10:15pm MST
As The Top U.S. Commander In Afghanistan Prepares To Leave, He Promises That U.S. Forces Are Here To Stay
U.S. Army General John Campbell, the commander of international and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, speaks during a news conference at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan February 13, 2016. REUTERS/OMAR SOBHANI *Washington Post*: *The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan is leaving, but the troops are staying* KABUL — Gen. John. F. Campbell, commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan, arrived here 18 months ago expecting to be the U.S. military leader who would bring the war to a close. On Saturday, as he prepares to hand-off command to his successor, Campbell was instea... more »
Republican Strategists Are Beginning To Realize Hillary Isn't Being Embraced By Democratic Voters
Last week, writing for *The Intercept*, Lee Fang reported that the Clinton campaign is stuffed full of advisors and fundraisers who were lobbyists working to kill Obamacare and Dodd-Frank. That's the Clinton Machine, her team and her allies-- corrupt lobbyists working against progressive values on every level. Hillary Clinton is campaigning as a guardian of President Barack Obama’s progressive policy accomplishments. In recent weeks, she has called the Affordable Care Act “one of the greatest accomplishments of President Obama, of the Democratic Party, and of our country,” and p... more »
RPG Review: Star Wars - Edge of the Empire
Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you? - Han Solo, *Star Wars IV: A New Hope* In my somehow close to 35 years of gaming there's certain types of games I've played a lot of. There's D&D of course, as well as related games such as *Dungeon Crawl Classics *and *ACKS*. Over the past several years I've played a ton of *Call of Cthulhu*. Though it's been a long time since I played it, in the 80's, 90's and early 00's I played a ton of *Star Trek*, mainly by FASA and Last Unic... more »
Will Iraq Still Be A Unified Nation After The Islamic State Has Been Defeated?
Sunni refugees from Ramadi arriving at Baghdad. Reuters *New York Times*: *Sunni Resentment Muddles Prospect of Reunifying Iraq After ISIS* AMIRIYAT FALLUJA, Iraq — When Iraqi ground forces and American aircraft began assaulting the city of Ramadi more than a month ago, Ghusoon Muhammed and her family fled to the government’s front line, as did many other Sunni Arab families who had been trapped for months. Soldiers sent her and the children one way, and her husband another, to be interrogated in a detention facility. She has not seen him or heard from him since. She and her child... more »
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Dies, Creating Election Year Vacancy on Court
[image: scalia.flickr] Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died from natural causes while visiting friends in West Texas on Saturday morning. He was 79. News of the conservative justice's death was first reported by the San Antonio Express and later confirmed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Shortly... more »
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Warns That If The Syrian Political Process Fails, Syrian President Assad Must Be Removed 'By Force'
*CNN*: *Saudi Arabia official: If all else fails, remove Syria's Assad by force* Munich, Germany (CNN)Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says if the Syrian political process fails, President Bashar al-Assad will have to be removed "by force." "I believe Bashar al-Assad is weak and I believe Bashar al-Assad is finished," Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview in Munich, Germany. Saudi Arabia is prepared to contribute ground troops to the fight in Syria, but only as part of a U.S.-led coalition, he said. "Bashar al-Assa... more »
How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins - YouTube
How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins - YouTube
When Ignorance Isn’t Bliss: The Truth About the Diamond Industry
*Cortland Pfeffer* - The diamond industry has brainwashed a generation of people. The post When Ignorance Isn’t Bliss: The Truth About the Diamond Industry appeared first on Waking Times.
Turkey Launches Attacks Against Kurdish Militia in Syria
*Reuters*: *Turkey strikes Kurdish militia in Syria, demands it withdraw* Turkey's military shelled Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria on Saturday and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu demanded that the group withdraw from the area in a move that further complicated the conflict across the NATO member's border. The shelling took place after Kurdish YPG fighters backed by Russian bombing raids drove Syrian rebels from a former military air base, south of the town of Azaz and near the Turkish border. "Today retaliation was taken under the rules of engagement against forces that... more »
Boeing Believes There Is Still A Future In Its F/A-18 Fighter Production Line
A F/A-18E Super Hornet of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-31) comes in to land onboard the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), in the Gulf August 12, 2014. REUTERS/HAMAD I MOHAMMED *Reuters*: *Exclusive: Boeing nears decision to self-fund more F/A-18 fighters* Boeing Co (BA.N) is nearing a decision to invest "a significant amount" to keep a F/A-18E/F fighter jet production line in St. Louis running as it waits for the U.S. government to approve a delayed order by Kuwait for 28 jets, a senior executive said. Dan Gillian, who runs Boeing's F/A-18E/F and E... more »
U.S. Approves Sale Of F-16 Fighter Jets To Pakistan
A Taiwan Air Force U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet gets washed after a drill at the Chiayi Air Force base, southern Taiwan, January 26, 2016. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang *Reuters:* U.S. OKs sale of 8 Lockheed F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan - Pentagon The U.S. government said on Friday it had approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp, radar and other equipment in a deal valued at $699 million. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, said it had notified lawmakers about the possible deal. The agenc... more »
As North Korea's Builds-Up Its Nuclear Arsenal, What's Next?
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stands and applauds. REUTERS *David Maxwell, The Verge:* *The North Korean Threat: Where Do We Go From Here?* *After its latest test of a long-range rocket, the nuclear threat from North Korea has re-emerged as a major global challenge.* Here is the bottom line: The only way that we will have an end to the nuclear and missile programs as well as the human atrocities and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim Family Regime is through a unification pr... more »
Pentagon Tells Kurds NO to Seizing New Territory- Turkey cease firing and more
As mentioned in yesterday’s post: From Aleppo to Munich and Back- The Ceasefire that isn't*- Kerry told reporters the ceasefire would not apply to extremist groups including Isis and the al-Nusra Front.* I pointed out that the ceasefire would apply to the YPG. But they would ignore it. *“The ceasefire does apply to the Kurdish PKK militias backed by NATO. They will ignore it.”* And of course they did. *The text of the agreement is here * *Relevant section as follows:* “ b) *ensure effective communications among all parties to promote compliance and rapidly de-escalate tensions*; c)... more »
U.S. Deploys Patriot Missiles To South Korea
U.S. Patriot missile system © Osman Orsal / Reuters *FOX News*: *US military deploys more Patriot missiles in South Korea* The U.S. temporarily deployed an additional Patriot missile battery in South Korea late Friday in response to North Korea’s nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch, ahead of talks next week to set up an even more sophisticated missile defense system. There was no immediate word from the Pentagon on the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile system, something that China and Russia wouldn’t view favorably. The extra Patriot ... more »
Pentagon Report: ' North Korean Military Highly Trained And Eqiuiped'
*CNN: Pentagon*: *North Korean special forces 'highly trained, well-equipped'* Washington (CNN)A new Pentagon report concludes that North Korea "is committed to developing a long-range, nuclear-armed missile that is capable of posing a direct threat to the United States." The report, required by law, updates Congress regularly on the status of and changes in North Korea's military capabilities. While the report, released Friday, was written prior to Pyongyang's recent nuclear test and satellite launch, it underscores the regime's devotion of large amounts of funding to modernizin... more »
Turkish Military Shells Kurdish Fighters & Assad Forces
The Turkish military has been shelling Syrian government forces in Aleppo and Latakia , while also hitting Kurdish fighters near the city of Azaz in northwestern Syria. This is a serious escalation that will likely prompt a Russian response. The air base that had recently been retaken from Islamist rebels was struck a massive attack. According to RT: Anatolia news agency reported that the Turkish military hit Syrian government forces on Saturday, adding that the shelling had been in response to fire inflicted on a Turkish military guard post in Turkey’s southern Hatay region. Turkish... more »
Scalia (1936-2016)
*We mustn't pretend that Justice Ninowas anything but, you know, what he was* Futurama Wiki *by Ken* It happens every time an American officeholder dies leaving behind a record of evil: Amid the conventional pieties about the great sorrow, the great evil gets lost in the shuffle. In the case of that giant blowhard Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court justice whose sudden death came as such a shock today, it's especially important not to let the subject pass through with the usual pieties. In a word, Nino Scalia was a monster, and leaves behind an almost unbroken 30-year career of ... more »
A Fifth Of Britain's Spy Agency's Intelligence Comes From Hacking
It's the first time that GCHQ have admitted to carrying out hacking in the UK (Ministry of Defence - Wikimedia Commons) *The Telegraph*:* Fifth of GCHQ intelligence comes from hacking* The spy agency reveals scale of so-called equipment interference as it wins human rights challenge A fifth of GCHQ intelligence comes from hacking in to phones and computers, the agency has revealed, as it won a human rights victory over its once secret technique. The spy agency admitted last year that it regularly hacks electronic devices – known as equipment interference – to gather data on suspec... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Found Dead At West Texas Ranch 10,000 Greek Farmers Stage Massive Revolt In Athens, Destroy Police Cars In Venezuela, "Savage Suffering" Takes Hold Amid Frightening "Food Emergency" Welcome To Obama's Recovery: Carrier Moving 1400 Jobs To Mexico The World's Top Performing Hedge Fund Just Went Record Short, Explains Why America's Corrupt Media – How Reporters Took Direct Orders From Hillary's Staff Americans Have Never Been Fatter: Obesity Rate Rises To Highest Level On Record North Korea has a strange and surprisingly effectiv... more »
Washington Wants To Capture Raqqa To Break Up Syria
The US-led coalition is competing with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in a race to reach and liberate Raqqa from ISIS. Should the SAA fail to liberate Raqqa from the terrorists then Syria could be permanently broken up, with the help of a U.S. led coalition that includes Kurdish, Turkish, Saudi and western agendas. Sputnik reports: Over the last few days, the 555th Brigade of the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Mechanized Division, backed by pro-government militias, has continued to gain ground in northeast Syria. It has moved toward the Al-Raqqa Governorate’s strategic Tabaqa Military Airport. O... more »
In Victory or Dissent, Scalia Was a Man of Strong Principle
[image: Justice Antonin Scalia - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia kept your attention, whether you liked him or not. He was a big personality who rather enjoyed the spotlight, and he did not often shy from controversy. Scalia deeply influenced a generation... more »
BWorld 43, More on WESM, PEMC and DOE
* This is my article in BusinessWorld last February 11, 2016. When the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA, RA 9136) was enacted, among the provisions is the creation of an independent market operator (IMO) to manage the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). EPIRA Section 30 says that *“...Not later than one (1) year after the implementation of the wholesale electricity spot market, an independent entity shall be formed and the functions, assets and liabilities of the market operator shall be transferred to such entity with the joint endorsement of the Department ... more »
Chinese Families Say MH370 Never Crashed
Families of passengers who were on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have said there is a lack of evidence proving that the missing Boeing 777 ever crashed – hinting that authorities investigating the “crash” may be part of a cover-up. Families of the missing Chinese passengers say that the surface and underwater searches have not unearthed anything relevant, despite the investigations covering over four million square kilometres. Themalaysianinsider.com reports: In a statement released today, they said the Malaysian authorities did not explain their delay in releasi... more »
Caught On Camera: Satanic Ceremony Speech Held In Washington, DC
This video shows what appears to be a satanic ceremony being held at the Capitol Washington, DC. According to the video’s description: This Satanic Ceremony was held at the Capitol, directly accepted and sponsored by the state, protected by Governments, to let them carry this out. Satanism runs over the world stronger than ever, controlled by the Dark Emperor Satan himself, ruling from the planet Saturn, where the Black Cube has it’s mind-controlling origin and effects upon the people, letting demons out in the world, possessing people, including Those in Power, and turning the Wor... more »
Russian Prime Minister Announces 2016 Cold War
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said that relations between the West and Russia have deteriorated so badly that a new Cold War has been launched in 2016. “On an almost daily basis, we are being described the worst threat – be it to Nato as a whole, or to Europe, America or other countries,” Medvedev said. “Sometimes I wonder if this is 2016 or 1962,” he went on. BBC News reports: The Cold War was a period of ideological confrontation between the former Soviet Union and Western countries. It began after World War Two and ended with the collapse of the Soviet-led communist ... more »
Venezuela Runs Out Of Food As Country Suffers Financial Collapse
After years of rationing and food shortages Venezuela has announced that the country does not have enough food to feed its population – declaring a national “nutritional emergency” throughout the country. The lack of food comes amid an economic collapse that has now reached a point that threatens the lives of people living in Venezuela. Zengardner.com reports: Many people expect an economic collapse to be shocking, instant, and dramatic, but really, it’s far more gradual than that. It looks like empty shelves, long lines, desperate government officials trying to cover their tushes, ... more »
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Found Dead
Senior U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, the longest serving judge of the Supreme Court has been found dead at a luxury resort in west Texas. According to reports the 79-year-old conservative judge died of natural causes on Saturday during a hunting trip. The Telegraph reports: His body was found when he did not appear for breakfast at ranch in West Texas, according to local reports. KVIA, a TV station, said he had reported feeling unwell after a day of quail hunting on Friday. A conservative, he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reag... more »
WW3: Russia Deploy Cruise Missile Ship To Syria
Russia have deployed a new cruise missile warship towards Syria on Saturday armed with Kalibr anti-ship missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry’s head of Black Sea Fleet’s information department confirmed that the Zeleny Dol Buyan-M class corvette departed Russia’s permanent naval task force. “Today, the Zeleny Dol missile corvette and the Kovrovets minesweeper of the Black Sea Fleet left [the Crimean port of] Sevastopol to begin carrying out tasks as part of Russia’s permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean,” Vyacheslav Trukhachev said. Presstv.ir reports: The Russian offici...more »
Angela Merkel’s Handler Revealed To Be Jesuit Mario Draghi
The Financial Times have revealed in a recent article that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “handler” is the head of the European Central Bank and Jesuit Mario Draghi. According to the FT, Draghi manipulated Merkel to centralize financial power within Europe. Ktfnews.com reports: And German officials insist that Angela Merkel, the powerful third term German Chancellor, did not back Draghi’s policies of centralization of banking to clear the way for the European Central Bank to start buying Eurozone bonds. She obviously wanted centralization too in order to achieve greater forced i... more »
10 Basic New Age Deceptions and How to Correct Them
*Waking Times* - The new age movement doesn't hold much promise for a better future. Here's why. The post 10 Basic New Age Deceptions and How to Correct Them appeared first on Waking Times.
