11:31 pm MDT
34 Retired F-22 Trainers Can Be Upgraded To A Combat Configuration
An F-22A raptor like this one has completed its final assembly in the Lockheed Martin plant in Marietta, Ga., and is the first combat-capable fighter destined for basing and operations in the Pacific. This particular F-22A is in service at the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va. (The first squadron to receive the F-22A.) Photographer : U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker *WNU Editor:* A few days ago I posted an article that 100 F-35s may be retired .... *The Pentagon May Retire 100 F-35s Because It Would Be Too Expensive To Upgrade Them* (September 26, 20... more »
Picture Of The Day
People wait at a gas station to fill up their fuel containers in San Juan. REUTERS/Alvin Baez *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Puerto Rico devastated* (Reuters).
China's New Stealth Fighter Has Officially Entered Service
*Scout Warrior:* *China's New Stealth Fighter Has Officially Entered Service* *China’s Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter has officially entered service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). “China's latest J-20* China’s Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter has officially entered service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). “China's latest J-20 stealth fighter has been officially commissioned into military service, according to Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense on Thursday,” reads a September 28 press release [3] posted on the Chinese Mi... more »
Russia 1, Data Science 0
Ethical Technology - 1 hour ago
Both sides in the 2016 election had access to the best statistical models and databases money could buy. If Russian influence (which as far as we know involved little more than the well-timed dumping of not exactly military grade hacked information, plus some Twitter bots and Facebook ads) was at any level decisive, then it’s a slap on the face for data-driven campaigning.
NSA Admits That It Is Conducting Surveillance On More Than 100,000 Foreign Nationals Outside The US
*FOX News:* *Surveillance program had 106,000 foreign targets in 2016, officials say* With an end-of-year deadline looming to re-authorize a vital foreign intelligence collection tool, senior U.S. government officials said Monday that the program had 106,000 foreign targets in calendar-year 2016 – as they urged renewal, arguing there is “no substitute” for this kind of intelligence. The “702” program – Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) -- is "the single most important operational statute," one senior government official said, pointing to its effective... more »
How High The Wave? How High The Wave? How Many Republicans Will Drown In It?
You see that chart up top; the GOP is desperate to get it done-- and get it done fast. They sense what's coming. It's called a wave... and it's already building. If it's like one of the recent mega-waves-- in 2006 the Republicans lost a net of 30 seats. Their congressional vote went from 49.4% of the popular vote in 2004 to 44.3%, a precipitous 5.1% drop. In 2010 the shoe was on the other foot. The Democrats had netted another 21 red-districts when Obama was elected in 2008 but two years later was catastrophic for them. Largely because the DCCC had recruited so many lousy Blue Dog... more »
Two Former CIA Directors Support Athletes Taking The Knee When The Anthem Is Being Played
*WNU Editor:* The two former CIA Directors are Michael Hayden .... *Former CIA Director: In Dispute With Trump, 'Put Me Down With Kaepernick'* (Huffington Post), and John Brennan .... *Former CIA Director John Brennan Stands By Athletes Taking The Knee *(Huffington Post).
U.S. Air Force's Academy Superintendent Rebukes Students Over Racism
*Business Insider: **Watch an Air Force general rebuke students over racism at Air Force Academy: Show respect or 'get out'* After racial slurs were found on dormitory message boards belonging to five black cadet candidates at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School this week, the academy's superintendent offered a harsh rebuke of racism, misogyny, and other forms of bigotry. "If you can't treat someone with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you can't treat someone of another gender, whether that's a man or a woman, with dignity and respect, then you need to get o... more »
Why Madrid Will Never Let Catalonia Go
*Zero Hedge:* *Why Madrid Will Never Let Go - Catalonia Is Closer To The Eurozone Than Spain* As we have detailed previously, the Spanish region of Catalonia in the North-Eastern corner of Spain will attempt to hold an independence referendum tomorrow, against the will of the central government in Madrid. Apart from the Baleares and the Madrid region itself, Catalonia together with its capital Barcelona is one of the most economically-powerful parts of the country. Notably, as Statista's infographic below shows that the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of Catalonia lies cl... more »
UN To Investigate War Crimes In Yemen
*BBC:* *Yemen war: UN agrees to send war crime experts* The UN has agreed to send war crimes investigators to Yemen to examine alleged violations committed by all parties to country's civil war. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution to set up a group of "eminent" experts. It was a compromise between Western powers and a group of Arab states that included Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition is backing Yemeni pro-government forces in a conflict with the rebel Houthi movement. More than 8,530 people, 60% of them civilians, have been killed and 48,800 injured in air strik... more »
Yemen Rebels Warn Israel Is Within Range Of Their Missiles
*Newsweek*: *Israel Military Bases Within Range of Missiles, Yemen Rebels Warn* A spokesperson for Yemeni rebels warned Israel not to intervene in the country's civil war, saying Israeli military bases in Africa are within range of their missiles. Colonel Aziz Rashid, a member of the rebel alliance that ousted Yemeni President Abbed Rabbo Hadi in 2014, accused Israel of fighting alongside a Saudi Arabia–led coalition that is attempting to reinstate the exiled Yemeni leader, and threatened to strike Israeli military installations. He said his forces would also soon have missiles c... more »
The U.S. and Russia Plan To “Build” A Moon Base Together
By Aaron Kesel The two nations that have been seen as bitter rivals since the Cold War and especially after the American 2016 election which... more »
Hawaii To Require Cashless Payments For Medical Marijuana
By Vin Armani In this video, Vin Armani discusses how politicians in Hawaii are taking away citizens’ rights if they choose to use medical marijuana.... more »
New Montana Law Limits ALPR Use, Helps Block National License Plate Tracking Program
By Michael Maharrey Tomorrow, a Montana law that limits the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in the state goes into effect. The new... more »
California Seeks Ban On Fossil Fuel Cars, Laying The Groundwork To Ban Human Driven Cars
By Aaron Kesel California known as the sunny state is eyeing a ban on sales of fossil-fuel cars in hopes of reducing carbon emissions as they... more »
What Happens To The Media’s “Stale” News?
