11:33pm MDST
.JPG)
Report: Hamas Has Executed Dozens Of Tunnel Diggers
A tunnel entrance, within a civilian home, found by Golani soldiers in the
northern Gaza Strip (photo credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/ Flash 90)
*Hamas Said To Have Executed Dozens Of Tunnel Diggers -- Times of Israel*
Any excavator who was suspected of collaborating with Israel was killed,
Israeli website reports
Hamas executed dozens of diggers responsible for its extensive tunnel
system in past weeks, fearing the workers would reveal the site locations
to Israel, a report on the Mako website’s army blog said.
There was no independent confirmation of the report (link here in Hebr... more »
He's 48 Years Old ...
At the time, i was still only 47. I took my (then) 6 year old to Toronto's
lakeshore for the celebratory fireworks for Queen Victoria's birthday. It
was crowded and full of people. And I remember the (if not confidence)
nonchalance with which I walked through the crowd with my boy.
As a teenager I'd have thought about how much of a pimply, short, scrawny
fuckwad I was.
As an "adult" of 18 ("Hey!" shouts my 18-year old self) I would have
agonized about all the possible love affairs I could have pursued amongst
the many nubile females present, if only so many of those females wouldn't... more »
Space Weather and Nuclear Power Plants
Recently the Washington Post ran an op-ed on the dangers posed by solar
flares:
[op-ed] Extreme space weather threatens to leave the U.S. in the dark
(2014, August 9). The Washington Post,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/extreme-space-weather-threatens-to-leave-the-us-in-the-dark/2014/08/09/22782cd4-1c26-11e4-82f9-2cd6fa8da5c4_story.html?wpisrc=nl_head&wpmm=1
[Excerpted]
Scientists have been predicting an upswing in volatile solar
behavior, resulting in “space weather” that poses a surprisingly
dangerous
threat to modern society. A big “coronal mass ejection” is one of the
... more »
President Obama Tells U.S. Lawmakers That Criticism of His Syria Policy is 'Horsesh*t'
Candid camera: Official photographer Pete Souza caught the split-second
reaction of Obama, VP Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
after she accidentally dropped all of her briefing papers onto the Oval
Office rug
*Exclusive: Obama Told Lawmakers Criticism Of His Syria Policy Is
'Horsesh*t' -- Josh Rogin, Daily Beast*
Hillary Clinton and Congressmen alike have called on Obama to arm Syria’s
rebels. But the President fumed at lawmakers in a private meeting for
suggesting he should’ve done more.
President Obama got angry at lawmakers who suggested in a private meeting
t... more »
Nigel Calder: 1931-2014
Nigel Calder's blog which you may find in the right TRF sidebar hasn't been
updated for two years and I felt nervous about it. Now I learned something
sad that I should have learned 6 weeks ago. Nigel Calder is no longer with
us.
I first saw him in The Global Warming Swindle, a skeptical documentary
about the climate change controversy. He was more than a classic
old-fashioned science journalist and writer who tried to put things
correctly.
Calder has also contributed to the scientific research itself. About 40
years ago, he actually formulated the rough versions of the ideas... more »
Peace Talks Between Israel And Hamas Continue But Tensions Remain High
*Gaza Talks Resume In Egypt As New Truce Holds -- CNN*
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Indirect talks between Palestinians and Israelis, aimed
at ending the hostilities in Gaza, have resumed in Cairo, Egyptian
state-run EgyNews reported Monday.
The talks are taking place amid a three-day cease-fire brokered by Egypt.
Israel wants Hamas, the militant Islamic group that runs Gaza, to disarm as
part of a demilitarization of the territory. The Palestinian delegation's
demands include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; a commitment to
the 2012 memorandum of understanding, which called for ... more »
Controversy about the \(3.5\keV\) line
A year ago, we would sometimes watch the disagreement of experimental
astrophysicists concerning the existence of sub-\(10\)-\({\rm GeV}\) dark
matter particles which was suggested by DAMA, CoGENT, CDMS Silicon, and
others. LUX finally showed that those hints had to be due to some
overlooked boring phenomenon because even with the superior sensitivity of
the South Dakota detector, the graphs are as clean as you can get.
*Someone seemed to be sending X-rays from the Central Milky Way.*
Another potential intriguing signal has become questionable. Jester would
write about the neutrin... more »
DCCC Rolls Out Their Failed Game Plan-- A Sure And Proven Loser
The theory is that fewer young voters, fewer minority voters, fewer single
women, fewer poor people turn out for midterms. These groups tend to vote
Democratic-- and the groups that do turn out-- elderly whites, more
well-off people, ideologically driven extremists-- tend to vote for
Republicans. There are two things Democratic candidates can do: try to win
over the likely voters or try to turn out their own base in greater
numbers. A Democratic Party gloom and doom scenario, Conservative voters
key to Dems 2014 strategy, by Alex Isenstadt in *Politico* this morning
indicates tha... more »
Musical Interlude: Medwyn Goodall, “Eye of the Wolf”
Medwyn Goodall, “Eye of the Wolf”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBuSKPD2jY0
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Face-on spiral galaxy M77 lies a mere 47 million light-years away toward
the aquatic constellation Cetus. At that estimated distance, the gorgeous
island universe is about 100 thousand light-years across. Also known as NGC
1068, its compact and very bright core is well studied by astronomers
exploring the mysteries of supermassive black holes in active Seyfert
galaxies.
*Click image for larger size.*
M77 is also seen at x-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, and radio wavelengths.
But this sharp visible light image based on Hubble data follows its winding
spiral arms traced by obscuring du... more »
“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”
*“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”*
*Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan:* “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans
of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to
live the next few minutes well. For all we ought to have thought, and have
not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to
have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for forgiveness.”
- http://www.youtube.com/
“Lo, there do I see my father.
Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters, and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beg... more »
The Poet: Octavio Paz, “Brotherhood"
*“Brotherhood"*
"I am a man: little do I last
and the night is enormous.
But I look up:
the stars write.
Unknowing I understand:
I too am written,
and at this very moment
someone spells me out."
- Octavio Paz
Leo Buscaglia, “Loving Each Other”
* “Loving Each Other”*
by Leo Buscaglia
“Emotional detachment, maintaining our distance from others, is being
prescribed as a solution for avoiding pain. Neglect and abuse of children
and the aged is a growing problem. Social and religious institutions, which
in the past helped to set standards of behavior and brought people together
in companionship, are actively downgraded. Individualism, independence, and
personal freedom are valued above love, commitment, and cooperation.
Examining the complex nature involved in loving each other (the dynamic and
everchanging nature of two or m... more »
“The Secret to Letting Go of Every Fear”
* “The Secret to Letting Go of Every Fear”*
By VividLife
“Are you afraid of some condition in your life? Here’s a life-transforming
secret: that seemingly scary condition, whatever it may be, is not the
problem. It is your reaction that is fearful. This is why if you will
become conscious of your condition instead of afraid of it, you will change
forever your relationship with fear.
It is only within this special kind of inner-relationship that there is
real safety, because now you are interacting with fear in an entirely new
way. You are no longer letting it dictate to you how to ... more »
"A Lion Fight..."
"It's good to be scared. It means you still have something to lose. So chin
up. Put your shoulders back, walk proud, strut a little. Don't lick your
wounds: celebrate them. The scars you bear are the signs of a competitor.
You're in a lion fight. Just because you didn't win doesn't mean you don't
know how to roar."
- "Dr. Meredith Grey", "Grey's Anatomy"
Chet Raymo, “Speak, Earth”
*“Speak, Earth”*
by Chet Raymo
“There is a passage toward the end of Vladimir Nabokov' memoir "Speak,
Memory" where he compares the writing of a novel to "the zest of a deity
building a live world from the most unlikely ingredients—rocks, and carbon,
and blind throbbings."
This is the season in New England when we watch the deity in action, when
the cold, rocky foundation suddenly seeps and oozes the fluids of life, the
blood and tears and intestinal juices and sticky protoplasm. The first rays
of summer filter to the woodland floor and wild lilies-of-the-valley, bell
flowers and... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Brookings, Oregon, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Life Is Hard?"
"Life is hard? True- but let's love it anyhow,
though it breaks every bone in our bodies."
- Edward Abbey
"What Will Your Verse Be?”
“To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these
recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with
the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here
- that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you
may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may
contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”
- Robin Williams as John Keating, "Dead Poets Society"
Canada looks better from a distance these days
It appears that I may have developed an idealistic sense of Canada
while I was off living in Honduras these last two years. I was thinking of
it as a great country with a few problems it needed to pay attention to at
the time I left Canada in early 2012, but perhaps the distance - and the
contrast with super-troubled Honduras - led me to forget about the "pay
attention" part and just remember it as a country that largely had its act
together.
At any rate, coming home and learning about some of the messed-up stuff
that's actually going on in my homeland has been pretty disco... more »
The Media Conveniently Focuses on Ferguson Looting Instead of Rampant Police State
*And unfortunately a lot of people are falling right into this trap.*
*Nick Bernabe | The Anti-Media*
Following what may be the greatest few weeks in decades of exposure to
police brutality, police in Ferguson, Missouri, have now shot and killed an
18 year old unarmed teen who, according to witnesses, was holding his hands
in the air when he was shot. Peaceful protests that began shortly after the
shooting yesterday were met with full on military style anti-riot police.
What started as a peaceful protest soon turned into a small riot which
resulted in some stores ... more »
Mind War Crimes - MH17, MH370 and The Silent War Against Malaysia
*The final statement broadcast on-air in New York City in the pre-9/11 era
was *
*"The Malaysian Prime Minister must be eliminated."*
Mind War Crimes - MH17, MH370 and The Silent War Against Malaysia from Spike
EP on Vimeo.
*"We *[Muslims] *are actually very strong, 1.3 billion people cannot be
simply wiped out. *
*The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million* [during the
Holocaust].
*But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and
die for them. *
*They invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy so that
persecuting them would app... more »
Doesn't Carlos Danger need a better name than "Rockaway Restoration Kitchen" for his entry into the restaurant world?
*Does it get any more macho? Well, it might if Anthony W didn't look like
he just found out he inadvertently sent a penis picture to the pope.
Meanwhile, Mikey S looks like he just threatened to throw the pope off his
balcony.*
*"To be frank, Weiner would not be the first scandal-ridden New York pol to
have tried his hand at the restaurant business. Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.)
of 'break you in half like a boy' fame, once ran a failed health food
restaurant in Manhattan.""Maybe they can trade notes?"*
*-- from Colby Itkowitz's Thursday* Washington Post
* "Inthe Loop"report,* "New W... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- August 11, 2014
A Ukrainian serviceman uses a pair of binoculars as he guards a checkpoint
near Debaltseve, Donetsk region August 6, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Valentyn
Ogirenko
*Residents Of Donetsk See No End To Raging Ukrainian Civil War --
Washington Times*
DONETSK, Ukraine — When the streets of Donetsk are quiet, the supermarkets
resound with the clatter of grocery carts and the rattling of cash drawers.
