Cinco de Mayo parade in Saint Paul, Minnesota, 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: President George W. Bush greets dancers before their performance during Cinco De Mayo festivities at the White House Friday, May 4, 2001. Deutsch: US-Präsident George W. Bush empfängt Tänzer vor ihrem Auftritt während des Cinco de Mayo-Festes vor dem Weißen Haus am 4. Mai 2001. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)My Feedly!
10:22pm MDST
PLEASE SHARE AND START PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR'S CINCO:
Taking Back Cinco de Mayo By Roberto Rodriguez (Dr. Cintli) The weekend is coming up and you are looking forward to Cinco de Mayo, but this year, knowing that this is when many people denigrate Mexican people, you are determined not to insult Mexican people. What to do? Here’s a simple guide: #1: Do not attempt to dress up or speak like a Mexican. #2: Do not confuse this day with September 16 or Mexican Independence day. That day celebrates independence from a tyrannical Spain. #3: Do not associate liquor/alcohol with this date and do not call it “Drinko de Mayo.” #4: Do not re... more »
Better The Tyrant That You Know Than The Insurgent Group That You Cannot Control
Fighters from Misrata fire weapons at Islamic State militants near Sirte, March 15, 2015. Militants loyal to Islamic State, the group which has seized much of Iraq and Syria, have established a larger presence in central Libya in recent weeks. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic *John Lloyd, Reuters*: *Better the dictator you condemn than the insurgents you can’t control* *President Obama, already musing on failures during his second term, has said he regrets that the U.S. joined a coalition to intervene in Libya in 2011, ousting President Muammar Gaddafi, without an adequate plan for the pos... more »
Why Is The Chinese Navy In The Mediterranean?
Image from mod.gov.cn / Li Xiao and Hu Quanfu *Noah Feldman, Bloomberg*:* What Is China's Navy Doing in Mediterranean?* *Why is China announcing joint naval exercises with Russia in the Mediterranean, so far from home? There’s a global answer connected to the new cool war and China’s interest in responding to U.S. initiatives in the Pacific. But there’s also a more revealing local answer arriving from the nature of China’s growing involvement in the Middle East and North Africa.* *The global geopolitical explanation for the exercises, expected this month, is certainly interesting a... more »
Bill Whittle: PROGRESSIVISM: EMPIRE OF LIES...
*the truth hurts.*
Untitled
*New Orleans Saints value protection, choose Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat with No. 13 pick in NFL draft ~Nick Underhill * *New Orleans and Baltimore after Katrina and Freddie Gray: Jarvis DeBerry *
New Jersey USA kicks up the heat on Bridgegate Krispykronies, and we learn some nasty new stuff
*It remains to be seen how badly David Wildstein, who pled guilty today to a menu of federal charges, can hurt his old high school pal, Governor Krispy.* *by Ken* It wasn't a happy day for His Eminence the Rat Bastard Satrap of New Jersey Kris Krispy, which by itself is cause for celebration among decent folk everywhere. Now it wasn't all that bad a day for the Krispyman, since nothing that happened was unexpected, so maybe it's not time for tumultuous singing and dancing in the streets. Still, it can't be a source of comfort for NJ Fats that that altar boy of conventional politi... more »
Changes In Saudi Leadership Are Signaling The Emergence Of A New Generation Of Leaders
Saudi King Salman (L) speaks with his delegations during the opening meeting of the Arab Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, March 28, 2015. *Voice of America*: *Analysts: Saudi Leadership Changes Signal Bold New Views * *CAIRO — As regional and global alliances shift, Saudi Arabia is shaking up its leadership — ensuring a clear line of succession with younger, more aggressive men hoping to expand the kingdom's regional power as the king nears his 80th birthday.* *As Gulf leaders arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Thursday to prepare for an upcoming summit in the United State... more »
Crown disclosure obligations
Henry *v.*British Columbia (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 24: [67] Disclosure is one of the Crown's fundamental obligations in a criminal prosecution. The Crown is duty-bound to disclose relevant information to the defence, and this obligation is a continuing one. This stringent and, at times, heavy burden on the Crown guarantees an accused's ability to make full answer and defence. Indeed, this was precisely the reason that the Court affirmed a *constitutional* right to disclosure more than two decades ago in *Stinchcombe*: . . . [t]here is [an] overriding... more »
Expert Evidence Admission ReWritten
White Burgess Langille Inman *v. *Abbott and Haliburton Co., 2015 SCC 23 released this week largely rewrites the law on admissibility of expert evidence. The Mohan test is replaced by a two stage test, as from Abbey, and an independence requirement is inserted as a condition precedent to admission: [23] At the first step, the proponent of the evidence must establish the threshold requirements of admissibility. These are the four *Mohan *factors (relevance, necessity, absence of an exclusionary rule and a properly qualified expert) and in addition, in the ... more »
MENA Report - ( May 1 , 2015 ) - Yemen in focus - Airstrikes ongoing , battles on the ground and near the Saudi border ongoing , Political talks fruitless , civilians deaths also ongoing...... Iraq - Syria Regional War - ISIS leader al Baghdadi incapacitated / paralyzed by March 18th airstrike ? Regardless of status on Caliphate Baghdadi or speculation as to whether Assad Gov't might finally fall , death dealing continues with no political solution in sight ..... Libya in focus - failed state items of note ....
Tweets..... *Dozens Killed as Houthis, Saudis Fight on Border* *4,811 Killed in Iraq During April* *Iran Bill in Peril by Deal-Killing Amendments* *UN Warns Yemen Campaign's Civilian Toll Violates Laws of War* *Iraqi Officials Say Shiite Militias Can Deploy in Sunni Anbar Province* *Iraqis See US Plan to Arm Sunni Militias as Attempt to Split Country* *US Navy to Accompany Ships Through Strait of Hormuz* Syria ISIS Arms Dump 'Blows Up' Why Iraqis Are Joining ISIS: Captured Militants Speak Out Iran FM Says Nuclear Deal Deadline Not 'Sacrosanct' Iran Says Warships at Entrance to ... more »
UN Report: Iran Arming Yemen's Houthi Rebels Since 2009
Houthi militants gesture in the yard of the residence of the military commander of the Houthi militant group, Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, after it was hit by an airstrike, in Sanaa April 28, 2015. (File Photo: Reuters) AFP: *Iran arming Yemen's Huthi rebels since 2009* United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Iran has been shipping weapons to Yemen's Huthi rebels since at least 2009, according to a confidential UN report, indicating that Tehran's support dates back to the early years of the Shiite militia's insurgency. The report by a panel of experts was presented to the Security Coun... more »
Tonight's Movie Is 'Retreat, Hell!' (1952)
From *YouTube*: *During the Korean War, a U.S. Marine battalion must fight its way out of a frozen mountain pass despite diminishing supplies, freezing temperatures and constant attacks by overwhelming numbers of Chinese soldiers.*
Fringe: Truth from Nina Sharp
This episode of Fringe is astounding.... love this part on the perceived weakness of human emotions...
