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To Replace Boehner, Why Not Newt Gingrich for Speaker?
[image: NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MAY 11: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) addresses the Republican National Committee's State Chairman's meeting with RNC Chairman Michael Steele at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center May 11, 2010 in National Harbor, Maryland. The former Georgia politician and college professor talked to the assembled GOP leaders about how the 2010 election will "change America." Saying that President Barack Obama rammed through healthcare reform using a political "machine," Gingrich said, "We dont' need to understand it. We need to defeat it a... more »
Edward Snowden Joins Twitter
[image: Edward Snowden] Twitter got yet another high-profile addition on Tuesday when Edward Snowden sent out his first tweet: He is using the @Snowden handle with the following description: “I used to work for the government. Now I work for the public. Director... Continue reading *“Edward Snowden Joins Twitter”* at *cnbc.com*.
After Obama Said Extremism is Not Limited to ‘One Faith,’ Here’s How the U.K.’s David Cameron Responded
[image: President Barack Obama Leaders Summitt] After President Barack Obama told other world leaders that violent extremism isn't limited to any one faith, British Prime Minister David Cameron didn't disagree -- but he did add a pointed clarification. "Violent extremism is not unique to any one... Continue reading *“After Obama Said Extremism is Not Limited to ‘One Faith,’ Here’s How the U.K.’s David Cameron Responded”* at *theblaze.com*.
Secularist Group Demands Removal of ‘God Bless the Military’ Sign from Marine Base
[image: MCB-Hawaii-Sign-] The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) sent an email to military commanders Thursday to complain about a sign on a Marine base that reads "God bless the military." The base in question is the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, which houses 9,517 troops and their... Continue reading *“Secularist Group Demands Removal of ‘God Bless the Military’ Sign from Marine Base”* at *mediaite.com*.
Urban Gadabout: Return to Queens's historic First Calvary Cemetery
*Plus: Where was Nancy Reagan born?* *In Calvary Cemetery, Long Island City (Queens), with a familiar skyline in the distance. Photo by Mitch Waxman (click to enlarge).* All I need is an angle, an angle, an angle. And some timing, timing. All I need is an angle, an angle, an angle. It's the angles and the timing that count. *-- Hubie Cram, in "Take a Job," from Do-Re-Mi (lyrics byBetty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Jule Styne)* *Nancy Walker (Kay Cram), Phil Silvers (Hubie Cram); Original Broadway Cast recording, Lehman Engel, cond. RCA, recorded December 1960* *by Ken* Forge... more »
Let Chris Brown in town
As Voltaire might have sung, “I disagree with what you auto-tune, but I defend to the death your right to do it in Auckland.” (If Auckland is where he’s booked to play; I have no idea, and even less interest.) Anyway, Mark Hubbard makes the case “for letting Chris Brown in to perform his execrable music”: *It has nothing to do with Chris Brown. He has ‘done his time’ for his crimes. End of. After that, I don’t want politicians and bureaucrats deciding who can, and cannot, come into New Zealand. It has to be left up to the choice of the individuals of New Zealand whether... more »
Musical Interlude: Yanni, “Until The Last Moment”
Yanni, “Until The Last Moment” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLgY1GYlkdU
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Namibia has some of the darkest nights visible from any continent. It is therefore home to some of the more spectacular skyscapes, a few of which have been captured in the below time-lapse video. We recommend watching this video at FULL SCREEN (1080p), with audio on. The night sky of Namibia is one of the best in the world, about the same quality of the deserts of Chile and Australia. Visible at the movie start are unusual quiver trees perched before a deep starfield highlighted by the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy. This bright band of stars and gas appears to pivot around t... more »
Twitter Plans to Go Beyond Its 140-Character Limit
[image: 20151229-jack-dorsey-hands-twitter-big__1443578983_70.119.142.63] Twitter is building a new product that will allow users to share tweets that are longer than the company's 140-character limit, according to multiple people familiar with the company's plans. It's unclear what the product will look like, but sources... Continue reading *“Twitter Plans to Go Beyond Its 140-Character Limit”* at *recode.net*.
What Was A Member of Clinton’s ‘Secret Spy Network’ Doing While Working for CBS News?
[image: Hillary Clinton13 - 400] In March, an investigation by ProPublica and Gawker revealed that a "secret spy network" that was not on the State Department payroll, run by longtime Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal, was "funneling intelligence about the crisis in Libya directly to the... Continue reading *“What Was A Member of Clinton’s ‘Secret Spy Network’ Doing While Working for CBS News?”* at *weeklystandard.com*.
Pope Francis Met with Kim Davis, Told Her to ‘Be Strong’
[image: Pope Francis2 - 900] The news had been kept, as they say in Catholic circles when a cardinal is appointed without public pronouncement, in pectore. The Latin phrase, loosely translated, means "close to the breast" or "in the heart." The news kept secret, broken today by... more »
‘Unimaginable’ Access to Pope Francis Yields 68,000 Photos
[image: Popes - 400] For six months, National Geographic photographer Dave Yoder had extraordinary access to Pope Francis at the Vatican, an experience that he expects he will one day look back on as "surreal." It took weeks to secure permission to shoot in some Vatican locations, but Yoder... Continue reading *“‘Unimaginable’ Access to Pope Francis Yields 68,000 Photos”* at *news.nationalgeographic.com*.
Failure to Measure Fukushima Radiation Contamination Adequately
New article: Fukushima: Japanese government and IAEA ignore radiation risks to coastal population Tim Deere-Jones 28th September 2015http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2985454/fukushima_japanese_government_and_iaea_ignore_radiation_risks_to_coastal_population.html Radiation can be carried long distances by marine currents, concentrated in sediments, and carried in sea spray 16km or more inland, writes Tim Deere-Jones. So Fukushima poses a hazard to coastal populations and any who eat produce from their farms. So what are the Japanese Government and IAEA doing? Ignoring...more »
Rebuilding A Real Democratic Party In Arkansas-- Berniemania In Deep Red Arkansas?
Some districts are just so red, Democrats don't even try anymore. The reddest district in Arkansas, for example, is in the northwest corner of the state, bordering Missouri (not far from Branson) and Oklahoma. The PVI is R+19, and Obama only managed to win 34% in 2008 and 32% in 2012. It's John Boozman's old seat and the district hadn't elected a Democrat since 1967. When Boozman won Blanche Lincoln's Senate seat in 2010, right-wing lunatic and anti-immigrant fanatic Steve Womack ran for the House seat and beat Democrat David Whitaker 72-28%. Whitaker was the last Democrat to run ... more »
While in the U.S., Pope Francis Met with Kim Davis
[image: Kim Davis Kentudky County Deputy Clerks - 900] Inside the Vatican is reporting that Pope Francis met privately with Kentucky clerk and natural marriage defender Kim Davis: On Thursday, September 24, in the afternoon after his historic address to Congress, just a few minutes before flying to New... more »
Iran Buys $21 Billion in Aircraft, Satellites from Russia
[image: Iran delegation - 400] Iran has purchased $21 billion worth of Russian satellite technology and aircraft, according to Iranian officials. An Iranian delegation reportedly visited Russia's MAKS-2015 air show and signed an agreement to purchase the equipment, according to Sputnik, which quoted Iranian officials. "There... Continue reading *“Iran Buys $21 Billion in Aircraft, Satellites from Russia”* at *freebeacon.com*.
Taliban Back In Charge
*Photo Source.* Washington isn't fighting a war in Afghanistan. It's harvesting opium crops. If it was serious about defeating the Taliban it wouldn't take fourteen years. Real wars don't take this long to finish. They just don't. World War II took four years because it was a real war. Also, having child rapists and petty warlords as your main allies isn't a smart strategy. The fact of the matter is that NATO and America have no moral ground to stand on in Afghanistan. They make the Taliban look like the good guys, which is hard to pull off. And what is their biggest victory in fou... more »
Meet the Archangels
[image: Three Archangels] Today is the Feast Day of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. First, let's talk about angels. Angels are spiritual beings believed to act as messengers of God. Archangels are the highest-ranking angels in the celestial hierarchy, with angels beneath... more »
Editor's Note
I am taking the evening off. Blogging will return tomorrow morning.
Bill English on price signals, planning and housing affordability
Yes, I’m as surprised as you are: Bill English has been caught making sense. A sentence I never thought I would write. I blame his advisers. His speech last week on housing affordability to was so uncommonly good it deserves the small publicity it quickly acquired, and its author (whomever it might might be) deserves credit. Essentially, his speechwriter(s) pointed out that the market is excellent at delivering price signals, but the government (central and local) has been even more excellent at restricting the housing market’s ability to act on those signals until too late. *I... more »
Quote of the day: On the warnings of strippers
*“The first line of workers to feel the incoming credit crunch are strippers.”* ~ Charles Waterstreet, ‘Art bares city's soul as strippers bear bad news’ Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
"Of The Questions Recurring...:
“Oh Me! Oh Life! of the questions recurring, Answer: That you are here - that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” - Walt Whitman
"How to Spot Your Own Self-Delusion"
*"How to Spot Your Own Self-Delusion"* by Pamela Meyer "What if deception is in the eye of the beholder? And what if lies can help us tell the truth? Enter into the multimedia world of magician Marco Tempest and decide for yourself: Marco is right: The biggest lies are the lies we tell ourselves. S.E. Hinton wrote in "The Outsiders", "I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me." Maybe she was onto something. We've trained ourselves to accept certain truths about where we find fulfillment, where we find joy, and where we find success. But should we challenge that convent... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 29, 2015
*Ian Black, The Guardian:* *Syria crisis: where do the major countries stand?* Efforts to end the war in Syria have been under intense global focus, and were the subject of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York. Attention has been galvanised by the refugee crisis in Europe, continuing alarm over Islamic State, and Russia’s deployment of combat aircraft to Syria and its seizure of the initiative to take advantage of US and western disarray. The US, UK and others have subtly shifted positions or sent out mixed messa... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Spare And The True”
*“The Spare And The True”* by Chet Raymo “Twice during the past few years, someone has alerted me to quotes from my Globe columns in the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed.), illustrating the use of words. For spacefaring, the dictionary cites my reference to "spacefaring nations." For exotic, 2. Intriguingly unusual or different; excitingly strange, the dictionary cites my observation "If something can be explained simply, in a familiar way, then it is best to avoid more exotic explanations." Now that pleases me. I contributed Ockham's Razor to the American Heritage Dictionary!... more »
Should peer review be open, and rely less on author-picked reviewers? Study says…
After reviewing hundreds of peer review reports from three journals, authors representing publishers BioMed Central and Springer suggest there may be some benefits to using “open” peer review — where both authors and reviewers reveal their identity — and not relying on reviewers hand-picked by the authors themselves. But the conclusions are nuanced — they found […] The post Should peer review be open, and rely less on author-picked reviewers? Study says… appeared first on Retraction Watch.
