Transcend Media My Yahoo!
10:20pm MDST
Keep your Eyes on the Magician's Hands
US President Barack Obama's ambitious trade agenda has been dealt a severe blow by the House of Representatives. The Lower House has blocked a workers aid programme - part of a package to strengthen trade ties with Asia-Pacific nations.President Obama went to Capitol Hill, but failed to convince fellow Democrats to back him. Al Jazeera's White House correspondent Patty Culhane reports. The bottom line is this ain't over yet. Obama, on behalf of corporate globalization, is pulling out all the stops on this one. Keep the phone calls and emails going to Congress - the Democrats ha... more »
"We've done this experiment successfully in Canada"
We don't often get to see into the minds of cross border American conservative political operatives working in Canada. Here is one such snapshot, but first ... CBC reported today on "CIMS-to-Go" or C2G, a new app for the Cons Constituent Information Management System that allows party canvassers to collect and sort voter information faster than ever before - smiley face, frowny face, and more. Someone in the Cons IT dept, who is presumably right now clearing out their desk, blabbed to CBC that some Con ridings are "approved" to use it while others have to pay $2500. "The app come... more »
Listen: Native American Radio Shows Online
By Brenda Norrell Censored News Tiokasin Ghosthorse Listen to these Native American radio hosts online. First Voices Indigenous Radio host Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Lakota from Cheyenne River in South Dakota, has spent decades exposing the truths that the mainstream feared. The WBAI broadcast in New York is carried nationwide and online. John Kane, Mohawk, at Let's Talk Native in New York
Friday Nerd Blogging: Jumping the Shark
A friend of mine mis-typed Sharknado and found this: And, of course, as someone who co-authored a book on NATO, I could not help but consider the picture and then over-analyze. Specifically, the Dave and Steve book considers, among other things, the caveats or restrictions that countries placed on their contingents in Afghanistan and missions […]
Who’s Afraid Of America?
*The Economist*: *Who’s afraid of America?* *The military playing field is more even than it has been for many years. That is a big problem for the WestSINCE the end of the cold war one simple geopolitical rule has endured: do not take on America. The country’s armed forces have been so well resourced and so technologically superior that it would be utterly foolish for any state to mount a direct challenge to the superpower or its allies. This rule still holds—but it is no longer quite as compelling as it once was. Although America still possesses by far the most capable armed... more »
Diane Rehm has apologized twice but still hasn't explained why she tried to sandbag Bernie Sanders with an idiotic Internet lie
*"Any questions???" Yeah, one: What the hell is wrong with you? (Click to enlarge.)* *"On today’s show I made a mistake. Rather than asking if Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders whether he had dual U.S./Israeli citizenship, as I had read in a comment on Facebook, I stated it as fact. I want to apologize as well to all our listeners for having made an erroneous statement. I am sorry for the mistake. However, I am glad to play a role in putting this rumor to rest."* *-- radio host Diane Rehm's first apology* *by Ken* "As I had read in a comment on Facebook"? Well, no... more »
U.S. Military Is Investing Big On Drones And Missiles
Tern, a joint program between DARPA and the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR), seeks to enable forward-deployed small ships to serve as mobile launch and recovery sites for medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In an important step toward that goal, DARPA has awarded prime contracts for Phase 2 of Tern to two companies: AeroVironment, Inc. and Northrop Grumman Corp. *Next Big Future:* *USA Revamping military to re-establish superiority gap over China and Russia with a lot of drones and missiles * *The US effort to pull away from military peers is w... more »
Why Is The American Military Losing Its Edge?
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Fort Stewart. (White House photo) *The Economist:* *Why America's military is losing its edge * *AMERICA'S ability to project power on behalf of its own interests and in defence of its allies has been the bedrock of the rules-based international order since the end of the second world war. Critical to that effort has been the role of technology in maintaining a military edge over potential adversaries through the first and second “offset strategies”. In the 1950s it offset the Soviet Union’s numerical advantage in conventio... more »
“If Your BS Detector Isn't Shrieking, It's Broken”
*“If Your BS Detector Isn't Shrieking, It's Broken”* Wishing it was true doesn't make it true- it makes you a chump who fell for the con. by Charles Hugh Smith "Once upon a time in America, no adult could survive without possessing a finely tuned BS detector. Herman Melville masterfully captured America's fascination with cons and con artists in his 1857 classic “The Confidence-Man,” which I discussed in "The Con in Confidence" (October 4, 2006). An essential component of the American ethos is: don't be a chump. Don't fall for the con. And if you do, it's your own fault. The Wild W... more »
Tonight's Movie is 'Judgment at Nuremberg 1961'
From *Wikipedia*: *Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American drama film dealing with non-combatant war crimes against a civilian population (i.e., crimes committed in violation of the Law of Nations or the Laws of War), the Holocaust, and with post-World War II geo-political complexity of the Nuremberg Trials. The picture was written by Abby Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer, and stars Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, William Shatner, and Montgomery Clift. An earlier version of the story was broad... more »
The TPP Tango
For want of a fig leaf, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-.01%) had to find another way to cover herself. So she took to the House floor on Friday afternoon to announce a trial separation from Barack. She really still loves the guy, really wanted to find a way to Yes, but then all of a sudden he was going way too fast for her. First it was that slobbery kiss when he misinterpreted her advice to "embrace the suck" when all she meant was that Democrats should join with the GOP in cutting struggling people off their long-term unemployment benefits to get a budget passed. Awwwkward... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 12, 2015
*Eric Bradner, CNN:* *How secretive is the Trans-Pacific Partnership?* *Washington (CNN)Two copies of the biggest free trade deal in history are sitting in reading rooms -- one at each end of the Capitol.* *The document is classified. Only members of Congress and staffers with security clearance can access it. And they can't make copies or even carry their own handwritten notes out the door.* *This is how trade negotiations work. Fearful that they'll undercut their own negotiators, leaders of the countries involved don't want the details of what they're hashing out revealed unti... more »
Loblaw to get rid of some toxic house and beauty items- Not enough, though.
*Some good news in Canada on the EDC reduction front! :)* *But, we can do better........ * *Loblaw Cos. Ltd. is pledging to get rid of “potentially harmful ingredients” in everyday household and beauty products.* “Around the world, scientific evidence is accumulating that these ingredients could be a problem for environmental and human health,” Dr. Rick Smith, one of two advisers working with Loblaw, said in today’s announcement *Triclosan,* which the company said is linked to human and environmental health issues, is used in body wash, soap and beauty products. *Phthalates *hel... more »
EDC's Stymie Bird Migration Patterns. Chemical Manipulation of Humanity
In this instance, sadly, these chemicals are harming birds. And I love birds :) *Persistent Industrial Pollutants Could Stymie Songbird Migration* *Ecotoxicology*: *Study of captive starlings shows the birds fail to orient south for fall migration when exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls* In recent decades, many common migratory songbirds have declined in population. Several factors could explain this drop-off, including habitat loss, climate change, feline predators, and wind turbines. But a new study finds that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic industrial pollutants,* ma... more »
The Economy: "The Index of Evil"
*"The Index of Evil"* by Bill Bonner "Today, we’re introducing our new Index of Evil… But first a quick look at what our proprietary stock market indicator is telling us about future returns. Our lead researcher, Stephen Jones, developed it for us. Stephen is a former stock market analyst at Value Line and the president of financial planning firm String Advisors. The question today: When past stock market conditions have been similar to today’s, what have subsequent returns been like over the next 10 years? *Another Lost Decade: *The indicator looks at the price of stocks relative... more »
The Helical Solar System and True Orbit of the Planets
*Video - *Here's an opportunity for you to learn about our helical solar system and to understand the true orbit of our sun and planets. The post The Helical Solar System and True Orbit of the Planets appeared first on Waking Times.