Inequality 29, More on Oxfam, squatters and a lamborghini
A friend commented on my critique of the Oxfam paper and said that it is not only Oxfam that questions rising inequality, there are also some reference to the Credit Suisse report, the last Davos conference saying that inequality as "deepening", and Piketty says the same thing. My main issue here is against bad math. The numerator, world's top billionaires (numbers from Forbes) is cumulative wealth of the top 80, or top 100, etc. rich individuals, accumulated after 4, 5, 7 decades. But denominator is wealth of a country for 1 year. Numerator will be bloated while denominator is rel... more »
Musical Interlude: “El Condor Pasa”
PERU, “El Condor Pasa” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_gSydN_BYM And of course... Simon & Garfunkel, "El Condor Pasa" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pey29CLID3I
Black Man Wounded in Baton Rouge Shootout With Police
[image: Officers investigate the scene of a shooting in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Police officers who were shot early Saturday during a confrontation with a suspect were responding to a call about someone damaging property. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)] BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A local prosecutor says he believes police were justified in firing back at a man they had chased through a Baton Rouge neighborhood before dawn Saturday. Neighbors awakened by the gunbattle say dozens of shots were... more »
Is Operation Choke Point Still Happening? A Business Owner’s Story
[image: Small bank_cropped_compressed] Running his business, Gregory Bone says he did "everything we could" to avoid a conflict. His industry -- payday lending -- is overseen by state and federal officials. But despite his clean record, Bone said U.S. Bank informed him on Jan.... more »
RIP Tony Scalia (1936-2016)
#RWNJs mourn the death of Justice Tony #Scalia, a man who did for jurisprudence what Hitler did for tap dancing. pic.twitter.com/CW0g84pK5A — Robert Crawford (@jurassicpork59) February 13, 2016 More later. It'll take a while for Mikey Flannigan to catalog all this man's evils.
Back to the Snye and MacDonald Island
Having exhausted the number of bird species I can reasonably expect to see around the house, I decided to expand my territory somewhat and do a little bird watching down around the Snye and MacDonald Island. It's actually been quite awhile since I had been there and while I have headed there for a little bird-watching in the past, its not something I've tried this time of year. It was a bit chilly and overcast but bearable and nothing like the cold that the eastern part of the country is getting hammered with at the moment so I really couldn't complain. The Snye as seen from the cau... more »
Turkey And Saudi Arabia Prepare For War Against Russia
As Turkey continues to build up its military presence on the Syrian border, Saudi Arabia have announced their plans to launch a ground operation in Syria alongside the the United States. Russia have accused both countries of using Syria as an excuse to wage a coordinated attack against Russia. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that the possibility of a large-scale war in the Middle East is almost inevitable now that Turkey and Saudi Arabia have entered the picture. Pravdareport.com reports: Turkey continues building up its military presence on the border with the S... more »
Experts: Prepare For Guerrilla Warfare Against Zika Mosquitoes
Scientists have warned that the explosive spread of the Zika virus across the America’s will see an increase in Guerrilla warfare style battles against mosquitoes. Authorities fighting mosquito’s are increasingly going door-to-door, spraying neighbourhoods with insecticides in order to kill mosquitoes carrying the deadly virus. NYtimes.com reports: Nearly a year after the first cases of Zika were diagnosed in Brazil, the virus, which is suspected to cause birth defects and other neurological problems, is bearing down on American shores. It is already in Puerto Rico and the United S... more »
Karl Rove’s GOP Super PAC Takes Out Ad Likening Trump to Clinton
[image: Karl Rove's GOP Super PAC Takes Out Ad Likening Trump to Clinton] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is getting an assist from a Republican super PAC founded by a top strategist to former President George W. Bush. American Crossroads is spending about $40,000 on an online advertisement that likens... more »
Blowing the Whistle on Monsanto Might Pay Off Big Time for Former Employee
*Christina Sarich* - An internal employee who blew the whistle on fraud could win a serious reward. The post Blowing the Whistle on Monsanto Might Pay Off Big Time for Former Employee appeared first on Waking Times.
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 1055 is a dominant member of a small galaxy group a mere 60 million light-years away toward the intimidating constellation Cetus. Seen edge-on, the island universe spans about 100,000 light-years, similar in size to our own Milky Way. * Click image for larger size.* Colorful, spiky stars in this cosmic portrait of NGC 1055 are in the foreground, well within the Milky Way. But along with a smattering of more distant background galaxies, the deep image also reveals a curious box-shaped inner halo extending far above and below this galaxy's dusty plane... more »
"In The Long Run..."
"In the long run my observations have convinced me that some men, reasoning preposterously, first establish some conclusion in their minds which, either because of its being their own or because of their having received it from some person who has their entire confidence, impresses them so deeply that one finds it impossible ever to get it out of their heads. Such arguments in support of their fixed idea... gain their instant acceptance and applause. On the other hand whatever is brought forward against it, however ingenious and conclusive, they receive with disdain or with hot rag... more »
"The Consequences You Sow: Action and Effect"
by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOm "We should strive always to speak, think, and behave with great thoughtfulness and compassion. All motive and action affects the cosmos in some way. The principle of cause and effect is the truth that allows us to change ourselves and the world around us for the better. However, this same universal law is also at work when change is not at the forefront of our minds. Our intentions flow forever outward in the form of energy, affecting both the people closest to us and billions of individuals we will likely never meet. For this reason, we should strive... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Wakefield, Kansas, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
Trump & Co Approve Torture Because ‘It Works’
U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump and his son approve of torture, degradation and waterboarding, after all it’s what goes on in private college fraternities. Water-boarding is nothing compared to what a future Republican Donald Trump administration has in store for U.S. adversaries. Under the Donald it will be “a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.” The Economist reports: Presidential candidates compete over their embrace of torture “YOU BET your ass I would”, Donald Trump said in November, addressing whether he might, if elected, bring back waterboarding, the interrogati... more »
Chet Raymo, “Caught In The Middle”
*“Caught In The Middle”* by Chet Raymo "It doesn't take a genius to recognize that human males have a propensity for intergroup violence, and that the killing is often accompanied by rape. One need only read the newspapers. The only question is to what extent these tendencies are innate or culturally inculcated. Nature or nurture? Or both? A new book, "Sex and War: How Biology Explains Warfare and Terrorism and Offers a Path to a Safer World," by population biologist Malcolm Potts and science writer Thomas Hayden, dishes up a bit of both. The violence is in our (male) genes, they ma...more »
The Poet: W.E. Henley, “Invictus”
*“Invictus”* “Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” - W.E. Henley
Feb. 13: J.D. Irving - friend of the forest and the bunnies, etc.
Mr. Irving is mad at MLA David Coon. (Good for you Mr. Coon.) So Mr. Irving has taken out a full page ad in our most independent newspapers, the Irving ones, to rebuke Mr.Coon for being critical of Mr. Irving's forest management. Curiously, it never tells us what Mr. Coon said. It just talks about the wonderful things Mr. Irving is doing for us, out of pure love of New Brunswick. (Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.) So the whole page tells us nothing. And, curiously, it isn't signed by Mr. Irving, just by three of his VPs. The ad seems to begin with a statement that Mr... more »
Conservative SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia Found Dead at West Texas Ranch
[image: Conservative SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia Reportedly Found Dead at West Texas Ranch] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Antonin Scalia, the influential conservative and most provocative member of the Supreme Court, died Saturday. He was 79. The U.S. Marshals Service in Washington confirmed Scalia’s death at a private residence in the Big Bend area of... more »
Peter Sellers on the Michael Parkinson show back in 1974
Peter Sellers on the Michael Parkinson show back in 1974; happier, simpler time.
What is the Zika Virus Epidemic Covering Up?
*Jagannath Chatterjee* - Is the Zika virus being used as a scapegoat for Pharma's dangerous adverse effects? The post What is the Zika Virus Epidemic Covering Up? appeared first on Waking Times.