Not the Roswell Slides
As we get closer to the reveal of the Not Roswell Slides, Gilles Fernandez posted a note on the last my posting which wasn’t relevant to the topic but that was interesting. Apparently he, and his team of investigators who have been working quietly behind the scenes, have made one discovery that is of importance. Fernandez posted one of the slides to his blog (which is normally written in French but this was in English) that came from the stash of Hilda Blair Ray and showed a scene France. All of this can be seen at: http://skepticversustheflyingsaucers.blogspot.com/ Although they j... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 1, 2015
*Lina Sinjab, BBC News:* *Syria: How a new rebel unity is making headway against the regime* *At the end of March, Syrian rebels captured the north-western provincial capital of Idlib as government forces fled in the face of a co-ordinated offensive.* *The rebels followed up the victory by taking control of the town of Jisr al-Shughour, several villages and the al-Qarmid military base.* *They have reportedly now set their sights on the neighbouring Mediterranean coastal province of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad.* *State media have denied that the rebels are ... more »
Five Observations About Conscientious Objection in Health Care
This connects a little bit to a post not long ago, by my Canadian bioethics colleague Udo Schuklenk on his *Ethx Blog*, on the topic of conscientious objection in health care. The reason why I have started to think about this is that my country's rapidly shrinking Christian Democrat party has just elected itself a new leader – Ebba Busch Thor (see image to the left) – and the echo of the affirmative acclamation at the party's national congress had barely silenced before she made her first move to plug the many leaks of voters, members and sympathisers by declaring that health care s... more »
Musical Interlude: Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”
Leonard Cohen, “Anthem” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ma5tF6TJpA
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Supergiant star Gamma Cygni lies at the center of the Northern Cross, a famous asterism in the constellation of the Swan (Cygnus). Known by the proper name Sadr, the bright star also lies at the center of this gorgeous skyscape, featuring a complex of stars, dust clouds, and glowing nebulae along the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* The field of view spans over 3 degrees (six Full Moons) on the sky and includes emission nebula IC 1318 and open star cluster NGC 6910. Left of Gamma Cygni and shaped like two glowing cosmic wings divided by a long dark du... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Spark of Life”
*“The Spark of Life”* by Chet Raymo In a previous post I quoted Teilhard de Chardin referring to the discovery of electromagnetic waves as a "prodigious biological event." A biological event? What could he mean? The universe was awash with electromagnetic waves long before life appeared on Earth, or anywhere else in the universe. The cosmic microwave background radiation- the residue of the big bang- is electromagnetic. Starlight is an electromagnetic wave. You can "discover" electromagnetic waves by opening your eyes. Of course, what Teilhard referred to was the conscious control... more »
Unmasking The GMO Humanitarian Narrative
RINF, Countercurrents, Global Research Genetically modified (GM) crops are going to feed the world. Not only that, supporters of GM technology say it will produce better yields than non-GM crops, increase farmers’ incomes, lead to less chemical inputs, be better suited to climatic changes, is safe for human consumption and will save the lives of millions. Sections of the pro-GMO lobby are modern-day evangelists who denounce, often with a hefty dose of bigoted zeal, anyone who questions their claims and self-proclaimed humanitarian motives. But their claims do not stack up. Even if so... more »
“The Joys of Living”
*“The Joys of Living”* by Orison Swett Marden “Resolve every morning that you will get the most out of that day, not of some day in the future, when you are better off, when you have a family, when your children are grown up, when you have overcome your difficulties. You never will overcome them all. You will never be able to eliminate all the things which annoy, trouble, and cause friction in your life. You will never get rid of all the little enemies of your happiness, the hundred and one little annoyances, but you can make the most of things as they are. The reason why our liv... more »
"Our Finest Moments..."
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." - M. Scott Peck
The Poet: William Butler Yeats, "The Second Coming"
*"The Second Coming"* *․ * "Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert A shape with lion body and the h...more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Horton, Michigan, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Very Cup..."
“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?” - Kahlil Gibran
"A Few End-Of-The -Day Questions"
*"A Few End-Of-The -Day Questions"* by Leo Buscaglia “It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely. Asking yourself questions and answering them honestly is a good path to self-knowledge. In keeping with this idea, I'd like to propose a few end-of-the-day questions for each of us... Is anyone a little happier because I came along today? Did I leave any concrete evidence of my kindness, any sign of ... more »
World News Briefs -- May 1, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*AFP*: *UN warns on Yemen aid as Saudi reports first border attack* *Aden (AFP) - The United Nations warned fuel shortages threaten to halt all relief operations in Yemen "within days" as Saudi Arabia reported the first retaliatory cross-border attack of its five-week air war.* *Riyadh rejected any neutral venue for UN-brokered peace talks as a confidential UN report supported its allegations that regional rival Tehran had been arming Yemen's Huthi Shiite rebels since 2009.* *MIDDLE EAST* Yemen violence *kills 1,244, injures 5,044: WHO* Fierce fighting grips Yemen's Aden *as res... more »
Why Syriza Failed; Why Europe May Fail With It
*Logo of the Greek Golden Dawn political party* *by Gaius Publius* I haven't written much about Greece lately, but there's quite a story going on. It's not that difficult to follow, but you have to be careful whom you read. Conventional wisdom (backed by corporate, pro-austerity media outlets here and abroad) says it's a morality tale — bad Greeks who went into too much debt and now they can't pay up. Good German bankers want their money and are reluctant to forgive bad deeds because it might encourage other debt-owing entities to seek relief as well. They're calling that "moral h... more »
Reflections on my 200th Post
The israelification of the Canadian Police Forces Professional Rioters, Crisis Actors and other superfluous "human beings" http://investmentwatchblog.com/ny-city-tensions-are-rising-as-several-civil-rights-groups-and-professional-rioters-have-begun-to-converge-upon-union-station-in-new-york-city-ny/
Yemen War News Updates -- May 1, 2015
*BBC:* *Yemen crisis: Saudi Arabia 'repels Houthi border attack'* *Three Saudi troops and "dozens" of Houthi rebels were killed as Saudi forces repelled a major attack from inside Yemen, Saudi officials say.* *The rebels attacked near the town of Najran, reports say, in what would be their biggest assault on Saudi soil since a Saudi military campaign began.* *A Saudi-led coalition has staged air strikes against rebels since late March in support of Yemen's exiled president.* *Meanwhile aid groups say a lack of fuel is threatening their operations there. * *Yemen War News Updates ... more »
"Destiny..."
