igoogle portal II
2 Feb 12:40pm MST
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2 Feb 12:40pm MST
MILF, BIFF, and the Fallen 44, Part 3
This is a continuation of my exchanges with friends in my fb wall on the subject. My comments here are slightly revised from those origially posted in fb. ----------- *8. Does the peace agreement say that the MIs are allowed to harbor internationally wanted terrorists?* The peace agreement implies that if the PH government suspects that there are wanted terrorists in the MILF area of jurisdiction but are protected by splintered groups and are outside of MILF chain of command, then the govt should coordinate with the latter so that the wanted terrorists can be flushed out and pros... more »
B.N. Goswamy - The World of The Indian Painter
*"The Spirit of Indian Painting : Close Encounter with 101 Great Works, 1100-1900" by BN Goswamy (2014).* *An excerpt from, "The Spirit of Indian Painting by BN Goswamy review – an out-and-out masterpiece" by William Dalrymple, The Guardian, January 24, 2015:* BN Goswamy, the highly respected historian of Indian painting, has been trying for nearly five decades to look down the other end of the art historical telescope. Like an Indian avatar of Bernard Berenson, who dug in the Tuscan Ducal archives to unearth the bills of exchange between the artists and patrons that would enable ... more »
Is The Islamic State Facing A 'Manpower Shortage'?
ISIS fighters have made significant territorial gains in Iraq and Syria, but military experts say the group is losing soldiers in battle and is having trouble replacing them. *Andre Mayer, CBC News*: ISIS getting 'desperate,' struggling to replenish fighters *WNU Editor:* For an organization that is suppose to be suffering a manpower shortage .... it has certainly not stopped them from gaining new recruits and escalating their attacks in both Iraq and Syria.
Picture Of The Day
Thunderbirds maintenance professionals prepare their aircraft for the Super Bowl XLIX flyover on Nellis Air Force Base in Nev., Feb. 1, 2015. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez
The Afghan Army Is Disappearing
*Gary Owen, Vice News:* *The Real Reason the US Military Was So Secretive About Afghanistan* *WNU Editor:* This is the "money quote" .... .... *Campbell doesn't care if people know how much America spent on literacy training, or how many planes are in the Afghan air force. What he cares about is people knowing that the army that's supposedly taking over for the US is disappearing. It's impossible for the ANA to miss troop strength goals this badly and survive.* In short .... the Afghan Army cannot make up the soldiers that it is losing through combat and the usual attrition. If t... more »
Musical Interlude: Constance Demby, “Eternal Return”
Constance Demby, “Eternal Return” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coM0a0ool-M
Untitled
*Are Republicans more open to new product choices?* *The authors below were clearly embarrassed by their findings. They wanted to find out that Leftists were more adventurous. So they offer some contorted reasoning to explain why it was conservatives who were more adventurous.They need not have worried, however. What generalizability do findings have that are based on the responses of convenient groups of American college undergraduates? Non-existent sampling gives non-existent generalizability.As it happens, I looked at the question some time ago, using proper sampling... more »
Northrop Grumman 2015 Super Bowl Ad
*Defense Tech:* Northrop Runs Super Bowl Ad for Next Generation Bomber Program *WNU Editor:* Yup ... after watching this Super Bowl ad .... I am now motivated to go out and get a Northrop Grumman Next Generation Bomber. *Update*: Why Northrop Grumman Ran A Super Bowl Ad For A Stealth Bomber -- Tyler Rogoway, Foxtrot Alpha/Jalopnik
In War Torn Donetsk The Show Must Go On
In a dressing room before a performance by the Donetsk opera company. Photographs: Maria Turchenkova for the Guardian *The Guardian: **Donetsk opera house: tanks on the street but the show must go on* *The city’s opera house remains open despite the dangers posed by the conflict between local separatists and Ukrainian forces* *WNU Editor:* It is at moments like this that I cannot help but feel that even in the worst of times .... the best of humanity always finds a way to express itself.
More Russians Are Now Expecting War With Ukraine
*RT*:* More Russians expect full scale war with Ukraine, poll shows* *WNU Editor:* I still do not believe that war between Ukraine and Russia will happen .... but my opinion is rapidly becoming a minority opinion in Russia.
The Humanitarian Crisis In Ukraine Continues To Get Worse
*Lev Golinkin, The Nation: **The Humanitarian Crisis in Eastern Ukraine Demands Attention* *Who is responsible for the 5.2 million civilians trapped in Donbass?* *WNU Editor*: One project that I was very proud to be a part of was a project that my father started in the 1980s to ship vital antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals to Ukraine to assist families whose children were impacted by Chernobyl. Because I was working overseas at the time he pushed me to use my contacts and to gather people and organizations together to help Ukraine ... to donate without conditions or expectation... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Here in the Milky Way galaxy we have astronomical front row seats as M81 and M82 face-off, a mere 12 million light-years away. Locked in a gravitational struggle for the past billion years or so, the two bright galaxies are captured in this deep telescopic snapshot, constructed from 25 hours of image data. *Click image for larger size.* Their most recent close encounter likely resulted in the enhanced spiral arms of M81 (left) and violent star forming regions in M82 so energetic the galaxy glows in X-rays. After repeated passes, in a few billion years only one galaxy will remain.... more »
The Poet: Robert Bly, "Things to Think"
*"Things to Think"* "Think in ways you've never thought before. If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message Larger than anything you've ever heard, Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats. Think that someone may bring a bear to your door, Maybe wounded and deranged; or think that a moose Has risen out of the lake, and he's carrying on his antlers A child of your own whom you've never seen. When someone knocks on the door, Think that he's about To give you something large: tell you you're forgiven, Or that it's not necessary to work all the time, Or that it's been decided that if ... more »
"I Hope..."
"I hope that my achievements in life shall be these- that I will have fought for what was right and fair, that I will have risked for that which mattered, and that I will have given help to those who were in need; that I will have left the earth a better place for what I've done and who I've been." - C. Hoppe
"Questioned By Life..."
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual... There is also purpose in life which is almost barren of both creation and enjoyment and w... more »
Chet Raymo, “Time, Person, Year, Way...”
*“Time, Person, Year, Way...”* by Chet Raymo “According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, the 25 most used nouns in the English language are: time, person, year, way, day, thing, man, world, life, hand, part, child, eye, woman, place, work, week, case, point, government, company, number, group, problem, fact. All very prosaic. Very workaday. Time leads the way, with year, day and week bucking up the calendar. Hand takes precedence over eye. Man, child, woman in her place. Case in point: government and company. Problem precedes fact. Work is always with us, of course; play i... more »
Who Wants To Fight For A United Ukraine?
