Map of ground operations of Operation Desert Storm from February 24-28th 1991. Shows allied and Iraqi forces. Special arrows indicate the American 101 st Airborne division moved by air and where the French 6 st light division and American 3 rd Armored Cavalry Regiment provided security. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)10:35pm MST
Picture Of The Day
Army Pfc. Jose Gil engages targets during a live-fire exercise at Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania, Feb. 2, 2016. The exercise enables soldiers to improve their tactics, techniques and procedures. Gil is assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin
A Look At Why The Multiple Launch Rocket System Is A Deadly And Effective Weapons Platform
*We Are the Mighty*: *This U.S. Army artillery unit savaged 41 Iraqi battalions in 72 hours* During Desert Storm the 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment provided artillery support to the 24th Infantry Division throughout the invasion of Iraq. During one phase of the war they took out 41 Iraqi battalion, two air defense sites, and a tank company in less than 72 hours. 3-27 entered Desert Storm with a new weapon that had never seen combat, the Multiple Launch Rocket System. Nearby soldiers took notice, to put it mildly, as the rockets screamed past the sound barrier on thei... more »
Sometimes When It Sounds Like A Crackpot Idea, It Is-- Meet Run For America, The Idiots Primarying Raul Grijalva
As if Wall Street front groups like Third Way and No Labels weren't enough, there's a new bunch of assholes in town with a similarly self-righteous "mission." Meet David Burstein-- and self-proclaimed spokesperson for millennials-- and his nutty little project, Run for America. He claims to be "a bipartisan political consulting firm with a mission to reimagine politics and reinvigorate government. We strategically identify and work to elect bold leaders to Congress who are committed to innovative approaches that tackle our nation’s major challenges." His infantile dream continues ... more »
Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & T...
Peg with Pen: Billions for Online Testing, Online Curriculum & T...: As Obama rolls out coding for everyone , updates his technology plan , his testing action plan , the relaunch of peer review of state as... more »
Russia Simulated A Nuclear Strike Against Sweden In 2013
NATO report: A 2013 Russian aerial exercise was actually a 'simulated nuclear attack' on Sweden *Newsweek*: *Russia Practiced Nuclear Strike on Sweden: NATO Report* Russia’s air force has practiced a nuclear strike against Sweden, according to a report by NATO’s secretary general. The Russian training mission, which took place in March 2013 by the eastern edge of the Stockholm archipelago, attracted a great deal of media attention and some Swedish media outlets speculated the maneuvers resembled what a Russian aerial attack on Sweden would look like. The incident involved a rapid ... more »
Saudi Arabia Mobilise Tens Of Thousands Of Troops For ISIS Fight
Saudi Arabia will join the UK in military exercises in preparation to fight ISIS in Syria, two sources have revealed to CNN. Saudi will deploy up to 150,000 troops in March to run a multinational military training exercise to prepare for future anti-ISIS operations. CNN reports: He stressed previously Saudis that air strikes alone will not defeat “Daash”, but they returned to reconsider their strategy, which is likely to present them in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. The Saudis say they supported air strikes against the organiza... more »
Former Reagan Advisor Says North Korea May Launch EMP Attack Soon
Former U.S. Ambassador Henry Cooper has warned that North Korea may launch a ‘satellite’ concealing an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) device, capable of completely crippling the U.S., wiping out the countries electrical grid for years. Cooper, who was President Ronald Reagan’s chief representative in the Star War program, says that the U.S. doesn’t have the capabilities to defend itself against a potential attack from Pyongyang, whether its in the form of a nuclear device or an EMP weapon. Superstation95.com reports: He said it would be impossible to distinguish a test from an actual ... more »
Woman Suffers Miscarriage After Cops Beat Her During False Arrest
The New York Police Department is being sued by a woman who claims that cops “battered” her during a false arrest, causing her to suffer a miscarriage during an incident at her home over a year ago. According to Emelda Fitzroy, officers brutally struck her in the stomach, threw her to the ground and stomped on her, on November 2nd, 2014. Silive.com reports: Fitzroy’s civil complaint does not specify why cops came to her home, although it notes she was arrested on charges of felony and misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administr... more »
Why The South China Sea Is Important
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* Eighty percent of Japanese and 39 percent of Chinese oil imports pass through the Indian Ocean en route from the Middle East. Chinese firms also have billions of dollars of investments in East Africa, concentrated primarily in the oil and gas, railways and roads, and other mining sectors. *Robert D. Kaplan, Business Insider:* *The South China Sea will be the battleground of the future* The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans — the mass of connective economic tissue where global sea routes coalesce. Here is ... more »
Unmasked: Zodiac Killer Turns Out To Be Convicted Serial Killer
The infamous Zodiac Killer who may have killed up to 27 people between 1968 and 1969 has finally been unmasked by a former detective. Kimberly McGath believes the killer to be a convicted serial killer named Dennis Radar. Radar is better known as the BTK Killer – a name derived from the fact that McGath Bound, Tortured and Killed his ten victims in Wichita, Kansas between 1974 and 1991. Dailystar.co.uk reports: Rader was in the US Air Force from 1966 and 1970 before settling down with a wife in Kansas. The BTK Killer sent numerous letters to the media but suddenly stopped. He then ... more »
A New Push For Afghan Peace Talks
*Reuters*: *Nations aim for Afghan peace talks with Taliban by end-February* Officials from the four nations seeking to end Afghanistan's 15-year-old war agreed on Saturday to press for direct talks between Taliban groups and the U.S.-backed government in Kabul by the end of the month. Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China have for weeks been trying to lay the groundwork for talks with the Taliban, which has made gains since the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2014. Rival factions competing for leadership of the Islamist movement have expressed different... more »
Was the Iowa Democratic Chair in the tank for Clinton? Some idiot neighbor told me that.
*-by Melody Siegler* Oh, just shush. Or course not. She’s a Woman. Women always hold to higher moral values than men. And to stray a bit, in the South where I now live, they are always kinder. They say things like “I really like your dress. Did you make it yourself?” I’ve been an expert seamstress since the age of 12 (really) so clearly that was a Supreme Compliment. Especially because Betsy Ross was an expert seamstress. And, given their (our) higher values, that of course explains why any “real” woman would want Hillary for President. And, anyway, we women in America live in th... more »
Let The Debate Begin
http://www.americandailynews.com/ Last week, Chrystia Freeland signed the Trans Pacific Partnership. While doing so, she maintained that her signature was in no way her government's ratification of the accord. There would be, she said, extensive public consultation and debate before the Liberals made that decision. Murray Dobbin writes that, if history is any guide, the consultation will be shallow and the debate short lived: For many of us who have dealt in the past with the trade bureaucrats promoting these investment protection agreement... more »
F-35 Makes First Transatlantic Crossing
AL-1 Arrival at NAS Patuxent River, MD on 5 February, 2016. This was the first time a foreign assembled F-35 to land on US soil. (Photo: Andy Wolfe) *Defense News*:* F-35 Makes First Transatlantic Crossing* NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – An Italian Air Force F-35 completed the fighter jet’s first transatlantic crossing Friday, a historic event that kicks off a landmark year for the international program. The aircraft, an Italian Air Force F-35A dubbed AL-1, touched down here Feb. 5 after a seven-hour flight from Lajes Air Base, Portugal. The plane, which began its journey... more »
Musical Interlude: Gandalf, “Blossoms Unfolding”
Gandalf, “Blossoms Unfolding” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRf9scJDbb8
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Is star AE Aurigae on fire? No. Even though AE Aurigae is named the flaming star, the surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula, and the region appears to have the color of fire, there is no fire. Fire, typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen, happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments such as stars. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen, but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains. *Click image for larger size.* The br... more »
U.S. Admit Defeat In Afghanistan As Russia’s ISIS Victory Stuns West
A Russian Ministry of Defense report states that America have conceded their total defeat in Afghanistan within hours of holding peace talks with the Taliban in the Pakistani capital city of Islamabad. At the same time the West have expressed concern that Russia’s ongoing defeat of ISIS in Syria is likely to have a huge impact on U.S. and Europe’s future for generations to come. The American defeat in Afghanistan mirrors the defeat of the Soviet Union in 1989 when the Afghan war led to the death of 14,453 Russian soldiers, which eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union tw... more »
Syria Warns That Any Foreign Troops Would Be Sent Home In Coffins
*Voice of America:* *Syria Warns Saudi Arabia, Other States Not to Send Troops* CAIRO - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem warned Saudi Arabia not to send troops to his country, threatening, during a press conference Saturday, that troops would be sent back home in coffins. The audience of journalists, top government officials and other invitees applauded politely as veteran Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem spoke defiantly about U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva and about continuing military operations “until terrorists are defeated.” Muallem insisted that the Sy... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Maintenance of Self”
*“The Maintenance of Self”* by Chet Raymo "Ah, yes, the pitcher plant. Those devouring goblets. Those caldrons of digestive juices. And now naturalists have found the biggest one yet, as big as a chalice, on a mountaintop in the Philippines, its punch bowl filled with beetles, flies and wasps. *Come hither, ye who flitter. Admire my colors. Sip my nectar. Yes, yes, just like that, * *touch my milky pool. I'll be your Tar Baby. Your flypaper paramour. That's it. * *Sniff my irresistible scent. My buffet waits. Sip. Lap. Gorge yourself. * Gotcha! Countless plants use insects to consu... more »
"There For All Of Us..."
