1:55 am MST 29 Dec
Demography 25, Ageing societies, Japan's depopulation
Human population, whether rising or declining, should be left as individual and parental decision and responsibility, not government decision and responsibility. Should there be population explosion or population control/depopulation, it should not be government-sponsored. Thus, in ageing societies, instead of government giving subsidies to households for having new babies, government can reduce income taxes, relax rigid labor laws, so that people will have more money for their kids, or they can hire a nanny to help them raise kids. In countries where the growth of population is fla... more »
Are Angels Visiting Earth and Creating Miracles?
*\* The first thing that needs to be clarified is that angels are advanced human spirits who act to provide guidance for the physically living. They interact with our own spirits and as I have been posting, both are physically real entities based in the second tier of matter whereas we are based in the third tier of matter. However, it is also obvious that alien beings also have the capacity to operate as a second tier entity as well. This nicely explains the whole of the abduction experience reports that fill the UFO literature. It is also clear that we have similar abilities... more »
Court Finds Monsanto Responsible for Poisoning French Farmer
[image: monsanto fail] This is a sad tale that may well have happened to anyone. However, it opens the door to another issue. Just why are profoundly toxic chemicals been applied by untrained personnel? I cannot walk into that same business and purchase a stick of dynamite without a proper proof of some ability with that explosive. The same needs to apply to all chemicals used in agriculture. It is obvious the industry has lobbied long to avoid that. A rash of lawsuits may change their mind on that score.. The whole problem of both herbicides and pesticides now needs to be thor... more »
Forbidden History: Hidden Symbols Connecting All Major Ancient Civilizations
The short answer is that we had during the European Bronze Age at least a rich trading culture led by a singular tribe for want of a better term who pursued metals worldwide and marketed them worldwide by way of local trade factories. These factories were associated with robust stone work and often pyramids of some form or other depending on local materials. This large tribe was known as the Sea Peoples and also the Atlanteans to Plato. They had a huge number of mound structures in the Mississippi Valley. We likely can blame them for Sumerian pyramids as well. Central to all ... more »
Archaeoastronomical Study of the Main Pyramids of Giza and Possible Correlations with the Stars
Someone has finally bit the bullet and has done a statistical analysis on the configuration of the Giza Pyramids. They do clearly align with the Orion Belt to a sufficient degree of accuracy but not necessarily obsessively so either. That merely means that they could have done using normal surveying methods. Not a bad plan at all and it is silly we should argue over the obvious. However academic archaeology has consistently challenged the intellectual skills of the ancients even when their prowess was obvious, not least due to the inevitable ignorance of the majority of archaeo... more »
Quantum Time Travel Paradox Solved: Study
[image: (Fred Mantle/iStock)] I suspect this applies to all time paradox problems. It is all about isolation. As i posted a few weeks ago, the Earth was deliberately manufactured by the expedient of an artificial moon arriving and then dumping itself and the Earth back four Billion years. Further intercessions followed as well all then in the past from a location in the present or plausibly in the near present. All the same concerns would have applied but the sheer remoteness space and time allowed a full development to be completely isolated. In the present we ... more »
Developments In Underwater Drones May Make 'Silent' Nuclear Submarines Detectable
© Flickr/ UK Ministry of Defence *The Independent:** Trident: Nuclear deterrent under threat from underwater drones, expert warns* Advances in technology may turn Britain’s £31bn nuclear submarine programme into an expensive liability. Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent could be torpedoed by an increasingly sophisticated breed of underwater drone, a leading defence expert has warned. Rapid advances in underwater drone technology – autonomous underwater vehicles that can be controlled by ship- or land-based operators – threaten to make the controversial Trident nuclear subma... more »
Diphoton resonance from D3-branes or closed strings
*Fifteen hep-ph papers co-written by Dr *ang today* By December 21st, 43 hep-ph papers on the diphoton resonance seen at the LHC have been written (and released in three packages). Eight days later, the terrain is very different. After another package, the total number has jumped to 72 (like the number of virgins who wait for a terrorist in the Islamic hell) and by today, the total has reached 92 unless I missed a whole package. Because it's Tuesday today – a strong day – and we've had the Christmas break, there are many papers on the arXiv. Hep-ph shows 99 entries including 44 new... more »
Dr Tim Ball shows how "climate change" pushers skew data to get results they want
In a piece for RebelMedia, Dr Tim Ball shows - How The IPCC only look at human causes; and - How insignificant are those causes. Only Human Causes Most people don’t know that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) only considers human causes of global warming. This is critical because it is impossible to determine human causes if you don’t know or understand natural causes. It was done deliberately to ensure they could prove ”scientifically” the political message that human CO2 was causing disastrous global warming. Insignificant CO2 In fact, the natural va... more »
U.S. Navy Wants A Drone That Can 'Swim' And Fly
*Daily Mail:* *The 'Transformer' flying drone that's also a SUBMARINE: Navy funds research into robot that can swim as well as it flies* * Amphibious drone received a $618,000 grant from Office of Naval Research * The flying vehicle would be able to search the water from above and below * Researchers are developing way to control it wirelessly with sound pulses A flying, swimming drone may soon be able to aid search and rescue missions for the US Navy, and even locate deep sea mines. The Rutgers University drone recently received a $618,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research, a... more »
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Sunlight Dancing”
Deuter, “Sunlight Dancing” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abyq867wSyg
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Clouds of glowing gas mingle with dust lanes in the Trifid Nebula, a star forming region toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius). In the center, the three prominent dust lanes that give the Trifid its name all come together. Mountains of opaque dust appear on the right, while other dark filaments of dust are visible threaded throughout the nebula. A single massive star visible near the center causes much of the Trifid's glow. * Click image for larger size.* The Trifid, also known as M20, is only about 300,000 years old, making it among the youngest emission nebulae know... more »
Chet Raymo, “A Momentary Stay”
*“A Momentary Stay”* by Chet Raymo “This from a review of Paul Muldoon's new book of poetry, "Maggot", by Nick Laird, in the June 23, 2010 "New York Review of Books". It seems Muldoon was heckled by an audience member who claimed that what he was reading wasn't poetry. Muldoon replied: "It doesn't come naturally to me to defend these things as poems. As a concept, I see it like this: the word "poetry," as you know, means "making," so these are constructs in the world…One is trying to construct something that will help us to make sense of things, and a construct, or building even, l... more »
The Poet: David Whyte, “The Winter of Listening"
*“The Winter of Listening"* “No one but me by the fire, my hands burning red in the palms while the night wind carries everything away outside. All this petty worry, while the great cloak of the sky grows dark and intense round every living thing. What is precious inside us does not care to be known by the mind in ways that diminish its presence. What we strive for in perfection is not what turns us into the lit angel we desire, what disturbs and then nourishes has everything we need. What we hate in ourselves is what we cannot know in ourselves, but what is true to the pattern does not ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Thanks for stopping by!
Desperate Climate Alarmists Attack Skeptics
Larry Bell, in his latest column for Newsmax, under the above heading points out that although - the climate hadn’t warmed over 19 years prior to the run-up to that conference, feverish rhetoric certainly did. Yale Professor Timothy Snyder’s September New York Times op-ed titled “The Next Genocide” compared those who doubted dangerous man-made climate change with a Nazi commander slaughtering a Jewish baby. Larry notes that a Democrat Senator attempted to launch a congressional witch hunt against climate alarm skeptics. He requested that universities turn over documents about gra... more »
Maybe someone can explain this connection for me between a DC councilmember and a charter school
Chilling out on winter break. Can’t sleep. Examining, for some strange reason, DC Public Charter School Board meeting minutes. I find this stuff so interesting. I’m looking at contracts. I see one attributed to some strange 7L Group. They received $150K from a charter school in SE DC. That’s a lot of money. Well, 7L […]
Russia Wants Drones That Are Also Flamethrowers
*Popular Mechanics:* *Will Russia Really Make Drones Armed With Flamethrowers?* *They have the technology.* A few years ago, a video showing a supposed Russian quadrotor with a machine gun went viral. That clip was actually publicity for a video game, but now reality is overtaking fiction. The director of Russian arms-makers Rostec saying the company is now working on cheap, flamethrower-armed multicopters. That can dodge bullets. Alexander Yakunin told Russian newspaper TASS that the project is in the works. Judging from the technology his company has already developed—and taki... more »
U.S. Air Force Looking For Some Good Drone Pilots
U.S. Reaper drones at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. One is armed with two 500-lb bombs. Source: GlobalPost *Wall Street Journal:* *Air Force Looks Beyond Officers to Boost Drone-Pilot Ranks* *Enlisted personnel will be allowed to operate RQ-4 Global Hawk, possibly other platforms in the future.* The U.S. military’s increasing demand for drones has forced changes in the Air Force’s “flyboy” culture over the years, plucking pilots out of the cockpit and sending some to high-tech desert trailers to operate remotely piloted aircraft, leaving their proverbial white scarves at home.... more »
‘I’m Not Ready to Get Married’
[image: Marriage, Bride and Groom, Wedding, Just Married, Beach, Sunset] Part I in a series of widely held beliefs that are either untrue or meaningless: In every age, people say and believe things that aren’t true but somehow become accepted as “conventional wisdom.” The statement “I’m not ready to get... more »
Remembering 2015
[image: New Year, 2016, 2015, Change, Changing Form, Beach] How shall we remember 2015? Or shall we try to forget it? It is always hard to know when a turning point has been reached, and usually it is long afterwards before we recognize it. However, if 2015 has been... more »
Who Will Be Top Dog In The Republican Party's Establishment Lane-- And Does It Matter?
*Rubio's specialty has always been stabbing his mentors in the back* Except maybe Huckabee, Santorum and, of course, Herr Trump, everyone knows Ted Cruz is going to win among the tiny number of right-wing fanatics in Iowa that are collectively referred to as the Iowa Republican caucuses. And if Cruz comes in first and Trumpf second, it may not even matter much who comes in third-- and that could still be Dr. Ben. The real contest for the Republican Party establishment lane will be the following week, February 9, at the New Hampshire primary. The latest polling from CBS still shows T... more »
Guest Post: Pennsylvania is failing Philly's schools – so, close the schools?
