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| Pleiades (M45, Seven Sisters) open cluster - infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| Pleiades (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Who's This Benton Bribery Character Miss McConnell Just Fired?
The day after Rachel's report (above), McConnell fired Jesse Benton as his
campaign manager. BOOM! Out! McConnell didn't like him much anyway, since
Benton has been quoted and requoted telling Kentucky libertarians that he
was "sort of holding my nose for two years because what we're doing here is
going to be a big benefit for Rand in 2016." Benton, a longtime Paul family
retainer, is married to Ron Paul's granddaughter, Valori Pyeatt (Rand's
niece). Before remaking himself into a Paulista, though, he worked for
Louisiana sleaze bag David "Diapers" Vitter. He was Rand Paul's campa... more »
Musical Interlude: Yanni “Live at the Acropolis, - Acroyali/Standing in Motion”
Yanni “Live at the Acropolis, - Acroyali/Standing in Motion”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67sx66QV0eI
Musical Interlude: Yanni, “Live at the Acropolis - Until the Last Moment”
Yanni, “Live at the Acropolis - Until the Last Moment”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgjAlBMKRJM
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Have you ever seen the Pleiades star cluster? Even if you have, you
probably have never seen it like this: all dusty. Perhaps the most famous
star cluster on the sky, the bright stars of the Pleiades can be seen
without binoculars from even the depths of a light-polluted city. With a
long exposure from a dark location, though, the dust cloud surrounding the
Pleiades star cluster becomes very evident. The below exposure took about
30 hours and covers a sky area several times the size of the full moon.
*Click image for larger size.*
Also known as the Seven Sisters and M45, the Pleiad... more »
Chet Raymo, "Thank God, It's Doomsday"
*"Thank God, It's Doomsday" *
by Chet Raymo
“OK, folks. Here's what's awaiting you. The End Times. The Apocalypse. The
Rapture. The Final Reckoning. Oh, I could pick any one of a thousand
representations of the Last Days from centuries of Western art. This one is
Luca Signorelli's "The Damned Cast Into Hell," in the Capella Nuova chapel
of Orvieto Cathedral, painted around the year 1500 (click to enlarge).
Why were these scenes of souls in extremis so common? Exhortations to be
good? A reminder of what awaits us if we don't contribute to the Sunday
collection? A local bishop trying... more »
The Poet: Margaret Atwood, "The Moment"
"The Moment"
"The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage
you stand in the centre of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
is the same moment when the trees unloose
their soft arms from around you,
the birds take back their language,
the cliffs fissure and collapse,
the air moves back from you like a wave
and you can't breathe.
No, they whisper. You own nothing.
You were a visitor, time after time
climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming.
We never belonged to you.
You never found ... more »
Anthropology: “Monogamy May Sound Sweet, But Why It Evolved Isn't”
*“Monogamy May Sound Sweet, But Why It Evolved Isn't”*
by Seth Borenstein
WASHINGTON (AP) — “Only a few species of mammals are monogamous, and now
dueling scientific teams think they've figured out why they got that way.
But their answers aren't exactly romantic. The answers aren't even the same.
One team looked just at primates, the animal group that includes apes and
monkeys. The researchers said the exclusive pairing of a male and a female
evolved as a way to let fathers defend their young against being killed by
other males. The other scientific team got a different answer afte... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Tijeras, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"13 Cliches to Live By"
"13 Cliches to Live By"
by MensHealth.com
"1. I*t ain't over till it's over.* 2004. Red Sox down 0-3. If Mariano
Rivera can let one slip, think how your buddy Phil's bladder quivers as he
prepares to shank the serve on match point. On the flip side, when you're 1
point from victory, it's no time for experimentation. End it.
2. *Do unto others.* It doesn't guarantee reciprocation, but you'll never
lose. No one's going to scoff, "You delivered as promised? Congrats on
being elected mayor of Chump City!"
3. *You can't save someone from himself.* You can try - and you will - but
you'll f... more »
"Recognizing Happiness: Analyzing the Path"
*"Recognizing Happiness: Analyzing the Path"*
by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM
"When we take the time to recognize when we are happy and what that feels
like, it becomes easier to recreate. Those of us on the path of personal
and spiritual growth have a tendency to analyze our unhappiness in order to
find the causes and make improvements. But it is just as important, if not
more so, to analyze our happiness. Since we have the ability to rise above
and observe our emotions, we can recognize when we are feeling joyful and
content. Then we can harness the power of the moment by savoring ... more »
I Wish Richard Kahlenberg Could Be Right, But . . .
In the August 30 NYTimes, Richard Kahlenberg and Halley Potter offer us a
pipe dream of a high performing charter school world, one with diverse
student populations and unionized faculty, where pedagogical innovation and
shared governance are realities of everyday life. Sadly, Kahlenberg and
Potter offer a thinnest sprinkle of evidence that *either* integrated *or*
unionized charter schools are anything more than wishful thinking, and they
cite exactly 2 out of 6,000 that are both integrated and unionized.
I like Richard Kahlenberg's work on the importance of social capital and
... more »
Producers Death Murmur
There is not enough genuine news to keep the 24 seven cycle alive.
Ghost of Sunday Classics preview: Attention, please!
*Can you imagine a more ravishing musical attention-getter?*
*London Symphony Orchestra, Charles Mackerras, cond. Philips-Mercury,
recorded July 1961*
*by Ken*
What we hear above is really and truly a *preview*; we're not going to hear
any more of this piece until tomorrow's Ghost of Sunday Classics post. Many
of you will recognize it (we've actually heard it before), but for now I
just want to focus on this ravishing opening.
This is a talent, I think, the ability to grab a listener's attention
musically. Not in a mechanical, conk-over-the-head way, which I suppose can
be done ... more »
Just saw another self improvement headline
As if i believed
what I needs
to make me fit
better
was found
on info commercials
or someone
telling me
do not be yourself
you will be more happy
if I got an addition
its a describer
that most would
wish for
man made
and easily taken
but for the deeper
stuff
like where is my
soul on Gods GPS
I say
keep your hands
off my wavelength
I was born this way
and will die happy knowning'
no shaman
convinced me to live
any other way
we all got a path
some lead to trouble
others to greatness
but no one is going to prevent
those paths from crossing
and the only event
that you need
is to know
you ... more »
ISIS is comming
they are going to attack us motherfucking
people who are against everything they blelive
like women are property
and marriage between a 13 year old
and some one sixty or more
was GODs will
Bring it on badass
we will fuck
you up the ass
so hard you
will think it was
your regular session with '
a Camel
but this time on Viagra.
Is Tokyo Fukushima uninhabitable
I wish someone would say
without
a half life
less than
the time
it takes
to hear
what they
know
Walking Around Alchool tolerance
This is the lie
you will not see
on the TV
not Canadian or Blue
or talk to Madd
There needs to be more
light
and heat
to this
mostly barely
fueled
susbsidy
I love to here and see a plane fly over
Because despite all we have done
nothing inspires my sense of wonder
more
than the gravity denying ones.
Syrian "rebels" despite strengthening their hold at Golan pose NO security threat to Israel
Of course they don't. Why would they? *They are on Israel's team*. They are
NATO/US/Israel's Islamist fighters- They will terrorize Syrians. They will
terrorize Iraqis.* Because they are paid to do just that.*
But, they will not threaten Israel.