"We are hurt; we are lonely; and we turn to music or words, and as compensation beyond all price we are given glimpses of the world on the other side of time and space. We all have glimpses of glory as children, and as we grow up we forget them, or are taught to think we made them up; they couldn't possibly have been real, because to most of us who are grown up, reality is like radium, and can be borne only in very small quantities. But we are meant to be real, and to see and recognize the real. We are all more than we know, and that wondrous reality, that wholeness, holiness, is t... more »
Twitter Doesn't Have to Die
If you're someone who sinks endless hours into Twitter, you couldn't have failed to spot #RIPTwitter trending overnight and for a good portion of the day. It has been suggested that the company wishes to introduce a fundamental change to the service. As every Twitter user knows, the feed is constantly updated with most recent tweets first. The powers that be apparently want to do away with this function and introduce an algorithm into proceedings. This will look at your missives, the accounts you retweet, and the people you follow to filter your feed and deliver tweets it thinks y... more »
“5 Sad Truths About Success And Happiness”
*“5 Sad Truths About Success And Happiness”* by Bernard Marr “Even as medical science and quality of life continues to increase our life spans, it seems as though many of us are not really living the life we’re given. Too often we are caught in the “busy” trap, running, running, running—but never getting much of anywhere. But how would you live differently if you knew you were going to die? Finding true success and happiness: Not to be maudlin, but we all are going to die—sooner or later. And while death is something we humans pretty universally fear, thinking about our own demise ... more »
Free Download: "The Rubaiyat" by Omar Khayyam
"We are no other than a moving row Of Magic Shadow-shapes that come and go Round with the Sun-illumin'd Lantern held In Midnight by the Master of the Show; But helpless Pieces of the Game He plays Upon this Chequer-board of Nights and Days; Hither and thither moves, and checks, and slays, And one by one back in the Closet lays. The Ball no question makes of Ayes and Noes, But Here or There as strikes the Player goes; And He that toss'd you down into the Field, He knows about it all- HE knows- HE knows! The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall ... more »
BREAKING NEWS: North Korea Has Launched A Long-Range Rocket
*CNN*: *North Korea launches long-range rocket* Seoul, South Korea (CNN)North Korea has launched a long-range "missile," a South Korean defense ministry official said Sunday, in defiance of U.N. sanctions and warnings from neighboring nations. Though North Korea had said it planned to put a satellite into orbit, the launch was viewed by other nations, such as Japan and South Korea, as a front for a ballistic missile test. South Korea said the launch was at 9:30 a.m. local time and the rocket headed south. A senior U.S. defense official said he can "confirm that we have detected a...more »
Jihadists Have Been Reinforcing Other Rebel Groups In Aleppo Since January
An Al Nusrah Front convoy streams into Aleppo province in late January. *Long War Journal*:* Jihadists reinforce other rebels during key battle in Aleppo province* Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, sent a massive convoy of fighters to the Aleppo province in late January. The jihadists’ redeployment was promoted in a short video posted on Twitter. More than 100 vehicles filled with fighters streamed into the province. It was a harbinger of the heavy fighting to come. Bashar al Assad’s regime, backed by Russian airstrikes, Iranian-sponsored Shiite militias and He... more »
Aleppo Assault Intensifies As Syrians Flee To The Turkish Border
*New York Times*:* Syrian Forces Press Aleppo, Sending Thousands Fleeing* BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syrian government and allied forces pressed their most significant advance in months on Friday, sending insurgents scrambling and tens of thousands of civilians fleeing toward the border with Turkey. The advance has accelerated in recent days, with new momentum from heavy Russian airstrikes in the northern province of Aleppo, according to Syrian state news media, residents and antigovernment activists. The government’s gains have given a morale boost to loyalists and prompted opponents of P... more »
The Iowa Election Proves Christians Can Rescue America from Obama
[image: Cross on Flag - 900] America is changing, but not for the better. The election of the first black President could have been a cause of ongoing celebration, but Americans who understand what he has done are mourning. As an American of African descent, I... more »
Carson: Iowa Rumors a Benghazi Moment for Cruz
[image: In this Jan. 19, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas speaks during a campaign stop at the Freedom Country Store in Freedom, N.H.] Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson is comparing rival Ted Cruz's failure to discipline staffers who spread rumors on the night of the Iowa caucuses to Hillary Clinton's testimony about the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack. Asked whether he was satisfied with... Continue reading *“Carson: Iowa Rumors a Benghazi Moment for Cruz”* at *thehill.com*.
Bad Bear's Photos 'Reno AIM Rally for Leonard Peltier'
. . Photos today in Reno by Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson Western Shoshone AIM Rally for Leonard Peltier Thank you to our friend from the Longest Walks, Western Shoshone photojournalist Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson for today's photos from Reno, Nevada. Now, on Saturday evening in Carson Colony, Nevada, the American Indian Movement is hosting a feast in honor of
Taxi Drivers In Japan Report Picking Up Ghosts Of 2011 Tsunami
Taxi drivers in Japan have reported that they are picking up ghost victims of the 2011 tsunami. Seven drivers have come forward claiming that ghostly passengers have entered their vehicle only to disappear into thin air shortly before reaching their destination. Theepochtimes.com reports: One driver described a young woman dressed in a coat climbing into his cab near Ishinomaki Station and telling him: “Please go to the Minamihama (district).” In response, the driver noted that the area was “almost empty,” and asked her if she was sure she wanted to go there, reported the Asahi Shi... more »
Russia Prepares Syrian Army To Defend Against Turkish Attack
Russia are anticipating a Turkish ground invasion in Syria and have said that they are training the Syrian army to be militarily capable of repelling any Turkish ground incursions. The Kremlin say that any invasion by Turkish forces will be met by military action and not diplomacy. Fort Russ reports: Abdullah Al-Muhaysini runs the judicial system in Aleppo, so how is it that Kerry is defending The Army of Conquest’s control on the city? “We call upon the regime and its supporters to halt their bombardment of opposition-held areas, especially in Aleppo, and to lift their besiegement... more »
North Korea Launches Long-Range Rocket On Sunday
North Korea have launched a long-range missile, in an obstinate move against U.N. sanctions and amid Western warnings not to go ahead with the launch. South Korea have confirmed that the launch was conducted at 9.30am local time, and have accused Pyongyang of conducting the test as a front for a ballistic missile test. CNN.com reports: A senior U.S. defense official said he can “confirm that we have detected a missile launch from North Korea. Based upon its trajectory as we are tracking it, it does not pose a threat to the U.S. or our allies. We will have more updates soon.” The Ja... more »
Democrats Use Artful Smear To Bash Each Other Over Corrupt Bankers
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are attacking each other over the fees that corrupt bankers have given to politicians for speeches and endorsements. Both candidates have declared their intentions to focus on the suspicious escapades of elite bankers once they are elected to office. The bankers nearly brought the world economy to its knees in 2007/2008 and have caused the worst recession in modern history. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have made millions by giving public speeches, some of t... more »
Report Says UK Nukes Can Be ‘Hacked’ By Cyber Terrorists
An embarrassing new report has highlighted the poor security of Britain’s nuclear weapons. The study, commissioned by the European Leadership Network (NLP), highlights the fact that UK nukes could be hacked by cyber terrorists, allowing them to launch a missile from a submarine. The study worryingly concludes that Britain’s nuclear weapons can never be fully protected against a cyber attack. Presstv.ir reports: According to the report, there is evidence hackers have sought to compromise radio communications used to send launch approval messages, in an attempt to attack the nuclear ... more »
UK Government Request Ability To Serve Warrants In U.S.
British authorities are negotiating a deal with the U.S. that will allow them to directly serve wiretap warrants on U.S. communications companies in criminal and national security inquiries, U.S. officials have confirmed. The new wiretapping powers will give agencies such as GCHQ the ability to monitor live communications of British suspects. Usatoday.com reports: Under the proposed plan, British authorities would not have access to records of U.S. citizens if they emerged in the British investigations. Congressional approval would be required of any deal negotiated by the two coun... more »
London’s Transport Bosses To Test Google Driverless Cars
London’s transport bosses are actively discussing plans with Google to bring trials of its autonomous cars to the UK. The deputy mayor for transport Isabel Dedring met with Google to encourage the American tech giant to extend its pilot scheme from across the Atlantic to the streets of London. It would be the first time Google’s self-driving cars would be tested outside of the United States. Google Self-Driving Car Project YouTube video: Belfast Telegraph reports: Ms Dedring said: ” It’s going to have to work in big cities so why don’t we start trialling it now? “Google have said th... more »
Super Bowl This Sunday Will Resemble A War Zone
Security at this years annual Super Bowl games around the Levi Stadium in California will resemble a war zone. Patrolling F-15 warplanes, tanker planes, police sharpshooters, bomb-sniffing dogs, metal detectors, helicopters, and a no-fly zone imposed in San Fransisco are just a handful of measures authorities are taking to prevent a terrorist attack from taking place. sjlendman.blogspot.com reports: Anyone who’s watched football games, especially NFL ones the way they’re played today, close to the action, understands their extreme violence, what television doesn’t show – or discuss... more »
Relying on BMI as a health metric is a bad idea
While it may be generally true that an exceedingly high body-mass index score suggests poor health, it is not always true, and a UCLA study, according to an LA Times story, suggests relying on BMI as a health metric is a bad idea: *“A new study from UCLA finds that some 54 million Americans who are labeled as obese or overweight according to their body mass index are, when you take a closer look, actually healthy. The findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity, reveal that employers could potentially saddle people with unfairly high health insurance costs based o... more »
AP NewsBreak: Deal Reached on Provisional Haiti Government
[image: Government supporters cheer as armed members of Haiti's disbanded army pass by their protest demanding presidential elections in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, while the runoff vote to choose the president's successor has been indefinitely postponed.] PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Top Haitian leaders negotiated an agreement to install a short-term provisional government less than 24 hours before President Michel Martelly was scheduled to step down, an official with the Organization of American States and local authorities... more »
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* 65,000% Spike In Reported Radioactivity After Tritium Leaks At Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Syria civil war: Up to 70,000 refugees head to Turkey, says PM Zika nations should allow access to contraception, abortion: UN 'Intriguing data': Kickstarter crowdfunds to publish 700,000 CIA declassified docs How much damage is the Porter Ranch leak doing to the climate? Michigan Officials Absent At Flint Water Crisis Hearing As Madoff Airs On TV, Two Anonymous Whistleblowers Are Pounding On The SEC's Door Again Flint Officials Could Have Prevented Lead Crisis for $... more »
Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets On Standby At Latakia
Russia have placed their new-generation Su-35 fighter jets on 24-hour standby at the Latakia base in Syria, just in case they are needed to perform aerial operations in the region, the Russian forces have said. A Russian Air Spaces Forces group spokesman has said that there will be a constant presence of two Su-35 jets ready to take-off in 60 seconds at Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia. RT.com reports: The fighter jets will provide cover for Russian aircraft and increase their total field of view. According to the Russian Air Space Forces group spokesman in Syria, there will a... more »
Man Accused of Islamic State-inspired Plot to Attack Detroit Church