"Then Newman said, “My father once told me a story I always think of, when the going gets rough and things look hopeless. It’s about Destiny…. Destiny came down to an island, centuries ago, and summoned three of the inhabitants before him. ‘What would you do,’ asked Destiny, ‘if I told you that tomorrow this island will be completely inundated by an immense tidal wave?'’ The first man, who was a cynic, said, ‘Why, I would eat, drink, carouse and make love all night long!’ The second man, who was a mystic, said, ‘I would go to the sacred grove with my loved ones and make sacrifices ... more »
Prince Rupert-based Lax Kw’alaamsFirst Nation, Don`t Be Fooled By Promises Of Unicorns Arriving After Year 25
My oh my, the big headline, Petronas puts $1 billion dollars on the table for First Nation`s consent.. What a bold misleading headline... _________ 'Game changer': Gas company offers $1-billion to First Nations band in B.C. JUSTINE HUNTER And BRENT JANG VICTORIA and VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail Published Friday, May. 01 2015, 6:00 AM EDT http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/pacific-northwest-lng-venture-offers-1-billion-for-aboriginal-consent/article24203113/ _____________ The $1 billion dollars is over 40 years, the payout, th... more »
GIVE 'EM HELL, BERNIE / THE GAME IS ON
*Admit it, most of us know the political system is rigged, that most Americans have been marginalized**and silenced by a growing plutocracy and that corporations are now firmly in control, that a truly honest politician is an oxymoron, that is until now ~ Bernie Sanders is a lifeboat in a sea of political deception and lost hope. Bernie is an honest Independent politician who cares enough now in 2015 to become a Democrat, run against Hillary and the other political pretenders of both parties for the presidency and who knows ~ A Sanders/Warren ticket just may ride ... more »
Report: Islamic State Leader's Injuries From Airstrike More Serious Than Originally Reported
A file photo of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi giving a sermon (Photo credit: YouTube screen capture) *The Guardian*:* Isis leader incapacitated with suspected spinal injuries after air strike* *Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is being treated in hideout two months after attack while deputy leader Abu Alaa al-Afri runs terror group intent on revenge* *The leader of the Islamic State (Isis), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remains incapacitated due to suspected spinal damage and is being treated by two doctors who travel to his hideout from the group’s stronghold of Mosul, the Guardian has ... more »
This Is Why The Syrian Government Is Losing The Civil War
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Jeremy Bender, Business Insider:* *Here are all of the problems with the reeling Syrian army* *The Syrian Army is facing its most serious challenges since the start of the Syrian Civil War. * *Fatigued, over-stretched, and losing the support of its base constituency, the Syrian Army is conceivably nearing the point of collapse. Major rebel offenses have taken control of the strategic cities of Idlib and Jisr al-Shegour in the north. Meanwhile, a second rebel offensive in the south has been steadily working its way towards Damascus, the capital. * *T... more »
Syrian Rebels Are Now Taking The Fight To Assad's Heartland
A rebel fighter stands on a hill overlooking al-Ghab plain, as he monitors the progress of the fighting from the Jabal al-Akrad area in Syria's northwestern Latakia province. (Reuters) *Reuters*:* Islamist rebels battle Syrian army near Assad heartland* *(Reuters) - Islamist rebels and the Syrian army fought fierce battles in Latakia province overnight close to President Bashar al-Assad's ancestral home, the army and rebels said, after weeks of insurgent gains in the country's northwest.* *Rebels seeking to topple Assad have in the past sought to bring their four-year-long insurg... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Suzanne Ciani, "Anthem:
Suzanne Ciani, "Anthem: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnCl1zWYl6k&list=RDWnCl1zWYl6k
May 1: A lat start today...
so skip most of section A - except for A1 "Deer-car collisions taking toll." Apparently record numbers of deer are being killed on our highways this year. It's partly because they're starving after a long winter, and are feeding on new grass along the highways. So the answer being suggested is to put up more road signs. That's been done for years with little success because many drivers don't bother to read - and deer can't. They're being chased out of the woods by lack of food at this time of year. Wouldn't it make more sense to establish feeding stations for them in the woods. Ju... more »
Promising...
Tesla unveils battery to ‘transform energy infrastructure’ http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/01/business/tech/tesla-unveils-battery-transform-energy-infrastructure/#.VUOBUKWfvEk
This Map of Consciousness May Change Your Life
*Meme - *This image shows the location of 32-activation points, or access bars, around the head, and how each will affect different aspects of our lives. The post This Map of Consciousness May Change Your Life appeared first on Waking Times.
The Soul of Our Nation is Rotting
*Boarded up row houses in Baltimore poor neighborhoods* The poor in Baltimore, Maryland have essentially forced the state to prosecute six cops for the death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby has announced that the death of Gray has been ruled a homicide and that criminal charges will be pursued. The protests in that city have no doubt ensured that the legal system had to put these cops on trial. The solidarity protests in New York City and across the nation were also instrumental in pushing this decision. But don't think for a minute though that the la... more »
Friday Beaver - Distressed version
Earthquakes Volcanoes and War... Oh My Terrorists? School shootings? A foreign virus? Get your fear here. You're more apt to be gunned down in a road rage incident here than any of those things. Everywhere you look here we're being sold fear. Toe nail fungus? Fear not there's a pill for that just don't listen to the side effects at the end of the ad. And what old man would like an erection that lasts more than four hours? Not much you can do about earthquakes. They either happen or they don't. That's not to say we aren't helping them along with fracking. Just wish they wouldn't ... more »
6 Natural Solutions To Decontaminate Soil
*Marco Torres* - With a progressively educated population becoming more aware of the inherent dangers of the conventional food supply, urban farming has become hugely popular. The post 6 Natural Solutions To Decontaminate Soil appeared first on Waking Times.
Baltimore...why?
It seems all of us are dealing with deep issues of self-definition. Personally and collectively we are again and again asked to define just exactly who we are. Baltimore. Responses to the violence have been telling to say the least. As we define ourselves, we allow and contribute to our collective declaration. There are no easy answers. Even the youngest beings are made aware, on some level, of the question before us as baseball fans are prohibited, for the first time *ever*, from attending the Baltimore Orioles game (click here for update on this) With this very much on my m... more »
Guantanamo Detainees Released To Uruguay Now Want Compensation From The U.S.
Abdul Bin Muhammad Bin Abbas Ouerghi, Ali Husein Shaaban, and Abd al-Hadi Omar Mahmoud Faraj outside of the US Embassy – Image Credit: MIGUEL ROJO/AFP/Getty Images *The Guardian:* *Former Guantánamo detainees protest in Uruguay to demand aid from US* *Refugees who were given shelter in Uruguay after being detained and tortured have been protesting outside US embassy for days with calls for living assistanceAfter being detained, tortured and – eventually – released without charges, four former Guantánamo Bay inmates are protesting outside the US embassy in Montevideo to demand ... more »
Discussions Begin On The Fate Of The Taliban Leaders Who Were Released For Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl
*Washington Post:* *U.S., Qatar launch talks on fate of Taliban officials released in Bergdahl swap* *U.S. and Qatari officials began talks Thursday about extending security assurances for five senior Taliban members who were released from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and whose transfer to Qatar triggered an outcry on Capitol Hill.* *The talks could lead to an extension of at least some aspects of a one-year arrangement that required Qatar to keep the former prisoners under supervision and ban them from leaving. They could also lead to the former detainees b... more »
The Forbidden Secrets of the Church
*Pao L. Chang* - Religion is one of the most powerful tools to use for enslaving our minds and souls, because it manipulates us to think that we are weak and powerless, and need to rely on a savior to save us. The post The Forbidden Secrets of the Church appeared first on Waking Times.
Mother’s Day – Earth Day – Why Not Every Day?
Ida Lawrence, Contributor Waking Times We’re approaching Mother’s Day – another commercial holiday in the U.S. about which we can have mixed feelings. The marketing encourages everyone to give attention to their mom, and talk to her, spend money on her, or if she has left this physical plane, to think of her and miss […] The post Mother’s Day – Earth Day – Why Not Every Day? appeared first on Waking Times.