By Catherine J. Frompovich Have you ever questioned what happens to ‘stale news’ and why we don’t hear updates as to how a “news issue... more »
Critical US Energy Infrastructure at Risk from Russia; Trump May Need To Be Impeached and Removed to Protect It
CITGO Corpus Christi TX Fire in 2009: http://www.csb.gov/csb-issues-urgent-recommendations-to-citgo-finds-inadequate-hydrogen-fluoride-water-mitigation-system-during-corpus-christi-refinery-fire-last-july/ Venezuela bought 50% of CITGO in 1986. By 1990 Venezuela had bought … Continue reading →
Mining 55, Kaleidoscope forum by UP MINERS
Last Thursday evening, September 28, the student organization UP MINERS held a forum on "Kaleidoscope: Various Perspectives on Mining" held at the UP College of Engineering Theater. Just panel discussions, no powerpoints. There were six of us panelists -- two from the DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Atty. Josephine Sescon and another officer; Atty. Ronnie Recidoro of the Chamber of Mines (COMP), Engr. Duday de Sales of Woodfield Consultants, Jaybee Garganera of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) and me. Mining is beautiful in the sense that it can create a lot of jobs, lots of commu... more »
Iran Wants America to Ignore Its Nuclear Ambitions
*Emily B. Landau* *Security, Middle East* [image: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani inspects the honour guard during a welcoming ceremony upon his arrival at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow] Once the nuclear deal expires, Iran will ironically be much better positioned to move to nuclear weapons than it was before the deal was negotiated. The starting point for any assessment of the Iran nuclear deal—or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—is the recognition that Iran remains a determined nuclear proliferator, and that the deal does not prevent it from achieving its ... more »
South Korea Is about to Make a $7 Billion Nuclear Submarine Blunder
*Zachary Keck, Henry Sokolski* *Security, Asia* An expensive miltiary project with a big downside. One of the toughest challenges for military allies to sort out is a sensible division of labor when it comes to expensive high-tech weaponry. A case in point is South Korea’s interest in developing extremely expensive nuclear submarines, which also raise nuclear proliferation concerns. Although South Korea has invested heavily in conventional subs, operating eighteen of the vessels with more on the way, *Yonhap News Agency* recently reported, “The Moon administration is considering ... more »
5 Reasons Why a 2nd Korean War Won't Be Like the First (and Much Worse)
*Michael Peck* *Security, Asia* Nukes, chemcial weapons and much more. If a Second Korean War were to erupt tomorrow, there is one thing we can be sure of. It won’t be like the First Korean War of 1950-53. It's always reassuring—and usually fatal—to assume a conflict will be like its predecessor. France lost in 1940 because they assumed World War II would be fought in the trenches like World War I. Israel almost lost in 1973 because they assumed the Arab armies would collapse as they did in 1967. So what are the chances that Korean War II would be just like Korean War I? The a... more »
Rising Sun, Descending Darkness: How the Philippines Fell to Japan in World War II
*Warfare History Network* *History, Asia* When the Japanese invaded America’s Pacific outpost in the Philippines, thousands of U.S. troops and there brave Filipino allies were doomed. “Finally at Corregidor there was only a little crowd of American soldiers and Filipino soldiers and American nurses at the beaches, with nothing at their backs but the waters of the Pacific, and the flag came down. Bataan and Corregidor became symbols, like Valley Forge.” So wrote a Yank magazine correspondent in 1942, shortly after the Philippine Islands fell to the Japanese on May 6. Despite much ... more »
The U.S. Army May Be Abandoning Its 7.62mm Rifle Program
*Task and Purpose, Matthew Moss* *Security, North America* U.S. soldiers may not be getting a high-caliber rifle anytime soon. The U.S. Army’s new Interim Combat Service Rifle (ICSR) program is rumored to have been canceled, just a few weeks after it launched. The project, announced last month, sought to procure a standard-issue infantry rifle chambered in the larger 7.62x51mm round. The Army’s rifle program fell victim to a “massive review of US Army small arms programs,” unnamed military sources told The Firearm Blog in a Sep. 20 post. The report coincides with the news that bu... more »
The U.S. Marine Commandant Wants a 'Star Trek'-Style Holodeck for Wargaming
*Task and Purpose, James Clark* *Security, North America* The future is now. The Marine Corps Commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, wants a sci-fi-inspired holodeck so he can war where no one has warred before, reports Marine Corps Times. “In a perfect world, it would be like Jean-Luc Picard in *Star Trek*,” Neller said. “I’d walk into the holodeck and I’d go, ’Computer, Battle of Waterloo, 1812, Prussian army, I am in command, simulation — go.’” In his comments at the annual Modern Marine Expo at Quantico, Virginia, last week, Neller said he wants to take simulated training — which i... more »
Should The U.S. Senate Scrap Their Filibuster Rules?
