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11:54pm MST
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Tweet For Today
Four-way war in #Aleppo, northern #Syria. Map by @edmaps, crudely edited by me Arrow: recent attack Line: key road pic.twitter.com/f7nL1ZOQj5 — Aron Lund (@aronlund) January 8, 2016
Why Is A CIA-Backed Company Grabbing Commercial Real Estate In Palo Alto
*CNBC*: *The CIA-backed start-up that's taking over Palo Alto* Downtown Palo Alto, the heart and soul of Silicon Valley and former home to Google, Facebook and PayPal, is slowly turning into a scene out of "Lord of the Rings." Palantir Technologies, a highly secretive software developer whose name is derived from a magical crystal ball in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, has been gobbling up real estate in the upscale home of Stanford University, and — according to critics — uprooting a vibrant start-up ecosystem in the process. Unlike its start-up predecessors, which outgrew the c... more »
Trump's Name Now Has Cooties Among Groups He Markets His Crap To-- The SOTU May Accelerate That
Even before President Obama slammed Trumpf's divisive, ugly bigotry during tonight's State of the Union address-- never mentioning his name-- people were noticing fresh cracks in the Trump edifice. "That’s why we need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong. The world respects us not just for our arsenal; it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith. His Holiness, Pope Francis, told this body from the very spot I ... more »
Marriage of strings and loops again?
*No, thank you.* People often behave in funny ways – and the human chemistry is hard to predict. That's why the marriages may sometimes look surprising to the external world, too. Over the weekend, Rupert Murdoch engaged retired supermodel Jerry Hall, congratulations, and the wedding is imminent. During her career, she has protested things like the expansion of an airport – it's probably what makes Rupert excited. Well, it's not easy to marry different scientific theories if they're genuinely different. They may only marry if they're shown compatible and, in the case of sufficien... more »
Refugee Crisis: Police Officer Admits ‘We Can’t Arrest Them’
A German police officer has revealed that law enforcement are unable to arrest refugees amid a violent refugee crisis in Germany. The officer, referred to as Bernd K., said many incidents involving excessive violence, sexual assaults and racism involving refugees are being kept a secret by the government. RT.com reports: “At first, mostly families with children – who looked educated and spoke English – were coming here,” the officer told.“Meanwhile, 95 percent of refugees are now single men.” Swedish police accused of covering up mass sexual assaults by refugees at music festival ... more »
President Obama Offers Upbeat View of the Nation in Final State of the Union Address
[image: President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)] Before a packed House gallery and millions of his fellow countrymen, President Barack Obama delivered his final State of the Union Address Tuesday night, offering a rosy portrait of his accomplishments in office and declaring that America can only have the future it wants... more »
Picture Of The Day
*Leader Meeting * Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right, makes remarks as he and Secretary of State John Kerry meet with Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, center left, and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, left, at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2016. The leaders met to discuss matters of mutual importance. DoD photo by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz
Why The U.S. Should Be Concerned That China Is Building A Base In Africa
*James Poulos, The Week:* *China is building its first military base in Africa. America should be very nervous.* Africa is likely to become one of the biggest stories of 2016, and not because of some horrific new disease or harrowing new war. Instead, an unprecedented new dynamic is about to shape the continent. The U.S. and China, major powers with a minor footprint, are both poised for much deeper and more direct involvement in African affairs. And rather than finding themselves on a crash course, they're facing a more complex — and, for America, unnerving — situation. Thanks to...more »
GOP Race Hasn’t Stuck to the Script
[image: SIMI VALLEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump (L) and Jeb Bush argue during the presidential debates at the Reagan Library on September 16, 2015 in Simi Valley, California.] According to conventional wisdom, the GOP nominates the guy whose turn it is, while the Democrats look for a savior. As Bill Clinton once said, “In every presidential election, Democrats want to fall in love. Republicans just fall in line.”... more »
Activists Infiltrate Government Crisis Actors Terrorism Drill
Activists have managed to infiltrate and film a mock bioterrorism drill in Texas, confirming the fact that the government use crisis actors in staged terrorist events. The video lends weight to claims by alternative media that ‘real’ terrorist incidents also use crisis actors pointing to the fact that they are actually false flag events. Officials from the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services suspended the First Amendment once they discovered that activists were filming the top-secret military exercise, telling the activists “you don’t have rights”. Brettsanders.me ... more »
Wasserman Schultz Thinks She Gets To Decide Which Racial Group You Need To Be In To Run For Congress
Mind your own business Wassermann Schultz and some of her cronies, Lois Frankel for one, are trying to get Val Demings elected to Congress in the Orlando area, specifically in the very redistricted 10th CD, currently occupied by Daniel "Taliban Dan" Webster. The new district is way too blue for Webster-- under the new lines, Obama would have beaten Romney 60.7% to 38.4% instead of losing to Romney 53.3% to 42.5%-- and he's district shopping now, although will most likely wind up in FL-11, since Rich Nugent is retiring and the district is safely red. The changes, obviously are demogra... more »
Iran Says It Will Release Snooping Sailors On Wednesday
Tehran have told the United States that they will return the ten sailors who are currently being held hostage by Iran in the Gulf, by Wednesday. Two U.S. Navy vessels were held in Iranian custody on Tuesday as the boats travelled one mile within Iranian territory without permission. Iranian officials have accused America of attempting to ‘snoop’ around Iranian waters, but agreed to return the sailors aboard the vessels after John F. Kerry spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about the incident. Washingtonpost.com reports: Kerry “made the case very strongly” to Z... more »
Big Changes Are Occurring In China's Military
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*) BEIJING, Jan. 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, front), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), poses for a group photo during a meeting with the new heads of the reorganized organs of the CMC in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Gang) *CCTV*: *China reshuffles military headquarters* BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- China has reorganized its four military headquarters -- staff, politics, logistics and armaments -- into 15 new agenc... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Meanwhile In Chicago, 120 People Shot In First 10 Days Of 2016 Meet "Beware" - The New Police Tool That Data-Mines Your Life Chinese Shipyards "Vanish" As Baltic Dry Collapses To New Record Low The Company Behind LA's Methane Disaster Knew Its Well Was Leaking 24 Years Ago Nigerian Currency Collapses After Central Bank Halts Dollar Sales To Stall "Hyperinflation Monster" Iran Seizes 2 US Navy Boats, Crewmen For "Illegally Entering Iranian Waters" Forget $20 Oil: StanChart Says "Prices Could Fall As Low As $10 A Barrel" Massive Coverup Exposed In Sweden As Media, ... more »
Canadian Media Outlet Caught Lying About People Starving In Madaya, Syria!
With the good guys, the Syrian government forces, winning the war in Syria to take their country back from the criminal US/Israel/NATO cabal, the criminals that have wanted Syria destroyed and Bashar al-Assad removed from power, have become increasingly desperate in their vain attempts to convince a more skeptical world that "intervention" is required to "save" Syria... It has been so disgusting to watch the liars in the Jew spew media across this planet put out bullshit reports that Bashar al-Assad is a "butcher" against his own people, or that he has "gassed" his people as well..... more »
Why The U.S. Cannot Match The Propaganda Produced By The Islamic State
*William McCants & Clint Watts, Daily Beast:* *Why the U.S. Can’t Make a Magazine Like ISIS* *ISIS’s propaganda success isn’t just online. Its magazine, Dabiq, is read all over the world. If only the U.S. government was so creative and effective.* The Obama Administration attributes much of ISIS’s success at communicating to its technological savvy, which has elevated the group to a global media and terrorist phenomenon. The president has gone so far as to say that the Paris attackers were a “bunch of killers with good social media.” Despite the praise heaped on the so-called Isla... more »
AP Source: NFL Committee Picks Combined Stadium over Rams’ Bid
[image: Oakland Raiders fans Griz Jones, left, and Ray Perez make their case for keeping the NFL football team in Oakland outside the hotel where NFL owners are meeting Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, in Houston to discuss possible relocation to Los Angeles.] HOUSTON (AP) -- An NFL committee exploring moving teams to Los Angeles has recommended the combined stadium proposal involving Oakland and San Diego over St. Louis owner Stan Kroenke’s ambitious plan for another venue, a person with knowledge of the... more »
Making a Murderer Subject Steven Avery Files Appeal
[image: In this March 13, 2007 file photo, Steven Avery listens to testimony in the courtroom at the Calumet County Courthouse in Chilton, Wis. Avery, a convicted killer who is the subject of the Netflix series “Making a Murderer” filed a new appeal seeking his release Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016 in an appeals court in Madison, Wi. Avery was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of photographer Teresa Halbach a decade ago.] MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A convicted killer who’s the subject of the Netflix series “Making a Murderer” has filed an appeal saying authorities used an ... more »
Monsanto’s Chemicals Make Their Way Into 85% of Personal Hygiene Cotton Products
*Alex Pietrowski* - Monsanto's glyphosate is seeping into your body through personal hygiene products. The post Monsanto’s Chemicals Make Their Way Into 85% of Personal Hygiene Cotton Products appeared first on Waking Times.
US Official: National Intelligence Chief’s Personal Online Accounts Hacked
[image: Director of National Intelligence James Clapper] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Just months after reports that someone was hacking CIA Director John Brennan’s personal email, a U.S. intelligence official is confirming that online personal accounts linked to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper also have been hacked. DNI... more »
Imagining David Bowie in Hell
[image: David Bowie - 400] Born in 1977 to young parents, I grew up with a lot of that era's music in my home. My father's record collection had quite a range, from the Beatles to the Doobie Brothers, Chicago to Dire Straits, The Eagles... Continue reading *“Imagining David Bowie in Hell”* at *onepeterfive.com*.
My Nazi Legacy: A Film about Guilt and Memory
[image: My Nazi Legacy] Like many other descendants of Holocaust victims, Philippe Sands wanted to find out more about the circumstances of their deaths. The lawyer and academic, author of Lawless World and Torture Team, travelled to the Ukrainian city of Lviv in 2010,... Continue reading *“My Nazi Legacy: A Film about Guilt and Memory”* at *prospectmagazine.co.uk*.
The EU and the Left are Lying About Poland’s Pro-Life Government
[image: Polish Flag (Cross of Light) - 900] Julius Caesar: I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; Poles elected a Jew as the President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, and another as the Foreign Minister, Bronislaw Geremek.... Continue reading *“The EU and the Left are Lying About Poland’s Pro-Life Government”* at *currenteventspoland.com*.
Time For Obama To Tell The Truth About Paris Climate Agreement
Tom Harris Executive Director, International Climate Science Coalition In his final State of the Union address this evening, President Obama will almost certainly highlight the role his administration played in securing the Paris Agreement on climate change. Following the announcement of the accord last December, he tweeted: “This is huge: Almost every country in the world just signed on to the #ParisAgreement on climate change—thanks to American leadership.”— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 12, 2015 But what Obama did not tell Americans, and will undoubtedly not admit tonight... more »
This was the way public sector unions had to go down, if they do go down #Friedrichs
To be honest, I’ve had to play catch up on the Friedrichs v. CTA case that is currently before the Supreme Court. Please read the details of the case if you’re at all about to comment on the issue. Progressive-minded folks, which includes the bulk of anti-reform educators, see this as the final undoing of public […]
(Bonus) Quote of the Day: What causes poverty?
*“What causes poverty? Nothing. It’s the original state, the default and starting point. The real question is, what causes prosperity?”* ~ Per Bylund . Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Is There Much Difference, Policy-Wise, Between Cruz, Rubio, Herr Trumpf And Ryan?
Trumpf isn't all that motivated by policy. Like 19th Century American showman, businessman, huckster and poilitician P.T. Barnun-- one of Herr's role-models and heroes-- his primary motivation was always and in all things to "put money in my own coffers." Policy-wise, Trumpf is... incoherent and, if you want to be kind, "flexible." He has no guiding principles other than self-aggrandizement. I suppose Rubio comes closest to that kind of attitude-- although on a more junior level than a seasoned cynic like Herr-- but Cruz and Ryan are the true believers in the rotgut, anti-humanity... more »
Report: Oklahoma the Most Pro-Life State, Washington Most Pro-Abortion
[image: most pro-life] Americans United for Life today released its annual report about the most pro-life and pro-abortion states when it comes to passing pro-life legislation that protects women and unborn children. In a change since the 2015 report, Oklahoma overtook Louisiana and... Continue reading *“Report: Oklahoma the Most Pro-Life State, Washington Most Pro-Abortion”* at *lifenews.com*.
Two Women Rescued from Alleged Human Traffickers
[image: human traffickers] RAWLINS -- A young woman who was allegedly the victim of human trafficking mouthed the words "help me" to a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer last week at the Shell station in Walcott Junction, resulting in the arrest of a California... Continue reading *“Two Women Rescued from Alleged Human Traffickers”* at *rawlinstimes.com*.
Jan.12: Hello, Irving press? There's a huge fracking disast--hello?
*Full fathom five thy father lies;Of his bones are coral made;Those are pearls that were his eyes;Nothing of him that doth fade,But doth suffer a sea-changeInto something rich and strange.Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:Ding-dong.Hark! now I hear them — Ding-dong, bell.* Feeling the need to start today's Irving press with an intelligent column, I turned to C4 to read the column by student editor Jana Giles, a student at Moncton High. She feels we get dosed with too much Shakespeare in our schools. I agree. I really got a dose because I went to Montreal High just a few yea... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“What's California doing in space? Drifting through the Orion Arm of the spiral Milky Way Galaxy, this cosmic cloud by chance echoes the outline of California on the west coast of the United States. Our own Sun also lies within the Milky Way's Orion Arm, only about 1,500 light-years from the California Nebula. *Click image for larger size.* Also known as NGC 1499, the classic emission nebula is around 100 light-years long. On the featured image, the most prominent glow of the California Nebula is the red light characteristic of hydrogen atoms recombining with long lost electrons, st... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Journey”
*“The Journey”* by Chet Raymo "Here's a deep-deep sky map of the universe from the March 9, 2006 issue of Nature. The horizontal scale is a 360 view right around the sky; the vertical gaps at 6 hours and 24 hours are the parts of the universe that are blocked to our view by the disk of our own Milky Way Galaxy. The vertical scale - distance from Earth - is logarithmic (10, 100, 1000, etc.) measured in megaparsecs (a parsec equals 3.26 light-years). Across the top is the Big Bang, and the oldest and most distant thing we can see, the cosmic microwave background, the radiation of the... more »
"When Eyes Are Blinders of the Soul"
*"When Eyes Are Blinders of the Soul"* By Peter Michaelson "One way to diminish our suffering is to become conscious of when our eyes go looking for something that upsets us. Another way is to be watchful of what our imagination is up to. Just as sponges can soak up dirty water as easily as clean water, our eyes can also take in impressions from the world around us that leak misery into our soul. We like to think we use our visual faculty in pursuit of pleasure, but we also use it to entertain old hurts, grievances, and longings. Our eyes go looking for pleasure and stimulation-but... more »
The Poet: Mary Oliver, "What I Have Learned So Far"
*"What I Have Learned So Far"* "Meditation is old and honorable, so why should I not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside, looking into the shining world? Because, properly attended to, delight, as well as havoc, is suggestion. Can one be passionate about the just, the ideal, the sublime, and the holy, and yet commit to no labor in its cause? I don't think so. All summations have a beginning, all effect has a story, all kindness begins with the sown seed. Thought buds toward radiance. The gospel of light is the crossroads of- indolence, or action. Be ignited, or be gone." ~... more »
5 U.S. National Security Problems That Will Not Be Brought Up In Tonight's 'State Of The Union' Address
*Daily Signal:** 5 National Security Problems You Won’t Hear From Obama’s State of the Union* President Barack Obama’s last State of the Union address will address a range of topics, and almost certainly include foreign policy and national security in some fashion. Unfortunately, the president seems set in his misguided ways on national defense. Here are five things that Obama should say in his State of the Union address, but almost certainly won’t: *WNU Editor*: There are a lot more national security problems than 5 .... but I expect nothing new from tonight's speech on the "Sta... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Duluth, Minnesota, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"Thoughts on Evil, Human Nature"
*"Thoughts on Evil, Human Nature"* by W. Christopher Epler "Carl Sagan, author and astrophysicist from Cornell, used to wonder if atomic weaponry would be the nemesis of most "advanced species". A flight of fancy of sorts since whales and elephants are certainly advanced species but don't feel the need for technology (and should we patronize them for this since they aren't rapidly destroying the planet?). Is it possible that much of science and technology are actually synonyms of self destructive stupidity? A kind of short sighted greed, perhaps. In any event, what has now totally ... more »
"That One..."
“Man gives every reason for his conduct save one, every excuse for his crimes save one, every plea for his safety save one; and that one is his cowardice.” - George Bernard Shaw
“Rescreening Dr. Strangelove”
*“Rescreening Dr. Strangelove”* By Hugh Iglarsh "A friend of mine saw Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” when it first opened in Paris in 1964. He and his American army friends were rolling on the floor throughout. The French audience, however, sat in stony silence. It wasn’t a comedy to them; it was a documentary. What is it now? In general, Hollywood is America dreaming – but Strangelove is something different, a “nightmare comedy,” in Kubrick’s words. It is prophecy disguised as farce – the finest dramatic analysis we have of... more »
New Center for Medical Progress Video: ‘HARVEST’ — Planned Parenthood’s Custom Abortions for Better Baby Parts
[image: Planned Parenthood sting video - 900] The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) on Tuesday released a powerful recap of excerpts from its series of undercover videos of the abortion industry. Entitled “Harvest,” the video shows top executives from Planned Parenthood and StemExpress nonchalantly discussing the dismembering, purchasing and shipping of... more »
Iran Seizes Two U.S. Navy Boats, Detains 10 Sailors
*Navy Times:* *Pentagon: 10 U.S. sailors taken into Iranian custody to be returned* Ten sailors and two boats were taken into Iranian custody Tuesday after their patrol boats drifted into Iranian-claimed waters, according to two defense officials. The riverine sailors are believed to have drifted into Iranian territory after having mechanical issues with their boats. The defense officials said Secretary of State John Kerry was immediately involved and Iran has agreed to turn the sailors and vessels over, though they have not been turned over as of 4 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( January 12 , 2016 ) Asia In Focus ( 1. Iran hold sailors from two US Boats - just before SOTU Address. 2. Oil & #CommodityCrush items - metals crushed along with oil , Baltic Freight Index hits latest cycle low. 3. Global currencies in focus vs USD. 4. China items of note . 5. Odds & Ends ) Europe in Focus ( Greece - Troika related items - debt resolution , First Review of latest Greece Bailout . 2. Refugee related items & Border security . 3. Doctor's strike causes major disruptions at UK Hospitals and medical procedures. 4. BP slashes 4,000 jobs. 5. Istanbul blast today in tourist areas - German tourists among dead and seriously wounded. 6. Spanish Election Updates - Formation of Gov't still at standstill. 7. Odd & Ends. )
Evening Wrap...... Emerging Nations , Commodities & Asia..... *The Daily Beast* @thedailybeast 55m 55 minutes ago BREAKING: Iran will hold US sailors through the State of the Union and into tomorrow http://thebea.st/1ngxkCL *Simon Ting* @simonting 5m 5 minutes ago Since Dama is rushing to banks to exchange RMB for USD, banks in 1st-tier cities request client to make reservation in advance for >USD1k *Darryl Zaontz CFA* @HuxleysRazor 7m7 minutes ago Darryl Zaontz CFA Retweeted People's Daily,China Here are the *China* BOT figures Darryl Zaontz CFA... more »
Untitled
*East bank levee authority sees membership shakeup for new year ~Mark Schleifstein* *Abita Springs loses another round in legal battle against planned well ~Advocate *
Refugee Madness In Europe: The Consequences of WWI Still Reverberate A 100 Years Later
*"The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East" by Eugene Rogan (2015). * *An excerpt from, "Crime Seems to Be Surging in Germany, from New Refugees" by Eric Zuesse, Washington's Blog, January 11, 2016:* German Economic News (Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten, or DWN) headlined on January 11th, “Security Situation in Germany Is Out of Control,” and reported: “The former chief of Austrian Constitutional Protection, Gert Polli, holds that a radical policy-change is essential for Germany regarding immigration. The new phenomena of mass crime can no longer be concealed fr... more »
Slow Cookers Could Be Lethal
Some slow cookers should carry a health warning. Cookers made in the 1970s containing lead could be giving you food poisoning and slowly killing you, according to experts. The Daily Record reports: Boffins have given a warning about using the old-style pots to make family dinners because they may have unsafe levels of lead. In fact, the dangerous element could be slowly poisoning your every meal, according to the experts. Consumer reporter Bill Gebhardt of Salt Lake City’s KUTV conducted an investigation into the lead content in kitchen tools in 2004. What he found about slow cooker... more »
China’s New Military Base in Africa Sign Of Deep Ties With Continent
As China expands its military and economic influence in Africa, the United States should feel “very nervous,” according to journalist James Poulos. China is planning to build a military base on the horn of Africa in Djibouti. It could be the first step toward Beijing’s deeper involvement with the continent. Sputnik reports: Last year, China began talks with Djibouti to install a “logistics hub” and airfield in the east African nation. “Over the past few years both countries’ friendly cooperative relationship has kept on developing, and in all areas there is practical cooperation,” C... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 12, 2016
President Barack Obama reacts while talking about Newtown and other mass killings during an event held to announce new gun control measures at the White House in Washington January 5, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *Robert L. Borosage, Reuters*:* Has Obama really changed America?* Is Barack Obama a transformational president? That was his ambition: to be more, as he put it, like Ronald Reagan than Bill Clinton, to launch a new era, not simply tack to the prevailing winds of the old. Not surprisingly, as the president readies his final State of the Union Address, the issue is conteste... more »
Comrades Harrabin & Black, And Their Wealthy Friends In The Renewable Industry!