*RT:* *Potential conscripts evade draft, flee country amid escalation in E. Ukraine* *Update*: Number of Ukrainians of conscription age seeking refuge in Russia up by 20,000 in a week -- ITAR-TASS *WNU Editor*: Reports on Ukrainians fleeing conscription are mainly coming from Russian media .... but I know that they are true .... among my own relatives all males of military age have found an excuse to be in Russia, to study in London, or be elsewhere. And everyone is telling me the same thing .... resentment is growing against the draft, and almost everyone is looking for a way to... more »
Ukraine Rebels Are Feeling 'Upbeat' On The War
Pro-Russian rebel fighters at a house where they live near a front-line position in Horlivka, Ukraine. The house had belonged to a regional prosecutor who fled. Credit Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times *New York Times*: *Ukraine Rebels Upbeat After an Infusion of Aid* *WNU Editor:* When I was visiting Ukraine two years ago, the last thing on my mind (and on this I can also speak for everyone else) was the possibility of war. The focus at that time (as it has always been) was .... getting a job, dating that pretty girl, griping about corruption in the government, high taxes, s... more »
Looking back XLVIII years to the "Supergame" -- or Super Bowl I, as we know it now
*Plus update: Howie's headed home! (See below)* *For Chiefs QB Len Dawson, the road to the Hall of Fame ledthrough the L.A. Memorial Coliseum this day in January 1967.* *by Ken* Talk about great moments in history! Here we are at the very first Super Bowl halftime, on Jan. 15, 1967, in the luxurious expanse of the lovely L.A. Coliseum. ("Lovely" is maybe not entirely serious, folks. This may be the first time that "lovely" and the L.A. Coliseum have ever appeared in the same paragraph, let alone sentence.) Of course it wasn't called Super Bowl I. It was called something like the ... more »
U.S. And Allies Considering Shipping Arms To Ukraine (Updated)
*News.com.au* -- *Russian advances in Ukraine prompt military aid talk in Washington* *More News On Reports That The U.S. And Its Allies Considering Shipping Arms To Ukraine* U.S. taking 'fresh look' at weapons for Ukraine: officials -- Reuters Obama Urged by Former Officials to Arm Ukrainians Against Rebels -- Bloomberg Pressure builds in US and NATO to supply arms to Ukraine -- Euronews U.S. shifts stance on military aid to Ukraine -- CNN Ukraine: US considers military help for Kiev as separatists plan to mobilise army -- The Guardian Report: US Considers Military Aid to Ukraine ...more »
Cameron admits his promise to freeze the education budget is, in fact, a cut
SOURCE DAILY MAIL: Education spending to be cut in real terms after the election. Cameron admits 'difficult decision' will be hard for schools David Cameron came under attack yesterday over his promise to protect funding for schools after it emerged his plans would see spending per pupil fall in real terms. Speaking at a school in Enfield, North London, yesterday, Mr Cameron made his
The Daily "Near You?"
Moultrie, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Team Obama Budget Doubles Down on Segregated Charter Schools
From WaPo: The budget seeks $375 million for public charter schools, a $122 million increase over current levels. The money would be used to replicate and expand those charter schools and models that have significantly improved academic performance of low-income students.
Ukraine War News Updates -- February 2, 2015
*Daily Mail*: *Ukraine ablaze again as Pro-Russian rebels announce plans to boost armed forces to 100,000* * Pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko announces drive to swell rebels' ranks to 100,000 men * Not known how large rebel army currently is, but boost is likely to lead to recruitment of thousands of soldiers * News comes as protests broke out in Ukrainian capital Kiev over possible disbandment of volunteer battalion * Servicemen furious at possible scaling back of already outgunned defence forces in the east of the country * This morning Ukrainian troops battl... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 2, 2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Mikhail Klementiev) *Financial Times:* *Battle for Ukraine: How the west lost Putin* *Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 2, 2015* Mr. Putin Resumes His War in Ukraine -- New York Times editorial Cutting Access To Banking and Immigration: Possible New Sanctions For Russian Invasion of Ukraine -- Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes Ukraine conflict: Why is violence surging? -- Paul Kirby, BBC News War in Eastern Ukraine Has Only Just Begun -- Pyotr Romanov, Moscow Times Arm Ukraine to Avoid Another Bosnia -- Janusz Bugajski, Ameri... more »
The 6 Grand Illusions That Keep Us Enslaved to the Matrix
*Sigmund Fraud* - Maintaining the suspension of disbelief in the illusion, however, is often more comforting than acknowledging the magician's secrets. The post The 6 Grand Illusions That Keep Us Enslaved to the Matrix appeared first on Waking Times.
Michael Corcoran : Crisis at Pacifica Radio
The iconic Pacifica Radio network, one of the last remaining broadcast outlets for progressive voices, is facing an increasingly uncertain future. By Michael Corcoran | Truthout | February 2, 2015 Pacifica Radio, one of the most iconic and last remaining … finish reading Michael Corcoran : Crisis at Pacifica Radio
Not Criminally Responsible and Moral Wrongfulness
R. v. Campione, 2015 ONCA 67 [28] Section 16(1) of the *Criminal Code* states: No person is criminally responsible for an act committed or an omission made while suffering from a mental disorder that rendered the person incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the act or omission or of knowing that it was wrong. [29] The issue at trial was whether the appellant was incapable of knowing that her acts were wrong. As noted above, the experts agreed that she was capable of appreciating the nature and quality of her acts, and that she understood the killings we... more »
Suffering is Part of Expanded Consciousness
*Ida Lawrence* - There are human beings in the world who are profoundly knowing, radiating love and light, evoking tremendous reverence, and battling the darkness on a refined level, sometimes simply by being. The post Suffering is Part of Expanded Consciousness appeared first on Waking Times.
The Daily "Near You?"
Washington, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Resolve, Then..."
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tiny blasts of tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us." - Walt Kelly
Steve Jobs, "A Secret of Life"
Steve Jobs, "A Secret of Life" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw
Morning After Super Bowl Hangover: Just Run the F*cking Ball!!
When it comes to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory Mitt Romney has nothing on Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. With a Super Bowl win a virtual lock and the Seahawks having the ball on the one yard line with one time out and the best short yardage back in football, Carroll dialed up a play that will forever live in infamy. Rather than run the surly “Beast Mode” wrecking ball Marshawn Lynch for the winning score, Carroll ordered a pass play right into the teeth of the Patriots defense. It was intercepted intercepted by a nameless rookie from a backwater Alabama colleg... more »
World News Briefs -- February 2, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*Voice of America*: *E. Ukraine Rebel Chief Calls for Broad Mobilization * *MIDDLE EAST* Government airstrikes *kill dozens across Syria*. Syrian Kurds push back Islamic State *around Kobani: monitor, Kurds*. Kurdish fighters in Iraq struggle* to hold gains against IS*. US, allies plan tough battle to *retake Mosul from Islamic State.* Jordan vows 'all efforts' *to secure pilot's release*. Kerry: Qatar is major partner *in anti-IS coalition*. Ankara rocked by explosions, *Turkish President apparently targeted*. Yemen's Shiite rebels demand *their militia join army, police*. Isra... more »
Tapping into the Power of Empathy
*Video - *What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated video, Dr. Brené Brown explains the power of empathy and how it differs from sympathy. The post Tapping into the Power of Empathy appeared first on Waking Times.
The rich we will always have with us -- until they bolt for their hides
*Mirror caption:* *Hideaway: Rich people are plotting to escape to remote parts of the world* *by Ken* Don't you have to love it when people behave like complete tool-stereotypes? You remember how until, oh, just a couple of weeks ago, "economic inequality" was either a figment of some rabble rousers' imagination or just the perfectly normal way of things in God's universe? (After all, if economic driblets are going to dribble down to the nonrich rabble, they have to dribble down from *somewhere*.) Either way, to mention it, to so much as *utter* the blasphemous words, was to com... more »
United Nations: Peace Talks To Resume In Libya In The Next Few Days
*Reuters:* *U.N. says peace talks to start in Libya within next few days* *WNU Editor*: I am not optimistic that Libya's different warring factions will be able to overcome their differences on how to come to some amicable arrangement on running the country .... the tribal/regional divisions are just too deep. And what is even more worrisome is that in the chaos, a far more dangerous group is now organizing .... *Islamic State Affiliate Takes Root Amid Libya’s Chaos* (WSJ)
2014 was the warmest year?
