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Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

19 Feb - Blogs I'm Following II

10:34pm MST

Review - Celadon Road Coconut Deodorant

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 34 minutes ago
What's in your deodorant? I prefer to put natural ingredients on my skin ... I just feel better knowing that nothing toxic enters my body. In fairness, though, I've done a bit of research on antiperspirants and deodorants. We've all heard that aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's and Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, causing cancer. Let me say that in all the research that I've done, no scientific studies have found these claims to be true. In fact, they suggest that products containing either of these ingredients are "probably" safe to use. It's that "probably" that I have a h... more »

U.S. Will Not Support Egypt In Its War Against The Islamic State In Libya

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 35 minutes ago
*Nancy A. Youssef, Daily Beast:* *U.S. Won’t Back Egypt’s Attacks on ISIS* *Two longtime allies are attacking ISIS—and growing frustrated with one another. That’s good news for the so-called Islamic State.The Obama administration was given multiple chances Wednesday to endorse a longtime ally’s airstrikes on America’s biggest enemy at the moment, the so-called Islamic State. Over and over again, Obama’s aides declined to back Egypt’s military operation against ISIS. It’s another sign of the growing strain between the United States and Egypt, once one of its closest friends in... more »

Moscow And Nato Remain On A Diplomatic Collision Course

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 hour ago
*The Independent:* *Ukraine crisis: House of Lords criticises EU and Britain for 'sleepwalking into crisis' as Moscow and Nato remain on diplomatic collision course* *The fraught relationship between Russia and the West, which was supposed to improve following an agreement over Ukraine, has descended instead into renewed acrimony after a series of tense military and diplomatic confrontations.France and Germany, which had brokered the Minsk accord last week, were yesterday trying to hold together the increasingly fragile ceasefire in Ukraine amid reports that fighting was spreadi... more »

Newark's Top High School Students Occupy Cami Anderson's Offices

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 1 hour ago
from Bob Braun: A small group of Newark high school students Tuesday night seized the office of state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson in a protest timed to coincide with her imminent re-appointment to another year, her fifth, as head of the state’s largest school district. The action, which is continuing through the night, stands in stark contrast to the failure of Anderson’s older–and, theoretically, more powerful–critics to do anything to dislodge her from her post. The operation was executed with an efficiency that has eluded Anderson’s control of the district. The dozen... more »

A Moral Question

WTStaff at Waking Times - 2 hours ago
*Video - * We must begin to incorporate moral questions into our governing process or, as Oren Lyon says, you won't have a process that is going to survive. The post A Moral Question appeared first on Waking Times.

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
Falmouth, Maine, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 2 hours ago
*Flood authority discusses appeal of judge’s smackdown to its oil and gas lawsuit ~Bob Marshall, The Lens*

Clinton Foundation received millions from Keystone XL proponents

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 2 hours ago
Clinton Foundation received millions from Keystone XL proponents http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/02/19/clinton-foundation-receiving-millions-proponents-keystone-xl

Will Ukrainian President Poroshenko Survive?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
*Lucian Kim, Reuters*:* Debaltseve debacle puts Ukraine’s leader in jeopardy. That suits Vladimir Putin just fine.* *Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has suffered another crushing defeat. Less than a week after negotiating the renewal of the so-called Minsk ceasefire agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his soldiers have come limping out of Debaltseve, a road and rail hub in eastern Ukraine that pro-Russian rebels were besieging even as the talks dragged through the night.* *WNU Editor*: According to my relatives in Ukraine .... people are shell shocked with what ... more »

Is Sheldon Adelson's Long-Term Goal To Poison The Special Relationship Between Israel And Democrats?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 2 hours ago
In 2013 the U.S. GDP-- gross national product-- was $16.99 trillion. But somehow, by spreading around some ill-gotten cash, a Vegas Mafia frontman working for red China and with loyalties primarily to Israel has managed to become one of the 3 or 4 most dominant figures in American politics. That would be Sheldon Adelson (and his wife Miriam). But if their wealth has bought them an inordinate amount of power in the U.S., imagine what it has done for them in Israel, which in 2013 had a GDP of just $259 billion. Last weekend, Israeli writer and peace activist Uri Avery tried explainin... more »

Federal LNG Tax Breaks Won`t Matter With Current LNG Pricing And Over-supply Glut

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 2 hours ago
A lot of hoopla will be made by local politicians about the federal Governments new announced LNG plant tax breaks, however it won`t make a difference, current LNG pricing makes BC`s LNG proposals economically, not viable.. Directly below, From the Commensense Canadian web site.. ________________ *Asian spot market prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) have plunged by a single year record of 61.7% since February 2014, according to Platts JKM (Japan/Korea Marker) – a leading source of benchmark prices for the industry.* *Average prices for March delivery peaked at a historic hig... more »

80,000 Mutations in Human DNA Predicted from Atmospheric Nuclear Explosions from 1946-1955

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 3 hours ago
Effects of Nuclear Weapons TestingAuthor(s): Gordon M. DunningSource: The Scientific Monthly, Vol. 81, No. 6 (Dec., 1955), pp. 265-270. Published by: American Association for the Advancement of Science Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/22239 [Excerpted] Genetics. There are five relevant points concerning radiation and genetics that may be enumerated. 1) Radiation can cause irreversible inheritable changes (called gene mutations) in the germ cells. Most of these mutations are considered harmful. 2) The number of mutations produced is independent of the rate of radiation ... more »

After The Fall Of Debaltseve What Is Next?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
*Kyiv Post:* *After Debaltseve Defeat, What Next?: Out from Debaltseve hell and back to the trenches* *ARTEMIVSK, Ukraine – Less than 24 hours after breaking out of the encirclement in Debaltseve on top of a tank, junior lieutenant Taras Savchuk was digging trenches at the new front line some 46 kilometers northwest, near Artemivsk, on. Feb. 19.Savchuk, 25, who worked as agronomist in Khmelnytsky Oblast before being drafted to the 30th Mechanized Brigade, said his unit was lucky to survive during a dramatic escape under fire. He said he saw at least five Ukrainian soldiers kil... more »

Ukraine Soldier Falls From A Fast-Moving BMP-1 Outside The City of Debaltsevo (Video)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
*WNU Editor*: By the looks of it .... that BMP-1 was traveling about 30 to 40 kilometers/hour. This soldier was lucky that he did not go under the tracks of that armored vehicle.

The Real Threat to Washington

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 3 hours ago
A central fear of the corporate government in Washington is the 'modern silk road' that runs between China and Europe. One reason for the Ukraine war on Russia's border is the American attempt to throw a monkey wrench into the middle of this new economic zone. Read more about all this in this article by Brazilian international correspondent Pepe Escobar *here*

The Great SIM Heist: NSA, Malware and a whole lotta mess

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 3 hours ago
WEll my friends, I'm not an encryption specialist to say the least, but this opens a whole bag of questions about "encrypted communications" over cell phones using programs like PXIII, Zoom, silent circle etc.... if NSA et al can hack in through your SIM card..... then, it would seem to me, that no matter what program you use, it's going to be hackable. Malware again eh? NSA again Eh? Well,..... such interesting timing that all this is all coming out all at once .... eh? d *AMERICAN AND BRITISH* spies hacked into the internal computer network of the largest manufacturer of S... more »

Shadow of the Shaman: 5 Reasons Being a Shaman Sucks (is Awesome)

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*Gary ‘Z’ McGee* - Shamanism is mankind’s primordial soul-signature, tapping the cornerstone of the human leitmotif. The post Shadow of the Shaman: 5 Reasons Being a Shaman Sucks (is Awesome) appeared first on Waking Times.

Ukraine Soldiers Share Horror Stories On Their Escape From Debaltseve

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
*Sydney Morning Herald*: *Ukraine soldiers tell of their harrowing escape - by foot - from pro-Russian rebels* *Artemivsk: When the order to retreat came over the radio, most of the Ukrainian troops under siege in Debaltseve abandoned their heavy weapons, blew up their ammunition, and then fled in convoys of trucks as pro-Russian forces shot at them along the way.* *But for Ilya Andrushko, one of about 30 members of Ukraine's Lviv battalion, the only way to escape on Wednesday (local time) was on foot.* *"We didn't have a chance to think about the order when it came," said Andrus... more »

“The Sixth Day”; "The Pale Blue Dot"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*“The Sixth Day”* by Chet Raymo "Anthropologists pretty much agree that all modern humans had their ancestral origins in Africa, and spread from there to the other continents in a great exodus beginning about 60,000 years ago. Which is not to say that there were not already other members of the human family in Europe, Asia, and in what is now the island of Indonesia, the descendants, presumably, of earlier migrants from Africa. The origin of these pre-modern humans - Neanderthals, Denisovans, Homo erectus, and Homo floresiensis - is hazy, but it now seems certain that our species (... more »

Kenney : CPC faces high risk of terrorist attack

Alison at Creekside - 4 hours ago
The Conservative Party of Canada faces a “high probability” of a jihadist attack from homegrown terrorists, Defence Minister Jason Kenney warned Thursday as he defended toughened security laws and hinted that Ottawa will extend its military mission in Iraq into the inevitable quagmire of jihadist reprisals. "The threat of terrorism has never been greater." In his first major address since taking over the defence portfolio several weeks ago, Kenney explained the growing danger of terror : "We've got the Del Mastro election fraud trial, the Duffy trial, the Jason MacDonald trial, and t... more »

MENA Report - ( February 19-20 , 2015 ) - ISIS Global Campaign Within Context of Iraq / Syria Regional War - Focus on Iraq , Syria , Libya , Yemen , Lebanon and Egypt ....