Students walk the halls at De Burgos Elementary School. (Emma Lee/WHYY) by Daun Kauffman *Daun Kauffman is North Philadelphia public school teacher. He blogs at LucidWitness.com* December 28, 2015 The Pennsylvania Senate's effort to amend the PA School Code (H.B. 530), is part of the backroom wrangling over our state budget. Senate amendments to the bill require the state to directly take over or close five individual schools every year. This Senate incursion into education is a textbook example of aggression and obstruction with no advance intelligence, no input, from "frontlin... more »
Obamacare Patients Spend 10% of Income Out of Pocket Despite Government Subsidies
[image: 10% of income] Even with federal government subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, a typical American buying coverage on public exchanges spends about one in 10 dollars they earn "on insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs," according to a new analysis. Research from the... Continue reading *“Obamacare Patients Spend 10% of Income Out of Pocket Despite Government Subsidies”* at *forbes.com*.
US Army Vet Rewarded with Shopping Spree for His Dog
[image: Pet Supplies Plus] SOUTH LYON (WXYZ) – U.S. Army veteran Abner Gonzalez walked into Pet Supplies Plus in South Lyon thinking he was there to talk about Dogs on Deployment. It’s a nonprofit that takes care of dogs while their military owners are... Continue reading *“US Army Vet Rewarded with Shopping Spree for His Dog”* at *wxyz.com*.
USA!
tHE story o' the USA ain't special. wee jist git ol the cultural references! derz mor 2 it den dat!
Be thankful for the clean air you breathe
The LA Times has an excellent story regarding the serious air pollution problem in China’s capital city. The article begins, “In the space of an afternoon, Beijing vanished. … By evening, all was gone, engulfed in a gauzy-white miasma. Buildings rose into hazy oblivion, and the sun became a dull yellow orb, like a flashlight shining from under a blanket.” The great danger of the air pollution in Beijing is the small particulate matter known as PM2.5. The WHO advises that fine particles of less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter should not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic meter. The... more »
Lemmy, the Motorhead frontman has dief aged 70 shortly after being diagnosed with cancer
Lemmy R. I. P. If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man, You win some, lose some, all the same to me, The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say, I don't share your greed, the only card I need is The Ace Of Spades Playing for the high one, dancing with the devil, Going with the flow, it's all the game to me, Seven or Eleven, snake eyes watching you, Double up or quit, double stake or split, The Ace Of Spades You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools, But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live for ever, And don't forget the joker! Pushing up t... more »
Peg with Pen: Gaslighting & Turnaround Schools
Peg with Pen: Gaslighting & Turnaround Schools: I am currently working in a turnaround school. A turnaround school is a public school that has been deemed "failing" by policy ... more »
Journalist Who Documented Islamic State Atrocities Is Murdered In Turkey
*New York Times*: *Syrian Journalist Who Documented ISIS Atrocities Is Killed in Turkey* ISTANBUL — A Syrian journalist and filmmaker who documented atrocities by the Islamic State in Syria and trained hundreds of citizen journalists has been killed in a Turkish town near the Syria border, rights activists said Monday, calling the death an assassination. The killing of the journalist, Naji Jerf, in Gaziantep, Turkey, happened on Sunday, one day before he and his family were scheduled to fly to France, where they were seeking asylum. Unconfirmed news reports from Gaziantep said th... more »
Mohawk Nation News: RED-X STATE OF THE UNION
. http://mohawknationnews.com/blog/2015/12/28/red-x-state-of-the-union/
Hope College Receives $500k for High School Faith Institute
[image: DeVos Field House - Hope College Campus] HOLLAND, Mich. -- Hope College has received a $500,000 grant to establish a summer faith institute for high school students. Continue reading *“Hope College Receives $500k for High School Faith Institute”* at *freep.com*.
The Sum of All Fears
[image: American Flag, Child, Patriotism, Fourth of July, Sunset, U.S.A., USA] President Obama and members of his administration assure us we have nothing to fear when it comes to terrorism. Whether you accept this, or not -- and opinion polls show a majority do not -- there is another fear that in large... more »
"Why Does the World Feel So Wrong?"
*"Why Does the World Feel So Wrong?"* by Will Groves "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - William Shakespeare, "Hamlet" "Consider these events: *1.* A president who started two aggressive wars, who bears responsibility for the loss of thousands of American lives along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan lives, leaves office as a free man without a felony record or any negative repercussions. *2.* Meanwhile, the same populace that has intimate experience with lying politicians appeared utterly smitten with a smooth-ta... more »
The Republican Sharia Law Fantasies: It’s Republican World! 2015 In Review-- Chapter Eleven
*by Noah* Most Republicans I know about like to whine about Muslim Sharia Law taking over our country. In the Republican mind, it goes hand in hand with their imagined Obama-led "War On Christianity" that I posted about yesterday. The Sharia Law threat is one of their favorite and most paranoid theme songs. They’ve been singing this one (very off key) since the man they like to call Barack Hussein Obama won election and moved into the White House. They see Muslims coming to this country as some sort of conspiracy to install a theocracy. Since the majority of them think that Presi... more »
Is The Pentagon Blocking President Obama's Efforts To Close Guantanamo?
U.S. President Barack Obama signs an executive order regarding the closure of the military prison at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on his second official day as president at the White House in Washington in this January 22, 2009 file photo. REUTERS/Larry Downing/Files *Reuters*: *Special Report: Pentagon thwarts Obama's effort to close Guantanamo* In September, U.S. State Department officials invited a foreign delegation to the Guantanamo Bay detention center to persuade the group to take detainee Tariq Ba Odah to their country. If they succeeded, the transfer wou... more »
"We Are All..."
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde
“Have We Lost Our Humanity?”
*“Have We Lost Our Humanity?”* by Robert Wolff “Our scientists are renowned. We know so much. But more about the universe and about bacteria and viruses than we know about ourselves. Certainly, we know more than ever about the functioning of our physical selves. We have multiple imaginations about who we are and where we fit into the biosphere, for instance. But somewhere we have lost ourselves as humans. We, meaning the western "we," assume and accept that we are totally apart from the earth and all other creators. We believe we own the planet. Most of humankind still knows that w...more »
Photos Future Generations Riders arrive in Wounded Knee
Thank you to Ken Marchionno and the Future Generations Riders for sharing your photos. The ride began at the site where Chief Big Foot was killed and culminated at the site of the Massacre of Wounded Knee. http://300-miles.org/OT/index.html
The AMA Was a Pro-Life Giant in the 19th Century. Now It Does Planned Parenthood’s Bidding.
[image: Horatio Storer - 900] Recently the American Medical Association voted on a proposal that, if passed, would have had the AMA petition the U.S. government to defund Planned Parenthood. The proposal failed 363-71. While it is unsurprising to see a large professional organization fail... more »
It’s Infallible: Pope Francis’ Statements on the Scientific Details of Climate Change Aren’t Binding on Catholics
[image: Pope Francis Weather Forcast - 900] Catholics now have it on good authority that the pope can predict the weather a hundred years out. The claim confirms as true something Evelyn Waugh once wrote as a joke. In Brideshead Revisited, the character Rex Mottram is a... more »
Burundi Peace Talks Under-way Amid Escalating Violence And Threats Of Civil War
*IBTimes*:* In Uganda, Burundi Peace Talks Resume Amid Escalating Violence* Burundi’s warring sides arrived in nearby Uganda Monday to resume peace talks aimed at ending months of escalating violence that has claimed hundreds of lives. The long-stalled negotiations are being led by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at the presidential palace in Entebbe, just outside the capital of Kampala, and they will include a Burundian government delegation as well as opposition members and civil society representatives, Agence France-Presse reported. "I really appeal to you, the two sides, to...more »
Dec. 28: Get ready for tough decisions.
Front page news. Read all about it. People went shopping on Boxing Day. We had heavy snow in 2015. There's a big picture on the front page of a man shovelling snow - presumably for people who have never seen that. The headline is that the premier says the public wants shale gas dealt with. And the government is thinking about it. Who woulda guessed? Then the premier says that social license to develop shale gas is necessary. 'Social' and 'License' - two words that sound good - unless you know what they mean. It means the general public would have to show strong support in order fo... more »
As We Shift - Here Comes 2016
It’s the time of year for prophecy and promise. What’s to follow is another version of both. This year brought a new appreciation for the perspective found here. It erupts from intuition, internet searches and a year’s worth of conversations with off world beings. You may call it an assumption. We are poised for alteration – of everything. In our unique fashion we’ve gradually set the stage for personal, national, global and cosmic emergence. We are ready right now. It can happen before this year ends and we will not be surprised. If you’ve been waiting for your moment – th... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 28, 2015
*Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report:* *5 Things to Look For With ISIS in 2016* These key clues may indicate whether the Islamic State group can continue its reign of fear. From the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris the first week of January to the San Bernardino shootings in December, the kind of self-inspired, small-scale brutality the Sunni Muslim Islamic State group has seeped into the cracks left by a Western security apparatus hardened around preventing a 9/11-style massive attack. Now intelligence agencies scramble to adapt to a more nimble and unorthodox extremist mo... more »
World News Briefs -- December 29, 2015 (Evening Edition)
*FOX News*: *Ramadi not 'fully liberated' from ISIS, Iraqi general says* Iraqi government forces scored a major victory when they took control from ISIS of the central government complex in the city of Ramadi on Monday. But even as one Iraqi military spokesperson unequivically said earlier Monday that Ramadi had been "liberated," the head of Iraqi military operations in Anbar province cautioned against celebrating too early. "The troops only entered the government complex," Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi said. "We can't say that Ramadi is fully liberated. There are still neighborhoods unde... more »
Is This Proof That John McCain Helped Create The Islamic State?
Former Republican presidential nominee, Senator John McCain from Arizona, has been implicated in a conspiracy to help organize and create ISIS in order to destabilize the regime of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. He is seen in a photo at a meeting attended by none other than the Islamic State’s commander in chief, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The Daily Trends reports: Here is the proof that the Free Syrian Army and ISIS are one of the same. The US created the FSA to take down the Syrian Government and over the years it has changed its name several times. After each so called ‘friends o... more »
Pentagon Stunned As Thousands Of Chinese Troops Enter ISIS War
The Kremlin have announced that China are to send 5,000 of its most elite military forces into the Levant War Zone to help Russia in the fight against ISIS, which has left the Obama administration and the Pentagon “horrified”. The “Siberian Tiger” Special Forces and “Night Tiger” Special Forces Units were given authorization to be deployed by China’s People’s Congress (NPC) on Sunday, after China passed its first anti-terrorism law allowing their army to take part in anti-terror missions abroad. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: Most critical to China in entering this war, this report co... more »
The Stealth Attempt to Defeat Aging at Google’s Calico
[image: DNA - 400] Talk about a headline that sings. "Google vs. Death." The Time magazine cover story from September 2013 heralded the creation of California Life Company, or Calico, a new firm incubated by Google with the audacious aim to extend human lifespans. Although... Continue reading *“The Stealth Attempt to Defeat Aging at Google’s Calico”* at *recode.net*.