Elderly women approach the register with mountains of vegetable crates,
bags of flour, toilet paper, and jugs of cooking oil. No one knows when
they will be able to go to the store again, or if f... more »
U.S. Continues It's Military And Aid Operations In Iraq
*U.S. Directly Arming Kurds In Iraq -- CNN*
(CNN) -- The Obama administration has shipped weapons directly to Kurdish
forces battling ISIS militants in northern Iraq and is considering ways to
expand the transfer of arms, U.S. officials told CNN.
Shipments have so far come from the CIA, two U.S. officials said.
But discussions are underway inside the administration about whether the
Defense Department might get involved.
The Pentagon and the State departments do not sell or transfer weapons to
non-state entities, but the administration is looking at whether there is a
way around ... more »
The Kursk tragedy - the turning point of Kabal's march to the global Imperial throne.
As we have consistently said, the KZB's failure rate to sabotage the world
(politically, financially & socially) is as high as 70%. But you don't get
to read about those failures because the MSM-presstitutes do a good job
censoring news that give hope to the masses. They tend to blow up (sorry we
call them blow-jobs) the fear-porn; magnifying the destructive power of
their WNC (Weaponised Natural Calamiities) or just blowing their own horns.
Case in point was the reported fatalities caused by Super Typhoon HaiYan.
Initial western media figures were more than 10,0... more »
This post is offensive
In the Middle East and Eastern Europe, people are being killed because
they’re the wrong race, or the wrong religion.
Kind of puts an antiquated joke and a few vandalised billboards in
perspective, doesn’t it?
Are we all just getting a little bit over-offended on behalf of everyone
else? If John Key isn’t offended by jew-baiting billboards and being
called Shylock, why should you? If Wongs *are* offended by a politician in
search of a headline, and some are, couldn’t they just lighten up?
Sure, parts of the world are perishing from religious-and race-hatred, but
here in this pla... more »
Ebola Watch August 11 , 2014 - Ebola spreading quickly ( French Government Denies Report Of "Several Ebola Cases"; Outbreak Accelerates At Fastest Pace Yet ) ....... Experimental vaccines to be rushed into production - but how safe might they be , if they even work ? And if the Ebola rapidly spreading isn't spread airborne , how is that so may healthcare workers have been infected ?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-11/french-government-denies-report-several-ebola-cases-outbreak-accelerates-fastest-pac
French Government Denies Report Of "Several Ebola Cases"; Outbreak
Accelerates At Fastest Pace Yet
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/11/2014 18:02 -0400
- France
- Google
inShare
Last week we noted the 'exponential' nature of the cases (and deaths) from
Ebola. This week, according to the latest death and case counts from the
WHO - *the trend has got exponential-er* - with 69 new cases and 52 new
deaths in the last 2 d... more »
The Yazidi genocide narrative strains credulity- No fly zone by stealth
*I want to finish up with some of the other information concerning Iraq*
*Start here* *Baghdad Coup attempt? Kerry dictates to Maliki & the Iraqis-
Comply or else!*
*Go here Baghdad- New PM picked/Maliki ousted?/ Biden calls Kurdish Prez
for 'attaboy'*
*And then below .......*
I’m going to be straight up- The Yazidi narrative? I don’t find it
credible. I find it convenient. But, not credible.
**Why on earth would the Yazidi’s who are Kurds, however that is defined,
head up to some mountain top on the border of Syria, when Kurdish territory
is heavily guarded and virtually untouche... more »
Iraq's Political Crisis Continues
*Iraq President Asks Abadi To Succeed PM Nouri Maliki -- BBC*
*Iraq's president has asked the deputy speaker of parliament, Haider
al-Abadi, to form a new government.*
Mr Abadi had previously been nominated prime minister by Shia parties,
instead of the incumbent Nouri Maliki.
But Mr Maliki said Mr Abadi's nomination was a "violation of the
constitution". Mr Maliki has made it clear he wants a third term in office.
Meanwhile the jihadist insurgency in the north of Iraq continues to cause
international concern.
Fighters from the Islamic State (IS) group have made substantial gains... more »
Rest In Peace Robin Williams. You will be missed and you brought lots of laughter into the world
I am not a movie star person. But I believe Robin Williams was a great
soul. He brought laughter into the world and played many deep and strong
characters in movies. It is said he committed suicide by hanging himself.
He was 63 years young. Here is his instagram and the last picture of him
is on it from his birthday. Rest In Peace. You will be missed!
ECHELON - by Duncan Campbell
Temporary Committee on the ECHELON Interception System 2001 from Duncan
Campbell on Vimeo.
The Vanishing AIDS Vaccine - by Duncan Campbell
Scottish Vaccine from Duncan Campbell on Vimeo.
A 1992 IPTV investigation into Professor William Jarrett, a man publically
claimed to be on the verge of an AIDS vaccine which would save countless
lives. Jarrett received millions in research grants formt he government.
But the vaccine did not exist.
Robin Williams Dead At 63
*My Comment: *I attended one of his live performances in San Francisco
years ago. We had the front seat and he just destroyed me throughout the
show (anyone who is in the front seat always gets destroyed). I have never
laughed as much as I did that night. He will be sorely missed. Our prayers
are with his family and loved ones.
Dr Robert Willner Injects HIV into himself on TV
Dr Robert Willner Injects HIV into himself on TV from Spike EP on Vimeo.
*"HIV does not cause AIDS.... The point that everyone is missing is that
all of those original papers Gallo wrote on HIV have been found
fraudulent.... The HIV hypothesis was based on those papers. "*
— Peter Duesberg
In 1980, Dr. Robert Gallo, a retrovirologist with the National Cancer
Institute, discovered the first human retrovirus (HTLV-I). A retrovirus is
distinguished from an ordinary virus by virtue of the fact that its RNA is
converted to DNA by an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. Its replication ... more »
World News Briefs -- August 11, 2014
*Power Struggle On Baghdad Streets As Maliki Replaced But Refuses To Go --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Iraq's president named a new prime minister to end Nuri
al-Maliki's eight year rule on Monday, but the veteran leader refused to go
after deploying militias and special forces on the streets, creating a
dangerous political showdown in Baghdad.
Washington, which helped install Maliki following its 2003 invasion that
toppled Saddam Hussein, congratulated Haidar al-Abadi, a former Maliki
lieutenant who was named by President Fouad Masoum to replace him.
But Maliki's Dawa Party declared hi... more »
Greece recession set to visibly deepen ( August 11 , 2014 ) Greece more than glad to blame Russia for the inevitable failure to leave their perennial recession .....
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-11/greek-bailout-30-its-all-russias-fault
Greek Bailout 3.0? It's All Russia's Fault
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/11/2014 17:15 -0400
- Germany
- Greece
- Gross Domestic Product
- Recession
- Trade War
- Ukraine
- Unemployment
inShare6
Despite 30% general unemployment, the majority of youths jobless, GDP
forecasts already disappointing, and government asset sales at rock-bottom
prices, *Greek leaders are preparing to blame any missed growth
expectations on Russia*. As Bloomberg... more »
KIEV KILLING ITS OWN PEOPLE
250,000 people have been left without water, electricity and communications
for over a week in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk. The town is
subject to siege conditions and under heavy bombardmentby the US-NATO
backed regime in Kiev.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 11, 2014
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks during an interview
with Reuters at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels August 11, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Yves Herman
*NATO Chief Says Will Have To Decide On Afghan Pullout Soon -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - NATO will soon be forced to take a decision on a total pullout
from Afghanistan unless a deadlock over the country's election ends and a
new president signs an agreement allowing foreign forces to stay, the head
of the alliance said on Monday.
Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Reuters the Sept. 4-5 NATO
summit in Wales ... more »
Tweets By Experts And Journalists On The Rocky Political Transition In Iraq
PT: Maliki often threatened that if he goes down he will use his compiled
dossiers to air dirty laundry & take many others down with him.
— Joel Rayburn (@joel_rayburn) August 11, 2014
.@AliShroogi @zalali Exactly right: party circle went with Abadi; family
circle went with Maliki. But which way do fmr Bath securocrats go?
— Michael Knights (@Mikeknightsiraq) August 11, 2014
If Maliki had better relations with other parties he would have remained PM
easily. That's the reality. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise
— Sajad Jiyad سجاد (@SajadJiyad) August 11, 2014
Next Iraqi PM wi... more »
Chomsky on Boycotting Israel
From an interview with Amy Goodman published on the Democracy Now website.
This segment of the interview focuses specifically on boycott, divestment
and sanctions. There's a brief comment that follows:
AMY GOODMAN: Noam, I wanted to ask you about your recent piece for The
Nation on Israel-Palestine and BDS. You were critical of the effectiveness
of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. One of the many
responses came from Yousef Munayyer, the executive director of the
Jerusalem Fund and its educational program, the Palestine Center. He wrote,
quote, "Chomsky’s criticism of... more »
Wisdom Sits in Places
Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Shell, Safeway, the highway matrix — everyone knows
these culturally significant features of our landscape. Less well known
are the natural features of the land: the hills, prairies, ponds, and
streams. Our landscape watched the mammoths roam, it watched the furious
madness of civilization, and it will watch the manmade eyesores dissolve
into ancient ruins.
Waking up in the civilized world each morning is a jolt — jets, sirens, the
endless rumble of machines. Most of us live amidst hordes of two-legged
tumbleweeds, nameless strangers. We are the people from... more »
Herald on Labour’s election bribe
The way the *Herald* sees it this morning:
[image: image]
Even the *Herald* is prepared to go hard against the idea of taxpayers
further subsidising the taxpaid generation.
Labour proposes to replace doctors' discretion with free consultations and
medicines to the over-65s regardless of their ability to pay. It would give
the elderly the same benefits provided to children up to age 13 in this
year's Budget, which Labour endorses…
Labour is offering free doctors and medicines to a generation that grew
up in a welfare state, attended university at a fraction of the cost faced
... more »
D's short update: RIP my well traveled computer!
Well My friends.... today was the day that I finally had to say good bye to
my overly abused and well traveled computer. After many many months of a
missing "F" key, then a scorched keyboard, the over heating fan, and the
slightly epileptic screen.... today she added her last \ to the end of my
sentences. It was a quiet passing, no smoke or fires.... one minute she
was happily playing The Amazing Spiderman 2 and keeping my kids oh so
happy..... the next minute, she sighed a peaceful sigh, the screen went
black and her lights blinked for the last time.