[image: Detroit skyline] DETROIT (AP) -- Authorities have arrested a 21-year-old Michigan man whom they accuse of supporting Islamic State militants and plotting to attack a Detroit church. Khalil Abu-Rayyan, of Dearborn Heights, appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit and remains... more »
Almost a dead cert
True story... Just checking out the running order for tomorrow's *Sunday* on Radio 4, this is the first item listed: The Israeli government has announced plans to build a mixed gender prayer section at the Western wall. Campaigners are celebrating a groundbreaking decision, but Palestinians, the ultra Orthodox and archaeologists are not happy. We hear from Anat Hoffman from "Women of the Western Wall". Journalist Judy Maltz gives us the background. My immediate thought on reading that, knowing the BBC, was to place a non-monetary bet with myself (a win-win situation for me) that "... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Horton, Michigan, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
The Poet: Eugene O'Neill, "Free"
*"Free"* by Eugene O'Neill "Weary am I of the tumult, sick of the staring crowd, Pining for wild sea places where the soul may think aloud. Fled is the glamour of cities, dead as the ghost of a dream, While I pine anew for the tint of blue on the breast of the old Gulf Stream. I have had my dance with Folly, nor do I shirk the blame; I have sipped the so-called Wine of Life and paid the price of shame; But I know that I shall find surcease, the rest my spirit craves, Where the rainbows play in the flying spray, 'Mid the keen salt kiss of the waves. Then it's ho! for the plunging deck of... more »
"Regret: The Weight of the Past"
*"Regret: The Weight of the Past"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM "Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds. We also know that we create ou... more »
“The Individual vs. The Illusion Of Consensus Reality”
*“The Individual vs. The Illusion Of Consensus Reality”* by Jon Rappoport “This is such a supercharged subject, I could start from a dozen places. But let’s begin here: the individual is unique, because he is he. He is unique because he has his own ideas, because he has his own desires, because he has his own power. That power belongs to no one else. In particular, it doesn’t belong to the State. The State will try, will always try to suggest that it is granting power to the individual, but this is a lie. It’s an illusion broadcast with ill-intent. While everyone else is trying to... more »
Clinton’s 31 Point Lead Evaporates in Six Weeks, Trump’s Shrinks but Holds
[image: Poll sheet] Having led Bernie Sanders among Democratic voters by a huge 61% to 30% margin in mid-December, Hillary Clinton found herself leading only 44% to 42% -- within the margin of error, which means that Sanders may in fact be leading... more »
The ghost of Noel Edmonds
The BBC's coverage of that UN panel's verdict on Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' in the Ecuadorian embassy hasn't been straightforward. Given the BBC's extraordinary behaviour when Wikileaks first 'broke' (via the *Guardian*), when the BBC seemed to be hanging on the *Guardian*'s every word and was *very *uncritical of Mr Assange, I kind-of expected the BBC to betray a strong pro-Assange bias. Maybe others did too. When the story first 'broke' (the day before the UN panel officially released their 'ruling') the BBC were up to their neck in it, having received a leaked copy ... more »
"Stories via @jondonnisonbbc"
David (in the comments section of the previous post) has grabbed the embed code for a truly intriguing tweet: Team Palestina Daily News is out! https://t.co/oLHKW2P8Aw Stories via @jondonnisonbbc — Team Palestina (@TeamPalestina) January 18, 2016 Now, as you'll see if you click on their Twitter feed, Team Palestina are activists: They have a remarkably busy Twitter feed which has been going since 2010 and which has already pumped out 135,000+ tweets, all promoting the Palestinian cause and denouncing Israel. And yet there's a tweet from their Twitter account promoting themselve... more »
How Soon Before Rubio's Career Of Corruption Catches Up With Him?
The corporate media is desperately pushing the establishment line that insider Marco Rubio can beat Herr Trumpf. And the *Boston Globe* had a poll that proves it they're peddling to show that the sweaty little high-heeled man-boy is moving up. The Kochs, Adelson, et all, are petrified that Herr or Cruz will win the nomination and trigger a gigantic landslide -- up and down the ticket-- away from the GOP. Pressure is mounting on Jeb and the other establishment candidates to stop attacking Rubio. *The Globe* insists the race in New Hampshire "is tightening." The RealClearPolitics ave... more »
Iran Warns Saudi Intervention In Syria Would Be Suicidal
Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that it would be suicidal for Saudi Arabia to intervene militarily on the ground in Syria. They never will because they know that they will be defeated says the general. Saudi Arabia is willing to send special forces or ground troops into Syria if the U.S. led coalition to fight the so called Islamic State starts ground operations. Middle East Online reports: The head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard said on Saturday Saudi Arabia lacked the courage to go through with a plan to send ground troops to Syr... more »
Russian ‘Spetsnaz’ Special Forces Fight ISIS In Aleppo As Refugees Flee
Russia’s feared “Spetsnaz” special forces units have surrounded the Syrian city of Aleppo. 70,000 Syrian refugees are fleeing the area amid fierce fighting between ISIS and a coalition of Syrian government forces together with Russian special forces and Iranian-Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. The commandos are said to be acting covertly with regime forces in retaking parts of Aleppo from ISIS militants after years of civil war. The Daily Express reports: Russian airstrikes have intensified in recent days in a bid to crush ISIS and rival rebel groups that have laid claim to vast swathes... more »
Paws for thought
Thursday night on BBC Two saw Chris 'Kill the Pandas' Packham and Liz 'Probably Less Keen on Killing the Pandas' Bonnin stage a 'scientific' study, BBC style, pitting cats against dogs: *Cats v Dogs: Which is Best? * This, of course, falls squarely in the tradition of Galileo, Boyle, Faraday and Ball (Johnny). As might have been expected, the mutts were fully up for it and the pusses could either take it or leave it. ('Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!' v 'Yeah, whatever, now feed me!') The first of its two episodes [spoilers!] resulted in a 2:1 win for our feline friends. ... more »
Palestine’s First Western Embassy Opens In Brazil
Palestine’s first Embassy in the West has been opened in Brazil. The Palestinian Authority inaugurated its first diplomatic mission in the Western Hemisphere in Brazil on Wednesday, amid a diplomatic row between Brazil and Israel. Brazil has repeatedly rejected Israel’s ambassador, a former leader of West Bank settlers. Press TV reports: Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Alzeben led the opening ceremony in the Brazilian capital city of Brasilia. The event was attended by Brazilian government officials, representatives of Arab countries and members of the local Arab community. “This is ... more »
Who would have thought it
Meanwhile... Some things never change. The wonderful Daphne Anson has spotted a Twitter exchange between the BBC's Jon Donnison and someone who is apparently the Australia public broadcaster's answer to Jon Donnison: ABC Jerusalem correspondent Sophie McNeill. JonDon, of course, is famous for being most emphatically *not* pro-Israel (to put it mildly). Recently he's also proved himself to be no fan of Australia's firm immigration policy (also to put it mildly). Here he manages to combine both sentiments in just one short, ever-so-impartial reply: ******* *P.S.* For those wan... more »
Saudi Arabia Threatens To Invade Syria With A 150,000 Mercenary Army Under The Guise of Fighting ISIS
* Heads will roll.* In the last few years the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Turkey decided to abandon peace with their closest neighbours, Yemen and Kurdistan, choosing war instead. Although the wisdom of these wars are highly questionable, at least they can be managed. The Houthis and the PKK are not the proxies of anyone, at least not publicly, and they can be isolated relatively easily, as they have been in the past. But now they want to attack Syria that has regional and international allies? Are they crazy? Are they bloodthirsty? This is nuts. Foolish and naked aggression agai... more »
Iran Dumps Dollar In Favour Of Euro For Crude Oil Trade
Iran wants euro payment for new and outstanding oil sales in a bid to cut reliance on the US dollar. After the removal of sanctions Tehran also plans to recover some of its previously frozen assets in euros. Sputnik news reports: Iran has turned away from the US dollar in oil trade and is denominating in euros all new and outstanding oil contracts with companies, including French oil and gas giant Total, Spanish refiner Cepsa and Litasco, the trading arm of Russia’s Lukoil, a source at National Iranian Oil Co told Reuters. “In our invoices we mention a clause that buyers of our oil ... more »
A-ha
The lion's share of today's *Any Answers *was spent discussing the migrant crisis. Here's how Anita Anand framed the discussion this week (persisting, as ever, in calling it 'the refugee crisis'): So, as you've been hearing in the news, the number of Syrian refugees heading for the Turkish border has nearly doubled in 24 hours. 35,000. What should we do about this? How much should we be doing for refugees? $10 billion raised by an international effort this week, but let's talk about the number of people you think this country should be welcoming. And what about unaccompanied chi... more »
The Pervasive, Sickening Impact Of Wall Street On Politics
Over the past few days the Republicans have pushed two bills from the Wall Street agenda, Randy Hutgren's H.R.1675, meant to weaken disclosure requirements for companies that offer stock options to employees, and curb oversight and liability on promotional materials that companies use to market certain products that investors rely on, and Blaine Luetkemeyer's H.R.766, meant to handcuff federal prosecutors from filing civil actions against financial institutions that prey on consumers or investors. Although Luetkemeyer has been one of the biggest recipients of Finance Sector legali... more »
Bobby Jindal Endorses Marco Rubio
[image: 1Bobby_Jindal_CPAC_2013] Once a candidate himself, former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal has endorsed Marco Rubio for president, calling him a “principled conservative” who could unify the party and win the election. Jindal had dropped out of the race in November, but refused to endorse... more »
Organic Agriculture, Capitalism And The Parallel Reality Of The Pro-GMO Evangelist
CounterPunch, RINF, Global Research, Countercurrents *Please Read This Request* Consider that India had for generations sustained one of the highest densities of population on earth, without any chemical fertilisers, pesticides, exotic dwarf strains of grain or ‘bio-tech’ inputs. And it did it without degrading the soil. That is according to the evidence provided by Arun Shrivastava. What is truly impressive, however, is he then goes on to demonstrate that in the 18th and 19th centuries India achieved better productivity levels with organic methods than those of the 'green revolu... more »
Plutapocalypse Now
Could Friday's catastrophic collapse of a too-big-to-exist construction crane in the Big Finance Data Hub of lower Manhattan be a precursor to the collapse of the too-awful-to-believe presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton? After all, both disasters are rooted in the greed and corruption of the American plutocracy. Just one day before the 600-foot-tall apparatus teetered and fell, killing one person and injuring several, it had been certified as safe as the pre-iceberg Titanic... as safe as the cumbersome machine straining to hoist another Clinton back to the heights of power. But... more »
Site C Dam Not Required, Christy Clark's Justification for the Taxpayer Funded Project Falls by the Wayside
Site C Dam Not Required, British Columbia Could Save $15 Billion Dollars *Written by Grant G* (this factual article was originally posted in January 2015) http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.ca/2016/01/site-c-dam-not-required-british.html Christy Clark and the BC Liberals are now saying $15 billion dollar public dollar/taxpayer funded Site C Dam project is not about LNG but about an opportunity to sell Alberta clean electricity... http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/clark-urges-trudeau-to-support-bc-megaprojects-that-benefit-canada/article28631015/ That's ab... more »
Pentagon Releases 198 Detainee Abuse Photos After Lawsuit
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has forced the Pentagon to release classified photos of prisoner abuse at U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Defense Department has released 198 photographs in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit that was filed more than ten years ago. ACLU reports: The photos mostly show close-ups of body parts like arms, legs, and heads, many with injuries. There are also wider shots of prisoners, most of them bound or blindfolded. They are part of a larger collection of some 2,000 photographs, most of which the government r... more »
Editor's Note
*WNU Editor*: Blogging will return later this evening. But in the interim, enjoy the Best 2016 Super Bowl commercials (before tomorrow's Super Bowl) at the following link .... *Best 2016 Super Bowl Commercials*. I love the video above .... the Super Bowl Babies!!!!!