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 4 hours ago
Links...... *ISIS Ready for Fight to the Death in Mosul* *Once a Top Booster, Ex-US Envoy No Longer Backs Arming Rebels* *Officials: EU Considering Mending Ties With Assad* *Libyan ISIS' Med Outposts Have Italy Scrambling to War* Airstrikes, Battles Leave 194 Dead Across Iraq Battle Lines Drawn for a Civil War in Yemen Lebanese Army Arrests 23 in Bekaa Crackdown Sisi: It's Time to Correct NATO Mistakes in Libya Torn Apart by Conflict, Oil-Rich Libya May Be Going Broke Libya Requests Ending Arms Embargo to Fight ISIS Tweets..... 2/19..... *The Daily Star *@DailyStarLeb ·... more »

Assessing the Performance of an Administration

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 4 hours ago
If one has to assess the performance or non-performance of a government or administration, what is the better parameter, how much it has done, subsidized, regulated, etc. or how little it has done or intervened? This is corollary to my friend Ethel's question in her fb wall, *"Sige. Let's be fair. Give me something Noynoy has done in the past five years that is actually good for the Filipinos."* Some of the "pro" comments: 1. He took out wangwangs on the road. he curbed corruption. 2. He brought peace to Mindanao? 3. The creation of the GOCC Commission tasked to privatize, abolish, ... more »

The Poet: Edwin Muir, The Way"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*"The Way"* "Friend, I have lost the way. *The way leads on.* Is there another way? *The way is one.* I must retrace the track. *It's lost and gone.* Back, I must travel back! *None goes there, none.* Then I'll make here my place, *(The road leads on),* Stand still and set my face, *(The road leaps on),* Stay here, for ever stay. *None stays here, none.* I cannot find the way. *The way leads on.* Oh places I have passed! *That journey's done.* And what will come at last? *The road leads on."* *․ * ~ Edwin Muir, "Collected Poems"

"The Status Quo: Life as We Know It"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
*"The Status Quo: Life as We Know It"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "Our lives can sometimes become status quo and that is ok as long as we aren't keeping it that way on purpose. When our lives are going well, and sometimes even when they aren’t, we may find ourselves feeling very attached to the status quo of our existence- life as we know it. It is a very human tendency to resist change as though it were possible to simply decide not to do it, or have it in our lives. But change will come and the status quo will go, sooner or later, with our consent or without it. We may find a... more »

The True Purpose of a Daily Spiritual Practice

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 4 hours ago
*Brandon West* - It is our birthright to live the most extraordinary lives and to experience the diversity of this reality and the best that existence has to offer... The post The True Purpose of a Daily Spiritual Practice appeared first on Waking Times.

Business 360 21: Cheap Oil and Nepal

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 4 hours ago
* This is my article for the monthly magazine published in Kathmandu, Nepal, January 2015 issue. ---------- *Cheap oil: an opportunity to deregulate and demonopolize the oil industry* The continued decline in global oil prices is at least good news for many developing economies who can take advantage to grow faster. After all, most economic activities require oil input – from buses and cars, tractors and fishing boats, airplanes and ships, bulldozers and backhoes, oil power plants and generator sets, and so on. Current low prices have not been seen since six or more years ago. Be... more »

Ukraine War News Updates -- February 19, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
*Bloomberg:* *Ukraine Peace Bid at Crossroads After Rebels Take Strategic Town* *The peace agreement on Ukraine has reached a potential turning-point after pro-Russian rebels defied a cease-fire to seize a strategically important town.* *While Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France said Thursday they remain committed to the peace deal negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, a week ago, Ukraine asked for the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers as a guarantee against new attacks. Russia reacted skeptically to the idea. * *Ukraine War News Updates -- February 19, 2015* Hopes for Ukraine c... more »

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 19, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
*Adam Taylor, Washington Post*: *Why the Islamic State has its eyes on Libya* *For almost all of its existence, the Islamic State has focused on a spectacular yet singular goal: The creation of a new Islamic caliphate centered around Syria and Iraq. While there were threats and attacks farther afield, these attacks were generally made by groups or individuals with relatively weak links to the Islamic State's core.* *Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 19, 2015* ISIL Can’t Be Beat on the Battlefield Alone -- Yousef Al Otaiba, Politico Obama Counters Violent Extremis... more »

THIS Is Extremely Great News: Ukraine Army Defeated At Debaltseve In Eastern Provinces, Criminal Kiev Regime Has NO Chance Of A Military Victory!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 4 hours ago
I have some extremely good news that came across to me today... It appears that the criminal Ukraine army that has been murdering civilians in the eastern provinces under the false guise of "fighting rebel and Russian forces" has been soundly defeated at the town of Debaltseve. The eastern Ukrainian forces, the good guys, have surrounded the Ukrainian army in the town and many Ukrainian troops have either surrendered, or are right now fleeing for their very lives... It is a victory for the forces of good against the evil US proxy led Kiev regime and their criminal murderous forces... more »

Great Lakes ice cover SURPASS 2014's almost-record year?

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 4 hours ago
How cold is it in your neck of the woods? Here. It's been another long cold winter! Record setting cold- Piles of snow. Check out the Great Lakes region- Satellite photo from Feb. 18, showing the extensive ice cover on the Great Lakes.As of yesterday the Great Lakes were 85.4 percent ice covered! *By Wednesday, the Great Lakes were 85.4 percent ice-covered, just above the 85.2 percent on Feb. 18 last year,* according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. *With below-average temperatures predicted for at least the next week, the lakes could approach last year’s levels... more »

World News Briefs -- February 19, 2015 (Evening Edition)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
*The Hill:* *Obama doubles down in extremism debate* *President Obama sought Thursday to rally world leaders behind his push to stop extremist groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), while doubling down on terminology that has sparked fierce criticism from conservatives. * *MIDDLE EAST* U.S. sees Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul* in April-May time frame*. US Embassy: Turkey, US sign deal *to train, arm Syrian rebels*. Uneasy alliances as *fractured Iraq battles IS group*. Rebels capture 32 Syrian *troops and allied gunmen in Aleppo*. Syrian rebels being screened *... more »

DSCC Recruits Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander To Run For Blunt's Senate Seat

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago
By Missouri standards, Kander is a progressive. The NRA gave him a "D" and the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition has ranked him between 86 and 100% since 2009. At 33, he's the youngest statewide-elected official in the whole country-- and he's very popular in Missouri and was expected to skate to reelection next year. He won't be as favored to beat Blunt in 2016-- even if Hillary at the top of the ticket is expected to make Missouri competitive-- but the entire state party has quickly united behind him, and the DSCC sees him as their best chance to win the seat. Gov. Jay Nixon ... more »

Iran's Supreme Leader Has Ordered His Top Nuclear Negotiator To Stop Yelling At U.S. Secretary of State Kerry

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L), Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (R) and EU envoy Catherine Ashton pose for photographers before a meeting in Vienna November 22, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Leonhard Foeger *Washington Free Beacon/FOX News*: *Top Iranian nuke negotiator ordered to stop screaming at Kerry* *Iran's foreign minister and lead negotiator in nuclear talks with the United States has been ordered by the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader to stop shouting and yelling at Secretary of State John Kerry during negotiating sessions. * *Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif ... more »

United Nations: Iran Still Refusing To Cooperate On Probe Investigating Possible Nuclear Work

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
Photo: IAEA Imagebank / Flickr *Reuters*: *Iran still stalling U.N. nuclear inquiry as deal deadline looms: IAEA* *Iran has still not addressed specific issues that could feed suspicions it may have researched an atomic bomb, a U.N. watchdog report showed on Thursday, potentially complicating efforts by six powers to clinch a nuclear deal with Tehran.* *Iran and U.S. negotiators will resume talks over Tehran's nuclear programme in Geneva on Friday to narrow remaining gaps aimed at ending a 12-year standoff with the powers, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.* *WNU Editor:* ... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago

Roswell Slides - Adam Dew on WGN (Chicago)