\
I will miss her.\
\
In the m... more »
Interview with founder of Class Dojo @ the Chalk Face
Do you use Class Dojo? I did, last year, and I’ll do it again. Really
simple tool. Great interface. I saw results, almost immediately, that were
sustained for months. We do not often get to hear from app developers, so
listen here as the new Dojo feature is announced publicly for the first
time. You […]
Why Are The Button Down Republicans Still Beating The Cool Democrats At Social Media?
We did our first congressional twitter directory 3 years ago. It's amazing
how many of them are no longer in Congress. In California alone, missing
from action:
*•* @eltongallegly24
*•* @RepHowardBerman
*•* @RepLRichardson
*•* @RepJerryLewis
*•* @BacaCA43
*•* @MaryBonoMack
*•* @CongBobFilner
And every year there's a spate of articles about how the Republicans in
Congress have more Twitter and Facebook followers than congressional
Democrats. In 2010, there was an enthusiasm gap between fired up Republican
GOP social media mavens and stuffy old Democrats. HeadCount pointed out
back... more »
Untitled
Allan Toffler was not kidding
and we are all surfers now
we are trying to find
a cut
where we can ride
without getting crushed
Surfing I tried it once
and at that time
I could be considered
by a low threshold
an athlete
It was fucking impossible
So if I can not surf
like Charlie
what can I do?
Pick crops
grown in a hundred mile circle
and enjoy the harvest ever nite
with a bride
that makes my struggle light
Yeah that's right
Paradise can be found
in other places than under
a incandescent dashboard light
The future is all local
cause no one can afford
the cost to rule
the world
... more »
Cardinal Filoni: “My mission in Iraq is to give moral, spiritual and psychological support”
Cardinal Filoni: “My mission in Iraq is to give moral, spiritual and
psychological support." Source: romereports. Date Published: August 11,
2014. Description:
Pope Francis met with Cardinal Fernando Filoni yesterday at Santa Marta
before the prelate travels to Iraq.
“West Coast Devastation Continues: Seals, Oysters, Pelicans, Fish, Squid- All Sick, Dying Or Failing To Breed”
*“West Coast Devastation Continues: *
*Seals, Oysters, Pelicans, Fish, Squid- All Sick, Dying Or Failing To
Breed”*
by Ethan A. Huff
“The makings of a mass-level extinction event in the world's oceans appear
disturbingly imminent, as marine species after marine species washes ashore
on the Pacific West Coast. Ailing seals, dead fish, missing pelicans and
much more are being reported in the media as scientists struggle to figure
out what, exactly, is causing entire marine ecosystems to suffer and die,
seemingly inexplicably.
Much of the carnage is being reported in California, wher... more »
Civil Unrest Breaks out in MO After Cop Kills Unarmed Teen
*Civil strife broke out in St. Louis this weekend after a police officer
was seen fatally shooting an unarmed African American teen from behind as
he fled.*
*by *Barry Donegan
According to *Fox News*, 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot in
broad daylight by police last Saturday in St. Louis while walking to his
grandmother’s house.Eyewitness reports allege that the teenager was
unarmed, fleeing, and had his hands held high when an unidentified officer
from the St. Louis-area Ferguson Police Department opened fire multiple
times, killing him.
St. Louis Police ... more »
The Islamic State Is Worse Than Any Other Terrorist Group Including Al Qaeda
Reuters/Stringer
*Why ISIL Is Worse Than al-Qaeda—And Any Other Terrorist Group That Came
Before -- Bobby Ghosh, Quartz*
Now the world has finally turned its attention to the carnage sweeping
through northern Iraq, many are struggling to place the perpetrators—the
death cult known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL—in
the context of modern-day terrorism. I’m getting the same questions from
friends and fellow journalists: Are these guys the new al-Qaeda? Or are
they like the Taliban? Or is this movement more like Hezbollah… Boko Haram…
Hamas?
Led by the self-appo... more »
Gaza Mea Culpa
If I were Kelvin Brown of the BBC (ever heard of him? ) I wouldn’t go
aTweeting that Hamas has never intimidated the BBC. That’s not so much a
boast; more a mea culpa.
As DB has written over at Biased-BBC, it’s been established quite clearly
that Hamas uses threats and pressure to prevent journalists from providing
objective reports.
The Foreign Press Association:
*“protests in the strongest the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox
methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against
visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.”*
*... more »
Baghdad- New PM picked/Maliki ousted?/ Biden calls Kurdish Prez for 'attaboy'
*Following up on* *Baghdad Coup attempt? Kerry dictates to Maliki & the
Iraqis- Comply or else!*
*Attaboy defined*- The US is definitely trying their hardest. The pressure
is on!
It should come as no surprise to anyone that* the Kurdish president: not
elected, but selected, has handpicked this man for the office of Prime
Minister* despite Maliki winning an actual election in Iraq.
*As the U.S. tries to pressure Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to step
aside*, *Vice President Joe Biden called Maliki's disputed successor Monday
to urge him to form a new government.*
*And what about... more »
(Robin Williams Dead) Why Are the Neolibs (Dare We Say It?) Lying To US About The State Of Social Security? (Best Colbert EVUH!)
BREAKING! Robin Williams Suicide Victim? I'll remember the sadness of this
day until I kick. He was a mentor and a personal friend to me although I
had never met him in person. He brightened my life immeasurably from the
first glimpse I had of him on "Happy Days" to his incredibly stellar
performance in "Good Morning, Vietnam," which brightened my Dad's last few
moments as he died of
A Look At The State Of The Ukraine Army As It Continues It's Fight Against Pro-Russsian Rebels
A Ukrainian military convoy moves along a road near Donetsk August 9, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko
*Ukraine’s Army Slogs Through the Merciless Donbass -- Robert Beckhusen,
War Is Boring*
Blood, borscht and BTRs
The Ukrainian military is close to defeating the rebels that have caused so
much trouble in the country’s east during the past two months. The rebels
are now surrounded and Kiev’s army is pummeling them with artillery.
But it’s been a slog for the troops tasked with sweeping the towns and
cities of the heavily-armed, Russian-backed separatists.
It’s tough to gra... more »
Great Moments in Passive Journalism
This is about the Michael Brown murder a few days ago in Ferguson, MO
and was written and posted by, to my eternal surprise (/sarcasm), the *New
York Times*. If this sentence was any more passive, it would be wrapped in
latex, have a ball gag and a safe word.
And, really, using the passive voice here and making it sound as if
the gun seemingly went off all by itself in loving defense of its owner,
shows just how passive the mainstream media is in reporting establishment
violence. The sinecured moron who wrote this story was obviously parroting
what the Ferguson Chief of Po... more »
Supplemental: All this week, playing with dolls!
*MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2014*
*Walsh helps define the question:* Personally, we were less than thrilled
when Rachel Maddow played with her dolls on her cable news program.
It struck us as pathetically silly. But then, we’d had a somewhat similar
reaction when we watched Maddow playing with her remote control toy car the
night before.
(For background, see this morning’s report. The toy car segment at least
made some objective sense.)
Will progressives ever learn how to win friends and influence voters? Or
will our avatars line their pockets by sillily playing with their toys on
our tri... more »
Today’s menu
A strange, superficial kind of balance was in evidence on the Today
programme this morning. I suspect the producers, or the editors or
whomsoever is responsible for selecting the morning menu are the
thirteen-year-olds that Jeremy Paxman was complaining about the other day.
On the face of it they could claim they were pitching an item about
antisemitism against a few about Gaza. But that would be facile.
An item presented by Caroline Wyatt about antisemitism in France preceded
the usual Israel-bashing items. I hadn’t realised that Ms. Wyatt is now the
BBC’s religious affairs (instea... more »
Huge Round Robin Instagram Giveaway!
Today I have a awesome Instagram giveaway going on with 28 other bloggers.
We are all giving away our own prizes and it is super easy and FAST to get
entered! You will have chances of winning cool prizes from every single
blogger. Fun, right?
*MY GIVEAWAY*: 1 Lucky Housewife Eclectic (@Wifeeclectic) Instagram
Follower will win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
*TO ENTER*: You MUST head to Instagram and follow @Wifeeclectic. Then,
leave a comment on the giveaway photo that says what you would do with the
giftcard. After you leave your comment, you can hop over to the next person
in the... more »
Amnesty International: Pentagon Concealed U.S. Troops' War Crimes In Afghanistan
*U.S. Special Forces Killed Pregnant Women, Tampered With Evidence, Report
Alleges -- Washington Post*
Did U.S. troops tamper with evidence to cover up civilian casualties in
Afghanistan? That’s a central premise of the accusations outlined in a new
report released Monday by Amnesty International. The human rights
organization accuses the U.S. military of systematically covering up
examples of civilian casualties, failing to investigate cases it knew about
and participating in torture and brutality.
The report, “Left in the Dark: Failures of Accountability for Civilian
Casualties ... more »
MISSILE DEFENSE IN MAINE?
- We had another Gaza support vigil yesterday here in Bath, Maine. A
dozen folks turned out. We'll do it again next Sunday at noon.
- There is an article in the Portland Press Herald today about the
Pentagon's 'Missile Defense Agency' public hearings in our state this
week. I was quoted in the article saying that Maine Veterans for Peace
(VFP) is opposed to the proposed deployment of ground-based missile defense
systems in Maine. I'll be driving up to Rangeley (in the western
mountains) on Wednesday to attend the hearing and to then do a second drive
... more »
Satire: “The Slacker Congress”
*“The Slacker Congress”*
by Will Durst
“More fun than fourteen barrels of flunkies watching our elected officials
exit Washington like scared rats streaming out of a sewer to escape
Godzilla. And really, who can blame them. Anybody who’s ever spent a summer
in DC can tell you the climate is real similar to Hell. With humidity. Then
again, not sure even Hell has winged insects the size of footstools. It’s
not called Foggy Bottom because that’s the first thing that springs to mind
when Diane Feinstein walks away, you know.
Funny thing is, this is the same Congress that lies on the ve... more »
Ukraine And Russia 'Agree' To A Red Cross-Led Humanitarian Aid Mission To The Rebel Stronghold Of Luhansk
*Ukraine And Russia 'Agree' To Aid Mission To Luhansk -- BBC*
*Ukraine and Russia say they have agreed to a Red Cross-led humanitarian
aid mission to the eastern Ukrainian rebel stronghold of Luhansk.*
The Kremlin earlier announced it was working with the Red Cross to send a
humanitarian aid convoy to the region.
The EU Commission chief has warned Russia not to carry out unilateral
military action "under any pretext".
Ukraine and Western governments had previously objected to Russia sending
any aid into the region.
The Red Cross has not yet commented on the latest announcements.
