English: KINGS BAY, Ga. (April 29, 2011) The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) arrives at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Florida returned after a 15-month deployment. Florida participated in Operation Odyssey Dawn, becoming the first guided-missile submarine to launch Tomahawk land attack missiles. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Kimber/Released) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: KINGS BAY, Ga. (May 8, 2009) Sailors aboard the guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) throw lines as the boat moors at Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay after a maiden deployment since converting from a ballistic missile submarine to a guided-missile submarine. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Aerial Photo of King's Bay Naval Base, April 2001 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Flag display at Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic (SWFLANT) on Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) Kings Bay, GA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Missile display at Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic (SWFLANT) at the Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) Kings Bay, GA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)My Yahoo! My Feedly! igoogle portal II and water and environment Liz - Day by Day
10:27pm MST
The Guided Missile Sub USS Georgia Is Damaged After A Collision With A Buoy
*CNN*: *Navy investigating damage to guided-missile submarine that struck buoy* Washington (CNN)Navy officials are evaluating the damage to a guided-missile submarine that struck a buoy. The USS Georgia is in dry dock after it hit a buoy in the channel near Fernandina Beach, Florida, in late November, according to Military.com. The submarine was returning to its home port at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. No leadership has been removed from the sub following the collision, said Lt. Lily Hinz, a public relations officer with Submarine Group 10. CNN has submitted a req... more »
Spain's Voters Rejected Austerity Today
Spain elected a new Parliament today and turnout was high-- something like 73%. But because no party won a majority, it's not clear which parties will form the new government. It does look like the left will control more seats in the lower house of the Cortes. The election was fought over Austerity and the right-wing incumbent government of Mariano Rajoy and his party-- Partido Popular (PP)-- won 123 seats out of 350 (and 29% of the popular vote) but that's a third fewer seats than the 186 they won in 2011, and far from the 176 they need for a majority in the Congress of Deputies.... more »
Israel Admit To Creating ‘ISIS’ In 1990
Long before the creation of ISIS in 2006, this C-Span TV interview from 1990 shows that the terrorist organisation was actually created by Israel. According to the video’s description: ‘ISIS’ was not created by Iraq in 2006 or even Syria which they now call ‘ISIL’, which is only what the mainstream MEDIA will report and want you to believe in. Obama calls ISIS a terrorist group is because it is really “Israel”, and Obama actually considers them a terrorist regime. Here’s a C-Span TV interview video from August 5, 1990 admitting that Israel (Mossad) is “ISIS”.
U.S. Presidential Candidates Bernie Sanders And Donald Trump Say The U.S. Should Not Try To Topple Dictators
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. NBC *Reuters*:* Trump, Sanders say U.S. should not try to topple dictators* U.S. presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump said separately on Sunday that the United States should not try to topple dictators such as Syria's Bashar al-Assad, highlighting a skepticism over foreign wars that transcends party lines. Both candidates said the Middle East would be less tumultuous today if Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq's Saddam Hussein were still in charge, arguing that the United States faces a greater threat from Islamic State and other e... more »
Last Night's Debate, Social Media And ISIS
This morning when I woke up, 49,216 people had voted in *Time* Magazine's online poll about the debate. I'm surprised that many people even watched the debate... around 10 million fewer than watch weekday night debates. A little update: As Wasserman Schultz had planned, the debate had the fewest viewers of any so far. Only 6.71 million viewers, compared to between 18 and 25 million for the GOP weekday night debates. At what point do Democrats ask why Obama is allowing her to stay on as DNC chair? She's an utter catastrophe for the party and an embarrassment for his candidate. Stil... more »
Obama Vetoes Bill to Dismantle EPA Global Warming Rules
[image: Obama - 900] President Barack Obama has vetoed legislation to repeal Environmental Protection Agency regulations on power plants that are a key part of the administration's global warming agenda. Obama announced Sunday morning he would not be considering bills to repeal the EPA's... more »
Jeb: I Hated Being the Front-Runner — ‘I Feel Much Better Back Here’
[image: front-runner] Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation, Republican presidential candidate former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) said he "hated" being his party's presidential nomination front-runner. Host John Dickerson said, "Six months ago, people thought you were the front-runner --" Continue reading *“Jeb: I Hated Being the Front-Runner — ‘I Feel Much Better Back Here’”* at *breitbart.com*.
5 Bodies Found in Plane Wreckage in California Orchard
[image: Bakersfield California map - 900] BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) -- Rescuers pulled five bodies from the wreckage of a small plane that crashed into an orchard in central California after vanishing from radar, local and federal authorities said Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration was looking for... more »
No Dog-Eat-Dog Politics: Siberian City Backs Cat for Mayor
[image: Barsik - 900] BARNAUL, Russia (AP) -- Tired of the dog-eat-dog politics in their Russian city, the residents of Barnaul say they want a cat to be their next mayor. The Siberian city of 650,000 people, which lies 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) east... more »
Putin Tells U.S. Citizens “Do Not Give Up Your Guns”
The right to bare arms to defend one’s self and possessions against a deadly force has been entrenched in American culture and protected by the U.S. Constitution since it’s creation in 1791. However, the U.S. government seem determined to take that right away from its citizens, amid Russia doing the exact opposite. President Putin wants to give Russian citizens the freedom to chose whether or not they arm themselves. Politicalvelcraft.org reports: This will probably come as a total shock to most of my Western readers, but at one point, Russia was one of the most heavily armed societ... more »
15 Ways To Detect A False Flag Event
False flag events are becoming so commonplace in America that certain patterns and signs have emerged that enable you to identify whether what you are seeing is a false flag event, or real. With a staggering 353 mass shootings in 2015 alone, a high percentage of these have been proven to be false flag staged terror events. Wakingtimes.com reports: Some have real victims, some do not, but either way, the most criminal of all institutions – the Government – is the orchestrating force behind them. They are scripted, pre-planned operations which are definitely not the result of random ... more »
Why The CIA Murdered Michael Jackson
Russian intelligence officials have said that they believe Michael Jackson was assassinated by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after examining data transmitted by a Russian Military’s Kosmos 2450 satellite that shows that immediately prior to the pop stars death an electromagnetic pulse consistent in pattern to EMR weapons was employed at the “exact coordinates” of the rock stars home. The reason behind the CIA needing to assassinate Michael Jackson was an out of court settlement the pop icon signed with son of the king of Bahrain, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Khalifa, this... more »
Trump: Rumours About Putin Killing Journalists Are False Propaganda
Presidential candidate Donald Trump has defended longstanding accusations against Russian leader Vladimir Putin that his regime has carried out murders of journalists who oppose him. Trump told ABC News that there was absolutely no evidence for these accusations. “In all fairness to Putin, you’re saying he killed people — I haven’t seen that,” Trump told the “This Week” news program. “I don’t know that he has. Have you been able to prove that? Do you know the names of the reporters that he’s killed?” Huffingtonpost.com reports: Trump added that it would be “despicable” if Putin ind... more »
Putin: Russia To Continue To Develop World’s Best Nuclear Weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will continue leading the way in producing nuclear weapons, but insisted that the country had no intent to use them. His comments were made in a documentary called “World Order” which aired on Sunday night. Putin told defense officials that by developing defenses against ballistic missiles Washington aims to “neutralize” Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent and gain a “decisive military superiority.” He said that Russia will respond by developing “strike systems capable of penetrating any missile defenses.” Militarytimes.com rep... more »