The United States Senate in session in their chamber in the U.S. Capitol building. Image Credit: CDM.me Every now and then, President Donald Trump urges the U.S. Senate to get rid of their ancient filibuster rules. I suspect a great many people, myself included, are terribly ambivalent about the issue. There are truly excellent reasons […]
What Happened to the Armchair Environmentalists and Climate Alarmists When the Hurricanes Hit?
Hifast at What Happened to the Armchair Environmentalists and Climate Alarmists When the Hurricanes Hit? – Climate Collections - 4 hours ago
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: Guest Opinion: Dr. Tim Ball There are two ways to get ahead. Pull yourself up or push other people down. There are few better exponents of the pushdown option than the environmental groups and their supporters. They are, for the most part, urban guerrillas, useless people who do…
Middle Finger Symphony Theater
** No Tuxedos Required ** *Brought To You By BLUESJUNKY: Honorary Chair of Music - Middle Finger Symphony Music Director*
Grimm Day On Staten Island Mañana
*Blame Trump?* Mafia thug Michael "Mikey Suits" Grimm was convicted on a plea-bargain and given a slap on the wrist sentence because he had so much dirt on so many FBI agents. Now he's out of prison and feels he is entitled to run for Congress again and pretend the only thing he ever did wrong was about paperwork. The GOP deserves Grimm as much as they deserve Roy Moore-- the two very different, but not unrelated, extremes that make up the modern Republican Party: greed and corruption meets unhinged hatred and bigotry. Tomorrow Grimm starts his primary campaign against relatively po... more »
Barents Sea Ice-Free. How Come?
Hifast at What Happened to the Armchair Environmentalists and Climate Alarmists When the Hurricanes Hit? – Climate Collections - 4 hours ago
Originally posted on Science Matters: Might maritime activities, such as shipping, oil extraction, fishing etc. be having an effect on Barents Sea ice extents? Arnd Bernaerts has an informative post up at his blog: They warm-up the Arctic! Shipping, Off-Shore, Science etc.! Dr. Bernaerts explains: It is not known which alterations shipping, naval forces, research vessels…
Climate models overheat
Hifast at What Happened to the Armchair Environmentalists and Climate Alarmists When the Hurricanes Hit? – Climate Collections - 4 hours ago
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: Guest essay by Michel de Rougemont Without questioning the observed global warming or the emissions to the atmosphere of infrared-absorbing gases, three central issues remain without properly quantified responses, without which no other climate policy than that of a gradual adaptation can be justified: the sensitivity of the…
Christopher Bollyn on The War on Terror; Barry Kissin responds
*Most Recent Show: Barry Kissin responds to Christopher BollynShow link http://noliesradio.org/archives/136824 (Bollyn interview at http://noliesradio.org/archives/136498 )* New False Flag Weekly News: http://noliesradio.org/archives/136710 UN inaction on Rohingya plight rooted in Islamophobia: Analyst http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/09/30/536955/Myanmar-UN-Rohingya-Muslims * * * Andrew Blair on transparency the open society and academic freedom https://www.patreon.com/posts/andrew-blair-on-14594607 *E. Michael Jones on "The Rise and Fall of the New Atheism" ... more »
Jared Kushner is likely working for foreign intelligence agencies whether he knows it or not.
Courtesy of Politico: *The officials said White House aides also were told they should assume that foreign cyberspies had already penetrated their personal email systems to some degree and used that access to vacuum up everything not just on their own computers and phones but those of their contacts. * *The NSA briefers told the Trump aides that using their personal devices for work, including passing files and emails from one system to the other, could give cyberspies access to their work computers and email, too, the officials said. * *If Kushner did not adhere to the security ... more »
The Rothschild/ Rockefeller Deal You May Have Missed ?