Pakistan TV Exposes Osama bin Laden Killing Hoax (Video)
Mohammad Bashir, an Abbottabad resident and neighbour to the bin Laden “compound”, gives an extraordinary eyewitness account of what he says happened on 2 May 2011, when – according to the official story – US Navy SEALs assassinated Osama bin Laden. In this rare interview, a Pakistan TV station talks to Bashir who gives an explosive account of what actually happened which completely contradicts the official story. [SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO] This inteview offers compelling evidence that the Obama administration’s story about killing Obama is a complete hoax. Pakistani Samaa TV confirms ... more »
Russia Accuse U.S. Of Fighting A Phony War Against ISIS
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov has accused the U.S. of pretending to fight ISIS in the Middle East, in response to the Pentagon refusing to share intelligence on ISIS with Moscow. Konashenkov has said that the Pentagon are fighting ISIS “in word only” during a press conference on Monday. Tass.ru reports: He thus commented on a recent statement by the Pentagon spokesperson Michelle Baldanza who confirmed that the US military did not intend to share with Moscow the information on IS targets until Russia changes its policy towards Syrian President Bashar Assad. “W... more »
German TV Caught Faking News Story About Russia-Ukraine ‘War’
A German TV report about an alleged Russian soldier who went to war in the south-east of Ukraine has been exposed as a fake news story. The story was reported by German TV channel ZDF and featured a Russian “volunteer” who called himself Igor. The volunteer was actually a resident of Kaliningrad and had been paid as an actor to feature in the news report. Pravdareport.com reports: The main character of the report is named Igor, although his real name is Yuri Labyskin. He said that all of his remarks in the documentary had been rehearsed and scripted. The report tells the story of a... more »
Anti-Russian Propaganda Shows West Is Running Scared Of Russia
A U.S. Professor has said that the U.S. and Europe are growing increasingly hostile towards Russia due to the fact that they underestimated Moscow’s increasing military and economical power. Professor Vladimir Golstein, associate professor of Slavic studies at Brown University in Rhode Island, says that the anti-Russian propaganda perpetrated by the West is now backfiring. “People who orchestrated this whole geopolitical scheme of bullying Russia definitely miscalculated … You don’t want to wake a sleeping bear but that’s exactly what [the US] State Department did,” he told Iranian... more »
ISIS Plan Moroccan Sarin Gas Attacks In New Years Eve Terror Plot
ISIS have announced plans to launch a chemical attack in Morocco on New Years Eve using Sarin gas, amid plans of creating widespread chaos during the holiday season across Europe. “Intelligence services of various European countries have published reports in which they detail ISIS’ plan to attack several capitals of countries that are members of the coalition against this organization,” A Moroccan newspaper reported on Monday. Moroccoworldnews.com reports: According to the Moroccan daily, Morocco is among these countries where ISIS plans to carry terrorist attacks on December 31. T... more »
Pentagon Worried About Russia’s Updated Navy Capabilities
The Pentagon have expressed concerns over a “newly awakened” Russian navy that appears to possess state-of-the-art technology. A Pentagon report reveals that the Russian military launched 18 Kalibr-M cruise missiles from warships in the Caspian Sea, successfully travelling 1,500 miles, and striking ISIS targets in Syria. Sputniknews.com reports: “Russia has begun, and over the next decade will make large strides in fielding a 21st century navy capable of a dependable national defense [and] an impressive but limited presence in more distant global areas of interests…” reads the repo... more »
Philip Palmer's "Version 43"
So, I just finished the Sci-Fi novel *Version 43* by Philip Palmer. I actually bought this book and it was well worth the money. I got it for $2 out of a used book store's bargain bin. I got sucked in by the cover art. I understand that it's not to be taken as a deep, serious, Science Fiction book. It's over the top. But it's not for me. Several times it feels like he's making it up as he goes along. And the writing that supposed to be mind-blowingly magnificent just comes off as implausible. Towards the end, as the Cyborg is engaged in a war of attrition with the *Anciens*, there'... more »
First of 17 Detainees to be Released from Gitmo Next Week
[image: Guantanamo Bay] WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior U.S. official says the first of 17 detainees scheduled to be released from the Guantanamo Bay prison in January will be transferred next week, as the Obama administration continues efforts to reduce the population at the... more »
Oil Slump Weighing on Housing Markets in Texas, North Dakota
[image: Pumpjack - 900] There’s a dark side to those delightfully low gas prices: Housing markets are slumping in communities that were recently flush from the U.S. shale oil fracking boom. Home sales are down sharply this year in North Dakota and the West... more »
Coming to Your Suburb: The Ghettos
[image: suburb] The Housing Authority of Baltimore City is secretly relocating Section 8 subsidized housing families from the inner city into suburban homes -- and some critics are charging it is part of a plan to deliberately cause damage to the communities there.... Continue reading *“Coming to Your Suburb: The Ghettos”* at *wnd.com*.
Rubio: ‘If God Can Create the Universe in 6 Days, I Can Run for President in 6 Days’
[image: Rubio] Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has yet to grow tired of campaigning for president. The youngest 2016 hopeful and his wife, Jeanette, appeared chipper and optimistic about Rubio’s rising status in the Republican field during a recent interview with New Hampshire’s... Continue reading *“Rubio: ‘If God Can Create the Universe in 6 Days, I Can Run for President in 6 Days’”* at *washingtonexaminer.com*.
The Reality of World Religion: God Wins
[image: world religion] ‘The world is more religious than it has ever been," Rodney Stark writes in his new book The Triumph of Faith: Why the World Is More Religious than Ever. Around the globe, four out of every five people claim to belong... Continue reading *“The Reality of World Religion: God Wins”* at *nationalreview.com*.
E-Cigarettes Save Lives; Of Course Liberals Oppose Them
[image: e-cigarettes] E-cigarettes could be the most important factor in hundreds of thousands of people quitting smoking, according to a study published in the International Journal of Public Health. France's 2014 Health Barometer, using responses from 15,635 people, aimed to investigate the... Continue reading *“E-Cigarettes Save Lives; Of Course Liberals Oppose Them”* at *thelibertarianrepublic.com*.
Classic Reflections for the Christmas Season
[image: mary-joseph-painting - 400] ROME, December 23, 2015 -- In the Latin Church, the liturgical celebration of Christmas emerged in the middle of the 4th century, in the thick of the Christological controversies that threatened to compromise the divinity of Jesus or his humanity. In... Continue reading *“Classic Reflections for the Christmas Season”* at *chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it*.
How to Stop Sexualizing Everything
[image: girls friendship - 400] "Bye, I love you!" I said as I hung up the phone. My 15-year-old daughter was in the car at the time and asked who I was talking to. "My friend, Leslie, from Texas." "A woman?" she said. "That's just... Continue reading *“How to Stop Sexualizing Everything”* at *thefederalist.com*.
UN Discovers Secret Illegal Detention Center In Sri Lanka
A secret detention center where serious human rights abuses took place have been discovered in Sri Lanka. The center is said to exist within the Tricomalee Nava base in east Sri Lanka, after a June 2015 report by the International Truth and Justice Project, Sri Lanka (ITJPSL) released a 134-page report on on-going human rights violations and past cases in Sri Lanka. The report titled An Unfinished War: Torture and Sexual Violence in Sri Lanka 2009-2014 says that family members were not told the whereabouts of relatives being held at the facility. Truth-out.org reports: Many of thos... more »
Rupert Murdoch Drills For Illegal Profits While Syria Bleeds
The world’s most powerful media tycoon, Rupert Murdoch, is in the oil business nowadays. Murdoch is the founder of News Corp and Fox news who inherited his ‘news’ empire from his father. He now part owns an oil company with Lord (Jacob) Rothschild that is about to start drilling in disputed land between Israel and Syria. The Australian born American tycoon loves to promote war, chaos, fear, pleasure and nonsensical ‘talking points’ as news on his media outlets. His influence and power over politicians, and vice-versa, has always been legend. Examiner reports: Fox News mogul Rupert M... more »
Life in North Korea: Weirder and Sadder Than You Imagined
[image: North Korean women work at an assembly line in the the Kaesong industrial complex.] “North Korea, being a communist country, has a pension system,” reports a special series in The Guardian (links below), and that sounds nice, until you get to the second half of the sentence: “although payouts are only about US 50... more »
Friends of Pro-Life Officer Killed in Shooting at Planned Parenthood Raise $240,000 for His Family
[image: Garrett Swasey] Friends of pro-life police officer Garrett Swasey, the part-time pastor who was killed during the horrific shooting at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs, have raised almost a quarter of a million to help care for his family... Continue reading *“Friends of Pro-Life Officer Killed in Shooting at Planned Parenthood Raise $240,000 for His Family”* at *lifenews.com*.
Jesus Was Born into the Middle Class
[image: Holy Innocents' Day] Yesterday, we looked at why the Gospels make such a point of saying that Jesus was born of a virgin. But there is more to the story than the absence of a biological father. What kind of home was Jesus... Continue reading *“Jesus Was Born into the Middle Class”* at *the-american-interest.com*.
Japan And South Agreement Will Settle The 'Comfort Women' Issue Between Both Governments
*New York Times*:* Japan and South Korea Settle Dispute Over Wartime ‘Comfort Women’* SEOUL, South Korea — More than 70 years after the end of World War II, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark agreement on Monday to resolve their dispute over Korean women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japan’s Imperial Army. The agreement, in which Japan made an apology and promised an $8.3 million payment, was intended to remove one of the most intractable logjams in relations between South Korea and Japan, both crucial allies to the United States. The so-called comfort women ha... more »
There Are Two Teds
Yesterday, *Fox News Sunday* was unable to book the serious candidates so they got stuck with Long Island neocon Peter King and the Rev. Huckabee, who's on the verge of dropping out of the race. Huck says he won't drop out if he can do well in Iowa though. And he's gone on the attack against Iowa frontrunner, Ted Cruz, the candidate in the race further to the right politically than even he is. The ad above, from Huckabee's SuperPAC, Pursuing America's Greatness, is a case to conservatives-- albeit a poorly executed one-- that Cruz is not to be trusted because he's just another tw... more »
Merck Creating A Dog Flu ‘Epidemic’ In Chicago
Merck is pushing for a dog flu epidemic this year and it could be because human flu numbers as well as flu vaccinations are way down. The big pharma company has started to put up signs warning that “dogs can get flu, too.” They clearly hope that by putting up signs people will be encouraged to take their beloved pets in for a flu shot. TruthKings reports Does anyone actually believe that it is a coincidence that we have a dog flu epidemic in the same year we have lower flu shot turnout from people and lower instances of the flu for people in general? I mean, it seems rather convenie... more »
Christians in China Feel Full Force of Authorities’ Repression
[image: China demolishes crosses and churches__1438514024_70.119.142.63] GUIYANG, China -- Pastor Su Tianfu slides into the back seat and tells the driver to hit it. He looks over his shoulder: "Is there anybody following us?" It is days before Christmas, but instead of working on his sermon,... Continue reading *“Christians in China Feel Full Force of Authorities’ Repression”* at *washingtonpost.com*.