Afghanistan Peace Talks?
A general view of the Taliban Afghanistan Political Office in Doha. *The Guardian*: *Afghan delegation heads to Qatar for talks with the Taliban* *Scheduled meeting also involves representatives from Pakistan and would mark significant step towards opening formal talks to ending conflict in Afghanistan* *An Afghan government delegation is heading to Qatar for “open discussions” with representatives of the Taliban aimed at ending Afghanistan’s long war, officials have said.* *The scheduled meeting would mark a significant step towards opening formal talks to ending the conflict, ... more »
Congress Divides Into 2 Camps-- Those Supporting Military Families And Those Supporting Predatory Lenders
Lou Vince-- progressive congressional candidate for CA-25 The *Military Times* super-serves a very specific readership. A few days ago they went into overdrive because conservatives made it clear that there is an expansion of legislation Elizabeth Warren has pushed that they want to destroy-- protection for military families from predatory lenders. House Republicans sensed they had the opportunity to wreck that. It's coming up on election time and they are eager to show Wall Street they will throw anyone under the bus, even military families being systematically victimized, on behalf... more »
Milibae: The Movie
Hands down this is the best and most absurd thing I've seen this election. Is it fan made? Is it something spawned by the press department? Who can say, except whoever authored it knows the internet and knows how fandoms work. At seven pm from this day forward - until election night anyway - the aims is to get #MilibaeTheMovie trending. When 19:00 hours strike I will be there doing my duty.
Photos Of Islamic State Training Camp In Afghanistan Appear On Jihadist Website
The jihadists are all believed to be ex-Taliban fighters who have become dissatisfied with Al Qaeda *Daily Mail*: *Are ISIS now in Afghanistan? Chilling images appear to show extremists flying terror group's sinister black and white flag at training camp near Pakistan border* * * Images have emerged of soldiers training under ISIS flag in Afghanistan* * * A dozen men appear to be armed with assault rifles and taking part in drills* * * Extremists are all thought to be ex-Taliban fighters dissatisfied with Al Qaeda* *The jihadists are all believed to be former Taliban fighters who ... more »
World News Briefs -- May 1, 2015
© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS *RT:* *Worldwide marches mark Labor Day (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)* *Thousands have rallied worldwide to celebrate International Workers' Day or May Day, the largest labor holiday in the world. In some countries demonstrations have turned violent with police deploying tears gas.* *Several hundred people took to the streets in Istanbul with police using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters at the landmark Taksim Square, the Hurriyet Daily reported. Some 10,000 officers were on patrol in the area. * *MIDDLE EAST* Fierce fighting grips Yemen's Aden *as ... more »
Status Of Whitewraithe
Some people have been wondering what has happened to Whitewraithe, who of course hosts with myself the Turbulent Times shows over at Blogtalk radio, and also runs the website: "Pragmatic Witness" at www.whitewraithe.wordpress.com.... Well, she got injured a few days ago and is presently laid up with bruising and a very sore back.... She is presently recovering and will be posting material over at Pragmatic Witness as soon as she is better... She requested that I let her own readers know, and I will be putting up a report of her status over at her Pragmatic Witness site..... Again, s... more »
I am not getting the Tesla battery hype
Elon Musk has done and is doing great things but I seem to be bombarded by hype – not only by media hype – that just goes beyond me. Electric cars have been around for quite some time. In the 2010 video above, Jay Leno compares an electric Ford Focus to his Baker Electric from 1909 – when my grandfather was born. The principle remained the same – and in fact, the range remained pretty much the same, too, of order 100 miles. Now, there have been lots of semi-groundbreaking inventions. For example, Thomas Alva Edison invented the alkaline batteries which doubled the range. We still ... more »
The Economy: “The Smell of Burnt Hair and Hide Was in the Air…”
*“The Smell of Burnt Hair and Hide Was in the Air…”* by Bill Bonner Gualfin (“End of the Road”), Argentina - “Give it the works,” Jorge, our ranch foreman, yelled. The dust billowed up. The cows whined, moaned and honked. We reached for our clippers. The results of “the works” were already spread around us. There was blood splattered on the stone walls and wooden barriers. The smell of burnt hair and hide was in the air. And on the ground were triangular pieces of cows’ ears, horns and testicles in various sizes. One of the dogs had been eating the testicles as fast as they were to... more »
THE PSEUDOJOURNALISM RULES: Another trip to Professor Dean’s class!
*FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015Part 5—The Times and the fairy tale jet:* Once again, we’ll suggest that you should consider what Howard Dean said. He appeared on last Thursday’s Morning Joe. While there, he made an especially rude remark about the New York Times’ bombshell report and the newspaper’s general work: DEAN (4/23/15): : First of all, I haven’t seen the story and neither have you, right?...I will say, there is an epidemic of really sloppy reporting that goes from the top to the bottom...I’d like to see what all the facts are here, because so far we haven’t really seen— SCARBOROUGH... more »
Halle Berry's breasts prove a distraction to Jay Leno - A Rule 5 post
Halle Berry still has it, lots of it... "Your problem is you can't sit down, mine is I can't stand up".