Do Conservatives Actively Want To Make Your Family Less Healthy-- Probably Not; They Just Don't Care
Friday morning, the House passed the GOP's so called Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act 266-144, originally written by lobbyists for Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Blue Dog John Barrow (GA), who has since wisely been retired by his district's voters. The bill had several corporate-friendly Democratic co-sponsors, Blue Dog Henry Cuellar (TX), New Dem chief Ron Kind (WI), Blue Dog Loretta Sanchez (CA) and 33 corporate Democrats skipped across the aisle to vote with Republicans and prepare for big PAC checks that will come for the AYE vote. Mostly it was the regular suspects, a... more »
IsraAid's Role In The European Migrant Crisis
* The difference between Europe and Israel is Europe takes in all the refugees for economic reasons, while Israel would kill them all for security reasons. The image is from the film 'World War Z.'* *An excerpt from, "IsraAID Refugee crisis and Clash of Civilizations" by Shabana Syed, Veterans Today, February 13, 2016: * There is also talk that Greeks should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for opening their homes to refugees, risking their lives to save others, taking care of the sick and injured, despite the fact that Greece is suffering an economic crisis. However the strangest... more »
Turkey's Invasion of Syria To Curtail The Kurds Will Reap Short-Term Benefits, But Also Long-Term Losses
*Saudi Arabia and Turkey have hitched their wagons to a losing horse.* Events in Syria have taken a predictable turn with Turkish shelling of Kurdish positions in recently liberated areas. This latest aggression by Ankara to prevent and rollback Kurdish gains most likely has the tacit approval of the other Muslim regimes in Iraq, Syria, and Iran, all of whom don't want to see Kurdish aspirations for statehood come to fruition. It is not even the Muslim states that are the most resistant to Kurdish independence. Their own prejudiced, ignorant, and brainwashed populations see the ad... more »
Dick Tracy for the Sega MegaDrive/Genesis
As the Genesis started taking off in North America, Sega scoured the land for hot properties it could throw down on its brand spanking new console. At the time, Nintendo's restrictive licensing practices for third party developers meant the big names in games got an outing on the NES and seldom elsewhere. Sega had to rely on a mix of their own exclusives, arcade conversions, celebrity endorsed games, Disney titles, and publishers who, for whatever reason, didn't produce games for Nintendo's system. Despite the odds, Sega's strategy met with success. Its arcade conversions were unsur... more »
AIM's Clyde Bellecourt: Tired of Bernie, Hillary and Trump Bullshit
Video screen photo by Censored News By Brenda Norrell Censored News Feb. 12, 2016 MINNEAPOLIS -- The American Indian Movement’s Clyde Bellecourt refused to be silenced and demanded to know if Bernie Sanders would honor American Indian Treaties if elected President of the United States, during a Forum sponsored by Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and Black Lives Matter. Bellcourt was
5.1 & 3.9 Magnitude Earthquakes Rattle State Of Oklahoma
The third largest earthquake ever recorded in the U.S. state of Oklahoma rocked its western parts on Saturday morning. Two quakes hit at 11:07 and 11:17 local time, 95 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, according to USGS. The recent rise in earthquake frequencies has been blamed on fracking. Tulsa World reports: The quake registered a 5.1 magnitude and was recorded northwest of Fairview at 11:07 a.m., according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey. A 3.9 aftershock followed about 10 minutes after the earthquake, according to the USGS. At 5.1, the temblor will be t... more »
Russian Official Calls For Global Coalition To Confront ‘US Dictatorship’
The head of of Russia’s top law enforcement agency, Aleksandr Bastrykin , has called for the establishment of an international coalition to confront what he refers to as the US-imposed “dictatorship” on the rest of the world. Bastrykin said on Friday that the world is in urgent need of a new system of checks and balances that would equally represent every nation across the global political spectrum. Press TV reports: The formation of a global coalition of countries could serve as “a feasible pole to counter the dictatorship imposed by the Americans together with their Western allies... more »
The Economy: "A Market Collapse Is On The Horizon: What is Ahead for 2016?”
*"A Market Collapse Is On The Horizon: * *What is Ahead for 2016?”* by Gail Tverberg "What is ahead for 2016? Most people don’t realize how tightly the following are linked: *1.* Growth in debt. *2.* Growth in the economy. *3.* Growth in cheap-to-extract energy supplies. *4.* Inflation in the cost of producing commodities. *5. *Growth in asset prices, such as the price of shares of stock and of farmland. *6.* Growth in wages of non-elite workers. *7.* Population growth. It looks to me as though this linkage is about to cause a very substantial disruption to the economy, as oil limit... more »
Why Is Marijuana Banned? The Real Reasons Are Worse Than You Think
*Johann Hari* - Across the world, more and more people are asking: Why is marijuana banned? The post Why Is Marijuana Banned? The Real Reasons Are Worse Than You Think appeared first on Waking Times.
Zika, Like Rubella, a Game-Changer?
I’ve been collecting links on the Zika virus for weeks now. If you haven’t been keeping up, here are some points to know: • there isn’t a concrete link yet between reported cases of microcephaly and the Zika virus in Central and South America; • some researchers in Latin America suggest that it is not Zika but a Monsanto-linked larvicide causing microcephaly; • microcephaly is a variable diagnosis depending on the size of the head, unlike anencephaly, which literally means “no in-head”; • microcephaly is also a variable condition affecting some infants not much, others catastrophicall... more »
Another Progressive Congressional Candidate Endorses Bernie
NY-24, the congressional district centered on Syracuse, is one of the 3 bluest districts (D+5) in the entire country represented by a Republican-- thanks in no small part to the deranged insistence from the DCCC that only conservative DINOs should run there. Obama won the district twice, in 2008 with 56% and in 2012 with 57%, and this cycle Blue America has endorsed a sterling progressive, Eric Kingson, founder of SocialSecurityWorks, who, predictably the DCCC is working hard to sabotage and is instead running two hapless establishment picks. Eric has endorsed Bernie for president ... more »
US Slams Assad’s Pledge To Liberate Syria From Terrorists
The US has slammed comments by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in which he vowed to regain control of Syria. A spokesman for the US state department said there was no military solution to the years-long conflict in Syria after Assad said he planned to liberate the entire country from the the control of terrorists. Press TV reports: State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said on Friday that the Syrian president does not have “any legitimacy, but others do.” “He [Assad] is not a legitimate leader for his people… He is deluded if he thinks there’s a military solution to the conflict i... more »
VIDEO: AIM's Clyde Bellecourt to Bernie Sanders: 'Will you honor the treaties'
. Clyde Bellecourt To watch video click arrow below: Video: AIM's Clyde Bellecourt gives 'em hell! Bellecourt's strong words to Bernie Sanders, and Hillary, Trump and the other right wingers. Don't ever try to silence Clyde Bellecourt! Question to Sanders: "Will you honor the Treaties?" Again to Sanders: "You did not answer the question." Read article at Censored News: AIM's Clyde
UPDATED: MUSE: The Globalist.... words and music ..... I dedicate to the lying BBC
*UPDATE: February 13, 2016 WWIII has started? Globalists on a rampage...* FIGHTING HAS BEGUN !!!! Turkey Shelling into Syria; Directly Attacking Syrian Arab Army and perimeter of Russian Base in Latakia *Muse: The Globalist - live at the * Toyota Center Houston 12/01/2015 Official Muse Version Here *Muse musician/songwriter Matthew Bellamy says this song was originally titled 'The British Empire"....that's why I think it's appropriately dedicated to the BBC...see my parsing of their latest lie(s) in the post below.* The Globalist Lyrics You were never truly loved You've only be... more »
Libyan Military Jet Shot Down Over Benghazi
An MiG-23 jet which was being flown by forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognized government was the second to go down in the past week The fighter jet was shot down as it carried out air strikes on opposition positions in the coastal city of Benghazi. ISIS have claimed its fighters downed the plane, according to SITE Intelligence Group, a US monitor of jihadist activity on the Internet. On Monday, another MiG-23 crashed near the eastern city of Derna after attacking ISIS positions. AlJazeera reports: Nasser el-Hassi, spokesman for the government’s forces, told AFP news agen... more »
A Storm of Complaints
This week's *Newswatch *(with Samira Ahmed) did a bit of 'on the one hand' and 'on the other hand' *vis-à-vis* 'complaints from both sides' over the BBC's coverage of the junior doctors' strike... ...but the bulk of the programme was taken up with discussing BBC reporters 'braving' the "extreme weather" - specifically a live report from the seaside on BBC One's *News at One *where experienced BBC reporter Duncan Kennedy stood next to the sea fighting against a heavy buffeting from the wind and sea-spray during Storm Imogen whilst *at the very same time* telling BBC viewers that th... more »
Gravity Unlinked From Matter?
Yesterday's announcement was really not about what i would think of as a gravity wave if such might exist but of the disturbance in the ocean caused by a mere wave using a scale far beyond what may actually be a gravity wave if it turns out that gravity were to be propagated like electromagnetic radiation. Still important, however Newton makes much the same prediction with Relativity simply refining the theoretical expectation. That did bring me up short though to think out aspects of gravity that have been coalescing for myself in terms of my own efforts. The first assertion i... more »
This Ancient Babylonian Map of Jupiter Just Changed History
Whether star people came to assist improve a given society is open to question but sounds good. Please recall that The white man came to improve cultures all over the globe this past five centuries and i see little sign that anyone speaks of been grateful. So even if it were true it seems unlikely it would be remembered well. We have similarly scant indication of a thousand year interweaving of European and Indian cultures in the Mississippi valley as well that ran firmly from 2400 BC through 1159 BC. Again very little sign of gratitude. Less yet we see scant sign of technology... more »
Was Stonehenge Originally a Roofed Temple?
[image: Stonehenge2] I have suspected for some time that Stonehenge was likely a roofed structure. However that was merely a guess based on respect for the building skills and options available and assuming that if they could they did. That is usually the best choice.We hear of a twenty year monsoon circa 2400 BC. I know of such an event in 1159 BC. I need a reference for this purported event as it is very important. Two such events are completely unlikely.Stonehenge began at least five centuries before 2400 BC which is the time the Great Pyramid was built. Supposedly no metal ... more »
Exposing the Secret History of Giants and the Underground Hyperborean Gallery in Romania?
We are supposed to believe this story? Have fun and enjoy. It is amusing how all possible evidence just disappears without even a creditable cover story. All i know for sure is that i am not about to get on a plane to investigate. However one thing is seriously interesting in this story that comes from someone other than a fertile imagination. We have wolfram mixed in the apparent blend and some granite which may have come along with the wolfram. Odd and seriously suggestive? Yet we are still thinking early Bronze Age. . *Exposing the Secret History of Giants and the... more »
Unlike Some Religions, Christianity Invites Investigation
[image: God's love bible - 900] How can we know Christianity is true? How can we know any religion is true, for that matter? We can look to the facts surrounding their founding. When we do that, we find there’s something uniquely different about Christianity: it... more »
Midday Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Lady Labyrinth” & “Nightbook”
Ludovico Einaudi, “Lady Labyrinth” & “Nightbook” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1XbYeNeBGo
Heavy Emissions Continue at Fukushima Daiichi Today
Unit 1 looks particularly bad: Yesterday I noted that it seemed as if the main source of emissions visible on the TBS cam was adjacent to unit 1. I've not seen such heavy emissions for several months, if not longer. Something has gone awry. I wonder whether the ice tunnel failed or some other problem with the underground melted corium.