Ted Cruz’s Foreign Policy Hits the Vital Center
[image: Sen. Ted Cruz: Despite What President Obama Says, We Are at War Against Radical Islam] Hillary Clinton has no record to run on. Family income is lower and the world is more dangerous. Donald Trump nailed it when he told Chris Wallace, “Hillary calls me ‘dangerous’? She’s killed hundreds of thousands of people with her... Continue reading *“Ted Cruz’s Foreign Policy Hits the Vital Center”* at *pjmedia.com*.
Cleric Denies Ties to San Bernardino Killers, But Phone Records Cast Doubt on That Claim
[image: cleric denies ties] The cleric acting as spokesman for the San Bernardino mosque where terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook worshipped claims he barely knew Farook and didn't know his terrorist wife at all. But phone records and other evidence uncovered by federal investigators cast... Continue reading *“Cleric Denies Ties to San Bernardino Killers, But Phone Records Cast Doubt on That Claim”* at *nypost.com*.
Russia Blames Saudi Arabia For Destabilizing Oil Markets
© Ruslan Shamukov/ITAR-TASS *TASS*:* Russia’s energy minister blames Saudi Arabia for destabilized oil market* According to Alexander Novak, Saudi Arabia increased its oil production by 1.5 mln barrels per day MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Saudi Arabia has destabilized oil market by increasing its oil output by 1.5 mln barrels per day, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview with Rossiya 24 TV channel. "This year Saudi Arabia has ramped up production by 1.5 mln barrels per day, which in fact destabilized the situation on the market," - he said. *Update: *Saud... more »
“How Christmas Was Nearly Canceled – Permanently”
*“How Christmas Was Nearly Canceled – Permanently”* by Bill Bonner POITOU, France –” Well, it was a quiet Christmas in this corner of Christendom. On the eve, we went to Mass in our local church – a cold, stone relic of the 12th century. The best seats were taken by the time we got there, but we found a row of chairs in the back. We are considerably taller than most of the French in this area. So, we had no trouble seeing over the heads of the indigenous Catholics. The local people are short; many are almost dwarfish. What caused it? Malnutrition many years ago? Was there a partic... more »
The Economy/Geopolitics: “Paul Craig Roberts: US Stupid Enough to Cause Nuclear War?”
*“Paul Craig Roberts: US Stupid Enough to Cause Nuclear War?”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Former Assistant Treasury Secretary Dr. Paul Craig Roberts has a dim view of the so-called “economic recovery.” Dr. Roberts contends, “There has been no recovery whatsoever. If you look at the economy realistically, and that means you don’t use their phony numbers, there has been no recovery whatsoever and, in fact, it continues to worsen. We see that the “Labor Force Participation Rate” continues to sink. When you consider the full measure of unemployment we still have an unemployment ra... more »
Harvard Law Dean Compares Microaggressions to Violence, Sexual Assault
[image: Harvard Law Dean - 400] In a move that should surprise no one who has been watching the utter meltdown of privileged college students this year, a Harvard Law School dean has compared “microaggressions” to sexual assault and violence. Dean Martha L. Minow, during her... Continue reading *“Harvard Law Dean Compares Microaggressions to Violence, Sexual Assault”* at *washingtonexaminer.com*.
On this year's 'Today' guest editors
The first of *Today*'s guest presenters, actor Michael Sheen, did 'his thing' this morning (as the young folks say). His left-wing credentials certainly shone through, as did his interest in science and...er...acting. Some of the left-wing Twitterati went into absolute ecstasy over his guest editorship... ...but other members of the self-same left-wing Twitterati went instead into a contrasting frenzy of 'BBC bias' accusations. Why? Well, partly because of "posh" Sarah Montague's laughing attempt to stop Mr Sheen's closing tirade against the present Conservative government (no... more »
Quote of the Day: When green became red
"*The appeal of Environmentalism, in its more extreme manifestations at least, becomes irresistible to that permanent cadre of political and social radicals Western society has nurtured ever since the French Revolution. This cadre has never been primarily interested in the protection of nature,but if such a movement carries with it even the possibility of political and social revolution, it is well that the cadre join it; which, starting with the late 1960s, it did." ~* Roger Franklin, from his article at Quadrant 'Green, Red & Burnt All Over' *RELATED POSTS*: - "In the West t... more »
Humor at the ASSA
I will miss the ASSA meetings this year. But I want to give a shout out to the AEA Humor Session. It will be on Monday January 4, 2016, from 8 to 9:30 pm in room "Imperial A" of the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco. The humor session is one of the only parts of the American Economic Association annual meeting that is free and open to the public!
Love Poems of Ovid
Love Poems of Ovid selected and translated by Horace Gregory, Mentor Books, Toronto, 1964 Ovid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovid) - full name Publius Ovidius Naso - is considered one of the greats of Latin literature, up there with Virgil and Horace. Certainly his 'Metamorphosis' is a great work, one that has influenced many other authors, Dante, Boccaccio, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Marlowe, Milton, Chaucer and so on. It's been some time since I have read that book, and I pulled this selection to see if it was of equal worth. I'm afraid not. The writing of the 'Metamorphosis' wa... more »
Russia Accuses U.S. Of 'Protecting' The Islamic State
*TASS*: *Russian Defense Ministry accuses Pentagon of imitating fight against Islamic State* *Russian Defense Ministry spokesman thus commented regarding the recent statement by the Pentagon spokesperson who confirmed that the US didn't intend to share the information on IS targets with Moscow* MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. The Pentagon, refusing to transfer the data on terrorist targets in Syria to the Russian military, continues to fight against the Islamic State terrorist group "in word only", Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Monday. He thu...more »
Here are the top 10 most highly cited retracted papers, ranked
Ever wondered which retracted papers had the biggest impact on their fields? We’ve compiled a list of the 10 most highly cited retracted papers. Note that many papers — including the #1 most cited paper — received more citations after they were retracted, which research has shown is an ongoing problem. Readers will see some familiar entries, such […] The post Here are the top 10 most highly cited retracted papers, ranked appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Let's just throw out a bunch of stuff and clean up my tabs...
*should we?* *First up:* I guess there's some woman *who's turning her back on technology*, although she has an iPhone. The fact that it has a cracked screen and is taped up is supposed to be testimony to her creds. Ah, no. I have nothing against technology. However, I think the people who walk around clutching a phone in their hand, or seeing every event through the pinhole of a phone are very sad creatures. Supposedly, *a man died after walking off a cliff in San Diego* while, according to reports, looking at a hand held device. If it was a "smart phone" what he did was not... more »
Can Bernie Channel The Rage And Frustration Of Trump Fans Into Support For Him After Trumpf Gets Schlonged By The GOP?
*When Herr Trumpf comes in among the most admired men in America, one has to wonder who are they asking* On the surface, Trumpf's running away with the Republican nomination-- and, in fact, he may (although I've always believed Ted Cruz is the perfect match for what the GOP has become, even more so than Herr Trumpf and that it is Cruz who will be the nominee). Right now the next-to-meaningless national polls show Trumpf way ahead-- 36.5% in the RealClearPolitics national average, against Cruz's 17.8% and Rubio's 11.3%, the only 3 in double digits. That's a lagging indicator which do... more »
Largest Native American Tribe in California Bans GMOs
*Christina Sarich* - The Yurok Tribe, the largest Native American tribe in California, will join other peoples such as those from Russia, Italy, and Germany in saying NO to genetically modified organisms. The post Largest Native American Tribe in California Bans GMOs appeared first on Waking Times.
Syria War News Updates -- December 28, 2015
*AFP:* *Rare evacuation of Syria towns as deadly blasts hit Homs* Beirut (AFP) - A rare UN-backed deal between Syria's warring sides saw hundreds of fighters and civilians evacuate three towns on Monday, as bomb blasts in the regime-held city of Homs killed at least 14 people. President Bashar al-Assad's regime has agreed to several ceasefires with rebel groups in the past but Monday's evacuation plan was one of the most elaborate in the nearly five-year war. The United Nations has been pushing for such local deals as global powers pursue wider efforts to resolve a conflict that l... more »
UN Peacekeepers Demanded Oral Sex From Hungry Refugee Children
According to a shocking report, in exchange for food from UN peacekeepers, children as young as nine traded oral sex in war-zones while officials looked the other way. UN human rights spokesman, Rupert Colville admitted in May that it was possible that further inquiries would reveal even more unreported instances. The report found that memos about the sexual abuse in the Central African Republic were “passed from desk to desk, inbox to inbox, across multiple UN offices, with no one willing to take responsibility” The Siasat reports: It added: “The welfare of the victims and the acc... more »
Electric Cars, Ambrose? It’s A No Brainer!
By Paul Homewood I have not had a look at costings for electric v conventional cars recently, particularly in the light of much lower fuel prices currently. I was reminded by another rant against fossil fuels from Ambrose Evans Pritchard the other day, when he sneered at OPEC for forecasting continued growth […]
Shahbaz Bhatti was Killed for His Faith. His Brother is Telling His Story.
[image: Bhatti - 400] "I was forced to flee the country with my family after a violent attack on my residence by extremists," said Dr. Paul Bhatti, a surgeon who had to flee his homeland of Pakistan. Speaking to an international conference on religious... Continue reading *“Shahbaz Bhatti was Killed for His Faith. His Brother is Telling His Story.”* at *nationalreview.com*.
DNA Analysis Proves That We Are Not Alone
DNA Analysis of the famous Paracas Skulls from Peru has proven that they are not human. The skulls were found by Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello in the barren landscape of the desert peninsula of Paracas, on Peru’s southern coast. Researchers believe that the skulls are significantly different from any known to man and could only be the result of interbreeding between alien species and humans. There have always been suggestions that alien species influenced the ancient civilizations, such as those in south America or the Pharaohs of Egypt. The Paracas skulls are considered to bel...more »
Citizens as Collateral Damage in the Geoengineering War on Planet Earth
*V. Susan Ferguson* - We are all collateral damage when the military industrial complex wages war on the environment. The post Citizens as Collateral Damage in the Geoengineering War on Planet Earth appeared first on Waking Times.