... more »
The Cruel Jest of American ‘Humanitarian Aid’ to Iraq
By Juan Cole
*U.S. soldier stands in front of an Iraqi woman’s house during a search
for three missing soldiers in Al Thobat, Iraq in 2007. The U.S. Army (CC BY
2.0)*
*This post originally ran on Juan Cole’s Web page.*
The United States of America has no claim on the language of “humanitarian
aid” to Iraq after what it did to that country. It is rather as though
Washington should send Meals Ready to Eat to the good people of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. One is happy that the U.S. has dropped food aid for the
Yezidis trapped on a mountain after they escaped the ... more »
Withdraw Consent
*YouTube*
A collage of memes, quotes and provocative questions about the role we play
in giving our consent to being ruled. (No audio)
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Lamar W. Hankins : REPORT | Child murder in Texas
Is the Church of Wells, considered by many to be a cult, sacrificing
children at the altar of religious belief? By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag
Blog | August 11 2014 WELLS, Texas — The death of 3-day old …
finish reading Lamar W. Hankins :
*REPORT* | Child murder in Texas
Media Will Use Oscar Pistorius Verdict To Hide 9/11 Awakening
*Hang The Bankers*
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Are Elites Always Going To Be Above The Law?
Nixon may or may not have made a deal with Jerry Ford, but he got a pardon
and never faced a trial, let alone a prison sentence. He said what many
politicians feel about politicians who get caught breaking the law: "the
punishment of resignation is more than adequate for the crime." Our
corporate elites couldn't agree more. Accountability is for poor
people with no power, but for elites with lots of it.
Only 15 senators and 5 congressmen have ever been expelled-- and almost all
of them were Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War. Censure is a
less severe measure, while oft... more »
THE WORD IN 1968
A 1968 episode of William F. Buckley's Firing Line, featuring a drunken
Jack Kerouac, the Fug's Ed Sanders and a clueless academic, Lewis
Yablonsky, discussing the "Hippie" movement.
The Shootdown Of Malaysian Flight MH370 (The Reported "MH17"): Is Israel Involved?
When that infamous Malaysian flight "MH17" was "shotdown" over Ukraine now
almost a month ago, I smelled a rat immediately... We had the Jew spew
media and the Jewish controlled American government fingering Russia almost
right off the bat with shooting down this aircraft, which is way too quick
without proper evidence. That alone should have raised red flags with
everyone..... Then we had the reports of how this aircraft "mysteriously"
was flying some 300 miles north of its proper flight path which put it
right over the region of eastern Ukraine where the civil war between the
cri... more »
The Malaysian press trumps the U.S. government and its presstitute media's no-evidence claim that Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was brought down by Russia.
------------------------------
*OpEdNews Op Eds 8/9/2014 at 23:17:06*
Malaysian press charges Ukraine government shot down MH 17
*By Alex Lantier (about the author)* Permalink
opednews.com
Cross-posted from WSWS
A plane somewhat resembling Malaysia Airlines flight
MH 17 that crashed in Ukraine (image by YouTube)
A Thursday article in the *New Straits Times*, Malaysia's flagship
English-language newspaper, charged the US- and European-backed Ukrainian
regime in Kiev with shooting down Malaysian Airlines flight MH 17 in east
Ukraine last month. Given the tightly... more »
Untitled
*5 Things I Want to See in “Living Color” for Saints vs. Titans ~Barry
Hirstius, Who Dat Dish*
*Letter: John Barry has right idea on coastal issues ~Len Bahr *
*Terrebonne pitching versions of billion-dollar sediment project ~Xerxes
Wilson, Daily Comet*
*Follow Along With The Coastal Desk's 'Vanishing Coast' Tour Of Chauvin
~Kaplan-Levenson & Hardman, WWNO *
PLAYING WITH DOLLS: And with a toy car!
*MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2014*
*Part 1—Maddow’s paper dolls:* Rachel Maddow has been on vacation. There’s
nothing “wrong” with that!
Maddow may have needed her break, which started on July 31. You see, on
Wednesday night, July 30, she was (literally) playing with dolls, right
there on the air.
One night before, she had played with a battery-powered remote control car.
Right there on the air!
A cynic will say that Maddow was possibly trying to juice her ratings with
bits of entertainment. Others will say that she may have been experimenting
with alternative forms of news presentation.
... more »
A World Full of Hate
*Alternative News Network*
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Happy Ending? Or Happy Now
*by Zen Gardner*
No matter where I turn the awakening is screaming out at me. Every event
and announcement of intention by the dark side, no matter how destructive
and disturbing, is only precipitating more conscious awareness and very
present, personal involvement by humanity. It’s a thrilling time. If it
weren’t for what we consider to be terrible and tragic events being
perpetrated on humanity, our tidal wave of awakening would not have the
momentum it has gathered and continues to gain.
I’m not saying to bring on the madness, but I am... more »
Made in the USA
This is refreshingly journalistic, at least more nuanced compared to the
deja-vu American chest thumping for freedumb being spewed in the news these
days:
*BAGHDAD — When American forces raided a home near Falluja during the
turbulent 2004 offensive against the Iraqi Sunni insurgency, they got the
hard-core militants they had been looking for. They also picked up an
apparent hanger-on, an Iraqi man in his early 30s whom they knew nothing
about.*
*The Americans duly registered his name as they processed him and the
others at the Camp Bucca detention center: Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-B... more »
Charter School Education in the U. S.: It's All About the Real Estate
When ignorant or purchased Ohio politicians jumped on the charter school
bandwagon almost 20 years ago to "provide more choices for poor families"
and to "cut bureaucratic oversight to allow educational innovation," they
opened the floodgates for corruption, larceny, and educational fraud promoted
under the guise of helping poor kids.
As a result, charter kingpin, David Brennan and his White Hat Management Co.
have carried off mountains of taxpayer money to fund Brennan's isolating,
depressing, and cellar-performing charter storefronts.
Finally faced with the reality over years of... more »
“The Urge To Solve”
*“The Urge To Solve”*
by TEDTalks
“Magician and New York Times crossword puzzle wizard David Kwong says we're
wired to solve puzzles and make order out of chaos- and he's got a trick to
prove it.”
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Let it Go!!
I would like to introduce you to a new blogger with lots to say. This is a
new site, set up by a friend of mine who has made the massive jump from
completely asleep to fully awake in less than a year and is currently on a
journey to discover just how deep the rabbit hole is. Mel has been living
and breathing in all that we have been doing for the past few months-
experiencing the unseen as a brand new world of reality. A Journey we are
all on....
http://www.iam-melb.blogspot.co.uk/
Inspired by music
LET IT GO!! <3
I''ve realised during my awakening/remembering period that I ha... more »
Baghdad Coup attempt? Kerry dictates to Maliki & the Iraqis- Comply or else!
*I am going to begin this post by reminding everyone, because it needs to
be kept in mind, that Nouri al Maliki won the Iraqi election. *Fair and
square. And overwhelmingly so.
*This was the first election not held under full US occupation.*
And, Maliki won. The US/UK/Israeli/NATO war machine then wound up their
Islamist jihadi soldiers and began to destabilize with the plan of wielding
those final death blows to the nation of Iraq as we know it. With the goal
of it being Iraq in name only.
*Regime Change*
If the regime change agenda is new to you reread this post from two months ... more »
CDC Criteria For Ebola Transmission: “Being Within 3 Feet” or “In Same Room” Can Lead To Infection
*The Pontiac Tribune*
*Public health officials and the corporate media haven’t been telling you
the truth regarding the Ebola outbreak.*
For months, any time you heard mainstream news discuss the topic, they have
made it a priority to insist Ebola is only transferred by exchanging bodily
fluids.
SCG News has suspected for some time now that this is not true. Recent
changes made by CDC criteria for Ebola transmission seem to suggest this
claim is correct.
From the CDC update:
“*A low risk exposure includes any of the following:*
- *Household member or other casua... more »
New Blue America Endorsement: Zephyr Teachout And Tim Wu
We've been talking about the eye-popping corruption of New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo-- and Democratic Party version of shady Republican governors
Christie, McDonnell, Walker, and Deal, all of whom, like Cuomo, are under
federal investigation. Cuomo, to put it mildly, has been in bed with Wall
Street, serving their interests and ignoring the interests of New York's
working families-- just what we would expect from a Republican or from a
"Democrat" from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. He picked one
of the most conservative Democrats in the state, Kathy Hochul, who twice... more »
Oil And Democracy
http://www.slate.com/
Oil and Democracy -- like oil and water -- don't mix. And, when oil is
allowed to call the tune, democracy suffocates. That, Andrew Nikiforuk
writes, is the lesson behind premier Allison Redford's resignation:
Every petrostate, including Texas and Russia, suffers from an exclusive
form of narcissism: oil exporters think they are better than everyone else
because they are sitting on piles of the world's most lucrative commodity.
In turn, that feeds an arrogant culture of entitlement.
... more »
Hmm... looks like Germany had a conversation with Kiev -- Ukraine Quickly Backs Off Threat Of Halting Russian Gas Transit After Europe Screams....
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-11/ukraine-quickly-backs-threat-halting-russian-gas-transit-after-europe-screams
Ukraine Quickly Backs Off Threat Of Halting Russian Gas Transit After
Europe Screams
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/11/2014 07:42 -0400
- Counterparties
- European Union
- Germany
- national security
- Natural Gas
- Ukraine
inShare2
That didn't take long.
A few short days after Ukraine's always entertaining puppet government,
whose very existence is to benefit its western overlords and certainly Victori... more »
Untitled
*Fired Texas Principal Speaks Out: ‘It Would Be Best to Speak English in
Classrooms’*
On November 12, 2013, Amy Lacey, the principal of Texas’ Hempstead Middle
School, was placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired when she
made a simple request to students: speak English.
Now that the gag order has expired, Lacey is speaking out about what
happened that day, dispelling rumors that she banned Spanish from the
school’s campus.
“I informed students it would be best to speak English in the classrooms to
the extent possible, in order to help prepare them for [state] tests,”... more »
Azerbaijan buys medium-range missiles
[image: Shaheen I]Azerbaijan has gained the medium range ballistic missiles
EXTRA of Israeli production (130 km) and long-range missiles (2,000 km)
made in Pakistan.
Oxu.Az reports citing Haqqin.Az that the information was provided by
hurriyet.com.tr.
It has to be noted that in order not to disturb the balance of power,
Russia does not sell long-range ballistic missiles to Armenia and
Azerbaijan. At the same time, Russia has installed operational-tactical
missile complexes "Iskander" with nuclear warheads on a military base in
Armenia near the Turkish border.