We Will Not Give Up Our Human Rights for Our Civil Rights
Posted 6/12/2015 *by Barbara Loe Fisher* *NVIC Co-founder and President* *June 9, 2015 – Sacramento, California* *[image: California SB277: Dangerous legislation requiring parents to sacrifice the human right to make medical risk-taking decisions to retain the civil right to education. Learn more at NVIC.org.]*Mothers and fathers of California, you have come to Sacramento today to participate in our democracy and defend your freedom. You are here because you love your children. And there is no power on earth greater than the love we have for our children. The right of the st... more »
Arson is a general intent offence
R. *v.* Tatton, 2015 SCC 33: The offence of arson in s. 434 of the *Criminal Code *is a general intent offence for which intoxication falling short of automatism is not available as a defence. The *actus reus *is the damaging of property by fire. The mental element is the intentional or reckless performance of the illegal act. No additional knowledge or purpose is needed. No complex thought or reasoning processes are required. It is difficult to see how intoxication short of automatism would prevent an accused from foreseeing the risk of causing damage to someone else's property b... more »
Untitled
*Saints sign veteran Kevin Williams ~Kevin Williams, ESPN*
3 Easy Ways to Make Probiotic-rich Fermented Foods
*Anna Hunt - *Making your own fermented foods can be more economical and more beneficial for your health than pre-packaged options. Here are 3 easy recipes. The post 3 Easy Ways to Make Probiotic-rich Fermented Foods appeared first on Waking Times.
World News Briefs -- June 12, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*New York Times*:* House Rejects Trade Bill, Rebuffing Obama’s Dramatic Appeal* *WASHINGTON — House Democrats rebuffed a dramatic personal appeal from President Obama on Friday, torpedoing his ambitious push to expand his trade negotiating power — and, quite likely, his chance to secure a legacy-defining trade accord spanning the Pacific Ocean.* *In a remarkable rejection of a president they have resolutely backed, House Democrats voted to kill assistance to workers displaced by global trade, a program their party created and has stood by for four decades. By doing so, they brou... more »
Patrick Murphy Forgot What Putting Florida First Means
When Florida Republican Bill Posey introduces legislation, it's usually bad news for everyone concerned. After all, Posey is a *very* conservative Republican. His ProgressivePunch lifetime crucial vote score is 9.55 and he was extremely conservative in the Florida state House and when he was a member of the Florida state Senate. The bill he's best known for having authored is H.R. 1503-- a crazy birther bill-- which would require presidential candidates to provide a copy of their original with certificates. And Wednesday night was no different. Posey proposed an amendment to the T... more »
Endocrine effects from cleaning chemicals- Chemical Manipulation of Humanity
*Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene *may have endocrine disrupting properties at exposure levels below reference concentrations issued by the US EPA, according to a review by NGO The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX). The chemicals, commonly known as BTEX, are used as solvents in consumer and industrial products, and as intermediates for synthesising organic compounds. They are also used in fracking (CW 10 December 2014). *The substances have been found globally in human blood samples*. Although most commonly *released to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and from ... more »
China's Cyber Attack On U.S. Government Networks Far Larger Than Publicly Acknowledged
*ABC News*: *OPM Hack Far Deeper Than Publicly Acknowledged, Went Undetected For More Than A Year, Sources Say* *The massive hack into federal systems announced last week was far deeper and potentially more problematic than publicly acknowledged, with hackers believed to be from China moving through government databases undetected for more than a year, sources briefed on the matter told ABC News.* *"If [only] they knew the full extent of it," one U.S. official said about those affected by the intrusion into the Office of Personnel Management's information systems.* *It all star... more »
North Korea Is Claiming That The U.S. Is Targeting Them With 'Live Anthrax'
*Deutsche Welle*: *North Korea claims it was targeted with anthrax by US* *Pyongyang has accused Washington of targeting it with live anthrax after low-concentration samples of the bacterium were sent to a US base in South Korea. North Korea made its complaint in a letter to the UN. Pyongyang's UN Ambassador Ja Song Nam made the complaint to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a formal letter, the contents of which were made public on Friday.Ja asked the security council to investigate Washington's "biological warfare scheme" after a sample was sent to a US military facili... more »
June 12: Doesn't anybody at Irving press ask questions?
We were told that 20 RCMP officers have asked for transfers out of the district. The implication is that they requested transfers because three police officers were killed a year ago. If they had been concerned about being killed in this wild, wild city,, they would have resigned the force, not simply transferred to another district. Those requests for transfer don't tell us that the police are afraid. It tells us that they have no confidence whatever in the local leadership. Why didn't the assignment editor think of that? Why don't the reporters think of that? (I suspect t... more »
Back To My Roots: Further Exposure Of The Lies Of NASA And Their Fraudulent Moon Landings
It has been a while since I got back into exposing the lies of NASA and their very fraudulent space missions... One in particular is of course the fraud known as Project Apollo and the fraudulent moon landings of 1969-1972.... My first exposure to the lies of our history came some 36 years ago (Yes, it has been that long) when I was told flat out by a very intelligent and well spoken University professor during my college days that the moon landings were indeed a hoax... He spent many hours with me going over in much detail about the fact that NASA knew early on in the early 1960's ... more »
Top Russian Diplomat: Iran Nuclear Talks Stalled
*Reuters:* *Iran nuclear talks 'virtually stalled', deadline may be missed: TASS* *Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers have virtually stalled and a deadline for a final deal may have to be postponed again, Russian news agency TASS quoted a diplomatic source as saying on Friday.* *Iran and the powers -- the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany -- are trying to reach a settlement by June 30 under which Iran would curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.* *The United States has said it stands by the end-June deadline f... more »
Sorry, but I wouldn't trust a word he says
I wrote about Raheem Kassam the other day. Trouble follows him where ‘ere he goes. Although he’s purportedly ‘on the right side’, there’s something of the night about Raheem. First he appears and disappears from his post as the Henry Jackson Society’s director of marketing, then an acrimonious split with Robin Shepherd and departure from the Commentator, then something or other at Breitbart London, then all this gossip about a much (self) edited Wiki page, subsequently deleted, then he was Nigel’s chief of staff, then he resigned, then back to Breitbart, forcing Dellers and the ot...more »
Albert Will Remain Behind Bars Pending Appeal --Justice Delayed is Justice Denied, But Not Forever (A3 Newsletter)
We are sad to report that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to continue the stay and block the release of Albert Woodfox until the State's appeal is heard (read articles by The Advocate and Washington Post). Though it means some months before Albert will see his long overdue freedom realized, the court has granted an "expedited" status for the appeal. Oral Arguments are set for the week of August 31st. The State's written argument as to why they believe Judge Brady's order should be overturned is due on July 10th. Then Albert's team has three weeks to respond before the ... more »
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner steep take off
https://youtu.be/KYbM-3E11Qo I do not want to experience a takeoff that steep on a commercial flight.
What is Jeremy Corbyn Playing At?