Norway Report: ISIS Sell Oil To Turkey At Bargain Low Prices
A new leaked report from Norway shows that the majority of illegal oil sales by ISIS militants were destined for Turkey and sold at bargain low prices. Norwegian newspaper Klassekampen leaked the report, which revealed that “Large amounts of oil have been smuggled across the border to Turkey from IS-controlled areas in Syria and Iraq … by tankers via smuggling routes across the border [and] is sold at greatly reduced prices, from $25 to $45 a barrel“. Rt.com reports: The crude is reportedly sold on the black market at greatly reduced prices, while the Brent benchmark is currently t... more »
Controversial Armed U.S. Guards To Patrol UK Airports
The UK are planning on installing armed US border guards who will have the powers to search holidaymakers at British airports. The controversial scheme is part of a move to introduce a global security force at all airports around the world to reduce the risk of ISIS militants entering the United States. Presstv.com reports: Guards from Customs and Border Protection would carry out immigration and customs checks before passengers board. They would be given diplomatic immunity so they could not be prosecuted for any crime committed on British soil, the report added. Other reports on S...more »
The #ChristmasMyths, #4: The Birthplace and Surroundings of the Little Baby Jesus
*Part of a continuing series* looking at the pagan origins of the Christmas Myths, one day at a time. Today, the cunning tale and the pagan origins of where Jesus was said to be born…* [image: image] Jesus was born in a manger (a trough or a box) and visited by shepherds, say the authors of *Luke*.** No, say the authors of *Matthew*, he was born in a house in which he and Mary were visited by an unconfirmed number of wandering vagrants from the East (*three* being a later gloss). There were no little drummer boys. (Although Grace Jones almost manages to make you wish there were... more »
Nativity Removed from Nebraska State Capitol so Atheists Can Put Up Display
[image: Nebraska State Capitol] A nativity that stood in the Omaha, Nebraska Capitol building was removed Friday so an atheist display celebrating the separation of church and state could take its place on Monday. The atheist display will remain up through the week of Christmas. The... more »
The Wars And Conflicts To Watch For In 2016
Center for Preventive Action / Council on Foreign Relations *Uri Friedman, The Atlantic*: *The Global Conflicts to Watch in 2016* *Concerns about the Middle East, and especially Syria, have displaced other threats.* In the summer of 2012—around the time that the Islamic State’s inchoate plans for a caliphate merited a mere footnote in a U.S. congressional report on the year-old Syrian conflict—Robert Satloff argued that a civil war was taking shape in Syria, and that its terrible consequences would extend far beyond Syrians; Americans, too, would soon be acquainted with the horro... more »
Russia is Reaching Out To Iraq's Sunni Tribes
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C) attends a conference at the main operation centre of the Russian armed forces, with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and armed forces Chief-of-Staff Valery Gerasimov (R) in Moscow, June 6, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Michael Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin *Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef, & Michael Weiss, Daily Beast*: *Putin ‘Seducing’ Iraq’s Tribes* *“Russia is serious in fighting terrorism,” one sheikh tells The Daily Beast, ”unlike the U.S.”* BAGHDAD, Iraq — In the last Iraq war, the U.S. military helped beat ISIS’ predecessors with the help of... more »
A List Of Modern Assault Rifles In The World
*All Military Weapons*: *The List of Modern Assault Rifles in the World* Assault rifles are known worldwide with the various understanding or definitions. Amongst all of those definitions, there is one definition that said that assault rifles are standard military rifles those capable to control fully-automatic fire from shoulder and have effective range for at least 300 meters. From here, it is known that assault rifles are primary offensive weapons those are stable and produce enough muzzle energy. These are powerful weapons but not the traditional full power weapons. These are t... more »
Pentagon Considering A Cyber-Campaign Against The Islamic State
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *L.A. Times: **Pentagon weighs cybercampaign against Islamic State* The Pentagon is considering increasing the pace and scope of cyberattacks against Islamic State, arguing that more aggressive efforts to disable the extremist group's computers, servers and cellphones could help curtail its appeal and disrupt potential terrorist attacks. Military hackers and coders at Cyber Command, based at Fort Meade, Md., have developed an array of malware that could be used to sabotage the militants' propaganda and recruitment capabilities, said U.S. o... more »
Russian Airstrikes In Syria Blamed For Numerous Civilian Deaths
*BBC*: *Syria conflict: Dozens killed in suspected Russian strikes* At least 43 people have been killed in a series of air strikes believed to have been carried out by Russian planes in the Syrian city of Idlib, according to activists and residents. A marketplace, homes and official buildings were all hit, reports say. Bodies were still being pulled from the rubble, a civil defence worker said. Russia has not confirmed whether it carried out strikes in the area. Russia began an air campaign to bolster President Bashar al-Assad in September. *WNU Editor:* Russia is also now being ... more »
Star Wars Blasts Opening Weekend Record with $238 Million
[image: Han Solo and Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.] LOS ANGELES (AP) -- To say that the force is strong with this one is an understatement. Star Wars: The Force Awakens brought in a galactic $238 million over the weekend, making it the biggest North American debut of all time according... more »
Yemen Peace Talks Adjourned Till January
U.N. Secretary-General Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed speaks to the media after the Yemen peace talks in Switzerland in Bern December 20, 2015. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich *VOA*: *No Major Breakthroughs in Yemen Peace Talk* United Nations-brokered peace talks on Yemen ended Sunday with a broad agreement that the war has to end, but no major breakthroughs. U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said after the Geneva talks that officials from Yemen's recognized government and the Houthi rebels will meet again next month. Ahmed told reporters that fighting and shelling continued even a... more »
Spain Votes In Parliamentary Elections
*Reuters:* *Left-wing parties take the lead in Spanish elections* Left-wing parties are close to winning an absolute majority of parliamentary seats in Spain's general election Sunday, preliminary results showed, likely scuppering Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's chances of winning a second term for the People's Party (PP). Despite garnering the most votes, the center-right PP had its worst result ever in a general election as Spaniards hurt by a grinding recession and yet to feel an economic recovery turned away from the party in droves. Anti-austerity Podemos roared into third pla... more »
Thank Tank Study: Majority Of Syrian Rebels Share The Islamic State Ideology
Al-Nusra Front fighters. The report warned about leaving the group unchallenged. Photograph: Reuters *BBC*:* Syria war: Third of rebels share IS aims, report claims* About a third of rebel groups in Syria - some 100,000 fighters - share the ideology of so-called Islamic State (IS), new research suggests. The Centre on Religion and Geopolitics, linked to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, said defeating IS militarily "would not end global jihadism". That would require an "intellectual and theological defeat" of its ideology. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 250,000 people.... more »
"After A Time..."
“After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.” - Mr. Spock, “Star Trek”, "Amok Time"
Musical Interlude: 2002, "Starwalkers"
2002, "Starwalkers" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SovcBYRFIxw
Trump: Hillary ‘Goes to Sleep’ During Days-Long Absences from Campaign
[image: Hillary 'goes to sleep'] Donald Trump says Democratic primary front-runner Hillary Clinton's regular absences from the campaign trail are a sign that she doesn't have the "stamina" to be president. "She goes out and she sees you guys for about 10 minutes, she sees... Continue reading *“Trump: Hillary ‘Goes to Sleep’ During Days-Long Absences from Campaign”* at *thehill.com*.
The Queen’s Speech Is Set to Be the Most Overtly Christian Yet
[image: Queen's Christmas Speech] The Queen‘s Christmas speech is set to deliver her most Christian message yet, after a year of Isil jihadist attacks. Sources say the monarch will use her traditional annual speech to reflect on her personal faith as well as her belief... Continue reading *“The Queen’s Speech Is Set to Be the Most Overtly Christian Yet”* at *telegraph.co.uk*.