By Paul Homewood https://twitter.com/rharrabin/status/686977566654214144 https://twitter.com/rharrabin/status/686977566654214144 On Comrade Harrabin’s twitter today appeared this little item from the ECIU, who of course are run by the Comrade’s erstwhile buddy at the BBC, Richard Black. Black, as we know, is well paid by various progressive foundations to propagate global warming propaganda. You might […]
Globally, 99% of all paleoclimatic temperature studies compiled show a prominent warming during Medieval Warm Period (MWP)
Mention the Medieval Warm Period and the shrill bluster their way out of addressing it by saying that it was only a Northern Hemisphere phenomenon. Like almost all the other shrill pronouncements, that is wrong. Frequently this blog has pointed the shrill naysayers to CO2 Science's MWP project http://www.co2science.org/data/mwp/mwpp.php Now, a new study has been published (Climate Depot - Link): Project team: Dr. Sebastian Luening, Prof. Dr. Fritz Vahrenholt (authors of ‘The neglected sun‘) *Project* *Cartography of the Medieval Warm Period: Online atlas of a poorly understood war... more »
Iran Says US Navy Boats Were ‘Snooping’ Sailors Arrested
Iranian media have reported the two US Navy boats detained in the Persian Gulf had illegally traveled more than a mile into Iran’s territorial waters. According to Fars news agency: The GPS equipment confiscated by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy forces would “prove that the American ships were ‘snooping’ around in Iranian waters.” The two boats each had several 50. cal guns and were “snooping around” in Iranian waters, Fars News Agency says — Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) January 12, 2016 It was reported earlier that two small U.S. Navy boats with a crew of 10 were detained b... more »
Comrade Harrabin Is Late To The Party
By Paul Homewood h/t Joe Public You read it here first!!! https://twitter.com/rharrabin/status/686977566654214144 To which there is a rather suitable reply! Of course, as I revealed a few days ago, October 1903 was a good deal wetter with 218mm of rain, compared with the “so called” record rainfall […]
Putin Orders 100,000 Troops With Atomic Weapons To Prepare For NATO
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an order authorizing the deployment of 100,000 Russian troops to the Western Front, equipped with atomic weapons, to prepare for an expected counter-attack by NATO forces due to Russia’s nuclear strike against CERN in Switzerland. NATO are expected to counter Russia’s efforts to obliterate CERN’s underground research site, who the Kremlin say have successfully unlocked “interdimensional communication and travel”. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: Evidence supporting that CERN has “unlocked” this feared Nazi secret weapon, this report continues,... more »
FDA, EPA To Build Their Own Private Army To Intimidate Public
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are creating their own private armies equipped with military-style equipment, in order to enforce compliance of their regulations against non-compliant U.S. citizens. Farmers can now be subjected to military raids by the EPA if they find the farmers to be in violation of their policies. Naturalnews.com reports: The regulatory police state has arrived When an “environmental” protection agency is building its own private army with military weapons, body armor and assault gear, you know something h... more »
World News Briefs -- January 12, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*New York Times*: *Iran Holds Two U.S. Navy Boats After Mechanical Problems, Officials Say* WASHINGTON — The crews of two small Navy boats were picked up by the Iranian authorities on Tuesday after commanders lost contact with the vessels, and Pentagon officials said that Iran had agreed to return the sailors soon. An official said that the boats appeared to have drifted into Iranian territorial waters after one of them experienced mechanical problems. A military official said that the boats were moving between Kuwait and Bahrain when contact was lost. *MIDDLE EAST* Suicide bom... more »
French Jewish Politician, 73, Found Dead at Home Near Paris
[image: French Jewish politician - 400] Alain Ghozland, a French politician and city councilor in the heavily Jewish Parisian suburb of Creteil, was found dead in his home Tuesday morning. Ghozland, 73, originally from Algeria, was found by his brother, who came looking for him after... Continue reading *“French Jewish Politician, 73, Found Dead at Home Near Paris”* at *timesofisrael.com*.
Tony Clement : Under New Management
G&M Aug. 26 2015 : *Harper assured details of Saudi arms deal would stay under wraps* "Ottawa is contractually obliged to keep secret the details of a controversial $15-billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia – a transaction that Stephen Harper personally assured the country’s monarch will be guaranteed by the Canadian government, documents say." G&M Jan.11, 2016 : *Tories press Liberal government to justify Saudi arms deal* "The Liberal government is facing increasing pressure to make public the most important deliberations on Canada’s $15-billion sale of co... more »
Ex-CIA Boss: ISIS Gaining Affiliates ‘Faster than Al Qaeda Ever Did’
[image: ISIS gaining affiliates] The Islamic State's web of affiliates is growing faster than Al Qaeda's ever did, a former top CIA official told Congress on Tuesday -- on the heels of yet another attack blamed on ISIS. Michael Morell, President Obama's former deputy... Continue reading *“Ex-CIA Boss: ISIS Gaining Affiliates ‘Faster than Al Qaeda Ever Did’”* at *foxnews.com*.
Finnish Professor Says Wireless Technology Causes Brain Damage
A Finnish professor has warned that wireless technology in schools may lead to a global epidemic of brain damage in the population. Professor Rainer Nyberg has warned parents and schools that “we must protest children and youth more than we do today“, urging schools to scrap wireless technology before its too late. Emfacts.com reports: In this interview, for TV-Finland’s Channel, he explains how he found out about the health risks directly linked to wireless emissions from the technology he had assumed would only have positive effects. What started your interest in wireless technol... more »
What Bees Have To Go Through To Make Honey
Making honey is a giant coordinated enterprise for bees. They use their bodies in a manufacturing process, based on age and rank, to produce the amber colored end product. It is the result of a lot of vomiting, excretion and flapping about to come up with a sweet ending. Reactions YouTube video: Honey is great. It’s perfect for drizzling over your toast or stirring into your tea, it’s also the special ingredient in your favorite lip balm. What most people don’t know is that during the trip from the flower in the field to the jar on your table, honey spends an awful lot of time in a b... more »
Oregon Officials May Use Mind Control Technology On Patriots
An anonymous whistleblower has come forward saying that local authorities in Oregon intend to use mind control technology in order to deal with the standoff between armed militia patriots and feds. According to Dave Hodges of ‘The Common Sense Show‘, he received a tip off from an anonymous source, who told him that, “we have ‘accidentally’ discovered an anomalous band of electronic frequency which is out of the ordinary and the location is near the Burns, Oregon, stand-off event“. Thecommonsenseshow.com reports: Mr. Hodges, I work with a consortium of engineers and we have “accidenta... more »
Satire: "Obama Celebrates Last Time He Has to Talk to These Bastards”
*"Obama Celebrates Last Time He Has to Talk to These Bastards”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Looking ahead to his final State of the Union address, Barack Obama told NBC’s Matt Lauer that he was “celebrating, just celebrating the last time I ever have to talk to these bastards.” “I’ll be going over some of the accomplishments of the past seven years and outlining some of the challenges for our nation that remain ahead,” the President said, in an interview taped for NBC’s “Today” show. “But inside, I’ll be like, ‘Good Lord, I never have to so much as look at th... more »
Iran Holds Crew of Two US Navy Boats
[image: Persian_Gulf_map-900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Iran was holding 10 U.S. Navy sailors and their two small Navy boats after the boats had mechanical problems and drifted into Iranian waters, but American officials have received assurances from Tehran that they will be returned... more »
WaPo‘s Kathleen Parker Mangles Ted Cruz’s Remarks on Christianity
[image: Kathleen Parker] On CNN’s AC360 on Monday, Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker revealed her own ignorance of Christian teachings, as she targeted Senator Ted Cruz for something “astonishing” he recently said at a campaign stop: “I don’t think there’s any chance Ted... Continue reading *“WaPo‘s Kathleen Parker Mangles Ted Cruz’s Remarks on Christianity”* at *newsbusters.org*.
Political Spending 5 Times Higher Than at This Point in 2012
[image: Money in Ballot Box - 900] The first primary ballot hasn't even been cast and already more than $100 million has been spent on the 2016 presidential election, or about five times what was spent in the run-up to the 2012 election. Last week alone, says... Continue reading *“Political Spending 5 Times Higher Than at This Point in 2012”* at *medialifemagazine.com*.
Convince me and I will Convince You
Convince me and I will Convince you thats all I see as true in the fantasyland we live in wher we worhisp some birth that no one really knows how it happened or when it died The only thing I know is what resides inside my brain and how it connects to my heart and thats more important than the best math or newest gadget because to live a loved life if even for a millisecond is far more important than any kind of vitrual reality that capitalism offers as a substiteu for reality when they live like the reality kings and empours of old just soaking up pussy while the world is their paper towe... more »
Supplemental: Candidate Trump could win in the fall!
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015Robinson gets it right:* We think Gene Robinson got it right in this morning's Washington Post. He started his column like this: ROBINSON (1/12/16): For Democrats who might be rooting for Donald Trump, thinking he would be easy to beat in November, *I have some advice: Be careful what you wish for.* We disagree with the tone of much of the column. But Robinson seems to be warning that Trump could win in November. On that point, we think the scribe got it right. We also think it's much too late to do anything much about it.
David P. Hamilton : How Bernie Sanders wins
The key to the Sanders campaign is motivating people to participate in greater numbers and more actively than they have ever done before. By David P. Hamilton | The Rag Blog | January 12, 2016 Part A. Winning the … finish reading David P. Hamilton : How Bernie Sanders wins
Peace Talks To Continue In Myanmar
*WSJ:* *Aung San Suu Kyi Claims Mandate to Secure Peace in Myanmar* *Incoming leader says it is her ‘responsibility’ to work to end conflict between military and ethnic groups.* NAYPYITAW, Myanmar—Incoming leader Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a new key player in Myanmar’s complex and fragile peace deal with several armed ethnic groups, saying she wanted to steer its course after her party’s election victory. Ms. Suu Kyi appeared at a showcase peace conference on Tuesday alongside outgoing government and military leaders who brokered the deal to end decades of conflict, despite prev... more »
Putin: Russia May Grant President Assad Asylum
Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted that Russia may be able to offer Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asylum should he need to flee Syria. The Russian leader said if President Assad were pushed from office early, Russia would grant him asylum. “We granted asylum to Mr. Snowden, which was far more difficult than to do the same for Mr. al-Assad,” Mr Putin said in an interview on Tuesday. Washingtonpost.com reports: Putin was referring to Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who fled to Moscow after releasing reams of classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs....more »
Scientists Detect Gravity Waves For First Time
The scientific community is abuzz with rumours that “gravity waves” may have been detected which, if true, would mark one of the most important discoveries in physics in the last 100 years. Up until now, physicists have theorised that ripples in the fabric of spacetime happen when huge celestial objects move. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has been searching for these ripples (or gravitational waves) since 2002. Since September 2015 a more powerful, advanced LIGO started operating. Techinsider.io reports: The rumor first cropped up just a few weeks ...more »
Russia Prepares For Military Response To NATO Expansion Plans
Russia are dispatching heavy military equipment towards the Western front in response to the expansion of NATO forces along their borders. Military tensions between Russia and NATO escalated at the beginning of 2016 as NATO-allied forces taking part in operation “Atlantic Resolve” increased their presence in the Baltic states. Fort Russ blog reports: Yesterday the Minister of Defence of Poland Antoni Macierewicz, on the Polish radio station ‘Maryja’, once again expressed the hope that in the near future at the NATO summit in Warsaw will overcome the “German veto” on the formation t... more »
Pentagon: Two US Navy Boats In Iranian Custody
The Pentagon have said that up to 10 US Navy sailors are being detained after two small US boats appeared in Iranian territorial waters. US officials said it was unclear how the crew members ended up in Iranian waters, although an earlier report said that at least one vessel had become disabled and drifted there. According to a report by the New York Times, an anonymous official said the two boats apparently grounded when one of them suffered a mechanical breakdown. The boats are in Iranian custody though Iran has said the crew will be returned soon A Pentagon spokesman told the As... more »
RBS Urge Investors “Sell Everything” Before “Cataclysmic” Crash
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are advising investors to brace themselves for a “cataclysmic year”, warning that stock markets are likely to crash and oil prices will dip to $16 USD per barrel. The banks credit team have warned clients that the markets appear to be flashing similar “stress alerts” that preceded the Lehman crisis in 2008, advising clients to “sell everything”. “Sell everything except high quality bonds. This is about return of capital, not return on capital. In a crowded hall, exit doors are small,” the bank told clients. Smh.com.au reports: Andrew Roberts, the ba... more »
Republicans Smuggle Religious Liberty Narrative into Obama’s State of the Union Show
[image: House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., right, joined by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., assails President Barack Obama's record during a news conference following a GOP strategy session on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. President Obama delivers his final State of the Union address before Congress tonight, where both the Senate and the House are controlled by Republicans opposed to his policies.] On the surface, tonight’s State of the Union (SOTU) address is little different from the others delivered by President Obama or any other president for the pa... more »
Iran Expresses Sympathy with Friendly Turkey
*I do take this as a legitimate expression of both sympathy and solidarity:* *TEHRAN - The Islamic Republic of Iran has condemned terror bombings in Turkey’s Istanbul.* *Tehran expresses condolences to the families of the victims and the government of the “friendly and brotherly” country of Turkey, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said, ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday. This act of terror showed once more the necessity to stage a universal front against terrorism in the region and the world, he stressed. Ansari asserted that Iran stands by Turkey... more »
Berkeley To Join Others In Suing Monsanto Over Toxic PCB Pollution
Berkley City Council in California has voted unanimously to hold Monsanto legally liable for polluting the land and water with highly toxic PCBs. The council’s 6-0 vote means that Berkeley will join Oakland, San Jose, San Diego and Spokane and Washington, in filing suits against the agricultural biotech giant. The news follows Monsanto’s announcement of cutting a total of 3,600 jobs due to declining sales. NBC reports: The suit will seek to recover the cost of cleaning up PCBs, synthetic organic chemicals whose full name is polychlorinated biphenyl. Oakland’s suit was filed in Novemb... more »
Germany To Deport Asylum Seekers With Criminal Convictions
*WSJ*: *Germany Plans to Tighten Deportation Rules* *Law change in wake of New Year’s Eve assaults would make it easier to deport asylum seekers with criminal convictions* BERLIN—Germany plans to make it easier to deport foreigners with criminal convictions, seeking to calm a public outcry over allegations of mass New Year’s Eve assaults on women by mainly migrant men. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière and Justice Minister Heiko Maas proposed a law change Tuesday that would allow people granted or seeking asylum to be deported from Germany if they are sentenced to one ye...more »
The Final Bowie message written on every tin can
Its not enough to ackowlgele every freak should have liberty its that we are all freaks We are all freaks together so never let anyone or anything use your freakdom as a control tool because no mater what mastery they seem to bring they are a freak just like you
The Economy: "Think You Can Time the Markets? Think Again…”
“*Think You Can Time the Markets? Think Again…”* by Bill Bonner PARIS – “What do we know now? We consult the gods… and the dead. Yesterday, the Dow eked out a 52-point gain, to the relief of investors. But crude oil continued its historic slide. As of yesterday’s close, a barrel of U.S. crude oil changed hands for just over $31 a barrel. That is a 71% drop from the $107 price tag at the peak of the oil market about 18 months ago. There is so much oil inventory that storage tanks are bursting at the seams. And oil shippers are collecting near-record daily rates, as their tankers are ... more »
Guantanamo is a Crime Against the Rule of Law
Former Prisoners Want Guantánamo ClosedThese former Guantánamo Bay detainees explain why the military prison has to be closed once and for all. Posted by AJ+ on Monday, January 11, 2016
USCCB Files Amicus Brief on Behalf of Little Sisters of the Poor
[image: Nuns from the Little Sisters of the Poor gather in New York September 24, 2015 as Pope Francis now heads to New York City. He is set to arrive and hold a prayer service at St. Patricks Cathedral.] WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Little Sisters of the Poor, who have asked the court for relief from being... Continue reading *“USCCB Files Amicus Brief on Behalf of Little Sisters of the Poor”* at *thecompassnews.org*.
Optimism and Optics Key to Tonight’s State of the Union
[image: FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2015, file photo, President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington as Vice Presient Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner listen. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)] President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union Address tonight will be “non-traditional,” according to the White House. As CNN put it, “Obama will be talking about himself, not asking Congress for a long list of items he knows he’ll... more »
‘The Bern’ Surging While Hillary Gets Deja Vu from 2008
[image: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton - 400] We haven't even passed the Iowa caucuses yet, and Hillary is having a major case of deja vu with her poll numbers sinking and Bernie Sanders surging. The Vermont senator wins 49 percent of likely caucusgoers in the Quinnipiac University poll... Continue reading *“‘The Bern’ Surging While Hillary Gets Deja Vu from 2008”* at *theresurgent.com*.
Fossil Of Monster Crocodile Found, Largest Ever
The remains of a prehistoric giant crocodile, the largest ever to live in the oceans, have been found in the Tunisian desert. The ancient predator roamed the word’s oceans around 120 million years ago in search of food. 3News reports: The new species, named Machimosaurus rex, has been described by palaeontologists for the first time in the journal Cretaceous Research. Though only part of the prehistoric predator – which weighed up to 3 tonnes and grew to nearly 10 metres long – was found, experts had enough to decipher some key facts about it. The 160cm-long skull and a number of ot... more »
The Collapse In Oil Prices Continue (Updated)
*Reuters:* *Oil slump nears $30 a barrel mark on unabated output* Crude oil prices lost more than 2 percent on Tuesday, extending a relentless selloff to trade within cents of $30 a barrel for the first time in 12 years on concerns about fragile Chinese demand and the absence of restraint in global production. Shaking off early firmness, crude extended a nearly 7 percent drop from Monday. Losses for the year of almost 17 percent have been driven by too much supply, the weakening economy of No. 2 consumer China, sliding stock markets, and a strong dollar, which makes it more expens... more »
Hope, by Abiodun Olaku
[image: Hope_thumb3_thumb] *Hope*, by Abiodun Olaku Oil on canvas, 30" x 24" (approx), 2015 Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Mummified Monk Spent Three Years In Sealed Cylinder In Lotus Position
The Remains of a mummified monk were unveiled during a religious ceremony at a Chinese temple. Buddhist monk Fu Hou had passed away in 2012 at the age of 94. His preserved body was unveiled after spending three years sitting in the Lotus position in a sealed cylinder on the path to ultimate emancipation. Dozens of fellow monks gathered at the ceremony to recover the entombed monk, and to cover Fu Hou’s mummified body in a golden substance, which would then turn him into a statue for future religious ceremonies. The aim for Fu Hou and his disciples is to reach enlightenment through m... more »
The News Notices the News: Clinton's Electability Argument "Flies in the Face" of Polling Data
Bernie Sanders says he's the Democrats' most electable candidate. Watch more: http://on.msnbc.com/1RiaBmh Posted by Morning Joe on Monday, January 11, 2016 *by Gaius Publius* It's really hard to pick turning points until after the game, but this might just be one. Watch the video at the top (direct link here if the embed fails). Then note — the news is not the polling data. After all, Howie covered it here and I added on here. The news is that the *news* is covering it. This piece isn't about the poll. It's about the media. If the media ever discovers that... - Sanders esse... more »
Where Is the Republican Establishment?
[image: Jeb Bush] The establishment features prominently in the GOP presidential race. It is what Donald Trump and Ted Cruz rail against. It is hated by a significant portion of the Republican electorate. It is a ready term of abuse. The establishment is... more »
Kindling the Divine Spark: The Secret to Awakening
*Tim Boucher *- We may all be created equal, but what do we do after that? The post Kindling the Divine Spark: The Secret to Awakening appeared first on Waking Times.
I am done lying I do not care what the threat
Born in this green and blue world a beautiful planet it seems to anyone human such a great thing like diseyland it has ever fantasy of a young boy available But now the truth I must tell and its going to make you want to kill yourself for the crimes humanity has created I know all and have seen that I cant do it I expect no one else but the weakest will we have made an mess and the strongest have to tell the turth to begin the cleanup Every headline is a lie every study is paid for we are living in hell We have roughly 6000 years of human history upon which we can depend or pee urine... more »
The Economy: “The China Syndrome: The Coming Global Financial Meltdown”
*“The China Syndrome: * *The Coming Global Financial Meltdown”* by Charles Hugh Smith “The 1979 film 'The China Syndrome' took its name from the darkly humorous notion that a nuclear reactor meltdown in the U.S. would burn straight through the Earth to China. (wikipedia: The China Syndrome) In today’s world, the financial meltdown in China has burned straight through the global financial system to the U.S. financial markets. The mainstream financial media is delighted to promote the many links between the U.S. and Chinese economies when the two economies are feeding each other’s exp...more »
What I've Been Reading
*The Opposite of Loneliness* by Marina Keegan. A collection of wonderfully written short stories and essays by a young and promising writer. The book is uneven and, at times, would be benefited from a bit more editing and revision. Tragically, however, that rewrite was impossible, because the author died in a car crash several days after her college graduation. This collection was published posthumously from the writing she did as a student at Yale and at the Buckingham, Browne, and Nichols School in Cambridge (where my younger son is now a student, which is how I first learned ab... more »
With Democratic Race Narrowing, Clinton Rips into Sanders
[image: Hillary Clinton3 - 900] AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Facing a narrowing primary contest, Hillary Clinton ripped into rival Bernie Sanders on Wednesday, saying the Vermont senator was offering unrealistic policies and overstating his anti-establishment credentials. For days, Clinton has cast Sanders as a less... more »
Veep Biden Defends Bernie Sanders on Guns, Authenticity
[image: In this Dec. 14, 2015, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden smiles after speaking at an event in Washington. Biden described Bernie Sanders on Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, as more authentic on economic inequality than Hillary Clinton and defended Sanders' record on gun control during an interview with CNN.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden described Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Monday as more authentic on economic inequality than Hillary Clinton, and he defended Sanders’ record on gun control. Weighing in on the race he almost joined,... more »
The Conspiracy of War – Power, Profit, Propaganda and Imperialism
*Ethan Indigo Smith * - The war world we are seeing today is the result of text book oligarchical collectivism. The post The Conspiracy of War – Power, Profit, Propaganda and Imperialism appeared first on Waking Times.
Exposing Donald Trump: Donald Drumpf - Illuminati Jew
I have come under constant fire through some very rude comments for months now because of my assertions that Donald Trump is absolutely NOT the "savior" that most Americans stupidly believe.... I have said that the Jewish power elite would never surrender their control of America to the Gentiles, and that Donald Trump was part of their game to have the 2016 US Presidential Elections become the same farce they have been for decades now... I have yet to find any evidence to the contrary, and in fact the more I have investigated Mr. Trump, the more I am firmly stating that he is in thi... more »
Be YOU tiful Glitter Shirt
When I was young, I was really concerned with what others thought of me. I think most kids are. I was kind of a nerdy kid who loved Star Trek, Disney and all sorts of geekery. I was honestly kind of scared to be me. My mom would come home from the store with shirts she thought I would love and I did love them, but I would beg her to take them back. It took me a long time, but I finally figured out how to be me and not care what other people think. I am currently sitting at my desk surrounded my Doctor Who memorabilia and I absolutely love it. If there is one less I hope to teach my... more »
America Is Being Destroyed By Problems That Are Unaddressed
By Paul Craig Roberts One hundred years ago European civilization, as it had been known, was ending its life in the Great War, later renamed World War I. Millions of soldiers ordered by mindless generals into the hostile arms of barbed wire and machine gun fire had left the armies stalemated in trenches. A reasonable peace could have been reached, but US President Woodrow Wilson kept the carnage going by sending fresh American soldiers to try to turn the tide against Germany in favor of the English and French. The fresh American machine gun and barbed wire fodder weakened the Ger...more »
Data dispute forces journal to pull paper about rare bird on valuable land
The authors of a paper about the density of an endangered bird on valuable Texas lands are disputing the journal’s decision to pull the paper after other scientists objected to some of its contents. The paper, published online in August by the Journal of Field Ornithology, compared different models for estimating the number of golden-cheeked warblers that nest […] The post Data dispute forces journal to pull paper about rare bird on valuable land appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Putin Hints That Russia May Give Sanctuary To Syrian President Assad And His Family
*BBC*: *Putin does not rule out granting Syria's Assad asylum* Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out granting political asylum to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-time ally. When asked by a German magazine if he would shelter Mr Assad, he said it was premature to discuss the issue. But he added that Russia had granted asylum to US whistleblower Edward Snowden, "which was far more difficult than to do the same for Mr Assad". Mr Putin said Syria first needed political reform. He said the aim in Syria would be to work towards a new constitution: "It is a complic... more »
Knowledge is the Antidote for Vaccine Orthodoxy
Posted 1/12/2016 * By Barbara Loe Fisher* *To activate and view hyperlinked references, please click here once and then click any superscripted number below to access a hyperlinked reference, or scroll down to the bottom of the article to view all hyperlinked references.* Humans have experienced two centuries of vaccine orthodoxy. That orthodoxy dictates that we believe vaccination is safe and effective and should be mandated by governments. It began with medical doctors insisting we get one dose of smallpox vaccine, 1 and has exploded over th... more »
Quote of the Day: Fripp on Bowie [updated]
During the interviewing for the BBC's 'David Bowie: Five Years' (2013) a question was asked of Robert Fripp (above left, with Bowie and Eno in Berlin’s Hansa studios—just under the Wall—creating the guitar part for 'Heroes'): * Q: Why was Bowie so influential?* * A: He spoke on behalf of what is highest in all of us.* Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Not Bad - Especially Coming from a Republican
In an interview with RT, Virginia state Senator Richard Black says that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the two biggest threats to world. “It’s not Iran, it’s not Syria, it’s not any other country. It emanates from Saudi Arabia,” Black says, noting the prominence of the Islamic doctrine of Wahhabism. Meanwhile, Turkish President Erdogan intends to impose an absolute dictatorship, the senator says.
Feds to Release Thousands of Emails from Clinton Aide Abedin
[image: Abedin - 400] The State Department has agreed to comb through 29,000 pages of emails from a top aide to Hillary Clinton and release batches of those emails every month. In a federal court filing on Monday, the department said it would process... Continue reading *“Feds to Release Thousands of Emails from Clinton Aide Abedin”* at *thehill.com*.
Our Government’s Poverty Plans Haven’t Worked. Time to Change.
[image: Homeless Man Poverty Poor - 900] In sports, if a game plan is not working, the coach changes it. In medicine, if a course of treatment does not cure a disease, doctors try a different approach. In government, failure means nothing. Government keeps cash flowing with... more »
"You never talk about..."
I promise you this *isn't *me being satirical in the wake of some of the preceding posts. It actually happened on this morning's *Woman's Hour *(at 21:47 - h/t Sue). Cue Jane Garvey: Now, *Woman's Hour *tries very hard to please everyone listening - which, of course, is impossible. And we often get complaints saying we too much of one thing, not enough of another. But lately is has been a bit of a feature on Twitter at least that listeners have been in touch to say, "You never talk about bisexuality." So we're going to try and put that right this morning.
Are Russian Airstrikes Helping U.S. Allies In Syria?
*Nancy A. Youssef & Shane Harris, Daily Beast*:* Russian Airstrikes Are Helping U.S. Allies* Washington and Moscow are supposed to be backing opposite sides in Syria’s war. But in the ISIS fight, enemies of enemies often become battlefield friends. American-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have found an unlikely ally in their push to win ground in Syria: the Russians. Some of the nearly 25,000 U.S.-backed forces made some of their biggest gains in Syria in recent months when they retook villages near the hotly contested city of Aleppo with the help of Russian airstrikes. The Russian... more »
CBC caught lying again...This time about Starving Villagers Held Siege in Syria
*Fake Photo of Starving Syrian published by CBC Without Verification* *No real verification or citation of this image of the starving man was provided by the CBC or the SOHR, so we can assume then that this photo was one of many fakes which have also appeared in a number of western mainstream media outlets, and all promoting the same familiar western pro-war and pro-regime change propaganda lines.* I've written many times on this blog about the *main$tream media's systematic and programmed lying to the public on behalf of the globalist, ziofascist criminal cabal.* Mainly, I focu... more »
Syria War News Updates -- January 12, 2016
*Reuters*: *Syria pro-government forces push into rebel-held town in Latakia province* Syrian pro-government troops battled insurgents in and around a rebel-held town in Latakia province on Tuesday, a monitoring group and state media said, in a push by President Bashar al-Assad's forces to retake lost territory in the west. Fighting on the government side was supported by dozens of air strikes, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Army troops and fighters from Lebanese Hezbollah had entered Salma, it said, which is located northeast of Latakia's coastal cap... more »
Let Us Call Jeb Bush "Accordion Dick"
*(From top left, clockwise: Jeb! Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee. Not shown: Donald Trump, constantly regnant and spooging all over the face of a grateful white America.)* Someone recently asked Jeb! Bush (aka the "smarter one") why he had the lowest favorability rating among all Republican presidential candidates and this was literally his answer: To briefly take a page from the Rude Pundit, Jeb! Bush is essentially a once promising porn star who is reduced to supporting roles jerking off in a forgotten chair while the younger, sexie... more »
'Best UFO Evidence in Years' During Soyuz Docking With ISS
We are seeing these objects in space, or perhaps more correctly in near space. The motion though is not terribly purposeful generally. It is more what i would expect from organics. Considering that i have suggested that large methane creatures might proper out here i am inclined to suggest that this may be the case. Independent mobility had not been anticipated but that is a low level electro magnetic problem that could be achieved by a biological entity. Otherwise gathering near a standing artifact makes little sense and seems unlikely for the alien hypothesis. We have been c... more »
Is Russia Arming Hezbollah With 'Heavy Weapons'?
*Daily Beast:* *Russia Is Arming Hezbollah, Say Two of the Group’s Field Commanders* *On the Syrian battlefield, Vladimir Putin’s planes and special forces work ever more closely with the Party of God—labeled ‘terrorist’ by Washington.* BEIRUT — Lebanese Hezbollah field commanders with troops fighting in Syria tell The Daily Beast they are receiving heavy weapons directly from Russia with no strings attached. The commanders say there is a relationship of complete coordination between the Assad regime in Damascus, Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia. At the same time they say the direct in... more »
Iraq's Sectarian Violence And Warfare Continues
*Reuters*: *Sunni mosques in east Iraq attacked after IS-claimed blasts* At least seven Sunni mosques and dozens of shops in eastern Iraq were firebombed on Tuesday, security sources and local officials said, a day after 23 people were killed there in two blasts claimed by Islamic State. Ten people were also shot and killed in Muqdadiya, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, security and hospital sources said. The rise of the Islamist militant group Islamic State, which follows a Sunni jihadist ideology, has exacerbated a long-running sectarian conflict in the country, mostly be... more »
The Official Iceland Temperature Series – 2015
By Paul Homewood In most parts of Iceland, last year was the coldest since 2000, in marked contrast to 2014. The Iceland Temperature Series below is built up from the seven following sites, which have long running, high quality temperature records back to 1931 and earlier. They also present a reasonable geographic distribution. […]
Obama: Bitter Partisan and Committed Ideologue to the End — and Beyond
[image: Obama in the Rain - 900] The liberal media seem perplexed that President Obama plans to deviate from his usual State of the Union practice of “asking” Congress for a laundry list of policy proposals and “not talking about himself.” You heard me right; the narrative...more »
THE YEAR OF THE LIBERAL: What our own liberal dumbness hath enabled or wrought!
*TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015Anderson Cooper's town hall:* We liberals have a very hard time observing a basic part of our world. We can't see how authentically dumb our "intellectual leaders" are. For that reason, we're unable to see the world our own tribe's dumbness hath enabled and wrought. This afternoon, we'll start exploring that dumbness as it affects the ongoing White House race, which Candidate Trump could very well win. For now, let's consider the gruesome "town hall" Anderson Cooper conducted last Thursday night. The event occurred on CNN, with Barack Obama condemned to... more »
Project Veritas: Undercover Common Core Vid: Exec Says "I hate kids...it's all about the money"...
*and millions of people get up every morning and send their children to be propagandized by these horrible people.* By the time their "education" is complete, their children will be raging entitled libtards, who demand "safe spaces" in college, and will face a future of staggering debt while serving coffee at Starbucks. Don't miss what she has to say about home schoolers, which is essentially, "You didn't go to school to learn how to teach, so just leave the matter to "professionals." You may correctly infer that to mean parents are too stupid to teach their children. A typical... more »
Math journal retracts entire issue following peer-review problems
The editor of a special issue of a math journal — and author of many of the papers in it — has officially retracted the entire thing, after promising to withdraw it last year following issues with the review process. According to the note in Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, the peer-review process was “less rigorous […] The post Math journal retracts entire issue following peer-review problems appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Climate Tricks 48, Denying climate cycles
Yesterday, I participated in the two-days Energy Policy Development Program (EPDP) Conference 2016. I was one of the panel speakers in the simultaneous discussions and I talked on this subject. My Outline I. Climate change as natural and cyclical events, not anthropogenic II. But “man-made” CC means more rains and less rains, more flood and less flood… III. Renewables to “save the planet”, Germany and UK cases IV. Expensive electricity + mandatory renewables, Philippine case V. Towards cheaper, reliable energy sources VI. Summary and recommendations I will post only Section I in th... more »
Saturday on BBC Radio 4
There's a very interesting piece by Jane Kelly of the *Spectator* and *Salisbury Review* over at *The Conservative Woman*: *Feminist BBC would rather canonise Bowie than admit the ugly truth of Cologne*. Part of it records her monitoring of Saturday's coverage of the Cologne attacks on BBC Radio 4, some of which I'd like to share with you here whilst strongly urging you to read the whole piece (if you haven't already done so): As evidence of the attacks in Cologne had mounted and over a hundred women complained to the police, the BBC had been forced to report the events. I spent ...more »
Multiculturalism Trumps Protecting Women from Rape
[image: Rapefugees.jpg - 900] Since the scores of New Year’s Eve sexual attacks on German women by hundreds of men identified as Arab or North African, the left in Germany has faced a dilemma: which to fight for first -- women’s human rights or multiculturalism?...more »
Suicide Attack Targeting Tourists Kills 10 In Istanbul
*Daily Mail*: *Terrifying moment ISIS suicide bomber exploded in centre of Istanbul and killed 10 German tourists after entering Turkey from Syria* * WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT * Blast rocked the Sultanahmet district which is home to world-famous sites including Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia * Corpses and body parts lay strewn across a main square after the bomb detonated near an ancient Egyptian obelisk * Ten members of German tour group believed to have died and six hurt in blast by ISIS suicide bomber from Syria * Angela Merkel said attack would strengthen German resolve to strike ... more »
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Are Becoming Smaller And More Accurate
*New York Times*: *As U.S. Modernizes Nuclear Weapons, ‘Smaller’ Leaves Some Uneasy* As North Korea dug tunnels at its nuclear test site last fall, watched by American spy satellites, the Obama administration was preparing a test of its own in the Nevada desert. A fighter jet took off with a mock version of the nation’s first precision-guided atom bomb. Adapted from an older weapon, it was designed with problems like North Korea in mind: Its computer brain and four maneuverable fins let it zero in on deeply buried targets like testing tunnels and weapon sites. And its yield, the ... more »
Obama: ISIS Does Not Threaten the US in a Fundamental Way
[image: Obama meeting with aide - 400] WASHINGTON -- When President Obama speaks to the nation in his final State of the Union address on Tuesday night, he will offer a familiar reassurance that the country is expending enormous effort to protect Americans against international terrorism. Here... Continue reading *“Obama: ISIS Does Not Threaten the US in a Fundamental Way”* at *nytimes.com*.
Kim Davis to Attend State of the Union
[image: Kim Davis - 400] The Kentucky clerk briefly jailed last year for refusing to hand out marriage licenses to gay couples is slated to attend President Obama’s final State of the Union address, a source has confirmed to The Hill. Kim Davis will attend... Continue reading *“Kim Davis to Attend State of the Union”* at *thehill.com* .
ISIS Burns Its Fighters Alive For Losing Ramadi
ISIS fighters who fled the fighting in the Iraqi city of Ramadi and escaped to Mosul, have reportedly been burnt alive in the town’s square. Militant leaders burnt the fighters after they lost the key town to Iraqi troops recently. In a message of terror, they were burnt alive in full public view by their own men for seeking shelter in the group’s stronghold of Mosul, according to a Fox News source. Alalam reports: Residents claim the terrorists were set alight in the town’s main square in a terrifying message to other militants who may be forced to defend Mosul from an attack. The ... more »
North Korea News Roundup -- January 12, 2016
*Reuters:* *North Korea faked sub-launched missile test footage: analysis* Footage of a North Korean submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test released by Pyongyang two days after it announced it had conducted the country's fourth nuclear test last week was faked, according to an analysis by a California-based think tank. In defiance of a UN ban, the isolated country has said it has ballistic missile technology which would allow it to launch a nuclear warhead from a submarine, although experts and analysis of North Korean state media cast doubt on the claim. North Korean s... more »
Man Uses Prayer Book to Defend Himself Against ISIS-Inspired, Machete-Wielding Terrorist
[image: Prayer book - 400] A Jewish teacher used a prayer book to defend himself Monday against a machete-wielding terrorist -- claiming to be acting in the name of Allah -- who tried to stab him in the southern French city of Marseille, Agence-France Presse... Continue reading *“Man Uses Prayer Book to Defend Himself Against ISIS-Inspired, Machete-Wielding Terrorist”* at *theblaze.com*.
Obama Mocks Trump, Accuses Him of ‘Simple Solutions and Scapegoating’
[image: Obama2 - 400] President Obama mocked the idea of Donald Trump becoming president during an interview that aired hours before his final State of the Union address. Asked by NBC’s Matt Lauer on the Today show if he could imagine the Republican presidential... Continue reading *“Obama Mocks Trump, Accuses Him of ‘Simple Solutions and Scapegoating’”* at *thehill.com*.
Meet 18 VIPs in the Audience for the State of the Union
[image: Barack Obama] President Barack Obama will come before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night to deliver his last State of the Union address. And it's the hottest ticket in Washington. Lawmakers, Supreme Court justices, and other government officials will pack... more »
Former Secretary Of Defense Chuck Hagel: The Islamic State Rose Because Iraq 'Squandered' 5 Years
*Defense News:* *Hagel: Iraq 'Squandered' 5 Years, Paving Way for ISIS* WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said he believes the government of Iraq “squandered” the five-year stretch from 2008 to 2013, paving the way for the rise of the Islamic State group and the chaos of the last two years. Speaking Monday in Washington, Hagel, who served in that role from 2013 to 2015, also hinted at dissatisfaction with how the Obama administration dealt with the Pentagon during his tenure, indicating that future administrations should lean more on the opinions of the uniforme... more »
More on Jane Garvey...
Following on from the previous post.... DB then replied to Jane Garvey: ...but this time (and 16 hours later) answer came there none! So I think we can infer from that that Jane Garvey really *did* mean that unplanned 44-second mention of Cologne by a *Woman's Hour *guest during a discussion about 'women to watch in 2016' to be her *justification* for so dismissively replying "No, it isn't" to DB's question, "Is it true that *Woman's Hour *hasn't covered the NYE sex attacks?". The word 'disingenuous' springs to mind. In every meaningful sense of the word, *Woman's Hour **didn'... more »
Senate Conservatives: No More Obama Nominees
[image: Senate confirmations] On Monday evening, something exceptional happened in the Senate: Lawmakers confirmed a Circuit Court judge nominated by President Barack Obama. Luis Felipe Restrepo of Pennsylvania became only the second Circuit Court judge approved in the past year, and the 12th... Continue reading *“Senate Conservatives: No More Obama Nominees”* at *politico.com*.
Robert Griffin III Leaves Christian-Themed Farewell Note after Cleaning out Redskins Locker
[image: Griffin - 400] After the Washington Redskins were eliminated from the NFL playoffs thanks to a 35-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, controversial Christian quarterback Robert Griffin III cleaned out his locker at Redskins Park, likely for the last time,... Continue reading *“Robert Griffin III Leaves Christian-Themed Farewell Note after Cleaning out Redskins Locker”* at *christianpost.com*.
New Study Finds Marginalization Main Reason For Sunni Support For Insurgency
Mercy Corps recently released a study based upon three years worth of polling and interviews in Iraq on public perceptions of the government and armed groups. The organization did polls in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This provided it with an important insight as it discovered how the change in government from Prime Minister Nouria al-Maliki to Premier Hadiar Abadi affected the populace’s perceptions. It found that Maliki’s marginalization of Sunnis, and the lack of services were the main reasons why people were upset with the government and supported armed groups. The most interesting pa... more »
Radioactive Methane and Nuclear Cowboys
Hat Tip to William who recommended this amazing film, Nuclear Cowboys: I very strongly recommend watching this 30 minute (approximately) video. Here is the film description: Documentary film covering the top secret 1959 Sodium Reactor meltdown in Los Angeles, California. The incident, kept secret for decades, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 300 to 1,800 people and is the suspected source of elevated cancer rates in adjacent suburban communities. The amount of contaminants released have been estimated at over 400 times that of the highly publicized Three Mile Island incid... more »
Major Disruption Across UK Hospitals As Junior Doctors Go On Strike
Hospitals in England face major disruption as junior doctors have gone on strike in a dispute with the government over a new contract. In the first walkout of its kind over the past 40 years, the junior doctors are providing only emergency cover during a 24-hour walkout which started Tuesday at 0800 GMT. The strike which is the first of two planned for the coming weeks, went ahead despite a last-minute plea from Prime Minister David Cameron for doctors to call off the action. Hospital bosses across the country have had to postpone 4,000 routine treatments, such as knee and hip repla... more »
RBS cries 'sell everything' as deflationary crisis nears
RBS warned clients of trouble just before the 2008 crisis. It has done so again Photo: Getty Images Ambrose Evans-Pritchard http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12093807/RBS-cries-sell-everything-as-deflationary-crisis-nears.html *RBS cries 'sell everything' as deflationary crisis nears* *Clients told to seek safety of Bunds and Treasuries. 'This is about return of capital, not return on capital. In a crowded hall, exit doors are small'* By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard 10:20PM GMT 11 Jan 2016 *RBS has advised clients to brace for a “cataclysmic year” and a global deflationary cr... more »
Three Case studies of Jacobsons 100% Renewables
Mark Z. Jacobson continues to sture up a hornet's nest of 100% critics, all of whom seem to think that Professor Jacobson's 100% renewables plan is deeply flawed. A couple have produced brief case studies, that the 100% approach may not benefit all nations equally. Many of Jacobsons critics are moderate Renewables supporters, while none are Anthropogenic Global Warming deniers. Some of the most telling criticisms come from people who are not opposed to Renewable energy, who are in fact, renewable energy advocates. These advocates are not 100% renewables true believers. On of t... more »
World News Briefs -- January 12, 2016
*New York Times*:* Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 10 in Istanbul District of Sultanahmet* ISTANBUL — A large explosion rocked a square in Sultanahmet, the historic central district of Istanbul, on Tuesday morning, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 others. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a Syrian suicide bomber was behind the attack, the latest in a series of terrorist assaults on Turkey. The explosion, which occurred around 10:15 a.m., killed and wounded both Turks and foreigners, Mr. Erdogan said in a televised address from Ankara, the capital. “Turkey is the first ... more »
Romanian law shortens jail time for prisoners who write books. (They may ax it.)
Romanian officials are taking a stand against a long-standing oddity in the law that entitles prisoners to 30 days off their jail sentence for every piece of academic writing they author. The crackdown is occurring after a surge in jail literature in the last two years— approximately 200 inmates have authored around 400 scientific works […] The post Romanian law shortens jail time for prisoners who write books. (They may ax it.) appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Guns And Gays And Hillary Clinton
It takes me hours, most of it in research, to write most DWT posts. Early in January, 2011 I was writing a post about a Blue Dog who had been in office for 5 years. She had joined both Democratic congressional reactionary factions, the Blue Dogs and the Wall Street-owned New Dems. She wasn't bad on gay issues and she was perfect on women's issues but sided with the bad guys on most economic inequality-relkated stuff. Her last rating from the AFL-CIO (2011) was a zero. The NRA had mixed feelings about her. She was pretty pro-gun-- helped them with their jihad against DC's ban-- but... more »
Bomb Rips Through Tourist Spot In Istanbul- An Expected Development
* As most recently predicted in the post from last week. In line with what had been predicted for well over a year now.* - *Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis- The impending destruction of Turkey.* - *Pt.2- Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis- The impending destruction of Turkey* *Most recent predictive post The Top US Military Official Arrives in Turkey. Who Greets Him?....* *"As I've suggested: Increasing the destabilization geographically- worsening it in Turkey. Iraq. Syria. Moving into Iran"* * Moving from bad to worse.* Sadly the msm alongside the so called alt media are still not grasping Turk... more »
Listening to Four Republican Candidates: How They Differ
[image: Ted Cruz] As we near the end of the pre-season in this election cycle, voters in the early states are starting to look closely at the candidates for the first time. Over the past few days, I've tried to get a sense... Continue reading *“Listening to Four Republican Candidates: How They Differ”* at *nationalreview.com*.
Hard To Establish And Easy To Destroy
http://www.businessinsider.com/ Alexis de Tocqueville was impressed with the new United States of America. One wonders what conclusions he would reach today. Gerry Caplan writes that American democracy has always been fragile: Way back during the Great Depression, an American writer named Sinclair Lewis wrote a novel about the fragility of democracy in the United States and how easily the country could end up being run by a fascist dictator like Italy and Germany. Most Americans scoffed at the possibility, which is why Mr. Lewis ironic... more »
Facebook erases pages of the most supported Czech NGO
If you have minimized the time spent at Facebook as I have, you have another reason to think that you did the right thing. It's a website where the Islamists have an "advantage" over those who realize that Islam is uncivilized and dangerous. Facebook has pretended that it respected the freedom of expression at some basic level and that the censorship of the German-language pages was basically imposed on the website by the German government. However, Czechs were assured that it wasn't quite the case yesterday. Facebook has deleted or suspended the pages of an NGO that is arguably the... more »
VA Senator: Saudi Arabia & Turkey Greatest Threats To World Peace
A Republican Virginia state Senator said that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the greatest dangers to world peace. During and interview with RT, Senator Richard Black also said that Saudi Arabia’s “absolute barbarity” is overlooked because of its long-standing relationship with the US. “I believe that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the two greatest dangers to world peace,” Senator Black said “It is Saudi Arabia, through the Wahhabist doctrine, that is spreading terrorism across the globe. It’s not Iran, it’s not Syria or any other country.” RT reports: Saudi Arabia’s state-sponsored teachi... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 12, 2016
Chinese soldiers march during a military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing Thursday Sept. 3, 2015. REUTERS/ANDY WONG/POOL *Reuters:* *China makes more military reforms, sets up graft busting unit* China's military has set up 15 new units - covering everything from logistics to equipment development, political work and fighting corruption - as part of an on-going drive to modernise the world's largest armed forces, the Defense Ministry said. President Xi Jinping's push to reform the military coincides with China becoming more assertive... more »
Disagreements Over Young Trump’s Military Academy Record
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Washington Post*:* 50 years later, disagreements over young Trump’s military academy record* From the moment 17-year-old Donald Trump was named a captain for his senior year at New York Military Academy, he ordered the officers under his command to keep strict discipline. Shoes had to be shined. Beds had to be made. Underclassmen had to spring to attention. Then, a month into Trump’s tenure in the fall of 1963, came an abrupt change. The tall, confident senior with a shock of blond hair was removed from that coveted post atop A Company and transferr... more »
Chinese Stocks Steady, Helping to Shore Up Global Markets
[image: A currency dealer waits for clients' orders near an electronic board showing a variety of exchange rates at Ueda Harlow, a foreign exchange trading company in Tokyo Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.] LONDON (AP) -- Chinese stock markets eked out a last-minute gain Tuesday, a development that’s helped European shares recoup further recent losses and Wall Street futures point to solid gains at the open. A modest pick-up from overnight lows in... more »
Electric Cars Still Struggling To Make Headway
By Paul Homewood Plug in electric cars are still struggling to make any real headway in the UK. According to figures from the SMMT, although sales of pure electric cars last year increased from 6697 to 9934, this still only represents a tiny fraction of new car sales of 2.6 million. Plug in […]
Brown & Black Forum
In case you missed it, here's the Democratic candidates' forum on social and economic justice issues held last night in Iowa. It's well worth two hours of your time. Bernie Sanders is on first, followed by Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton. Of course the Fusion network, which broadcast the forum, is not widely available on cable outlets. I only found out about the YouTube-streamed program at the last minute, because a friend emailed me about it. The Q & A soars miles above the corporate-sponsored debates you've been watching (or tuning out) on TV.
Thousands of UK Doctors Walk Off the Job in Pay Dispute
[image: The British National Heath Service Singers, who are either doctors or nurses, perform a protest song in support of junior doctors outside Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, as a 24-hour junior doctor strike starts in London, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.] LONDON (AP) -- Thousands of junior doctors walked off the job Tuesday in England in a dispute over pay and working conditions -- the first such strike in 40 years. Some 50,000 junior doctors --those who are training and have... more »
29 Facts about Nikki Haley, the Governor Giving the GOP Response to Obama’s State of the Union
[image: Gov. Nikki Haley] Nikki Haley, South Carolina's 116th governor, will deliver the Republican response to President Barack Obama's last State of the Union address. This will be the third year in a row a woman provides the nationally televised GOP response. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, delivered... more »
Humans Innovate Their Way Out of Scarcity
[image: commodities] Last week, the World Bank updated its commodity database, which tracks the price of commodities going back to 1960. Over the last 55 years, the world’s population has increased by 143 percent. Over the same time period, real average annual... Continue reading *“Humans Innovate Their Way Out of Scarcity”* at *reason.com*.
David Bowie Turned Down Honours From The Queen, Twice
David Bowie refused honours from the Queen twice during his remarkable career. It was confirmed yesterday that Bowie had died aged 69 following an 18-month-long battle with cancer. The Mirror reports: The Ziggy Stardust singer was offered a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2000, which the Queen awards to those who have made “a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area” of British life. While most would be flattered with the gesture, he refused it, explaining at the time: “I seriously don’t know what it’s for.” Then in 2003 he rejected a knighthood in re... more »
Answer Refugee Rapists and EU Enablers: “Ich bin ein PEGIDA.”
[image: Police drive back right-wing demonstrators using a water cannon during protests in Cologne, Germany, Saturday Jan. 9, 2016. Women’s rights activists, far-right demonstrators and left-wing counter-protesters all took to the streets of Cologne on Saturday in the aftermath of a string of New Year’s Eve sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne blamed largely on foreigners. (Monika Skolimowska/dpa via AP)] Europe is divided, rending itself at its bloody sutures. There are many lines along which our culture’s mother continent is in tension, but in the cold light of day -- say the i... more »
Suu Kyi Takes Part in Talks to Boost Myanmar (Burma) Cease-Fire
[image: Leader of National League for Democracy party (NLD) Aung San Suu Kyi, left, arrives to deliver a speech in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.] NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) -- Aung San Suu Kyi, whose pro-democracy party will take over power in Myanmar from a pro-military government in coming months, on Tuesday participated for the first time in official talks to bring peace with the country’s... more »
A Republican President: A Catastrophe for the Democrats
[image: Political End of the World (for Democrats) - 900] If the Republicans win the presidency, the Democratic party’s immediate future will be “catastrophic,” according to the national political reporter at The New York Observer. (The weekly newspaper’s publisher is Donald Trump’s son-in-law, but its politics are generally liberal and progressive.)... more »
When Political Correctness Equals Political Cowardice
[image: gunman-philadelphia-cop-shot-in - 900] Political correctness has become one of the constants of our age. Many of the examples are more ridiculous than anything else. Inappropriate Halloween costumes, campus safe zones free from controversial ideas, saying "happy holidays," and now, from Sweden, men sitting... more »
U.S. Border Agents to Inspect U.S.-Bound Trucks on Mexican Soil
[image: US Customs and Border Protection] SAN DIEGO (AP) -- For the first time, U.S. border authorities will inspect trucks entering the United States on Mexican soil, working simultaneously with Mexican counterparts. The new facility in Tijuana, which aims to reduce congestion and speed cargo crossings... more »
Untitled
*Education Results, Not Spending Rankings, Count Most* studyingTomorrow marks one of education’s most important rituals: the annual release of Education Week’s “Quality Counts” report, which grades states on several criteria including spending. If history is any indication, howls about “underfunded” public education are sure to follow. In fact, by my tally at least a dozen states all claimed to be 49th in K-12 funding in 2015 alone, about the same number as 2014, depending on the ranking and the methodology used. The reality is total public elementary and secondary school spending... more »
Can China Crash The Global Economy?
Reuters *Gordon G. Chang, Daily Beast:** How China Could Crash the Global Economy* Markets have paid too much attention to what the Chinese government says, and too little to what the economy is not doing. “China has a major adjustment problem,” George Soros told a conference in Sri Lanka on Thursday. “I would say it amounts to a crisis. When I look at the financial markets, there is a serious challenge which reminds me of the crisis we had in 2008.” Soros is wrong on one important count. The next global downturn, which looks like it is now beginning in China, will be worse than t... more »
Could A Syrian Scale Civil War Occur Within Saudi Arabia?
*Schuyler Moore, Real Clear Defense/The Bridge*: *Why Saudi Arabia May Be the Next Syria* The Islamic State group (ISIS) is running up against a wall. As national coalitions take a larger role in the fight against ISIS, the group will become increasingly unable to operate on as large a scale as it has in years past, and it will be pushed out of its previously held territories – its decline may take years or even decades, but it will ultimately decline. But although ISIS may deplete its resources and feel increasing pressure from the international community, its members will not si... more »
Family of 4 Killed in Northeast Ohio House Explosion
[image: Authorities respond after a deadly house explosion Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Northfield Center Township in Summit County, Ohio.] NORTHFIELD, Ohio (AP) -- A house explosion that shook a northeast Ohio neighborhood left two adults and two children dead, fire officials said. The blast and subsequent fire happened Monday night in Northfield Center Township, near the village of Northfield... more »
Turkey: 10 Killed, 15 Wounded in Istanbul Tourist District Explosion
[image: Turkish police cordon off the Blue Mosque area on January 12, 2016 after a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet left 10 people dead. Ten people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack on January 12 in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)] ISTANBUL (AP) -- An explosi... more »
Border Crossings More Than Double in Past Year, Could Go Higher
[image: In this June 18, 2013, file photo, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. "Having people afraid to open their doors to strangers, not going to work, etc., is not a healthy development," said Lofgren.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- A spike in families and children arriving at the U.S. southern border from Central America has prompted fears of another border crisis like the one that dominated national news during the summer of 2014. That could roil... more »
Underdog Candidates Keep Powering Along the Campaign Trail
[image: In this Jan. 6, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks with visitors during a campaign stop at Tony's La Pizzeria in Cedar Falls, Iowa.] PARKERSBURG, Iowa (AP) -- Running as an underdog presidential candidate isn’t always glamorous. You speak to half-filled halls and small rooms, low-key rallies. There may not be a bus emblazoned with your smiling face. And then there are the rally-goers...more »
Aid Convoys Reach 3 Syria Communities Besieged for Months
[image: This picture provided by The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), working alongside the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the United Nations (UN), shows a convoy containing food, medical items, blankets and other materials being delivered to the town of Madaya in Syria, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.] DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- The U.N. humanitarian chief has called for Monday’s delivery of aid to three besieged towns in Syria to be the first of many and welcomed a Syrian statement that such deliveries should be repeated and sustained.... more »
Untitled
*Future climate predictions will be better!* *The rather amusing article abstracted below admits that: "The large uncertainty associated with projections of future climate change is one of the barriers to political agreement on mitigation policy". Hear, Hear!Nice to have that admission of a large predictive failure from Warmists. They then go on to say that future predictions will be better and that we will have made big progress with predicting 2040 temperatures by 2029 -- which seems delightfully modest.So how do they arrive at that pearl of wisdom? By fiddling around wit... more »
Clinton Confronts Rival Sanders as Iowa Polls Tighten
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reaches for a smartphone for a selfie with a supporter after a campaign rally, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Waterloo, Iowa.] WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) -- Hillary Clinton has spent much of her 2016 presidential campaign looking past Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, focusing instead on Republicans and the November general election. No longer. Three weeks before the leadoff Iowa caucuses and with... more »
A Report From The Front-lines In Northern Iraq
The wreckage of a car belonging to Islamic State militants lies along a road after it was targeted by a U.S. air strike at the entrance to the Mosul Dam, northern Iraq August 21, 2014. REUTERS/YOUSSEF BOUDLAL Luke Mogelson, New Yorker: *The Front Lines* On the border of ISIS territory, Iraqi civilians fight for their survival. Two months ago, Masoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdish regional government, held a press conference on a hill overlooking Sinjar, a town in the northwestern corner of Iraq. The day before, following an intense bombardment by American warplanes, Kurdish ... more »
Did Jesus’ Disciples Die for Their Beliefs, and If So, So What?
[image: BrooklynMuseum - The Exhortation to the Apostles - 900] TOM GILSON -- Since I first became a Christian I’ve heard repeatedly that Jesus’ disciples died for their belief in him, and that this provides evidence that Christianity is true. Actually I first heard it several weeks before I decided to... more »
(Fare Thee Well, Starman) Stacy and Max Mayhem (Who Profits from Refugee Crisis/War?) Bundy Terror Call Strikes (Whither ABC - and Whother?) NC Coal Ash Victims Revictimized by Governor (NC Charter Schools Outed But Data Suppressed)
"Ground Control to Major Tom!" Fare thee well, David Bowie, extraordinary man - of the stars - as are we all. I'm really sad today as I can't help thinking about the pain he must have endured and in private. None of his millions of friends knew or could provide (or even try to provide) any comfort. As if one could in that situation at all. Overwhelming sadness. You brought so much joy and
Just When You Thought That Things In Iraq Couldn't Get Any Worse
Kurdish fighters stood guard at Mosul Dam in Iraq in August after they and Iraqi forces retook the dam from the Islamic State. Credit Youssef Boudlal/Reuters *New York Times*: *Neglect May Do What ISIS Didn’t: Breach Iraqi Dam* WASHINGTON — More than 16 months after Iraqi and Kurdish forces reclaimed Mosul Dam from Islamic State fighters, the structure faces a new threat: the danger that it may collapse because of insufficient maintenance, overwhelming major communities downstream with floodwaters. In the worst-case scenario, according to State Department officials, an estimated 5... more »
Why Would North Korea Give Up Its Nuclear Weapons?
A television screen in Seoul shows a news broadcast about North Korea's nuclear test. Photo: Bloomberg *Kelsey Munro, Sydney Morning Herald:* *Why would North Korea give up its nuclear weapons?* As the world reacts with universal condemnation to the bomb test conducted by North Korea last week, the South, China, the United States and the United Nations echo the same line of condemnation and bluff: North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons program. Sanctions will be aggressively pursued. China calls for the resumption of the stalled six-party talks, which are based on the notion... more »
Kingdom of Fear: Falling Into Oblivion, Saudis Seek To Bring The Rest of The Region Down With Them
"If you can't make yourself understood by your friends, you'll be in trouble when your enemies come for you." - Hunter S. Thompson. "The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader." - Robert Baer. "“We've seen a long deterioration in the U.S.-Saudi relationship, and it started well before the Obama Administration,” a former U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, Charles W. Freeman Jr., told me last week. “The U.S.-Saudi relationship is based entirely on interests, not values,” he said. “It's been... more »
Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Oltremare”
Ludovico Einaudi, “Oltremare” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8MzHqkNBwo
"A Look to the Heavens"
“How could a galaxy become shaped like a ring? The rim of the blue galaxy pictured below is an immense ring-like structure 150,000 light years in diameter composed of newly formed, extremely bright, massive stars. That galaxy, AM 0644-741, is known as a ring galaxy and was caused by an immense galaxy collision. *Click image for larger size.* When galaxies collide, they pass through each other- their individual stars rarely come into contact. The ring-like shape is the result of the gravitational disruption caused by an entire small intruder galaxy passing through a large one. When t... more »
Chet Raymo, “In The Sweet By And By”
*“In The Sweet By And By”* by Chet Raymo “In the Bahamas there's a saying: Everbody wanna go to hebben, but nobody wanna die. I suppose you could find the same expression anywhere in the world. It's one of those universal axioms, a cognitive dissonance the human species has learned to live with. We want to live forever, but there's always that nagging fear that death is final. When someone comes along promising eternal life, we are quick to jump on board, to buy into the program, to make our Pascal's Wager with a generous tithe. The Keys of the Kingdom have always been the ultimate...more »
"The Human Touch- 5 Seconds Equals a Thousand Words"
"The Human Touch- 5 Seconds Equals a Thousand Words" by Nicholas Bakalar "Researchers have found experimental evidence that a touch can be worth a thousand words, that fleeting physical contact can express specific emotions — silently, subtly and unmistakably. Scientists led by Matthew J. Hertenstein, an associate professor of psychology at DePauw University, recruited 248 students, each to touch or be touched by a partner previously unknown to them to try to communicate a specific emotion: anger, fear, happiness, sadness, disgust, love, gratitude or sympathy. The person touched wa... more »
MPs pocketed 10% payrise while Department of Works and Pensions report shows over half of Britons have been cutting back on food.
Wage restraint has been tough. In March 2015 the Chief Secretary to HM Treasury announced: "Our teachers, doctors and armed forces do a wonderful job serving the people of this country. Pay restraint has been very difficult for many, but has helped us to protect vital public service jobs while we deal with Britain’s deep financial problems. The independent pay review bodies have worked
Military Photo of the Day: January 12, 2016
[image: Afghan Soldier and American-900] An Afghan air force member jumps into the arms of a U.S Air Force airman near Forward Operating Base Oqab in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Dec. 13, 2015. With so much tragic news still coming out of Afghanistan, it’s nice to see... more »
150 FBI Agents Are Working The Clinton Foundation Probe
*Washington Examiner:* *'150 agents' working Clinton Foundation probe: Ex-U.S. atty* A former U.S. attorney said the FBI's reported investigation of "public corruption" at the Clinton Foundation has actually been going on for months, although it made headlines for the first time Monday. Joseph DiGenova, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, said the FBI's foundation probe "has reached such a proportion of inquiry that it's starting to sneak out," but that it was sparked months ago by information pulled from Hillary Clinton's private server and from the tax filings of corp... more »
Researchers See Promising Results in Treating Age-Related Decline in Muscle Mass and Power
This is very good news for the aging. Just restoring normal muscle strength allows the body to more easily support the rest of the organs and better yet to maintain bone strength. It also appears to be highly effective as well suggesting that a simple daily regimen will do. The fact is that nothing else is as important. A strong frame and muscle system allows plenty of other interventions to work out well. It does not inform us as to why these losses occur in the first place and intervening on all that is still the preferred protocol but this instead is an excellent substi... more »
Statin Exposed: Cholesterol Drugs Cause Rapid Aging, Brain Damage and Diabetes
It has turned out that best practice adds a matching dose of Coenzyme Q10 to directly offset the negative effects and i suspect that may well be enough as the described issues can be traced to such a deficiency. Of course we would like to be sure but so far it appears to hold up. To this point the argument still holds that statins are beneficial. Whether that will hold up over time remains to be seen. The drugs themselves are all now out of patent so their defense may not be so vigorous. . *Statin Exposed: Cholesterol Drugs Cause Rapid Aging, Brain Damage and Diabetes* ... more »
Fed Reserve Concludes Student Loans Linked to Rising Tuition Costs
AS should be obvious, loan access allows rapid expansion of tuition fees. All unrelated to the lousy salaries paid to anyone else. It does not need a study by anyone to know what will happen and that expanding margins will be filled by rent seekers of all kinds calling themselves administrators. Fixing it all is a problem though. True competition has been avoided. What is true is that the process has become seriously too pricey and if anything, the providers have been even more abused financially unless their star adds to the marketing story. In the meantime, a third of the po... more »
Report Shows how Soviet Union and Russia duped the CIA for Decades
The first assumption regarding any double agent is that he is not loyal to you. To trust information thus provided is simply stupid. Yet it also provides a false sense of trade effectiveness that may support promotion. It is terribly easy to come along and to go along even when you know better. That a foreign agency is feeding you spies to recruit should be obvious. Anyone else is just worthless even when recruited. They all live in a world of been too good to be true. You must understand just this and learn to play along. What bothers me is just how inept the CIA actuall... more »
Using Tires to Create an Artificial Reef in Florida Was a Really Bad Idea
In a way i am both surprised and disappointed. First, surely some testing took place before they took off and did this. But obviously not. Second and way more important, the sea should rather quickly begin reducing the organics in the rubber ultimately leaving only the metal. If not, why not? Now we have a permanent annoyance to fish back out and burn. Without question the manufacture of tires is almost never going to be replaced. It is just too good at the job it does. We need a superior solution and that needs to also recycle the entire tire. Heat can strip of the rub... more »
Was 2015 the Year Big Food Began to Lose Its Sway?
Yes, perhaps it has. Too much has been revealed to ever put the genie back in the bag and the public is slowly demanding full disclosure which solves most of the difficulty. Better yet, the academic community has now understood that their own work will be treated as corporate shilling in their peer community and nothing can lower carreer prospects and make your body of work more suspect. There are academic disciplines that thrive with corporate support. However, food and medicine is turning out to not be one of them. The potential for guiding results is just too great. Wor... more »
The Big Lie in the War Against Drugs
*[image: SWAT team standing over tea bags]* Never in my wildest dreams did i think that the so called 'war on drugs' to be other that misguided public policy similar to prohibition. That it might be a deliberate scheme allowing John Crow police abuse to be extended to the whole USA and also to radical leftists as a bonus never crossed my mind. In fact this whole meme has never really been properly voiced by anyone for forty five years. I thus accepted that it was merely bone stupid public policy. That it might be racism in action is actually shocking. Yet i can not really s... more »
For the Wealthiest, a Private Tax System That Saves Them Billions
I really think that this dodge is about to be ended. The reason is that it arose from effectively nothing to been the massive sector that exists today over mostly the past thirty years in particular as we saw massive looting of the US treasury take place. All that coin scampered off shore. At the same time enabling politicians also set up the same way. Thus we know where all the loot actually is and even who manages it. Yet it all represents a natural target for the CIA to directly tax. Start that process and add in a come home amnesty deal and wonderful things are likely t... more »
Early-life Exercise Alters Gut Microbes, Promotes Healthy Brain and Metabolism
This is an unexpected variation. It may have application as well and is worth watching. Otherwise this is early days and we keep learning just how much we fail to understand about the human biology.. All Good. . *Early-life exercise alters gut microbes, promotes healthy brain and metabolism * *December 29, 2015* * Source: University of Colorado at Boulder Summary: * *The human gut harbors a teeming menagerie of over 100 trillion microorganisms, and researchers have discovered that exercising early in life can alter that microbial community for the better, promoting healthi... more »
The 7 Biggest Food Stories of 2015
It has to be said that the giants are showing signs of feeling the heat. The problems are massive and really demand a total reversal of course. Of course that is not going to happen soon although i see it as inevitable in quite the same way that the tractor replaced the horse. The hard part is that actual change appears to be gradual. We already know that best practice organic trumps industrial agriculture. Add in advancing technology and all this accelerates. Advanced organic agriculture is both power intensive but also labor intensive as well in order to produce massi... more »
Dolphin Sounds Generate Images, Research Team Discovers
This is remarkable but also informing. We or at least I already know that the animal kingdom does communicate by sharing images mind to mind. The problem is range. It is not much use in calling back a partner to share in a team kill. Thus a sound system solves that and that it should mimic the mental image is also a natural solution to the need. This means that it becomes plausible for us to trade with dolphins. They should be able to herd prey schools into our nets easily enough and we can benefit from all that. Our problem is to figure out what they need in exchange. ... more »
Giant squid filmed on Christmas Eve
So much for been shy and elusive. After all i was taught that this creature was possibly nonexistant and the only evidence saying otherwise was a huge piece of tenticle that was simply undeniable. Now the creature shows up to moon for the cameras no less. It is a great story and it is clear that the sea must be full of them. I am looking forward to seeing sea serpents as well sooner or later. Likely as soon as we can quiet our screws. . *The Kraken appeareth: Giant squid filmed on Christmas Eve * * Recent glimpses of the legendary 'monster' prove that, while you mig... more »
The Carolina Bays and the Destruction of North America
It is now ten years since i put together my report on the Pleistocene Nonconformity which particularly noted that the Carolina Keys were part of the Ice ejecta from the Comet impact. No one has properly understood just how huge the impact was. The Core impacted further north and remnants blew into the ice and caused it to explode forward and create the Keys. This was a side show. At the same time the atmosphere was loaded with carbon dust also from the shattered comet and not from forest fires. This provide us the stratigraphy to identify the event. I also argue that the crust sl... more »
Cell Harm Seen in Lab Tests of e-Cigarettes
Unfortunately we do not get a free ride from ecigs either. At least we are not inhaling the buffet of toxins that comes with traditional cigarettes. However it appears that in spite of vast amounts of research we still know little regarding all potential cancer vectors in the inhaled plume. Yet this appears to be almost solvable with this protocol. The take home is to not smoke at all, but if you must, ecigs will be safer and must get safer as our research improves. *Cell Harm Seen in Lab Tests of e-Cigarettes * *Released: 29-Dec-2015 2:05 PM EST* * http://www.newswise.c... more »
Scientists Sequence First Ancient Irish Human Genomes
What I find really surprising is that we continue here to see direct evidence of direct migration of Mediterranean peoples with their farm tool kit throughout the European literol. This was the earliest migration or more correctly the earliest population expansion driven by new technology. These early migrants brought seeds and animals as well and certainly came by sea. They entered lands occupied lightly by either hunter gatherers or pastoralists who were not numerous enough to long stand of the population growth and absorption pressure. This population established truly se... more »
Why Costco Wholesale Corporation Loves Canada
*[image: Discount Retailers Costco Store Cost]* There are many ways to get a competitive advantage, but the one advantage ignored over and over is the Canadian health care system. Here it is suggested that it is government funded which is silly. It is government managed and universal and that is a completely different arrangement. That advantage naturally skewed the Canadian auto sector beginning back in the early sixties and it has thrived ever since although you would never know it from the complaining. What this teaches even the blind dumb and stupid is that wise public poli... more »
Why is it so Difficult for Japan to Apologize for WWII in Contrast to Germany?
I was wondering about all that and did not understand just how the whole elective office structure would be naturally co opted by the traditional family. Of course it was and so far as that goes it has worked well enough. It still does little to properly mend fences with their neighbors and a public display is really demanded for that. How to construct one has obviously been a challenge. Perhaps a national day of mourning honoring all the Japanese war dead combined with a national day of contrition could do the job. That would allow setting wreaths in Ch... more »
What do Chinese Minorities Think of the Han?
The two real minorities are the Uyghurs and the Tibetans and China is actively repopulating their lands in order to effectively assimilate them as they have largely done with other minorities. Otherwise, we are seeing the usual artifact of education or its lack and past government intentions. Putting aside the ethics of it all what is necessary going forward is a central policy of equal opportunity and mutual respect led through the education system. Nothing else works as the Han will naturally lord it over a non Han if tacitly allowed by government complacency. Thus we have a... more »
Edisto Island, South Carolina . . . 4000 years ago
What has become clear is that tackling the pre and post contact history of the continental USA must begin with exacting archaeology in the South East. It simply was the natural go to place for every possible intruder as the living was possible alone. Everywhere else was far more difficult and only attracted true comparables such as scots to Cape Breton or Norman French (Norsemen) to the St Laurence. The South East was attractive to all. Instead our whole accepted history has totally ignored trhis hugely rich history that consumed millions of lives. As well we pick new infor... more »
Restorative Justice Gives Our Children Dignity in US Schools
[image: Nineteen states still allow corporal punishment in schools - yet all evidence supports the idea that physical assaults against young people increase violence, decrease learning and disrupt school life.] Astonishingly there is a better way. We always knew that corporal punishment was mostly counter productive but that it represented a failure of imagination by the authority figure. Except we did not have a better idea. Yet it had been banned most everywhere and exclusion used instead. Not satisfactory but still a partial solution that fails to help the child ... more »
2015 year in review: 29 trends and events that just reshaped history?
This list reflects a general rejection of the mainstream media's agenda which is certainly becoming very questionable. it also stretches a few claims as well. There is a cottage industry out there attempting to convert every known major bad event into a false flag operation. Any such event entails a complex conspiracy attempting to control proven unstable people. That is simply not plausible. It is far easier to presume human friction. A whack job will convince himself to kill and rationale is the least of it. Our error is that we do not address these folks early enough to... more »
Herd of Genetically Pure Bison on Henry Mountains in Southern Utah
[image: (AP Photo/Brian Witte)] Yes we do need as many originals as we can possibly round up in order to rapidly expand the overall herd. This provides a reservoir of genetic material that can be used to restore the genetics of all the hybrids out there. I expect the 500.000 animal herd to be heavily expanded and also bred forward to achieve better characteristics and all that. Yet it us a generational enterprise that will take decades because we are not actually trying too hard. If we tried, the herd would double fairly quickly as in under two generations even,... more »
Why 2015 Was the Year That Changed TV Forever
[image: This picture taken on September 11, 2014 shows the on-demand internet streaming media provider, Netflix, on a laptop screen in Stockholm. (JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)] The future is all media in the cloud and easily accessible. The problem has always been how to pay for it in a way that is fair. This shows us the nature of the evolving struggle. What is becoming clear is that the traditional business model is untenable for much longer. People want a focused experience and the ability to hit pause and this is truly deliverable. Beyond all that we may well ne... more »
1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed
What everybody continues to miss is that a major geological event took place in 1159 BC. This event completely ended the organized world of the Atlantean trade empire whose currency was in the form of mostly copper ingots. I call it Atlantean because it was centered in the Atlantic and something nasty happened there in 1159 BC to pluck the heart out of this massive trade civilization. I have posted that it could have been as much as a subsidence of the Mid Atlantic Ridge and the Cuban Ridge as well taking with it the Bahama Bank. We are talking about land masses the equal to... more »
Discussing Nikola Tesla and the Pyramids of Atlantis With TS Caladan
This is a curious item to say the least. Read at your own risk. Other wise, I am skeptical regarding the idea of a global power grid when i know we do not need any such thing. Yet thirteen initial centers of human settlement is close to my own thinking. This provides a convenient number. Because we cannot be certain of ancient motives we must be careful making assertions.Much of this appears channeled as well. In that case the language is ours attempting to share concepts across thousands of years. Chancy obviously. Read it though. it does provide a testable f... more »
Fingerprints of the Gods - Graham Hancock - Foundries of Giza
*Peru-styled polygonal casing stones @ Menkaure* yes, yes, yes, I'm late to the party with Graham Hancock's *FINGERPRINTS OF THE GODS* revelations... reason being, "I knew all about it and didn't need to read the book," or something. Fact is, I'd forgotten how insanely over-engineered the inside of the Great Pyramid of Giza is ... it looks more like an Industrial Site or Steel-making foundry or Energy-making power station than some Tomb to some egomanical tribal 'god kings and queens'. But that's not the kicker, the real kicker in Hancock's 1995 book (yes, I've already read his *M... more »
Chow Verdict Is an Indictment of the Feds
[image: J. Tony Serra, lead attorney for Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow, walks away after speaking at a news conference Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco. A jury convicted Chow of racketeering, murder and other counts Friday after a years-long federal undercover investigation centered in the Chinatown district of San Francisco. The defense plans to appeal, claiming a federal judge wrongly limited their case.] The verdict is in. On Friday, jurors found 56-year-old Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow guilty on all 162 charges against him, including murder, ... more »
Obama Praises New U.S. ‘Miracle Bomb’ That Doesn’t Kill Anyone
A tongue-in-cheek report issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Russian officials are “praising” U.S. President Barack Obama for his development of a “miracle bomb” after the U.S. State Department announced that they had successfully dropped 23,144 bombs on Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia in 2015 without killing any civilians. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: According to this report, the Western world may, indeed, be rushing to President Obama’s door to obtain for themselves these new “miracle bombs” that don’t kill anyone to distinguish themselves to...more »
David Bowie Film ‘Labyrinth’: A Blueprint To Mind Control
The 1986 David Bowie movie, Labyrinth, contains symbolism and a narrative exposing the programming of a mind control victim at the hands of a sadistic handler. There is more to the cult classic children’s film than meet’s the eye, and this excellent article by Vigilant Citizen looks at the occult meaning behind this classic Bowie movie. Vigilantcitizen.com reports: By understanding the occult symbolism and references in Labyrinth, the movie becomes a big allegory for mind control, where each scene refers to a particular aspect of the process. What appears to be a young girl’s quest... more »
An incandescent light bulb, the most efficient bulb
One of the things that the government bureaucracy can't do is to predict the direction that the free scientific and technological progress will take in the future. No one can really do it, not even the best minds let alone stupid arrogant aßholes that have to be employed as regulators within the government structures. MIT researchers have reminded us about one striking example. The Wikipedia contains a page titled Phase-out of incandescent light bulbs whose first sentence says: Governments around the world have passed measures to phase out incandescent light bulbs for general light... more »
The Saudi-Iran Proxy War Is Already Underway
*Michael Knights & Thomas Ricks, Foreign Policy:* *What Would a Saudi-Iran War Look Like? Don’t look now, but it is already here* When asked to address the question of what a Saudi-Iran war would look like, my first instinct is to ask the reader to look around because it is already happening. As the futurist William Gibson noted, “the future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.” Already, Saudi Arabia and Iran are killing each other’s proxies, and indirectly are killing each other’s advisors and troops, in Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia’s Shiite Eastern... more »
Tweet For Today
The last picture taken of David Bowie by his wife Iman, on his birthday, January 8th 2016. pic.twitter.com/ODuUfSRHnm — Alejandra V.A. (@AlxSavage) January 11, 2016
Newly Released Hillary Clinton Emails Reveal U.S. State Department Plans To Spark Massive Palestinian Protests Against Israel
Masked Palestinian protesters throw stones at Israeli troops during clashes in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, September 21, 2015. REUTERS/Ammar Awad *Washington Free Beacon:* *Clinton Considered Secret Plan to Spark Palestinian Protests* *Wanted billionaires to donate fortune to Palestinians* Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton considered a secret plan created by her then-advisers to foment unrest among Palestinian citizens and spark protests in order to push the Israeli government back to the negotiating table, according to emails released as part of the investi... more »
U.S. Gears Up For War Against China, Russia
The decision to put U.S. military forces on “high alert” in South Korea shows that they are gearing up towards war with Russia and China, according to political activist Mike Billington. Billington says that the world is on the brink of an economic crisis that only China can survive. A fact deemed intolerable by the United States. Presstv.com reports: “The world would go into the worst financial spiraling collapse on a global scale that we’ve seen actually worse than the 1920s and 30s and that’s exactly what’s begun, not only are the markets crashing, but the entire bond market has ... more »
U.S. Court Says Nestle Must Answer Child Slavery Allegations
The U.S. Supreme Court have rejected a plea by Nestle to throw out a lawsuit holding them liable for the use of child labor slaves to harvest cocoa in the Ivory Coast. The court says that Nestle must face the charges filed by former victims of child slavery represented by Global Exchange (a human rights organization) Msn.com reports: The plaintiffs, who were originally from Mali, contend the companies aided and abetted human rights violations through their active involvement in purchasing cocoa from Ivory Coast. While aware of the child slavery problem, the companies offered financ... more »
Agenda 21: NYC Officials Launch ‘Micro-apartment’ Development
U.S. government officials are pressing ahead with their ‘Agenda 21′ plans by introducing “micro-apartments” to major cities like New York City. Agenda 21 is the global agenda by the elite to control and manage every aspect of human life. Naturalnews.com reports: In Manhattan, for instance, tiny living spaces that are 360 square feet or less are marketed as tolerable because they come with “little balconies, tall ceilings, dishwashers and storage space,” CBS News reported. Continuing, CBS noted: “It’s micro-living in the nation’s biggest city, and New Yorkers could be seeing more o... more »
NASA Sets Up Doomsday Alien And Asteroid Task Force
NASA have announced plans to launch a ‘Doomsday task force’ aimed at battling incoming asteroids and other alien dangers heading towards earth. The financing for the Near-Earth Objects (NEO) monitoring program has grown from $4 million to $50 million since 2010, due to what NASA say are increasing asteroid threats in recent years. Sputniknews.com reports: Beginning in 2016, a special NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) task force will be responsible for identifying NEOs. PDCO will coordinate various activities between many national and international observatories and ...more »
Norway Confirm Connection Between Turkey And ISIS
The intelligence agency in Norway have said that they have found evidence that confirms a link between Turkey and ISIS. Rusvesna.su reports: Russian Spring continues its investigation on connections between the Turkish officials and ISIS terror group. Last year Turkey Prosecution Office has investigated the case of six Turkish citizens gone missing, their relatives assumed they may have joined ISIS. In course of investigation Prosecution Office gained profound evidence (including telephone conversations records) of the connection between at least 19 Turkish officers with ISIS repre... more »
FBI: Hillary Clinton Indictment Almost Guaranteed
The FBI have announced that their probe into Hillary Clinton’s private email server has expanded into whether or not Hillary violated the Espionage act on more than 1300 occasions and whether the Presidential candidate is guilty of public corruption. The Feds have announced plans to also look into whether the former Secretary of State used her position to enrich family members through the Clinton Foundation. Hotair.com reports: The FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of private email as secretary of state has expanded to look at whether the possible “intersection” of Clint... more »
On bumps in the road
Ready for the open road -- we thought.Back when our family was living a nomadic lifestyle that revolved around tree-planting contracts on mostly federal lands, we pulled a small travel trailer behind an International Travelall with most of our worldly goods in the one or the other. And one day we left home to go to a contract five hundred miles away, and in ten miles came to a brand-new sign that said, “BUMP.” As in, “we have removed the top four inches of asphalt from the bridge fifty yards ahead, with a vertical drop at each end, and if you hit it at any speed between five miles ... more »
Picture Of The Day
*Low-Level Flight * A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress conducted a low-level flight near Osan Air Base, South Korea, Jan. 10, 2016, in response to recent provocative action by North Korea. A U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon and a South Korean F-15K jointed the B-52, assigned to Andersen Air Base Guam. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dillian Bamman
Blunt Talk From America’s Longest-Serving General
Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly. Wikipedia *Molly O'Toole, Defense One:* *Here’s What America’s Longest-Serving General Most Fears* Gen. John Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, goes “over the side for the last time” with 45 years of perspective on U.S. war-fighting and its future “This will sound strange to you,” said Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, the U.S. military’s longest-serving general. “My greatest fear was that I would be offered another job.” The four-star head of U.S. Southern Command will hand over his final command on Thursday and retire at the end of the month... more »
‘Messing with the Constitution’
[image: U.S. Constitution, We the People, America, American Flag, Fountain Pen] In recent years, a small but growing number of people have advocated a convention of states to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States. The reaction to the proposal has been hostile, out of all proportion to either... more »
David Bowie: Rebel Rebel-- January 8, 1947-January 11, 2016
*-by Denise Sullivan* It's been a day of mourning throughout the rock'n'roll nation: David Bowie, 69, died last night. The worldwide outpouring of grief transcends racial, gender and sexual orientation, economic, and national boundaries, just as the Brixton-born artist's music did. The last thing any of us need are more words or further analysis of an already well-documented life and depth of the art. His creative expression of rebellion will ring in the hearts of anyone with their mind set on freedom for generations to come. Starting out as David Jones, his musical debut as David... more »
Inside the New Hampshire Pitch to Those Who Don’t Want Trump
[image: Donald Trump - 900] MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- For all the passionate support Donald Trump has amassed in New Hampshire, many Republicans and independent voters are just as passionate about not voting for Donald Trump. They are an enticing target for the pack of... more »
US Bombs ‘Millions’ in ISIS Currency Holdings
[image: ISIS currency] Washington (CNN) -- In an extremely unusual airstrike, the U.S. dropped bombs Sunday in central Mosul, Iraq, destroying a building containing huge amounts of cash ISIS was using to pay its troops and for ongoing operations, two U.S. defense officials told CNN.... Continue reading *“US Bombs ‘Millions’ in ISIS Currency Holdings”* at *cnn.com*.
David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World… and Bonds
[image: David Bowie] David Bowie will be remembered for pushing the boundaries of music and fashion. But he also blazed trails in finance. The British musician, who died Sunday after a struggle with cancer, in 1997 raised $55 million by selling off the... Continue reading *“David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World… and Bonds”* at *google.com*.
Hillary Clinton Increasingly Anxious About Bernie Sanders
[image: Hillary Clinton2 - 400] As Hillary Clinton returns to Iowa on Monday, a sense of anxiety is cascading through her campaign, with an increasing sense of urgency the primary fight with Bernie Sanders is far more of a threat than once imagined, unlikely to... Continue reading *“Hillary Clinton Increasingly Anxious About Bernie Sanders”* at *cnn.com*.
The New Right: Warriors for the Poor
[image: the new right] On January 9, up to 1700 people packed the exhibit hall of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in South Carolina to hear what some of the 2016 candidates have to say about poverty -- and how America can fight it.... Continue reading *“The New Right: Warriors for the Poor”* at *townhall.com*.
The Surprising Surge of Christianity in the Middle East
[image: Christianity in the Middle East] As millions of Christians flee the Middle East and Christianity’s original homeland becomes increasingly bereft of Christians, an odd anomaly is occurring. Christianity in the Gulf states is surging. Amid a shocking exodus in neighboring countries, this strictly Islamic region... Continue reading *“The Surprising Surge of Christianity in the Middle East”* at *christiantoday.com*.
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Brilliant Interview with Nick Levis on Greek Crisis Massive Coverup Exposed In Sweden As Media, Cops Hid Migrant Sex Attacks "Neo-Nazis" Attack German Muslim Businesses As Ghost Of 1939 Beckons Germany Erupts Into Chaos As Protesters Declare "Rapefugees Not Welcome" The Biggest (And Possibly Most Terrifying) Company You've Never Heard Of Meanwhile In Shanghai Residents Form Lines To Sell Yuan, Buy Dollars "Catalonia Needs Its Own Central Bank": Spain's Black Swan Lives As New Catalan President Sworn In "Trump Could Win It All": 20% Of Democrats Say They'd Vote For T... more »
Is This The Next U.S. General To Manage America's 'Shadow Wars'?
Army Maj. Gen. Austin “Scott” Miller is shown leading soldiers in physical training at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2015. (Photo by Markeith Horace/ U.S. Army) *Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Washington Post:* *This Army general is likely to lead the shadowy Joint Special Operations Command* Major General Austin “Scott” Miller is likely to be the next head of the U.S. military’s secretive Joint Special Operations Command, according to sources close to the matter. Miller would replace Fort Bragg-based Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Thomas III, who is slotted to lead Special Operations Command out of MacDill... more »
Were U.S. Special Forces Involved In The Capture Of Mexican Drug Lord Joaquín Guzmán?
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by soldiers during a presentation at the hangar belonging to the office of the Attorney General in Mexico City, Mexico January 8, 2016. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido *Jack Murphy, SOFREP News*: *JSOC’s Secretive Delta Force Operators on the Ground for El Chapo Capture* Mexico’s most notorious drug lord, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, better known as El Chapo, was recaptured following an intense firefight between Mexican Marines and Chapo’s goons in Sinaloa, Mexico, last Friday. Although Mexican officials claimed that the entire operation to recapture El Chapo ... more »
Islamic State Burns Its Fighters Alive For Letting Ramadi Fall
Three Isil fighters pose in Ramadi the Iraqi army 'abandoned' the city Photo: Twitter *FOX News: **ISIS burns fighters alive for letting Ramadi fall* ISIS fighters who fled to the terror group’s Iraqi stronghold of Mosul after being defeated in Ramadi were burned alive in the town square, sources told FoxNews.com, in an unmistakable message to fighters who may soon be defending the northern city from government forces. Several residents of Mosul recounted the grisly story for stateside relatives, describing the deadly reception black clad jihadists got when they made it to Mosul, ... more »
Why Would North Korea Give Up Its Nuclear Weapons?
A television screen in Seoul shows a news broadcast about North Korea's nuclear test. Photo: Bloomberg *Kelsey Munro, Sydney Morning Herald:* *Why would North Korea give up its nuclear weapons?* As the world reacts with universal condemnation to the bomb test conducted by North Korea last week, the South, China, the United States and the United Nations echo the same line of condemnation and bluff: North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons program. Sanctions will be aggressively pursued. China calls for the resumption of the stalled six-party talks, which are based on the notion... more »
Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina Cut from Main GOP Debate Lineup
[image: In this Jan. 7, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. speaks during a campaign stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Paul and former technology executive Carly Fiorina will not appear on the primetime debate stage when the Republican Party's 2016 presidential class faces off later this week in South Carolina.] DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former technology executive Carly Fiorina will not appear on the primetime debate stage when the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential class faces off later this week in South Carolina. Deb... more »
Historian Ralph Ellis On The Origins of The King Arthur Legend
*"The Grail Cypher: The secrets of Arthurian history revealed" by Ralph Ellis (2015). * *Title: The Grail Cypher Ep.1 - Ralph Ellis/Michael Tsarion. Source: David Whitehead - Truth Warrior. Date Published: October 8, 2015. Description:* In this groundbreaking 4 part series we bring together Ralph Ellis and Michael Tsarion in an epic discussion on the real story of King Arthur, a fresh look at biblical history, astrology, and symbolism. Are you willing to have your view of Arthurian, British and Christian history challenged? Are you ready to accept the esoteric mysteries and heresie... more »
David Bowie 1947-2016: A Starman In His Own Words
*-By Noah* *“I’m not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I’m living on.”* –David Bowie I only met David Bowie twice, but both times, I was struck and pleased by how gracious and normal he was. He was obviously very bright and very secure in his own skin. I hesitate to use the phrase, but he really was down to earth. When I got up this morning, my wife gave me the sad news that Bowie had died. Not surprisingly, *The Guardian* has the best coverage I have found so far. This is a very tough one for me. It’s there with John Lennon and Joe ... more »
Nuns Challenging Obamacare Are Set to Attend State of the Union
[image: The Little Sisters of the Poor had their day in federal court on Dec. 8, 2014, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Little Sisters gave a press conference after oral arguments in their case at the federal court house in Denver, CO.] The group of nuns who have mounted a high-profile legal challenge against Obamacare will attend the State of the Union as guests of Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), his office announced Monday. Two leaders of Little Sisters of the Poor, whose... Continue reading *“Nuns Challenging Obamacare Are Set to Attend State of the Union”* at *thehill.com*.
Analyist Uses Super Bowl to Predict Stock Market’s Direction
[image: Super Bowl] The Super Bowl has done it again. As illogical as it sounds, for seven years in a row the outcome of the game has foretold the stock market’s direction for the year. Overall, this now has happened after 40 of... Continue reading *“Analyist Uses Super Bowl to Predict Stock Market’s Direction”* at *wsj.com*.
Baltimore Public Housing Workers Allegedly Forced Women to Have Sex for Repairs
[image: BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 02: Kids play basketball in the Gilmor Homes May 2, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. Freddie Gray, 25, was arrested for possessing a switch blade knife April 12 outside the Gilmor Houses housing project on Baltimore's west side. According to Gray's attorney, Gray died a week later in the hospital from a severe spinal cord injury he received while in police custody. State attorney Marilyn Mosby of Maryland announced that charges would be brought against the six police officers who arrested Gray.] At least 50 Baltimore public housing employees who were paid with... more »
Chu Campaign's latest
Eric Chu's latest ad. The color scheme is interesting -- there's almost no bright green, the color associated with Taiwaneseness, and few rich KMT reds. Instead, blue, aqua, and orangish tones predominate. After viewing this I finally noticed that the ONE TAIWAN rainbow contains... no bright greens. A still from a few seconds in, showing the conventional four major cultural groups -- mainlanders, Hoklo (Minnan), Hakka, and Aborigines. The mainlanders are represented by a suit wearing male white collar worker, while the Minnan are farmers (not factory/shop owners). No prejudices th... more »
Brave New World of Pre-Crime
Justin Jouvenal, "The new way police are surveilling you: Calculating your threat ‘score’," The Washington Post, January 10, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/the-new-way-police-are-surveilling-you-calculating-your-threat-score/2016/01/10/e42bccac-8e15-11e5-baf4-bdf37355da0c_story.html?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_headlines As a national debate has played out over mass surveillance by the National Security Agency, a new generation of technology such as the Beware software being used in Fresno has given local law enforcement officers unprecedented power to peer into the l... more »
Sean Penn and El Chapo: FNS News: Fiction, Fantasy and Reality Blur in Mexico's Narcodrama
Photo leaked to El Universal of actor/journalist Sean Penn being followed as he met with El Chapo for Rolling Stone magazine. Mexican officials say Penn's meeting led to the recapture of El Chapo, head of Sinaloa cartel. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/11/sean-penn-joaquin-el-chapo-guzman-surveillance-capture-photos?CMP=twt_gu Also see: Sean Penn's article in Rolling Stone. (Penn's
Steven Seagal Becomes ‘Easternised’, Adopts Serbian Nationality
Hollywood action hero Steven Seagal has become a Ruski by adopting his eastern heritage. After numerous journeys to the east and to Serbia and Russia, Hollywood Star Steven Seagal has fallen for the eastern culture and has become known as Seagalovic, the sheriff from the east. The 63-year-old actor, producer and master in the art of Aikido has been granted Serbian citizenship and has offered to open a martial arts school in the capital, Belgrade. Sputnik reports: A father of seven, Seagal was received twice by President Tomislav Nikolic and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic in Decembe... more »
Princess Cristina of Spain On Trial For Tax Fraud
Princess Cristina became the first member of the Spanish royal family to stand trial in a criminal court. On Monday, the 50-year-old sister of King Felipe VI, appeared in a court in Malta accused of tax fraud; a major embarrassment for the monarchy. She appeared alongside her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin and his business partners, who are accused of money laundering and tax fraud in a six million euros sports events embezzlement. The New York Times reports: Mr. Urdangarin and Cristina sat in the back of the courtroom alongside 16 other defendants during procedural arguments on Monday. ...more »
‘Hope,’ by Abiodun Olaku
[image: Hope] *Hope*, by Abiodun Olaku Oil on canvas, 30" x 24" (approx), 2015 Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Jan. 11: Austerity is a crock.
On page 1 of the Irving press, we learn that 6 to 10 hospitals could be closed as part of the government austerity plan. Let's see, so far all the austerity cuts and the discussion of new taxes, have been aimed at the poor and the middle class. Close hospitals so the poor will have the problem of longer trips to reach help. Close public schools, fire teachers, and kick up class sizes. (It's okay. The children of the rich don't go to public schools. And they don't need hours on a bus each day to go to school and get home). Fire civil servants who get a scandalous 100,000 a year. But ... more »
Lovestruck Couple Remarry 23 Years after Divorce
[image: remarried couple - 400] A couple who split after 23 years of marriage rekindled their romance nearly 23 years after their divorce -- and they’ve just walked down the aisle for the second time. Roz and Ian Ellis, from Aberdeen, first met in Lanarkshire in... Continue reading *“Lovestruck Couple Remarry 23 Years after Divorce”* at *telegraph.co.uk*.
High Court Seems Ready to Scrap Mandatory Public Union Fees
[image: People participate in a rally at the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, as the court heard arguments in the 'Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association' case. The justices were to hear arguments in a case that challenges the right of public-employee unions to collect fees from teachers, firefighters and other state and local government workers who choose not to become members.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court appears ready to deliver a major setback to American unions as it considers scrapping a four-decade precedent that lets public-sector labor orga... more »
Women Desert Hillary in Droves … Is it Bill?
[image: 12/19/15 - The Democratic Presidential debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH.] Hillary Clinton has dropped big time in the new Fox News Poll that came out on Friday (January 8th) and has now fallen behind Trump, Cruz, and Rubio in general election matchups. The big losses are almost entirely due to... Continue reading *“Women Desert Hillary in Droves … Is it Bill?”* at *dickmorris.com*.
U.S. Airstrike Destroys Millions Of Islamic State Cash In Mosul
*CNN*: *First on CNN: U.S. bombs 'millions' in ISIS currency holdings* Washington (CNN)In an extremely unusual airstrike, the U.S. dropped bombs Sunday in central Mosul, Iraq, destroying a building containing huge amounts of cash ISIS was using to pay its troops and for ongoing operations, two U.S. defense officials told CNN. The officials could not say exactly how much money was there or in what currency, but one described it as "millions." Two 2,000-pound bombs destroyed the site quickly. But the longstanding impact may be even more significant. The officials said the U.S. plans... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 11, 2016
Good-bye, David Bowie. You are now among #Heroes. Thank you for helping to bring down the #wall. https://t.co/soaOUWiyVl #RIPDavidBowie — GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) January 11, 2016 *Siobhan O'Grady, Foreign Policy:* *Germany to David Bowie: Thank You for Helping to Bring Down the Berlin Wall* Tributes to David Bowie from fans and fellow musicians have been pouring in since the 69-year-old Bowie died after a long battle with cancer Sunday. One came from an unexpected source: the German foreign ministry, which thanked him for playing a role in bringing down the Berlin Wall... more »
US Military On Highest Alert Ever In South Korea
The US has reportedly put its troops in South Korea on the highest alert ever to deter “any provocation coming from North Korea,” following Pyongyang’s latest underground nuclear test. The order was announced by Curtis Scaparrotti, the head of US military deployment in South Korea, who was visiting the Osan airbase, which is jointly run by Washington and Seoul. The US has more than 28,000 troops deployed in South Korea which has remained technically at war with its northern neighbor since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Press TV reports: The move ... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( January 11 , 2015 ) - David Bowie's Majestic Passage ( Who knew he was even ill , when you get down to it ? ) And some of his songs to listen to while considering several pertinent topics of the day - 1 ) Merkel's mess aka refugee / migration unfolding debacles . 2) China's Rube Goldberg Construct Really , Really Needs " Scotty The Engineer From Star Trek To Give Her All She's Got . 3) You Know Greece Is Still Lurking Out There , Like A Terminator , Waiting To Burst Into Crisis At Any Moment, right ? 4. Oil Cruising For A Bruising After Another Brutal Day. Thirty Support Test On Tuesday ?
Mixing sad news of the passage of David Bowie Sunday night from cancer , with this evening wrap.....Music for your listening pleasure while reading. Not necessarily a comment on tweets , unless it is........ Evening wrap...... Refugee situation ...... *Walter Daniels* @WalterDaniels17 5m5 minutes ago Will Germany's *Refugee Crisis* Take Down Merkel's Government? http:// goo.gl/fb/udREZH *The Lowy InstituteVerified account* @LowyInstitute 1h 1 hour ago How Europe's *refugee crisis* is challenging the Schengen Agreement: http://www.lowyinterpreter.o... more »
Muslim Men Shoot Up Canadian Nightclub, Gov’t and Media Refuse to Use the ‘M’ Word
[image: nightclub shooting] Two men have been charged with attempted murder in the Canadian city of Calgary after a nightclub shooting early Sunday morning. Mohamed Elmi, 31, and Mohamed Salad, 29, also face a host of other charges, including unauthorized possession of a... Continue reading *“Muslim Men Shoot Up Canadian Nightclub, Gov’t and Media Refuse to Use the ‘M’ Word”* at *breitbart.com*.