2014 was the warmest year? Well … satellite measurements just released – the only global measurement of temperature in the portion of the atmosphere the models say should warm – say otherwise. [image: Figure 1] It is immediately apparent from the graph that 2014 was not “the warmest year on record.” Several previous years had been warmer, including the El Niño years 1998 and 2010. In fact, some 70% of the years since the last Ice Age were warmer than today. And the global temperature spread, for 1998 (below left) and for 2014 (below right) confirms the non-news: [image: imag... more »
AN INDONESIAN FIRING SQUAD: AUSTRALIA'S PROXY EXECUTIONERS
The execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran is imminent and, as the Indonesian ambassador to Australia Nadjib Kesoema has said, ‘the situation was final’ and there was ‘nothing Australia could do to save Chan and Sukumaran from the firing squad’. The reality, however, is that there was never any intention of Australia doing anything to save them from a firing squad in the first place. Right from the very moment the Bali Nine set foot on the aircraft in Australia that took them to Bali they were doomed. If the Australian government wanted to save them from the firing squad then... more »
Totally like 'TFTD'
The one downside with scrapping 'Thought for the Day' would be that the Twitter feed TFTDAbridged would also have to stop. Its mission statement reads: Every day the BBC's flagship news programme Today is interrupted by a couple of minutes of religious moralising. I can get it down to 140 characters or less. Here's a recent sample: 28/01/2015 - Rev Dr Giles Fraser *Greece's debts should be written off. Jesus says so.* 26/01/2015 - Rev Dr Jane Leach *I went for a walk but felt bad about it because I didn't connect with the community. Walks are only good with other people. * 21/01... more »
Happy Rand’s Day
Oops. I forgot to mark Rand’s Day yesterday – Ayn Rand’s birthday on Feb 2nd. But since Americans are a day behind anyway, here’s one of my favourite Rand quotes… [image: “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it's yours.”] [Pic shows acrylic sculpture by artist Michael Wilkinson, hat tip Linda... more »
Why Should The Pentagon Be Concerned That Israeli PM Netanyahu Is Giving A Speech In Congress?
Barack Obama with Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. Photo: Pete Souza. *Mark Perry, Al Jazeera:* *Netanyahu’s Congress invitation raises eyebrows among some US generals* *Analysis: Top brass who have questioned Obama’s strategies don't want a foreign leader influencing US decision-making* *WNU Editor*: Israeli PM Netanyahu is not the first foreign leader to arrive in the U.S. to influence opinions and policies .... nor will he be the last. But when I read this article I said to myself that the U.S. is now dropping all pretext on being neutral on the upcoming Israeli election ... more »
Drivel of the Day Watch
Iain Martin, editor of a fine new website called CAPX (better known, so far, as a *Telegraph *writer*), *has launched a campaign to get rid of 'Thought for the Day', describing it as "the home [for] bad ideas". His campaign began last week with a piece called Scrap the BBC’s Thought For The Day now, which begins: Apologies if you are reading this abroad or if Thought For The Day on BBC Radio 4 means nothing to you. You’re lucky and I’m jealous because I wish I had never heard of Thought For The Day either. But as I live in the UK, and because I’m a fan of Radio 4, which is Britain... more »
Three-Person Babies and the Church
This story caught my eye as I was preparing to teach earlier today. The science behind three-person babies is exciting and interesting, and holds the promise of banishing mitochondrial disease to the medical history books. The science, which I don't properly understand as I spent GCSE science tippexing natty doodles on my biology folder, involves removing mitochondria from an egg and replacing it with that from another donor before it is fertilised. Any babies born from this technique effectively have genetic material from three people. You can understand why the Church of England ... more »
Rudd Re-schedules "Open" Faculty Meetings on Relay's "Urban Specific" Robot Teacher Program at 8 AM and 10 AM
At the insistence of University of Memphis faculty members, David Rudd agreed last week to a meeting with university faculty and other concerned citizens at 5 PM February 3. He also agreed to schedule another meeting at a later date. Today this email was sent to Faculty Senate members, rather than to the entire faculty: In the spirit of transparency, the President and Provost of the University are hosting an open forum to discuss the partnership agreement between the University of Memphis and Shelby County Schools. The forum will be held in the University Center, River Room (300)...more »
"199 Days of Hell- Unintended Consequences: Oil And The Worst Battle In History"
*"199 Days of Hell- Unintended Consequences: * *Oil And The Worst Battle In History"* By Marin Katusa “Just after I signed the publishing agreement for my first book, "The Colder War," I realized how much research I was going to end up doing, specifically in areas that I never thought would be so integral to my subject area: energy and mining. Along the way, I came across some fascinating events that were completely out of my area of expertise but gave me a better sense for the unintended consequences in an historical perspective of the events that led to where we are today. One ep... more »
A Must Read If You Can.....
Our dangerous new McCarthyism: Russia, Noam Chomsky and what the media’s not telling you about the new Cold War Perverse, diabolical obsession: Policy cliques in D.C. have no intention of desisting in this war until they win it By Patrick L. Smith It is time to attempt that hardest of things—to see ourselves for who we are, to see what it is we are doing and what is being done to us. Two things prompt the thought. We have the latest news on Washington’s confrontation with Russia, and we have a newly precipitous decline in the national conversation on this crisis. In my estimatio... more »
No Excuses New Jersey, It's Time to Pass Opt Out Legislation
Save Our Schools New Jersey has made it so easy to contact your state reps to pass legislation that would protect students and give parents the right to opt their children out of high stakes testing. No excuses. If parents, teachers and students don't click on the link below, then they deserve what they get. How much easier can it be, and it's another snow day. No excuses!! Support A4165: Protect Right to Refuse High-Stakes Standardized Tests *Please enter your zip code below to ask your New Jersey Assembly Members to support A4165. * This bipartisan legislation guarantees all fami...more »
Dine' join New Mexicans: 'NO!' to dirty coal of San Juan power plant
NEW MEXICO GROUPS URGE PRC TO PROTECT RATEPAYERS, REJECT PNM COAL PLAN San Juan Power Planton Navajo Nationin New Mexico PRC Concludes Hearings on PNM’s Plan for Costly, Outdated San Juan Generating Station Monday, February 2, 2015 By Shane Levy, Sierra Club – shane.levy@sierraclub.org Mike Eisenfeld, San Juan Citizens Alliance - meisenfeld@frontier.net Joan Brown, New Mexico
The Islamic State Escalates Its War Against The Afghan Taliban
*Alice Speri, Vice News*: *Taliban Commander Reportedly Killed by Militants Claiming to Be the Islamic State in Afghanistan* *Update #1*: Islamic State Launches Operations in Afghanistan, Plans Expansion -- Sputnik *Update #2:* Islamic State appoints leaders of 'Khorasan province,' issues veiled threat to Afghan Taliban -- Long War Journal *WNU Editor:* What can I say .... but the nightmare continues in Afghanistan.
Slow Death, Fast Profits: Pesticides And Chemical Conflicts In Europe
RINF 2/2/2015 A report released last year by the watchdog body Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) revealed huge conflicts of interests in the Scientific Committees under DG SANCO, the European Commission's department in charge of consumer issues (see here 'Chemical Conflicts'). These Committees assess the risk to humans and the environment of chemicals found in a huge range of everyday items, from shampoo to baby bottles. Their opinions guide European Commission regulators, who decide which chemicals are safe and at what levels and which should be banned. The research found that t... more »
"Google, Microsoft, And Amazon Are Paying To Get Around AdBlock"; Solution: µBlock
*"Google, Microsoft, And Amazon Are Paying To Get Around AdBlock"* By Russell Brandom "Some of the web's biggest companies have been paying to get around AdBlock Plus, according to a new report from Financial Times. Microsoft's Bing search ads and Taboola's "recommended links" box are among the ads that are currently slipping through AdBlock's filter, and FT confirms that it's the intentional result of a paid deal between the makers of AdBlock and the owners of the ads. According to FT sources, the companies have paid Eyeo (the maker of AdBlock) to be added to an official whitelist,... more »
Islamic State Continues Their Retreat From Kobane
*Reuters:* *Syrian Kurds push back Islamic State around Kobani: monitor, Kurds* *WNU Editor:* The Kurds may have been successful in Kobane .... but they are having problems elsewhere .... *Kurdish fighters in Iraq struggle to hold gains against ISIS* (FOX News/AP). The above BBC video looks at the aftermath on the battle for Kobane.