Jesse Ventura Is Thanked By Putin For His Work While Visiting Moscow
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura was personally thanked by President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Moscow. Ventura is a former Navy SEAL and played the part of Sergeant Blain Cooper in John McTiernan’s 1987 film ‘Predator’ alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jesse Ventura contacted Alex Jones on Friday with some informative news on Russia and his experiences there during a recent visit. INFOWars reports: Ventura had recently traveled to Russia to take part in several panels that consisted of former CIA officials and other prominent figures. During his visit, Ventura also attended...more »
Dec. 20 something a little different. Well, it's Sunday.
In the morning of Dec. 21, my building will lose electric power for 12 hours. So it may not be possible to get a blog out on that day. I'll begin today with a note especially for Canadian readers. That's a big piggy, I know, because three-quarters of the audience for this blog is not Canadian. But bear with me. Yesterday, Dickie Moore died. He was a kid who grew up in my very depressed district of Montreal. In our end of town, we played hockey in the streets. (And, of course, with no skates.) Nor could we afford hockey pucks. Instead, we used the frozen droppings of horses that were... more »
Star Wars for the Sega Master System
I haven't seen the new *Star Wars* film yet (no spoilers, please), but back in the dim and distant, during the early 1990s in fact, there was a mini-*Star Wars* revival well before the prequels and special editions were thought of. Spurring this flurry of interest was the release of several *Star Wars* games across several formats, including this one that hit European shores on the NES and Game Boy in 1992 and the Game Gear and Master System a year later. It spawned sequels for Nintendo's machines, and totally different 'super' games for the brand spanking new Super Nintendo. To be ... more »
CBS Poll: Cruz Still Ahead in Iowa
[image: CBS Poll] Ted Cruz maintains a strong lead over Donald Trump in Iowa, according to the results of a poll released Sunday. The Texas senator, in the CBS poll, grabbed the support of 40 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa. Trump... Continue reading *“CBS Poll: Cruz Still Ahead in Iowa”* at *politico.com*.
Spain: Update (3)
And at 23.01, here's the BBC's latest update. The percentages have gone. We're into seats now: You need 176 seats to win a majority. The centre-right and centre, if these figures are correct, have 162 seats; the centre-left/far-left have 160 seats - though I believe there's another far-left party in Spain that might tip the balance a little bit (I saw that somewhere else on social media). No two parties can form a majority on their own. Hung parliaments R them. At which point, I'll bid you buenas noches.
Jeb Bush: US Losing Its Influence Because Of ‘Bully’ Putin
Jeb Bush says the United States its losing influence around the world because of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. On CBS’s “Face the Nation” program on Sunday, Bush said “Putin is organized to challenge the United States across the world now. He views his success by pushing us back. We’re losing influence around the world and Putin is gaining influence” The Republican presidential hopeful called the Russian president a bully and a dictator while slamming Donald Trump for praising Putin as a strong leader. Press TV reports: “He’s not an ally. He’s a dictator. He’s a bully,” de... more »
Error Coin, a Dime Struck onto a Nail, Is Headed to Auction
[image: Not for reuse] NEW YORK (AP) -- Is it a dime? Or is it a nail? In probably one of the oddest items to come to the world of coin collecting, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions has announced the sale of a Roosevelt dime that... more »
Slovenia Says No to Same-Sex Marriage
[image: gay marriage] Slovenians on Sunday voted against legalizing gay marriage, with more than 60 percent of those who cast their vote in a referendum saying No. According to Slovenian news agency STA, with 90 percent of the votes counted, 63 percent had voted against and... Continue reading *“Slovenia Says No to Same-Sex Marriage”* at *politico.eu*.
Donald Trump on Putin: ‘Nobody Has Proven That He’s Killed Anyone’
[image: Putin and Trump] Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump defended Russian President Vladimir Putin against accusations that he has assassinated political adversaries and journalists, responding to criticism from his rivals over his embrace of praise from the Russian leader. “Nobody has proven that he’s... Continue reading *“Donald Trump on Putin: ‘Nobody Has Proven That He’s Killed Anyone’”* at *washingtonpost.com*.
"A Look to the Heavens"
"NGC 4631 is a spiral galaxy found only 25 million light-years away, toward the well-trained northern constellation Canes Venatici. Seen edge-on, the galaxy is similar in size to the Milky Way. Its distorted wedge shape suggests to some a cosmic herring and to others its popular moniker, The Whale Galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* The large galaxy's small, remarkably bright elliptical companion NGC 4627 lies just above its dusty yellowish core, but also identifiable are recently discovered, faint dwarf galaxies within the halo of NGC 4631. In fact, the faint extended features b... more »
Chet Raymo, “Stretching The Imagination”
*“Stretching The Imagination”* by Chet Raymo “Professor, that stuff you spoke of in class this morning- about the beginning of the universe..." *Yes?* "Well, you know how you said that the universe began 14 billion years ago as an infinitely small point...?" *Yes, that appears to be the case. An explosion from a point of infinite energy. Space and time expanding from nothing. Matter coalescing from cooling radiation. Stars, galaxies...* "To tell the truth, I'm having a hard time believing it. I mean, the idea that everything that exists today, the billions and billions of galaxie... more »
Massive Asteroid To Pass Earth On Christmas Eve
A huge asteroid capable of worldwide devastation will visit earth this Christmas, giving the planet a wide berth. According to astronomers a massive piece of rock will safely whizz past during the holiday season. They announced on Thursday that we will be safely visited by a celestial body capable of inflicting global environmental change. Scientists assume that the ‘Christmas Eve’ asteroid is not an ‘Earth-grazer’ due to its relative distance from someone standing on the earth. AFP reports: The massive space rock, about two kilometres (1.2 miles) in length, will cruise by our plane... more »
Spain: Update (2)
OK, 22.02... The BBC News website has updated the results and it looks as if Twitter had it right after all and that the BBC has been firmly behind the curve. Look at the Podemos percentage and compare it with the previous screenshots: It's starting to look like social media 1: BBC 0 here. *P.S. *Damn it! I was hoping the BBC had it right here! Bloody BBC!!! *P.P.S. (22.29) *Oddly, Fraser Nelson at the* Spectator* had been trumpeting a Podemos-provoked earthquake two hours ago, going off an exit poll. That poll suggested 27% for the Popular Party, Podemos on 22%, the Socialist... more »
A “Craig's List” For Republicans- Republican World 2015 In Review- Chapter Three
*-By Noah* What if Republicans had their own version of Craigslist; a place where Republicans could sell goods and services to other Republicans? Knowing what we do of the Republican world and the minds of those who live in it, it might look very much like this. Let’s call it Buchanan’s List after hate-mongering culture warrior Pat Buchanan. It just seems to fit. *Buchanan’s List:* 1. Selling a can of vintage Campbell Chunky Chicken Soup that I had in the abandoned missile silo I moved into 7 years ago when the internet and FOX told me the president was going to take away my guns... more »
Yes, America’s Middle Class Has Been Disappearing … Into Higher Income Groups
[image: higher income groups] Scott Shackford wrote on the Reason blog recently that "The Middle Class Is Shrinking! Because They're Getting Rich!" and referred to the bottom chart above that was featured in the Pew Research Center's recent report titled "The American Middle Class... Continue reading *“Yes, America’s Middle Class Has Been Disappearing … Into Higher Income Groups”* at *aei.org*.
Fiorina Says Clinton Dying for Beatable Trump as Republican Pick
[image: Carly Fiorina2 - 400] Republican Donald Trump is "a big Christmas gift wrapped up under the tree" for Hillary Clinton because he couldn't beat the 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner in a general election, Carly Fiorina said on Sunday. "I am the lump of coal... Continue reading *“Fiorina Says Clinton Dying for Beatable Trump as Republican Pick”* at *bloomberg.com*.