The Daily "Near You?"
Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina. Thanks for stopping by!
The Poet: Stephen Levine, “Half Life”
*“Half Life”* "We walk through half our life as if it were a fever dream, barely touching the ground, our eyes half open, our heart half closed. Not half knowing who we are, we watch the ghost of us drift from room to room, through friends and lovers never quite as real as advertised. Not saying half we mean or meaning half we say, we dream ourselves from birth to birth seeking some true self. Until the fever breaks and the heart can not abide a moment longer as the rest of us awakens, summoned from the dream, not half caring for anything but love." ~ Stephen Levine
John Robbins, “Being A Human in This World, A Personal Credo”
*“Being A Human in This World, A Personal Credo” * by John Robbins “I am someone who works and prays for world peace. Perhaps you are, too. But our society is spending a billion dollars a day preparing for war. I believe that inner peace is found when you love the world as it is, rather than faulting it for not living up to your expectations. I believe in forgiveness. I believe in accepting others for who they are. But I am part of a society that is spending far more on weapons of mass destruction and producing far more toxic waste than any other in the history of the world. I b... more »
"The Recipe For Perpetual Ignorance..."
"The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge." - Elbert Hubbard
Medical Insurance: "Ready To Revolt Yet?"
*"Ready To Revolt Yet?"* by Karl Denninger "Here it comes folks... (sent to me by a reader; looks authentic): Don't worry, that's only a 56% increase and roughly $250 (more) a month you can't spend on vacations, cars, groceries, your house, at the local bar or anywhere else. Where are the handcuffs for the medical and insurance industry? Better find 'em and the balls to prosecute under 15 USC Washington and State AGs, because they're coming for you if you don't take care of this crap right here and now. No more hearings, no more excuses, no more BS. Indictments, handcuffs, prosec... more »
On This Day: Congress Officially Creates the U.S. Army
[image: President Washington - 400] To some it seemed like a technicality, but on this day in 1789, President George Washington succeeded in getting the First Congress to recognize the U.S. Army under the terms of our new Constitution. The Revolutionary War version of the... Continue reading *“On This Day: Congress Officially Creates the U.S. Army”* at *blog.constitutioncenter.org*.
Open Thread
Does this express flight to hell come with a meal and a movie? This is just to let y'all know we're still kicking either against the pricks or otherwise. I'm going to be hard at work until at least the middle of next month drafting out my new historical thriller, *Gods of Our Fathers* while at the same time trying to do right by whatever few readers I have by providing you guys with some fresh content on at least a semi-regular basis. In the meantime, I'm still waiting for Penguin-Random House and about a half dozen film production companies to get back to me regardin... more »
World News Briefs -- September 29, 2015
*Reuters:* *Afghan forces battle to regain control of city after stunning loss* Afghan forces backed by U.S. air support battled Taliban fighters for control of the northern city of Kunduz on Tuesday, after the militants seized a provincial capital for the first time since their ouster 14 years ago. The sudden fall of Kunduz on Monday was a major setback for the government of President Ashraf Ghani, which marked its first year in power on Tuesday, and raised questions over how ready Afghan forces were to tackle the Islamist insurgency alone. Ghani announced in a televised addres... more »
"Mistakes Were Made"
*"Mistakes were made" in Libya. Yeah, no shit, Mr. President. Go all in, or not at all.* *An excerpt from, "Obama: ‘Mistakes’ Made in NATO War on Libya, US Should’ve Done Even More" by Jason Ditz, AntiWar.com, September 28, 2015:* "Speaking today at the UN General Assembly, President Obama took a surprisingly contrite stance, however briefly, on the NATO war against Libya, conceding that “mistakes were made” in a war that led to the current state, with much of Libya ungoverned and multiple competing city-based governments vying for control. Not that Obama regrets the war. Rather,... more »
Center for Medical Progress Founder Describes Encountering ‘Evil’ While Filming Planned Parenthood Videos
[image: David Daleiden - 400] Center for Medical Progress founder David Daleiden described encountering "evil" during his group's work on the undercover Planned Parenthood videos when he met late-term abortion doctor Shelley Sella. Daleiden told Glenn Beck on his radio program Tuesday that he met Sella after a... Continue reading *“Center for Medical Progress Founder Describes Encountering ‘Evil’ While Filming Planned Parenthood Videos”* at *theblaze.com*.
“Ludwig von Mises, Genius?” [updated]
Yesterday would have been Ludwig Von Mises’s birthday. There are tributes: Economist Robert Murphy: September 29 marks the 134th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig von Mises [], the tallest giant of the “Austrian School” of economics. Although Mises is not a household name, Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek once referred to him as “the master of us all.” To this day, professional economists and laypeople alike learn from the writings of a man I consider to be the most important economist of the twentieth century. One of Mises’s earliest achievements was to bridge the two fields ... more »
Musical Interlude: The Moody Blues, “Tuesday Afternoon”
The Moody Blues, “Tuesday Afternoon” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3aphxaDZMg
"How It Really Is"
"The horror... the horror..." - Colonel Kurtz, "Apocalypse Now"
Satire: “Kochs Hope to Be First to Pollute Water on Mars”
*“Kochs Hope to Be First to Pollute Water on Mars”* by Andy Borowitz WICHITA (The Borowitz Report)— “Just hours after NASA revealed the discovery of water on the surface of Mars, a spokesman for Koch Industries said that the company would spend billions to become the red planet’s first major industrial polluter. “At Koch Industries, we are well aware that our practice of spewing over six million pounds of toxins a year into Earth’s water is not sustainable,” said the billionaire Koch brothers’ corporate spokesman, Harland Dorrinson. “That’s why this discovery of water on Mars is so... more »
The Economy: "The Baby Boomer Survival Guide (Part II)"
*"The Baby Boomer Survival Guide (Part II)"* by Bill Bonner LONDON – "Today, we continue our philosophical look at what you should do if you are running out of time and money. (You can catch up on Part I here .) Where do we begin? With how to add wealth? Or how to lose it? The way to lose it is simple. You buy something that is not worth the money you paid for it. You are instantly poorer, whether you know it or not. That is what is happening today to stock market investors. The stocks they bought were not worth the money; now Mr. Market is letting them know. Yesterday, the Dow dr... more »
Cuba Developed a $1 Lung Cancer Vaccine but We Can’t Have It
*Leif Davenport* - This drug turns a death sentence into a manageable chronic condition for a dollar a dose, but you can't have it. The post Cuba Developed a $1 Lung Cancer Vaccine but We Can’t Have It appeared first on Waking Times.
Singani 63 rocks in New York
Bolivian grapes are a well-kept secret; the French import a millions bottles of Bolivian wines every year, and none of it reaches New York. Years did we try in vain to find a bottle of any Bolivian spirits. Then Hollywood producer Steven Soderbergh, after imbibing a brandy made with Muscat grapes, liked it so much that he got an import certificate and began selling the award winning Singani 63. I tracked down a bottle at Park Avenue Liquor Shop ( *www.parkaveliquor.com )*, which is actually located on Madison Avenue (after having actually been on Park Avenue for decades). Next I t... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 29, 2015
*Reuters:* *Russia establishes seaborne lifeline for Syrian allies* The Alexandr Tkachenko, an ageing ferry with a canary-yellow hull, usually carries people across the Kerch Strait, a bustling sea route and the only connection between Russia and Crimea, the peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine last year. But the crossings stopped abruptly in late August when the Russian government chartered the ship, according to an employee at the ferry company. It was destined for another mission of possibly greater strategic importance - expanding Russia's supply line to areas held by Syrian ... more »
Progressive Democrats Are The Key To Taking Back The Senate From The Reactionaries And Shutting Down Nihilists
Ted Cruz and his fascist-oriented wing of the Republican Party are still determined to shut down the government again, despite the overwhelming majority of Americans opposing it. The Americans who support the idea are in the backward, mostly Confederate districts represented by these ass-clowns. They haven't done it yet, and McConnell is ignoring their bellowing, so it's something that may be put off... till right before Christmas time! Fortunately, Democrats are pretty united against the crackpot scheme and Cruz's infantile blackmail strategy. The video above was released yester... more »
Sept. 29: The big story that isn't in the Irving press.
Harper has recently taken on a new campaign adviser. He's worked for Harper before – and the two have much in common. Lynton Crosby is an Australian who has done well out of his skill at playing divisive and dirty politics. He's also a tobacco lobbyist of considerable note. His enemies call him evil – which I have no doubt he is. But he's very, very good at being evil. He's Harper's kinda guy. He's particularly good at stirring up hatreds and fears based on racism and hysteria – again, something in common with Harper. (Not to mention something in common with Hitler.) He seems to ... more »
‘Ocean Waves,’ by Hokusai
Hokusai Katsushika (1760-1849), *Ocean Waves*, Woodblock Print Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Keep Space for Peace Week Local Actions List
*October 3-10, 2015* *Keep Space for Peace Week* *International Week of Protest to* *Stop the Militarization of Space* *Stop Drones Surveillance & Killing* *No Missile Defense* *No to NATO* *End Corporate Domination of Foreign/Military Policy* *Convert the Military Industrial Complex* *Deal with climate change and global poverty* • *Augusta, Maine* (Oct 9) Augusta Women in Black vigil from 12:30 to 1:00 PM in front of Lithgow Library. rleisnerrfm@yahoo.com • *Bath Iron Works, Maine* (Oct 3) Vigil across from administration building on Washington Street (Navy A... more »
Get Ready To Puke: President Barry Soetoro's September 28th Speech To The UN General Assemby - A Bunch Of Lies!