*Caught an interview recently where this older but still very relevant news was mentioned-* *Interview was Tim Kelly & John Adams talking Controlled Opposition- * *"We talk about how the oligarchs control both (Left v Right) or all sides of the political debate, foment division and leverage their vast wealth to manipulate culture"* * Ya know like the Kurds & ISIS? Alt media vs main stream media? Story for another day. * * Let's get back to the news at hand. **After hearing this news mentioned in the above interview, I wondered how it was this marriage of money and power, that took p... more »
STEVE BANNON (AND THE MERCERS) THINK THE KOCH BROTHERS ARE RINOs
An extremely unsubtle Breitbart story makes clear that Steve Bannon & Co. really don't like the Koch brothers: *VP Mike Pence to Be Keynote Speaker at Pro-Amnesty Koch Brothers’ Retreat* Vice President Mike Pence will be the keynote speaker at pro-mass immigration GOP mega-donors Charles and David Koch’s New York political strategy retreat. ... The retreat is also to cultivate Republican candidates for the 2018 midterm elections who are in-line with the Kochs’ open borders agenda. ... Pence’s speaking engagement at the event is at odds with his social conservative history and base ... more »
So Much For That 'Russian Invasion' Many Were Predicting Last Month
© Sputnik/ Viktor Tolochko *VICE News:* *Russia’s giant military exercise wasn’t a cover for war after all* One of Russia’s biggest war games in years didn’t result in the “big invasion” a top NATO official had warned about, but there’s still suspicion in the West that the Zapad 2017 exercises involved more troops than Moscow let on. Zapad, a Russian word that translates to “West,” took place in western Russia and Belarus from Sept. 14–20. NATO’s Military Committee Head General Petr Peval had said the exercises looked like “a serious preparation for [a] big war.” Russia said 12,7... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Moment of Grace Part 1"
Liquid Mind, "Moment of Grace Part 1" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I61vm_nLNYg
Turkey Opens Its Largest Overseas Military Base In Somalia
*VOA:* *Turkey Opens Largest Foreign Military Base in Mogadishu * WASHINGTON — Turkey’s largest foreign military base in the world opened Saturday in Mogadishu, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Somali leaders, top Turkish military officials and diplomats. Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and the head of the Turkish military, General Hulusi Akar have jointly inaugurated the 4 square kilometer (1.54 square mile) facility, which holds three military residential complexes, training venues, and sports courts. It had been under construction for the last two years. Genera... more »
The Death of a Pornographer
Earlier this summer there was a press flap over R Kelly, the almost forgotten superstar of 90s R&B. Capturing the newswires' attention were allegations he ran a cult, that several young women lived with him, were manipulated by him, and were effectively forced into having sex with him. Sensational news that got the celebrity gossip columns singing not out of concern for the women involved, but because of its salacious character. It was new, eccentric, and entirely icky - the depressing but well-trod story of yet another male celebrity exploiting the differential... more »
The Irrelevance of President Trump
Robert Reich - 6 hours ago
Announcement: Donald Trump is no longer the president of the United States. Oh sure, he has the... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“NGC 253 is not only one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, it is also one of the dustiest. Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel in the constellation of Sculptor, NGC 253 lies only about ten million light-years distant. *Click image for larger size.* NGC 253 is the largest member of the Sculptor Group of Galaxies, the nearest group to our own Local Group of Galaxies. The dense dark dust accompanies a high star formation rate, giving NGC 253 the designation of starburst galaxy. Visible in the above photograph is the active central nucleus, also known to be a bright source o... more »
"The Time You Have Left..."
“The life you have left is a gift. Cherish it. Enjoy it now, to the fullest. Do what matters, now.” ~ Leo Babauta
“What is Going On?”
*“What is Going On?”* by David Stansfield “We have now reached the point in our story where we no longer know what is going on. Moore’s law still reigns supreme over the technological playground, but it appears that our toys have outgrown us – or are very, very close to doing so. Each prediction about what this will mean for the human race is wilder than the next. The wildest prophecies of all cluster around a concept known as “the singularity.” Now there’s a word. Something to do with single, with singleness, oneness, with one or perhaps, The One. All of that and more is wrapped u... more »
American Indian Movement -- International Film Festival 2017
. Photo 'On2017 the Knife's Edge' 8th Annual American Indian Movement - International Film Festival October 10-11, 2017 2969 Mission Street, San Francisco AIM-West Press Release More Information: Antonio
Sheriff Joe Arpaio returns, and he is still looking for Obama's birth certificate.
Courtesy of Mercury News: *Fresh off a presidential pardon, America’s most infamous lawman is coming to California this week as part of an effort to re-enter the political arena. * *“Don’t think I’m going fishing,” Joe Arpaio, the 85-year-old former Maricopa County sheriff, said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “I am not going away.” * *Arpaio, whose hard-line immigration policies divided the country and led to his own criminal conviction, is speaking at a Republican fundraising dinner in Fresno on Friday, an appearance that has local police bracing for protests an... more »
Manhattan Town Hall event with Helga Zepp-LaRouche
Classical Renaissance World Land-Bridge New International Economic Order Video of IpUekoq98Jc Schiller Institute founder and Chairwoman Helga Zepp-LaRouche appeals to Americans to go fully with China's "Win Win" new paradigm of global cooperation as the only means of solving the horrific economic breakdown crisis now sweeping the trans-Atlantic world. Mrs. Zepp-LaRouche further called on all Americans to fully mobilize between now and President Trump's expected visit to China in November to insure that result, and insisted that, as in 15th century Europe, a great world renaissance i... more »
Chet Raymo, “Caught In The Middle”
*“Caught In The Middle”* by Chet Raymo "It doesn't take a genius to recognize that human males have a propensity for intergroup violence, and that the killing is often accompanied by rape. One need only read the newspapers. The only question is to what extent these tendencies are innate or culturally inculcated. Nature or nurture? Or both? A new book, "Sex and War: How Biology Explains Warfare and Terrorism and Offers a Path to a Safer World," by population biologist Malcolm Potts and science writer Thomas Hayden, dishes up a bit of both. The violence is in our (male) genes, they ma... more »
Puerto Rico: What did the delay in the response to Hurricane Maria mean?