Captured Documents Give An Insight On The Islamic State's Department Of 'War Spoils'
Men work at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria in this December 16, 2015, file photo. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi *Reuters:* *Exclusive: Seized documents reveal Islamic State's Department of 'War Spoils'* Islamic State has set up departments to handle "war spoils," including slaves, and the exploitation of natural resources such as oil, creating the trappings of government that enable it to manage large swaths of Syria and Iraq and other areas. The hierarchical bureaucracy, including petty rivalries between officials, and legal codes ... more »
Iraqi Military: The City Of Ramadi Has Been 'Liberated' From The Islamic State
*Daily Mail*: *Just THREE HUNDRED ISIS jihadis held Ramadi for seven months against Iraqi force of 10,000 * * Just 600 ISIS fighters conquered Ramadi in May, sent Iraqi soldiers fleeing * Iraqi state TV showed Iraqis celebrating in the streets after Ramadi victory * Recapture will be used as launchpad to retake Nineveh, said Iraqi politician * ISIS leader filmed making rare public speech in Mosul in Nineveh governate The ISIS stronghold of Ramadi has been 'fully liberated' by 10,000 Iraqi soldiers who took six days to wrestle the city from just 300 jihadis. The extremists locked... more »
Myanmar Woman Sentenced To 6 Months Jail Over Facebook Post
A woman in Myanmar has been sentenced to six months in jail for a Facebook post that made fun of the country’s military. Burmese activist Chaw Sandi Tun was arrested in October for her Facebook post, which compared the color of the army chief’s uniform with a longyi (sarong) worn by Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy party. Chaw was sentenced under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, which bans defamation and ‘disturbing’ people. The BBC reports: She was found guilty of insulting the army chief by suggesting he wrap Aung San Suu Kyi’s sarong round ...more »
Why is the San Bernardino imam lying?
Although no evidence has emerged to suggest that the planning of the mass murder in San Bernardino by husband-wife terrorists Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik involved others from their mosque — though their neighbor, Enrique Martinez, who purchased the assault rifles that were used to kill 14 innocents and was later arrested on terrorism charges — it now looks like the imam, who served as the mosque’s spokesman, lied to the FBI regarding his connections to the couple and their ties to his mosque, according to the New York Post: *“The cleric acting as spokesman for the San B... more »
Dredging (Or The Lack Of It) On The Thames
By Paul Homewood h/t Keeffromlondon http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2015/12/28/should-the-environment-agency-dredge-rivers/#comment-794898 There is an interesting comment from a guy called Martyn G on John Redwood’s blog today: I have been a volunteer assistant lock keeper on the river Thames for the past 4 years and modestly suggest that I might know something whereof I speak. The […]
Russian Diplomat: Russia Removes Uranium from Iran
[image: Iran-Russia - 900] VIENNA (AP) -- Iran has met a key requirement of a nuclear deal with six world powers by allowing Moscow to transfer most of its enriched uranium to Russia, a senior Russian diplomat told The Associated Press Monday. The diplomat... more »
Security In Iraq, Dec 15-21, 2015
The third week of December 2015 saw continued pushes by the government’s forces in Anbar and Salahaddin, and a new wave of attacks by the Islamic State in northern Iraq. The most successful of the former was in Ramadi where the joint forces were making their way towards downtown. The Fallujah operation led by the Hashd restarted after a 2 month hiatus. IS on the other hand went from probing actions against the Kurds to large scale attacks against them in Ninewa and Kirkuk. Despite that the momentum continued to be against the insurgents. From December 15-21 there were 140 reported... more »
Pope Francis Asks Central American Governments to Help Cuban Migrants
[image: The Pope - 400] On Sunday, Pope Francis called for Central American governments to help thousands of Cuban migrants stuck in Costa Rica as they attempt to journey to the United States. “I invite the countries of the region to renew with generosity all... Continue reading *“Pope Francis Asks Central American Governments to Help Cuban Migrants”* at *npr.org*.
Gay Son Promotes His Foodie Career by Attacking His Christian Parents
[image: SSM_sign_1000] This week, RightWingWatch.org issued its "Year in Homophobia," which offers no substantial arguments in favor of the LGBTQ movement, but rather offers examples of Christianity and conservatism, which one gathers are meant to be scoffed at. The trouble is that... more »
What 160 Million People Searched Scripture for in 2015
[image: Bible Gateway - 400] On February 16, one day after ISIS beheaded 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, "beheaded" was the fourth most-searched term on Bible Gateway. The weekend after the US Supreme Court's same-sex-marriage decision in June, searches for "homosexuality," "abomination," and "Sodom and... Continue reading *“What 160 Million People Searched Scripture for in 2015”* at *christianitytoday.com*.
The Most Read 15 of 2015
As 2015 sits patiently in the anteroom of history, it's time to pause and reflect on the one thing that really mattered these last 12 months. *All That Is Solid had the best viewing figures ever*. That's right, this blog has been clicked on some 687,000 times this year, which is almost 1,900 page views a day on average. Not bad, *but I want more*. It was always going to be a busy year what with the general election and an increased interest in all things political, so let's see if that can be trumped in 2016. So here for your jollification are the 15 most-read posts of the last year... more »
North Korea Has Enough Plutonium To Produce 22 Nuclear Bombs
© REUTERS/ KCNA *Washington Times:* *North Korea able to produce multiple nuclear weapons* A source within the South Korean defense ministry has told the South Korean press on Friday that North Korea has produced at least 88 pounds of plutonium which would allow the Stalinist state to produce multiple nuclear weapons, according to Newsis. The number in questions seems to be anywhere from 6-7 to 22, depending on the design of the weapon. The bottom line is that the North’s nuclear arsenal continues to grow as well as its capability to produce more weapons of mass destruction in the ... more »
Ted Cruz to Meet 300 Evangelical Leaders in Texas on Monday
[image: Ted Cruz4 - 400] Texas senator and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, who is preparing to position himself as a viable alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump, will meet about 300 pastors and faith leaders Monday at a ranch owned by conservative billionaire Farris Wilks... Continue reading *“Ted Cruz to Meet 300 Evangelical Leaders in Texas on Monday”* at *christianpost.com*.
Neuroanatomy paper riddled with errors pulled by authors
Authors have retracted a paper from the Journal of Neurosurgery that contained many errors, including mislabeled figures, anatomical errors, and mismatched citations. They said that the paper’s preparation was rushed and not all authors had a chance to verify that it was accurate. Two of the authors of the paper had previously contacted the journal […] The post Neuroanatomy paper riddled with errors pulled by authors appeared first on Retraction Watch.
US Storms Kill At Least 43 Over Christmas Weekend
Storms hit the US South, Southwest and Midwest over the Christmas holiday weekend, unleashing deadly floods and tornadoes that claimed the lives of at least 43 people, flattened buildings and created havoc for travelers. The severe weather conditions have prompted Missouri and New Mexico to declare states of emergency. RT reports: At least 13 people perished in flash flooding in Missouri and Illinois, where up to six inches of rain fell over the weekend, while in Texas at least 11 people were killed in the Dallas area by tornadoes. Advisories from the National Weather Service are s... more »
Israel's Missile Defence Chief Yair Ramati Has Been Fired
*Photo*: Yair Ramati oversaw projects including the Iron Dome missile-intercepting system. (Reuters: Baz Ratner) *BBC*:* Israel missile defence chief Yair Ramati sacked* The head of Israel's missile defence programmes has been sacked for a "grave breach of information security", the defence ministry has said. The ministry gave no further details of Yair Ramati's offence. However, Israeli media said he had stored classified information on his personal computer. Yair Ramati had been in the post for four years, overseeing projects such as the Iron Dome and Arrow anti-missile intercep... more »
Energy 51, More on solar power and supply instability
My previous article in BWorld on Solar power and supply instability attracted various comments from friends and strangers. A socialist friend posted my article in his fb page, because they hate capitalism and fossil fuels. One of his anti-fossil fuel friends made long comments criticizing my paper. When I came in and asked for his charts and numbers, at first he sustained his statements but later chickened out. Here's the chart and numbers that probably made him realize that subsidize-renewables lobby is standing on a weak ground. Germany's installed solar capacity in 2014 was 38,... more »
BWorld 35, Inter-island shipping and the PPA, Coast Guard
* This is my article in BusinessWorld yesterday. The Philippines is the second largest archipelago in Asia-Pacific in terms of number of islands and islets, next to Indonesia. Air and sea travel therefore is very important for many inhabitants of different islands. Continued modernization of existing airports and seaports and the creation of new ones is a must. I traveled with my family last Sunday, Dec. 20 -- land trip from Makati to Iloilo via the Nautical highway. The route is as follows: 1. Car -- Makati to Batangas (around 110 kilometers; km) 2. Boat -- Batangas to Calapan, ... more »
Excellent analysis of the “money doesn’t matter”myth
From School Finance 101, which I need to read up on. And here’s my take. Wonks, policymakers, and well-meaning white liberals alike will tell you that you can’t throw money at the problem of struggling schools. Well, why would you simply throw money? You have to properly invest and allocate it. Allow me to cite a […]
Trey Gowdy to Endorse Marco Rubio
[image: gowdy-rubio-online - 400] U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy, an influential South Carolina conservative, plans to endorse U.S. Senator Marco Rubio for president on Tuesday, Bloomberg Politics has confirmed. The imminent endorsement of Rubio by the head of the committee that has been investigating Democratic presidential... Continue reading *“Trey Gowdy to Endorse Marco Rubio”* at *bloomberg.com*.
ISIS Influence on Web Prompts Second Thoughts on First Amendment
[image: Supreme Court - 400] It is one of the most hallowed precepts in modern constitutional law: Freedom of speech may not be curbed unless it poses a "clear and present danger" -- an actual, imminent threat, not the mere advocacy of harmful acts or... Continue reading *“ISIS Influence on Web Prompts Second Thoughts on First Amendment”* at *nytimes.com*.
Israel Threaten To Downgrade Ties As Brazil Rejects Israeli Ambassador
Brazil is still refusing to accept an Israeli ambassador because he was a settler leader in the occupied West Bank. Back in September, the Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff rejected the appointment of hardliner, Dani Dayan, as Israel’s envoy to her country. She said that it could be understood as giving support for the illegal Israeli settlements. Tel Aviv is now threatening a downgrade in diplomatic relations with Brazil Press TV reports: Brasilia’s decision to reject Dani Dayan four months after his appointment has angered Tel Aviv and prompted it to announce on Sunday that it w... more »
Boko Haram Launches Numeorus Attacks In Nigeria
An almost empty street is seen on Christmas day in Maiduguri, Nigeria, December 25, 2015. A bomb exploded in a mosque in the city on Monday killing about 20 people. REUTERS/STRINGER *The Guardian:* *Many feared dead in Nigeria after Boko Haram suicide attacks on Maiduguri* Extremists struck the north-eastern city with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, according to witnesses, killing at least 15 people Boko Haram extremists have struck the north-east Nigerian city of Maiduguri with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, according to witnesses.... more »
Rigged Trade Deals, Corporate Core Standards, and Human Commodities
Every so often the corporate foundations and the billionaires need to reach way down in their nasty bag of tired tricks to come up with another smelly old chestnut aimed to infuriate teachers and raise the worry levels of the general public. Their crass cures (more testing) for false problems are as predictable as their singular diagnosis (failed schools), which identifies the entirely predictable symptoms (low test scores) of a real problem (poverty) that remains entirely ignored by those with the resources to do something about it. The low standardized test scores are entirely pr... more »
Courting the Nazi Operatives
This is an authoritative account of the postwar relationship between Nazi intelligence chief General Reinhard Gehlen who came to work for the US after the war and was eventually put in charge of intelligence in the post-WW II West Germany. Gehlen was instrumental in creating the US-NATO 'Gladio' program of terrorism across Europe that was used to discredit the left. The documentary also covers the US secret program called 'Operation Paperclip' that smuggled about 1,500 Nazi operatives into the US to work in the military space program, NASA, Air Force Flight Medicine program, MK U... more »
When “Montessori-style” teaching is viewed as derogatory
When working with children from high-poverty backgrounds, the argument for their style of education largely goes as follows, and I paraphrase: By the early grades, they’re already behind, so we need to play catch-up. There’s really no time for childhood shenanigans. We need to build that strong academic foundation, double down and double does those […]
U.S. Special Forces Are Becoming The Option Of Choice For When The White House Wants To 'Tackle' Global Threats
*New York Times:* *Obama’s ‘Boots on the Ground’: U.S. Special Forces Are Sent to Tackle Global Threats* WASHINGTON — They are taking on a larger combat role in Afghanistan, where the war was supposed to be over. They are headed to Syria to help fight the Islamic State in its stronghold. And President Obama recently ordered nearly 300 of them to Cameroon to assist African troops in their battle against a militant group that has pledged loyalty to the Islamic State. With the Middle East in tumult, radical groups holding swaths of territory in Africa, and a presidential campaign fann... more »
Ex-Globetrotters Star Meadowlark Lemon Dies
[image: Meadowlark Lemon - 900] SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Meadowlark Lemon, the “clown prince” of basketball’s barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters, whose blend of hook shots and humor brought joy to millions of fans around the world, has died. He was 83. Lemon’s wife and daughter confirmed... more »
A Powerful And Dangerous Illusion
*Carlos Osorio / AP* Chris Hedges writes that, in the United States, the corporate state has triumphed: The seizure of political and economic power by corporations is unassailable. Who funds and manages our elections? Who writes our legislation and laws? Who determines our defense policies and vast military expenditures? Who is in charge of the Department of the Interior? The Department of Homeland Security? Our intelligence agencies? The Department of Agriculture? The Food and Drug Administration? The Department of Labor? Th... more »
Jihadist in NYC Bomb Plot May Have Stabbed This Child as ISIS Tryout
[image: Staten Island stabbing ISIS] An alleged jihadist arrested in June on charges that he plotted to blow up Times Square may also be the fiend who stabbed a 9-year-old Staten Island boy in the neck five months earlier in what some investigators now believe... Continue reading *“Jihadist in NYC Bomb Plot May Have Stabbed This Child as ISIS Tryout”* at *nypost.com*.
Authors retract chemistry letter after new data reveal problems in reaction, structure
The authors of a letter describing the synthesis of ketonitrones have retracted it, after new data showed that they incorrectly reported the product structures and the reaction mechanism. We’re not sure what exactly went wrong with the original data in the letter, “Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Ring Expansion of Diazocarbonylated Cyclic N-Hydroxylamines: A New Approach to Cyclic Ketonitrones,” published in Organic Letters. […] The post Authors retract chemistry letter after new data reveal problems in reaction, structure appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Oregon Bakers Sued For Refusing to Bake Same-Sex Wedding Cake Read Mean Tweets
[image: Melissa and Aaron Klein read Tweet messages criticizing them for refusing to make a cake for same-sex wedding.] Aaron and Melissa Klein, the Oregon bakers who were ordered to pay $135,000 for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, are no strangers to online backlash. Evangelical bakers have decided to sell wedding cakes to gays... more »
World News Briefs -- December 28, 2015
*Reuters*: *Iraq says forces raise flag above government complex in Ramadi* Iraq's military flew the Iraqi flag above the main government complex in the city of Ramadi, a military spokesman said on Monday, the day after the army declared the provincial capital captured in its first major victory over Islamic State fighters. "Yes, the city of Ramadi has been liberated. The Iraqi counter terrorism forces have raised the Iraqi flag over the government complex," joint operations spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool said in a statement broadcast on state television. Victory in Ram... more »
The DCCC And The New Dems Will Never Win Back The House-- But Can Keith Ellison?
Last night at this time we looked at Ruy Teixeira's report on demographic shifts that will help the Democrats retain the White House and probably win the Senate. As I mentioned, the DCCC is hopeless and short of a tape of Speaker Ryan and his leadership team caught screwing goats in an Ayn Rand ritual, the GOP will continue to hold the House. No one disagrees with that assessment, not even Steve Israel, chief purveyor of the defeatist strategy, nor his sock puppet. But that doesn't mean no one works towards it. Blue America has already found and vetted 13 House candidates from 9 s... more »
Cameron Blames Climate Change For UK Floods
David Cameron says climate change is to blame for the UK floods as ministers are accused of using global warming as an excuse for failures. Cameron has been accused of blaming the UK flooding disaster on climate change rather than the fact that Britain’s flood defence budgets had been massively cut. The Mail Online reports: David Cameron admitted that flood defences had not been sufficient, but suggested that the greater frequency of ‘extreme weather events’ was to blame. And Liz Truss, the environment secretary, said the floods had been so severe because the rainfall had been ‘unpr... more »
Open-Faced Crockpot Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
Crockpot meals are the best, and the best crockpot meals are extra simple. Such is the case with these Open-Faced Crockpot Pesto Chicken Sandwiches. *INGREDIENTS* 2-3 chicken breasts 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic salt salt and pepper 1/4 cup pesto English muffins shredded mozzarella cheese sliced tomatoes *PREPARATION* 1. Prepare chicken by placing the breasts in a crockpot with oregano, onion powder, garlic salt, and salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours. 2. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the crockpot and shred. 3. In a medium bowl, com... more »
Iraqi Military, Backed by US Airstrikes, Roots ISIS Out of the Heart of Ramadi
[image: Iraqi Security forces enter the heavy damaged downtown Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015. Islamic State fighters are putting up a tough fight in the militant-held city of Ramadi, slowing down the advance of Iraqi forces, Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi, head of the Anbar military operations, said Sunday.] BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqi military forces on Monday retook a strategic government complex in the city of Ramadi from Islamic State militants who have occupied the city since May, military officials said -- a symbolic victory that could help li... more »
South Korea, Japan Reach Landmark Deal on WWII Sex Slaves
[image: South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, right, shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida after their joint press conference at Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Dec. 28, 2015. The foreign ministers said they had reached a deal meant to resolve a decades-long impasse over Korean women forced into Japanese military-run brothels during World War II, a potentially dramatic breakthrough between the Northeast Asian neighbors and rivals.] SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- An apology from Japan’s prime minister and a pledge of more than $8 million sealed a b... more »
Workplace Bias Complaints Pour in from Michigan Muslims
[image: Terry-Ali] DETROIT -- Just days after a Muslim couple carried out a mass shooting in California, the phone lines at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Dearborn, Mich., started ringing. Women in headscarves were calling for help, asking how to protect against... Continue reading *“Workplace Bias Complaints Pour in from Michigan Muslims”* at *religionnews.com*.
Captured ISIS Fighter Says Training Took Place In Turkey
A former ISIS militant who is now held captive by Kurdish forces has told of his experiences fighting for the terrorist organization, including the training he reports to have undertaken in Turkey before returning to Syria. Turkey is training Islamic State terrorists in a camp disguised as a training ground for the Free Syrian Army, the 20-year-old jihadist captured by the Kurdish YPG alleged. The prisoner also said Ankara’s help to the “moderate” Syrian opposition is not as innocent as portrayed. The following is from Sputnik Turkey, who spoke to the fighter: “In August 2014 I train... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 28, 2015
Image: Flickr/U.S. Army. *Washington Post*: *A year of Taliban gains shows that ‘we haven’t delivered,’ top Afghan official says* MARJA, Afghanistan — As the Afghan convoy entered the battered village, Taliban fighters opened fire. U.S.-trained Afghan policemen poured out of their Humvees and began wildly shooting their AK-47 rifles in every direction. “The enemy is firing one bullet, and you are responding with dozens!” their commander, Col. Khalil Jawad, screamed into his radio in frustration. “Aim, then fire!” A minute later, the militants melted away. On this day in early Dec... more »
British Pathe – Floods Of The Past
By Paul Homewood h/t Joe Public http://www.britishpathe.com/workspaces/gaelle/PfZQgWrQ Joe sends me this fascinating series of British Pathe films about flooding, between 1910 and 1969. There are far, far too many to show them all, but I have selected a few below. It is well worth a browse though. http://www.britishpathe.com/video/what-weather http://www.britishpathe.com/video/river-lea-floods […]
Economic History in One Chart: The Achievement of Capitalism
[image: capitalism] I have been looking forward for a long time to the last in Dierdre McCloskey's trilogy about capitalism (a term she dislikes) that began with Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce, and Bourgeois Dignity: Why Economics Can't Explain... Continue reading *“Economic History in One Chart: The Achievement of Capitalism”* at *powerlineblog.com*.