**NTS Note: I am finally on the road to recovery from what the hell hit me over the weekend.... I will be taking it easy over the next few days and putting up articles when I can here.. Thanks for your patience...* I was surfing the Internet just yesterday evening, when I came across the video of Barry Soetoro's speech to the UN General Assembly... I actually sat there and listened to that clown with his teleprompter speak, and I could not believe the bold faced lies that came spewing out of his mouth! The man spent the entire speech doing nothing more than tell the world complet... more »
U.S. Intelligence Director not optimistic On U.S. - China Anti-Hacking Deal
Nominee for Director of National Intelligence retired Gen. James Clapper speaks alongside President Barack Obama in the White House Rose Garden Saturday June 5. Newscom *The Hill:* *Spy chief skeptical of Obama's anti-hacking deal with China* Director of National Intelligence James Clapper doesn’t have high expectations for the recently inked agreement between the U.S. and China to not hack private companies. “Hope springs eternal,” Clapper told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday morning. “I think we will have to watch their behavior and it will be incumbent on the i... more »
Supplemental: Oh, what a tangled web we weave!
*TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015When Carly maxtuples down:* Last night, we watched a pitiful cable news event. On CNN, John Berman was guest hosting for Anderson Cooper. On came a Fiorina spokesperson to support the greatness of Carly’s claims about the anti-Planned Parenthood videotape. The story has advanced a step today. To set the stage for what has occurred, let’s review what Fiorina said at this month’s GOP debate, where this gong-show got its start: FIORINA (9/16/15): *As regards Planned Parenthood,* anyone who has watched this videotape—I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama t... more »
Donald Trump’s Fox News Boycott is Over
[image: O'Reilly and Trump-900] NEW YORK (AP) -- Donald Trump says his self-described boycott of Fox News is over after only one week. The Republican presidential hopeful is scheduled to appear on The O’Reilly Factor Tuesday evening. The billionaire businessman has been angry with... more »
How the Government Shutdown May be Averted, For Now
[image: U.S. Capitol - 900] Unless Congress acts before Wednesday at midnight, the U.S. government -- once again -- will officially run out of the legal authority to spend money. The threat of a government shutdown has been looming for months, and some political analysts... Continue reading *“How the Government Shutdown May be Averted, For Now”* at *cnbc.com*.
A Note on Jeremy Corbyn's Conference Speech
The tradition in recent years is for the shadow chancellor and the leader's speech to be taken as a piece. The former deals with the technical fiddly bits of economic policy, while the latter is about the wider vision. Cometh the new politics and the old set up remains. Yesterday John McDonnell gave a strong speech setting out clearly and unambiguously Labour's line of travel. Speaking as a sceptic, as far as I was concerned it ticked the boxes marked 'politically smart' and 'eminently sensible', while remaining consistent with Labour's explicit turn to social justice and, gasp, so... more »
This Prank Proved That Americans Don’t Read Past Headlines
*Heather Callaghan* - A social media prank by a national news service proves that people speak before they read. The post This Prank Proved That Americans Don’t Read Past Headlines appeared first on Waking Times.
Following criticism, BMJ “clarifies” dietary guidelines investigation
The BMJ has issued two “clarifications” to an investigation it published last week that questioned whether the new U.S. dietary guidelines were evidence-based. The article criticized several aspects of the new dietary guidelines, such as “deleting meat from the list of foods recommended as part of its healthy diets.” However, according to the clarification, that sentence should have specified “lean” […] The post Following criticism, BMJ “clarifies” dietary guidelines investigation appeared first on Retraction Watch.
There's Got To Be More To Carly Fiorina Than Just Trying To Tell Bigger, More Bombastic Lies Than Donald Trump, No?
Rand Paul's now infamous rant and meme the other day about Trump being a "clown" who is "unfit" to be president, followed a similar screed by Marco Rubio that Trump's campaign was nothing more than a "freak show." Both senators were correct, of course, but either could have been just as easily referring to another self-serving/self-entitled GOP multimillionaire with grand political ambitions: failed business executive and professional victim, Carly Fiorina. Fiorina has rapidly advanced in the polls by presenting herself as someone who will not be bound by anything as mundane as re... more »
Trump Supports Russian And Iranian Efforts Against The Islamic State
*Reuters*: *Trump backs Russia, Iran efforts to fight Islamic State* Leading Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday said he supported Russian efforts to fight Islamic State militants in the Middle East, including Syria. Asked whether he backed those like Russia who supported Syrian President Bashar al Assad or those who see him as the source of Syria's current crisis, Trump told NBC's "Today" program: "I side with the group that says if Russia wants to go and fight ISIS, you should let them as opposed to saying were jealous we don't want you to do that." *... more »
Georgia Church Votes to Remove Pastor for Ejecting 103-Year-Old Member
[image: Genora Hamm Biggs - 400] Members of a Baptist church in Elberton, Georgia, have voted to oust their pastor after he fired a 103-year-old member of the church who had expressed disagreement with his practices. The members of the congregation cast their vote on Sunday... Continue reading *“Georgia Church Votes to Remove Pastor for Ejecting 103-Year-Old Member”* at *christiantoday.com*.
Child Rape in Afghanistan: Their Custom, Our Complicity
[image: An Afghan boy waits to offer shoe polishing services to men leaving the Jada Mosque in Old Kabul after prayers on August 21, 2010.] The New York Times recently ran a disturbing story with a disturbing headline that said it all: "U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies." What follows is unsettling, but what's going on is so horrific that...more »
Russian Public Support For Putin's Syrian Policy Is Low
ves.lv *RT*: *39% of Russians approve Putin policies on Syria* Currently 39 percent of Russians approve of Moscow’s support of Syrian government, with the share of those who disapprove being at just 11 percent, the latest opinion poll has shown. The research was made by independent agency Levada-Center in the third week of September and analysts released the results on Tuesday. Thirty percent of those who took part in the poll said they think by supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad Russia wants to protect its own interests in the Middle East. Twenty-eight percent of responder... more »
Pennsylvania Woman Will be the 11th Person in Her Family to Wear 120-Year-Old Heirloom Wedding Dress
[image: wedding dress - 402] Pennsylvania bride-to-be Abby Kingston will be the 11th woman in her family to wear a wedding dress that has been passed down for generations. Abby first laid eyes on the 120-year-old heirloom wedding dress when she was eight years old.... Continue reading *“Pennsylvania Woman Will be the 11th Person in Her Family to Wear 120-Year-Old Heirloom Wedding Dress”* at *abcnews.go.com*.
Tom Brady: Donald Trump Comments Taken Out of Context
[image: Tom Brady vs. Vikings 2014 - 900] BOSTON (AP) -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says his comments that he hopes Donald Trump will win the presidency were taken out of context and an example of why he tries to say as little as possible when... more »
Is Russia Looking For A Syrian Proxy?
*Barbara Starr, CNN: **U.S.: Russia may be seeking proxy in case Syria's Assad falls* Washington (CNN)The U.S. intelligence community now thinks Russia may have embarked on its military buildup in Syria because Moscow believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may not be able to hang onto power and it wants to position itself to back a proxy if the regime were to collapse. It is a view shared by the Pentagon, Defense officials told CNN. This is one theory, but there is not a firm conclusion within the Obama administration about why Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending aircr... more »
What's Called "Capitalism" Is Far from Any Model of Capitalism or Market
*Predators and prey. The homeless and left-behind are at the bottom ("decomposers"). Most of everyone else is in the next layer up ("producers"). The rest, from the well-off to the wealthy, are "consumers." Interesting how that language works, isn't it? (source)* *by Gaius Publius* A recent piece I did on the British Labour politician Tony Benn featured a speech that offered a "history of neoliberalism" (click here to read and listen). Near the beginning of the speech, Benn said, "This country and the world have been run by rich and powerful men from the beginning of time." Consid... more »
At the UN yesterday all speakers were allowed 15 minutes, but Obama took 30 in order work in the US government lies that Russia attacked Ukraine and took Crimea by force and to insist that in order to stop the slaughter of innocents Assad must first be removed as the Syrian head of state. The latter position is strongly desputed by the Chair of South Asian History and Professor of International Studies at Trinity College. His reading of the Russians is that after protecting the civilians they would follow an alturnative course, not directly confronting ISIS, but rather being more concerned with the borders where ISIS has been given weapons and training by nations standing to profit from the destruction of Syria.
------------------------------ *Obama verses Putin at the UN*President Obama and President Putin address the UN on their strategies for fighting the Islamic State. - *September 28, 2015* https://youtu.be/SeR4413CagM Bio . *Vijay Prashad* is the George and Martha Kellner Chair in South Asian History and Professor of International Studies at Trinity College. He is the author of sixteen books, including *The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South* (Verso, 2013), *A... more »
Mohawk Nation News: DESPERATE POPE
. http://mohawknationnews.com/blog/2015/09/29/desperate-pope/
The new A40 average speed cameras
The new A40 average speed cameras all seem to be up and the signs have started to go up too. It looks like they will be put into operation shortly. I thought that I would see if the speed limit was feasible to keep to so I tried driving from Paddington to Northolt Airport. This report is about the elevated section of the A40, I will post about the other sections later this week. Driving at 40mph on the elevated section of the A40 was very hard, I was getting flashed by other drivers who were speeding (pun intended) past me. As I drove I realised why 40mph felt so slow. I remember th... more »
1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Found on Church Floor in Israel Depicts ‘Rare’ Scene from Neighboring Ancient Christian Community
[image: mosaic - 400] Israeli archaeologists have painstakingly conserved a 1,500-year-old mosaic found on an ancient church floor that depicts unique scenes from a once vibrant Christian community in Egypt. What distinguishes the Byzantine era mosaic from other finds in Israel is that this... Continue reading *“1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Found on Church Floor in Israel Depicts ‘Rare’ Scene from Neighboring Ancient Christian Community”* at *theblaze.com*.