Mentioned this blatantly obvious fact, *not for the first time*, just the
other day in this post
* ISIS = Smoke & Mirrors. Giving cover now for strikes on Syria*
Of course, Israel, has nothing to fear because the NATO/US/Israeli Islamist
fighters aren’t interested in fighting against Israel* - Jihadists in Syria
not likely to open a new front ... more »
Some Different Views On The Popular Uprising In Pakistan
*An excerpt from, "Pakistan Protesters March on PM's Residence" ABC News,
August 30, 2014:*
Pakistani police charged with batons and fired tear gas and rubber bullets
at thousands of protesters marching toward the prime minister's official
residence and the adjacent parliament building in Islamabad on Saturday,
blanketing the route with clouds of white smoke and scattering
demonstrators. Nearly 125 people were injured in the clashes between police
and demonstrators demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The protest leaders, cricket-legend-turned politician Imran... more »
The ISIS Panic Dynamo (Gunter Grass Was Right) Militarist Lunatics In Charge At Price of Decent Civilization?
Does the link below sound familiar? It should. Seems we all live in our
cars now. They had nice plans for our country back in the good ole days (of
the amiable Reagunites), didn't they? And it took 30 years to go into full
effect. Progress - our most important product. BREAKING: Woman Dies in Her
Car While Taking a Nap Between Working Four Jobs Various people were quite
upset when
Ringing Brothers and Barnum & Bailey coming back to Salt Lake City
I was given tickets to Ringling Brothers in exchange for this post. All
opinions are my own.
I am so excited for the Circus to come to town this year! Last year was my
first ever experience at the Circus and we had so much fun. I think the
acrobats and the human cannonball were my absolute favorite parts. My
daughter loved the silly clowns and the elephants. She can't way to get to
see them this year. This time around Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey
Circus will be performing their show Legends. Legends features some
fantastic things new this year. You can read more about it be... more »
Psychology: "Maslow's Pyramid Gets a Much Needed Renovation"
"Maslow's Pyramid Gets a Much Needed Renovation"
by PhyOrg.com
"If you have ever felt that your children are your life's work, then you
may in fact be recognizing a high-level psychological need. Caring for your
children, feeding them, nurturing them, educating them and making sure they
get off on the right foot in life - all of the things that make parenting
successful - may actually be deep rooted psychological urges that we
fulfill as part of being human. Maslow's original hierarchy of needs:
This is according to a team of psychologists who have updated a cornerstone
of modern ps... more »
Musical Interlude: Chris de Burgh, "Carry Me (Like a Fire in Your Heart)"
Chris de Burgh, "Carry Me (Like a Fire in Your Heart)"
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl5cWaBE-gA
"The Philosophy Of Being"
* "The Philosophy Of Being"*
By E D Detetcheverrie
"Outrageous to some, clarifying for others,
a strange conversation meant to provoke further thought...
Now I know why they explain it in metaphors. The truth seems surreal. We
are inadequate to describe it concisely. Ask not if you have strayed from
the path; there is only one path, one way, and you are always on it...
*Do they call it enlightenment because there is a light?*
It is not mere photons, and light is only one part of it.
*Who is in charge of it all?*
Yes, we are.
*Do the wicked receive their just reward?*
We shall all, ... more »
"Life..."
"Play with life, laugh with life, dance lightly with life,
and smile at the riddles of life,
knowing that life's only true lessons are writ small in the margin."
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
August 30: understanding the news.
At last, the front page (for August 31) had a headline that caught my eye.
"Metro schools to target absenteeism". It seems the Moncton area schools
are going to deal with absenteeism as something that requires discovering
the cause, not just punishing the absentee student. And that's good
thinking.
The reasoning is that absenteeim is common among children who lack
"....certain internal developmental assets such as commitment to learning,
positive values and social competencies" - as well as support, empowerment,
and boundaries and expectations.
That certainly spoke to me because... more »
Self, self, self!
Will Self used this week's *A Point of View* on Radio 4 to launch an attack
on George Orwell.
Yes, George Orwell.
For Will, Orwell is the "supreme mediocrity", self-geared to serve the
needs of large numbers of mediocre English people. He was also an elitist.
(Square that if you can).
Will Self entertained us with a snide impersonation of Orwell at one point,
making him sound like a silly 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' type, which
was surely intended to provoke, to grate and irritate.
Will is nothing if not a showman. Even on radio his flair for out-Kenneth
Williamsing Kenn... more »
I know a lawyer with Ninja limbs, kicking Legal ass may never be the same!
You surely ski some blackstuff with the build.
Am I the only one in the world that knows
we are living in a Star Trek society?
No its not that we are being observed
and graded on our deficiency.
The world the world is a fucking great place
and its big as a one G planets go
and we live hear
among all the plant life
and animals
that we see to be determined
to eliminate if there
is some profit
and our timeline
is a soon as possible.
Lets just take flyer
about the UN
this was a master solution
to a problem
that humanity treated past and present
with some wet towels
to a dictators rage
Eve... more »
"Invictus"
*"Invictus"*
by William Ernest Henley
"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
Leaders you got to trust
And that is why we have institutional paralysis
and a whole lot of parasite
moving into the vacuum
with the idea
that you should build your own highway
or supertanker
maybe a prison or two
and while you at it make
a hospital.
Some leader needs and will break through the slime
Lee Quan Yee style
Yep the man has a kick
but he has got a plan
and look what he accomplished
in resource nothing
mosquito infested swamp land
the really funny thing was that
the government of Malaysia gave
away the thing barbecue they thought
it would be a drain on the mainland
Similarly it was Chaing Kia Shek
ha... more »
The Air Force and the McMinnville UFO Photographs
For the last several weeks I have been researching my new book and I
stumbled across a bit of information that suggests the Air Force was less
than enthusiastic in their investigations of UFOs. I wondered what their
conclusion of the McMinnville photographs was. These are the two pictures
taken by Paul Trent on May 11, 1950 of a disk-shaped object near his farm
in Oregon. I’m not going to debate the merits of the pictures here, merely
look at the Air Force response.
According to the Project Blue Book files, they came to no conclusion. In
fact, they didn’t bother to investigate the ... more »
Obama’s “Lack” of Strategy Towards ISIS
The last two days have seen a maelstrom of media attention to President
Obama’s admission that he currently does not have a strategy for attacking
or containing ISIS (The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) in Syria. It is
no surprise that those on the right criticized Obama’s candid remarks, and
it is equally not
Continue reading
Big Money Interests Investing Heavily In Their Most Subservient Political Handmaidens
I would call this Horsey cartoon from yesterday's *L.A. Times* pretty
risqué. It uses an image of a cocaine snorting Miss McConnell to portray
and mock his addiction to extreme right-wing Koch brothers cash. David
Horsey is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the *Times* and
he can get away with stuff like this. He also wrote the piece the cartoon
accompanied. "The dilemma," he wrote, "facing the true grass-roots tea
party believers-- the dilemma they do not acknowledge-- is that their
primary goal of whittling and whacking away at big government undercuts
their seco... more »
The Summer so Far
August 30, 2014 Labor Day weekend is upon us and amidst the end of
summer/pre-fall barbeques, vacations, staycations and general revelries,
here’s what’s happening in my neighborhood: We hit 101 degrees last week,
but after a run of 98 and … Continue reading →
Triage
Putin's
Russia and the Islamic State are short-term distractions from the
serious problems of climate change and resource depletion. We simply
don't have time to fuck around with some new fangled Cold- luke-warm-War
or to humour the Islamic State. The global policy response should be
robust, and aimed at walling off these two entities in every way
possible so that we in the rest of the world can
Once More, With Feeling
When I first began writing the series of template articles, my intention
was to publish them all within a day of each other, if not all at the same
time. Unfortunately time and internet issues managed to derail that
initial plan somewhat. With some of the articles being published days
apart- with weeks between the first one and the last one- some of the
message was lost. After discussing this aspect with Lisa and Heather and
Nick, I decided that I would re-publish the set of 5 articles, in reading
order, all at one time.
Below are all 5 of the Template articles. I am posting them... more »
“What is Going On?”