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*Study: Gov't Subsidies to Blame for Skyrocketing Tuition* In 1987, President Ronald Reagan’s Education Secretary William Bennett took to the pages of The New York Times to opine against the rising cost of higher education. Tuition was increasing beyond the rate of inflation, and the quality of education was little changed. His idea why? The U.S. government and its generous student loan program was at fault. “If anything, increases in financial aid in recent years have enabled colleges and universities blithely to raise their tuitions, confident that Federal loan subsidies would h... more »
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*China is officially Warmist* *Mainly because they are desperate to get their appalling particulate air pollution down. So they are trying all alternatives to coal -- with nukes the big alternative* Chinese scientists have published two alarming reports in a matter of weeks. Both conclude that the Himalayan glaciers and the Tibetan permafrost are succumbing to catastrophic climate change, threatening the water systems of the Yellow River, the Yangtze and the Mekong. The Tibetan plateau is the world’s "third pole", the biggest reservoir of fresh water outside the Arctic and Antar... more »
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*Underhill: Drew Brees, playing in extreme pain, had a masterful day that surprised many -- except 1 group *
Remembering The Time When The U.S. Navy Had Hydrofoil Ships
*Popular Mechanics:* *When the U.S. Navy Had Tiny Hot Rods That Flew Over the Sea* The Pegasus class hydrofoils were a ship in search of a mission. In the early 1970s, with the Vietnam War winding down, the U.S. Navy worried about how to keep its fleet effective during the inevitable budget drawdown at war's end. Their innovative solution: build small, fast ships that could, thanks to new technologies of the time, tackle the missions once performed by much larger ships. The Navy had studied hydrofoil ship concepts for two decades. Hydrofoils were large joined wings that lifted t... more »
Train Carrying 200,000 Litres Of Sulphuric Acid Derails In Australia
A 26-carriage freight train carrying about 200,000 litres ((44,000 gallons) of sulphuric acid and diesel fuel has derailed in a rural area in Australia. An exclusion zone is in place following the accident which happened on Sunday morning, 20km (12.4 miles) east of Julia Creek, in north-west Queensland. The extent of any acid leakage remains unclear Queensland Police said and the cause of the accident is not yet known. The Independent reports: Authorities have declared the situation an emergency under the Public Safety Preservation Act, and a two-kilometre exclusion zone is now in p... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( December 28 , 2015 ) Europe In Focus ( Greece Economic / Political Items , Spain - Political Process Toward Forming A Gov't Rocky As Podemos Declines to Join PP In Governing , Russia In Focus - Oil / Ruble In Focus / Sanctions On Turkey signed By Putin / Economic Outlook Item , ECB Still Not Taming Inflation Expectations And QE Could Go Longer Than Anticipated , Poland's President Duda Signs Constitution Court Amendment ) Asia / Emerging Nations In Focus ( Iraq / Syria / Afghanistan Libya Items Of Note , China Items Of Note - China Telecom Probe / Shanghai A & B Shares Turmoil / Yuan Weakening Again / Economic Data Points / Hong Kong Exports Fall More Than Expected , Japan Industrial Output Falls But Stocks rise , Odds & Ends )
Europe....... *Greek Reporter* @GreekReporter 2h 2 hours ago Public Sector Union ADEDY Asks Top Court to Cancel Law Increasing Retirement Age http://dlvr.it/D7CXnD #Greece *MacroPolis* @MacroPolis_gr 9m 9 minutes ago #Greece new unpaid taxes at €1.45 bln in Nov (from €832 mln in Oct) & €11.83 bln year to date. Outstanding tax debt at €83.63 bln. #economy *Greek Reporter* @GreekReporter 18m 18 minutes ago Greek National Bank Chief: ‘It Is Not in the Interest of Any Bank to Proceed with Home Foreclosures’ http://dlvr.it/D71ZMd #Greece *Greek Report... more »
The U.S. Navy Has Decided To Focus On Building-Up Its Fire-Power To Defeat Enemy Fleets And Coastal Defenses
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 23, 2014 ) The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) leads a formation of ships from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 during a maneuvering exercise. Theodore Roosevelt participated in the exercise with the Peruvian submarine BAP Islay (SS 35), the guided-missile destroyers USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS Farragut (DDG 99) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Theodore Roosevelt is underway preparing for future deployments. *James Holmes, National Interest:* *What Matters Most for the Navy’s Fleet?* *No ... more »
Supplemental: The latest important report from the Times!
*MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2015Jeb Bush’s sense of humor:* Given our broken press corps culture, how do our biggest, smartest newspapers cover our White House campaigns? Consider the latest important report which appeared in the New York Times. The important report appeared in Saturday’s hard-copy editions. It was written by Matt Flegenheimer, who’s four years out of college (Penn). Flegenheimer’s important report appeared beneath this hard-copy headline: “Bush Camp Suggests (Very) Secret Weapon: Its Candidate Is Funny.” The report was accompanied by a large photograph of Candidate Bu... more »
A Prayer for the Other Guy at Martini’s Bar
[image: George George Bailey with Martini - 90000] AL PERROTTA -- The news out of Bedford Falls that Christmas was joyful. Beloved local businessman George Bailey had dodged a date with the slammer when a sea of friends and family pitched in to cover the mysterious disappearance of... more »
The Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer The USS Ralph Johnson (Video Of Translation And Launch)
*Popular Mechanics*: *America's Newest Warship, the USS Ralph Johnson, Sets Sail* So while just one Zumwalt sails the ocean America's naval fleet—unlike the Russian one—continues to grow. The above timelapse shows the latest warship to join the fleet, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer the USS Ralph Johnson. The video shows final three days of work before the ship was set into the water—the Johnson won't officially be christened until 2016.The USS Ralph Johnson (named after a Vietnam-era Marine who saved two comrades by jumping on top of a grenade) is the 30th active-duty Arleigh B... more »
New Irish Documentary Exposes the Lie of HPV Vaccine Safety by Jeffery Jaxen
New Irish Documentary Exposes the Lie of HPV Vaccine Safety by Jefferey Jaxen Ireland introduced the HPV Gardasil Vaccine to teenage girls in 2010. It didn’t take long for parents to begin recognizing the severe adverse reactions that soon followed. As the numbers grew, it was clear a support group and activism was needed to assist families in their search for answers — REGRET.IE was formed soon after to meet such needs. Fast forwarding to present day, Irish mainstream media and a handful of aware, courageous politicians have taken up the call to spotlight the truth and search f... more »
China Shows-Off It's Aircraft Carrier
*Popular Mechanics*:* China's Lone Aircraft Carrier Struts Its Stuff* *An admiral's visit prompts takeoffs, landings, and even a Foreign Object Damage walk* High-definition video has emerged of China's lone aircraft carrier, CV-16 Liaoning practicing aircraft takeoffs and landings. The video was apparently shot during a visit to the carrier by the head of China's Navy during drills in the Bohai Sea. Named after the province in which it was built, the Liaoning is China's first and only aircraft carrier. Built during the 1980s for the Soviet Navy, after the end of the Cold War it w... more »
There is a big demand for "not just superficial" science journalism
*It's totally OK when most readers only understand a small part of the articles* iDNES.cz is Czechia's most influential center-right news server and Technet.cz is its science-technology section. Matouš Lázňovský is its main editor for science. He writes about many issues – how to make a romantic photograph of the sky, where did East German comrades make a mistake (a text about their lousy cars, a quote from a classic Czech movie), how November was the warmest one in some ways but not others, how the ice behaves differently at the two poles (all these articles sound perfectly sensib...more »
Syria: It's Not a Civil War and it Never Was
The weapons are foreign, the fighters are foreign, the agenda is foreign. *December 28, 2015 *(Ulson Gunnar - NEO) - As Syrian forces fight to wrest control of their country back and restore order within their borders, the myth of the "Syrian civil war" continues on. Undoubtedly there are Syrians who oppose the Syrian government and even Syrians who have taken up arms against the government and in turn, against the Syrian people, but from the beginning (in fact before the beginning) this war has been driven from abroad. Calling it a "civil war" is a misnomer as much as calling those... more »
The Zionist Attack on Western Civilization
https://trutube.tv/The-Zionist-Attack-on-Western-Civilization-Pages-1-33-Part-1-of-4-Banned-from-YouTube_v14247
Is The World Actually Becoming LESS Violent?
*Daily Mail/Reuters*: *Despite ISIS beheadings, Paris and San Bernardino attacks and Syrian war, the world is actually becoming LESS violent* * Compared to most of the postwar period, 2015 has been relatively peaceful * Compared with previous centuries it has been very peaceful indeed * 'For 500 years, Western European countries started two new wars a year; since WWII the number has been zero,' points out a Harvard psychologist * Attacks of the kind that killed civilians in Paris, Ankara, California, Beirut and Garissa in Kenya this year are big news because they are rare, he adds * ... more »
Are India And Pakistan Reconciling?
*Christian Science Monitor*: *A bright hope for 2016: India and Pakistan reconcile* A bright hope for 2016: India and Pakistan reconcile A surprise visit on Christmas Day between the leaders of India and Pakistan hint at a mutual desire to no longer let historic tensions hinder their drive against poverty. One of the most hopeful events in 2015 was a surprise visit on Christmas Day between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif. Their power lunch showed a spirit of generosity for the leaders of two nuclear powers so long at odds that South Asia ... more »
XCOR Engineers Announce Major Breakthrough in Engine Technology.
Very Nice breakthrough. This gives us a true reusable rocket engine. Unbelievable but these are problems that were obvoius with the very first U -2 flown almost seventy five years ago. It is also a superb reminder that mechanical product development is a long arduous process best paid for in ongoing research than as a one off. The auto engine is a great example and the steam power systems that came before are just as compelling. They all took vast amounts of time. We still have not flown our first gravity craft and that promises another century of steady development as we... more »
Nearly 200 Nations Pledge to Slow Global Warming
In the end, carbon dioxide will phase itself out at breakneck speed in about five years. It will take about seven years to roll out and another decade to almost disappear. This treaty will turn out to be as unnecessary as it is meaningless as well. When this happens, the economic shock will be global in scope and it will completely alter global economics. After all, oil represents around 12% of the global economy and provides the most high paid jobs out there. The present slowdown is just now waking folks up to this reality. The replacement economy will naturally be the pov... more »
Dec. 27: This is late and short because....
