle East*
An invasion is a bad idea.
*Key Point:* Iran has been seeking to establish a degree of asymmetric
deterrence by independently investing in short-range and medium-range
ballistic missiles.
The debate about the development of Iranian missile capabilities started
the very day after the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2231, which endorsed the
Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). While
the United States and the European parties argued that the resolution
limited any activity in relation to the d... more »
China Destroyed Muslim Cemetaries for Years: New Report
*Mary Margaret Olohan*
*Politics, Asia*
[image: Hong Kong protesters rally in support of Xinjiang Uighurs' human
rights in Hong Kong, China, December 22, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson] It's
part of their campaign against the Uyghurs of Xinjiang.
The Chinese government appears to have been destroying Muslim cemeteries
for years, an investigation by CNN found.
The publication worked with sources in the Uyghur community and analyzed
hundreds of satellite images as part of an investigation into the
destruction of Uyghur Muslim cemeteries. More than 100 Muslim cemeteries
have been des... more »
US State Department Blames Iraq For Failing To Protect U.S. Troops, Including The Attack That Prompted The U.S. To Launch Airstrikes
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, center, a commander in the Popular Mobilization
Forces, attends a funeral procession of Hashd al-Shaabi (paramilitary
forces) members, who were killed by U.S. airstrikes in Qaim district, in
Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 31, 2019.
*Politico: **State Department faults Iraq for failing to protect U.S.
troops*
The State Department is faulting the Iraqi government for allowing an
Iranian-backed militia to attack U.S. outposts in Iraq, including one that
prompted the Pentagon to respond with airstrikes Sunday.
“It’s moments like this when you see people’s true colors,” a s... more »
Musical Interlude: Afshin, "Prayer of Change"
Afshin, "Prayer of Change"
The Daily "Near You?"
Oslo, Norway. Thanks for stopping by!
"The Struggle Is Not Lost..."
"The struggle is not lost. I believe we have to live, as long as we live,
in the expectation and hope of changing the world for the better. That may
sound naive. It may even sound sentimental. Never mind: I believe it. What
are we to live for, except life itself? And, with all our doubts, with all
our flaws, with all our problems, I believe that we will carry on, with
God's help."
- Margaret Laurence
"I looked up at the dark sky and prayed to God for a better break
in life and a better chance to do something for the little people I loved."
- Jack Kerouac
2:00PM Water Cooler 1/2/2020
By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Readers, I thought I’d relive my lost
youth and read How to Change Your Mind, by Michael Pollan. It’s
informative, but oddly — considering the subject matter, psychedelics —
doesn’t seem revelatory to me in the way that The Botany of Desire did. It
could also use tighter editing. I […]
First Wave Of 750 US Paratroopers Leaves For The Middle East
The first contingent of a paratroop infantry battalion from the U.S. Army's
82nd Airborne Division bound for Kuwait receive a briefing as they prepare
to leave Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Wednesday
*Daily Mail*:* First wave of 750 US paratroopers leaves for the Middle East
in response to attack on the US embassy in Baghdad with thousands more set
to deploy after Trump promised Iran will pay a 'big price' *
* First wave of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division deployed from Fort
Bragg to Kuwait on New Year's Day
* Paratroopers with the infantry battalion from the Immediate Respo... more »
Photos Reveal Damage To The Entrance Of The US Embassy In Baghdad
*VICE News:* *These Photos Show the Charred Remains of the U.S. Embassy
Compound in Baghdad*
*The Iran-aligned Kataib Hezbollah militia finally relented on Wednesday.*
Protesters who’d laid siege on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad left behind
charred destruction after they relented Wednesday. The retreat provided
relief for an incredibly tense situation — at least for now.
Images showed burned-out structures, destroyed by supporters of the
Iran-aligned Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq who attacked the embassy on
Tuesday. Soot covered the walls of a burned checkpoint building, its
win... more »
Don Edwards, "Coyotes"
*Don Edwards, "Coyotes"*
by M G
"I hope you enjoy this hauntingly beautiful rendition of Bob McGill’s
ballad from the 1950s. The images chosen for this version illustrate the
words and meaning in a way I find parallel to events in our own turbulent
times."
Hat tip to M G at the Burning Platform!
- https://www.theburningplatform.com/
The British and China’s Terrorists: They Are Trying To Bamboozle You Again - LaRouchePAC Fireside Chat
The British and China’s Terrorists: They Are Trying To Bamboozle You Again
Video of The British and China’s Terrorists: They Are Trying To Bamboozle
You Again
As the British oligarchs beat the war drums in order to trap Donald Trump
in another war, hoping, thereby, to defeat him in 2020, the claim is made,
repeatedly, that the Chinese are ruthlessly suppressing a Muslim religious
minority, the Uyghurs, in Xinjiang province, requiring sanctions and
further loud and obnoxious interventions by the U.S. This is the same
phenomena whereby Americans are revved up to support Al Qaeda in ... more »
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