NYPD Handbook Restricts Investigations on Persons’ Religion
[image: NYPD - 400] New York City police officers' investigations of local Muslims can be considered a violation of First Amendment rights, under new proposed modifications of New York Police Department guidelines. The guidelines are a set of rules for law enforcement to abide... Continue reading *“NYPD Handbook Restricts Investigations on Persons’ Religion”* at *dailycaller.com*.
Summer Ramble,12.01.16
[image: CYG_HBGWcAAIBK0] “Police focus on speed because it's easy. Easy to spot, easy to capture, quick and easy ticketing, next please... This laziness on the part of the police has to stop.” *Speed is not the problem* – Charlie Callcut, STUFF “Kids need to be taught the joy of winning and the pain of losing. That’s the message from World Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen in a wide-ranging interview with the *Herald*.” *Hansen on hating losing* – KIWIBLOG “Kelly, who has lung cancer, has been taking cannabis oil sourced from the black market to relieve her pain and believes it is ‘a... more »
Met Office Data Shows Storm Desmond’s Rainfall Was Not “Record Breaking”
By Paul Homewood I’ve just received some more data from the Met Office about Storm Desmond, which I asked for last month. They have confirmed rainfall at Seathwaite of 122 and 112mm on the the 4th and 5th of December respectively, the days when most of the rain fell. We may recall that […]
Peace Prize President Obama Drops Over 23,000 Bombs on Muslims
*From the CFR* *"Let’s review U.S. counterterrorism bombing for 2015. Last year, the United States dropped an estimated total of 23,144 bombs in six countries. Of these, 22,110 were dropped in Iraq and Syria. This estimate is based on the fact that the United States has conducted 77 percent of all airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, while there were 28,714 U.S.-led coalition munitions dropped in 2015. This overall estimate is probably slightly low, because it also assumes one bomb dropped in each drone strike in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, which is not always the case"* * Flashback:* O... more »
Fracking Saves USA a Fortune on Electricity, Despite the EPA
[image: natural gas power plant - 900] Electricity prices in America dropped by a third over the last year due to cheap natural gas provided by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, according to a Monday report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA report states the cost... more »
World News Briefs -- January 11, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Daily Mail:* *ISIS claim responsibility for attack on Baghdad shopping mall in which 18 people were killed and 50 injured after gunmen detonated car bomb and took hostages* * 18 people were killed and hostages taken as violence erupted in Baghdad * A car bomb was detonated before gunmen opened fire and stormed a mall * After being approached by Iraqi security agents, they shot three hostages * Two of the attackers were killed and another four arrested, it is claimed * Islamic State has now claimed responsibility for the deadly attack Gunmen killed at least 18 people and took an estim...more »
Commentary And Analysis On The Iranian - Saudi Conflict
Teresa Welsh, US News and World Report: *The Middle East Blame Game* Iran and other members of the Arab world differ on who's at fault for the region's turmoil. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif over the weekend blamed Saudi Arabia for destabilizing the Middle East – an accusation shot right back at Tehran by Arab League countries who said the Islamic Republic was responsible for “sowing sectarian strife.” Zarif, writing Sunday in The New York Times, said Saudi Arabia has been responsible for increasing confrontation in the region out of fear that Iran’s normalizing ties with ... more »
Four Months
Wow. Four months since my last post. I really need to update this more often. Too much to even remember to write about! Since my last post, we have, yet again, adopted another animal. So, Kurt and I were in the parking lot of a local grocery store in downtown Jaco. We had just walked out from grocery shopping and it was dusk. We see this adorable white and black kitten peeking out at us from around a corner. one of the guards was playing with it as well. He was obviously hungry but very playful and came right up to me when I tried to pet him. My guess is a local family owne... more »
Monster Jam Giveaway Winner
And the winner of the Monster Jam ticket is.....Trisha F! Congratulations Trisha! Didn't win? read down below for a discount code! *Monster Jam roars into the 2016 season with a points-based series, showcasing the best lineup of Monster Jam vehicles that deliver what fans want to see most… more trucks, more racing, more freestyle, more donuts, more wheelies, more action!* *MORE MONSTER JAM* will be making its 2016 debut at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake on January 22 & 23 with #MoreMonsterJam Action Than Ever Seen Before! [image: What is Monster Jam] The widely popular ... more »
The Poet: William Stafford, "Ask Me"
*"Ask Me"* by William Stafford "Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden, and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say."
"The Courage..."
“God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is hopeless.” -Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
"Too Often..."
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia
Paulo Coelho, “A Saint In The Wrong Place”
*“A Saint In The Wrong Place”* by Paulo Coelho “‘Why is it that some people can resolve the most complicated problems really easily, whilst others agonize over every tiny crisis and end up drowning in a glass of water?’ I asked. Ramesh replied by telling the following story: ‘Once upon a time, there was a man who had been the soul of kindness all his life. When he died, everyone assumed that he would go straight to Heaven, for the only possible place for a good man like him was Paradise. The man wasn’t particularly bothered about going to Heaven, but that was where he went. Now in... more »
Jane Garvey defends Woman's Hour
Going back to the question of whether *Woman's Hour *has ignored the mass assault of women in Cologne and other European cities... DB has put the question to Jane Garvey via Twitter: Now, as the *Woman's Hour *website, which supplies pretty detailed information about each of its segments, *didn't *include any mention of the subject, DB wondered whether it had been briefly mentioned during another discussion. So I thought I'd better check. I've now thoroughly checked all last week's editions of *Woman's Hour* and, yes, Jane Garvey was correct. It *was "*mentioned one day last week... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: John Denver, “I Want To Live”
John Denver, “I Want To Live” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw2BY-Cf0Wk
The Daily "Near You?"
Manama, Al Asimah, Bahrain. Thanks for stopping by!
The Economy: Greg Hunter, Rob Kirby: “Economic Collapse Happening Now”
*“Economic Collapse Happening Now”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Macroeconomic analyst Rob Kirby’s predictions of a downward spiraling economy are coming true. Kirby contends, “I think the last time we spoke, it was in early December. I suggested that a window was opening where we were very likely to see some systemic breakdowns in our financial universe to likely start occurring. Low and behold, it looks like we are seeing the beginnings of exactly what we were speaking of. The reason why we are beginning to see these things start to unfold now is that everything we’ve been ...more »
The Economy/History: "The 'Oregon Standoff' Is a Modern-Day Western"
*"The 'Oregon Standoff' Is a Modern-Day Western"* by Bill Bonner PARIS – “Brutal”… “horrible”… “horrendous” – these are just a few of the hyperbolic adjectives used to describe last week’s stock market. The S&P 500 is down 6% so far in 2016… and $1 trillion in investor wealth has gone up in smoke. In fact, it was the worst opening week for global markets in history. But c’mon… look at the glass as half full. Wall Street’s decline was less than half of Shanghai’s 14% loss. And this morning, Chinese stocks are tumbling again. So, there will likely be more trouble ahead – on both side... more »
Abortion Clinics That Killed Women in Botched Abortions Try to Hide Identities of Their Owners
[image: Jennifer - 400] An important case involving the non-disclosure of public records related to abortion clinics was heard by the Maryland Supreme Court, which engaged in lively questioning of both the attorney representing a pro-life activist who had requested public records and an... Continue reading *“Abortion Clinics That Killed Women in Botched Abortions Try to Hide Identities of Their Owners”* at *lifenews.com*.
Congressional Report: Obama Killing Open Government with ‘Secrecy’
[image: 1Barack_Obama_at_White_House_gun_violence_meeting] President Barack Obama's administration officials are perpetuating a "broken" and politicized Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process and are deliberately holding back public records to which Americans are entitled, a new congressional report finds. The executive branch "encourages an unlawful... more »
Forty-Nine of 50 States Will See Insurance Premium Hikes in 2016
[image: premium hikes] Forty-nine of 50 states will see premium hikes on the individual market in 2016, according to a tracker released by Freedom Partners, a Virginia-based non-profit. Every state with the exception of Mississippi will see their health insurance premiums rise in... Continue reading *“Forty-Nine of 50 States Will See Insurance Premium Hikes in 2016”* at *freebeacon.com*.
Handling Adversity: Vikings’ Walsh Takes Responsibility for Loss, Bengals Players Don’t
[image: Blair Walsh] Blair Walsh blew it for the Minnesota Vikings. Vontaze Burfict and Adam “Pacman” Jones did the same for the Cincinnati Bengals. Both teams should have moved on in the NFL playoffs but instead are done for the season, and those... Continue reading *“Handling Adversity: Vikings’ Walsh Takes Responsibility for Loss, Bengals Players Don’t”* at *latimes.com*.
Top 10 Things I'd Do if I Won the $1.4 Billion Powerball Jackpot
As I'm sure everyone knows, the Powerball jackpot is currently at $1.4 billion. This more than doubles the previous record for a North American lottery jackpot and is roughly two and a half times the previous record Powerball jackpot. No doubt, by Wednesday's drawing the kitty will get up to at least a billion and a half bucks. In the statistically astronomical odds one person wins it, that would be a one-time gross payout of almost a billion dollars, automatically making that person one of the few thousand richest people on earth. In the event Mrs. JP and I are the sole winner... more »
Heads up dear readers. If any of you have money in a big bank, pull it out before you lose it. Why? Play these videos. Ellen Brown is the banking guru and knows all about the "bail-ins" and about how soon the big banks will start robbing people's bank accounts (i.e., some time this year). And the Government has far to little cash to compensate anyone.
------------------------------ “Bail-ins Begin”: Interviews with Greg Hunter and Thom Hartmann Posted on January 10, 2016 by Ellen Brown My Dec. 29th article “Bail-ins Begin” prompted two video interviews, with Greg Hunter on USAWatchdog.com, and Thom Hartmann, below. https://youtu.be/2oehMznZd7w https://youtu.be/eSRPvMxIAb0 Cherchez la Verite
David Bowie and Mass Mourning
Apart from waking up to a river flowing through your bedroom, starts to the week don't get much shittier than this. I was up five minutes after Bowie's social media announced his passing to the world, and all day I've carried around this ball of melancholy and loss. David Bowie was part of my life for all of my life, and now he has gone away. Yet by any standards, you couldn't call me a fan. His tunes have blasted out of my speakers over the years, but not with the kind of regularity suggestive of an aficionado. I am someone who liked his material, knew all the big tunes, didn't own... more »
Trumpf Says When People Call Him P.T. Barnum He Takes It As A Compliment
I'd venture to guess that most people who have heard of Phineas Taylor Barnum (P.T. Barnum) think he coined the phrase "there's a sucker born every minute." He didn't, nor did Donald Trump, but both men have lived their lives as though they did. Barnum plagued American for most of the 19th Century, a hustler who Trumpf has modeled himself on. He was a businessman/showman, author and politician (briefly). He freely admitted that his actions were meant to "put money in my own coffers" and, more than anything else he considered himself "a showman by profession." His name is synonymou... more »
Even the Vatican is Commenting on the Passing of David Bowie
[image: David Bowie] ROME -- It's no surprise that after the death of British rock star David Bowie, tributes from around the globe poured in. From Madonna to British Prime Minister David Cameron, all paid respects after his death Sunday following an 18-month... Continue reading *“Even the Vatican is Commenting on the Passing of David Bowie”* at *cruxnow.com*.
TV Show on King David Described as Biblical Game of Thrones
[image: Game of Thrones - 400] A new TV show based on Samuel I, which tells the story of Israel's legendary King David, is being set up as a biblical Game of Thrones. The show's creators Adam Cooper and Bill Collage promise to stay true to the... Continue reading *“TV Show on King David Described as Biblical Game of Thrones”* at *breitbart.com*.
Spirituality and Music in Adversity + Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time
*Title: Spirituality and Music in Adversity. Source: World Science Festival. Date Published: March 5, 2015. Description:* Do people of different faiths react differently to music? Biblical scholar Elaine Pagels doesn't think so. She believes music reaches down to something deeper, especially during the worst of human traumas. Pagels and ABC News correspondent Bill Blakemore discuss this emergence of music and spirituality as a tool to extract meaning from adversity. *Title: Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. Source: LibraryOfCongress. Date Published: June 2, 2011. Description... more »
Starman Has Left The World Stage
The world mourned the death of the most influential musician of our era today, Starman David Bowie. The man who fell to earth and shared his celestial ingenuity in performance art and music here on earth with us has gone back to the stars. Former astronaut Chris Hadfield pays tribute to David Bowie with his version of the song “Space Oddity” aboard the International Space Station. Ashes to ashes, dust to stardust. Your brilliance inspired us all. Goodbye Starman. pic.twitter.com/FbcxlAzces — Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) January 11, 2016 Bowie left us his last album, Blackstar, as... more »
Beyond belief!
After all those brickbats, a couple of bouquets. First, this afternoon's *Beyond Belief *on Radio 4 on French secularism. It is well worth a listen. Its three guests were: Kay Chadwick, Reader in French Historical Studies at Liverpool University; Mona Siddiqui, professor of Islamic and Inter-religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh; and Natasha Lehrer, writer and literary editor of the Jewish Quarterly. The first part looked at the history of French secularism; the second part look at how French secularism stands now; and dividing the two parts was an interview with a Mu... more »
Gunfight at the Hokey Corral
Hillary Clinton loaded Gabby Giffords into her rifle, took aim at Bernie Sanders, and fired wildly. And she missed, very badly. Because judging from the latest polls, her Wells Fargo golden caravan of a campaign is edging dangerously close to Deadwood territory. Besides being grotesque and slimy, Clinton's use of shooting victim and gun control activist Gabby Giffords to typecast Bernie as a latter-day Gabby Hayes is downright persnickety, given Giffords' own pro-Second Amendment legislative record as a rootin tootin Blue Dog Conserva-Dem from Arizona. From *Politico: * * Former Ar...more »
Iran Has Removed The Core From Its Arak Heavy Water Nuclear Reactor
A general view of the Arak heavy-water project, 190 km (120 miles) southwest of Tehran January 15, 2011. REUTERS/ISNA/HAMID FOROOTAN/FILES *BBC*:* Iran fills Arak nuclear reactor core with concrete* Iran has removed the core of its Arak heavy-water nuclear reactor and filled it with cement, according to the country's official news agency Fars. The fate of the reactor was one of the toughest sticking points in Iran's long nuclear negotiations last year. Under the terms of the deal, Iran agreed the heavy-water reactor would be reconfigured so it was not capable of yielding material f... more »
Ted Cruz Will Be the GOP Nominee
[image: ted-cruz - 400] Yogi Berra said, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." But here goes. Barring a major political earthquake, Ted Cruz will be the GOP nominee later this year. As the primaries get under way, two or three candidates... Continue reading *“Ted Cruz Will Be the GOP Nominee”* at *townhall.com*.
Orwellian World Is Now- ANGKAR Says You Are As Good As Your THREAT SCORE
George Orwell’s Orwellian world of 1984 has eventually caught up with the present time. The Big Brother state is a reality now, ready to weed out the undesirable rebels among us. The US police are now labeling people according to their ‘Threat Score,’ a software which identifies how dangerous people are to the authorities. ‘Beware’ and listen out for future directives from Ingsoc ( The political ideology of the totalitarian government of Oceania in George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four- Wikipedia). Angkar (Khmer Rouge Communist Party of Kampuchea- Responsible for geno... more »
"There's a Star Man Waiting in the Sky" - RIP David Bowie
*1983- The Serious Moonlight Tour- Exhibition Stadium, Toronto, Ontario.* That's when the hubby and I saw David Bowie perform. Of course, hubby wasn't hubby then. He was my beau, though! The Ex was on at the time. So rides and stuff. Concert at night. In the course of our day at the Exhibition, I went to use one of the washrooms at the old Exhibition Stadium. ( Gone now) Up the stairs to some level, not sure which one? Beau at my side. ;) What do we see? The band tuning instruments and practicing. And it sure looked & sounded like David Bowie singing with band. No costume. Just jean... more »
Supplemental: The Times rediscovers Bill Clinton's "affair!"
*MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016Now coming, the year of the jackal:* This morning, on their hard-copy front page, the slow sad souls of the New York Times were very much in their element. The Times enjoys feigning interest/involvement in journalistic ethics. That said, at the end of the day, when the feigning is done, they *really* love discussing the behavior and exciting affairs of movie stars. Best of all? The exciting behavior and affairs of glamorous female stars of Mexican soap operas! At the end of the day, that's where these sad slow upper-class posers live! This morning, the s... more »
Leonard Peltier MRI confirms aneurysm
Dear Supporter, We promised to provide updates in relation to Leonard Peltier's current health crisis. Today, Leonard had a MRI which confirmed the physician's initial diagnosis. The test results (as to size and location of the aneurysm) will be reviewed by physicians who will consult with Leonard as to the best course of action. Do remember that Leonard is dealing with a bureaucracy
Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Baghdad Mall Attack That Killed at Least 18
[image: Iraqi security forces inspect the scene of the attack at a mall in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016. Gunmen stormed into a Baghdad mall on Monday after setting off a car bomb and launching a suicide attack at its entrance, killing at least a dozen people in the city’s mainly Shiite east, Iraqi officials said.] BAGHDAD (AP) -- The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Baghdad mall attack that killed 18 people on Monday. Gunmen stormed into the Jawhara Mall after setting off a car bomb and launching a suicide attack at its entrance.... more »
How Culturally-Relevant Teaching Affects Achievement
Abstract from a paper published by National Bureau of Economic Research: An extensive theoretical and qualitative literature stresses the promise of instructional practices and content aligned with the cultural experiences of minority students. Ethnic studies courses provide a growing but controversial example of such “culturally relevant pedagogy.” However, the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these courses is limited. In this study, we estimate the causal effects of an ethnic studies curriculum piloted in several San Francisco high schools. We rely on a “fuzzy” regressio... more »
Detroit Citizens Take Action to End Deplorable School Conditions
From the Detroit News: . . . .Teachers are upset by large class sizes, pay and benefit concessions, and a state plan to create a new, debt-free Detroit school district. DPS, which has been run by a series of state-appointed emergency managers since March 2009, has $515 million in past debts and unpaid vendor and pension bills. At a lunchtime rally outside DPS’s Fisher Building headquarters, teachers said the district’s students are being jeopardized by poor building conditions and a shortage of educational materials. Students lack textbooks and other supplies and come to learn in b...more »
Russian Stock Markets And The Ruble Are 'Tanking'
Maxim Stulov / Vedomosti *New York Times*:* Russian Shares and Ruble Fall as Oil Prices Continue to Tumble* MOSCOW — Russia’s main stock indexes plummeted on Monday, the first day of trading after a lengthy winter holiday here, as the drop in oil prices cast a pall over the country’s energy-dependent economy. The retreat for Russian shares was in line with declines on other exchanges around the world in the first week of the year, when financial markets in Moscow were closed for the Eastern Orthodox Christmas holiday. One broad index of Russian stocks, the Micex, closed 3.75 perce... more »
Cologne attackers were of migrant origin - minister per BBC News through gritted teeth
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35280386 through very gritted teeth that: 'The men suspected of attacking women in Cologne on New Year's Eve were "almost exclusively" from a migration background, mainly North African and Arab, an official report says.' But the BBC being the BBC, they have to try and lay the blame elsewhere: 'Cologne police also made "serious mistakes" in not calling reinforcements and the way they informed the public. More than 500 criminal complaints were filed, 40% alleging sexual assault.' And the BBC's main worry is the possibility of ret... more »
Quote of the Day: Challenge thyself
*"Refusing to truly understand those who disagree with you is intellectual laziness and worse, is usually worse than what you’re accusing the Other Side of doing."*~ Sean Blanda from his post 'The "Other Side" is Not Dumb' Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
The World Is Awash With Food
By Paul Homewood Flashback – March 2014 and the ever reliable Guardian! http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/31/climate-change-food-supply-un Climate change has already cut into the global food supply and is fuelling wars and natural disasters, but governments are unprepared to protect those most at risk, according to a report from the UN’s climate science panel. […]
Report: Terror Groups May Use Drones To Launch Bomb Attacks
*BBC:* *Warning over drones use by terrorists* Drones could be used by terrorist groups as "simple, affordable and effective airborne improvised explosive devices," says a report by London-based think tank the Remote Control Project. The authors suggest manufacturers should program drones with the GPS coordinates of no-fly zones. The British government should also relax regulations on radio frequency jammers, they add. In addition, they advise tighter UK licensing regulation. Currently in the UK, anyone can own and operate for non-commercial purposes a drone that weighs less than... more »
Fry the Spy
*Stephen Fry is like the Pope to all atheists, liberals, cynics and Anglophiles* *Stephen Fry - The Liar.* *Fears for Stephen Fry after he quits play* Concern was growing last night over the comedian Stephen Fry, who shocked the theatre world by pulling out of his new West End play in "emotional turmoil" just three days after its opening. A spokesman for his agents said Fry had not been in touch since Saturday night and they did not know where he was. He was not responding to phone calls. "We are concerned about him," he said. Simon Gray, who wrote the play Cell Mates which co... more »
Clinton Emails: Top Aides Urged Sparking Palestinian Protests to Pressure Israel
[image: FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, file photo, people look at the scene of a shooting attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, in which an Arab gunman killed two people and wounded six others, then escaped and later killed an Arab taxi driver. The gunman, who authorities have identified as Nashat Milhem, was slain Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, in a shootout with police special forces near the Arab town of Arara in northern Israel, where he is from, according to a police spokeswoman. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File)] Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton considered a secret plan created by her ... more »
"Look up here, I'm in Heaven!"
