10:15pm MST
Movie Watch: A few quick words about "Boyhood," a film unlike anything you've likely seen -- or likely ever will
*Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) with his son, Mason Jr. (Ellar Coltrane), and
daughter, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), at the start of the 12-year journey
chronicled in Richard Linklater's Boyhood -- unlike anything you're likely
ever to have seen*
*by Ken*
Since the question comes up so often in writer-director Richard Linklater's
*Boyhood*, let me say upfront that yes, I had done my homework when I
slipped out of the house late this afternoon for the long trek to Astoria
(Queens) and a Museum of the Moving Image screening of the film. I was so
curious about that during its commercial ru... more »
(American Dumb Snipers?) Shaming the Democrats (Has the NSA Blackmailed Its Overseers In Washington?)
How the CIA Made Google: Inside the Secret Network Behind Mass
Surveillance, Endless War, and Skynet INSURGE INTELLIGENCE, a new
crowd-funded investigative journalism project, breaks the exclusive story
of how the United States intelligence community funded, nurtured and
incubated Google as part of a drive to dominate the world through control
of information. Seed-funded by the NSA and CIA,
Japan confirms ISIL execution of Haruna Yukawa
Thank you England.
Thank you America.
Thank you France.
Thank you Turkey.
Thank you Israel.
Thank you Saudi Arabia.
Thank you Qatar.
Thank you UAE.
Thank you European Union.
Thank you for the arms supplies, funds, training, high-tech equipment,
helpful propaganda, and manpower.
Sincerely,
The Islamic State.
*Japan confirms ISIL execution of Haruna Yukawa. Source: euronews. Date
Published: January 24, 2015.*
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Near the center of this sharp cosmic portrait, at the heart of the Orion
Nebula, are four hot, massive stars known as the Trapezium. Gathered within
a region about 1.5 light-years in radius, they dominate the core of the
dense Orion Nebula Star Cluster. Ultraviolet ionizing radiation from the
Trapezium stars, mostly from the brightest star Theta-1 Orionis C powers
the complex star forming region's entire visible glow.
*Click image for larger size.*
About three million years old, the Orion Nebula Cluster was even more
compact in its younger years and a recent dynamical study indicate... more »
"Ten Rules For Being Human"
"Ten Rules For Being Human"
Rule One:
You will receive a body. You may love it or hate it,
but it will be yours for the duration of your life on Earth.
Rule Two:
You will be presented with lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time
informal school called 'life.'
Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You
may like the lessons
or hate them, but you have designed them as part of your curriculum.
Rule Three:
There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of experimentation,
a series of trials, errors, and occasional victories. The failed experiment... more »
The Poet: Mary Oliver, "The Eskimos Have No Word for ‘War’”
* “The Eskimos Have No Word for ‘War’”*
“Trying to explain it to them
Leaves one feeling ridiculous and obscene.
Their houses, like white bowls,
Sit on a prairie of ancient snowfalls
Caught beyond thaw or the swift changes
Of night and day.
They listen politely, and stride away,
With spears and sleds and barking dogs
To hunt for food.
The women wait,
Chewing on skins or singing songs,
Knowing that they have hours to spend,
That the luck of the hunter is often late.
Later, by fires and boiling bones
In streaming kettles, they welcome me,
Far kin, pale brother,
To share what they have in a... more »
"Who Says You Have To?"
"Who Says You Have To?"
by Ali
"Something I’ve become very aware of recently is how often I say or think
“I have to” or “I need to” when, actually, I don’t. You probably do this
too. Almost everyone does. I’m thinking of things like:
I have to clean the kitchen this weekend.
I need to phone my mother.
I have to try a bit of that cake.
I need to lose weight.
In almost every case, it’s just not an accurate way to describe the
situation. In particular, any time you start feeling that you have to or
need to do something because it’s what society (/your friends/your dad/etc)
expects, th... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Travelers Rest, South Carolina, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Paulo Coelho, "Incompetence Behind Authority"
*"Incompetence Behind Authority"*
by Paulo Coelho
"Jean was walking with his grandfather through a public square in Paris. At
a certain point, he saw a shoemaker being mistreated by a client, whose
footwear showed a flaw. The shoemaker listened calmly to the complaint and
apologized, promising to correct the error.
Jean and his grandfather stopped to have coffee at a bistro. At the table
next to them, the waiter asked a man to move his chair a little in order to
make space. That man burst into a torrent of complaints and refused to move.
“Never forget what you have seen today,” Jea... more »
Jan. 24: Canadian Democracy..R.I.P.
No, I'm not exaggerating. And Canada is not the only democracy that is
dead. Let's take a look at it's last breath.
When Britain declared war in 1914, under the law of time Canada was at war,
too. That is not as dramatic as it might sound because while the law
required Canada to be officially at war, it did not require Canada to take
any part in that war. In fact, it was a pretty good deal for Canada, but
not so hot for Britain.
Canada did not have to go to the help of Britain but - if Canada were
attacked, Britain automatically was required to go to war for the defence
of Canada. ... more »
Culture Watch: "Women's Grammar Worse Than Men's in Online Dating, Survey Says"
*Attention must be paid:* *Come on, let's get serious. This important new
information about women and men comes from a dating app, so it must be
significant. (Say, looks like this Sasha has work to do on her Response
Rate and Message Quality.)*
*"The concept for The Grade came from complaints from men who said women
seemed unresponsive to digital advances and appeared to use online dating
sites for sport, [app developer Cliff Lerner] said. For women, the
complaints were against men who sent them lewd comments and photos."*
*-- from Serena Solomon's DNAinfo New York report*
*"You do... more »
While the sun shines
It's time to prune the raspberries back. Here you can clearly see the
chicken moat -- well, right now it's ducks only -- with fruit trees. Soft
fruits are inside the fence.
It's also the time of year when I seek out elephant garlic that has come up
all over, for replanting elsewhere. This is a legacy of a time when the
garden was much smaller, circular, and had a border of the stuff. Notice
I've doffed the jacket already. It's *hot* out here.
A new garlic bed is filling up by the bucket load.
66F today, tomorrow, and the next day. We're under a big hoop of above
normal tempera... more »
Some Military Humor
*(Click on Image to enlarge)*
*WNU Editor:* Eager for some humor .... *go here*. More *here*.
Netanyahu Is Pimping Congress In D.C., Killing Sons of Hezbollah In The Golan Heights, And Striking Fear In The Heart of Paris
*Forget asking who's in charge in Yemen. That's irrelevant. Who's in charge
in the world's most powerful capital?*
It's been a great and very busy start to the new year for Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But will it end the same way? Netanyahu has
alienated too many people, from French and American leaders to his own
intelligence agency. He is picking too many fights.
Is a shooting war with Hezbollah days away? Is a media war with President
Obama weeks away? Is a political war with European leaders months away? Is
a nuclear war with Iran years away? Anything goes with t... more »
Mission Creep in Iraq
A truly democratic people would not have tolerated this crap. A truly
democratic people would have dragged Paul Calandra out of the legislature
and given him a stern talking to. A truly democratic people would ask for
regular updates on the financial costs of this mission. stephen harper is
not an emperor. he is not Atilla the Hun. he is a pants-pissing, cowardly
slab of rancid goat-cheese.
This is bullshit.