*“What is Going On?”*
by David Stansfield
“We have now reached the point in our story where we no longer know what is
going on. Moore’s law still reigns supreme over the technological
playground, but it appears that our toys have outgrown us – or are very,
very close to doing so. Each prediction about what this will mean for the
human race is wilder than the next. The wildest prophecies of all cluster
around a concept known as “the singularity.”
Now there’s a word. Something to do with single, with singleness, oneness,
with one or perhaps, The One. All of that and more is wrapped u... more »
Foreign Fighters Volunteering to Fight Against Ukraine Military
Fighters from throughout Europe are forming a "Europe United" brigade in
Ukraine to fight alongside the Novorossian militia.
I guess this is why NATO is calling for a 10,000 soldier force to confront
Russia in Ukraine.....the biggest "civil war" in history seems to be
shaping up. Canada is "considering" whether it will contribute to this
force. Of course, the choice is not ours to make. The NATO henchmen make
all those kinds of decisions...all we do is receive back into our country
the mentally and physically broken soldiers from these kinds of combats.
Don Lincoln's introduction to particle detectors
Fermilab's Don Lincoln has recorded a couple of videos promoting and
explaining physics concepts.
In this new 10-minute film, he presents particle detectors as subatomic
bomb squads.
To make his point clearer, he first detonates himself, goes to Heaven, and
returns to Earth.
A moment later, he makes his not so luxurious villa explode, too.
Meanwhile, beginners may learn something about the methods that physicists
used to reconstruct what happened during the explosion or collision.
Obama Awards Contract to Student Loan Predators Who Swindled 60,000 Veteran Families
Sallie Mae has a long, dirty history (here, here, here, here, here, here,
and here) of preying on those dependent upon student loans for a college
education. Recently, the dirty bastards spun off a company, which
according to Forbes, is really the old, rotten version of Sallie Mae that
we have come to hate:
The new company which is being spun out – Navient – is equivalent to the
old Sallie Mae. It will continue to service the existing loans in the
Sallie Mae portfolio, as well as service new loans via contracts with the
Department of Education. It will also focus on servicing priva... more »
Sasha & Heather on TCI: raw unedited video footage
Good evening everyone! Here is the raw, unedited video footage of The
Collective Imagination Interview with Heather Tucci-Jarraf and Sasha Stone
that was recorded on Tuesday August 26th, 2014.
As many of you probably have already heard, we had some technical issues
with getting the broadcast live on Tuesday. The round table discussion
with Lisa Harrison, Brian Kelly, myself, and Sasha and Heather was recorded
on skype and this is the unedited version that is embedded here. While the
awesome technical team is putting together an awesome production of this
discussion, using mult... more »
Can Peter King Add This To The Republican Law Suit Against President Obama?
“No way any of us can excuse what the president did yesterday… a week after
Jim Foley was beheaded"- Peter King
Roland and I have been traveling all over the world for decades. He'd eat
grasshoppers, snakes, monkeys and, in Beijing, dog. So when I wondered if I
knew anyone who watched the video of Jim Foley's beheading, I asked Roland.
"Are you kidding," he declared in disgust. "I'd never watch the savage
garbage." OK, so I don't know any friends or family who did. I asked a few
congressmembers too and they all said no. I couldn't get an answer from
Peter King's office but I bet he ... more »
UNDERSTANDING ISIS
The Islamic militant group ISIS, formerly known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and
recently rebranded as the so called Islamic State, is the stuff of
nightmares.
Would it interest you to know who helped these psychopaths rise to power?
Would it interest you to know who armed them, funded them and trained them?
Would it interest you to know why?
NATO'S RING OF STEEL
NATO uses fear to increase their 'security state' in Wales for their annual
summit. More money wasted at the very time that austerity measures are
ripping communities to pieces.
Say no to the NATO endless war machine!
Supplemental: The Clintons earn too much money again!
*SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2014Adopting Fawn Brodie’s procedures:* Early next
year, our nation will embark on it latest White House campaign.
The two-year campaign will be endless. Increasingly, the coverage of these
campaigns is built around journalistic cartoons.
Did we see one such cartoon growing again in today’s New York Times?
Chelsea Clinton is leaving her post at NBC News. This is a strikingly
trivial matter.
That said, did we spot a certain cartoon in the Times? Headline included,
Amy Chozick’s news report started like this:
CHOZICK (8/30/14):
*Chelsea Clinton to Leave ... more »
Friday Beaver - fear edition
Life of late is cheap which makes one wonder if it was always this way or
did we just not see it? Was it hidden behind some veil of secrecy?
Eventually atrocities creep out. How could a city stand and watch boxcars
crammed full of humanity pass by and not wonder what was going on? Justice
it seems is only for those holding all the cards, the boys with the most
fire power. This truly has turned Orwellian. Good is bad and bad is good.
Who would Jesus bomb?
Rights? You actually think you have rights? Shut up. They just slap a label
of enemy on your back and you get a visit from a d... more »
Editor's Note
Taking some badly needed R&R today. Blogging will return later tonight.
George Galloway 'beaten over Israel comments'
British MP attacked in London street by man said to have been shouting
about the Holocaust
Tags:
UNITED KINGDOM
OCCUPIED PALESTINE AKA ISRAEL
PALESTINE
UK seeking to bar Russia from using SWIFT banking network
The British government will press other European nations at a meeting in
Brussels on Saturday to block Russia from using the SWIFT banking network,
Bloomberg reported, in what could be a dramatic expansion of sanctions.
Tags:
RUSSIA
UNITED KINGDOM
EUROPEAN UNION
BANKING
SANCTIONS
Woman working 4 jobs to make ends meet dies while napping in car between shifts
A New Jersey woman who worked four jobs, who sometimes “wouldn’t sleep for
five days,” according to a co-worker, died Monday while napping between
shifts in her car on the side of the road.
Tags:
UNITED STATES
LUNACY
ECONOMY
Italy's unelected Prime Minister slams Russia's elected President, Vladimir Putin, for 'escalation' in Ukraine
Italy's de-facto dictator, Matteo Renzi, called Russian President Vladimir
Putin on Thursday to warn of "very serious consequences" after reports that
Moscow has sent troops into Ukraine.
Tags:
ITALY
RUSSIA
HYPOCRISY
Washington Piles Lie Upon Lie — Paul Craig Roberts
The latest Washington lie, this one coming from NATO, is that Russia has
invaded Ukraine with 1,000 troops and self-propelled artillery.
Tags:
UNITED STATES
RUSSIA
NATO
UKRAINE
PROPAGANDA
Irish carpenter who is desperately fighting eviction is thrown into Mountjoy Prison
Michael O’Neill, 46, has been imprisoned in Mountjoy for two days on foot
of a High Court warrant which said to stay away from his home in Dunmanway,
Co Cork.
Tags:
IRELAND
BANKING
CRIMINALITY
FASCISM
EU to Discuss More Russian Sanctions, Possible Weapons Embargo – Danish Foreign Minister
The European Union plans to discuss more sanctions against Russia and is
ready to consider a weapons embargo, Danish Foreign Minister Martin
Lidegaard told reporters Friday.
Tags:
RUSSIA
EUROPEAN UNION
SANCTIONS
Cold War - Family Business for Brzezinskis
As US President Barack Obama prepares for his address at the NATO Summit in
Wales and for chairing the United Nations Security Council in September,
the children of Zbigniew Brzezinski, the aging anti-Russian strategist who
advised Obama during his first presidential campaign, have been actively
working on implementing their father's Cold War schemes.
Tags:
RUSSIA
UNITED STATES
SWEDEN
Donetsk Republic leaders ready to provide corridors for encircled troops
Leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic are ready to
provide humanitarian corridors for encircled Kiev-loyal troops on condition
of their disarmament.