The Labour leadership contest rumbles on. At the moment it's not so much 'who's going to win?' and more 'who will be on the ballot paper?'. With this in mind, that was something today a comrade espied and told me about, and that something raises some questions about Jeremy Corbyn's candidacy. But before we go there, let's do some comparisons. First off, Twitter. Andy Burnham, 76.8k followers Yvette Cooper, 66.9k followers Jeremy Corbyn, 33.6k followers Mary Creagh, 18.3k followers Liz Kendall, 32.3k followers How about their leadership campaigns on the Facebook? Andy Burnham, 4,485 ...more »
U.S. Pacific Rim Free Trade Agreement Defeated In The House
*Washington Post: **Obama-backed trade bill fails in the House* *President Obama suffered a major defeat to his Pacific Rim free trade initiative Friday as House Democrats helped derail a key presidential priority despite his last-minute, personal plea on Capitol Hill.* *The House voted 302 to 126 to sink a measure to grant financial aid to displaced workers, fracturing hopes at the White House that Congress would grant Obama fast-track trade authority to complete an accord with 11 other Pacific Rim nations.* *“I will be voting to slow down fast-track,” House Minority Leader Nan... more »
U.S. And Russian Navy Chiefs Meet To Discuss How To Avoid An Accidental Clash At Sea Or In The Air
*Reuters*: *U.S. and Russian navies hold talks on avoiding accidental clash* *The U.S. and Russian navies met this week for the first time since the Ukraine crisis began to discuss how to avoid an accidental clash at sea or in the air, a U.S. naval commander said on Friday.* *Russia has stepped up its probing of NATO’s defenses since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region last year caused the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War. NATO has responded by increasing patrols and exercises in eastern Europe.* *The European Leadership Network, a thinktank, las... more »
Europe Prepares For A Greek Default And EU Exit
*Bloomberg:* *EU Prepares for Worst as Greece Drives Finances to Brink* *European officials are preparing for the worst as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s brinkmanship pushes Greece’s finances to the limit.* *Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Tsipras to accept the framework for financial aid as the German public turns against supporting Greece and euro-area officials demanded a proposal for stabilizing the country’s debt by the end of Friday. The International Monetary Fund team left Brussels earlier this week, despairing of Tsipras’s tactics.* *Bank stocks plunged as Greece ruled ou... more »
U.S. Asks China To End Island Building In The South China Sea (Again)
*Reuters:* *Pentagon again asks China to end island building, seeks more military contact* *U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter met a top Chinese general on Thursday and repeated a U.S. call for a halt to land reclamation in the South China Sea, while stressing that the Pentagon remained committed to expanding military contacts with China.* *In the meeting with General Fan Changlong, a deputy head of China's powerful Central Military Commission, Carter stressed his commitment to developing "a sustained and substantive U.S.-China military-to-military relationship", the Pentagon said... more »
The U.S. War Against The Islamic State Has Cost $2.7 Billion So Far
*IBTimes:* *War Against ISIS Cost US $2.7B, Or Over $9M A Day, Since Last August: Pentagon* *The United States has spent more than $2.74 billion in its offensive against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria since airstrikes targeting ISIS positions began last August, the Pentagon announced Thursday. The average daily expenditure for the U.S. in the fight against ISIS now stands at over $9 million.* *In the first ever breakdown of the operation's costs, the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that two-thirds of overall spending, or more than $1.8 billion, had gone to the Air... more »
"We want home, food and medicine as something like this, no?"
Catching up with some of the other charges of bias against the BBC from the past few days (while I've been away smoking my pipe)... I've seen (on more than one site - and Twitter) quite a few people sounding off about pro-immigration bias on Victoria Derbyshire's weekday TV programme, *Victoria Derbyshire.* (In fact, I was a little surprised at the number of complaints I read about it, given that apparently hardly anyone watches it). The offending report came courtesy of someone we've written about here before - BBC reporter Catrin Nye. We too have accused her of having a pro-i... more »
Arcturians: Climbing the Stairway
*Climbing the Stairway* The Arcturians and Our Galactic Family as channeled by Susan Lie Ph.D. Beloved Ones, You are ALL creating your New Home on New Earth. Your new home may be on new Earth, your new starship assignment, and/or your new Lightbody. *In fact, you are all building your NEW LIFE thought-by-thought and emotion-by-emotion. * Within this NOW, your consciousness is continuing to expand into higher and higher frequencies and dimensions. Hence, your expanded powers of multidimensional manifestation are coming online. Therefore, as you continue to download and integrate ... more »
Kelly McParland is a Fascist Asshole
This asshole appears to think that the Constitution of Canada is just a piece of paper that should have no legal meaning or force. That the Harperium should be able to pass any old law they like about anything at all and the Supreme Court should not be able to do a damn thing about it. That the Supreme Court has an agenda other than simply upholding the Constitution and Charter. Thus the title
A joke
It's hot and humid up here tonight. The blackbirds are taking their feathers off and skinny dipping. But however uncomfortable it may be for us here in the over-heated North West, it still can't be anywhere near as uncomfortable as it's been for Sir Tim Hunt this week. His comments about lady scientists have been deemed sexist by some; indeed *so* wicked as to force his resignation (age and Nobel Prize notwithstanding). And the controversy has been plastered all over the BBC for days (and led by them at times). To cheer Sir Tim up, here's a joke: I stopped at a scientist's hous... more »
World News Briefs -- June 12, 2015
*VOA*: *Obama Visits Congress Ahead of Key Trade Bill Vote* *President Barack Obama went to Capitol Hill Friday to make a last minute appeal to fellow Democrats to support his ambitious Asia-Pacific free trade agenda, ahead of a key vote in the House of Representatives on whether to extend crucial "fast-track" negotiating authority to the White House.* *As of Friday morning, it was still not clear whether the bill had enough support from House Democrats, many of whom are concerned the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, trade deal would send more American jobs overseas and hurt t... more »
Another BBC Vanishing Act
(And while I'm h/ting DB)... DB has spotted that a particularly egregious specimen of BBC bias has now been 'edited out of existence': Here's what I wrote about it earlier: The third is: What should we consider when we cover stories on Europe? His [*David Cowling's*] answer is that 'we' should consider reminding audiences of the potential risks of leaving the EU. What does the latter mean for BBC reporters? Well, according to David Cowling, if some member of the public says, "Yes, yes, let's leave the European Union", 'you' should say: Do you understand what life is going to ... more »
Patients Want Relief From Pain Without Government Interference-- Even In Red States
Lets all pray Sen. Isakson gets the pain relief he needs to battle Parkinson's disease One of Georgia's two conservative Republican senators, Johnny Isakson, announced this week that he's running for reelection in 2016 and that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Medical marijuana has proven to be a boon for people suffering from Parkinson's. I hope someone hips Isakson to the benefits. But I suspect imedical marijuana use is illegal in Georgia-- although it isn't illegal in DC, where Isakson resides. I never thought about marijuana as a political issue-- until I went thr... more »
Unfettered Religious Freedom Really Does Mean the Freedom to Do Harm
*Valerie Tarico - *Religious freedom claims in the US have allowed "religious believers" the freedom to do harm and attain privileges and exemptions from laws that apply to others. The post Unfettered Religious Freedom Really Does Mean the Freedom to Do Harm appeared first on Waking Times.
#WrongSkin
(h/t DB) *...breaking news....breaking news....breaking news...breaking news...* Another po-faced (or should that be Poe-faced?) BBC journalist has fallen victim to Godfrey Elfwick. You may remember Godfrey from his recent appearance on the BBC World Service, after a BBC World Service producer spotted his tweet attacking *Star Wars *as racist and thought (as you do *if* you're a BBC producer who can't tell a spoof from the real thing) that someone denouncing *Star Wars *as racist would be just the ticket. Here's what he said on the World Service about *Star Wars*: It was very low... more »
Nano-Fibres Are Behaving As Nano-Blenders Within Plant and Animal Structures Due To Electromagnetic Radiation
*Rob Watson - *Fibres of insoluble silicates, when subjected to various frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, may cause them to behave as "Nano-Blenders". The post Nano-Fibres Are Behaving As Nano-Blenders Within Plant and Animal Structures Due To Electromagnetic Radiation appeared first on Waking Times.
Rufus Hound wishes me dead!
What a charmer Rufus Hound is. Apparently he feels that if he doesn't approve of you then it's fine for him to wish you dead. So far that's Rupert Murdoch and me he's confirmed this wish for, but I wonder who else Rufus Hound wishes dead? Rufus Hound seems like a seriously unpleasant man, but also a typical bully, to me; so I won't go out of my way to avoid him. He'd probably squeal like a coward if he was confronted anyway, typical lefty bully.
Rufus Hound - happy to insult David Cameron but really it's a 'metaphor or hyperbole'
Here's a quote of a previous Tweet by UK 'comedian' Rufus Hound and his attempts to justify it We'll see what Rufus Hound has to say to that. In the meantime I also quizzed Rufus Hound about another of his comments: When dealing with supercilious lefty pseudo intellectuals like Rufus Hound, I find it best to give them as long a piece of rope as possible, let them think they're more intelligent that you... I wonder how David Cameron and/or his lawyers would feel about Rufus Hound's claim that David Cameron gets sexually excited by people's despair?