BBC protecting the Labour Party from bad publicity as ever. Ex- Falkirk MP Eric Joyce guilty of assaulting two teenagers per BBC News
This BBC article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32557123 seems to omit the name of the political party that Eric Joyce was the MP for. 'Ex- Falkirk MP Eric Joyce guilty of assaulting two teenagers Former Falkirk MP Eric Joyce has been found guilty of assaulting two teenage boys in an "unjustified and unprovoked" attack in a shop. The 54-year-old assaulted the boys, aged 14 and 15, in a food store in north London, in October 2014. One boy had been trying to pass Joyce in a narrow aisle and was knocked to the floor. Joyce had denied two counts of common assault but ha... more »
Nepal 6: Nepal Government Wants to Monopolize All Donations
One ugly characteristic of many governments is their tendency to centralize many things, consistent with their central planning thinking. Like centralizing even private money and donations meant for victims of natural calamities. Recent example is the Nepal government. I am reposting these fb status updates from a friend, Arpita Nepal, Director at Samriddhi Prosperity Foundation in Kathmandu. ------------ April 30, 2015 *Dear well wishers, our 'esteemed government' wants to channel all possible resources only through them! So if you are planning to send any contribution to Nepal,... more »
“Fukushima Update, 5/1/2015”
*Click image for larger size.* *“Fukushima Update, 5/1/2015”* By ENENews "When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - "Sherlock Holmes", by Arthur Conan Doyle *"Prof. Hiroaki Koide, Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (retired), Apr 24, 2015*, starting at 31:00 in: "Although what I’ve been describing is quite grave, we have an even more serious issue facing us, which is the reactor cores melted in Units 1-3. What are we going to do about that? Tepco believes that there are lumps of melted fuel and they have this idea tha... more »
“Fukushima Update, 5/1/2015”
*Click image for larger size.* “Fukushima Update, 5/1/2015” By ENENews "Prof. Hiroaki Koide, Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (retired), Apr 24, 2015, starting at 31:00 in: Although what I’ve been describing is quite grave, we have an even more serious issue facing us, which is the reactor cores melted in Units 1-3. What are we going to do about that? Tepco believes that there are lumps of melted fuel and they have this idea that they are somehow going to pluck out all of these lumps. They’re saying that the first step they will take is to somehow plug the holes in the ... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 1, 2015
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) *DoD Buzz*: *Announcement on New JCS Chairman Expected Soon* *The White House was expected to make an announcement soon on a successor to the retiring Army Gen. Martin Dempsey as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.* *For the second day in a row, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said that timing of the announcement was up to the White House and the Defense Department would have no comment on possible candidates for the position as the top military advisor to the Presiden... more »
Volcanic eruption off of Oregon Coast- Dutchsinse
4/30/2015 — VOLCANIC ERUPTION OFF WEST COAST UNITED STATES! OREGON UNDERSEA VOLCANO NOW ERUPTING APRIL 30, 2015 MICHAEL JANITCH LEAVE A COMMENT A new volcanic eruption is now confirmed to be taking place off the West Coast of the United States. The new undersea volcanic activity is occurring approximately 300 miles off the shores of Central Oregon, along the Axial Seamount, where a fresh fissure has formed, producing new undersea lava flows, and seismic activity. This undersea eruption FOLLOWS a series of earthquakes at dormant volcanoes along the West coast in California, and Nevada... more »
Transpicuous News: Video Archive for April 26th and 29th
Sorry for the delay in publishing April 26th, 2015 archive Video of Transpicuous News Weekend Report.... I do try. Really I do! So here is The Archive videos of both Transpicuous News Reports for this past week: April 26th and 29th, 2015. Unfortunately due to several complete computer melt downs- which if you were watching Wednesday nights Midweek report live, you got to witness one first hand, lol- I do not have the links to go with the TN Sunday Weekend Report, and I have NONE of the links for Wednesday night's Midweek Report. Sorry my friends.... I'm trying to bring an old ex... more »
The BBC finally cover the Margaret Hodge story, sympathetically of course
On Wednesday I predicted how the BBC would report the Margaret Hodge story when they could no longer ignore it. Well the BBC have finally deigned to cover the Margaret Hodge story with a sympathetic interview on 5Live. 'Speaking to Peter Allen on Radio 5 Live, Margaret Hodge has defended her own tax affairs after accusations that she has benefited from shares which were held in the tax haven of Liechtenstein, although she has been a vehement critic of tax avoidance and evasion. Ms Hodge said that she never controlled the trust which held the shares and paid tax once the shares ca... more »
What a Difference a May Day Makes
Happy International Workers' Day, everybody! At least 80 other countries are giving people the day off to hold parades and other events in memory of Chicago's Haymarket Massacre. Even though this event occurred in the United States, the One Indispensable Nation of Disposable People is not officially celebrating. The only thing they're celebrating in Chicago today (at least as far as the mainstream media are concerned) is the awarding of the bid for President Obama's library shrine, part of which is to be built on public parkland without the permission of the actual public. Luckily,... more »
The Battle To Build America's Next Generation Bomber Pits The Biggest Defense Contractors Against Each Other
*The Economist:* *Battle Joined* *Three of the world’s biggest defence companies are locked in a contest that could reshape the industry* *WITHIN the next few months, the biggest defence contract for what will probably be many years to come will be awarded by the US Air Force, to build a new long-range strike bomber. The B-3, as it is likely to be named, will be a nuclear-capable aircraft designed to penetrate the most sophisticated air defences. The contract itself will be worth $50 billion-plus in revenues to the successful bidder, and there will be many billions of dollars mo... more »
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-up, 5/1/15"
*“Weekly News Wrap-up, 5/1/15"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Looks like, for once the U.S. and Iranian Navies may be inching towards confrontation. It was announced that the U.S. Navy will be escorting U.S. flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz. This came after an erroneous report that the Iranians had boarded a U.S. flagged ship. The Hormuz has 35% of the world’s seaborne oil shipments. The U.S. Navy intercepted some Iranian cargo ships last week heading to Yemen. They turned around, and now the U.S. carrier group has also left the area. The Saudis are fighting to remove ...more »
Musical Interlude: Chris de Burgh, “Carry Me”
Chris de Burgh, “Carry Me” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl5cWaBE-gA&index=3&list=RD_XqMna5JQT4
Perdido Street School: Education Reformer Jeanne Allen Says Baltimore Rio...
Perdido Street School: Education Reformer Jeanne Allen Says Baltimore Rio...: A picture of a deleted tweet by Jeanne Allen, founder of the Center for Education Reform: So public schools are one of the causes of ... more »
Wang Jin-pyng Positions Himself for a Presidential Run
*One reason I've always liked Taiwan is that you can take your dog to shops and restaurants. Very sensible.* Wang Jin-pyng, KMT heavyweight, Speaker of the Legislature, former faction politiciam whom President Ma Ying-jeou attempted to have removed from the party two years ago, is clearly positioning himself for a run at the Presidency. He stated yesterday... 不用說你是中國人，但不能否定自己是華人 You can't say I am a Chinese, but you cannot deny I am of Chinese ethnicity Wang is dipping a toe in the perilous waters of Taiwanese identity politics. Recall that he is a Taiwanese faction politician fro... more »
Don't Expect To See Clay Aiken Run For Congress Again
The Esquire Network just finished running the 4-hour documentary on *American Idol* runner-up Clay Aiken's congressional run against Republican Renee Ellmers in a very gerrymandered North Carolina district. The documentary was cut up into episodes and shown as a series. It wasn't very good... but I kept watching anyway. There's a piece of one of the last episodes above. Clay had come to understand-- just after winning the primary 11,649 (40.8%) to 11,277 (37.5%) and just before losing to Ellmers 121,336 (58.9%) to 84,826 (41.1%)-- what many idealistic Democratic candidates eventua... more »
What Running Out Of Money Will Look Like In Greece (And Elsewhere)
*Zero Hedge:* *Greek Pensioners Crash Pension Fund Board Meeting, Form Lines At Bank* *On Thursday we noted that no matter how tempting it may be to tune out the almost hourly warnings from various sources claiming Greece is finally set to run out of cash, one can’t just assume the government will yet again find another couch cushion to reach into in order to scrape up a few more euros to pay government employees and creditors and thereby forestall the inevitable for another few weeks. Eventually, there simply will be no more money and the first signs that Greece has entered the f... more »
Debating Jade Helm with Jim Fetzer on FFWN
*Jade Helm & anti-police riots: A perfect storm?* 1) Firestorm over Jade Helm document http://www.scribd.com/doc/258605525/Jade-Helm-Martial-Law-WW3-Prep-Document-1#scribd 2) Anti-police protests gain momentum across US http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2015/04/30/408807/Freddie-Gray-protests-spread-nationwide *False flag warnings* 3) Warning of "immanent ISIS attack" - be very afraid! http://www.wnd.com/2015/04/2-u-s-agencies-warn-on-imminent-isis-attack/ 4) Oilfield explosives go missing from Halliburton http://www.allnewspipeline.com/Explosives_Missing_In_Jade_Helm_Texas.php ... more »
Will Russian Soldiers Be Fighting Using Exoskeletons In 5 Years?