Tags:
UKRAINE
RUSSIA
Obama threatens Russia with new sanctions over Ukraine
US President Barack Obama has threatened his Russian counterpart Vladimir
Putin with new sanctions over the growing crisis in Ukraine.
Tags:
UNITED STATES
RUSSIA
UKRAINE
SANCTIONS
Saudi Arabia's King Issues A Warning To The West; The Jihadists Are Going To Strike You Next
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud speaks before a meeting with the
US Secretary of State at his private residence on June 27, 2014 in the Red
Sea city of Jeddah (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)
*Saudi King Warns West Will Be Jihadists' Next Target -- AFP*
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has warned that
the West will be the next target of the jihadists sweeping through Syria
and Iraq, unless there is "rapid" action.
"If we ignore them, I am sure they will reach Europe in a month and America
in another month," he said in remarks quoted on Saturday b... more »
Israel's Embedded American Operatives Aid the Genocide in Gaza
Extremist Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu enjoys an
overwhelmingly accommodating media in the United States. along with a
treacherous Congress packed with corrupt and cowardly weasels, lickspittles
and religious fanatics whose dedication to a foreign country stabs their
actual constituents in the back. The fealty that Netanyahu receives was
evident when he received 29 standing ovations during an address to the U.S.
Congress in 2011. He also is able to play the corrupt state-corporate media
like a Stradivarius to receive an unprecedented forum on national
televisio... more »
Stephen Harper, Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Not content with awarding Stephen Harper their Gold Medallion human rights
award and pledging to create a *Stephen Harper Centre for Human Rights*, B’nai
Brith Canada announced yesterday they will be nominating him for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
Frank Dimant from their statement :
“Moral clarity has been lost across much of the world, with terror, hatred
and antisemitism filling the void,” said Frank Dimant, CEO, B’nai Brith
Canada. “Throughout, there has been one leader which has demonstrated
international leadership and a clear understanding of the differences
between those who wou... more »
Ignoring The Obvious
http://www.breitbart.com/
Stephen Harper has just completed his ninth tour of the North. These tours
provide the prime minister with an opportunity to serve up warm rhetoric.
On this occasion, Harper saved his most heated words for Vladimir Putin.
But he said nothing about the North's increasingly warm atmosphere. Jeffrey
Simpson writes:
Nowhere in Canada is the impact of climate change more increasingly evident
than the North. And yet, the words “climate change” are never heard from
Mr. Harper in the North, as if the idea... more »
Ukraine / Russia situation ( August 27 , 2014 ) -- Daily update on the state of play regarding South East Ukraine battlefield , sanctions watch ( US/EU/Ukraine and Russia ) , Peace Talks / Mediations , Natural Gas Situation....
Catharsis Ours - 14 hours ago
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-28/ukraine-accuses-russia-launching-invasion-then-promptly-retracts
Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Launching Invasion, Then Promptly Retracts
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/28/2014 07:24 -0400
- BTFATH
- European Union
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What A U.S. Military Intervention In Syria Really Means
Badra Mamet/Reuters
*What Going To War In Syria Would Really Mean For The U.S. -- Conor
Friedersdorf, The Atlantic*
A brutal dictator, a violent terrorist group, and the morally fraught
tradeoff that interventionists face
Attacking Adolf Hitler's Germany benefited moral monster Joseph Stalin's
Soviet Union. That inescapable fact of World War II doesn't mean it wasn't
worth fighting Nazis. Under the circumstances, allying with Stalin to beat
Hitler was the right call. But the consequences of that fraught alliance
were themselves horrific. To ignore its downsides would be to misund... more »
The Economist: one drop in the tsunami of stoopid
*Another lovely Taiwan riding day*.
I'm blogging on this because I fear that if you read this article in which
the Economist explains why China and Taiwan are divided, your IQ may
plummet. Just consider this my small public service in defending the world
from the ongoing tsunami of stoopid in the media. Why O why can't we have a
better media?
The stoopid starts at the very beginning. With the title: "China and Taiwan
are divided." But of course, China and Taiwan aren't "divided." The KMT and
CCP governments wish to annex Taiwan to China, whose sovereignty over
Taiwan is not suppor... more »
Untitled
*Nine ~Disenfranchised Citizen*
*New Orleans on a roll, but 9th Ward stymied 9 years after Katrina ~Rob
Masson, WVUE*
*Abortion clinics ask federal judge to rule new state law unconstitutional
~WWLTV *
*Nighttime burglar ransacks Treme funeral home, steals hearse ~Danny
Monteverde, New Orleans Advocate *
*It's GameDay! LSU Football vs. Wisconsin *
US hands over first upgraded KC-135 Stratotanker to France
[image: ALAT KC-135RG Stratotanker]The French Air Force (ALAT) has taken
delivery of the first modernised KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling
aircraft from the US at Air Base 125, near Istres, France.
A total of three French KC-135RG tankers have been upgraded by the US to
primarily ensure compliance with the RENO global air traffic management
(GATM) standard.
The new interface is claimed to enable navigation standards identical to
those of US KC-135s and more efficient and secure integration into general
air traffic.
Read more
Taiwan to spend US$2.5b on anti-missile systems
[image: Tien Kung 3 (Sky Bow 3) missile]Taiwan plans to spend TW$74.8
billion (S$3.1 billion, US$2.5 billion) in the next nine years to acquire
anti-missile systems to boost its aerial defences against China, a lawmaker
and media said Saturday.
The defence ministry aims to purchase the locally-made Tien Kung 3 (Sky Bow
3) surface-to-air missile system between 2015 and 2024 to replace the
ageing Hawk missile systems, said lawmaker Lin Yu-fang of the parliament's
defence committee. T
his will be the biggest procurement of domestically-made weapon systems in
recent years, Lin said, ci... more »
The End of the Cobra Era
[image: AH-1Z Cobra]The IAF has quietly retired one of its oldest and most
venerable weapon systems recently.
The AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter OrBat, which entered service in 1975, was
demobilized pursuant to a decision (in the context of the recent cuts in
the defense budget) to discontinue using the outdated helicopters.
The demobilization process was executed in three stages: on July 29, 2013
the attack helicopter flight of the Red (Aggressor) Squadron was
demobilized.
Read more
Iran Nuclear talks hit impasse ( August 30 , 2014 ) - US rolls out more sanctions and Iranian response to same ...
Tweets....
*Hassan Rouhani* @HassanRouhani · 6m
Our broad sense in the nuclear negotiations is that all 7 countries want to
solve the issue.
-
*Hassan Rouhani* @HassanRouhani · 9m
The recent measures taken against #Iran by the US are against the spirit of
the Joint Plan of Action and confidence building.
-
*Hassan Rouhani* @HassanRouhani · 28m
Hope #nuclear negotiations will be fruitful. If counterparts avoid
excessive demands outcome would benefit all parties. #WinWin #RouhaniLive
-
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/29/U-S-imposes-new-sa... more »
Why Would You Vote For Anyone Opposed To Increasing The Minimum Wage?
No doubt Labor Day is about barbecuing for many people… or an extra day off
from work that can be spent with friends and family or in blissful
solitude. But this morning, in his weekly address, Presdient Obama chose to
discuss the minimum wage, particularly since Mitch McConnell had just
prostrated himself before the Koch brothers and some equally heinous
billionaires and viewed he would never allow an increase in the minimum
wage to even come up for a vote if he wins reelection. It probably angered
Peter King again, but the president decided to talk about economic issues
that fa... more »
With Syrian Rebels Intensifying Their Attacks, UN Peacekeepers Flee Into Israel From Their Posts In The Golan Heights
*Philippine Syria Troops 'Attacked' -- BBC*
Philippine peacekeepers trapped by rebels in the Syrian Golan Heights are
"under attack", Philippine Defence Minister Voltaire Gazmin says.