Friday Beaver - Beavers don't lend
Neither a borrower or a lender be. Wise advice and older than dirt if you look at the world situation. China's economy is slowing, has been for some time now. After the housing bust there (remember there's entire cities that sit empty there) investors moved to stocks. One can only assume their markets are as inflated as the tulip fiasco a century plus back. There is the Greek tragedy playing out. We should know by months' end whether it will be default or the can gets kicked farther down the road, but you can only kick the can for so long. Eventually somebody wants paid but nobo... more »
the humam interaction exchange
Its gone down disastourly as we can see buy the confliclt wheere weapons replace neccities For oone mitue can we replace exachnge with commerce amd kicjk the life exxhNFW FOR fucks SAKE WAKE UP ZOMBIES
War-Weary Ukraine Shutters Cash-Starved Banks as Trust Falls
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-11/war-weary-ukraine-shutters-cash-starved-banks-as-trust-plummets *War-Weary Ukraine Shutters Cash-Starved Banks as Trust Falls* by Volodymyr VerbyanyAndras Gergely June 11, 2015 — 11:00 PM CEST Updated on June 12, 2015 — 8:54 AM CEST When Vasyl Klos plunked $9,000 into a bank branch in his hometown of Lviv, Ukraine, in 2013, he assumed it was safe because it was German owned. He was wrong. *Bank Forum JSC* had already been sold by Commerzbank AG to Ukrainian businessman Vadim Novinsky, a fact Klos only found out as he completed the ... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 12, 2015
Iraqi soldiers train with members of the U.S. Army 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Camp Taji, Iraq, in this U.S. Army photo released June 2, 2015. U.S. Army/Sgt. Cody Quinn/Handout/Reuters *Micah Zenko, Newsweek*: *Will Deepening the U.S. Military Commitment in Iraq Be Effective?* *On June 10, the White House announced the deployment of “450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise, and assist Iraqi Security Forces at Taqaddum military base in eastern Anbar province.”* *It is easy to conceive of this latest limited addition of U.S. troops to Iraq, ... more »
Iran Providing Cash, Arms, And Training To The Afghan Taliban
*Wall Street Journal: **Iran Backs Taliban With Cash and Arms* *Shiite Tehran has quietly boosted ties with the Sunni militant group and is now recruiting and training its fighters.KABUL—When Abdullah, a Taliban commander in central Afghanistan, needs more rifles and ammunition, he turns to the same people who pay his $580-a-month salary: his Iranian sponsors.“Iran supplies us with whatever we need,” he said.Afghan and Western officials say Tehran has quietly increased its supply of weapons, ammunition and funding to the Taliban, and is now recruiting and training their... more »
Normally I pick my blog posts from other bloggers or news sources providing insights not generally found elsewhere. But this time I’m reposting an article by an investment advisor. And based on evidence that I’ve found elsewhere, his main theme is correct, namely that is that the U.S. is broke, and that all hell will break loose if and when our economy falls into deflation. (I have added the “if” because runaway inflation is the other possibility and would be just as devastating but for different reasons.) Read this investment advisor’s description of runaway deflation and prepare yourselves. One thing is for sure, when the criminal big banks crash this time the government can no longer bail them out. So they will do what happened in Cyprus a couple years ago, that is, do “bail IN”s, which is a cute euphemism for stealing the money of their depositors. So if, dear reader, you have a savings account in any of the big banks, take you money out NOW and put it in a credit union -- or even under you mattress – before it is too late.
------------------------------ *Deflation picking up even more momentum ... * *by* *Larry Edelson* Dear Subscriber, Some analysts seem to think inflation is making a big comeback. Their reasoning: Interest rates have started to move higher, hence, inflation is lurking out there. But they're clueless. They are confusing declining bond prices (rising interest rates) with normal times — and the world is about as far away from normal times as I am of becoming the next Pope. Yes, interest rates all over the globe are starting to rise, and bond prices are sliding — most notably in Europ... more »
On doing Acid known as LSD
There is a folk tale about the human brain that goes somewhat like an explanation when wealth is created its long and winding and makes no sense except to the one percent Into this reality distortion field we have the opportunity to drop acid Someone I know dropped acid maybe a dozen times and every time someone was for sure set free Somewon saw the world much differently dolphin people and out of body walks should be expected for those that chose to see how life operates in another dimension case when somewon did acid Somewon travelled on some astral plane first class and everything ... more »
China Is Looking For Military Partners
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shake hands after a news conference following meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, May 16, 2015. *Richard Fontaine, National Interest*: *Diplomacy by Force: China's Quest for Military Partners* *China’s search for military partners exposes both Beijing’s ambitions and its constraints.* *China’s new defense white paper, issued amid growing concern about Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea, made headlines for its emphasis on projecting naval power well beyond its coastal waters... more »
Black Sabbeth
It sounds like a telcom commercial today but at one time it was a voice of revolution and a call to listeners to enlist in the army to save the world from the suits and the MAN who controlled them all Why the man wanted us to wear polyesters ties befuddles me when the best way to control a human is to make him happy then give them a task we are all just advanced creatures doing the work Pavlov's dog could never accomplish due to the cannie limitations
Ukraine's Banking System Is A Mess
*Volodymyr Verbyany and Andras Gergely, Bloomberg*: *War-Weary Ukraine Shutters Cash-Starved Banks as Trust Falls* *When Vasyl Klos plunked $9,000 into a bank branch in his hometown of Lviv, Ukraine, in 2013, he assumed it was safe because it was German owned. He was wrong.* *Bank Forum JSC had already been sold by Commerzbank AG to Ukrainian businessman Vadim Novinsky, a fact Klos only found out as he completed the deposit. He decided it was too late to back out, but within a year, Forum was declared insolvent and the cash was returned to him in hryvnia, whose later plunge cut t... more »
The Calculas of winning
The calculus of winning is complicated but some know the answer ask Charlie Sheen Everything is an equation and for those counting on toes and fingers must always have a sum equalling ten Math baby Math huge amounts of Math spoken by cunning linguists tickle our economy and map out on a grid our lives and our wallets and determine just how much of our pockets can be picked like fruit its a vineyard of humanity and we are being harvested daily by the MAN If the MAN screw up a calculation its a revolution and they must send in the teachers to get the vines green and ready to produce Ma... more »
The Great Con War on Drugs Exposed as Farce and Pharma Fidelity
Its obvious the beer lobby and the drug lobby fear pot more than Al Capone feared a judge who could not be bribed. H/T Montreal Simon bookmark this BAMF.
Is Lithuania About To Invade Russia?
Lithuania's Army soldiers march during independence restoration celebrations in Vilnius March 11, 2009. Ints Kalnins/Reuters *Newsweek*: *Hackers post bogus plan to attack Russia on Lithuanian Defence Ministry site* *An announcement that Lithuania is preparing a joint attack alongside Estonia, Latvia and Poland on the neighbouring Russian enclave of Kaliningrad appeared on the Lithuania's armed forces' official site yesterday after it was subject to an apparent cyber attack.* *Lithuania and its Baltic neighbours have been among the countries most concerned by Russia's annexation ... more »
Russia Warns The U.S. Over Possible Cruise, Ballistic Missile Deployments In Europe and Asia
*Photo*: The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF) Treaty aims to eliminate ballistic and cruise missiles of intermediate ranges. (Photo : Wikimedia Commons) *AFP:* *Russia threatens 'consequences' if US deploys missiles in Europe* *Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Thursday warned the United States of consequences if it moves to deploy land-based missiles in Europe in contravention of a key Cold-War era arms control treaty.* *"It is clear that such actions would mean complete destruction by the American side of the regime of the treaty with all its attendant consequences," the R... more »
Pelosi's Office Offers Rude Response to Anti–Fast Track Callers
*FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE:Fast Track fizzles in the House* *As you recall, the way the thing was structured, with the House having to pass exactly the same bill the Senate did in order to get it onto the president's desk, a snag in any piece of the legislative puzzle meant the whole thing falls apart, at least for now. And as the *NY Times*'s Jonathan Weisman wrote this afternoon:* In a remarkable rejection of a president they have resolutely backed, House Democrats voted to kill assistance to workers displaced by global trade, a program their party created and has stood by for fo... more »
U.S. Accuses Russia Of Lying On Their Involvement In The Ukraine Crisis
*Radio Free Europe*: *U.S. Says Russia 'Arming, Bankrolling, Fighting' Alongside Ukraine Rebels * *The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says Russia is "training, arming, bankrolling, and fighting alongside" pro-Moscow rebels battling government forces in eastern Ukraine.* *In an emotional June 11 address to an audience in Kyiv, Samantha Power accused Russia of spreading "outright lies" about the Ukraine conflict intended to hide its involvement in a war she portrayed as aimed at thwarting Kyiv's alliance with the West.* *She acknowledged that Ukraine faced problems even "bef... more »
Russia Accuses Washington Of Continuing The Ukraine Conflict
*Deutsche Welle*: *Russia accuses US of inflaming Ukraine conflict* *A report from the US State Department blaming Moscow for provocative action in Ukraine has been met with rebuke from Russian authorities. Moscow countered that Washington is forcing Kyiv to continue the war. * *Russia responded on Thursday to claims made in a US State Department report that Russia was "continuing provocative actions in and around Ukraine."* *A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry countered that it was, in fact, the United States that was making the conflict in Ukraine worse by "pushing the... more »
The Sad Demise Of The CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/ There has been a lot of commentary already written about Evan Soloman and the CBC. Amid the Niagara of words about what has happened, I found two columns particularly enlightening. Rick Salutin wrote that Soloman -- and other CBC celebrities -- are emblematic of a culture of greed at the Mother Corp: Evan is surely the boss of his own conscience but still, he may have found it confusing at CBC regarding what was valued there. Big emphases on money-making and business shows, led by the happy crassness of Kevin ...more »
The Effect of High Consumption of High-Fructose Corn Syrup in the US
*Infographic - *Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in the US has grown to 60 pounds per person per year, and the impact this has had on obesity rates. The post The Effect of High Consumption of High-Fructose Corn Syrup in the US appeared first on Waking Times.
Economic News , Data and Views ( June 12 , 2015 ) Greece Updates of the Morning -- ( Economic Data , Treasury Bill rollover data and State of Play in the ongoing Creditor Talks - clear as mud of course . Mexican Stand off continues - best way to describe the situation ) .... Broader Europe - Economic Data of the Data , Euro in focus after Merkel comments , Bund recovering somewhat today .....
Tweets..... Greece..... George D. retweeted *Pieter Cleppe* @pietercleppe 14m14 minutes ago Two officials: Greece was given 24h yesterday to present proposal so to meet 18 June deadline. Greek didn't so far http://www. bloomberg.com/news/articles/ 2015-06-12/eu-readies-for-default-as-tsipras-drives-greek-finances-to-brink … *The Greek Analyst* @GreekAnalyst 2m 2 minutes ago The Greek Analyst retweeted Live Squawk This is NOT looking good. At. All. #Greece The Greek Analyst added, *Live Squawk* @livesquawk Greek Govt Official: Pension, Wage Cuts Will Not Be Accepted... more »
Tim Hunt vs distractingly sexy girls: an insane witch hunt
I have been such a great admirer of the Anglo-Saxon world but let me tell you something: the social atmosphere over there got so incredibly fωcked up that it simply leaves me speechless. The 2001 Medicine Nobel prize winner Tim Hunt was forced to resign as an honorary professor in London after he made these comments at a conference in Korea – where you would expect the tolerance to different cultures to be high because those people are different: Let me tell you about my trouble with girls. Three things happen when they are in the lab: You fall in love with them, they fall in love... more »
Breaking: A mission of national import!
*FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015That’s what we’re on today:* We’re off on a mission of national import. On that otherwise undisclosed basis, we won’t be posting today.
KMT Primary is here! Hung hits Youtube....
The KMT announced that its primary poll would begin today and the results would be announced on Sunday night. Meanwhile KMT deputy speaker of the legislature and its sole and only Presidential primacy candidate Hung Hsiu-chu, my Fiery Little Chili Pepper, is off campaigning in Taichung. I'll be out biking this weekend on the east coast and looking forward with great interest to Sunday's poll. Meanwhile enjoy this campaign video Hung's campaign threw together, with her song (h/t Solidarity.tw). Looks like while her policies are following Ma, her campaign will be replicating Sean Lie... more »
Poll: Russian President Putin Still Popular In Russia
*PEW Research*: *Russian Public Opinion: Putin Praised, West Panned* *As Russia deals with a dramatic fall in the price of oil and Western sanctions over its actions in Ukraine, fewer Russians say the economy is good and that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine have led to more favorable views of Russia. Nonetheless, Putin, who has entered his 11th year as leader of the country, garners overwhelming support from the Russian people on both his domestic and foreign policies, including record-high confidence in his ability to handle international affairs.* *WNU edit... more »
Rufus Hound - apparently disappointed that Rupert Murdoch isn't dead
What a delightful chap Rufus Hound is. More about Rufus Hound shortly...
Musical Interlude: Deuter, "Marfa Lights 1"
Deuter, "Marfa Lights 1" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMUUOddETfk
Political Islam Incompatible with Democracy.
[image: Courtesy photo] Of course not. Political Islam is backdoor Nazism. You are welcome to argue otherwise to your heart's content. In the meantime we have a practical problem that was solved with the Nazis sixty years ago. It is a combination of outlawing, and reeducation. Worse it is been forced upon europe by these migrants. So invest in these people and demand that they master the rules and customs of our civilization before we let them lose. Start by taking their Koran and their other scriptures and separating those components belonging correctly to a christian mil... more »
Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up, 6/12/2015"
*"Weekly News Wrap-Up, 6/12/2015"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The Republicans are pushing trade agreements, but they are secret. Congressman Paul Ryan says “We the People” do not get to know the secret details until Congress votes them through. On the trade packages in Asia and Europe, Ryan said, “It’s declassified and made public once it’s agreed to.” Is this his Republican version of the Nancy Pelosi “We have to vote for it to see what’s in it”? You know it’s a bad deal for everyday Americans when this sort of trade deal is opposed by Democrats, such as Senator Elizabeth Wa... more »
Seek To Learn From All Those Around You - A Quote from M.N. Hopkins
*Source of picture: http://spaceweather.com* *Seek to learn from all those around you. For God will speak to you in a simple way, a way that you will understand. Within every thought is a message, within every feeling there lies either within it or just behind it, a gift of Light. Even behind your dark thoughts is a Light that will if allowed, be revealed and as it reveals itself, will at the same time reveal the darkness that you have allowed to poison your body and mind. Once seen and understood, then easily released so that there is room for new, lovely creations that will i... more »
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Unveiled 30FF or DEX Next Generation Vessel Concept for the JMSDF
[image: 30FF]In its latest "Defense and space domain briefing" Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) unveiled a new surface combatant concept. Not much information is available but this new concept may be MHI's vision for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) next generation 3000 tons class Frigate known as "30FF" or FFX. The MHI briefing document explains that this concept vessel is being designed to answer the new needs from the JMSDF for "compact" vessels. The Japanese MoD expressed a new need for compatct hull Destroyers (known as DEX) in its mid-term defense progra... more »
Raytheon completes milestones on path to production-ready GaN-based AESA Patriot
[image: Patriot battery]Militaries of the future will soon have access to a single radar capable of protecting troops' backs from threats such as ballistic and cruise missiles, and drones. Raytheon Company recently completed a series of milestones, bringing the combat-proven Patriot Air and Missile Defense System with 360-degrees of coverage one step closer to production readiness. The milestones involve upgrading the Patriot' radar main array with Gallium Nitride- (GaN) based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology. Completion of those milestones keep Raytheon engine... more »
Pakistan's first female fighter pilot is smashing stereotypes
[image: Ayesha Farooq]"Ayesha and her sister [grew up] in an environment where it’s pretty hard to survive if you don’t have a male protector," says Bina Shah, author of several books including, most recently, "A Season for Martyrs." Shah, who has written about Farooq, says her father was a physician and she grew up watching him take care of people. “His absence in her life made her realize how important it was to have a protector of the family and she decided she was going to step into that role," she says. Farooq joined the air force academy to train as a fighter pilot. Read more
Finland launches new fighter jet replacement program – F-35 and four other types of aircraft being considered
[image: F/A-18 Hornet]Finland announced Thursday it plans to replace its 62 F/A-18 Hornets. A report prepared for Finland’s defence department recommended the selection of the country’s new fighter should begin in 2017/2018 with a decision on the type of plane to be purchased made by 2021. Finland’s Minister of Defense Jussi Niinisto said at a press conference that the official decision to proceed with the procurement will be made later this year but the government would follow the report’s recommendations. Read more
No land role for $2.5bn Triton maritime drones
[image: MQ-4C Triton]Australia plans to spend about $2.5 billion for up to seven unmanned Triton maritime drones in a move which will transform Australia’s ability to patrol its vast maritime approaches. But the air force’s hopes of having a special land-tracking feature incorporated into the Triton drones looks unlikely after Defence overruled the air force and recommended against investing in the joint development of the new aircraft with the US Navy. The Ground Moving Target Indicator, which would allow the drones to pinpoint and identify a target such as a suspected terrorist tr... more »
Newly acquired aircraft feature in military rehearsal
Some of the R.O.C.'s recently acquired military aircraft and helicopters were featured at a large-scale rehearsal of a public military display held yesterday in Hsinchu in preparation for an official event next month to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the R.O.C.'s victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Staged at a military parade ground in Hsinchu County, two weeks ahead of the official event set to take place on July 4, the rehearsal featured AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, P-3C submarine-hunting aircraft, EC225 Super Puma helicopt... more »
Malaysia dispatches missile corvette to monitor China Coast Guard 'intrusion'
[image: KD Laksamana Hang Nadim (F 134)]The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has deployed a Laksamana (Assad)-class guided-missile corvette to monitor a China Coast Guard (CCG) patrol vessel in the South China Sea, a RMN spokesperson confirmed to IHS Jane's on 9 June. The 62 m corvette, KD Laksamana Hang Nadim (F 134), was deployed on 3 June in response to the presence of a Chinese vessel near what Malaysia refers to as Gugusan Beting Patinggi Ali (South Luconia Shoals), the spokesperson said. "As with all intrusions into Malaysian waters, the Chinese vessel is being monitored in accordan... more »
China Conducts Fourth Test of Wu-14 Strike Vehicle
[image: Ultra-High Speed Missile Vehicle]China this week carried out the fourth test of an ultra high-speed nuclear delivery vehicle that conducted what intelligence officials say were extreme maneuvers. The test of the Wu-14 hypersonic strike vehicle was carried out Sunday, launched atop a ballistic missile fired from a test facility in western China. It was the fourth successful test of the Wu-14 in the past 18 months and the frequency of tests is being viewed by U.S. intelligence analysts as an indicator of the high priority placed on developing the weapon by the Chinese. Read ... more »
Navy Declares IOC On Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2
[image: Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM)]The Navy declared initial operational capability (IOC) on Raytheon’s Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2, which brings greater accuracy and maneuverability to the self-defense system, the company announced. Block 2 has an increased range due to a four-axis independent control actuator system and an increase in rocket motor capability, according to a June 1 statement. Its improved passive radio frequency seeker and upgrades to some components of the infrared seeker, along with advanced kinematics, help the newest block go after more complex... more »
HMCS Algonquin retires from service
The Royal Canadian Navy bid farewell to one of its destroyers today, after 41 years of service. HMCS Algonquin, an Iroquois class destroyer, was “paid off” in the navy tradition today at CFB Esquimalt with many sailors and officers on hand to share in the celebration. The ship’s ensign, naval jack and commissioning pennant were hauled down as the Naden Band played. Read more
Four ways China can counter US X-47B UCAV: Sina Military
China has four ways to counter the United States Navy's US Navy's X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), says the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the X-47B is said to provide the US with a major advantage over that offered by traditional fighter jets. The UCAV conducted its maiden flight in 2011 before completing ground tests and commencing test flights in 2013. In-flight refueling tests began at the start of this year. Even when taking mid-air refueling in account, fighter jets only have a range of about 1,500 nautical miles but their combat... more »
US planning P-3 Orion 'chain' to contain China in S. China Sea: report
[image: RNZAF P-3K Orion]The United States is planning to establish a chain of military bases with the P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft to monitor China's activities in the South China Sea, says Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news outlet. Countries with the P-3 Orion in their arsenal include Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, with Vietnam expected to join their ranks in the future. The US Navy also has a large fleet of P-3 aircraft stationed all around the world, though these are gradually being replaced by the more advanced P-8A Pose... more »
Submarine John Warner completes sea trials
From a distance, the Virginia-class submarine rose from the water and cruised smoothly toward Newport News Shipbuilding. Its namesake was there in spirit. “I would give anything to be on the submarine right now,” said John Warner, his voice coming in loud and clear over a speaker phone as tugboats prepared to guide the submarine back to the shipyard. Read more
Decision on whether new submarines will be built in Adelaide unlikely before next year
[image: Collins class SSK]South Australia’s defence industry will probably have to wait until next year to find out if the Future Submarines will be built in Adelaide. But the Federal Government will reveal within weeks how much future naval shipbuilding work could be available to the state under a “continuous build strategy”. The deteriorating labour market has led to increased pressure on the Federal Government to deliver on its pre-election promise to build 12 submarines in Adelaide. Read more
Tricopter Design
Inexpensive electric rotors will allow for a lot of aeronautical innovation and this is a great example. Think in terms of a multiseat array been opened forward while the rotor are set up forward on either wing position with a balancing rotor on the tail. Now add in axis rotation to all three rotors as well and let as computer control it all as it is far to complex for human intervention.. The defaults will still have to auto-rotate to allow a successful descent been possible. Otherwise it will never be deemed airworthy. And by the way i would never fly that machine you see.... more »
Hive Consciousness
An interesting question though one naturally limited by our advanced understanding of self and time. We are simply not bees prepared to accept a commandment. We very much insist on applying our cognition to any such command. That makes a true hive mind impossible. But it does not make sharing impossible and that is certainly coming. However for efficiency and effectiveness it needs to be restored to us at the spirit level and then shared through the physical and all that means is that we need better access to our spirit self. Doing all that in our physical mind appears m... more »
War Isn't Like it Used to Be.
Yes, it is not quite that easy and what is true is that military victory is now a given. What has rarely been understood is that victory gives you the practical opportunity to reshape the political life of the opponent and its economy as well. It is here that failure has been abundant. It should not have been. We have excellent examples in Germany and Japan. Even Russia's flawed ideas did work after a fashion. Yet we forgot that both focused on removing the elite culture that nurtured the war and fostured a new elite culture to help it. Then it stayed in place until it was... more »
Sweden Offers India Collaboration to Manufacture Fighter Jets and Submarines
[image: Saab Gripen E/F]Sweden has offered to collaborate with India on production of light combat aircraft in the country along with state-of-the-art submarines as part of the 'Make-in-India' initiative. Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist held talks with his counterpart Manohar Parrikar here last night during which a range of issues were discussed. "During the meeting, both sides discussed issues of mutual interests concerning bilateral defence cooperation and regional security scenario," a statement by the Defence Ministry said. Read more
A Water Video From Norway
*Uploaded on Oct 12, 2011* Follow Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TSOPhotography Follow Google+: https://plus.google.com/1075434606581... Follow Twitter: http://twitter.com/TESOphotography This was filmed during August 2011. This is my interpretation of the fjord landscape in western Norway. Having spent countless days here, I really enjoy even the smallest parts of this landscape. Like hidden streams or dwarfish waterfalls outside of the beaten track that offer a great deal of solitude. This movie was editing "on the road" and uploaded over 3G network from southeast asia. I ... more »
Youtube response to recent song about foreign men + sex
A sad song drew this beautiful response from a smart, tough lady. _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!
Polls: Ukrainian Public Dissatisfied Uith Current Conditions. Ukraine Government And Ukeraine President Poroshenko Deeply Unpopular
*Novinite:* *Less than 30% of Ukrainians Approve Government Politics* *Less than a third of Ukrainians have stated their support for the policies of the current government, according to a research conducted by Pew Research Center, quoted by Financial Times.* *Over a period of a year the number of Ukrainians that approve government politics has dropped by 15%. Surveys on public perception were conducted among 11,000 people in Ukraine as well as in 9 more countries, including Russia.* *Meanwhile, merely 30% of Ukrainians believe that government politics poses a ''positive influence... more »
Poll: Nato Publics Are Reluctant To Use Force To Protect Member States
*PEW Research:* *NATO Publics Blame Russia for Ukrainian Crisis, but Reluctant to Provide Military Aid* *In Russia, Anti-Western Views and Support for Putin SurgePublics of key member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) blame Russia for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Many also see Russia as a military threat to other neighboring states. But few support sending arms to Ukraine. Moreover, at least half of Germans, French and Italians say their country should not use military force to defend a NATO ally if attacked by Russia.A median of 39% among NATO publi... more »
U.S. Intelligence is Predicting A Worsening In U.S. - Russian Relations
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin Photo: REUTERS Value Walk: *U.S. Intelligence Predicts Worsening Of US-Russia Relations* The Director of National Intelligence (the unit that brings together all U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA), retired Admiral Michael McConnell, speaking at a hearing in the U.S. Senate with a report on threats to U.S. national security, said the tightening of Russian leadership’s policies would inevitably lead to an increased antagonism between Moscow and Washington. The report stated that, according to U.S. intelligenc... more »
Medical marijuana includes cookies, brownies
R. *v.* Smith, 2015 SCC 34: Accused persons have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the law under which they are charged, even if the alleged unconstitutional effects are not directed at them, or even if not all possible remedies for the constitutional deficiency will end the charges against them. The prohibition on possession of non‑dried forms of medical marihuana limits the s. 7 *Charter * right to liberty of the person in two ways. First, the prohibition deprives S as well as medical marihuana users of their liberty by imposing a threat of imprisonme... more »
Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Divenire”
Ludovico Einaudi, “Divenire” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qvglWAHDak
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The southern Milky Way appears spectacular in this composite image taken from Mangaia, the most southerly of the Cook Islands. Few sources of light pollution exist here, home to only 500 people. *Click image for larger size.* The two bright stars at the Milky Way’s center are Alpha (left) and Beta Centauri. They point to Crux the Southern Cross. Near the horizon, two of the satellite galaxies of our Milky Way, the Small (left) and Large Magellanic Clouds are easy to spot." - http://www.astronomy.com/
"This I Believe..."
“This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual.” - John Steinbeck
"A Dog's Purpose"
*"A Dog's Purpose"* Author Unknown "Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, we are all very much attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. The...more »
"Friends..."
"Friends are all souls that we've known in other lives. We're drawn to each other. Even if I have only known them a day, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to wait till I have known them for two years, because anyway, we must have met somewhere before, you know." - George Harrison
"The Mystery..."
"If you need to visualize the soul, think of it as a cross between a wolf howl, a photon, and a dribble of dark molasses. But what it really is, as near as I can tell, is a packet of information. It's a program, a piece of hyperspatial software designed explicitly to interface with the Mystery. Not a mystery, mind you, *the *Mystery. The one that can never be solved. Data in our psychic program is often nonlinear, nonhierarchical, archaic, alive, and teeming with paradox. Simply booting up is a challenge, if not for no other reason than that most of us find acknowledging the unknowa... more »
Chet Raymo, “You'll Be The Death Of Me Yet”
*“You'll Be The Death Of Me Yet”* by Chet Raymo “What parent hasn't said that to a child. Or at least thought it. "You're taking years off my life," we say. And maybe we mean it and maybe we don't, but it seems like all that energy we are investing in our offspring must come from somewhere. Scientists talk about the "disposable soma" theory. (Soma refers to an organism's body as distinct from its reproductive cells.) According to the theory, producing and raising children diverts the body's limited resources away from the task of maintaining and repairing cells, with early aging as... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Salem, Oregon, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Only Light..."
"For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn't any other tale to tell, it's the only light we've got in all this darkness." - James Baldwin, “Sonny's Blues”
"Stress and the Brain"
*"Stress and the Brain"* by Deepak Chopra "The human body responds to stress with a powerful fight-or-flight reaction. Hormone surge through the body, causing the heart to pump faster and sending extra supplies of energy into the bloodstream. For much of human history, this emergency response system was useful: It enabled people to survive immediate physical threats, like an attack from a wild animal. But today, the stress in most people's lives comes from the more psychological and seemingly endless pressures of modern life. Daily challenges like a long commute or a difficult boss... more »
"Starting from Empty: Half-Full Consciousness"
*"Starting from Empty: Half-Full Consciousness"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM Live your life as if your glass is half-full rather than half-empty, all you need is a change of thought. We are all familiar with the metaphorical story of two people looking at the same glass and one perceiving it as half-full while the other sees it as half-empty. As much as we’ve heard this, it’s still a valuable exercise to really observe our minds and notice whether we are engaged in half-full or half-empty thinking. People will refer to themselves as being of one type or the other as if it was a ... more »
Paulo Coelho, "A Man, Lying On The Ground"
"A Man, Lying On The Ground" by Paulo Coelho "On a July day there was a man aged about fifty lying on the promenade in Copacabana. I passed him with a glance and went on my way towards a stall where I always drink fresh coconut water. Being from Rio, I’ve passed hundreds (thousands?) of men, women and children lying on the ground. As someone who travels, I’ve seen the same scene in practically all the countries I’ve been to – from Sweden to Romania. I’ve seen people lying in the street in all seasons of the year: in the biting winter of Madrid, New York or Paris, where they huddle ... more »
Senator Sherrod Brown And Congressman Alan Grayson On "So-Called" Free Trade
Brown has been fighting against the job-killing corporate trade agenda since long before he was ever elected to the Senate. He was the primary champion of the battle against these unfair trade bills in the House-- just as Grayson is today. Last week, Brown did an OpEd for the Jackson County *Times-Journal* about the dangers of fast-tracking the TPP. Folks in Washington like to make big promises when it comes to our trade deals. But for too long, we’ve seen nothing but bad results. We’ve seen what so-called free trade agreements have done to our workers and our communities over th... more »
Mike De Jong and The BC Liberal Government Stole $100 Million Dollars From The Legal Aid Fund To Balance Their Budget
We know that the BC Liberals have cut $millions of dollars from the BC Justice System... Today we learn something even worse, ...There is a Tax on legal services in British Columbia, that tax on legal services is a tax that is dedicated to funding legal aid.. In 2014 that tax on legal services raised $171.9 million dollars...That means the BC Government had $171.9 million for legal Aid.. Guess what...The BC Liberals under Christy Clark STOLE THE MONEY TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET.... They Stole $100 million dollars out of the fund.. Leaving for mothers, fathers and those who are too... more »
Untitled
*Behold Adolfo Garcia's New Central City Gem, Primitivo ~Nora McGunningle, EaterNOLA*
A3 Newsletter: The Eve of Freedom?
*(Artwork by Rigo 23)* As we all wait anxiously for what tomorrow may bring, we thought like us, you may want to immerse yourself in some of the most powerful shows of support for Albert from around the world that have emerged in the last few extraordinary days since Judge Brady's heroic ruling. An article written today by the Associated Press and featured by the New York Times asks: What Has Louisiana Got on the Last of the Angola Three? Answering their own question, the AP / NY Times writes: "Woodfox's long-simmering story has been the subject of documentaries, Peabody Award winn... more »
The Rational Party is Hung
[image: Lanyu_2014_54] *Lanyu. Miss it so much.* This week sole KMT presidential primary candidate, deputy speaker Hung Hsiu-chu was on display making a case for why she should have the nomination despite the fact that she most likely isn't going to win. The Taipei Times described: Hung is to be nominated if she has 30 percent support in the polls, otherwise the party will draft another candidate, presumably Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who said he felt it incumbent upon him to run if the KMT nominates him. WantWant and Taipei Times covered her speech to the KMT's Centr... more »
U.S., Russian Military Aircraft Came Within 10 Feet Over The Black Sea
Russian fighter jet buzzes U.S. reconnaissance plane over Baltic Sea http://t.co/DWdjYN5Va3 #Russia #US pic.twitter.com/xppz8KtELn — The Washington Times (@WashTimes) June 11, 2015 *CNN:* *U.S., Russian aircraft came within 10 feet over Black Sea* *Washington (CNN)A Russian fighter jet, flying at high speed, came within 10 feet of a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea late last month, several U.S. officials told CNN Thursday.The Russian jet flew alongside the U.S. plane at the same altitude, broke off, and then shadowed the plane...more »
A Look At Why U.S. Military Leaders Believe Military Escalation In Iraq Is Inevitable
*Mark Perry, Al Jazeera*: *Why military leaders believe US escalation in Iraq is inevitable* *Analysis: Serving, retired U.S. commanders believe deploying trainers to Iraq won’t be enough to stop ISIL * *President Barack Obama’s plan to send an additional 450 to 500 soldiers to Iraq’s Anbar province won’t be his last word on the crisis posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), several senior serving and retired U.S. military officers believe. Turning the tide against ISIL in Iraq will require a more robust U.S. military commitment, with options for escalation a ma... more »
New Islamic State Video Shows Jihadists Using American-Made TOW Anti-Tank Missiles In Palmyra
*WNU Editor: *This video cannot be independently verified .... but if true .... it is just another example on how US weapons have fallen into the wrong hands in this conflict.