NYTimes Economics Columnist w/Physics Degree Has Ed Solution
As a veteran educator of educators, I am accustomed to hearing how much people, regardless of education, training, or native wit, believe they know about education and school policy, especially when they find out how I make a living. "History and philosophy of education, huh? Well, let me tell you why schools are so bad. . ." And listening to them is easier than explaining how history or philosophy may be relevant to policy talk, implementation, and practice, if the powerful elites who make policy were not committed to remaking the same self-serving system that the protectors of ... more »
Untitled
*John DeShazier: Saints remaining resolute despite 0-3 start* *Monkey Hill bar, patrons robbed at gunpoint ~Robert Morris, Uptown Messenger* *Meet Boudin Cook-Off contestant T-Jim's Grocery and Meat Market ~Daily Advertiser*
Why Are Egyptian And Chinese Military Delegations Arriving In Russia Now?
Airborne drop during the joint battalion tactical exercise of airborne troops from Russia. Sputnik *Sputnik*: *Egyptian, Chinese Military Delegations Arrive in Russia* According to the head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service, Military delegations from China and Egypt have arrived in Russia to discuss planned exercises. MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Military delegations from China and Egypt have arrived in Russia to discuss planned exercises, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said Tuesday. *WNU Editor:* The excuse is to talk about joint exercises .... but t... more »
Donald Trump Literally (and Hypocritically) Promises to Save Christmas
[image: Donald Trump - 900]
John Zmirak Joins Eric Metaxas Show for Post-Game on Pope Francis’ Visit
[image: Metaxas] Stream Senior Editor John Zmirak joined his old friend Eric Metaxas to talk about what Pope Francis said and didn’t say during his historic papal visit to the U.S. and address to Congress. Was this a moment of cultural and... more »
Sex Trafficking Victims Branded by a New King
[image: flyingpurplemonkeys] Crowned. When you read the word, what descriptions come to mind? For most, it signifies one who is deemed royal, favored, respected, and dignified. But for women who have been the victim of sex trafficking, being “crowned” has a completely... Continue reading *“Sex Trafficking Victims Branded by a New King”* at *christianpost.com*.
Italy check in
Hey guys Just checking in from Italy. Will be back blogging in a little over a week from now. It was just too complicated to blog on the road. Putin seemed very angry and fed up during his UN Speech yesterday. Looking forward to catching up on the news. GC
Picture Of The Day
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty) *VOX News*:* This awkward photo of Obama and Putin locking eyes at the UN speaks volumes* Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin's relationship has always been, shall we say, fraught, but on Monday they shared a toast at the United Nations that looks to have been, even by their high standards, pretty weird. There's so much to take in here. The nuclear powers side-eye. Putin's almost triumphalist smirk; Obama's undisguised loathing (there's an unmistakable "let's get this over with" look on his face) of the man with whom he's touching glasses. The discrepancy in s... more »
What I am doing today
Today, I am wearing my political theory hat. If you happen to be a student at Brown, you can find me here.
GOP: Planned Parenthood is Spending Tax Dollars on Politics
[image: Defund Planned Parenthood 1438394508_108.225.71.5] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans accused Planned Parenthood on Tuesday of spending millions of dollars on political activities, travel and lavish salaries, as the GOP tried to build a case for terminating the group’s federal money after a series of surreptitiously... more »
Inside the U.S. Air War Against ISIS
[image: One of the two recently delivered F-16 fighter jets from the US is seen on the tarmac at Iraq's Balad air base in the Salaheddin province, north of the capital Baghdad, on July 20, 2015 during a visit to the base by Iraqi's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.] U.S. ARMED FORCES, Iraq -- The air war against ISIS is a tricky one for U.S. pilots. Without American troops on the ground, it's hard to tell friend from foe. In Operation Inherent Resolve -- the coalition air war against... more »
The Putin - Obama Summit -- A News Round-Up
*Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg*: *Obama and Putin may seek compromise on Syria* In conflict resolution, the best path is usually the one that makes more sense, not the most emotionally attractive one. By that standard, Russian President Vladimir Putin got the better of U.S. President Barack Obama at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. It also suggests there will probably be a compromise in Syria. Obama and Putin made speeches to the Assembly on Monday, setting out their positions before sitting down for their first formal meeting in two years. Obama's 42-minute speech w... more »
Financial Turmoil Warning Signs
Glencore, the mining and trading giant, is experiencing deep financial distress. Glencore is among the biggest commodity traders in the world and is experiencing distress because of the collapse in commodity prices. Glencore is tentatively being compared to Lehman Brothers: Nyshka Chandran, "Should you fear a ‘Glencore’ moment?" CNBC, September 29, 2015:http://www.cnbc.com/2015/09/28/glencore-may-spark-a-lehman-moment-for-miners.html Experts are beginning to warn of the dire financial impact across the mining and metals space if Glencore, one of the world's largest resource com...more »
Papelbon Suspended for Season after Attacking Harper
[image: Jonathan Papelbon-900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bryce Harper is not quite sure what he could have done differently to avoid the dugout fight with teammate Jonathan Papelbon that resulted in the Washington Nationals suspending the closer for four games without pay. “If you’re... more »
Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos ‘Show No Evidence of Manipulation’
[image: Pro-life - 400] Ahead of what promises to be a volatile hearing on taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, a forensic analysis has determined that a series of disturbing videos showing the group’s employees discussing fetal tissue harvesting “are authentic and show no evidence... Continue reading *“Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos ‘Show No Evidence of Manipulation’”* at *foxnews.com*.
U.S. Announces Sanctions Against ISIS Supporters
[image: A militant.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. government announced sanctions Tuesday against 25 people and five groups connected to the Islamic State, disclosing intelligence that depicts a sprawling international organization with tentacles across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The moves by... more »
FORBIDDEN STORY: Yglesias speaks!
*TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015Part 2—Sixteen years later, the truth:* If we might borrow from our Springsteen: In the summer of 02, Matt Yglesias was 21. Several years earlier, Yglesias had undergone what he now calls “the formative experience of my political life.” Two weeks ago, he described that formative experience in a lengthy piece for Vox. Mainly, Yglesias’ piece concerned the new tax plan proposed by Candidate Jeb Bush. His analysis has a lot to recommend it. Yglesias discussed that new tax proposal. That said, this is the way he began: YGLESIAS (9/14/15): *The formative ... more »
Why The Fall Of The Afghan City Of Kunduz To Taliban Forces Is A Big Deal
Jethro Mullen, CNN: *Why the Taliban takeover of Kunduz is a big deal* (CNN)The loss of the major city of Kunduz to the Taliban is a stunning reversal for the Afghan government, deepening worries about the ability of its security forces to take the fight to the Islamic militants. Afghan officials vowed to quickly drive the Taliban back out again from the northern provincial capital where the insurgents freed hundreds of inmates from a prison and raised their white flag at points around town. On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry reported some areas had already been reclaimed and promi... more »
Russia building an A2/AD Bubble over Syria/Levant
Please read this entirely: I've been trying to sort fact from fiction regarding Russian involvement in Syria. Without relying on disinfo from Ruslan Liviev and Bellingcat! The most *egregious propaganda contains a mere grain of truth surrounded by a mass of lies*. That, in my opinion, fit most of the reports concerning Russian involvement in Syria. I seem to be nearly alone, except for Saker, in trying to be rational and not disseminate propaganda. Finally and it pleases me to no end, I've found something that makes sense to me! *A2/AD:*First time I had heard of this concept. Not ... more »
Planned Parenthood Announces ‘Pink Out Day’ to Celebrate Its Abortion Business
[image: Dead Pink Rose - 900] This morning Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards is set to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of their investigation into allegations that Planned Parenthood profits from the sale of aborted baby body parts. In addition... more »
U.S. Launches Airstrike on Afghan City Seized by Taliban
[image: Airstrike Against ISIS-300] The U.S. military says it launched an airstrike on the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan early Tuesday, after it was captured by the Taliban the previous day. U.S. Army Col. Brian Tribus, spokesman for the U.S. and NATO missions in Afghanistan,... Continue reading *“U.S. Launches Airstrike on Afghan City Seized by Taliban”* at *usatoday.com*.
The Battle For The Afghan City Of Kunduz -- News Updates September 29, 2015
*Daily Mail*: *Afghan forces launch operation to retake the city of Kunduz a day after the Taliban storm the town and free hundreds of prisoners* * Government forces hit back against the Taliban in northern Afghanistan * Hardline Islamists overran Kunduz after surprise offensive on Monday * Hoisted their flag over main square just 200m from governor's compound * Released hundreds of prisoners from the northern city's main jail * United Nations evacuated its compound soon after the dawn assault began * Afghans battling largely without NATO's support after it withdrew last year Afghan...more »
Thie Lack of Precision Munitions Is The Big Weakness For Russia If It Should Launch Air Operations In Syria
Russian air force Su-35. Sukhoi photo *David Axe, War Is Boring*: *The Big Thing the Russian Air Force Still Can’t Do* Moscow lags in precision munitions After two decades of neglect, the Russian air force is enjoying a petrodollar-funded renaissance. In 2010, the air force and naval aviation bought just 19 new fixed-wing airplanes. The number of new planes swelled to 24 in 2011, 35 in 2012, 51 a year later and a whopping 101 in 2014. This year the Kremlin expects to acquire 91 new fixed-wing aircraft. But for all this modernization, there’s one big thing the Russian air force st... more »
Corbyn Shares Platform With Another Conspiracy Theorist per Guido Fawkes
Jeremy Corbyn's friends just keep giving 'Jeremy Corbyn was the star of the show at the Labour Friends of Palestine fringe last night. Speaking on a panel organised by the group yesterday was Husam Zomlot, a former PLO ambassador to Britain. Zomlot has some rather eccentric views, to put it kindly, judging by thisBBC interview from last year: "[Israel] are fabricating all these stories about beheading journalists [James Foley] somewhere in Iraq… they are fabricating also the story of the Holocaust…" More here http://order-order.com/2015/09/29/corbyn-shares-platform-with-another-con... more »
Enrico Fermi: a birthday
Enrico Fermi was born 114 years ago, on September 29th, 1901, in Rome. He died on November 28th, 1954 in Chicago, thanks to the stomach cancer. He was most likely the second most important Italian physicist after Galileo Galilei (check this list). Apologies to Rovelli, Dorigo, and others who would place themselves above Fermi and maybe Galileo. When he was 17 and he was entering the college in Pisa, he wrote an essay about a Fourier-series analysis of solutions to the partial differential equation describing... waves on a string. The examiner interviewed Fermi and determined that th... more »
Islamic State Car Bomb Campaign In Iraq’s Salahaddin
In July 2015 the Islamic State initiated its latest car bomb campaign in Iraq. Salahaddin has been a major focus of this new offensive with a huge amount of vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED) being launched there in August. Like in Anbar, almost all of these bombs are being used against the government’s forces, especially in the Baiji area, which the Islamic State has effectively used as a diversionary target for the last several months. Salahaddin however is not only a target of these VBIEDs but a base for further attacks in Anbar and Baghdad provinces. Salahaddi... more »
Hillary's Plan for Pharmaceuticals
Maybe good politics, but not good economics, says Megan McArdle.