Birthplace of Fracking Has Twice as Much Gas as Expected
[image: 1fracking] The Texas Barnett Shale formation, where modern hydraulic fracturing began, has twice as much natural gas as expected, according to a study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) released Thursday. The Barnett Shale contains an estimated 53 trillion cubic feet of shale natural gas, while a... more »
Saudi Arabia To Behead Teenager Because He Took Part In Protest
Saudi Arabia is set to execute a teenage boy who was arrested when he was 15 for attending a protest against the ruling Al Saud monarchy. Campaigners say Abdullah al-Zaher, who is a member of Saudi Arabia’s Shia religious community, was the youngest in a group of juvenile offenders sentenced to death as part of a crackdown on political dissent. His family have gone public with his story as a last ditched attempt to save his life. The Independent reports: Campaign group Reprieve told The Independent Abdullah al-Zaher, who is now 19, was the youngest in a group of juvenile offenders p... more »
Spain: Update
I suppose I'm 'live blogging' the Spanish election results here...though not for much longer as I'll be off to bed soon... The BBC News website now says: Add caption One of the Twitter feeds I follow, which has been very busy tonight, is presently saying something rather different, especially *vis a vis *Podemos: My confusion deepens. Is the BBC seriously behind the curve? Or is Twitter (God forbid!) massively wrong? *Update 21:46*: An answer to my question (about vote share v seats for Podemos and Ciudadanos) on the previous post now appears in the BBC's main article: The earl... more »
Ed Stourton offends the Twitterati
This morning's *Sunday *on Radio 4, possibly the most liberal programme on Radio 4, found itself in the eye on a Twitter storm today, being roundly denounced by its fellow religious liberals. It was all very odd (as most things have been today). The programme, characteristically, had picked up on a call by a liberal Anglican, the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, for the C of E to apologise for its treatment of homosexuals. *Sunday *chose to make this a main story. The Dean, the Very Revd Prof Martyn Percy, duly appeared - as, 'showing BBC impartiality', did Canon Dr Chris Sugden fro... more »
On ‘talking shop’ at parties
Just in time for the summer season, the perfectly-named Ryan Holiday wants to give you a heads-up about parties. He quotes Jack London: *“**“It’s absurd and unfair,” *says Jack London’s title character in *Martin Eden**, “this objection to talking shop. For what reason under the sun do men and women come together if not for the exchange of the best that is in them? And the best that is in them is what they are interested in, the thing by which they make their living, the thing they’ve specialised on and sat up days and nights over, and even dreamed about.”* Mind you, that means you ... more »
Chrismukkah
Other than *The Andrew Marr Show *my encounters with the BBC today have been confined to three Radio 4 programmes. Two were on my regular Sunday 'beat' - *Sunday *and *Broadcasting House* - and the other was prompted by reading a comment at *Biased BBC *slagging it off. That last one was *Chrismukkah and Other Cultural Mash-ups*. The commenter at *Biased BBC *described it in the following way: More multi culti pro mixing from the BBC, with an attack on Christmas, which again should be ‘holidays’ or some other non ‘offensive’ word! They seem so ignorant of what Christianity is abo... more »
Tony Blair Report: 65,000 Jihadists Ready To Replace ISIS
A Tony Blair think-tank report says that the West’s focus on defeating the Islamic State at the exclusion of other jihadi groups is a strategic mistake. Blair’s Faith foundation reports that sixty percent of fighters in the country can be classified as Islamists and have goals similar to ISIS. RT reports: Those fighters belong to at least 15 other militant groups, which are mostly being ignored by the West, British media cited the Centre on Religion & Geopolitics, a think-tank run by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, as saying. Fewer than one quarter of the groups surveyed by the cen... more »
Fake Bomb Diverts Air France Flight To Make Emergency Landing In Mombasa
An Air France flight from Mauritius to Paris CDG was forced to make an emergency landing in Kenya after a suspicious package was found in a toilet. Air France flight AF-463 with 459 passengers and 14 crew on-board made an emergency landing on Sunday at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport. Kenyan Airports Authority claimed that they had managed to “foil a bombing attempt on Air France.” They later amended their statement after it emerged that the bomb was a fake and was made up of papers and a timer. Mombasa airport and the Boeing 777 were evacuated, while the device was taken away f...more »
12.3% v 12.9%
The results of the Spanish election are coming in and, reading the main article on the BBC website, I'm officially confused. This is what it presently says (a screenshot): However things eventually turn out (and Twitter is presently suggesting that far-left Podemos is in third place, *well *ahead of the centrist Ciudadanos), what's puzzling me here is that this BBC article [one of the lead articles on the BBC News website at the moment] presently says that "anti-austerity Podemos" is on 12.3%, well behind the main centre-right and centre-left parties, and that the "liberal Ciudad... more »
Notorious Lebanese Militant Killed in Syria Airstrike, Hezbollah Confirms
[image: A general view taken on December 20, 2015, shows a people gathering at the site of a reported Israeli air raid that killed a senior figure in the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, Samir Kantar, in Jaramana, southeast of the Syrian capital Damascus. Israel's justice minister welcomed the death of Lebanese militant Samir Kantar but did not claim credit for the air strike in Syria that killed him, which Hezbollah said was an Israeli raid. AFP PHOTO / LOUAI BESHARA / AFP / LOUAI BESHARA (Photo credit should read LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images)] BEIRUT (AP) -- A Lebanese m... more »
Senior Hezbollah Member Killed By Israeli Airstrike In Syria
A high ranking member of Hezbollah has been killed by an Israeli airstrike on a residential area near the Syrian capital city of Damascus. Local media report that Samir Qantar was killed during the Israeli raid which targeted his home in the city of Jaramana located 10 kilometers from the capital in the Rif Dimashq governorate early on Sunday. Press TV reports: Following the attack, Qantar’s brother wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday that his brother was a martyr without giving more details about his death. “With pride we mourn the martyrdom of the leader Samir Qantar and we are ho... more »
Quote of the Day: On the The Phantom Menace (of Global Warming)
*“It's time to count down the top stories of the year … [T]he least important of the big stories [is] not about something that's actually happening. It's about how a whole section of our top political and cultural leadership is pretending that something that isn't happening is actually the most vital and pressing issue of the day. Which is pretty important in its own right. “I'll call this The Phantom Menace … I am talking, of course, about ‘climate change,’ the lame euphemism for claims about catastrophic human-caused global warming.”* ~ Robert Tracinski, starting his... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Champlain, New York, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Compassion, Christianity or Consumerism? The True Meaning of Christmas
*Cortland Pfeffer & Irwin Ozborne* - Christmas has become symbolic of all that is wrong with our society. The post Compassion, Christianity or Consumerism? The True Meaning of Christmas appeared first on Waking Times.
Trump is recruiting for ISIS?
SFGate.com, in its recap of the Democratic presidential debate held last night, reports that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested that the rhetoric of Republican front-runner Donald Trump is driving Muslims to join the Islamic State: *“The Democratic front-runner, kept much of her focus on the general election, sharply criticizing Donald Trump's plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States. She called the leader of the GOP race the Islamic State's best recruiter. ‘Mr. Trump has a great capacity to use bluster and bigotry to inflame people,’ said Clinton, the... more »
Former Nanny Says Kim Kardashian An Illuminati Insider
Kim Kardashian is eating small portions of her placenta every day as part of a Satanic illuminati ritual, according to North West’s former nanny. Nancy Jenkinson was hired by the Kardashian/West household after training as a midwife in London and working for the English Royal family. She lasted just under six months in the celebrity household before being fired. Nancy claims she overheard Kim speaking to her sister Khloe about her plan to consume the placenta. “I heard her planning this over a month ago. Khloe seemed confused and slightly weirded out by the details until Kim told her... more »
“The Hula Hoop Theory of History”
*“The Hula Hoop Theory of History”* by Morris Berman "Above all, no zeal." – Talleyrand “There is a curious rhythm to human affairs, or perhaps more specifically, to Western history. Some movement or idea comes along, and everyone gets swept up in its wake. This is it, then; this is the Answer we’ve been looking for. All of those previous answers were wrong; now, at long last, we’re on the right track. In the fullness of time, of course, this shiny new idea loses its luster, betrays us, or even results in the death of millions. So apparently, we were deceived. But wait: her... more »
Jeremy on Jeremy
Courtesy of the *FT,* former *Newsnight *presenter Jeremy Paxman has just taken his fellow former BBC colleague Jeremy Clarkson out to lunch. Here's a couple of paragraphs from the resulting piece, presenting Jeremy P's general take on Jeremy C - *and* giving us an interesting glimpse into the thinking of "a couple of senior BBC producers": I had happened to mention to a couple of senior BBC producers beforehand that I was lunching with Clarkson, and two individuals whom I had previously thought of as intelligent, friendly and quite sophisticated suddenly became a pair of spitting ... more »
"Assailant Suffers Injuries From Fall"
*Click image for larger size.* Hat tip to JudyBlue for this material.
Tentacles
Here's a completely random thought I had whilst watching this morning's *Marr* show on BBC One... During the paper review, the SNPs's John Nicolson referred to an article in *The Independent *by "my old BBC colleague from *On the Record*, John Rentoul". My random thought at that point was: "Small world!" And that, being a blogger about BBC bias, was inevitably followed by another thought: "...and a small world inextricably linked to the BBC!!" And that's only for starters... On the paper review with the SNP's John (who worked for the BBC for over ten years) were Labour peer Bar... more »
"How It Really Is"
*Click image for larger size.*
Viper Pilots Doing The 10 Month F-16 B Course
*Business Insider/Aviationist*: *10 months F-16 pilot training in one stunning video* This is an interesting +11 minutes video filmed by pilots attending the F-16 B Course with the 309th Fighting Squadron atLuke Air Force Base, near Tucson, in Arizona. Shot with GoPro cameras, the clip will bring you aboard the Viper during air combat maneuvering, aerial refueling, night flying, formation flying, live firing at the range and much more. Enjoy.
Obama Vetoes Two GOP (+ Blue Dog) Climate Change Denial Bills
Last week when the *Washington Post*'s Greg Sargent wrote that it was a good thing that the Republican presidential hopefuls are ignoring the Paris climate deal-- at their debates and at their campaign events-- it just highlighted further the GOP's inability and unwillingness to deal with reality. "[A] GOP president could do a great deal to undermine the climate deal. He could either declare that the U.S. won’t participate in it, or he could work through executive or legislative action to undermine Obama’s Clean Power Plan, whose carbon reduction efforts could be pivotal to the U... more »
“The Devil's Holiday Letter: 2015”
*“The Devil's Holiday Letter: 2015”* by Charles Hugh Smith “The Devil pens a holiday letter. Through means I am unable to disclose, I have obtained a copy of the Devil's Christmas letter. Yes, Satan too sends a Yule letter, and no, I was not on his mailing list. I think Satan's Holiday cheer should give us all pause. "To my fallen angels Beelzebub, Lucifer and Leviathan, princes of Hell's demons, and to my minions, lackeys, toadies and sycophants on Earth: Due to the high cost of postage, please accept this miserly digital version of my holiday missive. As you know, this time of y... more »
Rightwing Nuthouse: "5 Demented Right-Wing Moments This Week: Trump’s Spokeswoman Goes Nuclear”
*"5 Demented Right-Wing Moments This Week: * *Trump’s Spokeswoman Goes Nuclear”* by Janet Allon *"1. Donald Trump’s spokesperson scares the bejeezus out of us.* Donald Trump has not only graced the world with his presence during this presidential election, he has also introduced us to some of the outstanding people he surrounds himself with. This week we got to meet his marvelous personal physician Harold Bornstein, who writes notes that open, “To Whom My Concern,” and include medical-sounding terms like “astonishingly excellent” when talking about Trump’s blood pressure, which soun... more »
The Same God? A Plea for Precision
[image: Qur'an and Bible - 900] Triggered by recent events at an evangelical Christian college, there has been an explosion of discussion about whether Christians and Muslims "worship the same God." In my experience, most people think the answer to the question, "Do Christians and Muslims... Continue reading *“The Same God? A Plea for Precision”* at *proginosko.com*.
A Very Merry Christmas 2015 and a Happy, Happy New Year 2016
*Wishing all visitors to my blog an lovely holiday season.* *My kindest & warmest regards to all,* *Mike*
Change -- One Way Or Another
http://www.globalremainders.com/ Things are wretched in Alberta. Unemployment is rising and real estate prices are sinking. Cheap oil has devastated the petro province. But, Mitchell Anderson writes, cheap oil could save the planet: Most of the easily extracted oil deposits are long gone. What's left are high-cost, high-risk long-shots like the Alberta oil sands, deep water reservoirs off Brazil and drilling the high arctic. Companies hoping to profit from the last dregs of the petroleum age need to convince their investors to part with... more »
The lie in Canada's Syrian refugee show
REGARDING CANADA'S SYRIAN REFUGEE POLICY, an aspect which is egregiously avoided and covered up is the geopolitical dimension and motives for receiving refugees preferentially from Syria (and other specific conflict areas). The government is not doing this primarily to satisfy its international humanitarian obligations. Syria under Assad is a target of vicious US-Canada-NATO-Israel
Afghan Deputy Governor: Helmand Province on the Verge Of Falling To The Taliban
*Reuters*: *Afghan official warns Helmand province may fall to Taliban* Afghanistan's Helmand province could fall to the Taliban after months of heavy fighting, with 90 members of the security forces killed over the past two days, the deputy governor of the volatile southern province warned on Sunday. Mohammad Jan Rasulyar said unless President Ashraf Ghani took urgent action, the province, a centre of opium production and a Taliban heartland that British and American troops struggled to control for years, would be lost. "Your Excellency, Helmand is standing on the brink and there... more »
Heat Pumps v Gas Heating
By Paul Homewood h/t Joe Public One way to decarbonise domestic heating, which the government has been pushing for a while through its RHI scheme, is the use of heat pumps. Joe sent me the link to the Energy Saving Trust website, which offers advice. According to them, air source heat pumps […]
Academia did make me something #teachered
For those of you that have or are working in higher education, you might enjoy this recent piece in Salon about academia making you an a-hole. After several years in higher education myself, I won’t go so far as to admit it made ME an a-hole. But as a faculty member in a college of […]
Booker On The Paris Climate Fiasco
By Paul Homewood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/12060003/The-Paris-climate-fiasco-leaves-UK-alone-in-the-dark.html Booker’s thoughts on Paris: No sooner were world leaders congratulating themselves last weekend on having reached their “historic agreement” to save the planet by scrapping all those “dirty” fossil fuels than two groups – normally bitterly opposed to each other – were united in deriding the meaningless absurdity […]
Suspected Bomb Found On Air France Jet Results In An Emergency Landing in Kenya
*Bloomberg: **Air France Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Kenya on Bomb Fear* * Passenger finds `explosive device' in restroom on Paris Flight * Paris TV channel says suspicious package was fake device An Air France flight from the resort island of Mauritius to Paris made an emergency landing in Mombasa after a passenger discovered what appeared to be a bomb, Kenyan security officials said. Several passengers were hurt scrambling off the plane when it landed on Sunday, police spokesman Charles Owino said by phone in Nairobi. “The plane made the call to Kenyan airspace 20 minutes afte...more »
Is Donald Trump The Islamic State's Best Recruiter?
*Daily Mail:** 'He is becoming ISIS' best recruiter': Hillary Clinton blasts Donald Trump for demonizing Muslims and using 'bluster and bigotry to inflame people'* * Democrats hit Republican frontrunner Mr Trump in New Hampshire debate * Mrs Clinton claimed he's being used in ISIS propaganda to recruit fighters * Also suggested Mr Trump is hurting the US chances of building coalition Hillary Clinton ripped into Donald Trump at a Democratic presidential candidates' debate last night over his plan to ban Muslim immigrants. 'He is becoming ISIS's best recruiter,' she claimed. 'They a... more »
Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, December 20th, 2015
[image: rant-jpeg-b] Yes it is Sunday again, and I am back from a short break....And again it is time for my weekly rant... I always feel that I must apologize to my readership when I take these small hiatus from writing... I find that periodically I do need to just stay off the computer and away from all the turbulence in our world and just unwind and take time to recharge my batteries... This last little break was no exception.... One thing that I have found is that in speaking with people around me it seems that this battle for the minds of people and our chances to wake them ... more »
The Cost Of Switching From Gas To Electric
By Paul Homewood Further to recent posts on the suggestion that domestic gas use would need to be phased out in order to meet decarbonisation targets, there is one further issue. As Catweazle pointed out, electricity is much more expensive than gas in the UK. According to DECC, the price of […]
Junk Food Junkies
I've noticed a very strange correlation between people who are socially and conservative Republican (not libertarian) and consumption of crap junk food. People I know who are *market fundamentalists *and believe in the status quo corporate oligarchy seem to think the food produced by the chemical-agricultural-food complex is SAFE and NUTRITIOUS. It is really strange because the people I'm describing are intelligent and educated individuals who for some reason put aside their rational capacities when it comes to their stomachs. They have no trouble loading up with foods with lists o... more »
Study: Coal Powered Electric Vehicles Make Europe More Dependent on Fossil Fuels
[image: Electric car, Electric vehicle, Electricity, Automobile, Charging] Research shows that Norway's growing electric vehicle market forces the country to be more dependent on coal-fueled power plants -- but, according to the researchers, this is a good thing for the climate. In short, burning coal to fuel carbon-cutting electric... more »
O’Malley: Clinton ‘Shamefully’ Used 9/11 to Hide ‘Cozy’ Wall Street Ties
[image: Wall Street] Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley bashed Democratic 2016 frontrunner Hillary Clinton for “shamefully” trying to “hide her cozy relationship with Wall Street big banks by invoking the attacks of 9/11.” Continue reading *“O’Malley: Clinton ‘Shamefully’ Used 9/11 to Hide ‘Cozy’ Wall Street Ties”* at *talkingpointsmemo.com*.
Economic News , Data & Views ( December 20 , 2015 ) Spanish General Election News ( General background and data as it develops ) ...... Greece In Focus ( N.D Leadership Election Today , Domestic & International Politics Impacting Greece ) ...... Europe Broadly ( Croatia , Ukraine , UK ) ..... Refugee Crisis ( Items Of Note In The News ) ...... Emerging Markets / Emerging Nations Items Of note ( Middle East Markets , Kenya Bomb On Plane Scare , Turkey In Focus , Opec & Oil )
Europe ..... Spain In Focus...... *Open Europe* @OpenEurope 2m 2 minutes ago #Spain - Counting almost over (96.3%). Results: PP 121 seats, PSOE 92, Podemos 69, Ciudadanos 40. #20D *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 6m 6 minutes ago Spain election:Acc to JPM task of forming govt seems easier for left bloc given role of abstension in parl vote to elect govt amid stalemate *Open Europe* @OpenEurope 4m 4 minutes ago #Spain - Results with 84% of votes counted: PP 122 seats, PSOE 93, Podemos 69, Ciudadanos 38. #20D *Miguel Otero* @miotei 2m 2 m... more »
Surge in Children, Families at the US Border May Be the ‘New Normal’
[image: surge in children] A dramatic spike in unaccompanied children and families trying to slip in across the U.S.-Mexico border may be “the new normal,” officials say, with some believing the surge in children and families is linked to a federal ruling that ended... Continue reading *“Surge in Children, Families at the US Border May Be the ‘New Normal’”* at *nbcnews.com*.
Security is Focus at Churches and Mosques Amid Heightened Fears
[image: church worship - iStock_000018032897_Full] BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- In Alabama, a Presbyterian church wanted to be able to hire its own police for protection. Mosque leaders around the country are meeting with law enforcement officials as an anti-Muslim furor fuels arson attacks and vandalism.... more »
Air France Flight Forced to Land in Kenya over Bomb Scare
[image: Air France Jet] NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Kenyan authorities say they are questioning several suspects who were on an Air France flight from Mauritius to Paris that was forced to land early Sunday in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa after a device... more »
Gender-Swapping Twilight
[image: Twilight_books] On the tenth anniversary of her book, Twilight, Stephenie Meyer responded to her critics with a "new" story. Meyer wrote in the foreword, "Bella has always gotten a lot of censure for getting rescued on multiple occasions, and people have... more »
Sanders, Clinton Move Past Rancor Over Data Breach in Saturday Night Debate
[image: Sanders-Clinton - 900] MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton moved past the rancor over a breach of her campaign’s valuable voter data, shifting Saturday night’s debate into a pointed but polite discussion of national security, Americans’ heightened... more »
The U.S. Plan To Conquer Canada
Stanstead, Quebec. *Scott Mbley, War On The Rocks*: *The U.S. Navy's Secret, 11-Page Plan To Conquer Canada* The U.S. Navy schemed to invade Canada during the summer of 1887. This fact may surprise readers familiar with the long history of amicable relations between the United States and its northern neighbor. Even in 1887, the United States and the British Empire (which included Canada) were on generally agreeable terms. Nevertheless, Lt. j.g. Charles C. Rogers, USN, observing that “the frontier of Canada is assailable at all points,” imagined a joint Army–Navy campaign to seize ... more »
Republican Party Insiders And Elites Still Hopeful That Magic Thinking Will Save Them From Herr Trumpf
The newest polling from Fox showed Herr Trumpf not just on the top of the shitpile, but up there with gigantic momentum. Since mid-November his 28% support from national GOP primary voters has grown to 39%. After Trumpf comes Cruz at 18% (up 4 points), Rubio at 11% (down 3), Dr. Ben at 9% (down 9 points) and then a bunch of also-rans bunched up at 3%: the Jebster (down 2), Christie (flat), Fiorina (flat), Rand Paul (flat)... that's some Deep Bench! Not even Herr Trumpf's meteoric rise surprises me more than the steady-as-a-rock contempt with which Republican voters hold neocon war... more »
Viper Pilots Doing The 10 Month F-16 B Course
*Business Insider/Aviationist*: *10 months F-16 pilot training in one stunning video* This is an interesting +11 minutes video filmed by pilots attending the F-16 B Course with the 309th Fighting Squadron atLuke Air Force Base, near Tucson, in Arizona. Shot with GoPro cameras, the clip will bring you aboard the Viper during air combat maneuvering, aerial refueling, night flying, formation flying, live firing at the range and much more. Enjoy.