Why Olive Oil Is a Best Brain Food (& Smart Buying Tips)
*Deane Alban* - Olive oil has many benefits for your brain and overall
health. Learn how to choose quality olive oil, why it’s safe for cooking,
and how to avoid fake olive oil...
The post Why Olive Oil Is a Best Brain Food (& Smart Buying Tips) appeared
first on Waking Times.
Chet Raymo, "A Walk In The Woods"
*"A Walk In The Woods"*
by Chet Raymo
"I went for a walk in the deep woods west of Boston with sons Tom and Dan
and spouses. The highlight of the day was coming across this beaver dam.
We were bowled over by the size and engineering sophistication of the dam,
as impressive in its own way as Hoover Dam on the Colorado. Constructed by
rats. OK, not rats, but rodents. A huge undertaking of felled trees, rocks
and mud, ingeniously placed at the perfect spot along a tiny stream, as if
planned by a human engineer. "OK," the engineer might have said to the
assembled beavers. "Here's the b... more »
Another bias row
According to the *Telegraph*,
The BBC is facing a bias row over its new Europe editor, Katya Adler, who
is replacing the veteran Gavin Hewitt but has yet to start the job because
she is on maternity leave.
Why?
Well, according to *Telegraph *reporter Christopher Hope:
Eurosceptic Tory MPs are exercised by an entry in her LinkedIn work profile
stating that from 1996 “to the present day” she has been “chairing debates,
moderating and public speaking – hosting public, corporate and private
events including for the EU Commission, the European Space Agency, CERN,
London’s Frontline... more »
“As Time Goes By, It Gets Tougher to ‘Just Remember This’”
*“As Time Goes By,*
*It Gets Tougher to ‘Just Remember This’”by ScienceBlog*
“It’s something we just accept: the fact that the older we get, the more
difficulty we seem to have remembering things. We can leave our cars in the
same parking lot each morning, but unless we park in the same space each
and every day, it’s a challenge eight hours later to recall whether we left
the SUV in the second or fifth row. Or, we can be introduced to new
colleagues at a meeting and will have forgotten their names before the
handshake is over. We shrug and nervously reassure ourselves that our
bra... more »
"Any Beliefs..."
"If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I
have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons."
- James Thurber
Rumi, "If You Are Seeking..."
“If you are seeking, seek us with joy
For we live in the kingdom of joy.
Do not give your heart to anything else
But to the love of those who are clear joy,
Do not stray into the neighborhood of despair.
For there are hopes: they are real, they exist –
Do not go in the direction of darkness –
I tell you: suns exist.”
- Jalal-ud-Din Rumi
“The Most Powerful Way To Respond To Negative People”
*“The Most Powerful Way To Respond To Negative People” *
by Huffpost
“Most families have at least one relative whose modus operandi is to shoot
people down. While your best approach may be avoidance, there are certain
times of year when there's no escaping these characters at big family
gatherings. On an episode of "Oprah's Lifeclass," television host and
author Steve Harvey explains the best way to react to such negativity.
"That's probably the most hurtful hurt there is, when it's family that's
your critics and haters," he says. Whether the constant critique comes from
a close s... more »
GMO Biotech Companies And Compliant Politicians: Infiltrating India Using Baseless Claims And Deception
A study of GMOs over a four-year plus period by India’s multi-party
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture recommended a ban on GM
food crops, stating they had no role in a country of small farmers.
The Supreme Court appointed Technical Expert Committee recommended an
indefinite moratorium on the field trials of GM crops until the government
devised a proper regulatory and safety mechanism.
As yet, no such mechanism exists, but open field trials are being given the
go ahead. GMO crops approved for field trials include rice, maize,
chickpea, sugarcane and brinjal.
Politic... more »
The Pentagon Will Not Admit That They Have Killed Civilians In Their War Against The Islamic State
*Nancy A. Youssef, Daily Beast*: *U.S. Won’t Admit to Killing a Single
Civilian in the ISIS War*
*Civilian deaths, a keystone metric of the last war in Iraq, has now become
the statistic no one wants to talk about.*
*WNU Editor:* A few days ago I posted links on reports from U.S. officials
that the U.S. air campaign has killed 6,000 Islamic fighters and half of
their leadership .... *U.S. Ambassador to Iraq: U.S. Led Air Strikes Has
Killed 6,000 Islamic State Fighters. *As regular readers to this blog
pointed out .... such stats are hard to believe ... and they are right.
Nancy A... more »
5 Things That Prove We Live in an Upside Down World
*Mike Sygula* - Is this what the world should look like? Absolutely not. We
need to act to change this mentality. We have to make wiser choices and
educate others.
The post 5 Things That Prove We Live in an Upside Down World appeared first
on Waking Times.
Jews move to criminalize "anti-Semitism" at UN
On Thursday, at the United Nations General Assembly, an informal plenary
session was held on alleged "anti-Semitic" violence and attitudes
worldwide. It marked the first time that "anti-Semitism" was officially
addressed at the United Nations. The Anti-Defamation League of course
*welcomed* this development:
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed today’s United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) informal plenary session on the rise in anti-Semitic
violence worldwide, noting the importance of the body’s “long overdue”
recognition of the urgent need to address the increasingly tragic ... more »
The Pentagon Wants Future Drones To Hunt Like Wolf Packs
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency released this artist’s
rendering to help explain what its Collaborative Operations in Denied
Environment (CODE) program could do. (DARPA image)
*Washington Post:* *Pentagon agency wants drones to hunt in packs, like
wolves*
*WNU Editor:* Welcome to the future of warfare .... robots working
independently and in concert with each other (so they do not shoot at each
other) .... saturating a conflict zone with their presence and with their
firepower. What needs to now be done is yo make this a reality .... and
here is the tough part for th... more »
Why Greece Needs to Change
*Theopi Skarlatos, BBC*: *Greece election: Love in a time of crisis*
*WNU Editor*: While reading this BBC post on the crisis in Greece, I came
across this ....
....
*A doctor, Georgia, explains how she also works as an escort in the sex
industry to support her family.Her private clinic currently treats three
patients a week, but the peak summer season in the sex industry enables her
to keep up with the rental payments on her family's home and the healthcare
bills for her elderly parents."I live a double life and only I can know
about it," she says. "I have applied for jobs in ... more »
Cancer & The Healing Power of Sound
*Waking Times* - A fascinating interview with author Dr. Mitchell Gaynor
about the use of sound as medicine for cancer and many other illnesses.
The post Cancer & The Healing Power of Sound appeared first on Waking Times.
Science VS. GMOs
"Scientists
design GMOs that can't escape into the wild." Peak irony. A scientific
discovery that plays into the hands of the anti-science crowd.
This should be celebrated as a scientific milestone for what it means
about life and our understanding of it. Scientists have managed to
create a living organism that uses synthetic amino acids. This is the
manipulation of the building blocks of life (
Kurdish Forces Are Now At The Outskirts Of Islamic State Controlled Mosul
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are seen during the battle with Islamic State
militants on the outskirts of Mosul January 21, 2015. Kurdish forces in
northern Iraq said on Wednesday they had cleared Islamic State insurgents
from nearly 500 square kilometres of territory and broken a key IS supply
line between the city of Mosul and strongholds to the west near Syria.