BBC launches "BIG LIE" attack on Russia over Syria
*Syria after NATO "intervention" via proxy "civil" war* Regular readers know how much I hate the BBC. I consider it a nest of viper-like liars who are responsible for most of the evil in this world. It was not a mistake that the BBC reported that WTC7 collapsed 20 minutes before it did on 9/11. This was them giving the finger to the world...saying we can lie all you like...but our lies will go unchallenged by the authorities and our lies will destroy the world! Below, I have copied their latest "Big Lie" attack...this time on the "enemy du jour", Russia. Who was it who said tha... more »
Fukushima Et Al Update: "Your Radiation This Week, Feb 6 to Feb 13, 2016"
*"Your Radiation This Week, Feb 6 to Feb 13, 2016"* By Bob Nichols "I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth." - Morpheus (San Francisco) February 13, 2016 – "Good Day, this is “Your Radiation This Week.” These are the recorded Radiation Highs that affected people this week around the United States and in your neighborhood. Let’s get right to it. Twenty-one [21] cities exceeded 1,000 CPM this week in Your Rad Weather. There are Thirteen (13) cities between 900 and 999 CPM. *All Radiation Counts reported are partial Counts. Uncounted types of radiation inclu... more »
Pot Head Gets Suspended Sentence For Lousy Cannabis Grow
A judge has handed down a reduced sentence to a cannabis grower in the U.K. after sympathizing with his predicament. 20-year-old Joshua Hughes made a bosh job at his first attempt to grow cannabis indoors in order to maintain his 20-a-day joint habit. His defense lawyer pleaded his case by calling him “dim witted” for flooding his flat which led to his arrest. The judge agreed with the defense and called the defendant “incompetent” in maintaining a grow, and gave him a suspended sentence. Metro reports: The 20-year-old, from Stockton, bought a cannabis growing kit for £200 from a ca... more »
US Deploys Extra Patriot Missiles To South Korea
The United States has deployed additional Patriot missile systems in South Korea in response to North Korea’s recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. The military buildup comes after North Korea launched a space satellite last week, insisting that the launch was part of peaceful exploration of space and is a sovereign right of the country. RT reports: The Seoul HQ of the US Forces Korea (USFK) said Saturday that the deployment of additional assets is part of an emergency readiness exercise being carried out in cooperation with the South Korean military. “North Korea’s cont... more »
Civil Servant Skipped Work For Years & Nobody Noticed
Spanish civil servant Joaquin Garcia failed to show for work for more than six years without anyone noticing his absence. The matter came to light when co-workers went to present him for a long-service award. Garcia was supposed to be supervising the construction of a water treatment plant in the ancient port city of Cadiz in southwest Spain. The Daily Mail reports: Joaquin Garcia had been employed by a water company run by the local authorities in Cadiz to supervise the construction of a water treatment plant. The 69-year-old, who was €37,000 (£28,000) a year before tax, was subseq... more »
The Search For Scapegoats
By Paul Homewood As Geoffrey Parker reflects, farming, with its allied tasks, was the principal occupation and nearly the sole source of income for most families. Severe annual variations in the harvest reverberated through family life, determining whether the family ate well or meagrely, whether the old might live another winter, whether […]
Mounting evidence
Last night's *Newsnight *featured an interview with the Royal Bank of Scotland CEO Ross McEwan. At the interview's midway point Kirsty Wark asked the RBS boss the following question: *Can I turn now to Europe? Do you think the British financial sector will be better off or worse off outside the EU?* Mr McEwan replied that he'd not seen any figures showing we'd be better off if we left the EU in the short and middle term and complained about the uncertainty, saying it's slowing down businesses and banking, before repeating his point about the absence of data showing that we'd be b... more »
"More Than Any Other..."
"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." - James A. Baldwin "The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naïve and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched.” - H. L. Mencken
THE YEAR OF THE LIBERAL: Gainesville, Virginia is full of great kids!
*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2016Conclusion—The world's greatest moral tradition:* Here at the 18-year old Daily Howler, excitement runs high concerning the change of life which is currently scheduled for the start of the week. In the past 18 years, we've conclusively proven that we can't have nice things as part of our national discourse. Now, we're ready for an incomparable shift in focus. Today, though, we make a key point: Gainesville, Virginia is full of great kids! Specifically, we refer to the 7-year-old second grader described in today's Washington Post. To read that report, ... more »
Brain damage
Camila Batmanghelidjh’s attempt to rehabilitate her public image is clearly hurtling along the road to nowhere. Jenni Murray’s interview with the beleaguered ex-director of Kids Co. on radio 4 showed that the media is never going to cooperate with that exercise; also, that particular interview will certainly further cement the audience’s negative view of the matter, as confirmed by the emails Jenni read out at the end. The BBC has decided that we’re supposed to sneer at the concept of huggin’ a hoodie - “end of”. Their alternative proposal appears to be that we should abandon d... more »
Pirates Pay BitTorrent To Go Ads Free
People and pirates have been downloading content from the internet using file sharing for some time now. uTorrent, the popular peer to peer file sharing BitTorrent client is offering an ads-free version of their service to 150 million users for $5 per year. venturebeat reports: BitTorrent has unveiled a new annual subscription option that removes ads from the torrent-streaming service. The launch follows a short beta period, and the option — priced at a modest $4.95 per year — joins the existing $19.95 annual Pro tier, as well as the free ad-supported service. As you would expect, t... more »
Editor's Note
Spending some quality time with the family. Blogging will return later this evening. *Update 11:35 EST:* Wow .... just looked at the weather forecast. It is -27C right now .... going down to -35C tonight. I think I am going to hide somewhere.
Saudi Arabia Has Deployed Troops And Fighter Jets To Turkey Ahead Of A Possible Ground Invasion of Syria
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud during a luncheon ahead of the G-20 summit in Belek, Turkey, Nov. 14, 2015. (photo by REUTERS/Kayhan Ozer) *The Independent*: *Saudi Arabia sends troops and fighter jets to military base in Turkey ahead of intervention against Isis in Syria* *Saudi officials have stated that they want to fight Isis and see President Bashar al-Assad removed.* Saudi Arabia is sending troops and fighter jets to Turkey's Incirlik military base ahead of a possible ground invasion of Syria. The Turkish foreig... more »
Koch Brothers' Gunslinger, John Fennebresque, Arrested at Charlotte Airport
At the behest of the John Birchers and Wall Street hustlers now controlling government in North Carolina, corporate crony and lawyer, John Fennebresque, was put in charge of firing UNC's eminently qualified former president, Tom Ross, and installing the unqualified corporate stooge, who has BS degree in political science. Two days ago Fennebresque was arrested trying to take a handgun onto a commercial jet at the Chartlotte airport. Take a few minutes to watch the video below from a story in the News & Observer to see Fennebresque's feeble attempt to explain why Tom Ross, sitting ... more »
Governor Charlie Baker Misleads on State Charter Data
Massachusetts governor, Charlie Baker, is pumping hard for his hedge fund buddies to get the charter cap lifted in MA, and he doesn't care if he has to create his own facts to get it done. Latest evidence: he misstated information from the state auditor's report so badly that the Auditor's Office released a statement this week to clarify the situation for taxpayers. Here is clip: It had been my hope that this audit would serve as a tool to provide meaningful, unbiased, and complete data so that when this debate next took place, policymakers and the public would have access to more... more »
Turkish Forces Shell Kurdish Targets In Northern Syria
The Turkish army has shelled Kurdish militia targets near the city of Azaz in northwest Syria, according to reports. #BreakingNews First footage of #Turkey heavy artillery bombing on #YPG positions in Menagh airbase #Aleppo #Syria pic.twitter.com/MzWDsFEkki — Rami (@RamiAlLolah) February 13, 2016 The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) said that the Menagh military air base located south of Azaz in Syria’s north-western province of Aleppo, had been targeted by Turkish artillery forces on Saturday. Kurdish fighters had seized the airbase from Islamist rebels earlier this week Yaho... more »
Poland Accuses BBC Of Bias Over ‘Putinisation’ Report
Poland has launched a formal protest against the BBC in connection with a report that suggested that its current government was “Putinising” the country. A letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused the broadcaster of being biased and inaccurate. The letter also accused the BBC report of failing to provide a balanced argument, saying it lacked both background information and situational context. The Guardian reports: Titled “Is Poland being Putinised?”, the report on the BBC’s flagship Newsnight current affairs programme featured interviews with a government MP as well ... more »
Visegrád (planning to close Balkans route) vs Merkel (wants to beg Turkey)
First, I urge all readers who could be allergic to political topics or who are staunchly pro-immigration to stop reading now. *Visegrád, Hungary [Slavic name means "Upper Castle"], a castle at which the group PL-CZ-SK-HU met and teamed up twice, in 1335 and in 1991.* I haven't written about this issue for quite some time but the situation keeps on evolving. Weeks ago, it looked like the European Union would demand Greece to fulfill its obligation as a border country of the Schengen Area within weeks – or be expelled. Now, it seems that Greece has gotten additional three long month... more »
Viewers’ Guide: GOP Hopefuls Spar in South Carolina Tonight
[image: Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., poses for a photograph with supporters after speaking at a rally at Greenville Downtown Airport Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Serious issues are facing the Republican presidential candidates in their debate Saturday night in South Carolina. The state has a deep-rooted military culture and is still reeling from the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a Charleston... more »
Don't Make This Mistake
The Associated Press reports: *Conan's biggest regret at Harvard? Skipping economics* BOSTON (AP) — Conan O'Brien was a prankster during his Harvard years, but he also credits his success to hard work in the classroom. The late-night TV host spoke to an audience of Harvard University students on Friday about the value of a liberal-arts education and about his time at the Ivy League school.... Asked about his biggest regrets, O'Brien said he still kicks himself for shying away from an economics class because it intimidated him. "That was knowledge that I don't have, and I've always ... more »
The Heavy Cost of U.S. Secretary of State Kerry's Syrian Diplomacy
© AFP 2016/ JOE KLAMA *Josh Rogin, Bloomberg:* *Opposition Leader: U.S. Diplomacy Costs Syrian Lives* In the days since the collapse of the Syria peace talks championed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the humanitarian catastrophe in northern Syria has grown, tens of thousands of new refugees were created, and the Russian- and Iranian-backed killing of civilians has increased. These are all consequences of the flawed U.S. strategy, according to the lead negotiator for the Syrian opposition. Riyad Hijab was prime minister of Syria in 2012 under the dictator Bashar al-Assad; ... more »
Munich Security Conference: 'Russia Has Weaponized Migration To Destabilize Europe'
Close to a consensus at #MunSecConf: Russia has 'weaponized migration', using Syrian migrant flow to destabilize Europe. — Walter Russell Mead (@wrmead) February 13, 2016 *WNU Editor:* The wire services and news organizations have not picked up on this story yet .... but when I saw this Tweet I could not help but shake my head. I guess everyone has forgotten that the EU migration crisis exploded last year only when German Chancellor Merkel told the world that Germany's border would be open to accept refugees, nor the role that Turkey (a fellow NATO member) is playing in facilitati... more »
Twitter War Between The U.S. And Russia
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*) The tense exchange between U.S and Russia played out on the very public Twittersphere. Five years of conflict have killed more than a quarter-million people, created Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War II *Daily Mail:* *The Twitter Cold War: US and Russian military take pot shots at one another online as Moscow accuses America of airstrikes on Aleppo that led to civilian casualties* * Russian MOD tweeted that the U.S. had made strikes in Aleppo, Syria, that caused civilian casualties * But a spokesman for the U.S. led coalition denied this ... more »
Russian Prime Minister Medvedev: 'Russia And NATO Are Now In A New Cold War'
*Sputnik News*: *Russia-NATO Relations Reach Level of New Cold War - Medvedev* *Russia-NATO relations have reached the level of the new Cold War, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said addressing the participants of the Munich Security Conference.* NATO political line toward Moscow remains hostile and closed, the prime minister added. *"Russia-NATO relations have reached the level of a new 'cold war'. NATO continues to insist Russia constitutes its main threat — a threat to Europe as well as the US and other countries. Scary movies have been filmed where Russians begin a nu... more »
"Oddly partisan" for a Dimbleby?
From Guido Fawkes... (Wonder if there's a recording of it?) It was only last year that the BBC gave Jonathan Dimbleby a rare telling-off for committing "a serious breach of the Editorial Guidelines" after plugging his own charity on *Today*. Is another such telling-off on the cards? *P.S.* As Sue reminds me, the *Any Questions *presenter doesn't seem particularly impressed by those (rare) BBC Trust rulings against the likes of him. He dismissed the BBC's ruling against Jeremy Bowen a few years back as a case of 'mice roaring'.