How U.S. Military Bases Overseas Influenced The Battle For Kobane
(Click on Image to Enlarge) Located: The U.S. has military bases around the world, as depicted in this graphic. Daily Mail *Amy Austin Holmes, Washington Post*: *What the battle for Kobane says about U.S. overseas military bases* *WNU Editor:* The positioning of numerous US bases throughout the world is a military advantage that no one else in the world even comes close to matching. This is a testament to years of U.S. diplomacy, the implementation of economic strategies in tandem with military strategies .... and .... of course .... the willingness to pay for it.
Egypt's President Vows To Defend Egypt's Sinai In 'Face Of Terror'. Blacklists Hamas Armed Wing As A ‘Terror Group’
*Al Jazeera*: *Sisi vows to defend Egypt's Sinai in 'face of terror'* *Egypt's president promises to defend region, two days after a string of attacks left dozens dead.* *WNU Editor: *This will definitely make Israel happy .... *Israel welcomes Egypt's blacklisting of Hamas's military wing.* (Middle East Monitor) *More News On Egypt's War Against Islamic Militants In The Sinai* Egypt President Sisi warns of 'long battle' with militants -- BBC Sissi Says Egypt Faces Long, Tough Battle Against Militants -- VOA President says Egypt faces long fight to defeat Sinai militants, blames Mu... more »
Another South Sudan Ceasefire
*Wall Street Journal:* *South Sudan’s Warring Factions Sign New Cease-Fire Deal* *Power-Sharing Details to Be Negotiated, With Aim of Reaching Agreement by March * *WNU Editor*: I give it a month before it collapses. *More News On Another South Sudan Ceasefire* Rebels Agree to Cease-Fire in South Sudan -- NYT/Reuters South Sudan's Warring Factions Sign Another Peace Deal -- AP South Sudan rivals agree new ceasefire deal -- AFP South Sudan's warring sides agree fresh ceasefire deal -- The Guardian South Sudan foes agree to end conflict -- BBC S. Sudan Peace Deal Calls for New Governm... more »
U.S. Drone Strikes Continue In Yemen
*The Guardian:* *US drone strike in Yemen kills four suspected al-Qaida operatives* *The latest crisis in Yemen has plunged the impoverished country deeper into turmoil and pushed it closer to fracturing along sectarian and tribal lines* *WNU Editor:* Goodbye to the old boss .... hello to the new boss ... and nothing really changes. *More News On U.S. Drone Strikes Continuing In Yemen * Suspected U.S. drone strike kills al Qaeda militants in Yemen -- Reuters Yemen drone strike kills four al Qaeda suspects -- AFP US drones kill 4 AQAP fighters in southern Yemen -- Long War Journal U... more »
Doonesbury Watch: New perils for the Red Rascal?
*The Red Rascal was the protagonist ofRed Rascal's War: A Doonesbury Book.* *by Ken* It's funny how, in my particular *Doonesbury* world, most paths seem to lead back to *Joanie Caucus*. Just recently we were looking at the fateful meet-up of Joanie's daughter, J.J., the child she abandoned when she walked out on her abusive first husband, and then-Walden College senior Mike Doonesbury. Now we have a brand-new Sunday strip featuring her slacker son (with her second and current husband, reporter Rick Redfern), Jeff. Here's the entry on Jeff from Wikipedia's "List of *Doonesbury* ch... more »
Untitled
*Mardi Gras's Master Mask Maker ~M.K. Quinlan, Gun & Garden*
Pulling off Canada's Rose coloured Glasses: moment of truth
The vast majority of Canadians I know have a serious issue with their superiority complex that always looks down it's nose at those south of the border.... which is a spectacular feat considering how deeply they have their heads dug down into that rosy coloured sand. Try explaining to the vast majority of Canadians that yes, the Canadian banks were bailed out by the Canadian Government during the 2008/9 crash. The only difference is that the Canadian government was better at hiding it from the populous and kept the Canadian media singing the American finger pointing song which app... more »
Video Conferencing means Foreign Embassies No Longer Necessary
*Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro* http://rt.com/news/228495-maduro-venezuela-us-coup/ It has long been my opinion that foreign embassies serve the evil ones as headquarters in vulnerable states. Witness the above report on a recent attempted coup in Venezuela...where President Maduro accuses the US vice president Biden of directing US diplomats to approach Venezuelans in an attempt to organize the coup. How many times have we seen where Embassies have been misused in this way? Look at what happened last year in Kiev. *The entire Maidan coup was run out of the US embassy*. Th... more »
Here’s What This Man Learned from Living in the Bush for 7 Years
*Video - *After living with the Gwikwe Bushmen for over 7 years, Paul John Myburgh shares his thoughts about humanity's relationship with the world - the fundamental world versus the incidental world. The post Here’s What This Man Learned from Living in the Bush for 7 Years appeared first on Waking Times.
Murray Polner : Who is Eric Fair and what did he do?
With all our folk tales about our innate goodness and freedom-loving ways, the Real America has always tortured when it wished to do so. By Murray Polner | The Rag Blog | February 2, 2015 Before we Americans become bored … finish reading Murray Polner : Who is Eric Fair and what did he do?
Competition and Cooperation
A nice essay by Tim Taylor, very appropriate for introductory students.
Monday Pussy - Consumer cat
Just like to do some anecdotal research into what's happening to the economy. Had to go to the mall to pick up a part I could not get anywhere else, at least not without a long range drive. Three years ago the mall was about 1/3 empty of shops with only a few strolling the walkways. Today all but a few storefronts were full but sans customers. Oh there were customers but the ones I saw were only questioning the few sales staff present and not buying anything. Sales signs said 50 to 60% off clothing at Sears. Went to an electronics store for a ... more »
Satire: “Obama’s New Popularity Could Force Congressional Democrats to Admit Knowing Him”
*“Obama’s New Popularity Could Force Congressional * *Democrats to Admit Knowing Him”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “President Barack Obama’s increasing popularity is forcing congressional Democrats to consider admitting that they know him, a leading Democratic staffer revealed on Monday. After months of denying ever having been in the same room as the President, some Democrats are tentatively rethinking that position now that his approval rating has hit fifty per cent, the staffer said. “We’re watching that number very closely,” the Democratic staffer Robinson... more »
Justice Unexpectedly Breaks Out in Canadian Courtroom
*Man Bites Dog News* Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Jz0LPQAQY#t=220 I am unable to upload it directly onto my blog. Blogger Bill Still reports on a court case in Toronto, Canada....where in a landmark decision....the little guys took on the Federal Bank of Canada and won. The Federal Bank of Canada can no longer ape the US Federal Reserve and issue debt-based fiat money...it has to abide by its original charter. This was an Appeal Court decision and the only recourse for the Federal Bank is to appeal again--to the Supreme Court of Canada. Any Supreme Court... more »
World News Briefs -- February 2, 2015
*Reuters:* *Rebels pound Ukrainian troops after peace talks fail* *MIDDLE EAST* Syrian Kurds push back Islamic State *around Kobani: monitor, Kurds*. Kurdish fighters in Iraq struggle* to hold gains against IS*. US, allies plan tough battle to *retake Mosul from Islamic State.* Jordan vows 'all efforts' *to secure pilot's release*. Ankara rocked by explosions, *Turkish President apparently targeted*. Yemen's Shiite rebels demand *their militia join army, police*. Israel welcomes Egypt's blacklisting* of Hamas's military wing*. *ASIA* Japan's leader defends *handling of hostage ... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 2, 2015
A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter drops off a U.S. soldier for a mission near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Dec. 20. Obama’s budget proposal, and the ensuing battles, could be a preview of the national security debate in the 2016 presidential election. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) *Greg Jaffe, Washington Post:* *Obama budget’s boost for military spending points to brewing national security debate* *Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 2, 2015* Obama to request hike in US military budget -- AFP US Budget Request Will Change Drastically, Experts Say -- Defense News E. Ukrainian rebe... more »
Why Aren't Existential Risk / Ultimate Harm Argument Advocates All Attending Mass?