REUTERS/Azad Lashkari
*Reuters*: *Kurdish forces fire into Islamic State-controlled Mosul*
*WNU Editor:* Even with all of these airstrikes and ground attacks,
progress against the Islamic State is "slow at best" .... *Islam... more »
Islamic State Has Executed One Of Its Two Japanese Hostages
*Reuters*: *Japan condemns apparent IS execution, demands release of
remaining hostage*
*More News On Reports That The Islamic State Has Executed One Of Its Two
Japanese Hostages*
Islamic State video claims one Japanese hostage beheaded; Islamists make
new demand for release of second. -- Washington Post
Purported ISIS Video Claims One Japanese Hostage Executed -- ABC News
Hostage Yukawa Appears to Have Been Killed by Islamic State Terrorists,
Japan Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Online post claims 1 Japanese ISIS hostage killed; new demand made -- CNN
Abe angered at hostage video, ... more »
Ms. Sandy Rios: Republican Kook of the Day
*Frotunately, it's not just FOX News! Today Noah celebrates another
stalwart infromer.*
*by Noah*
I was going to call this post "Republican Kook of the Week" (in the
tradition of the Crazyspeak of the Year Award I gave in my end-of-year
review series, "Crackpot Utopia: The Year in Republican Crazy"), but let's
get real. Not a day (or even an hour) goes by when some Republican
somewhere raises their freak flag and spouts off some bizarro thought that
they just had to share with the world.
So, Kook of the Day it is. I don't have time to write about the denizens of
the Crackpot Part... more »
New Technical Message
A universal 'Sorry!'...
Disqus, doubtless down to no fault of its own, has completely bamboozled
me. So much so that I've even found it hard to get back into my own site.
Plus we've had an eerie absence of comments for four days.
And the old comments have stubbornly remained on the wrong side of the
fence at Calais.
So I've uninstalled Disqus for the time being...which, to be frank, is
about the easiest thing I've been able to do with the damn thing. (And that
was only because I could do it entirely through Google Blogger).
So, Gawd knows where we are now but I can see all the ol... more »
Taken 3 (2014)
Taken 3 has accomplished its primary goal of sucking the last dollar out of
Liam Neeson fans. We should feel good because he got $20 million of the $45
million dollar budget. We should feel bad because its a ridiculous movie.
Saying that about a movie in the Taken tradition means its way out there in
disbelief la la land. Mills never tells the bad guys about his skill set,
he does not even kill that many people. This movie relied on explosions and
car chases over use of special skills.
There is a baby in this movie, the plot should have been the baby has been
eaten by dingos. Rot... more »
What do "Smelly Shelly" Silver and not-quite-humbled Russian ex-oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky have in common? (continued)
**Silver's reported income only includes payments from Weitz and Luxenberg.
Records from 2002 and 2003 are incomplete, and Silver's 2014 income report
was not included in court files.*
*The U.S. attorney's office produced this chart showing NYS Assembly
Speaker Sheldon Silver's reported income over the period 2002-14 as well as
income from law firm Weitz and Luxenberg and an unnamed real-estate law
firm that has been identified as Goldberg and Iryami.*
*by Ken*
Officially, as I promised last night, we're supposed to be looking at the
question, "What do "Smelly Shelly" Silver and not... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 24, 2015
BBC
*Dana El Baltaji , Bloomberg*: *The Last Kings: Succession in the Persian
Gulf*
*Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 24, 2015*
The Once and Future Saudi Kings -- Steve Coll, New Yorker
Saudi Arabia's New King and Iran -- Bloomberg editorial
Why Saudi Arabia is more vulnerable than it has been for years -- Michael
Burleigh, Daily Mail
The New King of Saudi Arabia Is Starting His Job on One Hell of a Week --
Joshua Keating, Slate
Running the Saudi Family Business -- Justin Fox, Bloomberg
The Emerging Iranian Empire: Tehran’s growing hegemony is a mortal threat
... more »
Lenten Vigils at Bath Iron Works
*Lenten Vigils for Disarmament at BIW in Maine*
Starting on Ash Wednesday, February 18, we will gather at Bath Iron Works
from 11:30 – 12:30, and we will continue every Saturday of Lent (February
21, 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28 and Holy Saturday on April 4) at the same
time. We will gather across from the BIW administration building on
Washington Street. (In particular the March 21 vigil will be expanded as
it will be the official Maine site for the nationally called Spring
Mobilization for Peace.)
We stand against the building of these guided missile warships [cruise
missiles and ... more »
Protests Inside Supreme Court
From Popular Resistance:
On the anniversary of the *Citizens United* decision the US Supreme Court
was interrupted by a series of protests decrying the corruption of
government made worse by the decision.
Reuters reports:
Activists staged a rare protest inside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday,
shouting denunciations on the fifth anniversary of a ruling that lifted
limits on corporate spending in elections as police rushed to corral them,
knocking over chairs and causing a ruckus in the normally staid chambers.
While the protests were ongoing they report “Chief Justice John Ro... more »
Untitled
*Source: In Rita Benson LeBlanc vs. Gayle Benson, 'This is truly sad ...
people are going to be hurt ~Ted Lewis, N.O. Advocate*
*Bensons could opt for mediation to avoid public fight ~WVUE *
*Mark Ingram would rather re-sign with New Orleans Saints than leave
through free agency ~Mark Inabinett*
*Everywhere else it's just Deflategate ~Library Chronicles*
*Labor dispute halts Mardi Gras bead shipments ~WWLTV*
*Sticking With Mardi Gras: Carnival Crafts: Glue Guns Part I ~NOLA DEFENDER*
World News Briefs -- January 24, 2015
*Bloomberg*:* Ukraine Rebels Launch ‘Offensives Everywhere,’ Renew Push to
Sea*
*MIDDLE EAST*
Iraqi-Kurds urge coalition to *expand fight against ISIL*.
U.S., allies conduct air strikes *in Syria and Iraq*.
UN Chief paints worsening *picture of war in Syria*.
UN envoy meets resigned Yemeni President, Houthi rebels,* calls for
dialogue*.
Thousands protest *Houthis' control of Sanaa*. Tens of thousands protest
after* president resigns in Yemen*.
Five Lebanon soldiers *killed in border clash*. Lebanese army says three
more soldiers killed *in Friday's attack*.
World leaders pay r... more »
Bill Whittle: Does the gun-loving USA lead the world in murders?...
*not by a long shot. *
*From Youtube: *
The USA has, by far, the highest per capita gun ownership in the world.
Progressives will tell you that this is what makes America the Murder
Capitol of Planet Earth. But we're not, and in this devastatingly effective
Firewall, Bill Whittle shows why the center of Gun Nut Nation is in fact
one of the safest places in the world.
The top US cities for murder have something in common. I'm sure you can
figure it out.
Progressive Plutocrats, Inc.
Whether you're a Godzillionaire or just a Godzillionaire's toady, whether
you're spewing your monster fire at Davos and or whether you're enviously
live-chatting the annual capitalist prom from afar, the talk of the global
town these days is the corporate coup known as the Trans-Pacific
Partnership.
And since it's been such a hard sell -- what with such awfulness as trying
to establish corporate sovereignty over national governments and
judiciaries, and keeping life-saving drugs out of the reach of the poorest
countries on earth -- the neoliberal marketers of "free trade" are out in... more »
Showing obeisance to the Saudi King/US president
Sarah AB at *Harry's Place* has posted a highly pertinent piece called *Responding
to the death of King Abdullah*.