He said the assault had started early on Saturday, but gave no details on
any casualties.
In recent days the Syrian rebels have taken 44 Fijian peacekeepers hostage
in the area and surrounded 75 Filipinos manning two separate UN posts.
The rebels have also seized a crossing point into the Israeli-occupied
Golan.
They are believed to include members of the al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's
affiliate in Syri... more »
Death is not the end. Our Struggle is Eternal
The death of a loved-one is never easy. It is that much harder when the
one you lose suffers excruciating pain before death. This month has been a
particularly difficult one, with the loss of a confidant, a listener, an
individual who was forthright yet compassionate, took no nonsense but
wasn't patronising, and was in every way a kindred spirit. Due to the
nature of my writing, I cannot give the name or any other details of the
great individual who has departed this world. Why not? Because to do so
would put the rest of my family in danger due to the malicious behaviour of
tho... more »
Untitled
*TX: Some teachers packing heat, school district signs alert visitors*
A school district outside Dallas will reportedly continue to allow some
teachers to carry guns in school, and posted signs on school campuses
warning that teachers "may use whatever force is necessary to protect our
students."
NewFix's CW33 reported that Argyle teachers will continue to be allowed to
be armed on campus under the state's Protection of Texas Children Act.
The report said these gun-toting teachers are required to have a handgun
license, pass a psychological test and go through emergency response
t... more »
A War Which Would Kill 40,000,000 Americans in an Hour
*LBJ: "Dick...it has already been announced and you can serve with anybody
for the good of America and this is a question that has a good many more
ramifications than on the surface and we've got to take this out of the
arena where they're testifying that Khrushchev and Castro did this and did
that and kicking us into a war that can kill 40 million Americans in an
hour. "*
Everyone ignores the direct, personal role played by Bobby Kennedy in
bringing the Warren Commission into existence - Bobby asked Earl Warren to
serve on the Commission, in person, TWICE, *BEFORE* LBJ asked hi... more »
APSA Fire Update
Well, the main APSA hotel at the Marriott last night caught fire last night
in what might be an act of arson, but we really don’t know. For those of us
staying at the Marriott, we awoke at 1am to alarms and recorded messages to
evacuate the building. We stayed outside until around 4:30 or
Continue reading
Winter watch ( August 30 , 2014 ) - Are Russia and Germany conniving to work around recalcitrant Ukraine regarding natural gas for Europe ? Association of European Businesses urges EU to refrain from sanctions against Russia ...... European Commission recommends Ukraine to start repaying Russian gas debt
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/747385
( Ukraine needs 3 billion for their war with Novorussians and billions more
to pay for Russian natural gas...... Pony up time , boys and girls ! )
Barroso suggests EU’s increased financial aid for Ukraine
World
August 30, 20:12 UTC+4
“More than half a billion euros in loans and 250 million euros in grants
have already been mobilized by the European Commission as part of this
package,” the president of the European Commission said
© AP Photo/Yves Logghe
BRUSSELS, August 30, /ITAR-TASS/. European Commission President Jose Manuel
Barroso said on Sat... more »
Saturday Interview: Howard Fuller
Howard "Howie" Fuller is a PCS activist from London. Among his sins are a
penchant for comics and prog rock. He blogs at Howie's Corner and has
proven so far resistant to Twitter's lure.
- Why did you start blogging?
I actually came to blogging by accident rather than design. For several
years I had run (and still do) an e-mail list in the PCS union which
managed to get up the noses of the Socialist Party/Left Unity leadership.
So much so in fact that in late 2012 I received a phone call from John
McInally, a PCS Vice President (and SP Grandee) asking me to desist in my
criticisms... more »
Ukraine Updates ( August 30 , 2014 ) -- Ukraine Demands Arms, NATO Membership as Rebels Advance on Mariupol Kiev Cries 'Invasion,' But Still Has No Evidence ....... Ukraine Claims ‘Thousands’ of Russian Troops Invaded, Offers No Evidence Rebels Advance, But No Sign of Putative Russian Backing ....... Next Week’s NATO Summit to Focus on Escalations Against Russia Expected to Reach Deal on More Eastern Europe Troops ........ NATO planning 'rapid-deployment force' of 10,000 troops to counter Russia ...... Updates from the battlefield and Political minefields......
Anti War.....
Vineyard of the Saker......
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2014
“Russian Invasion” – How long is screaming ‘Wolf!’ having an impact of the
Western Populations? – Until Full Spectrum Dominance has been attained?
by Peter Koenig
"*The separatists are backed, trained, armed, financed by Russia. Russia
determined that it had to be a little more overt in what it had already
been doing, but it's not really a shift*."
Barak Obama, 29 August 2014.
"*If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.*”
Joseph Goebbels
Interestingly, most of us who are seeking the truth are primaril... more »
Map On Wall In Office Of Governor Of Donetsk People's Republic Shows The Territory That They Want
Map on wall in office of governor of Donetsk People's Republic shows
territory they want in #Russia. pic.twitter.com/iFKx7pRXrm
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) May 12, 2014
*My Comment:* It is not going to happen .... but some are now proposing
such a split to solve the crisis .... *A Split Is Possible Way Out Of
Ukraine Crisis -- Analysts* ( Marcel Michelson, Forbes)
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- August 30, 2014
*Mariupol Digs Its Trenches And Awaits An Attack From The Troops Of 'New
Russia' -- The Telegraph*
Ukrainian forces in the port city of Mariupol believe Russian troops are
poised to take their stronghold – but Moscow denies that its troops are
serving across the border
"They're different to the fighters in Donetsk. We know what they're like,
we've fought them before. These guys are different. Their kit, their
uniforms, everything – they're Russian armed forces."
Standing among the sandbag redoubts dotting the grounds of the Azov
battalion's headquarters in Mariupol, the city of ... more »
Who's really hit a nerve with Jon Donnison?
Someone is very sore about *BBC Watch. *You might also say *#obsessed. *
Jon Donnison, though back in Oz (where his job is to report on Australian
affairs), is still obsessively tweeting about Gaza at the moment. And about *BBC
Watch* and *CiF Watch*. And, yet again, he's happily scrapping with an
Israeli spokesman, this time Yiftah Curiel, Spokesperson of the Embassy of
Israel in London.
Here's what's been happening so far:
I hope lone voice behind @bbcwatch is being paid by the word, or must be
most monumental waste of time since England picked Carlton Palmer.
— Jon Donnison (@Jo... more »
Iraq / Syria Regional War Updates ( August 30 , 2014 ) -- US has no strategy for ISIS yet is bombing away in Iraq , UK playing a " Chicken Little Game " crying terror threats , UN being dragged into the Syria campaign by al Nusra .......
Anti War.....
No ISIS Strategy; Obama’s Rare Moment of CandorHawks Push Escalation, But
Lack of Strategy Not an Oversight
by Jason Ditz, August 29, 2014
Print This | Share This
Nothing is more unwise for politicians than honesty, and President Obama
was caught in a pretty significant moment of candor with his admission that
“we don’t have a strategy yet” for the ISIS war.
The comment sparked immediate condemnation from hawks pushing him to
escalate the ISIS war even more precipitously, with claims that he isn’t
taking the situation seriously enough.
Yet the lack of a strategy isn’t s... more »
Coup Underway In African State Of Lesotho. Prime Minister Has Fled the Country
*Military Coup Under Way In Lesotho -- Al Jazeera*
Prime Minister, who has fled to South Africa, confirms with Al Jazeera that
army has taken over government buildings.
Military units in Lesotho have surrounded government and police buildings
and gunfire has been heard in the small mountainous southern African
kingdom, in what diplomats said appeared to be an attempted coup.