Teen Kicked Off Football Team Because He Protected a Blind Kid from a Bully
[image: Bully3__1443533090_70.119.142.63] Zero tolerance means precisely that: zero tolerance--even for a student who had a very good reason to pick a fight with the school bully. A student at Huntington Beach High School in California has been widely celebrated all over the... Continue reading *“Teen Kicked Off Football Team Because He Protected a Blind Kid from a Bully”* at *reason.com*.
Volkswagen Subsidiaries Audi And Skoda Also Installed Deceptive Software
[image: Martin_Winterkorn] It is the latest development in the Volkswagen scandal that led to CEO Martin Winterkorn’s resignation on Sept. 23 Volkswagen subsidiaries Audi and Skoda confirmed on Monday that more than 3 million of their automobiles were equipped with devices to... Continue reading *“Volkswagen Subsidiaries Audi And Skoda Also Installed Deceptive Software”* at *time.com*.
We Are Responsible.....
A part of a speech by the independent German journalist Ken Jebsen at a rally for peace in Berlin. He had just returned from Greece and reports on the surge of Syrian refugees there and throughout Europe. Jebsen suggests that those who want to stop refugees coming into Germany might want to go protest at the US Ramstein Air Force Base where many of these bombing operations over Syria are directed from. Just last Saturday hundreds of German activists protested at the base. Coverage of the Ramstein protest was actually featured in the US military *Stars & Stripes *newspaper. See ... more »
#ShoutYourAbortion Reveals the Stigma Enablers
Lindy West tells the story behind the hashtag, #ShoutYourAbortion. But the deck sums it up nicely: *I set up #ShoutYourAbortion because I am not sorry, and I will not whisper* A recent study demonstrates what we intuitively knew: 95% of women who have abortions do NOT regret them. But still we don't talk about it, because society has successfully stigmatized an ordinary, common, medical procedure. I love #ShoutYourAbortion -- go have a look -- because it collects all the asinine anti-choice so-called arguments in one place; it encourages women to speak up, if they want to; and ... more »
Life Aboard A U.S. Nuclear Submarine
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*) The Navy’s Virginia-class fast-attack submarine is its newest and most technologically advanced. Its quiet nuclear-powered propulsion system and sensitive sonar are designed for tracking other subs and warships. The Navy has 12 of the subs and plans to acquire at least 30. *L.A. Times*: *Aboard a U.S. nuclear sub, a cat-and-mouse game with phantom foes* America's most advanced nuclear submarine was slicing through the water off Hawaii last month, 400 feet under the surface, when a sonar operator suddenly detected an ominous noise on his headphones. It... more »
Stem Cells Could Help Mend a Heart, but Must Mature
We are coming awfully close to having tissue repair using the scar tissue as a natural guideway. One can imagine using a laser to bore multiple passages into which a stem cell impregnated scaffold jello is then injected. Very likely this densification of healthy heart tissue will then lead to a natural resolution of the remaining scar tissue as well. Better yet, this could be done through a catheter which penetrates the scar tissue using a laser removal system after which the jell is injected. *Stem cells could help mend a broken heart, but they’ve got to mature * *Septembe... more »
Local Fishing Rights + Marine Reserves
I have been preaching this doctrine from the first. It happens to be completely possible because of our present technology and certainly needs to be done on a global basis. That way there is ownership atached to every resource and plausible investment coin to optimize productivity. We are now producing empirical data to support what seems obvious. It does work. Key though is to sharply increase the refuges as much as possible. My point is that a district with a ninety percent refuge will literally produce the most fish simply because fish will not respect f... more »
Three Reasons Why Chinese Consumers Love the Queen – and Why Britain Should Too
[image: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attend a garden party in Paris, hosted by Sir Peter Ricketts, Britain's Ambassador to France ahead of marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings during World War II on June 5, 2014 in Paris, France. (Owen Humphreys - WPA Pool /Getty Images)] Who would have thought that this would hold true in China? It is the Brand to end Brands. That it applies to China is unusual and that it applies to India is easily developed as time progresses. Old men die and nostalgia allows the Brand to rebound. The Raj may never r... more »
Genetic Origins
What is key is that agriculture and that includes herding, provided a larger naturally dominate culture simply because larger populations became possible. Larger populations both spread out peacefully or otherwise and absorb smaller groups through intermarriage. This is something that the first nations of North America or anywhere need to come to grips with. In a thousand years, hybridization will have dissolved any such putative ethnicity which is dependent on local inbreeding however difuse. We also need to understand just how swiftly better technology can overwhelm a no... more »
German dep’t head reprimanded for not catching mistakes of co-author Lichtenthaler
The head of a department at WHU — Otto Beisheim School of Management has been charged with “severe scientific misconduct” for not spotting many of the data irregularities of his co-author Ulrich Lichtenthaler, which have ultimately led to 16 retractions. According to a news release describing a WHU investigation (which we had translated using One Hour Translation), […] The post German dep’t head reprimanded for not catching mistakes of co-author Lichtenthaler appeared first on Retraction Watch.
The Economy: “Is Glencore The Next Lehman? The World’s Largest Commodities Trading Company Is Toast”
*“Is Glencore The Next Lehman? * *The World’s Largest Commodities Trading Company Is Toast”* By Michael Snyder “Are we about to witness the most important global financial event since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008? Glencore has been known as the largest commodities trading company on the entire planet, and at one time it was ranked as the 10th biggest company in the world. It is linked to trillions of dollars of derivatives trades globally, and if the firm were to implode it would be a financial disaster unlike anything that we have seen in Europe since the end of World ... more »
Air Strike On Yemen Wedding Party Kills Over 130
*VOA*: *Civilian Death Toll in Yemen Wedding Attack Rises to at Least 130* The United Nations and local medics said Tuesday the death toll from a reported airstrike on a wedding party in southwestern Yemen has risen to at least 130 people. A Saudi-led coalition that has been conducting airstrikes in Yemen targeting Houthi rebels since March denied that it was responsible for the attack Monday on the village of Wahijah. A spokesman, Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asseri, called the allegation "totally false." *WNU Editor:* Everyone is denying responsibility .... but the Saudi coaliti... more »
Islamic State Wants Enough Nuclear Weapons To Launch A 'Religious Cleansing' That Will Claim Hundreds Of Millions Of Lives
*Washington Time:* *ISIS planning ‘nuclear tsunami’* Nuclear annihilation across the globe. This is what a German reporter who successfully embedded with the Islamic State says the terror group is planning. Jurgen Todenhofer released his findings in a book titled “Inside IS - Ten Days in the Islamic State,” reports the UK’s Daily Express. “The terrorists plan on killing several hundred million people. The west is drastically underestimating the power of ISIS. ISIS intends to get its hands on nuclear weapons,” says Todenhofer, calling the group a “nuclear tsunami preparing the larg... more »
Planned Parenthood Paid Protestors Who Threw Condoms at Carly Fiorina
[image: GettyFiorinaIowa-400] Planned Parenthood paid some of its supporters who threw condoms at GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and at her supporters during an Iowa Hawkeye tailgate on Saturday. The payments were briefly mentioned in a story by the New York Times. "On Saturday, women... Continue reading *“Planned Parenthood Paid Protestors Who Threw Condoms at Carly Fiorina”* at *breitbart.com*.
Did NASA Time Its Mars Announcement to Coincide with The Martian?