Read more
John Wayne Movies, Biker and outdoor Movies from 1960s and 70s... Gorgeous Blue Skies, Not One Chemtrail - Links to the movies
I have found movie after movie that were filmed outside in the 1960s and
70s. They all have one thing in common. They all have Gorgeous Blue skies
without chemtrails. I searched for movies that were filmed outside during
those decades as they take months to film and if there were chemtrails at
that time, they would have been seen. Well, after going through many movies
that would have
We teachers are often the ones lacking imagination
From Facebook (take it with a grain of salt). But if this image is true,
then we teachers are our own problems. What a simple, superfluous, insipid
little assignment. Not that everything I’ve done is perfectly genius. In
what universe is this an exemplar of “effective” teaching? Filed under:
SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the […]
Ukraine situation ( August 9 , 2014 ) --Donetsk militia ready for ceasefire to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe ........ Ukraine sanction blitz against Russia to be voted upon Tuesday , really is squarely focused on Europe once one considers blockage of natural gas transit ..... A review of Ukraine's escalation into extreme violence - even as the West continues to arm Kiev ......... Maidan protesters back off a bit - agree to leave Kiev Administration Center ...... Russia may redirect oil for Europe away from Ukraine ...... US issues threat against Russia regarding humanitarian aid efforts i South East Ukraine .......
Catharsis Ours - 17 hours ago
http://rt.com/news/179212-ukraine-militia-ready-ceasefire/
Donetsk militia ready for ceasefire to prevent further humanitarian
catastrophe
Published time: August 09, 2014 13:41
Edited time: August 09, 2014 15:54
Get short URL
[image: A dental clinic in downtown Donetsk shelled by Ukrainian forces.
(RIA Novosti/Mikhail Voskresenskiy)]
A dental clinic in downtown Donetsk shelled by Ukrainian forces. (RIA
Novosti/Mikhail Voskresenskiy)
63721130
Donetsk region militia says it is ready for a ceasefire to stop the
humanitarian catastrophe deteriorating, the self-proclaimed Republic's
prime... more »
“(Conditioned) Human Nature Within the Insane Asylum”
*“(Conditioned) Human Nature Within the Insane Asylum”*
By Cognitive Dissonance
"I wish I had a silver dollar for every time I’ve heard the phrase “It is
human nature…” or some such derivative or derivation. Alan Greenspan
recently popped to the surface of his personal cesspool to proclaim it is
human nature to create financial bubbles, thus absolving himself of any
blame for a runaway fiat candy machine. His exact words were “Bubbles are
functions of unchangeable human nature.” I will stifle the urge to flush
Greenspan back down the commode where he belongs and instead focus upon t... more »
Fukushima Updates August 11 , 2014 - Lead article showing Japan is massively contaminated ----Nuclear fuel found 15 miles from Tokyo suburbs — Fukushima uranium in ‘glassy’ spheres transported over 170 km — Structural materials from the nuclear reactors also present .......
Energy News .......
10:47 PM EST on August 10th, 2014 | 39 comments
Nuclear fuel found 15 miles from Tokyo suburbs — Fukushima uranium in
‘glassy’ spheres transported over 170 km — Structural materials from the
nuclear reactors also present (PHOTOS)
10:58 AM EST on August 10th, 2014 | 140 comments
Japan Professor: Outbreak of cancer is now underway in Fukushima children;
Clear evidence of an epidemic — All of Japan is still being exposed to
nuclear radiation — Gov’t Official: It will be ‘disastrous’ if we have to
conclude there’s an actual increase in thyroid cancer from Fukushima
08... more »
Iraq Updates ( August 11 , 2014 ) - As Iraq spirals in political chaos as Maliki refuses to stand down and appears to have enacted a coup in Baghdad , while ISIS and other Sunni Rebels appear to have taken advantage of the political chaos to attack Baghdad , while the overall status of Iraq as one nation and not three potential partitioned states seems to hang by a thread - the US still intends to ramp up its new Iraq war ?
Tweets .....
Retweeted by (س) Ghāzī
*Ali Khedery* @akhedery 1h
Senior Shia Islamist politico from deep inside the Green Zone: Maliki will
appear on TV again at 3PM following Abbadi nomination - "trouble
*Rudaw English* @RudawEnglish · 2m
#BREAKING: National Iraqi alliance chooses Haydar Abbadi as a candidate for
Iraq's Prime Ministerial post. http://fb.me/2FDWGqeJV
-
*The New Yorkers* @TischNewYorkers · 12m
Al-Maliki's slaves in Baghdad are shouting "Allah - Al-Maliki" #Iraq
-
*The New Yorkers* @TischNewYorkers · 18m
Al-Maliki's loyal forces have closed Abu Nawwas... more »
Editor's Note
I am in court today. Fear not .... I am not the one who has the legal
dispute. I am a witness for a friend in a contract dispute. I am hopeful
that this will be wrapped up by mid-day. Today's news briefs (Military And
Intelligence News Briefs, World News Briefs, Iraq, Ukraine, Gaza, etc. ....
this will all be updated when I return this afternoon).
*Update 13:00 EST*: Court rooms .... yecchhhh. It did not go well for my
friend. I should be posting soon.
Has The White House's Iraq Policy Backfired?
President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki walk from
the Oval Office for a joint press availability in the Rose Garden at the
White House, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. Official White House Photo by Chuck
Kennedy
*U.S. Helped Push Iraq’s Politics To A Breaking Point, And Now Is Pushing
Maliki Out -- Josh Rogin, Daily Beast*
America’s rush to pressure Iraq’s political process may have backfired,
analysts say—contributing to the crisis that threatens to tank the new
government before it gets started.
President Obama has said that more U.S. help to Iraq in fighting I... more »
Pesident Obama On Vacation
The Obamas will return to Martha's Vineyard today to vacation in this 17
room, $12 million home
*War On Golf: Obama Is Escorted By SWAT Team And Two Snipers As He Enjoys
Second Day On The Course As Conflict Rages In Iraq -- Daily Beast*
* President Obama was escorted to the Farm Neck Golf Club, in Oak Bluffs,
Massachusetts, Sunday by a huge motorcade, which included a SWAT team and
two snipers
* Sporting a United States Secret Service baseball cap, Obama seemed
reasonably relaxed despite the hefty protection
* Moments before he flew to Martha's Vineyard Saturday, he held a press
co... more »
Words of peace from Hamas official Osama Hamdan
Top Hamas Official Osama Hamdan: http://youtu.be/VC3VNm3rgUo
The Humanitarian Crisis of the Gaza Mall
The Humanitarian Crisis of the Gaza Mall: http://youtu.be/QxaDmAyt84g
For Man Must Learn To Co-operate & Care For Each Other - M.N. Hopkins
*For Man must learn to co-operate and care for each other or all life on
your planet will surely perish in time. Man refuses to look for new ways of
being in his world, but rather clings to the old ideas and beliefs, which
no longer have the power necessary to hold or bind together Man's
communities.*
*Yes, new beings or a new kind of being will begin to enter into your world
soon with the knowledge and wisdom necessary to the task of evolving a new
consciousness that accepts and understands all life. They are the one's who
will lead the way and found and develop new institutio... more »
Russian President Putin Mediates Azerbaijan-Armenia Border Dispute
RIA Novosti / Alexey Druzhinin
*Putin Mediates Talks Between Armenia, Azerbaijan On Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict -- Wall Street Journal*
*Violence in Region Has Escalated in Past Week*
MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Armenian and Azerbaijani
counterparts on Sunday, calling for a negotiated and peaceful resolution to
the armed conflict in the South Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The meeting, held in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, was the first
face-to-face engagement between Azerbaijan's Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's
Serzh Sargsyan since the recent surge of vio... more »
Photobathroomism - the art of Lee Price - Lemon Slices series
Lee Price is an American figurative realist painter. Her work focuses on
the relationship between women and food. I've focussed, here, on her LEMON
SLICES series.
Remember, these are PAINTINGS, oil on linen.
Did The Russian Navy Chase Away A U.S. Submarine?
Russian Anti-Submarine Destroyer "Vice-Admiral Kulakov". © Photo Press
office of Russian Northern Fleet
*Russia Forces US Submarine Out Of Boundary Waters -- RIA Novsoti*
MOSCOW, August 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Northern Fleet's anti-submarine
forces have detected and forced out a US submarine from Russian boundary
waters, a high-ranking source in Russia's Navy told RIA Novosti Saturday.
"On August 7, 2014, the patrol forces of the Northern Fleet detected a
foreign submarine, supposedly a US Navy Virginia-class one, in the Barents
Sea. A seaborne anti-submarine group, as well as a... more »
A Belated Review to the Film "1408"
I stayed up very, very late, waiting for some people to arrive. (They did
and all is right with the world.) In the process, I became very, very
drunk. So there's this post now. Because I decided to watch the film "1408"
again.
And I think it's a damn good spooky movie.
Whatever its weaknesses, *1408* holds you captive. The film may seem like a
one-room version of THE SHINING, condensed and tight rather than big and
sprawling like the Kubrick movie, but Hafstrom does an impressive job of
keeping its limited space visually interesting for feature length, and when
all else fails the s... more »
Indian missiles languish in South Korea due to Gaza conflict
[image: LR-SAM]The eponymously named Long Range Surface to Air Missile
(LR-SAM), being co-developed by the Defence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is already two
years late. Now, because of Israel's invasion of Gaza, the delay will get
longer.
Business Standard has learnt that four LR-SAM rocket motors, built in India
and despatched to Tel Aviv for trials, have been lying in Seoul, South
Korea, for close to a month.
The DRDO confirms that the rockets, filled with highly combustible
propellant, were despatched on a commercial airline... more »
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan Has Won His Country's First Direct Presidential Election
Turkey's Prime Minister and presidential candidate Tayyip Erdogan (Reuters
/ Umit Bektas)
*Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins Turkish presidential election -- BBC*
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won his country's first
direct presidential election.
With almost all the votes counted, Mr Erdogan had won about 52%, against
38% for main rival Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The huge margin of victory means there is no need for a run-off.
Mr Erdogan, who has vowed to bolster the power of the president, promised
supporters a "social reconciliation period", saying: "Let's leave the old
di... more »
AquaShield: Protecting Israel's Maritime Border
After Hamas terrorists attempted to infiltrate Israel via an amphibious
landing from the sea, the thwarted terror attacks underlined the need to
continually maintain security across Israel’s shoreline, stretching
hundreds of kilometers on the Mediterranean sea.
The answer has come from Israeli defense technology firm DSIT Solutions.
DSIT has developed a new sonar and electronic detection system designed to
protect all forms of maritime assets which include beaches, bays, ports,
ocean-based installations (like oil rigs), piers, and maritime energy
terminals, of which Israel has more... more »
Pentagon Ordered to Better Track Threats to Taiwan
[image: The Pentagon]Several members of Congress have added language to the
2015 National Defense Authorization Act aimed at better preparing the
Pentagon to assess and confront Chinese military expansion and its
implications for potential threats to Taiwan.