An increasingly popular genre in the sort of applied philosophy and ethics of technology, which does not so much engage with actual technological development as more or less wild phantasies about possibly forthcoming ones is the notions of "existential risks" or "ultimate harms", or similar expressions. The theme is currently inspiring several research environments at world-leading universities, such as this one and this one (where you can find many links to other sources, articles, blog posts, and so on), and given quite a bit of space in recent scholarly literature on a topic of... more »
Groundhog Day
(credit: USA Today) It's deja vu all over again. It's fascist coup all over again. In the past half century alone, the USA has invaded, bombed, and/or occupied Vietnam, Lebanon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Panama, Gulf States, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, and Syria. And even that is only a partial list. There are shadow wars being waged all the time from more than a thousand American military bases dotting our endangered planet. Deja vu has popped up its rabid, fascist little head all over again. Because while you were ... more »
Coast to Coast
For those interested, I will be on the first half of Coast to Coast with George Noory tonight. I'll be discussing my investigation of the Project Blue Book files and what I saw when I was at Maxwell Air Force Base where they were first sent when declassified. Just a note to let you all know about this.
CRUCIFYING KRISTOF: Nicholas Kristof knows condescension!
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015 Part 1—Our Tribe’s Own Moral Scold:* We aren’t huge fans of Nicholas Kristof’s twice-weekly New York Times columns. In our view, Kristof is becoming a relentless moral scold—the type of scold who convinces people to stay away from liberals and progressives. His January 25 column constitutes a good (or bad) example of this censorious drive. Kristof wrote about a high school friend who had just died at age 54. As is increasingly his wont, he turned this into an occasion to denigrate all The Others. He delivered a scolding to the many Americans whose moral j...more »
Greece Is Playing 'Financial Brinkmanship' With The EU
*Financial Times*: *Eurozone alarm grows over Greek bailout brinkmanship* *WNU Editor:* Europeans .... especially for those who believe in the EU .... always like to envision their ship of state (i.e. Europe) moving together in one direction. Give credit to the Greeks .... they have certainly upset that perception in the past week. But will Greece succeed .... in my opinion no .... because in the end they do need the bailout and (more importantly in the future) access to credit markets.
What Is The Most Significant Obstacle To Human Progress?
*Mike Sygula* - Refusing to open your mind to new ideas, however bizarre they might seem, is arguably the most serious impediment to human progress. The post What Is The Most Significant Obstacle To Human Progress? appeared first on Waking Times.
Negative proof
I was struck by the absence of Stephen Sizer on the Sunday programme. His 9/11 remark made the mainstream news, after all. This article, about the church ‘investigating’ Sizer’s link to an article entitled *"9/11 Israel did it", and *asking sweetly whether that was antisemitic, and the other article about Sizer’s ‘apology’ and statement: *" I never believed Israel or any other country was complicit in the terrorist atrocity of 9/11"* were reported on the BBC website on consecutive days. It was also mentioned in some BBC news bulletins. In the spirit of (the difficulties of) trying ... more »
Monument to Victims of Communism ... and friends
Not a week goes by recently without an editorial reacting to Tribute to Liberty's proposed Monument to the Victims of Communism with a loud WTF? Here's the latest one from the *G&M : **New Victims of Communism memorial in Ottawa a looming disaster* "Only a fool would deny that millions have been the tragic victims of communism, but that number pales, surely, in comparison with the victims of capitalism." And here, in case you haven't seen it, is the winning submission for the Monument : With $3-million from the federal government on donated land valued at $1-million across from... more »
Aidar Battalion burning tires outside of Kiev Defense Ministers Office
*Recall my prediction of a Poroshenko overthrow?* Several dozen men in army fatigues blocked traffic opposite the entrance into the grounds of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Povitroflotsky Avenue in Kyiv on Feb. 2. Aidar and Azov battalions are the two neo nazi battalions backed by, amongst other interested parties, the Jewish Oligarch Kolomoisky. Fighters of the Aidar Ukrainian volunteer battalion, burn tyres at the entrance to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry in Kyiv, on Feb. 2, 2015 during an action to prevent the possible disbandment of their battalion. *Flashback!!!!* Ukra... more »
Candidacy for AFT President
As a rank and file member in good standing of AFT, I wish to offer my name in nomination for President of the American Federation of Teachers. I know, I know, you don't believe I have a snowball's chance in hell, and I know, too, that Randi Weingarten has picked her successor from a short list approved by the corporate shills who operate The Union Reform Network (TURN), but hear me out. There are plenty of good reasons for every teacher in America to take my candidacy seriously and to make sure that their union reps knows who they should vote for when the next election is held o... more »
Ride, Baby, Ride
Car culture is killing us gas roads oil, oil, oil ground, air, water contamination atmospheric consequences drill baby drill 'we love the car' they plant this seed into our eager brains 'the ride' freedom becomes redefined liberty justice truth get lost in the backwash endless war*$* 'freedom ain't free' the oligarchy reminds us we've got to kill and dominate 'to cover the costs' 'we'll go high-tech' fight with space satellites you'll love it space launches exciting thrilling fly, baby, fly 'lower troop levels' you won't even feel it ain't freedom just great?! hop in ... more »
Ukraine (antifascist) rebels vow to reinforce troops. US considers fuelling the fire
Staying on the subject of Ukraine and all that entails....... Ah... the US, not content with the fire they began with their regime change in Kiev- terrorizing an elected leader to the point he flees for his life. All NATO nations sending "aid' and supplying insane hired killers- psychopaths- to harm civilians and destabilize a nation. That terror isn't good enough. The US simply has to do more to fan the flames of war! *"Rearm Kiev"* Ukraine rebels vow to reinforce troops as US reportedly mulls rearming KievThat's right CSM uses the word *"rearm"* that tells us the US and company h... more »
Russian Oil and Gas Firms Can Cope With Low Oil Prices
Getting back to the situation in Ukraine..... Or in the case of this post- oil/currency/ratings wars. Oh and an update to a previous post! Obviously some are very concerned with keeping tabs on this situation. By "concerned" I mean those that are waging economic warfare against Russia. While harming many other nations globally too! For now, check this out- * Russian Oil and Gas Firms Can Cope With Low Oil Prices* The Russian economy has endured more than a few tumultuous quarters and there appears to be no visible uptick in activity on the horizon. To make matters worse, the oil pr... more »
Why Is THIS Not The Most Important News In Canada? Total News Blackout In Canada - People Vrs Central Bank!
Living here in Canada (Which more and more I am calling Canuckleheadistan these days) I am truly dismayed and angered by the inability of the Canuckleheads here that refuse to see how much this country, that used to pride itself on being one of the most free nations on the planet, has now fallen under the yoke of tyranny... Just last week for example, the criminal Harper regime signed off on new "legislation" that will give the Canadian crooked "spy" organizations greater powers to spy and put the Canadian public under scrutiny and surveillance. It is astounding that this nation i... more »
What Is President Obama's Strategy To Combat The Islamic State?
Defiant: President Obama has once again refused to state that the fight against terror in the Middle East was a religious war because the 'overwhelming' majority of Muslims do not support that interpretation *Rowan Scarborough, Washington Times:* *Obama lacks strategy to stop Islamic State expansion* *Syria airstrikes likely helping Bashar Assad stay in power, report said* *WNU Editor*: According to recent polls .... there is very little if any U.S. political or public support for a more active and robust U.S. military role in this conflict ... and I believe it is in this context ... more »
Barack Obama: Legacy Play or "Untethered" Progressive?
*2006: Barack Obama at the launch of theBrookings Institute's Hamilton Project* *by Gaius Publius* Obama's latest moves in the (sometimes semi-)progressive direction are all the rage among Democratic supporters and activists hoping, finally, that change has arrived. We saw his move on immigration, but just after the election, not before it — meaning not in time to save candidates like Colorado Senator Mark Udall. He followed that with a move to open the diplomatic and travel door to Cuba, finally. There's also talk in his State of the Union address about extending the ceiling for... more »
Is Fracking Really Dying?