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 6 hours ago
We have now heard more about the Roswell Slides, again from Adam Dew and again on video, though this comes from WGN-TV in Chicago. Dew was interviewed about the slides. He told us that the Rays, Bernerd and Hilda, divorced in the 1960s. He remained in Midland and she went to Arizona. Dew said that people have been contacting him about the Rays, so he was learning a little more about them. He implied that the Rays had taken the pictures, probably Hilda, though it could have been Bernerd. At any rate, the slides had wound up in Hilda’s possession and were only discovered long after ... more »

Panda Baby

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 6 hours ago

From the Front Lines in Ukraine

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 7 hours ago
*Best part of this is the interview at 2:56 into the video.* *This man is a former-musician and three days ago was put on the EU's sanctions list. Many believe because of words like these in the video.* *Make up your own mind* Make up your own mind about Ukraine World War III now under way proxy war Ukraine against Russia... NATO against Russia U.S. against Russia Why? How could that ever be so? Pentagon now the 'primary resource extraction service' for corporate globalization anybody that gets in the way gets run over Ukraine's crime location, location, location border with ... more »

Friday Morning Ramble #707

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 7 hours ago
Thought for the day: John Key’s catamite really does likes David Seymour. No, I mean he *really, really *likes David Seymour. *Special report: David Seymour's rescue Act* – John Armstrong, NZ HERALD Conservatives who oppose doctor-assisted suicide are, in fact, contradicting the actual right to life. *A Real Right to Life* – Peter Schwartz, HUFFINGTON POST “We already know that John Key dissembles and misleads, especially on matters of security and intelligence…. With his misrepresentations John Key only obscures the real issue…. There are three specific reasons why NZ has to j... more »

The Duckies: Tonight 7:30 Feb. 19

Josh Busby at Duck of Minerva - 7 hours ago
We hope to see you all at the Duckies this evening, the annual blogging awards with the reception this evening sponsored by Sage. It will be held at 7:30 in Quarterdeck A&B Ballroom at the Hilton. The nominees are here. We hope to see you there!

The Economy: “Central Bankers' Worst Nightmares Are Unfolding in Greece”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 hours ago
*“Central Bankers' Worst Nightmares Are Unfolding in Greece”* by Phoenix Capital Research “The situation in Greece boil down to the single most important issue for the finacial system, namely collateral. Modern financial theory dictates that sovereign bonds are the most “risk free” assets in the financial system (equity, municipal bond, corporate bonds, and the like are all below sovereign bonds in terms of risk profile). The reason for this is because it is far more likely for a company to go belly up than a country. Because of this, the entire Western financial system has sovereig... more »

Canada Is NO Longer A Free And Peaceful Nation: Criminal Canadian Government Involved In Foiled Venezuelan Coup Attempt!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 8 hours ago
**I am doing a bit of catching up on major headlines that I have missed over the last few days... This one is a major one, and should be an alert to every Canadian that their nation is no longer peaceful or free....* I used to believe that my nation, Canada, was truly a beacon of freedom and peace for this world... But from what I have seen over the last while, it should be obvious that this nation has fallen under tyranny and is involved in criminal actions across the planet.... I want to present the following report that comes from the Global Research online website, at www.global... more »

Supplemental: Will the real Kristof please stand up!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 8 hours ago
*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015Like Brian Williams, a brand:* Once again, we find ourselves puzzled by Nicholas Kristof’s latest column. It appears in this morning’s New York Times. The column starts like this: KRISTOF (2/19/15): *Like many Americans, I’ve been wary of labor unions.* Full-time union stagehands at Carnegie Hall earning more than $400,000 a year? A union hailing its defense of a New York teacher who smelled of alcohol and passed out in class, with even the principal unable to rouse her? A police union in New York City that has a tantrum and goes on virtual strike? *Mo... more »

Does The Amercian Public Support Sending Ground Troops To Wage War Against The Islamic State?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*CBS:* *Do Americans want to send ground troops to fight ISIS?* *Amid more executions by the militant group ISIS, Americans increasingly see the group as a threat to the U.S. Now, 65 percent of Americans view ISIS as a major threat - up from 58 percent in October - while another 18 percent view it as a minor threat. Majorities of Republicans (86 percent), Democrats (61 percent) and independents (57 percent) view ISIS as a major threat.With concern about ISIS growing, support for the use of U.S. ground troops in the fight against ISIS has risen. For the first time, a majority of... more »

Islamic State War News Updates -- Febraury 19, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* Washington Post: *The Islamic State ‘caliphate’ is in danger of losing its main supply route* BAGHDAD — For weeks, U.S.-backed forces have been fighting to oust the Islamic State from key areas of northern Iraq in a series of small-scale battles that could have an enormous impact on the group’s “caliphate.” A major prize in the clashes is a highway that serves as a lifeline for the Islamic State. It runs from the group’s Iraq stronghold in Mosul to its enclaves in northeastern Syria, including its self-styled capital, Raqqa, 300 miles away. *Islamic... more »

What matters more--the productivity slowdown or the inequality increase?

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 8 hours ago
The Economic Report of the President was released today. A friend draws my attention to Table 1-3 on page 34, which presents several historical counterfactuals. It finds: 1. If productivity growth had not slowed after 1973, the median household would have $30,000 of additional income today. 2. If income inequality had not increased after 1973, the median household would have $9,000 of additional income today. So, which is the bigger problem? (Of course, neither has an easy solution.)

Variety - Blomkamp - Alien Reboot!

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 8 hours ago
now, that's what I call sexyAccording to this article in Variety, Blomkamp (Neill) the South African director who gave the cinema world District 9, Elysium and Chappie is pencilled in to be doing a new Alien film -- hopefully a FFR or Full Franchise Reboot with all the ugly Giger-porn put back in that Prometheus took out. Adult inspiration? There's tonnes of the shit on the 'net - just google "Giger is God". Please REBOOT ALIEN PREQUEL, Blommers, please! Get us to LV426, and want to be there. Yes, a world of MSW or Mechanised Satan Worship exemplifies NWO thirteen thousand years a... more »

PART 4: “THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TYRANNY”

David Greene at Schools Matter - 8 hours ago
Says Allan Bloom, “ The most successful tyranny is the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities.” Now I admit, I was never a fan of Allan Bloom, but in this regard he is certainly right about how our elite sheep education reformers have grasped hold of the media and have controlled “the awareness of other possibilities.” From Wendy Kopp to Arne Duncan to Michelle Rhee, all we have heard is how the American Education System is broken and must be replaced. They have convinced the public that teachers are incompetent, lazy, union slugs. Try to convince people otherwise thes... more »

Its Sci Fi Cold

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 9 hours ago
Its Sci Fi cold and the tempurature does not change if i turn off the TV Sci Fi living the new reality

How Many Canadians Would Join stephen harper In The Closet?

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 9 hours ago
Ralph Nader, via Montreal Simon (probably quoting somebody else), tells me that public support for harper's Bill C-51: The Canada Stasi Act stands at around 82 percent. For fuck's sake! Who are all these cowardly, ignorant, deluded ninnies? Once again, simple fact: The harpercons have killed, and will kill, more Canadians than the terrorists. Furthermore, "conservatism" in general, and the wider pathology of capitalism will kill even more. That the vast majority of Canadians remain so ignorant of this FACT and so confused that they thereby support an unaccountable police force spy... more »

U.S .And Turkey Sign Deal To Arm And Train Syrian Rebels

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
U.S Ambassador John Bass and Turkish Foreign Ministry undersecretary Feridun SinirlioÄŸlu. Daily Sabah *Bloomberg*: *U.S. and Turkey Sign Agreement to Train Syrian Opposition Force* *The U.S. and Turkey signed an agreement on training a Syrian rebel force to combat Islamic State as well as seeking the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.* *The accord was signed in Ankara late on Thursday by U.S. Ambassador John Bass and Feridun Sinirlioglu, the undersecretary at Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, state news agency Anadolu reported. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki had told report... more »

State Dept. Spokeswoman: Do Not Forget That There Are Christian Extrremist Militant Groups

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
*Washington Free Beacon:* *State Dept’s Marie Harf: Why Is No One Talking about Kony Anymore?* *In an effort to defend herself, Marie Harf went on Morning Joe. Harf defended her comment that one of the reasons people could be joining IS was because of the lack of job opportunities. She continued saying that “we” need to work with the Middle East.* *WNU Editor:* She is the gift that keeps on giving. But what is even astounding about her is her background .... she was once a CIA analyst on the Middle East who got promoted (yes ... promoted) into this job. *More News On State Dept. ... more »

How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Video - *When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. The post How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain appeared first on Waking Times.