The language, incorporated into the House Armed Services Committee’s passed
version of the defense bill, asks the Defense Department to better assess
anti-access/area-denial threats in the Asia-Pacific region, submit a report
on the cross-strait balance of forces between China and Taiwan, and better
estimate China’s fast-growing... more »
The dangers of SSBN proliferation in Indo-Pacific Asia
[image: Type 094 (Jin) class SSBN]It has become commonplace to lament the
arms races underway in Indo-Pacific Asia.
China's military modernisation over the last two decades has helped provoke
heightened political tensions and growing concern in capitals from Tokyo to
New Delhi to Washington and Moscow. North Korea's continued pursuit of
nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems keeps tensions in Northeast
Asia high.
The Indian subcontinent is home to two nuclear powers that have fought four
wars over the last 65 years. Many countries in the Asian littoral have
undertaken seriou... more »
David Icke - Rothschild Zionism - running the world from Israel
it's been a while since Free Planet did a piece on Isle of Wight resident
David Icke, but he's *SO CONVINCING* and even when he totally trashes the
American Administration with his claims of Chicago-derived infiltration by
Rothschild Zionism you gotta listen.
Ready for some truth?
so, got that? Well, it gets even more interesting, and I'm not totally sure
where this then takes his assertion, but let's hear it. Khazars and the
Israeli infiltration of 'the truth'. Confused? *Need to know* dictates that.
If We Could Look Into Each Others Hearts - by Marvin J. Ashton
[image: Foto: Share to spread the love!]
Sketch Factor App: For Unsafe Areas in Racial Discrimination Line
Sketch Factor App which launched on Friday uses crowd-sourced data from
users to pinpoint sketchy areas as well as to provide safe walking
directions.
The app allows users to submit sketchy reports and others to vote on
whether or not the tips are helpful. Sketch Factor is just one of many
products that aim to crowd source safety information about the areas in
which users live and walk - and it is not the first to be hit with the
racial discrimination label.
In fact, several alarming red flags pop up when one looks at the region
around the bureau. But in reading the comments, so... more »
METRO PODCAST | Thorne Dreyer : Community activists Bill Oakey & Roger Baker on Austin transportation politics
Affordability blogger Oakey joins The Rag Blog’s Baker in a lively
discussion of the city’s proposed billion dollar transportation bond
election and other community issues. Interview by Thorne Dreyer | The Rag
Blog | August 7, 2014 [Also read Roger … finish reading *METRO PODCAST* |
Thorne Dreyer : Community activists Bill Oakey & Roger Baker on Austin
transportation politics
A New 3 Day Ceasefire Between Israel And Hamas Takes Hold In Gaza
*Gaza Conflict: New Three-Day Ceasefire Holds -- BBC*
*A fresh three-day ceasefire agreed between Israel and Palestinian faction
Hamas in Gaza was holding on Monday.*
The agreement, which began at midnight (21:00 GMT Sunday), came after days
of intense mediation by Egypt.
If the truce continues to hold, Israel will send negotiators to Cairo on
Monday for talks on a longer-term deal.
About 2,000 people have died in the conflict, which began on 8 July when
Israel launched an operation intended to deter militant attacks from Gaza.
Those killed include more than 1,900 Palestinians, m... more »
Blaming Maliki For Everything That's Gone Wrong In Iraq Is Dishonest
*Photo Source: EPA/BGNES.*
The rise of ISIS in Iraq has been squarely laid at the feet of Iraqi Prime
Minister Maliki in the US-European press. They say he has disenfranchised
the Sunni minority, criminalized its political representatives, and as a
result they have been forced to join the arms of the genocidal madmen in
the Islamic State.
Much of this criticism is true. Maliki is nowhere near a perfect
politician. He has a big head. His overconfidence is blinding his judgment.
He has been described as an idiot. *Recent research studies have proven
that power makes people stupid*, ... more »
Thorne Dreyer : PODCASTS | Listen to Rag Radio interviews with Chris Tomlinson and David Bacon
Award-winning journalist Tomlinson discusses his acclaimed new book,
‘Tomlinson Hill,’ and photojournalist Bacon addresses the role of U.S.
policies in causing the current immigration crisis. Interviews by Thorne
Dreyer | The Rag Blog | August 11, 2014 Journalist and author …
finish reading Thorne Dreyer :
*PODCASTS* | Listen to Rag Radio interviews with Chris Tomlinson and David
Bacon
Maliki: "He who starts a fire will be destroyed by fire in the end"
*Source of photo: Photo by Andy Rain-Pool/Getty Images.*
Below are quotes taken from *Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's interview with
Russia Today in October 2012* about the war in Syria and its spillover
effects across the region:
We have repeatedly said that we take the Syrian crisis as our own problem.
It is a very important country, with its own political position. We did
warn everyone earlier – and keep reminding – that the fire that started in
Syria will spill over the borders to engulf other countries of the region
and, in the end, it will have a global impact. The Middle East ... more »
What Countries Are Currently At War? A Complete List
*WNU Editor:* The complete list* is here.*
*Update:* 11.7% Of The World's At War: Global Geopolitical Risk Mapped --
Zero Hedge
Al Qaeda Fighters And Affiliates Are Rushing To Join The Islamic State
Fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Reuters)
*Fighters Abandoning al-Qaeda Affiliates To Join Islamic State, U.S.
Officials Say -- Washington Post*
U.S. spy agencies have begun to see groups of fighters abandoning al-Qaeda
affiliates in Yemen and Africa to join the rival Islamist organization that
has seized territory in Iraq and Syria and been targeted in American
airstrikes, U.S. officials said.
The movements are seen by U.S. counterterrorism analysts as a worrisome
indication of the expanding appeal of a group known as the Islamic State
that has overwh... more »
Are We Doomed To Suffer From Political Corruption Forever? Only Voters Can Really Put A Stop To It
Not all corrupt politicians are Republicans: Gina & Andy
I haven't read Matt Taibbi's new book, The Divide: American Injustice in
the Age of the Wealth Gap, yet. But Matt Taylor did an interview with him
at Vice.com that gives you a good idea about which trees Taibbi is barking
up. Taylor asked him about the assertions in the book that the Bush
administration was much tougher on financial crime than the Obama White
House. "How much of the blame for that," he asks, "can we lay on Attorney
General Eric Holder and how much can be attributed to Obama and his
prerogatives?" Taibbi didn't ... more »
Meet & Greet (#MtaGt) - August - Garry Rogers Nature Conservation
Welcome
to Meet & Greet, a regular series designed to grow our green
community.
[image: A monthly link-up party for green blogs on Reduce Footprints]
Banner by Art Ist
Grab our banner for your site:
*The
rules:*
1. Use the link-up tool below to share your green-living blog or
collection
of ... more »
*The
rules:*
1. Use the link-up tool below to share your green-living blog or
collection
of ... more » U.S. Diplomatic Staff Are Starting To Leave Iraq
*U.S. Relocates Some Staff From Embassy, Consulate In Iraq -- NBC*
The U.S. has removed some staff from its embassy in Baghdad and its
consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region threatened by
militants, the State Department said Sunday. A travel warning posted Friday
cautioning U.S. citizens from travelling to Iraq due to the "high risk for
kidnapping and terrorist violence" was updated to say that "a limited
number" of U.S. Consulate and U.S. Embassy staff members were relocated to
Amman, the capital of Jordan, and Basrah, a southern Iraqi city.
*Read more* ....
*... more »
amnesty international urgent action network, writing for rights all year round
I knew working full-time would mean cutting back on activism. What time I
can squeeze out, I'm investing in my own union, where I have much to
contribute and feel I can really make a difference. I still belong to the War
Resisters Support Campaign, of course, but it's been a long time since I've
been able to attend weekly meetings.*
Still, I knew there was more I could do, if only from my computer. I
recently took a step that will add a bit more relevancy to my life,
something that seems fairly easy to do and can have an impact: I've joined
Amnesty International's Urgent Action Netw... more »
the courage and compassion of dr. willie parker, the last abortion doctor in mississippi
"The Pink House", the last abortion clinic in Mississippi.
The owner painted it pink so it would stand out, in defiance.I've thought a
lot about heroes, that tremendously overused word, about who my heroes are
and why I love them. Moral courage, as you may know, is my highest value.
Now, reading this story in *Esquire* about Dr. Willie Parker, the last
abortion doctor in the state of Mississippi, I realize there's another
ingredient shared by all my heroes: an abundance of compassion.
Dr. Parker, a committed Christian, embodies both physical and moral
courage, refusing to run despite... more »
Factchecking David Cunliffe
In the absence of a completely dedicated NZ Factcheck site, which even a
fully-staffed 24-hour version thereof would be kept sorely busy this
election cycle, welfare blogger Lindsay Mitchell is as close as we get.
Fact-checking David Cunliffe’s campaign launch speech on child poverty, she
discovers Cunliffe gets it wrong twice in as many minutes:
“We’ll tackle child poverty by increasing the minimum wage,” says Silent T.
But as Lindsay points out:
In the *Child Poverty in New Zealand* book by left-leaning Johnathan Boston
and economist Simon Chapple there is a lengthy discussion a... more »
BREAKING NEWS: Is Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki Staging A 'Coup' In Iraq Right Now?
*Iraqi Troops And Tanks Surge Into Baghdad Amid Political Turmoil -- CNN*
(CNN) -- Iraqi troops, security forces and tanks surged into Baghdad on
Sunday as political turmoil deepened over who should lead the country.
Military tanks were deployed to several neighborhoods in central Baghdad,
two Iraqi police officials told CNN. The officials said there are also
significantly more troops in Baghdad's Green Zone, the secure area where
many government buildings, the military headquarters and the U.S. Embassy
are located.
The stepped-up troop presence comes as Iraqi forces battle Islami... more »
Untitled
*“Climate-smart” policies for Africa are stupid, and immoral*
*Obama-Kerry policies would perpetuate energy poverty, malnutrition,
disease and death*
Paul Driessen
The 2014 US-Africa Leaders Summit hosted by President Obama this past week
brought together the largest-ever gathering of African government officials
in Washington, DC. They discussed ways to bolster trade and investment by
American companies on a continent where a billion people – including 200
million aged 15 to 24 – are becoming wealthier and better educated.
They have steadily rising expectations and recognize the ... more »
Hillary Clinton Unleashed! Criticizes President Obama's Approach To Foreign Policy
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
*Hillary Clinton: 'Failure' To Help Syrian Rebels Led to The Rise Of ISIS
-- Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic*
The former secretary of state, and probable candidate for president,
outlines her foreign-policy doctrine. She says this about President
Obama's: "Great nations need organizing principles, and 'Don't do stupid
stuff' is not an organizing principle."