Syrian Bishop to Western Press: ‘You Have Never Tried to Be Objective’
[image: Displaced Assyrians, who had fled their hometowns due to Islamic State Group (IS) attacks against their communities, take part in a prayer at the Ibrahim-al Khalil Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Jaramana district on the outskirts of the capital Damascus on March 1, 2015.] “The European media have not ceased to suppress the daily news of those who are suffering in Syria and they have even justified what is happening in our country by using information without taking the trouble to verify it,” a Syrian... more »
Viewers’ Guide for Tonight’s GOP Debate: Trump Returns as Urgency Grows for Others
[image: Cruz Rubio Trump - 900] MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- With one primary contest over and another three days away, the Republican Party’s leading presidential candidates will meet on the debate stage once again Saturday night -- with a new sense of urgency. The prime-time affair... more »
Supplemental: How black actors, and all Democrats, may end up losing votes!
*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016Surprising notes on Jackie Robinson's self-emasculation:* Kevin Blackistone is smart, decent, well-informed, funny, decent and smart. How do we know that Blackistone's smart? We watch him several days a week on our TV machine. Who *is* Kevin Blackistone? He's a sports columnist for the Washington Post and a visiting professor at the University of Maryland. He appears several times per week on an ESPN discussion show, Around Cape Horn. Blackistone is smart, well-informed and decent. That makes him a great example of an important fact--we the liberals can... more »
"How It Really Is"
The economy's not coming out of recession, but we sure are...
100,000 Chinese New Year Travellers Stuck At Railway Station
Bad weather and disruptions at a train station in southern China caused delays for at least 100,000 travelers rushing to get home for the Chinese New Year. Guangzhou’s main railway station was packed full of stranded travelers on Monday some of whom had to queue for hours in rain and freezing temperatures. The Guardian reports: Vast crowds of migrant workers surged into Guangzhou’s main railway station hoping to make it back to their family homes ahead of Lunar New Year festivities on 8 February that will usher in the Year of the Monkey. However, a bout of freezing weather and snow ... more »
“Waiting For The Barbarians”
*“Waiting For The Barbarians”* "What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum? *The barbarians are due here today.* Why isn't anything going on in the senate? Why are the senators sitting there without legislating? *Because the barbarians are coming today.* *What's the point of senators making laws now?* *Once the barbarians are here, they'll do the legislating.* Why did our emperor get up so early, and why is he sitting enthroned at the city's main gate, in state, wearing the crown? *Because the barbarians are coming today* *and the emperor's waiting to receive their leader.* *He'... more »
Recent Geological Activity Amplifies Nuclear Risks
People should be watching recent geological activity in Asia with trepidation as Japan re-starts nuclear reactors, especially in Sendai near the recent volcanic eruption: Sakurajima settles down after explosive eruption, The Mainichi September 6, 2016, http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160206/p2a/00m/0na/007000c Steve Almasy, Kevin Wang, and Joshua Berli. 14 dead after magnitude-6.4 earthquake shocks Taiwan. CNN, Feb 6, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/06/asia/taiwan-earthquake/index.html Given heightened geological activity, one wonders why Japan is electing not only to re-s... more »
A Climate Of Change In Calabria
By Paul Homewood Calabria, Italy The work of HH Lamb and his contemporaries has done a lot to help us understand how climate has changed in the last few thousand years, despite more recent attempts to remove such changes. But it seems that observers have long known about these matters. Niall […]
Satanic Temple Gets Opening Prayers Banned From Phoenix City Council Meetings
[image: Arizona Flag Satanic Temple Symbol Star - 900] Members of the Satanic Temple of Tucson have forced the Phoenix City Council to ban its customary opening invocation before meetings. The organization had applied for and was approved to deliver the prayer at the February 17 council meeting. Councilman Sal... more »
Boko Haram Attackers Set Village Ablaze, Kill Dozens in Nigeria
[image: Boko Haram] That's one of this week's most significant international headlines. Gruesome and heart-rending, it discourages much consideration -- perhaps a quick prayer -- because of the sense of helplessness it evokes. Boko Haram, which seems to be in a sordid competition with other Islamic... more »
Dating App Does Not Approve Bernie Sanders Spam Campaign
Fans of U.S. presidential campaigner Bernie Sanders have been told by the dating app Tinder to stop sending spam messages to potential dates on behalf of their favorite man. People are advised to use the app for merely the purposes of dating and not to waste the time of their potential dates by using Bernie Sanders as a bait. Refinery29 reports: Reuters reports that at least two Tinder-happy Bernie fans have been banned for their continued stumping for the senator on the app. Haley Lent, 22, told the news outlet how she handled campaigning on Tinder. “I would ask them [Tinder matches...more »
SAS Soldiers Wounded From An Ambush By Islamic State Forces In Northern Iraq
Attacked: British, American and German special forces were on a patrol to find ISIS positions when they were ambushed by fighters with captured Humvee vehicles mounted 50 calibre guns and rocket propelled grenades. Mirror *Daily Mail:* *Three SAS soldiers are wounded in top secret firefight with 30 ISIS terrorists deep behind enemy lines in Iraq* * SAS and SBS said to be on secret mission in Iraq when they are attacked * ISIS bombarded troops with machine gun fire, rocket propelled grenades * The three soldiers are thought to be first British casualties of the conflict * A 15 minu... more »
Clinton is a Corporate Agent
Judge for yourself Judge For Yourself. Stand for something or you will Fall for anything! Posted by Bernie Sanders' Supporters on Thursday, February 4, 2016
"It Was The Best Of Times..."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way." - Charles Dickens, "A Tale Of Two Cities" "Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got." - Art Buchwald
Fukushima Update: "Your Radiation This Week, Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2016"
*"Your Radiation This Week, Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2016"* By Bob Nichols * "I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth."* - Morpheus (San Francisco) February 6, 2016 – "Good Day, this is “Your Radiation This Week.” These are the recorded Radiation Highs that affected some people this week around the United States. You should compare the Rad numbers directly with the Rad numbers in with my articles listed on the VT Author’s Page here. These are the American cities that exceeded 1,000 CPM this week. *Twenty-three (23) cities exceed 1,000 CPM. There are Thirteen (13) citi... more »
"Keep Believing..."
Fear is often described as an acronym for *F*alse *E*xpectations *A*ppearing *R*eal. “There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Along the High Ridges”
Deuter, “Along the High Ridges” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLoiMTeKC08
Syrian FM Warns That Foreign Troops Will Return Home In Coffins
Syria’s Foreign Minister has warned that any ground operation in Syria, carried out without consent from Damascus, would be viewed as an act of aggression. During a press conference in Damascus, Walid Muallem said: “Any ground intervention on Syrian territory without government authorization would amount to aggression that must be resisted“ The senior Syrian official added that potential aggressors would return to their countries dead: “Let no one think they can attack Syria or violate its sovereignty because I assure you any aggressor will return to their country in a wooden coffin... more »
What Would a Progressive Education Policy Look Like?
In the last presidential debate, Bernie Sanders did progressives no favor by including Barack Obama among those who have earned the right to wear the "progressive" label: In terms of President Obama, I think if we remember where this country was seven years ago, 800,000 jobs being lost every month, $1.4 trillion dollar deficit. The world’s financial system on the verge of collapse. I think that President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate have done a fantastic job. We are in much better shape than we were seven years ago, although ... more »
Foreign press “Ignorant and quite lazy”
I was reading something in the Times (Jenni Russell) about bosses taking “sloggers” for granted. The pushy workers get all the credit, she says; she knows what she’s talking about, having served time as both slogger and boss. The hard-working, dependable ones assume that the boss is aware and suitably appreciative of all their hard work; but no. If you want to get ahead you have to shout: “See me!” As loud as you can. I keep seeing things as an allegories for something else these days, but this simple truth resonated with me, having just read a piece by a young journalist who has be... more »
On the Carson Campaign Report, CNN’s Hypocrisy is Exposed
[image: CNN marque] It is unfortunate that the Ted Cruz campaign and Rep. Steve King sent out misleading and even erroneous information about Dr. Ben Carson's campaign plans, for which Cruz and King have apologized. But CNN is also to blame, and its... more »
Getting Ready For The Battle Of Mosul
A Kurdish fighter keeps guard while overlooking positions of Islamic State militants near Mosul in northern Iraq August 19, 2014. Youssef Boudlal/Reuters *Denise Natali, War On the Rocks:* *The Long Road To Mosul* As the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) gains momentum in Iraq, the focus has returned to Mosul, a key ISIL stronghold. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi has affirmed that security preparations are being made, to include training thousands of different paramilitary fighters as part of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). The United Stat... more »
From Fact to Propaganda (again)
Talking about Shami... What has BBC Radio 4 got in store for us this week on *From Fact to Fiction*, following Shami's pro-migrant piece of agitprop last week? Given that the three previous episodes, as I showed few days ago, were also full of left-wing messages (on Donald Trump, the migrant crisis and David Bowie!), this seemed to show a strong pro-left bias on the programme's part. So you *might* expect something to balance that this week? (Well, you might if you didn't already know the BBC too well!) This week's episode is: Its author, Dan Rebellato, is jokily advertising it o... more »
Mr Davis Goes to Paris
If you were wondering where Evan Davis is today (and why wouldn't you be?), well he's in Paris at a conference for UK school children (sixth formers) called *Your Future in Europe*. (I stumbled across this by accident, so, no, I'm* not *stalking Evan!) I was especially struck by the list of speakers for the conference. Along with Evan, there's also Shami Chakrabarti, Alan Johnson MP and Dominic Grieve MP. They all have something in common: Mr Johnson is leading Labour's pro-EU campaign, Mr Grieve is among the most pro-EU of Conservative MPs and Shami Chakrabarti turns out to be... more »
"We're not likely to be UKIP voters around this table"
*Dateline London *talked about Britain and the EU and the migrant crisis today. The panel consisted of two left-wingers, an American liberal and a centre-right pro-EU German. The discussion proceed as you'd expect it to proceed. I could describe it at length. but I'll just quote one of the panellists (Jef McAllister) instead: We're not likely to be UKIP voters around this table. Never was a truer word spoken! In fact, I don't reckon there's *ever *been a UKIP voter around the *Dateline* table. (Maybe Peter Oborne, who made one appearance several years ago {if he votes}?)