Last night, I tried to dig in and understand whether and how the response to Hurricane Maria was delayed. I wrote a Tweetstorm that I Storify-ed below. I wanted to see what evidence if any supported those claims and in what ways a swifter and larger response potentially could have addressed some of the specific […]
NBA Warns Against Anthem Protests
[image: nba-warns-against-anthem-protests] The NBA top executives are hoping to avoid the public relations problems faced by the NFL.
Canada Pushes for Progressive Demands in NAFTA Renegotiation
[image: canada-pushes-for-progressive-demands-in-nafta-renegotiation] Canada is using the NAFTA renegotiation to push for far-reaching progressive changes to both the agreement and domestic U.S. laws.
Is Puerto Rico On The Verge Of Genocide?
Business Insider: *'WE ARE DYING': Puerto Rico mayor says the island is 'inching close to a genocide'* Mayor Carmen Cruz of San Juan, Puerto Rico delivered an emotional message on Friday, amid the logistical difficulties and bureaucratic red tape that has slowed down the hurricane-relief effort on the island/ "We are dying here," Cruz said in a press conference. "And I cannot fathom the thought that the greatest nation in the world cannot figure out logistics for a small island of 100 miles by 35 miles long." *Read more* .... *WNU Editor:* Puerto Rico's Governor has a different ... more »
NFL Looking For A Compromise ON Anthem Protests
*Rick Moran, American Thinker:* NFL desperately looking for compromise on anthem protests With ticket sales plummeting, TV viewership cratering, and their "brand favorability" dropping like a stone, the NFL league office hosted a meeting yesterday among league officials, the owners, and players to find a way off the ledge the players have placed the NFL by protesting the national anthem. While no specific course of action was agreed to, several teams last weekend all stood for the anthem, linking arms as a show of unity against Donald Trump's criticisms. That may be the way out fo... more »
Heckuva Job, Dukie!
From abcNEWS: President Donald Trump pledged to help Puerto Ricans recover basic necessities and security in Maria’s ruinous aftermath as his homeland security chief tried to escape a tempest of her own making, set off when she called Washington’s response to the … Continue reading →
Can Trump Bullshit His Way Into A Tax Cut For The 1%?
By the end of the week, a lot of people were saying Trump's tax plan would fail because of Republicans in New York and New Jersey. They're flipping out because Trump wants to eliminate the federal tax deduction of state & local taxes. The *Wall Street Journal* noted on Thursday the the Republican Tax Plan Quickly Hits First Hurdle, pointing out that "GOP lawmakers from high-tax states oppose repealing individual deduction for state and local taxes" and citing Republican members from New York and New Jersey. NY has 9 Republicans and NJ has 5 and it's great if they really are fightin... more »
Israel is on the verge of turning Turkey into an enemy
With many focused squarely on President Erdogan's rhetoric, more attention must be paid to Israel's actions which aroused the rhetoric. More The post Israel is on the verge of turning Turkey into an enemy appeared first on The Duran.
Who’s Really Trying To Overthrow Mohammed Bin Salman?
It’s worthwhile to revisit the question of who has an interest in destabilizing Saudi Arabia right at the moment that it’s turning away from the US and towards Russia and China. The post Who’s Really Trying To Overthrow Mohammed Bin Salman? appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
Leadership 2017 Links
The latest from the federal NDP's leadership campaign as we reach the last day of the first round of voting. - B.J. Siekierski reports on the latest Mainstreet poll showing Jagmeet Singh with a lead, but significant room for movement at each step in the campaign. And the Huffington Post hosted the last (unofficial) all-candidates' debate of the campaign. - Not surprisingly, the candidates have been making the rounds with late-campaign activity, including Niki Ashton's Q&A with Rabble and interview with Dylan Robertson; Guy Caron's interview with Maura Forrest and John Ivison; Sing... more »
Twitter -- Not All Critics are Russian Hackers
Police violence at Standing Rock, gassing water protectors Twitter setting dangerous precedent of police state By Brenda Norrell Censored News Twitter now believes that you are "un-American" and a Russian with a fake account, if you criticize Trump or the Clintons. Meanwhile, Censored News links have been blocked by Twitter since September of 2016, when we first exposed police violence at
Hurry Up, Mueller
"Genocide." Yes, the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico went there and said the "G" word, something never uttered except by yours truly his first year of blogging after Katrina hit New Orleans. And in the nearly 13 years I've been a political blogger, the first, last and only other time I have ever felt such a volcanic rage at an administration, out of all the countless evils they have visited on us and the world since late August 2005, was Bush's sluggish and apathetic response to the flooding in New Orleans during one of his many vacations. This matches that, easily... more »
BREAKING: Largest ISIS stronghold in rural Hama liberated by Syrian forces
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:10 P.M.) – The largest stronghold of besieged ISIS forces in central Syria has just been secured by the Syrian Arab Army following heavy clashes in and around the strategic site today. Minutes ago, the Syrian Army liberated the town of Soha from ISIS. The settlement is located in eastern Hama Governorate near […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Syrian Army annihilates ISIS, reopens Deir Ez-Zor highway
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army and its paramilitary allies have managed to re-secure all points lost to ISIS along the as-Sukhnah to Deir Ez-Zor highway and, in doing so, completely regain control of the vital road once again. Pro-government forces achieved this result after launching a massive counter-offensive against ISIS early […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Antifa Planning Communist Revolution for America on November 4