President Obama has long ridiculed the idea that the U.S., early in the
Syrian civil war, could have shaped the forces fighting the Assad regime,
thereby stopping al Qaeda-inspired groups—like the one ram... more »
Headline Hooters: Nothing worse than a machete gone crazy...
*lock up all crazy machetes. Now.*
* Machete wielding machete arrested for burglary on lower South Hill*
H/T * KREM2 News Spokane*
The machete was taken into custody without incident, but managed to cut
through his restraints and is on the loose. heh
Kiev risking a chemical disaster in Donestsk ? ( August 11 , 2014 ) 'Chemical threat': Disaster looms as Kiev shells fall near Donetsk plant
http://rt.com/news/179336-chemical-disaster-donetsk-plant/
'Chemical threat': Disaster looms as Kiev shells fall near Donetsk plant
Published time: August 11, 2014 01:28
Get short URL
[image: STIROL chemical plant in the town of Gorlovka in the Donetsk region
(Reuters / Valery Belokryl)]
STIROL chemical plant in the town of Gorlovka in the Donetsk region
(Reuters / Valery Belokryl)
3471312
Trends
Ukraine turmoil
Tags
Accident, Army, Blast, Conflict, Ecology,Health, Military, Security, Ukraine
,Violence
Ukraine is at risk of an environmental disaster as Kiev’s army continues to
bomb the ... more »
Losing land to foreign owners? [updated]
Property rights theorist Armen Alchian has a point to make to Winston
Peters, David Cunliffe, Metirua Turei … to all the various xenophobes
queuing up to ban sales of New Zealand land to foreigners on the basis
that, when New Zealanders sell their land, New Zealand somehow loses land
-- an argument bizarre on its face.
Especially because, as Armen Alchian points out, sellers in any given
market don’t sell the *thing*, they sell *rights* *in the thing*.
In markets, you trade rights back and forth rather than goods, and that
makes a big difference.
The reason being, as Irving Fish... more »
Watching Justin Amash's amazingly uncivil victory speech might make you care about politics again
*Washington Examiner*
Rep. Justin Amash went legend last night, telling his vanquished primary
challenger that "I ran for Congress to stop people like you."
The Michigan Republican survived a brutal race against Brian Ellis that
featured moments like Devin Nunes, R-Calif., calling Amash "al Qaeda's best
friend in Congress" and a local lawyer describing Amash as "among the most
anti-Israel members of Congress."
Amash also drew the ire of the Chamber of Commerce for seeking to end the Export-Import
Bank.
His entire rant is worth viewing. If you think it's bad to be mean to an
oppo... more »
NEOCONSERVATIVE PSYCHOPATHY: THEIR MADNESS IS SPREADING AMONGST THEM
Yesterday, regular readers may recall, I wrote briefly about the
psychopathy of Daniel Pipes and his ludicrous beliefs relating to Hamas and
its struggle against Israel’s attempts to destroy the Gaza Strip. Today, it
seems, that psychopathy is spreading among other neoconservatives. Jonathan
Tobin, writing in *Commentary* magazine says:
*As bad as the situation there [the Gaza Strip] is, the Israelis have done
their best to limit their fire to those shooting at them. As is the case
with all wars, including those fought by the United States, sometimes
mistakes happen and civilians so... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Have you ever seen the Milky Way's glow create shadows? To do so,
conditions need to be just right. First and foremost, the sky must be
relatively clear of clouds so that the long band of the Milky Way's central
disk can be seen. The surroundings must be very near to completely dark,
with no bright artificial lights visible anywhere. Next, the Moon cannot be
anywhere above the horizon, or its glow will dominate the landscape. Last,
the shadows can best be caught on long camera exposures.
*Click image for larger size.*
In the above image taken in Port Campbell National Park, Victoria,... more »
QUOTE OF THE DAY: On ‘Liberals’
"The majority of those who are loosely identified [today] by the term
‘liberals’ are afraid to let
themselves discover that what they advocate is statism. They do not want to
accept the
full meaning of their goal; they want to keep all the advantages and
effects of capitalism,
while destroying the cause, and they want to establish statism without its
necessary effects.
They do not want to know or to admit that they are the champions of
dictatorship and slavery."
- Ayn Rand, in her essay "Conservatism: An Obituary,"
later appearing in her book *Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal*
Con... more »
The Road to Singularity: Potential Annihilation, Utopian Visions, Will Liberty Prevail?
Daniel Taylor
*Dreams of the far future destiny of man were dragging up from its shallow
and unquiet grave the old dream of man as god…* – C.S. Lewis, *That Hideous
Strength*, 1945
In 1945, George Orwell, famous for his stunningly accurate portrayal of a
future police state in *1984*, commented on prominent author C. S. Lewis’
book *That* *Hideous Strength*. *Hideous Strength *revolves around the
National Institute for Coordinated Experiments (NICE) and the
organization’s plot to seize control of all life. Orwell’s commentary was
published in the Manchester Evening News in 1945 w... more »
Closed for repairs that aren't being made: Is this why we hate the gummint?
*The artwork comes and goes, but the "I.R.T. SUBWAY 191st ST. ENTRANCE"
remains -- leading down a flight of stairs (or a steep concrete ramp) to
the three-block-long tunnel that links those of us on Broadway to the
subway -- though not so well when the stairway on the left is closed for
"repairs" that aren't happening. (Pay no attention to the "NO BICYCLE
RIDING IN SUBWAY TUNNEL" sign, which was dismantled by the kids who use the
tunnel as a bike speedway. But that's another story.)*
*by Ken*
Maybe I'm getting carried away with this "why we hate gummint" business,
when what this r... more »
John Kerry’s demonstrates green inhumanity to man
In case anyone still doubts that environmentalism is inimical to human
life, says Per-Olof Samuelsson, they should take note of U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry’s admonition to African political leaders at last week’s
U.S.-Africa summit: Starving Africa Shouldn’t Build More Farms Because It
Would Contribute to Global Warming.
This, while continuing to run his 500 foot diesel-powered yacht and 1 in 4
Africans suffer from chronic hunger. Kerrys “argument:’
[image: _Quote5]Certain agricultural processes can actually release carbon
pollution and actually contribute to the problem i... more »
Noam Chomsky, the monster [updated]
[image: image]"What we're looking at with Chomsky is a man who has
dedicated essentially his entire public life to political evil. I think we
are justified in calling such a person a monster." So says Yaron Brook,
commenting on Michael J. Totten’s post, “Noam Chomsky: The Last Totalitarian
.”
Chomksy was a structuralist,* a supporter of Pol Pot, and the left’s go-to
man for hate-filled intellectual venom. The post on which Yaron comments is
an interview with Benjamin Kerstein, author of the book *Diary of an
Anti-Chomskyite.* Asked to boil his case against Chomsky down to a few
p... more »
"In The Face Of Life..."
"Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that
reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that we never dream at
all. But, the strongest of us, the most determined of us, holds on to the
dream or we find ourselves faced with a fresh dream we never considered. We
wake to find ourselves, against all odds... feeling hopeful. And, if we're
lucky, we realize in the face of everything, in the face of life- the true
dream is being able to dream at all."
- "Dr. Meredith Grey", "Grey's Anatomy"
The Poet: Mary Oliver, “The Spirit Likes To Dress Up”
*“The Spirit Likes To Dress Up”*
by Mary Oliver
"The spirit likes to dress up like this:
ten fingers, ten toes, shoulders, and all the rest,
at night in the black branches,
in the morning in the blue branches of the world.
․
It could float, of course,
but would rather plumb rough matter.
Airy and shapeless thing,
it needs the metaphor of the body,
lime and appetite, the oceanic fluids;
it needs the body's world, instinct and imagination,
and the dark hug of time, sweetness and tangibility,
to be understood,
to be more than pure light that burns
where no ... more »
The joke is on us
One debate and two political party campaign launches over the weekend, and
this is supposed to be a political blog.
So I’ll try not to yawn.
Labour’s campaign launch at the Auckland Viaduct, an easy walk from David
Cunliffe’s house, was overshadowed in news headlines by the antique joke of
his near-neighbour Winston Peters, and in campaign strategy by National’s
announcement they will launch in South Auckland.
Of the joke, not much can be said. It was funny once, but that once was
very long ago. In the context of calling for bans on land sales to Chinese,
it was hardly funny at ... more »
Chet Raymo, "What Not to Believe”
*“What Not to Believe”*
by Chet Raymo
“In Stacy Schiff's biography of Cleopatra, I came across this epigraph from
Euripides: "Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to
believe." I have no idea which of Euripides' plays the quote is from, but
it strikes me as a suitable source for reflection. Credulity is the default
state of a human life. Children are born to believe, to accept as true what
they are told by adults. An innate credulity has survival value in a
dangerous world. If a grown-up says "There are crocodiles in the river," it
is probably best to stay out ... more »
Psychology: "What Is The Zeigarnik Effect?"
*"What Is The Zeigarnik Effect?"*
by PsyBlog
"One of the simplest methods for beating procrastination in almost any task
was inspired by busy waiters. It's called the Zeigarnik effect after a
Russian psychologist, Bluma Zeigarnik, who noticed an odd thing while
sitting in a restaurant in Vienna. The waiters seemed only to remember
orders which were in the process of being served. When completed, the
orders evaporated from their memory.
Zeigarnik went back to the lab to test out a theory about what was going
on. She asked participants to do twenty or so simple little tasks in the
l... more »
"Unknowingly..."
"Unknowingly, we plow the dust of stars,
blown about us by the wind,
and drink the universe in a glass of rain."
- Ihab Hassan
Morally indefensible
Israel won’t talk while rockets are being fired from Gaza! Also, Hamas
won’t accept preconditions.
So hang on. Hamas won’t accept preconditions; it will send rockets, deal
or no deal.
The BBC recounts this demand with scrupulous impassivity lest they commit a
value judgment.
Later the BBC passes on the news that Hamas *will* contemplate a ceasefire,
but only if Israel meets its demands. This looks like a precondition,
smells like a precondition and walks like a precondition.
Hamas’s demands are: 1.) Israel lifts the blockade. 2.) Israel ends the
occupation. Hamas reserves the... more »
We Must Look Back With Anger
My home village was built on coal. All the local mines had shut before 1984
and open casting was the name of the game. Up until I left home you could
see great mountains of slag and earth crouching on the horizon, the engines
and buzzers of diggers echoing across the landscape early every morning.
There were plenty of current and ex-miners living locally and yet my memory
of the time during the Miners' Strike draws a blank. As I was seven year at
the time, there was only the dimmest of dim awarenesses that something
called 'a strike' was happening with the miners. I can remember it ... more »
Can Montana Democrats Get Back In The Hunt? You Bet They Can!