She notes that notorious Israel-basher Ben White and pro-Israel blogger
Guido Fawkes have come together (coincidentally) in astonished condemnation
of the West's obsequiousness in the wake of the King Abdullah of Saudi
Arabia's death.
Sarah's question is, given that the punishments prescribed for various
crimes by the Saudi regime and by ISIS are pretty much identical, "How far
can Realpolitik excuse the inconsistencies of Western foreign policy?" [For
the pro-Real... more »
Charlie Hebdo madness: Coincidence theorists run wild!
Charlie Hebdo predicted a big "Islamic terror" attack in January 2015 -
what a coincidence!
Coincidence theorists are having a field day in the aftermath of the
Charlie Hebdo shooting. The Paris attack has given them an excuse to spin
their wild webs of supposition – based on insanely improbable coincidences
– leading them to an outrageous conclusion: The official story is correct.
"Isn't it an amazing coincidence that Charlie Hebdo predicted a massive
'Islamic terrorist' attack in January 2015 and it actually happened the way
they called it?" said C. Nweevil of the coincidencist we... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
My article on the history of the Badr Organization was reprinted in Business
Insider. My history of the Badr Organization was listed on Real Clear
Defense.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 24, 2015
*Stars and Stripes*:* Report: US, Iraq prepare offensive to retake Mosul*
*Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 24, 2015*
White House, Congress Stall on ISIS Sanction -- Defense News
Iraqi Training Sites Now Operational, Pentagon Spokesman Says -- US
Department of Defense
100 troops headed to Middle East to ‘survey’ rebel training sites -- Stars
and Stripes
Pentagon explains 6000 ISIS casualties estimate -- CNN
Thornberry: ISIS war leaves fewer resources for Yemen -- The Hill
Pentagon Says US Military Assets Prepared to Respond in Yemen if Needed --
Sputnik
Will cos... more »
Exile and dissent are emerging in America
*Leftists', fearmongers', and warmongers' treatment of the opponents in the
U.S. increasingly resembles the practices in totalitarian countries*
Sometime in 1982 or so, when I was nine, I decided to play with the radio
somewhat systematically. So I went through all the frequencies and caught
assorted radio stations.
At one moment, I would hear someone who said (in Slovak):
This was our editorial commentary. You are listening to the Czech and
Slovak broadcasting of the Radio Free Europe [station].
It just happens that I was recording that experiment on a tape so I still
probably h... more »
Blasphemy, jihad and victimhood
BBC World Service presenter Owen Bennett-Jones (much missed from this
year's *BBC Correspondents Look Ahead*) has penned a piece for the BBC news
website called Blasphemy, jihad and victimhood.
I've seen his piece described elsewhere as "rambling", "a bit all over the
place", and "a text book example of drivelling liberalism". (Others were
less kind).
Those comments were made at what Owen Bennett-Jones himself would probably
describe as a "right-wing, media-monitoring blog". At *this* "right-wing,
media-monitoring blog" [but note to readers: Sue *isn't* right-wing], we'll
going... more »
A 600,000 Cubic Foot Blimp May Be Spying on You
Ted Baumann
In the summer of 1849, Austrian Field Marshall Joseph Radetzky did
something no one had done before: He bombed a city from the air.
His target was Venice, then in rebellion against the Habsburg crown. During
the siege, he launched a fleet of unmanned linen balloons, carrying bombs
made from canister shot and gunpowder, timed to drop over the besieged city.
Radetzky told Emperor Franz Joseph that the effect on the people of Venice
was “frightful.” Indeed, Radetzky’s balloons had done little physical
damage, but had a substantial effect on the morale of the city’s defend... more »
How Ukraine’s 'Cyborg Army' Was Destroyed
*James Miller & Pierre Vaux, Foreign Policy*: *The Death of Ukraine’s
Cyborg Army*
*If the United States is really supporting Ukraine, as President Obama
claims, then why are Kiev’s forces getting hammered?*
*WNU Editor:* The writers for this Foreign Policy post are sympathetic to
the Kiev government, that is why their report on the failure of the Kiev
government to provide support to Ukraine soldiers on the front line and on
the failure of U.S. policy to assist Ukraine makes this post a must read.
Their assessment of the military situation on the ground is also accurate
.... the... more »
That Grievance Mentality
http://mckennasmagic.weebly.com/
Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address this week. Here are a
few highlights:
- We still need laws that strengthen rather than weaken unions.”
- “We still need … a higher minimum wage.”
- “Free community college is possible.”
- “Let’s set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline.”
- “Let’s close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top
1 per cent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth.”
- “No challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat t... more »
The Rise of Economists
Justin Wolfers documents:
in recent years around one in 100 [New York Times] articles mentions the
term “economist,” ....Far fewer articles mention the terms historian or
psychologist, while sociologists, anthropologists and demographers rarely
rate a mention.
Ravitch Continues to Dissemble and Mislead on ESEA
Yesterday Diane Ravitch, who has been leading the lemmings to support
Alexander's NCLB Lite, posted a letter by UOO on their position on ESEA.
Ravitch closed with this:
Senator Alexander conducted his first hearing on January 21 and plans
another hearing on January 27. Senator Alexander proposed two options in
his draft legislation: option 1 was to replace annual testing with grade
span testing; option 2 was to keep annual high-stakes testing (the status
quo). UOO is opposed to high-stakes testing in the federal law, period. (So
am I.)
What Ravitch does not say here is that her c... more »
Artillery Strike Kills 16 And Wounds 83 In The Ukraine City Of Mariupol
Ukrainian servicemen stand guard on a street near the burning building
after a shelling by pro-Russian rebels of a residential sector in Mariupol,
eastern Ukraine, January 24, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Nikolai Ryabchenko
*BBC:* *Ukraine crisis: Rockets 'kill 15' in Mariupol*
*WNU Editor*: This is a very serious escalation in the conflict. The last
ceasefire was hastily arranged when pro-Russian rebel forces reached the
outskirts of this city .... but it now appears that with the battle for
Donetsk airport now over, the focus of the war will be on the other regions
of Donetsk .... inclu... more »
"Yes, Virginia, all that money printing did show up as inflation"
*Red line: S and P. Blue line: Fed Funds rate. "Tightening" means Fed
raises the Funds rate. See why we'll never see the Fed raise rates?
(Source) [Click to enlarge.]*
*by Gaius Publius*
Nice catch by Ian Welsh. Start here, then think about it:
One of the great “mysteries” of the last 7 years or so is why all the
money from unconventional monetary policy hasn’t shown up as inflation.
Many analysts thought that printing that much money must surely increase
prices, but inflation indices in most of the developed world are barely up,
and in many cases are flirting with deflation.
T... more »
Untitled
*Peer-reviewed academic journal article notes Thermostasis*
*I have been pointing out for years that the piddling temperature changes
Warmists agonize about in fact show thermostasis -- i.e. that we live in
an age of remarkable temperature stability. My comments were directed at
the last 100 years or so but the report below shows that, within broader
limits, thermostasis in fact goes way back. Global warming is a remarkably
baseless scare fueled by crooked and grant-hungry Leftist scientists who
probably could not lie straight in bedViscount Monckton of Brenchley below
shows... more »
Secret TPP Negotiations—And Public Protests—To Be Held in New York City
Maira Sutton
The next round of secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations
begins this Monday, January 26, and runs through the following week at the
Sheraton New York Time Square Hotel in downtown Manhattan.