*Fiscal Times:* *Yikes! Putin Will Soon Have Superhuman Robo-Soldiers! * *It may not be sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads, but for a leader bent on expanding his global sphere of influence, an army of soldiers equipped with mind-controlled robotic exoskeletons may be the next best thing. According to Russian media, that’s just what President Vladimir Putin’s army has in the pipeline. On Wednesday, the headline on the government-run Sputnik News website was, “Lock and Load: Russian Hybrid Robo-Soldiers Could Be Just Five Years Away.” Russia Today, the equall... more »
Alpine explorations
By American Kabuki May 1, 2015 Its been a awhile since I wrote. Yes that's me with white hair. Its been white for some time but I colored it for a few years, I went gray at a very early age, a genetic trait I think I inherited from my grandfather. Whether I will leave it that way I don't know, for the time beings its certainly easier to take care of. My time here has been a period of reflection for me and resting. Learning a little bit of Yoga, while living in a very beautiful spot. The snow has melted for the most part in the Alps, still some on the north slopes, but even... more »
Islamic State Release Their Latest Video On The War In Iraq
*Threat Matrix:* *Islamic State releases video of recent battles near Ramadi* *The Islamic State has released a new video showcasing recent battles in the Al Sufiyah area of eastern Ramadi. Approximately 30 Iraqi police have been killed and around 100 more have been injured in recent days in the western provincial capital.* *The video (embedded above) documents fierce firefights taking place with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). The footage starts with a dawn raid followed by showing Islamic State fighters firing on Iraqi positions and clearing buildings. Several scenes show Iraqi ai... more »
Ed Balls under Jeremy Paxman's interrogation
Ed Balls under Jeremy Paxman's interrogation in January 2014, just not answering questions and generally coming over so badly. Maybe the Conservative election strategy should be just to play Ed Balls interviews... Remember that for 13 years of the last Labour government the top tax rate was 40%, it was raised about to 50% about 10 weeks before the 2010 election. Here's Ed Balls being interviewed by Andrew Neil from February 2013 Just as slippery then... And more recently from February of this year with Andrew Marr Answer the f***ing question Balls.
Will The F-35 Be A Game Changer In The Middle East?
Three F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (rear to front) — AF-2, AF-3 and AF-4 — can be seen flying over Edwards Air Force Base in this Dec. 10, 2011, in this handout photo provided by Lockheed Martin. (photo by REUTERS/Lockheed Martin/Darin Russell) *Metin Gurcan, Al-Monitor:* Will the F-35 change Middle East warfare? *US Vice President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Washington April 23 on the occasion of Israeli Independence Day celebrations. He announced that in 2016, the United States will deliver two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Israel. Yet, the debate still rages on the cost-effect... more »
Will The F-35 Be The Last Manned Fighter Jet?
Photo: Future US Navy fighter jet concept. National Interest *Todd Harrison, Forbes*:* Will The F-35 Be The Last Manned Fighter Jet? Physics, Physiology, and Fiscal Facts Suggest Yes.* Earlier this month Navy Secretary Ray Mabus remarked that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter “should be, and almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly.” This sparked a lot of discussion both inside and outside the military about the advantages, vulnerabilities, and ethical concerns of armed remotely piloted aircraft. I think Secretary... more »
Did Labour over-spend? - BBC News
Robert Preston sort of has to admit it... 'But Labour wasn't just asleep at the wheel when it came to City regulation. Arguably it was drunk at the wheel - in that it loved the City boom, for generating huge tax revenues that it then lavished on public services. So the failure to keep the City properly in check was in a sense wilful and therefore doubly wrong. And there's another thing. Even best-in-class regulation of the City can't protect any economy from periodic shocks. Which is why there is something to be said for George Osborne's favourite cliche, that it is sensible to m... more »
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency Spent $10 billion On 4 Projects That Did Not Work
Sea-Based X-Band Radar being transported on ship. (Photo : Twitter Photo Section) *AllGov*: *Missile Defense Agency Spent $10 Billion on 4 Projects that were Cancelled* *The Department of Defense started, then discarded, four massive missile defense projects, wasting $10 billion on technology that wasn’t capable of protecting the United States from foreign attack.* *An investigation by the Los Angeles Times identified four programs developed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) that did not work as advertised:* *The Department of Defense started, then discarded, four massive missi... more »
Art personalities - John Payne - Fleshlettes
Free Planet loves photorealistic art/sculpture that is 'truly competent in its aims' and 'tests the boundaries of taste' and John Payne does exactly that with his cute little family of Fleshlettes made from polymer clay, acrylics and human hair. And, yes, he names each piece so that they become 'personalities' with their own character traits *et al*. "Jacqueline" "Tina" "Portia"
50 Years a Slave: Raju the Elephant Cried Tears of Joy After Being Freed from Suffering
*Videp - *This video follows the incredible life of an elephant that was held in chains, beaten and abused for fifty years, with an amazing finale where he is released to freedom. The post 50 Years a Slave: Raju the Elephant Cried Tears of Joy After Being Freed from Suffering appeared first on Waking Times.
Supremes to Employers: No, We Won't Make EEOC Force You To Settle
In one of the most bizarre employer appeals I've ever seen, a company called Mach Mining asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a suit by EEOC because EEOC didn't engage in sufficient conciliation efforts. Conciliation is a fancy term for trying to settle a case. It's done after EEOC makes one of those rare findings of "cause" for a discrimination charge.* That's right: this was an *employer’s* beef about EEOC not trying hard enough to make the *employer* settle. It was much ado about . . . well, not nothing, but certainly not much. While I’d have been happy if the Supremes had ordered ... more »
Economic News , Data and Views ( May 1 , 2015 - Holidays in much of Asia and Europe today ) - Greece Updates ( Greece and its creditors set to talk through the weekend in the hope of reaching an interim deal , financial status of Greece / red lines for talks / EWG items of note ) ...... Broader Europe items of note (UK data - Consumer Confidence / April Manufacturing PM , Bond land / Qe and ECB in focus , Euro strength in focus , Grexit in focus , May Day - Labor unions and Income Inequality ) ..... Asia also in focus ( China takes on Uber , China celebrates May day , Apple item ) ...... Japan in focus ( B of J and JGB in focus )
Tweets.... Greece.... *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini · 24m24 minutes ago Greece said to proceed with privatization of ports, airport http:// dlvr.it/9d1fGs *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini · 1h1 hour ago Greek bailout talks to stretch into the weekend http://dlvr.it/9d0DtF *Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini · 2h2 hours ago Greek workers take to the streets to oppose austerity on Labor Day http:// dlvr.it/9czNrx Derek Gatopoulos retweeted *Elena Becatoros* @ElenaBec · 2h2 hours ago "My answer is simple: No, no, no" #Varoufakis on some creditor-de... more »
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-up, 5/1/15"
*“Weekly News Wrap-up, 5/1/15"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Looks like, for once the U.S. and Iranian Navies may be inching towards confrontation. It was announced that the U.S. Navy will be escorting U.S. flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz. This came after an erroneous report that the Iranians had boarded a U.S. flagged ship. The Hormuz has 35% of the world’s seaborne oil shipments. The U.S. Navy intercepted some Iranian cargo ships last week heading to Yemen. They turned around, and now the U.S. carrier group has also left the area. The Saudis are fighting to remove ...more »
Odd Q.T.