On Thursday we updated our Montana post about the likelihood that centrist
Democrat John Walsh-- who the DSCC brain surgeons had forced on Montana
Dems-- would withdraw by announcing he had just dropped out. He had no real
chance to win anyway and should have never been selected over more populist
choices. Now the Montana Democratic Party will pick his replacement as
their candidate at a nominating convention next Saturday (August 16, 9AM)
at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena. There are something
like 175 local and state Democratic elected officials and party officia... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Khartoum, Al Khartum, Sudan. Thanks for stopping by.
Israel Murders Gazan Health Workers
Dees Illustration
Stephen Lendman
Israel wages genocidal wars without mercy. Even doctors, nurses, ambulance
drivers and other health workers are targeted.
Civilians are as vulnerable as combatants. It's longstanding Israeli
policy.
On August 7, Amnesty International (AI) headlined "Mounting Evidence of
deliberate attacks on Gaza health workers by Israeli army."
Former prime minister Ehud Barak once outrageously called it "the most
moral army in the world." It's a lawless, ruthless killing machine.
As a former prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister, and chief
of ... more »
The Era Of Cyborg Nanotechnology Has Begun
*Update on the merger of human and machine*
Nicholas West
Technology seems to be on a runaway course either to free humanity or to
enslave us. On one end we see massive continued investment in replacing
humans with robots, both economically and socially.
Parallel to this trend, we are seeing advancements in neuroscience being
made from global projects like the BRAIN initiative in the U.S. and its
counterpart in Europe, the Human Brain Project. These projects seek to
decode the human brain and tailor it for "treatments," as well as to enable
the realization of full brain-computer-... more »
Adventures in Canning: Remind me to never can these again...
*the wrong kind of plum.*
Errrk!
What a waste of my time.
*The plum tree:*
I think they're Santa Rosa.
*The plums:*
*The results:*
Ugh!
I expected chunks of plum, not baby food.
*The mess:*
Dear Lord in heaven. Look at my stove. I HATE a dirty stove. Get me my
Bar Keepers Friend!!
*I'm not discouraged. I have three Italian Prune Plum trees loaded with
fruit. I've learned my lesson and will can them whole.*
The Real Reason The US Is Bombing Iraq
image source
Brandon Turbeville
Only a day after Obama’s announcement that he had authorized “targeted
strikes” inside Iraq in order to combat the Islamic State (IS) advance, the
United States has indeed followed through with their threat.
At least two waves of airstrikes against a variety of targets have already
taken place inside Iraq. One of the airstrikes apparently struck an IS
mortar position and an IS convoy near Erbil. IS fighters had advanced to
within a half hour’s distance from Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdish
region. According to a Pentagon spokesman, two FA-18s th... more »
Vile opportunist Alex Johnson's shameless accusations of paid Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsements
*I would say Marguerite is turning in her grave, but her family hasn't even
had time to bury her before the very forces she fought against on the Board
and political opportunists are seeking to harm the schools and children she
fought so passionately to protect. — Celes King IV*
[image: Alex Johnson's latest lie libels Rev. Jesse Jackson, Congresswoman
Maxine Waters, and Dr. George McKenna]
Tuesday, August 12, 2014 there is a special election in Los Angeles. It is
critical in that it is for the District 1 board seat on the nation's second
largest school system, Los Angeles Unified... more »
Australia to require "the phonics method"
*Sent to the Sydney Daily Telegraph (Australia)* *Re the new "phonics
requirement": ("*Education minister orders universities to teach phonics or
face losing accreditation," August 10) *"Phonics" could mean "systematic,
intensive phonics,": teaching all phonics rules to all children in a strict
sequence. Research done by Prof. Elaine Garan shows that systematic
intensive phonics results only in better results on tests in which children
are presented with words in a list and have to pronounce them outloud. It
does not produce better results on tests in which children have to
unders... more »
Lastest Posting by Heather Ann Tucci-Jarraf: THE WILL OF I AM: Update from Heather
Heather has posted a message for everyone on her web site:
http://www.heatheranntuccijarraf.info/
We received this Skype message moments ago....
[8/10/14, 4:46:21 PM] HeatherAnnTucciJarraf I: To every One: I love you
all more than you have ever known....and I move forward to experiencing the
pure love you be, that I have for each and every One....in pure
love....thank you for BE'ing and DO'ing....
Some last words before we all meet up in body:
[8/10/14, 4:46:27 PM] HeatherAnnTucciJarraf I:
http://www.heatheranntuccijarraf.info/
[8/10/14, 4:46:49 PM] HeatherAnnTucciJarraf I:
Be... more »
"Compassion..."
"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded.
It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own
darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others.
Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity."
- Pema Chödrön
“What Doesn’t Kill You Really Does Make You Stronger”
*“What Doesn’t Kill You Really Does Make You Stronger”*
by Benedict Carey
“Character is a fine thing to admire, all right — once the storm has passed
and the rigging is repaired. But when people are truly sinking, because of
job loss, illness, debt or some combination of ills, they have no idea what
mix of character, connections and dumb luck will be enough to pull through.
To use the psychologists’ term, they don’t know how “resilient” they are,
or how much resilience even matters. Do I have the right stuff? Or is this
sinkhole simply too deep? “As with so many of life’s experience... more »
"This I Believe..."
“This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is
the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the
freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I
must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or
destroys the individual.”
- John Steinbeck
"Compassionate Homeless Man Shares Meal With Stranger When Others Wouldn't In Food Court"
*"Compassionate Homeless Man Shares Meal With*
* Stranger When Others Wouldn't In Food Court"*
By Robbie Couch
"There's no correlation between the size of your bank account and the size
of your heart. A video originally posted on July 28 by Facebook group Spread
the Message reminded us of just that, exposing a stark contrast between
some haves and have-nots in Santa Monica, California. In the video, a man
asks unsuspecting strangers in a food court if they could spare some of
their meal, and every one of them rejects the request. He then asks a
homeless man in a public space the same... more »
Shame
By Capt. Fogg
People get killed in almost any kind of racing and everyone knows it. It's
a rough sport, like the sports Americans love the most. People get hurt
playing football. People get killed on ski slopes and while surfing and
skateboarding. People go out during hurricanes to kite surf and board
surf and when they get killed in the process the responsibility is usually
clear. People run out into highways, people walk around on railroad bridges
and they get hurt and nobody blames anyone but the fools who do it, but
that's in the real world, not the strange world of journali... more »
Another introspective post
I think I can speak for Sue as well as myself in saying that things are
rather depressing at the moment...
....what with some Muslim version of the Khmer Rouge in Iraq and Syria
pronouncing genocidal edicts on anyone who doesn't share their
expensive-Rolex-watch-wearing Caliph's Islamic faith, and what with
supporters of that self-same Caliph coming from (and doubtless soon
returning to) our very own shores; and with parts of North Africa falling
apart; with tidal waves of deserving refugees fleeing towards our shores
(or begging to be allowed to flee to our shores); with Afghani... more »
Meanwhile, on the Foothills of Parnassus...
For you poor, eternally-disappointed souls who have been contributing
to P'ville these past several years and have come here day after day to
find no new examples of my so-called wit and wisdom, I profusely apologize
for the paucity of political posts (How's *that *for alliteration?).
As always, I'm endeavoring to set aside time for the type of blogging
you've come to expect of me (especially since the midterms are coming up,
one that'll, obviously, set the tone for President Obama's agenda for the
rest of his term). But to those of you who've been following me on a
regula... more »
"How It Really Is"
Inspired by this famous scene, no doubt...
"Insanity Is Relative..."
"Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage."
- Ray Bradbury
"The IDF’s ‘Hannibal Protocol’ and Two Criminally Insane Governments"
*"The IDF’s ‘Hannibal Protocol’ *
*and Two Criminally Insane Governments"*
by Dave Lindorff
"The sickness of present-day Israel, on display over the past horrible
month of the one-sided slaughter of nearly 2000 Palestinians (including
over 400 children) in the fenced-in ghetto of Gaza, has finally reached its
nadir with the ugly case of the deliberate Israeli Defense Force murder of
captured IDF 2nd Lt. Hadar Goldin.
According to an article in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, once it was
determined that Goldin had been captured by Hamas fighters in the Gaza town
of Rafah, the IDF ini... more »
"Insanity..."
"Humanity is the spirit of the Supreme Being on earth, and that humanity is
standing amidst ruins, hiding its nakedness behind tattered rags, shedding
tears upon hollow cheeks, and calling for its children with pitiful voice.
But the children are busy singing their clan's anthem; they are busy
sharpening the swords and cannot hear the cry of their mothers."
- Kahlil Gibran
◆
“In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and
epochs, it is the rule.”
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Untitled
*Size of Orleans jail, whom it will house still a matter of debate, Sheriff
Gusman continues to obfuscate ~Jim Mustian, N.O. Advocate *
*RTA: St. Charles Ave. streetcars to return to full service Sunday ~WWL*
*Shark attacks child in Lake Pontchartrain ~Meg Gatto*
*Developer buys New Orleans theater ~AP, via Miami Herald*
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, August 10th, 2014
[image: rant-jpeg-b]
Sunday, time for my usual weekly rant… There is so much to cover that has
been happening in our sick world over the last week and beyond, and I will
do my best to give everyone my perspective on as much as possible…
The Ebola Virus "pandemic" seems to be gaining traction in the Jew spew
mainstream media, and as I have stated in several articles concerning this
rising fear I am not sold yet that this is a pandemic. In fact I do
believe that there is something very sinister when it comes to this sudden
Ebola "outbreak", and I am smelling a rat….
First, I have... more »
METRO EVENT | Beverly Baker Moore: The tribe gathers
‘Friends of New Journalism’ come together to party and hail ‘Rag Blog’
editor Thorne Dreyer on the occasion of his 69th trip around the sun. By
Beverly Baker Moore | The Rag Blog | August 10, 2014 AUSTIN — The …
finish reading *METRO EVENT* | Beverly Baker Moore: The tribe gathers
“6 Bonkers Right-Wing Statements This Week: Peace Prizes for Warmongers Edition”
*“6 Bonkers Right-Wing Statements This Week: *
*Peace Prizes for Warmongers Edition”*
By Janet Allon
*“1. Ayan Hirsi Ali: Bibi Netanyahu deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Say
what? *Unless the whole definition of peace was suddenly changed without
our knowing it, we’re a little befuddled at noted Somali-born, anti-Islamic
author and activist Ayan Hirsi Ali’s suggestion that Israeli Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. For waging war.
According to Salon, the suggestion came during an interview published
Friday by Israel HaYom, the Sheldon Adelson-backed Isr... more »
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment