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igoogle portal II + water and environment
10:25pm MDST
The Futurists Were Wrong About 2 Big Things: Greed And Stupidity
By Manifesto Joe I confess to be old enough to remember the 1960s and 1970s. The futurists of the time were telling us that by now we Americans would be working 25-hour weeks, with that workload regarded as full time and with the same standard of living, or likely even better. These bozos got it wrong in a number of very basic ways, but two ways really stand out: (1) greed and (2) human stupidity. Let's consider them one at a time. *Greed* The American economy has indeed expanded, and nearly as much as the futurists of the Sixties and Seventies thought it would. I've generally he... more »
Has California really abolished the high school exit exam? Not quite.
Sent to my state government representatives: According to news reports, Gov. Brown has "abolished" the high school exam. Not quite. The bill Gov. Brown signed (AB 172) does not abolish the exit exam forever. In fact, it requires that a panel be set up to "provide recommendations" for a new high school exit exam. I hope the panel reads the research on high school exit exams. Several studies have been done showing that high school exit exams do not lead to more college attendance, do not result in increased student learning and do not result in higher employment. In fact, rese... more »
Did Russia Intervene In Syria Because The U.S. Was Supplying TOW Missiles?
Video shows the moment when #FSA|s Brigade.13 destroyed a #Syria|n regime T-72 tank in #Hama|s northern countryside. pic.twitter.com/Eb4LSIjVUb — Sakir Khader (@sakirkhader) October 9, 2015 *Washington Post*: *Did U.S. weapons supplied to Syrian rebels draw Russia into the conflict?* BEIRUT — American antitank missiles supplied to Syrian rebels are playing an unexpectedly prominent role in shaping the Syrian battlefield, giving the conflict the semblance of a proxy war between the United States and Russia, despite President Obama’s express desire to avoid one. The U.S.-made BGM-7... more »
President Obama On "60 Minutes"
Steve Kroft and President Obama in the Roosevelt Room at the White House CBS NEWS *CBS 60 Minutes*:* President Obama* Steve Kroft questions President Obama on topics including Russia's incursion in Syria, ISIS and the 2016 presidential race The following is a script from "President Obama" which aired on October 11, 2015. Steve Kroft is the correspondent. L. Franklin Devine, Michael Karzis and Maria Gavrilovic, producers. It's been a week of rising tensions in Syria with Russia stepping up airstrikes and naval bombardments in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and in some... more »
Quote of the day: On the happiness (or otherwise) of dictators
*"It’s a great mistake to think that dictators are motivated by a rational calculation of their own happiness. They are motivated by an irrational obsession with raw power, power for its own sake, which they pursue far beyond the point where its benefits might conceivably justify the effort. Whatever opulence there is in their palaces, whatever empty satisfaction there may be in the pomp and circumstance of their office, it cannot outweigh the burden of living in fear, doomed to endless scheming and intrigue."* ~ Robert Tracinski, from his article ‘No, Obama Critics Don't Ad... more »
Russian President Putin Meets With Abu Dhabi Crown Prince To Discuss Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin (r.). shakes hand with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Sochi, Russia on Sunday. Putin met with Prince Mohammed to discuss security in the Middle East and the conflict in Syria. *Haaretz/Reuters:* *Putin, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Meet in Russia to Discuss Syria* The meeting is the highest-level contact between the Kremlin and a Gulf Arab official since Russia began airstrikes to support Assad. REUTERS - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Sunday to discuss se...more »
Musical Interlude: Andrea Bocelli, “Con Te Partiro”
Andrea Bocelli, “Con Te Partiro” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAiIQ91UPeo ◆ *English lyrics:* “Con Te Partiro” “Time to Say Goodbye” “When I'm alone I dream on the horizon, And words fail; Yes, I know there is no light In a room Where the sun is not there, If you are not with me. At the windows, Show everyone my heart Which you set alight; Enclose within me The light you Encountered on the street. Time to say goodbye, To countries I never Saw and shared with you, Now, yes, I shall experience them, I'll go with you On ships across seas Which, I know, No, no, exist no longer; With y...more »
Day 3 - Arriving in Belfast
*Lunch on the walk* We walked into Belfast today and once again (frankly much to my surprise) the response from the public remained excellent. They seem to understand our concern about the damage to sea life and at this point don't appear to be much put off by our pointing the finger directly at the Navy for causing so much of the harm. The weather was perfect again today and we had unexpected visits by two different families with their kids who eagerly brought their boundless energy to us. One of the moms is a former Catholic Worker activist who has moved back home to Maine to r... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The delightful Dark Doodad Nebula drifts through southern skies, a tantalizing target for binoculars in the constellation Musca, The Fly. The dusty cosmic cloud is seen against rich starfields just south of the prominent Coalsack Nebula and the Southern Cross. Stretching for about 3 degrees across this scene the Dark Doodad seems punctuated at its southern tip (lower left) by globular star cluster NGC 4372. *Click image for larger size.* Of course NGC 4372 roams the halo of our Milky Way Galaxy, a background object some 20,000 light-years away and only by chance along our line-of-s... more »
Chet Raymo, "Dust"
*"Dust"* by Chet Raymo "In Chekhov's play "The Three Sisters" sister Masha refuses "to live and not know why the cranes fly, why children are born, why the stars are in the sky. Either you know and you're alive or its all nonsense, all dust in the wind." Why? Why? The striving to know is what frees us from the bonds of self, said Einstein. It's the striving, rather than our knowledge - which is always tentative and partial - that is important. I've been living with grandchildren for the past few weeks. They seem to me to spend an inordinate amount of time with smart phones, iPads, ... more »
Russia Begins Arming Iran
S-300 Air Defense System *Wall Street Journal*:* Meanwhile, Putin Is Also Arming Iran* The sale of the S-300 advanced surface-to-air missile system is a sign of things to come. While all eyes are on Vladimir Putin’s machinations in Syria, deploying Russian fighters and troops, a potentially more dangerous Moscow effort in Iran is picking up steam. Media outlets are reporting that Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile systems may be delivered before the end of the year. The S-300 is considered “defensive” and as such is not subject to United Nations sanctions. Each system fielded cr... more »
The Poet: T.S. Eliot, "The Four Quartets"
*"The Four Quartets"* "I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing. - T.S. Eliot
Russian President Putin Meets With Saudi Arabia's Defence And Foreign Minister To Discuss Syria
*RT*: *Putin and Saudi defense minister meet in Russia, agree on common goals in Syria* Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s defense minister have agreed that Moscow and Riyadh should pursue common goals in Syria, including national reconciliation and combating terrorists, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said. Putin met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman for talks on the sidelines of a Formula 1 race in Sochi on Sunday. The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers of both states. “The sides confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Russia have similar goals concerning Syria... more »
Have British Fighter Jets Been Given The Green Light To Shoot Down Hostile Russian Jets Over Syria?
*Daily Star:* *RAF Tornados armed and dangerous: Tensions between Russia and UK escalate* RAF fighter jets will be armed with air-to-air missiles and have been given the green light to shoot down hostile Russian planes. British and Nato pilots have been told to take the drastic action if they are fired on by Vladimir Putin’s air force during missions over Iraq. The move comes after British ministers warned Russia had made the situation in the Middle East “much more dangerous”. Senior defence sources say it is just a matter of time before our fighters are involved in a deadly conf... more »
RAF Helicopter Crash In Afghanistan Kills 5
Royal Air Force 33 Sqn Puma's conduct winter training, including snow landings and under slung loads, in the mountainous region above Bardufoss, Norway. Wikipedia *BBC*: *RAF helicopter crash: Five Nato staff die in Afghanistan* Five people, including two RAF personnel, have been killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The Puma Mk2 helicopter crashed as it was landing at Nato's Resolute Support mission headquarters, Kabul. Nato has not released the nationalities of the other victims or the five left injured. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and ... more »
#SelfieGeneration
Yes, it’s true. Primitive tribesmen were right. Taking pictures of everything absolutely does steal your soul. [Hat tip Karen Bridgman] Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Transpicuous News : Oct 11th, 2015
LINKS FOR OCT 11 TN EXPECT A HUGE DISTRACTION THIS WEEK!!!!! - Russian airstrikes in Syria -US bombs Doctors without borders and now..... **Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal Is Reached** http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/business/trans-pacific-partnership-trade-deal-is-reached.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region%C2%AEion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1 **Trans-Pacific Partnership Deal Struck As "Corporate Secrecy" Wins Again** http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-10-05/trans-pacific-partnership-deal-struck-corporate-secrecy-wins-again The Trans-Pac... more »
#JusticeorElse and education
Of what I reviewed on social media in the last day at the crossroads of education and Saturday’s march, this seems to be a general sentiment: “The education you are receiving has made you a better tool for your oppressor” #JusticeOrElse — jewelle. (@JewelleSantana) October 10, 2015 Or this: Education: We should start there because […]
"We Do Not Believe..."