Video: The Truth About The Zika Virus
In the following interview, investigative reporter Jon Rappoport talks to James Corbett to discuss the truth about the zika virus and dissect the hype behind it. (Scroll down for video) You may have heard of the wave of birth defects that is ravaging Latin America as the globe gears up for another pandemic panic. But do you know how many of those cases of microcephaly have been confirmed? Or how many of those confirmed cases are said to be “related to” the Zika virus? Jon Rappaport of NoMoreFakeNews.com joins the Corbett report to separate the truth from the hype with the Zika viru... more »
Iran Will Have The Final Say On What Tools Nuclear Inspectors Can Use In Monitoring Iranian Nuclear Sites
From Yahoo News/Reuters: *Foreign Policy*: *Nuclear Inspectors Have Snazzy New Tools to Catch Iran Cheating* *The catch: Iran gets to approve which ones the IAEA can use.* On the heels of Iraq’s defeat in the 1991 Gulf War, inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency returned to Baghdad with a mandate from the U.N. Security Council to find and destroy the country’s illicit nuclear weapons program. What they found astonished them: Left unchecked, Iraq had hoped to have a bomb by the end of the year. IAEA inspectors had frequently visited Iraq throughout the 1980s, tourin... more »
New GOP Bill Would Slash Congressional Salaries
[image: Rod Blum (C) speaking with small business owners before a business roundtable at MobileDemand on October 22, 2014 in Hiawatha, Iowa.] Iowa Republican Rep. Rod Blum introduced legislation Friday that would decrease congressional members' salaries annually until the national budget is balanced. Lawmakers' pay would be docked 5 percent the first year and an additional 10 percent each year after, according to... more »
Sound into Form: Cymatics Insights and the Sri Yantra
* Brendan D. Murphy* - Energy fields invisible to most humans’ perceptions guide the formation of all living things. The post Sound into Form: Cymatics Insights and the Sri Yantra appeared first on Waking Times.
Distributionism Revisited
*My recent post on Bernie Sanders took me back to Nuclear Green Posts on Distributionism that began in December 2008. I was trying to explore the basis of the Green anti-nuclear stance. If the line of argument is correct, it was based on the work of two Roman Catholic intellectuals who ignored things like priests who screwed alter boys, and bishops who covered up their crimes. The same bishops conspired with local kings, to torture Jews in Catholic Church Inquisition tribunals, and burn them at the stake. No matter, for the early prophets of Distributionism, these were far more ... more »
Weekend reads: Scientist slams bloggers; men love their own work; public science broken?
The week at Retraction Watch featured a paper on reincarnation being retracted because it was plagiarized from Wikipedia, the swift retraction of a paper claiming that women’s makeup use was tied to testosterone levels, and a lot of news about trachea surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: “Those who can, publish,” says a […] The post Weekend reads: Scientist slams bloggers; men love their own work; public science broken? appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Poaching Has Left Congo Giraffes Close To Extinction
The poaching crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not only affecting elephants. The giraffe population has now plunged to only 38, putting the species at immediate risk of extinction there, new surveys have revealed. Sadly, giraffes in the Congo are not alone. Poaching has become a major problem for the animals wherever they are living. Their numbers throughout Africa have dropped by more than 40 percent over the past 15 years. The entire subspecies is at risk of extinction. Take Part reports: The Congo’s giraffes all live within Garamba National Park, a 1,930-square-mi... more »
Firebrand Monks a Powerful Force in Myanmar (Burma) Despite Setback
[image: Myanmar Buddhist monks] WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dark-skinned and bearded men jump a young woman after she prays at a Buddhist shrine. They push her to the ground and rape her. Then they cut off her ear and slit her throat. A lurid video... more »
Bobby Jindal’s Long Crusade Against Common Core Comes to an End
[image: US President Barack Obama greets Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (L) after a town hall meeting in McKinley Senior High School on January 14, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)] Louisiana's new Democratic governor says he plans to abandon Bobby Jindal's idealistic lawsuit against the federal government over Common Core, arguing that a new federal education law has made the costly suit pointless. Back in August 2014, Jindal sued President Barack... more »
MENA Report ( February 6 , 2016 ) Iraq In Focus ( 1. Kurds fear being used once again. 2. Civilian toll across Iraq rises. 3. Iraq's Sistini suspends weekly political sermons ) Syria In Focus ( 1. Numerous items touching on state of play on battlefield. 2. Items touching upon Geneva Talks. 3. Syria Kurds a wildcard. 4. Refugee crisis to worsen based upon rapid advances of SAA , Aleppo a huge key on inflows to Europe. 5. Bahrain , Turkey , Saudi intentions re : Syria - another wildcard.) Libya In Focus (1. Political Talks on formation of Unity Gov't in focus . 2 State of play on the ground - country-wide. 3. ISIS in Libya. 4. Oil. 5. Odds & Ends. ) Iran In Focus ( 1. Items of interest - the post - sanctions world for Iran. )
Links....... *Iraqi Kurds Fear Being Used as Cannon Fodder* *Syrian Army Captures Town Near Jordan Border* *Heavy Clashes in Southeast Libya, 30 Killed* *Afghan Taliban Close Ranks Around New Leader* *Civilian Casualties in Turkish Airstrikes as 174 Are Killed Across Iraq* *Recent Syrian Gains in Aleppo Could Make ISIS a Target* Iraq's Top Shi'ite Cleric Suspends Weekly Political Sermons 20,000 Syrians Flee to Turkish Border as New Humanitarian Disaster Unfolds Bahrain Says Ready to Commit Ground Forces to Syria Saudi Arabia O... more »
Oil Production Has Not Been Impacted By The Collapse In The Price Of Oil
(Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr./Bloomberg) *Fuel Fix: **Wood Mackenzie: Just 0.1 percent of global crude output shuttered by cheap oil* HOUSTON — The world’s oil producers aren’t rolling over for $35 oil. Though crude is cheaper than during the financial crisis seven years ago, global oil prices haven’t fallen far enough yet to force oil producers to shut in more than 0.1 percent of the world’s daily supply, a new oil-field analysis shows. Energy research firm Wood Mackenzie says on a daily basis, 3.4 million barrels around the world currently lose money but only 100,000 barrels hav... more »
Don’t Discount Donald Trump
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump poses with a ring given to him by a group of veterans during a campaign event on the campus of Drake University Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)] Donald Trump’s loss in Iowa wasn’t just a victory for conservatives, but a loss for the mogul’s routinely low and dishonest style of campaigning. There was nothing subtle about his disgraceful attacks on Ted Cruz’s eligibility to run for president,... more »
Speeches Earning Clinton Millions Still Remain a Mystery
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by, from right, Lilly Ledbetter, right, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and others, speaks during a campaign stop, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)] MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Hillary Clinton told voters in the latest Democratic debate there’s “hardly anything you don’t know about me.” Just minutes later, she got tangled in a question about a part of her resume that is an enduring... more »
Disillusionment Sets In: Obamacare Enrollments for 2016 Far Below Estimates
[image: Disillusionment Sets In: Obamacare Enrollments for 2016 Far Below Estimates] About 12.7 million people enrolled in Obamacare for 2016, both renewals and new signups. The numbers are well below earlier rosy predictions and just up last year’s 11.7 million. Virtually all the optimistic projections about Obamacare have failed to play out, hurting...more »
Trump Returns to Debate Stage; Rubio to Face Onslaught
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures as he speaks at a campaign rally Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, in Florence, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)] MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (AP) -- An aggrieved Donald Trump returns to the debate stage Saturday night hoping to find his way into the winner’s circle in New Hampshire, while a rising Marco Rubio looks to fend off an onslaught of... more »
The Famous Social Experiment: 5 Monkeys and a Ladder
* Kyle McMillan* - One will not reach his dreams if he does not dare to question traditions. The post The Famous Social Experiment: 5 Monkeys and a Ladder appeared first on Waking Times.
So Where Is This Gender Bias You Speak Of?
*-by j. darcy* The primary reason propaganda works so effectively is that the practitioners understand their target audience will accept it on faith. This is what they count on, in fact-- that the audience is just low-info enough not to recognize that they've even been propagandized in the first place. It's a deeply cynical and unprincipled exercise which, for obvious reasons, is never intended to make anybody smarter. In our current political landscape, it's fair to say that the easiest people on whom to work this scam are right-wingers-- they tend to be very low-info anyway, su... more »
Untitled
*UK: University free speech group set up to counter campus censorship faces being BANNED by students in ‘breath-takingly ironic’ move * A free speech society at the London School of Economics faces being banned over claims it is ‘self-important’ and ‘seeking to play the victim’. The student union is due to debate a motion to ban the group later this month after a member complained they were ‘ill-informed’. A number of bizarre bans have been imposed by student unions on speakers, events and publications which they consider to be ‘offensive’. Organisers of the group say their aim is... more »
Will The EU Court End This Blog?