A Look At The Gadgets That U.S. Agencies Use To Spy And Track Cellphones
*BGR:** The 7 scariest gadgets the NSA uses to spy on cellphones* Yesterday, The Intercept published an extensive catalog detailing the innumerable gadgets and technologies used by the military, law enforcement authorities, and U.S. governmental agencies like the NSA to track down and spy on targeted users via their cellphones. The entire product listing is eye-opening, but given how extensive it is (53 items in total), we’ve compiled a list of some of the scariest and more worrisome devices on the list. Note: when compiling this list, we didn’t include tracking devices and technol... more »
Simon Irish - Value of Molten Salt Design in SMR Innovation
Simon Irish is the CEO of Terrestrial Energy. Terrestrial is very nuch a going energy business, with 30 employees and associates. They plan to build a Small Molten Salt Reactor, with a core that can be transported from factory to home site. The IMSR is now expected to produce around 400 MWT or a little less than 200MWe. Which makes the iMSR core only a little less powerful than the ThorCon core, but the iMSR willachieve its fuel economy by a very different fuel system. Terrestrial is planning to go through the canadian Regularatory system, which is designed to work with innovative r... more »
You’re a Good Show, Charlie Brown!
[image: Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Original - 900] What is the essence of Christmas? For 50 years a simple cartoon movie has captured the answer for Americans of all ages: Christmas is not Christmas without something like a real tree to decorate, carols to sing and, above all,... more »
Ted Cruz’s “Saturday Night Live” Ad in Iowa Features Spoof of Christmas Classics
[image: Cruz Christmas] U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has often been playful on the campaign trail, to counter his somewhat dour public image. He has sung numbers from The Princess Bride, done voices from The Simpsons, and now he has released a slick, funny... more »
Six Candidates Pledge to Sign First Amendment Defense Act Within First 100 Days
[image: Constitution burning] American Principles Project has joined together with Heritage Action for America, the action arm of the Heritage Foundation, and FRC Action, the legislative affiliate of the Family Research Council, to invite each of the candidates running for President to sign the... Continue reading *“Six Candidates Pledge to Sign First Amendment Defense Act Within First 100 Days”* at *thepulse2016.com*.
Satanists to Pour Blood Over Virgin Mary, Perform Satanic Ceremonies Over Christmas
[image: Satanists to Pour Blood Over Virgin Mary, Perform Satanic Ceremonies Over Christmas] Satanic groups in America are getting ready to perform Satanic ceremonies and rituals such as pouring blood over a Virgin Mary statue this Christmastime, a Catholic civil rights organization has warned. “In a world where Christians are routinely being murdered and... Continue reading *“Satanists to Pour Blood Over Virgin Mary, Perform Satanic Ceremonies Over Christmas”* at *christianpost.com*.
Untitled
*The Education department's office of civil rights comes under fire from the national civil rights head* U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Commissioner Gail Heriot said she was “baffled” by Congress’ decision to include a 7 percent raise for the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in light of their “pattern of disregard for the rule of law.” Below is Commissioner Heriot’s statement. “One of the more disturbing aspects of the omnibus spending bill is the 7 percent budget increase for the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”). That would be a large i... more »
Untitled
*Crocodile baloney* *The Warmists never stop. Always a new scare. This time it's crocs that are going to eat you as a result of global warming. Why? Because global warming will drive them towards the cooller waters of Southern Australia. Just one problem: Crocs are reptiles and they LIKE warmth. The warmer they are, the more active they are. So where are they generally found? In TROPICAL Australia -- around Cape York Peninsula and the Top End. It's the HOTTEST part of Australia that they like. They vote with their feet to show the best habitat for themselves. No ... more »
Musical Interlude: Juzzie Smith, “Bluesberry Jam”
Awesome one man blues band Juzzie Smith, “Bluesberry Jam” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vikmUQZpGQ
Cornell Bans Everything but Snowflakes from Holiday Decorations
[image: Snowflake] "Snowflake" has become a term of derision for people who are easily offended, particularly regarding perceived slights based on race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. It's fitting, then, that Cornell University's "guidelines for inclusive seasonal displays" would order students not to... Continue reading *“Cornell Bans Everything but Snowflakes from Holiday Decorations”* at *thecollegefix.com*.
Israel Assassinates Lebanese Militant Leader In Damascus
Samir Kuntar with Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah after he was released from jail by Israel in 2008 *Times of Israel*: *Terror chief Samir Kuntar said killed in Israeli strike* Hezbollah-affiliated perpetrator of infamous 1979 kidnapping-murder of Israeli family reportedly assassinated in IAF attack on Damascus suburb, along with 8 of the group’s fighters. Arab media reports say Israel may have assassinated Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar. Several Israeli Air Force missiles reportedly struck the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, killing Kuntar, in the early hours of Sunday. The Assad... more »
Tom Baker talks regeneration
https://youtu.be/H85hYqPeiCw From 1:08 re Paul McGann "he was fabulous in that film, I never saw the film" Hmmm
Born In Bethlehem, Living In Our Hearts
[image: star of bethlehem - 900] ERIC METAXAS -- If you ever find yourself in Bethlehem of Judea, there's one attraction you shouldn't miss. First, you'd need to stoop low enough to pass through the four-foot-high Door of Humility. From there, you'd make your way down a...more »
Russian President Putin: Russia Will Use More Advanced Military Force Against Terror Groups In Syria 'If Necessary'
*CNN*: *Putin: 'If necessary, we will use' advanced military capability in Syria* (CNN)Russia will use more advanced military force against terror groups in Syria "if necessary," President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. His comments came a day after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution that supports an international effort to find a political solution to the 5-year-old civil war in Syria. Russia has supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but the United States wants him removed. The two countries, however, have found common ground in launching airstrikes a... more »
Good things
Has Anita Anand taken notice of all the flak that's recently been coming her way for her "hectoring and disapproving and opinionated" behaviour on *Any Answers*? I think she might have done given because her behaviour on this week's programme could hardly have been more different (for the most part). It really sounded to me as if she was deliberately on her best behaviour, taking a much more hands-off approach to her callers, allowing them to speak at length, asking them non-loaded questions (sparingly), not huffing and puffing at them if they said something she didn't approve of ... more »
Why Trump Is Leading The GOP Field
The last thing our country needs is another BUSH! Dumb as a rock! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2015 *(Click on Image to Enlarge)* Thank you @jimmykimmel for the great book. Grandpa @realdonaldtrump is making good use of it!!! #WinnersArentLosers pic.twitter.com/LLYQVzOlYZ — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 18, 2015 *WNU Editor: *These two tweets and polling graph is *from Zero Hedge*. What's my take .... he is definitely appealing to the low information voter ... and it is working. I showed the tweet of him with his grand-daughter to my mother ...... more »
Why China Wants Aircraft Carriers
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Department of Defense. *Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest*: *Why Does China Want Aircraft Carriers?* The People’s Republic of China: The only nation on Earth building not one but two “carrier-killer” missiles. Yet, China is also one of just a handful of countries who wants to build more carriers. Odd? Not exactly, if you know the history and why Beijing wants carriers in the first place. Indeed, there is a tremendous amount of publicly available information when it comes to Beijing’s carrier program, with the history of the program being completely fasc... more »
Fourth Sunday of Advent...
Reading 1 Is 7:10-14 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.
Are all arguments against miracles circular?