Painting by David Vigor
Renewable energy researcher recycled material, agrees to withdraw 10 papers
Investigations at two institutions at Taiwan determined in 2013 that a renewable energy researcher duplicated his own work; the researcher agreed to pull 10 papers. A total of six have been withdrawn or retracted, two in November, 2015. Shyi-Min Lu is the corresponding author on the two newly retracted papers, from Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. The retractions follow investigations at the […] The post Renewable energy researcher recycled material, agrees to withdraw 10 papers appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Never, ever
*Woman's Hour *was on my mind as, by some strange stroke of fate, I was just listening to an interview between Jane Garvey and Gordon Brown's former pollster Deborah Mattinson (as you do). Something Jane Garvey said struck me as worth noting down for posterity - though I'm not quite sure why. Nevertheless, here goes... Jane started by doing that thing you* used* to hear quite a lot from the BBC when they started talking about the EU (as well as that thing the BBC are *still doing - *namely calling the EU 'Europe'): So to Europe then. Now, I am begging you not to nod off or turn of... more »
China Rejects Vietnam's Complaints That Its Landings In The South China Sea Threaten Regional Air Security
A photo released by Chinese official Xinhua News Agency shows a China Southern Airlines civilian plane landing Wednesday at an airstrip on the Fiery Cross Reef in a disputed area of the South China Sea PHOTO: HANDOUT/REUTERS *Reuters*: *China defends South China Sea reef landings after Vietnam complaint* Jan 11 China on Monday rejected a complaint from Vietnam that China had failed to notify it about flights to an island it has built in disputed waters in the South China Sea saying it was a China's territory and it did not need to notify anyone. Chinese civilian aircraft have con... more »
What do Dame Jenni and Jane have to say about Cologne?
Here's a curious thing: If you look back through the *Woman's Hour *archive for 2016, you'll find they *haven't* discussed the extraordinary wave of attacks on women on New Year's Eve across several European countries. Whether you're a fussy eater or not, a restaurant offering work to migrant women, bisexuality, whether allowing MPs to vote from home would make parliament more family-friendly, etc - all of *those* have been discussed, but not the wave of attacks on women in Cologne and other cities across Europe. Strange, isn't it?
Report: Carson Loses Most of N.H. Super-PAC Staff to Cruz
[image: super-PAC staff] Ben Carson’s presidential aspirations have taken another hit with nearly his entire super-PAC staff in that state quitting to support his rival Ted Cruz. The original story from New Hampshire’s WMUR said that all five paid New Hampshire staff at the main pro-Carson... Continue reading *“Report: Carson Loses Most of N.H. Super-PAC Staff to Cruz”* at *thehill.com*.
‘Spiritually Suicidal’: Theologian Unveils 7 Reasons Why He Says Christians Shouldn’t Play the Lottery
[image: lottery - 400] Prominent pastor and theologian John Piper recently penned a blog post unveiling the seven reasons that he believes Christians shouldn't play the lottery, saying that it is "spiritually suicidal." In addition to citing his views on the spiritual toll, Piper,... Continue reading *“‘Spiritually Suicidal’: Theologian Unveils 7 Reasons Why He Says Christians Shouldn’t Play the Lottery”* at *theblaze.com*.
Tesla’s Work RE-created
*Derrick Broze* - Could Jim Murray continue Tesla's work and help solve the world's energy problems? The post Tesla’s Work RE-created appeared first on Waking Times.
Meteorite Older Than Earth Discovered in Australia
Geologists have discovered a meteorite fragment, estimated to be 4.5 billion years old, in the outback of Australia. After a greenish fireball streaked above the Australian Outback in November, meteorite researchers went hunting for the space rock that had caused the cosmic display. The team of researchers from Curtin University managed to retrieve the old rock out of the salty mud near a remote lake bed in the desert… and just moments before heavy rains would have washed it away Science Alert reports: The recovery operation involved a network of 32 remote camera observatories, a ... more »
Photos Oak Flat Solidarity and Protection by Sandra Rambler
Article and photos by Sandra Rambler San Carlos Apache Censored News On Jan. 10th, some San Carlos Apaches stood in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples at Chi'Chil'Bilda'Goteel (Oak Flat) to protect their sacred, holy and ancestral lands throughout the continent. The Protect Oak Flat Bills introduced by Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva in the House and also introduced by Vermont
The Collapse In Oil Prices Continues
*CNBC/Reuters:* *US crude dips below $31, hits fresh 12-year low* Oil prices fell for a sixth session to a new 12-year low on Monday as slowing growth in China rattled investors' hopes for demand this year and traders increased bets against any near-term recovery. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down $2.06 at $31.10 per barrel by 1:20 p.m. EDT (1820 GMT), having briefly dipped below $31 to the lowest level since December 2003. Brent crude futures were down by $2.15 at $31.40 a barrel, after falling to the lowest level since April 2004. Speculators increased their net-... more »
In Memory of Bowie, "Everyone Says Hi!"
Everyone Says Hi, Cover by Fife Monroe....
Revolving Doors At Decc
By Paul Homewood h/t stewgreen http://utilityweek.co.uk/news/renewableuk-appoints-new-chief-executive-from-decc/1203972#.VpP0LVlnH7x From Utility Week: McNeal is to take up the post of chief executive at the trade body in April. He said: “It will be a privilege to represent an industry which is playing such a vital role in providing safe, secure power for our country’s […]
Fall-Out From North Korea's Nuclear Test Continues
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un salutes during a visit to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces on the occasion of the new year, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 10, 2016. REUTERS/KCNA *Reuters*: *North Korea overcomes poverty, sanctions with cut-price nukes* North Korea has developed a nuclear weapons program despite poverty and international sanctions, using home-grown technology and virtually free labor to cut costs, experts said. South Korean government analysis has put North Korea's nuclear spending at $1.1 billi... more »
Acceptance...of what you BE, the Everest of Self Discovery
January 11, 2016 By American Kabuki What follows is a journey to acceptance. A journey that is not easy, Everest is probably easier. Everest just requires perseverance and prior physical training. Everest doesn't require you to question everything you believe about who you are. I haven't share many private thoughts for a good while on this blog. Its probably similar to your journey so perhaps my struggles with it, can aid you in your journey. Or not... you may not even understand a word of what follows. Some won't. I get that. At least not yet. Your journey will not be the sa... more »
As Russia Targets Daesh In Syria, Reinforcements Arrive Via Turkey
Russian aircraft have conducted over 300 sorties and hit nearly 1,100 Daesh terrorist targets in Syria since the beginning of 2016, according to an announcement by the Russian General Staff on Monday. He added that terrorist groups operating in Syria continue to receive reinforcements via Turkey Sputnik reports: “With the help of the Russian aviation the Syrian Democratic Forces under the command of Ayman Flyat al-Ganim continue the advance on the Daesh capital — Raqqa. They have taken control over al-Salhiya, Rdzheman-Alaia, el-Qria and Hadriyat-Ayn-Isa,”Rudskoy said. Terrorist gro... more »
"How It Really Is"
*I just couldn't resist...* *;-)*
"Only In Britain?"
"Only in Britain could it be thought a defect to be 'too clever by half.' The probability is that too many people are too stupid by three-quarters." - John Major "*Only* in Britain?" Mr. Prime Minister, I respectfully disagree...
Russian TV Covers Star Wars & U.S.-NATO Military Aggression
РАДИУС ПОРАЖЕНИЯ from GOOD EMPIRE on Vimeo. This is a new Russian TV documentary on Star Wars and US-NATO expansion up to Russia's borders. The documentary maker came to Bath, Maine last October 31 to film our protest at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) 'christening' of another Aegis destroyer outfitted with so-called missile defense systems. The filmmaker told me he had recently watched the documentary Pax Americana & the Weaponization of Space and was inspired to cover the issue. I was interviewed for the Russian film as was fellow Global Network board member Wolfgang Schlup-Hauck in... more »
In 10 Months, This Cafe Has Fed 10,000 People With 20 Tons Of Unwanted Food
*Amanda Froelich* - A quickly-spreading project is repurposing unwanted food for a worthy cause. The post In 10 Months, This Cafe Has Fed 10,000 People With 20 Tons Of Unwanted Food appeared first on Waking Times.
Militants Storm Baghdad Mall Taking Hostages
*Wall Street Journal*: *At Least 29 People Killed in Two Attacks in Iraq* *Nine people killed in siege at Baghdad mall; 20 people killed by bombings in cafe in Muqdadiya* BAGHDAD—At least 29 people have been killed in two attacks in Iraq on Monday evening, one took place at a shopping mall in eastern Baghdad and the other outside a cafe in a city northeast of the capital. The assault on the shopping mall was carried out by two attackers, who killed at least nine people and wounded 13 others, Iraqi officials said. The attackers detonated a parked car bomb outside the Al-Jawhara mal... more »
First Aid Shipments Arrive In Syrian Cities Suffering From Starvation
*CNN*:* First aid shipment in months reaches besieged Madaya; starving Syrians weep* (CNN)The first shipment of foreign aid since October reached the besieged Syrian city of Madaya on Monday, bringing starving residents to tears at the sight, a United Nations source told CNN. Four trucks carrying food and blankets had moved into the city by about 5.30 p.m. Monday local time, the source said. The rest of the 44-truck convoy, carrying medicine and other supplies, was expected to enter the city shortly afterward, the source said. Shocking images of starving residents of the rebel-he... more »
Measles Transmitted By The Vaccinated, Gov. Researchers Confirm
*Sayer Ji *- 18% of the measles cases occurred in those who had been vaccinated against it. The post Measles Transmitted By The Vaccinated, Gov. Researchers Confirm appeared first on Waking Times.
Heckler: ‘Marco Rubio Is Owned by Jews! Jews and Freemasons!’
[image: anti-Rubio heckler] "Marco Rubio is owned by Jews! Jews and freemasons!" shouted a heckler, jumping up out of his seat. Those in attendance were not amused. The man behind the interrupter pushed him back down into his chair, while the crowd chanted... Continue reading *“Heckler: ‘Marco Rubio Is Owned by Jews! Jews and Freemasons!’”* at *tabletmag.com*.
The Truth About The "Most Moral" Force On The Planet: IDF Officer Promotional Examination!
It has been a while since I last posted an article here at this blog that was focused specifically on the criminal and psychotic state of Israel and their actions against the people that had the true rights to the land that the Jews have stolen to create that psycho state...The Palestinians..... Therefore I do have some catching up to do.... I came across the following report that has been posted at Greg Bacon's website: "Goon Squad" at www.careandwashingofthebrain.blogspot.com, and it does paint a true picture of the criminals that call themselves falsely the "most moral force" on ... more »
Sanders: "Clinton is Right, Electability Is Enormously Important, and We Are the Campaign That’s Going to Win"
*A nice reminder: Bernie Sanders' classic 2003 take-down of Alan Greenspan. The phrase to watch from Greenspan is "wealth-creation." He means billionaire wealth, of course.* *by Gaius Publius* Last summer I wrote a piece entitled "The Clinton Campaign Notices the Sanders Campaign." I could have titled this one, "The Sanders Campaign Notices the Sanders Campaign," meaning, publicly points out their own real strength. The news: Bernie Sanders has added something startling to his stump speech — a direct and repeated counter to Clinton's claim of greater "electability." As we've been...more »
Big Pharma Not Happy: 80% of Cannabis Users Give Up Prescription Drugs
Big Pharma must be getting seriously worried by the results of a recent survey conducted by the Centre for Addictions Research of BC The pharmaceutical (along with the alcohol) industry is a powerful influences in Washington and has long been lobbying against cannabis legalization in order to protect their profits. Natural Blaze reports: However, the tide has turned as decriminalization of medical and recreational cannabis sweeps the nation and the continent. With legalization, more and more people are discovering how this plant can provide a safe alternative to the dangerous effect... more »
Householders Flooded Near Fracking Sites Face Insurance Double-Whammy
UK householders who were recently flooded could face an insurance double-whammy if they live within a five-mile radius of shale gas exploration sites. As the great flood clean-up continues, many householders are now battling with their insurance companies. Some are discovering that they now face an insurance “double whammy” especially if they live in one of the areas covered by the new fracking licences announced by before Christmas by the Government. The Independent reports: Many of the UK’s best known insurance companies will not insure against fracking-related damage, an investig... more »
Suffragette City - David Bowie
https://youtu.be/CEkXAHIKdKI Wham bam thank you David...
FBI’s Clinton Probe Expands to Include Possible Public Corruption
[image: Hillary Clinton - 432] The FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of private email as secretary of state has expanded to look at whether the possible "intersection" of Clinton Foundation work and State Department business may have violated public corruption laws, three intelligence sources not authorized to... Continue reading *“FBI’s Clinton Probe Expands to Include Possible Public Corruption”* at *foxnews.com*.
Refugee Gangs Sexually Assault Teenage Girls at Swedish Festival Two Years in a Row
[image: We are Sthlm music festival - 900] Sexual assaults by gangs of refugees -- similar to the events in Cologne, Germany on New Year's Eve -- happened two years in a row at a music festival in Stockholm, Sweden. Police allegedly kept the events quiet in attempts...more »
Labour Leader Corbyn’s Twitter Account Hacked, Calls Cameron A ‘Pie’
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party in the UK, has called his opponent, the British Prime Minister David Cameron, a ‘pie,’ according to reports. The Labour leader’s Twitter account was hacked by a a rogue tweeter on Sunday evening, and a number of profanity-filled messages embarrassingly appeared online. Jeremy Corbyn is a softly spoken, gentle revolutionary man of the left and for the masses who is not known for uttering nonsense, yet. The offensive tweets were deleted after the slander came to light. RT reports: One tweet mirrored Corbyn’s strong anti-nuclear ... more »
IVF embryo paper pulled for plagiarism, errors, lack of permissions
A journal is pulling an article (with approval of “most” of the authors) because a similar paper had already been published in Chinese. That wasn’t the only problem with “Aneuploidy analysis of non-pronuclear embryos from IVF with use of array CGH: a case report,” published in the Journal of Molecular Histology. The retraction note lists the three things […] The post IVF embryo paper pulled for plagiarism, errors, lack of permissions appeared first on Retraction Watch.
6 Presidential Hopefuls Take ‘Problem Solver Promise’
[image: Chris Christie - 900] CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- Six presidential hopefuls have found some common ground on the nation’s future, according to a bipartisan group created to bridge the divide between Republicans, Democrats and independents. No Labels, formed after the 2010 midterm elections, is... more »
Pope Francis Calls on Diplomats to Protect Marriage, Respond to Migrants with Mercy and Sobriety
[image: Pope Francis Warm - 900] In a robust plea to address the migrant crisis in Europe with mercy and sobriety, and to defend the role of marriage and family, Pope Francis addressed the corps of diplomats accredited to the Holy See on Monday. An annual... more »
The Teicher Affidavit
Wobbly Lines in the Sand By Joseph E. Persico; Published: May 9, 1993 TWIN PILLARS TO DESERT STORM America's Flawed Vision in the Middle East From Nixon to Bush. By Howard Teicher and Gayle Radley Teicher. Illustrated. 418 pp. New York: William Morrow & Company. $23. HOWARD TEICHER, mad as hell and apparently not going to take it anymore, is caustic about United States Middle East policies. He is scornful of major figures he worked under, principally Ronald Reagan and Caspar W. Weinberger, and angry over his shabby treatment at the hands of a Government he served for 10 years. M... more »
THE YEAR OF THE LIBERAL: Cooper pretends to stage town hall forum!
*MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016Interlude—Todd pretends to interview Trump:* Is it true? In the realm of journalism, was 2015 really "the year of the liberal?" That's what it says around here. We *don't* mean that as a compliment. Last week, we offered a tiny overview of the claim that 2015 was the year of liberal dumbness. This week, we'll start exploring the claim that 2015 was also the year of liberal *narrative.* The dumbness, and the turn to liberal narrative, work quite well together. That said, our liberal dumbness has been dominant for decades now, most often expressed through... more »
AEP’s Weekly Renewables Rant
By Paul Homewood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12090394/Britain-abandons-onshore-wind-just-as-new-technology-makes-it-cheap.html AEP is off on another of his weekly renewable rants! Apparently Vestas are unhappy that we won’t let them build giant wind turbines over 125 meters high. We are then told that we are ditching onshore wind, just when it is so cheaper than any other source […]
‘David Cameron Is dead’ Says Radio Presenter By Mistake
A newsreader with Heart FM accidentally announced the death of British Prime Minister David Cameron live on air today. While reading the news Fiona Winchester got mixed up and read out Cameron’s name instead of David Bowie, who sadly passed away from cancer last night. RT reports: As the world awoke on Monday to mourn the death of British music icon Bowie, the broadcast journalist made the embarrassing gaffe during a morning news bulletin, in which she accidentally said “David Cameron has died.” When she became aware of the mistake, she quickly corrected herself and replaced the PM’...more »
American Artist Found Strangled In Her Italian Apartment
A murder investigation is under way in Florence after Italian police found the body of a 35-year-old American woman in her apartment. Ashley Ann Olsen was found dead with strangulation marks on her neck in her bedroom by her boyfriend, on Saturday. Olsen was well known in Florence’s artistic neighborhoods. The Guardian reports: Her body was discovered on Saturday after Olsen’s Italian boyfriend asked her landlady to open her apartment because she wasn’t responding to his calls, the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera reported. Both the victim’s boyfriend and friends are said... more »
Number of Americans Who Identify as Democrats Hits Lowest Level in 27 Years
[image: voters - 400] There are far fewer people who identify as either Republicans or Democrats these days, according to a Gallup poll released Monday. Instead, political independents maintain their lead as the dominant voting group for the fifth consecutive year. Gallup reports that... Continue reading *“Number of Americans Who Identify as Democrats Hits Lowest Level in 27 Years”* at *theweek.com*.
‘The Bear in a China Shop’
[image: Michael Ramirez cartoon - 1-10-16 - 900]
The Latest: Newspaper Photos Appear to Show Penn Monitored
[image: Sean Penn - 900] MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The latest on the capture of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, his meeting with Sean Penn and efforts to send Guzman to the United States (all times local): 8:15 a.m. Actor Sean Penn says... more »
Hugh Sykes again
For those who aren't allergic to Twitter conversations, here's DB's encounter with Hugh Sykes (almost) in full (following on from yesterdays' *Broadcasting House*)... (If you're not into Twitter you might like to think of it as an epistolary short story!) And here's Part Two: DB gatecrashing a love-in between Hugh and a fan:
Lights Out: The Top 7 Threats to America’s Power Grid
[image: Power grid supply] Revelations earlier last week that hackers linked to Russia attacked and took down the Ukrainian power grid are bringing to light once again major threats to the American power grid. "There's this combination of federal and state-level programs that are aimed at shutting... more »
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