Justice is broken: David Bain edition

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 9 hours ago
The justice system is the best means humans have produced to determine the guilt or otherwise of someone accused of a crime – and it’s a whole lot better the a medieval ordeal by fire. The role of a court hearing held within the justice system is to decide on a defendant’s guilt. A court hearing reviewing a previous court hearing -- carried out as a properly constituted part of the process of the NZ justice system – overturned previous court hearings and found David Bain not guilty of the murder of his family and released him. Whatever you or I or the justice minister *feel *abo... more »

Feb. 19: People come - oh - somewhere down on the list -

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 9 hours ago
...maybe--- Page A 1. "District to study future of two schools...." The Anglophone school district for this region is planning to close two schools. They're rural schools that, like most rural schools in this province, have suffered a severe decline in student population. So it only makes good, business sense to close them. And the kids? Oh...put 'em on buses. They already have to ride, so they'll ride a bit longer. We have to save money. Maybe so. But in business money is an end in itself. If fact, in business it's the only end. But it's not so in education - or in health care or... more »

Similar Fact Evidence

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 9 hours ago
*R. v. Graham*, 2015 ONCA 113: [23] Evidence as to an accused’s general disposition or bad character is presumptively inadmissible. This exclusionary rule seeks to guard against the risk of convicting an accused based not on proof related to the offence charged, but instead because he is a “bad person”. The rule seeks to prevent two kinds of prejudice to the accused: moral prejudice, in particular where the evidence is of previous misconduct that is more reprehensible than the offence charged and thus more likely to lead to a conviction based on an improper inference, and reas... more »

President Obama Speaks At The 'Violent Extremism Summit'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
*ABC News*: *President Obama Rejects 'Notion That the West Is at War With Islam' * *President Obama today challenged the idea that terrorist groups like al Qaeda and the Islamic State are connected to the Islamic faith during remarks at the White house Summit to Counter Violent Extremism.* *"The notion that the West is at war with Islam is an ugly lie," Obama said. "And all of us -- regardless of our faith -- have a responsibility to reject it."* *Speaking at the State Department on the third day of the summit, he called on countries to address the conditions, or “political griev... more »

In breaking news, this 100-year-old café either is or isn't closing -- and there's a "waitress with a big mouth" angle!

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 10 hours ago
*No, Caffè Dante -- on MacDougal street in the heart of Greenwich Village -- isn't closing. At least not yet.* *by Ken* Maybe you have to have reached a certain stage of life to be properly tickled by this story. By which I mean the stage where you recognize that the world is looking at you with a "What do you mean you're not dead?" look on its face. At a certain point you realize the onus is on you to explain your continued failure to shut down operations. The story is "Caffe Dante Owner Denies 100-Year-Old Restaurant Is Closing," by DNAinfo New York's Danielle Tcholakian. At fi... more »

Christy Clark Has No Brain, The Proof Is Here(According to Clark, Translink`s Board Runs and Controls British Columbia`s Government)

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 10 hours ago
Some of you thought my posting yesterday was rather terse, ....And perhaps that is true.. However,....I said this at the end of my February 18/2015 post about Christy Clark.. http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.ca/2015/02/translink-refendum-trough-sucking.html "*Enough is enough...* *Christy Clucking Clark, you braindead stunned Bitch, cancel this doomed referendum and make a Governing decision.."* And to prove my point how braindead and educationally stunned Christy Clark is.... ________________ *Updated: Clark says “TransLink belongs to the mayors”* *Premier Christy Cl... more »

UnCowed by censors, Jim Fetzer takes Northfield!

Kevin Barrett at truthjihad.com blog - 10 hours ago
Defying censorship, boycotts, and threats, a standing-room-only crowd greeted Veterans Today editor Jim Fetzer in Northfield, Minnesota last night… Full story: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/02/19/fetzer-rocks/

Germany's Army Used Broomsticks Instead Of Machine Guns In Latest War Games Exercises

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
German Bundeswehr army soldiers with Echo company, 401 mechanised infantry battalion of the ISAF Quick Reaction Force (QRF) take aim with their weapons during a patrol on the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif, north of Kabul, in this file picture taken December 10, 2009. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/Files *Washington Post*: *Germany’s army is so under-equipped that it used broomsticks instead of machine guns* *The German army has faced a shortage of equipment for years, but the situation has recently become so precarious that some soldiers took matters into their own hands.On Tuesday, Germ... more »

Dear reader, If you had watched videos of the ceasefire being negotiated by Merkle, Hollonde, Poroshenko, and Putin, you would have seen Putin offering to save the Ukrainian troops that everyone knew were surrounded at Debaltsevo, if only they would surrender and leave without their arms. However Poroshenko, probably following U.S. instructions, pretended that those troops did not exist and so no plan for their surrender was offered (too bad for them). Moreover, the ceasefire agreement was immediately violated by all elements of the Ukrainian Army, likely again as instructed by the U.S., attacking the secessionists including use of the heavy artillery stipulated in the agreement to have been pulled back.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 11 hours ago
------------------------------ Events in Debaltsevo — “The lies are obvious…We no longer control Debaltsevo” Posted on *Fort Russ* 2/18/2015“The Debaltsevo Cauldron had closed. It’s a second Ilovaysk.” By Yuliana Skibitskaya *Translated from Russian and Ukrainian by J.Hawk* We have collected the statements from combat participants and commentary from social networks concerning the events at Debaltsevo. *Dmitriy Gross, Deputy Commander, 25th “Kievan Russ” Battalion* “We are under fire from mortars, Grads, self-propelled howitzers, small arms, and lots of other stuff. There is clos... more »

The Ukrainian attacks on the Russian-speaking people of Donetsk and Lugansk continue despite the the promised ceasefire, yet a large number of Ukrainian troops are still surrounded by citizen soldiers of Domboss waiting for them to surrender.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 11 hours ago
------------------------------ Ukrainian General Staff confirms Debaltsevo force collapse Posted on *Fort Russ*, February 17, 2015 2/17/2017 Ukrainian General Staff Confirms Losing Control Over Debaltsevo Forces *Translated from Russian by J.Hawk* Earlier today the Russian Spring reported that, according to the information from the relatives of UAF troops located in the vicinity of Debaltsevo, the chain of command has completely broken down and the troops were issued orders to break out of the cauldron on their own. However, several Ukrainian media immediately denied the reports, ... more »

Obama has officially called me "boring"...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 11 hours ago
*really? * He just called me, a 69 year old woman, boring. Does he not realize that he also called older Democrats boring, too? The only older acquaintances I have who are not tech savvy, are all libtards. Every last one of them. Some of them still read newspapers. Oh, and they're very boring. The majority of the young people I know are completely ignorant of anything that is going on in the world. What's amazing is that for the first time in history, the magnitude of human achievement is available - for free. And yet, young people today are less informed then ever. And gues... more »

Alice Embree : METRO | Feminism is alive and well in Austin

Thorne Dreyer at The Rag Blog - 11 hours ago
The Women’s Community Center of Central Texas builds on work that the womens’ movement in Austin has done over the decades. By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | January 19, 2015 AUSTIN — Feminism is alive and well in … finish reading Alice Embree : *METRO* | Feminism is alive and well in Austin

Video Emerges Showing NATO Fighter Jets 'Buzzing' A Russian Tu-95 Bomber

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*RT:* *Video from 'Russian Bear' bomber captures RAF escort over English Channel* *The Russian Defense Ministry's TV channel has released video footage taken from a Tu-95 strategic bomber as it was shadowed by RAF Fighter Typhoon jets. The video features engines that appear to be stalling.The clip published on Wednesday by the Zvezda channel was shot from one of the Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear” bombers as it was flying on a mission in international airspace close to the United Kingdom. * *WNU Editor:* I an surprised that the Russian defense ministry released this video. I guess they wa... more »

Domestic Abuse: "Perfect"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago
*"Perfect"* Submitted by Maz Ali "To the outside world Andrew and Maria have a flawless relationship; they seem to be an ideal couple. However all is not as it seems as crippling jealousy and unbearable anger is slowly eating away at the perfect life. In the U.K., where this film was produced, one-third to one-half of domestic violence cases involve male victims. And in the U.S., more than 1 in 4 men have experienced "rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. *The bottom line: Abuse is abuse, no matter who's on the receiving end of it. And it is *never* accep... more »

RAF Typhoons Are Scrambled To Intercept Russian Bombers (Again)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
A map showing the most high-profile alerts in which RAF jets and the Royal Navy had to be scrambled to deal with Russian warplanes and battleships over the last 12 months *Daily Mail:* *'Putin is watching us': Senior MPs warn Cameron the military cannot cope with further defence cuts after RAF Typhoons are scrambled to intercept Russian bombers* ** Two Russian Bear bombers seen in skies off south west coast of England* ** RAF fighter jets scrambled to intercept and escort them away, RAF says* ** Comes the day after Defence Secretary warned of Russian aggression* ** Earlier this week,... more »

Report: Sensitive Information And Emails Exposed After U.S. Embassy Evacuation From Yemen