[image: antifa-planning-communist-revolution-for-america-on-november-4] The communists in the Antifa crowd are planning a revolution in America for Saturday, November 4 — almost exactly 100 years after the Bolshevik Revolution that took Russia out of the frying pan of Tsarist rule and into the fire of communist totalitarianism. While some see Antifa activists as the modern heroes of anti-Fascism — fighting against racism, sexism, and a litany of other “isms” — and others see them merely as the snowflake crowd of spoiled brats demanding free everything, the reality is that Antifa is ... more »
Chinese President Xi: Study Capitalism But Do Not Ignore Marxism
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the 86th INTERPOL General Assembly at Beijing National Convention Center on September 26, 2017 in Beijing, China. REUTERS/Lintao Zhang/Pool *Reuters*: *China's Xi says study capitalism, but Marxism remains top* BEIJING (Reuters) - Communist Party members should study contemporary capitalism but must never deviate from Marxism, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, offering a clear signal there will be no weakening of party control weeks ahead of a key Congress opening. The party brooks no challenge to its rule, and Xi has overseen a sweeping ... more »
Regional Powers Move To Restrict The Iraqi Kurds Following Their Independence Vote
*VOA*: *Regional Powers Move to Restrict Kurds Following Referendum Vote * Iran, Iraq and Turkey – three countries with large Kurdish populations – are imposing restrictions on Iraqi Kurds following the Kurdish independence referendum this week that passed with more than 92 percent of the vote. Iraq’s central government is making preparations for its military to seize control of international borders along the northern Kurdish region in an attempt to isolate the Kurds from other countries. In Iran, armed forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri told reporters Saturday his country would te... more »
General Russell Honore, the man credited with finally rescuing the victims of Katrina, says Donald Trump does not give a damn about poor people and people of color.
Gen. Honoré: "He doesn't give a damn about poor people, doesn't give a damn about people of color." https://t.co/vdHqzkWrEZ — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 30, 2017 Honore also called Trump an "SOB flying around in Air Force One." You can see the clip here. General Russell Honore was a conservative star after he swooped in to take command in New Orleans, so Trump might want to give his tweeting finger a rest. If he starts a war with Honore he might find himself well out of his depth. Besides the criticisms are coming hard and fast, so Trump can surely find a more vulnera... more »
World-saving solutions and inspirations... and what's really in that tax bill
*== Problem solving solutions ==* Contests to save the world? The MacArthur Foundation recently closed a competition called "100 & Change," which asks for proposals targeting specific problems on Earth. And now a new competition from the Global Challenges Foundation is calling for solutions to the world's most pressing problems, like conflict, climate change and extreme poverty. Registration for "A New Shape" is open until March 31 and proposals are due by September 30. The simple-minded genetic determinism of ignorant white nationalists is backfiring on them. They are getting gen... more »
Caught in the crossfire
In Afghanistan, civilians are enmeshed in the bitter conflict between US troops and the Taliban
Lionel DEMOLISHES this “Hill Reporter” who thinks Russia is to blame for racism in the USA (Video)
Lionel destroys The Big Budowsky. More The post Lionel DEMOLISHES this “Hill Reporter” who thinks Russia is to blame for racism in the USA (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
Tucker Carlson: “The whole [Russia] thing is false” (Video)
Another Russian conspiracy theory falls apart. More The post Tucker Carlson: “The whole [Russia] thing is false” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
Wikileaks DESTROYS Facebook. Top executives busted in leaked emails, “I Want HRC to Win Badly” (Video)
Leaked John Podesta emails show that Facebook colluded with the Hillary Clinton campaign. More The post Wikileaks DESTROYS Facebook. Top executives busted in leaked emails, “I Want HRC to Win Badly” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
Ron Paul: Anti-Russia Campaign Stems From Bias and Desire to Limit Free Speech
[image: undefined] The investigation into the alleged Russian meddling in the US elections and the supposed use of social media by Moscow to sway public opinion is just a “witch hunt,” former US Congressman Ron Paul told RT. “The people who promote this witch hunt do not care about what [the former US presidential candidate] Hillary [Clinton] was doing and they are very biased against the Trump campaign,” Paul said, adding that he believes that the “real problem” lies precisely in this bias. He also said that the Washington lawmakers involved in Russia-bashing close their eyes to r... more »
Congress Relying On Debunked 'Guilt By Association' Online Tool To Track 'Russian Influence'
[image: undefined] As we previously warned, the latest McCarthyite scam called "Hamilton 68" is increasingly serving as a go-to source for major media outlets and more disturbingly, now even members of Congress. This week Republican Senator James Lankford (Oklahoma) added another layer to the seemingly endless 'Russiagate' conspiracies - he claimed Wednesday during a hearing on threats faced by the US that Russia is using the NFL anthem kneeling controversy to drive a wedge through the American populace. Lankford, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, made the bizarre clai... more »
Electric vehicles as a tool of Big Brother and social control
I note that Governor Jerry Brown of California has some big plans for electric vehicles. Mary Nichols, head of California's Air Resources Board, told Bloomberg News this week that Brown has been pestering her about getting a gas-car ban on the books. * . . .* The United Kingdom and France have both said they will ban the sale of gas and diesel by 2040. Norway's transportation plan calls for all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2025. India wants to make the switch to electric by 2030. But it's the People's Republic of China, currently drafting its own ill-defined ban... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Thanks for stopping by!