Weekend reads: Does publishing take too long?; Zika data complaints; a Valentine’s Day special
The week at Retraction Watch featured two high-profile resignations linked to the Paolo Macchiarini case, as well as a Q&A with a long-frustrated — and now vindicated — whistleblower. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: “Does it take too long to publish research?” Some scientists say it does, writes Kendall Powell at Nature. Just in time […] The post Weekend reads: Does publishing take too long?; Zika data complaints; a Valentine’s Day special appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Well, at least there's something they agree on!
Today's rather enjoyable *Dateline London *may again have lacked a right-wing guest (surprise, surprise!) but the assembled (sharply left-biased) panel *didn't *in any way let that put them off having a right old ding-dong scrap over Syria, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, and the UK/EU question (and Jeremy Corbyn). The panel consisted of Abdel Bari Atwan, Rachel Shabi, Greg Katz and David Aaronovitch. David Aaronovitch channelled his inner Statler and Waldorf throughout to heckle Rachel Shabi, Rachel Shabi's hands flew about in all directions, and Bari's voice became ever shril... more »
Therein Lies The Road To Perdition
http://www.technocracyinc.org/ There is more than poisoned water, Chris Hedges writes, at the core of the debacle in Flint Michigan: The crisis in Flint is far more ominous than lead-contaminated water. It is symptomatic of the collapse of our democracy. Corporate power is not held accountable for its crimes. Everything is up for sale, including children. Our regulatory agencies—including the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality—h...more »
US Deploys More Patriot Missiles in South Korea
[image: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and South Korea's Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se arrive for a meeting in Munich, Germany, prior to the start of the Munich Security Conference, Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)] SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- The United States temporarily deployed an additional Patriot missile battery in South Korea in response to North Korea’s nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch, ahead of talks next week to set up an even... more »
Turkey & Saudi Arabia May Launch Ground Operation In Syria
The deployment of Saudi jets and forces to Turkey’s İncirlik military base has prompted speculation of an imminent ground invasion of Syria. The Saudis say that Syrian President Assad must go and declare that they want to defeat ISIS, but what are they really doing in the region? The Independent reports: Confirmation of the Saudi deployment came from the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and shows a calibrated policy by two states, who consider themselves to be heavyweights and who are both currently badly losing out in Syria. Mr Cavusoglu said that Turkey and Saudi Arabia... more »
The U.S. Navy's Anti-Submarine Robot Ship Are Set For Sea Trials This April
*Daily Mail:* *The US Navy's 'ghost hunter' to set sail: 132 foot long robo-boat will scour seas for silent enemy submarines for months at a time - without a single person on board* * Designed to hunt down silent and deadly diesel-electric submarines * Robot boats will go to sea for us to three months at a time * Boat will be launched in April following successful trials The US Navy is set to unleash an army of 'ghost boats' to scour the coasts for enemy submarines. They hope to end the growing threat of quiet, diesel powered enemy submarines entering American waters undetected. ... more »
‘Excellent News for the Pigs:’ PETA Retracts Overreaction to Winter Carnival Event
[image: In this Friday, Feb 5, 2016 photo provided by the Newport Recreation Department, queen contestants participate in the torch lighting during the opening ceremony of the 100th Newport Winter Carnival in Newport N.H. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, launched a protest against one of the carnival events billed as a "Greased Pig on Ice," but withdrew it after learning there's no pig in the act. The event will feature a man dressed in a pig costume, being chased by kids on ice skates on the town common. (Beth Rexford/Newport Recreation Department via AP)] NEWP... more »
Kerry Takes Aim at Russia Over Ukraine and Syria
[image: U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, right, talks to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at the Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)] MUNICH (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday sharply criticized Russia for its actions in Ukraine and Syria, accusing Moscow of “repeated aggression” in both places. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Kerry said Russia... more »
"Now people may not always like this but..."
Martine Croxall strikes again! Last weekend, appearing surprisingly exercised about the issue during an edition of *The Papers*, the BBC News Channel presenter gave us her views on human rights (in relation to an Abu Hamza-related story in the *Telegraph*) and on why we in the UK *need* the the European Court of Justice: *It comes down to that idea that you can pick and choose who you allow to have human rights. And I don't think the law allows that. * *Well, that's why we have it *{the ECJ}*, isn't it? To tell us what we should be doing in this country, to keep...checks and bala... more »
Utah Plans to Take Legal Action Against EPA Over Massive Gold King Mine Spill
[image: Emergency tailing ponds constructed in response to the 2015 Gold King Mine spill, pictured on August 7, 2015.] SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said Friday he plans to take legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency following reports that it didn’t alert the state to river contamination after a massive mine waste spill.... more »
Pope Opens Mexico Visit Following Historic Stop with Patriarch
[image: In this photo taken on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, Pope Francis is welcomed by Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto and first lady Angelica Rivera upon his arrival to the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. The pontiff is in Mexico for a week-long visit. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)] MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis kicks off his first trip to Mexico on Saturday with speeches to the country’s political and ecclesial elites, riding in on the success of his historic meeting in Cuba with the head of the... more »
Hillary The Misleader And Her SuperPACs
At the Democratic Party debate in Milwaukee, Hillary, whose every response was meant to mislead, responded to a question from Judy Woodruff about her corrupt approach to politics-- "Nearly half of your financial sector donations come from ... George Soros and Donald Sussman. You said there's no quid pro quo. Is that also true of the donations that wealthy Republicans give to Republican candidates, contributors including the Koch brothers?"-- like this: You're referring to a super PAC that we don't coordinate with, that was set up to support President Obama, that has now decided t... more »
Russia Now Has A Rocket Launching, Flamethrowing Tank Killer Drone
*Sputnik*: *Russian Military Reveals Rocket Launching, Flamethrowing Tank Killer Drone* The Russian military has unveiled an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which can carry anti-tank rocket launchers and flamethrowers; it can also fly on reconnaissance missions, transport cargo and coordinate artillery fire on the battlefield. The drone was developed by the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC), a subsidiary of the civil and military technology firm Russian Technologies State Corporation (Rostec). "The drone determines the coordinates of a location using GLONASS satell...more »
The Russians Invest Big In A Robot Military Force
Image: Rostec. *Dave Majumdar, National Interest*: *Russia's Lethal New Robotic Tanks Are Going Global* Russia is developing a compact robotic tank that it hopes to sell on the international market. But while Moscow is hoping to export the unmanned combat vehicles, it’s not clear if Russia’s own military forces will adopt the new weapons. Called the Uran-9, the robotic armored vehicle is not intended to replace main battle tanks such as the T-90 or T-14 Armata. Rather, the diminutive machine is designed to provide fire support to special operations forces and to conduct reconnais... more »
Are The Saudis Ready To Fight In Syria?
Saudi soldiers march during Abdullah's Sword military drill in Hafar al-Batin, near the border with Kuwait, April 29, 2014. (photo by REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser) *Madawi Al-Rasheed, Al-Monitor:* *Are the Saudis ready to fight in Syria?* On Feb. 4, Saudi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri announced that Saudi Arabia is now ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight the Islamic State (IS). Saudi Arabia is part of the international anti-IS coalition led by the United States since September 2014. However, when it launched the war in Yemen to fight the Iranian-backed Houthi rebe... more »
Saudi Arabia Deploys Jets To Turkey Saying Assad Must Go
It looks like a joint Turkish-Saudi assault on Syria may be imminent. Saudi Arabia has deployed military jets and personnel to Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base in the south of the country ahead of a possible ground invasion of Syria. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Friday that the removal of Assad was “crucial,” adding that he believed the Syrian leader to be the “single most effective magnet for extremists and terrorists in the region” Russia Insider reports: This is not a rogue statement made by a renegade government: It’s a policy that has been approved, and most likely d... more »
Judges Rule GCHQ Snooping Is Justified
A security tribunal in the U.K. has ruled that the British spy agency GCHQ is in the clear when it comes to spying and hacking into people’s computers and smart phones. Human rights “watchdog” organization, Privacy International, has lost a court case questioning the legality of government snooping. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal in the U.K. is “satisfied” GCHQ is operating within the law when it comes to state-sponsored “equipment interference.” The BBC reports: Campaigners Privacy International have lost a legal challenge claiming the spying post’s hacking operations are too in...more »
"Always and forever wrong"
Andrew Marr, in his full 'Independent' editor's regalia Former *Independent *editor Andrew Marr is mourning the passing of his old paper in (where else?) *The Guardian *today: The loss of the Independent means the loss of a community: *But the old question – what, really, is a newspaper? – remains key. If the answer is simply a means of transmitting information, titles are merely nostalgia. No, the proper answer is that a decent newspaper is a platoon of similarly minded, but not identically minded, people who argue, debate and together fashion a view of the world which is distinct... more »
Colorado Mayor Approves Wife Running Pot Shop and Lewd Dance Club on Same Property
[image: In this Feb. 10, 2016 photo, Glendale, Colorado Mayor Mike Dunafon, stands inside the sales area at Smokin Gun Apothecary, before the opening of the new marijuana dispensary, in Glendale, Colo., a home rule municipality just outside downtown Denver. Owned by Dunafon's wife Deborah Dunafon, Smokin Gun Apothecary is on a site formerly occupied by the Denver area’s best known strip club, Shotgun Willie’s.] GLENDALE, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado’s newest pot shop has some wondering whether strippers and weed are too closely aligned on a busy highway just east of downtown Denver. The Sm... more »
Zika and Abortion, a Tale of Two Viruses
[image: microcephaly2 - 900] On February 1, the World Health Organization declared a "global emergency" over the spread of the Zika virus. The WHO estimates there could be as many as 4 million cases of Zika in the Americas over the next twelve months.... more »
Texas A&M Administration Taking Measured Response to Reports of Racist Hate Language
[image: Texas A&M] COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Texas A&M University is still trying to determine which students may have shouted a racial slur and referenced the Confederate flag to a group of black and Latino high school students touring the campus. About... more »
The GOP’s Unanchored Front-Runner
[image: Donald Trump - 900] Here's a short clip (courtesy of therightscoop.com) of Donald Trump interviewed by Fox's Greta Van Susteren. She asked him a question from a viewer who likes Trump but says she wishes he would act more presidential and not insert curse...more »
Ted Cruz Campaign Pulls Ad Starring Porn Star
Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has pulled a campaign ad after it emerged that it starred an actress involved in a number of soft pornographic films. Washington Post reports: Cruz’s campaign released four ads this week and, for the most part, they have tried to use humor against the candidate’s rivals. One ad out Friday spoofed a scene from the 1999 movie “Office Space,” where a group of office workers smash a printer. It shows three people, including one meant to be Clinton, wielding a baseball bat and smashing computer equipment to the tune of “Damn it Feels Good to be a ... more »
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*Searching for an Explanation for Bernie's Rising? Look No further than Classrooms* During a recent family gathering, I casually inquired of my 14-year-old niece, a freshman who attends a public high school in California, about her grades from last semester. I was shocked to learn that she got a "B" in math. Since our family normally considers an "A-" to be an equivalent of an "F," and she is usually pretty good in math, I had to probe her for an explanation. She told me that before every math test began, her math teacher would divide the class into groups. All students would s... more »
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*Ozone layer holier than ever!* *So the Arctic has developed an ozone hole too. And it's a big one. It was the Antarctic hole that triggered the Greenie campaign against refrigerant gases but the logic behind the ban meant that the Arctic should have been protected too. It wasn't. So now that the ban has been in force for many years, we have got a holier ozone layer than ever. The science behind the ozone nonsense has long ago been shown to be mistaken and reality too has now caught up. Greenies hailed the antiozone Montreal protocol as their biggest achievement. But it was as... more »
Voting Rights Groups Bring Suit Against Official Requesting Proof of Citizenship
[image: Voter Registration] WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- A coalition of voting rights groups on Friday sued a federal elections official who decided that residents of Alabama, Kansas and Georgia can no longer register to vote using a national form without providing proof of... more »
"In an upbeat speech"
The lead story on the BBC News website late last night and first thing this morning was: Something changed overnight though. Originally the BBC report read: David Cameron has said Britain will never "retreat from the world" and it is in Europe's interests for the UK to stay in a reformed European Union. Speaking in Hamburg, the PM said changes he was seeking to UK membership would make Europe "more outward-looking, competitive and dynamic". *In an upbeat speech**, he* said if he got what he wanted he would campaign "unequivocally" for the UK to stay in. Campaigners for EU exit hav... more »
Feb.12: The big news is that Camilla got drunk,..