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *FOX News:* *Emails reveal sensitive info left exposed after US pullout from Yemen* *Internal State Department emails reviewed by Fox News reveal that as security unraveled in Yemen, U.S. personnel were scrambling to finalize their exit plan and were so uncertain about what would happen that procedures for safeguarding sensitive information were bypassed -- with permission from Washington. * *Update: *U.S. embassy evacuation from Yemen left sensitive information exposed: emails -- Washington Times *WNU Editor*: I was always led to believ... more »

World News Briefs -- February 19, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*BBC*:* Ukraine crisis: Shelling spreads despite ceasefire* *Shelling is reported from several places in eastern Ukraine despite the official ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russia rebels.Artillery fire could be heard in the region's biggest city, Donetsk, where the truce had been observed so far.Ukrainian military sources also accused rebels of shelling positions near the port city of Mariupol.The fighting comes as Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany held further talks over the phone. * *MIDDLE EAST* Uneasy alliances as *fractured Iraq battles IS group*. Rebel... more »

LESSONS UNLEARNED: Your Vienna sausages or your life!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 11 hours ago
*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015Interlude—Stenographers to the stars:* Jack Benny’s trademark joke is one of the greatest in show business history. The joke was performed in 1948, on Benny's radio program. To hear it performed, click here. “Your money or your life,” a mugger says. The famous old skin-flight fails to respond—and the audience laughs for the first time. The mugger makes his demand again. Exasperated, Benny says this: “I’m thinking it over!” That famous joke shows how much humor can be derived from comic persona alone. We thought of that joke when we read one part of... more »

Obama to America: Fast Track or Die

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 12 hours ago
What's a prevaricating prez to do when he's already got four Pinocchios under his belt for lying about the number of jobs to be created by a neoliberal coup euphemised as a free trade agreement? He'll lie even more. He'll speak directly to the damned through an email blitz, attempting to draft them into an unpaid zombie coalition of the unwitting to spread the lies to their friends and neighbors. He'll pretend that China is the next enemy in line to creep over the borders and attack middle class zombies asleep in their beds. Sure, China is guilty of currency manipulation in order to... more »

Bridge loan to default or haircut is an oxymoron

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 12 hours ago
*No sane person deliberately builds bridges to nowhere* The new Greek Marxist prime minister didn't receive his bonuses for being at work on time which is why he only sent his letter, originally planned for Wednesday, on Thursday. As I described in some detail in a successful comment on idnes.cz LOL, what we got was a variation of Spoiled Little Joe's Letter to Baby Jesus. ;-) Odds are 98% that you don't speak Czech. In his letter, little Joe is increasingly upset and obscene because he is not satisfied with what he found under the Christmas tree. To summarize the letter, Tsipr... more »

Russia supplying gas as humanitarian aid to Eastern Ukraine

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 12 hours ago
Russia started supplying gas to rebel-held eastern Ukraine today (19 February) after Kyiv suspended supplies because of damage to the networks from heavy fighting, which is continuing despite a ceasefire. Responding to an order from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to supply gas to east Ukraine as humanitarian aid, gas company Gazprom said it had started supplies via the Prokhorovka and Platovo pumping stations on the border with east Ukraine. Gazprom's Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller said gas deliveries were reaching 12 million cubic metres of gas per day (cm/d). Se... more »

Big Pharma Dangles Life and Death Over Patients' Heads

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 12 hours ago
Breakthroughs in gene therapy mean a single shot could cure you ... permanently ... but for a price. *February 19, 2015* (Tony Cartalucci - LocalOrg) - Gene therapy involves identifying and replacing faulty or missing genes, or engineering augmentations for existing genes to permanently cure a wide number of conditions and illnesses ranging from cancer and diabetes, to regenerative processes like rebuilding hearts or storing sight and hearing. A breakthrough clinical trial in 2012 saw several patients stricken with incurable leukemia put into permanent remission using gene therapy.... more »

The Making of a Bavarian Candidate : Lloyd George Knew Mein Furher

Spike EP at News Spike - 12 hours ago
David Lloyd George's Impression After A Meeting With Adolf Hitler, September 4, 1936I have just returned from a visit to Germany. In so short time one can only form impressions or at least check impressions which years of distant observation through the telescope of the Press and constant inquiry from those who have seen things at a closer range had already made on one's mind. I have now seen the famous German Leader and also something of the great change he has effected. Whatever one may think of his methods - and they are certainly not those of a parliamentary country - there ... more »

DARPA Develops Implant With “Terminator” Vision: “Plugs directly into a person’s DNA and visual cortex”

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 12 hours ago
Mac Slavo For now, the technology is in “crude” form undergoing R&D through animal testing, specifically with the neural connections of a zebrafish. In the longer term, DARPA researchers (the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) believe the gene modifying optical technology will be able to restore vision to the blind and impaired, and replaced current conceptions of virtual reality, with an internal display that will provide vital stats and more about the target, err, object in view. According to CNET, the DARPA boffins are reportedly working on a device known as... more »

Why the Free and Open Internet Is Never Going to Die

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 12 hours ago
Joshua Krause It appears that the Internet's Wild West days are coming to an end, much to the chagrin of pretty much everyone who uses it. Last week, the FEC announced their desire to regulate websites like Drudge, and President Obama called for the government to rein in the Internet, and regulate it like a utility. Obviously, these developments have the potential to destroy everything that makes the Internet great. The masses have spent the last 15 years ditching television, radio, and newspapers, and turning to the Internet for their news, because it offers an almost infinite n... more »

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 19, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a welcoming ceremony as he inspects the Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine warfare ship in Novorossiysk, September 23, 2014. Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Reuters *Newsweek*: *Russia Pushes On With Snap Military Drills as EU Tensions Escalate * *Russia will continue ordering snap drills to test the combat readiness of its armed forces, the country’s state news agency Ria Novosti reported today, after the deputy minister of defence Arkady Bahin told press that military resources have not been hampered by U.S. or EU sanctions.* *M... more »

Carol Burris Urges Civil Disobedience to End High Stakes Testing

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 13 hours ago
*from Valerie's place at WaPo:* *It has become increasingly clear that Congress does not have the will to move away from annual high-stakes testing. The bizarre notion that subjecting 9-year-olds to hours of high-stakes tests is a “civil right,” is embedded in the thinking of both parties. Conservatives no longer believe in the local, democratic control of our schools. Progressives refuse to address the effects of poverty, segregation and the destruction of the middle class on student learning. The unimaginative strategy to improve achievement is to make standardized tests lon... more »

I a fredoom liberalist am on the Russian Side

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 13 hours ago
Big goverment politics are on display in Ukranie who can win the day? Well for sure its not the people no matter what they will not be trading in their Yugos for Lambraginos We live so well its true and thats what make deocracy free for me and you Beneath the suface its all realpoiiik that has not changes won bit since the King signed Magma Carter

Turkey Attempting to Thwart Syrian Army at Aleppo. Caucasian fighters with Intel Ties

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 13 hours ago
*Interesting? * We are going to digress just a bit, for those who are unfamiliar with the Turkish deep state. The Turkish Deep state ties into NATO, the "Stay behind Armies", or what is more commonly known as "Operation Gladio". The Turkish deep state came to the attention of the public, during certain Turkish "incidents" related to the 1996 Susurluk incident ,Sledgehammer (coup) including but not limited to links with the obvious CIA asset Fethullah Gulen *Just a bit from the New Yorker on the deep state* "The deep state is a presumed clandestine network of military officers an... more »

Google Chairman on Obsolete Man: ‘The Internet Will Soon Be Part of You’

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 13 hours ago
Melissa Melton While sitting on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland recently, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt told everyone that the Internet will soon “disappear.” What he meant is not what it sounds like he meant, however. During a webcast of the panel discussion, Schmidt was asked for a prediction about what he believes is the future of the Internet. “I will answer simply that the Internet will disappear,” he replied. Via The Hollywood Reporter: “There will be so many IP addresses… so many devices, sensors, things that you are wearing, things that... more »

Western Media Blames Separatists For Ceasefire Violation, Ignores Role of Kiev Fascists

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 13 hours ago
Brandon Turbeville The fragile Ukraine peace deal constructed by Russia with the help of France and Germany appears to be holding on by the skin of its teeth as the shooting and shelling around Debaltseve continued even after the deadline for enacting a total ceasefire came and went Saturday night. Although virtually the entire country fell abruptly silent at midnight, Debaltseve was still alight with gunfire and artillery shelling. Almost immediately came claims from both the separatists and the Kiev forces that the other side was responsible for violating the ceasefire agreemen... more »

Shocking incentive failure rate in North Carolina

Kenneth Thomas at Middle Class Political Economist - 13 hours ago
@sandymaxey points me to a new report from the North Carolina Justice Center that is making my head spin. *Picking Losers* shows that the state's flagship development program, the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG), has seen 62 of its 102 projects fail in the period from its inception in 2002 until 2013. That is, 60% of the projects failed to meet either their job, investment, or wage goals, and had to have their awards canceled. 60%! This isn't baseball, where a .400 batting average is outstanding, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Ted Williams in 1941. Let me tell yo... more »