I've been crying. I spent three hours on a blog; and lost it all. I have no idea why. My only consolation is that it was a bad blog . Luckily, a reader sent me the message below. It's by an Anglican bishop, no less. But he's unlike any clergyman I ever heard of. I have often, as the reader pointed out, been critical of our churches. Now, I was raised in a Protestant church - and might even have become a clergyman if I had not not flunked out of high school. I even did some considerable preaching as a teenager. It was in a mission church in Montreal's red light district. and ... more »
Russia Prepares To Deploy Special Forces To U.S. And Turkey
The Kremlin have announced the possibility of using Special Forces against the U.S. and Turkey after proof emerged that both of these nations support ISIS, and that ISIS are planning to attack Russian soil. Russia have accused Turkey of training terrorist armed fighters “Majlis of Crimean Tatars” who are preparing to launch guerrilla warfare inside the Crimea Oblast. They also say that the U.S. aided top ISIS leaders in Ramadi by evacuating them in US Army helicopters amid an Iraqi Army’s liberation offensive, with Commander Haidar al-Hosseini al-Ardavi stating: “The delay in opera... more »
Russian Military Official: ISIS Is Run By The CIA
A Russian military official has claimed that ISIS is a CIA run organisation, and that it is essentially a re-branding of al-Qaeda, another CIA group. Colonel Alexander Zhilin lays out in laymen’s terms why it is in Russia’s interests to support Assad in the video below. Intifada-palestine.com reports: A number of Russians, and Westerners as well, have some misunderstandings about Russia’s involvement. Zhilin explains why this is not an optional fight for Russia. In the event that Syria fell, it would free up ISIS fighters for a renewed campaign in Chechnya, Dagestan and east of the... more »
Bernie Sanders Brings Up 9/11 Truth
Bernie Sanders has asked why trillions of dollars went missing the day before 9/11 in a recent speech in Storm Lake, Iowa. The Presidential candidate mentions Donald Rumsfeld and the mysterious missing trillions in the video. Bernie says the Department of Defense is the only agency of U.S. government that cannot sustain an independent audit. He says that making the government cost effective and getting rid of waste and fraud is on top of his priority list. Bernie also says he wants to get “big money” out of politics, starting with overturning citizens united, and abolishing the TPP.
ISIS Say They Are ‘Close’ To Targeting Israel
ISIS leader Abu Bakr has officially declared war on Israel, saying that Palestine will turn into a graveyard for the Israelis. Bakr issued an insurgency against Saudi Arabia rulers who he called “apostates” perverting Islam. The audio statement issued on Saturday, claims that ISIS are getting closer to Israel “every day”, and that the terrorist group would soon surround Israel. Rt.com reports: The IS leader also claimed that Palestine would become “a graveyard” for Israelis and stated that since all “the Jews of the world” had gathered in Israel, war against them would be “easy.” ... more »
The News From Afghanistan Is Very Bad
*Robert Fisk, The Independent*: *You won't hear it, but news from Afghanistan is bad* Isis men are now fighting in their thousands in the country we arrived to “liberate” 14 years ago, quite apart from tens of thousands of Taliban “pushing” in to their “heartland” around Sangin The news from Afghanistan is very bad. No one says that, of course. President Ghani has a “national unity government” that “supports a strong partnership with the United States”, according to Barack Obama two months ago. Sure, Kunduz was captured by the Taliban – but then the Afghans got it back (though mi... more »
Anti-ISIS Journalist Killed In Turkey
A prominent anti-ISIS journalist and documentary maker, Naji Jerf, has been assassinated in Turkey in the Southeastern region of Anatolia. Jerf, editor-in-chief of the Hentah monthly, was killed by a shot to the head with a silenced handgun near the Syrian border. Presstv.com reports: As an investigation was being carried out into the incident, a Daesh supporter reportedly attributed the killing to the terrorist group on social media. According to New York-based NGO Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Jerf had recently directed and produced a film documenting the killing of Syr... more »
Anonymous Say They Foiled ISIS Terror Plot In Italy
Anonymous have said that they successfully foiled an ISIS terror plot in Italy after uncovering vital plans on the terror network’s communications. The hacktivists made the claims in a series of Tweets in November. News.com.au reports: It comes weeks after the group issued a rallying call for those that want to join its cause. In a video posted to YouTube, an Anonymous member wearing the group’s signature Guy Fawkes mask, speaks about the group’s chaotic, leaderless structure. “Anonymous is not an organisation, it is not a club, a party or even a movement. There is no charter, no ma...more »
Bush Cancels Europe Trip Amid Fears He Could Be Arrested
George W. Bush has cancelled a planned trip to Europe after reports emerged that authorities may have been planning on arresting him. Bush was due to speak at the United Israel Appeal in Switzerland this week, but the event got cancelled due to several human rights groups calling on Swiss authorities to investigate and arrest the former U.S. president for authorizing torture. Wearechange.org reports: The Swiss group and Bush’s spokesman claim that it was threats of protest, not of legal action, that prompted the cancellation. But facing protests is nothing new for Bush. What was di... more »
Czech President Calls Europe Migrant Crisis ‘Organised Invasion’
Czech President Milos Zeman has called the migrant crisis in Europe “an organised invasion”, saying that young men arriving into Europe from Syria and Iraq should instead fight ISIS. “I am profoundly convinced that we are facing an organised invasion and not a spontaneous movement of refugees,” Zeman said in a Christmas message on Saturday. Yahoo News reports: He went on to say that compassion was “possible” for refugees who are old or sick and for children, but not for young men who in his view should be back home fighting against jihadists. “A large majority of the illegal migrant... more »
Is Now The Time To Abandon Afghanistan?
*Tom Mockaitis, Huffington Post:* *Time to Leave Afghanistan?* The death of six U.S. soldiers near Bagram Airbase on December 21 serves as a grim reminder that while Americans worry about ISIS, the country's longest war is now entering its fifteenth year with no end to it in sight. The tragedy also underscores two additional but often forgotten truths. First, getting into conflicts is much easier than getting out of them. Second, the cost in blood and treasure of virtually every major war that has ever been fought has far exceeded the optimistic estimates of the political leaders w... more »
Will Republican Voters Grow Up And Take Another Look At Kasich?
John Kasich is really the only Republican presidential hopeful who has taken on Trumpf. There isn't much he can do against the billionaire bully but at least he's been making an effort. The ad above is his latest attempt to point out how jaw-droppingly unfit Trumpf is for the presidency. There's another one at the bottom of the post. And, of course, this was the famous one that brought out something the media is afraid to mention, namely that Herr Trumpf is a fascist. All Kasich's eggs-- and all his advertising-- are in the New Hampshire basket. He's spent around $9 million there... more »
Picture Of The Day
*A Marine's Best Friend * Marine Corps Cpl. Jared Royce returns from a patrol with military working dog Hugo during Steel Knight on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 12, 2015. Steel Knight aims to prepare Marines and sailors with the 1st Marine Division and adjacent I Marine Expeditionary Force units to operate as a fully capable Marine air-ground task force. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Will Perkins
Saudi Troops In Iraq In 2016?
A member of the Saudi border guards force stands guard next to a fence on Saudi Arabia's northern borderline with Iraq. July 14, 2014. Photo by Reuters *Sputnik*: *Will We See Saudi Troops in Iraq in the New Year?* Ever since Saudi Arabia announced that it had formed a new 34-nation 'Islamic coalition against terrorism', experts have been debating whether the new alliance will entangle itself in a military operation in Iraq and Syria. Recently, analytical website Iranian Diplomacy posed that very question to regional Iraqi official Ibrahim al-Jinabi. Speaking to the resource, al-J... more »
Hezbollah Leader Vows To Retaliate Against Israel For The Assassination Of A Prominent Lebanese Militant
Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah addresses his supporters via a screen during a commemoration service marking one week since the killing of Hezbollah militant leader Samir Qantar, in Beirut's southern suburbs, December 27, 2015. REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER *Reuters:* *Hezbollah leader tells Israel to brace for retaliation over Qantar's death* The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah group said on Sunday that Israel miscalculated by killing prominent militant Samir Qantar in Syria last week, saying that retaliation for his death was inevitable, whatever the consequences. Sayyed ... more »
Panthers’ Bid for Perfect Season Ends with Loss to Falcons
[image: The Carolina Panthers offense] ATLANTA (AP) -- For the first time this season, there was no big comeback for Carolina. No clutch play at a key moment. No costly mistake by its opponent in the last few minutes. The perfect start is over for... more »
A New U.S. Narrative For The War Against The Islamic State
*The Hill*: *US military drafting 'new narrative' for ISIS war* The U.S. military is seeking to craft a “new narrative” for the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in part to push back on the growing perception that President Obama does not have a strategy. Military officials on the Operation Inherent Resolve task force have recently formed a working group to formulate a "new narrative," defense officials told The Hill. Separately, the Joint Staff has drafted its own messaging document. The steps are preliminary, and are part of a larger effort to better comm... more »
Facebook Confronts the Free Internet Neutrality Dilemma
[image: free internet] What's more important? Restricted free Internet access for the poor? Or maintaining an open, neutral Internet without limitations? This is the debate Facebook is having with the world via petitions to regulators, skeptical forums, and today, full-page newspaper ads. The subject... Continue reading *“Facebook Confronts the Free Internet Neutrality Dilemma”* at *techcrunch.com*.
Does The U.S. Need A 'Failed State' Policy
A civil defense member gestures towards a rebel fighter as they search for survivors at a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian Air Force in Idlib city, Syria Dec. 20, 2015. *Jeff Seldin, VOA*: *Critics Say US Needs ‘Failed State' Policy for Syria, Iraq* In about one month, the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian opposition groups are set to meet for peace talks in Geneva. But already, there is a sense that the talks, advocated by the United States, are doomed to fail. One major problem, according to current and former int... more »
A War On Christianity Led By President Obama? It’s Republican World, 2015 In Review-- Chapter Ten
Did Rupert Murdoch immigrate to America so he could destroy it from within? *-by Noah* Even before he was elected in 2008, Republicans began creating an alternate universe in which Barack Obama was a Muslim, born in Kenya. Once elected, the Republican nihilism machine worked itself into an out of control frenzy of birtherism, led by the usual hate radio suspects, demented celebrity birthers such as Pam Geller and Donald Trump, and, of course, the birther TV channel itself, FOX “News”, which for quite a while, seemingly went “all birther, all the time” in its ongoing massive effort to... more »
Hourly Timeline of Severe Storms across US
[image: An American flag placed by first responders is seen December 27, 2015 in the aftermath of a tornado in Rowlett, Texas. At least 11 people lost their lives as tornadoes tore through Texas, authorities said, as they searched home to home for possible more victims of the freak storms lashing the southern United States. The rare December twisters that flattened houses and caused chaos on highways raised the death toll from days of deadly weather across the South to at least 28.] The latest developments on the severe storms across the U.S. (all times local): 7:25 a.m. Officials in... more »
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