... and hit Prince Charles with a dead fish. Oh, no. That was in a gossip mag for people who aren't interested in news, just in sensationalist gossip of no importance whatever. No, today's headline is that Dennis Oland has been sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 10 years. Now, this isn't just sensationalist gossip because - well - because. Anyway, it's the most important thing that ever happened to Moncton. No doubt it will change all our lives. In real news, six Atlantic companies have been given $12.6 million in federal funding. That's odd. It was just yesterday that ... more »
"Vietnam POW/MIA's Deliberately Sacrificed: The Evidence"
"Vietnam POW/MIA's Deliberately Sacrificed: The Evidence" by Ron Utz, Sydney Schanberg "If Sydney Schanberg’s claims about the fate of American POW/MIAs are indeed correct, they reveal the lethal consequences of America’s overweening national pride. After all, his history is a simple one. Following the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the Vietnamese refused to return their French POWs unless Paris agreed to pay financial compensation for the war. The French leaders paid the money and got their men back. Similarly, the Vietnamese refused to return their American POWs unless the U.S.... more »
Military Photo of the Day: February 13, 2016
[image: Korean War US Forces Bombing - 900] CLOSE SUPPORT– This is one of a series of three remarkable combat photographs showing the close coordination of the United States Marine air and ground units during recent fighting with Chinese Communists in Korea. United States Marines drive forward after... more »
The Gates Octahedral Gravitational-wave Observatory
According to Wikipedia, LIGO only cost $0.62 billion up to September 2015. It was a lot of money for a project that wasn't guaranteed to produce results but I believe that the cost-and-benefits counting is different now. The benefits have become more obvious. *Two more gravitational waves*: TRF is the only place in the world where you can learn about another gravitational wave that was detected on October 12th, one called GW151012, and a Christmas one from December 26th, GW151226. Stay tuned. ------------------------------ *González at an AAAS meeting*: When LIGO has 4 detections, th... more »
Pope Francis And Patriarch Kirill Warn Of Coming ‘New World War’
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Havana, Cuba for a historic and sombre meeting between the two churches, in which the two religious leaders warned that there is a very real possibility of a ‘New World War’ igniting this year that could wreak destruction on Earth. In an unprecedented agreement, the two leaders signed a document in which they urged humanity the following: “We exhort all Christians and all believers of God to pray fervently to the providential Creator of the world to protect His creation from destruction and not permit a new world war.” Sputniknews.com reports:... more »
Intelligence Director Says ISIS Planning Chemical Attack On US Soil
The Director of the US National Intelligence Agency has warned that ISIS are preparing to launch a chemical weapon attack against the United States. Speaking at a global security conference in Munich, James Clapper warned that the terror group are in possession of chemical weapons, and have already used them numerous times in both Iraq and Syria. Presstv.ir reports: “It is pretty clear that they [Daesh] have used this [chemical weapons] numerous times, it is very clear aspirationally they would like to do more and it is a concern to us in the United States because the indications a... more »
Saudi Leader Says Removal Of Assad Is Necessary For ISIS Defeat
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubier has demanded the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying that his removal is necessary in the fight against ISIS. Jubier told a security conference in Munich that Assad was responsible for the creation of ISIS by turning Syria into a ‘fertile ground’ for militants. Alarabiya.net reports: He called Assad the “single most effective magnet for extremists and terrorists in the region” and said his removal was crucial for restoring stability. “That’s our objective and we will achieve it,” he said. “Unless and until there is a ch... more »
Samsung Confirms ‘Smart TV’ Sets Listens To Customers Every Word
Samsung have admitted that its smart TV sets are listening in on customers conversations, and have warned people not to speak about personal information while near their TV sets. The company have said that the voice activation feature captures all nearby conversations and can share the information it collects with third-party services. Theweek.com reports: The news comes after Shane Harris at The Daily Beast pointed out a troubling line in Samsung’s privacy policy: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be a... more »
Tweet For Today
Washington OKs Controversial F-16 Sale to Pakistan https://t.co/dfk6aKtdUm by @MarcusReports pic.twitter.com/9Augt8KwTT — Defense One (@DefenseOne) February 12, 2016
Did Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Martha Lanning Come From The Same Egg As Wasserman Schultz? Why Was The Debate Audience Filled With Clintonites?
If you follow me on Twitter and *were* following me during the Democratic debate at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee on Thursday, you read what no mass media has covered, namely that the Hilary Cheat Machine had stacked the deck. It was easy, just 15 minutes after the debate began to see that on the particular liberal campus where in all likelihood not more than 20% of the Democrats can even stand the thought of Clinton, the auditorium was filled with Clinton shills who boisterously and enthusiastically applauded her every slimy attack on Bernie and her misleading statement. ... more »
Iraq's Prime Minister Is Optimistic On The War Against The Islamic State
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi looks on during a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the end of a meeting at Chigi Palace in Rome, Italy February 10, 2016. REUTERS/TONY GENTILE *DW*: *Iraqi PM announces plan to retake Mosul* Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi has said in an interview with DW that Baghdad is readying a full offensive against "Islamic State." He has asked Germany for aid in rebuilding the cities that government forces have retaken. Iraq's government is planning a new all-out campaign against "Islamic State" (IS), Prime Minister Haider al-Aba... more »
David Brooks’ Swooning Fan Mail Column About Obama is Surreal
[image: President Barack Obama greets guests on the tarmac by before boarding Air Force One at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. Obama is traveling Los Angeles to tape an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and attend a pair of private Democratic fundraisers.] If you read The New York Times “conservative” columnist David Brooks, you might better grasp the chasm between true and phony conservatives, between Reagan conservatives and establishment Republicans. In his piece “I Miss Barack Obama,” Brooks unwittingly humiliates himself in... more »
Picture Of The Day
An F-22 Raptor disconnects from the boom of a KC-135 Stratotanker after refueling during exercise Red Flag 16-1 over Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 4, 2016. The exercise gives aircrews an opportunity to train in advanced, realistic combat situations. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Burt Traynor
The Pentagon Has Decided To Kill The US Navy's Armed Drone Fleet Program
U.S. Navy photo by Erik Hildebrandt/Released *David Axe, Daily Beast:* *Pentagon Kills Its Killer Drone Fleet* The U.S. military spent billions developing an armed drone that could take off from an aircraft carrier. But now, the Pentagon says it doesn’t want that kind of flying robot at all. Cutting-edge killer drones will not be flying over the world’s oceans any time soon. The Defense Department’s budget proposal for 2017, released on Feb. 9, terminates an on-again, off-again program dating back to the late 1990s that aimed to develop a bomb-hauling robotic jet capable of launchi... more »
China Is Pouring Billions Into Latin America
*Patrick Gillespie, CNN*: *Latin America: China's power play right under the U.S.* *China is making its biggest bet ever on Latin America, just as the United States is turning its back.* China poured billions of dollars into Latin America in 2015. Chinese banks sent nearly $30 billion in loans to Latin American governments last year, more than double the amount from 2014. It's also more money than the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank gave to the region last year combined, according to the Inter-American Dialogue, a non-profit in Washington. There's more. China offe... more »
Another Horribly Corrupt PAC Backs Hillary, Attacks Bernie
How does anyone determine who the most corrupt Member of Congress is? Not even counting Republicans-- another universe of self-justified ideological crookedness-- Congress is such a rat's nest of career criminals that every time you focus in on a Debbie Wasserman Schultz or a Steve Israel, up pops a Donald Norcross, an Alcee Hastings, a Patrick Murphy or a Sean Patrick Maloney. But no matter who draws up a list-- or what year it is we're looking at-- one name that is always mentioned in relation to grotesque serial corruption is Gregory Meeks, who represents NY-05, mostly in sout... more »
Time For The End Of ‘Nice”. Time For Political Will.
Time For The End Of ‘Nice”. Time For Political Will. *Written by Robin Mathews* One of the greatest errors of our time and place may well be the “*error*” revealed in Murray Dobbin’s post of Feb. 5, 2016, about the TPP (*Trans Pacific Partnership*) trade deal. Rich in information, the article uncovers real destruction of Canadian legislation. And - more importantly – it points to Canadian legislation which is knee-capped before even being made visible as possible, positive direction for the country to take. Murray Dobbin uses as evidence of the destructiveness of Investor ... more »
The Syrian Civil War: Ceasefire Agreement? What It Is Really All About...
The last vestiges of the American/Israeli/NATO criminal cabal "terrorist" or as they claim "rebel" forces are definitely surrounded in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo now, with no hope at all of escaping... The good guys (And yes, in this war for Syria, they are the good guys) the Syrian government forces and their allies have now basically cut off the last supply lines of these criminals back to Turkey, and it would be only a matter of time before they had to either surrender, or be destroyed.... But word came out the other day of a pending "ceasefire" agreement reached in Munic... more »
Will Russia Cause World War III?
Topol-M road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile.(RIA Novosti / Syisoev) *John R. Schindler, Observer:* *Mounting Evidence Putin Will Ignite WWIII* By letting Putin get away with whatever he likes in Syria, Obama has created a deeply dangerous situation. Relations between Russia and Turkey have been dismal since late November, when a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian bomber on the border with Syria, killing its pilot. That began a war of words between Moscow and Ankara that ought to concern everyone, since the former has several thousand nuclear weapons and the latter ... more »
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*From* *Jenna Orkin* 10 Things They Won't Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy But I Will - Michael Moore Must read. Austrians Need Constitutional Right to Pay in Cash, Says Deputy Economy Minister Canada Sells Nearly Half Of All Its Gold Reserves Lines Around The Block To Buy Gold In London; Banks Placing "Unusually Large Orders For Physical" HSBC Cancels Pay Freeze After Two Weeks Following "Staff Revolt" Here Is The Real Reason Why Authorities Want To Ban High Denomination Bank Notes Even WSJ Admits OPEC Production Cut Story "May Be Bogus" Harvard is one step closer to offering... more »
The Fear of Individuality
*Jon Rappoport* - The fear of individuality comes from the apprehension that a human, unchained and alive, might create something that would expose the titanic hoax of the collective and the group. The post The Fear of Individuality appeared first on Waking Times.
Would North Korea's Generals Turn Against Kim Jong Un?
KCNA / Reuters *Gordon G. Chang, Daily Beast:* North Korea’s Generals Could Turn Against Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un is making a habit of killing off his most senior military leaders. He thinks that will keep them in line, but it could be making some very powerful enemies. Heavy are the burdens of the men wearing four stars in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Ri Yong Gil, the chief of the General Staff of the North Korean military, has been executed, according to Yonhap News Agency and Reuters. CNN reports that a South Korean government source confirms the top general was p... more »
Will A Brokered Republican Convention Lead To Bloodshed In Cleveland?