As with many previous TPP meetings, the public will be shut out of talks as
negotiators convene behind closed doors to decide binding rules that could
impact how our lawmakers set digital policy in the decades to come. Big
content industry interests have been given privileged access to negotiating
texts and have driven the US Trade Representative's mandate when it come... more »
Loneliness: The Dilemma of the Awakening Mind
From: *HUMANS ARE FREE*
* (in my opinion, once a person reaches a certain stage of Awakening, most
all the daily multitude of attempts to keep that person in the matrix
illusion fails . . but, there are other levels/layers of illusion waiting
for that person, most obviously in the Alternative Media . . the trick is
to not let them trap and keep you into any stage of Awakening, but to
always keep aware and moving onward and upward, if possible, out of the
mind & spirit trap)*
Today I wish to address to you a certain brand of loneliness. It is perhaps
the most debilitating form o... more »
Take The Poll On What Is The Best War Movie, Ever
Kyle Gallner, left, portrays Goat-Winston and Bradley Cooper is Chris Kyle
in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' drama 'American
Sniper.' Warner Bros. Pictures/TNS
*Stars and Stripes:* *The best war movie ever? You decide*
*WNU Editor*: Damn .... all of the movies that Stars and Stripes lists are
good. Lawrence of Arabia is not on the list .... but it is probably my
favorite war film .... as well as Zulu. Platoon and Patton .... classics in
every way. Das Boot and Saving Private Ryan .... very intense. Kelly's
Heroes and the Dirty Dozen .... both enjoyable films... more »
Untitled
*A dream about credentialism*
Have you ever dreamed that you're suddenly one class, credit, final exam,
or semester short of graduation? Many people, myself included, have this
recurring nightmare. There a whole reddit on it. A typical case:
"I've had this kind of dream very frequently over the past several
years. Even though I graduated college 10 years ago, I dream that I'm back
in college but not the one I went to (oftentimes several credits short of
graduating) and begrudgingly have to do one more year or semester, and feel
very disappointed. In my dream I'm back in sch... more »
It's all Greek to me
I saw a comment the other day saying that BBC has
...actively avoided reporting on the real social and economic problems in
Greece, exacerbated by the totalitarian ideals of the EU over the past 4
years....The trials and tribulations of the poor and vulnerable of Greece?
No. Nadda. Don’t want to expose the serfdom that results from unconstrained
corporate socialism.
Well, that's not not my impression at all.
Far from the BBC reporting "nothing" about "the trials and tribulations of
the poor and vulnerable of Greece" over the past four years, I've seen (and
heard) countless BB... more »
I hate ACME
Having spent what little spare time I've had in the past few days trying to
work out (without success) how to import our existing comments onto our
new Disqus system, I've had no time for any actual blogging.
I could blame myself for ineptly installing Disqus on the blog but,
instead, I'll blame Disqus.
(Ooooh, what's this? 429 emails just in. Who from? 429 MPs praising my
course of action, saying they'd have done the same if they were in my
position. Cheers, guys!)
Yes, it's all Disqus's fault.
I feel like Wile E. Coyote. He placed all his trust in the ACME
Corporation, yet ... more »
Spot the difference
When I logged on the other morning I spotted ‘The lost sons’ on the top of
‘BBC News’ in our blogroll in the sidebar. It wasn’t there for very long,
but when I saw it my heart sank. (It keeps doing that)
I knew I ought to click on it, and I did, but before doing so I wondered
why anyone (at the BBC) would think that was a suitable topic for a
morality tale. I thought the aim of the writer would be to compare two
seemingly similar tragic events and conclude with a moral message. Sort of
like the temporary truce on Christmas day; a message of hope with its
implicit false equivalence... more »
A Billboard Transformed into a Potable Water Generator
*Video - *The University of Engineering and Technology in Peru designed a
potable water generator that produces water from the humidity in the air.
The post A Billboard Transformed into a Potable Water Generator appeared
first on Waking Times.
The Cost Of The Iraq And Afghan Wars Is Now Approaching $1.7 Trillion
*Veronique de Rugy, Reason:* *Afghanistan, Iraq Direct War Spending To
Date: $1.7 Trillion (and Counting)*
*WNU Editor:* There are some interesting quotes from what people were
saying 12 years ago on what would the Afghan - Iraq wars cost .... and as
we now know they were completely wrong. But here is the punchline .... no
one has been held accountable for this massive mistake .... and the one who
warned that there was a chance that this would be the case .... White House
economist Lawrence Lindsey .... he was fired when he warned that the costs
may run up to $200 billion.
The New Top General In The US Marine Coprs Wants To Shake Things Up
Marines: my planning guidance is out. Read it, discuss it, & offer feedback
to your leaders http://t.co/Q44cOVxFD1 pic.twitter.com/8IHUTb6bdz
— Joseph F. Dunford Jr (@GenDunford) January 23, 2015
*Dan Lamonthe, Washington Post*: *New top Marine Corps general releases
plan to shake up the service*
*WNU Editor*: Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. 16 page
plan for the Corps* is here.*
*Update:* Speaking of the US Marine Corps .... *39 Awesome Photos Of Life
In The US Marine Corps Infantry *(We Are The mighty).
Finnish NH90s creep towards 50% operational serviceability rate
[image: NH90]The Finnish army is only achieving an approximate 40%
operational serviceability rate on its current NHIndustries NH90 transport
helicopter fleet, its chief of aviation has claimed, as its final example
is set to be delivered in the coming weeks.
Based on the number of available aircraft – there are currently five
aircraft per year undergoing retrofit – the service is only working at a
40% availability rate.
However, it hopes to take this to 50% over the next three years, Lt Col
Tuure Lehtoranta told the Defence IQ International Military Helicopter
conference in Londo... more »
Navy to Integrate F-35 With Beyond-the-Horizon Technology
[image: F-35C Lightning II]The Navy and Lockheed Martin are planning to
demonstrate a beyond-the-horizon anti-ship missile detection and defense
technology using an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The system, referred to as Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, or
NIFC-CA, uses Aegis radar, and airborne sensor and SM-6 missile to find,
track and destroy approaching threats such as cruise missiles at ranges
well beyond the typical radar horizon, Navy officials said.
Alongside Aegis radar and an SM-6 missile, NIFC-CA uses an E-2D Hawkeye
aircraft as an airborne sensor to help relay th... more »
Chinese listening stations in Fujian Province upgraded
[image: Chinese listening station]China has installed new aerial listening
stations on the coast of its Fujian Province, a military spokesman said
yesterday, adding that are being taken to counter surveillance and enhance
the security of important electronic communications.
Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said
the military is monitoring the development closely and that Taiwan has its
own surveillance system to deal with intelligence gathering by Chinese
signal-snooping stations.
The statement came one day after the Canada-based Kanwa Informatio... more »
MoD admits failure to fit Tornado collision devices
[image: Eurofighter Typhoon]Defence ministers have admitted that the RAF
has only fitted eight of its 100 Tornado aircraft with a
collision-avoidance system despite the need for one on every fighter jet
identified as being at major risk of a collision with passenger jets.