Feeding His Base

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 13 hours ago
Fear fueled Stephen Harper's victory in 2011. Back then, he stoked fears about a coalition government. This time around, he hopes to surf back to power by fanning two categories of fear -- fear of jihadists outside the gates and fear of criminals within. Frances Russell writes that fear of the criminals within is completely unfounded: “The 2011 Canadian rate of 1.73 homicides per 100,000 population is the lowest of all the Americas, 14 times lower than in Mexico and about one-third of the rate in the United States. The homicide rate in Canada is more comparable to many European ... more »

Collective Security in a collective prosperity context

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 13 hours ago
Which came first the chicken or the egg is not longer the question today its can a GMO breed healthy civilisations Today we are being sold by big corporations and big donations to believe in a GMO future when history tells us this is just the new thalidomide Communism failed because it was too scientific for human nature Collective security succeeds be cause it is the bonnet on the lizard brain collective security is buried deep within human DNA and the world today is run by miners who plumb those depths with an acrobats skill There comes a time when a strong leader is needed when al... more »

VIDEO: Citing '43 Years of Injustice,' Amnesty International interviews UN Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez about Albert Woodfox

angola3news at Angola 3 News - 14 hours ago
*Sign the new Amnesty petition to Gov. Jindal!* Amnesty International has just released a new video entitled "Free Albert Woodfox: 43 Years of Injustice," (on You Tube and Facebook) featuring an interview with Juan Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The video was made in support of Amnesty's new petition campaign focusing on Albert's pending application for release on bail. In 2013, declaring that “Four decades in solitary confinement can only be described as torture,” Mendez called for Albert's immediate re... more »

Chemtrails Exposed

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 14 hours ago
*Peter A. Kirby* - After so many years of watching airplanes produce the lines in the sky, largely without knowing of what this Project consists or why, we have recently gained an understanding. The post Chemtrails Exposed appeared first on Waking Times.

Yazidis Carrying Out Retaliatory Attacks Upon Arabs In Iraq’s Sinjar District

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 14 hours ago
During the summer of 2014 the Islamic State (IS) seized the Sinjar district of Ninewa province. Afterward they singled out the local Yazidi population for mass execution and slavery. IS would go into a village, separate the men from women, take the males away and shoot them, while ferrying the females to different parts of the province or Syria to be used for sex, slavery or marriage to fighters. Later in the year Kurdish and Yazidi forces retook the area. Recently there have been reports of Yazidi and Turkish Kurds taking revenge on Arabs they blame for collaborating with IS. A... more »

From Manhattan Project to A.I.: The Coming Synthetic Rewrite of Nature

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 14 hours ago
The genetic rewrite predicted long ago by H.G. Wells Jay Dyer It is not by accident or organic, “grassroots” trend that numerous films are coming focused on artificial intelligence and the transhumanist takeover. From H.G. Wells’ tales of genetic *chimeras* in *The Island of Dr. Moreau* to *Sixth Day* with Schwarzenegger, to coming A.I. films like *Chappie*, the predictive programming preparations are rolling out. My recent research has focused on the Manhattan, and like the MK ULTRA programs, Manhattan had a much wider application than is commonly known. In fact, MK ULTRA a... more »

Stacking the Corporate Fiscal Deck in Kiev

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 14 hours ago
*Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko (center) listens to Christine Lagarde (left) Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Jaresko, born in Chicago, received Ukrainian citizenship in December 2014, the day of her appointment as Minister of Finance of Ukraine.* Ukraine Finance Minister’s American ‘Values’ *Special Report:* Among the arguments for why Americans should risk nuclear war with Russia over Ukraine is that the regime that took power in a coup last year “shares our values.” But one of those “values” – personified by Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko – ... more »

Can Mark Kirk Fight Off A Primary From Far Right Lunatic Joe Walsh?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 14 hours ago
Of all the Senate seats the Republicans have to defend in 2016, Illinois is probably the one they dread most. Mark Kirk is a weak candidate with an undistinguished, uninspiring record in a blue-leaning state. Although there are no party registration statistics available, recent elections gave the Democrats 40 seats in the Illinois state Senate to the GOP's 19 and 71 in the state House to the GOP's 47. Even after the Republican wave election last year, lllinois's congressional delegation consisted of 10 Democrats and 7 Republicans (of which 3 of the latter are considered extremely ... more »

Keep calm and carry on

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 14 hours ago
*Laura Janner-Klausner* Rabbi Laura did a Thought For the Day this morning. She reiterated David Cesarani’s point, which was that we mustn’t waver in the face of terrorism. We mustn’t exaggerate these fears, or make too much of the rise in antisemitism, but we must stand firm and not moderate our behaviour. That’s all well and good. Noble and principled. The Paris and Copenhagen terrorists did not only attack Jews. They have a long list of enemies, including journalists, cartoonists, filmmakers and members of other religions, including Muslims and Christians and pretty much anyone... more »

Heavy Emissions this Morning

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 14 hours ago

ALERT: Major Troop Movement in Germany and Holland

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 15 hours ago
I will update this page as new information becomes available- please repost with link to this page for updates. *NEW UPDATES Added below* With the current efforts in the Ukraine to create a major international war, we need to be watching the skys and seas and ground for any troop movements, or unusual sightings. If you have the ability to record in video or photos, please get footage. I have friends in Germany and the Netherlands currently tracking in their areas. Please contact me if you have any information- Skype: d.breakingthesilence - Skype is the easiest way to contact me... more »

Scientists Say Small Fracking Earthquakes Could Lead to Major Ones

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 15 hours ago
*Anastasia Pantsios* - “The more small earthquakes we have it just simply increases the odds we’re going to have a more damaging event,” he said. “To some degree, we’ve dodged a bullet in Oklahoma.” The post Scientists Say Small Fracking Earthquakes Could Lead to Major Ones appeared first on Waking Times.

The Silent War on Trees

gail zawacki at Wit's End - 15 hours ago

Afghanistan - Taliban Peace Talks And Negotiations Will Start In the Next Few Weeks

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
A general view of the Taliban Afghanistan Political Office in Doha. *Wall Street Journal*: *Taliban, Afghan Officials to Meet for Peace Talks* *Afghan government officials set to meet Taliban representatives in coming weeks for face-to-face negotiationsAfghan government officials will meet representatives of the Taliban in the coming weeks for an initial round of peace talks, according to senior Afghan officials.“There will be face-to-face negotiations in the next three to four weeks,” the senior Afghan official said. “The venue is not decided yet.”Another senior Afghan of... more »

Debt Strangles Pakistan’s Naval Ambitions

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 15 hours ago
[image: PNS Zulfiqar]In October, Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif walked with a throng of cadets through the sprawling campus of the Navy War College in Lahore to inaugurate a new facility. “I feel proud to have learnt that Pakistan Navy is constructing indigenous large warships,” Sharif told a group of students. “The emphasis should remain on indigenous construction and joint ventures through transfer of technology.” With Pakistan’s lone shipyard in Karachi now fully operational, the Pakistan Navy is getting its sea legs in producing defense equipment, having built two tugb... more »

Secret U.S. - Taliban Peace Talks In Qatar?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*NBC:* *Afghan Taliban to Hold Direct Talks With U.S. in Qatar: Militant Sources* *PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Members of the Afghan Taliban were due to hold direct talks with American officials in Qatar on Thursday, two senior militants told NBC News.* *The delegation is led by Tayyab Agha, a close aide of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar, one of the sources told NBC News from Qatar. He added that it also includes five former Taliban commanders freed from Guantanamo Bay in a controversial exchange for American soldier Bowe Bergdahl in May 2014. * *Update #1:* Afghan Taliban Denies ... more »

Will the Police State Protect You When a Drunk Pillhead Tries to Break into Your Tent at 3 am?