The InspiringPhilosophy YouTube channel has produced numerous wonderful videos about the foundation of quantum mechanics – and many more, equally visually wonderful yet much less sensible videos defending naive and literal Christian beliefs. The latest, 14-minute video was posted on Friday and it argues that there are no valid arguments against miracles. The narrator has the same voice in all these videos, the linguistic perfection permeates every minute of the monologues, and the videos are always fun to watch. Nevertheless, some of them – the quantum ones – provide us with total... more »
China Accuses US Of Committing A 'Serious Military Provocation' With Its B-52 Flight In The South China Sea (Update)
*IBTimes:* *China calls US bomber flypast near Spratly islands 'military provocation'; Pentagon says it was 'unintentional'* China sent out a stern message to the United States after an American B52 bomber flew close to the Spratly islands last week, that China claims is its territory in the South China Sea. US officials said that the bomber had 'unintentionally' come within two nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea. The incident reportedly occurred on 10 December, and China claims that two B52 bombers had entered the airspace near the reef... more »
Military Photo of the Day: December 20, 2015
[image: New arrivals at the 5th Air Force’s Seoul processing center for orphans, before the evacuation to Jeju Island. Chaplain COL Wallace Wolverton is at left and Chaplain LTC Russell Blaisdell is at right.] Operation Kiddy Car. New arrivals at the 5th Air Force's Seoul processing center for orphans during the Korean War, before the evacuation to Jeju Island. Chaplain COL Wallace Wolverton is at left and Chaplain LTC Russell Blaisdell is at right....more »
Turkey's War Against The Kurds Intensifies
*BBC*: *Turkey kills 70 Kurdish militants, vowing to prevent 'chaos'* Turkey will not allow Kurdish militants to create "chaos" in the cities of the country's south-east, PM Ahmet Davutoglu says. Turkey says about 70 suspected members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and two soldiers have been killed since Wednesday in a major military operation against the rebels. A ceasefire and talks to settle the conflict broke down in July. Kurdish sources say 200,000 people have been forced from their homes. Around 10,000 government security forces, backed by heavy weaponry, have been in... more »
Turkey Announces That It Will Continue Its Withdrawal Of Troops From Northern Iraq
*New York Times:* *Turkey to Continue Withdrawal of Troops From Northern Iraq* ISTANBUL — Turkey announced on Saturday that it would continue to withdraw its troops from a military base in northern Iraq, saying that there had been miscommunication with Baghdad regarding the deployment of the forces, sent as part of a mission to train Kurdish and Sunni Arab forces in the fight against the Islamic State. Turkey recently sent reinforcements to the base in Bashiqa, near Mosul, as part of an international training mission, sparking an angry reaction from the Iraqi government, which sa... more »
Paris Gun Traced to Syrian CIA ISIS/L/Da'esh Training Camps (Israel Supports - and Helped to Create - Islamic Terrorist Groups?) Can Republicans/Neolib Warmongers Buy the Next Election? (Yemen Crisis: One More Reason to Re-evaluate the Toxic U.S.-Saudi Alliance)
The United States' Secret African Drone War Against ISIS Well, what did you expect? A tattooed woman?- Melvyn Douglas to Irene Dunne in "Theodora Goes Wild" So, one of the guns used in the Paris attacks has been traced to the CIA-trained Syrian Islamics - the same crowd, essentially, who worked with the Cocaine (or was it Heroin?) Contras (just kidding, I remember that it was converted for
How Much Oil Is Needed To Power Santa’s Sleigh?-- A Guest Post From Michael McDonald
*Before heading back to Janesville, Paul Ryan died his beard white and put on his Santa Claus costume to deliver big time for Republican corporate donors far and wide, especially Big Oil-- which has already doled out $8,453,278 to congressional Republicans this year (after spending $26,852,861 on congressional Republicans in the last cycle. Big Oil's top priority was shredding the oil export ban and in Ryan's list of achievements with his Omnibus, the very first one he listed was that repeal, filled with absurd lies about generating a million jobs and lowering the price of gasolin... more »
Picture Of The Day
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter watches as an MV-22 Osprey flies in the background while he and Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar depart the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Atlantic Ocean, Dec. 10, 2015. DoD photo by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz
How The U.S. Waste $17 Billion In Afghanistan
Chairs at a school built, but never occupied, were stripped for firewood. Credit: SIGAR/Flickr *ProPublica:* *Behold: How the US blew $17 billion in Afghanistan* In 2008, the Pentagon bought 20 refurbished cargo planes for the Afghan Air Force, but as one top US officer put it, “just about everything you can think of was wrong.” No spare parts, for example. The planes were also “a death trap,” according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. So $486 million was spent on worthless planes that no one could fly. We did recoup some of the investment. Sixteen o... more »
CIA Admit To Using Weather Modification As A Military Weapon
The CIA have admitted that various nations possess the ability to use weather modification, or geoengineering, as a weapon in war. Rutgers University climatologist Alan Robock claims that his department at the New Jersey-based university were hired by the CIA to control other nations’ climates. Naturalnews.com reports: The climatologist also says the callers asked, “If we control someone else’s climate, would they then know about it?” Robock told the consultants that any large-scale weather manipulation would be detectable. Obviously, the CIA seems to have a very keen interest in t... more »
UN Secretary Accuses Israel Of Breeding Palestinian Terrorism
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told a conference on the “Rights of the Palestinian people” that Israel have deliberately provoked and bred Palestinian terrorism due to five decades of Israeli occupation. “It is the result of fear, humiliation, frustration and mistrust,” Ki-moon said. “It has been fed by the wounds of decades of bloody conflict, which will take a long time to heal. Palestinian youth in particular are tired of broken promises and they see no light at the end of the tunnel.” Jpost.com reports: In his message, which was delivered on Tuesday, Ban also blamed the “s... more »
China Accuse US of ‘Serious Military Provocation’
China have accused the United States of committing “a serious military provocation” after the U.S. flew two B-52 strategic bombers over artificial Chinese islands in the South China Sea. “The actions by the US side constitute a serious military provocation and are rendering more complex and even militarizing conditions in the South China Sea,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. Presstv.com reports: The Defense Ministry said the United States is deliberately raising tensions in the region and demanded Washington take immediate steps to avoid similar incidents in t... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Gorgeous spiral galaxy NGC 3521 is a mere 35 million light-years away, toward the constellation Leo. Relatively bright in planet Earth's sky, NGC 3521 is easily visible in small telescopes but often overlooked by amateur imagers in favor of other Leo spiral galaxies, like M66 and M65. It's hard to overlook in this colorful cosmic portrait, though. *Click image for larger size.* Spanning some 50,000 light-years the galaxy sports characteristic patchy, irregular spiral arms laced with dust, pink star forming regions, and clusters of young, blue stars. Remarkably, this deep image also ... more »
Chet Raymo, “Moments of Being”
*“Moments of Being”* by Chet Raymo “A passage from the "Pensees" of Teilhard de Chardin: "Though the phenomena of the lower world remain the same- the material determinisms, the vicissitudes of chance, the laws of labor, the agitations of men, the footfalls of death- he who dares to believe reaches a sphere of created reality in which things, while retaining their habitual texture, seem to be made out of a different substance. Everything remains the same so far as phenomena are concerned, but at the same time everything become luminous, animated, loving..." Whatever we think of Te... more »
Putin: Russia Will Ramp Up Military Presence In Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is willing to use more military means in Syria if necessary, as Russian armed forces have not employed all of their capability. His comments came one day after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution that supports an international effort to find a peaceful solution to the Syria crisis. Putin said in a speech: “We see how efficiently our pilots and intelligence agents coordinate their efforts with various kinds of forces – the army, navy and aviation, how they use the most modern weapons”. Yahoo News reports: “I... more »
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