The admission, in a written answer to SNP defence spokesman Angus
Robertson, comes a week after criticism by the Military Aviation Authority
(MAA) that the Ministry of Defence has no plans to fit a similar system to
Typhoon aircraft.
The need for a collision-warning system was identified in the mid-1990s but
then ... more »
Establishing the CODE for Unmanned Aircraft to Fly as Collaborative Teams
[image: CODE program]The U.S. military’s investments in unmanned aircraft
systems (UAS) have proven invaluable for missions from intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to tactical strike.
Most of the current systems, however, require constant control by a
dedicated pilot and sensor operator as well as a large number of analysts,
all via telemetry.
These requirements severely limit the scalability and cost-effectiveness of
UAS operations and pose operational challenges in dynamic, long-distance
engagements with highly mobile targets in contested electromagnetic
enviro... more »
Security arrangements for Obama's visit: India agrees to no fly zone, high rise buildings to be shut
[image: Il-76 Phalcon]Security agencies of India are bracing for one of its
biggest challenges when US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi share the dais this Republic Day.
New Delhi will be a sealed fortress on 26 January. Not just on the ground,
the security arrangements even in air on Republic Day will be like 'never
seen before'.
Here are some of the security arrangements that have been planned for
Republic Day:
Read more
Unique HD video shows Russian Su-27 intercept P-3 Orion aircraft over the Baltic Sea
The above footage is quite unique: it shows a single Russian Air Force
Su-27 Flanker jet as it intercepts and shadows a P-3 Orion, reportedly
flying over the Baltics.
According to the source who sent it to us, the (unclassified) video was
filmed in November 2014 by “one of the sensors carried by a Portuguese Air
Force P-3 Orion MPA – Maritime Patrol Aircraft – during a mission over the
Baltic Sea.”
The clip clearly shows the fully armed Su-27 approach the surveillance
plane from the starboard side (at safe distance…), use the air brake to
slow down speed and then break away.
Read... more »
Thales warns of impact of loss-making DCNS business
[image: Barracuda class SSN]French defence electronics group Thales warned
on Friday that losses at its naval defence and energy unit DCNS blamed on
contract cost overruns could shave around 100 million euros ($112 million)
off its 2014 earnings.
Thales owns 35 percent of DCNS which builds submarines and ships and
supplies services to shipyards and naval bases. The business was likely to
suffer a 2014 net loss of around 300 million euros, Thales said.
The loss comes after a review revealed cost overruns at France's Barracuda
nuclear attack submarine programme and at the Jules Horowi... more »
Jacksonville company awarded $14.5 million submarine contract
[image: USS Connecticut (SSN-22)]A Jacksonville business has been awarded a
nearly $14.5 million contract for work on U.S. submarines.
The engineered polymer products division of Goodrich Corp. based in
Jacksonville will deliver high frequency array windows for four classes of
submarines — the SSGN Class, Seawolf Class, USS Virginia Class and second
flight USS Los Angeles Class.
The product is an acoustic window used with the high frequency sail array,
according to the contract announcement.
Read more
Fort Sill unveils THAAD training center
A training facility that houses a new high-tech missile defense system was
unveiled Friday on Fort Sill.
Soldiers just started training on it within the last couple of weeks. It's
called the “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense” system, or THAAD for
short. It gives the Army the ability to counter ballistic missile threats
across the globe. The new facility includes classrooms and storage space
for all the elements of the system.
The new system allows soldiers to detect their targets earlier. THAAD can
go further and higher than any other current system in the Army's arsenal.
Briga... more »
Some Interesting Info On The Making Of ‘Saving Private Ryan’
*We Are The Mighty:* *11 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About ‘Saving
Private Ryan’*
*WNU Editor:* One of my favorite war films .... and no .... I did not know
about these 11 facts in the making of the film. The above video "Saving
Private Ryan The True Story" is also an interesting watch.
Russia testing new missile battery in Donbas, expert says
[image: 9A52-4 Smerch MLRS]Russian/rebel troops in the area of Bakhmut road
have used a new missile system against the Ukrainian army, Prava sprava NGO
head Dmytro Snehiriov writes in Facebook Jan. 23.
Popasna was the town where the Russian rested their new weapon for the
first time.
New 220-mm missiles leave much bigger craters than Grad missiles or mortar
mines.
Read more
Saturday Interview: Glyn Matthews
Glyn Matthews is a Socialist Party activist and former blogger from
Cardiff. When he's not discharging parental responsibilities he can be
found doing party work on the high street of the Welsh capital and relaxing
with a few bouts of pro-wrestling. Glyn's old blog is Everyone's Favourite
Comrade and he tweets from here.
*Why did you decide to give blogging a go?*
I used to have a lot of free time on my hands and a lot of opinions. I
would get into loads of lengthy Facebook discussions that were simply lost
within a few days. I was also returning to full-time education as a mature ... more »
Roving correspondent for Asia Times, Pepe Escobar, predicts the coming year for Russia, China, Iran, the EU, and what he terms the Empire of Chaos, aka the US. The primary loser will be the EU because of its kowtowing to the wishes of the Empire of Chaos. For no just reasons, both Iran and Russia are now subject to Western sanctions. While the US mainstream media claim that Russia is suffering, Russia's sale of its energy -- or sophisticated military gear -- may decline, yet will bring in the same amount of rubles -- given that the ruble has also declined. Because the EU is doing everything it can to cut itself off from its most stable supply of hydrocarbons, Moscow is redirecting energy to China and the rest of Asia. What a gift for Beijing!
------------------------------
*OpEdNews Op Eds 1/2/2015 at 17:21:59*
2015 Will Be All About Iran, China and Russia *By Pepe Escobar (about the
author)* Permalink
opednews.com Headlined to H2 1/2/15 Original
Here
Reprinted from Sputnik
The Russia-China-Iran alliance is the future.
(image by YouTube)
Fasten your seat belts; 2015 will be a whirlwind pitting China, Russia and
Iran against what I have described as the Empire of Chaos.
So yes -- it will be all about further moves towards the integration of
Eurasia as the US is progressively sque... more »
A Photo Gallery Of The US Air Force Operating Around Japan
All photos via the Department of Defense/USAF
*Foxtrot Alpha/Jalopnik*: 100 Stunning Photos Of The US Air Force Operating
Around Japan
*WNU Editor:* 100 impressive photos.
Photos From Operation Desert Storm (Photo Gallery)
Wikipedia
*We Are The Mighty: **15 Unforgettable Photos From Operation Desert Storm*
*WNU Editor:* Some are well known (like the one above) .... but there are
some other gems in this collection.
MENA Watch - January 24 , 2015 - A selections of news and views touching on Middle East and North African Nations , War / Proxy War Involvement and Politics - Focus on Iraq / Syria / Lebanon / Egypt / Saudi Arabia / Libya / Yemen
Links - Anti War.....
*US Terror Operations in Yemen 'Paralyzed'*
*Iran: US Sanctions Vote Would Kill Nuclear Deal*
*What Was Behind Israel's Strike in Syria That Killed Iranian General?*
82 Killed in Iraq; Peshmerga Shell Central Mosul
Report: US, Iraq Prepare Offensive to Retake Mosul
Iraqi PM Says West and Iran Both Helping Against ISIS
Syrian Air Strike on Rebel Area Kills More Than 40: Monitor
Five Lebanese Soldiers Killed in Clashes With Militants Near Syria
Libya Oil Production Plummets as Tribes Fight to Control Field in South
Tweets......