Further to Craig’s heroic live-blog, a few afterthoughts. I don’t know (neither do you) whether the avalanche of criticism over the recent crescendo of lefty bias affected the strategy of David Dimbleby and his BBC back-room team, but something strange happened last night. Rather, something unusually *un*strange, which was of course the unique reversion to balance, from both chairman and audience. I know many left-leaning viewers didn’t much like it, but one could gloat over the fact that they were experiencing at long last a taste of their own medicine. Anyway, to many people it ... more »
But you didn't answer the question Ed Miliband
Once again Ed Miliband shows why you can't trust Ed Miliband and Ed Balls with the UK economy. Too right Ed Balls should have been sacked and never let near a position of economic responsibility ever again.
Iran says warships at the entrance to key Yemen strait
[image: Alborz (FS 72)]Two Iranian destroyers, sent to the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial ships, have reached the entrance of Bab el-Mandab, a strategic strait between Yemen and Djibouti, Iran`s Navy said on Thursday. "We are present in the Gulf of Aden in accordance with international regulations to ensure the safety of commercial ships of our country against the threat of pirates," the head of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayari was quoted by the official IRNA news agency. The Navy sent the Alborz and Bushehr destroyers to patrol the entrance to the strait, he adde... more »
Ed Miliband and Minority Government
What did you think of last night's grilling of the main party leaders? As much as I detest Dave and his Nick Clegg mini-me, I think they performed creditably by the criteria one judges media appearances. The Prime Minister was polished and a little bit sweaty, but his question dodging body swerves saw him through the half hour. Clegg, who is probably the most telegenic and eloquent of all the mainstream politicians ate a bit of humble pie but made a good case, by his standards, for why the electorate should give the LibDems another punt. And Ed Miliband was, once again, his confiden... more »
Gerald Ford or Ed Miliband, or Neil Kinnock
The left ridiculed Gerald Ford as a man who couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. Last night we discovered that Ed Miliband can't even walk straight when not chewing gum... Actually that reminds me more of Neil Kinnock...
The Party Leaders 'get it on'... Scary and yet compelling
Thanks to Sky News... David Cameron's lascivious 'love' at 0:33 is my favourite moment, well that and Cameron and Clegg nodding at each other just before the end of the video.
Tunisian Navy receives two new patrol boats from US
[image: 44ft patrol boats]The Tunisian Navy has taken the delivery of two 44ft-long patrol boats from the US Embassy, marking the increasing strategic partnership between both the countries. The delivery took place in the presence of US ambassador Jake Walles, Tunisian Defence Minister Ghazi Jeribi, and US Embassy vice-admiral Mohamed Khamassi. The boats, worth more than $2m, have been donated as part of an ongoing programme, which provides assistance to the Tunisian navy. Read more
Boeing Upgrades to Keep B-1 Bomber Soaring for Decades to Come
[image: B-1 Lancer]The Boeing B-1B Lancer celebrates its soon to be 30th anniversary with the U.S. Air Force at Dyess Air Force Base this week – marking one of many milestones in a legacy that will continue long into the future as Boeing’s B-1 team ushers the supersonic bomber into the digital age with new upgrades. The latest upgrade, a trio of updates known as the integrated battle station, are ensuring the B-1 meets today’s mission requirements and further establishes a solid foundation for additional modernization in the decades to come. “Boeing’s integrated battle station work... more »
Successful first guided firing of Meteor from Rafale
[image: Rafale Meteor missile launch]On 28th April 2015, teams from the French Ministry of Defence, Dassault Aviation and MBDA carried out the first guided firing of the long-range Meteor missile against an air target from a Rafale combat aircraft. The firing, from a Rafale prepared at the DGA’s Cazaux Flight Test Centre (near Bordeaux, S.W. France), proceeded successfully within the secured zone of the DGA Essais de Missiles (previously Centre d'Essais des Landes) in Biscarosse (also near Bordeaux). Following on from earlier missile separation trials carried out in 2013 and 2014... more »
Third Destroyer of Missile Defense System Arrives in Spain
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[image: USS Porter (DDG 78)]The US destroyer USS Porter joined today two other similar ships at the base Rota, in Andalusia, to reinforce the Spanish section of the missile defense system of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The USS Porter departed from the base Norfolk, in the United States, on March 31 to join the destroyers USS Donald Cook and USS Ross, which have been in Rota since last year, expecting a fourth ship, the USS Carney. The USS Porter arrived in Spain after participating in the NATO maneuvers Joint Warrior. Read more
Norway takes the lead in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission
[image: RNoAF F-16 Fighting Falcon]Norway will assume lead responsibility for NATO’s air policing mission over the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Friday (1 May 2015). The United Kingdom will also rejoin the mission while Italy and Belgium will continue their participation. A handover ceremony is taking place on Thursday (30 April 2015) at Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania, where Italy will formally transfer lead responsibility for the mission to Norway. Read more
US Air Force tracking Russian space capsule as it drops to Earth
The U.S. Air Force is keeping close tabs on Russia's tumbling, out-of-control space capsule as it comes closer to re-entering Earth's atmosphere. NASA said Thursday that the Progress spacecraft, launched earlier this week with supplies for the International Space Station, is expected to plunge from orbit between May 9 and 11. The capsule — and the upper stage rocket used to boost it into orbit — are circling the world about 125 miles (201kilometers) lower than the space station. Read more
Parasitic Interstellar Travel - there's always a bigger fish - helping hand across the stars
*world-carrying space-whale?*PIT or Parasitic Interstellar Travel I suspect (though I have no proof) that there are VAST intergalactic entities/organisms/lifeforms grazing on space, large as galactic clusters, physical anomalies that allow *small stuff like us* to 'hitch a ride through space on the back of them'. You might want to call it 'extra dimensions' but you don't necessarily have to, it's just A VERY BIG THING that could carry something very small on its moving surface. A turtle in a gulf stream. A barnacle on a whale. A hand passing some tiny thing to its other hand across ... more »
Five Most Read Posts in April
The most popular posts last month were: 1. The Far Left and the 2015 UK General Election 2. The Socialist Party's Erratic Marxism 3. Green Party Candidates at the 2015 UK General Election 4. On Weaponising Ed Miliband 5. Notes on Nicola Sturgeon What a month. Since Google Analytics started tracking stats for Blogger blogs as standard round about summer 2010, April has revealed itself to be my most popular month ever with a figure north of 60,000 page views. Small beer against the big kids of the commentariat, but not bad for a wee blog kept going in my free time. In fact, I'm a litt... more »
US Navy to Accompany US-Flagged Ships Through Strait of Hormuz
U.S. naval forces have begun accompanying U.S.-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday. The announcement comes two days after Iranian forces seized a cargo ship sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands and forced it to anchor off the Iranian coast. As reported first by CNN, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command will coordinate with U.S.-flagged shipping companies to ensure safe passage, the senior official said. Read more
Navy names 3 destroyers that will move to Everett
[image: USS Gridley (DDG 101)]The U.S. Navy has named three destroyers that will move to Naval Station Everett, taking the place of the three frigates taken out of service in recent years. The moves will happen in 2016, according to a staff member in Sen. Patty Murray’s office. The Navy has not publicly announced the moves. The Navy said in 2012 it planned to move three destroyers here by the end of the decade. Read more