*Cliff Weathers* - Are falling prices killing shale oil and gas, or will the environmental horror return? The post Is Fracking Really Dying? appeared first on Waking Times.
Iraq’s Diyala Province An Insurgent Stronghold
Diyala is a perfect example of on going conflict in Iraq. When the insurgency regenerated itself in 2012, Diyala became one of its main bases. That prompted the entry of Shiite militias to fight them. In 2014 during the summer offensive the different factions joined together to seize control of the northern and eastern sections of the province. Recently the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and militias claimed that they had secured the entire province, but that was more propaganda than fact. The insurgents are still strong in rural sections and will continue to threaten not only Diyala... more »
Geoengineering Programs Could Be Disastrous For The Earth
*Kelley Bergman* - The most proliferating geoengineering techniques are focused on ways of reducing the sun’s rays by blocking them spraying chemical compounds into the atmosphere... The post Geoengineering Programs Could Be Disastrous For The Earth appeared first on Waking Times.
This Is A Good Thing: Greece Just Blew Up The (Rothschild) Empire's Death Star Of Debt!
With the fabulous Syriza victory in Greece just last week, it appears that Greece is now on the fast track towards removing itself from the criminal clutches of the so called European Union as well as take itself out of the criminal Rothschild controlled world police force, called NATO..... I put up in a previous article the 40 major points in Syriza's manifesto if they ever get elected, and now they can finally put that manifesto to fruition and end the criminal Jewish bankster control over Greece once and for all.... For this article, I want to present the following report that co... more »
US-NATO Stir Up Conflict & Chaos
US-NATO total hypocrisy. They encircle Russia and then blame Moscow for being nervous about it. What if Russia set up bases in Mexico and Canada? Anyone remember the friggin Cuban Missile Crisis?
Will Japan Now Abandon Its Policy Of Pacifism And Constraining Its Military?
*New York Times:* Departing From Country’s Pacifism, Japanese Premier Vows Revenge for Killings *WNU Editor:* For the past 70 years Japan has constrained itself on the world stage with policies that are primarily focused on economics rather than on national security/military issues. But the murder of journalist Kenji Goto may be a watershed moment for Japan .... and we may now see a growing debate in Japan on adopting policies that in the past would never have been considered.
MILF, BIFF, PNP and the Fallen 44
This is a continuation of my article yesterday, MILF, Fallen 44 and Rule of Law. I am posting some comments of my friends in my fb wall on the subject, and my discussion and rejoinders to them. ------------ *1. Bakit nga nung I ambush mga SAF andun naman pareho ang MILF and BIFF...? Ano pinag kaiba nila?* It was not an ambush. 392 special action force (SAF) officers, there are strike teams and blocking teams. They flew from Manila to Maguindanao armed to the teeth, ready to kill and be killed. It was a clear firefight but the terrain is something the policemen are not familiar ... more »
Falklands On High Alert
Falklands Mark 30th Anniversary Of War As Argentina Ups Claims For Sovereignty -- The Guardian *Express:** Falklands on HIGH ALERT: Hundreds of British troops sent to Islands to boost security* *THREE hundred extra troops are to be sent to the Falklands as the islands reach their highest state of alert in almost 20 years. * *WNU Editor: *It is the 250th anniversary of *British rule on the Falklands* .... and with an unstable Argentina next door .... I guess no one in London wants to take any chances.
Dreams Of A Persian And Russian Empire Alongside The Rise Of An Arab Caliphate
*Ralph Peters, New York Post:* *The Iranian dream of a reborn Persian Empire* *WNU Editor:* As I grow older I am starting to appreciate how culture drives history, and how history has a tendency to repeat itself. And while I do not expect these past empires to rise to the level that they had attained in the past .... mini versions of these past empires now do exist .... and their leaders are fancying themselves to be the inherent leaders of these great states. As to whether the citizens in these "empires" want to do the necessary sacrifices to become "empires" .... on that I have ... more »
Ukraine Rebel Leader Vows To Raise An Army of 100,000
Members of the armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic drive a tank on the outskirts of Donetsk on January 22. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters) *BBC*: *Ukraine rebel leader Zakharchenko 'to raise 100,000 men'* *WNU Editor*: With the economy all but frozen in eastern Ukraine .... there are hundreds of thousands of men who are just standing around doing nothing. Nine months ago this vow to have a 100,000 army would have been laughed out by everyone .... today .... it is a very real possibility. I also expect the Ukraine government to make the same anno... more »
Panda Monium
Of the Law Societies of Upper Canada and Nunavut
No Great Man
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Stephen Harper is a champion of disaster democracy. Michael Harris writes: Disaster democracy needs just three things; an atrocious event, a political leader sufficiently cynical not to let any catastrophe go to waste, and a public mindset willing to exchange liberties for the illusion of safety. The great benefit of disaster democracy is that draws away public attention from matters of the government’s record and redirects it to a more emotional plane. It’s weakness is its limited appeal; disaster democracy only works with frightened populations. His record is now clear for all... more »
Because Tolerance is better than Intolerance
Ylvis - Intolerant [Official music video HD]: http://youtu.be/AGHT-PpRFE0 Thanks to Jay Rayner on Twitter for the spot.
London population: The city's record numbers explained in 60 seconds - BBC News
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-31091100 Not really explained, more like a few statistics and not a word of analysis. Now what might Hillingdon and Tower Hamlets have in common? Massive immigration?
The Conspiracy Theory Protocol
Countering Criticism of the Warren Report 1 April 1967 *JFK 01, p.1* *Chiefs, Certain Stations and BasesDocument Number 1035-960for FOIA Review on Sep 1976* *SUBJECT: Countering Criticism of the Warren Report* For Oswald file! 2 copies This was pulled together by ... in close conjunction with.... We furnished most of the source material, proposed many of the themes, and provided general "expertise" on the case. The Spectator article was written 23 Jan 1967 PSYCH 1. Our Concern. From the day of President Kennedy's assassination on, there has been speculation about the respons... more »
Reports: Russian Bomber Intercepted Over English Channel Was 'Carrying A Nuclear Weapon'
Russian bomber intercepted over English Channel was 'carrying nuclear missile'Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters file photo *Express:* *Intercepted Russian bomber was carrying a nuclear missile over the Channel* *A RUSSIAN bomber intercepted over the Channel last week was carrying a nuclear missile designed to destroy Trident submarines, it emerged last night.* *WNU Editor:* If that bomber was carrying a nuclear weapon and it was transmitting that information in the clear .... that is Moscow's way of sending a message. *More News On Reports That A Russian Bomber Intercepted Over English Ch... more »
The Rise of the Inequality Debate
Professor Lars Syll thinks I made of fool of myself in a previous post when I wondered why we have only recently started discussing income inequality so extensively, even though the increase in inequality occurred mainly between 1980 and 2000. He writes, "Wonder on which planet Greg has been living the last twenty years." Of course, we *economists* have been discussing the topic for a long time. Indeed, I had a whole chapter on income inequality in the first edition of my favorite textbook, which came out about 20 years ago. But the *public* has been discussing the topic widely on... more »
Putin is right
One line in this Mail article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2933765/Russian-nuclear-bombers-Britain-scared.html struck me as true and rather worrying. 'Putin believes the West is finished: overstretched, decadent and discredited.' Hard to argue with?
Can Your Employer Force You To Sign A Contract Saying You Volunteered To Work On Sunday?