[image: Actor Matt Damon, left, and Director Ridley Scott listen during a question and answer session about NASA’s journey to Mars and the film ”The Martian,” Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, at the United Artist Theater in La Cañada Flintridge, California. NASA scientists and engineers served as technical consultants on the film. The movie portrays a realistic view of the climate and topography of Mars, based on NASA data, and some of the challenges NASA faces as we prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet in the 2030s.] Space agency says no, but like life on Mars, the idea isn’t so fa... more »
Trumpy The Populist? Uh... No
" *We have an amazing code. It will be simple.It will be easy. It will be fair.*" Yes, yesterday Trump boasted: "There will be people in the upper echelons that won't be thrilled with this." And yes, he forced Jeb Bush into agreeing that the carried-interest loophole Republicans have clung to is inherently unfair and needs to be dumped. But will Trump's new tax plan fundamentally change the tenor of the Party of Greed and Selfishness and their horrific tax agenda? When Trump the fake "builder" tells the rubes, "This is my wheelhouse; that’s what I do well-- the economy is what I do ... more »
Untitled
*Confederate flags fly at Hurricane High School* One day last week at Hurricane High School, in the part of the parking lot nearest to Teays Valley Road, eight Confederate flags on six pickup trucks waved to passing drivers. A couple of students have done it for a while, they said, but more started after the Confederate flag was removed from the state capitol in South Carolina this summer. On Sept. 11, one student decided he had had enough. Police say the student used a box cutter to shred Confederate flags on other students’ trucks at a football game. He was suspended from school... more »
Down and Out in the Homeland
Morale has gotten so bad over at DHS, they should probably make the initials stand for Depressed Hacky-Sacks. Jeh Johnson, chief of the Department of Homeland Security, says he is very dejected about the low happiness scores of his minions, who scored the lowest of the low in job satisfaction among all federal government agencies. He has therefore announced a brand new initiative designed to instill some gladness into his airport gropers as well as putting all that lost disaster fun back into FEMA. Only half the DHS workers surveyed scored well in the "engagement" category, with... more »
No, Ann Coulter Is Not an Anti-Semite
[image: Coulter looking peeved] The first is the easiest. Ann Coulter is not an anti-Semite. Those Jews who think she is point to two pieces of evidence: the recent tweet and something she said in a 2007 interview with Donny Deutsch, a TV personality... Continue reading *“No, Ann Coulter Is Not an Anti-Semite”* at *forward.com*.
California’s Drought: Not an Environmental Problem. An Environmentalist Problem.
[image: California drought_900] SACRAMENTO, Calif.--I was walking through downtown Sacramento recently when raindrops started falling. People on the street stopped dead in their tracks, looked up at the sky, and began acting giddy. "What's that?" I asked a man. "I think it's something called... more »
What She Saw Changed Her Mind about Getting An Abortion
[image: Ultrasound monitor fetus image_900] Justine Curry didn't mean to get pregnant. Her then-boyfriend Dave Norman told her he was infertile, so they didn't use protection. "We were not safe at all," Curry, a recovering alcoholic, told The Daily Signal. Curry, 26, intended on getting... more »
Untitled
*Another Climate Prediction Fizzles: DC Climate Rally for Pope shrinks from expected 200,000 people to just ‘hundreds’* The hopes were so high back in August for a massive climate rally to support Pope Francis’ climate push. But reality has now sunk in Climate Prediction: August 25, 2015: WaPo: "For Pope Francis’s D.C. visit, environmental rally of up to 200K planned’ – Several environmental groups are planning a major climate rally that will draw hundreds of thousands to the National Mall on Sept. 24, the day Pope Francis speaks to Congress and is expected to address the public a... more »
Time Will Tell
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson Pierre Trudeau's ghost haunted Roy Thomson Hall last night. Stephen Harper has been doing battle with that ghost since he entered public life. And, last night, Tom Mulcair tried to call it from the grave. Michael Harris writes: Several times during this entertainment, Mulcair linked Bill C-51 to the invocation of the War Measures Act. As Tommy Douglas had stood against the War Measures Act in 1970, Mulcair’s NDP was now standing up against Bill C-51 — unlike Justin Trudeau, he insisted. The Liberal leader stole ... more »
Jeb Bush: U.S. Should Open Overseas Markets to U.S. Oil, Gas
[image: Jeb Bush_900] DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says ending the ban on U.S. oil exports and easing restrictions on natural gas exports will unleash the nation’s economy. The former Florida governor is calling for ending the 1970s-era... more »
97 Percent of Residents in This Slovak Town Voted Against Accepting Muslim Refugees, Fear Terrorists
[image: Robert Fico Slovakia Prime Minister_900] Residents in a Slovak village have almost unanimously mobilized to make sure Syrian refugees don't feel welcome as they fear "islamization" of their community. The people of Gabcikovo staged a vote last month where 97 percent of the 5,000 residents... more »
With FIFA in ‘Meltdown,’ Chung Wants Emergency Body
[image: FIFA flags_900] ZURICH (AP) -- An emergency task force should be set up to run FIFA during its leadership crisis, South Korean presidential contender Chung Mong-joon said Tuesday. With President Sepp Blatter under criminal investigation and general secretary Jerome Valcke suspended from... more »
Dissenters Express High Hopes for Catholic Synod on Family
[image: garden] As the Synod on the Family approaches, those pushing for radical reform in the Church -- or rather dissent from established Church teaching -- and those upholding the Church's doctrine, are both making their views more widely known. Beginning with the... Continue reading *“Dissenters Express High Hopes for Catholic Synod on Family”* at *ncregister.com*.
Obama and Putin: Awkward Moments, Few Breakthroughs
[image: Obama and Putin_UN Luncheon_900] NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first formal meeting in more than two years started with an awkward handshake and ended without a breakthrough on Syria, a crisis that has strained their already... more »
Planned Parenthood President to Testify Before Congress
[image: Cecile Richards Planned Parenthood - 900] The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to investigate how Planned Parenthood and its affiliates are using taxpayer funding. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, is expected to testify. Planned Parenthood, America's largest abortion provider, faces... more »
Book: No One Likes Hillary
[image: Hillary looking unhappy] Hillary Clinton knows she'll never be elected president if she can't figure out a way to win your affection. The problem is, even with a quarter-century of "public service" under her belt, Hillary can't seem to connect with the average... Continue reading *“Book: No One Likes Hillary”* at *city-journal.org*.
Polls Have Canadian Voters Popping Around In A Tiny Pinball Machine
First, harper's struggling, Mulcair has the lead, Liberals are in third-place territory. Then, the Duffy Scandal, Earl Cowan's outburst, and the Syrian refugee tragedy, and harper's on the ropes, Mulcair surges and Trudeau is stagnant. Then, in mutual bickering, Mulcair begins to attack Trudeau from the right. Trudeau gains. harper gains from the diversion. Then, harper finds his racist mojo. Trudeau starts talking like a leftist. Mulcair's boyish crush on Margaret Thatcher, idiotic Zionism and unpopular (but principled) stance on niqabs keeps him down in third place. The gyrations a... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( September 29 , 2015 ) - Troubled Credits Watch ( VW and Glencore Data , Price action , Default probability ) ......... Greece Tuesday Morning Updates ( Economic data of the day , Bank recap items ) ........Deflation Watch ( Germany and Spain showing troubling deflationary signs ) ......... Broader Europe Concerns ( EZ Area Sept economic confidence rises , Turkey declines to host Europe processing centers , More QE to the rescue - traders pray yes ) ...... Asia / Emerging Markets / Commodities Crush Updates ( India cuts interest rates by 50 bps , Brazil CDS continues to widen , Japan closes down 4.1 % as part of broad Asian equities sell-off , China items of note , E.M currency routs continue )
Evening Wrap..... Greece..... *fred walton* @fredwalton216 2h2 hours agoPhiladelphia, PA fred walton Retweeted Kathimerini English Next Cliff - hanger deadline date for Greece. fred walton added, *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini Talks deadline set for November 15 http://dlvr.it/CJJx1n *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini 2h 2 hours ago Judges indict 35 in Postbank case http://dlvr.it/CJJP8x [image: Embedded image permalink] *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini 2h 2 hours ago Earners of over 12,000 euros per year will see tax hikes http:// dlvr.it/CJJxQ2... more »
Lies, Carly Fiorina and Abortion
[image: SIMI VALLEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina take part in the presidential debates at the Reagan Library on September 16, 2015 in Simi Valley, California.] There has been an impressive amount of angry liberal commentary, which has spilled over into the mainstream press coverage (or do I repeat myself?) of the issue, about how in the last Republican presidential debate Carly Fiorina allegedly cited an entirely imaginary... Continue reading *“Lies, Carly Fiorina and Abortion”* at *douthat.blogs.nytimes.com*.
Michael Tsarion - the Age of Catastrophe - 13,000 to 10,000 years BC
Michael Tsarion (strongly) claims that the Egyptians were originally Irish i.e. Druids (as we now call them) and moved East from Ireland or Arya-Land as a consequence of the 13,000 to 10,000 years B.C. catastrophe, the outcome of which has made its way into legend as The Great Flood. But did a giant comet or meteor slam into the northern hemisphere in this ancient time when mankind was first exploring its spiritual heritage? It's known as the Younger Dryas Impact Event. Did it cause the Great Flood? Scientific evidence is pointing towards it... as you all should know by now, Fre... more »
Aspects of Merkel's suicidal policies
While the Central European ex-socialist countries are presented as villains by most of the Western "mainstream" media and e.g. Hollande's suggestions that we could very well be expelled from the EU for having a different opinion are being amplified by those not-so-independent sources of information, the opinions about the migrant wave and the role of top Western European leaders such as Merkel and Hollande are very, very different in countries like Czechia. *Recently, Angela Merkel has dedicated much more energy to selfies with illegal migrants than to work for her Vaterland. Clic... more »
Sept. 28: Not in a good mood today.
In the U.S., millions are cheering Donald Trump for his asinine platform that would build the world's biggest wall between the U.S. and Mexico. This is in a United States where, like Canada, little has been done to tackle climate change, and almost a quarter of all of the children in the U.S. are living below the poverty line. And Canada's record, while better, lags behind more civilized countries. (Oh, and on page B1, read how Obama is going to lead the UN in a plan to eliminate poverty and hunger around the world. Perhaps he could start with poverty in the U.S.. You know, set an ... more »
Inside India's New and Deadliest Warship
[image: The Kochi's RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher, Barak missile silos and main gun]On a dark moonlit night, an Indian warship pierced the waters of the South China Sea at a brisk 25 knots. The only sound to be heard was of waves slapping the sides of her sleek hull. To the untrained eye, she was all but invisible. Her sleek silhouette and her grey paint scheme ensured she blended in with the sea around her. And her distinct, angular lines were meant to make it difficult, if not impossible, for enemy radars to track her - she was, after all, a stealth warship. But tonigh... more »
Growing Dissension In The Saudi Royal Family
Saudi Arabia's King Salman, right, meets with U.S. President Barack Obama at Erga Palace in Riyadh, January 27, 2015. Reuters The Guardian: *Saudi royal calls for regime change in Riyadh* Plea by grandson of state’s founder comes as falling oil prices, war in Yemen and loss of faith in authority buffet leadership of King Salman. A senior Saudi prince has launched an unprecedented call for change in the country’s leadership, as it faces its biggest challenge in years in the form of war, plummeting oil prices and criticism of its management of Mecca, scene of last week’s hajj tragedy... more »
RAAF tanker jet refuel F-35A Joint Strike Fighter in mid-air
[image: RAAF MRTT and F-35A Lightning II]The RAAF has hit a crucial milestone in the development of its new $16 billion fighter jet fleet, with the successful mid-air refuelling of a US Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. One of the Air Force’s five KC-30A multi-role tanker transport planes conducted 59 successful hook-ups with the F-35A at Edwards air force Base in California, including five where about 20,000 kgs of fuel was transferred during the four-hour-long mission. The refuelling operation used the KC-30A’s controversial tail mounted boom system that generated major heada... more »
Did China Just Hit Mach 5?