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 15 hours ago
*Truthstream Media * This video is a rant of sorts filmed half an hour after we confronted someone who had drunkenly tried to break into our tent (and, subsequently, our car) at Garner State Park in the middle of the previous night at 3 am. Authorities, however pointless, got involved. All their rules and regulations, all the police state security theater and when it really counted, could they protect us? Nope. And the fact that it was a gun free zone only left us and our children that much more vulnerable to a very real and potentially deadly threat. *Aaron Dykes and Melissa M... more »

UN Presses for ''Truce'' to Save Embattled Terrorists in Aleppo

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 15 hours ago
Tony Cartalucci Syria is winning the war and has absolutely no reason to show mercy for opponents that have no intention to show any for it and its people. Curious is the United Nation and NATO's sudden interest in peace. Both organizations are suing for truces on two separate battlefields, one in Ukraine in Eastern Europe, and another in Syria's northern city of Aleppo amid a regional conflagration in the Middle East. It is curious because talks of "truces" were completely absent just as recently as 2011, when both organizations, the UN and NATO, backed hordes of terrorists swee... more »

NATO/UN Desperately Seek Ceasefire To Save ISIS After Syrian Army Encircles Aleppo

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 15 hours ago
Brandon Turbeville In a military victory that may very well rival the liberation of Qusayr in terms of significance, on February 17, the SAAofficially encircled the entirety of Syria’s largest city Aleppo. In so doing, the SAA was also able to seal off the road leading into the city from the North which has been used as a supply route for the terrorist death squads receiving reinforcements and supplies from Turkey since the beginning of the crisis. While not controlled by the Western-backed terrorist forces entirely, large portions of Aleppo have fallen under death squad contro... more »

Life Is About Balance.......Author Unknown

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 16 hours ago

Happy Year of the Indeterminate Ungulate: Links

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 16 hours ago
*An abandoned railway bridge.* Happy New Year! May you survive this year in one piece. Some links to enjoy while your local relatives watch TV: - *SPECIAL*: Mark Harrison's talk on video entitled Art, Violence, and Memory: Retelling the story of the Beautiful Island, given at a conference on China and the World at ANU in Jan. Other talks online here. - Full text of Davidson's classic The Island of Formosa Past and Present is online at the internet archive. - Ben runs the numbers on changes in the premiers afore and after democracy - Taiwan film festival in Ca... more »

Government Caught on Video Lying About Vaccines

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 16 hours ago
*YouTube* A Feb 2014 *Senate Hearing on Vaccines* features Senator Elizabeth Warren and Dr. Anne Schuchat director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. They use this national platform to continue the hoax that vaccines are perfectly safe and effective. Infowars.com Nightly News Director Rob Dew methodically covers the evidence that vaccines are dangerous, and the fact the vaccine manufacturers are not liable for their toxic products; and, as a result you will never see credible impartial studies. Those who do question vaccines are attacked and demoni... more »

School for terrorists

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
I think I mentioned somewhere that the Telegraph recently featured a series of photographs on its ‘picture gallery’ of a Hamas youth training school. It’s tone seemed rather admiring, as though it was showing some sort of wholesome British Army Cadets’ summer camp. I just thought I’d mention it in the light of this. For the past several months, Hamas leaders have been complaining that they do not have enough money to rebuild the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the last war with Israel.However, it appears that Hamas does have enough funds to train, arm and indoctrinate thousands o... more »

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*How Government Ruined Your Kids' Textbooks* Common core education standards have attracted criticism from across the political spectrum due to lack of choice and competition inherent in a top-down, federal mandate. Students succeed when parents and teachers have flexibility to tailor their education programs to individual children, celebrating rather than ignoring their differences. But the lack of choice in America’s education system is not unique to one policy. It’s an institutional problem that requires broader reforms than the repeal of a single law. Across the board, choice... more »

Man Left Sitting in Prison for Months for "Possession" of Vitamins

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 16 hours ago
Amanda Warren Unfortunately, the police state has reached the point of consummation. While a person should be able to go out unmolested and carry vitamins, supplements, food, protein drinks to go or even ride in a car with a dirty spoon on the floor - each individual runs the risk of the dreaded "drug-dealer" accusation. That accusation is only the beginning of a cascading nightmare. While it should be a no-brainer and an easy situation to clear up, it simply isn't with such a mucked up system that treats citizens like heinous murderers. This was the case for 31-year-old Joseph ... more »

Charter Schools USA, H4QED, and the Indiana State Board of Ed

Doug Martin at Schools Matter - 16 hours ago
*By Doug Martin * *UPDATE: Charter School USA, in fact, was one of the sponsors of the school privatization rally at the statehouse today. See pic at the end of this article:* As I point out in *Hoosier School Heist*, if it wasn’t for the Bush family, Charter Schools USA (CS USA) would never have been imported from Florida into Indiana. As my book details, CS USA has been buying Indiana politicians for some time. And now, they are at it again, out to askthe state board of education for more expansion, which is why people need to see that the battle between Pence, Republicans, ... more »

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*Despite $39B in Annual Gov't. Subsidies, Solar Produced 0.5% of Electricity in US* Despite receiving an estimated $39 billion in annual government subsidies over the past five years, the solar energy industry accounted for just one half of one percent (0.5%) of all the electricity generated in the U.S. during the first 10 months of 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Between January and October of last year, the U.S. produced a total of 3,431,473 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. But only 15,973 million kWh were generated by solar ther... more »

Peter Oborne, self-awareness and 'follow the money'

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
When I heard of Peter Oborne’s high profile resignation my first thought was ‘Yippee I can buy the Telegraph again’. But on second thoughts, no. When we cancelled our subscription a while ago the Telegraph marketing department rang us at home to try to tempt us back, pleading: “we’re more left wing now." “precisely” I said or words to that effect. Isn’t it a funny old world? If you look at online comments (I do) you’ll notice that the commentariat seems to have migrated en masse from The Telegraph to the Guardian and vice versa. I believe some of the credit for the improvement in th... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 16 hours ago
*New Orleans was once above sea level, but stormwater drainage has caused it to sink -- with deadly consequences ~Richard Campanella* *Some say spike in wages causing soaring crawfish prices ~WWLTV* *A dozen Louisiana chefs and restaurants nominated for prestigious James Beard Awards ~Ian McNulty, N.O. Advocate * *Louisiana Eats! Celebrates The Lunar New Year ~Poppy Tooker, WWNO*

The Restraint of Muslims (WARNING: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE)

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 16 hours ago
*This video originally appeared on YouTube, but was censored there.* *Adam Kokesh* *Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.* Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email

Comex Gold Open Interest Numbers Show Massive Manipulated Gold Hit In Progress

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 17 hours ago
Dave Kranzler *The Comex is a complete fraud. It’s one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in history.* With China and Viet Nam (the latter being a major gold importing country) now closed until next Wednesday in observance of their Lunar New Year, the bullion banks have engaged in a major attempt to drive the price of gold lower. Yesterday (Tuesday) 99,000 gold contracts – 9.9 million ounces or 287 tonnes – were sold into the market between 9 a.m and 11 a.m. EST, which had the effect of driving the price of gold down over $26. To put this into context, a total of 179,833 contracts ... more »

The NSA’s Latest Attempt to Hack Your Computer ... And What You Can Do To Stop It

Mars Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 17 hours ago
Ted Baumann Sometimes I wonder just how bad the news about government spying can get. The answer was in my inbox this morning. I quickly ran out of superlatives: Awful. Terrible. Appalling. Dreadful. The article in question reported that for most of the last two decades, the National Security Agency (NSA) has been deliberately infecting the “firmware” that runs most common hard drives, including those made by Seagate, Western Digital, IBM, Toshiba, Samsung and Maxtor. There’s a 99% chance that the computer you’re using has one of those in it. Mine has four. The malware campaign,... more »

A possibility that the Market Research people hadn't considered?

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 17 hours ago
Thanks to Curmudgeonly Skeptical for the spot.

A good story on proofs of inevitability of string theory

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 17 hours ago
Natalie Wolchover is one of the best popular physics writers in the world, having written insightful stories especially for the Simons Foundation and the Quanta Magazine (her Bc degree in nonlinear optics from Tufts helps). Yesterday, she added In Fake Universes, Evidence for String Theory It is a wonderful article about the history of string theory (Veneziano-related history; thunderstorms by which God unsuccessfully tried to kill Green and Schwarz in Aspen, Colorado, which would postpone the First Superstring Revolution by a century; dualities; AdS/CFT etc.) with a modern focus o... more »

Europe Markets Report ( February 19 , 2015 ) -Update ( Germany rejects Greece Extension Request ) ...... Greece Extension Document Reveals Syriza Folds Under Troika Pressure ( agrees to extend current terms ( MOU ) , agrees MOU is binding , agrees to Troika monitoring ) ....... Russia Rolls Out Its SWIFT Alternative Months Early .... Items Touching On Broader Europe......