It's been awhile since I answered my reader questions here. This question is one I found interesting: I have a question about unfair work practices. My husband works for a very large company that does extremely high volume during the Christmas season. All employees were required to work on Sunday (following a six day work week). They were told that everyone was expected to be there despite the fact that no one had a day off during the week. This morning when they arrived, they were told that they had to sign a document that said they had volunteered to work on Sunday, otherwise they... more »
The Avro Vulcan, what a plane
Vulcan makes a very low pass: http://youtu.be/kql3Gura4s4
Untitled
*UK: Tripling tuition fees has doubled student debt... but will still cost taxpayers more because half the loans will NEVER be repaid* The Government’s decision to triple tuition fees will end up costing students and taxpayers more money – because half the loans will never be repaid, new figures have revealed. Ministers increased the cap on student fees from £3,000 to £9,000 a year to fill the hole in university funding left by government cuts to the higher education budget. But, because student debts are written off after 30 years, 49.5 per cent will never be recouped, meaning ... more »
Untitled
*More Warmist crookedness* Joe Romm recently tried to show that the recent heavy snowfall in the N.E. of the U.S.coast area proved global warming. I pointed out the major logical fault in that claim a few days ago and left the matter at that. Another strange thing about the claim however is to associate heavy snow with warming. Snow is cold stuff. Doesn't unusually heavy snow therefore indicate unusual cold, not unusual warmth? But illogic is not the only fault in the article. Steve Goddard has recently put up the graph below which shows the claim to be utterly dishonest from... more »
It is both ethical and right for an experimenter to correct his mistakes
*Interpretations of measurements are inevitably theory-dependent* ATLAS has measured some top-antitop asymmetry which was previously claimed to behave strangely by the Fermilab. ATLAS got zero – no anomalous effect – within the error margin. *Off-topic: an ex-co-author of mine, Robbert Dijkgraaf, kickstarted the 2015 International Year of Light by a fun 15-minute Amsterdam lecture. Hat tip: Clifford Johnson* Tommaso Dorigo of the competing CMS team didn't like the ATLAS' estimates of the error margins: The ATLAS Top Production Asymmetry And One Thing I Do Not Like Of It. The thr... more »
DF-21D ballistic missiles deployed to Guangdong: Kanwa
[image: DF-21D ballistic missile]To stop US carrier groups from entering South China Sea waters, the Second Artillery Corps, China's strategic missile force, has recently deployed DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missiles to the southern province of Guangdong, according to the Canada-based Kanwa Defense Review. The expansion of the Second Artillery Corps unit in Guangdong began in 2010, according to a report from the Pentagon. It has nine parking lots for the mobile launchers and an additional 13 lots for other vehicles. The facilities apparently also contain a training field, office bui... more »
US Embassy Mute Over Bangkok Bombings
*February 2, 2015* (Tony Cartalucci - ATN) - Imagine a bomb going off in New York City's Times Square and the US government making an announcement about the Super Bowl instead. That's just what happened in Thailand Sunday evening when a double bombing took place in the very heart of downtown Bangkok. While there were no injuries, it is a dangerous sign sent by incredibly dangerous terrorists who have killed hundreds of people in the past 10 years as part of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's bid to claw his way back into power. In the wake of the bombing, the US Embassy i... more »
Kuban Military Aviation Base to Get 25 New Yak-130 Training Planes in 2015
[image: Yak-130]The Zhukovsky and Gagarin Air Force Academy in Armavir, Krasnodar is set to receive five new Yakovlev Yak-130 light attack training aircraft this week, with twenty more to be delivered before the year is out, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports. The completed planes, which have been undergoing testing in the Irkutsk region in Siberia at the Irkut Corporation plant, are set to make their long journey across the country this week. The subsonic two-seater advanced trainer/light attack aircraft, NATO code-named Mitten, was developed by the A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau, and is bei... more »
NATO sees resilience as key issue in AWACS replacement
[image: NATO E-3A Sentry]Resilience, innovation and advances in technology will be key factors as NATO maps out a multibillion-dollar effort to replace its aging fleet of 17 Boeing Co E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, a top NATO official told Reuters. French General Jean-Paul Palomeros, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said NATO was starting to map out its requirements for the next-generation of weapons to detect air and surface threats, which will be needed between 2030 and 2035. Growing threats and greater ability to share information pointed... more »
Kinloss rescue centre closure confirmed
The UK Government has confirmed that the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC ) at Kinloss will close and operations will be moved to Fareham in Hampshire. The confirmation that the life saving services are to be moved to the South of England came in a letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon from Prime Minister David Cameron. The confirmation is the latest in a series of disproportionate MoD defence cuts in Scotland which have included the ending of RAF flight operations at two out of three airbases, the scrapping of the entire maritime patrol fleet and the lowest person... more »
More news leaks point to China's plans for second aircraft carrier
[image: Liaoning CV]News that China is building its second aircraft carrier leaked out again on the weekend, once more through official civilian channels before the reports were pulled. A city government microblog and an official newspaper in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, separately mentioned on Saturday that a power cable manufacturer in the city had "won a tender for the second aircraft carrier". The sources cited a city government economic and information technology conference held on Friday. In January last year, Liaoning party chief Wang Min reportedly told a provincial people'... more »
BAE Systems to develop ASW drone to help Navy P-8A hunt enemy subs from altitude
[image: Scan Eagle 2 UAV]Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) experts at BAE Systems are developing an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sensor payload able to look for submerged enemy submarines by detecting small variations in the Earth's magnetic field. Officials of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., announced an $8.9 million contract to the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Merrimack, N.H., for the High Altitude ASW (HAASW) Unmanned Targeting Air System (UTAS) program for the Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jet. HAASW UTAS seeks to integrate a mag... more »
PLA's Type 091 nuclear submarine 'based on US toys'
[image: Type 091 (Han) class SSN]Huang Xuhua, China's chief submarine designer, has told Shenzhen Satellite Television that China's Type 091 Han-Class nuclear-powered submarine was designed and developed based on two toys from the United States. After Huang took over the position as chief designer of the Type 091 submarine from Peng Shilu in 1983, he argued that the linear-shape design is no longer suitable for nuclear-powered submarines which operate at high speeds and at depths of up to 300 meters. Since each tangent plane of the hull is round in a streamlined water-drop shape, ... more »
Research finds Neanderthals Were More Thoughtful Than we once Imagined
I actually have high expectations for neanderthal intelligence. By that of course, i do mean baseline intelligence without the cultural supercharging we are exposed to. Everything else points to a successful hunting band society well adapted to deal with the Pleistocene. What they did not have is the 150 person village, likely because they did well enough without. Once the human village showed up simple absorption was inevitable by sheer weight of numbers. A human war band could drive of the handful of men and capture the women far more often that the other way around. We eve... more »
Pets and the Afterlife
Now that we have gotten over the shock of understanding that the spirit just happens to be physically real and that all life itself has a spirit form with a soul acting as its perfect pattern, it is time to tackle the next step. A human being has a large scale cognitive content that separates it massively from all other Earth based lifeforms. Yet the spirit of all creatures have at least the nugget of such content that does suggest the possibility at least of a transition into a higher life form. Yet why would this grace be ever provided? Obviously a well loved pet wou... more »
Closing Your Eyes Boosts Memory Recall
This makes some sense if only because the brain's processor is then released from handling visual input and can focus better at reconstructing the visuals and sounds of the event been described. Even more critical, the results are significant enough that they need to be applied universally. We do not recall much of any given moment unles something makes it appear important. The mind then labels that event so that it becomes available long after short term memory is totally erased. For example, just how much do you remember of the last parade you attended? After all you stood t... more »
Mystery of the Impossible Glowing Orb
First off, what we have here is impossible for a dead mass like an meteorite. So skip that immediately. It is also almost impossible for a powered craft to break away from another craft burning out in the atmosphere and then accelerate to zero velocity and leap then in the opposite direction. Even with antigravity technology we are asking a lot and if you are using that just why are you using a thruster to escape. Alternatively this is a far closer aircraft or rocket that is using thrust to slow down which then fires a air to air missile. We could almost pull that off. Oth... more »
Longest serving Irish naval vessel is decommissioned
[image: LÉ Aoife (P-22)]The longest serving vessel in the naval service, LÉ Aoife, has been decommissioned at a special ceremony in Waterford. In 35 years of service to the State she travelled in excess of 600,000 nautical miles, an equivalent of circumnavigating the globe 28 times, and her crew has boarded over 4,700 vessels at sea and detained over 440 fishing vessels. During her service LÉ Aoife was involved in numerous successful operations, primarily involving her role as a fishery protection vessel, but also search and rescue missions, most notably, the recovery in 1985 of the... more »
Ukraine Hospitals Are Being Flooded With The Wounded
*Voice of America*: *Ukraine War Wounded Flood Civilian Hospitals* *WNU Editor*: I mentioned the same thing in a post last week .... Ukraine hospitals are being flooded with the wounded, and the numbers are far greater than what the Ukraine government is admitting.
Ukraine's Military Is Facing Growing Resistance Behind The Lines
Ukrainian soldiers stand on top of a tank at a checkpoint under the bridge at Pisky village, Donetsk Oblast, 1.5 kilometers from the embattled Donetsk airport. Jan. 31. © Anastasia Vlasova *Kyiv Post:** Ukraine’s casualties spike as separatist spies and saboteurs roam behind army lines* WNU Editor: This is an under-reported story in the West .... but one that reveals not only how dangerous and volatile the regions behind the battle lines have become, but also the fact that the pro-Russian rebels are able to freely maneuver and operate without any worries or concerns that the Ukra... more »
U.S. Is Considering Supplying Arms To The Ukraine Army
Members of a special unit of the Ukrainian armed forces line up before departing to take part in a military operation, during a farewell ceremony in Kharkiv, January 30, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Stanislav Belousov *New York Times:** U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say* *WNU Editor:* This report is an admission from the U.S. that the Ukraine army is losing the war .... and that if military aid is not approved ASAP, there is a very real danger that the Ukraine army will be defeated on the battlefield. What's my take .... this report and its recommendation to s... more »
Outspoken and clueless about education
Sent to the Denver Post, Feb. 1, 2015 Re: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet for vice president? (Denver Post, Jan 30, 2015) At senate hearings considering the federal education law, Sen. Bennet proclaimed: “In my mind if you want to cure this problem of poverty in our country, the way to do that is by making sure that people can read when they’re in the first grade.” This is dead wrong. Studies consistently show that children can learn to read much later than grade one, and do very well in school. Also, even if learning to read at grade one helped academic achievement, education is not ... more »
Project Sunshine and the Failed Paradigm of Radiation Protection
*Project Sunshine* Project Sunshine demonstrates the politics of death that organized the Atomic Energy Commission project and conduct. The August 6, 1953 Rand Corporation “World Wide Effects of Atomic Weapons: Project Sunshine” Report (R-251-AEC Amended) addresses health effects of internal radionuclides, particularly Strontium90: The main concern of SUNSHINE is to examine the hazards of radioactive debris, that by one means or another, finds a way into a human being and thereby becomes a source of *internal radiation damage; *this latter hazard may be present in relatively local... more »
Councils continue to reject ‘stop-spending-so-goddamn-much plan’ [updated]
UPDATE: *“Expecting governments to fight the deficit is like expecting the mafia to fight crime.”* Council parasites have their hands out again. Until Sandra Lee’s 2002 “reform” of local government, which granted council’s a legal all-clear to do whatever the hell they like *unless *prohibited by law, most councils did their best to keep their spending under control. Since then, the shackles have been off. Today, Local Government head Lawrence Yule released a “discussion paper” recognising “a significant shortfall between revenue and spending by councils.” In times of yore, this ... more »
Think green products are too expensive?
*This post will introduce you to the companies listed on our Special Offers Page. I received no compensation for this post ... I simply want to introduce you to companies doing their best to operate in an earth-friendly manner.* We've talked about the power of our purchases and how supporting green companies and products is one of the best ways to tell manufacturers that we want products and services which are kind to the earth. Unfortunately, earth-friendly products aren't always affordable. So I've contacted some great folks and asked them to give you a deal ... and they have gen... more »
Iconic "Holocaust" imagery and mass mind control
In *previous blog posts*, I've emphasized the central role that *the iconic imagery associated with the fake "Holocaust" narrative* plays in instilling and perpetuating this entirely fabricated, manufactured aspect of our collective history, which has resulted in mass mind control and manipulation. Horrific images of piles of dead bodies and emaciated prisoners, along with emotionally exploitative "Holocaust survivor" testimony, have been shown to literally billions of people since 1945 to implant *the false Jewish "Holocaust" story*. Countless Hollywood films based on the official ... more »
kilroy was here
Kilroy was here is an American popular culture expression that became popular during World War II; it is typically seen in graffiti. Its origins are debated, but the phrase and the distinctive accompanying doodle — a bald-headed man (sometimes depicted as having a few hairs) with a prominent nose peeking over a wall with the fingers of each hand clutching the wall — became associated with GIs in the 1940s. In the United Kingdom, the graffiti is known as "Mr Chad" or just "Chad", and the Australian equivalent to the phrase is "Foo was here". "Foo was here" might date from World War... more »
(36 Mysterious Days of Edward Snowden)
https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/the-36-mysterious-days-of-edward-snowden/
Some Walker Percy Videos
Title: Walker Percy at Notre Dame. Source: markthomaslickona. Date Published: June 8, 2007. Description: Walker Percy receives the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame at their 1989 Commencement. His address to the graduates is quintessential Percy--and a "primer" not only for his work but for understanding the work of the Catholic novelist.
Good game played by both teams...
*yep - I actually watched the whole thing.* Take that,* Jared! * Totally forgot how nice my big screen TV is. Patriots: 28 Seahawks: 24
TV Watch: Far from the last word, but some more words on the closing of the "Parenthood" circle
*by Ken* The promised (threatened?) *Parenthood* post mortem is still in the works. I haven't been slacking, though. I went back and re-watched the pilot, which is spectacular, then rewatched it with the audio commentary by developer-showrunner Jason Katims and pilot director Thomas Schlamme, which I discovered I'd never done, and wound up watching all four episodes on the first DVD, before rewatching the series' final two episodes. Amongst the many things I learned there are a whole bunch that bear on what makes a show work
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Syria-related terror arrests spike in UK HomeUKForeign Policy Sat Jan 24, 2015 3:18AM http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/24/394485/UK-Syria-related-terror-arrests-spike - In Britain the number of suspected terror offence arrests related to Syria increased sixfold in 2014, police say. According to Scotland Yard, 165 Syria-related arrests were made throughout the UK in 2014, when only 25 were made in 2013, ...
Source: PressTV ) - Iran and Russia have signed an agreement to improve cooperation in defense and military arenas. The agreement was signed by Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu in Tehran on Tuesday following negotiations between the two sides. The deal stressed the ...
The Guardian American-led forces launched 19 air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) militants in Syria and Iraq, the US military said on Sunday. Of the 10 air strikes in Syria, nine hit Isis targets near the town of Kobani on the Turkish border, a statement said. The other Syria strike hit an ...
2/3/2015, Shevat 14, 5775 Iranian Commander: Our Weapons Technology Helps to Confront the Occupation Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Aerospace Force boasted that his country has exported missiles to Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Hezbollah. "Iranian missiles and missile technology has helped them in confronting the Zionist occupation ...
Exclusive: Guardian investigation finds that aggressive recruitment sees doctors from at least 27 countries hired in 32 of the 160 hospital trusts in England Three thousand doctors were hired from overseas by the NHS in the past year, as the service battles to tackle staff shortages that medical professionals say are ...
If not for Iran, in particular one of the commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ghasem Soleimani, the government of Haider al-Abadi would have been not in Baghdad, but elsewhere outside of Iraq, the Chairman of the Iraqi Badr Organization Hadi Al-Amiri said. He was addressing the funeral of an ...
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