Don't say Herr Trumpf didn't warn you. In a rare moment of self-awareness, he described himself to a bunch of entertainment-starved hicks in Iowa as a "very greedy person... Now, I’ll tell you, I’m good at that-- so, you know, I’ve always taken in money. I like money. I’m very greedy. I’m a greedy person. I shouldn’t tell you that, I’m a greedy-- I’ve always been greedy. I love money, right?" Cruz wanted to make sure South Carolina voters knew about it too... so he put out a new ad this week, emphasizing that particular aspect of the Trumpfian personality disorder: Sahil Kapur,... more »
That Word He Used To Trumpet
http://waldo.wikia.com/wiki/ Stephen Harper has disappeared. He has not been showing up for work in the House of Commons. Perhaps, Michael Harris suggests, he believes he is the member for Las Vegas/Fort Myers. His party doesn't seem to mind. But they still have not come to terms with their defeat. And their cheerleaders, people like the peanut gallery at the *National Post, *keep shilling for more of the same. But Harris reviews the record: Under Harper the economist, 400,000 manufacturing jobs were lost. Worse than that, he presid...more »
MENA Report ( February 12-13 , 2016 ) 1. Syria Peace Talks And Battlefield Updates - Let's Not Kid Ourselves For A Moment - Nobdy is Going to Stop Shooting Or Bombing In Syria Anytime Soon. 2. Iraq In Focus - Move On Mosul Seemingly Set & Pushed Much Sooner , Rather than Later. We Shall See How Wise That May be. 3. Libya - Another " Dream The Impossible Dream " Situation - While The Leaders , Sherpas , Various Gov'ts Attempt To From Another Toothless Gov't , the Battles Rage , Jets Fly and People Die.
Evening Wrap...... Whenever I think of Syria , I think of this song - where have all the flowers gone ? Links...... *US Iraqi Allies Fighting US Syrian Allies* *World Powers Agree on Syria Ceasefire Plan* *Saudis Intervening in the Syrian Civil War Would Risk Russian Wrath* Russia Helps Mediate Local Deals With Rebels in Syria: Minister Tweets...... *DAILY SABAH* @DailySabah 1m 1 minute ago LIVE – PM Davutoğlu: If PYD [in Syria] poses threat against Turkey, we'll take actions against them as did against Qandil [PKK’s HQ in...more »
"What Are These Department Of Homeland Security Devices On SF Streets?"
*"What Are These Department Of Homeland Security Devices On SF Streets?"* by Eve Batey "When SFist reader Matt Scully spotted this Department of Homeland Security device at New Montgomery and Mission, he had some questions. Is this thing — whatever it is — Super Bowl related? Is it a bomb sniffer? A radiation detector? Something else? All great queries, to which I will add, how important can it be if it can easily be unplugged (and if it needs to run non-stop, why not get a battery or a generator)? And, hey, can I charge my phone there? Plug in my curling iron? So, I started by ca... more »
Time Zones Should Give Way To Universal Time
Researchers have concluded that having multiple time zones across the planet is a relic of the past and should be replaced with “Universal Time.” The new way of conducting human affairs via instant interaction on the internet necessitates a single unit of time, which is the true state of affairs anyway – everything is always happening now. Solar time could be applied locally in lieu of the fact that humans need sleep, while international trade and interactions could benefit from always being placed in the present time unit- “Universal Time.” The Independent reports: Last Summer, Nor... more »
Shadow CIA Warns Of Significant Russian Air Defences In Syria
Should Turkey or Saudi Arabia attack Syrian forces they will be met with significant Russian Air Power, according to a report by Stratfor, the US-based intelligence think tank, often called the Shadow CIA. Sputnik reports: In its report, Stratfor points out that “when Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 warplane on November 24, it did not just sour relations between Ankara and Moscow: It gave Russia a reason to build up its air defense capabilities in Syria.” And build up they did. “Before the incident, the Russian air cover burden depended on four deployed multirole Su-30 aircraft – clea... more »
Former TV Entertainer Rolf Harris Facing Further Sex Charges
Disgraced TV star Rolf Harris faces seven indecent assault charges, according to British prosecutors. Harris, who is currently serving a jail sentence at Stafford Prison, is to be charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with seven counts of indecent assault on women and girls aged between 12 and 27, dating from between 1971 and 2004. TVNZ reports: The 85-year-old Australian-born artist and musician is currently serving a term of nearly six years at Stafford Prison on similar charges. “We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service as part of O... more »
Tonight's Movie Is 'The Recruit'
From *Wikipedia*: The Recruit is a 2003 American spy thriller film, directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Al Pacino, Colin Farrell and Bridget Moynahan. It was produced by Epsilon Motion Pictures and released in North America by Touchstone Pictures on January 31, 2003. The film received mixed reviews from critics.[2] The film's tagline is: "In the C.I.A. nothing is what it seems."
From Aleppo to Munich and Back- The Ceasefire that isn't
Quickly saved this article last night: *U.S. and Russia Spar Over Terms of Possible Syrian Cease-Fire* I`ll highlight the interesting bits *The U.S. and Russia on Thursday sparred over terms of a possible cease-fire in Syria*, as they and other world powers met in Munich to try to restart peace talks that had collapsed amid an escalation of military operations by Russia and Iran in aid of the Assad regime. *Russia has offered to halt some of its bombing* in support of the Syrian government’s forces by March 1, a U.S. official said. The U.S. has responded by calling for an immediate ... more »
Dine' Filmmaker Arlene Bowman to Obama: Racism and Sexism in Hollywood
. 'With lack of diversity in the mainstream entertainment news talk, we again are not mentioned in the conversation even by the President of U.S.' -- Dine' Filmmaker Arlene Bowman By Arlene Bowman Dine' Filmmaker Censored News Copyright Arlene Bowman, Censored News English and Dutch February 12, 2016 President Barack Obama: Hello I write a rebuttal to GQ news article, "President
Russia Destroys The CIA’s Arms Smuggling Operation In Syria
Perhaps this is why Washington is so keen for peace and calling very loudly for a ceasefire in Syria. The Russian military successfully closed the Azaz Corridor, a narrow strip of land that connected Turkey to the rebel forces in Aleppo. The corridor had been a major supply route for the “moderate rebels” in Syria and that it is now closed should be seen as a crippling military defeat for the United States. Russia Insider reports: As analysts have pointed out, US Secretary of State John Kerry repeatedly implored Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to keep the Azaz corridor open. T... more »
60-Mile ‘Gap Of The Apocalypse’ Sealed Off To Avert World War 3
Russia and the United States have reached an historic agreement to join military forces and close a 60-mile section of the border between Syria and Turkey nicknamed the “Gap of the Apocalypse” – which Prime Minister Medvedev has warned could spark World War 3 if it is not sealed off. The 60-mile border along the Turkish-Syrian border has allowed Turkey and Saudi Arabia to secretly arm ISIS militants and al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorists up until now. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: Upon the Obama regime witnessing for itself the full horror unleashed upon the Levant by thes... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( February 12-13 , 2016 ) Overview ( 1. Oil rips today. 2, NIRP-Land news. ) Europe In Focus ( Greece In Focus. 2. Refugee/ Migration / Border Security Items. 3. Deutsche Bank / Banks Of Europe Related Items. 4. EU- UK Talks / Brexit. 5. EZ Politics - Italy , Germany , Netherlands & Spain Items. 6. Odds & Ends. )
Evening Wrap....... Don's Speak ....... Really applies for so many things , when you think about it. Overview....... *Javier Blas* @JavierBlas2 1m1 minute agoLiverpool, England #Oil production in #Oklahoma was actually higher than what @EIAgov thought http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=24952 … #shale #OPEC *Holger Zschaepitz* @Schuldensuehner 3h 3 hours ago #Oil prices jump as U.S. oil drillers cut rigs to least in 6yrs. http:// reut.rs/241i0uW *Javier Blas* @JavierBlas2 3h 3 hours agoWandsworth, England WTI #Oil ... more »
Flint Gets Millions, While EPA-Caused Gold King Mine Disaster Victims are Ignored
[image: EPA Gold King Mine Toxic wastewater Animas River__1440244989_70.119.142.63] A Native American community that was devastated by a flood of poisoned water released in a man-made pollution crisis is still waiting for compensation from the responsible agency -- months after the disaster happened. But that community isn't Flint, Mich., where... more »
Karolinska vice-chancellor resigns following criticism of Macchiarini investigation
Anders Hamsten announced he would be resigning as vice-chancellor from Karolinska Institutet (KI) in the early hours of Saturday, February 13. In a press release we received at 12:16 a.m. local time in Stockholm, Hamsten issued the following statement: Following the criticism on the so called Macchiarini affair at KI I conclude it will be hard […] The post Karolinska vice-chancellor resigns following criticism of Macchiarini investigation appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 12, 2016
*The Economist*: *A questionable agreement to stop the war in Syria* A ray of hope amidst the darkness of the Syrian civil war, or a bit of political theatre that reflects Russian cynicism and American weakness? THE agreement reached late on Thursday night at the annual Munich Security Conference between John Kerry, America’s secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, his Russian opposite number—and a host of other regional states and international organisations—promises the delivery over the next few days of humanitarian aid to besieged Syrian towns where many of the desperate inhabi... more »
MH370 Pilot Resurfaces In Taiwan, Two Years After Flight Disappearance
The missing pilot of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 that disappeared in March 2013, has mysterious reappeared in a Taiwan hospital on Monday, suffering from amnesia. Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was transported to the Taipei Adventist Hospital by villagers after they claim to have found a man lying unconscious on the banks of the Tangshui river. Worldnewsdailyreport.com reports: He finally woke up almost 16 hours after arriving at the hospital, but couldn’t remember his name or how he arrived in Taipei. He was rapidly identified, however, thanks to his fingerprints, instantly att... more »
Doctors Say Pesticides Are To Blame For Birth Defects, Not Zika Virus
The so-called Zika virus might not be to blame for outbreak of birth-defects happening worldwide, according to journalist Jon Rappoport. The actual cause is likely to be the use of highly poisonous pesticides, intentionally added to the water supply in 2014. Jon Rappoport reports: As I’ve been telling you all along—look to the pesticides. The fake Zika story is a cover, to protect the pesticide companies, among others. What do we know so far in this trumped up Zika crisis? The actual number of microcephaly cases in Brazil, the “center of the epidemic,” is a gross unknown. At least t... more »
Israel Accused Of Apartheid As Workers ‘Priced By Ethnicity’
A leaflet offering cleaning services with different wages according to the ethnicity of workers, has sparked criticism and charges of racism after it was discovered in Tel Aviv, Israel over the weekend. The leaflet purports to help people who are looking for a legally documented cleaner, but who doesn’t wish to hire an Arab “for security reasons”. Timesofisrael.com reports: According to the ad, a cleaner of African origin costs NIS 49 ($12.69) an hour, while one of Eastern European origin is priced at an hourly rate of NIS 52 ($13.39). The highest hourly rate of NIS 69 ($17.77) is ... more »
Palestinian Groups Formally Submit Evidence Of Israeli War Crimes To ICC
Four Palestinian human rights organisations have formally submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) proving Israeli war crimes committed against Palestinian civilians during the war on the Gaza Strip in 2014. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Al-Haq and Aldameer said that they provided evidence of these war crimes being committed in Rafah between 1-4 August 2014. In a statement, the human rights organisations said: “The Israeli army has committed gross and systematic violations of the rules of international humanitarian la... more »
Donald Trump Warns That The ‘End Of Europe’ Is In Sight
Donald Trump has predicted that the current influx of migrants in Europe will lead to the “end of Europe” in an apocalyptic interview with French magazine Valeurs Actuelles. “France is not what it used to be, and neither is Paris,” Trump told the magazine. Wnd.com reports: Trump also bemoaned the existence of “no-go zones” avoided by police that have been created by mass Islamic immigration. WND reported in January 2015 the French government listed 751 “Sensitive Urban Zones” the government does not fully control. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s policy of welcoming Muslim migrant...more »
The USA’s Attempt To Destroy Syria Was Planned In 2003
The U.S. government were pushing for a war with Syria as early as 2003, Congress documents reveal. Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell demanded that Syria sever its connections with organisations aiding Palestinians pursuing self-determination on May 2, 2003 – threatening the government with military action if they did not comply. In September 2003 the US Under Secretary Of State John Bolton warned that Syria may be pursuing a WMD program, urging the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee that action needed to be taken. Gowans.wordpress.com reports: Documents prepared by US Co... more »
Sirhan Sirhan Denied Parole For Kennedy Assassination, Despite Innocence
Sirhan Sirhan, the man accused of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy almost 50 years ago, has been denied parole for the 15th time following a parole hearing in San Diego on Wednesday. Paul Schrade, a witness of the June 5, 1968 assassination at the Ambassador Hotel and friend of Kennedy, insisted to the parole panel that Sirhan Sirhan was innocent but his words fell on deaf ears. Washingtonpost.com reports: But the panel wasn’t swayed and Sirhan was denied parole for the 15th time, according to the Associated Press, which noted: Commissioners concluded after more than three hours of ...more »
Mustering the Emotional and Spiritual Maturity to Face the Satanic Cult
*Makia Freeman* - If we want to heal the world, humanity has to muster the courage & spiritual maturity to confront the Satanic cult and get the Satanists out of power. The post Mustering the Emotional and Spiritual Maturity to Face the Satanic Cult appeared first on Waking Times.