*Ars Technica*: *Europe’s top court mulls legality of hyperlinks—shockwaves could be huge for Web users* Imagine having to check that none of your links' links are unauthorised, and so on. Europe's highest court is considering whether every hyperlink in a Web page should be checked for potentially linking to material that infringes copyright, before it can be used. Such a legal requirement would place an unreasonable burden on anyone who uses hyperlinks, thereby destroying the Web we know and love. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor*: One thing that a lot of people like about this blo... more »
The Economy: “You Were Not Allowed to Know That Bankers Can Be Jailed”
*“You Were Not Allowed to Know That Bankers Can Be Jailed”* By Joe Clifford “The 2008 financial crises and meltdown occurred because large banks were speculating in fraudulent risky loans that failed. When the meltdown occurred, banks turned to the federal government, who immediately bought into the idea that banks were too large to fail, and taxpayers subsidized banks to the tune of trillions of dollars. No one really knows how much the bailout cost, but here is partial list of banks you generously helped out: • Citigroup – $2.513 trillion • Morgan Stanley – $2.041 trillion • Merri... more »
At Least 11 Dead As Several Buildings Collapse In Taiwan Earthquake
At least 11 people were killed when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Southern Taiwan yesterday causing multiple buildings, including a high-rise residential tower to collapse. More than 200 people have been rescued as emergency teams searched through the rubble. At least 30 people remain missing. Tainan’s mayor said people were alive but trapped under the rubble and all means would be used to rescue them. The epicenter of the quake was located at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles approximately 19 miles east-southeast of Tainan. The quake was initially reported as a magnitude 6.7 Followi... more »
Over 100 Missing, 13 Dead as Strong Quake Rattles Taiwan
[image: taiwan earthquake] TAINAN, Taiwan (AP) -- Rescuers were searching late Saturday for more than 100 people still missing after a powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn, causing a high-rise residential building to collapse, killing at least 14 people and injuring... more »
Some Doom And Gloom Economic News On This Saturday Morning
*Michael Snyder, The Economic Collapse*:* 22 Signs That The Global Economic Turmoil We Have Seen So Far In 2016 Is Just The Beginning* As bad as the month of January was for the global economy, the truth is that the rest of 2016 promises to be much worse. Layoffs are increasing at a pace that we haven’t seen since the last recession, major retailers are shutting down hundreds of locations, corporate profit margins are plunging, global trade is slowing down dramatically, and several major European banks are in the process of completely imploding. I am about to share some numbers wi... more »
7 Health Benefits of Bee Propolis
* Margie King* - Studies show that bee propolis has important anti-cancer properties. The post 7 Health Benefits of Bee Propolis appeared first on Waking Times.
"'Fukushima Class Disaster' - L.A. Gas Leak Spewing Lethal Levels Of Breathable Nuclear Material"
*View from Aliso Canyon. The tall buildings you see at the image top are downtown L.A.* Los Angeles County, California 2014 Population estimate: 10,116,705 San Fernando Valley, California 2014 Population estimate: 1,571,548 *"'Fukushima Class Disaster' - * *L.A. Gas Leak Spewing Lethal Levels Of Breathable Nuclear Material"* by Mac Slavo "In a breaking development that has been completely ignored by mainstream news sources, the leaking natural gas well at Aliso Canyon near Los Angeles, California is now reportedly spewing lethal levels of radioactive material, according to a report f... more »
As the Six Nations kicks off today, here's "What a Rugby Commentator Would Never Say' from Mock the Week
https://youtu.be/n1LA6NXhv70
Untitled
*If ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no room for tinkers* *My heading above is an old English proverb expressing skepticism about all sorts of theories, prophecies and maybes. It dates from the time when the Middle English word "an" (meaning "if") was still understood in the Middle English sense. Tinkers were itinerant handymen who fixed up damaged pots and pans -- as pots and pans were valuable household goods in those days. Few people reading this will have seen a saucepan with a hole in it -- but I have. A couple of my mother's saucepans developed hole... more »
Syria: NATO's Last Desperate Options in Lost Proxy War
*February 6, 2016* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - As Syrian forces and their allies complete the encirclement of Syria's largest city, Aleppo, the United States and its regional allies have signaled a sudden increased interest in ground operations in Syria, including US airpower backing Turkish-Saudi ground forces. While it is obvious the US and its allies are responding directly to the collapse of their proxy forces across the country, their most recent threats to further escalate the conflict in Syria are tenuously predicated on "fighting ISIS." The Guardian in its article, "Saudi Ar... more »
Why Are Some Files On The Assassination Of John F. Kennedy Still Classified?
History.com *Bryan Bender, Politico*: *What the government is still hiding about the JFK assassination* The National Archives, for the first time ever, released a list of documents related to the assassination that are still shielded from public view. More than five decades after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, thousands of government files detailing the activities and testimony of shadowy spies, long-deceased witnesses and others with possible knowledge of the events remain shielded from public view. The government gave a first-ever peek at what's still out there... more »
Musical Interlude: Secret Garden, “Hymn to Hope”
Secret Garden, “Hymn to Hope” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO2QE1SNbd4 ○ " What is Hope? A star that gleaming, O'er the future's troubled sky, Struggles, tremulously beaming, To reveal what there may lie." - R.A.P.
The State Of U.S. Politics Today
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *WNU Editor*: I confess .... I had a good laugh .... because it is all true.
Feb. 5: Another gem of Irving reporting on page 1.
A big story tells us that provincial health minister, Mr Boudreau has revealed more on his health plan. Actually, he doesn't reveal anything that we haven't already heard. And he offers no evidence whatever that his plan will save money and make service more efficient. This isn't a front page story. In fact, it isn't a story at all. There is an important story on A4 in which doctors at the Dumont Hospital say they have heard or seen nothing to suggest that government changes in the health system are anything but destructive. (So I can understand why this didn't make page 1.) The r... more »
Why Rubio Won(!) (Washington Post Lies About Sanders Health Care Program/Likes Obama's?) What the Republicans Have Wrought in NC Pension Finances (It's a Tragedy for the Citizens and a Windfall for Hedge Funds)
Bernie Sanders writes: "I have to say, I find it a little beyond comprehension that Lloyd Blankfein would lecture our campaign about 'dangerous moments' after Wall Street received huge bailouts from the working families of this country, when their greed and recklessness caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, livelihoods, and homes just a few years ago. His arrogance has no end." How
BERNing Iowa-Supercharged (Hillary's Deliberate Deceit) Bill Black Leads Regulators/Whistleblowers in DOJ/FBI Cleanup (Surely Hillary Knows Why She Receives Millions) Rubio's Vulture Paul Singer (Hillary Declares War on Single-Payer Health Care)
And on to New Hampshire! Where things are supposed to get even better for the BERN team. The Iowa caucuses just supercharged the 2016 presidential race. Younger and lower-income voters drove Bernie Sanders into a head heat with Hillary Clinton. A record Republican turnout of white voters elevated an odd couple – two first term Cuban-American Senators – and deflated Donald Trump, the fear
dream - loving the alien - tall whites and 'very adult content'.
*Third Eye Butterfly composite image.* Obviously, I'm not going to go into intimate excruciating loving detail on this one, suffice to say, "The tall whites can visit me any time they like," though I will share this one shimmering nugget - PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION *is their ecstatic bag*. Maybe that's how our world was delivered to us in the first place, like the Russians landing a Viking Longboat upon the White House lawn. Very special Kafka-like moments and memories shared across the galaxy, I'll tell you - I'm willingly going back there should I receive another star-fed invita... more »
U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee To Hold A Rare Public Hearing With National Security Leaders
The U.S. Capitol dome and U.S. Senate (R) in Washington, August 2, 2011. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst *Washington Examiner:* *Intel panel to grill national security leaders in public* The Senate Intelligence Committee will publicly question the heads of the nation's intelligence agencies next week in a rare public hearing that will examine worldwide threats to America and its allies. The witness list includes Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, the head of the National S... more »
Military Photo of the Day: February 6, 2016
[image: USS Philippine Sea Helldivers - 900] A U.S. Navy Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver of attack squadron VA-9A “Tough Kitties” is lifted to the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) in preparation for launch from the carrier. Other squadron aircraft are visible aft, in... more »
Why Is The CIA's Art Collection 'Top Secret'?