The military seized control of the tiny police headquarters and jammed
radio stations and phones in the early hours on Saturday, a government
minister and member of the ruling coalition told the AFP news agency... more »
NATO Plans To Establish A 'Rapid-Deployment Force' Of 10,000 Troops
German troops who are part of the NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) (Reuters / Omar Sobhani)
*NATO Planning 'Rapid-Deployment Force' Of 10,000 Troops To Counter Russia
-- RT*
NATO is reportedly working towards the creation of an expeditionary force
composed of 10,000 troops from seven different member states as a result of
escalating tensions with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, the force’s creation will be spearheaded
by Britain and involve contributions from Denmark, Latvia, Estonia,
Lithuania, Norway, and the Netherla... more »
Ukraine Wants To Join NATO
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) greets NATO Secretary General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen during their meeting in Kiev, August 7, 2014.
Rasmussen on Thursday called on Russia to pull its troops back from the
border with Ukraine and "step back from the brink". REUTERS/Mykola
Lazarenko /Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters
*Ukraine To Seek Nato Membership, Says PM Yatsenyuk -- BBC*
*Ukraine's prime minister has said he will ask parliament to put the
country on a path towards Nato membership.*
Arseny Yatsenyuk said the government was sending a bill to MPs urging... more »
Poland Closes It's Airspace To The Russian Defense Minister's Plane From Flying Over
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu (RIA Novosti / Igor Russak)
*Poland Closes Airspace To Russian Defense Minister's Plane, Demands
'Non-Military' Flight Status -- RT*
*Poland has allowed the plane of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to
fly over its territory, after the plane changed its status from military to
civilian. Earlier the country barred its airspace to the plane.*
The Russian defense minister’s plane has left Bratislava’s airport,
according to the Slovak Interior Ministry, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The plane has received permission to fly over Poland af... more »
U.S. High-Altitude Missile System For S. Korea Upsets China, N. Korea, Russia, Poses Problems For South
[image: THAAD launcher]The specter of Chinese warplanes buzzing U.S. and
Japanese planes adds urgency to U.S. pressure for high-altitude defense in
Asia against a still more formidable threat: that of missiles fired by
North Korea and maybe even China.
Both the Pentagon and Japan’s defense ministry have protested the close
calls with Chinese planes while China threatens still more of them and
complains about U.S. dreams of installing a “Terminal High-Altitude Area
Defense” system in South Korea.
China, North Korea and, most recently, Russia all seem to fear that
installation of the... more »
Sweden to buy next-generation jets despite Swiss pullout
[image: Saab JAS-39 Gripen E/F]Sweden said Friday it would go ahead with
the purchase of a new generation of Saab Gripen fighter jets, despite
Switzerland pulling out of a major co-financing deal.
"Global developments and Russian action in Ukraine, with troops in the
country, underline the importance of us pursuing the acquisition of the
next generation fighter aircraft," defence minister Karin Enstroem told
public broadcaster SVT.
"This is also about our security and defence capability in the future," she
said.
Read more
Rare footage: F16 low level test over beautiful Greenland landscapes
Thanks to Major John Kristensen of the Royal Danish Airforce you get to see
Greenland like you have never seen it before, flying low in an F16 fighter
jet.
Jacob Michaelsen, wing commander on the mission said, "the video combines
the best of two worlds; F16 flying and the breathtaking scenery over
Greenland".
Major Kristensen originally recorded the video as documentation but was
given permission from Tactical Air Command Denmark to share it with the
World after he edited it and showed them.
Source
Accurate and Up-To Date Maps are Important.
*Remember Yalta - Yalta is extremely Important to remember.*
Transport Econ 13: On Prohibiting S. Luzon Provincial Buses to Enter M.Manila
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will soon prohibit
buses from southern provinces to enter Metro Manila. Their analysis says
that these provincial buses contribute significantly to Metro Manila
traffic; thus, the solution is to ban and prohibit them from entering the
metropolis. Is this a good analysis?
In July 2013, MMDA proposed a two days a week cars-not-allowed in M.Manila,
from the current one day a week. Public adverse reaction was high and MMDA
was forced to abandon it.
Then in August 2013, MMDA prohibited provincial buses from Cavite and
western Batanga... more »
Pratt halted F-35 engine shipments in May over titanium
[image: F-135 test]United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney unit briefly
suspended delivery of the engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet in
May because of questions about titanium provided to a parts supplier.
Pratt said on Friday it discovered conflicting documentation in late May
that raised questions about the origin of the titanium, which was also used
in parts for engines made by its Pratt & Whitney Canada division. The
Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 strike fighter is the Pentagon's costliest
weapons program.
Pratt determined very quickly that the material did not pose a fl... more »
US Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Passes 600 Days in Orbit
[image: X-37B Space Plane]The U.S. Air Force's mysterious unmanned space
plane has winged beyond 600 days in orbit on a classified military mission
that seems to have no end.
The X-37B space plane is carrying out the Orbital Test Vehicle-3 (OTV-3)
mission, a long-duration cruise that marks the third flight for the
unpiloted Air Force spaceflight program.
The Air Force launched the miniature space shuttle into orbit on Dec. 11,
2012 using an expendable Atlas 5 rocket. By the end of Friday (Aug. 29),
the space plane had spent 627 days in orbit. That's one year, eight months,
19 days ... more »
Russia, India to Continue Joint Air Force Drills in November
[image: Su-30MKI Flanker]The second phase of joint Russian-Indian Air Force
exercise “Aviaindra-2014” is set to take place in India in November, deputy
chief of the Russian Air Force's General Staff, Aleksandr Lyapkin, told
reporters Friday.
“The second phase of the exercise will take place in India after the end of
monsoon season, on November 10-21. The location isn't known yet, this will
become clear in October, when planning is finished,” Lyapkin said.
Russia is currently hosting the first ever Russian-Indian air force drills,
which involve joint flights with mixed Russian-Indian... more »
UCLASS RFP Delayed Again Following Pentagon Meeting
[image: X47B Night Deck Handling]The final request for proposal (RFP) for
the Navy’s planned carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been
delayed pending a review of the service’s information, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) portfolio as part of the service’s budget process this
fall, Navy officials told USNI News on Friday afternoon.
“Defense officials will be including [Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne
Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS)] in its ISR portfolio review to be
conducted in conjunction with the normal budget review process this fall,”
Cmdr. Thurraya S. Kent... more »
Del Pilar class frigates to be fitted with CIWS, Harpoon missiles
[image: BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15)]“Our initial target is for the Del
Pilar frigates to have the same capabilities as the Hamilton-class did when
they were in US service, such as having the Phalanx CIWS and Harpoon
anti-ship missiles,” Marine Colonel Eric Nicanor, commander of the PN’s
Naval Communications, Electronic and Information Center and chairman of the
technical working group for the Del Pilar-class frigate upgrade told IHS
Jane’s.
He also said that they are looking to possibility of fitting Del Pilar
class firgates with weapon and sensor system same with the upcoming br... more »
Japan defence ministry asks for record US$48.7b budget
[image: Kawasaki P-1 MPA]Japan’s defence ministry yesterday made its
biggest ever budget request, as Tokyo bolsters its military amid worries
over China’s expanding naval reach.
The ministry wants 5.05 trillion yen (US$48.7 billion) for the year, with
the focus on boosting protection of a string of southern islands that
stretches from Kyushu to waters near Taiwan.
The request, if approved, would mark the third straight annual defence
budget increase and a 3.5 per cent rise from the budget for the current
fiscal year, which ends in March 2015. The trend reflects Prime Minister
Shinz... more »
"Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart"
*"Smash your left hand down about right here three times, then twice up in
this area, then three times right about here... *
*That's 'Louie Louie' "*
Green signal for anti-sub sensors
[image: INS Kolkata]Defence minister Arun Jaitley today asked the navy to
procure anti-submarine warfare suites for two classes of warships from
within the country.