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 11, 2015
*Heather Murdock, VOA:* *Analysts: US Needs Better Strategy in Fighting IS * *CAIRO, EGYPT — After a rare victory this week, Iraqi soldiers greeted the media, displaying weapons and 24 blindfolded young men they said were captured fighters for the so-called Islamic State.* *"Thank God we have arrested these members of ISIS. We will get them wherever they run. We will chase them out with God's help,” one soldier said, patting a detainee on the back for emphasis.* *Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 11, 2015* Keith Broomfield killed: How many Americans are fighting again... more »
Friday Morning Ramble
“It was a brave and deeply ethical thing that Lecretia Seales did. In a society that seems at times positively terrified of thinking seriously about anything, she invited us to shake off our more familiar roles as consumers, viewers, texters and takers of endless selfies, to become, if only for a little while, citizens.” *Lecretia's Legacy: A Matter Of Life And Death* – Chris Trotter, BOWALLEY ROAD “Whether he wants to admit it or not, Peter Dunne has set a precedent in granting permission to use an experimental cannabis extract.” *Compassionate approach plants seed for medical c... more »
Here’s 100% Proof that Chemtrails are Real
*Video - *If you are still in doubt that the lines in the sky are contrails, you are very mistaken. Watch this explanation that confirms that chemtrails are real. The post Here’s 100% Proof that Chemtrails are Real appeared first on Waking Times.
Quantum Physics Proves That Death Is An Illusion
*Victoria Woollaston - *Evidence confirms an existence beyond the grave – and it lies in quantum physics. The post Quantum Physics Proves That Death Is An Illusion appeared first on Waking Times.
Remembering Ornette Coleman
So, Ornette Coleman has died (here, here, here) – suddenly and unexpected it seems, in spite of his 85 years. You can read all about his fantastic importance to modern music, and the many players and turns of jazz that he inspired in the obituaries, and keep browsing here. I bought my first Ornette record long before I knew anything about his legendary status in jazz - the *Of Human Feelings* album from 1979, featuring a pretty early version of the Prime Time band. I thought it was a fusion/jazzfunk group I hadn't heard before, the name of the front man vaguely familiar, so imagin... more »
World News Briefs -- June 11, 2015
*BBC*:* Greek debt: IMF leaves talks amid 'major differences'* *Greece's international creditors have raised the pressure on the Athens government, as IMF negotiators left talks in Brussels and flew home.* *Major differences remained and they were "well away from an agreement", IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters.* *Greece is seeking a cash-for-reform deal, to avoid defaulting on a €1.5bn debt repayment to the IMF.* *But the European Council president said there was no more time for gambling and the game would soon be over.* *MIDDLE EAST* Over 20 million in war-torn Yemen *n... more »
Sir Christopher Lee - Rest in Peace
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor, singer, and author. With a career spanning nearly 70 years, Lee initially portrayed villains and became best known for his role as Count Dracula in a sequence of Hammer Horror films. His other film roles include Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003) and The Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014), and Count Dooku in the final two films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy (2002 and 2005) and Star War... more »
Reproductive Thoughts and Nightmares
*Note*: I have updated my Greencrow Creative Resources Page June 12, 2015 - *Wooden Seahorse Candlestick Centrepiece (Unfinished).* Click on the above link to enjoy! *Brave New World* ...In a June 2011 interview, Suleman purportedly told *In Touch Weekly*: "I hate babies, they disgust me... Obviously, I love them — but I absolutely wish I had not had them."[31] Suleman later stated she did not give an interview with the magazine,[32] but a recorded audio tape surfaced three weeks later....[33] The second most powerful urge felt by humans is the urge to reproduce. The first is the... more »
"How It Really Is"
Isn't it amazing? All these clowns only repent when they're *caught*...
"So Now The TPP's Real Purpose Is Revealed"
*"So Now The TPP's Real Purpose Is Revealed"* by Karl Denninger The "TPP" has been "negotiated" in secret; our government refuses to release what's in it and both Congress and President Rob-you-blindBama loves the complicity of both Congress and you. Now Wikileaks has gotten their hands on the health care component. Well, it's not called that, but it clearly is that. Yes, this "trade agreement" is meant to, and will, prevent you from doing things like going to Mexico to get a medicine made there that sells for $100 instead of paying $30,000 for it here. And how will it do that? I... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- Juine 11, 2015
*Reuters*:* Obama orders more troops to Iraq to guide fightback against Islamic State* *President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered the deployment of 450 more U.S. troops to Iraq's Sunni heartland to advise and assist fragile Iraqi forces being built up to try to retake territory lost to Islamic State.* *The plan to expand the 3,100-strong U.S. contingent in Iraq and open a new operations center closer to the fighting in Anbar province marks an adjustment in strategy for Obama, who has faced mounting pressure to do more to blunt the momentum of the insurgents.* *But with Obama ... more »
Iran Spends Billions Each Year Supporting The Syrian Regime (Updated)
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (L) welcomes Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (C), before a meeting in Damascus January 15, 2014. REUTERS/SANA *i24 News*: *UN: Iran's financial aid to Assad far exceeds US estimates* *Specian envoy de Mistra estimates Tehran spends $6 billion annually in military and economic aid to Syria* *Iran is spending billions of dollars annually to support and strengthen President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, financial site Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.* *A spokesman for Staffan de Mistra, the UN special envoy to Syria, told Bloomberg... more »
Rapallo
The German Government, represented by *Dr Walther Rathenau*, Minister of State, and the Government of the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic, represented by M. Tchitcherin, People's Commissary, have agreed upon the following provisions: *Article 1* The two Governments are agreed that the arrangements arrived at between the German *Reich* and the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic, with regard to questions dating from the period of war between Germany and Russia, shall be definitely settled upon the following basis: *[a] The German Reich and the Russian Socialist Fede... more »
The Systematic Ripping Off Of College Students-- Who's To Blame?
Private, for-profit "colleges" have spent a great deal of money-- and they get a great deal of tax-payer money-- bribing Members of Congress to cut them some slack on their shoddy operations. Last cycle alone, for-profit education spent $1,727,926 on legalistic bribes to Members of Congress, $1,143,883 to Republicans and $582,043 to mostly conservative Democrats. The two biggest recipients of legalistic bribes were the top two Republicans on the Education and Workforce Committee, Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and North Carolina crackpot Virginia Foxx. Kline scooped up $185,849, and ... more »
Should Labour and the Liberal Democrats Merge?
One question that comes up time and again from punters to far left acitivists is 'why can't you all just unite?' And it's a question that hasn't gone away for these comrades, seeing as Left Unity, ironically, has ruled out unity with the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition for next year's London Assembly elections. Of course, there are Very Important Reasons why myriad groups in the revolutionary socialist tradition can't unite. But one question I've not heard from the mouth of any voter ever is "why can't Labour and the Liberal Democrats merge?" Yet it is being asked now, and th... more »
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