[image: Hypersonic glide vehicle]A news report describes a landmark event: the flight of an airplane that can go twice as fast as the Concorde. Then, just as quick, the report vanishes. What just happened? On a night apparently in early September, at a flight test center somewhere in China, a dark-painted airplane reportedly took off on a momentous mission—to fly faster than five times the speed of sound then return safely to Earth. The airborne experiment, allegedly involving a manned aircraft with a human pilot aboard, marked a huge leap forward for China as it competes with the ... more »
Do It Yourself Air Freshener Recipe
*Note: * The only change that I might make is to use cloves instead of cinnamon and to use organic oranges so as not to be putting poisons into your air.
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Remember Now”
2002, “Remember Now” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq4qjI8VVzg
Musical Interlude: Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence” (Original Version from 1964)
Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence” (Original Version from 1964) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Separated by about 14 degrees (28 Full Moons) in planet Earth's sky, spiral galaxies M31 at left, and M33 are both large members of the Local Group, along with our own Milky Way galaxy. This narrow- and wide-angle, multi-camera composite finds details of spiral structure in both, while the massive neighboring galaxies seem to be balanced in starry fields either side of bright Mirach, beta star in the constellation Andromeda. Mirach is just 200 light-years from the Sun. But M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, is really 2.5 million light-years distant and M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, is also a... more »
"Anyway..."
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” - Mother Teresa
India seeking technology to build MCMVs
[image: INS Kozhikode (M 71)]Indian state-owned company Goa Shipyards Limited is looking for other companies to supply the technology to build 12 mine countermeasure vessels. GSL was awarded a $5 billion noncompetitive contract to build the vessels in 2014, and has now floated a global expression of interest from companies who are wiling to transfer the technology to build the vessels. Analysts warn this could raise the cost of building the ships, saying it would be cheaper to have them built overseas, according to Defense News. To acquire the technology, GSL has sent the EOI to Loc... more »
Navy to test F-35C Lighting II aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
[image: F-35C Lightning II]The Navy will test the next generation of fighter jets aboard a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier next month. The second developmental test phase of the F-35C Lightning II aircraft will begin aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower on Monday, October 5, 2015. Two F-35Cs are scheduled to conduct the training on the Eisenhower through October 15. Read more
Russian shipyard launches last 'Black Hole' sub built for Vietnam Navy
[image: HQ187 SSK launch]Russian shipbuilders on Monday launched the last of the six Kilo-class submarines ordered by the Vietnamese Navy. Admiral Viktor Chirkov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, and Rear Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander of the People's Navy of Vietnam, were present at the launching ceremony for the submarine, codenamed HQ-187 Ba Ria Vung Tau, at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg. It is part of a deal reached between Vietnam and Russia for six Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines for $2 billion back in 2009. Read more
Russian Threat Drives Lockheed’s JASSM Sales
[image: AGM-158 JASSM]Lockheed Martin doesn’t like to say it, but their best salesman isn’t getting a bonus this year. That’s because his name is Vladimir Putin. An increasingly aggressive and well-armed Russia is clearly driving its neighbors to build up their own arsenals, and in highly specific ways. Thus the international success of Lockheed’s Strike Systems division, which builds long-range, radar-evading missiles capable of penetrating a Russian or Chinese-style defense-in-depth. Read more
Trident is useless. That’s why we must debate its renewal
[image: Vanguard class SSBN]It might be perfectly understandable why Labour party delegates decided to bottle out of a conference debate on Trident, Britain’s most powerful, most expensive, most irrelevant and most useless weapon. Yet the attempt to suppress debate on the utility of Britain’s nuclear arsenal is undemocratic. And a discussion is needed, desperately. “The question of Trident renewal becomes a symbol for Britain in the world, for patriotism, or for enlightened foreign policy,” says Michael Clarke, director general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) thinktan... more »
Military Photo of the Day: September 29, 2015
[image: Fighter Jet-900] A U.S. Air Force pilot flies an F-22 Raptor over the Baltic Sea on Sept. 4, 2015. Thank you to Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson for capturing this breathtaking image!
Saudi Arabia Is Running Out Of Money
*IBTimes*: *Saudi Arabia Withdraws Billions Of Dollars From Asset Managers To Cut Deficit From Falling Oil Prices* Saudi Arabia has withdrawn tens of billions of dollars from global asset managers in recent months in an effort to cut its massive deficit caused by falling oil prices over the past year, Financial Times reported Sunday. The country's banks are borrowing in the bonds and loans market because of the cash squeeze. The price of crude oil has halved in the past year and now stands at about $50 a barrel. The slump in oil prices forced governments to fund spending through b... more »
World Bank: High Risk Of Another Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Palestinians look at the damage at the Hamas training camp after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters *AFP:* *World Bank warns of 'high risk' of Israel-Palestinian conflict* Jerusalem (AFP) - The World Bank warned of the "high risk" of renewed Israel-Palestinian conflict if the political and economic status quo between the two sides persists, in a report released Tuesday. "The persistence of this situation could potentially lead to political and social unrest," it said. "In short, the status quo is not sustainable and do... more »
Defence white paper: bin it and start again
[image: Defence Minister Marise Payne]The defence portfolio is a tough assignment and Marise Payne takes it on at an especially difficult time. Marise Payne is as well qualified for the job of defence minister as any who have taken it on for a very long time, and far better qualified than either of her most recent predecessors. Her appointment has sent the clearest possible signal that Malcolm Turnbull intends his government to fix the mess in defence created by previous governments over many years, by doing things differently. Read more
Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence Program Completes Critical Design Review
[image: Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence System]Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence System, including the large-scale digital radar and turn-key facility were deemed technically mature and provided evidence that all requirements will be met through the program’s Critical Design Review (CDR) conducted by the U.S. Air Force. Government representatives met with Lockheed Martin engineers in Moorestown to review the Space Fence S-band radar system design, which will detect, track, and catalog orbital objects in space more than 1.5 million times a day to predict and prevent space-based collisions.... more »
GOP, Let Obama Shut It Down and Own It
[image: Pro-lifers To Hold Protest v. Planned Parenthood's 'Day of Action' Across the Country] Establishment Republicans inside and outside Washington miss the grassroots’ point. Even if we don’t eventually prevail with defunding Planned Parenthood, we need to take this issue to the American people. Establishment types believe that just as we are finally poised... more »
New U.S.-China Military Rules Fall Short On Disputes Like The South China Sea
A Chinese fighter in international waters buzzed a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft within 20 feet and did a barrel roll over it in an incident that prompted a diplomatic complaint, U.S. officials said today. Source: Pentagon via Bloomberg *Wall Street Journal:* *New U.S.-China Military Rules Vague on Dealing with Conflicts* *Unclear how agreement would apply to disputed islands in South China Sea.* WASHINGTON—The U.S. and China completed an agreement Friday on military air and naval encounters, but defense officials acknowledged it amounts mainly to “confidence building measures,”... more »
Bacon Avocado Grilled Cheese Skewers
There are few things that go together quite like lunch and grilled cheese, but a plain grilled cheese sandwich can get boring after awhile, so why not mix it up a little. We came up with these fun grilled cheese skewers. You get all the fabulous taste of grilled cheese with some extra veggies. I am never going to complain about my kids eating extra veggies without complaining. Something about putting veggies on a stick makes it fun to eat. You will need: - Arla Dofino Havarti Cheese (You can use creamy or jalapeno) - Red Bell Peppers - Cherry Tomatoes - Avocado - Ba... more »
Pro-Independence Parties Win Elections in Spanish Region of Catalonia
[image: Catalonia independence] Pro-independence parties in Spain’s Catalonia region have won an absolute majority in regional elections. The main separatist alliance and a smaller nationalist party won 72 seats in the 135-seat regional parliament. However, the pro-independence parties fell just short of getting... Continue reading *“Pro-Independence Parties Win Elections in Spanish Region of Catalonia”* at *bbc.com*.
The Affordable Housing Fraud
[image: San Fransisco Apartments - 900] Nowhere has there been so much hand-wringing over a lack of “affordable housing,” as among politicians and others in coastal California. And nobody has done more to make housing unaffordable than those same politicians and their supporters. A recent survey... more »
John Boehner: Then and Now
[image: John_Boehner - 900] The announcement by House Speaker John Boehner that he is retiring at the end of October stunned Washington where life is all about grabbing power and holding on to it, often until death they do part. At a meeting with... more »
Government Shutdown over Planned Parenthood Could Be Ted Cruz’s Big Moment
[image: Ted Cruz Smile and Wave - 400] If Ted Cruz is ever going to break through in the Republican presidential primary, the time is now. Cruz has been the workmanlike conservative of the GOP field: a strong fundraiser but no Jeb Bush, well-liked by the activist right... Continue reading *“Government Shutdown over Planned Parenthood Could Be Ted Cruz’s Big Moment”* at *politico.com*.
Coming up at the Supreme Court: "The Revenge of the Conservatives"?