Paintings from the Melzac collection, recreated by Joby Barron for the exhibition "Chasing Justice" * Matthew Ponsford, CNN:* *Why won't the CIA reveal what's in its art collection?* (CNN)The CIA's fortress headquarters in Langley, Virginia is home to more than few surprises, like a branch of Starbucks where the baristas definitely don't ask names, and a museum of spying you'll never set foot in. And those are just the details they're authorized to talk about. Langley is the nerve center of an espionage empire with a budget in the billions. Its classified headcount of intelligence... more »
Pope Francis Warns Russian Patriarch “The End Is Coming”
The Russian Orthodox Church have confirmed that the Vatican have requested an “urgent and immediate” meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill over church leaders’ fears that the end of the world is coming. The meeting is scheduled to take place on 12 February in Cuba. Whatdoesitmean.com reports: According to this report, this unprecedented meeting between Christendom’s top two leaders is the first rapprochement between these factions since the Great Schism of 1054 that precipitated the final separation between the Eastern Christian churches (led by the patriarch of Constan... more »
Economic Collapse: Citi Say World Economy In ‘Death Spiral’
Citi bank strategists have warned that the global economy is trapped in a “death spiral” that may lead to weakened oil prices, recession and a serious equity bear market. Analysts at the bank have dubbed the oil crisis “Oilmageddon” and say that a global financial crash worse than than the post World War II era may be on its way. Cnbc.com reports: “The world appears to be trapped in a circular reference death spiral,” Citi strategists led by Jonathan Stubbs said in a report on Thursday. “Stronger U.S. dollar, weaker oil/commodity prices, weaker world trade/petrodollar liquidity, we... more »
The Global Rise Of Biometric ID Cards
The use of biometric national identity cards, using rfid chip technology, is continuing to grow around the world. One man has recently become the very first person able to board a plane due to an rfid chip implanted into his hand. Pressfortruth.ca reports: Around the world there are various endeavors in many countries which are seeking to promote rfid technology and biometric identification. According to a report in 2014 by Acuity Market Intelligence, it was estimated that in five years, roughly half of the world population will be registered with national biometric identification ... more »
NASA Warns That ‘Closest-Ever’ Asteroid Will Pass Earth Next Month
On March 5th, 2016, asteroid TX68 will be the closest ever flyby of an asteroid to ever approach the earth, researchers at NASA have said. The asteroid will pass by the planet at a distance of 11,000 miles (17,000 km). Asteroid 2013 TX68 is currently estimated to be about 150 feet (45 meters) across and has an estimated mass of about 130,000 metric tons. The space rock is traveling at about 32,211 miles per hour (51,839 kilometers per hour), relative to Earth. The asteroid’s orbit is highly uncertain (condition code 7) and it will be hard to predict where to look for it, experts s... more »
Official Study Confirms Link Between Oil Drilling And Earthquakes
An official University of California report has concluded that there is a link between oil drilling and earthquakes. The 2005 spate of earthquakes in California’s Central Valley was triggered by oilfield injection underground, researchers say Yahoo News reports: The research links a local surge in oil company injection of wastewater underground, peaking in 2005, with an unusual jump in seismic activity in and around the Tejon Oilfield in southern Kern County. In Oklahoma and some other Midwestern states, the U.S. Geological Survey and others have linked oilfield operations with a d... more »
German Spy Agency Says ISIS Sending Fighters Disguised As Refugees
The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) has said that ISIS militants may have slipped into Europe disguised as refugees. Hans-Georg Maasse says that the Paris terror attacks last November proves that ISIS are capable of planting terrorist in Europe, and has warned that there are many more that are yet to be discovered. Reuters.com reports: “Then we have repeatedly seen that terrorists … have slipped in camouflaged or disguised as refugees. This is a fact that the security agencies are facing,” Maassen told ZDF television. “We are trying to recognize and identify whe... more »
UK Government Dismiss UN Decision On Julian Assange As “Ridiculous”
UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has dismissed a UN panel’s ruling that Julian Assange should be allowed to go free, saying that their ruling is “ridiculous”. The UN panel said that Assange had been “arbitrarily detained” and should receive compensation from the British government. BBC News reports: Philip Hammond rejected the decision, accusing Mr Assange of evading justice. Mr Assange hailed it as a “significant victory”, but the UK government insisted the ruling was not legally binding and the report “changes nothing”. The 44-year-old Australian was originally arrested in Lon... more »
LIGO wows: BH masses 36+29 to 62 Suns, 5.1 sigma, ringdown to Kerr
For those of us who "knew" that there would be an announcement of a LIGO discovery involving a black hole merger, was there a reason to watch the Thursday February 11th 10:40 am press conference in D.C.? You bet. As recently as 10 hours ago, we still didn't know some numbers and details that were going to thrill us *despite* the previous knowledge. Whenever I was asked why I am still very excited even though it's obvious to me that gravitational waves exist, I forgot to say one important thing. By the detection of the waves, we're not testing just the existence of the waves. We're... more »
UK Government To Fine Homeless People £1,000 For Sleeping Rough
Homeless people in London could be fined £1,000 for sleeping rough, under tough new rules introduced by a London council. Despite the fact that the homeless are unlikely to have the funds to pay the fines, Hackney Council have introduced Public Space Protection Orders which bans people from sleeping in public spaces. Metro.co.uk reports: Homelessness charities have condemned the move, saying that it turns rough sleepers – who are often escaping lives of abuse – into criminals. A similar protection order was proposed by Oxford City Council, but the council backed off after a petitio... more »
Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt 'Warthogs' Will Not Be Retired Before 2022
An A-10 Thunderbolt II undergoes pre-flight inspections at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. on March 23, 2006. The retirement of the A-10 is being pushed back to 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by/Airman 1st Class Jesse Shipps) *Daily Mail:* *Pigs get to keep flying: Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt 'warthogs' will not be retired before 2022* * Pentagon planned to scrap A-10 in order to help pay for new F-35 fighter * Rise of ISIS means close-range support provided by A-10 is badly needed * Ash Carter today confirmed that Warthogs will get to keep flying until 2022 * Defense officials st... more »
Tweet For Today
Small stakes, big impact: Obama’s investment in the gun industry. https://t.co/WX9XzNOWTr via @specialreports pic.twitter.com/B9HpJ3BtPL — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 5, 2016
Twitter Has Suspended 125,000 Accounts For Terrorist Activity In The Past Year
*CBS*:* Twitter reveals it has suspended 125,000 ISIS-related accounts* Twitter announced on Friday afternoon that it has suspended at least 125,000 accounts that are related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) since mid-2015. They were suspended, the social media network said, after threatening or promoting terrorist acts related to ISIS. "Like most people around the world, we are horrified by the atrocities perpetrated by extremist groups. We condemn the use of Twitter to promote terrorism and the Twitter Rules make it clear that this type of behavior, or any violent ... more »
Energy 57, Tony la Vina's anti-coal alarmism
Aside from Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Oxfam and other big environmental NGOs, one prominent anti-coal (and anti-fossil fuels, anti-mining, anti-...) crusader to "save the planet" is Atty. Tony la Vina, outgoing Dean of the Ateneo School of Government. In his 3 recent columns (January 16, January 26, February 06, 2016) in The Standard, he articulated various anti-coal alarmism claims, below. I added some data and 2 articles from WUWT by Eric Worral. The various "planet saviours" celebrated big time last December during the UN FCCC's COP 21 in Paris, saying they signed ... more »
My Letter To David Yurdiga
I promised myself that I wouldn't get too caught up in politics this year on the blog but sometimes there are issue that are just too important. It's difficult to ignore the reality that our region has been hit particularly hard in recent months after the price of oil tanked. According to Statistics Canada, unemployment has risen 40% since January 2015. And of course, being the political hot potato that it is, it didn't take long for the political talking heads to start tongue-wagging. Everyone from the Prime Minister to the Premier to the Leader of the Provincial Opposition has... more »
Picture Of The Day
*Breaching Tactics* Marines shield themselves from a detonated explosive charge during an urban training course on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 29, 2016. During the course, Marines learned about four different types of charges. Marine Corps photo by Pvt. Robert Bliss
A Falling Out Between Russia And Iran Over Syria?
Iran’s Ali Akbar Velayati (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin before a meeting in Moscow on January 28, 2015. Press TV *Debka*:* Iran and Russia in first major falling-out over Syrian war and Assad* While diplomats from 70 countries talked in London about how to raise $9 bn for projects to rehabilitate Syria’s refugees and rebuild their war-ravaged country, its future was further clouded this week by an argument that flared between the main arbiters, Russia and Iran. Ali Akbar Velayati, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s foreign affairs advisor, spe... more »
Red Hot Chili Peppers Played A Bernie Benefit Tonight-- And Some Advise From Bankster Lloyd Blankfein
Tonight's Red Hot Chili Peppers concert for Bernie was sold out-- weeks in advance. Flea, the Peppers' long-time activist bass player, is a big Bernie fan, although sometimes he can't help himself when it comes to denouncing the Republican clowns. "I can't take Donald Trump or anything he says seriously," he said last week. "I just think that he's a silly reality-show bozo and blustering guy who likes getting attention. I don't think he wants to be president, and I don't think he has a chance to be the president. He's just some egotistical, silly person whose main concern in life i... more »
What Happened In Cologne Will Not Happen Russia
*Daily Caller*:* Refugees Go Clubbing In Russia, Harass Girls, Wake Up In Hospital The Next Morning* *A group of 51 refugees were brutally assaulted outside a night club in Murmansk, Russia, after they groped and molested women at a night club Saturday.* The refugees had previously been ordered to leave Norway for “bad behavior” and tried their luck in Russia. What they didn’t realize when they went out clubbing in Murmansk is that Russians have less tolerance when it comes to sexual assault on local women than other European countries. The refugees allegedly groped and harassed ... more »
Head of Germany's Security Services: ISIS Fighters Are Entering Germany Disguised As Refugees
Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of the BfV Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters *New York Times: **Terrorism Suspects Are Posing as Refugees, Germany Says* BERLIN — An Algerian couple, suspected of planning a terrorist attack in Berlin and arrested on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State, entered Germany late last year and applied for asylum as Syrian refugees — part of a pattern of terrorism suspects entering Europe under the guise of fleeing war, the German authorities said Friday. The police in Berlin published a photo they said was of the husband, showing a bearded man with his face b... more »
Gaming White Whales: Campaigns I Really Want to Run Someday
He tasks me. He tasks me, and I shall have him. I'll chase him round the Moons of Nibia and round the Antares Maelstrom and round Perdition's flames before I give him up! - *Star Trek II *Channeling *Moby Dick* I've been gaming since the early 1980's so I've run and played in a lot of games. But there's a few games I've never really gotten the chance to run or play in much more than a few standalone games here and there. I've mentioned *Traveller* a few times in this blog. I remember seeing those little black books at my gaming store in the 1980's but never got into it. Over t... more »
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Lies About Cause of Collapse of Geneva III Talks
*UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's comments about the Syrian peace talks have not been helpful. Attributing the collapse of the talks to one side only is a betrayal of the Syrian people and of the principles of justice and fairness that the United Nations was supposedly created to uphold.* *An excerpt from, "Ban blames Russia for collapse of Syria talks" by Sam Jones, FT, February 5, 2016: * Devastating Russian air raids in Syria last week caused the collapse of peace talks in Geneva, said UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon as he warned that an immediate ceasefire was needed if the ... more »
Is The Middle East On The Brink?