Acid Jordi retweeted
*... more »
Leftists in Hell
Think about the laffs! They'd wonder why the right-wing damned souls always
vote for the worst demons. They'd form discussion boards and blogs where
they'd complain and complain and complain, and braver souls among them
would say they were going to defeat the devils n' demons.
And the more activist of them would send petitions to Satan calling for
better treatment.
Others would have rallies ...
Looks kinda like the cops beating on "Occupy" doesn't it?
You get the idea.
BBC news - INGSOC is here - George Orwell's world of simpler words
*IngSoc is the political ideology of the totalitarian government of Oceania
in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984.*
according to a report about Grammar/Spelling on the BBC News Breakfast Time
this morning; spelling is about to get an overhaul. They were actually
allowing kids to discuss why they found learning to spell 'difficult' and
were looking at ways to 'simplify words' and have a unified spelling set
that spanned the Atlantic. Suggestions for English Spelling Revisions to
certain problem words were given by the English Spelling Society. In the
shiny-new BBC-dictated IngSoc... more »
How Astrology Has Influenced Religions
*Video - *In this video, Manly Hall, a Canadian-born author and mystic,
discusses how astrology has influenced religions.
The post How Astrology Has Influenced Religions appeared first on Waking
Times.
Mohawk Nation News: CUBA SI! YANKEE NO!
CUBA
SI! YANKEE NO!
CUBA SI! YANKEE NO!
Please post & distribute. Nia:wen. MNN. Jan. 23, 2015. In
December 1959 a group of McGill University students were sitting in the
university cafeteria. W...
View on mohawknationnews.com
Preview by Yahoo
US Navy Commander At Guantanamo Naval Base Fired
*CNN:* *U.S. pulls top Navy official at Gitmo; inappropriate relationship
alleged*
*WNU Editor:* I have lost count on the number of officers that have been
fired in the past few years.
*More News On The Firing Of The US Navy Commander At Guantanamo Naval Base*
Guantanamo Navy base commander relieved of duties amid probe -- Reuters
Fired Guantanamo commander was 'having an affair with a woman on the base
whose husband was mysteriously found dead' -- Daily Mail
Navy commander at Guantanamo Bay fired -- USA Today
US commander at Guantanamo naval base sacked -- AFP
Guantanamo commander ... more »
Did Ancient Warriors Suffer From PTSD?
A Canadian Army crewman stands inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter flying
over Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, July 5, 2011. (BAZ
RATNER/BAZ RATNER/REUTERS)
*Daily Mail:* Did ancient warriors suffer PTSD too? Texts reveal that
battles 3,000 years ago left soldiers traumatised by what they saw
* UK researchers have found signs of PTSD up to 3,000 years ago
* They say soldiers experiencing horrors of the battlefield is not just a
phenomenon of modern warfare
* The earliest reference had been from the Battle of Marathon in 490BC
* But scientists traced mention of 'shell shock' ... more »
"The Last Whale"
"As I rocked in the moonlight,
And reefed the sail.
It'll happen to you
Also without fail,
If it happens to me.
Sang the world's last whale."
- Pete Seeger
Fukushima: "Killer Whales Dying Along Pacific Coast"
*Click image for larger size.*
*"Killer Whales Dying Along Pacific Coast"*
By ENENews
“Very sick, emaciated”; Population at lowest level in decades;Steep decline
began after 2011; No babies born in past 2 years; Alarming changes in
behavior observed; Social structure is ‘splintering.’
*Kitsap Sun, Sept 2, 2014:* "Deaths reduce orca population to lowest level
in 30 years. The endangered killer whale population in Puget Sound
continues to decline. It's dropped to 78," according to Ken Balcomb of the
Center for Whale Research. No new calves have been born to the three pods
since 201... more »
Poll: NSA Enjoys High Favorable Numbers From Young Adults
*Dan Murphy, CSM:* *In post-Snowden era, NSA maintains surprisingly
favorable image*
*But that doesn't mean it's popular. A Pew poll released today found that
the only federal agency less well-liked among Americans was the Internal
Revenue Service.*
*Update #1:* Actually, young people like the NSA more than old people do,
Pew says -- Fusion
*Update #2:* Shock poll: NSA gets highest favorable rating from … young
adults? -- Hot Air
*WNU editor:* I am surprised by these results .... I expected the exact
opposite. If more polls indicate the same thing .... this is then a trend,
and... more »
What do "Smelly Shelly" Silver and not-quite-humbled Russian ex-oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky have in common?
*Mikhail does Charlie. I don't know whether Shelly has.*
*by Ken*
In a manner of speaking you might say that what "Smelly Shelly" and Mikhail
the Magnificent have in common is that they both *got caught*. True enough
in its way, but that's not what I'm thinking of. You might guess then that
they've both done *Charlie Rose*. (The show, I mean, not Charlie
personally.) But I don't know whether Shelly has ever done *Charlie*.
No, I'm thinking of something a little more metaphorical. And it has to do
with rules -- rules, laws, whatever you want to call them.
You may recall that, as I ... more »
It Looks Like The U.S. Intelligence Community Has An Ally In The New Chairman Of The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee
Senator Richard Burr. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
*Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic*: *The Wrong Senator to Oversee the CIA*
*Richard Burr now leads the intelligence committee, but he seems more
interested in protecting the agency than holding it accountable. *
*WNU Editor:* Critics of the CIA are not happy .... and they are making
their sentiments very clear. What's my take .... CIA torture reports,
public oversight and investigations on the White house drone/assassination
program, how intelligence is gathered, special ops, etc. .... this is all
going to be swept under the rug.
*Upda... more »
Some Interesting Info On The Making Of ‘Saving Private Ryan’
*We Are The Mighty:* *11 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About ‘Saving
Private Ryan’*
*WNU Editor:* One of my favorite war films .... and no .... I did not know
about these 11 facts in the making of the film. The above video "Saving
Private Ryan The True Story" is also an interesting watch.
The Science That Validates Astrology
*Alec Cope* - Astrology claims that stars and movements of the planets have
a supposed influence on events and on the lives and behavior of people...
The post The Science That Validates Astrology appeared first on Waking Times
.
The CIA's Top Spy In The 'National Clandestine Service' Is Stepping Down
Larry Downing, Reuters
*Shane Harris, Daily Beast*: *Exclusive: CIA’s Top Spy Steps Down*
*WNU Editor:* Utter chaos and mayhem in the Middle East. Ukraine in flames.
The growth of extremist groups in Africa. The continuing war in Afghanistan
and elsewhere. I guess he had enough, and retirement looks really good
right now.