*They're ba-a-ack!* *by Ken* Are you ready for it, constitutional-law fans? Yes, it's Ian Millhiser's fall preview. "Next Monday," ThinkProgress's legal maven noted in his post this morning ("Everything You Need To Know About The Big Supreme Court Cases The Justices Will Hear This Term"), the Supreme Court will gavel in its newest term and the justices will take the bench for the first time since last June, when the conservative Roberts Court handed down a string of uncharacteristically liberal decisions. This term, however, liberals will need to swim upstream, with the justices ... more »
Disturbing Pictures Being Released That Show Dead Haj Pilgrims Being Bulldozed And Dumped Into A Pile (Warning Graphic)
Pictures emerge of #Saudi officials bulldozing bodies of dead #Hajj pilgrims like garbage & dumping them into a pile. pic.twitter.com/6uKtbuF9Rm — Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) September 26, 2015 *WNU Editor:* If these pics are accurate .... Saudi Arabia deserves the condemnation that many are now voicing. *Update:* The death toll is climbing .... *Death toll reportedly climbs to at least 1,100 in Saudi Arabia hajj stampede* (FOX News).
Steven Spielberg Tried To Make Hillary Clinton Likeable .... And Failed
*Photo: *Steven Spielberg received a National Humanities Medal in 1999 from then-President Clinton as Hillary Rodham Clinton looked on. (Photo: Win McNamee/Reuters) *New York Post:* *Spielberg tried – and failed – to make Hillary seem likeable* *In his new book, “Unlikeable,” journalist Edward Klein unveils the lengths Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign will go to avoid the mistakes of the 2008 race — when Obama famously said, “You’re likeable enough, Hillary.” In an exclusive excerpt to The Post, Klein reveals how Bill Clinton reached out to a famous friend for help.* Hillary wa... more »
Is Paul Set to Pack It In? Candidate Takes Break to Fund Raise for Senate Campaign
[image: Rand Paul] Paul takes break to raise funds for Senate campaign Struggling to gain traction in the Republican presidential race, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) this week will turn his attention to fundraising for his Senate reelection efforts. Continue reading *“Is Paul Set to Pack It In? Candidate Takes Break to Fund Raise for Senate Campaign”* at *thehill.com*.
Anti-Leadership Insurgency Could Threaten Mitch McConnell Ally Marco Rubio
[image: MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 09: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivers remarks during the graduation of small business owners from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program held at the Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College on February 9, 2015 in Miami, Florida.] While Breitbart News has been reporting for months that Rep. John Boehner's speakership was in jeopardy, the Washington media was stunned on Friday with the historic announcement of Boehner's resignation. The anti-leadership sentiment seems to be growing as the Washington Times is... Continue reading *“Anti-Leadership Insurg... more »
John Boehner Quit Before He Was Fired
[image: John_Boehner - 400] Let's be clear about one thing: John Boehner quit because he was going to get fired. It's all fine and dandy to describe the Speaker as an "institutionalist" - a word we have not heard so frequently used since the... Continue reading *“John Boehner Quit Before He Was Fired”* at *thefederalist.com*.
Did Carly Fiorina Lie About Planned Parenthood? No.
[image: Protest Planned Parenthood sign_Medium] Continue reading *“Did Carly Fiorina Lie About Planned Parenthood? No.”* at *douthat.blogs.nytimes.com*.
Augustine, Aquinas, or Kant? Pope Francis at the UN
[image: Pope Francis addresses the General Assembly during his visit to United Nations headquarters.] One of the world's worst-kept secrets is the Holy See's high regard for the United Nations. Since Paul VI, popes have appeared before its General Assembly to express their "great esteem," as Francis remarked in his recent UN address, for... Continue reading *“Augustine, Aquinas, or Kant? Pope Francis at the UN”* at *crisismagazine.com*.
bernie sanders, the pope, and the politics of amnesia
I see a lot of excitement online, in places like Common Dreams and The Nation, and in my Facebook feed, about Bernie Sanders, supposedly remaking US politics, and Pope Francis, supposedly remaking the Roman Catholic Church. About Sanders, I shake my head and wonder why long-time Democrat voters do not see him and his candidacy for what it is. About the Pope, I wonder why progressive people allow themselves to care. *Sanders is the new Dean* Bernie Sanders has been praised as a maverick, an independent, and a socialist. All of which may have been true at various points in his polit...more »
"Fourth Turning: Crisis Of Trust, Part 3"
*"Fourth Turning: Crisis Of Trust, Part 3"* by Jim Quinn "In Part 1 of this article I discussed the catalyst spark which ignited this Fourth Turning and the seemingly delayed regeneracy. In Part 2 I pondered possible Grey Champion prophet generation leaders who could arise during the regeneracy. In Part 3 I will focus on the economic channel of distress which is likely to be the primary driving force in the next phase of this Crisis. There are very few people left on this earth who lived through the last Fourth Turning (1929 – 1946). The passing of older generations is a key compo... more »
Sentencing the Aboriginal Offender
In Canadian law people of Aboriginal background face a different sentencing regime than other Canadians. The Criminal Code provides for restraint in the use of imprisonment for Aboriginal offenders. The Criminal Code provides : 718.2 A court that imposes a sentence shall also take into consideration the following principles: (e) all available sanctions or options other than imprisonment that are reasonable in the circumstances should be considered for all offenders, with particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders. The Supreme Court of Canada, in a case cal... more »
Feminists Should Be Terrified of Carly
[image: Carly Fiorina3 - 900] Carly Fiorina is a no-nonsense former business executive who is showing she can play -- and throw elbows -- with the big boys in the Republican presidential nomination battle. Feminists have noticed, but their admiration is tinged with dread -- and it should... more »
Putin's Favorite Muslim Is Insane
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) met with Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov at the Kremlin in Moscow, Dec. 4, 2014. Reuters *Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast:* *The Kremlin’s Favorite Muslim, Kadyrov, Goes Too Far* Putin’s most ambitious and ruthless supporter in Chechnya appears to be spinning out of control, with deadly consequences. MOSCOW — Earlier this month, the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, informed his more than one million followers on social networks that he had become “the happiest man in this land.” Something had come to pass that he never could have dreamed o... more »
Typhoon Again, Hung again
[image: LanyuDanno_2015_265] *Some people will do anything for a selfie.* NASA says there is flowing water on Mars! And plenty here too. Still raining as Dujian passes overhead. I'd post typhoon pictures but there are lots on the internet. The east coast and mountain communities got slammed again, many not yet recovered from the last big one. In my own neighborhood trees were downed and there are broken windows, and we lost power and water for a few hours last night. Fortunately I had a good stock of beer, fatty pork, and Doritos. Worst typhoon for us in Taichung in a while. People... more »
Marlon Brando Questioned Everything We’ve Been Taught About American Indians
*Vic Bishop* - Few celebrities today have the courage to challenge one of America's founding myths. The post Marlon Brando Questioned Everything We’ve Been Taught About American Indians appeared first on Waking Times.
Bernie Sanders: An Alternative To Republican Nihilism, Extremism And Destruction
Today Jeb Bush is far from a top-tier candidate. In fact, if you judge by months of consistent polling, he's struggling between the second and third tiers of the GOP's so-called "deep bench." But he is top-tier in one sense: His family's wealthy connections have contributed over $120 million to him and his SuperPAC to get him into the White House. Without that money he'd be the next to follow Scott Walker out the door. He may be anyway. According to the *Washington Post*'s Ed O'Keefe and Matea Gold, what Bernie calls the "billionaire class" has put Jeb on notice: Shape up or ship ... more »
President Obama's Security Doctrine Is Failing
*Gerald F. Seib, Wall Street Journal:* *Syria War Tests Obama’s Security Doctrine* *The lack of good options tails the president as he meets world leaders this week at the United Nations.* Every president, it seems, gets one foreign-policy problem from hell, one that defies resolution, that refuses to be ignored, that tests the White House’s strategic theories—and that hangs over the presidential legacy. Jimmy Carter had Iran, Ronald Reagan had Lebanon, Bill Clinton had the Balkans and George W. Bush had Iraq. For President Barack Obama, it’s increasingly clear that his problem i... more »
He Thinks They're One And The Same Thing
http://www.metal-archives.com/ At tonight's Munk debate, Stephen Harper will claim that -- just as he is a master of economic policy -- he is also a foreign policy guru. But, Michael Harris writes, Harper's foreign policy is all about milking the world for money while being guided by humanity's darker angels: Behind the emotional appeal to the worst angels of our nature and fear mongering is a decade’s worth of diplomatic disaster. The world has become a much more dangerous place for Canadians due almost solely to the Harper approa... more »
For The First Time In Two Years Obama And Putin Hold A Formal Meeting
*ABC News*: *Obama, Putin Hold Formal Meeting for First Time in Two Years* President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin met today for their first formal meeting in two years, amid new tensions in recent weeks between the already-adversarial world leaders. While the world won’t likely be privy to all of details of their conversation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the international community received a short preview in the leaders' dueling speeches earlier today. Obama generated shaking heads from the Russian delegation after blaming the country fo... more »
On not driving helicoptered kids to school
How has your driving to work been these last couple of days? I’ll put money it that it’s been *way* better for you too, now that kids are enjoying their school holidays and, crucially, *their mummies aren’t driving them to and from school twice a day!* Subtract those four trips a day from the traffic on our clogged roads—four trips multiplied by a frighteningly large proportion of the 770,000 children who attend school every day—and you get roads that work they way they were designed to. And the kids are all better off too. Why can’t stay-at-home mums stay at home and let their ... more »
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National Interest: Obama should calm Russia down and meet with Putin(english.pravda.ru)
Holding of Ukrainian president's meeting with U.S. president being discussed - presidential administration(en.interfax.com.ua)
Ted Rall: How One Syrian Boy Harshes Up Everything [cartoon](anewdomain.net)
What Obama Is Doing Now to Improve US-Cuba Relations(onenewspage.us)
World › Pope Francis praises U.S.-Cuba detente as model for world(japantoday.com) I didn't know he was a comedian. I lay breakdown in US-Cuban relations at the feet of the US and its policy of economic warfare ; sanctions
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