*Richard Fernandez, PJ Media*:* Full Speed to Disaster* While the US media's attention remained focused on the presidential elections, developments in Syria continued to take a dramatic turn. Saudi Arabia announced "it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the U.S.-led alliance decides to start such operations." Russia warned that Turkey might intervene to break the siege of Aleppo to save its clients from annihilation and prevent a renewed flood of refugees from taking the road to Europe. Not only is the situation threatening to escalate, the Washington Po... more »
A Look At The Consequences Of Saudi Arabia Sending Ground Troops Into Syria
*Kim Sengupta, The Independent*: *How Saudi Arabia sending ground forces into Syria will have huge ramifications on the civil war* While the soldiers are intended to fight Isis, they may find themselves clashing with Iranian ‘volunteers’ and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in what is a highly combustible situation The sending of ground forces by Saudi Arabia into Syria will have immense ramifications for the country’s civil war and the wider region. The question, however, is whether it will actually take place. The Saudi announcement comes at a time when prospects for peace have faded... more »
Blue America Endorses Sonny Palacios (TX-15)
TX-15 is a long skinny piece of gerrymandered south Texas-- they call it a "fajita strip"-- that starts in the suburbs northwest of San Antonio and at Seguin and meanders down to the Rio Grande Valley. It includes all of Duval, Guadaloupe, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Live Oaks and Karnes counties and portions of Hidalgo and Wilson counties. Most of the people live in the McAllen/Edinburg area, in deep blue Hidalgo County. Over half the votes from TX-15 come from Hidalgo and although Obama only beat Romney 57-42% districtwide, he took Hidalgo 70-29%. The district is over 80% Latino. They fi... more »
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Falling Through Time”
2002, “Falling Through Time” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn5SjXaxc74
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Big, bright, and beautiful, spiral galaxy M83 lies a mere twelve million light-years away, near the southeastern tip of the very long constellation Hydra. Prominent spiral arms traced by dark dust lanes and blue star clusters lend this galaxy its popular name, The Southern Pinwheel. But reddish star forming regions that dot the sweeping arms highlighted in this sparkling color composite also suggest another nickname, The Thousand-Ruby Galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* About 40,000 light-years across, M83 is a member of a group of galaxies that includes active galaxy Centaurus ... more »
Chet Raymo, "Rules For Believing And Thinking"
*"Seven Rules for Believing"* by Chet Raymo "I was reading again recently Richard Dawkins' letter to his daughter Juliet on her tenth birthday, urging her to avoid tradition, authority and revelation as reasons for believing. Ask for evidence, he writes - evidence that is at least potentially available to all. Good advice, and I wouldn't mind passing on Dawkins' letter to my own children or grandchildren. But there is further advice I would add. A week or so ago I proposed here Four Rules of Rational Thinking, and had some savvy comments by readers. Let me now propose Seven Rules o... more »
"I Will Gladly Change..."
“If any man is able to show me and prove to me that I do not think or act right, I will gladly change, for I seek the truth, by which no man was ever injured. It is only persistence in self delusion and ignorance that does harm.” - Marcus Aurelius
"If You Caught A Glimpse..."
"If you caught a glimpse of your own death, would that knowledge change the way you live the rest of your life?" - Paco Ahlgren, "Discipline"
BWorld 41, OFWs, cheap oil and the TPP
* This is my article in BusinessWorld last February 04, 2016. Labor mobility and migration across countries and continents is a result of push and pull factors in both the labor exporting and labor importing or receiving countries. Labor-surplus countries generally have lower wages and labor skills due to limited employment opportunities while labor-deficit countries generally have higher wages and skills training. If labor migration is heavily restricted via multiple regulations and permits, taxes and mandatory contributions -- if not prohibited outright -- the wage gap and income... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador. Thanks for stopping by!
"Dignity..."
"No one else can confer dignity on you; it is something that comes from within. You cannot fake it or acquire it as you would an accent. You can only receive the gift of dignity from your own heart. When you learn to embrace your self with a sense of appreciation and affection, you begin to glimpse the goodness and light that is in you, and gradually you will realize that you are worthy of respect from yourself. When you recognize your limits, but still embrace your life with affection and graciousness, the sense of inner dignity begins to grow. You become freer and less dependent ... more »
The Poet: Rumi, “Whoever Brought Me Here”
*“Whoever Brought Me Here”* "All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there. This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile, I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary. The day is coming when I fly off, but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice? Who says words with my mouth? Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul? I cannot stop asking. ...more »
Free Trade 63, Dealing with anti-trade lib, anti-TPP activists
Another good article from Wan, CEO of IDEAS in Malaysia, reposting. The photos I just added here and not part of the original article. -------------- *Lessons from the TPPA debate* by Wan Saiful Wan Jan. First published in The Star 2 February 2016 I am pleased that our parliament has voted for Malaysia to sign the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (#TPPA). Over three days, both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara debated the issue and the government won the vote in both chambers. However I am very disappointed by the way the vote was won. Members of both chambers voted according t... more »
Tonight's Movie Is 'The Pentagon Wars'
*WNU Editor:* This movie is hilarious.
A Reminder
I traveled three hours north to Blue Hill, Maine on Thursday along with VFP national board member Tarak Kauff who co-led our delegation to Jeju Island and Okinawa last December. We were invited to speak at an event there that also featured fellow VFP members Dud Hendrick and Russell Wray - both of whom came on that same trip to Asia. It was exciting to see the others again and our collective presentations came across well - we got good reviews from those in attendance. In a small way it helped us honor our promises on Jeju and Okinawa that we would go home and spread the word. ... more »
Message from the Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers
"As you move through these changing times... be easy on yourself and be easy on one another. You are at the beginning of something new. You are learning a new way of being. You will find that you are working less in the yang modes that you are used to. "You will stop working so hard at getting from point A to point B the way you have in the past, but instead, will spend more time experiencing yourself in the whole, and your place in it. "Instead of traveling to a goal out there, you will voyage deeper into yourself. Your mother's grandmother knew how to do this. Your ancestors ... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 5, 2016
*Nick Paton Walsh, CNN:* *You thought Syria couldn't get much worse. Think again* (CNN)Aleppo's fall to rebels -- back in 2012 a much more moderate bunch than the often al-Nusra-infected alliances we see now -- was a symbolic moment: the commercial heart of Syria turning on the country's own government. Now, as thousands flee to the Turkish border from Russian airstrikes pounding the city and government forces moving in, the battle for Aleppo is again gaining significance. The towns of Nubul and Zahraa were reached by government forces late Wednesday and their seizure could mark... more »
Untitled
*Why New Orleans's Back-to-Nature Experiment in Flood Control May Revitalize a Neighborhood ~Patrick Sisson, Curbed*
When Kirill and Francis Meet, It’ll be an Historic Kick in the Devil’s Gut
[image: Kicking the Devil - 900] It was the ongoing "Christian genocide" that finally brought about the meeting after twenty years of discussions. Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill will be meeting next Friday in the neutral location of Cuba, while the patriarch is... more »
Economic News , Data & Views - Friday Evening Wrap Up ( February 5 , 2016 ) US ( 1. Non Farm Payrolls / Unemployment data / Employment Situation Report. 2. Trade Deficit Data. ) Europe ( 1. Greece Items Of Note. 2.Ukraine Political Crisis Threatens Western Aid. 3. Refugee/ Migration / Border Security. 4. UK- EU Talks Items . 5. NIRP News. 6. SNB Travails. 7. Portugal In focus. ) MENA ( 1. Syria Battlefront Items. 2. Libya In Focus. ) Asia ( 1. China Starts New Year Holiday - Amid Some Ominous tidings. 2. Japan Items Of Note . 3. Taiwan Earthquake Items. )
Overview........ US- Non Farm Payrolls & Employment Situation *zerohedge* @zerohedge 8h 8 hours ago Dear BLS, Explain This http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-0 5/dear-bls-explain … *zerohedge* @zerohedge 9h 9 hours ago 70% Of Jobs Added In January Were Minimum Wage Waiters And Retail Workers http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-0 5/70-jobs-added-january-were-minimum-wage-waiters-and-retail-workers … *zerohedge* @zerohedge 9h 9 hours ago January Payrolls Miss Big, Adding Only 151,000 Jobs, But Hourly Wages Jump http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-... more »
Female Former Marine: Women Really Don’t Want to Be in Combat Roles
[image: Female Marine - 900] Civilian leaders in the military have heralded the decision open all ground combat roles to women as a sign of progress, but some females who have actually served in the military are none too pleased at the Pentagon's plans. Jude... more »
#PrayforTaiwan: 6.4 Quake Strikes Taiwan, Collapses Buildings
[image: Rescuers are seen entering an office building that collapsed on its side from an early morning earthquake in Tainan, southern Taiwan, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake has struck southern Taiwan, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (AP Photo)] A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake has struck southern Taiwan, causing at least two buildings to collapse. There have been no immediate reports of casualties. The quake, centered some 22 miles southeast of Yujing, struck about 4 a.m. local time, or 3 p.m....more »
UN To Make Millions Of Africans Homeless To Fight Global Warming
By Paul Homewood The United Nations global warming deal could make another five million people homeless in the world’s poorest countries, for the express purpose of setting forest land aside to slow global warming through conservation. Millions who live in and depend on forests for their livelihoods could be evicted from their wooded […]
Is The DCCC As Hated Among Florida Democrats As It Is Among California Democrats?
Every bit as horrible as the last DCCC chairman-- and the one before that A few days ago we looked at why California Democratic Party activists have been rejecting the DCCC and telling them to go shove their corrupt conservative candidates up Ben Ray Luján's and Steve Israel's asses. But a growing hatred for the DCCC among Democrats isn't confined to California. Florida Democratic Party activists have been waking up to the Beltway shenanigans that have proven catastrophic for Florida Democrats for over a decade when then-DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel started recruiting Republicans to r... more »
Fully Erect Penis Of Halitherses Grimaldii Preserved In Amber
An ancient fossil sporting an erect penis half the size of his body has been found exquisitely preserved in amber. A distant cousin of modern daddy longlegs has been found fossilized in amber with a fully erect penis, according to National Geographic. The male harvestman “Halitherses grimaldii” lived some 99 million years ago in what is now modern-day Burma. Discovery reports: Researchers from the Berlin Museum for Natural History conducted the study and say the find is the first to show an erect penis frozen in amber. The ancient spider specimen (Halitherses grimaldii) is a harvest... more »
Zika Virus Now Found In Saliva &Urine
Scientists have identified the Zika virus in the saliva and urine of two infected patients, a top Brazilian biomedical research institution said on Friday. Officials said they have launched an investigation into the possible transmission of the mosquito-borne virus through bodily fluids. Pregnant women in Brazil are now being warned to refrain from kissing strangers, or sharing cutlery and plates with them in case they have the virus. Are we afraid yet? Ready for the vaccine? Reuters reports: These developments come just as Rio kicks off its annual carnival celebrations, a raucous f... more »
World News Briefs -- February 5, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*Al Jazeera*: *Thousands head to Turkey fleeing Syrian offensive* Flight from northern Aleppo province's countryside prompted by government's success in breaking through rebel defences. Thousands of Syrians are fleeing the Aleppo countryside, heading towards Turkey, as government forces break through rebel defences in the northern province. The development comes as diplomatic talks on ending the war in Syria remain on hold and Saudi Arabia announces its readiness to send in ground troops. A Turkish aid organisation said on Friday that about 50,000 refugees urgently need food, wat... more »
Jerry Avissato shared a link.
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