"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our touch, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit." - e.e. cummings, (1894-1962)
"Subliminal Advertising; Explicit Content Warning!"
*"Subliminal Advertising"* *"Subliminal presentations that actually show you where the subliminals are located!”* *Explicit content warning!* - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttkvaJ_GRGk#t=151 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7594HA7DeYo Ahh, those clever advertising folks. What did you think you were seeing and hearing? So, how are you really making decisions? How well can you trust your own senses?
The Daily "Near You?"
Lindstrom, Minnesota, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"The U.S. Is A CORPORATION, Not A Country"
“A ‘Corporation’, Not A ‘Country’" “Corporation Nation (The U.S. Is A CORPORATION, Not A Country)” See the whole picture... Don't you just love how they always cloak their crimes with "legal" niceties? ◆ “To hell with the truth! As the history of the world proves, the truth has no bearing on anything. It's irrelevant and immaterial, as the lawyers say. The lie of a pipe dream is what gives life to the whole misbegotten mad lot of us, drunk or sober.” - Eugene O'Neill, “The Iceman Cometh” ◆ Ever wonder why some American flags have a gold fringe on them? Ever hear of "Admiralty Law"? Y... more »
Pumping on the treadle
Time to make some holiday cards. A bit of green ink on the ink disk and some pumping on the treadle to distribute it on the rollers. Lock up the chase. Run the job. Come back when the ink is dry on the paper and bag up the products. I did four designs. Outside, a few sprinkles. Not nearly enough, but appreciated.
Machine of the day:
Capital leverages human effort. Capital in the form of modern machinery can make one person far more productive today than a hundred, or even a thousand might have been in the past. (Making a thousand of us … well, you work it out…) Take this logging machine by Ponsse North America … How cool is that! PS: There are over 3 *trillion* trees on Earth, 7 1/2 times more than previously expected; and where property rights are strongest most trees harvested for commercial use today are re-planted, making plantation forestry an *actual* renewable resource. What’s more, rapid growth of p... more »
Hung saga zigs and zags toward close
*Da-an River gorge north of Dongshih town.* DPP Presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen once again reiterated her support for the status quo and for the determination of cross-strait policy by the people.... Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the chairwoman and presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said Sunday that the orientation of Taiwan's next administration should be decided by the people. Referring to President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) statement on cross-Taiwan Strait relations in his National Day message, Tsai said there was a huge difference between the views of the p... more »
Australia's COP21 Delegation must NOT give away Australia's sovereignty.
Previously this blog has written about *Donna Laframboise*'s book (eg Here, Here etc) *"The Delinquent Teenager who was mistaken for the world's top Climate Expert* The book concentrated on exposing the deception underpinning the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with regard to its claim that only the most expert, peer reviewed science underpins those reports. Donna cited numerous examples which showed that quite a few lead authors of IPCC reports were youthful graduate students, still working on their doctorates, while many others had strong links to ... more »
Markets in everything. Including body parts?
*Any reason you shouldn’t be able to sell your blood, or buy a kidney? Not really, say guest posters Zac Gochenour & Peter Jaworski. And it would save lives.* How to Get a Spare Kidney The good news is that you already have one by Zac Gochenour A common complaint about a market in kidneys is that the sick poor would not be able to get kidneys as easily as with a first-come, first-serve system. Even the lowest estimates of the price of kidneys in a free market is a significant sum for many of the world's poor. But this argument ignores one of their biggest assets — their healthy... more »
Oct. 11: First, a few items the Irvinig press missed....
The Irving press has given us virtually no analysis on the federal election. Of course not. They have nobody who's capable of doing it. All they can do if is carry daily reports of New Brunswick ridings - and, at that, they tell us nothing. So here's a review of the platforms by a reporter who knows what he's taking about. He's covered Ottawa for the CBC for decades and now, in retirement, still does it superbly. http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/karl-nerenberg/2015/10/banish-pundits-and-polls-thanksgiving-election-conversations#.VhmgqknFx00.gmail And here's al Jazeera's American news.... more »
Mini-ramble, top ten
Top-ten most popular links from last Friday morning’s ramble …. 1. Formidable Fox 2. A Deep Look Inside The Tyrannical Regime In Saudi Arabia 3. Top Scientist Resigns Admitting Global Warming Is A Big Scam 4. '97% Of Climate Scientists Agree' Is 100% Wrong 5. Perth electrical engineer’s discovery will change climate change debate 6. WATCH: Cruz Humiliates Sierra Club Prez at Senate Hearing 7. Strong support for guns in town shocked by college shooting 8. The Case for Open Borders 9. Farm-To-Table Weed Exists — & It Comes In A Mason Jar 10. New R...more »
The Dogs of Aksakal...and other travel notes
*Wednesday, September 16, 2015* We checked into our small "boutique" Hotel in Istanbul. The hotel is located on a sidestreet butting up against the foot of the ancient Roman retaining wall that supports the Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square) on top. To the left, we could see the harbour of Istanbul...I expected to see ancient triremes, battleships of the Greeks, appear on the horizon at any moment: *View of Sultanahmet Harbour from Hotel Erguvan rooftop restaurant* *View of small park against Hippodrome retaining wall with* *vegetable stand in front* *dog fight took place in middle of t... more »
"How It Really Is"
33 per day, the figure I saw...
"Three Blind Men and an Elephant"
*"Three Blind Men and an Elephant"* Author Unknown "One day, three blind men happened to meet each other and gossiped a long time about many things. Suddenly one of them recalled, " I heard that an elephant is a queer animal. Too bad we're blind and can't see it." "Ah, yes, truly too bad we don't have the good fortune to see the strange animal," another one sighed. The third one, quite annoyed, joined in and said, "See? Forget it! Just to feel it would be great." "Well, that's true. If only there were some way of touching the elephant, we'd be able to know," they all agreed. It so... more »
"I Hope..."
“Why are we born? We're born eventually to die, of course. But what happens between the time we're born and we die? We're born to live. One is a realist if one hopes.” “With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, 'Studs, you're an optimist.' I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because what's the alternative to hope? Despair? If you have despair, you might as well put your head in the oven.” “I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.” - Studs Terkel
Christians stand with Muslims at JUSTICE OR ELSE rally in DC!
The Nation of Islam just brought hundreds of thousands of people to Washington DC to stand up for truth and justice. Unfortunately, relatively few Muslims from other groups and backgrounds attended. Check out my dispatch from the rally: *Farrakhan’s “Justice or Else” march rocks DC! 9/11 truth and justice among issues highlighted by mega-event* Today, Muslims are the biggest target of injustice on a world-historical scale. The 9/11 false flag propaganda coup continues to drive a global war of genocide against the religion of Islam and its followers. Yet the vast majority of Ameri... more »
"The Grand Illusion"
*"The Grand Illusion"* by Admin "We live a world of illusions. The illusion of security. The illusion of wealth. The illusion of an economy. I could go on and on. But the truth, as hard as it is to swallow, is none of these things are real. Never have been and never will be. All are merely human inventions, concepts, ideas, whatever you want to call them. A human structure, construct, fabrication. Most of human history is about survival. As long as human-kind has existed, there has never been true peace, or prosperity, or any of that crap so many pay lip service to. Buy into all t... more »
GOP Extremists About To Be Hoist On Their Own Petard?
Mainstream conservatives in Congress are begging Boehner to make a deal with Nancy Pelosi to pass some of the urgent items on the national agenda, particularly lifting the debt ceiling. Their attitude is "screw the assholes in the Liberty Caucus; they brought this on themselves." Long Island Republican Peter King said Boehner can make these kinds of bold moves now because only a caretaker Speaker now and "doesn't have to worry about losing votes." And notice that of the 3 sponsors of this letter to Boehner asking him to do something about runaway gun violence, 2 of them are Republ... more »
The Universe
“Not everyone's ready to open the throttle up all the way. Put the pedal to the metal. Skinny-dip into a sea of infinite possibilities. And that's perfectly alright. Because there's nothing you're "supposed" to be doing with your life. No one is judged based upon how much turf they cover, how many mountains they climb, or how many deals they close. Because even one small drop from the sea is as infinite as all of the oceans combined. Kind of perked up when you read skinny-dip, didn't you? And, yes, of course, you already are the drop, just know it.” "Be the drop," The Universe... more »
A Step Closer To War Between Russia And UK
RAF Tornados are reportedly ready to stand up to Russian Jets in a supersonic battle over the volatile Middle eastern skies. British ministers have raised their concerns for peace and security in Iraq and Syria by blaming Russia for creating a “much more dangerous” situation in the middle east. This has led the defense chiefs to order RAF Tornados to be prepared for engagement with President Putin’s air force, which could lead the way to war and a possible nuclear confrontation. All efforts by the concerned parties is to fight ISIS which is also threatening with nuclear Armageddon. ... more »
Campbell's Soup pushes the homosexual agenda...
*they show this crapola on TV?* I don't watch TV. *Disclaimer: *Once again, allow me to say (I really should save this disclaimer, so I don't have to redo it all the time), by stating that I don't watch TV, I'm not being all snotty and snooty and claiming to be better than those who do watch TV. We don't have cable, and haven't for about 20 years, drastically cutting down our choices of programming. Even with cable, I doubt I would watch much TV. I'm simply too busy. So you can imagine my shock (okay - not really) when I saw the following ad from Campbell's, which has nothing t... more »
Radioactive Waste In St. Louis At Risk From Landfill Fire 300 Meters Away
A fire that has been smoldering underneath a landfill north of St. Louis since 2010 could reach radioactive waste in as little as three months. The slow burning underground fire is now 300 meters (1,000 feet ) from a cache of Cold War-era and Manhattan Project nuclear waste…two things that should never meet. The Free Though Project reports: Last year, city officials became concerned that the fire may reach the nearby West Lake Landfill, which is littered with decades worth of nuclear waste from government projects and weapons manufacturing. Remnants from the Manhattan Project and th... more »
China launches global yuan payment system
*The odd thing about all this is HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) owns SWIFT in the first place (as we proved from Bloomberg data in 2013), so who's fooling who? -AK* https://www.rt.com/business/318103-china-payment-system-yuan/ *China launches global yuan payment system* Published time: 9 Oct, 2015 10:37 China’s Central Bank has started a global payment system which provides cross-border transactions in yuan. The China International Payment System (CIPS) intends to internationalize the yuan and challenge the US dollar's dominance. *“The establishment of CIPS is... more »
Red Cross Destroy The Climate Disaster Myth
By Paul Homewood h/t AC Osborn http://notrickszone.com/2015/10/10/inconvenient-truths-2014-global-natural-disasters-down-massively-no-trend-in-tornadocyclones-since-1950/#sthash.vAJg81Bp.hTuedbKO.dpbs Pierre has a good piece regarding the 2014 Natural Disaster Report from the Red Cross: Down Again: 2014 Catastrophe Losses Below Average Global natural disasters1 in 2014 combined to cause economic losses of USD 132 billion, 37 percent below the ten-year average of USD211 […]
‘Unclear’ if ISIS Head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed in Deadly Air Strike, Iraq Says
[image: ISIS Leader__1444591818_173.71.16.53] Eight senior figures from Islamic State have been killed in an air strike in western Iraq, but the group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi did not appear to be among them, local residents and hospital sources say. Iraq said on Sunday... Continue reading *“‘Unclear’ if ISIS Head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed in Deadly Air Strike, Iraq Says”* at *abc.net.au*.
It's complicated
Catching up... *Panorama *has often seemed well past its sell-by date in recent years. Not so this week. *The VIP Paedophile Ring: What's the Truth?, *broadcast last Tuesday, send major shock waves out in several directions - from the police to the Labour Party's deputy leader Tom Watson, and from Exaro News to their occasional partners at BBC Two's *Newsnight*. The issues raised by the programme, as well as sundry questions about whether the programme should *ever* have been broadcast, reverberated widely - and the rest of the media have lapped it up. I'm very firmly with St... more »
As Russian Ships Enter – The US Pulls Aircraft Carrier Out Of Persian Gulf
The United States has pulled a huge nuclear powered aircraft carrier out of the Persian Gulf as Russian warships entered the area. Military officials said on Thursday that they’ve pulled the USS Theodore Roosevelt so that it can undergo maintenance. The US Navy now has now no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf for the first time since 2007, according to NBC News. Press TV reports: The warship was withdrawn from the Persian Gulf on Thursday, a day after Russia fired 26 long-range cruise missiles from its Caspian Flotilla against terrorists in Syria, Pentagon officials said. US mil... more »
Gossip column
From the *Telegraph *to the *Guardian*, and a bit of Guardianista BBC gossip (played out, probably unsurprisingly, on Twitter): It takes a lot to make an Old Etonian blow his top in public, but ITV’s passion for Peston led BBC deputy political editor James Landale to take to Twitter and tell a group of fellow TV lobby journalists (Chris Ship, Andy Bell, Allegra Stratton and Joey Jones, some of whom are also thought to have applied for the ITV political editorship): “I tweet tonight in praise of quiet competence and putting the story first. KBO [Keep Buggering On]”. As Landale got ... more »
Homelessness Figure For UK Youth Is 8 Times Higher Than Government Admits
The figure for homelessness among young people in the UK is eight times higher than Government admits, says a new report Around 136,000 young people aged between 16 and 24 in England and Wales sought emergency housing in the past year according to analysis by the Centrepoint charity. However, only 16,000 were classified as “statutory homeless” meaning that councils had a legal duty to house them The Independent reports: Worryingly, some 30,000 of those seeking help were turned away with little if any support. And as many as 90,000 were only offered support such as family mediation, ... more »
Christopher Booker cheerfully drives his tractor into a ditch
I think Christopher Booker may have published his *least *popular article at the *Sunday Telegraph* today. I suspected as much when I saw the surprisingly small number of comments below his article. And then when I saw the top-rated comment, beginning "Sorry Christopher...", I knew something was seriously amiss. What had he got so 'wrong'? What had so put off his faithful readership? Well, here's a clue - his article's headline: *BBC is not always as bad as I often say* Not even we've ever dared post a blog title like that! And it gets 'worse'... Here's the whole of this par... more »
Paranoid fixations of anti-nukes
Nothing suggests mental illness more than the tortured reasoning used by anti-nuclear activists to attempt to justify their positions. Often they fixate on particular claims which turn out to be utterly ludicrous after even shallow examination. One of these is the argon-41 chromosome-damage "theory" currently being flogged by BasG (Bas Gresnigt) over at Atomic Insights. This short-lived
What Is Russia's Exit Strategy In Syria?
*Mikhail Barabanov, National Interest:* *Why Russia Needs an Exit Strategy in Syria* A Russia defense expert analyzes the Syria conflict. Russia's intervention in Syria is the most remarkable military and political campaign of Putin's era, the first post-Soviet substantial military foray beyond the borders of the former USSR. For historical purposes, Russia's intervention in Syria, more than anything else, marks its return to the global arena as a player with whom other powers--led as they are by the United States--must contend, albeit reluctantly. Clearly, the decision to dispat... more »
Turkey Claims Syrian Fighter Jets And Military Systems Are Harassing Its Warplanes
© Flickr/ UK Ministry of Defence *Sputnik:* *Turkey Says Its Jets Harassed by Syrian Warplanes, Missile Systems* Syrian fighter jets and missile systems harassed Turkish F-16 warplanes near the Turkish-Syrian border on Saturday, the Turkish military said on Sunday, once again bringing the conflict to NATO's southeastern flank. The three jets were among 12 F-16s patrolling the border when they were interfered with for two minutes by Syria-based missile systems. They were also harassed for 35 seconds by two SU-22s and one SU-24 planes, the general staff statement said. Last weekend... more »
Sunday Classics snapshots: Meet the composer, Richard Strauss-style
*The first part of the Prologue to Ariadne auf Naxos, with Paul Schoeffler as the Music Master and Sena Jurinac as the Composer, staged by Günter Rennert and conducted by Karl Böhm, filmed at Salzburg in 1965 -- the remaining four parts are also on YouTube.* *by Ken* It was along, arduous path from conception to ultimate creation, the strange entertainment concocted by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, his librettist on two previous, wildly different operas, *Elektra* and *Der Rosenkavalier*, in collaboration with the great stage director Max Reinhardt, who had collaborat... more »
El Nino 2015 Already 3rd Biggest Since 1950
By Paul Homewood http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/enso/mei/ While we’re talking El Ninos, it is worth taking a quick look at what the guys at ESRL are saying: In the context of strong El Niño conditions since March-April 2015, this section features a comparison figure with the classic set of strong El Niño events during […]
More Inconsistent Webcam Imagery
TEPCO cam 4 shows atmospheric distortion whereas TEPCO cam 1 shows clear skies. This discordance between the imagery is UNUSUAL and I remarked on it last time I saw it at my blog. http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/inconsistent-webcam-imagery-from-tepco.html I am suspicious that webcam 1 has been manipulated since the roof was taken off (see The Asahi Shimbun here) to obscure emissions.
Bangui the flirt
Yesterday's *From Our Own Correspondent *featured a report from the strive-torn Central African Republic by blog favourite Steph Hegarty (here in her Sunday best as 'Stephanie Hegarty'). Her report was interesting and well-crafted, containing one of those striking details that *FOOC* excels in. The country's capital Bangui has a Hollywood-inspired landmark - a sign bearing the words 'Bangui the flirt' in French: Unfortunately, some time during the recent horrors there, some of the letters from that sign have gone missing. It feels like a metaphor. Steph, as regular readers will... more »
Death's Prisoner
Following is the transcript, with links and illustrations and more extended comments, from my contribution to Extinction Radio this week, where it will be archived, or you can listen to it live today at 3 pm ET. Welcome to the 16th Dispatch from the Endocene. I’m calling this, “Death’s Prisoner”, after the following quote from *On The Heights of Despair*, published in 1934 by Romanian Emil Cioran, which reads: “One of the greatest delusions of the average man is to forget that life is death’s prisoner.” I once wrote an essay about the genesis of the Obama campaign slogan, the Auda... more »
Dan Webster is the One Man Who Can Reform Congress. Here’s Why …
[image: U.S. Representative Daniel Webster] If there is one man who can fundamentally reform the way the United States Congress does business, it is Dan Webster. Why? For the simple reason that we saw him do it in Florida. I have personally observed him in... more »
No Record Year According To Satellites
By Paul Homewood http://data.remss.com/msu/monthly_time_series/RSS_Monthly_MSU_AMSU_Channel_TLT_Anomalies_Land_and_Ocean_v03_3.txt http://vortex.nsstc.uah.edu/data/msu/v6.0beta/tlt/uahncdc_lt_6.0beta3.txt With September numbers now out, satellite data shows that global temperatures this year are going to finish well below both 1998 and 2010, despite very strong El Nino conditions for most of this year. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/enso/mei/ Since April, according to NOAA’s MEI , this year’s El […]
Pt 2: Rebel Burgers & CIA/US Created Terror /Terrorists- Admitted & Acknowledged
*In the pos*t *:ISIS "Big Win/Advance" in Aleppo? - Rebel Burgers! **I tried & hopefully succeeded in getting across the fact that there is no difference between any of the 'brand' rebels using the hamburger as an analogy. *This news article, linked and featured below, which I'd hoped to post yesterday will bolster the facts and enlighten further. So let's all read -*"CIA backed rebels under Russian Blitz" * WASHINGTON (AP) -- CIA-backed rebels in Syria, who had begun to put serious pressure on President Bashar Assad's forces, are now under Russian bombardment with little prospe... more »
With The Help Of Russia Air-Strikes The Syrian Army Is Advancing On Rebel Positions
*Reuters:* *Syrian army advances with help of intensified Russian air strikes* Russian war planes pounded Syrian rebels unaffiliated with Islamic State on Sunday, insurgents said, helping Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad reclaim territory and dealing a fresh setback to the strategy of Washington and its allies. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that monitors the 4-year-old conflict, said the Syrian military and its Lebanese Hezbollah militia allies had taken control of Tal Skik, a highland area in Idlib province, after fierce Russian bombing. That brings Syrian gover... more »
The Fall of Brazil, Argentina And Venezuela
*Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald:* *The fall of Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela* The Trans-Pacific trade agreement signed last week between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries will be another nail in the coffin of the populist governments of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and other countries that will be left even more isolated from the global economy — and poorer — than before. Once ratified by the countries that signed it, the agreement — officially known as Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and heralded as the biggest trade deal in history — is expected to cover 4... more »
Why War And Conflict In The Middle East Is About To Get Worse
Iraqi refugees. DW *Victor David Hanson*: *Why the Iran Deal Ensures War* *The Iran agreement will remake the Middle East — for the worse.* Here are several scenarios the Obama administration may be entertaining as it pursues its diplomacy in the Middle East. It may believe that the new agreement with Iran will lead to “engagement” with reform-minded theocrats. The idea is that this will insidiously liberalize the regime, empower a younger generation of pro-Western reformers, and put the theocracy on “an arc of history” back into the “family of nations.” Or perhaps an Obama-inspir... more »
The Lack Of Money is The Reason Why The U.S. Air Force Is Retiring The A-10
A-10 HAS BEEN PROVIDING CLOSE AIR SUPPORT TO GROUND FORCES FOR OVER 30 YEARS. IMAGE SOURCE: NORTHROP GRUMMAN. *Motley Fool: **The Real Reason the Air Force Wants to Retire the A-10* The A-10 is a beloved fighter, but the Air Force can't afford to keep it and keep up with the United States' adversaries at the same time. *"Listen, I love the A-10. I think it's a fantastic aircraft with a phenomenal combat record. But if someone tells me I can only afford to keep two out of three aircraft -- the A-10, the F-16 and the F-35 -- I have to pick the F-16 and F-35, because they can fly more... more »
Rightwing Nuthouse: "5 Shockingly Ridiculous Right-Wing Moments this Week"
*"5 Shockingly Ridiculous Right-Wing Moments this Week"* Beyond Carson, a dizzying amount of crazy spewed forth from the right flank this week. By Janet Allon "Donald Trump was eerily quiet for most of the week, or perhaps Ben Carson’s mounting insanity just temporarily drowned Trump’s crazy out. It is unclear what plane of reality the retired neurosurgeon is operating on when he suggests mass shooting victims should have rushed the shooters, and Jews could have prevented their own Holocaust. He then proudly relayed a story of how he bravely faced down an armed robber once by sugges...more »
NBC and Saturday Night Live Wants Constitution Gone and 2nd Amendment/Guns Rights Wiped Out. Implied Gun Owners 'Extremist'
I watched SNL last night, though I don't normally do so because they are so one sided politically. Their segments always are very liberal. I was completely outraged at what they said on Weekend Update. But before that, they had a segment about guns and it implied people were over the top and reckless regarding them. After weekend update they had yet another segment about guns that made
#elxn42: fear, frustration, disbelief, and hope
Although I haven't been blogging much (or at all) about the upcoming Canadian federal election, I've been thoroughly and utterly obsessed by it for months. These last weeks have brought an almost intolerable level of suspense and frustration. I've been expressing that on Facebook, rather than here on wmtc - small bursts of agony, links to share, commiseration. Seesawing emotions, trying to keep hope alive and despair at bay. If seat projections are to be believed, only a month ago, the New Democratic Party was mopping the floor with blue and red. We would see Canada's first NDP gove... more »
F-35C Tests Completed On The Aircraft Carrier USS Eisenhower
*Washington Post*: *F-35 lands on aircraft carrier as Hurricane Joaquin churned up the East Coast * For nearly a week, the Navy has been flying the F-35C off the USS Eisenhower in tests designed to see how the next-generation fighter performs at sea. One of the biggest challenges? Landing on the air carrier last week when Hurricane Joaquin was barreling through the Atlantic. “Despite a hurricane churning at sea and some of the worst weather experienced on the east coast of the U.S. in years,” the fighter jets stuck their landings, said Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the Pentagon... more »
What Syrian Exodus to Europe? Most Syrians Stay in Turkey
It was obvious the refugee spin was about many other agendas, but it was never about assisting Syrian refugees. *CSM-* "For some refugees, Europe is a bridge too far. But most of the more than 2 million Syrians would rather grapple with the challenges in Turkey" The bulk of the CSM article is written to obfuscate or downplay the fact that *most of the real/actual Syrians still remain in Turkey* The UN statistics, contained in this article, regarding the numbers of "Syrians" going to Europe are not credible. Too many news reports mentioning the many fake Syrian passports being dra... more »
Lakota Media Video: 'Unite to Fight for Environmental Justice'
. Lakota Media Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=117&v=xFn47-8vY0s
Iran Successfully Tests A New Long Range Ballistic Missile
*CNN:** Iran test-fires new generation long-range ballistic missiles, state media report* (CNN)Iran has successfully test-fired a new long-range surface-to-surface missile, state-run IRNA reported on Sunday. The Emad (Pillar) missile, designed and built by Iranian experts, is the country's first long-range missile that can be precision-guided until it reaches its target, said Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan, Iran's defense minister. "To follow our defense programs, we don't ask permission from anyone," he said, according to IRNA. The new rocket is "capable of scrutinizing the targets a... more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, October 11th, 2015
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Sunday... It is Thanksgiving weekend here in the formerly free nation called Canada, and time again for my weekly rant... Yes, I call it like it is, and Canada is no longer the free nation that so many other nations have wanted to emulate... The proof comes out crystal clear when you do your own research on how that disgusting criminal, that has the nerve to call himself Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, has turned this nation into basically a dictatorship..... All that anyone has to do is to look closely at that draconian Bill C-51 that this master cri... more »
More on Orla
There's a complementary post to Sue's *Tired of waiting *over at BBC Watch: *Orla Guerin tells BBC audiences Al Aqsa Mosque ‘sacred to Jews’* Orla's style of reporting is described as "overly dramatic and exaggerated" - a succinct way of putting it. Indeed Hadar's style couldn't be more different to Orla's. In this piece, for example, she patiently points out a number of inaccuracies (whether intended or otherwise) in Orla Guerin's latest reporting, specifically her 9th October TV report. Here's one passage from Orla's piece: Israeli security officials are playing that down but... more »
A Change For The Worse
The polls tell us that 70% of us want change -- change as a counter weight to the change Stephen Harper has delivered in the past ten years. If you think not much has changed, Carol Goar reminds you of exactly what this prime minister has "accomplished:" - A decade ago, it would have been unthinkable for members of Parliament to spurn their constituents. Now, for half of parliamentarians, it is normal. - When the Conservatives took power, no one could have imagined the cancellation of the mandatory full-length census, the single best source of information about how the nation i... more »
David & George
Returning to the carcasses of the Prime Minister's and Chancellor's speeches at Conservative Party conference, there's a juicy piece of carrion left no one else picked at. As I've argued previously, the tradition these days is to read the chancellor's and leader's speeches as two parts of a piece. The former sets out the economic fiddlys and route to boom-time Britain, and the latter does the feels: the vision, the philosophy, the kind of society government is set on bringing into being. And so it was last week that we had sections of the commentariat embarrassing themselves with ... more »
Iraq Is Claiming That A Convoy With Islamic State Leader al-Baghdadi Has Been Hit In An Air-Strike
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi © Social Media Website via Reuters TV / Reuters *The Guardian:* *Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi hit in airstrike, Iraqi military claims* Iraqi air force issues a statement claiming the Isis leader was hit while travelling in a convoy near the Iraq-Syria border Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was hit by an airstrike while travelling in a convoy in the western province of Anbar in Iraq, the country’s military has claimed. Iraq’s air force said the militant leader was targeted near the border with Syria on Sunday and his condition remains unknown. Th... more »
Marrathon
Andrew Marr's show has had a bit of a facelift. As he put it himself, it's now "a bit brighter, a bit more spruced up". It's also a heck of a lot more orange (which could cause problems whenever Peter Hain is on the show), though Andrew later described it as "peach" - which means I might need to go to SpecSavers. There's even a new title sequence, closing with a cheeky smile from Andrew and a mysterious hand gesture (a disguised, anticipatory two-fingered salute to Robert Peston maybe?). Other than that. it was the same old same old - politicians past and present, a couple of jo... more »
The Common Ground Between Free-Marketers and Pope Francis: Driving the Cronyism Out of Capitalism
[image: Vatican and American Flags - 900] In 2013 Pope Francis released his apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (Joy of the Gospel). Newsfeeds immediately fluttered with papal pull quotes. The words of the newly-elected Pontiff, a Jesuit from Argentina, seemed to confirm the fear that this papacy was... more »
Protect Vulnerable Immigrants: Secure the Border
[image: Illegal immigrants__compressed] What is the proper feeling that a citizen should have toward his country? The classical answer is "piety," an old Roman word that combines tender concern with heartfelt gratitude. In an image that haunts the West from Virgil's Aeneid, the... more »
John Boehner’s Here to Stay, for Now, with Nothing to Lose
[image: John Boehner_900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Speaker John Boehner wants out. He really does. But the Ohio House Republican is staying put, for now -- and that could improve the chances for a debt limit increase by early next month to avoid a... more »
Should the U.S. Cooperate with Russia on Syria?
[image: Vladimir Putin - 400] We at Foreign Affairs have recently published a number of pieces on Russia’s intervention in Syria. To complement these individual articles, we decided to ask a broad pool of experts for their take. As with previous surveys, we approached dozens... Continue reading *“Should the U.S. Cooperate with Russia on Syria?”* at *foreignaffairs.com*.
Pope Turns Bishops’ Attention to Family Crises in Mideast
[image: Pope Francis_900] VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis directed the attention of the world’s bishops to real-world crises Friday by denouncing the escalation of conflicts in Syria and Iraq and urging greater diplomacy to end the “humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions.” Francis... more »
The GOP Far Right Agrees With Krugman-- Paul Ryan Is The Wrong Guy To Be Speaker
Former Republican congressman/MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough was a guest on Al Sharpton's show this morning, talking about how the House needs a strong new Speaker and he pointed out that Boehner wasn't one and that McCarthy wouldn't have been one. He came up with the one person already proven: Nancy Pelosi. He didn't mention, at least not while I was watching, Paul Ryan. Paul Krugman got a bead on Ryan early on and has been warning American voters about his dangerous extremism for many years. Krugman figured out that Ryan is a con artist, something those on the extreme right have ... more »
Briton Released From Guantanamo And Who Was Compensated £1mn Has Joined The Islamic State
*Channel 4 News:* *Jamal Al-Harith: Guantanamo detainee flees to Syria* A British terror suspect released from Guantanamo Bay after lobbying by the British Government is with the so-called Islamic State in Syria, Channel 4 News can reveal. Muslim convert Jamal al-Harith was freed from the infamous US detention centre in 2004 after then-Home Secretary David Blunkett campaigned for his release. But we can reveal, despite his previous detention, he was able to leave the UK 18 months ago and join the militant Islamic State in Syria. His journey to join Isis can be revealed by Channel... more »
Untitled
*College Campuses Are Not Gun-Free Zones* Wishing for something to be true does not make it true. Declaring an area to be gun-free is wishful thinking. We know campuses are not gun-free zones from the news reports of campus shootings. Declaring an area to be a gun-free zone discourages law-abiding citizens from carrying guns there, but it encourages people who intend to commit crimes with firearms because it gives them some assurance they will not meet with armed resistance from law-abiding citizens. Even the most dim-witted among us can surely see that such a declaration invites... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( October 11, 2015 ) - Europe In Focus : Spain December Elections items - Ciudadanos on the rise , Podemos sinking ; Draghi on Greece debt relief - " Greece needs an element " ; Ankara bomb blast repercussions ; Refugee crisis items of the day ; Ukraine and Russia in focus ; Central Banks / ECB / EZ items of the morning ; Brexit news & views !
Broader Europe.... *The Local Spain *@TheLocalSpain 9m 9 minutes ago Ciudadanos strives to occupy the political centre http://www. thelocal.es/20151011/spani sh-party-ciudadanos-makes-concerted-effort-to-occupy-the-political-centre … [image: Embedded image permalink] *Russian Market* @russian_market 22m 22 minutes ago Greece Needs Element of Debt Relief, Draghi Says: Kathimerini *Russian Market* @russian_market 29m 29 minutes ago EU Officials’ Visit to Turkey Postponed After Attacks in Ankara *Russian Market* @russian_market 33m 33 minutes ago ... more »
Untitled
*Global warming behind mysterious kidney disease, says research* *Utter bulldust again. That it is caused by warming is just speculation which in fact goes against the evidence. My father was one of many cane-cutters in tropical Australia in the old days and there was no notable kidney failure among those men. The illness specific to canecutting was Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), which is a well-understood and preventible bacterial infection. And temperatures in the fields there often reached 100 degrees F. It was once thought that white men could not do manual work in those t... more »
Intense Fighting in Central Syria Amid Government Gains
[image: Man holding Syrian flag_900] BEIRUT (AP) -- Intense fighting between insurgents and Syrian troops continued Sunday in the country’s center amid new territorial gains for the government, backed by Russian airstrikes, activists and government officials reported. The fighting Sunday was on multiple fronts in... more »
Gene Editing: Welcome to the Brave, Promising and Creepy New World of Designer Embryos
[image: gene editing_900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The hottest tool in biology has scientists using words like revolutionary as they describe the long-term potential: wiping out certain mosquitoes that carry malaria, treating genetic diseases like sickle-cell, preventing babies from inheriting a life-threatening disorder. It... more »
The New York Times Goes Truther on the Temple Mount
[image: Temple Mount Jerusalem_400] Was the White House ever in Washington, D.C.? Can we ever really know for sure? Not unless we dig under the existing structure and find indisputable archaeological evidence of the original structure, which British general Robert Ross is said --... Continue reading *“The New York Times Goes Truther on the Temple Mount”* at *tabletmag.com*.
California to Automatically Register Millions for Voting through DMV Records
[image: California voting_400] SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Jerry Brown has approved legislation to make California the second state in the nation to begin automatically registering eligible voters when they obtain or renew their driver’s licenses. AB1461 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, aims... Continue reading *“California to Automatically Register Millions for Voting through DMV Records”* at *foxnews.com*.
Syria: ISIS Crucifies 11 Christian Missionaries, Cuts Fingertips off Child in Front of Father before Killing
[image: isis] Islamic State militants in Syria heinously tortured and killed a 12-year-old boy, along with 11 indigenous Christian missionaries, after they refused to leave their homeland or renounce Christ. According to the Virginia-based Christian Aid Mission, a group that has been... Continue reading *“Syria: ISIS Crucifies 11 Christian Missionaries, Cuts Fingertips off Child in Front of Father before Killing”* at *christianpost.com*.
excellent selection, price, and service from canada computers
Allan has been using Canada Computers & Electronics for a while, but for some reason, I was not onboard. I thought they were a small outfit that wouldn't have a good selection or good prices. *Wrong!* They have a full selection, *very* good prices, and excellent customer service. Right after we moved, we needed three computer-related purchases in a row. When it rains, it pours, eh? First my computer wouldn't connect to the internet, and we suspected it needed a new wireless card. At the store, we didn't have the right information, and bought the wrong one. Allan returned it the next...more »
Love Song To The Earth - OFFICIAL Video with Lyrics
Full lyrics ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- *This is an open letter* From you and me together Tomorrow's in our hands now Find the words that matter Say them out loud And make it better somehow Looking down from up on the moon It’s a tiny blue marble Who’d have thought the ground we stand on Could be so fragile *Chorus (1st)* This is a lovesong to the Earth You’re no ordinary world A diamond in the universe Heaven’s poetry to us Keep it safe, keep it safe, keep ...more »
Govt May Charge For FOI Requests
By Paul Homewood http://www.channel4.com/news/government-to-consider-charging-for-foi-requests A Government appointed commission will consider charging the public to submit Freedom Of Information requests, as part of an inquiry into possible changes to legislation. Today the Independent Commission on FOI launched a consultation period asking the public for their views. But sources close to the Commission […]
Beyond ‘Like': Six New Emotions Now Offered on Facebook
[image: Facebook - iStock_000040310574_Large] NEW YORK (AP) -- Sometimes “Like” just doesn’t cut it. So how about Love or Angry? Haha or Sad? Or just Yay or Wow? Facebook is going “Inside Out” on the Like button, adding a range of new emotional reactions... more »
Report Claims That GMO Crop Contamination Is Unstoppable
Despite claims made by biotech industries who say their GMO crops can be contained, new research show that this may not be the case. One survey showed that 1/3 of organic farmers have reported problems with cross-contamination between their crops and GMO crops. GMO news reports: The report, which can be found in the International Journal of Food Contamination, states that between 1997 and 2013, there have been at least 396 instances of GMO crop contamination across 63 countries recorded. The report stated several conclusions about GMOs and none of them were positive. First and forem... more »
Trump, Brash New Yorker, Builds Up Southern Campaign
[image: Donald Trump_900] NORCROSS, Ga. (AP) -- Donald Trump is a brash New Yorker who knows the path to the Republican presidential nomination runs through a swath of Southern states where residents pride themselves on graciousness and gentility. He leads many state polls... more »
Say it with Song
After six and a half years of writing about our failing democracy under the Harper Regime there is little more that I can say that I have not already said at some point. So many *Progressive Bloggers* have joined the battle in recent years (and a few notable writers proceeded my efforts) that, with just a week to go before the future of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy is decided, no one who is active on line can profess ignorance as to the danger of reelecting Harper. Before we start view the first minute or so of this clip from Globals 'The West Block' wherein Tom Clark explains wh... more »
Turkey Blocks Facebook And Twitter After Ankara Attack
Facebook and Twitter have been blocked by the Turkish Government following Saturdays attack in Ankara. The government censored news coverage of the terror attack in Ankara as Twitter and other social media sites went down across the country. The Independent reports: A statement by RTÜK released on its official website said that; “The Turkish Prime Minister has imposed a temporary broadcast ban regarding the terror attack conducted in Ankara this morning.” A government spokesperson said the order covered images showing the moment of the blast, gruesome or bloody images or those “that ... more »
Ginge-built megalithic complexes and the lost tribes of Ginge.
in my search for the elusive Ginger Geneline of Ancient Britons, I started wondering if there was a link between the gene of gingerness that remains in western areas of Great Britain and Atlantic Europe and down through Morocco and into Egypt and Turkey and western Russia. And 'pockets of gingerness' did indeed project back through these historical sites, matching to ancient stone circles. It's kinda spooky. The Gobekli Tepi animal-inspired carved-stone circle complex in Turkey is the furthest back in time, dating to 9,000 BC. The next furthest back in time stone megalithic site i... more »
The film they can't stop talking about
Here's something I wrote yesterday: Then it was onto the film that has got the left-liberal parts of chattering classes chattering (and if they're chattering then *Newsnight* is bound to be chattering too): *Suffragette*. Well, jumping Jehosaphat!, today's *Andrew Marr Show* also had a feature on it - an interview with *Suffragette *actress Anne-Marie Duff. And straight after, *Sunday Morning Live *went for not one but two features on it - a discussion on whether the Suffragettes battle continues today plus an interview with *Suffragette* actor Brendon Gleeson concerning equalit... more »
Then and Now: Zhongshan Green Bridge
National historic monuments of Taiwan sent around this view of Japanese-era Taichung across the bridge on what is now Zhongshan Road, the 新盛橋. Today the buildings are gone, but the bridge, designated a historical monument in 2004, is still there, now known as the 中山綠橋 (location). According to Wiki, the bridge was built in 1908 to commemorate the completion of the north-south rail line. You can still see the ball atop the concrete railing on the bridge. _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous... more »
Your Smart Home Knows a Lot About You
http://www.propublica.org/article/your-smart-home-knows-a-lot-about-you *Your Smart Home Knows a Lot About You* A data scientist’s experiment reveals surprising information about interconnected smart devices. by Lauren Kirchner ProPublica, Oct. 9, 2015, 1 p.m. How much does your smart home know about you? That was the question that Charles Givre, a data scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton, set out to answer in a recent experiment. Givre has an account on Wink, a platform designed to control, from a single screen, his Internet-connected home devices, such as door locks, window shades ... more »
Military Photo of the Day: October 11, 2015
[image: USS Boise-900] The USS Boise arrives at a Philadelphia naval yard in November 1942 to repair damage suffered in the World War II Battle of Cape Esperance. On this day in 1942, the United States defeated the empire of Japan in the Battle of... more »
Laws of physics hold not only for Volkswagen
*As predicted, Mercedes, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi also have emissions an order of magnitude above "test" numbers* From the beginning of the Dieselgate around September 21st, I've been bothered by lots of things about the hysteria. It is clearly a great example of the insanities that become unavoidable when the society is overregulated, governed by bureaucrats detached from the real world and technology and inventing lots of arbitrary restrictions on the products. The people and corporations have to live so they obviously have to find their way through this jungle of counterproductiv... more »
Preliminary Military Hearing Recommends No Jail Time For Bowe Bergdahl
*Daily Mail*: *Bowe Bergdahl should NOT go to prison for 'deserting' his unit before he was captured by the Taliban, recommends preliminary military hearing * * Presiding officer at Article 32 hearing last month in Texas, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Visger, recommended 'non-judicial punishment' for Bergdahl * He is recommending that Bergdahl face a lower-level court martial * Was captured by Taliban after leaving post in 2009 and held until last year * Exchanged for five Taliban commanders after years of abuse and torture * Donald Trump has said Bergdahl should face execution for leavin... more »
(158 Families Rule U.S. Gov't) U.S. On Verge of Breakup? (Meet the Secretive Committees that Run the Global Economy - Economic Crisis Building) US Power Impulsive or Repulsive? (Trump Has Billions Abroad) How Did Dems Get Any of the Rich's $$$$$$? (Arne Duncan!)
Updated - 7:08 PM 158 Families Control U.S. Government (Most Backing Republicans)They are overwhelmingly white, rich, older and male, in a nation that is being remade by the young, by women, and by black and brown voters. Across a sprawling country, they reside in an archipelago of wealth, exclusive neighborhoods dotting a handful of cities and towns. And in an economy that has minted
Death Toll Climbs For Ankara Bombing Attack
*Reuters:* *Bombs kill 95 at pro-Kurdish rally in Turkish capital* At least 95 people were killed when two suspected suicide bombers struck a rally of pro-Kurdish and labor activists outside Ankara's main train station just weeks before elections, in the worst attack of its kind on Turkish soil. Bodies covered by flags and banners, including those of the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), lay scattered on the road among bloodstains and body parts. The HDP blamed the government which, it said, had blood on its hands. Footage screened by broadcaster CNN Turk sh... more »
U.S. To Make "Condolence Payments" To Families Of Victims Killed In The U.S. Air Strike On A Hospital In Kunduz
*Reuters*: *U.S. to make payments to families of Kunduz air strike victims: Pentagon* The U.S. Department of Defense will seek to make "condolence payments" to families of victims of a U.S. air strike that mistakenly hit a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing 22 people, the Pentagon said on Saturday. "The Department of Defense believes it is important to address the consequences of the tragic incident at the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan," spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement, adding the United States would also pay to re... more »
9 Best Online Educational Resources for Teachers and Students
[image: Teacher Haley Fazio (2nd L) works with her kindergarten students on a frog-research lesson viewed on tablet computers in Des Moines, Wash., on March 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)] This inventory has to be useful. The sector is steadily maturing and must evolve into something ultimately indispensable. The magic of software development is evolution. Good to have available. . *9 Best Online Educational Resources for Teachers and Students* *By Kelly Marone | September 24, 2015* *Last Updated: September 24, 2015 1:36 pm* *http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/... more »
You've Got To Have Friends-- And Bernie Meets 11,000 New Ones In Tucson
Bernie in Tucson last night Last night Bernie Sanders spoke in front of 11,000 13,000 exuberant Arizonans in Tucson's Reid Park, 4,000 over the capacity of the DeMeester Performance Center. He was introduced by the local congressman, Raúl Grijalva who became the first Member of Congress to officially endorse Bernie's presidential campaign-- something he had explained earlier in the day on CNN. Hopefully other progressives will follow suit. Already, several progressive candidates for Congress-- Alex Law (Camden and Cherry Hill in South Jersey), Tom Guild (Oklahoma City) and Robbie Wil... more »
Why Turkey Is in Trouble
[image: Turkey] I am usually an optimist when it comes to Turkey's future. Indeed, I wrote a whole book about The Rise of Turkey. But these days, I'm worried. The country faces a toxic combination of political polarization, government instability, economic slowdown,... Continue reading *“Why Turkey Is in Trouble”* at *theatlantic.com*.
What A War Between Russia And Syria Could Look Like Over Syria
Image credit: U.S. Air Force *Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics:* *What a U.S.-Russian War in Syria Could Look Like* The war in Syria started as a civil conflict, became a regional meltdown and molted into an international crisis. Here's how it could evolve into a world war. *The following scenario is fictional, but it's based on open source reports of military hardware currently deployed in and around the Middle East*. Part One: Interception and Escalation The cockpit of an F-22 Raptor is a lonely place. Despite all the talk about network-centric warfare, integrated sensors, and... more »
Russian Missile Strikes In Syria Have Triggered A European Alert For All Airlines Flying Over Iraq, Iran, And The Caspian Sea
*Wall Street Journal*: *Russian Missile Strikes in Syria Trigger European Alert to Airlines* Long-range missiles prompt safety bulletin to airlines flying in Iraq, Iran and over the Caspian Sea. LONDON—Russia’s long-range missile strikes against targets in Syria have prompted aviation safety authorities to issue a safety alert to airlines flying in Iraq, Iran, and over the Caspian Sea amid growing concerns about the risk to commercial flying near conflict zones. Russia this week said it fired cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea against Syrian targets—nearly 1,000 miles away—as Mo... more »
Russia Is Using Electronic Warfare In Syria Against ISIS And The U.S.
This is the Krasukha-4. It is a highly sophisticated electronic warfare system that is now being used by Russia military forces to cloak its actions in Syria from Nato, as well as from Islamic State and other rebel groupsVitaly V. Kuzmin, Wikimedia Commons *IBTimes*: *Russia using electronic warfare to cloak its actions in Syria from Isis and Nato* Fed up of the West's indecisiveness on dealing with the ongoing situation in Syria, Russia is now providing direct military air support to Syria, and it is using electronic warfare to jam Islamic State's (IS) communications, as well as ... more »
U.S. Tells CIA Trained Rebels In Syria That They Are Now On Their Own
*FOX News/AP*: *CIA-backed Syrian rebels were making gains before Russian intervention, officials say* CIA-trained Syrian rebels, who had started to make serious gains on President Bashar Assad’s forces, are now under Russian bombardment with little prospect of rescue by their American patrons, U.S. officials say. Officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, say Russia has directed parts of its airstrikes against U.S.-backed groups and other moderate opposition in an effort to weaken them. The White House has few options to defend those it had secretly a... more »
Russia Steps Up Its Air-Strikes In Syria
*BBC*: *Syria conflict: Russia intensifies air strikes* Russia is increasing the number of air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, its defence ministry has said. It said on Saturday morning that it had hit 55 Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria in the last 24 hours. Later, US defence officials said progress had been made during talks with their Russian counterparts on avoiding accidents over Syria. Syrian rebels and Western governments say Russia has mainly been hitting non-IS targets. *More News On Russia Stepping-Up Its Air Campaign In Syria* Russia steps up air stri... more »
The West Is Worried About Russia's New Weapons
The Russian Navy's large landing ship Novocherkassk on its way to the Mediterranean Sea in Istanbul.Source:Reuters *News.com.au*: *Russia’s deadly new weapons striking fear into heart of the West* RUSSIA’S deadly hi-tech weapons on display in the Middle East are spreading fear of another Cold War in the West. Vladimir Putin is employing sophisticated modern warfare in supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, and the world-leading electronics are making the US and its allies increasingly nervous. The Russian president has sent fighter jets, drones and bombers to Syria, but it... more »
The Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing
The Northrop YB-49 was a prototype jet-powered heavy bomber aircraft developed by Northrop Corporation shortly after World War II for service with the U.S. Air Force. The YB-49 featured a flying wing design and was a jet-powered development of the earlier, piston-engined Northrop XB-35 and YB-35. The two YB-49s actually built were both converted YB-35 test aircraft. The YB-49 never entered production, being passed over in favor of the more conventional Convair B-36 piston-driven design. Design work performed in the development of the YB-35 and YB-49 nonetheless proved to be valuab... more »
Musical Interlude: “Nocturnes by Candlelight - Deep Sleep and Relaxation”
“Nocturnes by Candlelight - Deep Sleep and Relaxation” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHFx3xOJf0g
Musical Interlude: Paul McCartney, "Mull Of Kintyre"
Paul McCartney, "Mull Of Kintyre" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Y6xFOPPW0
"A Look to the Heavens"
“The Great Nebula in Orion, also known as M42, is one of the most famous nebulas in the sky. The star forming region's glowing gas clouds and hot young stars are on the right in this sharp and colorful image that includes the smaller nebula M43 near center and dusty, bluish reflection nebulae NGC 1977 and friends on the left. *Click image for larger size.* Located at the edge of an otherwise invisible giant molecular cloud complex, these eye-catching nebulae represent only a small fraction of this galactic neighborhood's wealth of interstellar material. Within the well-studied stel... more »
Chet Raymo, “Keeping One's Head”
*“Keeping One's Head”* by Chet Raymo “Thomas More wore a hair shirt under his velvet robes. No wonder he is a hero of conservative Catholics. What could be more Catholic than hair shirts and velvet? Better, I suppose, to wear a hair shirt under your velvet than velvet under your hair shirt. We have enough churchmen of every stripe who pretend to ascetic piety and dally in sensuality. A lunatic tension between lust and asceticism seems to be one of the defining characteristics of Catholic Christianity, although heaven knows it's not confined to Catholics or even Christians. I blush ... more »
"Your Pain..."
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain. And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy." - Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"
Breaking News!!!! Reports Are Coming In That Turkey Has Shot Down A Russian Jet
It has been claimed by eyewitnesses that there was a large explosion in Huraytan, northern Syria, not far from the Turkish border, while three fighter planes were seen overhead *Daily Mail:** Russian jet 'shot down by Turkish forces after planes violated country's airspace on Syrian bombing run' * * Unconfirmed reports claim a Russian jet was shot down by Turkish forces * Eyewitnesses on social media said they saw an explosion in northern Syria * It was alleged that Russian fighter planes had violated Turkey's airspace * Nato has previously warned of the 'extreme danger' of ... more »
"They Pay For It..."
“People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become, and they pay for it, very simply, by the lives they lead.” - James Baldwin, “No Name in the Street” (1972)
"We Don’t Need to Suffer: Learn and Let Flow"
*"We Don’t Need to Suffer: Learn and Let Flow"* by The DailyOm "We do not need to suffer or live in poverty to be a spiritual person. The idea that we have to suffer or live in poverty in order to be spiritual is an old one and can be found in the belief systems of many philosophies. Most of us carry this idea around subconsciously, and we may be holding ourselves back from financial or emotional well-being, believing that this is what we must do in order to be virtuous, spiritually awake, or feel less guilty for the suffering of others. While it’s true that there can be a spiritua... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Consequences of Fear"
*"The Consequences of Fear"* by May’s Closet "* *Worry *is a mechanism of our psyche that prompts us to do something. The prompting energy is fear – usually fear of some consequence. Because it is fear, the person tends to avoid thinking about it. Thus worry tends to perpetuate itself in a circular way – the fear causes non-action, and non-action further causes worry. * *Anxiety* is a fear whose object is nonspecific or vague, whereas worry is about something specific and identified. Anxiety is the result of repeated unprocessed fears that have accumulated in one’s subconscious. I... more »
"An Old Farmer's Advice"
"An Old Farmer's Advice" "* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong. * Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance. * Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. * A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor. * Words that soak into your ears are whispered…not yelled. * Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight. * Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads. * Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. * It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. * You cannot unsay a cruel word. * Every path has a few puddles. * When y...more »
Bill Whittle: Solution to Gun Control...
I've been ordered to take this out of my tabs and post it. As usual, Bill is spot on. *Wow! This should help.* *California bans lawful concealed carry on campuses – that should work*
"It is American families who pay the real price of [the House GOP radicals'] extreme policies" (CAP Action War Room)
Mike Keefe *(click to enlarge)* *"The party's leadership gave in to a minority of its members who are devoted to pushing devastating cuts to working- and middle-class families in pursuit of rigid and impractical ideological principles. The result has been a government in a state of perpetual dysfunction. And while House Republicans may be paying the price with negative news coverage, it is American families who pay the real price of their extreme policies."* *-- the CAP Action War Room, in theThinkProgress post "Banana Republicans"* *by Ken* Let me just say a couple of things abo... more »
Day 2 Up in Down East Maine
It was a good day as we walked from Ellsworth to Orland, Maine. The weather was sunny though a bit windy and cold - perfect walking weather but not so great when we stopped for breaks and lunch along the road. It was a largely rural route today but many cars saw us since we were on the primary North-South coastal highway US 1. I'd say the support from the passing motorists was generally excellent considering the fact that we are taking on the Navy in a very direct way. I only heard one negative holler at us all day - "Get a job"! We had 24 people for most of the 11.6 miles. W... mo
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