*The secretive head of the agency’s National Clandestine Service is
retiring amid reports of infighting over a reorganization of the
intelligence service. *
*More News On The Head Of The CIA's National Clandestine Service Is
Stepping Down*
CIA’s Spying Chief Pl... more »
Letter Re ESEA Reauthorization 2013
Posted at Common Dreams and Chalkface:
*To Members of the 113th 114th Congress:*
*I write to express my concerns regarding the various versions of the new
ESEA now circulating in Washington, all of which appear to have enough in
common to be combined, perhaps, under a more fitting title–something like
The Corporate Foundation and Education Industry Welfare Act of 2013. All
of the versions that I have seen appear to embrace the principle that known
failure should never be sacrificed for untried levels of success.*
*The past four decades represent generations now of failed accountabi... more »
Deceased Filmmaker's Documentary Finally Released - Gray State: The Rise
Facebook Amanda Warren
Last week, we reported on the tragic and mysterious death of film producer
David Crowley, his wife and young daughter who were all found dead in their
Apple Valley, MN home, weeks after the incident took place. Few details
have emerged since then. The latest news pieces such as here and here leave
more questions than answers. According to the Hennepin County Medical
Examiner, all three have been officially identified and died from gunshot
wounds to the heads, weeks ago. Even though the deaths were being treated
as suspicious and the back sliding door was f... more »
Utah Bill Would Turn Off Water to NSA Data Center
By Tenth Amendment Center
A bill filed in the Utah state house yesterday would deny critical
resources - like water - to the massive NSA data center there should it
pass. House Bill 150 (HB150), introduced by Rep. Marc Roberts, would
require that the water being supplied to the NSA’s data center in Bluffdale
be shut off as soon as the city’s $3 million bond is paid off.
Support this effort at OffNow.org/Utah
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
One Charge Dropped Against Minnesota Mom Who Gave Son Cannabis Oil
By KSTP
A judge has dismissed one of two charges against a Minnesota woman who gave
her son cannabis oil for chronic pain. Judge Thomas Van Hon tossed out a
charge of child endangerment against Angela Brown of Madison.
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Ending the Classroom Factory Model: How Technology Will Personalize Education
By Reason TV
"With the opportunity of online learning coming on,…what we talk about is
shifting from this factory model system to a student-centered one that
personalizes for each and every child," says Michael Horn, co-founder of
the Clayton Christensen Institute and co-author of the new book *Blended:
Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools.* Horn recently sat down
with Reason magazine Managing Editor Katherine Mangu-Ward during the
National Summit on Education Reform in Washington, D.C., for a discussion
of how blended learning joins traditional classroom models with
so... more »
MMA fighter on recent arrest: Police charged me with crimes THEY committed!
By Adam Kokesh
MMA fighter Dave Herman speaks with Adam Kokesh about his recent arrest.
Ironically, Herman's being charged with the exact crimes committed by the
aggressive police. Video evidence clearly shows he was attacked by police
officers even though he displayed no resistance.
Visit AdamVsTheMan.com
Be polite when calling:
DeKalb Prosecutor's Office
260-925-1646
Demand Dave's charges to be dropped!
Attorneys contact Madeleine Herman: madeleinemherman@gmail.com
*Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.*
Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
Ukraine situation January 23 , 2015 - Ukraine financials seem to match tide turning against Kiev in battle against Rebels inEast Regions.
Tweets - 1/24/15.....
Kiev shelling its own town ?
*RT* @RT_com 2m
2 minutes ago
URGENT: E. Ukraine militia denies shelling Mariupol, accuses Kiev of
provocation http://on.rt.com/880c26
Police say at least 10 people have been reported killed by artillery
shelling in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine. Kiev has blamed the militia, but
the latter said they don't have weapons close enough to attack the city.
*“Our militias have no weapon systems near Mariupol that would be able to
shell that region. Our positions are simply too far away,”* a spokesman for
the Donetsk militia headqu... more »
Interdimensional Quantum Physics: Sacred Geometry
*Video - *In this video, Dr. Tracey Hess discusses Robert Lawlor's book,
Sacred Geometry.
The post Interdimensional Quantum Physics: Sacred Geometry appeared first
on Waking Times.
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Velvet Morning"
Liquid Mind, "Velvet Morning"
Liquid Mind ® is the name used by Los Angeles composer and producer Chuck
Wild of the best-selling Liquid Mind relaxation music albums.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp3BuiupOrc&feature=related
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some
200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away
toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of
the well-studied Fornax galaxy cluster.
*Click image for larger size.*
This impressively sharp color image shows intense star forming regions at
the ends of the bar and along the spiral arms, and details of dust lanes
cutting across the galaxy's bright core. At the core lies a supermassive
black hole. Astronomers think NGC 1365's prominent bar plays a crucial role
in ... more »
U.S. Official: U.S. Counterterrorism Operations With Yemen Are Now Suspended
*Washington Post:* *U.S. counterterrorism operations with Yemen suspended,
officials say*
*Update: *U.S. counter-terror ops 'paralyzed' in Yemen (Reuters)
*WNU Editor:* Just this afternoon White House spokesman Josh Earnest
reiterated that the *U.S.-Yemen counterterrorism partnership will continue*
even amid all of this political chaos. Now .... a few hours later .... U.S.
officials are saying that "some counter-terrorism" operations will be
suspended .... *Some counter-terrorism efforts in Yemen frozen for now -
U.S. officials* (Reuters). What's my take .... these counter terrori... more »
"Consider The Following..."
"Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the
world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on
others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives
when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is
hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our
relationships with others.
Nor is it so remarkable that our greatest joy should come when we are
motivated by concern for others. But that is not all. We find that not only
do altruistic actions bring about happiness but they a... more »
Chet Raymo, “Living In The Little World”
*“Living In The Little World” *
by Chet Raymo
"My wisdom is simple," begins Gustav Adolph Ekdahl, at the final
celebratory family gathering of Ingmar Bergman's crowning epic “Fanny and
Alexander.” I saw the movie in the early 1980s when it had its U.S. theater
release. Now I have just watched the five-hour-long original version made
for Swedish television. Whew!
But back to that speech by the gaily philandering Gustav, now the patriarch
of the Ekdahl clan and uncle to Fanny and Alexander. The family has
gathered for the double christening of Fanny and Alexander's new
half-sister a... more »
"My Pronounced Lack Of Need..."
"My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility
has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need
for direct contact with other human beings and human communities."
- Albert Einstein
●
If you will, a variant... lol
"I love Mankind, it's *people* I hate."
- "Charlie Brown"
"The Limits of Our Freedom"
*"The Limits of Our Freedom"*
By Mark Harrison
"Viktor Frankl, the Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, wrote in
"Man’s Search for Meaning", ‘Between stimulus and response there is a
space, and in that space lies all our freedom.’ In the most extreme
conditions of privation imaginable, Frankl discovered that he was,
remarkably, free to choose his response to any situation. I love this quote
because it sums up the essence of my philosophy. I believe it is the
cornerstone of a happy and effective life. A real, experiential
understanding of this radical freedom is life changi... more »
"Life...'
"Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it.
The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.
Being alive is the meaning."
- Joseph Campbell
The Poet: Mary Oliver, "Evidence"
*"Evidence"*
"Where do I live?
If I had no address, as many people do not,
I could nevertheless say that I lived in the same town as the lilies of
the field,
and the still waters.
Spring, and all through the neighborhood now there are
strong men tending flowers.
Beauty without purpose is beauty without virtue.
But all beautiful things, inherently, have this function -
to excite the viewers toward sublime thought.
Glory to the world, that good teacher.
Among the swans there is none called the least,
or the greatest.
I believe in kindness. Also in mischief.
Also in singing, especi... more »
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment