12:45am MDST
Greece Has Now Officially Pegged German War Reparations At €279 Billion Or $305.17 Billion USD
*The Guardian:* *Greece puts figure of €279bn on claim for German reparations* *Athens officially quantifies sum which includes repayment of forced loan and return of archaeological treasures* *Greece’s deputy finance minister has said that Germany owes it nearly €279bn (£205bn) in reparations for the Nazi occupation of the country.* *Greek governments and private citizens have pushed for war damages from Germany for decades but the Greek government has never officially quantified its reparation claims.* *Update #1*: Greece puts a figure on World War Two reparation claims from G... more »
U.S. Still Unsure On The Intent Of Russian Military Aircraft Near U.S. Airspace
The Pentagon took over the remote Tin City site decades ago and built a long-range radar station to help detect a surprise attack from the Soviet Union. Michael Dinneen / For The Times *L.A. Times*: *Intent of Russian military aircraft near U.S. shores remains unclear* *The air is frigid and the wind is howling as Air Force Col. Frank Flores lifts a pair of foot-long binoculars and studies a hazy dot about 50 miles west across the Bering Strait.* *"That's the mainland there," he shouts above the gusts.* *It's Siberia, part of Russia, on the Asian mainland.* *Named for an old mini... more »
Artists Secretly Place A Bust Of Edward Snowden At A New York City War Monument
*Mashable*: *NYC officials remove Edward Snowden statue secretly installed in Brooklyn park* *NEW YORK — Dressed in reflective yellow construction gear while working under the cover of darkness early Monday, a small group of artists installed a tribute to NSA-leaker Edward Snowden in a Brooklyn park.* *But it was gone by midday.* *The Snowden bust stood atop a column at the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park, a site built to honor more than 11,000 American prisoners of war who died aboard British ships during the American Revolutionary War.* *WNU Editor:* What's go... more »
NSA Leaker Edward Snowden Is Interviewed By John Oliver
*Vanity Fair*: *John Oliver Flew to Moscow to Interview Edward Snowden. Yes, Really. * *Unlike Mad Men or Wolf Hall, this huge T.V. event of Easter Sunday came without any fanfare whatsoever. John Oliver, HBO’s comedy newscaster of record, aired a lengthy interview with none other than N.S.A. whistleblower Edward Snowden. The interview starts in the video above around the 13:45 mark. Surprised? You’re not alone. * *Unlike his former Comedy Central colleagues, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Oliver doesn’t conduct an interview in every episode. But he has, during his Last Week T...more »
(National Champ DUKE Triumphs in NCAA!) The Moral Hazard of Hillary Clinton & Company
(Click on photo to view) DUKE WINS NCAA. Congratulations, Blue Devils. (Grayson Allen (who said, "It's so surreal!") Tyus Jones!) Their 5th National Championship! You played like champions the whole tournament (and UNC was also a contender!), and my heart is overflowing with love and gratitude from watching the team hugging, kissing and congratulating each other and their beloved
Toronto-based Euromaidan fascist cult censors web's favorite pianist
In the morning, several e-mails that I received have shocked me. The pieces played by Valentina Lisitsa, a Kiev-born pianist often nicknamed "web's favorite pianist", have been dropped by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from a planned concert for an insane reason: because her tweets were critical of the current government in the city where she was born! She was still paid for the concert (a silver lining for her, I guess), told the reason, and threatened for her not to reveal the political motivation behind the censorship. The organizer replaced her with a more politically convenie... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Here is one of the largest objects that anyone will ever see on the sky. Each of these fuzzy blobs is a galaxy, together making up the Perseus Cluster, one of the closest clusters of galaxies. The cluster is seen through a foreground of faint stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* Near the cluster center, roughly 250 million light-years away, is the cluster's dominant galaxy NGC 1275, seen above as a large galaxy on the image left. A prodigious source of x-rays and radio emission, NGC 1275 accretes matter as gas and galaxies fall into it. The Perseus Clus... more »
Opting out of common core tests: The rest of the story
Sent to the Seattle Times, April 6, 2015. Not mentioned in "More Seattle students opt out of new Common Core tests," (April 6) is the fact that the opt out movement is nation-wide: The article mentions only Washington State and New Mexico, but parents are refusing the common core tests for their children in record numbers throughout the country. The article barely mentions why: Opting out is not simply because of a desire for local control or fears of children getting a low score: For many parents, it is because the common core has increased the amount of testing far beyond anythin... more »
What is the orange patch on the TEPCO 4 cam?
It doesn't look like a raindrop. It looks as if the red stuff is coming up with emissions Screenshot from rising radiation levels today on netc taken at 4:50 (Futaba cam time stamp) today And here (above) is a more recent screenshot, taken at 13:30
Open Thread on Surveillance, Snowden, and John Oliver
Last night, John Oliver (the comedian no less!) had a terrific interview with Edward Snowden, which was much more introspective and challenging than the Oscar-winning documentary Citizenfour. Oliver sought to grapple with the necessity for secrecy in intelligence and the moral responsibility Snowden faces for trusting journalists to properly vet what materials to release and subsequent […]
Ancient Egyptians Knew How to Unleash the Power of the Pineal Gland
*Video - *This video explores the possibilities that ancient Egyptians used the pineal gland to explore the realm of the spirits. The post Ancient Egyptians Knew How to Unleash the Power of the Pineal Gland appeared first on Waking Times.
"The Most Beautiful People..."
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Paulo Coelho, “What’s The Price?”
*“What’s The Price?”* by Paulo Coelho “Is the price of living a dream much higher than the price of living without daring to dream?” asked the disciple. The master took him to a clothes store. There, he asked him to try on a suit in exactly his size. The disciple obeyed, and was very amazed at the quality of the clothes. Then the master asked him to try on the same suit – but this time a size much bigger than his own. The disciple did as he was asked. “This one is no use. It’s too big.” “How much are these suits?” the master asked the shop attendant. “They both cost the same price.... more »
Poland To Build 6 Watchtowers At Russia's Kaliningrad Border
Getting ready: The CCTV towers will will monitor the border between Poland and Kaliningrad, where Moscow recently announced they are set to place state-of-the-art Iskander missiles *Daily Mail*: *Poland to build WATCHTOWERS along border with Russian exclave of Kaliningrad amid heightened tensions with Moscow* ** CCTV towers will monitor the border between Poland and Kaliningrad* ** Towers will range from 115ft to 164ft and cost £2.5million to build* ** Moscow has announced they are set to place missiles in the exclave* ** Both NATO and Russia are carrying out military exercises in the... more »
When It Comes To Nuclear Negotiations, President Obama Is No President Reagan
U.S. president Ronald Reagan (left) and General Secretary of the Central Committee of CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev at the joint meeting exchanging ratification instruments on bringing into force Soviet-American treaty on elimination of medium and short range missiles, Vladimirsky hall, the Grand Kremlin palace.(RIA Novosti / Yuryi Abramochkin) *Robert Joseph & Eric Edelman, NRO:* *Here’s the Difference Between How Obama and Reagan Handled Nuke Negotiations* *President Obama’s new national-security strategy places the highest priority on what he considers the urgent need to move forward w... more »
Edward Snowden and "dick-pics"
Funny, sad, brilliant. John Oliver has done a very clever thing here ... and that's all I'm gonna say - just watch it. Bonus: Ex-CIA John Kiriakou on Canada's intelligence safeguards: "You're kidding me." Toronto lawyer Rocco Galati, whose privileged conversations with his clients were wiretapped three years ago : "It’s all a smokescreen. SIRC isn’t there to do anything but make it look like it’s doing something to oversee CSIS. Nobody is doing anything to oversee CSIS. They’re out-of-control renegades." Andrew Mitrovica on Spies, lies and the myth of ‘oversight’ at CSIS "If ... more »
Are Islamic State Recruits That Naive?
Men in orange jumpsuits purported to be Egyptian Christians held captive by the Islamic State (IS) kneel in front of armed men along a beach said to be near Tripoli. Reuters *Charlie Winter, Daily Beast*: *The Revealing Naïveté of One ISIS Recruit in Libya* *The ignorance behind the indoctrination suggests an organization that is making up facts as it goes along.LONDON—Last week, a document entitled “Interview with a Prisoner From al Baghdadi’s Group: Part I” was circulated by a Twitter user who goes by the name al Mundhir al Ḥussaini and describes himself as a “Da’esh [ISIS... more »
Shucks, our latest Hoosier hero, former Rep. Dan Burton, is just a plain ol' Hoosier Azerbaijani patriot-for-hire
*A crucial piece of information was left out of the *Daily Caller*'s presentation to readers of former Congressman Dan Burton as the right-wing whoring dirtbag used its space to pimp for the fascist thugs of Azerbaijan.* *by Ken* There's a good chance that if you're denounced as "a gossip monger" by a certified right-wing whoring dirtbag, it can be taken as a badge of honor. And today's gold star goes to washingtonpost.com's Erik Wemple Blog. It was mere hours ago that we were commiserating with the proud bigots of Hoosier country who are in mourning for the damage to their great s... more »
The Growing Iran - Hamas Alliance
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) looks on as Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal speaks during an official meeting in Tehran, in this file picture taken February 27, 2010. Reuters/Khamenei.ir/Handout via Reuters/Files *The Telegraph*: *Iran 'is intensifying efforts to support Hamas in Gaza'* *Iran has transferred tens of millions of dollars to Hamas's military wing in Gaza to help it rebuild after last summer's conflict with Israel, intelligence sources state * *Iran has sent Hamas’s military wing tens of millions of dollars to help it rebuild the network of tunnels in Gaz... more »
Czechoslovak Soldiers Reject Participation in NATO War on Russia
*MEMORANDUM* *Czechoslovak reserve forces against the war planned by NATO commanders* *On January 19th 2015 the facebook group, which combines all members of the CSLA, PS, VMV, SNB in reserve or decommissioned, issued an important memorandum, which has become even more urgent in light of the situation today. A defensive back up location in the event that the group gets "disappeared" from Facebook, the group of the same name exists on VK.com as well.* For the first time since the end of the 2nd World War we see a genuine threat of war yet again. Consequently, we consider it necess... more »
The Houthis Provided Pakistani Evacuees Safe Passage Instead of Using Them As Bargaining Chips
*The quotes in the article below provide more proof that the Houthis have honour and intelligence, two things that the Saudis clearly lack. Their campaign of naked aggression against Yemen will end in disaster. They will be defeated. The question is will the Pakistanis, Egyptians, and Turks join them in their humiliation and defeat?* *An excerpt from, "How Long Can Pakistan Avoid Joining Saudi-Led Attacks On Yemen’s Houthis?" by Zofeen Ebrahim, MintPress News, April 6, 2015: * “Why take on another problem?” asked Juzer Amreli, another businessman, who was among the 500 Pakistanis r... more »
MENA Report ( April 6 , 2015 ) - Yemen War in focus ( state of play from battlefield to political landscapes ) ..... Iraq / Syria Regional War Updates ( Tikrit and what comes next , battlefield and political reports for Iraq and Syria ) ...... Iran nuclear talks - next phase ( the road is rocky from Framework to Final Agreement ) ......... Libya Situation ( Oil , ISIS , Two Gov't State and more ) ....... Additional items of interest !
Always more to be found at the tweet feed .... Links .... *Yemen's Houthis Urge Ceasefire and Peace Talks* *What's Next After Tikrit? US and Iraq Disagree* *Netanyahu Reiterates: I'm Trying to Kill Iran Deal* *Civilians Taking the Brunt of Saudi War on Yemen* *2 Killed, 30 Protesters Hurt as Saudi Forces Attack Antiwar Rally* *Hundreds of ISIS Fighters Remain in Northern Tikrit* *After Tikrit Victory, Iraq's New Challenge: Win Over Sunnis* *Nuclear Deal Details Hazy: US and Iran Telling Different Stories*126 Killed in Iraq as Baghdad Suffers Spate of Bombings Governor Warns... more »
Peace Train Rolls Again Thru Donbass
RT travels to eastern Ukraine to see how a restored rail line in the Donbas is reuniting families separated by months of heavy fighting. For now there is come stability although the Kiev regime, under the military training of US Army troops now inside Ukraine, is still shelling some eastern towns. How long this pause in the civil war will last is anyone's guess. Some speculate that Kiev will resume their assaults on the east come late spring. The Minsk-2 ceasefire agreement is not being implemented by Kiev - they are supposed to start serious negotiations to give local autonomy... more »
Yemen War News Updates -- April 6, 2015
*Al Jazeera*: *Fierce clashes in Yemen's Aden as Red Cross aid delayed* *More than 140 reportedly killed in 24 hours in port city as aid agency faces delays in delivering vital supplies.* *Shia rebels fighting for the control of Yemen and forces backing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi have engaged in fierce clashes in the country's south, leaving more than 140 people dead in 24 hours, as the Red Cross faces delays to deliver vital supplies.* *Monday's clashes happened in Aden, Yemen's third-largest city and a power base for Hadi who fled to Saudi Arabia as the rebels, known as Ho... more »
Special Turbulent Times Show TONIGHT At 7PM CDT....
Hey everyone.. We are indeed having a Turbulent Times show tonight!! Here is the report from my friend, Whitewraithe: ALERT!! SPECIAL TURBULENT TIMES SHOW TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. CST Posted on April 6, 2015 by Whitewraithe [image: turbulenttimesbanner] My apologies for the late post, I did not realize that North wanted a 7 o’clock time. Tonight North and I have a lot of news to discuss in current events. I have some bad news unfortunately I’ll be sharing at the beginning of the show. And hopefully, we will be discussing out long awaited topic on Feminism. We hope you’ll take the time to list... more »
The Poet: Paul Fisher, "The Boat"
*"The Boat"* "Maybe the eyes of a dragon or goddess glare from its prow. More likely it leaks, loses an oar, and reeks of rainbows awash on a sheen of gutted salmon and gasoline. If it’s a liner, we lash ourselves to whatever will float or sell. No matter which. We choose. We’re aboard, icebergs or no, as we plow through the songs of the siren stars- one boat, black water, dark whispering below." - Paul Fisher, "Rumors of Shore"
The Daily "Near You?"
Brawley, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Chet Raymo, "In the Cave"
*"In the Cave"* by Chet Raymo "I have mentioned here before the ospreys that patrol our beach - or "fish hawks," as they call them here - generally in the afternoon at about the time I take my long walk to the palm point. Magnificent birds with broad wings that glide seemingly effortlessly on the wind. And here's the thing: As often as not I am startled by a bird's shadow before I see the bird itself. That wide-winged shadow, sweeping across the white sand, sometimes across me. That flicker of chill as the osprey blocks the sun. And generally when it happens I think of Plato's all... more »
"Curiosity..."
“Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savour to life.” - Robertson Davies
Music: The Language of Spirit
*Wes Annac* - When it comes to elevating our spiritual awareness, music is second only to meditation. The post Music: The Language of Spirit appeared first on Waking Times.
Photo Nuclear Free Walk Welcomed by Natives in Arizona
Nuclear Free Peace Walk while in Flagstaff, now on Navajo Nation enroute to Big Mountain. Thank you to Supai Waters, Havasupai, for sharing photo with Censored News.
Benjamin Fulford - April 6th 2015: Chinese bid to take over the world fails despite support for Chinese development bank
*I pulled this version of Ben's post from Justin's blog Silence in the Storm, has a bit more information included in the links... Check out Justin's blog its quite good. BTW, I think LED's were invented by Fairchild Electronics in the USA -AK* http://sitsshow.blogspot.it/2015/04/benjamin-fulford-april-6th-2015-chinese.html Monday, April 6, 2015 *Benjamin Fulford - April 6th 2015: Chinese bid to take over the world fails despite support for Chinese development bank* Added links below. To listen to this update, see the youtube video below. Source - Benjamin Fulford A meeting... more »
Untitled
*Former New Orleans Saints player trying to sell Super Bowl ring ~Christopher Dabe* *New Orleans announces regulations for enforcing no-smoking law; here's how businesses will need to pre ~N.O. Advocate *
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 6, 2015
*The Economist*: *Syria’s civil war: Assad on the back foot* *Despite Iran’s support, the president is weakeningFOR the rebels fighting against President Bashar Assad, it was a huge victory. On March 28th a collection of Islamist fighters, including Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate, captured the city of Idleb. Long contested, it is only the second big one to fall to the rebels in four years of war. The first, Raqqa, was snatched by the jihadists of Islamic State (IS), who made it the capital of their caliphate. Only three days before the rebels won Idleb, they took Bosra,... more »
"DNA Analysis Reveals The Origins Of Modern Europeans”
*"DNA Analysis Reveals The Origins Of Modern Europeans”* by Phys.org "Europe is famously tesselated, with different cultural and language groups clustering in different regions. But how did they all get there? And how are they related? One way of answering these questions comes from digging up relics of the past. Europe has a rich archaeological record, ranging from periods well before the famous metal ages (i.e. copper, bronze and iron) to the recent adventures of the Romans, Vandals, Huns and Vikings. Distinctive types of pottery and cultural practices associated with burials an... more »
How Did Humans Get So Out of Balance?
*Ida Lawrence* - Lots of people say it, and it can’t be denied… this would be a wonderful, balanced natural world if humans weren’t a part of it. The post How Did Humans Get So Out of Balance? appeared first on Waking Times.
Auckland’s 10 best craft bars
[image: Glasses of Beer]No, Auckland hasn’t got the sheer per-capita number of craft beer drinkeries that Wellington has, but now that Easter’s over and we’re back in the city for the long haul, turns out there are now plenty of places to enjoy a good craft brew in the commercial capital. Epic brewer Luke Nicholas reviews “the best of 10 Auckland craft bars” so you* do* have to. Biggest surprise in the list for me the Sky Sports Grill. Who knew? But there are also several others to add to my usual favourites… Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permissi... more »
Authorities admit Caesium 137 has been found off the coast of BC
This report says this radiation level is very low. Nothing to see hear nothing to worry about. You get more in a dental x ray yadda yadda yadda. Figuring out what the truth about Fukushima or any radioactive exposure is really hard. There are so many conflicting viewpoints. There are so many differant outcomes due to differant forms of exposure. One thing for sure that is Caesium 137 gets into the food supply or into your body in anyway, its much differant than a dental xray, eating a bannana or taking an incontentail flight during the day. All I want is some truth, I have a feeli... more »
World News Briefs -- April 6, 2015 (Evening Edition)
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the framework agreement on Iran's nuclear program announced by negotiators in Switzerland during a statement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington April 2, 2015. Reuters/Mike Theiler *Reuters:* *Obama: nuclear deal not predicated on Iran recognizing Israel - NPR* *(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Monday poured cold water on an Israeli demand that a nuclear deal between world powers and Iran be predicated on Tehran recognizing Israel.* *"The notion that we would condition Iran not getting nuclear weapons in a verifiable ... more »
Trevor Noah Learns The Hard Way That Joking About Jews Is Strictly Verboten
In the late '60s, when I visited Morocco for the first time, most travelers avoided the Rif Mountains of the north. People arriving by boat in Tangier from Spain usually either stayed put or headed south to Fez and Marrakech. Instead, my girlfriend, Martha, and I took a ferry from Spain to Ceuta, a tiny Spanish colony on the Moroccan coast, and headed in the opposite direction from all the other tourists. We went to the blue city of Chefchaouen, the gateway to the Rif badlands. And they really *were* the badlands back then. The Rif region is where all the local cannabis (kif) grow... more »
Spying on Students During On Line Exams is Big Business
From the Business Section of today's *New York Times:* *Once her exam started, Ms. Chao said, a red warning band appeared on the computer screen indicating that Proctortrack was monitoring her computer and recording video of her. To constantly remind her that she was being watched, the program also showed a live image of her in miniature on her screen.Even for an undergraduate raised in a culture of selfies and Skype, Ms. Chao found the system intrusive. “I felt it was sort of excessive,” she said.* You can't make this stuff up.
Poised at the edge of Awareness
Welcome to April’s Love Quest. What is present for me today is a realization that in a very real sense, this journey is fiction. It’s been constructed now by me, with you, as a sort of meandering… We are not really going anywhere. We Are. Always and in all ways. These words are maybe entertaining and perhaps thought provoking, yet not leading you anywhere you don’t already inhabit. It’s only this forgetting that propels us to journey. And now, with increasing velocity, we are approaching a remembering. In four years of “Questing” I’ve learned something. Agape is not a popul... more »
A Portrait of the Classical Gold Standard
*Guest post by Marcia Christoff-Kurapovna* [image: gold coins]"The world that disappeared in 1914 appeared, in retrospect, something like our picture of Paradise," wrote the economist Cecil Hirsch in his June 1934 review of R.W. Hawtrey’s classic, *The Art of Central Banking* (1933). Hirsch bemoaned the loss of the far-sighted restraint that had once prevailed among the "bankers' banks" of the West, concluding that modern times "had failed to attain the standard of wisdom and foresight that prevailed in the 19th century." That wisdom and foresight was once upon a time institutiona... more »
President Obama Offers Sage Advice To The Leaders of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Israel
"As for protecting our Sunni Arab allies, like Saudi Arabia, the president said, they have some very real external threats, but they also have some internal threats — “populations that, in some cases, are alienated, youth that are underemployed, an ideology that is destructive and nihilistic, and in some cases, just a belief that there are no legitimate political outlets for grievances. And so part of our job is to work with these states and say, ‘How can we build your defense capabilities against external threats, but also, how can we strengthen the body politic in these countries... more »
maybe it's just me....
I found today's paper profoundly disturbing. It began with a picture on B3. It's on the centre right of the page. It's a photo of a man standing in a large area of broken rocks, just rocks. There are no remains of streets or foundations or doorways of what used to be a village. The people of the village, the few who are left, are standing on a hillside in the distance, looking down on the rubble that now covers the bodies of their wives, husbands, children, friends.... The picture was taken in Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the world. It's just one sample of villages, towns,... more »
The Cost of College and the Price of Tuition
Writing in the New York Times yesterday, my University of Colorado colleague Paul Campos, a professor of law, makes the decidedly contrarian argument that decreasing state subsidies are not the primary factor in the increasing costs of tuition. Campos writes: Once upon a time in America, baby boomers paid for college with the money they made from their summer jobs. Then, over the course of the next few decades, public funding for higher education was slashed. These radical cuts forced universities to raise tuition year after year, which in turn forced the millennial generation to... more »
Did Israeli Jets Bomb A Weapons Depots in Libya?
IAF F-16. IAF Website *Arutz Sheva*:* Report: Israeli Jet Struck Weapons Depots in Libya* *Arab news sources say a jet destroyed warehouses in southern Libya that held weapons bought by Iran for Hamas.* *Arab news sources reported at week's end that an unidentified jet believed to be Israeli destroyed warehouses in southern Libya that held weapons bought by Iran for Hamas.* *According to the reports in Al Watan and other news outlets, the warehouses were completely destroyed. The weapons that were inside them had allegedly been purchased by Iran, by means of weapons dealers in Sud... more »
Libya Does Not Want A U.S. Bombing Campiagn To Stop The Rise of The Islamic State In Their Country
Libya's internationally recognized Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni (C) attends a meeting with ministers as well as leaders of the Libyan army in Benghazi, February 1, 2015. Reuters/Esam Omran Al-Fetori *Eli Lake & Josh Rogin, Bloomberg:* *Libya Warns U.S. Bombs Can't Stop Terrorists' Rise* *The internationally recognized government of Libya says there are more than 5,000 fighters allied with the Islamic State operating inside the country -- far more than previous estimates -- yet it doesn't want the U.S. to expand its Middle Eastern air war there because it's unlikely to help.* ... more »
The Economy: “Decisions: Life And Death On Wall Street”
*“Book Review: Decisions, Life And Death On Wall Street”* by Karl Denninger “When Janet Tavakoli decided to release a new book called “Decisions: Live And Death On Wall Street,” I knew it would be an interesting read- and it is. Let me just cite one small paragraph: "Why have we allowed crime without punishment? When I asked Democrats close to the top of the Obama administration, their answers were so similar I thought they had memorized a script: 'The administration made a bargain, and I’m not sure it was the right decision. The world was teetering on the edge of collapse. There w... more »
The Economy: “Unwelcome News at the Ranch: A Time for Everything”
*“Unwelcome News at the Ranch:* *A Time For Everything”* by Bill Bonner "Time goes, you say? Ah no! Alas, Time stays, we go." ~ Henry Austin Dobson "The stock market was closed on Good Friday. The priest, who comes to the ranch once a month, came on Friday. He gave a mass in the little chapel to a crowd of 30 or 40 people, mostly children. The cattle roundup is still going on. We’ve done two of our large fields. We have more to do. Once the cows are in the pen, the calves are lassoed, thrown to the ground and castrated. The larger ones go through the chutes. Either way, it’s a rough... more »
Satire: Andy Borowitz, “The Miracle Of Ted Cruz"
*“The Miracle Of Ted Cruz:* *Cruz’s Constant References to Jesus Drive Millions to Atheism”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “The Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s constant references to Jesus Christ in his speeches and campaign ads are sparking a strong interest in atheism among millions of Americans, atheist leaders report.Since Sen. Cruz (R-Texas) announced his candidacy two weeks ago with the words “God isn’t done with America yet,” a substantial number of Americans “have begun seriously questioning the existence of God,” said Carol Foyler, the exec... more »
Oh no! Has Indiana's reputation for "Hoosier hospitality" been tarnished?
*Great Moments in Hoosier History*: *Americans learned the meaning of Hoosier tolerance when America's Foremost Hoosier, Vice President Dan Quayle, publicly jumped ugly on 12-year-old New Jersey schoolkid William Figueroa for spelling "potato" correctly.* *"I just don't like that they say we're intolerant. Because that's not who we are."* *-- Martinsville (Indiana) bakery owner Michelle Crafton,quoted by the NYT's Richard Fausset in* "Indiana Residents Rue Damage to State's Welcoming Reputation" *by Ken* Well, boo-hoo, Michelle. Here's the opening of Richard Fausset's NYT report... more »
Say what you see
(Our next PM, OMG!, taken from *The Independent*) This morning's *Today, *much to my disappointment, *didn't* have a good chuckle about Ed 'the happy warrior' Miliband, following the falling of his prep notes (for last week's ITV leaders' debate) into *The Sun on Sunday*'s fragrant hands: me versus DC. decency, principle and values. *(Self-praise is no praise, Ed).* Still, as Alan at *Biased BBC* notes, they *did* have time for a *David Had a Little Lamb* feature. This concerned indecent, unprincipled, value-free David Cameron and his photo-op with a cute lamb, about which John Hu... more »
The Booming U.S. Dollar Is Straining The Global Economy
*L.A. Times:* *Soaring dollar puts the world on sale for Americans* *Americans have long complained that the dollar doesn't buy much anymore. Suddenly, the dollar's problem may be that it buys too much — a change that has huge implications across the global economy for consumers, businesses, investors and governments.The U.S. currency's value has surged over the last nine months, reaching levels against some world currencies last seen more than a decade ago. In Europe, it now costs just $1.09 to buy one euro, down from $1.37 a year ago and almost $1.50 four years ago.To put i... more »
Russia's Ruble Has Gone From Worst Currency To The World's Best
A man reads a newspaper under signs with currency exchange rates in Moscow, November 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov *Ksenia Galouchko, Bloomberg*: *Ruble Whipsaws Top Forecasters as Worst Currency Becomes Best * *For one of the toughest jobs in financial markets, try predicting the ruble.* *As Russia’s currency went from the world’s worst performer to the best in the first three months of this year, it caught out even the most accurate forecasters. Oil’s drop to near a six-year low and cuts in interest rates, previous indicators of a weakening ruble, were swept aside as ... more »
Supplemental: The Times smooths the way for Rolling Stone!
*MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015The guild supporting the guild:* At 8 PM on Easter Sunday, under cover of darkness and Opening Day, Rolling Stone released the official report on its journalistic debacle concerning UVA. The 13,000-word report was prepared by three well-known figures at the Columbia School of Journalism, a major insider entity. For better or worse, this official report was composed deep within the guild. In some ways, we think the CSJ report is soft on Rolling Stone. But good God! Consider the way the New York Times reported this topic in this morning’s editions. Ravi Somaiy... more »
Save Dobby Lost Sock Jar
If laundry in your house is anything like laundry in mine, you have lost socks floating all over the place. I have always had this sock jar where I put socks while they wait for their match to come through the wash. It has worked really well for our family, but it is a little plain. It is no secret that I absolutely love Harry Potter and since Dobby and socks go so well together, I used that theme to geek out a little in my laundry room. Scroll to the bottom of the tutorial to read about how *all* free clear made a huge impact on my daughter's severe eczema. If your jar has a knob ... more »
Bio-genetic engineering and Nanotechnology = Transhumanism?
*Neo-Humanity...merging man with Machine* I read recently that Joni Mitchell (Saskatchewan-born Canadian folk singer from the 60's and 70's who has been living in California for most of her life) fell unconscious in her home and was taken to hospital where she is making a slow recovery. I saw the reports in the mainstream media and particularly the lying BBC... which took the time to mention that Joni Mitchell suffers from a strange modern disease called "morgellons". The BBC ended its report on Joni with the insulting statement that morgellons is commonly believed to be a psycho... more »
The Far Left and the 2015 UK General Election
I just *know* you've been waiting for this: the combined list of far left candidates for the 2015 general election - so far. For once you can believe the hype. This could well be their biggest election challenge ever with 215 candidates - the last time they came close was 2001 off the back of a combined Socialist Alliance/Scottish Socialist Party/Socialist Labour Party challenge. Whatever you might say about them, and I'll be penning some thoughts about the campaigns later in the week, this is an impressive effort for a "movement" short on personnel and resource. As per the 2010 li... more »
Argentina: Astronomer Admits Merlo Object is "a UFO"
*Source: www.infomerlo.com and Planeta UFODate: 04.04.15* *Argentina: Astronomer Admits Merlo Object is "a UFO"* *What was seen in the skies over Merlo was a UFO* Last Wednesday afternoon (04.01.15) several local residents witnessed - and some managed to photograph - the sudden movement of a strange object in the sky. Members of the San Luis Planetarium opined on the incident. Around 19:30 hours on Wednesday, April 1st, residents of the village of Merlo reported seeing the sudden yet highly visible displacement of what was described as a yellowish-white contrail of significant wi... more »
Awesome Photo of China
Be sure to check out Stuck in Customs for great photos and great tips on how to make your own. H/T Twisted Sifter
Chilean Television Broadcasts Images of Strange Lights Around Volcano
UFO researcher *Liliana Núñez Orellana* alerted us of a broadcast on the Chilean network TVN's morning show (the Buenos Dias a Todos show) regarding the presence of strange lights near the Villarica volcano. The text accompanying the recording quotes researcher *Rodrigo Fuenzalida*: "We must adopt a scientific approach to dismiss and analyze the phenomenon. If it repeats itself, it's not a UFO." Inexplicata Podcasts covering items from UFO / paranormal history in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean
Myanmar Apologizes To China For Deadly Airstrike
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd R) holds talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin (3rd L) in Beijing, capital of China, April 2, 2015. U Wunna Maung Lwin is paying a visit to China as Myanmar President U Thein Sein's special envoy. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) *The Diplomat:* *Myanmar Apologizes to China for Deadly Strike* *Myanmar’s government accepted responsibility for a bomb that killed five Chinese citizens.* *On March 13, a bomb fell on a sugarcane field in China’s Yunnan province, just across the border from Myanmar. The explosion killed five Chinese villagers and... more »
Did Ukraine President Poroshenko Offer Putin The Donbas Region Of Ukraine?
Russian President Vladimir Putin (second from left) and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko give each other stern looks as they meet in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015. Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko is at left and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande in the middle. Reuters/Mykola Lazarenko/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters *Moscow Times:* *Putin Refused Poroshenko’s Offer to ‘Take Donbass’* *Russian President Vladimir Putin in February turned down an offer from his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshen... more »
Manipulation of Media Messages
*Video -* How astroturf, or fake grassroots movements funded by political, corporate, or other special interests, very effectively manipulate and distort media messages. The post Manipulation of Media Messages appeared first on Waking Times.
Chile: UFO Had Front-Row Seats to the Villarica Eruption
*Source: La Cuarta and Planeta UFODate: March 6, 2015* *Chile: UFO Had Front-Row Seats to the Villarica Eruption* *Retired academic from the University of Chile photographed a static sphere over the volcano for one minute and forty-six seconds.* Eduardo Hidalgo was a chair of the department of Kinesiology of the U. of Chile until he retired. He sold his consultancy and relocated to within 20 kilometers to the west of the volcano. At 03:00 yesterday, he woke up to relieve himself at the same time the eruption started. He ran to find a Canon camera that his son had brought him from... more »
Ukraine President Poroshenko Willing To Hold A Referendum On Federalism
*Bloomberg:* *Poroshenko Says He’s Willing to Call Unified Ukraine Referendum* *Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he’s ready to call a referendum on the country’s unified status after constitutional changes to devolve power under a peace agreement to end the conflict with pro-Russian rebels.* *The changes, part of the cease-fire accord negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, in February, have “nothing to do with federalization” and the country will remain a unified state with Ukrainian as its sole official language, Poroshenko said at the first meeting of a constitutional commission... more »
John Oliver with Snowden
John Oliver recently discovered, much to his dismay, that many Americans still don’t know who Edward Snowden is or what he did. And that’s a scary thought given that soon parts of the Patriot Act that allow the NSA and other agencies to look into our personal data are up for renewal. So the “Last Week Tonight” host did what any good political comedian would: He took a trip to Moscow to talk to the whistle-blower and have him explain in terms average U.S. citizens can wrap their heads around just how scary and all-encompassing government surveillance is. The resulting interview is ... more »
Trailor Park Boys Again
New season eight and nine along with the Brilliant TPB in fucking Ireland are up on a Kodi video Ad On. I have only watched episode one but it was better than ever. In situ the funniest comedy series ever. Friends with the Benedicts almost killed me. It can stand up there with the funniest episodes of any show ever made.
Fukushima Alert Update 2
It appears that some sort of major steam event occurred at Fukushima Daiichi yesterday. I posted screenshots and documented rising radiation levels at my blog (check last few posts). The Enenews discussion forum has many links to screen captures from the various cams. Here is one of the most powerful images, captured by Wotcha and posted here: Also see evidence of yellowish emissions from the plant captured in screenshots from the Futaba cam: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4qe2f4hvpzhmx3z/YELLOW%20EMISSIONS%20FROM%20PLANT%20AREA%20April%206%202015.pdf?dl=0 Netc.com's radiation m... more »
DCCC Surrenders NY-11 To GOP
The DCCC has one skill-- losing congressional races Last February we explained that the "new," Luján-run DCCC threw the towel in on the Staten Island congressional race even faster than the DCCC usually gives up. This is Michael Grimm's old seat (NY-11) that has a growing Democratic edge. In 2008 Obama lost to McCain, 51-48%, but four years later, Obama beat Romney 52-47%, a pretty significant swing. A competent DCCC would immediately recognize something to build on. Steve Israel and his puppet, Ben Ray Luján aren't even vaguely competent and they've decided to just surrender without...more »
Transpicuous News Special Report: GMO Marijuana on the Horizon
Last night on the Transpicuous News Weekend Report for April 5th, 2015, I opened the show with a Special Report. This is the video of my Breaking News Report about Monsanto's Sneaky buyout of General Hydroponics - one of the largest hydroponic Medical Cannabis producers in the US. The Shenanigans are ON my friends, but now they are becoming visible. Below the Special Report Video I will post all the articles that I discussed. Oh yes,..... GMO Marijuana, coming to a medical cannabis producer near you..... really really soon! NOW......... It's up to us to make sure everyone know... more »
Tensions Between Argentina And Britain On The Rise Over The Discovery Of Oil Near The Falklands
*Photo:* A map shows the oil has been discovered 130 north of the island by British companies at the Zebedee oil well Daily Mail: *Argentina threatens British firms 'illegally' drilling for oil off Falklands coast, as tensions rise on anniversary of conflict* * British companies found oil and gas in a remote field north of the islands * Could be worth billions of pounds and increase fears of renewed conflict * Comes days after minister warned of 'very live threat' from Argentina * Argentina says it will prosecute oil companies operating off the Falklands Argentina has said it wi... more »
Kenya: took hours to respond to attacks, despite advance warnings- Flashback Norway
*Kenya was warned of Garissa attack, took hours to respond, source says* GARISSA, Kenya (CNN) — *Kenyan authorities had intelligence that a university in Garissa could be attacked*, *but after the alarm sounded during last week’s massacre, the country’s rapid response team was stuck in Nairobi for hours arranging for transpor**t*, a police source told CNN on Monday. Waiting for hours to arrange for transportation......... think Norway It’s not clear why the elite team was stuck in the Kenyan capital, roughly 370 kilometers (230 miles) west of the attack, but the police source in G... more »
The Mystery Of Malaysian Flight 370: More Proof That Plane Definitely Went To Diego Garcia!
It has now been just over one year since Malaysian flight MH370 "disappeared" while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to China... The plane was tracked on radar as it flew over the South China Sea just north of Malaysia, when suddenly it veered on a west by southwesterly course, was tracked flying over Sumatra entering the Indian Ocean, and then disappeared from radar! There has been so much false information coming out of the Jew spew media for well over a year now that to me has been done purposely.. SOMEONE definitely does not want the truth to be told about where that plane went, ... more »
Psychological Warfare and the Fragmentation of the Psyche
*Jay Dyer* - The solution lies in the alteration of man’s heart, intimately bound up with his nous, which involves a change of perspective and life where God is no longer suppressed and forgotten, metanoia. The post Psychological Warfare and the Fragmentation of the Psyche appeared first on Waking Times.
World News Briefs -- April 6, 2015
*CNN*: *Death toll rises quickly as conflict rages in Yemen* *(CNN)Residents of central Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, have learned the hard way that key strategic bombing targets are located in their neighborhoods: Detonating ordnance has been shattering their windows and doors.* *And fighting has killed hundreds of people in less than two weeks.* *The Saudi-led coalition smashed parts of Yemen's * *MIDDLE EAST* Yemen's Aden suffers amid clashes,* aid deliveries delayed*. Yemen conflict: *Houthi rebels make gains in Aden*. Red Cross gets approval from Saudi-led coalition *to take... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Akwesasne Moo'
AKWESASNE MOO Posted on April 5, 2015 Please post and distribute. Nia:wen. MNN. April 5, 2015. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council Inc. is trying to lead their people like cattle to the slaughter house, using their MOU. The Tribe will be the first to get the steel bolt in the head and the meat hook that drags them away. Beverly Cook will hang and bleed out alone. Call her at
Divisions Over Iraq War Exposed In Victory In Tikrit
After a month’s worth of fighting Tikrit was finally taken by pro-government forces. The victory revealed internal and external disputes over the war in Iraq, as well as the weakness of the Islamic State (IS). On the one hand, Tikrit revealed that a small force of IS fighters and a huge amount of improvised explosive devices can hold up an overwhelming force for a short period, but it does not have the manpower to win. On the other hand, there are deep political divisions between Iran, its allies within the Hashd, Baghdad, and Washington. Iran and its friends wanted to take Tikrit... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 6, 2015
PLA warships take part in the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean on April 3, 2014, another example of how PLA vessels are being deployed in different types of operations further from home. (Photo/CNS) *Want China Times:* *PLA has spent 10 years to build a blue-water navy: US expert* *Christopher Sharman, a former US assistant navy attache to Beijing and a student at National Defense University, discussed the five major steps China has taken to establish a global navy since 2004 in his new article written for the Washington-based National Interest magazin... more »
Happy Easter
This past Easter was especially sweet because I just got my baby back barely in time to celebrate it. The recent unpleasantness in Florida keeps reverberating like a recurring herpes sore but we refused to let that disturb our holiday feast. So we had a baked ham with pineapple slices, Brussels sprouts, corn, mashed potatoes, Charlene's Cheesy potatoes and a good Riesling white wine. So how was *your *Easter?
Gaia Portal: Streamings of Stalwart Steadfasts has begun…
*Streamings of Stalwart Steadfasts has begun…* by ÉirePort Streamings of stalwart steadfasts has begun. Concentrations of Higher Lights is observed and recognized at all consciousness levels. Frenetic influences continue to wane. Fathoms of understandings repeat for effect. Laurels are recognized as Hue-manity upgrades. ÉirePort | April 6, 2015 *at 11:11* | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-uE
Whoops!
Time for a "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" kind of post from the frontiers of modern science... Where the *Telegraph* boldly went five years ago: the BBC has just as boldly gone this past weekend. Here's a caption that appeared on their New Channel:
LIBERALLY LOATHING: Confronting the bigots!
*MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015Part 1—Indiana is Selma:* By last Tuesday, debate about Indiana’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” had become the focus of the nation’s culture wars—the endless series of division-and-conquest fights which makes the plutocrats glad. That morning, the New York Times published three letters about the new debate. By happenstance, all three letters voiced the view of the Times editorial board, whose editorial about the topic appeared on the very same page. (Two days later, the Times published eight more letters on this topic. Extending a pattern, all eight le...more »
The Case For CA-25
CA-25 was radically restructured in 2010, going from the biggest congressional district in California-- which stretched from the northern L.A. County suburbs as far as the suburbs of Sacramento-- to a more rational and compact district that includes most of Simi Valley, all of the Santa Clarita Valley and the high desert areas of northern Los Angeles County (the Antelope Valley). It had a slight Republican lean in 2010, although Obama still managed to beat McCain 124,377 (49%) to 123,454 (49%). Against incumbent corrupt Beltway powerhouse Buck McKeon, the DCCC ignored the potentia... more »
Britain's MoD Accidentally Posts Sensitive Information On Their RAF Base In The Falklands
The airstrip, pictured, is home to four Europfighter Typhoon aircraft tasked with defending the islands *Daily Mail*: *Details about British base on the Falklands including co-ordinates of facilities and runway information are left open to the public on MoD website after security gaffe* * * The MoD accidentally published information on Falklands RAF base online* * * Mount Pleasant aerodrome is home to four Eurofighter Typhoon jets * * * Argentina is considering leasing 12 Sukhoi SU-24 bombers from Russia* * * The supersonic attack aircraft can carry 3,000kg of bombs 650 miles * ... more »
Kenya Bombs al-Shabaab Camps In Somalia
*New York Times:* *Kenyan Fighter Jets Bomb Shabab Training Camps in Somalia* *NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan fighter jets bombed two training camps of the Shabab militant group in Somalia, defense officials said on Monday, the first military response to the attack on a university last week that killed nearly 150 students.* *Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, had vowed to respond “in the severest way possible” to the massacre at the university.* *Military officials said it was difficult to assess the damage because of heavy cloud cover. Kenya has carried out bombing raids in Somalia aft... more »
Why I want to go to Yemen
I would love to see these trees first hand. Right out of a Sci Fi movie but they are real. Right now in Yemen there is a civil war of some kind going on. As usual for that Neighbourhood it is heavily influenced by the Sunni - Shia divide. Couple of interesting things. First the rebel Shia got their hands on a full wars supply of equipment supplied to the former Yemen government by the USA. In a very similar scenario to what happed when Iraq kitted up ISIS. How many times do great hoards of US weapons have to accidentally end up in the wrong hands before someone concludes its no ac... more »
The Keys To His Kingdom
https://boblarson.org/ The Easter Season, Michael Harris writes, is a good time to consider whether or not Stephen Harper actually practises the religion he professes. There is, for instance, the Christian prescription about the treatment of one's neighbours: Jesus could spend a profitable moment or two with Steve on the notion of sharing. For example, it’s not necessarily a good thing for the country’s gross domestic product to go up if all the growth goes to the same small number of people. It must be clearly explained to S... more »
The Afghanistan Tragedy
I might have mentioned this book before, but CommonDreams has an excerpt from it that lays bare the political incompetence that led to the failure in Afghanistan: How do you fight a war without an adversary? Enter Gul Agha Sherzai -- and men like him around the country. Eager to survive and prosper, he and his commanders followed the logic of the American presence to its obvious conclusion. They would create enemies where there were none, exploiting the perverse incentive mechanism that the Americans -- without even realizing it -- had put in place. Sherzai’s enemies became Americ... more »
Former Top CIA Official: This Is Iran's Grand Strategy
*Michael Morell, Washington Post:* Iran’s grand strategy is become a regional powerhouse *One of the interesting aspects of international affairs is that states and nonstate actors will occasionally say publicly exactly what they are thinking, doing and planning to do. No need for spies, no need for diplomats — just a need to listen.* *In the mid-1990s, Osama bin Laden said repeatedly that he saw the United States as his most important enemy and therefore as his key target. Bin Laden delivered on these warnings in August 1998 in East Africa, in October 2000 in Yemen and in Septem... more »
What's news?
I saw these reports in the Times (£) and the Guardian, so I had a quick search to see if the BBC had reported it or something similar. The Times. “Theresa May was forced to drop plans to publish a counter-extremism strategy because of splits in the coalition. The home secretary put forward measures, including linking benefits to the ability to speak English, and tougher asylum rules for those judged to have breached a new definition of extremism, for inclusion in the strategy. However, the government was unable to agree her far-reaching strategy before parliament was dissolved after... more »
1000-Year-Old Recipe Can Kill Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs
*Marco Torres* - While infections are becoming increasingly difficult to beat, no new class of antibiotic has been discovered since 1987. The post 1000-Year-Old Recipe Can Kill Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs appeared first on Waking Times.
Untitled
*UK: Up to 100 Islamist teachers could be banned from schools after investigation into their links with Trojan Horse scandal* Up to 100 Islamic teachers could be banned from working in schools for life following an investigation into their alleged links to the Trojan Horse scandal. It is understood a teaching watchdog is working on possible disciplinary cases against current and former staff members at some schools in Birmingham where extremist Islamic views were being forced on pupils and staff. This includes allegations an al-Qaeda style video featuring masked gunmen was copi... more »
U.S. Intelligence Agencies Employ Therapists To Help Analysts Deal With The Emotional Trauma From Watching Jihadist Executions And Their Abuse Of Children
The analysts watch graphic content and look at violent photos to gain clues about the actions of terrorists. Daily Mail *Shane Harris, Daily Beast*: *The Shrinks Who Only See CIA Officers* *Some U.S. intelligence analysts spend days scouring ISIS beheading videos and jihadists’ porn. When it gets to be too much, there’s a cadre of therapists on call.* *Given the choice, most of us would probably turn away in revulsion from the beheading videos and other images of depravity that are the propaganda hallmarks of ISIS and its terrorist brethren.* *But for some, watching this graphic m... more »
Saddam Hussein’s Former Commanders And Officers Are Becoming A Driving Force For The Islamic State
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, center, chairs a joint meeting of the Revolutionary Command Council and the regional command of the ruling Baath Party on Oct. 31, 1998. (Reuters) *Liz Sly, Washington Post:* *The hidden hand behind the Islamic State militants? Saddam Hussein’s.* *This is part of an occasional series about the militant group Islamic State and its violent collision with the United States and others intent on halting the group’s rapid rise.* *SANLIURFA, Turkey — When Abu Hamza, a former Syrian rebel, agreed to join the Islamic State, he did so assuming he would becom... more »
Understanding al-Shabaab
I'm not the BBC World Service's Africa Editor (no, really), and nor am I an expert on the Somali Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab. The BBC's Mary Harper, on the other hand, is both, and she was on *Today* this morning talking about the news that a well-off law student from Kenya was among the terrorists who carried out the latest al-Shabaab atrocity in Kenya. Even though I'm no expert, some of her language struck me as unusual. Here's what she said [bold emphases added]: What's surprising about the news is that this alleged attacker was obviously someone from quite a sophisti... more »
Untitled
*Warmists discover some real feedbacks* *The feedback from increasing cloud that is central to their theory is very dubious. The best evidence is that clouds cause cooling, not warming. But there are various real climate feedbacks and they seem finally to have discovered some -- and put their "spin" on the discovery. I reproduce underneath the article below some comments by Profs. Robert Giegengack and Don Easterbrook* Scientists agree that an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases causes the Earth’s temperature to rise, but they’ve also noticed that relationship seems to sw... more »
U.S. And Iranian Cooperation Is More Closer In Iraq Than People Realize
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Michael B Kelley, Business Insider*: *The US and Iran are closer in Iraq than people realize — and things are getting ugly* *The Obama administration is no longer hiding the fact that the US is serving as the air force for Iran-backed Shia militias fighting ISIS in Iraq.* *Helen Cooper of The New York Times reports that the US and Iran "have found a template for fighting the Sunni militancy in other parts of Iraq: American airstrikes and Iranian-backed ground assaults" with the Iraqi military serving as a go-between.* *The US recently provided cruci... more »
Economic News Data and Views ( April 6 , 2014 ) - Greece updates ( Creditor Talks in focus this week , Swiss Banker wanted for Siemens , arms scandals in custody , Tsipras heads to Moscow ) ..... Turkey blocks social media again..... Euro expected to break parity to USD by Q3 and fall even lower during 2016 and 2017 ..... Ruble goes from worst to best currency in 2015 ..... Abenomics in tatters ......
Tweets.... *Albert Broomhead* @albertjohn · 54m54 minutes ago Is Greece’s Debt Odious? https://www.creditwritedowns.com/2015/04/is-gre eces-debt-odious.html#.VSMBVYQ4DTA.twitter … via @edwardnh *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner · 38m38 minutes ago #Greece calculates Berlin owes it €279bn (almost 10% of #Germany's GDP) in WWII reparations. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-04-0 6/greece-calculates-germany-owes-it-third-its-gdp-wwii-reparations … zerohedge [image: View this content on zerohedge's website] Greece Calculates Germany Owes It A Third Of Its GDP In WWII Repara.... more »
"Third force"
This morning I was listening to this exchange, where notable commentator Gwynne Dyer was contrasted to an Alden Pyle-type named Kyle Matthews from the R2P crowd over whether it was "moral" (and therefore justifiable and necessary) to bomb ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Ugh. This shouldn't even be a conversation. The R2P folks I meet tend have a strange mix of naivety about the practicalities of
Canadians evacuated from Yemen, by Russia, confirmed by Canadian Government
If you blinked you might have missed this one. The Canadian media picked up the news only after it was reported in Russian media Government confirms Canadians evacuated from Yemen, possibly with Russia’s help * The federal government is confirming that an undisclosed number of Canadians have been taken out of Yemen,* *amid Russian state media reports that the Kremlin had helped them leave*. Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said in an email on Saturday they are aware that Canadians departed from Yemen safely. Russian news agency TASS reported Friday that two Russian planes b... more »
More Twitter-related Shenanigans
Talking about Louise Mensch and her encounters with BBC reporters... Here's another exchange you may have missed: .@BBCgarethjones yes, and, "BBC Gareth Jones" as an overseas elector I am fully entitled to vote #BBCBias — Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) April 5, 2015 @LouiseMensch @BBCgarethjones Lots of Beeboids finding it hard to keep up the pretence of impartiality during #GE2015 — Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) April 5, 2015 @GuidoFawkes @LouiseMensch @BBCgarethjones are the BBC meant to be impartial? Thought they were @UKLabour mouthpiece? #GE2015 #Election2015 — Lee Sharp (@leesha... more »
A few monday links
[image: KTown_Mar15_4] *Taichung at night, from the west.* Enjoy some links.... ______________ *Daily Links*: - Hung Tzu-yung, sister of the corporal whose punishment caused his untimely death, rips the military for its double standards. - State Owned Enterprises very inefficient, covered by central bank - Typhoon Maysak is sending us some rain. - FSC is tightening rules for bond market to protect Taiwan banks - China's defense spending increases exceed GDP growth again. It can only mean war. D'oh. Good to see more of this stuff. - Repatriations of profits from ... more »
New Russian Navy Frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" Project 22350 to Continue Trials in Barents Sea
[image: RFS Admiral Gorshkov]According to Russian news agency TASS, quoting an industry source, the new generation project 22350 frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" (hull number 417) will continue its sea trials with the Russian Navy Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea. So far, the ship was mostly located in St. Petersburg (where it was assembled by Severnaya Verf shipyard) and conducted initial trials in the Gulf of Finland. The first phase of the sea trials focused on the navigation performance of the new vessel. Key elements such as the propulsion, steering gear, auxiliary machinery, comm... more »
Russian Navy Tu-142 Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft to be Modernized in Next Five Years
[image: Tu-142 Bear F]Russia's Naval Forces' Tu-142 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft fleet will be modernized in the coming four-five years, an aircraft industry source said Friday. There are over 20 Tu-142 aircraft operational with Russia's Naval Aviation units. "The modernization will include on-board radio-electronic systems of the aircraft. Parameters of the antisubmarine complex, the navigation system and the weapons control system will be improved," the source said. Read more
North Korea declares no-sail zone, missile launch seen as possible - reports
[image: U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter]North Korea has declared a no-sail zone for its ships off its east coast, South Korean media reported on Monday, suggesting more missile launches are possible before the U.S. defence chief visits Seoul this week. Pyongyang fired four short-range missiles off its west coast on Friday in what South Korea called a bid to stoke tension during its annual joint military drills with the United States. The two Koreas are locked in a tense standoff, trading harsh rhetoric recently over the arrest by Pyongyang of two South Korean nationals it accu... more »
As Tensions With West Rise, Russia Increasingly Rattles Nuclear Saber
[image: Topol ICBM]It wasn’t an ordinary Valentine’s Day for the students from across Russia arriving at a military institute outside Moscow. Their date was with a Topol, the intercontinental ballistic missile at the heart of the country’s nuclear arsenal. The new event was part of an initiative to promote careers in Russia’s missile forces, and it also reflected another phenomenon: the rising boastfulness about nuclear weaponry in public life here. Amid the wave of bellicose rhetoric that has swelled in Moscow since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, officials as high up as Pres... more »
Haglund: Swedish fighter jets don't have special status
[image: JAS-39 Gripen E/F]Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri reported over Easter that the Swedish Jas Gripen jet is a strong candidate for successor to the soon obsolete Finnish Hornet fighter jets. However, Defense Minister Carl Haglund emphasised that the various options have only been tentatively explored. Dagens Industri this Easter resurrected conjecture that Swedish fighter jets may be used to replace outdated Finnish Hornets. The paper also claimed that the use of Gripens would facilitate Finnish-Swedish defense cooperation because the air force would be able to utilise other... more »
PLA could be developing two versions of Type 055 destroyer
[image: Type 055 DDG]China could be developing two types of the Type 055 guided-missile destroyer — an anti-submarine and an air-defense model — according to the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada. The April edition of the magazine made the suggestion after analyzing the latest leaked satellite images of a ground model of the Type 055, which experts believe may have been designed as the successor to the PLA Navy's highly successful Type 52D destroyer. Based on the satellite images, the Type 055 is 19.34 meters wide, though the ship's length-s... more »
Photo shows a U.S. Reaper drone carrying "Gorgon Stare" Wide Area Airborne Surveillance System pod in Afghanistan
[image: MQ-9 with Gorgon Stare II]Formerly known as the Wide Area Airborne Surveillance System (WAAS), Gorgon Stare system is a sensor package carried by two pods, one with networking and communications payload, the other with Visible/IR Camera Arrays and Image Processing module. The package is used to identify and track people, vehicles, and objects in areas of +10 square kilometers. The U.S. Air Force has recently released a photo which shows an MQ-9 Reaper at Kandahar Airfield (KAF), Afghanistan, marshalled before take off on Mar. 20. Read more
UK defence cuts will have profound effect, warns US diplomat
[image: Sea Harrier]One of America’s leading diplomats has said he finds cuts to British defence spending “extremely troubling” and has called on the next government to spend two per cent of GDP on the military. John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the UN and a leading Republican spokesman on foreign affairs, said any further cuts in defence spending would make Britain “far more vulnerable militarily” and send a signal to potential enemies that “there is a diminished will in the West to defend itself”. He warned that further cuts in defence expenditure could seriously affect fu... more »
Liaoning carrier's main builder now making Type 052D destroyers
[image: Type 052D class DDG]A second Chinese shipbuilder has begun construction of the People's Liberation Army's Type 052D destroyer, reports Huanqiu, the Chinese-language website of the nationalistic Global Times tabloid. Citing leaked photos from a military discussion forum, the report said the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company in northeast China's Liaoning province is building a Type 052D destroyer and has so far completed the ship's hull. If confirmed, Dalian Shipbuilding will be the second shipbuilder to be manufacturing the Type 052D after Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, which... more »
Project Paperclip and the Sun Gun
*On June 28, as if in celebration of the achievement, Ordnance Colonel John A. Keck made the first public disclosure concerning the unique "war booty." At a news conference in Paris, he spoke with pride about the capture and interrogation of twelve hundred "top-line" scientists, and told his audience of some of their most fantastic projects: a "sun-gun" that might harness the sun's rays to demolish nations from a platform 5,100 miles in the sky; a cannon with a 400-foot barrel and a range of 82 miles; an apparatus that would fire rockets from under the sea. After relating that "Hi... more »
Details about British base on the Falklands including co-ordinates of facilities and runway information are left open to the public on MoD website after security gaffe
The Ministry of Defence was under fire after vital details of the RAF's main base on the Falklands Islands were published on their website. The secret document, which has the exact GPS co-ordinates of vital facilities as well as information on the depth of concrete on the runway were published unencrypted on the MoD's website. The details could be used as 'an invasion guide' by Argentina, with the technical information providing excellent intelligence to any Argentine bombers sent to attack the islands. Read more
Prawit off to China to build defence ties
[image: Yuan class SSK]Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will visit China on Wednesday, and a Defence Ministry source said a planned submarine purchase is in line for discussions with Beijing. Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Kongcheep Tuntrawanich said on Sunday the minister's trip will last from Wednesday to Friday and comes at the invitation of China's Defence Minister ChangWanquan. It is his second visit to China in six months and the third meeting between the two ministers. Read more
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar arrives at MDL to undock first Scorpene submarine
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[image: Project 75 (Scorpene) class SSK]In what is likely to give a major boost to the Indian Navy, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar arrived at the Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) to ‘undock’ the first of the six Scorpene submarines being built under Project 75 on Monday. According to Naval sources, a grand ceremony is being held at Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) for the official ''floating out'' of the first Scorpene submarine. Parrikar is also expected to review the progress of the Project 75, under which construction of six Scorpene subs has been underway in collaboration with French ... more »
Do top income earners pay the top tax rate? Withdrawal of Tax Credits leaves people on low wages paying 73% marginal tax rate, and on moderate wages paying 83% marginal tax rate.
The LibDems and Tories squabbled over who should get credit for the increases in the personal tax free allowance (Personal Allowance), which rose from £6,475 in 2010/11 up to £10,000 in 2014/15. Whoever did it, did it mean low paid people got to keep all their income to spend as they will? Of course not! For people receiving Working Tax Credits, who may or may not be getting Child Tax
Communications not Product and Services is the 21st Century Opportunity. Part 1
*Part 1: * *How did we arrive to where we are today?* It now seems a lifetime away when we started our technology journey which we w all take for granted today. Back in ’68 there were only 32 computers in the whole of Sheffield and we can even remember the companies, the computers and what they were capable of. The explosion of computing that followed was first aimed at companies and institutions and automating the numbers and providing the information in near to real time as possible. PCs and networks then changed the landscape and importantly companies became aware of the huge w... more »
Arab States And Rulers Who Back Aggression Against Yemen Have No Leg To Stand On To Criticize Israel's Assaults On Gaza
*Netanyahu, Obama, and Abbas stand against the people of Yemen, and they will be defeated by the people of Yemen. * When Israel periodically attacks Gaza there are immediate calls for ceasefires by the Arab states, the international community, and even the United States itself. Usually a month passes before Israel backs off, and agrees to a ceasefire with the Palestinians. Immediately afterwards, Hamas goes back to reconstructing what Israel blew up, making the little war pointless. Calls for ceasefire in other conflicts are very few. In Syria, Arab states, the U.S, Israel, and t... more »
The Pentagon Has Upgraded Its 'Bunker-Buster' Bombs
GBU-57 MOP prototype.(Image from wikimedia.org) *Wall Street Journal:* *Pentagon Upgraded Biggest ‘Bunker Buster’ Bomb as Iran Talks Unfolded* *Pentagon Tested Improved Bomb in Mid-January, Officials SayWASHINGTON—The Pentagon has upgraded and tested the largest bunker-buster bomb in the U.S. arsenal, senior U.S. officials said, readying a weapon that could destroy or disable Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear facilities should a nuclear deal fall apart and the White House decide to take military action.Even while the Obama administration was pursuing a diplomatic agreeme... more »
U.S. Special Operations Command Officials Have Doubts That Women Can Do The Job
Lt. Ashley White, before her death. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, JFKSWCS PAO/ Released.) *Breitbart:* *Special Ops Troops Fear Officers Will Bring Women into Elite Units* *The Associated Press reports that general details of recent surveys regarding the integration of women into elite commando units have been discussed by Special Operations Command officials for the first time. While the exact details of these surveys remain confidential, it’s clear that special operations troops have deep misgivings about the introduction of women into their extremely demandi... more »
British Nuclear Submarine Suffers Serious Damage While Tracking Russian Vessels
*Photo:* A British nuclear submarine suffered £500,000 damage in a collision while tracking Russian vessels, The Mail on Sunday can reveal *Daily Mail*: Bang goes the no claims! Royal Navy nuclear submarine suffers £500,000 damage after 'hitting floating ice' while tracking Russian vessels ** 5,300-ton HMS Talent has a huge dent and will be out of action for weeks* ** Defence officials have refused to disclose exact details of the crash* ** It will cost an estimated £500,000 to repair, navy sources have claimed * *A British nuclear submarine suffered £500,000 damage in a collision wh... more »
Is The Concept Of 'White Privilege' Being Taught In A U.S. Army Training Lesson?
Facebook *USA Today*: *Army says diversity training sent wrong signal* *WASHINGTON — Army officials are investigating a diversity training briefing at Fort Gordon, Ga., in which a slide about "white privilege" was inappropriately shown to soldiers, according to an Army spokeswoman* *The Equal Opportunity briefing took place Thursday for about 400 soldiers of the 67th Signal Battalion, Capt. Lindsay Roman, an Army spokeswoman, said Friday. The slide titled "The Luxury of Obliviousness" has bullet-point items about "white privilege."* *One item reads, "Race privilege gives whites li... more »
Did The Pentagon Just Waste $10 Billion On An Ineffective Anti-Missile Defense System?
*David Willman, L.A. Times:* *The Pentagon’s $10-billion bet gone bad* *Trying to fashion a shield against a sneak missile attack, military planners gambled on costly projects that flopped, leaving a hole in U.S. homeland defense.* *Leaders of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency were effusive about the new technology.* *It was the most powerful radar of its kind in the world, they told Congress. So powerful it could detect a baseball over San Francisco from the other side of the country.* *If North Korea launched a sneak attack, the Sea-Based X-Band Radar — SBX for short — would spo... more »
Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb
Beloved is in charge of the rhubarb; we have seven plants, six of which are descended from the first, which is over fifteen years old. One digs in the fall or winter to expose the root mass, split it in two, then dig out one of the halves as best one can. It's a muddy job usually, but one is rewarded by the sight of the exposed interior of the taproot, a very unwintry bright orange. We make a point of giving away some halves from time to time and many of our friends have clones of Stony Run rhubarb, which might be related to Victoria, we aren't sure. It's very sweet and makes succ... more »
Red Sea, Dead Sea -- it's all pretty much the same thing, no? (Or, a new version of the Passover story from Davy Brooks and the NYT)
*The yellow ring on this Google Earth shows the location of a proposed canal that for some reason would link the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba, which is a gosh-for-real arm of the Red Sea, and which would sort of make the Dead Sea, you know, connected to the Red Sea. Still kind of off-track for the Exodus, though, if what you're trying to do is get out of Egypt.* *by Ken* It's Sunday night, and it's late, and the first of the final new episodes of *Mad Men* has already started. So I say we confine ourselves to a single item from washingtonpost.com's Erik Wemple Blog, whose head is ... more »
A Snap Election In Greece?
People holding umbrellas make their way next to fluttering Greek national flags on the main Constitution (Syntagma) square during heavy rainfall in Athens March 13, 2015. Reuters/Alkis Konstantinidis *The Guardian:** Greek political unrest and deepening debt crisis fuel talk of snap election* *Yanis Varoufakis meets IMF’s Christine Lagarde in Washington DC ahead of Thursday deadline for €450m loan repaymentThe worsening Greek debt crisis has reanimated talk within the ruling Syriza party of a snap general election if discussions with creditors fail, as the country faces a Th... more »
Natives Rally against Racist Violence in Gallup NM
. Red Nation March Demands End to Racial Violence against Natives Thanks to Kris Barney, Dineh, for sharing his photos. Watch videos of event below. . . By Censored News The Red Nation March to End Racial Violence toward Natives was organized to demand a halt to racist violence against Natives in Gallup, N.M. Those who have been murdered in Gallup were
Taliban Publish Biography Of Leader Mullah Omar
The 5,000-word biography clarifies disputed facts about his birth and upbringing *BBC:* *Afghan Taliban publish Mullah Omar biography* *The Afghan Taliban have published a surprise biography of the reclusive Mullah Mohammed Omar, to mark his 19th year as their supreme leader.* *The 5,000-word biography on their main website clarifies disputed facts about his birth and upbringing.* *It lists his favourite weapon - the RPG 7 - and says he leads a simple life and has a "special" sense of humour.* *It says Mullah Omar, whose whereabouts are unknown, "remains in touch" with day-to-da... more »
April 4: Wow! The News YOU Need to Know.
Headline. Page 1. "Stained glass craft survives". Gee! I never knew that. I mean, I've seen stained on even new churches and new houses. But I always thought angels it put there. And there's an even bigger story at the bottom of the page. There's no news about the events centre. Well, that certainly changes my plans. A3 has a stunning revelation that woodlot owners should plan for the future. That's true. It's so much better than planning for the past. In that whole section, the closest thing to news is the story that two men were killed in a crash. Two men. And that's really the e... more »
Ukraine War News Updates -- April 5, 2015
*UPI:* *Nine government soldiers killed in three incidents in east Ukraine* *The killings come amid a fragile ceasefire organized in February by leaders from Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia. * *MARIUPOL, Ukraine, April 5 (UPI) -- Nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed in three separate incidents over the weekend in the country's east, the latest breach of a fragile ceasefire organized by international powers earlier this year.* *Two soldiers were killed in the government-controlled port city of Mariupol when their vehicle struck a mine, and four others died in Schastye, near t... more »
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Admits That He Is Trying To 'Kill A Bad Iranian Nuclear Deal'
*Haaretz:* *Netanyahu tells U.S. TV networks he's 'trying to kill a bad Iran deal'* *Agreement with Iran will spark a nuclear arms race among Sunni countries in the Middle East, prime minister tells NBC, ABC and CNN.* *Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took his campaign against the nuclear agreement with Iran to the American networks on Sunday, saying that he was "trying to kill a bad deal" and arguing that there was still time to "ratchet up the sanctions.”* *The United States and five other world powers announced a preliminary deal with Iran last Thursday, which they said would... more »
Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Message”
Vangelis, “Message” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZpTTokiCrE&html5=1
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Large, dusty, spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this rich telescopic image. The field of view spans nearly 2 degrees, or about 4 times the width of the Full Moon, toward the expansive southern constellation Centaurus. *Click image for larger size.* About 13 million light-years distant, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. But X-ray and infrared observations reveal even more high energy emission and star formation in the core of NGC 4945. The other prominent galaxy in the field, NGC 4976, is an elliptical galaxy. Left of center, NGC 4976 ... more »
Chet Raymo, “Whence Ourselves?”
*“Whence Ourselves?”* by Chet Raymo “My thinking took me back to David S. Goodsell's "The Machinery of Life," and I found myself reading the book again. There is nothing I didn't already know, but it's worth reading again for the same reason one might read, say, Anna Karenina or Moby Dick several times in the course of a life. In fact, Goodsell's book would be a good candidate for the one science book I would recommend to someone stuck on a desert island. Step by step he takes us through the molecular machinery shared by all life on Earth. Humans have a lot more in common with a ba... more »
Paulo Coelho, “Accepting The Fight”
*“Accepting The Fight”* by Paulo Coelho “If someone confronts you over ideas or ideals, step up and accept the fight, because conflict is present in every moment of our lives and sometimes it needs to show itself in the broad light of day. But do not fight in order to prove that you are right or to impose your ideas or ideals on someone else. Only accept the fight as a way of keeping your spirit clean and your will spotless. When the fight is over, both sides will emerge as winners, because they tested their limitations and their abilities. Since both respect the courage and determ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Cabot, Arkansas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Yet Now..."
“Yet now, as he roared across the night sky toward an unknown destiny, he found himself facing that bleak and ultimate question which so few men can answer to their satisfaction. What have I done with my life, he asked himself, that the world will be poorer if I leave it?” - Arthur C. Clarke, “Glide Path”
Satire: “Poll: Americans Starting to Worry About Climate Change Now That It Affects Their Lawns”
*“Poll: Americans Starting to Worry About Climate * *Change Now That It Affects Their Lawns”* by Andy Borowiz SACRAMENTO (The Borowitz Report) – “A new poll shows that Americans who were unconcerned about climate change as it wreaked havoc around the world are beginning to worry, now that global warming is affecting the appearance of their lawns. According to the poll, conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, rising sea levels, the destruction of habitats, and catastrophic weather conditions, such as hurricanes and tsunamis, have not served as the wake-... more »
Short on Cash, “Poor Americans Ending Up in Modern-Day Debtors’ Prison” Over Traffic Fines
Mac Slavo For ages, those who were too poverty-stricken to pay judgments and other outstanding debts were locked up, and forced to work it off under prison labor, along with the cost of incarceration. But it fell out of fashion, and became an unlawful and unconstitutional form of punishment in the U.S. back in the 1830s, as well as in most other countries. The 14th Amendment strengthened equal protection under law, that is until recent decades. With new found economic pressures and plenty of new fines and offenses, debtors’ prisons are back. And it is a harsh reality for thousand... more »
What is Agorism?
By Derrick Broze Derrick discusses Samuel E. Konkin III and his philosophy of Agorism -- the ideology which asserts that Liberty occurs in the real world in practice as Counter-Economics. Watch the video below for an introduction. Visit TheConsciousResistance.com *Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.* Subscribe to GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING by Email
In An Exclusive Interview With The New York Times President Obama Defends The Iranian Nuclear Agreement
*New York Times*: *Obama Strongly Defends Iran Nuclear Deal* *President Obama strongly defended last week’s preliminary agreement with Iran as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to curb the spread of nuclear weapons in a dangerous region while reassuring critics that he would keep all options available if Tehran ultimately cheated.* *As he sought to sell the tentative deal to skeptics accusing him of giving away too much, Mr. Obama emphasized to Israel that “we’ve got their backs” in the face of Iranian hostility. And he suggested that he could accept some sort of vote in Congress... more »
The Islamic State Continues Its Destruction Of Historical Sites And Churches
*Daily Mail:* *ISIS thugs wreck ANOTHER historic site: Extremists use sledgehammers and AK-47s to destroy walls and statues at UNESCO World Heritage site in Iraq* * * Jihadists shown smashing shrines and statues in 2,000-year old city that was declared a World Heritage site in 1987* * * ISIS thugs recorded on ladders using hammers and AK-47s to smash down historic relics on the ancient walls* * * The fanatics claim relics are 'false idols' which promote idolatry that violate their interpretation of Islamic law* * * Authorities also believe they have been sold on the black market by ... more »
In the Belly of the Beast: Called For Jury Duty
This is a bit off the beaten track but since Easter Sunday is generally a pretty slow news day I thought that I’d write about it as a general observation on the judicial system. Believe it or not I am in my early fifties and had never once been called upon to do jury duty until just recently. So on Thursday morning I headed over to my local courthouse, an opulent palace that was given to the forces of law enforcement courtesy of the taxpayers and prepared to suffer through my state enforced civic responsibility. Now I can dig all of that stuff about how serving on a jury is the v... more »
"Most of us are failing constantly. We're looking for forgiveness. We're looking to make a fresh start" ("Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner)
*Matthew W says: "I wanted to be in an environment where we're not part of entertainment wish-fulfillment, because most of us are failing constantly. We're looking for forgiveness. We're looking to make a fresh start. And that tradition of humanity on the show is something I'm very proud of. I don't see a lot of it anywhere else."* *by Ken* As I noted last night, at the March 20 live event with *Mad Men*'s creator-overseer at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Matthew Weiner talked about having been overwhelmed the day before, the first time he toured the museum's *Mad Men... more »
Notes on Nicola Sturgeon
Alex who? I always thought the Tories 'Vote Labour, Get Salmond' schtick was as weak as it was pitiful. It's all very well photo shopping an Ed Milli-band in the former first minister's oversized coat pocket, but when far fewer people south of the border know him and he's no longer calling the shots. Well, after this week, there is no doubt in the electorate's mind who the SNP leader is. For Nicola Sturgeon, this was the moment she passed from the leading personality in Scottish politics to a household name virtually everywhere. This was initially thanks to the leaders' debate last... more »
Thousands Of Palestinian Refugees Trapped In Yarmouk Refugee Camp As ISIS Fighters, Syrian Rebels, And The Syrian Military Battle Amongst Themselves
*CNN:* *Desperation for Palestinians trapped in Syrian refugee camp* *(CNN)Thousands of Palestinians are trapped in the devastated Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, which has mostly been seized by groups including ISIS, activists report.The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says ISIS and the al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front took control of 90% of the camp in southern Damascus.Calling the lives of Yarmouk refugees "profoundly threatened" on Sunday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency issued a statement urging humanitarian aid access. "Never has the hour bee...more »
Chinese Navy Evacuates Citizens And Foreigners From Yemen. U.S. Citizens Are Stranded.
Soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army stand on the deck before a fleet sets out for Aden, Yemen, from Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, April 3, 2015. China has said it helped 10 countries evacuate 225 of their citizens from Yemen, where Iran-allied rebels have seized the two main cities, the first Beijing has assisted in the evacuation of foreign nationals during an international crisis. *Business Insider*: *China just carried out its first-ever evacuation of another countries' citizens* BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese naval frigate has evacuated 225 foreign citizens from str... more »
Free Download: A.W. and J.C. Hare, "Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers,"
"Life is the hyphen between matter and spirit." A.W. and J.C. Hare, "Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers," 1827 Download: https://ia601407.us.archive.org/
"Rightwing Nuthouse: Conservative Heads Explode Over Indiana and Iran"
*"5 Most Deranged Right-Wing Moments This Week: * *Conservative Heads Explode Over Indiana and Iran"* Michele Bachmann takes crazy to a whole new level. By Janet Allon “Right-wing heads just pretty much exploded this week. It was terrible. Events occurred that could be construed as progress—a deal with Iran, a deal with that other religious extremist state, Indiana—what is the world coming to? Boom! Right-wing brain matter all over the place. Bring out the cleanup crews. There was so much crazy being spewed, about Indiana and Iran, it was tough to keep up with it. Here’s some of wh... more »
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