Trump Breaks Promise, Threatens to Sue Cruz Over Citizenship
[image: Happy Trump Sad Trump - 900] Despite promising mere weeks ago that he wasn’t going to sue Ted Cruz over the issue of Cruz’s citizenship, Donald Trump threatened today to do just that. If @TedCruz doesn't clean up his act, stop cheating, & doing negative ads,... more »
Russian Military Experts: A Turkish Invasion of Syria Could Possibly Lead To A NATO-Russia War
*An excerpt from, "Turkish promise to ‘defend’ Aleppo may lead to direct conflict with Russia" by Mikhail Moshkin, Andrei Reznikov, Vzglyad, Russia Beyond The Headlines, February 11, 2016: * Konstantin Sivkov, vice president of the Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Problems, believes that Turkey is capable, if nothing else, of providing air support for Assad's opponents. This would become a problem for Russia, which would then find it necessary to repel such strikes and unleash an attack on the Turkish air force. *"But the Turks are also very capable of starting a ground operat... more »
Alex Jones On Why Bernie Sanders Is A Phony
*An excerpt from, "Rare Exclusive: Rand Paul on why Bernie Sanders won’t support his Audit the Fed bill" by Corie W. Stephens, Rare, January 11, 2016:* We asked Paul why he believes that only some of his Democratic colleagues are on board with Audit the Fed, particularly when they speak so frequently about the perils of income inequality. “It’s been disappointing, because people like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who rail against big banks, they have been more so protectors of the biggest bank in our country, which is the Federal Reserve,” said Paul. *“I’d hoped to get more ... more »
More controversy
The other area where the BBC has been highly controversial this week concerns *Newsnight *and Katie Razzall's report from Poland on the disquiet (among some) provoked by the newly-elected right-wing Polish government, which, as Katie described it, is "busy" promoting its "brand" of "patriotic, Christian conservatism". "Patriotic, Christian conservatism" doesn't sound very 'BBC' at all, does it? And it certainly *wasn't* here. I saw Katie Razzall's report at the time and thought it was *heavily* slanted against the new Law and Justice government... ...and re-watching it only conf... more »
Controversial
The BBC has, controversially, been controversial this week. If Twitter is anything to go by (and it usually isn't), there's a 'trending' petition complaining about the BBC's 'pro-assisted-suicide bias' following Thursday's major one-and-a-half-hour documentary BBC Two How to Die: Simon's Choice (which - disclaimer! - I've not yet seen). Anti-euthanasia campaigners are furious at the BBC for, as they see it, campaigning *for* assisted suicide. They say that there have been six such major documentaries (sympathetic towards assisted euthanasia) in the past few years but next-to-none... more »
California Gas Leak ‘Capped’ Temporarily Say Gas Company
The gas leak in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, California has been temporarily capped, according to the Southern California Gas Company. Thousands of residents have had to evacuate their homes since the leak began last October, with huge numbers of residents complaining of illnesses linked to the gas leak at the utility’s Aliso Canyon facility. NBC reports: Residents complained of headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and other symptoms. Public health officials blame the ailments on an odorant added to the gas and have said there shouldn’t be long-term health problems. The blowout at the large...more »
The Economy: Gregory Mannarino, “Humanity At A Crossroads: Deliberately Created Systemic Risk Coming Apart”
“Humanity At A Crossroads: Deliberately Created Systemic Risk Coming Apart” By Gregory Mannarino - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2a-p5dMX_A
World News Briefs -- February 12, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters*: *Russia keeps bombing despite Syria truce; Assad vows to fight on* Major powers agreed on Friday to a pause in combat in Syria, but Russia pressed on with bombing in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad, who vowed to fight until he regained full control of the country. Although billed as a potential breakthrough, the "cessation of hostilities" agreement does not take effect for a week, at a time when Assad's government is poised to win its biggest victory of the war with the backing of Russian air power. *Read more* .... *MIDDLE EAST* Syria conflict: Bashar ... more »
Paul Craig Roberts reviews all the ways your government is "consistently acting internationally and domestically as a criminal, disregarding its own laws, international laws, the sovereignty of other countries, and the US Constitution. A worse criminal government has never existed. Yet, Americans remain subservient to the criminals that they have placed in power over themselves." And much, much more. Wake up America!
------------------------------ *Are Americans Too Insouciant To Survive? — Paul Craig Roberts * ------------------------------ February 11, 2016 | Original Here Go here to sign up to receive email notice of this news letter Are Americans Too Insouciant To Survive? Paul Craig Roberts When one looks at the deplorable state of the world, one cannot help but wonder at the insouciance of the American people. Where are they? Do they exist or are they a myth? Have they been put to sleep by an evil demon? Are they so lost in The Matrix that they ca...more »
Musical Interlude: Medwyn Goodall, "Invocation 2"
Medwyn Goodall, "Invocation 2" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWVgYrS_X0
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Large galaxies and faint nebulae highlight this deep image of the M81 Group of galaxies. First and foremost in the wide-angle 12-hour exposure is the grand design spiral galaxy M81, the largest galaxy visible in the image. M81 is gravitationally interacting with M82 just below it, a big galaxy with an unusual halo of filamentary red-glowing gas. *Click image for larger size.* Around the image many other galaxies from the M81 Group of galaxies can be seen. Together with other galaxy congregates including our Local Group of galaxies and the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, the M81 Group is ... more »
Egyptian Philosopher Mourad Wahba Explains Why The World of Islam Is So Backward
*Title: Egyptian Philosopher Mourad Wahba: We Suffer from “Backwardness Virus." No Democracy w/o Secularism. Source: MEMRITVVideos. Date Published: February 11, 2016. Description: * Egyptian philosopher Mourad Wahba, speaking on the Egyptian Al-Hayat TV channel, said that secularism was a cornerstone of democratic society. He further said: "There is such a thing as a 'backwardness virus'," which "concentrates on disabling the mind," and that "when a political authority strikes an alliance with a fundamentalist religious authority, there is no end to the backwardness." The interview ... more »
Chet Raymo, "Why Not?"
*"Why Not?"* by Chet Raymo "A few days ago a reader asked: "If we are all one and made out of the same material- then the things that we make are made out of the same material. But they are not animate. Why not?" At first glance, this might seem like a naive question, one that we all know the answer to. On reflection, it turns out to be terribly profound. Or should I have said, "wonderfully profound"? Yes, everything, animate and inanimate, is made of the same stuff - the 92 naturally-occurring elements - but all of the animate things we know about are made mainly of carbon compoun... more »
StemExpress, Buyer of Aborted Babies, Says It Will Fight Congressional Subpoena
[image: StemExpress CEO video 8] StemExpress, the company exposed for buying baby body parts from Planned Parenthood in the Center for Medical Progress's undercover videos, has indicated that it will fight a subpoena to be issued next week by the House committee investigating the illegal... more »
This Is Something That Only Terrorists Do
ISIS and the Pentagon share a similar loser's tactic: bomb civilians, destroy vital infrastructure, and then blame it on their enemies, Assad/Russia. Such devilish and dirty tactics do not work in this transparent age of warfare. Real warriors with real causes fight wars righteously. Terrorists, whether they lead big states or small groups, fight wars with every trick in the book, from launching propaganda campaigns to brainwash the public to practicing false flags. And they always fail in the end, as we have seen in Syria. The reason why ISIS and the so-called "Syrian rebels" a... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Thanks for stopping by!
U.S. Steps-Up Air-Strikes Against ISIS In Afghanistan
Two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in-flight over Afghanistan providing aerial security for coalition forces (Sgt. Aaron Allmon/USAF) *The Hill:* *US stepping up airstrikes against ISIS in Afghanistan* The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan has in recent weeks stepped up airstrikes against former Taliban members who have rebranded themselves as part of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). "I can't give you a number, but I can tell you in the last roughly three weeks, we have significantly increased our pressure on Daesh in Afghanistan, particularly in the Nangarhar province," said Army ... more »
David Bowie sings the Joy Division classic "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Apparently - "A chance meeting in 1983 had David Bowie, Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook chatting away over beers in the Kings Arms in Salford. "...So we were all there just having a laugh and we joked that he should come n have a jam with us, then next minute - well, it was the next day actually, but i didn't expect he'd definitely come by - and we were in the practice rooms and we were playing Love Will Tear Us Apart and i was like, f%$K we're playing Love Will Tear Us Apart with David Bowie singing, this is crazy. We never released it - Bowie took a recording of it, and just layere... more »
Always the Hell…And a Little Bit of Heaven
The title for this post is taken from a video about the artist Jheronimus Bosch, which can be seen in an article that will send you to a wonderful interactive site, created to enhance appreciation for the exquisite details in his triptych, *Garden of Earthly Delights.* This masterpiece is unparalleled for its depiction of humanity's progression as it was seen in 1500, beginning with creation and original sin on the left, through a voluptuous orgy of carnal decadence in the center panel, to the deeply dark horror and tortures of hell on the right. Not at all unlike how reality is... more »
DCCC Starts Up Red To Blue-- 2016 Looks Like Another Disaster For Them
Yesterday the DCCC brought back their Red-to-Blue program, almost a decade after Debbie Wasserman Schultz had so damaged its brand by backing 3 Republican pals of hers while he was head of the committee that it was consigned to the deep freeze. One of the inherent problems with the DCCC and their Red to Blue Program is that they use it to interfere in primaries, sabotaging progressives on behalf of the corrupt conservative candidates they prefer seeing in Congress. Until Rahm Emanuel, Chris Van Hollen and Steve Israel were given control of the DCCC by Pelosi, it was DCCC policy to... more »
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