The Telegraph had reported last week that the Prime Minister and Jaitley
had this month commissioned warships INS Kolkata and INS Kamorta despite
their platforms not being fully equipped with anti-submarine sensors.
The Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC), chaired by Jaitley, today asked the
navy to speed up procurement of ASW (anti-submarine warfare) sensors worth
up to Rs 1,700 crore for a class of frigates and destroye... more »
French supplier faltering, deadlines breached; Scorpene may take another hit says defence shipyard
[image: Scorpene class SSK]The alarm bells have gone off. After nine long
years of waiting, the Indian Navy couldn't have expected a worse time for
it to happen.
Suffering from two debilitating underwater losses within a year and tardy
acquisition process, its only hope, Project 75 involving the construction
of six Scorpene submarines based on transfer of technology from the French
firm DCNS, is on the verge of taking a hit, resulting into the fourth
straight extension of delivery deadline.
The Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), which is building the boats
with DCNS' assistan... more »
Petition
Disputed figures on Gaza casualties.
Petition to change the BBC's boilerplate "mostly civilians" phrase while
the figures are inadequately verified.
Change BBC boilerplate on Gaza casualties to reflect disputed figures
Almost uniquely among news organisations the British Broadcasting
Corporation has a duty to impartiality that is not just implied by the
professional journalism they claim to practice but also legally by Royal
Charter:*"The BBC is required to deliver duly impartial news by the Royal
Charter and Agreement and to treat controversial subjects with due
impartiality"*[BB... more »
General Dynamics Delivers Submarine North Dakota To U.S. Navy on Schedule and Under Target Cost
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[image: USS North Dakota (SSN-784)]General Dynamics Electric Boat today
delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine North Dakota (SSN-784) on
time and more than $30 million below target cost. Electric Boat is a wholly
owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.
North Dakota is the 11th ship of the Virginia Class, which provides the
Navy with the capabilities required to retain undersea dominance well into
the 21st century. North Dakota will join the fleet in a commissioning
ceremony Oct. 25 at the Navy submarine base in Groton.
North Dakota is also the first of the eight-ship group of ... more »
Kenya Navy destroys ship with Sh1 billion worth of heroin as Uhuru watches from his military chopper
President Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the destruction of the stateless Al Noor
ship with 370 kgs of heroin aboard a military chopper, 16 nautical miles
South of Mombasa.
The ship was destroyed at around 4:20pm by the Kenyan Navy officers who
ringed the ship with explosives which were later denoted.
Journalists watched from a distance as the ship exploded in a ball of fire
and sunk 500m down the sea bed.
Read more
Conflict – Emotion, Bias and Objectivity
*Conflict – Emotion, Bias and Objectivity*
That’s the heading to the promotional material for the event that was to
have taken place at the Frontline Club next week. It was fully booked, but
it has now been postponed, which must have been inconvenient for all
concerned.
“An event discussing media coverage of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict has
been cancelled, following plans by the ZF to protest outside it. “Reporting
the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict – Emotion, Bias and Objectivity,”
organised by the Frontline Club, was scheduled to be held on Sept 3 at the
Shaw Theatre.”
Perhap... more »
Rasmussen: Ukraine free to seek Nato membership
[image: Anders Fogh Rasmussen]Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said
Ukraine is free to pursue membership of the Western alliance despite
Russian opposition.
He told press in Brussels on Friday (29 August): “I’m not going to
interfere in political discussions in Ukraine. But let me remind you of
Nato’s decision at the Bucharest summit in 2008, according to which Ukraine
‘will become a member of Nato,’ provided of course, Ukraine so wishes and
fulfills the necessary criteria”.
“We adhere to the principle that each and every country has the right to
decide [its foreign and securit... more »
Stratbase 2: On Power and Jobs
* Reposting this from Business Mirror.
---------
Group urges P-Noy to focus more on power generation andjob creation
27 Aug 2014 Written by David Cagahastian
CIVIL-SOCIETY group Citizenwatch has proposed several action plans that the
Aquino administration should focus on in its last two years in office,
particularly in the areas of power generation and promotion of medium-scale
enterprises to create more jobs.
In a recent roundtable discussion among the conveners of Citizenwatch, the
need to lower the costs of power and to provide for a reliable source of
power for industries was ... more »
Incitement
Incitement
George Galloway provides conclusive proof of his own guilt.
*Update*.
Racially/religiously aggravated assault! That’s the charge we’re told the
assailant will face.
It looks as though the ‘racist’ element of the above crime (racially
aggravated assault) normally concerns the ‘victim’. If A hits B because B
is black/foreign/ Jewish/ Muslim etc etc. then the assault is considered to
be racially aggravated.
George Galloway is none of the above. Unless being a annoying, provocative,
racist antisemite is a race. I suppose it could be a religion.
George was acting in a racia... more »
George Galloway taken to hospital after street attack - BBC News
The BBC are almost ecstatic to report that it may have been a supporter of
Israel that carried out this attack on Galloway.
Read here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28992601
Farming Today
Following *Prayer for the Day *came Farming Today - another daily staple of
the Radio 4 schedule. The BBC is sometimes accused of having a
metropolitan, anti-farmer bias, so having this as a regular part of its day
is an important gesture (even if it is scheduled at 5.45am).
Does the programme itself, however, show a metropolitan, anti-farmer bias
in its concerns?
Well, there were four topics on this edition of the Tuesday 26th August
edition of the programme.
The first subject was land access, specifically the tension between the
public's rights over footpath use in the country... more »
Fukushima:"Officials: About 2 Trillion Becquerels of Fukushima Radioactive Material Flowed Into Ocean Every Month During 2013"
*"Officials: About 2 Trillion Becquerels of Fukushima *
*Radioactive Material Flowed Into Ocean Every Month During 2013"*
by ENENews.com
"Officials reveal about 2 Trillion becquerels of Fukushima radioactive
material flowed into ocean every month during 2013 — “Deadly strontium”
releases now more than double cesium — “Strontium gets into your bones… it
changes the equation” (VIDEO)
Strontium 90 = 5 billion Bq
Cesium 137 = 2 billion Bq
Tritium = 15 billion Bq
Total daily outflow into the port = 22 billion Bq
Senior Scientist: 100 times more strontium than cesium in water at
Fukushima... more »
The U.S. Navy Wants It's Future Fighter Jets To Have An Aritificial Intelligence Platform
Boeing concept for F/A-XX. Boeing Image
*Navy’s Next Fighter Likely to Feature Artificial Intelligence -- Dave
Majumdar, USNI News*
Artificial intelligence will likely feature prominently onboard the
Pentagon’s next-generation successors to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
and the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
“AI is going to be huge,” said one U.S. Navy official familiar with the
service’s F/A-XX effort to replace the Super Hornet starting around 2030.
Further, while there are significant differences between the U.S. Air
Force’s vision for its F-X air superiority fighter and the ... more »
Musical Interlude: Clannad, “Mystery Game”
Clannad, “Mystery Game”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIDzqVRFr5c
Here's Where We Think The World's Nukes Are Stored
An image from the U.S.'s May, 1953 "Grable" test of a 280-mm nuclear
cannon. U.S. Department of Energy
*Here's Where We Think The World's Nukes Are Stored — And What It Says
About Global Security -- Armin Rosen, Business Insider*
Nuclear security scholars Hans M. Kristensen and Robert S. Norris published
a study of the worldwide deployment of nuclear weapons on August 27th in
the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, their first such survey since 2009.