Chinese and Russian Navies to Conduct First Ever Mediterranean Surface Exercises in May
[image: Type 54A (Jiangkai II) class FFG]Six Russian and three Chinese naval ships will meet in the Mediterranean next month to conduct a series of surface exercises to include live fire drills, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday. Joint Sea 2015-I will be the first time the two navies have trained in the Mediterranean and is a sign of deepening military-to-military cooperation between Russia and China. “The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen the pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia and to improve the capabilities of the two navies to deal with... more »
Taiwan Navy retires two Knox-class frigates
Taiwan's Navy decommissioned two of its eight Knox-class frigates Friday with the intention of replacing them with two Perry-class guided missile frigates that is part of a fleet modernization effort. The two Knox-class vessels were retired from service at a ceremony in the southern city of Kaohsiung, which was presided over by Navy Commander Adm. Li Hsi-ming (李喜明). It was part of the effort to modernize the Navy's fleet of vessels and enhance the country's maritime defense capabilities. Read more
VIDEO: “We will build four subs in Barrow” says Labour defence chief
A Senior party figure is "100 per cent confident" a Labour government would build four Trident successor submarines in Barrow. Vernon Coaker, Labour’s shadow secretary of defence, was given a tour of BAE Systems Submarine’s Devonshire Dock Hall complex this afternoon. He met with senior management, apprentices and trade union representatives. The visit comes as Labour’s general election candidate for Barrow and Furness, John Woodcock, has been under fire over the party’s commitment to renewing Trident. Read more
Agri Econ 19: Charcoal Supply and Demand
An economist friend, Joey, made this cool observation about charcoal supply and demand. *... the bulk of users are the rural poor and not-so-poor in the urban centers. Most of the studies on charcoal and deforestation analyze the supply (production side) and hence, most solutions are on the supply side and they are costly and bound to fail. * *Two solutions on the demand side: (1) The price of LPG goes down that the price difference equates to the labor (intensive) effort in charcoal cooking, and (2) the poor and not-so-poor get more jobs and income that the opportunity cost of lab... more »
First indigenous nuclear submarine’s sea-trials going very well: Navy chief
[image: INS Arihant]The Indian Navy chief, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, said on Thursday that the sea trials of India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant, are going “very well”. “The trials are underway and going on very well. We are satisfied with the way the project is progressing,” Adm. Dhowan told reporters on the sidelines of two-day National Aviation Seminar to mark 62 years of naval aviation in the country. While stating there are “no problems in the INS Arihant project”, he could not give a “timeline” on the completion of trials. Read more
Saab says close to finalising Swedish submarine deals
[image: A26 class SSK]Sweden's Saab expects to receive a firm production contract from the government for a new generation of submarines within months and is finalising negotiations for the mid-life upgrade of the Gotland class, executives said on Thursday. Sweden agreed last month to order two new A26 subs from Saab , which last year bought the marine defence unit of ThyssenKrupp and renamed it Saab Kockums. "We are negotiating now on A26, I would expect something in a matter of months," Gunilla Fransson, head of security and defence solutions at the Swedish defence firm, said. ... more »
UTC Aerospace, Newport News Shipbuilding in submarine component deal
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[image: USS Minnesota (SSN 783)]Composite components for the next 10 Virginia-class submarines to be built for the U.S. Navy are to be supplied by UTC Aerospace Systems. UTC said that under an agreement signed with Newport News Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the components will be supplied through 2020 for the Block IV attack submarines. "Our proven performance in supplying composite components on Virginia Class Block III was crucial to ensuring we continue to be a key supplier for this program," said UTC Aerostructures President Marc Duvall. Read more
Damen introduces the new "2nd Generation OPV" to meet demand for multi-mission platforms
[image: Damen's 2nd Generation OPV]On 20 April, Damen gave a sneak preview of their newly designed 2nd generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) during the annual OPVs&Corvettes Asia Pacific conference in Singapore. Damen’s Design & Proposal Manager Piet van Rooij explained how this new OPV has been configured for various missions. This new generation of re-configurable Damen OPVs is highly efficient and incredibly versatile. Damen’s famous Sea Axe hull shape is used for these 2nd generation OPVs. Due to this hulldesign, these vessels demonstrate superior seakeeping including except... more »
Iran Accuses Israel Of Having 400 Nuclear Weapons
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (Reuters / Mike Segar) *YNet News:* *Iran's Zarif: Netanyahu is sitting on 400 nuclear warheads* *During visit to New York, Iranian Foreign Minister takes aim at PM's criticism on Iran deal, says it's 'laughable' he 'has become everyone's non-proliferation guru'. * *WASHINGTON – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday took aim at criticism leveled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the international community's framework deal with Iran, calling it "ironic but laughable".* *"Netanyahu has become everyone's non-p... more »
Fewer Americans Now Middle Class (Baltimore Proves Hard War Against Disposable Youth) FBI Infiltrators Become Criminals Deserving of Capital Punishment?
[If you've got access to Link TV, turn it on now and watch Richard D. Wolff explain the alternatives available to the system we're all suffering under. (In the west, that is.) You might want to pick up one of Dr. Woolf's books. You will also have the opportunity to see Chris Hedges' "Days of Revolt" tomorrow morning (May 1) at 9 AM.] We never thought we were that uninformed, but what we failed
Former U.S. And Russian Nuclear Commanders Called for Scrapping “Hair-Trigger” Alerts On Nuclear Weapons
A static display of intercontinental ballistic missiles at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., front gate the evening of April 4, 2012. From left are the Peacekeeper, the Minuteman III and the Minuteman I. The planet Venus is visible in the sky above the Minuteman missiles and Jupiter is visible to the left of the Minuteman I. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez) *Ottawa Citizen: **Take missiles off high alert to avoid a cyberattack starting a nuclear war, says former U.S. commander* *Taking U.S. and Russian missiles off high alert could keep a possible cyberattack from starting ... more »
The U.S. Air Force's A-10 Will Fly Another Year
An A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft pulls up sharply out of a low-level strafing run during a combat search and rescue demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Oct. 4. The digitally upgraded A-10 is equipped with satellite-guided precision weaponry and advanced communications data links for transferring information with ground-based warfighters.(Photo: Tech Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/Air Force) *The Hill*: *House panel votes to keep the A-10 Warthog flying another year* *The House Armed Services Committee voted early Thursday morning to keep the A-10 attack jet flying anothe... more »
Mike Allen: The Wrong Choice for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo
Shortly before the 2012 election, we saw the creation of two new ridings here in response to our region's growing population. Fort McMurray and the surrounding municipality of Wood Buffalo was split creating the new ridings of Fort McMurray-Conklin and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. It was supposed to give Fort McMurray greater clout in Edmonton. Unfortunately, 2012 saw the election of Mike Allen under the PC banner in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. It started off well enough, I suppose with Allen being appointed as a special advisor to the Transportation Minister on Highway 63, a lon... more »
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