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 18 hours ago
Tweets..... Evening....... *zerohedge* @zerohedge · 4m4 minutes ago "the signs for Greece's creditors aren't propitious" http://www. wsj.com/articles/greece-can-pay-its-debts-in-full-but-it-wont-1424384652 … *Wall Street Journal* [image: View this content on WSJ's website] Greece Can Pay Its Debts in Full, but It Won’t By *Stephen Fidler* @StephenFidler1 For Greece’s creditors, the signs aren’t propitious that Greece is willing to pay the political price needed to service its debts in full. View on web *zerohedge* @zerohedge · 2h2 hours ago VAROUFAKIS SAYS GREECE TO REJECT M... more »

This is Your Brain on Drugs

Spike EP at News Spike - 19 hours ago
*This is Your Brain.* *This is Prozac.* *This is Your Brain on Prozac.* *Any Questions...?* "Whatever one may think of his methods - and they are certainly not those of a parliamentary country - there can be no doubt that he has achieved a marvellous transformation in the spirit of the people, in their attitude towards each other, and in their social and economic outlook.... It is not the Germany of the first decade that followed the war - broken, dejected, and bowed down with a sense of apprehension and importance. It is now full of hope and confidence, and of a renewed... more »

This Is China's Strategy To Crush The U.S. In A War

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 19 hours ago
File photo of Chinese Navy submarines and warships taking part in an international fleet review to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Guang Niu, Reuters *Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest: **Exposed: China's Super Strategy to Crush America in a War * *Think missiles. Lots and lots of missiles. Welcome to Shock and Awe, Chinese-style. We all know that the chances of a U.S.-Sino war in Asia are remote— thank God. With hundreds of billions of dollars in bilateral trade, the strong possibility that ... more »

Russian Air Force Awaits Cutting-Edge Transport Planes

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Il-76MD-90A]The Russian military plans to buy an additional number of Ilyushin IL-76 MD-90A transport planes as part of its modernization program. The IL-76 MD-90A is an updated version of the IL-76MD, which itself is based on the IL-76 aircraft platform. "By 2020 we expect to have all 39 such aircraft lined up as part of the contract we signed with the Defense Ministry in 2012,” said Sergei Artyukhov, deputy head of the new plane’s maker, the Ilyushin Aviation Complex, a subsidiary of the United Aviation Corporation (UAC). Read more

What Do Russians Think Of Western Sanctions

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 20 hours ago
*Zero-Hedge:* *What Russians Think Of Western Sanctions* *Submitted by Vineyard of the Saker,* *I parse the Russian media (corporate and social) on a daily basis and I am always amazed at the completely different way the issue of western sanctions is discussed. I think that it is important and useful for me to share this with those of you who do not speak Russian.First, nobody in Russia believes that the sanctions will be lifted. Nobody. Of course, all the Russian politicians say that sanctions are wrong and not conducive to progress, but these are statements for external consum... more »

Boeing System Could Bring Precision to Laser Weapons on US Navy Ships

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Laser Weapon System (LaWS)]Boeing has been awarded a $29.5 million contract to design and develop a beam control system that could provide exceptional accuracy for laser weapons on U.S. Navy warships. Boeing will begin to design a prototype High Power Beam Control Subsystem (HP BCSS) that’s compatible with High Energy Lasers (HEL) based on solid-state laser (SSL) technology. Boeing’s solution will be compatible with systems other companies are designing for the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) program. Read more

Britain Says Photos Show Russia's Most Advanced Missiles in Eastern Ukraine

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Pantsir S1 (SA-22)]Britain released photographs on Wednesday of what it described as Russia's most advanced anti-aircraft artillery system, being operated in eastern Ukraine, saying it was further proof of Russia's military involvement in the conflict. The Foreign Office released an "infographic" giving details of the truck-mounted SA-22 surface-to-air missile system and photographs published by media and a defense consultancy said to show it operating in eastern Ukraine within the last few weeks. "The presence of the SA-22 in eastern Ukraine is yet more proof of direct Rus... more »

Airbus A400M refuels two F-18 fighters simultaneously

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Airbus A400M]The Airbus A400M new generation airlifter has further proved its credentials as a tanker by successfully demonstrating simultaneous air-to-air refuelling of two F/A-18 fighters. In the course of four flights, the A400M performed 74 contacts and dispensed 27.2 tonnes of fuel to the Spanish Air Force aircraft. Refuelling was conducted at altitudes of 20,000ft – 33,000ft, and airspeeds of 180kt – 300kt – the preferred refuelling envelope for fighters. Read more

Sea Trial for F-35B to Precede Initial Operational Capability

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: F-35B Lightning II]The Marine Corps’ F-35B Lightning II strike fighter will go through its first operational test at sea before its scheduled initial operational capability (IOC) in July. The short-takeoff/vertical-landing F-35B will go through Operational Test -1 onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp this spring, said Lorraine Martin, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program for Lockheed Martin, the builder of the F-35. Before the first operational F-35B squadron, Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121), is ready, the Block 2B software f... more »

USS Vandegrift to be decommissioned

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: USS Vandegrift (FFG-48)]The guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift is scheduled to be decommissioned Thursday at Naval Base San Diego. Frigates are being phased out in favor of littoral combat ships, which are maneuverable vessels designed for fighting in coastal waters. The 30-year-old Vandegrift returned to San Diego in December from a deployment to fight narcotics smuggling in Central America. Read more

Dassault Says No Change In Rafale Jet Pricing

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Dassault Rafale]Confident of signing the long-delayed multi-billion-dollar contract for Rafale fighter jets with India "soon", French defence group Dassault said on Thursday its pricing remains the same from day one and it has not wavered from the request for proposal (RPF). It also said an empowered team has already arrived in Delhi and carried forward the talks as decided by the defence ministers of India and France in December. "The pricing issue is very clear. Our pricing remains the same from day one of LI (lowest bidder). So there has been no change on that front," Das... more »

New Success in Egypt for DCNS and its FREMM Frigate (plus some technical details)

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: FS Aquitaine]On Monday 16 February, DCNS signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the supply of a FREMM multi-mission frigate. This agreement strengthens the strategic relations initiated by DCNS last July with the signing of a contract to supply four Gowind® 2500 corvettes. Egypt becomes the second export customer of the FREMM after Morocco. Read more

Iran Reveals Details of New Cruise Missile-Capable Submarine

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: Tareq 901]Iran is building a new submarine, called Be'sat, which will be capable of firing cruise missiles and laying underwater mines, the country's Fars News Agency reported. "The Navy's new subsurface vessel will be ready and launched soon to enhance the Army's power," Iranian Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi told reporters in December. The submarine will be 60 meters long and have a displacement of over 1,300 tons. It will have six bays for torpedoes and marine cruise missiles. Read more

China conducts JL-2 sub missile test

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: JL-2 missile]China carried out a flight test of its new JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile last month, highlighting Beijing’s nuclear buildup of missile submarines. The JL-2 flight test took place Jan. 23, according to defense officials familiar with details of the test. No details of the test were available. China in the past has conducted JL-2 flight tests from the Bohai Sea. Read more

Russia's State Defense Order For 2015 (Info-graphic)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 21 hours ago
*WNU Editor:* For an enlarged version of this info-graphic, *go here.*

French Navy Rubis class SSN Escorted and Hunted USS Theodore Roosevelt during COMPTUEX

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: FS Saphire]Following several days of stalking under constant threat from US Navy's P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and Arleigh Burke class destroyers, the Saphir Commanding Officer managed to lock the massive profile of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier in the crosshair of his periscope. Another few hundred yards and the French Navy Rubis-class SSN will be in firing range. The crew inside the Combat Information Center holds its breath: the US Carrier Strike Group is on alert and the slightest noise would induce a lightning and lethal response. Read more

Is Russia Building A Giant New Aircraft Carrier?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 22 hours ago
Russian Aircraft Carrier “Kuznetsov,” January 1996. WIKIMEDIA/Commons *David Axe, Reuters:* No, Russia isn’t building a giant new aircraft carrier *The Kremlin is preparing blueprints for a huge new aircraft carrier, Russian media reported in early February, to replace its navy’s current flattop, the relatively small and aged Admiral Kuznetsov.* *Moscow’s new carrier, however, is likely to remain a paper concept. A quarter-century after the Soviet Union’s collapse, Russia lacks the money, expertise and industrial capacity to build aircraft carriers.* *WNU Editor:* David Axe's analy... more »

Germany Voices Its Fears That The Ukraine Crisis Could Develop Into 'A 'Large Scale War'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 23 hours ago
*Zero Hedge*:* US Sends "Tankbuster" Jets To Europe Over Russia Fears After Germany Says "A Large Scale War Could Develop"* *Karl-Georg Wellmann, a lawmaker in Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has warned that, despite its efforts to avoid arms being provided to Ukraine, Germany "will no longer be able to stop weapons deliveries from from the U.S. and Canada." Almost too coincidental to these comments, CNN reports, the U.S. Air Force is sending its A-10 "tankbusters" back to Europe in order to "increase rotational presence in Europe to reassure our allies and partner nat... more »

Cartoon For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)*

Ukraine's Second Front Is It's Economy, And They Are Also Losing That War

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*CNBC*: *Ukraine GDP tanks 15% as fighting drags on* *As the supposed cease-fire in Ukraine fails to end the bloodshed in the east of the country, fresh data on Tuesday showed the extent of the pain being felt within the country's economy.The country - ravaged by conflict between government troops and pro-Russian separatists – posted a fall in gross domestic product (GDP) of 15.2 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine on Tuesday morning. The figures also showed a 3.8 percent fall from the previous quarter amid the... more » 

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