As they stress throughout their paper, tracking the number and location of
the world's nuclear warheads is an inherently uncertain end... more »
Rumors Are Spreading That Now Retired Special Operations Admiral Bill McRaven May Be Hillary Clinton's Running Mate in 2016
*Photo:* Ret. Adm. William Harry McRaven. Wikipedia
*Special Ops Commander Swears: I Won't Be Hillary's VP -- Kimberly Dozier,
Daily Beast*
He commanded the bin Laden raid—and expanded U.S. commandos’ global
footprint. Now Adm. Bill McRaven is leaving the military. He
promises—promises—that politics won’t be next.
Admiral Bill McRaven left command of U.S. special operations this week as a
somewhat bewildered man – surprised, stymied, and in some cases burned by
the fame and notoriety that launched his three years there, as the military
commander of the 2011 raid that killed terror... more »
Yes, we know, guns don't kill people
*"Much like the long-running national debates about jumping off a roof,
licking electrical sockets, and gargling with thumbtacks, the vexing
question of whether children should fire military weapons does not appear
headed for a swift resolution. " 'Like the issue of whether you should
sneak up behind a bear and jab it with a hot poker, this won't be settled
any time soon,' [pollster Davis Logsdon] says."*
*-- from The Borowitz Report*
*by Ken*
Yes, we know, guns don't kill people. Sometimes nine-year-old moppets
frolicking with Uzis on gun ranges kill people {"Child firing Uzi a... more »
A Look At The U.S. Spy Planes That Will Be Used To Gather Intelligence On The Islamic State
The RQ-4A Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial
reconnaissance system designed to provide military field commanders with
high-resolution, near-real-time imagery of large geographic areas. (CREDIT
: REUTERS/U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Reynaldo Ramon)
*The U-2 And Global Hawk, The US Spy Planes That Will Help Hunt ISIS in
Syria -- International Business Times*
The United States has begun surveillance flights over Syria in an attempt
to spy on ISIS fighters. While the U.S. Department of Defense refused to
comment on what type of aircraft will be used, one milita... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“To the eye, this cosmic composition nicely balances the Bubble Nebula at
the lower right with open star cluster M52. The pair would be lopsided on
other scales, though. Embedded in a complex of interstellar dust and gas
and blown by the winds from a single, massive O-type star, the Bubble
Nebula, also known as NGC 7635, is a mere 10 light-years wide.
* Click image for larger size.*
On the other hand, M52 is a rich open cluster of around a thousand stars.
The cluster is about 25 light-years across. Seen toward the northern
boundary of Cassiopeia, distance estimates for the Bubble Neb... more »
Paulo Coelho, “Closing Cycles”
*“Closing Cycles”*
by Paulo Coelho
“One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on
staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the
meaning of the other stages we have to go through. Closing cycles, shutting
doors, ending chapters – whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave
in the past the moments of life that have finished.
Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you
leave your parents’ house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting
friendship ended all of a sudden? You can spend a long time wondering... more »
"Willingness to Feel: Opening to Understanding"
*"Willingness to Feel: Opening to Understanding"*
by The DailyOM
"When we are resisting something based on a limited understanding, we must
then open ourselves to willingness. There are times when we may find
ourselves struggling or even fighting with our thoughts and emotions. We
may feel that something must be done in a certain way or not at all, or
there may be some other situation that feels absolutely black and white.
But life is not this way—it’s the way we are looking at our experiences
that is causing the turmoil within us. When we become aware that the
struggle we are havi... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Coppenbrügge, Niedersachsen, Germany.
Thanks for stopping by.
A Maze Or Labyrinth..."
"The difficulty in dealing with a maze or labyrinth lies not so much in
navigating the convolutions to find the exit but in *not entering* the damn
thing in the first place. Or, at least not yet again. As a creature of free
will, do not be tempted into futility."
- Vera Nazarian
Chet Raymo, “Whence Ourselves?”
*“Whence Ourselves?”*
by Chet Raymo
“I recently thought of David S. Goodsell's "The Machinery of Life," and I
found myself reading the book again. There is nothing I didn't already
know, but it's worth reading again for the same reason one might read, say,
Anna Karenina or Moby Dick several times in the course of a life. In fact,
Goodsell's book would be a good candidate for the one science book I would
recommend to someone stuck on a desert island.
Step by step he takes us through the molecular machinery shared by all life
on Earth. Humans have a lot more in common with a bacteriu... more »
The Poet: Wendell Berry, “Leavings”
“In time a man disappears
from his lifelong fields, from
the streams he has walked beside,
from the woods where he sat and waited.
Thinking of this, he seems to
miss himself in those places
as if always he has been there.
But first he must disappear,
and this he foresees with hope,
with thanks. Let others come.”
- Wendell Berry, “Leavings”
Consider This Dispatch a WAR-WARNING
*"The current threat level from international terrorism for the UK is
assessed as SEVERE"*
- If an attack should occur before, during or after the 2014 NATO Summit in
Wales, DON'T think ISIS, Don't think Putin, Don't think Syria: think *NATO
Intelligence.*
*#warwarning #nato*
I am afraid of Carbon Fiber as a mission critical resouce
It blows up at failure and give you little warning
watch the NHL for evidence
no way I am riding a bike
made of carbon fiber.
Untitled
*Environmental businesses as a New Orleans economic asset: See the data
points ~Mark Waller*
Oh no, the evil ISIS terrorists are waterboarding! How dare those dastards . . . oops!
*Kids, don't try this at home! But I've got some suggestions of blowhards
who deserve to undergo a lovely round of waterboarding -- at the hands of
professional CIA torturers technicians. (Artwork by Simon Scarr/Reuters
Graphic.)*
*"Critics of waterboarding have said for years that the practice endangered
Americans, putting them at risk of being subjected to the same brutal
treatment at the hands of the enemy."*
*-- from "Captives held by Islamic State werewaterboarded" on
washingtonpost.com*
*by Ken*
Let's try not to make *too big* a deal of it, but since the Lying LIars of
the... more »
Hey Hackers: Join the NSA, It's like a Rave Party
*DoD*
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Singapore Singapore Singapore
Austria Austria Austria, Denmark Denmark Denmark, Germany Germany Germany.
Of all the treys only Germany is a significant country but man they can
move like a little one and treat the citizens to a good life despite the
troubled seas that surround them and the lack of natural resources that
enrich the stupid ones.
But I say to you all, Singapore is the place that has been
playing civilization since 1964 and winning every round. Take a look folks,
no wires our mirrors just good, not good great goverment. Social housing is
the foundation and good goverment over all is the salvation ... more »
Crushed [updated]
Gutless, and gone?
*UPDATE*: Good riddance. A shame she wasn’t sacked for all her real offences
.
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Breaking News: greencrow's option "None of the Above" pondered by Federal Liberal caucus
GREENCROW'S SUGGESTION FOR BALLOT REFORM - *'NONE OF THE ABOVE' ADDED TO
BALLOT* - IS BEING CONSIDERED BY LIBERAL CAUCUS
Greencrow proposed the "None of the Above" (NOTA) option to Minister for
Democratic Reform Pierre Poilievre and MP James Moore back last February,
2014. Neither of them bothered to respond to my e-mail....but it looks
like the Liberals have accepted my suggestion for a change to the ballot.
The Liberals have, however, framed it as a "mandatory vote"...which I don't
think will fly and is a totally unnecessary march down
the path to totalitarianism.
http://www.v... more »
Kissinger Defines His View Of What Is Necessary For A New World Order
*The Assembly Of A New World Order -- Henry Kissinger, Wall Street Journal*
The concept that has underpinned the modern geopolitical era is in crisis
Libya is in civil war, fundamentalist armies are building a self-declared
caliphate across Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan's young democracy is on the
verge of paralysis. To these troubles are added a resurgence of tensions
with Russia and a relationship with China divided between pledges of
cooperation and public recrimination. The concept of order that has
underpinned the modern era is in crisis.The search for world order has long b... more »
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