Trump Tax Plan Increases Tax on Middle Class, Gives Massive Benefit to ‘Top 1%’
[image: plan]Under the new plan, the middle class will see a heavy increase in taxes while the mega-rich will receive major tax breaks—all by design.
WATCH: Cop Witnesses Armed Robbery, Lets Robber Go, Doesn’t Even Report It
[image: robbery]A Pheonix cop is on administrative duty after watching an attempted armed robbery, allowing the criminal to leave, and didn't even report it.
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. - Linda McQuaig writes that it's long past time to review our tax system to make sure it isn't unfairly leaking money to the people who need it least: These high rollers are able to avoid substantial amounts of tax by setting up private corporations and then funneling their incomes through these corporations. The widespread use of this tax avoidance scheme only came to light because of a detailed 2014 study by public finance scholars Michael Wolfson, Michael Veall and Neil Brooks, who used previously unavailable data from tax returns to sh... more »
Is Syria Going To Become The Battleground Between Israel And Syria?
*Jonathan Spyer, Foreign Policy:* Israel Is Going to War in Syria to Fight Iran *Israeli officials aren't shying from confronting Tehran's forces — since no one else will.* JERUSALEM – Israeli officials believe that Iran is winning its bid for dominance in the Middle East, and they are mobilizing to counter the regional realignment that threatens to follow. The focus of Israel’s military and diplomatic campaign is Syria. Israeli jets have struck Hezbollah and Syrian regime facilities and convoys dozens of times during Syria’s civil war, with the goal of preventing the transfer of ... more »
No Conscience?
[image: no-conscience] GOP Senator Jeff Flake’s book intends to convince readers that globalism and liberalism are conservative ideals.
Is The U.S. 'Tip-Toeing' To A Two Front War?
*Christopher J. Bolan, Defense One*: *Waltzing Toward a Two-Front Global War* The U.S. just might be one step away from a war with North Korea, and two from a fight with Iran. A few years ago, a Heritage Foundation analysis argued that the sine qua non of a superpower was the ability to fight two major campaigns in different regions of the globe nearly simultaneously. That same report noted that reduced defense investment and a decade of counterinsurgency campaigns had left the U.S. military unprepared to do so. Nonetheless, the U.S. finds itself one step away from war on the Ko... more »
Always Check Your Sources When It Comes To Media Coverage In Conflict Zones
Journalists interviewing Russian General Igor Konashenkov (ru:И́горь Конаше́нков) at Bassel Al-Assad International Airport during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War. Wikipedia *Rodger Shanahan, Lowy Institute*: *War Reporting 101: Check Your Sources* Earlier this year I wrote about the willingness of the news media to highlight claims of civilian casualties caused by coalition forces operating in Iraq and Syria, but their apparent unwillingness to critically examine their sources or to follow up when their claims have been denied, dismissed or proven wrong by... more »
Fukushima Webcam Update: Heavy Steam Emissions!
The last earthquake still has Fukushima steaming heavily, as viewed from TEPCO webcam 1. The source of the emissions is either unit 2 or 3, or perhaps both units. Here is a pdf of screenshots from yesterday: https://www.dropbox.com/s/780jvmmsenhvlk6/Sep%2030%202017%20high%20emissions.pdf?dl=1 Here is a screenshot from Sep 30 2017 4:54 (AM): Here is a screenshot from today: Conditions look as if they are worsening. Do you see the redish dot between the two buildings? That may be a boat in the harbor or is likely located directly adjacent to harbor. That last earthquake obviously... more »
The reason so many NFL players don't like cops . . .
. . . is apparently because so many of them have been arrested by cops - sometimes for repeated offenses. If you want the short-and-simple version, USA Today has published a list of NFL player arrests going back to the year 2000, in reverse date order. It's very informative. For the full, much longer version, a Web site provides searchable information on NFL arrests. It's been so overloaded in recent days that the primary site is currently offline; but it's been mirrored on a backup site, which is still working. The Web site notes: *Keep in mind there are 1700 NFL Players and ... more »
Even Most Businesses Are Worried About Trump Ruining The Economy
*Legislating Legislation by Nancy Ohanian* Everybody's picking apart Trump's eye-popping tax giveaway to the wealthy-- except for lobbyists. They are happy campers. As Think Progress put it yesterday, "Trump's signature tax bill drains the country's money right into Wall Street's pockets." The plan is designed to benefit wealthy business owners and powerful corporations that have spent, in some cases, millions of dollars lobbying for its own interests and filling the campaign coffers of the very people who crafted the bill. The centerpiece of the plan is a series of tax cuts for cor... more »
"The Relentless Invasion of Our Minds"
*"The Relentless Invasion of Our Minds"* by Zen Gardner "I can’t pound away enough about this subject, and I hope you are sounding off too. People would find it hard to believe how many types of technologies are being used on human minds today. We all know we’re “steered” and “walled off” to some degree by influences around us, not the least of which is the media and the onslaught of its corporofascist disinformation and advertising arm. Deeper influences include so-called modern education and the socially engineered dumbing-down of society for decades. Just look around you for how... more »
The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "Book of Hours II, 16"
*"Book of Hours II, 16"* "How surely gravity's law, strong as an ocean current, takes hold of even the strongest thing and pulls it toward the heart of the world. Each thing- each stone, blossom, child- is held in place. Only we, in our arrogance, push out beyond what we belong to for some empty freedom. If we surrendered to earth's intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees. Instead we entangle ourselves in knots of our own making and struggle, lonely and confused. So, like children, we begin again to learn from the things, because they are in God's heart; they have never left him.... more »
"For Nothing Is Fixed..."
"For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out." - James Baldwin
A Brief Overview Of The B-2
Wikimedia Commins *Kyle Mizokami, National Interest:* *Why the B-2 Stealth Bomber Might Be America's Most Dangerous Weapon* The B-2 Spirit is one of three strategic heavy bombers in U.S. Air Force service. Originally conceived to infiltrate the Soviet air-defense network and attack targets with nuclear weapons, over the decades its mission has grown to include conventional precision attack. The B-2 is the most advanced bomber in U.S. service, and the only one of three types that still carries nuclear gravity bombs. In the late 1970s, the administration of President Jimmy Carter op... more »
Why North Korea Does Not Trust China
Chinese President Xi and Norht Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. YouTube *Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat*: *War of the Dragons: Why North Korea Does Not Trust China* The legacy of the Sino-Vietnamese War continues to cast a shadow on China-North Korea relations. The idea that China holds the key to solving the ongoing political and military crisis on the Korean Peninsula has been the standard jack-in-the-box of U.S. North Korea policy for the past seven decades, set to pop up whenever U.S.-North Korea tensions escalated and the threat of war thought imminent. U.S. President Donald Trum... more »
TRUMP ATTACKS SAN JUAN MAYOR -- NEEDLESS TO SAY, BREITBART COMMENTERS HAVE HIS BACK
We know that Donald Trump backers are loyal, but surely no one will defend this, right? President Trump on Saturday criticized Puerto Rico's "poor leadership" and defended his administration's response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria's devastation on the island in an early morning series of tweets.... Following a plea for aid on Friday by San Juan's mayor, Trump said the mayor was being "nasty." “The mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump,” Trump tweeted. "Such poor leadership abilit... more »
Barack Obama's alma mater launched a scholarship program in his name.
Courtesy of Occidental College: *Occidental College today *(Actually Wednesday.)* announced the launch of its Barack Obama Scholars Program to empower exceptional students committed to the public good as it honors and perpetuates the principles President Barack Obama has advanced throughout his life. * *“My years at Occidental College sparked my interest in social and political causes, and filled me with the idea that my voice could make a difference,” said President Obama, a member of the Occidental College Class of 1983. “And throughout my time in public service, I’ve tried to ... more »
Will people be dying in Puerto Rico?
*SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2017Also, a cable star's Trump-like song of herself:* Are people dying in Puerto Rico? It seems to us that they probably are. It sounds to us like the situation may get a whole lot worse before it gets any better. It sounds to us like the situation may get extremely bad. That said, a certain major cable news star decided to start her program last night by providing us with an 18-minute PEP—a Partisan Entertainment Product. Her tribally pleasing PEP concerned the cost of those cabinet members' plane trips. At the start of last night's TV show, before sayin... more »
Barents Sea Ice-Free. How Come?
Might maritime activities, such as shipping, oil extraction, fishing etc. be having an effect on Barents Sea ice extents? Arnd Bernaerts has an informative post up at his blog: They warm-up the Arctic! Shipping, Off-Shore, Science etc.! Dr. Bernaerts explains: It is not known which alterations shipping, naval forces, research vessels and off-shore industry cause in […]
CATALONIA: Not Iraq nor Yugoslavia, but a uniquely EU problem
Every independence movement has its own characteristics and therefore must be understood based on these unique circumstances rather than through a prism of universality. More The post CATALONIA: Not Iraq nor Yugoslavia, but a uniquely EU problem appeared first on The Duran.
What I am reading
Two of my favorite young macroeconomists (and former students) have a new essay on Identification in Macroeconomics.
Tensions Are High In Catalonia On The Eve Of Its Independence Vote
*New York Times*: *Faces of Joy, Rage and Resolve in Catalonia as Independence Vote Nears* Catalonia, the restive northeastern region that includes Barcelona and that is Spain’s economic powerhouse, is attempting to vote on Sunday in an independence referendum. The Catalans say that their distinct language, history and culture entitle them to nationhood, or at least that they should have the chance to decide for themselves whether to break from Spain. The central government in Madrid, with the support of Spanish courts, says the vote is unconstitutional and should be suspended. I... more »
Did the NFL Give Donald Trump a Lifetime Ban After a Disastrous Lawsuit?
A viral meme gets some facts right about an infamous 1980s lawsuit involving Donald Trump's football team but misses the mark with others.
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